Chapter Text
It's the 1950's. In the big city of Turin, Italy, there stood a theater.
The actor and dancer crew were just getting ready for another performance, as their frontman Gian rushed around helping. Gian had been working at this theater for about a decade now. He was well respected by the crew and long-term audience that watched their performances.
Before every one, he introduced their team. Despite so many people having worked on these shows, the crowd loved only two actors most. Gian, and his sideman, Alexander. The two acted as the main roles in almost every play. And the audience loved them for their onstage chemistry and charisma that seemed to pull in every viewer.
"How much time do we have left, sir?" Ann eagerly shouted across the changing rooms to Gian, shoving her costume gloves on in a hurry.
"Around 10 minutes, Ann! No worries, we're not going to be late anyway" He responded, adjusting his own clothes before looking up.
The area was busy and loud with everyone doing their own thing. But someone was missing. Well, atleast just not here yet. Gian decided that Alexander had wandered off to somewhere like he always did. He always comes to the theater already dressed up, and Gian finds him somewhere away from the changing area just alone with his thoughts.
His stage partner was... an interesting person. And everyone else in the crew would agree. Always quietly standing aside in his own world before somebody comes up to talk to him. The man immediately "wakes up" and responds in his usual polite and friendly manner.
It's always intrigued Gian, but he decided not to pry. He HAD tried asking about it before. But the other would just make a witty comment or somehow escape the question in other ways without you even realizing it happened.
You'd think that nothing's out of the ordinary. A polite man that never seems to get upset, nervous or annoyed, being friendly with everyone. But Gian has worked with him almost this full decade. Long enough to understand that... that his friends "ways" just seem... inhuman. But, oh, wait... there he is!
"Alexander! The show is starting soon. Come, will you?"
Gian saw the other coming back inside the theater and waved him over.
"Ofcourse, my friend." The others eyes smiled through the porcelain mask, before walking past him to the backstage.
Soon enough, the performance started. Gian confidently walked out into stage and introduced their crew, and the play they're going to do. Excited applause led the rest of the actors into stage before the lights dimmed.
.
After the performance, the crew changed back from the costumes, feeling worn out from giving it their all out there.
One of the dancers approached Gian and spoke happily.
"You were flawless out there, Gian! Like always.."
"Thank you, dear. The entire group did great too, ofcourse." He replied with a warm smile on his face as the rest of the crew members nodded in agreement.
Everyone felt this comfortable and familiar feeling within the rest of the crewmates (among us?), while Alexander stood by, observing everyone as if studying them behind that mask. Meanwhile, they decided to have a little lunch for everyone to eat and to recharge. Most of the crew sat on the floor around the snacks.
"Alexander, why don't you join us? Are you not hungry?" Ann spoke up, waking him up from his dream.
His head almost jolted up from hearing his name as he uncrossed his arms and approached them from the shadows. He spoke up in his sweetly polite tone "Ooh, what do we have here?"
The woman seemed to smile brighter as she saw him approach. "We have quite a variety of breads and cheeses here!"
She said as the others glanced up at Alexander.
They were curious to see him actually join in on their conversation. It was a rare sight, after all. "Maybe I will join you, then." He gave a friendly chuckle as the others seemed pleased to have him around them.
"Please, help yourself." Ann handed him a plate and received a thankful nod.
Gian couldn't help but watch his friend interacting with the others as he sat next to him. He saw the other raise his mask just enough to eat which revealed a barely visible ginger goatee.
Gian had never seen any of Alexander's face before, and that made him realize that he probably shouldn't have been looking there right now. A violation of the others privacy, is it not? Slight embarrassment flashed through Gians face, but he hid it away quicker before anyone noticed.
"You really know how to flatter others, don't you, Ann?" Alexanders voice responding snapped Gian out of his thoughts.
"I truly meant every word!" She responded brightly, pleased that he's participating with everyone else.
"You're unusually chatty today, Alexander. Any particular reason for that?" A man spoke up.
"No, I just like the cheese you've brought here" he gave a witty response, making a few people chuckle. But all Gian could notice is how he avoided the question. His answers were always polite and all, but...rarely did they seem sincere.
.
Another day ended. Their work for the day was finished and the sky turned dark. The crew had went home already, but Gian and Alexander stayed to tidy the place up. It's what they've been doing for many years now. Yet no matter how much time they spent around each other, they never really ended up talking about, well...themselves. Gian does try. But he never gets replied to in the same way. Not to mention that the other STILL wears the mask even in their after hours. They're alone! Doesn't Alexander trust Gian enough to take off that darn mask? I guess not.
"Hey, eh...if I might ask, I can't help but notice how you always keep to yourself and don't really open up to anyone...why's that?" He spoke up, though skeptical if he'll even get an answer.
Alexander turned to look at him from the clothes he was tidying up before speaking in a friendly tone. "I do? Gian, you're saying it as if you don't know me at all after such a long time."
Gians expression faded, not sure how to respond. "That's...exactly my point. We've known each other for so long, but it feels like you're always behind this... persona infront of us."
Alexander fell silent for a moment, before shortly saying with his smiling eyes "everybody has their own secrets..."
Gians eyes narrowed as he turned to the other, becoming more confused and a bit frustrated. "But... you always seem to avoid questions about yourself. It's like you're afraid to be vulnerable or something"
He took a step closer, trying to read any bit of emotion he can see through that mask.
"That's just the way I am, my friend. I don't have much to say about myself" he responded, not faltering under Gians skeptical gaze.
"I find that hard to believe. We've been colleagues for years and I hardly know you. It's like you're hiding behind that polite facade of yours...!" He responded with a tone that's a mix of irritation and curiosity.
Alexander took a moment to reply calmly "I hear you...", causing Gian to rant further. "I want to understand you better, Alexander! Yet it feels like there's this wall between us..."
The more Gian spoke, the more it seemed to make the other speechless, even if he didn't look like it. After a moment, he spoke up with his tone unreadable.
"What...would you like me to do about that?"
"Maybe you could start with showing me who you actually are." Gian responded, slightly irritated.
A moment of silence passed as the two stared at each other, before Alexander put his hand on the others shoulder. "Curiosity killed the cat. Have you heard of that one?"
He said, catching Gian off guard. His eyes weren't of a polite smiles anymore. They were almost piercing through the other, something awfully negative in them.
Gian felt a shiver go down his spine from the touch. It felt more as a threat than a friendly one. The usual warmth in his friends demeanor quickly shifted to a cold one.
"...Yes, I have" Gian replied, trying to keep his composure.
"Great. Then be a bit more patient and you'll find out, eh?" Alexander replied as if trying to sound polite, but now it was different.
Gian spoke up "I apologize if I've... pushed too far." A tense moment of silence passed as the other looked at Gian as if he was holding back.
He took his hand off of his shoulder and replied in a softer tone. "It's alright, Gian."
Gian felt slight relief wash over him from his reply, but the theater around them suddenly seemed eerily silent. "I take it our conversation is over?" He asked quietly.
"Correct." Alexander responded as if he was holding back.
Gian nodded cautiously "I suppose I'll be heading home then..." he softly said before turning to leave.
"Hold on-.."
Gian stopped in his tracks, turning to look at the other. The room filled back with tension. Alexander seemed composed but his eyes seemed... uncertain. "You want to know me better, right?" He spoke up.
Gian seemed confused, but replied "Yes... i do."
The others hand hesitantly rose up to the mask. "Would seeing my face please that?"
Gian was surprised to hear something that he'd wanted for so long, just to be offered to him like that. "I-..yes, yes it would" he nodded.
Alexander hesitated but eventually took off the mask. It revealed a pale redheaded man. Now without his porcelain mask. Though his face was full of uncertainty, like he's already regretting doing this.
Gian had never expected him to look so... normal. He was stunned. But then again, why had he expected any different? The person who seemed almost superhuman as his mysterious self looked like an ordinary man.
"That's...not what I expected" he admitted.
Alexanders face seemed confused for a moment before turning into a soft amused smile. "That is understandable".
Gian smiled, feeling like he found the missing piece to a puzzle. He felt mesmerized, being able to see the others face for the first time. Without the cold mask, he looks just like any other person.
"I've showed you enough.." Alexander said, his hand raising to put it back on. Gian wanted to stop him. Clearly, just a few moments of seeing something so...precious of someone who you've known for almost a decade, wasn't enough.
But he saw the growing discomfort on the others face. No, asking for longer isnt worth putting his friend through that. He watched Alexander put his mask back on.
"Thank you... for doing that." Gian said, getting a silent second as a reply before Alexander turned to leave.
"Have a good evening." He said before leaving the theater.
.
Alexander rushed home, trying to push away the growing panic of him showing his face to someone. Not even thinking about the fact that the SOMEONE is a friend he's known for so long.
He didn't care. His identity was in danger now, even if Gian hadn't a single thought that Alexander is a known criminal in his other life.
He shut the door behind him as he entered his house, taking off the mask and putting in on a desk next to him, rather aggresively.
He stood straight, and took a deep breath. Trying to recompose himself. Alexander stood in the darkness of his home, as he realised how everything around him is eerily quiet. And the feeling of loneliness creeped up on him like it does everyday once he goes home. But he quickly pushed it away, putting on a coat and leaving his mask behind. He now had to deal with different business.
He arrived to the side of the towns main street, having planned to meet with someone that knows him as Dawn Doubtfire.
And he already felt the displeased glance of hers a mile away. He was late.
"My deepest apologies, miss. I couldn't come earlier." He said with a serious expression on his face. The talk with Gian had made him come late.
"I'm sure you had your reasons, Dawn." Joanne replied seriously, but playfulness was still evident in her voice.
"Let's get to the topic, then." They walked deeper into the alleyway, footsteps echoing from the buildings around them.
"Here." Dawn took out her ordered book he'd stolen and handed it to her. Joanne's stern look softened in slight suprise as she saw the book. "You found it? Excellent."
She flipped through the pages with a pleased grin on her face before speaking, not looking up from it. "Great job, as usual. Your payment is waiting at the same spot."
"Pleasure doing business." Dawn added before walking off.
Dawn walked in the quiet streets, eventually approaching the base. The building was unsuspicious, blending in with the surrounding ones. It was only known to him and a few other criminals.
He entered it, bell ringing signaling his arrival. An old man, basically benzo from arcane as I imagine it, sat at the counter and looked over at Dawn with a smile.
"Ah, Dawn. You're here late tonight."
"That's true, my apologies. Joanne was happy with what I brought, so that makes up for it, I suppose," He chuckled, responding.
The man stood up and approached a safe, beginning to enter a code. "You never fail to deliver. That's why we like you." He commented before taking out cash and handing it to Dawn.
"Here you go. As promised."
Dawn managed a slight smile and a thankful nod. The benzo lookalike watched him take it, an analyzing look on his face before he spoke.
"You know, Dawn. You look like a nice man. Lean, polite, sweet eyes. Who could guess that you do this?" He gave a rough laugh as Dawn stood there.
"Hah, thank you, sir."
"Yeah, it's just not something you'd expect from a nice looking lad like yourself. Hell, I'm sure you could fool a bunch of people if you tried. But you look too kind for that." The man added.
"Thank you for the kind words, sir." Dawn offered a smile before exiting the small building.