Story: The Truth XDDDDDDDD *inserts random XD to make this reach 700 words* XD

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Ha! Gil's so scrawny. Like a girl." Oz laughed.

Gilbert's eyes widened slightly as he blushed darkly. He'd been being fitted for clothes, and Oz had insisted on being around for it despite Gilbert's weak protests. "Young Master…I'm not that much smaller than you are…" he mumbled, pouting a little. He'd been Oz's servant for a little over a year, and had gained some confidence in dealing with the other-

"Are you arguing with your master?" Oz snapped, satisfied when Gilbert looked nervous again.

-Sort of.

"N-No! Forgive me, Young Master." he said softly. Trust his master to say such things…Gilbert couldn't help being smaller, and a year younger…it wasn't his fault.

Oz eyed the other before slipping out of his chair. The woman taking his measurements had left for the moment and he ambled up to Gilbert. "Hold out your hands." he commanded.

Gilbert eyed his master warily.

"Gilbert!" Oz said the other's name sharply and Gilbert jerked his hands out immediately, his nervous expression all the more prominent.

Oz seemed satisfied, glancing at those hands before he brought his own up palm-to-palm with Gilbert's. He chuckled. "Gil really is so scrawny.." he said, Gilbert's hands smaller against Oz's own.

Gilbert flushed but he couldn't 'argue'. "Y-Yes, Young Master…" he agreed glumly and then he blinked in surprise as Oz's fingers slipped through his own, entwined with his. Confused golden eyes met amused emerald ones as he met his master's gaze.

"It's okay if Gil is scrawny. I can be big for both of us." Oz announced, grinning. " 'Kay? So don't you worry about a thing…even if not-girly servants try to pick on you…I'll protect you. As the Lord should." he said decidedly, seeming smug.

"Y-Young Master…that's…it should be my job to protect you…even if I'm…scrawny, I still-"

"Be quiet, Gil." Oz ordered sharply and Gilbert silenced immediately, eyeing his master. "Servants shouldn't tell their Lord what their duty is, right? So there." he grinned again, tightening his grip on the other's hands. "Scrawny Gil is for me to protect." he chuckled.

Gilbert wasn't sure where all of this had come from, did it have to do with the failed kidnapping attempt the other day? Gilbert had gotten knocked on the head and felt so useless to his master…he really was still pretty depressed about it…was this Oz's sly way of cheering him up? Did he dare hope as much? It was the only thing he could even slightly guess… "And you're for me to protect, Young Master…I want to get stronger…so that I can…be a better servant."

Oz looked at the other in surprise a moment before he simply smiled. "Is that so? Well then…you can start now~" he said, snatching a few pins from the other's fabric as he released Gilbert's hands.

"Y-Young Master!" The very temperamental seamstress had instructed him not to move, certainly not to remove the pins that marked her measurements.

"If you want to get stronger…then start by getting these pins back, if you can!"

"Young Master!" Oz laughed at his servant's panicked tone as he ran out clutching the victory pins carefully in his hand.