It was already about 5 pm when Gil had gotten up and headed to his hiding place, checking the box of chocolates he'd delicately wrapped in red paper. Seeing as they had somehow survived Break's clutches and the day would be coming to an end soon he decided it was about time that he get his plan going; no more stalling.
That's what he told himself as he grabbed the box and turned to walk up the stairs and to Oz's room where he would ask the boy to go outside with him and-

knock knock

Gilbert stopped, frowning. Who could it possibly be that didn't already have a key of his or her own? He sighed and stuck the chocolate in one of his large pockets, walking over to the door and swinging it open with reluctance. The face he was met with only deepened his confusion.

"Elliot?" Gilbert hadn't meant to sound rude but he also couldn't help blurting out his surprise. Why would his little (adoptive) brother be here of all places when he was always packed with stacks of paperwork to do as the legitimate heir of Nightray. The brunette boy looked unamused, bored even, he stood there with his arms crossed, sword strapped tightly to his waist and his hair as messy as usual.

"Yea, Nightray, I thought we'd already met." Elliot replied, rolling his eyes. Gilbert vaguely wondered if he was in a worse mood then usual, and if that was so, it was only more reason for him to steer clear of the Reinsworth's altogether. Surely Elliot knew Oz would be nosy and stick around which would only lead to the two heirs arguing the entire time. It was because of these thoughts that his mind decided it simply couldn't keep up when Elliot spoke again. "Is Oz around?"

Gilbert hadn't meant to splutter, or the stammer that found its way into his next reply.

"O-Oz? What do you want Oz for?" Gil's eyebrows were furrowed in confusion, desperately trying to comprehend the situation. Here was Elliot, who'd popped out of nowhere and seemed to be completely alone, not even Reo was with him, asking for Oz who'd been acting strange all day. Gil really couldn't keep up with teens anymore. He opened his mouth to question further but Elliot cut him off.

"He borrowed a book from me. He's here then, right?" Elliot said simply as he slipped past Gilbert and headed directly for the stairs. Gilbert quickly shut the door and followed him, speaking quickly in an attempt to stop his younger brother.

"Wait wait! If it's a book I'll get it, Oz is probably busy or something!" Under normal circumstances Gilbert didn't mind Elliot and Oz getting along, in fact, he welcomed it. But right now the brunette boy was cutting into precious time that Gil had to confess his feelings and he couldn't have that.

"He'll be fine." Elliot growled, making it obvious he was growing impatient with his older brother.
Before Gilbert could say anything else though the devil himself appeared before them, straightening his cute red tie.

"Ah! Elliot!" Oz exclaimed, smiling widely as he always does when Elliot shows up. "What are you doing here? I was just about to go to the Nightray's to... return your book." The blond finished, glancing at Gilbert as he spoke carefully.

Both Elliot and Gilbert raised an eyebrow at this. Oz knew he wasn't meant to visit Elliot at his home directly, he'd be in disastrous amounts of trouble. Even if Elliot had accepted the boy as a friend, that didn't mean the rest of the Nightrays would be so grateful about having a Bezarius boy burst into their home. Gilbert swallowed, just what kind of book had Elliot lent Oz?

"... I'll go get it so you can leave soon." Gil muttered, intending to turn around in the direction of the library. It wasn't until Oz spoke up that it dawned on him that he hadn't even known what book it was in the first place.

"It's okay Gil, I'll get it." He said with a smile. "Why don't you come too Elliot? There are some parts I wanted to ask you about." The blond said, looking at the brunette. He smiled sweetly as he did with everyone but Gil missed the spark in Oz's eyes as he spoke.

"Again? Alright..." Elliot muttered, though he didn't actually seem displeased as he held Oz's gaze before following him towards the library, leaving a very confused Gilbert all to his own.

...

"Ah, Sharon, where's Elliot?" Gil asked the strawberry blond. A few hours had already passed and the sky was beginning to darken slowly. Gil had been forced to leave Elliot and Oz on their own after awhile, feeling incredibly uncomfortable. Instead he'd spent the time hanging out with Alice who seemed to be in an especially good mood because she grinned more often and didn't say as many sarcastic remarks. Gilbert wouldn't openly admit it but he was enjoying his time with the girl, which was how he ended up losing track of time so bad.

"Oh, he left about an hour ago, why?" Sharon asked, glancing at Gil but quickly lowering her gaze back down to one of her romance bibles.

"Oh. Nothing, just wondering." Gil said quickly, but before Sharon could even respond the black-haired man had turned around, pulling the box out of his pocket and bolting towards Oz's room. It was now or never. He knocked three times and peeked in when he didn't get an answer but Oz wasn't there. Gil figured he must still be at the library, trying to analyze whatever he and Elliot had been discussing the entire time. So he walked, practically ran, there and stopped outside the entrance.

He took a deep breath and pushed the door open silently. He stepped into the large library and began walking along it, peeking at each aisle to see if Oz was in it, looking over some book. Gilbert froze and nearly dropped the box when he did find him.

He'd missed the glances, he'd miss the unnecessary pats and touches, he'd missed the secretive tones. But he could not miss this, no matter how oblivious he was.

Elliot had not left, he was standing a few feet away from where Gil stood, and he had Oz pressed against a shelf who in turn had wrapped his arms around Elliot's neck to make up for their height difference and to make it easier for them to resume the kiss they were sharing. Neither of them had seen Gil yet, both too preoccupied with the other to even spare a glance in his direction. Gil wanted to throw up, to yell, to say something or at least just to get the hell away from there but his feet seemed glued to the ground as he watched with wide golden eyes as his younger brother claimed his best friend's lips again.

It was a soft moan that was unmistakeably Oz's that shocked Gilbert back into reality. The older man squeezed his eyes shut and left the library as fast as he could. He was sure that neither of them had even noticed. Gil clenched his fists as he ran. So that was why Alice and Gil had to be out, that was why Oz was hiding chocolates, that was why he'd been blushing so much all day over the idea of it being Valentine's. That was Oz's secret, someone had already claimed him. The raven squeezed against involuntary tears. Had it been anyone else Gil would have shoved them off, challenged them even, fought for Oz's love like in one of the books he used to read to Ada.

But this was Elliot. The cute little tsundere boy that he'd watched grow up. The little kid that he'd grown attached to and read to every other night, his younger brother who dreamed of knights and adventure and who'd challenged Xerxes Break himself to a sword battle. How could he get in the way of the happiness of two of the people he loved most?

He ran faster, not knowing where he was going but just having to go. He ran past Break, who only spared him a knowing glance, Gil wouldn't have been surprised if he'd already predicted everything that happened that bastard. He ran past nosy servants and maids, he ran past Sharon who only squeaked and he ran past Alice. In the back of his mind Gilbert had expected her to roll her eyes and continue walking, what he didn't expect was that she would turn around immediately and catch his wrist in her hand.

"Seaweed Head...?" Alice asked, it wasn't really a question, more of a self-doubt she was voicing out loud as she tightened her grip around him. Gil wasn't looking at her but he could practically hear the frown she was probably wearing, confused, concerned, attempting to understand what was happening because of course, Alice was not the sharpest knife in the kitchen. Gilbert closed his eyes again and he considered pulling away from her and running aimlessly again but he eventually decided against it, sighing and turning to look at her.

"Alice... Oz... Oz is..." Gilbert tried to speak but he hated the crack in his voice as he looked at her. She seemed surprised for a second, before she seemed to realize what had happened.

"Oh." She said as if showing she understood, her violet eyes softened and she forced a smile at him. "I know. I've known for awhile." Alice said gently, her eyes calculating as she watched Gil carefully.

"You knew...? Why, then why didn't he tell me too?!" Gil demanded, turning towards her and gripping her shoulders tightly. She didn't even flinch as she returned his gaze, saying simply.

"He was afraid of how you'd react." She paused before continuing. "I think he only told me because he had to talk to someone about it." Alice finished, putting a hand on Gil's in an attempt to calm him down. Gil stared at her for a few seconds before releasing her shoulders from his grip, his own shoulders slumping as he admitted defeat.

"I just... It's cruel..." His back found the wall and he slid down, putting his head in his hands. "I'm suffering again." A sad smile found its way onto Gil's face. "And it's all because of Oz again..."

Alice didn't say anything for awhile, Gilbert guessed she was trying to be respectful.

"Here. You almost made me drop it earlier." Alice said, gently tossing a small box onto his lap. Gil removed his hands from his face and looked at it. It seemed about the size of a teacup and it was wrapped in blue paper. He vaguely wondered what it could be, Alice wasn't one to hand out presents randomly. Then it dawned on him.

"Really? Who wraps Valentine's gifts in blue, Stupid Rabbit?" Gil asked half-heartedly, reaching out and taking the small box.

"Blue is your favorite color right? I remember you mentioning that before. " She muttered. Gil looked at her in shock, how could she have remembered something like that? Gilbert himself didn't remember even mentioning that sort of thing. He'd always taken Alice to be a bit of an airhead and just plain blunt but maybe he'd been wrong. He looked down at the package again and opened it slowly and carefully. Instead of the heart shape he was expecting he was met with many little pieces of chocolate in a strange shape that highly resembled tears. Gil chuckled darkly, how fitting, even chocolate was mocking him now.

"They're called chocolate tears." Alice said suddenly. "The shop owner said no one ever buys them because they're kind of depressing and no one wants tear shaped chocolate on Valentine's. Instead people buy them as a consoling gift for those with a broken heart." She babbled. "But isn't that kind of mean?"

"Consoling... gift?" Gil repeated. Is that what that was? Alice's way of saying 'sorry, better luck next time.' Suddenly he didn't appreciate the thought as much.

"I think he's wrong though." Alice continued. "I think they look more like raindrops. Don't you like rain?" She smiled then, looking at Gil. "It's cool, relaxing, reassuring, its very presence means life!" She stood up from her place besides Gil then. "It's just like you Seaweed Head, calming and constant."

And then she looked at him and smiled. And that smile was so bright, and the light in her eyes seemed to shine impossibly in that moment. That was the moment Gilbert understood.

"Alice is like the sun."

He tightened his grip on the little box as Oz's words came back to him. And she really was, bright, and burning constantly. Her light was radiating so hard that Gil feared he'd go blind in that moment. Had she always been like this? Yes, Gil realized, he'd just been too busy looking the other way.

"When... did you buy these?" Gil asked softly. Alice blinked and thought about it for a second.

"I took advantage of one of the times you spaced out, it was funny how you didn't even notice." She grinned.

I bought them while you fantasized over Oz. Gilbert gulped, understanding that was what Alice's words meant. He hadn't realized what a moron he'd been. Alice hesitated but slipped back into her spot besides Gil, leaning her head against his shoulder. This caught Gil off guard and he tensed a bit as he looked down at her.

"I know you're upset about Oz... but if you liked it then I wouldn't mind... if you patted my head and praised me..." Alice murmured, squirming against him as emphasis. Gil continued to look down at her.

"I know your darkness and you know mine, we are connected by our shadows not our light."

'Ah.' Gil thought as he remembered the words he'd once spoken to Oz, so many years ago. 'That's right... Oz and I are the same, too dark for our own good. We don't belong together, two shadows can only hope to make an even bigger one. No, what Oz found in Elliot... and what Alice is trying to give me, it's the thing we both need most. It's light that we crave deep in our hearts.' He gulped and slowly moved his hand up and gently placed it on Alice's head. Alice perked up immediately.

"Thank you." Gilbert said, smiling softly. Alice looked up in surprise, she had been expecting him to say 'good job' or 'very decent' but she hadn't expected him to say that. A small blush suddenly flared across her face, she pulled back and slapped his hand away.

"I-I get it! You're welcome! How long do you plan to touch my hair like that, it's creepy!" She said, her blush darkening with each word. And Gilbert laughed. Yes, he could understand now, what Oz saw in Alice and why he loved the girl so much. He didn't think really get over Oz anytime soon, but maybe, maybe he could love Alice too.

A/N: ... I'm not sure how I feel about this. I just know I feel reaaaally bad for Gil. I mean it was meant to be one-sided from the beginning but geez, that was harsher than I expected. As I already mentioned this was my first Gil xAlice fic so let me know if the were OOC, if it was good, bad, and if you'd like to see more fics for this pairing in the future! Also, sorry about sticking Elliot in there, that guy always finds his way into everything I do haha

Reviews are welcome!