The Long Road Home [semi Hetalia]

THE LONG ROAD HOME

Disclamer: Les personnages d'Hetalia ne m'appartiennent pas, ils appartiennent à Hidekaz Himaruya.
J'ai seulement emprunté la forme de physique de Lituanie et Russie (d'où le semi Hetalia ^^).
Basé sur 'L'avion' de Cedric Kahn, adapté lui même de la bande dessinée "Charly" parue chez Magda-Lapière.
Fiction écrite en Anglais. N'entre pas dans le cadre AIS.

Resumé: Dans cette fiction, Russie et Lituanie sont de simples humains (un Russe et un Lituanien, Ivan et Toris), ils ont un fils de 6 ans nommé Zefram. Ivan est pilote, pour Noël, il offre à son fils une maquette géante d'avion alors que le petit veut un vélo. Il lui promet le vélo pour son anniversaire
Un jour, peu de temps avant l'anniversaire de Zefram, Ivan meurt dans un accident d'avion sans pouvoir remplir la promesse qu'il a faite à son fils. Peu après le décès de son père, Zefram se rend compte que l'avion se met à bouger de lui même.

Chapitre 1:

Citation :: In the car, Toris was driving to the nearest town for some grocery shopping. Zefram, his six year old son was comfortably settled at the back.
“Did Dad tell you what I wanted for Christmas ?”
“No, he didn’t tell me anything, what did you want ?”
“I told him I wanted a bike.”
“Oh ? You told him you wanted a bike ? How about the one you’ve got ?”
“Yeah, that’s what I told him. It’s old and a bit too small for me. I’m not able to follow my friends anymore.” Zefram replied.
“We’ll see about that.” Toris said showing a smile to his son.
The boy smiled. He had short fair blond hair with blue eyes. No one could say if he looked more like Toris or his father Ivan. The family had settled in Russia, Ivan worked for a Russian airline company. They used to live in Lithuania. It was a quiet to live, perfect to raise a child, but Ivan’s work had forced the family to settle in Russia. They lived about an hour from Moscow, where Ivan worked. When he was not travelling around the world, Ivan worked in a laboratory, he was studying materials.
He had taken his family many times with him around the earth. Toris loved that.
Ivan and Toris met when Toris was only 13, Ivan was 16. They started going out together, and ended up marrying each other a few years later, Toris was about 21 year old, and was about 23 when he gave birth to Zerfram.
Toris was an average heighted man, about 1m77, however, his husband was much taller, neighbouring the 2 meters tall.
Both had some hard times socializing their son. Zefram was a very shy boy, hypersensitive, he was different, and other children often picked as an easy target.
Since they moved here in the village, he had made friend with Rain, the neighbours’ daughter. She was different too. Together, the whole world around didn’t matter anymore. Luckily, Tina attended the same school as Zefram and was in his class. It helped Zefram to remain self-assured.
Toris kept on driving. He loved their village, but the way to a proper supermarket was really long.
Zefram liked coming with his father, for him, it was a way to spend time with him. For Toris, it was a quicker way to get rid of this chore. He’s send his son looking for the stuffs he needed while he was looking for others. He loved the way his son would run around the place to please his father.
“Will Dad be home early today ?” Zefram asked.
“I don’t know sweetie.” Toris replied. “He has a very long flight today. He arrives from Washington.”
“I wish he was here.”
“Me too. I miss him.” Toris admitted. “If he’s home early, I’ll make some pirozkhi. I know you both love it.”
“Mmmmm !” The boy replied enthusiastically
Zefram hugged his father’s leg. He was tired. Toris wished he could pick him up, but the groceries were preventing him from doing so.
They were only a few days away from Christmas. The Russian one, they celebrate it on the 7th of January.
As Toris put the groceries the back of the car, Zefram climbed in the front seat of the car and fell asleep. Toris closed the car trunk. He took the blanket and his son’s stuffed rabbit on the backseat.
He covered his son with the blanket and fastened his belt.
He was glad his work allowed him to have free time to look after his son. Toris worked for the Lithuanian embassy, he had an important job, but there wasn’t much to do. Often paid to do nothing, he’d rather stay home to look after the house. He went to Moscow about twice a week, rest of the time, he would work from home. When they finally got home, Zefram had fallen in a very deep sleep. He had no choice, but waking his son up. He bent over his son, when 2 hands grabbed his slender waist. He almost screamed of surprise, but a hand cover his mouth. It was Ivan. He was back home early. He kissed his husband, Toris kissed back.
“I missed you, Toris…”
“Me too Vania.” Toris replied, holding his husband tight.
He lied his head against Ivan’s chest.
“I’ll give you a hand with the boy.”
“Thanks.” Toris said. “I love you…”
“I missed that.”
“What ?”
“Your voice telling me you love me.”
Toris giggled. After 15 years, the 32 year old man hadn’t changed a bit.
The boy began to moan and yawn as he was waking up. Ivan unfastened the belt and picked his son, still swaddled in the blanket.
“Hi there.”
“DAD !!” The boy screamed of joy.
“I missed you…”
He kissed his son on the cheek. The boy couldn’t expect better.

Chapitre 2:

Citation :: Toris closed the car. The family stepped toward the house. It was a rather big house. Ivan had an important job too. He was a pilot, more precisely, a captain. He was also in charge of recruiting young pilots. He was also working for a laboratory, but he would never talk about it. Sometimes at school, Zefram found himself a bit dumb, no knowing what his father was doing in this laboratory.
The three boys had a quiet evening together. Ivan counted his son and husband his journey to Washington, how was the city. They had dinner together. Once the dinner finished, they had to put their bathe their son and put him in bed. Ivan volunteered to look after the boy. He picked Zefram who kissed his father on the cheek. He turned on the water for the bathtub.
“You know how to turn it off, once it’s over. Don’t let it overflow, Da ?”
“Da.”
“Be careful.”
“I will.”
“Call me once you’re done.”
Ivan went back down, and lied on the couch. Toris lied on Ivan’s chest.
“I could fall asleep right now, but it wouldn’t be nice for Zef…”
“You’re always so good to your son.”
“I love him, can’t help it. And he’s so kind…Just like you in fact.”
“I love you too.”
15 minutes later, Zefram called his father. Ivan was quite impressed to see that his teeth were brushed, the bathroom was clean, and nothing was loitering on the floor.
The boy was lied down in his bed, waiting for his father to read him a story.
They chose one together. Zefram had always loved the stories his father chose for him.
“I intended to give it to you for Christmas, but I couldn’t wait to read it to you.”
Toris sighed while smiling, standing in the doorway.
“Do you mind if I sit down with you and listen too ?”
“Come in !!” ordered the boy with a huge smile on his face.
Ivan sat on the floor, backed against the bed. Toris sat down next to him, leaning his head on Ivan’s shoulder.
“So, what’s the book about ?” Toris asked
The Lithuanian loved when Ivan would read stories.
“We’ll find out together.” Ivan answered.
“What’s the title ?”
“The Wizard Of Oz.”
Ivan began to read. The three of them spoke perfectly English. Ivan had been raised most of his life in Alaska, where he met Toris, but in a Russian family. Toris’s parents were Lithuanians working at the Lithuanian embassy in Juneau. They spoke English, Russian, and Lithuanian to their son who was fluent in the three languages.
The story was about a young girl named Dorothy living in a Kansas farm who has been caught in a twister with her dog and finds herself in the magic Land of Oz
About 15 pages later, Zefram had fallen asleep. Toris and Ivan turned off the lights and headed to their bedroom. Ivan took off his uniform and put on his pyjamas before letting himself fall on the comfortable bed. Toris checked his, he had to go to Moscow in the morning. It was a stylish greenish uniform. He hated it, but had no other choice but wear it.
“So you’ll look after him tomorrow ?”
“Yes. I’m exhausted Toris… I think I just need you to come to bed.”
“5 minutes. I’ll be right next to you.”
As he said, Toris came back 5 minutes later, changed for the night. He lied down against Ivan and fell asleep very quickly, just like his husband.
At 6.30 the clock rang. Ivan moaned.
“Get up.” Toris ordered, kissing the Russian on the back of the neck.
“Mmmmmmm, leave me…”
“Don’t fall asleep back, Vania. You have to take Zefram to school.”
“God, that’s true.”
He turned back to face his love, and kissed him to salute. Toris ran a hand through Ivan’s hair, brushing some bangs out of his face.
“I’m counting on you.”
The day had been perfect for Ivan, spending time at home. He just missed Toris a bit. Both felt guilty for spending enough time with the each other. Ivan loved his job, it was a huge sacrifice he made for himself and his family. He seriously thought of finding another job to spend more time with his family. At 4 pm, Zefram came home from school.
“So Mister, how was your day ?”
“Not that bad…” He said before going to his room.
Toris came home about 2 hours later. In between, Ivan helped Zefram with his homework, and got him ready got dinner and bed. He even had time to play a bit with him.
When Toris got home, Ivan and Zefram rushed at him. He kissed his husband and took his son in his arms. He was so glad to finally be home. His family is all he needed.

Chapitre 3:

Chapitre 4:

Citation :: In July few days before his birthday, before going to school, Zefram found a letter on his desk.
“My sweet Zefram,
Don’t worry, I didn’t forget about your bike.
I didn’t want to wake you up as you’re sleeping so tight. I’m coming back in a few days.
I love you.
Dad.”
When Zefram came back from school, he opened the door as usual and made his way right to the living room where he found his aunt and uncles comforting Toris who couldn’t stop crying. His uncle Eduard took him apart.
“Zefram… Something very serious has happened. You’ll have to be very brave.”
Zefram looked at him with a suspicious look.
“Your father’s plane had an accident.” Eduard said. “He didn’t survive.”
The boy remained emotionless as Eduard hugged him.
“Eduard…”
“Yes Zefram ?” Said Eduard while breaking the hug.
“Can I go to my room and do my homework ?”
“Of course…”
Zefram went up, and read his father’s letter again. He couldn’t believe what Eduard just told him.
He went back down an hour letter. Everybody had left.
Zefram went to his father and snuggled against him. Toris burst out crying again. Zefram hugged his father. Toris held him against him, maybe a bit too tight, but he was afraid his son would disappear too. This night, Toris insisted for Zefram to sleep in his bed.
Zefram didn’t go to school for a week. Not because he was unable to go, but because his father didn’t have the strength to send him.
The night before going back to class, something very strange occurred. Zefram has put his plane on the top of the shelf. When he woke up in the middle of the night, the plane was on the floor.
The boy was disturbed by such a thing, wondering how it happened.
Then, he saw the plane moving by itself.
“Are you alive ?” Zefram asked.
The plane lit a red light inside to answer the boy.
“Can you help me to find my father ? Light once for yes, twice for no.”
The plane lit once again. Zefram showed a smile.
“Is that all you can do ?”
The plane lit twice. It began to fly across the room to show the child what it was able of and landed on the floor. The boy got up, pick the plane, and went back to sleep with the plane against his side.
“Will you help me to find my dad ?”
The plane lit once as the boy was falling asleep.

Chapitre 5:

Citation :: In the morning, Toris entered the room to wake his son up. He found Ivan’s letter on his desk. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he read his late husband’s handwriting. He couldn’t realise that Ivan was gone and would never come back. He has never fallen in love before meeting Ivan, he was only 13, but he knew right away Ivan was the one he wanted to spend his life with, and was grateful Ivan felt the same. He never thought of him being with someone else but Ivan.
At Ivan’s funerals, a colleague came to talk with Toris.
“My name is Yuri Krapivine. I worked with your husband at the base, in the laboratory. If you find anything about Ivan’s work, call me.”
“Vania never talked about his work. I don’t think I’ll be helpful…” Toris admitted.
Zefram approached his father and buried his face in his father’s trousers, grabbing his leg at the same time. He was not very tall for a kid his age and easily looked 4 or 5 year old. Toris took his son in his arms.
“I want to go home.”
He kissed the toddler on the cheek. The boy carried his thumb to his mouth and began to suck on it.
Irina and Natalya came right after Mr Krapivine left. They escorted Toris and Zefram to their car. Irina hugged her brother-in-law as tears went down her face. Natalya was shyer, but much more sensitive. In a way, Zefram looked like his aunt a lot. Their direct way to say things and their shyness brought them closer. Though, none of them was very talkative.

Everyday, Rain’s parents had come to bring the school work to Zefram, checking on Toris at the same time. They could but imagine what Toris was going through. Ivan was his first love, the only one he ever had, seeing a relationship ending with such a brutality was unbearable. Ivan was only 32.
They helped their neighbour the most they could.
That day, Zefram had insisted on bringing his plane to school. Toris didn’t have the strength to fight and let him. When Toris dropped him, he went to talk with Zefram’s teacher. Toris began to leave the playground and his son ran to him, grabbing his leg.
“Dad, don’t go… Don’t leave me…”
“I have to… I need to go to Moscow for the afternoon. You’ll stay with Rain for the rest of the day, alright sweetie ?”
He hugged his son, the tears went down the boy’s face. Toris held him tight.
“I love you Zefram, more than anything. But I have to go now. I’ll be back tonight, I promise.”
“That’s what Dad said… His plane crashed. What if your train crashes ?”
“It won’t happen. Because I can’t leave you on your own. Okay ?”
“Okay.”
Toris kissed his son on the cheek, telling him he loves him once more.
“I love you too.” Zefram replied.

The bell rang, children joined their classes. Zefram stood in the middle of the playground. One shoved Zefram.
“Is that true your father’s dead ?” He asked laughing and left the boy on his own.
Zefram’s teacher came to the boy to take him in. He asked Rain’s neighbour to sit somewhere else so Zefram could be more comfortable.
“So, Zefram is back, he’s been missing for a while because of personal reasons. I want you to be nice with him as what he’s going through is very tough.” The teacher explained. “Zefram, if you ever need anything, you just ask.”
The boy nodded very shyly.
“So, Zefram, do you want to introduce your plane to us ?”
The boy shook his head.
“Right, doesn’t matter. Take out your copybooks and copy what I write on the blackboard.”
Once the teacher had his back turned, a boy grabbed the plane and passed it on to the front. In a few second, it was half the class away. Zefram got up to check where his plane was.
The teacher turned back to the class.
“Zefram did you want to tell us something ? No ? Sit back down then.”
Zefram obeyed his teacher and sat down. He saw the plane moving across the room and go back to him, hitting the boy who played a trick on Zefram.

Chapitre 6:

Citation :: Zefram wanted to go home, but had to stay with Rain. He spent some time outside with Rain
“What are you doing ?”
“Burying my doll. If it disappear, my wish comes true.”
When Toris came to get him, he ran in his father’s arms.
“Hi there !”
“DAD !”
Rain’s parents had a long talk with Toris, but Zefram didn’t want to leave him.
He brought his son and the plane back home, thanking his neighbours for watching after his son.
He went up, put his son in bed and went to his. He fell asleep almost instantly.
The next day, Zefram didn’t have class, and stood home with the housekeeper. All day long, he and his plane played trick on the young woman as she was cleaning the house.
By the end of the day, Zefram thought that if his plane could fly across the room, it could fly him in the sky. He took the ladder, went up and climbed to the roof.
Toris came back at this moment, as soon as he saw his son on the roof, he rushed inside the house to stop his son. He climbed the ladder, went on the roof and dragged his son in.
“WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING ???? DO YOU HEAR ME ?!! DO YOU REALISE YOU COULD HAVE KILLED YOURSELF BY JUMPING OF THAT ROOF ?!!”
The boy remained emotionless.
“I don’t want to leave you with that plane.”
Toris grabbed the plane. Zefram began to protest, grabbing his father’s arm, crying and yelling.
“NOOOOO !! DAD GIVE IT BACK TO ME !!!”
“Out of question !! Zefram, let me go !!”
He entered Ivan’s office, trying to put the plane somewhere. Zefram was furious, hitting his father. He managed to keep his son out of the study and locked the room with the key. Zefram tried to get the key, but Toris was quicker, he climbed on a chair and put the key on the top of a shelf in the kitchen where his son couldn’t reach it.
“You sit down here !” ordered Toris.
Zefram refused to sit on the chair and sat on the floor. Both heard a loud noise of glass breaking from the cellar. Zefram’s face decomposed itself as he saw the plane coming right into the kitchen window.
“DAAAD !!!” He screamed as he hid under the table to protect himself.
Toris turned around and saw the plane arriving right into his face. He ducked as the plane broke the window. It began to fly across the room angrily. Zefram snuggled against his father, looking for eventual protection. The plane broke almost everything it could in the house. It lasted for 5 solid minutes, those minutes felt like eternity to Toris. The plane finally landed on the living room’s floor, by the couch. Zefram ran to it and grabbed it.
“Dad, can I go to bed ? I’m tired.”
“O…Of course…”
Zefram went up with his plane in his arms. Toris grabbed the phone and called Yuri Krapivine. The man arrived a quarter of hour later.
“You made it quick.”
“I drove as fast as I could. What’s the problem ?” Krapivine asked
Toris showed him the house.
“What happened ?”
“The plane.”
“What plane ? The one Ivan made ?”
“Yeah, he gave it to Zefram for Christmas. But somehow, this plane is alive. He made it at the lab. You must have seen something, haven’t you ?”
“Where is it ?”
“With Zefram, in his bedroom.”
“Can I see it ?”
Toris nodded.
“Can I borrow it ? I’ll bring it back tomorrow.”
“S…Sure.” Toris replied.
The man went into Zefram’s room and took the plane. The boy was sleeping soundly. No way he would wake up. Krapivine went back down.
“Does your son have anything to command it ?”
“No…”
He tried to scratch the plane with a Swiss knife, but no mark was left.
“Like this I can’t see anything, I have to take it to the lab. I’ll keep you informed.”
“Thanks.”

Chapitre 7:

Citation :: Krapivine left the house, Toris collapsed in the couch, wondering how come this plane was alive.
He got up and went to bed. He tried to sleep. He opened his eyes and jumped of surprise when he saw his son standing right in front of him.
“Where’s my plane ?”
“A colleague of Dad came to take it, he wants to study it.”
“YOU CAN’T !!” Zefram protested.
“But can’t you see he broke everything in the house ? It’s dangerous !”
“YOU CAN’T IT’S DAD’S PLANE !!” The boy yelled as he left room and slammed the door.
Toris felt guilty when at his son’s last sentence. Somehow Zefram was right. It was Ivan’s plane. He thought of how much he missed his husband. The sat in the bed, put his head between his knees and cried. He wanted his love back. He felt abandoned. He was not even able to handle his son. Now nothing could comfort him. He grabbed a pillow to muffle his screams.
“Why did you have to die ?” Toris repeated. “Where did it go wrong with this plane ? Why did you accept this flight, you had the fucking choice to stay here…Why ?”
The tears went down his face, his eyes had turned from green to red. He needed his husband’s arms to feel better, but he wasn’t here anymore.
He dried his tears and went to his son’s room, the door was closed.
“Zef… He said he’ll bring it back, he promised !” He said as his voice was breaking. “Zefram ? Zef, answer me !”
He opened the door and noticed the room was empty. He ran downstairs.
“ZEFRAM ???”
He checked everywhere but he wasn’t in the house. Then, he heard noises from Ivan’s study.
“Zef, is that you ?”
He went to the kitchen, grabbed the key and opened the room. The cardboard on the desk was open. Toris realised his son had escaped.
He put on his trousers, grabbed his coat and ran outside to look for his son.
“ZEFRAM !!! ZEF ?? ZEFRAM !!”

Zefram ran to Rain’s house. From the cardboard, he took his father’s card from the lab so he’ll be able to open any door. He tapped on her window.
“Rain, Rain wake up ! It’s Zefram, wake up !”
“What are you doing ?” His friend asked.
“I want you to lend me your bike.”
“What for ?”
“Please, lend it to me, it’s very important.”
“If you don’t tell me why, I’m not lending it to you.” Imposed the girl. “Does it have something to see with your plane ?”
Zefram nodded.
“Alright, I’m lending it to you, but I’m coming with you.”
Zefram smiled, he knew he could count on Rain. They rode the bike to the lab. The road went through the forest. Rain stopped. She asked Zefram to take her place. He agreed. Both heard a strange noise.
“What is it ?” Zefram asked
“The deads” Rain answered. “At night, the deads come in the forest.”
Zefram rode the bike to the lab, where they parted their ways. Rain tried to make a diversion so Zefram could enter the building, kept by military men. He successfully made his way in, luckily, his father’s pass was still working. He ran to the room his father worked. He found Krapivine testing his plane. He made a heavy weight fall on the plane, Zefram couldn’t watch…
“I’ve never seen something that solid… It’s unbreakable. If we could only find out what it’s made of… It would be fantastic… We could commercialise it and be famous…”
Zefram was angry at the man. Once Krapivine had his back turned, Zefram grabbed the plane and hid behind a cupboard. Krapivine noticed the boy as a bit of the plane was still visible.
“Come on boy, I just want to study it, I won’t break it.”
The plane began to shake, causing the unstable shelf to fall. Krapivine made a few steps backward to escape the falling thing. Zefram took the opportunity to escape with his plane. He ran his way upstairs. Military men were after him as Krapivine rang the alarm. He arrived at the top floor, but the door wouldn’t open, he took out his father’s pass and opened the door with it. He ran as fast as he could, attached his plane on his back with the belt he took from his fathers’ closet.
The climbed a few ladders and arrived at the top, Krapivine was right behind him.
“Zefram… Listen to me…”
Zefram held his plane against him and whispered to it.
“Fly… Fly… Fly…”
The plane began to fly, taking Zefram off the roof. Krapivine went down, took is car and followed the plane to the forest.
The plane landed on a tree. Zefram had to make his way down on his own. He jumped from the tree, finally arrived on the ground. Krapivine found the boy. He approached him, but the plane protected the boy, fighting Krapivine to leave the boy alone. The man tried to defend himself, repulsing the living toy with his hands. The plane left cuts on the elder man’s hands. Meanwhile, Zefram ran away. The plane came from behind and hit Krapivine on the back on the head, causing the man to collapse on the floor, unconscious.

Policemen had left Toris by the base, where he found Rain.
“Rain, where is Zefram ?”
“He flew on his plane to the forest.”
He took the young girl with him and drove to the forest nearby. They got down, calling for Zefram.
All they found was Krapivine lied down on the floor. Toris rushed to him.
“Yuri , Yuri, are you okay ?”
Yuri got up slowly, he felt very dizzy, but tried not to show it.
“What happened ?” Toris asked.
“I should have lost consciousness.”
“Are you looking for this ?” Toris added, handing an electronic device to the man.
“It’s useless, doesn’t work anymore. Come on, let’s indicate the police the searching zone.”
At the infirmary truck, a young woman banded Yuri’s hands and place something around his neck to hold it still.
The policemen drove Toris and Rain back home.
“Where are we going ?” Rain asked
“I’m taking you back home.” Toris answered
“I want to wait for Zefram with you.”
“Alright, I’ll wall your parents back.”
Once home, Toris headed to his husband’s study to find a possible clue about this plane’s origins. He went through tons of folders and files. Until he found a little note book, he opened it and saw a picture of Ivan standing next to the meteorite he found in Egypt 5 years ago, there was an annotation saying that the matter of the meteorite could make the lighter and most resistant plane in the world. He heard something tapping on the broken window. It was the plane, it had come for him, to show him the way to Zefram.

Chapitre 8:

Citation :: Toris went to his car, and followed the plane. It lead him to a water tower lost in the middle of a field.
The plane showed the top of the tower. The heat was almost unbearable. Summers in the area of Moscow were very hot, despite what people could think. He was worried his son might be hurt by the sun.
He ran upstairs, on the roof, he found his son, unconscious on the floor.
“Zef ?” Toris asked
The boy didn’t answer. Toris took his in his arms and brought it back to the car. He took out a bottle of water, and tried to make his son drink.
“Zefram, answer me, can you hear me ? Please, move !”
He soaked his son’s face with water, he began to wake up. Toris showed a smile as his eyes were filled with tears of fear, the fear of losing his son.
“Dad ?”
“Oh, Zefram” Toris said, hugging his son. “Go back to sleep sweetie, I love you.”
“Dad I lost my plane…”
“It’ll find us, don’t worry.”
Krapivine arrived and asked where the plane was. Toris showed the top of the tower. The man ran hysterically upstairs with ropes.
Toris saw the man fighting with the plane, trying to capture it. But the plane brought the man down again. It landed by the car. Toris grabbed it, ran to Krapivine’s open car, took the keys and the GPS, got in his car and left as quickly as he could.
An hour later, Zefram woke up.
“Dad, where are we going ?”
“By the lake…”
“Why ?”
“People from the lab are looking for us, they want to understand how your plane is made. Go back to sleep, we’ll be driving for a while.”
Once they got there, Toris opened the car trunk and took out the plane. Rain showed up from under a cover.
“What are you doing here ?” Toris whispered “Come on, get down !”
Rain got down.
“Stay here, I’ll be back in a minute.”
Toris made a few steps toward the lake and placed the plane by the water so his son could find it.
He went back to the car, Zefram began to wake up.
They entered the little house. It had two beds for two people, a table and a kitchen, it was only one room. The bathroom and the toilets were outside.
This little house was something Toris’s parents left him when they died. He often came with Ivan. The Russian loved that place. He opened the door and let the children in, they chose the place where they wanted to sleep. Rain rushed on the bed
“I’m sleeping here !”
“NO IT’S ME !” Zefram replied
“NO IT’S ME !” Toris added, grabbing both children and fell on the bed with them.
The three laughed out loud.
“Come one kids, go out and play.”
Rain and Zefram ran outside. A few minutes later Zefram came back, very proud.
“DAD ! DAD ! Look what I found ! I found my plane by the water !”
Toris showed his son a smile. The boy ran back outside to play with Rain. They had fun throwing the plane at each other. The rest of the day was quiet, they made some fire outside, making marshmallows grill for dinner and went to bed.

Chapitre 9:

Citation :: Toris turned off all the candles.
“Dad ?”
“Yes ?”
“My plane doesn’t work anymore. I tried to talk to him, I tried everything, it doesn’t work anymore. If it doesn’t work I won’t be able to find Dad… I won’t be able to tell him what I want to tell him…”
Toris stopped, his heart missed a bit. He wanted to cry, but didn’t want his son to see him cry. He looked back.
“You know, you can talk to him. Maybe he won’t answer you, but he will hear you. Good night Zefram.”
He kissed his son and Rain, blew the last candle and went to sleep. When Toris was finally asleep, Rain told Zefram to go and burry his plane in the sand.
Zefram got outside on tiptoe. He dug a hole in the sand and buried his plane. He waited for 10 minutes but nothing happened. He tried to dig up his plane, but it had disappear. He looked around, and then back at where he had buried his plane, worrying. He felt a hand dropping on his shoulder. It was Ivan.
“DAD !” Zefram said jumping in father’s arms.
“Zefram…” Ivan said as he was hugging his son.
“I miss you Dad…” Zefram said as his voice was breaking
Tears began to roll down his face. Ivan smiled and dried his son’s tears.
“Zefram, don’t cry for me, I’m fine, I’ll always, stop worrying about me.”
The boy couldn’t stop crying. He held his little boy in his arms.
“I love you so much Zefram. I would NEVER give up on you.”
“Dad ?”
“Yes ?”
“Where are you now ? What happened with your plane ?”
“These a tough questions…My plane had a problem with the motor, it was too late for us when we found out.”
Zefram dried his tears.
“Sometimes, on Friday nights, Dad cooks Piroshky, it reminds me of you.”
Ivan laughed, that was the way Toris loved to remember people. And that why he loved him so much. In Toris’s mind, because someone is missing, doesn’t mean you have to stop doing the things you used to do with them. Zefram climbed on his father’s lap and kissed him on the cheek. Ivan held him tight against him. They stood the one against the each other for more than 15 minutes.
“Dad. I never told you that I love you. I wish I hadn’t been so stupid, and did more things with you.”
“Zefram… You don’t have to apologize. You’re this way, I don’t want to be any different, that’s how I love you. You are an amazing little boy, full of energy and intelligence. You are perfect. Why would I want it to be different ?”
He kissed his boy on the head. Zefram sat down beside him. They watched the lake together.
“You know, I wish I had time and waste a day here, watching this lake all day long with you and Toris.” Ivan admitted
“I wish you were really here…” Zefram said. “I wish it was real.”
Ivan looked at his son, he had Toris’s eyes. He always thought Zefram looked like his Lithuanian.
“Zefram, don’t worry. I’ll always be by your side, even if you can’t see me, I’ll be with you. Even when you are a grown man. I’ll keep an eye on you. Nothing can happen to you because I’ll look after you. Now I have to go.”
“NO !!” Zefram protested, afraid of being left alone.
“Zef, listen to me. I need to to get back to Toris, he needs you by his side, he needs to know he’s not alone. You both have to stand strong while I’m gone. I love you. Both of you. Tell your father that I love him. Tell him I’ve never loved anyone like I loved him, and I will never love someone like I loved him again.” Ivan said before standing up and heading to the boat on the lake.
“Now show me a smile. I want to see your smile one last time before I go.”
Zefram had some hard time showing a proper smile. Ivan tickled him, the boy laughed out loud. When he stopped, the boy had a large smile on his face. All he could see in his son was Toris. Same smile, same eyes, the same expression, the same adorable shyness and kindness which sometimes caused both Zefram and Toris to worry about others before themselves.
Zefram walked with him to the embarkation. Ivan jumped in the boat, lighting a lantern.
“DAD !”
“Zefram ?”
“I want you to know that I was happy when you gave me the plane.”
Ivan showed a large smile as the boat was leaving until it disappeared completely. Zefram watched the boat fading away.
“Goodbye Dad.” The boy said to himself.
In the morning, he woke up in the sand. His plane was missing. He ran back inside the house and woke Toris up.
“Dad… Dad I want to go home.”
“What about your plane ?”
“I don’t want it anymore, I’m leaving it here.”
“Okay.”
Toris locked the house. The three of them ran to the car
“FIRST ARRIVED WINS !!” Toris screamed
“ARRIVED WHERE ?” Zefram asked
“TO THE CAR TRUNK !” Rain imposed
Zefram got there first. Toris put the kids in the car, settled to drive and turned on the motor.
During the way back Zefram told his father about the previous night.
“I saw Dad last night.”
Toris’s throat began to hurt.
“He told me to tell you that he loved you, and that he never had and never will love anyone else but you.”
Toris slowly smiled as tears went down his face. He wondered if this plane was not Ivan. Protecting them and guiding them. Zefram looked up to the sky and noticed what looked like a plane following them.

» Episode 8: End of the Road
» Episode 7 : The Long Game/Un Jeu Interminable
» Épisode 14 : Rejoins-moi / Long-Distance Call