Broken Pocket Watch // Alice in Wonderland X Male!Reader

[34] *~Chess's Route~*

"Mal!" A young boy calls out, his face brimming with joy and exhilaration. In his hands was a finely weaved flower crown decorated with pansies, lilies, dandelions, and daffodils. His tiny feet trampled the gradient grass, yet they stood up once again and swayed with the wind.

Hearing his call, a young man directed his attention to the small boy running after him. His face slowly crinkled into a smile as he kneeled down and spread his arms. The little boy jumped into the man's arm while giggling happily.

"I made you somethin'!" The boy said excitedly. His eyes shined with pure innocence.  The man patted his small head gently. "Really? May I see?"

With a soft giggle, the little boy took the flower crown from behind his back and showed it to the man with a smile reaching his ears. A soft laugh emanated from the man's throat. "How beautiful! Did you make this?"

"Mhm! Some of the flowers are in tatters but I managed to make it!" With a giggle, the young boy carefully placed the flower crown on top of the man's head, brushing away stray leaves. "There we go! You looked even prettier now!"

He wrapped his arms around the man's shoulders and hugged him tight. "You sure do love your hugs, don't you Chess?" The man gladly returned the loving embrace.

"Of course! It's so I can treasure the feeling of someone I really love! That's why I keep hugging you, and mom, and dad, and my friends!" Chess beamed as he hugged him tighter.

"Is that so? Then I'm very honored to be someone you love very much~" The man combed Chess's messy locks of hair as the small boy's tail swished back and forth.

"It's warm..." Chess closed his eyes as he gripped onto the man's shirt tightly. He opened his eyes a little bit, but saw a raging ocean of red, orange, and yellow. He gasped as he reached out to his once peaceful home.

"NO!" Chess shot up from the couch, his hair swerving in every direction and his chest heaving quickly and heavily. His arm was raised, his hand angled as if it was grabbing something. His throat was dry and his vision was doubling. The silence rang painfully in his ears.

"That dream again..." Voice cracking, he hung his head low as he clutched his head in pain. That dream gets him every single time. It was so painful. Why is it haunting him till this day?

"Mal..." Chess sobbed. It hurts so much...

*~*~*~*~*

Chess didn't get a wink of sleep after that dream.

It's been haunting him consistently throughout the week, which was stressing him out. He only had that dream once before, why was it coming back to haunt him once again?

He groaned as he sat up in his couch, staring at his hands. "I've never been this stressed in my entire life..." He covered his face with his hands as an exasperated sigh escaped his lips.

It was as if all his lies, his facades, his mask, was combined into one horrendous nightmare. People always assumed he was a laid back, troublesome, and care free cat that likes playing pranks on people. That's why they would never believe he had so many emotions slowly piling inside his tiny secluded bottle, so full that it's ready to blow at any moment.

A knock almost made him fall out of his couch. Chess looked at the door with cautious eyes before hearing a familiar voice. A voice he's heard for a very long time.

"Chess? Are you there?" Lukas. The cat sighed before making himself appear in front of the door. Turning the knob, he opened the door to reveal His Majesty in...casual clothing. He hasn't seen him in casual clothing since he was coronated. It's surprising.