#chernobylhbo fanfic

[dank-hp--memes]

Lied for My Life

Tags: @johnlockismyreligion @royaltydowntonandlife

What if Valery lied at the trial?

---

"... and that is how an RBMK reactor core explodes," Legasov says, his eyes meeting those of the judges. 

He had towed the party line and blamed user error, he had not even mentioned the flaw with the control rods and AZ-5. 

In a flash, the hearing was adjourned. Legasov looked over his shoulder to the table he, Shcherbina, and Khomyuk had been sitting at. It was swarmed with people leaving the makeshift courthouse. His eyes searched the crowd, and as they made their way along with the table, his heart sank. She was gone. The only person left standing at the table was Shcherbina. Legasov looked at him, wishing he could go back, for it was not Shcherbina he wanted to see, well not who he wanted to see most. 

"Where is Comrade Khomyuk?" Legasov asks, trying to be indiscreet, trying to hide his attraction to her. 

They were friends and had been on a first-name basis for a while now, but in this situation, Legasov found that using her surname seemed most appropriate. 

"She left as soon as you finished speaking. She seemed quite upset" Shcherbina said with a cold laugh. 

Though there was a part of Shcherbina that had wanted Legasov to tell the truth, he was thankful he hadn't. He could not imagine what the KGB would have done to Legasov if he had spoken the truth. Well, he could imagine, but he would rather not.

Legasov frantically began to pack his things, he had to catch her, to speak with her. He had to set things straight. Not that he had particularly liked Khomyuk, they were simply friends, he just could not bear to have her angry at him, it was his life after all. He had already given it up by going to Chernobyl, and now he wanted to live out his remaining years in peace. 

As he stepped outside, Legasov saw a car pull past, Khomyuk was sat in the back seat, straight-faced and refusing to look at him. 

"Ulana!" Legasov shouted, waving the car down. 

It did not stop, disappearing over the horizon moments later. Legasov stands there, wanting to go after her, but he had no clue where she lived. All he knew was that she lived in Minsk. In the end, Legasov first decided it was best for him to return to his apartment, he could call Ulana in the morning at work, though he would later decide to call her home. 

The entire ride back to his apartment, Legasov could not stop wondering, no, worrying, she might not answer. Khomyuk was definitely the type to hold a grudge. She was an extremely serious woman, especially about her time spent working. Legasov knew, deep down, that she would not answer. He knew that she did not care to speak to him or see him, or even acknowledge his existence. Legasov simply yearned to know if he could set things right. Khomyuk could not hate him, right? She just couldn't. 

When he finally arrived back at his apartment, Legasov decided that instead of simply showering and getting some work done, he would attempt to contact Khomyuk. It was rather late in the evening, and he had thought over what he was going to say. He had the words planned out in his head, all the things he was going to say. He would start off professionally and casually make it friendly. He stood in the hall and picked up the phone. His hand was shaking. His breath hitched in his throat as he stared at the number pad. He couldn't think of the number, but his fingers were still able to remember all of the digits. The line rang and rang; suddenly, it stopped. 

"Hello?" Khomyuk's voice answered, rather groggy. 

"Good evening Ulana" Legasov replied smoothly.

"Oh, Professor Legasov, did you need something?" She says stiffly, obviously rather irritated that it is him calling. 

"I was wondering if you would like to go out sometime. I would love to have you come help me with some experiments and calculations, and maybe we could go out for tea or something" he says, doing his best to improvise and keep his voice smooth. 

There was a pause and he heard her gag a little. Was she disgusted by him? Was this because of him? Then, suddenly, she spoke. 

"I am feeling a bit ill as of late, professor, so I am unable to take you up on that offer. I would ask you don't contact me again unless it is important" she growls before placing the phone on the receiver.

Valery stands there with his mouth slightly agape. That couldn't have gone any worse. Valery gingerly placed the phone down on the receiver. What would he do now? 

Valery sighed and decided it was best that he attempts to go to bed. He changed into his pyjamas and sat down in his bed, leaning against the backboard. His cat, Sasha lays in his lap, purring softly. Valery sighs, still quite bothered by the way Ulana is acting. How could she not understand his decision? It was his life, after all, he couldn't just throw it away. The reforms would come in time, she would see. He had kept his job at the institute and he was more than happy to keep his position. Valery just wanted his life back, but he could not bear to have Ulana hate him, even though his feelings for her were indifferent. He thought for a moment. After all he and Khomyuk had been through, his feelings were more than indifferent, he considered her his friend. 

Hours passed, Legasov struggled to sleep, still worried about his relationship with Khomyuk. It was around two in the morning when he finally got up and wandered to the phone. He dialled her number out of instinct. The phone rang and rang until he finally heard her voice. First, she sighed then that led into “Hello?”

Legasov paused, suddenly unable to find his words. 

“Comrade Khomyuk… Ulana, I must speak with you…” Legasov said, his attempt not to sound desperate had failed miserably. 

There was a pause and on the other end of the line, Legasov could hear her breathing softly.

“Comrade Legasov, it is the middle of the night… What could possibly be so important that you had to disturb me…” Khomyuk grumbles.

From the sound of her voice, it is obvious that she was only half awake, and she was obviously frustrated. 

“I just need you to understand why…” Legasov begins, pausing to collect his thoughts.

“Comrade Legasov, this is a waste of my time…” Khomyuk mumbles, pausing.

Valery swears he can hear her groan softly before she continues.

“I have more important things to do than deal with your feelings comrade” She finishes before setting the phone on the receiver. 

Legasov listens to the dial tone for a moment before putting the phone down. Was that it for them? Their friendship seemed to be over, and that thought seemed to hurt much more than Legasov had anticipated.

[sad-lad-posts]

A Ghost from the Past (Valana AU)

[letsriottogether]

Silence, part 4 (Chernobyl fanfic)

Can also be found here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19868920/chapters/47678032

Pairing: Valana, Ulana Khomyuk/Valery Legasov Characters: Ulana Khomyuk, Valery Legasov, Boris Scherbina, KGB Charkov, Sasha the Cat Warning: Strong language for now, who knows what will be later *hysterical laughter*

Big thank you for all comments and kudos/likes. And one special one to @dank-hp--memes for keeping up with my freaking out, calmly checking my Czech English and not killing me in the process. ________________________________

Moscow, present time He stirs in his sleep, turns from one side to another. Sasha is too annoyed, as she wants her peace for sleeping. She already gave up hours ago and went to the living room, most likely finding a comfortable spot on the sofa.

That's the tricky thing with the human mind. You can keep it occupied during the day as much as you want, push all the unwatned thoughts away as you practiced god knows how many times. But when the night comes, when darkness swallows you and your stupid little barriers you built up to stay sane, you have to face the reality of your own thoughts.a

During the day, there were many things Valery Legasov had to deal with. The agents who did not even bother with hiding themselves, the loneliness, the loss of his name, of normal life, of any possible projects he could ever work on, of his friends and Boris, the loss of...

He forbade himself to speak her name out loud. But his mind and soul are against him, whispering it in quiet moments, bringing the memories back instead of dreams.

 Pripyat, Polissya hotel, 2.5. 1986

Boris’ words still echo through him, the realization hitting him hard, that even though they were sent here as the chosen ones to solve this mess, their government didn’t trust them anyway. He felt almost offended for a moment. He was here, here, in the middle of nowhere with bloody reactor melting down, without any chance to say no (he knew that right after Scherbina’s phone call that first day) and most likely with zero chance to make it out of here with higher life expectancy than 5 years.

He’s standing at the edge of the stairs leading to the hotel they’re staying in. Hotel, that just a day ago was bursting with life, just like the city around him. He inhales the crisp spring air, it’s gotten a bit cooler after the sunset. He takes a look around and cannot help but feel almost in a weird dream. The street lamps are shining throughout the whole city, but all the windows in the houses are dark. Cars parked along the streets, at some places there is even laundry on the balconies, simply waiting for anyone to come, fold it and put it back into the wardrobe, where it belongs. Except that no one is ever coming back to these homes. There’s this weird heavy silence, only the wind is whispering in the trees. A chill runs down his spine, so he turns around and enters the hotel lobby.

The carpet swallows every sound of his shoes as he walks further towards the reception. Now he misses the natural sound of the wind because inside, there’s nothing. Only sometimes buzzing of the lights. He passes big glass door and sees Ulana sitting at the empty bar, all by herself, deep in thought, scribbling something on the yellow napkins.

He’s not entirely sure if it’s her or if it’s the urge not to be alone right now. It doesn’t matter, he strides with his long steps until he’s right at her, gingerly leaning against the bar. There’s a bottle of vodka and two glasses right in front of her, which surprises him. Has she been expecting him to come?

He can feel her shift her attention from the scribbles underneath her hands to him, but he doesn’t dare to look her in the eyes, not just yet. She tilts her head down again, pen still in motion. He actually welcomes the possibility of a drink, so he takes one of the glasses and reaches for the bottle, as she gestures with an almost unnoticeable motion for him to go ahead, neither of them saying a word. It feels weird to call her ‘comrade Khomyuk’, and Ulana seems familiar. For some reason, he knows making this woman angry could be fatal, even more than looking into a reactor core.

He pours himself one and notices for the first time that the glasses are bigger than the ones the waitress served him yesterday. Good. He pours himself one, puts the bottle back and turns his body to her, the smell of lilies attracting him much more than he would like to admit. Suddenly she has mercy and is the one to break the silence, never even bothering with his name. Maybe she was contemplating the same, just like him?

“You’ve seen that?” her voice is almost monotonous, pushing a piece of paper with all sorts of readings and numbers to him and focusing on her equations again.

“The fuel is melting faster than we expected,” her voice softens and gives away her exhaustion.

He doesn’t need to see the bloody paper again, he still has all the important numbers in front of his eyes, as he was reading it over and over again since he was handed this report. He turns his back to the white paper as if it would disappear if he would ignore it long enough. But that’s not how the world know. And science? With science, you can do all sorts of estimates and then the reality is different. In this case, much faster.

“I know. I have a plan,” he replies glancing for a moment at her, leaning with his back against the bar. The half-empty glass lays casually in his hand, as if they were just a man and a woman in any normal bar, anywhere else in the world, chatting about things a man and a woman can chat about.

“Heat exchanger, I hope,” He knows this unperturbed tone very well, as he’s using it with his students from time to time, awaiting their solution of the problem that is more than apparent. It irritates him as if she knew the solution all along and impatiently has been waiting for him to pick up the speed with her.

“Yes,” he says, stressing that one word maybe too much. But he cannot help it, this woman is driving him mad. Ever since she first stumbled into the room with Pikalov right back at her, out of his breath, there was something in her that kept him on his toes. She was there, in the back of his mind and he would find his mind curiously wandering to her throughout the day. She was smart, there was no doubt about it. And the way she acted, all sure and confident, it was impossible to dismiss her, and God knows what a shame it would be. She had a mouthful of what to say, it was apparent, and yet she did not waste words, going straight to the point.

He glances over her shoulder, turning his body to her, the sweet light scent of lilies hitting his nostrils again. He doesn’t know it yet, but this smell has already burnt deep into his memory, connecting her presence with it. Yet now he forcefully pushes it aside, concentrating on the formulas and calculations she put together. Why the hell did she not get a notebook? Since when did people stop writing their names and phone numbers on napkins and switched to nuclear physics equations?

One glance and she doesn’t fail the impression she built herself. Oh, she’s good. Already thinking ahead, asking the same question just like him. He feels almost proud, knowing he thinks in the same patterns as she does. A tiny smile appears for a moment on his lips

“There’s something I’ve wanted to ask you, comrade, but I see you’re already asking yourself the same question,” his eyes wander back and forth from her face back to the napkins, until she puts her glasses down and finally looks at him. His heart skips a beat, he has no idea why. He’s just glad the vodka has finally started to kick in, as her blue eyes glue themselves to him.

“Why did it explode?” He only nods in response, his gaze curiously exploring her face. The tired eyes that hide the hunger for truth, small wrinkles around her witty mouth (and he wonders what she looks like when she smiles), the dark auburn hair in contrast to her porcelain skin. With these looks, no wonder she’s so cold and hard. Their male colleagues must have been hard on her. She’s a beautiful woman now, he doesn’t even want to know how she looked a few years ago (and yet he knows this thought will occupy his mind in the upcoming days, in order to ease the stress of the task he’s here to do). And her smart brain to make the combination deadly.

“I’ve worked the numbers over and over, presuming the worst possible conditions in an RBMK reactor. And I always get the same answer,” Her eyes don’t leave this, not even for a single moment, as the air gets thicker around them. Not only she has a sharp tongue, these two orbs tell a story of their own.

“Which is?” he whispers, already knowing the answer.

“It’s not possible,”

“And yet…” he shakes his head a bit, his mind going through the possible things that could have gone wrong that fateful night.

“You’re not going to solve this here,” he says and the way she drops her gaze down, he can tell she’s holding her breath, suddenly looking up at him through her eyelashes, ready to fight him if he would want to send her away. He moves closer and her body responses on her own, shifting towards him immediately.

“Not on paper,” she can feel herself relax again. He’s got more to say, but she already knows the most important thing - she’s part of this and he understands that, appreciates that and doesn’t intend to dismiss her help.

“Everyone who was in the control room, Dyatlov, Akimov, Toptunov. They’re all in Moscow, Hospital Nr. 6,” he watches her closely as he speaks, seeing the spark in her eyes setting up a fire, a hunger for the chase to find out the truth. “We need to find out exactly what happened that night. Moment by moment, decision by decision,” and he knows she’s the only person who he can trust, who won’t miss a single hesitation of the personnel. And at the same time wonders how it happened that he trusted this woman so quickly without any doubt.

“Go now, while they’re still alive, talk to them. Because if we don’t find out how this happened, it will happen again,” he gulps down the rest of his vodka, the acrid taste of alcohol spreading in his mouth.

She’s deep in thought, already going through a list of questions she must not skip, of the clothes and protection she mustn’t forget (as if it would make any difference after being here). His voice is hoarse when he speaks again, turned into a whisper:

“And Khomyuk… Be careful,” he says, remembering the whole conversation with Boris earlier. Because as much as Ulana is smart, he cannot help but feel there’s certain naivety in how this world, their world, works. He gives her one last glance and decides it is better to go to his room, the vodka seeping more and more through his system, while her eyes are burning to his soul. He needs her to find the truth, that’s correct, but he also cannot help but feel relieved that she won’t be here, that she might live a bit longer. One life that he might not waste away here, and there’s the small little feeling hiding inside of him, spreading warmth that it’s her life he gets to save. He decides it’s just the alcohol, for the sake of their situation. There’s no place for this, as much as he’d like to know how soft her hair would be under his touch.

He walks briskly to the elevator, suppressing the need to turn around and look at her one more time (what would he say, anyway?) and mutters a silent thank you when the elevator bell rings and the door open at once. When inside, he presses his forehead against the lining of the cabin. So much for his curiosity about Ulana Yuriyevna Khomyuk.

It’s well past midnight when he finally gives up on trying to fall asleep. For the last two hours, he was just restlessly rolling around in his bed, every now and then taking a gulp from the bottle of vodka he placed on his nightstand. It seemed like a good idea, or at least he hoped that the alcohol would cloud his mind enough to help him fall asleep. He sighs and rubs his face in frustration, finally giving up. He swings his legs over the edge of the bed, getting up in a swift motion. He turns on the lamp on the bedside table so he’s able to search for his pack of cigarettes, finding it completely empty. Great.

He could talk himself down, wait for the morning and have a cigarette then when he picks up a new pack downstairs. But he simply needed one now.

And it’s definitely not because the smell of cigarettes helps him get the scent of lilies, reminding him of her, out of his mind. Because it’s not working anyway.

He puts on his jacket, not even bothering to change out of his sleeping clothes. The light in the hallway is hurting his eyes, almost blinding him. He makes his way downstairs, determined to get himself a new fresh pack of cigarettes when he sees her. She’s no longer stooping over her notes, she’s just sitting there, with her back to the bar, looking into the distance. She doesn’t even notice the elevator ring. He’s taken aback, he did not expect anyone to be here at this hour, suddenly being aware of the clothes he’s wearing. His gaze fixates on her, she’s sitting straight, almost like in school, but there’s that elegance and greatness shining from her posture. Her right leg is swinging lightly in the air, the rest of her body staying still. He studies her face for a moment, her expression showing she’s lost deep in thought. He’s glad she didn’t notice him yet, as he still remembers the intense look in her blue eyes. He ponders for a moment if he should just go back to his room, but then something breaks in him. He needs to take the step outside of his comfortable bubble. Maybe this might be the first one.

He makes his way over to the bar, just like a few hours ago. She notices him in the corner of her eye, a small smile spreading on her lips. Is this woman ever surprised? He reaches down on the counter, blindly searching before his fingers grasp the familiar box. He pops himself up on the barstool next to her, searching for lighter in his pocket before lighting a cigarette, staring at the sight of the empty city in front of them just like her.

“Couldn’t sleep?” he asks, his voice raspy. She chuckles and looks at her hands, joined in her lap.

“Too many things happening, too many questions inside my hand. Too many things I’m going over and over in my head, reminding myself I mustn’t forget them,”

“Such as?” he puffs out the blue cloud of cigarette smoke. He can feel that the atmosphere between them has changed. He doesn’t know whether it’s the lack of sleep, the late-night hour or something else. But now it’s so much easier just to talk to her, and he can say she feels the same.

“Calling my colleagues that I have no idea when I’m coming back. What safety protection to bring to the hospital with me. What questions to ask the men from the control room. What to tell them if they ask how are the others doing,” she starts naming all the things whirling in her head, her voice trailing off, realising she could never be able to name all of it. She finally turns to him, eyeing him from head to toe.

“Do you always dress so fancy when going out, comrade?” she is amused and for the first time, he sees her smile properly, even though her question is confusing him.

“You think I’m taking a walk outside?” he asks, one of his eyebrows shifting up.

“I don’t know, I thought you would be the type,” she waves her hand in an indefinite gesture. She turns around, pouring both him and herself a shot, pushing the full glass to him.

“You guessed right, but not tonight. Normally when I can’t sleep I do go out, enjoy the empty streets, observing the sleeping city… I’m sorry, I’m babbling, don’t mind me,” he quickly ends his sentence, gulping the rest of his vodka, surprised at how easily the words left his lips.

“No, don’t apologize. It’s actually nice to have a conversation about something else than melting reactors for a moment, as ridiculous as it might seem,” she replies, finishing her glass as well. Blimey, she loves having around someone who can catch up with the thoughts that fly inside her brain at the speed of light. This fact has made the grim circumstances under they’ve met a bit less overwhelming. He would test her every now and then, just like she would do with him, pushing each other for better result. They’ve been doing that ever since the discussion about the bubble poolers.

But now, she simply wanted to talk about life for a moment, not about the dangerous dance to prevent death. Her determination isn’t gone, oh no, but she realizes that if she wants to make it through this hell without going crazy, she will need to talk, to share, not to hold it back inside of her. And somehow she feels he might be able to understand much more than her words.

Today when she visited the site of the blown-up reactor, she had a weak moment, not believing her own eyes. The readings of the result she performed from the dust on her lab’s window back in Minsk were terrifying, of course, but seeing the reactor building torn apart, black smoke coming out of it... Oh god, what have they done. She couldn’t help but notice Legasov watching her that whole time, reading the expression written all over her face. When she turned to look at him, she was expecting to see a sneer, but instead, his eyes were soft, full of understanding. In that very moment, she knew he felt the same when he arrived here. And seeing the same look mirroring in her face calmed him in a strange way.

He turns to her, takes the glass out of her hand, pouring them another shot. He decides to ignore the one is not such a good idea.

“When I can’t sleep, I usually go to the lab and just work, do some experiments, or just clean the beakers. This means I spend at work much more nights than I’m normally willing to admit myself, not even mentioning what about my colleagues,” she chuckles, remembering Dimitri catching her sleeping on Saturday. She takes a sip, the alcohol burning in her throat. She can pretend her skin is burning because of the same reason and dismiss the ridiculous feeling in her stomach after he took her glass from her hands. And she thought that puberty was long gone.

“Well, I’m sorry that there’s no lab here for you to hide in,” he smiles at her, eyes twinkling just a little. Is this how Valery Legasov is with women under regular circumstances or is it the vodka talking? Would he be like that if she met him someplace in Moscow?

“It’s ok, I can make peace with whatever is offered,”

“Even an empty hotel with few guarding soldiers, a grumpy party man and a scientist? Of course, the radiation is just a bonus,” he tries to joke but knows he failed miserably, only reminding them of the reason they’re here in the first place. But her reaction surprises him. She turns to him, places her hand over his wrist in a reassuring gesture, soft smile sprawled on her lips.

“Even that. I like my silence, and if I need to break it, now I know to whom should I go to,” her hand lingers on his for a brief moment longer and he realizes he’s holding his breath. He shifts his gaze from her blue orbs down to where they’re touching and she briskly moves her hand away. It was a simple gesture, and yet it felt like so much more.

She coughs a little, trying to find her voice again. “How is Moscow this time of year, anyway?”

He welcomes the sudden change of topic, as it helps him to focus on something else, needn’t worry what would be his next steps, or if it was even appropriate. Change of subject, how clever, saving them both.

“Typical spring. I would say it’s a bit warmer than here and a bit sunnier. I think you will love it,” he says, in his mind going back his past week in Moscow. Of course, he doesn’t spend much time outside. Usually, he’s in the institute, but he likes to observe and sometimes take a walk in the evening.

“Any places I should visit?” she asks as if she was going there for a vacation, knowing that most of the time she will be locked up in the hospital, listening to the voices of dying man. But she simply needs to pretend, at least in this moment.

“Khomyuk... Ulana… I was serious earlier in the evening,” he whispers urgently, suddenly frustrated and turns to face her. His forehead is wrinkled as he worriedly frowns at her. The use of her first name surprises her and gives her courage.

“I’m not a child Valery, nor a naive person. I know I’m going there to collect as much information as possible about a thing that’s classified and that most likely there will be people who won’t want me to know,” she says, head held high, as if she was already defending herself to some KGB agent. Where does she take so much inner strength and determination from? He tilts his head backwards and exhales.

“If anything should happen, anything, tell them you’re with me. Promise me that,” he keeps on insisting. There is a battle going on in her. It’s been a long time since someone acted so protectively over her she almost forgot how nice it can feel. But on the other hand, it was making her a bit irritated. She’s a grown-up woman for god’s sake, she’s been able to take care of herself up until now. But the look in Valery’s eyes shows how much this small promise means to him, so she decides to grant him this pleasure and nods.

Silence falls upon them again, when a clock somewhere at the reception starts ringing, announcing the late hour.

“I’m gonna go sleep now,” she says, sliding down the barstool and he follows her example. He grabs the napkins with her calculations and hands them to her. She smiles gratefully and puts them into a pocket of her sweater.

Once upstairs before they part ways to enter their rooms, he suddenly stops, walks over to her, leaning at her door frame.

“Will you lend me that pen of yours and one of the napkins?” he asks. She stops and thinks for a moment, not sure where this is heading. Is he going to check her calculations now? He could do it tomorrow morning during breakfast. She really needs to get some sleep, but gives them to him anyway.

He swiftly scribbles something down, napkin pressed up against the wall. And then she realizes - an address, his address. He turns back to her and returns her the napkin and pen.

“Third floor. My neighbour on the same floor, Alina Markina has a spare key. Feel free to stay there if you’d like, I bet it might be more comfortable than a hotel. And hopefully, it won’t be bugged yet. My cat could also use some company,” he knows he’s rambling now, saying too much unnecessary information and forcefully stops himself. She looks curious, interested even, he was expecting her to be dismissive, to be honest. And his hand suddenly lives in its own, softly caressing her cheek. She’s staring at him, those magnificent blue eyes glued to his, her lips slightly parted.

“Stay safe, Ulana,” he whispers and takes his hand back, his palm and fingers burning from where her his skin met hers.

And then just as suddenly as the moment appeared, it is gone just like the tension.

“Thank you, Valery,” she smiles up at him and opens the door to her room, flashing him one last look before disappearing inside. A warm feeling starts spreading through his body, and this time it’s not the alcohol. It’s something much more simple yet complicated at the same time. It’s happiness.

This time sleep finds him almost immediately.

“Goodnight, Ulana,”

Moscow, present

He wakes with her name on his lips, and as if only the act of saying it out loud makes him realize she won't be able to hear him ever again.

Let her be safe, please.

[elenatria]

I still think that ChernobylHBO is an epic fanfic inspired by the Vienna photo

Right, isn’t that what Mazin said? That this photo started it all.

Also, I know Mazin said there wasn’t much on Shcherbina when he was doing research on Chernobyl, but ever since I got into this fandom, more and more people started revealing stuff about their friendship. I’m not saying Shcherbina was the only friend Legasov had, he obviously wasn’t. However, for the brief time they worked together, they did seem to have a great impact on each other. Somehow, Legasov’s tapes first came to Shcherbina’s hands (before ending up in Gubarev’s, who published parts of them in Pravda), although I don’t know if that is proof of Shcherbina’s friendship or Shcherbina’s authority.

Secondly, it was Shcherbina who was eager to tell Legasov he was going to receive the high Soviet reward of Hero Star (correct me if I’m getting this wrong) even if the next morning Legasov’s name had been removed from the list of chosen ones - probably by Gorbachev himself.

Finally, people have been debating Gubarev’s claims that he was good friends with Legasov based on their use of patronymics that are supposed to be common in more formal situations. However, when asking Russian people, I was told that the use of patronymics doesn’t prove that two people are NOT close because they were very common back then. Also Legasov used patronymics  when mentioning Shcherbina as well.

[dank-hp--memes]

Guess who is writing a Valana AU

Is there truly ever love at first sight?

"Have you always been alone Valera?"

"... no, not always... there was a woman, with passion like a raging fire, and as stubborn as the most deep rooted of trees"

There is a pause

"We were both so focused on our work Boris. That was what we both had prioritized, and we sort of grew apart"

"She had hair as soft as silk and skin like the finest porcelain. Her eyes were the most beautiful aquamarine..."

[dank-hp--memes]

The Lives of Others (Possible one shot)

So, in this story, I have introduced an OC, and Boris and Valery sort of becoming her overprotective father figures. if you like it and want more please let me know, because I have a few ideas for this story (No this will not interfere with my other stories). if you have any criticisms you may leave them also, as they can help me improve my writing. Thanks for reading :)

-

-Pt.1

Flashback, The Kurchartov Institute

-

Legasov is seen walking up a flight of stairs, a briefcase in his hand. A young woman in her early to mid-thirties is rushing down the stairs, a folder in hand. She runs into Legasov as they both step onto the landing. The woman is knocked onto the floor, her papers scattering across the floor. She looks up at Legasov in horror, her emerald green eyes meet his. Her black, thick-rimmed glasses knocked askew. The woman fixes her deep brown, loosely curled hair as she gets up. She looks young, but she has faint smile lines and crow’s feet, and her hair is grey for her age.

“Oh god, I’m so sorry Professor…” the woman says softly. Her voice is low for a woman, a silky mid-alto.

“Its alright comrade Rukovsky” Legasov says, watching as she begins searching for her glasses.

Legasov reaches down and picks them up for her, gently placing them in her hand. Rukovsky blushes and slips her glasses onto her face. She then stoops down and begins to gather her papers. She is dressed simply in a deep burgundy dress paired with a short black heel. Instead of continuing up to his office, Legasov places his briefcase on the floor and helps Rukovsky gather her papers. Legasov watches as she puts her papers back in order, a bit intrigued by her.

“Thank you, comrade” Rukovsky says softly, meeting Legasovs eyes as they stand up.

She continues past Legasov down the stairs, not in so much of a rush. Legasov watches until she reaches the bottom of the stairs before continuing to his office.

Later that day, Legasov is walking down the hall. Almost everyone has left, but there is one office door still opened and the lights inside are on. Legasov slowly approaches the door, he leans against the doorway and sees Rukovsky sitting at her desk, her back to him. He has only met her once or twice before today in meetings. She is fairly new to the department. Legasov looks down and reads the nameplate sitting on her desk it reads: Mirra Rukovsky

“So, your first name is Mirra?” Legasov says softly as he steps into her office.

Rukovsky jumps a little and looks over her shoulder at Legasov. She blushes and nods silently, wheeling her chair around and leaning against her desk to look at him. Legasov walks up to her desk and sits down across from her. She is only a few years younger than him at that point. He leans back in the chair and quietly chats with her, wanting to get to know her.

 April 26th, 1986

It is later in the day, Scherbina and Legasov are in the helicopter to Chernobyl when it makes a stop. They are informed that an engineer who was in Pripyat is coming onboard. Scherbina doesn’t seem bothered, but Legasov looks to the door. At first, Legasov hardly recognizes the woman who sits down across from Scherbina.

“Comrade Rukovsky?” Legasov says after a moment, recognizing her.

“Ah, so you know Rukovsky” Scherbina says as he looks from Rukovsky to Legasov.

Legasov nods as he looks at Rukovsky. He looks her over closely. Rukovsky still looks rather young, but her hair is greying more, and her skin looks rather tired. Legasov furrows his brow as he looks at her closely, she has an odd tanned look to her skin.

He is snapped back to reality when Rukovsky says, “I went and- and surveyed the site from the ground… I-I don’t believe the reactor is intact…”

She is fumbling with a pen, her hands shaking. Legasov leans forward in his seat, his head now buzzing with thoughts. A few moments pass and the silence is only filled by Scherbina talking about nothing in particular, nothing important anyway. As they approach the powerplant, Rukovsky suddenly gets up and climbs over to the seat next to Legasov. She looks out the window, a look of horror plastered to her face.

“Good God, what have they done” Legasov says as he looks out the window.

“Can you see the core from here?” Scherbina asks, looking at the scientists

“I don't need to. Look at the graphite on the roof. The entire building's blown open. It's exposed…” Legasov says, his voice hoarse as his mouth gets dry.

“I don't see how you can tell that from here-” Scherbina says, brushing him off.

“For god's sake, look at the glow… the-the radiation is ionizing the air!” Legasov interrupts, horrified by what he sees.

From then on everything is a blur, Legasov is arguing for his life, for all of their lives. Meanwhile, Rukovsky is still staring out the window in a daze. She has her hand pressed against the window. The helicopter jolts suddenly as they pull away from the plant, Rukovsky is thrown to the floor with a thud. Both men look at her in shock. A moment passes and Rukovsky manages to get up. It is now obvious how weak she has become. She shudders and takes a seat beside Legasov. Rukovsky leans against him, weak and nauseous. Legasov looks at her, overcome with worry. Both men keep a close eye on Rukovsky as the helicopter flies away from the plant.

Chernobyl Base Camp, 3KM from the reactor-Sunset

The commission helicopter has just landed in the camp. Scherbina exits first, then Legasov exits, carrying Rukovsky in his arms. In the time between flying over the reactor and landing in the camp, she has become extremely sick. Legasov gently sets her on her feet, she sways a little and leans against him, her head on his shoulder. Legasov holds her, his arm around her waist as the soldiers exit the helicopter and surround them. A few moments pass as Scherbina approaches Bryukhanov, Fomin, and Pikalov. Legasov watches them for a few moments before his eyes wander to the powerplant. He watches as the smoke from the graphite fire drifts over the town of Pripyat. A few moments pass and Rukovsky pulls away, shuddering before she falls to her knees and throws up. Legasov looks at her for a moment, in shock, before squatting down next to her. Rukovsky looks back at him, horrified.

“This can’t be happening” She whispers, her glasses resting on the end of her nose.

Legasov rests his hand on her back for a moment before helping her up. A few more moments pass and Scherbina signals for Legasov to join him. Rather than leave Rukovsky with one of the soldiers, Legasov sweeps her up and carries the small woman bridal style with him as he heads over to Scherbina. The group of men looks surprised as Legasov sets Rukovsky on her feet beside him. The surprise does not last long, and Bryukhanov takes a step forward.

“Professor Legasov. I understand you've been saying dangerous things” Bryukhanov says, a sinister smile crossing his face.

“Very dangerous things…” Fomin says, stepping up beside Bryukhanov, “Apparently our reactor core "exploded." Please tell me how an RBMK reactor core "explodes". I'd love to know”

They are ganging up on Legasov. They intend to intimidate him into keeping silent. Legasov just glares at them with pure hatred. He is holding Rukovsky against him, supporting her in her weakened state.

“I'm not prepared to explain it at this time” Legasov says, glancing at Rukovsky as she shudders.

“As I presumed. He has no answer” Fomin says, glancing at Bryukhanov with an air of pride.

“It’s disgraceful, really. To spread disinformation at a time like this” Bryukhanov says, taking another step toward Legasov.

Legasov glares at them both, rage and frustration building within him. He still has his arm wrapped around Rukovsky, but as they approach his grip on her waist tightens.

“Why did I see graphite on the roof?” Scherbina says, stepping forward to confront Bryukhanov.

Scherbina has a protective air about him. He rounds on Bryukhanov and Fomin, asserting his dominance over them. He takes a glance at Rukovsky, the sight of the weak young woman leaning against Legasov infuriates him. It is extremely difficult for Scherbina to see someone so young so extremely sick. Legasov is stunned by Scherbinas question, much like Bryukhanov and Fomin. Everything after that seems to be a blur as Scherbina practically interrogates Bryukhanov and Fomin. Legasov remains fairly silent as he listens to Scherbina. Only a few words are exchanged before Pikalov approaches them.

“Our high-range dosimeter just arrived” Pikalov says as he looks from face to face, “We could cover one of our trucks with lead shielding, mount the dosimeter on the front...”

Legasov steps forward, almost forgetting about Rukovsky. She stumbles and manages to stand on her own for a moment before Scherbina catches her, holding her steady. He may not know he like Legasov does, but it doesn’t bother him. Scherbina would rather have her leaning against him than kneeling on the ground.

A few moments pass as Legasov explains what to do. After that, they gather inside a tent. Scherbina carries her inside, placing her beside Legasov. Rukovsky manages to sit up for a moment, trembling as she lays her head against his shoulder before slumping over to lay in his lap. Scherbina watches worriedly as he sits in a nearby chair.

“Will… umm will she be alright?” Scherbina asks in a low raspy whisper.

Legasov looks down at her and gently pushes her salt-and-pepper hair out of her face before saying “I-I’m not sure…”

There is a silence in the room and the air seems thick with emotions and tension. Rukovsky looks up at Scherbina and then Legasov.

“Could you two not talk about my impending death?” She says with a weak chuckle.

Both men look stunned to hear her voice. It seems to fill the room and each syllable hangs in the air.  She shudders as she swallows hard, choking back vomit. Scherbina slowly removes his coat and folds it up before gently placing it beneath Rukovskys head.

“Th-Thank you comrade…” Rukovsky says gratefully.

The only two who seem unconcerned with Rukovskys condition are Bryukhanov and Fomin, who have busied themselves by chatting as they sit on the edge of a cot. The sight of them so unbothered enrages Legasov, and the sight of his sickly colleague not only enrages him, it horrifies him. Scherbina, on the other hand, is not bothered much by Bryukhanov and Fomin, but he is infuriated by the state of the young woman lying in Legasovs lap. But, all of their true fears will not be realized until Pikalovs return, until they know the true level of radiation…

[dank-hp--memes]

A Companion

So my power went out today... so i wrote this on my phone in google docs. If you would like another chapter following this storyline, please let me know 😊. I really want to hear your opinions on this. It is sort of inspired by "Circles" by @letsriottogether so if you have not read that, please go and do so. I send much love to all of my readers and would like to thank yall for all of the support.

Tags: @shit-in-silk-stocking @johnlockismyreligion

(P.S. if you want to be tagged leave a comment letting me know)

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It was a few months after the trial. Valery was struggling to become accustomed to his new life on his own. It was just him and his tabby cat, Sasha. It was a rather rainy day, Valery was sat at his kitchen table having a cup of tea when there was a knock on the door. The now unfamiliar sound made him jump. The knock was gentle and timid, definitely not like that of the KGB agents. Reluctantly, Valery stood up to answer the door. His hands trembled as he reached for the doorknob. Valery's head began to buzz with thoughts. Who could possibly be looking for him? Who on earth awaited him on the other side of the door? As he pulled open the door, he was left dumbfounded. Standing before him was Ulana. Her wet coat and clothes were clinging to her now rather a thin body. Valery's eyes wandered over her, stopping on her stomach. His mouth went dry as he stared at the round belly that protruded from her frail frame. They stared at each other for a few moments, realizing it looked as though the other had aged significantly. Valery could see that Ulana had become extremely thin and boney. Her hair had begun to grey and her skin looked extremely pale, almost lifeless. She looked absolutely exhausted and sickly. As Ulana looked at Valery, she realized just how badly the radiation had affected him. He too appeared thin, and his skin seemed to have aged significantly. His hair was thin and greying. Valery's eyes looked tired and sunken in, but he definitely did not appear as exhausted as Ulana. One moment they were stood in silence, the next, they were holding one another in their arms. Valery nuzzled his cheek against Ulana as the water that soaked her clothes seeped onto him. This must have been the best and worst surprise Valery had ever received. Seeing her was one of the few things he had wanted since being exiled, but seeing her in this state shattered his heart. 

"You're soaked" Valery mumbled as a greeting, still holding her in his arms.

"Oh really? I had not noticed" Ulana whispered as she pressed her nose to the curve of his neck.

Valery slowly pulled her into the apartment. Ulana wrinkled her nose. The scent of cigarette smoke plagued the air. A thick dust-coated many of the surfaces. Ulana smiled a little as Valery's hand wandered down to the side of her belly. 

"Is this my doing?" He said as he pulled away from a little to look at her.

Ulana nodded, a faint smile crossing her face. Valery stood in silence for a moment as he looked down at her protruding stomach. After a moment he looked past her belly at the puddle that had formed on the floor beneath Ulana.

"You must be freezing…" Valery said softly as he looked back up at Ulana.

She chuckled a little as water dripped from her hair.

"I suppose I am a bit chilly," Ulana said softly.

Valery smiled a little before saying: "why don't I run you a hot bath?"

"That would be very nice…" Ulana mumbled as she began removing her soggy coat.

Valery retreated into his apartment, heading into the bathroom and drawing Ulana a warm bath. Suddenly, Ulana was standing beside him and undressing while he placed some clean towels beside the bathtub. Valery allowed his eyes to wander over her body as she stripped down to her underwear. Ulana's bones seemed to protrude from under her soft and pale skin. Her swollen stomach and breasts seemed out of place. Valery felt the sudden urge to undress and join her, for he longed to hold her body against his. It seemed as though his love for her seeped from his pores as he stood there and watched her finish undressing. 

"Care to join me?" Ulana said as she squeezed the water from her clothes.

"Would you like me too?" Valery asked in response, smiling cheekily at her.

"I would love you too," Ulana said as she turned to Valery. 

Slowly, Ulana began unbuttoning his shirt after Valery removed his sweater. Once they were both undressed, Valery climbed into the bath and sat down. Ulana sat in front of him as he straddled her between his legs. Slowly, Valery wrapped his arms around Ulana, his hands resting on her belly. Her skin was soft to the touch and her body had relaxed in the warm bath. They sat in sweet silence as Ulana leaned back against Valery. His touch was comforting, and she could feel the slight movements of their child beneath his hands. after taking some time to warm up, they climbed out of the bath. Valery changed into some clean clothes and offered Ulana his robe. Gratefully, Ulana tied the large fluffy robe around her and followed Valery into the living room. Ulana instantly sat down on the sofa and propped up her slightly swollen feet. After a moment, Valery sat beside her and placed a blanket over both of them. He wrapped his arm over her shoulder and held her close. His other hand rested comfortably on her belly as they listened to the rain pelting the windows. Valery looked at her and smiled, gently caressing her belly with his thumb. As they sat in silence. At that moment, there seemed to be nothing to worry about. He now had a companion, and it was not just anyone, it was the woman he loved. His many lonely nights were now behind him. Valery could now share his life with the woman he loved and their unborn child. It did not matter how sickly they both were, for they brought joy into each other's lives.

[dank-hp--memes]

Plot Potatoes: Chernobyl The Fire Extinguished

Tags: @shit-in-silk-stocking

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February 1988

Valery’s Apartment, Moscow

-

It was a cold and dreary day. The sky was a light grey, and a flurry of snow fell over Moscow. Valery was sat on his sofa, wrapped in a thick wool blanket. Sasha, his cat, dozed peacefully in his lap while he slowly read through an old novel. A gentle knock on the door made Valery jump. Valery gently removed Sasha from his lap and placed his novel on the coffee table before making his way to the door. Upon opening the door, Valery felt his lips part and his eyes widen. His heart instantly began to ache as he laid his eyes upon Ulana. She looked rather sickly and thin. Her once well-fitting coat seemed to hang from her boney shoulders. Her skin appeared to be papery, and despite her paleness, her cheeks were flushed. She looked as though the life was being sucked out of her, Ulana looked up at him with tired and sunken in eyes.

“May I come in?” she said, her voice quiet and weak.

Valery nodded and stepped aside. He could see her trembling slightly as she walked into the apartment. Silently, Ulana removed her thick coat and her hat, revealing her frail body and her thin greying hair.

“Lana…” Valery whispers as he looks at her, tears coming to his eyes at the very sight of her.

“I-I have leukemia, Valery…” She says softly, her voice raspy and weak, tears streaming down her cheeks as she wraps her arms around him.

She did not need to explain, for he knew this meant she was dying. Valery presses his nose to the top of her head, taking a deep breath. The sweet scent of her silky hair brings tears to his eyes. He holds onto her tightly, feeling as though she would disappear as they part.

Ulana nuzzles her cheek against Valery’s chest, tears streaming down her cheeks. She is overwhelmed with emotions, but her tears are not tears of sadness. She is overwhelmed with joy at the very thought of being in his embrace. They stand there for what seems like hours before parting.

“Why have you come here?” Valery whispers, fearing for her safety.

“My final wish was to see you again…” Ulana mumbles, tears welling in her eyes.

She pauses and swallows the sob building within her.

“I have thought about you every day…” Ulana begins as she looks up at him.

She is silenced by the long and soft kiss that Valery places on her lips.

“How long do we have?” Valery whispers, his face only centimeters from hers.

“Not long enough” Ulana replies, her eyes watering.

Valery sniffles and bites his lip for a moment, choking back a sob as he wraps his arms around her once again. He can feel how frail she truly is, and it makes him feel as though his heart has shattered.

“I do not want to spend a second without you…” Valery whispers as he looks into her eyes.

Ulana’s lips curve slightly into a weak smile as she looks up at him. Her hand wanders up to his cheek, caressing it gently.

“Then I will not leave your side…” Ulana mumbled, lost in Valery’s eyes.

Slowly, they make their way over to the sofa. Valery sits back down in his usual place. Instead of sitting beside him, Ulana sits down across his lap. Her legs propped up on the sofa as she lays her head against his shoulder. She stifles a cough as she nuzzles her cheek against Valery’s chest. Valery cannot help but smile as he wraps the wool blanket around them. He holds her against him quietly, leaning his cheek against her head.

“I love you more than you could ever imagine” He whispers, tightening her hold on her.

Ulana smiles and looks up at him as she cuddles against him.

“And I love you a million times more than that” She mumbles, the traces of a smile crossing her lips.

Valery cannot help but sob, tears coming to his eyes as he presses his forehead to hers. He can hear her faint and raspy breathing as he looks into her eyes. Ulana reaches up and places her thin and dainty hand on his cheek. Valery closes his eyes, unable to keep the tears from streaming down his cheeks. The sight of him crying brings tears to Ulana’s eyes. She leans in and kisses him softly.

“Please don’t cry. It breaks my heart” Ulana whispers, wrapping her arms around him and holding him tightly.

She presses her nose into the crook of his neck as she feels his arms tighten around her.

“I-I always thought that I would be the first to go…” Valery admits, his voice shaking.

Ulana manages to calm him down after a while. They sit in silence, held tightly in each other’s arms. Valery’s cat, Sasha, climbs into Ulana’s lap, settling down on her stomach, bringing a smile to Ulana’s face. Ulana gently strokes the cat as she snuggles up to Valery, laying her head against his chest. They watch as heavy snow begins to fall, beginning to talk. They talked for hours about silly and irrelevant things. Valery held her close, never wanting to move from that spot. They watched, engulfed in trivial conversation, as the sky began to darken. Ulana readjusted in his lap and looked up at Valery.

She opened her mouth to speak, but he beat her to it.

“shall we go get ready for bed?” He says softly, his lips curling in a slight smile.

Ulana nods and gently evicts Sasha from her place on Ulana’s stomach. Ulana sits up and pauses for a moment before standing up. She stood and stretched her dainty arms up over her head as Valery got up beside her. In silence, Ulana gathers the small travel bag she had brought with her and follows Valery to his room. She placed her bag on his dresser and proceeded to pull out a slightly hideous nightgown. It was something one would picture their grandmother wearing. Valery chuckles a little at the sight of it.

“Oh, hush” Ulana says, kissing him softly before walking down the hall to the bathroom.

While she is in there, Valery silently changes into his own pajamas. Though he did not realize it, that day Valery had started believing in God. All day, he had been begging any higher power for her life. Though he could not admit it, he had started believing in heaven. He had never really believed in an afterlife, but the very thought of losing the woman he loves has changed that. Valery knows that he must see her again somehow. In another lifetime perhaps they could spend their lives together and have a family. Ulana’s footsteps made him jump a little as she entered the room. He had been lost in thought. Thinking about the life that could have been theirs. Ulana approaches him and sees the tears in his eyes. She quietly climbs into his lap, placing one of her hands on his cheek.

“Are you alright Valera?” She whispers, caressing his cheek gently.

“I am, now that you are here,” Valery says, pulling her into a rather tight hug.

A radiant smile crosses Ulana’s face as she looks into Valery’s eyes, and for a moment, everything seems fine, as though neither of them was sick. Her smile melts Valery’s heart, making him smile as well. A few moments pass as Ulana rests her head against his shoulder, and they sit in almost serene silence. Valery lays back on the small bed, leaving barely enough room for her. Ulana shakes her head and climbs onto the bed, laying on her stomach on top of Valery. Her head rests on his chest, just below and his collar bone. A faint smile crosses her lips as she listens to the faint sound of his heart beating. Valery wrapped his arms around her, adjusting the blankets as they got comfortable. He could not recall when he had last shared his bed with a woman, but he was glad to be sharing it with Ulana, especially now, for he had been growing exceptionally lonely.

A few weeks pass, Ulana’s condition deteriorates rather quickly. She has almost completely stopped eating, and she had slowly gotten a fever. It was late one night; light snow had fallen that evening and the house was rather cold. Valery was sitting on the sofa reading, Ulana was positioned in his lap. She had fallen asleep a few hours earlier, but it was obvious she did not have much life left in her. She had spent the day talking with Valery, cuddling him on the sofa. They had talked about their lives in great detail. Valery had greatly enjoyed hearing about her life, savoring every little detail. He would have roused her and taken her to bed, but he did not have the heart to rouse her. She was breathing weakly, each breath seemed shallower than the last, and Valery knew he would be unable to sleep, not with her in such a state. So, he held her in his arms, and Sasha had settled herself in Ulana’s lap. Ulana’s head rested gently on the left side of Valery's chest. She had fallen asleep listening to the pulsing of Valery’s heart. Tears welled in Valery’s eyes as her breathing became raspy, and in the early hours of the morning, she finally drew one last raspy breath before falling silent. Valery felt tears rolling down his cheeks as he let out a soft sob. He pressed his running nose to the top of her head and planted a soft kiss on her forehead.

“Goodbye, my love… I will see you again, someday” He whispered.

He held her in his arms until the warmth began to leave her body, crying softly as he nuzzled his cheek against her head. His heart ached for her and only her. She was the one thing he had craved all of those lonely days, cooped up in his apartment. She had been the only light left in his life, and now, her fire had been extinguished, leaving Valery trapped in the dark.

[dank-hp--memes]

Soul mates

Hello yall. I have been awake all night, and I have been writing non stop. I have written this Valana AU story. There may be another chapter or more if you all want. Please let me know what you think about this story, your input is always appreciated.

Tags: @shit-in-silk-stocking @johnlockismyreligion

(P.S. if you want to be tagged, leave a comment letting me know)

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Time Period: late 1960's 

Valery is in his mid-thirties 

Ulana is in her late twenties

-

It was a beautiful summer afternoon, Ulana was napping peacefully on the sofa in the apartment she and Valery shared. She had fallen asleep waiting for him to return from work. Normally, Ulana would also be at work, but today was something of an anomaly for her. She had been feeling sick on and off for a few weeks, and Valery had been begging her to go to the doctor. So, she had taken the day off of work. She had been speculating reasons for her illness, but she had not truly expected what the doctor would tell her. 

It was late in the afternoon when Valery returned. His lips curled in a smile as he laid his eyes on Ulana's figure, curled up on the sofa. Silently, Valery removed his coat and set down his briefcase before wandering over to the sofa. He took a moment to look down at Ulana, who was still sleeping peacefully. Her lips were parted slightly and she snored faintly. Valery reached down and placed his hand on her cheek. 

"How did your doctor's appointment go?" He whispered as he leaned over her a little.

"Good…" Ulana mumbled, opening her eyes a little and smiling groggily.

"Oh really? What did they say?" Valery says as he sits on the edge of the sofa in front of her.

"Well, all your hard work paid off. They said that you're going to be a father" Ulana mumbled, smiling mischievously as Valery's eyes widened.

His eyes wandered over her body, stopping on her stomach. It was as if Valery could not comprehend the words from Ulana's mouth. 

"You're pregnant?" He whispered, his voice fairly audible.

"Unless another woman is going to have your child" Ulana teased, taking his hand. 

"Oh, Lana…" Valery said a radiant smile plastered to his face. 

Tears of joy rolled down his cheeks as he leaned down to kiss her. Their lips locked and they shared an extremely long and passionate kiss. 

They part a few moments later, both rather short of breath.

"How far along are you?" Valery asked softly as he looks into Ulana's eyes, drowning in her beautiful blue irises.

"Almost ten weeks" Ulana whispered, smiling up at him. 

Valery could not help but smile. He wrapped his arms around her, enveloping her in a tight hug. Ulana had joked about being pregnant when they speculated what may be the cause of her illness, but she had never been serious. Though, deep down, Ulana suspected that she was pregnant. Valery cuddled her tightly in his arms as he situated himself on the sofa beside her. Slowly, Valery began to kiss Ulana, starting on her lips and making his way down over her neck, chest and finally landing on her belly. He looked up at her as he kissed her lower stomach. He could feel his heart lurch as Ulana smiled brightly at him. 

"I must be the luckiest man in the world…" Valery whispered as he placed his hands on her sides and caressed either side of her stomach with his thumbs. 

Valery could not help but gush affection whenever he was near her, and today he could not help but express his deep love for her. Ulana was the love of his life, and she was giving him the family that he had dreamed of as a young and ignorant boy. It was only a few moments ago that Valery realized how fortunate he was to be able to call Ulana his, and how fortunate he was to have found her. She was his soulmate, and now, she was the mother of his child. Valery wrapped his arms around her as he laid down beside her, becoming her big spoon. He pressed his nose to the crook of her neck and took in her sweet scent. 

"What would you like for dinner?" Valery mumbled as he heard her stomach growl softly.

"Are you offering to make me something special?" Ulana teased, still a bit drowsy.

Valery gently traced his fingers over her stomach in soft circles and lines. 

"Maybe… After all, today is a special day" Valery said as he looked down at her. 

Ulana smiled and adjusted, a little, unzipping her skirt. 

"Valera, you know I will eat whatever you prepare," she said, chuckling softly.

Valery smiles and kisses her neck, his hand wandering over her body.

"Then I suppose I will surprise you" Valery chuckled as he cuddled her. 

They laid there for a few moments, cuddling in silence. Valery knew he had to get up to make dinner, but at that moment, he did not want to free Ulana from his embrace. She was warm and cuddly, and this almost coaxed him into skipping dinner.

After a few moments, Valery got up. He kissed Ulana softly before covering her with a thin blanket, for she looked quite drowsy. Silently, Valery made his way to the kitchen to prepare some dinner for them. Ulana could hardly keep her eyes open, succumbing to the sweet lulling of sleep as Valery's footsteps departed. 

A few hours later, Ulana awoke. At first, she did not know what had roused her. Upon further thought, Ulana realized it was the decadent smell that wafted from the kitchen, making her mouth water. Slowly, she sat up and stretched her lanky arms above her head. Ulana looked out the window at the beautiful evening sky for a moment before getting up. She then wandered into the kitchen where Valery had almost finished their dinner. 

"Looks like someone had a good nap," Valery says softly as he plates their food. He places a soft kiss on her lips as heads past her to the dining table.

Ulana smiles and silently follows him to the table. He had already set out some drinks for them, keeping the alcohol tucked away so as not to tempt or irritate Ulana. They sat in silence for a moment as Ulana drank some of the tea he had made for her. She could not help but smile at Valery as they talked about trivial and insignificant things while eating dinner. Somehow, pregnancy did not come up as a topic. They talked like they would any day, and once they had finished dinner, they sat together on the sofa. Ulana laid across the sofa long ways, her head in Valery's lap. She was always the first to fall asleep, and tonight was no different. Ulana was quickly coaxed into sleep by her full belly and Valery's cuddles. Valery could not help but smile when Ulana began to snore softly, her lips parted a little. He placed the book he had been perusing on the coffee table before gently picking Ulana up. Silently, Valery carried Ulana to their bedroom and laid her in bed, tucking her in before climbing into bed beside her. He laid on his side with his arms wrapped around Ulana. He smiled as her sweet scent enveloped him.

Ever since the day they had met, Valery struggled to go more than a few hours without her. Valery needed her more than he needed air to breathe, water to drink, and food to eat. Ulana gave him life, and he could not survive without her.

[dank-hp--memes]

A Fate Worse than Death

This is a few chapters long...

Tags: @johnlockismyreligion @royaltydowntonandlife

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It was the middle of the morning, around seven when Ulana left the hotel. She often went out to take her own readings and do impromptu calculations. This morning was no different. Dressed in a creme blouse, a black skirt, and heels, Ulana made her way through the exclusion zone, taking some readings and recording the numbers. She had made her way to the outskirts of Pripyat, walking alone. Little did she know, an animal control team was in the same area with a rather trigger happy liquidator. It happened in a split second. Ulana rounded a corner, there was a loud bang, then silence. She felt a searing pain in her lower chest before falling onto her back, her legs were beginning to go numb. The grimy water from the puddle she had fallen into slowly soaks into her clothes as Ulana gasps for air, her lips parted slightly, her chest seems to spasm as her need for oxygen increases. Ulana stairs, wide-eyed, up at the greyish blue sky. Her body aches with an immense searing pain that originates in her lower chest. She can feel her warm blood soak into her blouse, leaving it stained a crimson red. She can hear the voices of the liquidators who were a part of the animal control squad, but they seem distant and muffled. Almost as if the liquidators were in another room, far away from her.

The clear sky reminds Ulana of her childhood. She would spend hours upon hours laying in the soft grass of the Belorussian countryside when she would visit her grandmother's house. She could watch the sky for hours, often lost in thought. Her grandmother would often scold her for slacking off on her chores, or simply for spending too much time lying on the ground and doing nothing. The sun had always warmed the long grass, making it a fairly nice spot to lay and relax. 

As Ulana laid there, her mind wandering about her thoughts, she could not help but think of Valery. Recalling all of the time they had spent together. The many seconds they had spent together in bed, with minimal clothing on, holding each other close. Valery always wrapped his arms around Ulana's middle and held her close. He would press soft kisses on her slender shoulders and up her neck. He would run his hand down her stomach to rest it on her hip. They shared more than just many sweet nothings in their hotel rooms. Ulana felt her breath hitch in her throat as she thought of the sweet and dorky smile Valery always had when he looked over her shoulder at her in the mirror after they got out of the shower. He would place his hands on her hips and rest his chin on her shoulder, whispering many sweet nothings to her as he looked at her in the mirror. She remembered the way looking into his icy blue eyes sent shivers down her spine and made her hair stand on end. As the world around her began to fade and her ears began to ring, Ulana could only hope to see Valery one more time. She felt someone lift her up off the ground and she could see the outline of a figure before everything went black. 

One of the liquidators had lifted Ulana off the ground and was carrying her to the truck. She needed immediate medical attention, for it was clear that, along with her blood, the life was draining out of her. The liquidators drove her back to camp, arguing in a panic. Their loud voices make Ulana stir a little, but she does not wake up. Her skin seems to become paler by the second. Upon their arrival back in camp, Ulana is handed off to two soldiers and flown to the nearest hospital equipped to treat her in Kyiv. The flight is long and bumpy, and Ulana is quickly losing blood. A cold sweat is soaking her clothes as she lays there unconscious. So far, no one has thought to notify any of the higher-ups, except General Pikalov, who is handling the situation on his own. Upon their arrival in Kyiv, Ulana is swarmed by nurses and doctors who quickly take her back to an operating room. They quickly begin transfusing blood, but it is hardly fast enough. They cut off Ulana's clothes and quickly begin operating, doing their best to stop her bleeding. They are extremely careful as they remove the bullet, for it had been resting over Ulana's spinal cord, but it is too late. The damage had already been done. She would have nerve damage in her upper body and there was a chance she would never walk again if she even survived. Hours had passed, and Ulana was still in critical condition. Her poor heart had stopped twice, only to be shocked back to life. The doctors managed to finish the surgery and close Ulana up, but, no matter what they did, the damage had been done. Ulana was taken to a small and cramped room in the ICU, it looked more like a supply closet than a proper room. She was hooked up to an insane amount of machines. They all served to keep her alive. A tube had been shoved down her throat and was breathing for her. One of the monitors was monitoring her heart rate and oxygen levels. Another was simply controlling her morphine drip and IV. There was also a feeding tube stuffed down Ulana's nose. She was still receiving blood and platelets so that just added to the whole mess of machines and IV's. They kept Ulana heavily sedated to make sure she was not in any pain. Other than that, there wasn't much that could be done for her. 

A few days passed. Valery had assumed Ulana had gone back to Minsk, as she did sometimes when she needed to do something important that could not be done in Pripyat. He had no idea that Ulana was on the verge of death and that he may never speak to her again. 

There was a knock on Valery's hotel room door. It was from Boris. He looked at Valery and Valery's heart sank. He knew from Boris' expression that something was wrong. He stood in the doorway, too nervous to ask, not truly wanting to know. 

"You should sit down…" Boris croaks, his voice dry, for he dreaded breaking the news to Valery. 

"What happened?" Valery asked, not moving from the doorway. 

Had something happened with the reactor? Was there another accident at the plant? Did something happen with the reactor core?

Valery mind was racing, but Ulana being injured, let alone shot and dying never crossed his mind, not even once. 

"Valery, you should really sit down" Boris' voice came again, interrupting Valery's thoughts.

Valery retreated into the room, followed by Boris. He could sense the older man's nervousness as the tension in the air grew. Very gingerly placed himself on the sofa, looking up at Boris.

"It's about Khomyuk…" Boris begins

He pauses the words trapped in his throat. Valery leaned in in anticipation. What had happened? Had Ulana been arrested again? Or was she in some sort of lab accident? Did she have radiation poisoning?

"A few days ago she was involved in an accident… she was shot in the chest" Boris says, stopping there, not knowing how to continue.

Valery's heart seemed to have disappeared. He could feel his throat tighten and his mouth goes dry as his lips parted to reply. Never in his worst nightmares could he imagine Ulana, his lovely Ulana, being shot.

"What?" Is all he manages to say, his eyes wide as he looks up at Boris, not truly believing him.

It couldn't be. It just couldn't be. They must have had the wrong person. Ulana had to be okay. He needed her. Not just to help him with Chernobyl. It was like he did not know how to breathe without her. He needed her to survive. She was the only thing he truly needed in his life. She was like his other half. She was his soulmate. She understood every word from Valery's lips, and he understood every word from hers. She was also the most wonderful cuddler. Her body always seemed to radiate heat and her skin was soft like silk. Not to mention that especially soft spot just over her hip. It was the perfect place for him to rest his hand and trace his fingers over while they cuddled. Valery suddenly looked up at Boris. Boris had said someone, but Valery had been too enveloped in his thoughts to comprehend what he had said. He simply stared blankly at Boris, his mouth slightly agape. 

"She is in the Kyiv trauma centre. She is in critical condition. The bullet ripped through her at an odd angle. It tore through her liver, and one of her lungs before resting over her spinal cord. Her heart stopped twice during the surgery, leaving her brain without oxygen for an extended amount of time… so, if she does wake up, she may not be the Ulana you and I know" Boris says, trying to make sure Valery mentally prepares himself. 

Boris looks at the carpet for a moment, his eyes studying the grimy, horribly patterned carpeting. Over the phone, the doctors had said much more. Ulana could be brain dead or mentally impaired from how long her heart had stopped. She could be paralyzed. She likely had nerve damage. She may not recover. She could get a blood clot and die of a stroke or a pulmonary embolism. She could suffer a heart attack and her heart could stop again. Ulana could die before they even got close to Kyiv, fuck she could be dead as they speak. She could die of internal bleeding if the clotting agent they gave her does not take effect, for the radiation exposure had caused her some issues with her blood. There were many possibilities with what could happen to Ulana, and most of them had far from good outcomes. 

Valery sat in silence, processing what Boris had just said. He can hardly imagine Ulana, his Ulana, being shot in the chest. He could feel cold sweat dripping down his back as he placed his trembling hands on his knees. Valery took a deep breath before standing up. 

"How was she shot…" He mumbles, a dark rage slowly building within him. 

Boris pauses for a moment, surveying Valery, contemplating how much to tell him. He opens his mouth a few times before simply sighing. What on earth was he going to tell Valery?

"It was an accident with some animal control liquidators…" Boris says, not wanting to say too much. 

He feared to upset Valery more, for he did not care to see him in such a state. Valery simply swallows and nods, unable to find the words to respond. His jaw is clenched and his hands balled into fists. Valery's mind is surprisingly blank.

"I need to see her," Valery says, his voice flat and his tone dark.

His eyes are burning into Boris from behind his smudged glasses, but behind all of the rage, Boris can see the fear and helplessness that plagues Valery. 

"There's a helicopter waiting to take us to Kyiv…" Boris replies. 

The next few minutes are a blur. Valery hardly remembers leaving the hotel room, let alone walking out to the helicopter. The animal control team is standing outside the hotel with Pikalov, who looks quite unsettled.

Valery looks at them, a few stains of Ulana's blood that they had been unable to wash out still on their clothes.

"Which one of you shot comrade Khomyuk?" Boris begins, planning on having them sent away.

A rather small young lad steps forward, cowering in fear in front of Boris. Boris opens his mouth to speak hut is interrupted.

"How could you shoot her? She is not some animal!" Valery shouts, his voice shaking with anger.

An older man, obviously a soldier steps forward, his chiselled face, looking rather irritated. He was much taller than Valery and rather intimidating. 

"Nobody told us there would be someone taking measurements. She just appeared out of nowhere. It startled us. She wasn't wearing anything protective, and wandering around alone was rather stupid" he mutters, not wanting to defend himself to some stupid scientist.

That was it, the soldier had crossed the line. Nobody called Ulana, his Ulana stupid. 

"She has a name…" Valery growls his face bright red.

It looks as though Valery is ready to kill them with his bare hands. Boris grabs Valery's shoulder to pull him away. Valery's reaction had surprised Boris, and he was unsure of what Valery was capable of in such a state.

"So what? We all have names? Do you think the higher-ups care about what happens to us? Why should we care what happens to her" the soldier barks, irritation rising in his voice?

The other members of the animal control team have backed away, rather scared of Valery's reaction. 

"She is one of the most important people here… AND YOU'VE SHOT HER! YOU SHOT THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!" Valery shouts, finally admitting that he loves Ulana out loud. 

The tension in the air seems to thicken. Everyone has gone silent, even Valery. He had surprised himself by saying that. Never in a million years did he think he would admit, in front of people, that Ulana was the love of his life. Suddenly, Boris' hand was back on Valery's shoulder and pulling him back onto the helicopter. Valery did not protest, he was too busy being stuck deep within his thoughts. Valery aimlessly plopped down into one of the seats, his elbows going to rest on his knees, and his head resting on his trembling hands. He was silent except for a few stifled sobs. Boris did not take his eyes off Valery throughout the entire flight. He knew that if Ulana did not get better, Valery would never recover.

[dank-hp--memes]

Ungodly Plot Potatoes: Chernobyl (Pt 2)

This is a kind of continuation of part one… Enjoy

-

A few days after Ulana Khomyuk arrived in Chernobyl

Upon her arrival in Chernobyl, Khomyuk seemed an audacious and stubborn woman, determined to do what is right and not let anyone stand in her way. She is a kind woman, and she always tries to be polite. After Legasov and her had spent practically the entire night together, both parties assumed that encountering the other would be rather awkward. No such awkwardness sparked between them. Khomyuk often found herself at Legasov’s side. Khomyuk often found herself joining Legasov at the hotel bar, or she would accompany him on his solitary strolls through Pripyat. They would walk hand in hand, in complete silence. Often times feeding the animals that now roamed the streets. Khomyuk would always walk right beside Legasov, but she never reached out to hold his hand, despite her yearning to.

The men had gone to the plant to work for the day, and Khomyuk found herself sitting in the hotel lobby. She had a notebook in her lap and was studying and running calculations. Khomyuk did this for hours, searching for the reason the reactor exploded. She would move about the hotel, hardly eating and fueled by only vodka and water. Upon Scherbina and Legasov’s return to the hotel, they found Khomyuk sitting at the bar with her back to them. She wore a deep red dress and black heels. A half full bottle of vodka sat on the bar beside her. Her slender ankles here crossed and her heels were hooked on the bar stool. Both Scherbina and Legasov glanced at Khomyuk, who had not seemed to notice there presence. It was Legasov who chose to approach her. Khomyuks head was resting on her arm, her pen on the floor. She had fallen asleep.

“Khomyuk?” Legasov says wearily as he gently places a hand on her shoulder.

Khomyuk raises her head after a moment, her eyes bloodshot and sunken in. Her dark circles accentuated by the dim light.

“I can’t figure it out…” Khomyuk mumbles as she closes her notebook and picks up her pen.

“you wont solve this here…” Legasov says as he gently wraps his arm around her waist, “You need to go to Moscow… You need to talk to everyone who was in the control room that night” he whispers reluctantly.

Legasov hates that he must send Khomyuk to Moscow, but she will be safer there. She will be far away from Chernobyl. Far away from the radiation. But she will also be far away from him. Legasov cannot protect her if she is in Moscow.

Khomyuk does not reply, but a new fire has been lit within her. A new air of determination surrounds her as she accepts the challenge to hunt for the truth.

Together, they walk up the staircase. Legasov’s arm is loosely wrapped around Khomyuk’s waist. Legasov walks Khomyuk to her room. They both pause infront of her door. Khomyuk turns around and kisses Legasov. Her tongue slides effortlessly into his mouth as their lips lock, and suddenly, Legasov is pressing Khomyuk against the door. Khomyuk fiddles with the door handle. Finally managing to open the door, the pair stumbles into the room, peckishly kissing one another. Once the door closes, Legasov presses Khomyuk against it. He gently seizes a handful of her silky hair, his lips locked with hers as he cradles her cheek with his other hand. Khomyuks arms are wrapped around Legasov, one wrapped over his shoulder, the other around his waist. Legasov can hardly pull away from her long enough to take a breath. The pair make their way to Khomyuks bed in a sequence of awkward stumbles, their lips hardly parting. Legasov gently presses Khomyuk into the bed, panting slightly as he looks down at her. Khomyuks cheeks are flushed and a deviant but tired smile crosses her face as she looks up at Legasov, who has pinned her arms over her head. A few moments pass before Legasov leans down and kisses her as he presses her into the bed. Slowly, he begins to unbutton her top, kissing her chest. He slips his hand into her shirt and grasps one of her soft breasts, squeezing is gently as he tosses her underwear on the floor. Khomyuk is breathing heavily as she undoes Legasov’s pants. He is what she has been craving so badly for the past few days, not her home, not sleep, and not Vodka. She wants him. She wants the blissful oblivion he can make her feel. She wants the happiness, no, the safeness he makes her feel. Khomyuk moans softly as Legasov thrusts into her, encouraged by her low moans and blissful sighs. Khomyuk quivers beneath him with every thrust, her nails gently digging into his back as he rides her. Legasov smiles a little, captivated and even more turned on by her beauty. Khomyuks cheeks are flushed and a light sweat glistens on her face in the dim light. Her eyes meet his as she moans loudly as Legasov gently squeezes her breast as he thrusts into her. He can feel her tighten around him as he gives a few final thrusts before finishing up. Legasov lenas down over Khomyuk and kisses her passionately as he pulls out. Khomyuk wraps her arms around him, holding him tightly as he lifts his head to look into her eyes. In that very moment, nothing else seems to matter to her but him.

The next morning, Khomyuk wakes up alone, curled up in the center of the bed. A small note from Legasov lays on the bedside table.

Ulana,

I had to go to the plant early. I did not want to wake you. You were sleeping so peacefully. Ill try to come back during lunch.

-Valery

Khomyuk chuckles a little as she reads the note, laying on her stomach. After a few minutes, she manages to get out of bed. Khomyuk goes about her morning routine, but as she is putting her shoes on, she decides that she will join the men at the plant today. She grabs her purse and pulls on a light coat before leaving her room.

After arriving at the plant, Khomyuk approaches the trailer where Scherbina and Legasov are working. She silently enters the trailer to see Legasov sitting opposite Scherbina. Legasov is talking as he looks over papers and blueprints, but it is obvious Scherbina isn’t listening. Khomyuk clears her throat and both men jump a little. She gives a slight smile as she approaches them.

“Do you need any help?” Khomyuk asks softly as she stands beside Legasov.

Legasovs heart sinks as he looks up at Khomyuk. He never wanted her to end up this close to the reactor. He doesn’t want her exposed to more radiation than she must be. Before Legasov can open his mouth, Scherbina replies.

“Yes, comrade Khomyuk, we could use your help” Scherbina says as he leans back in his chair.

Legasov feels his throat clench as Scherbina says this. He looks up at Khomyuk, who is now looking at Scherbina.

“You can help us by calculating the radiation levels on the roofs” Scherbina says as Khomyuk sets down her purse.

“Alright” Khomyuk says as she opens a fresh notebook, grabs a pen and leaves the trailer.

Legasov stairs after her as she leaves.

“I see the way you look at her Valery…” Scherbina says as he looks at Legasov, “What is going on between you two?”

Legasov turns to look at Scherbina, surveying the older man. He doesn’t know what to say.

“What do you think?” Legasov replies as coolly as possible.

Scherbina eyes Legasov with a hard stare, his eyes bearing into him “I think you’ve been fucking her” He says confidently and somewhat sternly.

Legasov nods a little upon hearing Scherbina. “Fucking?” he mumbles, “It is much more than fucking Boris”

Scherbina laughs. “Valery, the men in Pikalov’s camp could probably hear the noise you two were making last night” He says, teasing Legasov.

“Its more than fucking Boris… She makes me feel something I’ve never felt before. She makes me feel alive” Legasov says, his face red with embarrassment.

Scherbina stands up and pats Legasov on the shoulder, chuckling.

“I'm going to go see how things are going” He mumbles before leaving Legasov alone in the trailer.

Legasov watched him leave, sighing softly. He stood up and looked out the window, watching Khomyuk doing her calculations. He could feel his heart rate quicken as he worried about her. He hated that they had to meet under these circumstances. He hated that she was throwing away her life for this cause, that she was throwing away her life for him.

[dank-hp--memes]

Soul Mates: chapters 2

Hello y'all, I am extremely excited to be posting the second chapter of my Valana AU short story. I really love hearing all of your ideas and feedback, so please do not hold back on your comments. I absolutely love hearing your feedback. I need to thank all of my readers once more for being so wonderful to me. I hope you enjoy this. Thank you for reading!

Tags: @shit-in-silk-stocking @johnlockismyreligion

(P.S. if you want to be added to my tag list, leave a comment letting me know)

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Time Period: late 1960's 

Valery is in his mid-thirties 

Ulana is in her late twenties

-

A few weeks passed, and Valery could not help but smile when he awoke in the morning to the shower running in the bathroom down the hall. Slowly, he forced himself to get out of bed and wander down the hall. As he entered the bathroom, he saw Ulana standing in front of the mirror in her underwear. Her hands were on her stomach as she looked over her figure. Valery smiled and gently wrapped his arms around her, wearing only his pyjama pants.

"You look wonderful…" he said softly as he ran his hand over her belly. 

Ulana sighed and smiled before turning and kissing him.

"I knew you'd come and join me" she teased as Valery's hands rested on her hips.

"You did?" Valery asks, raising an eyebrow at her.

"You always wake up at some point during my shower… and I had a feeling you would join me today" Ulana said, chuckling softly as she wrapped her arms around him.

They stand in silence, rocking from side to side in a sweet embrace.

"Well, why don't I join you in the shower" Valery whispered as he gazes into her eyes.

Ulana grinned in reply before proceeding to remove her underwear and stepping into the steamy shower. Valery chuckled softly as he watched her. He then removed his pyjamas before following her into the shower. 

The water was hot, and it made their skin a bit flushed, but it felt very nice on their bodies as they proceeded to shower. They spent a rather long time in the shower this morning, for Valery had brought it upon himself to make love to her. Of course, Ulana could not object. She craved the sensation of his hands on her body, and the soft kisses he planted over every inch of her. He made her absolutely crazy, to the point where she could hardly control herself. As they finished, Valery helped her to dry off, holding her in his arms. 

"We should just take the day off… we could go out, or stay here and not get dressed" Valery said softly.

"Valera…" Ulana mumbled, leaning back against him with her eyes closed, unable to resist him.

Valery smiled as he rested his hands on her lower belly. His chin rested on her shoulder and he looked at her in the mirror. He caressed her belly with his thumbs, grinning at her in the mirror.

"Come on… I know you want to" Valery said, swaying with her from side to side. 

"Fine, but I have to do some work later" Ulana mumbled. 

Valery smiled, celebrating by gently nipping her ear.

They lounged around for a few hours, in only their bathrobes. Valery cooked some breakfast for them. Ulana sat on the sofa with her feet propped up. Valery ate quickly before bringing Ulana her breakfast. He sat at her feet while she ate, gently massaging her petite feet and slender ankles. 

"How did I get so lucky?" Ulana said as she looked up at him from across the sofa.

"I ask myself the same question every second of every day" Valery chuckled as he moves to sit beside her.

Ulana blushes and holds eye contact with him. They sit in silence for a few moments as Ulana finishes up her breakfast and places her plate on the coffee table. Valery cannot help but smile as he watches her readjust, her hand naturally resting on her growing belly. There is the softest curve to her stomach and it protrudes slightly from almost all of her button-downs. Valery smiles as he looks at her, unable to keep from smiling. The very sight of her makes his heart leap with joy. They spend a few hours cuddling on the sofa as the sun rises in the sky. Valery sits across the sofa, leaning against the armrest. Ulana sat between his legs, leaning back against him. Valery's hands wandered over Ulana's body as she read through some work documents. He was very gentle as he massaged her back and caressed her belly, knowing that the growth of their child often left Ulana feeling physically uncomfortable. When he finished with her back, Valery moved on to massaging the soft tissue of her tender breasts. Ulana moaned softly as Valery put gentle pressure on her breasts. She leaned back against him and sighed. Valery always did his best to fix anything that ailed her.

When she finished her work, Ulana slowly rose from the couch, fairly content. She stretched and moaned softly before wandering into their bedroom to get dressed.

After a few moments, both of them were fully dressed and going out. It was extremely rare for them to go out together. They walked the streets, hand in hand, and in totally trivial conversation. They walked a few blocks to a small bakery. The weather was absolutely beautiful, which Ulana remarked. In the back of her mind, Ulana hoped that their baby would come on a nice day such as this one. 

After buying a few pastries, they walk around Moscow a little before heading back to their apartment building. 

The entire time, Valery could hardly keep his eyes off of Ulana, having almost walked into a lamppost. His mind was filled with thoughts about her and the family they were building. He could not stop thinking about how much he loved Ulana. Valery knew, without a doubt, that he would die for her. 

As for Ulana, she could not shake a few baby names that lingered in her head, her mind never leaving her baby and her lover. Her heart ached with love for Valery, every second of every day.

As they arrived home, Ulana sat down and opened a particular worn notebook that Valery had seen her writing in a few times. He smiled as he recognized the notebook. It was one of her journals. She would write down her thoughts in notebooks when she felt as though her head was particularly full. 

The rest of their day was fairly relaxed, they lounged around, cuddling while Ulana worked on some documents for work, and Valery graded some papers. Of course, Ulana fell asleep in Valery's lap, her work resting on her stomach as she snored softly. As per usual, Valery carried Ulana to their room and put her to bed, not only kissing her lips but kissing her belly as well. 

"Sweet dreams my princesses" Valery whispers as he climbs into bed beside her. He sees Ulana's lips curl into a smile as she snuggled up to him, laying her head on his shoulder and wrapping her arm over his chest as he wrapped his arm around her. Valery laid there quietly, staring at the ceiling, imagining what their child would be like. The thought of a beautiful little girl with brilliant blue eyes and dark, brown/ginger hair made his heart melt. No matter what, Valery knew he would never love anything or anyone more than Ulana and the life she was growing in her womb. Eventually, Valery fell asleep, Ulana and their baby never leaving his thoughts.

[dank-hp--memes]

Plot Potatoes: Chernobyl- Qualitly Time

So I just got the idea for this story and was unable to stop myself from writing it. The nickname "little bear" or "bear" comes from my nickname as a child. I would love to hear your feedback. Enjoy!!!

Tags: @shit-in-silk-stocking @johnlockismyreligion @royaltydowntonandlife

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Ulana is 29

Valery is 32

---

It was around three-thirty in the morning. Ulana was snoring softly, laying beside Valery, who had one of his arms wrapped around her. She had gotten very little sleep, plagued by what ails any expectant mother, an almost constant need to pee. Ulana was roused by a slight wiggling from beside her and then something hard being pressed uncomfortably against her ribs. 

"Valery, you're elbowing me…" Ulana mumbles without opening her eyes. 

"It's not me…" Valery grumbles in response.

Ulana opens her eyes slightly and looks down.

She smiles a little as she sees the outline a ratty head of ginger hair. It, in fact, was not Valery who had woken her. It was their daughter Ekaterina, or Katja. They also often called her bear or little bear. She was just over three years old now. She had crawled into bed between Valery and Ulana and proceeded to nuzzle her head against Ulana's ribcage. Not that she didn't already have a little one lodged up near her ribcage all day. Ulana gently wrapped her arm around Katja, gently patting her back.

"Someones up early…" she mumbled, her voice still gravely from having been asleep. 

The little girl giggled and cuddles against her mother even more. Ulana readjusted a little and used her other hand to rub the side of her belly. She was just over 20 weeks along, but this was not like her first pregnancy, for this time, she was carrying multiples. They had found out a few weeks earlier, but Ulana had been speculating that there was more than one baby for weeks. She sighed and looked over at Valery, who had his arm wrapped around both of his girls. She could see his eyes glimmering in the darkness. 

"Bathroom?" Valery whispers as Ulana sighed frustratedly.

"You guessed it…" Ulana mumbles as she manages to crawl out of bed before making her way down the hall to their bathroom. 

She took a moment to look into the mirror, looking over her body. It was odd to see her belly protruding out from beneath her silky nightgown. She was studying her swollen stomach, remembering the last time she had been this size.

When she returned to the bedroom, Ulana found that Katja had stolen her spot in bed. Ulana smiled a little and picked up the little girl, moving her over a little before laying down beside her. Ulana laid on her side and wrapped her arm around the small being laying in front of her. Katja cuddled up against Ulana, wrapping her arms around her mother. Ulana smiled tiredly, managing to scoot back into her spot in the bed. She can see Valery smiling a little as he turns to face her and wraps his arm around them. 

"You're both so warm… and cuddly..." he mumbled, gently caressing Ulana's side with his thumb. 

Ulana smiles and leans forward, kissing him softly. It seemed like the last time they had cuddled like this was ages ago now, though it was only a few days prior. Katja squirmed a little, cuddling Ulana tighter. Ulana smiled drowsily and gently rubbed her back after she had pulled the blankets back up over them. Katja had, once again, nuzzled her head up against Ulana's ribcage. Ulana sighed and closed her eyes, practically praying for another ounce of sleep. She dozed off rather quickly, for the room seemed to quickly fill with her soft snoring. Valery could not help but smile as he cuddled his girls, feeling extremely lucky in that particular moment. 

A few hours passed and Ulana was roused by someone kicking her. She looked down to see Katja squirming slightly in her sleep. She sighed and wrapped her arms around the little figure, planting a soft kiss on her forehead. 

"Shhhh… it's an okay bear, it's only a dream" she mumbled as the little girl calms down and snuggles against her. 

She buried her face against her mother's breast, holding onto Ulana tightly. Ulana gently stroked Katja's hair, humming a soft and sweet melody. Valery opened his eyes a little, glancing down at Ulana. 

"Nightmare?" He grumbles, wrapping his arm around Ulana. 

Ulana nods and smiles tiredly. 

"I think it is over now…" she whispers scooting Katja and herself closer to Valery.

Valery gently rubbed Ulana's back as he looked down at their daughter, sandwiched between them. They cuddled for a few moments before a small fluffy ball jumped up onto the bed. It was Sasha, their cat.

Valery and Ulana had adopted Sasha just before they found out Ulana was pregnant with Katja. Valery had tried to get rid of the, then, kitten, but Ulana would not have it, for she somehow knew Sasha would do very well with their baby. Sasha had put up with loads of tail pulling and grabbing, as well as being dragged around like a stuffed animal. She was a wonderful companion for the two adults, and she simply put up with their child, allowing the little girl to drag her around and poke and prod at her.

Ulana smiled a little and reached down toward the end of the bed, and Sasha waltzed up to her hand, allowing Ulana to let her. The cat mowed softly, rubbing up against Ulana's soft thighs. She began to purr loudly, obviously ready for breakfast. Ulana glanced over at the alarm clock and sighed. It was just past six. 

"I'll come to feed you in a bit…" Ulana grumbles as she goes back to cuddling Katja. 

Ulana stuck to her word, and a few minutes later, she was waddling down the hall, Sasha following at her heels. She stumbled a little, tripping over the cat as she turned to return to the bedroom. Ulana yelped as she fell onto the ground. It was as if he had heard a scream, Valery was running down the hall to Ulana. 

"I'm fine Valera… I was just tripped up by the cat" Ulana says as she gets up. 

"Are you sure? Are the babies alright?" Valery says worriedly, looking her over closely. 

"Valery I caught myself. I am fine, I just his my knee" Ulana says, shaking her head a little.

"Maybe we should go to the doctor just to be sure," Valery says nervously.

Ulana shook her head and took both of his hand, placing them on her belly. 

"Valera your kids are fine. They are moving around as we speak" Ulana says, looking up at him, a slight smile on her face.

Valery sighs and holds his hands on her belly, still worried sick about her. Every little peep she makes draws his attention. He is constantly worried about her and their babies. He cannot help it, his heart aches for them, and he would do anything for his family. 

"Why don't you start making breakfast, and I will get our little bear showered and ready for daycare," Ulana says softly, looking up at him, her belly pressing against him. 

"Alright…" Valery mumbles, holding onto her for a few moments. 

Ulana kisses him softly before wandering back down the hall to their room. A few moments later, she is carrying a drowsy Katja into the bathroom. Valery smiled a little as Ulana raised her eyebrows at him, smiling. The bathroom door closes behind her and she can be heard trying to get Katja undressed. The little girl protested a little before finally getting undressed. Ulana helped her into the shower and gently began washing her beautiful ginger hair. Around thirty minutes later, Katja emerged from the bathroom, in a clean flower print dress and leggings, her beautiful ginger hair, still wet, done back in a beautiful braid. Ulana slowly followed, still in her nightgown. Valery smiled a little as he watched Katja running about the living room as Ulana made her way to the sofa. Katja chased Sasha around and proceeded to play with some of her toys as Valery prepared some breakfast. 

"Come on girls, breakfast is ready" Valery calls as he carries their food over to the table. Katja comes running and bounds into her seat. Ulana follows more slowly, waddling over to the table. Valery smiles as he places a cup of tea beside Ulana's food before sitting down. Ulana takes a sip and smiles.

"Earl grey, strong… just the way I like it…" she mumbled. 

Valery nods as he glances at their daughter, who has a glass of milk beside her. She had taken a few sips of it as she quickly ate her eggs and pancakes. 

"Slow down a little bear, or you'll make yourself sick" Ulana mumbles as she sips her tea.

"But momma…" Katja says, just wanting to play. 

Ulana gives her a stern look, and Katja sighs, knowing she can't argue with her mother.  

Valery and Ulana finish their breakfast in peace as Katja continues to play in the living room. 

Valery took Katja to the state-sponsored daycare around eight, leaving Ulana to clean up all of the dishes. Ulana then proceeds to take a hot shower. As she is getting undressed she hears their front door close. 

"Lana?" Valery's voice calls.

"I'm about to shower" Ulana calls back.

She can hear Valery's footsteps approaching, and he quietly enters the bathroom.

"Why wasn't I invited?" He says, leaning in the doorway, his glasses fogging up a bit from the steam. 

"You are more than welcome to join me I suppose," Ulana says, glancing at him.

Valery smiles and closes the bathroom door behind him, proceeding to wrap his arms around her.

"You know I am always more than happy to join you" he mumbled, planting some soft kisses on her shoulder and neck.

Ulana smiled and turned around, proceeding to unbutton the shirt he had thrown on before leaving the apartment. Valery gently picked her up and placed her on the bathroom counter holding her waist as she pushed back his shirt. 

"You are so beautiful… did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?" Valery mumbles, looking up at her, entranced by her beauty.

"Yes, about every day" Ulana replies, blushing a little.

Once they are both undressed, Ulana steps into the shower followed by Valery. He stands behind her, holding her against him as she washes her body. Her skin was so soft and all Valery wanted was to cuddle her. Valery smiled as she turned to face him, gently wrapping her arms around his neck. She looked extremely tired, but a beautiful smile spread across her face as she looked up at him, wetting her hair. She then leaned forward and leaned against his chest, pressing her body against his. They stood there for a few moments before proceeding to shower. They did not need to exchange words to know what the other was thinking. Their immense love for one another seemed to hang in the air.

Once they had finished, Valery helped Ulana to dry off before drying off himself. He followed her to the bedroom, where she flopped down onto their bed,  obviously exhausted. Valery smiled a little as he followed her and laid down beside her, both still undressed. Ulana shimmied over to him and wrapped her arm around him, laying her head on his chest. 

"Don't you have work today?" Ulana mumbled as she glanced up at him.

"I called in this morning after you fell," Valery says, gently rubbing her back.

Ulana squints at him, going silent for a moment. 

"You called Dimitri and pressured him into telling you if I was working today or not, didn't you?" Ulana asks, almost as if interrogating him.

Valery's face turns bright red and he nods, looking away.

"Valery Aleksevich I swear…" Ulana says, glaring at him. 

"I wanted to spend the day with you, just us" he mumbles, smiling down at her innocently. 

Ulana sighs and looks up at him, shaking her head as she climbs on top of him, sitting on his stomach. 

"You better make me dessert tonight after dinner…" she says, grinning down at him. 

Valery chuckles as he places his hands on her waist.

"I can give you dessert right now…" Valery teases, rolling her over and pressing her into the bed.

"I won't protest if you do," Ulana says, giggling a little as she wraps her legs around him. 

They spend a few hours making love, for it had been quite a while since they had any proper alone time. By the end, Ulana's face is flushed and she is quite out of breath, wrapping her arms around Valery as he buries his face in her breasts. 

"I... love you... so much" Valery mumbles as he plants soft kisses on Ulana's chest. 

"I love you more" Ulana moans as she holds Valery tightly.

They cuddle for a while before proceeding to get dressed. Ulana lounges around the apartment, going over some work documents as she lays across the sofa, her head resting in Valery's lap as he grades some essays. Their day is fairly relaxed, they both go to pick up Katja from daycare, a little early, around three in the afternoon, just after Ulana finished taking a nap.

They proceed to take Katja to a nearby park. Ulana and Valery sit side by side, cuddling on a park bench as they watch Katja running around, making friends, and proceeding to get dirty. Ulana sighs as Katja runs up to her, covered in patches of dirt. She proceeds to hold up a large beetle, proudly showing her mother the squirming bug. 

"Wow bear, isn't he cool?" Ulana says, taking the bug from Katja. 

Katja allows her mother to hold the bug for a few moments before taking it back to release it. Ulana smiles, knowing she and Valery must be doing at least something right.

They spend only a few hours at the park before heading back to their apartment. Ulana instantly plops down into the plush recliner chair by the window, elevating her swollen feet. Valery smiles a little as he walks over to her, planting a soft kiss on her lips and gently caressing her belly.

"I'll clean up the little bear for dinner. You stay here and relax…" he says softly, gently pressing his nose to hers and looking into her eyes. 

Ulana smiles up at him and places her hand on top of his. 

"Good luck…" she mumbled, watching as an overly energetic Katja runs around the coffee table.

Valery smiles and scoops Katja up in his arms before carrying her into the bathroom, despite her many protests. Ulana chuckles as she listens to Katja, practically howling to be set free. Sasha slinks over to Ulana after jumping down from her favourite spot on top of the bookshelf. The cat gently jumps up onto the chair, crawling onto Ulana's belly and practically demanding to be pet. Ulana smiles and gently scratches behind Sashas ears before pushing the cat over and rubbing her belly, Sasha absolutely adored the attention, especially when it was from either of the adults. 

Almost an hour passed before the bathroom door opened and Katja came sprinting out, in one of her nightgowns. She jumped onto the chair and crawled up next to her mother, Valery slowly followed, drenched in bathwater that had been splashed all over him. He looks absolutely defeated, but at least Katja is clean. Valery walks over and stands beside the chair, looking down at his girls. 

"Did you have fun?" Ulana teases, gently tracing her finger over her belly.

"Obviously," Valery says grinning at Ulana, "why don't you make a bit of room for me?" 

"Valery I swear, do not get me all wet!" Ulana says, trying to push him away as he climbs in the chair on the other side of Ulana.

"Gah, Valery you are soaked!" Ulana shouts, squirming in the chair as the water soaks from his clothes into hers. 

Valery giggles, kissing her softly as he presses her against the chair, water dripping from his hair onto her. Ulana is struggling beneath him, furious at him for getting her all wet. Finally, she sighs and gives up, not fighting it anymore, letting him get her soaked.

"You owe me for his" Ulana growls as he leans down and kisses her passionately.

"I always pay you back, don't I?" Valery teases, finally allowing Ulana to push him off of her. Ulana rolls her eyes and readjusts in the chair as Valery goes to dry off. 

After drying off, Valery proceeds to make dinner. It does not take long for the savoury aroma of food to draw his girls into the kitchen. Ulana places herself in her normal seat at the table and Katja goes over to Valery's side to see what he is doing. Valery allows Katja to help him carry the food to the table, letting her take Ulana's plate. Ulana gratefully takes her plate, thanking Katja as she watches the little girl streak around the table and hops into her seat. Ulana smiles as she watches Valery place Katja's food in front of her before taking his seat. 

As per usual, Katja tells her parents all about how much fun she had a daycare. She talks about all of the things she learned and the friends she made. It is extremely cute when she begins explaining how she caught a butterfly and learned a new song, which she proceeded to sing for them.

After dinner, Valery proceeded to wash all of the dishes as Ulana got Katja ready for bed. She sat on the edge of Katja's bed and proceeded to tell her a story. Ulana also sang a beautiful german lullaby,  that had been a nightly tradition since Katja was only a few months old. Their neighbour, Petra Wilheim had taught it to Ulana, for Katja had been refusing to sleep. The sweet melody soothed her and most definitely did its job, alongside Ulana's cuddles, lulling Katja to sleep. Once Ulana had successfully gotten Katja to sleep, she wandered to the bedroom, desperately in need of some sleep.

Not long after she and Valery had gotten comfortable, they were separated by a little squirming mass. It was Katja, she had been having a bad dream and was desperately in need of cuddling. Ulana smiled drowsily as she looked down at her little bear. She smoothed down Katja's hair and proceeded to hum a sweet lullaby for her as Katja laid her head on Ulana's chest.

[dank-hp--memes]

I Need Ideas

Hey Yall, I need some inspiration for what to write about. I want to know what you guys would like to read in terms of my Chernobyl fics. I am obviously a Valana shipper. I just want to write what yall want to see. It doesnt have to be Valana. So please leave me a comment or a reblog. I love you all. Have a wonderful day.

(Here is an Ulana edit because I love her)

[dank-hp--memes]

The Lives of Others (pt.2...)

so i honestly have no idea how long this story will be. my writer's block is bad today, so here is another chapter of this that I just finished earlier, most of it was written as a part of the last part, but I just didn't include it, enjoy (Ps. if you want me to tag you in any fanfic posts lmk)

tag (: @shit-in-silk-stocking

-

It seems like hours pass and darkness has fallen over the camp. Rukovsky is now asleep in Legasovs lap. Her soft hair is splayed over his lap as her head lays on Scherbinas coat. Rukovsky’s light silky pink blouse is hanging over her thin body and her floral skirt is a crumpled mess. Scherbina watches her, quietly clicking a pen he pulled from his pocket. Legasov is mindlessly petting Rukovskys head, deep in thought. Rukovsky groans a little in her sleep.

Eventually, Pikalov returns and the men get up and hurry to meet him, leaving Rukovsky in the tent. Legasov is the first to exit the tent and he instantly approaches Pikalov, anxious to know the measurements.

“It's not three roentgen” Pikalov starts

The tension hangs in the air and it almost seems hard to breathe.

“It's fifteen thousand…” Pikalov continues

Fomin gapes at Pikalov, shocked and horrified. His mouth is moving as if to speak but no words come out. Bryukhanov scoffs and shakes his head, not believing what he has just heard. Legasov just closes his eyes, this is as he expected.

“Comrade Scherbina…” Bryukhanov begins, gaping at him.

Scherbina fixes a deadly stare on Bryukhanov who instantly goes quiet. He then turns to Legasov.

“What does that number mean?” Scherbina asks demandingly, clenching his fists.

“It means the core is open…” Legasov starts, swallowing the knot in his throat, “and the fuel is melting down. It means the fire we're watching with our own eyes i-is giving off nearly twice the radiation released by the bomb in Hiroshima”

He pauses and nervously fiddles with his glasses.

“And that's every single hour. Hour after hour” Legasov continues, checking his watch “Twenty hours since the explosion. So that’s forty bombs' worth by now”

He pauses and puts his glasses back on.

“Forty-eight more tomorrow. And it will not stop… Not in a week. Not in a month. It will burn and spread its poison until the entire continent is dead” Legasov continues exasperated and beginning to raise his voice.

Only silence follows as everyone absorbs what Legasov has said. Scherbina turns to the soldiers.

“Please escort Comrades Bryukhanov and Fomin to the local Party headquarters” Scherbina orders.

Bryukhanov and Fomin look at Scherbina in shock as the soldiers seize one of their arms.

“Comrade…” Bryukhanov manages to say.

“You are exscused” Scherbina says, drawing himself up and glaring down at them both in disgust.

“Dyatlov was in charge! It was Dyatlov!” Fomin cries as the soldiers escort them away.

Scherbina pays no attention to them and turns to Pikalov saying: “Tell me how to put it out”

“We'll use helicopters. Drop water on it, like a forest fire” Pikalov says with confidence.

“No-No you don’t understand” Legasov says stepping forward.

“You're dealing with something that has never occurred on this planet before” Legasov explains in horror.

Both men look at him as he pauses for a moment.

“This isn't a "fire". It's a fissioning reactor core burning at over 2,000 degrees” Legasov continues, his voice faltering as he raises it, “The heat will instantly vaporize the water—or worse, ionize it, and then you're-”

“Tell me how to put it out” Scherbina demands, turning on Legasov

“Sand. Sand and boron. Thousands of drops because the helicopters can't go directly over the core, so much of it is going to miss, and there are other-- risks-- but I don't see any other way” Legasov says, shaking his head as he removes his glasses to rub his temples.

“Are you sure about that comrade?” A silky voice says from the tent entrance.

It's Rukovsky. She is leaning heavily on one of the tent posts, Scherbinas coat resting on her boney shoulders. Her thin legs are trembling, and she must muster all of her strength to stay upright. The men look at her in surprise, for it is not apparent how much of the conversation she has heard.

“Mirra” Legasov says, his voice barely a whisper.

She takes a few steps forward, stumbling a little and trembling weakly. They watch in shock as she stands between Scherbina and Legasov. A moment passes and Rukovsky tilts her head, eyeing Legasov.

“It will create problems of its own, but there is no other way” Legasov says, stepping forward to stand beside her.

Rukovsky simply sighs and nods in response. She then leans against Legasov as he wraps his arm firmly around her small waist.

“How much sand and boron?” Scherbina asks, desperate but determined.

“Well I can't be as accurate as I'd-” Legasov starts

“For god's sake—roughly” Scherbina says exasperatedly.

“Five thousand tons” Legasov states as he looks toward the powerplant.

Pikalov and Scherbina exchange a look of surprise and worry. They know they must do as Legasov says if they want to stop the fire.

“And obviously we need to immediately evacuate an enormous area of-” Legasov continues

“Never mind that. Focus on the fire” Scherbina says irritated, glaring at Legasov.

“I am focusing on the fire. The wind is carrying the smoke, all that

radiation-- at least evacuate Pripyat! It's three kilometers away!” Legasov says, confronting Scherbina.

“Comrade… He is right” Rukovsky says as she looks up at Scherbina

“That is my decision to make” Scherbina declares, glaring at the both of them.

“Then make it” Legasov says, challenging Scherbina.

“I have been told not to” Scherbina replies, the anger rising in him.

“Is it or is it not your decision?!” Legasov says in frustration.

“I am in charge here!” Scherbina barks, asserting his dominance over the measly scientists, “This will go much easier if you talk to me about things you DO understand, and do NOT talk to me about things you do NOT understand”

Scherbina glares at them for a moment, but the sight of Rukovsky fills him with remorse. After glaring at them for a moment, Scherbina huffs in frustration and walks off.

“Where are you going?” Legasov calls after him

“To get you five thousand tons of sand and boron” Scherbina calls back before disappearing into the camp.

Legasov stands there in awe for a moment, still supporting Rukovsky. He looks around, feeling lost.

“There's a hotel” Pikalov says as Legasovs eyes fall on him.

Legasov just nods in response, but everything now seems so surreal. Legasov picks up Rukovsky, who gives little protest as he carries her over to a Red Army UAZ-469 that is waiting for them. He gently places her in the car, watching her grimace as she chokes back vomit. Legasov takes a moment before climbing in beside her.

Upon their arrival at the hotel, Legasov helps Rukovsky into the lobby. He places her in a chair and gently fixes her glasses.

“Would you like a drink Mirra?” Legasov says softly as he looks into her eyes.

Rukovsky manages a nod and swallows before saying: “That would be nice Valery Alekseyevich”

Legasov looks at her in surprise as he smiles a little.

“Just Valery is fine, there is no need to use my patronymic Mirra Nikolaevna” Legasov says as he shakes his head a little.

Rukovsky smiles a little and shakes her head. They sit in silence for a moment before Legasov makes his way to the bar. He orders himself a shot, requesting a clean glass. His mind is buzzing and he finds it hard to focus. A woman down the bar addresses him, he doesn’t reply as he takes another shot.

“…Is there anything to worry about?” The woman asks.

Legasov takes a moment, and he can feel his hair standing on end as time seems to slow.

“No…” Legasov manages to reply.

His mouth is dry, and his throat feels incredibly shut. Legasov orders another shot and the couple down the bar raise their glasses toward him. It seems odd, but Legasov brushes it off. He takes a glass back to Rukovsky who hasn’t moved from the chair he placed her in. She is staring out the window, lost in thought, as Legasov approaches. He can see that her eyes are watering and she is barely aware of her surroundings. Legasov places the glass on the table beside her as he takes a seat in the chair opposite her. Rukovsky looks blankly down at the glass for a moment before picking it up and downing. She then looks up at Legasov. He is a bit shaken by the somber expression in her face. No words are exchanged, but Legasov gently takes her hand, trying to comfort her. They sit in silence for a few moments, only the other people moving about the hotel making some noise in the background. Rukovsky begins to stand up, her thin legs trembling as she tries to push herself up, but she is far too tired and weak to stand. Legasov watches her for a moment before picking her up, once again in a bridal style, and carrying her up to his room. Legasov sets Rukovsky on the edge of the clean, neat bed.

“You should try to rest Mirra” Legasov says softly as he removes his jacket. “Valery, I-I should go get cleaned up… I-I…” Rukovsky says as she slowly sits up.

“I will get you whatever you need from your room, but I cannot, in good conscience, let you spend the night alone in this state” Legasov says softly as he looks over at her from across the room.

“Always such a gentleman…” Rukovsky says, shaking her head before continuing: “If you could just get my bag. All of my things should be neatly packed up”

Legasov smiles and takes her room key. In the few minutes he was gone, Rukovsky has made her way to the bathroom and thrown up. She is curled up on the bathroom floor when he returns. Legasov leans in the doorframe, looking down at her. Rukovsky meets his eyes as there is a knock on the door. As Legasov pulls open the door, he sees the large barrel-chested figure of Scherbina standing just outside.

“Is she with you?” Scherbina asks, his raspy voice very stern and serious.

Legasov nods in response and Scherbina barges into the room. Legasov watches the older man as he quickly looks around the room before looking back at Legasov. There is a moment of silence before Scherbina looks into the bathroom to see Rukovsky now leaning against the far wall, facing the door.

“Are you alright comrade?” Scherbina says softly as he stands in the doorway.

Rukovsky nods and smiles up at him weakly. “you may as well use my name comrade Scherbina” She says with a weak laugh.

Scherbina smiles a little and sits down on the edge of the bathtub beside Rukovsky. He pulls a bottle of vodka out of his coat and hands it to her.

“I know it is not much, but I thought you might like a proper drink” Scherbina says softly, looking from Rukovsky to Legasov, who is now standing in the doorway.

Legasov looks around the small bathroom and takes a seat beside Rukovsky on the floor, loosening his tie as he sits down. Rukovsky lays her head against Legasovs shoulder, the bottle of vodka resting in her lap.

“You two should drink it… or at least share it with me” She mumbles smiling at them.

After a few drinks, Rukovsky is laying in Legasovs lap. Scherbina and Legasov continue drinking and talking quietly. The bottle sits empty beside Legasov’s tie, and the men sit side by side, whispering to one another so not to disturb Rukovsky as she sleeps peacefully in their laps, her head and upper body lay in Legasov’s lap and the rest of her lays in Scherbina’s lap.

As the sky begins to lighten with the signs of early morning, the two men share a few moments of silence. They exchange a look before looking at Rukovsky.

“What can we do for her?” Scherbina asks, feeling a bit helpless.

“She should see a doctor…From what I can tell shes suffering from Radiation Poisoning” Legasov says softly, stroking Rukovsky’s hair.

Scherbina nods slowly before saying: “we should get her into bed… she will be more comfortable there”

Legasov nods quietly in agreement. Together, Legasov and Scherbina manage to move Rukovsky to Legasov’s bed without waking her. The sun has begun to rise and is barely cresting the horizon. Both men reek of alcohol, but despite being a little drunk, they must get back to work. Scherbina returns to his room to get ready for the day. Meanwhile, Legasov cleans up his bathroom a little before changing his clothes and freshening up a little. As he is pulling on his shoes, he cannot help but think of the consequences of coming to Chernobyl…

[dank-hp--memes]

Deep Connection Part 2

Hello internet, before I begin I would like to thank everyone for all the support the first part of this fanfic received. If you haven't read that yet, I encourage you to do so. 

-

As morning came, Legasov awoke to the sound of a shower running and the first rays of sunshine coming in through the window. The bed beside him is empty. Legasov sits up and groggily looks around the room as he puts his glasses on. Khomyuk can be heard humming softly as she showers. Legasov quietly gets out of bed, his shirt and jacket are placed on the sofa. the empty bottle of vodka sitting in the table beside Legasov and Khomyuk’s glasses. Legasov fixes his pants and pulls on his shirt. he pulls out a cigarette and lights it as he takes a closer look around the room. He sees that Khonyuk only has a small bag packed with some clothes and personal effects and her purse. As he is looking around the shower turns off and Khomyuks humming becomes more clear. After a few moments, the bathroom door opens and Khomyuk emerges in a cloud of steam. she is wrapped in a fluffy white towel, her wet hair hanging at her shoulders. Legasov looks over at her, his eyes widening a little, the cigarette he had just taken a drag from held between his parted lips. Khomyuk looks over at him and blushes a little

“Good morning Comrade Legasov...” Khomyuk says, trying to be as formal as possible.

Legasov smiles a little at the sight of Khomyuk being so flustered. he approaches her, slowly looking her over. Khomyuks cheeks seem to get more flushed with every step Legasov takes. 

“Good Morning...” Legasov replies, peering down at her through his glasses.

Khomyuk clutches her towel around her, holding it around her pale chest. as she looks up at Legasov, who gently pushes her wet hair out of her face.

“I assumed you'd still be asleep” Khomyuk says as she pulls herself together and strides over to her bag, trying to express an air of confidence.

“Well, you assumed wrong Ulana” Legasov replies as he watches her, taking another drag on his cigarette.

The use of her first name sent chills up Khomyuk’s spine and she stopped halfway across the room. Legasov smiled, seeing that he had surprised her. He quietly sat down on the couch, tossing the butt of his cigarette in the ashtray before polling out another cigarette, watching Khomyuk closely as he lit it. 

“I see you're assuming we are on first name terms Valery Alekseyevich” Khomyuk says as she pulls out some clean clothes.

“Well Ulana Yuriyvna, we did just spend the night together” Legasov says as he rests his elbows on his knees, leaning forward and looking at her, his cigarette in his hand.

Khomyuk sits down on the edge of the bed and pulls on her underwear, her towel keeping Legasov from seeing anything. she then stands up and turns her back on Legasov before dropping her towel and putting on her bra. 

“I suppose being on a first name basis is appropriate then” Khomyuk replies as she turns to face Legasov.

Khomyuk smiles triumphantly as Legasov seems to be at a loss for words. She then begins to put on her tights, sitting on the edge of the bed. Legasov gets up after taking a long drag on his cigarette. He stubs out his cigarette in the ashtray before walking over to Khomyuk. Legasov leans down, placing his hands on the bed on either side of her.

“Are you trying to tease me Ulana?” Legasov asks as he grins down at her.

Khomyuk looks up at him, her lips curling in a small smile as she says:” I would not call this teasing Valery, its more of a power play” 

There is a knock at the door as Legasov leans down to kiss Khomyuk. Khomyuk slips out under Legasovs arms and quickly grabs her dress as Scherbinas voice calls “Khomyuk?”. There is complete silence as Khomyuk quickly pulls on her blue dress, glancing at Legasov worried about what Sherbina may think if he found them together.