Another love (zelenskyy fanfic)

Chapter 4 (edited)

I wake to an empty bed. His pillow was returned between my arms. It takes a moment to realize exactly where I am; that last night was real. That I slept in his bed, after we kissed, he kissed me when he thought I was fast asleep. There are butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it all. The feeling of being pulled into his side. I'm overcome with emotions. Part of me wishes he did not leave me here to wake up alone.

I sit up slowly to try to let it all sink in, and as I do, I feel the crunch of paper under my hand. With one hand I pick it up, and with the other, I reach out to flip the side lamp on. It's a small piece of paper, must have been pulled off a memo pad, it's folded in half. The outside reads my name. On the inside it reads, 'I am so sorry that I could not be here when you woke. I should be in my office when you do, though. Remember we have a meeting with the foreign press this afternoon.'

+++

Bohdan was standing facing the door with the biggest smirk on his face.

"Oh, shut up." I started, trying not to look at him, as I closed the door behind me, before starting down the hallway.

"I didn't say anything." He came back, trying to catch up to me.

"You don't have to. I know exactly what is going on inside of that head of yours." Bohdan is really rather my only other friend down here. We aren't shy with each other, and really truly have been able to confide in each other. So, of course, he knows how I feel.

"So, a war is all it took for you both to get your shit together?" I turned and just looked at him. He wasn't wrong, but that does not seem like the best way to actually say it. The act of war was not needed. Might have just sped up the process. "Come on. You've been crushing on him for how long?!"

"Can we not talk about it?" I responded, turning down the hallway that led to my room.

"But we have to. We can't just ignore the fact that you slept with him."

"You're right. I did sleep in the same bed as Volodymyr." He did not need to know everything right now. Volodymyr and I have not even spoken about it.

"So, you guys didn't...." He wondered? How far things went last night, as I turned my back against the door to my room. I wanted to look him dead in the eyes.

"No." It came out harsh, but I did not want to talk about it. "Now isn't there something you should be doing, not just standing around? Like you said, there is a war. I'm sure you're supposed to be getting ready for some kind of meeting. I have to get around and meet the President in his office." I said, turning the handle and opening the door. I tried to sneak into my room, but before I could close the door, Bohdan stopped it with his foot.

"You're right, I do have other things to do, but the President wanted me to make sure you were alright. But do not think you are going to get out of talking about this."

I sighed knowing that the conversation was inevitable. He gave me a quick smile, before moving his foot and letting the door close.

+++

I tried to find the best thing to wear since we have invited the press for a briefing. It is not supposed to be the biggest briefing, but there have been endless requests from foreign pressers for interviews. Hopefully, this will start to satisfy their need to speak with Volodymyr. It is a good idea though to speak with the press from other counties. Not only to get our message out, but in a way a grassroots movement. If we can get the backing of the people of other nations, it might be easier to get their governments to do more.

The events of last night keep replaying in my head. Was I rude for questioning his motives? How will this affect us moving forward? This really was not the best time for all of this to be happening. We are fighting for our country and our people. There was little time to focus on personal stuff. We had a message to get out to our people, and one to get out to the world.