The above was done as a gift for @edmcmayonnaise and the @bottomedwin guys. I hope you like it too
_________________
He means to get the Christmas tree, he does.
After all, they get one every year, and every year Charles takes great delight in setting it up, in decorating it. In setting presents under it.
Edwin had never particularly cared for the Yule Season - for him it meant home and awful family dinners and a list of his brothers’ friends who weren’t coming home from the Front- but for Charles it seems to mean something else.
Something good.
Something joyful.
For Charles it means twinkling lights, and presents, and playing games through the night and laughing together….
Charles makes Christmas worthwhile to Edwin; he has every year since they’ve met.
And for that reason, Edwin always tries to make it worthwhile for Charles, too.
So when it’s late on Christmas Eve, and they stumble through the mirror from Crystal flat… When Edwin sees Charles’ face fall as he remembers that between finding and rescuing Niko from the Neitherlands they haven’t had a chance to get a Christmas tree…
Well, the look on his face breaks Edwin’s heart.
This is their first Christmas together as, well, as a couple, and Edwin has failed his most basic due diligence to his beloved. He has made him frown at his favourite time of year. He opens his mouth to apologise but before he can Charles shoots him a small smile. “It’s alright,” he says tiredly. “We got back Niko, that’s present enough.”
Edwin doesn’t think so. “I could-“
Charles pulls him close and kisses him softly. “You’re here, and you’re safe,” he says quietly. “That’s all that matters, love.” He presses a kiss to the worried line between Edwin’s eyebrows, stroking his cheek. “Now give me a sec, and I’ll go find us a game for tonight, yeah?”
And with another tired, sweet smile Charles heads into their games closet.
Edwin watches him go, a sadness inside that he can’t press down.
He doesn’t want Charles to make do with anything, let alone on his favourite night of the year. But what to do about it? He could decorate the lamp maybe, make it a miniature Christmas tree? After all, he can see the box of fairy lights in the corner of the office, it wouldn’t take a moment to drape them over something Charles likes… But what is Charles’ favourite thing in the room. Well, that would be you, he imagines Crystal’s voice chiming in his ear.
Whatcha gonna do with that?
The plan forms in a flash, his mind conjuring the look on Charles’ face were he to- Were he to present himself as compensation. The thought makes Edwin blush, feeling overly bold, but in a thrice he has disappeared his pullover, shirt and combination. He briefly considers setting aside his trousers and socks too, but that is a sight too far for him. Instead he turns on the fairy lights and winds them around his torso, waiting for Charles to come out of the games closet and perhaps smile at what has been done for him…
When he does come out, for a moment all he can do is stare.
His eyes rake over Edwin with a hunger that feels deliciously, thrillingly new.
”Do you like it?” Edwin asks. Charles nods wordlessly. “You may think of it as an early Christmas gift-“
He doesn’t get to say anything else before Charles is kissing him hungrily, pressing him into the sofa.
This will be the start of a Christmas tradition, but Edwin isn’t to know that yet…
Thank you all for making this past November absolutely brilliant! Our favourite Edwardian ghost was so well-pampered and showered with love, as he deserves!
As the doors close on this event, our socials here on Tumblr and Bluesky will wind down a bit at least for now.
However, the Bottom Edwin Month AO3 Collection remains open for any event-inspired fic/art you might like to create and add to the collection in the future. November might be over but why stop showing Edwin a good time, right ;)
You can reach our team at our main blog @crookedbowtieserver where we continue to show endless love for bottom Edwin! We also have a Crooked Bowtie AO3 Collection dedicated to the cause <3 Feel free to browse, and add your fics and recs; the more, the merrier!
If you'd like to hang out with us on our discord server, where we gush (hehe) about all things bottom Edwin all day err day, just shoot us an ask at @crookedbowtieserver (18+ only).
touched for the very first time -- [Dead Boy Detectives fic]
Rated E, 7.8k words, Complete
During an investigation, the situation becomes dire when Edwin becomes ensnared in a ritualistic circle—one cast by the spirit of a witch who has been entrapping virgin sacrifices for a most nefarious purpose.
At the threat of his best mate being sacrificed back to Hell, Charles desperately makes an outlandish suggestion on how they might be able to free Edwin…
Written for the @bottomedwin event, for the prompts Damsel in Distress Edwin, On a Case, and Fuck or Die.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Relationships: Cat King/Edwin Paine | Edwin Payne
Tags: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Nightmares, Phone Sex, under-negotiated sex, Miscommunication, they talk it out though, Consent is Sexy, Insomnia, Eventual Smut, Mild Angst
Series: Part 4 of Dress me up, take me down, let me in
Summary:
Thomas' voice drops into a low, rumbling purr over the line that goes straight to Edwin’s core. “Tell me all about what’s got you up in the middle of the night.”
Fighting a smile, Edwin says, “I merely woke and am unable to get back to sleep."
Over the phone, Edwin can hear the way Thomas pouts with mock disappointment, imagines the curve of those plush lips as Thomas says, “Aw, so you’re not lying there all hot and bothered? Thinking of me? Sending me academic articles—and thanks, by the way, this looks cool—just to get my motor running?”
Edwin laughs. This is such a ridiculous conversation, for all that Edwin can’t deny he’s certainly guilty of more than a few imaginative nights. Which he’s certainly not going to admit to. “Hardly.”
Instead of snarking back, Thomas hums invitingly. “Would you like to be?”
Confused at the turn from teasing to seductive, Edwin trips over his words. “Pardon?” But suggestive innuendo practically drips from Thomas' words, enough that even Edwin realizes oh, that’s what he means.
✨✨✨✨✨
Not really a spooky fic, but I have returned with the next installment of this modern AU that has stolen my heart this past year! Decided that posting today, on the anniversary of the Halloween fic that started the whole thing, was entirely the right way to celebrate.
In-universe this isn’t an October fic, it follows from the previous part and is set somewhere around late Jan/early Feb so like, not much in the way of spooky vibes. But I am nonetheless super thrilled to finally share more of this story! Happy reading!
The next chapter as written turned out to be nearly 10k words, so now it is posted as chapters 2 + 3 😅
Chapter 2 contains a sweet date night for Edwin and Thomas, some adorable kitty-based fluff, and a bit of comfort after a bad day.
The disappointment is still sharp and stinging, but Edwin can’t deny that Thomas sounds exhausted. “What’s happened?”
“Murphy’s Law of a day,” Thomas groans. “Whatever can go wrong…”
“Will go wrong,” Edwin finishes. “I’m sorry, darling.” He blushes as the endearment slips out.
“It is what it is.” Indecipherable shuffling and quiet clattering sounds come over the line, Thomas clearly still moving about on the other end of the call. “The last thing I want to do is cancel on you, but I’m going to be at least another hour here. There’s no way we’ll make it to the reservation on time.” He hears a long sigh from Thomas. “Sorry.”
“It’s all right.” Edwin is disappointed, sure, but he knows better than most that some days just don’t go the way you want them to. “We can simply reschedule. Or I could— Well, I could come to you?” The offer slips out before he realizes he means to. “If it wouldn’t be an imposition. I don’t want to get in your way. But I have been curious to see the rescue.”
Chapter 3 features the second half of date night, including some sweet sexy times (where this fic earns the E rating). This chapter is also participating in the @bottomedwin event for the final week's "free day" option. 💙
Edwin loses himself for a while, in the slow rhythm of deep kisses and shifting bodies, the stroking, heated touch of Thomas’ hands along his throat and in his hair, over his shoulders and along his arms, everywhere he can reach. Glories in the sheer pleasure of Thomas’ touch, hot and bright even through his clothes. He is achingly hard in his trousers, arousal sparking up his spine, and god but he never wants to stop.
He can’t believe he’s gone so long without feeling this, experiencing this. He never really wanted it before, as such—certainly not enough to bother seeking out sex or even much in the way of physical affection—but suspects that now he’s felt it he won’t want to be without it again. Because the way Thomas makes him feel is so intense and wildly, utterly glorious.
And they’re not even undressed yet.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
rating: E
wordcount: ~ 6.4k
chapters: 1/1
AO3 Summary/Excerpt:
Edwin never failed to feel touched by how well Charles looked out for and took care of him. With this request, though, he had known he would test the other's limits.
"Does that mean I can say no now?", he had asked before he could talk himself out of it.
---
Edwin discovers safewords, and suggests that he and Charles bring their play to the next level.
Part 3 of like fire and powder, my Payneland CNC series!
"He wanted to be talked into it, that was the gist of things. He wanted Charles to talk him into it, and… not really take no for an answer."
---
Edwin has a fantasy he asks Charles to fulfil. Charles isn't too sure about the whole thing at first, but maybe he will surprise himself.
For week 2 of Bottom Edwin Month , "Damsel in Distress Edwin"
ignite
He turned his face into Edwin's neck and placed an open-mouthed kiss there before sucking at the skin, worrying at it until he was sure he'd left a mark. Edwin yelped and squirmed under him.
"Come on, I know you love it when I mark you up. 'S gonna be difficult to hide that one under your shirt, I think." He didn't bother to try and suppress the smug tone of his voice. "Everyone'll see that you're mine." Charles almost squirmed at the thought himself, his trousers starting to feel uncomfortably tight.
"Please. Just let me go."
Charles scoffed. "Now why would I do that?"
"Let me go or… or I'll tell someone."
Charles' voice turned dangerously low as he whispered his next words into Edwin's ear again. "And what are you going to tell them? Are you going to tell them about the last time? About how you moaned for me?"
---
Edwin and Charles continue to explore their newly shared kink, and Edwin gets his wish of playing a little rougher.
botChapters: 1/1
Fandom: Dead Boy Detectives (TV)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Cat King/Edwin Paine | Edwin Payne
Characters: Cat King (Dead Boy Detectives), Crystal Palace (DCU), Charles Rowland (DCU), Edwin Paine | Edwin Payne
Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Established Relationship, Cat King is Called Thomas (Dead Boy Detectives), Hurt Cat King (Dead Boy Detectives), whump cat king my beloved, Bickering, Injury, is there something more romantic than dressing your situationship’s wounds?, Mild Smut, or poor attempt at it rip, Animal Traits, Barbed Penis, Sex Magic, Kinda
Summary:
“Now, we are alone,” Edwin announced, and his brows knitted in worry. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
The Cat King rolled his eyes. “Told you already, I can’t heal.”
“But why? You wield magic, why can’t you use it?”
“And why can’t you ghosts keep your human shape when you’re exhausted,” the shapeshifter retorted. “I used too much energy.”
“I see.” The analytical look in Edwin’s eyes had no right to be nearly as hot as it was. Thomas must’ve been feeling better if he was able to notice that. “Is there a way to restore it quickly?” the detective looked the trickster in the eyes.
The Cat King grimaced and looked down. He didn’t say anything.
**
The Cat King ends up hurt after helping the detectives on the case. Edwin is determined to help him.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
rating: E
wordcount: ~ 5.6k
chapters: 1/1
AO3 Summary/Excerpt:
"Are you all right? How does it feel?"
The two questions at once took Charles a moment to parse through in his state. "I'm good. Feels good." He looked at Edwin, for once completely still under his boyfriend's ravenous gaze. He was clearly still a little nervous, but he looked so hungry, too.
Edwin raised his hands to gently touch Charles' face, who sighed when tender fingers stroked along his cheek bones.
"Now, what am I to do with you?"
Charles wasn't sure if it was an actual question, but he answered anyway. "Whatever you want."
Edwin gasped softly, as if he only now realised just how much power he was holding in this moment. Charles couldn't wait to see what he would do with it.
- - -
Charles asks Edwin to put a compulsion spell on him, making him do whatever Edwin tells him to...
For week 4 of Bottom Edwin Month, "Domination & Submission"
My fill for the "Domination & Submission" prompt of week 4 of @bottomedwin <3
Written for the @bottomedwin event, for the week 2 prompt “damsel in distress Edwin." Enjoy some soft and silly rescue roleplay featuring the ghostcat trio! ✨
Tell me true, can I count on you?
(3917 words) by megs_bee
Fandom: Dead Boy Detectives (TV)
Rating: Mature
Relationships: Cat King (Dead Boy Detectives)/Edwin Paine | Edwin Payne/Charles Rowland (DCU), Cat King/Edwin Paine | Edwin Payne, Edwin Paine | Edwin Payne/Charles Rowland
Tags: Roleplay, Damsel in Distress, Abduction, Rescue, Pretend Hurt/Real Comfort, Light Bondage, Aftercare, Cuddling & Snuggling, GhostCat - Freeform, Established Relationship
Summary:
Sometimes Edwin needs to be reminded that he’ll always be saved.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Edwin raises a judgmental eyebrow as he eyes his apparent abductor from hood to heels. That is a lot of cloak, and he can’t help a mildly incredulous, “Really?”
The hooded head tilts to the side thoughtfully as they come to a stop in front of him. “Well now, that’s not very nice, is it, little ghost?”
Edwin startles at the unfamiliar masculine voice rolling low and rough from the shadowed depths of the hood. For some reason he’d expected—well, no matter.
“Why should I be nice to someone who has abducted me?” he demands as haughtily as he can, holding up his bound hands pointedly. “And tied me up, no less.”
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
rating: E
wordcount: ~ 5.9k
chapters: 1/1
AO3 Summary/Excerpt:
"He wanted to be talked into it, that was the gist of things. He wanted Charles to talk him into it, and… not really take no for an answer."
---
Edwin has a fantasy he asks Charles to fulfil. Charles isn't too sure about the whole thing at first, but maybe he will surprise himself.
My fill for the "Damsel in Distress" prompt for week 2 of Bottom Edwin Month, and part 1 in a series!