Work Text:
The door to their flat shut behind Charles, a result of him kicking it from behind him because he was too busy seeing just how long he could kiss Edwin without coming up for air. Despite his past, he would gladly drown in Edwin’s lips, going towards the light with the feeling of his body pressed up against his as he backed him up against the wall. Charles pressed his leg between Edwin’s thighs, the older boy gasping into his mouth. Charles took this opportunity to worship his jawline, hot breath drawing moisture to Edwin’s skin as the hand not holding Charles’ waist threaded through his hair, pressing his face closer.
Charles' hands were held around Edwin’s back. He let one travel up his chest, tugging impatiently at Edwin’s collar. “Off,” he begged breathlessly. He sucked another kiss onto Edwin’s neck, above his covered collarbone.
“Yes,” Edwin agreed, coaxing Charles away from the wall and towards their bedroom. Charles pushed Edwin to the bed, kneeling next to him and hands working on the buttons of his shirt while Edwin shed his suitjacket. His hands quickly went to Charles’ suit, an ensemble necessary for the case they just closed at a vampire masquerade. To be honest, all Charles could think of as they caught the vampire poisoning the communal blood supply was how soon he could get Edwin like this, panting into his mouth and half dressed and as desperate as he was.
Edwin’s hands traced the lean muscles of Charles’ back as the jacket fell around his elbows. Charles mournfully removed his hands from Edwin just enough to let the fabric fall from his arms before he was on him again, practically ripping the shirt from Edwin’s body with a growl. His hands pulled apart the buttons with practiced efficiency until they met Edwin’s bare chest, running over his shoulders and across his pecs before shoving him to lay down. Edwin went with a huff of laughter, the teasing light in his eyes darkening with hunger as Charles shed his own shirt. Now bare chested, Charles dove forward, sucking on Edwin’s lips with a moan at the feeling of his chest against his. Edwin’s arms came to wrap around Charles, keeping him flush against him as they kissed.
Breaking away, Charles met Edwin’s eyes. They were blown with desire and shining in the pale moonlight that shone through their window. “You’re so beautiful,” Charles breathed. It took Edwin a second to process his words, his answering smile spreading his lips. Charles took one finger, tracing the shape of Edwin's smile as he stared with rapt attention. Charles let his finger trace down his jaw, his collarbone, down his sternum, stopping just above his belt. Edwin watched as Charles circled the patch of hair above his waistband and moaned when Charles replaced his fingers with his tongue. He sucked at the skin of his belly, bruises blooming on the pale canvas Charles longed to paint with his affection. His mouth occupied with covering Edwin with hickeys, Charles undid Edwin’s belt and zipper, letting his hand brush under his trousers.
He pulled away from Edwin’s stomach, the boy moaning with the loss. “Shh,” Charles soothed, pressing a gentle kiss above his navel. He slowly dragged Edwin’s trousers down, looking up at him for permission to go on. Edwin only smiled, lifting his hips so Charles could bring just the trousers down his legs. Charles left a trail of kisses down his leg as they were exposed. This part was still new to them, and Charles wanted Edwin to never question the reverence he held for him. As he toed the trousers and socks off of him, Edwin watched as Charles tossed the garment to the side, pressed a kiss to his bare ankle, and looked up at him with begging eyes. “What do you need tonight, love?”
“You,” Edwin breathed. It was an easy answer, the only one he could possibly give. Charles groaned, slowly kissing up his leg. “I need you, Charles.”
“You have me,” Charles murmured inside Edwin’s knee. He sucked another kiss there, soothing the irritated skin with his tongue. “Always.” Charles focused on sucking the skin of Edwin’s thighs, trying to ignore the strain of his pants and trousers.
“Always,” Edwin repeated like a prayer. His fingers twitched where they were gripped the sheets, and Charles raised on hand to hold his as his lips dragged up–
Crash!
They shot up, Charles nearly falling off the bed where he was perched precariously between Edwin’s legs. Edwin held his hand, holding him steady as they looked towards the door leading to the rest of their flat. “What was that?” Edwin asked.
“I dunno,” Charles admitted. Crash! The sound of breaking glass echoed past the closed door of their bedroom. “Stay here,” Charles instructed Edwin. Grabbing his bat from the corner of the room, Charles opened the door to their living room.
The glass window was broken. A vampire stood outside their balcony, climbing into their home. “HEY!” Charles shouted. The creature hissed at him, and Charles swung the bat up to catch their jaw. It’s head snapped, only to crack back into place a second later.
Charles swung again, this time jabbing the creature in the torso. The vampire fell back into the balcony railing. This was a mistake. The creature pushed off the balcony with its legs, lunging at Charles and tackling him to the ground. Charles held the bat out in front of him, keeping the snarling creature from biting him. Charles heard Edwin run into the room, but he couldn’t twist around to see him.
He was about to call out to him, tell him to hide in their room, not sure if more vamps were coming, when the creature reached out a clawed hand and scratched down Charles’ exposed chest. Charles screamed, the wound stinging with fresh blood and a slightly acidic smell. Just as suddenly as it started, it was over. The pressure was off of Charles, his bat clattering to the ground next to him as his arms relaxed. It took him a second to realize Edwin was above him, calling his name.
“What?” he asked. “What happened?”
“I forced the vampire out with a spell,” Edwin explained. His hands were around Charles’ face. “Can you sit up?” Charles nodded, bracing himself against the couch with a groan as the clawmarks on his chest were pulled. “We have to clean the wounds with holy water. I should have some around,” he heard Edwin think out loud. He turned his head to watch him, and Charles lost what little was left of his wits.
Edwin was rummaging around in their cupboards, pulling out various bottles, wearing nothing but his boxershorts and Charles’ purple dress shirt. The only reason Charles had the shirt was because they needed new clothes to wear when they went out to fancy places, and Edwin was the one to say the color would look exquisite on Charles. He’d bought the shirt that second, enjoying Edwin’s eyes on him every time he wore it. It often resulted in nights like tonight, with less ambush and vampires.
Edwin came back over, the fabric of the shirt swishing against his thighs as he knelt in front of Charles. He was holding a round blue bottle with a cork stopper in one hand and a kitchen towel in the other. He poured the holy water onto the towel and dabbed at the claw marks on Charles’ chest. The holy water stung against the wounds, making Charles hiss. “I know, I know,” Edwin murmured. “Just a little more, darling. You’ll feel better soon.” Charles gritted his teeth as Edwin cleaned the wounds, breathing through the pain. Just as Edwin said, the throbbing dulled into a mild ache soon enough, and Charles relaxed. He looked down at his chest. It already looked better, the healing properties of the holy water stopping the bleeding instantly.
“Feeling better, Charles?” Edwin asked as he knelt back down after putting away their impromptu medical kit. Charles looked up at him, remembered the purple shirt hanging off of Edwin’s frame in just the right way, and lost feeling in his tongue. “Charles,” Edwin repeated, hands holding Charles’ cheeks. “Charles?”
“Yea,” he managed. “Loads better.”
“You didn’t knock your head, did you?” Edwin examined Charles’ eyes, looking for anything that might indicate a concussion. “Do you feel nauseated at all? Are you experiencing double vision?”
“No,” Charles answered, his head clearing with a little shake. “No, love, it’s not that.”
“Then what is it?” Edwin pulled back to look at Charles properly. “You seem not all with me right now.”
Charles' hands came up to the shirt, his shirt, on Edwin’s chest. He rubbed the fabric between his fingers, tugging it a little and watching the fabric pull against his lean muscles. Edwin followed his gaze, understanding sparking in his eyes. “You’re wearing my shirt,” Charles simply said.
“I couldn’t find my robe,” Edwin admitted. “I was in too much of a rush when I heard you fighting that I threw on the first shirt I saw.”
“You grabbed mine,” Charles said.
“Yes,” Edwin chuckled. “Is that alright?”
“It’s bloody perfect,” Charles breathed. “You look perfect.”
Blushing, Edwin ran his hands down to Charles’ shoulders. “Thank you, my darling.” Charles gathered Edwin in his arms, pulling the older boy closer. He found his lips with practiced ease, hands wandering to his back to run over the fabric of the shirt there. “Charles,” Edwin admonished, pulling away enough to speak. “You need to rest. The holy water will only work best if you rest.”
“What if I wanna pick up where we left off?” Charles asked into the shell of Edwin’s ear. Feeling his breath hitch, Charles kissed a path down to his shoulder, pushing the shirt out of the way as he went.
“Charles,” Edwin said, a little more focused than he sounded before. Charles pulled away. “I’m serious. Vampire wounds are not to be taken lightly. Any mistake in treating them could result in serious infection.”
Charles pouted. “Please, baby. You’re so bloody gorgeous right now. I seriously think your kisses have healing powers.”
“That is impossible,” Edwin told him. Charles pout deepened, prepared to pull away from his boyfriend when Edwin continued, “though I suppose the holy water will continue to work as long as we…‘turn down the heat’, as you’ve put it before.”
“Really?” Charles asked. Edwin nodded, letting his arms wrap around Charles’ shoulders. “I’m down for that.”
“I am as well. Down, as you say.” Edwin met his eyes. “But I mean it, Charles. Absolutely no funny business while you are healing.”
“Cross my heart, hope to die,” Charles promised.
“Please don’t,” Edwin answered, grinning at his own joke. Charles’ response was lifting the two of them up as gracefully as he could, which was not at all. Edwin’s shriek as he wrapped his arms and legs around Charles to keep himself in the air made Charles laugh into his boyfriend’s shoulder. He walked them into their bedroom and pressed an apologetic kiss to Edwin’s lips as he set him on his feet next to the bed.
“So, how do you want to do this, then?” Charles asked.
Edwin’s answering smirk gave Charles chills, in a good way. “Sit down against the headboard,” Edwin instructed. Charles did as he was told, his legs laid out in front of him as his back laid against the pillows lining their headboard. Edwin stood next to him, arms crossed over his chest as Charles got comfortable.
“Alright, now what?” Charles asked. He wasn’t sure what he expected Edwin to do, just knowing that he’d love whatever the older boy did. He knew he was right when Edwin, while holding eye contact, climbed into bed next to Charles, swung one of his legs over Charles, straddling him. Charles' breath hitched as Edwin settled his weight onto Charles’ lap. His hands went to hold Edwin, unsure of where to settle. He could hold his hips while they kissed. He could run his hands through his hair, loose and curling where Charles’ hands had already carved paths in dark locks. He decided to rest his hand where Charles’ shirt was exposing Edwin’s chest. His thumb caught Edwin’s nipple, and he gasped. Charles stared up at him like a devotee worshiping their god. Edwin’s arms came to wrap around Charles’ shoulders, bringing their heads together.
“I adore you,” Edwin started. “You take such good care of me. Of our home.” One hand traced down to Charles’ chest, where the wounds were still healing. “You protect our peace to the point of pain. I wish I could take it away from you and put it on myself so you didn’t have to feel it.”
“No,” Charles managed to choke out. “Don’t do that, love. You’ve suffered enough.”
“We both have,” was Edwin's answer. His fingers traced the edge of Charles’ wound, his eyes following his fingers. “I just wish we didn’t have to fight for this peace. Why can we not just have something good?”
Charles cupped Edwin’s face, waiting for him to look up. “Maybe because a peace you have to fight for is worth the pain,” he told him. “It’s worth everything to be here with you, baby.”
“I’d go to Hell again if it meant I could keep this life with you,” Edwin admitted softly.
Charles felt his throat tighten with emotion. How did he get so lucky? “I’ll make sure you don’t have to,” Charles promised. A promise he sealed with a kiss.