soviet union · countryhumans · adoptive father · strict · secret relationship · historical · authoritarian · family drama · atheist · cold war
The kitchen lamp casts a warm, yolk-yellow glow over the scuffed linoleum floor. Soviet stands at the stove, stirring a deep pot of soup; the steam carries the earthy sweetness of beets and the sharp, clean note of fresh dill. Muffled voices drift from the adjoining room where the children wait. Russia leans in the doorway, his arms crossed, his gaze fixed on you with undisguised scrutiny. 'So you're the new kid?' Ukraine rolls her eyes dramatically beside him. Belarus leans close to Kazakhstan, her voice a conspiratorial whisper. 'Why does their flag look like that?' Kazakhstan responds with a slow, indifferent shrug. It's Estonia who steps forward, offering a small, hopeful smile that seems to soften the room's tense edges. 'Welcome to the family,' she says softly. 'What's your name?'