Firsts
Author's Note: I have to say that I'm surprised every time I get a notification that someone has added me to their alerts and their favorites, or when a review comes in. Thank you so much. I have enjoyed spending this time at night writing about Alice and Hatter while my baby sleeps, it allows me a little "escapist" time, shall we say?
I L-O-V-E Y-O-U
The first time Hatter and Alice said, "I love you," to each other; Hatter had been in her world for two months.
Alice was lying on her stomach in Hatter's bed, the purple sheet barely covering the lower half of her body. They had just finished having, what Hatter termed, "the most mind blowing, fucking, hot sex, ever."
He was resting next to her, still trying to catch his breath.
Alice was leaving that night for a week. It was no big deal, just a week in Washington, D.C., for a training session for her new job, but Alice was terrified. She couldn't explain it. She dreaded saying goodbye to Hatter. She knew that she was coming back.
Hatter turned around to smile at her, and paused when he saw the tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Alice?"
She groaned, and curved her head around so he couldn't see her. "Nothing. I'm fine, feel free to ignore me."
Hatter wrapped his arms around her, and leaned his head on her back. "You're not fine. What is it?"
"Nothing. It's stupid." She sniffed, and angrily rubbed her nose. He didn't say anything. He just placed a small kiss on her shoulder blade. Alice sighed. "I gues-I just-I realized how much I will miss you."
"Me too," he replied, his voice barely audible.
She sighed, again. "I mean, I'll really miss you. It's silly, I know."
Hatter opened his mouth, and hesitated. He removed his arm from Alice. He flexed his fingers out, and took a deep breath in. Hatter began to shakily trace out letters on Alice's back. I L-O-V-E Y-O-U.
He inhaled, and waited. He felt like the contents from his lunch were going to be expunged any minute.
Alice's eyes widened, and she flipped over. "What?" she whispered. She peeked at Hatter. His eyes darted back and forth, his face was pink, and sweaty. "Hatter?"
Hatter bit his bottom lip hard enough to draw blood. "I love you," he repeated, softly.
Alice burst into tears. She shook as she flung herself into his arms. She didn't say anything for a few seconds, but to Hatter, it felt like an eternity. He released a breath he didn't even know he was holding, when he heard her murmur in his ear, "I love you too."
