break vs. the green monster
Sharon tells Break she's decided to begin dating. Break discovers that jealousy's an ugly thing. God help him.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story is a re-post, and was originally written by me and posted on my sister's FF account (DecidedlyPositive) a few years ago, as I did not have my own account. Because I finally got a FanFiction account of my own, I am transferring my Pandora Hearts stories onto it so as to no longer clutter up hers.
Break was absentmindedly twirling a lollipop in his mouth, one hand rubbing the cherry-flavored candy against his tongue, while the other rifled through Pandora damage reports.
And my, there certainly were a great many of them today. Pages upon pages of endless scribbling that was beginning to make his eye hurt. Really, couldn't their members learn to be a tad more careful with their ongoings? He frowned, his mouth turning down slightly—every penny spent fixing up careless mistakes was a penny that was stolen from his desserts fund.
He stopped upon one of the papers, familiar names catching his attention. His one eye rapidly skimmed the page, gleaming with amusement as he read through the reports.
A quiet chuckle slipped from his lips.
It seemed that Oz-kun and Alice-kun were busy wreaking havoc again, he mused. Most likely with poor, useless Gil trailing after Oz worriedly, as per usual.
Picking up a pen, Break messily scrawled his signature at the bottom of the page (he could practically see the poor bookkeepers straining their eyes to discern the writing), approving funds to be sent to the city council so that it could repair a wall where a mysterious, giant rabbit-shaped hold had suddenly appeared.
Mah, mah. Oz-kun had better watch out. He didn't think that Ojou-sama would be pleased if he kept causing such damage with his chain.
Maybe they could put a leash on Alice-kun, he pondered, eye creasing with humor at the thought of it.
"What do you think, Em-i-ly?" he sang out, poking merrily at the motionless doll perched on his shoulder. The blue rag-doll remained silent. "Do you think we should put that mischievous bunny on a leash?" He paused, a finger tapping his mouth thoughtfully. "We're going to need a rather large leash, hm? Maybe we should just build a large rabbit-hutch in the gardens instead."
Emily's high-pitched voice interrupted his thinking, echoing in the quiet room. "Yes! I believe you're absolutely right, as always, marvelous and wonderful Break-sam—aah!"
Wham. Swoosh. Smack.
Break and Emily lay sprawled on the floor, a ridiculous smile on Break's face as he became intimate friends with the carpet.
It seemed that Ojou-sama had come to see him. Her mere presence brought the usual warm feeling of happiness flowing through him.
Even as he lay there bleeding from death-by-paper-fan.
Sure enough, he heard the sweet tones of his lady a moment later.
"Break, what were you doing?"
The white-haired man lifted his lanky body off the floor, nonchalantly rubbing his nose from where it had impacted against the ground. He couldn't help the surge of pride that rushed through him at the mark of his lady's strength. At least he wouldn't have to worry about her ability to fend for herself. Not that he would ever leave her in a situation where she had to, of course.
"Ah, I was merely conferring with Emily over some important matters, Ojou-sama."
Sharon eyed the blue doll with an exasperated look of dislike. "Break, Emily's not an animate being." Really, she wondered why she even tried to make him see sense on the subject anymore. It was an argument they'd had going on for years. "It's annoying when you talk to her like that." She figured that she was imagining the tone of jealousy she thought she heard in her words.
Break's mouth turned down comically, his voice teasingly pouting as he turned to Emily. "Miss Sharon's so cruel, right, Emily?"
The young woman felt her eye twitch as the doll replied whole-heartedly, "Ah-huh! Sharon's so meeaaan~Ack!"
Whap. Smack.
Break was on the floor, mentally cursing the day he had showed his precious little Ojou-sama how to make those paper fans. Who knew they'd someday come to be the source of his utter demise? Though it was unfairly adorable the way her face became red with anger when she hit people with them. Namely, him.
He picked himself off of the floor for the second time in as many minutes. His spidery fingers delicately brushed the dust that had accumulated on Emily from the floor, the particles floating off her in a cloud.
"Anyways, Xerxes-nii," Sharon continued, amusing Break at her sudden return of good humor, as well as the use of her fond nickname for him. Really, his lady was so temperamental, as well as completely unpredictable. "I just came to tell you that I'm going out."
Break raised a thin eyebrow questioningly. Going out?
For the first time, Break noticed her state of dress, her words drawing attention to it.
He felt his eye widen as he truly looked at her for the first time that day, feeling himself go into something close to shock. He struggled for air as his windpipe turned traitorous on him, threatening to make him die before his time as an illegal contractor was even up.
His Ojou-sama's conservative high-necked, cutesy dresses (which he helped to pick out on a regular basis. In fact, Shelly-sama had put him in charge of clothes shopping years ago. Hence the wide variety of ankle-length, long-sleeved outfits that filled Sharon's closet) had been replaced with a soft violet sundress that was bearing delicately pale shoulders for the entire world to see. Her lithe figure was outlined by the clinging material, making her seem taller and more graceful than usual. The long, honey-brown tresses of her normally tied up hair were hanging loose, swaying seductively when she moved in the early morning breeze sweeping through the room.
Break nearly choked on the lollipop still in his mouth as he glanced at her face, and saw that her lips were shining with an unnatural red color, accentuating her refined features beautifully.
Where had his Ojou-sama gotten lipstick, of all the frivolous things in this world?
And just when had she started dressing like that?
Had he fallen into a deep sleep for a few years, perhaps? Awoken into an alternate universe where there was a Sharon-look alike?
Break carefully diverted his gaze from her, restraining himself from making any comment. Shaking off the foreboding feeling of her appearance, Break managed to adopt his usual aloof smile, already heading for the door. "Very well, Ojou-sama, I will get my cane and alert the carriage of our departure—"
He was stopped by a firm hand on his arm, and turned to see Sharon looking irritable at his sudden leaving.
"I don't need the carriage, thank you."
Sharon repressed a laugh at seeing the confused look cross her protector's face, before it was replaced by a look of understanding a moment later.
"Ah! I'll accompany you on your walk then. It's too nice a day to stay inside, ne, Emily?" Break's eye crinkled as he smiled at his treasured lady, already prepared to go with her on an outing. It had been like that for over eighteen years, after all. He was always by her side, no matter where or when it was.
"I'm not going on a walk either," she commented with a secretive smile on her face.
This time she couldn't help but giggle at his obvious confusion, and decided to enlighten him.
"I'm going out on a date," she told him dreamily, the proper young girl momentarily replaced by an excited young woman. A sparkle appeared in her soft, expressive eyes. "He's coming to pick me up in his carriage, so you needn't bother accompanying me today."
Sharon didn't seem to notice that the silver-haired Contractor next to her had suddenly gone stiff, his face frozen in his smiling mask and his hand crushing the door handle beneath his fingers. No sounds of breathing were emitting from his still lips, causing him to resemble a human sculpture more than anything else.
She glanced up at him, cheerfully noting that Break was smiling. That must have meant he was alright with her going out then, she concluded gladly. She was rather surprised, for she had thought she was going to have to put up a large fight for him to relent and allow her to go. Break had always been a little over-protective in that way. Not that she didn't appreciate and love him for it, but she was getting to the age where she couldn't constantly hide behind him.
Enthusiastically, and in a way reminiscent of her younger self, she threw her arms around him in a brief, but sincere, hug. Her softness enveloped him, smaller frame colliding with his tall form. "Thank you, Xerxes-nii!" She withdrew after a few seconds, impatient to go and take her first step into womanhood. She slipped by the motionless body partially blocking the doorway, daintily running down the hall. "I'll be back before dark!"
Break could only blink.
And blink.
And blink.
"Eh?"
Oz and Reim stared apprehensively at the figure crouched in a corner of the room, a growing pile of sugary candy wrappers next to him.
They edged away nervously from the aura of gloom surrounding Break, the monotone words dropping lifelessly from his mouth as he related the story of this morning to them. The look on the handsome Contractor's visage was an overwhelming mixture of despair, fury, and, above all, bewilderment.
Emily shared in her owner's depression, the doll sitting limply on his shoulder. A crude frown had been drawn upon her normally smiling mouth, reflecting the one on Break's face.
Oz wished that Alice was with him. Gil, too. They'd most likely be able to snap Break out of the mood that had taken hold of him, them with their insensitive ways and brash actions. Alice would probably just beat him up until he came to his senses, an event in which Gil would happily participate in.
Reim and Oz glanced at each other uncertainly as the fearsome Pandora member finished his tale of woe, bleakly snapping off a piece of candy with his teeth, crunching on it slowly.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch.
"So…basically, you were dumped?"
Reim turned frantically to Oz, quickly pulling him away from the white-haired man before he could say anything more.
"Oz-sama!" he hissed in annoyance, glaring slightly at the younger man. "Unless you wish to die, it's not wise to provoke Break-sama when he's like this!"
Oz folded his arms defensively across his chest, rolling his eyes. "What? It's true." He grinned wickedly, his boyish features becoming more prominent with the action. "Sharon-chan dumped him to be with some other guy. I bet it's the first time that happened to him."
A childish snicker emerged from his mouth, making Reim frown at him. "Still, even if that is true, this is no time to be insensitive to Break-sama's feelings." His tone became increasingly distressed. "Oz-sama, you don't seem to understand. Sharon-sama is Break-sama's beloved charge, his reason for living, a girl who he's watched over and protected over the long years. She's the symbol of his promise to Shelly-sama and the renewal of a life of honor and…Young master! Are you listening?"
Oz snapped his eyes back to Reim from where he'd been staring out the window, rubbing his blonde hair bashfully. "Yup. Every word."
Reim sighed, hands twisting around his clothes in distress. "I'm simply worried about Break-sama. I'm afraid this event may cause him to lose his mind."
Oz and Reim simultaneously looked at Break, who was now shredding the pile of candy wrappers into little pieces of colorful confetti.
"Er, Reim-san…I think it's a little too late."
Reim looked simply despondent, and Oz patted the glasses-wearing man on the shoulder sympathetically. He didn't see what the big cause for concern was, after all. Break was just being introduced to the big, green monster of jealousy for the first time. And losing badly in the fight against it, it seemed. "Cheer up, Reim-san. That guy's just suffering from a bad bout of jealousy."
A Cheshire-like grin suddenly appeared on Oz's round face, his devious mind already plotting away. "And there's a real simple method to curing him too."
Reim's bespectacled face lit up in a renewal of hope, staring questioningly at Oz. "What would that be?"
He yelped in confusion when Oz grabbed his arm, dragging him to a close proximity of Break. And being close to the famously violent knight when he was in one of these moods was not somewhere Reim particularly wanted to be. He loved life, thank-you-very-much. "O-oz—"
"Just play along," Oz replied confidently, shooting a reassuring grin at Reim. "I guarantee you that in less than thirty seconds, Break'll stop moping and be off to find Sharon."
"I don't under—" Reim began, bewilderment written in his face, but was abruptly cut off by Oz's loud voice.
"Say, Reim, did you hear about that guy that Sharon-chan went out with today?"
The man furrowed his eyebrows, quietly panicking. What was Oz-sama trying to do, rubbing more salt into Break-sama's wounds by bringing up the subject again? That was his plan? Puzzled, he started, "Oz-sama—"
"I heard he's really rich, and really really good-looking," Oz kept on, his pitch mounting in volume. Reim couldn't help but think it was just the slightest bit taunting as well. "You know, pretty-boy curly hair and a smile to die for. Not to mention he's got two eyes."
From the corner of his eye, Reim saw Break's head slowly rise from its bowed position, his red gaze moving to fix upon them menacingly. Ah, he saw what the young master's plan was now. He hid an impressed smile at the relatively straightforward scheme.
He cleared his throat hastily, and agreed, "Oh, yes. I also heard some rather scandalous rumors about him, Oz-sama."
"Oh no! Tell me, Reim-san!" Oz said with a mock gasp, mouth dropping open in the perfect picture of dismay.
Reim faked a look of concern. "Well, I overheard some of the maids mentioning what a notorious flirt he is." In the corner of the room, Break's crouched body visibly froze. "You know, the type who philanders with every pretty young girl they come across."
"No way! So, Sharon-chan…" Oz broke off, his voice dropping down to a horrified stage whisper. "Is out with a famous womanizer?"
"It seems that way."
Dramatically, the young boy clutched at his heart, eyes misting over with glistening tears. Reim had to wonder where Oz had learned to do that. He probably used it to con Gilbert-kun into doing things all the time. "Our beloved princess's honor is at stake!"
The other man nodded sadly. "Apparently so, Oz-sama." He smiled slightly, beginning to enjoy the exaggerated act. "In fact, in the last month alone, the young noble has been caught with four different—"
"Thanks, Reim."
Oz's cheerful voice cut through Reim's spiel, the blonde stretching out his arms and yawning. "You catch on pretty quick."
Reim didn't quite understand, eyes reflecting surprise. They were done already? But he was just discovering his hidden talent of acting! "Eh..? But, Break-sama…"
Oz grinned, jerking his head towards the corner triumphantly.
It was conspicuously empty of one moping-turned-pissed Pandora member.
"So, any bets on how long it'll take him to go get Sharon-chan back?"
Sharon smiled politely as the young man seated across from her babbled on and on about the villa he went to with his family during the summer months. It had been an hour since she had left the mansion with him, and she had already heard about the ten horses and five carriages and thirty acres of land and Did you know we have our own private fleet of ships and Are you aware that our family is one of the largest merchant businesses in the land and I am considering going to one of the most expensive and prestigious universities of business in the coming fall.
Every time she had tried to slip in a word about herself, her voice had been overridden by the incessant flow of speech coming from her companion.
Sharon quickly found herself becoming irritated at his narcissism. Couldn't he talk about anything else besides himself? Goodness, she had more interesting conversations with Break at his most obtuse. Even Oz's simple-minded and childish discourses with her were more refreshing than the drivel spilling from this boy's mouth.
Weren't dates supposed to be fun? From everything she'd heard about the process of courting from her grandmother, it was supposed to be an exciting event, with lots of subtle flirting and the boy lavishing attention on the girl. Not that she didn't get enough attention lavished on her at home, but she had so been looking forwards to becoming acquainted with a boy outside of her friends and relatives.
She wanted to experience the fast beating of the heart and fluttering of the stomach that was part of falling in love. She wanted a break from being the serious participant of the Pandora organization, aspiring to indulge in her femininity for once. She had been so excited when her grandmother had offered to set up an outing between her and one of her oldest friend's sons, seeing this as her first true sojourn into the path of becoming a lady.
She wished to become more independent, more attractive, and prove to her protector that she wasn't a silly, naïve child who needed his constant guarding any longer. She was (technically) over twenty, and feeling slightly suffocated by being perpetually handled as one would a breakable china doll.
But it seemed that her rash and hurried actions were coming back to…what was that vulgar phrase Oz-sama used again? Bite her in the butt?
Yes, that fit the situation perfectly.
She let out a soft sigh as she elegantly lifted her tea cup to her lips, allowing the warm liquid to slide down her throat.
Only years of manners lessons, given by countless governesses and Xerxes-nii himself, prevented her from spitting out the rancid tea.
Good lord, this was the most disgusting stuff she had ever tasted! It was a mix between Gil's cooking and Oscar-sama's tobacco, an unpleasant flavoring that burned her throat and filled her nose with a stink. Somehow (and Sharon heartily congratulated herself on a job well done) she managed to swallow the concoction with only the barest of wincing, and had avoided drawing the notice of her date.
She glared a little at him. She doubted anything, short of her falling onto the floor dead, could have drawn him out of his self-absorbed ramblings anyhow.
In addition to horrible company, she was obviously stuck with horrible tea as well. She had never been to this tea parlor before, and made a mental note never to come here again. Especially not with Break, as, like her, he took his tea and treats very seriously.
After a few more moments of pretending to pay attention to the young noble's ramblings, Sharon sweetly excused herself to the powder room, firmly cutting through his babbling with a tone of carefully concealed irritation. The young man stood up as she slipped gracefully from her chair, nearly tripping over herself to escape the mind-numbing atmosphere.
The only question now was if she should attempt an escape through the powder room window, or stay true to her breeding as a lady of the Rainsworth household and suffer through another hour of that.
Sharon found herself wishing that Break was there.
She had never needed rescuing more.
The young noble who had been entertaining Sharon (and doing such a marvelous job of it) leaned back in his high-backed chair, a smug look playing on his face as he idly examined his pristine gloves for specks of dust.
Though he tended to gravitate more towards older, more…developed women, he was certainly pleased with his catch this time around. When his grandmother had mentioned that she would enjoy it if he escorted the young lady of the Rainsworth house for a day, he had been quick to agree. Though the girl herself wasn't much to look at, and was, if he did say so himself, boring company to the greatest degree, she was still the heiress of the Rainsworth title and fortune.
And that thought alone was enough to make him give up courting the luscious, but certainly less rich, women he usually did.
He smirked, already planning to make an offer to meet with the imperious little princess again. With his looks, his wealth, and his background, there was no chance that the girl would refuse him. Oh yes, he would be charming, debonair, all of the things that young, foolish women such as her dreamed about. And when the time came, there would certainly be no opposition to the suggestion of a union being made between him and the Rainsworth princess…
He casually raised his eyes to where she had rushed off, muttering something about going to the powder room. Really, what in the world could be keeping her so long—
The boy nearly jumped three feet into the air when he saw that Sharon's chair was now occupied by someone else.
A very demonic-looking, scary someone else.
Someone that clearly wasn't the delicate young woman he had been accompanied by a moment ago.
The noble swallowed nervously as he took in the sight of a strangely-clothed, white-haired man leisurely sitting in the chair across from him, one hand twirling what seemed to be…a lollipop?
He hastily shook himself, irritated over the ridiculous fear that had shot through him. What did this man think he was doing anyways?
"Can I help you…sir?" The noble practically sneered at the last word, his snooty gaze observing the abnormal appearance of the man and the clothing that obviously communicated a status that was less than wealthy. He disdainfully wondered what this person could possibly want from him.
Silence prevailed. The man didn't answer, making him frown in confusion. How dare this freak not reply to him, one of the heirs to the most successful business company in the land? When he said "jump", everyone else usually asked, "How high?"
His temper on the brink of eruption, he glowered as he said, "I believe that I asked you a question."
There was still no reply, as the odd person merely continued to pass the piece of candy through his fingers in a hypnotic motion, his face turned away so that he couldn't get a good glimpse of it. It was probably just as weird looking as the rest of him.
His indignation at being ignored came to a head as he leaned forwards, reaching a hand out across the table with the intention to grab the man's shoulder.
The man tilted his head to look at him.
The young noble froze in his actions, transfixed by the burning crimson eye that was suddenly staring straight at him. It seemed to crackle with sparks of hatred and disgust, red flames that were contained within a single human eye.
"W-wha—"
That was the only thing he could get out of his mouth as he stared at the strangeness in front of him. Who in the world had red eyes like that, after all?
A smile was on the man's face, but it was colder and more false than anything he had ever seen.
Slowly, he withdrew his hand, trying to recover some of his lost bravado as he sank back into his seat. He cleared his throat roughly, attempting to sound imposing when he spoke. "I'll ask you once again, sir, what is your business with me?"
"Sharon-sama."
The noble frowned, not willing to react to the blankness in the man's voice. But what could this freak possibly have to do with the lady of one of the four noble clans? It was inconceivable that she would be involved with a shady character such as this.
Though he had heard some rumors about who the Rainsworth family was associating with these days. Some very odd figures, apparently.
Haughtily, he replied, "And what about her?" He eyed the stranger across from him, smirking. "I hate to inform you, but Sharon is already attached to me."
"Is that so?"
He avoided flinching as a loud crunch came from the man, who had taken a bite of his lollipop. It was a relatively harmless action but…for some reason, he thought nervously, he could just imagine his head going crunch like that if the silver-haired guy in front of him got mad. That red gaze was starting to look particularly murderous as well.
He could feel sweat starting to build up beneath his collar, dripping slowly down his neck.
In a leisurely, predatory way, the stranger leaned his body forwards, elegantly propping an elbow on the table and resting his chin on his hand. A quiet hostility emanated from his slim form, and the younger man couldn't help but think his life would end at that moment.
His breathing quickened when he heard the horribly emotionless voice again, cool and unreadable.
"Noble-sama."
"Y-yes?"
The faintest traces of a smirk appeared on the demonic human's face, as though he could smell the fear radiating from the other.
The younger man realized he probably could.
"I beg only a few minutes of your precious time." The words were mockingly courteous, reinforced with an equally mocking smile. "I would like to speak with you in regards to Sharon-sama...as well as how much you enjoy your life."
"Break?"
Break turned around as Sharon reemerged into the tea room, confusion conflicting with an obvious joy at seeing him there.
His red eye lovingly took in her elegant form approaching him, looking just as exquisite then as she had this morning.
He stood up in one fluid motion, ever the gentleman, long sleeves flapping as he lifted a hand in greeting. "Ah, Ojou-sama."
"Break, what are you doing here?" she asked, becoming even more puzzled when she saw that Emily was not with him. That alone was enough to make her raise an eyebrow. Break never went anywhere without his precious blue doll. "Where's Emily?"
He smiled evasively. "Emily decided to stay home. I decided to come and see how your outing was going." Curiously, he looked around. "Where is your…young man, Ojou-sama? I would certainly enjoy meeting him."
Startled, Sharon realized for the first time that her companion was nowhere to be found. Not so surprising was the fact that she wasn't entirely disheartened over his disappearance. "I'm not sure," she commented, glancing around the tea room. "He was here only a few moments ago." Her bare shoulders went up in down in a dainty shrug, communicating her indifference.
"He left you? My, my, young men certainly are ruder than they used to be," was the blithe comment, and Sharon couldn't help but think that Break sounded a little too happy about that. She surveyed him for a moment, carefully examining his innocent face. His too innocent face. Was it possible that Break…?
Yes, she thought suspiciously. It was entirely the sort of thing Break would do.
Maybe she should double check and make sure there weren't any bloodstains upon the parlor furniture.
The silver-haired man noticed her scrutiny, and met her gaze calmly.
"Is something the matter? I'm sorry if you didn't want me to intrude on your date today." Break paused, and Sharon felt his hand carefully slip beneath her chin, tilting her head up. "I was merely worried about you, Sharon."
She couldn't stop the happiness that flooded through her upon hearing that, his devoted concern never failing to make her toes curl with the sincerity of his feelings. Her suspicions of him were forgotten at the moment, and really, what did it matter if Break had possibly been the one to drive away her date?
Though ethically it was wrong, if he really was the one responsible, he'd been doing her a favor.
And besides, even if he'd gotten away with it this time, the next time she was certainly going to whap him black and blue if he tried anything.
She closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the soft comfort of his hand against her skin.
"No, I'm…I'm glad you're here," she confided to him quietly, missing the pleased look that danced in his eye. "I wasn't having a very good time anyways." Embarrassed, but because it was Break she figured there was no shame in telling him, she continued sheepishly, "Before you got here, I was considering escaping through the powder room window."
Her resultant blush was only increased by the sound of her protector's merry laughter upon hearing of her antics. She couldn't truly find the strength to be angry at him, however, for she rarely heard Break laugh so freely. She could already feel her insides growing warm and her heart melting at his obvious mirth.
"What?" she asked him, but couldn't help the bit of childish irritation that had seeped into her voice as she turned her face away.
"You never cease to amaze me, milady," he chuckled, his laughter continuing to fall pleasantly upon her ears. "But truly, I am glad I arrived before you had to resort to such…desperate actions."
Sharon allowed herself the immaturity of an eye roll, and, gathering up her hat and overcoat, proceeded to stride away from her hysterical friend. She knew, undoubtedly, that he would follow, just like he always did. Break was just someone who was always there, always a factor in everything she did, everywhere she went. He was even more a part of her than Equues was.
She pushed open the elaborate double doors of the parlor, fastening on her coat to guard against the slightly frosty weather the city had been having recently.
And, true to her prediction, a moment later his reassuring footsteps were quietly thumping beside her on the pavement outside of the tea parlor. They walked on in a close silence for a few minutes, neither feeling the need to speak, or fill the atmosphere up with extraneous words. In a way, Sharon could not help but find this to be the most pleasant part of her day so far—just her and Xerxes-nii walking together, with no pressing Pandora matters on their minds, or the interruptions of Gil and Oz and Alice to cut up their time with each other.
She was selfish enough to be happy that she didn't have to share him with anyone else at the moment.
She drew her coat around her more securely, for the evening air was cool, and it tickled her senses with its light wind. Her face was growing cold with the attack of the cold upon it, and she was beginning to think that her nose was going to freeze and fall off. Sharon sighed, and shifted closer to the man keeping pace besides her.
Break smiled down at Sharon as she tried to inconspicuously huddle closer to him for warmth. Pretending not to take notice, he casually moved nearer so that he could guard her against the chill of the blowing wind.
"So you had a miserable time?" His cheerful voice broke the peacefulness between them.
Sharon's eye twitched as she fought to keep a pleasant expression on her face. "Break~" she began sweetly, making him cringe and hold up his hands in mock defence. "I don't believe you're conveying the proper sympathy here."
"Ah, ah, forgive me." Break cocked his head to the side, bangs flopping carelessly with the motion. "What made it so dull?"
Sharon sighed heavily, though she couldn't help but smile slightly at the question. "It's difficult to decide where to begin. Probably somewhere between the endless self-absorbed monologue and the disgusting tea I was poisoned with." She delicately shuddered at the memory. "I suppose I'll just have to hope for better luck next time."
He frowned lightly at her words, eye darkening at the memory of the noble. "Sharon-sama, I would prefer that you abstained from dating for the time being. There are so many horrible men out there," he said with an exaggerated tone of foreboding. "And I would never forgive myself if my lady ended up hurt."
She cast an aghast look at him, and Break quickly recognized the expression that was emerging on her face. It was one that he had seen countless times over the years, one that he had somehow always lost to time and time again: it was his lady's stubborn face.
"Break, I'm quite old enough to judge for myself what I will and will not do," she sniffed, clearly wounded at being thought incapable of choosing her companions sensibly. "And my judgment is perfectly fine when it comes to people."
Break nodded readily. "I quite agree, Sharon-sama. Which is why tonight was so successful, no?"
Indignantly, Sharon began, "That was—"
"Something that should not be repeated ever again," he interrupted gently. "Ojou-sama, I will take you out on as many dates as you wish. Please, just refrain from ever doing such a thing again."
"E-eh?"
The squeak of surprise erupted from her before she could stop it.
"T-take me on—"
Sharon couldn't help the flush that came into her cheeks at his words, turning her head away quickly so that he didn't see it. She knew he didn't mean it like that. Not in the way she wished he did. To him, he was probably just offering his precious little lady a few play-dates to appease her curiosity.
"Stop being silly, Xerxes-nii," she murmured after her heart rate had slowed down from its tumultuous pounding.
He doesn't mean it, she told herself firmly, unwilling to allow girlish fantasies and long-buried daydreams to overcome rational thought. Just trying to protect me in his usual odd ways.
He countered without missing a beat, eye turning up at her in a smile. "What makes you think I'm being silly, Ojou-sama?"
"Because you're never serious when you talk with me," she sighed out, disheartened at the truth of her statement. Break spent so much time protecting her from what he perceived to be the ugly side of the world that sometimes it grew to be a little tiring.
"I assure you, I'm being serious now." His voice was calm and sure, taking Sharon by surprise at the absence of his usual carefree tone.
Break had never lied to her before. She'd always trusted his words beyond anything else in this world.
Sharon swallowed hard, suddenly unsure of what to think. A quick peek at Break's face revealed nothing, for he was staring straight ahead with a blank expression.
He was…serious?
She was quiet for many long seconds, head warring with heart. She tried not to let the abrupt sensations of elation and embarrassment overtake her senses, forcing the redness not to bloom all over her cheeks at what Break was offering her.
Really and truly offering her.
She wanted to be cherished and find someone to love, and she was forced to admit that between the snooty noble boys and her Xerxes-nii, there was no competition.
None whatsoever.
…
…
…
"You have to take me out whenever I want a date."
Sharon's voice, usually so confident and reassured, was now rather shy, uncertainty blended with quiet happiness.
The corner of his mouth tilted. "How often will that be, Ojou-sama?"
"Often," she replied.
"Oh?"
"And when you grow tired of escorting me, I will simply go back to dating others." Sharon didn't specifically mention that if he wanted to keep her from dangerous people, then he'd better be willing to be the only one dating her for the rest of forever. But she thought Break would get the hidden message easily enough—he was astute in that way.
Break's eye shone with amusement. "That is not likely to happen, milady."
Break didn't look down as Sharon took hold of his hand, merely wrapping his fingers around hers in return.
"No candy. If I catch you chomping sweets while you're supposed to be out with me I'm going to smack you with a fan." Her face transformed into the very paragon of endearing, her lips quirking upwards. "Very, very hard."
"I suppose I can do that."
"You're not allowed to bring Emily, either."
"Ojou-sama! You'd really exclude poor Emily?"
The look she shot him was answer enough.
"Mah, my lady's quite demanding," Break sighed teasingly, looking up at the heavens.
But the small squeeze to her hand contradicted any exasperation in his words.
When Break and Sharon walked through the doors of the mansion, hands still linked together from their walk, they were met with quite a sight.
Oz and Reim were now perched on chairs in the foyer, now joined by a bickering Gilbert and Alice, arguing over who Oz was closer to, as usual.
However, everyone in the room quickly fell silent, all eyes lighting up when they saw the return of the Rainsworth princess and her protector.
Sharon started when she heard Oz's boisterous voice.
"Haha! Pay up, Reim-san! What did I tell you, less than an hour!"
His hand was outstretched towards the Pandora member, who was digging through his pockets with a sour expression. Alice was racing towards Reim as well, followed by a sullen-looking Gil.
"We were right, Oz! Looks like Seaweed Head and Glasses are the losers!" Alice came to a screeching halt in front of Reim, informing him imperiously, "I want my dues paid in meat, got it? None of that stupid money stuff."
Given how much Alice could eat, Gil and Reim were beginning to look a little ill at how fast their monthly pay would be spent.
Sharon cleared her throat, interrupting the loud proceedings. "Reim, Oz-sama, would you care to tell me what is going on?" she asked, her face the picture of puzzlement.
For some reason, she felt Break's grip on her hand tighten marginally.
In reply to Sharon's query, Oz laughed evilly while directing a smug stare at the man next to her. Ah, the glories of being the one with the upper hand, he mused contentedly. "Sharon-chan! We were just wondering how long Break would take to kill the green monster of jeal—Aah!"
Oz yelped as Break easily clapped a hand on his shoulder, having moved from Sharon's side and over to Oz in the span of an eye blink.
Oz's face turned gray as Break grinned down at him, already popping a piece of colored candy into his turned up mouth.
"Oz-kun, let's go have a talk, shall we?"
Sharon could only watch as Break forcibly pulled Oz from the room, all the while spouting off words such as "meddling" and "interference."
"Oz!" Gil ran after the two, clearly panicking over Break's plans for his master.
He was joined by a furious Alice, who was shouting, "Clown, gimme back my manservant!"
And Reim-san was sprinting after all four of them to prevent another Tragedy of Sablier from occurring in the Rainsworth mansion.
Now alone in the foyer, Sharon allowed herself a small moment of delight, a petite hand rising up to cover a little giggle that came from her.
She hadn't needed Oz-sama to finish the rest of his sentence. Even before Break had cut him off, it was obvious what he was saying.
"Sharon-chan! We were just wondering how long Break would take to kill the green monster of…
…jealousy."
fin