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“Cheshire, I can quite literally see the light of your smile.”
The floating face frowns for a moment, previously displaying a crooked, sharp grin, before a huff is heard. A purple and black striped tail swipes into existence, curling over the hovering features before removing itself to reveal the face finally attached to a pale complexion, a head of wild, purple hair accompanying it. A pair of ears twitch as the tall, lanky figure almost appears to swim through the air towards the head of green hair. The cheshire-grinning figure rests his elbows against the over sized tree stump which his target is currently curled up on.
A long, green ear twitches in displeasure as the Cheshire cat smirks up at him, the latter’s paws never touching the ground as he hovers horizontally.
“I can never get past you, can I?” He purrs, literally, the vibration trilling softly from his chest.
“You’re too obvious,” The greenette rolls his eyes with no real heat, his lips twitching into a smile to reveal buck teeth. “We’re in a dark forest, Moggie, this is the perfect spot to use your fog to conceal yourself while you sneak up on someone.”
“Only you would give me advice to use to scare you, Bun.”
“It’s sad.” The rabbit states flatly. “It honestly feels like you’re not even trying anymore.”
“How you wound me, Bunny,” The purple cat exaggeratedly whines, turning over in the air to mime a corpse (a floating corpse, but a corpse nonetheless) pose, a hand at his forehead and the other clutching at his chest. His tail lazily swipes through the air, brushing against the unamused bunny’s nose, causing him to sharply sneeze. The cat smirks, watching the rabbit rub his nose. It twitches in irritation when he lowers his hands to glare at the floating feline.
“Aren’t you supposed to be helping the girl?” Rabbit asks, looking back down to the notebook in his lap, which he’d previously been writing in before the menace of a cat interrupted him.
“I did.”
“I’m doubting.”
“Whether you believe it or not, it’s true,” Cheshire chuckles, reaching over to gently prod at his companion’s green paw on the tree stump, which shifts immediately to be concealed under the boy’s leg to prevent any more contact. “Why, she should be with the caterpillar by now.”
“I pray for her,” Rabbit coos pitifully, holding a scarred hand in a fist against his chest as if sending a well-wishing prayer to the mentioned girl. The caterpillar is well known for his ruthless, cold, and blunt nature. And the smoke. Oh, the smoke. It’s a clever intimidation and confusion tactic, but goodness is it a pain to escape and rid your lungs of.
The two spare a moment to laugh to themselves. The mischievous cat takes a moment to stare unflinchingly at the other, watching as his laughs pour from his lips in a soft stream. His ears fall, watching his partner’s viridian eyes light up with a happiness he always appreciates, he could stare into those twinkling emeralds for hours.
He has.
He’ll do it again.
He watches those freckles get lost in the strawberry blush that always covers the bunny’s face when he’s near. Loves seeing him smile that toothy grin to see those front teeth and the gap between them that always make the rabbit unintentionally whistle when he breathes too heavily. Loves watching those ears constantly twitch at his presence and every noise. That tiny cotton ball of a tail that always shakes happily when the cat is near.
He leans forward to press a kiss to the freckled cheek of his bunny, watching his ears perk up as his face heats. He pulls back, watching the hybrid fluster himself further as he fumbles with his own tongue. Cheshire chuckles, letting the rabbit work himself further into a corner.
“You talk too much,” He states fondly, love oozing from his voice like a saccharine honey.
“Y- you mess with me too much!” The smaller squeaks back, letting out another eep when the cheshire brings his hand up to swipe away his green curls to expose his forehead. He leaves another kiss to the boy’s forehead, smiling against flushed skin as he watches those big ears fall.
“I think I mess with you just enough,” He murmurs back.
“Eep! No! Bad, bad kitty! Off! Off!”
The sound of purring only increases in volume, accompanied by the flustered pleas of a green rabbit and mischievous chuckles.
+++++++++++++
“WHAT IN THE-” The shout is cut off suddenly by a bout of throaty coughs that sound, honestly, quite painful. The kind of coughs that make you feel like your throat is being clawed out from the inside by a very angry cat.
Green ears twitch as a freckled face scrunches up in confusion. Speaking of felines, was that the Cheshire cat? The mischievous kit has a very distinctive voice, sounding young and fitting to his physical age- time moves very erratically here, he would know- yet having a unique, smooth baritone that makes his voice very nice to listen to.
Rabbit pushes himself out of his little burrow that a borogrove* oh-so kindly made for him many years ago. He hasn’t visited in a while, maybe the bunny should go look for him. Later, he tells himself as he scurries out into the clearing. He’s always loved the caterpillar’s dwellings. A garden bathed in blue and purple hues with the occasional red popping out. Plants of all kinds meet the rabbit’s eyes. Flowers, mushrooms, trees, vines… How so many plants can exist in one area without causing damage to one another, he’ll never know and he doesn’t bother wondering anymore.
The caterpillar himself is seated upon a particularly large cluster of mushrooms in his shaggy, black and yellow glory. He has such an odd appearance, having two completely different colors plastered over him. Certainly makes him stand out among his environment.
The Cheshire cat is bent over, hacking into his arms and the rabbit is slightly surprised to see the purple hybrid’s paws touching the grassy ground for once.
“What the hell is wrong with you?!” Cheshire hisses to the figure seated atop the red and white spotted mushroom.
“You’re well aware I’d much rather you stay out of my garden, vermin,” Caterpillar spits back. Rabbit is made starkly aware of the hookah in his hands when he brings it up to his lips to inhale, puffing out a jet of red and purple smoke that curls through the air.
“That justifies spitting smoke into my face?!”
“You can’t spit smoke.”
“I swear on the king’s head, Ai-” The kit doesn’t get to continue his words as the temperature drops considerably. Rabbit has to look around just to make sure that aloof fairy with temperature manipulation isn’t around. It takes him a moment to realize the caterpillar has simply administered one of his glares. Quite curious, they’ve always been frightening to be on the receiving end of. He watches as the caterpillar’s black hair flares out in the space around his head, confirming his thoughts.
“You know better than to use names, vermin .” His words are cold, and the rabbit imagines his features to match if the way the Cheshire's ears pin back as he gulps means anything. The boy clearly attempts to brush off the obvious fear, but the green bunny knows how scared he really is, as he floats into the air. Cheshire has always said he felt safer in the air. His tail isn’t swiping through the air like it normally is either, instead curled around his ankle as he leans back in a faux relaxed pose.
“Whatever, bug eyes,” The cat scoffs. Rabbit smiles in amusement as he trots up to the pair.
“Hello, Cheshire, Caterpillar,” He greets, earning both of their attention.
“Lapin,” Caterpillar simply says, his voice considerably softer.
“Bunny!” Cheshire quickly passes through the air to float upside down in front of the green hybrid. “You’re just who I was looking for.”
“I’m already feeling some concern hearing that,” Rabbit admits with a nervous smile as one of his ears flicks.
“As you should,” Caterpillar grunts. Cheshire turns to shush him. The insect hybrid rolls his eyes, turning to curl up on his mushroom. “Wake me when you get back, Lapin.”
"Okay!" He calls back as Cheshire eagerly latches onto his arm to tug him off. It only takes him a moment to realize the cat is taking him to his forest. He has to admit, he's a little concerned. Cheshire rarely expresses his emotions so vividly. His usual expression is a lazy smirk, and while he does tend to grin widely (very unnaturally, too) it’s seldom the softer smile he currently has on his face as he leads Rabbit by the hand.
“Are you going to explain why you needed me?”
“Yes.” He doesn’t elaborate past that, so Rabbit sighs and shakes his head with a smile. His Moggie is so silly, isn’t he?
Arriving in the forest, Cheshire smiles that happy, sly grin as he floats up into the air. The air around them becomes dense with fog within a few moments.
“I see you’ve been practicing,” Rabbit comments with a smile as he walks alongside the floating kitty.
“‘Course I have,” The cat states matter-of-factly. “Gotta get better ‘till I finally scare ya.”
“You’ve still got a long way to go, Kitten.”
He receives a half-hearted glare, making the green bunny laugh as he walks ahead.
He pauses when feeling a figure press themself against his back. Letting out a huff of laughter as he realizes why the mischievous boy really put up his fog, he turns his head to look back at the black and purple striped form curled against his back.
He’s embarrassed.
“If you wanted some attention, Moggie, you could have just asked. You know that,” He says gently, turning around to encase the floating figure in his arms.
Cheshire’s chest vibrates softly with pleased purrs. As he rubs his forehead against the rabbit’s, he smiles. It’s soft in all the ways the rabbit loves. In all the ways that he knows is for him only, for his eyes to see and no one else’s.
To everyone, the Cheshire Cat’s mere existence is mischievous and full of trickery and lies.
“I know.”
To the Green Rabbit, it’s a blessing and a presence he cherishes and loves anytime it’s near him.
Rabbit leaves a soft kiss to the cat’s forehead, seeing his legs curl up under him where he’s currently floating in his arms. That striped tail is lazily drifting through the air as Cheshire leans into his touch.
“I love you, Moggie.”
“Love you too, Bun.”