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Oh trust me you definitely are, but idk which tree either?  Because there’s a LOT XD

Oh well, looks like we’ll find out soon enough

Kit:

“Only a brother-in-law.”

“So you’re married?”

It’s just another reminder that Avin’s an adult, unlike me.

I mean I guess I technically am as well, but I don’t really feel like it and besides, this guy is married.  I’m not really sure what to say.  I think part of me is really interested, but I don’t want to pry.  Besides, he’s looking rather…angry?  I’m not sure what I did, but I feel like I accidentally pushed a button, and I’m not wanting to push any more.

Something about not having siblings.  I want to ask him questions, like…what’s it like being an only child?  But it seems like a sore subject, and that just makes me even more curious.

There’s another question burning in my throat.

How did you get her to notice you?

“Nice girl, Valencia,” Huh?  “Where’d you meet her?”

I’m not sure if nice is the right word to describe her.  Kind?  Yeah.  Polite?  Most of the time.  Nice?  Somehow, it feels like a stretch…

“Yeah.  She’s amazing.  Real sharp, too.”

Sharp tongue and even sharper wit.  She’s cut me down too many times to count.

“As for where we met…”  I gesture towards his luxurious jacket and laugh.  “Well, looks like you’ve got some money.  So you probably know how rich families are – lineage becomes dynasty, marriage becomes power, kids become pawns…I’ll just say Val and I’ve been on opposite sides of that chess board since day 1.”  I cock my head at him.  I’m not sure you’re following me, are you?

“Although, we’re both kind of useless pawns now, and you know what happens to useless pawns?”  I grin and flick my hand, tossing an imaginary chess piece into an imaginary trash can.  “Awful isn’t it?  It’s nice being free though, I will admit.”

I glance back at Valencia and smile.  It’s beautiful, really – this newfound freedom of ours.

“You don’t know how to tell her.” Avin says softly.  I stare back at him.  Is he talking about Valencia?  I think he is, and the worst part is that I know exactly what he’s talking about.  I’m kind of annoyed, not so much because he’s intruding than because he could somehow read my feelings.  My face burns, and I drop my gaze.  I hate this feeling of sudden…exposure?  His eyes were almost soft though.  I don’t think he’s judging me.  Maybe this is why I desperately want to tell him, against all better judgement.

“You don’t understand, though.” I whisper.  “She’s…well, terrifying, to be honest.  And super sharp, too,”  Sharp like shattered glass.  “She just doesn’t melt, you know?  No matter how hard you’ll try.  And believe me, I’ve tried.”  I grin sheepishly.  “I’m afraid I’m finally outclassed.”

I would know.  I’ve accidentally cut myself on her too many times to count.

To be honest, just the idea of setting my heart in her hands terrifies me.  I can see it so clearly now – her big eyes staring back at me through a blank canvas of an expression.  I’m not really sure what she’d say –  in fact I’m pretty sure I don’t want to know.  Probably something like “Oh,” or “Huh,” or a long silence followed by “What do you want me to do about it?”

Or even worse, that silent stare of appraisal, where you can’t even tell what she’s thinking but you know it probably isn’t working out in your favor.

It scares me to place my heart in her hands, because I know she’s going to give it back more damaged than it was before.  Or worse, take it to be polite and just stare at it with profound disinterest.  I think that would hurt far more.

Huh.  This entire time, I was so sure that Kit was avoiding telling her because he was trying to get her to play along with his game.  Avin’s question made me realize that he’s genuinely afraid of being rejected by her, which is sad but also interesting because I think Valencia is also afraid of being rejected by him.

Also, this interests me because Valencia saw Kit as a terrifyingly competent opponent back during their old rivalry, and she thought that he outclassed her in every way (especially socially, which I think was why she was so suspicious of him.)  I’ve suspected it for a while, but Kit kind of feels the same way about her!  I think she’d be really shocked to hear it.  I think that this false belief is what’s been causing her to keep him at a distance, tbh.  I think she’s afraid that Kit’s going to quickly get tired of her if he sees who she really is, behind the mask, just like so many other friends did in the past.

But she wouldn’t really care that much if she was truly apathetic to him!