T/W: Mentions of death

Chapter 23: Melody of Sorrow and Joy

The rest of the visit had somehow gone without too much drama and soon everything in the house returned to normal. Much to Gilbert's pleasure and the Baltics' displeasure.

Today Gilbert had the house to himself. The Baltics had been sent on errands by Ivan, while the Russian was meeting his Boss. Gilbert decided to take this time to sort the garage and organise it better.

There was some strange stuff in the garage. A scary amount of weapons in a locked box that Gilbert picked his way into, a bunch of really really old clothes, some old paintings hidden also in a locked box, but the thing that caught Gilbert's attention the most was a 40 year old upright piano under a blanket and some boxes.

'Ew this makes me think of that snob Austria.' Gilbert laughed as he opened the lid.

Pushing on a key revealed the thing was horribly out of tune, just making Gilbert laugh more and more as he kept hitting the keys at random. Imaging the Austrian withering in pain at the awful sound.

As Gilbert looked closer at the piano it made sense how this was so out of tune, it was not in very good condition at all. The wooden panelling was covered with chips and scratches, same with the keys. Gilbert was very drawn however to the names scratched into one of the legs.

'Vanya, Alyosha, Nastya, Masha, Olya, Tanya.' Gilbert said to himself as he read over them.

He recognized the first one, not only was it clearly Ivan's diminutive but it was also his handwriting, however the other names he did not recognise or the writing.

He was half tempted to carve his own name into it but decided not to as who knows how the Russian might act if he vandalised the thing. Then again, it was buried unloved in a garage.

Gilbert decided to drag the thing closer to the door and make sure nothing got stacked on it. Who knows, maybe that big oaf buried the thing in stuff in his disorganised mess on accident and forgot about it. This way if he still wanted it he would know where to find it.

As soon as all was done and the garage was now a nice and orderly space, Gilbert looked over at the piano and sighed.

'You know what, I got time.' He smiled, leaving the garage and walking to his room.

Walking inside his room, he grabbed his flute from his bedside table, stopping to smile at the small painting of Old Fritz that sat there before pulling the flute out and sitting down to play it.

Old Fritz had been the one who taught him to play the flute, hell the man was like father to him. He admired him and missed him everyday. Human lifes were so short in comparison to their own.

Gilbert had been so focused on his own memories and playing the songs that brought that back that he hadn't even noticed the Russian, who had come home early, standing at his door listening in awe.

After Gilbert finished yet another song he was startled by clapping behind him.

'WHO SAID YOU COULD COME IN MY ROOM?!' Gilbert screamed in shock.

'It's my house, da. You should play more often, it is very nice to hear.' Ivan smiled.

'I am not your personal record player. Go buy a phonograph.' Gilbert rolled his eyes, still upset that the Russian had invaded his privacy like that.

'Oh. But I liked it so much.' Ivan said looking very dejected.

'Ugh you're not going to cry are you? You fucking baby. Fine.' Gilbert sighed, patting the bed next to him.

Ivan wasted no time running over as he cheered, he plopped on the bed before lying down so his head was on Gilbert's lap, looking up at him with his eyes filled with childlike wonder.

'Ugh, I hate that this is adorable. It's like he knows I love cute things.' Gilbert thought to himself as he blushed.

Gilbert kept playing songs for the happy Russian who just lay there with a peaceful look on his face looking up at Gilbert the whole time. Eventually though he found himself getting tired and put the flute back into its box.

'Over now?' Ivan asked sadly from the Prussians lap.

'I can't do the same thing for too long! It's boring!' Prussia said defensively.

'Thank you. It was so nice. It's been so long since someone sat and played music to me.' Ivan said softly as he rolled over, burying his face into Gilbert's stomach as he wrapped his arms around the Prussian.

'Your such of fucking weirdo you know that.' Gilbert said lovingly as he petted the Russian's hair.

Ivan loved the fact that Gilbert always petted his hair, although it also made him so sleepy. If he was even remotely tired he would find himself falling asleep as soon as he did it. He didn't know why? Maybe it was because Ukraine used to stroke his hair and sing to him when he couldn't sleep as a kid.

'How did your day go anyway?' Gilbert made small talk.

'Awful but at least he didn't hit me. Did you have fun?' Ivan said muffled as he kept his face buried.

'Yeah I did. I sorted and organised your garage. It's been bugging me for days. It felt so good to get it all ordered.' Gilbert smiled.

'I never understand how you love cleaning. It's so boring.' Ivan laughed.

'I think a lot of stuff you do is boring too, you know. Clean organisation is the sign of a strong warrior.' Gilbert bragged.

'Your so strange.' Ivan giggled.

'Not strange, Awesome, Awe-some much like a little bird, you're the strange one out of us.' Gilbert corrected.

'I love you so much.' Ivan said, squeezing tighter.

'Ugh, stop saying that so much. Then I have to say it back and it totally cramps my style.' Gilbert scoffed.

'Fine then don't say it back. I know you love me back anyway because you stay by my side.' Ivan smiled softly.

Gilbert resisted the urge to remind Ivan he was here by force. I mean, Gilbert would have definitely would keep this relationship going if he got the choice to leave, however he certainly wouldn't live in this hell hole. He would want to be back with his brother. Yet part of him really didn't want to ruin this moment. After the last few days it was so nice to just have some peace.

'Hey, I found a piano in the garage. Do you play or something?' Gilbert asked curiously.

'I used to but I don't do it anymore.' Ivan sighed sadly.

'Used to?' Gilbert said, confused.

'I gave it up.' Ivan said, grabbing Gilbert's shirt in his fist.

'That's probably for the best. Anything that loser Austria does is super lame and you don't want to be lame as him.' Gilbert laughed.

'Also what's with all the guns in th-' Gilbert continued but cut himself off when he heard the Russian sniffling and his shirt started to get wet.

'Hey, why are you crying for?' Gilbert said panicked, he was never good at dealing with crying people and unfortunately the Russian did it a lot in private, not as much as his older sister but still a whole lot.

'Still a crybaby just like back then.' Gilbert thought softly to himself as he remembered how much he used to make Ivan cry as kids.

Ivan just ignored Gilbert and pulled him tighter and tighter as he cried more.

'Getting a little tight there buddy.' Gilbert squirmed at the discomfort, trying to pry the Russian off a little but it just made him hold on even tighter.

'It's not fair….' Ivan sobbed out.

'They were so young still and they… they… they killed them…' Ivan bawled.

'Wait what?' Gilbert said, alarmed.

'It's why I stopped playing piano… I used to all the time… I loved it… my last Tsar's children… they loved to join me… all I can think of now when I play is that they were killed… I understood the Tsar and his wife but the young ones… Could they not have been taught our new ways?' Ivan explained.

Oh, that must have been what those names were. It made sense now why that was buried away. It was probably more painful to try and get rid of it than just to keep it and never think about it.

'You know, Old Fritz taught me to play the flute and when he died, I was so upset even just hearing the sound of it made me… well you get the idea. However I kept playing it because I knew it was what he would have wanted me to do, I loved to play it so much. Soon I would play it and just remember all the happy times I spent with him. It was still sad but it was also happy. Like in those moments it felt like I was bringing him back to life again.' Gilbert said softly.

'Sad and happy.' Ivan pulled his face away looking up at the Prussian with his watering eyes.

'Yeah, one day maybe it will be the same with you.' Gilbert reassured, rubbing the others cheek.

'I don't know. I have never tried. I haven't touched that Piano since I moved here in the 1920s.' Ivan sighed.

'Maybe you could try now?' Gilbert smiled.

'I don't know…' Ivan looked away unsure.

'Come on. Just try it for me okay. If you hate it, I will bury it away again. Promise. I kinda want to hear you play, who knows, maybe it's just Austria who is lame.' Gilbert pushed.

'You promise I can stop at any moment.' Ivan shook.

'Any. I am not an asshole like your bosses. I am the awesome Prussia and you are my awesome boyfriend.' Gilbert proclaimed, kissing the Russian on the nose, getting a giggle out of him.