"Well, it's good to see someone misses me."

Elizabeta was kneeling in front of the tombstone, finally allowing herself the moment to mourn by shedding a tear or two when the voice behind interrupted her. It was familiar...much too familiar, a voice she hadn't heard in years, raspy and coarse, though unusually soft spoken in contrast to the loud tones she had grown up with. A trick of the mind and ear, she concluded, though that didn't stop her from turning around to the source.

Silver hair, crimson eyes, a loose blouse and pants around the figure she once knew as dead.

Gilbert.

Gilbert Beilschmidt, standing in front of her. He looked as alive as anyone could be, a soft smile across his face. No, she wasn't one for disillusioning herself; the Hungarian was much too sensible for that. But how? He was gone, dissolved, gone for a good solid year or two. Damn it all there was a funeral and yet here he was in plain sight before her eyes. The nation of Prussia.

Who, Elizabeta realized in horror, had probably watched her cry just now.

"Well?"

"How long have you stood there?" There was just the smallest hint of anger in her voice, the shock fading away and fury soon to be followed. This was not the reaction that the other nation had anticipated, his face paling just a little.

Ah, perhaps it was a little too hopeful for him to envision a heartfelt reunion.

"Eh-"

"How much did you hear?"

"W-Wait, Eliza, you ain't telling me you're m-"

"Idiot! Asshole!"

"Oi oi, calm down will you wait what the fuck-!"

It was a little while before Elizabeta had calmed down, the two now settled by the nearby park bench not too away from the cemetery that was Gilbert's supposed final resting place. An embarrassed flush across one's face, a hand marked on the other, grumbling to himself under his breath.

"God Liz, who the hell attacks someone like that? And here I thought you'd be happy or some shit..."

"How...why...?" Elizabeta wasn't looking at him when she asked these questions. There was still too much going on processing in her mind, trying to make sense of what happened just now. "I mean, I thought you were...I mean, damn it Gilbert, you had a grave. You were gone for so long..."

It was Gilbert's turn to feel uncomfortable, glancing down at the other. He knew that there was explaining to do. "Well, if I gotta be honest even I'm not exactly sure why I'm here. I mean, yeah, I knew I was going. Thought that's how it'd be, y'know?" He furrowed his brows, remembering those final moments. He had secluded himself away from the others, closing his eyes a final time. "For a while, I think I really was gone...but then here I am. Well, I've only "come back" a few days ago. Confused as hell, I should add. But you know, after thinkin' about it, I think I kind of get it. Why I'm still around, I mean."

Elizabeta kept her gaze focused on the foliage in front of her as she listened to his story. Gilbert paused for a moment before continuing.

"Prussia's gone. Dissolved. I can live with that. But that doesn't mean that Gilbert Beilschmidt. In the lands that I once called my own still have my people, their blood the same as my blood. And they live, Eliza. They flourish and survive, and from there I live through them. Prussia may be gone, but not East Germany."

She finally turned to the other, her face softening. "God, Gil...I mean, I've known you for so long as Prussia, and even now you're okay with that? All the strength that you built, the people you led...not Prussian, but German. You're fine with that?"

Gilbert gave a small smile, his hand reaching out for hers and squeezing it lightly. "I'm alive, aren't I?"

Somehow Elizabeta found her own fingers intertwining with his. His hand was warm, the contact reassuring her that he really was there. She managed a small chuckle. "Prussia's gone, but not Gilbert huh? That tombstone of yours is horribly misleading." Oh, right. She owed him an apology.

"...um, sorry for hitting you back then."

A grin . "Since when did you apologize to me? Well, if we're apologizin', I'm sorry made you cry."

"Wh-! I wasn't crying!"

"Says you!"

"Shut up! Pull another stunt like that again and I'll kick your ass!"

They bickered back and forth for a small moment, almost as if Gilbert was never gone. They sat at the park bench, their hands still intertwined, Elizabeta's head now resting against Gilbert's shoulder. By tomorrow, she would go back to her usual stubborn self, a frown on her face from the other's constant visits though she'll have a cup of tea prepared. Likewise, Gilbert's normally loud self would return, his unannounced visits and laughter ringing through the hallways before making some sort of declaration of his presence. They would resume their usual banter, their constant display of the strange friendship slash rivalry with deep-rooted thoughts and feelings for one another that they may not excessively display. But that would be for another day. Today the two could spend their time together like this, just simply content with each other's company.

"...I'm glad you're back." She whispered softly, her head still resting on the other's shoulder. Gilbert smiled.

"It's good to be back."

((Heh, you think I would have really let him die? I'm never a fan of anything truly tragic, ahaha. Hopefully that was understandable! Also I thought it'd be fun to point out that cornflowers is the national flower of Prussia. According to folklore it was the flower that men in love wore, and if the flower faded it meant that the love wasn't reciprocated. Eliza isn't a man but hey, that never stopped her from doing what she wanted!

Honestly I thought it would be respectful of her to bring that to his grave, I only found the bit out about men in love later. But it's a nice thing to think about, I think!

Thank you all for reading this, reviews would be greatly appreciated!))