Edwin wheezed a laugh at the question, blush still present, but fading, "I am, actually." He shook his head, another, slightly more solid laugh simmering free, "Mortified, yes, but even that is... well, it's not so terrible as all that, is it?" It would have been worse if she'd insisted on staying and relaying the news right then, but she hadn't, and all Edwin could think of was just how warm Charles still was against him.

He scratched his fingers gently through Charles' hair, drawing him up to where Edwin could kiss him again, more solidly, "But if we've only got an hour, we really ought to make the most of it." He wasn't sure what sort of news would come from the Department in regards to their not-quite case, but he was doing his best to stay positive.