the lord has cursed me with unstoppable crying and infinite slumber
lord let me draw something good
pastila is so good i am motivated to go to russia just to eat more of them
ok maybe i was being dramatic, the elevators would have been fine
i think that was one more near death experience added to the collection (there was an earthquake and i was in an elevator)
Nikto's POV! Sporadic uses of "Y/N" — otherwise, reader is referred as "You".
To say that Nikto is obsessed with you would be an understatement 😵💫...
Nikto's psychological state gradually deteriorates as you read!
Google Translate Russian lmao 💀,, please forgive any errors! 😟
Edit: Realising that this fic is darker than my usual works. Warning my readers for darker content!
Edit 2: Added the appropriate "dark content" tags. <3
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I'm crazy: I don't think I needed to say, yes?
I know it. We know it. Everyone else knows it.
I've lost my mind long ago. We're losing it as we speak. I've lost myself long ago and I have not known what to do with ourselves.
Of course, not all was lost. I was cleared for service. I can approach situations without hesitation or uncertainty — but most importantly, kill methodically.
All I need are targets. Just give me targets. Nothing else matters. Nobody.
But I found you. I found you. And you found us. Although there was nothing to find, you found us.
How? It's a mystery. An enigma. An unsolvable puzzle.
My name is Igor. Igor Vasilyevich Yurievich.
Игорь. Igor. I—gor. Two syllables. Four letters, in English. A not so common name in Russia, according to the statistics: in 1991 — the year of my birth — approximately 37 baby boys born were named as such. In 2021, only 17 baby boys born were named Igor. I would assume the number declines each year — maybe less than a dozen Igors were christened this year. Or a single digit. Nine. Eight. Seven. Or even less than five.
October 13, 1991 was my exact date of birth. I was born in Novgorod, when Russia was still the Soviet Union. I had parents. A sister…
…Yet that means nothing to me.
Igor Vasilyevich Yurievich? That is foreign. That is not anyone that I know of. I am Nikto. I am no one. Nobody to know, yet somebody that I know of. Not this… Igor. I am nobody. Никто.
When the voices are quiet, that's when I can silently mourn the man that I once was.
Though, can you mourn someone whom you don't know? Can you mourn the faceless person in the casket, whose face is unrecognisable? Can you mourn at a funeral that no one attended, and hadn't taken process?
I'm crazy: I don't think I needed to repeat it, yes?
I knew it. We knew it. Everyone else knew it.
But you didn't. You. You.
You… remind me of someone.
They're dead now.
They were just a target. Too bad I can't remember who they were.
But you're not. You're more than a target.
You treated me with kindness when everyone avoided me like the bubonic plague. A Black Death following the death of the former Igor Vasilyevich Yurievich and the black, black blackness lingering — a reminder. But not anything that allows us to remember, or reminds us of who we once were.
I don't remember anything. I don't remember anyone. Photographs of my family before the torture are irrelevant. Documents stamping my existence could just as easily make us inexistent. Nobody exists any more aside from Nikto.
A cacophony of voices has infiltrated my brain. Our brain. We will never be me anymore. We are who we are now.
I am a broken man. I hear the voices of many men, who won't let me sleep, won't leave me be, won't give me peace. I was one of those men. Maybe all of the men are me?
But if all of them are me, and I am all of them, then who are we? What are we?
Then again… who I am is nothing. What I are is everything. What we are — crazy.
The pieces of the puzzle aren't fully there. Surely you must have been aware, my treasure?
You were doing your due diligence to arrange the puzzle pieces, so meticulously and with dedication, devoting hours of your time and wishing for the finished product to be cohesive, but you won't find that within us. How unfortunate.
Some of the pieces are missing. Some of them don't even fit. What you're left with is an incomplete picture — one which will never be completed.
No matter. You can be the missing puzzle piece, yes?
My fellow operatives named me Никто — “Nikto”, meaning “Nobody” or “No-one” in Russian — for… what did they say? My “uncanny ability to replicate other people and hide [my] true identity”? Ironic — seeing as replicating an identity is not the same as claiming your own, and being an individual. Having an actual identity, as opposed to being forced to think that being nobody can suffice.
Funny. I was apparently religious before all of this.
Have you heard of Orthodox Christianity? It's a branch of Christianity most often practised in Eastern Europe, in case you weren't aware. Orthodox Christians believe that Jesus redeemed humanity by sacrificing himself through crucifixion — unlike Catholics, who believe that Jesus sacrificing himself through crucifixion was all in an effort to redeem humanity.
Perhaps I was an altar boy in my childhood. Or wore a cross around my neck. Maybe I was devoted, and prayed in the morning, before a meal for grace, in the night, before a mission for mercy, during a mission out of desperation, and after a mission as gratitude.
Such bullshit.
Obviously, God doesn't exist — not in the ethereal, omniscient sense.
Oh no.
The God is You. You are my God.
Just like with Orthodox Christianity, and the salvation of humanity after the sacrifice of Jesus, your presence, your mere existence, was salvation. You brought redemption unto us.
Of course, following my torture, God became an abstract concept. How could the Holy Father abandon me? How could my prayers after the tortue be so wilfully ignored? Why would he actively play a passive role in my damnation, as I'm burned, as I'm beaten, as I'm bruised, abused, cut, and mutilated?
No one was born a sinner. Not even me, this nobody. So what kind of retribution was this — a disfigured face, ruined body, and voices which infiltrated my psyche, words equivalent to the evil of the Antichrist?
But You? You made it worthwhile. Your kindness. Compassion. Charity. It was all worthwhile. Even to gaze at You from afar.
Well.
For the most part.
We have repented for our sins: stealing Your dirty laundry, Your hairbrush, Your t-shirts, and other trinkets which we deem Holy Relics; using Your lip balm without permission, You none the wiser; committing sinful acts in the comfort of your own bedroom, only for You to return, oblivious. We apologise for that nagging paranoia, demanding You to turn around, to catch a glimpse of the eyes staring at You, but You not noticing us when we were camouflaged in the shadows. For stalking You and learning Your schedule. For hacking into all of Your devices and acquiring every little piece of information available from Your digital footprints.
But, You forgive us, yes?
Don't look so horrified, dushka. We left no trace, yes? No evidence. You said You have forgiven all of our transgressions. Think of this as a confession, nothing more. Besides, we never tampered with You belongings. They're all still with us. Just like you will.
You are our oxygen. Without You, we can't breathe. Our lungs suffocate without Your natural scent to fill them, to keep us alive. Our eyes go blind with time without the sight of Your face, Your body. We can't hear anything other than Your voice — our ears tune out any frequencies and wavelengths that don't leave those pretty little lips, yet wage civil war amongst ourselves, spitting curses that cut like knives and pierce like bullets. And Your lips. And Your eyes. And Your eyebrows, hair, hands, neck, God — everything.
You won't abandon us, yes? You wouldn't abandon us, would you, мое сокровище? You are our treasure. I treasure you — all of us do: your pretty little lips, that speak in the softest of tones to us; those eyes that stare in slight fright, yet crinkle in as genuine of a smile as you can manage; those eyebrows that furrow over your bright eyes in the subtlest of frowns, in sorrow or frustration, maybe vexation — and that's just your face. What about your hair? Your hands? Your neck? Your body? What is there not to treasure?
Боже мой, Bozhe moy, my God. Oh God, it's as if an angel has descended and granted us salvation, a merciful deity absolving us of our sins and cleansing our soul. And both the angel and deity are You — working in perfect sync, so benevolent and forgiving, taking pity on a creature so pitiful, so ruined, so unfixable.
We can't remember what some of those was.
Those puzzle pieces, of course.
Zakhaev’s torture stole some of the pieces to the jigsaw, and the puzzle won't ever be solved. We ourselves interrogate, torture, eliminate, kill. Sometimes we dissociate. Other times I am completely in control. Yet all the time, we are committing sins, sins, sins.
And You forgive them. Forgive us.
Every prayer is us praying for you, to you, about you. And each one concludes with your sacred name, whispered in hushed tones as the syllables are too precious to utter out loud.
Poor, poor thing. You probably didn't even know what you were signing up for, did you? You probably intended to be charitable. Sympathetic. And you were, sweet one.
But you were naive to have assumed that we wouldn't become possessive of you like an unwanted stay mutt of its only bone. So innocent — perhaps stupid — but we like to think that you were misguided in your intentions, yet guided by some God.
An ignorant God? If You're the God to worship, then are You an ignorant one? An innocent, naive, and unconditionally loving one? Yet, one that, despite Their obliviousness, can knowingly soothe with a simple string of words? With a caress?
What an oxymoron. It suits You. I wouldn't have it any other way.
Aw. Are those tears, dushka? Let's wipe them, hmm? Kiss it better, yes? You will like our lips on you.
Don't scream. Don't hurt those vocal cords. We like the sound of your voice. We want you to talk.
There there, little one. You look beautiful when you cry, but you look most beautiful when you're smiling. Smile, hm? Do it for us. Your Nikto.
You don't have to be afraid, you know. Don't be afraid, krasotka. We love you.
Here, put your hand on our chest. Feel how our heart is beating? It beats only for you.
Our abdomen, our stomach. You feel how toned that is, yes? You feel the muscle?
What about our biceps? The strength in our forearms? They're all for you. We're all yours, yours yours yours.
Our blood looks good on you, dushka. The blood really accentuates your nails. But please, stop. Stop.
You don't have to scratch us, or scream. You know that none of that will change anything. You know that we will love you, even if you tell us you hate us. It's too late.
Get used to touching us, yes? What's left of us, anyways. Yes, our body won't be the most appealing, or the handsomest, but it's all for you. Every inch. All for you — just like how you are all ours.
You're ours, just as much as we belong to you. You could stab us with a knife and we'd smile. You could shoot us with a gun point-blank in the head and we'd thank you. What an honour it would be to live with you by your side, or die by your side. We're a dead man either way. Your dead man. Your Nikto.
You underestimated my capacity for violence. Or were perhaps too naive to understand it.
That's okay. Put your hand on my face. Just like that. See? Nothing to fear. It's just us. Your Nikto.
I can feel it shaking. Why do you shake so much, hm? Don't be afraid. There's nothing to be afraid of. You should know there's nothing to be afraid of. After all, you were fearless when it came to speaking to me, and weren't afraid to reach out to us. Surely you don't want to abandon us now?
That's too bad. You won't abandon us. We won't let you.
I'm crazy: I don't think I need to repeat it, yes?
I know it. We know it. Everyone else knows it.
You drive me crazy.
You drive me crazy.
You drive me crazy.
So crazy.
So, so crazy.
I am already crazy yes but it is You who drives me to insanity do You know that? Why do You deny? Do not deny us this yes? Yes You do know that it is You who makes me mad beyond return of course You do You've always known it and You know it now little one You're just pretending feigning ignorance with surprise in Your eyes. Why pretend that it was all a pretense? Your kindness? Your sympathy? Your company? It was not pretense to us no it was everything. Everything we could have hoped for prayed for and lived for.
You drive me crazy.
You drive me crazy.
You drive me crazy.
So crazy.
So, so crazy, baby.
Craaazyyy. Crazy crazy crazy!
You have made us the craziest we have ever been from the moment we met Your eyes and will be forever driven crazier with Your around from the day You die. And that won't be anytime now, my treasure. We will treasure You, take care of You, keep You safe. You will want for nothing, we can assure You — nothing, nobody, no one. Only Nikto. Nobody will ever look at You, as their eyeballs will be gouged out for having the audacity to spare a glance at the pinnacle of perfection. And nobody will ever want You, nobody will taint that precious skin with unworthy fingers, as anyone who tries will have them broken have their bones crushed to dust their skin muscles and tendons ripped to ribbons until there is no body left.
Nobody will ever look at You. Only Nikto. Us. Forever, and ever, and ever and ever and ever we will have our eyes on You until our retinas dissolve and our pupils can no longer absorb light and we become blind and crippled, crying, crying crying crying for You, crying only for You. You crying out for us until Your voice is hoarse from moaning, until our name becomes a prayer just as much as Yours is to us.
We love You. Think of nobody. Only Nikto. Only of Nikto. Only for and against Nikto. We will live for You. We do already, do you understand? We're yours. Yours. Yours yours yours yours yours yours to have yours to hit yours to scratch with those nails yours to scream at yours yours yours yours yours. Yours. Yours! Yours!
Yours!
Y/N.
I'm crazy: I don't think I needed to say, yes?
I know it. We know it. Everyone else knows it. You should have known it.
And if you didn't know it, then You will know it.
Because You drive me crazy.
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A/Ns
Really really really Really REALLY had doubts about posting this and thought that no one would like it. I felt inspired and happy and proud of myself when I was almost finished but it took me days to conclude the work since I was second-guessing whether or not I should post this after all. Kind of embarrassed, in all honesty, but I decided to post it in the end since I quite like it. :'>
I just wanted to highlight your, @//connorsui, lovely, lovely words when you reblogged my last Nikto post 😭😭😭💘💘💘. To receive not only some compliments, but your thoughts on my headcanons AND analysis *AND* your evaluation of my post was so, SO heartwarming to wake up to in the morning 🥹🥹🥹💓💓💓, especially when it was so long!!! Like, what?!! 😢😢😢😢😢😿😿😿😿😿😭😭😭😭😭💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💖💖💖💖💖✨✨✨✨✨
Thank you so so so SO much for your positive feedback !!! I've read it over four times by now. O really appreciated and still appreciate it. ☺️💞🫶💖✨✨💕💕
(I also want to kiss Nikto's scarred face ☹️☹️☹️ just wordless acts of intimacy where words aren't necessary and just to show the man some affection, regardless of how he looks 😟💝 need that ugly traumatised Russian man SO BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭)
Inspiration for this gained from:
thisvvv song!!! and Chapter 7 in Metro 2035 lol,, when Artyom was drunk and disorientated I thought it was written really REALLY well and I wanted to incorporate his meaningless drivel into this.
Nikto's voicelines and his various voices/sporadic changes in character
the Fandom Wiki
my own headcanons lol 😋
From fluff this whatever the fuck this is!!!!!!!!!! Hope you enjoyed 💗💗
water spinach with shrimp paste for dinner, i am eating well
Is your first language something other than English, or is it English?
hello friend! yeah, but it is not russian :3 i just like to pretend i know more than 2 languages.
what about you? and any languages you want to learn?
Seeing his face goes a bit....unexpected....to say the least.
Sfw
Imagine Nikto who drops his mask when he thinks he's alone vs you who walks into the room about to ask for his weapon details and both of you just stare for a moment because he's internally panicking and dying inside until he suddenly drops dead on the floor face first to try and cover his face and try to give himself minor brain damage to forget this ever happened because
A. You were not supposed to see that. Like at all
B. He doesn't wanna lose you just yet
And you just have to forcefully pick him up before trying to fix his already and even more crooked nose. Said nose is currently bleeding by the sheer force and weight of his drop while he's muttering apologies apologizing about how you have to look at him, as if it wasn't your choice. silently burning every time your skin grazes his in the process of you fixing his literally broken nose :((
He doesn't even register the pain of a bone being pushed back into place as you wrench his nose back into place, just his internal voice screaming at him to hide and run away from your gaze because even if your eyes as soft as they are, they feel as though you are shunning him and that's the last thing he ever wants :((
Muttering a, "no need, lyubov', we have survived far far worse" when you tell him to go to the infirmary as if you're not looking at the evidence of that with your own two eyes at the very second :((
Unconsciously he curls his hand around your shoulder, unwilling to let you go even if you try to run away. He sighs in relief, as if you don't notice his sudden grip and anxiety, he suddenly sighs and agrees, a sad almost desperate look in his eyes. But he only agrees on the condition that you come with him because he needs to make sure you won't ever leave him in the short time he's away.
Nikto who's been insane because he needs to feel your skin under his lips- or tongue- or against his skin just anything-
Nikto who wraps his arms around your waist, keeping you in place as he kisses your forehead the very second he's free from the infirmary, only a quick bandage wrapping before he can finally feel his loves skin under his lips, darting his tongue out to lick your forehead because he needs to taste your skin before he goes even more batshit crazy. Arms wrapping around your waist, keeping you still as he laps at your face like a dog with its owner after realizing you actually won't run away in fear.
Nothing but those harsh eyes turned into soft puppy eyes and his hot tongue insistent to warm up your heart all- just and only for him :((
Part: 2
Masterlist
UNTIL THAT GLASS BOTTLE BREAKS YOU HEAR ME UNTIL THAT BOTTLE QUAKES
whuh huhh!!??? (this is one of the first ask i received and i am puzzled by it until this day, dear anon i hope you are referring to the vodka post haha)
i made him a little too slim for my liking here but oh well (45 minutes)