Yayyy! Gil birthday fic! Yes. That is all. XD 3~
On a day such as this, it figured that it would rain.
Gilbert Nightray rested on the ledge of his window, overlooking the forest below. They were finally back at the Vessalius manor, and even Sharon had come to stay (with Break, of course). Generally, it would be improper for an unmarried young woman, but circumstances being what they were…it was hardly unacceptable. Besides, she had Break for a chaperone. (whatever that was worth).
However, at the moment, Gilbert was completely alone. Break had had business with Pandora, and Sharon likewise, while Oz and Alice were sent to investigate a Chain. Of course he wouldn't have allowed them to go alone, but Break had sent him on a useless errand after assuring him that with B-rabbit by his side, Oz would be perfectly safe. Gilbert would have gone anyway, but Oz had waved him off and snuck off ahead with Alice. He could have followed, but what was the use? By the time he caught up, they'd be done already…such was the power of Alice.
Which was how, on his birthday, Gilbert Nightray had ended up completely alone.
It wasn't his actual birthday, of course. Gilbert couldn't remember that and so had chosen a day for himself that had been overruled when Oz decided that the day that they had met would be Gilbert's birthday, and celebrated it ever since. Until the Abyss, anyway…his last ten birthdays had been spent with Vincent and the Nightrays (namely Elliot and Leo), or Break. Or more honestly, alone, since he generally took his birthday off to go be by himself and think (or brood-rather) since no birthday felt like something to celebrate, not without Oz. And now with Oz finally back, Gilbert had still ended up alone. It wasn't that he was keen on his birthday or anything, but…Oz had made them special, something to be looked forward to, something that they shared…Gilbert missed that.
"Ah well…it spares me from having to eat his crappy cakes…" Gilbert muttered, a bittersweet smile on his lips as he thought back to the first time that he'd had one such cake.
"Young Master…Young Master! Please wake up!" Gilbert sighed as Oz simply rolled away from him in bed, eyes closed and not responding. "Young Master…you're late as it is."
"I'm the Lord here, aren't it?" finally came a grumbled reply. "How can I be late for my own affairs? They should wait for me. Go away." Oz snuggled back into his blanket, before yelping and shouting, "Hey!" as Gilbert snatched it away from him.
"Young Master, I must insist-" Gilbert started sternly before letting out a yelp of his own as Oz whacked him with a pillow.
"How dare you take my blanket? Just who do you think you are?" Oz demanded, looking angry.
Gilbert's eyes widened in surprise before he stammered. "I-I-I'm sorry, young master…I didn't…I was just…please forgive me!" the boy half-sobbed, eyes welling up with tears.
Oz blinked and then scratched the back of his head. "I was just kiddin', Gil, jeese, always gotta be such a spoilsport.." he sighed. "Anyway, I guess I'll go to my lessons now…but you've annoyed me. So go wait for me in the parlor, I'll get you when I'm ready."
Gilbert's shoulders slumped at the first bit, before he seemed nearly ready to collapse onto the floor in misery at the rest. He had no idea what he'd done so wrong. Gilbert had woken up in a contented mood…today was the day after all, the anniversary of their meeting, the day Oz had declared Gilbert's birthday the year before (the first anniversary of their meeting) and while he hadn't expected Oz to remember…still…he didn't expect Oz to be the most surly he'd been in possibly the entirety of his service to him thus far. Gilbert would almost have thought it on purpose, if he didn't know better. As if Oz would have remembered that, a mere servant's 'birthday'…last year had just been a fluke, a bit of boredom on Oz's part, right?
"Yes, Young Master…" Gilbert said quietly as he left the room, not seeing the broad grin on Oz's face as the other leapt from bed and darted off, but certainly not to his lessons…
"So, Gil, today is your birthday isn't it?"
Gilbert, who had been sitting rather glumly in a chair in the parlor, jumped at the sound of Lord Oscar's voice, jumping out of the chair to bow. "L-Lord Oscar. I-well-yes." It was, it had been decided right?
"Eleven years old, and Oz is already twelve this year…you two are growing up so fast, an old man like me can't keep up." he chuckled.
"You're not old!" Gilbert protested instantly, before flushing faintly. "That is, Lord Oscar, you're…very…not old.." he finished lamely, lowering his head before lifting it as he heard laughter.
Oscar was laughing, smiling at Gilbert in amusement. "Thank you, but on your birthday, you should be the one being complimented. Has Oz celebrated yet?"
Gilbert's relieved smile slipped as he lowered his gaze, slumping again. "He doesn't even remember…if anything, he was more of a bully than usual…" he gasped suddenly, realizing what he'd admitted. "I-I mean…"
"It's alright." Oscar laughed again. "My nephew is a little tyrant, but he's got a good heart, doesn't he." it wasn't really a question, but Gilbert found himself agreeing with it all the same. Even if Oz forgot his birthday…Oz wasn't really bad at all. "Well, anyway." Oscar said abruptly. "Let's go give that nephew of mine a bit of trouble for being so forgetful, eh?"
"W-What? Oh, no! It's alright, really, Lord Oscar…I am only a servant, of course he has no need to remember-"
"Nonsense!" Oscar set his hand on Gilbert's shoulder with a grin, leading the other out the door. "I've taught him better than that, we'll give him a piece of your mind, alright?"
"B-But Lord Oscar, please-" a panicked Gilbert stumbled after the other as he was led through the hallways to the smaller, family dining room. Why would Oz be in there?
The door was opened and Gilbert felt that he might faint at what he found there.
"Happy birthday, Gilbert!" Ada and Oz stood together, both grinning brightly and both covered…in flour?
Gilbert stared at them in stunned silence before he looked up at Oscar as if for understanding. Oscar smiled and gave the boy a gentle shove forward.
Oz came forward and grabbed Gilbert's wrist, pulling the boy forward to the table. Gilbert's eyes widened in surprise and he said nothing, still stunned as he was pulled up into a chair beside one that Ada was now already standing on, and Oz on one as well.
There on the table was what appeared to be a pile of mush with lopey writing of 'Happy birthday, Gil'. There were ridiculous amounts of sprinkles and little candy decorations and it was a globby, mess of a birthday cake. Still…the flour on Oz and Ada, did that mean…
"Cake for Gil!" Ada chimed happily, clapping her hands together with a giggle.
Beside her, Oz smiled. "That's right, Ada. A cake for Gil." he looked to Gilbert then. "Ada and I made it ourselves. It's chocolate." he said, beaming proudly.
Gilbert could only gape. Oz Vessalius, future Duke Vessalius, heir to one of the four great dukedoms, his young master, and his noble little sister besides, had baked a cake for him? A mere servant? Gilbert? Strange enough to have remembered his birthday, and to have bothered getting him a cake, but…to have made it themselves? Nobles didn't cook, after all, not unless they were eccentric. To have cooked a cake for Gilbert especially…pile of mush or not, it touched Gilbert.
Tears welled up in his eyes. "Y-Young Master…you should not have gone to so much trouble over me…really…"
Oz lifted a brow before whacking Gilbert's head suddenly, causing the servant to clutch his head with a wince. "Ha! I bet you thought I forgot, didn't you? Well I didn't," he said, ignoring Gilbert's statement of trouble apparently, "I'll make sure and surprise you every year, 'kay, so be ready." he grinned.
Gilbert's eyes widened further, if possible, before more tears started to fall. "Y-You're…why..? I'm only a servant…I don't…you don't have to-"
"I want to, Gil." Oz smiled warmly. "I want to celebrate Gil's birthday. I'm glad Gil was born. And glad Gil is here with me. So of course I have to celebrate. Ada's happy too, and Uncle Oscar, right?"
"Yeah!" Ada chirped happily, beaming adorably at Gilbert who found himself smiling.
"Right." Oscar agreed, smiling as well.
Oz suddenly pulled the smaller boy into a tight hug, and Gilbert stiffened in surprise. When Gilbert did nothing, Oz tightened his grip a bit and pulled to get the message across that Gilbert ought to hug back when he found himself pulling Gilbert off of the edge of his chair, sending the boys sprawling on the ground.
"Young Master! Are you alright?" Gilbert said anxiously, looking over his master before making a choked sound as Oz sat up and jerked him into another hug.
Oz was mildly annoyed. He hugged his uncle and his sister, that was it, and here he was hugging Gilbert and the little sissy was just sitting around being worrisome. "I'd be better if my one servant didn't hate me so much that he won't even hug me back…" Oz drawled, letting a little irritation creep into his voice although he smiled, amused by Gilbert's sudden flush.
"Y-Young Master…it's really not-" the hug tightened and Gilbert realized something as he saw the faint frown in his master's lips, the faint touch of worry in his eyes. Maybe the hug, wasn't all for Gilbert…
Understanding dawned and his small arms slipped around the waist of his young master. He heard Oz sigh in relief and pull him tighter, resting his head against Gilbert's lightly.
Gilbert's flush remained, and he couldn't stop the happy smile that blossomed on his face. It was unseemly, for a mere servant to be embracing his master like this…but it felt wonderful to be hugged, to be held in someone's warm embrace, to be held by…Oz. He hadn't forgotten Gilbert…not at all…
"Happy birthday, Gil." Oz said softly, and Gilbert tightened his hold on his master, leaning his head against the other's shoulder and enjoying what he considered his very best birthday present ever…
The next three birthdays were similarly tricky, always so convincingly that Gilbert was certain that there was no party planned…but then, there had it been…Oz's terrible but heartfelt cakes, and Oz's bright smile, and always a hug just for Gilbert…and even some presents. Yes…birthdays meant something, because he shared them with Oz.
Gilbert smiled at the thought. His birthdays with Oz were treasured memories indeed, it was just too bad that this year he wouldn't-
"Raven!" The door to Gilbert's room burst open and he jumped, nearly slipping from the little window ledge in surprise.
"Stupid rabbit! You should knock before you-"
"It's Oz!" Alice said, cutting him off. "Hurry!" Alice took off without another word.
Gilbert didn't have time to think about why Alice was here, or what was going on, he only knew that if Alice was that way then Oz must be hurt-because if it was a fight then she would be by his side. What had happened to Oz? Damnit! He knew that he should have gone with them! Gilbert followed Alice, not paying attention to where they were going, keeping his eyes on her as they burst into a room…
…And were met by loud shouts.
"Happy Birthday, Raven!" chimed Alice, Break, Liam, Sharon, and Emily while at the same time-
"Happy Birthday, Gilbert !" shouted Ada, Oscar, Elliot, and Leo, and also.
"Happy Birthday, Gil!" from a grinning Oz.
Gilbert simply stared, blinking, expression blank as his mind tried to go from protect-Oz-mode to processing what had just happened. "I…what?"
Elliot scoffed, shaking his head. "Happy. Birthday. You know? Birthday? Happy? Moron." he muttered.
Leo tapped Elliot's head. "Now, now, be nice, Elliot. I'm sure this was a surprise for Gilbert, since Alice was told to be so urgent."
Alice beamed. "Raven was so easy to fool!" she laughed, hands on her hips as she smirked triumphantly.
Gilbert stared at her in surprise. Even Alice had helped with his birthday? His gaze slid to Oz, who was grinning up at Gilbert before he motioned to the table.
'Happy Birthday, Gil' in the same lopey scrawl as ever, although Oz had improved enough that the cake was actually cake shaped…in fact, it looked rather…pretty this year. He suspected that Ada had something to do with that. "I get a crappy cake after all.." he smiled and meant it to himself, not thinking about it, and he saw Oz scowl.
"What was that?"
Gilbert flushed. "Ah, nothing. Glad I get a cake after all." he covered up quickly and Oz's frown suggested that he didn't quite buy that.
Oz took a few steps forward, a threatening look on his face that caused Gilbert to sigh as he awaited whatever punishment, when something was shoved into his hands. A small box.
Gilbert blinked at it in surprise (he'd had a lot of that today) before he peeled the wrapping and looked inside. A pocket watch?
"Open it." Oz muttered, looking away, a faint blush on his cheeks.
Gilbert stared at his young master a moment before he clicked it open and a little melody played…he remembered this.
Twelve-year old Oz looked bored as he played the piano, tapping out the keys easily enough. It wasn't anything special, but to Gilbert-who knew nothing of it-it was something magical the way Oz could just play and make that music. And that song…Oz always seemed to play that song…
"It's his favorite.." Eleven-year old Gilbert decided, aloud accidentally.
"My favorite what?" Oz suddenly stopped playing, turning to regard his servant with a frown.
"A-Ah…that is." Gilbert flushed before he lowered his head. "The song…it must be your favorite, since you play it so much…"
Oz stared at Gilbert a moment before he patted the seat beside him. "C'mere" he commanded.
Gilbert blinked. Had he misheard? But sure enough, his young master was looking at him expectantly. So reluctantly he came forward, hesitating before sitting down beside Oz on the bench.
Oz immediately grabbed Gilbert's hands, setting them on the piano keys.
Gilbert jerked his hands back in surprise. "Young Master…I don't know how to play, and I can't touch this piano…it's too nice…this is young master's-"
"No, it's my father's, not like he ever uses it though. Anyway, I'm gonna show you how to play. Okay? Now like this." Oz grabbed the other's hands again, holding them as he pushed buttons before doing it himself, going back and forth as he showed Gilbert notes.
Gilbert was a quick study, and he'd already had the beginning melody learned by the end of that day. Pleased and happy, he regarded his young master with a smile. "Thank you for teaching me, Young Master.."
Oz huffed a bit, looking away with a faint blush. "Yeah, well…I guess I could show you more…and…" he fell silent a moment before adding. "That song…I wrote it."
Gilbert's eyes widened. "You wrote it?"
"Why are you so surprised?" Oz demanded, now blushing a bit more darkly now. "Of course I wrote it…I dunno…after Uncle Oscar found Gilbert…it just…came to me."
"It was inspired by me?" Gilbert asked without thinking, and Oz scrunched his nose.
"That's not…well…yeah...I guess..I dunno." Oz mumbled, embarrassed. "But…if you don't like it, I can teach you something else-"
"No! I like it best…of all the songs…I really do…please teach me, Young Master." Gilbert said earnestly.
Oz blinked in surprise before smiling, chuckling as he turned back to face the piano. "Alright then, let's start from here…"
The melody began to play from the pocket watch, and inside, there was a cut out picture of Gilbert and of Oz from the day of the tea party, their names inscribed in cursive beside them, and at the bottom of the watch was inscribed the word 'brothers'.
Gilbert stared at that one word, letting it soak in. That…that was…he looked down to find Oz staring up at him with a bright smile-but he saw something else in the other's eyes. Gilbert even recognized that look from himself…Oz was worried that he might be rejected…
Gilbert smiled warmly and moved forward to hug Oz. "Oz, you-"
Oz jerked away suddenly, and Gilbert stopped in surprise as Oz quickly grabbed a chair and shoved it in front of Gilbert who stared down at it in confusion until he saw Oz climb onto it. Now a little taller than Gilbert, Oz stared down at the other intently. "Well? Do you like it or not?" Oz demanded, a faint blush on his cheeks, one that was shared by Gilbert.
Gilbert gazed up at his young master a moment before he chuckled faintly. Oz had gotten him again. "This…is one of the greatest presents I've ever gotten…I'll treasure it, Oz…thank you."
Oz seemed pleased, but disappointed too not that he really let it show. "One of the greatest? So what's the greatest?" he asked, trying not to seem too put out.
Gilbert didn't buy it for a moment…as well as Oz knew him, he knew his master as well. This time, his arms slid around Oz as he pulled the other close into a tight embrace. Gilbert rested his head against the other's shoulder and spoke softly, only to him. "You. When you hugged me the first time…and became my family…that's the best present I've ever gotten."
Oz's eyes went wide before his arms slid around Gilbert in turn as he rested his head against Gilbert's lightly. "You're such a sissy, Gil…but that's what little brothers are for, I guess…right?" there was a note of hesitation as he awaited Gilbert's answer.
Gilbert smiled. "And you're a tyrant…but that's what big brothers are for, right?"
Oz stilled before he gritted his teeth, the faintest glimmer in his own eyes. "Happy birthday, Gil." Oz whispered, and Gilbert tightened the hug with a smile, knowing that this was where he belonged, home with his big brother, Oz…
(What can I say? I think of them as brothers. XD I couldn't resist adding that in. Yay for bday fics! It's a far cry more sentimental than Jun tends to write…but I'm not Jun…so ha! XD Writer's prerogative and all that. I had fun so there XD 3~ )