[He's about to reassure Edgin that he knows he won't leave, that he trusts it, even if the fear lingers irrationally. But when he calls him James.. well he knows whatever Edgin is about to say is important. The man never says his name like that unless he's about to gut punch him with some emotion that will leave him breathless.

And the vampire delivers.

Luckily, he's pretty confident in the fact that Edgin doesn't say it with the expectation of it being said back, because Kirk doesn't want to say it back until he's sure he feels the same, because love is a big scary emotion and he would never want to do Edgin the discourtesy of saying it flippantly. He does care a whole hell of a lot for Edgin though and his heart swells with that emotion, easily spilling over into their connection.

Getting up, he moves over to Edgin to take his hand, holding it. There is a tremble in it.]

I know. That's why I'm gonna trust you despite any irrational fears, because I don't abandon the people I care about either, so you're stuck with me.

[He might have been abandoned a lot, but he never abandoned them. Once he sets his sights on someone, they're stuck with him, for better or worse.]

You're gonna get so sick of me one day.

[He laughs when he says it, injecting humor into the moment, his smile more genuine.]