[ it's all too easy to get lost in junpei's eyes; but the overwhelming surge of feelings calms into something no less strong but steadier, an ocean instead of a waterfall, and charles exhales slowly and smiles as their hands find each other once again. and they've done this so many times now that it's almost routine, but it feels different, more somehow, with both of them knowing the meaning behind it now. ]

Right, [ he says with a little grin, and well, charles would be lying if he tried to say junpei's frank correction and the implicit and explicit permission to kiss him whenever doesn't make him want to do just that, despite just having decided otherwise; he compromises by lifting their joined hands and pressing a kiss to junpei's knuckles instead.

and then the question makes him look around, considering. ] You mean, more than they should be for us blocking the sidewalk for ten minutes? ... Huh. Yeah, guess they do.

[ and that's probably something to look into, because that definitely wasn't a thing before... but does he really care? really, truly? ]

Well, that's different and all if we're not just imagining it, but... being honest? I don't really give a shit. Not right now. [ instead, he fixes junpei with a look. ] When's the last time you actually ate something? Like, an actual meal?

[ because it's been three days and he's having a hard time believing junpei bothered to make anything proper for himself if he spent the entire time worrying. ]