Hi everyone! You have (barley thanks to Alamasco-san and Pookey-san for sending in the 10th and 11th reviews) saved this story (For now… Mwa ha ha!)
Thank you for reading my story *bow* *bow* *bow* I hope you guys like this new chapter!
Natsuki: One thing!
Suzubell-chan: What is it?
Natsuki: A big kiss for Elliotxallicexlover-chan and Space Whales-chan for giving Suzubelle-chan lots of ideas and messages.
*Natsuki runs up to them*
Natsuki: Chu!* *Kisses Lover-chan's cheek*
*Natsuki turns her head*
Natsuki: Chu! *Kisses Whale-chan's cheek*
Suzubelle: And remember, I don't own anything except for the girls and the idea.
Now that that has been taken care of! See you later!
Chapter 9 Inside a Rabbit's Heart! The many ways to say I love you!
Peter beamed idiotically at the sight that lay before him. There was, the love of his life, the girl of his dreams, was only a feet away from her. Her brunette curls flowing down her body, the moonlight illuminating her soft curves under the sheets, and most of all, the beautiful, adorable, face with a small grin and pink cheeks.
"Oh my Alice! You are so cute when you're asleep! Almost as lovely as you are awake!" His mind cooed. He had changed back into being a man, as it always did when he woke up. He had woken up in the middle of the night, and planned to change back to avoid Alice's rage, but had been distracted by the sight of his desired in slumber.
She shivered a little; Peter quickly grabbed the bedspread and tucked the covers near her shoulders. She sighs in content and he sighs in delight, his whole clockwork heart filling up with the same warmth he always felt, when he saw his beloved smile or laugh or just plain happy.
"As long as she is truly happy… Those were my words but it still… My heart feels like it has been shot when I think about you being happy in someone else's arms. Why do you reject me, my Alice? I love more than anything, I have never loved anyone….I've never even loved before I met you… I was so cold…my heart was ice yet… with that warm smile…I finally felt some happiness. I want to thank you, show let me show you how much I love you…I'll love you everyday… so tell me what to do win you. I know you love me as a rabbit but it I want you to love as a man too…So what do I do…to get me to love me too?"
His mind was a jumble of thoughts, strange for a neat and tidy man like himself. Peter's ruby eyes watched the room's ceiling as if waiting an answer. The shuffle of sheets turns the rabbit man's orbs to the second lump in the bed. He lifted the covers to find the small child, now a human with rabbit ears, dozing happily snuggled close to Alice's chest.
"Natsuki…that was her name I believe." His eyes studied the kid, noticing how similar she looked to himself, but she had Alice's smile. That warm, gentle smile that spread across the maiden's face was also on the child's. He found himself smiling at the child.
"It's because of this child; I was finally able to feel Alice's lips, albeit not next to mine. She might a good luck charm, I need to get Alice closer to me…I guess I have to thank her in some way… " He leaned his head closer to the child's and placed a delicate kiss on her forehead. "Thank you and Goodnight now sleep tight," he whispered softly, and he stretched himself over the girl's form to get to his love. "Goodnight my love," and kissed her gently on her temples. He positioned himself on the kid's left side, soon enough he, once again, nodded off.
The little youngster, still deep in sleep, had felt something warm grace her face. The small bunny turned, a tiny hand grab at the pink sleeve of Peter's pajamas. She nuzzled closer to his figure, a small smile on her face, "Pa…pa…"
"KYAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
A high-pitched scream shook the castle but no one pondered whom it was who yelled or what had caused it; it was obvious to everyone at the palace.
Alice was mad at Peter, again.
"What are you doing like that? You promised to stay a rabbit!" she hollered.
"Wait my love, I can explain!" he cried in exasperation.
"NO! I don't want to hear any more of your perverted excuses!" Her rage, building came to its final point when books, pillows, a vase, and any other object Alice could throw, flied across the room, straight at the albino man, who kept bouncing around like a rubber ball trying to avoid the projectiles.
It during this new war in Wonderland did the small rabbit child to wake up in the middle of the battle."Hey what's going on," she mumbled sleepily, rubbing her crimson eyes, "What with all…
*WHACK!*
A large, fluffy ivory pillow whacked against Natsuki's face, a few pale wheat colored feathers flying from one end. It stood there for a second, only to obey gravity and fell in her lap. A few of these fluffs stuck out of the child's mouth.
"Natsuki! I'm sorry, are you okay?" Alice cried and knelt by the bedside.
"Usually, where Suki-chan comes from, people say 'Good morning!' when someone gets up," Natsuki mumbled, her voice hindered by the feathery blockage. "Pe-tooie!" A few feathers blew from the child's mouth and gently drifted down. Alice could not help but giggle at the sight.
"Are you okay, that looked like that had to hurt, I'd say," Peter commented.
"Suki-chan is okay, so it's time to start the day!" the child smiled.
Alice's sea colored orbs scowled at the rabbit man. "Peter this all your fault, it you didn't break your promise, and stayed a rabbi, none of this would have happened!"
"But my darling Alice! I'm sorry!" whined Peter.
"Yeah, Alice-onee-chan! It is not really his fault. We can't stay in our rabbit form when we sleep. Under most situations, it is impossible to keep! I changed back too you see? SO if you're mad at Onii-chan, also be mad at me!" Natsuki protested.
Alice flinched, "I…I guess its okay. Besides …" her turquoise eyes glanced at the small rabbit her carmine eyes big and wide and her head slightly tilted, " She's so cute and honest, I can't just say to her… even if it means forgiving this pervert…" she sighed, "Alright, I'll forgive you Peter, but if you even do something like this again, I'll never forgive you!"
*SLAM*
The door shut behind the stampeding girl, leaving the two rabbits to themselves. "Thank you Natsuki, you saved me from certain harm. You must be a lucky charm," chuckled Peter as he got up and left to change.
Natsuki's ivory furred ears picked up a sigh coming from the young man. "Looks like Papa's upset…I bet I can cheer him up!" She scrambled out of the bed and ran get ready for the day.
After changing from her nightwear to her every day clothes, Natsuki scanned the castle grounds hoping to find the minister, hoping to lift his spirits. She finally spotted him, sitting one of the benches scattered around the maze. His long ears hanging of his head, his head perched on a gloved hand.
She walked up to the man, "Peter-onii-chan? Is it okay if I sit here?" she asked.
"Oh Natsuki, sure you can sit here," he responded.
She set herself down a few inches away from the man. She swayed her feet back and forth and heard another sigh in a depressing tone. Natsuki twisted her head and asked, "What's wrong Onii-chan? You seem upset. Is it because Alice-onee-chan got mad at you?"
"Yes, that and other things…" his voice trailed off, and he turned his head away from the child, hoping not to show the pitiful expression to the child.
"Um… Onii-chan?" Natsuki's eyes stared at her finger orbiting each other, a light coral pink blush on her face, "Is it because you love Alice-onee-chan right?"
"Yes, I do love Alice. I love her more than anything, yet doesn't feel the same. I tell her every day, but she still doesn't love me… I don't know what to do…" he mumbled as a few tears fell from his face, despite the effort he put into hiding how he felt, and despite the fact that his face was in the opposite direction, Natsuki caught a glimpse of a few drops sparkling before they soiled the pristine white glove, turning them ash grey on contact.
The child stared at Peter look that was a mixture of confusion, sadness, compassion, and thought. After a long silence, she opened her mouth to say this:
"Maybe… you're saying I love you… the wrong way."
"Huh?"
"Maybe you're saying them too loud or too often. If you say your words too loud then she can hear you, but if you say something quietly she'll have to listen harder to hear you."
"Is that so?" he scuffed; a chuckle came out, thinking he could entertain the child.
"In fact," Natsuki stood up on the seat, her head the same height as Peter's noggin. Her small fingers motioned for the man to come closer, when he had scooted over to the girl, her lips were only a finger apart from his ear. "The softer you talk, the closer she has to get and the more attention she has to pay to you to hear what you say. There's a reason girls like sweet nothings whispered in their ears."
Peter peered at the child, his face that was that in good humor, was now intrigued, "That makes sense, at that part, I've said those words at the top of my lungs, to tell Alice what's in my heart."
"I get what you are saying about being loud, but what about telling her all the time. Why shouldn't I tell every time I see her? I thought if you tell someone you love them all the time, they would know how you feel and they'll return your feelings and love you in return."
"Well…um… maybe it depends on certain things. My mama always told me, that the words 'I love you' are magical. They let someone how you feel about them in an instant, but if use those every day, all the time, they lose their magic. Those words are easy to say, so sometimes there is no magic to them. You have to be careful with those words, but you if you wait until special times they have magic than you can believe," the child continued.
"What counts as a special time?" questioned Peter.
"Well, like when you are all alone together, you're holding her hand or maybe you're hugging her. You two are all alone, and you look into her eyes and whisper 'I love you.'" The girl finished as she sighed her head in her hands, a strawberry red flush across her cheeks.
"You seem to know a lot about romance, for a kid."
"That's because," Natsuki voiced dropped to a whisper, "I have someone I love you too."
"Really? Is that so?" the man questioned, using a voice like that you would use for humoring children.
The girl got up from the bench and strolled a few steps away, her fists behind her back, her cardinal eyes gazing at the robin's egg blue sky "I known him for a long time, ever since I was born I guess. He is always kind, generous, and sweet, and nice to everyone, and for the last few years, I have been in love with him. Just like you with Onee-chan, the first thing I do whenever I see him, I hug him and tell him I love him. He gets so embarrassed, and he pushes me away a lot. I guess you and I are stuck n the same position, but its okay. I just know we will get our love some day," she turned around to face the minister once more. She tilted her head to side,"Right?"
Peter smiled warmly at the child, he got up and crouched down, rubbing the child's ivory locks, "thank you, I really feel better."
"Glad to help!" she beamed, and let herself enjoy the feeling of his fingers playing with her hair. As she always did, she always adored spending time with her papa.
They had been walking for a while now, their hands entwined. "Peter-onii-chan, are we almost there?"
"Yes, look there it is!" His other hand pointed a finger at a gap between the shrub walls, the wide opening showed the forest Alice ran through the other day. Alice stood at the gap, her voice yelling;" Now you guys don't wonder of too far!"
Alice turned to spot the two rabbits and then strode up to the child, putting her arms around the girl, "Natsuki! There you are! I was starting to get worried!"
"Onee-chan there's no need for fear, Onii-chan was always near!" Natsuki cheered, snuggling against Alice's chest.
"Thank you Peter, now it's time for us to leave and get back home," Alice supposed.
"Alice I-" the rabbit man started, then his voice trailed off and then said, "Farewell, my love I hope to see you soon." He turned his back to her and started to stroll away.
"Huh?" the maiden's face twisted in confusion, "What's wrong with Peter? Usually he says…
'Oh Alice, I love you! Please stay with me, dear! I want you to live here!'
As the foreigner mind pondered the sudden change in her stalker, the minister own thoughts were turned to the woman behind him, "Alice, I'll wait, I still love you, but maybe if I give you some time, without saying anything ,then maybe you'll finally say those words yourself."
A small tug caused the man to snap back to reality and stare into the blood red eyes of the small girl, a wide smile on her face. She motioned him to come closer and so Peter lowered his head.
"That was a good job, now here's a present!" Natsuki cheered, and placed her lips on his cheek, when she stepped back she whispered, "Onii-chan I love you! Goodbye!" She dashed off and took the maiden's hand and the two set off for home.
Peter placed his glove on the recently kissed spot on his face, and smiled to himself, "Goodbye, hope see you too!" he called, and continue his stroll back to the palace, a wide beam on his face.
As the two began walking back, the rabbit child noticed something, how quiet it was just the two of them, "Hey, Onee-chan? Where is everyone else?"
Alice's teeth bit together, her eyes widen in horror, "Oh God! We have to find them!" Her maiden's hand tightened on the girl's and they sped off.
She looked over her shoulder, thinking about the man she left behind. "I'm sorry Papa. I cannot tell or remember if Alice-onee-chan is Mama or not. She as kind as Mama, but I can't think of anything else. Mama is sort of a blur… if you do not get Onee-chan don't worry, because I know you'll find someone who truly loves you and you'll live happily ever after. I know it because, I've seen it!"
Phew! I'm done! This chapter looks less time to think up than some of the others; it is one of those scenes that came up when I was thinking of writing this story.
I know, I know "Natsuki is suddenly rhyming! What's going on?" I just came up with idea while writing this story in my journal where the main ideas for the chapters go then when I type them I spice them up. Yes, I know it is cheesy, but hey what can I say?
Please send some reviews, I want to know if you guys love this story or not!
Natsuki: Please send! Onegai*
Chu- sound of a kiss in Japanese
Onegai- Japanese for please
Hope to see you soon!
