DEAD BOY DETECTIVE AGENCY.

i will try to make amends. for making you means to an end. so look my way, please look my way! and if there's something more that i don't know. i'll save us both before we grow cold. if you'll stay and just say, LOOK MY WAY.

i will try to make amends. for making you means to an end. so look my way, please look my way! and if there's something more that i don't know. i'll save us both before we grow cold. if you'll stay and just say, LOOK MY WAY.

i will try to make amends. for making you means to an end. so look my way, please look my way! and if there's something more that i don't know. i'll save us both before we grow cold. if you'll stay and just say, LOOK MY WAY.

i will try to make amends. for making you means to an end. so look my way, please look my way! and if there's something more that i don't know. i'll save us both before we grow cold. if you'll stay and just say, LOOK MY WAY.

i will try to make amends. for making you means to an end. so look my way, please look my way! and if there's something more that i don't know. i'll save us both before we grow cold. if you'll stay and just say, LOOK MY WAY.

[ lean ] sender rests their head on receiver's shoulder

[ shop ] sender and receiver go to the grocery store together

[ brush ] sender brushes receiver's hair

[ tie ] sender helps receiver with their tie, either by putting it on or adjusting it

[ necklace ] sender helps receiver with the clasp of their necklace from behind

[ zip up ] sender assists receiver with zipping up a piece of clothing

[ unzip ] sender assists receiver with unzipping a piece of clothing

[ shoelaces ] sender bends down to tie receiver's shoelaces

[ swipe ] sender notices a smudge of something on receiver's face and gently wipes it off

[ braid ] sender braids receiver's hair

[ jacket ] sender takes their jacket off and hangs it on receiver's shoulders

[ puddle ] sender hurries to stop receiver from stepping into a puddle

[ drinks ] sender brings receiver a drink from a bar/their kitchen

[ feed ] sender feeds receiver's pet/s for them

[ cook ] sender and receiver cook a meal together

[ feed ] sender allows receiver to try a bite of their dish, holding their fork out for receiver to taste

[ teach ] sender, an expert at something, takes time to teach receiver how it works and how they can get better at it, too

[ readjust ] sender comes up behind receiver and readjusts their stance (maybe holding a gun, holding a golf club, aiming for something, etc.) to help them

[ makeup ] sender fixes receiver's makeup for them

[ bathroom ] sender and receiver go to a public restroom together and have a normal conversation in between the stalls

[ aloud ] sender reads aloud to receiver

[ refill ] sender refills receiver's glass without asking

[ massage ] sender notices receiver looks tense, steps up behind them, and massages their shoulders

[ listen ] sender listens to receiver explain something they're passionate about

[ silence ] sender and receiver comfortably exist in silence together, both of them working or reading or focusing on something different

[ food ] sender brings food over to receiver's house

[ hum ] sender hums along to a song receiver is singing

[ see ] sender sees something that reminds them of receiver and texts them a picture of it

[ admire ] sender stares at receiver across a room, silently admiring and appreciating them from afar

[ win ] sender lets receiver beat them in a game

[ puzzle ] sender helps receiver solve/put together a puzzle

[ carry ] after receiver falls asleep in an inconvenient place, sender carries them to a bed and tucks them in

[ kneel ] sender finds receiver sick in the bathroom ("tossing their cookies"), and kneels beside them, holding their hair back and cleaning their face

[ clean ] sender helps bathe receiver

[ wash ] sender helps receiver wash their hair

(  various  dialogue  prompts  to  send  to  your  worst  enemy  (affectionate).  feel  free  to  change  how  you  seem  fit.  )

❛ oh great, it's you again. ❜

❛ you? kill me? that's funny. ❜

❛ for being someone you hate, i'm sure on your mind a lot. ❜

❛ you're the last person i wanted to see, actually. ❜

❛ do us both a favor. stay away from me. ❜

❛ you really are an asshole, you know that? ❜

❛ i'm the asshole? what does that make you then? ❜

❛ sometimes i think you must hate me. ❜

❛ i thought you said you never wanted to see me again. ❜

❛ if you want me to go, then you have to tell me to leave. ❜

❛ well, someone's cranky today. ❜

❛ well, someone needs to shut the fuck up. ❜

❛ just stay out of my way. ❜

❛ of all the idiots in the world, i'm stuck with you. ❜

❛ what is it you want this time? ❜

❛ sometimes i wonder if you're in love with me. ❜

❛ do you honestly think this is easy for me? ❜

❛ why would i ever want to be friends with you? ❜

❛ can we please just talk? ❜

❛ there is nothing for us to talk about. ❜

❛ you can yell at me later. just let me help you. ❜

❛ touch me, and you're dead. ❜

❛ oh, so now you care? ❜

❛ there is something deeply wrong with you. ❜

❛ i know i'm the last person you probably want to see, but... ❜

❛ you don't think we could be friends, do you? ❜

❛ i'm tired of fighting against you. ❜

❛ don't pretend you give a shit about me. ❜

❛ you're an idiot, but... i trust you. ❜

❛ oh, don't be cute. ❜

❛ wait, did you just say that i'm cute? ❜

❛ we're not good for each other. ❜

❛ if i say yes, will you shut up? ❜

❛ don't you have to be stupid somewhere else? ❜

❛ maybe we should kiss just to break the tension. ❜

❛ i'm sorry i can't turn off my feelings as easily as you. ❜

❛ maybe there's a universe out there where we're friends. ❜

❛ how can you be so smart yet so dumb at the same time? ❜

❛ don't think this changes anything between us. ❜

❛ you look ridiculous in that outfit, by the way. ❜

❛ if you die, i'll kill you. ❜

❛ is that a challenge? ❜

❛ ah, so you're not heartless after all. ❜

❛ i don't think i've ever seen you smile. ❜

❛ you never cared about me, so why now? ❜

❛ why didn't you kill me when you had the chance? ❜

❛ i don't even remember why we started fighting. ❜

❛ i don't have time for distractions right now. ❜

❛ you're not as bad as everyone says you are. ❜

Knowing that Edwin wanted to write to him but in the end he couldn't because of his death made something in him scream. But then again he calmed down as he realized that at least his brother got to know himself better even in the afterlife he was glad, " ah if only we could have tea so we could catch up, like adults did in our time, I grown quite fond of that habit while speaking with friends " he lets out a sad chuckle shame they couldn't taste anything now "well I'm not sure father and mother would agree on the respectable bit, since I became a fantasy writer and you know how they despised writers who did not write history or useful scientific books, and even more if they were uhm....about queer people ...", he almost whispered the last part and quickly fake coughed.

He really wanted to know about his brother's detective adventures it really seemed like quite an interesting job and seeing he had friends with him almost felt like was warming up which was impossible since well obvious reasons. Oliver missed so much of his brother's life that now he felt like there was not enough time to properly get to know each other as grown adults well he was not sure if he could call Edwin an adult, but considering he spend a few decades in hell and another few on earth as a ghost should he? .

" I'm very happy for you of your new life, and you know um I, I think I might stay a while I mean not here but I'll be around if you ever want to hang out some time to catch up and stuff..." .

they both have lived such interesting existences. though edwin is sure some of his secrets run rather on the sad side of life. he can only hope that oliver has lived a life he is proud of. one that made him happy. they did not have to please their parents. instead they could simply be who they are.

That was something they shared in common as well. And it's what made Edwin easy to read -- and perhaps the same went vise versa. Not that the cat king is too enthusiastic about that particular part. And as Edwin speaks he's reminded of the years the ghost had spent in hell. Something the feline still can't begin to fathom. " It should be easier with someone actually living and young on your little team though, no? And of course there's me. I stay tuned in, despite my years. " It's an attempt at keeping conversation light.

vulnerability is something they keep close to their chests. the less people see through the charade the less they could be hurt. edwin recognises a lot of himself in the showy feline even if it manifests in different ways. while edwin slips into the background the cat king steps into the limelight. two different reactions to the same reason. " crystal can often be rather inelegant in her explanations and she knows little of what she would compare it to in order for it to make a lick of sense to me. i am surprised you do not own one of those television machines. or if you do i am unsure of what it looks like. "

eye contact maintained, considering carefully; she shouldn't say, really. confidentiality and all that. but then, confidentiality doesn't matter much when he is the subject of the file, right? plus, asa's not exactly thrilled with the department at the moment. what does she care if she upsets the higher ups? not like they hadn't upset her plenty, as of late. . .

". . . not exactly."

in fact, the file alone makes no mention of the technicality in question. hence why she'd been so stunned to learn of it; the night nurse might detest paperwork, but she's good at it. she'd never have missed something like that, even if it had been tucked away in the fine print.

"simply put, it says you were t'be held there for 100 years, then reallocated. all the written evidence suggests it's a simple case of ritual sacrifice, not something we need to. . . investigate further. . ."

she trails off, looking away, almost sheepish. she's not going to be very forthcoming on it, but it has been playing on her mind.

even if it is news he wishes not to hear.

" how so? "

the words strike him and for a moment he feels hands against his wrists. a gag within his mouth. mary-ann. they saw it as nothing more than the ordinary. a chosen and true sacrifice despite how it was never meant to be real. a prank, nothing more. simply a ploy to scare him leading to his own life being ripped from him by sa'al.

thirty more years he was expected to suffer for something he had no choice in.

" why? i did not choose to be sacrificed nor did the boys who did such a thing expect their joke to become reality. we knew nothing of demons beyond that which the bible spoke of. how could it be seen as ordinary when the fact i matched what the ritual required was mere happenstance?! " as he speaks the anger grows. if charles were here he's sure the other boy would have hit something by now. it isn't fair.

          charles  was  sure  he  didn’t  need  to  remind  edwin  that  he’d  do  plenty  of  things  that  ‘disregard  his  own  safety’  if  it  meant  that  edwin  didn’t  come  to  any  harm.  and  he’d  do  it  time  and  time  again—going  to  hell  included.  charles  knows  he’d  go  back  in  a  heartbeat  if  he  had  to  if  it  meant  saving  edwin  again.

          still,  on  the  off-chance  that  didn’t  happen,  the  point  still  remained.  being  good  at  fisticuffs—charles  can’t  stop  his  lips  from  twinging  upwards  into  an  amused  smile  at  that  word—or  not,  some  form  of  physical  defense  was  needed.

          “ what’s  that  now ? ”  charles  asks,  interest  piqued  at  the  mention  of  fencing.  somehow,  despite  edwin  not  being  the  sporty  type,  charles  could  envision  it  all  too  well.  “ well,  that’s  perfect,  mate !  we  just  need  to  get  you  one  of  those  thin  swords  and  go  from  there. ”  he’s  already  making  training  plans  in  his  head.

in all their years together there has been a pattern of charles throwing himself in front of every attack aimed at edwin. as if he is a shield and not the boy who edwin cares for more than anything. more than his fear of hell. without the other he would be lost. forever wandering the halls of the school they were murdered in.

some part of him fears violence. so much of his afterlife was pain. was limbs ripped from his form and unseeing but familiar eyes rolling down a hallway at him. if he were to cause such harm it would taint his already bloodied soul. charles protected him. he could wield a weapon and come out clean. the intentions different. but edwin could defend charles. he wanted to defend charles.

" it has been many years since i have fenced but it would be a weapon i am not picking up from nothing. " his skills had been rather poor but the rapier would be easier to wield than anything else. " i do not know where we would keep a rapier. after all, i am not one to always have a weapon to hand. unless it would reside in your backpack? " that thought warms him. the idea of his rapier next to charles' beloved bat.

The endless having a particular interest in anyone should concern them, he's sure it doesn't happen often though. But Edwin was special, it's why the Cat King found himself so interested in him as well -- in a very different way though. And he acknowledges concern with a nod of head, appreciates it, but he might do it regardless.

somehow he feels as if she will call for him in a way he cannot deny. a way that will drag him from the safety of his known. something that would destroy him. warp him perhaps. it feels as if the shoe hasn't dropped. as if they are waiting for the guillotine to descend across the nape of his neck.