#and let's not forget Edwin

[that-ineffable-devil]

Pouring one out for the Cat King and Monty, who were immediately down bad for the repressed Edwardian twink, clocked his suppressed attraction for his BFF of 30 years before he did, and managed to both help him stop repressing his homosexuality and acknowledge his feelings for Charles only to get shut down hard in the end.

Truly God's strongest, gayest soldiers.

[leahaart]

[waywardsonsandaughters]

Charles was sitting on the kitchen floor in Esther’s house for at least two hours — while we don’t know when The Boys were taken, it was daylight originally, and by the time Niko and Crystal enter the house it is dark outside.

Depending upon location and time of year sunset is at least an hour and then true darkness can be (in northern US) up to two hours which would be roughly three total but to account for unknown variables… two hours minimum.

How Charles managed to hold it together for approximately two hours and not completely lose it (anger, terror, grief) while Edwin was being tortured in the other room; Charles having to hear it all…

There’s a lot of talk/focus about Edwin’s trauma in this scene (of which there is a lot), but this is a huge multi-faceted trauma for Charles, too, and (I feel) it goes relatively undiscussed (even in the show).

[morphean42]

Edwin Payne in Hell taking every chance he gets to picturing his family members faces as to not forget them. Edwin Payne in Hell writing down list after list of his favourite things (books, foods, songs). Edwin Payne in Hell scribbling his name in the margins of his notebook because he took too long to remember it last time, what if he forgets it altogether?

Edwin Payne in Hell, slowly loosing himself over 73 years. Edwin Payne in Hell, unable to remember what it is like to talk without screaming, what it is like to hear laughter without being filled with fear and the knowledge if he doesn’t run now he’ll be torn apart again and again and again.

Edwin Payne in Hell, studying his hands every time he wakes up in another body. Did he always have a freckle just there? Edwin Payne in Hell, ripping a hole in the wall between the Dollhouse and Gluttony, desperate to escape yet plagued by the fear that perhaps there is nothing left to escape to.

Edwin Payne in Hell, mapping out his horrific reality, trying to escape only to realise he’s further down than ever. Edwin Payne in Hell the sound of his femur snapping the closest thing to a lullaby he can imagine as his eyes slip shut yet again (but they snap open again, right away, in time to watch the last him he torn to shreds, because there is no respite, no rest, only running, only endless dying).

Edwin Payne in Hell noting every sin he can think of committing and praying for forgiveness. Edwin Payne in Hell cursing God for leaving him here, then letting himself be ripped apart for the thought. Edwin Payne in Hell knowing there must be a reason he is here, after all.

Edwin Payne in Hell, waking in yet another body to run yet another time, realizing he cannot recall the smell of baked beans or the faces of his parents. Edwin Payne in Hell when he has to wonder if perhaps he was a creature of this darkness, his life before a cruel hallucination.

Edwin Payne in Hell losing first the sound of his mother’s voice, then his own. Edwin Payne in Hell, was his hair brown or black? His eyes green or grey? Edwin Payne in Hell, was he sure he was still Edwin Payne? There are bodies all around him and one day he might suffocate under all the limbs that used to be him and maybe he’s lost a bit of his soul in every version of him that has died down here, how much longer can he rip apart his very being until there is simply nothing identifiable left?

Just, Edwin Payne in Hell.

[asidian]

I've seen a lot of talk about how hell affected Edwin's pain tolerance, but not very much breaking down how it seems to have affected the way he manages emotion. So to that end, here we go:

Edwin Payne vs emotions (and how his no good very bad helltime messed with him something awful)

Dead Boy Detectives does a very good job early on of establishing the fact that Edwin is not particularly good with people. He's stilted, he's repressed, and though he can be incredibly kind to the people he cares about, he can also be quite abrasive, particularly to those he doesn't know well.

Time and time again, we see Charles step in to be the face man. Charles is the one to greet the clients, to take note of their names, to set them at ease. Charles is the one to support Crystal emotionally, and his interactions with Edwin seem to imply that he's done the same for Edwin, over the years. Charles has to remind Edwin to mind his bedside manner, and he explains to Crystal that Edwin forgets how to talk to people sometimes, because of how long he spent in hell.

In short, these boys compensate for each other's strengths and weaknesses in a lot of ways, and Charles is very much the one doing the emotional heavy lifting in this partnership.

And there's a reason for that, laid out in the text and subtext all throughout the show, and the narrative handles it brilliantly.

Edwin's actor does a fantastic job in expressing the character's reactions – or rather, lack of them. Because in the most shocking scenes throughout the show, Edwin often doesn't seem as horrified as the others in the face of events that ought to be horrific. In the Devlin house, he seems as though the murders scarcely affect him. When the jumper at the top of the lighthouse throws herself down, he's downright composed in comparison to everyone else.

And Edwin repeatedly shows or expresses that emotion makes him uncomfortable. When Crystal and Charles are fighting in episode five, he requests that they set their feelings aside until the case is finished. At the end of the episode, he says that the day has been entirely too full of emotions for his taste.

So, what is it specifically about emotion that bothers him so much?

In hell, emotion meant an awful, bloody death.

Panicking over potential incoming horrors? Nope, sorry, too loud. Dead again. Having a sobbing breakdown in a corner? Nope, sorry, too loud. Injured and trying to keep it down so it doesn't get worse? Nope, sorry, that's too loud, too.

Again and again, we see Edwin trying to tamp down on his emotions, but also, tellingly, trying to keep his emotions subdued and quiet.

When Charles finds him in hell, he's crying without making a single sound. When Esther starts to torture him in episode eight, he doesn't scream at first. He's trained himself out of making noise when something hurts or frightens him.

Of course he wants to set emotions aside until the case is done. He's spent seventy years learning what happens if you don't. You take care of business first. If, and only if, there's an after? That's when you let yourself feel.

Early on, when Edwin and Charles need to find the correct book but Edwin is unable to access their office due to the Cat King's bracelet, Edwin is upset. He's frustrated and out of sorts, blocked from making progress on the thing he knows he needs to be doing – hurting himself trying to get his arm through the mirror until Charles stops him. It's Charles who has to step in and help him calm down. It's Charles who has to remind him to breathe through what is very likely a panicked throwback to those times when if he could not solve his way out of a problem, it would very literally get him killed. In this scene, we get a brief glimpse of how Edwin looks when he starts to lose his grip on his rigid control.

And that's before we even get to these things:

Because as awful as the doll spider was, it wasn't the only thing skulking around the Doll House. Charles stumbles across misery wraiths when he goes to rescue Edwin from hell – and we know from the Devlin house episode that Edwin is extremely aware of what they do and how they operate. They were in his space, looking for despair to feed off during a time when he had it in spades.

Taken all together? It's an absolutely heartbreaking picture.

This boy seemed a little socially awkward before his death, from what we see of his time before hell. But afterward? He's had seventy long years of having to teach himself to regulate his own emotions, under pain of excruciating torture if he didn't do it well enough.

With an object lesson like that, over and over again, for literal decades, it's no wonder that Edwin has such a hard time navigating emotions and everything surrounding them.

[coloursflyaway]

I kind of sort of maybe want to write a fic about some entity offering Edwin a chance to go back to his past and not be sacrificed as a reward of sorts. And he is shown how he would finish school and grow up, find a job, maybe a wife he never quite loves, maybe children he does love, and he grows old and he dies, and he goes into the blue light and it's heaven.

And Charles is standing next to him, and even if it only takes a minute - time works differently for visions - it feels like eternity, because he knows he cannot ask Edwin to stay. he knows hell, he has seen it, Edwin spent 70 years there, so how could Charles ever ask him to not give himself a chance to heal from that, once and for all? He can't ask for that, and even hoping for Edwin to say no feels horrible, because that is his best friend, his most important person, right there and shouldn’t Charles wish for Edwin to be free of this, even at the cost of his own happiness?

The vision ends, and Edwin’s eyes refocus and Charles looks at him and thinks, I love you the most, and I know you’ll forget me but I’ll never forget you, and thank you for letting me spend this time with you, even if it wasn’t forever.

„Go on, then“, he tells Edwin, because he cannot say goodbye instead. But Edwin doesn’t even look at him, just takes his hand (and that feels like a goodbye as well), squares his shoulders and tells the entity, „Thank you very much, but I’m not interested.“

And Charles isn’t even sure if he hears it, because Edwin cannot reject that offer, no one with half a mind would, and Charles knows Edwin’s mind inside out.

The entity just smiles, looks over at Charles, and asks, „Because of him?“

And Edwin nods, like it shouldn’t even need an explanation; for a moment he looks over at Charles and there is a love in his eyes that is so vast and so overwhelming and so eternal that Charles wouldn’t be able to recognise it, if he didn’t carry its twin in his chest.

And Edwin says, „Of course. Every bit of it was worth it, because of him.“

[fan-a-tink]

Something about how loudly Edwin says Charles' name in this scene has been driving me insane and I think I've finally figured out why.

When Charles finds Edwin in hell, Edwin is rolled into a little ball of misery, covered in blood and quietly sobbing. It's probably a position he's developed over decades, making himself as small as possible, being as quiet as possible, trying to take up as little space as possible. He's almost pretending he doesn't exist in order to stretch out the moments before the spider finds him and the loop starts again.

And then Charles says his name and Edwin looks up and sees Charles, and it's like all of his defenses just vanish. He doesn't whisper Charles' name, he says it, loudly, as if he has completely forgotten where he is and that they need to be quiet. He gets up, unfurls his limbs, slowly standing up to his full height, taking up space again. Every instinct in his body should tell him to stay hidden and as invisible and silent as possible, but Charles has just smiled at him, and Edwin speaks again, asking "Is that you?" and letting out a shaky breath of relief.

He is completely vulnerable and exposed now, like Charles' arrival has made him completely forget that they are in hell and that he could be ripped apart by a spider doll demon at any moment. All the defences he has built up over literal decades just completely crumble as soon as he hears Charles' voice.

And then the spider comes and rips him away, and I don’t think it would have done (at least not yet), had Edwin not alerted it to his presence like that. I think that’s why this moment wouldn’t let go of me, because I always thought it shouldn’t be this easy for Edwin to abandon a survival tactic he has developed over decades of torture. But all it takes is Charles being there, and Edwin forgets everything else.

[livrere-green]

the fact that charles was so gentle and sincere with his answer to edwin's confession is something I could never forget... because that's what love is about, right?

love is in the way charles could never hurt edwin on purpose, is in the way he protects him, in the way he knows when edwin needs to be seen; love is in the choice of every one of his words, in the way he knows that being honest is the only right answer.

there's still forever waiting for them, there's still forever waiting for charles to figure it out, to discover if he loves edwin in a romantic way too, and it doesn't matter if is not romantic in the end, because that it's just a side of the love they share.

i think is so important not to overlook something like that, not to let that pending romance overshadow the fact that they already love each other in every other way.

because in the end, we are talking about two boys that have experienced excruciating pain, that have seen horrifying things during all their existences, and in spite of it, or maybe because of it, are capable of loving each other in a way that's so pure and strong and relentless...

reducing the importance of it to a reciprocated romantic love seems so simplistic and inconsiderate to me.

[reyl0ct]

Edwin: Don't touch me, I'm armed!

The Cat King: *smirks* oh really? Did you forget i'm a magical being? Your weapons won't work on me.

Edwin: *pulls out a spray bottle full of water*

The Cat King: .... *visibly nervous*

Edwin: ....

The Cat King: ... Now now, let's just put the weapon down and- and just talk this through-

Edwin: *sprays him*

[ahyperactivehero]

REASONS TO WATCH DEAD BOY DETECTIVES

ALSO! if you follow me on here and somehow haven't watched dead boy detectives yet, I am BEGGING you to do so! we need all the streams we can get to try and save this show. I have no way of repaying you, other than knowing you will be making a mutual very, very happy.

reasons why you should watch it:

Dead Boy Detectives is a wonderfully, unquestionably queer show. Most of the main/reoccurring characters are queer, with the others who aren't being very queer coded.

It feels like old school Supernatural or Buffy but made for today's audience and queer. Add in the mystery/detective aspect and you've got the perfect recreation of SuperWhoLock my friend, all in one show.

Actors/Writers from Supernatural also worked on this. Everyone knows the wonderful Ruth Connell who played Rowena on Supernatural! And Steve Yockey was a writer/producer for some great episodes of Supernatural. There's also everyone's favorite trickster angel, Richard Speight Jr, who directed one of the best episodes of television ever in Dead Boy Detectives called The Case of the Very Long Stairway.

While this show is wonderful for the romantic aspect of it, it is- at it's heart, a show about love and acceptance. Edwin's journey of self-discovery and his queer identity is not one you see every day on TV, but it is done so well! Each one of the characters have such interesting, fully developed arcs that really tie together the fact that they are all just teens who the world would rather forget about, but they won't let it. Not as long as they are around, they will always have someone who remembers them.

Dead Boy Detectives deserves to continue. It deserves to finish telling the story they set out to. It deserves to be remembered.

[wordsinhaled]

"when edwin and charles hug after 'you, charles rowland, are the best person i know' it's first time they've ever hugged" - i mean... you're completely entitled to that headcanon but. i offer the suggestion that charles just has got to be the snuggliest person of all time. look at him! that is someone who loves a good snuggle. i can almost guarantee he has casually hugged edwin countless times before.

it was a hug like so many others that preceded it and yet - this one - fundamentally different. this was the hug of realization. george fucking nailed it.

the way edwin holds perfectly still at first - like he's not sure if he can relax into charles' embrace this time the way he always has. then, tentatively, how he folds his arms around charles in turn. how he clearly relishes the force and abandon with which charles is embracing him. it's them against everything because they are choosing each other. he's relieved he's managed to impress on charles the esteem in which he holds him. maybe charles will get it now, how essential he is to edwin, not because edwin cannot exist without him but because he does not want a world he does not share with charles.

and then the sigh. the sigh. like edwin's letting go of all his tension, fear, doubt. he knows his truth. he's found the happiest, most peaceful place in his entire afterlife and it's where he's always expected it to be. everything makes sense. everything is clarity. he never wants to let charles go. and his expression when charles pulls away, it seems before edwin's ready, just when edwin's settled into it - he's shocked and awestruck by the enormity of his own feeling - his eyes searching charles' beloved face - the way he staggers back, like he has to separate from charles before he forgets himself, betrays himself, stays too long in the moment of complete happiness he just experienced.

that was edwin's "oh" moment. 💖

[adventures-in-mangaland]

Dead Boy Detectives Fic Recs Part 7

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6

So I hear there's been some fandom drama? Guess it's time for another fic rec list! This fandom is so lovely, so let's focus on the positive and give all the love to our writers and artists. You guys are so talented. ♥️

Work It Harder, Make it Better by dear_monday, two_ravens

Olympics AU! And kind of Sk8er Boi? Charles is an Olympic skateboarder at the end of his competitive career and Edwin is a rising star in the world of dressage. They fall in love at Paris 2024. Amazing writing, as always, and I also enjoyed Niko and Crystal as members of the skateboarding and equestrian teams having their own Olympics Romance and Jenny as Charles' world-weary coach.

Twin Flame by Leandra

Another "He was a punk, he did ballet" romance! This time, everyone is alive and the boys meet when Charles watches Edwin perform at his little sister's ballet recital. The romance and Charles as a big brother are very sweet, which is great as this fic also covers some heavy themes. It's set in the 90s so there's discussion of homophobia, the AIDs crisis and Charles' canon child abuse. Suffice to say, his bisexual awakening is quite fraught. Recommended!

Love for Hire by lucrow

Edwin hires Charles to freak out his parents with his obnoxious fake boyfriend. What could possible haaappeeen? And yes, it's a ballet/punk romance too. 😅 Anyway, it's giving fantastic banter, lots of emotions and great use of trope! I also enjoyed Edwin's relationship with his mum in this fic, excellent parental feels.

so I try to talk refined by shadowquill17

Charles finds out about the Cat King taking on his appearance and (somehow) arrives at the conclusion that Edwin isn't attracted to him. Charles having body image as well as chronic self-esteem issues was interesting but kind of heartbreaking. Read it for Edwin's agonised attempts to verbalise his sexual attraction to Charles without exploding. That's love right there.

A Royal Pain(e) (series) by handwrittenhello

Royalty AU! I love a bodyguard romance from time to time and this one is lovely. Lots of yearning.

Turnabout's Fair Play by Like MmmCookies

Edwin enlists Niko and Crystal to teach him how to flirt with Charles. It starts off cute and awkward and ends up Master Of All He Surveys, which is very Edwin.

I will love you (I really love you) by ghostinthelibrary

Charles has a feelings realization and tries to confess to Edwin. Repeatedly. From a cock-blocking enchanted statue to a Hellhound, it's farcical and fun. This fic has been living in my head rent free for months.

seasons of mists by laiqualaurelote

Edwin hires Charles to be the barista in his book shop's cafe. Two cosy AUs in one! And it even comes (appropriately) with its own reading list and fanart! Very cute, excellent autumnal vibes and a superb imaginary book shop. I'm genuinely so devastated it's not a real place. 😭

Ariadne's Thread by hobbitsdoitbetter

In which Edwin is demisexual and trying to make it work with Charles. Love to see some ace spectrum representation!

you know the problem with history (it keeps coming back like weeds) by aletterinthenameofsanity

Amnesia AU! And kind of Secret Relationship? Edwin has Not So Temporary Amnesia that made him forget a whole romantic relationship with Charles early in their partnership. And Charles never told him... Surely this will have no impact on the events of canon?? 😬 I loved this twist on the trope!

scraped to the marrow by Anonymous

Edwin learned black magic in Hell and kind of went to the Dark Side. I love the trope of "Everyone thinks Character avoids violence because they're scared/weak/nice/bad at it, but actually they're a bit too good at it" and this fic does it well. I love regular Edwin, but Lord Bone was also pretty cool.

To Walk Back Into Hell by Asidian

Charles goes to Hell in Edwin's place, so naturally Edwin needs to find a way to rescue him! Interesting Hell lore and I loved all the Charles love in this.

It does not stop by williamvapespeare

Now he's safe from Hell, Edwin finally works through his PTSD. Emotional, but peak Emotional Support Charles for the win!

signed, sealed, delivered by sulfuric

Outsider PoV of the boys and the agency through the years from the perspective of the Ghost Postman. He's kind of underrated as a side character, but there are so many Implications about the Dead Letter Office, so I enjoyed the worldbuilding. And the supernatural community of London gossiping about/shipping the boys (they're just like us, for real). Love that trope.

not so secret by lola_prongs

Social Media/Celebrity AU! In which they're both actors and Charles relentlessly thirsts after Edwin on Twitter. Great use of social media/epistolary storytelling.

Like a record, baby by singtome

Another celebrity/social media AU, but this time Charles and Crystal are budding rock stars and Edwin is their manager. Also Edwin goes viral as the mysterious #HotGuyatUnity after his picture's taken at an event and Charles *tries* to set the record straight. This one's funny, generous with the yearning and UST and is part of a series that also touches on the darker side of the music industry/celebrity, which I appreciated. And it also has this excellent visual representation of the online drama.

@ghostinthelibrarywrites @tumblerislovetumblerislife @shadowquill17 @neurodivergent-fangirling @whatthehorsedoicallthisblog @shazziez @many-gay-magpies @extremely-eager-reader @atariakana @guardianspirits13 @colourmornings @herebehunters @avoiceofnerat @littlepocketuniverse @overlord-of-chaos @fairandfatalasfair @handwrittenhello @every-moment-a-different-sound @williamvapespeare @laiqualaurelote @dear-monday @dear-lucrow @aletterinthenameofsanity @likemmmcookies @bibliomancer7 @c-rowland @nobledragonflying @hobbitsdoitbetter

I've tagged some people again. Let me know if you'd like to be added to the tag list!

[smileyedwin]

Dead boy detectives is one of the few shows that didn't sexualize teenage characters. And that's just one of the many great qualities of the show. It could be deemed as the bare minimum but it's very rare.

They created a space for queer people all around the world and handled it gracefully and respectfully. They didn't try to fit into a fixed structure, it was uniquely and brilliantly done! It's truly like nothing I have ever seen before.

A few folks say that it wasn't “queer” enough and to them I ask DID YOU EVEN WATCH THE SHOW? We not only got to see a character come to the realization that he's gay but we also got an incredible scene where he comes out to his best friend who unflinchingly accepts him. We have Jenny who's a lesbian who went out on a date with a woman who she kissed by the way (even though it didn't end the way we hoped.) And let's not forget the moments between Monty and Edwin. We have 5 canon characters that are part of the lgbtqia+ with their own unique stories that reflect real life allowing all the many different people in the world to relate and have a personal connection with those individual characters.

Being queer is not what you show but what you feel. And I say this, not for the shows that are too scared to touch on queer emotions and feelings— (dead boy detectives is certainly NOT one of those shows) but for the people who haven't been able to be open about their feelings when it comes to their sexuality and feel invalidated because they can't express or share them.

And if one of the reasons you think it isn't queer enough is because it doesn't have sexual themes or that the characters don't get together within the first few episodes...you might wanna reconceptualize what your idea of queer representation is.

[pretty-lovely-mar]

"Charles, please. Stop running away from me. You know that you can always tell me anything," Edwin says, getting up from his place at his desk.

Charles, who had already started to grab his overcoat and walk out the door, paused for a moment. He whirred around, "No, Edwin. You don't get it, do you? I yelled at you! Just now, after this case because I was annoyed and I got all caught up in it. I yelled at you... I don't do that, 'Win"

He seemed to sag under the weight of his words, momentarily losing his resolve to leave.

"It's okay." Edwin walked over to take his coat and hang it back up. He then walked back and put his hand in Charles' "I don't mind. I know you, Charles, and I know that you didn't mean it." He paused for a moment. He seemed to mull over what he was going to say next. Since his confession on the staircase in Hell, Edwin had begun to choose to be honest more and more often.

"In the spirit of honesty, I must say that I'd let you yell at me or more if it meant we were still together here in our afterlives."

Immediately, Edwin could see it was the wrong thing to have said. He still had some trouble reading Charles, especially when he was in a state of being greatly affected by his own trauma from his life. Crystal had always been better at comforting him and being there for him in that regard, but she wasn't here right now. There was no one for Charles to go to when Edwin inevitable seemed to mess it up.

Charles let go of Edwin's hand and clenched his fists at his sides. "Edwin, no. You can't... If I do something to you..." He trailed off, seemingly unable to finish his thought. Thoughts of his father ran through his head, and his mother's face featured right after.

His mother had stayed with his father for so many years, he had endured his father's actions until he died. He wouldn't wish that upon anyone, especially not Edwin. Never Edwin. And as much as he wished he were sure about the opposite, or that he was certain they weren't qualities that he could inherit, Charles always had that itching thought in the back of his head that he'd turn out just like father, even in his death.

Even though he had seemed like he couldn't quite get the words out, Edwin waited patiently for him to flesh out his thoughts. He took a step closer, to remind Charles that he was there for him.

Finally, he said, "If I ever hurt you, even once, never speak to me again. Tell the Night Nurse to let Death take me, start your own agency, do whatever it takes to get away from me. No matter how sorry I say I am, no matter how many promises I make." Then, quietly, almost like he didn't want him to hear, he added, "I never want you to suffer from me like my mum suffered from my dad."

Silence made the air around them feel heavy and still. Charles took an unnecessary shaky breath and looked away from Edwin. In times where he was vulnerable, Charles hated to look Edwin in the eyes.

"Charles. You will never hurt me. You can't! You don't have a single violent bone in your body. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You are the best person I know, Charles Rowland, and nothing will ever change that." Edwin enveloped Charles into a hug, slowly so that Charles could move away if he wanted.

Instead, he burrowed into Edwin's neck, lips against a non-existent pulse. He stood there, being held in the agency's doorway for what seemed like forever, and he could've stayed there for another eternity.

Eventually, Edwin released him and held him by the shoulders, as Charles often did for him when he felt overwhelmed. "You're too good to be like your dad, Charles, and I will remind you every day if I have to."

And still, Charles seemed to be too overwhelmed to form words, but he nodded his, closing his eyes, and just allowed himself to lean against Edwin for a while.

Because even though Charles may never fully recover, and he'll never forget that fear, Edwin is there to remind him to not be afraid. After all, he's the best person Edwin knows, so he must be pretty great.

@aspiring-wildfire i saw your post abt edwin and charles' worst fears and something abt it just clicked so thanks for the inspiration :)

[darklinaforever]

"I will never understand why people ship them together when the Cat King is just SO nonconsensual and downright creepy towards Edwin. What are people even seeing??"

"Also his apparent idea of romance is trying to coerce Edwin and then trapping him to subject him to continual harassment like dude enough is enough"

I still remind you that without the Cat King, Edwin would probably have had no development in his feelings and his sexuality.

It is literally the fact that the Cat King blocked him in town and tried to seduce him that causes a positive development in Edwin, with his iconic confession to Charles. Without Cat King, there's none of this.

And again, in case these people forget... Edwin's punishment was literally an equivalent of what he did to a cat. The punishment was fair.

Also I call him back, but Edwin seemed very, very willing to the Cat King's advances. I even dare to say that our Cat King sabotaged himself by putting the bracelet on Edwin because otherwise, Edwin would clearly have let himself be kissed and maybe even more.

Edwin did not perceive the Cat King's advances as harassment. On the contrary, deep down, he liked them. It felt good to be desired like that. His whole body language shows he was enjoying this.

And the Cat King being visibly strongly linked to desires, and more particularly Edwin's desires in the logic of the scenario, something tells me that he must have felt it. The Cat King was content to flirt with someone he liked and who he felt liked in return.

Even when the Cat King forced Edwin to tell the truth, it may seem immoral, but it was a good thing for Edwin's character development and even just a good thing in the sense that it allowed him to unravel a weight by confessing something that visibly weighed him down. We can see him nodding very briefly and discreetly when the Cat King tells him that he shouldn't feel better after revealing this ?

I'm tired of seeing this type of person spouting their bullshit. It seems like they're purposely watching the show with their eyes closed. Either that or they don't have an education in media analysis.

I personally believe that what must annoy these people a lot is the fact that even their precious little Edwin, whose honor and physical integrity they are trying to defend at all costs, canonically has a big crush on the Cat King and was completely ready to be kissed by him during their literally first interaction which they like to describe as assault. 😂

Also, even though most of us Catwin shippers would like them to be endgame, we are well aware that it's a low probability and that Charles will surely eventually realize that he romantically loves Edwin in return. On the other hand, these people who spit on the character of the Cat King seem to simply refuse to recognize his importance in Edwin's sexual and romantic journey, trying to portray him as a disgusting abuser who would have traumatized the poor Edwin when just... no.

It's not very complicated to understand what we like about the Cat King and his relationship with Edwin. But for that, these people would already have to have the descent to understand the basis of the character. He is fully present to serve Edwin's positive emotional and sexual development. Without the Cat King, Edwin would probably never have been pushed against the wall in order to fully assume who he is. What the Cat King brings to Edwin is very beautiful and important. And for this to happen, Edwin obviously has to actually feel things for the Cat King. But these people really don't seem ready to hear that either. Basically, we like this relationship because it is well written with a goal and complex characters sharing a connection to tell it to us.

[lichenes]

Hii! Can I please request a Charles Rowland x fem/afab! Reader (and if you don't write fem, then gn!) With an established relationship, maybe some fluffy (and/or spicy) moments between the two?

Thanks very much and don't forget to hydrate!

Hi lovely! Of course :D I’ve been planning on writing something for Charles for a long time so I’m glad you requested it <3

CW: suggestive stuff at the end, kissin, fluff!!

wc: 646

•───────•°•❀•°•───────••────────•°•❀•°•────────•

You mesmerised him.

Your life was pretty uneventful before your death. “Love?” And after? You met him. Charles was the definition of a love sick puppy when you were around him. “Oi?” Crystal would always say that he seemed to glow when you were in the room and his posture was a lot more confident when next to you. 

“Yes?” You answered him suddenly being pulled out of deep thought. “Whacha soooo focused on that you can’t answer your boyfriend?” You looked at him with whimsy behind your irises. “Just thinking ‘bout you, handsome.” You winked at him playfully. 

He smiled at your corniness and gave you a bear hug, his backpack falling off his shoulder. Charles pecked your cheek and stated his true intentions. “I’m going to visit Thomas with Edwin and Crystal, will you be joining us, lovely?” You pretended to give it a thought for a minute and then said yes earning an excited clap from him and a surprise kiss. You were a bit startled and he revelled in it, smiling into the kiss.

You were the youngest ghost (having died in the 2010’s) of the Dead Boy Detectives, Edwin refused to change the name of the group though and you were content with just that. You joined it because Edwin saw you as useful and Charles was just utterly bewitched by you. He confessed to you one day when Edwin pretended to feel poorly and let you two go on an adventure by yourselves. 

“Charles, what are you doing?” You said overlooking the view sported by the cliff you were both standing over. He hesitated for a moment. “Something… something really brave.” That was when he first kissed you. It was a long and passionate kiss making you both breathless. When he pulled away he looked at you, searching for any sign of discomfort and was met with another kiss far more hungry and primal than before. When you two disconnected he smiled wider than ever. “Oh that’s brills…”

From then on your afterlife was much more tranquil than you could have ever imagined. Your days were spent solving mysteries and revelling in the surges of dopamine you felt whenever Charles was around you. 

He’s very touchy-feely with you, always holding your hand or having his arm around your shoulders. Whenever some ghost would bother you he wouldn’t be far to help you get out of the situation. As the brawns of the group he would tear the ghost a new one if they ever got too close for your comfort. 

He doesn’t show jealousy often, he doesn’t have to be jealous, you love him and only him after all, he tells himself. “Sweetcheeks?” He says pondering the stupidity of what he’s about to ask. “What’s up?” You look up from your book smiling at him, your eyes filled with joy. “Actually… it was nothing…” He said, satisfied with the albeit short conversation. Charles giggled and blew you a kiss which you theatrically caught and put your hand to your heart. 

“Hey, Edwin and the gang are out, d’you wanna…” Said Charles leaning against the doorframe of the room you were sitting in. He looked you up and down and met your eyes. You walked up to him which made him crane his neck downwards. You put your hands around his neck and got close to his face. “Hmm… I’m not sure…” His eyes became half lidded as your hand made its way into his hair and tugged lightly. A small groan escaped his lips. And just when you were about to meet your lips-

“I don’t feel like it!” You said and walked back to your previous sitting spot, clearly teasing him. He strutted up to you, taking his jacket off and crouched down next to you. “Pretty please?” You chuckled, your ruse foiled. “Okaaaay, if you ask so nicely.”

•───────•°•❀•°•───────••────────•°•❀•°•────────•

masterlist