Drowning One's Sorrows in Tea

"More tea?" The Hatter didn't wait for an answer, pouring the black tea into my cup. It promptly began to spew from the many holes chipped into it.

I smiled weakly, holding up my cup in a gesture of cheer. "Thank you."

I drained the sickly sweet liquid (or what was left of it), and ducked to avoid a flying spoon hurled by the March Hare.

I sighed, and rested my cheek in my hand, elbows on the table. No one seemed to noticed my glum mood as the Hatter conducted a silly little ditty whose lyrics were full of made-up words and little true meaning.

I half-heartedly chucked a saucer at the annoying mouse, who jumped out of the way in a fit of giggles and continued to sing.

"DOWN WITH THE BLOODY RED QUEEN!" came the Hatter's outburst in mid-song. The other two joined in heartily, and even I muttered the saying under my breath.

"Looking quite down... are we under the weather?" The smiling cat appeared next to me. This reminded me of Nexan's ability to randomly appear, and made my frown deepen.

"I'm fine, thank you Chessur." I said, forcing a brief smile. It only made me more sad when the frown returned.

"Missing your friends?" He floated to my other shoulder, his wide smile replaced by a look of eternal sympathy.

I shifted in my chair, turning my back to him; running my finger through the last bit of sugar in the bottom of my tea cup. "No..."

"There there! It's alright to miss them."

"That's the point," I sighed in mild frustration, giving the March Hare a sidelong glance as he fell from his chair. "I miss them when they're not around, and wish I was alone when they are. Isn't there some in between?"

The Cheshire Cat reappeared in front of me, upside-down and smiling once more. "Is it not always that way with friends?"

Then he vanished, leaving me with the insane trio.

"More tea?" piped the Hatter as he poured me more tea until the cup overflowed, and then some.

I gave him a sad smile. "Always."