Page 92 of The Edge of Never

“Well, I like it. It suits you a lot. Like you’re super handsome as it is, but this, in my opinion, makes you all the more so.”

Getting complimented by Kit made my face grow hot. When was the last time anyone said something nice about me who wasn’t Callan? Although, half the time, he said less than pleasant things about me. I let him get away with it since he was my best friend and had every right to give me shite after what I put him through in the wake of Jenna’s death.

“Super handsome?”

“Yeah, I couldn’t think of the right word, so super will have to do.”

You are so fucking cute, Kit. Sienna doesn’t deserve you. She doesn’t appreciate your humour or the way your mind works… but I do. I fucking do, and I’m afraid of what that means.

“It works.”

I opened my eyes. Kit looked down at me with a smile before they reached over and grabbed one of the clear elastics I used to tie off my braids. They wrapped it around the base of the braid at the back of my head.

“All done on this side. Do you want me to do the same on the other?”

“Aye.”

I turned over, wincing at the ache in my ankle. How long had it been since I had painkillers? Maybe I needed some more. I would worry about that after Kit was done.

Kit started sectioning out the second braid. I watched their face as they did it. The way they concentrated with that wee wrinkle in their nose was adorable.

“We should probably eat after this. I just realised we haven’t had anything all day. With the rescue and all the madness after that, I forgot.”

We also had to put all the food they bought away. I was sure it would be okay for now. Kit’s wanting to wash had been more important to me than that.

“Aye.”

“I hope you don’t mind something plain. I bought a lot of my safe foods.”

“Safe foods?”

They nodded and bit their lip.

“The foods that I can eat that don’t cause me any issues and I never really get bored of. I have trouble eating some stuff as the textures and tastes don’t sit right with me. It’s a part of the sensory issues I mentioned.”

“Aye, right. I dinnae mind. Make whatever suits ye best. I’ll eat it.”

I wasn’t going to make Kit eat anything they didn’t enjoy. And there weren’t a lot of things I didn’t eat.

“Okay, thank you. It’s just with all the changes and new environment, I want to stick to things I know.” They scrunched up their face. “I’d rather avoid another meltdown, but if it happens, I can’t really help it, you know.”

I raised my hand and placed it on one of theirs, stilling their movements.

“It’s fine. Whatever ye need is fine.”

They started braiding my hair again despite my hand being on theirs. I noted the way their eyes misted over.

“Kit…”

“Please don’t,” they whispered. “Just let me finish this. I can’t… no one has ever been so good to me and… and I’m having a really fucking hard time with that.”

I took my hand off theirs and did as they said, letting them finish the braid. The moment they tied it off, tears slipped down their face.

I pushed myself up out of their lap, twisted around, and immediately pulled them against me.

Kit gripped my t-shirt and let out a sob as they buried their face in my neck. I stroked their back, letting them purge their emotions without interrupting them.

When their sobs abated, I pressed my mouth to the top of their head and cuddled them closer.

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