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...

Comments

[just_aces]

He would have commented that being comforted by thunderstorms was nothing new, they were one of the few times Charles' brain had been quiet before, either taking up space in the seat under the window or even going up to the roof even though he wasn't actually able to feel the rain, he just liked watching the lightning build and build whether crackling to earth or just from cloud to cloud.

He considered the question, however, holding the arm out so that Edwin could inspect it as he would, finally just shaking his head, "Nah, not really?" He shook his head again, "Hard to explain, it's like it did hurt, or maybe should, but it don't actually hurt now. Can still feel it, though." He added, prodding at the edge of the bruising with his fingertips.

A twitch of a smile followed, "Wrong spell to use on charmed wood, wasn't it?" He didn't wait for an answer before explaining, "Thought I might've said it wrong, at first, but with as hard as you drilled that one to make sure I wouldn't forget, don't figure there was much chance of that."

[uptightboy]

Edwin reached for Charles's arm to gently hold it and inspect the damage. Even the way his arm felt in his hands, the way his skin touched his fingertips was different. It did feel like Charles had arrived into himself somehow; a different being than Edwin. Ah... yes, that was it. He wasn't a ghost anymore, not in the strict sense of the word.

"Almost as if it is the only spell you remember properly," Edwin muttered, sending a look at the boy. It was an important spell at the time in a very dangerous case. It was almost ironic that this was the spell that came to Charles. Edwin brushed over one of the bruises on the boy's arm with his fingers. He was trying to look into spells that could speed up the healing process but so far he hadn't found any he trusted. "I truly wish you have mispronounced it, so it would not have taken effect." He was glad Charles was not in pain, though, not physically.

"Charles," Edwin continued quietly. "You were forced to kill your master." He stated but he couldn't continue for a second. "Are you alright?"

[just_aces]

He sighed heavily at that question, not frustrated as such, but because it was something he'd been trying to ignore. Leave it to Edwin not to let him, not that it was a bad thing all in all.

He shook his head after a moment, finally admitting: "I don't know." A little shrug, "I know I should be feeling something about it, right? But I just..." He shook his head again, folding his arms loosely across his chest, "Don't. Not yet." His brow furrowed a moment later, because there was an important correction to make there, "And I killed her because I wanted to. Would've been just as easy to keep her down without killing her." At least, in theory. There was no real way to be sure of that now, and Charles had done what he'd always done, removed the threat in the most efficient way possible.

[uptightboy]

It might have been indeed too early for asking such a question, Edwin admitted. But it wasn't Charles's unsure feelings that alarmed him. It was when he was talking about how he wanted to kill her.

Was that anger going to come out more? In different ways? Rabid Hellhounds without owners tended to be violent, bloodthirsty. And Edwin knew that Charles technically wasn't without an owner but then again he didn't summon him. They were friends, they were there for each other. And Edwin loved him. But would that be enough?

Edwin barely registered that he actually took a step back, away from Charles. All he knew that fear creeped back into his chest again; a fear he rarely experienced outside Hell. Because it was the fear of Hell.

"Do you remember everything she did? Is that why?" Edwin almost winced at how terrified he sounded.

[just_aces]

Charles curled in on himself a little when Edwin retreated, because it wasn't moving off to go look something up, or just giving himself space because he'd been hovering, it was quite clearly in reaction to what Charles had admitted, and while he couldn't smell actual fear -probably wouldn't have been able to even in his natural form thanks to the fact that Edwin was a ghost- it was still there in Edwin's stance and expression and Charles hated it.

He shook his head at the question, "Not everything, no." His brow furrowed more deeply, shaking his head again, "I was under her control longer than we've known each other, but I remembered enough." A sniff, swiping the back of his wrist over his nose, biting back the emotion welling in his chest, both thanks to remembering what he'd already been through and distaste over the fact that he was scaring Edwin, "She wouldn't have stopped trying, even from Hell, even with her chains gone. She still would've been a threat and I couldn't let that stand."

[uptightboy]

Edwin's hand reached up to grab at his jacket, as if he wanted to set it but he just held it. As if pulling up a barrier between him and Charles. He believed him, god knew he never doubted this boy, ever in their afterlife. Charles did it because he wanted to eliminate a threat. He wanted to... protect. So why was Edwin so scared? Charles did what he always did, there was nothing new there.

Then again, Charles was a hound from Hell, with the utmost certainty. And that was new.

"I understand," Edwin uttered because he did understand. "You are right, I should not have questioned." He doesn't want to feel like this, not with Charles. And he hated how terribly polite he sounded just there. Pretentious. Just like his father. A coward. "Well, I am not sure if you could listen but we shall receive a few options for binding spells in a few days. We are also being monitored by the coven, so that is also something we shall deal with." Yes, talking business could be the right way yet Edwin did not feel it was right.

[just_aces]

He just nodded, "I heard." He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, the movement almost nervous, except that he could feel Edwin's cord there and it was enough to have him going still when he realized it was still there even in this shape.

The realization was enough to have him stalling out briefly -but noticeably- before he continued with his answer, "And we're already being overseen by one agency, what's another one added to the mix?" He lowered his hands, then, just leaning back against the edge of the desk, still, "Though maybe a hiatus for a few days on new cases? Except what the Lost & Found sends our way, obviously." Though given the givens he wasn't sure if the Night Nurse would be sending anything their way for a few days as it was, given his somewhat loosely-defined 'assistance' of the past week.

[uptightboy]

The string around Charles's neck was not charged with magic for now, so it looked less dramatic. But with a snap, Edwin could activate it any second. He wasn't sure how he was feeling about it, especially noting how Charles's hand hovered over it. Edwin hoped the binding spells they get would be less outrageous.

"Indeed, that would be the most reasonable," Edwin nodded at Charles's suggestion. "We shall not scare away future clients before you are sorted out." Being sorted out meaning the final administration of Charles's existence on this plane.

With the question of Charles's nature solved Edwin was reminded of the case card. So without a word he moved away from Charles, from the desk, toward their case board to find the card with Charles's case. "I also believe your case is done, job jobbed," he said as he took the card and put it with the solved cases. Usually doing that made him feel better but this time it made him feel worse. His hand hovered just a moment too long before pulling it away.

"I would also advise you staying inside until we have our discussions with the coven," Edwin suggested.

[just_aces]

His brow furrowed a little at the shifting of the card. The case was closed, they knew for sure what he was now, but he still had to ask: "Doesn't feel quite right, moving it, yeah?" Mostly he wanted the confirmation that it wasn't just him feeling unsettled by everything, though he couldn't be sure just why aside from 'everything'.

He did manage a small, watery smile at the rest, giving an exaggerated shrug, "Guess it's a good thing I don't have any errands to run." It was an attempt at a joke and it only barely landed the same as the smile wasn't quite right. His arms folded again almost immediately, brow still creased, "'course now I want to go out just because I shouldn't. Old habits, I guess."

[uptightboy]

Right, it didn't feel right to move the card. Probably because that case was for a different Charles, Edwin wondered. That case was irrelevant now. They had another one, a new, disturbing one. He vaguely remembered knowing that things would change after the case was solved but not like this. He did not expect Hell to be a part of this so vividly.

"The case was about your nature of existence," Edwin said quietly, trying his best to sound neutral. "I believe we are quite aware of it now." So Charles could also feel it. But Edwin was too afraid to flat out address it just yet. This strange fear that gripped him. Because it wasn't right...

"I suppose you can still go up the roof if you so wish to go outside but no further," he assures in a weak attempt of comfort. Charles's smile broke his heart. "As for supplies, I shall go if we find ourselves in need of anything."

He sets his shoulders then.

"Well, do continue to rest, Charles. I shall look into healing magic in more depth."

[just_aces]

"I'll be alright." He replied to the first, "At least until we get a better idea of what's allowed." If the rules were that he couldn't go out on his own at all regardless of shape, that was something he'd argue to the last, but he also wasn't going to get ahead of himself and formulate arguments he wouldn't actually need, not if it would only frustrate him to do so.

He pushed himself up away from the desk then, rubbing at the back of his neck again, letting the feel of that cord under his fingers calm him further, tangible proof that Edwin still wanted to keep him close, trying to use it as a reassurance that any fear Edwin was feeling was temporary, that it would pass.

"Should probably take a chance to organize the backpack, been a while." It wasn't sleeping, but it was restful for him, putting things back in order, even if it was an organization system that only he understood. Or, perhaps, especially in that case, something to keep his mind busy with only the organizing and not overthinking anything else.

[uptightboy]

Edwin watched as Charles was reaching for the cord again, and he wondered how he was feeling about it. For Edwin, it looked humiliating; something a hound that was being kept as a slave would detest. Just how long would it be until Charles snapped about it? But Edwin didn't ask...

Instead he just gave a nod at Charles, and went to find some books. They both needed time, he thought. And it was almost awkward. Edwin buried himself in books more intensely than usual, being a bit more closed off than it would be in his nature. So the distance he put between them did not close the next few days while they were waiting for Daphne and the binding spells.

Edwin thought that things would settle once the coven stated their stance on Charles. That everything would return to the way it was. The coven confirmed that keeping Hellhounds was not illegal, using it for ill was. So, as long as Edwin and the hound didn't break any laws they should be fine. Oh, and Charles of course needed to be bound by one of the accepted methods for the duration of his service. And once all that settled, Edwin thought that it was it. Yet, as he held the parchment with the binding spell on it, he still felt unsure.

Edwin looked over to Charles.

"Do tell me when you are ready," because heavens know he may never be.

[just_aces]

After reorganizing the backpack, and then doing it again when it seemed Edwin still needed time instead of wanting to talk just yet, Charles had gone up to the roof for a while, except there was nothing to hold his attention there except scaring the pigeons, but even that was only entertaining for the first two or three and left him restless again afterwards.

There were a handful of times over the next few days where Charles considered just pushing through the awkward distance between them as he would have done before, but whenever he considered it he remembered the flash of actual fear in Edwin's expression when he'd admitted that he'd actually wanted to kill the Duchess, and he kept to himself again instead of doing so.

Likewise he'd considered shifting back to the Hound-shape, because that might make things easier for him to process, but knew even without asking that it would make things harder for Edwin and decided against it. Likewise, whenever he started to get agitated over how long things were taking, or the distance between them -despite that he could, theoretically, close it himself- his fingers found the cord at his neck, either fingertips against his nape or thumb at the hollow of his throat, letting the presence of it -the reminder that Edwin did want to keep him nearby- calm him again.

He was as polite and as charming as ever while the delegation from the Coven was there to go over the rules, though Edwin would likely be able to tell just how forced that brightness was, even despite there being no reason for him to be otherwise.

Charles had hovered close as they left, and his brow creased a little at Edwin's request, "Sooner the better, yeah?" A little shake of his head followed, "Shame we couldn't just get your sanctioned, though. Already used to it and all."

[uptightboy]

"Quite," Edwin muttered, reading through the lines of the spell. But it was mostly so he didn't need to look at Charles. It was awkward, and he wished he could talk to anyone about it. But he supposed the only one was Charles. They had learned their lesson about talking to each other but apparently it wasn't always easy. Edwin was afraid and he was also afraid what Charles was going to tell him if he asked. So many things had changed and Edwin didn't feel like he could keep up.

But seeing Charles suffer was something Edwin never wanted. He looked at the boy a bit annoyed at this remark about the string.

"Don't be ridiculous Charles," Edwin huffed. "It is only a string, it isn't to bind a creature from Hell." He pursed his lips for a second. A 'creature from Hell'? That was Charles now...? Edwin was tempted to just go through the spell. Just bind Charles as the coven required. But that wasn't them, was it? Edwin closed his eyes. "It also must feel quite humiliating, being bound."

[just_aces]

Charles flinched at being referred to as 'a creature from Hell', it was one thing hearing it from others, but quite another coming from Edwin, especially after Edwin's insistence during and leading up to the trial that he was more than that, and the protest of 'I'm still me' died on his tongue before he could actually voice it as Edwin continued.

That was what gave him pause, brow furrowing, blinking slowly as realization finally set in realizing dimly that he'd gone still and staring for probably a beat or two too long he shook himself, "Right, so, apparently Crystal's right again and we really do need to learn to use our words, and I should've just done what I always do and bulled through the awkward patch because I thought you just... I dunno, needed more time to wrap your brain around the facts, line things up like you always do."

He shook his head to get himself back on track and answer the crux of Edwin's statement, "But no it's not humiliating, because it's yours and that's not what you meant it to be." He inched closer to the desk, still half-afraid that Edwin would move away again, but forging on ahead anyway, "The past few days when we weren't talking? It's been a reminder that you do want me to stay, it's kept me from doing anything monumentally stupid just because it's there, not because it's keeping me here." He wasn't sure he was making sense, but he was hoping Edwin would be able to figure it out as he usually managed to when Charles was speaking in fragments.

[uptightboy]

"What...?" Charles suddenly talking about Crystal was not something Edwin had expected. But he frowned as the boy continued. He parted his lips to complain though he wasn't entirely sure about what. It was just a muscle reaction to Charles's arguments, truly. But he was glad he couldn't start on some rant or lecture because Charles was faster answering his doubts.

His glance flickered to the string around Charles's neck for a second. To the permanent binding he did.

'it's yours and that's not what you meant it to be,' Charles said and Edwin was struck with so many things: relief most of them. Yes, that was right. He wanted Charles to stay, and he wanted to stay with Charles. The binding couldn't be helped, just as much as their ghost natures couldn't be helped. In Edwin's way of thinking, it was just a part of Charles. Just like Edwin. That bond was his proof that he belonged to Edwin. And it was proof to Edwin that Charles belonged to him. It was not to shackle and enslave him and Charles knew that, and that made Edwin so, so relieved.

"Charles," Edwin whispered, the parchment in his hand trembling as he stood from his chair. "I... I do apologize, I... thought," he swallowed nervously. "I was afraid, I admit, it is quite taxing to get used to your true nature. I do suppose I still hold some resentment towards Hell and its habitants." He took a stuttering breath, his voice going softer as he continued. "But never towards you. Alas, I believe my fears got the best of me and making me think that..." his eyes went to the string again. His fears made him such a coward. Being afraid that Charles was a shackled monster? Goodness, Edwin had never felt worse in his afterlife. "I apologize."

[just_aces]

He did circle the desk then, instead of leaving it between them and leaning across it, though that had been his first instinct, closely followed by simply walking through it, but he wanted, needed to make sure that Edwin saw him coming, catching lightly at his partner's elbow, drawing Edwin in and giving a little shake of his head, "Not necessary." Another little shake of his head, rattling his own thoughts back into place, "Accepted, obviously, but not needed. I could've closed the gap at any time, too. Could've said something. Should have."

A small smile slid into place then, hand sliding down Edwin's arm to curl into Edwin's, lacing their fingers, "But we're putting that aside, for now. We can talk about it later if we need to." A gentle squeeze of Edwin's hand, "If I need to spend more time in the other shape to give you a chance to get used to it, I will. I hadn't because I just..." He shook his head, "I thought it would make things worse? So I didn't, and didn't say that's what I was doing, either."

A decisive nod, using his free hand to slide the parchment over to where it could be seen again, "So, let's get this done all official-like, and we can get back to doing what we do best."

[uptightboy]

The touch on his elbow, and then on his hand is the sign for Edwin that once again he was thinking too much. He let his silly thoughts carry him to dark depths he should have known are filled with false fears. He squeezed Charles's hand back, a small smile spreading on his lips. He let himself enjoy this a little. Even if they were together, he missed Charles. He missed him so much...

They both should have said something; with how eager Edwin was to point things out to people, even with Charles, some things still came difficult for him. Especially when he thought Charles would leave him. But as the boy told him that he wanted to be there with him, he wanted to be bound, he wanted to stay. And Edwin didn't want anything more in his afterlife.

"Indeed, let us address it when we are both in a better state of mind, I suppose," Edwin agrees, looking over to the spell. He rubs his thumb over Charles's hand, feeling the flutter in his heart that had nothing to do with fear. "I believe returning to our old routine shall prove productive," he remarked, reading the spell again, now with more intent. And huh, funny Charles mentioned his other form...

"Charles, you will have to practice your newly acquired skill because I need to bind you in your true form," Edwin said.

[just_aces]

"What?" It took him a moment to actually process that, "Oh, yeah, alright." He gave Edwin's hand another gentle squeeze before taking a half step back, smile tilting as he trailed his fingers along Edwin's the whole way, extending the duration of the contact as he so often did, mostly out of relief that he was still allowed to. The past few days had been harder than he'd thought if he was holding onto that more than anything else.

He shook himself then, hands flapping for a moment even as he bounced his weight from side to side as if he needed to limber up for this, the change was faster than it had been the first couple of times, leaving him sitting there in Hound form and looking almost surprised at how easy it had been, his tail swayed twice, trying to contain the movement even as he sat up high enough -adjusting his size just a little as he did- to rest his chin on the edge of the desk where he usually perched, turning those coal-bright eyes on Edwin in question, as if to make sure this was good enough, as there really wasn't room in the office for the full sized Hound, and he wasn't entirely sure he liked being that big in the first place.

[uptightboy]

Charles's lingering touches will be the reason Edwin will faint one day. It felt like they were even more intense since had come clean with his feelings. And the past few days without it all was torture, and Edwin only realized it just now.

He braced himself for the transformation, expecting the fear to settle into him again. But as Charles shifted, and yes the scent of Hell was still in the air about him, Edwin didn't have to fight the urge to bolt. Even if he knew what this creature was capable of, he had seen it with his own eyes. What Charles was capable of. And suddenly, all that didn't matter. What mattered was that Charles was here, and they could touch, and they could solve cases together. Edwin slowly got down on one knee, holding the parchment.

"Perfect," he nodded at Charles, then reached to take the string off of him. The spell advised to trap the hound in a circle first but Edwin figured they wouldn't need it. Because he wasn't here to shackle this beast. He was here to... bind him to him. "It is not supposed to hurt but if you feel strange we stop, understood?" Edwin warned and reached out to put his hand on Charles's head and scratch behind his ear. Just a few words of reassurance could change him this much? Edwin tried not to think about that too much as he continued what the spell instructed him. He didn't necessarily need to keep his hand on the hound because, for obvious reasons, it wasn't advised but he still wanted Charles to feel him through this all.

Edwin said the words loud and clear, three times. The spell was supposed to put a collar and two cuffs on the hound, tying it to its owner. To Edwin's surprise, the collar looked similar to the one their family dog was wearing; it would be called antique by current standards. It also had his family crest on it, just like the one on his notebook. It didn't look as tight as the Duchess's almost as if Charles wanted he could shake it off. Of course, this is what the binding looked on Charles's true form, Edwin suspected they may also change with Charles's appearance.

"Done," Edwin stated, and immediately felt a little lightheaded. He figured it was expected, he just bound a powerful creature to himself without having a proper body. There ought to be side effects.

[just_aces]

He nodded once at the question, though part of him knew he might not realize what 'strange' was supposed to feel like, though he knew pain, and knew enough to know he'd be able to duck away if that happened, but he doubted it would, Edwin didn't want him trapped, just kept, and that made all the difference.

He couldn't help the low, vibrating hum that emanated from somewhere deep in his chest at the gentle scratch of Edwin's fingers behind his ear, eyes dipping partway closed at just how pleasant that felt. Though he did collect himself enough to sit more fully upright as Edwin began the spell, leaning his head more firmly up into the hand there.

Once it was finished he shook himself almost the same way he'd done before shifting down to this shape, it was a very human movement for a Hound, though it made the tag on the collar jingle, which delighted him, turning a tight circle as he tried to get a look at it even while wearing it, distracted enough by that that he hadn't even noticed the cuffs, they were like a much-less-restrictive version of what he'd done to himself by charming already-charmed wood in the arena, and that just set him off into another bout of circling, tapping both forepaws against the floor in apparent excitement.

At least until he felt that wave of something like exhaustion and he rounded on Edwin almost immediately, inching closer to press his head and then his shoulder against Edwin's side, offering support, he knew there was a way to loan Edwin his energy, that was something the Duchess took from him often and easily, and rarely when she actually needed it the way Edwin seemed to at the moment.

[uptightboy]

Even as a hound, that was Charles, Edwin had to realize. It felt silly to think about him as anything else than Charles. But apparently, fears can make people think silly things... What he didn't expect was the touch and the press on his side. He could potentially get on his feet, he didn't need much help in that. But at the contact, he could feel something else.

"Ah..." It was gradual and warm. Edwin was familiar with the sensation. It was magic flowing through him. It was like he was empty or lacking and only by being in contact with something, someone that was bound to him, the emptiness was starting to fill up. "Charles," Edwin frowned when he realized it was coming from Charles. So this is what it felt like, to own a 'magical battery'. "I am fine, you do not need to do this," Edwin warned. Partly because they still didn't know what kind of effect it would have on Charles. But on him? Oh, it felt like bathing in warm water in the winter. Felt like a good meal after a long day of hunting. And Edwin understood why this was so appealing. His mind already went to all the spells in those spellbooks that were too powerful for him alone...

[just_aces]

He did sit back at that warning, head tilting as he regarded Edwin for a long moment, much the same way he would have in human form if Edwin was making the same insistence, probably while actively bleeding.

Though, really, that was more Charles' style than Edwin's. He did trundle to his feet a moment later, once he was sure that Edwin would do the same and either sit in the chair at the desk or move to the couch, just wandering off around the office once he had, partway keeping an eye on Edwin and partway just tracking the scents in the office, re-familiarizing himself with them, because despite it all he did have the good sense to wait for his own energy to stabilize again before changing back.

Which he did within a half hour, emerging from between the bookshelves with a fully-enamored, "Well that's mint." As he examined the bonds still encircling his wrists, honestly they reminded him of the stacked bangles his mother wore for special occasions, and he wasn't sure if Edwin was the one who had decided they should be decorative, or if that was just how the spell worked. It didn't even properly occur to him that he was the one who'd done that just through being delighted by them.

[uptightboy]

Edwin sat back at his desk, keen on reading up on magical energies and creatures that could lend them. Though, even if he felt Charles's energy for just a short time he could still tell it energized him in a way that could be addictive. They had to be careful about it, especially if Charles was affected. So, as usual, Edwin turned to research.

He barely looked up first from his book when Charles spoke, but he quickly turned all his attention to him. Edwin did not expect the cuffs to turn into such accessories. They suited Charles extremely well. Not that Edwin wasn't aware of Charles's love for jewelry but this was different...

"I suppose the bonds have to..." Edwin started to explain but he stopped immediately when he realized that not just the cuffs but the collar was also visible. Changed, of course, but it was around Charles's neck. For everybody to see. Edwin's collar. And the cuffs. Goodness.

[just_aces]

It was only when Edwin just stopped talking as if he'd somehow run out of words in the middle of his sentence that Charles actually paid attention, brow creasing slightly as he lifted his fingers to his neck, only then realizing that the collar was still in place as well, smaller than it had been, a sort of fine-linked mesh, like a band of decorative chain-mail as much as anything else, loose enough to sit at the base of his throat, but close enough that the pendant -still very much in evidence- rested tidily in the hollow between his collarbones.

It made him grin when he realized that was what had caught Edwin's attention enough to just stop talking, and he slowed his pace still further as he crossed the room, "You alright there, Edwin? Looking a little peaky."