Tough Ice

Tough Ice: Chapter 27 - Katerina/Valery

Katerina:

It's been a week since Ukraine started attacking Russia, and we haven't heard anything.

Valery's been... sadder than I would've expected. I understand he might be feeling sad because it's his country and where he's from, but he doesn't have any connection to St Petersburg.

I sit on the couch, early in the morning with the news on, then Valery walk out.
"Morning princess." He topples over and lays a gently kiss on my forehead.
"Morning." His smile dips slightly and he swallows, then looks to the TV.
"Any updates?"
"No, they're bombing smaller cities now, Moscow hasn't been touched." He nods and stands up, kisses my forehead and walks into the bathroom, locks the door and I hear the water turn on, and a faint scream. I get up and shuffle to the bathroom, then I knock. "Valery, everything okay?"
"Yeah, darling."
"I heard a scream."
"Must've been someone else, wasn't me." I sigh and walk back into the lounge room, and glare at the bathroom door.

Valery:

I run my hands through my wet hair and pinch the bridge of my nose with my left hand, my right grasping at the back of my neck.

My sister hasn't called me in a week, my Aunt hasn't called me in a week. The rest of my family in St Petersburg hasn't contacted me at all. I know my dad and brother are fine, they're in Moscow, not that I care very much, they're horrible people, but I still worry.

I exit the bathroom through the door to our bedroom, and I quickly pull on an outfit, then I walk out to find Katerina not in the lounge room.
"Kat?" I hear a soft sigh from the guest room, making me slide down the wall, and dropping my head in my hands. "Take your time love." I hear the sheets shuffle, then silence.

My girl, my beautiful girl, is pushing me away, when she needs me the most.

I would be there for her, I would hold her when she cries, I would help her through this.

But no, she's pushing me away, and it's breaking me.

She's all I live for. I love her more than anything in this fucked up world.

"Valery?" I force my head up and she's standing a couple metres away from me.
"Yes, you okay my love?"
"I need to talk to you."

No. No. No.

Absolutely not. This is not happening. She's not doing this to me, not right now. I can't survive without her, who would I be without her? I'm just some ordinary guy without her.

"Yeah?"
"I need to break up with you."

And there it is.

I feel tears welling in my eyes as I stand up, and try to grab her hands, but she only takes another step back.

"Why princess?"
"It's just too hard for me to be in a relationship right now, with half my family being in the place that's being bombed right now, I just need some space."

My heart shatters.

"I'm here for you though sweetheart, and you know that, I can help you through it."
"No, I need to be with my close family right now."
"Kat..." I pinch the bridge of my nose and run my right hand through my hair. "My family's in St Petersburg too." Her eyes drop, and her mouth hangs a little lower. "But if it's what you need."

I move my hands and rest them at my sides.

"I'll wait for you. I'll wait a lifetime if it's what you need. I will wait for you princess."

"It is what I need." She kisses my cheek softly and stares into my eyes. "I still love you Orlov, I just need space."
"I love you princess." She peels away from me, and walks out of the guest room with a suitcase.

That's why none of her stuff was in the bathroom.

"I'm going to stay with Ares and Nat, will you be okay on your own?"
"Yeah." She waved goodbye and leaves through the front door, and I walk into our- my bedroom, and I lie down onto the bed, and sob into the pillow.

___________

Sorry loves.