~ in which Dmitry draws strength from one childhood memory when he needs reminding beautiful things still exist ~

Dmitry shivered, pulling his coat tight around him. The rain dropped dismally into puddles that were slowly sweeping towards his hiding place, squandered away in the corner of an alley. What little dry land there had been was vanishing. An old tarp stretched across the alleyway did keep the rain from hitting him directly, at least, though the cold bit straight through his coat and the wind blew fine mist in his face. The alley's other occupant grumbled irritably, huddled against the wall.

"You had to pick a fight with the landlord..." Vlad muttered through chattering teeth.

"You know full well we didn't have the money for next months rent," Dmitry shot back. "And he was all but assaulting that woman, would you have rather me do nothing?"

Vlad gave a noncommittal grunt and Dmitry waved a dismissive hand at him. In quite dismal spirits himself, the young conman watched the rain continue to pour down, the thunder in his ears a monotonous drone. The cold seeped through his body and it felt as if his coat was doing nothing to help.

How many years of this had there been? Dmitry set his jaw. It wasn't like he hadn't been here before, or wouldn't be here again. Such was the life of an orphan and criminal, no use crying over it. But then Vlad's stomach rumbled and Dmitry was reminded of his own hunger.

The downpour continued and the water finally reached the two men. it seeped into his clothing and his pants and bottom part of his coat were now uncomfortably wet and the chill assaulted him again, even more powerfully than before.

He wouldn't get sleep tonight, or not any good sleep. And tomorrow it was begging, swindling, and running from the law again only to end up under another bridge as the days dragged steadily toward winter promising much worse than a little rain. Vlad was the only thing he had at all, and Vlad was often even more ornery than he was. Together they'd been able to do a little better, but there was still never enough and the weeks of hunger,  cold, tired, and fear continued.

Dmitry mentally cursed as he felt the water seep through his boots and into his socks. Great. He tugged his collar up and his hood down, which did approximately nothing, and closed his eyes. And then he tried to escape to the one good thing he had.

One beautiful memory that he could keep that the rain and hunger and poverty could not touch.

A parade traveled by. And Dmitry wasn't sleeping on the streets anymore. It was a hot summer day, the sun wonderfully warm against his face and his quick legs carried him through the twisting crowds. There was music and laughter and everything was gold. People shouted and cheered and the energy filled the street, carrying him along with it. And there was her. She rode by on a carriage pulled by beautiful white horses tossing their heads proudly and bedecked with gold and silver. Her dress was a striking white and she had a blue bow in her hair and a silver crown on her brow that she wore with dignity despite being only 8. She looked so proud and serene and the sun shone behind her, painting everything in gold as the majesty and splendor overwhelmed him. And then her eyes. Those eyes that saw him along all others. He dodged through the crowd stretching out his hand in a foolish hope that maybe he just might be able to grab onto something beautiful just to have in his desolate world. Her name burst from his lips almost of their own accord. And then she smiled. And that moment of happiness seeped into him and his fingers closed around air and her smile. The carriage moved on and the sun shone and she was gone, but he kept his fist closed around those beautiful sights.

Dmitry opened his eyes and the rain filled his ears. His coat was more wet now than dry and thunder rumbled in the distance but he didn't feel so cold anymore. He opened his fist, releasing that memory of his one beautiful moment where the sun was shining and it didn't matter that his clothes were dirty or his stomach empty, all that mattered was the beauty of that carriage and that smile that had seen him in a crowd of thousands. And Dmitry sighed, tucking the moment back into his mind and closing his eyes again, drifting off to sleep, the sounds of a long lost parade echoing in his ears.