It’s been weeks since she met her Birdboy. 

It’s late summer, and he’s always at their meeting place, it seems. Today is no different.

His head snaps up as soon as she’s in shouting distance, and she sees him smile. It’s soft at first before it takes on a wicked angle. He must have thought of a new way to tease her.

“Thandi, good evening.”

“Good morning, sir Birdboy.”

There’s an airy laugh as he pushes himself up, striding toward her with a purpose. “What’s the agenda today? Tend the garden, ogle me, and what else?” As always, he leans close to her, and she catches that minty tone with the smell of his exertions. She watches a drop of sweat bead and roll down his chest, biting her lip.

“Ogling is all you’re good for, truly. Maybe I’ll tell you on our walk?”

He steps closer and she puts out her hand, stopping him before he gets closer. She’s noticed that he objects much less to her touch now. It’s curious, how he plays. Surely he’s got experience with touch?

Her palm presses flat to his bare chest, and he tilts his head ever so slightly, daring her to touch his hair. That glimmer he gets when he’s enjoying himself is intense. Usually he’d balk as she reaches up, but his smile only gets wider.

The offending lock of hair is carefully tucked behind his ear, and he takes her hand as she pulls away from his face. This is new. He doesn’t touch hands. 

There’s a beat as he gathers his resolve, then she feels his lips on her palm. He kisses her hand, eyeing her as he does this, triumphant when she reddens. The kisses get closer to her fingertips. He opens his mouth.

He takes a finger and sucks on it.

Oh dear. Thandi gapes, astonished at his boldness, shock prompting him to slide off her finger. And move on to the next.

“B-Birdboy! What are you doing?!”

Her hand is released and he smiles at her again. “Hassling you. I like when you get like this.”

“Right, of course, you love setting me off. But perhaps we can find something a little less!! Unhygienic?”

“Where have you been putting your hands that I should worry?” The way he says this, it reminds her of a cat purring. She laughs.

“Your mouth, I should say.”

“Then it’s fine.”

A companion to the Charlie and Peony one I posted!

A small painting over a sketchbook drawing!

Thandi feels Charlie lay a charm on her ear as he curls against her, an arm under her head and the other over her side. She smiles to herself as she takes a deep breath. 

Every night now they sleep against one another. Ever since the incident in their first year, she’s laid with him and comforted him and made sure that he was relaxed. Safe.

A whisper tickles her ear. “Thandi.”

“Mm?” She reaches up to pat his arm gently, feeling him tense slightly. Her touch makes him relax again, taking a deep breath.

“This is okay, isn’t it?”

“Yes. Or… what do you mean?:

“You don’t not want to do it?”

“Don’t… not want. Hm.” That’s a spicy double negative. “I do want it. I always do.”

“You don’t want to do this with anyone else?”

“Why would I want to?”

“Because of me.”

Ah… she knows all too well the melancholy tendencies of her boy. Always doubting. And she has given him reason to doubt before. Pushing back against how he clings to her. Pushing to be alone sometimes. Pushing, once… pushing him. His denials. Six years of their back and forth has made him fearful. Even with how he’s changed through the years.

“Charlie,” she says slowly. “I won’t be leaving you. I live with you, you silly goose.”

“Yes, but… I know… you want…” He swallows, pressing his face into her neck to steady his nerves. “Independence. To be the best. You. You want a lot. I. I don’t. I just. I just… herbology… potions…”

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be a healer, Charlie.”

“But planar magic is going to take you places. Literally… and you won’t want me around for that.”

“Who says that I won’t?”

Charlie squeezes her. “You never know.”

“I do know. I know I’ll never be alone again. Never again.” 

His breath hitches at that and… he sniffles. Squeezes her tighter. Tears. They nearly never talk about what happened, but… this. This warm intensity. She needs it as much as he does. “Never.”

Charlie has been around since 2018, making his character four years old! Charlie may not be a real guy, but the fun I have had with his character was real. Not only that, but it actually brought some focus into my life to have one particular fixation instead of rambling around in a bit of everything. Writing all this stuff and drawing all this stuff have made everything much better over the years!

Charlie watches Thandi, the pressure in his chest rising with every breath. Every movement of hers is lovely. Every expression. Every small detail. He feels her through the bracelet and it’s heaven. The beat of her pulse and the warmth of her body pressed to his, even degrees removed, is a comfort he never thought he would enjoy.

The bracelet squeezes gently as his heart rushes, wasting precious heartbeats on his adoration. Thandi looks up at Charlie and smiles. There’s some relief to the pain.

Thandi watches his face light up, inner coil moving against her wrist. It never lets her forget. A giggle bursts out of her as she smiles broader, seeing his goofy, crooked smile in return. What a gorgeous man he is.