Hallo again! So I guess you wanted more! Hopefully this is better that what you expected it to be! Next chapter we're going to hit hard so be ready! I do not own Heart no Kuni no Alice or its sister/brother series. Enjoy this few days later following chapter!

"Julius!" Ace shouted as he burst through the door. Julius looked up from his desk to see why the knight had interrupted his work so loudly then focused back onto it. "What is it?" he asked a bit annoyed. Ace always seemed so happy and carefree, but Julius had never really felt this annoyed by this before. However, Ace had always seemed to distract him as of late.

Ace glided over to the desk with the bag of bloody clocks and set them down before Julius. "I made it here in four time periods!" the knight exclaimed taking off his mask. "Hoh, amazing," the long-haired male spoke unenthusiastically towards him. "You should try to make it in two or one next time." Ace frowned a bit at this, "You're not gonna reward me?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Juliu~s! You promised me a reward if I got here quicker, remember?"

The older pondered for a moment before replying, "I said 'if you arrive in less than three time periods consistently' I would reward you."

Ace pouted rather childishly and squished the watchmaker's face, occasionally rubbing it around. As Julius suppressed both his anger and surprise towards Ace's unusual behavior, he tried to ignore this idiocy and continue working. But Ace was not giving up easily. "No fair! You said you'd reward me if I got here earlier!" he whined, though it seemed his efforts to obtain Julius's attention were in vain. The whining continued for a long while until the older male snapped. Julius pushed Ace off of his person, set down the finished clock, and slapped the knight harshly.

"Quit this foolishness!"

Ace was shocked. Julius had never stood up to his actions, at least, never in this way. "You are acting as though you were a child! Why are you behaving this way?" Julius continues, then after catching his breath he added in a mumble, "Why do I feel so concerned about you?"

Ace barely heard Julius's mumble of confusion, but stood silently in front of him. The older male took the silence as his younger's reflection and came back to his seat.

After what seemed like eternity, Ace finally sat down by Julius, leaning against the desk, waiting. When Julius was almost finished working, he heard a chuckle from the knight. It was subtle at first, but then it became a great laughter. The watchmaker looked at him puzzled, trying to find an explanation. After Ace had calmed down, he looked up at the puzzled beauty. Then he started, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize how stupid I was being earlier. Didn't know what I was so worked up for." The watchmaker listened intently. "I guess I just wanted you to give me your attention's all. After thinking about it, it just seemed funny." The knight, again, began to chuckle. Julius got up and ruffled Ace's hair lightly. "It sounds to me that you were stressed." Ace looked up at his elder. "The way you were acting, I mean."

Did he notice?

"You can tell me what is bothering you if you need it." Even if I could, Ace thought, no, there's no way Julius can know about how I feel. "No, it's nothing. Peter's just been screaming at me to do my job. That's about-"

"You are lying," Julius interjected. "You have been acting strangely for a while now, and that damned rabbit has been yelling at you since you became the Knight of Hearts. If you were going to lie to me, you should have thought more about your circumstances." Ace was surprised. Not only was Julius able to see right through him, but he was worried. Should I . . .? "Um, Julius?" The man looked at Ace upon his name being heard, but after realizing everything that had happened earlier, he blushed lightly.

"What is it, Ace?"

"Do you . . . like me?"

Julius blushed at the words; what in the hell? Does he think I am a homosexual? But he has been really careful around me since then. Could he -? No, ridiculous. There is no way he . . . or I. . .

"Yes?"

Julius . . . likes me? That was about enough to make Ace blush, which he did. Then Julius interrupted his thoughts. "W-we need to lift your stress though!" he exclaimed, trying to shift the attention onto Ace, his entire face turning red.

"I was only acting weird 'cause of you, Julius!"

". . . Wha-?"

"No, I mean. . ." Ace sighed as he tried to gather his thoughts. "It's like. . ." and unable to completely gather them, Ace stood there stumbling over thoughts and words. How do I explain? But then he walked up to Julius, smiled, parted his lips and kissed his elder charmingly.

Julius hesitated at first then started to blush again and melted into his knight. Ace pulled away slowly and hugged Julius in an effort to support him.

"Ace?"

"Is it seriously that simple? That's so cliché!"

"What is?"

Ace looked at him seriously; looking so solemn that it stunned Julius as he waited for Ace's reply.

"I love you."

Those three little words made the watchmaker's face turn into a cherry of embarrassment. Ace loves me? Each time he thought through those words made his face even redder. Ace chuckled softly at how cute Julius was then held him close. That's really it. "That's all it is."

Awwww! Kawaii! I really do like cute things and writing this is cute! Please favorite and review!

Live on and fly to the Golden Land!