Heeey ~
I promised myself I would not write something about PH's ending. Well, I'm a forswearer. /out/ Seriously.. I just needed this to feel better. And maybe make you feel better as well, I hope it'll be the case ~ Why this title ? Because it continues Elliot and Leo's story, somehow. (No one cares, but 1.735 words without the writer talk.)
Disclaimer : Pandora Hearts is not mine, the storyline is. (Until there will be about thousand fanfictions on the same topic with various pairings.. AND THIS IS WHY I DID NOT WANTED TO WRITE ONE.)
Enjoy !
"I've been searching for you."
Leo looked up to the radiant blue orbs of the heir. Now that he had cut his hairs, Elliot could easily return his gaze. That felt weird. They kept staring at each other, both feeling a but awkward. Somehow. Only few steps separated them. Yet, it felt like a world. Well, maybe it was. Kind of. After all, one was alive.
"I thought you would like to waste some time this way."
A small chuckle was heard. The atmosphere was radiant. Bright and golden. A good place for souls to complete their life cycle. Finally, the purple-eyed male stepped closer.
"It's not wasted time, idiot."
"You are the head of a dukedom. Everything you'll do that's not related to will be a time loss."
Seems like even death can't change Elliot Nightray. As stuborn as usual. Leo sighed quietly, trying not to get worked up already. There was not much time left ; better not spend it quarreling. That would be a real waste.
"Whatever you say. Where the master goes, the valet follows."
He defiantly lifted his chin, crossing his arms on his chest. Either Elliot was pained or amused by the sentence, it was hard to tell.
"I'm not.."
He could not even finish his sentence. Leo almost yelled at him, tearing up slightly. Watery eyes were never far in such cases. Aside from that, the blue-eyed male did not wanted Leo to follow him here. He did not belonged here.
"It does not have anything to do with the fact I rule a dukedom now ! It does not have anything to do with something else", he added. "Just look at Oz and Gilbert."
"Don't compare yourself to him and don't even try comparing myself with Shorty."
The golden land definitely did not changed him. This little fact manage to pull a smile on Leo's features. He laughed, wiping the tears off his cheeks. Happiness, sadness. The cycle was quite fast.
"Elliot Nightray.. you moron."
"I return the compliment."
His features also brightened up as he lightly pushed his friend. Having a little thing in mind because who knows when he'll be able to tease him again.
"Even after few decades.."
His eyes widened slightly. Was it him or Leo just casually mimic what Gilbert told Oz almost a lifetime ago ?
"Don't you dare !"
"I will always be your valet !" Leo happily claimed.
He managed to know about, thanks to Sharon. The Nightray heir was just mortified. Nonono. Everything but that.
"Geez, Leo.."
As there was nowhere to sit, and the Abyss stopped being a place where random pieces of furniture would fly, they just sat on the ground, relying on the other's back. Maybe it was easier not to face each other for now. A long silence fell over them, just like when they where both alive. It could last forever, just like this sunset.
"It's quite unfair.." Elliot whispered.
"What ?"
Leo curiously glanced behind his shoulder, attempting to meet the noble's gaze while waiting for an answer.
"All people can see your eyes anytime but me."
He could not reply to that, unsure of how his voice would sound. Instead of speaking, he shrugged lightly. Wrong timing, that's all.
"Not many people look straight into my eyes", he finally said.
True.. he was the new Glen after all. For the first time, he felt a bit of what Elliot must have felt when he asked him to be his valet. The need of someone who he could openly talk to. A weird feeling, which was unrelated with the fact he was not supposed to stay for a long time in this dimension.
"We will not meet again, will we ?"
"No, we won't."
He knew it even before asking. Which did not made it easier to admit. So many years left..
"Why ?"
This time, he faced Elliot. A glint of sadness in his amethyst gaze. All this time, he knew the heir was not really gone.
"I can't stay here forever."
He parted his lips to speak but closed them without a sound. There was nothing to say, after all. Elliot was right. Instead of talking, he just wrapped his arm around the male's waist, hugging him tightly.
"Hey.. don't make me cry", the recovering soul said with a small chuckle. "I won't forget about you. I promise."
Leo nuzzled his neck, tears streaming down to his cheeks. He could not admit it. That Elliot will really leave. And that they will mostly never meet each other again. That the memories they shared would disappear. That he will die, basically.
The supposedly older male whispered few words to Leo's ear. He looked quite peaceful, and Leo seemed to feel a bit better too. The eye contact remained until the last second. Then nothing but memories. Of his voice, his prideful manners and everything that made his life.
Lottie knocked at her current master's door, holding a small book. Poetry, from what she guessed. Who thought he would have any interest in such readings ?
"You may enter.."
His voice sounded a little awkward, but she did not asked what was going wrong. The pinkish-haired woman knew it was not the right moment to mess around.
"Here it is ~"
She extended her arm, allowing him to take this little piece of written art, then taking her leave. Leo lightly stroked the leather cover and opened it. It had been a while since Elliot's soul disappeared. And he was still waiting, somehow. Even if he returned, finding him would be almost impossible. Besides, perhaps he would not even remember him.
He did not felt like reading here and now after all. Maybe taking a walk would be a good idea.
So many faces. And this numb wound were his heart was supposed to keep beating. After about an hour of aimless walking, he found a quiet place where to sit, near a street light. He did not mind the wind, as long as it did not messed with the book held open on his knees. At some point, he felt really bad. Because of simple words, print on expensive paper.
Why did he missed Elliot ? Because of their bond. Because he never found anyone a little like him. (Not like he really searched ; no one would be able to replace him..) Because as time passed by, this world turned into a place full of lies and hatred. At times, he could hardly believe the impetuous noble gave his life for a this rotten place. The young Nightray was the opposite of most of what he saw each time he would look at the window.
This was far from Lacie's golden land. No one even knew about their existence or what they did. But that was the point. It was another way of dying, because of oblivion.
He was almost too taken by his thoughts to notice the person sitting next to him.
"I've been searching for you", the stranger whispered quietly.
He was tired, almost giving up. But this line woke him up. It was supposed to be his line, if his memory did not cheated on him. Gosh, it all happened a great while ago.. The raven-haired male looked up at the other, not totaly believing what he heard.
Haughty look. Dark blond. His heart started beating like crazy. Breathe. He needed to remind himself about this basic to stay conscious.
"I.. I thought you would like to waste some time this way", he almost mechanically replied.
Cerulean eyes met his, shining as bright as sapphires. He closed the book, not sure about what to do after recognizing these features. Yelling, maybe ?
"It's not wasted time, idiot."
Elliot had returned. He found him. And he did not forget, about them for the least. Almost unbelievable. Too beautiful to happen, in a world where miracles stopped happenning.
"Is it really you ?"
If this was just a dream, he would die from a broken heart as soon as he'll wake up. We can't say Leo was really faithful, but he prayed really hard to whoever could receive his wishes for either to collapse and keep living in this illusion or for everything to be damn real.
"Yeah. In flesh and blood.."
The purple-eyed male felt tears streaming down to his cheeks, but this time, he was overwhelmed by pure joy.
They talked all the way back home. Leo knew it would be easier if Elliot did not remembered. But being selfish wouldn't hurt, this time. There was still one thing he needed to do before the new cycle's beginning.
A black sword had been stored into a cupboard, almost forgotten as this weapon stopped being used, replaced by way more harmful ones. Fire stuff mostly. But Leo kept it nonetheless. It was now time for this item's real owner to regain his property.
"I'll never be as good as you", Leo said with a quiet sigh as he handed it to the taller male.
"You forget that I haven't been practicing since.. a while", Elliot softly said.
"Which does not gives me better skills."
They both laughed, knowing their opinions would remain different. He will quickly recover, hopefully.
"Will you play Statice for me, like before ?"
Indeed, with his remaining arm, Leo could not play properly. And he did not felt like allowing someone else to learn their song. To hear this person playing it. He felt like betraying his friend this way. Elliot nodded slowly. He had a natural talent for piano. The kind of thing that would follow him cycle after cycle.
"Perhaps I'll need to review the sheets.."
Fair enough, Leo thought. And indeed, he kept them. He took the blue-eyed male's hand and leaded him out of the room.
"I still want to know.. How ?"
After hitting and hugging him few times for random reasons, not waking up etc etc.. he finally admitted this happened. Was happenning. The wait was worth it. More than a century passed since Elliot and him shared such a heavy blanket. And music. And a lot of other things.
His cosy room felt even warmer now. The -still- older male had an arm around Leo's waist, the other supporting his head. A whole lifetime ahead, and many stories to tell.
"It was my will."