Chapter Text
“Seven…eight…Eight and a half? Oop, there you go. Nine.”
Charles didn’t lift his gaze from his phone as he noted a new record of sneezes-per-minute from Edwin, who was bustling around their bedroom trying to undress while pretending he didn’t notice any of it. He stripped off his undershirt and searched the bottom drawer for pajamas, hoping to find anything long-sleeved that would combat the chill that had come over him. To duck Charles’s attention, he murmured something about a stuck garment and took a moment to close his eyes and clear his spinning head.
“You’d feel better if you laid down.”
Sometimes, in moments like this, Edwin wished Charles couldn’t read him so well. He couldn’t lie his way out of this, but he was going to try.
“It’s not a cold. I’m just sneezing because of the light.”
“It’s seven o’clock at night, my love.”
“The lamplight, I mean.”
“That’s new. It’s never bothered you before.”
“Well…” Edwin gestured vaguely with his hand and finished changing. “It’s dusty in here, too.”
Charles had put his phone aside and stood to cross his arms. Up close, his poor boyfriend was sweating, and his eyes were bleary enough that Charles could wave a hand in front of his face without getting a reaction.
“I dusted today,” said Charles. Edwin opened his mouth to object when Charles cut him off, continuing, “And I washed the animal fur off the linens. You can’t blame Arcane.”
“There’s…pepper…in the air. You must have been cooking with it.”
“I ordered in, since you’ve banned me from the kitchen. Love, give it up already. You can take one measly day off from work. You’ve been on for eight days in a row now!”
“I’m telling you, I don’t ha—have a…ah—“
Charles was already there with a tissue in front of Edwin’s nose, steadying him as he sneezed repeatedly. Just the soft brush of the tissue under his sickly sensitive nostrils was enough to bring tears to his eyes; he feared the fit would never end, and even when it left him dizzied and clinging to Charles’s arm for support, the tickle threatened him incessantly with another.
“…You win,” Edwin mumbled, folding onto the bed like a rag doll. “I have a cold.”
“Victory is mine,” said Charles dryly. He patted Edwin’s back to sit him up, guiding gel capsules into his hand and a glass of water. “NyQuil. You’re gonna need it if either of us wants to sleep through the night.”
Edwin spoke a hoarse ‘thank you’ and downed the two at once, then collapsed back onto his side while his head missed just short of the pillow. Charles slipped it under him anyway and kissed his forehead.
“Mother hen...”
Edwin was never one for wise comebacks, to begin with, but with his brain working at 1% capacity at best, he couldn’t be bothered to try. He had known it, deep down, since that morning, although Charles probably knew before him. In his lethargic daze, he couldn’t help looking forward to being doted on a little, even if he hated to admit it. He didn’t need to—Charles was sharp enough to know, just by the little smile that graced Edwin’s face as the pills slowly took effect, and he drifted off to sleep.
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Niko and Crystal had missed their flight to Japan, and the next one wasn’t until the next morning. So, reluctantly, they went back to their flat. Edwin and Charles had decorated in the few hours they had been gone. The flat was covered in tinsel and Christmas trees and ornaments covered the coffee table where the boys had left everything to attend dinner with Edwin’s parents.
“We are getting to the airport as early as possible tomorrow,” Crystal insisted, scrubbing her face as if trying to get rid of her stress.
“Traffic was rather terrible today,” Niko hummed, looking around at the decorations. “I’m sorry my last class ran over.”
“No, it’s not your fault,” Crystal assured her.
“Come here, I want to show you something,” Niko said, grabbing her hand and leading her over to the archway with the mistletoe. They were standing under the mistletoe, but Crystal hadn’t noticed yet.
“What are we doing?” Crystal asked as Niko faced her.
“Look up, anata,” Niko told her, simply.
She looked up and Niko saw the realization in her eyes. Crystal looked back down at her, a bright smile on her face. Then, she took a deep breath and Niko noticed her starting to lean in. Niko smiled to herself and wrapped her arms around Crystal’s neck. They both leaned in and, eventually, their lips connected. It was magical, and it felt like a cliche Hallmark movie. Niko could feel Crystal smile as she kissed her. They both pulled away with the biggest smiles on their faces.
“That made this day a little better,” Crystal whispered, resting her forehead against Niko’s.
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Edwin jumped a mile in the air as cold hands snaked around his waist, slipping under his shirt. He heard Charles chuckle, pressing against his back and tucking his nose into his neck. Edwin shivered, continuing to chop vegetables for dinner.
“That’s the last time I go last-minute shopping with your mother,” Charles murmured into Edwin’s neck. “It’s too cold out there for me.”
“I can feel that,” Edwin replied, putting his knife down. “Can you even feel your fingers?”
Charles nodded, wiggling his fingers for effect. Edwin jerked slightly, the movement tickling him. Charles chuckled, lacing his fingers together and laying his head on Edwin’s shoulder.
“What are you making, my love?” Charles whispered.
“Vegetable soup.” Edwin nodded towards the pot on the stove. “I am trying to kick the last of this illness and thought soup might help. Would you like to help cook or use me as your personal heater?”
“The second option sounds so much more tempting,” Charles hummed. “Plus, I’m not allowed to help cook anymore. What was it you said, I’m more likely to burn myself or the apartment down than get a meal done?”
Edwin sighed, regretting the words he said in a moment of fear. It wasn’t his fault Charles had gotten distracted by the cat and burnt a pot, only to burn himself when he tried to move the hot pot to the sink.
“Very well.” He pulled the last of the vegetables towards him. “You can stay attached for now, my koala. When I put the vegetables in the pot, we are moving to the couch for the hour it is going to take for the soup to be done.”
“Yay.” Charles closed his eyes, rubbing his nose against Edwin’s neck. It was still cold, but not icy. “Let me know if I’m bothering you.”
“Never a bother, darling.”
Charles hummed, tightening his arms minutely before settling. Edwin sighed happily, coughed, and went back to chopping vegetables. After years of living with his boyfriend, he was used to having him attached when he got cold.