Twenty-year-old Ivan Volkov has spent years making himself difficult to need and even harder to know. Quiet, disciplined, and weeks away from deployment, he has little interest in the military's new Companion Program-until a selection video introduces him to Maria Bennett, an American student with fluent Russian, a stubborn streak, and a habit of asking questions he usually refuses to answer. The program is supposed to give soldiers connection without dependence. Three months. Clear rules. An ending already built in. But as deployment gets closer, Ivan begins to realize that the thing he spent his whole life avoiding may be the one thing that makes leaving unbearable: having a life he actually wants to come back to. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• You guys I kid you not, this story genuinely came to me in a dream. I've worked hard on it . This is my first ever real story so be nice to her!

Rule number one: Don't look at her. Rule number two: Don't cross the line. Staying in her father's guest house was supposed to be simple, but Frank is finding it impossible to keep his eyes off Nora. He watches the way she hides behind her clothes and tolerates a guy who doesn't deserve her. Frank knows he's out of line. He knows he's too old to fall into this trap. He just doesn't care anymore.

how many stars would you cross just to love again? ⟡ slow burn, but I promise it's worth it in the end. - I hope you enjoy it! I hope to make more fanfics in the future. 🤍 p.s. I don't make y/n fanfics simply because I'm preparing to write actual books so I want to practice here. Sorrryhy