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Fyodor was a rich man, one of great status and renown. He lived privately, however, not one to flaunt his fortune. Ivan was content to work for him- who wouldn’t be? He was paid well to make grand statues that would be adored by all who saw them; even if it was only a handful of people. Ivan didn’t mind that, though. As long as someone saw them.
He set his tools down, wiping sweat off his brow as he stared at his current project. A coiling snake, fangs on display like a knight and their sword and tongue flicking out like a banner. That was how he thought of it, at least. It made him laugh; a snake knight would be so silly. The statue was set in one of the parts of Fyodor’s hedge maze that was easier to get to, so he was sure many people would walk past it. That made him happy.
He looked over as he heard someone’s footsteps approaching. It could be several people; the jester, the old count, or–
It is neither of them. Instead, it is the gardener. His long flowing hair is like a waterfall made of sparkling foam and his eyes are like beautiful scarlet flowers. When he speaks to Ivan, it makes him feel like he’s special, maybe even someone who’s as powerful as Fyodor.
“Good day,” He greets, holding his tools in a wicker basket. Nestled next to them is something Ivan cannot quite tell the identity of; it’s wrapped neatly in a pretty handkerchief.
“Good day!” Ivan chirps back like a cheerful songbird, watching him walk into the clearing. He perks up as Shibusawa inspects the statue.
“Your craftsmanship is impressive.” Shibusawa traces a fang, then turns back to him. Ivan gets to look into his eyes for a moment and it’s wonderful.
“Thank you!” He smiles brightly. Shibusawa nods.
“I give credit where it’s due. I’ve heard splendid things about your work, I see now that it’s true.” Shibusawa steps away from the statue, Ivan feeling like he’s on top of the world. Shibusawa liked his work.
“I’m glad it lives up to such standards, sir!” Ivan sways a little, then adds, “Your work is beautiful as well- and important! I like seeing the flowers flourish.”
“It's always rewarding to see them bloom another year.” Shibusawa replies, continuing, “It’s good to know another soul appreciates them.”
Shibusawa steps towards the other side of the clearing, waving at Ivan.
“Perhaps we’ll cross paths again.”
“I’d like that-!” Ivan is so focused on him that it’s only after Shibusawa’s gone that he notices the tool which slipped out of his basket. He goes over to pick it up, making a little gasp. The tool broke when it hit the ground- he can’t return this!
He glances from the tool to some discarded stone from the statue and makes up his mind. He’ll carve him a replacement and return that. Holding the item, he first retrieves his items, then goes to the stone.
It takes longer than Ivan likes to fashion the replacement, but the final result is worth it. It's intricately carved, vines on the handle and roses and amaryllis on the other end. Ivan is very proud of it and stands up, looking at the snake statue. He should finish it before he goes, after all. Fyodor asked for purple eyes, but Ivan hopes he likes red too.
He pats the statue, taking a breath before looking to the rest of the hedge maze. It's vast and as grand as Fyodor’s fortune, but he's navigated it before. It's not as intimidating when he thinks of that.
He steps out of the clearing, one hand outstretched to run across the bush as he walks. It's rough, every inch of it the different but same, uneven texture. He hums as he walks; it's not very particular a tune, instead a patchwork of various songs he's heard the birds above sing to one another.
Soon, though, another noise drowns them out. Weeping. Ivan’s eyes widen and he quickens his pace, stepping into another clearing.
It's Fyodor’s jester, Nikolai. Ivan hasn't interacted with him much, but such a sad look on the normally joyful man is concerning.
“Nikolai?” He crouches down next to him. His outfit is disheveled, hat crooked and cape wrinkled. He sniffles and looks over at Ivan.
“I lost ‘y dove- it flew off hours ago and it never came back.” He explains pitifully. Ivan frowns, but makes up his mind very quickly, standing up.
“I'll find it for you! Promise.” He fixes Nikolai’s hat, smiling. Nikolai blinks, but grins back.
“Thank you- just tell it to come back, it'll know where to find mee.”
“Okay!!”
✿
Ivan doesn't start humming again, but instead sways as he walks through the maze. He's been thinking about where to find Nikolai’s dove. Perhaps it's still in the maze, or maybe it flew off to the orchard? Perhaps to Fyodor’s mansion? There's so many options..
His thoughts, however, are interrupted by the sound of a stream. Ivan glances down, eyeing the water as it weaves round, having a little path of its own. He spies water lilies in it and perks up; surely that's a sign he's on the right path.
He follows the water like a duckling, stepping into a calm spot of the hedge maze where flowers are blooming. A little pond is in the corner, some fish swimming in it and a man with hair like a silver river is bent over a patch of edelweiss just to the side of it. Ivan would think him asleep if he didn't raise his head higher at the sound of Ivan’s footsteps.
It takes him a moment to recognize the man, but when he does, he politely bows.
“Hello, Count Bram!” He greets. The count nods his head.
“Hello, Ivan. Have you seen the edelweiss as of late? It's wilting.” He sighs, cupping it, eyes slowly closing for a moment.
“It's a shame. It's my daughter’s favorite flower.”
“Oh- well, that's not a problem! I'm looking for Shibusawa right now, he'd know some way to help.” Ivan’s smile brightens. Bram hums, gently separating a flower from the bunch.
“Thank you. I and Aya both appreciate it.”
“Of course!” Ivan takes the flower with as much care as he can, as if holding a newborn. He lets it rest in his pocket and then bids the count goodbye, leaving the space.
✿
The next person he meets is Fyodor’s librarian, Sigma; a handsome man with halftone hair. One side is like snow, the other like the gentle purple at the beginning of sunsets. He's sitting down, a book set aside. Ivan can’t see the title, but glancing at the book makes him curious. It looks both newly printed and like an ancient relic, pages smooth yet wrinkled with age. The few words his eyes skim make out the book to be some collection of fairy tales.
Sigma glances up at Ivan, sighing in relief.
“Thank goodness- have you seen a rabbit?”
Ivan tilts his head, “No, I don't think so. Why?”
“I let one read with me, but when I looked away it had stolen my bookmark and hopped away.”
“Oh- I'll find it for you!” Ivan sways. Sigma smiles slightly, twirling a strand of lavender hair in between his fingers.
“I appreciate it. Thank you- tell it I'd like to talk to it.”
“I will!! Uhm, safe travels.”
✿
Ivan doesn’t come across anyone else for a while. He crosses through little carefully tended gardens, passes by fruit trees growing by their lonesome selves, and stops to admire statues he fondly remembers carving. It’s.. nice.
But he hasn’t run out of faces to talk to, it seems. He rounds a corner, stepping into a more unique room; it’s larger than most of the clearings that the hedge maze hides within it. Most of it is water, but there’s a bridge across it. A man sits at the edge, staring into the water. His hair is fluffy like a lion’s and gray like the steel of a sword. He dresses in what may once have been a vibrant scarlet cape overtop a shining suit of armor, but now it’s dull and torn with age, the armor now rusted and dented. Ivan can’t recall his name.
Sakura flowers float on the top of the water–Ivan assumes the wind blew them in from another room–while fish swim underneath. The man is worn with age, a somber expression on his face. Ivan steps closer.
“Sir?” Thinking back to the way everyone else has asked for something, he adds, “Do you need help?”
The man studies him for a moment, then chuckles and shakes his head, “No. Do you?”
“Uhm.. well, I’m looking for the gardener, have you seen him?”
“He passed by.” The man stands up. “Before you go.”
“Mhm?” He watches the man approach, watches his hand reach for something Ivan can’t quite tell the identity of.
“Since you’ve been helping everyone else. Allow me to extend some kindness to you.”
A dagger is placed into the sculptor’s hands.
“Use it well.” The man pauses. “It’s not as needed as you think.”
He rounds the corner before Ivan can really think of a response. What comes out of his mouth anyway is (he’s been taught to be polite) “Thank you, sir.”
✿
He finds Nikolai’s dove. It’s settled playfully in a birdbath, chirping and splashing the water, focused on a rabbit. In the rabbit’s mouth is a beautiful bookmark; it’s metal, the lower half being a carved flower patch of lilies of the valley while the top half is twisting vines. Ivan perks up.
“Hi!” He goes over to the dove first, but waves at the rabbit. The dove sings a little tune. Ivan laughs as it splashes him.
“Nikolai’s looking for you- he’s worried about you.” He explains, holding out a hand. It tilts its head, then hops onto his hand, chirping again.
“Can you please go back to him?” Ivan asks politely, stroking its back with his other hand. It cooes. When he pulls his hand away, it flies up. He watches it go, then glances at the rabbit and crouches down to it.
“Sigma wants to talk to you- and I’m sure he wants his bookmark back, can you please return it?”
It sits up and thumps the ground. Ivan pauses for a moment, thinking; and then an idea hits him. He could give something to it, so it’ll be more keen on giving away the bookmark..
“Hold on.” Ivan puts a finger up, then looks through his pockets. He can’t give away the replacement tool for Shibusawa, or the edelweiss, or the dagger…
Well, he can’t give away the whole flower. But maybe.. He turns away from the rabbit for a moment, taking out the dagger, gently laying the edelweiss on the ground. He wishes he’d picked some flowers here and there, but he wouldn’t want to be selfish and prevent anyone else from seeing the product of Shibusawa’s hard work. He takes a breath.
He severs a petal as carefully as he can, then repockets the items and turns back to the rabbit.
“Is this an okay trade?” He’s praying it is. The rabbit stares, eyes flicking between the bookmark and the petal. It approaches, sniffing the petal for a minute. Ivan lets out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding as it takes the petal and then runs off. He glances up at the sky after, frowning softly. The sun has gotten much lower by now; it’s nearly sunset.
He sets back off into the hedge maze, hoping he can find Shibusawa before dinnertime.
✿
Fate is on Ivan’s side today. His legs ache, his breaths are more labored, but he’s been following a trail of flowers growing along the edges of a particular path in the hopes that it would lead him to Shibusawa and now it has. Shibusawa is beautiful in the evening light, the last rays of golden sun making him look like a figure from an illuminated manuscript, ruby eyes and shining glints in his hair. He’s tending to flowers that almost seem to gleam like rubies and other gems.
Ivan is stunned speechless for a moment before he breaks the silence, stepping in.
“Uhm, Shibusawa- you left your tool with me, sir. It got broken, but I made a new one for you!” Ivan offers out the handcarved tool, watching Shibusawa’s eyes trace all the patterns he himself carved for him. Shibusawa takes it.
Ivan stares at his expression hopefully. A soft smile graces his face.
“You made this for me?”
“Yes!!” He stands up a little straighter. Shibusawa nods slowly, running a finger along it.
“I've heard a great deal about sculpture.. something as detailed as this, is it not rotten work?”
“Not to me! Not..” Ivan hesitates, but Shibusawa is looking at him so softly he can't help but go on, “Not if it's you.” He finishes.
Shibusawa seems surprised for only a moment, then reaches forward and grasps Ivan’s hand.
“Thank you.”
✿
They spend a while in that clearing, talking about many things, from Count Bram’s edelweiss to how beautiful the moon is hanging in the sky. Ivan shyly says it doesn't compare to Shibusawa as he lies against the other man. Shibusawa replies in turn. Ivan’s ache to be the stars to the celestial being that Shibusawa is finally feels tangible.
They share an apple under the moonlit sky. It's not sweeter than Shibusawa, though Ivan doesn't say that out loud.
When they finally return that next morning, it is side by side, hand in hand. Shibusawa's hair is braided, Ivan’s own silvery blue locks matching. Ivan notices Nikolai chatting away to Fyodor’s acquaintance Hawthorne, dove nested on the priest’s shoulder. Sigma’s finishing his book on the library’s patio, the rabbit—with a petal in its paws—next to him. Count Bram is tucking a familiar flower into his daughter’s hair, smiling down at her. The armored man, Ivan does not spy anywhere, however.
It's a peaceful day. Ivan does not leave Shibusawa’s side and together, they carve stone and tend to flowers. Their lips don't touch again, but Ivan isn't upset, for he is sure that when the moon visits the sky that night, they'll sneak back away to that clearing and let soft, sweet love occupy it with them.