A few things to tell you before you read. First of all, I'm not entirely happy with this first chapter, but it's mostly for introductions, so there isn't much I can do about it... Second, before anyone gets too confused, it's a reader insert fic and the title doesn't refer to Ukraine. "Katyusha" is a Russian love song that greatly contributed to the Red Army's victories against the Nazis on the Eastern Front during World War II. It's about a girl on the home front who is thinking about her lover in the army and protecting their love while he protects the country. This is a link to the song (youtube.com/watch?v=Nsy162Fewf4 ) and I would definitely recommend watching the video that goes with it because it contains what is probably one of the most interesting and daring kiss scenes ever. The movie the footage comes from, Ivan's Childhood, is also quite good and there is a link to it in the description. The lyrics to the song, in both Russian and English, are here (marxists.org/history/ussr/sounds/lyrics/katyusha.htm ). Third of all, "Vanya" and "Katyusha" are diminutives for names, like a nickname. "Vanya" is the diminutive for "Ivan" and "Katyusha" is the diminutive for Yekaterina, hence your comment to Ukraine. As for Russia's military rank, I researched it but the badge he wears in the anime doesn't exist. It looks sort of like a combination of the badges for the Order of the Red Flag and the medal for the Hero of the Soviet Union, but even that's not exact, so I decided that he'd probably be a pretty high-ranking officer since he's a nation. Also, the Soviet Union was one of very few countries that allowed women to actually work in it's military at the time, though it was very difficult for them to get in. It is believed that this is due to the Communist mindset of total equality. The art for the cover and this chapter is "APH: Russia" by EternalSL. Can I just say how much I love it? It's so darkly beautiful...
Okay, that should be all for now. I'll catch you reader-sans later~!
- Turtle-chan
You shiver against the cold wind that is blowing against you and up your skirt. Despite the thick woolen leggings and your high leather boots, nothing can compare to the Russian winter, even if it's only just beginning. Even so, you continue to stare straight ahead, keeping your back straight and your head up, awaiting further orders. The weight of the rifle strapped to your back is beginning to make your shoulder ache.
All around you are other men, and a few women, in uniform, standing in the middle of the town's square. You are part of a military regiment that is about to be deployed to the Eastern Front to fight against the Nazis. A mixture of apprehension and excitement wells up within you at the thought of actually going into combat, being able to protect the Motherland. All around the regiment are cheering citizens waving their red flags and supporting their country. You notice out of the corner of your eye that a group of young schoolgirls is watching your group of women soldiers with smiles and amazement. You feel your chest swell with pride. Yes, it is a good day to be part of the Red Army.
The atmosphere seems to shift and you know something is about to happen. A respectful quiet falls over the crowd as a man makes his way to the front of the company. His uniform is slightly different than everyone else's with a tan jacket and black trim as well as a pink-tinted scarf wrapped around his neck. His face appears to be hard and expressionless, but you can't help noticing that it looks a little childish in its shape. That's all you can really pick out about him, though, because you're toward the back of the company.
He comes to a stop at the very front, beside the Lieutenant Colonel, and, despite all the men in front of you, you're able to see him towering over everyone. You wonder to yourself just how tall this man is.
"Comrades! Today you will march off to the edges of Hell to do battle with the Nazis! You will protect the Motherland and everything she stands for with your very lives! You will protect your friends and families! Today, you become heroes! Do your country proud and go with confidence! We will put an end to this war!" the Lieutenant Colonel shouts, raising his arms in front of the crowd, bolstering everyone's spirits.
There are cheers from all around and you smile as you pump your fist into the air along with everyone around you. You are part of the force for change. You will help to save your country. The Lieutenant Colonel begins to bark commands at the company to prepare for the march. As you begin to move, you hear the schoolgirls singing and you smile, having once sung their song, "Katyusha," to a company of soldiers yourself.
"Расцветали яблони и груши, Поплыли туманы над рекой. Выходила на берег Катюша, На высокий берег на крутой," the girls sing, waving at everyone. You glance around at the women standing near you and you all nod at each other in silent agreement.
You open your mouths and begin singing along with the schoolgirls," Выходила, песню заводила Про степного, сизого орла, Про того, которого любила, Про того, чьи письма берегла."
Some of the men look around to find the singers, smiling when their eyes land on your faces. Several men join in on the song and before long the entire company is singing, adding depth and beauty to the love song. "Ой ты, песня, песенка девичья, Ты лети за ясным солнцем вслед. И бойцу на дальнем пограничье От Катюши передай привет. Пусть он вспомнит девушку простую, Пусть услышит, как она поет, Пусть он землю бережет родную, А любовь Катюша сбережет."
~~~
After several hours of marching, the company stops to make camp for the night. As the sun begins to set over the horizon, you take your tent off of your pack and begin staking it to the ground. All of the women have set up their tents in a group as a matter of safety and practicality. There are just some things that men can't deal with.
As you hammer the last stake into the ground, someone taps you on the shoulder and you whirl around, prepared to attack. A blonde-haired girl stands in front of you, her hands raised in a gesture of surrender and her big blue eyes wide with surprise. "I-I'm sorry for startling you!" she exclaims breathlessly.
You let out a sigh and push yourself to your feet. "I could say the same," you tell her with a grim smile. "I'm (y/n) (y/l/n). What can I do for you?"
"I'm Yekaterina Braginsky," she says with a smile. "I just wanted to meet everyone since we'll be spending a lot of time together from now on."
You extend a hand to her with a smile and she shakes it. "Ah, so you are our "Katyusha" then, eh?" you laugh, giving her a wink.
She laughs as well, causing her breasts to jiggle and you notice for the first time just how massive they are. "My little brother used to call me that. It does seem funny, doesn't it?" she responds, looking a little sad.
"Oh, you have a little brother? Do you have any other siblings?" you ask her, already feeling like you could easily befriend the cheerful woman.
"Oh yes, I have a little brother and a little sister. Actually, they are both in this company of soldiers, but I am not allowed to see my precious baby brother anymore," she tells you, tearing up.
"U-um, well, what about your sister? What is she doing?" you ask her, flustered and unsure of how to comfort her.
"Natalia is a sniper, just like us. She is a very good shot, but I think she is much better with knives. She can throw them almost perfectly! It is actually a little scary sometimes," Yekaterina tells you.
"Big brotherrr! Where are yoooouuuuuu?" you hear a woman call out from somewhere nearby.
Yekaterina's blue eyes widen and she leans in toward you. "That is Natalia," she whispers, pointing to a girl with very long blonde hair, slightly darker Yekaterina's platinum blonde, and eyes such a dark blue that they almost look purple. She wears a white bow in her hair, despite the fact that everyone has hats to keep them warm. You notice that her breasts are significantly smaller than Yekaterina's to the point of being almost nonexistent by comparison.
"Sister, have you seen big brother?" she demands of Yekaterina, coming up to the two of you.
"No, I have not. You know I am forbidden to see Vanya," Yekaterina responds, dabbing at a few fresh tears. What an odd family...
"You, there!" Natalia says, turning on you. "Have you seen my big brother Vanya?"
"N-no, I don't think so," you reply, startled by the glare on her pretty face.
"You had better not be hiding something from me, girl" she tells you threateningly. "No one can have my big brother but me!"
You raise your eyebrows and take a step back. "I don't plan on taking your big brother from you and, to be honest, I wouldn't know who he is even if I saw him."
"Vanya is the biggest, best man ever," Natalia tells you childishly, crossing her arms. "He will marry me one day."
Yekaterina looks flustered and appears to be trying to quiet Natalia. "I see," you say slowly, knowing now that you must tread carefully around Natalia. "Could you tell me what he looks like so that I know to tell you if I find him?"
"Ah, he is perfect. He is very, very tall, so tall that I cannot reach him even if I stand on the tips of my toes. And he is very big and strong, like a bear. He has hair like Yekaterina's and purple eyes like mine and a cute little face. He's always wearing the scarf Yekaterina made for him when we were little. It is pink and really, really long," she answers you in detail. "So! If you meet a man that looks like that, stay away from him!"
"Right, I've got it," you tell her, nodding. You've seen someone that meets some of those descriptors, but you know it can't be him. If he is Yekaterina's little brother then he is much too young to be so important.
"Good! Now I am off to look for Vanya again," Natalia declares, running off into the crowd of soldiers.
"Would you care to take a walk around camp?" you ask Yekaterina who still looks flustered.
"That would be nice!" she says, smiling at you and linking her arm in yours.
The two of you set off at an easy stroll, your feet tired from a day of marching but unable to just sit in one place. You can smell people cooking on fires set up throughout the camp as you weave your way through the maze of tents. Aside from the small group of women snipers and the field nurses, there aren't many females in the camp. You aren't really surprised, but you had hoped there would be more of them.
"C-Comrade Braginsky!" you hear a male voice call out. You and Yekaterina both turn toward the sound. Before you is a tall, thin man with shoulder-length brown hair and green eyes. He looks skittish and jumpy.
"Oh, hello, Toris," she responds with a smile. "How are you doing?"
"I-I'm fine... I guess...," he says, looking at his trembling hands. "H-have you happened to see Colonel Braginsky around here somewhere?"
"No, I haven't. It has been years since I've seen Vanya. It is good to know that he has grown up so big and strong, though," she tells him. Something about Yekaterina makes you think of a mother.
"O-oh... Okay... Thank you anyway..." the man says meekly, turning to leave.
"Wait! Before you go, I want you to meet my new friend!" Yekaterina calls out. The man turns around again and looks at you somewhat warily.
"Toris, this is (y/n) (y/l/n). (y/n), this is Toris Laurinaitis. He used to work for my little brother," Yekaterina says.
"I still do, actually," he tells her before extending a hand to you. "It's nice to meet you, Comrade (y/l/n)." His hands are hard and calloused and you can feel him trembling, but you doubt it's from the cold. The poor man seems terrified.
"It's nice to meet you, too, Comrade Laurinaitis," you respond with a polite smile.
"I-If either of you find Colonel Braginsky, could you please let him know I am looking for him?" Toris requests.
"Of course," you respond. For some reason, the meek man makes your maternal instincts come out. You wish you could find out just what has him so scared so that you can help.
"T-thank you," he says again, raising his right hand weakly in a wave at the two of you before turning to go.
You and Yekaterina carry on, walking and chatting together as you make a circuit around the camp. You pass close to the officer's tents and you notice a little boy with messy blonde hair running at a sprint toward you. You stop, staring at him as he crashes into Yekaterina, his tousled head seeming to be absorbed by her enormous breasts.
"R-Ravis? Is that you?" she asks, pulling the boy away and holding him at an arm's length by his shoulders.
"Miss Braginsky? What are you doing here?" he exclaims, his purple eyes going wide with shock.
"It is you! How have you been, my boy?" Yekaterina says cheerfully, ignoring his question.
"Awful! Working for Colonel Braginsky is too scary! I would be a lot bigger than I am now if he didn't push down on my head so much!" the boy says indignantly, crossing his arms and pouting.
"I-Is that so? Ah, I wish I could talk to Vanya and set him straight like when we were children...," Yekaterina sighs.
"Why are you here, little boy? Are you in espionage?" you ask him, bending down to his level. It would make sense for him to be a spy.
The boy's face hardens suspiciously. "You don't need to know," he tells you a little too quickly and a little too sharply.
"I won't ask, then," you respond, straightening up. You have your answer.
"Who's she?" he asks Yekaterina, pointing at you.
"This is my new friend, (y/n) (y/l/n)," she tells him with a smile. "(y/n), this is Ravis Galante. He also works for my little brother."
"Nice to meet you," you tell him.
"I guess...," he responds. His eyes look haunted, just like Toris's did. Is Yekaterina's brother really that terrifying?
"You looked busy, young comrade. Carry on with your work," you tell him, shooing him away from you. "We don't want to get you in trouble."
He looks up at you with surprise and nods, running off in the direction of one of the tents. You watch him push back the flap and disappear. After meeting Toris and Ravis, you're terribly curious about Yekaterina's "Vanya," but you're afraid to ask. Every account of him you've heard is different, but you can't quite decide where the truth lies.
"Hey, Yekaterina," you say and she turns to face you. "Why can't you see your brother anymore? Did something happen between the two of you?"
"Oh, it is a long story. It would probably be boring to you," she tells you, glancing away and looking embarrassed.
"Probably not, but it's okay if you don't want to talk about it. I won't pry," you say reassuringly. You've seen how upset the topic has made her each time it's been brought up, but you can't sate your desire for insight.
She smiles at you as you continue walking, your tents already in sight. Her mouth opens as she's about to say something, but her face goes white as a sheet. You follow her gaze over your shoulder and see a great hulk of a man standing with his hands in the pockets of his jacket, staring into the fire that has been set up in the middle of the women's tents. You're only able to see him in profile, but he appears to have platinum blonde hair almost the same color as Yekaterina's and a rather prominent nose. His face looks round and almost childish but his eyes are hard and serious.
"I-I'm sorry, (y/n). I can't be here right now," Yekaterina breathes, staring in wide-eyed shock at the man. He turns his head toward you at the sound of her voice and you're immediately struck by his vibrant violet eyes. They seem to see right through you and your knees feel weak.
"привет, сестра," he says quietly. His voice his higher and softer than you had imagined it would be given his size. It's pleasant to the ears, though, and you feel like it could easily become bewitching.
Yekaterina's blue eyes well up with tears as she bolts past you and the man. "I am so sorry, Vanya! One day we will be able to see each other again!" she cries.
And so you're left with the man, not entirely sure what just happened but observant enough to know that this is the man you've been so curious about, Yekaterina's "Vanya" and Toris's "Colonel Braginsky." You feel like you're participating in a staring match, your gaze firmly locked with his. Even if you wanted to look away you can't. It's as though a force is physically holding you in place.
"Who are you?" he asks you in the same soft voice as before. His expression doesn't change in the slightest and he regards you with something akin to boredom.
"I am Private (y/n) (y/l/n), sir!" you respond, giving him a sharp salute.
"I see...," he murmurs, still staring at you. You feel uncomfortable under his gaze, as though you are a specimen being inspected under a microscope. He takes a few steps closer to you and makes eye contact once again. "At ease, comrade."
You have to look up to see his face as he towers over you. He's at least six feet tall, but probably well over that height. Your estimation is somewhere between six feet three inches and six feet five inches. And he's built like a tank, that much you can tell even under the uniform. His shoulders are almost three times as broad as yours and his body appears to be lean and muscular judging by the way the sleeves of his uniform stretch taut over his biceps. His blonde hair hangs down over his eyes as he looks down on you and you notice how it catches the firelight.
"With all due respect, sir, may I ask your name?" you say, trying to break the tension between the two of you. It is so thick you feel like you could cut it with a butter knife.
"I am Colonel Ivan Braginsky, the officer in command of this company," he responds. You can't help but think that he'd be terribly attractive if only he weren't so stone-faced, but you immediately berate yourself for thinking such a thing of a senior officer. "You are a sniper, yes?"
"Yes, sir!" you respond with pride. You're so pleased that the Red Army has begun allowing women to serve in the military.
Colonel Braginsky shakes his head. "The battlefield is no place for women," he says and he seems to be faintly scowling.
"We must all help to defend the Motherland. It is our duty," you tell him, reciting the lines that you've been hearing ever since the war started. "I am happy to be able to be of use."
"How do I say it...? It disgusts me to see women in uniform," he tells you, a dark smirk forming on his lips. "It makes me want to massacre every last Nazi, man, woman, and child..."
You shiver at his words. The amount of blood-thirst behind them is overwhelming and intimidating. You are now beginning to understand why Toris and Ravis are so afraid of him. But you won't allow yourself to be belittled and your stubborn streak decides to show itself. "Begging your pardon, Colonel Braginsky, but I object to your sentiments. We women work every bit as hard as the men do to earn our places in this army and we have every bit as much love for our country. I love the Motherland with all my heart and I want to protect her with my life!" you declare, trying and failing to contain your passion. You're shaking and your fists are clenched at your sides by the time you finish.
Colonel Braginsky's eyebrow raises slightly underneath his hair and you think you see that his cheeks are red, though you assume it's due to the cold. His expression remains otherwise impassive. He muttered something that sounds suspiciously like," Him..." during your little speech but you aren't quite sure. "I see," he says. "Make sure to rest tonight, Private (y/l/n). I doubt we will have such an easy time from now on." He brushes past you as he leaves and you swear the air is colder around him.
"Thank you, sir! Goodnight, sir!" you call after him, watching his back as he melts into the crowd. What an odd man... You still aren't satisfied, however. If anything, your brief meeting with him has only made you more interested in him. You want to know why he hates the Nazis so much and what caused his personality to become so... warped. Why he seems so cold. And, as much as it embarrasses you to admit it even to yourself, you can't help but find him inexplicably attractive.
Then, another thought passes through your mind. What will Natalia do if she finds out I spoke to her brother after promising not to? Oh dear...
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