By Fal Catrecon
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Diclaimer: As usual, I do not own any of these characters at all. I have no claim at all over them. Plus, I'm earning no money by this work, just enjoyment to see if the pairing works... .
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AN: Okay, this started as a small peice of artwork to try and make my friend who was Katou to feel better about a photoshoot. Then a late night and a couple of art pics later, Katou-sama chalenged me to a fanfic. Okay, I'll try. XD
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In the time he was given alone, Katou realized that Mad Hatter had given over one's control of the space to him. He played around a little, seeing what he could do. Pretty much anything, it turned out. He really couldn't leave, because he would loose the form his spirit had, and he didn't know what would happen to him after that. But, the room came close to leaving, mimicking even the beach where the school would have a field trip or two.
All of the revisiting of memories reminded himself just why he didn't mind being dead. How worthless he had been, even for Set-chan. He shook himself out of his reverie and let the room drift back to where Mad Hatter had it. What books existed on these shelves…?
Mad Hatter carefully approached the reading Katou. "I would have thought you would have changed it in some way."
"I did. I can't get distractions from memories if that's what I use to change the place." Katou shrugged. "Besides, it's been a while since I actually read, not counting school."
"Oh." Mad Hatter watched Katou read for a moment. "You like reading?"
"Not really, but there isn't much else to do here, is there?" He looked over his book at Mad Hatter meaningfully.
"Umm…" Mad Hatter had the faintest of grins starting.
"No, not that." Katou glared.
"I know, you are just cute when you are angry." That grin was returning.
Katou watched Mad Hatter a moment, scowl on his face. "Why do you get that grin?"
"Because, you are cute, funny, and it annoys you too." The grin widdened.
Katou just grumbled and tried to get back to his book. That grin was haunting his mind, not allowing him to concentrate. Mad Hatter had already stopped, but it lingered. It was kinda cute in it's own way… Wait. Where did that though come from?
"What is wrong? You are blushing." Mad Hatter pointed out.
"Nothing!" Katou's blush deepened a little. Why was he reacting this way to some girl/guy thing that seemed more guy than girl?
Mad Hatter lightly laughed. "It is okay. I am the demon of pride. I have brought many prideful people to their knees by my 'allure' alone. It's not my fault it works…" One shrugged.
Katou raised an eyebrow. "Right… 'Allure'…"
Mad Hatter sighed. "No, really. I'm just not really trying right now. Apparently I make a pretty enough lady that the demon of lust wishes to actually keep me, instead of loving then throwing away."
Katou shrugged. "Whatever you say."
Mad Hatter nodded. "Perhaps one day I'll show you my fully female side. For now, I prefer the way I am."
"That's fine with me." Katou glanced at Mad Hatter when he felt one was not looking. There was a bit of femininity in oneself, if one got rid of most of the makeup, and perhaps a dress instead of pants and coat. Wait, why was he thinking along those lines? Wasn't he a captor of said person? Whatever… He looked back down and tried to read once more, but Mad Hatter still nagged at the edge of his thoughts. Why did one bother him so much by only being in the same room? He glared over at Mad Hatter, and found a smile in return. Oh, that Mad Hatter knew exactly how he felt… And that just annoyed him further.
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Katou spent most of his time reading, or getting strange grins from Mad Hatter. Every time he attempted conversation it always ended up with him getting teased. What was with oneself? It bugged him to no end. As those days turned into weeks, or what felt like it, he really couldn't take much more.
"Why do you keep me here?" Katou burst out one afternoon.
"It was out of curiosity, but now, compainionship." Mad Hatter nodded politely.
That gave Katou pause. "Why? Why me?"
Mad Hatter sighed. "In all truth, you have not tried to 'want' oneself the entire time you have been here. In fact, you are possibly even further away than when you first arrived. One likes that."
Katou blinked a moment, absorbing the information. "So… you like the fact I just tolerate you because you keep me here?"
"Yes." A small nod.
"Oh." Katou didn't know what to make of this. It was completely backwards to how he normally felt. Then perhaps he could get out of here by playing along to Mad Hatter's 'advances'. But did he want to leave, was the other question.
Of course he did! His surface mind cried out, but his inner mind was not so sure. It was indefinitely more comfortable here than in the soul tank, and Mad Hatter had a certain something. Maybe it was just him getting used to oneself, but he had started to like one a little more that one had seemed to notice. His surface mind denied this, yet took up a plan that his inner mind was willing to do. Let's just see how far Mad Hatter would take one's 'jokes'…