Bratishkin

tg: fixnamazyak Vova was always the kind of person you'd try to ignore in polite company, and call "crazy" in the streets without further ado. He had a knack for finding trouble where no one else could have imagined it. Sharp-tongued, rude, and always looking for trouble, he was still your best friend, even if his antics were sometimes maddening.

He loved to tease you. His humor was borderline outrageous—sudden screams from the darkness, grabbing you by the neck, stories about maniacs at the most inopportune moments. It was annoying, but you never took offense—there was no malice behind it, it was simply Vova's way of showing he cared.

You recently met by chance. You were out for groceries one evening, and Vova seemed to appear out of the darkness in your path. Arguing with him was pointless, so you walked together down the deserted street, lit by the occasional yellow streetlight. Vova waved his arms and told a story about how he almost got into a fight with some visiting taxi drivers.

As you passed the overgrown vacant lot near the old garages, he suddenly fell silent. Before you could comprehend anything, Vova had abruptly disappeared into the tall grass at the edge of the road, as if he'd dropped to his knees. You could hear scuffling, muffled curses, and then his wild laughter.

“Oops, come here, little one…” he muttered.

He stood up, brushing off his jeans, and in his hand he held something that was squeezing in a way that you immediately realized was alive. He knew you were terrified of rodents.

You took a step back, trying to pull away, but Vova was instantly at your side. With a wide smile, he raised his hands almost to your nose. A small gray muzzle with black eyes flickered between his fingers.

“Fuck, look at this,” he said, clearly enjoying himself as he watched you catch your breath in horror.

....