𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐃𝐄 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 / fyodor x reader x gogol

ᴠ. ꜰʀᴏɴᴛꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴀꜱᴋꜱ

The bag of groceries hung limply from where it hung on your arm, your hand was still on the doorknob of your new apartment, keys still in the lock as you started in horror at your neighbour. Never in million years did it cross you that this mere coincidence, which is the probability for it to happen like those cliche movies you have seen before, would happen to you, for real. His pale hair was pulled into a low ponytail and he was wearing more casual wear this time. But the moment his gaze met yours his eyes had lit up instantly, that same charming grin spread across his expression as he looked at you with so much joy in his expression you wanted to vomit right there and then.

"Hey, it's you!" he gasped, his same eccentric behaviour as before, "Nice to see you again! Looks like we're neighbours now! I just moved in here too and I really don't know anyone around here. But it's good to see a familiar face around!" He was elated, his long figure stride and lean against the wall beside your door. "Funny coincidence, isn't it? Or, could it really be a fate?"

Your internal monologue screaming a mantra of swears as you prayed to any god listening that this was a dream, you wanted to slap and pinch your cheek right now even - though unfortunately for you, this was entirely the truth of reality that you were refused to accept.

"Yeah right, I don't think so," you mumble, before opening the door and walking inside, closing and locking it behind you before he gets another chance to prolong the pleasantry further. You had enough during your first encounter with him on the plane and were forced to listen to his endless prattle, so you would not repeat the same ordeal all over again. Given that you were a rather reclusive person and weren't so social, you had no intention of making him your acquaintance - a stranger should just stay as a stranger. Myshkin greeted you with a meow as he made for you, the bag of groceries was placed on the counter as you slowly - almost in a daze of sorts, walked to the couch. Sinking back into the cushions with a heavy sigh.

The apartment was fully decorated and furnished, completely in Lyra Belacqua's fashion and while it did cross over here and there with your own, in terms of the bookshelves and literature on them at least, the rest of it fit her personality more than yours. As it should, it was a proper way to get in character, fully and completely, the only problem with that was that it meant you are rather cynical and the first impression on your neighbour, and it might be rather troublesome in the future. Just looking at his energetic self already drains your mind.

"Oh bloody hell," you cursed, running your hands through your hair as Myshkin jumped up beside you. Glancing down at the cat, he offered you a paw, which you took a reluctant smile forming on your expression as he played his little game with you. Thank god you had taken him with you, if not it would have driven you crazy with what's to come.

You were honestly unsure of how you might survive so long acting behind such an intense falsehood. Of course pretending to be someone you weren't was nothing you weren't used to, but so completely, in it's entirety for so long? It will be exhausting and mentally taxing. And now your neighbor was some bird loving eccentric odd ball.

Perhaps it was a bit harsh, and admittedly unjustified for you to despise him so thoroughly, but the more you thought over the matter the more you came to the conclusion that you absolutely and utterly hated him. Not for who he was, but for the vast amount of discomfort he instilled in you, there was something so violently off about his behaviour and you couldn't place it. You couldn't understand it, and so you found the seeds of hatred towards the man you barely knew planted and took root in your mind. Maybe you would try and grow past them, though honestly you were unsure if that will work.

Reading people had been a skill you'd learned over years of trial and error, it came with the job after all. You could tell when a person was wearing a mask, and he had plenty to spare for sure. It was rather disconcerting really to know that fact.