The Tales and Tellings of Hallows' Grove (MLM)

CHAPTER NINE.

                Henry and Edward had formed somewhat of a pattern since meeting, Henry realized. For that night, after discovering a new bit of news, Henry found himself on his couch with a mug of tea, Nox curled beside him, disinterested, as Edward paced the length of the room, thinking so loudly that Henry's head ached of it. Though perhaps that was simply a lingering effect of being at the police station.

"Would you like a cup?" Henry offered softly, holding up his own mug.

Edward shook his head, still thinking with wide eyes and furrowed brows.

"Dinner, then?"

"No, Henry," he said through grit teeth. Then stopped. "Why do you do that? Pretend that everything that happens to you is normal? Just how many ghosts do you meet as a witch?"

"You're the only one," Henry confessed, swirling his teabag around in his cup.

"Yes," he nodded. "Yes, because you've been explicitly warned against helping us, haven't you? Because we're horrible, inhuman things, aren't we?"

Henry calmly set his mug aside. "Edward—"

"You're doing all of this to help me find out more about what happened to me!" Edward went on, heedless. "And I don't even think I want to find out anymore! Who's going to miss me? No one! Who'll care that I'm dead?! Who knows what happened to me?! Maybe I stole this damn jacket, maybe I turned into a criminal after my parents and grandparents died! Maybe I'm—"

"Shh," Henry cut him off, taking his face in his hands and pressing their foreheads together.

"I'm—I'm not . . ."

Edward was trembling, but Henry raked his fingers through his curls, tugging at the roots, his other hand falling down Edward's back. He felt Edward shudder and lean into him, despite himself.

They stood there for a long moment, until Henry felt Edward grip his waist tightly, until his arms wrapped around Henry's body, his fingers digging into his back, until Edward's face fell to the crook of Henry's neck, and he hung on.

"Is that better?" Henry asked against his cheek.

Edward sighed shakily. "If I say no, will you keep holding me?"

Henry chuckled, and pulled back, tugging Edward to sit on the couch. "Hold on a moment." He poured Edward a mug of tea, glancing up at him every so often to find him trying to pet a dismissive Nox. He sat back down next to him, and offered his hand.

Edward took it, interlocking their fingers, needing the anchor to the living. Henry offered the mug and he tentatively took it. He took one sip and melted against the cushions.

"I can't do this, Henry," he mumbled. "I lived through this once, I can't do it again."

Henry pursed his lips. "We can stop," he said. "You can come with me to the shop. Stay here. Until I finish the potion and then . . ."

"I leave," Edward finished. They sat with the silence that followed for a while.

"Is it for me?" Henry asked suddenly. "Is it for my sake? Because I have my own questions I'd like answered."

Edward was watching him. He blushed.

"Er—only if that is what's frightening you," Henry said casually and took another sip, not daring to look at Edward again.