The first time it happened, he had been speaking to a very young Gilbert, a little servant boy who had just lost his beloved master to the darkness of the Abyss. He had ignored it back then, caressing the smooth skin of the boy's cheek. After all, it had only been a small gesture, a meaningless show of affection.

But over the years, these occurences were increasing in frequency, at a rate that alarmed even himself. Telling his Chain off had done nothing but earn him an amused Mad Hatter.

Take him as you truly desire while he's still fresh, pure, untainted... orIwill, was the only warning he got from the usually silent creature and that was days ago.

Break had to admit. The boy had grown quite handsome...

Just then, a carriage stopped in the front yard.

Speak of the devil... Break watched from the upstairs window as Gilbert Nightray alighted, carrying a groggy Oz Vessalius and followed by an irate Black Rabbit, Alice. Somehow, watching the raven-haired young man fall over himself just to please his master was both amusing and irritating... at times.

Unfortunately, today, all he fell was irritation... and surprisingly bitterness and anger. He scowled at no one in particular before moving away from the window... except that he didn't.

He looked at his reflection in the window and watched himself smile. "Hello, Xerxes~ I hope you don't mind me borrowing your body for a while."

Mad Hatter?!

The Chain pressed a hand on the glass, licking his lips as Gilbert had somehow dropped Oz in favor of arguing with Alice. "I just came to catch myself a pretty little raven."

And you think I'd just let you do as you please? Break argued, trying to wrest back control of his body but to no avail.

"I warned you," the Hatter whispered. He turned away and started walking down the empty hallway. "You humans take too much time deciding whether or not you actually want something when the answer's obvious right from the start. And soon, it's a missed opportunity here, a little regret there... No wonder you creatures come to us, Chains, so often."

Go to the Abyss, you bastard. Give me back my body. You can't just-

"Oh shush, dear Xerxes and just watch, learn and enjoy the show~"

~*~

There was something weird about Break's behavior tonight. Not that the man was normal to begin with, exposing them to situations with varying degrees of the strange and the weird (and sometimes disturbing) on a daily basis. Gilbert couldn't put his finger on it but something was definitely off... different.

It started with those looks, the same look that stupid rabbit gets when she's eying a piece of meat, like some starving beast stalking his prey. Then the touches... Not that there was anything wrong with Break touching him except that...

...they lingered.

It sent shivers down Gilbert's spine and not in a bad way. As inappropriate as it was, he didn't want Break to stop. Those touches were light, almost teasing, making him all the more aware of the other man. It was somewhat exciting.

He had to admit. He wasn't so blind in his devotion to Oz that he wouldn't notice just how good-looking his boss was, among all his rather strangely endearing qualities. He had fantasized about the older man perhaps around once or twice... Alright, alright. It was more than that. It had been embarrassing trying to explain why his sheets had to be changed so often but that was in the past.

And there it was again. Break's hand was on his, staying longer than was necessary especially since he was just passing a plate of pastries over. He stared at the hand for a moment before slowly (shyly) glancing at the owner of said hand. Break was busy maintaining his conversation with Lady Sharon and Oz to pay Gilbert's confused stare any heed.

Maybe the stupid clown's just messing with my head. The younger man fumed silently, but he made no attempt to remove his hand. The older man was forever teasing him. ("Bullying little Raven is so much fun~") There's no way his boss could possibly know how he felt right? Gilbert's eyes strayed to the doll on Break's shoulder. Emily had been strangely silent all night.

He lowered his gaze back to his tea. It had been odd when the pale-haired man hadn't even once used her to make fun of either him or the stupid rabbit. It just seemed... wrong somehow.

He hadn't had time to wonder about it further when Break started stroking the back of his hand. His eyes flew to the older man, face heating up. No way...

Break, as if sensing his incredulous stare, tilted his head in Gilbert's direction, licking his lips before those same lips curled into a knowing smirk, his red eye filled with the promise of more mischief.

Completely unsettled and aroused, Gilbert pulled away, quickly making his excuses and fled, leaving his companions baffled at his behavior, save for one amused Hatter.