One thing that they don't tell you about immortality is the fact, that everybody you love or value, dies. Feliks knew about it too well. As a nation he had a chance to see all these things, that are now called 'history'. He saw beginnings and endings of dynasties. His hands were covered with blood during wars. All marriages and unions... He was simply tired.
Feliks Łukasiewicz was older than any human on earth, even though he looked like a man in his twenties. Feliks' had a bit girly appearance, probably caused by medium length, light-blonde hair and big emerald eyes, shining from curiosity and excitement. On his face you could see happy smile. Young man wore very popular in this times patriotic t-shirt with white eagle on it.
Suddenly he heard tunes from Sabaton's song coming from his pocket. His cell-phone ringing and he picked it up to answer the call.
"Hello?" Feliks said a bit confuse, as he didn't reckognise the number.
"Priviet!" cheerful voice greeted Pole. "Kak diela? Feliks! I think that we should meet"
Feliks Łukasiewicz grimaced because he knew who was this cheerful Russian. "Ivan, please. You know that I don't like you. And you don't like me either. So no, we shouldn't meet. I don't want to make second Crimea out of my country"
"Polsha, Polsha... You think only about wars, don't you? Relax, besides, I'm already in Warsaw" Blonde man nearly heard him smiling "My boss decided to visit your boss so maybe you'll come and act like well-raised man." After few minutes of silence Russian man added. "I'm waiting near Zygmunt's Column in the Old Town."
Łukasiewicz had no choice, but to go and meet with Russian man, Ivan Braginski. Before Ivan had called, Feliks was standing next to the gates of Warsaw University after he ended his classes. The university wasn't far from the castle that was next to the column, but man tried to walk as slow as he could. He hated the man that called him with all his heart.
No matter how slow Pole walked, he finally reached the castle and the column. His eyes immediately spotted tall man dressed in long, beige coat. The first thing that you could notice on his round face was his big nose. He had pretty, light eyes, that seemed violet in dimmed light in that cloudy day. He was holding a sunflower in his hand and he was getting closer to Feliks.
"Feliks Łukasiewicz" Russian man smiled happily when he got closer.
"Ivan Braginski" Pole said less enthusiastically.
Suddenly Ivan kissed Feliks on the lips, blond man tried to push him away, but he was to weak. Lips of the taller man were warm and unexpectedly gentle. But the kiss ended very quickly.
"What was that supposed to mean?!" Feliks shouted and blushed hardly. People around were staring at them. "Are you mad?!"
"I just greeted you in a Russian way, it's nothing special, don't get too excited" Ivan smirked.
"It was you who started" Feliks frowned.
"You'll never change" Ivan said to himself and then asked. "So… where are we going first, Polsha?"
"I'm not going anywhere with a person, who probably wants to make my country second Crimea." Pole crossed his arms.
"Can you end with it?" Russian's voice became sad and resigned. "I want to be friends with you."
What if I don't want? I don't trust you" Łukasiewicz sighed. "Come on, we should go, or else we can end beaten up by homophobic freaks. After all, that kiss looked suspicious. Then we can talk."
They started to walk and after about fifteen minutes they reached Nowy Świat street. It was busy as always. People were sitting in cafes and restaurants, talking, walking and doing shopping. Two men easily mixed into the crowd. Feliks pointed at small but busy café with white tables and chaires and cakes that looked that looked delicious.
"Let's go there, we can eat there something" Feliks said.
Ivan just nodded and followed blonde man. He was still holding a sunflower.
They sat and ordered coffee and cakes. Pole remained quiet. Ivan couldn't stand it.
"Take this, this is for you" he laid a sunflower on Feliks' laps. I… I get it. You don't like me. I should've not come. It's just that…" Ivan hesitated. "It's just that we used to get along together for such a long time. And now? Now you hate me. It's your choice but it doesn't change the fact that \i feel bad because of it. You may think that it's nothing, that I'm heartless, but I'm not." He stood up. "That's all. I won't bother you now. Do svidanya."
Feliks, who didn't say a word for the whole time, suddenly raised his head and caught Ivan's scarf. His hands were shaking.
"Don't you dare to go away. If you are my guest, it means that I have to take care of you and this won't change, no matter how much I don't like you. And current situation of our relationship is only your fault, not mine. You should know why" He stood up as well. Sunflower fell on the ground."We should go, if we want to see everything, before it'll get dark."
He tried to cover his emotions, tried to be strong, to make his voice sound as cheerful as usually. But he couldn't. His hands were hidden in his pockets and he hunched, as if he tried to make himself invisible.
For the whole afternoon Feliks was showing the city to Ivan, and Ivan acted like if everything he saw was new to him. They both knew that it wasn't true. Ivan had already seen all of this. He walked streets of Warsaw, admired the city from the top of Palace of Culture and Science, and sat on the benches in Łazienki. But as long as they were playing a guide and a tourist, they felt safe and untouchable, busy with their thoughts and memories.
Ivan Braginski was recalling the times he was visiting Warsaw. The city used to be his, when his, Gilbert's and Roderich's bosses decided to take Feliks' lands. He couldn't forgive himself that he did it. That he had hurt this man so much. Then, after World War Two, he took Poland for himself. Of course Łukasiewicz wasn't part of big Soviet family, but he became communist, just like Ivan wanted. He hoped that one day, they will be able to become a family, but it never happened. It was Feliks who kicked Ivan out of Poland. Since then he was rarely visiting Poland and the beautiful Polish capital.
Feliks was recalling same moments, but for him they were much less pleasant. He didn't remember much from the partitions, for him it was only pain and cold. It felt like… like dying. And the fact that Ivan was taking part in it only made it worst. His friends told him later that he was in the comma with only ten percent chance to wake up. Napoleon helped him much, but in the end, Poland disappeared anyway. But finally his people got rid of Russia. God bless them for this. During World War Two Feliks hoped that Ivan will help him. But he betrayed him. Not only he once again took part of Poland for himself, but even though Russia at some point started to fight with Germany, when Polish people were dying during Uprising, Braginski just stood there and waited for Warsaw to become weak enough to take it. Than communism came. Another shaming tames. Palace of Culture and Science, one of symbolic now buildings in the capital, was still reminding him of this. And all loved ones that Feliks lost because of Russia… It was predictable that they will die anyway and Feliks will be looking at it. But he didn't expect it to happen so fast. People that were too innocent to die. His loved ones, his friends. Everybody that he valued. That's why he hated this man so much.
But he didn't have a choice. He had to smile and be as good guide as he could.
"Feliks" Ivan started. "Would you mind to come one day to Moscow?"
"So that you can keep me there and make Poland your second Crimea?" Pole couldn't stop himself. They were walking against the wall of an old building in one of the less busy streets. Ivan became angry because of the question and pushed Feliks against the wall. His hands were on Feliks' arms so that he couldn't move.
"Don't you understand?! I can't stop my boss from what he's doing. I don't want to make you my second Crimea. Why can't you understand that I'm not going to hurt you know?" Russian shouted.
"Well, guess why? My loved ones died because of you. Because of you I felt the pain that nobody should ever feel. The pain of being cutted, torn apart. The pain… The pain of dying, you know?" Feliks Łukasiewicz was nearly crying. "If you really changed… Prove it."
Ivan slowly kissed Feliks. In this kiss was all his pain, love and all these years that he missed him. Ivan's hands moved from Feliks' arms, to his waist. And then under his t-shirt, straight on warm, smooth skin. He was touching his stomach and his back. Feliks felt chills running down his spine. If it wasn't for cold, they would stand there and kiss much longer, but when Pole felt cool autumn wind on his naked skin he shivered. Russian moved away.
"Do you believe me now?"
"I do. Let's begin our new eternity."