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A roar, followed by a loud clicking sound, rang through the forest. Edwin and Charles were facing one way, and Monty and Crystal facing the other, trying to see where it was coming from.
“We’ve not got enough purple stuff to get rid of this whole thing,” Charles muttered, slightly leaning against Edwin’s shoulder. The contact made the Edwardian ghost’s skin buzz, even buried under three layers of fabric, plus however many Charles had. God, how could he have not realized something like this sooner? Charles touched him all the time, and now he had to be going mental over it?
“If we can locate the point of origin, we can fell it,” Edwin forced himself to reply, keeping his voice steady. “We simply need to track it, and avoid being consumed.”
“Maybe we should split up,” Monty suggested as they all turned back to face each other. “Right? I mean, that’s like, the only way we’ll be able to cover ground fast enough.”
Crystal rolled her eyes, scoffing. “Wow, says every dead teen in a horror movie ever.”
Edwin's lips quirked in a bit of a smirk at Crystal's barb, her small comments somewhat endearing now. However, in this case, Monty was right. “The elemental poses little threat to humans. As such, we should pair ourselves up accordingly: one living and one dead per duo. Monty, with-”
“Charles,” the raven-haired boy cut in, attaching himself to Charles's forearm, right in the way of the torch Edwin was about to pass to his companion. “I'll go with Charles.”
Surprised, the ghosts exchanged a look, and Charles took the torch as Edwin moved to stand by Crystal, sighing softly. “Do be careful, Charles. Monty.”
Charles nodded. “You be careful, too, yeah?”
They split off in different directions, Charles with Monty, and Edwin with Crystal. Truthfully, he had not spent much time alone with the psychic, finding himself either with Charles or Niko a majority of the time. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but Crystal had grown on him and he would be… sad, to see her go. He did not suppose she would stick around after her memories returned, and if she did, she would die and move on and Edwin would have to say goodbye anyway. It would be an absolute shame when that day came around.
“So,” Crystal started, hands in her pockets. “What's goin’ on with you and Monty? Thought he'd be all over you, not Charles.”
Edwin sighed, studying the ground. “Monty… Well, as I am sure you know, Monty and I went for a walk together last night.” She nodded, so he continued. “He kissed me.”
Crystal's eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Oh! Wow, yeah. But isn't that a good thing? I thought you liked him.”
For a moment, Edwin wished he could've talked about this with Niko instead. She would've understood the conflicting feelings he had. However, Crystal had been in at least one bad relationship that they knew of, so she probably had other advice that Niko wouldn't have.
“So did he,” Edwin nodded, looking down. “So did I, for a short time. He is a good friend, but my feelings lie with another. I am afraid I did not exactly tell him that… politely.” He tugged at the cuffs of his coat, fidgeting uncomfortably.
Crystal cringed. “Yikes. That's why he's been acting weird all day, I guess.” Her expression shifted, a little more playful now, and Edwin knew exactly what she was going to ask. “So, if you don't like Monty, who exactly do you like? It's not the Cat King, right?”
This was a question Edwin very much didn't want to answer. He knew Crystal was interested in Charles, because of course she was. Who wouldn't be? The boy was… everything. He was smart, even if Charles himself didn't always agree with that assessment, and kind, and brave, and so incredibly good. Edwin had no business getting between them when Crystal was clearly who Charles wanted. She got in between you and him, a traitorous voice cruelly reminded him, but he shoved it to the back of his mind. It wasn't her fault his best friend was interested in her. They would work well together, for a while at least. Crystal would grow up, and Charles would not. Those were simply the facts.
He shook his head with a soft sigh. “I do not think I should say.”
“What, worried I'll tell Charles?”
Edwin stiffened, despite her teasing tone. Did she know? Worse, did Charles know and did he tell her? God, that would have been mortifying. Yes, he wanted to tell Charles how he felt, but he wanted it to be on his own terms, and maybe he never would at this point. Perhaps the other ghost would be disgusted with him just for existing, and maybe that was why he was always hanging out with Crystal. He knew Edwin’s feelings and was trying to avoid him as much as possible because it was wrong for boys to like boys. Charles hated him and would sacrifice him right back down to the pit-
Something must have shown in his face and posture, because Crystal was nudging him, a concerned look on her face. “I wouldn’t tell him if you didn’t want me to,” she offered, the worry evident in her tone. “I was just messing with you, honest. I am a little curious to know who’s caught your attention when you’ve got someone like him with you… ohhh. Ohhh.” Realization passed over her face, and Edwin wanted to sink through the ground and into the soil beneath their feet. He would have welcomed the feeling of being devoured by the fungus at that point, knowing his cheeks would have been an embarrassing shade of pink if he had been alive.
He kept walking, not wanting to deal with this conversation anymore than he had to, but then he realized Crystal had completely stopped. He turned and walked back, concerned. “Crystal-”
Her face crumpled, her head lowering into her manicured fingers. “I’m the fucking worst, aren’t I,” she mumbled, voice muffled by her hands.
He cocked his head, befuddled. “What in the world gave you that idea?”
Crystal looked up at him like he was stupid. “Edwin, I made comments day one about you two acting like an old married couple, and I still flirted with him- Oh my God, I kissed him! He looks at you like the sun shines out of your ass, and I just- Jesus, no wonder you hate me!”
Edwin sighed, grabbing Crystal by the shoulder to try and stop her spiraling. “Crystal, I do not hate you, not at all. I will admit, I was not pleased to have you around at the beginning, but I have come to appreciate your company. You are my friend, and I… I do not wish to stand in the way of Charles’s happiness or yours.”
The confusion on her face only grew, her hand batting Edwin’s away. “My happiness?! Dude, what about yours? Charles is- God, Charles is a great guy and I like him a lot, but we all know it wouldn’t work. I told him that yesterday morning, before all the stuff with Jenny and those two assholes jocks.”
Edwin nodded, brow furrowing. “I am well aware of that.”
“Then what the fuck are you talking about?? His and my happiness,” she muttered. “Fucking bullshit. Besides, like I said, he'd… he'd never look at me the way he looks at you. No matter how …distracting I was to him, you'll always be his favorite person.” There was something bitter in her tone, Edwin was sure of it, but he didn’t know how to ask why.
She didn’t even give him the chance to inquire before staring off again, walking at a brisk pace. He frowned, following after her as she bent down to grab a stick. “I'm gonna start poking at shit, see if that helps us find anything.”
Edwin nodded, following behind her in relative silence, watching as she poked at piles of leaves, looking for the telltale glitter of spectral fungus. He felt bad that his feelings had come out to her this way, all messy and dramatic. He did try to stay away from feelings in general for a reason, but what he felt for Charles wanted to burst out of his chest like a firework. He couldn't tell if it was good or not that they refused to be held back, to be hidden behind his ribs like a secret.
Crystal continued walking, heading into a small clearing, only to hold her hand out and stop him as she stared at a particularly suspicious pile of leaves. "Hold up." She bent down and grabbed a stick from the ground, using it to poke at the leaves. He almost said something about how she didn't need to be so careful and that he was the only one in any real danger, but her concern was,,, touching.
"Sorry," she muttered when the pile didn't glitter, as if it were somehow her fault. "Just don't want you to get super extra killed by this thing."
Before Edwin could give her a word of thanks, a different voice echoed off the trees.
"Tricky move, locking me out of your head! Did you really think that would keep you safe from me?"
Crystal stiffened, and Edwin could almost see the hairs rising on the back of her neck. "David."
She uttered the name like saying it quietly wouldn't let the being it belonged to hear her speak, but Edwin knew. Demons could always hear their own name, when it was screamed, when it was whispered, when it was hardly even breathed. It didn't matter that 'David' likely wasn't even its real name, it could still hear and know that you were terrified.
No one deserved to feel that terror.
Setting his jaw and swallowing down his own fear, Edwin stepped protectively in front of Crystal as she had done for him, though it likely did considerably less. The danger wasn't one in front of them that they could just avoid by stepping around it.
"So," he started, tugging his gloves on a little tighter. "This is the monster that decided to chase you halfway around the world. He seems like a bit of a coward, if you ask me."
Though Crystal gave him a grateful smile, Edwin couldn't help but shudder as the shrill sound of David's laughter rang through the branches. "You want to call me a coward while you're shaking in your 'knickers' at the mere thought of things like me? Tell me, Edwin Payne, are you ready to go back to Hell?"
The world seemed to tilt for a moment, the air taking on a red-ish hue. His breath hitched, the clearing suddenly full of mirrored pillars, David's face reflecting in each one. He was… uglier, than Edwin had imagined. It wasn't as though he found demons to be generally attractive, heavens no, but he had expected more from Crystal's taste. After all, she liked Charles, and it felt almost like a mockery for David to be in the same group of 'People Who Have Won Crystal's Affection'.
The demon screamed, laughing as it made Crystal immediately latch onto Edwin's hand and bolt, the psychic looking for a way out. There was none, two more pillars appearing in front of them, boxing them in. The gaps between the pillars were hardly big enough for a person to fit through, David's face surrounding them.
"Oh, you're beautiful, Crystal! I gotta tell ya, this is a good look for you!" Slowly, she released Edwin's hand, backing up within their small rectangle of mirrors. Her eyes were wide with fear, something about it making Edwin's long-dead heart twist and clench in his chest. He searched in his jacket for a brief moment, pulling out his notebook and flipping to a page. He'd written down a shattering spell, he was sure of it-
David's voice came back, cruel and snippy as before. "You really think you can save her, Edwin?! You think she deserves some type of hero?!"
"Yes!" He saw Crystal flinch in the corner of his eye, likely from his tone and volume. "I do think she deserves a hero, especially from the likes of you-"
David seemed to ignore him, taking in a deep breath through his nose as his attention turned back to Crystal. "Why the fuck do you smell so weak? What did you do? What the fuck did you do?" His words echoed and overlapped, one sentence starting before the last could even finish.
"I gave up my powers," Crystal muttered, and Edwin could see the faint sheen of tears in her eye, the light from the red air around them reflecting in the liquid. "I got you out of my fucking head, okay? You can't get in anymore, asshole."
Edwin's shoulders relaxed as he finally found the spell he was looking for, though David's voice continued to reverberate and bounce off the pillars.
"Crystal, get behind me," he urged, ignoring the way his spine wanted to shudder.
The look she gave him was one of desperation and fear, one he recognized so very terribly. "He's everywhere, I- I can't-"
"Yeah Edwin, she can't!" Edwin hated how the cruel tone of the demon's voice made her flinch. "Cause she just gave up the most special thing about her! Now, she's just another fucking terrified lump of human flesh!"
"You're right!" Crystal threw her hands in the air, something almost pleading in the way she talked. "I am no one now, I am nothing special, so why don't you just leave me the fuck alone!?"
"Y'know, maybe I will! This? This is also a lot of fun!"
Edwin set his jaw, his eyes going back down his book. His fingers tightened around the top of it, keeping the pages open as the leather of his gloves creaked slightly. He could feel it when David's eyes turned to him, the air sharpening.
"You really think you can help her with your stupid fucking notebook? You think you can rescue her from me?! You think this'll keep you out of Hell?! What will it take for you to learn you can't help enough people, you can't do enough good to keep you out of the pit?!"
Those words were cutting, biting into the crux of all of Edwin's fears. What if there was nothing he could do? What if he was always destined to end up back in those hallways, running until his feet bled and he could no longer fight? What if existing the way he had really just meant he was meant to be punished forever?
However, he also knew that this went deeper than that. He wasn't doing this to keep him out of Hell, he was doing this to help a friend.
"Yes, I do," he said coolly, his tone betraying the fear he knew Crystal and David could sense from him. "And if you think threats from a simple-minded ragger are going to frighten me? Then I doubt you've seen Hell at all."
With a practiced tongue, Edwin recited the spell, the pillars shattering and crumbling around them. The air returned back to normal, a calm settling over the forest. He tucked his book back in his jacket, and was suddenly pulled into a tight hug by a sniffling Crystal, her face buried in his chest. "Thank you," she muttered, almost inaudible.
Slowly, he put his arms around her, gloved fingers spanning over her spine. "David is a coward and a liar, Crystal. If he thinks you are nothing without your powers, than he has not met the girl who badgered me and Charles into taking a case half-way across the world with just her own stubbornness." He paused, pulling back with a wry smile. "And, Charles's enthusiasm for meeting new people, of course."
Crystal laughed wetly, wiping her eyes. "You really think so?"
Edwin nodded, his hands resting back at his side. "I know so. And if you ask Charles, because I know you value his opinion more than my own, he will certainly agree."
Crystal opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the sound of slow, almost mocking, clapping. They both turned to look, Edwin's breath hitching as his own eyes met a pair made of gold, resting above a sharp smile. Blond hair was slicked back, a furry yet sparkling jacket over his shoulders. A dazzling chandelier hung over the Cat King's head, seemingly attached to nothing.
"What a touching moment," he purred, his hands clasped. "Should I tell Charles you're both cheating on him with each other? I can't imagine that would go over well…"
Edwin immediately stiffened, his hands clenching into tight fists. "What are you doing here? I told you to leave us alone during cases."
That smile pulled down into a pout, the Cat King's bottom lip sticking out pathetically. "I'm only here to help, Edwin. I can't believe you would ever think I'd be here for anything other than something of incredible importance." His teasing tone dropped, the pout morphing into a grimace. "I mean that genuinely. There's too many fucking trees here."
"It's a forest," Crystal hissed, stepping in front of Edwin without any prompting. "Of course there's trees, dumbass."
Edwin couldn't help but notice that they'd switched places within a matter of minutes, her antagonizer replaced with one of his own. It was… nice, to be able to rely on someone other than Charles. Not that Charles was inadequate protection, not at all, but there was a certain comfort in knowing there were more people he could depend upon. And, well, Charles didn't happen to be there at that exact moment.
The Cat King sighed dramatically, swanning his way over. "You're really not going to let me share what I came all the way out here to tell you? It'd be such a waste of time on both our parts, and you wouldn't even be able to save Charles without it."
"What are you running on about?" Edwin scoffed. "Charles is perfectly safe, he is with Monty."
That, for some reason, made the Cat King double over with laughter, and suddenly, Edwin was no longer quite so certain in his own words. Charles had to be safe. Besides, he knew how to take care of himself in a jam, didn't he? The Cat King was clearly just trying to rile them both up and get on their nerves.
Except, Edwin wasn't sure, and after exchanging a look with Crystal, he could tell she wasn't either.
"Oh my God!" The Cat King finally righted himself back up, wiping a tear from his eye. "You- you really have no clue what he is, do you? You don't know that you sent your precious 'best friend' straight into a trap!"
Crystal glared and pinned the Cat King to the trunk of the nearest tree, moving before Edwin even had the chance to stop her, not that he would have. "What the fuck do you mean by that?!"
Edwin was already preparing a binding spell in case the man was uncooperative, which he was as he poofed out of Crystal's grip, strolling away in the form of an orange cat. Edwin had the spell looped around the Cat King's neck before he could get too far though, and the feline shifted back into human form.
"Y'know, Edwin, if you wanted to collar me, all you had to do was ask."
Maybe before, that comment would've phased him, but not when Charles could be in danger. "Enough flirtations. What do you mean, Charles is in a trap?"
The Cat King just rolled his eyes, looking down at his nails as if there was something interesting on them. "Monty? He's Esther's crow. She made him into a boy, and now Charles is right within her clutches. All thanks to you. I mean, you two were the ones who wanted this case, weren't you?"
Edwin's heart had stopped long before that moment, but those words could've killed him again had he been living. He thougt back to Esther's house, right after they saved Becky, how the witch had yelled back inside, had said Monty's name. It was there the whole time, but Edwin had never even seen it. And now Charles was going to be taken from him forever.
The spell went limp in his hands, dissolving as Edwin released it. "Crystal, we need to leave." He turned on his heel, moving forward. Crystal's footsteps sounded behind him, leaves crunching under her boots. However, the Cat King placed himself right in their path, no longer quite as smug as he was.
"Where do you think you're going? Am I not entitled to a bit of thanks? I could've left you two high and dry, but I came out to this terrible forest instead, just to give you information you didn't know you needed." He leaned forward, gold eyes flashing as his tongue briefly swiped over his lips. "Besides, the second kiss is always so much better than the first."
Edwin scowled, pushing past the Cat King harshly. "As that may be, we have a friend to find. You can consider my decision to free you as thanks for your information. Whether you think that an adequate payment is no concern of mine when Charles is in danger."
There was an audible smack in the air as Crystal walked past the Cat King, her shoulder hitting against his.
"I am not someone to be dismissed, Edwin! If you leave right now, that bracelet is never coming off, and I will stop playing nice! I will stop fucking playing nice!"
Edwin just kept walking, Crystal at his side. He might regret it later, but at that moment, he was focused on one thing and one alone.
\\\\
Walking with Monty wasn't necessarily bad, but it was quiet. Charles was used to there being a bit more chatter when he was with someone, and it was a little odd to be left without another's voice. Really, he didn't know why the other boy had chosen to go with him when he seemed to like Edwin so much more. However, Charles could tell there was a sort of nervous energy to him, like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, frozen as he watched his dad pull off his belt, anger in the man's eyes-
Okay, maybe that was more of a personal experience, but he couldn't deny the slight fear he could tell was coming from the boy.
"Not a huge fan of the woods?" Charles asked, finally breaking the silence. Then, he scolded himself for the stupid question. Of course Monty was worried, he just lost his Edwin! That was never a fun thing to go through, and no matter how many hostage situations the brain of the Dead Boy Detective Agency found himself in, it never got easier for his partner.
Despite this, Monty still shook his head, turning to face Charles as they walked. "No, I am. I just… just wanna find Gladys, y'know? I don't want the whole 'getting devoured by ghost fungus' thing to happen to her."
Charles nodded, trying to give him an encouraging smile. "Don't worry, mate! Edwin and I have loads of experience finding people, and I'm sure Gladys is still okay." He wasn't sure of anything like that, and he could tell Monty knew that, but neither of them commented on it. Believing a lie was often easier than the truth, and Charles knew that more than most.
Quiet blanketed them again, and Charles felt Monty's eyes on him, glaring.
"What does he even see in you?" He heard Monty mutter softly as the boy looked away, kicking at the ground. A sense of confused guilt Charles couldn't even explain settled in his gut, and he too looked at the ground.
After another minute, Charles tried again. "So… astrology, yeah? What’s all that about?"
Monty rolled his eyes, likely at Charles's poor phrasing. However, there was something a little excited in them, something Charles recognized from whenever someone would ask him about a band he liked and give him an opportunity to talk about them. "It's about a lot of things. People, mostly. Finding patterns in their behaviors, discovering what kind of personalities are compatible with you, that sort of thing."
Charles hummed, nodding along as Monty talked. He knew a bit about the kind of astrology his mum believed in, jyotisha, but it was clear to him that Monty was way more passionate about the subject than she ever was.
"So, if I was born in May, that would make me…?"
Monty shrugged. "Depends on the day. You could be a Taurus, if it's between the 1st and the 20th, or a Gemini, if it's between the 21st to the 31st."
"Cool!" Charles nodded, adjusting his grip on his bat. "My birthday is the 18th, so Taurus, I guess. That means… bull, yeah? Like, in Latin?"
With a grin, Monty agreed and launched into a spiel about what else it meant, labeling traits that Charles felt like matched him and a few that didn't, though he got completely lost as Monty started talking about Sun signs and Moon signs and whatever the fuck Rising signs meant. Even if he didn't really understand, he still tried to listen and follow along, knowing how lonely it could be to be ignored.
When he was alive, his friends hadn't really been the best bunch, which was obvious after they killed him, but he'd also known that a bit before. He'd never felt comfortable in their presence, always feeling like he had to diminish himself, or be someone else entirely to fit in. No one there ever wanted to listen to him unless it was him agreeing with whatever thinly veiled insult they shot his way.
A sparkling patch on the ground caught Charles's eye, Monty's foot just about to land on it. "Woah there, mate!" His arm shot out, blocking Monty from stepping on the fungus. The other boy glared slightly, likely upset that he'd been interrupted, but the look melted when he saw the glittering on the grass. "Watch your step, yeah? Don't want that to go flying and disintegrate me, do we?"
Monty shook his head, his face paling. His head turned as if on a swivel, quickly scanning the surrounding woods. Charles was about to ask what he was looking for, but Monty spoke before he had the chance. "Uh… Charles? You know what I– I just remembered? Gladys, she– she really likes sailing too. She's probably not even here, she might be down at the pier instead."
Charles's brow furrowed, suspicion creeping into his tone. "Bit weird to remember that after we've already gotten so far. 'Sides, we can't leave without Edwin and Crystal, can we?"
That apparently wasn't what Monty wanted to hear at all, his eyes wide with something akin to fear. "Charles, we need to go. Now. Before she sees--"
The question of who 'she' was was quickly answered by a voice Charles wished he didn't recognize.
"Now, Monty, I hope you’re not trying to leave after you've already brought him so far. That would just be… so terribly disappointing."
Charles and Monty turned around in tandem, eyes landing on Esther Finch. Her fingers glittered in the moonlight around her iron cane, rings adorning every knuckle. There was a small clearing behind her, the ground of it covered in that sparkling fungus. Charles adjusted his grip on his bat as she stalked closer, her teeth gleaming like a predator's fangs. He stood in front of Monty protectively, not trusting a single word that was coming out of the witch's mouth.
"Monty, step back, she's bad news." His friend made a sort of wounded sound in the back of his throat, but obeyed anyway, a twig snapping beneath his heel. "Right, then. What the fuck do you want, Esther? Pissed we stopped you from sucking the life out of a little girl, are you?"
Esther nodded, flipping her hair out of her face. "You know what, I am pissed about that. But then I remembered I have powers your little girlfriend could only dream of, so I cooked up a bit of revenge."
Charles rolled his shoulders, dropping his bag onto the ground. "Yeah? Well leave Monty out of this, he has no part of it."
Esther started laughing, hardly even a snort at first, but it evolved into full body-bending cackles. "Oh! Oh, that's rich, that's… golden, actually, how much you really don't know."
Charles's brow furrowed, and he turned his head to look at Monty, who was staring down at the ground guiltily. "Do you know what she's talking about, mate?"
Monty didn't respond, or even look up, and a sense of dread started to build in Charles's gut. He took a step away, eyes darting between his friend and Esther, his grip loosening on the handle of his bat.
"Monty," Esther continued, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes, "had the biggest part of this, little boy. Gaining your trust was really all too easy, he just had to bat his pretty eyes at your uptight friend, and he was in. I was a little worried he wouldn't have the guts to lure you into the woods, but I guess he got around that by just bringing me the one he didn't care about. Of course, I'd really prefer to have both of you stupid dead boys, but I think leaving the other one all alone after I take your psychic for my snake is just delicious punishment, don't you?"
Esther's words felt like they were swimming in his brain as he locked shaky eyes onto Monty. His bat was no longer in his hand, sitting just outside of his peripheral vision. This whole time, Monty had just been pretending to be their friend? As bad as that felt for Charles, he could only imagine how much worse it would be for Edwin when he found out.
"Monty?" Charles wished his voice was more confident, that he didn't sound like this had completely blindsided him. They were detectives for Christ's sake, they shouldn't have been so easily fooled. "Is– Is she telling the truth? Was this really all an act?"
Monty looked ready to cry himself, his pale cheeks flushed with guilt. "At first, yes! But then…then Edwin and I started getting along, and you've been so nice even though I've been a jerk to you, and I– I didn't want to, okay? I never wanted to hurt you guys, please, you have to believe me–"
With a flick of Esther's wrist, Monty's voice cut off, as if it were stolen from his throat. "Touching. Really, it doesn't matter what Monty wanted, because you're still right here anyway." With steps it looked like it pained him to take, Monty moved to stand beside his master, his head hung low in shame. "Now," Esther continued, "it's time for the main event."
She dug her cane into the soil, and it erupted in a spray of dirt and leaves that forced Charles to shield his eyes. When he felt he could look again, there was a giant mushroom growing from the ground behind Esther and Monty, the middle of it split into a wide, toothy grin.
Esther was grinning wolfishly as she moved a little closer to the fungus, her cane sinking into the ground with every step. "So, this is Teeth Face! Teeth Face, this is… enh." God, she didn't even know his name, and she was hellbent on ruining his afterlife.
With a bit of urgency, Charles hefted his bat, his hands slightly shaking around it. He hated fighting alone, and aside from his spat with the Night Nurse, Edwin had always been there to back him up with a spell book in hand. But if he could stall until Edwin and Crystal showed up, he would be fine! He just needed to dodge whatever this fungus threw at him long enough, and then they'd all go home with a new sense of suspicion towards everyone.
This was all, of course, if Edwin and Crystal even knew something was wrong. Which they most likely didn't.
A vine shot out towards him, and he whacked it to the side with his bat, ignoring the way Esther jeered from the sidelines as if she were his dad at one of his cricket games. It wouldn't do to get distracted with that, not when he had a very angry, very hungry mushroom to deal with. He kept that up as long as he could, but the way the wood of his bat started to creak more with every hit told him that it was bound to break soon. He was proud it had lasted so long, if he was being honest. The runework he'd done was more sound than it had ever been on any of his other versions, so he'd be sad to see it go.
Wood splintered everywhere with the next hard hit, the vine that Charles had been after wrapping around his throat. As it lifted him from the ground, he struggled and kicked, fingers scratching at the thick, fibrous appendage. The memory of suffocation left him gasping, his vision starting to spot. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he heard someone's voice calling for him, someone incredibly familiar, but he couldn't quite make out where they were coming from.
"CHARLES!"
The voice got closer, bringing snapped branches and hurried footsteps with it. Suddenly, it registered in his brain who was calling for him, who was so worried for him. Edwin, he'd somehow figured out that Charles was in danger, and he'd rescue him and they'd be safe. He'd be fine once Edwin figured out a good spell to get him out. He just had to hold on a little longer.
Speaking of holding on, Charles's hands slipped from where they were grasping at the vine as he was tossed into the air and caught again by his ankle, a gasp escaping his finally freed throat. Edwin and Crystal chose that moment to come in, appearing upside down as they finally burst in from the forest. Even upside down, Charles could see Edwin was close to panicked tears, his fingers already reaching for the spell book inside his jacket. This was good, this was really good. Edwin and Crystal could get him out, no problem.
"Come to watch the main event?" Esther taunted, Monty standing behind her like a scorned dog. "I hope you're ready to say goodbye to your friend."
Charles met Edwin's eyes as he dangled from the vine, sensing the panic coming from his best mate in waves. Edwin hid it well, as always, but Charles could see his clenched jaw, the way he shook out his hand after every few pages of his book.
This was fine. Charles trusted Edwin with his whole heart, and with Crystal's help, they would figure it out. Everything would be okay.
Suddenly, everything was happening all at once. Edwin gave up on the book, apparently deciding his best bet would be grabbing Charles's hand and digging his heels into the ground. It did help a bit, and Charles would've said something if it weren't for how light-headed he felt. Behind Edwin, Crystal charged at Esther, only for the witch to immediately send her to the ground with a wave of her hand. She muttered something to Crystal that Charles couldn't quite hear, and he watched as Monty moved quickly to stand in front of the psychic defensively. Monty was obviously scared, his eyes wide and panicked, but he didn't back down even as Esther's iron cane dragged across his chest, a cry wrenching itself from his chest.
Edwin made a wounded sound in the back of his throat, Esther tearing Monty apart until there was nothing but the original crow left behind. Despite Monty being the reason he was stuck in his current position, Charles felt bad for the poor bloke. He'd had to choose between hurting Charles or Edwin, and personally, Charles would've chosen himself every time too.
A sharp jerk from the vine pulled Charles closer to the waiting mouth of Teeth Face, Edwin's hand starting to slip from his grasp. Their eyes met again, Edwin's full of panic as he tried to hold on tighter. However, Charles knew that with Crystal out of commission as she was and with no plan to be seen, their chances of both getting out of this were slim, especially if Edwin refused to let go. He still had faith that whatever happened, Edwin would get him back eventually.
"Edwin, I'm sorry," he said, tears coming to his eyes. God, what a week it had been; he felt like he'd cried more in this week than during the last years of his life.
He knew Edwin would never let go on his own, but Charles could make those kinds of hard decisions, couldn't he? He didn't want to let go, Hell, he was terrified of doing it, but he couldn't let Edwin get hurt. At the end of the day, he always knew his best mate's safety was always the most important thing. So, he started to loosen his grip.
Edwin wrapped his other hand around Charles's before he could fully let go, both of them holding the same one as he shook his head vigourously. "I'm not letting you go, and that's fucking final, Charles. I- I'm not just going to let you get devoured when we have so many things left to do, alright? We have cases to solve, we have a home to get back to! I will not lose you when I-"
Esther interrupted Edwin before he could finish, her cane sinking into the mud as she stalked closer. "God, I just love final moments! However, you two are really dragging this one on. You know, I'm a busy witch, I can't just… stay in a forest all night and watch you two cry about each other."
Charles could see how much Edwin didn't want to let go of his hand, but his best mate did so anyway, one hand still firmly grasping Charles's while he muttered a few words under his breath, his palm erupting in flames. "Not another step closer."
Esther just snorted, though she did halt her steps. "Do you think that ember scares me? Fire is a fear I've long gotten over, little boy."
She started to move again, but she didn't get very far before Crystal was tackling her to the ground, finally back up on her feet. They tousled on the ground, and Charles ached to do more, to not be the one that was in need of the most help. Usually, he was the one in the fray, in the midst of any fighting, but here he was useless. Less than useless, Hell, he was the whole problem in the first place. If he'd seen through Monty, if he'd just trusted his gut when it said there was more than jealousy behind his dislike of the other boy, they wouldn't even be in this forest at all. They'd be out working a different case that probably wouldn't be ending with him getting half eaten by a giant mushroom.
Esther and Crystal separated, Crystal flying across the clearing with a wave of the witch's hand. Charles's leg was yanked halfway into Teeth Face's mouth, his spectral flesh tingling as Crystal's hands buried into the ground. Charles looked up to meet Edwin's eyes again, preparing himself to let go so his partner wouldn't be dragged in with him.
Edwin firmly shook his head, as expected, and Charles's heart shattered at the tears starting to fill Edwin's eyes. "I… will not… let you go."
Charles opened his mouth to respond, but Crystal's voice interrupted him, echoing through the forest, though her mouth didn't move.
"Please hear me, Forest Elemental! The witch does not control you! You are free to leave this realm!"
Suddenly, the vine released Charles's ankle and he crashed forwards, tumbling into Edwin's chest. Relief flooding his body, he wrapped his arms tightly around Edwin, his best mate following in kind. They were okay, despite everything.
Before either ghost could get to their feet, Esther stormed over, her face twisted into an ugly scowl. "Teeth Face, what the fuck?!"
The mushroom responded, which Charles hadn't quite realized it could do, annoyance dripping from its tone. "Oh, okay. Wow. Sorry."
The vines shot forward and coiled around Esther's wrist, dragging her into Teeth Face's mouth. Charles couldn't help the vindication he felt as he watched the mushroom sink back into the forest floor, taking Esther with it. The soil settled around it, the earth stopped shaking, and Charles felt like he could actually breathe for the first time since the night started.
"…ahem."
Charles looked at Edwin, realizing he was still sprawled over Edwin's chest. His friend's cheeks were dusted with a lovely shade of pink, the mimicry of blush covering his face and the tips of his ears. Red was an aces color, but Charles thought that maybe that pink was the best in the whole world. That pink was so very pretty on his best mate's face, and it matched so very nicely with the green of his eyes, so why wouldn't Charles love it so?
With a grin, Charles moved off and got to his feet, offering Edwin a hand. "Sorry, mate. Didn't mean to flatten you, did I?"
Edwin waved him off, the blush still lingering as he dusted himself off once he was upright again. There was no reason to, Charles knew, no dirt clinging to them that had to be brushed away, but it was one of those things that just made Edwin who he was. Charles let Edwin brush off his coat as well, trying not to focus on the way Edwin's hand lingered right over where his heart used to be.
Crystal cleared her throat from where she'd gotten up, actually having to wipe her dirty palms against each other in hopes of rubbing away the soil. "Sorry to interrupt… whatever this is, but I, for one, would like to go home. I haven't slept in a very long time, I got harassed yet again, and doing whatever I just did was exhausting."
Charles nodded, noticing the way Edwin's blush deepened at being caught. "Yeah, alright. Home it is."
A soft, somewhat distressed caw came from the ground, Monty staring up at them with about as much remorse as a bird could portray. Charles exchanged a short look with Edwin before going and offering his hand for the crow to perch on. "Think we should take him to Mick's, maybe?"
"Charles, you cannot be serious." Edwin's brow was furrowed, all traces of fluster gone. Well, was cute while it lasted. "You want to help him? After he got us into this mess? He nearly– I could've lost you forever, Charles!"
Charles held out a placating hand, rising back to full height. "I know, I know, but just… hear me out, yeah? He didn't really have a choice, did he." Edwin still didn't look quite convinced, but Charles could tell he was starting to get to him. "We can give him a second chance, Edwin."
With a sigh, Edwin relented, his shoulders relaxing. "Fine. After we get back to town, you… may drop him off at Mick's while I take Crystal home."
\\\\
The trip to Mick's was about as short as Charles could make it, the look on Edwin's face after they separated making his heart weak. He dropped off Monty with a short note explaining things, and as soon as he could, he was through a mirror and in Crystal's bedroom. She'd already fallen asleep without even bothering to change, her curls splayed over her pillow.
He left the room as quietly as possible, not wanting to disturb her, and went up to the roof to find Edwin. The beginnings of dawn were peaking up over the trees, and his best mate was perfectly illuminated in the cloudy rays. The other ghost's back was stick straight as he watched the sunrise, sitting on the edge of the rooftop, and Charles felt his lips stretch into a wide smile at the familiar sight. Even in Port Townsend, the rising of the sun across the sky was the same, and Edwin's figure silhouetted in it was a sight Charles would never get tired of.
He came up beside his friend, leaning against the ledge Edwin was sitting on. "So… what a case, yeah? All that stuff with Monty and Esther was pretty intense, wasn't it?"
"And yet, you wanted to help him find a new home now that Esther's gone." Edwin's tone wasn't accusatory at all, really more fondly amused than anything.
Charles shrugged, nudging Edwin playfully. "Thought he deserved a second chance."
"I suppose," Edwin nodded. "He was a good friend, whatever parts of his performance were real. And not only that, I'm afraid."
Charles's smile slowly faded as Edwin looked down, his fists tightly grinding against each other. His cheeks were pink again, and Charles tried to not get distracted by the sight as he put a gentle hand on Edwin's arm, cocking his head. "You know you can tell me anything, yeah? What’s on your mind, mate?"
Edwin sighed, answering nervously and avoiding Charles's eyes. "…Monty awakened some… feelings, within me."
Ah. Well. Now Charles wasn't feeling all that charitable towards the crow at all. In fact, he kinda wanted to go back to Mick's and strangle Monty before Mick woke up and took him under his wing— er, flipper. Of course Edwin would be in love with Monty, Monty liked books and stars and was sweet before he betrayed them.
He looked up at his friend, putting on his best smile. "Don't change a thing to me. You're still my best mate, no matter what."
Edwin still didn't look convinced, staring down at the road below them. His voice was less certain than Charles had ever heard, and he almost seemed like the 16 year old he was supposed to be. "I am not certain that will remain the case after I say everything I mean to."
Charles stood up just to sit down beside Edwin, his back facing the sky and the buildings across the street so he could see Edwin's face better. "Mate, nothing you can say will change how I feel about you, you know that."
"And that is the problem," Edwin whispered.
Charles's brow furrowed in concern. How was that a problem? Did Edwin want him to hate him? That felt wrong, especially because they'd spent so long together, surely Edwin would've said something if he wanted that. "I don't think I'm following anymore. You like Monty, yeah? That's okay with me, though I don't think you'll get very far if he's just a crow now."
Edwin's lips quirked at the comment, but they settled into a thin line again as he realized what Charles was saying. "Monty? He was a good friend, before I knew it was a lie, but I never really wanted more than that with him. He just… opened my eyes to the fact I could want something more."
That threw Charles off. If it wasn't Monty, who did Edwin like? They had a few friends in London that were pretty fit, but Edwin probably would've realized before going to Port Townsend if it were any of them. So, someone in Port Townsend, and the only guys they've had repeated interactions with have been Monty and… oh bollocks. "…is it the bloody Cat King? I'll support a lot of things, and I'll always love you forever, but if you bring that mangy stray around the office, I can't promise to be nice."
Edwin finally met his eyes, lips pulled into a strained smile. "It is not Monty, and it is not the Cat King. You do not have to worry about me bringing someone else around the office."
"…but don't you want to start something with someone? Something special?"
Edwin gave him a patient look, his voice soft. "Charles."
Slowly, the dots started to connect. There wasn't someone else, some mystery suitor that was going to take Edwin away from him. There was just them, together on that rooftop, dawn peeking over the trees. Charles was his something special, and he couldn't believe that he had missed it when Edwin was trying to make it so obvious.
And well, Charles's feelings about him didn't change. There had always been something there, a little seed at the back of his mind, but he'd buried it deep and ignored it, not even sure it was an option at that time. And after they'd grown comfortable with each other, more than even, Charles was content to have just that, so he continued ignoring it. He left it alone, hoping the seed would die with nothing to sustain it, but now it felt like the whole damn thing was blossoming right in front of him.
Edwin had started rambling, apologizing for his confession as if it were a terrible truth they just had to accept so they could move on, but Charles was too busy shutting him up with a kiss to listen.
Edwin didn't have a taste, not really, but his lips were warm and every bit as soft as Charles imagined they would be. Kissing Crystal was brills, but this? This was bloody aces, and Charles almost swore he was floating off the edge of the roof. He could feel it when Edwin tensed in surprise, only to relax into the kiss a moment later, as if he were desperate to catch it before it went away. He could feel the way Edwin's flesh gave way to his own, could hear the tiny hitch of breath when Charles accidentally nibbled Edwin's bottom lip a bit.
There would be more to talk about later, feelings to fully understand, but for now, Charles basked in the morning light with Edwin's lips on his.