Chapter Text
Jiou considered themselves to be a pretty normal person. But when it came to romance, they would admit that they had high standards.
You wouldn’t catch them hanging around with just anyone.
Jiou wanted their significant other to be beautiful, stunning even. Jiou wanted their partner to be more beautiful than they considered themselves to be at the very least.
And so, that was Jiou’s standard throughout their life: find someone more attractive than they were.
Much to Jiou’s frustration, this proved itself to be an impossibly difficult task. They looked for a potential partner everywhere they went. No one caught their eye. Sure, people weren’t ugly per se. But they definitely weren’t on Jiou’s level.
After over two decades of life, two decades of being single, two decades of their Rice Purity™ score being over 90, Jiou decided to take a supernatural approach to their problem.
Jiou was taking a late-night walk one night, appreciating the beauty of life. They were lost in thought and decided to take a longer walk than usual, through a forested area. They realized suddenly, after snapping out of a particularly deep string of thoughts (probably about how much they hated Silent), that they hadn’t the slightest idea of where they were or how to get back.
Jiou pulled out their phone only to be met with a lack of cell reception. Great. They tried to stay optimistic, telling themselves that they couldn’t be that lost and that if they kept walking, they’d be out of the forest soon.
They wandered around the forest tentatively, the absence of light and heat making them increasingly nervous. How were they going to get back home? Would they freeze out here (unlikely with their fire AdversaryDuo merch haha link in bio)? Would they starve?
Jiou briefly attempted to recall a video they had seen about which wild mushrooms were safe to eat before realizing their attempts were futile. Their best bet was to continue on and hope some rich, recluse lived this deep in the woods so they could get directions back to civilization.
And so, Jiou continued on. That is until they ran into some strange structure in the center of a small clearing in the woods. Jiou couldn’t quite see what it was. They pulled out their phone, switching on the flashlight.
The structure appeared to be a well. The base was made out of stone bricks, and the wooden structure that stood above it was especially well-made. Now that Jiou was looking at it, the whole well was not only very well made but very well kempt. Jiou was quite certain, based on the architectural style of the well, that it had been there for at least a century. Despite this, the well was in great condition. Not even a modicum of moss had embedded itself in between the stone bricks of the well. The structure above the well seemed to bare a statue of sorts. Was the statue of a god? A deity? Some omnipotent being? Jiou couldn’t tell.
What Jiou could tell was that there was no bucket near this well, nor was there a pulley. Jiou was puzzled at first, wondering why someone would put so much time and effort into the upkeep of this well if they weren’t even going to fetch the water from it.
Jiou circled the well, simultaneously admiring its beauty and trying to deduct its purpose. However, when they took a comically large inhale (as they often found themselves doing when they were frustrated), that's when it all made sense.
The well smelled of metal.
Jiou crouched down, put their hands on the base of the well, and leaned over the well before taking another big inhale. That was it. There were coins at the bottom of this well. It was a wishing well.
Jiou chuckled slightly, sitting down in the soft grass that enveloped the land around the well. They pulled out their wallet and took their small sum of coins into the palm of their hand. Jiou put their wallet back in their pocket and focused their attention on the coins in their hand.
What should they wish for?
Their first thought was to wish to find a way back home. That was the obvious choice, seeing how they were lost in the forest.
However, they stopped themselves before they made that wish. The most cursory of assessments would lead anyone to the same conclusion; the well was clearly special. They had coins to spare. Why not wish for something they’ve always wanted?
And so Jiou sat in this patch of grass, trying to grapple with their life. They attempted to recall their greatest desires. In the haze of their now pensive mood, a particularly strong pang of loneliness hit them.
What they really wanted was someone to be around. Silent was their best friend but even their friendship had its limits. What they really wanted was a partner.
Jiou picked a dime from their pile of coins. They made a fist with their right hand, placed the thumb on top, and gracefully flicked the small coin into the well.
“I wish I could find a partner who is right for me,” They whispered, their voice filled with fervor.
A small sound emanated from the well as the dime hit the water at the bottom of the well. Jiou wasn’t usually one to believe in silly things like wishing wells so they weren’t particularly familiar with how long they should wait for their wish to come true.
So Jiou sat and waited. They would guess it had only been a minute or so when an unfamiliar sound erupted behind them. They whipped their head around, only to see a rip in what they could only assume was the time-space continuum (maybe they consumed too much sci-fi content). Jiou was awestruck. They had always been a strong believer in science.
But nothing could explain the seafoam green interdimensional gateway that was floating in front of them. Would they be a fool not to explore? Probably.
Jiou walked towards the portal. The meager steps they took made their walking more like shuffling and they had their arm extended toward the portal.
The fingertips of their right hand made contact first. Wow, this was underwhelming. Their fingers weren’t visible, engulfed by the portal, but it didn’t feel like anything had changed.
They guessed they would just have to take a leap of faith.
Jiou closed their eyes and held their breath as they walked into the portal.
And again, nothing. It didn’t feel like anything changed.
When Jiou reopened their eyes, the world appeared exactly the same. Not so much as a blade of grass had changed. When they looked behind them, the portal was missing.
Maybe they hadn’t been sleeping enough. Surely they were losing their mind.
“Hey is someone out there?” A voice a little too familiar for comfort shouted out from behind some trees.
Jiou stared, eyes wide, as a blue and green haired boy waltzed into the clearing.
It couldn’t be. How were they looking at themselves?
“Holy shit,” Jiou whispered.
“Oh hey!” The other.. Jiou didn’t seem fazed that the two were practically identical.
“You’re me..?” Jiou couldn’t tell you if their own words were a statement or question.
The other Jiou chuckled, “Yeah man, we’re all Jiou. You new around here or something?”
“Yeah,” Jiou swallowed, “I am actually.”
“Oh..” The other Jiou seemed a little taken aback but nonetheless, they continued, “Well come with me, I’ll take you to meet the gang.”
Jiou had no real choice other than to follow the other. Plus, they desperately wanted answers.
It was a brief walk, the other Jiou enthusiastically ranting about something on the way, but Jiou was too shocked to really listen. Then they approached a house.
“Here we are,” Other Jiou smiled at Jiou. “Home sweet home.”
It was a new experience when Other Jiou smiling at them caused Jiou’s stomach to flutter. What the fuck.
Other Jiou opened the front door to the house, revealing a small gang of other Jious.
They were gathered around a tv; they seemed to be playing Super Smash Bros.
“Yo guys! I found a new Jiou in the woods!” Other Jiou spoke.
The other Jious looked up. Jiou was met with a wave of greetings from the other Jious.
“So.. We’re all Jiou?” Jiou couldn’t comprehend what this world was. “How do we tell the difference between ourselves?”
“Well we’ve all got nicknames,” Other Jiou said. “I’m J.”
“I’m Ji.” The Jiou without the ponytail said.
“I’m Geo.” The Jiou with the bleached hair said.
“I’m JiJi.” The Jiou with the long black hair said.
“I’m Jo.” The Jiou with the deep voice and slight facial hair said.
Jiou blinked in bewilderment.
“Can I just be Jiou?” Jiou asked. There was a murmur of agreement and acceptance among the Jious.
“If that’s what would make you comfortable,” J smiled at Jiou. It was only after Jiou had stared at four other versions of themselves that they realized that J was slightly more muscular than the rest of the Jious.
-
It had been a whole week in this new Jiou-filled world. Jiou had spent most of his time hanging around J, getting used to life here.
It was definitely strange; seeing Jious working at the grocery store, seeing Jious walking around together, seeing Jious holding hands.
The first time they saw two Jious kiss really shocked them. They had been asking J all of their questions.
“So Jious are in relationships with each other? Isn’t that like.. morally fucked or something?
J laughed. Jiou knew J’s laugh was the same as everyone else’s but it always made Jiou feel particularly happy. “There’s no one else to date. What do you expect them to do?”
Jiou paused to think. “I don’t know? Just don’t date anyone I guess?”
“Do you mean that?” J glanced at Jiou curiously, “No one here has caught your eye?”
Jiou swore J was looking right through them. How did they know how J made them feel?
“I mean,” Jiou’s voice tapered off, “Not especially?” Jiou’s voice became higher pitched at the end of their sentence, hinting at their uncertainty.
J hummed. “Whatever you say man.”
-
Over the course of the next two months, Jiou and J had grown unmistakably close. Jiou had denied it for a while, but eventually, they acknowledged and accepted their feelings for the other Jiou.
Jiou often tried to reason with themselves. This wasn’t all bad. They had begun to truly see the beauty in themselves after falling for someone who looked close to exactly like them.
One night, when Jiou and J were sat on the couch of the Jiou House, watching a movie, something happened.
The movie wasn’t particularly intimate. Jiou had gone out of their way to avoid romance movies for their little movie nights.
But nonetheless, J slumped over, resting their head on Jiou’s shoulder. An act of closeness the two had not yet begun displaying to each other.
Jiou stiffened slightly, not necessarily because the touch was unwelcome but more because their crush was cuddled up to them.
“Is this ok?” J asked, their voice a little raspy. God they were hot.
Jiou forced themself to relax. “Yeah,” They tried to make their voice as casual as possible.
Maybe 10 minutes had passed before J spoke again. “I think I like you Jiou,” J paused the movie and looked over at Jiou. “Like, really like you.”
Jiou paused, idley looking at J’s face while they thought of what to respond. “I think I like you too. I mean, I’m pretty sure. You’re the first person to make me feel the way I feel when I’m with you.”
J smiled. “You don’t mind that we’re both Jious?”
“I don’t mind. You’re hot as fuck.”
J laughed and cuddled back into Jiou’s side. Jiou wrapped their arm around them. Jiou wasn’t sure if it was because J was cuddled up to them, but the rest of that movie was great.