[CONTAINS: Bad writing… This is old and bad and outdated and weird and I hate it. This is not how they would act, I was just making shit up as I went. These are the weirdest human interactions I have ever written. At the time, it was fun to just mess around with this mostly unexplored relationship, but God is it bad now. Do not read.]
Stanislav is standing outside the White Ermine with Aleksandr.
Slava!
Stanislav turns around and sees Maksim walking towards him.
Hey!
Holy fucking shit..
Maksim stops in front of them.
Hey..! Long time, no see.
H- Stanislav stares at him. You're- Wow, I haven't seen you in forever.. Did you move away?
Oh yeah, you know, moved out of town, got a real job. Not too different from what you did, I guess.
Yeah… I- uhh
They are quiet. The smell of unsaid words is suffocating. Aleksandr notices and introduces himself to break the tension.
Aleksandr Dimitruvich, nice to meet you!
Maksim shakes his hand.
Maksim Pedragovich. Nice to meet you too.
Are.. Are you free right now? I mean, we have so much to catch up on! It’s been, what, how many years? Like, at least-
Fourteen. Fourteen years, Slava.
Wow, really? Holy shit. That’s, like, forever.
Yeah.. But I’m not free, I have…people..waiting.
Who?
Maksim pauses.
If I can ask?
Uhh
He sighs.
My…wife.
Uncomfortable silence
Well, that’s someone you don't want to make angry, haha!
Heh, no..
But we’ll be around here, right?
He looks over at Stanislav
Yeah.. No other plans, really.
I’ll see if she can lend me some free time, heh.
He quickly glances up at Stanislav.
..Well then! It was nice seeing you!
Yeah, you too.
He walks away.
Stanislav is quiet.
Ok, what was that?
*sigh* We…Let’s take a walk.
Stanislav starts walking down the quiet street, Aleksandr follows.
I told you that I left the Zone to go to school, right?
Yeah.
Yeah, he was in my class and.. uhh, we..
[Weird stupid timeskip because past me was lazy]
Ive had many other…relationships, but.. None of them were like you. And today I was reminded of how nice it was. How fucking beautiful you are. I- I miss you and I miss what we had.
Slava-
I- *sigh* Don't say it. Please. I know already.
I don't think you really do, though, since you're still here. Slava, I have a wife. I have a daughter. You missed your chance.
He sighs
..do you even really love her though?
..Excuse me?
No, sorry, that- I take it back.
Did you expect me to wait for you? When you said that you were never coming back? I think that’s a clear fucking sign that we were over. You knew it was either me or the Zone, and you chose the Zone. You chose a secluded piece of hell on earth over me, I think that says something about how much you loved me!
Don’t you EVER fucking say that, you piece of shit. I loved you more than I have ever loved anyone in my entire life. EVER. Don't go telling yourself that my choice was selfish, it was entirely for you. I could die at any moment in the Zone, I had to break up with you! I didn't want to cause you the pain of losing me. I actually don't know why you loved me, I destroyed your life! You couldn't hang around me, I’m a fucking monster! People didnt even talk about us being faggots, because they were busy talking about all the zone diseases I was giving you! I can't be in normal society, Maks. The Zone is where I belong.
THEN, WHY ARE YOU HERE?! Why do you come crawling back if you hate it so much?! You keep contradicting yourself, it doesn't even sound like you want to be with me!
He looks embarrassed.
Sorry, I didn't mean to yell…I’m- I’m sorry. I do want to…be with you.
Slava, I don't love you anymore. How can you not get that? You missed your chance.
…Maks, I know. I know you don't. I respect that.
I just need to be honest with you. I know it's selfish that I still feel like this, but I love you, and have been missing you for all these years.
I- I think I only…broke up with you…outside. Like, inside my head…we’re still together.
But, I know how much of an asshole I've been. I know I could just have returned whenever I wanted, apologized whenever I was in town. Its my fault, I fucked it up.
I guess, I want to say sorry..
Sorry for leaving you like that, sorry for not contacting you for fourteen years, sorry for returning now and expecting you to still love me. Also, sorry for…yelling at you. I didn't mean it.
It's quiet
…You know, I wish you wouldn't have left.
Stanislav looks up
I could still love you if you hadn't... It's sad, honestly.
I know…
Just, wanted to come clean. Now that I knew that you were back in town.
I guess I just wanted to give our happy ending one more chance.
Maksim snickers
How romantic.
He smiles
Yeah, heh. Sorry.
You've apologized enough, Slava. Please shut up.
They both smile.
I think you should go. It’s late and I know how dangerous the Zone gets at night. Plus…I don't want you to keep torturing yourself like this.
…fuck, you know me too well. Yeah. I’ll go.
They go to the hallway.
Can…can I get a hug? Just one last hug?
Maksim smiles
…sure, asshole.
They hug.
You're taller! I don't have to lean down as much!
I told you I hadn't stopped growing!
Pause
I at least appreciate your honesty. Not many people I know would have the balls to come back and apologise like this.
Thanks..
He steps out into the stairway
Bye then..
He takes a few steps down the stairs.
Listen, Slava…
He stops and looks back up at Maksim.
Even if you were a…questionable boyfriend, you're still a good friend to me. And, we haven't talked for almost two decades. So, I'm up for getting a beer whenever you feel like it.
Really…?
He nods
I mean…yeah, sounds great!
Maksim smiles
Stanislav lets out a sigh of relief
God, I'm so lucky you don't hate me.
He laughs
You know I could never hate you.
He can feel the warmth in his cheeks
Uhh, well, I’ll call you when I can! Bye!
Stanislav rushes down the stairs.
Maksim snickers
Yeah, bye.
He closes the door and smiles to himself. When he turns around, his wife is standing at the other side of the hallway. Her eyes are filled with anger and betrayal.
Oh.