#interrogation time

[blackhakumen]

Mini Fanfic #1062: Interrogating Inari (Persona 5 & Sonic)

12:34 p.m. at LeBlanc Café............

It was an odd, confusing day for Yusuke Kitagawa the moment Omega silently welcome him inside the darken LeBlanc Café before closing the doors behind them. As he sits himself down on one of the café bar's seats, he notices the robot and the young couple, Morgana and Lavenza, giving him a suspicious looking glare.

Before he could start asking questions, the single clicking sound of the lamp switch is heard as Sojiro reveals in the artist's view sight, with his elbows on the table, chin standing on top of his hands, and a glare that could give even the likes of Bowser a shiver.

Sojiro: Yusuke Kitagawa. At last, you've arrived....(Gets his Head Up From his Hands and Turns Away Before Grabbing his Chin and Thinks) Or....was it Inari?....(Turns Back to Yusuke) Uh quick question: do you usually go by that or just Yusuk cause I've been hearing Futuba call you that fir the longest time while everyone else in your friend group go by your actual name. Matter of fact, what the hell does "Inari" means anyway?

Yusuke: (Grabs his Chin While Thinking as Well) I'm not sure. We've been friends for quite a while now and I still don't have the slightest clue what that nickname means.....

Lavenza: Perhaps it originated from an ancient folk tale of sorts?

Morgana: Or from one of the animes she watches......

Yusuke: (Takes his Phone Out From his Pants Pocket) I could try looking it up on my phone if-

Omega: We are losing focus on the discussion at hand.

Sojiro: Oh right. ('Clears Throat') Yusuke, Inari, or....whatever you want us to call you, we got a lot to talk about today.

Yusuke: I see. Is it about this week's Café insurance payment?

Sojiro: What? No. I mean, I do have to pay it some point this week- Look, I'm talking about you and Futuba!

Yusuke: Ahhhh yes, I see. What....about Futuba and I exactly?

Sojiro: Not to be that guy, but word has it that the two of you are about spend some quality time together.

Yusuke: (Happily Nodded) Correct. I believe we're supposed to go the arcade a few miles from here, for our first activity together, followed by a stroll around the city, find a suitable place to eat, shop, and once the sun sets, we retreat back here to have ourselves an

Morgana: (Raises an Eyebrow) And it's only gonna be just the two of you doing all of that today?

Yusuke: Percisely. I would ask you and the rest of our friends to come with, but she insisted not to so for whatever reason.

Lavenza: Interesting. And do you, pry tell, know what day it is today?

Yusuke: What day is- Ah yes, Valentine's Day. (Places his Hand on his Chest in an Somewhat Dramatic Fashion) A holiday dedicated to love, unity, the awareness of being single.

Morgana: Ryuji told you that last part, didn't he?

Yusuke: That he did, yes. (Smiles a Little) But is it nice to see the holiday give it some recognition to say the least.

Sojiro: (Snickers a Bit) Yeah, more or less. (Let's Out a Chuckle Before Giving Yusuke a Deadpinned Look) But no seriously, you do realize my daughter is taking you out on a date, right?

Yusuke: But going out on a date implies to those who are romantically interest in one another. (Chuckles Lightly) And there's no possible way that Futuba of all people, would have any feelings towards me.

Everyone else started looking at each other in silence for a second before turning back to Yusuke.

Lavenza: Yusuke-San, I'm not sure how long you haven't noticed, but.....

Omega: That girl has it down bad for you.

Yusuke: (Eyes Starts to Widened in Genuine Surprise) What? But....that's impossible! There's no proof of that being true. Is it?

Sojiro: (Shrugs) We wouldn't be having this conversation if it wasn't.

Morgana: Think about it. You ever noticed how she started hanging out with you a lot more than she does with Ren, Ryuji, Ann, Makoto, mom, or anyone of us in here as of late?

Yusuke: Well....I suppose we have spent more time together than usual in the last two years..... (Smiles a Little) And I have grown to enjoy her company as of late. She's a wonderful companion who deserves every happiness she receives.

Lavenza/Morgana: (Clasps Their Hands While Smiling at Yusuke With Puppy Dog Eyes) AWWWWWWWWW!~

Yusuke: (Grabs his Chin While Thinking) But i wonder......Do you really think I have what takes to be a suitable love partner to her? I never been in a relationship before, and my knowledge of is minimal at best.

Omega: Being in a romantic relationship can be a challenging process for two or more parties involve and takes a fairly long amount of time of time, patience, and error regardless of the chemistry you share. But if you are willing to step out of your comfort facilities, give it an honest chance, and take the time to learn from one another as your lifespan continues to progress, then I am certain that you two will able to far as an official couple, but only if you choose to go along with the ordeal.

Sojiro: (Almost at a Loss For Words) Wow, I....Honestly couldn't have said any better myself.

Lavenza: (Smiles Softly at the E-Series Robot) We never knew you were so knowledgeable at romance, Omega-Kun.

Omega: (Puts on a Deadpinned Look on his Face) Mother Rouge always makes Knuckles and I watch romance related shows every time she has her hands the remotes. It eventually comes with territory unfortunately....

Sojiro: That explains it. (Turns Back to Yusuke) But Omega's right, kid. You'll never know what the world of romance might have in store for either of you if you give it a shot. (Smiles Softly) We know you two have what it takes.

'A-HEM'

The lights finally brightens up around the café as the gang turn to see Futuba crossing her arms, glaring at them.

Futuba: What the flipping curry is going on in here? (Facepalms Herself) Please don't tell me you forgot to pay the insurance apayment again, Sojiro.....

Sojiro: (Sighs While Rolling his Eyes) I haven't forgotten to pay anything, Futuba. It's due in a few days and it's not what's going on here.

Yusuke: If I may, sir? Futuba, can I ask you something?

Futuba: (Immediately Notices Yusuke is in the Room as Well) Inari, you're here! (Makes her Way to Him) And yeah, what you wanna ask me?

Yusuke: This....may or not come out of thin air, but....is it true that.....you may have a possible interest in me? In a romantic sense?

Futuba: (Squint her Eyes in Confusion) Interest in you in romantic-

As the words "romantic" escape from her mouth, something inside her brain starts to click as her eyes starts to widens and a blush begins to appear on both of her cheeks.

Futuba: H-HUUUUUUUH!?~

Yusuke: Romantic interest. Or I suppose in layman's terms: having a plausible sized crush on-

Futuba: I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS, INARI! (Chuckles Very Awkwardly) And it's ridiculous!~ I mean, really, how can I, a shut-in weeb, could EVER fall for such a talented, fairly good looking INARI like you? That's crazy!~

Futuba's chuckles slowly starts to die down as she sees everyone in the room staring at her with deadpinned looks, clearly not buying the see through denial act or as she mostly put it, the "Tsundere" act.

Futuba: (Sighs in Defeat Before Facepalming Herself) Okay, this is starting to get repetitive now- Fine, I confess! I....(Starts Turning Away While Blushing) do have a crush on you, Yusuke.

Yusuke: (Eyes Starts to Widened Again) You said my actual name.....This must be serious then.

Futuba: (Quickly Glares at her Crush) Will you can it already!? This isn't a joke or some kind of elaborate prank on your dispense! I REALLY do like you, Yusuke Kitagawa! So would you kindly stop being a smart-ass and take me seriously for once!?

'Silence'

Futuba: (Calms Herself Down by Sighing Before Rubbing her Arm Softly) Sorry. I didn't mean to blow up on you like that....Sorry in advance, Sojiro, but letting out your emotions can be a real bitch sometimes, you know?

Yusuke: (Chuckles Lightly) I agree. But really it's okay. If anything I should apologize for making you upset to begin with.

Futuba: (Shrugs) Eh. I'm over it now, so you don't have to worry about all of that. (Shyly Turns her Front her) So.....what do you think? About my confessions and whatnot.....

Yusuke: Well....as overjoyed I am to hear your confessions....(Starts Blushing) And how I am beginning to feel similarly towards you as well....

Futuba: (Eyes Begins to Widened Before Turning Back to Yusuke) S-Seriously? Are you actively for real right now!?

Yusuke: (Chuckles Lightly) Yes. That I am. (Frowns a Bit) But even still, if I'm being honest, I can't help but to also feel nervous about starting a legitimate relationship between us.

Futuba: Duuuude! I'm nervous about all of that crap too!

Yusuke: Really now?

Futuba: Really times infinity! I mean, being a couple is great and all, but I'm still getting used to going out and socializing with every new people I mean without running away and hide. What makes you think I would have what it takes to be romantic 24/7?

Yusuke: Perhaps we could let our feelings run it's course until it comes natural for both of us? There's no telling how long it will take, but I believe it's a better alternative than just simply rushing into it.

Lavenza: (Smiles Softly at the Duo) We could help you learn the fundamentals of romance if the both of you like?

Morgana: (Happily Nodded) Yeah, definitely. (Gently Holds Lavenza's Hand) We're still new to the whole thing ourselves, but it wouldn't hurt either of us to lend you two a hand.

Omega: I am not the biggest fan of the concept myself. (Smiles Brightly) But I am still willing to give you assistance if need.

Sojiro: (Smiles Softly) Same here. It's been a long while since I've gotten into a relationship myself, but I can be pretty knowledgeable on the subject. You two are in good hands.

Yusuke: (Simply Nodded With a Sincere Smile on his Face) And we can't thank you all enough for each of your support.

Futuba: Group Hugs!~

The gang gathered around for a group hug among one another before light tabs on the glass doors rang into their eardrums as they turn to see Sae Niijima and a few other people standing outside of the café.

Sae: Pardon me for intruding such a touching moment. (Starts Glaring at Sojiro) But can you PLEASE let us inside already!? I am on the clock right now!

Tae: (Pops her Head Out From Behind the Prosecutor With An Annoyed Look) We all are.

And right on cue, the rest of the crowd begins to speak out their complaints as well.

Sojiro: I uh.....(Begins to Chuckle Awkwardly) guess we left those door close lock for too long there, huh?

Futuba: (Smiles Brightly) Yup. Which is Inari and I cue to leave.

Yusuke: ('Sigh') And we're back on the nickname department....

Futuba: (Happily Hugs Yusuke's Arm as the Two Make Their Way to the Door) Hush, boy. You know you love it~

Sojiro: Well, I hope you two be safe be, don't try any funny business, and have fun out there.

Futuba: We will!~ (Unlocks the Door to the Café, Letting Everyone Outside In) Café's now reopen, folks!~

Sae: (Sighs in Relief as She Walks in) Finally.... (Turns to the Duo With a Soft Smile) I hope you two have a good time on your date today.

Futuba: Thank you bunch, Big Sis Sae. (Happily Waves Goodbye at Sojiro and the Other as She and Yusuke Walk Put Together) Don't try and spy on us while we're gone or I'll hate you all foreverrrrr!~

Sojiro: We hear you loud and clear, kiddo. See ya! (Let's Out a Bit if a Heavily Sigh) I guess it's time to go back on our regularly scheduled program. (Turns to the Rest of the Gang) You three mind helping an old man out here?

Morgana/Lavenza: (Happily Salutes to Sojiro) Yes sir!~

Omega: Affirmative. (Quickly Looks Down on his Arm and Makes a Call) Abort the stealth operation. I repeat: Abort the stealth operation!

Meanwhile outside of the café, Solid Snake receives the call Omega gave while hiding behind the building's rooftop.

Snake: Cope that. (Ends the Call Before Sighing Heavily) I need to start my early retirement already. I'm getting too old for this.....

Happy Late Birthday, Futuba!

@keyenuta

@princekirijo

@cyber-wildcat

@caleb13frede

@bestpony666

[probably-a-plant-thing]

how did you come up with Skulk's mask design? was it like a long thought-through process or more like a concept that just appeared in your mind and felt right?

It was a bit of a process, his first design kinda jumbled because the mask was overdetailed while the outfit was underdetailed.

It's honestly a process of finding the right mix of simple but interesting.

Especially since I'm the type of person to forget details often, I find it important to find a design where I can really easily remember the details

I mean hell, his cheeks are also eyebags. That's as clever as I got there.

[regonold]

Danny has recently joined the young justice team after they discovered amity and how they were under media black out and a group of people were pretending to be government agents were attacking using a law that was never actually passed as an excuse for it

Anyway whilst meeting the justice league he notices how one of the members has a ring on and trying to make small talk starts talk about it and how he has his own ring trinkets just like it

He doesn't get why everyone got so silent after he mentioned how he collects the different colours as a hobby they're practically a dime a donzen in the realms

Not to mention all rhe times clockwork has sent him to some different planet in the past and rings have quite literally floated to him before dropping after getting too close

Or

Sometimes when rings are off looking for someone to weild them they will sense a great emotion and accidentally fly through a natural portal and then being suddenly just absolutely covered in emotions they end up shorting out and just floating through the realms

And danny has found so many of they he just considers them trinkets or clockwork has sent danny to a different time period on difficult planets and a ring has sensed the great emotion and tried to choose him but then it's covered in emotions and blacks out and Danny's just swiped it not think much

-------------

Ama be honest i just love the idea of dannys core going it smells of space and i want it

To be clear due to the fact of the infinite realms being infinite sometimes a portal will open near enough to a lantern ring for it to head to wards it thinking it's just someone with great levels of insert required emotion

Like if a portal opened near fright knight and a yellow lantern ring happened to he close by it would go on that guy just radiates fear i want him

But after entering the portal it's no longer in any dimension and it's swamped in emotions of all kinds simply due to the nature of the realms

[ew-selfish-art]

DPx DC AU: Danny learns that he can change his summoning ritual and decides to go chaos mode with it i.e. A viral tiktok trend.

Danny ascends the throne and it's honestly pretty alright as far as new jobs go. He states a few opinions, makes sure no one goes to war and is slowly integrating a community service sentence to Walker's prison. It's not a bad gig, and considering the troves of gold he's now owner of, it doesn't pay too shabby either.

His main problem with the job isn't even his constituents (he likes to think they would vote for him over pariah), it's all these loony death cults! They keep summoning him with Pariah's old cold sign and it's driving him insane- After a very unhelpful smirk by CW, a long study session in GW's library and some help from Ember (she knows drama like no one else) Danny finally has a new summoning ritual.

Of course he swapped out the blood and bone for like, sour gummies and random shit he had in his backpack at the time. A TI-84. And yes, the Latin chant is that one super-fast bit of Rap God preformed to a BTS dance at speed.

But rather than keep this to himself, he gets Sam (who has a thriving plant and protest community following) to record her completing this ritual and Danny being summoned. Why? Cause it was a very specific to Sam skill that they didn't know if people could replicate and it gives Danny some plausible deniability that he tried to make it difficult when CW asks.

Posting it makes it very quickly go viral as people attempt to call it fraudulent but sure enough, Danny is now traveling the world at a moments notice.

Which is great cause it's summer and he's bored in Amity anyway (He's going to change it before he starts university in September, duh), and its even better because the second a lame ass death cult brings him forward to, like, destroy the planet, a slumber party or influencer has already summoned him away. Shit, he even met a few celebrities this way! Plus, turns out that most death cultists aren't able to rap!

Reality hit him pretty hard when he got summoned to an office space that is clearly a base of operations and the summoning spell locked him in. Literally, he has no idea how to get out of this binding spell- Danny definitely hadn't realized that was an option. Taking in the Justice League members in front of him, plus one trench coated menace, Danny groaned for a moment before thinking to ask:

"Wait- Which one of you was able to do Rap God? And the dance? Please tell me someone thought to film that!!"

[pjs-everyday]

*immediately loses their cool* lmao 🤓 // linework >> grayscale // ko-fi

[sicklyjelly]

decided to celebrate two anniversaries at the same time :) happy one year, ISAT! <3

[hypnogogyc]

Every song has a final note.

[creepypastalover97]

I can personally do a whole analysis rant about why raditz deserved better, based off this one manga panel image if anyone's interested.

[somegrumpynerd]

Some doodles for the Gay cat panic au from @krossheadquarters's anon that I finally remembered to finish

[potato-lord-but-not]

hey :) hope youre doing good!

I REALLY enjoy your noel design, and I noticed you draw him with a lot of scars (100% here for it). In your last Noel/Oscar art you drew him with scars around his wrists. Do you have thoughts on how he got those? I'm thinking either in the dreamlands or he got kidnapped during a case and was handcuffed or smth for a While

Anyway let me hear your thoughts !!

Definitely from his time in the dreamlands, he was bond at the wrists for a pretttyyyy long time (by like ropes or organic freaky tentacles or what have you) because that man was the most unruly prisoner the KiY had in the pits for sure

[the-judicial-assistants-notebook]

same energy

[probably-a-plant-thing]

Who's your favorite vampire from The Lost Boys? 👀 I honestly love this movie sm

Oh you KNOW it's David. I'm a bitch for cocky leader types, especially ones that are melting with gay vibes.

He looks like he's trying to be scary but his face is like. Too squishy soft to be, he's a puppy of a man.

Also I wanna punch him but that's just me.

[magenta-somethings]

trick or treat!

treat! (aka a snippet fic i ended up writing on the bus about tim asking yj for advice re: the huntress/nightwing/oracle situation)

“So, wait, Nightwing is dating Huntress?” asks Cassie.

“I don’t know what they’re doing!” Tim replies. “That’s half the problem.”

“And do we like Huntress?” asks Cissie.

“Yes—no—it’s complicated,” Tim replies. He’s doing a lot of replying and he doesn’t entirely like it—more out of an instinctual avoidance of being on the interrogatee side of an interrogation than anything else—but he had been the one to ask for advice. Which, in hindsight, may have been a mistake, but it’s one he’s now committed to. “I do like her. But she struggles with following Batman’s rules. I mean, we all do, but she struggles with the no killing aspect of it specifically.”

“But has she, like, actually killed anyone?” Kon asks. He’s floating in the air, cross-legged, with one of Cassie’s pillows hugged to his chest. It’s kind of cute—especially with his oversized Superman t-shirt, because, thankfully, he doesn’t actually sleep in his costume.

Not that Tim would ever say it’s cute out loud. 

“No, not since we started working together properly.”

Kon shrugs. “Then I don’t see the problem? Yeah, it’s majorly screwed that she’s killed but it also sounds like she’s changed." Tim might be imagining it, but he almost sounds wistful? "And being able to stand up to the bat seems like a point in her favour more than anything.” He pauses. “Plus, based on the picture you have of her, she’s a total babe.”

Tim just knew visual aids would be a mistake. This is on him for not being able to resist a corkboard. Cassie, acting on behalf of the team, throws a pillow at Kon. It does smack him in the face—he still needs to practice his catches—but before it can fall to the ground his TTK catches it and now he’s hugging two pillows and maybe that backfired slightly. 

Tim puts his corkboard face-down on principle. Huntress probably doesn’t even know he has the photo—her foot in the middle of kicking a bad guy’s face, her fist breaking the jaw of another. He doesn’t have much time for photography anymore, but sometimes he just itches to go out and capture Gotham and its heroes.  The photo of Nightwing, meanwhile, is him shoving his face full of pizza, a hand reaching out to try, in vain, to block the camera lens. 

Oracle, of course, is represented by her icon. He still hasn’t started thinking of her as Barbara.

“It’s not all about looks,” says Cassie. “Even if she is really hot.” She pauses. “Like, really hot.”

“Okay!” interrupts Tim. “That’s enough of that.” He did not need his friends calling his co-worker hot.

“Yeah, it really doesn’t matter,” agrees Cissie, and of course he can count on her to have his back. “Especially since Nightwing is way hotter than her.”

A part of Tim dies inside. Just shrivels up and expires, there and then.

“Okay, but Nightwing is hotter than, like, everyone,” points out Kon. That part of Tim is currently being cremated. “And cooler, and more badass. Or whatever.” 

“Most documentaries on 20th-21st century heroes talk about Nightwing’s attractiveness at least once,” says Bart offhandedly from the corner where he’s playing Polyp-mon. It’s one of his first contributions to the conversation. The part of Tim that died earlier is now having a funeral held in its honour. Suzie, at least, is still absorbed in the game. She’s spent the conversation peering over Bart’s shoulder, occasionally asking him to catch a specific polyp-mon. Though he doubts her additions would be worse than what is currently passing for advice.

“Guys, please,” Tim says, desperately trying to course-correct the conversation. God, it’s so much worse having them talk about how hot this co-worker is. “Stay focused on the problem.”

“Is that you like Oracle more?” asks Cissie.

Tim hesitates. Oracle is one of the most impressive people he knows, and getting to actually spend time with her—especially when it’s her teaching him about tech—is awesome, and she’s saved his life more times than he count or probably even knows about. But he’s only known her face-to-face for a short time, while he’s been fighting side-by-side with Huntress almost as long as he’s been acting properly as Robin. 

“That’s not what’s important,” he deflects. “What’s important is what’s best for Nightwing.”

“Right,” says Cissie. 

“What if they all just dated each other?” asks Bart

“You can do that?” asks Kon, at the same time as Tim says, “I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t fix it. In fact, I’m pretty sure that would make it worse.”

The silence stretches. 

“Well, good luck with that!” declares Cassie. “Now, who wants to watch Xena?”

Tim sighs, but let’s the hang-out move on. What’s happening with Nightwing, Huntress and Oracle is such a mess that there’s no way a bunch of teenagers are going to be able to untangle it, especially when most of them don’t have much experience in romance or life or both. Tim certainly doesn’t have a leg to stand on when it comes to having non-messy relationships. He’s sure Dick will figure it out. Eventually.

Kon floats down next to him as Cassie and Cissie go looking for the VHS, with that grin on his face that Tim just knows means he’s come up with some terrible joke. “Look on the brightside! When the divorce happens, you’ll have not one, not two, but three Christmases. Not four, because I’m pretty sure Batman doesn’t celebrate, but three is still pretty good.” 

“Yay,” says Tim, voice as flat as he can make it.

[transbot-brian]

My headcanon for Marius is that he is a bad psychologist normally but very rarely he will pull out this god tier analysis of someone from not even five minutes of talking. He can tell you about things youve completely blocked out from memory and when you ask him about it he'll say some shit like "The way you blinked" with no other explanation

[ectokelpeigh]

All these DP x DC posts on my dash and not ONCE has anyone capitalized on these two sharing a voice actor

[the-broken-pen]

hi I saw your recent post I hope your moving went smoothly!

I have a loose prompt, if you wanted/had time/had WiFi to write: an interrogation room meet-cute between villain and non-field agent hero

As soon as the door clicked shut behind them the hero realized they were in the wrong room. A very wrong room.

They blinked. The villain blinked, taking them in.

“You look lost.”

“That’s rude,” they responded before they had the chance to think about it. “I work here.”

“Do you now,” the villain said, and the hero grew abruptly aware of their jacket stamped with the Agency logo, their gloves marking their designation as a touch based hero. It was a miracle they didn’t turn red with the embarrassment of it.

They tried the doorknob behind their back. It rattled, but didn’t open, and internally they started screaming. Just a little bit.

“They don’t open from the inside,” the villain said helpfully. “Security risk, or something like that.”

“I know that,” the hero snapped, and the villain raised an eyebrow. “Sorry.”

The apology blurted out before they could stop it.

“Did you just ‘apologize’ to me?” The villain looked at them incredulously.

“Uh,” they managed. “Funny question.”

“Funny—“ the villain cut themself off. “It’s not a question, I literally just heard you apologize.”

“Maybe you should get your hearing checked out,” they offered, and winced, because apparently every sane part of their brain had fled to France and left them with a singular suicidal brain cell.

The villain’s mouth was slightly open, as if they weren’t entirely sure what was happening. The hero shared the same sentiment.

The villain glanced at the camera, then back to the hero.

“You’re not a field agent,” they said, as if it was dawning on them.

“You don’t know that,” the hero said defensively.

“You’re holding a file.”

“Field agents are capable of holding files,” the hero replied. “Kind of rude of you to assume they can’t.”

The whisper of a smile tugged at the corner of the villain’s mouth.

“Sorry,” the villain said, and it was just barely mocking.

The hero rocked on their heels a bit, drumming their fingers on the file in their hands.

“They’re taking a while to get you out,” the villain observed.

“Yeah, Bob’s on duty.”

“Oh, so Bob doesn’t do his job?”

The hero jerked. “I did not say that.”

“It was kind of implied, though,” the villain said earnestly.

The hero had interacted with villains before: ending interviews for files, the odd informant. Never held a conversation though, and certainly not for this long.

This was why they didn’t do field work.

“What, no response?”

The hero smiled, sickeningly sweet. “I’m compiling commentary to add to your file.”

“So you admit to not being a field agent.”

“Continually makes assumptions, poor listening comprehension…”

“Not a very long list,” they pointed out.

The hero felt their smile sharpen. “The rest involves curse words.”

The villain barked a laugh, and the hero jerked slightly in surprise.

The villain regarded them like they were deciding something, as if they could see something within the hero that they themself couldn’t.

It had been a long time, longer than the hero would like to admit, since someone, anyone, had looked at them like that.

Like they mattered at all.

“I like you,” the villain said finally, slowly, like they weren’t entirely sure those were the words that were going to come out.

“You also like crime.”

“And you know how dedicated I am to that,” the villain said pointedly, a glint in their eye.

“How sweet,” the hero managed after a moment. “This is exactly why I became a hero. To be compared to felonies.”

The villain just smirked. They peered down at the handcuffed hands, then looked up at the hero. They weren’t sure when they had moved away from the door, closer to the villain, but somehow it had happened.

There was something warm to this; it sat in the hero’s chest, light and airy.

“I’ll text you when I get out. Say, next week?”

“You’re going to jail,” the hero reminded, mouth dry.

The villain grinned. “Right,” they drawled, amusement splashed across their face. “Jail. Which is where I am going. And where I shall stay. Absolutely.”

Something clicked, and the hero didn’t have to look under the table to know the villain had slipped their cuffs.

Despite their best efforts, their eyes flicked downwards, like they could see the now empty cuffs below the table. The villain grinned further, as if in challenge.

Are you going to tattle?

The hero swallowed.

“I’m really not supposed to be in here.”

“I’ve gathered,” the villain said. “You work the desk all the time?”

“Yes.”

“Personal choice, or…”

“I like it,” the hero said defensively. “It’s just puzzles, and I’m good at those.”

“Puzzles?”

“Putting things together,” they said vaguely. “Routes and evidence and all that.”

The villain’s brow furrowed, as if they were mulling something over. Their gaze returned to the hero, and it was searing.

“You’re the one who found me, aren’t you.”

“Oh,” the hero said, blushing. “That’s-I��m not—“

The villain leaned forward. “Am I in that file?”

The hero tucked it behind their back.

“No.”

“Are you lying?”

“No,” the hero said with emphasis. The villain laughed.

“You’re bad at this,” they said, but it was fond.

“Thanks, I try,” the hero said. They were waiting for the villain to stand up, but they seemed content to just sit there and watch.

“Mhm,” the villain agreed, and for some reason, the hero flushed even further.

The villain’s gaze snapped to the door, and they tilted their head as if listening to something.

“They’ll be here in a minute,” they said. The hero blinked. “To get you out,” the villain prompted.

“Right,” the hero said. They had forgotten they couldn’t leave, but the villain didn’t need to know that. They had a feeling they knew anyways.

“I’ll call you,” the villain reminded.

“You don’t have my number,” the hero protested.

The villain gave them a look. “You’re cute. Do you like pizza? We could do pizza.”

“We could never speak again.”

“Funny, I’ve never heard of that restaurant.”

“You—”

“Oh look, they’re here!” The villain said cheerfully.

The door swung open, and someone the hero vaguely recognized stepped in.

In the next second, the hero was in the hallway.

“Oh, and love,” the villain called, and the hero cursed themself for blushing. “Don’t be jealous of the other felonies. You’ll always be my favorite crime.”

The hero ducked their face behind the file, but they couldn’t stop the pleased smile that crept from the corners of their mouth.