Chapter Text
“What do you think about the new engineer? He looks like a very introverted guy.” Leonid Toptunov had just ordered beer, smiling at the waitress, a pretty blonde girl.
“Just like you, Lenya. I don't know if you remember your first night shift at the power plant but… haha” Stolyarchuk looked mockingly at his colleague.
"I think he's shy." Sasha Akimov intervened. "But it’s quite normal for a young boy on his first day here at Chernobyl.”
"Yes but guys, have you noticed he never smiled? He’s always serious as a Red Army soldier. For God sake, we don't work in a morgue!"
"We know you’d like to spend all the night fucking around, Boris, but someone still likes his work." Akimov, remorseless, described his colleague Boris Stolyarchuk in a few words.
"He's a weird guy anyway," Toptunov concluded, "he's so pale, his complexion seems almost transparent, but his gaze makes me uncomfortable. I can't explain.” As he spoke these words, Leonid shivered down his spine.
Igor Kirschenbaum was proud to have got a job in Chernobyl, he worked hard to achieve this goal. So many nights spent studying on the manuals and the wish to do something important for his country, the Soviet Union. The first impact with the new colleagues had not been easy. He immediately knew they had noticed something strange in him. But he always was the mysterious type. He had to act like this, he had no choice.
~~~~~~~
"Where did you work before?" Boris Stolyarchuk asked as he lit a cigarette.
"I was working in the control room at the Leningrad nuclear power plant." Igor mechanically answered without taking his eyes off of the panel.
“And... do you live in Pripyat? We don’t see you around.. "
"Yes. They assigned me an apartment.”
Why are you so curious, Boris? Questions like that were a torture for Igor.
"Sorry, did you say Leningrad?" Akimov asked.
“Guys, do you know what happened there a few months ago? A corpse was found near the nuclear power plant, apparently. A colleague who’s working there told me this. I spoke to him last month. But neither identity nor the causes of death are known. It’s a secret thing!”
"Have you heard anything, Igor?" Leonid stared at the small dark-haired boy.
"No, I haven't heard anything."
Boris patted Akimov on the shoulder. "Oh come on! That guy told you this just to impress you and you trusted him.”
"Do you believe in something, Boris?"
"Yes Sasha, I believe in the good quality of the vodka I’ll drink this afternoon. Would anyone come with me?”
"Why not? Lenya, are you in?”
"Sure I’ll come. Come with us Igor, you’re welcome.”
"Thank you but... I can't." Igor's dark eyes stared at Leonid for a moment.
~~~~~~~
"That Igor... have you ever met him somewhere in town?" Boris and Leonid were slowly reaching the bus stop.
“No, I think he's a lonely soul. He’s always in a hurry, he’s the first to leave the locker room and nobody sees him until the new shift. Why are you so interested in him, Boris?"
"I'm curious. I work close to him in the control room but he hardly speaks. I still haven't figured out if he's shy or he doesn’t like me."
“He doesn't talk to anyone but, I swear to you, his eyes frighten me. I don't know... it's like he has something to hide.”
"Please, Lenya, you won't believe the story Sasha told us! Do you think Igor is a murderer?" Boris said this laughing.
"No, but.. looking at him makes me shiver."
"His gaze intrigues me... I noticed he glances at me sometimes.”
"And you're flattered, I suppose. Tell me the truth Boris!"
“Ha ha! Are you jealous?”
“Stop it!”
The two boys burst out laughing.
~~~~~~~
Igor is finally home after the umpteenth night shift in the Chernobyl power plant. He can relax... in complete darkness.
What’s happening to me? Why can't I remain unmoved when Boris approaches me? He doesn’t have to know I'm interested in him, or it will be a complete mess!
Igor was thinking the Chernobyl nuclear power plant wasn’t the right place for him. He had longed to work there and now that his dream had come true, he was afraid he made a mistake.
I have to relax myself, I can't be on the spotlight at work.. and I have to go out with my colleagues one ight, or they’ll become too suspicious. But why? Why can't I have a normal life? What have I done to be like this?
Igor's eyes filled with tears as the darkest thoughts invaded his mind.
I’d just like to live like any boy my age. Going to work, going out with friends. Friends.. as if I had them! I don't know what a love story means, I've never had a social life. Daylight kills me, I can't laugh if someone says something funny… I can't take it anymore!
Igor was sitting on the sofa, hands in his hair. There was only a glass almost full with a dark red drink on the table in front of him.
~~~~~~~~
The locker room was almost empty, all the operators were ready for the night shift. Boris approached his colleague.
“Igor, listen to me please. I... I wish I had a chance to see you out of here. Can we meet one day? Wherever you want."
"Better not, Boris."
"You really don't like me, huh? You don't wanna talk to me.. "
"No! No it’s not true. I’d like to spend my time with you but.. " Igor looked towards the fluorescent lights and closed his eyes with a grimace.
"What’s happening? Are you ok? You're always so pale!” Boris, worried, approached the little man and put a hand on his shoulder.
Igor, surprised, immediately backed away. "It's too bright a light... I have a headache."
"Sorry, I didn't know."
"Ok, let's meet. Tomorrow. But in the evening though, do you mind? We’ll meet at the river.”
"It's perfect! Okay, thanks, I..” Boris didn’t finish talking that Igor had already disappeared beyond the door.
~~~~~~~
Oh my God, what did I do? I’ll be on a date with Boris.. and now? I don't wanna hurt him.. and I can't tell him who I am..
Igor was cursing himself for what he did. But, at the same time, there was also a hint of happiness in his heart. Boris was interested in him in a positive way, not the usual jokes from people who made fun of him because of his physical appearance; those dark hair framing a pale face, the tightened lips he opened just to let out a few words. Could Boris love him? Could Igor ever know what love means?
Perhaps I should tell him I thought about it and I don't want to meet him. Boris is the only person who’s caring about me, but he’s too curious… How am I going to hold back? Oh my God... who knows how soft his lips will be, how inviting his neck could be, how delicious his blood will be…
Igor gasped in horror. But he was a vampire and thoughts like this were always in his head. It was his nature. He suffered from it, but he had no choice.
~~~~~~~~
He won't come. He probably forgot about our date. Or maybe.. it was a joke. A way to make fun of me. How could I have thought that Boris wanted to go out with me? I'm just a fool!
Sadness was about to engulf Igor's mind when footsteps sounded from the semi darkness behind him.
“Hey!”
Igor turned and saw Boris slowly approaching him. Tall, with a bright smile, Boris looked even more beautiful than usual.
“Hi.”
"I'm late. Sorry, I.. "
"It doesn't matter." Igor cut it short.
“Do you want to go somewhere in town? It's quite dark here.. "
"I'd like to stay here, if you don’t mind."
"Oh, it's ok. No problem. Rather, I'm glad you came.” Boris was keeping smile, his eyes were fixed on Igor's.
"I- I don't know if I did the right thing.." Igor stammered.
"It's just a date.. I mean, if you don't think I'm cute, you can tell me you don't want to meet me anymore... even if this would make me sad…”
"You can't understand!" Igor looks away and then turns to the river. Boris is getting closer to him.
“But I’d like to understand, Igor! Damn it! You’re a pretty guy but you’re so mysterious, I don't know anything about you.. What you like to do, where you go when you’re not working, if you’re already dating someone… Well, if you have a girlfriend I’d apologize and I’d leave you alone but… I don’t know who you are. I only know I like you, Igor.."
This revelation made Igor shiver visibly. Nobody had ever spoken to him this way, he was experiencing a completely new feeling. Yet he couldn’t be happy because he knew there could be no future for them as a couple. It wouldn’t have been possible to hide his nature from Boris. He wouldn’t have been able to hold back, he’d have ended up killing the guy he liked. There was no way out for him, he was condemned to be alone.
"Tell me something Igor, I beg you!" Boris put his hands on Igor's hips. Igor turned his gaze to him and…
Oh my God! His neck.. fuck!
Igor began to tremble, while Boris' face was very close.
"Let yourself go, Igor.." Boris gently squeezed Igor against him and their lips touched. It was a shy kiss that lasted a few seconds, then Igor left.
The boy, very pale in the moonlight, whined: "Please Boris, stay away from me!"
"I'm sorry, I- I didn't mean to offend you... I like you.."
"I... I can't love you Boris. I have no girlfriend, nobody can stay close to me.. I only hurt people, I can't love you!”
Boris thought the little boy had had a big sorrow in his life, he certainly couldn’t imagine what a terrible secret was hidden behind his words.
"Igor, whatever happened to you in the past, whatever the problem is.. we could overcome it together, I’ll be patient, I won’t put pressure on you.."
"Do you really want to know what prevents me from loving you?" Igor was hypnotized, his gaze fixed on Boris' neck, the wish to taste his friend’s blood was very high.
"Of course, I wanna help you.."
"You won't like it... What you’ll see I mean.. I- I’m.."
"What am I supposed to see, Igor?... you're scaring me now.. wha- what ohhh...” Boris' face twitched in terror while Igor's smile was turning into a ravenous grin.
Boris barely had time to realize Igor's razor-sharp canine teeth could have been the last image his eyes would have seen.