Russia X Reader: Alone Together

Love was such a fickle thing. [Name] couldn’t seem to ever grasp it quite clearly. There was only one thing she could ever associate it with and that was loneliness. It was what he always left her with therefore she assumed that was what love meant. It started after she had heard the accursed word leave his lips. Those same lips that never once gave her that passion that “love” was stereotypically expressed as.

May it be a curse or a law of the world that all love is good for is regulated isolation. [Name] was an expert at such a thing. The two followed each other and stuck like glue.

She can recall several childhood memories of her parents spending countless hours saying those three words of endearment. However as a few more years stretched on, bitter testimonies were left in their wake. Eventually her parents officially split, both legally and physically. They took off for opposite ends of the world to start a new life for themselves. But where did they leave their pre-adolescent [Name]? The poor child was left to be claimed by her grandparents on her mother’s side of the family.

Game shows and soap opera premiers defined most of [Name]’s childhood. She could list to you the different hosts from Family Feud in consecutive order and correctly price any prize given from The Price Is Right.

However due to the fact that her grandparents were given a responsibility that both of their pensions were not expecting, her grandfather opted to take a job. On the other hand, her grandmother spent her time cleaning the house and preparing three square meals a day. Both of her guardians rarely had any time for their grandchild.

[Name] didn’t mind this. She took to her own company and found things to keep herself busy as well. Aside from helping with the house’s chores, there was always schoolwork to be done or television shows to catch up on.

However, it was one man that changed everything for her. She had lowered her impenetrable walls that bound her in solitude to someone that said they “loved” her.

Now everything had been changed.

She knew better than to allow the term “love” come before her again. But if it ever did, she already knew what it entailed.

He made her smile. He made her laugh. He made her feel like there was someone out there that truly cared for her.

But after he loved her, he ignored her. She no longer felt special or his anymore.

This man broke what little hope she had left. [Name] learned through her own firsthand experience what damage the heart could do. It was never physical, but it hurt either way. All at once her chest felt empty and full.

She had heard stories of couples that were together too often. They fought but ended up patching their disagreements up in the end because they communicated. He never did that for her. He never wanted to talk. It is more painful to be neglected by a lover than to be insulted by one.

After she mustered up all the courage to leave the apartment that they shared, [Name] reunited with her grandparents’ home once more. The house that had once been filled with her caretakers now collected dust in their place. Shortly after [Name] had moved in with her now ex-boyfriend, her grandparents decided it was time to move out of their small hometown and into a vacation paradise for elderly people like themselves.

An exasperated sigh echoed the chilled hallways. The sound of the air condition was the only clue that the house was still being occupied. [Name] didn’t bother to turn on any lights. The darkness made her feel a lot less lonely that did the light. At least then she didn’t have to see the empty space around her.

Suddenly she heard a faint knock at her door. The woman ran a hand through her messy hair and trudged to open the front door. She didn’t bother checking through the peephole to know who it was. The mailman always arrived around this time and knocked after placing the mail safely within the mailbox.

The old wooden door creaked as [Name] took caution to open it slowly. It was only just enough room to grab the mail and then slip back in.

[Name] shifted through the envelopes on her way back into the house. They were the usual junk mail mixed with electric and other assorted bills. [Name] knew the bills were paid by her grandparents each month and a little extra was sent so that she could buy some food for herself.

A smaller envelope than the normal legally sized ones fell to her feet. The front was hand written in what she recognized as her grandmother’s handwriting. The postage stamp in the top right corner was of a clichéd heart. It was a deep crimson with vines snaked around it. “Love” was written in cursive lettering across the bottom. It took a bit of willpower from [Name] not to crumple the letter at that moment. She reasoned that if it was from her grandmother, she had to read it.

Dear [Name],

   This had been decided not for our sake but for yours. We think its best that you move out of the old house and begin your life. Sweetie, I know you’re still a bit shaken up from your first relationship. Everyone goes through heartbreak sometime in their life and it’s beyond my or your grandfather’s power to shield you from it. Please try to understand that this decision took a lot of time to make.

   The house had been put up for sale and will be shown to the public in a few weeks. We don’t want you to be there when the real estate agent brings in other people to look for the house. That is why we think you should look into getting a job. The world is looking for young people like you for work. I’m sure you’ll be able to find something in the paper or whatever online services you have these days. Once the house is sold, your grandfather and I can help you with your new apartment’s rent until your stable enough to live on your own. Again, it’s for you own good.

With love,
Grandma and Grandpa

The letter felt vile in her hands, like acid burning through her fingers. Tears threatened to burst from within, but she pushed them down. The time for crying had long past. Once again, she was reminded of the fact that everyone and everything she had ever loved had been and will be leaving her. It is only a matter of time.

[Name] blankly scanned the newspaper, following her given instructions. Perhaps a job was what she needed. It would take her mind away from him, her grandparents and her lost home.

After almost giving up hope in finding a job that she fit the requirements for, a small square in the corner piqued her interest. It was one requesting a live-in housekeeper. The address and phone number were listed as well as the employer’s name, Ivan Braginsky.

A little research on her outdated desktop told her that the house was more or a mansion with five bedrooms and four bathrooms. Several pictures she had found showed a happy family posing in front of the house. The tallest, Ivan, had his eyes closed in an innocent smile. The three men beside him seemed slightly nervous, but smiled as well. On the other side of Ivan were two women, opposite in appearance. While the shorter woman had long hair and a devilish scowl, the taller woman had short hair and a wide grin.

Ivan, himself, had a respectable reputation in the business world. He also seemed to travel a lot, which is probably why he required the housekeeper to live with him. Someone needed to tend to the mansion while he was away.

In a house as full as this one, [Name] knew she could escape her loneliness. On top of that, since she would be working and staying there, she didn’t have to worry about getting close to others. It wasn’t as though the residents of the house would ever grow attached to a hired help.

[Name]’s mind worked rapidly to form these conclusions. She covered herself in these delusions and fantasies. It seemed her logical reasoning was slipping between her fingers as the true hysteria of the situation beat upon her. She had to find a job quickly or else she would be forced to live on the streets. This was her first opportunity and [Name] would take it, no matter what.

Her hands shook as she held the phone in her hands. She was not used to doing so much than lying on the couch and flipping through channels after moving out of her shared apartment. It was over a month now.

Finally, [Name] dialed the number and waited for the phone to ring. For a moment, [Name] actually felt nervous. What if the spot had already been filled? Would she be able to find another job?

In the midst of her questionable thoughts, a man’s voice answered on the other end.

“Hello?”

His voice sounded partially in disbelief as if he had forgotten entirely of the ad he had put in the paper. [Name] wondered why he sounded so shocked to receive a phone call, but thought that it could also be from not recognizing her caller ID.

“Hello, Mr. Braginsky. My name is [Full Name]. I’m calling in response to the ad you had placed in the paper. I’d like to apply for the live-in housekeeper position.” [Name] tried to keep her voice leveled and professional. She didn’t want the man to think of her as a frightened child.

“Oh, that’s wonderful. When will you be able to start?”

His eagerness caught [Name] off guard. Surely the man wanted to know a little more about her first?

“Should we schedule an interview first? Or perhaps you’d like a copy of my resume?” She tried to inquire. For all this Ivan character knew, she could be a serial murderer trying to escape the police force. She wasn’t sure how to interpret his immediate acceptance.

“If you would like to bring a resume I will surely look it over, however it is not required. I’d like you to start working as soon as possible.” Ivan responded quickly. “Why don’t we arrange a meeting at my house for tomorrow at noon? I can answer all of your questions then.”

“I would like that very much. Thank you, Mr. Braginsky.”

“You can call me Ivan if you like. I await our meeting, Miss [Name].”

The line went dead as soon as Ivan gave his departing words. The woman hung up the phone swiftly and placed it back into her jean pocket. What a strange and fast paced conversation that had been, she thought.

The notion soon left her head as soon as it had arrived. There was no turning back or questionings now. What mattered was that [Name] found a job that would keep her off the streets from her grandparents’ selling the house away from her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That following morning, [Name] had woken up bright and early in order to prepare herself for the day. Her actions were sluggish at first, again not used to such activity. By the time her breakfast was finished she attained some sort of vigor to trudge on. Although she was in a daze for a great portion of the morning, the woman had showered, gotten dressed, and fixed her hair into a neat bun by a quarter after eleven.

Her timing was perfect since Ivan’s mansion was not too far from her own home. By car the trip would take about a half hour. This left her enough time for any unexpected traffic detours.

However, [Name] didn’t need the extra time after all. She arrived at the Braginsky mansion with fifteen minutes to spare.

It felt different to her to be out of the house for so long. Time seemed to be an endless stream when her mind was lost within itself. Now that she had a sharp focus, minutes were going by much faster than she had expected.

[Name] inhaled a deep breath and held her head up high. She was to appear confident, or at least as much as she could muster. This was a big break for her. Her grandparents didn’t want her loitering around their home anymore. So she was going to show them that she wasn’t gone yet.

She tapped lightly taps on the large double mahogany doors and waited patiently for someone to answer.

The pictures [Name] had seen online did Ivan little justice on his large appearance. Her small stature caused her to almost have to tilt her head a good ninety degrees upward in order to see his face. It was rounded with that innocent smile she had seen in the picture. His eyes were opened this time, showing two glowing amethysts.

Oddly enough, the man was wearing a thick scarf on top of a long tan coat. She couldn’t imagine why being as it was only late summer. The weather wouldn’t be ready for such an outfit for at least another three to four months.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Bra- I mean Ivan. I’m [Name], from the phone call yesterday.” She introduced herself, bringing her hand forward for him to shake.

His hand snaked around hers, covering it and having room for the other as well. He had a strong grip that was a little too tight for a simple handshake.

“She’s as pretty in person as she sounds on the phone.” The Russian man chimed. “Won’t you please come in? I have some pirozhki made and tea to go with it.”

The woman shyly nodded and was then ushered into the large mansion. He placed his arm around her shoulders, pinning her to his side. As always, his innocent smile remained on his face.

As [Name] entered the house, she felt a strong chill go up her spine. She was used to having the air conditioner run throughout her house, but Ivan’s felt more like a meat freezer. It explained his tan coat and scarf attire, however.

Ivan led the woman into a simple living room setting. The walls were covered in pictures of the other members you had seen online. A beige couch snaked across the room with a matching coffee table at its center. A flat screen television hung on the wall, surrounded by many other picture frames. If one was to take away the surplus of wall décor, the room was minimally furnished with only the bare necessities. It even looked barely used in quite a while.

“Will any of the other house’s residents wish to make my acquaintance before I begin my work here?” [Name] asked, wondering where they might be in the quiet and icy dwelling.

“Other residents? You are sadly mistaken, Miss [Name]. I live alone here. It’s been that way for quite a while now.”

Ivan’s expression changed as he recalled his own loneliness. His expression took on a lost look and he looked slightly off to the side. His smile faltered ever so slightly, but returned soon after he was finished.

“I know it’ll be a great job for you to clean this big mess, but I am sure you will be more than capable, Miss [Name].” The Russian then chuckled softly to himself and titled his head off to the side in a childlike gesture. [Name] was at a loss for words.

“Is there something wrong, sunflower?” Ivan then said in a much softer voice. The woman’s inability to respond frightened the man. He didn’t want to scare her away when she had only just arrived. There was much to discuss about the position and she was the only one who had answered his year old advertisement. For some reason, no one else had been interested in the job.

[Name] shook her head as a way to disentangle her thoughts. At the mention of Ivan’s solitude, she was sharply reminded of her own. Her hands balled into fists at her sides. Composure, [Name], she chided herself.

“Oh, please don’t worry about me. I was just lost in thought, actually. You see, I live alone as well. I understand what it must feel like to have no one but yourself as company.” The woman nodded, looking the Russian directly in the eye.

The woman’s empathically given response triggered something within the giant Russian. His innocent smile broke into something more genuine. He could see in within [Name] now. Her lost soul, broken similarly to his. But her scars were fresh unlike the years his had suffered for.

“Why don’t you tell me a little more about yourself, Miss [Name]? I’d love to hear how you fared by yourself for as long as you did. I appreciate your understanding very much.” Ivan said in the same soft voice as he had before.

[Name] detected the change in his voice almost instantly. However, she took it as the man trying to be friendlier towards her which was a good sign in her getting the job.

“Is there anything specific you would like to know about me?” She countered.

“You seem to have a strong sense of what it is like to be alone. Why is that?” The Russian couldn’t help but ask. She gave an air about herself that showed people she preferred isolation. It intrigued him greatly.

With a simple shrug, [Name] responded honestly. “My parents left me after a divorce to live with my grandparents. However they weren’t prepared to raise their grandchild and had to work twice as hard to support me through school and life itself. I was mostly left to fair for myself in means of entertainment and such. My seldom had many friends as well. Later on I attempted love but realized that all it brought was loneliness and heartache.”

She finished with another shrug as if the statement was as normal as saying that the sky was blue. To her the logic was simple.

However, her little experience made her naïve when it came to social gatherings. She couldn’t tell what was going on in Ivan’s grand ole mind. [Name] had only one focus and that was to get the job, but did she realize the clues left in her path?

Why did the online websites show a house full of people, but Ivan claimed that there were now none? Why did he live alone in such a large mansion? Why was the living room covered in photographs of the people that no longer lived there?

To any person these acts may have seemed strange. But with the limited knowledge [Name] had had of others, they were supposedly normal. She lived alone so it was only natural for others to be able to do so as well. Also, she reasoned that anyone could have pictures of the ones they loved. The overabundance just showed how much he truly cared.

Ivan raised a free hand and lightly brushed the woman’s cheek. They were getting rosy from the cold temperatures of the house, not that the Russian could feel it. His hand provided the only warmth [Name] had had so far upon entering.

He then bent down and whispered into her ear.

“My precious sunflower, I can see the pain written on your face. You have been hurt by the ones you loved, betrayed even. But you don’t need to worry anymore. I will take you in and give you the company we both desire. You will never be lonely again.”

His heated breathe made [Name]’s heart race in her chest. She didn’t understand what the man could be saying. Surely he had gone mad!

[Name] tried to struggle from his hold, but Ivan was fast to react. He wrapped both arms now around her waist. He held her completely in his warm embrace, but [Name] could only feel the chill from his exposed coat. It was as though all warmth had been taken out of the man in a few swift seconds.

“I-Ivan! Please let go of me!” [Name] screamed, true fear finally beginning to form. The more she struggled, the tighter he held her. The woman knew there was no escaping his grasp.

“W-what do you w-want?” She whispered, looking up at his eyes with teary, pleading ones.

“What do I want?” He repeated the question, titling his head again as if the question itself was preposterous.

“I want you, sunflower.” He said sweetly.

Ivan swung the woman over his shoulders, ignoring her kicks and stabs at his backside. They felt like soft pokes against his thick layering. She screamed until her throat ran dry and weeps replaced them.

[Name] could feel her heartbeat pounding powerfully in her chest. She wondered if anyone would save her. Her grandparents and own parents were too far to even know where she had gone. She couldn’t think of any other relative to take notice of her absence. It dawned on [Name] that she could be trapped her forever and not a soul would know, except for Ivan of course. This caused her to sob.

Her violent struggles were brought to an end soon after. She felt Ivan’s huge hands patting her gently. As if a beast could show any remorse.  

“There, there. You don’t have to worry anymore. No more loneliness. You have me. And I have you, sunflower.”