William blanched at his words, looking back to the now-shut front door. He didn’t know what to expect an answer as to what the fuck had happened.
Edward took William’s silence as hesitation, instead of the deep-rooted fear that it actually was.
“If you would feel more comfortable, I can pretend to lock myself away again until you come back downstairs?” Edward offered, clearly expecting William’s hesitation to move on his presence and not that he’d just woken up outside.
“N – no,” William said, grasping the banister for support. “It’s fine. I’m fine.”
It was a lie of course, but William felt more at ease saying one aloud in that moment.
For all William knew, this oddity had occurredbecauseof Edward. Regardless, a blush crept over his cheek, staining his skin red. “I’m just embarrassed this happened.”
Edward waved him off. “Don’t be silly.”
“You’re wet as well,” William said, noticing how Edward’s hands trembled against William’s arms. “I’ll get… get you a spare set of clothes.”
Before Edward could refuse, William turned on his heel and ascended the stairs two at a time, his brain feeling as though it bounced between his skull.
By the time he reached Robert’s bedroom, he was breathless. He stood in the precipice of the room, searching the shadows for answers. Nothing looked amiss. The bed was the same, sheets knotted from where he’d been laid on it. Clothes still strewn over the floor.
William changed quickly, discarding the wet clothes in a pile and opting for a green-and-brown chequered pyjama set, putting on his novelty slippers and a dressing gown that smelled like old coffee. He had the urge to get out of the bedroom as quickly as he could. In fact, he was in such a rush that he didn’t even notice that somethingwasmissing until later inspection.
Archie’s red coat was nowhere to be seen.
William was greeted with heavy warmed air as he reached the bottom step of the stairs. Firelight glowed beyond the living room’s open door, coaxing him towards it. A moth to a flame. It’s casting of shadows encouraged him like beckoning fingers. As he rounded the corner, William was greeted with the back of Edward’s head. The stranger was entranced by the flames, stabbing the iron poker into the spitting kindling.
“I’ve brought you something to change into,” William said, leaning on the doorframe with a fresh pile of jogging bottoms and an oversized jumper clutched to his chest. “They might be a little too small, but it’s something…”
Edward dusted his hands down his damp trousers, refusing to take his eyes off William. William sensed the man’s unspoken words as though he was a psychic and knew that Edward was preparing to ask how he felt.
“How are you–”
“Can we just not talk about it?” William said quickly, throwing the clothes at Edward. “It’s embarrassing enough; I don’t think a conversation will make it any better.”
Edward rocked backwards on his toes, catching the clothes with ease. It was a moment before the lines on his face melted to something softer. Then he took his fingers and drew them across his lips. “If that’s what you want. Consider tonight’s exciting events completely forgotten. Puff. Gone just like that.”
“Thanks,” William said, catching a pleasant whiff of something behind him. Stomach rumbling in response, he eyed the kitchen to where the tickling of smells oozed from. It was hard to discern what it was exactly, but he was sure he caught the aromatic scent of vegetables in stock.
“Soup,” Edward announced. “I thought you could do with something to warm you up, and my grandma always said soup was just seasoned lava and could heat the coldest of souls. I hope you don’t mind but I took the liberty of invading your, may I point out, limited supplies.”
Out of everything Edward had said, William focused on one detail.
“Are you suggesting I have a cold soul?” William asked, sarcasm rising like a shield.
Regardless of what happened tonight, William still couldn’t shake the knowledge that Edward was a stranger in his house. However, hehadsaved him… if that was what William could call it.
“Well, not exactly,” Edward said, running large, calloused hands over the clothes in his hands. “Although a little warming up won’t go amiss. Let’s not forget that you did barricade me in a room.”
“Formyown safety,” William reminded.
“Of course.” Edward narrowed his eyes, lips quirking into a sideways grin. “In that case, you’ve just reminded me that I should’ve added poison to your soup. Gosh, I almost forgot I was playing the part of ‘threatening murderer’.”
“Are we forgetting that you practically broke into my house only hours ago?” William said.
“This again,” Edward replied with a dramatic roll of his eyes. “Are you forgetting I just saved you from sleepwalking all the way to Stonewell? Oh, wait. I promised not to bring it up, didn’t I?”
It was William’s turn to roll his eyes. He had two choices. Continue to put up walls and make tonight awkward, or attempt to show some kindness to the man who’d just saved him from getting into whatever danger he was sleep walking out into.
William opted for the latter. “What type is it?”
