deadtwinksdetectiveagency

[deadtwinksdetectiveagency]

It's time for the final vote, and it's an impossible choice between two iconic characters, two iconic lines, two iconic moments! Thanks to everyone who voted so far - the vote for third place is below :) See you on the other side ✨

[deadtwinksdetectiveagency]

Discord has added generative AI features to servers.

Here are THREE THINGS you need to do today.

1️⃣ YOUR SERVER

Go into server settings -> roles -> Default permissions

Search for "external apps" and disable it

2️⃣ YOUR FEEDBACK

Access Discord support -> https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us/requests/new

Go into Help & Support > Feedback/New Feature Request

Denounce generative AI and request the feature be removed. Bring up privacy concerns for yourself, your data, and for minors.

You will get an automatic reply to this request- PLEASE REPLY TO THE EMAIL TO PUSH IT TO THE TEAM or else it will get discarded.

3️⃣ ON MOBILE

Access your app store

Leave a 1 star review and publicly denounce generative AI and Discord's use of it

Reblog this to spread the word, I'm tired of the enshittification of the things I use in my day to day life.

[deadtwinksdetectiveagency]

Thank you @carpediemma for this commission for the #thegoodwedo fundraiser!! This is a requested snippet from their fic which you can read here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/57574744?view_full_work=true

Thank you so much for supporting this fundraiser!!!

[deadtwinksdetectiveagency]

[deadtwinksdetectiveagency]

hello!

here are some emojis for the drabble challenge if you're still doing it!

payneland with 💀 near death experience (and maybe some 💪 bridal carry as well 👀👀)

have a good day :)

I'm sorry it's taken so long, but I hope you enjoy Modern Payneland AU with a near death experience 🩷

rating: T

tw: mentions of abuse, homophobia (brief), description of car accident and resulting injuries, hospital setting, mentions of medical equipment/supplies

x

Edwin hates the hospital.

He's well aware that he is not unique in this hatred, but he hates it all the same. The fluorescent lights, the hoards of worried families, the overwhelming antiseptic smell, the too-familiar chorus of beeping — well, he just hates it.

But as Edwin bursts into the waiting area of the ICU, he spies something — someone — he hates even more.

He has his back to Edwin, but Edwin recognizes the venom in his shouting, something he used to overhear on the phone when Charles would unthinkingly answer in his presence early on. He’s aged since the few photographs Charles keeps in the drawer of his desk were taken, but the rest of him is largely the same — imposing frame, greasy hair, worn flannel jacket.

Unfortunately, if there is anything Edwin hates more than the hospital, it is Mr. Paul Rowland.

Edwin does not let the anger burning red-hot in his veins slow his stride. As he approaches the reception desk, he can hear Paul arguing with the young man perched behind the computer. “I said I want to see my son right now! Why can't you get that through that little bird brain of yours?”

It would make sense for the young man behind the counter — Monty, if his name tag is to be believed — to be intimidated by the older man, but his expression is simply apathetic, bordering on, well, bored.

“Yeah, he's in surgery, so good luck with that,” Monty rolls his eyes. When he finally looks up at Edwin, his expression changes — brightens, almost, as if Edwin is a welcome sight in the monotony. “Just one minute, sir.”

Before Paul can lash out again, Edwin interjects. “Actually, I'm here for Charles as well,” he says primly, despite the way his hands shake at his sides. He curls them into fists. “You said he's in surgery? What—is he alright?”

Paul turns on Edwin now, pinning him with an intense gaze Edwin hasn't seen since he backed out of Paul's driveway with Charles and his belongings in tow nearly five years ago, never once looking back. If the man recognizes Edwin from that day, it doesn't show on his face. “What are you, his little boyfriend or something? Get the fuck out of here.”

Edwin turns cooly to Monty, who watches them with raised brows. “There must have been a mistake in the system,” Edwin explains as evenly as he can. “I'm Charles’ emergency contact, not this arse.”

Paul's lips curl into a snarl. “Listen. That unappreciative brat is my son, and—”

“And Charles is my husband, so feel free to fuck right off.”

Stunned disbelief cleaves across Paul's face. He sputters for a moment, as if the idea is inconceivable.

“I see here. You must be Edwin Payne,” Monty pipes up. “The emergency contact for Mr. Charles Payne.”

Something ugly clouds Paul's eyes. “What did you just call—”

Monty continues, unphased and practically beaming up at Edwin, “I sincerely apologize for our mistake. I will personally make sure it never happens again.”

There's a small smirk tugging on the corner of Monty's lips, which Edwin clings to like a lifeboat.

“As his husband,” Monty adds pointedly, “you may speak to his wishes on his behalf. On visitors, for example.” He glances meaningfully at Paul.

Edwin wants to feel triumphant, but the worry that buried itself deep in his chest when he first got the call from the hospital less than an hour ago is now lodged in his throat. He tries to swallow around it, but tears spring to his eyes instead. “Out. Get him out.”

Paul probably argues with the security guard that comes to escort him away, if Edwin had to chance a guess. He may even hurl a few nasty words his way — it's not as though Edwin can really hear him anyway, not when he feels himself shutting down.

It takes a hand on his arm to pull him from his stupor. It's Monty, who is looking up at Edwin with an expression teetering on the edge of practiced customer-service neutrality and genuine kindness. “You alright?”

Edwin huffs a wet laugh, swiping at his eyes quickly. “No. I'm afraid I'm not.” His breath shakes on the inhale. “When can I see him? Is he—” Edwin swallows back a sob.

Monty drops his voice, “He's recovering in a room now. I can't, like, see much, but he's listed as stable.”

“What?” Edwin furrows his brows. “I thought—you said he was still in surgery?”

Monty tilts his head to the side. “Oh, that? I lied.” Edwin doesn't have a chance to respond or really even process that before Monty is motioning someone over. “Hey, Thomas, I need a favor!”

The man who strolls over — Thomas, apparently — looks less like the nurse his badge confirms that he is and more like someone off the set of a TV medical drama.

“What's in it for me, sweetcheeks?” Thomas asks, voice smooth as butter, his hair nearly as greasy. When his eyes land on Edwin, they widen curiously. “Oh, my, my. Why didn't you say your favor was so oddly handsome?"

Monty rolls his eyes, but reluctant fondness radiates off him in waves. “Easy, tiger. He's here for his husband. Charles Payne, room 221.”

Thomas hums, considering. “Is that the old geezer or the pretty little twink?”

Edwin scoffs.

“Pretty twink,” Monty confirms easily.

Edwin's face must reflect his displeasure, because Thomas puts up his hands defensively.

“Okay, okay, you don't have to do,” Thomas gestures vaguely, “all of that. Follow me, handsome.” He practically saunters down the hall, and Edwin has no choice but to follow him. He shouts back at Monty, “Don't forget, you owe me one, babes!”

Edwin doesn't turn to look, but from Thomas’ warm chuckle, he thinks Monty may be flipping him the bird.

Thomas prattles on as they make their way down the hall — something about it being perfectly reasonable to think that Edwin could be a gold-digging sugar baby — but Edwin is focused on keeping his eyes forward. The various beeps and moans from the rooms on either side of the hall already conjure images of what state in which he might find Charles, and he's not sure he can bear seeing it too.

When they reach the room, Edwin hesitates at the door. The desperation to see Charles and the dread of facing reality wars within him. Thomas, who has already slinked his way into the room, turns back to him. As he does, his expression shifts.

“No one's told you shit, have they?” Thomas asks, golden eyes softening. From the doorway, Edwin shakes his head mutely. “Tell you what, handsome. It's almost my lunch, so let me catch you up to speed on what's going on with your ol' ball and chain here.”

For the next half an hour, Thomas walks Edwin through everything — from Charles’ scans to the medications in his IV to the notes from his surgeries. He breaks down all of the tubes and bandaging and disorder into information Edwin can almost process, bit by bit.

Charles had been struck on his side of the car by a driver blowing through a red light. He had been immediately rushed to the hospital, where he underwent surgery on his back, as well as on his broken arm. He's still mildly sedated but no longer intubated, which Thomas assures him is a good sign.

Edwin isn't sure how much of the information he can actually retain at the moment, but the knowing of it all helps settle the worst of his nerves.

To Edwin’s surprise, Thomas procures a decently comfortable-looking chair for him along with a blanket and some snacks that turn Edwin's stomach at the sight. The nurse sets him up on the side of Charles’ body with the unbroken arm.

Before Thomas — in all of his foul-mouthed, good-natured glory — leaves, Edwin whispers a quiet, “Thank you.”

It takes a moment, but Thomas responds, his low timbre taking on a gentle quality. “Yeah, well, don't forget to invite me to the celebratory threesome once golden boy's back on his feet, ‘kay?”

Edwin shakes his head with a huff.

The silence he leaves behind is deafening.

The first thing Edwin does once alone with Charles is cradle his good hand between his palms gingerly, mindful of the IV placed there. He's not sure what he expects, really, but the warmth of Charles’ skin — alive, he's alive — opens the floodgates on the emotions Edwin has been keeping at bay.

Terror. Dread. Love. Fear. Loneliness. Confusion. Grief. Love. Relief. Guilt. Love.

Love.

Edwin allows himself to finally, finally look at Charles’ face, the one he would know in any age, in every universe. Bronze skin, angular planes, dark lashes laying almost peacefully on his cheeks. His bottom lip split open, but no less devastatingly beautiful for the way it parts from the top on a breath.

He looks like home.

Edwin holds Charles’ hand and watches his face and loves him with his whole heart until he's dragged down by exhaustion and joins Charles in sleep.

He doesn't stir until Charles does, waking with a start to Charles’ soft groan. Edwin is immediately alert, which means he's granted the chance to watch Charles’ eyes flutter open.

“Babe?” Charles croaks, voice barely audible. “What—where the bloody hell am I?”

Edwin swallows. “The hospital. You were in an accident.”

Charles blinks a few times before he manages to focus his gaze on Edwin. As soon as he does, his lips twitch into a weak but charming smile. “They must have me on some good shit then, huh? I don't feel a bloody thing.”

It's no wonder this man has his heart and soul, with the way he's able to dissuade Edwin's fears and make him chuckle at the same time.

“Good. Good,” Edwin murmurs, absently stroking Charles’ knuckles with his thumb. He can't bring himself to say more, but Charles understands anyway.

“I'm sorry to worry you, love,” Charles murmurs. “But I'll be alright, yeah? Always am.”

Edwin nods quickly. “Your nurse seems to think you're on the road to a full recovery.” After a moment, he adds, “Though that may just be wishful thinking on his part.”

Confused, Charles’ brows furrow. “What'd you mean?”

Edwin dips his head to press a gentle kiss to the top of his husband's hand. “Don't worry about it, darling.”

Charles nods absently, clearly drifting back to sleep. “M’kay. Just need a quick wink, and I'll be ready to bust outta here, yeah?”

Edwin’s smile is wistful when he says, “I'll be right here, my dear. Always.”

Charles is already snoring quietly, and Edwin would not change it for a thing.

[deadtwinksdetectiveagency]

🔍 @khorazir will be contributing as a page artist! 🔍

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[deadtwinksdetectiveagency]

Dead Boy Detectives 1.02 The Case of the Dandelion Shrine

[deadtwinksdetectiveagency]

shelby's big knock... on her grave....... from edwin............

welcome to dgd poetry night

charles' big lock

edwin's big flock

crystal's big glock

[deadtwinksdetectiveagency]

One thing I haven't seen talked about is Crystal's character arc, and specifically the way the timing of it interacts with Charles' arc. They stumble over each other in the worst possible way en route to their respective character growth, and from a narrative perspective, it's absolutely genius.

I'm going to preface all this by saying: none of this is a criticism of Crystal. Part of what makes her such a dynamic, refreshing character is that you don't get to see women in fiction written the way she's been written. You don't get to see women with her flaws that aren't throw-away mean girls or villains. You especially don't get to see women with her traits who learn and grow and become better people. So yeah, I'm going to talk about Crystal's character flaws. No, this isn't Crystal hate. We love our girl in this house. Okay? Okay. Let's start.

Crystal's character arc, at its heart, is all about her learning to be a better person because she has good influences that love and support her for the first time.

When the show starts, Crystal is not a nice person. She's abrasive in a way that's specifically designed to push people away. She's used to getting her own way, and it shows. She's used to having no meaningful connections with anyone, and it shows. She's breathtakingly selfish, in the very literal sense of the definition. She is focused on her self. Her problems are front and center to her; everything is about what she needs, and what she wants, and how she's struggling.

Jenny calls her out very early on. In episode one, Crystal is complaining about the boys, and Jenny, for all her cynicism, strikes right at the heart of the problem. She tells Crystal, "Everybody is always thinking about themselves, all the time." People only care about their own problems. And she says, correctly, that that's what Crystal is doing, too.

This moment is a revelation for Crystal. For the first time, she considers what her behavior looks like from another person's perspective. As she says, she gets mad at herself over it, and that awareness allows her to do something selfless for the first time in the series. She takes a step back and insists that instead of focusing on her problems, they go to help a little girl. It's a big moment for her.

But importantly, she's not done growing as a character here. She's only just getting started.

On my first watch through, I didn't realize how often, over the next few episodes, Crystal redirects things to her problems during conversation, but it's quite a lot. She's still focused on herself – selfish, in that most literal definition of the word. The issues most important to her are her issues. She's starting to learn to think about other people, but she's not there yet. The process is still underway.

Which brings us to Charles.

Charles' arc is a different sort of self-reflection. He's terrified that he's a bad person the way his father was and the way the boys that killed him were.

During the course of the show, he gets systematically stripped of his confidence and made to feel helpless, and just like Crystal needs outside influences to help her reach a more stable place, Charles does, too. He desperately needs reassurance that he isn't everything he's afraid he is.

But my goodness, the timing in their arcs is such a trainwreck when you put them together, and it is brilliant.

Let's start with the Devlin House.

Crystal has some amazing character growth here. She displays genuine concern about Charles, makes an attempt at comforting him, and learns to work with Edwin even though she still doesn't particularly like him at this point.

Charles, meanwhile, is beginning to fall apart. He's just had the worst night of his afterlife. He's been viscerally reminded of how helpless he is. He couldn't stop the Devlins from being killed over and over, just like he couldn't stop his own father's abuse. He messed up his attempted rescue so badly that he was completely out of commission until the case was finished. He managed to help not one single thing. He made no impact at all. He couldn't help those girls any more than he was able to help himself, while he was still alive.

So they get back to the butcher shop, and what do we see? Monty immediately coopts Edwin. Niko doesn't know what's happened because she wasn't there and Charles has been all fake smiles with her. And Crystal goes off with Niko, leaving Charles to flounder on his own in the wake of everything. She's still learning how to support other people. She isn't there yet, and it's extremely on display in this moment.

Then we get the lighthouse episode, and they both get put through the wringer here. Crystal gets her hopes and expectations jerked around by the Night Nurse in the very worst way, and Charles gets hit with a whole pile full of trauma. All that helplessness wells to the forefront again. Combined with being forced to relive some of his worst memories and the desperation to keep Edwin safe from hell, Charles lets himself act on his anger for once.

And what does he get in the aftermath? Horror.

Everyone who cares about him is horrified by what he's done. Edwin goes so far as to call it extreme. They don't know the half of it, of course; they haven't seen what the Night Nurse just put him through. But in this moment Charles is at his absolute lowest, and all he sees is confirmation that he's exactly as terrible as he thinks he is.

That's why Charles shrugs off Edwin's attempt at comfort, here. When he needed to be able to do something to protect Edwin and also himself – when he needed to believe that he could be better than what his father always was – all he sees is the confirmation from the people he cares about most that when push came to shove, he really is a bad guy.

Then comes the aftermath. And this moment is such a brilliant, awful clash of both of their character arcs. It is so delightfully messy.

Because Charles starts to open up to Crystal here. He starts to lay himself bare, the way he ends up doing with Edwin in episode 5. He's on the verge of admitting something that he's been worried about for literal decades. He tells her, "I've been angry for such a long time."

And what does Crystal do? She's still in the midst of her own character growth. She's still struggling to support other people. She's still learning how to. In a lot of ways, though she's made progress already, she's still that selfish girl that Jenny called out in the very first episode.

And she shows it here it with the absolute worst possible timing. No sooner has Charles started to talk about what's bothering him than she cuts in with her own problems. She's tired of riddles and spirits and demons and not knowing who she is. And the look on Charles' face. The moment when he visibly sets aside his own problems, because Crystal doesn't need any more disasters on her plate? It's heartbreaking. You can actually track the subtle change in his expression there. The actor does a phenomenal job.

And then comes the kiss. And what spurs it? Crystal saying she needs something real.

This moment isn't about light-hearted attraction, the way the earlier flirting is. It's Charles setting aside what he needs – comfort and reassurance and a moment to talk through the things that have been tearing him apart – to give her what she says she wants. He can't even feel it. And Crystal isn't far enough along in her character growth here to realize how selfish she's being. Like Jenny said way back in episode one, she's only thinking about herself.

And then comes the absolute unmitigated disaster of episode 5.

Straight out the gate, Charles leans in for a kiss. From his perspective, they have something together; there's affection there. Charles "I think I'd miss kissing" Rowland, who has been starved for meaningful physical contact for thirty years, is not in a hurry to give this up.

But Crystal is fresh out of a nightmare where she conflates Charles with her abusive ex. She withdraws; she calls what they had a distraction. She cuts it off almost as soon as it's started, so focused on her own worries here that she misses how damn fake Charles' smile is, to cover up that he's coming to pieces.

To be clear, she's absolutely not in the wrong here. It is 1000% her prerogative not to jump into a relationship again while she's still struggling to work through what happened with David. But the arc of her narrative is still early enough that she does it all without so much as the awareness that her focus on her own issues has hurt Charles terribly.

And then the episode really kicks off, and both of them are in shambles in very different ways.

Crystal is projecting her issues with David onto Charles. She has a lot of history, and David seems as though he's exactly the right sort of toxic to leave lasting a lasting impact. But Charles hasn't done anything to deserve her assumptions, and he takes the brunt of her temper here and throughout the episode.

Charles is desperately projecting onto the dead jocks. He very badly wants them to be good guys, because he sees himself in them and he needs himself to be a good guy. He snipes back at Crystal for the very first time in this episode, and he does it in the worst way possible, accidentally prodding her where it will do the most damage.

They're both hurting. They both say some truly painful things to one another.

She does not need to hear that she has unsorted hangups about David still plaguing her while she's unable to move past them. He desperately does not need anyone to tell him that he has rage issues while he's still struggling to think of himself as a decent person.

They apologize, in the end. They start to move past it.

But it's telling that Charles doesn't try to open up to Crystal again. He goes to Edwin instead, even though Edwin is the one who called his actions regarding the Night Nurse extreme. He gets the reassurance he needs so badly; he gets the connection he was looking for with Crystal from Edwin, instead. (I have a lot of thoughts on why Charles initially tries to open up to Crystal so quickly, but it is very much an aside, and this is already extremely long, so it will have to wait for another write-up.)

But the important thing here is, Edwin is the one to offer Charles what he needs to overcome the self-doubt eating him alive. Edwin provides the physical affection Charles was seeking in the form of that long-overdue hug. Edwin is the one who's able to reaffirm for him that he's not just a good guy, he's the best person Edwin knows.

And for all intents and purposes, Charles' major character arc ends here.

Charles has a few last little moments to go on the path to rebuilding his own self-image, after this, but for the most part his concerns have been resolved. He saves Crystal in episode 6 and Edwin in episode 7, proving to himself that he's able to make a difference in the face of overwhelming odds. He's not helpless, no matter what the Night Nurse told him; he can be a force for good in the world. By the end of the series, his crisis of self-doubt seems to have been largely overcome.

But it's the conversation with Edwin at the end of episode 5 that really allows him to work through his most pressing issues. Edwin is there to help support him when he stumbles. Edwin provides him the comfort he was looking for while Crystal was too worried about her own problems to notice how badly he needed the help.

Crystal, meanwhile, still has a ways to go after episode 5. The last three episodes are where she does her most important character growth.

In episode 6, she learns some hard lessons about keeping secrets and letting people help and appreciate you even when you can't offer them anything in return. And Charles, importantly, is there for her every step of the way. He consistently offers her physical and emotional support. He models for her, in a very real way, what it looks like to have someone prop you up when you need the help.

And in turn, Crystal steps in to save the boys. She's the big damn hero at the end of this episode.

The breakthrough continues into episode 7. She's so intent on helping to get Edwin out of hell that she literally goes to face her own demons, not for herself for once – not for her own purposes or needs or wants – but because she wants to help someone else.

And episode 8, at long last, brings her to the culmination of her character arc.

Crystal is at her absolute lowest here. Her family, the people who were supposed to love her unconditionally, didn't even realize she was gone. Her precious memories, that she's spent the entire series trying to regain, have showed her that she's not the person she hoped she would be. She's overwhelmed enough that she means to flee, to cut herself off from her new friends entirely.

Then the boys get kidnapped. And just like that, she makes up her mind.

For the first time since the start of the series, she sets aside her most important issues in order to let what other people need take precedence. She disregards all of her own personal concerns and focuses instead on others. She's finally stepped out of those selfish impulses that Jenny calls her out on, all the way back in the first episode. She's finally learned how to support other people when they need it.

Crystal has finally figured out how to be there for others, despite having troubles of her own.

It's a lovely arc, and it's beautifully done.

Charles' is just as touching.

And god damn, but it was a brilliant narrative choice to have their character arcs line up in exactly the wrong way.

[deadtwinksdetectiveagency]

Truly do not know what you mean XD

Most people assume that nothing much scares Edwin. He spent seven decades in hell. What, up here on earth, could possibly compare, after that? Turns out, quite a lot. In fact, Edwin scares incredibly easy. Spiders. The sound of a child's laughter. Old porcelain dolls. The dark. And then there's the myriad of creatures and vengeful spirits they face on cases. He is scared very often. He has simply become skilled at operating as usual, even in the depths of terror. Even when every non-existent nerve is screaming at him to hide. Even when his vision is going fuzzy at the edges, his ears ringing. Hell didn't make him less easily frightened, but it did give him the ability to carry on when he is.

[deadtwinksdetectiveagency]

I've seen a lot of thoughts about how Edwin arrived at the worst moment of Charles' life and offered him uncomplicated kindness without asking anything in return. How he promised not to hurt him and proved his word was good. How he found him huddled in an attic, alone and painfully cold and stripped of all his usual charm and strength and ability to prove his worth, and offered him light and warmth and friendship just because. How of course Charles latched onto this boy who made his death a warm memory.

But Edwin's perspective on that meeting is just as powerful. It's not clear how much of the attack he saw, but he knows enough to say he can simply extinguish the lantern if the other boys come up. And the first thing we see him and Charles talking about is Charles' reasons for intervening - that it 'just didn't seem right to let that kid get beat on because he's from Pakistan.' He knows Charles is dying. And he knows it happened because he wouldn't stand by and let someone else be hurt.

Edwin was unpopular and isolated and visibly different and was murdered for it by a gang of boys who thought tormenting him was a good laugh. And the first thing he learns about Charles is that Charles doesn't let that happen on his watch.

How long has it been since someone protected Edwin like that? Have they ever? Certainly he had no protection in that cellar in 1916. Nor in Hell either.

And then Charles dies and Edwin tells him to move on, that he can't stick around with Edwin just because he feels like it. And Charles looks down at his corpse, at the proof that doing what he felt was right got him killed, and says that's how he lived his life and he's not going to change now. That he knows what being a hero cost him and he'd do it again.

How do you not fall in love with that?

[deadtwinksdetectiveagency]

One last time we are choosing between the supernatural creatures of dbda to determine the winner of the creatures gif tournament! I love that our two finalists were also part of the cinematography tournament - two creature gifs that are stunning to look at! As always, you have 24 hours, and please like & share for a bigger sample size!

[deadtwinksdetectiveagency]

@plentyghosts as;lrghjwriptgu SUCH good food

@pippin-katz, I'm confused by your descriptions of scared vs frightened—I think they do actually mean the same thing? Per Meriam-Webster (shout-out to their A+++++ daily games), they're synonyms. M-W definitions, bolding mine:

Scared (adj): thrown into or being in a state of fear, fright, or panic

Frightened (adj): feeling fear : made to feel afraid

I guess I tend to think of "gasp[ing] at a disturbing image or a sudden noise" as an action, like Wynn's suggestion of "startled" (verb form) or flinched etc, rather than a feeling, like scared or frightened. Thoughts?

Now, on a completely different note:

"Word of God" ≠ canon, and that is important and good actually!!!!

Just going to throw in something I wrote in (checks date) seven months ago (incredible... god bless the passage of time lol):

I want to push back against the idea that readers/viewers/etc must incorporate input—i.e. statements from interviews, commentary, etc—from creators, actors, etc that is not directly part of the canon in their readings of the text (or show, in this case). Accepting “Word of God” is a perfectly valid lens to interpret/read media, but it is NOT universally accepted (nor, I think, should it be). See also: Death of the Author.

Regardless of whether we get more of this version of DBDA, George Rexstrew is NOT the final arbiter for how we interpret or understand Edwin Payne of Dead Boy Detectives (Netflix, 2024). Same for Jayden Revri-Charles, or Steve Yockey-anything, or Beth Schwartz-anything... etc.

The show is out! It is in our hands now! And it is equally okay to take actors'/directors'/writers' takes as canon as it is to fully ignore/disagree with them!

... Kinda thrilling to have all that power, don't you think?

Most people assume that nothing much scares Edwin. He spent seven decades in hell. What, up here on earth, could possibly compare, after that? Turns out, quite a lot. In fact, Edwin scares incredibly easy. Spiders. The sound of a child's laughter. Old porcelain dolls. The dark. And then there's the myriad of creatures and vengeful spirits they face on cases. He is scared very often. He has simply become skilled at operating as usual, even in the depths of terror. Even when every non-existent nerve is screaming at him to hide. Even when his vision is going fuzzy at the edges, his ears ringing. Hell didn't make him less easily frightened, but it did give him the ability to carry on when he is.

[deadtwinksdetectiveagency]

Since I wrote one for reverse verse Edwin, here’s one for Charles. Takes place in Hell, though nothing’s too graphic (still, be warned.)

I had to go through the torture of rereading/viewing this comic to write this (it wasn’t torture at all, this is one of my favorite @technically-human comics. Charles is so precious, and I almost cried while writing this and looking into his face at the same time.)

I will also add @i-am-as-normal-as-you-are because I forgot you last time. I’m very sorry, that was rude of me, I know this is your au too.

When I got to the end I realized that I was ending similarly to the way I ended Edwin’s, so I leaned into that and used the same wording.

(Ps. @technically-human, you have no idea how much of a euphoric adrenaline high your response gave me last time. Thank you so much, and happy belated birthday!)

-

Charles tripped.

Apparently, 70 years of practice became null and void when interrupted by three decades of peace. Safety. Home.

Charles tripped, and was immediately caught up in the storm of people running by, most of whom didn’t pay any attention to the sixteen-year-old struggling to get back up, to keep going, to not get caught.

Charles couldn’t even blame them. He would have, had in the past, done the same.

That didn’t make him less scared.

That wouldn’t make it hurt less when The Conductor eventually caught up to him.

He did manage to get up, though (a minor miracle on its own.) As he prepared himself to run again, get out as fast as he could, try to make up for lost time, a flash of blue in the corner of his eye gave him barely a moment's notice before he was being grabbed from behind.

His first instinct was to fight. To shove off whoever, or whatever, had grabbed him. Punch and claw and fight to leave the other behind in the dust as he got as far away as possible.

He would have, too. He would have, had it not been for the slightly panicked call of, “Found you!” in his ear, spoken in a voice he knew better than his own.

“Edwin!” The name came out more of a gasp, than Charles would have liked. “What are you doing here?”

Because he was here. God, Edwin Payne (just, devout, brilliant, Edwin Payne,) was here. In Hell. The one place that Charles thought he could protect him from, despite the others’ insistence to protect him (and the others newly added to the ranks of the Dead Boy Detectives.)

Edwin, who he had always thought believed, if only a little bit, that Charles deserved the torment he had been sent to.

Edwin, who was here-

“Protecting you, as always.”

Oh.

Oh.

He was here, because he really believed that Charles needed protecting. Who wanted to protect him, despite the Hell forged demeanor, the unspeakable things he had done before they met.

He was here, in Hell, actively going against his God, mustering up a fragile smile for Charles’ benefit.

He was perfect.

He was everything.

He needed to know.

So Charles grasped Edwin by his shoulders, tears pricking the corners of his eyes as he made the declaration that could change everything (just please don’t take him away from me.)

“I love you,” He all but sobbed, a smile pulling up the corners of his mouth against all odds.

“What?” Edwin asked, taken aback. He blinked, eyes wide with shock. “Well, I- You know that- Me too, of course.”

Charles gave a short chuckle, shaking his head, because he didn’t get it. “That’s not what I meant, mate.”

He sniffed heavily before looking back up into Edwin’s eyes. “I love you. Like courting, sweethearts, holding hands in the park, love you.”

Edwin’s eyes had gotten larger, if that were even possible, panic taking over any kind of control he’d still had. Charles’ heart only sank a bit at that. He could have predicted how Edwin’s deeply moral sensibilities would take this sentiment.

“Charles, I can’t-”

But Charles wasn’t able to figure out what Edwin couldn’t as a burning hand closed over the back of his neck, ripping him away and towards the engine room.

He was taken away to his next death with the sound of Edwin calling his name behind him.

[deadtwinksdetectiveagency]

Send me emoji(s) and I'll write a drabble

🫂 Comforting hugs

🧠 Traumatic event

⚡ Scared of thunderstorms

🤝🏽 Hand holding

🎮 Games

💕 Kisses (specify)

🛁 Bathing together/platonic bathing (specifiy)

🩸 Patching up a wound

💪🏽 Bridal carry

🥰 Saying 'I love you' without saying it

🐾 Pet-names

🎶 Dancing

🎁 Presents

🌧️ Rainy day activities

💞 Post-nightmare cuddles

🥶 Cold

🍽️ Dinner date

✊🏽 Protecting

🤒 Needing to be looked after

💀 Near-death experience

❤️‍🩹 Reunited after a long time apart

Tried to keep this limited to things that can be both platonic or romantic <3 Please specify as much as you'd like when sending requests to people!

[deadtwinksdetectiveagency]

He's a g-g-ghost (and he's got unfinished business)

Watch the new episode now on Dropout

[deadtwinksdetectiveagency]

💀 Near-death experience + the dead boys and their girls! (feel free to read that as near-Death as opposed to near-death ehehe)

I...have no good excuse for the angst other than I have a lot of feelings about Niko. I hope you enjoy anyway 🩷

x

Niko can feel her before she arrives, the being with dark hair and kind eyes that have seen more of humanity than Niko thinks any one being ought to. At least one that has to bear it alone.

When Edwin and Charles first described their desperate evasion of Death, Niko admittedly imagined a shadowy cloaked figure with a skull-like face and an otherworldly scythe — a grim tool for an apathetic figure to harvest souls like crops, dutiful and indifferent.

After all, that's how the whole world felt when her dad died. Unnatural and uncaring. While Niko was left frozen — irreparably altered — everyone else kept moving along.

But perhaps it shouldn't be a surprise, really, that Death would look so human.

Niko finds that she isn't afraid. Not like Crystal had been, her cries for justice piercing through the air of the witch’s house like a gavel. Or Edwin's wails, with the weight of centuries of anguish bearing down on him all at once. Or even Charles, his hushed apologies whispered between urging the others to go, we have to go!

No, after grief and sprites and making friends with boys no longer living, Death is almost a familiar companion.

But in her bright-blue light, Death does not embrace Niko with open arms. Instead, she looks down at her with a wistful smile — one of mirth, of unfinished business, of hope.

“Not yet, my dear.”

Suddenly, Niko finds that she is very, very cold.