Oz's thoughts before rejecting Alice. It's his POV, obviously.
Italicized words are his thoughts.
:(
._.
"OZ!"
Alice is calling for me.
"Stop making such a weird face, you idiot!"
I'm an idiot.
Yeah, I guess I am, for making you suffer like this. You, who latched onto me a hundred years ago, have been trying to protect me ever since.
You failed, Alice.
I hurt someone, Alice. You didn't want me to destroy anything anymore, but… you failed. It's all my fault you ended up like that. It's my fault you died the first time, and it's my fault that you have to leave.
I don't want you to be hurt anymore because of me.
"Oz…"
All this time, Alice, you were so strong. You protected me at your own expense, you clung onto me when I was suffering, and you never let go. You didn't give up on me.
"Alice," I whisper through my own tears.
Your eyes widen and you're unable to believe what you hear.
"You… can't stay with me anymore…"
I don't know how you managed to do what you did, and I won't ask either. I know that you did it for me. You did it to protect me.
Now…
Just for once, I want to be the one to protect you.
"Why?" you scream.
Staying by my side will bring you nothing but pain. So even if all I can do is watch you leave, I don't mind. I do it because I don't want to hurt you.
"No!"
I'm sorry, Alice.
"Oz…"
But hey, just because I say goodbye for now… that doesn't mean we can't meet again some day.
Just because you leave, that doesn't mean you won't come back…
Because you, Alice, are strong.
You're strong, determined, and you…
"O-!"
You disperse into golden lights that make my dark world bright for one last time. You're gone, but I tell myself it's for the best.
… you are one hell of a ghost, Alice.
If you want to meet again one day, we will.
But for now…
Things are back to the way they should be.
._.
:(
I read retrace 76.
I feel horrible ;_;
This is the first in a long time that I've written angst, so I hope this is okay.