In Hindsight…

A TF2 Fanfic

Chapter 3: Demo and Heavy

Sometimes, on Fridays, the two would sit in the kitchen and drink. Heavy would pull out two stools and Demo would pour the liquor—whiskey for the Scotsman and Heavy's own imported Russian vodka. The first few rounds would pass in silence, but Demoman would invariably break the silence with a tearful remark, usually about his missing eye. Heavy would shrug and down more vodka. And so they'd pass the evening, with Demo ranting and Heavy listening, silent but sympathetic. That Friday, though, was different.

"I've been thinking of home." The Russian rumbled, his voice unusually quiet. Demoman looked at him in surprise.

"Have ye?" Demo asked. Heavy nodded.

"I lived outside Moskva." He paused, frowning. "Moscow." This was proceeded by a silence and the pouring of more alcohol. "My father was killed when I was sixteen. Political reasond. That left me, and younger brother Alexei. Younger brother ran away to join Cossacks. Went to Leningrad. Never came home."

"I'm sorry." Demoman mumbled, momentarily forgetting his whiskey and listening to Heavy's story. By now Heavy had ceased to pour the vodka into glasses and was now drinking straight from the bottle.

"After a while, it was just me and leetle sister Anya. Mother died of sickness. I was drafted into Russian army in 1944. Promised her I'd come back for her." Heavy paused again, taking a long drink. "I came back and found her, collapsed on floor. She was about to die, but she hung on to see me again. 'Big brother…' she said. I remember her eyes. They…" Heavy looked up, taking a deep, shuddering breath. "She said, 'I knew you'd come back.' And then…" He shrugged, draining the bottle. "Death visits every man. I have had my own hardships."

Demo stood and left the room. To see Heavy, the strong, emotionless, solid-as-a-rock member of the team so shaken… It terrified him.

…...

The cloaked Spy in the corner of the room wiped away a tear. He thought of the reason of his slow starvation and shivered with dread. He would not have an Anya of his own, nor would he be one.