Hello again~! Wooooooooooxj here~! Believe it or not, this story started off as a song called "Only Hope" by Switchfoot. Being as odd as I am, I based the dancing scene off of this song. If it helps set the mood and tone for you, please listen to it as you read along. Seeing as there is only a handful of AlmaxKanda fanfictions compared to other pairings, I felt I should do my part to support such a lovely pairing.

Needless to say, I sympathize with this pairing quite a bit because of my own experience on the subjects surrounding them. But enough about me~! Considering this is such a dark story, this will probably have a lemon somewhere to balance it. As I learn to become a better and better writer, I hope you come along with me on the ride. ^^

Disclaimer: I do not own DGM. If I did, I would have stalled the anime until I was nearly done with the story; that's how much the fillers depress me. Not that I can complain. .

He felt as if all the ground would dissipate beneath him - the only proof he was actually there - all of the existence of such an immutable fact was woven into her. Her face was to him in an attempt to turn back, but her body had already decided to move forward. A warm smile enigmatically wrapped around her face that contrasted in her blue eyes, seeming to say 'I love you' -

As she ran through rows of racing horses the sickening sound of snapping bones could be heard among the measured tempo of the horses' hooves and his heart…

~A Kiss to Remember~

Alone, on the solitary black marble floor, was the figure. Slowly, swirling, with sheer fabric flowing onto the cold winter waves of the most isolated island. Slowly, dipping his head up to embrace the cold light of the dance floor, he closed his eyes, opening his hands in a subjective embrace to that cold wintery light's kiss. Slowly, stepping as a swan graces the surface of the pool she glides in, he smoothed the tips of his feet in a passionate kiss: impure, cold earth and a sullied angel meeting like sinful lovers in the night. The chiming of his jewelry affirmed his existence in a hallucination of melancholy all seemed to be taking part in. With resignation, he opened his eyes from the wind-kissed night and curtsied to his invisible partner; the royalty appeared like they witnessed a banshee among the guests who gazed onward with lament, and fled from the scene. As he left, onyx eyes turned to amber in prayer for the night to come. As he left, the soul-painted audience felt that bittersweet moment betwixt relief and depression.

Calmly, collectedly, Alma peered into the courtyard from the double-paneled windows. They had placed his room on the third story to ensure he wouldn't escape into the world beyond the palace. Tonight everything will reverberate. Tiny snowflakes fell like loose pearls from the sky, out into the liberating courtyard where the guards were frigidly keeping watch. Mechanically, moving his heeled shoe to the frame of the window, he let his frilled dress spill over the balcony onto the sides of the castle. Breath hitching from the cold, he clenched his gloved hands to the ironwork of the windows. Stretching to connect his other leg to the top of the windowsill, he let the lacey material pour to meet his other leg and the outside world. Eyes deadened from the cold night and burdened memories, he found himself staring into his fate with a solemn reverence. All around him, snowy pearls met his skin, turning into blotchy tears as the night let out maniacal laughs. Smiling bitterly, Alma turned from the bitter sting of those tears and reminded himself of where he was. Sliding off the edge, he let his hands go past the windowsill and its iron fixtures…

Kanda heard the announcements of the guards as they dispersed panic throughout the partygoers. 'Che. What a nuisance. So a person is trying to jump off one on balconies. Shame that's the best they can come up with to leave this party.' Turning away from his wall, he determined that this distraction would be perfect enough for him to escape from this God-damned baby shower he'd been forced to attend. Taking a detour from the frenzied crowd, he ended up opening every other door looking for an exit. After opening up one of the doors to the ladies' powdering rooms (with a shriek loud enough to make him deaf, he bet), Kanda gave his last hope to the door in front of him. If this door didn't lead outside, then none of these doors did. Gulping, he opened the door in front of him. Cold air rushed to greet him as he did the same.

Less than a second after he went outside, Kanda felt himself knocked to the ground. Forcing his head up to meet his captor, he found it was…a boy in a dress? Wasn't he the same one from earlier? "Damn it! Do I look like a pillow? GET OFF!" Kanda stood up, forcing the smaller one to fall from his back.

That petite mouth didn't even solicit a yelp from the fall, much less being thrown off Kanda. All around them, well-wishers were shocked that this stranger caught the suicidal lady. A row of onlookers stood aside as the queen and king approached Kanda and endangered lady. The lady stiffened when she saw them, as if she was afraid of what would happen to her.

The king addressed them first with a duplicitous smile. "Who is this young gentleman who saved this young lady from the grip of death? Come, let us honor you!" Grabbing the "gentleman," the king pulled Kanda away from the crowds, as the queen put a vice-like grip on the "lady," daring her to speak between exchanged glances and a paper smile.

When they got out of earshot of the party goers, the king addressed Kanda. "How much does it cost for two people to live out of this kingdom?"

"Huh?" Kanda was lost.

Ignoring that impudent remark, the king started over. "If I was to tell you to escort that thing over there out of the kingdom, how much money would you need to ensure you both got out and vowed never to tell anyone?

"Two month's wages. I'm not leaving until tomorrow."

"Fine. And I have your word?"

"Che. Yes."

That's as much as I am willing to give for now~. I hope this is interesting enough for you all. Given the AU of this story and the ambiguous background, I felt I could experiment and input loose ends and emotions into this more freely than if I was writing for a more concrete character. Given that, I challenge the most constructive of you all to find some of the songs I used to structure this to. I counted 3 songs (one's a word mention- one hint- it's an American '60's song by Jimmy Webb; the rest are from Rachel Fuller and Imogen Heap xP), not including the one I mentioned.

Anyway, reviews are appreciated, whether it's a flame or a compliment. (Even if you yell at me to stop using such difficult words- I swear I don't intend to! xP )

-wooooooooooxj