#dbda headcanons

[spookystree]

Continuation of my silly goofy mess that is the roommate au 👍👍👍

Crystal is still psychic

Edwin is adamant that ghosts are not real

The other two DO NOT DARE get into this argument

Edwin and Niko have gotten high together and watched Scooby doo

Tragic Mick is another coworker at the bookstore

Niko carries around a small bag of plastic hearts everywhere and whenever she meets someone new she gives one away to them

Edwin keeps his in a small pocket in his satchel

Crystal made hers into a charm for a bracelet

Charles keeps his in the inside pocket of one of his jackets

his main jackets are a black trench coat (like in the show) and a motorcycle jacket that he got from Edwin one year for Christmas

Niko and Edwin force each other to watch/read different versions of media, like for example, Niko was into good omens and then Edwin found out and bought her the book to read and Niko had him watch the show

Crystal and Charles watch horror movies together and Charles LOVES 70s/80s horror while crystal prefers the newer horror movies

Edwin doesn't like horror cause of the violence and Niko doesn't because it scares her

Niko also has a MOUNTAIN of plushies that used to be on the bed

Crystal and her bought a toy chest to keep a lot of them in so they could have some room on their bed

None of them can cook

Niko bakes

Charles is the best cook out of them all (it's still not great)

Edwin allows Charles to get a dog eventually (a SMALL one, he insists.)

They end up getting a beagle from an adoption center

Edwin insists he won't like the dog but he ends up taking it for walks all the time

Edwin also writes in his spare time, mostly detective related stories

Niko draws art of the characters he makes up

Thank you for taking time to read my silly rambles part 2

[addie-your-queen]

head canon that one day edwin is out of the office when a client walks in and charles is like "hi my partner isn't here right now but you can talk to me until he gets back"

and they are talking for a while and of course charles is talking about edwin and then the client asks how long they've been dating and charles is of course very confused because they aren't dating and the client is like "oh i just thought since you kept referring to him as your partner" and charles is like "yeah my buisness partner" and the client is awkwardly like "oh" and there is a very long awkward silence.

and then edwin walks in and charles is all like "hi edwin 🥰🥰" and now the client is even more confused

[hey-there-22]

I don't think we talk enough about Edwin's reaction to Charles beating the Night Nurse. Because he's scared, he is worried and he is crying. But he is not scared of Charles at all, I think he is scared to lose him. Just in that episode, he had (unwillingly) told the Cat King that he helped other ghosts so he can defend his own case if Death ever came to take him to Hell again. He also says he is not proud about it, that it is selfish.

Charles would have gone to Heaven if he hadn't decided to stay with him. Edwin is sure. But, after what happened with the Night Nurse, he can't be sure anymore. He knows Charles, he knows he is a good man and he doesn't deserve to go to Hell. But he also knows Charles well enough to know he'll feel guilty. And that is how Hell gets you. Guilt drags to down.

I don't think Edwin was walking on eggshells around Charles as Crystal said. I think it just hurt him to see him, to face him, knowing that he may have selfishly made Charles lose his oportunity to go to pradise. Because he had stayed for him. Because he had been protecting him.

[not-the-living-ghost]

he/him genderqueer charles hear me out

[ro-doodles]

I think this might be a little bit of a hot take, but I’ve seen a dead boy detectives headcanon a couple of times that Charles had a crush on or a relationship with the Pakistani boy he saved before he was killed, and I’m really not a fan of it. I understand why people like it, but I kind of feel like it takes away from the impact of Charles’ choice. I think it’s more meaningful and says more about Charles’ character if he saw a boy he barely knows being hurt and he stepped in just because it was wrong, not because of some personal connection he had. He saw a boy being beaten down for no reason other than the color of his skin, and saw himself. I like to think that Charles would always step in no matter who it was because that’s who he is, someone who stands up for people.

Anyways, thanks for indulging my rambling mini rant.

[read-write-thrive]

still thinking about ~~the cult of the ghost fuckers~~ so here’s some thoughts:

The Cult of the Ghost Fuckers aka a network of individuals who are into ghosts

majority are humans with near death experiences and/or magic but not entirely (let the monsters fuck us for once (especially since it’s harder to break a ghost) ANYWAY—)

they existed prior to the internet but really started getting connected on the og forums or whatever (I’m too young to know those details ykwim)

in this post I’m talking about the London chapter since that’s where the boys are but I figure it depends on population density and ghost density as to how big the chapter is (London has a lot of both so we get a bigger group! I’m not fleshing out any individuals so idk how many ppl that means but wtv)

right around 2000 the boys first run into one of them while dealing with a case

this individual isn’t involved with the case and so they don’t interact with the boys much but you best believe they went back to the group with that info

soon enough the group figures out a way to get the detective boys to show up (just had to find a ghost who knew them really)

the group debates over what to do with this info: suddenly there’s a place where they KNOW are at least two ghosts at all times ?!!!! this is HUGE and they do NOT want to fuck it up

cue several attempts to be subtle about it but they’re all clamouring for the boys and their various clients so none of it goes well

at some point one of them gets Charles alone and manages to woo him over for a night (do they have sex? do they just bond over xyz and the other person tells Charles about how the living and ghosts can have sex? who’s to say)

the attempts end when the boys find out about the organisation for one reason or another and Edwin does some magic stuff to bar any members from their office or something idk

HENCE when Charles says “it is possible” this is where he gets that from

AND when Edwin goes “if anything he just enjoys ghosts” at Monty this is why !! Monty isn’t a part of the cult (obv) so Edwin doesn’t think he’s someone to watch out for but Monty does meet the criteria for being a potential ghost fucker (aka able to see ghosts and flirts with one) so Edwin makes the natural conclusion (and he’s a little flattered that said ghost fucker was after him this time, and not Charles, hence the lil smirk with it yk) (yes this relies on Edwin recognising Monty as flirting but I don’t think he questioned that explicitly ? yeah the feelings thing was a miscommunication but iirc it wasn’t on that end of things, Edwin isn’t confused as to why Monty kissed him he just says he has a crunch on someone else)

eventually when the group is back together and solving cases the cult comes up and Crystal finds it hilarious

Niko immediately wants to know more (and probably takes the side of “why shouldn’t ghosts be able to have living partners?” Until the boys explain that the cult is a little extreme about their methods) so they also have to explain the magic whatever to make sure the girls don’t risk getting affiliated and then banned or forgotten or wtv

ik I said some of this before in some tags on someone else’s post but I’m in pain and can’t be bothered to find it so it gets its own post now :)

[edmcmayonnaise]

Months ago, I wrote "biographies" for Edwin and Simon in the style of the Edwardian (Third Edition published in 1915) study on "Sexual Inversion" (medical phrasing that pre-dates the term "homosexuality") in the style of Studies in the Psychology of Sex by Havelock Ellis. This book can be found for free online and is a treasure trove due to the collection of biographies written by queer people.

Maybe against my better judgment, I will share them now for Simon Appreciation Week, as they capture to some extent how I perceive their interpersonal dynamics.

HISTORY E.P. - English, student at public boarding school, aged 16. His father, who comes from an unremarkable middle class lineage, is a physician. His father has been deployed to France since 1914 for wartime service. His mother’s family has a history notable for hysteria in his maternal grandmother, and his mother he describes as a high-strung and nervous woman who herself has been intermittently institutionalized for afflictions of mood. 

He has no siblings, and describes the relationship with his parents as distant. He lived most of his early childhood life in the care of a nanny. At age seven, was sent away to boarding school. 

He has never been attracted to girls or women, though had minimal contact with girls his age, He takes little interest in women or in their society. There is nothing markedly feminine in his general appearance, but he does believe that his general kinesthetic disposition is not viewed by others as manly. Specifically, he says that he is concerned that the animated way in which his hands is too recognizable as a symptom of what he considers to be his congenital condition. 

He is of average height and medium-slim build, but generally normatively developed and healthy. He considers himself to lack skill in athletic pursuits with the exception of fencing, but is an omnivorous reader and excels in academics. 

In his own words:

“I have always been very shy of showing any affectionate tendencies. Most of my acquaintances (and close friends, even) find me curiously cold. For obvious reasons I have been unable to speak as to why this is. I fear being cruelly misunderstood, and I have at times felt as if wrestling in the folds of the morally reprehensible python of inversion.

"I find myself cut off from others, feel myself to be an outcast, and, amongst others my age, am intensely withdrawn. Privately, I am miserable. The desire to love and be loved is hard to drown, especially when treading through a veritable pool of ‘what-ifs’ as I am surrounded by male virality in all aspects of my life at school.

“I am not sure entirely what it is for which I am longing. Certainly, my parents neglected to impart to me any sort of knowledge of the adult modus vivendi. The only thing I do know with confidence is that no bodily satisfaction should be sought at the cost of another person’s distress or degradation, including my own.

“At my school, I have heard rumor, and in fact been the subject of rumor, regarding attachments and gratifications with other boys, which are all untrue. As with any topic that is discussed only behind cupped hands and in whispers, the stories become more and more fantastical as they are shared from schoolmate to schoolmate. Upon my truest promise, I have never yielded to the temptation of any sort of intercrural connection. I have preserved strict chastity. I do not know how long my mind can hold back the instincts of my heart and body, but I am terrified that I will soon lose this seemingly never ending battle.”

Shortly after E.P. submitted his history for publication in this book, it was reported that he and several other boys at his school went missing in what the school is calling an Act of God. Any additional information about what may have happened to this youth and his friends is not forthcoming at this time. 

~

HISTORY S.M. - English, student at a public boarding school, aged 17. Father and mother both living; the latter is of a better social standing than the former. He is much attached to his mother, and she gives him some sympathy and companionship, when he is at home. He is the third of four siblings, all boys, and he suspects that his next elder brother is also inverted.

In early life, S.M. was of delicate constitution and his studies were often interrupted by illness. Though living under mostly happy conditions he was shy and nervous, often depressed. This he attributes to having been on several occasions mishandled by his next elder brother; concedes that his brother is prone to foul and violent moods. However, his brother is well-liked, by his father and other siblings, he says, because of his masculine character. His brother has many friends at school. Though S.M. does report that he does have some influence over some of his classmates, he has few close friends.

Of his inversion, he reports the following:

“There is a boy in my year who has become the absorbing thought of my school days, and who comes to me in my dreams almost nightly. I have absolutely no words to tell you how powerfully his beauty affects me. He is well-formed, lean, shy, and in my dream he sits beside me, allowing our legs to touch and for me to caress his thigh. He looks at me with desire in his eyes, green, but clouded over dark with his want for me to kiss him. And I do want to kiss him– on his wrist, and his palm, and into the gentle, milky curve of his neck, and to leave my lover’s mark on him, to say to anyone who might pursue him that he is mine and mine only. 

“I keep my feelings hidden, however, hardly daring to look at him for fear of being found out. His bed is next to mine, and the rest of the dormitory is boisterous and lewd, and there is a good deal of bullying, which I cannot bear to have directed my way.

“I have tried to tell myself that these dreams are not due to a moral failing of my own, but indeed this boy’s own influence upon me. I love him and I resent him. His seeming indifference towards my existence, as he has never responded well when I have plucked up my courage to speak with him, angers me. I want him to look towards me and love me, too.”

S.M. was involved in the same incident as E.P.,  where he and several other boys went missing from their school. It is reported that their last known whereabouts were their school dormitory rooms.

[oxymoronicdumbass]

CEO of headcanoning characters based off nothing but vibes and "they're just like me fr!" shoutout miles morales and monty finch my transgender autistic icons

[alltimefail]

This might be me projecting but I think RENT (1996) would rock Charles Rowland's fucking world. I need him to see RENT. I don't care when, why, or how our sweet repressed bisexual boy with childhood trauma sits down to watch it but. I. Need. It!!!! DESPERATELY.

Because of the importance music seems to play in Charles' life, I think he might initially be wary of musicals because they have a reputation for being corny/cheesy, but RENT was gripping, gritty, and innovative in its time. It changed my life and my perception of self as a closeted, scared, queer kid in an unaccepting environment. It would change his, (after)life, too...I'm so certain of this fact that it makes me want to weep if I think too much about it.

(One day I'll maybe share my own mildly hilarious but endearing baby queer epiphany relating to RENT if anyone cares, but today is not that day lol. Down the road though, definitely.)

[banana-milk907]

DEAD BOY DETECTIVES HEADCANNONS

Edwin and Niko clicked immediately because they’re both autistic (they’re besties). No, I will not be taking criticism.

One of Edwin’s special interests is detectives/ detective work. That’s partly why he decided to become a detective with Charles.

Niko has a special interest in trinkets. She cannot stop herself from collecting them. I believe this would result in quite the large stuffed animal collection. Other special interests she has include animation and manga.

Charles has ADHD. His ADHD makes it hard for him to remember stuff Edwin has told him, so he repeats the parts he remembers, and Edwin will happily fill in the rest.

Crystal is 100% bisexual. I feel like she would’ve had girlfriends in 5-7th grade, and then she decided to take a break in 8th grade. Then, she would get a boyfriend in 9th grade.

Edwin LOVES learning new information. He definitely spends his free time in libraries, classes, and other places he can learn from.

Niko has a specific ringtone for every one of her contacts. Choosing them is one of her favorite activities to do after hanging out with them for the first time.

Charles would LOVE audiobooks. I feel like he has trouble reading because of his ADHD, but hearing them is different. Alternatively, he would love having Edwin reading to him. Edwin would happily read to Charles, and would only stop to add context when needed or to congratulate Charles if he made a good observation. I feel like Charles would commentate while Edwin is reading, and occasionally have actual insight into the book.

Crystal DEFINITELY paints her own clothes. As a result, she owns many bleached shirts, jackets, and jeans. Kind of similarly, I feel like she would occasionally dye her own hair.

Edwin’s parents wanted him to be an athlete, but he would run away during practices to read detective comics.

Niko was afraid to dye her hair before the sprites made it white because she didn’t want to damage it, but she definitely dyes the tips pink (maybe Crystal dyes it for her?)

Charles makes mixtapes for people he cares about (specifically Crystal and Edwin) but they can’t/ don’t know how to play them. They appreciate the gesture though, and I feel like Crystal would make a Spotify version of the mixtape.

Crystal is 100% an only child. Her first experience with having a sibling experience was Edwin (it’s found family, your honor)

Feel free to add on to this! These are all kind of quick thoughts that have been running through my head.

[spookystree]

I've seen a lot of dbda aus ( @majorlb 's musician au mainly inspired this) and I wanna contribute so... Alive (older(?)) roommates au?

Charles and Edwin obviously knew eachother beforehand

So did the girls

Charles and Edwin probably met later in highschool, not close friends immediately (mostly cause of Edwin's very busy schedule) but grew close over about a year or two

The girls I'm saying met at beauty school, Crystal going for the whole package (nails, makeup, hair) and Niko going for nails and hair mainly

Edwin and Niko met at a bookstore, potentially they both work there, Edwin full time and Niko part time (The night nurse can own the shop cause I love her)

Charles works at a bar cause I think the idea of him being a bartender is interesting, also Jenny owns the place cause I love Jenny too

I'm assuming Crystal doesn't really need a job, maybe she gets one at the bar?

Edwin and Niko introduced their partners to each other by going on a double date (Niko's idea)

After a while when they get closer they decide to move in all together

Monty is a regular at the bookstore and he has a crush on Edwin from seeing him there

Edwin still has a more old timey style but this time it's cause he just likes how it looks and also it gives him another thing to research

Edwin does however have an old slightly worn out over the shoulder bag that Charles has put some patches on to keep it together (Edwin doesn't want to let go of the bag)

Im gonna say Charles leans more into an alternative style in this but that's just a preference of mine

Crystal and Niko do each other's hair whenever they wanna dye it or cut it

Niko starts cutting Edwin's hair too (she REALLY wants to dye it)

Crystal and Niko share a room and Charles and Edwin share one too

The decor for Crystal and Niko's room is mostly left up to Niko but it's a lot of artwork they both did for the most part

Edwin likes their room to be somewhat clean and bland(with a bookshelf of course) but Charles snuck in a couple band posters on the walls and his dresser has some stickers on it

Niko and Edwin knit together

Edwin doesn't have a car so he either walks places or one of the others drives him

The bookstore is in walking distance from their apartment

Niko has a small light blue beetle that has anime decals on it

Charles idk a specific thing for him but it definitely needs to have enough room to go on a road trip in

Crystal's car is probably purple 👍😁 and that's all I got for her

She decorated the interior tho

Niko is a plant mom (not the best one but if Edwin sees that one is dying he looks into the plant and takes extra care of it for her so it doesn't die, she will never find out if he can help it)

Those are my thoughts for now about this I'll probably come back to it again soon 😭😭 I didn't realize how much fun this would be

[addie-your-queen]

i like to think that edwin and charles take turns naming the cases and every time its charles' turn he names it 'debacle'

[emi-the-gremlin]

List of my favorite dbda headcanons (cuz I might as well go out with a bang)

Desire being TCK’s parent: this is an absolute god tier galaxy brain hc and I love it sm.

Cindy and Earl, going to pride parades and doing the mom/dad hug thing (by @oceansideopus): this ones got me in a chokehold, i’ve been thinking about it for days now, it’s so cute (and I will draw it promise)

Colorblind Charles: this is an absolute favorite of mine, we had a really long detailed discussion on discord, about what kind of color blindness he’d have, and the symbolism and meaning behind it, it was fascinating.

French Edwin: I just think it’s neat!

December birthday Edwin: this one is because I’m delusional🥰

AuDHD Niko: cuz she’s just like me fr that’s all.

True ghost forms: this is one I also promise to draw someday

Charles having a cold aura (cuz hypothermia death) and Edwin having a hot one (cuz hellfire death): came up with this right after I watch the show for the first time, and then I completely forgot to post about it lol.



Feel free to reblog with your own:]

[not-the-living-ghost]

“i never asked to be human… with all these… feelings” well monty finch, i bestow upon thee my beloved world renowned highly sought after autism headcanon. you’re welcome

[mystic-mae]

i'm finally gonna do a dead boy detectives headcanon!! yay :D

but if you know anything about sanders sides, it's that logan/logic has these vocabulary cards of modern-day slang. stuff like "rizz", "fam", "lit", etc.

i think edwin would've also been given similar vocab cards once crystal entered the detective agency. sure, edwin's speech was fine, but it was outdated. crystal, like the gen z that she is, decided to make cards that would help edwin with his modern world slang.

charles saw this too and decided to make his own set of vocab cards of slang that he grew up with. charles' cards were less detailed and definitely rushed, but still. edwin already knew most of charles' slang just by being with him for 30 years, but he appreciates the thought.

i'm pretty sure you all know who's slang edwin adopted more. (yes, it's charles. much to crystal's chagrin.)

as a bonus, niko also made her own!! though, it wasn't on slang words to help edwin blend in more with the living. the cards mostly consisted of tips on modern dating and a bunch of other boy romance-related topics. edwin keeps those cards super close to him, like his notebook. it's really cute, actually.

[marthajonesurastar]

a small pet peeve i have when reading dbda fics is when they call Edwin older or taller because, first of all, not only is he not taller, he's technically shorter, it's just that his boots and Charles' posture make him seem the same height and sometimes taller, but he's not.

it's only an inch or two, but he's shorter than Charles, not taller.

as for the "older" part yes, Edwin is older supernaturally speaking but i don't think hell should count, it's not like he was wandering around living his life as a ghost there, they have existed as ghosts on earth for the same amount of time. even their ages when they died, not only were they both sixteen, the number of months they lived after turning 16 are probably around the same, because Edwin is a January capricorn who died in either spring or early fall judging by their clothes, and Charles' birthday is in either April or May and he died in like late fall so again, either the same amount (around six months) or Edwin died younger (~4 months).

anyway i just wanted to vent a little about something that's completely irrelevant.