I headcanon Charles' birthday as May 1, and when I asked the void what I should do for his birthday this year, @strawberryplottwist said I should put him in the blender. I had this headcanon percolating already, so I put my boy in the emotional blender, and turned it into an actual plot. This is set in season 2, after Charles teaches Thomas some self defence, and they have an accidental heart-to-heart.
Thomas batted the offered hand away, and gracefully slid up into a standing position. Boy was lucky he hadn't batted with his claws after that disastrous âlessonâ. âIâm struggling to see what Edwin sees in you. How is it he fell in love with you of all people?â
He meant it as a blithe jab to make up for the lost fight, but for the first time since they met, the boy seemed to go completely still. Other than his expressions which changed too quickly to track, Charles was completely frozen, until he eventually said, âEdwinâs not in love with me.â
Thomas could only roll his eyes at that. âOh yeah, âcause heâs just mooning over every man who comes around. He told me about his little confession. Sounds like minus the setting it was quite romantic.â
âCat got your tongue? What, never had a guy like you before,â he couldnât help but tease, as he leaned into the taller ghostâs space.
âThatâs got nothing to do with it!â Charles took a quick step forward, but Thomas knew better than to stay in biting range of someone with a temper. He hopped back, just far enough that he could take a few swipes of his own if he felt like it. Unfortunately, ghostie didnât seem to be playing. He had his face in one hand, and seemed to be forcing himself through some calming breaths, before he finally said, âIâm sure Edwin thinks heâs in love with me, but youâll forgive me if I think the timingâs off.â
âOooooh. Now doesnât that sound interesting?â He couldnât help circling around at that new tidbit of information. He could practically feel his tail swishing in curiosity.
âJust-â Charles himself turned, to keep an eye on him at all times. Here was a boy who was constantly in fight mode, it seemed. âFine! Imagine for a minute you like someone.â
âIâm going to be picturing Edwin,â he replied, just to bother the other.
Charles only rolled his eyes, but he kept going anyhow. âSure. Whatever. So, you like someone, and you flirt with them, just to test the waters. Maybe you lay it on a little thick âcause it feels like they might not get it if youâre subtle.â
âStill picturing Edwin~â
âAnd you get nothing in response,â Charles replied in a deadpan.
âBoooo. Maybe you get nothing in response. My flirting is top-tier.â He stuck his tongue out. God, these ghost boys were making him act like a child now.
âShut up,â Charles bit back without any real heat behind it, and started walking too, in a circle to counter Thomasâ own. âThe point is, you swing and you miss, but even though he clearly doesnât like-like you, he likes you as a friend.â
Thomas felt he was being very mature for not saying anything about how childish it sounded for someone in their 50s to say âlike-likeâ. He was also doing a tremendous favour by not pointing out the pronoun change in their little story. That being said, parts of this were starting to hit a little close to home. âOkay, now this is starting to feel personal.â
âTrust me, itâs not,â Charles said, not quite hiding a sigh like he probably meant to. He seemed to recover quickly enough though. âBut having him as a friend is brills! It really is. Heâs super sharp, and wicked fun. And itâs not like having him as a friend is less-than, or settling or nothinâ. Having him as a friend is honestly aces. Though maybe you still flirt with him from time to time, âcause itâs fun, and it doesnât have to mean anything.â He shot a grin over his shoulder at The Cat King, and Thomas ignored his heart doing a tiny flip-flop. He was not falling for this kidâs lack of charm.
âGo on,â he breathed, attention rapt. They were so far past the hypothetical at this point, but Thomas wanted to see this car-crash to the bitter end.
âNow imagine living like that for decades. And youâre happy, and itâs genuinely fine. You wouldnât trade his friendship for the world, even if youâve been holding a torch for the guy basically the whole time. Now imagine someone else comes around. And for the first time in what feels like forever, you feel that spark of something again. Itâs fun, and sheâs just as fiery and brilliant as your best mate, but when you flirt, she actually flirts back. When she smiles it makes something inside you feel warm.â
âOh, I bet I know whatâs warming up,â Thomas winked
âFuck off,â Charles flipped him off, but he didnât stop. âPoint is, for the first time, when you like someone, they actually like you back. And itâs nice to feel wanted, and you still have that best mate, and the world feels pretty fantastic.â
âBut then the friend youâve been in love with for thirty years sees you with someone else, and suddenly after thirty years of nothing thatâs when they decide theyâre in love with you?â The young ghost raised a brow at that, as if he expected Thomas to be equally incredulous. He just shrugged and carried on when The Cat King only stared back. âLike I said, the timing is just really suspicious. It might be a lot of things â might be that he just realised he likes blokes, and Iâm here and Iâm safe. Might be he was worried like maybe he thought he was going to lose me. Canât say I wouldnât be jealous too if he started spending more time with someone else. But thatâs all it is. And like you said, we were in actual Hell and emotions were all over the place. Soon enough that big brain of hisâll settle down, realise Iâm not going anywhere, and that there are other blokes out there. Blokes that read just as much as he does, and like more of the same things. Blokes that make him feel more than safe, or that he likes for more than because they happen to be nearby. Then heâll realise he was never in love with me, and weâll go on being best mates same as weâve always done.â
The thing was, Thomas didnât think Cranky here was pulling his tail. The kid actually believed what he was saying. And heâd certainly let on more than he probably intended in that hypothetical of his. He batted the words âthe friend youâve been in love with for thirty yearsâ around his brain like a mouse in his paws.
A better man might try to force the kid to really analyse those thoughts. A worse man might take advantage of this kind of naivety for his own gain. After all if Charles wasnât going to make a move, what was stopping him? But in the end, he was a cat, so he would lick his paws and bide his time and see what he felt like doing tomorrow.
âYou think the friendship is really worth more than the chance of romance with him, then?â he asked, coming to a halt.
Charles stopped too, and finally looked directly at him. âI know it is. He sees you as a friend, Whiskers. Edwin doesnât make a lot of those, so donât be actinâ like itâs second place. It really is more than enough,â the boy stared him down, forcing his words into reality with conviction alone.
âIâll have to take your word for it. Though like you said, no harm in flirting still from time to time.â Thomas winked.
Charles rolled his eyes, just as Thomas knew he would. But he was smiling too when he conceded, âIâd be a hypocrite if I told you not to, wouldnât I?â
