Anime Guys x Reader

Soviet!Ivan Braginski (Russia) x Reader

Hey there! I really loved the idea behind this picture and decided to take a stab at the Soviet!Ivan story plot haha

I really really enjoyed writing this. I haven't enjoyed writing a story like I did this one in a long time haha so I hope you all like it!

Enjoy~

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"No, sir, I cannot do this. I can do many things, but not this." The tall Russian man explained to his overhead, desperate in his attempts to get his point across. "There must be another way, ya? We promised not to hurt people we are close to, you promised this to us!" His voice edging closer to a yell as he stepped closer to the desk, challenging his boss.

Standing up from his chair, the dark headed Russian man on the other side of the wooden desk narrowed his dark eyes at the opposing force. "Are you telling me how to run my country and my men, Ivan?" His tone just as dangerous as his the words he had spoken to the world when the war was declared. "I will not have you speaking me in such a disrespectful manner, am I understood, General? I will not hesitate to strip you of your five stars- well earned or not. Now you will do this, as I have said, and I will not hear another protest from you." Then with his final threats, the boss sat in his large seat, turning around to look out his large window, snow falling outside, painting an almost eerily beautiful picture as the white specs contrasted the vibrant colors of the Saint Basil's Cathedral.

There was a stiff silence that hung between the two men for a moment but when Ivan had begun toward the large office doors, the harsh quiet was interrupted- "Oh, and Ivan," stopping the man in his tracks, "do not try to cross me, ya? If you try to hide her, we will find her and we will kill her...in our own way." He threatened casually, no emotion in his tone. "It is merciful that I am letting you kill her in whatever way you see fit, but you do not take this action, I will take it myself. We both know you would not like that even more than having to kill her yourself. You are a man of the Soviet. Now act like one."

And with those words, Ivan knew there was no other path to take. He understood they would torture her if he did not do as he was told. But why her? Out of everyone he had to harm, why make it her? She was no harm, she only loved, ever loved, even a monster such as himself. All she did was love.

She was a sunflower in his snowscape of cold ice and loneliness. She was comfort in the dark times of war and though she was not one of his people, he swore that he would have no harm come to her. Ivan swore to not let the pain of the conflicts between their two countries rise between them- and now he was stuck between the two evils.

And Ivan knew only of one way to escape such a madness. He knew of only one way to make certain she was safe, so no one else could harm her.

The Russian man walked down the street, eyes trained forward as the snow fell around him, the ice seeping through his red and green military uniform and soaking straight into his heart. The numbness filling each limb as he made his way closer to the house they had shared.

He'd never gotten the chance to ask her to marry him...though as desperately as he'd wanted to, he knew instantly that when they saw his records they would come for her.

He'd never gotten to the opportunity to see how beautiful the child the two of them would make would become. The world was too cold a place to bring such another gentle soul, as hers, into. Ivan wouldn't be able to bear it.

The ice now reached his gaze as he had stood before the door he remembered her so excitedly painting purple- the memory flooding back as if it were yesterday she'd begged him to allow it.

Stepping inside, the sounds of a radio were playing- reciting things of the war form the American point of view. Ivan knew it was her listening so intently as the dishes clanked against the sink.

The sounds of his home.

The sounds of the woman he loved.

The sounds he never realized he would never be able to fully embrace again.

Following the sound of life into the kitchen, he stood there silently admiring how beautiful she looked- even from behind he could see and feel her smile. The warmth that radiated around it, the sorrow that buried deep in his heart at the thought of never seeing it after this moment.

No words were spoken when she turned around and jumped at the sight of Ivan standing in the archway to the kitchen. Only he didn't look his normal self, the normal smile and bright expression replaced by tears and exhaustion. The hand that would usually hold flowers out for her as a surprise, now gripping a pistol that trained its barrel at her.

"Ivan?" Her voice felt like a bittersweet sunshine, inviting and beautiful, but blinding and searing. Ivan wanted to hear it forever, for the rest of his days, if she was there he knew he'd never be miserable again...

And yet.

"What's going on, sweetheart?" The voice now carried worry and fear as she noticed he was unmoving. She'd taken great care to see the frozen sorrow in his eyes from where the steady stream of tears flowed. Then it made sense.

A pitiful laugh escaped her lips as she nodded, setting the dishtowel back onto the counter behind her, then looked at Ivan with a sympathetic smile. "I understand now." Was all she said, voice quivering but demeanor strong.

"I do not wan-"

"Ivan, it's alright, sweetheart. We knew this was a possibility. We took this risk when the war started." She interrupted his broken voice to reassure him honestly.

His hand shook, knuckles white as they fought against his will. "But we did not know the war would come...we did not know-"

"I know, sweetie.."

"And I made promise to protect you even when war started-"

"Yes, I know..."

"And I love you...(y/n). I love you so much. You are my sunflower and I made promise to keep my sunflower safe. But now.."

Silence fell over them both as they stood, staring back at one another. Pistol still pointed firmly in her direction, her hands at her sides.

A smile graced her lips again, tears touching her eyes. "I just didn't think it would hurt so bad to see you there with a gun pointed at me..." she whispered as she began to cry.

Ivan saw her tears and his heart ached, hands yearning to hold her and console her- but he steeled himself and froze his emotions, "I did not know it to be so hard to protect the one I love." He responded with a steely expression. "Goodbye, my sunflower."

The sound of her body hitting the floor will haunt his memory forever.

The sight of her lifeless form lying across the kitchen floor, blood painting the yellow walls they had taken days to paint together, seared into his eyelids.

Dropping to his knees with a dead expression, tears rolled over his cheeks, "Forgive me." He mumbled under his breath, robbed of any emotion as he gazed her body. Ivan bent over, his face against the floor- red and green military cap falling beside his head- weeping brokenly. Loud cries of pain, as if he'd shot himself instead of the one he loved, echoed throughout the kitchen, bouncing off the walls to greet him to his new life.

What pain could be worse?

After what seemed like hours of self-loathing and debating whether or not he should find the strength to use his last bullet on himself, Ivan pulled himself up into a sitting position once again. Taking up his military cap and dusting it off then placing it back on his head, he stood- a few lone tears escaping down his cheek. Ivan took in a deep breath, blinking exhaustedly for a moment then straightened his back. "I am man of the Soviet..." his voice soft and broken as he stated these words.

"And...I am monster."