Every once in a while, I lose my will to write, and it takes a special fandom to get me back into the swing of things. This time around, it's Pandora Hearts. I've been a fan of the series since 2010 but rewatching the series on Hulu has rekindled not only my will to write, but also my burning love for one Gilbert Nightray. I love this man so much it's not even funny. Soo I decided to write about his cute self, and explore a seemingly neglected aspect of this fandom and that's his time with the Nightray family. I Am absolutely fascinated with this period of Gil's life, Vincent too so expect a flood of Gilbert angst, Nightray family interactions ( and bashing mostly directed at Fred, Ernest and Claude because I hate them) and Vince and Gil brotherly fluff.
Warning: Excessive gushing about Vince and Gil. This fic is my excuse to go on about ho good-looking Gil and Vince are. I hope I'm not too excessive with it.
There was no denying that the two adopted Nightray brothers where lovely.
At Galas, events, even the occasional tea party, guests would spend hours gushing over how beautiful they were, how handsome they would grow to be. Women would coo over them, young girls would trail after them wherever they went, even some of the men would stop and stare in awe at their angelic faces.
Indeed, they were a pretty set. Alone, they were impressive, but together they had a devastating effect. Despite their young age, proposals where practically thrown at the Nightray door, lords and ladies wanting to set their daughters up with the brothers, eager to secure their genes.
Yes. The two adopted Nightray brothers were beautiful. More beautiful than their adopted siblings combined, and Claude hated them for it.
His lips would curl whenever he heard the coos of the women and the astonished remarks of the men.
"Those boys are gonna be heartbreakers when they grow up."
"Wherever did you find those lovely boys Lord Nightray, and where can I get me a set?"
"I have a daughter about the same age as the elder brother. Perhaps we can arrange a meeting."
"With those looks, it certainly is clear those two were adopted."
The last one was not meant to be heard, whispered in a shadowed corner at a gala among some catty women Claude did not even bother to find out the names of.
Yet, it had been that offhanded comment that had stung the most.
Bad enough the two sewer rats had the audacity to exist, to interact with them even though they were commoner filth, to sleep on custom Nightray silk bedding, to eat gourmet food too good for their dirty mouths, but to outshine him and his siblings, to brazenly flaunt their looks, as if they were better ?
It made Claude itch to wrap his hands around their slender throats.
It wasn't fair.
The silky sway of Gilbert's hair, how it perfectly framed his striking golden eyes .The elegant curve of Vincent's neck, his slender shoulders. The fullness of their lips. Their perfectly proportioned faces. Their sweet enchanting voices. It was all to taunt him. To remind him that despite his superior breeding compared to their beauty, he was less than impressive.
Indeed, every time Claude would compare, he and his real siblings would come up short. The richness of Gilbert's raven hair made Claude's own look an ugly, faded, gray, to say nothing of Vincent's golden locks, which shined like the morning sun making Ernest's seem like straw. A small curve of Gilbert's lips outshone Fred' best smile. Vincent's most mocking laugh sounded like the twinkling of bells compared to Vanessa's daintiest giggle. Just their presence in a room was enough to overshadow even the natural adorableness that came with Elliot's youth.
It wasn't fair.
He tried to mar their pristine faces, to drag them down to the level they deserved, but nothing he or his brothers did worked.
Split lips colored them a fetching red, black eyes brought out their golden shine, and bruises always faded soon after they were inflicted leaving pale perfect skin.
Claude could not even find enjoyment from causing them misery. Vincent never let his emotions show and Gilbert, the wretch, was even beautiful when he cried. The tears that would fall from his eyes so prettily, the flush of blood to his cheeks coloring them a rosy pink would seek to remind Claude that even when he held all the power in the world over those fragile frames, he was still inferior.
It wasn't fair.
Broken or bruised, quiet and listless, miserable, ostracized, hated, ignored, and abused, no matter the circumstances Gilbert and Vincent Nightray gleamed brightly in the perpetual darkness that surrounded the Nightray family.
Yes. The two adopted Nightray brothers were beautiful. More beautiful than their adopted siblings combined, and Claude hated them for it.
Because it just wasn't fair.
End. Whew 2 pages of descriptions on how good-looking Vince and Gil are. What can I say? My babies are beauties.' Since their looks are brought up a bunch of times over the course of the manga and anime, and Claude is shown increasing jealous that Gil could make a contract with Raven, a comparison fic from Claude PoV seemed kinda obvious to write.
P.S. I think Elliot is super cute . I hope no one thinks I was implying that he's ugly or plain.