#Spectral detectives

[honeybun-was-h3r3]

Part 2 of this post

Ford, genuinely, has no clue what is wrong with these children. He tried ignoring it, in an attempt to keep them safe from everything that still follows his family (cough cough bill) but he just. couldn't. they have glowing eyes, sharp teeth, half of them seem to blend into the shadows- It's only until they try to leave and run straight into the weirdness barrier that he realizes they must not be human- he was trying to ignore that instinct, but if they can't leave then...

Danny is freaking out, just a little. they can't leave this stupid town they got sent on for a field trip anymore, and he doesn't know whats happening over in amity anymore- are his parents safe? are the ghosts staying in the ghost zone like he asked until this all blows over? and then there's the weird man and his nephew that have been eyeing him and his classmates and watching them like a hawk the entire time they've been stuck- he thought it was just them being wary of new people at first, but considering they're barely watching the less liminal of them? danny is pretty sure he stumbled upon ghost hunters. again.

[hopelilies]

I was inspired

[loremaster]

you don’t need me (not the way i need you)

[michimiart-blog]

Vivia using Spectral Projection meeting Yuma using Past Projection be like:

This is mostly a doodle that I did, pardon me the weird anatomy and lack of shadows, they are kinda traslucid so that's why.

[pixelatedraindrops]

Edit thread story of the NDA helping take care of a fever stricken Yuma~ 🌡️

“You’re such a handful… Come. Let’s head back to the agency for you to recuperate.”

Halara escorts a very dizzy Yuma back to base safely lending him their shoulder to lean on. Making sure no Peacekeepers can mess with them. The bright lights of the city aren’t helping his throbbing headache so his eyes remain shut. Halara also picked up the supplies needed from Kanai's shops. (spending their own money in the process no less) They’re still not used to touching Yuma yet so they feel a bit awkward. 💦

“Yuma you’re burning up. And you’re shaking like a leaf. Go sit down and I’ll go and get you a blanket.”

Upon return and Halara’s explanation, Yakou walks over and checks Yuma’s temperature (with the back of his hand) He’s burning and shivering from the fever induced chills. He quickly ushers him to sit down on the sofa he sleeps on. Then he lets him borrow the blanket from his own bed to keep warm. 🧣

"Yuma are you okay? Here, let's check your temperature..."

When Yuma sits down wrapped in Yakou's blanket gripping it tightly still shivering, Kurumi sits right beside him. Although Yakou already checked for a fever, she worries deeply for his state and insists on taking a device reading of his body temperature, using the thermometer Halara bought. When the device is inserted, it turns out to be about 39 degrees (102 degrees f) 🌡️🥵

“Alright Yuma, here's your medicine. Open up, my man. Down the hatch.”

After Kurumi leaves temporarily, Desuhiko sits next to Yuma. He's told by Yakou to give him the liquid medicine that Halara bought earlier. It was a strong fever reducer. After some hesitation, he finally takes it. But it was very strong and bitter. He didn’t like it very much 💀💊

“Here Yuma, I was told that warm soup is always the best if you don’t feel well! This should help to heal you!”

Fubuki cooks and feeds Yuma some nice hot soup from the ingredients that were bought. (Kurumi helps her make it) Even if he doesn’t finish it all, he still enjoys how warm it is with what little he does eat 🥣 It was warm enough to stop his body from shivering.

“This fever is… persistent… What a pain… I wanna die someday…”

Vivia rests in the dark with Yuma after everyone works on cooling him off with ice water. (and ice) due to his fever suddenly spiking later in the night. (rising to nearly 103) So Vivia stays with him until he’s stable. They both end up falling asleep, and Vivia places his cool hand against Yuma’s warm hand. 🤝 They remain this way through the night.

"Sheesh Master, you're so pathetic... Don't worry me like that again. I thought you were a goner for sure..."

Yuma wakes up the next morning with his fever finally broken. Shinigami lays beside him with her ghostly hand over him as if she was hugging him. She mutters something under her breath, and he hears every word. He smiles placing his hand to her form, even though he can't feel it. 👻

He couldn't have been more thankful to have such kind friends

Maybe even a family 💕

~

Yeah, I just wanted to make another edit scenario where the nocturnal found family agency takes care of their frail lil’ trainee needing some help 😷

A different scenario from what happened in my sickfic but similar enough 💕

I love this family so much 🥰 They are perfect.

(Quite happy with how these came out)

[deisbookofdemons]

More draws with Glitch. @corruptedbunny-multimuse

[shiut]

I accidentally glitched the opening cutscene sequence and could fully move the camera around while Shinigami was talking lol

[fuzzhead-detective]

"AHH THE PEACEKEEPER LEADER IS BACK!"

[twilight-limit]

Test Test Test Test aaand tag dump!

[rosenbergi]

Interesting how at least some detectives can use their Forensic Fortes at any time. Makes you wonder if they use them for daily life stuff.

I think so! I feel like Desuhiko and Fubuki in particular would be very fast and loose with how they use their Forensic Fortes, for example Fubuki seems like the type to rewind time for something silly like forgetting her keys.

But aside from that, I get the impression Pucci and Aphex don’t have an off switch on theirs? It makes me think they’re always using them without thinking about it, but that’s just speculation.

[keferon]

Fun fact: The human heart produces electrical energy and generates a magnetic field around the body of ~3 feet/.9 meters. This field is also affected by our thoughts and emotions.

"We have found there is a direct relationship between the heart-rhythm patterns and the spectral information encoded in the frequency spectra of the magnetic field radiated by the heart. Thus, information about a person’s emotional state is encoded in the heart’s magnetic field and is communicated throughout the body and into the external environment."

Sources:

https://www.heartmath.org/research/science-of-the-heart/energetic-communication/

https://www.drbrookestuart.com/on-the-toroidal-field/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15823696/

https://www.heartmath.org/research/research-library/energetics/energetic-heart-bioelectromagnetic-communication-within-and-between-people/

I just thought this information would be really cool for your au <3

SO HUMANS DO HAVE EM FIELD BUT THEIR EM FIELD IS.LIKE. IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGE. OH THIS IS INTERESTING.

Imagine if Prowl can’t feel Jazz’s em field at first but then (maybe after the ivents of Jazz piloting him) he calibrates his sensors and YEP there it is.

All while Jazz is completely fucking unaware that EM field is something he have and also something that.Displays his emotions. And can be detected and analysed by Prowl. OH THIS IS SUCH AN INTERESTING THOUGHT.

[bodybaggage]

Phantom in the League

---

The Watchtower hummed with its usual low energy, the heartbeat of Earth's greatest defenders. The Justice League had just wrapped up their latest meeting, discussing the increasing dimensional rifts appearing across the globe. Batman, ever the detective, had been the first to suggest the possibility of a more mystical cause. Naturally, the League looked to Zatanna and Constantine for guidance. But before they could dive too deep, another voice cut through.

"We could always ask Phantom."

Superman’s suggestion was simple, straightforward, and met with a few curious looks. The Kryptonian had always been one to trust his teammates, but Phantom’s origins had been one of the best-kept secrets in the League. Phantom, the young yet mysterious ghostly hero, had been a valuable ally since he’d been recruited after saving Star City from a rampant ghost attack nearly a year ago.

The League had grown used to his presence. His ethereal glow, the way he seemed to fade in and out of sight like a wisp of smoke, and the cryptic smile that often played on his lips. He was a mystery, one they had chosen to respect, but now? Now, they needed answers.

"Do we even know where to find him?" Green Lantern asked, hovering a few inches off the ground. "He just… shows up."

"I can find him," Batman declared, his voice a low growl that brooked no argument. "He can't stay hidden forever."

"He's never been a threat, Bats," Flash pointed out, leaning casually against the conference table. "He's just… Phantom. He helps out, doesn't ask for anything in return, then he's gone."

"That might be true, but we need to know who or what we’re dealing with," Wonder Woman added. "If these dimensional rifts are tied to his abilities or his world, we need to be prepared."

Superman nodded in agreement, his arms crossed over his broad chest. "Let’s just ask him directly. If he trusts us enough to fight alongside us, then he’ll trust us with the truth."

---

Phantom had never been easy to track, but Batman had his ways. And when Batman wanted to find someone, he did.

The Batcomputer pinged with a soft alert as he isolated Phantom’s spectral energy signature, something the Dark Knight had painstakingly compiled over the past few months. It was faint, almost undetectable, but there was enough to trace a general location: an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of Gotham. Fittingly enough.

---

When the League arrived at the warehouse, it was eerily silent. The only sign of life—or unlife—was a soft, pulsing green light emanating from the cracks in the walls. Superman could hear the faintest murmur of voices, and Wonder Woman felt the magical energy in the air thickening, almost like stepping into another world.

“Stay on guard,” Batman instructed, though he knew everyone was already on high alert.

They pushed open the rusted doors, revealing a scene none of them had expected. Phantom was there, hovering mid-air, his back to them. But he wasn’t alone. Standing before him was a massive, imposing figure, crowned with a spectral crown and draped in regal, ghostly armor. The very air around the figure crackled with power—power that seemed to warp reality itself.

"Who the hell is that?" Green Lantern whispered, his ring already flaring to life.

"That's Pariah Dark," Phantom’s voice cut through the silence, clear and calm. He turned slowly, his eyes glowing a vivid green. "The former Ghost King of the Infinite Realms."

“Former?” Wonder Woman questioned, her brow furrowed in concern.

“Yes,” Phantom continued, descending to the ground as he spoke. “He’s no longer the king because… I am.”

The League froze. Superman’s eyes widened slightly, and even Batman seemed taken aback, though he quickly masked it. The implication was massive.

Phantom noticed their reactions and sighed, looking almost tired. “I was hoping to keep this quiet, at least until the time was right. But I suppose now is as good a time as any.”

He walked forward, the green glow around him dimming as he shifted from his ghostly form into that of a human boy—one who looked no older than seventeen. His black hair fell into his face as he offered them a weary smile, his bright blue eyes meeting theirs with surprising warmth.

“My name is Danny. Danny Fenton. And, yes, I’m the current King of the Infinite Realms.”

“The Infinite Realms?” Superman asked, though the name already resonated with him. He had heard of it before—an interdimensional realm of ghosts and spirits, a place of both immense power and danger.

Danny nodded. “It’s… complicated. The realms are like a web of dimensions, all interconnected and constantly shifting. I inherited the throne after defeating Pariah Dark.” He gestured towards the massive ghost, who remained silent, his eyes glowing with an eerie intensity. “It wasn’t exactly by choice, but it’s my responsibility now.”

“So, you’re a king,” Flash summed up, trying to wrap his head around it. “And you’ve been, what? Just hanging out with us, fighting bad guys on Earth?”

Danny chuckled, a sound that held a hint of bitterness. “Pretty much. The Infinite Realms are my duty, but Earth… Earth is my home. I couldn’t just abandon it, not with everything that’s happened.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Wonder Woman asked, her tone gentle but firm.

Danny hesitated, his gaze falling to the ground. “I didn’t want you to see me differently. I’m still me, still the same guy who fought alongside you. I just… have a lot more on my plate than most.”

“Kid,” Green Lantern said, lowering his ring, “we’ve all got our secrets. But this? This is big. You could have told us.”

“I know,” Danny admitted, his voice soft. “But I wasn’t ready. I didn’t want to bring my problems into your world. But with these rifts appearing… they might be connected to the Realms, and that means it’s my responsibility to fix it.”

Batman stepped forward, his eyes never leaving Danny’s. “And Pariah Dark?”

The ghost king finally spoke, his voice a deep rumble that seemed to echo through the very fabric of reality. “I am here at the behest of my king. I no longer seek to conquer. My past… transgressions have been put aside.”

Danny glanced at Pariah, his expression unreadable. “Pariah Dark is… complicated. But he’s under control. I’m keeping him in check.”

There was a moment of tense silence before Superman spoke, his voice carrying the authority of a leader but the warmth of a friend. “Danny, we’re a team. We face these challenges together. If the Realms are a threat, we’ll help you. But you need to trust us, just like we trust you.”

Danny looked up, meeting Superman’s gaze, and for the first time, he truly felt like a part of something bigger. Not just a king, not just a hero, but a member of the Justice League.

“Okay,” Danny agreed, his voice firm. “I’ll tell you everything. And together, we’ll stop whatever’s threatening both of our worlds.”

The League nodded in unison, the tension slowly dissipating. They were in this together, just as they had always been.

As they prepared to leave, Danny couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief. The burden of his secret was still heavy, but now he wasn’t carrying it alone. For the first time in a long while, he felt like he truly belonged.

And as the Watchtower’s doors closed behind them, Danny knew that whatever came next, he wouldn’t have to face it alone.

pt.2

---

[ctommy-chileno]

Next

Previous First

"I...I guess you're right.

They deserve to know, it's only fair"

"Yeah! Here, I got the thing on one of my pockets"

"Uh, but um

Could you...

Can you be the one to do it?

Please?"

"Oh, no problem."

"Vivi! Look at this!"

"My photobook!! I've been looking for it everywhere!"

"Hey! Quieter!"

"Oh right, ahem, could everyone come here, please?"

"What, why?"

"Are you finally going to explain what's going on?"

"Uh, yeah, it's in here"

"Hey! Give it!"

"Not yet, not yet"

"So! I need all of you to touch this book"

"What?!"

"Give it back! It isn't a jewel!"

"Yeah, I'd be down for some book touching, favorite saturday activity"

"Please, it's important, just once, and I'll explain everything"

"Is it drugged?"

"It is not! See? I'm touching it right now!"

Oliver is fidgeting

Ángel gives him a reassuring smile

Oliver looks away

He feels guilty for what's about to happen

"What, does it have a really cool texture or something?"

"It does actually"

"Oh cool"

Simon goes to feel the texture of the book

He makes contact

He remembers

"What...?"

"Simon?"

"Dad really... he really did..."

"Simon? What's wrong berry?"

"He hates me so much.

So much

I-

And he.

He just ... just-

threw me away. To- to the ground

I was- I was gonna. I don't- "

"Hey! What happened? What are you saying?!"

"I wanna go home"

Simon is shivering. He tightly grasps Owen's sweater

"And he'll do it again. He- again"

"Once you grab this, you'll understand"

"Hey! Pass that thing over!"

Owen makes contact with the book

He remembers

He tighly grasps Simon back and starts breathing heavily

He looks directly into Oliver's eyes

"Mr. Investigator"

"...Owen"

"You... You were right. You told me"

"I'm sorry"

"We- in the snow

Do you. Do you know already?"

"I know"

"... Hah, I-

We really just."

His voice breaks

"... Can you answer me now?"

"Huh?"

Owen can't hold back his tears

"When is it going to end?"

Oliver gives him a sad smile

"It's going to be okay"

Owen gets quiet, Simon is still talking, but is not comprehensible.

They sink to the floor, fused to eachother

"... If I touch this, I'll know?"

"Yes"

"Then I can have it back?"

"Also, yes"

"Finally"

Marigold goes to touch it

Vivi grabs it

They remember

Marigold stares to nowhere and gets quiet

Vivi gets her book back

"...Oh"

"... That, explains some things"

"Vivi..."

"Hah, it even has missing pictures

Just what I needed

Like it wasn't enough already"

"I'm sorry"

"It really hurt"

"I'm so sorry"

"It was really dark"

"It's okay, it's going to be okay"

"... It really hurt"

"We are not there anymore, it's okay"

"I think we are"

"I think we'll always be there"

They cry

They understand

"Even if we leave

At least a part of us

Will always stay here"

"How fragmented am I now?

How many houses are gonna steal parts of me?

What will happen when there's nothing left?

Ah, I feel haunted"

Oliver Beebo recently has started believing in ghosts

He wonders if he is one

[glow-worms-are-believers]

Down on Yeoh luck (dp x dc)

“Hey Alysiah, I’m ordering from Del Taco, you want anything?” Jazz yelled for her roommate.

“No, thanks,” said roommate answered as she popped her head around the corner of the living room. “I have a date with Jo tonight.”

“Oh yeah,” Jazz said. “Say hi to her from me.”

Alysiah waved her hand agreeably before disappearing around the bend. A few seconds later she was back with two dresses in hand. “Which one do you like better?” 

Jazz uncrossed her legs and leaned in. “How formal is it?”

“Not. We’re going to a wine bar,” Alysiah said, “Jo knows the owner.”

“Is there going to be food?” Jazz asked, though her mind was still on the two dresses.

“Snacks, but I had a late lunch just in case,” her roommate said.

Jazz nodded before pointing towards one of the dresses. “The black one.”

“Thanks, Jazz!”

A few moments later, Alysiah walked back out wearing the dress and Jazz settled back in to watch some old reruns of some old detective show. Then it was time for supper and she reheated a plate for herself before settling back down in front of the TV, with no plans to move for the rest of the night. And so she did.

Since she’d come to Gotham, life had become pretty peaceful. Not that Gotham was a peaceful city, far from it, but she wasn’t in the thick like she had been back in Amity. It was, well, nice to be able to have an evening completely to herself.

Just as she had the thought, a spectral vulture phased through her ceiling, its fez hat bright red and apparent.

“Seriously!” Jazz said as she jumped behind the couch as an ectoblast hit it, and crawled for her bag she’d left in the entryway, a few meters away

“Plasmius sends his regrets that he couldn’t come fetch you in person.”

This was borderline insulting. To think, Vlad had believed that one of his feathered minion could single-handedly grab her. Jazz reached her bag, and started rummaging quietly in it.

“Plasmius requires your presence,” continued the vulture, not even trying to get a line of sight to his kidnappee, which wow. Henchman-ery had really gone downhill hadn’t it?

She closed her fingers around the metal cylinder and with a victorious smirk, aimed the lipstick laser and fired right into vulture’s stomach, sending it flying into the wall, and tumbling down.

Without wasting a second, Jazz booked it for her room and went straight for the closet. She extracted a box and took her Fenton thermos out of it, and as she started turning, caught a movement on the side of her eyes.

She got down to the ground, the vulture’s talon only brushing her shirt before it phased through her closet and out of her bedroom.

Knowing her best bet was to get to the most open space so the vulture couldn’t take advantage of its intangibility as much, she ran back to the living room. Where she stood in the middle of the room, slowly pivoting in a circle, waiting. There was nothing but the sound of her breath and the vague mumblings coming from the still-open TV. 

Then, the hair on her nape stood up, and there was the sound of a key in the lock.

Jazz didn’t have time to look because just then, the vulture dove for her. She rolled away, barely evading the talons once again and came up to her feet, just in time to point the thermos and soup the vulture in for good.

With a relived huff she capped the thermos and froze as she caught sigh of her roommate standing in the entryway, her face frozen in surprise.

There was a beat as the two girls just looked at each other, before Alysiah let out a long sigh.

“If I had a nickel for every time my red headed roommate turned out to be a vigilante,” she started. “I’d have two nickels.”

Jazz tilted her head. “That is weird that it happened twice.”

[mysticstronomy]

IS THERE WATER FLOATING IN SPACE??

Blog#420

Saturday, July 20th, 2024.

Welcome back,

Two teams of astronomers have discovered the largest and farthest reservoir of water ever detected in the universe.

The body of water is notably significantly larger than all of the water on planet Earth. And according to the scientists, it is the equivalent to 140 trillion times all the water in the world's ocean.

There is little chance you would spot it looking through your own telescope however, as the body of water surrounds a huge feeding black hole called a quasar, which is more than 12 billion years away.

Pretty mind-bending, right?

The observations made by the scientists have revealed a time where the universe was just 1.6 billion years old.

Matt Bradford, a scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, spoke of the discovery and said it showed that water can be found throughout the universe.

"The environment around this quasar is unique in that it's producing this huge mass of water,” he said. "It's another demonstration that water is pervasive throughout the universe, even at the very earliest times."

Quasars are considered massive celestial objects and emit large amounts of energy. Gas and dust falling into a supermassive black hole, that are at the centre, emit electromagnetic radiation across the entire electromagnetic spectrum.

Both groups of astronomers studied a particular quasar called APM 08279+5255, which harbors a black hole 20 billion times more massive than the sun and produces as much energy as a thousand trillion suns. So a fair bit.

Bradford’s team was able to get more information about the water, most notably its incredible mass as they detected several spectral signatures of the water.

Prior to this discovery, astronomers had never found water vapor present this far back in the early universe. There is water elsewhere in the Milkyway - however, most of it is frozen in ice.

Astronomers are hoping to learn more about the distant universe and those in the study proposed a 25-meter telescope to be built in the Atacama Desert in Chile.

In 2020, the telescope’s name was changed from Cerro Chajnantor Atacama Telescope (CCAT) to Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope (FYST) after Cornell alumnus Fred Young supported the telescope for about 2 decades with 16 million dollars.

Originally published on https://www.unilad.com

COMING UP!!

(Wednesday, July 24th, 2024)

"HOW LONG CAN A HUMAN FLOAT IN SPACE??"

[perseidlion]

A Gift From Death - A Dead Boy Detectives Payneland Christmas Short

Every ghost in the world received a gift from Death of the Endless once a year. Most didn’t know who was responsible, and few would ever guess it came from her. The timing varied, but it was almost always associated with the most special time of the year for any particular ghost. 

For Charles and Edwin, it was the early hours of Christmas morning. Not for any religious reasons, but for the magic that surrounded the holiday and the way the whole of London was decked out in its festive best. 

They had found out about the gift by accident in the third year of the Agency. Since then, they’d developed a Christmas Eve routine as the minutes ticked closer to midnight. 

“Come on, mate! Get the tree plugged in. It’s almost time!” said Charles as he finished pouring rich, decadent hot chocolate into a pair of Christmas mugs. His had a jolly elf while Edwin’s had a 3D relief of a Christmas tree with stacked presents for a handle. They’d received them in payment for The Case of the Haunted Ceramic Frog during December of ‘91 and had been using them for their Christmas ritual ever since. 

Edwin dug around underneath the tree for the plug for the lights. He pushed it into the socket, but nothing happened. “Bollocks. What is it now?”

“Must be a dead light somewhere in the strand,” said Charles. 

They’d found a box of Christmas decorations when they set up the office. The strand of lights were easily from the 70s, if not older - which meant they were the sort where if a single bulb was burnt out, none of them would work. 

“I hate to say it, Charles. But I don’t think we’re going to have lights this year,” said Edwin with a sigh as he examined the tree with his hands perched on his hips.

“Hold on…” said Charles as he squinted at the fresh-cut tree decorated with ornaments they’d received as payment for cases over the years. It was an eclectic collection of handmade and artisanal ornaments mixed in with a box of glass orbs in blue and red that had been in the box with the lights. “I think I see a missing one up near the top.”

“How the devil did you spot that?” asked Edwin as he squinted at the tree. 

“I’ve got sharp eyes, don’t I?” said Charles with that charming, thousand-watt smile of his. Then he clapped and darted over to the cardboard box with ‘XMAS STUFF’ written on the side in Charles’ terrible handwriting.

While Charles searched for a box of spare bulbs, Edwin pulled over a footstool. 

“Hurry along! It’s nearly midnight,” said Edwin as he stepped up onto the stool. He took hold of the strand with one hand while he held the other out and down expectantly.

Charles found a small, nearly disintegrated plastic bag and then dug out a spare red bulb. He pressed the bulb into Edwin’s waiting hand. 

With a neat little flourish, Edwin lifted his hand and  twisted the bulb into the empty socket. The moment he did, all the lights flickered on and the tree lit up with the warm glow of multicoloured Christmas lights. The brilliant greens, golds, reds and blues bounced off their collection of ornaments and made each one sparkle. 

At that moment, the antique clock in the corner chimed to mark midnight. With each strike, Edwin and Charles gained new sensation.

With the first strike, they could suddenly smell the sharp scent of the pine Christmas tree.

With the second, they could feel heat radiating from the woodstove in the corner that was stoked for the occasion. 

The third brought breath to their lungs. The fourth, beating hearts in their chests. With each chime of the clock, they got closer to life until they were fully human once again.

Edwin was so distracted by life returning to his spectral form that he missed the sound of groaning wood. The stepstool which had no issue supporting a ghostly form couldn’t handle the weight of a living being. The leg gave way and he found himself toppling toward the floor with a very undignified squeak. 

Somehow, Charles managed to catch him before he hit the floor and gently guided him back to his feet. “Easy, easy! You all right?” On impulse, he reached up to touch Edwin’s cheek.

“I’m…I’m fine,” Edwin stammered.

They touched a dozen times a day in all sorts of casual ways. Or rather, Charles touched Edwin and Edwin allowed it. But something about this touch was different, and not just because he could feel the heat of his hand on his face.

Charles too, felt something shift in that moment. He held Edwin’s weight for a moment longer, then helped him regain his footing. He lingered close, gripping forearm to forearm with one hand, the other still touching his cheek. He stared into Edwin’s eyes and squeezed gently, caressing the muscle of his arm beneath the cotton shirt. His stomach tightened with nerves and anticipation and he felt his cheeks flush. 

Something that had begun with Edwin’s confessions on the steps of Hell had been lingering in the background of their relationship - unspoken and unremarked upon, but building like an ember on a bed of dry kindle. Nothing had changed on the surface, but with each passing day, and with each glance and casual touch, something shifted in Charles. 

Edwin returned the forearm grip and stared at Charles with his eyes wide and hopeful. With each moment they stood in silence, their brief time as corporeal beings drifted away. Their hot chocolate and fresh-baked cookies sat nearby, steam rising from the mugs, adding a sweet tinge to the spruce and crackling fire in the air. 

Edwin closed his eyes and allowed himself the indulgence of nuzzling Charles’ hand. He knew at any moment, he would withdraw the touch. 

Or so he thought.

Instead, Charles felt a revelation wash over him. He kept hold of Edwin’s arm and shifted closer until there was barely any air between them. He swallowed down the nerves in his stomach, then slid the hand from his forearm to loop around his waist. He splayed his hand across the small of his back beneath his blazer, tracing fingers over the knit of his sweater vest. He breathed in deep with his mouth slightly open. 

Edwin’s eyelids fluttered and his knees went weak, but the hand on his back kept him steady. He turned his face further against his hand and bumped his nose against his palm. Then he risked pressing the tiniest of kisses to the pulse point of his wrist.

That was all it took for Charles to find a well of courage he didn’t know he had. He leaned in and intercepted Edwin before he could kiss his wrist again. The first proper kiss was a gentle thing - a testing peck. But once he had a taste of Edwin’s lips in full sensory glory, he immediately craved more. He pecked him twice more, then leaned in for a proper, deep, romantic kiss.

Edwin clung to Charles for dear life as what he’d wished for for decades finally came to pass. In between the gentle pecks, he let out a shuddering sigh - a whimper and a sound of surprise in one. When the full kiss came, he leaned into it fully. A pair of tears slipped down his cheeks, tracing cool rivulets down his neck until they soaked into the collar of his shirt. He gripped the sides of Charles’ jacket with white-knuckled intensity and leaned his weight against him.

Charles and Edwin kissed each other sweetly and with unlocked longing as the minutes ticked on. Their bodies grew warmer and the lights of the Christmas tree danced off their skin and reflected in their eyes. 

But Death’s gift was fleeting. At five minutes past midnight, the sensations started to slide away like the dimming of a candle. At first, they lost the scent of the tree, then the warmth of the fire. The last to go was the warmth of each others’ bodies and the gentle moisture of their lips. 

Even as the numbness of a ghost’s existence settled back in, they continued to hold one another just as tightly. Slowly, they lifted off the floor until they floated midair in front of the Christmas tree. They rotated around in a stepless dance, drifting in a slow circle as they remained intertwined. 

“I…think I was waiting for tonight to do that,” said Charles after a long, long moment with no sound but the crackle of the fire and the distant hum of London traffic. “Not consciously, but…maybe I just wanted to feel the first time. Properly.” 

Edwin clung to Charles and rested his head against his shoulder. He didn’t care that he could no longer feel the warmth of his body or the thrum of his heartbeat. He knew he was holding him, and that’s what truly mattered. The memory of that kiss would replay in his mind with all the ghost kisses to come.

And there would be many to come.

“Happy Christmas, Charles,” Edwin whispered as if he was afraid speaking too loudly would break the spell of that moment.

“Happy Christmas, Edwin,” Charles replied. Then he kissed him again.

---

If you enjoyed this fic, I would appreciate it if you dropped a kudos and/or a comment on Ao3! I have lots more DBD fic, too.

Merry Christmas!