Deathly comes softly...

[his_own_will]

Who: Anyone near or in the Phantomhive Estate (Sector 6)
When: Around 1:00 AM, December 1st.
Where: The Phantomhive Estate (specifically the library)
Summary: Godstiel decided the abomination had to go and while Oz went softly, Jack had other ideas. This is the aftermath when the library is in ruins and Oz's body is found. It can be assumed that the destruction of the library and later bird rage was visible/audible from the street for people to rush in and investigate. Household shenanigans may or may not include the following: raging bird syndrome, abuse of dead bodies, tears, darkness monsters invading the mansion, and various other miscellaneous things.

Warnings: See the above shenanigans. General abuse, normal hideousness and minor description of gore. Will add to the warnings as or if squicks are used.

The library is in a shambles, books strewn everywhere and half torn to pieces. Salvaging it will be a nightmare but no more so is the body sprawled across the floor, a slowly trickling pool of blood seeping from underneath. Godstiel had been wounded, but not nearly fast enough to save the boy.

He was dead, and his lifeless eyes stared out into the darkness, waiting to be devoured.

Comments

[debtor]

[Allen slams the door shut, but stays outside himself, turning towards the house— but the flames aren't spreading. The fire is being taken care of...

And he can hear that final, wet cough through the door, so he's back inside the outbuilding a second later, crouching by Break's side. His heart's somewhere in his throat, eyes watering.]

Break. [He grabs the man's arm, pressing fingers to his wrist. He lets out a thin breath when he finds a pulse.

(And he glances towards Gilbert, but only for a second. There's nothing he can do; Gilbert needs this moment, he tells himself, and he can't bring himself to look.)]

Break. [He gives his shoulder a shake, desperate. He doesn't know what's wrong, how's he supposed to help...]

[maddeninghatter]

[ At the edge of consciousness, Break registers his arm being held; a firm grip on his shoulder, shaking it. ]

Reim--

[ No. No. This isn't Reim, fretting over him. This is... this is that kid, that little hero, what's with all these kids, honestly? Ridiculous little kids, who grow tall, taller than him, what insolence...

Except Oz, who will always be small. Maybe he'll return. Maybe he won't. Who knows what will happen, in this terrible city? ]

Allen.

Mister Allen.

[ His eye flutters open, for a moment. ]

What's with that pitiful expression?

[retraced]

[Meanwhile Gilbert is still frozen where he lies. But with the roar of flames and fluttering of wings dying down in his brain, he can finally hear what's going on in the room, though he still can't see anything past his master's unmoving face. ]

[debtor]

[Yeah, you can talk, looking like that, Break. Allen pulls his hand back.]

What happened? Are you hurt? [It's too dark to tell if he might be wounded, but if whatever had killed Oz had attacked Break and Gilbert as well...]

[maddeninghatter]

[ Oh, well now. That's funny. ]

I am - the same as ever. I just need to rest.

[ He begins to doze again, but awakens once more. ]

Ah, Allen?

[ His voice is weak, so he beckons Allen closer, wiggling his fingers. ]

I've got a request...

[retraced]

[Briefly, Gilbert glances back at the both of them, only half-hearing his superior's words. But the tone of his voice carries his words before with them; Oz will be back. If that's true, then Gilbert would be happy to sit here and watch Oz's face until his eyes finally opened again and those wounds disappeared from his body.

Though he knows that the Core will do whatever it does in order to bring a person back, at this moment, he's certain that he would sit here forever if there was even a small ounce of hope that his light would be returned.

He turns back away from the two men and rests his head on Oz's shoulder.]

[debtor]

[Well, that's a relief. He'd be happy to let Break rest, then. But, a request...

His eyes flicker quickly in Gil's direction— still holding Oz, he probably won't stop holding Oz— and then he leans closer to Break.]

What is it?

[maddeninghatter]

If my--

[ Subordinate? Friend? ]

If Gilbert has another fit or tries to leave here before he calms down - hit him in the head for me, will you?

[retraced]

[Break you're lucky he's too busy angsting over here and didn't hear that, because you'd be getting another punch to the face about now.]

[debtor]

[...This sounds legit to Allen.]

I won't let him do anything stupid.

Get some rest.

[And he wonders if it'd do any good, if he tried to talk to Gilbert...]

[maddeninghatter]

[ Good luck with that, he wants to say. But he's too exhausted. His head lolls, leaning against Allen's shoulder. He's asleep. ]

[retraced]

[Without Break's voice in the quiet of the outdoor rabbit-room, the only noises left are the shuffling of bunny feet and the terrifying cries of the darkness outside. The fire is out, but death is the loudest thing when life finally goes still.

Gilbert isn't moving. If his breathing weren't still strained and raspy, he might look as dead as his master.]

[debtor]

[HE CAN TRY.

Allen lays Break back down... and then says nothing else for what feels like a very long while, as he stares at the floor of the outbuilding and listens to the monsters outside, and the quiet breathing inside.

Finally, he lifts his head up and, in a soft voice,] Gilbert.

[retraced]

[He doesn't look up but he does call back quietly, his voice muffled by his master's shoulder:]

No.

[It's unclear if he's actually answering Allen or some other unheard voice entirely.]

[debtor]

[—That's... something. At least. He wasn't actually expecting a response at all.

He's got no idea what it means, though. 'No' what? He turns towards him and tries again, a little louder]

Gilbert?

[retraced]

[He swallows and exhales sharply before sitting up far enough to turn his head halfway towards Allen. But even in profile it's easy to tell how hollow his expression is. He doesn't say anything this time, but there's still acknowledgement.]

[debtor]

[It's pretty painful to see. He swallows hard and rises to his feet, so he can come a few steps closer.]

Are you injured, anywhere?

[He needs to make sure Gil's at least alright physically.]

[retraced]

Injured?

[The word comes out sounding more hurt than he really is, but he still glances back at himself as he attempts to answer the question. He's hurting, yes, but he isn't injured.]

No. No, I'm not, I...

[debtor]

[That. Doesn't instill a ton of confidence, but he'll take his word for it. He's not sure how he'd get Gilbert all the way to the hospital quickly enough, if he were wounded.

He crouches down by Gil, not looking at Oz's body.

This feels like a rather paltry thing to say in a situation like this, but the emotion behind it couldn't be more genuine;]

...I'm sorry, Gilbert.

[retraced]

[It's the only thing that can be said, he knows, and he's not willing to indulge in excuses. He could apologize to Oz a thousand times, scream it to the sky until his voice went out, and it wouldn't be enough. He's the only one to blame here.]

I wasn't fast enough...

[debtor]

[He'd expected that, and he replies without missing a beat.]

Don't blame yourself.

[Saying that makes him a giant hypocrite, and he knows it's rather pointless besides. But he'll say it again anyway,] It wasn't your fault.

[retraced]

It's my duty to protect him.

[The words sound like they should be shouted, but Gil doesn't have the strength to scream anymore. He reaches up and places a trembling hand on Oz's cold cheek.]

It's my only...my only reason for existing, to be at his side. If the Core doesn't bring him back...

[debtor]

[He shakes his head, and reaches out to grab Gil's arm, firmly.]

Then you'll find a new reason, Gilbert.

[retraced]

No!

[He jumps back as though he's been burned, and though he's still exhausted from his Chain's influence on his body, his expression goes wavers in between shocked, terrified and angry.]

I would never...never seek out any other purpose! I couldn't - I won't!

[debtor]

[He doesn't let go, fingers curling into the fabric of his sleeve. His eyes are hard, jaw set; he doesn't know, exactly, the reason for Gilbert's undying loyalty to his master, but it doesn't matter to Allen. Whatever the cause, it's something he recognizes, and it's something he can't tolerate here.

Gilbert still has people who care about him. He's still alive. It means there's hope.

But he refuses to count on death being anything less than permanent.]

You can! You can carry his memory with you, you can honor it by living.

If you give up, if you stop now, then it will be meaningless.