Chapter 1. Alles Gute Zum Geburtstag.

Roderich just finished composing a new song. He was now playing it through his piano, feeling the music all over his body as it entered through his ears and spread through his veins. It felt good. It felt peaceful.

"Roddy!"

Oh. Well. So much for 'peaceful'.

The music room's door flew open— revealing Gilbert and Roderich's half-sister, Elizaveta, just behind— and giving way for that horrible nickname Roderich really hated. He sighed. It was almost already sunset. This whole day could have been perfect if the jerk did not show up. But that was almost impossible. Not a day has passed without Gilbert visiting to ruin his day. Or, well, that was how he'd explain to himself the strange nervous feeling he always gets whenever Gilbert was around.

"Oh, Roderich," Elizaveta spoke with that sisterly tone of hers. And then her soft voice for her brother became all harsh and cold as she added for Gilbert, jaws clenched, "I told him nicely to bugger off but he did not listen. Just say so and I'll kill him right away."

Elizaveta, or simply Eliza, always did spoil her little brother. It lightens Roderich's mood up all the time, but that never kept him from feeling irritated whenever Gilbert was around. But well, he was happy today. He was finished with his song.

"You are a bit too much sometimes, Eliza," he said. "Don't worry. I'm done with my work."

Roderich saw Gilbert's wide grin widen even more. And then Gilbert ran to his side and took the music sheets, and although Roderich tried his best to take them back, he knew he wouldn't be able to do it— not without destroying the papers.

"This is ridiculous!" Eliza exclaimed. "Get out you bastard!" and then she started to walk nearer.

"What made you think I'm gonna?"

"No, Eliza! The music sheets might get ripped!" Roderich blocked her way and Gilbert stilled behind. "I'll handle this, okay?"

Eliza sighed and glanced at Gilbert then at Roderich then at Gilbert again. "Fine," she said. "I'll be leaving you now then." Eliza left without complaint, but not without giving Gilbert her last glare of threat and warning.

The door closed and Roderich and Gilbert were alone. He turned around and crossed his arms. He asked, "What do you want?"

"Nothin' important," answered Gilbert, then he paused, as if to think otherwise, then he continued, "Actually, I wanted to know if you remember what day it is today."

Roderich raised a brow. Why Gilbert was bothering him just to ask a stupid question, Roderich wondered. Probably Gilbert was just up to something again just like one time a few years ago when everything that Gilbert made him do led him to fall for a prank about frogs. Oh, it was horrible. It was one of the days Roderich will never ever want to relive again. And he would never let himself fall for Gilbert's dirty tricks again.

"No, Gilbert. I don't remember what day it is today, except if you're referring that it is Friday today. If not, then remind me."

Gilbert frowned. It was a reaction Roderich would always be shocked to see from Gilbert at any circumstance. "You don't? Really?" Gilbert asked.

"Yes, really. What is so important that there is today anyway?"

The room fell silent. Roderich, looking straight at Gilbert's eyes, somewhat saw as if different emotions and thoughts were mixing altogether in those red orbs, though he could not fathom why. Gilbert looked like he was trying to say something but couldn't. It was… strange.

"Gil, are you okay?"

Gilbert shook his head slowly as if to snap himself out of something. He stared at the piano. "Play," he said and waved the music sheets slowly, carefully, in the air. "I want to hear your song."

Roderich felt his whole face burn up. He would, by all means, play this song to anybody, even Gilbert, if only this song was one of those song of his that he could simply describe as his, "work and creation". This wasn't. This was special and this was something else. This song was because and about and inspired by Gilbert, and Gilbert asking him to play it was just too embarrassing.

"Why would I play it for you?" Roderich then asked instead, though it was hard, since he started to feel again that nervous turning in his stomach every time he lies or denies or hides something from Gilbert. Such as his feelings. His heart was pounding, his knees very suddenly trembling. No matter how much he silently tried to convince himself he was being ridiculously stupid.

And then he snapped out as he heard Gilbert press the highest key. He turned to his piano and saw Gilbert sitting on the stool about to destroy the piano keys by pressing them as hard and as violently as his nature was. He panicked, especially when Gilbert said, "`Cause if you don't, I'm gonna play it myself. And sing it— wait, the lyrics—"

"No!" the brunette snatched the music sheets from where they laid safely on the piano. He wouldn't let Gilbert see the lyrics. The thought that Gilbert might find out… it was embarrassing enough. "Get off the stool, Gil! I don't have time for your silly games!"

Gilbert stood up with that serious face of his again. He almost looked… concerned. "I'm not playing, Roderich," he said. "I just thought I could be of company for you today. But you don't even remember what day it is. Guess Eliza didn't even do anything to remind you. I kinda knew she won't. She didn't, did she?"

Roderich shook his head; he was stunned how Gilbert could speak at times like this and he would always sound sincerely worried. He could only wonder—

"Come with me."

Roderich snapped out of his thoughts and realized that Gilbert was gripping him tight on one wrist, dragging him out beyond the gardens. How long has he spaced out!?

"Stop, Gilbert! Wait! I demand to know where we're going!"

Gilbert did not stop but he did look back for a moment with his stupid grin, and then he turned back to the direction they were heading, commenting things Roderich did not hear quite well.

"Gilbert! Where are you taking me!? We're heading to the forest for your information!"

Gilbert stopped and turned so suddenly, Roderich bumped him and almost fell to the grass if not for his quick arms to catch. They were already in the border of the forest and the gardens.

"I know very well where we're heading, princess. But if you want to know—" Gilbert smirked. "—you'll just have to come with me and see for yourself."

"Well—" Roderich sighed. "—then stop calling me that."

"Can't help it! You're as prissy and as dainty as no other princess could ever be!"

"What!? W-Wait— I beg your pardon!? Where in the world did you base that statement of yours!?"

For the past fifteen years Roderich has lived here, he has refused to enter the forest again after being lost in it since he was afraid it might happen again and that no Gilbert would save him like the last time. There were instances though, that Gilbert himself forced Roderich to. But those cases were very rare and Roderich still did not know the way around the woods. That's why he still feared getting lost until now.

"Right, we're almost there," Gilbert mumbled as he went behind the Austrian, took his spectacles off, and covered his eyes. Roderich could only panic.

"Hey! Gilbert, what are you…? I can't—"

"Shush. It's a surprise so we have to cover your eyes."

Roderich, though not confident of it, did what Gilbert asked him to. "Okay, fine." He brought his hands up to hold onto Gilbert's forearms. "But if this is another prank—"

"Don't worry, it's not," Gilbert interrupted. "I'm trying to be nice and amazing here so don't ruin the moment," and then he began to guide the other forward.

"Whoa… wait, I'm going to fall!"

"Stop it, Roddy! Trust me a little bit!" Gilbert was laughing.

"But we're going to tumble down. I can't do this!"

"Just a bit longer…"

"You're simply giving me a reason to hate you, Gilbert Beilschmidt, do you understand that!?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

The noise went on and on until Gilbert stopped to let Roderich know they were finally there. He slowly removed his hands from Roderich and gave him back his glasses.

Roderich was shocked in awe when a grass field's image welcomed him. The grass field was full of flowery plants such as evening primrose, forget-me-not, damask rose, lavender, heartsease, and other flowers simply too beautiful to ignore. They were everywhere. And in the middle of all those flowers and grass and bushes and surrounding trees was a shallow pond clearer than any body of water Roderich has ever seen.

Roderich looked at Gilbert and found him grinning. A memory from fourteen years ago suddenly struck him…

. . .

"Roderich! Roderich, open the door!" Eliza was shouting worriedly at the top of her lungs as she knocked violently against the music room's locked entrance. Roderich was inside the music room, sitting silently against one foot of his piano, staring blankly at the window. It has been exactly a year now since his eighth birthday, a year since the death of his mother, and a year since the day he swore never to forgive himself for being the reason of that tragedy. He'll never be happy during his birthday ever again, he assured, and will do everything he can to punish himself during this one day of the year as much as he can instead. Maybe that was why Eliza was so frantic.

"Roddy!"

Roderich hit his head so hard on the piano it almost cracked. He screamed, somewhat— with the pain and the shock to blame. Gilbert's timing was bad again as usual.

But Roderich, instead of glaring at and arguing with this very irritating boy, desperately looked for a way to get out, or to escape, or to simply just hide from everything. He wanted to be alone just for today.

He went to the corner nearest the door. "Eliza, leave me alone!" he said then turned to Gilbert and said the same thing. But instead of disappearing, Gilbert entered through the opened window and went to him.

"Why the hell are you sending me away!?" Gilbert asked as he sat in front of Roderich who was also on the floor. "I'm being nice here, you know."

"Nice?" Roderich narrowed his teary eyes. "You call this 'nice'!? I'd appreciate it more if you leave me alone!"

"Why?" Gilbert was obviously confused. "It's your birthday today isn't it? Why so dreadful?"

There was only silence for a few moments when only their eyes communicated. Gilbert saw— Roderich was sad and pained. And Roderich saw— Gilbert was trying really sincerely to ease him.

"Yes," Roderich mumbled. "And it's also my mother's first death anniversary."

Gilbert's eyes widened. For a few seconds, he panicked and ran out of ideas of what to do. But he gained back his cool quickly, stood up and grinned, pulled Roderich up, and took him outside through the window.

"Where are we going?" Roderich asked.

"Some place I know. I'm sure you'll like it."

After a few minutes, the two of them reached an elevated part of the forest, isolated from the dangers, protected and surrounded by big trees of many kinds. The grass was green and the flowers were all blooming. Birds sang and played at the side of the shallow pond and hopped from tree to tree. The wind blew to Roderich's face, delivering him the sweet scent of everything present. For a moment, he forgot about the tears in his eyes which were just about to flow.

"Roderich," Gilbert mumbled, his hands scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "I'm not sure about this but I think you mom wouldn't want you suffering during your birthday. She'd want you to celebrate it. . . with your father and Eliza. I think she's watching you all the time and she'll be happier if you keep on smiling."

Roderich looked at Gilbert and found him grinning. His heart as so full of joy and relief all of a sudden; he barely understood why.

". . . Huh? Roddy, you're crying! Are those tears of joy? Oh! You liked my surprise, didn't you? No need to thank me— but hell yeah! Am I amazing or what!?"

. . .

"Remember this place, Roddy?" Gilbert asked, snapping Roderich back to the present. "No need to thank me; I already know how nice I am!"

"Don't worry. I was not going to," Roderich replied as he narrowed his eyes and glared— though he had to thank the pink spring clouds for hiding his burning cheeks. Then he looked around and said, "I mean. . . I don't have to, right? I. . . I know that you know how much I like this place."

He stepped further into the field, caressing flowers as he passed by them. Gilbert was behind him, then beside him, watching him appreciate the different flowers.

"I haven't gone here for so long," Roderich mumbled.

"That's because you can't come here without me, right?" Gilbert teased and laughed. Roderich only shot him an abrupt glare before swiftly turning away. "Admit it, Roddy! You can't go anywhere near here alone without getting lost!"

"Yes! I get it, okay!?" Roderich was half-shouting already, though a smile was still forcing itself on his face. "Don't rub it on my face!"

"Aw wow, it's like you just admitted you can't be entirely safe without me!"

"What!? How did you end up with that conclusion!?"

Gilbert laughed even if Roderich already hit him on the head. But getting tired of it eventually, he stopped and decided to move on to another joke. He pointed to a white flower just beside the pond and asked, "That's daisy, right?"

Roderich gasped while he stared at Gilbert in horror. He was almost disgusted with Gilbert's ignorance. "My goodness, no! That's Narcissus, Gil! How narrow could your vocabulary be?"

"I'm no expert with flowers, Roddy!" Gilbert shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm a guy!"

Roderich's eyes widened. His body froze, his cheeks burned; suddenly, his hands reached for Gilbert's neck as if desiring to strangle him to death. "What does that supposed to mean!?"

Gilbert simply removed the brunette's hands with ease as he laughed. He answered, "Same as to why I call you 'Princess,' Princess."

"Oh let go of me." Roderich took his hands back and went beside the narcissus, back facing Gilbert. He felt so embarrassed and, well, guilty of Gilbert's accusations of him; he didn't even know how to react anymore. He could only cross his arms and silence himself as he lowered his gaze to his and the flower's reflections on the pond, the pink sky beyond them. The wind blew again, sending leaves to the water's surface and creating ripples. And then Gilbert's reflection finally appeared beside Roderich's by the time the ripples have gradually disappeared.

"Guilty?"

"Stop it." Roderich's voice modulated warningly. After some silence, he added in a less tensed way, "You know, I think you shouldn't be forgetting this flower."

"Why?" Gilbert could only ask.

"Because it is named after Narcissus, a Greek god who fell in love with his own reflection. The word 'narcissistic' originated from that name, too. And that's my most appropriate description for you," Roderich explained, his eyes darting smirkingly at Gilbert before travelling back to their reflections once again.

"I'm not narcissistic!" Gilbert said. "I'm simply freakin' awesome!"

"Well." Roderich looked at him again. "You probably are not narcissistic if what you are doing right now— and I mean praising yourself too much— isn't narcissism which in operational definitions means 'excessive self-admiration'."

Gilbert found the topic senseless— well actually, it was his way of convincing himself Roderich was not right. So he forced the conversation back to flowers. It wasn't the best topic but it was good enough.

He pointed at a climbing plant on a tree on the other side of the pond. It was the one plant he won't forget, he told himself. "Woody nightshade, right?" he asked.

"Yes," Roderich replied as he followed the direction of Gilbert's eyes. "Who would've thought you knew something about it?"

"Technically, it simply intrigued me when we were still kids," Gilbert elaborated. "It had purple flowers— like your eyes, purple— and it also had poisonous berries— red like mine. That's why it's the one plant I'll never forget."

"Huh. Weird," Roderich mumbled, referring to Gilbert's sudden shift from foolish to, yet again, tender and mysterious. "That plant is also called Bittersweet, you know."

"Yup. . . it's sadly a perfect name for it, isn't it?"

Roderich turned to Gilbert again who was already looking at him . . . fondly yet sadly. Roderich gave a puzzled look but Gilbert did not seem to have planned to explain himself.

Gilbert suddenly looked down as if he saw something amazing in the grass. He picked it up and said as he showed it, "Roddy, a frog!"

Roderich practically jumped in terror and fell to the knee-deep pool. He was then wet from head to toe and it already felt freezing in a matter of seconds. The night as coming, for Pete's sake!

He glared at Gilbert, not moving from where he was.

"The frog got away," Gilbert simply muttered.

"The frog is still more important, huh?" Roderich said as he stood up and as he inspected himself. Slacks wet and heavy, leather shoes ruined, his white shirt also soaking wet and clinging to his torso. He didn't even have an undershirt. "Can't even say sorry even for once in your life?" he asked monotonously.

"Why would I? It wasn't my fault! You did it yourself!"

"No, I didn't! THIS would be what I'd be doing myself!" Roderich pulled Gilbert by the collar down to the pond with him. "And I'm not going to apologize."

"Hey, you ruined my outfit!" Gilbert looked at his own clothes. Jeans wet and heavy, shoes ruined, his black t-shirt now soaked with water.

"It was not that good anyway," Roderich commented nonchalantly.

"'Not that good'? It's my favorite!"

"I know!" Roderich laughed.

That laugh was music to Gilbert's ears. He was happy to hear it.

"The sun's setting," Gilbert said, looking at the mountainous view from the west.

"Yes, it's going to be cold soon," Roderich added as they both stood up. "Especially that we're wet."

"It IS cold. Already."

"Then we should go." Roderich started walking; when he turned around, Gilbert was on the other side of the pond, taking something from a tree. He realized Gilbert was picking a woody nightshade flower. When Gilbert was finally in front of him, he stared questioningly.

"Well, there's one thing I forgot," Gilbert said as he insistently gave Roderich the flower.

"What's that?" Roderich asked.

"I haven't greeted you yet! So . . . um . . . Happy Birthday, Roderich."

"Oh . . ." Roderich smiled. "Danke."

. . .