Joshua

It's almost been a week since that ill-fated mission and Eliana still hasn't woken up. The doctors aren't sure why, she's supposed to be out of danger by now. They say her brain activity is higher than usual but her body is not responding. They think that the venom is still her system. That once it's drowned out she'll wake up or at least that's their theory.

In that time, the rest of the team and I have been swamped with missions. Tsubaki claims that there are too many new high level Aragami in the area to let regular God Eaters (that have never faced them) go by themselves. But honestly, I could tell she was worried about us. She probably thought that we would just sit around and mope about Eliana, so she'll keep us busy and focus on other things. And she did kept us busy but we still visited Eliana everyday mostly on our own time. She has Kota working with new recruits and Alisa on the field with me. I don't know what Soma is up to, I could care less at this point since a fight always breaks out between us. Our stupid fighting is the whole reason Eliana is in this mess.

At this point, I rather not see that jackass for the rest of my life or at the very least until Eliana wakes up. Well I haven't seen him in days… he could be avoiding me… good I'm not up for round two. Why does that guy hate me so much? What have I done to piss him off like this?!

As I was lost in my thoughts, Kota suddenly appeared behind me; scaring me out of my sit. "Woe, man you're really out of it for me to be able to sneak up on you so easily." Kota says with a laugh but there's concern in his eye. "Uh, yeah I guess I have, sorry I just have a lot on my mind." I say to Kota. "Hey I get it. You're worried about Eliana." Kota says as he sits down in the sit next to me at the booth. "We all are, she's our friend we all been through a lot." "Well to the rest of us, you two are a little more than that" Kota says sheepishly. I guess he's still not fully comfortable with the idea of Eliana and I being together. I smirk, "I guess we are, but you guys are her team, y'all always be family to her." I say to him. He was Eliana's best friend first… they have been through some serious shit together.

"Yeah I know, she has always been like a big sister to me." Kota says with a silly grin. "Soo how long have you had your eyes on Eliana?" Kota asks with a suspicious grin. I choke on my drink. Damn why would he ask me that now of all times?! "Uh well-ahhh." I was lost for words. "Oh come on man, tell me." Kota expresses. Well, Eliana is his best friend…and I trust him. Plus I'm pretty sure Eliana told Sakuya and Alisa by now…since girls talk about everything. But then again this is Kota, who can't keep his mouth shut. "WELL…?" Kota kept pressing. "Ah, fine." I sign. "Well, to be honest I have always found her attractive and- "Oh god, and I entrusted her to you to be protected from the dogs." Kota interrupted all dramatically." Oh Eliana, I'm so sorry I should have protected you from this dog." He continues. "Hey, who are you calling a dog?!" I said as I put him in a chokehold and gave him a nuggie. "AH, okay, okay uncle… uncle I call uncle!" Kota yells. I start laughing, letting him go. "Weak" I tease still laughing. "Jackass" Kota replies sitting down crossing his arms. "Hey you started it." I say laughing.

Soon he starts grinningtoo. I soon calm down and finish telling him, "But in all seriousness, no I wasn't after Eliana. Yes I thought she was interesting but I only saw her as a friend at first." "Then how did you end up liking her?" Kota asked still curious. "Well I realized all of a sudden one day that I really liked her." "Wait, just like that?!" Kota interrupted. "Ah yeah, one moment we're just buddies and the next I really like her as a girl, that's all there is to it." I try explaining. "Well that was… anti-climactic." Kota says with a bored expression. "What were you expecting, a cheesy chick flick?" I tease with a raised eyebrow. Hoping he will be embarrassed enough to drop the subject. "No, what, why would I think that?!" Kota says. Yep it's working. "Oh man, I got to go I have more recruits to work with now." "I'll see you later, Josh." Kota says as he gets out of his sit. "Yeah see you later and thanks for trying to distract me… with everything that's going on- "AH, say no more compadre, that's what friends are for." Kota interrupts. "Yeah, thanks." Kota could be a real goofball but he was a good friend overall. Unlike some other person I know…

"Ah Kota?" I call him out. "Yeah?" He asks. "Ah…about Soma… do you happen to know why he's got a problem… with me?" I finally ask. I was hoping maybe asking him would help since he has known the guy for years. Kota looks surprised, not expecting the question. "Well I've wondering the same thing, you know?" Kota says as he's scratching the back of his head, a sign that he didn't know how to answer. "Soma is hard on everyone, but he usually eases off after a while… but his attitude towards you is like old asshole Soma levels." Kota continues, not really helping at all. "Well the guy never made much sense to me, the only ones who have been close enough to get him are Lindow and Eliana and shi-… well yeah." Kota finishes off quickly, looking down. I raise an eyebrow wondering what else he was going to say but let it go. "Anyways, I really don't know what to tell you since Lindow's not here and Eliana is, well you know." Kota says with a low expression. Damn it Joshua right when we were starting to cheer up a bit. "Well thanks anyway man, I'm such I'll figure it out and work it out with Soma before Eliana wakes up." Not likely but I have to cheer the guy up a little. Kota grins, "Well you can count on me for anything." He says right when Tsubaki starts yelling for him. "Ah, now I'm in for it!" Kota sprints off. Left alone I decide to go back to my room and get ready for my next mission.

So Eliana was that close to the jerk. Well it is Eliana, she is close with her unit. She was their leader and she's the type of person who would try to shoulder other people's burdens than let others shoulder theirs alone. But still something about it made me uneasy.

"Going up?" the boy in the elevator asked as I was walking in. "Yeah, level 6." I tell him as I make my way to the corner of the elevator. The kid presses the button and the one to sub level 3. Guess he's a rookie if he's living down there. Right as the doors were closing a female voice yelled, WAIT HOLD THE DOORS! I put my hand on the frame and the door opens. A girl with glasses who looked about the same age as the boys next to me, runs into the elevator. "Oh, thank you." She says as she is catching her breath. "No problem." I say to her. She looks up and her face turns red. I guess she sprinted here. I lean my head back against the wall of the elevator. As I was waiting for the elevator to get to my floor, the girl stood between me and the other two boys.

"Hey did you hear about CRADLE by any chance?" one of the boys tells the other.

"Oh yeah, I heard about a few members being stationed here."

"Yeah, but most of the members are from here."

"That must be really amazing…being able to travel the world, fighting the Aragami."

"Oh I hear that they went after some really strong Aragami and that one of the members got pretty messed up."

"Oh that was one of the first new-types of the Far East branch."

"Wasn't that the former first unit leader?"

"Oh yeah and some of them are girls, I bet they are some real beauties." The boys grinned.

I just smirk at their comment for a second but it turns upside down when I remember where she is at the moment.

I noticed that the girl has been looking over her shoulder at me but quickly turning her head when our eyes meet. As if she has been second guessing to either say something to me or not. Finally she turns her head a little and speaks to me. "I haven't seen you before, are you new here by any chance?" she asks in a small voice. "Ah yeah, I guess you could say that," I answer. I wasn't really in the mood for a long conversation thou. "Oh, were you transferred here then?" she asks very politely. "Yeah, I just got here a little over a week ago." I'll just keep it short. Really? I've been here for months and I'm still getting use to this place. She says with a small grin but the way she said it made me wonder if she wanted to be here in the first place.

Just as she's about to speak again, one of the guys look over and yell in surprise, "HEY! Aren't you in CRADLE?!" one of them yelled. Seriously? We're in an elevator not a 30 yard field. "Hey, you're right he's wearing the white jacket!" the other one said. Then both of them jumped me with questions.

"Holy cow, then you were on that mission a week ago!"

"Was it that powerful that you guys took a beating?"

"Is the chick in the sick bay right now the one that got pummeled by it?"

"How did you guys survive? I'm amazed she hasn't kicked the bucket-

KENJI! That's a rude thing to say to a senior officer and to someone you just met! The girl yelled at him. "What, I'm just asking—SLAM! The sound silences everyone in the elevator. It took a few seconds for everyone to register what just happened. I realize as I'm looking down at the floor of the elevator that there was a burning pain in my right hand. Hearing this Kenji's comment made something snap inside me. That not wanting to hear it I swing my right arm back punching the elevator wall behind me. I'm not sure if I just broke my fingers but I don't care.

Don't. Ever. Say. That. Again. I say in a low enraged voice that I could burly hear myself. "Hey man we were just asking is all no need to freak." One of them says in a nervous voice. "Yeah...I'm just saying that she should have been dead, but she—DON'T YOU EVER SAY THAT ABOUT HER! I grab the guy named Kenji by the collar and yell at his face. SHE SHOULD BE DEAD? WHY WOULD HE SAY THAT? IT"S MY FAULT SHE'S LIKE THIS! THIS WOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPEN IF IT WEREN'T FOR ME!

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way, I just-"the guy panics. "Look he didn't mean it that way, he wasn't trying to insult your friend!" the other one yells at me but he's being so nervous. Realizing what I'm doing I let him go. "Sorry, don't ever talk about her again you hear." Is all I say as I try to calm down?

Just as I say that the elevator doors open and both boys run out. What's wrong with me? I just went psycho on them. I then look up and see that the girl is standing beside the door as they were closing. SHIT! She's probably thinking I'm some violent psychopath. I'm sorry about that, I let my emotions get the better of me. I apologize to her. Expecting her to scream and run out as soon as the doors open again. I'm surprised by her reply. "You really let them under your skin, she must really mean that much to you." She says acting all calm. What, that didn't affect her at all?! She sees my confused face and answers," I've been around people in your position before they all start out angry." She then smiles "But you're one of the lucky one, she's alive that's all that matters." I'm lost for words, this girl seems young and not fit to be a God Eater and yet she seemed to have some wisdom from the job.

The elevator stops and the doors open. She walks to the door frame she turns and says," that was cool of you to be looking out for your friends, but try not to overdo it. I hope she gets better soon." I smile, "thanks, I hope so too."

The girl turns around, blushes and looks down. "I wish you and your girlfriend happiness!" She says quickly. "Wait, how did you know?" I ask. She steps off and the doors starts closing. As the doors are closes I could hear her signing in disappointment. I grin a little. She'll get over it…

Well this was an interesting ride… Glad to be alone again I try putting my thoughts together from before. But it was hard to concentrate after such a weird, awkward day. Like Kota asking me how I started like Eliana or how getting on this elev- Oh god, I really dodged a bullet with Kota. I could never tell him with a strange face about the day I realized my feeling for Eliana. The idea of telling Kota is embarrassing, so I'm not going to. Plus he's three years younger than me and it's like telling your kid brother or something. Well I could talk to Zack, my former leader since he has been there for me since Liam is gone. Man, Liam… I really need you right now bro. I should think about this later, I have a mission in an hour and I shouldn't be so distracted during a mission. It's only asking for disaster. Elevator opens, I walk to my room get what I need and head out. But I stop by the sick bay to have my hand check and to have it as an excuse to check up on her. Leaving all thoughts of the past for later.