I don't own Pandora Hearts

Oz did not show up at school on Monday. And honestly, this shouldn't have been much of a surprise. Echo had seen the blond in the previous week, he had looked absolutely terrible. Ever since she met the young West, she knew he had trouble with sleeping. The symptoms were as clear as day to her, it takes one to know one after all.

The young girl gazed at Oz's friends from a safe distance, she had never been much of a fan of interacting with people. She'd rather keep a safe distance while keeping an eye out on what happened around her.

This was how Echo preferred to live.

When exactly had it happened, she wondered; suddenly this boy with beautiful blond hair had entered her life and with him came the sun that made all of her dark thoughts disappear. She had found his presence annoying at first. The young male had this terrible habit of showing up at the most unexpected times. Like that one time her family had dragged her to the carnival and he had just popped up from out of nowhere, asking her if she wanted to tag along with him for a while, since Alice kind of ditched him back then for food.

At some point, Oz's presence had turned into something else then a nuisance. Suddenly she looked forward to seeing him the next day, she wanted nothing more then for him to keep talking about the stuff he liked. Echo couldn't even count the amount of times she had told the blond to leave her alone, while the truth was, she was having the time of her life when he asked her about her day or if something was bugging her, the genuine interest she saw each day in his eyes made her heart flutter and her hands clammy.

And then he got sick again, it was different then back in their freshmen year, back then, Oz been in a terrible state, back then, the girl had been convinced he'd never get better. The West had surprised everyone with his fast recovery.

Echo feared that this time, her dear Oz wouldn't be able to get better on his own. Alice told everyone to give him some space, that this is what the West wants. But how could she be sure?

Zwei often told Echo she wanted to be alone when she was upset, when she really meant that someone should go after her to comfort her. The older twin had never understood this, at first it was always her mother that went after her younger sibling, until the older woman got so mad at Echo for not understanding her sister's needs that now she had to do it.

Echo was never a fan of interacting with Oz's friends, they were noisy and did a lot of stupid things. She was sure they knew this, that probably explained why Elliot suddenly halted his sentence when he noticed she had joined them three days later.

"Ah…" his eyes widened slightly and he exchanged a quick look with his best friend Leo, Echo was just pondering to herself if she had made a mistake and should leave before Alice spoke, of all of Oz's friends, Echo liked the brunette the most. Mostly because she was the boy's childhood friend and knew him best, she knew best what Oz wanted. Alice, just like their mutual friend, liked to push herself on people and keep bugging them until they eventually had no choice but to accept them in their life. Over the years, Echo had come to like her.

"Ekko, was it right?" Elliot then asked,

"It's Echo!" the girl snapped, ignoring the pang of anger that welled from deep within her, the only person who was allowed to call her that was Oz.

"Sorry." The taller teen didn't appear that sorry, "Oz is sick-"

"I know." She said, wondering if she should perhaps try to be more friendly, she could try to smile. Yet her voice and facial expression remained the same. The girl knew this was a mistake, of course they would think she came to see Oz, of course-

"Echo could do it." Leo then said out of the blue,

Alice, Gil and Elliot gave the raven haired teen a confused look, even though it was hard to see through Leo's thick glasses, the girl still noticed he rolled his eyes before he answered, he turned himself towards the smaller girl, "Oz won't be coming to school for a whole week, but we have some books and papers that he needs. Alice can't do it, so you would like to do it?"

No way! The girl instantly started panicking.

"It's easy, really. I'll give you the address, just give him the stuff and leave. He'll probably look like shit anyway and be too tired to do much." Alice added,

"U-unless you don't want to, in which case… I could do it?" Gilbert offered kindly, ah, that's right. For some reason, Vincent's older brother had suddenly decided to become best friends with Oz. Really it shouldn't be a wonder, everyone wanted to be Oz's friends. But Echo was no fool, while the blond appeared to be open and kind to everyone, he rarely let anyone become a friend. Echo, Break and Anton were the only new people he added to his small group of friends when he entered high school, the others he already knew since childhood.

"What the hell seaweed head? I just told you you I need you."

"My hair is not seaweed you stupid rabbit! Besides, like hell I want to accompany a rude potty-mouthed girl!" the senior immediately snapped back, to which both Elliot and Leo sighed. They had already gotten used to this sort of behavior between the two.

"It's gotten worse now that Oz is gone," Elliot said,

"Perhaps we should call Sharon, she seems to know what to do in these situations."

They exchanged a knowing look with each other,

"But anyway!" Leo handed her a heavy bag filled with schoolwork meant for Oz, "We'll be counting on you!"

The bell rang and the stunned girl watched in confusion how the small group of friends broke apart. No one had asked her if this was alright. She didn't want to go to Oz's house-

.

And yet, there she stood. Her hands holding onto the bag as if her life depended on it while she waited for someone to open the door. She had just rang the bell and had almost started running when she heard how loud it was. Truthfully, the girl hoped Oz would be sleeping, perhaps his mother or father would open the door and accept the bag and then let her go. Alice had told her she could always drop the bag off at her house in case they didn't open, then her siblings would take care of it.

Honestly, the girl could have always just knocked on Alice's door instead and pretend that she had tried but no one had opened at Oz's house.

Why hadn't she done that?

Because she wanted to see him. More then anything, she just wanted to see his face and see for herself that he was getting better, that this short break of school would help him.

Her heart almost jumped out of her chest when she heard a door from inside the house open and the soft sound of bare feet tapping against the floor. Trough the blurry glass of the door she could see the silhouette of a small teen. In the few seconds that Oz needed to unlock the door and open it, Echo made up a quick plan to flee. She of course froze as soon as she met his bemused gaze.

"Little Ekko!" a smile found its way on his face and it seemed to light up his whole face,

"Just Echo!"

He laughed while he got a quick hand through his messy hair, he looked better she noticed, as if he had caught up on a lot of sleep, but she still noticed that he looked troubled. "So you're the victim huh?" he then joked while stepping aside and made some loose gesture for her to come in. She did, her movements slow and unsure. Her gaze immediately fell on the many pictures decorating the lime painted walls.

Her heart fluttered every time she found one with Oz on it, even on pictures he looked handsome.

"Echo really didn't want to come," she then flat out said, following her friend into what looked like the dining room. "They just pushed this bag into my hands and ran off." She held out said bag, which Oz took with an amused smile.

"Did they now? I'm sorry to hear that." He hummed, "Would you like to drink something?"

"Ah no, I should be-"she stopped though, the girl gave Oz a quick look. His hair was messier then usual and he wore a simple grey jogging and white shirt. His skin was paler and he had dark bags resting under his eyes. The girl was terrible at comforting people, she once offered her sister candy to cheer her up, Zwei had gotten even more angry and had thrown it at her head while shouting, "I'm not a kid you brat!"

Yet she couldn't help but want to be there for Oz, she wanted to hug him and tell him everything was alright. This was Oz, after all. He shouldn't be looking like he wanted to give up, like life no longer held any meaning to him. Of all people, not him. Oz should be smiling and telling her everything will be alright, he'd make some silly joke or take her somewhere fun. How do you even help someone who always helps others?

"S-some tea, please." She finally uttered, almost tripping over her words.

He nodded and she knew she had said the right thing.

"So how's school?" he asked over his shoulder while he headed towards the kitchen, "Oh, you can put your stuff on a chair if you want to," the teen quickly added while grabbing their water boiler.

Echo removed her scarf and jacket and threw it over a chair, she placed her schoolbag on the kitchen table and followed her friend into the small kitchen. It was barely large enough for more then four people to work here at the same time.

"Fine."

He hummed and put on the water boiler once he had put water in it, he held up a box with teabags, asking her which she wanted.

"a-ah… uhm… Mint."

There fell an awkward silence between the two when Oz grabbed two cups from the cupboard, Echo couldn't help but grow uneasy with every passing second until she could no longer stand it, "Are you alright?" she then blurted out. The water boiler had just finished, Oz had already reached out towards the machine before he froze, eyes big as he met her gaze. Her face was heating up because of what she had just asked. She could just hit herself! That was really not a way to start a conversation.

Then why had she done it?

Why?

She felt her body temperature drastically change though when she saw how easily he covered his surprise up as if he put on a mask right in front of her, it was obvious he had trained for this question.

"I'm fine."

Fine.

He turned his back towards her to pour the boiling hot water in the two cups,

No… she shook her head, without even thinking about it, Echo reached out her hand to Oz, but since his hands were occupied, all she could grab was his shirt. He looked over his shoulder as soon as he felt her hand grasp his piece of clothing.

"Why… why, you of all people…" the girl murmured, she lowered her head so that he could not see her sorrowful expression even though she knew he could probably hear it in her voice. "Yo-you shouldn't be like this. You should be happy… and… You can't be sad!" the girl sighed while she rested her head between his shoulder blades.

The boy just stood there, he softly whispered her name, and Echo couldn't feel more stupid then at that very right moment.

She felt her face heat up as she took a small step away from him so that he could turn around to face her.

The young West offered her a kind smile, "Thanks."

Her heart skipped a beat, Oz handed her a cup and headed back into the dining room where he took a seat at the small wooden table nearby the window.

Echo followed, albeit a bit unsure. She took the seat across from him, her eyes scanned absentminded over the childish handwriting in glitter pen. The young girl was more then sure she had crossed some sort of line; this wasn't anything like her. She hated it, whenever Oz was involved Echo would lose her cool and say stupid things. Only he could make her so nervous and make her stumble over her own words.

She wanted to cry. The girl glanced at Oz and saw he had a sorrowful expression as he gazed outside, from here you had a perfect view over the their garden.

She saw a large walnut tree and not much further stood what looked like a handmade swing, it looked old and worn out. Did they still use it? She wondered if Alice and Oz had sat on it when they were younger and the weather was much warmer, unlike now; with the sun hidden behind dark clouds, looking like it would rain anytime soon now.

Echo stood up abruptly, hands already going towards her jacket "I-I should probably go." This had been a mistake, she should have just handed him the bag with homework and then headed back home.

"Ah no, I'm sorry!" Oz stood up as well and quickly grabbed her wrist, even though his haste and obvious wish for her to stay, his touch still remained loose and gentle. He didn't want to hurt her.

Echo looked at his hand, she had always thought his hands were beautiful, those hands had held hers so many times, she had seen how those hands had made beautiful art.

Oz looked down as well, neither knew when exactly they had intertwined their fingers, his face heated up as fast as hers and they both let go. "A-ah sorry!" the boy chuckled awkwardly, "I-I don't want you to leave, I-I'm sorry if I gave off the wrong impression… I just," he sighed and awkwardly scratched the back of his head, "I just spaced out for a second…"

The girl let out a soft breath, she gave him a quick up and down look before she answered, "About what's bothering you?" Her tone flat of emotion, she felt calmer somehow. She knew she was right when she caught surprise in Oz's eyes. "I could listen to what's troubling you." She offered, "I… might be terrible at giving advice, but I could listen."

Oz's smile was beautiful, he sat down again and held his cup with both hands. "I… stress over things way too easily," the blond finally said after a long silence, a shy smile on his lips as he spoke. While stress was something many people seemed to struggle with on a daily basis, Echo still had the feeling that her friend was telling her a secret. He seemed so insecure about what he was telling her and his voice had become much softer. "…Ever since I was young… and it gives me nightmares,"

"You're not sick?" She concluded,

The blond shook his head, "...sometimes my stress is worse then other days… and then the nightmares appear on a daily basis, last week… I could barely sleep because of them." He sighed, she saw some tension leave his body the more he spoke, "My nightmares always seem so much more real when they're caused by… stress, I…-I know it might sound like nothing, even I find it ridiculous but the doctor still decided to give me a week off…"

He tried to explain it to her, he didn't want for her to think of him as weak or pathetic.

How could she ever think of him like that?

She sat down again and placed her hand over his, he gasped softly and met her gaze. His eyes were beautiful and Echo was sure, that at that very right moment it couldn't only be her that felt something.

"Zwei makes dreamcatchers, I've heard they help for nightmares." She deadpanned.

She saw how he furrowed his brow in confusion before he burst out in a bubbly laughter.

"Thanks, I'll keep it in mind. But I'm fine now… just very tired, my doctor has given me some pills, I don't dream when I take them."

Echo nodded, a small smile appeared, she shyly looked away and did not catch the star struck look on Oz's face when he saw her smile.

There rested a comfortable silence between them, Oz eventually grabbed the papers Echo had brought with her and went through them, it was only Wednesday, so more would come. Honestly, Echo didn't even understand why she had to bring him those papers, neither was she able to understand why Alice couldn't have just given them herself. Even if the girl had something to do later that day, she could still give the papers to Oz when she'd get back, no?

The young teen gazed at the boy sitting in front of her, he still looked absolutely stunning, even though his pale skin and the bags beneath his eyes. This was the first time she saw Oz like that, Echo realized.

He was home and dressed like it was a lazy Sunday, wearing a loose grey color jogging and a worn out white teacher that had the Kellogg's logo on it.

Would he have changed if he knew she was coming?

Oz was always dressed up so nicely when she saw him outside of his home, but Echo preferred him this way. In a way, it made him look more human. After all, her friend was seen by many as a Wonder child, Oz had many talents. He was in the school's top ten best students, was a great artist, played more then three instruments and so responsible. He was the child every teacher dreamt of and each day had to live up to that image, not a single day went by wherein he could just be himself, where he was just… Oz.

So yes, Echo liked to see him in a jogging and messed up hair instead of the character people expected him to be.

"Echo?"

She blinked, her face remained natural yet she could feel her cheeks heating up once again as she realized she had been gazing a bit too long at her crush.

And Oz smiled, a beautiful smile that revealed two rows of perfect white teeth. His eyes had this beautiful spark in them when he smiled and she was sure that even Alice's heart skipped a beat every time she saw it, because there was no way you could ever get used to it.

"I asked if there's anything special I missed in classes?"

Ah, she hadn't really been paying much attention in class. "Miss Detri is pregnant."

He laughed, "I actually meant about studying, but that's nice. I'll congratulate her when I get back,"

The young girl could just kick herself, she wanted to make up an excuse if she hadn't noticed Oz's suddenly sitting up straighter as he looked over her shoulder at the doorway that lead to the living room.

Behind her, she heard someone entering the house. She heard the sound of keys clattering and the ruffling sound of someone removing their jacket while they walked in the living room, "Oz, I'm home and brought ingredients for pizza!" a middle-aged man said while holding up a bag with the brand of a nearby store. "Who's your friend?" Oz's father then asked with a curious look.

Oz didn't look like his father, Peter was tall and slender, his skin was pale and both his eyes and hair were dark brown. His clothes were comfy and looked in no way stylish, there was no way anyone would guess that this stay-at-home man was a bestselling author and more importantly, Oz's father.

"Echo, my name is Echo." she introduced herself quickly, not sure if she should stand up and offer him her hand, now that she thought of it, this was actually the first time she stayed over at a friend's house.

"Ah so you're Eko? Oz has told me so much about you." Peter laughed,

"Dad!" Echo didn't even bother correcting the man, too flustered now that she knew Oz had talked about her to his parents,

"Nice to meet you, I'm Peter." His jacket lay forgotten on the smallest sofa as he entered the dining room linked to their kitchen, "Are you staying for dinner, Eko?"

"Ah no thanks, I don't want to intrude."

"Oh really, it's no bother! I always buy extra food in case Alice joins us for dinner, but she told me she's eating out with that Gilbert guy." he placed all of his groceries on the wooden table and told Oz to get all the stuff they needed to make pizzas, "Heat up the oven as well! 180, the usual." He then turned his attention back to Echo, "Ever since that guy joined them, he's become all they've been talking about. Gil this, Gil that. Apparently he has seaweed hair, what does that even look like, I wonder."

He smiled when his son returned with way too much supplies then they actually needed, Peter loved to talk, Echo soon learned, and just like Oz, Echo didn't mind him talking so much, he had a pleasant voice to listen to and his stories were interesting.

Echo couldn't refuse their request to join them for dinner and thus helped them make pizzas, it turned out that Peter was an average cook and Helen, his wife was the true artist in the kitchen, so they told her. Oz was terrible in the kitchen, so Pete warned her to keep a good eye on him, because apparently Oz was so terrible he could even manage to ruin something as basic as pizza. A compliment Oz did not like to receive.

And Echo smiled softly, enjoying the atmosphere that hung around the house.

They made three big pizzas, and by the time dinner was ready and the table was all set, Helen showed up as well. She complained about Peter throwing his jacket in their living room and scolded Oz in a light hearted tone because he had forgotten one of his chores. But still, she kissed her husband on his lips and ruffled her son's messy hair before leaning down and placing a kiss on his forehead. A tradition she must do each day because Oz didn't seem flustered at all.

Echo couldn't find any resemblance between Oz and Helen either, Helen's hair was a light color of blond while Oz's looked more golden, her eyes were a pale blue as was her skin a few shades paler. Both Peter and Helen had an average height while Oz was below average. She remembered how insecure he had been about it in freshmen, but how he hadn't stood out that much because there were many other kids that still hadn't caught up with the others, but back then, Oz had been thirteen going to fourteen, now he was turning sixteen in a month and remained stuck on the same height as back then, perhaps he had grown a few centimeters but not impressive much.

In their freshmen year, Oz had been befriended with Anton, a tall and broad guy, she remembered how many people had joked about Anton looking like Oz's bodyguard rather then just a friend.

She took a bite of her own piece of pizza as she thought back about this friendly guy that Oz had taken under his wing and had ended up befriending, how broken Oz had been when their friend had taken his own life.

She had overheard Alice Monday talking to Break, the two of them together would always be an odd sight, so of course her twin Zwei couldn't help but stop to overhear what they were talking about, both had only heard small parts of their conversation but it was enough for them to realize that the brunette was worried Oz might have nightmares about losing Anton again.

Oz had looked even worse then he did now, he hadn't showed up at school for a whole month and when he came back, he suddenly had to follow all those new rules.

The photography group no longer existed after Anton's death, no one wanted to take pictures anymore. And suddenly Oz had to take all of the pictures to represent their school, in return he could skip P.E. He never participated in school events, always watched from the sidelines, face hidden behind a camera and capturing every moment.

It had took him time, but slowly Oz got better.

It was then that Break as well showed interest in the boy, for months, the albino hadn't even offered them a second look when they passed each other in the hallways, and all off sudden Break spend an awful lot of time by Oz's side.

"He shared one of his own stories to make Oz feel better, apparently." Alice had told her, "It's weird to imagine Break sharing one of his own stories to make someone realize they're not the only one suffering and that there are people who'll understand, y'know?"

Agreed.

"Oh I know what we can play!" Helen said once dinner was over, "Cluedo! It's been so long since we played it,"

"If it's no trouble for our guest that is, when do you have to be home?" Peter had asked,

"8pm,"

"Perfect, don't worry, we'll give you a ride back home. Gives us just enough time for one game." Helen shot up from her seat and left to get the game while telling her husband and son that they should clean up.

And when everything was set, they played the game.

Echo looked at Oz, and knew that she could trust him. There was no way Oz had fallen back into whatever it was he had fallen into back in their freshmen year. She knew she could believe him when he told her it was just some nightmares caused by stress. She realized that whatever it was that was troubling him, he was going to get better and she had worried for nothing.

Oz was fine.

She smiled.