"Boost me up so I can climb up the roof."

"How would I know that you won't leave me here?", suspicion filled Nicolas's mind as they went back-to-back and continue the fight.

"It's simple, I'm a person of my word, now BOOST ME UP", the girl yelled as the second wave fell.

"Fine", Nicolas agreed without any other complaints before lifting her just like how a groom would carry his bride and smiled.

"What are you doing—", she squealed as Nicolas flung her up in the air. Upon getting back to her senses, she quickly grabbed the brick roof then climbed as if she were a monkey with a lifetime of experience.

"So? You're just going to leave me here?", he watched her from below.

"I suppose I could", she sassily replied before pausing. "Just shut up and grab my hand."

"They're really close now", Nicolas advised, the worry in his voice prevalent upon hearing the desperate shouts of the guards wishing for the thieves to stop and submit to them without any additional trouble.

"I'M NOT BLIND, just grab my hand and let's get this over with"

Nicolas on the other hand froze on the spot upon hearing the phrase she said. He was brought back to a distant memory he thought he had already forgotten.

"What are you— WHAT THE HELL. Spacing out won't do you any good Mr.", she yelled, watching the boy stand there as if he had seen a ghost. She's already at the end of her cool and considered leaving him there, but her conscience wouldn't let her. The thin thread she calls patience already snapped when she threw her pouch straight to the boy's face, "AIR HEAD"

"Submit yourself", the guards pointed their spears at the frozen Nicolas.

They were about to grab him when suddenly, the boy snapped back to reality. His reflexes where unnaturally fast that their fat asses could not keep up. By the time the others got close, Nicolas had already ran towards the wall, stepped on it then jumped to grab the girl's hand.

"FINALLY", she yelled in relief and immediately pulled him up.

"Later, slowpokes", Nicolas gave them a salute before both of them continued to traverse the roofs, leaving their pursuers alone and empty handed.

"That was extremely close, too close for comfort", the girl murmured in disappointment. "What in the world is your problem, spacing out in a situation like that, really? I should have left you there instead."

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"Then why didn't you?", Nicolas sounded serious that the atmosphere somehow shifted. "I could have managed on my own without even a single scratch", he said but his thoughts says otherwise. But there will be bloodshed. "If I were you, I would have left you there. I would have saved energy by doing so."

"Ungrateful", the girl whispered to herself.

"But anyway…", Nicolas cleared his throat. "Thank you". Although her face is not visible, it seemed like the girl had at least eased out when he heard the boy's gratitude. "Then again, I, doing what I want is none of your business. Who are you anyway, what's your name?"

"Why do you care", the girl replied as she checked her pouch. "Are you kidding me?", she uttered in irritation. "My pouch, that was my only food. I even risked my life for it", she whispered as she finally felt fatigue caught up to her. "I should have not thrown it just to wake you up from your stupid daydream", she sat down at the corner, silent and hungry as frustration filled the run-down house they seek refuge to.

Seeing her sulking, Nicolas felt a little sorry for her. With everything said and done, she still saved him from resulting to violence. He walked up in front of her, "Do you know how to cook?", Nicolas freed his pouches from his waist.

"What?"

"I'm thinking that we can at least share what I got as long as you'll cook it", he proposed before flashing out the two slices of meat he got from the heist.

"Are you expecting me to believe you?", she glared at him in disbelief. "I'm not a child that will easily fall for your Good Samaritan act. If you have any ulterior motives, just forget about it. I'd rather starve."

"You're too vigilant, did someone hurt you or something? Fine then, If you don't want to, then I'll see you when I see you, fellow thief", Nicolas bid her farewell putting his right hand to his chest and doing a curtsy as he turned his back and walked away. With just inches from jumping out the window, the girl inaudibly uttered something. "You're saying something?", he made sure as he paused halfway from leaving.

"I said wait. I— I'll cook it", she cleared before a loud grumble came from her stomach. Nicolas, although unseen due to his hood and the darkness, grinned, "."

"Great"

"Do you have other ingredients?"

"Just this", Nicolas showed a cabbage and a little bit of salt and other spices from his other pouch.

"You stole that too?"

"I'm not that much of a bad person you know, an old lady gave it to me after helping her yesterday", he assured her.

Despite lacking some ingredients, the dish still tasted fine, enough to ease their hunger and cravings. A simple dish yet it tasted like a high-class meal that royalty could only eat that his idea of how to cook the meat earlier seemed like a pathetic excuse for a meal. They savored it quietly while thanking the gods with every bite and slurp as they pleaded repentance for what they did earlier. Looking at the food, Nicolas can't help but remember what to him seemed like a very distant past.

Back when he first heard the phrase, "I'm not blind."

Almost 10 and a half years ago on the day of his 7th birthday. He was greeted by a girl named Alisa, his childhood and only friend.

It was one of the few pleasant memories he could remember from his innocent days, safe in his home, away from danger. He could only stare at the fire thinking that he should have more memories of those times but he also know how unreliable a child's memory is. "It's scary", he thought, for there are times that he can't make out the sound of their voices nor remember their faces anymore. It scared him more, more than losing his life.

"Are you even listening?", the girl clapped her hands startling Nicolas. "You've been staring so keenly at the fire and your also smiling, what's your deal?"

"Wha— What?", Nicolas examined her, flustered as he was forced out of his wonderful daydream.