Comments | dormition: 25th rebirth [RL with Russia; forward-dated to, uh, idek]

dormition

25th rebirth [RL with Russia; forward-dated to, uh, idek]

Sep 20, 2009 21:41

[It was some days after Ivan's post that it occurred to Minato that he might not be posting simply because he couldn't. So, armed with a laptop - something that had cost him the last of his funds from his job with Kanzeon, who had disappeared from the community, a fact he in turn had kept from his friends - he made his way to Stalingrad ( Read more... )

Comments 34

insovietme September 21 2009, 01:54:09 UTC

[The birds don't say anything. Neither does Ivan. He lies on the ground, watching the smoke clear over his head. His eyes are lidded, almost sleeping. Almost but not quite. There's blood on him. As always. Some of it isn't his. Quite a lot of it is Germany's. He's proud of that. So proud he feels like bursting. But he can't do that. He can't do much. It feels hollow more than that. As if there is something empty inside him now. As empty as this city is now, people picking things out of the rubble like morbid souvenirs.]

[Ivan doesn't join in. He lies on the ground, facing the starless, smokefilled sky. One hand is on his heart. To prove to himself he is still alive. The other holds onto the pipe. In case Germany comes back. Because this is Stalingrad. And Stalingrad it will stay.]

dormition September 21 2009, 02:03:53 UTC

Ivan -

[He sees him, and his heart trips for a second. He looks dead. But nations can't die, can they? Minato knew historically that Russia didn't lose at Stalingrad, even if it was a Pyrrhic victory. But what did that mean on the community?

He stumbled through the debris, making his way over as quickly as he dared. He came to his knees beside him, clutching the dark case of the computer.]

Ivan, are you -

insovietme September 21 2009, 02:13:16 UTC

[Nations can die. But not from this. Not now. Because this is Stalingrad. Rubble and ruined but always, always, always his boss' city. Always. And it belongs to him. Is a part of him. And it has not and will not ever belong to Germany. Ever. It will not be taken from him. He'd have to pry it from his cold, dead hands first.]

[His hands are cold. But he is not dead yet. His eyes open fully, for a moment. A flash of violet, dark but clear. Noise. There's noise. A shout in the dimness. He wracks his brain for a moment. Familiar, but far away. Oh. Minato. What's he doing here? He doesn't belong here. Does he?]

Nyet, nyet, I'm still alive. I won. I won. I won.

dormition September 21 2009, 02:23:29 UTC

[He sighs, a mixture of relief and exasperation. One hand reaches out to clutch at the edge of Ivan's coat, trying to keep it inconspicuous.]

I told you you would. [And through his still-lingering fear, he manages a faint smile, sincere for all that.]

insovietme September 21 2009, 02:29:32 UTC

[He barely even notices. It doesn't hurt anymore. He can't tell if that's a good thing. Not yet. There's so many miles left to go, before this is over. And Ivan will walk them all, alone if he has to. Because this is the path he has chosen to walk. Even though he can't seem to manage the walking part just yet.]

[He doesn't smile. More of a smirk. Less of a lie. Everything is swimming around him much too fast. But he's lying on his back in the rubble. He remembers that. He clings to it. So he doesn't forget. So he won't forget.]

Things will be different now.