They were just two friends standing topless in a wash room toweling each other off. It was normal right? Staring at each other was so very normal. He was happy to keep the silence but Edmund called him lovely. His hands froze and he watched his face.

" I haven't been called that in a very long time." He seemed troubled for a moment as his hands moved over him again. He looked down then back up and that old smile returned. "You're very lovely too. You're just?"

He watched him as he dried his body in his hands and they were staring at each other so much. He felt so conflicted. "I know what I said earlier but.. you make it hard to be friends." He laughed weakly. "I do want to be your friend, but you are something else, Edmund. I beg you to not hate me in the morning.' He said softly and then leaned towards the other man and kissed him. He'd been slapped for less.

Ah.  Well, Edmund didn't really know what he had been expecting to happen, honestly.  From the moment Francis shut the wash room door behind them, he really should have known.

Not that knowing would have stopped him.  Stopped either of them.

Edmund had never been kissed before, not like this.  Francis' lips were so warm, and his stubble was scratchy where it touched Edmund's face, and it felt - good.  Really good.

Genuinely, Edmund had no clue what he was doing, but he wanted to do something, and all he could think of was pushing his face back against Francis.  Was that reciprocation?  Hopefully Francis would see it as that.

A moment later, the younger turned his face away, gasping in shaky breathes.  He blinked, and he could still see Francis leaning in.

"Oh my, I've never done that before," he whispered, looking back at Francis, at his lips.  He'd just been kissing those.  "Can - I'm drunk, but would you do that again?"

Francis knew he was doing something stupid. But that was his specialty. And ... Edmund didn't look disgusted or pushed him away. He wasn't so drunk he'd do it if he totally hated the idea of kissing someone like Francis, that was hopeful.

His hands had remained on his sides with the towel loosely around Edmund's back and he tilted his head curiously at the question. His smile looked more playful as he tilted his head. "Are you.. asking me to kiss you now or when you're sober?"

He leaned in so close, as his eyes peered deep into those green spheres that were lovely as a garden. "Because I would happily do both." He said almost breathlessly. He knew how to be charming, a little. Lewis found him devilishly so back in the day.

Now, or when he was sober, now, or when he was sober.  What a stupid question.  Was Francis just asking to embarrass him?  Edmund felt embarrassed.  Or was it excitement?  He didn't know.  He didn't care.  Was there even a difference?

"You're such a - a flirt," he whispered back, trying not to blink or look away.  "I'd happily do both, too.  I can't imagine hating this, hating you.  Please, please kiss me?"

Edmund abandoned the towel on top of Francis' head, instead cupping his cheeks to feel more of that prickly stubble on his hands.  His thumbs ran over Francis' cheeks, at the sharp line of his cheekbone down to the corner of his mouth.

The answer to his question should have been, when he was sober, but that would take hours, and Francis was right here, right now.  He didn't want to wait hours.  He wanted it now.

"You are too sweet to me so it's very easy to flirt. I get hated very easily, but I don't want it from you." He knew he'd just meet him, and so anything could be made known in the light of day. There was a very good chance this guy who was new to the area would be embarrassed to be associated with Francis. But he said otherwise, and he desperately wanted to believe him.

"Then we start with now." He kissed him but very lightly briefly. "And then.." He kissed him again. "We can do it again, later..' He kissed him once more.

His gentle hands touched his cheeks and he smiled huge. He loved that warm and tender touch. He turned to lean to the wall and let Edmund not feel cornered. His arms looped around his neck and he drew him in for a longer more tender kiss as he touched his cheek.

Now, and later!  The best of both words!  Francis was a goddamn genius.

Edmund followed him easily, pouting just a bit at being forced to move when his legs felt so useless, but Francis distracted him with yet another kiss.  He fell against the other man, his legs truly becoming useless as he melted into the embrace.

How far to go with this?  How far was allowed?  Was any of this allowed?  Probably not, but then why did it feel so good?  Why did it make it feel like his heart was going to explode in his chest and his stomach was buzzing like a beehive and his brain just - white, like he imagined Heaven should look?

"Francis," he muttered against the man's sweet lips, one hand resting gently on his neck and the other clenched against the wall.  "Francis -"

He didn't know what he was going to say.  It didn't matter, either, because a knock came at the bathroom door just then.  A moment later, a voice.

"Are you two nearly done?  I'd like to bathe."  Mable.  Edmund blinked slowly, staring at Francis with his mouth slightly ajar, the edges curled up and in a barely there smile.

Francia leaned to the wall, holding the man against him. It felt wonderful to have this figure against him and their lips constantly seeking out the other's. His eyes were closed as he wanted to only focus on this feeling.

As he spoke, he gave a curious but affirmative "mmhmm?" Whatever he was saying or asking, the answer was yes. He slipped his hands to rest on his hips as he was more than willing to spend the night just like that even as the chill without a shirt might have gotten to him, the warmth of Edmund's body and spirit filled Jim.

The knock made him jump a little though. He glanced towards it then at the other. He wasn't sure what to do, but he smiled back. It was up to her brother to speak to her, but he gave him an assured smile and reached for their shirts. It made sense to let the girl have her bath. Then the two could talk or decide what happened next.

Edmund pushed himself up and off of Francis reluctantly, but the other's smile was so nice, it was hard to stay upset.

"Yes, yes, Mable, just another moment," he called back through the door, taking his short as it was handed to him.  It was still damp, but Edmund pulled it on anyway.

In the mirror, Edmund brushed his hands through his hair, trying to get out the knots before they got unmanageable.  "Sorry," he murmured to Francis, smiling at the man apologetically.  "She's usually more patient."

Francis got up as well and pulled on his shirt. While wondering if the girl really did want a bath or just wanted her brother to stop hanging around in the washroom with a strange man, he couldn't tell nor blame her for.

But...

He didn't care. He ran his fingers up against his neck and brushed his lips once more against his. "Nothing to apologize for. I will keep you company until she is done if you like. And you always know how to find me." He played a hand on his where he'd given him the coins earlier. "And we always have that promise for future drinks."

Edmund smiled into the soft, brushed kiss, chasing the lips.  How cruel of his sister to take him away from this.  He felt so happy here.  Why couldn't he just have this for a little longer?

"Stay as long as possible," he pleaded, "I'll buy you drinks every night.  We'll - we'll piss on the church every night."

He pressed one last kiss to the corner of Francis' mouth, and then his shoulder in front of him for good measure before we went to open the bathroom door.

"Mable?"  His sister had not been waiting at the door, but was back on her bed.  Her legs were folded up, hands empty, and she stared back at Edmund blankly.

"Are you done?"

Edmund blinked.  "Yeah - yes.  I am.  Francis?"