#chalery

[elenatria]

I just came back from my Stellanspotting trip at the Ischia Film Festival and as I'm going through my files I'm filled with the memories of all my crazy Chernobyl-related trips of the past. It all comes back to me, how Alan Williams was the first Chernobyl cast member I ever met, how it all felt, and still makes me feel; the heroes, the villains. The crazy pairings.

So in my Alan Williams folder I come across this sceenshot from the Chernobyl script. That line was included in the scene, however if Alan Williams had uttered it twice ("anything", as mentioned in the original script) it would have had a different meaning. I've never been a fan of Chalery (or dubcon for that matter) but I know someone who was. We've drifted apart over the years, I don't know what fandom she is into now, but I hope she sees this just because now I understand, and wish I could have shared this with her when it mattered.

So here it is.

Charkov showers Valery with all kinds of threats, and when it's time to "read him his sentence", to tell him that his fate is going to be slow death and oblivion, he gloats: "It would be embarrassing to kill you now. And for what? Your testimony never happened, you never happened." He leans over Valery's ear, his voice nothing more than a lewd whisper. "But I can take it all back," he breathes with a dark smile. "You know I can, don't you, Valery? When we're back in Moscow I want you to report to me Monday evening. In my office at the Lubyanka."

Valery's face goes white as as sheet. "Report... report what?"

"You're not the one asking questions, Legasov," Charkov cuts him off. He gives him one last look and strides out of the kitchen.

That Monday, when Valery crosses Myasnitskaya Street with his gaze fixed on the massive building, its hundred glass eyes staring back at him, its old yellow bricks reeking of paranoia and torture and death, the sun has already set and the soft evening breeze, albeit July, chills him to the bone. He fills his lungs with the smell of the metropolis around him, the last air he will ever breathe, and enters the foyer. The receptionist has already been notified about his arrival, the guard is too ready to lead him to a discreet door on the third floor that no one would ever suspect to belong to the head of the KGB.

"It's just a door," Valery mutters to himself, his nerves tight as violin strings.

He knocks, and a cold compelling voice invites him in. A young employee with a side part and a freshly pressed suit, his back turned on the door, gives him a startled look over his shoulder and hastily gathers the papers scattered all over the Chairman's desk.

"I'll sign those later, Lyosha," Charkov decides and gives the young man a little smile.

Lyosha doesn't return the smile: he clutches the papers to his chest and leaves, giving Valery a curious side glance, as if someone as important as the deputy director of the Kurchatov institute has no business being there, in that remote half-lit room of the ancient headquarters of the KGB.

Charkov gets on his feet, straightens his tie and nods Valery towards a seat. As Valery sinks down, his back squeaking against old leather, he hears Charkov's footsteps behind him, the key turning twice with a dry click. He chokes on nothing. He wishes he could light a cigarette but there are no ashtrays in the office - not that he'd dare. He could use a swig of vodka but he remembers alcohol gives him chest burns. He's dying for fresh air but the windows are shut, the curtains drawn.

He's alone with a man who could shoot a bullet through his scull and have dinner with his wife afterwards.

Charkov walks back in front of him, sitting lazily on the desk, both hands in his pockets.

"Professor Legasov," he fakes a sigh crossing his legs, "what are we to do with you..."

Valery's tongue stiffens, his eyes glued to the floor. "I did as you asked," he mutters, "I came."

"Oh no," Charkov's face lights up with devilish amusement, "not yet."

Valery looks up, not sure if there's some sort of hidden meaning behind the words of the Chairman of the KGB. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do n__"

"Close your eyes," Charkov says. His voice has an unexpected softness to it.

"What__"

"Close. Your. Eyes."

Valery slides his eyes shut, knowing that this desk, those chairs, those drawn curtains could be the last objects he'd ever see before the barrel of a Makarov empties out in his brain. He wants to stop his hands from shaking, he wants to be brave and scream to the man placing both hands on the arms of his chair to get this over with, and just as he clasps his knees, ready to spring from his seat and fight for his life, the touch of lips against his own shuts him up completely, the hardened tip of a tongue takes his breath away as it pushes between his teeth, seeking to reach deeper.

[stillgotme]

𝕥𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕚𝕥 𝕙𝕠𝕞𝕖 💜

poses by @j-bom and @cassandragrusel86

[phoenixheartsx]

My babies. I love them. I can’t stop making manips.

[deputy-ajay-ghale]

I’m torn between my need to say Valerie is a Certified Lesbian and should be Kristina’s girlfriend and my need for Valerie to get the love she deserves and have a workplace romance with Chase.

[valerievasilovich]

TEXT 🎁 CHALERIE

Valerie: Hiiiii, I'm trying to prove something to a friend, so quick -- does it count as cheating if it's just a mistletoe kiss? 🤔

[elenatria]

can i add to your thoughts on charkov/valery? i think what you said about valery being charkov’s ‘achilles heel’ fits really well because - why keep valery alive after the trial? it doesn’t seem like charkov’s character to leave loose ends like that, especially concerning matters of the state. and given how bold valery was at the trial, wouldn’t it occur to charkov that valery would continue revealing secrets? (sorry for rambling, i’ve been rewatching the series and overthinking things :p)

Oh you’re not overthinking at all.

Valery is totally Charkov’s Achilles’ heel, and I’m sure headcanon!Charkov could do unimaginable things to Valery.

As far as HBO!Charkov is concerned, he is driven by that age-old Soviet fear of “being embarrassed” and he would never do anything to harm the State’s prestige, that’s why he doesn’t kill Valery. Everyone would know and the Party wouldn’t like that, Valery is too famous now.

Charkov tells him “you thought death was the worst that could happen to you but guess what”. He doesn’t need to do more than that.

The real Legasov never stopped talking about Chernobyl but he wasn’t considered “dangerous”, he was already erased.

HBO!Charkov knows he has shut him up already, and headcanon!Charkov is just too smitten/horny to give his play thing a merciful killing. He’d rather toy with him a little bit, it’s more fun.

[elenatria]

thoughts on charkov/valery?

You should go to @drunkardonjunkyard for this headcanon. She doesn’t have anon asks on but she’d be glad to talk about this pairing seeing that it’s such a rare pair and Charkov is her favourite.

Ok, Charkov is my favourite too but after meeting Alan Williams in person I just can’t ship him with anyone else but... me (so glad he’s not reading this lol).

And anyways, I don’t include Charkov in my headcanons because he’s way too distracting. When I close my eyes and pretend to be Valery, I can only see Boris. Or maybe, Boris is the only man I want to see.

But I’ve had this conversation before with DoJ, I was trying to figure out how the Chalery dynamic would work. To Charkov sex is nothing but power play, he uses it to crush his opponents, to bend their will, to humiliate them. I’m torn between him using his own body and having others do it. Because to me, he’s more of a "chaste” figure, George Smiley-like, having others do the dirty work for him. 

However, I’m sure he has his own fixations and vulnerabilities. Like George Smiley whose wife cheated on him with a double spy and a traitor, maybe Charkov has a blind spot too? Could Valery be his Achilles’ heel? But why, what does Valery have to offer?

Their scene in the car was 100% abuse and manipulation to me, a master/slave kind of thing, and watching Charkov’s condescending smile you can tell he’s enjoying this. 

But what is it that draws him to Valery, even though they loathe each other? I don’t know.

[elenatria]

(Anything.)

Charkov sighs. Pulls down his fly.

#chernobyl:howitshouldhaveended

[elenatria]

*nose bleed* 😶😶😶

Now tell me, comrade, how come @drunkardonjunkyard hasn't showered you with Chalery asks yet? 😛😛

You, my friend, are a rare find and so much better than me at Charkov headcanons.

bad and naughty comrades get put in the Time Out Car

[stillgotme]

𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕥'𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕟' 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕀 𝕘𝕖𝕥 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕨𝕖 𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕜 𝕝𝕚𝕡𝕤

[stillgotme]

“Amid the chaos of that day, when all I could hear was the thunder of gunshots, and all I could smell was the violence in the air, I look back and am amazed that my thoughts were so clear and true, that three words went through my mind endlessly, repeating themselves like a broken record: you're so cool, you're so cool, you're so cool.” 

ICONS CHALLENGE

by @oliveandoak + @hushthots

Rules: Pick an icon from any era, it can be with Movies/Music/Fashion etc. It can be one sim or two - All kinds of Icons are welcome. Show them off in their best style and tag us or use #iconchallenge so we can follow along. Most importrantly, have fun! We can’t wait to see what you guys come up with!

I was tagged by @lyrics-and-intoxication @sea-cross and @romanticsims. Thanks so much for getting me in on the fun! 

After 50 million years, I’ve finally done a tag! Here’s Val and Chance as Alabama and Clarence Worley from True Romance. One of my favorite movies with one of the best ride or die couples out there. Only fitting for me to use my own ride or die couple, right? 

I was so late to the party that everyone’s already done it by now lmao. But still, if there’s anyone that hasn’t done it yet and still wants to, then I tag you!

[stillgotme]

Nevaeh’s Touch: The Newest Music Artists 💙

how far out does the  i n d i g o  go? 

[stillgotme]

𝕸𝖊𝖗𝖒𝖆𝖎𝖉 𝕭𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖎𝖓'✨

they don’t understand me probably 'cause i’m fancy 

thanks for inviting my bbys @cosmosim  💖

[stillgotme]

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[stillgotme]

previously | next | beginning

[godsfavoriteasian]

@drunkardonjunkyard​ and @elenatria​ of course, Charkov would probably want to have Valery for himself, as Valery is probably his Achilles heel.   I can imagine Charkov venting his frustrations and anger on Valery via sex. 

When the KGB took Valery into their car on the car after the trial, Boris didn’t know if he’s gonna see Valery again. He didn’t know if they’re dropping him off at his apartment or the KGB secret interrogation sites. Wonder if these thought torture him.

I must admit the scene where they took him away was kinda “weird”. Of course it was super dramatic, super heartbreaking. But why on earth would the KGB give Valery Legasov a ride? They probably took him from Chernobyl to the airport so that he’d fly to Moscow, maybe they accompanied him in the plane too just for the lulz. 

I guess Charkov just wanted to torture Boris a little more. “Watch me as I take your boyfriend away lmao.”