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“Why are you so mopey?” Clementine asks, kicking at Charles’ legs under the table. They are on one of their bi-weekly dinner dates at a small mom and pop Indian place. The place wasn’t super busy, so neither of them felt like they had to dine than dash, but there was still enough movement and chatter that neither sibling felt like they had to whisper. The perfect place for their dinner dates as neither of them enjoy a completely quiet space to eat in. Too many bad memories, too much tension.
“I’m not mopey,” Charles pouts, nudging Clementine back. His sister just snorts, rolling her eyes like the bratty teen she is.
“Suuuuure, and I’m the queen of England,” Clem snipes back, taking another bite of her meal. Once she’s done, she points her fork at Charles. “Is this about the hot dad you want to bang?” Charles sputters, nearly choking on his own meal.
“Clem!” Charles nearly shouts. He winces, hunching his shoulders and quickly looking around. Thankfully only a couple waiters looked their way with curious looks. Once Charles waves them off, they turn away and back to the other customers. Clementine of course is laughing at him. “Shut up.”
“Me? What did I do? I was just stating the obvious,” Clem says with a shrug. Charles sighs, sinking further into his chair. He really misses his sweet, innocent little sister sometimes. “Why don’t you just ask him out already?”
“I can’t Clem,” Charles whines, tossing his head into his hands in defeat.
“Why not?” Clem asks, poking at his hands. “You’ve asked out plenty of people before? Why is this one different?” Charles groans, batting his sister’s hand away as he looks up at her.
“Because he’s got kids Clem,” Charles says, hoping that his sister gets it and he doesn’t have to explain any more. Clementine stares at him, blinking slowly for a moment.
“Uh…duh? That kind of comes with the territory of being a hot dad,” Clementine says, raising an eyebrow. Not as judgy as Edwin’s was, but he’s got to admit she’s got the teen judge down pretty well. “Unless you called him a hot dad cause you want to call him—”
“Nope! Shush you. None of that!” Charles says quickly, lunging forward to cover her mouth. He can feel her smirking under his hand, while he glares at her. He’s also thanking the genetic pool for gifting him his mother’s complexion as that means he doesn’t look as red as he should be. There’s a warm wetness that swipes across his palm, making him jump back. “Ew can you not?”
“Alls fair in the sibling war,” Clementine says with a shrug. “Besides you used to do that to me all the time. Payback’s a bitch huh?”
“Ugh menace,” Charles says teasingly, a smile already lighting his face. Clem preens, smiling brightly up at him.
“Learned from the best!” she cheers, taking a sip of her soda. “But seriously Charles, why can’t you ask him out? What does him having kids have to do with anything?” Shoot, he was hoping she’d drop it. But this is his sister, and neither one of the Rowland kids ever knew when to leave well enough alone. Especially when it came to their curiosity and each other.
“It’s just…he has kids,” Charles says again. Thankfully, Clem doesn’t sass him but just stares at him unimpressed. “It’s different okay! I’ve never asked someone out who has kids, but I know you can’t just…do whatever. You gotta consider the kids too.”
“Okay…but I thought you said his kids liked you too?” Clementine points out, tilting her head slightly.
“They did, I think,” Charles says, thinking back to the evening spent with the Payne family. “But one night of fun doesn’t equate to them feeling comfortable with me dating their dad!” Charles quickly adds. “And I don’t know how to help raise kids! Not to mention if Edwin would even want me around his kids that much.”
“Oi!” Clemetine says, kicking at Charles’ leg harshly. “You basically raised me! And I turned out just fine.” Clem narrows her eyes, glaring at him as she pouts. “Unless you’re saying I’m messed up?”
“Ya know that’s not what I’m saying,” Charles says softly. Clementine immediately deflates, staring at him with wide and worried eyes.
“You’re really worried about this,” she says softly, her eyes scanning his face. Charles tries to smile, but he knows it doesn’t reach his eyes. He is. He is really worried about this, and he feels stupid for worrying. It’s just one really cute guy, why is he so hung up on wanting to spend more time with him. “Shit okay. Why are you worried?”
“I don’t know,” Charles whines, running a hand through his hair. He’s not entirely lying, because he doesn’t fully know why this is just a big deal. But he does know that he doesn’t want to screw this up, that he wants to spend more time with Edwin and get to know him more. And he’s terrified. “I just…I can’t jump into this right?”
“I mean I don’t see why not,” Clementine says with a shrug. “I get that him having kids means it’s like different. But it’s not like these kids are babies, right?” Charles nods slowly, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. He’s not sure what Clementine is getting at. “And you said they were pretty smart. Meaning they’re smart enough to understand what it means for their dad to date someone.”
“I’m not following…” Charles admits, still confused by what Clementine is trying to say. Of course this just means his baby sister groans, tossing her head back in dramatic anguish.
“What I’m saying is that as long as you’re not trying to ship the kids off to boarding school so you can bang their dad then I think you’re fine to go for it!” Clementine states without hesitation. Charles sputters, feeling his face heat up once more. “Seriously, I know you Charles. You’re too caring to ever intentionally cause these kids pain. You’re honestly worrying for nothing.”
“I…” Charles starts, wanting to refute his sister’s claims. Because he could…he could hurt Edwin’s kids. Not intentionally, never intentionally. But…well much like Asher and Michaela seem to have inherited the best parts of their father, Charles has inherited the worst parts of his. And he doesn’t want his selfishness to be the reason anyone is hurt. But saying all that to Clem wouldn’t work, and he’s too tired to really fight back. “I’ll think about it.”
“You? Think? Who are you and what have you done with my brother?” Clementine teases, adding levity back into the atmosphere.
“Oi, I know how to think,” Charles throws back, smiling despite his offended tone. Clementine hums, though the smile on her face says she doesn’t believe him. “Alright, alright, enough about me. Catch me up on your teen drama.”
The look Clementine sends him tells him that she knows what he’s doing. But she’s in a generous enough mood that she goes along with it, launching into an excited retelling of her latest teenage drama.
~
“How’s the babysitter hunting going?” Mick asks, lifting his mug of spiced hot cider. Edwin and Mick are sitting in Mick’s seaside home, specifically his drawing room full of knick-knacks and various sitting spaces. The sound of the twins playing further in the house acting as added background music along with the sound of the sea and the actual soft music playing from an old record player.
Edwin’s always found comfort in this space, one of two spaces that were his safe havens growing up. Even now, he feels himself relax back into the armchair he’s seated in, breathing out all his stress. It’s the very same armchair where he’s sat countless times before, talking about the big and small moments in his life. Confessing to Mick about his attraction to men, telling him about Edwin’s future marriage, about the twins and Edwin becoming a father, and so many more.
While Edwin attempts to talk with Mick at least once a week, they have a monthly teatime where they physically meet up to chat. Not only does it allow Edwin a moment to escape the pressure of the city and a breath of fresh air, it also allows Mick to see his pseudo grandkids, and allows the twins excitement at not only seeing their grandpa but the sea. A win win all around.
“Exhausting and quite disappointing,” Edwin says with a sigh, taking a sip of his own drink. “I’ve held a handful of interviews but I have yet to find anyone I feel even remotely comfortable to trust with the Sprites.” Besides Charles, but he’s a completely different issue. “It as if the universe is conspiring against me,” Edwin laments dramatically, slumping back quite undignified.
“Hmm,” Mick hums, not at all caring about Edwin’s lack of “proper decorum”. Yet another reason Edwin enjoys his time with Mick. “What about that Charles bloke? The Sprites seem pretty taken with him. And according to them, so do you.” Edwin startles, nearly choking on his drink.
“I…wha…I don’t,” Edwin stammers out, trying to clear his throat and find his footing again. Mick just smiles knowingly at him, chuckling at Edwin’s misfortune. Edwin sighs, feeling defeated before he could even truly fight back. “What exactly have they told you?”
“Something about how he was really good at the arcade games, and how he was a good listener,” Mick says non-chalantly. Perhaps the twins didn’t say anything too damaging to Mick. “And how you were constantly looking at him and smiling like a love sick fool.”
“They did not say that,” Edwin huffs, turning his head to the side in defiance and hope to hide his blush. He wasn’t that bad during his non-date with Charles. And there was no way his children used the phrase “love sick fool”.
“Aight maybe they didn’t say that exactly, but that’s the gist I got,” Mick confesses with a chuckle. He winces as he leans back into his chair, rubbing a hand over his knee. “So it sounds like you’ve got a good one there?”
“He was…” Edwin begins, trying to think about the best way to phrase his thoughts. “He was very sweet. I was rather impressed with how he treated the Sprites. For not being a professional child-minder, he treated them with such care and respect."
“And he had a nice smile?” Mick teases, a smirk pulling at his lips and lifting his mustache. Edwin huffs, taking a drink to avoid answering. “Well if you like him, and the kids like him, why not hire him?”
“What? Surely you’re jesting!” Edwin immediately responds, sitting up straight. Mick just raises a bushy eyebrow, seemingly entirely serious. “I can’t…that wouldn’t…I…” Edwin struggles once again for words to explain to Mick why hiring Charles would not work. Especially considering that Edwin had considered offering Charles the job even temporarily. “It wouldn’t work.”
“Why not?” Mick asks in his typical way. It’s one of the things that Edwin appreciates when talking with Mick. There’s never pressure or judgement from him, even when he asks questions. The questions are never out of judgement or to find a weakness, but from curiosity or the want to help. Quite different from Edwin’s biological father, and another reason Mick is his preferred parental figure.
“It would be…awkward would it not?” Edwin says, stilted in his words. While that is one reason he’s so hesitant to consider offering Charles the job, there is a bigger reason that Edwin feels too guilty to admit to. “Besides, he wasn’t there for a job interview but a date. It would be strange for me to reach out and offer him a job he did not apply for.”
“Wouldn’t hurt to ask him if you wanted,” Mick shrugs. He takes a drink before leveling Edwin with a serious stare. “Unless you’re worried about something else?” Edwin presses his lips together, feeling the weight of Mick’s stare. Mick knows him too well, plus it doesn’t help that he’s grinding his knuckles together in his lap.
“I enjoyed his company and believe he would make a good minder for the twins, that’s true,” Edwin states slowly, looking down at his hands. “But what if…what if I liked him as more than a potential employee?”
“As a friend? Or as something more?” Mick asks, though Edwin has no doubt he already knows the answers. So instead of answering, Edwin just focuses on his hands, trying to quell the blush on his face and the shame turning in his chest. “Course.” Mick nods slowly. “Nothing wrong with that either.”
“But…” Edwin bites his tongue, not sure if he wants to bare the shame he’s feeling to Mick. And Mick let’s Edwin just sit and simmer. “It feels selfish to want to…persue a personal relationship with him. Shouldn’t my focus be the twins?”
“Who says you can’t do both?” Mick asks. Edwin opens his mouth to retort but stops short, not really knowing what to say to that. “The way I see it, the whole point of getting a babysitter was to have extra help and a way for all three of you to get some independence. I think that means you’re allowed to date if you want.”
“That was never something I considered though,” Edwin says, for lack of any argument. Yes, he wanted his children to have the space to grow without feeling smothered by him. But he never considered he’d have the chance to do something more for himself. He was already planning on working more, but dating?
“Well now you can,” Mick shrugs. There’s a thump from down the hall startling the two adults.
“We’re okay!”
“Nothing to worry about!” the twins shout. Mick sighs, shaking his head as he slowly stands up from his chair. He grabs his cane and walks over to Edwin, patting his shoulder comfortingly.
“I think it's time to follow your heart, pup,” Mick says low and soothingly. “You’re allowed to be selfish.” Edwin nods his head once, swallowing around the new lump in his throat. Mick chuckles, patting his shoulder once more before he shuffles toward the hall. He pauses once in the doorway, turning back to Edwin for a moment. “Talk with your boy. If he’s as good as the Sprites say, you may be surprised how things turn out.”
With that, Mick walks into the hall and makes his way to the room the twins are in. Edwin stays sitting in the drawing room to simmer over Mick’s advice. He lets out a sigh, crashing back into the chair and slumping slightly as he looks up at the ceiling. So many thoughts and worries run through his head.
Logically he knows Mick just wants to help, and his advice is usually best listened to. But being selfish? Edwin feels like that’s all he’s ever been is selfish. Isn’t that what his own flesh and blood have called him oh so many times throughout oh so many years? He knows that’s different, more of a pressure to be something he’s not than true selfishness. But the fear is still there…can he truly be selfish now when he’s been accused of being selfish for so long?
~
“Charles!” Niko says excitedly, throwing her arms around Charles as he walks through her door. Charles chuckles as he wraps an arm around her, swinging her around.
“Hiya Niko,” Charles greets. “What’s on the docket for tonight's movie night?” He toes off his sneakers at the door, kicking them up against the wall next to Niko’s own shoes. He walks further into her apartment, flopping onto the couch.
“Well,” Niko calls out from the kitchen. “I made a list of a few movies or shows we could watch. They’re on my laptop!” Charles groans, flapping his hand toward where Niko’s laptop laid out half open. There's some giggling from Niko at his antics, before Charles finally stretches enough to grab the laptop.
He starts scrolling through the list, trying to find anything that interests him. Most were romance sounding, which he’s not too surprised by considering this was Niko. But after the fifth title with the word “nanny” in it, Charles pauses his perusal.
“Niko,” Charles calls out slowly. His friend leans her head in the doorway between the kitchen and living room. She looks over at Charles with wide, innocent eyes. “I know what you’re doing.”
“What? It’s just some fun romance movies!” Niko says cheekily.
“That happen to feature a parent falling in love with their kids' nanny?” Charles fires back. Niko’s grin stretches wider, less innocent and more mischievous. “Niko. This doesn’t help the way you think it helps.”
“How do you know? Maybe once you watch the magic of love in the movies, you’ll shoot your shot with your hot dad friend,” Niko says non-chalantly, shrugging her shoulders. Charles groans, grabbing one of Niko’s many pillows and throwing it at her. She squeaks, dipping back into the kitchen and away from the doorway.
“You and Clem are no help!” Charles calls out, moving the laptop off his lap so he can throw himself fully across her couch. He grabs a blanket, wrapping it around him and placing a pillow over his face. He hears more chuckles and the sound of Niko’s soft footfall as she moves from the kitchen to the living room.
“Well if Clementine and I both think you should go after the hot dad, then maybe you should listen,” Niko says. She sets something down on the table before sitting next to Charles’ head. She picks up the pillow Charles had placed over his eyes, smiling down at him. “We’re both very smart.”
“You’re both also meddlers,” Charles points out. He sits up, patting the cushion he had been laying on. Niko smiles, slipping into the spot, placing the pillow in her lap. Once she’s settled Charles falls down again, placing his head in her lap.
“We just want what’s best for you,” Niko says, running a hand through his hair. “And we think a hot dad could be good for you.” Charles snorts, shaking his head as Niko chuckles. She reaches for her remote and pulls up a movie from her list and clicks play.
For a while, the two just watch the movie, sometimes making comments about the script or the actors. But for the most part the two just enjoy the cheese holiday themed movie. It’s not until after the dramatic reunion of the main love interests that Niko speaks up again.
“See, that could be you and hot dad,” she teases, poking Charles in the arm. Charles rolls his eyes, having expected that kind of comment from his best friend for a while.
“Wouldn’t that require me to have been his nanny first?” he teases, eyes still on the movie. He watches as the main characters continue to talk and kiss. He’ll never admit it, but throughout the whole movie he’s been imagining himself and Edwin in place of the main characters every other scene. It’s silly and he always tries to quickly shake those images away, but he can’t help but be a little intrigued.
“Who says you can’t be?” Niko says with a shrug. “Spend time getting to know him and his kids, show how good of a house-husband you can be. Small family bonding moments followed by small intimate moments. It would be so sweet and then nearly explicit.” She sighs dreamily.
“Niko!” Charles says scandalized, throwing popcorn at her face. Niko giggles, trying to catch the popcorn in her mouth.
“Not in front of the kids, obviously,” Niko says, booping Charles on the nose. “But imagine getting caught in the rain and nearly kissing. But you’re interrupted, only for him to lend you some spare warm clothes!”
“Sure Niks, very romantic,” Charles teases, shaking his head. Although, he’ll admit, he does usually like sharing clothes with his partners. So the thought of Charles wearing a sweater from Edwin-- he cannot envision the immaculate dressed Edwin owning a hoodie-- and being drowned in the smell of his cologne is appealing. So is the thought of Edwin wearing one of Charles’ hoodies or jackets.
“You’re just being a negative nelly,” Niko huffs, poking at Charles’ nose again.
“No, I’m being realistic,” Charles throws back, a bit more of a bite to his voice than he means to. He feels Niko freeze for a moment, causing guilt to flood his chest. “Sorry, sorry. I just…real life isn’t like the movies Niko. I can’t just…call up and offer to be his nanny and hope he falls in love with me.”
“Why not?” Niko asks softly, no judgement and only a tinge of sadness to her voice.
“Because that’s awkward, and an overstep of the professional line,” Charles says. He waves his hands at the movie. “There’s potential for so much drama and heartbreak! Plus isn’t it scummy to sign up for a job because you want to date the parent?”
“I mean sure, if all you cared about was the dad then that’s pretty scummy,” Niko admits. “But you wouldn’t be doing that! Sure you want to date the dad, but you’d still take care of the kids.” Niko dips her head down, to look Charles in the eyes. “You would be a great nanny.”
“Still scummy,” Charles huffs, not denying Niko’s statement. Cause she’s right, if Charles is going to take on a job he’s going to give it his all. So if he was a nanny, he’d make sure the kids were taken care of properly, not just flirt with their father. “Why am I even entertaining this, it’s not happening.”
“Just saying, you mentioned he was hiring and the kids liked you,” Niko says with a shrug. “Wouldn’t be the worst way to get to know him and show him how amazing of a dad you’d make!” Charles snorts, shaking his head in pure amusement at his friend. She always has the craziest ideas. “Just think about it.”
“Sure Niko, I’ll think about it,” Charles says, fully intending to never think about it again.
~
Crystal: Come open your damn door before I eat all the snacks.
Edwin sighs as he pushes himself away from his desk, closing his sketch pad and turning off the light as he makes his way to the front door. When he opens the door, he doesn’t even get a chance to say something as one Crystal Palace waltzes through the open door with various plastic bags in her arms.
“Yes, please come in, Crystal. How lovely to see you too,” Edwin says into the air as he closes the door behind her.
“Pretty sure you told me to ‘make myself at home’,” Crystal says, pulling out her horrendous Edwin voice to mock him. Edwin rolls his eyes with a sigh as he follows after her into the living room. He watches as Crystal places the bag on the coffee table before turning to look at Edwin, hands on her hips.
“I only said that because you were crying and I had just dealt with two very fussy babies who did not want to sleep,” Edwin says with a sniff, tilting his chin up. Crystal crosses her arms, raising a skeptical eyebrow at him. The two stare at each other for a moment, neither one wanting to back down from the sudden staring contest. Eventually Edwin must blink, and thus surrender the game to rub against his dry eyes.
“Ha, loser,” Crystal teases, a bright smile on her face. “Now you handle the setup while I ‘make myself at home’ and change.” Edwin sighs, staring at Crystal with the best unimpressed look he can muster. Sadly, she is immune to such a look as she simply laughs. As she passes by him she places a quick kiss to his cheek and a pat on the shoulder before heading further into his house.
Something unfurls in his chest, a bit of tension that suddenly softens simply from being in Crystal’s presence. Edwin hadn’t realized just how much stress he had been holding in his chest until the whirlwind that is Crystal Palace walked into the house. As always that tension melts as Edwin goes about setting up the living room for their planned watch party.
Edwin pulls out the snacks and drinks Crystal had brought, setting them up close to the couch so neither adult has to stretch too far for them. He then pulls out all of the various pillows and blankets in the room and makes a small nest on the couch. Once everything is properly set up, he grabs the remote and flops onto the middle of the couch.
As he sits and waits for Crystal to come back, Edwin pulls out his phone. Pulling up his messages, he immediately is greeted with Charles’ contact. He stares at the blank message, debating if he should text the other man or not. While he wants to reach out to the other man, he’s hesitant to do so since he’s still unsure how to approach his relationship with Charles. He’s so focused on Charles’ contact that he doesn’t notice Crystal enter the room again until she’s flopping onto the couch next to him.
“What’s got you all staring forlornly like you’re waiting for your lover to get back from war,” Crystal asks, twisting her head around to try and look at Edwin’s phone. Edwin quickly locks his phone, hiding it under the nearest blanket. “Okay…that was totally not suspicious.”
“I was simply looking at something private,” Edwin says stubbornly, trying to maintain a neutral face while he feels his face heat up. Crystal raises a skeptical eyebrow, whole-heartedly not believing his rather lame excuse. He’s a bit embarrassed at his response to Crystal, but he also didn’t want her to see just how affected by one man he is.
“Riiiiight,” Crystal says slowly. “You wanna talk about this ‘something private’ before we binge on junk food and watch Drag Race or are you going to pretend everything's fine until you explode mid episode?” Edwin can hear the judgment in Crystal’s voice, but her face is soft and almost concerned.
“It is…” Edwin starts and stops, not entirely certain how to explain what’s going on in his head. Logically he knows talking with Crystal, while resulting in teasing, would also be helpful. She’s surprisingly insightful and as his friend, she cares for him. “I…may have met someone.”
“No shit!” Crystal says, eyes wide and excited. She sits up on her knees to fully turn to Edwin, giving him her full attention. “Why didn’t you fucking lead with that! How’d you meet this mystery man? Is he cute? Have you gone on a date?”
“It was by pure chance we met, he is quite cute, and I suppose we technically went on a date,” Edwin says, answering each of her questions in order. “Though I’m not sure if that was an official date or not.” While Charles had originally assumed they were on a date, neither man ever stated what exactly the final meetup had been.
“How the fuck do you go on a date, without being on a date?” Crystal asks, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Edwin merely hums, not really wanting to explain everything to her right now. “Fine, keep your secrets for now. But I want that story later,” Crystal says, pointing accusingly at Edwin. “So why the…weirdness.” Crystal waves her wand at Edwin.
“I am debating what I should do,” Edwin says slowly, picking his words carefully. Thankfully Crystal doesn’t throw any more questions his way, she just lets him find his words. “It’s strange, I know, but I have found myself wanting to possibly pursue a relationship of sorts with him.”
“Edwin, that’s not strange, that's amazing!” Crystal says, sounding entirely too sincere for Edwin’s liking. He almost misses the sarcasm that tends to coat her every word. She reaches out and grabs one of his hands, stopping his fidgeting. She holds his hand between hers, staring up at him with a smile. “Why are you so worried about that?”
“There’s just so many things that could go wrong,” Edwin confesses, looking down at their hands. “What with the twins and my ineptitude with anything resembling romance.” Crystal leans forward, offering him silent support. “This man is…it’s stupid but I really like him. What if I fuck everything up?”
“First off, no badmouthing yourself,” Crystal says sternly, tugging on his hand to try and get him to look at her. Knowing she won’t give up, Edwin shyly looks over at his best friend. “Only I get to insult you around here, got that.”
“Very well,” Edwin says softly, smiling tenderly at her. Crystal nods approvingly, a matching smile on her face.
“Good, now I know next to nothing about this mysterious man,” Crystal says, eyeing Edwin with faux betrayal. “But Edwin, I don’t think you could really fuck anything up. Does he know about the twins?”
“He does,” Edwin nods.
“Then there you go! That’s the biggest secret to worry about and he already knows!” Crystal says, pushing against Edwin’s shoulder. He rolls his eyes, but smiles back at Crystal again. He doesn’t fully believe it’s that simple but he appreciates what Crystal’s trying to say. “Look, I’m way too tired to fully explain to you all the reasons you should go for it. But I really think if you like this guy, you should absolutely ask him out.”
“But--”
“Nope!” Crystal says immediately, cutting him off. “We’re not going to argue this tonight. Tonight is for Drag Race and dramas. Tomorrow we can go over every reason you should totally pursue your cute stranger, while you also give me all the details becuase what the fuck Edwin!” Crystal pushes at his shoulders, glaring sharply at him. “As your best friend I should be the first in line for all the tea!”
“Yes, yes, apologies,” Edwin says, rolling his eyes. He leans back into the couch, relaxing ever so slightly as he feels a weight lift off his shoulders. This is a problem for another day, tonight is indulging in junk food and dramatic divas with his favorite diva. “Shall we?”
“Let’s go!’ Crystal cheers, reaching forward to grab her snacks before leaning against Edwin’s side once more. Her head finds his shoulder, the two of them cuddling up on the couch as Edwin starts the first episode.
~
Charles is cleaning up the costume closet at the community center when he hears whispers from behind him. It’s a common occurrence, kids sometimes sneaking into the closet to either play with the props or play dress up. Sometimes the kids just follow after Charles to ask him questions. He does his best to indulge them, while also making sure they follow the rules. Which one said rule is “no going into the costume closet”.
Charles lets the little sneaks just follow after him, hiding behind clothes and whispering about him. He’s not sure which kids it is, but he can make out at least two voices. So Charles swipes a couple hats as he moves through the closet to double back on the kids. As he slowly moves to sneak up on the kids, he finally can hear what they’re whispering.
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know, he was right there!”
“He couldn’t have gone far, we gotta find him!”
“He’s gotta still be in here still. I didn’t hear the door close.”
“And the lights are still on.”
Well then, he’s got a couple of detectives on his hands. Step silently behind him, Charles quickly put the hats on to each of their heads. He tugs down on the front to cover their eyes as they scream in surprise.
“Well detectives, you found my secret lair,” Charles says laughing, keeping a hand on the hats to keep the kids from taking them off. “How ever did you find me?”
“You weren’t ex-actly being sneaky Charles!” one of the kids says as they giggle and try to remove Charles’ hand from their head. The other one is also laughing as they struggle. But he keeps his hands there for a few seconds longer, before finally letting them go.
“Aw man, and I tried to cover my tracks,” Charles says with an over exaggerated pout. He laughs as the kids scramble to move the hats around as they spin to face him. Once the hats are pushed back enough that Charles can see their faces, he freezes as he’s met with identical and familiar green eyes. “Asher? Michaela?”
“Hi Charles!” Asher says, waving excitedly. Micheala waves as well, bright smiles on both of their faces. Charles blinks in surprise, wondering how in the world the Payne twins were here. He’s been volunteering at this community center for a few years now, and yet he’s never seen them before. At least he doesn’t think he has. Have the twins been here the whole time?
“What are you two doing here?” Charles asks, still feeling a little dumbfounded. The twins each raise an eyebrow at him, looking at him like he’s being silly for even asking. Maybe he is, he’s feeling a little silly honestly.
“We came to find you,” Michaela says slowly while Asher nods his head. Charles can’t help but chuckle, hearing the very obvious “duh” in Michaela’s voice despite her not saying it.
“Right, course, my bad,” Charles says, smiling down at the twins. “Well you found me! What can I do for you detectives?”
“We’ve got some questions for you,” Michaela says, crossing her arms and staring at Charles with a stern look. She then seems to remember something as she instantly grows sheepish. “If you have time, that is.”
“Yeah, only if you have time for us,” Asher adds, staring up at Charles with wide, hopeful eyes. Well shit, he wasn’t planning on saying no but he definitely doesn’t think he could have even if he wanted to. He can’t help but wonder if Edwin’s ever able to tell them “no”.
“Course I’ve got time,” Charles says, as he slips down to sit on the ground. “Hit me with your best questions, I’ll answer honestly. I swear.” Michaela and Asher exchange a look, doing that psychic twin talk again. It’s scarily impressive how in sync they are while also being adorable. Once they’re done, they look back at Charles with serious expressions.
“Do you like our papa?” Asher asks. Charles freezes not sure what to say or how to react to the question. Thankfully he’s pretty good at thinking on his feet, and he’s got practice at keeping a smile on his face even when his brain blanks. Because him suddenly frowning may not be a good answer, but to be honest what is.
How does Charles answer that question? It’s not like he can tell two kids that yeah he likes their dad. Like really likes him to the point that he’s been thinking about how gorgeous he was in the light of the arcade, or how hot he found it when Edwin lifted both of them without breaking a sweat. Of course not all of his thoughts are not-safe-for-kids, he also thinks about how fun it was to talk with Edwin. He was intelligent and open and just wonderful company.
“Yeah, uh yeah, I like you dad,” Charles answers, smiling just a bit bigger. “I had a great time hanging out with all of you.” The twins stare back at him, blank faces. Charles swallows, laughing nervously. “So yeah, course I like him. He seems brills.”
“Do you like him enough that you want to date him?” Michaela asks. Charles chokes on air in shock, coughing a bit. The twins maintain their blank stare, which does not help the fear spreading through Charles.
“Well…I mean that’s…I don’t know…it’s not really,” Charles stumbles, trying to figure out what to say without lying to the twins. Because he can’t say he would absolutely love to go on a date with their dad again, but he doesn’t think he’s worthy. Especially since he doesn’t know how to date a dad cause he doesn’t want to end up hurting the twins by dating their dad.
“Is that a no? Cause you haven’t said no,” Asher says, crossing his arms. He tilts his head slightly as he assesses Charles. “And you’re acting really weird. Kind of like how Ame acts around Koko.”
“And papa says Ame really likes Koko, so…” Michaela says, crossing her arms and staring down Charles. While he has no idea who the others are, Charles is kind of scared how weird he’s acting merely at the mention of Edwin. Especially if his kids can tell something is up.
“It’s not a no,” Charles answers slowly. Again he really doesn’t want to lie to the twins, but he feels weird saying yes. “I mean, I do like your dad, don't get me wrong. I just…wouldn’t want to make things weird, you know?”
“No,” the twins say together, shaking their heads. Charles laughs, nodding his head in understanding. Yeah, maybe this was something the kids wouldn’t really understand. It’s not like Charles is really explaining it well either.
“I just mean…uh,” Charles runs a hand through his hair, trying to think of the right words. God, is he going to get into trouble explaining to Edwin’s kids why Charles is afraid of asking out Edwin because he’s afraid of hurting said kids? Thankfully, the twins save him.
“Oh…I get it,” Michaela says with a knowing nod. “You’re scared.” Asher stares at Charles with wide eyes as he lets out a low “oh”. Well, she’s not wrong and it’s easier than the convoluted thoughts in his head. So Charles nods slightly.
“That’s okay! Papa says it’s okay to be scared,” Ashe says suddenly, all seriousness gone and replaced with a soft look. “He always reminds us that even if we’re scared, he’ll always be there to support us and that he’s proud of us.” Oh, his heart. That is too precious.
“Thanks Asher,” Charles says, smiling softly at the boy. He clenches his hand, resisting the urge to reach over and ruffle the boy's hair like he’s seen Edwin do before. Or like how he used to ruffle Clemetine’s hair. Or like how Charles’ mother used to ruffle his hair.
“If it helps,” Michaela says. “Papa is also scared.”
“Oh?” Charles asks, looking curiously at Michaela. She nods solemnly, like she knows exactly how important and weighted her words are.
“He keeps looking at his phone all…” Micheala trails off, narrowing her eyes as she thinks through the words. She turns to Asher, asking, “What’s the word when you stare off into space with a sad look?”
“Longingly?” Asher offers, but Michaela shakes her head. “Yearning? That’s what Grandpa called it.” Michaela shakes her head again, twisting her lips in disappointed thought.
“None of those sound right,” Michaela murmurs. Warmth and tenderness shoot through Charles as he watches the two debate what word Micheala is looking for. They look adorable, with their serious faces and their heads tilted together. The mismatched hats tilted off the sides of their heads adds to the cuteness. Charles has the urge to take a picture so he can share the cuteness with Edwin. But he’s pretty sure taking pictures of kids that are not your own is a big no-no.
“Forlorn!” the twins shout together, finally figuring out the missing word to describe their dad. With that they turn back to Charles with big grins.
“Forlorn huh?” Charles asks, smiling back at them. The twins nod enthusiastically, causing Charles’ heart to skip a beat. The thought he’s not the only one struggling with wanting to reach out settles something in him. Does Edwin want to go on another date? Or maybe just even a friendly hangout would be fine.
“So, if both of you are scared, you can be scared together!” Asher offers.
“And if you’re scared together, maybe you won’t be so scared,” Michaela adds. “Cause it’s a lot less scary when you're with others.” Charles sighs, feeling his shoulders slump a little. How are a couple of kids so wise? Granted he’s met their dad, so he shouldn’t be surprised.
“You two are pretty smart, you know that?” Charles says instead of addressing if he is or isn’t going to ask their dad out. The twins turn a mix of bashful and proud, standing taller while smiling softly at Charles. “But you know…there’s something you’re forgetting in all this.”
Michaela and Asher turn to look at each other, brows furrowed in confusion. They each seem to be reviewing things in their heads, trying to figure out what Charles means. After a few moments, they turn to look at him, seemingly no idea what Charles meant.
“Do you guys want me spending more time with your dad,” Charles says seriously, looking each of them in the eye for a moment. The twins blink at him, looking like Charles has thrown them off. Charles can’t help but chuckle, guess that’s not something they considered. “Your opinions matter in this too.”
“So…if we didn’t want you to date our papa you wouldn’t?” Asher asks softly, his knuckles rubbing together in front of him. Michaela is also fidgeting with her hands, looking a little worried.
“If you don’t want me to date you papa I wouldn’t,” Charles answers honestly. It would sting and would take some time to get over, but Charles is good at pushing through those feelings. “I would still like to be his friend though.” Charles chuckles, but neither twin smiles back at him. Instead they exchange another look.
“So…if we wanted you to date our papa, you would?” Michaela asks then, just as soft as Asher’s initial question. It’s Charles’ turn to be stunned again.
“Well…if your papa and I both wanted to date each other, I would also want you to want that too,” Charles says carefully, feeling like he’s navigating a laser beam trap like in the spy movies. “But I think that’s a thing your papa and I would need to talk about first, innit?”
“Will you?” Asher asks, face still far too serious for a kid. “Talk to him?” Charles opens his mouth to say something, but stops as he takes in the twins' faces again. He doesn’t want to just say something to appease them. He wants to be honest. So with a sigh, and a nervous smile he says:
“I’ll try.”
And that seems good enough for the twins, as they nod in acceptance before smiling brightly at him. Charles laughs, standing up from his sitting position. He reaches out to adjust the hats and rub the top of them.
“Right, now that we’ve got that sorted, want to help me with costumes?” Charles offers. He knows he technically should be sending them back out to the rest of the group, but after the kind of heavy talk they had, he wants to add a little more lightness between the three of them.
The twins instantly jump in to help. The next few minutes are filled with questions and stories and laughter. It only ends when another volunteer shows up and escorts the twins back to the rest of the kids. Charles waves goodbye to them, feeling a little lighter.
~
Edwin is prepping dinner, listening as the Sprites talk about their day at their school and the community center they go to afterwards. He knows that the Sprites will tell him the same stories again once they sit down to eat, but he still tries his best to listen and react to the stories. He does get a little distracted for a moment, stirring the sauce to make sure it doesn’t burn. Which may be why he’s so thrown off when Asher asks:
“Papa, have you talked to Charles yet?”
“Have I…” Edwin repeats slowly. He chuckles nervously as he stirs the sauce once more before he turns to look at his kids. Asher and Michaela are sitting at the island, looking at him curiously. “Why, what brought that question on?”
“We wanted to know,” Asher says with a shrug.
“And that’s not an answer papa,” Michaela adds, staring sternly at her father.
“You are right dearheart, that was not an answer,” Edwin agrees. He sighs as he leans against the counter, keeping his eyes on his kids as he says, “I have not contacted Charles yet.”
“Why not? You liked him right?” Michaela immediately asks, a hint of a whine to her voice. He’s always been thankful that neither of his kids tend to be whiners, even when they feel sick there is rarely a whine. But the fact that Michaela is bordering on whining has Edwin on edge with worry.
“Of course I liked him,” Edwin answers honestly. Perhaps he liked him a little too much, having only spent a couple hours with him. But socializing was never easy for Edwin, and making friends was even harder. The ease that Edwin felt when talking with Charles was surprising but also very welcomed.
“Then why haven’t you talked with him?” Asher asks, tilting his head curiously. “Is it cause you’re scared?”
“I…” Edwin pauses, trying to think of how to answer that. “Yes, sweetheart. I am a little scared.” He raises a hand, stopping the twins from saying anything else. He can already see them gearing up with more questions. “Not of Charles, but more so I don’t know…I’m not sure how to start the conversation.”
“Aren’t you supposed to start conversations with ‘hello’?” Michaela says, causing Edwin to chuckle and nod. “Then tell him ‘hello’ and ask if he wants to go on a date.”
“I’m afraid it’s not that simple,” Edwin admits, turning slightly to stir the sauce again. Noting that it’s done, he starts working on finishing the rest of dinner.
“Why not?” Asher asks. “You like him, he likes you. What more is there?”
“Well darlings, we don’t know if Charles likes me that way,” Edwin says, going for the easier reason first. He slowly pours the sauce into the noodle, slowly stirring them together. “And I want to be careful.”
“Because you don’t want us to get hurt?” Michaela asks. Edwin pauses in his stirring, surprised. He didn’t expect his children to come to that, very true, conclusion. He didn’t want to get attached on the chance that it may hurt his kids. Besides, not everyone wants children, especially not their own. Taking his pause as the accidental confirmation it was, his kids continue.
“What if we like him too? Would you be less afraid knowing that?” Asher asks, wholly sincere and almost frantic. “Cause we do! He was so much fun and we really liked playing with him.”
“He also made you smile! You smiled almost as much with him as you do with Koko!” Michaela adds. Edwin takes in a deep breath, trying to keep all the emotions brewing in his chest from seeping out. After a couple breaths, Edwin straightens his shoulders and turns to look at his kids with a soft smile.
Both are looking at him with wide and earnest eyes, their emotions on their faces and hearts on their sleeves. His smile widens a bit more, feeling pride warming his chest. The fact his kids feel comfortable and free to emote whatever they feel brings him so much joy, makes him feel like he’s done some good.
“Yes, your opinions matter a great deal to me,” Edwin says, talking slowly as he walks over to stand across the island from them. “Because at the end of the day, you two are my priority. And I never want you to doubt how much I love you.”
“Papa! Of course we know!” Asher says, tossing his hands in the air. “We’d never doubt that!”
“Yeah! You tell us like every night how much you love us!” Michaela chimes in with an eyeroll. Edwin chuckles, his eyes burning from the tears he can feel and that he’s trying to fight.
“And I shall continue to tell you every night for as long as I live,” Edwin promises, entirely serious. “But I am glad you both know.” He reaches out to run a hand through both of their hair, earning giggles as he does.
“So…does this mean you can talk with Charles now?” Michaela asks, looking up at him from under her eyelashes and bangs. “Cause I think you’ve got enough love that he can have some too.”
“Nana always says you’ve got a big heart,” Asher tags on with a wise nod. “So it’s gotta be big enough to let him in too, yeah?” Edwin lets out a small huff of a laugh, pressing his lips together to stop his smile.
“Perhaps there is,” Edwin admits, earning excited smiles from his kids. “But! I am also still trying to find someone to watch over you two while I work.” Edwin looks at the two with a semi-serious look. “Adding dating to that mix might not be a good idea.”
He watches as Michaela and Asher exchange a look. Edwin ducks his head with a smile as he turns around to turn off the stove and begin dishing out dinner. As he turns with two plates full of spaghetti and garlic bread, he’s met with two very serious faces staring at him. Despite a ping of worry racing through his chest, Edwin moves forward and places the plates in front of the twins while maintaining eye contact with at least one kid.
“Is there something I’m forgetting?” Edwin asks cautiously.
“No,” the twins say together. Edwin raises a curious eyebrow, hoping to prompt an explanation. Instead, his children grab their plates, pulling them closer. Asher hops down and starts walking toward the dining table. Michaela stays and looks at him.
“Papa, we would like to discuss something with you after dinner,” she says seriously before she hops down. “If you are amenable.” With that she turns and follows her brother toward the table. Edwin watches as his kids walk away, curiosity and fondness swirling in his chest.
Once he makes sure his kids are seated at the table, Edwin turns around and preps his own plate of food. Standing straight, he turns and makes his way over to the table as well. He’ll never admit it but he feels like he’s walking into the principal’s office for a stern talking to. Which is funny since he never actually experienced those talks.
But whatever this discussion the Sprites want to have with him, he’s going to keep his head high. Show no fear, as Mick would say.
~
Charles is halfway through his evening run when his phone starts to ring, cutting off his music. He sighs, pulling out his phone and automatically hitting the “End Call” button before he reads the name on the phone. “Edwin Payne” flashes across his screen before it vanishes as he hits the button.
“Shit!” Charles swears, stumbling to a stop as he fumbles with his phone. Quickly he pauses the music and tries to get to the recent call tab. Sitting at the top of his phone is the name “Edwin Payne” once more, having literally called seconds ago. Confirming he had indeed just cut off a call from him. A call he has been waiting for for days. “Shit!”
He quickly hits the recent call. He holds his phone to his ear, breathing semi-heavily from his run, and hoping that Edwin still wants to talk to him. Thankfully, it only rings twice before the call is picked up.
“Hello Charles,” Edwin says, sounding cool and collected.
“Hey Edwin,” Charles says, taking in a deep breath. He winces, knowing his deep breathing is probably annoying and he’s suddenly very aware of every sound he’s making. “Sorry about hanging up on you! I kind of assumed you were a spam caller.”
“Ah, apologies about that,” Edwin says instantly. “I should have checked if you were available to talk. I sometimes forget texting is the preferred method for most. Hopefully I didn’t…interrupt anything.”
“All good mate, was just out for a run,” Charles says, his breathing slowly getting back to normal. His heart rate is still racing, but he’s willing to blame Edwin for that one. “And before you go about apologizing again, I’m happy to hear from you. What’s up?”
“Oh, well, I hope it’s been a…good run?” Edwin says, sounding adorably meek and awkward. Charles chuckles, feeling a wide smile stretch across his face.
“It’s been good,” Charles answers, leaning against a nearby tree. “Had to work on some stray energy, and a run is always good for that.” Edwin hums, the sound of shuffling on his line making Charles think Edwin is leaning back too.
“I will have to take your word for that,” Edwin says lightly. “I have not been on a solo run in many years.”
“Well, we’ll have to change that won’t we?” Charles jokes. “You’re always welcome to join me, I promise to go easy on you.” There’s a snort from Edwin and Charles can just picture he’s rolling his eyes. “So what’s up?”
“Right, yes,” Edwin says, suddenly clearing his throat. “I was calling to see if you might be available to meet up? Or if you’d even want to.”
“Yes,” Charles immediately responds, pushing up from his slouch. “I mean…” It’s his turn to clear his throat as he tries to calm himself down. Can’t be too overeager to see Ediwn again, might scare off the poor guy. “Yes, I’m def down to meet up again. And I’m pretty free any day, so what works for you?”
“Excellent,” Edwin says. “Would you maybe be able to meet up this coming Wednesday? I have a friend who would be able to watch the twins.” Oh…oh just them huh? That sounds like a date. But then again the last time he assumed he was on a date with Edwin it was an accidental interview too.
“I can do that,” Charles answers. He hesitates, but knows it's better to clarify so he knows where to set his expectations. “So…is this a date or…” There’s a moment of silence, one that lasts just long enough to make Charles feel like he fucked up but not long enough that he starts rambling.
“Would you like it to be a date?” Edwin asks slowly.
“Would you?” Charles tosses back. Again there’s a moment of silence, but this one ends with both men laughing softly.
“If you’re amenable, I would like this to be a date,” Edwin admits shyly. Charles can picture a very fetching blush making its way across Edwin’s cheek, drowning out his faint freckles. “Though, I am alright if it’s just a meeting between friends too.”
“Could be both?” Charles offers, earning a confused hum from Edwin. Charles chuckles as he says, “Just cause we go on a date doesn’t mean we can’t also be hanging out as friends, yeah?” Another hum from Edwin.
“You make an excellent point,” Edwin says, sounding impressed. That sparks a jolt of pride through Charles’ chest. He’s once again impressed Edwin, twice in a week, that seems like a good sign. And he kind of wants to keep impressing him. “So a date? This Wednesday?”
“Yeah, it’s a date,” Charles agrees, feeling a bit breathless again. This time it has nothing to do with exercise.
“Wonderful,” Edwin says, a little breathless himself. There’s a faint thump and some murmuring from Edwin’s side that Charles assumes may be the twins. “I’m sorry Charles, but it seems my children require my attention.”
“No worries mate, gotta make sure they don’t get into too much trouble,” Charles teases. “Hopefully I’ll hear from you before Wednesday, yeah? You know you’re welcome to text or call whenever.”
“I…did not want to be a bother,” Edwin confesses, causing Charles to snort. Adorable. “But I’ll be sure to keep that in mind. At the very least we should figure out the best time and place to meet, yes?”
“Right,” Charles says with a nod. The two go quiet, just staying on the line for a few more moments. Charles really doesn’t want to hang up, and seeing as Edwin isn’t hanging up either, he doesn’t feel too bad about that. Eventually there’s another thump from Edwin’s side before he sighs.
“Have a goodnight Charles, it was good to talk to you again,” Edwin says.
“Night Edwin, tell the little detectives goodnight from me too,” Charles adds.
“Little detectives, hm?” Edwin asks, his eyebrow nearly audible through the phone. Charles just hums in confirmation. “I shall pass your message along.” There’s a pause before Edwin says, in the softest voice Charles has heard from him yet. “Goodnight Charles.” Then the call ends, leaving Charles alone.
“Night,” he still whispers back, though no one hears him.