#dead boy detectives head canon

[moose987]

How often do you think they have to reorganise their bookshelves?

Because you KNOW Charles is just shoving books back on in random places.

And you KNOW this drives Edwin absolutely crazy!

“Charles! Why on earth would you put supernatural beings next to our collection of Sherlock Holmes?!”

[technically-human]

May I offer you a Charwin in these trying times?

@i-am-as-normal-as-you-are commissioned this one to try and cheer everyone up! :) Charwin loves grannies, and grannies love him

[addie-your-queen]

charles' safest place is in edwin's arms. but when i say in edwin's arms i mean he's jumped into edwin's arms, legs around his waist, arms around his neck. edwin automatically wraps his arms around charles and hooks his chin over his shoulder and charles will burry his nose into the side of edwin's neck and it is the safest he has ever felt in his entire life and afterlife. and he doesnt do it often but it is his absolute favorite thing in the entire world.

(bonis points if edwin accepts the self defense lessons but he doesn't tell charles it's actually just so he can get stronger and hold charles like that for longer)

[manicpixiedreamedwins]

What is your all time #1 God tier established relationship payneland headcanon?

Oh my god I have to only pick one??

Okay. Going to do my best here, because I have a lot of them. Here’s one I think is important though.

I think Edwin was one of the only people who was ever truly, unconditionally good to Charles in the way that he needed. He was attentive, patient, kind, and defended him (the best he could, as a ghost) from harm. This probably meant a lot to Charles, considering how he grew up. When he was dying, he tucked him in and read him to sleep death. I earnestly think that moment changed his brain chemistry and made him go “this is my person”, thus why he’s now devoted himself to protecting Edwin. Charles may not love being dead, but he has said he wouldn’t want to be dead with anyone else.

So we know he doesn’t want to be dead with anyone else. We also know he likes being close to and touching Edwin (I’m pretty sure it’s a love language for him, or at the very least some form of self soothing). He’s constantly leaning on him or in his general space, even in the first few episodes. Here’s a couple of cute moments:

Now, my HC: Charles likes to lean against Edwin and listen to him read when he’s had a long day. Edwin humors him and reads him whatever reference book he’s working with because

1. he feels some sort of way about him, even if he hasn’t identified it yet before the series

2. he’s not happy he couldn’t save Charles that night in the attic, but there’s a small part of him that feels so very special Charles would pick him over possibly heaven.

That’s it, that’s the HC

**I MISREAD THE QUESTION SORRY, I thought you meant pre-established in canon verse! I am so dumb for them lmao

[shaylogic]

Bast + Desire = Cat King?

[i-suc-at-art]

DEAD BOY DETECTIVE AGENCY SPOILERS

I identify with Charles and Edwin’s relationship so much, their qpr (queer platonic relationship) (well i generally hope it’s not forever bc i wanna see them kiss and hold hands..) is so heart warming to my cold (possibly) aroace heart, im gripping onto them with old frozen hands. You will quite literally need to kill me and then also my ghost for me to let go of them. ALSO as someone who believes so wholly in love i also identify with Nekio (who i head canon as being on the aroace spectrum) she is never given a romantic interest or seems to have interest in romance FOR HERSELF, BUT she’s is so distraught when Jenny’s date turns to disaster she thinks she needs to become a literal hermit to get Jenny to stop being mad at her and never give love advice again bc she thinks romance is dead. LIKE GURL THATS SO REAL OML

All that to say.. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE go watch the dead boy detective agency like rn bc it is so good and there is amazing representation of all types of relationships and ppl

[starfruitsomething]

inspired by this meme template

ik Esther isnt functional and also prob not a lesbian but I had to fill the square okay?

[fast-andthe-curious]

Just my little season 2 head canon-

Okay basically for their kiss in season two I think that should be there unfinished business so death comes and is like,” you two feel ready now” but they both still decide to stay on earth for each other. Idk I just want some fluffy crap like that-

[alexrod-dbd]

Having dbd streaming in the background rn and it’s episode 8 which reminded of a headcanon I have:

When Crystal says she remembers her entire name and gives it to the boys, Edwin goes "Sorry. Your surname is… Von… Hovercraft?" and the way he says it makes me believe that somehow when he was alive, he knew someone with the same surname or, more likely, someone with that surname meant they were very high in the society, very untouchable. So when Crystal says that name, for a second he might be thinking that she’s coming from a very specific family or something.

I haven’t seen anyone talking about this scene so thought I’d give my take on it, what do you guys think about it ??

[padfoot-lupin77]

I’m sorry but we were told that ghosts can’t feel humans upon touching them, and then repeatedly shown ghosts hugging each other. And you expect me not to conclude that ghosts can feel each other perfectly fine?

Also while writing this I realized that in that scene towards the end where Crystal hugs Edwin and he says “again, a handshake would suffice”, he couldn’t feel the hug, he was just annoyed (not really)

[samsayswhatever]

Honestly, I could see the night nurses pronouns being it/its

[moose987]

So it’s been confirmed that the two skeletons in the opening credits are Edwin and Charles.

But let’s discuss this snapshot here. Because what platonic best bros stand pressed up against each other while one of them (Charles) rests his head back onto the others (Edwin’s) shoulder, eyebrow brushing against his jaw?! Does that look like the actions are two people with no romantic feelings for each other?

And some people have the AUDACITY to call Charles straight!

[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 LikeMmmCookies

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!

[deadboyween]

DEADBOYWEEN PROMPTS!!

Text-version Prompt List and inspiration below the cut!

Oct 21st: Day 1 - Colours

We made sure to include a few vaguer prompts for a wider range of creative ideas!! Colours could really be anything: Niko while she's possessed by the sprites, a different character having a run-in with a similarly colourful creature, or even something that just uses colour connotations or symbolism!! Get creative!

Oct 22nd: Day 2 - Comfort

One of the non-spooky prompts for day 2. It could be the boys comforting each other after a particularly difficult case, or a character study about something they find comfort in, or even just characters having a well-deserved day off from the Horrors

Oct 23rd: Day 3 - Disguise

The obvious one here would be Charles and Edwin's human disguises, but there's so much to play with. Works could perhaps feature the group going undercover on a case, or maybe the Cat King causing mischief again with his shapeshifting

Oct 24th: Day 4 - Orbs

Okay, you just know we had to put this one in there, everyone needs more Orbwin and Chorb content in their life right? What are our favourite glowing balls of light up to now? Why are they orb-ed? Is it a willing transformation or a result of exhaustion?

Oct 25th: Day 5 - Family

Family can mean a lot of things. Blood family? Could be an introspection into Charles's family back when he was alive, or Crystal trying to reconcile with her parents, Niko's grief, Monty's relationship with Esther... Or could be found family: the group choosing one another over everyone else, forming their own bonds more important than blood. Works can encompass many different character dynamics so go crazy!

Oct 26th: Day 6 - Casefic

The group are on a case!! Works could be a retelling of one of the show cases, or maybe one from the comics, or an entirely original one. It could be a simple run-of the-mill haunting or perhaps one that runs deeper, one that affects one or more members of the agency in some way

Oct 27th: Day 7 - The Endless

In the show we meet Death and Despair, but this prompt could feature one of the Dead Boy Detectives characters meeting one or more of the Siblings. Maybe they visit the Dreaming, or have a run in with Desire

Oct 28th: Day 8 - Free Day

No prompt for this day!! Works can be anything you like, unconnected to any of the suggested themes!!

Oct 29th: Day 9 - Myths / Legends

Charles referenced Orpheus and Eurydice in episode 7 but there's so much to work with with mythology from all over the world. These works could be a retelling of a story from an ancient mythology, or imagining the characters meeting a creature from a legend

Oct 30th: Day 10 - Hell

Really getting into the Horrors of the event now. Hell is such an important part of the series, especially for Edwin. These works must simply incorporate Hell in some way. Perhaps it's set during Edwin's 73 years in Hell, or maybe another character has an experience in the place, or with one of its many creatures. Really looking forward to seeing the potential body horror with this one

Oct 31st: Day 11 - Halloween

Day 11 is the main event. For such a spooky show, there's got to be a lot of Halloween inspiration. What do ghosts even do on Halloween? Do they dress up? Party? Haunt the living? It's entirely up to you!

Nov 1st: Day 12 - Psychic

These works must involve something psychic. Whether it be Crystal and her powers, another person with similar abilities, or any other creature that really gets in the head of the characters

Nov 2nd: Day 13 - Pre-Canon

There's so much to work with before the 2023 setting of the show. Over 30 years of the Dead Boy Detective Agency, the ghosts' lives, Edwin's Hell. Even for other characters: what happened during the Cat King's first two lives? What has Esther been up to for the last several hundred years? What's the Night Nurse's job like when she hasn't got two tricky ghost detectives to deal with?

Nov 3rd: Day 14 - AU

The only rule is: put those characters somewhere else. It could be a different time period, or characters could be different in some way. What if the Alive Girls were the Dead Girls? Or Charles and Edwin were Charlie and Edith? So excited to see everyone's ideas for every prompt, but especially this one, this fandom is so creative when it comes to AUs!!

Happy creating!!

[shaylogic]

hi! is your theory about charles’s backpack open for anyone to use in fanfics? it’s really struck a chord with me

@babyseraphim

Sure! Although I'd appreciate a citation of my post or at least a shoutout of my username. (very proud of my theories I've been working on.) I'm ShayLogic on ao3, too. Thanks!

[nottheeconomy]

The beautifully dashing leader of the phantom thieves and the charming detective princess!

My take on fem shuake!!!

I like my toxic doomed yaoi but toxic doomed Yuri hits so much harder when it comes to these two

(Brainrot under the read more!)

If Shuake were girls they would be so much more volatile than canon it’s hilarious

Honestly if Akechi was born a girl instead of a boy his already terrible life would be twice as hard hahahaha

Fem Akechi would have a much harder time willingly refraining from directly murdering shido

Like canon Akechi is this close to just shooting him in the head anytime he sees him but fem Akechi would have so much more temptation to see him dead dead dead

She’s going to have to withstand his disgustingly sexist statements with a bright smile on her face as shido says things like “oh Akechi, you’re not like those other women that only serve to further this country’s great longevity through rearing the young, you’re different, more capable.” And she needs to let those slimy words go in one ear and out if she’s going to be patient enough for him to be elected first

Not to mention she’s going to experience so much more scrutiny as a public idol since she’ll be a girl

Like in canon he already has a questionable fanbase but just imagine the weirdos that’ll idolise her as the detective princess

And she’s definitely not going to be taken as seriously by people for her detective work because people would JUST WRITE HER OFF AS A PRETTY FACE!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAA JUST THE THOUGHT OF HOW MUCH HARDER FEM AKECHI HAS TO CLIMB TO THE TOP TO GET TO WHERE SHE IS!!!!!

She’s going to curate every facet of her image to make sure people takes her as seriously as possible

Her style needs to be trendy but not too trendy or people would call her vain

She needs to be careful of showing too much skin or she’ll be slutshamed

She needs to word her statements more delicately or else people would call her annoying do you see the visionnnnnnnnn

Like canon Akechi’s public mask is already so tightly wound against his face, fem Akechi’s public mask would be a full suit of armour (get it get it? Hahahahhaha)

Meanwhile! If Akira was a girl, the notion of her being a meddler when she tries to stop shido would be much stronger I think

Also I have a feeling she’s going to get harassed at shujin for having her criminal record leaked instead of how in canon everyone left Akira alone due to fear since people won’t take her assault charge as seriously

And then there’s kamoshida…eugh

So in conclusion:

I just think both of them would have so much more pent up rage than in canon hahahahahha

Like I’m sure they would’ve physically thrown hands in the boiler room of shido’s ship, like forget about the personas they’re going to throttle each other as the rest of the thieves watch hahahahahahhaa

On the bright side though I can see fem Akechi being closer to Sae and the detective princess being a role model to little girls

Hm but I have a feeling the rivalry between Akechi and Akira would feel like those early 2010s tabloid articles about how female stars had beef with each other, like it’ll be framed as something super catty hahahahaha

Man these girlies are filled with so much anger, honestly it’ll be so iconic if Akechi and Akira were written as girls but I err don’t have that much trust in Altus!

These are just my silly headcanons for fem Shuake! If you disagree with what I said it’s ok hahahahaha