Aiba in wonderland Part 2/3 (JunBa)
Jan. 26th, 2018 06:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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sky_no_yukiTitle: Aiba in wonderland Part 2 of 3
Pairing: Aiba Masaki/Matsumoto Jun
Rating/Warnings: NC-17 – kind of
Summary: When Aiba wakes up in wonderland, he isn’t sure if he is just dreaming or if this is really happening to him. And when the Cheshire asks him for help to save wonderland, he starts his trip through wonderland …
Notes: I wrote this story for the Arashi exchange last year, and I never posted it, so I will do it now :) I post it in parts, because it's too long for posting it in one go :) <3 Hope you'll like it.
Aiba could hear the birds singing and it smelled like fresh grass. He turned and felt someone next to him, and a small purr echoed in his ear. Aiba opened his eyes. Damn, he hadn’t dreamed this whole thing. It really happened. Nino lay next to him, still coiled up, his breath slowly.
“Hey, Nino,” Aiba said. “Wake up.”
Nino opened his eyes a little bit and stretched his limps. “Is it already morning?” He sat up. “We should get going. The Mad Hatter already awaits you, and it’s not good to be late when the March hare awaits you as well.”
They stood up and were soon on their way to the Mad Hatter’s home. Would it be strange like in the book? How was the Mad Hatter? Was he a nice guy? And the march hare?
“Nino?”
“Hm?” The cat turned to him.
“Is the march hare, you know, same like you?” Aiba asked. He was a little bit afraid to ask about it, but Nino really didn’t seem to care about his cat-side.
“Oh, Sho-kun is same yes.” Nino nodded. “You know, Carroll was a little bit … afraid of us.” Nino smiled. “That’s why he used real animals in his book, just that I am able to dissolve in the original story?”
“Yeah, true,” Aiba said. “But afraid? You are rather cute than dangerous.” Aiba could see Nino blushing at his words.
“We reach the Mad Hatter soon,” Nino said. “He is way different than you know him. He isn’t that … crazy. He just pretended to be, because he wanted to get rid of Carroll.” Nino laughed. “Just that this leaded Carroll to write us totally different than we actually are.”
They reached a big field with some trees in the middle of it. It really looked different from Aiba knew out of the books. He followed the Cheshire to the trees and soon there was the March hare approaching them. “You are late, Nino.” He pointed at his clock. “Jun already waits for you and …” He stopped when he looked at Aiba. “Who’s this?”
Nino turned to Aiba and smiled. “I found him in the tree. He came to save us.” Aiba could see the hare’s ears moving. He was similar to Nino, just that he had rabbit ears and a small tail on his back. But he was nevertheless more human than animal.
“Nah, I don’t believe this anymore. In the end no one was able to save us, even Alice ran away to get back to her world,” the hare said. He looked at Aiba. “But now you are already here. Come, I make some tea.” He guided Aiba to the large table and offered him a seat.
“The Mad Hatter will be here soon,” he said. He threw a dark glance at Nino, who jumped on the table and lay down there. “You are a human, damn, act like one.”
“Oh come on, Sho-chan, sometimes it’s nice to play the cat,” Nino said with a smile. “He is always so strict, but he is goodhearted,” Nino explained when Sho was gone. “He is just worried, like we all are.”
Aiba looked at the other. Nino’s eyes were small and there was a real fear covering his face. Was it really that bad? Was this world going to be destroyed by someone who didn’t like stories? “I am afraid that I can’t help you.” Aiba shrugged. “I am just a human.”
“Don’t underestimate a human’s strength.” Aiba turned when he heard a foreign voice speaking with him. He turned to look at the man behind him. He blinked. Damn, this guy was good looking. He had black hair and a piercing look. The small mole under his lip underlined his perfect smile.
“I am sorry?” Aiba asked when he could dissolve from the beauty of this man.
The man smiled at him. “I think you are probably stronger than you think you are.” He sat opposite Aiba, his hands on his knees. He had a tight black-purple pant and a white shirt with a gilet in the same colour like his pants.
“I guess not,” Aiba answered. He knew about his power – which was really non existing. He had always been a coward and he hated it to be the centre of something.
“Here is the tea,” Sho came with a plate and placed the cups on the table. He glanced at Nino, who still lay on there, his tail wiggling left and right happily. He seemed to enjoy teasing Sho like this.
The Mad Hatter waved his hand. “It doesn’t matter now. It’s good that you are here.” He smiled at Aiba.
“But he wants to leave immediately,” Nino said with a sad voice.
Aiba could see everyone looking at him. He blushed. “I am sorry.”
The Mad Hatter leaned forward. Aiba could see his purple green eyes and his smile turned into an earnest face. “We really need help. I fear we are all going to die soon.”
Aiba gulped. He really wasn’t the right person for this. He wasn’t even able to scold children for playing in his garden and now he should be in charge for saving a whole world? “But I am really not made for something like this. I am really, really weak.”
Aiba could see Nino moving on the table till he was at the edge of it. He lay down there, his head on his hands, and he stared at Aiba with puppy eyes. His ears were trembling slightly, and his tail moved left and right and back – just a little bit and not happy and full of energy like he did before. “I am sure you are able to help us, Aiba-chan. Your sickness is no problem here. You are healthy. Your lungs work normal and you don’t need to be afraid of dying here.”
Why did Nino know about it? He hadn’t said a word about his illness. Yes, Aiba had wondered why he felt so good here. There was no need for extra oxygen and he didn’t need the pills and medicine he was used to take. He wasn’t connected to the machines like he had been in the normal world, and he was happy about it, but did this mean? “What?”
Nino smiled at him. He looked at Aiba’s hand. “I want some scratching.”
Aiba looked at Nino and raised his hand to scratch around Nino’s ears like he had done the night before. Nino purred and closed his eyes almost immediately. “I can hear your breathing and your heart beat. Your breathing is slower than usual, but it’s not dangerous. You had health problems, but I can tell you, you don’t have them here,” Nino said without looking at him. He purred louder when Aiba let his fingers wander over his scalp, scratching here and there.
That sounded too good to be true. Aiba looked up at the Mad Hatter and the hare, who sat there, just staring at them. “Nino, I already told you that the table is not made for you to lie on,” the Mad Hatter said angrily. “You are a human being after all,” he added.
“Even though you have a tail and cat ears,” the March hare continued, but Nino didn’t even listen. He had his eyes closed and his purr was steady and calm. He was probably already asleep.
“Mad Hatter, what kind of danger is hunting you?” Aiba wanted to know. He could at least listen to their problems and decide afterwards that he wanted to go back home.
“My name is Jun, please. I don’t like being called Mad Hatter,” he smiled at Aiba. “We don’t know for sure, because it’s far away in the land behind our land. There is something trying to destroy us, and we don’t know what it is.”
He saw Sho looking at him. “And Jun knows a lot about this country. But if even he can’t tell what it is, it’s really dangerous.”
Great, and Aiba should fight against this danger no one knows about? “And why do you believe that I am able to help you? I mean, I don’t even know how I get here and it’s all so strange, maybe I am just dreaming.”
Jun smiled at him and he could feel Nino moving next to him. He still had his hand on Nino’s ear, scratching it lazily. “I know it,” Jun’s voice was soft but with a certain strength. “I saw it in my dreams that you’ll come here.”
“Me?” Aiba pointed at himself.
Jun nodded. “We all knew that you’d come to us. We just didn’t know exactly when you’d arrive.
“And you are not dreaming,” Sho added. “Even though we understand that it’s hard to accept that you really are in a different world.”
“He is here?” Aiba winced when he heard a voice behind him. He turned to see a man in strange clothes. He had small eyes and he just stared at him.
“Oh, Satoshi.” Jun stood up. “This is the duke.”
So this was the duchess who was actually the duke. Aiba could understand what Carroll meant with boring outlook, but there was something else in these eyes. He could see that the duke was definitely not uninterested or sleepy. He was very well aware of the fact how he looked to others and he used this for his own advantage. Aiba had always been good in reading other people and their characters, it was maybe his only ability.
“Nice to meet you, I am Ohno Satoshi, the duke.” The man bowed and sat next to Aiba. He looked at Nino on the table and rolled his eyes. “This cat will never change.” He sighed and turned to Aiba with a smile. “It’s so nice to finally have you here.”
“I don’t need to change,” Nino said sleepy. He yawned and stretched his limps, which looked rather funny, because he stretched like cats did, just that he had a human body.
“Yeah, sure.” The duke patted Nino’s head and turned his attention back to Aiba. “So, how do you plan to save us?”
“Satoshi, he doesn’t even know why he is here by now, so take it a little slower,” Jun urged Ohno to be patient.
“Okay, okay.” Ohno raised his hands. “I am just happy that there is someone here again, after Alice and the others left us.”
They left? Why? Aiba had the slight feeling that this meant nothing good. “Why couldn’t they help you?”
“They thought that they can’t help us, and that it’s useless to try further.” Jun looked sad. “It wasn’t their world, so they weren’t concerned about it. In the end they thought that it was just a fairy tale and not a real world which get destroyed.”
“But it is a real world, maybe for them, but for us,” Ohno added.
They kept silent for a moment and there was just Nino’s almost silent purr echoing. Aiba looked around. They all seemed really nice, even though he still had the feeling that this was nothing more than a dream. “I am really not made to help you. I am weak, really,” Aiba finally said.
“No you aren’t.” Nino looked up at him, his tail standing upright and fluffy like he was really angry. “You are able to help us, I am sure about it.”
Aiba shook his head. “What makes you think so? You don’t know me.”
Nino sat up and jumped down from the table to walk up to Jun, where he sat next to him. Jun’s hand scratched over Nino’s ear and for a moment he closed his eyes and just purred out loudly. Then his eyes snapped open and stared at Aiba. “Jun and I have chosen you. We wanted you to come here.”
“You?” Aiba asked, surprised.
Nino nodded. “We saw you in hospital some months ago, and we immediately knew that you were the one to save us.”
They visited him in hospital? He had never any visitor there. Where did they see him? Aiba shook his head. This was really getting confusing. “You came to my world?”
Jun smiled at him. “No, not really, we just had the chance to see you through the magic mirror in your hospital room. We waited months till we had the feeling that there was someone who would be able to help us.”
A magic mirror? Okay, he was in wonderland, so he shouldn’t think about the truth of this, because obviously there exists something like magic and wonders. “And you observed me?”
“You know, you shouldn’t have survived your break down. But you made it. You are strong, Aiba, you survived an illness you were meant to die,” Jun said.
“But it’s something different to survive an illness than saving a world from … I don’t know what,” Aiba complained.
He could see Jun standing up and walking around the table. He looked noble and … good. Aiba blinked. Yes, Jun was definitely good looking. God, what was he thinking here?
Jun sat next to him, his hand placed on Aiba’s shoulder. Jun’s eyes were dark, but friendly and he smiled. “It’s not that much difference, believe me. But for now you need to rest.”
Aiba didn’t feel tired after all, but he wouldn’t say something against a shower and maybe something to eat. “Where can I stay?”
“You’ll stay in my house,” Jun said. “Sho, please bring some blankets and a pillow.”
The March hare nodded at him. “I am back in a minute.” He took out his pocket watch. “Yes. One minute.” He smiled and stood up to head away.
“I will never understand his addiction to time,” Nino said with a yawn. It couldn’t be that he was tired again? But maybe it were his cat genes which made him sleepy all day long.
“Thank you, Jun-san for the offer to stay at your house.” Aiba bowed.
Jun waved his hand. “No, no, that’s okay. I have enough space, really. Come, I’ll show you my home.”
Aiba followed Jun through a small wood till they reached a large place with an old looking house. It looked small, but it was high and there was even a tower on the top of it. In the oriel window Aiba could see various kinds of hats stapled probably on the window sill.
“Come in.” Jun opened the door and guided Aiba through a small corridor. “Here on the left is the kitchen and dining room, on the right is your guest room. Bathroom is at the end of the corridor. I have my rooms in the first floor.”
It was like staying in a hotel in a foreign country, but Aiba didn’t know if he really liked it here. On the wall were pictures of hats, only hats and everywhere around where clothes and fabrics lying around. “You have an amazing amount of clothes,” Aiba stunned.
“What?” Jun turned. “Oh, yes, I love it. It’s my hobby. Sho’s and Nino’s clothes are all made by me, since they need special ones because of their tails.”
“Amazing,” Aiba said and looked around further.
“Oh, they are only tails, I don’t think it’s that amazing,” Jun laughed.
“What?” Aiba blinked. “Oh, I meant your home and not the tails, but they are also amazing, kind of…”
Jun tilted his head and smiled at him. “Whatever you think. So, how about taking a rest, you can take a shower and take a nap, and I will prepare some tea.”
That sounded really good, Aiba had been awake for far too long. He looked at the small clock on the wall. How long was he already in wonderland? What time was it? Was it already night? “Is it 2am or pm?”
“2pm, but it doesn’t matter, take a rest and we’ll have tea at 5pm.” Jun looked at Aiba. “And something to eat, because even I can hear your stomach grumble, and I don’t need Sho’s ears to hear that.”
Jun smiled at Aiba. His eyes were definitely mesmerizing, and Aiba had the feeling that he could get lost in them. “And later on we’ll get you something nice to wear, because this.” Jun pointed at Aiba. “Is absolutely a no-go.”
Aiba looked down at himself. Oh god, he still had his pyjama pants and his hospital clothes on. He hadn’t recognized it till now, because he had other things he concentrated on, but now he felt rather embarrassed. Aiba had always been concerned of his clothes – he loved shopping and he loved looking good. “Oh my,” Aiba said. He pulled on the shirt. “I really look bad.”
“Nah.” Jun waved his hand. “It’s okay, we’ll find something nice for you.”
“Thank you, Jun-san.” Aiba bowed. Even though he still didn’t know why he was here or what he should really do, he felt good for now, and he felt that he definitely needed some rest now.
“No problem, and now take a rest.” Jun walked to the stairs. “I will make you something to wear meanwhile.”
Aiba blinked. Wait, Jun would make something new, now? In such a short time? “It’s not necessary to make something, Jun-san. I can wear something old, really.”
Jun shook his head and his eyes got darker. “No way.” He had his hands on his hips. “No one wears old stuff, I won’t allow that. I make something new.”
“Don’t try to say something to keep Jun from doing this,” Aiba heard Nino saying. “If he wants to make you new clothes, he will do this. It doesn’t matter what you say about it.” He turned to see Aiba at the door, leaning against the frame.
“Well, thank you,” Aiba said. He was sure that he was blushing. He opened the door to his room. “I will rest now.” He could see Nino still looking at him, a short purr escaped his lips.
“Can I join?” What? Nino wanted to sleep at his side? He didn’t know him, and Aiba didn’t like to share his bed with someone, but Nino had already slept on Aiba’s lap on the field.
“Okay,” Aiba said slowly.
He could see Jun rolling his eyes and a short sigh escaped his lips. “Nino, you really are something.” He stepped to Nino, his hand brushing Nino’s head. “I have to apologize for him. He is sometimes more a cat than a human, and he likes human contact pretty much.” Jun smiled and scratched Nino’s ear. “But if you don’t want this, it’s okay, I can take him with me upstairs.”
Aiba shook his head. “No, no, it’s okay.”
Jun shrugged. “Okay.” He walked to the stairs. “I will wake you up for tea later on. I will send Sho for some extra-special-ingredients for the tea.”
Aiba thanked him and opened the door. Nino slipped into the room before Aiba had the chance to make a step. Maybe Jun was right, and Nino was more cat than he looked liked. Nino lay on the bed which was in the middle of the room. The room was small, but it looked friendly, and the big window was covered with ivy on the outside. Butterflies were hovering on small purple flowers, which were between the ivy. It looked almost romantic.
Aiba pushed Nino to the side a bit to lie down on the bed. He closed his eyes and felt Nino shifting next to him till his head rested on Aiba’s belly. He purred in his sleep, what calmed Aiba down. Aiba felt his eyes getting tired and soon he felt into a dreamless sleep.
~~~
“Hey, Aiba-chan.” He felt hands on his stomach, poking him there. “Wake up.”
Aiba yawned. Where was he? Oh right, he was in wonderland. But maybe he was dreaming and now he was in his world again? It was for sure just a strange dream and now he was in hospital again. Why was he in hospital? Hm … he didn’t know anymore.
He heard a loud purr and something fluffy touched his face. “Nino?” Aiba said. He opened his eyes and saw Nino sitting next to him on the bed, his tail wiggling left and right, touching his face every time it moved.
“It’s almost five and Jun wants you to try your new clothes.” So Aiba wasn’t dreaming, he was still here in wonderland, and he still had no idea why he had landed here. But he could see something before he woke up. It was just a short picture in his mind, but he wasn’t sure how to interpret it.
He needed to find someone who could give him some answers. “Okay.” Aiba sat up. “Nino, is there someone who can answer me some questions about my visit here?”
Nino smiled at him. “Maybe J. He knows a lot about wonderland about the happenings here.”
“J?” Aiba asked.
“Oh, sorry, Jun. I just call him like this.” Nino jumped down from the bed.
“Oh, I understand.” Aiba followed Nino and almost bumped into Sho, who wanted to knock at their door right in this moment.
“Hurry up, you are too late already!” Sho pointed at his clock. “You are 2 minutes late, run, run.” He pointed at the stairs.
“Keep calm, hare, it’s not that horrible to be 2 minutes late for tea,” Nino said with a teasing voice.
“I am sorry,” Aiba said with a bow when he passed Sho. “We’ll hurry.”
“Yeah, do that.” Sho glanced at Nino, who just smiled.
The first floor was huge. Aiba hadn’t imagined it, because the rooms downstairs seemed pretty small. There were hats and other clothes all around the room and in the middle was a rather big table with sewing kits on it. Jun sat there, a shirt in his hand and the needle and a thread in his other hand. Aiba stepped closer and stroked over the pants on the table. “You do this without sewing machine?”
Jun looked at him and pulled his glasses, he now wore, higher up on his nose. “The real work is done by hands, and that’s how I work.”
Aiba stunned. The clothes looked like machine made, there was no thread lose or wrong placed. The clothes were just perfect. “I thought black pants and a dark green shirt would fit you best.”
Aiba nodded. He took the clothes and got undressed. He blushed when he saw Nino and Jun staring at him. “I am sorry,” he said immediately, but didn’t even know why he excused.
“Go ahead,” Jun said and turned, and Aiba was sure that he could see something like a slight blush on Jun’s cheeks.
He slipped into the pants and closed them before he pulled the shirt around his shoulders and buttoned it. “They fit perfectly.”
“J knows what fit others. And he can tell their size by just looking at them,” Nino explained. “He just doesn’t want to hear that he is good in his job.”
“Nah, I am not that good,” Jun said. “But I have to admit that this really fits you. You look incredible good.”
Aiba looked into the mirror. He had never the feeling of being ugly, but it was one of the rare times he really liked his self in the mirror. Aiba smiled. “I feel great with this, thank you.”
“No problem,” Jun said and stepped to the table again. “I made you a green pyjama for the night too. I had some remnant from you shirt.”
Aiba took the item. Jun did this all by himself? This was definitely amazing, but maybe it was just normal for someone who lived in wonderland.
“I will bring this to my room and come outside right after it,” Aiba said. He walked downstairs and could hear Nino and Jun talking on the first floor, but soon he just heard them coming down and leaving the house. Aiba placed the pyjama on the bed when he saw a small package on the middle of the bed. There were shower gel, shampoo, tooth paste and brush and some other basic stuff in it.
From the hare to you, was written on it, but Aiba was sure that Jun had told Sho to get these things for him. He smiled when he walked outside again. Maybe it was really not bad at all here. In the end he hadn’t missed anyone by now, and he was sure that no one would miss in his world. It was sad, but that’s how things had become for him in the real world. His parents had died some years ago, and he had no other relatives and he had hardly any friends around. The few he had lived far away, and he had no contact anymore. Yes, he had been a loner, and somehow he regretted this now.
“YOU ARE LATE!” Sho poked Aiba’s belly when he came outside to the garden.
“I am sorry,” Aiba laughed out when he felt Sho’s pokes. He was really ticklish, but the other did seem to think that he laughed about him.
“That’s not funny.” He walked to the seat and took place, his hands crossed on his chest. One of his ears was bend down and the other stood proudly up in the air. It looked really sweet, but he was sure that Sho didn’t want to look sweet at all.
“I didn’t want to laugh about you, I am just really ticklish.” Aiba sat down opposite Sho. “And thank you for the small package in my room.”
Aiba could see Sho blushing, especially when the others looked at him curiously. “What?” Sho said with a shrug. “I don’t want a smelling guest here, you know my nose is pretty sensitive when it’s about smells.”
“Oh yes, of course,” Jun said. He rolled his eyes. “Tell me Aiba-san, what do you want to eat.”
“Everything, really. I am just starving.” Aiba rubbed his belly.
“Good, here we go. This is a special carrot-spinach-champignon soup. I hope you’ll like it.” Jun handed Aiba a plate with soup. “And this is a special lavender-lemon-mint-orange tea. It’s Sho’s creation.”
“You have to taste it, it’s delicious,” Ohno, who still sat at the same place like hours ago, said. Aiba wasn’t sure if he had left in between his nap, or if Ohno sat here all time.
Aiba took a spoonful soup. It felt good to get something to eat and he started eating faster when he realized that the soup really tasted good. He tasted the tea, which was better than any tea he had ever drunk before. “Wow, that’s amazing, Sho-san.”
“Well, thank you,” the hare answered. Sho’s ears moved a bit, and it seemed that he was embarrassed about the compliment.
Aiba looked around. They smiled at him and talked a little with each other, but Aiba didn’t get rid of the feeling that every smile was just a farce. He could their dark rings under their eyes, and there was worry and fear sparkling in them. It made Aiba more curious why he had come here, and how.
“Jun, how did I come here?” Aiba asked. He looked at the Mad Hatter and could see him thinking about an answer. He visibly thought about telling him the truth or pretend that he didn’t know it. “You can tell me, it’s okay,” Aiba said.
“Well, you know that you were hospitalized?” Jun asked carefully.
“Yes, I can remember about that,” Aiba said. His memory was blur and there wasn’t much he could tell about his time in hospital, but he remembered about some moments he had experienced there.
He looked at Nino, who stared at the ground and it seemed he didn’t dare to look at Aiba. And even the others looked away. Just Jun kept the eye contact with him. “About everything?”
Aiba shook his head. “Just some fragments.”
“So you can’t remember what happened to you?” Now Aiba could feel a slow panic in him rising. What should have happened with him?
“No.”
Jun nodded. “It’s not that important, now you are here, and you can help us.” Jun smiled at him.
“I really want to know what happened,” Aiba insisted. He wouldn’t give up on getting an answer, but when he saw Jun shaking his head, he knew that there wouldn’t come any other answer – at least not now.
“It’s not that important, really. Try to feel good here for a few days and maybe you decide to help us?” Jun asked.
“Okay,” Aiba sighed. “But I am still not sure if I am able to help you, really.”
Nino climbed onto the table again and lay down next to Aiba’s seat. “We are sure you are.”
Aiba lay in his bed with his eyes open. His thoughts were running wild, and he was never good with sleeping when something burdened him. Why was he here? And how did he get here? And what happened in the hospital? He tried to remember, but there was nothing in his mind. It was blank.
He turned to look out of the window. The moon lightened the room and he could hear some noises outside. It must have been animals, but Aiba wasn’t sure about it. He was alone in his room, because Nino had decided to sleep somewhere outside. He could hear Jun walking on the first floor, but soon the noise stopped, so he was probably sleeping.
Aiba rolled from one side to the other, but no position seemed to be comfortable enough to let him fall asleep. He grunted and stood up to get himself something to drink. Jun had told him to use his kitchen when he needed something, and so Aiba walked out of his room.
He entered the kitchen and found Jun sitting there at the table, some sewing things on there. “Hey,” Jun said with a smile.
“Oh, Jun. I thought you are already asleep.” Aiba was astonished to find the other one in the kitchen. He had thought that Jun was doing his work upstairs only, but it seemed he was wrong.
“No, I often come down here to finish my things. I have the better here at night,” Jun answered. “Did you have a hobby, Aiba-san?”
Masaki took a glass of water and sat opposite Jun. “Call me Masaki, please.” He smiled. “I always loved to play saxophone, but at one point I had to stop because of health issues.”
“Okay, Masaki,” Jun said. “That’s sad to hear, but maybe you can start again one day?”
“I am not sure about it.” Aiba looked at Jun pushing the needle through the fabric. “I think my lungs are getting worse, and I am afraid I won’t be able to keep up this hobby.”
Jun’s fingers danced over the fabric and soon he had sewed the two pieces together. “That’s really not good. But maybe you can find another hobby?” Jun raised the pant in his hands. “Maybe you can sew something?”
Aiba laughed. “No, I think I am not really talented with it.”
“But you love clothes?”
Aiba nodded. “Yes, but I am only good in buying clothes and not making them on my own.”
“Who knows.” Jun shrugged. “Maybe you find your hidden love for it.”
“Jun, why did you choose me?” Aiba changed the topic.
“What?”
“Why did you bring me here?”
Jun put his things on the table. “You are strong, Masaki. You just don’t want to believe in yourself. I immediately saw the strong will you have, and I am sure you are the right person to help us, even though you don’t think that’s true.”
“I can’t imagine, that I am really the right person for this, Jun.” Aiba sighed. He sat opposite Jun. “I think you were wrong.”
Jun just smiled at him, his hand stroked over the pants on the table. He seemed absent-minded, but Aiba wasn’t sure if he was just thinking about what to say or if he really wasn’t listening at all. “I mean, I am sick, and I am really not that strong,” Aiba said again.
“Why don’t you trust yourself?” Jun suddenly looked up.
Aiba blinked. He trusted in his ability … at least sometimes. But in the most important situations his body didn’t make it and he broke down, like on the day he wanted to play the saxophone solo part in school – he fainted after a few seconds. And the day he wanted to run away from bullies it didn’t take them longer than a few minutes to catch Aiba and beat him up. He had always wanted to be strong, but fact was that he wasn’t strong. “I got disappointed several times,” he just said.
“Okay.” Jun clapped his hands. “Stop this from now on. You are in wonderland, so let me proof you that you are strong.”
Aiba smiled. “So you mean there happen wonders in wonderland?”
Jun laughed out. “Oh yes, a lot of wonders, like the thing that I didn’t throw the bratty Cheshire, who listens every time I have a talk with someone, out of my house.” Jun pointed at the door.
Aiba could see a fluffy tail wiggling there and soon Nino stepped into the room, his cheeks slightly blushing. “I am sorry.” He had his hands on his back. “I slept outside and it was getting cold and I thought I can sleep inside, and I heard you talking.”
Jun’s eyes were dark, but he didn’t seem like he’d shout with the other now. He instead rolled his eyes and pointed at the chair next to him. “Sit down, Nino.” And the cat did so.
“Listen, we need to make Aiba clear that he is a strong person, because he doesn’t believe me,” Jun explained. No, Aiba didn’t want any proof that he was strong, because he knew that he wasn’t and he’d probably die when he’d try to be strong.
“Roger –,” Nino said with a smile. “We need a strong Aiba-chan.” He let his tail moving left and right almost nervously. “I can make this.”
Jun nodded. “You’ll go to the duke tomorrow asking for his help, and I will talk with Sho.”
Aiba wanted to complain something, but he couldn’t say something when he saw Jun and Nino smiling happily. Was it really that bad with wonderland? Was there really an enemy attacking this land? But nevertheless Aiba wasn’t the right one for this. “I am not sure.”
“Nah, don’t talk any further,” Jun stopped him. “We’ll show you some things tomorrow, but for now you need to rest properly.”
“Okay,” Aiba let himself being pulled up by Jun and walked behind him back to his room. Jun smiled at him when he closed the door. “I will keep Nino with me, so he doesn’t disturb you while sleeping.”
It was strange, but Nino’s calm purr in sleep calmed Aiba down and he had the feeling that he could slip into a more peaceful sleep with the Cheshire next to him. “No, let him in. I like him next to me.”
Jun nodded with a smile. “Okay.” There was a short sparkle in Jun’s eyes. Was he disappointed or angry about Nino sleeping at Aiba’s place? He hoped he didn’t say something wrong now.
“But if you want him to sleep at your place, it’s okay,” Aiba added.
“No, no,” Jun said. “It’s okay, really. I ask what he wants.” But right in the moment Jun wanted to turn, Nino slipped already into the room and almost jumped on Aiba’s bed.
“I am here.” He grinned. He lay down on one side of the bed and coiled up there, his eyes already closed, dozing off.
“The only thing he does is sleeping,” Jun grumbled, but there was still a smile curling around his lips. “Have a good night, Aiba-chan.”
Aiba returned the smile. “Thank you.” He bowed. “You too, Jun-san.”
Jun closed the door and left Aiba in the dark. He just heard Nino’s silent purrs in his sleep. He turned and lay down under the blanket carefully not to wake Nino up. Soon Aiba felt the tiredness overwhelming him and he slipped into a peaceful sleep.
~~~
Aiba had the feeling that there was someone stroking his face softly and he was sure that he felt lips on his, but when he opened his eyes there was no one around. Even Nino was gone from his room. Probably he had dreamed all this? But it felt so real? But he was in wonderland, so he didn’t know what could happen here and what wasn’t possible.
Aiba slipped out of the bed to take a nice shower before he’d search for the others.
The water felt nice on his skin, and for the first time since weeks he had the feeling of being relaxed. He felt an enormous tension fading from him. Why was he that stressed? There was no reason for him, or was there a reason, but he couldn’t remember? What happened in the real world? And why did he know that he didn’t have any friends or family, but he couldn’t remember why he had come here?
Aiba shook his head. He slipped into the pants and shirt Jun had made for him and walked to the kitchen, where Jun was preparing some tea. “Oh, good morning.” He smiled at Aiba and a small jump appeared in Aiba’s belly. What was that?
“Good morning, Jun-san.” Aiba stepped to the other. “Oh god, are these pancakes?”
Jun nodded at him. “I had the chance to see a cooking show in your world, and I thought I could give this a try?” He took the tea and handed the plates to Aiba. “Would you mind bringing this outside?”
“No,” Aiba said and turned to walk to the door. He could almost feel Jun’s stares in his back. Why was he observing him?
At the big table sat Sho next to Ohno and Nino had took his place on the table again. He let his leg hang down from the table, his eyes were closed and his ears were moving a tiny bit. Sho next to him let his ears move left and right when he came up to them. “Oh, Aiba-san.” Sho bowed. “You are just a little late today.” Sho looked at his watch.
“Oh come on, Sho-chan, don’t be so picky,” Nino said with a yawn. “He brought you some tea.”
Sho grunted something and finally took the cup to take a few sips of the tea.
“Have you had a nice night, Aiba-san?” Ohno asked. The duke looked sleepy and like he had stayed up the whole night.
“Yes, thank you,” Aiba answered and sat next to Sho. Ohno poured some tea in Aiba’s cup and smiled at him.
“That’s nice. So you decided to help us?” Ohno said happily.
Aiba shook his head. “No, you asked if I had a nice sleep, but it doesn’t have anything to do with helping you.”
“I already told you that Jun made a mistake,” Sho’s voice was higher than usual.
“He never makes a mistake,” Nino explained. “Aiba isn’t just not ready to accept that he is our rescuer.” Nino gave Aiba a bright smile. “But you are.”
Aiba felt nervousness coming up in him. Again he needed to explain that he was really not strong enough for such things, but he could also see the others relying on him, just because … yes, why? Because Jun never made a mistake with choosing the ones who need to save them? No, that was definitely Jun’s mistake, definitely. “You said you want to show me something today?” Aiba wanted to change the topic. Maybe, when he would be out with Nino and Jun he could ask them about the way home? Maybe he’d get home afterwards.
“Yes,” Nino said with a nod. “But first you need to eat something.” He saw Jun approaching them with a big plate of pancakes and some marmalade pots and honey. God, that looked delicious. When had he eaten something like this for the last time? Aiba blinked. He remembered. He wasn’t allowed to eat sweet things because of his sickness. Was he allowed to eat it now?
Aiba looked up. Jun was close to him, sitting at the left side. He smiled at Aiba and patted his hand. “You are allowed to eat it,” Jun said like he had known about Aiba’s thoughts.
“But my health?” Aiba asked. The smell reached his nose and he could feel his stomach grumble. God, how much did he miss the taste of pancakes. He was allowed to eat dry rice and some water or tea in the morning – but not a good tasting tea like this one was. Aiba shook his head. This memory was really not nice. Maybe he wasn’t missing something in the real world?
“I already told you that you don’t need to care about your health here,” Nino said. “You can do what you want and eat what you want.”
Aiba’s heart jumped. Really? He was allowed to live? He grinned before he took a spoon and cut a big piece of cake with it. It tasted like heaven. Like Aiba had never tasted something like this before. Okay, rescuing this world would be great, but just when he could be a part of it. Would he really stay here? He had a life outside, but was it a good life? He couldn’t remember about happy moments, there were only dark things hunting him.
“Hey, it’s okay.” Aiba felt Jun’s hand on his back, stroking up and down. When did he start crying? And everything just because of sweets?
“I am sorry. I wasn’t allowed to eat something good since forever.” Aiba wiped away some tears on his cheeks.
Aiba didn’t want anyone to feel sorry for his situation, but he had to admit that it was nice to feel Jun’s hand on his back, and Nino’s head appearing next to him on the table, smiling at him. “You should eat more, you are way too thin,” Nino said.
“He is right, you look pale,” Ohno said, leaning a little forward, like he’d be able to see him better then. “And your eyes are tired, but you are already getting better, right?”
Aiba had to admit that he had slept really good, and it was the first night since months he hadn’t felt any pain. Wait, was there another memory? He was really in pain in his world? Was it that bad? “Yes. I slept the whole night without waking up,” he just answered.
“That’s good.” Sho nodded at him. It was the first time the hare talked with him without telling him that he was late. Aiba looked at him closely. He had gentle eyes, even though he seemed pretty strict. He was worried like the others were, Aiba could see it in their behaviour, he was just worried that they relied too much on him and he wouldn’t be able to help them in the end. Help them? Yes, Aiba felt good here, and he wanted to return something to them – at least if it was possible for him to do something. He wouldn’t fight a sword fight or something like this, because he was totally not strong enough for this, but maybe there was a way without a fight?
“Tell me, what is the danger which wants to destroy wonderland?” Aiba asked. He could see that everyone around him tensed and Jun’s hand, which was still on his back stopped moving. No one wanted to think about that, Aiba could understand that, but he needed to know more about it, to decide if he’d be able to help them.
“We don’t know it,” Jun said. “We just have a slight guess, but we aren’t sure yet, because we fear to die when we get closer to the dangerous zone.” Die? Okay, Aiba would definitely not go there.
“But you aren’t affected.” Nino looked at him. It seemed he was reading Aiba’s mind. “It’s just because we aren’t really human, we are…I don’t know….special?”
“But you don’t know if I get killed or not?” Aiba mused.
“We guess that the danger comes from your world, so we think that you won’t get hurt like we do. One of us already died when he tried approaching the house where the man who’s hunting us, live,” Jun explained.
“From my world?” Aiba asked. “I can’t imagine that. Who should come here, killing the people in this world?”
Jun shrugged. “We absolutely don’t know.” Jun raised his hand. “But before you tell us, that you aren’t strong enough again, can you just stay here for some more days and try to find out more about this danger? We really want to know every detail, and each and every information is important to us.”
Aiba’s heart jumped. He enjoyed that someone cared about him. “Yes, okay.” He smiled at Jun. “You wanted to show something to me?”
Jun nodded. “Nino will show you the way. I have some things to do today, but I will join you later on.”
Aiba started wondering what they wanted to show him here. Something he should be affected by? He couldn’t imagine what it was.
~~~
Aiba walked behind Nino through the wood. It was dark and just at some parts were the sun shining through the trees. It was warm, but also a little windy. Aiba waited for his lungs to collapse after he had gone for over an hour, but nothing happened. So it seemed really true that he had no health issues here. This was really wonderland, at least concerning his health.
“We reach the point soon,” Nino said while he turned to him. He had a sheepish grin around his lips, but there was something like fear and worry in his eyes. Was he bothered by the thing he’d show Aiba now?
They reached a small hill where they had a nice overview to wonderland.
The view over wonderland’s landscape was amazing. Aiba had seen a few beautiful places, but he had never seen something like this before. The trees sparkled in the sun and there were several colours mixing into something peaceful and calm. Just a dark cloud and some dried trees on the left side disturbed the beautiful view.
“Over there is the enemy?” Aiba asked.
“Yes.”
“What can we do to stop this?” Aiba could see Nino shrugging. He took a closer look at the area and saw a small field not far away from their place. There was bench and some … graves? Was this the thing Jun wanted to show him? Something in Aiba twitched and pulled almost painfully. “What’s this down there?”
Nino smiled at him almost sadly. “It’s the reason you were able to come here.” Nino gave him a sign to walk down and waited not far away at the bench. It seemed that he wanted Aiba to experience this moment alone. He stepped to the small stones where names were written on. “Alice, Lewis, Masaki…” Aiba gulped. The last stone had his name on it?
Suddenly he felt a terrible sting crossing his head. He could remember. He had been in hospital when his lungs collapsed, and he … he … didn’t wake up anymore. “I am dead?” Aiba turned to Nino.
“Yes,” Aiba heard Jun’s voice from not far away. He came down the hill and stepped next to Aiba. Nino had his gaze lowered like he didn’t dare to look at Aiba. “That’s why I was able to bring you here.”
“So, when I try to get back to my world I will be dead?” Aiba asked. So it wasn’t necessary to go back, because he was already gone? And it didn’t matter if he died here, because it wouldn’t change something?
Jun nodded. “You collapsed twice, and I still believe in what I told you. You are strong, just that you were meant to go at this point.”
“So what happens if I decide to go home?” Aiba wanted to know.
“You’ll vanish.”
“But you said that Lewis Carroll came here and got back to his world to write the book, so he wasn’t dead at all?” Aiba asked.
Jun laughed out. “Oh believe me, he was already dead before he really died. He had strange drug excesses, and I don’t think he survived much longer after he got back to your world.”
“And Alice?”
“She was a nice girl, but she had a certain illness, she also died before she came here, but she didn’t want to remain here and get back to her parents. I couldn’t stop her from leaving,” Jun sounded sad.
Aiba sighed. He had a feeling that something was wrong, but he didn’t believe that it was that bad. “So I have the chance to stay here?”
Jun shrugged. “Yes, if everyone else is alright with it, you are allowed.” He tilted his head. “We just don’t know how to convince the queen of hearts to make someone stay, but that’s not the problem now. Because if this evil thing over there is really coming to get us, no one remains here, and we are all going to die.”
So Aiba’s only chance to stay somehow alive was to stay here? It made him sad, though he already started liking it here. But his old world? And his friends? Or did he really have no friends there at all? “Will someone miss me in my world?”
Jun looked away from him and didn’t say something. Right in the moment he opened his mouth Aiba stopped him. “I already know that I had a sad life, and no liked me back in my world.”
“Come.” Jun took Aiba’s hand and pulled him along through the wood till they reached some fruit trees. “You need to taste this.”
Aiba was thankful that Jun wanted to distract him, but there were too many thoughts running through his mind. What if he really needed to save this place so that he could stay here? But he wasn’t from wonderland, it wasn’t his world, so wouldn’t he be an intruder? Would others accept him? Or was it better to just give up and end everything?
Aiba felt Jun’s hand squishing his. He hadn’t realized that the other was still holding his hand after all. He looked at Jun who gave him a big smile Aiba could have got lost in. “I know it’s pretty much for you to bear with, but believe me, everyone welcomes you here…maybe except the queen … she probably wants your head, but you know the story…”
“It’s just … a little too much.” Aiba shook his head. He had the feeling that everything around him started spinning. He let Jun guide him to a nice place under a big tree. Farer away Aiba could see Nino lying on a tree, his eyes closed and his tail wiggling slowly. He was probably already sleeping again.
“I understand that.” Jun looked at Aiba directly. “But please don’t be mad at me or Nino that we brought you here,” Jun sighed. “We are desperate, Aiba. We need help and we don’t know what to do anymore. We are meant to die, but we want to remain. So our offer to everyone is to stay here in charge of their help against the evilness. Just that Alice wanted back to their parents before she finished her task, and Lewis was … let’s call it special.”
“I don’t get it.” Aiba brushed his hair. “Why me?”
“I saw you in the mirror, and I knew that you were perfect for this. Your eyes were strong, and you had a strong will, even though your body couldn’t bear it.” Jun smiled. “And I liked how you look like.”
Now Aiba had to laugh about how casual Jun’s last sentence sounded. “Thank you, I guess,” he finally said. Aiba recognized that he was still holding Jun’s hand, but he didn’t care about it. It felt nice and warm, and it calmed Aiba down somehow.
“I really want to ask you for help, Aiba-san.” Jun got earnest. “We really need you. I think you have a great sense for people and their feelings, and I am sure you saw that we are all at the end with our strength. We tried so much, but everything failed. We lost some companions, and I really don’t want to risk anything more.” He gave Aiba a smile. “And I am sure that you are the right one for this. I know it. Even Sho believes in you.”
“Really?” Aiba blinked. “He does seem pretty much like he hates me.”
Jun laughed out. “No, he is always like that, because he doesn’t like new people. He is used to us, and he wants it to stay like this, but I am sure that he likes you. Same goes for Ohno.” Jun turned to look at Nino. “And I don’t need to talk about Nino. He is already addicted to your scratching, which is pretty unusual, because he only let me touch him before. So I guess you are his owner, or something like that?”
Aiba saw Nino turning on his back, his eyes still closed. “You mean I need to take of him, like a pet?”
“No,” Jun said. “He is human after all, but he needs a lot of attention, and he loves scratching, so you need to get used to this, if you really stay here.”
Aiba nodded. Oh, he could get used to this, Nino calmed him down after all. And then there was Jun’s aura which made Aiba feel a little seasick, but not in a bad way. It was more like riding a rollercoaster. God, was he falling for Jun here? “I think I could handle this.”
“So you think about staying?” Jun asked, his eyes suddenly shining.
“Yes,” Aiba promised, and he really would think about it. He could see Jun moving, before he hugged him, pressing him against Jun’s chest.
“Thank you so much.”
A/N: Hello everyone, it seems that this story isn't really liked, but I post it till the end, because I already wrote it :) It's sad that there are so less readers online right now. I am really lazy about posting right now, because I have the feeling that no one is online. But I sit in my hotel room and try to survive my business trip and I really have nothing to do, so I post now *lol*
Pairing: Aiba Masaki/Matsumoto Jun
Rating/Warnings: NC-17 – kind of
Summary: When Aiba wakes up in wonderland, he isn’t sure if he is just dreaming or if this is really happening to him. And when the Cheshire asks him for help to save wonderland, he starts his trip through wonderland …
Notes: I wrote this story for the Arashi exchange last year, and I never posted it, so I will do it now :) I post it in parts, because it's too long for posting it in one go :) <3 Hope you'll like it.
Aiba could hear the birds singing and it smelled like fresh grass. He turned and felt someone next to him, and a small purr echoed in his ear. Aiba opened his eyes. Damn, he hadn’t dreamed this whole thing. It really happened. Nino lay next to him, still coiled up, his breath slowly.
“Hey, Nino,” Aiba said. “Wake up.”
Nino opened his eyes a little bit and stretched his limps. “Is it already morning?” He sat up. “We should get going. The Mad Hatter already awaits you, and it’s not good to be late when the March hare awaits you as well.”
They stood up and were soon on their way to the Mad Hatter’s home. Would it be strange like in the book? How was the Mad Hatter? Was he a nice guy? And the march hare?
“Nino?”
“Hm?” The cat turned to him.
“Is the march hare, you know, same like you?” Aiba asked. He was a little bit afraid to ask about it, but Nino really didn’t seem to care about his cat-side.
“Oh, Sho-kun is same yes.” Nino nodded. “You know, Carroll was a little bit … afraid of us.” Nino smiled. “That’s why he used real animals in his book, just that I am able to dissolve in the original story?”
“Yeah, true,” Aiba said. “But afraid? You are rather cute than dangerous.” Aiba could see Nino blushing at his words.
“We reach the Mad Hatter soon,” Nino said. “He is way different than you know him. He isn’t that … crazy. He just pretended to be, because he wanted to get rid of Carroll.” Nino laughed. “Just that this leaded Carroll to write us totally different than we actually are.”
They reached a big field with some trees in the middle of it. It really looked different from Aiba knew out of the books. He followed the Cheshire to the trees and soon there was the March hare approaching them. “You are late, Nino.” He pointed at his clock. “Jun already waits for you and …” He stopped when he looked at Aiba. “Who’s this?”
Nino turned to Aiba and smiled. “I found him in the tree. He came to save us.” Aiba could see the hare’s ears moving. He was similar to Nino, just that he had rabbit ears and a small tail on his back. But he was nevertheless more human than animal.
“Nah, I don’t believe this anymore. In the end no one was able to save us, even Alice ran away to get back to her world,” the hare said. He looked at Aiba. “But now you are already here. Come, I make some tea.” He guided Aiba to the large table and offered him a seat.
“The Mad Hatter will be here soon,” he said. He threw a dark glance at Nino, who jumped on the table and lay down there. “You are a human, damn, act like one.”
“Oh come on, Sho-chan, sometimes it’s nice to play the cat,” Nino said with a smile. “He is always so strict, but he is goodhearted,” Nino explained when Sho was gone. “He is just worried, like we all are.”
Aiba looked at the other. Nino’s eyes were small and there was a real fear covering his face. Was it really that bad? Was this world going to be destroyed by someone who didn’t like stories? “I am afraid that I can’t help you.” Aiba shrugged. “I am just a human.”
“Don’t underestimate a human’s strength.” Aiba turned when he heard a foreign voice speaking with him. He turned to look at the man behind him. He blinked. Damn, this guy was good looking. He had black hair and a piercing look. The small mole under his lip underlined his perfect smile.
“I am sorry?” Aiba asked when he could dissolve from the beauty of this man.
The man smiled at him. “I think you are probably stronger than you think you are.” He sat opposite Aiba, his hands on his knees. He had a tight black-purple pant and a white shirt with a gilet in the same colour like his pants.
“I guess not,” Aiba answered. He knew about his power – which was really non existing. He had always been a coward and he hated it to be the centre of something.
“Here is the tea,” Sho came with a plate and placed the cups on the table. He glanced at Nino, who still lay on there, his tail wiggling left and right happily. He seemed to enjoy teasing Sho like this.
The Mad Hatter waved his hand. “It doesn’t matter now. It’s good that you are here.” He smiled at Aiba.
“But he wants to leave immediately,” Nino said with a sad voice.
Aiba could see everyone looking at him. He blushed. “I am sorry.”
The Mad Hatter leaned forward. Aiba could see his purple green eyes and his smile turned into an earnest face. “We really need help. I fear we are all going to die soon.”
Aiba gulped. He really wasn’t the right person for this. He wasn’t even able to scold children for playing in his garden and now he should be in charge for saving a whole world? “But I am really not made for something like this. I am really, really weak.”
Aiba could see Nino moving on the table till he was at the edge of it. He lay down there, his head on his hands, and he stared at Aiba with puppy eyes. His ears were trembling slightly, and his tail moved left and right and back – just a little bit and not happy and full of energy like he did before. “I am sure you are able to help us, Aiba-chan. Your sickness is no problem here. You are healthy. Your lungs work normal and you don’t need to be afraid of dying here.”
Why did Nino know about it? He hadn’t said a word about his illness. Yes, Aiba had wondered why he felt so good here. There was no need for extra oxygen and he didn’t need the pills and medicine he was used to take. He wasn’t connected to the machines like he had been in the normal world, and he was happy about it, but did this mean? “What?”
Nino smiled at him. He looked at Aiba’s hand. “I want some scratching.”
Aiba looked at Nino and raised his hand to scratch around Nino’s ears like he had done the night before. Nino purred and closed his eyes almost immediately. “I can hear your breathing and your heart beat. Your breathing is slower than usual, but it’s not dangerous. You had health problems, but I can tell you, you don’t have them here,” Nino said without looking at him. He purred louder when Aiba let his fingers wander over his scalp, scratching here and there.
That sounded too good to be true. Aiba looked up at the Mad Hatter and the hare, who sat there, just staring at them. “Nino, I already told you that the table is not made for you to lie on,” the Mad Hatter said angrily. “You are a human being after all,” he added.
“Even though you have a tail and cat ears,” the March hare continued, but Nino didn’t even listen. He had his eyes closed and his purr was steady and calm. He was probably already asleep.
“Mad Hatter, what kind of danger is hunting you?” Aiba wanted to know. He could at least listen to their problems and decide afterwards that he wanted to go back home.
“My name is Jun, please. I don’t like being called Mad Hatter,” he smiled at Aiba. “We don’t know for sure, because it’s far away in the land behind our land. There is something trying to destroy us, and we don’t know what it is.”
He saw Sho looking at him. “And Jun knows a lot about this country. But if even he can’t tell what it is, it’s really dangerous.”
Great, and Aiba should fight against this danger no one knows about? “And why do you believe that I am able to help you? I mean, I don’t even know how I get here and it’s all so strange, maybe I am just dreaming.”
Jun smiled at him and he could feel Nino moving next to him. He still had his hand on Nino’s ear, scratching it lazily. “I know it,” Jun’s voice was soft but with a certain strength. “I saw it in my dreams that you’ll come here.”
“Me?” Aiba pointed at himself.
Jun nodded. “We all knew that you’d come to us. We just didn’t know exactly when you’d arrive.
“And you are not dreaming,” Sho added. “Even though we understand that it’s hard to accept that you really are in a different world.”
“He is here?” Aiba winced when he heard a voice behind him. He turned to see a man in strange clothes. He had small eyes and he just stared at him.
“Oh, Satoshi.” Jun stood up. “This is the duke.”
So this was the duchess who was actually the duke. Aiba could understand what Carroll meant with boring outlook, but there was something else in these eyes. He could see that the duke was definitely not uninterested or sleepy. He was very well aware of the fact how he looked to others and he used this for his own advantage. Aiba had always been good in reading other people and their characters, it was maybe his only ability.
“Nice to meet you, I am Ohno Satoshi, the duke.” The man bowed and sat next to Aiba. He looked at Nino on the table and rolled his eyes. “This cat will never change.” He sighed and turned to Aiba with a smile. “It’s so nice to finally have you here.”
“I don’t need to change,” Nino said sleepy. He yawned and stretched his limps, which looked rather funny, because he stretched like cats did, just that he had a human body.
“Yeah, sure.” The duke patted Nino’s head and turned his attention back to Aiba. “So, how do you plan to save us?”
“Satoshi, he doesn’t even know why he is here by now, so take it a little slower,” Jun urged Ohno to be patient.
“Okay, okay.” Ohno raised his hands. “I am just happy that there is someone here again, after Alice and the others left us.”
They left? Why? Aiba had the slight feeling that this meant nothing good. “Why couldn’t they help you?”
“They thought that they can’t help us, and that it’s useless to try further.” Jun looked sad. “It wasn’t their world, so they weren’t concerned about it. In the end they thought that it was just a fairy tale and not a real world which get destroyed.”
“But it is a real world, maybe for them, but for us,” Ohno added.
They kept silent for a moment and there was just Nino’s almost silent purr echoing. Aiba looked around. They all seemed really nice, even though he still had the feeling that this was nothing more than a dream. “I am really not made to help you. I am weak, really,” Aiba finally said.
“No you aren’t.” Nino looked up at him, his tail standing upright and fluffy like he was really angry. “You are able to help us, I am sure about it.”
Aiba shook his head. “What makes you think so? You don’t know me.”
Nino sat up and jumped down from the table to walk up to Jun, where he sat next to him. Jun’s hand scratched over Nino’s ear and for a moment he closed his eyes and just purred out loudly. Then his eyes snapped open and stared at Aiba. “Jun and I have chosen you. We wanted you to come here.”
“You?” Aiba asked, surprised.
Nino nodded. “We saw you in hospital some months ago, and we immediately knew that you were the one to save us.”
They visited him in hospital? He had never any visitor there. Where did they see him? Aiba shook his head. This was really getting confusing. “You came to my world?”
Jun smiled at him. “No, not really, we just had the chance to see you through the magic mirror in your hospital room. We waited months till we had the feeling that there was someone who would be able to help us.”
A magic mirror? Okay, he was in wonderland, so he shouldn’t think about the truth of this, because obviously there exists something like magic and wonders. “And you observed me?”
“You know, you shouldn’t have survived your break down. But you made it. You are strong, Aiba, you survived an illness you were meant to die,” Jun said.
“But it’s something different to survive an illness than saving a world from … I don’t know what,” Aiba complained.
He could see Jun standing up and walking around the table. He looked noble and … good. Aiba blinked. Yes, Jun was definitely good looking. God, what was he thinking here?
Jun sat next to him, his hand placed on Aiba’s shoulder. Jun’s eyes were dark, but friendly and he smiled. “It’s not that much difference, believe me. But for now you need to rest.”
Aiba didn’t feel tired after all, but he wouldn’t say something against a shower and maybe something to eat. “Where can I stay?”
“You’ll stay in my house,” Jun said. “Sho, please bring some blankets and a pillow.”
The March hare nodded at him. “I am back in a minute.” He took out his pocket watch. “Yes. One minute.” He smiled and stood up to head away.
“I will never understand his addiction to time,” Nino said with a yawn. It couldn’t be that he was tired again? But maybe it were his cat genes which made him sleepy all day long.
“Thank you, Jun-san for the offer to stay at your house.” Aiba bowed.
Jun waved his hand. “No, no, that’s okay. I have enough space, really. Come, I’ll show you my home.”
Aiba followed Jun through a small wood till they reached a large place with an old looking house. It looked small, but it was high and there was even a tower on the top of it. In the oriel window Aiba could see various kinds of hats stapled probably on the window sill.
“Come in.” Jun opened the door and guided Aiba through a small corridor. “Here on the left is the kitchen and dining room, on the right is your guest room. Bathroom is at the end of the corridor. I have my rooms in the first floor.”
It was like staying in a hotel in a foreign country, but Aiba didn’t know if he really liked it here. On the wall were pictures of hats, only hats and everywhere around where clothes and fabrics lying around. “You have an amazing amount of clothes,” Aiba stunned.
“What?” Jun turned. “Oh, yes, I love it. It’s my hobby. Sho’s and Nino’s clothes are all made by me, since they need special ones because of their tails.”
“Amazing,” Aiba said and looked around further.
“Oh, they are only tails, I don’t think it’s that amazing,” Jun laughed.
“What?” Aiba blinked. “Oh, I meant your home and not the tails, but they are also amazing, kind of…”
Jun tilted his head and smiled at him. “Whatever you think. So, how about taking a rest, you can take a shower and take a nap, and I will prepare some tea.”
That sounded really good, Aiba had been awake for far too long. He looked at the small clock on the wall. How long was he already in wonderland? What time was it? Was it already night? “Is it 2am or pm?”
“2pm, but it doesn’t matter, take a rest and we’ll have tea at 5pm.” Jun looked at Aiba. “And something to eat, because even I can hear your stomach grumble, and I don’t need Sho’s ears to hear that.”
Jun smiled at Aiba. His eyes were definitely mesmerizing, and Aiba had the feeling that he could get lost in them. “And later on we’ll get you something nice to wear, because this.” Jun pointed at Aiba. “Is absolutely a no-go.”
Aiba looked down at himself. Oh god, he still had his pyjama pants and his hospital clothes on. He hadn’t recognized it till now, because he had other things he concentrated on, but now he felt rather embarrassed. Aiba had always been concerned of his clothes – he loved shopping and he loved looking good. “Oh my,” Aiba said. He pulled on the shirt. “I really look bad.”
“Nah.” Jun waved his hand. “It’s okay, we’ll find something nice for you.”
“Thank you, Jun-san.” Aiba bowed. Even though he still didn’t know why he was here or what he should really do, he felt good for now, and he felt that he definitely needed some rest now.
“No problem, and now take a rest.” Jun walked to the stairs. “I will make you something to wear meanwhile.”
Aiba blinked. Wait, Jun would make something new, now? In such a short time? “It’s not necessary to make something, Jun-san. I can wear something old, really.”
Jun shook his head and his eyes got darker. “No way.” He had his hands on his hips. “No one wears old stuff, I won’t allow that. I make something new.”
“Don’t try to say something to keep Jun from doing this,” Aiba heard Nino saying. “If he wants to make you new clothes, he will do this. It doesn’t matter what you say about it.” He turned to see Aiba at the door, leaning against the frame.
“Well, thank you,” Aiba said. He was sure that he was blushing. He opened the door to his room. “I will rest now.” He could see Nino still looking at him, a short purr escaped his lips.
“Can I join?” What? Nino wanted to sleep at his side? He didn’t know him, and Aiba didn’t like to share his bed with someone, but Nino had already slept on Aiba’s lap on the field.
“Okay,” Aiba said slowly.
He could see Jun rolling his eyes and a short sigh escaped his lips. “Nino, you really are something.” He stepped to Nino, his hand brushing Nino’s head. “I have to apologize for him. He is sometimes more a cat than a human, and he likes human contact pretty much.” Jun smiled and scratched Nino’s ear. “But if you don’t want this, it’s okay, I can take him with me upstairs.”
Aiba shook his head. “No, no, it’s okay.”
Jun shrugged. “Okay.” He walked to the stairs. “I will wake you up for tea later on. I will send Sho for some extra-special-ingredients for the tea.”
Aiba thanked him and opened the door. Nino slipped into the room before Aiba had the chance to make a step. Maybe Jun was right, and Nino was more cat than he looked liked. Nino lay on the bed which was in the middle of the room. The room was small, but it looked friendly, and the big window was covered with ivy on the outside. Butterflies were hovering on small purple flowers, which were between the ivy. It looked almost romantic.
Aiba pushed Nino to the side a bit to lie down on the bed. He closed his eyes and felt Nino shifting next to him till his head rested on Aiba’s belly. He purred in his sleep, what calmed Aiba down. Aiba felt his eyes getting tired and soon he felt into a dreamless sleep.
~~~
“Hey, Aiba-chan.” He felt hands on his stomach, poking him there. “Wake up.”
Aiba yawned. Where was he? Oh right, he was in wonderland. But maybe he was dreaming and now he was in his world again? It was for sure just a strange dream and now he was in hospital again. Why was he in hospital? Hm … he didn’t know anymore.
He heard a loud purr and something fluffy touched his face. “Nino?” Aiba said. He opened his eyes and saw Nino sitting next to him on the bed, his tail wiggling left and right, touching his face every time it moved.
“It’s almost five and Jun wants you to try your new clothes.” So Aiba wasn’t dreaming, he was still here in wonderland, and he still had no idea why he had landed here. But he could see something before he woke up. It was just a short picture in his mind, but he wasn’t sure how to interpret it.
He needed to find someone who could give him some answers. “Okay.” Aiba sat up. “Nino, is there someone who can answer me some questions about my visit here?”
Nino smiled at him. “Maybe J. He knows a lot about wonderland about the happenings here.”
“J?” Aiba asked.
“Oh, sorry, Jun. I just call him like this.” Nino jumped down from the bed.
“Oh, I understand.” Aiba followed Nino and almost bumped into Sho, who wanted to knock at their door right in this moment.
“Hurry up, you are too late already!” Sho pointed at his clock. “You are 2 minutes late, run, run.” He pointed at the stairs.
“Keep calm, hare, it’s not that horrible to be 2 minutes late for tea,” Nino said with a teasing voice.
“I am sorry,” Aiba said with a bow when he passed Sho. “We’ll hurry.”
“Yeah, do that.” Sho glanced at Nino, who just smiled.
The first floor was huge. Aiba hadn’t imagined it, because the rooms downstairs seemed pretty small. There were hats and other clothes all around the room and in the middle was a rather big table with sewing kits on it. Jun sat there, a shirt in his hand and the needle and a thread in his other hand. Aiba stepped closer and stroked over the pants on the table. “You do this without sewing machine?”
Jun looked at him and pulled his glasses, he now wore, higher up on his nose. “The real work is done by hands, and that’s how I work.”
Aiba stunned. The clothes looked like machine made, there was no thread lose or wrong placed. The clothes were just perfect. “I thought black pants and a dark green shirt would fit you best.”
Aiba nodded. He took the clothes and got undressed. He blushed when he saw Nino and Jun staring at him. “I am sorry,” he said immediately, but didn’t even know why he excused.
“Go ahead,” Jun said and turned, and Aiba was sure that he could see something like a slight blush on Jun’s cheeks.
He slipped into the pants and closed them before he pulled the shirt around his shoulders and buttoned it. “They fit perfectly.”
“J knows what fit others. And he can tell their size by just looking at them,” Nino explained. “He just doesn’t want to hear that he is good in his job.”
“Nah, I am not that good,” Jun said. “But I have to admit that this really fits you. You look incredible good.”
Aiba looked into the mirror. He had never the feeling of being ugly, but it was one of the rare times he really liked his self in the mirror. Aiba smiled. “I feel great with this, thank you.”
“No problem,” Jun said and stepped to the table again. “I made you a green pyjama for the night too. I had some remnant from you shirt.”
Aiba took the item. Jun did this all by himself? This was definitely amazing, but maybe it was just normal for someone who lived in wonderland.
“I will bring this to my room and come outside right after it,” Aiba said. He walked downstairs and could hear Nino and Jun talking on the first floor, but soon he just heard them coming down and leaving the house. Aiba placed the pyjama on the bed when he saw a small package on the middle of the bed. There were shower gel, shampoo, tooth paste and brush and some other basic stuff in it.
From the hare to you, was written on it, but Aiba was sure that Jun had told Sho to get these things for him. He smiled when he walked outside again. Maybe it was really not bad at all here. In the end he hadn’t missed anyone by now, and he was sure that no one would miss in his world. It was sad, but that’s how things had become for him in the real world. His parents had died some years ago, and he had no other relatives and he had hardly any friends around. The few he had lived far away, and he had no contact anymore. Yes, he had been a loner, and somehow he regretted this now.
“YOU ARE LATE!” Sho poked Aiba’s belly when he came outside to the garden.
“I am sorry,” Aiba laughed out when he felt Sho’s pokes. He was really ticklish, but the other did seem to think that he laughed about him.
“That’s not funny.” He walked to the seat and took place, his hands crossed on his chest. One of his ears was bend down and the other stood proudly up in the air. It looked really sweet, but he was sure that Sho didn’t want to look sweet at all.
“I didn’t want to laugh about you, I am just really ticklish.” Aiba sat down opposite Sho. “And thank you for the small package in my room.”
Aiba could see Sho blushing, especially when the others looked at him curiously. “What?” Sho said with a shrug. “I don’t want a smelling guest here, you know my nose is pretty sensitive when it’s about smells.”
“Oh yes, of course,” Jun said. He rolled his eyes. “Tell me Aiba-san, what do you want to eat.”
“Everything, really. I am just starving.” Aiba rubbed his belly.
“Good, here we go. This is a special carrot-spinach-champignon soup. I hope you’ll like it.” Jun handed Aiba a plate with soup. “And this is a special lavender-lemon-mint-orange tea. It’s Sho’s creation.”
“You have to taste it, it’s delicious,” Ohno, who still sat at the same place like hours ago, said. Aiba wasn’t sure if he had left in between his nap, or if Ohno sat here all time.
Aiba took a spoonful soup. It felt good to get something to eat and he started eating faster when he realized that the soup really tasted good. He tasted the tea, which was better than any tea he had ever drunk before. “Wow, that’s amazing, Sho-san.”
“Well, thank you,” the hare answered. Sho’s ears moved a bit, and it seemed that he was embarrassed about the compliment.
Aiba looked around. They smiled at him and talked a little with each other, but Aiba didn’t get rid of the feeling that every smile was just a farce. He could their dark rings under their eyes, and there was worry and fear sparkling in them. It made Aiba more curious why he had come here, and how.
“Jun, how did I come here?” Aiba asked. He looked at the Mad Hatter and could see him thinking about an answer. He visibly thought about telling him the truth or pretend that he didn’t know it. “You can tell me, it’s okay,” Aiba said.
“Well, you know that you were hospitalized?” Jun asked carefully.
“Yes, I can remember about that,” Aiba said. His memory was blur and there wasn’t much he could tell about his time in hospital, but he remembered about some moments he had experienced there.
He looked at Nino, who stared at the ground and it seemed he didn’t dare to look at Aiba. And even the others looked away. Just Jun kept the eye contact with him. “About everything?”
Aiba shook his head. “Just some fragments.”
“So you can’t remember what happened to you?” Now Aiba could feel a slow panic in him rising. What should have happened with him?
“No.”
Jun nodded. “It’s not that important, now you are here, and you can help us.” Jun smiled at him.
“I really want to know what happened,” Aiba insisted. He wouldn’t give up on getting an answer, but when he saw Jun shaking his head, he knew that there wouldn’t come any other answer – at least not now.
“It’s not that important, really. Try to feel good here for a few days and maybe you decide to help us?” Jun asked.
“Okay,” Aiba sighed. “But I am still not sure if I am able to help you, really.”
Nino climbed onto the table again and lay down next to Aiba’s seat. “We are sure you are.”
Aiba lay in his bed with his eyes open. His thoughts were running wild, and he was never good with sleeping when something burdened him. Why was he here? And how did he get here? And what happened in the hospital? He tried to remember, but there was nothing in his mind. It was blank.
He turned to look out of the window. The moon lightened the room and he could hear some noises outside. It must have been animals, but Aiba wasn’t sure about it. He was alone in his room, because Nino had decided to sleep somewhere outside. He could hear Jun walking on the first floor, but soon the noise stopped, so he was probably sleeping.
Aiba rolled from one side to the other, but no position seemed to be comfortable enough to let him fall asleep. He grunted and stood up to get himself something to drink. Jun had told him to use his kitchen when he needed something, and so Aiba walked out of his room.
He entered the kitchen and found Jun sitting there at the table, some sewing things on there. “Hey,” Jun said with a smile.
“Oh, Jun. I thought you are already asleep.” Aiba was astonished to find the other one in the kitchen. He had thought that Jun was doing his work upstairs only, but it seemed he was wrong.
“No, I often come down here to finish my things. I have the better here at night,” Jun answered. “Did you have a hobby, Aiba-san?”
Masaki took a glass of water and sat opposite Jun. “Call me Masaki, please.” He smiled. “I always loved to play saxophone, but at one point I had to stop because of health issues.”
“Okay, Masaki,” Jun said. “That’s sad to hear, but maybe you can start again one day?”
“I am not sure about it.” Aiba looked at Jun pushing the needle through the fabric. “I think my lungs are getting worse, and I am afraid I won’t be able to keep up this hobby.”
Jun’s fingers danced over the fabric and soon he had sewed the two pieces together. “That’s really not good. But maybe you can find another hobby?” Jun raised the pant in his hands. “Maybe you can sew something?”
Aiba laughed. “No, I think I am not really talented with it.”
“But you love clothes?”
Aiba nodded. “Yes, but I am only good in buying clothes and not making them on my own.”
“Who knows.” Jun shrugged. “Maybe you find your hidden love for it.”
“Jun, why did you choose me?” Aiba changed the topic.
“What?”
“Why did you bring me here?”
Jun put his things on the table. “You are strong, Masaki. You just don’t want to believe in yourself. I immediately saw the strong will you have, and I am sure you are the right person to help us, even though you don’t think that’s true.”
“I can’t imagine, that I am really the right person for this, Jun.” Aiba sighed. He sat opposite Jun. “I think you were wrong.”
Jun just smiled at him, his hand stroked over the pants on the table. He seemed absent-minded, but Aiba wasn’t sure if he was just thinking about what to say or if he really wasn’t listening at all. “I mean, I am sick, and I am really not that strong,” Aiba said again.
“Why don’t you trust yourself?” Jun suddenly looked up.
Aiba blinked. He trusted in his ability … at least sometimes. But in the most important situations his body didn’t make it and he broke down, like on the day he wanted to play the saxophone solo part in school – he fainted after a few seconds. And the day he wanted to run away from bullies it didn’t take them longer than a few minutes to catch Aiba and beat him up. He had always wanted to be strong, but fact was that he wasn’t strong. “I got disappointed several times,” he just said.
“Okay.” Jun clapped his hands. “Stop this from now on. You are in wonderland, so let me proof you that you are strong.”
Aiba smiled. “So you mean there happen wonders in wonderland?”
Jun laughed out. “Oh yes, a lot of wonders, like the thing that I didn’t throw the bratty Cheshire, who listens every time I have a talk with someone, out of my house.” Jun pointed at the door.
Aiba could see a fluffy tail wiggling there and soon Nino stepped into the room, his cheeks slightly blushing. “I am sorry.” He had his hands on his back. “I slept outside and it was getting cold and I thought I can sleep inside, and I heard you talking.”
Jun’s eyes were dark, but he didn’t seem like he’d shout with the other now. He instead rolled his eyes and pointed at the chair next to him. “Sit down, Nino.” And the cat did so.
“Listen, we need to make Aiba clear that he is a strong person, because he doesn’t believe me,” Jun explained. No, Aiba didn’t want any proof that he was strong, because he knew that he wasn’t and he’d probably die when he’d try to be strong.
“Roger –,” Nino said with a smile. “We need a strong Aiba-chan.” He let his tail moving left and right almost nervously. “I can make this.”
Jun nodded. “You’ll go to the duke tomorrow asking for his help, and I will talk with Sho.”
Aiba wanted to complain something, but he couldn’t say something when he saw Jun and Nino smiling happily. Was it really that bad with wonderland? Was there really an enemy attacking this land? But nevertheless Aiba wasn’t the right one for this. “I am not sure.”
“Nah, don’t talk any further,” Jun stopped him. “We’ll show you some things tomorrow, but for now you need to rest properly.”
“Okay,” Aiba let himself being pulled up by Jun and walked behind him back to his room. Jun smiled at him when he closed the door. “I will keep Nino with me, so he doesn’t disturb you while sleeping.”
It was strange, but Nino’s calm purr in sleep calmed Aiba down and he had the feeling that he could slip into a more peaceful sleep with the Cheshire next to him. “No, let him in. I like him next to me.”
Jun nodded with a smile. “Okay.” There was a short sparkle in Jun’s eyes. Was he disappointed or angry about Nino sleeping at Aiba’s place? He hoped he didn’t say something wrong now.
“But if you want him to sleep at your place, it’s okay,” Aiba added.
“No, no,” Jun said. “It’s okay, really. I ask what he wants.” But right in the moment Jun wanted to turn, Nino slipped already into the room and almost jumped on Aiba’s bed.
“I am here.” He grinned. He lay down on one side of the bed and coiled up there, his eyes already closed, dozing off.
“The only thing he does is sleeping,” Jun grumbled, but there was still a smile curling around his lips. “Have a good night, Aiba-chan.”
Aiba returned the smile. “Thank you.” He bowed. “You too, Jun-san.”
Jun closed the door and left Aiba in the dark. He just heard Nino’s silent purrs in his sleep. He turned and lay down under the blanket carefully not to wake Nino up. Soon Aiba felt the tiredness overwhelming him and he slipped into a peaceful sleep.
~~~
Aiba had the feeling that there was someone stroking his face softly and he was sure that he felt lips on his, but when he opened his eyes there was no one around. Even Nino was gone from his room. Probably he had dreamed all this? But it felt so real? But he was in wonderland, so he didn’t know what could happen here and what wasn’t possible.
Aiba slipped out of the bed to take a nice shower before he’d search for the others.
The water felt nice on his skin, and for the first time since weeks he had the feeling of being relaxed. He felt an enormous tension fading from him. Why was he that stressed? There was no reason for him, or was there a reason, but he couldn’t remember? What happened in the real world? And why did he know that he didn’t have any friends or family, but he couldn’t remember why he had come here?
Aiba shook his head. He slipped into the pants and shirt Jun had made for him and walked to the kitchen, where Jun was preparing some tea. “Oh, good morning.” He smiled at Aiba and a small jump appeared in Aiba’s belly. What was that?
“Good morning, Jun-san.” Aiba stepped to the other. “Oh god, are these pancakes?”
Jun nodded at him. “I had the chance to see a cooking show in your world, and I thought I could give this a try?” He took the tea and handed the plates to Aiba. “Would you mind bringing this outside?”
“No,” Aiba said and turned to walk to the door. He could almost feel Jun’s stares in his back. Why was he observing him?
At the big table sat Sho next to Ohno and Nino had took his place on the table again. He let his leg hang down from the table, his eyes were closed and his ears were moving a tiny bit. Sho next to him let his ears move left and right when he came up to them. “Oh, Aiba-san.” Sho bowed. “You are just a little late today.” Sho looked at his watch.
“Oh come on, Sho-chan, don’t be so picky,” Nino said with a yawn. “He brought you some tea.”
Sho grunted something and finally took the cup to take a few sips of the tea.
“Have you had a nice night, Aiba-san?” Ohno asked. The duke looked sleepy and like he had stayed up the whole night.
“Yes, thank you,” Aiba answered and sat next to Sho. Ohno poured some tea in Aiba’s cup and smiled at him.
“That’s nice. So you decided to help us?” Ohno said happily.
Aiba shook his head. “No, you asked if I had a nice sleep, but it doesn’t have anything to do with helping you.”
“I already told you that Jun made a mistake,” Sho’s voice was higher than usual.
“He never makes a mistake,” Nino explained. “Aiba isn’t just not ready to accept that he is our rescuer.” Nino gave Aiba a bright smile. “But you are.”
Aiba felt nervousness coming up in him. Again he needed to explain that he was really not strong enough for such things, but he could also see the others relying on him, just because … yes, why? Because Jun never made a mistake with choosing the ones who need to save them? No, that was definitely Jun’s mistake, definitely. “You said you want to show me something today?” Aiba wanted to change the topic. Maybe, when he would be out with Nino and Jun he could ask them about the way home? Maybe he’d get home afterwards.
“Yes,” Nino said with a nod. “But first you need to eat something.” He saw Jun approaching them with a big plate of pancakes and some marmalade pots and honey. God, that looked delicious. When had he eaten something like this for the last time? Aiba blinked. He remembered. He wasn’t allowed to eat sweet things because of his sickness. Was he allowed to eat it now?
Aiba looked up. Jun was close to him, sitting at the left side. He smiled at Aiba and patted his hand. “You are allowed to eat it,” Jun said like he had known about Aiba’s thoughts.
“But my health?” Aiba asked. The smell reached his nose and he could feel his stomach grumble. God, how much did he miss the taste of pancakes. He was allowed to eat dry rice and some water or tea in the morning – but not a good tasting tea like this one was. Aiba shook his head. This memory was really not nice. Maybe he wasn’t missing something in the real world?
“I already told you that you don’t need to care about your health here,” Nino said. “You can do what you want and eat what you want.”
Aiba’s heart jumped. Really? He was allowed to live? He grinned before he took a spoon and cut a big piece of cake with it. It tasted like heaven. Like Aiba had never tasted something like this before. Okay, rescuing this world would be great, but just when he could be a part of it. Would he really stay here? He had a life outside, but was it a good life? He couldn’t remember about happy moments, there were only dark things hunting him.
“Hey, it’s okay.” Aiba felt Jun’s hand on his back, stroking up and down. When did he start crying? And everything just because of sweets?
“I am sorry. I wasn’t allowed to eat something good since forever.” Aiba wiped away some tears on his cheeks.
Aiba didn’t want anyone to feel sorry for his situation, but he had to admit that it was nice to feel Jun’s hand on his back, and Nino’s head appearing next to him on the table, smiling at him. “You should eat more, you are way too thin,” Nino said.
“He is right, you look pale,” Ohno said, leaning a little forward, like he’d be able to see him better then. “And your eyes are tired, but you are already getting better, right?”
Aiba had to admit that he had slept really good, and it was the first night since months he hadn’t felt any pain. Wait, was there another memory? He was really in pain in his world? Was it that bad? “Yes. I slept the whole night without waking up,” he just answered.
“That’s good.” Sho nodded at him. It was the first time the hare talked with him without telling him that he was late. Aiba looked at him closely. He had gentle eyes, even though he seemed pretty strict. He was worried like the others were, Aiba could see it in their behaviour, he was just worried that they relied too much on him and he wouldn’t be able to help them in the end. Help them? Yes, Aiba felt good here, and he wanted to return something to them – at least if it was possible for him to do something. He wouldn’t fight a sword fight or something like this, because he was totally not strong enough for this, but maybe there was a way without a fight?
“Tell me, what is the danger which wants to destroy wonderland?” Aiba asked. He could see that everyone around him tensed and Jun’s hand, which was still on his back stopped moving. No one wanted to think about that, Aiba could understand that, but he needed to know more about it, to decide if he’d be able to help them.
“We don’t know it,” Jun said. “We just have a slight guess, but we aren’t sure yet, because we fear to die when we get closer to the dangerous zone.” Die? Okay, Aiba would definitely not go there.
“But you aren’t affected.” Nino looked at him. It seemed he was reading Aiba’s mind. “It’s just because we aren’t really human, we are…I don’t know….special?”
“But you don’t know if I get killed or not?” Aiba mused.
“We guess that the danger comes from your world, so we think that you won’t get hurt like we do. One of us already died when he tried approaching the house where the man who’s hunting us, live,” Jun explained.
“From my world?” Aiba asked. “I can’t imagine that. Who should come here, killing the people in this world?”
Jun shrugged. “We absolutely don’t know.” Jun raised his hand. “But before you tell us, that you aren’t strong enough again, can you just stay here for some more days and try to find out more about this danger? We really want to know every detail, and each and every information is important to us.”
Aiba’s heart jumped. He enjoyed that someone cared about him. “Yes, okay.” He smiled at Jun. “You wanted to show something to me?”
Jun nodded. “Nino will show you the way. I have some things to do today, but I will join you later on.”
Aiba started wondering what they wanted to show him here. Something he should be affected by? He couldn’t imagine what it was.
~~~
Aiba walked behind Nino through the wood. It was dark and just at some parts were the sun shining through the trees. It was warm, but also a little windy. Aiba waited for his lungs to collapse after he had gone for over an hour, but nothing happened. So it seemed really true that he had no health issues here. This was really wonderland, at least concerning his health.
“We reach the point soon,” Nino said while he turned to him. He had a sheepish grin around his lips, but there was something like fear and worry in his eyes. Was he bothered by the thing he’d show Aiba now?
They reached a small hill where they had a nice overview to wonderland.
The view over wonderland’s landscape was amazing. Aiba had seen a few beautiful places, but he had never seen something like this before. The trees sparkled in the sun and there were several colours mixing into something peaceful and calm. Just a dark cloud and some dried trees on the left side disturbed the beautiful view.
“Over there is the enemy?” Aiba asked.
“Yes.”
“What can we do to stop this?” Aiba could see Nino shrugging. He took a closer look at the area and saw a small field not far away from their place. There was bench and some … graves? Was this the thing Jun wanted to show him? Something in Aiba twitched and pulled almost painfully. “What’s this down there?”
Nino smiled at him almost sadly. “It’s the reason you were able to come here.” Nino gave him a sign to walk down and waited not far away at the bench. It seemed that he wanted Aiba to experience this moment alone. He stepped to the small stones where names were written on. “Alice, Lewis, Masaki…” Aiba gulped. The last stone had his name on it?
Suddenly he felt a terrible sting crossing his head. He could remember. He had been in hospital when his lungs collapsed, and he … he … didn’t wake up anymore. “I am dead?” Aiba turned to Nino.
“Yes,” Aiba heard Jun’s voice from not far away. He came down the hill and stepped next to Aiba. Nino had his gaze lowered like he didn’t dare to look at Aiba. “That’s why I was able to bring you here.”
“So, when I try to get back to my world I will be dead?” Aiba asked. So it wasn’t necessary to go back, because he was already gone? And it didn’t matter if he died here, because it wouldn’t change something?
Jun nodded. “You collapsed twice, and I still believe in what I told you. You are strong, just that you were meant to go at this point.”
“So what happens if I decide to go home?” Aiba wanted to know.
“You’ll vanish.”
“But you said that Lewis Carroll came here and got back to his world to write the book, so he wasn’t dead at all?” Aiba asked.
Jun laughed out. “Oh believe me, he was already dead before he really died. He had strange drug excesses, and I don’t think he survived much longer after he got back to your world.”
“And Alice?”
“She was a nice girl, but she had a certain illness, she also died before she came here, but she didn’t want to remain here and get back to her parents. I couldn’t stop her from leaving,” Jun sounded sad.
Aiba sighed. He had a feeling that something was wrong, but he didn’t believe that it was that bad. “So I have the chance to stay here?”
Jun shrugged. “Yes, if everyone else is alright with it, you are allowed.” He tilted his head. “We just don’t know how to convince the queen of hearts to make someone stay, but that’s not the problem now. Because if this evil thing over there is really coming to get us, no one remains here, and we are all going to die.”
So Aiba’s only chance to stay somehow alive was to stay here? It made him sad, though he already started liking it here. But his old world? And his friends? Or did he really have no friends there at all? “Will someone miss me in my world?”
Jun looked away from him and didn’t say something. Right in the moment he opened his mouth Aiba stopped him. “I already know that I had a sad life, and no liked me back in my world.”
“Come.” Jun took Aiba’s hand and pulled him along through the wood till they reached some fruit trees. “You need to taste this.”
Aiba was thankful that Jun wanted to distract him, but there were too many thoughts running through his mind. What if he really needed to save this place so that he could stay here? But he wasn’t from wonderland, it wasn’t his world, so wouldn’t he be an intruder? Would others accept him? Or was it better to just give up and end everything?
Aiba felt Jun’s hand squishing his. He hadn’t realized that the other was still holding his hand after all. He looked at Jun who gave him a big smile Aiba could have got lost in. “I know it’s pretty much for you to bear with, but believe me, everyone welcomes you here…maybe except the queen … she probably wants your head, but you know the story…”
“It’s just … a little too much.” Aiba shook his head. He had the feeling that everything around him started spinning. He let Jun guide him to a nice place under a big tree. Farer away Aiba could see Nino lying on a tree, his eyes closed and his tail wiggling slowly. He was probably already sleeping again.
“I understand that.” Jun looked at Aiba directly. “But please don’t be mad at me or Nino that we brought you here,” Jun sighed. “We are desperate, Aiba. We need help and we don’t know what to do anymore. We are meant to die, but we want to remain. So our offer to everyone is to stay here in charge of their help against the evilness. Just that Alice wanted back to their parents before she finished her task, and Lewis was … let’s call it special.”
“I don’t get it.” Aiba brushed his hair. “Why me?”
“I saw you in the mirror, and I knew that you were perfect for this. Your eyes were strong, and you had a strong will, even though your body couldn’t bear it.” Jun smiled. “And I liked how you look like.”
Now Aiba had to laugh about how casual Jun’s last sentence sounded. “Thank you, I guess,” he finally said. Aiba recognized that he was still holding Jun’s hand, but he didn’t care about it. It felt nice and warm, and it calmed Aiba down somehow.
“I really want to ask you for help, Aiba-san.” Jun got earnest. “We really need you. I think you have a great sense for people and their feelings, and I am sure you saw that we are all at the end with our strength. We tried so much, but everything failed. We lost some companions, and I really don’t want to risk anything more.” He gave Aiba a smile. “And I am sure that you are the right one for this. I know it. Even Sho believes in you.”
“Really?” Aiba blinked. “He does seem pretty much like he hates me.”
Jun laughed out. “No, he is always like that, because he doesn’t like new people. He is used to us, and he wants it to stay like this, but I am sure that he likes you. Same goes for Ohno.” Jun turned to look at Nino. “And I don’t need to talk about Nino. He is already addicted to your scratching, which is pretty unusual, because he only let me touch him before. So I guess you are his owner, or something like that?”
Aiba saw Nino turning on his back, his eyes still closed. “You mean I need to take of him, like a pet?”
“No,” Jun said. “He is human after all, but he needs a lot of attention, and he loves scratching, so you need to get used to this, if you really stay here.”
Aiba nodded. Oh, he could get used to this, Nino calmed him down after all. And then there was Jun’s aura which made Aiba feel a little seasick, but not in a bad way. It was more like riding a rollercoaster. God, was he falling for Jun here? “I think I could handle this.”
“So you think about staying?” Jun asked, his eyes suddenly shining.
“Yes,” Aiba promised, and he really would think about it. He could see Jun moving, before he hugged him, pressing him against Jun’s chest.
“Thank you so much.”
A/N: Hello everyone, it seems that this story isn't really liked, but I post it till the end, because I already wrote it :) It's sad that there are so less readers online right now. I am really lazy about posting right now, because I have the feeling that no one is online. But I sit in my hotel room and try to survive my business trip and I really have nothing to do, so I post now *lol*
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Date: 2018-01-28 05:50 am (UTC)Thank you for choosing to share this story until the end. I'm really curious with Aiba power, what the enemy is, and how this story will turn out. I'm looking forward for it :) And I like your writing style too! Thank You SO much for sharing!
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Date: 2018-02-18 04:42 pm (UTC)I am soo happy you like my style, that makes me so happy to hear that <3
XDD Yeah, somehow the story wasn't that hard to write, because the characters fit so perfectly :P
Thanks again, *hugs*
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Date: 2018-03-07 06:24 am (UTC)The sparks flying between Jun and Aiba are so intense. Love this!!
This is a really great story! Thanks for sharing!
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Date: 2018-03-24 02:26 pm (UTC)They are really falling harad for each other, just a little push and they'll be together ;)
Thanks for reading and commenting *hugs*