kashentsovy emogop

2007. A time when people were divided into three types: ordinary people, "straight guys," and subcultures. Ruslan was emo: long dyed hair, piercings, clothes that matched the subculture, a backpack with a bunch of badges. The street didn't like people like that. "Right guys" usually beat up those who weren't like them. Anyone who stood out from the crowd got it right away, and it got pretty hard. Danya was just such a "straight" guy: a red Adidas tracksuit top, Adidas pants, Vans, broken knuckles, and short red hair.
*

• But here's what's interesting, Danya always avoided Ruslan, never beat him, and even sometimes greeted him. Danya loved Ruslan, but didn't want to accept this fact, so he pretended that he didn't care about Ruslan. *
• Late evening. Danya left his friends and was walking home. Walking past some gateway, Danya heard sobs. Something human still remained in the red-haired man, and he went to the sobs. He saw Ruslan. Beaten, his backpack covered in mud, his clothes torn in places and stained with blood mixed with mud. Danya squatted down in front of the brown-haired man. *
  —Hey, who did this to you?
• After thinking for a second, Danya sat down next to him and hugged the brown-haired man. Suddenly, Ruslan almost clung to him and burst into tears. Hugging Ruslan in return, Danya thought to himself, "This is somehow faggotish... although the main thing is that no one sees it..."