Yayyyy for Oz/Gil sweetness. XD 3
Outside, rain crashed against the windows as a peal of thunder echoed into the stormy night. Just like that time…
A knife plunged into his back, "Gilbert!" a blonde-haired man shouted his name while the other looked on cruelly…flames…so many flames…and blood…he was dying…his master needed him…and he was dying…
"Gil…Gil…Gilbert!" hands clenched around Gilbert's shoulders and shook him awake.
Ten-year old Gilbert's hand shot out reflexively, connecting with the side of…Eleven-year old Oz's face.
Gilbert's mouth opened to form an 'O' as he stared at his young master in horror. What had he done? "Y-Young Master.." he stammered. "P-Please forgive me..I-I."
Oz Vessalius hadn't been able to sleep. He wasn't afraid of thunderstorms or anything, but it just made it hard to focus on sleep when there was all that commotion outside. And then he'd heard shouting even from his room and when he'd gone to investigate, he'd found Gilbert in his room (the next over) moaning and crying in his sleep. A nightmare. Attempts to call his name hadn't roused him and when he'd shaken the other's shoulders, well. He'd been socked in the face.
Oz glowered down at Gilbert for a moment, a hand to his face where he'd been hit. "Gilbert…" he growled, sighing when the boy winced. When was Gilbert going to understand…?
Oz lifted his hand with a stony expression and Gilbert lowered his gaze miserably, a few silent tears trickling down his cheeks as he awaited punishment. Oz had never -truly- hit him before, but now he would be punished, surely-
Oz's thumb found it's way under Gilbert's eyes, brushing away his tears lightly. Gilbert's golden eyes flicked up to his master in surprise. "Gil was having a nightmare, right?" he asked softly.
Gilbert blinked before he mumbled. "I-It was nothing…I'm sorry to have woken you, young-"
"I wasn't sleeping." Oz cut the other off abruptly, frowning, and Gilbert looked down again. "But then I heard you shouting and crying like a baby, so I had to come…and then you punched me.." he grumbled, glaring slightly. Gilbert seemed to take it very much at face value, as usual, and Oz fought the urge to roll his eyes. He was endeared by Gilbert's ways, but annoyed too…couldn't the other understand that Oz was…different, with Gilbert?
"So what was it about?" Oz asked, resting back on his knees as he tilted his head to await his servant's answer.
Gilbert considered pretending that he hadn't had one, but it was obvious, apparently, and he didn't want to lie to his master. "I…don't really remember…it's always the same but I can't really remember when I wake up…it hurts to think about…fire…and blood…and I…I die-" the word came out as a sob.
Oz stared in silence at his servant a moment. Fire, blood, and death? Just what kind of nightmare was his servant having, and why? And why was he only just finding out? "Do you dream about it a lot?"
Gilbert hesitated then shook his head. "Just sometimes…and always when it's stormy outside…it's like that in…the dream, I think.." he mumbled, head lowered so that his hair covered his face as a few more tears slipped. Oz said nothing and Gilbert's fists clenched fistfuls of blanket, certain that Oz thought him a fool, a crybaby. Disturbing his master for his own stupid nightmares, and having hit him…
Once again, Gilbert felt his master's hand on his face as Oz tilted Gilbert's chin up before brushing his tears away with his thumb. "I had nightmares too before. Of someplace dark. With lots of monsters. That's about all I ever remembered. It's funny…I just realized, since Gil came…I haven't had any nightmares.." he trailed off a bit absently.
Gilbert's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Since I came…? But…that can't be right…I haven't done anything…"
"Are you calling your master a liar?" Oz asked, suddenly glowering again.
"N-No, Young Master! I just…I'm not that important…" Gilbert let his gaze fall on the blanket rather than having to meet his Young Master's gaze.
A loud peal of thunder crackled outside and Gilbert jumped, shutting his eyes tightly a moment with a miserable expression. Truth be told, these storms terrified him, just like his nightmares. But he shouldn't let Oz see-shouldn't be so weak-
Gilbert felt the covers move and his eyes opened in surprise, seeing Oz slipping under the covers beside him. "Y-Young Master…what-"
"I told you it's the Lord's duty to protect his servant, even against nightmares." Oz announced.
"But…you don't have to, really…please go to your bed, Young Master…you don't have to bother with the likes of me…" Gilbert yelped as a bit of his hair was yanked and he looked at Oz with teary eyes, rubbing his head.
"Just shut up, Gil. Jeese." Oz sighed. "I really haven't had them since you came, Gil…I guess having to look after you so much, I got too distracted to have 'em." he chuckled, but seeing Gilbert's guilty expression-he reached out his hand to ruffle Gilbert's hair lightly, seeing the boy's expression of surprise and a faint blush on his cheeks even in the moonlight. "It's okay, Gil. You don't have to be afraid anymore. Tell ya what, anytime there's a storm, I'll sleep in here with you, 'kay?"
"But-"
"And anytime you have nightmares…just tell me, and I'll take care of it. I'll chase Gil's nightmares away. You chased mine away, right, so it's only fair." Oz said decidedly. He was putting a lot of trust into this boy, a lot of faith…but Gilbert wasn't like the rest. He wasn't some spy of the Nightray house, he was just Oz's servant, his crybaby, weak, sissy of a servant that he was growing more and more endeared to each day. He wanted to make Gilbert smile, he wanted to be the one chasing his nightmares away, keeping his servant safe.
Gilbert stared at Oz before tears began pouring down his cheeks.
"Aww, Gil…now what are you crying for?" Oz asked, scratching the back of his head with a frown.
"Y-Young Master is being so nice to me…I'm only a servant. I d-don't deserve-"
"Didn't I say 'shut up'? If you're going to say stupid things to me, then it's better you stay quiet." Oz announced. Emerald eyes stared firmly back at teary golden ones before Oz reached his hand out again, pushing Gilbert's hair out of his face and tucking a bit behind his ear. "You're my Gil. I'll decide what you deserve, got it? Anytime you have nightmares, I want you to let me know, that's an order…and I'll keep an eye out for storms, 'kay?"
A crackle of thunder, a burst of lightning, and Gilbert was in tears again as he buried his face against the closest thing to him: Oz's chest. Realizing what he was doing, Gilbert started to pull away only to feel small arms encircling his own small body. Gilbert froze, looking up in surprise as Oz pulled him close and held him against him. "Go to sleep, Gil." Oz said softly. "I'll sleep with you tonight, 'kay? I'll chase your nightmares away."
Gilbert sniffed as he started to squirm. "T-This is not proper…I cannot…you mustn't-"
"I'm the Lord here! I'll decide what's proper…I say this is. So sleep, Gil. I've got you." Oz had a faint blush of his own now, scowling faintly at how this was going. Why couldn't Gilbert just shut up and be grateful…having to make such a big deal out of these things…how annoying…Oz's grip on Gilbert tightened just slightly.
Gilbert fell silent and slowly…he allowed his head to lay against Oz's chest again, burrowing into the other a bit as Oz held Gilbert in his arms. Proper or not…this felt wonderful…safe…he felt safe in his master's arms…he felt…at home. Like he belonged. "Thank you, Young Master.." he whispered.
Oz smiled into the darkness. "Thank you too, Gil." That night, and every night after, Oz kept his 'promise' even when there was no longer a need. Oz had chased his nightmares away, replacing them with warmth and safety…with himself. "Good night, Gil." Oz leaned his head against Gilbert's lightly, as he closed his eyes to sleep.
Gilbert's eyes remained open for a moment, gazing up at the face of his beloved young master. He would always protect the other, he would chase away his nightmares too, and keep him from harm…Gilbert would protect this warmth, this light that he'd found that chased away his darkness…and this darkness that embraced his own…his precious young master…
"Gil…Gil…hey, Gilbert!" a hand pushed at his chest and Gilbert's hand slid to his side, whipping out his gun and aiming it at the head of the one who'd awoken him-
"H-hey! Knock it off!" Oz's eyes were wide as he slid back, falling off the bed.
Gilbert's eyes widened as well and he dropped the gun in horror, quickly leaning over the bed. "Oz? Are you alright?"
Oz muttered something about 'good-for-nothing' as he rose, and sat on the edge of Gilbert's bed, frowning at the other as he punched him on the cheek. Gilbert gaped before putting a hand to his cheek, rubbing it as he eyed his master. "You always sleep with a gun?" Oz asked quietly.
"…Yes. I'm sorry. To have aimed a gun at you…I really am a lousy servant.." he said glumly, rubbing at his eyes.
"You had a nightmare, right?"
Gilbert froze and then shook his head. "It was nothing…"
"Gil's been acting funny since Sablier…did you dream about that?"
"…" Gilbert had, in fact, but he didn't want to say so…didn't want to explain…
Oz stared at Gilbert, the latter of whom was fixated with a thread on his blanket, it seemed. "I see…" there was silence for a moment before Oz lifted a hand, brushing Gilbert's hair from his face and tucking a bit behind his ear. Only Oz could do such things, (well-Vincent could get away with it, but Gilbert didn't like it) "Do you remember? The first time?"
Gilbert nodded. "…Of course…thanks to you, my nightmares went away…" he murmured.
Oz blinked and then smiled softly, tilting his head. "And mine because of you, right?"
Gilbert felt silent. Oz had always said so, but he'd wondered…and he'd never had Oz coming to him for comfort from a nightmare, in fact, that thing which hurt him most of all…he'd suffered alone three days and pushed past it without Gilbert's help…and now…here was Oz, comforting him again. In fact, he had come specifically for Gilbert…just like before…
This time, it was Gilbert who reached his hand out and ruffled Oz's hair lightly, seeing the boy blink in surprise before smiling softly. It was because of Oz that the gesture meant something. Some might have thought that it was a patronizing gesture on his part, but in truth…it was something like their secret handshake. "It's okay, Oz…even when you were gone…you did so well, that I didn't have any night-"
"Don't finish that…because it'd be lying, and I don't ever want Gil to lie to me, alright?" Oz said, tilting his head with a cheery smile although his eyes were serious.
Gilbert started to protest before falling silent with a nod. It had been true, he didn't have nightmares. Not until Oz had been pulled into the Abyss, not until Gilbert had stained his hands with blood and sold his soul to the Abyss, so to speak. "It's still okay." he said softly. "You don't have to-"
A pillow was abruptly shoved into his face and he blinked, startled. "O-Oz." Gilbert's voice was muffled by the pillow before he pushed it away, brow furrowed as he gazed down at his young master who had now slipped under the covers beside him. "I promised, didn't I? That I'd chase your nightmares away. That I'd always come if there was a storm." He'd never said the word 'promise' or 'always' because at the time he didn't believe in absolutes…but it had become one, a promise from Oz to Gilbert, another facet of their bond.
There was a crackle of thunder and lightning outside, and Gilbert didn't jump or start to cry. Instead, his gaze simply softened as he stared down at his smiling young master beside him. "That you did…" he murmured. "Thanks for that, Oz."
"You chased mine away too, so it was even. No need to thank me." Oz drawled, which was his way of thanking Gilbert back, as they both knew. They were silent a moment, Gilbert staring at the pillow and Oz staring away before he grabbed the collar of Gilbert's shirt and jerked him down. Gilbert made a choked noise of surprise, before finding his head pulled against Oz's chest as the other held him, stroking his hair lightly.
Gilbert felt a lump form in his throat. How many times had he longed to be held like this again? To bury his face in his master's chest and cry, to let Oz comfort him as he fell asleep in the safety and warmth of the other's arms? Oz was so small now…his precious young master…things should have been different, maybe, but they weren't…Oz treated Gilbert as he always had (albeit with less torture, perhaps…he supposed it would be hard for Oz to dangle him from a tree now and similar things)
Gilbert let his eyes close as he laid his head against Oz's chest, his own arms slipping around Oz as he held the other back, pulling the other close as he took in that familiar safety, that warmth. Oz smiled softly as he let his head rest against Gilbert's lightly. "Night, Gil." Oz whispered as he let his eyes close.
"Good night, Oz." Gilbert said back softly, staring at the face that after ten years remained unchanged. The face of his precious young master. His to protect and cherish. Gilbert smiled softly as lightning crackled outside. Such things didn't frighten him anymore. Oz had chased his nightmares away.