What do you do when the world will end in twenty-four hours?
Most would visit their families. Tell that one person how they'd always felt about them. Try to see the Niagara Falls in real life. Throw a party. Try to create that last spark, to show that you're alive, that if it must end, you would go with a bang.
But not Ivan.
While everybody was downstairs at the bar, saying their last goodbyes to the world they had spent centuries upon, Ivan was on the roof. His tall figure sat hunched over against the wall, eyes blindly staring up at the stars, a bottle of vodka in his left hand, a single sunflower in his right. He had taken off his coat and gloves, not caring about the cold. As if such petty things mattered this night.
His elegant fingers were slowly peeling off the yellow leaves, letting them find their way to the ground, as if counting down to that final moment. The moment it would all be over.
Why were they here?
Not in the hotel, but here, as in on this earth. Why did they even exist?
Ivan had asked himself that many times before, especially on cold and lonely nights, when he only had the liquor to be his companion. There wasn't a single purpose to their existence.
Ivan had often wondered how it would feel like.
Dying.
Funny he was going to find out in just a few hours.
He could hear shouting coming from the bar. Ivan closed his eyes to stop the tears from spilling.
He should be down there. If he were normal, he would have been down there. But he didn't want to spoil the evening for them.
Ivan always knew nobody liked him. Whether it be because they were frightened of him, thought he was a lunatic, distrusted him, or simply didn't care about him. The reason didn't matter. Fact was, Ivan had absolutely no friends at all to spend his time with on this final night.
A shooting star crossed the sky.
Funny that happened tonight of all times, now that wishes didn't matter anymore.
Ivan pulled off the last petal. The sunflower was going to die, just like they were.
What is the point in living when you're spending your life in solitude, when you don't have anyone to accompany you on your journey?
His violet eyes traced the surface of the moon, which was huge and glowing white. Had it always been that big?
He felt so very lonely under its gaze, just a tiny little dot in the outstretched spaces of the universe.
He suddenly stood up and walked over to the edge of the building.
If he were going to die anyway, why not do it now?
Ivan felt his hands slowly unravelling the scarf around his neck, eyes staring off into the distance.
He held the piece of clothing against his cheek, hoping his sisters would find a good after-life somehow. He neatly folded it up and laid it on the ground next to him. Then he pulled himself up, now standing on the edge.
One step. That was all it took.
Ivan could almost see it.
Vast lands of sunflowers, the eternal dream made reality. Warm and sunny beaches, stretching as far as the eye can see. And of course there were friends, and family. People who liked him, who wanted to be there with him, not out of obligation, but out of love. The vision made his lips curl up in a content smile.
How he had longed for this.
A strange sensation brought him back to reality.
He could feel something pressing against his stomach, disturbing his heavenly fantasies. When he looked down at himself, he found two strong arms keeping hold of him, making sure he had nowhere to go. Heavy panting told him there was someone standing behind him.
"You're not going just yet, you asshole," came the mumbled voice.
Ivan's mouth formed a straight line. Who was he to tell him when it was time to go?
In a swift movement he was dragged backwards, onto the roof, and turned around.
Before he could protest, the other pulled him into an embrace, enormous strength rooting him to the spot. Big hands rubbed his back, gripping the fabric of his pullover.
"Son of a bitch…scared the living hell out of me…"
Ivan blinked sheepishly. Why was he being hugged? To what purpose? What could the other possibly gain from stopping him?
The arms pulled him one step backwards and held him there, one hand forcing his chin up to look the other in the eye.
Electric blue was flashing with built-up anger.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing, Ivan?!" his voice sounded.
Ivan couldn't speak. There were too many emotions overpowering him.
Confusion. Desperation. Loneliness.
And yet…and yet Alfred had come for him.
"Does it matter?" the tall man whispered. "If I go now or then?"
His companion nodded furiously.
"Yeah, it freakin' does matter Ivan!"
Alfred suddenly pulled him down and placed a kiss on his scalp before wiping away his tears. His eyes locked with the other's, bursting with energy.
"It's all the time we have left. Why waste it by sitting up here, wallowing in self-pity?"
Ivan closed his eyes, already tired of this discussion.
"Because I do not want time. I want…I want…"
He couldn't say it. Even in his final hours, he couldn't admit how lonely he was, how much he yearned for a friend.
How a fuzzy feeling had made its way through his veins at the blond's touch.
Alfred grinned widely. How could he be happy at a time like this?
"I know what you want, big guy."
And then he took the older nation by the hand, and began dragging him towards the stairs.
"What are you—"
The sunny nation glanced over his shoulder, a victorious smile setting his face alight.
"If we're going down, we're going down together. Don't worry Ivan. Nobody gets left behind."
Ivan's heart skipped a beat and he stumbled, before regaining his footing and following behind the smaller nation.
Together.
He quite liked the sound of that.
A bashful smile tried to make its way onto his face.
"Spasibo, Alfred."
Alfred let out a barking laugh.
"Dude, I still don't understand Russian!"
Ivan chuckled breathlessly.
Yes.
If they were going down together, he didn't mind dying at all.
Because he now knew he at least had one friend waiting for him in his sunflower heaven.