Chapter two
Soup n' Sobs
The stench filled the air, penetrating the clockmaker in his sleep. Abruptly, Julius woke into a fit of mild coughing.
"What in the-"Julius grimaced as he sneezed, the notion causing his body to ache.
Full of sleep, the mortician rubbed his eyes, hoping to clear the smog before them but to no avail. He then blinked in confusion at the scene sprawled before him.
His small living quarters had been temporarily bogged down with the strong aroma of smoke.
Again, the mortician coughed which racked his body in return. He only groaned.
Is something burning? Julius couldn't help but wonder.
Sighing, he pulled back his blankets…only to be met with his current disability.
"Ahh!-" the clockmaker sucked in his breath at the newfound pain.
That's right, His sleep filled mind wavered, I was shot and Alice-
Alice!
Whatever thoughts had been occupying Julius' head now flew out the window.
What had happened to her after he had found her-They hadn't shot her too?! Or worse-killed her! Or perhaps, she was the culprit of all this smoke…
He only rolled his eyes at the last option.
Julius wasted no time finding out, "Alice!" he weakly called.
"J-Julius!" Alice's perky voice arose among the smoky chaos.
He heaved a sigh of relief, she was fine, but that still didn't answer his question about the smoke…
"Julius!" his thoughts were cut from him upon hearing the clicking of her shoes draw near.
And much to his dismay, so did the smoke.
In that moment his emotion turned to alert and then to downright stupor.
He sighed at the sight of her.
There lay Alice before him, immensely decorated with soot. Her once clear face now ashen with ash, her blue orbs sparkling under its dark mask. The blue smock she adorned now tinted with the grimy hue of grays and blacks.
Among all the dull color Julius' eyes fell to the slight shimmer of a brass cooking pot gripped firmly in her hands. That was odd.
"W-What did you do?!" Julius half asked rubbing his temples in vain, already his head had begun to ache
She just blinked.
"I was erm…trying to make you soup." Alice stuttered clacking her feet together nervously.
"You were trying to cook?" He questioned, the words leaving his mouth slower than he intended.
Hm. No wonder the only thing she made was coffee.
"Yes, I was trying to make you some soup so you could…erm…feel…better…" her voice trailed off.
Julius swore he saw a vivid splash of pink line her cheeks.
"And?" the clockmaker pressed raising an eyebrow.
"A-And it…burned.." Alice cowered under Julius' watchful glare.
"How do you burn soup?" He stressed pinching the bridge of his nose.
Must she be so idiotic?
"I-I don't know!" Alice stamped her foot impatiently, "I-I just wanted to help!"
She then bit her lip, a look of grief washing over her face.
"I-I didn't know if you were gonna be okay…" she rambled, the breath catching in her throat.
No.
Julius cringed, seeing the pain so obviously enveloped on her face.
STOP!
"I-I thought you were gone-when I saw the…" her lips quivered at the suggestion.
Alice tried desperately to suck in the tears that threatened to fall, she couldn't cause Julius anymore stress…but,
"Julius…"
She failed miserably.
Alice then collapsed on the floor her knees hitting its hard surface. A stream of tears then erupted from her eyes, the lukewarm fluid caressing her dirty face, silently dribbling down in their wake. Quietly she emitted a few short gasps trying ever so hard to silence herself.
She clenched her jaw shut trying profusely to ease the welling pain inside her chest, Julius would be disgusted.
But, she was only partially correct.
Julius grit his teeth at the image, fighting his conscious to run to her aid.
"Troublesome woman…" He murmured glancing at the foreigners pitiful stature, "I-I'm fine.
"I-I know…" her watery eyes meeting his, "I-I just am so relieved-" She then broke off, a new flood of tears plopping onto her grimy hands.
A hue of red flew across Julius' surprised face, "S-Stop!"
He inwardly shuddered at the sound of his own voice, He sounded like a weakling.
Little by Little the Clockmaker could feel himself losing the grip of his waver. His chest would have burst if it could, form all the conflicted emotions that were welding themselves inside him.
"A-Alice, P-please stop…" he pleaded, his face dropping in shame.
"I-I'm sorry." She apologized weakly, "I know you hate it when I cry."
Julius just deeply inhaled, finally his nerves were settling.
"Alice…" He stubbornly called her patting the side of his bed lightly
Skittishly, she shuffled herself over to the mortician's bedside, "I truly am sorry-"
"No," Julius cut her off, "I am. I never intended to worry you." He confessed in a low whisper.
Before Alice could blink she felt Julius' arms wrap around hers weakly, just as a reminder that He would never leave her.
"Julius…" She breathed, a sense of comfort flooding her soul.
His grip just tightened, "I will never leave you." He whispered against her ear.
Alice shivered at his notion, a sleeve of goose bumps mounting themselves upon her arms.
"I-I know." She merely replied.