Who's Alice? (A Black Butler/Ciel Love Story)

Chapter 13

I sat there for the longest time. No one spoke, or if they did, I certainly wasn't listening. I mulled over everything I had thought about him. The way we spoke with each other. How I felt when I was with him. Everything pointed back to one answer, but it only made me depressed.

I really liked Ciel.

"Alice?" someone asked. I snapped out of my daze. I'd know that voice anywhere.

I turned in my chair and smiled, "Ciel!" I got up and hugged him tightly. He seemed a bit awkward about it, but wrapped his arms around me.

When I pulled away, I was full of concern, "Are you okay? Did you get hurt? I'm so sorry, Ciel! I... I didn't know how to help you."

"It's fine. We're back together now, right? That's what matters," he said. I nodded in agreement. I was a little surprised he was brushing it off so easily. With anyone else, he would have chewed them out for it. I was grateful for the reaction, of course, but considering the recent revelation, my thoughts drifted to reasons of the change.

"There is no more room," March Hare told Ciel.

"Yes, no more room at all," Hatter joked. He gave me a knowing smile. He knew that I had figured it out. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have hugged Ciel. I averted my eyes, angry for him being right at all. He had just made things a zillion times harder because of pointing out that little fact. I really hadn't needed it.

"Come, don't say that. Have a seat," Dormouse talked in his sleep.

"I haven't said anything, yet," Ciel pointed out. "What do you mean?"

Hatter laughed, "The Dormouse was talking in his sleep again. That's where his name comes from. Always speaking in dormy." He stood up and suddenly put his arm around Ciel. "Greetings, and welcome to the Mad Tea Party. If you haven't guessed, I'm the Hatter, and my companion is the March Hare. Alice Um is a new addition. I just met her today, and she asked for me to bring her to you, isn't that sweet?" I blushed and sat back in my seat. Hatter ushered Ciel to the other end of the table and asked, "Now, would you like a cup of tea?"

"I.... Uh...." Ciel trailed off as Hatter forced him to sit down. Hatter walked back to his end and poured the tea, letting it overflow again. Hare took the cup away in the same manner and brought it to Ciel. He only stared at it.

Hatter noticed and walked over to him, "I discern a suspicious look in your eye. There's nothing in it, I assure you. Nothing but a cube or two of tasty sugar." He began piling sugar cubes into the tea.

I threatened, "If you drink that, I will step right on you, mate."

Ciel narrowed his eyes, "I wasn't going to. And you can stop. That's quite enough sugar." Hatter put a finger to his lips. I figured he was doing the same thing he had done for me with the memories. Hatter said something, and Ciel looked at me. I pretended not to notice but was deeply intrigued about what was being said. I didn't want it to seem like I was eavesdropping or anything.

Ciel took the tea off the saucer and dumped it on the ground. "Enough of your parlor tricks," he said.

"You're actually listening for once?" I smirked. He gave me a look, but it wasn't mean enough to be a glare. Whatever he saw had really struck a chord, I suppose.

"Oh, my, my. See how quickly the tea is disappearing? The ground is thirsty," Hatter observed.

"I don't want tea. I want to know if you've seen the White Rabbit," Ciel told him. Oh, he was starting to get annoyed again, wasn't he? Didn't I say I was going to teach him patience? So much for that.