Today was a special day. It was December 30. Snow covered the ground outside, making the near-by area look surreal and beautiful. The living room fireplace had a nice flame burning. Everything was going exactly how it was supposed to.
You were currently in the kitchen. Today was your best friend, Ivan's, birthday. You wanted to do something special for him, so you suggested throwing him a little party. He was about to decline, stating that it wasn't necessary. However, when he saw your puppy eyes, he gave in. You and Ivan had both taken part in handing out invitations to a few of his closest friends.
The countertops were a mess, and any available cooking source seemed to be in use. You were scurrying about the kitchen, making sure each dish was taken care of. As a surprise, you took it upon yourself to prepare nothing but Russian cuisine. You had borrowed a cookbook from the library, and decided to make enough food for everyone, while still having variety for the picky eaters.
Ivan had said that he would be more than willing to help with the preparations, but you declined, knowing that he would appreciate it more if he was surprised. Why were you going through all this trouble for one man? Well, lately, you have been developing strong feelings for you tall, Russian friend. You thought that his birthday would be the best time to finally confess to him.
Everything was just about ready. After placing down the beefstroganoff, you put the finishing touches on the pelmeni. Of course, there were plenty of drinks, including a bottle of vodka. You looked toward the clock. People would start coming soon. You had asked Ivan to come early, so he would be there when everyone else arrived.
Knock, knock.
You go to answer the door to find your favorite Russian standing there, a huge child-like smile on his face.
"привет, _"
"Hey, Ivan. Come on in. You're going to love this."
You let him in and lead him into the kitchen. When you get there, his eyes seem to widen, and his jaw slightly drops.
"Do you like it?" you ask, "I thought I would bring a little bit of home to you, to make your special day even more special."
"_. I do not know what to say. Thank you. This means a lot. But you did not have to go through all this trouble, just for me."
"Of course I did! You mean a lot to me," you began to blush, slightly, "And I wanted to tell you something."
"What is it, _?"
You took a deep breathe. You had practiced a couple times before. You just hoped that it paid off.
"Ivan. Я люблю тебя." By now, you were blushing more heavily than earlier. As you looked at him, you saw that he seemed to be shocked. 'Oh no. Did I just ruin our friendship? Maybe this wasn't such a…' Your thoughts were cut off, as you noticed you were now in Ivan's arms. He's hold was gentle, yet firm.
"Я тоже тебя люблю, подсолнечника."
You knew what he said, and you couldn't be happier. You hugged him back, before pulling away and giving him a peck on the cheek.
"Happy birthday, Ivan."
