Work Text:
Edwin had been through a lot. Going through the grief of losing his sister when he was alive, being ridiculed and lectured about the way he behaved, hell.
The last mirror travel from Port Townsend was harder than usual. He took one more look at Niko's empty room before he stepped through. The room that used to be so vibrant and covered in posters. A room that was so perfectly Niko.
Seeing her things packed in boxes, some drawings she'd left on the walls of the flat and the unread letters from her parents that would never be read broke him.
Someone he was so close to and held so dear to his heart was gone. He was somewhat grounded at the thought that she was living freely; somewhere in the afterlife with her father.
He couldn't do it. He stood in the middle of the room, trying to maintain his composure. He felt tears pricking at the corners of his eyes, until he couldn't hold it anymore.
He let the tears stream freely. Down his cheeks and to his neck. No. Ghosts shouldn't even be able to cry in the first place.
He heard someone approaching and he wiped his face with the back of his sleeve quickly. Of course, he wouldn't do that if someone wasn’t behind him.
“Edwin?” He heard a familiar voice from behind him.
Crystal was still cleaning the flat, making sure everything got to Niko's mother and extended family.
She stood in the doorway with her hands tucked in her pockets and cleared her throat. It was awkward just staring at the back of your friend's head.
“Uh. Are you okay?” She asked. Her voice echoed throughout the empty room, which only made him cry harder.
She stepped closer, and when she was to the left of him, he turned his head slowly to avoid facing her.
“Holy shit are you crying?” She asked. There was no hint of humor in her voice.
“God. This has really been rough on you hasn't it?”
He didn't mutter, or nod, he just stood and sniffled.
“Hey. I know this is hard to accept. I know what it's like to lose someone I love, but we have to learn to move on.”
Easier said than done, he wanted to say, but he wouldn't be able to avoid the shakiness of his tone.
“Niko was a good person. She was too fucking sweet for her own good. She was making me like those little people she kept in her jar and everything. She made me realize that the person standing in front of you in a line isn't a piece of shit if they take longer than two minutes.”
Edwin smiled softly.
“There he is. I know grieving is hard or whatever, but accepting it is the first step in everything. I miss her too, Edwin. She was a great friend, but I know she's even happier where she is now.”
There was a beat of uncomfortable silence.
He finally turned his head to look at her…Well…He had to look down a bit.
“Thank you, Crystal.” He said.
Crystal smiled and held her arms out. Absolutely not. His smile immediately faded.
“Aw come on, just this once?” She asked with a pleading expression.
Edwin sighed.
“Fine. Just this once.”
Crystal threw her arms around him. Edwin was stone still, but wrapped his arms around her slowly but surely.
Crystal sighed and let go.
“As much as you absolutely dread it, our job is to work together.”
Edwin rolled his eyes.
“Y’know what, whoever that Edwin was was way nicer.”
She cleared her throat and wiped her face with her hand.
“Anyway. I'm gonna get the rest of this stuff. Oh, and no one's gonna believe me if I tell them that Edwin Payne gave little old Crystal Palace a hug.”
He began walking towards the closest mirror and placed his fingers on the rippling glass.
“Hang in there!” She shouted, before he stepped through the mirror with one final ripple.