Selfish.

Shameless.

Regretful.

That's what I should be feeling right now. But why do I not hate touching her? I should...more than anything I should despise it. She is an intruder in my territory who selfishly wormed herself up here just to satisfy Alice. And yet...my lips continued to shamefully plant kisses to her face and even neck which so beautifully presented itself. She is so warm and soft compared to this dreary office of a house. She does not deserve something like this and yet I yearn more than anything to have her here.

Eventually I forced myself away from the rather bitter sweet treat tempted again and again to yield to my selfish desires. My clock ached as though it was defective, ticking to the point I could have sworn it was trying to wrench itself from my chest just so it could lie on hers for a little while longer. My hand softly glided over her soft hair unable to deny me this much. So soft...

Once again I selfishly relented whispering my lips over her soft neck. An almost purr murmured from the back of her throat as she curled up ever so slightly. I more earnestly coddled the area reveling her soft flesh grazing beneath the tips of my teeth. Faster and faster my clock ticked as though this was yet not enough. Stop...I need to cease this madness. If she awakes and catches me I will be hated. The thrill of doing such a terrible thing pushed me further, both wanting to physically continue and mentally have her despise me at the same time.

I...what is this? I have never felt so attracted to a young lady before in such a way. My body is burning as though a conflagration has just taken over my body yearning to grow ever bigger as I consume her flesh and bones. Her fingers numbly tapped against my chest as she murmured in her sleep whipping me back into reality. I sucked in a quick breath - and shamefully my tongue as well - with widened eyes at her chaotic state of a neck.

Tiny red marks were beginning to blossom over her throat and beneath her ears and jaw line, still glistening with a stilled thin coat of saliva. My clock ticked faster scrutinizing the rather thorough work, both horrified and proud. Look at what I've done; I've gone and went much too far. What will she think when she awakes to this awful sin I've committed? My teeth continued to ache begging to have her skin once again graze them as my clock ticked almost too painfully to bear. Oh hell...

Her eyes lightly began to flutter, emerging from her rather short slumber.

JACKIE'S POV

I twitched and fluttered my eyes open spying a fuzzy image of long purple-ish hair in my sight. Oh wah...? Without warning the figure jumped shifting the entire earth with it. My eyes burst open as I smacked into the ground with a hard groan. Ow...I think I landed on my neck...I lightly rubbed the area before pausing. Huh? It's...kind of wet?

"It's about time you woke up. My legs were beginning to hurt from your weight." Julius's voice callously concluded with a troubled note. I sucked in a deep breath and shuttered slightly as the cold nipped at my skin. Ugh...neck...why does my neck hurt? I rubbed the slightly puckered skin forcing myself to my feet. I retracted my hand criticizing the watery yet gooey substance connecting despite moving my fingers. Gross! What is that? I slightly lifted up my shirt rubbing off the wet crud. Did I drool or something? Heck I hope not. I flinched as my fingers encountered a section of sensitive skin. Oh...ah, that hurt. What happened? Julius's eyes slyly watched as I hurried out of the room and straight into the bathroom. My mouth popped open in shock.

Decorating practically my entire neck was red blooming, throbbing welts.

"W-What is this?!" I shouted drawing my fingers over them. S-Since when did I get these?! I-I-Is this a rash or something? Or maybe bug bites? But there's so many and they're so big! Is this a rash then? I wracked my mind for ideas as to the source of the mysterious appearing red blotches.

"H-Hey Julius?" I nervously called. I paused, waiting for a response.

"Yes?"

"Did I have these red marks before I dozed off?" I asked aloud turning my neck every which way to view the extent of the bizarre marks. Again his response was postponed. "Julius?"

"No, you didn't." He said.

"Well, did a horde of freaking bugs come and rip through my skin?" I asked tracing my finger over a particularly deep red one. That's going to leave a mark. It looks like someone just spent their time scraping at my neck with their weirdly shaped nails!

"Don't be silly." He reprimanded. I grimaced. Is this a rash then? I can't tell. I re entered the room Julius was in making him jump as I entered.

"Can you take a look at this? I think it's a rash." I said pointing to my neck. For the faintest of moments I could have sworn I spied a faint bit of pink touch his cheeks.

"Ludicrous. Where could you have gotten a rash from?"

"No idea." I muttered as I craned my neck making him look at it for his opinion. He's been her longer than me; maybe this is some weird disease that only happens in Wonderland or something. Despite a few curt protested he lightly tilted my head up and to the side viewing the awful extent of the deepening red marks. His guarded eyes fell a bit as his emotions clashed wildly about in his stormy eyes taking in the marks with narrowing eyes.

"It isn't a rash but you should cover it up for now; who knows, it might be contagious." He callously said as he gingerly pulled out a long wrap and cotton squares. He gently placed it against my throat and wrapped it around with rather sloppy skill but good enough that it would hold. Julius carefully stuck them with safety pins making it hold together.

"Thanks."

"Jackie."

"Yeah?"

"Would you mind going to pick up some more coffee beans?"

"Ah, yeah sure. What kind?"

"Surprise me. Now off you go." He shooed as he took his seat in the chair, drawing up an oil slick clock from a box which were floating in the stuff. I sighed. Was he...not at all affected by my little blow up? I grimaced and hurried out the door. So embarrassing...he hardly knows me and yet I go and yell at him because of my building frustrations. Some care taker I am.

I wandered aimlessly through the streets coming across a nearby shop that sold coffee beans of all kinds ranging from Arusha to Uganda. I trotted into the shop looking over the varieties. There are so many...

"Ah, excuse me," I called out a faceless employee who readily came to my aid. Oh~ good service, "which one would you recomend for experienced coffee drinker?"

"Ah, I assume that this isn't for you then?" He teased with a simper.

"Not at all," I immediately dismissed, "It's for Julius."

"Ah, the clockmaker? Yes, I'll ring up his favorites in a moment. How many bags?"

"Uh...three?" I can always come back for more later.

"Right away ma'am~," he sang adeptly snatching up three bags and had them in a bag ready to go in a matter of seconds.

"I'm impressed. Does Julius come here often?" What a silly question; of course he does!

"Truthfully not often. Normally that foreigner girl comes in and buys it for him, or sometimes even Gowland of the Amusement Park. That man always seems to be busy...," the mere thought of Julius seemed to shot shivers down the man's spine. Ah...so Alice again...I drearily took my bags and sauntered out of the shop. Gah...so depressing. Alice Alice Alice...when will everyone accept that you're out of reach? I shook my head and slapped my cheeks. Oh please now I'm just being a baby. I need to hurry up and -

"Jackie~!" A boisterous voice cried as a large mass slammed into my back.

"Whoa Ace!" I cried as the cans of beans dropped to the ground. Ugh...they're definitely dented.

"Ah~ it's good to see you alive and your heart beating strong...I thought Julius was going to eat you alive!" He cried as he leaned in closer. "And it seems he did~,"

"Huh?"

"Nothing~," he sang as he held up a bag of blood soaking clocks. Oh gosh... "Fresh out of the carcass!"

"Ugh...alright." I said. Gross...which means some could still be ticking...scary, that Ace is...I dipped out of his hug examining the coffee bean containers; yep, it's dented alright. Not terribly so but still...

"Ah? What's that?"

"Coffee beans for Julius."

"Oh~ so you're getting coffee for him now? Fun~," He hummed with a simper as his eyes flashed excitedly.

He stuck annoyingly close to my side as we entered the tower. His eyes, no matter what I did, remained locked to the bandage around my neck. I self consciously looked away. Ah, he's checking out my rash...

"How far does it go?" He asked suddenly as we approached Julius's office.

"Ah, a little past the neck and beneath my ears." I said. I was right; he caught on to the fact I have a nasty rash. Sucks...

"Really~?" He hummed as if something bigger was at hand. My eyes flashed. Did he have something to do with this?

"Julius~!" Ace sang as he sprang into the room plopping the bloody clocks next to his desk. Julius sighed irritably and rubbed his temples; clearly he's not in the mood for any of Ace's shenanigans today.

"Julius, I got the coffee." I noted as I walked by his office catching a bit of panic leap through his eyes before he readily restrained it in the same second. Hm...Julius is acting a bit off today. Is it because of my rash? I set the dented cans on the counter pulling open his empty cupboards.

...Does this man live on coffee or something?

I sighed and stacked them in the tall cupboard clapping my hands together to get rid of the dust which collected on my hands. Wow...he really needs to fix up his kitchen. How long has it been since he's eaten? I hopped back to the room swinging in just in time to see Ace's cheeky smiling lips disconnect from Julius's open shocked mouth. My eyes widened as my spine stiffened. Ohhh...

"You taste different Julius." Ace muttered with an evil simper before noting me by the door.

"Jackie~!" He crowed snatching my arm before I had time to flee. "Why are you cheating on me~?" He whined.

"Cheating?" I asked with narrowed eyes. If anyone is doing the cheating it's Julius. I blinked as my mind went blank. Wait what?

"Yeah...who put all these fun hickies on you?" He crooned thrumming his thumb over a particularly sensitive area.

"Ouch-!"

"Ace!" Julius hissed as he tilted my head up for a better look.

"Whew~ you really cheated bad. So? who did it?" He asked with an odd excited tone.

"Hickies? Ace, this is a rash. And probably contagious too." I said. His smile only grew broader as he smacked his lips to my neck. I leapt back backhanding him across the face if he only hadn't moved a few inches off.

"Ah, Jackie~ I know a hickie when I see one and you have lots!"

"Hick - Ace, I told you it's a rash! Now it's probably going to get all over your mouth!"

"I don't mind~ but I'm upset, Jackie. Now that you're cheating on Julius I won't be able to have a threesome with my two favorite people!" He whined loudly.

"Three-!" I cried, startled. As in that kind of -?!

"Ace! That's enough! If all you're going to do is make up pathetic lies then leave-!" Julius hissed a little more vehemently than usually.

"Ah~ alright. Don't start without me next time~," he sang vanishing from sight as his deep throaty bellows rolled off his tongue. Both Julius and I slumped slightly the second he was gone. Ugh...so annoying. I swear he shouldn't be holding off work just to mess with us...I stiffened slightly at the thought.

"Ah. Julius, I have to go to work." I've been slacking off lately and need to pick up the pace.

"Of course." Was all he said before sitting back down on the chair. I nervously looked over Julius. Taste different...what did Ace mean by that? And these marks...

"Well?"

"Ah, I'm going now." I hurried out of the tower confused to the maximum on this tricky challenge. Now the real question that bothers me because I still can't decide...

...Is Julius gay or straight?

‡

Ha ha~ I'll update when this hits 30 reviews. 10 per chapter from now on is what I'm shooting for I think. Enjoy the next section. Will Julius be able to get Jackie out of his head or will it finally drive him off the edge? Review and give me some ideas~