Hi Guys! This is my third fanfic in my "The Hearts" project that I'm working on . If you like my writing do be sure to check Julius's Solitary Heart and Ace's Wandering Heart!

Now ima gonna try to spread some love for a character who's the combo of BOTH Julius and Ace :D I have to warn first that I do not know much about the guy so I tried to understand him from the research I managed to gathered. So if it's OOC, just review, suggest and let me know k!

This is written as a request for Essence of Soup who wanted a oneshot but I can never seem to write short and summarised stories :P Hope you don't mind!

Disclaimer: I do not own HnKnA except my story T-T

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(Gray&Alice)

-The Guardian Heart-

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Chapter 1: Memories

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"Hi! I'm Alice Liddel, what's your name?"

"Gray, Gray Ringmarc…"

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The faceless gazes of the Clover Tower subordinates stared at the two figures that had crossed the hallway, before shaking their heads as they witness the usual commotion that occurred every single day. Their pity went out to the taller of the two, who was desperately chasing the shorter one in front, as his voice echoed through the vast hall.

"Nightmare-sama, will you please get back to your work already! Or do I have to force you again?" Gray asked his silver-haired boss who was avoiding him like he was a deadly disease. This isn't good; the paperwork will pile up again if he doesn't do them soon! he thought to himself worriedly, his ash-grey trench coat whisking behind him as his raven hair begin to plaster against his forehead in perspiration.

He had been 'plaguing' the incubus around with a stack of unsigned reports in his hands since the day began, but Gray can be an unrelenting and patient opponent when he wants to…

"I don't wanna! Alice is coming for a visit so can't I just take some time off?!" Nightmare cried as he stuck his tongue out at his bodyguard-cum –assistant who cringed at his childishness before diving into his favorite hideaway under his desk.

Really… Gray was a patient man, but today's Nightmare was more stubborn than usual and it's beginning to test his limits. Apparently, everyone conveniently left out that being a nanny was part of the job requirement when he first started.

Alice is coming? Gray wondered thoughtfully. So that's the source of Nightmare's misbehavior? I should have known. Well in that case…

"Fine, you'll get your time off once you finish your work," he proposed has he slammed his heavy 30cm high load of paper onto the table. "Otherwise I'll make sure you won't be able to see Alice at all today."

At once, Nightmare Gottschalk stood up from underneath. "You wouldn't dare. Are you telling me, your superior, what to do?" he asked, silver eyes glowering at his employee.

Oh, is he trying to be intimidating now? Gray raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "If you're my superior then act like one first and do your work." He retorted as his amber eyes glittered with promise of retaliation. He knew Nightmare only had to read his mind to affirm that he would definitely hold true to his words.

They stared at each other, willing the other party to give up, but of course the cold war only lasted a few seconds before…

"Cough cough! Urggle-" Blood began spewing out from the incubus's mouth.

"Nightmare-sama?! Nightmare-sama! Hang in there!"

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"So you're saying as long as I finish up this paperwork I'm free to go?" Nightmare asked as he clean his lips with his violet, silky handkerchief while pointing down at the stack Gray had placed on his desk which was now splattered with his own blood.

"That and those stacks over there," Gray replied with a dead-serious look as he pointed to the accumulated three more towers of paper sitting on the lounge table in the office.

"B-but that's not fair! Alice will be gone by the time I finish!" Nightmare whimpered, his face turning even paler then before.

"And whose fault is that?" Gray said coldly, shooting a glare that made his employer cower. "If you'd done it in the morning this wouldn't have happened so I suggest you get started now."

He had started walking away from the table, but listening to the sniffling Nightmare always did something to him. Gray wiped his hand over his face. Dammit, when did I become such a softie?!

"Just… try to finish as much as you can by the evening and I'll see what I can do." he called back to Nightmare who nodded weakly while forcing himself to scribble his signature and testimony over and over again.

It can't be helped then, guess I'll be working overtime today… again…, Gray sighed in resignation as he motion two other bodyguards to stand watch at the door of Nightmare's office in case he tried to escape.

As annoying as it was, he just couldn't ignore that weak incubus. Though it was a tough job which resulted in too many sleepless nights, Gray had to admit, he had wanted the job as much as Nightmare needed him. It was in his nature to protect and he was sick of the senseless killings he was made to do in his previous occupation. Maybe that's why I opted for this ridiculous job straightaway, he told himself as he smiled wryly as he walked to one of the many balconies of Clover Tower and lit a cigarette.

Gray inhaled deeply, the familiar scent of his favorite tobacco as it filled him, savoring the deep and rich flavor as it released the tension in him before exhaling slowly. He leaned his arms onto the railing tiredly, his wary eyes never stopped surveying the view of the compound from above. Once assuring there was no immediate disturbance in the area, Gray ran his hand through his slick hair, enjoying the cooling sensation of the wind as he finally allowed his mind to wander along with it.

Nightmare was surprisingly resistant today, he mused as he hung his head low, holding his cigarette in his lips. That man may whine a lot but he seldom attempted to stand up against the ex-assassin. Unless it was for Alice, Gray noticed, the foreigner certainly does have an interesting effect on all the role-holders...

Alice.

It was the first word he remembered hearing when he first arrived at Cloverland. Her name was all over town, enough to pique his interest in a foreigner he has never seen. And when he did meet her at last, it was a time forever etched into his heart…

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"Gray, Gray Ringmarc…" the lizard-man replied.

So this is the famous Alice? Running his guarded eyes over the fair-headed girl with a blue bow, he wonders how someone as small and delicate as her could have the whole of Cloverland falling in love wit-

"Nice to meet you Gray." Alice said with the warmest smile he has ever seen as she reaches out for a hand shake. "I've heard a lot about you, I do hope we can be friends."

And the moment he touched her hand, he could feel the genuine feelings of her beating heart pour into his ticking one as he finally understood…

"Me too..."

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It was the umpteen times he has reviewed that memory of her, and he would do so unconsciously whenever he was resting. If he was a role-holder, would that mean he was bound to be susceptible to her charms? But that's not it, he convinced himself as he shook his head, resting it against his arm. It was something more, something deeper, and something strangely frightening to think of, yet, just seeing her face every time she visited would put his clock at ease.

Her smile.

Gray held it close to his heart like a protective charm that would keep the darkness in him at bay, darkness he hopes never to let her see. And even though he knew she was coming, he couldn't stop himself from wanting to see that sweet smile of hers sooner…

"Gray…"

Yes, even sooner than Nightmare desired… As he recalled the way she said his name, it was so… soothing… he could hear it over and over again.

"Gray…"

Time never felt so slow as he waited, listening to that melody which was Alice as well as the internal tick-tock in his body, slowly drifting him off to his well deserved sleep…

"Gray?"

Wow…I… must really…. miss…. her…, he thought as his vision of the ground began to blur. Either that or he must be really, really tired, because this time, her voice sounded so real, so close, it was almost as if…

"Gray?"

There was a tugging on his sleeve and he raised his head from his arms and found himself lost in large aquamarine eyes. It took him a while before the shock finally registered as Gray doubled backwards, nearly falling as he steadied himself on the railing. His half-smoked cigarette flew out of his opened lips as he felt his face getting hotter, and most likely redder, in record time.

"A-Alice!"

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Hope you enjoyed it :) And again I do not assume to know his character inside out so if any of you have info on Gray do let me know, or else I might not know how to continue .

Reviews would be nice too because it really helps alot! :D Thanks for reading!