Random Oneshots Pt. 2

Charles x Edwin: {Fight or Flight} [F]

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  Charles could feel this ache within his chest as he looked through the mirror to his parents. He could feel his eyes tear up as he looked at them happily cuddling as if he had never been part of their family. They were happy without him, and it looked as if his mother was quite happy as well, that was enough to make his heart happy. They were never fighting when he checked, and his visits were pretty frequent, considering how Edwin would only look at his books and notes and letting Charles go off by himself after a case to relax. Charles would always, without fail, return right to Edwin after ten minutes or so, anyway.

  They had time for themselves, within the eternity of their existence, though, it would be miniscule compared to how much time they've spent together. Alone, or with others. Still, their closeness seemed to only ever grow if it was changing.

  With Crystal away, Niko gone, Jenny in America, and Charlie busy in the afterlife's office. They have all the time to themselves. Charles relished in their time alone now that they've got it again, as much as he had missed the other three. His heart still felt heavy when he thought back to Niko, and he knows it's been hanging over his best mate, as well.

  Still, Charles could feel himself get pulled back into the Devlin's Case when he closes his eyes and pretend to sleep. To drift into nothingness and to just clock out and float around within the void of his head. It was starting to become one of his favourite pastimes, but yet, always seemed to be ruined by some nightmare. It could be about his father, about Edwin being dragged back to Hell, Edwin leaving him all alone. After these visits within his own head, Charles would find himself waking up shaky, and hope that Edwin doesn't see him, but yet hoped that Edwin was around so that he would be sure that the older was still here. With him.

  His hopes had been blessed upon, because Edwin had never caught him shaken up, tears in his eyes, and ready to lash out with his bat, grabbing for his bag of tricks before realizing he wasn't where he had thought he was and calmed himself. And Edwin was there, and by miraculous timing, he'd always show up into the room mere moments later after Charles could collect himself.

  Charles could remember exactly what had happened within Devlin's house, how he had let himself cry silently to Crystal because he'd rather pour his shameful emotions to someone he treasured, but not enough so that he'd be ashamed to show his weakness to. Someone he was okay with disappointing with his wreckless self and would be okay with leaving as long as it wasn't Edwin.

  It had guilted him, to have thought less about Crystal than he did Edwin, but still, he knew he couldn't be blamed for thinking that way. He wanted to protect Edwin, from anything that would harm him, and that also meant himself.

  When he had gone out of the room, shaky, Edwin had asked him if he was alright. Worry lacing his voice, and it was like a hammer taking a small crack at Charles' heart, little, but still as painful as any other scars that had been left on his physical back or on his metaphorical heart. He doesn't want to make Edwin worry.

  "It's nothing, mate, 'm aces." Charles pinched at his eyes, giving himself a moment before turning his body to then look at Edwin's worried expression. He hates it. He doesn't want Edwin to worry, or to have to see him that way.

  After all, he's the one who's supposed to protect.

  Since Port Townsend, things had changed significantly. Rather than going off by himself after cases, he stuck to Edwin. He didn't want to take the chance of looking away or staying far from the older ghost unless it was within the radius of their office. He had to take extra precautions, be it the way Edwin had been pulled back into Hell by that baby monster, or because of Edwin's screams that haunted him from Esther's house. Either way, both images of Edwin in either of those places, stuck in his mind.