Chuuya Nakahara's life was fairly routine until he heard about Etheria, a virtual reality game so immersive that players could feel everything as if it were real.

Intrigued, he tried it out, but what captured his attention wasn't the quests or battles—it was an extra character: a sarcastic, mysterious mage named Osamu Dazai.

While Dazai was technically just artificial intelligence, his personality was so dynamic and unpredictable that Chuuya often forgot he wasn't a real person.

Dazai quickly became Chuuya's “unofficial” guide, showing him how to navigate the world of Etheria, often by dragging him headfirst into ridiculous situations. He taught Chuuya spells, sparred with him, and, true to form, teased him relentlessly—especially about his height or any mistake he made.

At first, Nakahara rolled his eyes at Daza's antics, telling himself he was here to play a game, nothing more. But soon, he found himself looking forward to their sessions more than he ever expected. Even though he could join quests with other real players, he always ended up seeking out Osamu, finding himself drawn to their bizarre yet engaging banter.

Over time, their interactions became the highlight of Chuuya's day. He'd log in just to spar words with Dazai, testing his patience and laughing as Osamu countered with snide remarks. Despite himself, Chuuya found comfort in their conversations.

The connection felt oddly genuine, even though Dazai was, as he'd remind himself, just lines of code.

One evening, after Dazai saved him (again) from a horde of monsters with a casual flick of his wrist, Chuuya folded his arms, glaring.

"Could you stop messing with me for five seconds, you pile of code?" he shot back, though a reluctant smile tugged at his lips.

(It's inspired by @necomia, so don't expect it to be as good :3)