All we want is peace (A Baltic Trio story)

3. One year six months

It's been a year.
Raivis started to already lose hope.
Eduard had been catching him in Toris's room sleeping with their memory scrap book titled "Baltic Trio." Although he was still figuring out how teenage grief works he needed to get him out of the house.

It was a normal Friday afternoon, Raivis got home from school, do his homework, then Eduard would come home and make dinner.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

It startled the both of them.
"W-who, who's that?" Raivis asked.
Eduard opened the door and finds two men in Navy uniforms.
"May I help you?" He asked.
"Sorry to bother you sir, is this the house of Toris Laurinaitis?" He asked.

"What's this about Toris?"
"Your friend was injured in battle and he's in critical condition."
That shook Eduard's body to the core.
"I-is he okay?"
"He's recovering as we speak, we know this is terrifying for you but we can reassure you that your friend is still alive and breathing."
He nodded, "thank you very much sirs, have a nice night."

He closed the door.
"Who was that?" Raivis walked with worry coating his eyes.

"Navy officials, Toris is in a hospital that's all I know."
The dread and disbelief covered Raivis's face as he looked at his feet. Two comforting hands gripped his shoulders as they wrapped around him into a soft hug. Something wet was starting to fall from eyes, Raivis realized he was crying.
"Hey, hey, it's ok. He's ok, he's recovering right now. He's alive that's all that matters."

Eduard's whispering tone comforted the younger one as he rubbed his eyes of fresh tears.
"Here, why don't go to bed early? I'm sure we're both exhausted, and you tell me how your day was while we eat some dessert. How about that?" Raivis cracked a small smile as he wiped away his remaining tears.
"Eduard?"
"Hm?"
"I want to make a garden."

Eduard gave a questioning look.

"That was out of nowhere, why say that now?"
"U-um, I remembered that Toris liked to garden a lot and grow food. I just...t-thought that we could do the same when he gets home, he would be h-happy." He stammered as he fiddled with his hands.

Eduard merely smiled and hugged him tight as Raivis did the same with equal force.

"Ok then, if that's what you want to do I'm all in for it. Let's make a garden."

They slept soundly that night in Eduard's bed, hugging each other with small smiles on their faces.

True to his word, the next day, Eduard made space in the backyard for the garden. After that they went to a local garden shop to buy seeds and equipment. Raivis was as happy just like his old self, Eduard wrote a letter to Toris about the garden and about their week. Toris wrote back saying the hospital's been tiring and couldn't wait to see them again, and couldn't wait to see the garden.

Raivis hanged his three little succulents over by his little nook, sometimes he'd sit their to read or stare out to look at the stars. Tonight he felt like reading, he was through the first two chapters till he started to feel tired. He fell asleep relieved, knowing that his older brother figure would soon be home.