067 No Child Crash

"They are not here yet." Menoetius sat down across to Erebus at L'Appart as he said. He just came back from the reception.

"..." Erebus frowned at that result.

Where could they be?

Curtis certainly didn't book a seat at such a restaurant for himself. Erebus was now pretty sure Kitty was with him, but where could they be in all this time?!

He didn't want to consider the possibilities.

He could feel the urge of killing accumulating inside himself. If that monster dare makes a move--

"Welcome, sir." A waiter led Curtis in from the door. He was not noticing Erebus. OR he did, he just didn't show that.

But Erebus was not looking at him either. His eyes were fixed on who was following--

Kitty.

Erebus didn't realize he stood up until Menoetius pulled on his sleeve.

"My Lord?" Menoetius asked in a murmur.

"..." Erebus sat down again. It's not like taking a friend to dinner is "forbidden". He did not have any stand to stop Curtis right now.

Besides, Kitty seemed happy. Well, happier, than when she left.

Which was annoying the hell out of Erebus.

Curtis didn't do anything out of the ordinary. They were merely just talking and laughing. Kitty was mostly listening to him, and sometimes talking.

"This is getting out of hand..." Erebus mumbled.

"My Lord? They are merely--" Menoetius turned to look at Erebus, only to realize he was talking about Kitty and Curtis. He was mumbling to himself.

It was the first time that Menoetius had ever seen his Lord not being decisive but hesitating and struggling over his own action.

He was always this determined, dominating alpha that always knew what to do and was sure about it, until now.

"My Lord?" Menoetius murmured in cautious.

"Nothing." Erebus's eyes regained its focus, and he stood up, "Let's go."

"We are leaving?" Surprised at that sudden change of heart, Menoetius exclaimed as he followed Erebus, "But I thought--"

"I need to trust her to make her own decisions." Erebus shook his head, "She HAD been doing that all on her own. I'm not becoming a stalker. Liking her doesn't entitle me that."

"Yes, my Lord." Menoetius nodded as he followed Erebus, heading towards the door.

But Curtis didn't want to let him off that easily.

"Hey! Isn't that the famous real estate tycoon?!" Curtis's voice rose from behind Erebus. He made sure everyone, meaning Kitty included, knew it was directed at Erebus.

Very soon after that day, and for very long, Curtis had been regretting that mistake. He should never had tried embarrassing Erebus, not at that time at least.

"Real estate tycoon?" Kitty repeated in a confusing tone.

"Don't you know? Our little alpha recently got into the real estate business." Curtis smirked.

He was doing great and was actually getting close to Kitty. But had been spoiled for so long, he was NOT aware that being cocky and devious was not the best way to win a girl's heart.

At least not this kitten's.

"Nope." Kitty said after she thought for a second, and looked down on the fork she held in her hand. Apparently not interested in the "gossip" Curtis was so obviously hinting.

"'The Fort'...that's what it's called, isn't it?" Pity Curtis didn't understand that by then, "You just got it, isn't that right?"

Before Erebus could answer, Kitty stood up. Her eyes fixing on Curtis: "I'm leaving. Thanks for your gift, and for this evening."

She was NOT looking at Erebus. It was as if she was afraid that the invisible black hole around Erebus was going to devour any attention she pays him.

"Wait, what? Why are you--" Curtis was surprised at her sudden change of mood.

"Kitty, please let me explain--" Erebus wanted to get in a word, too. He wanted to give her time, but he felt like it would be even worse if he let her storms out on him again without any explanation.

"I want to leave." Kitty suddenly raised her eyes and met Erebus's.

"Okay." Erebus held up his hands, "Okay. You can do that. Absolutely. I'm sorry."

He stepped aside.

He didn't say anything more, but his forbearing gesture certainly softened Kitty's expression. She hesitated for a second, but didn't say anything.

"He lied to you! Why are you not mad at HIM?!" Curtis couldn't hold it back any longer.

"On what ground could I ask that from him?!" Kitty wheeled on Curtis's outbreak on her way to the door. Instead of telling him that she already knew, she burst out her anger at Erebus.

And that answer finally awoke Erebus on the true reason why she was upset.

She was retreating from expressing her feelings because his rejection made her feel like she wasn't entitled to expect anything.

Erebus was actually grateful that Curtis got that out of her.

"You ARE entitled to expect truth from me." Erebus said softly, ignoring Curtis, "I'm sorry I lied to you. Even though I thought I was trying to helping you, I did not have the right to lie."

"It's okay." Kitty said indifferently as she turned to leave in a freezing tone.

"Which is why I'm telling you now," Erebus rose his voice a little bit, continuing at her tantrum, "I did NOT say that I don't like you."

"Yeah, sure." Kitty said sarcastically, "You didn't say you like me either--"

Realizing what works the best with Kitty was not white lies, but truth with genuine and respect, Erebus dropped all his counting and strategy and acts:

"I don't want you to pay a price for a child crash that you will get over soon. I would say that if you are 16, I would say that if you are 20--"

"I--" Kitty lost patient when she heard the word "child crash", but she was taken surprise by his last sentence and stopped in the middle of her interrupting: "What?!"

"I said, even if you are over your 18th birthday, I would say the same thing." Eyes fixed on her, Erebus said patiently.

"Why?!" Kitty was now really mad, "Just because I'm a few years younger than you, so I don't get to make my own decision ever?! I--"

"No." Erebus said, "You can. Even for now. What I'm saying is that, it's too rash a decision, for ANYONE."

His calmness finally got to her, and Kitty settled down, staring at him, more with confusion than madness.

"You don't know me. Not yet." Erebus said. Not with a resigned tone, but an admiring one.

Kitty blinked in confusion, not knowing where this conversation was heading to.

"I saved your life, not once, not twice, but three times. It's natural that you feel grateful and admiring to me." Erebus's rough, soft voice calmed her down with shockingly visible effect.

"It's not gratitude--" Kitty murmured to protest.

"Not to you, I'm sure." Erebus nodded, agreeing with her, "But made a huge life decision based on half a month's experience is not the most grown up way in life, do you agree?"

"..." Kitty bit on her lips, but this time, she didn't rebut.

"I trust that you are feeling what you are expressing, but being genuine does not necessarily means being right." Erebus said, "A decision like that, means something to me. And that's why I'm asking for more time put into your decision."

Kitty pursed her lips as she squinted at Erebus. All three men were staring at her nervously, holding their breath.

Curtis was shocked for Erebus's sudden sincerity; Menoetius was worrying that Kitty would storm out again for yet another rejection, with an accusation no less.

And Erebus? Eyes fixed on her with a gentle but firm look, he was actually nervous to hell. He had no idea how Kitty would react. He either persuaded her, or just made things twice as bad.

"Deal." Kitty suddenly looked up and said with a AS firm tone.

"I'll prove to you that it is NOT, a child crash."