The Tales and Tellings of Hallows' Grove (MLM)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

                Henry prepared breakfast the next morning as though nothing had happened at all. He offered to hold Edward's hand as they ate, but Edward insisted he wasn't hungry and returned to the fireplace at the other side of the room.

Henry later found him eying the toast, buttered a slice, and gripped the nape of his neck so that he could eat despite his protests.

"What's gotten into you?" Henry murmured finally, dusting the crumbs off his hands. "Honestly."

It was a Sunday, so Henry sat in his sitting room, going through letters and answering bills. Edward seemed content with patiently sitting beside the fire and holding out a ball of yarn he'd found in Henry's sewing basket to an uninterested Nox.

The storm had only grown stronger overnight, the windows rattling dangerously as Henry bit into a pumpkin spice biscuit. Without looking up from his book, he made a long, quiet shushing sound as he breathed out. The windows turned still, no longer threatening to crack.

He heard Edward's soft, awed gasp, and looked up to find him staring. Once Edward realized what he was doing, he quickly looked away. Henry blushed, his grip on his book tightening. He hadn't thought he'd done anything particularly significant.

Then he was annoyed with himself for blushing.

He closed his book and crossed the room to stand in front of Edward. Edward would not look at him, as though afraid of being scorned.

Instead, Henry said, "I'm going to take a bath. Feel free to join me if you'd like."

Edward looked up with wide eyes, seemingly certain he'd heard wrong. Henry, however, held his gaze a moment longer and turned towards the corridor. He turned the tap and let the bathtub fill with hot water as he lit a few candles to prepare for the weather playing with his lights. It wasn't even noon, but the black clouds gave the appearance of late evening. He didn't use any magic, eager to take his time and possibly stall.

His heart hammered painfully when he felt a sudden warmth at his back, and he knew Edward had followed him into the bathroom. He didn't turn to face him. He finished lighting the last candle, blew out the match, and tossed it away before he made slow work of his cardigan. He let it fall to the ground at his feet, then he grabbed the hem of his sweater, hesitated, and pulled it up and over his shoulders, letting it fall as well.

He heard a sharp intake of breath. Edward did not need to breathe at all, yet instinct seemed to be guiding him tonight. Henry bit his lower lip before he pulled at his trousers and let those fall, too. He was standing completely bare before Edward, waiting for his response.

Then he felt the soft touch of fingertips to his shoulder blades, and gave an involuntary shudder. Edward pulled away at once, as though burned, and before Henry could stop himself, he breathed, "Please, don't stop. Don't stop."

A moment later, Edward's fingers slowly returned to Henry's back, tracing his shoulder blade. Henry felt every muscle in his body loosen to Edward's touch, and his eyes fluttered. Edward's fingers fell down his spine and back up again. Then he wrapped his arm around Henry's waist to touch his stomach, stretching his fingers, following the trail of hair going down.

Henry gasped when he felt the press of Edward's chest against his back, his other hand feeling down the length of his side.

"You're so beautiful," Edward breathed.

Henry was adamant on staying quiet, even as Edward's lips kissed the crook of his neck, his lips gentle but his breathing heavy and hot against his skin. When Edward's hand started to slide further down, Henry's hand instinctively fell to cover the one on his stomach and he leaned his head over to give Edward more room.