My first fanfic uploaded! ^^ I recently started playing Gods Eater Burst again, and I'm falling for Soma just as hard, if not harder. So, I wanted to make a fic of him and my character from my first playthrough! I hope I captured Soma's personality right… and if you like how this story came out, I can perhaps think of a multi-chapter fanfic... maybe... Anyway, enjoy!

Tucking my hands into my hoodie, I lean against one of the broken down statues, stretching out my stiff legs in front of me. This place was probably my favorite, visual wise. The cold was biting, but the beautiful white snow that never seemed to disappear was breathtaking. The broken down buildings added to the beauty, but what I thought made it shine the most was the broken down church I was in now.

Churches always seemed beautiful to me, ever since I was a child. A merchant where I lived had a picture of one once, and I thought it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Then, becoming a Gods Eater and having access to many archives, I got to view more pictures. The church in the Tranquil Temple had a different beauty, and not just because it was in shambles. No, the beauty came from the aura, the feeling you got when you walked into the place. It was as if you could hear everyone's hopes and dreams before the Aragami came into existence.

Averting my ice blue eyes to the broken ceiling, I let my thoughts become melancholic, drifting down the waves of memories to my begun employment as a Gods Eater. I never would have thought that I would have been involved in anything I had been.

Shio was, of course, the first to pop in my head when I thought of 'strange.' Hell, after living your whole life knowing and witnessing what Aragami were capable of, finding an Aragami that acted just like a human would make a lifelong impression, no matter who you were.

Letting out a deep sigh and watching my breath's cloud disappear, I looked around the run down cathedral, wondering what beauty and power it had held in the past, before the Aragami came and destroyed everyone's lives. What were people's normal lifestyles? Were more or less people religious? So many questions that people wouldn't care to remember now.

Hearing the crunching footsteps resonate through the air, I watched as Soma's being came closer and closer until he was standing in front of me.

"So this is where you were," he comments, sitting down where my feet were just a few seconds ago.

"Yeah," was all I said, feeling my melancholy evaporate to be replaced with nervousness. Ever since day 1, I'd felt a little attraction to Soma. At first I thought it was just because he was mysterious and seemed like he needed a friend, but then my emotions ran rampant and… this was the result. The leader of the 1st Unit having a crush on the person everyone called a monster.

It disappointed me how people always believed in the rumors they heard. With my experience fighting alongside Soma, he was anything but a monster. He may always seem cold and distant, but it was true what Lindow had told me the first week I was employed. He was afraid to see a comrade die before his eyes. Whenever someone fell, he was always right there to pick them back up, regardless if nearby Aragami were attracted to the Link-Aid. Because of that, I'm still alive.

"You came without your God Arc?" asks Soma, resting against a lifted leg, his eyes giving me a knowing look.

"So did you," I reply, shifting so my legs were hanging over the edge of the broken angel statue platform. "It's almost as if you knew where I'd be."

At his silence, I stole a glance his way. Our blue eyes locked, and I felt my heart instantly leap to my throat. Regardless of how distant and unemotional Soma tried to play off, his eyes didn't show the ice he portrayed. My mother, before she was killed by an Aragami, always used to tell me that eyes were the mirror to the soul.

Breaking the awkward moment by sneezing and pushing back my silver/white hair from my face, I shivered a bit, wishing I had worn something warmer besides my hoodie. The hoodie was great from keeping the cold away while fighting Aragami, but that was also factoring in me moving and avoiding attacks.

"If you stay out here too long, you'll catch a cold," Soma says, stating the obvious.

I laugh. "I know, but I like it here when it's quiet and no Aragami are around."

"It's just a rundown place, just like everywhere else."

I punch him lightly on the arm. "You need to learn to lighten up a little." He just huffs, and I smile. "So, why'd you come here?"

"I was given the task of looking for you and bringing you back to the Den." He shifts, letting both his legs hang over the edge, his back pressed flat against the cement ground.

Looking at him, I giggle. "You don't look like you're about to take me back anywhere."

He just sighs and smiles. "Do you remember? This is the place where we first met Shio."

I lean back on my arms, looking back up to the ceiling in thought. "I do remember. How scared we were of her back then, and how you hated her."

"I didn't hate her…"

"You did too! Just like how you used to hate yourself."

"I'm not human."

"Neither is Shio." Glancing at his frown, I continue. "I thought you figured this out? It doesn't matter what blood runs through your veins but how you act that makes you human." I lay on my back with him, my hands under my head. "Shio was a pure Aragami, but she was probably more human than any of us."

After a minute of silence, Soma replies, "I can see why you were chosen as leader, all those months ago."

"Eh?" I turn my head to look at him.

His eyes remain trained to the ceiling. "At least, I can see why you remain the leader, and why everyone respects you as such."

I smile. "Does that mean you accept me as leader too?"

"I told you I did."

"Not in so much words, no. But I know you're not a talking kind of person."

He smiles. "At least you know."

"Mm." Pause. "You know, this is probably the most I have heard you speak in one conversation."

He stays silent.

"That's more like it," I chuckle, covering my head with my hoodie and stretching my arms. Sitting up and hopping off the raised piece of building, I turn to Soma, offering my hand. "We have a mission tomorrow. We're going to need our rest, and sitting in the freezing cold isn't so good for our health."

Sitting up with a look of reluctance, Soma stares at my hand for a bit before gently pressing our palms together and wrapping his fingers around my wrist. Having expected him to ignore my outstretched hand completely, I stare at him in surprise as he jumps down next to me. His warm hand leaves mine as he notices my reaction. Putting on his mask to hide any sort of emotion, he walks ahead, saying over his shoulder, "I'll leave you behind if you don't hurry up."

"Coming!" I say, catching up and falling in step next to him.

Sitting at the ready post in the City of Mercy, I go over the mission stats in my head. Take out 2 fallen Gboro-Gboro and Vajra that was sighted in the area. Freeze weapons recommended. Checking my gun and making sure my freeze bullets were selected, I looked out the desolate arena, wondering where those Aragami could be.

Kota came first accompanied by Alisa, and behind them, Soma. Smiling and standing up, I greet them. "You seem to be in your high spirits again today, Kota."

"He's always in high spirits. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen him without a smile on his face," says Alisa, flipping her hair back like she usually does.

"That's true!" I laugh. Looking at her, Kota, and Soma, my smile disappears as I nod. "All of you ready?"

With their nods, I jump down and into the fighting arena, changing my blade to my gun. "Alright, Alisa and Kota, you take one end. Soma, you're with me."

Running off in the opposite direction of the other two, Soma following close behind, it doesn't take long to find the first Gboro-Gboro. Motioning for him to back up and hide, I aim carefully and fire, alerting the Aragami to my presence. I keep shooting until it gets close then find the time to switch to my blade as Soma breaks his cover and swings at the Aragami, getting a good hit on its wing like arm.

The Aragami rounds on Soma, giving me a good shot to its tail, my long blade perfect for splitting its body part. I jump back just in time as it flails.

It doesn't take Soma and I long to batter the Aragami down, but right before either of us can make the killing blow, a shadow on the ground makes me snap my head up. Instincts taking over, I run and tackle Soma to the ground just as the Vajra lands where we were just seconds before.

Rolling off of Soma and jumping up, I take in the flattened Gboro-Gboro and the claws that are rushing towards us. Taking out my shield just in time, my arms go numb at the impact, my feet grounding into the dirt. Soma's blade flashes in the orange light as it comes down on the Aragami's wrist, almost slicing it clean off.

I nod at Soma. With a lame paw, it won't be able to move as quick.

Kota and Alisa join us shortly after, and the Vajra goes down in almost record time. Extracting the core from the Aragami in front of me, I follow Kota and Alisa to the other. The mission done, I lead them back to the camp out.

"Good work!" I say, collapsing onto the floor with a big sigh. "We'll head back to the Den tomorrow," I add, noting how the orange glow in the sky was becoming dimmer.

"Right, Leader!" say Alisa and Kota at the same time, making Alisa frown and Kota laugh. Setting down their God Arcs, they sit and relax as much as they can. You always have to be on alert outside of the Den. If you're not, you're just asking for death.

Chat ensues, but before long everyone falls asleep, leaving me the only one up. Having a watch was virtually unnecessary, since no one can sleep peacefully in camps. It's always really light sleep, where the slightest noise jerks you awake. Knowing this, I make sure not to make any noise while I sneak away, leaving my God Arc behind, knowing I probably wouldn't need it.

Without the moon it would have been pitch black, but thankfully no clouds were in the sky tonight. Walking through the deserted city, I find the church that had once trapped Lindow. Looking levelly at the rubble that had been moved away from the opening, I let my mind wander back to those times, when we thought he had been dead. Only extreme luck had resulted in us being able to save the former leader.

"You're just asking to be eaten."

Jumping what must have been ten feet in the air and spinning on my heels, the silver light of the moon shone on the familiar dark face.

"Don't do that!" I gasped, placing my hand over my beating heart. "Give me a heart attack!"

"It'd be a lot worse if I was an Aragami instead," Soma commented, motioning with his hand to follow me.

Following him to a raised piece of land to sit comfortably on, I lay flat on my back, my face to the sky. "So you heard me leave?"

"I wouldn't have cared if you hadn't left your God Arc."

I look over at him. "You left yours too."

"I can handle myself."

"And I can't? Who's the leader here?"

He gave me a look which I smiled at.

"You sure like to wander off on your own."

I chuckled. "I always do it. You're just now noticing."

"I've always noticed."

I look at him levelly. "Oh really?" Was it just me, or did his cheeks have more color than usual?

"You've been running off on your own ever since you became leader."

Indeed I have been. "Thanks for keeping it a secret."

He shrugs. "I couldn't care less."

Sighing, I sit up and rest my hands in my lap. "Hey, Soma… You're always so quiet." I look at him. "Why so talkative now? Did something happen?"

His ocean blue eyes find mine. "Something like that, I guess."

My heart beats faster and faster as our eyes stay locked together. His eyes, usually always so guarded, was filled with so many emotions. The hurt and frustration he felt with what he was and how he was always treated, the determination to do his best to stay alive every day. It was as if he had stripped all of his defenses down…

I smile at this without meaning to, and surprisingly, Soma gives a small smile back.

"Do you always keep your hood up? Now that I think about it, the only time I saw you without your hood was when Shio…" I let my voice drop, not wanting to wade in those waters. Taking a dare, I reach over and pull his hood back, revealing his white hair that shone silver in the moonlight. "There we go!"

I go to move my hand away, but his hand reaches up to cup mine. A blush instantly forms on my cheeks, and my heart flutters like a caged bird. His warm fingers curve around my cold hand, making me shiver. Without a word, he closes the space between us and wraps his arms around me.

I can't help but sputter, "S-Soma…"

"I'll keep you warm," he says simply, and I'm really starting to expect my heart is going to explode. "I never did thank you for saving me earlier today."

"You? Saying thank you?" I smile, leaning into him. "You're welcome."

I can't tell you how long we stayed like that, but the threat of sleep finally got us to move. Almost reluctantly, he lets go of me and stands up, offering his hand like I had to him just yesterday. "We can't afford to fall asleep here, especially without our God Arcs."

"Right," I nod, taking his hand and using it to help stand. I loosen my grip, but find to my surprise his still tight. Trying to hide my smile but failing miserably, I retighten my fingers.

We walk in silence back to the camp. Climbing up to where Kota and Alisa are still sleeping, I go to sit next to my God Arc when Soma's tug takes me to his corner of the camp. Sitting down and leaning against the wall next to him, I instantly feel exhausted, now that I was away from the broken down city where I had slain to many Aragami. Nodding off and falling against Soma, he wraps his arms around me once more and whispers in my ear, "Good night, Sheira."