#they are the bestest friends of all time

[bow-of-aros]

You Can't Hide Forever

This ended up a little longer than I thought it was going to, but I still think it's pretty fun :) This is an immediate continuation to Playing with Fire so I hope that y'all enjoy!

-

“You have five seconds to run.”

Those words echoed in Charles’ ears as he skidded through the halls of the building. A sort of of giddy nervousness bubbled up inside of him as he frantically tried to think of a place to hide.

He felt like a soda can that had been shaken up: bright and fizzy and full of energy just waiting to explode.

He hadn’t realized, but he’d needed this. It had been weeks since they’d had a proper break between cases and they were both completely wrong out. Between the stress that never stopped building and the rest they could never seem to find the time for, this was good for both of them.

They needed this reminder that they were allowed to still be kids every once in a while, that they were still allowed to play and have fun and laugh.

Charles felt as though he were floating on air as he ran from room to room, all of the pent up energy that had been itching for a way out finally finding its release in this chase.

Speaking of the chase, Charles could hear Edwin’s footsteps pounding not far behind him and steadily gaining. He should’ve known that this was a bad idea. Edwin had always been faster than him, he never took a false step, each perfectly placed to achieve maximum speed and distance with minimum effort and even less room for error.

Charles didn’t like to think about why that was, but he had to admit that it came in handy when they were on a case and they upset something they definitely shouldn’t have.

It was less handy when Charles was the one who had to escape Edwin, so he needed to come up with a plan.

He couldn’t travel through any mirrors because Edwin would be able to determine the path he’d used and would just follow him through. That would also break the unspoken rules of the game, which Charles was already pushing by leaving the office.

He couldn’t keep running because Edwin would catch up with him in no time, and he wanted this to be at least a little bit of a challenge.

Alright, hiding it is.

Charles quickly runs through his options as he skids around another corner and phases through a wall, hoping to buy himself a few precious seconds.

The office is too obvious with not enough places to hide, another person’s room would just be weird, and he doesn’t want to risk attempting to hide in one of the bathroom stalls.

So, the roof or the basement?

He can’t hear Edwin’s footsteps anymore.

That can’t be good.

Charles slows down, quieting his footsteps and phasing through walls when he can. He’s been up on the roof a few times, and it’s mostly open space which will not end well for him.

Basement it is.

The silence as he makes his way futher down is unnerving. Every time that Charles hears the faint echo of a creak, he freezes until he deems it safe enough to keep moving. The hairs on the back of his neck prickle, but every time he glances over his shoulder, there’s nothing there.

Finally, after what seems like forever, he finds himself in what he assumes is a storage room. There are cardboard boxes shoved up against the walls, there are lone pieces of furniture lying forgotten throughout the room, and there’s a large bin full of abandoned clothes in the corner.

Charles eyes that bin and thinks, Bingo.

He wastes no time in clambering into the pile of clothes, burrowing down until he’s fully concealed.

And not a second too soon, apparently, as he hears the steady click…clack… that accompanies Edwin’s casual stroll.

“Oh Charles,” Edwin calls out, “I know that you’re in here.”

Charles clasps a hand over his mouth in an attempt to stifle the giggles that are already threatening to leak out. He forces his limbs to still so that they don’t give away his hiding spot even though he’s filled with energy that's thrumming just under his skin.

Edwin’s footsteps are growing closer and Charles fights the urge to shrink back. His pace is unhurried, like he has all the time in the world to draw Charles out. He walks with the easy confidence of a predator who knows that his prey is trapped, and is only toying with him until he decides to pounce.

“You can’t hide forever. You only managed to run for so long because you cheated.” His tone is lightly chiding, but Charles knows that he’s not really upset, and that he’s playing it up for the game.

“Do you want me to tell you what I do to cheaters? What I’m going to do when I find you?” A dangerous edge creeps into Edwin’s voice, that spark of mischief that they normally find in Charles is finally being directed at Charles.

At this point, Charles is wondering whether just giving himself up would be less torturous than what Edwin's putting him through with the endless teasing. The anticipation is ramping up inside him until he's sure that he might combust right where he is.

As Edwin makes his way around the room, making a show of narrating his search of each nook and cranny, of the revenge he plans on exacting, Charles wonders if this is how Edwin feels whenever he’s itching for some fun: nervous and excited and happy.

He’s filled with a warmth that comes with the reminder that he and Edwin are best mates. Of course, it’s one of the few certainties that he can rely on in his tumultuous afterlife. But this? Them being friends outside cases and mysteries and the occasional existence-threatening danger that comes with being on the run from Death?

It’s a feeling that he can’t quite put words to, but that he knows that he wouldn’t trade for the world.

The footsteps stop.

Suddenly, faster than Charles can blink, light floods his vision and he’s pulled out of the bin and backed up against the wall.

He looks up at Edwin’s grinning face, eyes dancing with a playful light as he rests his hands on Charles’ ribs. “Any last words?”

Charles puts on his most charming smile and offers the most insincere “I’m sorry?” of his entire afterlife. It makes Edwin laugh though, and that’s what matters.

Edwin’s not the only one laughing soon enough as Edwin curls his fingers into the grooves of his ribs. Frantic, high-pitched giggling tumbles out of his mouth and he barely lasts a second before his knees buckle and he’s sliding down the wall.

Not that it does much to help him. Edwin just follows him down, hovering over him and thwarting his feeble attempts to curl up into a ball, massaging Charles’ stomach in a way that has him throwing his head back as pleas for mercy rush out in between peals of laughter.

“Edwin! Edwihihihin please! I’m sorry! I’m sohohohorry! Shit- NO!”

Evil, cruel hands jump down to his knees and Charles is lost. He’s desperately kicking his legs, shoving away from the wall in an attempt to escape the electric shocks travelling through his legs.

“I’m not sure that you are Charles. Not yet, at least,” Oh that bastard. He’s got that smug look on this face and his tone just screams ‘I’ve got you right where I want you,’ “Oh, but you will be.”

Those words send a bolt of anxiety through his system, spurring another stream of frantic, if half-hearted, pleas.

What? This is the most fun he’s had in ages.

“Let’s see if we can drain the rest of that energy out of you, shall we? Maybe then you’ll let me get some work done? Unless…” he pauses for dramatic effect, because Edwin's a dork like that, “you feel like giving up?” Charles knows Edwin well enough to know that he’s giving him an out, and while he appreciates it, it feels more like a challenge than anything.

He should know that Charles has never been one to back down from a challenge.

He tilts his chin up defiantly, using the small reprieve to suck in some unneeded breaths, and says, “Do your worst.”

And, well, there are certainly worse ways to spend your afternoon than laughing with your best mate.

[crunchy-rocc]

aaron and jeremy at an ice rink for my friend ‼️

[ickypuppi3]

only child steve who never learnt to share, being so extra and possessive when it comes to things that are his. steve getting real weird about billy hopping off his case all of a sudden and hanging around with other people. steve pushing back, getting on billy’s case ‘cause- that’s his, that attention is his, billy is his

[topicaltropic]

EPISODE 8 OF THE DUNGEONS AND DADDIES GRAPHIC NOVEL IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER !

READ THE SAMPLE NOW HERE

[the-gayest-sky-kid]

okay so. like. wan ed 12. dazai is stopped by a log in the river and starts actually drowning. funny haha wan bit.

but repeating something ive said (hi haven) i think this is actually a really good example for how ada dazai doesn't really want to kill himself. he could've actually drowned here. thats his 'goal' right? but the moment it starts happening he's trying to get his head back above water.

"I thought I was dead"

hilariously wet and horrified or not he obviously didn't want to die here. theres nobody around to hear what he said anymore anyway. and that's why, despite being yk... a wan ending animation? i still think this is such like. a case in point.

[pansyfemme]

i am really so hyped for this one class im taking like. beyond hyped im shaking and crying just thinking about it

[syndromestatic]

hello sillies. Moomin has a little crush!

[shalpilot]

how to get a bad grade in Kiril

[girlthativealwaysbeen]

So I wrote this next song a few days before my nineteenth birthday. And, um, back then, I was so terrified of change, and I was especially afraid of growing up. And I'd, like, cry at all my birthday parties as a child. Very, very emo.

Now that I'm 21, I don't feel afraid of growing up at all. In fact, I'm really, really looking forward to it. And, um, if I could give any advice to the 18-year-old girl who wrote this song, I'd tell her not to worry so much, and that she has no idea how many magical, magical things are waiting just around the corner for her. So, uh, with that, here's "teenage dream".

- Olivia Rodrigo at the Guts World Tour before playing teenage dream

[raidenfanclub]

Part 2 of Collection of Alphinaud being a goober, Stormblood edition (featuring the cooler alphinaud, Alisaie)

This is like my Alphinaud scrapbook he's so stupid I love him

seriously why is he stupid

I love them so much, they're my little buddies

Part 3 Shadowbringers collection coming eventually I promise,,, i just have to update outta free trial, and get shb, and play it, so coming soon guys stay tuned for more alphinaud scrapbook

also this artwork with alphinaud is so funny to me like buddy looks so outta place- bro thinks he's one of the gang except GET OUTTA THERE ALPHI, THAT BLONDE ASS BITCH TO THE RIGHT WILL KILL YOU

[ranticore]

i've run out of stuff to do today so instead i will be opening the sims 4 for the first time in months and making an ISOK neigbourhood

[braceletofteeth]

I think I'm simply not designed for stressing out arguing with other people.

I was asleep, and I dreamed I woke up and saw a take I didn't like, and even in my dream, I went straight back to sleep.

[shellofwonder]

happy November anyways here's an ao3 blanket for the coming winter

[hallowshumour]

START A FIGHT! // ft @kannagar

‼️💥🩸🧱

[natjennie]

i think im gonna miss our dogs forever and ever

[tomatoluvr69]

Unbeeeeeelieeeeevable sight in the parking lot at the gym