I lied. Instead of continuing on with another arc I figure it will be best to just continue on from here with chapters, leaving my Joker story the only one with a lot of arcs. Instead, I'll just give this a bunch of chapters. Give me your thoughts on this. Thanks!

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My heart races as I quickly realize where I am. Julius's arms tightly wrap around me as he softly sighs, unconsciously pressing his forehead against mine. W-Well, at least he doesn't have a fever anymore. I remain deathly quiet as he shifts, muttering something in his sleep.

What should I do? Should I get up and book it? Or should I stay here until he wakes up? O-O-Or maybe I'll go and prepare him some coffee. Y-Yeah, that'll work.

I hold my breath as I carefully unwrap his arms, sliding out of the warm cushions. Julius mutters something as he rolls over, disturbed but not enough to wake up because of it. I hastily sneak out of the room cursing each squeaky floorboard I cross. Why do these always sound louder when I'm trying to be quiet?! I whip out of the door and hurry to the kitchen, holding my pounding heart.

Oh my gosh I just slept in the same bed with Julius and we cuddled and we kissed and oh my gosh oh my gosh OH MY GOSH!

I nearly collapse onto the counter out of sheer happiness and terror. Exuberant that Julius has told me he loved me and terrified because he told me he loved me. That logic is so twisted! B-B-But does this make us a couple now? Does this mean he's now my boy-

Boyf-

Boyfrie-

Boyfriend?!

My entire face lights up a dark shade of red as I grapple with the coffee machine trying to hide my red hot face. Wow ... I'm actually pretty terrified right now. I mean, I even cuddled up to him last night! C-C-Calm. Let's just take this one step at a time.

A-A-A-After all, I'm sure this is pretty new to him too. I'll just make him some coffee and go on like nothing happened. My face turns a brilliant shade of red at the thought. Yeah right I'll be happy if my head doesn't pop from so much blushing going on right now.

I perk up to the sound of clanging in his office. O-Oh? He's up already? I shakily breathe out as I pick up his coffee, hesitantly peeking into his workshop.

"H-H-Hey, Julius. You're up already?" I ask with an extremely stiff smile. Oh man ... I don't even know how I'm supposed to react! And I'm sure my face is beyond the shade of red right now. He nonchalantly glances up from his word before quickly taking a double take on my face. Oh man is it that red?!

"Yes. You're here quite early." He notes, tinkering with a clock. I quickly enter the room making sure not to act too skittish. I don't want him to know how nervous I am but I'll bet my life that it's plain as day on my face.

"Y-Yeah? But, I never left last night." I say, looking down with a blush as I hint at it. Oh man ... I really just want to come out and ask him what's going on between us now. But I can't just come right out and say it!

"Really? Did you sleep on the couch? Ah, thank you." He notes, taking his coffee and takes a sip.

...what?

"You don't remember?" I hoarsely croak, coughing to clear up my throat. Ah, my throat's sore.

"Remember what? Did something happen?" He asks without much thought, continuing to fix his clocks.

"W-Well, I mean, you were pretty sick," I sheepishly begin having no idea how to bring it up as I gently touch his forehead, "but it feels like you're better now." His eyes slightly soften as he leans back taking another sip of coffee.

"So you stayed to care for me?" My eye twitches. The way he said that sounds more like a reprimand.

"Yeah."

"Why would you do that? I can care for myself, woman." He says sipping his coffee for fervently as it cools. I feel a mental thread snap inside of me.

"...I'm going to work you selfish stupid prick." I hiss wanting to jump over the desk, tackle him to the floor and strangle the man senseless.

"Excuse me?" He menacingly asks, startled as his eyes narrow.

"Where the heck do you get the gall to go and call me woman like that?!" I angrily demand. Uh oh. The warm fuzzies have turned to malicious flames intent on ripping this idiot a new butt hole.

"You're insulted by me referring to your gender?" He returns, puzzled.

"...I'm going to work." I spit, clenching my fists as I stroll out. That stupid headed motha humpa, pig headed son of a -!

"UGH!"

JULIUS'S POV

I quietly listen to her stomping down the stairs, flinching each time she loudly expressed her anger. Well, that's quite understandable considering the horrible way I acted. I heavily sigh and hide my face. Why did I have to react like that? Act like I don't remember every touch, every word and every kiss the previous night. Her quick paced beating heart thumps loudly in my ears even now making my clock tick faster and faster.

My cheeks flush as I run my hand through my hair. What am I supposed to do now? Act like it never happened? Yes, and look where that got me. I thought she was going to jump onto the desk and strangle the life out of me for my stupidity. I wouldn't have blamed her either. For now ... I will lay low. It is cowardly but other than that I don't know what to do with myself. I want to touch her. I want to hold her. I want to do unspeakable things to her and make her moan my name in pure ecstasy as I capture her fragile heart.

But I can't. I don't want to scare her off. Just by seeing her face that brilliant of a shade of red made me want to push her onto the desk once more. My fingers tremble as my body achingly screams for her soft touch. She was quite skittish this morning. She even snuck out of bed to get away from me! I must have made her very embarrassed with my senseless actions.

But I can't chase her out. She'll just come back. I can't admit what happened because she'll just be more embarrassed.

So the next best thing is to hold out until Alice can relieve her of this duty.

JACKIE'S POV

"Julius is an idiot." I grumble as I tap on the engine for the infamous Merry Go Round. Gowland heavily sighs scratching his stipple beard.

"Why yes he is. What happened this time?" He asks, leaning against the pole as he oversees me handiwork, "don't forget that bolt there."

"Yeah," I say, loosening it to get to the inside of the panel, "he said he couldn't remember anything from last night."

"Really?!" Gowland cries, shocked as I angrily pound on the metal.

"Yeah. I'm trying to figure out what the heck happened. He said he loved me and then pretty much passed out. That's when you came in and dragged him into bed." Of course I'm going to leave out all the details but I'm sure he gets the point.

"Stubborn man ... ," Gowland groans smacking his head in anguish for his close friend.

"Yes, he is. Is it even possible for him to forget? I know he was pretty sick but that wouldn't make someone forget all of that!" I shout, nearly denting the metal panel with my angry fist. I'm so pissed right now ... and scared. My flush deepens. He finally admits he has affection for me and then he just goes and forgets? That's terrible to do to a teenage girl! Why is he so hot and cold?

"Be patient, Jackie. He's a very awkward man when it comes to women in general." Gowland reassures keeping a safe distance from me. I heavily sigh lightly thumping my head against the engine as it purrs to life.

"I know." And I'm really awkward too here. What am I supposed to do with a man that called my love a 'childish fantasy', kisses me, and then forgets it? Oh man my life just hates me ...

"You'll get there." He assures rubbing my back. I hum in the back of my throat and close my eyes as the afternoon shudders to night.

"Great just what I need ... ," I grumble, getting to my feet. I have to go check on the stupid head now.

"Good luck to you Jackie. Oh, and if he rebuffs you again let me know-,"

"NO Gowland you are not going to blow his brains out." I huff, slumping off to the Clock Tower hell hole. I've been dreading this all day.

"Yes yes ... ," Gowland waves off walking away.

I hop through town never removing my eyes from the clock tower. How should I react? I just don't even know anymore. My inner 'woman' is screaming to gorge his eyes out and my logic is telling me to calm down.

But I don't want to calm down. I want to raise hell and break stuff.

I slip passed the gate and make my way up the stairs spying the steady flow of light pouring from his work room. Alright ... well, here we go.

"Julius, you need to go to bed." I call, tapping my knuckles against the wooden door. Julius hardly lift his head up to acknowledge me as he silently continued with his work.

"Julius, did you hear me?"

Still no response. My anger boils up before I not so hastily quell it.

"Julius."

Nothing.

"Julius."

Not even a peep.

"Moron. Stupid head. Hermit."

Not a thing. I feel what little sanity I have strain as I enter the room, tapping his desk.

"Julius, why aren't you looking at me?" I ask as a bit of hurt slips into the question. Why is he just completely ignoring me now? Did I do something wrong? Did I make him mad somehow? I walk around his desk, trying to get his undivided attention. My fists tremble as I struggle to come up with a reason to his sudden cold shoulder. Just what the heck did I do?

"J-Julius, look at me. What did I do wrong?" My voice shakes as bitter depression sledgehammers my chest. Tell me, please tell me what I did so I can fix it. His working fingers finally stop. He listens for a moment before setting his tools down, letting his hair hide his stone cold expression as he turns his chair around.

"Sit."

"S-S-Sit where?" I stutter as I hold back the water works. Seriously this is just depressing. Why do I tear up so easily in front of him? He's the last person I want to cry in front of! He heavily sighs as his hands gently grasp my hips.

"Troublesome ... ," he mutters, pulling me right onto his lap as he tightly hugs me.

"J-J-Julius, what's g-going on?" I stutter as he pushes my head down, literally giving me a shoulder to cry on. I futilely struggle as he holds me close, kissing my blind eye.

"I was sorely mistaken. I can't just simply pretend nothing happened." He sadly mutters, holding my head down as he softly rubs my back. It takes a moment before my anger sparks.

"You do remember! Why did you lie to me?!" I demand trying to get off of him. He holds steady, stubbornly holding me close as he looks me in the reddened eyes.

"Forgive me. I was cowardly." He childishly admits, resting his head onto my shoulder. I stop struggling, enjoying his touch too much to pull away. Oh man I'm pathetic!

"But why?" I ask as my heart doubles in pace.

"Ah," Julius notes as he listened to my beating heart, "I am afraid."

"Why?" I breathe as my arms wrap around his shoulders, holding him close. Gosh darn it body! His arms wrap around my back returning the affection.

"Because I've never felt this strongly to touch someone before. It's alien to me." Julius explains as his long fingers run through my hair, making a shiver shoot down my spine.

"Y-Yeah?" I gasp as his lips softly touch my neck.

"Yes. I ... ," he hesitates, debating whether or not to tell me, "I want ...you. To touch you. To hold you close. It's a very strange, mind numbing feeling." He explains, deeply breathing in my scent.

Ah. It all makes sense now. Julius pushed me away so much because he didn't know what to do with the 'affection' he's been holding on to until now. Kind of ... kind of like me in a way. I hesitate gently kissing his forehead.

"S-Same. I don't really know what to do. Even now I'm still lost." I admit, biting my lip nervously. Julius chuckles without humor.

"My, what love struck birds we are ... ," he muses with the idea as his fingers dance circles over my leg, running to my knee and back with seemingly practiced ease.

"Y-Y-You don't seem as inexperienced as you s-say." I stutter as bolts of electricity rocket through my body with each simple stroke.

"Really?" Julius asks, observing the devastating reactions he's causing. My flush rises as his fingers run along my thigh, sweeping behind my knee as he gently rubs the sensitive area. His cheek twitches into a smile as he again kisses my neck, a growing ravenous desire exploding behind his eyes. I softly breathe out as his fingers gently tug at my hair's roots, forcing my head back to expose my throat. He leans forward hardly touching his lips to my skin. "Remember that rash you had a few time changes ago?"

"Yeah...?" I excitedly exhale as his free fingers trail along the length of my spine.

"Well, allow me to shed some light as to how that 'rash' as you call it occurred."

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Oh~ bad Julius, BAD! How do you like his character? Maybe a bit of a push but I don't care. I honestly think this hermit has a tiger in him! Keep in touch as I will keep writing here in this arc until the end unlike my Joker series with separate arcs. 10 REVIEWS for the next chapter. Enjoy!