~•Did you notice that I skipped chapter 4? LMAO•~

—Is this the spectacular ice cream place you were talking about? A food truck?

Sigma's dissatisfaction was evident on his face.

"Come on, don't make that face," Gogol protested, hurt by his companion's expression. "I swear the ice creams here are amazing, you'll see."

"Whatever you say, clown."

They stood in line, and Sigma refused to look Gogol in the face. The truth was that he was very confused; should he believe him or not? Had Nikolai really respected his space and kept his distance while he was drunk? Or was he lying to hide that he had taken advantage, touching him in private places while he slept?

He didn't want to think that Nikolai was that kind of person, but he couldn't rule out any possibility because, after all, the world was rotten and full of depraved individuals who just wanted to take advantage of you, like vultures circling a corpse.

Sigma was the corpse, the piece of meat. And everyone else were vultures, taking a piece of him whenever they could.

Was that okay? Or was it wrong? He couldn't defend himself; he was too weak to refuse to give or offer something. And others were opportunists, asking for too much, knowing he couldn't say no.

Nikolai was different, right? He hadn't asked for almost anything, ever. And if he did ask, he returned the favor, or the money. Like the time he asked him to buy makeup from a very expensive brand, but after buying it, he gave him the money he had spent, with interest and everything.

"Hey, Sigma-chan," the albino called. "What ice cream do you want?"

"Oh, I want..." He looked at the available flavors. "I want the cookie one, please."

Gogol smiled. "I knew you'd ask for that," he thought. When the seller told them the price, Gogol took out his wallet... but he had no money.

"Oh, oh," he said.

"You spent your money at the café, didn't you?" the gray-eyed one supposed, sighing. "Okay, forget it. I'll pay."

"No, wait!" Nikolai stopped him. "I have my credit card. Do they accept cards here, right?"

"Yes, that's correct," confirmed the seller.

He sighed in relief. He couldn't conquer Sigma if he forced him to pay for the ice creams he had invited him to. That wouldn't be right.

They got their ice creams and went to sit on a bench. Sigma still refused to look Gogol in the face.

"Hey, are you avoiding me?" he asked when he realized.

"No, idiot, I'm trying to determine if there are dinosaur fossils underground."

"Oh, I see, understandable."

"You're an idiot, did you know that?"

They fell silent. Nikolai also sadly looked at the ground, trying to determine if there were dinosaur fossils underground. "Why is it so difficult?" he thought.

"Hey, Sigma," he called. "Look me in the face, please."

Sigma raised his gaze and held it for a few seconds. The albino put a hand on his shoulder.

"Look me in the eyes," he requested.

Sigma raised an eyebrow.

"What, are you going to hypnotize me or something?" he asked arrogantly.

"Listen, I understand that you're worried. But I swear, on everything I love and on the Bible itself, that I didn't dare touch you more than allowed. I told you the truth: all I did was take you to my apartment and let you sleep in my bed."

"You undressed me!" protested the gray-eyed one nervously.

"It wasn't with ulterior motives! I just wanted you to sleep comfortably. I was afraid you might strangle yourself with your clothes..."

"What? That's stupid."

"Don't think of it that way, I've seen cases on the internet."

Sigma fell silent.

"Listen to me, okay? I would never in my life be capable of doing anything bad to you, or touching you without your prior permission. I'm not that kind of person, I already told you."

He sighed and covered his face with his hand.

"Yeah, I know..." he said. "I don't know, I guess I'm just really scared... But I know you're not like that. Sorry for doubting you."

They smiled.

"You have a beautiful smile, Sigma," Gogol blurted out. Sigma stopped smiling.

"Shut up," he scolded, and started eating his ice cream, which was about to melt.

Nikolai was right. That ice cream was amazing.