Taunts from the children of Houndstich Home had not been wrong. "Alice doesn't like to be touched!" They would chatter as if it were the strangest thing learned during their time behind house's walls. And the teen girl wouldn't deign fact when small, round faces spat alarm and bewilderment at such an idea. Yes, she had no patience for wayward hands attached to lecherous minds or arrogant egos. Even rough, clumsy fingers with good intentions were not something she could bring herself to tolerate well.
Nearly a decade inside Rutledge Asylum had automated Alice's mind into expecting the worst when it came to skin against skin. Physical contact on hospital grounds often abusive and mainly instigated for distributing fowl tonics. She had every right to shun away if someone tried to take a hold of her.
Factoring this into the girl's present it was an astonishment she had yet to slap Keir Cheston's hand away from her waist. His finger ghosting above curse; not yet touching, but definitely there.
With a wrinkled expression she had already insisted her cat ignore Alice reminded herself, with detail, she had asked for this. An hour ago. In the garden behind her cat's London residence.
"Aren't you curious," She had inquired between sips of a rather addictive brew of tea, "How Asia Irving convinced me to confront you?"
"You're the curious one, not I dear Alice." Her cat purred, laxing in his human costume just opposite a lawn table from her more rigid position. The feline's posture, Alice noted with a bit of unwanted color to her face, a perfect replica of either a basking cat or endearing bloke. His head tilted back to the sun, shirt sleeves rolled up, top buttons of collar undone. "Besides, curiosity killed the cat, as some might say. If I acted on all my whims I'd have significantly less lives then I presently do. But if you desire to tell me how that "interesting conversation," as you put it, went I could risk a listen."
"-Maybe I've changed my mind." Alice mumbled after a pause to consider her wording. "If you want to know you should ask her."
Rumbling a small chuckle the feline shaped like an attorney opened pale eyes as if he'd just woken from a enchanting nap. Their gaze drifting across girl with the fondness an animal shows petting fingers.
Mumbling to herself Alice attempted to hide a pinking face behind her tea cup. Even as question had come out of her mouth teen girl wasn't positive she should have asked it. Her answer would only lead to an increased sensation of skin tingling blush and anxious ambiance that often accompanied coloring. Curiosity, however, had overpowered foreboding. As it often did when it came to Alice.
"Alice?" Her cat purred again. His rumbling tone must have been hypnotizing for the girl recalled stumbling over a sentence she'd reconsidered saying.
"You and Keir should stop dancing around each other like mechanical dolls of a children's music box and fuck like rabbits."
Alice wasn't entirely sure if minuets that followed her quote had actually passed so swiftly she couldn't quit fathom what happened next or if she had simply blocked potentially embarrassing moments out. From fractured bits and pieces however, like puzzling together a storybook with pages missing, she recalled vaguely familiar words:
"Confront what frightens or offends you."
And a fluster response, just as recognizable:
"I think I'm curious, if you are willing."
When events came together and Alice's brain was back to witnessing situation as it happened the pair where locked away in her cat-attorney's bedchamber. Keir's doorman and maid informed to keep there distance. Important "legal" matters had arisen. Calling for an urgent private hour between Alice and himself.
With Keir's touch still just above her skin the girl even now wasn't entirely sure she was prepared for what was to come. Yet apprehensive of her cat's patience Alice finally worked her neck muscles into a stiff nod.
Bringing up a hand that felt both tense and shaky the girl weekly cured her finger around Keir's ghosting hand, hesitantly placing it against her waist. The contact made her flinch. The slight quake of her body setting off a string of unfortunate reactions. Like being lit ablaze by a colossal ruin her mind momentarily panicked. Her flesh became taut, and everything underneath tightened.
Just as a concoction of inexperience and unsure expectations started to sicken Alice a gentle touch brushed against the crown of her head; smoothing down tangled, frayed hairs. To her amazement the gentle stroke stifled fiery fright. Alice's mind easing back into a relative, cool silence.
"What insanity is this?" Although for the moment pacified Alice choked on a uneasy breath; haft expecting her cat to link abrupt calm with a bit of magic he had drawn from Wonderland.
"Sometimes, my dear Alice, all you need to tame a wild beast is a bit of kindness. Why do you think cats are so fond of petting?"
Although Keir's grin, as constant an element on his humanoid appearance as his feline one, the present pull to his mouth come off less mechanical then what Alice was used to. As if the cat's smirk no longer simply spawned from his nature, but also because he had reason to smile.
As Alice witnessed difference in his expression she tried not to ponder on the reasoning for it. What ever explanation she came up with the girl knew, in one way or another, would only torment her. Despite her efforts, however, one theory was trying to surface; no matter how hard she try to keep it somewhere deep and dark, such as under sandy bottoms of the Deluded Deaths. He enjoys- me.
"Still curious and willing to learn I hope?" Keir hummed, with a hint of a weary edge to his soft tone. Perhaps, she thought, due to a prolonged silence.
"Let your need guide your behavior." As ready as she was ever going to be Alice whispered to herself very good advice and suppressed an instinct to lead.
A/N:
I may or may not write a second chapter to this. I'm not sure yet... If I do rating will most likely be bumped up to Mature. Other then that thankies for reading! Please Review!