Spirit Animal
December 15th 2014
by Elise the Writing Desk, Characters by QuinRose
Alice and Blood had recently became 'a thing'. Well, Blood was a proud man so he'd straight away rubbed it off on the face of other role-holders. Because it's like winning the race that's obviously obvious. Seriously, there's only one scenario here: Alice fell into Wonderland, Peter snog her (Blood's still cross about it a bit) and then she fell on her knees and propose to Blood Dupre. Hmph, what else could possibly happen?
"I didn't fall on my knees for you, twat!" Alice hissed everytime Blood was boasting about his love-life. And add a smack on the head. Vivaldi had invited Alice for some tea and Blood just couldn't miss this for the world; seeing his lover and tormenting his sister would be a great past time,
"That's to be certain," Vivaldi set down her cup. "Honestly, dear Alice is a duckling. Everyone would chase her because she's adorable." she giggled at how Alice blushed. "And We are the mother goose that will protect her from mad shenanigans."
"More like a gorilla," Peter snorted, and then glared at Blood sharply. "Ruthless female gorilla. Not a fan, all with the fleas and germs..." he then noticed Alice was holding her laughter. "Oh, but Alice is a beautiful golden rabbit, obviously!"
"You can't name us with animals, you animal," Vivaldi huffed, glaring at her prime minister hatefully. "Alice can't be a shameless rabbit like you. Oh, a cat! Her spirit animal is ought to be a kitty cat! That's why We love you!" the woman dragged Alice for a hug.
"Really, did you just call an animal 'animal', Your Majesty?" Blood chuckled, then sipped his tea. Unlike his sister who preferred bright red color for tea, Blood preferred dense ones, but this was fine.
"Well, spirit animals, huh?" Ace chuckled, busy eating his cake. "Without having to include the obvious, I learned that everyone has spirit animals. PM, for once I'd agree that Her Majesty can be a gorilla, but she can also be a lioness. And you know lions have harem." he laughed, winking to Vivaldi, trying to poke fun with Vivaldi's personal issue about the King.
"How dare you!"
"S-So, what about yourself?" Alice said in a mocking tone. "Bet you're a...monkey with rabies, Ace. Most likely a crazy baboon."
"Good one, dear!" Vivaldi laughed.
"A crazy baboon, what a perfect fit." Peter nodded in respect.
Ace laughed, still thinking that everyone was having a merry joking time. "Haha! That's so funny! But comparing to spirit animals, I'm a stray dog, Alice." he then glanced to Blood. "Blood Dupre would've been a dog, but he's a wolf, actually. Can be a lion too. Gowland is an old man!"
"Wait, is 'Old Man' a spirit animal...?"
"And Boris is a cat."
"You don't say."
"And I have no idea what the hell Nightmare is."
"Isn't he a worm?"
"Caterpillar."
"What about me?" Alice suddenly asked. "What's my spirit animal, Ace?"
Everyone became quiet for the sake of hearing Ace's answer. Well, they rarely listened to Ace because he's so irritating and stupid most of the time, but just this time, he actually brought an interesting topic. Spirit animal. Obviously, it's like a horoscope sign of the sort, so it's quite curious to find out if Blood and Alice matched.
"Alice? Alice you're a dog, of course! A puppy! A dalmatian!" Ace chirped childishly. "And I'm your Papa. And you know, dogs do incest!"
"NO! You're just saying that to please yourself, you germ!" Peter hissed. "Alice is definitely a beautiful rabbit! And I'm her Papa, and rabbits also do incest!"
Vivaldi sighed. "Hmm, We suppose there's no gay spirit animal..."
"Your Majesty!?"
"Oho, I'm just joking dearie."
Fine, it wasn't exactly an 'obvious race'. It was a fucking roller coaster. And one that's more frightening than any of Mary Gowland's rides.
Because there's no one alive that could be so stupid to smack Blood Dupre's head. And then there's Alice Liddell.
If comparing to the spirit animal, Blood Dupre would be a wolf or a lion or a bison, the male alpha, leader of the pack as he was leader of the mafia. And along with other 'animals', he's racing for Alice.
The race was more like a hunt. And they were hunting a wild cat; Alice. She's wild, hissy, does as she pleases and doesn't bow to just anyone. Alice's spirit animal is a wild cat, and maybe Blood didn't even catch her. She lets him keeps her heart. And he'd shower her with love. It's like a crazy cat owner and the ignorant cat kind of thing. And the crazy cat owner often loves to tease his wild cat.
Today was another lovely day in the Clover Country. It was all fine. Alice doing her errands in the Clover Tower. Blood was just drinking tea, trying to lift up his mood since the sun was trying to irritate him.
Yeah, Blood, drinking tea, alone.
Drinking tea, reading a book.
Alone.
BANG BANG CRASHH
"Son of a fuck—what the hell was that!?" Elliot came running with his gun ready only to find Blood was giving torrent shots to his tea table. "Boss you okay!? Is there a worm or somethin'?" he asked Blood, coming to his side.
Blood huffed, reverting his machine gun back to his cane, and then turned to Elliot. Elliot raised his eyebrows in quick understanding.
His boss was fucking bored.
No. Not only that.
He's lonely and bored.
"Come on, Boss. You know she's on errands."
Blood clicked his tongue and dropped himself back to his chair. "Sure. Errands. At Clover tower." He hummed, crossing his arms. "Do we look like lovers right now?"
"Uh, no—"
BANG
"Shit!" Elliot gasped, dodging in time when Blood just suddenly shot—it was meant to get through Elliot's head. "I mean I can't see you as lovers when you're not together, Boss! Geez!"
Blood glanced away boredly. "Tell me again why we're not together right now?"
Elliot mentally whimpered, always confused as fuck when Blood's on his mood swing.
"Why don't you ask her to move in?"
"You think I didn't do that first thing first?" Blood boredly replied. He stared at his beautifully tended garden, leaving Elliot feeling awkward in his spot while thinking about his lady. She's younger than him, full of surprise and an endless supply of nerve. Her mouth's like a salty mafioso goon but she's tender when she wanted to.
And Blood wanted to laugh at his current state. Bored and lonely? Blood gets bored, yes, but lonely? Alice Liddell certainly had made him a pitiful man. The boss of the most fearsome mafia, got to feel lonely.
"Boss, I know what'll cheer ya!" Elliot said, looking every bit excited. "Let's go and visit that new cafe!"
"The one with that carrot-cream fountain?"
"Yeah—"
"No."
"Alice promised me she'd be there, though." Elliot shrugged. "I mean, I thought since you feel bored, maybe you'd wanna...but if not, then okay! I'm goin' me self. Takin' my break, Ok, boss?" the ginger grinned and waved, before leaving.
"Yeah, see you." Blood sighed and stared at the messy tea table before him. Though soon, the damages he caused began to cease—the cups began to return into complete pieces and the table was already dried.
Blood abruptly stood up and went to chase Elliot.
"You said Alice!?"
~.X.~
Soon, it was Blood halfway dragging Elliot instead of the way around. He's not excited about the cafe, of course—psh, who cares about carrot-cream fountain? His girlfriend was going to be there—and she's a punctual young lady so she's already there when they arrived.
"Ugh!? Blood!?"
"Princess, that's certainly not how you suppose to act when seeing your handsome boyfriend." Blood smirked, though he could see through her harsh words. He eyed how she quickly tried to fix her hair and huffed, patting her skirt. She was nervous and surprised—she wasn't prepared to see him.
It's really cute to see that insecurity since she's already so perfect without having to try. Though playing around with her insecurity button was definitely Blood's favorite past time. Alice was such a teasing fodder. When she did that, she reminded him of a swan when its mate coming over.
Elliot glanced at his boss and the young lady, smiling excitedly, obviously happy that he's got something to please his boss, but then his eyes fell onto the carrot-cream fountain.
"Okay, I'll leave you guys here! Gotta check that beautiful fountain!" Elliot was already pumping in his spot.
"No, Elliot. I promised to come with you. Come on, Blood." Alice nodded to Blood, and the mafia boss shrugged as his underling almost scream in excitement and gratefulness.
"Yay! Best day ever! Blood and Alice taking me to the cafe!" Elliot cheered. "Aww, I totally feel like we're family! But we are, right?"
Alice was eyeing his bunny ear as usual. "Yeah...I guess..."
Blood had to hide his chuckle. Well, if it's not Alice, they wouldn't look at Elliot as if he's such a cute bunny toy—big men would cry and cower whenever they saw Elliot, even if he's not bringing a gun and was buying groceries. Though Blood was okay with Alice giving 'cute' titles to other guys. For all he knows, Alice sees him as a 'man'. That's the highest compliment in this wretched world, at least to him.
So Elliot had already ran off on his own, disappointing Alice. Blood purposely didn't say anything just to watch her getting nervous and awkward. Like a rabbit being left alone in its cage with the hunter. Suddenly, she gasped and turned to Blood with a big smile.
"Blood! Look!" she pulled a rifle from her back. "Gray gave me this!"
A rifle.
A fucking rifle.
"It's actually a knife, see?" she stared at it, and it reverted into a knife, and Blood just noticed the small pack on her back. "It's called Vorpal. I also learned a bit from Peter."
"Oh, so you're okay about killing now?"
"No, not at all," Alice turned her blade into a rifle again, and clicked it before trying to aim. "I can totally blast someone's shoulder or foot with this big boy, so now I can protect myself. Peter kept saying that I missed when I obviously was avoiding the head." She then grinned to Blood with determination.
"I'm the hero now!" she fist-pumped.
Blood was now hiding his face with both hands. Laughing.
"Wh-What!? There's nothing funny here, asshole!" Alice yelled angrily, punching Blood's back repeatedly.
"It's really cute." Blood even had to wipe a tear. "Can you do that heroic pose again? I should call a painter. We need to paint that and I just have to hang that picture in our room."
"Wow, thank you for your nasty complain towards someone's great effort of self-defense, bastard." Alice rolled her eyes, and without having to say anything, they left the cafe. Blood huffed.
"Why do you have to do...this?" Blood gestured his hand to the rifle.
"I thought I told you, self-defense."
"Princess," Blood stopped to look around and nodded to the tea shop. "If you move in with me, you can still be my damsel."
"Well I don't want to be a useless damsel in distress."
"You're not useless." They entered the tea shop, making the bell chimed. "You're greatly useful in my bed."
Blood laughed when she bashfully hit him across his head. He then took a great attention to choose the tea, and Alice secretly hid a smile. She liked it whenever Blood was around tea. He looks like a boy in a candy shop. Except it's tea shop. And he's a mature bastard.
"It's because there's been assaults in the tower. Some gangs are openly after Nightmare." Alice said, opening a jar to smell Rosella.
"The more reason to move in with me." Blood inhaled the smell of white tea. He frowned, disappointed at the age and the quality, closing the jar and moved on. "And then you just have to be such a grateful person."
"Gray actually asked me to leave," she closed the Rosella jar, frowning to Blood who was taking a jar of mint from a high shelf. "Come on, just once. There will be an assault, and if I can help taking down the gang, I promise I'll move in with you. I owe them, Blood."
Blood didn't answer. So far, this tea shop had made him bored, so he nodded to Alice, signaling that they're leaving. The two inhaled the outdoor air again and looked around, and noticed Elliot was still in his heaven.
"Which gang?" Blood asked.
Alice glanced at her with a deep scowl, and Blood rolled his eyes. "Mind-your-fucking-business gang." She spat, crossing her arms and stared at the street clock. "My shift's starting. I got to go back."
Blood sighed. "But I'm bored...Sweet-face, you need to pay attention to me a little more. Look at yourself—you're worried about other man. You're killing me."
The young lady gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. Well, Blood smirked, it's not that he didn't know already. Alice missed him too. Whenever it's concerning her friends, Alice would evolve into a loyal dog—a fierce hound.
Like Elliot, Alice had a strong-sense of friendship and that she just had to pay Nightmare's kindness—despite no one would feel irritated if she asked their help. Blood didn't understand this part about Elliot and Alice, but he thought, why not? So long as they're happy.
"I'm lonely too, you know?" Alice muttered, glaring at her shoes. "But I would do the same if it's you. Maybe even taking a bullet for you." She huffed and turned her back to him.
Blood smiled gently. The great thing about Alice was she's so dedicated, like Elliot. And she's got a vagina and boobs. Oh, and she's not a carrot-food-addict. Certainly not obnoxious like the twins or Elliot.
"Oh, fine," Alice sighed and turned to him. "Let's go to my place. I'll make tea."
And, despite she wouldn't admit it—Alice loved to spoil.
~.X.~
"So we're doing it here..."
"Doing what here?"
Blood stared at Alice with a smile. "Making out, obviously."
Alice slammed her door and glared at him. "Not so loud! And mind you, I was taking you here for tea! Tea, you bastard!" she rolled her eyes taking off her gloves. "Go sit somewhere. I'll brew it."
"Really?" Blood sighed in disappointment, taking off his coat and took a seat in the clover sofa. "I thought 'tea' is the keyword for 'hot make-out session'..."
Alice cursed, making Blood laugh. "Really, maybe inviting you here is a bad idea. Nightmare can read minds and yours are definitely in the gutter." She mumbled angrily.
...Meanwhile with Nightmare...
"Sir? Sir!? You're having a nosebleed!" Gray dropped his papers and rushed to his master's side. Nightmare was clawing his hair. "What's going on!?"
"Ugh, Blood Dupre is here..." Nightmare began to choke out blood. "And I feel like reading an MA+ fiction..."
Gray pulled back and tilted his head innocently.
"Oh. Stuff like penetration—"
"RIGHT—COUGH—BLURGH, BLOOD EVERYWHERE—"
"SIR! STOP IT! YOU'RE RUINING YOUR WORK!"
~.X.~
Blood couldn't remember how it was before he met Alice. What was he doing? Drinking tea on his own, sometimes with Elliot and Tweedle Twins, talking about their enemies. If he's on his own, what was he thinking? How to take down his enemies? Was he even thinking about tea? Well, he kind of remembered...he was only thinking about what kind of tea blend would be good for tonight—trying to quickly settle things about the territorial deals and tried to ignore the sun.
Did he seriously consider to marry a tea leaves? When he thought about it, he once compared a tea blend as women and he decided if Darjeeling was a woman, he'd marry her. Life in this world as a role-holder was so dull. Everyone else was so weak and boring, he didn't know what to do with the time in his hands.
"Here's my special blend." Alice set a cup for him, smiling mischievously. "It's super special, the best tea in the world."
Blood inhaled the air, smelling the usual mildly sweet aroma. "Really? Why is that?"
"Because I'm the hero!" Alice did the funny pose again, and the two laughed. Blood bent a little to take his cup while Alice took a seat across him. It smelled like the usual tea, black because she knew he loves it that way, so what could be different this time?
He took a sip, and raised an eyebrow. He took another sip, letting the heat sliding into his throat.
It's certainly the best tea he's ever tasted.
"What did you put in here?" Blood asked, couldn't holding back himself. Alice sipped her tea, watching the excited and curious gleam in Blood's usually bored eyes. "What kind of blend is this? It really is the best tea I've ever tasted..." he stared at his cup in wonder.
Alice smirked and looked around secretively.
"Okay...this is a big secret...don't tell this to anyone, okay?"
"Yes...?"
"I put...Nightmare's vomit in it."
...
Nightmare cowering on a chandelier, fearing for his life.
...
Alice laughed when Blood looked scarred and sick for life, setting his cup away and clamped his mouth in disgust.
"Haha, the look on your face!" the young lady even cried. "Of course that's a lie, silly. I didn't put anything in it! In fact, it's cheap factory tea—I didn't have time to get selectable tea-leaves, mind you."
Blood was even more surprised. "Is that so? But why is it so tasty?"
"Because I brew it, that's why," Alice wiped a tear of mirth and glanced away with red cheeks. "And because you love me, I guess?"
There was an oddly tense silence between them, because Alice was probably feeling like crawling into a hole and Blood was defending his dignity and tried so hard not to jump at her across the table.
It's so true that sometimes it's so hard to admit it. Alice of course, had a hard time being sweet to him because she didn't want to be that clingy girlfriend kind of person. Blood, on the other hand—yes, he's in love with her, and yes, he's often proclaimed it, but it's mostly because: a. He's sincerely in love with her b. He likes rubbing that fact to everyone else c. He loves to watch her squirm.
But when she said that, Blood just realized that he's fallen too hard and too deep, probably more than what Alice knew and more than he'd like to admit. Oh Lord, I'm terribly in love—kind of thing. He remembered he and Vivaldi once had a real dog—not Elliot—and it would act so cute and Vivaldi just couldn't hold herself but hug it. Blood kind of understand it right now.
Really, he just want to hug her right now. Nothing more.
"D-Don't get cocky now!" Alice huffed, standing up and took her knife from her coat. She narrowed her eyes. "Mind you, our guests are here." She muttered to Blood, who gripped his cane and stood up. It's evening already. Quite a long afternoon.
They could hear footsteps—five of them. Blood raised an eyebrow; is it really so easy to infiltrate this tower? Then again, all of the workers here were doubling as guards, they could totally fend themselves. It's Gray they'd have to get rid of. Which was quite impossible.
"You're the target." Blood narrowed his eyes. "You're giving off yourself as a bait..."
Alice frowned to him and scoffed. "Psh, me? Bait?" she reloaded her rifle and opened the door. "Kinda."
"She's here!"
BANG
CLICK
BANG!
Blood crossed his arms, pissed off as he watched Alice kicking the guns from the enemies' hands—she perfectly shot through their hands. Those men could only cry in pain, their wounded—holed hands bleeding onto the floor.
"I need you guys to stop," Alice said coldly. "Well at least stop coming here. You can't attack me anymore, so there's no use of me." She huffed, kicking a man down from his back. "But if you want to see me, you'll be seeing Blood Dupre."
"B-Big talk..." one of the guy scoffed, taking in the pain and gritted his teeth as he pulled a knife with is left hand—he used one-hand gun. "Not when you're still here—"
BANG
"How rude, forgetting my presence here. I was just standing in there." Blood scoffed, taking down his gin and wiped some blood on his neck as the man fell, dropping his knife. "The lady isn't lying. If you miss her, come and play at my mansion. We'll greet you grandly. You can't use her to get to Gottschalk and you've made me bored." He casually walked across the corridor, purposely stepping on the dead body as the rest of the men glared at him in fright.
"Oh, Blood, you killed him. Really!?" Alice angrily sighed. "Poor guy." She turned away, still didn't have the stomach to see a blasted head.
"Pull back—this is too dangerous."
"Why the hell is he here, seriously."
The men retreated, and Alice puffed her cheeks, mumbling about having to clean the blood at the corridor and her rifle returned into a blade. Blood sighed, watching her mopping the floor. Good thing the paint on the wall can fix itself.
"See? They're the same guy who infiltrate your mansion, right?" Alice said to Blood, shrugging. "I'm the perfect bait. Wherever I stay, they'll see me as a great bait because they can kidnap me and lure my friends." She them smiled and pocketed her knife. "But that won't be a problem now. I can take care of myself."
Blood smiled, taking her hand to kiss it. "Young lady, I demand you to join the mafia now."
"Don't be silly," Alice rolled her eyes. "I'm not killing anyone for you. I'll just disarm them if I'm in danger and I'm not going to work in an assault."
It's the way she kept holding onto that silly humanity crap. She's like a leopard, not giving a damn to other's business and had her own way of doing things. Somewhat detached from the jungle, but belonged there—she's a part of the jungle in her own way.
"When I ask you to join the mafia," Blood said, and they watched the dead body disappearing and leaving a clock. "...I was asking you to be a part of my family."
~.X.~
So she thanked Gray and Nightmare, saying sorry and got apologies, and then moving out. Alice often changed her outfit, but none of them, except for her lolita dress—were actually hers, despite people would gladly gave them for her. Though Alice was a light traveler. She only brought her wallet and Vorpal with her and moved to the Hatter Mansion.
"Big Sis!" the Bloody Twins cheerfully greeted her and ran to her with their axes. "Ya came ta play?"
"No, I'm here to move in." Alice scoffed, crossing her arms. "This guy just keep pestering me about it." She nodded to Blood with red, puffed cheeks.
"Certainly. She means that she can't live a day without me."
"Never said that!"
"Oooh!" Dee and Dum had sparkles in their eyes. "You're a part of us—then you're our Mum!?" they dropped their axes and began to suffocate Alice with their hugs. "Yay! We can call ya Mum!"
Blood smiled dangerously. "Don't get excited now. I won't actually adopt you as my sons."
"Ish OK, boss. You can still be boss." Dee raised a thumb up.
"Big Sis just leveled up to Mum so we can still getta hugs and kiss, ish all!" Dum also raised a thumb up.
Alice laughed awkwardly and turned to Blood for help, but the man was irritated. So he just left her in front of the gate with the gatekeepers.
Seriously. There's no helping it. Save for Elliot, who knew boundaries, everyone else in this world were like drunk monkeys. They couldn't keep their hands to their own—it's like male cats fighting over other male cats in mating season. And you know that female cats could mate with several different cats.
Except that—no, Alice wasn't a cat, she's a penguin, and Blood is her mate penguin so the other penguins should fuck off. The man laughed to himself and rubbed his temple. No, this was ridiculous Blood Dupre was not a penguin. He's...a cool spirit animal, maybe a lion. Yeah, definitely a lion. Every lioness wants him.
He totally had to stop comparing things with animals. It's because of that book about spirit animals.
"Wait, tell me why, again?"
"No, no, Blood. I was asking you if I can have my own room."
"Yeah. Why?"
Alice frowned at Blood as if he's gone bonkers or the likes. "Well, d-do you want me to sleep on the living room or something?"
"No, no, no." Blood's turn to stare at Alice since she's being stupid today. "Isn't it natural that you stay in my room? Aren't we lovers?"
"That..." The young lady gaped in shock and realization, pausing a little as her cheeks gradually became red. She huffed and looked away. "...is true."
Blood raised an eyebrow, still questioning her, but she crossed her arms and huffed, glancing away.
"But I don't have to, right!?"
Sometimes when she's like this, Blood didn't consider it as 'cute'. Well, he knew that she knew he'd be harassing her on the bed, but they did sleep together sometimes, so this was kind of ridiculous. The first time they slept together, Alice even considered it as a comfort sex. Blood had made sure that he's not a cat and he won't drop his pants for any ladies, but Alice...
"Maybe she's a cat." Boris Airay said when he's invited by Alice for tea. The young lady herself was busy chasing the twins to get her Vorpal back. "I mean, male cats are possessive, but not female cats. They're drifter. Having sex and kissing aren't big deal for her."
Blood set down his cup sharply. "Are you trying to say that I'm dating a slut?"
Boris hummed, looking really serious. "I don't know, how do you feel about that?"
So Blood had the very urge to kill Boris because he was kind of right. Blood and Alice clashed in the past, at some point. Alice was a natural drifter—as Boris had said, a wild cat that attracts many male cats. He did called her a slut one time in the Heart Country. He really thought he could play her around because he 'looked' like her foolish tutor, but she stood still, unshaken. Before they went official, Blood had stole her kiss several times and she thought of it as 'comfort shit'.
Blood really didn't want to date a cat. He had to make Alice a different spirit animal.
"Blood, you're busy?" Alice entered his room as she pleased and went straight to the bookshelves. "Don't mind me, I'm just taking out the next serial. Have you read it?"
"Not yet, I'm waiting for you to finish it so you can tell me about it." Blood smirked, looking up from his papers, and Alice scoffed, taking a seat on his sofa.
"Yeah, you wish."
Blood tapped his fingers quietly on the papers so he didn't make noise as he watched the young wild cat getting immersed in her fantasy world. How could possibly she got that much of concentration to a dull fiction when the real thing, the realism of fantasy, Blood Dupre, was sitting right in front of her? How?
The boss stared at her for a while. Alice, a cat, huh. Maybe a wild forest cat. She didn't get tamed, she chose her owners and does her own things. He could definitely imagine her ears and brush tail, her indifferent eyes big and round, moving along the lines in the book.
So beautifully cute, like a painting. Except that he could see her ears twitching cutely and her tail swishing everytime she read something interesting.
"Oh wow, I can't finish this so soon, this one's exceptionally..." Alice realized the extra-intense-gaze from her boyfriend and flinched. "...Interesting." she narrowed her eyes, feeling unnerved.
Blood could totally see it. The forest cat got tense, her pupils narrowed and her fur began to stand and she began to hiss in defense. She felt threatened, but still so beautiful.
"Um...?" the lady gulped. "Wh-What's for dinner?"
Blood licked his lips, eyeing the way those cat ears twitched and that tail swishing so gently.
"Hmm...roasted salmon, I suppose."
"Didn't we have tuna for breakfast...and...hey, we have been eating fish since yesterday," Alice tilted her head thoughtfully. "Is it because fish is in season?" she turned to Blood, only to see the life-threatening, needy, mouldy gaze.
"I...guess."
The way her eyes became round like a shy cat just...
"So, yeah," Alice tried to distract Blood from staring her so much—she might melt. "Can you tell the twins to stop stealing my Vorpal? They kept stealing it just to get my attention. I mean, it's cute and sweet, but..." her tail swished. "...I can't let them kiss and hug me so freely, you know? I mean, even if I yelled at them, they'd still do it! Seriously, they're like Peter and Ace, don't know what 'no' means."
Blood hummed. "Really? I thought kissing between friends is alright for you?"
Alice twitched and blushed, she then cleared her throat and crossed her arms. "Well we weren't dating!"
"So now that we're dating it's not okay?" Blood smirked in amusement. "Are you saying that you're saving yourself only for me?"
Her face exploded into a sweet shade of red, and then Blood decided; Alice wasn't a cat.
And if she's a cat, she's angry and her fur would stand up right now.
"You really think I'm a drifter slut even now?" Alice hissed, and stood up, slamming the book onto the table. She paused and then glanced to him over her shoulder, her eyes were cold. Like an angry wild animal—but Blood could figure which animal.
"Well if I am, what can you do about it?" she scoffed and left his room.
Now something uncomfortable began to churn in his stomach at her words. Of course, if Alice was a drifter, he'd kill her first but he knew all too well that she's not. She didn't approach men for her personal pleasure, she wasn't trying to get men on her beck and call. She didn't want anyone to wait on her foot.
At first, for Blood, Alice was just like another challenge. He thought Alice was the kind of woman trying to win him, just like other women—who were shot dead, of course. Blood didn't like women who think of him as a trophy. Alice proved that she's not trying to win him over—not at all, she was so insecure when it came to love that she didn't even bother to try.
For Alice, love was very frightening that saying it out loud and be more forward wasn't something easy. So she treasured that word really careful, but Blood was impatient. What if he didn't deserve it? Of course he'd do anything to prove that he deserves her, but if she's still afraid of confiding to him, then...
Blood had to learn insecurity. And he hated it.
At the least, Alice Liddell wasn't a drifting forest cat.
~.X.~
"Aww, boss, you're having that look again!" Elliot laughed, the third time he came running only to see Blood was shooting off his tea table. "It's the sun, and Alice, isn't it?"
Blood dropped himself into the chair again. Well this was definitely irritating. He thought that the point of Alice moving in was so that he could be with her all the time, but then she was wondering around as she pleased. Partly it's because he's busy lately, but seriously?
"She can't wait on your foot, boss. She's not a harem slave, y'know?"
"Elliot, if you call her a harem slave—"
"I said not. Point is, she got bored too. No, I don't mean she's bored of you, of course," Elliot quickly rephrased when he felt those bored eyes on him. "Y'know Alice is kinda like a rabbit? She goes on her own, having her own world. Rabbits make their own nest—just be patient, you've been so patient anyway, so just a bit more. She's just nervous with this new thing, relationship, right?"
Blood raised his eyebrows at Elliot's innocent suggestions. It sounded so stupid but kind of right. Alice was like a rabbit. Maybe her spirit animal was rabbit?
First, she made her own nest.
And then she'd struggle when he'd try to drag her to bed, so it had to be her who get on the bed by will. Oh she also didn't like it when he came into her room without knocking.
(Seriously, Blood, what do you know about privacy? Then again, everyone in this world...)
"Patience," Blood sighed. "Right."
So maybe Alice was a rabbit. Wait, that's bad. Isn't rabbit a great drifter and humps at any rabbit in sight? Now that's a big headache, and he's staring at Alice across the dining table. If Alice is a rabbit, so she'd drift so easily and brush it off as 'friendly stuff'.
"Salad again?" Alice hummed as a servant served a bowl of salad and began to pour the dressing. "Not that I'm complaining. I mean, no wonder Elliot keeps eating out. You know he hates real carrots."
But Blood couldn't help but imagine it. If Alice was indeed a rabbit, then all he needed to do was to keep her, right? Just look at her with those bunny ears—Alice certainly pulled that off better than Elliot or that silly prime minister. Yes, Alice and bunny ears and bunny tail. All she needed was the sexy red outfit and fish nets, maybe throw some red stilettos. Damn.
This salad was getting hot, and it's not even cooked.
"You know, sometimes I miss the amusement park, until I remember that Gowland could be playing that hellish instrument anytime." She laughed, and munched a salad leaf, and then felt uncomfortable with her boyfriend's gaze again. "Blood, something's been wrong with you lately. You've been feeding me green stuff for a week, and...oops..." the salad dressing was too much and it trailed down her chin. "It's..."
Yes...and then Alice just needed a hazy look on her red face. Blood could definitely imagine many dirty scenario simply with watching a salad-dressing trailing down her face.
That gaze. Yeah. That gaze, that love-struck gaze that freaked her out.
"AGH! WHAT IS THAT!?" Alice gasped and jumped off her seat only to stumble and fell. "That gaze! What is wrong with you—At least not when I'm eating!"
Blood dodged when the salad bowl was flying towards him and crashed.
"So creepy!" the girl shivered in fright. "What is wrong with you!?" she shook her head and left to her room.
Well, Alice couldn't be a rabbit. She's not a playgirl and she's not entirely dirty-minded. Blood sighed and glanced to the broken salad bowl that began to fix itself.
"Stingy little lady..." Blood trailed his fingers onto the mess of salad on his table that she just ate, and picked the leaf to eat it.
He should've realized that a rabbit was quite straight-forward with feelings. Just look at Peter White and Elliot. Or maybe it's just Alice.
~.X.~
Though it was kind of hard to not imagine Alice as a rabbit.
"Blood, seriously? Salad again? Can't we eat rabbit or something if there's no meat?"
"Th-That's cannibalism!" Elliot cried in shock, settling to eat the salad for breakfast. "Why would you eat me!?"
~.X.~
Alice wasn't exactly the kindest person in the world. Even with her humanity crap, Alice easily thought that 'torture' was better than 'murder'. She's really good at torturing, and despite she timely reminded that she didn't work for the mafia, Alice had been a torture master.
"Come on, how many?" Alice said with a frown. "I know you want to protect your people, but it's your fault here. If you mess up with my family then we'll destroy you. I don't want to destroy your people, I just want them out of the mansion."
"Just kill me." The faceless spat onto her face.
"You shithead!" Elliot angrily aimed his gun, but gritted his teeth when Alice caught it and stopped him. "But Alice...!"
Alice wiped her face and pulled out Vorpal. She sighed. "I don't have time for this shit." She stabbed the man's knee.
"AAAGH!"
"If you don't speak, I'll pop your knee and let you live that way. How many?" Alice coldly demanded, twisting the knife on the man's knee.
"Wicked..." the twins who were holding the man grinned in amusement, while Elliot grinned in astonishment.
It didn't take long until the man spoke, and Alice turned away, letting the three finish the man with a loud bang and spurt of blood. She huffed, reloading her rifle and walked straight to Blood's room.
BANG!
It sounded like one but it was two shots simultaneously done in one. Blood just head-shot the male intruder while Alice disarmed the female faceless by blasting her hand. The female screamed in pain and cursed at Alice.
"She looks unfamiliar, I thought she's a new one," Alice huffed, kicking the gun away while the servants came in to take the female faceless. "She's so normal so it was kind of weird. The other servants are nice but crazy..."
"Right, so you let her into my room," Blood smirked teasingly.
"Come on, I'm busy and I'm not your guy." Alice rolled her eyes, her rifle reverted back into knife. "Though this time it's special because they've planted five explosive boxes here and I don't want too many servants replaced."
"Always so thoughtful to my people," Blood sighed and collected the clock before throwing it out of the window to safely land on the grass. "Have I ever crossed your mind, though, Princess?"
Alice paused, staring at Blood nervously, and then took a seat in his sofa. Blood slowly approached her and sat beside her, leaning his chin to his hand on his knee.
"Alice?"
Alice slightly flinched, because Blood rarely called her by her name. It's usually pet names that's ridiculously corny. He didn't even casually try to wrap an arm around her, he just politely sat beside her, staring with such an odd, slightly sad look.
"Do you really love me?" her eyes widened, and she looked at him as if it's the first time she really looked at him.
"I-Is this really the right time...?" she uncomfortably looked around, slightly blushing. But then she shivered when Blood's fingers began to grasp her shoulders, gently.
"I know you're probably shy..." Blood said with such a soothing tone. "I suppose it can't be helped, all with what happened between you and your tutor...and my looks don't help your confidence either...But you're torturing me."
Alice's mouth was hanging open, and it felt really dry. She gulped.
"Did...Did I ever say that I don't love you?" she asked.
"No, but that's...not the case." Blood smiled gently. He rarely smiled, he often smirks, and it scared her—because when he smiled, he reminded her of her tutor. "Just...be a little more forward? A little is enough. If you don't start, we're not going to move forward."
"Move forward?" Alice slightly flinched back. "Isn't being this way enough? Why do we still have to move? Wh-What if...No!" she began to pull back, slightly tearing.
"Al—"
"If...If I be more forward, you will absolutely hate me!" Alice sniffed, and she wiped her tears with the back of her hand and began to sob. "Maybe like him...I...I was forward to him and—and he began to see my sister as a better choice..."
Blood raised his eyebrows in realization. Now he realized what spirit anima Alice's was. A lone wolf. Now that's not so different than himself. She was betrayed, and it ought to be hard for her to feel secure loving him—when he looked like a traitor from her past. Alice was so afraid of him, because she would probably break into pieces if he, of all people, who was cursed to have the same face with her ex, leaves her.
It was already hard for her to believe that he's not the same. It's probably really scary. Alice didn't love him because he looks like her tutor, and she wanted to believe that he's different, but she's just so afraid, and it was true, his looks didn't help.
But she's so silly. Blood was a wolf as well.
A couple of wolves don't find another mate. They're mates for life.
Chuckling, Blood decided that she's had enough of his rare insecurity and pulled her into him.
"Come now, Alice. Haven't I told you? First thing first. If you bore me I'd kill you. Now it's a bit more difficult now that you're an avid shooter, but you've certainly tortured me for a while." He kissed her forehead. "Now, give me a bit of that confidence, will you?"
Alice leaned her forehead onto his chiseled chest.
"You won't regret it?"
"Come on," he smirked to her hair. "I'd love it if you'd spoil me more often. I bet you have more to offer than your special tea blend, which of course, the best in the world."
~.X.~
Blood Dupre was a pompous lazy bastard, and he wakes up when he likes it. Alice, on the other hand, was a person of schedule. When he opened his eyes, he could see Alice was poking the fireplace and preparing the morning tea, already dressed. He noticed that she'd covered him with the blanket, and pulled it further.
"This place is ridiculous." Alice huffed, crossing her arms. "Seriously, the wallpaper is ridiculous—why hats? Do people in this world really need to stick to their theme so much?"
"Wallpaper." Blood yawned and sat up. "But I designed it."
"I'm staying in this room, so I get to pick a different one." Alice said sharply, and then clapped her hands to call the servants. "Girls, can you help me out with this place? Like, we need to burn this sofa. It's so yelling sexual harassment, and I've been a victim on it several times already. I need a more family looking sofa."
"No, wait, that sofa—"
"Sure, miss. I'll bring you the catalog. What did you say about the wallpaper again?"
"Leave it. We'll just paint it over."
"Hey..." Blood twitched, and Alice turned to him. "Are you really going to insult my taste of interior deco?"
Alice scoffed. "Didn't you say you want me to be more forward?" she turned to the servants who were picking up the sofa. "And can you tell the others that I'm taking care of Blood and his private room from now on? Thanks!"
"No problem, miss! Have fun!" the servants laughed cheerfully. It's always hilarious when seeing Blood being helpless while Alice was running the place.
Blood dropped himself to the bed again, sighing and felt quite violated, but of course, he obviously was happy. Especially when Alice closed the door and crawled back onto the bed to snuggle.
"It's time for the best tea blend in the world, boss."
Blood chuckled and let her kiss him on the chin.
"Why, thank you boss."
When Blood started out as a role-holder, he never thought of decoration. He did consider the mafia as a family, but it never crossed his mind to fix how the mansion look—there were 'servants' and 'higher-ups'. He came from a powerful family, so he never really know what a normal 'family' should look like.
But then they had the dining room with a lot of tables, fit for everyone to eat together. A place called 'living room' for everyone to hang out together, chatting, warming by the fireplace, reading and sometimes playing cards or monopoly, or jenga. They had a big fire pit for bonfire so that everyone can join the midnight tea party. So the Hatter Family had became a real family.
Losing a family member felt worse, but the new ones were welcomed with eagerness. Even Elliot never called him 'boss' anymore and see him more as an equal, but his loyalty and respect never cease—in fact, it grew tremendously.
So this was a real family. They had the loyalty of a family of wolves. Everyone took a bullet for each other. Everyone got each other's back. The Hatter Family grew even more fearsome for others, now that they've became a pack of wolves.
"Blood?" Elliot came running when he heard the torrent shots again, and sighed. "I totally thought you were shooting the tea table again! What is it th—"
"Sshh, I'm hunting." Blood raised his hand, eyes on the bushes. "I just let a deer roam free here."
"Wait, why—"
"Blood! No! I can't do this!" Alice came out of the bushes, hugging the deer with teary face. "I can't kill this cute thing! How could you!? Can't we just have normal dinner?"
Blood sighed and reverted his gun back into his can. "What a killjoy, as usual."
"Wait," Elliot shook his head. "You guys were hunting a deer here?" he then frowned in confuse. "But we always eat meat—in fact, we've been eating nothing but meat. Lambchops, roasted deer, rare steak...Why are you going all the way out to let a deer in the garden just to hunt it?"
Alice shrugged. "He's been crazy about it. Seriously, Blood, we can't eat meat all the time. What if I fix you a mountain stew?"
Blood paused, staring at Alice.
"...But we're not herbivores."
Personally, Blood is in character, unless you guys are only reading the manga. Alice is meant to be out-of-character though! I just think that at the very least she would eventually hold a gun, since she's definitely not gonna be a damsel if she's staying around.
#Edit: I accidentally made Peter 'know' about Vivaldi and Blood's relationship, but fixed.
Kindly review if you have the time!