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"You smell like apples." Alice spoke with a grimace, and I thought she might be wrinkling her nose. "And blood."

I hid my soiled gloved hands beneath the velvet white of my sleeves—my devil hands, that longed and ached for blood that very morning, digging and groping with spread fingers into the scarred hollow of my left eye, and reaching sleepily in midair for my unusable right —and smiled in what I thought was the direction of her voice, imagining her sour expression clearly. "It was a clumsy accident on my part. Nothing to fret about, Miss Alice."

"…then why do I smell apples? Did you stumble into a pie earlier?"

"Such eloquent wit~ Since you are so curious to know, Miss Alice, I helped myself to some apple pastries."

Without ignominy—or a gesture of womanly grace—she pinched one of my cheeks brutishly with her gloved fingers, laughing boastfully. "Your cheek is fat. If you keep eating sweets it'll get even fatter."

"Did you happen to be nursed as an infant with silver? What a tongue you have acquired, my dear."

Alice growled with the back of her throat, pinching harder and exposing a row of my gums and teeth.

"Would you mind it terribly, Miss Alice, if I asked you to abstain from assailing my face?"

"Then answer me why you smell like blood, clown. I smell it the closer I get to you." I felt her girlish warmth as she did move in closer to my space, stopping short of coming in full contact with my body as she sniffed once sharply. I snorted amused, causing her to withdraw as well as her intruding fingers against my reddening cheek.

"As I have told you, it was an accident."

"I don't believe you, clown."

"Ah, how cruel Miss Alice is to me~! Whatever have I done to her~!?"

"And why can't you focus your eye on me?"

She noticed that she had struck a chord when I paused, before murmuring insistently, "It is very dark in here…"

"What are you talking about? The lamps have been lit the entire time we have been here. Why are you lying?" Alice grabbed my face with both hands, not pinching and instead pressing softly, and forced me to bend down to her level. After a moment, I heard her take a small, sudden inhale and tightened her hold as if startled.

"Miss Alice…" I whispered, feeling her thin fingers flex to cringe at the affection, "…I would deeply appreciate it if you were to keep the knowledge of my lack of eyesight from the rest of our group. There will be no need to involve the others. Can you keep this secret for me? It would mean so very much…"

"F-Fine…" It was a quiet mumble, barely parting her lips, but she meant it.

Kindly, my bare hands stripped of my soiled gloves cradled her now blushing cheeks. "Thank you, Miss Alice."

"G-get off me, clown…"

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Pandora Hearts is not/was not/will never be my beautiful, fan-servicing brain child.

Really…?! I'm the first one to attempt an Alice/Break fanfic here…!? O.O' …that kind of blows my mind…I thought it was more popular… at least there is something up for the fans now! Especially for GreenEyedNeko and xxShatteredSympathyxx. You two get the dedication from me because you asked for this pairing specifically. Alice and Break were so much fun to write for. They flow so well in argumentative dialogue. –hearts like whoa- And it is not betaed by my new beta reader but she has helped me with a new oneshot. YAY! I throw shiny, kitty-shaped confetti at people who review. ;PP