Drabble / Oneshot:

Chishiya.

An inescapable name.

Flashing on TV, discussed on radio, projected on billboards, written across magazines, highlighted in adverts, dangling on keychains – Some form of the name is always around, on the edges of your peripheral and flowing through the air, not overbearing but inchingly persistent.

For decades showbiz circles have whispered it, and over generations of successes fans now shouted it, cooed at it, relied on it for it save them during mundane existence with dramas and movies.

Nepotism will let you start the race at the finish line, and shoot the competition in the knees if you’re so inclined; what goes on behind the curtain rarely makes the stage if your clever about it.

And Shuntaro Chishiya certainly was clever.

An A-List actor known for his early roles in dramas and later work in thrillers, his beauty and subtle yet effective expressional acting made him a household name overnight. Roles came easily to him and he didn’t care he was typecast as a specific character archetype; it made it easier, effortless.

As expected of the son of two seasoned actors whose romance itself became a public affair winning the adoration of housewives across the country, a perfect family with a beautiful reputation.

No scandals, no failures, no missteps.

A truly perfect family with a truly perfect future.

Chishiya.

The name burns him, burrows itself in his ears and crawls out of his throat in discussion, he hates it, hates them, hates hearing 'Chishiya' on the radio, seeing it printed on every gossip magazine, on billboards - A ghost of a impassive smirk lives behind Niragi’s eyelids and he wants to rip it out.

For normal people breaking into the industry is a path akin to wading through quicksand, struggling only makes you sink faster and it takes equal parts luck and intelligence to make it out, or in, alive. Niragi knew that much, and he wasn't even an actor, only on the fringes of it.

Stunt work was physical, dangerous, but required intellect and planning to be done well. Starting as a tech guy on sets, Niragi found a freedom in the more intense scenes and violence involved, designing scenes to later smash apart was cathartic to the extent it became an addiction.

From contributing to set designs and preparing scenes for stunts, his knowledge and experience landed him in better productions including a new blockbuster starring Chishiya…

A gritty drama set in the 80's, Chishiya would play a protagonist turned antagonist unbeknownst to the audience until the last act when he kills the character Niragi will be stunting for. It makes him laugh at first, like he’s being mocked by the system which panders to Chishiya while trying to drown him.

That impassive smirk goes from lingering images to real and all consuming, no longer on the edges but directly in front of him, working with him feels like touching the sun, there’s a gravity clinging to him and the source doesn’t waver as he sweats and burns.

But it does react, the first time Niragi gets a genuine reaction from Chishiya is when he punches him in the face, a demonstration purposely fumbled but all the blond does is laugh. People rush over to swaddle him while the director scalds Niragi however his attention is locked on the ember of challenge now flickering in the other’s eyes.

Scenes move smoothly after that, or as smoothly as Niragi is used to, he behaves for the most part but barks down the hierarchy chain when he doesn’t have an outlet- doesn’t have his preferred outlet of biting at Chishiya. To his credit, the other man reciprocates every time and the flame grows brighter, Niragi starts to fantasise about the fire burning them both to ashes.

Physicality become familiar and when biting isn’t enough something else spills over, soon it’s a staple to find Niragi lingering on set when Chishiya has a scene, a threat to everyone but the star shining in the set he designed.

When they begin to leave together people raise questions and raise eyebrows, but any rumours dwindle to nothing more than assumptions of some sort of common ground being established.

The film wraps and is a success, accolades are thrown at the cast and leads, which is expected, however on more in-depth forums the set designs, special effects and stunt work is also praised.

…

A car far too outdated for the garage it’s parked in is reported in gossip mags but no woman is seen, a king-size bed goes from partly used to a regular mess, and burning goes from scalding to comforting.

(Niragi hates the media's 'Chishiya', and much prefers the one he sees at home, as reluctantly as he may be to admit it)

Additional art with more focused / visible Chishiya and tidbits:

(as well as transparent Niragi's in case you want to use it for personal use) 😊🤲

Tidbits:

I tried to do some fun things with the other billboards like:

- Hatters’s being a bar with gambling (cough card games cough), girls and music (there a variation of 'Hatters' then in a later one 'The Beach' as he expands his business)

- A few say some form of "Where are you Alice?" for funsies

- There is a 'Breaking News' which mentions 'investment CEO Yaba' has gone missing (I kinda went off on one thinking of what he would be doing in this AU and it's probably running off with Banda to be insane together)

- Kuzuryu has a jewellery based company focused on diamonds (lab grown of course 💅)

- Kuina has a fashion line which Chishiya models for (he prefers her sleepwear and loungewear lines)

Implication is that Niragi and Chishiya share a high-rise apartment which Niragi is on the balcony of in the first image

I was wondering whether to give this a ‘happy’ ending (them being together) or a more canonical ending (Niragi going off the rails) however my fluffy little heart won out

Not only did I mess up on this comic that this was the only good panel but I even colored Chishiyas hair the wrong color and then his eye smudged and I just had to post smth 💔 but idk I thought it would be fun if Chishiya was one of those students who help the nurse (nurse assistant?) and Niragi would frequently “visit”

The beach holds more stricter rules and regulations than canon.

The beach is still called the beach because of its goal/dream to see the real beach one day.

Niragi does still burn but he falls into a frozen lake that happens to have a thin layer of ice

Chishiya chooses to betray Kuina alongside Arisu & Usagi.

Winter Borderland AU

- Set in Hokkaido instead of Tokyo, Chishiya is there at his family's holiday home and Niragi is visiting for a work commitment

- The Beach is called 'The Resort' and takes place in a Ski Resort

- Due to the hazardous nature of the weather and lack of easily accessible amenities people pair off more cautiously (I.e. Kuina realises she might not be able to trust Chishiya, no one trusts Niragi)

- Pairs and groups will hoard camping equipment and survival gear in order to survive the climate

- The Witch Hunt still happens with an element of cabin fever, instead of burning Niragi in this AU Chishiya locks him in a storage freezer (however Niragi is able to mimic distressed noises and Arisu frees him - getting almost killed in the process but saved by Aguni)

- Niragi has scars from frostburn all over his hands as well as parts of his arms and legs from struggling to get out the room in anger / panic

- Kuina states she cannot trust Chishiya after his betrayal with Arisu and Usagi, now alone he knows he needs a partner to have any chance of survival and all that's left is an unconscious Niragi

- Chishiya and Niragi pair together eventually due to lack of other choice and because each one thinks they're in control of the dynamic when reality is they're dependent on each other

- Chishiya can't handle the cold well and has a low stamina (often needing rest and warmth more frequently), whereas Niragi's mental fortitude is even more fragile when paired with extreme weather (needing motivation and challenge to scathe off his loathing)

- They slowly grow to care for each other whether intentional or otherwise, Niragi will spot Chishiya's face and hands getting cold and shoo them into a building or suitable campsite, while Chishiya will drag Niragi out of his thoughts in a blunt but essential manner

- They end up developing a closer bond and only realise it in the Jack of Hearts game when they both have a chance to outsmart / manipulate the other into losing but turn down the opportunity

- With the games ramping up and tension building they move into a casual relationship (though are now deeply possessive of each other), and wind up meeting Arisu's group again

- Arisu and Kuina still have a slight soft spot for Chishiya despite his betrayal and on reunion spark Niragi's jealousy in a number of ways

1. For having a previous friendship with Chishiya

2. For Chishiya still being accepted by the group whereas Niragi is isolated / only tolerated for being with Chishiya

3. For Chishiya accepting them, a feeling / action developed through accepting Niragi first

- So Niragi reacts similarly to canon and attacks them, but unlike canon Chishiya is the one to shoot him purposely missing his vital organs