Here is the epilogue of my Oz x Gil fan fiction, called A Bond of Light. WARNING: There is mature content in this chapter (mild yaoi).
On a November morning three years after the day Alice and I were almost dragged into the Abyss, I woke up with Oz in my arms. He was a responsible, willful eighteen-year-old, and yet he wouldn't sleep without me. We had developed a routine of actually going to sleep at night and enjoying each other in the morning. This reflected how we looked into the light with hope, not dwelling on our dark pasts. I had gladly stopped working for Pandora when my contract with Raven broke, so I got to spend more time with Oz. We agreed to go to bed naked only once a week, making it a special treat. That morning, the feeling of the slender muscularity under his bare skin made my heart race. He woke up when I kissed him gently.
"Good morning, dear. I love you more than ever," I whispered, gazing into his bright green eyes. He smiled and pulled me closer, twisting his legs around mine. My heart jumped with giddy euphoria. His open mouth eagerly played with my lips and tongue. A thousand lifetimes of this wouldn't have been enough. I felt the familiar, glorious shape of his body relaxing into mine. Although we usually went further, he drew away, looking at me longingly.
"I want to spend more time in bed, but we should get up," he said. "We need to get ready for the wedding." As usual, making out with Oz had made me forget about everything else— even getting married! Excited, we got out of bed and quickly dressed. Oz had grown much taller in the past few years; he now came up to my forehead, so I didn't have to lean over as I brought my lips to his. We stopped kissing and went to the living room. Oscar and Ada were bustling around, getting the house ready for the wedding. Partially because of the unconventionality of same-sex marriage, we had decided to have a small, informal ceremony in our house, inviting only our close friends.
"Where's Alice?" Oz asked.
Oscar replied, "She's busy 'sampling' the ham we got for the reception. You better get dressed in your fancy clothes; the guests will start arriving in about half an hour." He handed folded suits to us. "The wedding rings are in the shirt pockets."
Keeping the tradition of not seeing each other dressed up until the wedding, Oz went to our room to change while I got into my suit in the bathroom. I could hardly wait. Soon, I would be bonded to him legally as well as emotionally. My life, my future was Oz. After getting dressed, I heard someone knocking on the bathroom door.
"Who is it?" I asked.
"Break. May I come in?"
"Sure."
He entered, leaving the door open. "I rarely see you with your hat off. You should do something about this disarray," he said, ruffling my wavy hair. I pushed his hands off my head, then looked around for a brush; fixing my hair would help pass the time. Once I found one, I ran it through my hair absentmindedly. Even with this distraction, every minute seemed to last a year. I imagined walking down the aisle towards Oz. He would smile and his eyes would light up in anticipation.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Break informed me that it was for me to go. My head felt light as I hurried to the living room. The guests (Break, Sharon, and Reim) had all arrived. They stared at me; not accustomed to such attention, I entered the room self-consciously. Oz, dazzling me in a dark green, velvet suit with a ruffle collar, stood next to a hooded person in front of the seats. All I could think about was him. His green eyes shone with delight and his golden hair reflected the sunlight as he looked expectantly at me. My heart ached pleasantly and I ran towards him, laughing for joy. We embraced, then the person with the hood (who I had forgotten about entirely) cleared her throat.
"So," she said. "Do you two want to get married or just stand there hugging each other?" I recognized Alice's voice, and, judging from the look of amusement on Oz's face, he, too, had realized who it was. She continued, "Okay, Gilbert Nightray, do you take this man, Oz Bezarius, to be your husband?"
"Yes, always. I love you, Oz." This second sentence I whispered into my beloved husband's ear. We smiled at each other dreamily.
Alice remarked, "That isn't what you were supposed to say. Can't you get your lines for your own wedding right? Whatever. Oz Bezarius, do you take seaweed-head to be your husband?"
Gazing into my eyes, he replied, "Absolutely. Forever and ever."
"Uggh! You said the wrong thing, too! You guys are hopeless." Alice jumped up and down furiously. Her shouting and stomping became a muffled background noise as I leaned closer to Oz. Then I remembered something.
"Wait," I told him, drawing away. "First we need to do the rings."
"Oh yeah." Oz laughed sheepishly. "I'm just so excited, everything seems like a blur." He reached into his shirt pocket and brought out a ring. It was shiny and golden, darker than his hair. My heart danced as he held my left hand and slipped it on my fourth finger. In all the years we had spent together, I had never been as happy as I was in that moment. Oz's loving support had given me the strength to try hard in life; he was my reason to exist. I needed to be near him always.
After I stared at him for a while, Oz said, "Aren't you going to give me the ring?" I took it out of my pocket and put it on the fourth finger of his left hand. I pressed my lips to the smooth, pale skin on his hand. He draped his arms over my shoulders, pulling me towards him. His lips molded into mine and our tongues explored each other's mouths. Lightheaded, lighthearted, and lusting for more, I wrapped my arms around his lower back and brought him even closer.
Oscar's voice came through my shield of oblivion. "So, now that Oz and Gilbert are married, it's time for the reception! To the dining hall, everyone!"
"You know, Alice called Gil seaweed-head when she asked me if I would marry him. Do you think that means that technically we aren't husbands?" Oz turned towards Oscar, frowning.
"Of course you're husbands," Oscar assured him as he was walking towards the dining room. "It wasn't a very formal marriage anyway, and it's the thought that counts. No use worrying about something trivial like a name."
"That reminds me, I want to change my last name to Bezarius," I said.
Oz said, "Gilbert Bezarius suits you." Then he grinned and took my hand, leading me to the reception. In the dining room, we found the guests snacking. Forgetting about them, I smiled at Oz. A warm happiness filled my chest and spread throughout my body. We could do anything as long as we were together.
"Now that we're married, wouldn't it be nice to have a house of our own, just the two of us?" Oz suggested.
"Just the two of us," I echoed, murmuring softly. "Where will we live?"
He said, "The Bezarius family owns another house not too far from this one. It's not as big, so we won't have to do much cleaning."
I had seen that house. "Isn't it too old and run-down to live in?"
"It's repairable," said Oz. "Oscar and Ada will probably help us fix it up. Why don't we ask them right now?" We walked over to Oscar, who was offering wine to Reim.
"I'd rather not get drunk," Reim told him.
Oscar noticed me and Oz. "My congratulations to the grooms. Why don't you join us for some wine?"
"Actually, Oz and I came over to tell you that we want to move to the smaller Bezarius house near here. We wondered if you and Ada would help us make it fit to live in." I said.
"We already did! It was actually Alice's idea; she said she didn't want to have to live with your sappiness." Joy flooded through me. We could start living in our own house that very day! I drew Oz close to me and he rested his head on my shoulder.
"Together forever," he whispered to me.
Once the guests left and we changed into our regular clothes, Oscar, Alice, and Ada decided to show us the house we planned to live in. After a half-hour walk, we saw it. The midday sun illuminated a one-story house that had been newly painted white. It was surrounded by a meadow of brown, dead grasses that would turn green in the spring. This modest building, so unlike the mansion that Oz and I were used to, seemed like a paradise to me because of the future it promised.
Oz's eyes widened. "Thank you so much, Uncle Oscar!" He threw his arms around his uncle as if he was still a child. Laughing, Oscar hugged us, then Ada joined.
"I knew it would be a good idea," Alice said, smirking and putting her hands on her hips. She went up the hill, beckoning for us to follow. We explored each room. The living room was cozy; two armchairs faced a fireplace and bookshelves covered the walls. There were two doors in a hallway that came from the living room. The first door in the hallway led to a combined kitchen and dining room. The other door led to the bedroom, which had a bed plenty big enough for two people, a thick curtain covering a window, and a door that led to a small bathroom. I couldn't wait to live in this house, spending all my time alone with Oz.
"Let's move in right away," I said to him.
"Definitely," he agreed, his eyes shining.
Ada said, "I'm glad you like it so much. We should go back and get your stuff to bring over here." As we walked back to the other house, my eyes were glued to Oz. I daydreamed about our new life together: we would wake up every morning in each other's arms, wasting the day away in bed if we wanted, or maybe visiting friends and family. When we arrived, I hurriedly packed my few belongings. Oz also finished packing quickly. We returned to our new house in a carriage. For once, Oscar drove instead of me, so I rode with Oz. Sitting on the same side of the carriage, we held each other. I turned my face towards him and kissed him. He pressed his body into mine, kissing back urgently. My heart danced, I blushed, and I felt giddy, wanting more.
I reluctantly drew away to say, "Think of what we can do together with a house of our own, Oz. I'll make delicious meals for us and we can go outside for walks by ourselves without Oscar spying on us. We can even stay in bed all day sometimes." I gazed at him and laughed hopefully. He grinned and snuggled closer. Soon, the carriage stopped.
"We're here!" Oscar said. "I'll help you get your stuff inside." Having taken few belongings, we managed this in one trip from the carriage to the house. It was already dusk by then. Oscar drove off, leaving Oz and I alone in our new house for the first time. Standing in the living room, I wrapped my arms around Oz's waist and smiled.
He spoke softly, his voice full of love. "No matter what, Gil, I'll always be with you. Other things matter to me, but that's because you inspire me to care about them."
"I've never heard sweeter words," I said. I felt like blindingly beautiful golden light consumed me as I gazed into his earnest eyes; his soul was irrevocably bonded to mine.
Here is the sixth chapter to my Oz x Gil fan fiction, called A Bond of Light. WARNING: There is mature content in this chapter (mild yaoi).
In the months that followed, life continued to be relatively relaxed. Ada had graduated from Latowidge and didn't have further academic ambitions, so she stayed in the Bezarius house. As for Pandora, I pleaded for a break; thanks to Oscar's persuasive skills (although I hadn't realized that he possessed any), Pandora gave me minimal work. I could spend most of my time with Oz, growing closer to him every day. I loved his voice, his way of moving, his appearance, and most of all his persistent, optimistic personality. When we kissed intensely or snuggled, I always reacted in several delightful ways: my body would feel lighter than air, my heart would beat quickly and ache mildly, my face would feel hot (Oz told me that I was blushing), my senses became hyper-alert to him, and I would forget about everything else.
One November morning, I woke up with Oz in my arms. It had become a routine to take off our shirts before going to sleep, so I knew that the seal on his chest was almost completely reversed. His breathing was slow and calm as he slept. I had an incredibly powerful urge to kiss him, but I let him sleep, admiring his peaceful face. Soon, his eyes opened and he looked at me drowsily. I brought him closer, burning with the desire that I had repressed before. My lips eagerly explored his. His hands ran through my hair while I traced my fingers down his spine. Breaking away from the kiss, he shivered and snuggled closer.
"It's cold," Oz remarked. I pulled the covers up to his chin, then wrapped my arms around him, relaxing. This feeling of his body melting into mine was so familiar, yet I could never get enough of it. I often wondered what it would feel like naked. That morning, knowing that Oz would want me to speak my mind, I worked up the nerve to ask him if he wanted to try.
"I've been wondering for a while what it would be like to do this with no clothes on," I said to him. He looked longingly at me. My boldness left me; I worried about his uncharacteristic eagerness to do something so rash, so I asked, "Why do you seem so enthusiastic? I expected you to be more apprehensive."
He replied bashfully, "I've been fantasizing about it, even in my dreams. I suppose it isn't like me to be so ready for something like that, but, Gil, we've known each other for such a long time..."
"As long as you're okay with it, why don't we try?" I said, glad that he had thought about it beforehand and this wasn't just a moment's decision. My heart fluttered excitedly. I got out of bed to completely undress. Oz sat up and took off his clothes. I was dizzy with nervousness as I climbed back into bed. Lying down, bare skin on skin, we held each other closely. Oz's smile filled me with joy, my heart aching. I brushed his neck with my lips. He brought his lips to mine in an open-mouth kiss as our legs intertwined. My heart raced and my body tingled from the feeling of his skinny, boyish shape. We explored each other's bodies, touching, holding, and kissing.
"This is the most wonderful experience of my entire life," Oz said sincerely.
"Same for me," I said, admiring his joyful expression. Suddenly, he curled forward in pain, clutching the seal on his chest. Although I knew he would be fine, concern overwhelmed me. I held him, hoping it would comfort him. He took his hand off the seal. It was completely reversed! My heart pounded quickly.
"Oz— the seal— it's undone." Bewildered tears ran across my cheeks. I felt dazed, as if I was in a dream.
"Undone," he echoed, relief flooding his face. "Gil, you— we— did it. I can stay with you forever. I won't get dragged into the Abyss!" He laughed exuberantly and the seal started to fade.
"The seal's fading," I said, worried that we would lose Alice.
He said, "We can't lose Alice." I didn't show it most of the time, but I cared about Alice, too. I would be devastated if she was trapped in the Abyss. I searched frantically for our clothing, putting on any that was mine and handing Oz's to him to put on. Once we were decent, Oz grabbed my hand and ran to the living room. The peaceful midday sun shone through the window. Alice was sprawled on the couch, unconscious. Ada was leaning over her, but she straightened up when she noticed me and Oz.
"Alice and I were talking, then she suddenly became unconscious," Ada explained. "I doesn't seem like she's asleep." She looked at us quizzically. Oz rushed to Alice and took her hand, looking guilty. Distressed, I took a step towards him. He reached his hand out to me, so I walked over and embraced him. Oz and I stared at Alice (Ada looked confused).
After a suspenseful moment, a hole opened up underneath Alice, the couch disappearing. I pulled Oz away, frightened for him. Alice was surrounded by a glowing, purple aura. Ada, who was unfamiliar with people being dragged into the Abyss, panicked and ran out of the room. Oz's horrified expression pierced my heart.
"Alice!" he yelled desperately. He struggled, trying to get out of my arms to reach her. My need to protect him above all else gave me strength to restrain him.
He pleaded, "I thought we had agreed to support each other, Gil. I need your help now. Won't you believe in me?" Loath as I was to let him risk himself like that, he had a point. His determined nature was one of my favorite things about him. I released him, tears blurring my vision. My heart crumbled into pieces and my chest curled inward. I was sure that he would be dragged into the Abyss.
"NO!!!" I shouted, pulling him back. "This is sacrifice. You know it wouldn't do any good. Supporting you doesn't mean I have to let you go like that. We need to figure out what would actually help. I know we can do it together." A year ago, I would've sacrificed Alice in order to save my beloved Oz, but now I wasn't about to give up. Oz's own strong will had influenced me to try harder. Filled with hope, I smiled at him through my tears. I called for Raven's powers. Oz gasped as the Chain appeared.
"Get Alice," I told it. Alice was sinking into the hole more slowly than most Chains who were dragged into the Abyss; perhaps her connection to this world through her past, human self was resisting. As Raven entered the aura around Alice, my nerves screamed in agony. My breath came in ragged gasps and the room spun. I dropped to the floor, feeling weak. Oz held me, and concentrating on that, I managed to bear the pain. Raven's presence in the aura brought Alice back to consciousness. She used the power of her B-rabbit form to leap out of the aura. Raven, however, started to sink into the Abyss. Its claws grabbed onto me, dragging me into the purple aura.
"Gil!" said Oz, his voice full of despair. "How could I let you sacrifice yourself? I love you more than anything else. I need you. Stay with me always." Reaching into the aura, he clung to my arm as I sank. I held onto him, refusing to go into the Abyss; I needed to stay with Oz.
I said, "Yes! Always! I won't hurt myself for you! That's what we promised each other, right?" I gripped Oz's arms and dragged myself towards him. He leaned backwards, tugging on me, and Raven let go. I tumbled out of the aura, knocking Oz over. The hole swallowed Raven, then the living room returned to normal. I breathed deeply, relieved from the pain I had felt since Raven entered the aura. I felt giddy and weightless. Oz was lying on the ground since I had knocked him over. Glad that neither of us were in the Abyss, I knelt beside him and he sat up. I brought my lips to his, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. He kissed back urgently, licking my tongue and pressing his lips on mine. We stopped kissing to stand up, holding hands, and he smiled at me.
Alice stamped her foot and waved her arms angrily. "What was that all about?! I nearly got dragged into the Abyss for no apparent reason and then you just sit there kissing each other."
Oz, ignoring this last part, explained, "When Gil and I were in our bedroom, the seal reversed completely, then started to fade. That meant that you were no longer connected to this world through a contract. We worried that you would have to go to the Abyss, so we came in here and found that you were unconscious. Then this purple aura appeared and you started sinking into a hole that appeared over there." He pointed towards the couch.
"You came to consciousness when I called Raven and it tried to get you back," I continued. "Then you saw the rest."
"Did your contract with Raven break? And why is Alice still tied to this world? Is it because she used to be human?" Oz speculated. He seemed calmer than I would expect after such an ordeal.
"I guess so," I replied.
Alice said, "You guys keep acting like I'm not here. Fine. Do what you like without me 'cause I'm going to eat lunch." She stomped off. Despite being nearly dragged into the Abyss, she was her usual stubborn self. Lunch didn't sound like a bad idea, though. I took Oz's hand and followed her into the dining room. We found that Ada had left a note on the table saying she was in her room. After gobbling down a sandwich, my thoughts were clearer because I wasn't so hungry. I wondered where Oscar was; I hadn't seen him all day.
"Do either of you know where Oscar is?" I asked.
"He went to the market before you got up," Alice said. "We're almost out of food." I wanted to talk to Oz alone, so I excused myself, looking purposefully at him. When we left the table, Alice protested, "Hey! Don't you care about me at all? Or am I just a piece of furniture?"
Oz sighed. "Why don't you play a card game with Ada or something?" She scowled at us. Knowing that she would be fine without us, we left Alice and went to our room. I undressed and got into bed, Oz following suit. His eyes looked lovingly into mine and I took his hands in mine.
"I'm so sorry for endangering myself. I can't live without you, Oz. I'll never do anything that could separate us ever again," I said. He leaned towards me. Our lips touched. The blissfulness of his kiss drove all other thoughts out of my mind.
He stopped kissing to say, "I know, Gil. I trust you. You love me too much to hurt me like that. I'll stay strong for you, too." Unbelievably bright, golden light seemed to fill the world. I felt like my body had turned into air. I laughed, aching with absolute joy. My love for Oz was infinitely wonderful, and painful in its very beauty. He looked like an angel as he smiled sweetly at me. He joined my laughter, delighted. I kissed him eagerly and our bodies melted together.
"We'll always be together. I am nobody without you," I murmured softly, looking at him longingly.
Oz whispered, "Forever." Then he traced his fingers along my face, my neck, my shoulder, my back, resting on my hip. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and kissed him again. Forever didn't sound long enough.
Here is the fifth chapter to my Oz x Gil fan fiction, called A Bond Light.
The next morning, I woke up with my head on Oz's shoulder. I sat up and saw that he was sleeping peacefully. I felt weightless with joy, my heart racing as I watched him. My hand touched his face, then traced down his neck, over his shoulder, across his torso. I felt giddy as I waited for him to wake up. Maybe I should get up, I thought, wanting to train myself to function without Oz. I wouldn't always be able to be near him.
It was easier to tear myself away from him when he was sleeping. I quietly crept out the door, then walked to the living room. Ada was already up, playing solitaire. I joined her on the couch and asked if she would like to play Go Fish with me. I ended up with 3 sets; she had 10. I had no strategy, instead asking her for any random card I happened to have. I called her Oz several times (they were siblings, after all). Alice came in and we played another game of go fish with her. I didn't have the excuse of a family resemblance when I kept calling her Oz, too.
"Oz, um, Alice, do you have any 6's?" I asked. I must have been quite sleepy.
"I'm not Oz, you seaweed-head," she replied grumpily. I wondered when Oz would get up. What would he think when he saw I wasn't there? It would probably be disorienting for him. In this second game of Go Fish, being more awake, I managed to get 4 sets; Ada also had 4, and Alice had 5. I went to Oz's room as Alice gloated over her victory. He was sleeping, but he started to stir when I got back in bed.
Still half asleep, he muttered, "Gil," then rolled towards me. I wrapped my arms around him, my heart dancing. His warm lips touched mine. I wanted to stay with him forever, but I knew that was impossible. He drew away, looking at me with purposeful eyes, less blank than normal.
I said softly, "I got up before you, but it was impossible to stay away from you for very long. I've become so used to your company, Oz."
"Then let's stay with each as much as possible," he said, smiling at me. We held each other closely. I lusted for more.
"Do you mind..." I said, looking at him quizzically as I unbuttoned his shirt. He let me take off his shirt, then he took off mine. Our bodies melting together, we kissed with open, eager lips. I felt giddy with excitement.
He eventually pulled back to say, "This love isn't possessive; you aren't mine. You're your own wonderful person. I love that about you. I love everything about you." I smiled and laughed delightedly. I realized that I thought the same of him: Oz was his own confident, determined person, and I loved that. I pulled him towards me, kissing him enthusiastically to show my agreement. We stayed in bed for a long time, hugging, kissing, and saying we loved each other.
"When you're older, we could get married, if you want," I said.
He looked into my eyes happily. "I need you always. I would love to marry you." Then he added, "Do you even know if boys can marry each other? I've only heard of marriage between a boy and a girl."
"Come to think of it, I haven't heard of marriage between boys either," I said.
Ever the optimist, he replied, "There's a first for everything, right?"
"Yes," I said fervently. "I would break a million rules if it would make you happy." This was an exaggeration. A few months ago, it had been true; I had joined Pandora, become a legal contractor, and even shot people for his sake. Now, however, the support he gave me made me feel that I shouldn't sacrifice anything more than I had to. Instead, I wanted to improve the world for his sake. "Well, maybe just bad rules. You would only truly be happy if I did something good."
He murmured gently, "You know me so well, Gil." Realizing that it must have been late morning by then, I forced myself to get out of bed, feeling like I was tearing out my heart, shaking from the emotional strain. I succumbed to my desire and came back in bed, clinging to Oz. His eager face reflected my feelings. The room seemed very warm, so I kicked off the covers. I felt tingly when Oz pressed his body into me. I could feel his torso on my uncovered chest, but his bare lower legs (he was wearing shorts) rested on my long, black pants. Why did there have to be clothing separating us? I ran my fingers through his hair, which was messy yet soft.
"Closer," he whispered urgently, closing his eyes.
I told him, "It must be very late by now. We should get up." However, I couldn't help giving him one more long, hard kiss before we climbed out of bed. He looked deeply into my eyes. Suddenly, he gasped and fell to his knees, clutching the seal on his chest. I knelt beside him, my heart thumping. It angered me that he had to go through this pain. I felt like I was suffering with him; the left side of my chest ached, and my breathing was quick and shallow. He relaxed and stood up, with my arms around him protectively. The seal had moved backwards again (this time, having seen him with his shirt off, I could tell for myself). He stood there for a few minutes then eased himself out of my arms and searched for our shirts.
After putting on our shirts, we found the others in the living room. Alice and Oz were playing a card game while Ada read the Holy Knight series. They all turned their faces towards us as we entered the room.
"What took you so long, lazybones?" Alice inquired. I looked at the clock, surprised to find that it was almost noon.
"I didn't realize how late it was," I remarked. She, Ada, and Oscar looked suspiciously at our tousled hair and wrinkled clothing.
Oz said, "The contract seal on my chest moved backwards again." They looked surprised. He continued, "I wonder what will happen if it reverses entirely?"
"Maybe the contract will break entirely, and you'll get to stay here," Ada said, smiling at her brother.
"But that would mean that I wouldn't be bound to this world and I would have to go back to the Abyss," Alice pointed out. "I like it here. I never want to go back."
Oz said, "Then let's see if there isn't some way to keep you in this world." I looked at him, my heart burning with pleasure at his determination.
"Definitely," said Oscar. "Let's consult with Break and Sharon after lunch." As we ate, my thoughts drifted towards memories of that morning with Oz. I remembered how his body had relaxed into me as he had murmured lovingly. The experience had been unfamiliar but delightful. I stopped eating to take his hand in mine, my heart skipping and leaping. He looked so blissful; he must have thinking about how he wasn't going to be dragged into the Abyss. Months ago, he hadn't even cared about his own life. I loved him even more for his stronger will.
As always, I drove the carriage, wishing that I could be inside it where Oz was (despite the more equal status I now had with Oz, I was still regarded as a servant). All four of the others had decided to come. We arrived at the Rainsworth house a few hours later. Break and Sharon were on the balcony, drinking tea.
"Nice to see you guys," Break said, leaning back with a piece of cake on the fork he had in his hand.
Oz said, "The seal on my chest moved backwards again. Do you think that the contract will break and Alice have to go back to the Abyss if it reverses all the way?"
"That seems likely." Break studied Oz. "You're different than you used to be. You'll figure something out. The seal might stay there even after it's all the way reversed, though, keeping Alice in this world. Just a thought." He ate the cake, looking unconcerned. Oz looked at me with what was probably supposed to be a comforting expression, but he looked uncertain. He never had trusted Break. Break's idea seemed like the only solution, though.
"In order to keep the seal on, but not let it advance, I would have to reach a delicate equilibrium with my feelings for Gil and Alice. What if I disrupted that?" said Oz. I understood him: his love for me was breaking the contract, but he cared about Alice as a friend. If he let go of Alice too much, she would no longer be tied to this world.
Sharon said, "That would be a problem. Not only that, but the Will of the Abyss might interfere. However, you don't really have a choice, do you?"
Alice replied, "We can do it. It doesn't sound too hard. I bet we've gone through worse." It definitely didn't sound as bad as many of the adventures we had been on, especially if it meant I could be close to Oz. I looked longingly into his large, green eyes.
"Why don't you stay for tea?" Sharon said.
Oz turned his head towards her to reply, "That sounds great." Ada and I nodded in agreement and Oscar grinned. We continued to discuss the contract over tea. We came to the conclusion that we could manage to keep the Will of the Abyss from finding out, avoiding any problems with her. The rest of it would depend on Oz. I hated to leave such a heavy burden on him, but I saw no way out of it. If we let Alice go into the Abyss, he would regret it forever (to be honest, I would miss her, too). I made up my mind to love and support him as much as I could to help him get through this.
By the time we finished tea, Oz seemed to be more comfortable with the idea that he would have to keep Alice from losing her tie to this world. He smiled at me, and I smiled back, leaning towards him.
"Great to see you guys. Visit again soon," Break said, looking disgustedly at me and Oz as we laced our hands together; he wasn't at all interested in romance.
"You're shooing us out?" Oscar said, disappointed.
"So long," Break said, waving with his fork.
Sharon waved her hand, saying, "Good luck."
"Good riddance," Emily chimed in. We left when Break started lecturing Emily about Emily's brutal honesty. After we got home, Alice, Oscar, and Ada went inside. Oz asked me to stay outside with him. I thought that he wanted to talk about his illegal contract, but I he drew me towards him and pressed his lips on mine. Nerves tingling and heart dancing, thoughts of Oz pushed everything else out of my mind. Our eager tongues touched and my heart ached pleasantly. I could have exploded with joy. My arms holding him close, I pulled my head back to see his blissful expression for a moment before kissing him again. He gently put his hand on my chest and drew away, looking at me tenderly.
"I'll always be here for you," I whispered. "No matter what happens, I'll try my best to help you."
Oz said, "I'm here for you, too, Gil. I'll protect you always." I felt dizzy, overwhelmed by the determination written on his face. I loved the willful young man he was becoming even more than I had loved the uncertain boy he had been. We kissed intensely again, then walked inside, hand in hand.
Here is the fourth chapter to my Oz x Gil fan fiction, called A Bond of Light.
It seemed so unlikely that Alice could release B-rabbit's power by herself. Didn't Chains have to be bonded by a contract in order to stay in this world? However, Alice wasn't your average Chain, as Break pointed out when we asked him and Sharon about it. Over the next few days, she rarely missed an opportunity to show off her transformation. It became tiresome; we were amazed the first time she showed us, but she would go outside to transform at least twice a day. She would make Oz and me watch her turn into B-rabbit as much as possible (Oscar and Ada had managed to escape this requirement, probably because Alice wasn't very close to them; Break and Sharon were often busy and lived in the Rainsworth house, which was kind of far from Oz's house). I supposed she was both feeling proud of her independence and trying to convince herself that this unlikely ability wasn't just her imagination.
The next few days were relatively uneventful, and those of us at Oz's house developed a lazy routine: wake up in the late morning (around 9:00), eat breakfast, watch Alice release B-rabbit's power (or, in Oscar and Ada's case, hang out and play board games), join Oscar and Ada to either hang out and play board games or go to the market, eat lunch, spend time alone with Oz (although Oscar was obviously spying on us), sometimes go to Sharon's house for tea and to talk about Pandora (although not much had happened there recently), do some outdoor activity that Oscar planned, eat dinner, either discuss the abnormalities of Oz's contract or read books, then go to bed.
Because I was with Oz almost all the time and had been close to him for so long, our relationship progressed rapidly. We gave each other strength and support. Oz's persistence and willingness to try hard were overcoming his old tendency to sacrifice himself. I was inspired by this to try my best to make him happy as I fell more deeply in love with him. One sweltering, humid night a couple of weeks after the day that I had told him that I loved him, I suggested that we take our shirts off to keep cool before getting into bed. Oz looked unsure of this.
"We don't have to. It was only a suggestion," I said quickly, not wanting to hurt him.
"I don't know, Gil. I mean, it isn't like that's very extreme, it's just that our love is increasing so quickly. Maybe we should slow down a little." Despite his words, his eyes wandered up and down my body longingly. Then, we made eye contact, my heart fluttering, all my senses hyper-aware of Oz. His smiling face filled me with a joyfulness so extreme I thought I would explode. Still standing near the bed, I pulled him close to me and looked at his loving expression one more time before kissing him intensely. He gave a small, surprised gasp, then melted into me enthusiastically. My mouth opened slightly and I licked his lips. He responded by wrapping his arms around my neck and opening his mouth. Our tongues touched, our eyes looking deeply into each other's. My body tingled and my heart laughed lightly at the happiest moment of my life so far.
Although I was giddy with delight, I wondered how Oz felt. Using the determination I had learned from him, I forced myself to pull back, watching him. He started undoing the off-center buttons on my shirt. Concern for him caused me to take his eager hands in mine, stopping him. He looked confused.
"Didn't you want to take your shirt off?" he asked.
"You didn't seem enthusiastic about it before," I replied. "What made you change your mind?"
"I've never felt as good in my entire life as I did when you kissed me like that. Gil, I may be only fifteen, but the I need the love you give me, the changes you've brought to me. I believe in you and I could do anything for you. When I'm older and the whole Abyss thing is sorted out... you and I..." He trailed off as we stared into each other's eyes, joyous tears blurring my vision. I drew him close, wishing this moment would last forever.
I said softly, "I need you more than anything, Oz." He lifted his head to see my face, then gently wiped away my tears with his hand, smiling. Then he kissed me passionately. My heart jumped in reaction to this pleasant surprise. He broke away and got into bed, beckoning me, and I came in with him. Snuggling close, he kissed my neck. I started unbuttoning my shirt. Seeing this, he stopped kissing to smile and laugh quietly, and I joined his laughter as my shirt fell to the ground. He took off his own shirt and dropped it on the ground. It must have been very late in the night by then, but I didn't want to stop. We held each other. Calm and contented yet every nerve tingling excitedly, I ran my fingers down his back. He closed his eyes blissfully as I drew him closer.
"Oz, will you always be mine?" I realized later what a ridiculous, sentimental, impossible-to-answer question this was, but at the time it seemed perfectly reasonable.
"Yes. Forever." He sighed, looking at me. "Let's get some sleep now." I held him tightly, closing my eyes and trying to stop thinking about him so I could fall asleep. Images from the day drifted through my head: Oz's face when we woke up that morning, Alice gloating about her ability to release B-rabbit's powers, Oscar and Ada dancing around triumphantly after beating us at bocce ball, and a shirtless Oz with the seal on his chest ticking backwards. The last thing I remember before I fell asleep was a mental image of Oz mouthing the words "I love you".
I woke up gradually to the sound of Oz's voice. "Gil, wake up. It's almost 10:00," he said. I yawned and stretched my arms. Oz looked alert, making me wonder how long he had been watching me sleep.
I said, "If you woke up earlier, you didn't have to wait for me."
"I was enjoying looking at you sleeping too much. Anyway, it's only been half an hour since I woke up." He smiled, eyes shining. "I never wake up before you! I wanted to treasure the experience." He rolled on top of me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. I laughed delightedly, feeling lighter than air. That morning was warm and golden, filled with sunlight. Oz looked longingly at me as I pushed him away gently and got out of bed to search for my shirt. But before I found it, Oscar banged the door open dramatically.
"Ha! I caught you! Wipe those smiles off your faces!" (Oz and I, far from smiling, had our mouths opened in astonishment.) "I had suspected for weeks that you were doing something indecent, but I couldn't prove it til now." Oscar must have been looking into the room from the keyhole, which didn't give him a view of the bed, but allowed him to see me shirtless when I got up. He glared at me accusingly. Oz sat up and looked at him defiantly. My heart ached with admiration for Oz's bravery, giving me the strength to stand up to his uncle.
"Oz and I agreed about taking off our shirts," I told him. "We're old enough to do that without your interference." Anyway, boys can take their shirts off in public, so how is it indecent? I thought. Ada, who must have been wondering what was taking us so long to get up as well as being curious about the noise, came in. Her eyes widened when she saw the situation. The way she was staring at me half naked was unnerving, so my eyes searched the room for my shirt. I noticed it on the floor next to the bed, then I picked it up and put it on.
Meanwhile, Oscar said, "If you want to sleep together anymore, you'll have to live somewhere else." I wouldn't mind that too much; we could live at Sharon and Break's house, visiting Oscar and Ada often, but when I finished getting fully dressed I saw that Oz was staring glumly at the floor. This must have reminded him of when his father rejected him. I thought he had gotten over those feelings of worthlessness that day we saw that his father had joined the Baskervilles, but his face was filled with despair and horror. Red hot anger boiled inside me as I felt the need to protect Oz.
"Please stop! You're hurting him! He feels rejected, like he did with his father!" I shouted at Oscar. Tears burned my cheeks and I clenched my hands. Oz turned his head towards me hopefully. I sat on the bed and hugged him loosely. He leaned forward to bury his face in my chest.
After a short silence, Ada said, "It's okay. We wouldn't hurt you. You will always be part of this family, little big brother."
Oz smiled. "Thank you, big little sister. Wait, where's Alice? It just occurred to me that I haven't seen her all day."
"Come to think of it, me neither," Oscar said, frowning. "I wonder where she went. Let's look for her after having something to eat." That sounded like a very good idea; it was almost lunchtime, and I hadn't eaten breakfast. Oz put his shirt back on before we went to the dining room.
After eating, Oz and Ada searched for Alice inside the house while Oscar and I looked for her outside. As we searched, I was surprised how hard it was to focus on finding Alice instead of thinking about Oz. It was the first time in weeks that I had been away from him for more than a few minutes. Oscar looked for Alice for at least half an hour, but I was mainly day dreaming about Oz during that time. I wandered, looking around halfheartedly as I imagined Oz walking towards me. He would smile, his bright green eyes shining with delight, his yellow hair reflecting the sunshine. I forgot that we were looking for Alice. Instead, I thought we were looking for Oz. I was delighted when Oz and Ada came out of the house, looking worn out and disappointed.
"There he is!" I said to Oscar, who looked at me quizzically. I pointed towards the front door. "Ada found Oz." I explained, wondering why this made him laugh.
"You thought we were looking for Oz when we were supposed to be finding Alice?" Oscar said. My face felt hot with embarrassment. I realized that I was too dependent on Oz; I was so used to his presence that I could barely function without him. This thought left when Oz ran towards me eagerly. I wanted to tell him that I had missed him, but this seemed excessive since I had only been away from him for half an hour.
"I missed you," he said, echoing my thoughts. I wrapped my arms around him, flooded with both the relief that he was near me and the desire to feel his body. I felt giddy and my heart fluttered as usual with this close contact. Despite this distraction, I wasn't daydreaming about Oz like I had been when we were apart, so my thoughts were clearer.
"Maybe Alice visited Break and Sharon," I suggested, for lack of a better idea.
Oz said, "Let's look for her at the market first. It's closer." We used a carriage in order to get there quickly. I drove, the clopping of horse hooves drowning out any conversation between Oz and Oscar in the carriage (Ada said that she would rather stay). Soon, we reached the market. I stopped the carriage on the side of a street and tied it the reins to a fencepost. We wandered around, thoroughly examining market and asking people if they had seen a girl with long brown hair and a red coat, especially near meat sellers. We even looked on side streets. After what seemed like hours, we finally found her eating near a meat stand.
"Did you pay for that?" I asked suspiciously.
"None of your business." She continued to gnaw on the meat.
Oz said, "We worried about you. Why did you leave without telling us?"
"Everyone was sleeping in, and I was bored. We've been doing the same old thing every day," she replied. I had loved the relaxing routine, but leave it to Alice to disrupt a normal life. I sighed in exasperation and Oz glanced at me, amused.
Oscar said, "Why don't we buy something for dinner, then go home and play in the yard?" Judging from her discontented face, Alice didn't consider this to be an adventure. It sounded like our everyday routine. I supposed she had been releasing B-rabbit's powers so often because she was bored. I looked at Oz, taking his hand in mine. He smiled at me tenderly; he seemed much more cheerful and confident than he had been when we were going on adventures. Although Alice wanted excitement, I would rather keep Oz happy.
"Don't drag us into this," I told her. "If you want to search for your memory fragments or something, don't make us come along."
"You guys told me that you would still be here for me," she said ferociously. "You lied." She glared, then turned away. Pity and guilt conflicted with my overwhelming desire to protect Oz. Oz also seemed uncertain about what to do. He hugged me, and I hugged back. The feeling of his body touching mine made me ecstatic, my heart racing. I couldn't let go of Oz's body, Oz's compassion, or Oz's love. Everything about him was too wonderful to hurt, but I realized that Alice was feeling rejected, like Oz had been earlier that day.
Oz said passionately, "You just want to feel accepted. I want that too, but what's truly important is that you have some purpose to live for, to validate your existence. That way, you don't need others to accept you in order to keep on living." I gasped. Oz could protect himself, stand up for himself. He had a purpose in life that eliminated his dependency on being accepted. I wondered what had changed him; just this morning he had needed to be accepted by his family. Then, I realized that he was slowly finding this strength in himself. Times when he gave up, discouraged, had become less and less common over the months since he came back from the Abyss. Eventually, he might be determined to keep living for a purpose even in the hardest situations. My heart felt warm because I was glad that he was becoming more capable.
"What is your purpose, Oz?" I asked, having forgotten that Oscar and Alice were with us. He looked lovingly into my eyes, causing my heart to flutter.
He spoke in a gentler tone than before. "Your kindness, bravery, love, and persistence, Gil, are what keep me going. I love you." I had never heard sweeter words in my entire life. I remembered how he had looked at me hopefully after his feelings had been hurt by Oscar; I realized that I had known since then that I was his purpose in life. Unable or unwilling to restrain myself, I kissed him, licking his tongue, exploring his lips with mine. My senses screaming for more, I pressed him into me so I could feel the shape of his body beneath his clothes.
I drew away to whisper, "You mean the world to me. Your strength, determination, empathy, and love give me something to live for." His blissful smile shone like the sun, lighting up my heart.
Suddenly, Oz looked around confusedly. "How did we get here, anyway?" I saw that we were at the market. "What were we doing?" he asked.
"Oh yeah, we came here with Oscar to find Alice, and then you lectured her on having a purpose in life." I smiled at him, thinking of my purpose. Oscar and Alice had their backs to us as they talked loudly about the weather.
"Don't you think it looks like rain, Alice?" Oscar said. He turned his head to look at us pointedly as he continued. "Maybe we should go back to the mansion."
Oz replied sheepishly, "Yes, what a good idea. What do you think, Gil?" I nodded, too embarrassed for words. The carriage ride home was quick, but we had left the market so late that it was time for dinner when we got back. It had been a relatively exciting day, and I was starving. We had soup and bread for dinner, then we went to the living room to play board games. I got sleepy at around 10:00 pm and excused myself to go to bed. The other four kept playing. Alice was her normal, spunky self; Oz's words must have inspired her.
I tried to get to sleep, but I couldn't stop thinking about Oz. After an hour that lasted a year, I gave up and came back in the living room to see him. He looked absolutely delighted when he saw me in the doorway. He told the others that he was going to bed, then came with me to his room. This night was chillier than the one before it, so we left our shirts on as we snuggled close. Able to relax with Oz near me, I soon drifted off to sleep. I had memorable dream that night, in which Oz was caught in a giant net with his father standing over him intimidatingly. Despite discouraging threats from his father, Oz refused to stop trying to escape from the net because he had someone to live for: me.
Here is the third chapter to my Oz x Gil fan fiction, called A Bond of Light.
We stayed at Sharon's house for dinner. Alice was sulking in a corner, but we managed to get her to join us by tempting her with meat. After dinner, Oz, Alice, and I left to go to Oz's house. I drove the carriage. Remembering how Oz's Uncle Oscar reacted when he thought Ada had fallen in love with me, I didn't want to tell him about me and Oz, so when we reached his house, I told Oz and Alice that it would be best if we kept it a secret from Oz's family for now. Alice smirked and crossed her arms, making me suspect that she probably would tell Oscar and Ada just to get revenge.
"We'll have to tell them sometime anyway, so we might as well get it over with," said Oz.
"Very well. They're your family, so you decide," I replied, although I knew it wasn't wise. I had a sense of doom as we walked inside the house, dreading that Oscar would end our relationship. Oz's uncle and sister greeted us warmly, asking how our visit with Break and Sharon had been. Oz and I looked at each other meaningfully as Alice avoided having to break the news by rambling on about shopping for meat. Nobody was paying attention to her; Oscar was looking quite bored, and Ada was smiling at me. I started to speak.
"Meat shopping wasn't the only thing that happened. I love Oz." The words didn't seem to make any sense, but Oz looked happy that I had spoken up. I glanced hopefully at Oscar, who looked disbelieving, so I decided that it would be easier to show than to tell. Leaning over Oz, my heart beat fast and my lips touched his. My whole body longed to touch him, hold him, so I did. We kissed hard and long, but it wasn't enough. This lustful aspect of love was not so familiar, but I enjoyed the feeling so much that I forgot about everything besides Oz. After a while, I drew away to see his bright green eyes shining delightedly at me. My heart leaped.
I was about to kiss him again when I was brought back to reality when the three others (who I had completely forgotten about) said, "Eeewww." I tore my eyes away from Oz and saw that they had wrinkled their noses in disgust.
"You didn't have to do that in front of us," Oscar said. "It was disgusting, but you definitely got the point across." I was surprised that he wasn't angry like he had been about Ada's obsession. His tone became less disgusted as he continued: "I think that you two suit each other well. You always have been close, and Oz is twenty-five, plenty old enough for this." Technically, he's fifteen, I thought, but relief flooded through me. He was fine with it! Still dazed from our intense kiss, I didn't bother looking at the other two before taking Oz into his room.
"Can I sleep in here with you?" I asked him.
"Sure. I know you won't do anything indecent, and I would love to spend more time with you," he said. His trust would make it easier for me to keep my lustful desires from overriding my willpower. I loved how Oz seemed so happy and confident since I confessed my love to him. We got into his bed, snuggling. I planned to stay up and talk to him; however, calm and contented after a long day, I soon drifted off to sleep.
When I woke up the next morning, I was still holding Oz. How wonderful it was to start my day by seeing the best person in the world! He looked so serene as he slept. I have no idea how long I stayed in bed, admiring him, before Oscar came in to wake Oz up. Judging by the astonishment on his face, he had not expected me to be there. As I guiltily stood up, I could tell that I had gone too far.
"What do you think you're doing, pervert?!" he shouted at me. I mumbled a lame excuse about being fully dressed, which only got him angrier. "You would even consider not being fully dressed? I didn't realize how sick your mind was, Gil. Out of my house, pervert!" Oz, who had been woken by the shouting, groggily sat up and, smiling obliviously, leaned over and clung onto my torso (he was at an odd angle because I was out of bed). He became more awake and noticed Oscar standing furiously in the doorway, his eyes widening with surprise. Oscar threw far-fetched, random insults at me, saying that I "seduced", "hypnotized", and "manipulated" Oz. Oz was now fully awake, and he stood up and looked pleadingly into his uncle's eyes.
"I wanted him to stay with me. You said yourself I was old enough for romance. Anyway, it wasn't nearly as bad as that kiss in front of you. It isn't like we haven't slept in the same room before," he said.
"But in the same bed?" Oscar said, now more skeptical than angry. Suddenly, Oz gasped and dropped to his knees, hunched over, looking horrified. Concern for him overcame me, and I knelt beside him. What had happened? He looked pale and frightened. I wanted to get rid of whatever was causing this— what could it be? As he clutched the left side of his chest, I realized the seal on his heart must have advanced, a result of the contract he made with Alice. I couldn't stand not being able to do anything. I could see from the worried look on Oscar's face that he felt the same way.
"Oz, are you okay?" I asked, although I knew it was pointless.
He grimaced, then looked bewildered. "It feels... different, somehow." He straightened up, trying to smile at me, but I could see that he was worried. He unbuttoned the top of his shirt exposing the seal, then gasped. "It moved backwards! The seal is reversing!" I stared at him in disbelief. I didn't know how far the seal had been before, but Oz seemed sure that what he had said was true. He started laughing out of confusion and relief, and Oscar and I joined him.
Alice heard our laughter and came in to see what it was about. She scowled at us, her hands on her hips.
"There's nothing to laugh about," she said grumpily.
"Oz's seal moved backwards," Oscar explained.
Oz stopped laughing to say, "I knew that there was hope! I'm not going to be dragged into the Abyss."
"That's impossible," said Alice. "Does it mean that you really have given me up for Gilbert?" I could see that she was fighting back tears.
"Don't you see that this is for the best? Now neither of us will have to go back to the Abyss," Oz said. "I wonder if I can still release B-rabbit's powers?" I recalled that he had once managed to release B-rabbit's powers without me, when he was more romantically involved with Alice.
"Let's go outside and test it," I suggested, although I was worried about the strain it would put on Oz's body. Alice, Oz, and I went outside while Oscar stayed behind, wanting to eat a late breakfast with his niece. Excited and curious, I watched as Oz tried to release B-rabbit's power. Nothing happened. Oz called for me to put my hand on his forehead, which didn't work either. Alice jumped up and down, frustrated.
"Where's my B-rabbit power? Grrr." Oz looked like he was trying not to laugh. I worried about Oz's lack of power making him vulnerable during encounters with Chains, but at the same time, I was glad that he was no longer bound to Alice.
"Maybe we should ask Uncle Oscar if he has any ideas how B-rabbit's power could be released," said Oz. However, Alice seemed determined to figure it out on her own. Half an hour later, after trying various things from having me touch Alice's forehead (after much persuasion from Oz) to chanting things about the power of Chains, we finally gave up. Alice stubbornly refused to stop trying, but Oz and I ignored her and walked back inside. What was the point in trying further? Anyway, I more strongly opposed trying to turn Alice into a giant black rabbit the more we tried. I was worried that it would hurt Oz, and it was obviously not working. He looked worn out, so I suggested that we should rest in the living room with Oscar and Ada.
"Did it work?" Oscar asked.
"No," Oz said wearily. Surprisingly, he didn't look terribly disappointed, just tired. He leaned his head against my chest, and I wrapped my arm around him. I loved touching, comforting, loving Oz. His messy blond hair shone in the late morning sun coming through the windows. He lifted his head to smile at me, holding me close. My face felt hot and my heart danced, and I felt like the world was unbelievably beautiful and filled with endless possibilities as long as Oz was with me. I wondered how I had managed to live without him for ten years.
"So," Ada said uncomfortably, "about you two... Uncle Oscar doesn't want to leave you unsupervised in case you do something indecent." Oscar was sleeping, so we yelled to wake him up. When that didn't work, Ada shook him by the the shoulders gently and he finally awoke.
He yawned. "Um... oh yeah, how strange that you couldn't release B-rabbit's power. I guess that and the reversing of the seal are because of Gil's and Oz's love."
"I told them that you wanted to supervise them," Ada said.
"Well, if the cause of the weakening of the contract is their romance, I think I'll let them be by themselves when they want. It's only fair." Oz and I exchanged relieved glances. Then, I remembered that Alice was still outside, trying to turn into a giant black rabbit. I supposed that it would be best if we left her alone, and honestly, I didn't want to have to deal with her, especially when Oz looked so tired.
"You seem worn out," I told him. "Why don't you take a nap?" I got off the couch so he could lie down, putting my coat over him as a blanket. He gestured for me to sit next to the couch. We looked into each other's eyes for a while, the sounds of Oscar and Ada talking becoming background noise. My head leaned on his shoulder and I closed my eyes. The next thing I knew, I awoke to the familiar, sweet sound of Oz's voice.
"Alice has come back. Let's eat lunch while we hear her complain about the failure of B-rabbit's power." I realized that I was hungry.
"What's for lunch?" I asked. Oz was standing in the doorway. He went into the dining room and I followed. Oscar, Alice, and Ada were eating cheese and lettuce sandwiches and chicken. Well, Alice was eating only chicken, not sandwiches. Oz and I sat down and served ourselves some food.
Oz said, "So, Alice, how did your attempts to release B-rabbit's power go?"
"I did it by myself." She smirked arrogantly. How could that be? We all stopped eating (except for Alice) in surprise. She could control the power herself; she was independent from others now. Not only could she keep Oz safe from Chains, but also it probably meant that she was starting to be less emotionally attached to him.
