Well, you had it coming... my very first Pandora Hearts fanfic :3 I've fallen in love with this story and especially our beloved Nightray brothers. This is meant as a belated Christmas gift to all the wonderful people from livejournal & Curious? And of course, from here as well! I hope you all like it!

Please note this is not meant to be yaoi, just brotherly love (though with Vince we can never know for sure, lol) Alfso, since I still don't know if it's Sabrie of Sablier, but I went for Sablier since that seems the more logical one.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Of course I do not own PH, I'll be the happiest girl on the earth it that were true~

His Brother's Keeper

Vincent loves his brother.

Vincent loved his brother enough to bring forth the destruction of a whole city. Of course, he had not meant it - not really. It had just been about Gil, it has always been about Gil.

After all, Vincent loves his brother dearly.

It wasn't his fault.

It really wasn't. They had done it. The reapers in red cloaks, the evil man with his cold, emotionless eyes. Yes, it had never been Vincent's fault, but his. The evil man had taken Gil, the evil man had tried to kill Gil. Vincent had done what every loving brother would do, he had saved his brother.

And let Sablier fall down the cold, dark rabbit's hole.

His retribution was swift and crude. Even now he can see it all happening behind his closed eyelids, haunting his every dream.

Yes, the punishment for his foolishness, for opening that one door, had been merciless. To open his eyes to blood and death. To fall down that dark place, to that crazy place. Everyone was mad there.

And yet, the red had been so beautiful.

It hurts. His punishment hurts. He had saved his brother, yes, Gil had been saved from the evil man.

But there had been a price. He had lost his brother, in more ways than one. First, he just lost him, couldn't find him in the new world that had welcomed him. And he had searched, everyday he had searched. Gil, Gil, Gil. It had always been about Gil.

Then he found his brother, after all those years. And he realised his brother was truly lost to him.

"Brother! I've wanted to see you! I've been searching forever!"

He reached forward to hug Gil, to finally touch his beloved brother again. But Gil just flinched away from him. Yes, he really lost his brother. And sometimes it seems like the Abyss laughes cruely at him.

"I heard your brother was killed by Glen... But it's really a pity. The person whose body is taken by Glen, will one day have their soul swallowed!"

His fingers clench around his scissors, plush falls down on the ground. Hate hate hate. He hates her! He hates them all. All that tried to hurt his Gil.

Then he hears a sharp intake of breath and his mismatched eyes find the golden ones of his brother. Gil looks shocked, Gil even looks disgusted. Slowly he lays down his scissors, next to the headless form of his teddy-bear.

If only Gil knew.

But Gil doesn't know. Though it hurts so much, he is still glad Gil can't remember their past, can't remember that day.

"You have something important that you're hiding from me, don't you?"

And he always answers the same.

"Nope, I will never lie to Gil."

Yet he does. It's just that he doesn't want to see the look on Gil's face, when he realises it was his little brother that made the Tragedy of Sablier come true. He loves Gil. But even when his brother can't remember the death that came from that small movement, pushing that door open, he still doesn't love Vincent back. Perhaps he tries, but he doesn't. And it makes Vincent fear that perhaps his brother had never loved him as much as he loved him and never needed him as much as Vincent needed Gil.

It really hurts.

And now, one of those fragile moments he always learns for has arrived.

Opening the door of his room brings him the view of his brother, laying there with closed eyes on his couch. Gil must have fallen asleep waiting for him, probably wanting to ask him about Sablier again. But Vincent hadn't been there, he was with them, the same red cloaked people who destroyed his city, who wanted to bring the evil man back. Vincent hates them, but he needs them. He doesn't want to lie to Gil ever again. If only the Tragedy hadn't happened, maybe then Gil would love him, would hug him back without the usual flinch.

Gilbert's expression speaks of pain and worries. And there is even a hint of fear on his face - perhaps he's remembering something? He looks so childlike now, so fragile, so scared. Thus Vincent sits down next to him and gently wraps his arms around his brother. A smile plays with his lips when Gil murmurs something and leans against him, searching for more warmth, his head finding comfort on Vincent's shoulder. Yet, the name he softly whispers is not his brother's.

Vincent closes his eyes and tries to ignore the burning pain in his heart. Why? Why was it always that boy Gil thought about? Why was it always about him? Why did Gil love him more than his own brother?

He does the only thing he can do, he ignores that one word, that horrible name. He pulls Gil closer to himself and lays his cheek on the black crown.

"Don't worry Gil," he whispers in the ear of his scared brother, placing a soft kiss on those dark locks. "I'll protect you, I'll always protect you."

Always.

Sablier has fallen down.

And she has taken them with her.

FIN