Summary: Because rocks falling from the sky are so romantic. [Oz-centric. OzxAlice] [majorly fluffy~]

Never, ever had Alice skipped out on dinner before. This caused some slight panic from the others seated at the large dining table. ('You can't expect people to always be the same,' Oz thought, but kept to himself.) Though they were half-way through their meal, they quickly ganged up against the blonde-haired teen and sent him out to investigate- not that he opposed them. He just didn't think it was a great cause for concern.

Gil, Alice, and he had gotten back pretty late from the marketplace. (It was almost dark, he thought, and the stars were starting to come out.) And he was pretty sure that Alice snuck some food from Gil on the way back, so he really wasn't worrying.

Despite making a big spectacle over being kicked out to search for the girl, Oz didn't actually mind at all. He wasn't that hungry anyways, and whatever hunger he had had slowly faded as he made his way down hallway after silent hallway, wondering why Alice's room was in such a poorly-lit, lonely part of the mansion. (Even if it was just because it was dark outside and it was about time people would be getting ready for bed.)

He opened her door and waltzed straight in while calling out her name. (The possibilities of what he could have stumbled into entering his mind only after it would have been too late.) From the darkness of the room, he managed to surmise that she was not present, but he was at a loss of where to look next.

His gaze turned to the starry sky staring at him through the window for a moment before dreamily finding his way back into the hallway. His thoughts were scattered as he wandered down the hallways, as if following a certain path. He turned blindly at corners until he stopped in front of a door and reached out to turn the handle.

Oz was met by the refreshing midsummer night-wind as it flowed down the stairs from the roof. At the top of the questionable stairwell, Oz could see the open sky glistening with what was only a part of probably thousands of stars.

Each wooden step creaked under his weight and he wondered why he felt as though he were being pulled toward something. His eyes fixated themselves on the sky, trying to see everything and nothing all at once.

Suddenly, a white light streaked across the corner of his eye and he twisted his body quickly in order to see what the fleeting thing was. A few yards away he spotted Alice, lying on her back and limbs sprawled out around her. She didn't turn to acknowledge him, but he could tell that she knew he was there. His boots echoed loudly around them as he walked toward the brown-haired chain and he noticed her eyes were slightly wide and curiously looking around for something.

A sudden, silent breeze blew right past him and it ruffled up his hair and clothes. He jokingly complained to himself that he can feel the temperature of his skin drop from the exposure. Meanwhile, his body was shaking off its previous warmth and he wonders why the smaller Alice seemed unaffected.

Oz notices two small lights dart across the edge of the sky, away from Alice's vision, and he smiles finally when he figures out just exactly why she is choosing to lay out on the freezing cold roof just to stare at the sky, instead of eating her meat like normal. His clothes rustle as he lays down beside her, while also trying not to scratch himself on the rough rooftop cement.

The emerald-eyed teen takes advantage of the calm atmosphere to rest himself down shoulder to shoulder with Alice. Normally, the two were never left alone - whether it was purposeful or simply coincidence Oz didn't care - but he enjoyed the peace he felt whenever he was with the chain. The satisfying feeling always left him…happy. When he was alone with her, he felt like he didn't have to…pretend. (Happiness, he thinks, is that what this is?)

For awhile, they just stay there. Occasionally, they point out passing-by meteors to each other, but otherwise they are silent as they take in the refreshing atmosphere between the them. Oz feels his shoulders start to shake from the cold and Alice scoots closer in response, moving her body to press against the side of his, and leans her head on his shoulder. Still, they say nothing; they don't need to. The teens clasp their hands together between them as they stare out at the sky.

"Sharon told me there was going to be a 'meteor shower' tonight…or something," Alice starts, pausing to choose her words carefully, though not being able to think of any exact words to express what she is feeling. But she tries. She wants him to understand her.

"She said that it was like… white fire streaming across the sky…and that it wasn't something too unusual," she pauses again. "So I came up here and…"

Oz can't help but laugh when she gets distracted once again by the sky. Without any objection from the girl, he moves and wraps his arm under the back of her neck and pulls her closer to him. When her gaze is turned away from the sky, she looks back at him and he meets her brilliant, violet eyes. They soften a bit and a smile pulls at her lips as she relaxes her head on top of his shoulder.

"Well, are you hungry? Everyone else is eating right now," Oz says. He really doesn't want to disturb this moment between them, but he wants to make sure that she is fine. Alice stirs in his arms as she turns her head to see the sky from where she is - laying on him, in his arms. She doesn't say anything about the information and Oz simply moves on.

"That pretty, huh?" he asks. They are both quiet for a moment before Alice speaks.

"It's beautiful…" Her wonder is even apparent in her voice. Contentedly, she rests her head on his shoulder and closes her eyes.

"Yeah," Oz chuckles, "Makes you feel…small, though."

He doesn't know where the thought comes from - as if it simply bubbled out of his lips. But it feels right, and makes him stare back at the heavens in wonder. Underneath his embrace, Alice reaches out her loose arm and stretches it to the illuminated sky, as if grasping for something.

"Yeah," she says absentmindedly as her arm falls back down to her side, "I guess."

And everything is peacefully calm again. Wonderfully, blissfully calm. Oz tries to stop himself from wishing the moment could last forever, but it's hopeless. Everything is so hopelessly…perfect.

Perfect?…What an odd way to describe sitting on a roof, Oz supposes. But he can't help thinking how right it feels, how right it is being with Alice. Just being, not even talking, which he always relied on to connect with people. Or thought he needed to rely on.

But Alice was different.

He didn't feel like he had to fill the silence or act more lively than he really was, because she could tell the difference - even when he couldn't. He didn't have to worry about worrying her, even though she's so close she could probably feel his heartbeat. Just then, Alice turns and nuzzles the side of her face into Oz's chest, wrinkling his shirt and surprising the blonde. Was something wrong?

"Alice?"

"I…I like this."

"This?" He has no idea what she's talking about.

"This. Right now." Oz can feel her smile softly into his shirt. "Just…being here. I don't know how to describe it."

His heart might have skipped a beat.

A indescribable kind of warmth comes over him and he thinks about hugging her and never letting go. The truest smile he's ever smiled pulls across his face and, for once, he can't think of anything to say. So instead, he laughs.

"Are you making fun of me?" she nearly shouts while propping herself up on her elbow and glaring at him.

"No, no," he quickly gets out to pacify her, "It's just that I like it too." Confused and somewhat in disbelief, her eyes narrow as she looks him up and down. A grin tugs at his lips again and he looks away, laughing slightly, before he faces her again.

"I like being here with Alice." And he truly means it.

Suddenly, Alice grabs a handful of his shirt tightly and swings her body over and lays down on top of him. Gravity pushes down on her, so that the blond can feel the length of her lighter body along his, and her right knees rubs against the lower part of his inner thigh. She crosses her arms on his chest and rests her chin on top. All he can do is raise his eyebrows in surprise as she waits for his reaction, not the least bit embarrassed. Then, she picks her head up and stares straight into his eyes. Oz feels the world around him disappear.

"That's good." She flashes him a smile that he's sure becomes burned into his memory. "A manservant should always appreciate his master's presence."

(In his head, he laughed about how cliché everything really was.)

I don't know how to explain it, but…I always imagine them having a slow relationship, you know, the kind that progresses with lots of little pushes. Or am I just too …(*rakes brain for the right word*)…optimistic? My goodness, I'm such a sap for romantic fluffiness. Oh well, I actually really like this one! And I thought my next story would be majorly depressing considering how the characters are presently in the manga. (*rereads chapter 60*)

Review! Please, please, please! (Even if it's really short, I appreciate them all!)