#I'll be honest idk what specifically classes as a meta but I think this counts

[littlepocketuniverse]

I saw someone talking about Charles and Edwin's hero colours, and how they symbolise each other's afterlife designations (Edwin in blue, Charles in red) which I thought was a cool concept.

Only now I'm thinking about how Charles' colour symbolises the light that takes people to Hell, and imagining Edwin's realisation, perhaps several years into their partnership, that when he thinks of the colour red, he now associates it with Charles too.

There are undoubtedly a million moments over those years where Edwin realises he is happy for the first time in his existence, and as close to safe as he possibly can be. But I think realising that Charles has managed to start redefining what the colour red means to him would really drive it home that somehow this boy's continued presence at his side is systematically overwriting seven decades of pain.

With every moment Charles chooses to stay - with every case, every smile, every laugh, every memory - he gives Edwin one more way to counterbalance the scales with something happy and warm and beautiful. That, no matter if Edwin is on the run for the rest of his existence, everytime he sees someone being taken to Hell, he will see the colour red and think of 70 years of torture - and then he will think of Charles, a constant reminder that he no longer has to face the fear alone.

And then, he wonders if perhaps one day, as the decades pass and they make more wonderful memories together, he might see the colour red and think of Charles first. If, finally, suffering and pain - Hell itself - might become nothing but a footnote to the life they have made together.

Over 3 decades later, Edwin can finally stop running, and knows it to be true - at last they have forever guaranteed, and maybe, just maybe, one day Hell won't need a footnote at all.