#arisprite

[williamvapespeare]

💌 any wip, I love your writing!

Thank you so much ❤️❤️ I'm so glad you like it!! This ask gave me a push and I wrote a little poetic bit near the end of the Edwin trauma fic that was so much fun, so thank you!!

Edwin is not alone but he is also waiting in an attic certain that Charles will step back and away any moment he is kneeling at the base of a lighthouse, horrified and helpless as Charles sobs out a lifetime's worth of anguish he is strapped to a witch's machine screaming Charles’ name he is feeling his heart twist in his chest as Charles’ anger gives way to tears he is you hate being dead? he is clutched between porcelain pincers watching Charles disappear through the tiniest of circles between worlds and

Make me write game :)

[stormwaterwitch]

I'm not the anon who you were responding to, but I found your blog through the thing about your 12-element paradigm. I'm fascinated, largely because the non-traditional 8 are (mostly) all aspects I work with, but I hadn't considered them as elements?

Idk what I'm asking specifically, but I would love to know m9re about how you came to look at things this way and how you use it in the day-to-day practice!

Thank you for your time!

Heya!

When I started really thinking about the elements I was drawn to things that I interacted with on a daily basis to make it easier to incorporate into my day to day practice (ie: thinking about things and stuff)

I think I went into this a bit more on this post but I broke them down into three categories: The Touchables, The Untouchables, and The Effectors. Touchables is pretty standard as it encompasses the elements you can reach out and touch. I mark them as Fire, Water, Air and Earth (Disclaimer: Fire Hot. Please don't touch fire okay? lol) but these are the elements you can actually touch and have a physical reaction register as you connect with them.

Untouchables are the elements are kind of a mixture between the effectors and the touchables as they CAN effect you but you cannot reach out and touch them the same way you could the first set.I mark them as Light, Dark, Time and Space. These are more sensations as you can feel the presence of Light or the absence of it in Darkness. You are aware of the passage of Time and your presence in a physical Space that your body occupies.

Effectors are the elements that can change the directions of a person's path but cannot be truly influenced by a practitioner overall. I mark them as Luck, Fate, Order and Chaos. They effect and influence the way our lives go. It can be tricky to discern between them when starting out: Was it Luck or Fate that you met the right person at the right time to get the job of your dreams? Do your rituals for your practice really need to follow the Order of the steps as written or would you get the same result winging it in the Chaos?

As for how I work with them it's very casually. Mostly notating how and when I feel them around me in my day to day life. Sometimes its squinting into the halogen light bulbs at work (or admiring the chandeliers) the quiet that takes over in the dark when I curl up in bed with my Kindle to read before bed. The whoomph of my gas stove lighting up, or sitting on my front porch swing to listen to the rain. the uneven rocks under my bare feet as I go to check the mail to the whips of wind that race along the parking lot as I walk to my car after my shift at work.

To me the elements are a lot of little experiences adding up over time and the balances they maintain when working all together. :) -oOo-

Now as for discovering your own elemental set(s) to work with, I would suggest taking some time every day to really pay attention to the things around you. The sensations you feel and take in as you experience life.

Next I would say investigate some Pop Culture influences and see what other people have utilized in their elemental systems. Why does Pokemon use Poison/ Fairy/ Steel Type? Why does Avatar include Metal/Lava/Blood Bending? Would Gravity, Ink, Blood or Sound be a viable element for you to work with?

I say this because I almost included Blood into one of my elements to work with but I couldn't find a way to make it work with the sets that I had so it didn't make the cut.

Some examples found below vvv

Some Ideas of things to consider as Elements: +Metal/Steel +Spirit/Aether +Gravity +Sound +Wood +Color/Light Spectrum +Gasses/Plasma +Energy +Crystal

Some questions to ask yourself: +What do I think is missing from the four elements that most people work with that I am looking for in my own practice? +How many Elements would be too many for me to feasibly work with? +Could these elements combine together? What elements would they make if they did?

I hope this helps! Feel free to send more in if there's anything else I can answer :D <3

Tagging @arisprite since they were interested!

[mellxncollie]

🎶✨when you get this, list 5 songs you like to listen to, publish, then, send this ask to 10 of your favourite followers (positivity is cool)🎶✨

hiiii thank you for sending this!! i was moving when i got this and then promptly forgot about doing it in the midst of everything happening.

E TE VENG' A PIGLIÀ - LIBERATO

Wonderful Thing - Glass Animals

Miénteme - Orville Peck & Bu Cuaron

Qué pasa nen - Alizzz

Det läcker - Dina Ögon

[manicpixiedreamedwins]

🎁🎁💜

“I am wherever despair lives. You, Edwin,” she smiled, “are so rich with it.”

This woman was so strange, always speaking in questions and riddles. It was a wonder his father kept her employed- he was a very direct man usually. Perhaps she was just here to run all the errands the other housekeepers didn’t want to. 

Like visit him at school. His face fell thinking about it. 

[ctl-yuejie]

meeting the parents ™️

[guardianspirits13]

I like the idea that Edwin went a little feral in Hell. 70 years spent fighting for his life sanity can’t have been easy… perhaps that’s why he’s resistant to learning how to fight from Charles. He doesn’t want the worst version of himself seeping into the life he’s made for himself on earth…

Edit: this was inspired by @arisprite !!! Edwin using his own former body parts as weapons is such a cool (and morbid) idea :)

[that-trans-autistic-guy]

The Adventures of Orbwin and Chorb: A Masterlist

This is where any information pertaining to Orbwin and Chorb is stored for any use and for all to see. Written by that-trans-autistic-guy, with an assist by @technically-human who made the first depiction of the orb boys. List is to be updated, please message @that-trans-autistic-guy to request an addition to the list. Posts/fics tagged with the tags attached to this post will be easier to find for everyone who loves the orb boys :D

Traits, Attributes and Ideas

Ship name is Chorbwin

The orbs can purr in the same way cats do. Results in a visual vibration and soft sound. They have limited awareness in orb form, so it follows the feelings of safety and comfort.

The gravitate towards each other slightly, not unlike magnets

Often just soft, warm light but can occasionally be in their hero colors: blue for Edwin, red for Charles

The orbs give off warmth, one the dead and living alike can feel

The girls call them “The Orb Boy Detectives”

Charles made Orbwin a tiny ghost costume

Fanfics

Carry These Torches For You - that_trans_autistic_guy

You Said, “I’ll Never Leave You Alone” - Aster_Flower114

A Better Place, A Better Time - TheFanficMustFlow

Why Do I Tire of Counting Sheep? - carpediemma

The Many Forms of Phantoms - thegirlofthorns

Orbing With Edwin and Charles - grammarglamour

Frippery - Baby_Spinach

Professional Networking - RoseGanymede95

This Little Light of Mine, Let It Shine - ingridmatthews

Let Me Watch Over You - waywardsonsanddaughters

They’re in Lorb (Orb Love) - DarkStars

First Time For Everything - Anonymous

Orbwin’s Day Off - Quicksweetdreamer

A Blue Cap and a Red Jacket - williamvapespeare

The Glow That Dazzles My Eyes - Cesare

Other Types of Intimacy - Asidian

The Case of the Wilson Brothers - justafandomfollower

Your Voice Lights Me Up Like Nothing Else Ever Could - slyvir

Safe - Violet_Baudelaire

“You Must Make Him Feel Really Safe.” - slaycious_royal

Lost Marbles - bluetack

Run Your Fingers Through My Soul - Hse11z5

Doing Nothing With You - PurpleParanoia

Hold Me Tight and Don’t Let Go - cordelianoir

Get Orbed, Losers - kittymaine

Sweettalk My Heart - NuriaSchnee

Listening To Your Voice, I’m Orbin Toward You - slyvir

Ooh You Make Me Live - Dead_but_still_sarcastic

So Cute I Could Just Eat You Up - eunoise

Y’know I Worry - ahyperactivehero

The Case of the Missing Blood Blade - shadyphoenix

Fanart

Recharging - @technically-human

Recharging II - @technically-human

The Infamous Puppy Debacle of ‘94 - @technically-human

Niko and Orbwin - @gaypanicattackonlegs

Orbwin in Charles’ Jacket - @fellow-fandom-fruitifier

Portable Boyfriend - @jube-art

Portable Boyfriend Part 2 - @jube-art

The Girls and Chorbwin - @arisprite

Chorbwin But Colored - @terresdebrume

Cherishing Each Other’s True Forms - @a-jasminator

ORBWIN - @random-art-p3rson

Painland Week Orb Boys - @etheriiart

Chorbwin is my new OTP - @fellow-fandom-fruitifier

IRL Orbwin and Chorb (Glass Boys) - @neurodivergent-fangirling

Chorbwin Accessories - @aceofturtles

Confession: Orb Edition - @every-moment-a-different-sound

The Best Orb I Know - @every-moment-a-different-sound

Chorbwin in Elysian Fields - @acheel-and-cat

Spaghetti and Chorb - @aceofturtles

Chorbwin w/ Accessories - @edwinspaynes

Notes from Circles?? - @thesfromhms 

Tiny Orbwin and Chorb - @technically-human

Gay - @sawtism101

DBD Brain Takeover - @disgruntled-rat

Mirror Chorbwin - @marbearmarigold

Lantern Chorbwin - @aria-hannah

Death Chorbwin - @marbearmarigold

Eternity Chorbwin - @marbearmarigold

Happy Chorbwin - @minkbumblebee-blog

Light Orbwin - @beetlebug—1

Earring Orbwin - @margo-mania

Fem!Orbwin - @technically-human

Lantern Chorbwin - @marbearmarigold

Chorbwin… But Lantern - @disgruntled-rat 

The Annoying Chorb - @thesfromhms

Lighthouse Chorbwin - @marbearmarigold

Day Four Prompt Chorbwin - @alterego77 

Chorbwin Backpack Cuddles - @dead-but-still-sarcastic

Doll Chorbwin - @marbearmarigold 

Love Chorbwin - @marbearmarigold

Glow Paint Chorbwin - @lesbicosmos

Spooky Chorbwin - @marbearmarigold

A Chorbwin Request - @downbaddetective

Orbwin Light - @etheriiart

Collection Feat. Orbwin - @unicorngunter

Orbwin’s Ghost Costume - @aceofturtles 

Orbwin Jack’O Lantern - @aceofturtles

Pastel Chorbwin - @starsandaces24

Chorb Light - @pippin-katz

Books Chorb - @marbearmarigold

Misc. Chorbwin Posts

Simple Orbs - @crosnt

Great Orb Incident of ‘02 - @edwinspaynes

First Sighting of ‘Chorbwin’ - @ace-misplaced

“ChOrBWIn” - @pippin-katz

Hyperactive Chorb - @khrorazir

Chorbwin Comic - @2ndfannypack

The Orb Boy Wizard - @succstosucculent

Cursed Chorbwin Gifs

Chorbwin Cookies - @dextheartist

Chorbwin Boba Meme - @etheriiart

Photo Of Orbwin - @edwinspaynes

Chorb Animation - @thesfromhms

Crossover Chorb Animation - @aria-hannah

The Orb Cameo - @moonikabear

[dbdazine]

It's high time we introduce you to our insanely talented lineup of contributors! Stay tuned for each of their individual spotlights coming soon!

🔍Page Artists - @anaart-stuff @khorazir @/_pansoriion_ (instagram) @agerblade @arisprite @/hattersdesigns (Twitter) @kazalmilk @margo-mania @antichrist-plus1 @cheriebryantsart @etheriiart @renchurro @rexwrendraws @hannaloony @lovetositinsilence

🔍Comic Artists - @vanillaflowerstuff @jube-art @losermothman @technically-human

🔍Spot Artists - @/ur_localkiwi (Instagram) @/tashanimation (Instagram) @tragedy-machine @/red_rosso (Instagram) @emmrysart @edmcmayonnaise @heckofabecca

🔍Merch Artists - @akari-the-ace @rainydaypunk

🔍Writers - @megs-bee @williamvapespeare @babyseraphim @emryses @the-ipre @misty--nights @paraphwrites @nix-nihili @phoenix-soar @catalists @asidian @experimentaldragonfire @carebeardean @a-jasminator

[podcastenthusiast]

Dead Boy Detectives Fic Rec List

Mostly payneland <3 I will update as I find more fics.

“I don’t like this, mate,” Charles muttered.

The Things We Can, and Cannot, Do by MDJensen

Paul Rowland is dead. It's not just that, though.

Oh, Lonely Bones, Have You Forgotten? by DontOffendTheBees

“No,” Edwin agreed, gravely. “Nor do I.”

Frankly, taking this case was probably an unwise decision. The meagre payment offered by the sickly-looking ghost of the old groundskeeper would fall far, far short of the emotional cost of the expedition. And yet when Edwin had looked over to Charles and met his eyes, there had been no doubt, no hesitation. Perhaps it was the notion of unfinished business; that mysterious force that compelled ghosts to sites of personal trauma as sirens compelled sailors to the unforgiving rocks. Perhaps they were both mere gluttons for punishment.

Either way, they were here now. It was with heavy hearts and wary eyes that on the evening of June twenty-sixth, Edwin and Charles – along with Crystal – set foot once more on the grounds of St. Hilarion's School for Boys.   In which a very, very old case is re-opened.

Mom Says It's My Turn to Jump on the Grenade by RoseGanymede95

Charles tried to pay attention, because Edwin was really upset, and Charles still didn’t understand why, and it seemed like this might be important. It was just, they’d been at this for a while, and Edwin kept asking him the same questions and not leaving him time to answer, so. His mind may have wandered a bit to how he would reinforce the next cricket bat. His attention snapped back to the present when Edwin said, “This can’t happen. You can’t risk this, I can’t be the reason you risk it. You have to move on.” “Move on?” Charles repeated blankly. “Move on from what?” “From here, Charles!” Edwin shouted, suddenly furious again, suddenly shouting even though his eyes were filled with tears. “You have to go with Death! You have to leave!” “I don’t want to go with Her,” Charles said, nonplussed. “Fine, that’s your business, but you can’t keep hanging around me!” Edwin snapped. Charles’ world suddenly tilted on its axis, sending everything askew. “I can’t?” he asked, his voice small, his heart wide open and exposed.

Let me bleed instead of you by mellxncollie

The question rang like a cracked bell in what had only just become someplace Edwin had started to contemplate calling home. “What was Hell like?” - Charles and Edwin keep secrets from one another. The list isn't long, but it's not empty. Eventually, they start tumbling out in soft whispers, in tear-reddened eyes, in shocked expressions, in choked up phrases.

Or, 40 years and 8 secrets.

Indelible by Arisprite

Charles is feeling a lot and also not much at all in the immediate aftermath of returning from Hell. He also can tell Edwin is wearing thin from holding himself together. Who wouldn't be, after that? It's okay, though. Charles can take care of him, and he always always will.

Done Running by Asidian

Charles has gone a peculiar off color, all the blood blanched from his cheeks. He glances to the arm, and then back up to Edwin's face. "Any break's a bad break, innit?"

"Some have more drawbacks than others," says Edwin, detached and scholarly. "For instance, unless the nerves are compromised, it is possible to make use of the injured arm in cases of extreme –"

"Bloody hell," breathes Charles.

Joi de Vivre by olympus_mons

Edwin Payne crawls out of Hell twice. Somehow, his problems begin in the aftermath.

so many ways to give in by piilu

“I think there’s something really wrong with me, mate,” Charles sobs, the remains of the bat falling from his hand. ---- Charles struggles with his anger issues. Again.

A Room of One's Own by DarkStars (Worlds_Okayest_Goalie)

Crystal is so tired of watching Charles and Edwin stare longingly at each other. OR 5 times Crystal tells Charles and Edwin to get a room and 1 time they do.

Shape Me by dearheartdont

At least twice a year Charles and his mum packed their cases and caught a train to Birmingham, leaving his dad behind with a freezer full of carefully labelled Tupperware.

Charles Rowland and his relationship with his extended family and heritage.

(Part of a series of snapshots of Charles’ life in the 1980s.)

half of my soul, as the poets say by thegirlofthorns

Edwin existed, just as Charles had. Charles, who occupied a space in loving memory. A much-deserved space – Edwin would have wanted it no other way – but the core of him wanted to scream that he had been here, too. He never would be again, but he had lived, and he had breathed and laughed and moved with too much frippery and frill to continue on breathing, and he had been a whole person, once. And it had not mattered. So looked at CHARLES ROWLAND through tears, allowed himself to. Even Charles's hammer on metal on stone was not enough to dull the pain, but it was enough to remind him that he was still here, even if he was no longer living. It was an awful sound, a jarring sound, and tears shone in Charles’s eyes as he focused intently on carving out the A in his surname, but it was something. They were there, together, and they were feeling.

- Or, Charles finds Edwin's unmarked grave and will, in the lightest of terms, not be having it.

Terrible, Horrible, No Good, and Very Bad by hibye

It was about the torture. The torture he was experiencing presently, and also every minute of every hour of every day, standing alongside Edwin Payne and saying nothing out of the ordinary at all.

O Spirit From The Great Beyond! by InTwainFiction

Edwin is ignoring Charles.

They haven't spoken in almost twelve hours, and all because of a little incident involving some puppies. Yes, said incident may have been Charles' fault, but he has apologised a million times.

Charles is getting desperate to find a way to get Edwin to talk to him again, and a little walk away from the office provides just the thing Charles needs.

He hopes it will get Edwin to talk to him, but at the very least it will be a laugh.

a beautiful day to say goodbye by ofstitches

“The house is… sad,” the client responds.

“Again, we can’t help with selling the house. Maybe try some decorations. That’ll brighten the old place up,” Charles suggests.

“No, you misunderstand. The house doesn’t look sad. The house is sad. It is depressed.”

“How do you figure?” Edwin says, sitting up in his chair now that the client has said something potentially interesting.

or A new case brings up old feelings, and maybe something more.

A Heaven Like They Talk About by LikeMmCookies

After managing to piss off yet another witch, Edwin and Charles are cursed as punishment. Bewildered, powerless, and lacking answers, they face their greatest challenge yet: being human again.

With Edwin doing novel things like picking out shampoo and wearing different pants, Charles finds his body reacting in strange ways to his best friend. He questions if these are new feelings, or if they'd been there all along.

But the biggest question remains - do they stay alive or do they find a way to go back?

being unknown by The_IPRE

Edwin does know Charles, or at least he likes to think that he does. He knows that Charles is far better with the clients than he is, quick to offer a smile or extend sympathy while Edwin is far more interested in delving deeper into the details of the case. He knows that Charles has a wicked swing with his cricket bat, but prefers to leave that as a second resort when he believes there's a way for them to come to a compromise. He knows that Charles chooses to hope for the best from people, even after having seen the worst they have to offer–and in fact, having been killed by it.

As Charles sits in front of him, the strain in his shoulders at odds with the easy grin on his face, Edwin wonders how much of his friend he is failing to see. -- 5 times Edwin didn't press the issue, and one time he did.

The Kind of Light That Means Just Love (When My Baby Smiles at Me) by DontOffendTheBees

“Charles,” Edwin admonished, gently closing his book with a finger tucked between the pages to hold his place. “I have asked you to stop fooling around with that contraption and get some work done.”

“I have been!” Charles defended, gesturing broadly at the higgledy-piggledy array of items around him. Evidently, taking stock of the contents of his bag of tricks was an expansive task. “Taking a break.” He snatched the small square of paper from the Polaroid camera and began to shake it with abandon.   In which Charles partakes in some amateur ghost photography, and Edwin (fondly) bemoans the futility of the exercise.

The Good Left Undone by plutosheaven

Help comes from unlikely places when Edwin is once again faced with a threat worse than death.

the phantoms here will never have their fill by ahyperactivehero (ahyperactiverhero)

Poltergeists are created when a ghost experiences extreme emotional distress. Poltergeists are notoriously hard to reign in, and they almost never gently move on. Neither Edwin nor Charles ever imagined it would happen to them.

Basically, five times where the Dead Boy Detective Agency dealt with the threat of a poltergeist.

XXX

“Once you choose to go down the poltergeist route there is no coming back,” Edwin said. “And I will have no choice but to follow you.”

“You can’t do that mate,” Charles said. His voice had cleared up some, his form less wavy.

“Then do not go where I cannot follow,” Edwin said.

Form 239, Schedule L by sanctuary_for_all

At the top of a small pile of papers was a copy of Form 239, Schedule L, filled out with achingly familiar handwriting. At the top, the word "Approved" was stamped in large red letters.

This Darkness, Enduring by kickingtheladder

“Your son is gone,” they tell her. “It was… an Act of God.”

She cannot think of a single thing to say for a very long moment. And then she has many things to say, most of which are not at all appropriate for polite company. --- Edwin Payne's mother, before and after.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by kickingtheladder

“Your son is gone," they tell her. "He ran away." She doesn't say anything. --- Charles Rowland's mother, afterwards.

dreaming of the things you said / hoping that it's meant by ohmyfuckinggod420

Edwin turns away with a deep breath, ignoring the fluttering in his stomach. His non-existent, ghostly stomach. It seems so ridiculously cruel and on theme for his current situation. Not only is he in love with his best friend, and not only does his best friend not love him back, but he’s feeling things that he shouldn’t be feeling on top of things that he physically should not be able to feel. or

The gang is back in London. Niko is gone, Crystal is on the cusp of a breakdown, Charles is still a flirt, and Edwin is... trying his best.

Oh, and he keeps feeling his pulse. As a ghost. A very dead ghost.

The trouble really never ends.

the ghost of the past that you live in by ObsessedWithFandom

It didn’t start as much. As anything, really. Charles noticed him in the hallways only because he was new, which was rare in Year 11, and because he smiled shyly whenever Charles said hi. Aysar, he’d introduced himself, and Charles liked the way the syllables formed in his mouth. He wanted to be Aysar’s friend.

Or: five boys Charles didn't date, and one he did.

Aftermath by sophisticatedyet

“What are you humming?”

Charles’ polo muffled his question, and the pause before Charles answered was so long that Edwin wondered if he hadn’t heard him at all. But then he said, "A lullaby.”

The answer made Edwin smile bemusedly. “Why? I can't fall asleep.”

“Yeah, duh, I know. It's just meant to soothing.”

“Oh.” Edwin rested his head back against Charles’ chest. “I suppose I do feel quite soothed.”

Dance the Night by Gruoch

“What is that?” Crystal asks, looking Edwin up and down with an expression of abject befuddlement that borders on disgust.

“It is my disguise,” Edwin replies a little stiffly in response to her tone. “You told me to wear a disguise.”

“You look like Margaret Thatcher,” Crystal says flatly. “You’re going undercover at a nightclub, not a library. This—“ she plucks at Edwin’s long tweed skirt, her lip curling— “is not appropriate nightclub attire. You’re gonna attract too much attention.”

“I thought attracting attention was the point of this ludicrous exercise,” Edwin snaps back.

“Yes, the right kind of attention,” Crystal stresses. “This—” she waves a hand broadly at him—“will get the wrong kind of attention.”

~~

In which the gang returns home to discover something sinister stalking London’s party scene after dark, Edwin lets his hair down, Charles’ confidence is shaken, and Crystal pursues a new lease on life (and hopefully doesn’t die in the process).

Everywhere, Everything (wanna love you) by WildCookieKeef

Freedom, as it seems, is suffocating. Decades spent running away from death herself and yet now more than ever does Edwin feel restless. Hell is behind him for the second time. He might’ve escaped his fate of eternal torture, but rabidly approaching are revelations he would’ve kept buried for far longer.

He’d never be so flustered and disorganized if it hadn’t been for Crystal or the Cat King or Monty or the Night Nurse or that horrible witch Esther or Simon, god not Simon, or practically reenacting old Greek tales with his best mate or. . .

No. It’s no one’s fault but his own. If he could sleep he’s sure he’d have nightmares.

Of what? There’s lots to choose from, but he can just feel it. Maybe some spirit malady has taken root in his body. He can sense the tension under his skin. Aches of pain that he knows aren’t physical.

He never should’ve told Charles. What was he thinking?

or After the end of S1, Edwin reasons that Charles rejected his confession and fears the worst while trying to suffer silently. Charles is very bad at letting Edwin suffer in peace.

the eight layers of hell, reversed by Zairielon

There's a lot that Edwin and Charles don't talk about. Frankly, after 30 years together, you don't have to say much for the other person to get the point. But Port Townsend and Crystal and Niko knocked their dynamic off-kilter, and by the time they return to London and finally get back to "normal," "normal" has changed. "Normal" is now Crystal's bright laughter, Niko's earnest affection, and Edwin's faint smiles. "Normal" is an unnameable ball of emotions tangled up in Charles' chest. "Normal" is Edwin looking at him, and Charles hearing those words all over again.

Charles, I'm in love with you.

OR, Charles figures out what it means that Edwin is the only person in the world he'd run into Hell for.

When We Walk Together We Tend To Walk Alone by UneducatedAuthor

She’s never unexpected, but she’s always a surprise. And when Charles meets her, it's nothing like the nightmare he's built up in his own head, being split away from Edwin and cursed to an afterlife without him. She's kind and gentle and familiar, and she gives him a chance to say goodbye to his mother.

Or, the one where Charles meets Death. They have a lot to talk about. But it's okay. They have time.

it's you that i hold on to by lrvzender

A pair of lips press shakily on his temple. Charles Rowland’s blood definitely runs hot, Edwin decides, definitely.

“You’re not asking anything, mate. But you have to understand that you are worth saving, a thousand times over. You are worth knowing, Edwin.”

Something bigger than the whole, wide sky. Something bigger than death, perhaps.

(where Edwin does not ask to be known, but Charles knows anyway)

and your song, it haunts me like hunger does the crow by kay_cricketed

After they return to London, Charles notices an escalation in people approaching Edwin with their attentions. Which is fine! It's not that Charles is jealous. He wants Edwin to be happy and to have a chance at a fulfilling relationship, yeah? The problem is, Charles is aware that Edwin is unpracticed with these kinds of emotions and other people, and it would be very easy for someone to take advantage. And that’s not going to happen, not on Charles’ watch.

To make matters worse, the admirers are getting a little too intense. And Charles is starting to suspect there's more at work than everyone realizing his best mate is brills.

(Or: In which the damage to Edwin's soul across years of torture has had an unusual effect, and Charles needs to fix it before he's compelled to violence. Again.)

trína chéile, le chéile, claochlaithe / entangled, together, transformed by theroyalsavage

Edwin Payne and Charles Roland are not Orpheus and Eurydice. They are not tragic figures of myth, children of gods and spirits, immortalized in verse by the poets of old. They’re nothing special at all – just two boys too stubborn to move on. With that said, however… Edwin must admit that there are certain similarities.

Came up from that lake of fire by ghostinthelibrary

"Are you a zombie?” Niko peers into Edwin’s eyes. “Because the Night Nurse told me zombies exist. Do you hunger for brains, Edwin?”

“Hardly.” Remembering being splattered with gray matter in the not-so-distant past, Edwin shudders. He cannot imagine consuming it. “I’m not a zombie.”

“What about a vampire?” She almost looks excited by the prospect. “We’re only a couple of hours from Forks. It would be perfect!””   When they’re caught during their escape from Hell, Charles and Edwin have no choice but to make a deal: they have one hundred days to find and entrap a powerful, malevolent spirit, or both of their souls are forfeit. But when they’re both temporarily restored to living bodies to aid in their search, being alive brings with it a host of new feelings, which neither of them know how to cope with, especially as their deadline looms closer and their quarry proves increasingly dangerous.

Unbreakable by Asexual_Enjolras

Edwin feels as though he owes Charles an apology because he cannot offer support to his best friend in the same way that Crystal can. And Charles tells him exactly where to stick that apology the moment he does.

Or, Edwin feels like he is broken and Charles does not agree.

after the insects have laid their claim by lolotr

“Where are you buried, do you’ve any idea?”

“My body was never found,” he replies softly. “There is a memorial marker next to my parents’ graves, but my remains are not there.”

The idea is so horrifying that it stuns Charles into silence for a couple seconds. “I didn’t know that. Why didn’t I know that?”

Edwin’s shoulders tense. “The whole thing is bloody tragic enough as it is.”

Grabbing his wrist, Charles begins marching them back in the direction of the pond they used to get here. Edwin doesn’t resist, but he does argue, because of course he does. “Charles, where are we going?”

“St. Hilarion’s. We’ve got a new case, don’t we?”

Hold This by RoseGanymede95

“Alright, listen,” Charles said, after trying not to think at all for at least five minutes. “Hear me out.”

“Any ideas?” Edwin asked, not looking up from his page.

“It’s just. What would actually happen if you cut my hand off?”

Edwin jerked his head up so fast, Charles wondered that he didn’t brain himself against the stone wall. He looked more offended than he had when he found out about the live snake in Charles’ bag.

“What the hell kind of a question is that?” He hissed.

“I’m not saying we should do it!” Charles backpedaled. “I’m just curious! These cuffs make us proper solid, don’t they? We could probably lop it off and get me out.”

“No,” said Edwin emphatically. “We are not discussing this. I don’t want you getting any ideas and chewing your own arm off like a trapped weasel.”

“Not my whole arm, just my hand.”

the start of something beautiful (the spoiler-free remix) by KiaraSayre

Four cases from the Dead Boy Detectives casebook, featuring amnesia, corporeality, a time loop, and a chill hang sesh.

If I'm Batman, You're Robin by ahyperactivehero

Charles misses a lot of things from life. One of those is the movies. Edwin volunteers to go with him.

XXX

“Batman Returns?” Edwin asked, reading the title. “What sort of creature is a Batman?”

Charles couldn’t help the bark of a laugh he let out. “No, he’s not a creature, mate. He’s a superhero.” At the totally blank look on Edwin’s face he tried again. “He’s like a detective. But he fights crime with his fists, too.”

“Ah,” Edwin said with a knowing look. “One of your heroes, I see.”

offer me that deathless death by websters_lieb

It takes the better part of two days for Charles’s body to even be found, and in the end, Edwin is forced to turn on all the lights in the gymnasium attic where Charles had died in order to get a janitor to come upstairs. No one had even been looking for him, yet. - or Edwin and Charles attend a funeral, look for a gravestone, and decide to become detectives.

Edwin's Payne tolerance by RabidWatermelon

Charles knew Edwin had a high pain tolerance. How could he not, having endured the tortures of hell? He just didn’t expect it to be so… useful.

AKA I want to write drabbles about Edwin's pain tolerance because I think it's something that would come up over thirty years together and be mildly concerning to someone who went through abuse in life. No fixed plot or posting schedule. Will update tags as chapter come out w new content.

The Case of Edwin's Missing Notebook by thewalkingstone

Edwin forgot his notebook at the office.

Not a problem. He prided himself on having an excellent memory. He certainly liked to jot down notes as he worked, but it wasn’t like he couldn’t work without it. He would just have to remember things until they returned to the office.

It was fine. He was a professional, and professionals did not delay an investigation because they forgot their notebook. OR Just months after escaping Hell, Edwin accidentally forgets his notebook on a case. He does not handle it well. Luckily, his new best mate is there to help him out.

The Scenic Route by DontOffendTheBees

"Cheer up, Edwin," said Charles, brightly. "Might never happen."

Edwin gave Charles a look so haughty it had its own title. "It very much has happened, Charles." He sniffed and straightened out his newspaper with attitude, the rustle of it loud and sharp as a whip crack. "I don't see why we couldn't have simply hopped through the mirror and met Crystal there."

"At this point, Edwin, I'm in total fucking agreement," said Crystal, not opening her eyes. She was burrowed under her coat like a blanket, doing her best to make the uncomfortable upright seat look like a cosy bed. Fortunately this train car was basically empty, so she had space to stretch across two seats – and no one close by to comment on the floating newspaper across the table and the fact she was having a barney with it. "You're like, the worst person to travel with."   In which the agency takes the scenic route to their next case; and Edwin finally receives some answers he's been waiting for.

what some circumstance stole by Chrome

For a magic-user intent on siphoning pain for power, both Hob Gadling and Edwin Payne represent unique opportunities. United in dire circumstances, a man incapable of dying and a boy long dead forge an unusual friendship--and try to survive the experience. --- “When you died,” Hob said. “How old were you?” “Sixteen.” “That,” Hob said, “Is awful.” Edwin shrugged. “Life is, I’m afraid,” he said. “Can be wonderful, too,” Hob said. “I promise.”

[read-write-thrive]

edwina / edith in her lingerie as inspired by @hannaloony and @arisprite ‘s fanart !!! this one’s on the simpler side but I’m planning to do a companion piece with charlotte (and might do more with the backgrounds to really sell the whole “getting ready in their respective eras” thing, not sure yet) and hopefully doing something a little more suggestive with the both of them, again inspired by @hannaloony ‘s piece but using my own interpretations of fem!payneland w/ butch!edwina and fem!charlotte bc i love them

(side note: I know everyone is using Edith and not Edwina but I think Edwina suits my interpretation better for some reason ?? something about ppl hearing “Edwina and Charlie” and getting jumpscared when Edwina is the butch is funny to me,,, still undecided if she uses any nicknames but I’m open to suggestions lol)

previous artwork I’ve done of these characters can be found here: part one (original duo piece) ; part two (alt outfit for Edwina, Edwina sketches) ; this is part three! ; part four (lingerie!Charlotte ;)

notes on the costuming choices for anyone interested:

- i specifically designed these undergarments to work under either of the outfits I’ve given her so far!!

- I decided on combinations as her base layer as they were seen as younger/more casual/athletic, all of which im aiming for with this design. technically these are probably too plain for the era, especially if she was attending a girl's college/finishing school where sewing and adorning and the like would have been taught, but I wanted to keep the masculine energy so I figured some ruffly hems and blue ribbon was a good enough middle ground

- the color palette is inspired by several reproductions I’ve seen online as well as keeping with Edwin’s blue color motif/existing palette

- researching the corset took AGES so here’s a rundown: I wanted it to keep with the casual/sportswear look so I went with a sports corset, meaning it wouldn’t have any hard boning (it was just the hella reinforced material without the actual bones/metal), would have elastic at the sides, and would most likely be an overbust corset despite that not being the trend during the Edwardian era (for the most part/to my knowledge). the examples I was inspired by of sports corsets technically didn’t have visible garters, but literally every other corset I saw did and I can't imagine why sports corsets would have to have the more impractical thigh garters ??? surely you also want to keep your stockings up when running around ??? so I gave them to her anyway

- im keeping the socks/stockings the same as my other illustrations but honestly i struggled to find similar historical examples :/ surely someone at some point wore some heavy duty knit stockings, but maybe my idea of knit is just different from how knit garments, especially socks, were in the era ? regardless im keeping them like this, especially since Charlotte has pantyhose on and I feel like silk/cotton stockings would look too similar

- i went back and forth on a corset cover, but ultimately went without one bc 1. it gave me a more interesting way to pose her lol and 2. i couldn't tell if corset covers (and similar garments that went over top what we have here) would have been worn with athletic attire ? like I have her in bloomers in both of her outfits thus far so I figured no petticoat or slip, but early brassieres/corset covers/bust improvers/etc are just a big ??? from me

- a note on her hair: so if you look at all three of my illustrations of her you’ll see that her hair is totally consistent and while I can try to say that’s intentional it’s really just bc I keep going back and forth on little details about it. for example, in the first illustration her ears are completely exposed vs in the second they’re mostly covered—the exposed ears read as more butch to me but also would’ve been pretty inappropriate and I wasn’t sure if that’s an area would Edwina would rock the boat too much, hence me going back on it in the second illustration. also, I’ve gone back and forth several times before on it her hair is actually cut short or if it’s worn in a faux/“nervous” bob (which I just learned that name for lmao). on one hand, having it actually cut short is 100% more butch and leans into the practical/athletic vibes. on the other hand, it would be a drastic move for a repressed, bullied, 16 year old at an all-girls school to pull, plus it would put her ahead of the trend by several years. in the end, I think of it this way: the Edwin that we meet reads as effeminate to a modern audience, but 80% of that is through mannerisms, not direct costuming, and even what we do get from costuming is skewed bc we are a modern audience perceiving an Edwardian subject. so I figured sticking Edwina with traits she could wear as either masc or fem but chooses to wear bin a more masculine style would shorthand that sort of how-you-wear-it approach to gnc (plus I’ve been there done that when closeted so it felt extra fitting)

- that whole rant aside: I went with the faux bob but, in the name of her being in the process of getting ready, wanted to show it in a half-done state that we would never see Edwina in otherwise ! the idea with the undone side is that she’s taken out the rags she wore her curls in overnight (I don’t see her using heat but if she did it would be before this) but only tucked half up before putting her corset on. is that the actual order of how you would/should do this? fuck if I know. I also am not 100% certain if the curl pattern/hair density is accurate between one side of her head and the other, but without an exact reference this is the best you’re getting

- speaking of things being out of order, I do know that if you’re deciding to don a corset anytime soon, it’s best to put your shoes on beforehand! especially if they’re lace-up boots like our girl here wears, as bending over in a corset to tie them is not fun. thankfully, she’s in a sports corset so it wouldn’t be too bad, plus she has to step into her bloomers so I figured keep her in her socks was the right choice

- there’s a halfhearted attempt at a background here with some dark wood panelling and red/orange/brown tones thats honestly just me wanting some contrast/interest while also keeping it simple. we'll see if i do anything more complicated than that anytime soon lmao, these pieces take long enough as is !!

hopefully tumblr doesn’t fuck up the cut (again) so not everyone has to read all of this, but tysm to those of you who do!! I put a lot of thought and research into these pieces and love sharing what info I find so feel free to talk to me about any and all of it !!!! and hope you enjoyed ofc

[williamvapespeare]

Oo for the guessing game, tear or smile! :))))

You Know there are some tears in the devastating domestic au, but i am benevolent and there is also a smile:

“Are you using this tactic to get out of our conversation?” Edwin's voice is just a hint breathless. 

Charles tucks a smile into his neck. "More fun than talking, innit?”

Send me a word, if it's in my wip document I'll respond with the sentence that it appears in

[aletterinthenameofsanity]

Payneland Friends-With-Benefits Follow-Up (or, Charles really should have clarified that his boyfriend knew they were dating years ago)

"We are nothing like a married couple," Edwin says, voice sharp, almost defensive as he whips around to look at Crystal. "We are not in love-"

And the bottom fucking drops out of Charles’ stomach.

Because what the actual fuck is that supposed to mean, Edwin Payne?

"Excuse my partner and I for just a tick," Charles says, flashing one quick, probably hardly convincing smile at Crystal and yanks Edwin through the door of Crystal's closet.

"What is your malady today, Charles?" Edwin demands, brushing Charles' hand off of his arm with an imperious roll of the eyes, and in any other circumstance Charles would smile fondly and watch Edwin go off on a client or witness in that scalpel-sharp tone of voice, knowing that they were going to make out against their stacks of books after the case closed, Charles rewarding Edwin's wit with quite the happy ending.

But not today. Not right now.

“Edwin,” Charles says, “You said that we were nothing like an old married couple. That we weren't in love. Tell me exactly what the bloody hell you think has been going on between us for years.”

(We talk about some things, or: Charles POV.)

@tragedy-machine @idliketobeatree @wordsinhaled @nix-nihili @anything-thats-rock-and-roll

@tumblerislovetumblerislife @plentyghosts @dear-monday @deadb0ydetectives @sparklypurplefool

@immacaria @mostly-functional @arisprite @wikipediagreen

[skinnybritishdudes]

really curious about how you made the ghost drink ritual from open and unbroken (thank you again for pink Edwin also omg)

Hey, thanks for the ask! 

So actually once I landed on the idea of Charles and Edwin having an intoxicated experience, my first thought was that they would go to a fancy ghost ball, a maybe Gothic Victorian-ish masquerade - where this special wine was available. While I was talking it through with @arisprite she suggested setting it outside and making it wilder/witchier, mentioning the Wild Hunt and some other folklore that was really evocative and inspiring. She came up with some sketches right away that were incredible and absolutely inspired the story as much as the other way around. It was honestly so much fun, definitely a creative highlight of 2024. ✨

First of all I wanted to make access to the drink something really rare and special and with a time limit so Edwin would be pressured into doing it, and connecting it to something astrological seemed to be the easiest choice. It turns out that whenever there's a full moon on Halloween it is always a Blue Moon, and that happens every 19 years. Good enough for me.

I left the details of the witchy lore in the background but it's very much me indulging in my own interest and focus. Hekate is the Queen of the Dead (and of witches) and she is the goddess to whom the coven is devoted. She hosts the dance, the land they gather on is her temple grounds, and she provides the drink. The Crone's Torch refers to her crone aspect but also her role as torchbearer and guide along the road: I wanted it to make each ghost realize something true, or force them to acknowledge a truth, like she's shining a light on something they need to see. That looks different for each of them, but it is a combined epiphany and catharsis they come back for again and again, and a gift she gives them. They really are 100% safe and watched over there. 

Unfortunately ghosts tend not to remember much of it the first time, and get better at holding onto the details the more times they participate. This is because the last Halloween Blue Moon was in 2020, so these were pre-canon boys I needed to reset to how they were when the show started. Alas! 

Thanks again for the question and thank YOU for pink edwin! I feel like we have joint custody now and he is so precious 💖

[manicpixiedreamedwins]

I've had the pleasure of working with a group of kind, funny, and talented artists and writers for the past month. I cannot possibly overstate how awesome this group has been. I told them I was feeling sentimental about Payneland's first Halloween, and wanted to commemorate it. They responded with "let's make it happen".

This is how our Halloween collaboration came to fruition.

On October 28th, 2024, pairs of writers and artists will be revealing their work for this event on both tumblr and AO3. We've made an AO3 collection for easy reading. I am excited to see what they have been working on, and I hope you will be too. 🎃🖤🧡 🖤 Artists: @pawspaintsnthings @deadboyslullaby @arisprite @wordsinhaled @sunnylemonss

@dont-offend-the-bees @handwrittenhello @tw0-ravens

🧡 Writers: @manicpixiedreamedwins @williamvapespeare @likemmmcookies @ghostinthelibrary @skinnybritishdudes

@saltyoaktree @dearheartdont @laiqualaurelote @dear-monday @thenyoumaykissthebride

[ablazenqueen]

WIP Tag Game

RULES: Make a new post with the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! Then tag as many people as you like!

Thanks for tagging me, @fairlylokai and @dropthedemiurge! ❤️

I’ll only include the WIPs I still expect I’ll post some day, in order of when I last opened them. (And I’m going to cheat and put fandom and ship names because otherwise, these titles will be too random and nonsensical for any kind of ask.)

So, here goes!

I Don’t Know (Difanghua, Mysterious Lotus Casebook)

The Incubus’ Pet Witch (Dabihawks, My Hero Academia)

Tiwpor Chapter 3 (Tiwpor, My School President)

Grim Reaper (Bingqiu & Mingling & Moshang, Scum Villain)

10 Things BD (Bakudeku & Togaocha, My Hero Academia)

Zombie AU (Dabihawks, My Hero Academia)

Nawaguy 3 + 1 Protectiveness (Nawaguy, Dangerous Romance)

Prapaisky Actor AU (Prapaisky, Love In The Air)

APTGTSYRH Chap 7 (Patpran, Bad Buddy)

Tagging @arisprite @xagan @non-binarypal7 @dribs-and-drabbles @thepancakelady @wereflamingo @doyou000me @aewea @springkitten @pigeonriot if you guys want!

[babyseraphim]

WIP Word Game

Rules: You will be given a word. Share one sentence/excerpt from your wip(s) that starts with each letter of that word.

thank you @nix-nihili for tagging me!! i love doing these. the word I got is CREST

All of these are from my casefic oneshot, the waterhorse

C: Charles stuffed the apples in his bag and closed the flap, his shaking hands struggling with the latch. “That’s not what I meant. I just meant—” he looked up, his eyes a bit starry.

R: “Right,” Charles said, holding the looped end of his own lasso in one hand. “Could you show me the proper grip again? I think I almost got it down.”

E: Edwin turned back towards the stallion, placing a small hand on his soft muzzle. The gentle creature snorted, his head shifting; Edwin held up the rest of his apple, and the horse chomped on it gratefully—core, stem, and all.

S: So, Edwin found himself at the stables, having wandered there aimlessly, avoiding the path back to his father’s house. It was as good a place as any to hole up for the evening, until he could sneak off to bed.

T: To tell his father that he had felt sorry for the poor creature? That the little bird had looked directly into his eyes and cooed, as if it were pleading for its life?

The word I pick is: MAGIC

low pressure tags (trying to tag some people i haven't tagged in one of these yet, but anyone should feel free to do it!!): @likemmmcookies @edwinspaynes @haledamage @arisprite @many-gay-magpies (i think i've tagged you in every one of these lol)