Prompt #352--First Line: "I can't believe you asked him that."

A Good Impression?

"I can't believe you asked him that," Damien muttered under his breath as they moved into the small dining area the king reserved for small, informal meals. His uncle, the king, was still laughing as were Harrison and Penelope.

Kayden looked up at the duke with a slight glare, his cheeks still tinged pink in embarrassment. "It's your fault."

"How it is my fault?" Damien frowned down at his young neko lover.

"If you hadn't made me wear them, then he wouldn't have asked why they were wet," the hybrid said as he crossed his arms over his narrow chest.

His uncle chuckled as he took his place at the head of the table. "He's right, Damien."

The duke straightened. Of course his whole family would gang up on him and take Kayden's side. "He needed to wear shoes," Damien ground out. "It's his first time visiting you here at the castle. I just wanted him to make a good impression."

"Oh, he did alright," Harrison laughed. "Slipping down the marble stairs and shredding one of the tapestries with his claws when he tried to catch himself certainly made an impression."

"Are you sure you're alright, Kayden?" Penelope asked again, as all of them had asked him several times already, especially Damien when he'd lifted him from the floor.

Kayden's cheeks darkened as he nodded again, his tail curling in around his leg as his black ears drooped. He cast his bright green eyes through his black bangs back up at the king, obviously still worried that he might get in trouble for destroying the carpet thing hanging on the wall.

But Damien's uncle was still chuckling, showing no signs of being upset at all. In fact, he actually seemed rather happy and amused, they all did actually, allowing Kayden to relax a bit.

"I don't think I've laughed like that in years," Eudon said as he smiled congenially at Kayden. "You are such a breath of fresh air, my boy. And to answer your question: no, I would not have made you wear shoes that had fallen in the toilet."

That set off a new round of laughter between Damien's uncle, brother, and sister-in-law as Kayden gave him a 'See? So why did you?' look.

Damien glared at back at his uncle. "They didn't just fall in the toilet. He put them in there because he was trying to get out of coming here tonight."

King Eudon sobered as he looked at the hybrid. "Really, Kayden? Why?"

Kayden shifted uncomfortably in his chair at the hurt look in the king's face. "I--I was just nervous, sir."

"I see," the king said thoughtfully. "You know there's nothing to be nervous of, right? This will be your home eventually."

Kayden nodded as Damien took his hand and squeezed reassuringly.

"I think the guards make him a bit wary," Damien added. "There are more of them, and they are in the red tabards that make them look more intimidating."

"That makes sense," Eudon nodded. "I'll tell you a secret though," he said, leaning in conspiratorially. "They used to scare me too."

Kayden's eyes widened.

"For that matter, I remember Damien and Harrison here when they were just boys being scared too. They're supposed to look intimidating," Eudon said as he picked up his wine glass. "But they're here to protect you, just like Captain Brenner and all the guards at Damien's estate. They just wear fancier clothes."

Harrison chuckled as Damien grinned at his uncle's attempt to pacify his lover's fears. Kayden seemed to relax more and more in the easy presence of the king.

"Honestly, from what I've been hearing about your training with Captain Brenner and his men, it sounds like you could teach the Royal Guards a few things," Eudon praised.

"Thank you, sir," Kayden said softly, blushing again, but this time because of the compliment. He felt Damien's hand on his thigh squeezing reassuringly. He looked up into the azure eyes of his love. "As long as I can do it without shoes on."