Page 93 of The Edge of Never

“It’s okay,” I whispered. “We’ve been through a lot. It’s okay tae be overwhelmed by it all.”

“I’m… I’m not used to this.”

“Tae what?”

“I’m always the one taking care of everyone else. No one has ever wanted to take care of me.”

“I dae.”

“I don’t know how to deal with that.”

“Ye let it happen.”

“It’s that easy, is it?”

I gently pulled their face away from my neck and wiped their cheeks with my thumbs.

“Never said it’s easy, Kit, but ye’re clearly exhausted and am no gonnae let ye keep pushing yerself until ye break. That’s no healthy.”

They sniffled and nodded slowly. I pressed my lips to their forehead and stroked their face with my thumbs, clearing more of their tears.

“What dae ye wannae eat?”

“I can make it. You’re still hurt.”

I shook my head.

“Am no so injured I cannae make us something tae eat. Ye’ve been taking care of us for days. Let me take care of this.”

I could tell Kit wanted to argue with me further, but they didn’t.

“Pasta with butter and cheese, please.”

“That everything?”

They nodded and released my t-shirt from the tight grip of their fingers.

“Yeah. Safe foods, remember?”

I smiled and kissed their forehead again.

“Aye.”

So that’s what I did. Made us plain pasta without a fuss. Took more painkillers to help deal with my ankle while we ate and afterwards, I let Kit curl up between my legs on the sofa while we watched TV for the rest of the afternoon. And we went to bed early that evening, so Kit could get some much-needed rest. They slept pressed up against my chest. It would have felt weird if I wasn’t touching them in some way after we’d spent several nights together in a single sleeping bag.

I appreciated that Kit wanted to look after me. It felt good to let them brush and braid my hair. However, they needed someone to care for them as well. They deserved that. While I could, I would be that person for them. It was the very least I could do after everything they’d done for me. But I wasn’t just doing it because of that… I wanted to. I really fucking wanted to. Kit meant something to me. And even though that scared me, I wouldn’t let my fears get in the way of being there for them in the short time they were with me.

You deserve the world, Kit. And I’ll prove it to you… if you let me.

Thirty

Thane

As the sun peeked out through the clouds, I noted a car coming up the track towards my house from my perch on the sofa. It was a vehicle I instantly recognised. They’d stayed away yesterday after our rescue, but I had no such luck today. And that was going to be a fucking problem.

I should have known they wouldn’t listen to Callan.

“Kit.”

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