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]

He could feel that surge in the bonds, not necessarily an additional weight -though something like it- or a tightening -though something like that as well- but definitely noticeable, which was why he shook his head, "Oi, hey, ease up." He uncurled his fingers from Edwin's hip, lifting that hand to cradle Edwin's cheek in turn, giving another small smile as he swept his thumb along the line of Edwin's cheekbone as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "Easy, I know you don't have that much energy to spare."

He lifted his arm, giving it a little jostle so that Edwin could see that the bangles were very much still in place, "M'right here, all still intact. Nobody but nobody's taking me anywhere, yeah?" If he'd still had any doubts about Edwin wanting to keep him close, that was more than enough to obliterate them, "I'm yours, Edwin."

[uptightboy]

Even if Charles had his hands on him the whole time, the touch on his cheek startled Edwin. It was so warm and so reassuring, his chest almost burst. With trembling lips he nuzzled into Charles's palm, letting his shoulders relax. He did look bashful, he is not used to show such fierce emotions but the memory of the absence of Charles still hurt like an open wound.

His gaze dropped to the bangles, now charged with his magic. Then he reached for them, running his trembling fingers over them to feel them. He missed Charles so much. He loved him so much... And Charles telling him he was his was everything he could wish for.

"I just missed you," Edwin whispered. He did feel the effects of that surge of magic but it was still better than the emptiness he'd felt the past few days. "Charles, I missed you."

[just_aces]

He settled a little closer, straightening where he was sitting, gently catching Edwin's wrist to place that hand at the base of his throat where Edwin could touch the collar instead, likewise more fully charged at the moment, "Missed you too, even when..." A little shake of his head, "Even when I thought the worst. Still missed you." He was pretty sure he'd missed Edwin even more acutely when he'd started making sure Edwin couldn't follow him easily.

"But you found me." Whether by accident or if he'd been following the pull of their bonds without fully realizing it, "You found me and you came for me and you brought me home." He pressed his hand flat against Edwin's, trapping Edwin's hand between his palm and his throat, expression earnest and determined, his whole focus on Edwin at the moment, "And we're not getting separated again, yeah?"

[uptightboy]

Edwin's thumb stroked over the collar, brushing Charles's skin with it too. It felt a little forbidden, for some reason, even with the boy holding his hand there. What does it say about him that even in his lowest he could still be distracted by that bloody collar? With his crest on it. The clearest symbol of who owned Charles. Something Edwin felt more possessive about than he realized.

"No. Never again," Edwin agreed. There was no other option for them anymore. He raised his eyes to look into Charles's face, wiping the tears from his cheeks. "Rest now, or... if you need to feed, tell me."

[just_aces]

"I should, yeah, but let's tidy up in here first. That way we can just take it easy when we get back like." Putting things back to rights in the office so that coming back with his energy back up would feel more like a homecoming for them both, then they could both settle in to research on how to ward the office without Charles being bounced off of them as he had been before.

Though, as he'd helped with the one that covered the window side of the office, he could, probably, get through that one, and if it really was just a matter of having his magic woven into the wards themselves so they recognized him, that was a simple enough fix. Time-consuming, certainly, but still simple.

"But that also means I've got to let you up." Not that he was necessarily holding Edwin down, just keeping Edwin's hand pressed to his throat, the other hand still resting at Edwin's hip, certainly easy enough to pull away from if he wanted to, and Charles was thankful that it seemed Edwin didn't want to move any more than Charles wanted to let him go even if it was for the purpose of straightening up the office.

[uptightboy]

"Ah, yes..." Edwin muttered, blinking at Charles. Usually he was the one advocating for the tidiness of the office but right now he couldn't really give a damn about it. "Quite," he cleared his throat. Suddenly all the places they were touching burned his skin in the sweetest way.

"Just a tick," he said, trying to collect himself. His fingertips were pressed against Charles's collar and throat, making Edwin want to cry for a different reason than before. It would be so easy to just lean in and press a kiss on Charles's lips. But that would definitely violate something between them, Edwin thought. Charles was his but his heart was someone else's. "We should also let Crystal know what happened," Edwin said, partly for himself to sober up. He needed to stop acting like those girls on romance novel covers. "She is worried."

And with a last tap on Charles's collar, Edwin attempted to step back, getting out of that hold.

[just_aces]

"She did give me a proper lecture already, then I fell asleep on her rug, and then you came to get me and didn't immediately come back looking for me again, so I think she's smart enough to figure out that it worked."

He shrugged, though he did let Edwin step away when what he really wanted to do was snake a hand up against the back of his neck to pull him into a kiss and he was going to have to puzzle out where that instinct came from later, "But should probably let her know for sure, yeah, and if we're going up to the university so I can get something to eat, it'd only be polite if we bought her lunch for the trouble, you know?"

He was pretty sure they owed her a lot more than that, if she'd been the one thing mostly keeping Edwin on the rails for the past few days, but something to eat was a good start.

He rolled to his own feet as Edwin stepped back, keeping his hold of Edwin's hand for as long as he could, just letting his own touch trail away as he so often did, "Right. You take care of the desk, I'll get the books sorted and we can work out next steps from there?"

[uptightboy]

"She was worried about you too," Edwin insisted quietly. He nodded at the idea of buying Crystal lunch. She could afford her own, though, but probably the thought that counted more here. That they were together again and could go out. Everything was as it should be.

His fingers trembled as Charles let his hand go, still wanting to hold on. His ears were ringing, and his thoughts were racing. Yes, cleaning. That always helped to calm him. He told Charles he missed him, he held him for hours. He got Charles back and yet it all still seemed like a dream. Despite the fact that ghosts had never slept... Edwin once again checked on the bonds, feeling them as if he hadn't just done that a few minutes before. Why did none of that feel enough? Edwin licked his lips, looking up at Charles wondering if there was anything he could say or do to finally make his body move. To the desk. He needed to tidy the desk.

Was he this afraid? That he was now unable to do anything? Was he panicking again?

"Right, small steps," Edwin sighed, looking away.

[just_aces]

Charles nodded, though he hadn't yet moved away either, and was pretty sure he could feel Edwin's reluctance to do so almost as if it were his own. Which was why instead of actually stepping back to go set about collecting the scattered books to put them away he did just lift a hand to Edwin's cheek, not even hesitating before dipping in to press a quick kiss to Edwin's mouth.

Sure, he was probably going to get another dressing-down for impetuous behavior, but he couldn't not do it right then, it hadn't just been an impulse but an actual imperative. He let out a shaky breath, brow still resting against Edwin's, hand still cradling his cheek, voice tentative and unsure when he asked: "Alright then?" He was bracing himself for a recoil and a reprimand at the very least, but not about to back away himself, or even regret having done it.

[uptightboy]

Edwin turned his head as he felt the touch on his cheek. He was so out of it that he didn't really realize what was going on. Then he felt the soft touch on his lips. He froze. It was over before he could even react. But the hand on his cheek and Charles still holding him reassured him that what he just felt had indeed happened.

He didn't need air but he took a gasp, his thoughts... were not racing. Maybe his mouth did open to say something, maybe demand an explanation or reprimand Charles about making jokes like that.

And then he dared to ask 'alright, then' and Edwin felt... annoyed? Relieved? In love? Afraid? Whatever it was, it made him grab onto Charles' shirt and pull him back for another kiss. It wasn't just a peck, it was a demand. A desperate call for the boy's bluff. Because he wasn't about to take this joke without a fight. And maybe, just maybe Edwin also wanted to feel, maybe for the last time, how it was to kiss Charles Rowland.

[just_aces]

That was... well it was definitely not the reaction Charles had been expecting, not by half, which meant that it took him a moment to actually catch up to the reality and be able to kiss back with the same fervor, his other hand lifting as well to cradle Edwin's face between his palms, leaning into the kiss even as he stroked along the other boy's cheekbones with his thumbs, fingers tracing the shell of Edwin's left ear reflexively.

He didn't need to breathe, but it still felt like all the air had been knocked out of his lungs, making a faint, needy sound in the back of his throat, some kind of realization starting to sink in, that it wasn't only that he'd missed Edwin, but had missed all the things that could have been, and wasn't about to take chances on not doing things he wanted to do, now.

One hand dropped from Edwin's cheek to catch at his hip again, tugging him close even though Edwin didn't seem like he was going to try and get away any time soon, steering him backwards carefully towards the desk until he actually got Edwin backed up against the edge of it.

[uptightboy]

Charles still didn't pull away. He still didn't stop... but he kissed back. He was still kissing Edwin, and this felt new but something that was so overdue. The touches felt new, but something Edwin had experienced before. This was new but not... new.

It was like a dance. One step forward, two steps back. Edwin barely felt the desk against his hip as he couldn't stop kissing Charles. This was quite different from anything he had thought about kissing, and yet it was everything. It felt right...! He still wasn't sure what was happening but he was too weak to stop it. He was too weak to stop and ask when he could just continue kissing. Because this was happening and for questions he needed to take his lips off of Charles.

Edwin slid his arms around Charles's torso, pulling him tight to his body. His hands were fisting in the boy's shirt once again, desperately. He knew Charles won't leave, that was clear, he just wasn't sure if he wasn't pulling away.

[just_aces]

Charles wasn't about to pull away, and something fiercely protective, even possessive surged in his chest when Edwin dragged him closer still. He didn't even hesitate in bending just enough to hoist Edwin up onto the edge of the desk where he usually perched -and if he had noticed even in the chaos that spot was still kept clear he didn't do so consciously- and that put Edwin slightly taller than him once more, which was as it should be so far as he was concerned.

Mostly Charles was being reminded that he really did like kissing, it had just been so long since he'd been able to feel it properly that he'd started to forget that part.

He grinned into the kiss, hands having settled at Edwin's thighs as he'd insinuated himself between Edwin's knees when perching him on the desk, and he just squeezed with both hands, somehow managing to find his voice, "So that's a yeah then? S'alright?"

[uptightboy]

Edwin took a sharp, useless breath as he felt Charles help him on the desk. He was so close and suddenly Edwin was more aware that Charles had a body. And he... while being a spirit, he also had a body that could feel the other's.

His thighs fell apart way too easily as Charles moved between them. And as far as Edwin was concerned he belonged there... And when he felt Charles squeeze them, he jumped. Jumped! His hands were still holding onto the boy, while their lips were inches apart. If Charles had a breath Edwin could feel it. And maybe he felt it... But he was too busy catching up with his thoughts that stopped for the last few minutes while he tried to commit Charles's taste to memory.

"Yea- yes, yes..." Edwin stuttered, his lips pulling into a nervous smile for a second. "Charles, what are you doing?"

[just_aces]

Charles drew back just far enough to actually be able to see Edwin's face, lifting both hands to cradle it between his palms once more, thumbs stroking along Edwin's cheekbones like he had the first time, but as he didn't actually know how to answer that question, he said as much, "I... don't think I've got an answer to that."

He pressed another quick kiss to Edwin's mouth, now that he'd started he didn't really want to stop, even to figure out why, but they both deserved at least a moment to think about it so they could determine how to proceed, and what he came to was: "Just feels like it's something I should have done ages ago." A little shake of his head, still keeping pressed close, "Like, as soon as we knew we weren't going to be taken to the Lost & Found, I think. I just didn't see it then."

[uptightboy]

Edwin felt like he was melting into Charles's touches. He let out a trembling breath as he felt those hands on his cheek. He didn't mind the kisses. The only thing about them was that he would rather have continued kissing than talking...

"Charles," Edwin whispered. He closed his eyes for a second nodding as Charles talked. His hands were sliding on his shoulders, feeling him. As if he wasn't allowed to touch him, which was not true. Edwin was allowed to touch but not like this. One of his hands sneaked further, a finger sliding to the collar once again, feeling it, then feeling the crest. Then his finger was sneaking under the collar to feel the skin under it. "Goodness..." he swallowed.

"I wanted to kiss you all the time," Edwin said in a breathless smile. "I- wished to kiss you when I found you, I... can barely believe...." he arched his back to press more against Charles. Then he leaned in to kiss him again.

[just_aces]

He'd been about to ask if Edwin wanted him to stop, but then those elegant fingers were dipping under the collar, and he was pretty sure if he still had a pulse it would have been racing, and hard, because that touch felt warm, left his skin tingling in its wake, and before Charles could actually ask anything, Edwin was kissing him again, and that was better, because that meant he didn't have to think, or question himself, because that was proof that Edwin was absolutely alright with what was happening.

He made a happy noise in the back of his throat, one hand sliding from Edwin's cheek around to cradle the back of his head gently even as he replied to that kiss in kind, keeping himself pressed close as Edwin arched against him like that. He broke the kiss only just far enough to catch at Edwin's lower lip with his teeth, one teasing press, the tip of his tongue sweeping along the trapped skin before releasing it and diving into the kiss more hungrily.

[uptightboy]

If Charles had asked Edwin if he wanted to continue, there was a chance that he would have said no. Not because he didn't want to but because he was still so startled about all this. Charles was kissing him, and touching him, and he was so close, closer than ever and Edwin thought he could handle anything but apparently... there was this thing that was happening. Handling it would require talking, right? To stop kissing. To stop being so close. But Edwin spent the last five days without Charles, without knowing where he was or what he was doing, he wasn't about to let him go.

The bite caught him off guard so much, that his whole body froze at the electric shock that traveled through him. The sound he gave was... new, even to his ears. Too desperate. His hand on Charles's neck is still steady, still feeling the collar.

Edwin wasn't sure what possessed him to pull away from Charles's lips because he loved to feel them against his. But suddenly, the thought of feeling Charles's neck under his lips was more intriguing. He kissed down his chin to his neck, sighing as he felt the warmth against his lips. Right until he kissed the collar itself.

[just_aces]

Charles very nearly purred at the noise Edwin made, pleased in ways he couldn't describe that he'd managed to catch his partner by surprise like that, that he was even able to do so after having known each other so long.

But then Edwin was moving again and all Charles could do was let his head roll back, making a garbled sound of his own at the trail of half-searing little marks Edwin was leaving down his neck, because that was definitely not something he'd expected, Edwin being that bold, or that possessive, and he wasn't sure which of the two it was that was making his head swim so pleasantly, but he wasn't going to argue it, either.

The hand at the back of Edwin's head just slid higher into his hair as Edwin moved, the other hand curling against his shoulder, squeezing, half-kneading there because he couldn't not hold on, keeping Edwin pressed close.

[uptightboy]

There surely was something possessive about it. As Edwin kissed Charles's neck, as if he could taste him. And maybe he could. But there definitely was warmth. Then cold, when he returned to the collar, the bane of his existence if he was honest. He could barely believe he was allowed to do such hideous things to it.

"Are you proud wearing my collar, Charles?" Edwin asked quietly, tilting his head to look back at his friend. He wasn't asking to make sure, he wanted Charles to say it. Because everything was a little risky right now. But just as Charles said Edwin had the scare of his afterlife about losing Charles again, it made him a little... bold. A little too eager to hold on tighter, with claws.

[just_aces]

His brow furrowed a little, blinking blearily as he lifted his head to meet Edwin's eyes again, trying to actually process what he'd just said, but a warm, open smile bloomed into place once the question had settled and he gave Edwin's shoulder another squeeze, "Yes."

There was no actual hesitation in the answer, no hint of being unsure at all, because he was proud of it. It wasn't the kind of indication of claim he would have thought of himself, he'd have gone for matching bracelets maybe, pins more than likely, but he wasn't ashamed of it at all.

He lifted his hand from Edwin's shoulder to his cheek again, leaning up to nudge his brow against Edwin's once more, voice little more than a murmur between them, "Circumstances could've been better, sure, but I ain't never once regretted the collar."

[uptightboy]

That smile made Edwin's heart rush even more than the kisses and the touches. He let out a sigh hearing that 'yes', relieved and excited. Because goodness, he loved to have it on Charles. He loved to see it and touch it, and loved knowing that Charles liked to have it and that he liked to belong to him...

His eyes fluttered shut as he took the hand on his cheek and pressed it more to his cheek as he listened to Charles. Edwin let out a breathy, soft chuckle. He did agree, it wasn't exactly ideal but he let himself feel a little selfish about it and liked the sight of the collar.

"I'm glad," Edwin whispered, turning his head to kiss Charles's palm. "I'm so happy, Charles," he added, finally opening his eyes to look at the other. Then he took his hand and slowly guided it lower on his body. He wanted to show just how happy he was, exactly. Maybe to bring it home for both of them and to give Charles a chance to realize what Edwin also meant about loving him. It may have been too bold, even scandalous by Edwin's standards. But this was nothing compared to what he had felt the past few days. They had all the time in the world and yet, Edwin found himself unable to wait.

[just_aces]

He couldn't help but smile at that kiss to his palm, the soft laugh that had preceded it, "And you like seeing it." It wasn't a question, he knew as much, especially with the way Edwin had touched it with a sort of reverence.

Charles had never actually intended to take that long to get himself sorted out, but then his true nature had surfaced and everything had been thrown out of balance and the fact that Edwin very clearly wanted to keep him close, to keep him just in general, was the one point of stability he'd had during the whole process, and Charles had almost been stupid enough to throw that away.

He wasn't going to let himself think about what could have happened, not when what was happening was much closer to what he actually wanted. His brow lifted a little at Edwin's moving his hand, but the smile tilted to something almost hungry, and the hand still on Edwin's thigh gave another, slower squeeze, thumb running along the inseam of Edwin's trousers, just watching his face for any indication that this wasn't welcome.

[uptightboy]

Edwin licked his lips. He knew he was an open book to Charles, and knowing that he clocked his feelings about the collar was still embarrassing. He felt a ghostly blush creep to his cheeks when Charles so cheekily reminded him.

But his smile turned into something more focused, something almost feral as he felt Charles's finger move. His body trembled from the effort to not to move into it to get more. Instead, all he did was giving a slow nod with wide eyes.

"Charles, I..." he started, feeling brave but hearing his own desperate voice he hesitated. "I love you and I... also..." he swallowed. "I want you."

[just_aces]

That smile was still just as sunny as ever, even despite the decidedly hungry edge to it even as he gave another squeeze, the hand on Edwin's thigh moving higher, keeping his movements slow and steady, not wanting to startle Edwin at all or move too quickly, wanting to savor this.

He did, however, disentangle his other hand from Edwin's, catching gently at his chin to lean in for another kiss, nibbling at his lower lip once more before making himself draw back far enough to actually speak, "Good thing that I love you and want you too, then, innit?"

Yes, he was being his usual cheeky self, but he also meant it, which was why he just pressed himself a little closer into the spread of Edwin's legs, something that left him pressed just that much more closely, bringing one knee forward against the side of the desk to keep himself balanced. The hand on Edwin's hip had made it up to his thigh at that point, giving another gentle squeeze there, while the other one drifted from Edwin's chin to press flat against his chest, fingers drumming lightly there, voice having dipped a little as he asked: "What do you want me to do, Edwin? Where d'you want me to start?"