Little one-shot I did for the pandora_kink meme on livejournal :)

Gilbert wished this was all a dream. A nightmare. His master... His precious master... Gone... Dragged into the Abyss... It had been a week since the Coming of Age ceremony and it was still alien to Gil to wake in the mornings and not have to prepare breakfast for Oz and get his clothes ready for him. He would spend the morning chatting happily with the young master; they would play games on the sunny days, and read books on the wet days. Oz would get them into all kinds of mischief, and Gilbert would try and cover it all up for fear of being reprimanded. Even on the wet days, the sun seemed to shine in Gilbert's world, as long as he had his master.

But now, the wet days were nothing but cold and depressing. It had rained every day since Oz had vanished. Gil had spent the first day in bed unconscious, recovering from the deep wound inflicted on him accidentally. When he had woken, he had frantically searched the mansion for any sign of the young blond. All he found were empty rooms, untouched belongings of Oz's, and the members of the household in dark moods.

In denial, the young servant had fled the mansion and into the surrounding woodland. It was here he met the strange but enticing man by the name of Xerxes Break. It was here he learnt of his brother, the Nightrays, and of Raven. With Raven, he would be able to save Oz, that man had said so. Arrangements were made for Gilbert to become an adoptive son of the Nightray house, and he would be moving to his new home within a matter of days.

For now, Gil found himself sitting on a cold windowsill, staring out at the rain while he toyed with the bandages wrapped tightly around his torso. With no master to tend to, and with his duties to the Vessalius household now non-existent, the teen found himself lapsing into a world of his own from one end of the day to the other. It was during one of these inward trips that Xerxes Break once again called to the boy. He had entered the room by popping out of the wardrobe suddenly, scaring the servant out of his wits. Laughing, Break ignored the panicked ranting of the boy and proceeded to question him, asking him if he was ready to be his 'left eye'.

Gil fell silent, eyes turning to look back out at the rain. Break frowned. This scene was painfully familiar to him. The scene of a lowly servant who had just lost his master, who was wounded harshly, who was blaming himself for his master's disappearance. They say history repeats itself, but Break did not expect to see his own past replay before his very eye.

Attempting to lighten the mood, the white-haired man had cracked a number of jokes, accompanied by his companion, Emily. When that failed to brighten the teen's mood any, he tried sweets. All children love sugar, right? This tactic failed also. Slightly irked, Break proceeded to ask why Gilbert was so down, and it was then the flood gates were opened.

Gilbert started slow, talking of the days he and Oz spent playing out in the surrounding meadows. He explained his tasks, the pranks they played, the pranks played on them, and more. Sensing the oncoming emotional breakdown, Break slowly made his way towards the teen while he continued to talk of his master. It was like hearing his own thoughts from back then said aloud by Gilbert.

His days used to have meaning, they used to have purpose. If he did not have his master, what use was he? What use is a servant with nobody to serve? His life was meaningless, pointless, unnecessary. He was a useless piece of flesh that did not deserve to live.

Break watching without flinching as Gilbert snapped, pounding at the window with angered fists. His young voice cracked while he berated himself, tearing himself down to nothing but dirt. If he weren't alive, the master would be alive now. Even if he were to gain a contract with Raven, would he be able to save the master? Was he strong enough? No, he was a worm. A powerless worm that Raven would eat alive. What right had he to contract with such a powerful chain?

Wordlessly, the man stepped forward at the right moment and wrapped his arms around the shuddering shoulders of the teen. Gilbert had protested at first, pushing the arms away from him, shouting at Break, but gradually, his struggles lessened. Legs gave way, and Break followed the teen to the floor, pulling him close to his self as Gil turned to him, curling into Break's form and sobbing uncontrollably. There he held the teen, comforting him with gentle words and tender strokes of his hair. Tomorrow, this child would be taken to the Nightray house and would delve into a live of no comfort, no tenderness, focused on one end goal of rescuing Oz Vessalius from the clutches of the Abyss. Break, too, would not show his affection to Gilbert very openly, instead taking long, round-about methods to do anything for him.

But for today, he could make an exception.

-:End:-