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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[just_aces]

"Cold-storage cold?" He asked, jerking a thumb towards the bookshelves where the fully dead-end cases were kept, still accessible, but out of the way, "Or just bottom shelf cold?" He cocked his head towards the shelf that contained the ledgers of the past year and change's completed case files, but also had the more-recent cold case ledger as well. It was a movement that caused the scale edge of the collar to click softly, not quite the jingling of the bangles, but still soft and nearly musical all the same.

He slid from his perch, just bouncing once -because he could- as he landed, "Because I can handle the inventory, that'll keep me busy for at least an hour, and if you've got fresh eyes on cold cases, I can still answer questions while I do that."

[uptightboy]

"Cold-storage cold," Edwin repeated in a low voice. That box was the bane of his existence. Cases that eluded him were the most annoying things; so much so that Charles physically had to take the files from him and lock them up in an iron box to stop Edwin's stress about it. But the soft clicking of Charles's collar made him look at him again. Perfect, so it also gave a sound. Edwin couldn't wait to lose himself in cases a little. Not that because he didn't enjoy Charles's new upgrade but it was overwhelming.

With that he closed the books on his desk, and slipped the parchment of the binding spell into one of the drawers. He will sort it to its proper place later.

"Alright, do start with the inventory, I will take the files." He knew where the key for the box was after all, it was only taken from him when he was overly agitated.

[just_aces]

He clicked his tongue against the edge of his teeth as he leaned over to snag the memo pad from its file bin on the desk, "Got it." He replied even as he went rummaging through the cup next to it for his favorite pen, grinning when he caught hold of it, "Be back in a tick with the box."

It was the equivalent of an ammunition box, with a tea towel knotted around the handle so that it could be moved without actually injuring either of them, as the box being iron wasn't meant as an actual deterrent, just something to make them think twice before opening it, and it had worked so far.

Charles slipped off -still jingling faintly- to the other side of the office, sticking the memo pad in his back pocket and clipping the pin to his bracer strap where he could pop it off again as needed, careful in pulling the file box from its place, setting it gingerly on the desk, "Mind your fingers."

Box delivered he swung the games cupboard door open, wedging it easily once he had, "I'll work anti-clockwise from here." There weren't many places where supplies were stashed in the office, and starting in the cupboard would take care of the bulk of it.

[uptightboy]

"Thank you," Edwin nodded, taking the key from one of the hidden compartments of the desk, and carefully opened the box. Even if he would burn himself on the box, it didn't matter, but he learned to take care of himself because of Charles mostly. He got more upset about Edwin burning himself than the boy himself.

Placing the files on the desk, he picked one up, and opened his notebook too. Edwin started to work. He basically knew these cases by heart by now and he tried to solve them almost obsessively.

And even as he was working, he could still hear the jingle from Charles occasionally as he moved around. At first it was slightly annoying. But as time went on Edwin didn't even pay attention to it anymore. It was almost soothing.

[just_aces]

It probably helped the getting-used-to that it wasn't just the new jingling, but also the familiarity of Charles muttering to himself as he counted and made notes, and humming in a decidedly off-key fashion even though it was under his breath, though he did lean back around the open door to check on Edwin every few minutes, whenever he changed categories in his indexing, really, just to make sure he wasn't dangerously absorbed in the work, just the regular level.

Once he'd finished with the cupboard he swung the door closed again, "Mostly good, few things we're close to low on." He commented, "I'll get you the list when I've done the rest."

It was only partway through counting paper supplies on their proper shelf that he turned to ask: "Is floating market this week or next?"

[uptightboy]

Edwin was trying not to get himself worked up about the cases again. Because it was more humiliating to have Charles take them away than him not being able to solve them. Horrible to say that not many of those cases looked any different with the new knowledge he acquired. There was one or two he decided to seek consultation with the coven. The rest... had to go back into the box.

"That is perfect, Charles, thank you," Edwin looked up. Then sighed at the sight. Right, yes, getting used to it... yes. It was a process. But, it just occurred to him that they were back. Together. In their office. Working. A small smile pulled at his lips about it.

"The market is this week," he answered, taking the key of the iron box. "Shall we visit this Sunday? I suppose it is advisable if there is anything we are low on."

[just_aces]

"Yeah," he tapped one of the file boxes on the shelf, "running low on proper vellum, I know we don't use it often but better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Same with the blue ink and uhhh..." He checked over the list from the cabinet, "Oh, glassware, could always use more tincture bottles and test tubes even though we don't go through those too fast, definitely don't want to run out of them."

He gave a shrug, "Besides that, might just be nice to get out for a while, yeah? And if the junk shop's open we'll probably find something in there to add to the collection." Or at the very least to keep Charles busy with taking apart and putting back together later.

[uptightboy]

"Well, with the coven so close to us, it may also be productive to pick up some magic. So magic ingredients are going to be needed around more," Edwin remarks. And he does perk up about the junk shop because while he is not too keen on leaving the office, he liked that shop and collecting unique things. It was almost amusing to watch Charles tinker with them. Except when they explode, or when they accidentally free an angry pixie...

"But to be honest, Charles, I have spent too much time away from the office the past couple of weeks," Edwin remarked. "But I understand you wish to stretch your legs."

Now that Charles's nature was discovered, some things also made more sense. Dogs needed to be walked after all.

[just_aces]

"Yeah, we both have?" He gave a little shrug, "But it wasn't under our own power doing our own errands, yeah? It's different." Another easy smile, "We can make it a quick trip, though, pick up what we need and come right back."

He pointed with his pen towards the next shelf, "And magic ingredients inventory is next, have to keep them separate from the alchemy ingredients." Even though there was some crossover, and for the most part the alchemical ingredients stayed safe in the case until they were actively being used which usually kept them from interacting with any properly stored magical ingredients.

His brow creased a little, "Going to have to get you a proper caster's satchel, aren't we? If you're going to be doing more magic."

[uptightboy]

"Quite, a quick trip shall be it," Edwin nodded. He locked the iron box and pushed it toward Charles, in a silent 'that is enough of these'.

"I suppose an item like that shall be convenient, indeed," Edwin frowned as he was thinking about it. They have seen them being sold in the market, and some shops too. But never truly felt the need to fetch one until know. "There is also the question..." Edwin started. "We are bound now, and, well, your kind is also used to aid magic. There could be... issues with that." Namely that he didn't want to use Charles's powers without the boy agreeing to it.

[just_aces]

Charles nodded at the agreement, finishing up his inventory of the paper goods -and similar- before going to snag the file box and return it to its usual place, though he didn't immediately return to his inventory at Edwin's almost-question.

Though, of course, his concern was from the other side, not so much Edwin drawing off his energy -which he was happy to give- but more the judgement from outside parties that would come whether that was happening or not, which was why his nose wrinkled just a little, "Yeah, coven already thinks you just want me as a battery because that's what I was to someone else even though that's never been the case with us."

He barely managed to refrain from rolling his eyes, "None of their business if I help with a spell or two, is it? Nothing I wasn't already doing anyway." Though his prior help was generally along the lines of measuring ingredients or drawing the spell circles, not actually powering Edwin for it, "Besides, easier for me to help now I know I can, right?"

[uptightboy]

Edwin supposed that being a battery was the only reason someone would try and shackle a Hellhound. He started to suspect that their case was quite unique and thus there will be many eyes on them.

"I truly do not care what others think," Edwin assured . "It is not my concern in this. Only if they would try to interfere," he added, looking away for a moment. "I am more concerned about my own inexperience in this. I shall try not to hurt you but... I suppose I just want to warn you that I need to relearn how to use magic with you by my side. So I won't hurt you."

[just_aces]

For as slow as Charles sometimes was to pick up on things, Edwin's statement about not caring what others thought was enough on its own for him to realize just where Edwin's actual concern lay, and he couldn't help but smile when he confirmed as much, just nodding, "Right, so..." His brow furrowed, considering, lifting one hand to trail his thumb along the lower edge of the collar, which was, he realized something he'd been doing for the past few days when it was still the simple cord, something to help quiet his mind so he could gather his thoughts, only realizing belatedly that at the moment it was probably a distraction he dropped his hand again, hoisting himself up to perch on the side of the desk where he usually did.

"So, I think, when I'm still..." A loose, one-handed gesture at himself, something that did cause the bangles to chime briefly, though he was determined to ignore that at the moment and continue on so as not to let Edwin get distracted and that was definitely something he was going to have to figure out later, "like this, it'll be easier for me to keep myself to myself? Not let you draw any off, or even if I can't, I'll at least be able to say when I feel it, right? So it's just going to take practice, for me to be able to warn you when you're doing it and for you to be able to tell the difference like."

[uptightboy]

Edwin went terribly still once again when Charles was playing with the collar in mid-thought. He wondered if he was truly getting used to it, or if he was getting worse about it. And taken Charles could manipulate the appearance of it made Edwin wonder that he might have to start again with each new design. Perfect.

"Quite," Edwin nodded. "It will take practice, and I wanted to issue a warning about it." Considering now easy it was to draw power just by touch. "It is something we need to mind from here on."

Trust was the base of their relationship, and Edwin trusted Charles with everything he was and everything he had. And if he hurt him because of a spell he could not bear it. Even if it didn't happen before, and it may never happen, but Edwin was always thinking of the worst case scenario.

[just_aces]

He reached over to press a curled knuckle to that drawn spot between Edwin's brows, just a gentle, steady pressure before lifting his hand away, "Nope, none of that. I know that look, that's the 'thinking of how things could go wrong' look. We're not going to do that today, right?" If Edwin wanted to let him know what any of those thoughts were he'd do his best to assuage them, but he also wasn't going to ask outright, because sometimes Edwin just needed to think them and let them go on his own.

He patted Edwin's shoulder then, sliding off the desk and picking up the memo pad again, "Going to go inventory the spell ingredients and then I'll bring the lists back. Maybe we can practice a couple small charms? Re-up the wards on the lintel?" The wards above the door usually worked for keeping anyone that meant harm out, any violent intentions. Of course, they didn't account for things like being followed through the mirror, or the one time a lesser imp had gotten in through the window, and the wards probably didn't need to be recharged yet, but it would be a low-power application of Edwin's skills to give them a better idea if -or how quickly- he was drawing off Charles' energy.

[uptightboy]

Edwin blinked up at Charles as he physically pointed out his stress. His frown may have lightened but his pout stayed. If anyone could read him that was definitely Charles. How could he not fall in love?

"I shall try not to think too much ahead," he agreed with a sigh.

At the mention of the charms his gaze indeed fell on the door in thought.

"That is a brilliant idea, Charles," he agreed. He opened his mouth to say they should maybe change them even, to maybe a stronger one. But in the end he quickly got rid of that thought. It would be better to start with spells that he knew how they feel. Then move on to other ones. "Very well, tell me when you are done. We shall waste no time."

[just_aces]

"Aces." He replied with another easy smile, sliding off his perch, "Won't be a mo." Mostly the magical ingredients tended to be the easiest to inventory because Edwin was meticulous about keeping them properly packaged and labeled.

It really was only a few minutes before he'd returned both with the completed lists and with the supplies they'd need to re-work the entryway wards, setting both on the desk even as he said: "Already knocked these off the inventory." He clicked his tongue against the edge of his teeth, giving an exaggerated wink and tapping a curled knuckle against his own temple, "Thinking ahead. Sometimes I manage it."

[uptightboy]

Edwin let his lips pull into a fond smile. Charles was smart and he still didn't believe it. It was a shame. Though he knew better than to mention it.

He looked over the list first, just a quick look to know what to expect. Then the ingredients they needed. Sandalwood powder, talons of birds of prey and pine resin.

"Perfect, maybe the range could also be extended if we renew it before it expires," Edwin muttered, looking over to the window for a moment. That stupid imp surprised them quite a bit... "Well then?" Edwin scooped up the ingredients and stood up to go to the door where the original ward was placed. "Fetch me the Guide of Magical Talismans and Blood Magic." One of the strangest books they had, even Edwin was amused by it.

[just_aces]

"Right, book." He replied with a wry little twist of his mouth, darting off to the bookshelf, "It's one of the little square ones with the arsenic-green covers, yeah?" He was running a finger along the edge of the shelf to track titles as he scanned them in case he was wrong about the size and the color, "And were you thinking extending into the office or out into the hall?"

Both amused him for different reasons, because the thought of someone with ill intentions being stuck at the top of the stairs, unable to advance to the door that was right there was one thing, but keeping themselves safe if someone who hadn't had ill-intentions to start with suddenly flipped when they were already in the office could only be a good thing, too.

[uptightboy]

"That book, exactly," Edwin nodded as he walked across the office, to the door. The ward was hanging on the doorframe, facing the inside of the room. Edwin remembered when they hastily put it up the very first time after some poltergeist believed it could still return to this abandoned place. Ever since then it served them good.

"I was thinking lining the walls with its protection," Edwin answered as he took the small bundle and opened it, to look inside. The ingredients were starting to turn into ash but they still looked intact. Edwin felt the warmth as the spell was still pretty much working. "Meaning, nothing should be able to come through the walls and window either," he added. Of course that still didn't protect from mirror invaders but apparently now they could find a charm that may work on mirrors too.

[just_aces]

He grinned outright at the fact that he'd gotten it right, and it was only a moment before he snatched the book off the shelf crossing back over to the desk, "Into the walls is probably a good idea, more of a..." He hummed, considering, head tilting from side to side for a moment, "Barricade, I guess, than just a vault door."

He mulled that over for a moment before adding, "Or would it be better to do one for the door and one for the window so they can each cover half the office?" That way they wouldn't have to overtax one and potentially need to replace it sooner, though it would mean going through the construction twice at the moment instead of once.

[uptightboy]

"A barricade, precisely," Edwin agreed. Though as he stood there by the door, looking at the opened talisman in his hand he fell silent. It was indeed logical to do one for the window too, rather than expand the one on the door. "Then, I advise we shall let this one run its course, and create a new one for the window." Edwin decided and bundled the ingredients back up again, letting them hang by the door. "Bring me a piece of string and cut a piece from the sheets for a new talisman, Charles, please," he requested and put the ingredients down the desk again. Then he reached for the book, flipping it through it for the spell.

[just_aces]

There was another small smile at that agreement, he was two for two in getting things right and that was enough to have warmth budding in his chest again and he nodded at the request, snagging the scissors from the pen cup on the desk before moving to get both string and a strip of sheeting from the supplies in the cabinet -those particular items covered magic, alchemical and general, so they were where there was the most space- humming to himself as he emerged, coiling both sheet and string in a careful, loose loop, setting them both on the desk and returning the scissors to their place.

He stretched his fingers then, "You want I should just stay out of the way like usual? Let you know if I feel anything different?"

[uptightboy]

With a quiet 'thank you' Edwin took the piece of sheeting in his hand reading through the spell. It wasn't like he hadn't done this a few times before but this is the first time with Charles's powers out in the open and their new bond. He wanted this to be perfect.

Before this Edwin didn't exactly mind if his spells weren't perfect as long as they worked. He taught himself magic on necessity and not because he wanted to be a witch or a wizard. It was for protection. But now he had someone depending on him who was sensitive to magic... it had to be perfect. For the first time Edwin was quite jealous of those young witches in the coven, receiving guidance for their magic.

"Yes, let us proceed as usual and see how it works," Edwin nodded, sending a look at Charles. "I will start in then, and let me know whatever is different," he warned. He was slow repeating the words of the spell and even slower putting the little bundle together. He felt the magic work through his fingers, trying to find leverage in his flesh but there was none. Edwin expected this, as always, and tried to stir it without losing much energy. It didn't feel all that different from the previous times he had done this.

[just_aces]

"Yeah, easy." He took a half step away from the desk, lurking just in line of sight as he usually did, not that he'd had to yank Edwin away from magic that was starting to warp probably since the first few attempts at it, but he was still always prepared to just in case.

He chewed briefly at the inside of his cheek as he felt whatever thread of power it was in him that was now tied to Edwin wanting to press forward and assist, but he was able to keep a damper on it for the time being, to keep it right where it was, and likewise he had enough sense to know that he definitely wouldn't have been able to hold it back if he was in hound form, and that was something they'd have to work out later.

Likewise he wasn't sure how long he could hold it back, or if it would be harder to do so with something that took more power than a simple warding charm that Edwin had performed a number of times at that point and had practice at.