Mad Hatter

Chapter 6: An Eye for a Sword

——————————🎩——————————

Alice wandered through the gardens trying to find the Hatter's hat so she could return it to him. As she was looking around, she spotted the little hedgehog that she had freed from the ropes.

She leaned towards it as the little creature glanced up at her. "Have you seen a hat around here?"

The little hedgehog squeaked and pointed off to the side, where Alice could see the hat sitting in a bush.

She picked up the hat and brushed some leaves off of it before smiling to herself.

...

Hatter and (Y/n) had been put in a room in one of the castle towers to work on making hats. They each had a chain around their ankle that was stuck into the floor.

They were given mannequins, fabrics and all the tools necessary to make hats for the Red Queen.

Hatter was working at the sewing machine, while (Y/n) sat in a chair hand sewing some fabric to a hat. Or at least, trying to sew fabric to a hat.

She didn't really know how to make hats. That was just a lie Hatter told the Queen so she would stay with him. She winced as the needle poked her skin for the hundredth time.

(Y/n) glanced up at the Hatter as he worked, and a few moments later, he glanced over at her and the two made eye contact. They both awkwardly looked away, their faces feeling slightly warm.

"...Thank you, Hatter." (Y/n) suddenly said.

He looked over at her with slightly furrowed brows. "Whatever for, lovely?"

"For...saying that I was your apprentice, so I didn't have to go with the Knave. Who knows what I'd be doing now. I'd much rather be with you." She told him.

Hatter grinned widely at her words, and she smiled back. (Y/n) looked back down, continuing her work, when she hissed in pain, having poked herself again.

Hatter saw her struggling and walked over to her. "May I offer my assistance?" He asked.

(Y/n) nodded. "Please. At this rate I fear I'll become a human pin cushion." She joked.

Hatter grabbed a stool and pulled it up to sit behind her. He reached his arms around and placed her hands over hers, guiding them to the correct places.

"Your hands won't get poked so much if you keep them here." He explained.

He kept his hand over hers that was holding the needle and guided her as she continued seeing the hat.

"See?"

(Y/n) smiled. "That is better, thank...you..." she had turned to look at him over her shoulder and noticed how close together they were.

Their noses were almost touching, but neither of them moved, just staring into each other's eyes.

Hatter slowly started to lean forward when they heard a set of footsteps approaching them. Hatter quickly stood up and went back to the sewing machine, while (Y/n) pretended to examine the hat she was holding.