Chapters: 1/11 Fandom: Dead Boy Detectives (TV) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Edwin Paine | Edwin Payne/Charles Rowland Characters: Edwin Paine | Edwin Payne, Charles Rowland (DCU), Crystal Palace (DCU) Additional Tags: Canon Compliant, Angst, Angst and Romance, Angst and Feels, BAMF Edwin Paine | Edwin Payne, Character Study, Post-Canon, Getting Together, First Kiss, Mutual Pining, Protective Edwin Paine | Edwin Payne, Feelings Realization, POV Edwin Paine | Edwin Payne, Niko Sasaki haunts the narrative, Dark Magic, Corruption, Self-Sacrifice, Horror Elements, Self-Harm, it wasn't written to be a depiction of sh, but there is self-injury in this, Dark!Edwin Paine | Edwin Payne, Blood and Violence, but imo not a lot as I'm not really a fan of gore, Angst with a Happy Ending, check out notes for more details
Summary:
Haunted by the grief of losing Niko and desperate to find meaning in everything that happened to him, Edwin’s drawn back to Port Townsend. Back to the idea that the suffering of a ghost like him, someone tempered in hellfire, can be forged into immense magical power. And he’d only use it to protect rather than ruin.
But magic like this always demands its price. Resisting the pull of his new power proves difficult, and sometimes Charles feels like the only thing keeping Edwin tethered to his old self. Yet Charles isn’t without his own battles to fight and truths to face.
As Edwin tries to protect his friends while safeguarding his secret, Charles fights to save Edwin from himself. Soon, the question becomes not whether Edwin is willing to pay the cost, but whether there will be anything left of him when the debt comes due.
OR: Edwin’s corruption arc vs Charles’ feeling realization arc, FIGHT
(thank you to @deadbangdetectives for organizing!! and to @ur-localkiwi for her amazing art for this fic!!)
