Hot Chicken

"Hey Knight."

Blinking open his tired eyes, Knight looked up at Jared's blurry face as he leaned over him with a grin.

He's so handsome... and scary.

Jared had been sniffing after him nearly all day yesterday. He'd had to go sleep in a tree outside to avoid him. He'd only come back inside after the twins had left for work, much to his little brother's amusement.

While he'd made himself a very small breakfast of eggs and a piece of toast, Palace had even set a condom on the counter beside him. It currently sat in his pocket since he hadn't bothered to take off the pajamas he'd changed into once he'd come back inside before heading up to Jared's room to sleep while the guy was gone.

I slept too long.

Knight sat up quickly, pushing himself to the opposite side of the bed as he yawned, unable to hold it in. When he opened his squinted eyes back up, Jared was tugging off his work shirt. It took every ounce of control in him not to think crude things. Instead, he just licked his lips and blushed when Jared smirked at him, then turned his back and tossed his shirt into the hamper in the corner.

When he'd finally turned back, Knight wouldn't be there. Panting, he shoved the bathroom door shut, then turned around and leaned his back against it with a sigh. Knight stayed there for several moments in order to calm his heart down, but when he felt and heard a thump on the other side of the door, he jumped and whirled around.

"I don't understand, Knight. You chased after me for years and worked hard to get my attention for even a second. Now that I'm finally giving it back to you, you're running away every chance you get." Jared said. There was a hint of humor to his words that made Knight scowl as he stomped toward the shower, tugging his shirt off in the process.

"I know that you're playing with me now, and I don't appreciate it. I haven't slept much and I'm in no mood to be picked on right now." He growled as he yanked his pants down, glad that he'd foregone underwear as he kicked the clothing aside and leaned over to turn the shower on.

There was silence on the other side of the door as he set the temperature, then climbed in. The water was just warm enough to be comfortable. He wasn't a huge fan of cooking himself while trying to get clean. When the bathroom door slowly opened, he stopped rubbing body wash on his arm and looked around the shower curtain. Jared sauntered inside, leaving the door open as he picked up his toothbrush and added some paste.

"What are you doing in here?" Knight grumbled as he jerked the curtain back into place and quickly scrubbed his body before stepping back under the water to rinse off.

The sound of brushing answered him.

Why would he be brushing his darn teeth in at seven P.M.?

Reaching for the shampoo, Knight nearly dropped the bottle when he heard Jared respond in his mind.

Because I already ate dinner and I don't think that you want me to kiss you with onion on my breath.

Bristling, Knight jerked the shower nozzle to off, then yanked the curtain to the side. He was butt naked with Jared staring at him wide-eyed, a toothbrush hanging from his closed mouth, but he didn't care. Carefully climbing out of the shower, Knight stalked up to Jared and poked his bare chest with a damp finger, not caring that he was dripping water all over the floor.

"Listen here, lion. I'm sick of you poking fun at me because I liked you. Get over yourself and this bullshit your playing at. I'm sick of it and I'm done with you. I don't care if I still find you attractive! I'm done pining after you and I'm not going to melt into your arms now that you're trying to mess with me!" He yelled, his words ending on a screech that echoed around the small bathroom.

Jared's eyes were still wide, his expression one of shock as he stood staring at him in silence. The only thing Knight could pick up from him were several confused, worried thoughts whirring around in the guy's head. He couldn't make sense out of any of it, though, and before he could question the guy, Jared turned toward the sink and leaned over, quickly spitting out his toothpaste, washing his brush, then rinsing his mouth out. A moment after completing those actions, he was gone.

I'm slightly confused, but I guess I got my point across.

When Jared didn't return, Knight walked back into the shower and finished washing his hair, then dried off, got dressed, and wiped the remaining water from the floor before tossing his towel into the hamper, then heading downstairs. He was starving and as he stepped down from the last step, his nose picked up a scent that had him drooling.

Someone got me pet store rats!

Granted, he could catch his own dinner quite easily after dark, but he'd been lucky enough to be allowed access to the fridge as long as he kept everything clean and didn't waste food. Walking over to the dinner table, Knight grinned as he saw a cardboard container on it that was labeled live animals.

Not for long, my sweet delicacies.

He picked up the box at the same time his brother descended the stairs.

"Hey Pal, did Jamie bring these home for me?" He asked, knowing that the guy sometimes brought them treats if he was in a particularly good mood. With how busy him and Palace got at night, they had been getting little treats quite frequently.

When his brother shook his head and walked into the kitchen, Knight frowned and followed him, holding the squirming box firmly in his hands.

"Then, did you get it?"

It was a dumb question. Palace rarely used money as it was, and to buy rats from a pet store instead of just going to hunt some? It was laughable. In fact, his brother turned toward him after filling a glass of water from the dispenser in the fridge and rolled his eyes before downing the entire thing.

"Then who?" Knight grumbled impatiently, waiting for his brother finished his drink.

Palace set the glass down and turned his full attention to him.

"The other lion." He stated simply as he leaned back against the counter.

Knight's brows drew together. Jared never brought him anything. Not even dinner when he picked up extra for Jamie.

"Why would he buy me rats?" He asked, completely confused.

Are they poisoned?

Palace gave a quiet growl and shook his head as he leaned forward, getting close enough to poke Knight's forehead with a finger.

"He wants to fuck you, little brother."

Knight's heart nearly stopped at his brother's words.

"You've got the wrong lion, bro. He's just tormenting me cause he finally thinks that he can get a kick out of stomping on my feelings." Knight grumbled.

Palace grabbed Knight's chin tightly and jerked it up so that he was forced to look into his dark eyes.

"That lion has been nervous for weeks about actually learning how to accept your feelings. He has talked to Jamie many times trying to understand how to like someone, but he doesn't understand very well, so he's turned it into a joke out of nerves." Palace said before shoving Knight hard enough to make him stumble back and down into a chair, his hands nearly dropping the box of rats.

"He bought you those rats and was going to give them to you for dinner, but I guess you two messed things up, again." He said, getting a jerky nod from Knight as he looked away, embarrassed.

After a moment, Knight looked up, a new light in his eyes.

"How do you suggest I try to talk to him? I yelled at him really badly a few minutes ago..."

His brother smacked his hand against his forehead and sighed, clearly frustrated.

"I swear I am talking to a child." Palace grumbled, making Knight scowl before his brother leaned forward and grabbed his shoulder, squeezing hard.

"Go upstairs and be yourself. If he starts being snarky, kiss him and tell him to shut up and fuck you." Palace said before refilling his water, then walking out of the room and heading back upstairs to his and Jamie's room.

Knight slowly stood as he watched his brother disappear up the stairs. When he was gone, his eyes lowered to the box of rats and he groaned.

"But I want to do him, not the other way around!"

The sound of footsteps by the stairs brought his eyes over to the person standing there, staring silently at him.

Oh. Shit.

Knight felt himself start to shake as he saw Jared begin to walk over to him and quickly ducked his head, hugging the box of rats. Jared stopped with his toes barely an inch away from his own, then something brushed against the right side of his head before he heard the clinking of glasses against each other.

Don't hit me. Don't hit me.

Jared's body heat so close it made him want to step forward, but he kept himself steady until the lion shifter backed away. Taking that chance, Knight glanced up, surprised to see Jared filling a cup with water at the fridge.

He's not mad?

Inching closer, Knight held his box of rats a tiny bit tighter and licked his lips. He was nervous, and he could finally sense how uneasy Jared was through their awkward bond.

"Jared? Did you get these rats for me?" He asked, his voice a whisper in the quiet, dark room. No lights had been turned on, but they both had decent-enough night vision for it to not matter.

Jared didn't respond right away, making Knight hunch his shoulders a little as he looked back down at the box in his arms. "Thank you, if you did..." He mumbled right before he saw Jared move abruptly, making him jump.

He tried to dodge backward, but the counter at his back stopped him after only two small steps, allowing Jared to grasp his jaw and jerk it up as he crashed his mouth down upon his own with a deep, rumbling growl.