AN: I thought I lost my uncle's dog today. D: It was a horrible feeling and I swore I just looked away for a minute. I counted. Anyways, I had to retype some parts three times because when I tried to save it, the browser would end up restarting instead. This is the reason why I obsessively save for every sentence I type on my word document back at home. Edit: Ha ha! I fixed all of the spelling errors (or at least a good chunk of them)! Seriously, I really do need a spellchecker for when I'm writing.
Warning: SealandxLatvia

He really doesn't know what to do, the only thing he can do is hope that they haven't forgotten about him. Wait, they haven't forgotten him, have they? Of course they didn't! They're responsible adults! Raivis shook his head, to clear his mind of such unpleasantries, with such gusto that he turned heads.

A light dusting of red appeared on his cheeks at the stares and at the fact that some actually stopped in their tracks to watch him. Just ignore them, don't look at them. He told himself as he made a visible effort to not return the gazes.

Raivis didn't like attracting attention and he absolutely didn't like getting the Russian boy's attention, but he was Raivis, he would always get the short end. Like the fact that he was just a sophomore (which surprised a lot of people) and here he was hanging around the entrance to a college. Full of old people and… adults.

He had to admit though; maybe he was just overreacting. There was no reason to be this upset about standing around the gate, wearing the high school uniform (even though it let out a good thirty minutes ago), and suffering through a case of the buckling of knees, nothing to overreact about.

Or at least that was what he kept telling himself until he felt that drop. Jumping just a tad bit, a feeling just a tad bit startled, shivering fingers raised to touch his nose. It was wet. Is it about to rain? He looked up and it was like everything was planned out beforehand.

The sky was still a cheery blue, but it started sprinkling a bit harder than usual.

Uplifted spirits (if you could have called them that) deflated in an instant as the rain clouds gathered up and around the neighborhood, spreading water here and there. The little Latvian schoolboy could see students jogging at a faster pace to their destination, students running out of the main building screaming for hail, and students going about their normal life as if there was no chance of rain. He saw all that, but he didn't see Eduard or Toris.

The wet was beginning to seep through his multitude of layers and Raivis couldn't deny that he felt a bit cold at the moment or that his guardians were probably coming home late today. He sighed through his nose as he adjusted the satchel's strap that was beginning to dig into his skin.

Turning around to head back the way that he came, he hit another body, one that let out a sharp squeal. A blush soon found its way onto the Latvian boy's face as he staggered back, confusion apparent in his eyes as his mind tried to process the fact that he bumped into somebody who was standing next to him. How long have they been standing there?

"I-I'm sor—"

"Gah! Stranger danger! Don't eat me! I don't taste good! I swear!" The other boy swore throwing whatever it was that he was holding at Raivis. General confusion and turmoil was apparent in those ruddy blue eyes as Raivis watched, with a blank look, at the red carnation that was thrown his way. The flower didn't even manage to reach him and so it started drifting down and down and down.

… What? "What?"

Prying an eye open, blue eyes scanned the other boy set in front of him. The stranger unfurled from their previous frozen-cringe position into a 'this is pretty awkward now' position. He shuffled his feet nervously before plucking the sailor cap of his head and fiddling with it idly in hand.

"Um, Ma—I mean Tino—" He breathed a mental sigh of relief when he caught himself before he could use the word. The Finnish boy had told him not to refer to him and Berwald as Mama and Papa to outsiders, or else bad things will happen (he was much too afraid to ask, he just assumed it had something to do with that Jerk Arthur). "He told me to throw whatever I'm holding if somebody I don't know tries to touch me."

"Good parents?"

"Ha ha, yeah. I guess. My name's Peter." He checked the area around him before taking a seat on the ground. He patted to the empty concrete spot next to him. "What's your name?"

He eyed the spot next to the boy decked out in sailor garb (complete with a little anchor charm hanging out of his pocket… not that he thought it was cute or anything…) before slipping his bag off his shoulders and taking the seat. He barely registered the fact that it was no longer sprinkling. "Um, I'm Raivis."

"Raivis? That's a funny name. Where are you from?"

"Latvia."

"Latvia…" Peter trailed off, a finger lightly tapping his chin in a thoughtful manner as he searched his mind. "Latvia… OH!" He snapped his fingers. "That Latvian schoolgirl who slapped that British man in the face with the flower! I just wanted to say good job! That'll show Arthur!"

"That… wasn't me though…"

"Who cares? That'll show that British bastard!"

He was almost afraid to ask. "Aren't you… British?"

An indignant flame arose in Peter's sky blue eyes at that question and Raivis' hair stood on end. He inched away from the bristling boy.

"I'm not British! I'm Sealandian! Sealandian!"

"I'm-I'm-I'm sorry!"

"It's okay, just don't do it again. Also, what are you doing here?"

The two boys sat at their small little table set right by a large window, inside the small cafe, sipping honey-sweet drinks and munching on little samples of baked goods that the manager provided them with. Raivis idly sipped at his drink as his new friend rambled on and on and on about somebody named Arthur. Each time the other boy (who he learned went to the local middle school) used his favorite term to describe the man Raivis couldn't help, but he cringe. Where he learned that sort of language is beyond him.

"—So he stopped me from selling myself on Ebay. I mean I just wanted to see what would happen! Are you listening?"

Oh boy, he wasn't listening. Raivis's head jerked upwards a tiny bit when Peter leaned forward and jabbed him in the arm, really hard. It was more like a punch, honestly, but Raivis was use to this kind of force. Living and pretty much just being friends with Ivan Braginsky had that kind of effect on people.

"You weren't listening were you?"

"I-uh-um-I… uh."

A scoff filled to the brim with vexation escaped Peter's lip and he leaned back in his chair, a hand clutching at his shirt in mock hurt. "You really weren't listening! I'm shattered!" He rocked forward in his chair, his elbows proped up on the small circular table that they shared. He rested in his on his hands. "Did you know that in some places, not listening to what somebody is saying would get you in a lot of trouble?" He waited for Raivis's mouth to open before cutting in. "I should give you some sort of punishment or something."

He had to make an effort not to cough his drink all over the table and onto the cookies. He quickly wiped the liquid dribbling out of his mouth with his sleeve before yelping out a very high pitched, "What!?"

The corner of Peter's lip twitched upwards. "Yeah. What kind of a punishment would be good?"

"Y-Y-You're not serious a-a-are you?"

"Hmn... what kind?" The little middle schooler mused to himself, pretending to not have heard the inquiry as he taps his fingers along his chin in a rhythmatic pattern. "Ha! I know!" Blue eyes widened with realization and he snapped his fingers. He pointed a finger right into the Latvian's face and with a mammath grin stated, "You shall be my friend for a minium of fifteen years! Yeah, that's a fun punishment."

Violet eyes focused to the finger in front of him before looking into bright blue eyes shining wih excitement. Both boy's lips quirked upwards and both erupted into giggles and snorts. Eyes squeezed shut and laughs pouring out of their mouths, they paid no mind to the kind of looks they were getting from the other costumers. Raivis quieted down into shallow giggles when he felt a comforting and recognizable hand resting on his shoulders. Looking up and over his shoulder, he coyly smiled at Toris and then at Eduard. Toris's smile widened and he nodded towards Peter who was struggling to catch his breath and recieving a very odd look from Eduard.

"Um, this is Peter...um."

"Ha ha... Oxenstierna-Väinämöinen."

There was a look of shock on his face, but it was gone just as quickly as it appeared. Toris watched for any signs of any other emotion than startlement on Eduard's face, but all he saw was a rather stotic Eduard gazing fondly at Tino's child. A warm familiar feeling settled into his heart, yes, it was pretty cute seeing Eduard looking like that, but at the same time, Toris couldn't help, but feel a bit... disturbed.

"Oh, you're their son? Well, how's the happy couple doing?"

"EH!? You know my parents?" He bolted up in his seat and slammed both palms on the table. He gazed at the three Baltic nations with a look of bizzare admiration shining in his vibrant baby-blue eyes. "How come you never told me, Raivis?"

"I didn't know your last name..."

"But-still-I-I-what-I-I-OH—"

"Speak of the devil, there's your parents over there!" Toris stated in a rush before Peter can continue with his nonsensical and rambled speech. That manage to divert the younger male's attention. With a very loud and excited, "Mama!" and "Papa!" Peter dashed towards his parents, knocking over his chair and whoever happens to be in his way. With a leap that would be a big cat proud, he pounced into Tino's out stretched arms, almost knocking the two over if it weren't for Berwald propping Tino up.

"I made a new friend today! And what took you guys so long?"

"Tino forgo' somethin' in 'n school. Had t' go look."

"I didn't know that my flash drive fell! And— Oh! Moi moi Toris, Eduard! What are you guys doing here so late?"

"Hello you two. We were looking for Raivis here." Toris explained, clapping his other hand onto the boy's shoulder. "Took us a while to realize that he was in the cafe."

Pushing his glasses up farther onto his nose, Eduard said his hellos to Tino and Berwald. Gripping Raivis's hand in hi sown, he pulled the boy up and onto his feet. "It's getting pretty late. We should be going now. Raivis here probably hasn't started his homework and he can't afford to fall behind now."

"Aw, do we really have to go now?" Puting on his best kicked-puppy face, he turned to look up to Tino... whowas avoiding his gaze. No success. He then turned the look to his father, but the expression quickly disappeared at that look on his father's face. No success there either. "Fine, fine. We'll go home. Just..." He started, prying his bag open. "Wait." He rummaged in his bag for a few minutes and a small 'Ah!' told everybody of his success. Carefully pulling out the already banged up flower from his bag, he handed it over to Raivis who accepted it with a bewildered look.

"Ah, Peter don't give that to hi— Ah! Berwald! Don't do..." The sentence faltered and died when Berwald made a hissing noise while placing his index finger flush against his lip. A smallest of small frowns was on his face, but he deiced to follower Berwald's advice. Tino didn't say any more.

"Peter? When did you get this?" Raivis asked once he realized that it was the red carnation that the other boy threw at him.

"When I went to the bathroom."

"A-Ah... why are you giving this to me?"

"Mama told me that you give red carnations to people you like. So I'm giving it to you."

"O-Oh... thank you."

"No problem! I'll see you tomorrow! By the gate, okay? Also, bring some money with you this time! I'm not paying for our food next time!"

He sat up in his bed, staring out of the uncurtained window at the night sky as he waited for his search engine to stop loading. The stars shone really brightly and vibrantly tonight, he didn't know why, but he was glad for it nevertheless. It really did make the dull sky look like something out of a fairy tale. A sigh and Raivis stared at the laptop screen to see how much was finished loading. Another sigh when he learned that it only managed to get to a measly fifty-three percent. Why couldn't the internet here be faster?

He cast a spare glance at the single red carnation sitting all by its lonesome in a pink and black-checkered vase that he found in one of the boxes that contained all their unmoved items. He trained his eyes onto the screen and tried to will the site into loading faster. It didn't work; Raivis actually had the feeling that it had the opposite effect. He sighed and leaned his head against the headboard of his bed. It was only natural teenage curiosity that was making him do this. He just wanted to find out what the flower meant, that was all. Or at least that was what he had planned to tell Toris or Eduard if they walked in on him and saw what he was trying to search.

More minutes of night gazing and star searching passed before Raivis looked down to his lap. A small smile adorned his features when he saw all the links that came up. At least he won't have to worry about not finding out what it meant or anything. The smile quickly faded though, disappeared into some dark recess of some area for later use, when he clicked on the link. Oh boy, does he really hate slow internet speeds.

'Discover the Carnation Meaning' the site said in big brown font. Raivis could feel his lip twitching into a smile at all of the small little doodles of carnations that decorated the background of the site. Why did they have to look so damn cute? Skimming the little introductionary paragraph that mentioned women and love and something else, the Latvian finally found what he was looking for.

" 'Red carnation flowers say 'I admire you' or 'My heart aches for you. They indicates love, passion, and respect.' " He read, his face steadily changing color from a pale peachy white to a vibrant splotchy red. Quickly snapping his laptop shut as soon as he read that, he set the laptop onto the bed desk in such haste that he almost dropped it onto the ground. Quickly turning the lights out and pulling the covers over his head, he couldn't help but wonder if Peter knew what the flowers meant. Maybe? Maybe not.

Notes:
1) The Latvian who slapped Prince Charles in the face with a red carnation (to protest a war) was sentenced to fifteen years in prison for endangering the life of a foreign diplomat.