Warnings: Spoilers for Chapters 49 and up, rated T for mild yaoi (rating may go up in the future...depends on where I decide to go with this) don't like, don't read xD

Disclaimer: I do not own Pandora Hearts or any of the wonderful characters, Jun Mochizuki does. *the first couple chapters follow along almost exactly with the manga- just want to get the story set straight before I go off and do whatever I please with these characters ^_^ *

AN: Underneath the chapter number and title is the point of view (Reo/Elliot) that the chapter is in.

1

Chance

Reo

It's dark.

Yes, it's always dark.

I don't want to see.

I never wanted to see…

I could hear the soft echo of boots clacking across the library floor. From the sound of it, the person was weaving in and out between bookshelves. I absentmindedly wondered what they were doing, but I was quickly swept back into the story on the page before me. I read, even though the words were blurred by the barrier of black hair that fell into my eyes. I tried to lose myself within those divine pages. The yellowing sheets provided solace and protection. They whispered gentle promises, assuring me that I would not have to see, not have to think, while I was buried amongst their thin pages. And so, although my vision betrayed me from time to time, I read on.

I waited patiently for the footsteps to recede; no one ever stayed in the library very long, I was the only permanent visitor. But to my surprise, the footsteps did not retreat and instead grew closer. I hunched against the bookcase behind me, hoping not to be noticed by the trespasser.

My plan did not work. I knew this as the footsteps stopped, and I could see the toes of black boots through the feathery fringe of my dark bangs.

I did not look up at the boots' owner, preferring to hide myself once more behind my book. I hoped the person would notice that he was intruding on my solitude and leave.

No such luck.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" said a voice from above me. The voice was masculine, though not deep, and the tone was one of surprise.

I sighed, realizing that the boy would probably not disappear any time soon. "Isn't it obvious?" I asked. I addressed the intruder, but my eyes never left the page in front of me.

There was a pause from the boy, and I wondered hopefully if he had departed. But no, I would have heard him leave.

"I'm Elliot Nightray!" the boy yelled at me.

Oh a noble, but what is he so upset about? I thought vaguely, what does it matter who he is? Even if this guy's nobility, he's the one interrupting my reading.

"So what?" I asked, still not looking up at the other boy, and I decided to just tell him why his presence was bothering me. "To be frank, you're disturbing me. Can't you see I'm reading?"

I heard an annoyed snort from the boy who stood above me. I ignored the response, and I turned the page of my book, taking extreme car not to rip the frail pages.

"Or maybe," I whispered with a soft sigh. "Just like the main character in this book, you're not going to leave me alone until I kneel down before you and kiss your feet?"

The boy didn't make a sound, and I eventually glanced up at him through my dark bangs. I licked my thumb and index fingers delicately before flipping to the next page of my book.

The boy looked like he was in shock. His light brown hair did not cover any portion of his face, so I could clearly see the blue eyes that stared down at me, wide with surprise.

"You're really a bore, you know?" I said, and I turned back to my book. The momentary spark of interest I had felt at the boy's silence had disappeared just as quickly as it had materialized.

The boy jumped at my words, and he seemed to have snapped out of his daze. His blue eyes turned dark with anger. "Can't you see I'm a noble!" he screamed at me.

He reached for my collar, looming threateningly over me. "Look at me asshole," he growled, and he searched my face, trying without success to capture my eyes with his own.

I could hear the sudden clatter of foot falls and the sharp bang of the library door swinging open as more people entered.

"What's going on Elliot!" came a shout from a couple bookcases over.

Elliot stiffened, obviously recognizing the voice, and he grabbed hold of my shoulder. "Shut up Ernest!" he shouted at the quickly approaching footsteps.

Just as Elliot was pulling me roughly to my feet, two Nightray nobles came sprinting down the isle. The closest one had soft brown hair the same color as Elliot's, and I saw in his face, too, a striking resemblance. The other noble, with hair even darker than mine, dashed quickly past the former and grabbed Elliot beneath his arms.

The dark haired man dragged Elliot forcefully away from me, a scowl on his face.

"Let go of me Claude!" Elliot bellowed at the man, and he struggled weakly against the hands that held him. "I can handle this myself, let go!"

The man hauled the wriggling young noble away.

"Hey, you!" Elliot yelled.

I lifted my eyes to watch him without moving my head. I smirked in mild amusement at the furious expression on the Nightray's face.

"Don't think this is over," Elliot growled before he was pulled from my line of sight.

The smirk slipped from my lips as I turned back to my book. For a moment I had been drawn out from behind my protective barrier of literature, and the thought that a childish Nightray had caused me to do so was appalling.

My fingers shook slightly as I turned the page.