Mate Massacres

Chapter 23

Krey would have been angry at Francis if she didn't make Pip smile.

Pip pressed the book to his mouth with eyes that darted around the room.

Krey picked at the annoying splinter still stuck in his thumb. He watched Pip shift awkwardly on the couch.

Krey sat back against the cushions. He did his best to stay calm. On the inside, Krey was spinning faster than the earth.

Pip cleared his throat and glanced at Krey, who was already staring. Pip's eyes shot away as soon as their gaze connected.

Krey would have smiled if his heart wasn't trapped in a cell with no key. The silence stretched between them. Krey's nerves crawled to his heart and around his lungs and up to his throat. Time was running out. He had to win Pip's love while the human was still oblivious to what Krey was.

He mustered up the courage and said, "I do like you."

Pip smiled wide at his lap and whispered, "I-I think I like you too."

Krey felt like his words weren't enough. Pip was his mate and would be his number one priority for life. Krey would do anything to protect him, and anything to show Pip that he was loved. "When I say that I like you, I mean..." Krey was never pressed for words like this. He never felt nervous enough that he couldn't think of what to say. Krey always opted to stay silent, but he couldn't remain silent now. Pip needed to hear how he felt. "I want to take you on a date."

Judging by the size of Pip's eyes, he didn't expect Krey to say that. "Really? With me?"

"Well I'm not talking to myself, am I?" Krey was joking, though his tone was still bitter. Pip didn't know him well enough to understand that Krey always sounded in a bad mood.

"S-Sorry, it's just, people don't usually talk to me."

Krey's heart of coal cracked. "I get it. I'm intimidating. People are not exactly queuing up to talk to me either."

Pip tilted his head like a young pup listening to its owner's commands. "So, a-a date? Um, when?"

"Whenever you like."

"Soon?"

"Soon," Krey agreed. He felt giddy on the inside, like a child on the night before Christmas. Krey was very good at hiding his emotions, which would make the relationship difficult for Pip. Krey would have to figure out how to open up, though he assumed that would come naturally with a mate.

The silence, a little awkward, seeped into their conversation until Pip opened his book. He crossed his legs and sank into the cushions.

Krey picked at his thumb for a while until Pip stared from the corner of his eyes.

"What's wrong with your thumb?" Pip asked. His voice barely lifted above a whisper.

"Splinter," Krey grumbled, irritated that his body hadn't worked harder to push it out.

Pip put his book down and looked closer. Krey paused, his heart quickened.

Pip shuffled across the couch cushion until his knee bumped the side of Krey's leg.

Krey's inhaled quickly and forgot to breathe out.

Pip reached a hand towards him and delicately touched the side of Krey's hand.

Krey's body throbbed to the fast thumping of his heart as Pip's fingers smoothed over his skin. Krey finally exhaled when Pip leaned over his knee to look closely at his thumb.

Don't move, Krey thought. Pip had closed the gap between them. He looked smaller with his body pressed to Krey's. His hands especially looked small, gripping either side of his palm.