Alice walked side along the Hatter, looking down at her feet as the two made their way around the forest in whatever direction the man led them. Which was quite puzzling as he continued to change directions every five minutes. Or at least that was what it had felt like, and what it felt like could be completely wrong. Now why they were walking was clear, the Hatter had suggested they take a walk around, just the two of them. Since they had gotten quite close the last few times the blonde miraculously found herself in Wonderland.
After another five dragging on minutes of silence he spoke, "Why is a raven like a writing desk?"
Dear lord, not that again. She thought about the question for a good minute or two and sighed, smiling sadly at her half mad friend. "I do not know the answer, Hatter, for you have asked me multiple times and I have yet to figure it out."
She glanced at his face, awaiting a reaction good or bat, but it never came. He instead continued to lok straight ahead, making his way to wherever they were going, and his face was emotionless. That went on for what seemed like years and she finally broke the silence, gradually afraid of it, or doing something wrong. "How have you been since I was last year?"
There was more in her mind, that wanted to be said, but it was found unnecessary and unimportant.
The orange haired man came to an abrupt stop and she felt herself almost trip, but his own hand caught hers and she was balanced. Now that it was thought of there was no actual chance of falling, for she trusted him to no end and there was no real chance of any harm coming to her. His face changed, and an unreadable expression was painted across her pale white face. She tried hard to figure it out, his eyes were slightly screwed up and cheeks lips were pinched. It was very undetectable There was a minute silence before he spoke, "many people prefer the white queen in charge, others go into hiding and stay down in the darkness. The lot of us miss you, though. It's not quite the same." Hatter finished on a sad note and his eyes flickered with sadness, but a smile pinched at his lips as he pressed a small kiss upon her cheek. Which made them turn a clear red and she thought it something along the lines of called blushing, but she could not be bothered to really think about that. Was he hinting something? No, no, her mind spoke quite forcefully bringing her back to the real world and wherever they stood.
Blinking a couple of times and then started when the Hatter continued walking again, just your mind playing tricks on you. She nodded soundlessly to the voice in her head and continued on the path, watching as the sun slowly departed from the sky, leaving it a slightly purplish
"I missed you too.." Alice whispered, returning the earlier kiss then added hurriedly, pulling away, "all of you. " The way he smiled was beautiful, and it felt as if everything in the world stopped just for the two of them.
Eventually they made it to the White Queen's palace and she got properly dressed in a night gown that flowed around her freely. Unlike the armor that had been pressing against every part of her body. Alice sighed happily, walking out to the balcony and shivered slightly as it was a lovely star night. She hummed silently to herself, looking over the edge at every little detail this world had to offer.
"Alice." The Hatter breathed from beside her, stepping out of the dark and into the small light that hung back on the right side of her. He looked almost pained, and she began to panic, looking over his body for any signs of injuries, "Whats wrong?" Alice asked, stepping directly in front of him and interlocked their fingers, not paying any attention to the actions of what was being done. A smile twitched at the corners of his lips but faltered, and turned into a straight line that was almost as white as his face itself. It took another several minutes to reply, and with every second of cold silence came fear and horrid scenerios flicked through her brain. "I'm worried." He finally spoke, and it looked as if his knees were about to buckle under him. This was so not like the Hatter, no muchiness, no anything. Just pain and worry. "About what Hatter?" She asked, undoing one of their hands and used it to rub his shoulder. His face finally turned smoothe and he looked into the distance, keeping a firm hold onto their intertwined fingers. "About..."