#dead fic revival

[alexrod-dbd]

Seems like I’m on a creative spree and can’t stop making book covers for dbd fics so here’s another one! I really like the outcome of this one, and yes, I’m already discussing with artists and authors for sharing a third one 🤭

Using @pawspaintsnthings / @ouchmyghostskin ‘s art for @safaiagem ‘s fic ✨

Again, NOT for selling distribution.

Here’s the link for people wanting to read it : https://archiveofourown.org/works/56577013

[adventures-in-mangaland]

Another Dead Boy Detectives Fic Rec List

Netflix sucks and I'm sad, but the Dead Boy Detectives fandom continues to be awesome, so here are some more very quick fic recs!*

Tonight's the Night You Fight Your Best Mate's Dad by Opossum_Subatomic

Everyone's Alive College/University 5+1 things fic featuring Charles bringing Edwin coffee and slowburn payneland. Also Family/Wedding Drama involving Everyone Thinks They're Dating so acute is verges on Fake Dating. This author is seriously fantastic, everything they write is gold.

You should also check out Kissing Lessons, which is a high school AU that does what it says on the tin while also giving non-binary Monty and polyamory.

Ornithology by Rosie447

Monty gets a job working at Tragic Mick's. This one's not actually payneland, being gen and Monty-centric. I know, gasp. It's a fantastic and very sweet exploration of Monty discovering his sense of self post canon and works as a great metaphor for recovery from toxic family/relationships. Also, the ex-animal solidarity and bonding with Mick is lovely.

what some circumstance stole by Chrome

The Sandman crossover featuring Edwin and Hob being kidnapped and tortured together. Their friendship is really wholesome with eventual Father Figure and Found Family Feels for the whole agency and background Dreamling.

dandelion wine (life and death in summertime) by world_wanderer

Payneland Right Person Wrong Time AU in which neither of them die but they still meet and become friends. The May/December friendship is sweet but tragic, with a bittersweet ending. Superb.

Mirror Image by Anonymous

Charles' afterlife gets taken over my an evil shape-shifting doppelganger, leaving him with plenty of time to regret never talking to Edwin about his feelings. Angsty but with Feelings Realisation and the Power of Love and Friendship vibes.

my healing needed more than time by babyseraphim

Case fic with de-aged Charles! Baby Charles is precious but be prepared for discussions of childhood trauma/abuse.

The same author has also written I'm So Aces at Babysitting, which is a really cute two-chaptered AU featuring Charles and Edwin babysitting the kid versions of each other, with bonus Crystal and Niko doing the same. It's very wholesome and the author writes little kids really well.

Pouring into me by tragedy_machine

Love me some "Charles wants to date Edwin to figure out his feelings but gets turned down" fic. Feelings are hard, OK?

thank u, next by KiaraSayre

Edwin fucks and Charles seethes. It's very funny and also features some interesting worldbuilding with the Fae.

Like We've Never Known Hurt by dearheartdont

Just cute established relationship PWP and praise kink. So good.

all of these hollows by handwrittenhello

The boys are alive again but sans memories. Can they still find each other and prove their devotion to the Night Nurse?? While also evading heavenly and hellish forces trying to keep them apart??? Very interesting concept executed well.

Suo Gân by emryses

The agency takes on the case of a traumatised Edwardian ghost searching for her missing baby... Read it for Edwin family feels.

Where Primroses Bloom by PantryJesus

Reading aloud as a love language and Watership Down feels. Idk, I'm now convinced that Edwin is kind of rabbit-coded with the whole "if they catch you they'll kill you. But first they must catch you" thing. A lovely well written fic.

I'm so sick of online love by Hse11z5

College/University AU where the boys meet through a dating app. It's cute.

you can have the best of me, baby (and I will give you anything) by aletterinthenameofsanity

Again, it's the Friends with Benefits but with real feelings and mutual pining for me. Now has a Charles PoV companion fic.

True Love's Kiss by Asidian

In which Charles curses himself with a Sleeping Beauty enchantment in order to confirm his feelings for Edwin and Crystal is the real MVP. I love this one because the boys are both SO stupid but in very different in-character ways.

I also recommend Promised, in which they kind of play the Green card angle to keep Edwin out of Hell? Which honestly needs to be more of a trope. And Tight Quarters, starring the boys trapped in a magic circle, leading to Forced Proximity induced Feelings Realization (in more ways than one! 😉).

Something I Can Turn To by DontOffendTheBees

I love some domestic fluff, in this case as an Everyone's Alive/Childhood Friends AU in which the boys are poor but happy living together. I liked how they both survive their respective traumas, but Reality Ensues.

I also recommend Lived My Whole Life Before the First Light for a lovely but melancholy Soulmate AU that goes for the "seeing colours" trope for extra wistful angst.

Dining at the Ritz by TerresDeBrume

Meeting the Parents fic in which Edwin's parents are awful and Charles is Not Having It. This has Everyone Thinks They're Dating and autistic Edwin stimming representation, plus discussions of racism, classism and ableism. The fic is also part of a great Modern AU series in which the boys attended St Hilarion's at the same time and Charles saved Edwin from a non-supernatural but still almost deadly prank. Highly recommended!

The Case of the Couples Retreat by juliasfanart

Listen, I can't get enough of undercover fake dating/relationships at a couples retreat, OK? Some minor angst but overall very cute and fluffy.

acu (aysar cinematic universe) by ObsessedWithFandom

The agency is hired to solve the mystery of Charles' death and bring his killers to justice. I'm genuinely obsessed with this series; I love its OCs and Charles having an exboyfriend gives Edwin a fun crisis. Plus haunting Charles' killers is very satisfying and cathartic. Just imagine they're Netflix execs, y'all.

*Not actually quick, as it turns out. 😅

I love doing these lists because I always think I've only got a few recs and then I look back over my recent bookmarks and I've got a metric ton of great fics to rec. You guys are so talented. ❤️

[danandfuckingjonlmao]

people always talk about edwin being an older ghost, and he technically is, but he doesn’t have any more experience being a ghost than charles. he was in hell from the moment he died to the night he met charles. he died at 16 and then did not get a chance to go through any growth or learn anything in hell other than torture—he lost those 70+ years. functionally, neither of their afterlives start until they meet, and they have to (get to) learn how to be ghosts and how to exist in this form on earth together every step of the way. anyway, what are you procrastinating right now? i’m procrastinating an essay that was due 4 days ago AND an essay that’s due tomorrow ���

[marya-blackbone]

dead boy detectives fic recs i swear by

Who? You mean your teammate in the Codependency World Cup? - RoseGanymede95 - the prequel series one

the saviour of the broken, the beaten, and the damned - laiqualaurelote - the one with the many timelines

Dance the Night - Gruoch - the one at the nightclub

This is a gift (The high cost of living) - foolishgames - the one where they’re alive again for a day

Like the slumber that creeps to me - ghostinthelibrary - the sickfic one

Love like fools - CasiHuman - the comic strip one

As always, no author appears twice, so please check out their other works, they’re all superb!

[allthehumanflaws]

WAIT

Do you think there is ghost paparazzi??? Like just think about it…

As their popularity increases everyone seems to know about them. 'The Detective Agency" they say. "Dead Boy Detective agency? What for?" "That's a good name!" "No, it's not." "Do they actually help?" "How do you know?" "They helped me with that goblin" And soon enough they are very well known. Everyone wants to see these two teen boys in action.

More often than not, while working on a case, suddenly, there are random ghosts behind buildings. Edwin thinks they are being attacked, and Charles is already swinging his bat, and the others start cheering...

Edwin, ever the nervous one, would be convinced they’re being hunted, while Charles, absolutely done with it, just sighs and raises his bat. “We’re working, for heaven’s sake!” he’d yell, and of course, the ghost paparazzi would find that moment so “authentic.” The cheering would be constant and enthusiastic, with ghosts exclaiming, “That’s so him!” whenever Charles gets annoyed. They'd have fan clubs.... oh my god

[violets-and-books]

Netflix cannot stop me.

Board Games, Love Confessions and Other Unimportant Things

Charles has been thinking. A lot of thinking. And he's realised that maybe he doesn't want to wait forever to figure things out. Maybe he wants to tell Edwin right fucking now how he feels. He's just not very good at... actually doing that. --- Netflix won't give these boys the love confession they deserve so I will. Featuring: the sacred board game cupboard, a lot of swearing on Charles' part and our boys finally getting to kiss

Hope you enjoy <333

[irondadfics]

Hi! Do you do fic recs? If so, can you rec me some really good really whumpy fics? Like, Peter almost dies but comes back kinda whump and Tony is just the best dad ever!

here are some recommendations for you

Reviving Peter Parker by YellowDistress

Spider-Man was murdered five years ago, on a beach, at the hands of Adrian Toomes. Peter Parker never came home. Spider-Man was murdered five years ago. Today Peter Parker took his first breath.

If You Should Die Before Me (Reserve Me A Place In Heaven) by Aurealis

Peter is locked in a flooding cave in and Tony tries to rescue him.

Identity Theft by KitCat992

It's been months since the events of Civil War, and the Avengers are doing their best to remain a team, having promised to forgive and forget. Unfortunately for them, Tony Stark's latest invention has been stolen and recovering it causes tension to reappear. Meanwhile, in Queens, Peter Parker has two main priorities on his plate — complete his midterm finals, and track down a fishbowl wearing criminal that may or may not lead him right into the hands of the Avengers. Somehow between all of this, Spider-Man's identity is revealed to the Avengers, Steve and Tony's friendship may permanently be damaged due to continued hidden secrets, and Happy struggles to buy a youth-sized casket for Peter's funeral. Things were a lot easier when they were fighting over Bucky Barnes. (Or: The Avengers welcome Peter into their crazy superhero family and will do anything to protect him.)

Burn up with the water by jaybaybay

Spider Man died while millions watched. There was a fire. Then an explosion. And just like that, the famed hero was no more. The world mourned for their loss, then the world had moved on. Save for one. Tony Stark had last been seen when he spoke at Spider Man's public funeral, his demeanor had been calm and stoic; a stark contrast to when he had been seen only days before, screaming and clutching the disembodied torso of the cherished vigilante. Iron Man hadn’t been spotted in months. Not since the incident.  Everyone knew Spider Man was dead. But somewhere, in a prison encased deep in the ocean… Peter Parker lived.

The Humbling River by mysterycyclone

Peter’s been distant lately. Edgy. Angry. On his best days, he moves through his life in a vague daze, skipping meals and sleeping. On his worst, he’s hit with fits of anger that border on unthinking rage.  Monday afternoon, he breaks Flash Thompson’s hand.  Wednesday evening, he goes missing.  That night, the first headless corpse appears in Queens.

[nishayuro]

Shout out to my Ahk girlies out there who took history/archaeology related courses in college because they love Night at the Museum and Ahkmenrah so much. Here's to imagining a future with us and this fictional pharaoh 🥰

I'm literally in BA History right now in my first year suffering because I decided when I was 8 that I wanted to be "close" to Ahk and never gave up on this dream. I have a pin with Ahk's pic that says "Do it for him" just so I can cope everyday and as a reminder why I'm in this in the first place.

[deadshowsagency]

Normal life of fanfic writers:

[bonchobrick]

(angst alert !! death + slight blood tw !!)

Tim is stuck in a sticky situation and has to call a certain 'spooky' friend for help.

Jason would probably call him a dumbass for trying to do something so stupid. Well, atleast thats what Tim thinks Jason would do, he isn't for sure though, he isn't certain.

Because Jason's laying on the ground with a flat pulse and he wont be giving him any answers anytime soon.

---

“Don' look so weird replacement, its just anoth’r day in gotham.” His brother slurs with the slight quirk of his lips

"Jason don't fucking do this to me!" Tim hisses tears cursing his eyes

And Jason, oh that bastard—bleeding out on the pavement and in Tim’s arms sends him his classic beaming Robin Smile. 

"Love ya' little bro take care of yo'rself, kay?" he says eyes fluttering

"Jay," Tim cries, "You dick."

For all the joy and hope and belief his smile conveyed for the first time in a long time—his red blood muddled what should’ve been such a nice sight. Tim held him on the pavement with someone yelling on the comm mic on the floor that he just can’t bother trying to pay attention to. 

The pavement is cold. The air is cold. His brother is cold. It’s all so cold tonight. 

All the younger boy does close his eyes and slowly, In. Out. In. Out.

He lets himself breathe for a minute. Lets the horror wash over him. Lets himself absorb what just happened,

Then he gets back to work. 

Like a switch his brain is back online running at a hundred miles an hour–what is the best scenario, what should I do when my brother's wrist is limp and his eyes are shut, what do I do if he’s dead again, what can i do, how can I Fix. This.

Thoughts cloud his mind, whirring around his head like layers and layers of messy documents has just been dumped on his desk and he’s shuffling through them panicked trying to find the right file because its somewhere here, there is something and he just needs to sort. it. out. And–

Then it all becomes clear. 

His desk is back to clean and stationary. All of the papers are gone back into neat piles in neat manila folders, stored away in tidy filing shelves–

Everything is gone aside from one little yellow sticky note in the center of the desk.

“Well, Jay?” Tim chuckles with a cracked voice, “Second times the charm right?”

In his mind, at the center of it all, on a yellow sticky note lies the words in green ink: ‘Contact The Ghost King.’

Slowly he shifts and with a loud grunt he lifts up Jason, “Up we go!”

“--im? Why do you have Red Hood’s Comm–Tim what happened! Tim!” the comm speaker plays faintly in the background of his head, “Tim! Whatever you’re thinking off doing, don’t!” someone Tim can’t think about hisses

Tim hums absentmindedly towards the mic, almost automatically, “Don’t worry Babs, I’ve got it covered.”

Walking away from the roof he thinks to himself, I wonder where Jason would wanna wake up? Perhaps his apartment? Yea, i think that would go well by him–let’s head to the apartment.  

And just like that Tim leaves a crime scene—shuffling away with a dead body over his shoulder and a plan.

“Jay,” Tim murmurs to the corpse on his shoulder, “You’re really gonna hate this, but i’m doing this for you anyways cause I love you. So dont be too hard on me when you wake up okay asshole?”

Tim stumbles off into the stairwell making his descent and sometime as he walks away Barbara faintly catches him on the comm saying

“-Your gonna love Danny and making your lame 'im a dead guy' jokes with him man .”

[alexrod-dbd]

It’s me again, making even more dbd book covers! 🤭

I’m particularly proud of this one, I clearly let loose and played with some effects and I love the results! ✨

Big thanks to @hannaloony for providing me her illustrations (again) 🙏🏼 💛

Fic by @ghostinthelibrarywrites ✍🏼

(Still not for selling distribution)

[chris-in-the-headlights]

Guys, if you’re reading this and you need a kick in the gut to throw you out of your scrolling circle, here it is

To @babybenn , I have one thing to say concerning this fic:

SCREW YOU

I LOVED IT

I CRIED FOR IT

IT FUCKING DESTROYED ME

Good job man, you should try writing more often, but please refrain from ripping my heart from my chest like that.

[read-write-thrive]

Edwin and Charles in disguise at the party as seen in @prince-simon ‘s The Great Snogging Debacle of ‘95 !!! at first I was going to go for full fic-accuracy of payneland making out, but I couldn’t find a good pose reference for the life of me so I said fuck it and went with that one meme (you know the one) and called it a day lmao

@prince-simon hope you enjoy it and thank you once again for indulging me with all my questions about their outfits! hopefully this is similar to what you imagined!! the fic is phenomenal and I HIGHLY recommend it for anyone who hasn’t already read this fandom staple!!!

[edwinspaynes]

As the outline has grown and I have begun to WRITE THE FIC (!!!) the playlist has become more robust. The fic has a title, as you can see, and the list of songs is in fact in order!

[emi-the-gremlin]

Fic snippet

Nighttime blues

The alarm clock clearly displays 3:34 am, in it’s bold neon light.

Edwin knew he couldn’t afford not to sleep tonight. He had his first school day tomorrow, not to mention that his social worker, Ms. Knight was coming over afterwards, for their monthly check up.

Charles had stayed over practically every night since he moved in to this apartment, and Edwin pretended not to know why.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to talk about it, but every time he’d broach the subject Charles would simply shut down. He figured (hoped) he’d open up on his own time, Charles would talk to him if he needed, he was sure of it.

[pony-unicorn]

Do you guys have Crystal centric fanfiction recommendations?