Hatter's Adventures in Wonderland Ch.1
Title: A Christmas Tree Adventure
Author: greeneyes0911
Pairing: Alice/Hatter
Rating: pg-13ish
Length: 3,000+
Warnings/Spoilers: Part 2 of the miniseries
A/N: Umm...yeah I realize it's a wee long but I couldn't help it
Disclaimer: I don't own Alice, Hatter, March Hare, any of 'em....but damn would I be rich if I did!
Summary: Something was wrong with Alice. Very wrong with Alice, indeed. She was always a sweet, kind, loving soul but there was always an edge to it. Like she was just waiting for everything to fall down around her nose. No one could blame her really with everything that she'd been through. But this past few weeks she had been happy, silly, jolly even. Jolly!
Something was wrong with Alice. Very wrong with Alice, indeed. She was always a sweet, kind, loving soul but there was always an edge to it. Like she was just waiting for everything to fall down around her nose. No one could blame her really with everything that she'd been through. But this past few weeks she had been happy, silly, jolly even. Jolly! That was the word he'd been looking for the whole few weeks he'd been watching her. She was humming happily, even dancing around the room once or twice. And yesterday he would have sworn to the Cheshire Cat that he saw her skip on her way to work. It was starting to worry him, seriously worry him. He'd been in her world for a little bit now, and he'd never once seen her jolly. Sure she was happy as all hell to have him here, that showed clearly in the delicate attention she paid to him. But she was not jolly. No-sir-ee Alfred. Was she seeing someone else? Had she met someone? He was really starting to worry. Or maybe she was sick. What if his little Alice had finally snapped in the mental department. Oh lord what would he do if he had to become the sane one in their relationship?! No, no, let's not even start that thought. It had been bothering him non-stop for a few weeks. He'd lost sleep over this. And you know Hatter, he never once lost sleep over something. Well, except you know having the queen chop off his head, but that was an entirely different onion.
Finally as the both drooped on the couch one afternoon, both reading, her humming made him snap. Well, snap in non-lunatic, non-angry way. His head snapped up from the book he held in his hands, and he tilted it like a confused puppy at her. She didn't seem to notice at all. She was just humming happily reading her book, it was something about a girl named Christmas Carol, or maybe it was a boy since Christmas didn't sound like a girls name. But one could never really be sure in this crazy world he'd come to refer to as home. In fact he wasn't sure of much at all, especially given Alice's jolly state. “Alice,” he offered slowly trying not to let the worry slip into his voice.
“Hm,” Alice asked looking up from her book, her pale eyes meeting his dark brown ones. The curious look was almost enough to unnerve Hatter. Almost. He'd kind of gotten used to the easy way emotion played across her eyes. Yet, he still found himself perplexed by it sometimes. For a woman so closed off she sure wore her heart on her sleeve.
“What's the matter with you?” He hoped she didn't get offended. He really didn't need her to get offended. Oh no, he'd experienced karate chops first hand, and he didn't like them much at all. Of course the karate did make for a rather interesting bedroom scenario, but he didn't like the chops bit.
“What do you mean,” her voice was so easy and tranquil that he almost felt silly even bothering to ask her about this. Almost. Because if he didn't get this out he'd likely become some lunatic running 'round starkers and never leaving her alone for a minute. He couldn't live with that. He couldn't really be the Mad Hatter that was portrayed in that silly Alice book Alice loved so much. No that man was absolutely bonkers, depraved in every way. He couldn't do that, not to himself, and certainly not to Alice.
“Well you just seem quite...jolly as of late,” He cleared his throat nervously trying to clear the discomfort he felt building there. What was he doing? He shouldn't even be questioning her. He trusted her. He'd always trusted her. Since the moment he lay eyes on her, he knew she'd be there when he needed her, versa vice. Then what was this nagging at him? Oh toad, why was he even asking. He knew what it was. He'd felt it when Jack had been around Alice, this was jealousy at its purest.
“Well that's because Christmas is right around the corner,” she smiled cheerily.
“He...She....is?!” He jumped from his spot on the couch looking thoroughly bewildered. Not like he'd actually do anything to prepare for a visitor, but he liked to pretend he would just so Alice didn't get cross with him.
“....Hatter what are you talking about? Christmas is a holiday, sit down, relax,” she sighed pinching the bridge of her nose tiredly. She suddenly felt tired, like she would spend the rest of her life explaining things to him as if he were a child. She hoped someday soon he'd be accustomed to all these new things, and then she wouldn't have to explain anything anymore.
“Oh right....I knew that. I was just thinking maybe we should.....” he pondered for a long moment on the word he was hunting for. His brown eyes skipped about the room. He wanted to sound knowledgeable. He didn't want Alice to feel like she really had to explain everything. Not to mention he didn't like feeling like she had the upper hand on him, like she knew more than he did. Even if she did. That wasn't the point! “you know like...” he waved his hands frantically trying to think of the word his large brown eyes becoming more and more bewildered the longer the word eluded him.
Alice watched on suddenly amused with his attempts at wisdom. A dark brow quirked its way up toward her hair line and she continued to watch him flounder about the room like a fish out of water. Finally she decided he'd had enough punishment for his arrogance, and let out a small chuckle. “Decorate?”
“Yes!” He pointed to her suddenly triumphant, but then frowned a little when he realized that he hadn't been the one to think of the word at all, and it was she who had supplied it. “Yes, decorate. Why haven't we decorated? We should do that.”
Alice pondered this for a long moment. She hadn't put much thought into decorating for Christmas yet. Even if the holiday was fifteen days away. She just didn't have the decorations to do it. She'd moved in with Hatter a little while after he'd shown up at her mother's, and she had no decorations of her own. Every holiday item she'd ever put up she'd shared with her mother. They had one Christmas tree, one wreath for over the fireplace, one garland for the mantle, one fat red reindeer candy bowl, and so on and so forth. Just one, because though there were two of them they were living in one place. “I don't know Hatter. I don't really have any decorations yet. I really had no intention of going all out this year. I kind of thought we'd just go spend Christmas at mom's.” She shrugged indifferently, and turned back to her book.
Hatter stood there gaping at her, she so very clearly loved this Christmas thing. This must for certain be her favorite holiday, and yet she was ready to dismiss it like it was nothing. Was this because of him? Was it because she thought he wouldn't understand? “No,” he echoed the very word he heard fly from her mouth so often. Alright, so it hadn't been that often these past few weeks. She'd been down right pleasant, amiable, jolly even these past few weeks. She hadn't said no to one single thing he asked of her. He asked if he could fill the ice cube trays with juice, and she said yes, even if the didn't want grape flavored ice cubes. He asked if he could change the television while in the middle of some silly game show, and she said yes. Not a single no, these past few weeks. It was down right unnerving.
“No,” she asked looking up at him with a surprised look. Her eyebrows crinkled in confusion. No? What the hell did he mean by no? Had Hatter finally gone off his rocker? Crazy man didn't even know what he was saying no to. He didn't know what Christmas would mean once he got her into doing it. It was after all her favorite holiday all year. And when she did Christmas she did Christmas, like the damned Kringles! Mad, mad Hatter.
“No, I will not stand for this. It is my first Christmas and I will have it be the best bloody Christmas you or I have ever seen,” He exclaimed pointing an accusing finger at her. Hatter knew Alice well enough to know that if he said he wanted this done for her she'd just deny that that's what she wanted. She was selfless and she wanted him to be happy above anything else. Silly woman didn't realize that what made him most happy was when she was happy. “Now go put on your coat.”
“No,” She said sternly nodded her head and promptly went back to reading her book. That infuriating woman!
“No? I don't believe I asked you,” he said frustration seeping into his voice. “Now get up and do it.”
“Hatter, I've never once listened to anything you've told me to do, and I don't intend to start now. So just be quiet so I can read my book.” She waved her hand as if to dismiss him. Her blue eyes returned to the print on the page, and she ignored the gaping face he made before he caught his breath and his nerve.
“Fine, I'll go out and get us a Christmas tree myself. But be aware dear Alice, I don't know where these bloody things you call lots are,” he drifted off as he slipped on his shoes and pulled on his coat. Then as he opened the door he called back, “so I may just go chop down one of those pretty trees in the park for us.” The door shut behind him but he didn't move far from it. He knew her well enough to know that guilty her into something was the easiest way to go about it.
“Wait! Hatter! That's illegal,” Alice shouted jumping up from the couch, sitting her book in her spot, slipping on her shoes, and pulling on her coat before rushing out the door to run after him. Only to run face first into his chest as he chuckled, he grabbed her waist to keep her from falling backward. “You can't just chop down a tree from the park,” she scowled up at him, her tone scolding and her mouth set in that firm line once more.
“And why not? You didn't seem to want to come along, so I figured I'd take care of it meself,” he shrugged smirking a little but putting forth the effort to hide it because he knew she'd be angry.
“Because it's illegal. That's public property,” she grumbled still giving him that stern look that he'd become so thoroughly familiar with in Wonderland. He bit back a chuckle, it was really hard to take her seriously in that silly puffy coat she insisted was warm. Alice sighed, and rolled her eyes. “Fine if you want it that bad we'll go get a tree, and decorations. Happy?”
“Uncontrollably,” he smirked and kissed her cheek before dragging her along behind him to the elevator. “So where to first?” It seemed like a logical question to him. After all he didn't know where you go to buy Christmas decorations. But he was certain this was going to be a Hell of a trip.
“Well I think we should get a fake tree, you know then it won't drop-” she was cut off by Hatter's finger, and a frown on his face.
“No.”
“No?” What was with him? Why did he keep telling her no?
“No fake tree. I want the full experience. We get a real one.” He nodded to himself positively, he wouldn't hear her protests in any way shape or form. He knew what he wanted, and by Alfred he'd get it.
Alice frowned up at him, that stern line returning to her mouth. “Fine then you're vacuuming up the dead needles when they get everywhere. I won't be doing extra housework just because you have to have a real tree Hatter.” Hatter shrugged, how hard could vacuuming be anyways? He'd seen Alice do it dozens of times, and it looked really very simple. Really you just pushed around that noisy little machine, and it did all the work.
When they reached the store with the decorations Hatter's eyes nearly popped from his head. This place reminded him very much of wonderland. With everything all mixed up, resized, recolored, and lighted funny. Yes, he decided he was rather going to like this Christmas thing. “Alright we need to get some ornaments, and- David...David? David,” She asked turning around to find his mouth gaped wide as he moved through the store in some kind of awe. It was as if he couldn't even hear her. Alice rolled her eyes, pursed her lips, and grabbed his hand. “David!”
“Oh, right sorry, you know easily distracted and all. Right ornaments those would be....where?” His gaze fluttered around the shop again, it was just so different from anything he'd ever come across in Wonderland. They had so much...stuff here. Yet, it was so similar because the stuff was so odd, and unusual especially for this land. And he knew that because he'd been here long enough to know what was normal. Alice rolled her eyes and drug him by the hand to a table with boxes and boxes full of different colored shining globes. Alice picked up a few boxes of purple and gold boxes, then grabbed a box of green strings with little clear things on them and then drug Hatter from the store. His hand was wrapped tightly around the plastic bag handle like it was something precious.
“We'll just do a tree tonight. We don't have all sorts of time to be doing the whole apartment. Especially as we both have work tomorrow.” That was Alice, always so serious, and logical. Well, most of the time. Hatter let a grumbling noise protrude from his lips just thinking about work. Of course he liked his job well enough, he was working in a tea shop, but the thought of going to work when Alice was so jolly just didn't settle well with him. He should be around when she'd in a mood like this. It was down right eye opening. Speaking of eye opening, she was humming lightly beside him with a small smile on her face.
“What's that you're humming?” His head cocked like a confused puppy dog, and she grinned a little wider just seeing the look on his face.
“Deck the Halls, it's a Christmas song.” Hatter nodded as if he'd known all along and they
continued walking on. Alice led him down to something called a tree lot. Which happened to be a small place in the park with hundreds of trees all piled together.
“I want that one,” He said pointing to the biggest one he could find the instant they entered the lot.
Alice sighed a little amusedly, and rolled her eyes. “It's too big for the apartment. We need something small that won't take up much space.” Hatter's brow crinkled in annoyance. Why small? They should have the biggest Christmas tree ever, yes ever. He would not have this half-rat's Christmas she seemed to be aiming at. He wanted it all. “This one.” She said pointing to a short stumpy sparcy looking thing. She saw the unpleased look on his face and rolled her eyes theatrically. “Fine then we'll have to compromise and get something we both can agree on.” Little did she know how hard them both agreeing on a tree would be. They were there for hours going through every single tree in the lot.
“Sir, is there anything I can help you two with,” the man running the lot asked. Hatter growled a little adjusting his hat, and frowning at the man furiously.
“Yes, this woman here won't agree with anything I've picked. It's rather infuriating, she just keeps telling me no.”
“No,” Alice responded with a frown.
“See, no! That's all the blasted thing can say,” Hatter threw up his hands looking more frustrated than Alice had ever seen him.
“No, that's not all I can say! It's just every tree you've picked has been too tall, too fat, or too expensive. Why do you always have to go to such lengths, just pick something simple!” The salesman shifted nervously from foot to foot. He really didn't want to get in the middle of this tiff, they both looked very serious about this tree business. In fact they looked so serious they looked like they were about to break into a fist fight. “Now how about this one?”
Hatter scrunched his nose at that one too. It was this silly looking this with the branches all sticking up wrong. He didn't like it one bit. “No, this one.” He pointed to a short one that was very big around. Alice groaned loudly and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.
“It's too big around David, it'll never fit in through the door of the apartment, much less in the living room. Stop being such a pain in the ass.”
“I have an idea,” Hatter looked thoroughly pleased with his sudden revelation. And that worried Alice.
“What now?”
“Let's flip a coin for it! Heads I get to pick, tails you do. Then it's fair right,” Hatter nodded a smirk appearing on his face. Now if he could only remember where he'd put that double headed coin he'd come across.
“Fine, but we use one of my quarters, not one of your's,” Alice knew better than to trust Hatter at gambling, he had after all been a conman back in Wonderland.
Hatter gaped, and then frowned, “You don't trust me? After everything I've done and you don't trust me. I am offended, severely offended!” And he looked it too. Alice almost felt bad about it, almost. And by almost it's intended that she only had a tiny twinge of guilt at his offended face.
“Are you in or not? Because if not I'm just going to buy the one I want and you'll have to live with it,” she demanded crossing her arms and quirking one dark brow. Hatter looked her over for a long moment, trying to decide if she'd budge at all, but he'd seen that stance plenty of times, and he knew for sure she wasn't going anywhere. She had made up her mind, and she'd have it her way. He could do nothing to change that. Alice was a stubborn little oyster, and that was the Pickle's honest truth.
“Fine, we'll play by your rules, this time.” Alice nodded firmly and pulled a coin from her purse watching Hatter carefully. “Heads,” he called and she flipped the coin. There was a small very lady like groan when she looked at the result, and Hatter's grin spread thoroughly across his face.
“You win,” she grumbled so low that he had to lean forward to hear her.
“Lovely, sir we'll take that one,” he pointed to the too fat tree again, and paid the man. Hatter grinned the whole way back to the apartment at his victory. He hadn't beaten Alice in anything in.... well ever. He had some difficulty getting the blasted thing into the apartment but he didn't let the grin fade from his face. Minutes later he was on a ladder stringing these things called Christmas lights, and putting a star at the top of the tree, while Alice hung bulbs along the bottom. Well well, this Christmas thing was quite an adventure, a lovely adventure at that.
Author: greeneyes0911
Pairing: Alice/Hatter
Rating: pg-13ish
Length: 3,000+
Warnings/Spoilers: Part 2 of the miniseries
A/N: Umm...yeah I realize it's a wee long but I couldn't help it
Disclaimer: I don't own Alice, Hatter, March Hare, any of 'em....but damn would I be rich if I did!
Summary: Something was wrong with Alice. Very wrong with Alice, indeed. She was always a sweet, kind, loving soul but there was always an edge to it. Like she was just waiting for everything to fall down around her nose. No one could blame her really with everything that she'd been through. But this past few weeks she had been happy, silly, jolly even. Jolly!
Something was wrong with Alice. Very wrong with Alice, indeed. She was always a sweet, kind, loving soul but there was always an edge to it. Like she was just waiting for everything to fall down around her nose. No one could blame her really with everything that she'd been through. But this past few weeks she had been happy, silly, jolly even. Jolly! That was the word he'd been looking for the whole few weeks he'd been watching her. She was humming happily, even dancing around the room once or twice. And yesterday he would have sworn to the Cheshire Cat that he saw her skip on her way to work. It was starting to worry him, seriously worry him. He'd been in her world for a little bit now, and he'd never once seen her jolly. Sure she was happy as all hell to have him here, that showed clearly in the delicate attention she paid to him. But she was not jolly. No-sir-ee Alfred. Was she seeing someone else? Had she met someone? He was really starting to worry. Or maybe she was sick. What if his little Alice had finally snapped in the mental department. Oh lord what would he do if he had to become the sane one in their relationship?! No, no, let's not even start that thought. It had been bothering him non-stop for a few weeks. He'd lost sleep over this. And you know Hatter, he never once lost sleep over something. Well, except you know having the queen chop off his head, but that was an entirely different onion.
Finally as the both drooped on the couch one afternoon, both reading, her humming made him snap. Well, snap in non-lunatic, non-angry way. His head snapped up from the book he held in his hands, and he tilted it like a confused puppy at her. She didn't seem to notice at all. She was just humming happily reading her book, it was something about a girl named Christmas Carol, or maybe it was a boy since Christmas didn't sound like a girls name. But one could never really be sure in this crazy world he'd come to refer to as home. In fact he wasn't sure of much at all, especially given Alice's jolly state. “Alice,” he offered slowly trying not to let the worry slip into his voice.
“Hm,” Alice asked looking up from her book, her pale eyes meeting his dark brown ones. The curious look was almost enough to unnerve Hatter. Almost. He'd kind of gotten used to the easy way emotion played across her eyes. Yet, he still found himself perplexed by it sometimes. For a woman so closed off she sure wore her heart on her sleeve.
“What's the matter with you?” He hoped she didn't get offended. He really didn't need her to get offended. Oh no, he'd experienced karate chops first hand, and he didn't like them much at all. Of course the karate did make for a rather interesting bedroom scenario, but he didn't like the chops bit.
“What do you mean,” her voice was so easy and tranquil that he almost felt silly even bothering to ask her about this. Almost. Because if he didn't get this out he'd likely become some lunatic running 'round starkers and never leaving her alone for a minute. He couldn't live with that. He couldn't really be the Mad Hatter that was portrayed in that silly Alice book Alice loved so much. No that man was absolutely bonkers, depraved in every way. He couldn't do that, not to himself, and certainly not to Alice.
“Well you just seem quite...jolly as of late,” He cleared his throat nervously trying to clear the discomfort he felt building there. What was he doing? He shouldn't even be questioning her. He trusted her. He'd always trusted her. Since the moment he lay eyes on her, he knew she'd be there when he needed her, versa vice. Then what was this nagging at him? Oh toad, why was he even asking. He knew what it was. He'd felt it when Jack had been around Alice, this was jealousy at its purest.
“Well that's because Christmas is right around the corner,” she smiled cheerily.
“He...She....is?!” He jumped from his spot on the couch looking thoroughly bewildered. Not like he'd actually do anything to prepare for a visitor, but he liked to pretend he would just so Alice didn't get cross with him.
“....Hatter what are you talking about? Christmas is a holiday, sit down, relax,” she sighed pinching the bridge of her nose tiredly. She suddenly felt tired, like she would spend the rest of her life explaining things to him as if he were a child. She hoped someday soon he'd be accustomed to all these new things, and then she wouldn't have to explain anything anymore.
“Oh right....I knew that. I was just thinking maybe we should.....” he pondered for a long moment on the word he was hunting for. His brown eyes skipped about the room. He wanted to sound knowledgeable. He didn't want Alice to feel like she really had to explain everything. Not to mention he didn't like feeling like she had the upper hand on him, like she knew more than he did. Even if she did. That wasn't the point! “you know like...” he waved his hands frantically trying to think of the word his large brown eyes becoming more and more bewildered the longer the word eluded him.
Alice watched on suddenly amused with his attempts at wisdom. A dark brow quirked its way up toward her hair line and she continued to watch him flounder about the room like a fish out of water. Finally she decided he'd had enough punishment for his arrogance, and let out a small chuckle. “Decorate?”
“Yes!” He pointed to her suddenly triumphant, but then frowned a little when he realized that he hadn't been the one to think of the word at all, and it was she who had supplied it. “Yes, decorate. Why haven't we decorated? We should do that.”
Alice pondered this for a long moment. She hadn't put much thought into decorating for Christmas yet. Even if the holiday was fifteen days away. She just didn't have the decorations to do it. She'd moved in with Hatter a little while after he'd shown up at her mother's, and she had no decorations of her own. Every holiday item she'd ever put up she'd shared with her mother. They had one Christmas tree, one wreath for over the fireplace, one garland for the mantle, one fat red reindeer candy bowl, and so on and so forth. Just one, because though there were two of them they were living in one place. “I don't know Hatter. I don't really have any decorations yet. I really had no intention of going all out this year. I kind of thought we'd just go spend Christmas at mom's.” She shrugged indifferently, and turned back to her book.
Hatter stood there gaping at her, she so very clearly loved this Christmas thing. This must for certain be her favorite holiday, and yet she was ready to dismiss it like it was nothing. Was this because of him? Was it because she thought he wouldn't understand? “No,” he echoed the very word he heard fly from her mouth so often. Alright, so it hadn't been that often these past few weeks. She'd been down right pleasant, amiable, jolly even these past few weeks. She hadn't said no to one single thing he asked of her. He asked if he could fill the ice cube trays with juice, and she said yes, even if the didn't want grape flavored ice cubes. He asked if he could change the television while in the middle of some silly game show, and she said yes. Not a single no, these past few weeks. It was down right unnerving.
“No,” she asked looking up at him with a surprised look. Her eyebrows crinkled in confusion. No? What the hell did he mean by no? Had Hatter finally gone off his rocker? Crazy man didn't even know what he was saying no to. He didn't know what Christmas would mean once he got her into doing it. It was after all her favorite holiday all year. And when she did Christmas she did Christmas, like the damned Kringles! Mad, mad Hatter.
“No, I will not stand for this. It is my first Christmas and I will have it be the best bloody Christmas you or I have ever seen,” He exclaimed pointing an accusing finger at her. Hatter knew Alice well enough to know that if he said he wanted this done for her she'd just deny that that's what she wanted. She was selfless and she wanted him to be happy above anything else. Silly woman didn't realize that what made him most happy was when she was happy. “Now go put on your coat.”
“No,” She said sternly nodded her head and promptly went back to reading her book. That infuriating woman!
“No? I don't believe I asked you,” he said frustration seeping into his voice. “Now get up and do it.”
“Hatter, I've never once listened to anything you've told me to do, and I don't intend to start now. So just be quiet so I can read my book.” She waved her hand as if to dismiss him. Her blue eyes returned to the print on the page, and she ignored the gaping face he made before he caught his breath and his nerve.
“Fine, I'll go out and get us a Christmas tree myself. But be aware dear Alice, I don't know where these bloody things you call lots are,” he drifted off as he slipped on his shoes and pulled on his coat. Then as he opened the door he called back, “so I may just go chop down one of those pretty trees in the park for us.” The door shut behind him but he didn't move far from it. He knew her well enough to know that guilty her into something was the easiest way to go about it.
“Wait! Hatter! That's illegal,” Alice shouted jumping up from the couch, sitting her book in her spot, slipping on her shoes, and pulling on her coat before rushing out the door to run after him. Only to run face first into his chest as he chuckled, he grabbed her waist to keep her from falling backward. “You can't just chop down a tree from the park,” she scowled up at him, her tone scolding and her mouth set in that firm line once more.
“And why not? You didn't seem to want to come along, so I figured I'd take care of it meself,” he shrugged smirking a little but putting forth the effort to hide it because he knew she'd be angry.
“Because it's illegal. That's public property,” she grumbled still giving him that stern look that he'd become so thoroughly familiar with in Wonderland. He bit back a chuckle, it was really hard to take her seriously in that silly puffy coat she insisted was warm. Alice sighed, and rolled her eyes. “Fine if you want it that bad we'll go get a tree, and decorations. Happy?”
“Uncontrollably,” he smirked and kissed her cheek before dragging her along behind him to the elevator. “So where to first?” It seemed like a logical question to him. After all he didn't know where you go to buy Christmas decorations. But he was certain this was going to be a Hell of a trip.
“Well I think we should get a fake tree, you know then it won't drop-” she was cut off by Hatter's finger, and a frown on his face.
“No.”
“No?” What was with him? Why did he keep telling her no?
“No fake tree. I want the full experience. We get a real one.” He nodded to himself positively, he wouldn't hear her protests in any way shape or form. He knew what he wanted, and by Alfred he'd get it.
Alice frowned up at him, that stern line returning to her mouth. “Fine then you're vacuuming up the dead needles when they get everywhere. I won't be doing extra housework just because you have to have a real tree Hatter.” Hatter shrugged, how hard could vacuuming be anyways? He'd seen Alice do it dozens of times, and it looked really very simple. Really you just pushed around that noisy little machine, and it did all the work.
When they reached the store with the decorations Hatter's eyes nearly popped from his head. This place reminded him very much of wonderland. With everything all mixed up, resized, recolored, and lighted funny. Yes, he decided he was rather going to like this Christmas thing. “Alright we need to get some ornaments, and- David...David? David,” She asked turning around to find his mouth gaped wide as he moved through the store in some kind of awe. It was as if he couldn't even hear her. Alice rolled her eyes, pursed her lips, and grabbed his hand. “David!”
“Oh, right sorry, you know easily distracted and all. Right ornaments those would be....where?” His gaze fluttered around the shop again, it was just so different from anything he'd ever come across in Wonderland. They had so much...stuff here. Yet, it was so similar because the stuff was so odd, and unusual especially for this land. And he knew that because he'd been here long enough to know what was normal. Alice rolled her eyes and drug him by the hand to a table with boxes and boxes full of different colored shining globes. Alice picked up a few boxes of purple and gold boxes, then grabbed a box of green strings with little clear things on them and then drug Hatter from the store. His hand was wrapped tightly around the plastic bag handle like it was something precious.
“We'll just do a tree tonight. We don't have all sorts of time to be doing the whole apartment. Especially as we both have work tomorrow.” That was Alice, always so serious, and logical. Well, most of the time. Hatter let a grumbling noise protrude from his lips just thinking about work. Of course he liked his job well enough, he was working in a tea shop, but the thought of going to work when Alice was so jolly just didn't settle well with him. He should be around when she'd in a mood like this. It was down right eye opening. Speaking of eye opening, she was humming lightly beside him with a small smile on her face.
“What's that you're humming?” His head cocked like a confused puppy dog, and she grinned a little wider just seeing the look on his face.
“Deck the Halls, it's a Christmas song.” Hatter nodded as if he'd known all along and they
continued walking on. Alice led him down to something called a tree lot. Which happened to be a small place in the park with hundreds of trees all piled together.
“I want that one,” He said pointing to the biggest one he could find the instant they entered the lot.
Alice sighed a little amusedly, and rolled her eyes. “It's too big for the apartment. We need something small that won't take up much space.” Hatter's brow crinkled in annoyance. Why small? They should have the biggest Christmas tree ever, yes ever. He would not have this half-rat's Christmas she seemed to be aiming at. He wanted it all. “This one.” She said pointing to a short stumpy sparcy looking thing. She saw the unpleased look on his face and rolled her eyes theatrically. “Fine then we'll have to compromise and get something we both can agree on.” Little did she know how hard them both agreeing on a tree would be. They were there for hours going through every single tree in the lot.
“Sir, is there anything I can help you two with,” the man running the lot asked. Hatter growled a little adjusting his hat, and frowning at the man furiously.
“Yes, this woman here won't agree with anything I've picked. It's rather infuriating, she just keeps telling me no.”
“No,” Alice responded with a frown.
“See, no! That's all the blasted thing can say,” Hatter threw up his hands looking more frustrated than Alice had ever seen him.
“No, that's not all I can say! It's just every tree you've picked has been too tall, too fat, or too expensive. Why do you always have to go to such lengths, just pick something simple!” The salesman shifted nervously from foot to foot. He really didn't want to get in the middle of this tiff, they both looked very serious about this tree business. In fact they looked so serious they looked like they were about to break into a fist fight. “Now how about this one?”
Hatter scrunched his nose at that one too. It was this silly looking this with the branches all sticking up wrong. He didn't like it one bit. “No, this one.” He pointed to a short one that was very big around. Alice groaned loudly and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.
“It's too big around David, it'll never fit in through the door of the apartment, much less in the living room. Stop being such a pain in the ass.”
“I have an idea,” Hatter looked thoroughly pleased with his sudden revelation. And that worried Alice.
“What now?”
“Let's flip a coin for it! Heads I get to pick, tails you do. Then it's fair right,” Hatter nodded a smirk appearing on his face. Now if he could only remember where he'd put that double headed coin he'd come across.
“Fine, but we use one of my quarters, not one of your's,” Alice knew better than to trust Hatter at gambling, he had after all been a conman back in Wonderland.
Hatter gaped, and then frowned, “You don't trust me? After everything I've done and you don't trust me. I am offended, severely offended!” And he looked it too. Alice almost felt bad about it, almost. And by almost it's intended that she only had a tiny twinge of guilt at his offended face.
“Are you in or not? Because if not I'm just going to buy the one I want and you'll have to live with it,” she demanded crossing her arms and quirking one dark brow. Hatter looked her over for a long moment, trying to decide if she'd budge at all, but he'd seen that stance plenty of times, and he knew for sure she wasn't going anywhere. She had made up her mind, and she'd have it her way. He could do nothing to change that. Alice was a stubborn little oyster, and that was the Pickle's honest truth.
“Fine, we'll play by your rules, this time.” Alice nodded firmly and pulled a coin from her purse watching Hatter carefully. “Heads,” he called and she flipped the coin. There was a small very lady like groan when she looked at the result, and Hatter's grin spread thoroughly across his face.
“You win,” she grumbled so low that he had to lean forward to hear her.
“Lovely, sir we'll take that one,” he pointed to the too fat tree again, and paid the man. Hatter grinned the whole way back to the apartment at his victory. He hadn't beaten Alice in anything in.... well ever. He had some difficulty getting the blasted thing into the apartment but he didn't let the grin fade from his face. Minutes later he was on a ladder stringing these things called Christmas lights, and putting a star at the top of the tree, while Alice hung bulbs along the bottom. Well well, this Christmas thing was quite an adventure, a lovely adventure at that.