Pyotr & April | Farewells
Aug. 1st, 2023 09:30 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsPyotr gets news from home and makes the difficult decision to go back.
Generally Pyotr’s chats with his family were a cause for at least happiness, if not joy. April had not been expecting this one, and from the look on his face, neither had her roommate. As the call went on - entirely voice, and fast, low Russian that she wasn’t nearly fluent enough to understand - she was stuck picking up hints from context clues, such as the clenching of a fist and a tight frown she rarely saw on his face.
“Not good?” she guessed as he slowly set the phone down.
Pyotr gently hung up the phone, mindful of his strength and the fragility of the slab of plastic and sand. He went deep into his closet, ignoring the usual goodies in favor of digging out his biggest suitcase. He tossed it onto his bed and then began stacking clothes into it - starting with his warmest things. Then he paused, had a thought, sighed, and then tapped out a message on his phone.
"Not good." he told April with a sigh. "Mama has heart trouble and Father is having trouble with his knees. He can't take care of her very well."
“Oh Petya, no.” April wrapped her arms around him in a strong hug, tendrils snaking down her arms so she could reach all the way around. “And you are… going to go back and take care of them, I’m guessing? Was that a text to your sister?”
This was likely to go horribly but it would save him a great deal of time and money. And the former, especially, could be for all he knew quite limited. "Da." he told April. "Best way to get there quickly, if she'll cooperate." he said with another sigh. "If not, it'll be roughly a week crammed into tiny planes and rickety trains."
“Well, here’s hoping. How long will you be gone, you think?” She’d stepped away after the hug, corralling Boris as he tried to stick his nose in everything. “Can… do you have your cash app thing going? I’ll stick some money in it. For whatever your parents need.”
"No need. If Illyana cooperates, I have money to help parents settle in. If not, well, then we can talk more." he promised. "And do not know how long. Might be a while - depends on conditions in the collective. Hear parents talk, is not good." he said fretfully.
“Yes need.” April curled her hand around his wrist, blinking a few times before she spoke. “You… you’re the closest thing to family I have here, Petya. Your parents have been nothing but nice to me during video chats, even though the only things I could say to them at first were ‘hello’ and ‘yes’. My job pays well, my basic needs are met here. Please let me help them. It’s meant a lot to me, having you as a roommate and getting to soak up some of your family time.”
Pyotr blinked, then swallowed heavily as he nodded. "Thank you, April." he said softly.
“Of course.” Her voice was a little choked. “I’m… I’m gonna go change and take Boris for a walk while the two of you talk. If you leave before we’re back… leave a note? And tell your Mama I hope she is feeling better soon.” She wrapped him in another hug, trying furiously not to cry, then called Boris to her, leading him quietly from the room. A few minutes later the door to their suite clicked shut behind her, leaving him alone in the room.
Generally Pyotr’s chats with his family were a cause for at least happiness, if not joy. April had not been expecting this one, and from the look on his face, neither had her roommate. As the call went on - entirely voice, and fast, low Russian that she wasn’t nearly fluent enough to understand - she was stuck picking up hints from context clues, such as the clenching of a fist and a tight frown she rarely saw on his face.
“Not good?” she guessed as he slowly set the phone down.
Pyotr gently hung up the phone, mindful of his strength and the fragility of the slab of plastic and sand. He went deep into his closet, ignoring the usual goodies in favor of digging out his biggest suitcase. He tossed it onto his bed and then began stacking clothes into it - starting with his warmest things. Then he paused, had a thought, sighed, and then tapped out a message on his phone.
"Not good." he told April with a sigh. "Mama has heart trouble and Father is having trouble with his knees. He can't take care of her very well."
“Oh Petya, no.” April wrapped her arms around him in a strong hug, tendrils snaking down her arms so she could reach all the way around. “And you are… going to go back and take care of them, I’m guessing? Was that a text to your sister?”
This was likely to go horribly but it would save him a great deal of time and money. And the former, especially, could be for all he knew quite limited. "Da." he told April. "Best way to get there quickly, if she'll cooperate." he said with another sigh. "If not, it'll be roughly a week crammed into tiny planes and rickety trains."
“Well, here’s hoping. How long will you be gone, you think?” She’d stepped away after the hug, corralling Boris as he tried to stick his nose in everything. “Can… do you have your cash app thing going? I’ll stick some money in it. For whatever your parents need.”
"No need. If Illyana cooperates, I have money to help parents settle in. If not, well, then we can talk more." he promised. "And do not know how long. Might be a while - depends on conditions in the collective. Hear parents talk, is not good." he said fretfully.
“Yes need.” April curled her hand around his wrist, blinking a few times before she spoke. “You… you’re the closest thing to family I have here, Petya. Your parents have been nothing but nice to me during video chats, even though the only things I could say to them at first were ‘hello’ and ‘yes’. My job pays well, my basic needs are met here. Please let me help them. It’s meant a lot to me, having you as a roommate and getting to soak up some of your family time.”
Pyotr blinked, then swallowed heavily as he nodded. "Thank you, April." he said softly.
“Of course.” Her voice was a little choked. “I’m… I’m gonna go change and take Boris for a walk while the two of you talk. If you leave before we’re back… leave a note? And tell your Mama I hope she is feeling better soon.” She wrapped him in another hug, trying furiously not to cry, then called Boris to her, leading him quietly from the room. A few minutes later the door to their suite clicked shut behind her, leaving him alone in the room.
