#green crystal!au

[cittycatplay]

Look what have you caused @violetthunderstorm /lh

Ninjago AU : green crystal

Ok so this is like "dead" Lloyd AU after crystallized

So Garmadon faked his death and Lloyd turn into his oni form happens BUT it's when the Ninja released the elemental dragon, this is important to the story.

Lloyd was about to blast the overlord into oblivion but then the elemental dragon came Uniting their powers with Lloyd's oni power and that caused an explosion and everything went white to all the people that were there.

When the flash was gone Lloyd was also gone, along with the rest of some of the overlord's body, he has returned to his slumber like always.

Garmadon and Harumi tell that there was a blast and Lloyd is was gone (they don't say Lloyd's oni form tho)

Now Lloyd is presumed dead, remember that presumed is the key word.

.

They all grieve in different ways

Kai: he grabs all pictures of Lloyd and keeps them,both to keep em safe and for nostalgia.

Nya : she goes close to his element like plants, life ecc.

Cole: he keeps close everything that Lloyd has given him

Jay: he keeps safe everything that Lloyd had that hadn't been taken by the others safe

Zane: turned off his emotions

Harumi (yes even her) : she is more quiet

Garmadon: blames himself, because he started to care for his son and was the one who triggered his oni form.

Soo if you want to hear more of this AU just ask

------

It now has a fic on AO3!

[deconstructthesoup]

Looked at my Dead Boy Detectives swap AU, decided that it could be better, and ran with it. So... here ya go.

(For those of you who need a refresher---it's an AU where Crystal and Niko are the ghosts and Charles and Edwin are the alive ones. "Dead Girl Detectives," basically.)

Crystal is pretty much unchanged from the original concept---she died in the 1920's, she was a psychic socialite with absent parents, and she acted like the quintessential spoiled wild-child while secretly being fascinated by detective stories. She died when she got possessed by David the demon, who puppeted her body around for weeks... until she finally managed to wrench back some form of control, threw both of them off of a building, and wound up getting sent to Hell. Now that she's out and living free as a ghost, she's doing her level best to leave her old self behind and be a better person---partly for herself, but also so she can prove that she doesn't deserve eternal punishment if Hell ever comes for her again.

Niko's still an anime geek from the 1990's who was an outcast in life, but her death circumstances are different. Instead of dying from the dandelion sprites, she accepted an invitation to a party in an effort to try and socialize more after her father's death... and she got killed in a prank gone wrong, trapped in an abandoned mansion that used to belong to Crystal's family. She probably would've even moved on if it weren't for Crystal showing up and helping her out, giving Niko a reason to stick around. Niko's doing better now, but she still hasn't really processed her feelings surrounding her death. (Also, her hair's still white---she just dyed it that way, and it's never changed even after she died.)

Charles is also pretty much unchanged from the OG concept---he's still an irresponsible witch who got possessed by David and lost his memories as a result---with the added detail that he's one of many incredibly powerful magical people who David's possessed, wrecked havoc with their powers, and killed, though Charles thankfully survived the ordeal thanks to the Dead Girl Detectives. Also, I'm fairly certain that Charles is not only well aware that he's bisexual and out, but he and David were almost certainly dating. Or at least hooking up.

Edwin's still a socially awkward comics nerd and shut-in, but I decided to just have him get the paranormal parasite as a way for him to get involved with Charles and the Dead Girl Detectives---though, instead of a dandelion sprite that's all about soaking up attention, it's a hornet-themed sprite that feeds on people's insecurities and self-loathing. I think that he still butts heads with Crystal a little bit, but his bookish, studious nature winds up becoming incredibly helpful to the team, and he gets along great with Niko and Charles. Especially Charles.

Now, after thinking about it, I realized that if I was going to do a four-way swap with our main crew, it would probably make sense to do the same with our supporting cast. So:

The Night Nurse---or Minerva Knight, as I've tended to name her in my AUs---is in the place as Port Townsend's resident witch, though her motives are pretty different from Esther's. She has no need for any spells of eternal youth, having stopped aging a while ago, and she considers herself the protector of Port Townsend, keeping the forces of the supernatural at bay from the mundane residents... even if that means occasionally sacrificing a child or two to keep some of the more unsavory beings satisfied. Needless to say, Minerva has a very skewed view of morality, and unlike her canon counterpart, she can't really be swayed to change her mind. She's scary.

Esther, meanwhile, is in the lovely position as the Crow Queen, a charming and campy trickster being who exists to wear fabulous, over-the-top outfits, rule over her little feathered darlings, and to be a menace to everyone she meets. Her whole deal with Crystal isn't exactly flirtatious, but it's enough to give Crystal a gigantic bisexual awakening. And whether or not Esther's really all that interested and is just fucking with her, she's a lot of fun, and she's definitely instrumental in helping Crystal realize more about herself.

Thomas (the Cat King, but we're calling him by his first name) is Charles and Edwin's landlord---the owner of a queer bakery who's having a bit of a quarter-life crisis and is therefore a bit of an asshole to almost everyone he meets. Despite how prickly he is, though, he has an energy about him that makes him automatically endearing to every single misfit teen in a fifty-mile radius, and he's less than enthusiastic about it. Deep down, Thomas doesn't really mind, because he is a pretty lonely individual (not that he'd ever admit it).

And lastly, Jenny is the Night Guard On Duty in the Afterlife Lost & Found Department---overworked, burnt out, and thoroughly cynical when it comes to the affairs of the living. She's convinced that all she really needs is the big case that'll get her a promotion to a much less stressful position, and tracking down the Dead Girl Detectives seems to be just the thing. Of course, she's not as dedicated to her job as she appears to be, and even years of working in the most depressing place in the universe hasn't fully worn her down.

And, uh, other than the fact that I'm gonna have to figure out a stand-in for Monty... that's what I got!

[laiqualaurelote]

“Let me get this straight,” says Crystal. “In order to avoid being sent to Hell, Edwin is going to break into Hell, steal the most important thing in the universe — whatever the fuck that is — and escape. Again.”

“Pretty much," says Charles.

“That,” says Crystal, “is a stupid fucking plan.” 

Instead of becoming detectives, Charles and Edwin embark on an afterlife of crime. When the long arm of the Lost & Found Department catches up with them, they are made an offer they can't refuse: earn their freedom by stealing from Hell itself. Heist!AU, Paineland Week WIP

Chapter 5: The Die & Go Seek Manoeuvre

[sadasspisces]

on my way to a luau 🌺 (sorry my hair is still not done)

[littlechaoticwitch]

Dead Boy Detectives Swap-AU but a little towards the left

-Edwin and Charles both attended St. Hilarion's at the same time, where they were paired up as roommates. During their second year, Charles saved Edwin from being kidnapped by a group of bullies trying to play a cruel prank, and a few months later, Edwin saved Charles by recusing him from the lake after the same group of bullies threw him in there. When both were sixteen years old, they escaped their horrible home lives and found a cheap flat in London right above an old antique store. They started up their detective agency soon afterwards, using their combined gifts to help solve supernatural cases. They still run away from Death whenever she appears, but more of the fear of what she might do for "taking over her job".

-Edwin grew up in a religious cult where he was targeted by the other members (including his own parents) for being gay and being interested in magical studies, which would eventually lead him into becoming a sorcerer. The cult was led by a maniac named Sal, who was obsessed with dolls and spiders, and he took a particular "liking" to Edwin. According to Edwin, the village where he once lived is "the closest thing to Hell on Earth".

-Charles grew up in an abusive household, as his father had grown up in the "poor" area of the same village as the religious cult but moved out when he went to university. After getting an Indian girl pregnant during a one-night stand, they were quick to get married and he forced her to give up her gifts. But she still taught their son how to wield his magic in secrecy, and over the years, she gave him with enchanted items disguised as normal gifts.

-Both are currently 25 years old, with Edwin working at a bookshop in Soho and Charles works as a professional tattoo artist.

-Crystal is a 18-year-old psychic from the 1980s, whose body had been in possession of a demon she had been in a relationship with. Once the boys exorcise the demon, they manage to free her soul from the prison within her own mind, but the demon took her memories, causing her to be unable to pass on. Ultimately, the boys come to the conclusion that due to her being "involved" with a demon, if Death was ever to come to collect her one day, Crystal would be in real danger of being sent to Hell for her actions, regardless if she was in control or not. Her relationship with Charles is more one-sided on her part; while she has a major crush on him and mistakes him comforting her as him being flirtatious, he is quick to set up boundaries when she tries to kiss him after the lighthouse case.

-Niko is another spirit haunting Port Townsend, though her story goes back to the late 1910s. A grieving 18-year-old girl whose father passed away, she learned that the yōsei could resurrect the dead and decided to go find the bewitching spirits. Unfortunately, this would lead to her being captured, tortured, and killed by the spirits before being trapped in a snow globe; this snow globe would eventually find its way to Port Townsend in the mid-2000s, where she was accidentally freed and decided to act as a benevolent spirit to the young children, almost becoming a guardian angel. Much like in canon, she loves playing matchmaker to the town locals (as her mother was the local nakōdo in their village), but she has a better success rate in bringing together soulmates.

-Monty Finch is another tenant staying in the same apartment complex as Edwin and Charles. A quiet 21-year-old astrology student, he took a break from school after the death of his mother; during this time, he is possessed by a tree spirit to lure new victims to the woods but his unwillingness to leave his room had left it to starve. After the detectives save him (and his hair turns white from the shock), he unofficially joins the group as their fifth member.

-Florence Knight (aka the Night Nurse) is the property manager of the apartment the boys rent out while stuck in Port Townsend. While she is quite strict and practical about everything she does (including her job), she does have a soft spot for children. Niko and Monty work together to set her up on a date with her secret admirer; while the local librarian uses this as a chance to stalk her next victim, it is revealed that Asha was the one sending the letters.

-The Night Butcher (aka Jenny Green) is an executioner for the Lost & Found Department. Desperate for a promotion, she sees the capture of Crystal (who should have already been sent to Hell) and Niko (whose soul could not be detected due to being trapped) as the opportunity of a lifetime. As well, she can also "arrest" Edwin and Charles for basically taking over her job.

-The Crow Queen (aka Esther Finch) is portrayed as a younger woman, but she is practically the same personality-wise. As the queen of Port Townsend's crow population, she takes delight in toying with others and playing both sides, though she has a deep hatred for the local warlock. She tries to court Charles upon their first meeting but after being refused, the Crow Queen forces him to gather 100 feathers from different crows as punishment, forcing him to wear a necklace that keeps him trapped in town. In the end, she does develop some level of affection for Charles, giving him buttercup flowers during their last meeting. She also might have some connection to Dream of the Endless.

-Thomas King (aka the Cat King) is a cat-sìth who uses his powers to silently rule over Port Townsend, as he hunts and devours lost souls to keep himself alive. The son of an accused witch, he took it upon himself to learn everything he could about magic, but over time, his goals became twisted and self-centered; once he learned he could live forever by eating the souls of the dead, he performed a ritual to turn himself into a cat-sìth. He is currently turned himself into a cat six times, and he uses magic on his familiar to help in his plans to destroy the detectives. He takes a particular interest to Niko's soul due to her trauma of being tortured and killed for almost a hundred years.

-Maxine is the familiar of Thomas King, where she was once a mouse kept under his control. As a human, she comes off a cottagecore bookworm with a deep love for history and flower language; all of this is used to help her get closer to Crystal, though she does end up gaining real feelings for the ghost girl (and also helps Crystal overcome the internalized issues with her bisexuality). Her relationship with Thomas is similar to an abusive father, with her being ultimately killed when she refuses to help him anymore.

[read-write-thrive]

inspired by my last post on dead boy detectives high school AU: obligatory band kid AU (and it ended up v long so buckle up)

instrumentation/roles:

edwin: if we’re talking still in his shell edwin, he’s an oboe/bassoon player. if we’re talking out of his shell edwin, he’s a French horn player. either way he is 100% first chair but will only accept the section leader title if there’s no one else in his section, he is not about to deal with marching band any more than he has to. he aces competitions and the like when he’s on his own, but rarely has the patience for ensemble work. his parents started him on his instrument younger than his peers so it makes sense he’s so good, but his ego is mostly separate from that—he’s just like that. he’s in the main/symphonic band, marching band with some hesitation, orchestra, and chamber/honors band

charles: while you could say almost any brass/low woodwind instrument and I would say fair enough, I personally think he’s a trumpet player. he does sports so he is often running back and forth on practice/game days but wouldn’t trade it for anything. he’s probably not first chair, or at least isn’t until his later years since he/his parents prioritise sports, he 100% would love being a section leader!! he fits the loud trumpet stereotype but is one of the few that’re complete sweethearts (as long as you keep him away from some of the more toxic dudes, he can get a little swept up in it from time to time, but luckily he figures it all out by the time he graduates). he doesn’t do competitions or any of the fancy stuff since he has obligations with sports, but it sometimes makes him sad that his friends are so good at his instruments while he’s juggling this other stuff and can’t match their level. he’s in the main band, marching, and jazz band in the spring semester

crystal: she’s a saxophone girlie 100%. she can play any of them if pushed, but she tends towards alto sax during marching season and tenor/baritone during the off season depending on the piece’s/concert’s needs. she kept up with some of the more toxic upper woodwind/percussion players in her mean girl era but she’s since come to her senses and avoids them whenever possible. she could be first chair and section leader if she wanted, she’s good enough (parents definitely put her in lessons) and charismatic enough, but she’s not enthusiastic about either position and often purposefully dodges the extra responsibilities. likewise, she’s not interested in separate awards or competitions or anything like that (though I think she also tried it her first semester, like orchestra, to try to get her parents’ attention—when it didn’t work, she dropped it). I can see freshman being simultaneously terrified of and crushing on her. she’s in the main band, marching, and jazz band, though she tried orchestrating for a semester before deciding it was not her vibe

niko: I see her as a violin/strings player who then switches to flute for symphonic/marching band, especially since she’s an international student. I don’t think she gets along super well with the other flute/violin players, so she’s glad to make friends with the group. she’s taken lessons for both violin and flute, but violin was mainly when she was a kid and flute was to help her catch up to everyone else. she does competitions and such mainly so she can get out of classes and hang out with her friends, but tries her best to do well without taking away from her other activities/free time. her instrument cases are COVERED in stickers. she’s super nice to the younger years but they stop talking with her much once they find their friend groups, which always makes her sad. she’s the type to be a “band mom” to an underclassman once one sticks around, but it takes until her senior year for that to happen. she’s in the main band, marching band (again, more to hang out with her friends than for any enthusiasm in the competition), and orchestra to get a chance to play the violin

monty: that boy plays the clarinet argue with the wall. he has his shy moments but also his outspoken moments, just depends on the people involved. he was never in lessons but definitely practices more than your average person. he’s the one to always be in a practice room, either actually practicing or giving people readings, to the extent that there’s a practice room that’s unofficially his (including him scratching/writing his name somewhere before he graduates). he’s perpetually second chair, and secretly would like to be section leader but is just enough of a people pleaser that it never happens (either by him giving it to someone else or the director doesn’t give him the position). he’s in symphonic, marching, orchestra and chamber

thomas/the cat king: so I think he’s a percussionist as his mood can be a little all over the place and hard to read, so I think the variety of percussion suits him. plus the putting on a persona thing just screams percussionist to me. if he isn’t the one dealing himself he 100% has an in with the local dealer (which ig isn’t band related but the percussionists were the dealers/stoners in my band so). he isn’t first chair by any means but he is 100% the section leader of the pit (I cannot see him marching). I think he’s also one of those guys who tends to date underclassmen which concerns literally everyone and breaks a few hearts but is ultimately harmless if a bit of a dick (said with love). he’s in the main, marching, and jazz bands

jenny: was a stellar saxophonist in her time, graduated a few years ago but comes back to help with marching band over the summers/eventually decides to become a band director herself and student teaches during the gang’s senior year. when she was in school she did every ensemble available, which honestly intimidated most of her peers (barring the sapphics bc she 100% had everyone crushing on her, dated quite a few of them too). she’s a great band director once she learns more on how to deal with the inevitable students breaking down in your office on random lunch periods

esther: monty’s mom but refuses to be part of any band parent organization. will occasionally show up to concerts, but if you talk to her she somehow makes it all about her. at some point she gets in trouble with her concerning relationships with minor girls and as a result can’t go to school functions, which monty doesn’t talk about to really anyone but secretly is glad about. she never played any instruments and openly calls monty a nerd for enjoying band

the night nurse: I’m sticking with her as an assistant principal/in charge of attendance/some cog in the bureaucratic system. the band kids are all too familiar with her as they’re often incorrectly marked absent when they go to band practice during lunch/free periods, so getting called down to her office happens to everyone sooner or later. during the gang’s senior year she’s assigned to be directly in charge of the band (for whatever reason idk) which has her suddenly showing up to games and concerts. no one really likes this but they eventually warm to her. she tried the flute once when she was in school but wasn’t good right away so she decided it wasn’t for her

tragic mick: I’m again sticking to custodian but specifically the custodian that’s in charge of the practice field/band rooms/etc and is as such a beloved if cryptic figure in the greater band family. he played the tuba when he was in school but when asked says it’s been far too long to remember anything about it

kashi: hear me out, Kashi as the band director goes hard. like he’s eccentric, always has a grand story to tell, and is simultaneously good at making you laugh and at giving advice. his main instrument is something weird like the soprano saxophone or the euphonium or flugelhorn or harp, but as band director he’s learned most of not all of the instruments in the band over the course of his career

david the demon: percussionist. I take back what I said about the cat king dealing, david is 100% the sketchy dealer of the band. Is also older than the gang. was in the main and marching band but that’s it.

Lilith: superintendent. cryptid type figure. is the one responsible for the shit that goes down with Esther. showed up to exactly one concert and everyone is still losing their mind over seeing her in the flesh

I cannot remember her name but the lady who ran the gift shop: the choir director/theater teacher/eccentric English teacher. well known by the band kid population but not directly involved

the finality or whatever that character is called: prinicpal. directly in charge of the night nurse. surprisingly agreeable for how much bs/cruelty she oversees. her coming in right at the end of the series echoes her showing up to graduation and that’s it for out side of school hours

the ghost mail carrier: he mans the front office desk. will deliver messages over the intercom that always make people jump

extra info/plot points in a fic i doubt I’ll actually write:

monty and edwin get close after being sat near each other in orchestra and then working together during a chamber piece

thomas/the cat king is also older than the main gang. edwin is one of the underclassmen he cozies up to, but edwin never actually dates him

the charles and edwin dream duo imo is charles on trumpet say behind edwin on French horn, with both of them constantly making little comments just to make the other laugh/roll their eyes/react during practice/rehearsal. their senior year they end up being co-section leaders of upper brass but only after some serious begging on charles’s part

crystal has a major crush on jenny at one point

not a single person can stand esther finch, to the point that Kashi slips monty some flyers on different help resources and the other kids all let monty crash at different points when she’s angry

it’s at one point revealed that thomas/the cat king’s parents aren’t in the picture for some traumatic reason and he’s being raised by his grandparent(s), which most people accept as justification for his iffy behavior (it isn’t, for the record, but ive seen this situation happen exactly twice over in my band career and it lines up with him too well not to include)

crystal and charles date for a time and are the band’s it couple when they do. a handful of people don’t like it, but it’s mainly bc they’re jealous they missed their chance with one of the other ( cough edwin cough ) but it doesn’t end up lasting

david and crystal date when he’s a senior and she’s a freshman and it’s BAD. like she’s partaking in drugs she doesn’t fully understand and he’s enabling it/actively supplying it. it’s ultimately jenny who notices the spiral and talks some sense into crystal/gives her a semi-relatable authority figure to lean on. aforementioned crush happens during the chaotic period during/immediately following this. david stays in town and still deals post-graduation, so he shows up to high school parties and without fail creeps on crystal if she’s around. as such she starts avoiding parties, which is the final mail in the coffin of her mean girl era, leading to her befriending charles and niko (and eventually edwin) and made part of the gang

there’s a running joke/conspiracy theory that Kashi and the night nurse are in love with each other. it has been used to embarrass freshmen several times over the years. the night nurse actively denies it but kashi keeps it vague just for the fun of it

at one point when charles and crystal are dating and the four of them are already friends, someone starts a rumour/starts suggesting that niko and edwin should pair up. edwin isn’t openly out but his friends all know so they laugh about it (I also hc niko as aroace for a multitude of reasons i won’t get into here but I think that adds to the humor of it all)

when the band plays for a sport that Charles is on the team for they all go WILD when he’s mentioned by the announcer/scores/what have you. to the extent that there a specific chant/riff/cadence/whatever they start playing specifically for him. this eventually gets them in trouble on some big championship game and the band only stops/does it quieter so that charles doesn’t get in trouble over it

charles had a letterman’s jacket that he adds his band letter to (as well as some diying with pins and patches and such to make it more his style). he uses offering it as a way to flirt/show off his partner(s). it is very effective (to the chagrin of some of those partners who wouldn’t otherwise be caught dead in a letterman’s jacket, incl crystal and edwin)

monty initially charges the rich-asshole kids for readings until he’s caught and forced to stop. he then stops giving readings to anyone he doesn’t already know/like. he uses readings as a way to flirt with edwin, who literally doesn’t realise it for an extended period of time. monty keeps trying to flirt/ask edwin our, but by the time he hyped himself up for it the bell rings and the lunch period ends. they eventually go on one date, which edwin doesn’t realise is even a date (despite his friends insisting otherwise) until monty kisses him at the end of it. it’s awkward for a while afterwards but they eventually settle into a friendship

several other band kids place bets on when edwin and charles will finally get together. niko wins the bet, despite actively encouraging monty x edwin along the way. some say she’s biased being so close to them, but she openly admits that she wasn’t sure it would ever happen

may add to this post later but ive written wayyy too much for rn so we’ll leave it here

[dumb-zombie-girl]

Dead boy detective coraline au

Edwin Payne- coraline Jones

Charles rowland- wybie/other wybie

Cat king- the cat ( obviously)

Tragic mick- Mr. Bobinsky

Esther finch-the other mother

Who would crystal, niko, jenny and monty be?

I made this while listening to coraline music

[tryan-a-bex]

Words: 1.9k Fandom: Dead Boy Detectives (TV), The Sandman (TV 2022) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Edwin Paine | Edwin Payne/Charles Rowland, Modern Johanna Constantine/Death of the Endless, Crystal Palace & Niko Sasaki Characters: Crystal Palace (DCU), Niko Sasaki, Charles Rowland (DCU), Edwin Paine | Edwin Payne, Jenny Green (Dead Boy Detectives), Modern Johanna Constantine (The Sandman TV), Death of the Endless, Kingham and Litty | The Dandelion Sprites Additional Tags: AU-gust | August Writing Challenge, Everybody Lives, Found Family, literally found, witchery, summonings, it's scary for the characters at times but not for us, I don't like writing thrillers I guess too much adrenaline, Returning Home, Charles and Edwin meet Death of the Endless, Crystal's Tree Summary:

Crystal finally gets a response to her texts to Niko, and the Dead Boy Detective Agency turns their resources to finding her back.

“I’ll be back soon, I promise.” Crystal stared at the text on her phone. In the last two months, she’d sent hundreds of unread texts to Niko’s number. Someday, the number would be passed on to someone new and she’d have to stop, she knew. But this. This wasn’t the “you have the wrong number” text she’d been dreading. (It was way too soon for that, anyway.) This was Niko. Or at least, there was no sign of it being fake that she could use to convince herself otherwise. Crystal realized that there were tears running down her face.

Read more

[aliensubstance-011]

AHH I WROTE A FIC

Please be warned for (minorly) suggestive material, and violence! Rated Teen & Up :)

[madmaxified]

demon dandelion sprite hybrid niko come home and be the main antag of season two

[cittycatplay]

Hehe..

(Green crystal AU)

[painehell]

Chapters: 2/? Fandom: Dead Boy Detectives (TV) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Edwin Paine | Edwin Payne/Charles Rowland, Edwin Paine | Edwin Payne & Niko Sasaki, Crystal Palace/Niko Sasaki Characters: Edwin Paine | Edwin Payne, Crystal Palace (DCU), Original Characters, Niko Sasaki, Charles Rowland (DCU), Jenny Green (Dead Boy Detectives) Additional Tags: Family Reunions, Meet the Family, Ghosts, Sibling Bonding, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Autistic Edwin Paine | Edwin Payne, Touch-Starved Edwin Paine | Edwin Payne, Touch-Starved Edwardians, References to Shirley Jackson's Haunting of Hill House, references to The Shining, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Implied/Referenced Torture, Bullying, (Referenced) - Freeform, Implied/Referenced Murder, References to Edwardian society & culture, Implied/Referenced Teen Marriage, so many ghosts. Summary:

Crystal noticed how withdrawn Edwin had become, how he'd sit there staring into space with no flicker of life on his face. He was dead, so he had no life, but it was still weird to see him not emoting. She was busier since moving back to London, busier since Niko came out of the hospital and requested to be sent to a school in London by writing a letter to her mother. They both had re-enrolled, both had attended the same school now. She didn't have much time to spend with the boys anymore., but still, she noticed this.

Or, the Dead Boy Detectives go to the haunted Payne manor.

[laiqualaurelote]

Oooh! Charles/Edwin, musicians/band/orchestra AU for the ask game? :D

thank you for the prompt! (from this AU ask game - it turned out more a Crystal POV but I think the fandom could use more of that)

“Edwin,” says Crystal, “if you take the fucking theorbo onstage I will kill you myself.”

Edwin folds his arms mutinously around the theorbo, which when stood upright on the ground is nearly as tall as he is. “But we need it for the sound!”

“You literally have a billion other instruments! Play those instead.”

“I do not literally have a billion instruments,” says Edwin. “I literally have three. Are we to have lugged the theorbo all the way to the club for nothing?”

“You did not lug the theorbo here,” Crystal points out. “Charles lugged the theorbo here, because he carries all your shit for you.”

“��Course I do,” says Charles brightly. “Don’t bother me one bit.”

“Charles, you had to push his harpsichord all the way across Hoxton!”

“And the people of Hoxton loved it,” says Charles nostalgically.

Crystal sighs. “Either that theorbo is going onstage or I am, because there isn’t enough space on there for both of us. Literally.”

“I could stand on an amp,” ventures Niko, “and then there would be more room?”

“Niko, honey, you’re not standing on an amp.”

The door bangs open and Jenny sticks her head into the dressing room. “Why are you guys not ready?”

“Crystal and Edwin haven’t decided if we’re bringing out the theorbo yet,” says Niko. “Also, I’m still doing Edwin’s nails, and he can’t play until they’ve dried.”

Jenny throws her hands up in despair. “Why does Edwin have to have his nails done?”

“I think lilac really is his colour,” murmurs Niko, crouched over Edwin’s left ring finger. “Don’t you agree?”

Edwin, who is sitting primly on a flight case in the three-piece suit he insists on wearing to every show, gives Jenny a regal nod of assent.

“For fuck’s sake,” mutters Jenny. “I should never have agreed to manage you idiots. I could have had all my Friday nights in bed with a crime drama.” She inhales. “Anyway, we have a problem. David’s here. He’s in the front row.”

The world narrows. Crystal hates how just the sound of his name can do that to her, for all that it’s been months since she got out from under his thumb. “How’d he know—”

“I did put it all over Instagram,” says Niko anxiously. “Crystal, do you want to cancel, or—”

“No,” hisses Crystal. “No. I can do this. It’s fine. I’m fine.”

“Crystal,” says Edwin, “with all due respect, you are not fine. You are shaking.”

Crystal puts her head in her hands. “It’ll pass.”

She feels Niko’s arms go around her. Overhead, she hears Charles say: “Maybe I should just go out there now and knock his lights out.”

“Or I could stab him,” offers Jenny. “I’ve got the boning knife in the van.”

“We are not knifing my ex right before a show!” yells Crystal.

“Thomas could sort it out,” suggests Edwin. “It is his club, after all. I shall go speak with him.”

“Like hell you will,” Charles protests. “That arsehole won’t lift a finger to help.”

“He will if it’s me asking,” says Edwin. “Now come on. Do you want to play tonight or not?”

*

Edwin Payne is the last person you’d expect to start a rock band. Piano virtuoso, played his debut concerto at the age of eight, won the Liszt at twelve and BBC Young Musician at thirteen. Had it all lined up: scholarship to the Royal College of Music, orchestras queuing round the block to fling gigs at him. Then: unspecified breakdown. Vanished from public view for three years. As a former child pop star herself, Crystal gets it. Okay, so maybe whatever happened with Edwin wasn’t as extreme as drunk-driving your way into a fender-bender so dire that even your platinum award-winning parents couldn’t buy enough spin to keep you out of the tabloids. Anyhoo. The past is the past. Crystal’s living for the present now. 

Of course, she was aware of none of this when she auditioned. As far as she knew, this band had one cute guy and one dickhead snob who clearly didn’t think any decent music had been composed since the 19th century, and who dismissed her CV with a snide “We’re not exactly looking for Hannah Montana here” — whereupon Crystal looked him dead in the eye and sang, pitch-perfect, the first verse of Caro Mio Ben. Edwin pursed his lips like his mouth was a vinegar distillery and said: “Hardly Bartoli, but I suppose she’ll do.” 

Charles punched him in the shoulder. “Oi, mate, be nice.” To Crystal: “You’re loads better than Hannah Montana. Honestly I’m surprised he even knows who Hannah Montana is.”

Crystal could have walked then. She almost did. She was getting her life back together, out of her parents’ shadows and on her own terms; she didn’t need this shitty little band with its one-half shitty leadership. To this day she doesn’t know why she stayed. Maybe it was the open warmth of Charles’ grin, maybe it was the glint of challenge in Edwin’s eye — a heady combo of affection and spite bubbling up in her chest. 

“So what’s the name of this band?”

“It’s aces, you’ll love it,” said Charles. “Spooky Action At A Distance.”

“That,” said Crystal, “is the stupidest fucking band name I’ve ever heard.”

“It is a quantum science concept,” said Edwin frostily, “not that I expect you to understand.”

“It’s sad,” Crystal went on. “Literally, its acronym is SAAAD.”

“I am beginning to regret this,” said Edwin in a too-loud aside to Charles. “Must we have someone on vocals?”

“Look, will you two just jam together one time? It’ll be aces, I promise.”

“So what does Little Lord Fauntleroy play then?” Crystal snapped. “Does he tinkle on the pianoforte after supper?”

Charles chuckled. Edwin arched an eyebrow at Crystal and held out his hand to Charles, who reached down behind them and pulled out a goddamn Fender Strat.

Edwin played a few experimental chords, tuning up, and then his fingers slid and it was Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, but not like Crystal had ever heard it, wild lightning runs of arpeggios where every note was somehow picked out with the clarity of blown glass. Crystal knew her jaw had dropped, which she seemed unable to do anything about at the moment. The guitar sang in Edwin’s hands, and he never once broke a sweat or eye contact with her.

“Holy shit,” she said when it was over.

“I quite agree.” Edwin flexed his fingers, then stuck out his hand for her to shake. “Allow me to formally welcome you to our little band.”

[sadasspisces]

🌿🌺 just another pic from the other day 🌺🌿

[12neonlit-stage]

// Project Shadow - 02

[aletterinthenameofsanity]

Dead Boy Detectives Victor AU: Amnesia Fic (WE'RE FINALLY GETTING BACK TOGETHER, FOLKS)

Guess who's back from the war, kids? That's right: the amnesia fic/mainline victor au! There's a bunch of fun stuff this chapter, ranging from Edwin apologizing to Monty and Charles, Charles&Mick baking, Edwin/Charles taking care of Monty during recovery, more fairytale times, Monty finding advice in an unexpected place, Jenny being iconic, and Monty, Charles, and Edwin finally getting back together.

It seems almost like Edwin is tempting fate, because he arrives to the room to find Charles and Monty kissing on the bed.

Before Edwin's eyes, Monty and Charles aren’t intimate. They aren’t any degree of naked.

And yet it lights Edwin’s veins on fucking fire.

Because there they are, Charles and Monty, casual as anything, natural against each other, blindingly bright together, Charles’ mouth against the spot between Monty’s jaw and ear, Monty’s hands slipping up his shirt, fond and affectionate and loving and aching.

And Edwin can barely stand to look at it, look at them, look at this love flourishing between them that he nearly ruined with his stupidity, the sheer sour weight of guilt crawling its way up his throat.

Edwin has not earned this privilege. If anything, he has squandered any chance at it. He was the one that wielded the cleaver that nearly severed these two apart from each other, tearing their affection for each other apart.

Edwin doesn’t have any claim to this anymore. He no longer fits in this picture, in this ecstasy. He will have to learn to live with this ache in his bones.

But they, at least, deserve his apology.

(Spoiler: Edwin is dead wrong.)

@deadboy-edwin @icecreambrownies @anonymousbooknerd-universe @ashildrs

@tragedy-machine @just-existing-as-you-do-blog @orpheusetude @mj-irvine-selby

@pappelsiin @itsbitmxdinhere @rexrevri @sweet-like-h0ney-lavender @saffirez

@the-ipre @sunnylemonss @days-light @agentearthling @helltechnicality

@tiredghostby @sethlost @catboy-cabin @secretlyafiveheadeddragon @vyther15

@anything-thats-rock-and-roll @queen-of-hobgobblers @every-moment-a-different-sound

@nix-nihili @holvivum