Page 26 of Monster's Mistake

“My snakes are just restless,” I admit. “I’m not sure what’s gotten into them.”

A sarcastic hiss comes from my head. This is going to get old really fast. I can’t have a relationship with Meic if my snakes are going to insist on getting in the way.

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

I shake my head. “There isn’t much anyone can do. I can take a potion that’s supposed to be able to encourage them to sleep, but I don’t really want to do that. It always feels like such a risky thing to do.”

“Understandable,” he responds. “I wouldn’t want you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable.” He comes to sit down beside me.

“Thank you.”

“And I like your snakes.”

I snort. “Even if they don’t like you?”

He shrugs. “I’ll win them around eventually. Maybe I can bring them snacks next time we watch a movie.”

“That could work,” I muse, settling back amongst the pillows and barely paying attention to the screen. Not that I ever really intended to, I suggested something we’ve both watched before because it would mean that we’d get to spend more time talking to each other, and that’s what being here is really about, at least to me.

“I didn’t draw a line,” Meic murmurs, sounding like he’s disappointed in himself. It’s surprising when I didn’t even think about the line myself.

“That’s okay.”

“But...”

“Meic, it’s okay. I was thinking about crossing it anyway.” I take a deep breath and move closer to him.

He reaches out and puts an arm around me, resting it gently over my shoulders. “How is that?”

“That’s good,” I assure him, gingerly putting my head on his shoulder, but not without worrying about the snakes.

He doesn’t seem to notice them even though they’re moving like they normally do.

Gingerly, I reach out to touch his chest. I’m not used to showing affection like this to anyone, even with my family. There it’s mostly a case of everyone making sure that their snakes are behaving and there’s no chance of anyone accidentally being turned into stone. It hasn’t happened yet, but there’s always a chance of it when family members don’t have the same snake species living on their heads.

The steady beat of Meic’s heart fills my ears, distracting me from the movie and making it so that he’s the only thing I can think about. A small part of me wants to ask about touching his horns now that we’ve crossed the touching line, but I’m not sure if it’s rude.

Probably. I wouldn’t want anyone asking to touch my snakes. But then again, he isn’t just anyone. Maybe I would let him touch my snakes.

I let out a soft sigh.

“Are you okay?” Meic asks.

I bite my lip, wondering how much I can tell him. “I was thinking about your horns,” I admit, realising it’s better to just put the thoughts out there rather than bottling them in.

“Oh?” He reaches up to touch one of them, and I follow the movement more intensely than I intend to.

I suppose there’s no reason not to finish my thought now. “I was thinking about how I kind of want to touch them, but that Ididn’t want to ask because I wouldn’t just want anyone to touch my snakes, but then you’re not anyone.”

“You can touch them if you want,” he says. “But gently. Don’t manhandle them or anything.”

“Is that an issue?”

He shrugs. “Can be.”

I kneel between his legs and reach out tentatively, not entirely sure what to expect. My hand grazes against his left horn and I follow the twists and turns of it down. “Can you feel anything?”

“Not really,” he responds. “Other than how close you are to me.”

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