NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HEART NO KUNI NO ALICE
If you don't like sad endings, please find happier fanfic.
x o x o x
Hey, did you know…
"Alice?"
Did you know… alice?
The foreigner turned around smiling blandly with a discontented air. He immediately noticed the missing shine in Alice's eye.
"Is there something wrong, Alice?" Boris stared into her blank eyes worriedly.
Her tense shoulders became more relaxed upon noticing Boris' care in her sadness. She sighed and dropped to the ground on her bottom, the man dropping down with her. Boris crouched uneasily.
"A-are you alright?" He shook his hands around her arms checking for any signs of pain.
She giggled, slipping her slender fingers into Boris' thick pink hair. He prepared himself to pull back at the sudden movement but calmed as he felt Alice lightly stroking through several strands of his hair.
Alice slipped a leaf peeking out of his hair between her fingers. She placed it on her finger tips and gently blew the orange leaf towards several others dancing in the autumn breeze.
"I'm fine," Alice whispered as she began picking fallen leaves off the ground.
Boris pouted as he put a hand on Alice's smaller one. "You're not fine... If you need someone to talk to," Boris slid the leaves out of her hands and reached for a pale yellow amaranthus flower from a nearby bush.
He faced the opposite direction as Alice placed a hand on his shoulder trying to peek at what he was doing. Boris quickly turned around, causing Alice to land on her hands. He turned around grinning contently holding an ornament in his hands created by a flower and its stem surrounded in autumn leaves.
"If you need someone to talk to…" Boris moved several strands of Alice's hair behind her ear. "If I'm good enough, you can talk to me!"
He slowly stuck the flower's stem behind Alice's ear. She blushed as Boris grinned in triumph at his creation.
"Is it really alright if I tell you?" Alice asked as she nervously began braiding several long strands of hair.
Boris grinned mischievously. "Do you trust me?"
With a giggle, Alice crept closer and cupped her hands whispering into his ear. "Lately there's been someone on my mind…"
Boris fell back on his bottom, surprised. "Eh?"
Alice resumed her sitting position on her legs and covered her mouth as she laughed. "I sort of knew you would do that!" She giggled. "Don't tell kay?"
Boris scratched his cheek as he also resumed his crouching position. "I'll gladly help!"
She turned away from the man, her expression becoming sadder. "I just-" she continued braiding her hair. "-I just don't know how to start conversation with him… moreover, I don't even know much about him…"
He reassured Alice by placing a hand on her shoulder and smiling. "Why not ask him? Maybe you should ask about Wonderland if you have nothing to talk about." Boris grinned. "Maybe he can come to like you too!"
Boris stood up in a stretch, his pink boa swiftly sliding off his shoulders. Alice caught it in her arms. She attempted to stand up, but her balance wavered.
He outstretched a hand.
"Sorry," Alice took his hand. "My legs fell asleep."
Boris tugged on her arm gently as Alice stood up wiping the dirt off her dress and handed him the boa.
"Let's go?"
He held his arm out, gesturing Alice to go first.
"What kind of things do YOU like?" Alice asked as Boris blushed at the sudden question.
"Umm…if I had to say…" he stuttered. "F-fish?"
Alice covered her mouth before giggling quietly. "Pfftt- I should've guessed!"
Following Alice's laughter was a few minutes of silence.
"Umm…" she broke the quiet. "What do you know about Wonderland?"
Am I supposed to be her conversation partner?
Boris stayed silent in his thoughts.
"Boris?"
He perked up.
"Ah- sorry…"
Boris scratched his head as he mumbled. "Well… I don't really know too much about Wonderland…"
Alice cocked her head to the side with a confused face as he continued stuttering nervously. "I know it's big…I think…"
She smiled warmly as beads of the late afternoon light soaked her head. Alice covered her eyes with her arm as the bright sunlight reached their direction. Along with the late sunlight's arrival came rustling of bushes, and a lost knight peeking his head out of the thick leaves.
"Ace?" Alice and Boris asked in unison.
He pulled the rest of his body out of the bushes and smirked, shaking loose leaves off his brown hair. "Who else?"
He grabbed Alice by the arm. "Found you." He then pointed at the still confused cat. "Now Mr. Cheshire Cat, I have a score to settle with the foreigner."
He pulled Alice along by her arm as they walked away from Boris. Alice mouthed words, "Sorry, I'll see you later!"
Boris shrugged his shoulders as he watched the two backs getting further and further away.
He overheard Ace comment on Alice's hair. "Braids?" the knight held the braided strands in his hand. "Ew."
Ace snapped the strands towards Alice's cheek as she pouted and turned away from the man, hastily undoing the braids.
…I thought the braids were fine…
Before they had completely disappeared from his sight, Boris spun around on the balls of his feet and went his way by the road he and Alice had come. He gazed at the sky as it faded into a pale orange with pink.
Were the braids really that bad? I mean-
Boris shook his head.
What am I thinking… what's important is who that 'someone' is…
He slapped both of his cheeks.
Ahh- but I was so lame… FISH? Of all things why did I have to say the first thing that popped up in my head?
He looked down at the leaves slowly crunching under his shoes.
It can't be me… can it? Geez… what am I thinking…
…If it was me…
Boris quickly slapped both his cheeks harder than the last time.
x o x o x
"AAAUUGGHHHHH~"
Boris yawned as he stretched all his limbs, then rested his back onto the log he had been napping on. His ears perked up to the sound of footsteps. The occasional drag of heels was a familiar sound.
That's… Alice isn't it…?
The nearing footsteps stopped as Boris slit an eye open. Alice stood a meter away staring at the shining lake with a wide smile on her face. She hummed contently.
Looks like someone's upbeat today…
He sat up groggily as Alice turned her head towards him surprised. "You look happy." Boris smiled as he rubbed his eye.
Alice suddenly grabbed Boris' arm and pulled him up from the log.
"Wow!" Boris' eyes widened as he was overwhelmed by her surprising strength. "Did something good happen?"
Alice nodded. "Thank you!"
He blushed at the restored shine in her eye, shining brighter than the reflection of the bright sun in the lake. Alice's long hair flowed in the breeze as she regained her balance after pulling up the role holder.
Alice crouched down as she rubbed mud off rocks and collected them in her other hand. Boris also crouched and cocked his head to the side.
"What are you doing?" The cat curiously asked as he began toying with long yellow blades of grass.
Alice replied, "I'm getting rocks."
She concentrated on collecting the rocks, regardless of Boris' curious penetrating stare.
"I think this is enough!" Alice triumphantly stood up holding the numerous rocks in her hand.
Boris stepped back as Alice took one in her hand ready to throw it. The rock spun through the air, bouncing off the water several times.
His eyes widened. "Amazing! It bounced five times!"
She smiled at his enthusiasm. Alice squeezed a flat rock into Boris' clenched fist. "Here, try!"
Boris threw the rock hard onto the mud beside the shallow part of the lake. The nick he left on the mud quickly filled with water as he frowned disappointed.
"Stupid!" Alice shouted at the shocked man.
… I was called stupid…
Alice grabbed his hand and slid another rock between his thumb and fingers. She quickly adjusted her fingers as Boris just watched, blushing.
"There!" Alice clapped her hands together. "Making it skip is all in your wrists ok?"
Alice demonstrated with another rock that skipped six times before gesturing Boris to try again.
"Ha!" he threw the rock as hard as he could. The rock skipped off the surface of the lake as the two followed it with their eyes.
"One…two…three…four…five…"
Alice mumbled to herself as the rock continued skipping. Just as it was about to stop, the rock hit a larger rock and returned to Boris resuming its quick speed.
"Was that good?" Boris asked as Alice gaped. He reached for the pebble that rested on the toe of his shoe.
"Yeah that was really good!" Alice clapped.
He smiled in accomplishment. "Since I did a good job, can you give me a hint to who the 'someone' is?"
Alice blushed. "S-sure…"
She stared at their reflections in the lake.
"Well, he's taller than me. That's for sure." Alice stated as Boris stared at their height difference.
I'm taller…
Alice began braiding strands on the opposite side as last time. "He has beautiful eyes…"
Boris looked at his reflection's same rose coloured eyes.
Pink cat eyes…
She blushed as Alice began braiding faster. "He also has soft hair…"
He once again stared at his reflection, recalling the time she dug her fingers through his hair.
With a blush, Boris looked at Alice's reflection that was also flushed in red.
"H-hey Alice," he nervously hesitated. "You do know that's more than one hint right?"
She quickly turned around, totally forgetting Boris only asked for one. "Y-yeah of course I know! I'm not stupid or anything!"
Though he couldn't see her real expression, Alice's reflection was red as a tomato. As he stared deeper into her reflection, a rain drop spread ripples over the two's reflections. Boris frowned as a ripple separated him and Alice.
Alice did you know?
Alice held a hand out in front of herself. A rain drop slid off her finger. She stayed put, gazing at the drops of water pelting the lake's surface.
She felt her body jerk. Boris had grabbed her arm. "If you keep staring like that, you might get sick..."
Alice nodded her head and started walking behind the Cheshire cat.
In a fork in the now muddy forest path, they quickly waved goodbye and went their separate ways. After not many seconds of walking, Boris turned back to the fork in the road.
He watched Alice running with a hand barely covering her head. Boris slid the boa off his shoulders and caught up to Alice.
"Take it." Boris smiled.
He threw the pink boa around Alice's small shoulders. "I don't need this."
The Cheshire cat stuck his tongue out and ran the opposite direction. Strands of Boris' pink hair stabbed his eyes with raindrops. Mud trailed behind him as leaves clung to the bottom of his shoes.
Ehehehh... I hope my boa helps...
Recalling his pink furry boa around Alice's shoulders, Boris shook his head. Water slid down the sides of his head and flicked off.
Silly how I'm jealous of my own boa...
"Heh!" Boris laughed, his face towards the dull grey sky.
x o x o x
Boris picked leaves and twigs off the bottom of his shoe. The day before, it rained until dark. Night had come much earlier than expected. Boris had found refuge in the maze of hedges at the Castle of Hearts. He leaned on the hedge, picking off a twig stuck to his shoe's heel.
I really hope she made it back without getting sick...
A familiar sound of footsteps rung in his ears that perked up at the sound.
"Ah!" Alice stepped back in surprise once she bumped into Boris at the corner.
She held a box with a ribbon tied around it in her hands.
"This is?" Boris pointed at the unusual box that had a small scent of fish.
Alice held out the box and laid it in Boris' arms. "In my world, there is a custom where you give handmade chocolates to the person you hold dear."
'Person you hold dear?' Does that mean…
No, it can't be me… can it?
Alice beamed as she wrapped the boa around his shoulders. "I was originally going to give this later, but I thought it would be perfect if I returned the boa at the same time."
Boris pinched his leg inconspicuously.
Not a dream…
He gently untied the ribbon and popped a chocolate into his mouth. Boris' expression immediately turned grim.
"It tastes…"
Alice stared with expectant eyes. Boris tried hard not to spit out the strange tasting object that he could not call chocolate.
After a long wait, he finally got the object down his throat. "Unique. It tastes very unique."
She sighed. "Really? I thought there was something wrong with it…"
Boris coughed out a fish tail. "Huh?"
While holding her elbow and putting a finger to her cheek, Alice explained. "You did say you like fish, so I put some in the chocolate!"
Boris guffawed after a few painful coughs. "I don't think chocolate is supposed to go with fish."
Alice turned her back on the painfully laughing man. "Enjoy!"
Boris slid down into a sitting position, watching Alice skip out of the maze.
Geez…who knew chocolates could taste so…
He glared at a fish eye peeking out of a chocolate.
…bad?
Nevertheless, Boris popped another into his mouth.
Guess I'll just eat them all!
After a handful of fish chocolate, Boris' vision suddenly became blurry and his head began to spin.
...
x o x o x
Boris' ears perked up as he heard a knocking on the door. He slit an eye open, then sat up alarmingly.
Where the hell…?
He was in a room solely consisting of white. White blankets, white pillows, white beds, white walls.
Oh yeah…
Boris narrowed his eyes, staring into the blank wall recalling why he was in the room. Faceless guards found him staggering through the hedge maze and took him into a room in pity.
Those chocolates…
"Umm, I'll just let myself in…" Alice's voice came from behind the door.
Boris hastily hid under the covers and lay flat on the bed as Alice slowly opened the door with a creak.
As soon as the door closed shut, his shoulders tensed. He felt Alice wander into the room and sit on a stool beside his bed.
"Boris," Alice started with a down voice. "Hehe… it seems chocolate and fish really don't mix."
He chuckled in an attempt to raise her spirits. "Yeah, they don't."
"But you know…"
Boris became nervous as he watched her shadow through his blanket slowly braiding her hair.
"Me and him… our feelings are the same…"
Boris blushed.
So you did know? So it was… really? This is-
"I'm so happy Boris!" Alice almost stood up from her seat with happiness. "Ace also loves me!"
what?
Boris hid further down the blanket.
ace?
Realizing Alice's bliss, Boris mindlessly stuttered, "R-really? Y-you and him? That's so great!"
He lied, unable to think anything better to say.
Alice ecstatically placed a hand on his head, humming happily. Without thinking, Boris slid his hand up to his forehead, almost touching her fingertips. He withdrew the hand, sliding it back to his side.
alice…
"I'm really happy you were by my side this whole time…"
alice, please don't say-
"Thank you so much…"
Boris covered his mouth as tears nearly escaped his eyes.
I thought…
"To me, you are like my closest friend…"
Oh…so you didn't know…
The Cheshire cat listened to Alice's soothing voice, though her words broke him.
"my very best friend…"
She patted his head once, with a soft smile painted on her face.
"Thanks Boris."
He grabbed her hand and pulled himself up in a sitting position. Boris calmly pointed outside the window where an impatient knight stood looking around.
"That guy," Boris managed to smile.
I guess…
"He's waiting for you…"
I guess I lose.
Boris pulled Alice closer and quickly pecked a kiss onto her forehead. "Good luck!"
He lightly pushed the foreigner towards the door. "If something happens, tell me kay?"
After all, that's all I can do for you.
Before Alice slipped out of the room, Boris caught up to her and undid the loose braid with a wink. He sent her off with a push and slammed the door quietly once she rounded the corner.
She didn't know…
Boris slowly walked back to the bed by the window.
His ears flopped down, remembering how beautiful Alice looked when she wore the ornament.
How stupid, even the rain knew it wasn't me…
The ripples separating their reflections in the lake's surface had become reality to Boris.
"Person you hold dear?" Che, what a lie…
He recalled the second box Alice had held behind her back. The same box he had ignored. The same box sticking out of Ace's pocket.
Boris watched the two through the window. Ace tried to hold Alice around her waist but was slapped away. Instead Alice took his hand gently.
Boris giggled.
Even my boa should be jealous right now…
Boris held his knees close to his chest. He felt his clock ticking grievously.
Those braids that I liked; at least I pulled them out myself.
Anymore than that stupid kiss I gave her, I wouldn't have let her go…
Boris put his hand on the window as he watched Ace and Alice walking into the forest, hand in hand.
I wonder how much I would pay for that hand to be in mine.
A leg?
My gun?
My boa?
A single tear slid down Boris' cheek as he watched the two disappear into the forest.
Hey Alice…
Did you know I loved you?
x o x o x
Soooo if you read all that, I apologize for my fail writing. Really tired. And thanks if you did.
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