IMPORTANT VERY IMPORTANT: First of all, if you don't know anything 'bout Les Mis you don't really need to, except for the fact Cosette and Marius are in love and Eponine, who really loved Marius and worked really hard for him, is completely forgotten. In fact, he spends a good part of the book avoiding her, even after she shows him were Cosette lives and helps him, yada yada yada... So anyway, that's why Alice is so upset about that. And also...I'm really, really sorry about not updating. I mean, I realize I don't HAVE to, but I was going to but some important, time-consuming matters came up so yeah. My deepest, most sincere apologies. And I'm not even kidding. So I will, I WILL try my best to update more often but I can't make any promises cause something might happen again.
And: Special, tremendously sincere apologies to for DragonCurse4 even going through the effort to ask me when I would update (very politely) and whom I kind of accidentally LIED to! :( Very sorry! So yeah, here it is.
Alice glared at the book in her hand for a moment before throwing it across her bedroom at the wall in front of her.
Why oh why...
She picked a very, very long book. A supposedly tedious book. A book that spent fifty pages describing a character that only actually appeared in the story for five. And at the beginning, it had been great. Les Misérables was actually a pretty decent book, if a bit difficult.
But then it was completely ruined for her. Cosette and Marius. Marius and Cosette. And who could forget Éponine?
Urgh...this is impossible! I might as well just not read anything at all!
Everything, everything she had tried reading had some kind of romance in it. And it was making her miserable. She didn't want any reminders right now, nor ever. If she could just forget all about Blood Dupre and the ridiculous notion that actually very possibly fallen in love with such a guy...that would be fine with her.
If only...
She sighed softly, before dragging herself off the bed and onto the floor to retrieve her book. She had never treated books this harshly before, and she didn't particularly want to make it a habit.
"Alice?" The question was accompanied by a soft knock on her door, "Hey Alice, are you in there?"
"Elliot?" She blinked, straightening up from where crouching beside her book, before hurrying to open the door.
"Do you need something?" She asked, peering up at him curiously.
"Well...um...actually..." He blushed, scratching the back of his neck nervously, "Hey, if I'm not imposing or anything, can I...come in...?"
"Oh...Yes, of course...sorry!" Moving aside quickly, she motioned toward the inside of her room, feeling embarrassed.
I'm acting strange, aren't I? I wonder if he's noticed...I wonder if he has a question about Blood...?
She swallowed.
"It's fine..." He walked nervously along the length of her bed, pausing at the opposite wall, "So. I was, um, wondering..." He paused, turning around to face her, a blush covering his cheeks, "So, first, Blood would like you to come for tea this afternoon..." he glanced quickly at her, as if gauging her reaction, "And also..." he finished hurriedly, "Are you going to the, you know, Ball?"
Alice frowned. The fact that the first invitation was a statement, an order even, and the second a question, had not passed her by.
Damn that man and his stupid, rose-covered top hat!
And as for the ball...she had completely forgotten. During the fall season, there was always some kind of celebration run by the Hatter Family, and this season's just happened to be a ball. Still, Alice was surprised that after everything that happened today...She found it hard to believe that he'd decided, out of everything he could've asked, to ask her about that. The Ball. And nothing, (well, except for Blood's order) not even a word, about Anastasia.
It was sweet of him to ask a about the ball...but I really don't want to go. After all, Blood will be there. Surely Elliot won't mind, after all, he was just worried about me, right? And as for the teaparty...
"Sorry, Elliot, but I don't think I can go."
He looked at her in confusion, obviously hoping for clarification.
"To either of them. I have to...I have a meeting with the twins." If Blood Dupre thought he could just order her around, that she would just sit there and let him...well, he was wrong. "Thanks for being concerned about me, though." She added, and smiled, hoping that he wouldn't get upset. After all, it had been very thoughtful of him to ask her about the ball. Even if he had just asked to lessen the the blow of being ordered to do something.
"Ah...I see..." His face visibly fell, his rabbit ears drooping, "Alright then..."
S-So...c-cute...
"But maybe I'll change my mind, I mean, perhaps if I...I don't know...Maybe something will happen...?" She tried, hoping to cheer him up, even minimally.
Fortunately for her, it worked. He face brightened, a small bit, really, but enough to make Alice feel less guilty for saddening him.
"Okay! Well, I really do hope you change your mind..." He flashed her a small, but sincere, smile. "Bye, Alice!"
She smiled back, feeling a bit bad about tricking him.
Sorry...
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Alice slipped into the long hall in front of her room, eager to avoid anyone, most of all Blood. If he caught her before she met up with the twins, it was game over. He'd make her attend his stupid tea party and continue to think he could just make her do whatever he wanted.
Which, technically, he can. After all, he is a mafia boss. Whispered a tiny voice in the back of her head.
She frowned, dodging around another corner. He could have at least asked her! But no, he had ordered her instead. She hurried down a corridor, then, realizing it was the wrong one, quickly backtracked and took off down another. Eventually, she made it to a hall that was lead outside...ish. It wasn't, strictly speaking, a way that was supposed to be used to leave the mansion, but it had several large, intricately carved archways. Which were technically supposed to be windows, but since Blood generally kept the door either locked or watched very closely by guards, she figured this would be the best way to get out. Glancing around quickly for servants, she climbed to the edge of one of the archways and dropped out, flinching slightly when she hit the ground. The hall was-fortunately-located on the first floor, so she hadn't had too far to drop. Brushing herself off, she hurried to cross the grounds, sighing in relief as the gates came into view.
"Dee! Dum!" Alice called, searching the area for the young gatekeepers.
"Onee-san!" They came out of nowhere, tackling her from behind and forcing her to clutch the gates for support.
"Th-There you are!" She managed, her hands still gripping the gate.
"But..." Dee pulled on her hand, forcing her to release the gate.
"Aren't you supposed to be with boss?" Finished Dee, tugging on her other hand, causing her to turn around.
"Well...erm..." She floundered for a good excuse, "I thought it would be better if we were to...play a game!"
"A game?" Dee and Dum lit up, their eyes shinning.
"Yeah...the..um...pretend we're having an important meeting so we don't have to go Blood's tea party game!" She put on a huge fake smile, knowing full well that the twins would agree to almost anything...just so long as Alice said it was a game.
Her presumptions were correct-the two boys both sported grins that were even larger than before, if possible.
"Onee-san suggested a fun game!" Cried Dee.
"Onee-san never suggests a fun game!" Exclaimed Dum.
Gee...thanks...
Alice's smile changed to a frown as she scowled at them. How had she been supposed to know that they didn't enjoy normal games like hide-and-go-seek and tag?
"I-Is onee-san mad at us?" They whined simultaneously, staring up at her with huge, wet eyes.
She sighed softly, reaching down to grip each of their hands gently, "I'm not mad at you. So don't worry, okay? I mean, you're just little kids. It's not like you were trying to offend me or anything..."
"Neh? Just little kids?" Dum cocked his head to one side, previous sadness completely forgotten.
"Well...yeah. I mean, I'm not trying to insult you or anything..." She trailed off.
"Just little kids?" Dee persisted, frowning slightly.
"I didn't mean-"
"Well, if it isn't the young miss." A cold voice cut in, "May I ask what, exactly, was so important that you couldn't make it to my tea party?"
Oh god...not him...anyone but him...
She glanced behind her, eyes trailing down down his top hat to his piercing blue eyes, which were glaring at her. Alice's worst fear had been confirmed, "B-Blood?" Her said in surprise. She hadn't expected him to come after her...well, not until his party had ended, anyway.
"Well?" He regarded her cooly, as always, one of his perfectly arched eyebrows raised in an expression of carefully-orchestrated disdain.
"I was...um...we were just..."
"We were teaching onee-san how to defend herself!" Piped Dum, smiling innocently at the mafia boss.
Of course... Alice gave a mental sigh of relief, We were playing that game, weren't we?
Blood frowned, not convinced, "Why?"
"Because onee-san is little...and weak." Dee answered sweetly, squeezing her hand.
That is not how I would have put it...
Her forced smile quickly disappeared and she turned her head to send Dee a quick glare, "No, I'm learning because everyone else seems to already know how!"
"Of course," Blood gave her a humorless smile, "Then...could you give me a demonstration?" He casually transformed his cane into a machine gun, as if he were requesting that she do something as simple as walking.
"We haven't started yet." Alice snapped quickly, her heart beating out of her chest,"And besides, I'm not learning to work with guns I'm learning how to...to not get beat up." She finished lamely, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Oh, so you were just starting?" Blood smirked, carelessly changing his gun back into his normal cane, "Don't let me interrupt you, then."
Bastard. He knows we're not actually doing a class! She suppressed a groan, Fine, then! We'll show him!
Her hands balled into fists as she glared at him, tipping her back slightly to stare into his eyes, "Fine. Dee, Dum, ignore him. Let's just continue with our class."
"Onee-san...?" Dee tapped her shoulder lightly, easily reading the tension in the air.
"Right then, so how do you..." She trailed off as Dee and Dum suddenly changed from small, cute children into...
Eh?!
"Dee...? Dum...?" She frowned at the two now men in front of her, "What are you...?
"It's so we can teach onee-san better!" They chorused, smiling, "Because his way we're stronger and bigger!"
"Right." She swallowed, "So let's...start?"
Dee and Dum exchanged conspiratorial smiles.
...Maybe this wasn't such a great idea, after all.
But it was too late to turn back now. Alice gave the twins a nervous smile as they walked toward her, forcing her back into the gate.
"So, onee-san..." Dum leaned forward, resting his hand lightly on the gate next to her head.
"If you're stuck in this position..." Dee did the same, on the other side.
"What would you do?" They finished together, leaning even closer.
"Um...Wait, aren't we doing things like...blocking punches or something?!" She said in alarm, blushing and holding her hands up attempting to send them the mental point that this was not what she meant.
Dee looked at her innocently, as if he didn't understand what she meant, "Neh? Of course we are!"
Dum slid his hand around her waist, causing her to jolt in surprise, "Hold your arms like this..."
Dee slid his hand down the length of her arm, bringing it to rest on her hand while shooting her a not-so-innocent smile.
"Onee-san..." Dum leaned in and pressed his mouth to her cheek, ignoring the restraining she pushed against his chest.
"Do you still think..." Dee did the same, licking her gently and causing her to squeak.
"That we're just little kids?" They finished together, drawing back.
Alice barely had time to thing, What does this have to do with self-defense?! Before Dum leaned in and kissed her.
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Blood's mouth fell open.
He's kissing her!
He stared at them in surprise, watching with a kind of angry fascination as Alice let out a sharp cry, struggling in their grip. Dum pulled back, grinning and proceeded to kiss her neck, while Dee caught her chin and captured her lips with his.
Then, Dum did the unthinkable. He straightened up, almost casually, and then turned his gaze to directly meet Blood's. The massage was very clear: Well? What do you think?
Blood's hands balled into tightly clenched fists. He was furious. Every ounce of the carefully-managed self-control he'd once had was completely gone.
Is this really the reason she came here...?
And what if it was? What if Alice was always like this with the twins, what if the only reason she was struggling was because he was here, and she didn't want to prove to him that she was a slut?
And suddenly he didn't care that he was being a jerk, didn't care that Alice was probably going to hate him afterwards, didn't think of the consequences. He simply walked toward the gate.
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Alice flinched as Dee's-or was it Dum's?-lips moved over hers with bruising force, forcing her lips to open and allowing him access to her mouth.
"Mmf!" She moved shove her hands against his chest, but he wasn't there anymore. She stood still for a moment, blinking in confusion.
Where did he...?
Suddenly she felt a gloved hand grab her wrist, and then she was being dragged by Blood across the grounds, away from the twins, who had-for some reason-turned back into their child forms. She assumed that it had something to do with the mafia boss yanking on her arm, but every time she had tried to catch up with him he simply walked faster. She went with him for a while, but by the time they reached his rose garden she was beginning to get tired.
"Blood...?" She questioned, attempting to peer into his face.
"Interesting. So your so-called self defense class was just an excuse to seduce more men." His voice filled her ears, but now, instead of being cold and perfect, it had a strange, almost rough quality, as it had been there before, but he was no longer trying to cover it up.
"I didn't-" She started angrily, doing her best to cross her arms over her chest despite the fact that he was still gripping one of her wrists.
"Alright, then." He cocked his head to one side before he stepped closer to her, "I'm bored. So..." He caught her chin, forcing her to tip her head back and acknowledge that there was only an inch or so of space between their faces, "Seduce me...Alice."
Yeah...sorry bout the ending don't have enough time to finish it tonight... I'll try again some other time sorry!
