Work Text:
Dearest Diary!
It is so fantastic that I can
not
hold myself back from sharing!
Tomorrow is the big day! The biggest of big days! It will be a spectacle, one that will be seen all over the city! The location is perfect, I have the ring for my beloved cookie and it will blow their mind!
It will all go
boom boom boom
, there is no way they will not say yes!
Dearest Diary, sleep is calling my name, as I have a long day ahead of me!
All the best, Kolya!
“Sigma,” Nikolai sings, his voice a low purr.
Sigma’s eyes flutter open momentarily. They realize that the room is still dark, which indicates an unhealthily early time to be awake. The figure they can make out in the dark belongs to no one else but Nikolai, whose bed Sigma is currently lying in.
They reach out, getting hold of Nikolai’s wrist, pulling him back into the bed. Sigma wraps their arms around Nikolai’s neck, earning themselves a giggle from their partner.
The kiss, followed by a shallow bite against their neck makes Sigma chuckle quietly too.
“I need to leave,” Nikolai hums against their skin.
“Nooo…” Sigma complains, knowing that there is no point.
“You sleep, I must go on that adventure of mine, for now!”
Sigma receives another kiss, right onto the lips. And maybe they pull Nikolai a little closer against their body to make the kiss last just a tiny bit longer, but all of that is forgotten when they drift into sleep again.
The sunlight tickles their face, coaxing Sigma out of their sleep gently. Much gentler than Nikolai usually does, not that their boyfriend isn’t gentler, but with Nikolai things usually get a little wild rather fast. He does enjoy tickling them after all.
Sigma sits up in bed, stretching out their limbs, accompanied by a hearty yawn. Then, they blink a few times to look around Nikolai’s bedroom.
Lately they’ve spent a lot of time here, mostly with Nikolai, but it isn’t the first time that they are home alone. Their boyfriend is a surprisingly busy person, even now after everything that went down in Yokohama and with Sigma’s beloved casino. Even with his admired, yet disliked, Dos-kun locked up, Nikolai keeps himself busy with something undisclosed.
They get out of bed, checking their phone for any news from Nikolai, but so far, nothing. Vaguely they remember that he said something about date night, so they hope to hear from him at some point.
It takes a few hours, a shower, a hearty brunch and a lazy afternoon in bed, but finally they get a text.
Well, it’s a location and a brief request to be at exactly said position by 7 o’clock tonight.
Knowing Nikolai it is probably of utmost importance to stand exactly there, otherwise some of his hokus pokus won’t work the way it is supposed to, or something would go terribly wrong. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time.
To Sigma’s surprise Nikolai didn’t give them instructions on what to wear, usually he has a vision on how his beloved audience should show up for the occasion. This gives them the chance to opt for their ever so complicated layers of fabric.
From the turtleneck, to the wide sleeved, crisp white shirt, cuffed at the biceps to keep it in place. Since it’s November already they decide to swap their usual overcoat for a warmer parka.
Sigma stares at their reflection for a moment, unsure if they should tie their hair up or leave it flowing openly. They know that Nikolai loves either and doesn’t have a preference, so they choose to take a hair tie with them, just in case.
Finally, they step out of the apartment, making their way to the outskirts of the city.
The location is on an industrial site, a place where people work during the days, sometimes even at night. As of lately, Sigma noticed that Nikolai has taken a liking to spots like this. He finds them exciting and adventurous. Sigma doesn’t really mind these places, but they don’t mind having normal dates every now and then too.
What even is normal with a boyfriend like Nikolai?
Even their coffee dates or dinner dates turn into something adventurous with Nikolai. Like that one time he decided to make a magic show just for Sigma in a tiny cafe in Yokohama. Needless to say that they were kicked out when Nikolai started telling other customers that they need to clap or he will hurt them.
Sigma shakes their head, hoping for a better date this time. One where they don’t need to be the one that negotiates between their partner and some lowly cafe owner.
They search through the darkness of the night, the flashlight activated on the phone to see the path in front of them, while also navigating to find the exact spot Nikolai wants them to wait.
Luckily, Nikolai thought ahead and sprayed a huge X on the ground, marking the spot Sigma needs to stop. He even made an arrow to make sure Sigma looks into the right direction.
Sigma is certain that they are in for a little show. It’s not the first time that Nikolai led them to a place like this for a date. Usually it ends in chaos and destruction, neither things that Sigma particularly minds.
They check the time, realizing they are actually two minutes too early. Of course, Nikolai never starts one of his shows early. He prides himself on always starting right on time.
Sigma waits, breath clouding in the air in front of their face. They take the time to observe their surroundings.
There isn’t much to locate in the darkness. They see a building about fifty meters ahead of them, not a single light on. Other than that there is nothing within the next 300 meters.
In the cold, Sigma steps from one foot to the other, rubbing their gloved fingers together to keep themselves warm. It’s not the greatest time of the year to have an outside date, but Nikolai isn’t here, so Sigma can’t even complain.
They check the time again. 7 o’clock.
“Siiiiiig~maaaa~!!!!” A familiar voice calls out from a distance.
Sigma squints, trying to make out the silhouette of their boyfriend in the distance. They can only see him thanks to his signature white suit. Judging by his appearance this must be a spectacular moment, because Nikolai is dressed up, wearing white from head to toe.
Sigma is pretty sure that even the scrunchie is white for once.
“Nikolai!” Sigma calls back, a little less loud than Nikolai did.
“Hold still!”
Sigma remains in place, trying to see what Nikolai is up to. Barely, they can see Nikolai’s hand disappear in his cloak. They are so familiar with the movement now, knowing that it’s just Nikolai activating his ability.
They almost expect to feel a hand on their shoulder, but instead light engulfs behind some of the windows behind Nikolai.
Sigma’s eyes widen, trying to make out what’s going on in the factory.
It’s not a lamp, so there is really only one thing it can be and knowing Nikolai—
The fire spreads fast, as if Nikolai drew a path for it to go. The first explosion startles Sigma, as a part of the building detonates, showering the surroundings in scrap and rubble. It doesn’t quite reach Sigma, but just to be safe, they take a step back.
Next thing they hear is the familiar cracks of fireworks exploding. Not just a single firework going off, but hundreds.
They fly into the night sky, thundering bangs and booms ringing in Sigma’s ears. The huge, colorful sparks fly through the night, enlightening Sigma’s face.
In the midst of it all, a burning building behind him and hundreds of sparks in the air above and around, Nikolai stands, howling and laughing loudly.
Sigma’s eyes snap to their boyfriend.
“YAHAHAHAHAA! Cookie!!! Do you see?! ”
Nikolai stretches out his arms, showing off the explosions around him proudly. It would make for a wonderful picture, a silhouette enlightened by fire and explosions in the dark of the night. It sure has its aesthetic appeal.
Then, he bends forward, the same way Sigma has seen so many times. Nikolai’s upper body falls, folding himself in half, one arm held out to present what he worked for, while the other is held against his chest. His bangs fall into his face, the braid almost touching the ground underneath him.
It’s his way of thanking Sigma for coming to his show yet again. Not that Sigma had much of a choice.
BOOM!
Another explosion shudders through the night, sending another wave of fireworks and rubble out of the blazing flames.
Nikolai starts walking towards Sigma, grinning at him wickedly. The explosions accompany every step of his and Sigma is mesmerized by the bizarre mix of grace and insanity unfolding in front of him. That very mix they adore and fear equally.
However, Nikolai seems unfazed by everything going on around them, his eyes are focused on only one thing, the only person there is, the only audience he ever wants.
He comes to a halt in front of Sigma, leaving an arms length of space between them.
“Sigma!” Nikolai calls out through the racket around them.
Sigma’s eyes find the single, golden eye, the one not covered by the mask. “Kolya,” they whisper into the night, knowing that Nikolai can’t hear them.
“Sigma!” Nikolai shouts again, this time reaching out to take their hand. “Sigma! Listen to me!”
Sigma’s eyes travel over their surroundings once more. The fireworks in the sky above them, the burning factory shaken by a third explosion now, and finally their eyes land on the person in front of them.
Nikolai’s smile mellows down into a softer and more caring one. It’s a rarer smile, one that is solely reserved for Sigma.
“Sigma, my dearest Sigma!” He starts, voice too dramatic. “I organized this spectacle for only your eyes to see.”
Another explosion interrupts him, but Nikolai remains unaffected. As if this entire ruckus is none of his business, and definitely not his responsibility.
He lifts Sigma’s hand up higher, letting it hover in front of his face.
“You are the one who made this madness possible! Only you will accept me for the me I am, as I accept you for that wonderful little thing you are!”
Sigma has a hard time following the speech, their ears ringing from all the noise around them. But their eyes focus on Nikolai’s lips, trying to catch every single word he has to say.
“Dear, dear Sigma!” Nikolai continues, ever so dramatically. “Today, I made this spectacle for only you! Today, I need to ask you this one important question.”
In one elegant movement Nikolai falls onto one knee, lifting his head to look up at Sigma with a bright smile.
“Will you stay with me forever and keep on loving me? Will you want to be by my side forever and ever, against everything and only for each other?”
Sigma smiles back at him.
Asking them to spend forever and ever with him, while a factory is on fire behind them, explosions boom through the night and they are showered in a ray of colorful sparks is so typical for Nikolai, it almost shakes Sigma from laughter.
And they do start laughing, clenching Nikolai’s hand tighter and falling to the ground in front of him.
“Yes! Yes, of course!” They call out, tears streaming down their face between laughs and sobs. “Yes!”
“Ayy!!!! Cookie, Cookie!!! I knew this would happen!” Nikolai howls into the night, hand rummaging in his cape once more.
This time his hand actually appears to the right of Sigma’s face, offering a ring.
Sigma’s eyes widen in surprise. Even though this is a proposal they didn’t think Nikolai would actually have a ring for them.
For a split second they wonder where he stole it, but that thought is quickly discarded when Nikolai’s hand disappears again. Expertly he pulls the hand out of the cape and puts the ring onto Sigma’s finger.
“This is the moment where people clap,” Nikolai hums excitedly. “Or you can just say I love you.”
Sigma laughs at that statement. They want to clap, but Nikolai is still holding on to their hand. Instead they opt to reach out and brush a finger along Nikolai’s jawline.
“I love you,” they whisper, barely audible.
“Too, I love you too!” Nikolai exclaims, already leaning forward for an unruly kiss.
Sigma laughs, tears still running down their face, as Nikolai’s hand finds its way onto their back to support it, while tilting them back to kiss them passionately.
They remain kneeling on the cold ground, the sprayed X and arrow underneath them, kissing each other while the fireworks slowly die down around them.
The smoke must have attracted some people around the area, as they can finally hear the familiar sound of sirens in the distance.
Nikolai jumps to his feet first, stretching out a hand to help Sigma up.
“Time to go home,” he snickers, pulling Sigma to their feet. “This date isn’t over!”
Sigma laughs as Nikolai starts running, pulling them with him.
They disappear into the darkness of the night, only leaving behind a burnt down building and memories neither of them will ever forget.