[Video]

[loyalraven]

[Gilbert is in Oz's room. And there's a frantic sort shaking to the video feed as it turns on. This is probably because Gilbert's hands are shaking. Significantly shaking. And he can't quite seem to stop them.] Oz.

Oz if you can hear this, you need to answer me. You need to answer me now. Please... please answer me...

[His voice is more than a

Comments

[Action]

[scalethetower]

[There's no pause. No delay. No response to the video. Naoki's moving up from the kitchen to Oz's room right away, coming to a halt behind Gilbert, breaths coming shortly--not from exertion. He stares at Gilbert's back for a moment and then moves closer to him.] Gilbert...

[Action]

[loyalraven]

[Gilbert hears him before he speaks, but it's a long moment before he can make himself turn around. And even when he does, the emotion on his face is obvious. He can't put it away, even if he's trying, trying so hard to hold together. He swallows hard.] He's gone.

[Action]

[scalethetower]

I know. You don't have to say anything. [Naoki murmurs softly and steps closer to pull Gilbert into his arms. And he tries to search for comforting words, but he's never had anyone as close to him as Oz is to Gilbert leave. But...] He's--safe, I'm sure. Back in your world.

[Action]

[loyalraven]

[Gilbert is grateful, more grateful than he can explain, for Naoki's presence, for those words and those arms around him. For a moment he tries to hold himself together, but it's really no use and he's half collapsing against him, arms coming to wrap around him tightly.] Naoki, I... [He has to keep telling himself it isn't like before; Oz isn't lost to the Abyss. He's home. Where he belongs.]

[Action]

[scalethetower]

[Naoki murmurs quietly and squeezes him gently, rubbing his hands up and down over Gilbert's back.] Shh. It's okay. I'm here. [He can let it out, if he wants. Naoki will be his support.]

[Action]

[loyalraven]

[Gilbert's fingers press tightly to Naoki's skin, arms tightening around him.] You're here... d-don't go... [And it's here he can't stop his shoulders from shaking a little. He shouldn't be doing this, not again. He's so weak so often lately, or maybe not lately. Maybe not lately. Maybe all his life.]

[Action]

[scalethetower]

[Naoki rubs gently between Gilbert's shoulders, burying his face in his hair.] I'm here. I'm not going anywhere, Gilbert. It's-- [A pause and then, softly and faintly muffled,] ...you can let it out.

[Action]

[loyalraven]

[Gilbert knows he should be better than this. Should be stronger than this. But he can't help it, can barely keep his feet. And maybe he's falling to pieces just a little now, face pressing tightly into the spot where Naoki's neck meets his shoulder, tears slipping from his eyes. His breath hitches just slightly.] He's... he's home. He has to be safe.

[Action]

[scalethetower]

[Naoki's arms tighten around him, lending him the support which Gilbert needs right now--physical, emotional, mental. Anything.] He is. [It's gently said.] But it's okay to hurt, too. Even if you will see him again. [And Gilbert will. Naoki will make certain of that, to the best of his abilities.]

[Action]

[loyalraven]

[Gilbert's more thankful than he can say, for the support in all its forms. Right now he's not sure that his legs would even hold them if he weren't holding so tightly to Naoki.] I can't let him down again. [But Naoki's right, isn't he? He'll see Oz again when he finds his own way out of this city. That thought has him tightening his arms even further around him.] don't leave me... [It's whispered quietly, fiercely. He's said it just before, hasn't he? But it's a terrifyingly real idea to him right now.]

[Action]

[scalethetower]

You won't let him down, Gilbert. [Naoki murmurs it to his hair, above his ear.] I believe in you. [He pauses at those words and he's tightening his own arms.] ...I'm not. I won't. I'm here for you, and I won't let you be by yourself.

[Action]

[loyalraven]

[Gilbert nods, silent at the words. But he's listening. His breath catches slightly at one point when Naoki says he believes in him. He's leaning heavily against him, still holding tightly to him. The reassurances seem to be sinking in though, since there's a faint relaxing in his posture, a tense sort of stiffness slowly working its way from him.] I'm so weak... I'm sorry, I shouldn't be so weak...

[Action]

[scalethetower]

Hush...you aren't weak. Any person would feel weighed down by these things, by what you've been going through. It'd hurt, of course it would. So it's all right to let that show. [Naoki squeezes him gently and rubs his back, offering comfort both through the contact and his words.] Every person is weak sometimes.

[Action]

[loyalraven]

[Not... not weak? Gilbert blinks a bit at that, looking up at him wide-eyed for a moment. His face is a bit tear-streaked at this point in time, but the active crying seems to be finished for the time being.] You're too good to me. I lean on you so much, and I don't know how I'll ever be able to return that. And I... [Well, you know what? He's not very good at words right now, so maybe it's a bit out of the blue, but he's leaning in and finding Naoki's lips in a kiss, maybe just a little desperate.]

[Action]

[scalethetower]

[Naoki has many things to say to that, many things, but somehow the words die as soon as he feels those lips on his and he's muffling a sound into them. His fingers tighten in the fabric of Gilbert's jacket, but he's wasting no time in kissing him back. Trying to pour his feelings into the contact as he stubbornly clutches him close. I'm here. Lean on me. I want you to. And he can taste the salt from those tears but ignores it.]

[Action]

[loyalraven]

[Gilbert tightens his arms around him again. And the only thing he has in him to respond to the overwhelming safety that he feels right now, that certainty, is love and gratitude and he tries to convey them through that kiss just as fluently, almost a bit desperate for the simple, intimate little contact.]