34 - Grapes Are Worth More Attention (2.17k words)

Curtis went to get more grapes while Vick was still shamelessly sprawled on his stomach like a fish, with his face facing my stomach, "My legs are cramping.""That's unfortunate," he said nonchalantly, taking great joy in my misery.My eyes traced his back muscles down his spine. His breathing was suspiciously deep, so I crept my free hand to check his pulse, then under his chest toward his heart, then a bit lower before retreating it.I used to be foolish enough to believe that he didn't fall in love with my beauty but my personality. But then again. What was there to love besides my beauty?Reality hit me harder when I realized that I could be flat naked and do a lap dance on this guy, and he would still be soft like a sponge. It's not that he was impotent but because he had crazy self-control.He said he might die from too much pleasure if we went all the way, and I was convinced. No matter what crazy things he said, he would always back them up with proof and his actions.I'm sure as hell that I shattered Vick's trust multiple times, to the point where he would leave me for good, like many others in my life. There were moments when he would storm off, his composure shattered, yelling in frustration at my actions and how he would never come back again. However, he always came back, calm and collected, just to save me from a pitch ─ a save I never asked for.I told myself it was because of my father's commands, which further fueled my desire to get that ass-sucker to send my own corpse before my father's doorstep. Not just any corpse, but one that got tortured by the very things the old fossil was protecting from me.Now, I wonder if Vick also wanted to smack my head open and look at the crap that I had inside, like I wanted to smack his sometimes, "Vick.""Mmm....""Are you hard for me? Or just hard?""Mmm...""Answer me.""Hard for you.""What?""I am hard for you."I really began to think that Vick was suffering from some kind of Stockholm syndrome, "You decided to get a hard-on in the middle of a banquet filled with beastmen?""Honestly, getting caught wasn't part of my master plan. There I was, daydreaming about dropping to one knee to propose to you once more, lost in thoughts of your 'Yes.' But no, you had to snap me back to reality, by checking my breathing, pulse, heartbeat, and then my dick. Who does that?" Vick said, sighing, "At this rate, I know I won't survive our wedding night.""Yeah, so instead of saying you might get a stroke from entering me with your dick, you tell others that I'm not ready for one yet. That ego of yours really must be walking on a tightrope, huh?" I mocked, wondering if there was some truth in his half-assed jokes."Something like that, yeah. So, are you going to wait until I'm ready, or should I brace myself for someone else stepping in before me?"I popped my last grape into my mouth and let my thoughts wander off to its taste. No longer acknowledging the existence of this guy.Vick didn't seem to care though, as he continued to rest his head on my thighs happily.· · ─────── · ⊱❈⊰· ─────── · ·So here I was, patiently waiting for my grapes to arrive, when Rosa decided I was her next big challenge after two previous failures.She came up all puffing with pride, trying to look all tough and ready to rumble like an uppity house cat.I bit on my tongue, causing it to alert Curtis, who came rushing back in a panicked rush.I waved at him from afar, stroking the spousal mark I had just bit with the nape of my mouth, causing his body to freeze."Hey," called out Rosa, staring at me and the sleeping Vick, believing that he was an ape beastman with two stripes (that's what Vick revealed to her males).I didn't react."Are you deaf or dumb?" Rosa started talking trash about my only cub and something about having to hide my ugly face behind a cloak when I didn't respond. Her body suddenly tensed when she felt a dark aura behind her."You are back," I said, reaching toward the grapes in Curtis's basket. They were good grapes-sweet and juicy and worth far more attention.While Curtis confronted Rosa with a staring contest, I plopped a grape into my mouth, chewed, swallowed, and plopped another.Curtis hissed at Rosa, "Leave before my spouse becomes upset."Rosa scoffed, "And what? What is she going to do? I'm the tiger king's daughter!""I am going to rip off your heart," Curtis hissed, causing me to stroke his mark a little bit more, suggesting to him how I liked what he had just wanted to do to her, yet didn't, "Tempt me. Just try.""You wouldn't dare," Rosa screamed, "You know who my father is. If anything happened to me, they'd be all over you!""Your father?" Curtis questioned, unimpressed, "Who says I will do it before him? I could've killed you three times by now. You just don't know it. The only reason you are still breathing is because you are a female, but nothing is stopping me from killing your males," he gestured toward Bart, "the next time he goes hunting or training to get stronger for you, he might never return again."Rosa froze, her eyes wide open as she realized she might've bitten off more than she could chew. She took a step back and then ran off."Yaya," Curtis replied, turning to face me as he sat beside me. He gently lifted my chin.Resting my head against his chest, I opened my mouth to show the spousal mark he'd given me, intuitively understanding his silent request. "I told you Vick pales in comparison to you, didn't I? He couldn't even bother to step up and protect me."Curtis chuckled softly, silently taking in the small compliment. His fingers brushed the corner of my lips in a tender gesture. "I wish I could carry proof of our bond, just like you do."Closing my mouth, I let my finger trace his toned skin, just above where his heart beat strong and steady. "If a male can only ever truly connect with one female, then your mark has to be inside, somewhere deep within your heart. Maybe try using that, see if you can reach out to me with it."Curtis nodded, looking down at his chest curiously, "I will try."Together, we observed Rosa running in tears toward her males. When she told them what had just happened, Bart actually came to us and apologized for his female's rudeness."We thought she wanted to become your friend," said Bart, apologetic, "If I knew, I would have tried to hold her back.""It's okay," a masculine voice reassured Bart from somewhere near my stomach. "Just be sure to give her a good spanking tonight. That will teach her a lesson."Bart's face reddened, but he didn't say anything before walking off. It was probably his first time seeing a male laying on a female's lap since it was usually the other way around."Precious, did I just hear you dissing my protective skills? Just so you know, they go way beyond just keeping you safe.""I prefer a more straightforward approach like Curtis's," I said, devoid of empathy. Vick likely stayed silent to allow me to handle Rosa on my own and take the spotlight, but I wasn't interested in that at all."Yaya, taste the grapes I brought; they are really sweet," said Curtis, trying to divert my blatant favoritism for him to the food in the basket.3rd person POVWhen Muir and Bai returned to the banquet, they couldn't help but notice that the vibe had taken a turn for the...interesting.Suddenly, the females were acting a tad nicer ─ like they'd all decided to turn over a new leaf at the same moment.What could be a possible reason behind it? Nivi was practically throwing a love fest for her males; Rosa was clinging to hers like a koala in need of comfort, and there was Bai, making Tony (the notable non-stripped male) the center of her universe with her freckle-free face when she noticed he was all alone.It seemed the banquet's top-tier beauties had kicked off a trend of treating males less like furniture and more like actual beings.Then there was Muir's spouse, Yaya, who looked the most quiet and obedient, a stark contrast to the males surrounding her, who appeared to be the epitome of wildness and unrestrained freedom. Curtis was pressing YaYa's head against his chest while she was casually popping grapes into her mouth with Vick lounging in her lap.Catching Muir's eye, Yaya gave a subtle pat to her right shoulder ─ an invite if there was one.Without missing a beat, Muir claimed his VIP spot behind her, his chin settling on her shoulder like a bird perching on a prime branch, taking on the role of her personal broadcaster. "I see lots of envy from the females and a bunch of males who can't believe what they're seeing," he whispered, an amused tone in his voice, "What I can't believe is that you would actually step out for the sake of the males too."Yaya's response was equally cheeky: "I just want to prove that the females you talked badly about aren't as terrible as you've painted them to be." She turned her head in his direction, licking and biting on her bottom lip. "Want to contribute?""With pleasure," Muir tugged her cloak to the side slightly, showing only the delicate curve of her chin as he leaned over to capture her lips with his."Your parents really must love each other a lot," commented Tony, quickly covering his eyes but still peeking through his fingers like the rest of the males. Maybe he could learn a few tips and tricks, which he could use on his female in the future.Bai Qingqing's cheeks turned a fiery shade of red as she caught sight of Muir kissing Yaya under the vivid glow of the night sky and the bonfire. It felt like she was witnessing a scene straight out of a romantic movie, where two super good-looking actors shared a kiss after a long separation, designed to tug at the audience's heartstrings.It was a very, very steamy and intimate kiss. Muir's fingers were digging into Yaya's cloak, and there was a hint of his tongue.Bai Qingqing covered her flushed face, 'What is happening?! They never behave like this at home, ah!' Nivi's males were also surprised by what they saw, thinking it was Nivi's behavior that prompted YaYa to become a better female toward her males. Because of this, they were even more in awe of their lovely spouse.Nivi's expression turned into a slight frown. In her mind, if she ever chose to kiss one of her males before others, she'd make it a point to show the same affection to the rest. If one of them kissed her before the others, the rest would usually come over for a kiss in order to make each other feel equally cherished.Meanwhile, Yaya shared a kiss with Muir and then casually returned to her grapes. Vick appeared to adopt a 'What the eyes don't see, the heart doesn't feels' stance towards the situation. On the other hand, Curtis pressed her head onto his chest, his expression hidden from her view.'I hope she is alright,' Nivi thought, afraid Yaya was being forced into something she didn't want. The change in Yaya's behavior this time was alarming, far from the norm.'Yaya, you are not forcing yourself to do this to assure me that you are alright, are you?'Initially, Yaya's less-than-kind behavior towards her males had influenced Nivi's perception, leading her to view their interactions with a hint of bias. However, the undeniable fact remained: Curtis and Muir were very unstable and dangerous individuals. She believed they needed to be treated with care and caution, which Yaya probably didn't bother with.'Perhaps it's time I have a serious conversation with her males,' Nivi decided, resolved to ensure Yaya's safety.╔═══ Author's note ════╗YY's and Curtis's connection always thrived on this unspoken understanding. Both are naturally reserved individuals, but even without many words shared, they would often find themselves tuned into each other's thoughts and feelings. The mark on her tongue symbolizes the unique bond they share.It appears that Vick's decision not to mate with YY, out of fear of making her stronger, isn't the sole reason for his choice. 👀╚════════════════╝