A/N: Ummm I'm sorry I'm so late. I fail at life D:! But errr sorry about that, I was actally planning to update the week after Christmas, like for New Years, right? THINGS JUST GOT OUT OF HAND. And for a while I was kinda (stupidly) too upset to write anything without killing everything... and everyone :D. So yeah, I finally got all happy and stupid again, and so- HERE IT IS!
Chapter 8: Gravestone
Ludwig groaned, hands on his head now. He was trying not to stress. He quickly stalked back to his room, angry and hoping for no one, not even Ivan, to try and keep him company.
But to his dismay, Ivan wasn't able to read his feelings.
Ludwig jumped when he came into the room to see Ivan sitting on the bed. "W-what are you doing here, Ivan!" Ludwig tried not to look frightened. A cheesy, cute smile formed on Ivan's lips suddenly.
I live here silly; besides, I just wanted to know who called you!
"M-my brother and my…" Ludwig couldn't tell a figment of his imagination he had a stalker. Instead the blond forced a smile on his face and decided the only thing a person who followed him around all day could be called would be a friend. "One of my friends back in Germany…"
What did they want? You don't seem very happy…
Well, maybe Ivan could read Ludwig's feelings. Ludwig frowned though before letting a half smile form on his lips. "They want to visit me." He paused again before a larger smile formed on his face from the amusement of his brother and stalker always being able to get him into unwanted trouble. "Well, actually, they said they were going to visit me."
Do you want them to?
"Well…" Ludwig forced another smile on his face. "Sure, why not?"
Alright, but Ludwig, you can always kick them out…
Ludwig felt his eyes widen as Ivan said it, it was true. He could always kick them out of the house if he didn't want them in here.
When will they be here?
"I-I don't know…" Ludwig felt his face fall with annoyance. For all the German man knew, they could be jumping on the plane right now. Or worst, his crazy companions could have been calling him from a pay phone and already be here! "I wish I hadn't hung up on them so soon, I should have found out what time they'd be here…"
Where will they sleep?
"A-ah… the guest room, most likely…" A sigh made its way to the man's lips. "Hopefully because if they don't they'll want to sleep with-" Blue eyes widened in horror. He was talking to Ivan like he would be talking to a friend. "Oh god, Ivan, please!" The German man backed off. "I have to go… I must get some… some stuff at the store!" He concluded weakly, pulling a jacket on and running towards the door.
The ghost frowned before a wicked grin made its way to his lips. He slowly disappeared.
Well… I guess I have to get Ludwig to believe I'm real.
Some way…
Or another… kolkolkolkolkol…
On the other hand, Ludwig was already speeding down the road with a dark blush on his cheeks. How could he so easily start to talk to himself? Was he truly insane now? Ivan wasn't real, not matter how much… evidence there was, he wasn't real.
There was no way possible Ivan was real. Now that his brother and stalker were coming to visit, he'd be able to easily forget about his figment of imagination. Besides, he was simply lonely and Ivan was an imaginary friend- Oh god, did Ludwig truly think imaginary friend? Ludwig had gone mad, there was no way the mature, strict man who had left Germany had suddenly become so… childish!
Ludwig gritted his teeth, sighing loudly before glancing back at the house. He then turned his car on and decided it would be good for him if he tried not to think about it too much.
It didn't take that long, due to the blond's speeding, to get to the town. He was then hurrying to get into the stores, deciding to use a pay phone to recall his brother and ask about the trip some more. First, though, he would have to buy some soap and cleaning supplies and flowers-
Why in the world would he buy flowers?
Ivan was… Ivan wasn't real, and since Ludwig wasn't completely insane, he would not buy flowers for a dead person. Against his mature and rationally thoughts and personality, the blond went to the flower shop to buy them. The kind old woman simply smiled and told him a short story about Ivan while he fixed the sunflowers into a presentably fashion.
"Oh I remember when he was a child! Ivan was always so cute, running around in a pink scarf that was much too large for him, his older sister gave it to him she did!" The woman smiled sweetly. "One day he got lost, he was about nine, eight years old, I don't remember, but the poor boy was so scared. It was when they had first moved here I believe. He was running around outside in the cold and his sister had just come by the shop not that long ago asking if I had seen a little boy, I hadn't then so I answered with a no. Then I saw the boy, near to tears and looking around with a completely lost look."
Ludwig nodded quickly growing surprised with the suspicion that he was interested in the dead man.
"Anyways, he finally came into my shop. He was crying, poor little thing." She smiled softly. "I don't know when he first starting to like sunflowers, I don't think anyone actually knows, not even sister. She remembered one day his brother was obsessed with the pretty flower."
Someone entered the store and went around looking silently.
"Oh, but his eyes got so wide when he saw the sunflower in my shop! I had been saving it so I could get as much money as possible when they were completely out of season- but his eyes!" A grander smile graced her lips. "I never thought I'd see anyone so happy over a flower! Before I even had a chance to say a word he had stopped crying, and he was smiling brightly! He was so cheerful and said in the softest voice that he was going to be okay now! He then sat down on the floor, still adoring the sunflower while he waited for me to go call for his sister. It wasn't long after I called for his sister when two girls came in. An older girl with short blond hair and bright blue eyes holding a little girl in her arms, she looked just like her big sister only a tiny version with longer hair and violet eyes! They were both the cutest little children ever! But they were so poor…"
"They were poor?" Ludwig asked softly, the school he went to, the school Ivan had gone to, wasn't that bad a school. It took money to get there.
"Yes," The woman said solemnly. "But I couldn't just let the boy go home without the sunflower, it would have been heartbreaking! The moment his sister came into the store, he had jumped up and told her about the pretty flower he had seen. Her face had fallen, and she looked devastated! She told Ivan to hold the child while she dug in her pockets for money. When all she managed to pull up a few coins, she bit her lip and looked sadly at her little brother. It took the boy a few moments to realize that the money was food money and he simply nodded. He looked so serious and formal suddenly before he had let a smile grace his lips. He thanked me before handing the girl back to his sister and taking her hand. They were going to go, and I was so shocked! I went to the vase and quickly brought it back to the boy,"
"W-what did he do?" Ludwig's eyes were wide now.
"He looked at it then up to me and the cutest smile formed on his face! He took it and thanked me before grinning at his sister. Then they brought the flower back to wherever they had lived at that time…" The woman smiled again. "I wish you could have seen his smile; you would have realized how sweet he was. I saw him almost every day since then! I gave him his own part of the garden bed to plant whatever he wished. Of course they were sunflowers… His sisters would watch him plant and tend to them for hours. The moment he was old enough to work, I let him work here. He made money here, along with the other jobs he worked at. He soon brought his family into a healthy living space and, even better, his sisters were able to go to school… He didn't go to school until late I think… Yes, he had always loved learning, but he thought family was to come first."
"How was he going to graduate?" Ludwig questioned. "He was going to finish at the age of twenty one, but you say he didn't start school until late…?"
"He started school so late, but he was smart. His sisters had both taught him, so he was home schooled, but he didn't start going back to public school until after his sisters pleaded with him. He was able to finish most of his regular schooling by the time he was eighteen and simply wanted to do the four years of the higher schooling. Of course, he was smart as I said before; he was going to graduate a year earlier. He probably would have gotten higher honors if he hadn't worked during his childhood to provide for his family…"
"I thought child labor wasn't allowed…" Ludwig noted, glancing at the woman who looked regretful.
"This is a small town," The woman said softly. "We have two schools, one for the younger children and one for higher education… Besides, this was nearly sixteen years ago before we modernized completely."
"True," Ludwig nodded before smiling.
"Well, now that you brought the flowers," She handed him the bouquet. "Why don't you go to visit his grave? It's not too far from here and I'm sure he'd be appreciative, Ludwig."
"Ack? Alright," Ludwig nodded quickly. "Then would you mind preparing another bouquet? I'd like one for my home, it'd liven the place up…" Ludwig let a tiny smile form on his face. "I'll be back to pick them up on my way back home." The woman nodded while she went back to work.
Ludwig sighed, knowing this would be the first time he had gone to a graveyard since his parents' funeral back in Berlin, Germany. He quietly moved along the road, trying not to take any notice to the gloomy, gray-white sky or the frost covered trees. It all added to the depressing mood he felt coming on.
It didn't take long before Ludwig was glancing over the grave stones, trying to find which one belonged to his-… which belonged to Ivan. Ludwig bit down on his lip, how could he think of a dead man, who he had never once met before, not counting the figment of imagination he named Ivan, on a personal level? It took a long time until he finally found it. Ludwig winced, and he felt a painful tightening in his chest. He looked it over, it looked elegant. The stone's name was frosted over but Ludwig fixed that, uncovering the snow frosted name.
"Ivan Braginski…" The words just fell out of his mouth, sounding natural and sweet in his mouth. He glanced down, looking further at it, the birthday, date of death… until he came to the rest. "A loving brother, a kind soul and hard working student… may he rest in peace…" Ludwig blinked; Ivan had no lover, no children. He touched the stone gently. "Didn't you ever love anyone?"
The air suddenly became warm and Ludwig shivered, glancing around.
"Well, I brought you come sunflowers… I know it isn't much, and I'm sorry I've been a pain… but… Rest in peace, Ivan…" Ludwig said gently, standing up after he placed the flowers down. A small smile of sadness and slight remorse made its way to the blonde's lips.
He decided it was time to go after he made a mental note as to where the grave was.
"I'll visit you again soon…" Ludwig shivered and swore he felt someone hug him from behind, someone tall and skin cold as the snow, and whoever it was rested his head on his shoulder. Ludwig glanced down at the snow, looking at his shadow where he saw another person hugging him.
Thank you…
It was small whisper, seeming to be carried by the wind, but Ludwig knew he heard it, and he felt a small smile grace his lips.
A/N: Um thank you for reading this and umm please review :D
