- The Magician and his Dear Assistant

- chapter three: pretend (II)

As he rushed to visit the same place in the plaza where Sigma and Nikolai had their last gaze of each other, Sigma felt even more breathless as he ran quickly. This was going to be his first time involving himself into a dangerous matter Sigma knew that'd be risky. He glanced from afar from the tall building ahead of him. Is this where they lock up criminals? That's for sure an easy one to break out of, he thought.

"Excuse me, visiting hours will end in 15 more minutes." A guard before him reminds him. 15... more minutes? He remembered the way to the town plaza was quite far compared to his home, so that would've taken long as he understood.

"I know, thank you very much, sir." Sigma bowed politely. "I'm just here for a few minutes. Nothing much compared to more than that."

The guard nodded and moved out of the way as he entered this quite unknown place. It was dark compared to last time he saw the scene of Nikolai being taken in.

He was a bit troubled by how this place was arranged—Sigma looked at his surroundings as he walked to the next floor, assuming the first set of cell rooms might be there.

Until he found two familiar strangers in his sight as he peeked from a wall, hiding with caution as he eavesdropped their conversation. There was a short raven-haired boy and Sigma could see a white haired boy too in a cell talking with him. That is... Fyodor and Nikolai?

Sigma wanted to rush over them and ask them to explain themselves—but something was stopping him. Rather he didn't put most of his trust on them most times, but the fact all of that happened was suspicious. Fyodor and Nikolai must've worked together on that crime... How could have Fyodor passed on the message to Sigma earlier? That was some sort of missing detail they probably forgot to clear out. He's hesitant to believe anyone in this world, as he feels like he is just surrounded with the same people and nothing more.

While he was thinking, his eyes turned to the conversation of these two best friends chatting.

"—hmm, do you want him to join us~?—" was what he heard after his thoughts were cleared out from his head. Sigma's eyes narrowed, confused of the situation. He realized that Nikolai probably meant "him" as in Sigma, but to avoid misunderstandings, Sigma listened further.

"...I'll be thinking about it." said Fyodor. Nikolai kept his usual relieved look of the night while Fyodor spoke. Sigma hated that grin of his so much—he wondered if Nikolai was going to use him to control the next magic shows they had planned last week alone. Sigma needed more explanations on what they could be doing. This time, he realized he'll have to work alone.

"Wonderful!" Nikolai responded with an excited expression. "In that case, you'll get me out first and enroll me into your school? You've been promising it for a while?" He seemed so delighted talking to Fyodor. Sigma had more wonders too; were they really that close enough to grow his curiosity of how actual friendships work? Was he just used by Nikolai and accepted that because he had nobody else to depend on?

But, Nikolai's last reply startled Sigma a little. Were they finally going to be able to go school like the normal, rich children in this town? Live a normal life? Was that Sigma's whole desire for this life he's stuck in as he is forced to be written into it?

Fyodor grinned, as he always came up with a "wise-like" attitude involving his responses. "Hm, as much as your magic show is dear to you, we have a new plan coming up in the school I am enrolling you in; but I will be revealing it quite sooner."

Nikolai immediately agreed, as he nodded a couple of times. Sigma was confused by his sudden reaction—why would Nikolai choose something over his magic shows? Most of the time, he's basically fixated of the idea of showing something proud to other people and having fun being a magician in disguise of what he truly is.

Sigma noticed something sketchy that might be apart of Fyodor's motive. It was that he was trying to convince Nikolai by acting all of that, and it was easier than Sigma scolding Nikolai to stop messing around the house and get productive till he lost his voice.

"I must be going now." Fyodor spoke, the silence gone. It was finally the time for him to leave—he really annoyed Sigma a little. "My caretaker will get suspicious."

Nikolai gave him a little wave as Fyodor ignored him. When Fyodor walked away downstairs, Sigma finally got to approach Nikolai as he looked at the side.

"...Oh, if it isn't Sigma the Magician!" Nikolai returned to the same behavior. "What brings you here? Did you miss me, did you want to brag about how AMAAZING your first show alone was, or—"

Sigma crosses his arms with a serious expression and crouched a little, interrupting Nikolai. "First off, I am just taking your role temporarily. As stated from Fyodor, I won't be doing anything else." He looked away for a bit to see if anybody is watching.

"Secondly, how did you know about my magic show? You weren't there, you were taken in by the guards due to a crime you commented." Sigma pointed out some details about the situation as Nikolai doesn't pay attention to him.

"This outfit really suits you, honestly☆" Nikolai ignored the question as he complimented Sigma. "Should I lend it to you?"

"..." Sigma sighed, this interaction was just like life at home usually with Nikolai. "I don't want you to skip what I've been really wondering about! Listen to me, Nikolai. I don't want to take what you really enjoyed so much away from you and I don't want you to feel obligated to go with Fyodor's ideals!"

Sigma definitely did worry about that so much as he let all out of that sorrow in his voice mouth. Nikolai just smiles at him a bit creepily.

"Ah, right, Fedya..." Nikolai thinks for a moment. Then he answers with a still cheerful expression. "Ohhh? So you've been here for quite a while listening in, huh?" His voice turns to teasing.

"...Well, so what? I came here tonight to find answers and not leave myself hopeless." Sigma responded. He didn't feel like he missed Nikolai nor ever liked how Fyodor was, but he still had to do all of this. Sigma just couldn't help as guilt washed over his body. It was his responsibility for most of the things, was it? "And also to... get you out of here."

His voice softened at the last reasoning, Nikolai can sense the tiredness and tons of emotions including pain getting out of him.

"Don't worry about me, honestly." Nikolai pouted. "The food has been a bit... alright. But Fedya promised me he'll take me out for the newest ice cream stall in the city and give me anything I desire after this."

But, Sigma didn't hear anything about that as he listened in the conversation during that time. He had a feeling that Nikolai wouldn't be happy to find out the truth. Was he fed those delusions by Fyodor?

"Don't you want to go home early?" Sigma asked. He sounded desperate yet he didn't want to believe that. "...You've always told me that you liked the idea of being a magician, and I don't want to disguise as your assistant till—"

Sigma stopped awkwardly, waiting for his reaction. Nikolai laughed a bit as Sigma got a bit annoyed at that—he was expecting him to say something back.

"Ah, oh you silly little Sigma!" Nikolai was still laughing in another different way... like some sort of crazy maniac. This was the first time Sigma had seen his eyes widened a little in surprise. "Don't you know my wish? Don't you know the only person who understands me? And this little card covering my left eye?"

No, he doesn't. He doesn't at all, so why should Sigma care?

Nikolai always liked seeing the suprise on Sigma's face. But has Sigma even seen a single bit of his own surprise? To feel other emotions than his stupid clown or jester type of facade?

"Please, Nikolai. Please... just..." Sigma held onto the bars that served as barrier for the cell rooms, and not only that... but Nikolai being separated away from Sigma was the worst thing that happened right now. ...That... that really distanced both of them for the first time ever. He looked down at the gray floor as Nikolai watched him.

"...Please don't ever surprise me with this 'magic trick' of yours and Dostoevsky again."

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-Nothing much to write here, but it's shorter than the last two chapters (1.5k compared to 2k). I hope you understand, I am quite busy with exams ^_^ !!
-The only update for today is that I'll be changing the name, cause it sounds kinda basic. idk when though, lolol