Page 10 of The Edge of Never

“You mean am I going to stay upright? I think so.”

I nodded at their hand gripping my arm.

“Ye sure aboot that?”

Kit snatched their hand back and gave me a dark look.

“Yeah, I am.”

I didn’t let go of them, concerned they weren’t telling me the truth.

“Ye dinnae want me tae help ye tae the bottom?”

“No. I’m fine. Jesus.”

They tried to shrug me off, but my hands tightened around them.

What the fuck was my problem when it came to Kit? I didn’t know why they kept rubbing me up the wrong way, and yet I wanted to protect them. If they ended up hurting themselves on my watch, I didn’t think I would forgive myself.

Let go of them. They said they were fine.

“Pick yer axe up and I’ll let ye go.”

With a huff, Kit leaned down and gripped their axe, ripping it out of the snow. They looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

“Happy now?”

“Aye.”

It took a second, but I finally let them go.

Kit didn’t wait for me to get my axe. They twisted and set off up the slope, front pointing the entire way as if trying to prove a point. They wanted me to think they didn’t need me. Stubborn wee thing.

I followed behind them at a slower pace to make sure they didn’t get spooked or give me hell again. And to be sure they weren’t going to fall over.

When I reached the top where Callan was standing with his dark hair glinting in the sun, I let out a sigh. Kit had already made their way back down, practising front pointing in reverse.

“Wipe that fucking smile off yer face,” I said as I resisted the urge to shove him for forcing me into this awkward as fuck situation.

“What smile?”

“Ye know what am talking aboot, Callan, dinnae try yer innocent shite on me.”

He dipped his head and kept smirking.

“Ye looked like ye were gonnae lose it when they almost toppled over.”

“I fucking was. They need tae pay more attention tae what they’re deaing.”

Kit was more interested in giving me a hard time than doing what they were supposed to.

“Or mibbe ye need tae be nicer tae them.”

“I was being nice.”

He rubbed his chest and watched Kit doing their level best to show me they were more than capable of practising on their own.

“No, ye were being a grumpy get.”

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