swornto | 【PANDORA HEARTS 15TH ANNIVERSARY MINGLE】

[ Different conditions from the past or not, and regardless of how much he wants to be around some of the people involved, there's still only so much of a crowd making merry that Vincent can handle at a time. He needs a moment to catch his breath and just... manage to think. So, as he sees a moment where probably Ada's attention is elsewhere or on some other matter, he finds himself slinking into the background and off through a hallway, opening the doors to a small terrace that promises to have remained unoccupied. At least mostly.

Truthfully, it's the kind of place he might expect his own Master to have retreated to for some air and space, if anything... and yet, that isn't the figure to greet him when he looks. It gives him pause for a second, but the door's made enough noise by that point he can hardly back out, so he sees himself through it regardless. ]

What a rare opportunity... finding you alone. Shouldn't the star of the party be at its center?

[ A question that once upon a time might have held all the ~~passive-aggression~~ subtle nuances in the world, but now is just that. Casual words. ]

[OOC: I can take him from Generically Post-Canon, but I have him in Deer Country these days if Trench AU will amuse anyone here in OOCland.]

[Gilbert had wanted to approach Break when he saw him, but some things never change and for a while at first he hovers on the sidelines, occasionally glancing his way and brushing invisible dust off his jacket nervously before he finally approaches. In his hand he holds a plate with a generous amount of desserts.]

You looked like you could use something to eat.

[His voice feels thick in his throat both with emotions and nerves as he offers out the plate.]

I tried to get the sweetest ones.

[Break, meanwhile, hasn't not noticed Gilbert, precisely. He's simply been prioritizing all the other people a Break such as himself would be prone to bothering at a gathering like this, basking in the loved ones the story pulled him away from and figuring Gil would have plenty to do with Oz and Alice about. Of course he'd find a reason to harass Gilbert in time. He always does.

So, Gil approaching him first is a bit of a surprise. And a hard-hitting one. Seeing the grown version holding a plate out to him like so brings to mind a shadow of the very first time he did it as a boy, having decided to learn to cook on Break's behalf. Break had been baffled by it at the time and grossed out when Sharon had finally confessed to the silly lies that had Gil thinking Break needed looking after so, but, well.

The whole situation looks rather different, now that he can no longer really reject Gilbert's determination when he's decided to stand at someone's side. And anyway, here in the aftermath of it all, it's fine if Break allows himself to be a little soft about it.]

Gilbert. Decided I'm in want of babysitting in my old age, have you? [Of course he still has to heckle him a little. Some things definitely never change, but his voice is much warmer than usual as he accepts the plate.] ...thank you.

[It's true Gil has spent a great deal of time with Oz and Alice, or rather it would have been impossible to pry him away unless he decided to. Still, Break is an important person in his life, someone he had learned and grown so much from. If he hadn't met Break, he may not have ever been reunited with Oz...and as hard as he tried to hide it, as much as Break often embarrassed him, he cared about the eccentric, vexing, stubbornly cryptic old man. Gil couldn't help it and had accepted that once he felt a certain way, it was very difficult for him to change his mind.

Things are different now, anyway. They can finally relax. Well, sort of. His gentle, nervous smile quickly morphs into an embarrassed grimace. He may be used to Break's teasing, but it still has him stumbling over his words, his cheeks tinged pink as he stammers out.]

I- What?! That's...don't be stupid, Break! [He's grateful that Break takes the plate when he does. If he dropped the plate right in front of him, he imagines it would only lead to more teasing.

Oh. His eyes are misted over. Blinking furiously, he glances down and mumbles.]

You're welcome. ...Tell me which ones you like best later. [He'll learn the recipe.]

Mm, I will.

[...look, Break may be resistant overall to fuss and spoiling getting turned around on him, but if Gilbert Nightray wants to make you your favorite cake on the regular you make the occasional exception. And it's not like Gil doesn't bake all the time anyway so Break may as well direct him to what suits his tastes best even if he is something of a garbage disposal where sweets are concerned, right? Right.

He doesn't eat anything just yet, though.]

I imagine that, after everything...it will be a very happy thing for you, to get back to more pleasant pastimes.

[Even before Oz finally returned and the story sprang fully into motion at last, Gil was dealing with Nightray nonsense and the stress of the Headhunter. Break is well aware of his part in that. Although he can't say he'd have chosen to do things differently, given just who Gilbert turned out to be, it will please him if Gil can live a life where most of his fussing is focused in the kitchen.]

GIL~!

[Someone is bounding over from across the party like the energetic rabbit he is, carrying two plates of desserts from a buffet table. Only the dessert, of course. Save any meat dishes for Alice.]

You're not being a wallflower again, are you?

[Gil blinks and looks away from where he had been staring while lost in thought, a tiny, warm smile tugging at his lips and gaze fond as he reaches out to ruffle Oz's hair.]

It's nice to see everyone enjoy the party. [That's a totally valid reason to be a wallflower! Even though he worries about the sugar rush his master and friend will surely experience with so much dessert. It's a party after all, they have earned it, so he supposes it's okay. More importantly-]

Enjoying yourself?

[ Alice likes a party to a certain extent but finds it fairly easy to exhaust her capacity for social behavior. This is a lot of people and Oz is talking to people who aren't her, which is in fact actually fine these days but does mean that Oz isn't around her all the time to provide a buffer. Thus, the need for a recharge.

A tablecloth twitches upwards. An arm clad in a puffy blue split sleeve gropes around atop the table, grabs Gil's drink, whatever it is, and swiftly retreats. ]

[For the most part, Gilbert is content to stand by the sidelines and watch, enjoying everyone's company without being in the middle of it. Seeing something as simple as Oz talk to others leaves him overjoyed, his normally often tense expression more relaxed. He tries to divide his attention between keeping an eye on the blonde and Alice as if to reassure himself that this is real, to make sure they are safe and that there aren't any crises that he...probably wouldn't make any better, but would try his hardest to handle.

But he's distracted when someone asks him a question for a few seconds. A few seconds is all it takes, if it's not Oz he loses track of it's Alice. When he looks up, she's gone, but he feels the hairs on his neck stand up and looks down suspiciously-

No!!!]

Get back here, Stupid Rabbit!

[He shouts, alarmed, annoyed but also concerned. He would never fit under the table so gracefully, so he's forced to circle around it in a jog, frantically looking in every direction for the thief, a few strands of his hair coming undone from the hair tie.]

It's not tea, it's coffee...!

[Bitter coffee at that.]

( hello... i'm still voice-testing so please be patient with me but 🙏 )

【PANDORA HEARTS 15TH ANNIVERSARY MINGLE】

Oz Vessalius

hello, i hope this works for you!

Xerxes Break

I'm good with either timeline!

Let's go with generically post-canon since I see you are sniffing gently at my game's TDM B)

yes lol sounds good! :)

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Echo

The Cooler Alice

Gilbert Nightray

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Vincent Nightray