Redemption

CHAPTER XXXIV: Tip Of the Iceberg

It was around evening as both the two men waited outside the captain's office because he had just called them both for a private and special meeting. They didn't know what it contained but it was more than dumbfounded just hearing their names being called up for a meeting, especially when it meant that Nikolais was somehow involved in it.

They were both awkwardly standing in one spot, impatiently waiting for the captain to welcome them in as Shogun took multiple glances at the walls, trying to cope with his boredom by making up remedies to patch it up. Nikolais on the other hand, was unfazed yet he seemed really irritated. The last thing he was doing before being called for this meeting was patching up some papers and also thinking about him.

It's nigh impossible for Graves to come back, but he just hoped for the best that he'll take a turn for his sake of missing him.

"When do you think you'll come back...?" He mutters to himself, catching Shogun's ears with the serenade of his deep accent, turning his attention to the taller man.

"Enzo?"

Nikolais flickered his body, shooting up as he turns his head towards the man, vividly executing a frown.

"Nothing. It's- nothing."

"You know you could tell me anything, right?"

"What if I told you I cannot? It's very dear to me, Shogun."

"I know you're it keeping it close to you, Niko... but, nothing escapes from me." The cute nickname that had escaped Shogun's mouth melted Nikolais' insides, making him even comfortable yet he still wasn't ready to tell him that he couldn't get his old friend off his mind. If anything, he should've forgot him by now after everything.

Because unlike Nikolais, Shogun knows damn well that Graves isn't coming back.

"You know- him, right?"

Shogun knew who was he talking about the moment he forced all his breath on the third word he spewed out. He found it quite depressing that he was still not over the man being missing from their arsenal despite trying their best to find his location, but it was without success – constant failing all the time.

"Lad... we both know that he isn't coming back anytime soon." Nikolais also knew, but that hurt him too.

The factual knowledge of knowing hurt him.

"Can't you just... hack your shit and find him...?"

"...I'm on the process of trying to find his location." He admitted, the truth that made a strikethrough through the soldier's eyes, crossing each end of his optics with sparkles- a sense of hope.

"When do you think you'll find him?" A rapid succession of spoken language that was filled with faint excitement. Shogun wasn't doing it for anybody else, but for Nikolais himself. He hated how he was always gloomy and dry whenever they both meet or be assigned to missions together, just because of one man that changed his perspective on everything.