Title: edgar-ian
Prompt: Oz, "yes the heart is a muscle, no that doesn't mean that with it you should carry the weight of the world"
Characters/Pairings: Oz, Gil, Alice
A/N: It's been a long time since I had a request! This is for . I'm not entirely satisfied with this, but I kept you delayed long enough. I hope you enjoy!
Summary: Oz wasn't used to people seeing through hi
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"Get up!" Alice yelled as she threw open Oz's bedroom door and barged in. She was only wearing her nighty and Oz didn't know if he should cover his eyes with his hands or be scandalized that he wasn't better dressed himself.
Gil made the decision easy, chasing after her with her overcoat. "You stupid rabbit, you can't walk around like that!"
"What do you mean?" Alice scampered to the other side of his bed and glared at Gil. Tugging at the edge of her clothes (and Oz had to turn away now, her ankles!), she snorted. "They look exactly the same, seaweed-head."
"But they're not." Gil turned red with embarrassment. "And don't call me that!"
Oz didn't have the heart to point out that Alice was right. With his bed-hair, Gil represented a sea monster more than he did a human. "You should—OOF!"
To be honest, they all should have expected this. Alice wasn't a normal person. Not in the least. So if Gil thought he could corner her by chasing her to one side of the bed, he forgot to take account for the obvious escape route of 'over the bed'. And if that meant Alice had to step on Oz, well, so be it.
The only lucky thing about all this was that he hadn't been injured on his chest, otherwise he'd be dying right now. As it was, he felt like he was dying, each breath coming out a wheeze.
"You stepped on him!" Appalled, Gil dropped the coat and reached out for Oz. "Are you okay?"
"Fine." Oz coughed. God, his chest hurt and Alice didn't look the least apologetic. Taking a deep breath, he tried to collect himself. "Let's have breakfast."
Gil hovered him as he slipped out of bed. It was for the best—Oz's leg still smarted from where the Baskervilles had hit it and he couldn't walk for long without needing to sit. Without waiting to be asked, Gil hooked an arm around his waist, keeping him steady as they slowly made their toward the dining room.
"Thanks." Oz smiled brightly at him.
"It's nothing," Gil muttered, looking pleased despite himself. He had always been a terrible liar and Oz couldn't decide if that was something to fix or not.
One on hand, Gil wouldn't be so fun to tease. On the other, Gil wouldn't be so pathetic at card games or keeping secrets. A toss up, really. The thought kept Oz's mind occupied as they slowly traversed the long hallways in Sheryl's mansion. Along their right, through the windows, Oz caught glimpses of a garden. From his angle, he could see the hint of an arched trellis further in, covered in roses. The kind of thing he'd read about in Holy Knight, like the place where Edgar swore his loyalty to Edwin.
Would Elliot have liked the place? Or would he have glared at it, crossing his arms as he detailed exactly what was wrong with that scene? They were questions Oz would never know the answer to and his heart sank.
"What's wrong?" Alice asked, her face too close to his.
Oz took a step back, surprised. He hadn't realized he'd stopped walking. Gil's arm tightened around him and Oz didn't have to look up to know just how worried his expression was. Falling back to his default smile, he shook his head. "It's nothing."
"You sure?" Gil asked quietly, gently squeezing his shoulder.
"Yes." Oz averted his gaze as the pair continued to stare at him, scrutinizing him. "Aren't you hungry, Alice? For meat?"
It was such a sure-fire question that Alice actually turned around for a moment, staring at the doorway further down the hall. However, just as quickly she turned back and shook her head, crossing her arms. "Oz. Tell me."
"It…it can't be nothing," Gil muttered softly, still observing Oz. He bit his lip. "We can help."
"It's…" Oz paused as the sound of a piano filled the mansion, the notes soft and thrilling. It was not unlike the sound Elliot made, a sound far kinder than his personality indicated.
He would never hear that piano again. Never see that arrogant smirk again. Never find out if Edgar or Edwin was the better character. Maybe, just like with his father, it would have been better not to find out about the Queen of Hearts. To have lived a lie, bloodstained as it was.
Elliot would have been alive, at least.
"Oz?" Gil cocked his head, concerned.
The words wouldn't come out of his mouth even if he wanted to. Besides, what was the point? It would just hurt Gil, if he weren't thinking the same things. Laughing awkwardly, Oz shrugged. "You're imagi—"
Before he could finish the sentence, Alice bit his hand. Oz stared, not comprehending as her teeth sank into his skin. As pain shot up his arm. As Gil yanked his hand away, horror on his face. He couldn't even voice his pain, still processing everything.
"ALICE!" Gil snarled, releasing Oz to grab her instead, dragging her to the wall. "Do I need to get you tested for rabies, you stupid rabbit?"
Alice struggled in his arms, trying to break out of his grip. "Oz is lying to us! He's supposed to tell me the truth, that's what masters are for!"
"You…" Gil rubbed his forehead with a sigh. Relaxing his hold, he turned to Oz imploringly. "I hate to admit it, but she's right. That's what friends are for."
"Friends…" Alice repeated, her eyes shining. "Right, we're friends!"
They both look at him hopefully and Oz resisted the urge to step back, to turn around and flee. "I—"
"You can tell us," Gil urged, his expression determined. "Anything. We'll listen."
"No, I…" Oz snapped his jaw shut. He sounded liked Edgar there and no matter how brave and noble he might have been, Elliot had hated the character down to the ink that had conjured up his image.
And he had hated Oz too for being every inch like his favourite character. If Elliot could see him now, he'd punch him. The words that stuck in Oz's throat until now spilled out, unbidden, like water overflowing from a basin. "I…I still hear Elliot's piano."
Still felt Philip's warm hand in his as they watched his father disappeared. Still saw the line of Sablier's corpses that led up to Alice stabbing herself.
And beyond it all, a foreboding feeling that it was his fault. That all of this was his fault. The words spilled out of him so quickly his tongue started to trip over them and somehow neither Alice nor Gil turned away. They stepped closer instead, as though to defy any fears he had.
"Me too," Gil whispered, his voice cracking. "I miss Elliot too."
Miss. Oz stared up at him with wide eyes. Yes, that was the word. Miss. He missed Elliot. "Yeah."
Maybe he just needed to hear it from someone else, this acknowledgement that he wasn't alone in this feeling. That he wasn't alone at all. He had Gil and Alice and Break and Sharon and maybe Elliot was right, Edgar should have talked it out.
But he'd never admit it. Knowing Elliot, his ghost would smirk and Oz didn't think he could handle that.
Reaching out, he clasped both Alice's and Gil's hands. This time, his smile was honest. "Let's eat."