I jerked awake silently cursing Julius all the way as various metal clanked together, echoing down the long empty hall. Soft and very subtle but still there was the sound of metal lightly tapping against one another. I told him to stop working! Very lethargically I rolled off the couch tapping softly against the rug. Ohhhh he's going to get it now...waking me up in the middle of the freaking night and even having the audacity to go behind my back and work...he's going to have a new butt hole when I'm through with that dummy.
"Juliuuuuuuuss...," I whined, haphazardly swinging my body through the door. "I told you not to...work...," My voice trailed off as the hunched over man before me jumped, rigid as stone. I blinked as another clatter smacked against the ground. My eyes shot towards the rounded metal object and back to the armfuls which the man carried along in a large sac.
"Clocks...? Clocks-!" I shouted with a flare. He's stealing the clocks-! The man cursed and leapt back swinging a tiny match over his thigh. A match? Why - the second my eyes ran over the empty containers of gas and the dripping products stacked on the shelves I knew exactly what he was planning.
"Stop-!" I shrieked. In fear? No. I screamed the word so that Julius would hear. The man swung the bag over his back and dove to the side tossing the match towards my feet. My hand automatically reached out and clasped the burning stick in a tight knit fist.
"Ow-!" I hissed from the burning flesh.
"F***-!" The man croaked and lurched towards me. I hastily danced out of his grasp as he bolted into the hallway still carrying the sac full of clocks.
"Julius-!" I screamed, latching onto the cloth bag. The man fell back, overcome by the immense added weight. Clocks skittered over the ground as we hit the ground. I huffed and scrambled to my feet glaring at the thief.
"What is wrong with you?! These clocks aren't here for you to steal-!" I shouted nearly at the top of my lungs so Julius would hear every word.
"That man is a murderer-!" The stranger screamed back launching himself towards me. I danced out of his grasp and whipped my fist across his face. He huffed, wisely retreating towards the door.
"W-what the hell?! Aren't you a foreigner-?!" He demanded out of breath. A smirk pulled my lips up as I widened my stance and prepared to counter any attack he could dish out.
"This little foreigner knows martial arts." I teased grinning all the way. Does he honestly think that I was going to sit back and let him steal those?
"Jackie! What in the world is going on?!" Julius's voice demanded. Without a moment's hesitation the man darted down the stairs; but not before snatching hold of another clock and slipping it into his pocket. I flew down the stairs after him slipping my wrench out of my pocket. I refuse to let him get away with even one of Julius's clocks!
"Hey! C-come back-!" Julius's shouts went unheeded as I chased the man down flitting into the streets. What is wrong with him? Does he have any idea how much time and effort Julius puts into each and every little clock that comes his way? I gritted my teeth and pumped my legs even faster. I'm not willing to let all that effort go to waste.
Each turn he made through the dizzying streets I followed precisely and without falter. I launched myself forward catching him around the waist and spun around grappling for the precious clock.
"Give it back!" I gruffly shouted clawing at his skin as I struggled to shift my leg behind his knee.
"S-Screw off-!" He cried thumping something against the side of my head. The lights faded as my hand snatched something followed by a muffled ripping. I groaned and rolled on the ground with an odd hiccupping choke. Ow...that really hurt...I blinked hard and stumbled to my feet catching sight of something flashing on the cobblestone. Huh?
"The clock-!" I cried leaping forward and snatched it up. I-I thought he got away with it. But then what I tore was...I held up the clothe noting that it was the pocket which held the clock. I grinned and triumphantly tucked it away in my pocket hurrying back towards Julius before the dummy could realize his mistake. What an idiot!
I slipped through the entrance, grinning all the way as I tapped into an immovable body. I glanced up, spying Ace with nervously flashing eyes.
"Ah, Ace-," his hand shot forward covering my mouth.
"Ah, you might want to run away now. Julius is furious."
"Furious?" Well, I guess he would be. After all now he needs to clean all the clocks again.
"ACE!" Julius's livid voice cried.
"See ya-!" he muttered as he darted past me and out the door with speeds I thought were not possible for the lazy night. Ah, there he goes again...I nervously fiddled with the clock in my hands. Julius is really mad...maybe I'll make him some more coffee? I tip toed up the stairs peeking into the soiled room. I shrunk back slightly, hardly comprehending Julius's outraged yet confused face. He looked hurt, sad, angry, nervous, anxious, worried...what's gotten into him? Has he noticed the other clock missing? I grinned triumphantly before it fell again. Julius...looks really freaked out.
"Julius?" I timidly called. His head snapped around in an instant with wide eyes as he assessed my dirty and roughed up state. I smiled and nervously combed my hair trying to at least meet his basic grooming standards.
"Ah, sorry Julius. I wasn't able to catch him but I got the clock he stole and -," I jumped as his arms immediately enveloped me as he pulled me into a suffocating embrace. I held still unsure how to respond to his sudden show of affection. Huh? His hands roughly grabbed my shoulders as he pushed me away glaring angrily into my widened eyes.
"Why did you chase him?!" He demanded. The answer caught in my throat as I struggled to comprehend his enraged state. Julius?
"C-Chase...?" I started nervously. Chase him? Isn't he mad about everything getting gunked up?
"Yes! Why would you chase after him?!" His eyes flashed to my hand which held a small yet easily identifiable mark of where the match had burned my skin. His eyes flashed with fright as he yanked up for closer inspection. I cringed at his suddenly rough response.
"Julius, why are you so angry?" I asked, almost pleading for him to calm down. He's really freaking me out now. Did something so much worse happen before I caught the criminal? His hand clamped down hard over my wrist as he dragged me towards the kitchen.
I offered little resistance but didn't go along with his behavior either. He jutted my hand into the sink, turning on the water and let the coldness take his numbing affect. My heart pounded wildly as his eyes narrowed over the insignificant wound with a beady gaze that shook my very concentration. The way he's looking at my wound...is almost with the same kind of frustration he gets when he finds a clock he's having trouble with fixing.
"Julius what's wrong?"
"Where else are you hurt?" He coldly commanded, leaving no room for argument. I remained quiet carefully assessing my word choice.
"Not much. I'm fine." In reality my head is killing me but overall I can still walk and that counts as a win I think. His dark eyes carefully measured my half lie unable to determine if it was true.
"Are you sure?" He pressed trying to make me crack under constant pressure.
"I-I'm sure." I said. I'm just fine; these scraps are nothing. But why do you look like you're about to pass out from ulcers or something? I lightly touched his shoulder.
"Julius what's wrong?"
"What's wrong? What's wrong?! I've now collected dozens of clocks that need fixing and an injured foreigner stuck in my home when there was no reason to chase him!" He snapped running his hand through his long hair. My anger flared. No reason?!
"I'm not hurt! This is nothing! And that man took a clock with him; that's why I chased him!" I hotly protested. Is he only knew what I had to go through with before he wouldn't be saying such things.
"You...for one clock?" Julius gapped as if shock to hear something so ludicrous.
"Yes! Every clock here is precious isn't it? It holds life to many people who are waiting to come back and you can't go wasting a clock just like that!"
"Clocks are replaceable! Foreigners are not!" He growled back.
"Yeah? Well I'm just fine now aren't I?" I hissed shoving the clock into his chest. His nimble fingers, despite the anger which burned within them, held the clock with such a delicacy it left me speechless. Despite being blind with rage...he still has the patience and mental capability to hold that clock without further hurting it. That hard wired instinct to handle something so precious with so much care despite the circumstances...
"You could have been killed Alice-!" He stopped short as he caught his mistake. Hurt flickered through my eyes as I felt a sneer cross my face before I wiped it clean. I hedged back with narrowed as he realized his slip and the pain it caused across my unguarded face for that split second. Alice...
He still wants her.
He still wants her knowing she's with Hatter.
"Yeah, sorry that I'm nothing like Alice. Sorry that I'm willing to chase someone down because they stole something precious. Sorry for not asking your permission before making sure that man didn't burn the rest of the tower along with the clocks. SORRY that I'm making sure that a grown man is taking care of himself when he gets so wrapped up in his job he can't even remember to eat!" I nearly screamed at the end as my rage bubbled over. Alice...Alice Alice Alice. What about me? What about 'Jackie'? Will I always be...someone who's just the 'other foreigner'?
Will no one...look at me for being me?
"Jackie, I -,"
"Nope." I huffed, cutting him off as I turned to leave.
"Jackie stop-,"
"No."
"But I -!"
"I said that's enough!" I spat back as I pivoted around to the man. His eyes widened as he took in my war torn state. Alice...everyone loves Alice. But who loves me? My own heart ached at my selfishness which was clawing the my logic to get to the surface. My throat closed up as my lips pathetically trembled, unable to hold back the fort for long. Alice...when will people stop looking at you and see me in your shadow? I nearly barked a laugh at my own pathetic thought. I'm just sad. I'm really that lonely here? Just...pathetic...
I'm so pathetic.
"I'll be back tomorrow." I croaked as I turned to leave once more. I jumped as his arms encaged me on either side not letting me budge an inch. I bit my lips harder.
"Let go." If he doesn't I'll cry. I'll cry because of my own weakness. I'll cry because none of my work is appreciated. I'll cry because no matter what I do no one will look at me.
"Troublesome woman...," Julius trailed off, turning me around and set his forehead against my shoulder.
"I'm sorry." He muttered.
"For what?" I callously responded unable to feel anything else through all of my pain and hurt which was deciding now to explode out of my eye sockets in the form of tears. No matter how hard I tried to keep them back the traitorous tears continued to roll down my cheeks in a pathetic display of idiocy. So pathetic...
"...for yelling at you." He hesitated before deciding on an answer he thought was the main reason for my tears. Either that or he didn't want to admit what else he did.
"And?"
"For calling you the foreigner. I know Alice - ," He cut himself off once again as I pushed against his stomach but he remained firm, holding on almost as if his sanity depended on it. I lightly thumped my head against his shoulder losing the will to hold myself up. I'm just so...tired. Not physically; no, not at all. Just...emotionally. When was the last time I had a mental break down like this? So pathetic...
"Got anything else?" I asked, leaning into his warm yet stiff arms. Without warning his fell back, taking me down with him as we landed on the couch. My eyes darted over to the soft cushions. How did we get here so fast?
"Sorry...," he pathetically muttered, unable to grow the spine he needed to admit to his mistake. His fingers nimbly and delicately traced outlines along my back as if to make up for his wrong. My heart thumped contently in his arms as I tried to let my body relax. His hands...are gentle. Almost as if he's treating me like one of his delicate clocks. I closed my eyes using his body as a cushion along with his unsorted affection. It's...nice. This sort of support. I almost don't mind it even if he was being a butthead before.
Ugh...my head hurts...
JULIUS'S POV
I lightly and delicately stroked her backside using any means necessary to gain forgiveness. I should not have scolded her like that. And when I slipped and said Alice...I nearly shuttered at the pain and agony that swept through her eyes. I more vigorously rubbed her backside encouraging her to move. She's hurting my leg now.
A glance to her face revealed her content sigh and rather peaceful face which lingered in my own tired mind. I reached out, unconsciously tracing her marvelous features. These soft expressions which I rarely get to encounter...it's almost a blessing to have her here with someone such as dreary as I.
My gaze softened as her full lips slightly parted beneath my slender fingers, head tilting up almost as though she couldn't get enough of the gentle caresses. My clock ticked urgently as I leaned down to my own accord, once more connecting our lips. Her soft lips molding to mine were a grand oasis to my day's work ahead. Enough...I must stop. I cannot let myself fall for such a girl. No...Alice is a girl. Jackie is a woman. A woman who deserves so much more than someone like me. My lips and desire continued to override my logic as I stole yet so much more from her. A woman who needs a warm and loving environment that can deliver her the growth and warmth she needs. She should not stay here cooped up in a tower all day.
If so...why can I not cease this selfish desire to touch her?
‡
Oh ho~ this is some deep stuff going on here! Listen, if I get up to 20 or so reviews I will try to continue this along with my other ones. I like Julius and it honestly hurts my heart writing about this kind of pained love but I LOVE IT! It's such a nice hurt~ Anyway, please enjoy and review me ideas of what could happen :3