Another love (zelenskyy fanfic)

Chapter 13 (edited)

I wake to the bed dipping beside me, and a hand running up and down my side. It's Volodymr. I scoot back on the bed to make room for him. There's just enough light that I can make out that he's changed into comfier clothes, ready to rest and try to get some sleep. I hold the comforter up so he can get under it, and he does.

I had come back from his office, after he told me about Artem, and after changing into something rather more comfortable I laid down. I must have just passed out. Volodymyr lies flat on his back pulling me into his side, hand resting on the small of my back. It's hard not to just wrap my arms around him, to hold him as tight as I can. To hold him there, and make sure he is not going anywhere. I couldn't start to think of the idea of where I would be, if he wasn't right here with me processing things.

"I'm sorry I didn't come up for dinner." I felt like I had to apologize. That had become our time. It was time away from our reality, the best we could have, close to normal. There is no real normal, but for that little time it is just us. I let that go to waste tonight.

"You don't have to apologize. Ivan had told me you had come back down here, so I knew you probably had wanted some time alone." He explained. "Then of course, I came and checked in on you with dinner, but you were asleep and I did not want to wake you yet."

"You could have." I offered up. I would have been okay with that. I might have not been the happiest of campers, but I would have at least been happy to see him, and spend some time with him.

"You were peaceful and I didn't want to bother you. Not after the news I had given you, at least. How are you doing, with the news and all?" He wanted to know how I was taking it. His hand moved my shirt up, so that it was pressed against my skin. The extra skin to skin made me sink in a little more.

I just wrapped my arms around him tighter not wanting to answer. Not knowing how I'm really doing with it after all. Artem's getting better, and he said it wasn't like he was going to die from this one bullet, but it's too close. He put himself on the front line to protect our nation, and he could have died in combat. Not as many have been lucky enough as him to be on the road to recovery from this.

His wife, Lavra and children would be without a husband and father. I would no longer have an older brother to look up to. I couldn't imagine a world without him. He's always been the one I go to when I need help the most. The one I would go to to complain to.

I'm thankful Volodymyr was able to tell me about it before anyone else had the chance. I might have absolutely lost it if I had found out when over hearing it, or from someone else letting me know. I've been able to pretty well keep it together so far.

"I'm one of the lucky ones." I say softly, trying to hold back some tears.

"Hmm?" He sounded, seeming to want to know what I mean by my statement.

"Not so many are lucky enough to know their brother is in stable condition or even that they are alive."

I can feel myself holding the water works back. Fighting the idea of what life would be like right now for me if I didn't accept his offer to come stay with him. I would have been in Poland with the rest of my family, trying to figure out what to do with myself. Trying to figure out what to make of a new life. Part of me would probably be judging whatever content they have picked to create on their own for his platform.

But more importantly I would have been left blind about what was happening with my brothers and father. Not knowing exactly how Volodymyr is doing. I would always wonder, though our relationship would have not progressed to where it is today. I know I would still be afraid for his well being. There would not be a way for me to really stay in touch with him if I would have left. Who knows if we would have been able to keep in contact, with me out of the country. If I wasn't here, would he even have time to do something for himself?