The door slammed open as Elise ran inside. Tears streamed down her cheeks once again as she hurried for the stairs. Her mother was alerted by the slamming door, but couldn't catch the girl before she made it to her room.
The blonde once again flung herself onto her bed, curling herself as small as she could. Her body should softly with each small cry that left her, her face buried in her hands. But she knew... she knew she wouldn't be alone for long.
And as she expected, as the sun began to set below the horizon, those glimmering red eyes appeared in the closet. Slowly, carefully, Gilbert crept out into the room, his head tilted gently as he settled by her bedside.
"Elise..." was all he could say at first, as he gently brushed her hair from her face. Her cries were honestly painful for the monster to listen to. He sighed softly, his eyes focused on her as he petted her hair gently.
At his touch, she rolled onto her side, looking up to him pitifully. Her bookbag lay where she had slung it, against the wall on the floor across the room. Inside of it, lay what had upset her so dearly. Her most prized possesion, her precious flute, had been broken into pieces.
As Elise continued to cry, Gilbert found himself frowning. He gently pulled his hand away, slinking over to her bag. Though he gave pause when two shadows passed through the light that seeped from beneath the girl's door.
"Elise? Sweetie?" her mother's voice called as she knocked at the door. The monster pressed himself against the wall, his bright eyes closed at the presence of the other human, just feet away from him.
Elise sat up weakly, her voice muffled by sniffles as she rubbed at her eyes. "I-I'm okay, mama. I'm alright. Just really tired." she called out to the woman, swallowing hard as she collapsed back onto her pillow.
The response she got was a soft, 'if you say so, sweetie...' before her mother's footsteps could be heard descending the stairs. Slowly, Gilbert allowed himself to begin breathing again, his eyes eased open.
"What's got you so upset, frau?" he asked softly, poking around at her bag. Something told him it had to do with the contents, but what could have upset her so badly? Slowly, he let himself lean down to investigate the sack's contents more closely.
His crimson eyes widened when he spotted her flute, the one he had listened to her play night after night until she... she just didn't care to do so anymore. A lump caught in his throat as his slim, pale fingers traveled over the destroyed metal.
Elise pulled her knees to her chest, her eyes downcast as she trembled. "They... they destroyed it." she murmured weakly, "they destroyed my flute. I... G-Gilbert, you were right... My classmates aren't humans, they... they're monsters..."
Slowly, the pale male sat down by the bag. His brows furrowed deeply as he scowling to himself. Damn them! How could they do that? How could they destroy one of Elise's most prized possesions?
"Frau, I... I'm sorry that... this happened to you." he managed softly after some contemplation, "I'm... so sorry." His voice was soft, and he swallowed down the lump in his throat as he took the ruined instrument into his hands.
After a moment, he got to his feet. "I'll be back." he muttered softly, disappearing into the closet with the flute. Elise lay there, her eyes swollen from crying. She was unaware that the monster had even taken her precious flute with him.
When the creature returned an hour or so later, it startled Elise awake. She nearly toppled from her bed, but managed to keep herself in bed with a tight grip on the sheets. This actually made Gilbert chuckle softly.
"Hey, Elise... I know you just woke up, but close your eyes for a moment." he chirped softly, a glint in the moonlight signaling that he was beginning to grin, "come on, come on. I think you'll like it."
With a heavy sigh, the young woman obeyed, her turquoise eyes sliding closed as she frowned to herself. Her brows furrowed softly in confusion as a box was pressed into her hands, though she awaited the signal to open them again.
When she was told her, her eyes eased open and fell upon an ornated carved box. It was... it was a little longer than her flute when it was assembled. Gilbert urged her to open it, his grin growing ever wider as he did so.
Slowly, she eased the top off, her eyes widening at the sight. It... it was her flute! Back in one piece! All of the dents, the scuffs to the metal, they were gone! And best of all... the finger pieces were all replaced!
"G-Gilbert, you... you fixed it? How?" she asked him, looking up to the silver-haired creature as she began to tear up. She held the box to her chest, tears beginning to fall from her eyes.
With a grin and a shake of his head, Gil chuckled softly. "No, no. I'm not the one who fixed it, Frau. In fact, I'm awful with my hands! You'd have to thank my brother for that." he told her with a soft nod, "but... Ludwig can't manifest here. His soul-tie lives in Venice."
She sniffled as she kept the box pressed to her chest, but lifted her head to look to him. "You... have a brother? I... always thought monsters didn't have families... that they just appeared..." she said softly, which earned a soft laugh in reply.
"Oh, we have families, Elise. Some of us have huge families, even! But for me, it's just me, my brother, and our dad. Though Dad... isn't doing too well." he replied, giving a soft shrug as he sat on the edge of the bed.
Elise looked over to him, her head tilting softly. Her tears were still dripping from her eyes, but she found herself scooting over closer to him. "You... you're not much different from us humans, are you?" she asked softly.
He shook his head gently, a soft, sympathetic smile on his lips now. "Ah... I guess you could say that. I mean, aside from how us monsters can't lie." he told her softly, leaning back on his hands against her bedspread.
Elise slowly leaned herself back as well, ending up lying next to the monster. She kept that box to her chest, her eyes closing softly. "I... I think it's good that you have a family, Gilbert..." she whispered softly, "I hope that... they're very loving to you."
Gil gave a nod as he smiled over at her. "They are, Frau... don't worry." he told her softly, "I... wish you could meet them, though." He leaned back to lie beside her, resting his hands behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling.
Elise propped herself up on her elbows, her head tilted softly. "Why... why can't I? I mean... besides how you said that Ludwig couldn't manifest...?" she replied softly, her brows furrowing curiously now as she looked to him.
Gil's eyes slid closed as he sighed, thinking to himself for a bit. "Humans... once a human enters the Realm of Monsters... they can't go back to this world. They... they'll become a monster, too." he told her softly, "and... I don't want that to happen to you."
She fell silent for a moment, looking to him in a quiet disbelief. "I... I would become a monster..." she echoed almost silently, biting down on her lip. She sank back down against the bed, silently thinking to herself for several minutes.
After some thought, she popped up, clutching her box to her chest. "G-Gilbert... take me to... to your world, please." she told him softly. This brought him to sit up rather quickly, his eyes wide as he stared at her.
"E-Elise, but... you'll never be able to come back. You... you won't see your parents or your brother again. And... I'm sure there are people at school who would miss you, Frau." he protested softly.
"I... Gilbert... I'm miserable here. I can't take it anymore. Please..." she pleaded to him softly. She placed the box holding her flute down on the bed gently, turning to better face him. "Gilbert, I... want to go to your realm..."
The silver-haired creature sighed, rubbing his forehead lightly. "I... a-alright... okay, fine. You're not going to back down from this, are you?" he responded softly, getting to his feet. He stretched a bit, his tail wrapping around his waist.
After a moment or so, he turned to her. "Better pack up whatever ya want to take with you, Elise... you can't come back once you step through the portal..." he told her gently, a soft smile on his lips as he watched her get up.
She went to her bag, beginning to pack some clothes and other items to take with her. Once she had gathered everything, and secured her repaired flute, she looked to him. Though she paused for a moment, and then lay the flute down on her bed.
"Just a minute, Gilbert." she murmured, going to her desk to write a small note. "'Dear Mother, Father, and Vash: I love you all very, very much. I want you to know that I am alright where I am now, and that you will be in my thoughts. Please, don't worry for me. I am happy now.'"
Gilbert nodded as she read the note aloud and then gently placed it on top of her flute case. She then followed Gilbert to her closet. A gasp escaped her as a dark portal began to appear, the edges rimmed with a darm, glowing purple mass.
Gilver slowly stepped into it, his hand outstretched to her. She stood frozen for several moments, her eyes focused on the creature's pale hand. It took him urging her on to snap her out of it, and gently she took his hand.
She she stepped through the dark void, a small pair of horns curled their way out of her hair, sitting on either side of her head like a sheep's horns. Gilbert gave her a small smile as she looked around. Their world... was now hers. It didn't look much different at all, honestly.
"Well... you're here now, Frau." he said softly, "I... I guess you're free to do whatever it is you want to here." He gave her a small smile as he sighed and nodded to her. Though his eyes widened as she pulled him down and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
"Thank you, Gilbert. But I think I'll stick with you." she whispered to him softly, "you... you showed me kindness when no one else was... I... I want to stay by your side, if that's alright."
The blushing monster managed a nod as Elise took his hand. He swallowed hard, beginning to lead the woman away from where the portal had deposited them. "Then... then I guess you'll need to meet my family and get acquainted with everyone!" he cheered as they headed towards the home they would now share.