The Cat Who Cried Boyfriend[Amaranta, Khaana, Vanyel]

How much longer was she intending on keeping this stupid act up? Vanyel took a moment to switch his gaze from Khaana to Amaranta, glaring at her, before turning back to Khaana. Without thinking of it, Vanyel exerted a small amount of energy to coat the finished plates and utensils, and, with a subtle hand gesture, telekinetically commanded the items to slide from the table and float behind him, making their way to the kitchen and coming to rest in the sink. They shook and occasionally dipped down -- he was still getting back into the groove of it -- but, they made it there without a crack or chip.

Instead, as Khaana spoke, his eyes shifted between the two girls, listening intently. It was a rare opportunity for him to find out how others viewed Amaranta. If there was one thing he wouldn't call her, altruistic was at the top of the list. From his own experiences, the lioness was unabashedly and unapologetically selfish. Hell, she first came to him purely to eat, and the second time they interacted was entirely her trying to get him to teach her how to cook.

But, Khaana's view of it made Vanyel turn his gaze to Amaranta with a raised eyebrow. He noticed that light red that nearly started to set in, but, he made no comment on it. His leg idly shook as he continued to occasionally flick his gaze between the two.

"Wouldn't call 'em amicable. Altruistic? Maybe. Good that she's made you aware of it, though. If you want to delve into it, adjust your schedule. You're an entertainer, but your own life and well-being should come first."

Ironic that he said that, given how much of his life was active and centered around work. For him, it helped in keeping him focused, and he had been able to blend the other hobbies and aspects of his life together. He didn't really know whether that was a good or bad thing, honestly. As he spoke, he subtly slipped his phone from his pocket, setting it on his leg, and using his free hand to quietly text Amaranta a simple message: "When are you going to cut the act?"

"Shut up. As if I'd be so in love as to ignore my evolutionary growth..."

What an odd thought to imagine. Did true love have that effect on humans? Did it make them complacent? Did it make them stronger? Frequent explorations of media told her thousands of alternating stories on the subject. Fictional characters who went to extreme lengths to fight for their true love. Others walked away scorned, viewing it as a curse that weakened them. Moving past her white lie with whitey, who was nearby, she reflected on those who tried to earn her favor.

Surely, she was no expert on the subject, but all those encounters told her that, by Khaana's humor, love was the furthest thing from their minds. Of course, why did any of this matter? Pursuing any of that felt foolish. After all, once this was over, she'd wait a few weeks, maybe a month, and tell her they amicably broke up, or that she cheated on him like a fool, make herself out to be the villain.

Lost in her deep-seated thoughts, she gazed down at her phone as a message popped up. Fierce sapphires recognized the name. Rolling her eyes, Amaranta turned her gaze in Khaana's direction as she typed away at her phone: ' Huh? why would I cut it now? We're almost at the finish line, Van. Come on.'

Finishing that text, she directed her gaze outside the window. Eventually, they would leave and she could probably carry this lie on for a few days, maybe something closer to a month. What was the likelihood that Khaana would grow attached to him as a friend? Zero. As such, all she needed to do was finish the lie, walk away like a badass, and never think about true love again, or any of the potential impacts it might have on her growth as a warrior.

As Khaana spoke, Vanyel found himsef looking at her more intensely. His eyes glowed for a brief moment, shining a brighter blue as he checked once again. Yeah, just like before -- human, but not, and the density of the aura around her gave away that she wasn't as helpless as she seemed. Plus, there was that comment. The way she worded it made it seem that the big brutish cat had actually saved her at one point. Envying the strong wasn't really all that surprising, but, something felt off about the whole thing.

He could understand the desire to keep savings ready in the off-chance that something happened. It was why he invested and made sure that he had a backup, in the event that something happened with either his position in Gracen Arms, or the company as a whole. So, with a light nod, Vanyel spoke while typing with his free hand, making sure to keep it subtle.

"I kinda get that. I've been keepin' some stuff saved in case somethin' happens. Make sure I can stay afloat for a bit."

[01:28:48] GO FUCK YOURSELF, I HATE THIS! EITHER YOU TELL HER OR I DO

Upon sending the message, Vanyel's leg seemed to continue bouncing as he held the device to his leg, his focus not having broken from Khaana, even while typing.