The Kitty Cat's Mates (ManxMen)

15 [Part Three] | The Night of Ascension

The dame scooted closer to King, tucking a strand of her pale blonde hair behind her ear as she flashed an angelic smile at him.

"I apologize for my companion. She's really. . . ungainly," she said.

King suddenly couldn't remember if he had learned how to talk. He somehow realized his obvious reaction, cursed himself as he shook his head, and cleared his throat. "Don't worry about it."

"Well, we got your girlfriend's dress ruined."

King's eyes gaped. "Wait, she's not my girlfriend. We're cousins," he coughed out, chuckling.

"Oh!" The woman placed a hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry, you guys looked intimate that I assumed you two were a couple." Suddenly, she reached out a hand. "I'm Lola. Nice to meet you."

King took her hand, and an electric wave pulsed on his arm. "I'm King, and likewise."

Her big, round green eyes widened in curiosity, never leaving his. "King? So, you're...?"

King held the back of his head. "I'm going to have to stop you there. That's actually, uh, my name."

"Oh..." she trailed off, nodding her head in acknowledgment. "Well, I have a bad guess streak today, don't I?"

King chuckled at her. "No pressure. Really. Everyone I met had the same impression. Erm, what can I do? It's misleading."

Her eyes trailed back to his, and she flashed a small smile. "Well, it's a cool name for one."

King's heart blasted into space. For once, he was actually proud of his name.

"So, which pride are you on?"

"Tierra Madre."

"So, you're one of the stars tonight?"

"More like an extra set. I'm a former member."

"You left? Why?"

King scratched his head, feeling a bit hesitant.

"Oh, you don't have to tell me—"

"It's just that we had to move," he replied. He didn't want Lola to feel awkward, or lose a chance to get to talk with her. But he felt like he was doing bad at it. And he felt like an idiot right now. And he mentally cursed himself again.

"Move to where?" she prodded with big curious eyes.

King couldn't resist. "The US."

"Overseas, huh?" she slowly nodded her head, before chuckling. "I was thinking only a little bit out of Prahova."

"It was just for... a change of lifestyle, I guess."

Lola nodded. She tilted her head and looked down at space. "Skyscrapers and everything you could imagine in one place," she hummed, almost as if she was musing.

King swallowed, heart slightly rising as he tried to force himself to ask the question that lingered in his mind since earlier. "So... you're from the Lykaios pack?"

"Bingo." She tittered. "So how did Mr. King possibly guessed it right?"

"Well, uh," King forced a chuckle, trying to make what he had in mind not sound so sarcastic as he naturally did. "there's only one pack who came here in this event." And the smell, which he did not include since it sounds rather rude.

"Okay, I feel stupid now." She giggled at herself, not failing to beam and smile like the sun, as King had conceived. His face grew warm, and his lips unconsciously curled up. He liked it when she smiles.