Chapter Text
7 things Maksym has done in four years:
1) Maksym Donets has worked for Volodymyr Zelenskyy for four years.
Being a public figure's bodyguard wasn't what Maksym pictured himself doing when he was younger, much less one as famed as Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He originally took the job part-time to finance his studies, and then found himself unable to get out from under Kolomoiskyi's network of thugs. When he was assigned to Zelenskyy by Kolomoiskyi, he felt as though he could somewhat breathe again, away from the suffocating environment of an oligarch's twisted world.
Still, at that time he hadn't exactly been free. It was only once Zelenskyy became the president of Ukraine and asked him personally to join his administration that Maksym felt himself gain a new lease on life.
When he looks back at pictures of himself before 2019, he cringes at the obvious signs of lifelessness on his face. Drugs have that effect on people, after all.
But then Volodymyr Zelenskyy came into his life, and, whether knowingly or not, saved him.
2) Maksym has witnessed Volodymyr Zelenskyy grow from a political novice to an admirable leader for four years.
When Maksym was assigned to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he remembers thinking that this young and politically inexperienced comedy star was a naive clown only looking to get even more public attention, like the orange American in 2016. He thought his job was pointless then, shadowing Zelenskyy while he made public stunts and movies.
It didn't take too long until he couldn't think of the man as an attention seeker anymore, and even came to appreciate his... interesting way of life. Still, he couldn't help but scoff at Zelenskyy's attempt to go for the presidency.
Until he actually won it.
From then, Maksym gradually began to disagree with the papers and news outlets when they shunned Zelenskky for his naive actions. Behind the scenes, Maksym saw a tragically honest man, true in his desire to change Ukraine for the better, to help her people. He saw stubbornness and bravery, and an intense dedication. He began to seethe when people refused to take him seriously.
Finally, when the war broke out, despite the seriousness and heartbreak of the situation, Maksym had to fight down the desire to say "I told you so" to his fellow Ukrainians, for the entire world finally saw Volodymyr Zelenskyy the way he did: a hero.
3) Maksym has experienced many personality aspects of Volodymyr for four years.
When one person guards another for so long, they are bound to learn a couple things about them.
In Maksym's case, he has had four years of being Volodymyr Zelenskyy's shadow, following his every footstep and blending into his private life, to learn all that he can about the man who would become president, vital and trivial:
He knows what every member of the Zelenskyy family is allergic to (Volodymyr's mother has no allergies, her husband is lactose intolerant and allergic to carrots, Olena is mildly allergic to dust mites depending on the country as well as nickel, Oleksandra is mildly intolerant to mushrooms, Kyrylo has no allergies or intolerances yet, and neither does Volodymyr himself).
He knows what his favorite food is (his mother's borscht).
He knows what his phone and computer passwords are (date of his first kiss with Olena for his phone, and a series of nonsensical letters and numbers for his computer).
He knows what he thinks about each season ("summer is perfect except for sunburns and heat strokes", "spring is overwhelming with smells, and it's amazing", "winter is a good excuse to cuddle with Olena more", and "autumn inspires the poet in all of us").
What routes he prefers to walk rather than drive ("what a waste not to walk through the old city; it always takes my breath away" and "come on, the park is right there").
What animal he had as a child (a chocolate Labrador named Petya, died of cancer at age 11).
What board game he prefers to play on family night (Pictionary, even though he can't draw to save his life; his miming is what makes the game a success).
What brand of tissues he buys when he has a runny nose (Dubo, scented orange).
What he likes to do the most when visiting a new country (drink a local beer while lying by any kind of body of water).
Maksym knows that he can still learn more about his boss, and that so far there he has been nothing but pleasantly surprised.
Before becoming president, Volodymyr was instantly described as light-hearted by anyone who held a single conversation with him. That is, anyone whose intentions were honest and open. While Volodymyr may genuinely be a gentle man by nature, he can also command a room with his sharp words and direct intentions. This however, wasn't common knowledge until the war broke out.
Now, every room falls silent when Volodymyr enters, and Maksym knows Volodymyr dislikes it.
This, Maksym knows, is an aspect which largely makes Volodymyr Zelenskyy a great war leader; he doesn't want to intimidate people.
Of course, Volodymyr is only human. He feels anger, sadness, fear; all three aspects Maksym has gotten to know better since the war began. But even before, two months into his new job, Maksym had witnessed Volodymyr truly angry for the first time when he had learned that a boy was tormenting his son at school for weeks without any intervention from an authority figure. Maksym hadn't been present for the meeting with the principal, but he had heard the tone and the volume from down the corridor. Presidential candidate or not, Volodymyr hadn't had any qualms with having the entire school hear of his fury.
The first time Maksym had witnessed Volodymyr quietly cry in sadness had been after a particularly bad argument with Olena. Volodymyr didn't drown his sorrows in alcohol, as many would have --as Maksym used to. No, he simply drowned himself in guilt, for which Maksym could only offer a silent hand on his shoulder for support and an ear to listen.
Before the war, Maksym cannot recall a time when Volodymyr had been more terrified than when he had received a phone call, while in a cabinet meeting at the Mariyinsky Palace, about his daughter being in the hospital after a car accident. Maksym had nearly wrestled Volodymyr's car keys out of his hands, citing the insanity of driving in his agitated state --not to mention being the president.
Not that Maksym himself hadn't driven like a madman to the hospital.
Oleksandra had been alright, just a broken arm and shaken from a too-near miss with a driver who hadn't bothered to put on snow tires. Still, it had taken a while for Volodymyr to calm down, the task of which had been deferred to Maksym after Olena had temporarily kicked him out of the emergency room.
Thus, a year into his new job, Maksym had hugged his boss for the first time.
4) Maksym has been willing and ready to save Volodymyr's life at the risk of his own for four years.
Over the years, Maksym has had to push numerous reporters, paparazzis, and too avid fans away from Volodymyr; the man was certainly popular, and until his presidency, seemingly more loved than threatened.
Since becoming the president of Ukraine's personal bodyguard, Maksym has dealt with threats far more dangerous and lethal than over-excited fans. Everything has become a potential assassination: Every corner could hide a sniper; every food and drink could be poisoned. Any soldier or civilian could be a Russian spy; any outside plans could be a trap; any moment could be Volodymyr's last, and it would be Maksym's fault.
Maksym has long since decided that he would take a bullet for his boss. A hundred bullets, even, without a second thought.
He has also decided that he would kill for him. He would torture the life out of someone if it meant ensuring Volodymyr's safety. He has done it before, after all. Although, he wasn't willing to do it then; he had no such motivation or loyalty to his former employer. For Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Maksym would endure every imaginable atrocity if it meant Volodymyr wouldn't.
Truly he has no wish for this to happen, but he is ready nevertheless.
5) Maksym has felt that his life has been very closely intertwined with Volodymyr's for four years.
Volodymyr has never treated Maksym like a mere bodyguard, a faceless goon in the background of every scene. No, Volodymyr has always addressed Maksym as a fellow human being, an equal, a man with feelings. Admittedly, Maksym initially didn't know how to react to such a change of environment. When he had finally gotten somewhat used to it after a couple of weeks, Volodymyr had once again thrown him for a loop when he had invited him to dine with him and his family. At first, Maksym had declined, feeling that it was entirely inappropriate. But stubbornness is a known Zelenskyy trait, and not only for the head of the household. Both parents and children had continuously requested he join them at their table. Eventually, Maksym had succumbed and accepted, for the mere sake of his sanity. Since then however, the Zelenskyy family sunk their clutches in him and never let go. And Maksym couldn't have felt more honored and touched about it.
Being included into Volodymyr's family also meant that Maksym became privy to the dynamic of all four members. The children, Oleksandra and Kyrylo, were rather easy to understand; they were children. He cannot remember when they started to address him as 'uncle Maks', but he has never failed to answer to the title.
Volodymyr and Olena, however, repeatedly stumped Maksym at every turn.
For starters, as it had become apparent early on during Maksym's new employ, Olena was the true leader of this family. She had Volodymyr wrapped around her finger like a love sick puppy, a fact both adults were well aware and content about. If Maksym believed in soulmates, he would classify those two as it. Sure, they had the occasional dispute, as any couple would, but both were very keen on resolving any issue before the day was over.
One of the many initiatives Maksym had quickly began to take was to always make sure the children were occupied while their parents... sealed the end of their argument in the bedroom.
On the subject of his boss' sex life, Maksym would rather not think about it. But it's his job to be observant, and so he can't help but think about it. Publicly, he makes no comment on what he overhears behind closed doors. Privately, he marvels at whatever is happening to draw such pleasure-induced sounds from both participants --although Volodymyr is the loudest, for the most part.
One memorable, if perhaps slightly traumatising, moment which gave Maksym too much insight into the couple's dynamic was when he caught an eyeful of Volodymyr being taken from behind by Olena and an alarmingly large purple toy.
Luckily for all concerned, Maksym had managed to throw himself out of the room without being noticed.
Maksym had seriously considered drinking himself into oblivion in order to drown out the emotional rollercoaster of that scene. But he hadn't, for the simple fact that he wished to be a better person in the Zelenskyy family's eyes.
Maksym has in fact become so emotionally invested in the Zelenskyy family's well being, that he sometimes forgets he isn't actually a part of it, particularly as all four members make him feel so at home. Volodymyr, to him, is home itself.
6) Maksym has smiled more often than he ever has in his life for four years.
The previous point leads to this one. In this case, correlation does mean causation.
Before working for Volodymyr, Maksym's life could most accurately be described as colorless. He hated his job, he hated what he was ordered to do, he hated the feeling of being trapped. He saw no bright future ahead of him, no companionship, and certainly no one he could come to care about more than anything in the world. Maksym saw no happy ending for himself; just a dull life of misery and self-hatred. He didn't smile then.
But since working for Volodymyr, Maksym has found himself smiling --in his own way-- more often than ever. How could he not when someone like Volodymyr occupied nearly the entirety of his days? The man was a jokester, always cracking wise at every opportunity; he certainly took Maksym's stoicism as a challenge, and delighted whenever he managed to draw a smirk from his bodyguard. But more importantly, Volodymyr was simply convivial, a delight to be around, as though every inch of him projected positivity and acceptance.
When the war started, no one had any reason to smile, much less Volodymyr, who had chosen to stay in Kyiv and send his family into hiding. Maksym was constantly frowning, worrying himself grey for Volodymyr's life. Still, Volodymyr managed to break the tension in a room every now and then. While the others openly laughed or chuckled at the joke, Maksym's lips always twitched upwards in relief, knowing Volodymyr's old self was still in this war-torn leader, ready to come out when he could.
7) Finally, Maksym has been in complete and utter denial about his feelings for Volodymyr for four years.
In any career, having feelings for your boss would be unprofessional.
As a bodyguard, it would be downright dangerous; it would be compromising, a safety failing.
It would be distracting. It would be embarrassing. It would be painful, oh so painful. It would be soul-crushing, to see someone you love everyday without being able to tell them, to watch them kiss their spouse and not even being able to resent them for it because you care for them too.
Yes, having feelings for your boss would be the epitome of self-destruction.
And Maksym has had enough self-destructive habits for a lifetime.
Despite his public stoicism and the ensuing jokes about it, Maksym feels deeply, very much so. For years he cursed that fact, forcing his emotions down for the sake of survival. Four years ago, Volodymyr broke that hardened shell surrounding him, a feat for which Maksym cannot resent him.
Unfortunately for Maksym, that meant his heart had been unable to keep itself from falling for the man. Hard.
Yes, Maksym is completely and utterly in love with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and intends to remain in denial and ignore the fact until Hell freezes over.
TBD