Chapter Text
3:00 THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON:
Charlie studied and corrected essays at his desk as he waited for the last few students of the day to file out of the classroom. In his first class that morning, he had been extremely nervous, sure that the events of the previous day would show somehow, either as a sudden, terrible lycanthropic transformation, or perhaps hives conspiring to form the words NOT A VIRGIN across his forehead. By the middle of his second class, however, when noone seemed to have noticed anything unusual, he had relaxed and turned his full attention back to his work.
Now, at the end of the day, he was becoming distracted once again, but for a different reason. Something was nagging at him, tugging at his mind, but he couldn't get a good enough hold on the thought to bring it out where he could examine it. Vaguely, he thought it was a forgotten task or item that needed to be dealt with, but he couldn't be sure.
When the pen he was using abruptly stopped working, he half turned and reached down to his case on the floor for another. In the process, he brushed against his jacket hanging on the back of his chair and heard a faint thunk as whatever was in the pocket impacted the wall behind him. Frowning, he dipped his hand in and brought out his cell phone. Briefly, he shut his eyes, regret washing over him as he realized that this was what he had overlooked. His cell had been turned off since early Sunday morning. Grimacing, he opened it, activated it and checked for messages.
"Twelve, thirteen, fourteen... all from Don. Big surprise. Crap..." he groaned as he listened to his phone dial the house.
"Charlie?" his brother said anxiously, picking up before the first ring had finished echoing.
"Hey..."
"Where the hell have you been?! Do you have any idea how worried we all were?"
"Don, calm down..."
"Calm down?! I was about to call Terri and have her start a search!"
"Don, I'm fine..."
"And I'm just supposed to assume that? I'm not psychic! For God's sake, Charlie..."
"I've been at school all day. Did you check?"
"What about yesterday? Or last night?"
"Ummm..."
"To quote Judge Judy, ' Ummm is not an answer.' Where were you, Charlie?"
"Look... I'll be home around supper-time. We'll talk then, okay?"
"No, it's not okay."
"I'll see you around six or six-thirty."
"Charlie..."
"Bye." he responded grimly, ending the call and returning his gaze to the work in front of him. Half an hour later, he looked up at the sound of a clearing throat to find Larry standing in the doorway.
"Did he call yet?"
"I forgot my phone was off. I called him a little while ago."
"Let me guess. He played big brother?"
"In the Orwellian sense."
"About to send out scent dogs and a search party was he?" Larry asked, strolling up to the desk.
"I got to him in time."
"I said this morning..."
"I know. I just couldn't explain. He and I don't lie to each other, but... I didn't wanna tell him the truth either."
"You know my opinion. He's a grown man, he'll react like one."
"Maybe if he saw me that way, he would."
"He's been your protector your whole life, Charles. If you're ready for him to step back from that role, you have to tell him so... then give him time to adjust."
"I've barely adjusted..." Charlie admitted softly, blushing.
"Oh... it's been so long I forgot. You must have felt like everyone could tell... that they could instantly see what we did and how it changed you."
"For a while. Once I realized that it wasn't true... I was okay."
"I can see that. Well... shall we go explore the candle shop?"
"Yeah. absolutely. Just let me pack this stuff up and I'll be ready...."
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As they stepped in the door, Charlie's eyes slipped closed for a moment and he drew a deep breath in through his nose. His confused frown brought a chuckle from Larry.
"Don't smell anything, do you?"
"No... I was expecting something flowery or musky... but it just smells like any store."
"That's intentional. If you go in the back, where she does her magic, then you might get a little overwhelmed. Out here, though, all the display candles are wrapped so they keep their aromas to themselves. It makes it much easier to tell if you really like the scents you're considering."
"I get that."
"I don't see Marilyn. Go ahead and have a look around. I'll go see if I can find her."
"Okay..."
Larry disappeared into the rear of the store and Charlie began to wander. His curiosity led him toward the racks of tiny bottles to the right of the counter. He was closely studying labels when his lover reappeared, a tall slender woman at his side.
"Charles Epps, I'd like you to meet Marilyn Nolton. Marilyn... this is the young man I've been talking about."
"Professor Epps. Wonderful to finally meet you."
Charlie smiled and clasped Marilyn's offered hand briefly, but he didn't speak. "Hmm. You were right, Lawrence. Sweet and very shy. Have you chosen what oils you'd like to sample, professor?"
"Uhhh... Charlie. It... it's Charlie."
"Alright. Do you know which oils you'd prefer, Charlie, or shall I help? If you wouldn't mind my opinion, of course."
"No... I mean, I'd like that. I have a couple ideas, but..."
"Bring your choices to the counter and we'll see how they blend."
Charlie hesitantly plucked three bottles from the racks, then replaced one and made another selection after a quiet proposal from Larry. They re-joined Marilyn, who had placed a small white saucer on the counter. "Lemongrass, rose and cinnamon. Very interesting... let's give it a try." She mused, adding a drop of each oil to the plate and mixing them together with a coffee stirrer. At a skeptical look from Charlie, she smiled and explained. "I discovered early on that plastic is the only material that won't add its own component to the mixture of scents. Wood, my finger... they all threw the balance off. And at the rate I use them, the stirrers are amazingly cost-effective as well. There. Now, close the eyes, please..." she requested, lifting the plate under Charlie's nose. He sniffed deeply, but wrinkled his brow and pulled away. Marilyn tested the combination and also seemed displeased.
"Too sweet." he offered.
"Yes, I agree completely. I like the idea of the cinnamon, but... Lawrence, will you return the rose and lemongrass, please? And bring back the patchouli... and the brown sugar."
Charlie and Larry both burst out laughing and got a critical look from the candlemaker.
"Sorry, Lyn. Private joke." Larry apologized as he retrieved the vials she requested.
"You are the strangest man sometimes, Lawrence."
"I am indeed. Here you go."
"Thank you." she replied, mixing the new trio on a clean plate. "Now... I think this should be a vast improvement."
Charlie sniffed cautiously then broke out in a broad smile.
"Much. The dark, rich scent... that's the pat... pats..."
"Patchouli, yes."
"Patchouli. I really like that. It's deep... and a little mysterious."
Impulsively, Larry placed a drop on his right index finger and stroked it over the pulse point on Charlie's throat. He paused then leaned in and breathed deeply. When he pulled back his eyes had darkened slightly and widened as well.
"Uhhh.... Lyn..."
"I'll send the order to Danielle right away." She replied, grinning wickedly.
"Danielle?" Charlie questioned.
"She uses many of the same oils I do, but she makes personalized colognes and perfumes. Do you want the other two scents included as well, Lawrence?"
"No... no, just the patchouli will be fine."
"What size candle did you want, Charlie?"
"Candle? Oh... oh, a pillar... please." he remembered to add, never taking his eyes of Larry.
"Done, and done. The candle should be finished within the week. I'll call when it's finished and you can pay when you pick it up. Lawrence..."
"I'll expect an e-mail from Danielle. Bye, Lyn. C'mon, Charles. We need to go." The older man murmured, tugging Charlie toward the door.
"We do?"
"Definitely. For two very good reasons..."
"Which are?"
"One; if I don't get you home soon, The Wrath of Don will just be all the worse."
"And two?"
"If I spend much longer breathing in the combination of you and patchouli it's not *your* home you'll end up in!"
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TBC....