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

Chapter 3

It was already 6 AM, so Gil's alarm clock started to ring very quietly, so only Gil could hear it. He yawned, and stretched himself. It was lighter than at night, so he could recognize the boy that was sleeping in the other bed. He could see that he was covered with the sheets up to the head, his back turned to Gil. He was mumbling some words.

Gil didn't want to lose any time he could use for something else, so he stood up, went to his closet and looked for something to wear that day.

The show from the night before had been the last one in that town. That meant that the tour was finished. In some days they would return to their home-city to plan a new one. He chose something nice to wear. Some dark jeans, a white, buttoned shirt, and a black, warm duffle coat. Then he climbed the stairs and woke his neighbours up.

"Will, wake up." Gil called.

The girl woke up, smiling at Gil.

"Good morning, Raven." She simply said, then proceeded to wake her roommate up.

"Echo, it's time." She said.

The other girl woke up. She looked at Gil with her inexpressive eyes.

"Echo is tired." She just said.

"Where is Vincent?" Gil asked.

"He should be out there, somewhere. I don't know." Will said, smiling.

"Go, then. I'll stay here, because I want to wake my roommate up. Please, be quiet when you go down." He said.

Both girls nodded and proceeded to climb the stairs down and went out of the caravan.

Gil went down as well, and went to the boy, wanting to wake him up.

Oz had pulled the sheets down, but was still sleeping, shivering a bit, because it was cold.

Gil frowned. He recognized his face inmediatly. He had changed, but he remembered the small boy from ten years ago. The one who had called him 'handsome', and made him blush. The one he had to look over for some hours. That was the day he lost the ID-photo as well, he suddenly remembered.

"He…it can't be. He's Oz Bezarius…Now I remember!" Gil thought. He blushed a bit, seeing how the boy had changed. He wasn't cute anymore he was now handsome as well.

"How much have you changed, and still, even if we have only met once, I still remember you. I don't know why. You had that special charm that made me want to look over you for those hours. Is this destiny?" He thought. "It has to be destiny. You promised me you would build a circus just for me. Now you want to work here. You have tried to keep your promise after all these years?"

Gil extended his hand, and shook a bit Oz's body. After some seconds, the boy woke up.

Oz was tired, too tired to look around him. He stretched himself, and rubbed his eyes, with a cute face.

"Waaaaah!" He yawned. "Why do we have to wake up at such an hour! Let me sleep five more minutes, please."

He turned his back to Gil and fell asleep.

"Will he recognize me?" The older one thought. "I mean, he has changed, but he still has his usual face, but…me? I mean…my eyes, my hair…But, I've got longer hair, I'm taller, and much more than ten years ago, I'm different. I'm an adult now."

"Oz, wake up. It's time to go." He said, shaking Oz a bit more.

Oz grumbled, then he mumbled some things, but finally woke up. He sat on his bed, and looked up. When his eyes opened, he saw who was standing in front of him. He frowned, and was shocked and shouted.

"It is the acrobat!" He thought. "It can't be…why me?"

Gil laughed.

"Oh…I know I'm not a very pleased sight to see in the morning, but you'll have to get accustomed if you want to live here." Gil joked.

"No…it's not that. You aren't a bad sight. You are really…Oh, that's not what I meant." Oz said, confusing himself, and saying even more stupid things.

"I know, I know, I was just joking. It is time to wake up, you know? Since today's our last day here, you don't have to go to the cafeteria yet, but you should wake up at this hour." Gil explained.

"Oh, OK. So I can stay here and unpack my things? I didn't have much time yesterday." Oz excused himself.

Gilbert nodded.

"Since I'm the only one left here, I'll have to stay here, so you don't get lost. I hope you don't mind it." He said.

Inside Oz's head, there was a storm racing through his neurones.

"Damn it!" The teenager thought. "Can't you see? Why are you staying here? This will be a long torture."

Gil went to his side of the room, and started to do his bed. He cleaned a bit, then. While he was doing that, Oz was unpacking his things and bringing them to his closet and his bedside table, while trying to hide his blushing cheeks. He finished really soon.

"Oh, wow, you're fast." Gil commented. "Shall we go, then?"

"No, I don't want to go. Not yet, maybe in an hour or so. It's still 6 AM, for god's sake!" He protested.

"As you want." Gil replied. "Since we're going to be roommates, do you want to talk a bit?"

"No, no, no! Not this now!" Oz thought. "Why? Why are you so cruel, young man!"

But he nodded.

"Well, let me start then." The older one said. "My name is Gil."

"Wow! Really? I knew a boy who was called Gil as well!" Oz shouted.

The man smiled to himself. His plan was working. Now he only needed the boy to connect his memories and recognize him.

"Yes? How nice." He commented.

"Yes, but…now that I look at you… You look similar!" The young boy said. "He also had dark raven hair, but he didn't have so sad eyes like yours."

"Do I have sad eyes?" Gil asked, a bit offended.

"Not really sad, but…in a strange way, they seem like tired, but at the same time, they're lively. They're really strange and beautiful." Oz commented.

"Well, anyway; I'm also known as Raven, by my colleagues. I'm an acrobat." Gil continued.

"The boy I know was also called Raven. It's a real coincidence!" Oz joked. "What is your surname?"

"Nightray." Gil said, smiling. "Gilbert Nightray."

"NO WAY!" The boy shouted. Then he took the chain he had out, and ran towards Gil. He sat at his side, and opened it.

"Look at this." He explained to Gil, while taking the photo out of his case and turning it around.

"This boy was also called Gil Nightray." He explained.

Gil smiled. His plan had worked.

Oz stared at Gil's face for some minutes, examining all his features.

"It can't be. He looks the same. He's an adult now, but his hair is the same as ten years ago, his eyes have the same colour, his skin has the same colour, he has the same expression, only a bit older and colder. God is he handsome now!" Oz thought, blushing a bit.

"Are you this boy here?" Oz asked.

Gilbert nodded.

"Yes, Oz Bezarius. I'm the boy who, ten years ago, let you play in that football game, explained all the rules to you, and waited with you for your mother. I'm also the one you made the promise to." Gilbert smiled.

Oz couldn't help but to hug him.

"I've wanted to meet you so badly for all these years. But I wouldn't have imagined you would fulfil your wish." He said.

"Me neither, to be serious." Gil affirmed. "But here we are."

"I want to work here. I'm going to work here." Oz said.

"I don't know why, though. If I were you, I would be out of this place as soon as possible." Gil sighed.

"Why?" Oz asked.

"I can't tell you. Not while we're here." He continued.

"Well, we'll go to my house someday, then. You'll explain there. Although, I don't think they will let me go inside ever again." Oz joked. "I'm sure they all hate me now. They've lost his little heir, now."

"Why?" Gil asked.

"I live in a mansion. I'm the next one in the heir to their dukedom…but I don't want to." Oz explained.

"Hah! If I were you, I wouldn't have gone away!" Gil said.

"But you aren't me, Gil." Oz said.

"Yes, you're right. But let's go now." He said.

Oz didn't want to go. He wanted to stay in the caravan and keep talking to Gil. Now he understood why his heart beat so fast when he saw him and the teenager boy from his photo: They where the same person. But if he had to choose, he was sure he preferred the older Gil. He was damn handsome and hot. Oz blushed at the thought. He knew he felt something for him, but he was older, and he wouldn't like him back. Or so he thought.

"Go faster, Oz. You don't want to be too late, do you?" Gil said. "Change! It's not nice to walk outside in pyjamas, and plus, you'll freeze."

Oz blushed. He didn't want to change his clothes in front of such a handsome young man. But he didn't want Gil to think he was a bratty young boy, so he changed as fast as he could, and then went out with Gil to the cafeteria.

They arrived soon, and everyone kept quite just as they where entering it. Oz was worried, since he couldn't see the director anywhere. Instead, there was a young man, who came towards them. He had dark, brownish hair, red eyes, and wore only black things. He had two gloves, which imitated the paws of a cat. He also wore cat ears.

"So, you are the new one, here?" He asked. "Nyaaa."

"Um…yes." Oz said, a bit confused by his accent and his filler.

"Well, I'm the master here. The man you saw before is only my substitute for when I'm not here. Nyaaa." He said. "If you have any problem here, just tell me. They'll pay hard. I want this to be like a family, and nothing less."
"Okay…" Oz mumbled. He was looking at the many faces that where looking at him.

"There are many of us, just like you see. But, still, I won't introduce them to you. I hope they'll do it by themselves. But there's something we have to clear up, first!" The master said. "And that's this very matter. What will you do here?"

"Um…I would like to try the acrobatics…sir." Oz said quietly, but the man didn't hear him.

"I know! You can be the apprentice of the wizard! It's a great idea, Nyaaa." He shouted. "Xerxes Break. Come here, quickly!"

"But I wanted to do acrobatics with Gil!" Oz thought.

A man with white hair, and grenade red eyes came towards him. He had one eye covered with his hair. He wasn't as tall as Gil, but still taller than Oz. He had a strange doll sitting on his shoulder. He wore a white cloak, under violet clothing. His sleeves where too big for him, but with them he covered his mouth, while he laughed.

"Well, well…Oz." He said. "I'm Xerxes Break. But you may call me Break, if you want."

"Bah, stupid young brat." A horrible voice said.

"Ah, forget it. It's my dear Emily." He said, pointing at the voodoo doll that was sitting on his shoulder. "She has very bad manners."

Oz unintentionally walked one step back, freaked out by the strange manners of the man that was standing in front of him.

"Well, folks! We'll train today, but just to pass time, if you want to think that way. Tomorrow we'll set again. Nyaaa. We're going to our normal practice place. It'll be all right. Then, after we plan something else, we will tour again." The master said.

Everyone nodded, and went to the tables, continuing with the breakfast.

Oz walked towards Gil, not wanting to lose his sight. He followed him to a table, where two girls where sitting.

He recognized Will, the girl that talked to him the day before. Next to her, there was another girl, with short white hair, and inexpressive black eyes. She had a blank expression, and a serious face. She wore a blue dress.

"Oh, hi Oz!" Will said. "Are you enjoying the circus yet?" She giggled.

"Yes, to be quite honest. I hope I'll do a good job here." Oz explained.

Gilbert just looked at him, as if he was saying a crazy thing.

"He's hiding something. I know it!" Oz thought.

He ate his breakfast as quickly as he could and then followed Gil into the training centre, where they were supposed to train. Everyone divided themselves into different groups. Oz wanted to be with the acrobats, but he couldn't. He followed Break, looking back once in a while.

"Oz, you can wait here for a bit. I have to bring everything. And of course, I have to prepare it. So you can be sure you'll have to wait a bit. Hehehe." He said.

"Yes, and in the meantime, you can watch your darling, just as he does all the acrobatics." The doll said.

Oz ignored the comment, knowing it was true and told Break it was all right to wait a bit. Break nodded and went away.

Oz watched just how Gil and his team where preparing the ropes. He went up in the air, holding the other girl, very close to him. Oz was jealous. He didn't want to be where he was. He didn't want to be the apprentice of a crazy wizard and his voodoo doll. He wanted to jump with Gil, and be the one being held. Not that girl. He hated that. But he didn't know how to do those jumps. He wanted to learn. He would do that. He would learn everything, and then tell the master that he wanted to be an acrobat.

"Drooling over that young man, young Oz?" A feminine voice said.

He turned around, and saw Will.

"Um…" Oz said, nervously. He didn't know what to say.

"Don't worry. I'll keep your secret safe. He is handsome, after all." Will explained.

"Yes. Will, you have to help me then!" He exclaimed. "I want to be there. I want to be an acrobat. Can you help me?"

"Well…I was an acrobat back then. I still know how to do those things, so, why not? I'll do what is in my hand to help." Will said. "Well, I have to go to my group to practice."

She stood up and went away. Oz, meanwhile, imagined himself up in the air, with Gil by his side. He blushed. Then he heard Break's noise.

He turned around, and saw him chatting with a young lady, maybe some years younger than him, who was wearing a very beautiful pink suit, with a ballet tutu. She had golden eyes and long dark blonde hair.

Oz went to their side, and tried to talk. The girl introduced herself. Her name was Sharon.

Break talked to Oz about what they where going to do, and afterwards begged him to look.

They spent some hours doing magic tricks. Break would always make food appear in the table. Then he would eat it. But Oz had to recognize it. His magic was awesome.

"You don't have to worry, Oz. In no time, you'll start doing these tricks, unless you want to choose something else!" He hinted.

"How can he just know!" Oz thought.

"Well, now, I can just tell you that I am a magician. Now let's talk about what you can do until you learn something." Break explained.

They spent some minutes talking about Oz's job. He would be the magician's helper. He would be there when he was going to cut the box in a half, and in every else dangerous trick that required someone.

"This is not just magic, Oz. We'll do something called Optical Illusions, as well. As well as dances and everything else." He said, laughing. "But for now, I think the class has finished. You are free to go to your lover. Or to your caravan, you decide." Break teased, and took everything away, leaving Oz alone in the middle of the centre.

Gil had finished as well, so he went towards Oz, smiling.

"We've finished here. Let's go, then. We can go to eat whenever we want. And we basically have the rest of the day free." He explained. "So, let's do something fun, okay? To welcome you to the circus."

Oz blushed. He then followed Gil, walking by his side.

"You've gotten silent with all these years. I remember that when I was fourteen you would only talk and talk." He joked.

"Um…sorry. But yeah, everything's so new to me. And I don't want to bother you, by being just by your side, but I don't know anyone else." Oz explained.
"Oh, you don't bother. Just like ten years ago. You didn't bother back then. It's fun having someone new around here." He said.

"Okay, then." Oz smiled. "Let's talk about something fun then. I didn't get to know you very well back then."

"Yeah, I know. But now you get the opportunity to know me now. It's something. Don't you think?" Gil said.

"Yeah." Oz said, smiling at Gil. "Anyway, what can we do here?"

"I don't really know." Gil said, taking a cigarette out.

"I really hope you don't mind if I smoke." He said.

"No, I don't. I don't mind. Still, what can we do?" Oz asked again.

"Maybe, we can play a game, if you want." Gil said. "I've got some board games under my bed."

"Oh…well…if you think that is fun." He said, but suddenly stopped, because he saw someone.

It was a girl. Brown hair, blue eyes. It was Alice.

He jumped from happiness, and ran to her. Then he hugged her.

"You came?" He shouted.

"It's my job, isn't it? I have to keep coming if you don't want to be kicked out. Anyway, how's it been?" She asked.

"I…You won't believe it. But the boy from the photo is this man, the one who's behind me." He said.

"Oh, you're going to be a love fool for some weeks. Man, I wish I was here, just to see you saying stupid things!" She teased.

"So you know?" Oz said.

"Well…I'm the best here, and you're my best servant, so of course I know everything you do. What are you going to do now?" She asked.

"I'm going to be a magician's apprentice. But Will has already promised me to help me become an acrobat. You know, she is quite like you." Oz said.

"But of course, I'm better. Oh, well, you'll have to introduce me to her one time." Alice joked. "You better be thankful that I'm here. The cook almost killed me when he heard that I was going to go alone."

"Yes, of course I'm thankful. But I don't know how you are going to do this tomorrow. We're going away." Oz said.

"Oh, well, I'll find a way to do it. If not, I'm staying in your room then." She said.

"Are you serious, Alice?" Oz asked.
"Do I look like I'm joking?" Alice said. "Anyway, that lover you have is looking strangely at us, and I haven't got my adult outfit on right now. So, I'm going before he gets too close. See you."

Alice kissed Oz's cheek and ran away. He just turned around and went to Gilbert, promising him to play chess afterwards.

Well, here's another update. I really hope you like it. I'm trying my best to write it as IC as possible. Since I haven't watched the whole series, it's a bit difficult for me, so help is always appreciated! ^^

TotalAlias- Thank you for your review. I'm glad you like the story. I've wanted to keep the age difference, because I think it's the cream of the top in this relationship. ;) I'm glad that you like my updates, but I am sorry to tell, ,that upon next week, since I'm returning to school, and I've got loads of exams, I'm going to only update on the weekend. But if I'm able, I'll update in the middle of the week.

I'll update ASAP (And As Soon As I Get Further Ideas Of How To Write It XD) Review, please! :3