No Better Than The Beasts

Chapter 25- The Talk

(PLEASE READ, OR AT LEAST READ THE LAST SENTENCE: I'm kind of experiencing writers block. I have a place I want to go in the story, I just don't want to go there yet. Because once the plot thickens and rises, everything will get crazy. The characters aren't really ready for that yet. Besides, this whole story is about Derrick and Jake's relationship developing and I don't want the technicalities to ruin it. ANYWAYS, due to writer's block, this chapter might be short....sorry!)

Jake listened to the sound of the shower running as he sat on the bed in deep thought. So much has happened in the past couple of hours-no- the whole day was insane. First the whole thing with David and such. Then Derrick suddenly accepts him. And then they kiss. 

Just bringing up the memory made Jake reach his hand up to his lips and smile. He wanted to do it again already. That is, if Derrick would let him. An hour after they arrived at the castle, once Derrick started interacting with Nathan again, that is, the prince became his grumpy stubborn self again. Except he was a little more affectionate towards Jake.

What Jake noticed was that Derrick was a little shy and nervous when Jake was being affectionate and his usual self the rest of the time. However, Derrick had a lot more confidence in the orchard...maybe it had to do with where they were? Or maybe it was just happiness from the love-fest that drew him to kiss him and...and tell Jake he loved him?

Jake's heart fluttered happily. He honestly didn't expect Derrick to say it back. That was the biggest surprise of the whole day.

Did Derrick really love him? Or was he just compelled to say it back?

At this moment, Derrick popped open the door of the bathroom, looking at a shirtless Jake, who had taken a shower before him. The prince then rolled his eyes and looked away, trying to pretend he didn't care that Jake was shirtless, busying himself with dirty clothes.

"Did you really mean it?" Jake asked randomly. Derrick continued folding the dirty clothes- pretty well actually- for the servant who was going to pick them up and take them to the cleaning rooms.

"Mean what?" Derrick asked, flipping the clothes into folds rather aggressively. Jake didn't think he could ever get over the little nag in the back of his head hinting him on Derrick's feelings. It was vague, like a puzzle Jake had to piece together to get the big picture. What Jake had found out, over the few hours that they had accepted each other, was that Derrick was easily aggravated over everything. The prince was even frustrated now-for absolutely no reason.

"Do-Do you really love me?" Jake asked.

"What?!" Derrick whipped his head around with a frown, "I let you carve into a sacred apple tree and let you kiss me, and you are doubting what I said?"

Jake's eyes were a little wider at how defensive Derrick had gotten. That is, until his kitten rolled his eyes.

"I swear every man in my life is an idiot," Derrick mumbled, busying himself with the clothes again, "And for your information, don't expect me to say 'I love you' again. It's a rare occasion from here on out, got it?"

" I just think that you don't want Nathan to find out that you love me," Jake stressed, smiling as he teased.

"Got it?" Derrick repeated, finishing with the clothes.

"Anything for you, kitten," Jake smirked, noting how he was starting to sound like Pickle.

Speaking of Pickle, Jake wondered why his inner wolf wasn't talking. He became more quiet as time went on, but has now completely stopped speaking.

Oh, wait.

I'll only shut up when you kiss him.

That's right; that's what Pickle said at the beginning of all of this. And that's what he did.