Chesh pulled out the batch of muffins from the oven and inhaled deeply as the scent of perfectly-made chocolate chip muffins wafted through the house. They were just the right color. He set them on the counter to cool and walked out into the living room where I was seated on the couch, a longing look on my face as I stared at the kitchen. "Those smell so good," I said, my mouth watering.

Cheshire laughed. "They're almost done. Hold off for another ten minutes, would ya?" he said. "Besides, we have to wait for everyone else to get here first."

I frowned. "Do you know why Hatter asked to meet?"

He shrugged. "That's part of the Hatter's madness. He doesn't really explain things well. He just said that we would assemble this afternoon for tea and talk. About what? I have no clue," Chesh said. I sighed and fiddled with the string on my hoodie, disappointed and anxious. Cheshire saw this and grinned. He walked behind me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders in a loose hug. "Aw! Is someone nervous? Don't worry. Whatever it is I'll protect you," he told me, and he pecked me on the cheek.

My cheeks grew bright red and I untangled myself from his arms. "Cut it out," I said. I headed for my room in hopes of escape.

Cheshire quickly blocked my way. "What's wrong, Alice?" He smirked. "Don't you like me?"

I hunched my shoulders. "That's not what I meant..." I mumbled.

"So, you do like me?" Cheshire moved towards me and shoved me back on the couch. I scrambled to get back up, but he got on top of me, a leg on either side of my hips to keep me in place. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked seductively.

I frowned, a light blush on my face that falsified my every word. "Cheshire, I'm not in the mood," I said.

He chuckled. "Not in the mood for what? What am I doing?" he taunted.

I scowled. "You know what I'm talking about," I said.

Cheshire's amusement only grew. "Do I? Explain it to me. I want to hear you tell me what it is exactly you don't like," he pressed. He leaned forward and breathed out through his nose, tickling my neck making me shiver uncomfortably. He seemed to notice I wouldn't look at him, so he slipped a hand under both my hoodie and my black V-neck tee. 

Inhaling sharply in surprise, I shot him a glare. "Cheshire, stop," I demanded.

"Stop what?" he asked innocently.

I gave an exasperated sigh at how far all of my choices of scolding had gotten me and he held in a laugh. Then he leaned towards me again. "You know, you're just making it worse," he whispered as he brushed his lips to my neck.

I shuddered at the sensation and he bit down on the soft spot he had found and memorized ages ago. He knew it drove me insane and I squirmed beneath him desperately. "Ch-Che- Fuck!" I suddenly exclaimed. 

Cheshire paused before he pressed my knee to my crotch and was surprised to feel a hardness he hadn't expected. This was only better for him and he took full advantage. "Oh, what's this now? Do I feel what I think I feel?" he asked.

I tried my best to hold my glare, furious at myself for having let things get this far, but I knew he could see the nervousness behind it. He grinned like and my glare faltered significantly as he used his tail to massage my erection through my pants. I moaned and closed my eyes, my breath coming out faster as I struggled to keep my head. Cheshire seemed to be enjoying himself though and began fiddling with the button on my jeans with his fingers. "This is fun," he said into my ear. "We should do this more often." 

I shook my head, but he simply laughed, taking in the sight of me all hot and bothered beneath him. He was just about to slip his tail down my pants, an action that might have earned him a black eye, when there was a knock on the door. We both froze in out spots and our heads snapped to the door.

Before Cheshire could make some silly remark about being interrupted, I shoved him away and tried to make myself look presentable. If Rab saw me in such a state, he would have both our heads. I was fixing my hair when Chesh smirked at me. "You might want to do something about that," he said, pointing to the bulge in my blue blue jeans.

I glared at him, and he laughed as I raced into the bathroom to take care of myself. I could hear him still laughing as he opened the door for the visitor. Leaning against the bathroom wall, trying to get a grip, I heard Rab speaking in the living room. "What took you so long?" he was asking.

Cheshire swallowed his laugher, but I could still hear it in his voice. "I was just in the middle of something, that's all," he said.

"Where's Alice?" I heard Hatter asked.

"He," Cheshire couldn't help but giggle, probably remembering the last few minutes. "He had some business to take care of," Chesh said, struggling to keep it together. 

I clenched my teeth and turned to the bathroom door. "Asshole!" I shouted as loud as I could, hoping they could hear me from al the way down the hall. If they had, Rab was probably suspicious of something, but I knew Hatter would just be oblivious.

As I took even breaths to calm the storm in my pants, I heard Cheshire offer them seats and reassure them that I would return soon. It took a solid minute and then some, but eventually, my head cleared and the digits in my pants began to lesson until I was back to normal. 

I reenter the living room just as Cheshire was returning from the kitchen with the plate of freshly-made muffins. I knew my face was flushed and had trace elements of sweat on my skin, but I tried to ignore it. I looked at Chesh wrily and he sent me a wink. With narrowed eyes, I sat down next to Rab.

Cheshire put the tray on the coffee table and seated himself across from Hatter, crossing his legs like a child. "Are we going to get started?" he asked.

"Mouse and March aren't here yet," Hatter said. "Mouse needs to be here before we start."

"Why?" Chesh asked curiously.

"He has some important information on the queen," Hatter replied.

Hearing this, I tensed and looked at my hands, now sweaty for a different reason. Soon after, there was another knock on the door and Cheshire stood and answered it. March stood there, Mouse riding piggyback style behind him. Once they were inside, March set Mouse down and they both sat Cheshire retook his place as well and the meeting began.

Hatter picked up his cup to start, and took a sip. "Now that we're all here, Mouse, would you like to tell us what you know?" he asked.

He nodded eagerly, his stutter increasing when he spoke. "I snuck into the p-palace on Hatter's orders," he explained. "I made m-my way to the queen's private meeting. She was t-taking more and m-more taxes from the p-people."

"Witch," March muttered as every one of us sighed in frustration, myself included, though I had only been living there for just under a week.

Mouse agreed with our distress. "She s-seemed extremely h-happy about something and so I followed her." He crossed his arms, thinking hard. "Our previous p-plan is not g-going to work."

"Why?" Rab asked.

Mouse looked at him. "She has T and T."

When everyone looked shocked and upset to hear this, I frown. "She has what?" I questioned, tilting my head to the side curously. I didn't notice the smile that Chesh expressed when he saw my confusion.

"Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum," March said with a chuckle. "They're our moles. They were in there getting information for us, but they stopped contacting us about a month ago," he said.

Hatter nodded. "Dee was her personal councilor, she told him everything he asked her. Then he would tell that to Dum, who was her messenger, and that's how they would get the information out to us," he explained.

That was an impressive system. "Wow," I said.

Mouse continued as if no one had spoken during his pause. "They are locked in the d-dungeon down under the palace. W-without them we have n-no eyes or ears," he said, stressing the severity of the situation.

"Mouse is right, but that doesn't mean our plan won't work. We'll just have to be extra careful when we execute it," Rab said, rubbing his chin.

"What is the plan?" I asked. "No one actually told me, and I think it's important I know what we're doing."

March took a big sip of tea and smiled at me. "We decided it would be best to get in unnoticed versus storming the place," he said cheerfully, dumping in another spoonful of sugar to his half-empty teacup. "Once we're inside, we'll find the queen. The rest is up to you."

My stomach twisted into knots. "Up to me?" I said.

Hatter nodded. "You have to take her out once we find her. If one of us does it, it'll just make things worse. You're the child of the White Queen so you wouldn't be charged with murder-"

I stopped that through before it was even finished. "Murder?! What are you talking about? I can't kill someone!" I stood up, an obvious look of shock on my face.

"Alice, calm down. You don't have to kill anyboby," Rab said putting a hand on my arm. "It was just an idea. You don't have to do anything like that if you don't want to. Just calm down, okay?"

I didn't know if I believed him, and I certainly didn't feel calm, but I sat down again. "Sorry," I muttered.

"So, what are we gonna do about D-Dee and D-Dum?" Mouse asked, tugging on the hat that hid his ears. "We can't p-possibly just leave them there."

"Let's send Alice," March suggested excitedly.

"What?" I asked, horrified.

"He's right! It could help test him for the real thing!" Hatter spoke up, equally as enthusiastic as March. 

"Wait, hold on a second," I protested. I felt like I was about to run from the room as everyone began nodding in agreement, completely ignoring me.

"All in favor?" Hatter asked. Mouse, March, Rab and Hatter all held up their hands. I was going to be sick. Cheshire was the only one who seemed wary as the Hatter took the final head count. "I guess it's settled then. Cheshire, have him ready to leave tomorrow afternoon," Hatter said, standing up and heading for the door with his teacup still in hand.

After each washing their cups and plates, everyone else followed and soon the house was quiet. Cheshire peeked over his shoulder at me as he took our plates into the kitchen, but I was staring out the window. "Hey, Cheshire?" I asked.

He looked away to pretend he hadn't been watching me. "Yeah?"

"Do you know why things like this always happen to ordinary people like me?" I asked.

Chesh finished cleaning the dishes and came to sit down next to him. "You're not ordinary. You're special in more ways than one," he said.

"But why?" I asked. "Why am I special? I never asked for this and certainly never wanted it. So, why is it happening to me?"

There was a pause as Cheshire thought before he spoke. "I don't know, but I'm glad it did," he said. I looked up at him and he smiled. "If it hadn't, I never would have met you," he told me.

This was not as reassuring as he had probably intended it to be and I slouched unhappily. "I guess..."

He looked at me for a moment before he stood up. "Come with me. I want to show you something," he said. He grabbed my hand before I could refuse, and pulled me off the couch and out the front door.

*******

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