#and 2) because Trystan got it for MC

[yourqueenb]

As always, I think this could be better, but I can really see what they were going for here. I feel like they almost had it, but something about it is a little off

[jerzwriter]

A Sparkling Holiday

It's their first Christmas together, and Trystan and Carolina are bringing in traditions from their past, and starting some new ones of their own.

Book: Crimes of Passion (post Book 2) Pairing: Trystan Thorne x F!MC (Carolina Rose) Rating: Teen Words: 945 A/N: Participating in @choicesficwriterscreations Holidays 2023, @choicesholidays it sort of fits "But it's tradition..." @choicesdecember2023 Christmas Thank you for the prompt @inlocusmads. I just loved writing this! I hope you enjoy it, too!

Full Masterlist | CoP Masterlist | Holiday Fics Masterlist

With the workday behind her, Carolina sat back on her couch with a cup of coquito in hand and numerous cardboard boxes surrounding her. Her sweater was covered with bits of silver tinsel, and her smile radiated just as brightly with each ornament she removed. Christmastime. She had a love/hate relationship with the season ever since her father was killed. But she promised that she’d focus on the positive long ago. Not only would he have wanted that, but despite her sometimes hardened exterior, there was light inside of Carolina Rose that fought to shine no matter what life threw her way. If asked, she’d deny its existence, but those who knew her best saw it as clear as day... and one of those people just entered the room.

Having Trystan in her life made finding the magic in the holiday season much easier. A year ago, she would have chastised herself for the stupid grin she wore as she watched him placing his box of decorations beside her. They decided to let the pros decorate his big, fancy apartment, but Carolina’s place was another story.   They'd decorate it together, with items from each of their pasts and a few new things they had chosen.

“What have you got there?” Trystan smiled as he sat next to her.

“It’s a Teddy bear that doubles as a Christmas tree ornament. I bought it for my father at the school bazaar when I was in third grade.”

Trystan took the weathered pale blue bear with a loose button eye from her hands and looked it over carefully.

“I know he’s seen better days,” Carolina apologized. “But he means so much to me.”

Trystan tugged at the string on the button, pulling the eye back into place.

“If you can get me a needle, I’d be happy to fix it. Not that he needs fixing. He's perfect as is.”

“He is?” she queried skeptically.

“Of course! Things that are loved are always beautiful. Take you, for example; you’re simply exquisite... because you’re so loved.”

She threw her arms around his neck with a boisterous laugh. “Trystan Thorne! Are you saying I’m beautiful because you love me?”

“Was my name mentioned anywhere in that sentence? While I love you immensely, you were already well-loved when I came into your life. I can’t take full credit.”

She ran her hand through his hair, mindlessly twirling a long lock around her finger. “And what about you? Are you this gorgeous due to how much I love you?”

“Of course,” he teased. “I was a hideous beast until you came into my life.”

“Not quite,” she grinned. Leaning forward, she took his lips into a soft, lingering kiss, and when she broke free, she decided she must have another. Trystan was too happy to oblige, but she pulled away with a smile when he went in for a third.

“That’s enough, your highness! If we keep this up, there won’t be any decorating this evening... and I, for one, am quite anxious to see what you’ve brought.”

“Well, nothing will compare to this adorable little bear....”

“That goes without saying,” she teased, “but what do you have in your box of Drakovian Christmas magic? Barbed wire? A venomous snake or two?”

“You peeked!” He clutched his chest in mock horror.

“Nope. It’s just a given!”

If Carolina had any thoughts she could be wrong, they were dismissed when Trystan opened his macabre assortment. She was speechless but gasped at one item in particular.

“Is that...please tell me that’s not a skull!”

“It’s not a skull,” he deadpaned. “At least not a real one, just a quality replica. Using the real thing was banned in the early 20th Century.”

“What? Why do you have a skull amongst your Christmas decorations?”

“Because it is a decoration. Every home in Drakovia has one.”

The look of horror in her eyes told him further explanation was necessary.

“It’s a replica of one of my ancestor’s skulls. King Yorick.”

“Please tell me that’s a joke... you did not have a King Yorkick!”

“Nah,” Trystan laughed. “It was King Vyacheslav. I just nicknamed him Yorick because... you know... Hamlet.”

“Yes. I may not have had the best education, but we did cover Hamlet. But why does his skull adorn every Christmas tree in Drakovia?”

“Because unlike most of our monarchs, he was known for his kindness and good deeds. At the holidays, he ensured every child in the kingdom had a gift under their tree.”

“And to commemorate his kindhearted nature... you put a replica of his skull on your trees each year.”

“Precisely.”

She shook her head with a sigh. “Trystan, I will never understand your people.”

“That’s all right,” he agreed. “Neither will I.”

They sifted through the box, through the black feathers, miniature swords, and a few items Carolina was afraid to ask about, and then Trysten suddenly shut the lid.

“What are you doing?” She asked.

“Putting this away. We can start a new tradition... using my childhood Christmas decorations for Halloween. I much prefer the items we purchased this year.”

He pulled two ornaments out of a paper shopping bag. “See! Barbie and Ken, in all their pink majesty. This is more fitting for our tree!”

“I have to agree with you there,” she nodded. “And they’ll make great playmates for my little bear!”

They removed all the new ornaments one by one... each more sparkly and glittery than the last... then they took out one last thing... their bright, golden star purchased on a walk through the Union Square Holiday Market.

“Do you want to put it on, or shall I?” Trystan asked.

“New tradition. I say we always do it together."

"I can agree to that," he said, holding her hand as she rose on her tiptoes to place the star on the tallest branch of the tree.

Carolina stood before the tree, her face aglow with childlike wonder.

"It's beautiful," she cooed.

Trystan reached out, brushed his hand along her chin, and turned her face toward him. "It is," he smiled. "Absolutely beautiful."

~~~~

That got much more schmaltzy and gooey than I anticipated, but they deserve it! (And I deserve the coquito! lol)

Thank you for reading!

Tagging separately.

[the-unconquered-queen]

What are some Choices books that you feel if they came out today, they’d probably be single LI books? Because I've given it some thought and I'd say some of them might have been:

The Royal Romance: Would have absolutely been a Liam-only book (I’ve talked about this a bunch in the past), so you’d end up marrying the heir to the throne, Liam/Lia instead, and honestly it would’ve probably worked out better for the writers in the long run if they were only going for a specific narrative instead of trying to force the one-arc-fits-all thing most players have complained about in the series at some point.

Ride-or-Die: Not only is MC’s attraction to Logan something that sets off the story, but I also can’t imagine Colt or Mona being love interests following how modern books are. Don’t know what f!Logan would be called, though.

Save the Date: I mentioned this once before, but I think it would’ve been a Justin book which would’ve leaned harder into a “forbidden romance”, but I imagine this book having come out in their affairs era because it would have been the epitome of the stuff PB loved back then: an LI who’s MC’s “boss” and also I maintain that they would’ve made Justin/Justine the one having the wedding, and of course you’d end up breaking them and their fiancée up, so there’s that other component PB was obsessed with. But since that wave of books seems to have ended (abated?), then the engagement/fiancée arc possibly wouldn’t be a thing today, but there’s every chance they’d still throw in a gf to be MC’s rival as a subplot.

I also wonder if they’d have made Open Heart a single LI book (they practically did anyway) but the thing about OH is that it’s not mandatorily a romance book, so for that they’d have had to make the romance a main part of the story.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

But at the same time! Are there any recent(ish) Choices books that you feel would have been multiple LI books in the past? Because I’ve got thoughts about that, too, but the only thing I've got so far is:

Crimes of Passion: Ruby and Luke would’ve absolutely been romanceable, and they’d have been a bigger part of the story for it, too. The MC x Trystan romance doesn’t really play a crucial role until b2 anyway, and everything that happened in b1 could’ve been accomplished with them as good friends as well. Trystan would’ve still been the main LI, just not the only one.

And then sometimes I've wondered if TCH (b1 at least, if they hadn't planned it as a series) would have let you choose whether you ended up with Kieran or a Sun Court LI (potentially Radiance if they weren't a traitor and dead—moreso because of the dead part because even as a traitor they could've had the same b2 arc they gave Aerin in Blades 2, since Radiance is already a copy of b1 Aerin), but idk, probably not, since the series hinges so much on Kieran being in love with MC and them having that Beauty and the Beast thing going on.

[where-the-wind-travels]

i haven't yet gotten to book 2 but i read the wiki just in case and then i got to this part... WHAT. like literally what. i'm guessing what's happening here is one of two options

what they actually mean is "the third option depends on your character's pronouns, unless they use they/them pronouns, in that case it depends on their body type" but they didn't actually word it like that because it'd seem transphobic as fuck

they really do mean it depends strictly on mc's body type, not pronouns at all, meaning an mc that looks fem according to body type but uses he/him pronouns will still be called "queen" by the game and viceversa

long ass rant incoming lol

and it's not even specifically this fuck up in a supposedly "inclusive" book that makes me so mad but the fact that there's also the one MAH scene, the scene that discusses queer identities openly and maturely in a book that's supposed to be one of the most inclusive and queer friendly in the entire app, that when it's mc's turn to speak on what they've experienced, if they have a body type that doesn't match their pronouns and have romanced a li with the opposite pronouns (ie feminine body type, he/him pronouns and romanced stevie, or masculine body type, she/her pronouns and romanced a male li) the game treats mc like a cishet person by default and completely ignores body type. i don't know about y'all but i certainly find it ironic that, again, in one of the most queer friendly books, the only option to be considered queer "by default" by the game (and thus get the question of what you've experienced) if you're playing as a trans mc is to date someone of the same gender.

but let's go back to crimes of passion for a moment, specifically the very first chapter. despite the dialogue here depending only on body type instead of pronouns, in the case of the first chapter (specifically the scene where trystan and mc first meet) it's a completely different situation, here it does depend strictly on pronouns even if it literally doesn't make sense. in my first ever play, i played as my usual mc, a nb!mc romancing m!trystan, and me being nb, trystan called me "a stranger". not particularly unusual, right? after all, "stranger" is gender neutral, and so i thought that was the dialogue in all cases. well... it's not. i decided to play differently, specifically with the masc body type, she/her pronouns, and f!trystan. she literally called me a "strange woman" despite not being able to guess that mc's pronouns are she/her just by looking at her, because obviously there's only two body types, fem and masc, and it's not like we ever get gnc clothing styles. that, and in all cases mc never tells trystan their pronouns, so even in the nb!mc play i got quite startled at "they're a private detective". yes, that can be interpreted as trystan simply not wanting to assume genders or it being a case of culture shock from drakovia, but then what about my masc f!mc?

and that's because pb never intended to add inclusivity in terms of binary trans mcs, or even just queer mcs beyond "gay, lesbian, bi, or non-binary BUT if they're nb they have to be either fem or masc" (see: option to pick specific sexuality for mc only appearing in the elementalists and then never again, except in the royal masquerade but they removed the option to be ace so that doesn't count for me). they never intended for players to play as a masculine looking mc that uses she/her or a feminine looking mc that uses he/him.

if they really cared about inclusivity, they would let mcs be androgynous. they would add skirts, dresses, stereotypically "fem" clothing - or just clothing that isn't just a plain t shirt or a suit in formal situations for amab or masc looking mcs. they would add more pants, baggy clothing, more stereotypically "masc" clothing - or just options that aren't always incredibly revealing slinky dresses or crop tops and short skirts meant to "emphasize your sexy feminine curves" for afab or fem looking mcs. THEY WOULD ADD NON BINARY LIS AND MORE TRANS LIS. they wouldn't have the only option to play as an explicitly trans mc (or, well, the closest thing to "explicitly trans" there can be given there's absolutely no dialogue or even implication about mc being trans in any pronoun of choice book, save for MAH but i already complained about my problems) be playing with an extremely feminine/masculine body type and having the pronouns as the only indication mc is trans, completely ignoring the dysphoria that'd give many actually trans players.

no, that's not their intention and it's never been that. their sole reason for adding the "body type separate from pronouns" is to categorize mcs that use they/them and tell them they have to be either feminine or masculine, no androgynous or gender non conforming options at all. basically the question "but are you a GIRL non binary or a BOY non binary?" they would've probably forced she/her or he/him mcs into their respective body types and only ask "but are you a pretty feminine afab enby or a handsome masculine amab enby" to they/them mcs but they knew they'd get the backlash of their lives for that so they just went "we'll just ask for body type regardless, it's not like players will actually pick he/him pronouns while playing as a WOMAN right???"

conclusion/tldr. if pb actually wanted inclusivity, they can actually put in the work and acknowledge that people do want to play as an explicitly queer mc beyond just same gender relationships and performatively adding they/them pronouns to only SOME goc books, or else just don't do anything and show they don't care at all. not pretend they care but only add the bare minimum and pat themselves on the back for it.

[openheartfanfics]

Newly Added Fics

Jun 29 - Jul 5, 2024  

🎭 Angst  |  🦚 Angsty Fluff  |  🛸 AU  |  ☁ Fluff  |  ♥ NSFW  |  📚 Series  |  📷 Edit  |  📱 TextFic  |  Ⓜ Mature

Bryce x F!MC

Neon Glow - @storyofmychoices ☁

Bryce and Olivia enjoy some fun during laser tag with their friends.

Ethan x F!MC

All From One Comment - @potionsprefect ☁

The internet finds out Doctor Ramsey is off the market. [2.10]

Book 1 Rewrite - @ilikemenbutonlyethanramsey 📚

[extended: wip] Rewrite of book 1.

CH 4: Waiting Game

Scratching the Itch - @cariantha 🦚Ⓜ

Sexual tension builds between Ethan and Sawyer in the weeks following their trip to Miami. [Pining]

Part 1

Selfie Part 3 - @little-flowers-on-heaven 📱

Random text messages b/w the couple.

Harper Emery

An Unlikely Occurrence - @coffeeheartaddict2 ☁Ⓜ

Tobias reaches out to Harper after she leaves the team and it leads to what both thought would be an unlikely romance. Feat. Tobias Carrick

Multiple Characters

The Perfect Day - @jerzwriter ☁

A look at four Days from four vacations spread over four decades. Feat. Ethan Ramsey, Tobias Carrick x F!MC

Rafael x F!MC

Dancing With My Eyes Closed - @rafasgirl23415 📚

Casey faces the biggest loss of her life. TW: major character death

Part 1

Part 2

Tobias x F!MC

Always Winning - @alj4890 ☁

Tobias randomly buys a lottery ticket while getting his morning coffee. Turns out it's the winner, and he's just won $50 million dollars.

An Unlikely Occurrence - @coffeeheartaddict2 ☁Ⓜ

Tobias reaches out to Harper after she leaves the team and it leads to what both thought would be an unlikely romance. Feat. Tobias Carrick

Asked and Received - @alj4890 ☁

Tobias buys an old lantern at an antique store. When he gets home, a genie appears and offers to grant him three wishes. [Young Tobias]

Can't Help It - @alj4890 ☁

Going back to my HC for this one where Tobias and Chris start dating when they first meet in Book 2 in the diner.

Friendship & Fashion - @jerzwriter ☁

Merida and Tobias are having a blast as they jet off to Paris for Fashion Week, but Merida needs to keep him in check. [Platonic]

I Don't Quite Recall [OH/COP Crossover] - @jerzwriter 🛸

It must have been a wild party, because when Trystan and Tobias woke up in the same bed, neither had any idea how they got there.

It's Not Your Business - @tveitertotwrites 🎭

Tobias has had a long day and gets a phone call he wish he didn't get.

TBI - @alj4890 ☁Ⓜ

It's early on in their relationship, so Chris is still discovering new things about her favorite doctor in this steamy fluff fic.

The Getaway - @alj4890 ☁

Tobias and Chris are secretly dating (well before the events of the attack in Book 2) and are still getting to know each other.

_

SUBMIT OPEN HEART FICS & WRITERS HERE

[a-cloud-for-dreams]

Ok so I've mentioned this a bunch of times on my blog by now but I've been trying to speedrun all of the Choices books and I'm so glad I am because there are some underrated gems out there! I'm almost done with TC&TF Book 1 and that book had a ton of love interests so I was inspired to make a top ten list to organize my thoughts. This post will be under development as I play more books or change my mind lol

Top Ten Books/Series

Bloodbound Series - This book is literally one of the best series PB has ever put out. To be fair, it should be under Blades and TC&TF, I would argue that these three books deserve top place. But it would be harder to combine my Bloodbound explanation with the other two fantasy books so here you go. Contrary to most, I did like the first book, wasn't my favorite, but it was a good intro to the series. I like that the world slowly grew as we learned more about vampires and it felt complete and like it had something to say. Thank @gaiuskamilah for my further obsession with the series lol

Blades of Light and Shadow Book 1/The Crown and the Flame Book 1 - I couldn't choose but they're both AMAZING BOOKS ugh I can't say enough good things about them. The choices actually matter and the plot was so good. Every chapter had a purpose and the conclusion felt so satisfying. The scoring system and skills for both books was super cool, we need more books like them <33

Crimes of Passion Series - Definitely a Top Tier MC!!! I liked the mystery (Book 2's reveal wasn't great but the chaotic Thorne siblings make up for it) and Trystan is the best single LI we've had in a while, their dynamic with Rose was *chef's kiss*

Perfect Match Series - I LOVED this series and our friend group/love interests so much. They all felt like unique people with their own experiences and the plot was so amazingly intense. The finale of Book 1 was UNMATCHED we won't ever live to experience something that iconic ever again smh. It took a while for the plot to kick in, which is why it's lower on the list

The Elementalists - I'm a sucker for elemental magic systems/magic schools, and I love our friend group/family so much. Atlas is the coolest twin, and the whole sun/moon dynamic was fun! Being a powerful Sun-Att boosted my ego astronomically. I wish we got another book to see our mom more though

It Lives in the Woods - I like that the premise was relatively simple, along with the game mechanics. Your actions had real consequences and it was more immersive. The flash-forward in the last chapter was super sweet too and I like that the anthology was interconnected. This series also gave us an amazing friend group and set of LIs so I'm thankful <3

Open Heart Book 1 - Simply iconic, grounded in reality, and actually put together imao. It was one of the peaks of our fandom. This book is super nostalgic for me because I'm interested in the medical field, and it's the whole reason I'm posting Choices content here in the first place

Ride or Die - I adore this book. It felt complete on its own EVEN IF IT DESERVED A SEQUEL *side-eyeing PB* and it's a great coming-of-age story with a realistic teen MC. The ending was bittersweet and you felt changed by the experience playing the book

Nightbound - I liked the vibes and the idea more than the execution if that makes sense? I love the idea of Lamrian and how the MC is half-fae and super powerful, but the book didn't have enough time to showcase the supernatural world compared to Bloodbound, which focused on vampire lore. I can probably make a whole separate post on this but yea

The Royal Romance/The Royal Heir - I think, again, I like the vibes of the series more than the flawed execution, but because it went on for so long I kinda of got attached to the characters (mind you I didn't play or finish any of the books) but it's super fluffy and sweet and iconic for Choices history so here <3 a lot of the books like ROE, TRM, and TC&TF are interconnected so it's part of the foundation for the PB Choices Multiverse :) to be fair, it looks like they did a somewhat decent job writing the conflicts for each book?

I have a feeling when I finish Endless Summer, this list is gonna change...

EDIT: I totally forgot about The Heist: Monaco, but it was amazing! TRR/TH should be bumped down to honorable mention, I'll change it at some point-

Honorable Mentions

A Courtesan of Rome - The book took awhile for me to get through but my MC is legendary and carried the book so it's up here lol. I also liked that it felt like a historically accurate book?

Platinum - Cool commentary on the darker sides of fame and the music >>>

Veil of Secrets - The plot was interesting, one of my fave mystery books they've written! Also the characters >>>

Mother of the Year - Wholesome and felt finished, def one of the best single books. Also the antagonists were properly despicable so...good writing

Wake the Dead - It wasn't perfect, but I love zombie apocalypse stories and the idea of rebuilding our camp was so cool so idc how flawed it is <3

Foreign Affairs - The ending was rushed and the premise should have been rewritten but more on that on a later date. It was still fun for me to play

Desire and Decorum - I finished book 1 and I really liked it! it's basically the Choices version of Bridgerton, not historically accurate but super entertaining. The vibes and the LIs were amazing

Kindred - Pacing issues but still entertaining, I love the witch lore that they had in the book and the focus on building both platonic and romantic relationships so I'm not complaining

Top Ten Love Interests In No Particular Order

Trystan Thorne

Bryce Lahela

Kamilah Sayeed

Damien Nazario

Kaine Bell

Raleigh Carrera

Aerin Valleros

Jax Matsuo

Colt Kaneko

F!Hayden Young

Honorable Mentions (Again, No Particular Order)

Drake Walker (listen LISTEN I don't like that he sidelined other LIs, and I absolutely HATE how his character was a total contradiction, it was executed poorly, but I like the idea of his route if that makes sense. Some of the banter was cute and I love the whole grumpy x sunshine trope. I'm pretty sure he took a bullet for me lol)

Raydan Lykel (Solely because I haven't finished the series yet)

Mal Volari (He would have been in Top Ten but I had to bump him down because his Book 2 Route isn't working)

Tyril Starfury

Nia Ellarious

Prince Hamid

Tatum Mendoza

All of the Nightbound Love Interests are amazing I just couldn't fit them on the list

Gaius Augustine

Alana Kusuma

Rainier (Kindred)

Thomas Mendez

Flynn O'Malley

Olivia Nevrakis (she had so much potential omg)

Robin Flores and Sofia Russo (in my world, they're LIs just shush)

[lexicook74-blog]

Okay here’s my COP2 theories, it’s not going to be long

1. There’s most definitely going to be a fire at some point in the book.

2. Trystans family are probably going to feel a certain type of way about MC simply because she’s a detective. I’m picturing awkward family dinner.

3. Trystan and his mother are going to probably have some type of fight/confrontation. Trystan is either going to stand up for MC or Mommy dearest is gonna say something causing trystan to just snap and blow up on his mother

4. One of Trystans brothers is gonna flirt with MC. If their anything like trystan as far as charm, they’ll most definitely flirt with mc

5. Similar to the first book but instead of Trystan taking the fall for MC, MC is gonna get hurt protecting trystan.

6. Trystan is gonna choose MC over Drakovia and his mother is gonna hate that.

That’s all I got so far it’s not much but it’s whatever

[reveluving]

take me anywhere but home

summary: trystan always wants to take care of you, even if it's 3.12 a.m. in the morning.

pairing: m!trystan thorne x f!mc (written as ‘you’, no name usage)

warnings: mature/smut (minors DNI!), major spoilers from book 2!

a/n: in honour of the end of book 2 because the authors spared my heart (tq <3) and honestly? this is one of my favourite pieces I've ever written, and not just because it's Trystan. it's just a little reminder that we all need a break every once in a while, yknow? gave my all in this, especially for Smutember, so don’t forget to leave some sugar! ᐠ( ᐛ )ᐟ

» fancy reading another choices fic? check out my m.list!

» smut includes; gentle (+ occasionally mean) dom!trystan, ‘beautiful’ as a pet name, nipple play, fingering, mild spitting, fingering, missionary, unprotected sex (p in v sex), praise kink, loads of kisses (a lot)—Trys is extra kinky but y’all already knew that. (prompts used at the end of fic!)

'But Trystan was stubborn as he was gorgeous, which is the same sentiment he has for you, to no one’s surprise.' ;

He groaned awake the moment he felt the side next to him unoccupied. It didn't take long for him to realize he had been hugging your pillow instead of you—you must've slid it into his reach when you got out of bed. Though he could’ve assumed you went for a quick run to the bathroom, he couldn’t help but glance at the door to the living room opened ajar, noticing the light slightly coming in. 

And like a moth to a flame, the amber light was practically calling him to look for you.

He checked the clock on the nightstand, his brows shooting up in surprise to see the time; 3.12 a.m. You were normally back in his arms around 2.30 a.m. 

Sighing, he stretched, joints popping and cracking as he did. It didn't take long for him to sit up, pushing the blanket off with his feet and trudging his way to the bathroom to splash his face.

In the midst of his awakening, he couldn't help but wonder what was different today. You couldn't be doing work at this hour, you (jokingly) promised not to touch a single file for the first few days of your well-needed break, and even if you broke your promise of straying away from work at least for a little while, it just didn’t feel right.

Big issue or not, something was obviously wrong. 

He exited the bathroom, wiping his hands with a hand towel, only to freeze up as he heard rustling in the corner of the room, just next to the floor lamp. He looked over at the dog bed, breaking into a smile as Alice let out a whine. Her eyes darted to the door before focusing on the man before her, as if silently telling him that she, too, noticed. Seeing her endearing head tilt, wondering what either of them should do, drew a soft sound of amusement out of him.

Still, Trystan couldn’t help but let out a shaky sigh soon after. He had his suspicions, he just didn’t want to panic. Somewhere in the back of his mind, just the tiniest part of his brain, he feared the absolute worst. He even wondered why he didn’t scramble out of bed as soon as he noticed your lack of presence.

One may call him clingy from afar but he had a damn good reason for his concerns. 

The very thought of you ending up like Juliana. 

However, his more rational side was quick to dispel his doubts and nightmares. If anything did happen to you, which he hoped to God nothing did, one; he would’ve jolted awake at the sound of you fending off, for you were a force to be reckoned with, after all, and two; Alice could’ve easily smelt the first sign of danger and done her best to alert him.

“We won’t take long.” He reassured her, scratching the spot just behind her ears. It immediately soothed her worries as one of her back legs began kicking in delight. 

He stood up, exiting the bedroom before closing the door, figuring this might just be between you and him for the time being. Thankfully, he was grateful for remaining level-headed for it took little to no effort to find you.

There you were, one of your arms spread wide on the couch with nothing but your panties and Trsytan’s dress shirt buttoned only at the collar. You were swirling your drink idly, barely acknowledging the soft clinks of the ice as they slowly melted in the glass. Though seeing you just two articles of clothing away from being naked, he was more focused on how preoccupied you were with your thoughts. Your face, though subtle, held a myriad of emotions.

But if he had to describe in just a few words, you just seemed emotionally exhausted, hidden behind a veil of indifference.

It didn’t take long for you to look up, feeling someone’s eyes on you from your shared bedroom’s direction. You knew it wasn’t Alice, you would’ve heard her nails clicking against the floor and rushed over to lay by your side. You blinked a couple of times, refocusing on the present as you were greeted with Trsytan’s presence.

"Hey," You broke into a tired but warm smile, “You okay?”

Even in distress, you were still looking out for others. You weren't as subtle as you were hoping to be, or maybe he has lived with you long enough to pick up your habits. The itty-bitty details that even your own uncle wouldn't be able to notice, and no doubt you wanted to keep it that way. 

But Trystan was stubborn as he was gorgeous, which is the same sentiment he has for you, to no one’s surprise.

“I should be the one interrogating you, detective,” He cocked his head, “It’s way past your bedtime.”

You were tired, that much was certain, but you weren’t keen on the idea of going to bed at the moment. Not with the thoughts going through your head, maybe even reality settling in. The close calls, the sleepless nights, the ‘bathroom breaks’ you had to take during a brutal investigation, only to bite your finger to stop yourself from crying as soon as you leave the office. 

You hid them well, but you should’ve known better than to think it could work on Trystan, too.

Not that you were able to fool the rest of the crew either. You learnt that after the third attempt, about two years into your job, coming back to your desk from an episode to find an array of small but meaningful gifts on your desk, including essential oils, a couple of your favourite snacks and a tacky ‘hang in there’ card with a cat on it. 

Though it obviously didn’t magically wash your worries away, you did remember ending the day on a much lighter note than you expected. 

"Sorry, I couldn't sleep. You'd think after being given a week off, I'd be able to sleep like a baby." You let out a soft, hollow laugh before taking a sip of your drink, “‘Drooling away’, as you’d tell me oh so affectionately.”

You were forced to crane your neck as he approached you. You would’ve made a witty remark about him standing before you in just his briefs if not for the slight frown on his face, 

"I do miss seeing you drool first thing in the morning,” He dodged the playful swat of your hand, “C'mon, back to bed, you." 

"I can't sleep though." 

"We don't have to. I feel like you and I would be more at ease if we stayed together. I know what the mind can do to someone if they’re left alone with their own thoughts for too long." He clarified with a wry smile. When you lacked any response or even a sign to move, he knelt in front of you, grabbing your free hand to hold in between his, "What can I do to help you?"

You pursed your lips, knowing you couldn't talk him out of this one. Not with his insistence.

Instead, you sighed, patting the empty spot beside you.

“Sit with me?” He didn’t give you the time to finish your question, occupying the spot as soon as you pat the seat. You chuckled, more genuine than the last as Trystan snuck his arms around you.

You took another sip, but before you could allow the sharp liquid to flow down your throat, you felt Trystan’s fingers caressing the outline of your jaw. Holding your chin in between his fingers, he turned your head so he could stare directly into your eyes. As he leaned in for a kiss, his tongue slipped into your mouth, sliding against your own and absolutely hooked on the taste. Your taste.

Sweet, slightly smoky, with a smooth finish, especially the lascivious display he had you in—an ardent lover his absolute most to clear his beloved’s head, even for just a split second.

He swiftly took the glass out of your hand, placing it on the coffee table before drawing you into a deeper kiss as he effortlessly lifted you onto his lap. Your body could only droop in his arms in the same way your eyes did.

Warmth slowly spread through his chest, the chilliness he felt prior to waking up gradually disappeared as his body temperature rose. 

You were no better, face growing hot as you reciprocated almost bashfully. You weren't shy, not by a long shot, but it did catch you off guard.

You were the first to pull away, feeling something similar to a whiplash. That didn’t mean you wanted it all to stop, and as if Trsytan knew you best, he continued, pressing his lips to your jaw down to your neck as he decorated you with kisses. You could only give into his ministrations, lolling your head back a little. 

Looping one arm around his neck, you shivered as his breath tickled the crook of your neck. Trystan could've easily been lulled by the gentle brushing of his hair. 

"We can always go somewhere tomorrow." He murmured, prompting you to look down at the top of his head.

"I think I'd prefer to stay home. Just a day or two. With you. And Alice, of course," You smiled, patting his other arm with your free hand, "Why? Did you have somewhere in mind?" 

"No, no, you know me and my impulsivity. I just thought you'd prefer a little rendezvous, just the three of us. Take your mind off things," Trystan trailed off, hoping to lighten up the mood, “I heard the zoo here is pretty nice.”

You snorted, shooting him a teasing glare even if he couldn't see it, “And risk you pulling me into a pool like you did in Drakovia? You’re not fooling me, Thorne. I can hear it in your voice.” 

“Well, I tried.” He shrugged, sharing a soft laugh with you, though his died down way before yours did as he pulled away from you just a little. You wondered if it was just you, looking over and furrowing your brows when you saw him suddenly staring into space, deep in his thoughts.

“Trystan?” 

He heard you loud and clear, and yet, couldn’t help but mull over the mention of his old home. Particularly, a memory he could never forget.

"I... I'm really sorry. In the library, back in Drakovia. I didn't mean to snap." No matter how hard he tried, hoping his mind could finally acknowledge that you had forgiven him, and despite everything that happened, from murders to betrayals in less than two months, the flash of disappointment in your eyes still haunts him to this day.

"Hey, come on. If my own family started pointing fingers at me after finding a dead body in my room, I'd get pretty testy, too." 

"Don't do that, please," You would’ve thought he was scolding you if not for the desperation in his tone, "It was not okay. You've been there for me through and through, and that was the thanks I gave you?" 

It was clearly eating him up inside. 

"Trys, I admit. It… surprised me a little. But you know I would've told you if it bothered me," Work or not, you never liked beating around the bush. You pursed your lips, trying to figure out a way to bring out his old, infuriatingly passionate self, "Plus, you apologized even before I could figure out how to… punish you for it."

You were beyond relieved to see him crack a smile, wiggling his eyebrows at you.

"Oh? And how were you planning on punishing me, then?" 

"Giving you the silent treatment." You replied without missing a beat, your smirk widening as his face contorted into disbelief and horror, though you knew he was partially playing into it.

"That's just cruel," He frowned. You wordlessly shrugged, biting down the cheeky smile that threatened to slip off as you turned your head to the side with your arms crossed, "And childish." 

You continued to 'ignore’ him, looking around the unit as though he wasn't present. 

"You know it's not going to work on me." 

As if on cue, a loud honk resonated from the road below, grabbing your interest as you looked over at the window to see what the fuss was about. You could play the game all day and he clearly couldn’t.

“Still not working.” He added, almost as if trying to convince himself.

Nothing.

You knew you had broken his resolve when he let out a disgruntled huff.

"That's it." 

He surged forward, wrapping his arms around you before pulling you in for a bear hug. He kissed and gnawed on your neck, the ticklish sensation only caused him to tighten his grip as you futilely tried to escape his grasp. 

“Trystan!” You yelped and squirmed, unable to control the giggle that bubbled in your throat as he pulled the button-up you wore down, exposing more of your skin for him to attack, “C’mon, you’re not playing fair!”

“No? I thought the rule was simply not to speak up. So,” He cast you a shit-eating grin, “I win.”

You groaned dramatically, letting your head fall back to his shoulder as you succumbed to his cuddling tendency. You weren't fooling anyone with your supposed exasperation, though, and you couldn't resist either. So, you took everything he had to offer.

Nothing could deter you from the warmth he exuded, both inside and out. Not even as it began to drizzle in the night, raindrops pitter-pattering against the window. 

Alice, too, probably understood that the two of you were fine, and was now sleeping soundly. 

To him, this was peace; waking up not even at the ass-crack of dawn and rambling about the prizes you’ve won as a kid or making plans to drop off Alice at his sister’s while the two of you try out the dining in the dark experience restaurant that just opened the other day.

“Hey,” You said, looking over your shoulder. He hummed in response, wanting nothing more than to feel you. Talk to you. Listen to you. Anything to have you with him, despite the weighing guilt of momentarily making this about him instead of you, “I’m sorry for what happened.”

He finally opened his eyes, half-lidded and almost as tired as you were. No longer because of the lack of sleep but at the mere thought of his old home, the sheer whiplash of it all. Everything that happened in Drakovia felt like a fever dream; the good, the bad, and the utmost ugly. 

“I’m sorry, too.” It may have been your line of work but he couldn't imagine being subjected to the chaos you two had endured, had he decided to fly home to solve the case and then come back to the States with anyone but you. Plus, the childhood reminiscing, cultural tours and sexual escapades he was able to share with you were what made the whole trip more than just bearable.

He didn't need anyone to tell him that his family was in fact not normal, and he most certainly wouldn't have vocalized his distaste in their ways if not for the agency.

That was not to say he was a coward, and he still loved his family. Every day, he thanked the universe for the outcome. Had he held onto a sliver of hope for some sense of belonging with the line instead of fighting for what he truly believed, who knows how it could’ve ended?

But it all hardly mattered now. His life wasn’t about Drakovia anymore, not to that extent It was no longer about the short-lived commodity and ‘hoping for the best’ as he did before and after his exile. Whether it was anything as mundane as being stuck in traffic with the crew or as ridiculous yet domestic as falling in the bathtub with you while giving Alice a much-needed bath. His life was nothing short of an adventure with the people that he, as cliché as it sounded, has seen as his own family.

Your eyes fluttered open as he planted a kiss on the nape of your neck, a delicate touch. One after another, his lips ascended to the sweet spot where your neck and shoulder just met.

Your breath hitched as his cold hands took hold of yours, swiping his thumbs over your knuckles. His hands then slowly travelled up your arms, imagining the goosebumps rising under the sleeves. With his shirt buttoned in a similar fashion to an off-shoulder top, he pulled the collar down your arms, just until your cleavage became more visible. 

You could feel him smile into your back at the sight of your hardened nipples peeking through the material.

"Trystan..?" He hadn't spoken a word since his hands began to wander all over your body, and it remained that way for a couple more seconds as he trailed his lips across your newly exposed skin.

"Hmm?" He hummed, coming up at your eye level as he hooked his chin on your shoulder. Following his gaze, you watched your reflections in the window. It was unclear from the raindrops trickling down the glass, but enough to make out just how naked the two of you really were.

"I just…" He piped up, but not before moving to your other shoulder to peck and nose at, "I just want you to let it all go. Lose yourself to me." 

You were like a fish out of water; it shouldn't have surprised you as it did, but something about his tone, the yearning, the sheer need to lift off the weight that you've been carrying for a while. You didn’t know whether to laugh or cry now that you’d grown soft, letting your vulnerability seep through. You weren’t stupid enough to show your sensitive side out and about, but with Trystan, it felt wonderful to have someone ready as he was to take the reins. 

"Can you do that for me?" 

Then again, maybe you do know what to do. 

You nodded deliberately.

"Can you say it for me? Please?" 

“Yes,” You muttered under your breath, “Yes. Please, Trystan. Whatever you want.”

“No,” He raised your hand, kissing the back of it before looking into your eyes, “I’ll do whatever you want me to do.”

He patiently waited for your reply, lips quirking in amusement as his eyes flitted to the way you ground your hips instinctively. 

“Whatever I want…” You dragged his hands upwards, and instantaneously understanding your desperation for his touch, he squeezed your breasts before haphazardly doing it again upon sliding them under your shirt. His cold palms only caused you to jolt as he rolled your pebbled buds in between his fingers.

Grunting as he cupped your breasts, he pecked your forehead for your attention. You peered up at him, your eyes lost in the moment of lust before widening as Trystan leaned in. Your state of surprise allowed him entrance through your lips, licking the inside of your mouth as his only form of sustenance.

You could feel the patch forming in between your legs, though Trystan's sharp eyes were quick to notice how your thighs were rubbing together. 

He broke the kiss, your breaths ghosting over each other's lips, "Feels nice, doesn't it? Letting someone else take control?" 

One of his hands left feathery touches as he reached down to your panties; black, cheeky underwear with a lace trim that he's known and loved. He slipped past the waistband, though not touching the spot you needed him most just yet. Instead, he took a handful of the material via your other leg opening before pulling it upwards, cupping your sopping pussy.

Had you not reacted in such a lewd way, suddenly digging your nails into his thigh and arching your back, you would've noticed the lazy smirk forming on his face. 

He then lifted the hem of your shirt, catching a glimpse of the tightened fabric rubbing in between your folds. 

"I'd love to know what my darling wants." He reminded with a purr, shamelessly gazing upon the erotic display. 

"I–!" You cut yourself off with a whine when he pulled the front from side to side, "Trystan, please! Please…" You placed your hand over his, the one playing with the bands of your underwear. He immediately let you take control, releasing his hold in favour of feeling your slick by brushing his fingers along your lower lips.

"You're dripping." He sighed in absolute bliss, imagining the slickness already coating his fingers before pulling his hand out of your panties without a warning.

Your protests died on your tongue when he let out a deep growl. 

He turned you around, chest to chest before pressing his lips to yours with urgency. In the midst of your passionate embrace, Trystan began to sit up on his knees, manoeuvring you by the waist so you laid on your back. His knees were on either side of you, his right arm holding himself up on the seat just over your head. 

He took a moment to appreciate you, his chest heaving as the lights of the bustling city surrounded you from behind like a golden halo crown. 

He reached up to your face, gently caressing your cheek before leaning in for a smooch. Soon, he trailed soft kisses down your body.

You squirmed, hands resting on his shoulders as he descended. His lips lingered in the valley of your breasts, locking his eyes with yours as his tongue flicked and swirled around your nipples. He did the same to the other before proceeding to your tummy, but not before playfully pulling the bud with his lips.

Your hips continued to buck, seeking relief as his firm chest hovered just over the one place you yearned for the most.

“Easy,” Judging by his tone, he was enjoying this a whole lot, hiding the smug as he held your legs down. Figuring that he has left you enough kisses for the time being, he finally reached the flimsy material between him and your, well, his pretty pussy. His words, not yours, “How shall I go about this, hm?” 

He dragged his fingers up and down your clothed sex, biting his bottom lip as you ground yourself against his teasing, “Is it just my hands that you want? Slowly stretch you open with three fingers? Or does my beautiful detective wish for my tongue as well?” 

He licked a long stripe up the damp fabric, daring you to break eye contact. Your hand shot to his hair as you jumped.

“Or,” He held onto your thighs with a smack, “Both? Will you let me taste you a bit, too?"

“Yes! Both! B-Both, please, Trys!” You begged with a gasp, resisting the urge to just claw at his pesky hands. He offered you some mercy, but not before removing your panties painstakingly slowly. Carelessly tossing the little cloth behind him, he whistled at your glistening pussy, waiting for his attention.

“Both it is.” He wasted no time, dropping his head and licked into you as his tongue could reach. The sight of Trystan’s sturdy physique holding onto your legs like you were a lifeline as he buried his face in between your legs seared into your mind. Just as you bucked again, he pulled away but was just as quick to slip his middle finger into you. 

You clenched around him just as the obscene squelch reached his ears, his finger bottoming out at his knuckles. He pulled his head back, only to surge forward once again to suck on your clit. He shook his head, soaking his lips and chin with your juices.

Satisfied with the way his fingers shined and glistened, he sucked on the juices before spitting it into your pussy. As if he wasn't a menace enough, he stuffed the same fingers back into you, with some of the spit mix leaking out.

This time, the pistoning of his fingers quickened, his lips parting as you did out of pure bliss. You could feel yourself trickling down, smearing your tight hole before the couch itself. Not that you cared, and neither did he. 

Your legs trembled, and before just as you felt the rush of heat across your body, you forced him to stop by the wrist. 

Trystan's brows shot up in surprise, and understandably so. Any signs of his tiredness seemed to have disappeared with a snap of a finger as he crawled over closer to check up on you. However, you didn't spare him a second and captured his lips with yours for a desperate kiss. 

“N-No, no. I need you,” You muttered, his forehead resting against yours as he tried syncing his heartbeat with yours from the instantaneous high. His fingers remained stuffed inside you, now moving languidly. You choked out a sob, eyes rolling to the back of your head, “Fuck, please Trystan! Fuck me.” 

Seeing you fall apart just by his hands and voice, begging him to take control was enough to result in the raging hard-on he was sporting. Each time he rutted against the seat felt almost painful just as it was more addicting than the last. 

Like a man possessed, he did as he was told, removing his boxers with his free hand while kissing away the tears of pleasure that threatened to spill. 

Slowly sliding his digits out of you, he unabashedly appraised how soaked three of his fingers were, especially glistening in the light. As much as he wanted to just suck it all off in one go, he, instead, licked your juices off his index finger. 

"How could I say no?" He cooed, finally ridding the briefs as his cock sprung out. Beads of precum dribbled down the sides, visibly aching to be inside you. Trystan threw his head back as he stroked his cock, electricity coursing through his body as he sought even an ounce of relief from your juices alone. 

You whimpered, clenching around nothing and absolutely yearning for him. Naturally spurred by your neediness, he towered over you as he trailed butterfly kisses up your frame, his unfairly large stature easily eclipsing yours.

Staring into your eyes with his half-lidded ones, he rested his forehead against yours, whispering in a tone that nearly moved you into tears for a totally different reason.

“There's no greater length I wouldn't go to to make you happy.”

Your throat tightened at his words, levelling his vulnerability just as you were to show you there was no shame in you being human. 

You sniffled, nodding thoughtfully as you hooked your arms around his neck. He nuzzled the side of your face, whispering sweet reassurances before lining himself up against your tight slit. 

He slowly pushed forward with a heady groan, gritting his teeth as he slowly breached your already clenching walls. He hung his head for a moment, feeling lighthearted from your intoxicating warmth despite not even halfway in. 

“Fuck," He drawled, the very girth of him throbbed as he eased himself in inch by inch and ignoring his need to go to town with you. It took a lot in him, especially the way you huffed and moaned so deliciously in his ear. He knew you loved it, but you didn't need that right now. 

“Trys–tan…!” You pleaded, pushing your hips back into him as he pulled out until the very tip, only to gasp sharply as he drove into you once more. He battered your cunt immensely, fueled by the way your nails dug into his back as if he may float away if you let go. He was so sweet, going slow yet deep if the way his muscles flexed was anything to go by.

A wanton moan slipped past your lips. You felt full, you were full, finding yourself in a drunken haze as he railed into you, coaxing you, or better yet, demanding you not to hold.

“Fuck, oh fuck,” His breaths grew ragged, fading into a disbelief chuckle, “That’s it, beautiful. Squeeze my cock, just like that.” 

“M—Mn–gah–!” The second you felt him reach that one sensitive spot inside you, the pitch of your voice grew higher, "Right there..!" 

His pupils were dilated, determined even at the very sound of your ass slapping against his thighs. You felt dishevelled, but Trystan thought were a sight for sore eyes, ready to be admired and worshipped.

"Gonna cum already?" You were too fucked out to think of a remark about the hint of condescension in his voice, though he made it up to you when he pounded into you a little faster, making your toes curl. It was all too addicting, despite the burn in your thighs from rolling your hips in hopes of chasing your high faster than you already were.

"Do it. Cum on me, make a mess. Bite me, scratch me, do whatever you want. I got you." He left open-mouth kisses up your jaw as his blown out pupils gazed upon yours.

With a final trust, you spasmed around his cock with an almost silent moan, holding onto him with a violent shiver. The way you clenched around him so tightly, almost constructing had one of his knuckles turning a tone lighter, clenching the seat hard as he spurted inside as you came as well.

His chest heaved, holding onto the little strength he had left to suffocating you if he were to ever fall in your arms. He didn't though, as breathless as he was, he still catered to you, leaving lazy kisses wherever he was able to reach. 

It took the two of you a minute, probably even more, but he found the will to move, slowly easing himself out and cooing at you as you whined. Feeling your cum and his dripping out slowly when he hoisted you into his arms, now leaning into him this time.

The two of you remained still, minus the exchange of kisses and worn out smiles with one another. There was no need to rush, even when the occasional tremors of your thighs or Trystan's heavy breathing have stopped after some time.

"Trys?" You whispered, throat a little raspy from your whines and screams. He held his hand up with a ‘hang on’, standing up with a slight shakiness in his knees, not bothering with the briefs he had tossed to the floor as he casually walked to the kitchen. You remained on your back, hearing the fridge door open before it closed. He then whirled around to the bedroom door, initially planning to get a towel and a blanket, only to stop dead in his tracks.

He didn’t know how to feel about going commando while Alice could potentially wake up, especially after the noises you made.

He felt stupid but he'd prefer it as such rather than traumatize your sweet girl.

Instead, he decided to check the guest bathroom.

He returned with two towels and a cold water bottle in hand, twisting the cap open before offering it to your lips. You gulped a good amount, just until Trystan was confident to pull it away and have a sip on his own. 

He even made drinking look good, your eyes darting between his bobbing Adam’s apple and the sheen of perspiration glazing his body. Half bottle gone, he placed it next to the now watered-down beverage, covered and trickling with condensation. He then grabbed the blanket conveniently draped over the headrest, for movie nights where you would likely fall asleep in front of the TV. 

He took a good couple of minutes cleaning you up, wiping off the beads of sweat then the oozes of cum between you thighs with the second towel. He did the same for himself but not before passing you the bottle once more, silently telling you to drink a little more. 

He fell back on the couch with a contented sigh, opening up his arms for you to join him. 

“Come here,” You did as he told, snuggling  in his chest and letting out a squeak as he smooched the crown of your head a couple of times, “You were saying?” 

"Let's do something later." You turned your head upwards, watching his eyes gleam at your suggestion. 

"Anything you'd like." You didn’t think this through, but you did know that you wanted to do something. Just then, you remembered the food market being held in Williamsburg for the next couple of months.

“There’s this Japanese food place that I’ve been meaning to try at Smorgasburg…” You began, but you didn’t have to explain any further for him to be on board.

“Consider it done,” He then squinted his eyes, focusing on the arms of the clock hanging above the TV, “It doesn’t start until 11, right? Might as well get some shut-eye in the meantime.”

He was right, the vendors wouldn't be open until another five hours or so, and as if on cue, you were hit with a wave of tiredness. Your eyes began to feel droopy, prompting you to make yourself comfortable in his arms. 

“Is that a yes?” He asked with a chuckle. You nodded with an ‘mhm’, “Thank you.”

“For the nap?” You quirked a brow, his expression settling into a warmer one as you smiled at each other. He closed the distance between your faces, pressing a kiss on the apple of your cheek.

“For everything.” He could go on and on about how much his life changed when the two of you met and vice versa, but he’d rather not give you a blackmail-worthy material if he were to ever talk nonsense in his sleep, although he had no doubts that you’d prefer otherwise. He was starting to doze off just as you did, pulling the covers higher before flicking the lamp light switch off and letting you snuggle against him. Your only source of light being the twinkles and glimmers of the city itself. 

That brought a bright smile to your face, touched to see just how far you were. You really have fallen hard, but what was new? 

It’ll be another day once the sun shines, but for now, he could rest easy, and so could you. And even if you did wake up past what was initially planned, or if the day remained too rainy for you to head out, that was fine, too.

With Trystan around, there wasn't anything for you to worry about.

˚ · . f i n . · ˚

» tagging @choicesficwriterscreations & @choicesprompts for smutember! ;; & the gorgeous red rose divider by @firefly-graphics ♡

» prompts used ;; 3. let me taste you ; 8. sweet & slow ; 24. worship

[jamespotterthefirst]

Crimes of Passion 2: The Killer Thorne

Or my unhinged theory so far

I am positive my opinion will change as more information is revealed. Also, this is all gut feeling for now. Oh and finally, I take those red letters to heart.

So when the lovely @choicesbookclub asked which Thorne is involved in Juliana's death, the majority voted Sebastyan. And as I said. That's too obvious.

I voted Kaspar.

Here is why:

First, some context to how my mind got there.

When MC and Trystan walk in on the NYPD's investigation of the missing tiara, the officers are convinced they have the culprit.

(Taken from YT because I didn't take screenshots when I played. Cameron= MC)

This confuses Trystan and MC

The officers don't say anything else since Thompson angrily pulls them and mutters about compromising the investigation.

But my question is why did they think Bird? What evidence did they find? They have to have found something to think Bird. Or a bird.

I found that so interesting since when we played as Juliana minutes earlier, she was pulled from Trystan's side by a bird call she recognized as the person harassing her.

I'm not saying Bird did it but the connection bird —> bird call is hard to ignore.

Back to Kaspar.

In all this, Trystan brings up their brother Kaspar who once stole the Queen's jewels. As someone who loves to study the way other writers write, it was interesting to me that this one brother was brought up so early in the story. Not only in passing like the rest of Trystan's siblings (except for Marguerite and Lydea). The writers gave us some information about someone we haven't even met yet. I think that's intentional and important.

Also, Kaspar's name was in red.

That stuck with me. I don't think any of the other siblings we haven't met yet's names have been in red before (I could be wrong).

What we know about Kaspar is

He is younger than Trystan

He stole the jewels and got banned from the queen's country as a result

He is impulsive

But charming (avoids consequences as a result)

It's also interesting that Trystan was the one who found the stolen jewels and returned them. So much so that the queen trusts Trystan enough to contact them when they go missing again. All while Kaspar is banned from her country.

Idk idk

Could that create resentment from Kaspar towards Trystan?

In summary:

Chapter 1 tells us the NYPD thought Bird had stolen the jewels but we never found out why

Kaspar has a past connection to those jewels

Kaspar is also presented with some importance by the writers. I think that's intentional.

Juliana hears a bird call from her murderer, one that could quite literally be their calling card because she recognizes it

I'm 2.2 Trystan compares Kaspar to a magpie (See edit below/ credit to magpie anon)

All of these are connected in my mind but I'm missing puzzle pieces

EDIT:

A brilliant, wonderful, fantastic anon pointed out that the bird/Kaspar symbolism continues when Trystan compares him to a magpie in 2.2

Credit to this anon for this connection! ❤️

[storyofmychoices]

Dani Rambles about COPII.... chapter 9

Okay, firstly I know I am literally behind on everything!!! I'm sorry, the past few days have been crazy so I'm trying to get caught up today but needed to read chapter 9 so that I could make prompts for the book club so here we are.

I actually found this to be one of the most interesting chapters in a while. I feel like we got some information and it felt like we could have a moment with Trystan that wasn't physical and we could see their relationship growing, as well as actually focus on the case!

I'm very disappointed the twins didn't have any actual information, that's just such a tease on PB's part, but revealing that information now would be too easy, so I get it. Well played on their cliff hanger.

I loved seeing Trystan bond with Juli's moms. Seeing that relationship mended has meant more than anything else. Seeing Eliose forgive Trystan and literally cheer on Lilah was such a heartfelt and beautiful moment. I loved it! (and also when Trystan said he wasn't good enough for Juli and the moms said he was 🥹😭❤️

(also the more we learn about Juli, the more wonderful I think she was and I kinda love her)

But the scene in Juli's room!!!

Okay so, I have lots of thoughts, they're not really coherent so I apologize.

The letter's were interesting, I really don't think it's Bas, they've literally been pointing fingers at Bas since we got to Drakovia. If it were him that'd be a huge let down. I chose the option that MC says she thought his letter sounded like a friends vacation trip. I thought it was funny to see that Astrid wrote complaining about her siblings, it could just be a quick funny Astrid moment, of course she would be complaining, but Astrid doesn't seem the type to send letters complaining to just anyone... we've never seen her and Juli mentioned as friends (or am I blanking?) so could there be more to them than that? No letters from Vasili though 🤔 (I still think Vasili is Juli's lover and Eveline knew about it)

The nightingale whistle!!!

ugh, so I've been a bit emotion about Nightingales for a couple weeks now, thanks Neil Gaiman and Good Omens. If you don't know, you're better off, the angst is real and my heart can't take waiting 4+ years for season 3.... 💔😭

But I digress,

So Nightingales are interesting birds especially with the symbolism they carry. And even in the chapter they mention star crossed lovers as part of that symbolism which is totally on point so It could just end there, but then I thought of Romeo and Juliet and their conversation about the bird and whether it's a nightingale or a lark.

In the play Juliet (whose name begins with Juli (like Juliana)), she believes the bird is a lark and represents light/morning (and their time together must end), where Romeo says it's a nightingale so it's still night and they have more time together.

Perhaps in COP, Juli is the lark and her mystery lover is the nightingale (who thought wanted more time with her even after night had past)

What that means, I really don't know, but here we are.

Then the shocking(?) twist that there might be another heir... i mean I think a lot of us probably thought that. I mean you have 9 heirs already, what's one more. But the missing heir might be the queen's?

I don't know if we've met them already, of the background characters we met so far, the only 2 I could think of would be Bird (only because his nickname is bird and he was randomly mentioned in this book, when the crime really didn't fit his mo) and the royal assistant (who just seems awkward around the family. I thought she might be Eveline's secret daughter, but maybe the queens?

Or maybe it's someone we haven't met yet.. or maybe one of the Thornes we know isn't really the King's. 🤷‍♀️

Maybe if the Queen has a child older than Trystan, maybe it's why she is so hard on him. She knows he is destined for the crown but not deserving? But also, why wouldn't she have been more supportive of the bill?

Lots of thoughts, I'm sure I'll be back with more. If you made it this far, you totally deserve a gold star!

Oh, and one more thought... if the Queen does have a lover, that would finally explain Patryk lol that boy does not fit in.

Wouldn't it be fun if Trystan weren't the King's how easily that would tie things off! But I don't get why the queen or anyone would want to stop the act then, if passed it would make any of her children (by the king or anyone else) legitimate so she could get Trystan in without worry if the act went through. So many questions. So little information

[jerzwriter]

New Traditions

Trystan may have lived in New York for years, but Thanksgiving was always just another day. This year, he's spending it with Carolina, Tommy, and their friends. He's impressed with their celebration's Latin flair and their generous, unique traditions, all of which lead him to a bit of self-discovery.

Book: Crimes of Passion (Post Book 2) Pairing: Trystan Thorne x F!MC (Carolina Rose) Other Characters: Tommy Rose, Luke Watanabe, Ruby Webster, Mafalda Ginovesi. Words: 1,800 Rating: Teen A/N: This had been in the works already, but I appreciated the ask as well! Participating in @choicesnovchallenge - Thanksgiving / @choicesholidays - I'm thankful for you... / @choicesficwriterscreations Holiday Event

Full Masterlist | COP Masterlist | Holiday Masterlist

Carolina stood quietly in a darkened corner behind the bar, eyes focused on her task. The day before Thanksgiving was always chaotic at her uncle's bar, but she had only one care in the world: slicing plantains with meticulous precision. She was grateful for the repetitive task, for while it was a happy chaos that surrounded her, it kept her out of the melee.

“Luke!” Rubby yelled from across the room, eyeing the seating chart on her clipboard. “What did you do? This table isn’t supposed to be here.”

“If we put it this way, it will give us more room to walk behind and serve food,” he insisted.

“Yes. But if we put it this way,  we can’t put another against the wall. If the same amount of people show up as last year, we won’t have room for everyone to sit.”

“But....”

“But nothing,” Mafalda scolded from a few feet away. “I personally put Ruby in charge of the seating for a reason. We aren’t expecting as many as last year; we’re expecting more, and we have to maximize seating.”

“Fine,” Luke sighed begrudgingly. “I’ll defer to the boss.”

“And in this situation, that’s clearly Ruby,” Carolina winked. “Right, Luke?”

Luke was about to retort when he was interrupted by Uncle Tommy running through the room. 

“Coming through! Coming through! I have the pernil!”

“He has the Pernil,” Mafalda sang joyfully.  “Now, we know it’s going to be a party!”

“Yeah, too bad it’s not for us,” Carolina chuckled.

Tommy turned to his niece with sympathetic eyes. “Sobrina, you know the rules. You’ll have plenty of your own pernil... tomorrow.”

“I know, I know... I’m just teasing! I love our community Thanksgiving. I wouldn’t change it for anything!”

There was a loud tap on the front door, and Carolina’s face brightened visibly when she saw Trystan outside, his arms loaded with boxes filled with baked goods. She and Ruby both rushed to greet him.

“Hello, gorgeous!” Carolina beamed, placing a quick peck on Trystan’s ice-cold cheek as Ruby helped take the falling boxes from his hands.

“Thanks for the help there, Carolina,” Ruby teased.

But Trystan wouldn’t have it. “Hey! Priorities!” He took off his jacket, and a chill ran through him. “God, it’s cold out there.”

“Well, perhaps you should begin dressing for New York winters,” Carolina reprimanded.

“Says you!” Luke interrupted. “I’ve never seen you in more than that unlined leather.”

“Yes, but style matters to me... and besides... I don’t complain about the cold.”

“She’s got you there,” Ruby agreed.

“No matter,” Carolina dismissed, “Because I have the perfect way to help you warm up.”

Trystan raised a brow as he took Carolina under his arm. “Oh, do you now?”

But she pushed him away with a giggle. “Easy there, tiger! I meant you could work up a sweat helping me slice the plantains. We have five pastelons to make, and they’re not going to cut themselves.”

He followed her behind the bar and lifted the largest plantain with an adolescent amusement.  

“Oh, slicing phallic-shaped fruits into pieces... that’s how I’m going to warm up.”

“Yes it is,” Mafalda smirked. “And I’d be careful if I were you! Because Carolina finds that task very relaxing.”

“Yeah, I’d be good if I were, pal,” Luke cautioned.

Trystan wrapped his arms around Carolina and pulled her into a kiss. “As if I’d be anything but."

“Iww. Gross,” Luke protested. But Carolina wouldn’t have it.

“Hey, you started it!”

Tommy came in from the kitchen with some appetizers, and the group gathered around the bar as Trystan and Carolina continued slicing away.

“So, what are pastelons anyway,” Trystan asked.

“It’s sort of like a lasagna, but instead of layered pasta, we use layers of sliced plantain,” Carolina advised.

“And it’s delicious,” Ruby salivated. “Pastelon, Tommy’s pernil, and some arroz con gandules... that’s all I need to be happy in this world.”

“Good to know," Luke deadpanned.

“I meant foodwise, of course.”

“While everything sounds delicious, I’ve done some research, and this isn’t traditional Thanksgiving fare.”

“It’s traditional Thanksgiving fare when you’re dating a Puerto Rican from the Bronx, my love,” Carolina smiled.

“It’s not as if we won’t have the rest,” Tommy piped in. “I have three turkeys in the oven right now, along with stuffing, and my mashed potatoes are to die for.”

“What about yams?” Trystan asked, earning him peculiar looks from all in attendance.

“Honey... no one eats yams.”

“You’re kidding me!” He gasped in mock horror. “Now, my entire holiday is ruined! I was led to believe there would be yams!”

“Babe,  you’re making far too big a deal out of this.”

“I know. I yam,” Trystan grinned.

Carolina playfully smacked his arm as the others groaned.

“How did we end up with him?” Luke asked.

“It was sheer luck on your part!” Trystan stated. “So, how did this evening's tradition begin?”

“Opening the bar to the community?” Carolina asked.  “We’ve been doing this since I was very young. My father and Uncle Tommy always loved doing this, and I followed in their footsteps.”

Tommy poured some wine for all as he began to share the story.

“Jimmy and I were working late one year, and a woman came in quite distraught.  Her husband had recently died, leaving her with three young children.  She didn’t have the money for a proper Thanksgiving dinner, but it had been her late husband’s favorite holiday, and she didn’t want the kids to go without. Jimmy and I just shot each other a look; we knew what we were going to do.  We told her not to worry about it and, on Thanksgiving Day, we brought everything her family needed to her apartment. It was the best feeling to know we could help.”

“This has always been a low-income community,” Carolina added.  “So, there are a lot of families who have to do without.”

“She’s right,” Tommy nodded.  “But it isn’t only about money.  We have a large immigrant community, and sometimes they don’t have family here, and it can be hard to spend the holiday's alone."

“Exactly,” Mafalda agreed. “Not to mention, everyone isn't blessed with a loving family. Some choose not to spend the holidays at home because their family isn’t accepting.”

“Amen to that,” Carolina agreed. “I remember when I told my father and Tio that I was bisexual.  They were great, but many of my friends were not that fortunate.  Let’s just say the holidays can be the most depressing time of the year for many people, and we like to do our part to help that where we can.”

“So we decided we’d always open The Drunk Tank to the community on Thanksgiving Eve.  No one is turned away.”

Carolina nodded in agreement. “And once local residents and businesses learned about this, they began to give us donations, and it’s gotten bigger every year that we’ve hosted.”

“Yep, and all we ask is that everyone pay it forward with an act of kindness to others.”

“This is a beautiful tradition,” Trystan said, his voice rife with emotion.  “So you have Thanksgiving with your community today and again with the family tomorrow.”

“Almost,” Tommy corrected.  “We get to have Thanksgiving with our family today and tomorrow. Our extended family today, and our closest family tomorrow.”

“We don’t do much eating tonight,” Luke informed. “Tonight, we’re here to serve. But tomorrow, make sure you wear your yoga pants, Trystan, because eating becomes a competitive sport.”

“Yoga pants?” Trystan asked. “I don’t think I own yoga pants.”

“Well, then you better squeeze into a pair of mine,” Carolina insisted.  “Because, trust me, you won’t survive the day without the benefit of spandex.”

Shortly after, people began to arrive, and the flow never seemed to end.  It was hard work, but the team worked together, and you could feel the joy and electricity in the air.  Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, Tommy was locking the door after the last guest left shortly after midnight. After quickly cleaning up, Tommy happily lined up glasses on the bar for one last tradition.

“Oh! This is my absolute favorite part of the night!” Mafalda grinned. "Coquito!"

“This isn’t my favorite part of the night,” Carolina said, grabbing her delicious coconut, rum and spice beverage. “This is my favorite part of the year."

“Yeah, why don’t we have coquito year-round?” Luke asked.

“Because if we did, then it wouldn’t be so special now.” Tommy said as he raised his glass.  “To another successful Thanksgiving, and to the most important thing of all... family.... which includes every one of you.”

“Hear, hear,” Ruby nodded as glasses clinked together.

Later that night, Trystan mindlessly played with Carolina’s hair as she nuzzled her head on his chest.  Exhausted but still buzzing with joy, they simply reveled in the thing they were most thankful for that year... each other.  Though he was silent, Carolina could tell Trystan was deep in thought. 

“What’s on your mind,” she whispered. “You’re never this quiet.”

“Are you saying I’m a loudmouth?” He asked.

“Just answer my question,” she laughed.  “I won’t be forced into brutal honesty on this special day.”

But Trystan refrained a moment longer, and Carolina felt when he swallowed hard. “That’s just it,” he said with a broken voice. “This day is special, and I’m sure tomorrow will be, too.”

“It will be.  We are pretty casual about it, but it’s a day filled with fun, food, and the people we love.”

“It’s about... family.” Trystan paused, gently lifting Carolina’s chin to face him.  “You know there are plenty of us Thorne’s; if we follow the textbook definition, it is a family.”

“Yes...”

“I’ve spent most of my life with them, and I always felt so alone.  But tonight... here with you, and Tommy, and everyone... Carolina, this is the first time in my life I’ve ever spent a holiday as part of a family, a true family... and that’s all because of you.”

With tears in her eyes, Carolina leaned over and met Trystan with a warm, gentle kiss.  When they eventually broke away, each wore blissful grins.

“It’s not all because of me,” she insisted. “We wouldn’t let just anyone in, you know. It took someone pretty incredible.”

“I am incredible,” he smirked. “Aren’t I?”

“Yes, you are.  And you’re humble... oh, so humble.”

They both giggled as Trystan pulled her close.

“I love when you acknowledge that,” he teased. “But all joking aside... I’m so grateful for what we share. You... you’re my family, Carolina.  And I never plan on letting you go."

“Damn right,” she beamed. “Because you’re my family too, and family is forever.”

~~~~ So, our Drakovian prince and New York Rican princess are happy again... I sense some drama coming soon! lol Thank you for reading!

Tagging on separate post.

[masked-alien-lesbian]

In preparation for COP 2, my own edit of my mc Wynter Rose and Trystan Thorne.

I got tired of seeing all the other versions of mcs and Trystans and not mine so I thought I'd give it a stab. The background I used isn't the one in the teaser, I couldn't find anyone that had the background but I managed, but huge thanks to @korgbelmont for the outfits! Everyone follow him because he has a vast collection of choices sprites and backgrounds, free to use, plus he always has the latest pixelberry news available. (Also follow @8emi95, they have all the characters in pieces that makes editing so much easier, and @farizrz he always has the best spoilers and has a comprehensive choices sprites and backgrounds as well) All of yall are awesome!

[zhoras-bitch]

My Playchoices MCs #9

This girl is definitely one of my all time favourite MCs, she's so mean and it's so fucking funny. Also she and Trystan fit one of my favourite ship dynamics to a T. Needless to say, I'm delighted to have this book back. I also had a blast making her outfit because the canon ones were just too well put together for the character I envisioned. My headcanons under the cut.

First | Previous | Next | All

One thing I want to make absolutely clear about Isolde is that she looks like kind of a mess. Her wardrobe consists of a bunch of metal band tees and two pairs of jeans she bought 10 years ago, she sleeps like 5 hours a day and her go-to breakfast is a cup of back coffee with self-loathing on the side. And it shows.

It's actually a running joke between her friends that she not just lives above a bar, she looks like someone who lives above a bar. This look is actually her trying to be kinda fancy for her first day working with Trystan because that red jacket is the nicest thing she owns.

And yes, Trystan looked at this human personification of a stray cat and thought, damn that's hot.

Her bun is secured with bobby pins, which is handy cause she can definitely pick a lock with one of those.

Her dad was German American and her mom was Italian American. Her middle name, Carmen, is her mother's. She was a very warm, open, social person from a big tight-knit family. Unfortunately, Isolde barely remembers her.

People assume Isolde got her scar when she was working for the police or something badass like that, but in reality the story behind it is the most trivial shit imaginable. But she wouldn't tell you that.

Says the funniest, most sarcastic shit imaginable with the most serious expression.

She's very skilled in hand-to-hand combat thanks to doing kickboxing since she was a kid. I picked kickboxing specifically because I imagine her fighting style to be fast, aggressive and involving a lot of punches. She loves punching stuff.

Bisexual but she’d primarily dated women in the past. And since she doesn’t talk about herself like, ever, people often just assume she is a lesbian based on her dating history. I imagine there's a funny moment when Luke realises Isolde and Trystan are actually a thing cause he's like. Wait, you're into guys too? And Isolde is like, always have been (but on the inside she’s lowkey just as surprised as Luke cause her last date with a guy was in high school).

When Isolde meets Trystan, she's at a very low point in her life. She's kinda lost track of who she is and buried herself in her work. Until Trystan's authenticity, spontaneity and resolution to do the right thing awaken something in her. He reminds her of who she was, who she still could be. Unfortunately, Isolde would rather eat her entire fist than open up about her emotions, so it takes her a lot of time to admit that not only does she enjoy Trystan's company, they are also alike in a lot of ways.

After Trystan finally wears her down, Isolde's chaotic, playful, almost juvenile side starts to show again, much to the surprise of everyone around her. Mafalda is kinda terrified by this cause Isolde was already a handful to deal with, that with her disrespect towards the police and all. Like, wtf Thorne, you made her worse! But really, he's just awoken a part of her that’s always been there.

Book 2 is when this part of her is going to come out more and more. I imagine she's gonna surprise Trystan more than once, much to his delight.

[peonyblossom]

Book: Crimes of Passion II Pairing(s): Olivia Nevrakis x nb!MC (Jenna Rose) Words: 1,179 Rating: Teen+ (just to be safe) Warnings: Knives (obvi, it's Olivia /lh) Summary: When Olivia pulls Jenna away at Trystan's recoronation ball, Jenna can't stop themself from flirting. -OR- A rewrite of Book 2 Chapter 7 Diamond Scene with Olivia in the garden. A/N: Some dialogue and narration belongs to Pixelberry Studios. The sexual chemistry between Olivia and MC in this scene was INSANE so I had to rewrite it.

The wind is cold as it bites at Jenna’s skin in the rempty royal garden Olivia has led them to. It takes them a moment to adjust to the change in temperature, the ballroom they were just in being quite warm with the intense lighting and many, many bodies. Once Jenna’s body has aclimated to the new atmosphere, they realize they are quite a few paces behind Olivia and rush to catch up as she strolls along the rectangular stone path. 

“We’re free to speak here. I swept the area for recording devices earlier,” Olivia says in a low tone as soon as Jenna catches up to her. 

“But the Royal Guard can still see us,” Jenna points out, probably out of paranoia. It’s so hard for them to trust anyone in Drakovia, let alone anyone tied to the royal family. 

“I’m a power-hungry, unmarried duchess and you’re a famous American detective with an ensemble to rival the princex themself. There are several conclusions they could draw that don’t involve espionage,” Olivia responds, her lips turning up in a smirk.

“Oh? And what conclusions might those be?” Jenna flirts. They know exactly what kind of conclusions Olivia is referring to, but just to hear her say it…

“Are you playing dumb as a way to flirt with me? Because you should know I like my potential flings to be much smarter than that.” 

Jenna laughs lightly. “Not interested in teaching me?” They ask coyly. “I have a feeling there’s a lot I could learn from you.” 

Olivia and Jenna stop walking and instead turn to face each other. “Oh, there is plenty I could teach you. Starting with the invitation to a secure channel I already sent you.” Olivia resumes her quick-paced walking, once again leaving Jenna scrambling to catch up. As they do, they pull out their phone and see a notification to download the file Olivia sent them. 

They quickly read over the dossier on The Drakovian Act for Heir Equity, disappointed there isn’t more, “This is all of it?” Jenna frowns.

“As adorable as that pout is, stop it. That’s all we have on file. Fortunately for you, I was close to both Juliana and Nadja, so I know a few finer details.” The two continue strolling through the gardens, their hands brushing together at their sides, as they try to keep their faces open and jovial so as not to raise any suspicion. By all accounts, any onlookers wouldn’t assume espionage. 

Jenna asks all the questions they could come up with about the Act and what they learned from the dossier, gaining some vital intel. By the time they come to the end of the garden loop, the wheels are turning in Jenna’s mind as they try to piece everything together. 

“So, what you’re telling me is the Act was stalled long before Juliana was killed,” Jenna clarifies, making sure they got all the pieces put together in the right way.

“Yes,” Olivia responds firmly, bringing butterflies to Jenna’s stomach. Whether from fear or attraction, they couldn’t quite tell. “Sebastyan hated Trystan, Nadja felt betrayed… and Juliana was stubborn. She wouldn’t give up Trystan or her voice in the Act’s legislation.” 

“So Juliana was in the way. That seems like a decent enough motive for someone to kill her.”

“I doubt Nadja would have gone to those lengths. After all, she stopped because she hated the idea of crossing a line.”

Jenna continues asking Olivia anything and everything they can think of that might help them in their case. Royalty was already a confusing mess on its own, let alone when it was all twisted together in a murder plot like this. For a brief moment, the thought of just returning to New York and forgetting all about this crossed Jenna’s mind. But they knew they couldn’t. They could never forget about this. Not until it was solved, at the very least. 

Whilst in the midst of their conversation, Olivia and Jenna hear a rustle behind the bushes and a trample of footsteps approaching. Jenna notices a blade appear in each of Olivia’s hands, ready to strike. Where was she keeping those? 

But it turns out to only be Princess Astrid, leading a young noblewoman into the far side of the garden, for what is, most likely, not espionage. 

“I believe our position has been compromised. We should return,” Olivia says, making her way back towards the castle.

Jenna gently grabs her wrist, causing her to turn around and says, “You don’t want to take a page out of Astrid’s book? Maybe solidify our alibi that we were absolutely not up to any espionage?” Jenna smirks.

Olivia loops her arm through Jenna’s and guides them towards the ballroom. “One, Astrid’s book and mine? Not remotely the same genre. Two, I never need to solidify an alibi. If this wasn’t solid already, it wouldn’t have happened. We should be quick, so do you want to keep flirting, or do you want to learn more about your suspects, little detective?” 

Jenna steps towards Olivia, backing her up against one of the columns holding up the balcony connected to the ballroom. “How about both?”

Olivia hesitates for a second, leading Jenna to believe they had one-upped her, but then she quickly spins them around, pinning Jenna against the column instead and placing a knife to their throat. “Ask me your questions detective.”

Still pinned against the column, Jenna asks Olivia about Trystan’s many siblings. Once they finish asking about everyone, Olivia reminds them, “Where power is based on heritage and birth order, assassination will always follow. Focus on your suspects. Who is avoiding your questions? Who is trying to distract you? To charm you?”

Jenna smirks, their gaze drifting down to the knife against their throat. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you are trying to charm me.”

“You like trouble, don’t you, little detective?” Olivia smiles. She drops the knife to her side, quickly hiding it back in her sleeve. But before Jenna can process any of that, Olivia cups their face with her hand and connects their lips. Jenna wraps their arms around Olivia’s neck, deepening the kiss, feeling Olivia’s soft lips and tasting her sour apple lipstick. 

Applause breaks out from inside the ballroom as yet another dance comes to an end. Olivia breaks away from Jenna, her lips still close. Olivia smiles and grabs Jenna’s hand, leading them back to the ballroom. 

“Unfortunately, that’s all we have time for right now,” Olivia says as they two walk back to the castle. 

“Thank you for the intel. And… the fun escape from this… regal affair.”

“Thank you for investigating Nadja’s murder. And… not flinching at my knife to your throat.” Olivia smirks. They come upon the entrance to the ballroom and Olivia says, “I’ll be in touch, little detective.” She slips away, her touch on Jenna’s fingers lingering ever so slightly. 

As much as Jenna would love to watch her walk away, she’s gone before Jenna can even open their mouth to reply.

[a-cloud-for-dreams]

Detective Haelyn Rózsa

Name: Haelyn "Lyn" Rózsa

Meaning(s): Gift from God/Honorable/Love & Protection (Haelyn) and Rose (Rózsa)

Face Claim: Kelsey Merritt

Pronouns: She/Her

Sexuality: Bisexual

Birthday/Zodiac: November 18 (Scorpio)

Love Interest: Trystan Thorne

Family:

NOTE: I know I promised to follow the actual CoP MC's background and be normal but ofc I found a way to unnecessarily connect characters and bring back old MC and OCs I didn't use so enjoy imao

Distant Maternal Great Grandmother: Raine Nightbloom Distant Maternal Great Grandfather: Tyril Starfury Distant Maternal Grandmother: Eclipse Sarenya Nightfury

Maternal Grandfather: Beckham D'Souza Maternal Grandmother: Londyn Wolfe (Pia Wurtzbach-Jauncey) Mother: Diamond Wolfe Maternal Uncle: Nasriyan Wolfe Paternal Great Grandmother: Vanadey Silva (Warrior Nun) Father: Jacques Rózsa Paternal Uncle: Thomas Rózsa

Goddaughter: Cirilla Watanabe-Webster

Pet: Paris (Former Stray Dog)

Quick Background: (subject to change)

Diamond and her younger brother Nasriyan were raised in a life of crime. She's part of the largest and wealthiest American mafia crime families and, of course, despises any kind of law enforcement.

One day, she accidentally bumped into a man while waiting in line to get coffee at a cafe, where she was supposed to meet a contact. The man she bumped into would be Jacques Rózsa, who would later be revealed as a new police officer. That same night, she met him again at the same bar, and it felt like fate.

They spent more time together in secret to avoid her family's prying eyes, and eventually fell deeply in love with each other. Diamond felt super conflicted because interacting with Jacques clashed with the beliefs she was raised with, but she admired how genuine Jacques felt about wanting to help others. She eventually eloped with him, had a small wedding with only a few trusted guests, and moved back to his hometown in New York. Here, they opened The Drunk Tank and stayed under the radar.

Keep in mind, that Jacques still wasn't aware that his wife was part of a crime family he had been assigned to arrest. The case always fascinated him but has been unsolved largely due to their influence and power within higher-ranking officials. He became extremely passionate about the case and was determined to be the officer to solve it. Somewhere along the line, they had Haelyn and they were all super happy.

But then, Diamond's brother Nasriyan finds out they're in New York, and they have an ultimatum: do certain tasks for the family (she isn't officially registered on any wanted lists) and he'll turn a blind eye. So she did these tasks and slowly got back into the life of crime and violence she was happy to escape from.

Jacques eventually connects the dots and confronts Diamond's parents without knowing they're related. He knows the Wolfe leaders had a daughter, but she didn't seem relevant as she either died or ran away. He ends up having to kill the parents, but her younger brother escapes and lives on the run. Now, the whole Wolfe family is in shambles. Diamond realizes she could never live a content idyllic life and leaves her husband and daughter to go back. She couldn't bear to tell Jacques she had lied about her family history and left him a letter saying that she had to prioritize her duty etc. Jacques and Thomas were both heartbroken and lied to Haelyn so she wouldn't have to feel any guilt.

Haelyn lives a relatively normal life until her dad was killed when she was 13 supposedly by her own uncle, revealing Diamond's darkest secret in Jacques's last moments. Diamond eventually finds him and sends him to some confinement where he cannot escape. When she returns in Book 3, she and her daughter work together to track down Jacques's killer

Romance Route: (subject to change)

A) Book 1 and Book 2 Events B) Trystan is coronated and does not abdicate the throne. This means he is still temporarily engaged to Princess Jia; Haelyn felt the wisest decision would be to break up before the situation gets messy a lil too late but okay C) A crime happens (ex. someone stole royal jewels) and he hires the best private detective he knows and trusts to solve the case D) She solves the case and heads back as quickly as she can because it hurts being around someone she would never be able to be with. When she gets back, her mother reappears and sets off the Book 3 plot of finding the truth about Haelyn's father's death E) Trystan hears about this through Luke and Ruby and flies out immediately (Marguerite joins in later). He says he has business to attend to in America and says he'll be back in time for engagement planning F) They solve the case and Trystan heads back, inviting the whole gang to the engagement. At the last minute, like what happens in the Book 2 finale, he reveals his true feelings and abdicates the throne. Princess Jia didn't want to be married and Trystan wasn't interested in their arranged marriage or the Drakovian throne so it was a win-win situation G) They all live happily ever after THE END

Trivia:

She's never been in a romantic relationship. Ever. She's been interested in people before but she's never officially dated since she was super busy and not the best at initiating/maintaining close long-term relationships. Trystan was her first boyfriend and last boyfriend

She is fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, and eventually proficient in Drakovian and Filipino

She’s left handed and sketches in her free time, or whenever he’s having trouble solving a case

Haelyn Rózsa's Dossier (made by @storyofmychoices!)

[dragonknightofsummerset]

I want to talk about 3 choices books but since I got vip for this month I'm obviously ahead of all nonvip readers, so I'll be putting my thoughts under the cut as well as tagging "[title of book] spoilers" but not main tagging

First: Hot Shot

I am so disappointed with this one 😞 genuinely liked it up until the chapters where MC goes to Casey's hometown. I was willing to look past some of the cringe (imo) smut dialogue cause I actually really like Casey as an li, but the whole "leak" plotline is kind of wack, and I thought maybe the tension/pining coming back after the breakup would be enjoyable but it's just very... bland and it comes off as more as the MC & Casey just missing having sex with each other (which is fine I guess) but aside from them saying "I miss you" all we get are horny thoughts/comments, not much memories outside of reporting & sex are brought up. RIP Casey Jameson, I actually liked you, but this book & MC were not it for you ✌️

Second: The Deadliest Game

I'm actually loving this book, I was very hesitant as I thought it'd be more like DLS (where there is a mystery but the smut was at the forefront) but it's nice focusing on the mystery and having more than 1 li; and the shock from last week's chapter paired with having to choose someone to lock up based on the current evidence?? So good. Also, I found it very interesting, during my first read of today's chapter, I chose to lock up Angelina cause of the whole affair thing, and Liz got super defensive but the second time around I thought, wait Pete has more motive, and when I selected him, Liz was saying "MC is a mystery writer so they would know" (not word for word, I am paraphrasing from memory) & it's very interesting how differently she reacts, and no one, not even Steve seems to put up much of a fight when MC suggests locking him up, I haven't seen how Liz reacts if we choose her, but based on today's evidence she is far down the suspect list so out of the choices we get to choose from, Angelina & Pete seem the most suspicious. But, BUT, I also find it interesting that it's the 2nd time we can suspect or defend Jun against suspicion, like of all 3 li's I just find it fascinating but I don't really have a theory for it, just wondering if they're pulling a DLS with that one. But ahhh the description for the next few chapters are making me nervous ngl

Third: The Ghost of Us

It's only what, 4 chapters in? Even so, not having learned my lesson from hot shot, I am genuinely enjoying it so far. I was hesitant with the first chapter but a little more open by chapter 2. Then chapter 3 & 4 really got to me. I like Grey, they do seem to have similarities to Trystan, but oh I know this book is going to break my heart because of how much I like Grey already. There is some backstory to MC besides the medium stuff, which I like. They have been so focused on their career and it's shown how lonely MC is, and gahhh the almost kisses with Grey, despite them being a ghost? Has me going insane, but the latest chapter, they have a corporeal form???? Like I need to yell about that!!! There's no way they can just walk around like they didn't die, people will recognize them, I need the next chapter!! Actually thinking of restarting and recording the chapters as I play them, it's just unfortunate I can't decide on an MC, I might choose the MC I chose from TDG but unfortunately the premium hairstyle I wanted doesn't really suit her (T.T) oh well, I'll figure that out soon anyway