An Angel's Touch

by animesn

After losing her parents in a terrible accident, Kyler is taken in and raised by the Elder Kettle. Her life couldn't be better...until the day Cuphead and Mugman visit the Devil's Casino. In order to save them, Kyler must make a decision that changes not only her life, but also the life of King Dice

8. Ch 7 A Blossoming Romance

After making sure that everything on the tray was properly prepared, Terrance picked it up and headed for King Dice's room. He knocked on the door, and when there was no response, he carefully opened it so as not to disturb his employer.

"Master Dice, are you awake?" He knew the answer was yes when he heard a grunt being emitted from under the thick bed covers. He set the tray down on the nearby bed stand and opened the curtains, allowing the bright afternoon sunlight to light up the entire room.

Immediately, King Dice pulled the blankets over his head. "Ugh, shit. That hurts my eyes." He groaned.

"Terribly sorry sir. I will close them at once." Terrance said.

Like a turtle poking its head out of its shell, King Dice peeked out from under the covers. "That's okay. I'll adjust." He muttered with a feeble shake of his head. It felt like a sledgehammer being swung against his head each time he did that.

"How are you feeling today sir?" Terrance asked as he poured a cup of coffee.

King Dice groaned again as he took a small sip of coffee and set the mug on his bed stand. "Urrgh. Goddamn hangover."

"I figured as much." Terrance said as he handed King Dice some Alka-Seltzer and a glass of water.

"Thanks Terrance. I really appreciate it." King Dice said as he popped the medication in his mouth and took a large gulp of water. He set the glass next to his coffee and flopped back onto the pillows as he rubbed his face with his palms. "Oh god, how could I've been so stupid, getting drunk like that? I must've looked like a complete ass in front of Kyler."

Terrance nodded in agreement. "To be quite honest sir, it was rather alarming seeing you in an inebriated state as Miss Sharmain assisted you to your room."

"Hmmm...so that's how I got here." King Dice said groggily.

Terrance raised an eyebrow. "Forgive me sir, but you truly don't remember the events that followed once you were intoxicated?"

Like before, King Dice shook his head as feebly as he could. "I remember everything up until the drinking game with my buddies. Next thing I knew, it was four in the morning and I was puking in the toilet." He glanced at his butler. "Did...did I do something bad?"

Clearing his throat, Terrance quickly picked up the tray. "Please excuse me sir. I must get back to my duties, and it is imperative that you get some rest." He was about to leave, but was stopped when King Dice reached out and grabbed a hold of his sleeve.

"Terrance, what the hell happened after I got drunk?" When Terrance still didn't answer, King Dice became frantic. "Did I do something to Kyler? Something bad? Is she hurt? In the hospital? Well, don't just stand there! Tell me!" He suddenly felt a wave of pain and let go of his butler, pressing his hands against his forehead. "Owww..."

"Calm yourself sir. Miss Sharmain is quite safe." Terrance patted King Dice reassuringly on the shoulder. "Mr. Aito had escorted her home last night. I spoke to her on the phone this morning, and she is currently preparing for her dinner party tonight."

King Dice breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank god. I can always count on Tomoe to step in when things get out of hand. Still...that doesn't explain what happened when I got drunk."

Terrance hesitated at first, then he took a deep breath and told King Dice everything. How Kyler had taken him to his room, that he got frisky with her and went so far as to give her a love bite just above her breast, and that he had fallen asleep on top of her and Tomoe had to come to her rescue. By the time Terrance finished telling him all that had happened, King Dice had his face in his hands as he shook his head. "Oh, Christ almighty." He groaned. "I'll be lucky if she ever speaks to me again."

"I wouldn't worry too much about it sir." Terrance assured him. "When I spoke to her earlier, Miss Sharmain had informed me that she completely understood you were unable to think clearly, and that you would never have acted such a way in a more sober state."

King Dice peeked at Terrance through his fingers. "For real? She's not mad at me? Cause I really don't wannna go through that again."

Terrance nodded with a smile. "I am quite certain sir. In fact, she had planned to call and check up on you this afternoon. She seemed very concerned about your condition." The minute Terrance spoke, King Dice's cell suddenly started to buzz. "Ah, that must be her right now. If you will please excuse me." He picked up the tray and quickly left the room so as to give his employer some privacy.

King Dice eagerly grabbed a hold of his phone and answered it on the third buzz. "Kyler? Hi baby girl! Oh, it's so good to here your angelic voice."

"It's good to here from you as well." Kyler responded. "How are you feeling today?"

"Honestly? Like I've been hit with a truck." King Dice said with a chuckle.

Kyler let out a sigh. "I'm not surprised. You were pretty drunk last night."

King Dice felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment. "Yeah, I was. And I should've stopped when I started to feel buzzed. I know better than that. It's just...I was having so much bad luck on our date, and I just wanted to do something that would help take my mind off of it..." He trailed off. "Anyway, it was stupid. I disrespected and probably embarrassed you, and I'm paying the price."

"Well, it sounds like you have learned your lesson." Kyler said.

"Oh believe me sweetie. I have." King Dice paused before continuing. "Kyler, listen. Terrance told me everything. I'm really, truly sorry about how I acted toward you after getting tanked. I didn't mean to get all frisky with you. Honest. I would never, ever dream of treating you like that. Ever. I have too much respect for you and you mean so much to me. I want you to be happy. So...if you don't want anything to do with me because of everything that happened at the end of the evening, I completely understand. I want you to do what you feel is right in your heart."

Kyler didn't say anything. For a moment, King Dice was afraid that Terrance was wrong about her not being angry with him and that she might've hung up. "You still there baby?"

"Yes, I'm still here. I really appreciate your apology, and I understand what you're saying. However, you getting drunk doesn't change my feelings toward you. I still like you, and I think you're a wonderful person."

King Dice felt as if Kyler's words have lifted a heavy weight off his shoulders. "So, you're not mad at me?"

Kyler giggled. "Of course not. I mean, I wasn't really happy when you gave me that...um...mark. But that's water under the bridge now. And..." she hesitated before continuing. "Since you had so much bad luck on our first night out, maybe we could...um...try again?"

For a moment, King Dice couldn't speak. Was Kyler suggesting they go out again? "Are you saying you want to go on another date with me?"

"Uh-huh. I really do enjoy your company, so I would love for us to go out again." Kyler responded in the shy tone that he had grown so fond of.

If King Dice wasn't recovering from a hangover, he would've lept out of his bed and did back flips. "Kyler, you don't know how happy I am to here you say that! I most certainly will go on another date with you! I'll make it up to you on the next one, that's a promise."

Kyler laughed at his reaction. "I think not getting drunk on the next date will more than make up for it."

"Believe me baby girl, I won't. I promise from here on out that I'll never get drunk again. And I promise that I will not break that promise. And I also promise-" He stopped when he felt his head explode with pain again. He let out a moan and sunk back into his pillows. "Okay...that was a bad one."

"Awww. You should really get some rest." Kyler said sympathetically.

King Dice nodded. "Yeah, I'm probably going to need the whole day to recover. This is probably one of the worst hangovers I've ever had. Er, not that I get them often."

"Does this mean you won't be able to come to my dinner party?" There was disappointment in Kyler's voice. It just about broke King Dice's heart.

"I'm afraind not sweetie. As bad as I'm feeling, I'll probably be a real kill-joy." He told her.

"I understand completely. Your health comes first. I wouldn't want you to do anything that'll make you sicker than you already are." Kyler said.

King Dice smiled warmly. "You're an angel, you know that? The most beautiful angel that has ever graced Inkwell. No, the whole world."

"Oh, stop." Kyler said with a laugh. "Anyway, I'll let you get some rest. You'll need your strength for tomorrow. I'll make sure to send you warm fuzzies when you go talk to your boss."

King Dice let out a long sigh. "Thanks baby girl. I'll need it. Tell everyone that I said hello and I'm sorry that I couldn't make it."

"I most definetly will. You get plenty of rest and I will see you tomorrow." Kyler instructed.

"Now that I am most certainly looking forward to." King Dice said with a chuckle. "You have a wonderful time at your party tonight."

"I will. Goodbye King Dice." Kyler said.

"Bye-bye sweetie." King Dice ended the call, took another Alka-Seltzer, and settled under the covers with a contended sigh. Now that he knew things would be all right between him and Kyler, he would be able to rest easy.

It was probably the longest Monday for King Dice. After being chewed out by the Devil for calling him names ("Call me a peabrained knucklehead again, and I will personally use your head as a game piece."), they both discussed Pierre's fate with the casino. The Devil felt that he was probably better suited for nothing more than a waiter or housekeeper. To his great surprise, King Dice stood up for his assistant manager. Despite his clumsiness, Pierre had proven to be very competent under King Dice's guidance, and was getting better each time he had to work on his own. In addition, there were strange occurrences within the casino that even King Dice himself had never experienced. For starters, patrons were not just losing games occasionally; every single one of them was losing left and right. Items such as cards and chips have clearly been tampered with, and of course, the dealers were being accused of the dirty deed. Then there were the slot machines and other mechanical games that were failing, from the handles coming loose to the roulette spinning so fast, it actually levitated off of the table. Pierre was naturally very flustered and did not know what to do, which is why he was continuously pestering King Dice with one call after another. But after the Devil threatened to feed him to the magician's lions if he didn't solve the problems, Pierre was able to pull himself together and bring everything under control.

Once he had assured a very shook up Pierre that he would not lose his job, King Dice finally had some peace and quiet in his office and was currently filing some paperwork. Just one more hour, and he would finally be able to go home for the day. He decided that he would stop by the theater to watch Kyler's rehearsal. If anything could brighten his day, it was seeing her beautiful face. He didn't have to wait that long, however, as there was a knock on his door.

"Yes?" He called as he finished filing the last of his paperwork.

"King Dice? It's Kyler. May I come in?"

King Dice's entire face lit up when he heard her beautiful voice. "Of course you can baby girl! You know you're always welcome."

The door opened, and when King Dice looked up, he was surprised to see the little mugs were with her. She had each one by the handle of their heads, and she looked very upset.

"Ow, ow! Kyler, that really hurts!" They both whined.

"Whoa, Kyler. What's up?" King Dice asked with raised eyebrows. She looked even angrier than the evening she had lost her freedom to the Devil.

Kyler let go of both brothers and folded her arms. "I think Cuphead and Mugman can explain that to you. Go on. Tell King Dice everything."

The boys whimpered and glanced at her. "But Kyler..."

"Now!" Kyler ordered in an authoritative voice, making both the brothers and even King Dice jump.

The brothers nervously glanced at each other before turning to King Dice. "M-Mr. Dice? We're the ones who wrecked your date with Kyler. We were still mad about you lying to her that one time. So we decided to get revenge."

King Dice nodded. "Go on."

"Cuphead snuck into the kitchen at the restaurant and put ghost peppers and laxetives into your food when the cooks weren't looking." Mugman muttered as he shuffled his feet. "And I rigged all the games in the casino so your assistant manager would have to keep calling you for help."

"You didn't." King Dice just couldn't believe that the duo were so protective of Kyler to the point where they would sink to such lows. In fact, he was kind of impressed. Of course, he knew better that to tell them that in front of Kyler. So he decided to just go along with her instead. He let out a long sigh. "Well boys, I don't really know what to say. That was a pretty rotten thing to do. It's too bad that neither of you realized that what I've been through also had an affect on Kyler. She's was pretty upset when I was having all those problems at the restaurant."

"That is absolutely correct." Kyler added in the same firm tone. "When King Dice's mouth caught on fire after he consumed those ghost peppers and dunked his head in the fish tank, it scared me to death. I thought he had lost conscientiousness."

Both brothers looked at Kyler with wide eyes. "His mouth caught on fire?" Cuphead asked.

"And he dunked his head in a fish tank?" Mugman chimed in. He and his brother exchanged looks as they startled to giggle, but stopped when they saw the murderous look on Kyler's face.

"It's not funny you two!" She snapped, and Cuphead and Mugman hung their heads in shame. "You could've seriously hurt him!"

"We're sorry Kyler!" They whimpered.

Kyler's eyes snapped angry purple sparks. "I'm not the one whom you two owe an apology."

The brothers turned to face King Dice. "We're really, really sorry Mr. Dice." Cuphead said.

"Yeah. And we're way, way, way, waaaay, more sorry that what we did hurt Kyler too. We weren't thinking." Mugman added, and his brother nodded in agreement.

King Dice tapped his finger against his table in thought. After a moment of silence, he spoke up. "I forgive you mugs. But I need you both to understand something. I really like Kyler. A lot. i don't like seeing her get hurt anymore than you do. She's a wonderful person and deserves all the happiness in the world. Can we all at least agree on that?"

"Oh, yes sir! We definitely agree with you!" Mugman said.

"And we promise we'll never, ever do that again. We'll leave you both alone from now on." Cuphead added as his brother nodded in agreement.

King Dice gave them a nod. "Good. It looks like were all on the same page then."

"All right you two." Kyler said as she placed a hand on each brother's shoulder. "The taxi I called for should be here soon. You are to get in that car and go straight home. Am I making myself clear?"

"Yes ma'm." Cuphead and Mugman muttered in unison.

Kyler nodded. "Off with you then. Make sure to tell Elder Kettle everything as well. He has a right to know."

Both brothers gulped as they scurried out of the office. Kyler heaved a huge sigh as she closed the door behind them, leaving her and King Dice alone.

King Dice got up from his desk, walked over to Kyler, and put his arm around her shoulders. "Hey, now. Don't be so upset with them baby girl. They just wanna look out for you."

"I know. It's just that they know better than that. They're far too old to be playing such reckless and dangerous pranks." Kyler said with a small shrug.

He chuckled. "To be honest, what they did kind of reminded me of the pranks my little brother and I would play. Though they weren't as bad." He sunk down on the coach and picked up the picture that was sitting on the nearby table stand.

Kyler sat down next to him. She had seen that photo many times before, but she always saw a sad expression on his face each time he looked at it, so she never asked him about it. Maybe now was a good time. "Is that him?"

"Um-hm." King Dice nodded as he dusted the photo with his sleeve.

"He's really cute." And Kyler meant it. He was a human man who had the same emerald green eyes as his older brother. However, unlike King Dice's black mustache, he had strawberry blonde hair. "What was his name?"

"Aiden." King Dice said softly.

Kyler smiled. "I really like that name. Aiden."

King Dice nodded in agreement. "Notice anything that makes his cuteness stand out?"

Kyler studied the photo a bit more. Now that King Dice mentioned it, there was something about Aiden's facial features. "He has a very round face. And his eyes are almond shaped." A sudden thought occurred to her. "Wait a moment. Does Aiden...have down syndrome?"

"He does." King Dice said. "Wherever we went, girls would always swoon over how cute he was. Sometimes they would say that they just wanted to take him home. Then he'd freak out and hug my arm tightly. He would tell them he'd never leave his big brother's side."

Kyler giggled. "It sounds like you two are really close."

"We are...were." He said as he gently set the picture down.

Kyler's eyes widened at that last statement. "Did something happen between you two?"

King Dice shook his head. "No. It was nothing like that. You see, our parents weren't really invested in our well being. They depended on their servants to practically raise us, Terrance in particular. They were too busy socializing with the upper class to pay any attention to their own sons. And they definetely didn't like the responsibility of raising a a child with special needs."

Kyler couldn't believe what she was hearing. She shook her head in disbelief. "I'm so sorry your parents neglected you and Aiden. I know this sounds rude, but I don't think they deserved two wonderful sons."

"It's not rude at all. They were not good parents at all. I would sometimes get into fights with them over how their negligence was hurting Aiden. I could take care of myself, but Aiden...he needed a mom and dad more than anything. Aiden always told me everything would be okay, because I'll get married someday, and then I can be his dad while my new wife would be his mom."

Kyler felt her heart melt. "Aww! How sweet!"

"Yeah. The doctor said Aiden will always have the mind of a six year old child. That's something I really loved about him." King Dice said with a chuckle. A silence fell between him and Kyler before he continued. "Despite our parents, we had a happy life together. Then it all came to an end in one night." His voice became shaky, and he looked as if he was about to cry.

Kyler took King Dice's hand in both hers. "It's okay King Dice. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

King Dice managed to give her a small smile. "I appreciate that baby girl. But I do wanna tell you. I think you have every right to know." He took a deep breath. "I was seventeen, and one of my friends invited me over to his place to hang out and watch some tv with a couple of the other guys. Terrance was out sick, so my parents naturally wanted me to take Aiden along. I didn't think it was a good idea, considering he was thirteen at the time and I thought he was too young to be hanging out with people my age."

Kyler nodded in agreement. "You really were like a father to him."

King Dice chuckled and shook his head. "Nah, that was Terrance's department. I was more of the protective big brother type. Anyway, Aiden and I went over to my friend's place for pizza and movies. We were all having a pretty good time. Aiden in particular was doing pretty well because I brought some toys for him to play with. Then my friend thought it would be a great idea to sneak some alcohol from his parent's basement bar. He actually offered Aiden some, and of course, I told him that was a drink for only grown-ups, so I wasn't going to drink any either. Naturally, my friends poked fun at my for being a pansy, so I decided to have a drink or two just to get them off my back. Since I wasn't used to alcohol, it didn't take long for me to start feeling a little woozy. Thankfully, I was still sober enough to tell Aiden it was time for us to leave, and I called a cab because I knew I was in no condition to drive."

"That was very responsible of you." Kyler complimented him.

"Yeah, it was." King Dice said. "I was starting to feel a little car sick on the way back home, so I laid my head against the head rest and closed my eyes. I wasn't too worried about Aiden because he was preoccupied with his toys. That's when it happened." He took another deep breath. " I heard a loud crash and I felt the taxi jolt violently. The next thing I knew, the car was rolling multiple times, and when it stopped, I noticed the car was upside down. It didn't take long for me to realize that we just had an accident. I called for Aiden, expecting him to be screaming my name. He didn't. Before I passed out, I managed to find his hand and gave it a squeeze. I wanted him to know that I was right there and that everything was going to be okay.

"King Dice..." Kyler said in a breathless voice. She was certain she didn't want to know what happened next, but she let him continue regardless.

King Dice let out a shaky breath. "I woke up in a hospital. I was pretty banged up, but I was okay. Because I inherited the toon gene from my father, I was able to recover in just a few days. I later learned that the person who caused the accident was my friend. The one who offered us booze. Unlike me, he thought he was just fine driving drunk." He continued with a hint of anger in his voice.

Kyler gasped. "That's horrible!" She had her hand over her mouth at this point. "And...Aiden?"

Sighing deeply, King Dice picked up the photo of his little brother and traced the frame with his finger. "Aiden was killed on impact. When he fell against one of the windows, the broken glass severed one of his arteries. He bled to death."

"Oh, King Dice. I am so, so sorry." Kyler could feel her eyes welling with tears as she hugged him tightly.

King Dice hugged her back. He was so relieved that she was there to offer him comfort while he told his story. Other than Rocco, she was the only one who had learned about his brother's tragic death. "The worst part is that despite the accident being my friend's fault, my parents decided to blame me instead. My friend's parents were very influential people, and my mom and dad actually cared more about their relationship with them than holding their son responsible."

Kyler couldn't hold back her anger. She didn't think it was possible for people to be so awful. "But that's not fair! You did nothing wrong!" She snapped as she pounded her fists against the couch cushions.

"I know. I couldn't agree more. Here I was grieving the loss of my brother, my best friend, and my parents were using me as a scapegoat." King Dice said. "Just a few weeks after Aiden's funeral, I was walking around one night in a daze. I didn't know where I was going, and I didn't care. I just wanted to keep walking. Eventually, I found myself on a bridge. I looked over the edge and saw that it was a pretty long way down. That's when the idea entered my head."

Kyler gave a small gasp, and her hands flew to her heart. "Y-you mean...? She trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.

King Dice gave a solemn nod. "That's right. I decided to end it all. Since Aiden died, I was hurting inside and out every day, and I just couldn't do it anymore. I climbed over the rail, closed my eyes, and told Aiden that I would be with him soon. Then I let myself fall. That's when he grabbed me."

"Who?" Kyler asked in anticipation.

"The grip on my wrist was very strong, and I was just dangling on the edge of the bridge. When I looked up, I found myself staring into the bright red eyes of a black, furry creature." King Dice continued.

Kyler shook her head in disbelief. "The Devil?" She asked.

King Dice nodded. "That's right. He said that he couldn't let me do that. Not until he made an offer that he promised I wouldn't be able to refuse. The next thing I knew, we had materialized to his realm. The Devil didn't beat around the bush. He told me that he would resurrect Aiden if I worked as his general manager in exchange. And he was right. I couldn't refuse. Without hesitation, I accepted the deal, and within minutes, my phone was ringing. I picked it up, and heard Aiden's worried voice on the other end. To say I was overwhelmed with joy is an understatement."

"So, you guys were reunited?" Kyler asked somewhat hesitantly. She knew there had to be a catch.

"Sadly, no." King Dice said in a quiet voice. "I was certain Aiden could live with me. But my parents almost immediately put him in living assistance, and it was on the other side of the tracks. I never even had the chance to discuss his living arrangements with them."

"And you can't go visit him." Kyler said in a cracked voice.

"That's right. And for obvious reasons, he can't visit me." King Dice added.

The tears that Kyler had been trying to hold back finally began to flow, and she buried her face in her hands.

"Aw, come here baby girl." King Dice said as he pulled Kyler toward him and allowed her to sob into his chest. "Don't be so upset. It's not as bad as it seems. Aiden and I video chat almost every day. He's very well taken care of, and he's made so many friends."

Kyler shook her head. "I-I'm a bad person." She said between sniffles.

"Sweetie, why would you say that about yourself? You have a heart of gold." King Dice was a bit surprised by her statement.

Still crying, Kyler shook her head again, this time more vehemently. "Th-that night I gave up my freedom, you tried to-to explain to me why you encouraged m-my brothers to take the Devil's deal. And I didn't let you. I s-said horrible things to you. You're situation was a lot worse than mine. It was selfish of m-me not to listen."

"Kyler-"

"Selfish! Selfish! Sel-!" She stopped suddenly when King Dice cupped her chin in his hand and tilted her head toward him.

"Kyler, earlier you mentioned that you didn't listen to me. I need you to now. Why and how we excepted the Devil's offers...it doesn't matter. When he sees an opportunity to own someone's soul, he takes it without hesitation. You and me, every employee here, almost every patron; we all have the same thing in common. We took his deals, greedy intentions or not. So don't you think my situation was worse than yours. And more importantly, never, ever think you're a bad person. Because you're not." He moved his hand from her chin and wiped her tears away with his thumb. "Now let me see your face light up like it always does." He said with a gentle smile.

Kyler took a few shaky breaths to calm herself and nodded. Then she flashed him the best smile she could. "How's that?"

King Dice tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Beautiful." He decided now was the best time to ask her what had been on his mind since yesterday. "So, do you want to talk about what we should do for our next date? Or do you have to get back to work?"

"I don't have to be back in the dressing room for another ten minutes, so I have time. Did you have anything in mind?" Kyler asked him.

"Well, I thought we could do dinner again, but more casual this time. No theaters or parties this time. Er, unless you would like to do that." He added quickly.

Kyler shook her head. "No, no. I completely agree with you. I would like for us to have a more relaxed date."

King Dice smiled widely. "Me too sweetie. So, I was thinking we could have dinner at that Italian Bistro, the one next to the Honeycomb Harold. Have you been there?"

"No, I haven't. I would love to check it out. Oh, but..." Her face suddenly fell. "Isn't it on the other side of the tracks?

"The Harold, yes. But the restaurant isn't. So we're safe in that department." King Dice told her with a wink.

Kyler's downcast expression was immediately replaced with a look of joy. "That's wonderful! Yes, let's eat there." She was silent for a moment before telling King Dice what was on her mind. "Um...I'm pretty busy through the holidays, so would it be all right if we waited until after New Year's to go on our date? I know that's about a month away, so I'm really, really sorry."

King Dice chuckled. "Don't be. I'm going to be pretty busy too, so it works out perfectly. I don't want our date to be rushed. I want us to be able to take our time and really enjoy ourselves."

"Me too." Kyler nodded in agreement. "Also, I was wondering..." She seemed a little hesitant to continue, so King Dice gave her time to collect her thoughts. "Christmas is coming up. My family and friends will be coming over to my place to celebrate, you and Tomoe included. I was just wondering...it's probably not celebrated here...for obvious reasons, right?"

Sighing, King Dice nodded. "No, it's not. And I'm glad you brought that up because I've been meaning to explain to you how things work around here during that time."

Kyler looked at King Dice intensely. "I promise I will take whatever you tell me to heart."

"I know you will baby girl." King Dice told her with a smile. "Okay, until Chri-that time is over, the Devil is going to be in a very, very nasty mood. He knows it's going to be on everyone's minds, and that drives him bonkers. He doesn't even want anyone around here to say the C word. Oh, no! Don't panic honey." He said quickly when Kyler gave a small, frightened squeak.

She had immediately placed her hands over her mouth. "But...but I said..." She was too scared to finish.

King Dice put his arm around her shoulders and soothingly rubbed her upper arm. "Hey, it's okay baby girl. I already talked to him about it, and he understands that you didn't know. One slip of the tongue won't get you in trouble. Okay?"

Kyler was able to return the warm smile King Dice had given her. "Thank you King Dice. I really appreciate that. I'll remember never to mention it while I'm here. And I won't sing any carols or do any decorating around my dressing room."

"See? You understand exactly what you need to do in order to avoid any trouble with my boss. Although..." he continued with a rather maschivious twinkle in his eye. "There is one decoration he does allow around here."

Kyler blushed. "Mistletoe?" she asked shyly.

King Dice chuckled. "Yeah, that's one tradition he doesn't find too bad." He then changed his demeanor. "But in all seriousness, watch out when you're near him. He uses that tradition as an excuse to make out with all the girls here. I don't want that to happen to you."

"I promise I will do my best to stay away from him until the season is over." She stood up from the couch, and King Dice followed suit. "I should head back to my dressing room. Rawni wanted to try a new hairstyle on me before I head home for the day."

A wide grin spread across King Dice's face. "I bet it'll look very beautiful on you. Well, you make any style look good."

Kyler gave a shy giggle. "You always say stuff like that."

King Dice looked into Kyler's eyes for a moment, then he took a hold of both her hands in his. "My compliments toward you are always from my heart, because you deserve them. Sometimes, I think you're physically beautiful because the beauty of your heart is so strong."

Kyler was speechless. No one had every said anything like that to her before. "King Dice...I...thank you. Thank you so much." She couldn't help but give his hands a small squeeze, and he gently squeezed hers in return. She reveled in how strong and protective they felt.

"Well, I don't want to hold you up. We can discuss which day we want to go on our date when our schedules settle down. How does that sound baby girl?" He asked her.

Kyler smiled and nodded. King Dice was expecting her to take her leave at this point. To his great surprise, she suddenly stood on her toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Um...that was just my way of thanking you for confiding in me about your past and Aiden. And, for always treating me with kindness and respect."

"Y-yeah. Of course sweetie." King Dice placed his hand on the spot where Kyler had kissed him. It was definitely a lot better than the slap she had given him months ago. They both said their goodbyes, and Kyler left. King Dice slowly sank down on the couch in a dreamlike state. He was never going to wash that cheek again.

As was common with the holidays, King Dice and Kyler found themselves busier than ever. Kyler had a bit more on her plate, having volunteered to host Christmas for her family and friends and preparing for the casino's New Year's Eve party. In addition to her shows, King Dice arranged for them both to do a few songs together, with him playing the piano and them singing together. He initially thought of writing a song for just the two of them, but decided it would be too personal to perform in public and felt that it was something that should happen just between the two of them.

One night, rehearsals ran very late for both Rawni and Kyler, and since they both had to be up early for another batch, they decided to spend the night in their dressing rooms. However, when Rawni opened the door, she discovered that her heater had sprung a leak and found her room completely under a foot of water. It would be a couple weeks before she could set foot in her dressing room. Kyler insisted that Rawni stay the night with her, and Rawni happily obliged.

"You're right Kyler. This is just like the sleepovers we had as kids." Rawni said as she watched Kyler brush her hair. She was wearing a pair of pyjama shorts and matching tank top and had already made herself comfortable under the blankets.

Kyler smiled at her friend. "It is. I've forgotten how fun those are." She put her brush away and stood up. "In fact, I was thinking we could do something like this with Arisa and Leanne."

A wide grin spread across Rawni's face. "That would be a lot of fun. We'll have to schedule that sometime after New Year."

Nodding in agreement, Kyler walked over to the bed and slipped under the covers. Initially, she was going to camp on the floor, but both women agreed the bed was big enough for the both of them. "Could you scootch over a little?"

"Sure thing." Rawni made some more room for Kyler. Her heart was starting to pound again. This was the closest she had ever been to Kyler, and she could feel the heat radiating from her tiny body. Propping her head in her hand, she couldn't help but admire how angelic Kyler looked in her pink cotton nightgown. It hung down to her knees and the sleeves were the length of her elbows. She leaned a little closer and got a whiff of Kyler's scent. It was sweet, like summer berries. "You're hair smells really nice. Is that a new shampoo and conditioner you're using?"

Kyler nodded. "King Dice gave it me as an early Christmas gift. He got it from his favorite spa."

"Would you mind if I felt it? Just...I know which kind you're talking about, and I've always wanted to try it out. I'm just curious how good a job it does." Rawni said. She hoped she didn't sound weird for asking Kyler something like that. To her relief, Kyler giggled and nodded.

"Go right ahead." Kyler didn't think there was anything too unusual about Rawni feeling her hair. After all, she and her girlfriends did it to each other all the time. Like Rawni said, it was a good way to determine how well the product worked.

Rawni took a deep breath and started to stroke Kyler's hair. "It's so soft." She said softly. "Like an angel's wing."

Again, Kyler giggled. "You know what an angel's wing feels like?"

"Of course not." Rawni said with a laugh. "I just figured this is how it feels. And you're as close to an angel as anyone can get."

Kyler blushed. "King Dice said something like that too."

"Well, he's not lying. Sometimes, I think you are an angel who was given to this world. A world you're too good for." Rawni said.

Kyler's blush deepened. "I'm really no different from anyone else. My parents and Elder Kettle just raised me to be respectful and kind to everyone I meet."

Rawni sighed in content as she continued to stroke Kyler's hair. "They did a really good job."

Kyler didn't know how to respond to that. All she could manage was thanking Rawni shyly. Both women remained silent for a moment while Rawni went from stroking to gently messaging the back of Kyler's head. She didn't know why Rawni started doing that, but it felt so nice that she didn't bother protesting. Rawni knew she was hitting all the right spots each time Kyler let out a small, pleased moan. She was on the brink of falling asleep when Rawni suddenly spoke up.

"Hey, Kyler? Did you hang that above your bed?"

"Hmm?" Kyler followed Rawni's gaze and noticed some mistletoe hanging above both their heads. "Oh. No, I didn't. One of King Dice's minions might've put it up there as a joke..." She trailed off when she noticed that Rawni was looking at her rather intensely. "Is...something wrong?"

Rawni shook her head. "No. Far from it." She spoke softly, but there seemed to be a hint of nervousness in her voice. "I was just wondering...since we're both under a mistletoe...would it be all right if I...kissed you?"

Kyler felt her face turn so red, she was surprised she didn't set the pillow on fire. "Y-you mean...on the...l-lips?"

Rawni nodded, her intense gaze not faltering. "Yeah, since it's tradition. It...it won't mean anything. It'll just be friendly. Nothing more." She added when Kyler still didn't respond.

Kyler wasn't too sure, but she didn't want to hurt Rawni's feelings if she refused. "Just...one tiny kiss?"

"Yeah. That's all." Rawni said.

Kyler inhaled and exhaled before answering. "Okay. As long as it's a friendly one. And it is tradition after all."

Rawni couldn't hide her enthusiasm. A wide smile spread across her face. "That's right. Everybody kisses under the mistletoe. Now, I'll just..." To Kyler's immense surprise, Rawni swung her leg over Kyler's body and situatated herself on her hands and knees. Now she was positioned above Kyler, while Kyler herself was lying on her back. Rawni's wolf-like ears were twitching in anticipation, and her tail thumped excitedly against Kyler's leg.

"R-Rawni?" Kyler was getting a little nervous. Her hands were clasped against her chest, and she started to tremble a little.

Rawni noticed this and gave her friend a reassuring smile. "It's okay Kyler. I just don't want the kiss to be too sloppy. You have my word that it'll only be friendly."

Kyler gulped, but still managed a small, if somewhat nervous, smile. "I trust you."

"I'm glad." Rawni then leaned forward and closed her eyes as she gently pressed her lips against Kyler's.

Kyler couldn't help but tense up a little. While the kiss was nice, it felt a bit more passionate than she had anticipated. She was under the impression that Rawni would give her a quick peck on the lips, but instead, it seemed to linger. She shut her eyes tightly and she patiantly waited for Rawni to finish. She was certain that Rawni didn't expect her to kiss her back.

Eventually, Rawni pulled back, and Kyler opened her eyes to see Rawni gazing at her with a content smile and a rather dreamy look in her eyes. "You're lips are so soft. And they taste sweet." Rawni said softly.

"I put on cherry flavored lip balm before going to bed." Kyler internally scolded herself. What a dopey thing to say!

Rawni giggled and gently stroked Kyler's cheek with the back of her hand. Her face was still very close to Kyler's. "You're so cute. I like that about you." She said in a soft whisper.

Kyler felt her thumping heart increase it's rate. "Rawni. I- I think we should get some- mmph!" She was cut off as Rawni swooped in for another kiss, this time with more intensity. She opened her mouth to protest, but that was a mistake. Rawni immediately slipped her tongue into Kyler's mouth and swirled it around her's. "R-Rawni...! She managed to say when Rawni broke away from her.

"Kyler..." Rawni kissed Kyler's cheek, and Kyler winced a little when she started planting kisses on her neck. She was a bit ticklish there. "You're so beautiful." Rawni said in a seductive voice as she slid Kyler's sleeve off her right shoulder, exposing her soft, bare skin.

Kyler knew things were starting to get out of hand. She had to stop her friend at once. "Rawni...w-wait." Once again, she was cut off as Rawni kissed her intensely on the lips.

"Kyler, I love you. Please be mine." Rawni gasped as she started kissing Kyler's bare shoulder and collarbone and moved her hand to gently squeeze Kyler's right breast.

It was then that Kyler finally found her strength. "Rawni! Stop!" She yelled as she managed to push Rawni off of her. Rawni rolled onto her side and she and Kyler both sat up. An awkward silence fell between them as they both tried to catch their breath. "Rawni, what on earth was that?!" Kyler had a difficult time hiding her anger.

Rawni's eyes were wide, and she seemed to be having difficulty finding her words. She was clearly appaled with herself. "I-I'm sorry Kyler! I didn't mean...!" She placed a hand over her mouth and and gripped the sheets with the other. She couldn't believe she had allowed herself to come on to Kyler like that.

Kyler let out a somewhat annoyed sigh as she pulled her sleeve back over her shoulder. "You said it was just going to be a friendly kiss."

"I know! I know! I gave you my word, and I went against it!" Rawni pulled her knees to her chest and buried her head in her arms. "I just tried to take advantage of you. I'm a horrible friend and person." Her ears were drooping, and it sounded like she had started to cry.

Kyler's angry demeanor was immediately replaced with sympathy. Rawni clearly felt bad and was very upset with herself. Kyler reached out and gently placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "You're not a horrible person Rawni. And you're a wonderful friend. I'm sure there's a logical explanation for why you did that."

Rawni shook her head vigorously without looking up. She couldn't bring herself to make eye contact with Kyler. "There isn't! And even if there was, it's no excuse for what I just did."

"Okay, just take a deep breath and calm down." Kyler said in a gentle voice. "We just need to take time to think about the situation. First of all, I want you to know I'm not mad at you."

Rawni tentatively glanced at Kyler. "R-really? Not even a little?" She managed to ask through sniffles.

Kyler smiled warmly at her. "Really. Very surprised, yes, but not mad."

"Thank god." Rawni let out a sigh of relief as she began to calm down.

Kyler was silent for a moment. She needed to gather her thoughts before she was going to say what was on her mind. "So...you said you love me. Is...that true?"

Rawni shrugged. "To be honest, I don't really know. I mean, I can't say I'm not attracted to you. You're beautiful, smart, kind, funny...just like Arisa." She said that last part rather quietly.

"Wait a moment. You're attracted to her too?" Kyler was sure she may be starting to figure out what was going on.

"Yeah. I like her a lot. But I never had the guts to tell her how I feel. And...I don't think she feels the same way I do. So I got to thinking. If I didn't have a chance with her, maybe I would with you. But at the same time, you and King Dice might have something going on...right?" She waited nervously for Kyler to answer.

Kyler chewed her bottom lip in thought. "Well...we're not officially a couple. But we are going on another date soon. Sorry, I've told you that one too many times."

"No, no. It's fine. You seem to really like being with him, so I can understand why you talk about it so often." Rawni assured her.

"I...guess what I'm getting at is that there is a chance that something might happen between us. I'm pretty convinced I like him as more than just a friend. And I know he's felt the same way about me for a while. He's just taking things slowly because he knows I've never gotten this close to a guy before." Kyler explained.

"Oh." Rawni was somewhat disappointed, but at the same time not surprised. "Well, even if you guys weren't planning on getting together, you probably wouldn't be interested in going out with me anyway. You're heterosexual after all."

Kyler gave Rawni another warm smile. "But If I wasn't, I'd definitely want to be romantically involved with you. And I guess it would be a good time to tell you that Arisa wants to do just that with you."

Rawni looked at Kyler with wide eyes. It took a moment for Kyler's words to sink in. "Y-you mean she does have feelings for me? Seriously?" Her drooping ears were starting to perk up.

Kyler nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, she does. She's liked you for a very long time now. Truth is, she thought you weren't interested in her either. I guess you two were both too shy to confess to each other.

"Oh, Kyler!" Rawni threw her arms around Kyler and pulled her into a tight embrace. "You're not lying, right? You're not saying that just to help me feel better?"

"I promise you, I'm not." Kyler said as they broke their hug. "You're all she ever talks about."

"For real? What does she say about me?" Rawni asked in an excited tone.

Kyler couldn't help but giggle. Rawni looked so cute when she happily wagged her tail. "Well, she said she probably fell in love with you the moment she saw you. She finds your tail and ears insanely cute, and your hair is very pretty. She also loves your eyes, your kindness and sense of humor. And..." Kyler started to turn red. "She also said that...you're...oh, don't make me say it!"

"Come on now. You have to tell me everything." Rawni said teasingly.

"She... she... she said you're really sexy and wants to feel you against her body!" Kyler said all this very fast. She placed her hands over her face in embarrassment.

Rawni laughed, both at how Kyler said that and how she reacted. "I find her incredibly sexy too. Her ice blue eyes and raven black hair. And the way she moves her body...it really turns me on."

Kyler rolled her eyes, but she still managed to laugh. "Okay. Well, how about instead of telling me that, you tell her?"

"I definetely will. The next time we see each other." Rawni said in a more serious tone. "I'm going to confess my feelings to her."

"I know you guys will be very happy together. Leann and I will be cheering you guys on." Kyler said.

Rawni leaned forward and gave Kyler a hug. "Thank you Kyler for hearing me out. And I really do love you. But as a close friend."

Kyler hugged Rawni back. "I love you too Rawni. And you're welcome." She let out a huge yawn. "Well, we really should get some sleep now. We have to be up early for rehearsals."

"Yeah." Rawni said as she sleepily rubbed her eyes. "We got a long day tomorrow." She and Kyler both made themselves comfortable under the blankets, and Kyler switched off the nearby light on the night stand.

"And Rawni?" Kyler said.

"Uh-huh?" Rawni replied groggily.

Kyler gave her friend a sly grin. "Thank you for making my first kiss memorable."

Rawni's eyes immeditely snapped back open. "You're first-?! Why, you little-!

Kyler giggled and ducked under the blankets as Rawni playfully hit her with a pillow.

Kyler decided it was best to tell King Dice the following day what had happened between her and Rawni. Both girls agreed that if the two were to further their relationship, they had to be honest with each other. He was a bit surprised, but was glad that Kyler had rejected Rawni's advances. Although he did mention that he was sorry he wasn't there to witness the entire event. When Kyler had asked him why, he gave her a rather sly smile. "Two hot gals making out?" He said. "That's every man's wet dream. Kidding, kidding!" He added quickly when Kyler gave him a death glare. After apologizing profusely for his rather crude joke, King Dice and Kyler took a look at their schedules and determined they were both available on the first Saturday of the year for their second date. Neither could wait for that evening.

After what seemed like ages, the evening of King Dice's and Kyler's date came at last. Kyler had gone straight home from work so she could get ready. King Dice planned to meet her there later. Since it had gotten a lot colder, she had decided to wear a wine colored waist-length blouse with long sleeves and a modest scoop neck over a pair of black leggings. She had a pair of cute winter boots that would go well with it. She had thought about putting her hair up, but remembered that King Dice had mentioned that he liked it down. Instead, she wore a beautiful floral headband that Cuphead and Mugman had gotten her for Christmas. She was just putting the finishing touches on her makeup when her doorbell rang, and she knew King Dice had arrived. After checking her reflection one final time, she went downstairs to answer it. She was in for a great surprise, and it wasn't the large bouquet of flowers King Dice was holding.

King Dice was looking as suave as ever, but it was the first time Kyler had seen him in something other than a tuxedo. This time, he was wearing a white shirt with a navy three-quarter sleeve dinner jacket and simple black slacks. His features were even more well defined, and Kyler couldn't help but admire how well toned he was.

"Hey baby girl! It's so good to see you!" King Dice exclaimed as he and Kyler embraced one another. "These are you for you." He handed the bouquet to her.

Kyler smiled and took a hold of the flowers. "Thank you. They're very beautiful." She said as she walked over to her nearby couriou and selected a good sized vase.

King Dice gave her a loving smile as he he hung his coat in the closet and followed her into the kitchen. "Not as beautiful as you."

Kyler giggled. "You always say that." She said while she filled the vase with water and started arranging the flowers in it.

"No, seriously." King Dice said. "You look very pretty in that really compliments your eyes and hair.

"Thank you. And...you look really handsome." Kyler replied with a blush.

King Dice grinned. "Ya like it? It's just a little something I threw together. Oh, I almost forgot. I have something else for you." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out what appeared to be a jewelry box.

"For me?" Kyler asked as she took a hold of the box, and King Dice nodded. "Aw, you didn't have to do that."

"I know, but I wanted to because...well, I really like you a lot." King Dice said.

Kyler opened the jewelry box and let out a little gasp. Nestled in the box was a sterling silver butterfly necklace with a jade crystal between the wings. "My favorite animal with my birthstone. It's so beautiful."

"Which is why I had to get it for you." King Dice said as he removed the necklace from the box, and Kyler held her hair up so he could put it around her neck. "And to me, this butterfly represents your beauty, while the birthstone represents the month that the most amazing woman I have ever met was born into this world."

"King Dice. That is probably the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me." She looked down at the butterfly that was resting on her chest. "I will never, ever take this off. Well, except when I'm bathing and sleeping. I could lose it that way."

"And I wouldn't want you to accidentally choke yourself in your sleep." King Dice added with a chuckle.

Kyler looked up at him with sparkling eyes. "Thank you so much. I will always treasure it."

It was at that moment that King Dice had done something he had never done with Kyler before. He gently brushed her bangs aside and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. He expected her to pull away, but she didn't. This time, she placed her hand over his. "Kyler?" He said after a moment of silence.

"Yes?" Kyler saw that King Dice's face was inching closer to her's.

He didn't say anything. He just closed his eyes, and Kyler followed suit as she and King Dice shared their very first kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and she had her hands against his chest. It was probably the most euphoric feeling Kyler had ever experienced. The way King Dice kissed her felt so passionate, yet at the same time gentle. It seemed as if everything around her was spinning, and she felt light headed.

Eventually, they broke apart, and King Dice smiled at the dreamy look on Kyler's face. "That was the very first time a guy kissed me." She said softly.

"No way." King Dice was legitimately surprised. "You've really never been kissed by a guy? Someone as beautiful as you?"

Kyler shook her head, a little embarrassed. "No. I was far too young for all the boys in my high school. And by the time I started college, I was so wrapped up in my studies, I didn't have any time for dating."

"And now?" King Dice inquired as he gently caressed her back.

A wide smile spread across Kyler's face. "I think I have more than enough time now. And I'm glad my first romantic kiss was with you."

King Dice returned the smile. "Does this mean we can officially become a couple?"

Kyler blushed. "You...want me to be your girlfriend?"

"More than anything." King Dice said as he nuzzled her nose. "I've been wanting to ask you for a long time now. I just wanted it to be the right moment."

"You couldn't have picked a better time." Kyler said in a soft voice. "I think I am finally ready to have a romantic relationship with you. And I don't think I could've found a better man to share my life with."

Once again, King Dice gently touched Kyler's cheek. He looked like he was about to cry tears of joy. "Come here." He whispered. He and Kyler kissed again, then he kissed the top of her head as they embraced each other lovingly.

Kyler made content little noises as she laid her head against his chest, reveling in how his arms seemed to hold her protectively. "I'll admit, I'm a little bit nervous. I've never been in a serious relationship before. I hope I don't mess anything up."

"I understand baby girl. We'll take things nice and slow. And don't worry, you won't mess anything up. As long as you don't ever change, you can do no wrong." He hugged her more tightly, this time placing his hand protectively on the back of her head. "You're the best girlfriend anyone could ever ask for. I really mean that. And as your boyfriend, I promise from here on out to always protect you and stay by your side. You'll never be alone."

"King Dice..." Kyler was so moved by his words that she actually teared up a little. She closed her eyes and felt immediate comfort. She could feel his heart beat against her ear, and she found it very soothing. They both stayed like that for some time without saying a word.

Graaaawooool!

Both King Dice and Kyler snapped out of their romantic moment and laughed at the synchronized grumbling of their stomachs.

"Heh. I actually forgot that we were gonna go out to dinner." King Dice said with an amused grin, and Kyler giggled.

"I did too. But...I kinda don't want to go out now.." She hugged him tightly. "I just want it to be us two, being a new couple and all."

King Dice hugged her back. "I feel the same way too baby girl. Say, how about we order take-out instead? We did decide to keep it casual, after all."

"Chinese?" They both said in unison, and they laughed once again.

Kyler walked over to her fridge and removed one of the delivery menus she had magnetized on the door. They both decided what they wanted, and Kyler made the call. "Yes, I would like to place an order for delivery. One General Tso's chicken with two egg rolls, and a vegetable lo mein with...with two crab rangoons. Hey, stop that! I'm trying to place our orders!" She exclaimed amid a fit of giggles.

While Kyler was placing the orders, King Dice stayed close behind nuzzling her head. When he decided that wasn't enough, he wrapped his arms around her waist and started gently blowing in her ear. She was having the time of her life trying to keep him at bay so that she knew the orders were correct.

Once she hung up, she whirled around to face him. "You just had to get that out of your system, didn't you?" She smiled and shook her head.

The mischievous smile that appeared on King Dice's face widened. "Oh, I ain't done yet." He said in a teasing tone as he grabbed a hold of her and pulled her close to him. He melted at the sound of Kyler's adorable giggles while he nuzzled her nose with his. She nuzzled him back before giving his nose a kiss.

Sighing in content, King Dice pulled her into a hug. "So, how long before our dinner gets here?"

"They said to give them at least forty-five minutes." Kyler said.

"That'll give us plenty of time." King Dice said with a chuckle.

Kyler gave him a curious look. "For what?" She asked.

He smiled and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. "For us to snuggle on the couch and watch some television."

"That's a great idea. We've never done anything like that before." Kyler sounded genuinely excited about the idea. "But then again, we weren't a couple when we first started hanging out. And now we are, so we're going to do things we wouldn't have done since we first started spending time together, and...and...I'm rambling, aren't I?" She looked down sheepishly.

King Dice cupped her chin in his hand and tilted her head so she could see right into his emerald orbs. "And there ain't nothing wrong with that baby girl. This is a new experience for you, so it's only natural for you to be excited."

Kyler blushed. "I'm sorry."

Once again, King Dice gave her a gentle kiss. "Don't be. Your enthusiasm is one of the things I really like about you."

Giggling, Kyler and her new boyfriend walked hand in hand over to the couch and made themselves comfortable. She used the remote to turn on her sixty inch flat screen and immediately selected the guide channel. After some searching, they both agreed on a funny movie in which a group of college-age rich kids got drunk and woke up to find themselves stranded in a poor farmers' town. They couldn't stop laughing at how the kids were struggling with simple tasks such as working in a diner so they could earn money to get back home.

In what seemed like no time at all, their food arrived, and they decided to eat off of the coffee table since they were so into the movie they were watching. King Dice tossed out the empty bag into the garbage can and got some drinks while Kyler set up the food. "Here you go." She held up a pair of chopsticks for him when he returned with the drinks.

"Oh. Um, thanks baby girl." King Dice said as he sat down next to Kyler and hesitantly took the chop sticks.

Kyler could see that he suddenly looked a bit uncomfortable. "Are you okay? Is something wrong?" She asked him.

King Dice shook his head as he studied the chopsticks. "No baby. It's just...well...I've never been good with these things. Hell, I don't even know how to hold them." He gave her a sheepish grin. "Sorry. I guess because of my job, I always have to give people the impression I can do anything."

"It's all right. I can't swim. Leann was never good at sports. Arisa struggles with sewing... I guess what I'm getting at is that everyone has something they're not good at. And that's okay, because there are people out there who do know how to do those things, and they can teach those who are struggling." Kyler kissed him on the cheek.

King Dice smiled and nuzzled her nose before giving her a kiss on the lips in return. "Thank you sweetie. That makes me feel better."

"I know how to use chopsticks. Would you like me to teach you?" Kyler asked him.

"Sure. I'd like that very much." King Dice said with a chuckle.

Kyler giggled and picked up her chopsticks. "Okay. First you have to place one chopstick in the valley between your pointer finger and thumb. Balance it on your ring finger." She demonstrated with her pair.

"Like this?" King Dice did his best to mimic how Kyler had the chopstick positioned.

She nodded. "That's good. Now you're going to place the second chopstick in the valley between your pointer finger and thumb along the first chopstick. This one will rest on your middle finger. No, don't clench them. You have to keep your hand loose. Otherwise you'll end up flinging your food all over the place." Kyler put her chopsticks down and reached over to loosen King Dice's grip.

King Dice nodded and allowed Kyler to manipulate his fingers into the proper position. She then had him practice tapping the chopsticks together. This proved more challenging than he anticipated, as the chopsticks kept slipping out of his hand every time he tried to tap them together. He thought he had it down once he figured out how to keep his grip on them. Until he actually started to eat. When he tried to grab a hold of the some of the chicken, it either slipped off of the chopsticks or they would end up crossing together as he attempted to pick up the food.

"I think I have a better idea." Kyler said with a laugh when King Dice, in his frustration, just decided to use his chopsticks to impale the chicken.

He raised an eyebrow. "Eh? What did ya have in mind baby girl?"

She gave another giggle. "You'll see. Wait right here." She stood up, and King Dice watched as Kyler walked into the kitchen and began rummaging through her utensil drawer.

"Kyler? What's this idea of yours? Aw, c'mon!" King Dice's face fell into a fake pout as Kyler held up a pair of hot pink trainer chopsticks that were held together by an adorable anime panda.

Kyler laughed as she headed back to the couch and sat down next to him. "Why not? These helped me learn."

"Yeah, but..." King Dice hesitated as he took a hold of the trainer chopsticks and studied them. "Don't you have any that are more...manly? Say, blue ones with a dragon?"

Giving his arm a hug, Kyler giggled at his joke. "Come on. At least give it a try. Pretty please?" She said sweetly as she nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder.

A grin spread across King Dice's face while he let out a mock groan. "Oh, all right. Since you asked so nicely." He kissed her on the forehead and arranged the chopsticks the way Kyler had taught him. Then, to his great surprise, he was able to grip a piece of chicken and pop it into his mouth. "Hey, these aren't half bad. In fact, I kinda like them." He said after he chewed and swallowed his food.

Kyler giggled and started using her chopsticks to eat as well. "See? There's nothing to be embarrassed about. If you practice with them enough, you'll be able to graduate to real ones in no time."

Nodding in agreement, King Dice used the trainer chopsticks to pick up another piece of chicken. He was so engrossed in making sure not to drop it, he didn't notice that Kyler had snuck out her phone and snapped a quick picture of him.

Once they were finished eating, they rinsed and put away the dishes. King Dice excused himself to the bathroom, and when he came back out, he noticed Kyler had resumed her seat on the couch and was giggling at something on her phone. He smiled to himself and managed to sneak up behind her. "What's so funny?" He whispered in her ear.

"Eeep!" Kyler jumped at his voice and quickly pressed the button on her phone so it would go dark. "You scared me!"

King Dice chuckled and kissed her on the cheek. "I'm sorry baby girl. I just couldn't resist." He sat down next to her. "What were you giggling about just now?"

Kyler's whole face went red. "N-nothing!" She said quickly. A bit too quckly.

King Dice raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Let me see your phone."

Kyler laughed and pulled away from him. "No!"

"Why not?" He asked her in a mock hurt voice.

Still laughing, Kyler held the phone out of his reach. "Because it's personal. Hey!" Before she could react, King Dice managed to grab a hold of her phone and quickly scrolled through the pictures. He stopped at a photo of him eating with the trainer chopsticks.

"You took a pic of me using those things?" He said to her.

Kyler let out a giggle as she covered her mouth with her hands. "But you look so cute."

King Dice was quiet for a moment as he studied the photo. Shaking his head he put the phone on the coffee table and gave Kyler a mischivious grin. "All right then. Let's see if you find this cute." He lunged for her.

Kyler gave a happy yelp as King Dice grabbed a hold of her and began nuzzling her neck. She giggled as she felt his mustach tickling her. "King Dice! S-stop that! I'm really ticklish there!"

"I know." King Dice said teasingly. "Rawni told me." He continued assaulting her neck with his nose and mustache.

Kyler couldn't answer because she was laughing so hard. When King Dice finally stopped tickling her, she found herself laying against the arm of the coach with King Dice on top of her. They gazed lovingly at each other in silence for a moment before engaging in gentle kissing. King Dice had one arm around Kyler's back while gently caressing her cheek with his thumb, as if letting her know he felt more than just lust for her. In return, she had her arms around his neck. It wasn't until he kicked off his shoes so he could crawl on the couch and press his whole body against Kyler that a thought occurred to her.

"Ah...um...King Dice?" She managed to ask between kisses.

"Yeah baby girl?" King Dice answered in a soft voice.

Kyler was a quiet for a moment so she could get her thoughts together. "Don't you think we're going a bit too fast? I don't want us to end up...y-you know..." King Dice could feel the heat in Kyler's cheek intensify against his hand as she turned beet red.

He knew what she was implying, and looked at her seriously. "You're absolutely right. We shouldn't rush into that. Because that is not what a relationship revolves around. It's so much more than that. Trust, respect, support...those are just a few of the aspects of a relationship. I'am perfectly happy with how our relationship is right now. Just being together is what is the most important thing to me."

Kyler smiled in relief and gave King Dice a small peck on the lips. "You don't have any idea how happy I am to here you say that. I feel I'm at my happiest when I'm with you. Of course, I've always had my friends and family. But to have someone who will hug and kiss me passionately when I need it...that is something that really fills my heart with warmth."

Smiling back, King Dice hugged her tightly. "You make me really happy too baby girl. And also..." He looked at her even more intensly. "If there ever comes a moment where we are both ready for that, I trust we will let each other know. In fact, let's make a promise."

Kyler raised her hand and held out her small finger. "Pinkie swear?"

Chuckling, King Dice hooked his pinkie with hers. "Pinkie swear."

They sealed their pact and resumed their light make-out session. What they didn't know was that while King Dice was preparing to leave his office earlier, Mr. Wheezy managed to sneak into one of his employer's coat pockets. Now the toony cigar had managed to squeeze out from under the closet door and hopped over to where the couple was making out. He was hoping to join in on the action. Score! He thought with glee when he got onto the coffee table and found the perfect spot to participate. Now if King Dice would just get out of the way...

"Com on boss. Move your arm." Mr. Whieezy muttered. His patience finally paid off when King Dice slid his hand from Kyler's cheek to her upper back, his lips staying firmly locked with hers. Knowing this might be his only chance, Mr. Wheezy took a flying leap and landed on Kyler's chest. He then worked his way up, turned around and made himself comfortable between her breasts. A smirk spread across his face as he looked up at his employer. "I'm touching your gal's tits boss. What do ya have to say to that?"

Sighing contently, the perverted cigar closed his eyes and used Kyler's breasts as pillows. They were small, but soft and warm. He felt his boss was one lucky bastard, going out with a fine young thing. And he couldn't help but envy him. He would love to have a beautiful girl like Kyler to feel up, his lips caressing her soft skin, touching her, hearing her softly moan his name as his lips explored every inch of her body. He imagined having hands that would travel along her breasts and stomach, all the way down between her legs and coming to rest on her-

POOF!

Startled, both King Dice and Kyler reeled away from each other. coughing and hacking from the soot that suddenly exploded in their faces.

"Cough! What the-hack!- fuck?!" King Dice wiped away the tears that had developed from all the coughing, and when he looked down he was livid to find a rather ragged, but satisfied Mr. Wheezy grinning up at him. He had fallen into Kyler's lap when she sat up.

"Heh heh. She's good boss. Real good." Mr. Wheezy said slyly.

"You goddamn perv!" King Dice angrily grabbed a hold of his minion, walked over to the balcony door to open it, and chucked him out like a professional pitcher. He closed the door and turned his attention back to Kyler, who was still coughing. "Kyler! Are you okay baby?" He sat down next to her and began patting her back.

Kyler nodded. "I-cough!- think so. Cough! Cough! What just happened?"

King Dice let out an annoyed sigh. "I think that perv decided to join in and got a bit too...ah, excited."

Kyler's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "You mean...he had an...or...or...?" She was far too embarrassed to finish her sentence.

"Eh...yeah..." King Dice was just as embarrassed as she was; maybe even disgusted. An uncomfortable silence fell between them.

Kyler was the first to speak. "U...um...I think I managed to cough all the soot out. What about you? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine baby girl." King Dice gave her a reassuring smile. "But just look at you. He got soot all over your beautiful face." He licked his thumbs and did his best to clean her up.

Giggling, Kyler started doing the same for King Dice. "Yours too." Unlike him, she decided to use a napkin to clean his face.

"I really am sorry about that sweetie." King Dice said once he and Kyler had washed their faces in the downstairs bathroom sink. "I should've checked my pockets before leaving. That's not the first time he's done that."

Kyler smiled and used the towel she was holding to pat King Dice's face dry. "It's not your fault. You have nothing to apologize for. He probably would've found his way here regardless."

"Yeah, you're probably right." King Dice said with a chuckle. Once Kyler had finished drying him off, he pulled her close to him and gave her a kiss. "That was real sweet of you to dry me off."

Kyler giggled. "We're a couple now. We have to take care of each other."

King Dice gave her a loving smile and nuzzled her nose. "So, have you got any plans tomorrow?"

"Yes. I have to repair my waterbed." Kyler said with a deep sigh.

"Ah, yeah. I almost forgot about that." On the morning of her date with King Dice, Kyler got of her waterbed and discovered that the base around it had collapsed. She planned to fix it the next day. "Has it been drained yet?"

Kyer shook her head. "No. I plan to do that tomorrow. I still have to take off the rest of the base too."

King Dice raised an eyebrow. "By yourself?"

"Sure. I've done it before. This isn't the first time I've had to repair my bed. After all, I've had it for ten years." Kyler gave him a wide grin.

King Dice gave her another kiss. "You have a boyfriend now baby girl. There ain't no reason for you to do that by yourself. Say, why don't I help you take the bed apart right now?"

Kyler cocked her head in curiosity. "Are you sure you want to do that tonight? It can take some time."

"Why not? It'll go by twice as fast if the the two of us work together. Then we'll have extra time tomorrow to repair it." He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. "Plus, you'll have your bed back by tomorrow night."

Kyler gave him a big hug. "I never thought of it that way. Okay, let's go for it."

They both headed upstairs, and Kyler showed him exactly what needed to be done. By the time they had removed the base, stripped and drained the mattress, put away the hose, and made sure all the water was out, it was one in the morning.

"Phew! You weren't kidding. Emptying those things is a lot of work." King Dice said as he wiped his brow with the back of his hand.

Kyler laughed as they finished folding up the mattress. "Waterbeds require a lot of maintenance, but it's worth it when you need something comfortable to sleep on."

King Dice gave her a rather sly grin. "Maybe one of these days, you and I can share that bed."

Kyler gave a small squeak and quckly covered her face with her hands. She was red from head to toe.

Feeling regretful for what he just said, King Dice silently cursed himself and pulled Kyler into a hug. "I'm sorry sweetie. I didn't mean for it to come out that way."He kissed her on the top of her head and soothingly stroked her hair.

Still beet red, Kyler shook her head vigorously. "N-no. It's not that. Just the thought of laying next to you...well...I...um..." She couldn't finish. All she could do was bury her face against his chest.

King Dice smiled and held her close to him. "Take your time baby girl." He told her softly.

Kyler nodded and took a deep breath. After a moment, she finally spoke up. "What I meant was...er...if we were to do that, I would feel your body against mine and hear your heart beating. Your arms would be wrapped around me, and I would have my hands against your chest... like right now." She shook her head suddenly. "I-I don't know what's happening right now. The thought of being that intimate with you makes me nervous, but I also long for it." She looked up at him with a worried look. "There must be something wrong with me."

King Dice placed his hand on her cheek. "There's nothing wrong with you sweetie. What you're feeling right now is normal."

"it..it is?" Kyler's eyes widened in surprise.

"Absolutely. I think I know what you're feeling right now." He said as he started caressing her cheek with his thumb. "Remember how I once mentioned that I'm attracted to you?"

Kyler nodded without a word.

"You're probably feeling the same way toward me. And since it's something new for you, it's only natural for you to be nervous and unsure. You might even feel a little scared." He laid his forehead against hers. "And there ain't nothing wrong with that. Trust me, you're not the only gal out there who experiences this. But there's just one thing I need you to promise."

"What's that?" Kyler asked him in a hushed voice.

"Don't ever feel ashamed of those feelings. Allow yourself to work through them, and everything else will fall into place. And most importantly, take all the time you need."

A smile started to spread across Kyler's face. "King Dice..." She closed her eyes as he gave her a long lasting kiss, and she felt him place his hand on the back of her head so that he could pull her against him. Once again, she found comfort in his heart beating against her ear. "I know one thing for sure. I'm really happy that I can be this close to you."

"Same here baby." And King Dice meant it. Kyler was everything to him, and being able to finally hold her in his arms like this made him feel like the luckiest man on Inkwell Isle.

"And you know what else?"

"Uhm-hmm?" King Dice sighed in response.

She looked up at him with a mischievous grin. "Your shirt is absolutely filthy from the soot."

King Dice groaned, but smiled at the same time. "Way to ruin a romantic moment. But you're right. Bumblette's gonna be pissed when I go back home looking like this."

"Is it that late already?" Kyler wasn't even paying attention to the time; she was really enjoying being with her new boyfriend.

"Yeah, it's almost 1:30 in the morning."

She gasped. "Oh my goodness! I didn't realize it was that late! I'm so sorry for keeping you here that long. The roads must be very slick by now."

King Dice kissed her. "Don't apologize sweetie. I've driven in cold like this before." A sudden thought occurred to him. "Ya don't want me to leave?" He added in a rather teasing manner.

Like she always did when she was thinking, Kyler started playing with her hair. "Well...yes, I don't want you to leave yet. And I was thinking, since I'm responsible for you being here so late, maybe...um..." She hesitated for a moment. "Maybe you'd like to...spend the night?" She said in that shy tone he had grown so fond of.

"Baby. You really mean that?" He was genuinely surprised, as he didn't expect her to be ready for something like that. She nodded, and King Dice hugged her. "That's so sweet of you. Sure, I'd be happy to stay over.

Kyler smiled at him. "I'm glad. The roads are supposed to be really slick tonight. It would be too dangerous. Oh, and since you're shirt's dirty, I thought I'd give you another one to sleep in." She walked over to her closet and rummaged through it before she found what she was looking for. "Here you are."

King Dice took a hold of the black shirt, which had the logo of a famous band on the front and the date of the concert on the back. "Thanks baby girl. Hey, this is a really great group. In fact, I heard they didn't have very many of these types of shirts."

"They were tossed in the crowd during the concert." Kyler explained. "My mom and I took dad to it on Father's Day because it was his favorite band. I tried really hard to catch one, but I was too short and didn't get one. I started to cry because I wanted to catch one for my dad. The lead singer noticed, and he actually took off the shirt he was wearing and gave it to me. Then one of the stagehands ran onto the stage and gave him another one to wear. I was so happy, then I turned around and wished my dad a happy Father's Day as I gave it to him." Kyler smiled softly as she ran her hand along the shirt. "My mom gave me a big hug, and my dad put the shirt on and then me on his shoulders so I could see the entire performance."

Kyler's story left King Dice absolutely speechless. He had never heard something so touching in his life. "So, this very shirt was worn by the lead singer. And you gave it to your dad for Father's Day." He said in a hushed voice. "Sweetie...you really okay with me wearing this?"

She smiled and nodded. "Absolutely. In fact,I want you to have it."

King Dice was sure he didn't hear her correctly. "B-baby girl...are you serious? You're really going to give me something that precious to you?"

Pulling him into a hug and laying her head against his chest, Kyler nodded again. "Yes, I am. You gave me this necklace, something very special to you. So I want you to have something that is very special to me."

He tilted her chin toward him and kissed her softly on the lips. "Kyler, this is the most thoughtful gift anyone had ever given me. I promise I'll take very, very good care of it." He carefully laid the shirt on Kyler's large computer desk. "I'm gonna put it on right now." He removed his jacket and proceeded to take his shirt off.

"EEK!" Kyler immediately covered her face with her hands and turned away from him, her face terribly flushed.

King Dice stopped what he was doing, his face equally red. "Oops! I'm so sorry baby girl! Really, I am! I forgot you ain't ready for that yet." He gently tapped her on the shoulder. "See honey? I haven't taken it off."

Cautiously, Kyler turned around and peeked at him through her fingers. "N-no. I'm the one who should be apologizing. It was rude of me to react that way."

Smiling warmly at her, King Dice gave Kyler a kiss on the forehead. "It's okay baby girl. You weren't expecting me to do that. I should've known better." He picked up the shirt. "I'll go change in the bathroom, okay?"

Kyler managed to return the smile and nodded. "Thank you for being so considerate. I'll go ahead and change into my nightgown while you're in there."

King Dice nodded in response and went into the nearby bathroom to change. In the meantime, Kyler stripped herself from her clothing and slipped into the nightgown she had worn the night she and Rawni spent together. Since King Dice was spending the night, she decided to leave her bra on. While she sat at her vanity table brushing her hair, her head was buzzing with various thoughts. When King Dice had proceeded to take his shirt off, she didn't freak out because he was stripping in front of her. It was because she had caught a glimpse of his abs. They were very well toned and firm, and the very sight of them caught her off guard. She couldn't deny that she enjoyed what she saw, but at the same time, she wasn't quite ready to explore that kind of experience any further.

Just when she finished brushing her hair, King Dice emerged from the bathroom wearing her father's shirt. She smiled when she saw him in it. "It looks very good on you." And she meant it.

He grinned at her. "Thanks baby girl. But...I'll bet it looked a lot better on your dad."

"Oh, I don't know about that. I think it looks just as good on you." Kyler said as she eyed his physic. The shirt wasn't terribly tight, but it was enough to show off his lean, muscular form. It was clear that he worked out.

King Dice noticed this, and his grin widened. "Like what ya see sweetie?"

Kyler was nervously playing with her hair as she struggled to find her words. "Um...uh-huh." She nodded shyly. "I mean...I think you're a very handsome man, and you would look good in anything."

"Even that cute little nightgown you're wearing?" He asked as he put his arms around her.

Kyler giggled. "Then you'd look handsome and silly." She put her arms around his neck, and they shared a long lasting kiss. "Do you think you could do me a favor and grab the bedding for the futon? It's on the top shelf of my closet, and I can't reach it."

"Sure thing." He reached up and handed her the pillows, and followed her downstairs with the blankets and sheets. Together, they pulled out the sofa bed and made it up.

"Hey, sweetie?" King Dice said as they laid the pillows onto the bed. "Since your bed is in pieces and I'm taking the futon, where are you gonna sleep?"

Kyler's eyes widened. "Oh! I completely forgot about that Ummm..." She put her finger in her mouth in thought. King Dice thought she looked uber cute doing that, and he couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, I have a sleeping bag. So I can camp out on the floor upstairs."

"Oh, no. You're not gonna sleep on the floor in your own home. I'll sleep on the floor. You take the futone." King Dice insisted, but Kyler shook her head.

"I can't ask you to do that. You're my guest. And it's only for one night." She said.

It was then than King Dice got an idea. "I think I have a solution. This bed is pretty large. Why don't we share it?"

Kyler's eyes looked as if they were about to pop right out of her sockets. "Y-you mean...sleep together?"

"No, no! It'll be exactly what I suggested. We're just gonna share it. Maybe cuddle a little, but that's all." When Kyler still hesitated, he reached out and took a hold of both her hands in his. "Kyler, I'm not gonna try anything funny. I promise. You mean the world to me, and the last thing I wanna do is take advantage of you."

Kyler was finally able to speak. "It's not that. It's just...I've never slept-I mean, shared a bed with a guy before. I wouldn't know what to do."

King Dice soothingly nuzzled her nose with his. "You don't have to do anything baby. All I expect is that you are able to get a good night's sleep."

Kyler smiled at him. "Well, I guess it's not a bad idea. It wouldn't really be too weird, since we're a couple and all." She looked at the made futon and gave a nod. "Okay. Let's share it."

Squeezing her hands, King Dice pulled down the blankets, climbed into the bed, and made himself comfortable. He scootched over and patted the vacant spot, inviting Kyler to join him. She gingerly crawled into the bed next to him, and he covered them both with the blankets. Then they both laid down on the pillows. "Are you comfortable baby girl?"

"Yes!" Kyler squeaked.

King Dice chuckled at her response. He was laying on his side with his head propped in his hand looking down at Kyler lovingly, who was laying flat on her back with the blankets pulled up to her chin. "Heh-heh. Nervous, huh?"

Embarrassed, Kyler pulled the blankets up a little further so that only her eyes and nose could be seen. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make that squeaking noise."

"Don't be." King Dice pulled the blankets down a little so he could give her a small peck on the lips. "I liked that little noise you made. It's cute. And remember what I told you. This is all a new experience for you, so don't be afraid to be nervous."

She glanced at him. "Really?"

He gave her another kiss. "Really baby girl."

Kyler smiled in relief. "I'm glad." She fiddled with the blankets. "So, what do we do now?"

"Well, we could talk. Or maybe cuddle a little. Since we can sleep in tomorrow, we can watch some late night tv." He stopped when, to his amazement, Kyler rolled on her side and snuggled close to him.

"Um...I like cuddling. And you suggested it earlier." She said in the same shy tone.

King Dice smiled and worked his left arm under Kyler so he could wrap it around her waist. "So I did." He brought his right arm over her and cradled the back of her head in his hand.

Kyler had her hands pressed against his chest, and she inhaled the scent of her father's shirt. Whenever she had a bad day or night, she would always hold that shirt close to her. Now that her boyfriend was wearing it and had his arms protectively around her, she felt more comfort since the day her parents died.

King Dice glanced down at her and noticed that she was getting droopy-eyed. "Are you tired baby girl?"

"Ummm... a little." She said groggily.

"If you're tired, go ahead and sleep sweetie. You don't have to stay up for me." He told her softly.

"But-" She was cut off when when he placed his fingers over her lips.

"Shhhh." He removed his fingers from her mouth and carefully placed them on her eyelids so he wouldn't hurt her. "Close your eyes, and allow yourself to drift to sleep." He whispered. "My arms are your warm blanket. And my voice is your lullaby." He started to hum a soothing tune as he reached over and turned off the nearby lamp, leaving them both bathed in the moonlight that was shining through the balcony window. He could tell by Kyler's slow, steady breathing that she was fast asleep.

He kissed her on the forehead and gently stroked her hair, sighing in content. Just six months ago, Kyler had blown up at him for playing a part in her brothers losing their souls to the Devil, and she wanted nothing to do with him. He was so sure that she hated him and it broke his heart. Now here they were, laying in bed and holding onto each other as if they were afraid they would drift off to sea if they let go. Best of all, they were a couple. He couldn't stop thinking how beautiful she looked in the moonlight. "You're so lovely and pure Kyler. Like a rare dove surrounded by snow. Say..." He whispered softly as he pushed her bangs to the side and started stroking her cheek. "That's what I'll call you. Snow Dove. My beautiful little snow dove." With that thought in mind, he closed his eyes, ready for some sleep himself. However, he sensed that something was...off. He opened his eyes and was annoyed to find Mr. Wheezy, who had found his way back in through the chimney, perched above a sleeping Kyler's head.

The perverted toon cigar gave his employer a lascivious grin. "Need some help keepin' her warm boss?"

King Dice flicked Mr. Wheezy off of the pillow and held Kyler close to him.