Alice in a Twisted Wonderland (BL 18+ Completed)

Chapter Fourteen: Boa in Wonderland

"I'll never let you go, finish what you started. I wish she'll never know, Faithful is impossible."

"Erin! Erin!"

"Erin WAKE UP!" He's been hearing Alex's voice, but it may be Ace who is desperately shaking him awake. "Erin!"

Finally, he woke up with tears in his eyes, and upon spotting a concerned Knight and a severely horrified King of Hearts, Erin's first move was to hug him.

"What's happening?" Knight questions, watching him cry while his skin is transforming into something weird. Erin was busy crying over what happened, and Ace took it upon himself to feel his arms, and the skin under his shirt.

It seems like textured tattoos of giant red roses are imprinted on the skin that Erin burned in his world. Only Ace knows of the cause of the red roses...

Alice also had a single red rose on her ankle... from a burn. Ace's heart broke at the reason Erin was crying against him right now. "Erin... are you okay? In your world?"

Gently being pulled away, Erin sobs in front of him in an attempt to pull the King closer again. "Ace... it hurts."

"Shhh," the King pulls him in to put their heads together, making sure he doesn't feel alone. Erin is not ready to tell them what happened, and Knight patiently waits for the King's orders. "Knight... tell them Alice isn't well enough for a tea party. I have to speak with him alone."

"Ace..." Knight wasn't sure if he can't handle this, as he didn't know how to comfort a person. But that look in the King's eyes...

"Leave us," he sternly says, holding a shaking Erin.

"I will deliver refreshments here. Don't make it worse, Ace," Knight politely bows, but his one eye sneaks a glance at Erin because watching him suffer like this is heartbreaking even for a stone-faced Knight. The white snake is curled up on the bedpost, wanting to approach the crying Erin but is too scared of the King.

The Alice is crying... Boa wants to get closer to learn why, but the King is just scary.

When Knight left, Ace waited for a while for Erin to regain his composure. But he didn't leave; he stayed in front of Erin and caressed the harmless red roses inked on his skin, textured and rough.

Very beautiful. Ace gently lifts the tattooed arm, "Roses are beautiful, but their thorns hurt. Whenever burns heal in Wonderland... it turns into a rose as if to say, you went through the thorns, and you're still beautiful as the rose."

Erin still feels horrible; he went through so much trauma in the real world, and the only one to make him feel better is Ace's smooth voice and comforting words.

"I'm sorry I can't save you from your world. All I can do is protect you in Wonderland."

"You have protected me in my world," Erin whispers, wiping his nose. "Your shítty counterpart..."

"Oh?" Should Ace be worried?

"He tried, in his own way. He kissed me too... before..." Erin confesses, but sniffs sadly, "... my house was burned down. I don't think I have anywhere to go. But... but, if my cat lives... I'd be so happy. If she lives..."

Erin was kissed by my counterpart. Why does the King of Hearts suddenly want to punch a mirror?

"You love your cat very much, I'm sure she's okay," Ace sighs softly, "Where's your snake? Do you want to see her? She will comfort you..."

"I love them both." Erin looks at nothing but Ace's red eyes. "Uhm... I-I don't know where Boa is..."

Ace looks around, trying to find the snake. Being given the opportunity to comfort the upset Alice, Boa slithers down the bed and around the burned skin of Erin, crawling among the flowers.