Chapter Text
Edwin was staring at his desk when Charles came home from Crystal’s new flat. That in of itself wasn’t too unusual. Edwin, when left to his own devices, would usually turn to reading or try to get ahead on the miles of paperwork that came with being official Afterlife-approved detectives. But Edwin wasn’t reading or writing, he was just staring blankly at a piece of paper on the desk with his hands folded.
“You alright there mate?” Charles asked, perching himself at his usual spot on the corner of the desk.
Edwin startled, “Charles! I’m sorry I didn’t hear you return. How’s Crystal?”
“Settling in nicely,” Charles said. She got a new apartment a little closer to the agency and a little more fitting to the “New Crystal” rather than the “Old Crystal”. She was still a working member of the agency, but dedicated most of her time to sorting out her personal life now that her memory was intact. Charles had been spending a lot of time helping her settle in. Edwin would too, but his knowledge of the modern era was lacking enough that most of his advice was a couple decades out of date.
“Whatcha got there?” Charles asked, leaning to see the paper that captivated his friend so thoroughly.
“My asylum request,” Edwin said quietly, “It was approved.”
“What?” Charles exclaimed, snatching up the piece of paper. The Night Nurse said it would take months to be processed, they only sent it a few weeks ago. Well, Charles had been the one to send it, and write most of it. Edwin hadn’t been giving himself enough credit in the form and Charles wasn’t going to let his best mate accidentally self sabotage something like this. They weren’t expecting a response until the winter at least, maybe the Night Nurse pulled some strings to speed things along. Charles was pretty sure she was developing a little soft spot for them, even if she’d probably have damned him to Hell for accusing her of such things.
Charles scanned the paper, it was the same form they sent to The Lost and Found, only with a giant green APPROVED stamped on the front page. Edwin, who was still staring at the desk, handed him a smaller slip of paper, “This came with it,” he whispered.
The slip of paper was worded with too much jargon but Charles puzzled out that Edwin’s request had been approved and his soul was no longer in Hell’s possession. He was now eligible for a personal afterlife and could contact the Afterlife to begin the process.
“Edwin!” Charles exclaimed, shaking his shoulders, “This is brills!”
Edwin only nodded in agreement, eyes still blank with disbelief.
“Hey,” Charles said, pulling Edwin out of his chair to look at him, “You earned this, I told you they’d approve it.”
“Yes,” Edwin said fondly, “You did.”
Charles put his hands on Edwin’s shoulders, “You know what this means, right mate. No more hiding from Hell.”
“Yes, I know Charles.” He laughed quietly and breathlessly, “I supposed I just don’t know what to do with myself now.”
“Now, we celebrate!” Charles said, wrapping his arms tightly around Edwin. Charles never thought they’d get here. For one, he didn’t know you could request asylum out of Hell until very recently. Charles assumed their eternity would always include running from Death and hiding from Hell. Now, they had to do neither. Charles tightened the hug further. Edwin was never going back to that place again, Charles would never have to stage another rescue mission.
Edwin returned the hug easily, “It hardly feels real.”
“I know mate,” he pulled away just enough to look in Edwin’s eyes, “But it is.”
Edwin nodded and pulled Charles back into the hug. They stayed like that for more than a few moments before Edwin broke away.
“We have to tell Crystal,” Charles said.
“It’s late Charles. We can’t tell her in the morning.”
“It’s not that late! Come on,” he tugged Edwin towards the mirror.
Crystal nearly shrieked when they popped out of her standing mirror. Then started going off on them about privacy and timing and ground rules. Edwin didn’t look like he was going to interpret anytime soon outside of argumentative quips- and knowing them, this could go on for hours- so Charles took it upon himself to share the news.
“Crystal, Edwin got approved,” he said loudly to be heard over her rant.
“Appr- wait, the asylum thing? Are you serious? But it’s only been, like, three weeks!” She gasped.
“Yes, they were surprisingly efficient,” Edwin said calmly.
Crystal hit Edwin’s arm, “Dude! That’s amazing!”
She trapped him in a hug and Edwin forced a grimace, “Again, a handshake is more than suitable.”
Charles laughed gleefully and hugged Edwin too. It was half to spite him, half because Charles was so damn happy. He hadn’t realized how much stress the waiting put on him until it had all evaporated.
Crystal pulled away, “Well? How’s it feel to be a free man, huh?”
“About the same, if I am being honest,” Edwin said wistfully.
Crystal nodded, “Just wait for the news to set in.” She stepped back and clapped her hands together. “And I am really really happy for you but I have a meeting with my school counselor in the morning and need to sleep. I’ll see you guys tomorrow night though and we can throw a party.”
Edwin grimaced sincerely this time, “What if we didn’t?”
They laughed and said goodbye. Charles apologized for intruding so late. In his defense, it was an important announcement. Also having not slept in over thirty years he’s lost sight of what’s considered an appropriate time to drop in.
They did not subject Edwin to the horrors of having a party thrown, but they did have an enjoyable evening of board games.
It was late into the night, around the time Crystal would usually be heading home, when Edwin got quiet again. He was holding the papers from the request in his hand, reading them over and over.
“Hey mate,” Charles said gently, brushing their shoulders together, “Are you okay?”
Edwin nodded, “I have an Afterlife,” he said disbelievingly. “My actual Afterlife. I’m just wondering what it’s like.”
“It’s probably a big library,” Crystal said, “For all your nerd stuff.”
Edwin shot her a look, “My so-called nerd stuff has saved your life on more than one occasion, I’ll have you know.”
They launched into bickering almost immediately. At first, when they finally started getting along, Charles had foolishly thought the bickering would stop. If anything, it’s gotten worse. Usually Charles would listen in and enjoy the self contained chaos of their arguments, but not tonight. He suddenly can’t focus on their words, they are too muffled to hear over the ringing in his ears. Something wraps around Charles' chest and squeezes the air out of him. Something dark and looming.
Charles had an Afterlife of his own, one he never thought about much. They’re wasn’t a need to think about it. That night Charles decided to stay on Earth with Edwin and has never looked back. In the beginning, Edwin tried to push Charles to move on, had insisted on it. He thought Charles deserved peace and tranquility, that staying on Earth would lead to his doom.
Charles had disagreed. He thought Earth was wonderful enough. Here, there was music and people and adventure. The stuff he didn’t get to enjoy for long enough while alive. Earth also had Edwin, who had quickly became the best friend he’d ever had. Charles was always sure he’d made the right choice to stay. There was no one else he’d rather be dead with, no other Afterlife that could top this.
He always assumed Edwin felt the same. Through the running from Death, the promises to never split up, he always assumed Edwin would never want anything else either.
But Edwin never had a choice in the matter, did he? Not a real one anyway. For Edwin, it was either Earth or Hell. That’s not much of a choice. Charles had always known this, obviously. Edwin getting dragged back down to Hell was one of his worst fears- worst fears turned reality too. But Charles never considered what Edwin would do if he was actually given a choice.
The obvious pick was to stay, right? Only at this moment Charles wasn’t sure. Edwin loved their Afterlife, loved the agency, loved Charles. Was in love with Charles. But Edwin also loved safety, which was few and far between in their line of work. Edwin hated jumping into danger- Charles was the brawn, when they were in danger he faced it head on, but Edwin was the brains, he protected them by making sure there was no danger at all. It didn’t always work, just like how Charles couldn’t stop the Night Nurse from coming back, or that demon from taking Edwin, or Esther’s torture.
Edwin liked quiet, liked safety. There was little of that here on Earth for them. Here was city noise and banshee screeches and running for your lives from a rouge ghost. Here was an endless pool of dangers Edwin couldn’t prevent and Charles couldn’t protect them from.
Charles realized, at that moment looking at Edwin’s approved asylum request, that Edwin might not stay. Edwin loved him, but that might not be enough to justify staying now that Edwin actually gets a say in the matter.
Charles wanted to throw up. Ghosts can’t get sick, the Edwin in his head says. That makes him want to throw up too, because there might be a future for him where he never hears Edwin’s voice say that again.
“Charles,” Edwin put a hand on his shoulder, “Are you quite alright?”
“I’m aces,” Charles said instinctively. This is a big moment for Edwin- if he wants to leave that’s fine, that’s good, he deserves eternal peace- and Charles doesn’t want to ruin it over his silly feelings. “I’m sure your Afterlife is perfect.”
“As is yours,” Edwin says, “I believe that is the entire purpose of them.” Charles Afterlife was perfect, for right now. It might not be soon, whenever Edwin decides to go.
Crystal left an hour or so later, leaving Charles and Edwin alone in their office. Honestly it’s a little strange to have someone around so often. It’s brills, Charles loves Crystal and he was right about how useful having a psychic would be (take that Edwin). But it makes the office feel so crowded sometimes.
Probably because the office was crowded on a normal day. They have souvenirs and knick-knacks and books and cursed objects piled in every spare space. The office is several decades of memories and adventures backed into a single room plus a closet. They had to nick one of the other empty rooms on their floor to make more storage space in ‘09 because of all the shit they collected.
Some of this stuff was entertainment- you had a lot of spare time as a ghost- footballs, fencing equipment, bored games, mystery novels. A lot of it was things they picked up on cases. A cursed baseball bat from the States they got as payment for the Case of the Aggravating Athlete in ‘99. A fishbowl enchanted to turn any liquid into salt water from the Case of the Runaway Selkie in ‘07. An authentic bust from Ancient Rome they got from the Macabre Museum case of ‘92.
Charles picked up a vase of carnations. The flowers were still perfectly intact despite getting them in 1994. The vase was enchanted for that purpose, it was payment for helping an elderly ghost find her long lost sister. Charles had insisted on going out and finding flowers to brighten up the office. They took up residence in the building a year prior and it still needed some decorating. The carnations caught his eye in the first florist he went to and they haven’t changed it since. Apparently they meant love and devotion- or something like that, Charles wasn’t too good at the flower language stuff- he thought it was fitting for their office.
“Finally thinking of changing them?” Edwin asked absently from the desk. He was back to sorting through case paperwork to send back to the Night Nurse.
It was an entirely innocent question, but it made Charles wince. These flowers were for deep love and devotion. They felt fitting back in ‘94, when he and Edwin were officially never splitting up. Edwin had stopped asking him about moving on after they had their first close call with Death. It had been terrifying and that day they vowed to never be separated. A few months later they got a magic vase and Charles overheard a florist talking about love.
Twenty years later, Edwin suggests getting different flowers. Maybe ones that mean hope or peace. Maybe in another twenty years, Edwin will walk back on their promise to stick together.
“No,” Charles said harsher than he meant to, “I like these ones.”
Charles can hear Edwin set his pen down, “Charles,” he says carefully. “You know you can talk to me about anything, right?”
“I know mate,” he said more calmly, turning to look at Edwin, “You can talk to me about anything too.”
It’s their old back and forth. Edwin’s lips are pursed and for a second Charles thought he might push for more. He didn’t though, instead he stood up and walked around the desk to a stack of books.
“Shall I read to you?” he asked, “I picked up an Agatha Christie we haven’t read yet today.” He held up the novel and Charles couldn’t help but smile.
“Yeah, that sounds aces”
They settle into their usual positions on the sofa. With Charles on his back, feet rested in Edwin’s lap while he read. This became a routine of theirs in ‘93, when they first got their sofa. Technically it started before then, before the office. Libraries were a common haunting ground for them before they settled into their Afterlife. Charles was having an embarrassingly off day in late 1989. New Year’s Eve was coming up and that made Charles realize exactly how dead he was. The world would keep spinning without him and he’d never appreciate a new year properly again. He wouldn’t age, grow up, becoming something more than he was. He was always going to be a sixteen year old fuck up. Edwin had switched to reading aloud that night to try and distract Charles, and it was just as effective as the first time. So he started doing it more often. Then they got the office and their sofa and this specific routine.
Edwin’s steady, elegant voice washed over him as he began to read. It was almost embarrassing how quickly it made Charles relax. He thought Edwin should have been a radio host or something. Charles let the dark looming thing holding onto him go. Edwin’s voice replaced it as it went.
It worked for most of the night.
Then the dark looming thing comes back, wraps a single coil around Charles' thoughts and that’s all it takes. If Edwin leaves, he’ll never get to have this again. Never have his voice read to him or hear it in any respect at all. The realization left his stomach tied in knots.
He thought of Edwin in his Afterlife, which undoubtedly would have all the books he could want even with no one to read them too. Maybe Charles could go with him when Edwin leaves. Edwin wouldn’t turn him away, of course not. Edwin loved Charles as much as Charles loved Edwin, he would be delighted to have Charles join him in tranquility.
But Charles doesn’t particularly want endless tranquility. He could listen to Edwin read forever but that is more of a hyperbole. He needs a couple hours of excitement in between these perfect moments or else he’ll lose his mind. He also doesn’t particularly want to leave Earth. Earth with its people and music. Where nothing ever stays the same and Charles can still bask in some of the enjoyments he had in life.
Would he even be able to follow Edwin? The Night Nurse said each Afterlife was unique to each soul. He doesn’t think Edwin would like his Afterlife, whatever it was, too much. The two of them were too different. Charles usually loved that about them. He loved Edwin’s unique quirks and he loved pretending to annoy him. He loved sharing music with him and he loved listening to Edwin read. Their differences work on Earth but in a pocket universe uniquely tailored to one of them? It would be a nightmare. Nothing like their office, which has both of them blended together. Charles’ sports equipment shoved next to a pile of detective novels. Charles’ stereo placed across the room from Edwin’s victrola so they could each listen to their respective music. Their differences might be so great that the Afterlife wouldn’t let Charles follow Edwin at all.
He makes a mental note to ask the Night Nurse about it later. If not, he will have to get used to the idea of Edwin leaving.
The concept was foreign to him, which was his own fault. Everyone left eventually, that’s how the world worked. That’s how Charles’ world worked because Charles was not a particularly easy person to be around for long but he was easy to get sick of. He tried his best to be cheery and friendly but sometimes things slipped through the cracks. Like in Port Townsend with the Devlins, or with the Night Nurse, or with those asshole jocks. He has had more slip ups lately than he’d care to admit. Enough that Edwin now knew what he was really like. A well placed smile or deflection wasn’t enough for Edwin anymore when he asked how Charles was doing. Even now, Edwin had work to do- that he should be doing- instead he was reading aloud because Charles freaked out over some flowers.
There was no way Charles was enough to make Edwin stay. He was only Charles Rowland. There was nothing else that kept Edwin tied here except for the agency. Edwin did not miss being alive, not like Charles did. There was nothing here his Afterlife couldn’t give him except for the agency and Charles.
The agency will lose its luster for Edwin eventually. He’ll get tired or they’ll have another dangerous close call like with Esther that will make Edwin realize it’s not worth it. Then it would just be Charles holding him back, which is about as effective as tying a feather to a balloon in order to keep it in place.
It’s not that Edwin would stop loving Charles. He wouldn’t dare suggest that, he knows Edwin would take offense. Because Edwin does love Charles, he’s been more open about it lately. Charles was a little worried rejecting Edwin would cut Edwin deeply and sour their friendship. It hasn’t done that at all, Edwin has seemed lighter in these past few months than ever before. So yeah, Edwin loved Charles but he wasn’t stupid enough to think that would keep him here. His mum had loved Charles also, but that wasn’t enough to get her to leave his dad or stick up for him. Some of his old school mates had loved Charles, but that wasn’t enough to get them to stop the rest of their mates murdering him. Edwin loved Charles but that won’t be enough to keep him from his Afterlife.
Everyone always left for their own thing, that’s the way the world worked. His parents moved on from their son’s death within a few years. They shipped him off to boarding school a few years before that because Charles living at home was too much. His schoolmates that were usually decent enough guys watched Charles get stoned to death in a lake, then left for bed while he died in an attic. Crystal hadn’t left quite yet. They had called off their fling- Crystal had to sort through her personal life and the logistics of a ghost and living girl in a relationship were not great- Charles had agreed, but the sort of rejection still stung. They remained friends, which was honestly better, but Charles knew it was a temporary thing. Crystal will grow up and live a full life, decades in the future she will pass and Charles doubted she would stick around Earth like Charles did. One day Crystal would leave too. Now, so would Edwin. Then, Charles would have to figure this out on his own. He hoped he could figure out how to one-man the agency, so he could at least hold on to this.
Edwin’s hand brushed his ankle. His fingers settled around him slowly and began brushing soothing circles. “Not enjoying?” he asked, “I’ll admit, it started out nicely but drags in the middle. Would you rather something else?”
Charles hated that Edwin was still picking up on his mood, “Nah, keep going.” Edwin hummed and did just that.
They finished the book by the time the sun started peeking out over the horizon. Charles couldn’t really tell you how it ended. Edwin was saying something about it though, it was mostly gibberish to him since he stopped paying attention in favor of his own twisted thoughts. He still tried to listen though. Edwin loved mystery stories and he loved to talk about them. Charles, in turn, loved to listen.
He loved Edwin a lot-a lot, he was realizing.
He sat up and crawled over to Edwin’s side of the couch. He then slumped back down on top of Edwin, burying his face in his neck. Edwin tensed in surprise, but relaxed quickly. He brought an arm around Charles’ back.
“Are you quite sure you don’t want to talk about what’s bothering you?”
Charles shifted his head and forced a smile, “I’m alright mate, seriously.”
Edwin sighed ever so slightly, “Alright, but it’s okay if you aren’t.”
Charles buried his face into Edwin’s neck again. They sat like that in silence for a while.
“Edwin?” Charles finally said.
“Hm?”
“You know that I love you, right?”
“Of course,” Edwin said, rubbing Charles’ back a little. “I love you too. You know that, right?”
Charles smiled, “Yeah, I do.” Charles just wished that could be enough.
The next day, Charles barged into the place the Night Nurse turned into her own office.
She shrieked slightly and nearly knocked over her comically large stack of papers.
“Ack! Charles Rowland, what have we said about knocking?”
“Sorry Charlie-“
“Do not call me that.”
“I just had some questions for you, about the Afterlife.”
That made the Night Nurse pause, she raised an eyebrow at him, “Finally decided to go where you belong, have we?”
“No,” Charles said immediately. He decided the opposite in fact. He wanted to know if he could join Edwin in the Afterlife, even if it wasn’t his Afterlife. “Can multiple people have the same Afterlife?” he asked.
The Night Nurse paused, “I am not sure, it’s not my job to make the contents of the Afterlife. Each one is unique to each soul.”
“I know that part,” Charles said, “But let’s say my Afterlife isn’t right for me unless Edwin’s there… Would we be able to stay together?” He asked hopefully.
Charlie sighs and smooths out her pantsuit, “I should have known this was about your friend,” she said, “It always is.”
“Is not!” Charles protested.
“Yes it is, he is just the same if not worse!” she huffed. “And now I am chaperoning you two for eternity.”
“Well,” Charles said, “If we can go to the same Afterlife it may become a temporary position.”
The Night Nurse raised her eyebrow, “I suppose,” she admitted, “But I do not know if it is possible.”
“Can you find out?” Charles asked.
“No!” she wailed, “Do you have any idea how much paperwork you boys cause me? I don’t have the time!”
“It’s not so bad with Edwin helping you. He’s aces at this stuff.”
That made the Night Nurse hesitate again, “Yes,” she agreed, “the boy is surprisingly efficient. I suppose if I request he handle some of this…”
“Come on Charlie, please?” he pleaded with the most pitiful, sympathy-inducing puppy dog eyes he could muster. If he’s gotten good at one thing since being dead, it was doing that. Mostly because he quickly figured out how quickly they made Edwin cave.
“Alright, fine!” They seemed to work on the Night Nurse too, Charles duly noted. “But!” the Night Nurse adds, “You must wait patiently, no barging in here every hour asking for an answer like you did for Edwin's asylum request!”
“I got it!” Charles said, putting a hand on his heart, “I swear to not bother you about it.”
“And! You must stop calling me Charlie,” she finished.
“Alright.. Charlotte then?”
The Night Nurse gritted her teeth, “No.”
“Lottie?”
She hesitated, “No! Enough with this name nonsense!”
“Got it Lottie, thank you for your help!” Charles called as he left the room.
Charles felt a touch better after talking to the Night Nurse. There was a chance he and Edwin could stay together even if Edwin was done on Earth. He decided to push the Edwin-leaving thoughts out of his mind. Mostly because if he didn’t he’s hit with how much he really wanted to stay on Earth but there was no perfect Earthly Afterlife without Edwin.
This whole thing sucked exponentially. Which was shitty because this whole thing was also supposed to be a good thing. Edwin was free from Hell, free to do whatever he wanted without fear. Yet, here was good old Charles being miserable about because what? His best friend in the history of his existence might find happiness away from Charles? Real mature.
Solving cases started to lose its shine. With each one solved, dread would pool in his stomach because what if that was their last one together? What if this was it?
Crystal and Edwin noticed how withdrawn he was. Nothing he seemed to say or do could get them off his back. Not that he could blame them for harping on his behavior. It was starting to bleed into their case work. He wasn’t as fast on his feet, as friendly with clients, as aware of danger.
His dad probably would have lost his mind on him if Charles had been acting this way when alive. Would have lost even more when he found out why. That it was because he was feeling a little down about his friend leaving. Then he would have scoffed and said something about how he shouldn’t have expected so much from a son like Charles.
His friends weren’t like that though. They were patient- usually, neither of them were above drilling into Charles when he did something especially dangerous or stupid. They were mostly concerned. A flurry of are you okay you know you can talk to me it’s not good to keep things bottled up it’s not helping anything.
Then Edwin started acting really really weird.
It started after they finished a particularly long and draining case. Edwin came back from visiting the Night Nurse with a new stack of paperwork.
“The Night Nurse said she needed my assistance with these while she’s tied up on another… project.” Edwin announced as he returned.
Shit, Charles forgot he saddled Edwin with extra work. At least he knew the Night Nurse was keeping her promise.
“I can help you,” Charles offered. Usually Edwin handled this side of the job, he had a better eye for it and also got some weird enjoyment out of organizing their cases. Charles would sometimes help fill in details but Edwin did the brunt of it. Still, it wasn’t unusual for Charles to lend a hand when they were particularly swamped.
So it wasn’t surprising when Edwin opened his mouth to accept. But then he shut it abruptly and set the paper on the desk. “I can manage fine on my own.” he said stiffly.
That was weird. Edwin didn’t bemoan paperwork like Charles did, but he was not above complaining about it when there was too much. “Come on mate, my handwriting isn’t that bad,” he tried joking.
Edwin shook his head. “It is legible, yes. But I can handle this,” he insisted. “Besides, it’s Saturday, don’t you have plans with Crystal tonight?”
Charles blinked, he did usually hang out with Crystal Saturday night. But he also could see her Sunday afternoon, or Tuesday night, or on Friday when she came by the agency, “Yeah, but we can reschedule if you need help.”
“I am perfectly fine,” he said firmly, “Go enjoy your night.”
So Charles didn’t push it. He forgot about the incident quickly enough, until more weird things started piling up.
Edwin stopped scolding him when Charles did something particularly stupid on a case. He hardly said a word. Not when Charles got himself slashed with iron while guarding a client. Not when he jumped a train chasing a rogue ghost and almost got pulled under the iron rails. Not when Charles accidently smashed their getaway mirror. Instead, Edwin would fume silently, tell him to be more careful, then move on.
Edwin stopped bickering with Crystal so much, at least not around Charles. Crystal would try to provoke him like poking a stick at a wasp nest, but Edwin wouldn’t take the bait. Charles could tell that it kind of stung for Crystal. They were getting along better and their endless petty arguments had become “their thing” so to speak. But Edwin’s snippy quips at Crystal dropped significantly.
In all honesty, the thing that got to Charles the most was that stupid cursed painting. It was an original oil painting of a coastal city, not that you could really tell because the thing was that damn ugly. It was also cursed to drive people temporarily insane if you looked at it too long. Charles was never convinced it was actually cursed, he thinks it’s more likely it made people go mental just because it was so furiously ugly. They got it off of a client in 2011 and for some bloody reason Edwin loved it. They weren’t affected by the curse as ghosts, so that wasn’t an issue. What was an issue was Edwin insisted on hanging in the office where Charles was forced to look at it everyday. For the last decade Charles has pleaded with Edwin to get rid of the damn thing. Even tried hiding it in his bag of tricks backpack. It always ended up back on the wall though and in 2019 Edwin spelled it so only he could take it down. Charles had given up his quest to get rid of it, but they still joked about it from time to time.
He almost didn’t notice the painting was gone. When he did, it felt like the flowers again. Under ordinary circumstances, Charles would have celebrated the painting's loss. He hollered with glee at his victory in the Painting Debacle of 2011. But he was already noticing how weird Edwin’s been acting, so the missing painting left a sour taste in his mouth.
He pointed it out to Edwin, who waved him off. “I simply have come to see your point. The painting is… an acquired taste.” Edwin had picked his words carefully and very pointedly did not look at the empty space were the painting used to be.
Charles spent the rest of the evening digging around their space to find the painting. It was tucked very carefully in the back of the extra storage room they had. When Edwin went out, he hung the gaudy thing back up.
That incident made Charles conclude something was seriously the matter with Edwin. He was not acting like himself and it was making Charles worried.
His biggest fear was that this was the Worst Case scenario. That Edwin was getting ready to move on from Earth, and by extension Charles and the agency. He wasn’t as present as he was before- more withdrawn and reserved. He was acting like he did back in ‘89, before he and Charles became close. Edwin would bite back his sarcastic remarks and try not to get angry with Charles then. But it’s been nearly forty years of friendship, there was no reason for Edwin to be holding back now. Unless he was mentally preparing himself to leave. Getting the office better suited for one detective rather than two.
Charles decided to go to Crystal about it. Crystal was pretty good at advice even if it was usually just whacking Charles upside the head verbally.
“I’m worried about Edwin,” he said one night while hanging out in her flat. Her new place had come together nicely and it was more spacious than the office. So they would hang out here a lot nowadays. “He’s been acting strange,” Charles added.
Crystal looked up from her laptop, “Yeah, I noticed that. Has he said anything to you?”
Charles shook his head. He tried asking about it once, but Edwin brushed him off far too easily. “Do you think he’s leaving soon?” Charles asked quietly.
Crystal stopped whatever she was typing, “Huh?” she asked. “Leaving for what?”
“You know, the Afterlife. He’s not tied to Hell anymore. That’s the whole reason he stayed here.” Charles said, waving his hands around.
Crystal raised her eyebrow and clacked her purple nails on the side of the keyboard, “The whole reason?”
Charles looked at her puzzled, “Yes?”
“Mhm, I don’t know if you’ve noticed but he also likes you a whole lot.”
“What? Oh yeah I know that,” Charles said. “I just meant Edwin likes when things are quiet and peaceful. Not a whole lot of that on Earth, less in Hell. So he would probably want to move on at some point.”
Crystal considered that for a moment. “Yeah, you could be right I guess. But it’s still Edwin, I don’t think he’d just up and leave like that”
Charles shrugged, it made enough sense in his head.
“You should just talk to him,” Crystal added.
Charles promised he would before he left that night.
He didn’t end up talking to Edwin. He was planning to, promise. It’s just that Charles always made a big show of being brave, being the brawn. In reality he was bloody terrified of what Edwin would say.
Especially after the Night Nurse got back to him. The long and short of it was this: humans and spirits don’t get to know about the Afterlives before going. No ifs, thens, or buts.
So Charles was back to square one. Edwin was leaving, Charles may or may not be able to follow, Charles still preferred what they have on Earth to whatever the Afterlife is offering.
Edwin was still acting weird too. Weirder even. He seemed more nervous and agitated but was still very withdrawn.
It reached a boiling point one early morning. The sun wasn’t out yet, they had no case to work on, and Edwin was tenser than ever.
“Charles,” Edwin said rather loudly, “I must speak with you. It is important,” his voice was tight and uncertain.
Charles perked up instantly, “Yeah? Is everything okay?” Oh god he hoped this wasn’t the conversation he thought it was. This was all too real now.
Edwin cleared his throat and pressed his fists together. He tried to start talking but then switched his approach a couple of times. It was unlike him, Edwin was usually very put together and planned out his serious conversations. That meant this had to be bad.
“Charles,” he eventually said, “Do you wish to move on to your Afterlife?” he asked very quietly.
Charles drew back in shock, “What? No!” he scrambled over to where Edwin was sitting, “Wh- Why do you think that?”
“You haven’t been yourself, you’re withdrawn and disinterested in cases,” the words spilled out of Edwin’s mouth in a flurry, “And You’ve been asking the Night Nurse about the Afterlife! You’ve never shown any interest in it before!” Edwin exclaimed.
Charles blinked, “I wouldn’t leave you.”
Edwin looked down and pressed his fists together tighter, “I would not fault you,” Edwin said softly. “It would be long overdue. I know you were not ready before and felt an… obligation-“
“Obligation! To what?” Charles fought to keep his voice down but nothing Edwin was saying made any sense to him.
Edwin took a deep inhale and exhaled, “You are an exceedingly good person Charles. I know you feel it is your job to protect your friends and that my… predicament with Hell weighed on you-“
“No,” Charles interrupted, “No, what are you talking about mate?” Charles looked around, unsure of what he was looking for. Maybe a reason for how this all got so tangled. “I want to stay here with you, no matter what.” He squeezed Edwin’s shoulder, who put his hand over Charles’. “I’m sorry I’ve been distant. I’ve been- well I’ve been worrying about you leaving.”
Edwin turned to look at him and blinked, “Where am I going?” he asked.
Charles couldn’t stop the nervous laugh from bubbling out of his lips, “The Afterlife, mate. You aren’t stuck here anymore.”
Edwin furrowed his brow and Charles could practically see the wheels in his head turn. “Wha- Charles. Surely you know I could never leave you either?”
Charles shrugged, “It’s different, innit? I’m not blaming you for it.”
Edwin is looking at him, face wide with horror. He made a grab for Charles’ hands, “It is most certainly not different. I would not leave you, why do you think that?” he asked, echoing Charles’ words.
“You have an actual Afterlife now, the one you were always supposed to have,” Charles reminded him.
“So do you,” Edwin pointed out, “And you loathed me suggesting you should be there instead of here with me. Do you think I would not stay for you?”
Charles hesitated and Edwin’s face crumbled.
“Charles Rowland, you are the singularly most important person to me. I am so sorry I ever made you doubt that.”
Charles tugged Edwin closer, “I didn’t doubt that!” he promised, “I just didn’t think… that was enough? I guess. Shit, this isn’t coming out right.”
Edwin carefully readjusted his hands so they were cupped around Charles’, “It is more than enough. I am honored to share my Afterlife with you.”
“Oh,” Charles said. “Oh, so you aren’t leaving?”
“No, and I don’t ever plan to, if that is amicable for you,” Edwin said confidently.
“Yeah that sounds pretty brills to me- wait, why were you acting weird then.” Charles asked
Edwin looked a little guilty, “I thought you were thinking about moving on. And I hoped, rather selfishly, you may stay if I removed some of the…bothersome… aspects of living here.”
“Edwin,” Charles said half scoldingly, “You don’t have to do that mate. Actually don’t do that at all.” He took a deep breath, “I love you and I love what we do. I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me, remember?”
“Yes,” Edwin said fondly, “It seems we’ve both been rather foolish as of late.”
Charles snickered, “Just a touch.” Charles pulled Edwin into the tightest hug he could manage. “I love you.”
Edwin hummed and reciprocated the embrace, “I love you too.”
They stayed like that for much of the early morning. Charles felt the tension in his incorporeal body dissipate. All he could want was right in front of him, and it wasn’t going anywhere.