22, 24, or 26?
from this ask game
22. “Your lips are really warm.”
Charles smiles as he nuzzles his nose against Edwin's. They fit on the sofa together- just barely. "That's wicked," he notes, and Edwin scrunches his face as he tries to pull back, pressing his head into the sofa.
"Wicked? What's wicked?"
"Your lips, mate." Charles grins that love-dumb grin of his Edwin hadn't gone a moment without since Charles broke down and confessed his feelings. He shifts on top of Edwin, straddling his thighs and sitting up as he peers down at Edwin. "They're, like, really warm." His face flushed as he trails a finger over Edwin's lips.
"Are they?" Edwin asks in the most out-of-breath way he could. "Why might that be?"
"I dunno, mate. But, maybe we should take you to the doctor, huh?"
"A ghost doctor, perhaps?" Edwin teases, reaching up to cover Charles' hand with his own. His other sits idly on Charles' hip. "Might you fetch one for me?"
"What? Call the Cat King in here an' have him check you out? No thanks, you've got Doctor Rowland on duty." He shifts on Edwin's lap, leaning down to nuzzle their noses together again.
A warm beat passed between them, and Charles paused.
"You're ridiculous," Edwin teases gently and Charles swears he can feel the movement on his own lips.
"Can I-" He swallows. "Um. My lips are cold... Could I kiss you and warm them up?"
"I thought you'd never ask."
Charles lets himself melt as he presses his lips to Edwin's for the first time in over thirty years of wanting.
24. “This isn’t how I pictured our first Valentine’s day.”
"You fucking idiot!" Edwin screams, all of his frustrated rage condensed into those words.
Charles furrows his brows as his shoulders raise, his eyes lasered in on his shoes. He takes a breath and Edwin steels himself. This was it- this was when Charles snaps him.
Only... he doesn't. He turns his head to the side and says, "I didn't mean to get us trapped here." His voice is just as small as Edwin's made him and the empty white space around them seems to echo his words. His shoulders drop and he looks up at Edwin with teary eyes. "I never want to put you in danger! I thought breaking it would solve the issue, not open a new dimension! How could I have known this would happen?!"
Edwin squeezes his eyes closed as he takes a breath. "Did I think we'd be spending our first Valentine's Day together in a pocket dimension? No."
Charles sniffles as his tears fall down his cheeks. "I'm sorry, Edwin!"
"I know," Edwin says, and then he smiles. "I know you're sorry, I know you didn't mean to..." He takes a breath and steps up to Charles, petting his hands up Charles' collar to cradle his throat and jaw. "I apologize for my outburst, this simply wasn't how I pictured this day. I forgive you, though I have nothing to forgive." He presses their foreheads together and they take a breath together. "I love you, Charles."
"Ah, mate," Charles whines and pulls Edwin into a hug. "We'll find a way out of here, alright?"
Edwin hugs Charles back, and breathes out an, "Of course."
"And, for the record, I love you too, also."
26. “This reminded me of you.”
"What?!" Charles squawks. "What do you mean?!'
"Well, it looks like you. Or, it reminded me of you, at the very least." Edwin presents the taxidermied fox to Charles again. It's held in both of his hands, and he'd even draped a gold necklace around its neck. "You don't see the resemblance?"
Charles tilts his head to the side, eyeing the fox like he was considering. "Uh... I'm not... I don't think so, mate." He reaches a hand forward to boop the snoot and makes a kind of pulled-back face. "What in the bloody..."
Edwin sighs. "You don't enjoy it."
"I never said that," Charles rushes out, grabbing the fox from Edwin and holding it to his chest. "I love foxy, actually."
"I should have gifted you something more romantic. Niko was right."
Charles shakes his head, petting the fox protectively. "Nonsense, you know me best."
"What sort of gift does one typically receive for Valentine's Day?"
Charles shrugs. "I bought you a shopping cart."
"Bought or stole?"
Charles grins, and Edwin takes a breath of relief that he wasn't too upset over the gift. Nevermind the status of his own.


















