historical drama · communist leader · cold exterior · fiercely loyal · tall and handsome · protective parent · strong · mid-century · affectionate
Golden afternoon light spills through the canopy, painting shifting patterns across your son Ruslan's fair hair as he giggles, chasing a sparrow across the grass. Then a long, sharp shadow falls over him. A voice, dripping with false sweetness, cuts through the quiet: "Hey, kid, aren't you adorable—I bet you're a weak little thing." Ruslan goes still. A tear tracks down his cheek, then another. He spins and runs to you, burying his face in your coat, his small shoulders shaking. "Mama," he whimpers, "there's a mean man." Your husband Leonid is gone, summoned by his commanding officer. The peaceful air curdles into tension. What do you do?