The Dark Artifices One Shots

Kit - 2

Happy 2019 everyone! Queen of Air and Darkness came out a month ago! These were supposed to be one shots based on what I wanted to happen in the last book of The Dark Artifices, and even though it's out, here's some more Kitty . . .

"Kit, why do I feel like a counselor for hormonal teens?" Cristina asked bluntly, uncrossing her legs and leaning forward in her chair.

The two of them were lounging in her room. It was a warm afternoon and everyone else in the Institute was off doing their own thing. Cristina sat at her desk with a fairly thick book while Kit was flopped on his back on her pale pink duvet cover, his head hanging off the edge.

He didn't bother shifting from his position when he answered. "Because you are a counselor for one," Kit pointed at himself, "hormonal teen." His upside-down vision could catch Cristina's sliver of an amused smile before she returned to her reading. 

His encounters with Ty had done just that— turned Kit's life upside-down. It was the third day since they'd been paired to do research on Annabel's activity in the Pyrenees Mountains and elsewhere, and Kit still hadn't felt more alive. Since then, Dru had set everyone up with different partners, claiming that no one had gotten any work done the first time. Kit had been assigned Tavvy duty twice now, though he wasn't complaining— the rest of the Institute's residents really did overlook how much fun the little seven-year-old could be. 

But he wished he could have more time alone with Ty. Kit had had next to no chances to talk to the him privately. But he'd managed to catch the other boy's gaze several times—Ty seemed to have made it a habit of throwing  quick smile Kit's way during meals or meetings, which did nothing but make Kit lose focus for the next several minutes. Other than that they'd barely interacted, and Kit's body ached because of it. He needed Ty, Kit realized. 

Kit flipped onto his stomach and paused to let the blood rush down from his head. Cristina's bay window's curtains were pulled back and the sun was nearly gone now.

"Tina, what am I gonna do?"

"What do you mean?" she spun her chair back around to face him.

"If Ty and I—" Kit started slowly. "If we, you know, keep doing what we're doing, um, are we supposed to tell everyone? How are we gonna tell everyone? How am I gonna tell the Blackthorns and Emma? 'Oh you know you're brother? The one you're super overprotective about? Yeah, I've been secret kissing him and stuff behind your backs and I literally can't stop. Like it physically and mentally pains me to be away from him and you'll probably never forgive me or want me to live with you guys anymore and . . ." he trailed off at the sight of Cristina's wide eyes and realized he'd been ranting.

Cristina's face was a mix of concern and shock. "Well, you certainly never mentioned to your counselor that it 'physically and mentally pains you' to be away from Ty." She raise her eyebrows at him.

Kit let his head hang. "Physically, mentally, socially, nationally—"

"I'm not sure that last one counts."

"Look, Tina," Kit sighed in defeat, "All I know is that I die a little inside every moment I'm not with him. And dying hurts." He gave a fake pout.

"Kit, you and I know best that the Blackthorns and Emma are the most caring people ever. If Ty feels the same way about you— physically, mentally, socially, and nationally— that overrules any hate that they could have for you. They care about each other's happiness more than anything, and if you're the thing that makes Ty happy, they care about you, too. But if you want a proper answer on what to do, I suggest you ask Ty. You need to talk to him."

Kit stared at her, taking in her words, and jumped off the bed. "Thank you for your ever-valuable wisdom, my amazing counselor," he said, and saluted her before slipping out the room. "Your welcome!" Cristina half-shouted after him. Kit closed the door behind him and was met by a scowling Mark, who had just exited one of Tavvy's playrooms.