can we stay together for just a little while longer?

Ferris held her skates tight in both hands, trudging through the snow to meet Eloise, near robotic in her movements. As awkward as she felt using female pronouns even mentally, in a public place like this, and as much as she scolded herself, it was difficult to stop. Her head was too hazy and distracted, seeing funny pointy ears and missing entwined fingers, whether her eyes were open or shut. Usually, daydreams like that didn't bother her unless she drifted off! And even more often, she wasn't one to start thinking like this at all!

Like-- like a little girl! She thought back to her friends and their hushed whispers about the boys, and who'd been spending time with someone of the opposite gender, or holding hands, or even kissing. One moment it'd been 'they're rowdy and not worth too much of a lady's time', then, then… Well, Alice had never been interested in it. They'd wanted men to sweep them away, especially when young women, but Alice had her own taste for adventure, and was perfectly happy that way. The thought of being bossed around and treated like a trophy was exasperating, and she didn't take to it well!

She stopped, snowflakes settling on her nose once she was standing still. It was hard to pretend to be a boy yourself when you were being treated like a lady, and led to be shy as though you were one, not to mention feeling giddy.

Not wanting to be late from her usual zoning out, Ferris hurried along, reminding herself of the white rabbit. "Let's pretend…" she murmured, giggling lightly, reaching into her coat and pulling out a pocket watch. Her blue mittens, gifted by Eloise, didn't match the occasion. White gloves would've worked far better! But… her cheeks flushed as she thought more deeply upon it again, and how he'd implied that he'd tried to trick her before about pricing in order to give her gifts. That was-- preposterous, frankly! Absurd and underhanded! And admittedly, charming. He didn't have to, and he shouldn't! Except, she supposed there were reasons girls fell so easily for pretty pirate men, and similar such characters.

She didn't really want to be another girl like that, though. They were quite ordinary, it seemed, and surely never left impressions past those rosy adventures and expected swooning. So they weren't really adored for being themselves, were they? Loved as a game. As Ferris pondered the different types of love, which she found incredibly overcomplicated and fanciful, she slowed again until she was dragging her feet, boots thoroughly snow coated.

And then, she blinked, looking gradually more distressed as realization dawned upon her. "Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!" Ferris squawked, before taking off in a run. She arrived at the frozen lake, and just managed not to lose her balance and tumble onto the ground. That would've been even more embarrassing! "Eek, I'm sorry! My imagination has a mind of its--" The words died suddenly as she peeked out from behind her mittens, looking around, big round eyes, giving a tiny gasp. "My, it is so pretty here!" She clapped in delight. "Thank you for coming with me, mister Captain Eloise sir!"

Halfway into Ferris' appreciation of the gorgeous scenery, her gaze unconsciously wandered over to Eloise, instead. When he said 'pretty and fantastical', she thought to herself, Yes, yes you are-- and flushed quite pink at once. Oh, silly girl! Silly, silly Alice! Don't be such a child! She sat down, decisively putting on her own skates, a bit ruffled and trying to regain her pride. "It's beautiful," she mumbled into her sweater. Lightly biting the inside of her cheek, she didn't mention being glad it was only the two of them, and no uninvited, uncivil guests that interrupt conversations.

She stood again, hands squeezing each other at her chest, and blinked at the presented roses. They were a bold red that The Queen of Hearts would've liked, and Ferris could say with confidence that they hadn't been simply painted this color. Though, if they had, the painter was most talented. Maybe it was Eloise, with how often he painted Ferris' cheeks red. Goodness, Alice, you should be ashamed of yourself for such thoughts!

Realizing she'd been staring, the girl snapped out of her daze by a little and tried to reach for the bouquet, wanting to smell it, but instead finding Eloise's hand in hers. She wondered, again, at the butterflies living in her chest and stomach. She wondered what they were eating in there, and hoped dearly that it wasn't her.

Swallowing when pulled along, Ferris glanced down at Eloise's feet, ready to rescue him if he tripped over himself-- so tall! "I see." There was a moment of mild pouting. "I thought I might teach you myself, since you hadn't before, but this is fine too." She looked back up, focusing in on his eyes now, skating on autopilot. They were like gemstones, amber encased in rubies. Or maybe gold, like the treasure he was sure to have found! Or-- Ferris squeaked, "Date?"

She lost her balance and grabbed onto Eloise's coat. Either he was going to catch her, or they were both about to fall on the ice like a couple of dweebs.

Ferris was far less dazed by the fall than she was by what Eloise said, and started to-- only right then-- get the sneaking idea that maybe, perhaps, it was a little inappropriate to be pressed against him like this. She thought back to their cuddling, head spinning and face warm, feeling less sure of herself here. But he couldn't possibly be thinking of her in that way! She wasn't the kind of girl was sought after, more prone to chasing after imaginary friends and possible adventures than matters of the heart. She inhaled and exhaled, reassured by that conclusion. She was just-- Alice-- and Eloise was…

"Oh dear," Ferris murmured, eyes widening as her cheek was touched, a bit clueless on what to do now. She quieted and stared at Eloise, waiting for more of an explanation, dancing circles in her head to pretend he wasn't interested in her. It was hard, however, to think of much in the first place, because she was nearly in his lap. This was terribly embarrassing, and she swore the butterflies had been breeding.

"I--" she laughed, jittery, attention stuck on his face even though she wanted to scramble backwards. "I thought, I thought ah… but the wording, isn't it…" The questions, which she was usually marvelous with, weren't coming out well. She chided herself mentally. This isn't the time to drift off and lose your sense, Alice!

"COURTING?" Ferris squawked, jolting up. She got to her feet in a rush, and ended up tripping back onto Eloise again. Don't be nervous, Eloise said, but how was she possibly supposed to act cool at this revelation, and how directly he spoke of it? Ferris squealed like a schoolgirl and buried her face in her hands. "Surely you can't mean that! You can't mean me. Like that? Surely not!" were the muffled words that came next. She'd have taken a few steps back to have a cool head about this, but was too overtaken by her stomach bugs and ashamed to try and fail to get up again.

Ferris wasn't the kind of young lady that anyone wanted like that. She wasn't even a real young lady, to some, and that made her stomach twist in dreadful knots. It was true that sometimes, her eyes drifted to someone, and she couldn't look away, but knew it wouldn't work. She was scared of getting hurt again by pulling her chest open and bare, showing who she was and being touched while in that state. It was true that it slipped from time to time, and that she let some 'mistake' her for a girl, but she feared that if they got too close, they'd suddenly lash out in disgust.

She felt Eloise's hands on her own, of course, flinched a little at the contact, and squirmed when he started to tell her what she'd refused to believe. "I'm not the type of woman that someone like you would court--" Ferris started, mouth dry and voice thick, before he moved. There were arms wrapped around her, and the two of them were even closer. The lack of familiarity Ferris had for things like these was woeful, and the proximity, being curled into someone so intimately, was especially so. She lost her train of thought completely in exchange for dazed staring and a ticklish buzz on her skin.

The hair stroking made her feel safe, but when he kissed her on the top of her head, her face only burned. She wanted to push him back, regain her personal space and sense of appropriate behavior between herself and a-- a person with intentions towards romantically courting and becoming her lover. But Eloise had other ideas, and her knees still were much too weak for escaping. He gave her his pretty words, and it was strange, being doubtful and flustered at the same time. That couldn't possibly be true. He'd been with many women, and more even here. Why her? Why would daydreamy Alice, who had to dress like a man, be put on a pedestal over all the choices in Manta Carlos and those from his past life?

Ferris kept trying to rationalize it, imagine ideas that'd make sense of why Eloise would care for her this way. Perhaps he'd been fooled into thinking she was richer than she was, of higher status. Perhaps he was delusional. Perhaps he had to do this for another bet, like the skiing! She would've pondered if he had horrid taste, but from his other pursuits, that didn't seem to be the case.

He removed her hiding place, making her catch his eyes once more. He didn't look like he was joking. Oh, goodness, he was far too close this to be decent. It was very cold out, but she wished to fan herself.

One chance, he said. In that moment, trapped, Ferris couldn't think of any excuse to turn him down. "…Okay," she said, in a small squeaky voice. "Okay," she said again, nodding a tiny bit this time, to make it more official, try and help the concept sink in, but dizzy. Eloise, her suitor.

'Okay,' she said. 'Okay,' he repeated back. It was mutually and clearly agreed upon. They were dating now. Ferris hadn't been this confused in a long time, and she still barely understood the internet. She'd come along for friendly ice skating, and it'd turned into courting declarations as soon as she'd blinked.

What followed wasn't expected either. What are you doing? she quite wished to ask, and maybe cuff him on the ears a bit, but hardly had the chance. He'd leaned in close again, and she felt the cold ice at her back in only the most distant, blurry sense. The night sky behind Eloise, framing his face and leaving it in a sharp focus, was beautiful.

So is he, whispered that remarkably silly little voice in her head. She looked up at him quizzically, and soon found her face was being assaulted with bursts of warmth and Eloise's face brushing directly against hers, sensitive to the skin to skin contact. Ferris gave soft gasps once she realized that he was leaving kisses on her, each time, eyes squeezed shut.

And then, finally, their lips met. She wondered how they knew to fit together just right, if it was Eloise, or him and Ferris both being made of the right, compatible stuff. Her first thought was that Eloise was very soft feeling, and the sensation made her light, airy inside, and like she desperately didn't want to move away anymore. In fact, she pressed into it while her mind was jumbled and fuzzy, instead. Her heartbeat leaped all about like a startled animal.

His hand brushed over her rosy cheeks, the other at her hair, petting and making her stomach and heart both go crazy. "A-aah..." she breathed when he rubbed their noses together, thinking of nothing but his lips on hers when they were close. While he was saying her name, her pretty, real name, she clutched at his coat and pulled him back down to continue kissing. It felt good, and she couldn't think right then, gears temporarily slowed to a stop.