Page 103 of Familiar Things New

Edwin was still lost in a haze of filthy fantasies when Andrew gently pushed him back. “Oh! I have an idea!” He hurried across the room, over to his worktable. “Do you really want a photograph of me like this?”

“Yes?” Edwin crooked an eyebrow. “Won’t that be a waste of a plate, though?”

Andrew waved a hand dismissively before opening up one of his cabinets.

“We can use the old wet collodion plates I have. And the rest of some solution. I make a new batch every three months or so, even though I’ve heard it could last longer, maybe even up to six. I have plenty left that I might not really use. Dry gelatin plates are easier from a business perspective, which is why we’ve been working with those more often. So, wasting a few of my old collodion plates shouldn’t matter much.” He took out a stack of plates and placed them on the worktable. “Besides, we wouldn’t really be wasting them. I’d love to have a whole stack of photographs of you.”

“Of me?” Edwin laughed. “I thought the idea was for me to take some of you!”

“I know. But I’d have to have some of you, too.” Andrew’s eyes were bright with excitement. “I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of this before!”

“Well, it’s not as though we’ve had a lot of time to ourselves while the sun has been shining,” Edwin reasoned. His eyes flickered over to the windows. “I mean, it’s not exactly shining now, either, but—”

“But the snow is reflecting the bits of sun that are peeking through,” Andrew pointed out. “It’s so bright and cheery in here. Perfect for photographs.”

Smiling warmly, Edwin replied, “Yes, I suppose it is.”

“So, here, how about you take one of me like this once I have a plate ready. And then . . . oh! And then I can wash up and change into my new suit? I know it’s not a perfect fit yet, but it’s close enough, especially for a photograph or two. After that, perhaps I can take a few photographs of you as well?”

“You really want to do this?”

“Absolutely! I can even create a tintype or three!”

“You’re ridiculous,” Edwin laughed. “I’ve never seen you so excited before.”

Chuckling, Andrew shrugged bashfully. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. It’s endearing,” Edwin said. “Go on and prepare everything.”

After spinning on his heel to face the worktable again, Andrew began cleaning a few plates. Edwin stood nearby watching, enjoying the fluttering feelings of love and like while Andrew flitted from one area to another. Once the camera was focused and the plate was set, Andrew hurried over to the place Edwin had suggested for the first photograph—in front of the worktable. Edwin liked the idea of having a photograph of sweaty, slightly frazzled Andrew right beside his messy workspace. It would be so incredibly him. Really and truly the most perfect representation of Andrew that Edwin could think of.

Edwin took the photograph with ease. Andrew then finished the rest of the process, though he opted to save creating a print for another time. Afterward, Andrew left to wash up and change in the bedroom while Edwin stayed behind in the studio. He spent most of the wait admiring the negative, letting himself become lost in the reflection of Andrew’s eyes, which were so warm and kind and expressive, even on the plate.

What an incredible thing to be able to capture a piece of Andrew like that. Edwin smiled at the image. He liked knowing that he’d had a hand in preserving Andrew’s sweet nature for centuries to come. Or, well, for however long plates and prints would last.

Soon enough, Andrew came back into the studio wearing his beautiful new suit. Edwin’s breath caught, and his eyes began to tear as soon as he saw Andrew in it. Edwin had created outfits for William before, but this . . . oh, it felt so much more special, so much more intimate. And the suit looked perfect on him.

Edwin and Andrew spent the next long while taking photographs of each other in various poses around the studio. It was a fairly labor-intensive endeavor but an extremely fun one, too. Around three thirty, they figured they ought to be finished since they’d likely lose a lot of light soon, and Edwin fell onto the sofa while Andrew cleaned up a few things. Humming contentedly, Edwin shut his eyes and folded his hands atop his chest. He let his thoughts wander.

Sometime later, Andrew plopped down onto the cushion next to him.

“Do you want to see something remarkable?” he asked.

Edwin peeked one eye open. “Probably.”

Playfully, Andrew nudged Edwin’s knee with his.

“Look at these,” he said.

Edwin lolled his head to the side to face Andrew so that he could see what Andrew was trying to show him. In Andrew’s hands were two negatives, both of them of Edwin. One was from months back when he and Agnes had visited the studio, while the other had been taken around one hour before.

Edwin sat up. He took the newer one from Andrew first. Studying the image, Edwin felt a twinge of something in his chest—something both wonderful and heartbreaking.

“I look like my father,” Edwin said, more to himself than to Andrew.

Before Edwin could muse on his realization some more, Andrew handed him the other negative. Edwin looked back and forth between the two. And in less than three seconds, he knew why Andrew had brought both of them over.

“Isn’t the change incredible?” Andrew said. “In the one I took of you back in December, I can sort of sense how uncomfortable you were. Not, uhm, not that it’s a bad photograph, since you still look very handsome in it, but still, the difference between these is sort of striking, I think.”