I just felt the need to write a little OzxAlice fanfic for Valentine's Day this year. It's just something I put together really quickly so it's nowhere near my best work but I just wanted to get something out there for them this year. So enjoy it the best you can!
Disclaimer: I do not own Pandora Hearts :[
Bunnies And Chocolates
The warm sunlight that was blessing the small town and its people was a heavenly relief after the harsh Winter cold they had suffered previously.
The shopkeepers were out and the consumers passed by their stands and chattered and bought various things.
Amongst the din walked a peculiar pair notable for their size and clothing. Oz had suggested taking a stroll that day in celebration of the good weather and Alice had eagerly agreed to accompanying him since she had been shut indoors for the past several weeks do to snow and other harsh weather conditions. Gilbert had declined the journey due to a hangover of some sorts and had merely let them go off with a cautionary statement; the appearances of Chains had been dwindling for some reason recently, but that did not mean they could just let their guards down because the breeze was nice today.
"I'm so glad the Seaweed Head didn't come along." Alice mumbled to herself. "He's always so pushy and mopy."
"Oh come on, Alice," Oz scolded gently. "Give him some credit. I'm sure he has his reasons. Although it's true he has been rather boring as of late…" The blonde boy trailed off to himself as he realized his companion was somewhat correct. Alice smirked in triumph in knowing that she was right, but kept her smugness to herself.
As they walked along through the throng of people, most of the adults that were bustling around the shopping district gradually began to turn into the younger faces of teenagers and married couples. There were notably more lounging around than usual which automatically made Alice curious. They were all snuggling together or sharing some form of meal; some had small pink boxes in their laps while most of the girls wore flowers in their hair.
"Oz, what's going on?" the B-Rabbit turned her indigo eyes to him, puzzlement flashing in them. "Somehow it seems suspicious to me that all the same age group of people are hanging around together in the same area." The she halted, her shoulders stiffening. "What if there's something controlling them that's making them all gather here? Like a Chain or-"
"Whoa, whoa, Alice!" Oz threw his hands up in front of him to slow down her questions. "Calm down, it's nothing like that. You worry too much." He chuckled, ruffling her hair affectionately and she dodged away from him. "I almost forgot about it, but today must be Valentine's Day!" he stated with a smile.
"…Huh?" Alice stared at him as though he was speaking another language.
"Let me explain," he offered and she slowly began following him again as he explained. "Valentine's Day is a day for couples and lovers to remind each other how much the care for each other." Then he stopped walking and waved Alice over to him and pointed. "See that?" he asked, pointing to another pink box that a boy and a girl were reaching into and smiling over. "Those boxes have chocolate in them and couples usually share them and eat them together today. Sometimes they'll give jewelry or toys or other things like flowers but chocolates are popular around here because a lot of the shops will sell them but they'll only be on sale today." He completed his discourse in satisfaction and turned to his companion. But still the girl was looking at the couple before them as though she were trying to decipher hieroglyphs.
"Does chocolate taste good?" She finally decided to wonder.
"Yeah! It's great. Come to think of it, you haven't had it before, have you?" the boy recalled.
"Is it like meat?" she asked excitedly.
"Ah, well…not really." Oz mumbled. "It's sweeter and it somehow just makes you happy."
"Sweet?" Alice repeated. "Hm." Then her expression turned to one of deep interest. "Do you like it, Oz?"
"Sure! I love it!" he grinned. "Alright come on now, let's keep going. We still have a little ways to go before we get back home."
He reached sideways to grab her hand and began walking back down the stretch of sidewalk toward Gil's house.
When the two of them returned home, Oz found Gil asleep in his room with a hangover and sighed deeply.
"Guess I'll make us some dinner." He whispered to his female companion who snorted at the older man's laziness.
"Alright. I'm gonna go get some fresh air then." She announced before dashing off to the door again. Oz stared after her in puzzlement. But didn't we just get back from the shopping district? He wondered. She's so cute. He chuckled as he went off into the kitchen.
"Oh and don't make too much for dinner Oz!" she called over her shoulder before disappearing.
"What?" the boy's jaw dropped in astonishment. Okay she's definitely sick or something… "But okay…" he finished his thoughts aloud as he reached for the cupboards. He reheated some of the previous night's leftover soup and within a few moments it was finished.
Trotting over to the door he called out for Alice but there was no reply. "Alice?" he repeated, louder. Where did she run off to? He stepped outside and looked in all directions but saw no sign of his partner. He was about to head back into the house and wake Gil to inform him of the situation when he finally spotted her racing across the yard. Grinning with relief he ran to meet her. "Alice! Where did you go?" he asked curiously. "There wasn't any trouble was there?"
"No, n-nothing like that." She said dismissively. "I just wanted to see the shopping district again."
"I see." His emerald eyes slid down to where her hands were covering her stomach to one side. "Are you okay?" he moved closer to her but she quickly jumped back.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just really hungry. Let's go back." She took off at a march that suggested she was anticipating something, but her emotions were beyond Oz as he followed her lead more slowly into the house again.
"Well you can take however much you want." The boy said, motioning to the pot of soup as he poured some for himself and took a seat at the table.
"In a minute." She mumbled. "I'll be right back." And with that, she dashed off down the hallway.
What is up with her today? The blonde boy began sipping his soup alone, the sun slanting through the little window in the kitchen. When Alice returned, she looked like a kid who had broken a vase and hidden the pieces.
"Well come on," Oz urged her. "Eat."
"I'm not hungry." She stated, still standing there stiffly.
"Eh? But you just said-"
"It doesn't matter! Just hurry up and finish!" she ordered in her usual 'you-are-my-manservant' voice.
Oz flapped his lips like a fish out of water before sighing again and continuing his meal. All the while, Alice stood in the doorway watching him, partially in impatience, partially in nervousness until he finally finished and placed his bowl in the sink. When he turned back to Alice, they stared at each other for a short moment before the girl clarified, "Are you done?"
"Yes?" He responded as though this were some sort of test.
"Good! Then follow me!" her face lit up as she grabbed onto his arm and pulled him down the hallway to her room, but before they reached the door, he stopped her.
"Wait!"
"What?" she groaned, frustrated.
"Come with me first." And without waiting for her assumedly negative reply, he took her arm and reversed the pull, taking her the other way; she followed like a dumbfounded puppet.
"Here, here!" Oz chirped, now the excitement that had been wafting off of Alice before was converted into his own. The boy let go of the girl's arm as he went to his dresser and opened the top drawer. "Um…well…" now that he was here, he realized just how awkward this could be. "Remember what I told you before? About what today was?"
"Yes." She blinked. "That word with the 'V', right?"
"Yeah. Valentine's Day. That's today." He went on slowly. "And, you know how I said people would give their…um…friends certain gifts?"
"Y…Yeah?" she followed his hands with her gaze as they pulled out from the dresser, holding something.
"Well…this is for you. From me." He said bashfully, extending his arms to present her with his gift.
A small black plush rabbit sat in his palms, holding a tiny red heart in its paws.
"What?" she blurted out. "F-For me?" she stared at the animal. "But why?"
"Well because we're…" he bowed his head, concealing his blush. "Partners. Friends."
"T…Thanks." Alice gently took the little bunny from his hands, holding it in her own as though it was as precious to her as one of her lost memories.
"Sure thing." Oz replied back with a smile.
Alice cradled the stuffed animal in her arms, her eyes curious as to exactly what it was as she ran her fingers over the soft material. Then, she seemed to remember her earlier zeal.
"Oh! Now you have to come with me!" she remembered.
In one hand, she grasped her gift and with the other she latched onto his wrist and ran back down the hallway with him to arrive at their previous destination. Alice slowly walked into her room this time and took something from off of her bed.
"This-This is for you." She stammered all too quickly, so much so that it was cute.
She held out to him a red box tied with a ribbon. Oz felt warmth welling up inside of him as he took it from her with a smile. "It's for that…day you just said it was." She mumbled, her eyes glued to the floor. "You said you liked chocolates."
"Thanks, Alice." He said softly. "Really, thanks."
"...You too." She blushed, hugging the rabbit to her chest.
"Come on. Let's eat them together." Oz took her hand and puller her to the bed and they both sat down. Oz crossed his legs as he opened the box and Alice kneeled beside him, glancing cautiously over his shoulder. He picked one out for himself and nodded to her to do the same. Tentatively, Alive popped one into her mouth and her eyes immediately widened.
"They're almost like those cookies you ate when you first came to the Abyss!" she recalled happily.
"You're right!" he laughed.
They ate in silence for a few more moments before Alice stopped and looked over at him.
"Hey Oz? Are we a couple?" she asked innocently.
Oz nearly choked on his chocolate.
"W-What?" he wheezed.
"Before you said couples give each other these things today, right?"
"Oh well…yeah but…hm…" he trailed off, his mind racing to find an answer for her. Well, she doesn't really even know what a couple is, does she. "So then yeah. I guess we are." He said cautiously.
"Oh. I see." She nodded once with a small, oblivious smile, the bunny unconsciously squeezed in her arms. "Thanks for this, Oz."
"No problem. You too." He reflected her smile.
Their eyes locked briefly in a stare before Oz hopped off her bed and wished her a good night before slowly leaving.
Unbeknownst to him, Alice spread out on her bed after he left and kissed the little black rabbit on the head before closing her eyes.
On his way back to his room, Oz's thoughts were buzzing like a beehive in his head, but he finally cleared them with a simple thought:
I guess…we could be a couple…right?
A/N: What do you think? I think so! ^^ Thanks for reading! Sorry it was so quick and OOC but :P
~Happy Valentine's Day!~
Please review!
