Page 124 of Xavier

Thirty-Six

Him

“I don’t need your help! I can walk to my own bedroom,” I snap, and regret it almost immediately. Almost.

“Fine, fall over and break another rib. See if I care,” Kaine says, stepping back and ignoring my sway to the side.

“Passive aggression is not a good color on you, boss. Stick to grey hoodies and pinstripe suits,” I hiss, my breath ragged after only a few steps.

“You’re cranky when you’re not beating up other people.”

“You could volunteer as a punching bag and help out your loyal friend.”

“No thanks, my face is scarred enough,” he jokes.

I laugh and then my ribs make me regret it. “You did that on purpose, you sadistic fucker,” I groan as I ease myself into my recliner, staring out into the grey.

“Have you heard from her?”

“Who?”

My friend’s eyes roll far back into his head. "Now who's being passive-aggressive?”

“I have no choice, doctors said if I was aggressive aggressive I could tear my stitches.”

“So all I had to do to get you to listen to me was get a medical degree?”

“Yeah. Why don’t you get on that? See you in seven years.”

“Eh, I’ll just buy one.” He shrugs.

I can’t help but laugh again, and then wince as something pulls tight and throbs inside my torso. Gotta stop doing that.

“So, what are you going to do with your time off?” Kaine asks, pouring himself a drink.

“What time off? I’m not taking any time off! I’ll be in the office tomorrow.” I reach out my hand for a glass and he ignores me as he sips on his drink, the ice clinking against the sides.

“Yeah, no thanks. I don’t want you scaring the other employees.”

“You just don’t want me usurping your role.”

“Exactly, can’t have their fear shared between the two of us.”

“Pfft. Whatever. I’ll work from home.” I shift in my seat trying to get comfortable. In vain.

“You’ll rest from home.”

“I’m not taking time off, Kaine. We have too much work.”

“Last I looked it was Ash on the side of the building, not Kent.”

“This is horse shit, man!”

He grins and for a moment I’m glad to see him smile. I haven’t given him much reason to recently. “Horse shit might actually be good for you. Go sit on a farm somewhere and breathe in the fresh air.”

“If I go down and sniff the manure mounds from the horse carriages down at the park, will you let me get back to work?”

“Sure. But only if you take a selfie.”