Chapter Text
December 31st, 1980
It cannot be understated how sociable and agreeable Florence Vassy could be,
It could also not be understated how many gay people Freddie Trumper knew in his hometown,
A mixture of the two truths ended up with them being invited to a New Year’s Eve party.
Anatoly was… a little worried but he was good at this stuff, Svetlana however?
Not exactly socialized much.
But she seemed fine, she was smiling and nodding as they were greeted, watching everyone’s reaction as Anatoly introduced himself, as they knew who he was, knew what had happened and heard his accent, And how they didn’t give a fuck.
They had somewhat settled when he found Freddie “darling?” Anatoly leaned into Freddie.
“Yep?” He chirped, soda in hand because he didn’t drink in public.
“Did you tell these people?” His tone wasn’t accusatory, just a little confused.
“Yeah… I met them at a gay bar, but did you not want me to?” He leaned against the windows, they were in a high rise apartment, not a lick of judgment in his tone.
“I don’t mind I was just wondering since they keep looking at us” he tried to reassure, he could see the cityscape behind Freddie, it was lovely.
“Maybe because we’re Fredrick Trumper and Anatoly Sergievsky? Famous rivals? plus people think me and Florence dated… Or maybe because we’re very hot together?” Freddie unfolded his arms.
“Oh, are we?” He hummed.
Freddie casually leaned up and took Anatoly’s face in his hands “yep!” He said again, eyes flickering down to his lips.
That was Anatoly’s cue to pull him into a kiss, one Freddie smiled into before pushing him away lightly.
“Fredrick Trumper and Anatoly Sergievsky, famously rivals now lovers” Anatoly leaned into the hand on his cheek.
“Two really unlikely lovers” Freddie removed his hand and ducked under him and into the more crowded area.
There were people dancing,
drinking,
lounging,
and listening to music.
It was a normal party scene but in that normal party scene there were two people he was looking for: Svetlana and Florence.
They were on a couch talking to two people, drinks in hand.
“Hey Tolya!” Florence called, holding her free hand out to him, beaming at him.
“My dear” he took her hand and the offer to sit next to her.
“Husband” Svetlana greeted with a nod before taking a drink, she was sitting close to Florence, closer than he was, obviously a little nervous but seemingly fine.
“Wife” he greeted in the same tone.
“Hi, I’m Owen! You’re Anatoly Sergievsky, right?” The eager boy held his hand out, big bright eyes, big circle glasses to match and fluffy hair that looked as if he’d been pushing it back all night.
“That I am” he shook Owen’s hand and pulled Florence closer, he was good at being polite to people he didn’t care much to hear.
“It’s really nice to meet you, sir, these two have so much to say about you and my moms a big fan” He shook Anatoly’s hand so hard he and Florence shook, smiling wide and bright, evidently a little drunk.
“Nice to meet you too, no need for sir though and I’m glad”
“Anatoly hates formality” Florence drawled, holding her drink out to him.
“Formality is asinine bullshit” a woman who was leaning against the wall cut in, she had big red hair, a stern disposition but a sweet face, a young woman, probably around Svetlana’s age, one who dressed in the current popular style.
“That’s Winona-” Owen nodded to her “-ignore her or she’ll talk your ear off about social injustice”
“They don’t mind! They’re free love… right?” She spoke first to Owen before turning to them on the couch, evidently tipsy.
“Free love?” He asked slowly, he might have heard the term…?
“It’s just live and let love, pretty much, you three, four? Are are dating, right?” Winona asked.
“I- uh” he looked to Florence, she was marginally better at explaining on the rare occasions they had to.
“Me and Anatoly are dating-“
“Engaged” he immediately cut in, he needed to get her a ring to make it easier to remember.
“Me and Anatoly are engaged, him and Freddie are dating, him and Svetlana are married” she explained, nudging his shoulder.
“Though not in love” she cut in, downing her drink, making a face because she didn’t drink all that often.
“It’s a little hard to wrap your head around at first” he drawled.
Winona and Owen nodded along
“see, free love!” Winona exclaimed, gesturing to them.
“Hippie” was Owen’s only response.
“Is that a compliment?” He drawled before taking a sip of Florence's significantly too sweet drink.
“Yeah! I know a bunch of people with relationships- well not exactly like y’all’s but plenty of people dating multiple people!” Owen exclaimed.
“It’s really just Tolya who’s committing adultery” Svetlana piped up again, tone playful.
“Rude but true” he confirmed, standing to get a less awful drink for himself.
He only made it a few steps into the kitchen area before Freddie was in front of him. “Got you a drink, don’t get drunk” he was dead serious about that.
He took said drink and kissed Freddie’s cheek “thank you, I have no intention especially not with Svetlana’s inability to hold her liquor” a simple half truth.
“Isn’t that a whole thing with Russians? That you can hold your liquor?”
“She’s been working hard since she was a teenager then… me, and the children” he circled his free hand in the air
“My mother drank all the time” he rolled his eyes.
“Well, Svetlana’s a good mother, so she doesn’t really”
“Wow, I can’t believe you, talking shit about my mom” Freddie said with zero offense, moving to stand in front of him.
“I’m so very deeply sorry” he drawled.
“I would hope so but I don’t know if I can forgive you-“ he made a show of thinking before saying “-but I know what can make it up to me! You, me, kissing on the new year”
He blinked “You want me to kiss you on the new year?”
“Yes, I do” he scoffed like it was so obvious.
“You? My Freddie? Wants me to kiss him in public?” Anatoly gaped.
He groaned “Yes, god. Why is that so hard to believe? Most everyone here is gay, they don’t care if I kiss my-…”
“Boyfriend?” He offered.
“…yes” he sighed.
“All I’m saying is you can’t even call me that so I assumed you wouldn’t want me to” he held his hands up in defense.
“I’m working on it, Anatoly” he crossed his arms, and flipped his hair over his shoulder though the ladder was something he did subconsciously.
“I know, all I’m saying is that we don’t have to if you feel obligated or something”
“I’m asking to kiss you, not the other way around” Freddie huffed.
“Alright, if you want to then we can” he shrugged.
“I do, I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t, thank you very much” he smiled, not one of those trademark Trumper smiles but a real true Freddie slime, ones rare and reserved for people very dear.
He sighed and ran his hand through his hair “you disarm me, Freddie, my dear”
“That’s why I’m better at chess than you” he said with a laugh behind his voice.
“Well, I wouldn’t go that far” Anatoly closed the distance between them.
“I would” Freddie teased, only somewhat serious, looking up at him
“So rude” he scoffed, smiling.
“Maybe you should shut me up?” He got closer, pulling him closer.
He thought, eyes flicking between Freddie’s own and his lips, before a far better idea popped into his head “I think I’ll wait until new years” he pulled away, trying to not immediately pull him back in.
“Now who’s rude?” Freddie huffed, smile still on his face.
“I can be quite rude” was all he said in response.
Florence has wandered to a different part of the party by the time he got back, she stunned, as always, where she stood by the window where Freddie stood only an hour or two ago.
“Hi there” She said once she noticed him, once he’d made his way over.
“Hi, enjoying the party?”
“Yeah, i like parties… sometimes” she hummed.
“I have to say I agree, they can be quite dull” he leaned against the glass next to her.
“Oh? And how do you cope?”
“I find the prettiest girl in a room and stand next to her” he smiled at her, all dopey and lovesick.
She barked a laugh “not the compliment you think it is, love, really not”
“You’re the prettiest girl here, always will be” he sighed wistfully.
”What about when I’m not here?”
“You will be on my mind, I will be longing to see your beautiful face… I am contented with the two of you as my lovers, Florence, it’s odd and not something I’m used to but I know that I am”
She covered her face with her free hand and blushed “you know what you should do with all this free time with not being champion anymore? Poetry. women would swoon all over the world” she turned back to him.
He raised a brow and then shook his head “I don’t understand what you mean, I’m simply expressing my feelings… I didn’t get to express them much before, making up for lost time, I suppose”
She looked at him, something akin to pity gracing her eyes but it wasn’t, regardless of what it was, she simply said “please do, I want you too, really, even more in the new year”
“Oh! Speaking of, I will be kissing Freddie on the new year, I told him so. Is that an issue?” He asked casually.
“No, why would it be?” She drew out her words in confusion.
“I don’t know, you might’ve wanted to” he shrugged.
“I don’t, why would you think that” she did the same.
“Because you’re Florence Vassy and you love vacations, holidays and all things like it” he stated matter o factly.
“I do but new years? Not much to gain from it” she drawled plainly.
“Personally, I’ve gained a lot this past year”
She swatted at his arm “stop it! You are so… good for me”
“As are you, dearest” he took a step closer to her.
“You cannot kiss me, you just kissed Freddie and that’s gross”
“Gross”
“Yes, very, he’s my friend and you’re boyfriend and your lips have touched. That’s gross enough, I don’t need us to kiss by association because you just kissed him” she downed the last of her drink after speaking.
He paused, listening to her rambling then nodded “Can I kiss your hand?”
“Yes, you may” she held her hand out for him and he took it, running his thumb over her hand before bringing it to his lips, lingering just enough for himself but enough to not completely fluster her.
“Thank you, your perfume smells sweet” he mused.
She blushed, turning away from him again and smiling “I hate you sometimes, you ruin me when you talk like this” despite her words her voice only betrayed fondness.
“Alas, I am only capable of loving you, no matter what” he was still holding her hand, he tightened his grip.
“Oh don’t worry, I always will”
They paused for a moment, listening to the music and other conversations before he spoke again “you need a ring, it’s been months and you don’t have time yet”
“A ring?” And cocked her head to the side.
“An engagement ring” he clarified.
“Oh… yes, that sounds nice!” She beamed.
“Any particulars?” He asked.
“Can I come with you to buy it or is that bad luck or something?”
“No, I don’t think…? I’m genuinely unsure”
“Well, if it is, I hate to be that girl but I want something flashy yet versatile” she said so sure, it was clear she had thought about this for a long time.
“I have no qualms with that, whatever you want” he said, as genuine as could be.
Yet she still seemed unsure and felt the need to clarify by saying “I just… don’t want anyone to be mistaken, for everyone to know that I’m yours and your mine and… I’m that girl, the girl who’s always dreamed about her ring, her dress, her wedding, her husband”
“Is that why you want to wait?” He mused.
“To get married? Yes, somewhat, it is still soon but i also just… want it to be perfect, don’t we all deserve that?”
“Yes, you do”
“We do. All of us” she clarified, stern and squeezing his hand tightly.
He knew better than to argue.