can we stay together for just a little while longer?

Eloise was the first person Ferris had ever kissed, and she never wanted to stop, now that they'd began. And he obliged, repeatedly, making her squirm a little more each time. She was melting, skin a gentle pink, warmth under it. She could feel their bodies brushing, him settling on top of her, moving her leg for a more pressed together position. Oh, my heart might simply burst! she thought, nearly tearing up over it. He is much too handsome, and much too close, and I may faint over it! But don't you dare do that, Alice!

Then, this form of kissing was-- very foreign to Ferris, and she was dizzy over it quite instantly. She never fainted, but certainly felt as though she was close to it. In fact, her physical sensations were far stronger than usual, and she imagined the mental attraction had a lot to do with that. It was like floating, but there was a weight to Eloise that she remained keenly aware of, pressing her down. The touches gave her head another spin, and she pined after being held by him. She imagined spending time together into the night, and falling asleep beside the other. Making plans for the weekends, holding hands. Reading in his lap by a cozy fire. Holding, holding, holding close.

Ferris was all gooey mush. She leaned into his hands just a little, and the kisses a lot. At some point, she learned to shyly return the efforts at deepening their kissing, though really let Eloise do what he pleased there. Eventually, despite her wishes, they had to part. She missed him right away, and had to catch her breath in the next moment, taking a big enough gulp of air that it was almost like she'd been underwater. It was strongly visible, coming out a fog in the cold air.

Her lips still felt heated, and lightly damp. As she lay there thinking and allowing her heartbeat to calm, she dazedly ran her fingers over them. Goodness. She'd had her lips claimed by a no-good, rotten pirate, hadn't she? Bad Alice, how troublesome of you!

She was impressed, but bit her tongue, not wishing to be seen as childish for once. Her saucer eyes flashed to him and away from him, back and forth, indecisive on which was the better option. The delight of gazing at him, or the safety of looking away?

When he took her hand, she settled on flushed staring thanks to the kiss, and squeezed back. But… what he said made her pause. An offer to have her labeled as his, or to try a little harder. Ferris' face burned utterly red as this sank in, and then, outrage. A young girl's wounded pride and upbringing coming back into play. Ferris sat up in a wobbly manner, and promptly scooted back to a civil distance from Eloise.

And blushing furiously, she pointed at him to display the outrage. "That much touching-- is simply not the way you go about courting a lady, Eloise, you brute! You can't do that again, if you are to call yourself serious!" She took a deep breath. "You have to care for me, and spend time with me, and get to know what my favorite things and feelings are!"

She wasn't losing any of the red flush, but cleared her throat. "I wish to skate with you now, as promised, and so you can give me a proper date. Please help me to my feet, as well. I fear my knees will give out from under me, and that just won't do for skating, you understand!"

"Oh, don't look at me like that," Ferris whispered, embarrassed. "It makes it harder to teach you manners, you know. You must behave, Captain Eloise." She took his hands, heart singing at it. This was okay, she thought. This much was fine. She held on to one tight while they skated.

Watching snow drift down around Eloise, the pretty crystals occasionally landing on his head or shoulders for a moment. she giggled when some floated onto his ears. Why, they stuck out such a great deal! Ferris worried that they were often at risk. She imagined her cat would bat at them, when meeting him! And they would have to be introduced, if Eloise were to be her suitor. Dinah was a very important presence in Ferris' life, one to be familiar with, if you truly cared.

She tugged on Eloise's hand, and interrupted his words with, "You have to tell me what you like and what your feelings are, too--" Before sputtering at what he went on to add. All those details about her, still on his mind. She wasn't certain what to think. She often rambled with the assumption that those listening would be tuning some of it out, at the very least, if not everything. She supposed, then, that his interest couldn't be fake, if he was bothering with remembering such silly things. She fidgeted with her sweater.

"That's a lot to know," Ferris said, biting at her lip. But she shortly stopped, as that was too unladylike. "And I would be eager to partake that game, yes. How about in batches? My favorite places are gardens, libraries, and unexplored territory. My birthday is May fourth. Um…" She blushed. "I far prefer to wear pretty blue dresses and stockings, at home, but pants are more practical for adventures. And, lastly… I have two books written about me."

Though not literally, with his magic taken into consideration, Eloise was quite the bright (figurative ray of sunshine. Watching the grinning and nodding, Ferris blushed and beamed at him in return, happy and flourishing with the attention.

"…It's one of those privileges you earn, Eloise," she said, softly, giving another tight hand squeeze and leaning closer, eyes shining with delight. She'd meant to use it temptingly, encourage him to be with her, and it'd worked. It was something she'd be glad to have him earn, so she could be a proper woman for him. The clothing he'd seen her in was cute, but not courting material!

She wasn't sure how he liked her this much, but as naive she happened to be in this area, she was still a girl. Feminine charm came naturally, and Ferris was smart, even if not flirtatious in the cruder ways others could be. She may not have known seduction, but intrigue was another matter entirely. Ferris knew everything about intrigue. Eloise was a living storybook, and so was she. "I'd love presents! Perhaps, if you picked them out for me yourself, the anticipation to see me dressed up in them would be sweeter."

Her flush was more from pride this time. "Uncannily accurate! I read them a lot in my free time. Makes things… both more and less homesick. And they feature such charming little illustrations, too. A striking resemblance to what I looked like as a child, and the creatures I encountered in my trips. The titles are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and Through the Looking Glass." She nibbled her lip gingerly. "If you want copies, you could… visit the bookstore I work at sometimes. The one we saw in the electronic mapping system? I went to see it, and it was marvelous, so I decided to work part time and have easy access to all the lovely books."

When it was Eloise's turn to talk, Ferris hushed herself, focused in on him and terribly invested in what he had to say, her crushing making her near blindly pine for him and details about who he was, so she could further swoon for him. She even held her breath. Complete teenage behavior. Don't be a ditz, Alice!

A boy, a girl, and anything in between, he told her. She could grasp that. Many Wonderland residents followed similar rules. What was next said, however, left Ferris momentarily paler, images intruding at the corners of her vision. Her skating slowed, and instead of pulling away, as her first impulses pressured her to do, she moved to clutch onto Eloise's arm-- needing more than just her hand held for a moment.

She quickly proceeded onto the other details, not commenting on what'd led to her dread and closing their distance. "That's why you're so big, then? I understand a little better now. I'm glad having human and giant blood along with elf didn't take away your pointy ears. They remind me of a type of small fox I've seen in books before! I cannot recall the name, but it had similar ears, more fur."

Lastly, she gasped. "You can play the flute? Oh, you simply must play for me! You must!" She clapped excitedly. "If you do this, I shall read you poetry from my Wonderland, or perhaps sing it. They are thoroughly nonsensical, but some happen to be fluid on the tongue, and I believe you would find enjoyment in that."

Ferris gave a firm nod towards that, though the faint pink remained on her cheeks, smile playing at the corners of her lips. She knew precisely what her favorite dress and stockings were, and oh-so dearly wished for Eloise to live up to these promises, to let him see her in them. "You'd better be!" she told him.

On the subject of books, she added, "They are full of pictures and conversations-- which make for the very best of books. If you need any of the words explained, as you may find them old fashioned, I shall help you. I, ah… wear a band in my hair with a bow, in the second book, yes." She fidgeted with her sweater again, embarrassed. Eloise would learn a lot about her, through reading these books, looking at what were practically childhood photos. Maybe, if she read it to him, she could skip over the parts that were too ridiculous. "Whenever I'm next working, I'll telephone you, then? Odd jobs, odd hours."

Her eyes widened, and she shook Eloise on the arm in excitement, to replace what would've usually been hopping up and down. "Fennec fox, fennec fox! Eloise, you make the most lovely fennec fox! I imagine if you were to be a real fox, your fur would be sleek, and your ears would be impressively soft." She gasped and dissolved into giggles, once he wiggled the pretty, silly, pointy ears.

Ferris shook her head. "No, no, I'm sure you'll look dashing. The flute is a charming instrument…" She blinked, trailing off. Eloise was inviting her to share further, but her eyes were distracted, now. Ferris stopped clutching the pirate's arm for a moment, taking off her mittens and shoving them in her pockets. She took his arm once more after, using this leverage to lightly pull him down. Finally, she reached up to touch one of his ears, unable to contain her curiosity any longer.

"I wouldn't think you'd be a big reader, no," Ferris said, softly, sentimentally. "You experience all the adventures in books for yourself, don't you?"

She blushed when scolded for teasing, not having meant to. But they felt darling! While petting Eloise's ears, she considered the question of animals. She'd been compared to a bug, time and time again, so the note of moths didn't surprise her much. It simply offended her. "Moths eat nice clothes, and I would never do such a terrible thing to my wardrobe! I… wish to be a dragonfly," she stated, sniffing. "Their eyes are very big and glossy, and some of them are a stunning blue." They were strange looking things-- and utterly beautiful. She envied that.

Her wrists were taken, and she blinked, having been distracted by cute ears. She didn't let go of them yet, as she felt they must be cold. "Oh." Her blush deepened. Of course, everything else had to be cold, too. That's right. It was easy to forget, when it didn't phase her like it did other people. "I'm sorry." She gave in and freed the ears, a bit mournfully, lower lip near a pout. But then, Eloise broke the rule he'd just repeated! Ferris went cross eyed watching him do it, right on the tip of her nose. Heat rose, and she had a helpless look on her face, making a tiny peep of a sound.

Gathering up her nerve, Ferris squared her shoulders, taking Eloise's face and leaning up to give him a real kiss. It was slow, lingering, the warmth of her face and lips pressed to his. The first few times she could've pulled back, she didn't, dragging it out. Then, as soon as it was at the edge of too much again, she pulled back, another giddy buzz on her skin, heartbeat pounding in her chest, head left almost empty. She felt stupidly in love, and stupid with how she acted, being in love. Silly Alice, silly Alice, he's right, you're a silly girl!

Ferris' face burned. "I-I said… to stop that much touching, not no more kissing… And you deserved this one." She smiled like crazy and looked at her feet, bashful. "I had a very nice first date too." In the with Eloise sense, and the in general sense. She stroked his cheek and kissed that, too. Her heart was fit to burst, and her focused, dilated eyes showed it far too well. She fussed over Eloise for a moment, brushing him off, then pushing him to stand up straight. She needed room to breath again, avoiding eye contact and fanning herself with a mitten, her dumb smile not going away. "You're welcome. I… can't wait to do this together again..."

She took his hand once more, and skated with him back towards the edge of the lake, as happy as could be.