𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬

Car Ride

You didn't sleep a wink. You paced around the cabin until 3 a.m., cleaning up whatever little things you could find. You explored and cleaned rooms until you felt you'd done everything around the cabin.

By 3:30 a.m. you found some old spare clothes in a box in the attic. You sifted through them until you found a suitable outfit — light blue plaid pants and a big, baggy tee shirt that says 'Story of my Life (Ft. Vodka)' as its print.

You wandered to the front door, put on some big boots and equipped Russia's coat.

The air outside was nice, cold but not so much so that it'd burn your lungs. The strong scent of cedar was present, but not enough to drown your senses in the forest's fragrance.

Your breath was foggy and visible in the cold night air, and the weather suggested the possibility of it snowing soon. The tranquillity of your surroundings made you sigh in relief, especially after being cooped up in the small cabin.

You despised being in one place for longer than you should be. Not after that white hell. Never again.

Once the sun started rising, you knew it was six already. You made your way back to the cabin but paused just outside the door, mesmerized by the beauty of the dawn breaking over the horizon.

The sky was painted in hues of pink and gold, casting a soft glow over the snow-covered landscape. The trees stood tall and proud, their branches dusted with a sprinkling of fresh snow that sparkled like diamonds in the early morning light.

A gentle breeze whispered through the forest, carrying with it the faint scent of pine and earth. The world seemed to hold its breath at that moment as if waiting for something extraordinary to happen.

You carefully opened the creaky door, trying not to disturb Russia who was most likely still sound asleep. The golden light of dawn filtered through the windows, casting long shadows on the wooden floor.

With a quiet determination, you padded back into the living room to finish up the last touches of cleaning.

The soft morning light revealed forgotten corners and dusty spots that needed attention. You set about your task with a quiet resolve, wiping down surfaces, rearranging furniture, and opening windows to let in the crisp air.

The cabin began to feel more like a home with each passing moment. A sense of calm enveloped you like a warm embrace as you worked. The familiar scent of pine mingled with the welcoming aroma of a crackling fireplace, creating a comforting atmosphere.

It was a stark contrast to the harshness of your previous experiences, and you allowed yourself a moment to savour the tranquillity. After ensuring everything was in its place, you stepped back to admire your handiwork.

By then, it was almost nine, and you decided to start breakfast. You decided upon blini, which were generally easy to make.

It only took maybe twenty minutes to prepare the toppings in bowls, like yoghurt, jam, berries, bananas, and butter, and you were even able to prepare some caviar.

It only took you twenty more minutes to prepare the blini, and you spent the rest of the time preparing the table. Almost on cue, Russia emerged from his room only five past ten.

"Утро." The taller man yawned, looking down at you. Looking over at the table, he hummed. "You made breakfast? You really are a useful woman, huh? Спасибо." Russia took a seat at the table and took his plate, putting caviar and yoghurt on his blin.

Russia chucked and raised his fork at you while you were caking berries, banana slices and jam onto your blin. "You're wearing those old clothes I had in the attic?"

He sounded amused by the fact — it was unexpected. "I'll have to get you some of your own huh?" He laughed, face full of blin. "Well I'm going somewhere at 11, you can join if you want. We can stop at the store first, too."

You nodded, you weren't very opposed to going out, since you'd spent most of the day in the cabin and woods. Russia nodded as he finished the last of his pancakes, going to put his dish in the sink.

After you both finished, Russia checked his phone. "It's 10:20. You want to go now?" You nodded since you had nothing better to do. Russia nodded, stuffing his phone back into his pocket and grabbing his keys and wallet.

He ushered you outside and into his truck like a tired dad, making sure you were buckled in before starting the truck. The car was a blue Nissan Zed with cracked windows and windshield.

The interior was messy and disorganised, with papers and receipts littered in almost every nook, blankets, jackets and clothes stacked up in the backseat. There was even a little sticky note on his window with a to-do list, written in sloppy Russian handwriting.

Russia looked completely unbothered by his car's state as he started his drive to the clothes store. When you were both in the parking lot, he ushered you out of the car and locked it, bringing you into the store.

When the woman behind the counter looked over at the two of you, her mouth fell agape. "О боже мой, здравствуйте, сэр! Что я могу сделать для тебя сегодня?" The woman fumbled, smiling up at Russia.

He seemed to have an amount of respect (and fame) to his name.

Russia hummed looking down at you, then back to the woman. "We need clothes. Whatever works." The woman nodded, turning to you. "Alright, we have pre-styled bundle bags if you're interested in that. We just need your size,"

You nodded and told the woman your clothing size, as the woman hummed, going into the back and giving you a bag. "Alright, you're all set, that'll be 6190 rubles, please," Russia huffed muttering under his breath, "чертовски дорогая одежда..." and handing the woman his card.

After the shop, Russia ushered you back into the car and told you to buckle back up — "It might be a long ride. I'm gonna see a friend,"

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