Snapped
The last few weddings took place, including Percy's, meaning that all of the Weasley children were officially married. Weeks past, there were many family dinners that Iris and Charlie attended, and he noticed that they were the least couply of the couples. Even Percy, who had said he hated his wife when he heard of the law, was putting his arm around her shoulder, kissing each other on cheeks in front of their family, and holding hands.
It made Charlie want to puke. Of course, Ginny was always physically affectionate with Harry, George and Angelina were ready to get a room at any moment, while Charlie and Iris behaved more like... Roommates with rings. Well, if they even wore them. He seldom wore his ring from Iris, afraid it would get somehow melted, and Iris still wore her rings from Ben. That fact hurt more then he cared to admit to anyone.
Bill approached Charlie after dinner, when all the girls were talking about the baby that was soon to arrive.
“So, you and Iris have not had sex yet?” Bill asked abruptly.
“God Bill!” Charlie shouted. “Couldn't you be a little more... Quiet?”
“Well you haven't. Have you two even kissed since you got married?”
“We haven't been married that long.”
“Charlie, it's been three months.” Bill told him, and Charlie had to do the math, realizing in horror that it had in fact been three months. “Have you ever tried to even romance her?”
“Bill, we are essentially roommates, I feel like if I tried she would probably slap me.” Charlie told him, “we're good friends, but this friends to “lovers” thing, just feels wrong.”
“You don't just jump head first into lovers, try doing something small. Hell, you don't even need to kiss her on the lips.” Bill shrugged, “ go up behind her and kiss her shoulder, or her neck. Don't bite her like a vampire though.”
“Ugh.” Charlie groaned, hating every bit of this conversation being had.
“Girls like when the guy is a little flirty, and not just them, trust me.” Bill assured him.
So the following day when he returned from the Reserve, he found himself in a moment that perhaps he could take Bill's advice.
Charlie saw Iris at the sink, in a tank top with her hair all gathered into a bun, he had watched his parents flirt and banter back and forth enough he felt like he could start something. So he walked up behind Iris, and just put his hands on her waist, peeking over her shoulder. She jumped lightly,
“you startled me.”
“I didn't mean to. What are you doing?” He asked.
“Pre-soaking some corms.” She told him quickly.
“What will they be?”
“Ranunculus flowers.”
He nodded, and watched as she worked on the little acorn like corms for a moment before he dared to kiss the skin on her neck. In his mind, it seemed less personal then a kiss on the lips like Bill had said, and perhaps this could open the doors to growing their intimacy and closeness. When Iris stopped what she was doing, and didn't immediately pull away he felt like it was a small victory. So he placed another kiss on her neck, making his way to her shoulder.
“Charlie.” Iris said his name, but he didn't register the stern, almost warning tone in nature that it held. He continued his track along her shoulder line, until her reached the strap of her top, and moved in the direction to slide it off. That was when Iris went rigid in his hands and shrugged him off.
“I'm sorry. I was just trying-”
“I know what you were trying.” Iris stated sharply.
“What? No, no I just just trying to gain some sort of traction and trust with you as your husband.” Charlie tried to reason with her. He hoped that he could just explain and hopefully de-esculate the situation-
“My husband is in the ground!” Iris screamed at him, turning around so quickly and violently he actually thought for a second she was going to hit him. “We are not here because we want to be, or any actions on either of our parts! It's because the Ministry is wanting us to breed like cattle!” Charlie flinched, he had never seen Iris so angry before, mad, sad, happy, but this was anger, rage, that he saw on her eyes... And it was directed at him. “The only reason I'm here is because my husband is dead! You can wear a ring, and sign a piece of paper but it doesn't change the fact you're not Ben!” With that, Iris turned and stormed out the back door. He watched her march through the flowers until she disappeared from his sight.
Charlie felt as defeated as he could possibly feel. He let out a long sigh and ran his hand over his head, wondering what it was he could have done different that wouldn't have pushed Iris to that extreme. A Hopwaffle plopped his head against his ankle, and Charlie looked down to see him cooing and rubbing against him.
“At least someone likes me in this house.” He muttered before he bent down and picked up the old cat. He knew there was nothing to be done at this point, Iris would just have to be mad and he would wait until she wasn't as angry and hurt to hopefully appeal to her.
So he decided to wait her out. He had waited for timid dragons to come out of a cave after hatching a clutch of eggs, he could wait out a human woman who would eventually want to come in and want to sleep in her own bed. He ended up just sitting with Hopwaffle on the couch until well after the sun went down and rain began to pour. He honestly was impressed with Iris's hard headedness to stay outside. Eventually, he did hear the backdoor open and Iris slosh in loudly.
“Iris-”
“I don't want to talk.” She stated quickly, shucking off her boots, splashing water over the floor from all the rain that had leaked into her boots.
“You may not, but I do, so unless you leave again you're going to hear what I have to say.” Charlie finally shouted at her, feeling his own emotions boil over. The look she gave him was murderous. “I know I'm not Ben, and I'm not going to try and pretend to be.” Charlie started, reeling in his own anger. “What should have been is you and him living your life, having children and going about your future. With that said, we are here... No matter how wrong it is and how problematic as it is, we are married, Charlie and Iris now, and that isn't going to change anytime soon, if ever.” He spoke to her reasonable side, hoping she would at least hear him out. “I think the best thing we can do at this point is just be friends, try to flirt, and see what happens. Are you willing to try that?” Iris was standing a few feet away from him, her arms crossed over her chest, looking away from him, a hard expression on her face.
“I don't have a choice.”
It wasn't the answer he had necessarily wanted, but he would take it nonetheless. He nodded. He remembered one of the things from his childhood that his parents told him and his siblings growing up when they asked how their parents stayed so in love. We hold each other everyday, meaning that they found time to hug each other, they purposefully made time for one another even with seven children.
“Can I ask you to do a favor?”
“What?”
“I think we should try and hug each other, everyday. It's what my parents do, and it may help us.” He offered. Iris looked at him like he was crazy.
“Everyday?”
“Every. Single. Day. If it's before I go to work or after, it doesn't matter. Even if you don't want to hug me back, just try it.”
“That sounds ludicrous.”
“I don't care.” Charlie finally snapped. “This can't be a one sided thing, you have to try at least a little. Even if it's 90/10 effort, just give me something Iris, anything to show me that you even tolerate me at this point.”
Iris let out a long sigh, and rubbed her forehead. Whatever she had been doing outside, she had dirt caked onto her fingers, stuck under her nails, and he some smudged on her face now because of it. She closed her eyes, and seemed to settle herself, before nodding. Weather she was was nodding to him, or to whatever inner monologue she was having in her head, he didn't know.
“Fine.” She finally said. He wasn't sure what she was saying fine to exactly, but he took the moment and slowly approached her, like one would a frightened animal. Or in his case, a dragon ready to incinerate him. Oh, that's good, treat Iris like a dragon! His mind supplied.
Move slow.
Gain trust.
Be ready to avoid incineration.
He finally was close enough and put his hands on her shoulders before pulling her into the most awkward hug he had ever experienced in his life. She stood as stiff as a board, her arms crossed over her chest, but she let him hug her as long as he wanted.