#dbda fanfic

[ahyperactivehero]

happy hockey fri-yay everyone, chapter 40 of Greatest in the League is up now!

X

He laughed, leaning back so he could muffle the sound with a pillow. "So, does that mean we're actually… official?" he asked, unsure how to even phrase it.

Boyfriend sounded like such a simple word for what he felt for Edwin.

"Official?" Edwin asked.

"Yeah," Charles brushed a lock of Edwin's hair off his forehead, rubbing the soft strands between his fingers. "Like… boyfriends? Or whatever?"

Edwin snorted. "Boyfriends or whatever? Yes, very romantic."

"Oi! I'm trying here," Charles defended. "I don't see you calling it anything!"

[ahyperactivehero]

painlandweek day 3: Forehead Kisses/ Almost Kiss, featuring Spider-Man!Charles! Just Something I Can Turn To, Somebody I Can Kiss "Thank you, Spider-Man," Edwin said with a smile on his face. A knife twisted in Charles's heart at his words. Of course Edwin had a thing for Spider-Man. It all made sense now. That was why he had brought him up so much recently, that was why he had sounded so concerned and smitten when they'd been talking about him earlier.

X Charles is Spider-Man and his best mate Edwin doesn't know. Until he does. (Day 3 of Painlandweek 2026: Forehead Kiss/Almost Kiss)

[ahyperactivehero]

happy painlandweek everyone! I’ve got a little one shot set in my Downworlder Detective Agency universe here for Day 1: Dancing/ First Date!

Eventually, Maybe

"I asked you once if you danced," he said. "You never answered."

Edwin frowned and cracked open those swirling green eyes. He lowered his bare hands, full warlock marks on display. Charles loved everything about those long, blackened claws, the way they would trace his runes over and over while Edwin was deep in thought. If he had it his way, Edwin would never have to wear gloves ever again.

"I suppose not," Edwin said, though Charles wasn't sure if he even remembered. "But we did dance together."

X

Or, a one shot that takes place after The Downworlder Detective Agency

[arrow-jsy]

one look and im hypnotized

HAPPY @painlandweek 2026!!! Im happy to be here... totally didnt decide i was joinging two days ago ':D

Here is my offering for day one

Edwin was as light as air, pratically floating in Charles' arms. Blue and red swished across the ground as they danced. They danced to a song they both liked, though Charles couldn't hear it. He couldn't hear his breathing, or Edwins. He couldn't hear the blood rushing though his veins, or his heart beating in his ears. Maybe he couldn't hear at all. Or maybe he was dead. With a shuttering realization, hands reached up peircing the ornate dance floor. Bloody, boney hands grasped for Edwin. Edwin did not look afraid, he did not look at all. His eyes blue-grey marbles in his bleeding skull. Charles pushed the other boy away from him, not out of fear, pushed him up. Light as a helium balloon cut free of its string, Edwin drifted into the high celing. Charles watched him go. The hands, with their target out of reach, grew in size and agression. Pounding the ground, clawing at the decorations. Charles' footing was unstable and his eyes hated to look away from Edwin, but the hands demanded.

[neurodivergent-fangirling]

Dead Boy Detectives Fanfic Recommendations Part 5

“Unheard” (<1k) by MycroftRH Post-Canon. Edwin tries to teach Charles about Hell, but the Spider wasn’t the only entity that left him traumatized. https://archiveofourown.org/works/85076346

“The Visible Knees Debacle of 2026” (<1k) by zilia Post-Canon. Banter and flirting during a heat wave.

“You Are My Sunshine” (1.2k) by arsenictea AU. Charles brings Edwin tea in bed. https://archiveofourown.org/works/63740575

“Figuring Things Out” (1.4k) by un1que_user Post-Canon. Palasaki first kiss while watching The Owl House. https://archiveofourown.org/works/57452734

“When Dreams Swallowed the Darkness” (1.7k) by MostlyGhostly (BlueMelon) Post-Canon. Monty returns to the Dreaming. https://archiveofourown.org/works/83016286

“Reconciliation” (2k) by MyrcroftRH Post-Canon. Jenny observes Edwin and Charles fight and make up. https://archiveofourown.org/works/81099336

“I Hope You Died Well (And I Hope You Died Clean)” (2.1k) by NotThatPerseus Pre-Canon. Origin story for the Night Nurse. https://archiveofourown.org/works/85378616

“Twenty Questions” (2.4k) by KiaraSayre Post-Canon. Reluctant bonding for Edwin and Jenny. https://archiveofourown.org/works/80380501

“The Inconvenient Downpour Debacle” (2.5k) by QuintessentialShip Post-Canon. The team deal with a spell gone wrong that makes it rain inside the office. https://archiveofourown.org/works/81722201

“Count for Me” (2.5k) by ShaleSchnueffler Pre-Canon. Charles helps Edwin through a panic attack. https://archiveofourown.org/works/80547576

“Doomed by the Narrative” (2.985k) by un1que_user Canon-Divergent. Niko comes out to Crystal and Crystal saves her at Esther’s house. https://archiveofourown.org/works/57216355

“Please Put Down Your Hands (‘Cuz I See You)” (3k) by NotThatPerseus Post-Canon. Charles has a feelings realization while tending to Edwin’s injuries. https://archiveofourown.org/works/87080026

“Sunflower Still Grows at Night” (3.6k) by drjamband College AU. Payneland Sick Fic. https://archiveofourown.org/works/88144536

“Eulogy” (4.3k) by Ice_Elf Pre-Canon. When Charles’ funeral becomes upsetting, Edwin does his best to help. https://archiveofourown.org/works/56118391

“Wash the Day Away and Start Again” (4.7k) by zilia Post-Canon. Edwin gets marked by Hell and Charles kisses the marks away. https://archiveofourown.org/works/80936731

“Curse Under the Mistletoe” (5.3k) by Lundlaeva (Black_Crystal_Dragon) Post-Canon. Charles gets trapped under mistletoe and needs Edwin’s assistance. https://archiveofourown.org/works/61517551

“Love in the Library” (6.4k) by thegirlofthorns AU. Payneland library meet-cute. https://archiveofourown.org/works/82874436

“Lace Your Heart with Mine (Let Your Sleeping Soul Take Flight)” (6.6k) by NotThatPerseus AU. Edwin escapes the Fae realm and saves a knight from freezing to death. https://archiveofourown.org/works/86084981

“A Little Breaking and Entering, a Little Magical Arson (Is This How You Always Make Friends?)” (8.4k) by megs_bee Post-Canon. Charles goes back to Esther’s house to destroy the machine. The Cat King investigates. Eventually, they talk. https://archiveofourown.org/works/85600686

“Many Happy Returns” (8.5k) by rudyroo Pre-Canon. Charles does some sleuthing to figure out Edwin’s birthday. https://archiveofourown.org/works/79095551/chapters/207498846

“The Lowest Ebb (Is the Turn of the Tide)” (11k) by Phoenix_Soar AU. Trans Edwin sacrificed to and then marries sea god Charles. https://archiveofourown.org/works/88117986

“Mirrored Features Hungry Eyes” (17k) by NeverNooitNeit Vampire AU. https://archiveofourown.org/works/80100471/chapters/210274556

Short Series:

“Place Settings” (2 works, 5.3k so far) by zilia Post-Canon. Features cuddling and spooning. https://archiveofourown.org/series/6170291

“Don’t You Know We’re Outlaws? Giving the Finger to Death Himself” (2 works, 10k so far) by deerspooks: American Western outlaws AU. https://archiveofourown.org/series/6009991

WIPs:

“No Homo, Mate” (3.3k so far) by lolotr AU. Edwin and Charles fake-date to protest their school’s homophobic policy. https://archiveofourown.org/works/80005906/chapters/210011671

“In the Quiet Space Between Holidays, Let Us Care for You Like You Have Cared for Us” (7.5k so far) by quietdetective Post-Canon. The girls plan a birthday party for Edwin, but Charles worries things will go wrong. https://archiveofourown.org/works/83769751/chapters/220789211

“At the Foot of the Bed” (7.8k so far) by m1L0_36 Canon-Divergent. Charles meets a ghost that haunts dying boys at St. Hilarion’s. https://archiveofourown.org/works/86213481/chapters/228012786

“Just Survive Somehow” (8.6k so far) by deerspooks Zombie apocalypse AU. https://archiveofourown.org/works/78926466/chapters/207016331

“A Heavy Heart to Carry” (40k so far) by InkThirst AU. Edwin gets kidnapped and survives and Charles deals with feelings about it. Features Edwin’s sister and Crystal. https://archiveofourown.org/works/81962816/chapters/215676046

“How to Repair an Android Heart” (49k so far) by aletterinthenameofsanity AU where Monty is an android sent to spy on Edwin and Charles. Ghostcrow. https://archiveofourown.org/works/75469946/chapters/197317046

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Recommendation lists for specific events: https://www.tumblr.com/neurodivergent-fangirling/790689216279511040/links-to-notable-posts

These are just the ones that I a) read b) liked c) thought were good and d) remembered to write down. There are many, many good fanfics out there that I haven't read yet, so feel free to tell me about your favorites in the comments and reblogs!

[neurodivergent-fangirling]

Recommendations from the DBDA Two-Year Anniversary:

“Cosplayers are Frequently (Not So) Secretly Fond of Each Other” (2.4k) by deerspooks: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/DBDA_Anniversary_2026/works/83414556 AU. Payneland. Meet-cute involving cosplay.

“Death Letter” (2.3k) by deerspooks: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/DBDA_Anniversary_2026/works/83488561 Pre-Canon. Features the Ghost Postman.

“Not Hurrying the Feast for One to Come” (1.4k) by the_genderless_librarian: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/DBDA_Anniversary_2026/works/83569091 Post-Canon. Palasaki first kiss.

“Blood Like Precious Stones” (1.6k) by deerspooks: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/DBDA_Anniversary_2026/works/83609601 Pre-Canon. Origin story for the Washer Woman.

“To Hear You Is to Love You (A Purr By Any Other Cat Would Sound As Sweet)” (4.3k) by megs_bee Post-Canon. The Cat King and Edwin struggle with change in their relationship. Catwin angst and fluff. https://archiveofourown.org/collections/DBDA_Anniversary_2026/works/83735901

“Follow” (4.3k) by Fire_Bear AU. Features fairy tale elements and Crowwin. https://archiveofourown.org/collections/DBDA_Anniversary_2026/works/83901671

“Tracks and Traces” (12.3k) by sorion Post-Canon. Cat King and Crystal ensure the school investigates Edwin’s and Charles’ deaths. Features Catwin and Cryland. https://archiveofourown.org/works/83393856/chapters/219677601

“Hypnos and Lethe” (15.2k) by zilia Post-Canon. Charles misses sleeping and Edwin tries a spell to give him that, with disastrous results. https://archiveofourown.org/works/82720146/chapters/217770951

Link to the collection on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/DBDA_Anniversary_2026

And, if you’re interested, here’s the story I wrote for this event, “Unpacking the Backpack” (10.6k) https://www.tumblr.com/neurodivergent-fangirling/814325128974450688/unpacking-the-backpack-part-1 Post-Canon. Features Charles and Niko bonding.

[phoenix-soar]

the lowest ebb (is the turn of the tide) -- [Dead Boy Detectives fic]

Rated E, 11k words, Complete

After a confrontation goes too far between Edwin and the bully who refuses to leave him alone, Edwin is made the subject of a cruel prank with dire consequences. A beach, a sacrifice, and a stranger from the ocean…

Wrote this for Uku_Lele91's incredible art (featured in the fic), as part of @deadbangdetectives 's 2026 Reverse Bang!

[madelinetess]

Not my usual fandom but I do love DBDA and my wife (platonic) asked me to write something like this and I finally finished it

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works