Raven was never one to cry. He was never the sort of person to show his emotions. Gilbert, though, had never hesitated to break down and cry...
Raven grumbled, pulling various shirts and trousers from the drawer in an attempt to find his other white glove. He had already put the other one on, and was now in a desperate search for the matching right glove which hadn't been where Raven thought he had put it the night before.
So there he was, frantically hunting through his room for that matching piece of fabric that covered his right hand. He threw another piece of clothing onto the floor, frowning as he realised he was reaching the bottom of the drawer. Raven rolled his eyes and continued going through the clothes, stopping when he came across a small shirt.
He pulled it out, unfolding the white garment and holding it out in front of him. It was quite plain, apart from a few golden trimmings on the collar and cuffs, and seemed to be at least half of his shirt size, although 9 years before, it probably would have been just a bit too big for him. It would have been a perfect fit for-
Raven's eyes widened. This couldn't be...Oz's, could it? He thought back, memories flooding into his mind. He memorized the morning of the Coming of Age Ceremony, when Oz, Ada, and himself - no, Gilbert – had explored the old mansion. And then he remembered, that was the exact shirt his Master had worn that morning. And here he was now, after 9 years without having Oz by his side, without hearing his voice, without seeing his smile. Without having anything that reminded him of Oz, his precious Master.
And now...
He held the shirt close, taking in the scent that was only Oz.
Raven felt his legs give way beneath him and he fell to his knees, still clutching the shirt to his chest, his breathing becoming jerky from the lump in his throat. He swallowed, blinking to stop the tears in his eyes from running over.
"Gil!"
Then Rav- Gilbert broke down completely. He sobbed, the tears running down his cheeks, dripping onto the shirt and his trousers. He covered his mouth with his gloved hand, the other gripping onto the white material shakily. His whole body shook, and the tears wouldn't stop. Gilbert leaned forward, his black hair falling in front of his face, and wept.
It had been 9 years. 9 long years. But that smile still shone above everything else.
"Oz..."