The Kitty Cat's Mates (ManxMen)

32 | Apology Accepted

It was seven in the evening, and King was fidgeting outside an enormous oak door. He felt guilty for earlier. He thought maybe it was kinda uncalled for; he did know how much it would hurt for the baby down there. Maybe he overreacted-

No! He deserved it! Fought the other side of his brain. If Yusef hadn't done that, then maybe he wouldn't have cracked the egg!

Before King knew it, he had already knocked on Yusef's doorstep. He blinked. He didn't know what he was doing, but his expression was plain and calm, a falsity that he was ready. Well, he wasn't. What was the purpose? What would he say? Sorry for kneeing you in the dick?

Then he heard footsteps from the inside, and it dawned onto him. Every step he heard turned into a slow-mo, while voices in his head screamed at him to run the hell away now. King's face paled. He made a run for it. Well, he tried. Yusef's door opened.

"... King?"

Crap.

King closed his eyes and bit his lower lip. He brought a hand on his nape while he turned around from his spot. "H-hey," he said, waving a hand.

"What are you doing here?" Yusef asked. Both of his brows arched up.

"Umm... well, uh... I just..." King cleared his throat, refusing to look at the other man who wore black pajamas. "I just wanted to say sorry."

Yusef did not answer. His face was blank. "... For what?"

King massaged his nape firmer. "You know... for earlier. I, uh... feel bad about it."

A small smile crept on Yusef's lips that instantly vanished. He crossed his arms against his chest and leaned at the doorway. "... It still hurts you know. You kicked too hard."

King's expression turned sour. "You shouldn't have done that then."

Yusef finally chuckled. "I pledge guilty," he said, gesturing his hands up like he was caught redhanded. He looked back at King, a hint of guilt on his face. "I admit, I was in the wrong, so you don't really have to say sorry. In fact, I should be the one saying that."

King's scowl eased up a bit.

"I just couldn't help myself... You looked so cute while you were embarrassed."

King fought the blush that invaded his face. He pointed an accusing, shaking finger at Yusef. "Y-you— Who the hell is cute?!"

"Shh," Yusef tenderly shushed him, his face was filled with amusement as he did. He just chuckled, his blue eyes intensely fixated on King, making the werecat's embarrassment stack ten times more. His face was a bright flare now.

"I-I'm going—!"

"Hey, wait." Yusef stopped King from turning around and leaving. With a sizzling face that cooled off at every second, King glowered at him. "How about a cup of tea or anything?"

King looked back and forth to Yusef and the open door to his room, seeing a dark aura escaping out of it. He watched too much anime.

King gave Yusef his hardest glare. "Why would I go—!"

"I won't do anything, I promise," Yusef cut him off and the aura King was imagining disappeared. "I just want to talk with you... Please?" Yusef gave off an almost puppy look eyes that pricked King with a pang of nonexistent guilt.

... Ten minutes, he made a deal with himself, and he'll be gone.

And so, King ended up inside of one of the wolves' den.

King's head raked around Yusef's bedroom, one that was also rustic as all of the other parts of the household. Unlike Zach, whose room was organized, pristinely clean, and looked more like a library than a relax station, Yusef's room was averagely clean. There was a mess here and there, one that would still bother a person with OCPD. However, Yusef's room was strikingly pleasant in the eyes. There was a collage of black and white posters hanging neatly in the shape of a large square by one wall, and wooden letters that crosshatched and formed words by the other.

King's sightseeing ended when Yusef went out of the smaller door attached to his room. Before he did, King saw an easel stand and a quarter of a large canvas on the wooden floor beyond it, and his brows rose.

"You paint?" King asked. His eyes bore on Yusef's hand, noticing the colorful small stains in his clothes and patches of paint in his hands.

"Oh... Yes, it's a hobby," Yusef said. He moved towards the small built-in counter in his room, turned on the switch to the electric kettle, and turned around. He leaned on the counter as he waited for the switch to pop off.

There was an awkward silence while the kettle whirred and the wall clock ticked. King sat by the sofa, contemplating how his life's choices suck. Why did he accept the invitation, he asked to none other than himself. Yusef just stared at him with curious eyes, wondering what was going on inside the boy's head who looked like his soul was drained out of him. He needed to make a move.

"Are you into movies?" Yusef asked.

King perked up. He looked at Yusef who smiled back at him and finally turned when the kettle went off.

"Uh..." King contemplated.

Should he say yes, or no?

"... A bit," he replied.

"Cool," Yusef said while he poured the hot water on a small cup of coffee. "I got Netflix."

After being away for more than a month now, itching to watch the movie that he had been painfully waiting for so long, the mere yet golden word caused King's eyes to twinkle. "Really?"

Yusef stopped what he was doing to look at him, hearing the unfamiliar enthusiasm in King's voice that weirdly sounded good on his ears for a two-syllable word. It was like he got a kitten's attention. Cute.

"Yes," Yusef stated as he continued to stir the teaspoon around the hot cup. "I'm into movies, that's why I keep the subscription up... Do you wanna watch?"

Oh yes, King fucking do!

King perked up again, almost letting a smile slip off of his face, yet contemplation won. Right, he was with Yusef, the deceiving prince-faced wolf who lowkey sexualized training with him earlier. If he said yes, he'll have to stay a lot longer with him, who knows what could happen during that time. But on the same hand, he'll get to watch the movie he was dying to see. On the other ground, if he said no, then it goes for the opposite.

Yusef examined King, who was stuck in a tangle of thoughts. He was a little apprehensive; if the werecat says no, his plan fails.

After giving it a long rail of thoughts, determination settled over King's face. Screw it. If Yusef ever does any red flags, he was just going to scream.

"... Sure," King finally answered.

The werewolf hid a small smirk. Mission accomplished.

"What genre do you watch?" Yusef asked as he walked towards King with the steaming cup in his hand.

The werecat's hazel eyes lit up again. "I like horror."

Yusef froze in his track.