"You know Alice, there's plenty of time for another game. Why not relax for a while longer?" Joker questioned casually in an attempt to persuade the girl while shuffling the deck of cards.

Alice had already played several games, and the season had been changed for her early on. She looked down at the cards, then anxiously towards the pathway back in the woods. Time stood still at the circus, so it didn't matter how much of it she spent there, yet she couldn't stop fidgeting in her seat at the thought of getting back home to the Clover Tower.

"Thanks for the offer, but I need to get back soon." She answered ruefully after rising from her chair and readjusting her dress and apron. "I should be there to help out in the kitchen…or it could get ugly."

Nightmare may need the medication, but she wanted to at least try to spare Julius from Gray's cooking. Besides, it would be rude to live there and not earn her keep. Now that she was standing, she could sense the tingling in her legs from having sat for too long.

"Sit your ass down. You got bags under your eyes." The mask ordered from under the table top.

Joker nodded in agreement with his partner just as he finished cutting the deck. His eyebrows wrinkled slightly as he studied the girl's drowsy appearance. "Indeed. The amusement park seems to have taken a toll on you. It would be better to rest for a bit before heading out again."

"I'll be fine." The outsider insisted, continuing to shift slowly in the direction of the forest path.

It was no lie that she was tired. She had spent more than a couple time turns with Boris, testing out a new ride for Gowland against her will, keeping the cat from harassing the mouse, and generally hanging out with her friends. It wasn't as if she was never going to come back to the circus though. In fact, it was necessary if she ever wanted to see her friends from the other territories. With that in mind she failed to understand why another game of cards was imperative.

Aware of her subtle but continuous inching away, Joker left the cards on the table and stood up as well. Then the jester came around the card table and over to Alice, pulling out a couple of candies from one of his pockets.

"Here. An after dinner treat."

Taking on a smile that didn't match the ebbing gleam of his usually bright eye, he placed the candies in her hand, folding her fingers around them securely. The contact with her hand was warm, and his hand lingered there momentarily before releasing it.

Down by Joker's belt the mask scoffed, agitation heavy in his voice.

"Keh, don't come cryin' to me when you turn into a premature wrinkly hag."

"Now Joker, I'm sure that won't happen." Joker contradicted softly yet firmly, trying to counteract the rudeness of his partner.

To his relief, she didn't seem fazed by the masks comment. Oddly, as he looked at her, her focus didn't seem to be on anything in particular. However it was only a for a moment, and then her attention was back on him.

Then, unexpectedly, she embraced him in a friendly hug. Normally he would have been caught entirely off guard, but this wasn't the first time she'd done it. There had been a time before this as well. The first time he was so surprised that he hadn't been able to form a coherent sentence to follow it up with, so things had been left on that note.

"I'll be back, and we can play cards again." she reassured with a smile before letting go and turning to leave.

It was mind boggling. Joker was far too curious at this point to stay quiet any longer. This time, he would figure out this strange behavior.

"Hmm, what's this Alice? Another show of gratitude, or have you fallen in love with me perhaps?" His smile transformed into something much more cheerful at the thought. To have her come to him of her own accord would work out splendidly, though perhaps a little more boring than expected.

A blush spread across Alice's cheeks. She hurriedly took a couple of steps backwards toward the forest, raising her hands in a negative response.

"No! No, it's nothing like that. I didn't mean it that way."

"What? So you're just easy?" Joker's partner jeered in amusement. "Oi, Joker! The next game is mine!"

The girl's hands clenched at her sides as she took a firm step forward. She needed to straighten this out before things got out of hand.

"That's not what I'm saying!" she yelled, pointing down at the mask. It chuckled back, as if denying her statement.

Joker observed her expressions closely, but remained baffled. If she had done such a thing out of gratitude, at least it would have made some shred of sense. But not gratitude, and not love? What other reason could there be?

"Then...what did you mean?" the jester mused, bells jingling faintly as he tilted his head to the side, staring her down like a curious child.

"It's just…nothing." Alice glanced down at the dirt, flustered. "You just reminded me of someone."

Now that she'd been fingered out for it, she realized she really didn't want to expand on this topic any further. But glancing back up at his face, there was little hope of the subject being dropped so easily. If anything, he'd become more curious.

Seeing this as a possible golden opportunity, Joker held her gaze with his. The smile became a grin. There's no way he wouldn't get this out of her.

"Who is it Alice? This person I remind you of?"

Even though it was a question, Alice could feel the undertones. Joker had a strong air of authority around him, but was usually very companionable toward her, though occasionally ominous. She had a hard time dealing with him like this. He was a natural at running the show. So with a sigh of resignation, her will to remain quiet had crumbled.

"Well…it's…it's my grandmother." She finally admitted, watching the fluctuating expressions flash by as Joker processed the information.

"WHAT THE XXXX?! You damn brat!" The mask spat in utter disbelief. "How the hell does this XXXXXXX resemble an old granny?!"

Meanwhile Joker was still trying to process the information and failing. He hadn't expected to land in such a predicament. Out of all the possible answers that had run through his head, this one was entirely unexpected.

"Your…grandmother? That's…" he wasn't quite sure what to call it. A compliment? It didn't feel much like one. In fact his pride was taking quite a hit.

Alice bowed apologetically. She wanted to save him face, but he had been the one who insisted.

"I'm sorry. It's just that all the dolls, the candy, the card games…"

'The distinct feeling of someone trying to keep me here forever…' Alice added mentally. If that wasn't like a visit to grandmother's house then what was?

"It all reminds me of visiting my grandmother's house. I used to hug her and tell her that I'd come again before I left."

'It was the only way she'd let me go…' Another of her thoughts best left unspoken.

Even if Joker could use this to his advantage, it was an image he'd rather not be associated with. Perhaps he didn't need to know the reasons behind all her actions after all.

"I'm…glad that I remind you of such a beloved person, though somehow…this feels really disappointing. In all honesty, I'd much prefer that you see me as a man." he smiled weakly, gathering up the shattered remains of his ego.

"I'm sorry." She reiterated. "I wasn't planning to mention it."

There wasn't much Alice could do to salvage the situation, so she went back to her original plan of returning to the Clover Tower. Hopefully she could remain on good terms with Joker. In conclusion, the best thing to do for now was to leave him alone for a while.

As she turned to leave once more, the mask called out to her.

"Hey! Some compensation's in order here!" it demanded. "You don't just insult a guy's manhood and XXXXXXX prance off!"

The outsider turned around, ready to make a comeback. However, before she could open her mouth, she noticed something. It was Joker's expression. His formerly half-hearted smile turned into a telltale sign of foreboding.

"Ah, that's right." He stated, apparently struck with an epiphany.

Alice sensed incoming danger, but her reflexes weren't fast enough. By the time she began to pivot in the opposite direction, she'd already been captured. Joker held her shoulders, keeping her in place. Then he bent to her level and met her lips with his. The kiss wasn't rough, but she could feel his determination in it, and not long after it began, it came to an end.

"There, that should prevent any further misunderstandings." Joker stated, rather pleased with himself. Then as if an afterthought added, "Although if you need further proof, that can be arranged.~"

Contrary to the gleam in his eye, he released Alice's shoulders from his grip. She had briefly considered stomping on his foot, or even kneeing him in the groin, but she couldn't help but sympathize for him in that situation. The damage had been done. Instead she turned a brilliant shade of red, said a quick goodbye, and headed off toward the Clover Tower with an impressive stride.

Meanwhile Joker watched her go with a renewed sense of pride, and the added bonus of the lingering taste of an Outsider on his lips. All in all, not so bad.

"Hey Joker! Quit grinning you damn XXXXXXX lech! Next time it's definitely my turn!"

-The End