Gears and Steam

Comfort, Confusion, and a Few Threats

Jules

I felt like my mind was tearing itself apart. There were two problems weighing heavy on my consciousness. One: I didn't have to leave Gears and Steam, but staying would require leaving the rest of my life behind. Two: Edmund was making my emotions go bonkers. I knew that I had kissed him yesterday, I knew that he had given me a peck on the cheek this morning when Freddie and Theo weren't looking, and I knew that he was asleep with his head in my lap right now. I just wasn't sure that I believed any of it.

Edmund slept silently and without much movement, which was odd to me. My entire family had a small problem with sleepwalking and talking. I'd woken up in the foyer too many times to count, and Phoebe often found herself in the gardens. None of us were ever quite sure how she got out there. Ada said Phoebe and I used to have entire conversations in our sleep when we were younger too, though we never remembered them.

I gently ran my fingers through Edmund's curls, trying to convince myself that this wasn't wrong. Sleeping on the floor of his shop couldn't have been very comfortable for him, but he seemed happy enough to lay in my lap. Neither of us had quite acknowledged what was going on with us, and I didn't really want to acknowledge it, but it was definitely happening.

"You're adorable when you're asleep," I muttered, mostly because Edmund couldn't hear me. I had been sitting like this for around half an hour now, but I had no desire to move, even if my legs were falling asleep.

Edmund and I had been working on the car all day; his face was covered in black smudges. I used my thumb to wipe away one particularly large smudge on his cheek. At this moment, it seemed like everything would be okay for us.

Us. I suppose we were some sort of a pair now. We had something special between us, but I still wasn't sure if I wanted it. Whatever was happening, I now had to keep Edmund's secret as well as my own. I even shared a bit of his secret now; it directly affected me, after all.

"Jules, Edmund, Freddie says it's time to sleep," Theo called, walking around the shop to find us.

He rounded the car and stopped dead in his tracks. "What are you two doing?"

I shrugged and continued playing with Edmund hair, trying to act like nothing weird was going on. "He fell asleep like this."

"Okay..."

"We'll be up in a second," I said, hoping that my slight panic didn't come through in my voice. "You don't have to wait for us."

Theo observed us for another few seconds before turning to leave with a very confused look on his face. I knew Edmund would have freaked if he knew Theo had seen that, so I decided not to tell him unless he asked.

"Edmund," I whispered affectionately, shaking his shoulder. "It's time to wake up."

Edmund's bright blue eyes opened slightly, still heavy with sleep. He gave me a lopsided grin. "Is it morning already?" He yawned.

"No," I chuckled. "But Freddie's going to make us go upstairs. Come on, get up."

"But you're warm," Edmund whined.

"I can hug you upstairs," I suggested. I wanted to keep hugging him too.

Edmund frowned. "Then Theo or Freddie will see."

"Oh, right. You would still be more comfortable in your bed." I nudged him off my lap and stood up before helping Edmund up, careful to grab his uninjured hand. I didn't let go of his hand once he was on his feet. Instead, I brought it up to my lips and kissed his knuckles. I didn't exactly know why, but it seemed like the right thing to do.