A Different Slice

12 - Void (Kieran)

"He can only do that because you care about him."

"You're making plenty of sense to me."

She leaned back and sighed. Wherever her thoughts wandered left a slight pout on her lips. As the silence rested between them, Kieran felt compelled to ask again.

"Are you sure everything's alright?"

"Yeah, I just need..." she chuckled. "I can't remember why I came in here."

"Because I'm so ruggedly handsome you can't help yourself," he teased.

Naomi laughed along with him and leaned against the counter. It was good to see that smile return. "Yes, said every ace woman who doesn't experience aesthetic attraction ever."

"It's not unique to the ace ones."

"You have a cool vibe. I mean, I miss eyebrow piercing tonight, but you're kinda alternative, don't always follow the rules, I possibly still live in my mom's basement but also might play drums or bass in a rock band that does classic rock or metal covers."

"Which really works on women my age," he said sarcastically.

"Not every twenty..." She met his gaze expectantly.

"Six."

Her wide eyes almost seemed forced. "Really? Okay, old man."

Kieran chuckled as she looked not much younger, but maybe she had that older look.

"Twenty-six-year-old wants the same thing. I carpooled with my former teammate who I used to have a lot in common with, but now her life revolves around motherhood. I would pick this over that any day of the week."

He wasn't sure whether to be flattered she considered him superior to raising a screaming infant. She had admitted she liked his vibe and eyebrow piercing, possibly unintentional drunken confessions, but he welcomed them.

"I hear you. It is paradise to come home to a house where you don't need to take care of anyone but yourself, and Jake if he's deep into programming mode, though he's designed an app to remind him of all those things, which renders me almost obsolete. I delete the occasional reminder, so he falsely believes I'm useful."

Naomi laughed, a sound he could listen to all evening. "Is he your only sibling?"

Kieran nodded.

"Do you guys get grandkid pressure from the folks too? Mine's not too intense since my older sister has a couple of kids, but it pops up from time to time."

His mom had teased him and Katy about it. He'd tried to block that part of his life from his mind as dwelling wouldn't change a thing. 

"I used to a bit, but we haven't talked since I left Kingston."

"How long ago was that?"

"Two years."

Naomi's dark brown eyes widened. "Wow. Big fight?"

"Jake's idea. My life was in shambles when I left Ontario. He pulled me out and gave us a fresh start here. He left Kingston because of me, so I owe it to him to keep that promise."

Kieran still felt guilty that instead of reinvesting in his tech career, Jake had cleaned up his mess then bought the three-bedroom condo, something he'd expressed no desire for when they lived in Ontario. Jake shared no regrets, nor did he blame Kieran. He adapted and started fresh like it was normal.

"That's intense. You're probably one of the few who looked forward to moving to Winnipeg."

At the time, all he was numb. He and Katy had planned a move to Halifax for her new job when... his chest tightened, and his breaths grew harder to take in.