He had completely opened up to her, and she wasn't going to let him forget it.
It had been about a month since they started...seeing each other? Mkate didn't know much about relationships; his mother always seemed to have one-sided ones, and he never had much of a father figure in his life. The concept of relationships and courting was something that completely flew over his head. The loss of his mother had put Mkate into a mindless lull for many years, and it was only when Vitha had approached him, asked what was wrong, and listened to him with an open heart that he finally started to feel whole again. Life was something that could move forward.
But still, did she need to be so carelessly flirty with him in public?
They were hanging by a watering hole, the apparent rings around the shore making it apparent that it was slowly shrinking. There were dragonflies zipping around, and a few wildebeest drinking at the far end. She was trying to dare him to get into the water.
"No way," he gaped, appalled that she thought he may even want to get wet. "Plus...are you sure there's not a crocodile hiding in there somewhere?"
Vitha laughed. It was a magical, golden laugh, one that he knew he could never tire of hearing. "Of course there isn't! The water is too low for one to be out of sight. Besides, don't you think the wildebeest would be more careful if there was one in there?" Her red eyes shined with mischief, pleased to see that she was making him uncomfortable. He was so genuine, such a broken soul that had such hard luck in life. And yet, he was so willing to be helpful, to listen to her when she had her own doubts....she truly loved him.
It was time that would tell if it could become something more than what it was at the moment.
"C'mon, Mkate. Its hot, isn't it? Wouldn't you like to cool off..." she purred, nudging him a bit with her shoulder. The black of her coat soaked up the hot sun's rays, the drought slowly inching forward with every passing week. She had begun to grow accustomed to the heat, though for the moment she was trying to hide in Mkate's shadow.
"You just want to see me soaking wet," Mkate said. His lower jaw stuck out stubbornly, knowing that Vitha would probably want nothing more than to see his dripping mane hanging down like a soaked cub. "Plus, I'm sure the water is a bit too warm to feel like cooling off." His tail flipped over in mild irritation, right onto Vitha's. The moment he felt their tails touch, he flushed and pulled his tail back to the other side of his body.
Instead of teasing him about feeling so shy, the black and white lioness just leaned further into his side. She could feel him tense up, but she also knew that very eyes were even paying attention to them. She was not part of any important family, and he had very little immediately family around to keep an eye on him. His half-siblings were grown and taking care of themselves, and although his extended family was vast, that also meant there were a lot of mouths and paws to keep track of, moreso than just one adult, if orphaned, lion.
"You love to embarrass me, don't you," he sighed, feeling the pressure between his brows tense. She had her worries, but she always seemed to be blissfully happy whenever she was around him. He felt her shift against him again, the connection between their fur seemingly jolting him like electricity from a thunderstorm.
"I do. It is almost too easy to do," Vitha laughed. She finally let her eyes tear away from the wildebeest as they wandered off, satiated of their thirst. Her red eyes glanced upwards towards his impossibly blue eyes. The way they popped out against his soft brown fur always made her heart race a little. "You deserve to smile more, Mkate. I know life isn't fair, or easy, but I want you to enjoy what you have in front of you, and not...what has been lost in the past."
It was so frustrating when she said things like this. This...was why he would never be able to forget her. She cared, more than it felt like anyone else did, and so she found the hole in his heart and filled it up with her kind words, golden laugh, and mischievous eyes. She was beginning to show worries of her own, of her nightmares and what may happen to the Pridelands, but he would stand next to her, and support her in any way he could. Hopefully, somehow, they would be able to keep everyone else safe, and no one would have to deal with the horror of having their loved one murdered, like how his poor mother had been found. He flicked his tail back over to her, feeling it land on top of her's. He really shouldn't let himself feel so embarrassed around her, but the idea of courtship was something overwhelming, and she was sweeping him away so quickly it was frightening.
"Alright, alright," he confessed with a sigh. "I will do my best to smile more, for you. But...could you please stop trying to embarrass me in front of everyone?"
Vitha merely smiled, nuzzling into his cheek with a laugh. "Even if that is something you ask, I can make no promises that I will stop making you squirm. It is far too fun and fulfilling to see this gruff male become as soft as mud underneath my touch." She felt his body tense up, and a slightly playful growl escaped his throat. She felt herself giggle as Mkate pushed her over, his own standoffish attitude being pushed aside for his own affectionate gestures. He stood over her, nuzzling her own cheek and she laughed and laughed, pleased to see that her teasing was at least softening him up a bit.
Things would be all right.
(1,021 words)