All characters, with the exception of my designed Protagonist, and God Eaters Burst are not my own and belong to the Namco Bandai Games and D3 Publisher. Most of the Alice references belong to the band Shinedown from their song 'Her name is Alice.'

Broken Trust

Soma was just returning from the Den after a long annoying mission with the new rookie. Lorane Lafae, she was an old type buster blade user from the Europe Branch. Tsubaki placed her with Soma since he was more skilled with that type of God Arc and the fact her chances of survival would increase if she was placed with him.

And he regretted it the moment he laid eyes on her. She clanged on to him worse than a fangirl. At first it was something everyone used in a joke, but when she started endangering others to get his attention the joking just stopped. She was no longer a fangirl she was a stalker, wait scratch that she was a fangirl.

"Oh Soma, thank goodness you guys have returned to the Den. I was beginning to worry." Hibari said letting out a sigh of relief.

"What are you talking about? It was just a Kongou mission, don't get so dramatic." Soma said ringing out his hoodie from the rain outside.

"What?! Then you didn't go on Alice's mission?" Hibari gasped out.

Alice Miyagi, the First Unit Leader and the Far East Branch's first New-Type God Eater. She was half-British half-Japanese, her mother being from England. If Soma had to describe her as a photo he would say she was his negative. Where he was tan skinned she was pale; where he had platinum near shoulder length hair hers was long raven black hair in a straight pony tail. He had spring blue eyes while she had emerald green eyes. Where his clothes were a dark blue hoodie with grey paints hers were a Ocean Hoodie and Vivid Pear paints. Were he was outwardly rough and impatient, she was kind and understanding. She in a way was the yin to his yang.

It had been a long time since he'd gone on a mission with her let alone seen her. But this new rookie has been taking up his time and has been quite literally cutting him off from his Unit. He wanted to quit training the rookie, but he didn't want to do that until he knew she could handle herself. Alice use to laugh at him about things like this, saying that 'he was such a Tsundere.' He missed those times, he missed her. And he couldn't wait till his babysitting duty was done.

"No, the Rookie quite literally begged me to tears to go with her on her mission." Soma's curiosity peaked when Hibari turned pale.

"Ah, Soma you're back. I trust your mission went well with Alice." Tsubaki said as she came down to the Mission Desk.

"He didn't go." Hibari said in a panicked voice.

"What?! Soma, what's the meaning of this? Explain yourself!" Tsubaki said wearing her usual poker face but an aura of rage circled around her.

"What's the big deal? The Rookie asked for help." Soma growled, getting ticked that everyone was out to make him feel guilty.

"You were assigned to accompany Alice on her mission. That was your top priority." Tsubaki said, her tone getting more venomous with each passing word.

"The Rookie needed some pointers and a hand in her mission. Alice could've gotten someone else to fill in for me."

"The reason why you were chosen was because everyone else already had a mission to go on today." Then Tsubaki looked down on her clip board. "And if the Rookie needed help taking down a normal Kongou after two months with you then she's made a poor career choice."

"Alice can handle the mission alone you know."

"Soma… she was sent on a Special Mission against a new type of Aragami." As if to emphasize her words thunder boomed outside.

"What?!"

"We… detected a new-type Aragami wondering around the City of Mercy. Its movements were irregular and strange…You two were to gather data about it and eradicate it if at all possible." Hibari detailed.

"It was to be a two man mission just in case things went wrong. If one were to fall the other could grab them to make a hasty retreat… But since she's gone alone I fear for how long she's been gone."

"I'll go get her."

"Please hurry! We don't know the condition she might be-" Hibari was cut off when the mission elevator doors opened.

They all gasped in horror at what greeted them from the open doors. It was Alice and she looked like hell. She was soaked to the bone and clothes torn to shreds. Her lips were cracked and bleeding along with the blood that came from her mouth. Scratches and open wounds spread across her body soaking what was left of her clothes forever crimson. But none of them compared to the large open wound on her stomach, which looked like something took a big bite out of her. She covered it with her right hand as if to hold herself together. And in her left hand she held a box as if her life depended on it.

Looking up with a ragged breath she stumbled her way toward Tsubaki. All three pairs of eyes were on her wide with horror as she staggered toward them like a zombie. Her eyes spoke of relief at finally reaching a safe place.

"Alice what the hell happened to you?" Soma said breathlessly but she ignored him as she stopped right in front of Tsubaki. With a struggle she lifted her left hand to hand Tsubaki the box as she spoke with a wavered breath.

"Here… the core samples from the new type aragami Doc wanted…"

"Hey answer me." Soma sneered but still she ignored him as Tsubaki took the box from her.

"I would give it to him myself but… I need to stagger my way to the Sick Bay before I fall apart... or go into shock." Her breaths were heavy as she breathed out.

"Do you need an escort?" Tsubaki said lifting her hand to help Alice as she almost fell, but Alice raised her hand to stop her.

"No… I staggered all the way here from the City of Mercy… I can go a couple more feet to the Sick Bay. Besides… I don't want to stain your white clothes." She said as she turned toward the elevator.

"Dammit don't ignore me. Hey!" Soma said grabbing her arm to get her attention. When he made contact she swirled around slapping him hard on the face as it echoed in the Entrance. Leaving a red mark on his cheek as the three watched in shock of her actions. Her eyes burned with hatred and her face was livid as her anger fueled her with temporary energy.

"You bastard! Where the hell were you?!"

"!" He could say nothing as he held his burning cheek.

"I waited for you! I waited for you at that stupid Starting Point in the rain for three hours! But you never came!"

"…"

"Did you know the Aragami wasn't alone? He had a herd of Vajras with him!"

"!"

"And you know, I'll tell you something, he took quite a liking to me. I must have looked delicious because he took a bite out of my STOMACH!" She shouted as she pointed her free hand to her bleeding stomach being covered by her other hand.

"Being nearly eaten alive SUCKS! I must've tasted good because he couldn't get enough of me! Always trying to go in for another bite! But his desperation was his down fall… along with the other Vajras.

"My communicator was destroyed during the fray so I had to walk back ALONE! It's a miracle I even made it here; my anger was the only fuel to keep me going."

"…"

"Well aren't you going to say something? You were going through so much trouble to get my attention, now you're as silent as a rock. Come on, SPEAK! Why didn't you come?!"

"… I was helping Larane… with a Kongou…" Soma had a hard time meeting her eyes as they turned from anger to hurt. He could practically see the word 'traitor' written in them. She started to stagger back and away from him.

"Larane… I see… Larane."

"Alice." Soma tried to grab her again but she smacked his hand away.

"Don't TOUCH ME! I needed you today and you went on a mission that the Rookie could've handled herself?! How could you?! You were my pal, my friend, I TRUSTED YOU!"

She staggered with haste to the elevator. As she waited for the doors to open she looked back at him to shout some more.

"You're DEAD to me, no you're worse, you're NOTHING to me! I NEVER want to see you again!" She moved into the elevator as fast as she could when the doors opened. She spoke her final words to him as the elevator doors closed.

"Take a good look at my face Soma because this is the last time you'll ever see it!"

. . .

"What do you mean I can't see her?!" Soma roared at Kanon as she blocked his way into the Sick Bay. It's been two days since Alice had been admitted in and still they refuse him entrance.

"She doesn't want to see you, Soma; we have to respect her wishes." Kanon said with shaky arms, spread out, from his burst. "Soma please, we have to be considerate of her condition. Your presence may cause her stress."

"Dammit!" Soma sneered. Punching the wall opposite to the Sick Bay, he headed to the floor's benches. As he could only watch her from afar with a door separating them, while everyone else was welcomed to visit her.

. . .

The Den noticed a change in Alice's behavior toward Soma. Where once she stood by Soma like the best-est of friends now she avoided him like the plague. Everyone noticed how she would lock Soma out of the Sick Bay in anger and how he would wait outside, as Kota would say, like a kicked puppy. Soma snarled at that comment.

They had heard what happened between them. They found her anger justified and after a while, when she cooled down, things would go back to normal between the two.

But after two weeks, when she was finally released from the Sick Bay, she did something she's never done before. Once she returned to her room she locked her doors. Her doors have always been open to anyone who needed someone to talk to. She always had a beer, tea, and snacks prepared with open arms; ready to lend a helping hand. Now she locked herself from the world, only opening to a selected few.

She'd avoid Soma in every way possible. In the Mesh Hall, the Sick Bay, the Entrance, even the Mission meetings. It was like she had a Soma Radar implanted in her skull. She'd be in the middle of a conversation but once she sensed Soma coming she would get up abruptly and leave in the opposite way he was coming. One time he nearly cornered her in the Training Grounds. But she went through drastic measures as escaping by climbing up and breaking through the bullet proof window in order to avoid him. Of course Tsubaki was pissed about that, Alice had to pay for the damage and had to do a 1000 push-ups. But she did it willingly instead of facing Soma.

And damn was she good, it's been nearly two months and Soma hasn't seen her once since her bloody entrance into the Den. From what he's heard from the others she changed her outfit and let her pony tail down. His tries to get her in the same room as him seemed like mission impossible. It was upsetting seeing the lengths she would go to avoid him. He missed the times they spent together, the jokes they had. Even the occasional times he would blast 'Her Name is Alice'–switching from the Shinedown and Nightcore version –from his iPod as she would pass by. How she would comment, 'I'm no creeper. Do I look like Edward Cullen to you?' at the part of the lyrics that said she climbs into the windows. And he snarkly remark back, 'Depends, does the glitter fit?' She'd brake into a fit of laughter as he would pleasantly grin.

But what he didn't miss was Larane's obsessive attempts to comfort him.

"Soma!" And like calling on the spawn of hell she appeared.

"What do you want Larane." His voice was stern and unpleasant.

"I just got news that I was placed in the Sixth Unit!" She said dramatically.

"Yeah, I said you were ready and gave the approval of the transfer."

"But why?! There's so much I need to learn from you!"

"You've been here for over four months, there's nothing more I can teach you." He said losing his patience. "Hell, you've been under my wing for longer than usual. Most Rookies would've been done with my training in less than two weeks!"

"Why can't you understand the reason why I've been holding back and asked for your help all this time?!" She said tearing up dramatically. Like all the other times she expected this to work. But it didn't, all his hidden kindness snapped at the realization of her words.

"What! You mean all this time when you seemed to be struggling you were faking it!" He was absolutely livid. This flimsy girl cost him the relationship with one of his dearest comrades.

"You don't understand Soma! I love you!" Fake, her words were like plastic.

"What reason?"

"What?" She was startled by the sudden calmness of his voice.

"What reason do you have for liking me?!" He asked addressing her like he would an idiot.

"W-well I like your eyes, your face, and your body bu-"

"So it's only my physical aspects." He said interrupting her staggering attempts to come up with a response. "You really are a fangirl."

"W-what?"

"Tell me, do you even know my favorite color?" He said approaching her.

"W-well… uh…" She said blushing as she backed away.

"What's my favorite type of food? What are my likes and dislikes?"

"Ah…" She staggered on until she bumped into the wall. "I may not know these things now, but I can learn… And besides, at least I'm better looking and have a better sense of style unlike that wore-drove malfunction Alice."

He punched the wall right next to her hard enough for it to crack. She was truly looking at him and he terrified her. He closed off her escape routes.

"In my eyes you don't compare to her. She never looked at me from the outside but from the inside. She didn't even flinch when she found out that I'm half Aragami."

"What?!" She cried out not even trying to hide her shaking. No longer did she blush, she was pale with fear. And so her so-called love was short lived as she realized her eye candy came with more than just looks.

"Didn't you notice how my eyes are different? How much stronger I am compared to the others? How I could get up so easily after a hard hit? I'm the reason why God Eaters even exist." Most likely she thought his eyes pupils were the effects of contacts.

"My God… you're a monster." She was about to burst into fear felt tears.

Soma would have been hurt by her words. But he expected nothing else from someone as superficial as her.

"Run along little girl. Rest assured this MONSTER won't be chasing after you." He says backing away from her.

She stormed out of there without looking back, tears and all, sparing herself from embarrassment by not screaming with her hands in the air as she ran away. Although she angered him to the point of punching holes in walls he would still be there to help her out if she REALLY needed it. But she most likely would not be coming back.

. . .

He got so close last time. He saw a glimpse of her as she turned the corner in the Veterans Hall. He called out her name as he ran to her, going so far as to use his Aragami enhanced speed to catch her. But all he could grasp was her long silky hair as it slipped from his hand. He turned into the corner she went, he noticed she went into the snack and soda machine corner, there was no way for her to escape. Unless she hid in the trash can.

But she was gone; a vent cage lied on the floor. He couldn't believe that she escaped through the ceiling vent just to avoid him. Soma punched the floor and looked at the hand that touched her hair. Somehow his fingers still felt warm.

But today was different; he was actually in the same room as her. She must not have sensed him because she didn't storm off at the sudden appearance of him. Although she was right there he couldn't bring himself to move from his hiding spot on the stairs at the Entrance to look at her. All he could do was listen to her voice as she got her mission from Hibari. He had to fight back the sigh of content at hearing her voice, it's been far too long since he last heard it.

"You have a mission today to defeat a Hannibal that's found its way into the City of Mercy." Hibari explained to her.

"Hm, a Hannibal huh. That's a feisty one." She said mostly to herself then addressed Hibari. "Is there anyone in the Den that can accompany me?"

"At the moment the only one without a mission present is Soma." Hibari lied; Sakuya and Lindow were still present in the Den. But… like most of the Den she wanted Alice and Soma to patch things up. She missed how things were before Alice started to turn cold whenever Soma came too close to her presence.

"I see…" Alice said as if she was in thought. "In that case I'll go alone."

"What?!" Hibari said caught off guard by her reckless choice. "You can't be serious? With Soma the job can get done quicker and with higher chances of survival. For goodness sake Alice, he's your comrade!"

"Comrade huh? If you're talking about the type of comrade that you can't even trust to have your back, you're better off not having them at all…" She used Soma's own words against him.

"Alice."

"I can trust that I'll have my back, this Soma 'person' I cannot." Then she walked up the opposite stairs from Soma. "I'll see you later Hibari." And like that she was gone.

"Dammit!" He growled as he punched the wall behind him. All this over his stupid choice of abandoning her when she needed him most. And for what? A fangirl who apparently didn't need any help. If he could go back in time he would punch himself in the face and order his past-self to go on the damn mission. Now all he can do is sleep in the bed he made.

"Hey there Soma." A cheerful voice came from above the stairs.

"What do you want Lindow?" Soma snapped out, he was in no mood for peep talks.

"Doc just got a beep from a Susano'o in the Wailing Plains. Sakuya and I are going to take it out, are you in?"

"Fine." He needed something to distract him from the pain in his chest anyway.

. . .

"Soma! Stay focused!" Lindow cried out through the pouring rain.

They all noticed how, from the absence of Alice, Soma's attitude had gotten worse and worse. He was moody and easy to snap, as if it was his only way to deal with his inner loneliness with Alice downright avoiding his existence. Heck, even they were amazed at how long she kept this up.

But Soma's mood swings were beginning to affect his fighting ability. He would get sloppy during combat and often wandered into a daydream. And now wasn't the time for that. Doc was right about a Susano'o being in the area. What he didn't take into account was that there would be two of them. Each one bombarding them relentlessly.

"Sakuya, where's that backup?!"

"It's on the way! Only one group was able to respond that was close to the area!" But would they be able to make it until then?

"Soma!" Lindow shouted out to him too late as one of the Susano'o got a good hit on Soma with its tail. Slicing a large wound on his stomach, right where Alice's wound once was. Soma was down for the count. Taking advantage of this, the Susano'o shot its needles at him.

"Damn it all… ugh… so this is it." Soma hissed in pain.

"Oh come on!" A King Lear G came to his aid and it blocked the attack. That voice was enough to startle him into a small boost of energy. Was that Alice? What was she doing there? Unable to get up he could only see her feet and her lower half from his position on the ground. She shot the Susano'o away with her Clarion Blaze X gun.

"What are you dreaming about?" She had the gall to ask him as she began to Link-Aid with him. "Sorry to interrupt your nap but…"

She then dragged Soma to hide him behind a building out of the Aragamis view and harm's way. Alice came to help him.

"Alice…" Sakuya said in joy at seeing her there and the fact that she was finally interacted with Soma.

"What? I can't just leave him!" She then sighed, seeing no point in trying to defend her actions. Annoyed, she changed her God Arc to her Azure Dragon blade. "Fine whatever. Ugh, I'm so pissed! Let's get'em already!" She charged at them with a fury hell-half-know.

. . .

Soma awoke in his room. He noticed that his coat and shirt were removed and his torso bandaged. But his wounds from before had already healed leaving nothing but old blood stains behind.

He would have gotten up but he could sense that Alice was still in the room. Silently peeking through his eye lashes, he saw her for the first time in a long time. She was sporting a Judas Gothic outfit to match her straight down well-kept hair. She was silently leaving him a hot meal, covered for him to eat when he woke up, and cleaning up her first aid supplies.

"You really do look like Alice in Wonderland now." Both eyes widen at the realization he had just spoken aloud. She ran out the door. "Hey wait!"

He got up and chased after her. She almost made it to her room but he launched at her. Tackling her to her room floor as the door closed behind them.

"Isn't Alice supposed to chase the white rabbit down the hole not the other way around?"

"You're no white rabbit."

"My hair's white, so that's close enough."

"That doesn't count. You don't even have a waist coat or a pocket watch."

"Glad to see you talking to me again."

"…"

"Why did you save me?"

"Just because I don't acknowledge you doesn't mean I'm going to leave you to die!" She answered somewhat offended that he would ask her such a question. After that an awkward moment of silence passed between them. "Would you mind getting off me please? I feel uncomfortable having a shirtless man on top of me in my room."

"No."

"What do you mean 'no'? Get off me you cad!"

"Not until you tell me why you're ignoring me."

"You already know the answer to that!" She began to struggle under his body weight, but he was too much stronger than her.

"You have more than just the reason that I left you hanging on a mission to avoid me for over four months! Now tell me the answer!"

"Because you started it first!" She cried out, the fight leaving her.

"What?"

"You… started… avoiding me first."

"No I haven't. When have I ever done that?!"

"You'd always go on missions with others when I would ask for your help with mine. They needed you Soma, I know how big of a Tsundere you are, and I was okay with that. But then we were losing time together that we just stopped hanging out."

"…"

"And you proved my fears right when you didn't come. I knew that it would hurt when you would finally cut off ties with me. So I beat you to the punch before you could hurt me." She spoke as she tried to hold back the tears. "If you didn't care about me anymore why should I about you?"

"I've always cared about you Alice."

"Don't lie to me Soma."

"Alice… you're my Wonderland."

"… Why do I feel like you just made a John Mayer joke?"

"I didn't mean it like 'that'!"

"Really? It's hard for me not to think that when you're on TOP OF ME."

"Don't change the subject." She couldn't help but notice that he didn't say he was going to get off. He flips her over so he's leaning on her front and not her back. His head laid on her stomach. "Alice… you bring magic in my damned world. The strange seems normal when you're around. I'm going mad without you. I miss your laughs, your smile, your jokes, hell I even miss your damn sarcastic attitude." With that he gave her an extra squeeze.

"I don't want to lose you. I can't…" He stopped when he heard her crying. He looked up to see her crying, balling actually, as she covered her eyes with her arm.

"You bonehead, you should have said this sooner. I wouldn't of had to go through the vent system to avoid you."

"I was surprised you could fit in it."

"Are you calling me fat?"

"No, but the vent seemed really small."

"Nah, just hadn't been cleaned in a long time. By the time I got out of there I was covered in dust bunnies. I gave everyone quite a scare when I came out on the other side." She giggled at the memory.

"But, wait… what about that time with the window?" Soma said, seemingly hurt at the means she went through to avoid him.

"Oh I've always wanted to do that. My quarrel with you just finally gave me the excuse I needed to go through with it." She waved him off as if why she did it was normal. And by God she was serious.

"You're as mad as a Hatter."

"Not mad, charmingly strange." Then they both broke into a fit of laughter, each in their own way. But then he remembered something he wanted to check.

"Hey Alice… what's my favorite color?"

"Blue." She didn't even hesitate.

"What do I like to drink?"

"Beer, but you're not as bad as Lindow."

"What's my favorite type of food?"

"Surprisingly you have a sweet tooth."

"What's my darkest secret?"

"That you have a love for gardening."

"What?! How the hell do you know that?!"

"I walked in on you that one time you didn't lock your door…" she turned her face to the side, blushing at the memory of seeing him tentatively watering the potted plant most of the Den rooms optionally had. He was so focused he didn't even notice she was there. "You were so cute I couldn't bring myself to announce my presence."

"Damn you." He said blushing, "that's not what I meant."

"That you have a sweet ass?"

"NO! Why would that be one of my darkest secrets?"

"Mm, I don't know…" She said trying to get a look at his backside. "You wear baggy clothes as if you're trying to hide something."

"Would you be serious for a second?"

"Hey, I haven't seen you in months. I'm making up for lost time. I know what you're talking about, but I just couldn't help it, you know." She giggled.

"Hmph. That free-spirit and innocence of yours can brighten any gloomy topic."

"I'm surprised you didn't say it brings this whole place down."

"Hm, I already made enough Alice references for one day…" Soma said with a smirk then began to shy down. "Would you mind… being my Alice in Wonderland?"

"… That was really corny, Soma."

"Hey!" But she put a finger on his lips to silence him.

"But I'll be your Alice. If you'll be my Peter White."

"Why him and not the Mad Hatter?"

"As you said before, your hair is white. And besides you don't wear hats."

"What horrible logic."

"Contrary wise what it is it wouldn't be and what it wouldn't be it would, you see." Then she planted a kiss on his cheek. "Also, rabbits and Peter White are far cuter!"

Soma turned redder than the Queen of Hearts.