Hellhound AU

[just_aces]

Sometime round about 1900, a witch summoned a hellhound as a familiar.

He didn't mind it, hellhounds are loyal after all, and if some of her spells left him tired and drained, well, that was what he was there for, to keep her from using too much of her own energy for things. That and to eat the souls of her victims, sometimes.

But then, in the early 1970s, she ran afoul of a much stronger coven.

She was quite quickly banished to hell, but the hellhound couldn't be allowed to go with her, because, well, hellhounds are loyal and she was powerful and would have been able to use him to escape.

So the hellhound was made human, figuring that sixty, seventy, even eighty years if he was lucky would be enough time for the witch to have been consumed, so that even when the human-that-had-been-a-hellhound died, and Death herself realized that he was definitely not where, or what, he was supposed to be, she'd send him back.

But then one Charles Rowland kind of fucked up that whole plan by dying young and immediately running away from Death herself.

So the ghost-who-was-the-boy-who-was-the-hellhound has no idea what he was, or still is, under it all.

But, after a trip through hell to save his best friend (Hellhounds are loyal, after all) and time spent in a familiar position -though not a familiar kitchen- after that has been enough to knock a few things loose...

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[uptightboy]

Edwin didn't expect the touch to be so overwhelming. Charles had touched him like this so many times since they became more and yet, it felt like a first. So much that he uttered a small, fragile sound from his throat when he felt Charles' lips at his, and his hand on his chest.

His eyes fluttered shut, pressing his lips tighter to the other's. Edwin dropped the leash, and the magic with it. His now free hands came up to grab Charles' sides, fingertips sliding on spectral skin, and pulling him flush to his body. Only against Charles' warmth he noted his cold, trembling fingers.

[just_aces]

As the leash dropped, so too did the harness, though that still left Charles bare-chested under that dramatically cut jacket, save for the ornate collar. He hummed quietly in response to that soft sound, deepening the kiss almost immediately, though he noted the tremor in Edwin's hands before he noted the chill, which was when he drew back, brow furrowing, just sliding his hands down Edwin's arms to catch his partner's hands between his own.

His brow creased further, studying Edwin's face, though finding nothing amiss there he asked, "Everything alright?"

[uptightboy]

"I..." Edwin swallowed as he looked away for a moment. He took a breath to calm his heart but it proved to be impossible with Charles so close and looking like that. "Charles, I find myself simply overcome with quite a few emotions. I'm afraid you may laugh that I..." He looked at their hands, feeling his own cold and still trembling. It was even more apparent as Charles held them. "I have never thought I could love you even more but I do. "

He licks his lips.

"I wanted them to know who you are, who we are. They know now, and yet I still feel like it is not enough," he added in a breathless laugh, thinking about the way he felt in that second about Daphne. "Charles I'm afraid I will never get enough of you," he said and leaned in for another kiss, needy and deep.

[just_aces]

Charles wasn't going to laugh, but he was going to smile fit to burst, clasping Edwin's hands more securely, drawing him close even as Edwin continued, and Charles would have pressed a kiss to his partner's knuckles, but Edwin was already leaning in for another kiss, and that was even better, that was something Charles could work with.

He all but melted into that kiss, returning it after a moment, just as deeply and just as hungrily. Charles wasn't good at talking about his feelings, even the good ones, but he hoped as he always did, that at least some of what he felt, some small fraction of the depth of emotion he carried for Edwin every moment of every day made it through via his actions.

Actions that in this case were returning that kiss in kind and gently rubbing Edwin's fingers before tucking Edwin's hands into his jacket, against his ribs, so that he could catch at Edwin's chin again with one hand, the other settling at his hip, dipping him back just slightly with the intensity of the kiss.

[uptightboy]

As his hands were back on Charles' body, Edwin pulled him close again. It wasn't entirely a conscious reaction either, it was just his deep need to be close, to hold, to keep. He wondered what could even make Charles more his than a leash, than his crest on his throat, the fact that they kissed publicly, on the most important event of the year...? Maybe Edwin was truly turning into someone like that witch who owned Charles before, hungry for more and never satisfied.

And yet, he was unable to stop. With every touch, with every kiss, the brewing storm under his skin got worse. And his knees weaker. So when he had a moment of clarity, he tugged Charles towards the couch.

[just_aces]

Charles knew there was a difference between the way The Duchess had wanted to possess him -and had, for years- and the way Edwin wanted to -and would for as long as Charles had any say in the matter- but if asked, he would have to take a moment or two to actually work out how to explain just what that difference was besides knowing that he was safe with Edwin where that had always been in question with the Duchess.

Though maybe the real difference was that Charles wanted Edwin just as much, even if he didn't fully realize it himself.

There was a soft huff of a laugh into the kiss as Edwin gave that gentle tug to move them, keeping himself pressed close even as he moved, pivoting easily to drop back to sit on the couch himself, tugging Edwin down with him, hands snug against Edwin's hips, sliding down along his thighs a moment later to get him situated astride Charles' legs, grinning up at Edwin once he had, "Good?"

[uptightboy]

It was just like their dance. They moved in sync and Edwin knew he could trust Charles to bring them where they needed. His body moved with the other's eagerly and practiced, with as much ease as thirty years could grant them.

"Good..." Edwin nodded, breathless once he found himself on Charles' lap. Exactly where he wanted to be. He leaned in to press his forehead against Charles, smiling. "Charles, I wish you to have me tonight... I could barely think of anything else." A sentence Edwin only recently had the courage to say out loud.

[just_aces]

Charles couldn't help but smile in turn at the agreement, the way Edwin swayed closer, pressed their foreheads together as if he couldn't help but try and be even closer.

The statement, however, left Charles blinking, drawing back slightly but only so that he could bring Edwin's face into focus, to gauge his sincerity, apparently finding what he was looking for as he lifted both hands to cradle Edwin's face between them, leaning in to claim a solid kiss, humming eagerly into it as he did.

He broke away after a few long moments to actually answer, "Yes, yes of course, absolutely." He was grinning fit to burst all over again, hands sliding from Edwin's face down over his shoulders and along his arms, "Going to have to do something about all this, though." He said, tugging lightly at Edwin's sleeve.

[uptightboy]

Edwin was sincere, oh he was. And the way Charles looked at him made him feel even more grateful to have him. For Charles being the one he gave his spectral heart to. He smiled into their kiss, and it widened as Charles pointed out their dressed state.

"Indeed," Edwin whispered. Naturally, since he was a ghost, he could easily shift out of it. Drop all the clothes and just sit naked on Charles' lap for the taking. As he was thinking about it, it did excite him. He wanted to see how Charles would react. But he also could just... "Take it off of me." His voice was low. And he didn't have the leash with him but he did reach through his magic to feel around the collar for a moment.

[just_aces]

That unseen touch, the gentle pressure, and the near-order that went with it was enough to have Charles swallowing reflexively, mouth suddenly gone dry even though there was no real way it could have, given as how he wasn't actually alive. But he nodded all the same, managing to collect himself a moment later, smile inching back into place, managing to dislodge his voice again a moment later as he slid his hand down Edwin's arm, lighting against his side and then his hip.

"Think we ought to start with this." His fingers dipped under the belt of the holster holding Edwin's notebook at his thigh, though he didn't start with the belt, instead sliding his fingers down along the straps, careful only to touch the leather and not the fabric -and Edwin's thigh- beneath. At least not until he got to the lower strap, nimble fingers making quick work of unbuckling it, though he did pull it tighter in the process before threading it free.

He did the same with the upper strap as well, quick and efficient and teasing as much as he could, he let his other hand dip to help with the belt, working it free more carefully even as he commented, "Looked proper dashing though. Like a hero in a story book."

[uptightboy]

Edwin's gaze followed Charles' fingers to his thigh, to the holster. His lips parted on a voiceless stutter as the boy started his work untying it. The teasing was cheeky, oh so cheeky... Edwin huffed when Charles' long, practiced fingers refused to touch anything other than business. But on the other hand, Edwin once again marveled over how pretty the boy's hands were. On some occasions, he did stop taking notes and stared at Charles' hands when he was working on something in their downtime. And now those fingers were working on him, teasing and horrible.

One of his hands was resting on Charles' shoulder, while the other hovered over Charles' hands when he heard the comment. It made him look up at the other in question. It was because, in Edwin's world, the hero was Charles. He was the dashing prince.

"Then, I suppose I matched you," Edwin said gently and leaned to lay a chaste kiss on Charles' cheek. It was still a new thing to him to dress up for the sake of dressing up. And dressing up for Charles... and if he got these kinds of compliments, then, maybe he should do it more. "But this means you liked it?"

[just_aces]

There was a bright laugh at that question, even once he'd tilted his head into the kiss, "Helped design it, didn't I? Of course I liked it." It wasn't quite the same as a whole collar, but he had liked seeing Edwin wear something he'd helped to create.

He finished sliding the belt free even as he spoke, lifting the whole piece away to set on the arm of the couch so that he could settle his hands at Edwin's hips again, as if considering where to go next, though he did tug almost delicately at Edwin's shirt to get it un-tucked, continuing that process with one hand while the other drifted up Edwin's spine, touch light against bare skin, thumb slipping up under the high collar, not undoing the buttons just yet, "This was incredibly distracting all night, I hope you know."

That said he did thumb the two collar buttons open, then drew his hand down Edwin's arm, lifting his partner's hand so that he could get at the matching buttons on the sleeve cuff, mischief sparking in his eyes as he brushed a kiss to Edwin's knuckles, slipping those buttons free as he did.

[uptightboy]

Edwin chuckled too. Yes, wearing something Charles made for him was... well, he was proudly wearing it. He wondered if this was what Charles had felt when wearing the collar.

"I loved to wear it, Charles," Edwin assured gently. "And I'm happy you liked to see it on me," he added, as his voice trembled at the touch on his back. His lips pulled into a breathless smile as Charles started undoing his shirt. Yes, part of wearing such a shirt was to convey a message to the people, and another part was so that he could make it just a bit more difficult for Charles.

"A lesson in discipline, and you did well," Edwin said, shivering when he felt the buttons go. He obediently lifted his hands and bit at his lower lip to keep quiet at the gentle kiss on his knuckles. And Charles said he was the hero? Alright, then Charles was the prince in this fairy tale. "A lesson I had to practice as well, looking at you."

[just_aces]

He grinned at that, sliding the now open sleeve further up Edwin's arm so that he could press a string of kisses up from the inside of his wrist to the bend of his elbow before lifting his head away, still smiling, but less sharply than before, "Yeah, well, at least you've seen most of this before." A loose gesture towards his own chest before catching Edwin's other hand so that he could slip free the buttons on that cuff as well, just sliding his thumb across Edwin's wrist where a pulse would be if they still had such a thing, "It was all new for me."

He tilted his head, regarding Edwin again before his smile hitched up just a little higher on one side, hands slipping up under the shirt at his waist, sliding slowly up Edwin's sides, bunching the shirt up as he went, preparing to just peel him out of the garment.

[uptightboy]

Edwin felt his cheeks burn at the kisses on his wrist. He had never imagined that spot to feel so... gentle and yet electrifying to be kissed. Or was it Charles? Was it because it was Charles' lips?

"I..." Edwin started but he couldn't continue. It occurred to him, yes. That this may have been the first time Charles was seeing more of him. There were more occasions for Charles to lose his shirt and yes, most of those times Edwin had a terribly hard time focusing. But this time, it was Edwin's turn. It felt so natural that he was barely thinking that... that it was one of the first times he was going to Charles. "Ah..." he stuttered a little nervously. But he moved to help Charles take the shirt off, only for his pearl necklace to remain.

[just_aces]

Charles wanted to admire that particular picture, burn it into his memory, but there were other instincts in play at the moment and his head dipped, nosing the necklace out of the way so that he could set his teeth against the ridge of Edwin's collarbone, below where it would usually be hidden by a shirt. He didn't bite, at least not hard, but he did worry at the spot between his teeth for a long moment, tongue swiping over it before he let go, straightening again and smoothing his hands down over Edwin's arms again, just because he could.

He hummed, considering, finally lacing his fingers with Edwin's on one hand, guiding it to the buttons of his own jacket, something that would be far easier to remove than Edwin's shirt had been, though at the same time his other hand slipped further downward, fingers hooking in the waist of Edwin's pants, giving a half-teasing tug before working those fastenings open as well, steady and deliberate.

[uptightboy]

"Charles," Edwin gasped, his hand sliding to the back of the boy's head. He sounded scared but it was quite the opposite. He was excited. He wasn't entirely sure what Charles wanted to do but he wanted it. And when he felt the firm press of teeth, and the tongue his whole body shivered from such need that he had never felt before. It got him breathless. Such a small 'bite', just a nip, and Edwin felt like he had just been running all day.

It was good Charles had the brains to put his hands to work because Edwin felt like he was floating. He immediately got to work, undoing the few buttons that needed to be undone... taking him way longer than necessary. He pushed the jacket off Charles' shoulders as much as he could, then leaned in to kiss him. This boy was going to put him in the grave for the second time if he kept touching and biting, him like this...

[just_aces]

He hummed softly at that exclamation, he knew what Edwin sounded like when he was actually afraid instead of just startled and rapidly losing any coherence, and that utterance of his name was definitely the latter.

Charles wriggled his arms out of the jacket even as he returned that kiss, one hand lifting to cradle the back of Edwin's neck again, thumb tracing an easy figure-eight loop against the corner of his jaw as he did, using that to draw Edwin just a little closer to deepen the kiss.

The other arm came free a moment later, splaying against Edwin's side, resting there, radiating warmth, fingers slotted easily in the dips between Edwin's ribs, just keeping him steady as the kiss continued, fully prepared to lose himself in it for the time being.

[uptightboy]

Edwin slid his arm around Charles' shoulders to arch closer as they kissed. There was so much skin touching and he loved it. Ghosts couldn't feel the touch of others but they could feel each other and Edwin was the most glad for that. Because this was addictive. Charles' hand on his side, his hand on the back of his neck, Edwin had never felt more alive and safe, and aroused.

He whimpered Charles' name into their kiss as he found he couldn't stop and wouldn't want to either. Feeling Charles' lips against his, tasting him on his tongue the deeper and more intense they went was amazing. Edwin's whole body was singing for Charles. And before he even realized he moved closer, trying to press his whole body against the other's.

[just_aces]

Charles shuddered at that sound, sucking briefly at Edwin's lower lip before deepening the kiss still further, a low noise building in his chest, caught somewhere between a pleased growl and a hungry moan.

He did, finally, catch Edwin's face between his hands again, levering him gently away from the kiss as if he had to catch his breath, "Edwin." That was the statement in and of itself, at least until he managed to get his train of thought back on the rails, hips shifting beneath his partner, a movement that -even through trousers- was a good indication of just how into this Charles was.

What he finally managed to say, one hand sweeping down Edwin's arm again while the other still cradled his cheek, was: "Going to have to get up or just get rid of these." His fingers tugged at the open waist of Edwin's trousers before he even remembered that he'd gotten them open in the first place, which was when he brightened, grin sliding right back into place as he snaked a hand down into them to cup Edwin's cock through his underthings.

[uptightboy]

Hearing his name like that, and looking into Charles' face made Edwin feel once again quite overwhelmed. He put his hands on Charles' hands on his cheeks, his lower lips trembling as he was unable to form all those feelings that caught up in his chest, threatening to burst his heart. And then Charles had to roll his hips and words turned into moans.

"Yes- yes, I-- uhn!" The sound Edwin gave was pathetic, and so needy. But Edwin was too busy being aroused to care. "Charles I-, ah, I doubt I can stay on my feet for long," he managed to say in a breathless laugh. If he had to get up Edwin was sure that he was going to fall. His legs felt numb and the sheer thought of separating from Charles caused him pain.

"But, before that, a moment..." Edwin breathed and dipped his hand into his pocket, fishing out a small container. When he pocketed it at the beginning of the night it felt vulgar to carry it around, and also a little... rebellious. Or, what was that other word Charles sometimes used? Kinky? But Edwin truly wasn't sure which was worse, carrying it around or... making what it contained and knowing what it was going to be used for. He put it down next to them on the couch before preparing to get rid of more clothes...

[just_aces]

It took Charles only a moment to realize just what that container was and he couldn't help the warm laugh that spilled out of him a moment later, shaking his head even as he leaned back in to pepper Edwin's face with kisses, delight simmering out of him in waves, "Always bloody prepared for any situation, aren't you?" It wasn't an accusation, though it could easily have been, if anything it was some kind of excitement. He'd always been a little turned on by Edwin's level of preparation, his outright competence, just one of those things he hadn't fully realized was a turn-on until their relationship had taken that turn.

He shook his head, rocking his palm against Edwin's cock again, voice having dipped just a little as realization sunk in, "You've been carrying that around all night, haven't you?" The very idea that Edwin had been planning this from the start got to him in ways he couldn't even begin to describe.

"Not going to make you get up, not when we haven't got to, yeah?" Which was to say, as much as he really did want to peel Edwin the rest of the way out of his clothes, he was reaching the point of no return and his patience was already beginning to thin.

[uptightboy]

Edwin felt his whole face and even the tip of his ears burn as Charles kissed him all over in delight. He had to admit he liked it, with all the nerves that got him every time he felt that little jar in his pocket he truly thought he was going to be laughed at. But here Charles was, doing something totally else.

"I have," Edwin admitted quietly, just in time before the touch on his cock rendered him speechless for a few seconds. "I- wasn't thinking, I only- all I could think about- was- was you," he stuttered as his hips moved into Charles' hand to get more of his touch and warmth. To ride that warmth until there was no coming back. Edwin gave a low, frustrated noise when he realized how impatient he had been. So impatient that he was doing such unspeakable things as keeping that lube on him, and now, rocking into Charles' hands like some kind of animal in heat and getting harder by the second. How obscene.

And yes, letting Charles take all his layers off and do the same to him was appealing. But Edwin was afraid he would have been too impatient, too... Well, at this point he wasn't even sure how he would have been. These are all new experiences with Charles and Edwin was learning as much as about himself as about Charles.

But as Charles confirmed that he wouldn't separate them, even for that few seconds of taking clothes off, Edwin nodded. He shifted a little with a breathless smile on his lips and willed his trousers and the rest away. And oh, how nervous he had felt. The only reason he probably didn't run was because of Charles' hand on him.

[just_aces]

Charles' smile spread, that low sound stirring in his chest again, nearly a growl, but entirely pleased, voice having dipped to a low murmur as he smoothed the hand still at Edwin's cheek slowly down the side of his neck, just tracing the edge of the necklace before moving further down his chest, "Oh look at you."

He actually curled his hand loosely around Edwin's cock then, giving a slow, gentle stroke even as his other hand ran down over Edwin's ribs to settle at his hip, "All for me." That possessive edge to his voice should have scared him, maybe would have if he didn't already know it was true, that Edwin was his, even without what they were about to do. Edwin was his in every way a person could be, and he was Edwin's just the same.

He hadn't yet done away with his own trousers, but only because he knew this was going to be over far too soon if he did. He dragged the hand at Edwin's hip down along his thigh, enjoying he play of muscle beneath his palm, finally lifting his hand away to snap up the little jar, brow creasing just a little as he turned it over in his fingers, "Edwin, did you make this?" He couldn't imagine Edwin having collected himself enough to ask either of the alchemists they knew to make it for him, but also felt like he should have been paying better attention to Edwin's projects if he was making lube while Charles was otherwise occupied.

[uptightboy]

Edwin tilted his head into Charles' touch, then reached for him again. He grabbed his shoulders with trembling hands so he wouldn't bolt from his lap. The way Charles looked at him, the way he said those words... they were entirely too much. They were each other's, yes, and they proved it day by day, with words and acts but this? This was new. This was something Edwin had never thought he was going to experience and enjoy, and the realization of that and the fact that he was still held hostage by Charles' fingers was almost too much for him.

"For you," Edwin repeated before he even realized he said it out loud.

He watched as Charles' hand slid down his chest, then to his hips and thighs. Felt his fingers sliding on his skin and his body blooming under his care. If Edwin hadn't felt naked before he definitely did as Charles explored him. His useless breath came shorter, as he felt more of Charles' touch.

At the question, Edwin looked over to the container, now in Charles' hand. His lips parted but he found he could not muster up a word, not even a confirmation. So he just nodded at first.

"It was quite a simple recipe, honestly," he said, as if that was the point of it all, swapping recipes. He worked on it when Charles was away or too immersed in one of his own projects to pay much attention. Edwin did consider asking some shops about it but he chose this was still a better solution for now. "It is... it isn't only you who researched how, um, how intercourse could work in the ghost realm." And it was a journey, for sure. But the moment Edwin knew that he wanted to have Charles he dived right in, despite all the embarrassment and still lingering, oppressive thoughts in him.