[Fanfic] At Alice's Door

Title: At Alice's Door
Author: Vianna Orchidia / Annasthacy Chashyme
Rating: T
Warning: possible ooc, grammar errors or misstypos; heavy head-canon; fast-paced; takes place after Retrace 91 so spoilers for those who haven't read up to the latest chapter.
A/N: see below for more notes

Disclaimer: I don't own Pandora Hearts as it is Mochizuki Jun's and I do not take any profit from this fanfiction.

A glow suddenly appeared in her room. The white-clad girl was in the process of setting tea jugs and cups on her small table when it happened. Her little dolls quickly transfixed their eyes to the newly arrived guest, sneers and whispers shared not-so-discreetly amongst themselves.

The girl frowned at the soft glow, not making any move at all. She just waited, with pursed lips and curious eyes, for the glow to take form. She only had to wait several seconds, as the pulsing speck of light slowly stretched, making dips here and there, until a silhouette of a man could be seen.

For a moment the girl still didn't recognize this man—she narrowed her eyes and almost commanded her dolls to eradicate the unwanted presence—until a voice rang clear throughout the confined room.

“Hello, Alice.”

Violet eyes blinked in surprise and recognition. A voice one of a kind, only once heard in all her lifetime. There was no way she could not remember the deep, velvety voice, now holding a playful tone. The soft light still embraced the figure so she couldn't see his face, yet she gave a choked shriek of his name.

“Kevin Regnard!”

Little by little, the glow hiding his face dissipated, and his red eye peered into her violet ones, trapping her sould in his blank gaze. He chuckled. “Ahh, yes, you only know me of that name. I like my new name though, so make sure you remember to call me Xerxes Break,” he said lightly.

But his cheerful demeanor did nothing to calm the obviously seething girl. She clenched the white fabric of her skirt the same way she gritted her teeth together. Even Break, from his distance, could hear her teeth bumping. “Why...” she muttered, “why are you here?” The last part was spat harshly, lavender eyes screaming of betrayal. “What about Alice?”

Break sighed. He still didn't understand how he end up in this place again, when he's supposed to go to hell after everything stopped—but then again, perhaps this was his personal hell? Or perhaps, every dead men's soul also went here? He entertained the thought, of course, but then gave it up after some consideration. There should be no way this girl would allow nameless souls wander into her beloved room, after all. She's that introvert. He almost giggled at this.

But with a sad smile he realized. He had unfinished business with the snow girl. That must be why his soul came to this place, instead of the burning darkness of hell. Or Abyss. (Though technically, this place is also in Abyss, but let's let the matter rest).

“Unfortunately, Alice,” he began in a slow drawl, trying to pinpoint her current emotion by the sound of her breath or the click-clacking of her grinding teeth, “I am already... dead.”

Time seemed to stop. The Will of Abyss unconsciously let go of her skirt. In her dazed state, she did not even notice her legs weakening, unable to support the weight of her body and the news hammered cruelly into her brain, until she was a sobbing mess sitting on the checkered floor. Her sobs were uncontrollable. At one point, she decided to cover her face with her hands.

Break was, to say the least, shocked to see her in that state. It was his death—a dispensable existence, made important just because of that stupid promise. Why would she cry a river like this? He knew he didn't get to fulfill his promise—but did she get so sad because then her twin sister wouldn't be saved? Ah. He felt bad immediately.

“Listen, Alice,” he said as he crouched down to meet her eye level. The crying girl still had her face covered and lowered, so he ruffled her snow-white hair with gentle fingers. With his blind eye, he could not see anything, but at least he could hear her sobs perfectly. “I'm sorry I can't fulfill your wish. But trust me, Oz and Break and the others will surely pick up where I left off. They will save your sister.” Break moved his fingers to find her chin and lifted her head softly, prying the hands that covered off, to let her see his eye. (He would have liked to be the one staring into her eyes, those beautiful pair of lavender, but oh well.) “Trust me.”

Hot-warm liquid fell on his hand, and her body shook as she sucked breath in. “B-but,” she struggled to form the right words with so much tears falling down her eyes. “Everyone died. Everyone is gone. They—they never come see me again— And—” another sob tore through her trembling lips, “—and even you are dead now.”

Before Break realized, the dolls had scrambled their way to their broken master. Soft words and small comforting touches were given to help her ease the painful memories of deaths that pierced in her rare sleep. Some were glaring daggers to the red-eye, scolding him, but everything was lost to the male. He was too surprised to find out the real reason why the Will of Abyss was crying oh so helplesly.

The tears on his hand were still warm. The warmth made way into his tell-tale heart, cracking open that clock-gate prison. Without so much of warning, his eyes began to water as well. He remembered Reim and Lady Sharon, also Lady Shelly, and ultimately Oz Vessalius. He imagined them crying over his death like this fragile girl in front of him did. It saddened him. Some time in the near future, he would remain only as a piece of memory, easily lost. When that time came, would his soul also disappear? When the last memory of him was lost, would he cease to exist at all as well?

Would this girl, trapped in space and time, remember him, even after a thousand years?

“Alice,” he stroked her wet cheek while his own was getting wet from his tears also. “I am dead, but I came, you know? I came to see you.”

Violet eyes looked at his blank ruby with exasperation. “No, you don't understand.” The Will of Abyss shook her head. “You're going to leave too. Souls like you cannot stay in Abyss long. You either become the food of chains, or become one yourself.”

“Then make me your chain,” he answered swiftly, not a slither of doubt in his voice. “That way I can always serve you. I won't leave.”

“One day someone will open the gates and summon you, making a contract with you, leaving me again—that's what happens to the other souls who became chains. They chose another master. They abandoned me!” Her voice became stern and cutting, initial melancholy forgotten in her sudden rampage. “Even Cheshire!”

Break frowned as he only realized the lack of the black cat's presence. Where could he be? Was he trapped in the memory dimension as it crumbled? He felt his chest tighten. How much damage had this girl taken from his careless action? As twisted as she was, the Will of Abyss was just a girl. He could not help the pity.

“I won't,” he whispered as he wrapped his arms around the girl's body, giving her soothing strokes on the back. “I won't make any contract.” Because the outer world is already a deadly mess; I don't think the world will survive long enough for anyone to be able to open the gates anymore, unless Oz succeed... “Because I will remain loyal to you, and you only.”

The white-haired girl in his embrace gave a soft gasp. “R-really?” she asked with trembling voice.

“Yes, Alice. I will be your Knight.”

It was another promise, he thought bittersweetly, as her hands made their way to his neck, and her lips pressed to his. The kiss was deep, and as he moved his lips lusciously to respond, his body had materialized, soft glows completely gone, and his existence was that of a chain. When their lips separated, he knew everything was worth it.

Another promise was worth it.

-fin-

I'm very much like talking in my sleep when typing this down. It's supposed to be the following events after Break died, but haha, looks like I managed to ruin the whole story of Pandora Hearts with this. The theories in this fic are all made-up, too. I just made them to make this story works.

By the way, the title is somewhat parody of "at death's door". Iykwim.

Well then, reviews are lovely!