Disclaimer: Pandora Hearts is not mine. It's Mochizuki Jun's. It's only for fun, and I don't win any money with it.

I would like to say, that this story is inspired by The Lady with the Dog, from Anton Chejov. I don't know if there are any similarities in the things that happen. (Maybe yes...) but, I wouldn't like if people thought that this story is a copy of the other, because it isn't, nor it is meant to be. I just took some ideas, and managed to make my own plot. Anyway, I really hope you enjoy this, and check out the other story if you want. Reviews are welcome. Please enjoy the story.

Ah, Oz may seem a bit possesive and OOC sometimes, but it isn't accidentally. It's on purpose. Still, I'll try to write as IC as possible.

It was a hot day. It was still early spring, but it sure felt like summer. The sun was shining brightly. There were no clouds in the sky, and it was a beautiful blue. The streets were full of people who also wanted to enjoy the brightness. The old looking buildings caused shadows that gave a refreshed feeling. The sound of a near fountain, the people talking, the merchants shouting and talking about their products, it all gave the place a nice feeling.

Gilbert was walking down the street, trying to ignore all those people. He walked with his hands buried in his pockets. He wasn't as young as he could be. He had turned 26 almost a year ago, so he would be 27 soon. It was time for him to settle down, his brother always said, but that was impossible for Gilbert. He was really handsome, and his loyalty and good looks made many girls fall for him, but he just ignored that kind of feelings. He wasn't used to that. He was once in a relationship, when he was younger, and the result of a rupture and a heartbreak made him swear to stay away from girls. He felt sad when the girls left, heartbroken, but he always said, it would be better for them.

Another thing his brother used to comment, were his manners. He suggested that he should take part in their adoptive family's business. Gilbert didn't like that…He just wanted to stay away from money. Since he was a kid, his job had been looking over other, stronger people, assuring they were okay. He wasn't fit for being a leader; he was the submissive one. The servant. The follower. That was it. And yet, twelve years later, he was the same. He didn't want much money; he had everything necessary for living. His job wasn't the best in the world, but it wasn't the worst, and that was what Gilbert needed. His brother, on the contrary, had actually taken over the big company. He had decided to live a wealthy life, full of good things.

While walking down the streets he looked at his reflection in one of the display windows. His golden, sad looking eyes pierced his figure. He had black raven hair, long, and sort of wavy, and since it was a hot day, it was tied back in a small pigtail, with a blue ribbon. He was tall, and was wearing a black coat, with jeans and a white shirt: never too formal when he wasn't on business.

He was on holiday, he had longed for one for long. He had told his boss he was going to stop working for a while, and just went to that city, near the Mediterranean Sea, far away from his home.

Gilbert sighed as he continued walking. He was tired, tired of thinking.

"Why the hell am I thinking about this? I am on holiday, so shouldn't I stop thinking?" He asked himself.

He had left the busy street and gotten into a quieter one. Suddenly, someone collided with him. Gilbert almost fell to the ground, but managed to stay standing. He glanced at the person who was in front of him. It was a young boy, he was blonde, and had green eyes. He quickly ran away, probably running behind something or someone. Gilbert turned his head, watching as the boy ran away, and laughed. Then he continued walking around the streets he was going to see for almost a month.

Afterwards, he tried to change his attitude. He tried to seem cheerier, and smiled. He looked at every shop he saw, but he didn't buy anything. He never bought anything, unless he really needed it. He was really tired of walking, and a bit hungry. He looked at clock that was placed in the wall, and saw it was already 2 PM, so he decided to eat somewhere.

He went to the first restaurant he saw. It was near a garden. The trees gave it a refreshing feeling. He sat at a table in the terrace, and waited for the waiter to come. He looked around, and saw the boy from earlier in the next table.

He smiled and ordered something to eat. He ate quickly and paid. While he was waiting for the waiter to give him the change, the boy came to his table to talk to him.

"Sir! I'm sorry, but I need help." The boy said.

"I'm sorry…I don't have much money, you see." Gilbert excused himself, thinking he was begging for money, but he regretted it. Just by looking at his clothes, and at his accent, Gilbert could identify that the boy came from a very wealthy family.

"No, I'm not asking for money. You see…I have a rabbit. It's not mine; it's my friend's. And it got lost…and if I don't have it, then she'll kill me without doubt. I already asked everyone, but they don't want to help." The boy said.

Gilbert just looked blankly at him.

'It would be fun walking around, wouldn't it?' He thought.

"Well…wait some minutes, and then I'll help you, okay?" He said.

"Yes! I'm going to wait here." The boy said.

Gilbert stood up and went inside. There, the waiter returned the money. He then walked to his table and told the boy to stand up. Together, they went out of the terrace, and went to the garden.

"Tell me about that rabbit. What does it look like?" Gilbert asked, looking forward to help the boy.

"Well…it's black. Pitch black, like your hair. It has a white ribbon tied around the neck, and a red one tied around his left ear." The boy explained.

"Where did it run to?"

"Well…I was sitting there, and suddenly it ran to you, but you didn't notice it. Afterwards it ran to this garden, I think." The blonde said.

"Well…let's look for it. Let's go to the orchard first. Maybe it will be eating some carrots." Gilbert suggested.

"Thanks…sir…." The boy said.

"Gilbert. Just call me Gilbert. Not sir or anything." He said.

"Okay, you also don't look old enough to be called sir. I'm Oz, by the way. Oz Vesalius." Oz said.

Vesalius. That was the name of one of the wealthiest families in the business Gil's adoptive family was in.

"How old are you, Gilbert?" Oz asked.

"I'm 26 right now, but soon I'll turn 27." He answered.

"Oh…" He looked disappointed. "I'm 18, but I'm going to turn 19 soon."

Gil noticed a black thing moving. He ran towards it, leaving Oz behind, and tried to catch it, succeeding in it. It was a rabbit. He gave it to Oz.

"Is this the rabbit you were talking about?" He asked.

"Yes! That's it! Thanks Gilbert!" He exclaimed, suddenly hugging him.

Gilbert wasn't used to that sort of contact. He was actually distant when talking to other people: the less contact, the better. That was why he was actually surprised. More when he thought about where the boy came from.

"Well…what are you doing here?" Gil asked.

"Oh, I'm a student, but I'm on holiday here. I'm alone, you see. My friend, well, better said, my step-sister, stayed at home." Oz said. "And you?"

"I needed some vacation. I'm staying a whole month, so I can relax." Gil said.

"Oh, then, maybe we can meet some other time." Oz suggested. "Where are you staying?"

"Oh… I don't know the name." He lied. It wasn't that he didn't want the blonde to visit him. It was that he was scared that someone saw them more than once together, and then saw Oz going to his hotel. He was afraid of what people would say. "But I'm sure we'll meet on the streets somewhere."

"Yes, you're right! I'm staying in the hotel near the beach." Oz said.

'The luxurious hotel.' Gilbert thought.

"But, most part of the day, I'm not there. I usually wander around the streets." He said.

"Nice." Gilbert said. "Anyway, I have to go back to my hotel. Goodbye."

He left as quickly as he could. He feared that it would become a personal conversation. That was the thing he feared most. Talking about him, about his past, his life…that sort of thing. That was so stupid. He hated it. His brother was right: he wasn't the most sociable person in the world. The only people he talked to, were his boss, a creepy man that went by the name Xerxes Break, his colleagues, Sharon, Reim, and the others; his brother Vincent, and if it could be called a conversation, sometimes he talked to Vincent's servant, Echo. That's why, he was afraid of the young boy. He was afraid that he would open himself way to Gilbert's heart. That's why he decided to stop the conversation at that point. Better if he never met that boy again.

He walked to the hotel, without noticing that a certain person was following him. A boy that wanted to be Gil's friend. A boy that wanted to discover the person Gil was. That kind Gil, behind his mask of coldness and distance. Oz was sure that there existed a kind creature, in Gil's heart, because he was the only one who had taken time to help him. To help a stranger he didn't even know, a stranger he would probably never see again. And it wasn't because he had noticed his wealthy status: He had wondered if Oz was asking for money. Gil had helped him, because he only wanted to.

Oz memorized the name of the hotel, the street, the borough, and went back home.