Work Text:
Charles is staring. He knows he is staring but being aware of it does nothing to deter him from doing it.
He just can’t help it, Edwin is in the middle of the office waving his hands around and singing softly to himself as miles and miles of Christmas decorations and coloured lights arrange themselves carefully around the furniture. The thing is, Charles knows the precise tone of voice Edwin uses when he is singing for a spell. This is not it. This song has nothing to do with the spell he is casting. It’s just him, being so excited he can’t contain it.
And Charles feels like the worst person who ever existed.
“Mate,” he starts. The reaction is immediate: the spell breaks, Edwin freezes and a darker shade of pink spreads from his nose up to his ears. “You love the holidays.”
He doesn’t phrase it as a question, but Edwin tries to shake his head in answer nonetheless. “I was simply– helping Niko?” And if the singing and soft smile from before weren’t telling enough, the final nail in the coffin is the hesitant way in which he pronounces that sentence. As if he doesn’t believe his own excuse even though they both know it’s true that it was Niko who asked them to decorate the office. She’s just come back from the Neitherlands, not ready to face a world that considers her dead yet, and she jumped straight into the distraction celebrating the holidays with them provided. But that wasn’t the entire truth, was it?
“Why didn’t you say something?”
Edwin, the best person in the entire universe, who has unjustly suffered for seventy-three years in Hell, has been giving up something he obviously loves for over thirty years more. Because of Charles.
“You said you hated this time of the year,” Edwin replies.
Maybe Charles is the one who should spend seventy years in Hell now.
“I didn’t know it was important to you.”
“It was not,” he says. He does not meet Charles’ eyes, though, so Charles knows it’s a blatant lie.
Charles shakes his head. No point arguing about it now, is there? The only thing to do is be better moving forward. Picking up a string of lights from the floor, he vows to himself to give it his all this year to make up for the rest. “What can I do to help?”
Edwin bites the inside of his cheek, obviously debating something in that big brain of his.
“Just ask,” Charles smiles encouragingly.
“The spell I was performing earlier requires a precise sequence of hand gestures and since it was created by a coven of witches, it would work better with more people.”
“Show me what to do.”
**
When Niko opens the door with a large bag of groceries and other supplies in hand, she finds her ghost friends sitting close together on the couch, reading ‘A Christmas Carol’. The sun is just about to set, painting them and the artfully decorated office in a beautiful shade of orange. The sight warms her heart more than anything else was able to in the past few weeks. It is strange, being in the world of the living again, but her friends make it worth it to fight a little more every day for her new normalcy.
“Hello hello!” she greets. “Crystal stopped by her house to get something, she’ll be here soon.”
“Welcome back, Niko.” Edwin is the first to get up, hurrying to put some distance between himself and Charles.
She hugs them and sits on the floor in front of them, wrapping herself up in the fluffy blanket Edwin enchanted for her when she said she could still feel the snow from the Other place sometimes.
“Did you find everything you wanted?” asks Charles.
“Almost… Nothing was quite as beautiful as my dad’s decorations, but we’ll make do,” she nods, trying not to let the melancholy seep into her tone.
Edwin and Charles exchange a glance, before the first opens his mouth to speak, but she knows what he is about to say and she doesn’t want to hear it again. Not now. So she interrupts him before he can: “No, I am sure I want to spend the holidays here. I will figure the rest out later.”
For some reason, Charles seems to flinch at that sentence. She makes a mental note to ask about it when she gets the chance.
Crystal arrives half an hour later, carrying a small wall projector and her laptop and smiling triumphantly. “I hope you're ready for the cringiest Christmas movie marathon you've ever seen.”
Edwin wrinkles his nose, which makes Charles’ eyes go all soft at the edges and Crystal hold back a groan. Niko wants to cry with how much she loves them all. Even if she misses her home, and she doesn't know how to face her mum yet, she never had friends she could spend the holidays with before, and she can't help feeling incredibly lucky to be here.
**
“Absolutely not.” Edwin declares. His hands are folded neatly in front of him, in the clear sign Crystal has come to associate with him being ready for a fight.
The problem is she has never really been good at backing down from one, and, in this case, she has a weapon she knows to be one hundred percent effective against him. “Charles, don't you think they're adorable and perfect for the top of the tree?” Even while addressing the other ghost, her eyes and smirk are entirely fixed on Edwin. She wants to catch the moment he will look at Charles’ expression and realise he just lost the battle and the war.
It takes him all of three seconds to sigh. “Fine, you can put them on the tree. Why anyone would think it a good idea to put hats on a pair of garish cartoon ghosts is beyond me.”
Her smirk just widens, and she hears Niko giggle at her side, which might be the only existing sound in the world better than Edwin admitting defeat to her.
This is the best day ever.
They put the, honestly adorable, little ghost ornaments she found with the other decorations, completing the most chaotic Christmas tree she has ever seen in her life. Her parents used to plan theirs for months, trying to predict which colour scheme would maximise views in the one picture they would take together in front of it, dressed to the nines for their socials, and then she'd have to stare at it, alone, for the entire holidays, while they were out at parties and exhibitions and whatever new excuse they'd come up with to not be with her.
She had hated them all. This one could not be more different if it tried, with its mismatched colours and odd-shaped decorations, but it is theirs, there are parts of each one of them in it. Looking at it, the only word that comes to her mind is family.
Edwin puts one last blue ribbon on one of the branches and dusts the non-existent dirt off his hands and clothes, before taking a sharp turn towards her. “Crystal, might I speak with you for a moment?”
“Uh, sure.”
She sends a questioning look in Charles' direction before following Edwin outside, but the other ghost just shrugs, looking as confused as she feels.
“What is it?”
“Forgive me for being forthright. I understand reconnecting with your family has not been going as well as you hoped, and I wish you could at least find some comfort here with us, because I… care about our friendship.”
The big softie. Crystal smiles and says: “You don't have to be so worried, I care about you too.”
“Yes, well, I simply wish to clear the air between us. We have come a long way but we have never properly talked about it,” he takes a deep breath. “And you were right. I was jealous of Charles’ feelings towards you and I did not handle it well when we first met. For that, I apologise. I still am jealous, if I am perfectly honest, but I will do my level best to be more supportive of your relationship moving forward.”
That stops her short. “Wait, our what? We don't have a relationship, Edwin, we only fooled around a bit in Port Townsend.”
“Oh,” Edwin replies without meeting her eye. And that simply won’t do, she won’t tolerate the most eloquent person– being, or whatever, that she knows to be rendered speechless like this, and in front of her of all people.
“Yeah, oh. And, if anything, I should be the one to apologise. I knew you felt that way about him and I’d literally just reassured you that nothing would happen between us in Port Townsend before I kissed him. That was a shit move to make to a friend. I’m sorry. But I appreciate that you would be willing to get over your personal feelings for Charles’ happiness, and maybe even for mine a little?” she casts an unsure look at him at that and he nods. It makes something soft swirl in her heart and she has to fight back the smile that threatens the corners of her lips. They need to remain serious and finish this conversation first. “I want you to know I’d support you and Charles too, if you decided to be together.”
Edwin’ eyes fill with a sort of melancholic resignation. “He does not feel the same way.”
Well, Crystal has some troubles believing that, but she also thinks they both had enough personal growth and emotions for one day, so she elbows him playfully in the ribs. “Sucks for him, he won’t have either of us, then.”
And just because she wants to hear him complain in his proper voice that ‘I am a ghost, Crystal, I cannot eat’, she adds: “Let’s go get some candies.”
**
For the first time since they started the detective business, the office is fully decorated. There is a tree in the corner, and colorful lights and ornaments mix with the books and knick-knacks that usually fill every surface. Edwin cannot help but look around and think that this is what life was supposed to be like: being in a place you can call home, surrounded by friends who care for you without judgment, doing things you love, with a purpose you believe in. Charles would probably say he has been thinking too much – it is what made him confront Crystal, after all this time – but he had never felt this kind of easy acceptance before, when he was a boy. He had never felt free to be completely himself without filters in front of others, or spent time thinking about what he wanted for his future, because he knew he would not have much choice in the matter. If he had allowed himself to do so, he could not have imagined this reality in his wildest dreams. He is a great detective, like the ones he loves to read about, he has infinite time to study any subject his heart could desire, he can cast spells, he has true, honest friendships, and he is in love with the best person he has ever met. It does not matter if it is unrequited, the fact that he is allowed to express this love is the greatest gift he could ask for.
The four of them have been watching silly films with Crystal’s projector for the past few hours. Niko and Crystal are huddled together for warmth under the blanket, while Charles sits next to them, having been recently kicked out for being too cold. Edwin smiles to himself as he watches them, and he is hopeless to the way his treacherous heart melts when Charles returns his gaze.
“Guess it's your turn, then,” he says.
Edwin raises a quizzical eyebrow. “For what?”
“Cuddle me.”
He grins, as if what he said makes any sense, as if it is something they do all the time.
“Charles…” Edwin says it as a warning, hoping to convey the rest of the sentence with his eyes alone. Please don't make fun of me, not with this.
“Yes, Edwin, keep him, please,” says Crystal, unperturbed. Amusement and affection drip from her tone, and he feels the weight of their previous conversation, their mutual assurance of support, settle over him, grounding him.
Faking reluctance, he opens his arms, letting Charles fall between them.
“We should wear comfy sweaters, it'd feel nicer,” Charles says, his words muffled by Edwin’s shoulder.
They both know their clothes are not material, so their texture is not real and it does not change how they feel to the touch, but it has been a day of small indulgences, so Edwin does as he is asked and manifests what looks like a soft, green sweater, decorated with red and white patterns.
Charles immediately follows his lead, switching his customary red jacket with an equally red sweater dotted with reindeers and Christmas trees.
“I love you,” Edwin says softly, in the small space between them. Because he can, and because the enormity of the feeling would make him explode if he didn’t express it. “Thank you for today.”
Charles turns his head slightly, trying to look up at him without leaving his shoulder. It looks like a decidedly uncomfortable angle.
“Love you too,” he says. His eyes are crossing a little to remain focused, but the determination in them does not waver.
“I know.”
“Aww it’s so unfair that I can't take a picture right now!” Niko complains loudly.
Crystal chuckles and tightens the blanket around them both. Edwin finds himself echoing the sentiment a little, even though he has no doubt that the memory of this moment will remain eternally impressed in his mind even without any visual evidence.
Before returning his attention to the projector, he catches Crystal turning her head to the side to wink at Charles. He thinks of how broken he would have felt only a couple of months ago, seeing that easy camaraderie between the two of them. Now, he does not feel excluded from it. It does not matter that Charles’ love for him is different in nature, it is still pure and all-encompassing, and letting other people in their afterlife is not a threat to it.
When the next film ends, Niko starts drifting off and Crystal suggests they call it a night. They say goodbye while waiting for the taxi that will take the girls home and Niko hugs him, promising to come back early in the morning bringing gifts. Edwin presses a small kiss to her head, unsure what prompted him to become so uncharacteristically affectionate – he chooses to blame all the romantic comedies they have watched.
“I meant it, you know?” Charles says the moment the door closes behind him.
Edwin is scanning their shelves, looking for a book to settle with for the night, so he only hums questioningly, half-paying attention to the conversation.
“That I love you, too.”
“I know, Charles, I told you before.” He turns to look at his partner with one eyebrow raised, unsure of why he felt the need to repeat himself.
“It’s just– I needed to be sure, right? You are too important to risk getting it wrong, but then we were here, and you said it, just like that, like it’s so easy. And I realised I was being an idiot.”
“You could never be an idiot, Charles.”
He shakes his head, and steps forward. Edwin has to resist the urge to step back. “Not the point I’m trying to make, but thank you for defending me.”
Charles smiles, that smile that could power all the Christmas lights of the office, possibly of the entire city, and Edwin feels completely at a loss for words.
“What?” He says eloquently. Is the point you are trying to make, should be the end of the question that never makes it past his lips.
“I’ve never been good at thinking things through, or talking about my feelings. I’m usually more of an ‘act first, think later’ kind of guy. So there are still many opportunities for me to mess things up, but I figured we can start small, yeah? How about a date?”
Edwin’s ears are ringing, the phantom matter that usually composes his chest feels like it's twisting around madly. He does not dare look down, afraid that it might be visible from the outside as well. “I– Of course, I would love that.” More hesitant, he cannot help but add: “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” Charles replies without missing a beat. He takes another step forward and very slowly lifts one hand to lay it on Edwin’s cheek. “I think we should go on a date right now.”
For a moment, his eyes are open wide, awed, soft at the edges, then they close and he starts to lean in. The world stops around them, there is no decorated office, no books, blankets or pillows, only the faint electricity of Charles’ spectral matter nearing his.
And Edwin has faced bullies and actual Hell, he deals with endless threats to his existence every day, but somehow this is the scariest thing he has ever faced. He still closes the remaining distance between them.
It is bad, his lips are pressed together too firmly, he is holding the breath he does not need, and he is scrambling around with his hands because he does not know what to do with them. Then Charles chuckles, and the feeling of that smile Edwin loves so much against his skin is so perfect that it makes him relax. He stops resisting the call of Charles’ curls and tangles his hands there, making the other sigh, and when Charles nudges Edwin’s upper lip with his own he opens easily, kissing him back properly.
No other feeling in the universe could possibly compare to that. He steps back, eyes shining with emotion, thinking he would float away if it weren’t for Charles’ hands holding him.
“Should have done that thirty-six years ago,” Charles – perfect, beautiful, impossible Charles – says.
“I am not sure I would have let you then,” Edwin replies honestly. It does not matter how long it took them to get here, or if everything will go smoothly from now on – knowing the two of them, it probably will not be so easy – but this feels like a new beginning, and he cannot wait to see what it might bring.