Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Charles Rowland isn’t one for nostalgia, not really, but if he is being honest with himself, yeah, he’s a bit judgmental about some aspects of the modern era. For example, personal expression has really gone downhill since the 1980’s. Unconsciously, his fingers brush the patches adorning his jacket, each one carefully selected, as he watches the ghost across from him tell his story.

Kian Iravani, as they introduced themself, is leaning excitedly towards Edwin, hands dancing in the air as they talk about their untimely, and strangely banal and accidental, death in a traffic accident. The other kid is dressed incredibly casually, clad in plain gray sweatpants and a tight t-shirt with some strange plastic shoes on their feet. Back in the 80’s that outfit would not have left the house, unless on the way to the gym.

Charles looks back to Edwin, as well tailored as ever, and watches a smile tilt onto his lips. Edwin Payne obviously has a timeless, handsome look, but showing his personality through his clothes? Not so much, either. You can only understand who Edwin is through his words and his actions, which are both absolutely brilliant in Charles’ estimation.

Still, as he thinks back to the events a few months ago in Port Townsend, not the danger, but the personal stuff, all of the guys throwing themselves at his best friend, and Edwin’s revelation to him in Hell that he hasn’t unpacked even a little bit… Well, maybe the modern times do have a few better ideas about self-expression. In certain ways. Like Kian immediately giving their pronouns as they/them. That’s new, and it is rightfully cool as far as Charles is concerned. Being different is always hard, but maybe some pieces are getting easier to put out there, for all of them.

As he is thinking of all of this, he realizes that he is still looking at Edwin’s lips, immediately noticing the appearance of that small, knowing smile that means he’s onto something. He tunes back into the conversation, forcing himself out of this frustrating train of thought. Edwin is asking an, as always, perceptive question

”So, why then, are you concerned about your former professor? You said his routine has not changed, nor has he shown any signs of distress.”

“Well no,” Kian says. “I’ve followed him on campus, he is the same as ever, but well, when I tried to follow him into his inn….”

Edward prompts again in that kind, yet astute, manner he has with clients, “His inn?”

”Yeah. Professor Gadling also owns a pub, The New Inn. Students used to meet there from time to time. He would usually be camped out at a back table grading, or whatever, and it was like an informal office hours. But with beer. And pub food. We tried not to abuse it, but he was always so nice and welcoming. We usually brought real life stuff to him there, not class stuff. He was really nice, lots of experience and totally open minded. The Inn is a real safe space too, he doesn’t put up with any bullshit.”

Charles watches over Edwin’s shoulder as he jots down “safe space” in his notebook, with a question mark behind it.

”So, the guy is a teacher and owns a pub. What kind of trouble you worried about, mate?” Charles asks as he seamlessly takes over. “Asshole Neo-Nazis trying to come to the Inn? Some bigot threatening him for being a good bloke for his students to come to?” Charles clearly recalls the punk shows he snuck into when he was alive, and how you had to kick Nazis out the second you noticed them. Punks were good for that, and they wouldn't tolerate trash like that at their gigs.

”Nah, none of that. It’s ultimately the reason I looked you guys up. It is just so weird. I mean, I haven’t been a ghost for long, but I’m able to go anywhere, through walls, all of it, well, you two know.” Kian looks between the two ghost detectives in front of them, Edwin perched primly behind his desk, and Charles, lounging on it beside him.

”It’s like, when I get close to the Inn, I get a real real bad feeling. And I can’t go in. If I can get through the weird sensations and make it to the door, it’s like I can’t pass through it, whether it is closed, or open, or whatever. Can’t move through windows either, and I can’t stay close for too long. It doesn’t hurt, but it is really uncomfortable. I asked around, and a few others said that they had felt this and the inn is warded. I didn’t really know what that meant but found out it was a way to keep supernatural stuff out. But why would the professor need to keep things out? Is something after him? He’s just so normal, so, well, I’m worried.”

In that moment the door creaks open, and Crystal enters, wearing a sweeping trench coat over her jeans. Charles loves her dramatic coats and is incredibly glad that she has arrived. She is always helpful with the more modern ghosts and their problems. And she knows how to use the internet. That is bloody helpful, that. Charles smiles at her, as she steps towards them, grabbing the chair to the other side of the desk and turning it around backwards before straddling it and looking right at the college age ghost across from them.

Kian looks at her in some confusion. Where Charles was about to offer a warm introduction, befitting their absolutely brilliant friend, Edwin is too fast. “That’s Crystal Palace. She is a psychic and helpful for human concerns in our cases,” he says tartly, but with a slight twinkle in his gaze. Charles can’t hold back a fond smile. They really are starting to be on better terms since their return to London. Bringing Crystal on to the Dead Boy Detective Agency has been a fucking great idea, even if it did muddle up his feelings a little.

Crystal barely suppresses a roll of her eyes but manages to hold her tongue from offering any kind of sharp retort to Edwin in front of their client. She stays lounged in the chair, slumped casually, but with her eyes as bright and beautiful as ever.

Charles looks to her, “Crystal, do you know anything about wards?”

”Uh, yeah, I do. Something I have actually even been looking into. Like, in general, magic users can ward buildings against all kinds of supernatural entities. Like, vampires, or ghosts, or demons. I sometimes catch glimpses of them with my vision, you know,” she waves her fingers at them. “Each ward is a different color in a way, depending on what you’re trying to keep out.”

”Ah, trying to avoid being a demon magnet any longer, Crystal?” Edwin asks primly.

To her credit, Crystal doesn’t bite. “Yeah, Edwin. Actually I am. There are a few experts here in London who can do some powerful warding magic. I’m looking into them. Why are we worried about this?”

Charles decides to take over. Even though Edwin and Crystal are starting to evolve in their friendship, his best friend can still be very territorial about cases.

”So, Kian’s professor here was always a real good guy, great to the students, but the inn he owns is warded against ghosts, and pretty much everything else, and they’re worried about the guy. Never seemed anything other than normal, right mate?”

”Yeah, you got it. I mean, I know I’m dead by accident, just should’ve worn that damn bike helmet, but since I’m here I can look out for people who were important to me. I’m just worried if he got mixed up in something and wanted to make sure he was safe. I also need a favor from him, before I get going to wherever it is that I’ll wind up. Unfinished business he can help with, but only if he’s safe for my, um, only if he’s safe. Plus, Dr. G really helped me when I came out as non-binary.” Charles sees Edwin put pen to paper again, “He’s a real ally. And well… I just want him to be okay. I mean ordinary people don’t get caught up in ghosts and this supernatural stuff do they?”

”They do at times, and often it is indeed a problem. I am glad you brought this to us Kian.” Edwin looks to Charles who subtly nods. “The Dead Boy Detective Agency is glad to take on your case.”

He snaps his notebook closed. “Now, let’s take a look at this inn.”

***

Edwin is intrigued. It has been rare that he has encountered any warding, he can barely recall the sensation of being pushed back, or made unable to enter a structure. The human population is surprisingly ignorant of the supernatural. Honestly, he has not noticed that strange feeling for years, unless you were to count the, ahem, situation that kept them trapped in Port Townsend all of those months ago. But, that is enough reminiscence. No sense staying in the past, what happened happened, and, well. He is fine now. Just back to business. No thinking of seductive cat kings, or eager crow suitors, or making a fool of himself in front of his absolute best friend. Just the job.

And this case is very interesting, and hopefully relatively straightforward. After all, the Lost and Found department has promised to keep Death away from them both as long as they continue to solve cases supporting their mutual goal of helping ghosts crossover to the afterlife. Of course, to do this, Edwin and Charles use their sleuthing skills to help other ghosts deal with their unfinished business, a noble aim even before all of these recent complications. And he is taking that commitment seriously, he is. To stave off Death, and to stay with his best friend, is all he wants.

The Inn has barely come into view, but as he starts to take in the details of a red brick facade, stark black lettering and cheery green umbrellas, he instantly feels a deep unease. He, Charles, and Crystal are standing on an area of grass, in front of a tree facing the Inn and Edwin can not imagine what it would take him to walk another step closer. It all feels so very wrong. He looks at Charles, who seems as uncomfortable as he feels, squirming, and worrying at his nails.

Crystal is a different story. Of course. Her eyes have taken on their white hue, and she stands between himself and Charles staring intently at the building’s facade. She murmurs quietly to herself, before stumbling back, and reaching out frantically. Almost as one, he and Charles move forward, each grabbing a hand.

Crystal rights herself and immediately lets go of both of their grasps, Edwin notices with some pleasure that he instantly regrets. “Woah…. That is. That is something.”

”Well?” Edwin says, and his impatience is amplified by this godforsaken feeling in his bones.

”Yeah, this building is warded against every single type of beasty imaginable. You name it, vampires, demons, ghosts, dark magic, light magic. Whoever did this knows their stuff. And, the barriers don’t seem, like, super old, so whatever reason the professor has for putting them up is fairly new. What do you two feel?”

Edwin looks for words to describe the awful sensation, but Charles beats him to it, unsurprisingly. “Right, it just feels bad, really gross. Like it just zaps any desire I have to go closer, it is just turning me back, pushing me away. It doesn’t hurt, but the closer we’ve gotten it feels like I’m slogging through the mud here, and I think it would get to a point where I could not get any closer.”

”Well described, Charles. I am in complete agreement. So, what should we do now? Do you want to try to move closer? To be quite honest, I do not think that I would be able to.”

Crystal performs a quick turn and is now facing them. “Well, I am helpful in,” she puts her fingers in air quotes, “‘human concerns.’ Let me check it out. There are lots of people in and out, and it doesn’t feel warded against me. You guys stay here and I’ll be back in a flash.”

Edwin doesn’t want to agree. Crystal is still getting her detective skills up to snuff, as far as he is concerned, but there is really no other choice, and it does not seem as though she will be in danger. “That will be fine, Crystal. Do be precise in your observations though, will you?”

”Only for you, Edwin.” Crystal says with a jaunty wave, as she trapezes towards the front doors.

Taking a few steps backwards, Edwin finds the strange sensation lessening. He sees the tree, and from this vantage point they will still have a good view of the Inn, so he slides down the trunk, letting out a deep sigh. Charles is quickly at his side, also noticeably relieved to have moved away from the structure. He slides closer, bumping shoulders with Edwin, legs sprawled in all directions, body in a position as opposite as possible to his own posture. Edwin thinks that he, himself, could be mistaken for a statue, knees bent with his arms wrapped around them, feet touching his thighs, all neatly tucked in. He rests his head on his knees and looks at his friend.

They haven’t talked much recently, not really. He somehow got more used to sharing his feelings, his inner life, with Charles while in America. Since they have been back, they have reverted into their usual roles, but well, it doesn’t fit like it used to, and he suddenly can’t hold in his thoughts any longer. “Crystal has been so helpful, really. But it isn’t the same as it was in the States. For… obvious reasons. And I like her, I really do, Charles, but we have been doing this for going on thirty years now. It is hard to learn how to work with someone else. I do hope you understand. I’m trying.”

Charles is contemplative, he rubs his hands together slowly. “Yeah. Change can be hard. But, we’ve all been through a lot. And this ability to make new…friends.” They lock eyes for a moment, and Edwin knows that they are both each thinking of their dear friend Niko, and her sacrifice to save Crystal, to save them all. For the first time in weeks when Edwin feels that pang of loss and sadness, the tears don’t fall.

Charles nods sagely before continuing, “Well, I wouldn’t change our after lives for the world, mate. Especially not the friendships we’ve made and the, uh, growth. I guess you can call it growth? That we’ve had recently.”

Edwin has no idea what to call it, this realization of his feelings, this deeper understanding who he is underneath it all. And it isn’t bad, it is just hard. He never really has been truly in touch with the modern world, has never really realized that it is okay to be who he is. Inside. And not just who he is, but also who he loves. It is all very confusing. He knows that Charles has been facing just as much of an emotional awakening as he has been, looking deep into his past trauma and anger. Yes, he thinks, change is hard, but perhaps he can be who he is, and see what happens. He hopes Charles can too, and hopes that they can talk of these things together. Eventually.

He slumps against Charles more fully, suddenly exhausted by the conversation. Charles remains as he ever has been, as strong and solid in Edwin’s mind as anything could be. Falling into a companionable silence, they carefully observe the building, the flow of people in and out. No more than thirty minutes later, Crystal emerges from the pub, moving swiftly toward them. She settles down cross legged across from them as both boys straighten up.

Edwin leans forward, anticipation getting the better of him, “Well?”

”Do you mean, Crystal, are you alright?” She responds.

”Well, as you said, it is a pub, not a witch’s house, as far as we know anyway.”

”Yeah. And that is all it is inside. A pub. There is a locked staircase in the back that seems to lead upstairs, a kitchen and storage I just so stumbled into on my way to the bathroom, and nothing spooky at all. Just nice normal people having a drink and eating bar food.”

”Would you be able to get upstairs? If that is the only unexamined portion of the building?” Edwin says.

”No. But, prepare to be impressed by my amazing skills of detection.” Crystal pivots her head, looking at each of them in turn, a proud expression on her face. “The door has a card reader and seems pretty sturdy. So I plunked down at the bar, and started to talk to the bartender. And when he turned around. Boom.”

Crystal holds up her cell phone, flashing a picture from the University website of a certain Dr. Robert Gadling. “He was behind the bar, in the flesh. And like Kian said, he’s a really nice person. He asked where I was from, gave me a soda without charging me when I realized I didn’t have my wallet. Like, nice normal guy. I did ask him if they rented out rooms, figuring if it was an inn they would be upstairs. I said I was in town visiting some friends, but he just laughed and told me he had converted the rooms into his flat. Like, overshare much? But he seemed super proud of the inn. Told me he built it as a meeting place for him and an old friend of his after their old pub got shut down.”

”Did you try to read him?” Charles asks.

“No. No way, absolutely not. There were a lot of people around, and they kept calling him over. Especially the women. Even the older ones. Guy is popular. They would have noticed him going all…” Crystal makes a vacant expression cross her face.

”Nice work! That was brills, Crystal!” Charles says with his trademark, radiant smile. Edwin’s heart might just have skipped a beat if it did that kind of thing anymore.

”It very much was,” Edwin adds. “I agree. And you did not notice anything peculiar inside at all?”

“Nothing. I think we might need to find out more about this Gadling guy. The building is a bust. What’s our next step?” she asks, looking instinctively to Edwin.

Edwin feels a flash of pleasure. They really are all working quite well together. And he wants to be good friends with Crystal. She risked so much for them, especially for him. He isn’t quick to open up, but he knows he can be more mindful in his attempts. “I think it might be time to pull out our disguises. Charles, do we have anything that might look at home on a college campus?”

”You have to let me decide that this time boys. You both are a little, no offense, behind the times.”

”Hey,” Edwin and Charles say simultaneously, before they all dissolve into laughter.

Chapter Text

Charles hasn’t spent much time on university campuses. Which really is a shame, he thinks, as he sees oodles of attractive people walk by and as he looks at all the posters for clubs, demonstrations, and volunteerism. And music, so many shows! This would have been the time of his life, if he hadn’t died while still in boarding school.

He looks down. The disguises aren’t the best, but Crystal gave them her seal of approval for at least not being too “out there.” Charles now appears as a light-haired boy with a fairly boring outfit of khaki trousers and a navy polo shirt. Edwin is much more interesting, as a red-haired schoolgirl in a plaid skirt and knee socks. Unless he pitches it, his voice still sounds the same as ever, and this is making Charles feel all kinds of confused. He stares at Edwin’s face as they walk, seeing the familiar expressions pass over the unfamiliar feminine and pretty, but bland, face.

They walk through the halls of the English building as Crystal reads Dr. Gadling’s offerings aloud. “He’s a literature professor who also seems to teach a lot of history. His courses are, History 102, Medieval England, or, Would a Peasant’s Head Actually Explode.” Charles lets out a laugh at that one. “It’s a meme,” Crystal clarifies looking at Edwin who nods. He’s getting there.

”Also he teaches, Literature 201, Shakespeare Isn’t the Only Good Playwright. And today’s offering, Lit 301, LGBTQ+ Representation in Historical Literature.” Charles can tell she is trying, and failing, not to scan for Edwin’s reaction as they slip into the back of the classroom.

Edwin’s expressions still as they get settled in their seats. Charles isn’t surprised. He knows how hard it was for Edwin to, well, to like boys back when he was a teenager in 1916. Seriously, it would have been hard even if he was born when Charles was. Like, he knew lots of gay and lesbian people from the scene back in the day, and he knows shit was tough for them. Even if there is a lot more tolerance now than in the 80’s, he also knows it can still be super difficult. But on the plus side, he observes so many more people being their authentic selves, compared to what he grew up seeing, and it is all fucking fantastic. And even a bit enlightening. He really gets it now, there’s not just one way to be, to love people. And he also can see how it’s worth it to figure out who you are, even if it isn’t easy. It didn’t used to feel like that for him.

And if it’s been weird for him, poor Edwin. No wonder the guy stayed repressed for so long. At least he had known cool, queer people. In Edwin’s time… well, all he knew about that was that famous author, who was in a relationship with another guy and then sent to jail, and died. That ended pretty badly. Not exactly role model material.

But Edwin has over one-hundred years under his belt and Charles has had over thirty, and they have a lot more to come... All the time in the world to figure it out, which is awesome. He had said this to Edwin, and he had meant it. He doesn’t want to make a mistake, he wants to really honestly put in the work. It’s not one of their cases, but he wants to unpack his feelings.. if he could just figure out how. Not a bad problem to have though. He looks around the class, eyes skimming over to Edwin again, and smiles. He may be dead, but this afterlife is pretty rad.

Edwin still looks like he’s about ready to bolt. Dr. Gadling has just stepped up to the front, and turned on his computer. Words flash on the screen behind him and oh no. Seriously, couldn’t it have been a different time period covered today?

Gadling’s voice rings out. “So where we left off, in the late 1800s, society was starting to adopt our more modern definitions of homosexuality. Isadora Duncan is out there all bi and proud, Krafft-Ebing is doing his research thing placing homosexuality out of the realm of being a plain ‘ol degenerate act, and into the psychiatric realm, ahem… yeah, we know how that worked out. And par for the course over here in merry ‘ol England, there was more fuckery afoot. Or should we say buggery. As of 1885, ‘male homosexual acts’ are made seriously illegal, like hard labor or a literal death sentence, with the passing of the Labouchere Ammendment, and that’s the recap leading into our topic for today. We are continuing our discussion of our main man, the singular Oscar Wilde. So, did you recognize any current motifs in your reading? We had discussed found family and transformation in particular.”

The students start to raise their hands and a lively debate breaks out, and now Charles is the one looking for Edwin’s reactions. This is too on the nose. Edwin has been struggling, and this was his world when he was young. And he is overcoming it by being strong and brave, but Charles knows he isn’t all the way sorted out yet. He touches Edwin, beside him, on the arm. Edwin is frozen in place and startles at Charles’ attention. “He’s a good teacher, huh?”

Edwin nods, still facing straight forward, staring at the portrait of Wilde. Charles goes on, “Let’s have a look around his office while he’s teaching. Then we can talk to some of the students when class is out, yeah?”

Edwin nods again and Charles grabs his arm and leads him out of the lecture hall. Crystal waits a few minutes and follows and they slip through the halls towards Professor Gadling’s office.

Edwin is unusually silent. Charles looks to Crystal who gives a tight smile and keeps on walking. The boys fall back a step and there is no way out but through. Charles slips his arm around Edwin’s shoulders, wishing that he was in his usual form. The slight shoulders of the other boy’s disguise are just not right. Even though he can’t really touch Edwin, feeling the roughness of his coat, or the warmth of his skin where his thumb is settled just on the inside of his collar, he can feel a dull pressure, what he feels any time he touches another person or spirit. An odd little feedback loop. It isn’t always enough, but it’s something. And he thinks comfort is in order, so he uses his words too. They work best anyway. “So that’s what it was like? Back when you were alive?”

”It was.”

”So you’ve been through more than just one type of hell, huh?”

Edwin lets out a sigh. “It is just, sometimes I feel such despair. For the evil we can do to each other. Just over something like who one loves. Even if it is some better, I know it is still incredibly hard for them. The living.”

Charles gives a squeeze to Edwin’s shoulders. “But, from what Kian said, we’ve got good people out there too, like the professor. Making sure we don’t make the same mistakes, helping kids be themselves. There’s a little hope in something like that.”

Edwin stops, turning towards Charles, “I guess if you think about it that way, yes. There’s hope, even in ignorance, even in Hell, frankly.”

”That’s right, mate,” Charles notices a lump in his throat. “Now let’s get this mystery solved.”

*****

Even to excellent sleuths like the Dead Boy Detectives, Robert Gadling’s office is not particularly helpful. It too is warded, though not quite as strongly as the New Inn, so Edwin can call out instructions from the doorway to aid in Crystal’s search. He has a good view and from his vantage he is able to truly examine the space, though he can not cross the threshold. He does wish he could, as there are lots of interesting books and old things, Edwin thinks he recognizes an antique sextet, and he wonders if that folio of Marlowe plays is as ancient as it looks.

That is, however, not the purpose of this search. They face an additional dead end, so to speak, after the interviews with students. They had nothing to say about the professor acting strangely, no unusual occurrences on campus. Except one graduate student, who seems to work closely with the professor, and did mention him being sad recently, because his “honey has been away.” Well, Edwin would expect someone to be a bit down if their wife was traveling for work, nothing strange there.

Dejected, the three of them slump down on a bench in the hall. Edwin removes a ribbon from his hair, Charles slips off a class ring, and they both resume their usual forms. It feels much better, especially in light of having to listen to Dr. Gadling’s lecture about how difficult it was for people, like him, to be themselves, while literally presenting as someone else. It rubbed him the wrong way. Feeling more sure footed, he steeples his fingers. The next steps of their investigation are not immediately clear.

Just at that moment, he sees it, or sees him, as it might be. A tall and angular man, dressed in a sweeping black coat, with skin as pale as the moonlight and a shock of equally dark hair steps out of, well, out of nowhere. He throws a sharp look toward the trio, but quickly moves past them without another gaze, striding deeper into the building towards the classrooms and the facility offices. Yet another strange feeling lances through him, a tingling, a sense of immense and ancient power.

He looks beside him where Charles is similarly still, and on further to Crystal whose eyes are wide and staring. As the being passes around the corner, Charles shakes his head and then lurches, skidding to his knees in front of Crystal, placing his hands on her knees. She looks more fearful than he has ever seen her. Edwin moves beside him and he knows there is an equally worried expression on his face.

“Crystal, Crystal,” Charles calls, gently moving her hands on her knees. She starts to blink her wide, white eyes, and they return to their usual warm brown color.

”We have to get out of here,” she says, voice shaking. Edwin stands, grabbing her elbow, Charles mirroring her on the other side and hustling towards the building exit. As they move in that direction, Dr. Gadling turns the corner.

He stops, eyes on Crystal. “Hey! I remember you! You said you were visiting with your friends, is this them?” He asks, looking between Edwin and Charles.

Edwin almost lets the absolutely inane statement, “You can see us?” pass his lips, but bites down hard on his cheek and stands up a little straighter. “Yes, we are from here. I am Edwin and this is Charles. We are the friends. That Crystal is staying with.”

”Wonderful! Well, feel free to stop by the Inn anytime, and have a round on me. It’s always nice to meet new people. Especially such a sweet couple and their friend,” Gadling says as he steps to move past them.

Edwin does not know what has come over him, perhaps the emotion that this case has unexpectedly produced in him has driven him round the bend. “Oh, we’re not a couple. We are just partners.”

”Ah. Yeah, well, it was like that with me and my significant other for a while. We actually started as very good friends, and I just pined for literal ages. But, all’s well that ends well! That is what is great about modern times, our relationships can be whatever we want them to be. And that’s coming from a historian.”

Gadling looks at Crystal again. He drops his voice and steps closer to her. “Hey, I saw you in class, and you were sitting next to someone with red hair. Are they your friend too?”

”Um, yeah, I know her,” Crystal says. Her eyes flicker instinctually to Edwins’.

”If you can pass it on, I’m really sorry I didn’t give a trigger warning for that lecture. I know you were just auditing for the day, but she seemed affected. If she ever wants to talk about it, can you let her know she can stop by office hours or the pub, doesn’t matter if she was enrolled in the class or not.”

This is all too apt and seeing it highlighted just does not feel good. Not in front of his friends. Edwin is glad when Charles steps in, changing the subject. “Hey, you expecting any trouble around here, professor? Might’ve seen a bad element head towards the offices just a ‘mo ago.”

”Thanks for the concern. Nah, security screens this building. Probably just someone blowing off some steam after an exam didn’t work out for them,” Gadling says.

Crystal is behind Charles, out of Gadling’s sight line, and is shaking her head furiously.

”Actually, you are most definitely right, professor. And Crystal told me about your lecture. Frankly, isn’t that part of the point of what you said today, not making assumptions based on appearances. Well, thank you so very much, we will be on our way.” Edwin says, internally cringing at himself. This could be the perfect moment for more deduction and a deeper conversation with the professor, but this is all too confusing. Why is Crystal so adamant that the danger has passed? They must regroup, lest they make Gadling suspicious. But between the wards and being able to see ghosts? This is much more than passing strange.

Dr. Gadling gives them a wave and a smile and heads towards his office. Edwin rounds on Crystal, but thinks before he speaks and moderates his usual tone. “Crystal, has the danger passed? What do you think that was?”

Crystal shakes her head, and the tremor spreads down her whole body. She takes a few steps back down the corridor to where they were sitting before and kneels down, swiping her finger on the ground. It comes up covered with a fine opalescent sand. Edwin races to her side and pulls an evidence bag out of his pocket, and she drops the grains inside, wiping her fingers furiously on the upholstery of the chair next to them, only calming when the very last trace has been wiped away.

Edwin seals the bag and places it in his pocket, and they follow Crystal finally away and out of the building.

Charles is the first to speak once they are outside. “Crystal, what was that even?”

Crystal throws her arms up, exacerbated, and still a bit frightened appearing. “I have no idea!” She shouts out before sinking to the ground. “I have no idea, Charles, but you and Edwin felt it too, right? It is what I think it would feel like to meet God, or the Devil himself. Or dearest Death who you have succeeded in avoiding. It was so much, like the universe was tearing and reforming around him, around it, whatever. And then the sensation was gone. This case is getting stranger by the moment. What do we do here?”

Charles looks at Edwin who takes a few steps forward towards them, offering a hand to pull Crystal to her feet. “I… I am not sure.”

Charles puts his hand on Edwin’s shoulder. “We’ll figure it out. Let’s keep a tail on Gadling and the Inn, especially tonight after the man in black.”

”Very good idea, Charles,” Edwin agrees.

”And I am waiting to hear back from a few new contacts in the supernatural community trying to find out who warded the Inn. Maybe I’ll get that info back.”

Edwin nods, ready to snap his notebook shut.

”And till then, I’ll keep being indispensable to this investigation, and the two of you can keep accumulating enough unresolved sexual tension that even random adults can see it from space,” Crystal adds, already walking away.

Edwin drops his pencil, and then hurries to follow Crystal, trying very hard not to look at his best friend and the surprised expression on his face.

Chapter Text

If Charles was alive, he would be really, really physically uncomfortable. This time, he and Crystal are the ones staking out the Inn. It still feels super bad, so he and Edwin are taking shifts. He pulls at the grass under the tree and is not moping. Not at all. He briefly thinks of asking Crystal what she meant back at the campus about the tension between him and Edwin, but he can’t bring himself to approach the topic.

Crystal however has no qualms in doing so, and they have been there mere minutes before she is leaning in, hands on her knees. “So, do you fancy him?”

”Crystal. I. Well…”

”Look Charles, I know we had a bit of a spark, but I’m serious. It was the beginning, when we could have been friends or gone the other way. And with all of my recent boy, demon, whatever, trouble, I think we’ve landed firmly in the awesome friends camp. So as your friend, you can tell me. Do you fancy him?”

Charles lets his head dip into his hands. “I dunno, Crystal. Back in school, I had a thing for a few girls I used to meet out at shows, but I always knew when a bloke was right fit too. They just always used to say that being bi was for people who couldn’t decide, or who wanted sex too much, ya know. And then, we were in Hell, and Edwin told me he loved me.” With this pronouncement, Crystal takes in a quick breath and leans in even more. “And I told him I loved him too, I mean he’s my best mate, but that isn’t what he meant. So I put the discussion off, but I want to figure it out, you know. I just don’t even know where to start. I can’t really talk about it now, but I’ve known him since the very beginning. He… he kept me company when he knew I was dying. We share everything and would…”

”Go to Hell for each other?” Crystal asks.

”Yeah. So, of course, I love him. But I don’t know if I fancy him. It was easier not to think that way, you know. Since I’m dead and all, never really had crushes, just spent all my time being angry inside, and the only thing that made me happy was Edwin and our cases. And working with Edwin on our cases. So I told him I didn’t know, but we have forever to figure it out. And now, with the Night Nurse on our side, it looks like we might. Have all the time. But I still don’t have any idea how to figure it out. What if we ruin it all? Like, my parents were in love at one point. They got married. And look at how that turned out? He hurt her. I would never want to hurt him, or you, or anyone who doesn’t absolutely fuckin’ deserve it, but…” He takes an unneeded breath to stop his rambling.

Crystal takes his hand, and if he wasn’t dead, he knows it would be gentle. “You know, I can see you’re best friends, but I also see how you both look at each other. Like you each hung the moon for the other one. I don’t know what love is either, but I think it might be even more than you going to Hell to save him.”

”He’s the only person I could do that for. It was so fucking terrifying.”

”So you did that, the grand gesture. But there is more, and I see it. I think it’s also telling him your stupid jokes and him actually smiling. And trying to comfort and help him when he is struggling like today. I doubt either of you thought much of your emotions for a long time. I mean you both had ridiculously violent deaths for fucks sake, but those feelings, they didn’t die with you, Charles.”

Charles rubs his face and smiles at Crystal. “You really are a good friend. Don’t know if you’re a good kisser, couldn’t really feel your lips, but you are absolutely a great pal.”

Crystal beams. “Right back at you, ghost boy.” She opens her mouth to speak, and then clamps it down suddenly, gesturing towards the second floor of The New Inn, where a crow is perched, looking around and then tapping at the glass. Charles sees the window open and Gadling lean out, and the bird disappears inside.

”Oh no,” gasps Crystal, and before she can say anything else, her phone pings. She looks down. “Yeah, we’ve got our next lead from my source. Let’s get out of here. If Gadling is a witch, we are going to have big problems here.”

She and Charles cross the road and walk down the sidewalk glumly.

“So, he has a crow. What is it, a familiar? Wonder if he’s immortal too? We might have a repeat of Port Townsend on our hands,” Charles says.

They pass by a disheveled woman, combing through a garbage can. She looks up, eyes bright. “Goddamned immortals,” she grumbles.

Charles skids to a stop. “What did you say?”

”God damn fucking immortals in this town. They need to just leave me alone, but that balmy Gadling has been bothering me for years. And don’t get me started on that arrogant prig of a bookstore owner.”

”Doing what, exactly,” Crystal asks, eyes narrowed.

”Ever since the 1700’s, Gadling’s always tryin’ to help me. Here’s some money, Hettie. Or, you want a safe place to stay, or want some food, dear? Never givin’ me a moment’s peace!”

Charles starts to ask another question but he doesn’t have a chance. “Why am I telling you this, whippersnapers. Get gone. Get off of ‘ol Mad Hettie’s block.”

When Charles and Crystal hesitate she turns fully to them and bellows, “Go away!”

They don’t have to be told twice as they sprint back to the Agency, running from the past as much as from the present.

***

Edwin is mildly surprised to see Charles and Crystal so soon, arriving out of breath. “Whatever happened to you two? Snogging again?” He asks.

Charles is the first to straighten up. “Yeah, no. Bad news, mate. Gadling. We saw a big black bird fly in his window, and then we find out he’s an immortal.”

Edwin’s mind drifts dangerously close to putting him right back to Port Townsend, to that witches’ table. “Could he be killing students to keep himself young?”

”I don’t know. Like, there was this crazy old lady, ranting about him when she heard us say immortal. We were talking about Esther Finch and wondering if Gadling could be a witch. She seemed right mad at him, but blamed him for some things that actually sounded, uh, kind of nice? Like offering to give her food, money, and a safe place to stay. It was right confusing, that’s what it was.”

Crystal has dropped into her chair and is typing furiously on her cell phone. Edwin hears the sound he now associates with a sent message and a ping in return. With that noise Crystal is up again, like a shot. “My contact came through!” She announces in triumph. “Johanna Constantine. She’ll meet us tonight, Shit, real soon. I have the address.”

”Constantine,” Edwin murmurs, before turning to his bookshelf and drawing out a leather bound volume. “That name is familiar. It comes up again and again, during descriptions of exorcisms and banishment of demons. I believe it is an old line.” He flips open the tome and points to a chapter heading. “I do believe this may be quite the breakthrough. Thank you, Crystal!”

”Don’t thank me too soon, Edwin. Who knows if she will be willing to help. My contact said she is well known and not hard to get ahold of, but her services come at a price.”

Edwin wanders over to the safe behind them and twirls the dials. “Of late, we have been functioning more towards altruism, rather than payment. All part of our work to keep Death’s bureaucracy on our good side. So, I’m afraid we don’t have much. Perhaps four hundred pounds? Three hundred of which we need for rent in a week’s time.”

Charles reaches over him and gathers it up. “Well, we’re never in the wrong by being prepared. Something always works out where rent is concerned.” He hands the money to Crystal who folds it carefully into her purse.

As they head out, Edwin touches Crystal’s shoulder. “Are you all right? Charles and I do not need rest. You are not like us, you must be very tired.”

She looks surprised, and then touched, before her gaze turns mischievous. “If I didn’t know better, I would think you like me, Edwin. Nah, I’m OK. All the adrenaline. And since my memories returned, I know I’m absolutely used to pulling all nighters. With more drugs in my system, yes, but I think I’ve still got the skills.”

Edwin nods, and sees a look cross Charles’ face. It looks fond, and, well, something else. Something he can’t quite parse. And the focus is the case, so he sets a quick pace, missing the ability to travel by mirror when Crystal is in tow.

It isn’t long before they are standing in front of a cathedral in an old part of town. As they begin to look around the square, a figure steps out of the shadows. This must be the infamous Constantine then. She is younger than Edwin expected, late 20’s or early 30’s perhaps, and dressed in a white trench coat. Very dapper. She stands still, an expectant look on her face.

Crystal moves towards her, still keeping her distance. “Hey, uh, I’m Crystal Palace. You must be Johanna Constantine?”

”In the flesh. Unlike those two you have with you. Didn’t mention you would be bringing a pair of undead twik bodyguards.”

Crystal gestures to them, “That’s Charles and Edwin.”

Edwin pulls himself up to his full height and strides quickly to stand beside Crystal. He must add “twink” to his notes for later research. Charles is moving forward into position at the same time. They really do fit together, um, work together splendidly, he thinks. When the silence extends, he is the first to speak again. “Yes. We,” he gestures at the three of them, “are the Dead Boy Detective Agency, and we appreciate you coming tonight.”

Constantine lets out a pleased sound. “Oy, yes! I’ve heard about you lot. Helping souls cross over. You got a lot of the undead business off my docket.”

”Oh, well, I am terribly sorry if we are…”

Edwin is interrupted quickly. “No, it is great actually. More time to get to the real bread and butter. More demon exorcisms, better payment, you are actually doing me a world of good. So, with introductions out of the way, how can I help? Crystal, you said it was about one of the buildings I’ve warded?”

”Yes. We were hired by a ghost of a former student. They wanted to make sure their professor is OK. They have some unfinished business they need the man’s help for, but his pub is warded to the hilt, so we wanted to make sure he wasn’t in any sort of trouble before we got them both in contact, through me. Though, he was able to see the boys, so they might not need me as their medium, or whatever,” she answers.

A smile is creeping over Constantine’s features, and Edwin does not like the look of it at all. ”You wouldn’t happen to be talking about the New Inn, would you?” She asks.

And yes, not a pleasant expression. This Constantine knows something, maybe a great many things about their case. Edwin jumps in again. “Why, yes it is. So I am assuming you warded it, and quite recently, I might add. Can you tell us what is after Galding, an ordinary professor, that needs your deft hand?” A bit of flattery never goes wrong, he thinks.

And unexpectedly, Constance lets out a loud, joyous laugh.

”What is so funny, I might ask?” And if it comes out a bit affronted, well, Edwin is very much not used to being laughed at. He is a serious detective, after all, and they have earned their reputation, thank you very much.

”Oh, you have no idea. There literally could not be anything funnier than Hobise being investigated by ghost kid detectives and a spunky teen psychic… I mean, this is what he deserves, flying under the radar all these years, and then gets married, and bam. It’s like a supernatural coming out party.”

”You seem to know Dr. Gadling quite well. Is he in real danger?” Edwin asks.

“You’re sweet, you know that? Prickly as fuck, but sweet too.”

Edwin just glares at her.

Charles steps forward to employ his people skills, and Edwin is glad for it. “Ms. Constantine. We just need to be sure. Is he dangerous or is he in danger? We need to find that out for our client before we get them together.”

Constantine’s demeanor becomes a modicum more serious, but she still has a wry glint in her eyes. “I mean, I wouldn’t mess with Gadling, but he’s a good guy. You can take my word for it.” The wicked smile is back. “And he does get into trouble from time to time, you can take my word for that as well. But nothing that should impact your case.”

And Edwin has had it. Normally Charles is the one with the temper, but with all of these roiling emotions at the forefront of his consciousness the past few days, or weeks frankly, his patience is shot, and he needs a straight answer. He is a professional after all, not some child to be coddled. “Well, we don’t know you. Not at all, do we? So how are we to take your word? Did you know that he is immortal? And seems to have a crow familiar? We had a recent case where those two things added up to a witch killing children to stay young, so you will forgive us if we want to investigate for ourselves.”

The exorcist across from them mutters with no small amount of glee, ”Oh my god, wait till I tell Matthew.”

”So, we have funds. Do you have any ability to give us advice on a binding spell, so that we can interrogate Professor Gadling and make sure it is quite safe?” Edwin finishes.

Taking a step towards him, Constantine’s expression takes on a serious tone. “Absolutely not kids. If there is one thing you don’t want to do in the Inn it’s a binding spell. Not my story to tell, but he wouldn’t appreciate it, and neither would his partner. Look.” She sighs heavily, “Hob isn’t my friend, I don’t have friends, but he’s the closest to it in a long time, and I can barely waste a good drinking buddy. I know he would want to help you, and obviously, he and I can tease and take a bit of the piss out of each other. So here.” She rummages around in her bag pulling out a glowing green bottle. “Five minutes of truth serum. If you,” she deliberately looks at Crystal, “can get through my wards. Ghost only I might add, if you fuck up the others and I have to re-do them, you are in big trouble. So if you can get in and slip him this, well then, have at it.” The smirk is back in force, “And you can tell him it came from Jo, and he owes me a bottle of Macallan.”

Edwin blinks, a bit owlishly, he is well aware, and accepts the potion, tipping it to and fro in its bottle.

”Oh!” Crystal blurts out, “one more thing!”

”Ah, yes!” Edwin roots around in his pocket, producing the plastic bag of sand. ”I hate to keep bringing this up,” he isn’t sorry in the least, “but are you very sure that Professor Gadling is not in trouble? We saw an apparition, and it left this behind.” He holds it up towards Constantine.

She shakes her head slowly. “Now that. You don’t want to mess with the Sandman, kids. Not unless you want nightmares forever.”

Charles steps forward, ever the protector. “Is he fuckin’ with Gadling?”

Constantine’s glee doesn’t fade. ”Hmm… you could say that, but trust me. That is not my story to tell, and you want to get nowhere near that line of questioning. It has no bearing on your case. Hob isn’t in danger from Mr. ‘Bring Me a Dream.’ If you can steer clear of that sad sack goth, the better for you all. I wish I could avoid him. Moody motherfucker.”

”But if we ask Gadling, how can we be sure this bloke isn’t playin’ him like a fiddle, messing with him?” Charles asks

”Well, he might be doing that regularly, but there is such a thing as consent, children, and I am not going any deeper into this conversation with you, thank you very much. I do not need to think about that one little bit. As pretty as they both are.” She steps back, pulling her gaze up to look at each of them in turn. “That’s all I got Scoobies. Please don’t think you can bother me all the time, just cause you’re cute and going to give me something to hold over Gadling forever. Bunch of meddling kids getting through his wards and interrogating him about the Lord of Emo and Eyeliner. Fuck me, this really is the best thing to have happened to me all year.”

Edwin and Charles look at each other, puzzled.

Johanna gives them one final, sharp grin and turns away. As she passes Crystal she leans in to speak to her alone, but Edwin hears the words clearly. “And kid, you’ve got guts, I like you. Just remember, we can’t just bury our demons, we’ve got to face them. When you’re ready you’ll know what to do. You can come find me then, yeah?”

Crystal nods her head, eyes the slightest bit panicked, as Constantine slips back into the shadows cast by the statues on the facade of the cathedral.

”What the fuck was that?” Asks Charles.

Chapter Text

They are outside the New Inn, again. Edwin is leaning against that damn tree, and Charles, well, he has his cricket bat out and is standing in front of his friend, both of them staring intently at Crystal as she concentrates, hands held out in front of her. She mutters something that sounds like a string of expletives, and suddenly, her hands are filled with blue light. She gasps, and the sound turns into a laugh. She spins around, expression full of glee. “Did it work?”

Charles takes a step forward, and then another step. “Wicked!” He yells and motions to Edwin who is at his side in an instant.

”Well played, Crystal. We can not hesitate though. So we all know the plan?” Edwin says.

Charles and Crystal nod, and as one they start to approach the inn. It feels fuckin’ fantastic not to have that sense of heaviness and dread. Charles moves through the door, and he is inside! Edwin appears next to him and starts looking around the bar as he moves to the door to let Crystal in.

They reconvene and move toward the door in the back of the inn that they know leads upstairs to Gadling’s flat. Charles is the first through again. He takes his role seriously and won’t let anything get through him to the others. He didn’t trust that Johanna Constantine one bit, she just seemed entirely too smug, and despite her reputation, Charles is done with tricksters. Feline, crow, or exorcist, it doesn’t matter. No one is going to mess with his friends. A tricky bastard is what got them trapped in Port Townsend, and he will be damned if Edwin, or Crystal, is ever put in a position like that again.

He opens the door, and they head up the stairs until they come to a metal door with yet another key card entry.

“Geez, what is this guy trying to keep out?” Crystal asks, in whispered tones.

”Or in,” Edwin says, and Charles can see his unease and knows his friend is as unsettled as he is with the strange turns of this case.

Undeterred, Charles crosses the threshold stepping into a warm and welcoming space. He slowly and quietly eases the door open. Crystal has her hand on Edwin’s shoulder and he places one of his on her back as they all pass through a foyer into what looks like a sitting room. Edwin lets out a small gasp as he gets a good look at all of the bookshelves surrounding them, filled to the brim with ancient tomes. Charles would usually delight in his friend’s expression, chuckling fondly at his wide eyes and open mouth, but not tonight. Tonight he is on a mission. He looks around trying to figure out which room might be the bedroom, but before he can take another step, a door is flung open with a crash, and Gadling skids into the hall, dressed in a gray t-shirt and plaid sleep pants, and brandishing a fuck all giant sword.

He takes a step towards them, and Edwin and Crystal step back slightly as Charles moves forward and twirls his cricket bat. He wishes desperately that he had fished around in his bag for his sword instead, but how could he have known that the mild mannered professor would have an absolute batshit crazy weapon in his flat? Let alone seem to know how to use it.

Gadling shakes his head and blinks, looking at each of them in turn, recognition moving across his features. As Charles is about to speak, warn him off, Gadling drops his sword, leaning it in the corner before bringing both hands to his face and rubbing his eyes and cheeks in seeming exacerbation.

”What are you three doing here? Guessing running into you at the Inn and the campus wasn’t an accident.”

Edwin does that ridiculously attractive thing where he squares his shoulders and saunters forward to Charles’ elbow. “Yes. We are the Dead Boy Detective Agency, and we have come at the behest of our client to make sure that you are well, given the sundry of warding on your inn.”

“Uh...” Gadling gets out, mouth hanging open.

”But after some observation, we are concerned. You are immortal. What life force are you draining to stay so young? We have it on good authority that you have been around since at least the 1700’s. We will not let anyone be harmed on our watch, professor. You can be certain of that.” Edwin says.

Charles looks at him and back to Crystal, who despite everything going on has a smirk that would be at home on Constantine’s face, and he knows his expression must be just this side of adoring. And who cares if it is. Edwin is brave, and brilliant, and they are going to solve this case tonight.

”Fourteenth century,” Gadling says.

”What?” Edwin asks, confused by the non sequitur.

“Been around since the thirteen hundreds. And frankly, I should be smarter by now. I knew there was something up with all of you, but I was too distracted hurrying to meet my partner. Who of course got called away before we could even see each other, so this is all around just an incredibly annoying couple of days.” Gadling takes a minute to study each of them carefully. “Now, if we’re going to have this conversation, I’m gonna need a cuppa. Want one?” He asks, shuffling towards the kitchen.

Edwin looks perplexed, but Charles moves towards the professor, to see what he is doing and keep him in sight and within reach. He wiggles his fingers behind him and feels a cool glass bottle drop into them.

’Well, Edwin and I don’t need any tea, being as we’re ghosts.” Charles says.

“Should’ve figured it,” the professor says as he waves his hand up and down in Edwin’s direction. “Thought that get up was a fashion statement.” He looks pointedly at Crystal. “Like her crazy coat. Um… Crystal, right?

”Right,” she affirms.

”Yeah, Crystal. You want tea? I saw you drink before so I’m thinking you’re not a ghost at least?”

”I’ll have some. Unless you have some of that lime soda stuff.”

Gadling looks up, and his face has a warm expression spread across it. “Not up here, unfortunately. Just the good stuff,” he says as he pulls over two tea tins and putters around filling the kettle. “And wow, ghosts. Gotta unpack that. Friendly sort, I hope?”

”We try to help those who need us the most, so, friendly enough. Except to evil doers,” Edwin says calmly.

”Fair enough. And you,” he looks at Crystal. “You’re not a ghost. Are you something supernatural too?”

”I’m human. And tea is fine. Black.” Crystal says, recognition as to what they are doing lighting up her face. She slips around to the other side of Gadling and starts to talk, mindless chatter about types of soda, and what snacks she missed when she was in America. Gadling prattles on with her, as he gets down two mugs. One that has a picture of Shakespeare with the text “The Original Drama Queen,” under the image, the other with Old English lettering spelling out, “Kiss the Professor.” Gadling slips a black tea bag into the cup with the bard on it and a chamomile into his own. He looks over at the kettle and Crystal makes some kind of exclamation, pointing at a picture on the wall which Edwin is studying in detail. Charles takes the moment of distraction to slip the green liquid into Gadling’s cup before turning off the kettle, filling the mugs with water, and bringing them over to the others.

”Hey! You can lift stuff?” Gadling asks.

”Of course we can,” says Edwin before looking expectantly at Gadling who holds the tea close to his chest.“

“So, like I was saying. That was my wife Eleanor. She passed in the 1500s, and I was a right mess after that, for quite a while. How long have you boys been around? From looking at you both, I would guess,” he points at Edwin, “1910’s,” and taking in Charles from head to toe he firmly says, “and late 80’s. Great jacket, mate.”

Their chins both drop and they gape as Gadling laughs. “Come on over to the table. And don’t look so surprised. Immortal and history professor over here.” They settle down and he finally takes a sip of his tea, removing the tea bag and placing it on a dish.

”So, tell me. Who is your client?”

Charles notices a faint green tint overtaking the whites of Gadlilng’s eyes and looks at Edwin. The count is on, and they need their best interrogator.

”Dr. Gadling, we will be asking the question for the next few moments. How are you immortal? What are you doing to stay young?” Edwin asks, steel in his voice.

“Nothing much,” Gadling says. “Just said I wasn’t going to die and never did. Easy as that. Death is just a mugs game, after all.” His eyes look a bit startled but Edwin continues undaunted.

”And your crow familiar?”

”That’s Matthew, my partner’s raven.”

Edwin’s does not let him get in another sentence before asking, ”And are you a witch?”

”Absolutely not. Got drown once as a witch, but they had it wrong. I wasn’t aging but I’m just your run of the mill immortal. Hell, I had nothing to do with magic for most of my life. Seemed best not to tempt fate. And then when there wouldn’t be any more witch trials because society moved on from all of that, well then I was worried I’d get nabbed by scientists and holed up in some underground lab, and what the hell did you do to me?”

”Ah, our apologies. We needed to know if you might be trusted. We slipped you a truth potion, compliments of Johanna Constantine.”

A flash of anger crosses Gadling’s face. ”Oh, fuck that asshole. I told her I’d pay her back. What the fuck. Well, if she gave you that potion, she must not have thought that you lot were a threat either, even after you dug through my wards and broke into my flat. Damn it, I’m never living this down.”

Charles looks to Edwin who is undeterred and wholly focused. His eyes are sharp and bright and this is always just so damn much fun, doing anything with Edwin, really. But competence. It’s fuckin’ hot.

”And why is the Sandman following you?” Edwin asks hurriedly, Gadling is certainly a talker.

“And fucking with you! Do you need protection?” Charles adds, still worried about what Constantine had said.

”Because.. fucking hell. Ugh. You are all too young for this conversation, and it is way too personal. ” His eyes are losing their green hue. “Look, you’re teenagers, you know how it goes, you’re not stupid. And I also know you need to stop asking questions about him, especially if I’m compelled.”

Edwin takes a quick breath in and almost involuntarily looks to Charles, holding his gaze. Nothing the professor is saying here is concerning, but why is he fighting answering questions about the Sandman? What is personal about it? Is it even worth going on when none of his answers are threatening?

Crystal is not placated. “Excuse me if I don’t go along with that. We saw him. The Sandman. I’m, well, I’m psychic, and he felt like stars colliding, like the world was just twisting around him and nothing was real if you got too close to him. It was incredibly scary, and I’ve seen a lot of scary shit. So sorry if I don’t believe the presence of an Eldritch thing like that is not worth questioning.” She moves to touch Gadling’s wrist, to read his mind. “I trust my own estimation over some washed up exorcist.”

“Hey!” Hob pulls up his hand, drawing away. ”He’s not a thing. He is a person. And he is the fucking love of my life.” And with that Gadling is looking over all of their shoulders and suddenly Charles feels it again. That unmistakable presence behind them. Crystal becomes pale and her lips draw together in a thin, worried line, as a deep and resonant voice, the kind that could literally flow between worlds, rings out.

”And you are mine, dearest Hob. Now will you tell me, my love, why these children have placed a compulsion on my consort?”

Charles freezes. Edwin’s mouth opens and closes. He moves his hand on top of Edwins’, keeping him close. He is ready to grab his partner and bolt if the danger is too high.

There are shadows rolling towards them from all corners of the room, creeping across the floor like tendrils from the heart of a black hole. The figure wears a robe with a plunging neckline. A robe that is fucking on fire. He steps towards Dr. Gadling and that voice again. Like everything Charles has ever wanted or feared or dreamt about. It is the sound of the universe ending. It is the sound of the universe being born again. “Edwin Payne, Charles Rowland, and Crystal Palace Surname-Von Hoverkraft. What brings you to our home?”

Charles thinks he might never speak again, lest it come out a terrified squeak, but Edwin, who has been through so much, finds his voice first. “We were retained by our client to check on the welfare of Dr. Gadling, so that he might help the aforementioned ghost with some unfinished business before meeting Death and crossing over to the afterlife. We are, as we told Dr. Gadling, the Dead Boy Detective Agency and this is what we do. And we do it well. We know Dr. Gadling, but who might you be?”

The slightest hint of a smile flits across the being’s lips, and Charles can finally look at him, really look at him. The shadows are drawing away the smallest amount, and he is back in the black coat that they saw him in on campus. But despite that, being this close, he is even more terrible and beautiful than before. He has a raven standing stock still on his shoulder. His eyes shift from a reflection of the night skies into a clear and expressive blue, bordered by sooty lashes that remind Charles of Edwins’. He has artfully tousled dark hair, and for all of the black, his clothing is rich and tailored. And he has his hand resting on Gadling’s shoulder, and Gadling has reached up and is rubbing soothing circles on the back of it.

He isn’t on fire, but he is still intimidating and very much not human as he says, ”You would come into my home and ask me my true name? You are bold Edwin Payne. You dream of hellfire and of a better future. Are you certain that you want to know more of the fabric of the universe? There is no unknowing it.”

Edwin nods. “Good detectives do what they need to in order to solve a case.” He looks to Charles and Crystal, and Charles’ heart swells. He maintains his hold on Edwin’s hand, whether to keep him from being sucked into hell, or those once again starry eyes before them, he isn’t sure. He then reaches across for Crystals’ hand as well. They are mates, and they are in this together. The three of them nod in unison.

”Very well. I am Dream of the Endless. Lord Morpheus. Ruler of the Dreaming, King of all Dreams and Nightmares, and the anthropomorphic personification of the subconscious of all beings that dream.” Charles’ eyes fall on Gadling who is, for god’s sakes, rolling his eyes. The man in black goes on. “I have been here since the beginning of time, when the first soul dreamed. I am the Prince of Stories, the Shaper of Forms, and I am the husband of the immortal human, Hob Gadling.”

This resolves absolutely nothing for Charles, except that this is an ancient and important being who, as Constantine had said, might be able to give them eternal nightmares if he’s pissed off. And is he angry? At them? He feels panic forming in the back of his throat but then hears a voice cut through the oppressive silence.

”Aww duck. I love it when you throw that last part in. As much as I like you all protective, don’t worry, I’ve got this. They need my help with a former student.” Hob lowers his voice, though Charles can still hear it clearly. “Are you done with that fucking fae delegation? I can’t believe they had the gall to try to call you back this afternoon.”

”It is dealt with. And they will not make that mistake again. To have kept me from you this afternoon was a miscalculation on their part, one they are now well aware of. Any affront to one of us is an equal affront to the other.” Charles can see the being glancing at them.

Gadling perks up, not noticing, or just blowing right by the malice flowing in their direction. “Yeah, after I met Titania at that post wedding banquet I knew they would be trouble. Don’t worry, love, I’ll wrap this up, and quickly,” he looks at Charles, Edwin, and Crystal with a serious expression before gazing up at his husband again. “Honestly, I’ve got to get back to bed. Weren’t we going to meet tonight in the Dreaming, specifically, your garden to, uh… to do that thing?”

And for fucks sakes, Charles thinks, what is this? Even if he’s immortal, Robert Gadling is just some guy. How did he meet the King of all bloody dreams? How did he get married to him?

”We were,” the Sandman replies, and now Charles is very uncomfortable, even more so than the talk of literal fae folk. He stares wide eyed at the way Lord Morpheus is looking at Dr. Gadling, like he wants to sweep him away this instant to the Dreaming, whatever or wherever that is. What might be even worse is that Gadling is looking back, pupils blown wide. It isn’t a fight or flight response either. He looks ready to eat the man up, but in a sexy way. And then Charles isn’t worried anymore, these two are disgustingly in love, and showing it pretty openly, which is kind of weird, for such old people.

Dream of the Endless steps back. “If you are certain, I will await you in the castle, dear heart. And the three of you.” His imperious gaze lands on each of them in turn. “You will do well to try no such deception again. Have I made myself clear?”

Chastised, like they are back in school, they answer embarrassingly, as one. “Yes.”

Gadling stands, and drops a surprisingly chaste kiss on his partner’s lips. ”I’ve got this, love.”

”I will leave Matthew here to escort this trio back to their homes when you are finished.” With a dramatic swing of his coat, Lord Morpheus turns and vanishes into a pile of glittering sand. The raven that had been on his shoulder swoops down, landing on Gadling’s instead.

”You assholes should see yourselves!” The raven chortles.

Charles flinches. Even Monty didn’t talk in his crow form.

”Matthew.” The professor snaps. “Be nice. He scared them enough.”

”Yeah, well these little punks kind of deserve it, though.”

Charles just looks at the bird and can’t contain himself. “Between you and Constantine, are all of the professors’ friends assholes?”

Gadling and the bird look at each other and dissolve into laughter, and the tension in the room breaks.

”Yeah, pretty much. My husband is a force of the universe, and as haughty as fuck and my best mates are a talking bird and a foul mouthed exorcist. The first time I met Dream, I was made immortal, when I met Matt, he gave me the shovel talk, and when I met Jo she drank me under the table, made fun of me, and we fell asleep on each other. And despite it all, people think I’m normal. So kids, you’ve hung in there and now you’ve got a clue. Go on. How can I help your client? Who are they?”

Edwin leans forward and Charles lets himself relax a small amount, his hand drifting from Edwin’s, down his arm, and over to the small of his back. Crystal has regained herself enough to take a sip of tea to cover her obvious smile. Life, or unlife, as it may be, is really never boring.

Chapter Text

It is late in the evening the next day and the Inn is starting to clear out. Kian is sitting across from Edwin, Charles, and Crystal at a back table.

”So the professors’ husband is like some force of the universe and that’s why the pub was warded?” Kian asks. “What is that even?”

”Above our pay grade,” Charles laughs and leans closer to Edwin, who can’t bring himself to pull away in the slightest.

“I can’t believe you did all of that to solve my case. Seriously though, thank you all so much for making sure Dr. Gadling was okay. He’s really important to me, and I still kinda can’t believe he can see me, and I’ll be able to talk with him.”

“We know that you wanted to protect your professor when you noticed the discrepancies, but if I might ask, what are you going to discuss with him that is such unfinished business that you stayed behind as a ghost?” Edwin asks.

”Sorry I didn’t tell you up front, but if it wasn’t safe, I didn’t want to put my partner at risk. And that’s who it’s about. My partner Ash, well she has been going crazy worrying about me. She really thinks I was murdered and it was covered up by the school or whatever. It’s sadly based in some truth of the world we live in. Things are still hard out there if you’re non-binary, or trans, or are just different in any way. But I want her to know that my death was truly an accident, and it was quick, and I didn’t suffer. I worry if she keeps down this path she’ll just be angry, and it won’t allow her to grieve and move on like she deserves.”

Edwin nods. Loved ones are worth fighting for. He looks at Charles, and thinks about that moment when he had first seen him, during his rescue from Hell. At the time he was struck by how stupid he was, risking it all, just for Edwin. He never thought that he was that worthy of love and care. He can understand why Kian wanted to take care of the person they loved.

This conversation is fostering introspection, especially since he now knows personally how it feels to have someone who loves him. It is the best thing to come out of his afterlife. He did not have that love while alive, and to have it now… Well, it is a gift and it must be treasured. And he will honor Charles, and not push, even though this whole experience, with Gadling, with understanding himself, has only made him more certain of his feelings for his best friend. He will keep him in his life in any way he can. Having a lover is not worth risking losing a friend. He glances at Charles, who is giving him that mysterious look again, and he smiles back as Kian continues.

“I know she’ll keep being an awesome advocate, but I don’t want her to always think I was the victim of violence. Knowing her, that would make it so much harder for her to get over the anger and despair. I want her to know I’m at peace so she can find that too. She trusts Dr. Gadling, he has been there for both of us, but she isn’t in any of his classes this semester, so I doubt he has picked up on how much she’s struggling. More so than just grief. I know he will be able to help her, or get her to the right people who can. I just love her. I’m going to miss her but as long as I know she’ll be fine, well then, I can rest easy.”

“Yeah, anger isn’t the way to go. I did die by violence, because I was sticking up for someone. I stayed angry for a long time, and I’ve only just started letting it go. I mean, I’ve totally enjoyed this afterlife, helping people with my best mate, but it left me blind to a lot of important things.” Charles’ eyes move towards Edwin, but pull away and down before he can fully make eye contact.

Edwin feels suffused by warmth. This has been a case worth solving, as strange as it became, and he is glad that they gave it their best. He is equally glad that Charles has been thinking about the anger surrounding his death. Charles had literally faced what Kian’s partner had been worried about: he was killed at school and his death covered up. Edwin does not know how he has held onto the pain of that, and his abusive family life, for so long and stayed such a good person… the best person he has ever known, honestly. This all seems so very important. To address difficult things in order to keep moving forward in their lives, or deaths, as it may be.

Now Crystal is talking, explaining the warding, and looking to Charles for context, as Edwin notices Dr. Gadling settling at a table nearby, waiting for them to finish. He gives Charles’ shoulder a pat as he slips away to the other table.

Standing by the table, hands folded tightly, Edwin blinks a few times and unclenches his jaw. This is a difficult conversation, but it will be worth having. Gadling looks up and gives him a small, fond look. ”Dr Gadling, I really must apologize again for my misperceptions and for using that potion on you. In retrospect, I crossed some boundaries I really should not have.”

“Edwin, it is really truly okay. Sit down. And it’s Hob. Please call me that, all my friends do,” Hob says. Edwin does sit down, sliding onto the bench seat opposite, and preening a little at the categorization as a friend of Dr. Gadling. He briefly wonders just what is going on with the perception of the patrons at the bar when those near them seem to be oblivious to all of the one way conversations, but that is not why he came over. Edwin just wants to understand a little more about the man in front of him. And his husband.

As if sensing his reticence, Hob reaches across and pats Edwin on the elbow. “You all have good hearts and do good work. Thirty plus years of detective work or not, you’re still kids, and you’ll get there. You would not even believe the mistakes I’ve made along the way. Some truly horrific things I will always be atoning for. But I’ve tried to make them right. Far as I can tell, you all are already on a much better path than I was one-hundred years in.”

Edwin looks over to the table he just vacated, and catches Charles staring at him. He gives a small wave. Hob chuckles. “I know those looks. So, detective partners, or partner partners?”

Edwin can’t quite meet Hob’s eyes, but that doesn’t matter, the immortal keeps chatting. “I’m not trying to be nosy. Well, maybe I am being a little intrusive. It’s just that something about you makes me think of my own feelings. Like I told you, I pined for Dream for over 600 years, though I maybe only figured it out for two or three hundred of that. But he was still the most important person in the world to me, even when I was only seeing him once a century. I wanted to live, and do things to tell him about them because he is the only one who has known me. The real me. And who would come back. That is beyond meaningful. But love… partnership… Honestly, it took him much longer than me. Some of that was rightly on him, and his own issues, but there was a lot of work to get there for me too. So we could be really good for each other. Yeah, it just takes me back a little bit.”

Edwin thinks about the fact that the cosmopolitan, open, caring professor in front of him started life as a literal medieval peasant, and it’s not jarring so much as inspiring. He was reminded in Hob’s class of the time period where he grew up, but he knows more than ever that he does not need to be a product of his times either. He can be proud of who he is. Actually, he is proud of who he is.

He holds his head up, meeting Hob’s gaze. “What changed things for you both?”

Hob is contemplative, thinking about his next words. “It took seeing each other, and ourselves especially, as people worthy of love. We cared for each other, but it could not be more than fondness on his part until he could let go of his baggage. And wow, did he have a lot. Like force of the universe stuff, but also interpersonal things. He had been cruel to those he loved, and quite often, they had not been able to understand him. He loves hard, and fast, and intemperately, and others could not match that in a romantic relationship. They would inevitably leave, and all he knew of love, really, was loss. Over millennia, I might add.”

”Well, that sounds terrible.”

”Yeah. It does. There were always people who loved him though, as friends, as his subjects, his family. Sometimes it’s hard to see it, but it was always there. And if you can be loved as a friend, maybe you can be loved and cherished in other ways too. Examining your feelings can be hard. Seeing that you are and can be loved can be harder, you know?”

Edwin nods. “I do know,” he says quietly.

Hob smiles at him softly, and looks towards the bar. Edwin sees that he is looking at Dream’s back. He is sitting there, perched somehow regally even from his position on a bar stool, deep in conversation with a dark haired woman with a riot of curls who is holding a bright green drink in a martini glass. Edwin briefly wonders who the woman is that she is so casually chatting with humanity’s collective unconscious. Where do these people all meet each other? Could she be a colleague of Hob’s, or has Dream just amassed a group of friends he meets for drinks? Neither seems likely.

As they both stare, the attention must have drawn Dream’s notice because he looks around and sends a very intense nod in their direction, and the woman raises her drink in a toast which Hob returns with his ale glass. And now, Hob is grinning ear to ear. He may have had the pining in common with Edwin, but he really is like Charles in the zest for life that he holds.

Hob chuckles softly. ”I’ve loved so many women and men over my lifetimes, in so many ways, friends, lovers, wives, one night stands… but no one like him. There is nothing like our love. He’s really it for me.”

Edwin feels a warm flush spread over his cheeks at this personal information. He tries to distract himself by running his hands over his coat. The attention draws Hob’s eye and he looks Edwin over. “Was I right? 1910’s?”

”I died in 1916. I was sixteen years old.”

”Aw, mate. That’s much too young.”

”It was.”

“Crystal told me you and Charles were with her in my lecture, in some kind of disguises, and that you were the red haired girl I saw. Again, I’m sorry about the topic of my talk the other day. Everything I talked about was going on when you were young, and it must have been a lot to hear. You honestly are very brave.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Edwin mumbles, suddenly bashful. “I am from a different time, but I am trying to not let that thinking about my innermost self, and what was not allowed to be thought, let alone said or acted on back then, impact how I feel now. It has been hard for me to change and to be brave. You seem very good at that.”

He looks up, and Hob is giving him his full attention as he continues to speak. “Charles and I have been running from Death for so long, sometimes I wonder what true bravery is. Really. I know Charles is very brave. He literally came for me in Hell. He rescued me. He wears his heart on his shoulder. But me? It has taken quite a lot for me to be brave about who I am inside. And what I feel for Charles? I just kept pushing it down and telling myself that was not how I felt. And when I finally told him? That I loved him, as more than a friend? Well, were were moments away from being drug back to Hell and tortured for eternity. I don’t know if I am brave enough to let others see the real me, who I am inside, because I worry I’m trying to hide it again. Badly, I might add.”

Edwin’s voice drops, “He was so kind about it and told me he loved me as his friend and that we had all the time in the world to figure the rest out. But I am still just learning myself, as a person. And, if you can believe it, It is just recently that I don’t feel shame about my desires.”

”Tell me Edwin,” Hob says gently. “You mentioned trying to let others see you. So, who are you, inside? Because from the outside, I think you seem pretty great. A helper, an intellectual, a good friend.”

”I try. I am a detective, I am a good friend, I am empathetic, even if I don’t always seem to be so. I am a scientist. I am a survivor. I was tortured seventy years in Hell but I found an escape and saved myself, even before I was saved by Charles. I’m a boy who likes other boys. And most importantly, I’m someone who desperately wants to stay here with his best friend. Because even if Charles never loves me, as I love him, I want to be his friend always. He is too special to me to let that go.”

He takes in a deep breath that only stutters a little bit. “Dream, your,” Edwin hesitates, “your husband. You said before that you were friends first?”

“We were, though he wouldn’t have called it that. Came around every hundred years to ask about my century. Still, he became my North Star of sorts in this crazy world. I looked forward to our evenings so much. But once we were brave enough to let each other know about our hopes, and desires… that friendship changed into something deeper. As I said, I have never known such peace, such utter love and adoration. I mean, it’s not easy, but it is always, always, worth it. And yet another reason Death is a mug’s game.” A self indulgent look crosses his face.

Edwin senses movement at his side and sees Charles has stopped at their table. He budges over on the bench seat and the other ghost drops down, and sprawls out, half in Edwin’s space. “Heard you talking a bit about Death. So, Dr. Gadling…”

“You can call me Hob, Charles,” Hob corrects as well.

“Okay, Hob. You ever met Death? I mean you’re immortal, but do you like die and come back? If so, you must’ve kicked it at least a few times.”

Hob lets out a snort of a laugh. “Oh yeah, more than a few times, Charles. Fought in a few wars, and had some bad luck from time to time. Like I told you, I was even drown as a witch once. That is not the way to go, let me tell you. So, I guess I met Death even then, but she didn’t collect me. I don’t remember it, but afterwards, I would feel pain, but also surrounded by love.”

“So you really won’t die unless you ask her to come for you?”

“Yup. And I never plan to. As long as the lights are on here on Earth, and there is something new to learn about, you’ll find me here.”

Charles sighs. “I know we are working to solve cases for her like, underlings, but I still worry about it. If we don’t do a good job, or take the wrong kind of cases, will she be waiting there for us? I’ve never actually seen her. Just heard the sounds of her wings. The few times I caught the outline of her form as I hightailed it away.”

”What would you ask her, if you stayed around and met her, that is?” Hob asks.

“Oh, I’d never stick around, fraught thing, innit? Too scared she would take each of us to our afterlives and split us up.”

“What makes you sure you’ll be split up?”

“Well, no one knows what happens after we die, but I doubt we just get to keep on hanging with our friends. And well,” Charles looks at Edwin who nods. “Edwin died when he was sacrificed to a demon, and because of that, even though he is a right good guy, he was taken to Hell when he died. He didn’t deserve to be there, but he spent seventy years there anyway being tortured in an awful way. If that could happen, well, all of the assurances in the world don’t matter.”

”One of Death’s helpers who finds the souls that go missing, the Night Nurse, looked at her paperwork and couldn’t tell where Edwin was supposed to be, even though she didn’t think it was fair he was in Hell. So when a fuckin’ hell beast caught up with us, and drug him away, well I went there and we escaped, but damn. It was so awful. And maybe that’s been straightened out, but I don’t have a lot of trust in that. Not to mention, there is no knowing what comes next. And we gotta stay together.” Charles punctuates the last sentence by slapping his hand on the table. Edwin slowly places his hand on top of Charles’ and gets one of the other boy’s trademark grins in return.

Hob looks at them, and Edwin wonders if he broke the professor, as he is staring at them in total shock and surprise. Funny that this would surprise him, or “blow his mind,” as Charles might say, after all of the uncanny truths about the nature of the universe he seems to know, including his otherworldly husband.

Everyone at the table is silent for long minutes, until Hob blinks a few times and nods his head, as though he has made a very serious decision. He smiles softly and turns to Dream. “Hey Dream, honey. Want to bring your sister over? I have two boys she really should meet.”

Edwin is confused. Sister? Well that makes more sense than one of Hob’s work fiends. He watches them carefully. Dream gets up in a movement almost feline in its grace, and is followed by the preternatural movement of his dark skinned companion who has an equally beautiful, yet much friendlier, face. She also has an uncanny familiarity about her. Edwin stands as Dream approaches; he does not know the etiquette of greeting the King of Dreams and Nightmares.

“You may sit, Edwin Payne,” Dream of the Endless says in that night black voice of his as he sits down across from Edwin, beside Hob.

“Hi boys!” The woman chirps, sliding down into the booth beside Edwin as he regains his seat.

Edwin nods in greeting, assessing their new arrival.

“Hi!” Charles says right back. He is looking at the woman with instant affection that Edwin really does understand, after all, she feels so familiar, like an old friend you haven’t seen in a while.

“You’re Lord Morpheus’ sister? So are you like, nightmare?” Charles asks. Her smile widens. “Wait, I think he said he was King of Nightmares too, so I guess not. I mean, not that you look like a nightmare, you’re right fit, and OK, I’m going to stop talking now.” Charles plasters himself to Edwin’s side and snaps his mouth shut.

Edwin chuckles, it feels good to be finally loosening up again, settling into whatever this new thing is between them. And it actually is easier, the more stories he hears of other relationships with impossible odds, well, this may work out, or it may not, but no matter what happens, any way they find to be together, best friends forever, or boyfriends, or still astoundingly to him, husbands…. Well, whatever will be, will be, as Charles likes to say, brills.

“You’re cute. But the two of you have always been cute. And super helpful!” The woman says.

Edwin looks up quizzically. Dream seems to know everyone. Perhaps his sister does too? Hob is looking rapidly between Edwin, Charles Dream’s sister, and Dream, as stoic and impassive as ever, before letting out a huff of air. “Dream, baby,” he says, and Edwin almost laughs at the ability to call one such as Dream of the Endless, “baby.” “Are you going to introduce your sister? We owe it to them.”

”Yes. Indeed. Edwin Payne and Charles Rowland, I would like to introduce you to my dear sister, Death of the Endless.”

Charles freezes. Edwin’s posture immediately sharpens, his muscles are immediately on edge. He puts a hand between, can it be, the literal personification of Death and Charles. His Charles. Before he can move further, as though she knew exactly what their reaction would be, Death holds both hands up placatingly. “Don’t worry boys. I’m not taking you anywhere. I know what you’ve been up to in your afterlife, and it is good work. I’ve been a big fan of you both and what you’ve been doing ever since you met. It’s been pretty much my favorite thing to watch recently, now that the Dream and Hob pining extravaganza has moved on to them being married and boring.”

“So, you have not been pursuing us?” Edwin asks.

“Nah, not really. I mean if I’d actually run into you on one of your cases, or in the park or whatever, we would have had a very serious conversation, but as you can see by my friend Hob over there, the world isn’t just black and white. And having some things, some people, that are different, like best friend, teen, ghost detectives, is what makes it so wonderful. And you’ve been finding people who actually want to cross over. And helping them! You two are good apples as far as I’m concerned.” She moves back a small amount to better capture Charles’ gaze. “I am sorry though that you were afraid I was going to come for you. I should have told you that you two had a hall pass.”

Hob motions to Death’s neon green drink. “Speaking of apples, want another appletini dearest Sister-in-Law of the Endless?”

“Nah, I’m good. Gotta run soon.” Death responds.

“You know,” Hob says conspiratorially to Death, “they are worried that if they don’t do a good enough job you’re going to come for them, and split them up and toss poor Edwin back into hell.”

“That doesn’t sound like me, does it Hob?” Death asks. She turns back to Edwin and Charles. “You know, I’m omnipresent but not omnipotent, especially when it comes to Lucifer’s dealings. I’m going to be having a meeting with them soon, and I am going to demand an assurance that what happened to Edwin won’t happen to you, or anyone else, ever again. Lucifer’s demons way overstepped into my function. It wasn’t fair, and I am so sorry that I didn’t know.” She puts her hands out, and carefully Edwin takes them in his. “I am so sorry, Edwin.”

Edwin swallows thickly. “Um, yes. I… I appreciate the sentiment.”

“Look,” she says. “If either of you ever do want to see what happens next and follow me to the Sunless Lands, just summon me and make that request. Call it the Gadling Special.” She sends a wink in Hob and Dream’s direction. “Till then, well, you’re keeping things very interesting. Stay here, do good, and don’t worry that I’m coming to take you away. But also understand that most people find a very peaceful end when they follow me, and if you ever want that, I understand.”

She continues grasping Edwin’s hands. “Is that OK?” She asks. He nods, and she brings his left hand to her lips, laying a kiss there, that sparks blue and spreads briefly over his form. As he is trying to parse out what happened, he sees her do the same to Charles. Charles holds out his hand in front of him, studying it, before pulling Edwin’s closer to do the same.

”You’re under my protection now, you two,” Death says, standing and turning away towards the others who are also on their feet.

Edwin feels mostly the same as always, but something is the slightest bit off, like part of his essence, deep down inside himself, has been overwritten. It feels like a sense of peace in the very depth of his soul, and whether that is from the knowledge that he will not be forced to leave this plane, to leave Charles, or if it is from Death’s kiss, he may never know, but he is so incredibly glad for it that he feels tears prick at the corners of his eyes.

As he brings his attention back to the world around him, that is not all he feels. Charles’ hand is twined around his, and it is gripping tightly. Edwin can feel the warmth of his palm, the calluses on his fingertips, the smoothness of his nail as he strokes his thumb up and down over Edwin’s. Mere moments ago, this had been a dull pressure. He had known Charles had been holding his hand, but he has never felt this depth of sensation in touching another being since… since he was alive. He had forgotten what it felt like to touch. To really touch another. Goosebumps spread up his arm and he gasps, involuntarily breaking away in his shock and haste to stand.

He whips around to face Death eye to eye. She shrugs her shoulders nonchalantly, as if she hasn’t given them both two of the largest boons imaginable. “Hey, detectives need all their senses. Don’t worry boys I’ll be keeping an eye on you, but in a good way. Like I keep an eye on these two knuckleheads,” she looks at Hob and Dream, giving them an exaggerated glare.

Edwin can’t help it, he lets out an almost hysterical laugh, and moves within arms reach of Death herself and asks, “Can I hug you?”

”Aww, bring it in buddy,” She responds, and pulls him into the most magnificently warm embrace he has ever felt, at least until literally 2.5 seconds later when Charles wraps his arms around them both and oh… oh. He freezes. Charles freezes. Death steps away, leaving them with their opposite arms around each other’s shoulders.

He can feel the rough canvas of Charles’ jacket, and the strong and lean muscles of his upper arm and shoulders. He is embracing Charles in a way they have done so many times before but this is also ever so different. It is as if electricity is moving through his body. Death has returned the ability to touch, to feel, to them both, something that has been gone since their bodies ceased to live. It is more than he can process.

His reverie is broken by Death addressing them once more as she waves. “Be good! All of you! Got work to do. Remember Dream, dinner next week at mine,” she says as she vanishes into the ether, the sound of wings beating all that remains.

Edwin turns in Charles’ hold and they stand with mere inches separating them. Just then, Crystal runs over and grabs Edwin’s hand. He startles, but she doesn’t notice. “You guys looked busy with whoever that other supernatural lady was, but Edwin, I need you and your big brain for a minute.” She looks behind them, and if she notices the charged energy or strange demeanor she doesn’t say anything. “Hob, I think we’ve got Kian caught up on the backstory. You ready to meet with them?”

”I am. And seriously. How did I miss that kid following me around campus to the Inn. I mean,” he addresses his husband, “I must have been more distracted by your awful ‘Business Trip of the Endless’ than I thought. I was kinda mopey.”

”You must be more aware of your surroundings, dearest. And fewer ‘of the Endless’ jokes, if you please,” Dream chastises.

“I know, love. Guess we all learned valuable lessons, me especially. This has been like a regular after school special at my expense. You sure you can’t go over and menace Jo?”

“I will not,” He says with a fond smile.

“Worth a try,” Hob says, walking backwards towards Kian’s table with Edwin and Crystal.

“Though I certainly wish to,” Edwin hears Dream mutter.

***

Chapter Text

Charles can not stop thinking about embracing Edwin, and how he wanted nothing more in that moment then to turn in his arms and press his whole body against the other ghost and never let go. He hadn’t felt anything like that in over thirty years, and for it to happen with his best friend, the person he stayed in the afterlife for, made a beautiful symmetry. He can’t quite imagine what he would have done if Crystal hadn’t drug Edwin away. They had always been tactile, whether a hug, or a shoulder bump. Yes, they felt blunted, but was the purpose of the thing. Connection. But now… now he wants to do each of these things and more; he needs it like he used to need to breathe.

He sinks back to the bench, with a good vantage of the back of the pub where his friends and Hob are engaged in an intense conversation. He looks up and realizes with a start that there is a dark figure across from him, and he is sitting at a table with the personification of the entire human subconscious… not to mention probably the prototype of all goths, if he is understanding this whole thing right. So what else can he say? He lands on, “I really dig your look, Lord Morpheus.”

To his credit the being across from him doesn’t laugh. “Hob is on a first name basis with you. You may call me Dream. It seems that you have been helping my sister’s function for quite some time.”

”I guess so. It’s gone by fast though. These thirty years with Edwin. We’ve had a lot of fun. The drama recently has been a bit much, though.”

”I could sense it in your dreams. You have much unrest, even anger, coursing through them.”

”Yeah well, just coming to grips with the abuses in my past, the absolute shittiness of my death, and then my best mate gets trapped by some asshole Cat King and whisked away to Hell. Not a great time.”

”Yes. That sounds… difficult. I am deeply sorry you had to face Hell. There are more innocents there than is called for. I have righted some of my own wrongs in that vein of late.” He looks contemplative. “I am glad my sister will talk to Lucifer. She is probably the only one who can ensure that your partner, and others like him, remain free from Hell’s clutches. I would not petition Lucifer for this, they do not like me very much.”

”Oh, there’s a story there, innit.”

”Yes, a story of many millennia. It is an old rift. And also, I did not invite them to my wedding.”

Charles can’t help it, he shivers at the memory but at the same time wants to laugh hysterically at the thought of the devil being mad about a wedding invitation. It is heavy enough though, so you can’t really blame him for trying to lighten the mood, and there is one thing that he knows the Dream King likes. “So, you and Hob, huh?”

”Yes, me and Hob” Dream responds solemnly.

“Hob told us how you got together, sounds like he had it bad for you for a while. Um…” Charles does not know if he should ask, but when will he get another opportunity like this? I mean, this guy said something about being the Prince of stories, which means he knows how the stories go. All the stories. “How did you realize you loved him?”

”I also had something devastating happen to me, and I had great anger. On the other side of my tribulations, I met Hob. My feelings for him ran deeply, but I had not examined them. I realized after that experience, and his happiness in our reunion and forgiveness for past slights, that Hob saw me truly, not as a means to an end. He saw me as a person and wanted to know me. And he did already, he knew more of me than I was comfortable having shared; he could see through my pretense. And so I made a decision to move past the anger and fear that I would replay old and unhelpful patterns. I made a choice and decided that I wanted to acknowledge my emotions and to even more so, act. To see what it would be like to love one such as Hob Gadling.”

“And what is it like? It sounds like you weren’t sure.”

“Deep down, I knew I could love him, but I was worried about what would happen. I have had more tragedy than success in relationships. I saw the good in him, the beauty and did not want to do anything to damage it. I had always seen the potential but I let myself be open instead of closed off. What I had to do most was allow myself to know that the stories do not always repeat themselves. Sometimes there is the ability to write a new ending.”

Charles notices that his eyes are now the black of the night skies, with the darkest depths of space reflected within, as he continues, “Also I knew that no matter what happened, if we listened to each other and respected each other, continued to evolve everything we had built over the hundreds of years of our acquaintance, we would still love each other even if our romantic entanglement did not work out.”

”God, it sounds like a risk. You had been friends for so long.”

“It was. And it did feel like that. But we tried, and we still try every day. We both had to be brave in a very new way, and we were rewarded with something much greater than either of us could have been on our own.”

”I like that story, Dream King. Real good one.”

”As do I, Charles Rowland. And maybe the beats of that story will repeat themselves.” His eyes flit to Edwin, who keeps glancing over.

Suddenly and imperiously, and as Charles is realizing is par for the course for Dream of the Endless, he rises motioning for Charles. “Come.”

Dream moves towards a jukebox. As Charles looks at Edwin, he can see that the conversation seems to be wrapping up too. Kian and Hob are hugging, and Crystal is leaning back in smug satisfaction of a job well done. It’s a good look on her. And Edwin looks like he’s about to crawl out of his skin, and only his professionalism, the important job of tying up all loose ends of a mystery, is keeping him pinned to the chair.

Charles looks down at the jukebox as Dream presses the button to flip through the titles. “Wow,” he says, “there are some really deep cuts here. Any 80s ska?”

Dream studies the titles. “I am not sure, Charles Rowland. I did miss some years of recent music, as much as music and dreams are connected.”

As Charles looks at the song names, he does notice a strong preponderance towards ones about dreams. Daydream Believer, Dream On, These Dreams, Don’t Dream It’s Over, Moonage Daydream, You Make My Dreams Come True.

”Are jukeboxes even still common?”

Dream keeps flipping. “Not particularly, but Hob does adore this machine, and especially watching what people chose to play. Hob has many songs here that he calls ‘tolerable crowd favorites,’ and then as you can see, his tongue in cheek homage to me. He only stocks music that he loves, and he does update the offerings frequently. He gets his records from a small record store in Soho called ‘The Small Back Room.” Of late, he has been catching me up on the music of the 1980’s, so there are many songs from your time.”

”Here,” he says as he points at the card he has stopped at. “I have been enjoying this genre of music of late.”

“Oh, brills! New Wave. I love this stuff too. And you totally look like I could’ve run into you at a gig back then”

”Perhaps I do.” Dream says before fixing him with a terrifyingly pointed look. “How will your story end Charles Rowland? Everything is set up for a singular finale.”

Under that gaze, Charles feels very small, but also very lucky for this strange experience. As Charles looks down, his eyes alight on a song title. Under the Milky Way by The Church. It reminds him of first meeting Edwin, how safe he made him feel in the most terrifying of times. He hums a bar “Wish I knew what you were looking for, might have known what you would find. And it's something quite peculiar, Something shimmering and white. It leads you here, despite your destination. Under the Milky Way tonight.” His eyes continue to search, the idea in his head forming and becoming bolder. Well, he thinks he finally knows what he is looking for.

Dream taps the coin slot, and the machine lights up. Charles grins, scans the titles one more time, and presses E-89 which just can’t be a coincidence. He wonders if Dream has other siblings who might have their hands in fate, destiny... well everything. Not going to ask the forces of the universe any more questions tonight though, so again, flippancy works. “You look like you dig The Cure?

“Wonderful choice, Charles Rowland.” He looks at him with a small, soft smile before pulling away and turning his back to Charles, literally stalking towards Hob and grasping his hand. He collects his husband, and they wander over towards the bar, and as strange as their story is, they also just fit. It’s uncanny.

Now it is Charles’ moment to smile as the strains of the song pick up. Edwin has at last stood and walked over to the jukebox. He has his hands clasped in front of him, seemingly unsure what to do. But, this time, Charles can be brave for them. He puts out his hand.

”Fancy a dance?”

Edwin drifts closer. “I don’t know if I know this one,” he says, an almost imperceptible tremor in his voice. But Charles hears it. He knows Edwin sometimes more than he knows himself.

”That’s all right. It’s one of my favorites. Came out right before I met you. Reminds me of us. Take a listen.”

Edwin comes with an arms distance, still not reaching out himself, so Charles does it for him, softly putting his left hand on his shoulder, and capturing that beautiful, fine boned hand again in his other, and Edwin responds, tentatively wrapping an arm around Charles’ waist. They start to sway.

“Whenever I’m alone with you,
You make me feel like I am home again.
Whenever I’m alone with you,
You make me feel like I am whole again.
However far away,
I will always love you,
I will always love you..”

Edwin’s fingers dig into Charles’ shoulder at the mention of love. Charles does not flinch, even though he can feel each of Edwin’s nails making contact with the flesh there. Instead, he takes his hand off Edwin’s shoulder, and runs it softly up his spine, settling at his neck and pulling him close, for a real bloody slow dance. And now, that’s right. He feels Edwin’s chest, solid and surprisingly broad against his own. There is no heartbeat, but it feels oddly warm.

“You feel it too, right?” Charles asks.

“I do.”

“I still can’t believe it. I mean, we’ve been reaching out for each other for years, and it was good enough, but this… This is brillant.”

“It is,” Edwin says, and he seems struck practically mute. Charles knows that he needs to fill in the missing pieces here, just like his brain used to fill in the gaps, imagining a solid presence when he would lean into Edwin. Now he’ll lean in in a different way.

“I’m ready, you know. I’ve figured it out. I want to be your best friend, but I think I would like to try that other thing too. Loving you, as a friend, and as something more.

“The expression on Edwin’s face is almost identical to that moment he bravely revealed his feelings on the steps of Hell, when he had trusted in Charles to lead him out, and Charles had trusted him to follow without faltering or looking behind for a moment. He needs to trust like this now as Edwin says, “It’s all I could hope to hear, Charles. But I’m afraid. What if it doesn’t work out? I can’t lose you.”

“I’m scared too. But mate, something about this feels like it’s supposed to be. You were right brave to tell me. And I think I can be brave too. I know I won’t lose you. And I know that my anger won’t make me like my dad. I’m better than that. You helped me be better than that. And also, I know that we will always be friends, no matter what.”

Edwin’s eyes are darting around the pub before coming back to his own. “And what about Crystal? I thought you… and her..”

Charles glances to Crystal and she is looking over at them with about the sappiest expression imaginable. “Yeah, we’re friends. The relationship thing didn’t work out but we’re still friends. See? Just like you always say, proof of concept.”

Edwin lets out a little chuckle, or is it a sob? Charles can’t tell, because he is leaning forward, and Edwin is leaning forward, and their lips touch and it feels just like he remembers from when he was alive, but also better, because he is kissing the most important person in the world to him. Edwin’s lips are soft, and his cheek has the barest hint of scratchiness, and his hand traces the sharp angle of his jaw where he is now clutching his face, and he can feel it, he can actually feel it all. He lets out a small sigh, and his stomach burns, and he feels Edwin pressed up against every part of him, arms pulling him in and crushing them together, shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip, and it is so so so good. He has no idea how long they stay like that, lips exploring, moving somehow both fluidly and insistently as one. They hear something clatter to the floor from the direction of the bar and it is only that that breaks their reverie. They pull apart with a gasp and Edwin’s fingers float to his own lips, a surprised expression on his face.

“I’ve never felt a kiss before.”

”Well?” Charles asks, going for casual and missing by a mile.

Edwin smiles genuinely and wide. “I think it was wonderful.” His expression moves towards sly as he says, “Though, I think it may require some further investigation.”

“We’ve got all the time in the world, love.”

Edwin responds by diving back in, and this time is every bit as good as the first time. Charles suppresses a shudder as he feels Edwin’s tongue move along the seams of his lips. As in everything, the other ghost is a quick study.

This time, the interruption is a wolf whistle followed by a slow clap. They turn, still in each other’s arms to Crystal whose face is lit up by a smile. “About time, boys!” She yells out. Charles looks over at the bar, where Hob and Dream’s heads are tipped together, pleased expressions on both of their faces.

Charles turns to Edwin, pulling him into a tight embrace before letting go, and grabbing his hand with both of his, and heading towards the door. Edwin laughs brightly and he is brilliant, and maybe, just maybe, they will be even more brilliant together.

***

Postscript.

They have a bigger couch in their office now. When you can actually feel things, the hard wooden seats get a little uncomfortable. And with a couch they could do… things. Like what they are doing now, Edwin reclining against Charles, body bracketed between the other’s legs, just relaxing.

”Well, that case was a bit disconcerting,” Edwin says.

”When Death said we needed our senses to be the best detectives we could, I kind of wish she’d left the sense of smell behind. That swamp was gnarley.”

”Indeed. Still, I am glad we have a well deserved break,” Edwin says. And he can do things like this now, so he rises to his knees, and pushes Charles back into the sofa, simultaneously swinging his leg over to settle across his lap.

”So that’s how it is?” Charles asks.

”It is.” Edwin responds. Something about Charles like this makes all of his words fly straight out of his mind.

Just as he leans in to capture Charles’ lips with his own, he hears a loud pop.

”Oy!” Yells the mailman. “You two gonna be doing that, put up a sign or something.”

”You’re the one just popping into our office,” Charles says, annoyance warring with the hilarity of the situation.

”Yeah, well. Anyway. Here you go.”

He hands Edwin, who is now on his feet, an envelope.

He vanishes as Edwin holds it up to his face. The paper is thick and silky soft, and a deep black unlike anything he has ever seen. It is addressed, in gold, to the Dead Boy Detective Agency. He turns it around, and there is a golden wax seal, stamped with an ankh.

He runs to the desk, and before he can look around, Charles is at his elbow, handing him a letter opener. He cleanly cuts the top of the envelope, and another thick piece of paper slides out, followed by a small figurine in the shape of a bear. Edwin reads out loud.

”Dear Edwin and Charles,

Hope you both are well. Dream said he saw you around the pub again and that you both are the cutest thing. He didn’t use those words, Hob did, but still. Happy for you both!

Two things. First off, I had that meeting we talked about, and Lucifer knows it’s hands off you two, and that my team is going to be looking a lot more closely at the souls that go directly to Hell so nothing like what happened to Edwin happens again. At least they are still keen on my other siblings, the twins, because they are none too pleased with Dream and I, but that’ll blow over. They can’t do their job without us, after all.

Next, I wanted to leave you a clue to your next case. There is someone very important to you, who you think I’ve met, but I haven’t. Oh, what the heck…too cryptic. Niko Sasaki is out there, and I know you will find her! Ask Willifred (I think you call her the Night Nurse) for help though, you’ll need Crystal too.

Take care of yourselves,
With love,
Death”

Edwin’s eyes sparkle, with hope and tears. He grabs Charles’ hand and heads for the door.

”Now, this is a case. What a clue! Let’s go get Niko, this is just brills!” Charles yells, as they run out into the night to find Crystal and save their friend.

And Edwin knows they will. Together, they are beyond brilliant, in every single way that matters.

End.