Sorry I haven't posted in over a week, life just hit me with lots of bad stuff at once but I am back and will post another chapter before Monday!

Chapter 43: Sunflowers

25th April 1987

Ivan walked out the shed at the back of his house carrying a box of garden tools and hauling them out to the back wall of his garden before dropping them down with a loud clang.

He was wearing a set of overalls with only one side buttoned up over an old tattered telnyashka and a straw hat on his head. It was one of his favourite times of year, the time to sow his sunflower seeds ready for when they would bloom in August.

Ivan grabbed some gloves from the box and began pulling weeds and such out of the flower bed along the wall. He had almost finished clearing it up when he heard the back door swing open and the sound of laughter approaching him.

'Alright, the awesome me is here fresh and ready like a little bird! Let's do this!' Gilbert said proudly.

Gilbert was wearing some tatty jeans, an old tshirt and a cap with some sunglasses.

'You only ever turn up for the easy part, da.' Ivan rolled his eyes, handing Gilbert a bag of seeds.

'Such lies. It's not my fault you get up so early all the fucking time, every heard of sleeping in on a Saturday?' Gilbert scoffed, taking the seeds and heading for the other end of the garden to start planting his seeds.

He had helped Ivan with this every year since the spring of 1949. Not even by Ivan's request either, actually Ivan was very insistent on doing it alone until Gilbert showed him how good he actually was with gardening. Ivan was very protective of his sunflowers.

Now it was tradition that they would plant them together and Gilbert made sure to water them in Ivan's place whenever Ivan disappeared or was too busy working.

Gilbert was quick and efficient on his half, sticking his finger into the ground, placing the seed in the hole and covering it before moving on to the next. Meanwhile Ivan took his time, carefully making sure the hole was just right and saying nice things to the seed before covering them up carefully.

Gilbert had soon finished his half and decided to go and make drinks as Ivan finished his. Coming back out with some fresh Kompot he stood over the Russian watching as he planted the last few seeds.

'You always take your time don't ya kesesesese.' Gilbert mocked.

'Not everything has to be in a hurry, da.' Ivan smiled softly as he covered up the last seed.

'You want a drink?' Gilbert said, holding out the extra glass of Kompot.

'Ah, Spasibo.' Ivan smiled as he got up and took the drink.

Ivan slowly took a sip as he smiled at the Prussian with a light blush on his face.

'Ugh, why are you looking at me like that you weirdo.' Gilbert sputtered, looking away and blushing himself.

'I like it when we spend time like this, da. Don't you think it's nice?' Ivan smiled widely between drinks.

'Of course it's nice. It's awesome or I wouldn't do it.' Gilbert smirked.

'I am so glad. Shall we water the seeds now?' Ivan cheered after finishing his drink and grabbing the watering can.

August 1986

Ivan woke up, cuddled into Gilbert's chest and smiled. He eventually pulled away and walked over to the curtains to open them. Smiling widely when he saw his Sunflowers were now fully in bloom.

'Gilbert look look look!' Ivan yelled and jumped excitedly like a child as he pointed out the window.

Gilbert just stirred slightly before rolling over, it was like 5 in the morning and he wasn't ready for the day yet. Ivan pouted before running over to the bed and sitting on top of the Prussian.

'Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!' Ivan repeated as he giggled and poked the Prussian's face.

Gilbert, getting annoyed by the constant assault on his face, sat up suddenly, knocking the Russian off the bed in the process and causing him to fall onto the floor with a thud.

'I am up now what the fuck do you want?!' Gilbert yelled.

'Look outside!' Ivan said as he got up from the floor and ran to the window, too excited by his sunflowers to stay mad.

Gilbert rolled his eyes and got out of bed making his way to the window to see outside as all the sunflowers sat proudly in bloom out back.

'41 years and you still have to wake me up to show me them everytime?' Gilbert rolled his eyes but had a smile on his face, Ivan was very cute when he got excited like this after all.

'It's so exciting, da! These tiny seeds turned into something so big and beautiful all because we loved them is amazing!' Ivan explained as he stared out the window in awe.

'Yeah, I guess it is pretty awesome.' Gilbert smiled softly as he pulled the Russian into a side hug and leaned his head on his shoulder.

It was pretty amazing, how something so small could become so big. It reminded him of how small and cute his brother once was but now he was so big and strong. How he himself was once very small and cute and how stupidly cute Ivan had been as a child in retrospect, especially with how much of a cry baby he was back then.

Gilbert smirked as he looked over at Ivan who was still fixated on his sunflowers outside. He was still pretty cute now too. Gilbert took his free hand and began pulling on Ivan's cheek, he loved to do it because they were really squishy and stretchy, as well as the fact Ivan's reactions were always funny.

'Waaa- Stop it! I want to look at the sunflowers and you're distracting me!' Ivan protested.

'Nah this is more fun.' Gilbert laughed, not noticing the Russian grab his pipe.

'Asshole!' Ivan said as he whacked Gilbert on the head with his pipe.

'Ow! What the hell Vanya!' Gilbert complained, letting go of his cheek to rub his now aching head.

'You are being a bully, da.' Ivan laughed as he put his pipe away and hugged the Prussian tightly.

'It's okay, I still love you.' Ivan giggled as he rubbed his face on the Prussians.

'Your the bully here you know, you hit me with your pipe.' Gilbert rolled his eyes as he hugged the Russian back.