I DO NOT OWN PANDORA HEARTS!

I'm hoping that the characters aren't out of character when I write this, as this is my first time writing them. Also, sorry if any information is incorrect in this whether it be character-wise (in which case correct me) or real life wise (in which case also correct me). Also, anything on my grammar is appreciated.

I hope you enjoy~

It isn't accurate to say I had always known what Oz was truly like. In fact, even when I had tried to comfort him when he was the youngest junior in my class, I hadn't known how bad off he was.

I was a psychology professor, just graduated with the necessary degrees, around 24 years in age. Oz Vessalius was a bright and cheery seeming 15 year old junior turning 16.

Every class, the young ray of sunshine would step into my class room and beam over at me from his desk which he had chosen to be right next to my orderly desk.

"Good afternoon, Gil~. How was your lunch?"
"Oz, you know you're supposed to call me Mister or Professor Nightray."
"But, Gil, you and I are good pals, aren't we?" he often would batt his eyes in feigned innocence.
"We're a student and a teacher who are familiar with each other but not pals. You know that."
"Professor Nightray is no fun~." He then would giggle and begin to doodle on a sheet of notebook paper.

Once I asked him about the person he would often doodle, a young girl.

"Wha? Oh, this is Alice."
"Alice?"
"Yeah, she's my friend," he had grinned.
"Ah, that's nice..." I then trailed off absentmindedly, becoming absorbed in my work.

Preferring to stick to lesser used halls and to my own classroom, I had never really seen Oz that much outside of class. So when I actually did see him, I shrugged off the fact that, despite his bright personality, he was almost always alone.

But in retrospect, perhaps the main reason I avoided becoming too concerned was because I was aware of my developing affections for the teenage boy.

I wasn't sure when those feelings had taken root in me, but I knew that I couldn't allow them to become known. I was 9 years older than him, for starters. He was also a minor. If the developing affections were to become known, they would endanger my job as well as my reputation. Oh, and it certainly wasn't helping that we were both male.

I wasn't prepared in the slightest for him to see right through me.

Ding.

"Don't forget your essays are due Wednesday of next week," I managed to say last minute as I sidestepped the eagerly escaping students. Taking my time, I straightened up my class room. After the clamor in the halls had quieted, I slipped out, leaving my classroom unlocked. People usually didn't go into my classroom unless school work demanded it of them.

However, when I returned to my classroom, I was surprised to see Oz perched on the edge of my desk.

"Oz?"
"Gil~!" he beamed.
I sighed, "Will no amount of correcting you work?"
"Nope~!"
"As I thought," I sat in my chair and he pulled a chair over next to me. Trying my best to ignore his proximity, I finally managed to say, "So why are you here..? Lunch doesn't end for another 45 minutes."
"Gil...What do you think love is?"
"W-what brought this up a-all of the s-sudden..?"
"It's what I came here for. I was curious," he shrugged.
"A-ah...Well...when you love someone, you enjoy their company, you like their presence, and you want to protect them. Only to a greater extent that friendship."
"Hmm..."
I hesitated before saying next, "Why ask me? After all, couldn't your mother or father give you an-"

I then cut myself off.

A strange, hollow look had come into his emerald green eyes.

It didn't suit him. And it worried me.

I was scared to speak again and end up hurting him more, somehow. That, in turn, frustrated me.

There was an ever so slightly hoarse quality to his usually bright voice when Oz finally spoke. "My mother is dead...And my father...he...I don't wanna say..."

He was hugging his knees close, as if attempting to desperately hold himself together since no one else would. I ignored my common sense and gave into my emotions, hugging him tightly.

"P-Professor..?" he squeaked out in surprise.
"Call me 'Gil' as much as you please. I'm here to talk to..."

'Just be okay...' hung silently in the air hovering like a guardian angel.

"Gil...Do you...love me?"

And so, Oz Vessalius had found out about my feelings for him. But he also knew that I was adamant about not letting anyone else know.

And for some reason...he wasn't disturbed. In fact, he accepted it and thought it was sweet of me. He also said it was fine because he already liked someone else.

Alice.

How jealous I felt to know what another had the affections of my Oz. But...I was also relieved. I knew it would never work between Oz and I. We had so many things against us it gave me a headache to think about. Hell, I had a better chance getting together with Xerxes Break, my old college roommate.

But, none of that really mattered.

Because the next week, Oz Vessalius went missing.

Dun dun DUUUUUN! -shotdead-

I like cliffhangers when I write but hate them when I read. But cliffhangers are nice cause them people nag you to finish stuff.

Feedback please? :3

Until next time~~~