Different Cheshire Cat

Part 3

Hercyn screamed. The cement of the sidewalk rushed up to meet him as he exited the kaleidoscopic tunnel of magic again. Before his feet could even touch the ground, the cheshire pulled him back into the technicolor hellscape of her portal.

"PUT ME DOWN!" Hercyn screamed.

With one last flash of color, Hercyn landed on the floor of a dingy apartment. The cheshire spilled onto the ground next to him. She lay there panting, sweat staining the collar of her hoodie. Hercyn fought through his vertigo and staggered over to the kitchen sink. Clenching the edge of the counter, he heaved into the basin until the ground stopped undulating under his feet. For once, not having any food in his stomach worked in his favor.

"I'm really sorry! I forgot how jarring that can be to humans!" said the cheshire.

Hercyn wiped the spit from his face and washed it away. "Where the hell are we?"

"We're in my apartment. The girls would have come after us, so I kind of... panicked. I can take you out! If you want." The cheshire nervously sat amidst the spilled groceries around her.

"No. I am NOT getting warped around again."

"Oh, okay..." the cheshire began to stroke her tail.

Hercyn looked around the apartment. This place was a dump. Bits of wrappers and trash were strewn haphazardly throughout the apartment. Piles of clothes occupied several seats. Dozens of empty noodle cups sat in a spire of Styrofoam on the kitchen counter. Even in the early hours of the night, the place was still oppressively dark. Hercyn had the feeling that even when the sun was up, the thick curtains covering the window stayed closed. Still, the place seemed strangely familiar...
"Give me my food. I'm leaving." Demanded Hercyn.

The cat sheepishly scooped his food back into the bag before handing it to him.

"I'm sorry." She sniffled.

Hercyn sighed. It was wrong to take out his frustrations on her, even if she had violated his personal space and inner ear by warping him into her home. She HAD saved him after all.

"Yeah, I'm sorry too. It's been a long night; I just want to go home." Said Hercyn.

"Okay."

Hercyn stared at the pale face below him for a few more moments. The cheshire blushed and used the drawstrings of her hoody to tighten the hood around her face. Sparing both of them any more of the pregnant pause, Hercyn marched to the door and stepped out into the hall.

He stopped in his tracks. The color of the walls, the carpet, the musty smell, the dim lights that put out more decibels than photons, no wonder he had deja'vu.

"Is... Is this 644 West Lim Street?" asked Hercyn.

The cheshire's eyes bulged.

"I said I'm sorry! Please just leave!" she pleaded.

"What floor are we on?"

"Fifth! We're on the fifth."

Hercyn looked at the number on the door. 513, right above his room. He had always wondered how his upstairs neighbor could be so quiet. He had hardly heard as much as a footstep in the months since she had moved in.

"Huh. I live right below you." mused Hercyn.

The cheshire cinched her hoody tighter. Only her nose protruded through the puckered hood. "I said I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you yack, please don't get me kicked out!"

"I'm not going to get you kicked out."

The cheshire hugged her knees waiting for him to leave. Hercyn felt bad for leaving her like this.

"Are you... going to be, okay?" he asked tentatively.

"Yes." The cheshire's voice was muffled by the fabric.

A loud growl made the ensuing silence even more awkward. The cheshire clutched her stomach.

"Would you uhh... like something to eat?" offered Hercyn.

The cheshire pulled her hood open enough to look at him. "I'm sorry. If you can spare something small, I'd take it. But you don't have to! I'll be fine, really!"

"I don't mind sharing." Said Hercyn. He stepped back into the apartment and turned on the lights.

The cat flinched as the lights flickered to life. Hercyn couldn't help but notice some nasty stains on the carpet that had been hidden by the darkness. She probably wasn't going to get the security deposit back... The cheshire floated over to him as he set aside the stack of ramen cups on the kitchen counter.

"I swear, I'll just take something small. And I'll pay you back! I'll just take-"

The cat's promise was cut short as she saw the ingredients in Hercyn's bag.

"Uhh... Umm... I-I guess I'll take this..." she sheepishly took a bell pepper out from a bag.

"What? Put that back, I'm going to use that." Said Hercyn.

She immediately put it back into the bag. "I'm sorry! I thought you said-"

"I'm going to cook us something. How long has it been since you've eaten anything that didn't come out of a wrapper?"

The ear flaps of the cheshire's hoody drooped.

"Ahh, sorry. I didn't mean it like that. You should just take care of yourself, that's all." Said Hercyn.

"I DO take care of myself! I've lived alone for a while now!"

Hercyn was taken aback by the outburst. The cheshire's ruby eyes quickly cooled.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell..."

"You don't have to apologize. Where are your pans?" Hercyn flicked open a few cabinets and drawers.

"Pans?"

"Yeah, you know, pans."

She blinked.

"Pots? Skillets? Spatulas? Any cooking utensils?" asked Hercyn.

Hercyn could see the faintest hint of blush through the hole of her hoody. The flush of color in her pale cheeks reminded her of a ragdoll.

"I... don't do much cooking..." said the cheshire softly.

Hercyn looked at the mess covering the counters and the stovetop. "Let's go to my place."

"...Huh?"

"It would take too much effort to clean this place up. Let's just go down a floor and I'll make you dinner."

"...Really?"

Hercyn gave her a bemused look. He never expected anyone to be so incredulous over a meal.

"Yes, really. Do you think that I would offer to feed you just to rescind that offer?"

"It wouldn't be the first time..." she whispered.

"What?"

"Nothing! Let's just... go downstairs." Said the cheshire.

"Right." He packed the food again. "Let's go eat."

(Next part at 30 reads on this chapter)

(PS. sorry for the absence nya)