promethia_tenk @promethia-tenk - Tumblr Blog

We done a fic 🤗

@promethia_tenk and I have (for many months) been working on a sequel to The Song of Rowland, and we have finally posted chapter 1:

Edwin the Pagan

Summary: Edwin tries to take off his shirt and accidentally unravels his whole existence.

Or: In which two people who don’t write smut said: ‘You know what would be the perfect vehicle for exploring all of Edwin’s issues? Wedding night fic.’

Notes: Companion piece/sequel to The Song of Rowland. This time it’s Edwin’s turn in the wringer.

(Too late for the anniversary, too early for Paineland week, but well-timed for pride. Here, have some traumatised gay ghosts in love! 😘)

#please read this it has eaten my soul

Me looking around my apartment, of which I am the sole inhabitant, with deep distaste: 'the living are messy.'

#dead boy detectives #edwin payne #our boy was so real for this honestly

ooooooh

Edwin Payne is a subtle representation of a male/masc-presenting victim of sexual assault and harassment.

His death, to me, is an allegory for an incident of sexual assault, as well as a hate crime. The main perpetrator, Simon, was a boy who believed Edwin was snubbing his advances, whether or not Edwin was actually aware advances were being made. The secondary perpetrators were boys who committed violence against Edwin because of his perceived sexuality and feminine mannerisms. They steal him from his bed in the middle of the night, while he is in his underclothes, to bring him to a secluded location. Edwin is then pinned down on his back while gagged. Just a lot of evident parallels to more literal incidents.

Many decades later, Edwin is once again dealing with sexual harassment from a man that feels rejected. The Cat King, despite his claims of being “fair and consensual” attempts to commit the most literal form of sexual coercion. He attempts to exchange Edwin’s freedom for a sexual favor, and when that doesn’t immediately work, he assigns Edwin a task that is acknowledged to be almost impossible. Of course, he leaves the option of sleeping with him still on the table, knowing Edwin is made unsafe by staying in Port Townsend for too long because he’s on the run. The Cat King also appears several more times to harass Edwin with sexual comments, pressure to take the first offer, and a memorable appearance in episode 6 where he threatens to “stop playing nice.”

Monty also kisses Edwin without permission and turns to passive-aggression when Edwin doesn’t return his affection. But, I don’t think it’s shown to be as impactful as the other two examples.

I will note Edwin seems to forgive all of the above characters, but he also seems to see forgiveness for those who have wronged him as some form of self-empowerment. I don’t know if that’s necessarily heathy thinking on his part. I might make a different post about that someday.

promethia-tenk

Fandom doesn't talk about this enough (or the similar sexual assault undertones to Crystal's storyline). One beat I find particularly chilling in this way is when the Cat King forcibly kisses Monty, which 1) is pointedly telling Edwin that he's being watched, including in very private moments (and look how Jenny reacted to similar information) 2) demonstrating that TCK is not above just taking and 3) is, like, stealing Edwin's kiss through the transitive property (which he immediately afterwords tries to do in a much more literal sense--putting himself in Monty's place: 'they say the second is always better'). Utter creep.

#dead boy detectives #edwin payne #anti cat king

mirellapryce

Edwin to Crystal "If Charles is moving you, it is always in your best interest to go. I understand why you might not like to be manhandled but trust that it's for your own good and he wouldn't do it unless necessary."

#I'd put it to the court that Edwin would be slightly upset if Charles started throwing Crystal acorss desks #without understanding why of course #that's their thing dammit #dead boy detectives #shout out to the acrylic nail wearers #I don't know how you do it #true story the woman who taught me to put in contacts was wearing 2 inch acylics at the time

sthilarions

I think a lot about the scene with the boys trying to find the book in Case of the Dandelion Shrine, but I don't think I'd thought enough about when and where it takes place.

The boys get more and more disconnected from each other during the first few episodes but they are in the office away from Crystal's gaze for about 90 seconds before they start acting like this:

"You'll rip your arm clean off. Stop that now! ...I'm not as quick as you, but I am here to help. Honestly, Edwin, can't you tell me what really happened with the Cat King?"

"Right. Fine, then. How about this? Take a deep breath. And put your big brain to work, 'cause the answer's gotta be in there somewhere."

Like... they are Home and In Private for barely a minute before they relax into this dynamic, which is, notably, not the one they show in canon-era, most of the time - but it is the one that we're shown in the pilot is 'normal' for them.

The Charles who coaxes Edwin to share, stops his self-harm, guides him through breathing, praises him to calm him, that's not the Charles that shows up in front of Crystal (or even Niko). But it absolutely is the Charles who bounces around Edwin trying to coax him into playing - er, boxing - to nudge him into new things and to keep him safe and to have fun with him, the Charles who specifically selects a "gentleman's sport" to try to suit Edwin's tastes and then gives puppy eyes knowing full well Edwin couldn't deny them even if he'd chosen MMA.

The Edwin who follows Charles's guidance, lets himself be soothed, follows care-related orders promptly with only a minimum of brattiness, that's not the one lashing out and bristling his authority in Port Townsend. But it absolutely is the one who caves to bouncing-Charles's puppy-dog eyes instantaneously, who barely bonks Charles with his fist and then raises his eyebrows proudly anticipating Charles's praise for the bonk, the one who lets Charles shove him to knock him from freeze into flight and throw him all the way over a desk because if Charles is doing it that means it's to keep him safe.

And, incidentally, it's also a lot closer to how they are in Hell. Even in literal Hell they're closer to their norm because at least they're in private.

We also see little bits of it every other time they snatch a few moments of privacy, even though it's way toned down outside of Home; Charles spilling about kissing like five minutes after doing it, Edwin trying to come out and then doing so, "best person I know", "...what are you worried about, then?", etcetera.

They want to tell each other every thought they have the moment they have it; they want to take care of each other. They're just only capable of it when they're alone and safe and have time away from judging eyes.

And, like... when we recognize that this is their norm, so much so that they go back into it the moment they are in their Space, like, quite honestly, no fucking wonder they're both crashing out the whole time they're in Port Townsend!

Edwin's clearly been outsourcing a lot of his emotional regulation to Charles, which means with Charles unable to provide it, he's got nothing to keep him stable.

Meanwhile, Charles is dependent on that role for his own emotional regulation, so he freaks out when he can't do it. (This is very clearly established: "What good am I even doing? I couldn't stop Devlin from murdering his family over and over. I can't stop Crystal from hurting. I can't stop whatever is going on with you." He explicitly crashes out because he is unable to "keep the spirits up". There are other factors, absolutely - but it's stated pretty clearly that if he were able to successfully fill his normal role right now, he'd be able to manage the other shit.)

We love a pair of deeply codependent lads whose codependency is backfiring because they can't go home and metaphorically cuddle on their tiny tiny loveseat <3

sthilarions

I focused here on Charles - in private - regulating Edwin and being regulated by doing so, because that was the main focus of the main scene I was thinking about, but I do want to emphasize that Edwin also regulates Charles (and thereby self-regulates).

The best we see Charles doing, in Townsend, is thanks to the “best person I know” speech, Edwin putting Charles back together. The worst we see him is when Edwin tries to help him calm down on the cliff and he shrugs Edwin off because Not Now. He needs Edwin to help him regulate as much as Edwin needs Charles. It’s a two-way street.

sthilarions

Also! Something to be said about how Charles acts chill and calm about Edwin’s self-harm in front of Crystal (burning himself getting Becky’s shoes, slamming his wrist on the pillar), but the second they’re alone, even though Edwin’s doing something a lot less visibly damaging/dangerous, Charles immediately takes the opportunity to go “I think the fuck not Edwin stop that this instant”.

promethia-tenk

You know, another notable scene of Charles not responding as he usually would to Edwin's distress is the 'it has to matter' scene. I've seen people note the way that Charles just sort of stands back there, looking concerned, not looking surprised, but not actually doing anything. Which . . . is weird, when you know how they are in private. Narratively, of course, it provides space for Crystal to step in with an olive branch and establish a truce between them, but I don't think I've ever seen a decent explanation of why he doesn't respond there before this.

#dead boy detectives