Work Text:
MISCHA stared at his phone in his shaky hand, his fellow choir members surrounding him with their heads hanging low.
"Why all the long faces?" Karnak grimly asked, examining the distressed looks on the students' faces. "Would it help if I were to tell you what would've happened if Mischa met his love? Would you like to know the future that could've been?"
The Ukrainian's eyes immediately lit up.
"Yes-", his voice was breathy, "-yes, I would desperately-" Noel firmly pressed his hands against Mischa's chest, stopping him from approaching the fortune teller machine any closer.
"No- you don't want to hear that-" Noel declared.
"Why? What would happen?"
"You have a longing and an ideal better to leave it that way."
"But he-"
"Whatever he can tell you will only ruin it. I-"
"I think what Noel is saying- in an extremely confusing manner, is
…Love conquers all."
Noel rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"Yes Ocean, that's precisely what I'm saying, love conquers all."
Noel was very much visibly annoyed by Ocean's interjection but Mischa was suddenly breathless and seemingly overwhelmed with emotion.
"Love does conquer all..." Mischa grabbed Noel's head in his calloused hands, looking deep into his eyes. Noel was frozen, glancing at Mischa's lips for a moment, mildly panicking in his mind, trapping a gulp in his throat.
It wasn't easy being the only gay kid in his high school, let alone in the entirety of Uranium City, but having Mischa cradle his head in his welcoming touch made him feel truly loved by another man for the very first time and for a moment, he soaked in the very brief contact.
Admittedly, Noel hadn't previously seen Mischa in a romantic light as the Ukrainian would often mask his passionate heart with his outlandish gangster persona, yet, it was only in the after life where Noel could see Misha, the real Mischa.
Why did he have to die to fall in love for the first time?
It only made Noel contemplate about his own song. Their kiss was undeniably desperate and lustful which caused Noel to wonder if it was truly their own longing for one another or just Karnak's choreography to please Noel's secret desires. Nevertheless, Noel’s fantasies as Monique Gibeau came true for just a few minutes, but even in the moment, he knew it was never meant to be for who’d ever love a man like Noel Gruber?
"You are man of words, Noel Gruber." Mischa's eyes widened before quickly retracting his hands as he began to sob. "Love conquers all... look at me- I am physically weeping."
His body was trembling and he immediately wrapped his arms around Noel's small frame, crying into his shoulder. Noel began to rub the Ukrainian's back, whispering gentle affirmations and comforting words into his ear.
Noel was being embraced by the boy he secretly loved, hurting internally knowing his crush's heart belonged to another. He couldn’t deny that there were moments where it seemed like the Ukrainian felt the same way, but after singing a love song to his fiancée, Noel understandably snapped out of his delusions and knew that it was his priority to comfort his friend and he could only fantasise about his unrequited love in the privacy of his own thoughts.
~
After an impromptu surprise birthday celebration for Jane, Noel found himself sitting to himself on a creaky crate box, resting his hands onto his knees. It was a kind gesture on Ocean’s part as they all knew the heartache Jane had experienced, no one and even herself never knowing the life she had lead, the hopes and dreams that would never be fulfilled.
Before he knew it, the Ukrainian took it upon himself to join the black-haired boy, sitting a comfortable distance apart. He simply took a sip and gestured the bottle towards the latter, interrupting his thoughts.
"Drink."
"Where'd you get that?"
"It's birthday." Mischa explained with exaggerated arms.
Noel stared at the bottle sceptically before grabbing the neck of the drink, his fingers to ever-so gently graze the Ukrainian’s, causing Noel to let out a barely audible squeak followed by him, chasing his embarrassment with a lengthy sip.
It was silent, far too silent for either of the boy’s liking. The black-haired boy carefully handed the bottle back to Mischa who quickly accepted the alcohol. After a hearty shot of vodka, the Ukrainian seemed to hesitate for a moment, fiddling with the bottle in his hands.
"Noel..."
The black-haired boy froze at the sudden mention of his name. What made him frightened was the unusually serious tone of Mischa's voice.
"I should thank you... what you said 'Love conquers all'. You truly have a way with words." The Ukrainian stated before downing another shot of vodka.
Noel felt red seeping into his cheeks whilst Mischa continued to keep his eyes away, silently fearing that he had made the black-haired boy uncomfortable.
"Well- it's just a cliché- a popular cliché..."
"Dude- I speak Ukrainian, Russian, English, even some Dutch, not even the Dutch speak Dutch. I know what a cliché is."
"Then why did you-" "I'm Ukrainian, unlike Canadians, we like to get excited about shit." Mischa offered the bottle once more to Noel who now didn't hesitate to take a sip.
"I've never been drunk before..." Noel said as he fiddled with the bottle. "Thanks..." He cheered towards the other before chugging another generous shot of vodka.
"на здоров'я... Your life was tragic. Cut down before the poems could even come out of you- you are tragic." Mischa said pointing directly to the centre of the black-haired boy's chest.
"You think so?!" Noel asked with widened eyes.
"You make me weep just looking at you. So, so tragic."
Noel's eyes lit up, glistening with pure joy, almost child-like, so innocent.
"Oh- that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me before!" Noel buried his head into Mischa's neck who smiled in return before wrapping ann arm around the smaller boy's waist.
Господи, помилуй мене- he looks so fucking adorable like that...
... oh shit...
Mischa cleared his throat, scaring Noel who immediately sat up straight (how ironic), his cheeks burning with a rose pink.
"Oh my God- I'm so sorry if that made you uncomfortable- I should've asked before I-" Noel panicked as he awkwardly brushing Mischa’s shoulder as if it was now infected thanks to him.
"No- no, it is okay, Noel. No need to feel sorry."
Noel awkwardly nodded and slightly shuffled, distancing himself further from the Ukrainian with his whole body filled with embarrassment.
"But I should be sorry- I just feel so awful like before in my song and when you and I-" Noel bit his tongue, watching Mischa's face contort with confusion. "Stupid Karnak's pre-planned choreography... I'm sorry it had to be you..."
"What? No- in my country it is normal for two men to show affection my kissing!" The Ukrainian could sense Noel still felt uncomfortable as the black-haired boy continued to stare at the wooden floor. "I grant you not always in heels." Misha said, lightly elbowing Noel who now had a genuine grin on his face.
"Well- it's just that... that was my first kiss-"
"Your first kiss with boy? I am honoured." Mischa proclaimed and etched a proud expression onto his face.
"No... my first kiss with anyone..." Noel hugged his knees to his chest. The Ukrainian grimaced in his place now feeling extremely guilty for his ill-timed joke before carefully placing the bottle of vodka at his side.
"I knew being the only gay teenager in our entire town would present myself a whole world of problems, but I didn't realise how lonely it would be. I just had to accept the fact that no one was ever going to love me and I had so much love to offer, I still do- but I'll never get my chance to share it-" Noel slapped his hand over his mouth as his reddened eyes filled with tears.
Fuck... I said too much... I'm totally freaking him out...
Without missing a beat, Mischa pulled the black-haired boy to his chest, wrapping his arms around his frame. Noel panicked and attempted to pull away which only made the Ukrainian hold him tighter.
"M-Mischa- you don't have to do this-"
"But I want to. You are upset, I want to make you feel better, just like how you helped me.” The black-haired boy began to relax against the Ukrainian’s touch, softly gripping onto the other’s sweater, practically inhaling his scent. “Noel… I know you wanted bad love… but you deserve so much more…” The Ukrainian slightly adjusted his seating, allowing Noel to bury his sobs into his neck, his body pressing impossibly close to the Ukrainian’s.
Mischa knew all too well this helpless feeling. For so long he had been fantasising about his first meeting with his beloved fiancée, Talia.
He never doubted himself, the Ukrainian wasn't one to think he couldn't do anything that he set his mind to, but as the carts of the Cyclone rattled and screeched against the rusty tracks, Mischa knew that he would never leave Uranium, he would never get the chance to save enough money to move back to the Ukraine, he would never get the chance to meet his love.
And before he knew it, Mischa felt pathetic streaks of tears slowly trail down his cheeks as Noel continued to stain his shoulder with his cries. It had truly sunk in.
They were dead.
And so, the two sat in a comfortable silence, only able to hear each others’ soft sobs as they mourned their deaths, mourned the lives that they never got to live, the dreams that could never come true.
Nothing’s fair, especially at the Fall Fair.
~
Noel Gruber - The Most Romantic Boy in Town
March 5th, 1992 - September 14th 2009
Mischa Bachinski - The Angriest Boy in Town
August 18th, 1991 - September 14th 2009