Brothers

Hatter thought dinner was going to be awkward, but his mother saved them by taking his father's dinner to him in his 'study'. Which, Kenny was quick to point out, was what dad was now calling his old bedroom.

"The day I moved out he completely took over my room, meanwhile, your's and Keith's room had been kept like a shrine for you." He clasped his hand in front of him and mocked his mothers voice. "In case my perfect little boys decide to come home."

Kenny batted his eyes up at Mom as she placed his plate before him. She crossed her arms defensively over her chest, clearly unamused. "I never said any such thing. It would do you well to stop being so bitter."

She walked away and Kenny silently mocked her when her back was turned. Alice gave him away when a stifled giggle slipped past the hand over her mouth.

As Mom sat down with her own plate, she gave Kenny her best warning glare. She folded her hands and bowed her head. "Kenny, say grace."

He slumped in his chair. "Do I have to?"

"Yes."

He huffed again and half-heartedly folded his hands, and said grace in a monotone voice. "We thank the Cheshire for the food on our plates and the roof above our heads. Bless the wisdom of the White Queen." When they were younger, if he had pulled something like that, Mom would have made him say it over again. Instead she excepted Kenny's pathetic attempt at grace, and began eating.

Conversation was kept light. Alice and Mom did most of the talking. Alice was asking questions about the town and the city and basic cultural differences between her world and here. Mom was happy to answer her and he didn't fail to notice when she slipped in how people wed on this side and how it would be no problem to throw together a wedding on short notice. Thankfully, Alice took his mother in stride and just changed the subject.

When dinner was finished, Kenny lightly punched him in the arm. "I need a smoke. Come outside with me."

"I don't smoke."

"I know," he said, flipping an unlit cigarette between his fingers. "No one in this house does, that's why I have to go outside. Come keep your brother company, yeah?"

His mother was already clearing the table. "Just be sure to go to your area with that rubbish. And keep the ash to the ash tray, thats what it's there for after all." she said, making her disapproval clear.

"Yeah, mum."

Hatter got up from the table, squeezing Alice's shoulder in a silent goodbye. He followed Kenny outside and to the far end of the garden. Clearly this was the designated smoking spot mom had set up. It was far enough away from the house that she wouldn't smell the smoke but still close enough to the house that it was lit up by the porch light.

Hatter sat on the old iron bench and Kenny took the tree swing. He lit his cigarette and took a long drag, exhaling slowly. "So tell me, what have ya really been up to on the Red Side?"

"I told you, I worked with the Resistance."

"Ya, I'm not doubting that. You're senseless enough to put your neck on the line for a bunch of random strangers. I want to know what you did. Ya know, the stuff ya won't tell mom." He leaned in closer. "I know your hands got dirty. How could they not be, living with those emotionless bagheads."

If there was one good thing about Kenny, it was that he never judged. He'd laugh, poke fun, and occasionally blackmail, but not judge. "I sold Tea, the drug they use over there. I'm responsible for as many people being killed by the Resistance as were beheaded by the Queen. I lied, cheated, and stole every chance I got."

Kenny's eyes went wide and he pointed his cigarette in his direction. "I knew it! You were like a spy or something, yeah? Like an assassin."

"Kenny, it wasn't a party or anything, I could have died."

"Think of it from my point of view. What do I have to show for my life? I'm a divorced, thirty-four year old living with my parents. I lost my business, and I have to work with dad.. I sit around most of the day and order people to do menial tasks." he stood and flicked his cigarette against the ash tray.

"Oh, and I'm that much better am I?"

"Hell ya! I'd trade lives with you in a heartbeat. You're a 'Hero of Wonderland', you've got all this freedom to move about the Sides and even the Oldworld as you see fit. You've got a million different options being handed to you on a silver platter and all of them are favorable. I'd even take that woman of yours" he said with a wink and a smile. "She's not bad at all. Besides, it's pretty posh having Alice of Legend hanging off your arm."

He supposed from an outside perspective, it did look like he was well off. Of course Kenny wasn't counting the fact that he'd gained all of that by nearly risking his life and Alice's, multiple times. Kenny's comments and the flirty way he talked about Alice didn't bother him one bit, but his referring to her as a legend did. "Please don't call her that, she doesn't take it well."

He took another long drag of his cigarette, thoughtfully blowing smoke rings into the air. "You think she's really that Alice?"

There had been a time he would have denied up and down that his Alice was that Alice. But after everything that had happened today, he was beginning to fight the idea less and less. "I didn't want her to be. I hoped it was just a coincidence, her being named Alice."

"And you're sure its not because..."

The Cheshire's words rang in his mind. "Because 'you know who' was all over her the moment we crossed the border. He says she's his Alice."

"Oh, so she wasn't bluffing Dad today then?" Kenny laughed and pointed at Hatter. "You, are screwed. Bad enough he likes to humiliate you, now you're courting a woman he calls his own?"

"Maybe," he agreed, remembering how the Cheshire had acted around Alice. "But you didn't see him with her today. She asked him to do things and he actually did them. She has some kind of power over him, which is great for me. He wants to make her happy and I know how to make her happy. I have a leg up on him."

Kenny shook his head. "Don't tempt it. If Alice can keep him off your back then let her do it, but don't try and use that against him. It'll just backfire on ya."

"What will?"

Alice was walking toward them and Kenny motioned for her to take the swing seat. He was even kind enough to try and wave the smoke away from her and stood downwind so it wouldn't travel in her direction. "Anything really, poor Davey has the worst luck sometimes. You saved him today though, bloody amazing the way you made Dad back down. Good for you."

He was grateful Kenny had changed the subject. He was still trying to avoid telling Alice about him and the Cheshire. Kenny was right, there was no dealing with that cat and it was best to stay away from him as much as possible.

She pushed back on the swing. "You know, smoking will kill you, right?"

"Yeah, that's what Mom keeps telling me." He took another drag and blow the smoke off to the side. "I've also heard standing up to the Queen of Hearts was a good way to lose your head."

"Mmm, duly noted." Alice gave up arguing with Kenny and looked at Hatter. "Your Mom wants us to leave for the city tomorrow afternoon."

That wasn't what he was hopping for. Now that he'd come home, all he really wanted to do was get away from his father as soon as possible. "I wanted to leave early. Why does she want to wait?"

Alice dragged the toes of her shoes lightly against the ground as she swung back and forth. "She wants me to help her make a few dinners for your dad and Kenny while she's gone. I told her I don't know that much about food here but she said that was alright because she should teach me to cook for you anyway."

Kenny laughed and smashed his cigarette out in the ash tray. "Did she feed you the line about how keeping a man well fed is the key to a happy marriage? Which, by the way, good luck getting her to give up on that idea. I'm sure she'd be tickled pink to see her Davey get married."

"Alice and I aren't getting married, it doesn't matter what Mom says." Alice was already skittish he didn't need his mother to put extra pressure on her.

"Actually, I kind of wish we'd lied when she asked if we were married. If we'd just told her yes, then she wouldn't be on our backs about it. We'd also be able to sleep in the same room tonight."

Kenny sat next to him on the bench, ruffling his hair as he walked past. "Damn, that means I'm stuck bunking with you."

"Yeah well, I'm not happy about it either. Please tell me there are still two beds in my old bedroom?"

"Thankfully, yes. But I'm warning you, if you snore or rustle too much, you're out. You can go sleep on the couch or something."

They bickered back and forth with each other until a little gasp from Alice drew their attention. She was sitting very still on the swing, staring down at her legs. He followed her gaze and saw a fly perched on her knee.

He smiled. "That's a rocking horse fly, you've never seen one of those before have you."

She shook her head slowly, trying not to scare the little bug away. "No, I can't believe it. It really looks like a rocking horse."

He'd never actually took the time to study what the bug looked like before, he'd always just swatted the bothersome little insects away. The fly was blue and sliver in color, it's curved body and legs resembling that of a horse and it's long feet looked like the bowed wood of a rocker. The bug twitched a little on the perch of Alice's knee and it's four thin wings fluttered lightly in the evening breeze.

This was one of the little things he loved about Alice. She was often amazed and awed by what he considered to be simple, everyday things. When he looked at things from her point of view it was easy to see the ordinary as extraordinary. He only hoped that when he went to her world, he could give her the same experience.

Kenny was less impressed by the rocking horse fly. "Those things are pests." He reached across and shooed it off her knee.

She watched as it flew away across the garden. "It's really pretty though."

"Whatever, rocking horse flies are like women, if you give them enough time they'll just bite you." he held out his hand and hooked two fingers in the air. "Before you know it they sink their fangs into you and suck out every last ounce of hope and crush every dream you've ever had until all that's left is an empty shell."

"Kenny!" he said, trying to snap his brother out of the rant he was on. He couldn't help but chuckle at his brother's outburst. "Calm down, it's just a fly, don't go having flashbacks."

It may not have been very nice to have a laugh at Kenny's expense, but he didn't feel quite so bad when Alice joined him. "We should go inside before any pretty women come around and suck the life out of him."

They stood up and headed back inside. He took Alice's hand as they walked and Kenny followed close behind. "Neither one of you are funny, you know that right?"

By the time they got inside, Edith had already gotten Alice's room ready. She'd be sleeping in the guest bedroom which was really just the girls' old room. After making sure she had everything she needed, Edith hugged her good night and again thanked her for bringing David back home.

She changed and got ready for bed. There was a knock at her door and it opened before she could answer. Hatter stepped inside and shut the door quietly behind him. "I just thought I'd come and say goodnight."

She didn't believe that for a second but she decided to play along. When he leaned in to kiss her, she turned away quickly and dodged his advance. "Well good night then. You'll wake me up tomorrow in time for breakfast right?"

"What, I don't even get a good night kiss?"

She could hear the disappointment in his voice but didn't give in. "I don't think that's the proper White Side thing to do. In fact, I'm pretty sure you shouldn't be with an unmarried lady alone in her bedroom in the middle of the night."

Hatter moved behind her and ran his hands along the backs of her arms. "It's horribly improper. Here you are, dressed only in your night clothes, and not even a robe to hide yourself with."

He pulled her flush against his body and kissed her neck. "No, Hatter, I'm serious. If your mom caught us she'd have a fit. You should just go to bed."

It didn't stop his hands from roaming her body. "I'm sure she would, it's a good thing she's not likely to check up on us."

That might be true but the walls here were thin and there was no way she was going to take a chance with getting caught. She turned and pushed him gently away. "No, I mean it. I'm not having sex in your parents' house. You need to just go to your room and sleep."

Despite clearly being disappointed, he smiled at her. "Don't you care how lonely I'll be?"

"Sure I do, but you still need to go." she kissed him and pulled away quickly before things could get too heated. "Good night, Hatter."

Before she could get away, he pulled her back and into a long thorough kiss. "Good night, Alice. I'll be sure to wake you tomorrow."

He left and she closed the door, leaning against it and sighing. There was no way she was going to get to sleep anytime soon.

A/n

Sorry about the small chapter. This is just a filler so I apologize for the lack of plot. I did have a scene in here where Kenny talked more about his ex wife, but it just didn't flow well with this chapter. I'll have to find some other way to work that into a latter chapter.

I blame my muse for this. I've been in the mood to write smut lately and struggled coming back to this story. To make up for this being a filler, I'll update the next chapter on Monday.

As for the smut, I've started a new series called Lessons in love. Check it out if you like!