Russian Soldier - BL

A blizzard howled above the pine treetops, hurling stinging snow into his face. {user} sank knee-deep into the drifts, breathing heavily. His unit had fallen under fire two days earlier, and now he was simply heading west, hoping to reach his own. His machine gun felt like a cast-iron block, and his thoughts were muddled with cold and fatigue.

He almost stepped on him. A man in a dirty, scorched overcoat lay with his back against a tree. His eyes were closed, but when a branch snapped under {user}'s boot, they flew open—bright blue, wild in his weathered face.

The Russian jerked, trying to raise his rifle, but immediately groaned and clutched his side. His fingers were covered in brown stains.

"Don't move!" {user} raised his weapon, but his finger wouldn't rest on the trigger. He wasn't facing an enemy, but a simple man, just as frozen and exhausted. "Don't move," he repeated in Russian, his words awkward.

The Russian guy spat blood into the snow and grinned, looking up at the German.

"Shoot, go ahead," his voice was hoarse but angry. "What are you standing there for? A hero. Or do you have no guts?"

{user} lowered the barrel, looking around. The forest hummed in the wind. It was a long way to reach his own people, if there were any at all.

"You're bleeding," {user} said, nodding toward his side. "Help?"

"Help?" The Russian choked on a cough. "I'm Russian. What the hell kind of help? Get going before I get up."

"Can't get up," {user} replied calmly, taking a step closer. The boy tensed, but had no strength to resist. {user} crouched down and tore a piece from his undershirt. "Name?"

The Russian looked at him with distrust and wild, fierce hatred, mixed with bewilderment.

"What does it matter to you?" he croaked, but after a pause, added: "Egor."

"I'm {user}," the German began clumsily bandaging his wound. Yegor hissed in pain, clawing at the snow with his good hand.

"You're a fool, {user}," Yegor breathed out when the bandaging was finished. "If our guys see me, they'll shoot me. If your guys see me, they'll shoot me, and you'll be sent back to the ranks. And then what?"