Helix shattered the clouded atmosphere with a warm smile.
His partners look at him with interest.
"If it looks that way, it's proof that they love me." Helix reasoned.
"In the last three months we've lost a friend and our beloved teacher."
Atlas' eyes widened alongside Kylon's.
"Those are details you didn't know." Helix chuckled.
Then he hugged Marie closely, wrapped his arm around Charlotte, and motioned Riley into a bear hug.
Their sad faces snuggled close with satisfaction.
"You can still tell they love me. I hope you can see it's mutual." Helix remarked with a warm smile.
"That's how we know that Kiya loves you, too.
Unpassionate relationships don't have the types of stories and interactions you have."
Marie nodded in agreement.
"Besides, when you spoke about Kiya your face didn't turn bitter once." She said with a gentle smile.
"And it was clear you could've kept going if we didn't start encouraging you." Charlotte added with a sassy smile.
Kylon blushed at her words.
It was impossible to see Kylon [blush].
However, his facial mannerisms and insta-shyness made it clear he was.
"I see…." Kylon said while fidgeting.
"Just go for it already!" Charlotte chastised with a kind smile.
Helix's partners continued to grill Kylon mercilessly until he promised he would start moving in the direction of asking for her hand.
After another hour of chatting, Helix suggested they call it a night.
It was 7 pm, and the sun was going down.
Kylon agreed and got up to leave.
He was so happy and refreshed it was hard to process.
The cat spent a week agonizing over the impending meeting with Helix.
Now the burden was off his chest, and he loved that.
However, he didn't expect to leave [happy].
"That smile looks good on you." Helix chuckled with smiling eyes.
"I…." Kylon replied.
"It's cute!" Marie called out.
"Smiles are cool." Charlotte remarked casually.
"It's aight." Atlas commented, joining the bandwagon.
"Your smile makes me happy." Riley pointed out.
Helix chuckled when Riley spoke.
She was always last, and when the topic included [kindness], she was the nail in the coffin.
"T-Thank you…." He replied with a bow.
"By the way, I love the suit.
It makes you look cute and handsome." Marie commented.
"I think it's rad. I think you should wear it from now on." Charlotte followed.
Kylon's face froze, and suspicion took over his body.
"You've been making fun of me for this suit…." He whispered with conflicted emotions.
Helix scoff-laughed and grabbed the lapels of his peacoat.
Peacoats can be described as [suits] converted into coats.
The cat's eyes widened when he realized that fact.
"You did wear that suit because it's my stylistic choice, did you not?" Helix asked with a slight smile.
Kylon opened and closed his mouth multiple times.
"So if they're telling you they love it, they genuinely mean it." He concluded.
"I think it's pretty fuckin' cool." Atlas commented from the corner.
His eyes held no lies.
Kylon looked at Helix with serious eyes.
"I'm going to call you Yakuza Cat regardless of what you wear." Helix sighed.
"I've almost been killed four times in the first three months.
I deserve the right to our agreed terms."
Kylon gave him a wry smile laced with regret.
"But I dig it. It's perfectly tailored.
When I first saw it, I was honestly jealous." He chuckled.
His partners burst into laughter and wore bright smiles.
Charlotte started nudging him.
The cat couldn't get more bewildered.
His perplexion was written over his face.
"I helped a designer make Earthian clothing for two months so she'd make me a peacoat." Helix chuckled.
"You what!?" Kylon cried in shock.
"Yeah, bro. What did you just say?" Atlas asked.
Charlotte gave him an evil grin.
"Hellie's being dead serious." She asserted.
"He designed so many clothes that he now owns one-tenth of an international clothing company."
The shock written on Atla and Kylon's faces was comical.
"Do you like his designs?" Marie asked.
Atlas' face lit up.
"Wait. Those are—"
"Yoga pants." Marie replied with a proud smile.
"Samma Shaw is a world-class tailor and designer.
She's known for making exotic clothing.
So she picked up Helix's designs because he's from Earth." Riley explained.
"We have two full wagons in the back full of skirts, pants, t-shirts, cardigans, windbreakers, heels, boots, leggings, and—" Marie began.
"Suits." Helix chuckled.
He couldn't help but finish her statement, and she laughed in response.
"You're a trendsetter, Yakuza.
Soon your style will be super popular, and you're going to be the first person with a tailored suit because most people don't know the designs."
"That's why you should keep the suit." Marie giggled.
"It's classy, A.F.," Charlotte commented slowly, emphasizing the letters.
"I love it." Riley giggled.
"Seriously, bro, it's probably sweltering right now, but it'll be boss next month." Atlas commented with a bored expression.
"Yakuza describe your behavior, not your appearance." Helix explained with smiling eyes.
"Countless people wear suits on earth for business.
If I were calling you Yakuza by appearance, you'd be human, Japanese, and drowning in snake tattoos."
The wagon burst into laughter.
Helix looked around the wagon.
He saw the hopeful gazes of his three partners and the amused face of Atlas.
However, Kylon was wearing a hesitant expression.
"I have a proposal for you." Helix announced.
Everyone in the wagon looked at him.
"Ummm… yes?" Kylon asked after a dry swallow.
"You seem to like the suit. My partners love the suit.
They'll light up and compliment you if they see it again." Helix explained.
"However, we weren't very nice and mocked you with an inaccurate nickname.
So you're worried about it."
Kylon narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
He was uncertain what would follow would be an [apology].
"Here's my proposal." Helix said with a slight smile.
"If you consider wearing the suit because you like it, we'll all say sorry for making fun of you tonight. That includes the furry joke.
Then you can leave with only fond memories instead of mixed memories of us venting over the past."
Kylon's eyes widened in the surprise of a [conditional] apology.
"Additionally, only I will be able to call you Yakuza Cat unless you allow someone else to." Helix continued.
Kylon looked down at the floor in shame.
"However! I'm sure that everyone will be willing to stop calling you that name if it allows you to be more confident.
No one's going to break you down for something benign. It's… not cool.
We're fans of building people up as long as they're good people." Helix chuckled.
"We also dig the style. We won't tease you if you're expressive with us as much.
We'll throw in some exclusive earth clothing.
What about you ladies? Are those proposed conditionals acceptable?"
Their eyes sparkled, thinking it might be possible to get him to keep it.
"Yes!" Marie called out.
"I'm in." Charlotte shrugged.
"I haven't gone through what Helix has.
So I'll apologize and avoid calling that name anyways." Riley said sweetly.
"Yeah, whatever." Atlas added.
"I…." Kylon said with bewildered eyes.
"Surprised how excited they are?
Kylon, I don't wear this style for no reason." Helix chuckled.
"Women love it."
Marie played with his lapels, Charlotte tugged on his arm, and Riley watched with an interested smile.
"I think Kiya will love it." Marie remarked.
"I'll do it!" Kylon declared.
—
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