Do svidaniya: Chapter Two

[antivanruffles]

Name: Do svidaniya 

Characters: Kunzite, Minako with other appearances. 

Rating: R 

Warnings: Swearing (though mainly Russian), adult themes, some violence. 

A/N: The Russian Revolution was a time of great turmoil and political intrigue. In these trying times can young love succeed or will fate pull them apart? 

Chapters: One



About two weeks later, in the middle of January, I was hastily making my way down the street, trying to keep my date with Alexis and Mischa. I had promised to meet them for lunch at the small restaurant owned by Mischa’s family, but I had been held up by a commander.

Now I was running down the sidewalk, dodging pedestrians and trying not to break a leg on the icy ground. Finally my destination came into sight and I skidded to a halt outside the door, grasping the frame to steady myself before stepping inside.

The restaurant was a quaint place with a homey feel, the walls were dark blue with mahogany paneling that matched the tables and chairs. However lovely the place was it was unfortunately deserted, as it usually was these days, and Alexis and Mischa were seated at a large table in the middle of the room. I wound my way around the tables and pulled out a chair across from Mischa.

“You’re late,” Alexis teased before I could even take my seat.

“I know, Kerensky held me up.”

“Don’t mind her, Kostya, she’s just grumpy because I said we couldn’t eat until you arrived.” Mischa smiled serenely. Over the last few weeks Mischa had become a good friend, and it was very easy to see why Alexis was completely taken with her.
She was twenty-one, two years older than Alexis, and a violinist for the ballet. Mischa was soft spoken, polite, and intelligent. Her friends were artists, mostly, and she knew a great deal about politics, art, and history.

The pair had met one night when ‘Alex’ had gone out for dinner with a few comrades; Mischa had been serving that night, and Alexis had spent the night flirting. Mischa had been completely unreceptive toward any advances made, but Alexis had always been stubborn and had gone back many times, striking up an easy friendship.

Alexis had been in love--or so she said--since the first, and had set out to tell Mischa the truth, who had been happy, if not relived, by the news.

“Well, he’s here now, let’s eat!” Alexis jumped up from her seat and dashed back to the kitchens.

“Has it been like this all day?” I asked, nodding toward the empty dining room.

Mischa shrugged a delicate shoulder, “Yes, but it’s not surprising though, is it? The winter has been bad, work is scarce and people don’t have the money to spend at a restaurant. I’ve heard so many things…. ” she looked up at me, brow creased and worry evident in her navy blue eyes. “Things are bad Kostya.”

I didn’t have time to ask further as we were interrupted by Alexis returning with a tray of food, who was closely followed by Mischa’s mother, Galina, bearing another tray of drinks. The table was soon covered with shashlyk, pirozhki, and Galina’s special buckwheat kasha. There was enough to feed the entire garrison.

“Eat up my handsome boys!” Galina tucked the tray under her arm, pinching my cheek and then Alexis’. As she stood there chatting with Mischa a moment, I shared a look with Alexis before taking a giant gulp of tea to keep from laughing; it only served in burning my mouth.

I was the only one to know their secret. I had asked them what they would do, later on, but they had only said they would cross that bridge when they came to it. In the meantime though they presented the face of a young solider and girl in love. Despite my more solemn thoughts, the meal progressed in a lively nature and soon it was time for dessert. When Galina learned that none of us had any commitments for the rest of the afternoon, she bought out a new batch of Chocolate Vodka.

Galina sat with us and made sure we all had a full glass, I’m not sure how long we sat there, or exactly how much we drank, but when it came time to go I knew the walk back to the barracks would not be easy, but it was closer than my own home on the other side of the city.

At the front of the building Alexis left me to escort Mischa to her apartment, and I continued on alone…. walking very slowly. Things were fine until I saw a familiar dark head and heard a small voice calling my name.

Helena rushed up to me, rosy cheeked and smiling. “Hello Kostya!”

“Hello, what are you doing out here today?”

“Papa just bought me some new books for school, and one with fairy tales. See!” She held out her new prize, beaming.

“Quite nice. Where is your father now?” I scanned the crowd but I couldn’t see him anywhere.

Helena wrinkled her nose. “Talking with men from work, I was getting so bored when I saw you. You’re very easy to spot in a crowd, you know?”

“I’ve been told that a few times.”

She regarded me for a moment, peering up at me with her head thrown back, before her eyes settled on my hair. “Papa’s hair is white because he’s old, but you’re not old, so why is yours white?” I rubbed my mouth for a moment to keep from laughing, and then couched down in front of her. I felt slightly giddy and I had to place a hand on the ground to keep from tumbling over.

I would never let Galina serve me again.

I looked at Helena for a moment, finding my words. “When I was about your age, there was an… accident, and it’s been white ever since.”

“Were you hurt?”

“Yes, but mostly I was scared.”

“I’m sorry.” She leaned forward and placed a kiss on my cheek.

“You’re a sweet girl, you know that?”

“I’ve been told that a few times,” she giggled.

I laughed with her. “Well, don’t ever change, alright?”

“I promise!”

“Ah, Kostya, good to see you.” I rose to my feet as Tomlin approached and had to blink several times to bring him into focus. My head was spinning and my face felt flushed, my only hope was that Tomlin thought it was from the cold. The last thing I needed was for him to think I was a drunk. “I hope Helena wasn’t bothering you?”

“Papa!” Helena huffed as Tomlin placed a hand on top of her head.

“No, sir. We were discussing her new books.”

“Ah, I see. She’s always loved books, so who am I to deny her?” He chuckled. “I’ve heard that you settled nicely?”

“Yes, sir. I’m on watch tomorrow. I was just headed back to the barracks to get some sleep.”

“Mm, looks like you might need it.” He clapped a hand to my shoulder. “Hopefully the headache won’t be too bad in the morning, hmm?” Tomlin laughed as he took Helena’s hand and steered her toward their home down the street, leaving standing in the street alone.

******

When I awoke the next morning it was to find Alexis’s happy face inches from mine, and a nasty headache throbbing at my temples.

“You are alive, I was beginning to worry.” Alexis flopped down on my bed, jostling me viciously, and grinned. “You need to learn to handle your liquor, cousin.”

“There’s no need. I’m never drinking again.” I shoved myself out of bed and made toward the bathrooms, Alexis close behind.

“Pizdobol,” she taunted as I splashed my face with cool water. I glared at her over my shoulder, “I’m serious.”

“For now. We’ll see. Next day you have off, we’re going drinking with my friends; they’ll teach you.”

“Bah! Go away, I need to get ready for my watch.”

“It’ll be fun!” She cackled as she walked out the door. I highly doubted anything she thought was “fun” would be good for my health, but there was no use arguing with her; I would just have to be careful.

I washed and dressed quickly before reporting to my commander, who decided I sorely needed to attend to the pile of paperwork in his office. It wasn’t altogether a bad thing, since it was quiet in his office, but concentrating on the words made my head pound more than it already was.

I spent the morning cooped up in the stuffy, dusty room and when I finally emerged for lunch my eyes were bleary, my neck cramped, and my stomach was grumbling. I eat heartily, grateful for the meal, even if it was the bland food of the mess hall.

That afternoon was spent running drills with the rest of the new recruits, and then entertaining Helena, who had come down to the work room after her studies to help me put away the equipment.

“What are your plans for tonight?” I asked as she gathered up towels and placed them in the wash basket.

“Milena is taking me to the Ballet again!”

“Oh? You go often, don’t you?”

“Yes! Milena was a Ballerina and toured for many years, but she got an injury and couldn’t anymore. So she became a Governess, but she still loves the Ballet and has taught me to love it, too.” Helena bent to pick up a medicine ball, which she struggled with for a moment before I took it from her and placed it in the closet.

“She sounds like a very interesting person.”

“She is! She is my favorite person in the whole world. Milena is fun and smart, she’s teaching me French! And she’s so beautiful, I want to be like her when I grow up.” Helena nodded sagely.

“I’m sure when you’re grown you’ll be the prettiest girl in all of Russia.” I smiled at her.

“Really?”

“Absolutely, you’ll have all the boys memorized.”

“Even you?”

“Even me,” I chuckled. She looked up at me with eyes shining in admiration, but then the clock struck the hour and she gasped.

“I have to go! Papa wanted to have dinner with me before the Ballet!” She took off toward the door.

“I’ll see you later then, Cinderella?” She giggled at that, “of course!” I watched as the door swung close and laughed to myself.

“Helena’s in love with you, you know?” A soft voice said from the other side of the room, I whirled around to find a young woman standing there, a teasing smile playing at the corner of the mouth. “She talks about you all of the time… Kostya this and Kostya that,” she said, walking toward me. I would have said something, had I any thought in my head, but was absolutely the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.

Her waist length hair fell in gentle waves around her, the front clipped back from her face with two jeweled combs, framing her pale face. She looked at me with wide blue eyes, fringed with thick lashes, her lips quirked in that same teasing smile. As she walked forward, her hips swayed with a natural grace that made me more than aware of her figure.

She stopped in front and held out a delicate hand toward me, “I’m Milena, by the way.” As I numbly shook her hand, which was softer than I had imagined, I silently marveled at her beauty. I had excepted Milena the Governess to be many things; an old crone or possibly a middle aged matronly woman, but never once did I think she would be a young goddess.

“Kostya,” I said automatically and then cursed myself for being a fool; of course she knew who I was already.

She gave a tinkling laugh, “I know. There’s no one else you could be, not after Helena’s descriptions.”

“Oh?” I realized then I was still holding her hand, and hastily let it go. She smiled again.

“She said you were tall, taller than any of the other recruits, with white hair and grey eyes, and that you were very handsome.” Milena inspected me for a moment with her eyes squinted slightly. “I think maybe she didn’t do you justice.”

Against my best intentions I felt my face grow hot.

“I know she didn’t do you justice,” I blurted stupidly, but I was rewarded again with her tinkling laugh.

“Ah, you were thinking I would be a wrinkled old woman?” Turning away she wandered out into the middle of the training floor. “I imagine she told you that I was once a Ballerina? You perhaps thought I was past my prime?” Milena raised her arms and did a Pirouette.

“I entered the professional Ballet when I was sixteen and toured for three years before I injured my knee, and had to drop out. After that I became Helena’s Governess.” As she spoke, Milena executed several more moves I did not know the names of. She was full of elegance and grace, and I couldn’t have looked away to save my life.

She stopped suddenly and looked at me with a piercing gaze. “I should go and get ready for the show.” I watched silently as she walked to the door. “It was nice to finally meet you, Kostya,” she said before stepping out into the hall.

“You as well,” I mumbled to the closed door.