[prompt bingo] [heart no kuni] Recluse
Title: First Night
Author: spicy_diamond
Rating: PG-13
Prompt: Recluse
Challenge: promptbingo
Disclaimer: All Quinrose and Lewis Carrol, I just mess with their heads.
Summary: [Heart, Julius / Alice] There are reasons as to why Julius has never entertained a house guest before, none of which seem to matter to Alice.
Words: 725
Author's Notes: *shrugs* Not what I was supposed to be working on, and not quite sure if I'm totally pleased with it. Just one of the odd things that occurred to me about Alice staying at the Clock Tower. Would Julius really have a cute little nightie waiting there for her? No. It's not that convenient of a dream.
“Hey, Julius... what should I wear?”
The question was so soft and hesitant that Julius would have most certainly missed it had it not been for the fact that he was in between watches at the moment. Carefully setting down his tools, he glanced up from his desk. Frowning slightly as he turned to watch his house guest from the corner of his eye.
“Pardon?”
“To bed.” Alice clarified in the same quiet voice that the watchmaker wasn't quite sure what to make of. Looking slightly embarrassed, the girl shifted awkwardly in place, grumbling softly. “I didn't exactly get to pack a suitcase for this trip.”
Her hands fisted nervously in her apron and Julius sighed. One hand coming up to massage the bridge of his nose, he removed his glasses.
“Sorry.” She quickly apologized, trying to wave away her complaint. “I know you're busy. And I don't really mean to impose. It's just- I guess, I could always...”
Beginning to babble, she glanced down at herself. A small, dismayed look forming on her face as she realized how dirty her dress had become over the course of her untimely arrival to Wonderland. Clearly beginning to realize just how far out of her element she was, the girl's shoulders sagged slightly under Julius' stare.
Feeling the first twinges of guilt, the watchmaker gave a low mutter of frustration. Placing his glasses in his breast pocket, he moved. Palms flattening against his workbench as he pushed himself to his feet. Striding briskly across the small room, Julius roughly opened a lone chest of drawers.
“Here.” Riffling quickly through his clothing, he drew out a spare shirt and thrust it pointedly in her direction. “I don't have an extra set of pajamas for you to borrow; but, this should work well enough for now. You can go buy yourself something better tomorrow.”
“Really?” Alice's eyes lit up in appreciation. “You don't mind if I use it?”
“I wouldn't have offered it if I did.” Feeling distinctly uncomfortable at her gratitude, he glanced away. One hand resting lightly on his hip as he spoke. “Just make sure to wash it before you give it back.”
“Of course.” Alice chirped back. Hugging the shirt to her chest happily before she held it up consideringly. Her lips pursed.
There was a pause. Then, hesitantly.
“...Julius?”
“Yes?”
Lowering the shirt slightly, she glanced up at him. Her cheeks colored with the first hint of a blush.
“Do you mind turning around a bit so I can change?”
Eyes widening, Julius hastily whirled away.
“Just hurry up and go to bed when you're finished.” He told her. Clearing his throat gruffly, the watchmaker quickly made his way back to his desk. Ignoring the harsh screech of his chair scraping against the Tower's stone flooring as he busied himself with the first watch that met his fingers. “I'm getting back to work.”
There was a soft sound of agreement behind him, followed by the rustle of clothing as she changed into her temporary nightclothes
He hadn't gotten much farther in his work when she called to him again.
“Hey, Julius?” Her voice was much closer than before and, despite himself, he turned. His knuckles blanching as his hand reflexively tightened around his screwdriver so hard it hurt.
His shirt was just barely decent on her. Despite hanging baggily over her much smaller form, it rode far higher up on her thighs than he cared to think about. Her bare toes curled against the cold floor.
“What is it this time?” He asked finally.
“Thank you.”
Julius snorted softly before, giving her a look.
“It's not to late to change your mind, you know.” He told her bluntly, one brow arched. “If you stayed at just about anywhere else you wouldn't of had to worry about pajamas, or dirty clothes, or even cramped quarters.”
“I know.” She stepped forward, giving him a quick hug around the shoulders, before turning to climb up the ladder to bed. A small pleased smile on her face. “So, thank you for letting me stay here instead, Julius”
He shook his head lightly, still not understanding her in the slightest.
A strange, strange girl.
Author: spicy_diamond
Rating: PG-13
Prompt: Recluse
Challenge: promptbingo
Disclaimer: All Quinrose and Lewis Carrol, I just mess with their heads.
Summary: [Heart, Julius / Alice] There are reasons as to why Julius has never entertained a house guest before, none of which seem to matter to Alice.
Words: 725
Author's Notes: *shrugs* Not what I was supposed to be working on, and not quite sure if I'm totally pleased with it. Just one of the odd things that occurred to me about Alice staying at the Clock Tower. Would Julius really have a cute little nightie waiting there for her? No. It's not that convenient of a dream.
“Hey, Julius... what should I wear?”
The question was so soft and hesitant that Julius would have most certainly missed it had it not been for the fact that he was in between watches at the moment. Carefully setting down his tools, he glanced up from his desk. Frowning slightly as he turned to watch his house guest from the corner of his eye.
“Pardon?”
“To bed.” Alice clarified in the same quiet voice that the watchmaker wasn't quite sure what to make of. Looking slightly embarrassed, the girl shifted awkwardly in place, grumbling softly. “I didn't exactly get to pack a suitcase for this trip.”
Her hands fisted nervously in her apron and Julius sighed. One hand coming up to massage the bridge of his nose, he removed his glasses.
“Sorry.” She quickly apologized, trying to wave away her complaint. “I know you're busy. And I don't really mean to impose. It's just- I guess, I could always...”
Beginning to babble, she glanced down at herself. A small, dismayed look forming on her face as she realized how dirty her dress had become over the course of her untimely arrival to Wonderland. Clearly beginning to realize just how far out of her element she was, the girl's shoulders sagged slightly under Julius' stare.
Feeling the first twinges of guilt, the watchmaker gave a low mutter of frustration. Placing his glasses in his breast pocket, he moved. Palms flattening against his workbench as he pushed himself to his feet. Striding briskly across the small room, Julius roughly opened a lone chest of drawers.
“Here.” Riffling quickly through his clothing, he drew out a spare shirt and thrust it pointedly in her direction. “I don't have an extra set of pajamas for you to borrow; but, this should work well enough for now. You can go buy yourself something better tomorrow.”
“Really?” Alice's eyes lit up in appreciation. “You don't mind if I use it?”
“I wouldn't have offered it if I did.” Feeling distinctly uncomfortable at her gratitude, he glanced away. One hand resting lightly on his hip as he spoke. “Just make sure to wash it before you give it back.”
“Of course.” Alice chirped back. Hugging the shirt to her chest happily before she held it up consideringly. Her lips pursed.
There was a pause. Then, hesitantly.
“...Julius?”
“Yes?”
Lowering the shirt slightly, she glanced up at him. Her cheeks colored with the first hint of a blush.
“Do you mind turning around a bit so I can change?”
Eyes widening, Julius hastily whirled away.
“Just hurry up and go to bed when you're finished.” He told her. Clearing his throat gruffly, the watchmaker quickly made his way back to his desk. Ignoring the harsh screech of his chair scraping against the Tower's stone flooring as he busied himself with the first watch that met his fingers. “I'm getting back to work.”
There was a soft sound of agreement behind him, followed by the rustle of clothing as she changed into her temporary nightclothes
He hadn't gotten much farther in his work when she called to him again.
“Hey, Julius?” Her voice was much closer than before and, despite himself, he turned. His knuckles blanching as his hand reflexively tightened around his screwdriver so hard it hurt.
His shirt was just barely decent on her. Despite hanging baggily over her much smaller form, it rode far higher up on her thighs than he cared to think about. Her bare toes curled against the cold floor.
“What is it this time?” He asked finally.
“Thank you.”
Julius snorted softly before, giving her a look.
“It's not to late to change your mind, you know.” He told her bluntly, one brow arched. “If you stayed at just about anywhere else you wouldn't of had to worry about pajamas, or dirty clothes, or even cramped quarters.”
“I know.” She stepped forward, giving him a quick hug around the shoulders, before turning to climb up the ladder to bed. A small pleased smile on her face. “So, thank you for letting me stay here instead, Julius”
He shook his head lightly, still not understanding her in the slightest.
A strange, strange girl.