technicallyhellbound | for @convincingsmile - Nobody's dying today (probably)

for @convincingsmile - Nobody's dying today (probably)

Edwin knew as soon as he fell through the mirror that something was wrong, and not just a little bit wrong, but the kind of wrong that made the whole world tilt on its axis a little.

It wasn't a misdirected portal, not like the case that had ultimately led them to Crystal, not like many other failures of concentration when traversing mirror portals before, it was something else, and he couldn't place what it was. All he knew was that he'd simply passed through the mirror in question and had landed, hard on the floor on the other side of the room, hard enough that he actually skidded a couple of feet and that couldn't be right because that actually hurt, and hurt in the way he hadn't felt in... well, decades.

It was enough to tumble him against the far wall just from his own momentum, impacting hard enough to knock the breath out of his lungs, and that was definitely wrong, because he shouldn't have had breath or lungs. He could see, even through pain-hazed vision that the poltergeist he'd been baiting had, indeed, gotten caught in the trap he himself had leapt over when aiming for the mirror.

That was, however, the last thing he saw before the half-rotted-through loft floor gave way beneath his sudden and unexpected weight, sending him falling, flailing, scraped to ribbons on the broken slats, to the ground below, and he was reasonably sure he'd actually heard something snap on impact, ribs, if the sudden radiating pain was anything to go by, though his shoulder wasn't in good shape either, and that was an entirely different kind of pain, just layering on top of the feeling of the ragged scratches from the wood, and it occurred to him, dimly, that he'd forgotten how much he hated the feeling of blood on his skin.

It had been different in Hell, the pain, the sensations in general, all of it, it had been horrible, yes, but it was so much more visceral now, and even as his vision began to go hazy again, head swimming, his last thoughts were trying to remember how he'd somehow gotten separated from Charles, who had been barely a step behind him when he'd rounded the corner into the loft pursued by the poltergeist now trapped securely above him.

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A string of expressions crossed Edwin's face at that particular statement, mostly because he knew Charles didn't mean anything by it, nothing literal at least, he'd certainly meant it as something lewd, but knowing that didn't stop Edwin's stomach from flipping uncomfortably, didn't keep unease from prickling up his spine.

He did manage to keep his tone level when he responded, so it wasn't cold, but it certainly wasn't as jovial as it had been, that unease threatening to choke him, sending his heartbeat spiking sharply even though there was no physical reason for it, "We've been having a lovely evening, Charles, why would you say something like that?"

"Wha'? I was just-" Charles was ready to lovingly flirt with Edwin about his choice of words, only for it to dawn on him. He paled, actually paled as his eyes widened on the realization. "Oh- fuck, Edwin, shit, sorry, I didn't mean...!" he gasped, stepping in front of the other. "I'm sorry, I forgot, I didn't want to be a dick, Edwin I'm so sorry."

Bollocks, after he was trying so hard to distract Edwin from the Lord of Darkness now he pulled this? If Charles could, he would bang his head into the nearest wall. Funny thing was that he could actually do it...

"I just wanted to tell you, like, yeah, 's stupid," he laughed bitterly, reaching for Edwin's hand. "Sorry," Charles repeated, defeated.

Edwin actually relaxed a little with Charles in front of him instead of beside him, mostly because it meant that he could just lean his brow against Charles' shoulder, taking a steadying breath, letting Charles' presence ground him as he sometimes did, though it was far more effective now than it generally was when they were still ghosts, "I know you didn't, Charles. It's alright."

It was alright, and he knew it was, and he hated that he was reacting in a way he couldn't control, but he didn't have the words to actually explain any of that and was kind of just willing Charles to believe him, though he knew that as neither of them were psychic, that wasn't going to work as well as he wanted it to.

He did finally straighten after a couple of deep breaths, staying close, letting his hands fall to Charles' hips, "I know you were only trying to be lewd. I know that, but I still just..." He shook his head, "It wasn't panic, not really." Not the same way that happened when confronted with spiders or baby dolls, but it had been something similar all the same.

The moment Edwin leaned into him, Charles put an arm around him. He slid his hand to Edwin's neck, just holding him until he got himself together. They did this many times, and yet, with bodies involved, it felt different. Almost like a first time. And Charles wished it had been under different circumstances and not because of his stupidity. He had a sense of how these things worked. He had a temper... he knew sometimes people couldn't rein in how they felt.

"Right," he said quietly as Edwin spoke. "Still got ya heart pretty rushed, yeah?" he huffed in a smile. He leaned in for a chaste kiss on Edwin's lips, still a part of his apology. "Should really work on my game, shouldn't I? So I can actually make you blush."

"It is incredibly frustrating not to have control over my body's physical responses to my emotions." It was a little muffled, brow still resting against Charles' shoulder, because that really was the crux of it, he was used to having control even when he slid into that edge of panic from an unexpected source, the worst that happened was he would freeze for a moment -and Charles generally got him moving again when necessary- but never felt the odd, shapeless sort of anxiety and even shame that came with it. That he definitely didn't like.

He straightened finally, accepting that kiss and the comment with something much closer to his usual grace, just arching a brow as he responded, "It did, yes, but not in the way you intended, unfortunately." That dryly amused tone finally sliding back in around the edges of his voice, "So I daresay you could use some more practice."

It did make Charles wonder that if they would stay alive, just how Edwin's body would handle it. He knew there would be consequences but he wasn't entirely sure what. But thankfully, that might never happen.

"I say challenge accepted, then," he smiled back, still feeling guilty about it all. "I have the best subject to practice on," he added, daring to lean in for another kiss. It was dark, and they were alone. So maybe a few more public kisses wouldn't hurt. "But yeah, wish I could just take you back to the office and make it all better, right?" he shrugged. "So, let's find snacks then!"

Staying alive long enough that his nearly-forgotten usual aches and pains returned instead of the ones he'd acquired thanks to the fall after becoming solid again was one of the things Edwin was dreading and doing his best not to think about so that it didn't overtake his every waking moment with worry and doubt, he had enough to work on without that happening.

"We'll be on our way back to the office soon enough." He responded, "Snacks first." He brightened considerably at hearing the faint strains of the jaunty music the man with the kabob cart usually played, head tilting one way and then the other before turning off on a footpath, "This way."

With a sigh, Charles took Edwin's hand and walked with him. His own heartbeat calming as they got some steps in. But it fluttered again as he could actually smell the food coming from the cart. His mouth watered at it too. Charles picked up his steps, squeezing Edwin's hand in excitement.

Thankfully the cart had a wide variety of food without meat too, truly catering to the wide variety of tastes of the streets of London. Charles got a classic kebab with everything, slightly hoping the onions and all that would cover up the meat. He scared Edwin once tonight, he wouldn't want to do it again...

Edwin truly didn't mind other people eating meat, even Charles, even after his unfortunate choice of phrase when attempting to flirt. While the incident might not be something they would laugh about later, Edwin really wasn't upset by it.

While he was fully spoiled for choice, he was thankful for both the pictures of most of the dishes alongside the name, but also the fact that he had -as Niko would say- excellent reading comprehension, and managed to read through most of the options by the time Charles had ordered, ordering himself vegetable samosas and some sort of potato cakes that were battered and fried and served with a dipping sauce. Mostly he was figuring that if he didn't finish them himself, Charles would be happy to do so for him.

The man took one look at him, warned him that both of those were spicy, but thankfully didn't press the issue when Edwin assured him that was fine.

Charles would happily eat any and all leftovers, yes. He was already halfway through his food, with his mouth full when he heard the man warn Edwin about his order being spicy. Charles knew better than to comment on it all, he knew how Edwin could be stubborn so he let it be.

Though he did wonder how Edwin would handle spice. They got pretty mild food until now.

"If you don't like any of those we can search for some other place? I'm happy to extend our walk, yeah?" Charles grinned, taking another too big bite from his food.

Edwin snorted softly, mostly amusement, as he pulled a napkin from the holder to pass to Charles at that statement, "Of course."

He laid a napkin over the cardboard tray with the potato patties and their little cup of sauce, setting the tray with the samosas on top of it so he could carry both in one hand, breaking the corner off of one of the dumplings to let the steam out, chewing carefully at the pastry, just making a considering little noise at the taste of it, though he knew he hadn't gotten much of the flavor from the filling, "That's quite nice, actually."

Charles forgot to even chew as he watched Edwin take his first bite. He was ready to suggest they should buy drinks, or maybe something less spicy. And he was the most surprised when Edwin didn't collapse in a coughing fit.

"You like it?" Charles asked, his eyes widening as he finally swallowed the bite in his mouth. "You really do?"

He nodded, brow creasing a little at the question, "Yes? Is there a reason I shouldn't?" He was careful with taking an actual bite, minding the temperature as he chewed, barely realizing that he'd practically frozen in his tracks as he did, because the flavor was like nothing he'd experienced before, he wouldn't have been able to name he spices used if he'd tried, it had only been listed as 'cardamom spice blend'.

Another just as careful bite, chewing just as slowly, wholly unaware that he looked a little like a man having some kind of religious experience, offering the tray with the other two dumplings to Charles with a quiet, half-awed, "You have to try this."

Charles let go of a surprised laugh in disbelief, as he watched Edwin eat spicy food and liking it.

"'S just..." Charles started, eying the dumplings. Then he hesitantly reached for one. "I mean, I always thought you wouldn't like spicy food. So I thought you wouldn't like what my mum would make," he trailed off, eying the dumpling in his hand. He hesitated because it was something his mum used to make too. She sometimes still made them.

Charles stuffed the dumpling into his mouth, trying not to think about how he is alive, at the same time as his mother...

"Mmm, this is brills," he munched, frowning.

"And now I'm the one who's gone and put a damper on the evening." Edwin replied at that expression, the hesitance in Charles' voice. He offered another napkin, "I forget, sometimes, that your parents are still alive." Charles generally spoke about them in the past tense, which made it easy to forget he did so because Charles himself was dead and not because they were.

"For the record, however, I do quite like these. I'd only ever heard people describe spicy as something almost painful? This is just flavorful."

Charles sniffed, shaking his head as he took the napkin and was silent a little longer than necessary. He took his time munching before he swallowed the bite.

"Yeah, lotta people don't know what real good spice is," he said. "Mum would- she knows, she had this- has this spice cabinet, yeah? Like, it's so organized and- But yeah, at school, everyone thought tabasco and chili were the only thing that makes something spicy. It's more than that."

And something about Edwin experiencing that hit a soft spot for him.

"I'm happy you like it, mate," Charles smiled softly, looking away.

Edwin nudged Charles gently towards the nearest bench, partly because he did need to sit again, even after not really that much walking, but also so that he could set the other tray down where he could get the lid off of the sauce cup without spilling anything. It would also give Charles a moment to collect himself, or recollect, as needed.

Edwin couldn't rightly remember having food that actually made him hum in contentment, quiet and involuntary, as he did with the vada. He hadn't been entirely sure what to expect, especially of the coconut chutney for dipping, but the combination of flavors was delicious and unlike anything he'd eaten so far. He'd already decided that if they were going to be solid for much longer, he'd have to come back here to try at least one other thing.

Charles did need a moment so he was silent as they got to the bench. He munched on his food in deep thought, slightly happy that it didn't taste like his mother's cooking that much. The onions did the trick. He watched in silence as Edwin enjoyed his food, barely realizing that he was smiling even as he was working through things. Because as long as Edwin was happy, he was happy.

So he didn't say anything just leaned his shoulder against Edwin as they were eating, enjoying that they had warmth now. That they had a body that could experience the world around them. He was going to miss this...

They took a longer, slow walk back to the office after they finished their food, Charles slowly working back to his smiles self. Once again feeling thrilled that he felt actually tired when they got back. Though he still insisted in taking pictures with Crystal's camera, so he could keep the memory of this day forever. He loved to have Edwin's picture, especially in so cute clothes. He didn't even mind he had to sleep on the floor again.

It took Edwin only a little to come up with a translation and a possible way of turning the spell back and return them to their ghostly state. So that day Charles was in a quieter mood than usual as he watched Edwin work from his notes.

"So, 's time?" Charles mumbled, crossing his arms.

The return trip to the house, protections and all, hadn't been entirely fruitless, but Edwin was still only working with partial information. More information than he'd had before, yes, but still not everything, and he was guessing that his correction for the date -working the circles to support it being that day's date instead of whatever the original date had been- would even work.

He nodded at Charles' question as he finished chalking the last line, using one of the empty storage rooms in the building instead of working directly in their office, "It is." He set the chalk aside, dusting his fingers because he'd almost forgotten how much he hated that particular sensation, "Worst case, this simply doesn't work and I'll have to dig into deeper research, see what I can find." There was no mention of disbanding the Agency, but he didn't feel he had to mention it again as he'd already made it clear that it would be too dangerous to continue.

He took a deep breath to steady himself, biting at the inside of his cheek, looking over the work to make sure nothing was out of place, "We've only got to step into it, same as any demon trap runework circle." He stopped himself from explaining further, because it wasn't as if Charles didn't know.

He drew himself up, both brows lifting a little as he offered Charles a hand, "Together?"

Charles felt a strange kind of hollowness grip at him as he watched Edwin draw the circle. He tried not to think about it too much because if he did... yes, he just didn't want to. When Edwin finished, he looked over the runes and the circle and found it perfect. Yes. It will... do.

Edwin never said it out loud, the disbanding, but Charles still felt it between them. And only for that reason, he hoped this would work. He tried to cling to that thought, that if this didn't work then Edwin would be devastated. But Charles didn't doubt he would go back to research immediately.

So with a heavy, heavy sigh Charles nodded. He reached to take Edwin's hand, feeling it dry because of the chalk. And it made him smile. He was going to miss these little sensations.

"Yeah, let's do it, yeah?" he sighed, looking at Edwin with a sad smile. And before he could have second thoughts, he pulled Edwin after him inside the circle.

Edwin wasn't quite sure what to make of the sensation that gripped him once they'd crossed into the circle. It certainly didn't feel like returning to his natural state -not that he'd know, really- but it was a sort of deep itch all the way under his skin and into his muscles, it was a sensation he didn't particularly care for, borderline painful, but not enough that he could tune it out the way he so often did with pain.

It didn't take long for it to pass, however, fifteen, twenty seconds, maybe, which was about as long as it had taken for him to realize he was solid in the first place.

However, distressingly, they still had reflections in that carefully-placed mirror, the one that he still wasn't wholly sure was part of the circle or not, but he'd felt it was better to leave it in case it was necessary. The breath he'd been holding escaped him in a rush, "Well, suppose that's that, then."

It was, as Charles had predicted, a devastation, not one he wouldn't overcome, given time and being able to bury himself in research, but still enough of one that he hadn't yet noticed the lingering ache of his injuries was gone.

Charles closed his eyes tightly, bracing himself. As if he didn't want to look at what was happening, despite it wasn't something he could probably see. He held Edwin's hand tighter by instinct, as every time they faced something unknown. The itching came, as if feeling him up, as if it physically wanted to pry away his skin to uncover the ghost under it... but it was only a moment. And Charles couldn't stop the tense breath that escaped his chest.

He only realized he was frozen when Edwin spoke. Charles blinked his eyes open, feeling a tear escape. He gasped when he felt it on his skin, and quickly wiped it away, turning to Edwin. He stared at him with wide eyes, not letting go of his hand.

"Edwin, what- what happened?" he asked, looking around. Even if he knew. Charles knew. He could feel it. "It didn't work," he frowned, his voice shaking from all the emotions that were swirling around in him.

"No, it would seem that it didn't." He replied, quiet but steady, "It wasn't as if it was guaranteed to work as it is." He replied, though it was with the cadence of trying to convince himself of it more than Charles. He knew he'd done the work correctly, it was only the alteration of the dates and the slapdash way of replacing them that was what might not work, and it hadn't.

He was mostly trying to remind himself that it wasn't an unexpected outcome. But that was harder to do than he hoped it would be. He was careful in stepping back out of the circle again, drawing Charles with him, "Back to the office, then, and back to the drawing board, so the saying goes."

It was only when he took a deep breath to steady himself again, trying to stave off the welling of emotion that was threatening to overwhelm him that he realized the tightness in his chest was gone, or seemed to be considerably looser, which was what had him pausing and then rolling up his sleeve, brow creasing at the lack of bruising that he'd been starting to finally get used to, "Well, it did do something, it seems."

Charles grabbed his polo shirt on his chest, as if he could grab his heart and feel it beat. Right, it wasn't guaranteed to work but Edwin was amazing so Charles believed their success more than anything. He was ready! And now he apparently got a little more time... He couldn't help his huffed laugh, barely noting what Edwin was saying.

"Right, yeah, yes, back to the office," he cleared his throat so he wouldn't laugh out loud from relief. God, he hated himself for a moment there. Edwin must feel awful, he thought, finally turning his attention to him again.

He turned his head just in time to see Edwin roll up his sleeve. And spotting the lack of bruises. Charles gasped, reaching out to hold Edwin's arm, as he barely believed his eyes.

"What? Wait- wait, are you? You're not hurtin' anymore?"

His brow creased a little at the question, just rolling his shoulder a little, almost experimental, testing how much range of motion he had and surprised to find there was no pain there, either, from the relocation or from the gouge that also seemed to have healed, "No I'm... I'm not."

His brow creased, turning to survey the concentric circles on the floor once again, as if the answer was there somewhere, "It doesn't make sense for something like that to have happened." He shook his head again, talking aloud as a way to work things out as best he could, but still coming up with no answers, "It was meant to return us to our natural state." He blinked then, "Our prior state, not natural state. This is, it's a step in the right direction, actually. It's been twice translated, of course there's going to be some variance in the language."

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