Chapter Text
Sigma had always hated uncertainty.
Not ordinary uncertainty.
Not the kind that came from waiting for a letter or wondering whether someone would show up on time.
He hated the kind that left a gap.
A misplaced object.
An unfinished pattern.
A door that might or might not be locked.
A thought that refused to settle.
His mind demanded certainty, and when it couldn't have it, everything became unbearably loud.
He sat in the common room with his notebook balanced perfectly on his knees.
Three times, he checked the same page.
The writing was straight.
The margins were even.
The numbers matched.
He checked again.
Then again.
He knew he had already checked.
That was the problem.
Knowing didn't make the urge disappear.
Sigma pressed his fingers against the paper.
"Everything is fine."
He whispered it to himself.
Once.
Twice.
A third time.
Across the room, Nikolai was talking to someone.
Or rather, talking to nobody.
At least, nobody Sigma could see.
"The redhead is glaring at you again."
Sigma didn't look up.
"Please stop."
"I'm serious."
"I know."
"He's standing right there."
Sigma finally glanced toward the empty space.
Nothing.
Just a chair.
A wall.
A window.
No red-haired man.
No mysterious angel.
No supernatural beings.
Nothing.
Sigma returned his attention to his notebook.
"I don't see anyone."
Nikolai smiled.
"That's because you're not supposed to."
Sigma frowned.
He didn't like that answer.
Not because he believed Nikolai.
Because it was another uncertainty.
Another thing he couldn't verify.
He hated that.
The door opened.
A nurse stepped inside.
"Sigma? Yosano wants to see you."
Sigma immediately stood.
He straightened his shirt.
Checked his sleeves.
Checked his notebook.
Then checked his sleeves again.
"Okay."
He followed the nurse into the hallway.
He didn't notice the two figures standing behind him.
One wore a dark coat.
The other wore white.
Neither was visible to him.
The red-haired reaper watched Sigma leave.
Akutagawa Ryunosuke had been assigned to him many years ago.
He had never found Sigma particularly difficult.
Quiet.
Anxious.
Careful.
A mortal whose life was remarkably ordinary compared to Dazai's.
At least, it had been.
Beside him stood Kunikida Doppo.
The angel of life.
Kunikida adjusted his glasses.
"He checks everything repeatedly."
Akutagawa glanced at him.
"Yes."
"Does he know we're here?"
"No."
Kunikida sighed.
"Good."
Akutagawa looked toward Sigma.
"Why?"
"Because he already has enough things to worry about."
Akutagawa said nothing.
For once, he agreed.
Neither followed Sigma immediately.
They had no reason to interfere.
Their duties were simple.
Kunikida preserved Sigma's life.
Akutagawa would eventually guide him beyond it.
Neither was meant to become part of the mortal's awareness.
Sigma entered Yosano's office.
She gestured toward the chair.
"Sit."
He did.
She studied him for a moment.
"How are you doing?"
"Fine."
"Really?"
Sigma hesitated.
"...Not exactly."
Yosano waited.
Sigma looked down at his hands.
"I keep checking things."
"How often?"
"I don't know."
"That's okay."
Sigma frowned.
"It's not."
"I didn't say it was."
He looked at her.
Yosano leaned back in her chair.
"Tell me what happens."
Sigma took a breath.
"When I check something, I know I've checked it."
Yosano nodded.
"But then I feel like I need to check again."
"Because you think something went wrong?"
"Sometimes."
"And sometimes?"
Sigma looked away.
"I just can't stop thinking about it."
Yosano nodded slowly.
"That sounds exhausting."
"It is."
For once, Sigma didn't try to minimize it.
Yosano wrote something down.
"We'll work on strategies that make those urges easier to handle."
Sigma nodded.
"Okay."
There was a knock on the door.
Dazai poked his head inside.
"Am I interrupting?"
"Yes."
"Wonderful."
Yosano sighed.
"Come in."
Dazai entered.
Sigma looked at him.
"You're the new patient."
"Apparently."
"You've been here for a few days."
"Apparently."
Sigma stared.
"You say that a lot."
"I've noticed."
Dazai smiled.
Sigma couldn't help smiling back.
There was something strange about him.
Not frightening.
Just...
Difficult to understand.
Then Sigma noticed something.
Dazai was looking toward the corner.
Not at him.
Not at Yosano.
At nothing.
His eyes lingered there.
Sigma followed his gaze.
Nothing.
Again.
He looked back at Dazai.
"What are you looking at?"
Dazai blinked.
"Nothing."
Sigma frowned.
He knew that answer.
Everyone in this place seemed to have something they weren't saying.
Dazai sat down.
Yosano continued speaking.
Sigma listened.
But something about the room felt different.
He couldn't explain it.
A strange pressure.
Like someone standing just behind him.
Sigma slowly turned.
Nothing.
He turned back.
Still nothing.
Across the room, Kunikida watched him.
"He almost sensed us."
Akutagawa's eyes narrowed.
"Perhaps."
Kunikida looked thoughtful.
"He cannot see us."
"No."
"Nor hear us."
"No."
"Then why did he turn?"
Akutagawa didn't answer.
Kunikida adjusted his glasses.
"Humans are strange."
Akutagawa looked toward Sigma.
"Especially this group."
Across the office, Dazai suddenly smiled.
Sigma noticed.
"What?"
Dazai looked toward him.
"Nothing."
"You smiled."
"I did?"
"Yes."
"Maybe something was funny."
Sigma looked suspicious.
"There wasn't a joke."
Dazai shrugged.
"Perhaps I thought of one."
Sigma stared at him.
Then shook his head.
"You people are weird."
Dazai grinned.
"Thank you."
Sigma returned to his notebook.
He carefully placed his pencil beside the edge.
Straightened it.
Moved it slightly.
Straightened it again.
Then stopped himself.
His hand trembled.
He looked at the pencil.
"I don't have to do it."
Yosano noticed.
"That's right."
Sigma took a breath.
He left the pencil where it was.
It wasn't perfectly aligned.
It bothered him.
A lot.
But nothing happened.
The world didn't collapse.
The room didn't change.
Nobody screamed.
The pencil simply remained slightly crooked.
Sigma slowly relaxed.
Behind him, Kunikida smiled faintly.
Akutagawa glanced toward him.
"Progress."
"Yes."
Sigma couldn't hear them.
Couldn't see them.
And, for now, that was probably a good thing.
Because there were already enough strange people in his life.
He didn't need to know that two more had been quietly watching over him all along.