I Would Rather Be a Rogue [BL]
Chapter 39: Not a Date

Chapter 39: Not a Date

When Felix pushed the door open, entering Crossroads the next morning, Kade was already there. As always. Sitting by his usual table. With a drink already served. It’s been like that pretty much every day, Kade showing up right before Felix’s shift, and then once more at the end. Felix was almost certain that the Alpha must have snatched the timetable from one of the employees, because this was something their mate bond couldn’t explain. As fated mates, they could be able to sense each other’s presence when nearby, but not somehow understand the whole schedule!

It was quite annoying, honestly... But that day, for a change, Felix was glad that Kade was such a sticky pest. At least it spared him trouble from having to seek out the Alpha himself.

He glanced at the clock, and once he saw that he still had over ten minutes left before his shift, he approached Kade’s table. While trying to ignore the grin on Kade’s face, widening with every step Felix took in his direction.

"Hey," he said. "There’s something I need to talk to you about. In private. Do you have some time later?"

"Hmm, I don’t know... I’m actually a very busy person..." Kade furrowed his brows, rubbing his chin as if he was thinking hard. Only to brighten up a moment later. "But for my cute little mate, of course I can find some time!"

Busy, right. Because busy people have so much time to waste sitting in a restaurant. Kade probably SHOULD have been busy, but he clearly wasn’t working all that hard on that secret mission he had!

He had, without a doubt, a lot of time on his hands. But, since it was for his ’mate’ that he said he could find time, Felix had no choice but to shake his head. "If you don’t have time, that’s fine. It’s not that urgent anyway!"

It was urgent, at least for Felix. He wanted to get it out of the way, so that he could get Kade out of the way soon! Out of Silverfall, that is. However, when it came to Kade, Felix didn’t want to let the man have the upper hand, not even in such a foolish back-and-forth!

And there was no need to, because Kade wouldn’t let such an opportunity, where Felix was offering to spend time with him (willingly!) slip by.

"Ah, no, no. Now that I thought about it again, I seem to have some time to spare later today! Should I pick you up after work?"

"Alright, sounds fine. See you later then," Felix nodded, then turned around and left.

Kade didn’t even ask WHEN exactly Felix would be off. As expected, he must have already known.

And when Felix left the kitchen a few hours later, he was waiting by the bar, in a fancy suit - well, that much was to be expected. Did he ever wear anything other than suits? At this point, Felix wouldn’t be surprised if the Alpha wore a suit even when going hiking. Or to a swimming pool! - and with a bouquet of red roses, arranged nicely by the local florist, with dark red tissue paper, ribbons, and even a string of pearls for decoration. As over the top as it was possible to get in Silverfall, without making it look comical.

While Felix... Well, he didn’t look quite as ill-matched to Kade as he did on their first meeting. Although he still looked skinny, pale, and tired, he had regained a bit of weight, and looked much healthier now. And he was dressed well on top of that, wearing the clothes Kade had given him. Originally, he didn’t want to wear them until the Alpha left, so as not to give him any mixed signals or anything... But in the end, they were much better than his old clothes, so Felix’s practical side had won.

And he looked good. Which was reflected in the way Kade looked at him, scanning him up and down. With that annoying self-satisfied grin.

What was even more annoying than Kade’s smile though, was his words when Felix approached him. "There you are. Ready for our date?"

Ugh.

"It’s not a date," Felix quickly clarified.

"What do you mean? You said you needed to talk about something, wasn’t it about you confessing to me?"

"Ugh," this time, Felix groaned out loud. "And why would I do that?"

"Because you like me, of course!"

To that, Felix only answered with a blank stare. He was seriously considering just turning away and leaving. If Kade didn’t find the mermaid, he would eventually have to give up and leave Silverfall anyway, right?

But before he made any decision, Kade calmed down his enthusiasm a bit, and said, "Alright, alright. Let’s just go first, we have a reservation in fifteen minutes!"

"...Reservation?"

"Yeah! For a dinner!"

Felix was indeed hungry... But, "That’s not the best place to talk. We should go somewhere where we’re alone... A drive would be the best, I think."

"Eh? But I’ve already made the reservation!" Kade whined.

"Then cancel it."

"But I’m hungry!"

"Well, that’s your problem. I’m not," Felix snapped... Only for his stomach to betray him a second later with its terrible timing.

Kade pressed his lips together, barely suppressing his chuckle. He didn’t say anything - well, he couldn’t, because the moment he opened his mouth, he was likely to laugh out loud - he just lifted his brows, as if asking, ’Are you really?’

With even his stomach working against him, Felix didn’t resist any longer. "Fine, let’s go eat first then," he sighed. "But, just to make it clear. This is not a date!"

They could just talk about the mermaid later. It wouldn’t make much of a difference to go along with Kade’s wishes this one last time, not after giving in so many times already. Felix would just treat it as a farewell dinner, as not long after that, he would finish Kade’s mission for him, and the Alpha would leave Silverfall.

For good, hopefully.