Broken Pocket Watch // Alice in Wonderland X Male!Reader

[32] *~Chess's Route~*

Chess rubbed off the left over drops of water on March's face and body, then moving to dry his messy hair and ears with the towel. He and (M/n) finished drying their selves and March was last. And since Chess got (M/n)'s only sweater and shirt wet, he let him borrow the extra shirt he had in his own bag. It was a long sleeved purple shirt that was way too long for (M/n)'s body and arms.

March shook the water off his hair and opened his forest green eyes, looking at the cat's golden ones. "Hey, Chess. Did you say sorry to (M/n) for getting his clothes wet?" He said, tilting his head in wonder.

Chess sighed and ruffled March's already messy hair. "Yep, he says it's okay and that there's no need to apologize." Indeed, he was guilty for dragging him into a splash fight forcefully, but he looked like he had fun even just for a little bit. That loosened his chest a bit.

March smiled. "Okay~ I'm hungry already so let's go eat!" He dashed before Chess could manage to catch him. It made him smile and chuckle. "He really reminds me of when I was a kid..."

"March?" With the sudden appearance of (M/n) behind him, Chess's ears and tail stood up to express how he was startled. He let out a shaky breath. "Man, you scared me! What do you think of the shirt?" He asked, turning towards the smaller male.

(M/n) held up the dangling sleeve. His laugh was laced with nervousness. "Pretty long, but it's okay. So, how does March remind you of back when you were a kid?" He said, completely changing the topic.

The cat's tail swayed side to side almost rhythmically. "Oh, you know, he likes to fool around, he's energetic, and he has this mischievous glint in his eyes. It's just like how I was when I was a kid. Well, even up till now, I'm still like that. Only that...I've matured in some ways. I don't know, it's just really nice to see a little bit of myself in this kid."

His lips crinkled into a soft smile towards the messy haired kid sitting on the picnic blanket with his little brother, stuffing his face with small bread. (M/n) couldn't help but adore the look on Chess's face. He looked rather calm but at the same time nostalgic. His gaze was on March but he seemed to be looking farther. And it took a tap on his arm to shake him out of his daze.

"Let's go eat." (M/n) gave him a quick smile before dragging the larger male towards the picnic blanket. Chess took a moment before his cheeks flared a light crimson. "Ah..."

They all sat together on the picnic blanket, laying out their various foods. The majority of which are desserts. Chess brought out some soup, salad, and fried fish. "Don't worry, these fish aren't the kinds that can talk or sit in the forest contemplating their entire lives. They're edible, as long as you don't eat them in front of their brethren."

He also brought out some plates, bowls, and utensils. "Wow, you really got ready for this picnic." (M/n) said with amazement. Flattered, Chess chuckled. "Well, since Lukas, Allan, and Alistair are often so busy doing their own things, I rarely get the chance of doing something like this with the people I like. That's why I'm glad you agreed to come. And the kids too. It's really nice."

Then, his smile widened further. "Now let's dig in!" He and March began dragging food towards their plates and biting more than they can chew. Even if the food Chess brought was healthy, the problem was how he eats it. (M/n) laughed before getting some food for himself as well.

Dorie ate quietly in comparison to March who was noisily chomping away lettuce, cabbage, and fish. It was still an adorable sight to see though. (M/n) sipped on the hot soup and his taste buds were utterly delighted. This went past his expectations. Not only did it taste good, but it looked and smelled good too. "Chess, this is great!"

Chess stopped munching away on his fish and looked at (M/n). He gave him a wide grin. "I may not look like it, but I cook a lot! I even got a few lessons out of Alistair and Allan, but I've been cooking since I was kid~" He said before returning to his meal