#number 1 ladies detective agency

[shortace]

Favourite and most relatable sentence I've ever read in a book: "She had nothing to do (ignoring, for the moment, everything else on the list)."

[batboyblog]

Things the Biden-Harris Administration Did This Week #31

August 9-16 2024

President Biden and Vice-President Harris announced together the successful conclusion of the first negotiations between Medicare and pharmaceutical companies over drug prices. For years Medicare was not allow to directly negotiate princes with drug companies leaving seniors to pay high prices. It has been a Democratic goal for many years to change this. President Biden noted he first introduced a bill to allow these negotiations as a Senator back in 1973. Thanks to Inflation Reduction Act, passed with no Republican support using Vice-President Harris' tie breaking vote, this long time Democratic goal is now a reality. Savings on these first ten drugs are between 38% and 79% and will collectively save seniors $1.8 billion dollars in out of pocket costs. This comes on top of the Biden-Harris Administration already having capped the price of insulin for Medicare's 3.5 million diabetics at $35 a month, as well as the Administration's plan to cap Medicare out of pocket drug costs at $2,000 a year starting January 2025.

President Biden and Vice President Harris have launched a wide ranging all of government effort to crack down on companies wasting customers time with excessive paperwork, hold times, and robots rather than real people. Some of the actions from the "Time is Money" effort include: The FTC and FCC putting forward rules that require companies to make canceling a subscription or service as easy as signing up for it. The Department of Transportation has required automatic refunds for canceled flights. The CFPB is working on rules to require companies to have to allow customers to speak to a real person with just one button click ending endless "doom loops" of recored messages. The CFPB is also working on rules around chatbots, particularly their use from banks. The FTC is working on rules to ban companies from posting fake reviews, suppressing honest negative reviews, or paying for  positive reviews. HHS and the Department of Labor are taking steps to require insurance companies to allow health claims to be submitted online. All these actions come on top of the Biden Administration's efforts to get rid of junk fees.

President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden announced further funding as part of the President's Cancer Moonshot. The Cancer Moonshot was launched by then Vice-President Biden in 2016 in the aftermath of his son Beau Biden's death from brain cancer in late 2015. It was scrapped by Trump as political retaliation against the Obama-Biden Administration. Revived by President Biden in 2022 it has the goal of cutting the number of cancer deaths in half over the next 25 years, saving 4 million lives. Part of the Moonshot is Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), grants to help develop cutting edge technology to prevent, detect, and treat cancer. The President and First Lady announced $150 million in ARPA-H grants this week focused on more successful cancer surgeries. With grants to Tulane, Rice, Johns Hopkins, and Dartmouth, among others, they'll help fund imaging and microscope technology that will allow surgeons to more successfully determine if all cancer has been remove, as well as medical imaging focused on preventing damage to healthy tissues during surgeries.

Vice-President Harris announced a 4-year plan to lower housing costs. The Vice-President plans on offering $25,000 to first time home buyers in down-payment support. It's believed this will help support 1 million first time buyers a year. She also called for the building of 3 million more housing units, and a $40 billion innovation fund to spur innovative housing construction. This adds to President Biden's call for a $10,000 tax credit for first time buyers and calls by the President to punish landlords who raise the rent by over 5%.

President Biden Designates the site of the 1908 Springfield Race Riot a National Monument. The two day riot in Illinois capital took place just blocks away from Abraham Lincoln's Springfield home. In August 1908, 17 people die, including a black infant, and 2,000 black refugees were forced to flee the city. As a direct result of the riot, black community leaders and white allies met a few months later in New York and founded the NAACP. The new National Monument will seek to preserve the history and educate the public both on the horrible race riot as well as the foundation of the NAACP. This is the second time President Biden has used his authority to set up a National Monument protecting black history, after setting up the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument on Emmett Till's 82nd birthday July 25th 2023.

The Department of The Interior announced $775 million to help cap and clean up orphaned oil and gas wells. The money will help cap wells in 21 states. The Biden-Harris Administration has allocated $4.7 billion to plug orphaned wells, a billion of which has already been distributed. More than 8,200 such wells have been capped since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2022. Orphaned wells leak toxins into communities and are leaking the super greenhouse gas methane. Plugging them will not only improve the health of nearby communities but help fight climate change on a global level.

Vice-President Harris announced plans to ban price-gouging in the food and grocery industries. This would be a first ever federal ban on price gouging and Harris called for clear "rules of the road" on price rises in food, and strong penalties from the FTC for those who break them. This is in line with President Biden's launching of a federal Strike Force on Unfair and Illegal Pricing in March, and Democratic Senator Bob Casey's bill to ban "shrinkflation". In response to this pressure from Democrats on price gouging and after aggressive questions by Senator Casey and Senator Elizabeth Warren, the supermarket giant Kroger proposed dropping prices by a billion dollars

[c0rpseductor]

SO FUCKING ANNOYED WITH MY BANK!!!!

so like. i had an issue with the order form but not really anything noteworthy, i just filled it out wrong and had to retry, and bc i have popups blocked the little paypal popup glitched out. but it eventually worked, paypal sent me an email saying i authorized one (1) charge, the site sent me an order confirmation number, everything was fine.

then my bank's out of house fraud protection line emails me like Oh shit! A weird overseas charge like, 3 times! so im like ok it accidentally charged multiple times! this should be easy to explain to the fraud line and get resolved quickly!

so i try to explain it's a legit charge and just accidentally went through multiple times, and the lady doesnt listen to me and doesnt really adequately explain what i need to do, and then makes me go do the purchase again for some reason even though i told her multiple times what the issue was and that despite the email everything from my end said it got confirmed. so like. im gonna have to wait now and see if i have to cancel this dumb second order and if my card gets charged twice or what bc this fraud detection line sucks ass. if i call my actual bank i can resolve it and all, it's a local bank and they've only ever been cool and flexible with me so im not hugely worried, i am just very annoyed that now i have to play the dumb waiting game with this and see what happens.

i know it's a legit like, thing from my bank too, like a lot of small banks and credit unions use this service, i looked it up before calling them to make sure i didnt give some weird scam agency my personal info, it just is a BAD fraud detection service with agents that DO not listen to you

[white-melod1s]

Chapter 1: Orpheus Detective Agency

“I think this will do.”

Standing in front of an abandoned building, a man dressed in a long gray coat and a matching hat mumbled to himself as he played with his pipe. However, there was one problem. He does not have the finances needed to revamp the floors and he is in desperate need for a place to start his small business. He took a deep breath and sighed. Perhaps this is his sign to start saving.

But who’s going to help him out? He’s the type of person who would rather do his own things than asking for assistance. To which was the reason why his friend circle was small. Of course, he values them very much, but sometimes, it can be hard for him to tell someone his troubles. Which is the case now.

That’s when he remembered, he does have a friend who has a wider social circle. Maybe he can ask her for help. He quickly made his way toward one of the nearby phone booths, put in a few shillings and punched in her number.

“Hello, is this Lady Truth speaking? I need to speak to you.”

——————————————————————

“Wait- you’re starting a private detective agency?”

Sitting across him was a female with blonde hair. She was so shocked that she almost jumped out of the seat she was in. The disbelief on her face was visible and her loud voice made people around them turn their heads to look with distaste.

The man covered his face and shook his head. He reached a hand out and put it on her shoulder, signaling for her to sit back down. “Settle down, Truth. No need to be so loud. We aren’t the only people in this cafe after all.”

Lady Truth’s face was as red as a tomato. She timidly nodded her head as a means of apology. The people around them no longer paid attention to the duo as they went back to what they were doing. Seeing that their focus was shifted, she turned her gaze back to the man on the other side of her and questioned him. “I know you just came back from the army, Mr. Inference. But are you sure you want to become a private detective? They don’t earn a lot of shilling, you know. But if that’s what you want to do, I’m more than willing to help you get in touch with my friends who can help with the expenses.”

The man, Mr. Inference, nodded. “Thank you-“

“But! Under one condition!”

He paused. He was not expecting her to be making compromises. “And that is-?”

She brushed a stray hair behind her ear and looked him in the eyes. “If you don’t mind me becoming your assistant.”

Now it’s Inferece’s time to be baffled. Not that he didn’t expect her to say something wild like this. But rather, he’s known Truth for quite a long time now and he knew for sure that she would not be a good person to go to in terms of reasoning. “If you don’t mind me asking you, why?”

Truth was still for a second. There were unknown emotions in her eyes as Inference noticed. But he decided to not pry. “But of course, if you don’t feel comfortable telling, you’re not obligated to answer-“

“I’m looking for someone.”

“Ah-?” Inference was a little surprised. He didn’t think the ever-so-friendly Lady Truth would have trouble trying to find a person considering her wide social circle. But the pained look on her face told him that whoever this is meant a lot to her, and he should just leave the topic as is.

“Very well. I don’t mind.”

The smile returned to Truth’s face once more as the two made their way out of the cafe to make plans.

——————————————————————

“Young master, you have a phone call.”

A man who looked to be in his mid-20s was sitting in front of his desk, his eyebrows wrinkled, as though something was troubling him. Besides him stood his younger brother. Both of the young men had raven colored hair, except one white streak that seemed to be dyed purposely. Perhaps it’s a family tradition?

“Noir, go take the call.” The young man told his younger brother without ever looking up from his paper. “If they ask for me, tell them I’m busy and not available for visitations.”

Noir rolled his eyes and followed the butler out of the room. He was used to being ordered around by his older brother. Or maybe, his adoptive older brother.

That’s right. Noir was the odd one out. Ever since he was young, he lived in his older brother, Désire Mélodis’ shadow. While Désire was loved and praised by many, he was the outcast. He was used to being treated like a piece of garbage, and he grew numb to it eventually.

“Here, master Siegfried.” The butler bowed after he held the door open for him. Noir nodded at him and made his way to the phone before picking it up. “Siegfried Mélodis speaking, who is this?”

“Oh hey, Siegfried! Is Désire busy?” A familiar voice came through the speaker and Noir pinched the bridge of his nose. Great, an old familiar that he didn’t want to see. She was too chatty and always tried to make conversations with him.

“Yes, Lady Truth. He is busy.” He replied in a monotone. “Perhaps you can schedule a time to meet with him later.”

“About that…” she trailed off. “I don’t think it can wait.”

After some brief explanation, Noir had a general idea of what the purpose of this call was. Apparently, she’s starting a detective agency with a friend of hers but they did not have a supporter who can supply them with finances. The Mélodis family being the most respected and rich family in the area, of course she would be asking them for help.

“I will let him know once he’s free.” He promised. After Truth said her enthusiastic good-byes, he hung up.

“What a childish idea… Désire surely won’t agree to such a request.”

To Noir’s disbelief, Désire agreed, not even hesitating for a moment.

“Oh, you see.” He explained, with a grandeur in his voice. “Since they are so desperate for some mysteries to be solved, we may as well give them a hand and help them out.”

Désire’s expression changed, a meaningful smile played in the corner of his mouth. Watching his older brother, Noir made a mental note not to interfere with whatever he’s about to plan.

——————————————————————

“Oh look, Mr. Inference. They’re here!”

Truth waved her arms about as soon as she spotted Désire and Siegfried along with their butler and a few maids. One of them stood out from the rest with her fiery red hair. Truth paused. The maid seemed new and she felt like she'd seen her somewhere. Just as she was about to ask, Désire took her hand and kissed the back of it.

“O-oh. Good to see you again, Désire.” She stammered with a blush.

“It’s a pleasure to see you too, Lady Truth. You are even more beautiful than the last time we met.” Straightening up, Désire replied with a smile.

Noir rolled his eyes. Then he bowed and introduced himself. “Siegfried Mélodis.”

Inference tipped his hat. “Inference.” He replied, nodding to both Siegfried and Désire.

“You wish for my assistance to help fund the detective agency?” Désire asked Truth. She nodded. “It would be great if you could help. Your family holds a high regard in society after all. If you are able to help, it could also bring some name to our small detective agency. And who knows, we may be able to pay the debt back to you!”

“I don’t know about-“ Inference objected but Désire simply laughed. “Oh, don’t you worry, Lady Truth. I am willing to help and you don’t have to pay anything back. Goodness, no. We are friends, aren’t we?”

Even though Désire was kind enough to help, Inference had a very bad feeling. He couldn’t put his fingers on what it was that was unsettling but something told him that he shouldn’t trust the Mélodis family easily. He kept his distance and quietly observed the duo. He also noticed the younger Mélodis looking visibly uncomfortable around his older brother. Maybe it’s a sibling thing, something he couldn’t quite understand but it did bring him back to his childhood for a second.

“…-ister Inference, Mr. Inference!”

Truth crossed her arms on her chest and puffed up her cheeks. “Earth to Inference, are you even there? What had your head in a cloud? I was talking to you.”

“Hmm, what is that?”

“You remember what we were talking about earlier? Why do you want to name it ‘Orpheus Detective Agency’ and not ‘Inference Detective Agency’?” She asked. Inference simply lit up his pipe as he blew out a puff.

“That’s a story for another day, Truth.”

[annarellix]

THE BEACH HUT MURDERS (The Charity Shop Detective Agency Mysteries Book 2) by Peter Boland

My Review: I fall hard for this series when I read The Charity Shop Detective Agency: I loved the solid and well plotted mystery, the quirky characters and the compelling plot. I had high expectations for this book and couldn’t wait to catch with Fiona, Sue and Daisy, the ladies of the Dogs Need Nice Homes, and read about their squabbles with the Cat Alliance. This book is all I loved in the first instalment and something more as the ladies investigates another complex series of murder and use their brain to solve it. I read it in one sitting as I couldn’t stop turning pages as I was having a lot of fun and wanted to know the solution. If you want to read a well plotted and highly entertaining cozy mystery, if you like Richard Osman or Richard Cole novels, go and read this series. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Joffe Books and Books 'n' all Promotions for this digital copy, all opinions are mine

The Book:

It’s almost summer in Southbourne and the ladies of the Charity Shop Detective Agency are ready for another season of sun, sea and . . . murder.

Amongst the rows of charming brightly painted cabins, an elderly man’s beach hut is set on fire in the middle of the night — while he slept inside. By day, Fiona, Sue and Daisy volunteer at the Dogs Need Nice Homes charity shop. But, by night, they investigate crimes. And they’re determined to get to the bottom of this murder. Malcolm Crainey was a bit of an eccentric, but he was harmless really. Who would want to kill him?

The ladies soon uncover a long list of possible suspects. Neighbours who hated Malcolm for refusing to swap huts. Members of the snobby beach hut association who took umbrage with Malcom’s quirky beachcombed cabin decorations. Then another hut is burned down in the dead of night. Thankfully there was no one asleep inside this time. But the pressure is on — can Fiona, Sue and Daisy find the culprit before the beach hut murderer strikes again

THE CHARITY SHOP DETECTIVES Level-headed Fiona has found a quiet sanctuary volunteering at the local charity shop, Dogs Need Nice Homes. A charity shop that raises money for, well, dogs that need nice homes. And she’s found firm friendship with the strong-willed Partial Sue (she’s ever so partial to a cup of tea) and the kindly and surprisingly tech-savvy Daisy. Together, these ladies, with Simon Le Bon, Fiona’s scruffy-haired terrier cross, investigate murders as the Charity Shop Detective Agency.

THE SETTING The lovely coastal town of Southbourne is, on paper, little more than a small suburb hemmed in by Bournemouth to the west and Christchurch to the north. But it’s home to the prettiest avenues lined with gorgeous Georgian homes which lead to a grass-topped cliff standing guard over a sweeping bay of blond sand, soft as Demerara sugar. Some say it’s also home to the best charity shops in the country. The ladies of the Charity Shop Detective Agency maintain that Dogs Need Nice Homes — though musty and more than a little cramped — is certainly number one. Well, they definitely help solve the most crimes at least!

ALSO BY PETER BOLAND THE CHARITY SHOP DETECTIVE AGENCY MYSTERIES Book 1: THE CHARITY SHOP DETECTIVE AGENCY Book 2: THE BEACH HUT MURDERS

The Author: PETER BOLAND After studying to be an architect, Pete realised he wasn’t very good at it. He liked designing buildings, he just couldn’t make them stand up — a big handicap in an industry that’s partial to keeping things upright. So he became an advertising copywriter, the highlight of which was creating an ad featuring Raymond Briggs’ The Snowman. He then tried his hand at writing his own stories and quickly realised there’s no magic formula. You just have to put one word in front of the other (and keep doing that for about six months). It also helps if you can resist the lure of surfing and drinking beer in a garden chair. The first book in his Charity Shop Detective Agency series will publish in late 2022.

FOLLOW PETER ON: GOODREADS FACEBOOK TWITTER Joffe Books page

[weedle-testaburger]

have you thought of trying the number 1 ladies' detective agency?

[culttvblog]

Murder Most English (Seventies TV Season)

The introduction to this series of posts about 1970s TV shows may be found here: https://www.tumblr.com/culttvblog/729351469162233856/seventies-tv-season-introduction

I am delighted to be writing for the first time in my blogging career about this venerable series. I am going to make it a general post about the series to try to clear up some misunderstandings about it on the internet, and also because honestly, these are subtle, finely-crafted mysteries, and I'm not up to the task of portraying the whole effect.

Murder Most English (1977) was based on a number of the detective stories written by Colin Watson. Or rather, they are apparently detective stories because the lead c haracter happens to be Inspector Purbright and the plots his investigation of various mysteries. What they really are is very understated social comedies set in the fictional Lincolnshire town of Flaxborough. I will say right here that this is a show which requires work and concentration. If you really pay attention you will find yourself roaring with laughter and noticing very tiny details of human behaviour and little throwaway lines which are brilliant observations. The premise is that this quiet and respectable town is a hotbed of intrigue and crime - as demonstrated by the titles which show a tea caddy decorated with a map of the town which opens to show lots of goodness knows what going on inside.

I must also say that there are a number of reviews on the internet (notably on the North American versions of the online shop named after a river) which really don't understand the premise of the show. They say that the show is unnecessarily slow and old fashioned, which is to miss the point completely that that is the idea. The show is intended to be slow and old fashioned by 1970s standards because it is intended to point backwards and then upset the idyllic town it has set up. If you see that this is called a detective show and expect The Sweeney or The Professionals you will be very disappointed.

There is one thing I must mention about the adaptation and the DVD set which is absolutely maddening and which I think may contribute to the difficulty with this show. It is that the series has seven episodes but nonetheless dramatises four of Watson's books. On the DVD menu the episodes are called One, Two, etc, and no indication in the main menu is given of which is which adventure. The titles do appear in the chapter menus but of course you have to know the titles of the books - I don't know whether the titles were originally published when the show was broadcast. When I tell you that one of the books is rather abruptly started 36 minutes (over halfway) into one of the episodes, you will understand why I describe this as maddening. In fact it is my only real criticism of this show because that's wild.

As a public service I am going to give a map of which episodes are which books, with a short summary of the plots (based on https://www.goodreads.com/series/67787-flaxborough-chronicles)

Episode 1 and 36 minutes of Episode 2: Hopjoy was Here. Mild-mannered tobacconist Gordon Perriam and his lodger Brian Hopjoy have apparently shared quite happily at 14 Beatrice Avenue. But now both men have disappeared and it seems a body has been dissolved in the bath so the bath is manhandled down the garden path by the constabulary. Then a spook from Whitehall turns up and the mystery takes on a different appearance.

Episode 2 (from 36 minutes) and Episode 3: Lonelyheart 4122. Middle aged women are vanishing from Flaxborough and the disappearances are linked to the local lonely hearts agency. Purbright and Sergeant Love focus on recent applicants to the agency, including new visitor to the are Lucy Edith Cavell Teatime. This introduces Miss Teatime to the series, a recurring character variously described as a criminal and a lady with some unusual talents.

Episodes 4 and 5: The Flaxborough Crab. An elderly sex-pest is at large in Purbright's home town. He rushes up to women, makes lewd suggestions and when challenged, rushes off walking sideways. It seems quite a few elderly gentlemen have been exhibiting over-familiar behaviour to women. Miss Teatime helps Inspector Purbright solve this one. This one is the one I would advise first-time viewers to start with, not least because of the sheer glee with which the elderly cast really throw themselves into misbehaving. There is a particularly hilarious old folks' coach outing in episode 4.

Episodes 6 and 7: Coffin, Scarcely Used. Purbright investigates the death of a series of local worthies and the prescriptions being given out by the local GP. It's been a long time since I've read this book but I suspect this one departs somewhat from the book. It's also noteworthy as having Patrick Newell in a key role.

The books have also been adapted as radio plays in the 1970s and 1990s, and these plays are in various places online. Just don't make the mistake I made of searching for the name of one of them, The Naked Nuns. It's quite gratifying to know that at my advanced age and degree of world-weariness I can still discover that there is a whole fetish I didn't know was a thing and I pride myself being a monster of depravity to rival the baby-eating bishop of Bath and Wells. The TV series has been released on a BBC box set.

I very highly recommend this series as subtle comedy of manners with a detection theme. Just don't expect the wrong thing.

This blog is mirrored at

culttvblog.tumblr.com/archive (from September 2023) and culttvblog.substack.com (from January 2023 and where you can subscribe by email)

Archives from 2013 to September 2023 may be found at culttvblog.blogspot.com and there is an index to the tags used on the Tumblr version at https://www.tumblr.com/culttvblog/729194158177370112/this-blog

[ceylonsilvergirl]

Cozy books:

Howl’s moving castle - Diana Wynn jones

The house on the cerulean sea - tj klune

Number 1 ladies detective agency - Alexander mccall smith

To say nothing of the dog - Connie Willis

All creatures great and small - James Herriot

The midnight library - Matt haig

Bitchin’ sci-fi:

Gideon the 9th - tamsyn Muir

The city we became - nk Jemisin

The fifth season - nk Jemisin

The iron widow - xiran jay zhao

This is how you lose the time war - Amal el-mohtar & max gladstone

All systems red - Martha wells

Ancillary justice - Ann leckie

Whimsical romancy fantasy:

Newt’s emerald - Garth nyx

The midnight bargain - cl Polk

Caravel - Stephanie Garber

The midnight library - Erin morgenstern

Magical realism:

The starless sea - Erin morgenstern

The invisible life of Addie larue- ve Schwab

Mexican gothic - Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Silver nitrate - Silvia Moreno- Garcia

Opposite of always - Justin a Reynolds

One last stop - Casey mcquiston

2 books that sound similar but are very different:

The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Taylor Jenkins Reid

The seven and a half deaths of Evelyn hardcastle - Stuart turton

Fantasy you can pry from my dead hands:

Black Sun - Rebecca roanhorse

The raven tower - Ann leckie

Monster blood tattoo - dm Cornish

Fairy tale - Steven king

The girl who drank the moon - Kelly barnhill

Leviathan - Scott westerfeld

The edge chronicles - Paul Stuart & Chris riddell

Whatever the fuck this is:

The imaginary corpse - Tyler Hayes

book tips?

I've been listening to some of the albums ye recommended me, thank you again!

Now I wanna ask for some book recs, because I'm finally having surgery (next Friday) and I'm looking for some fun, easy reading for when I'm stuck in recovery. I like fantasy and sci fi (ursula le guin is a big favorite), Jane Austen and a lot of the other classics, mysteries might be fun, political theory if we're talking non-fiction... and I don't really care about "representation" as its own criteria if that makes sense :3

[pileofsith]

Inktober 2018 - Day 9 - Precious

Mma Precious Ramotswe

 We don't forget.... Our heads may be small, but they are as full of memories as the sky may sometimes be full of swarming bees, thousands and thousands of memories, of smells, of places, of little things that happened to us and which came back, unexpectedly, to remind us who we are.   ~ Alexander McCall Smith, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

I love Mma Ramotswe and her loyalty to her beloved tiny white van! This book series is such a comfort and joy. (I based her looks on the TV series that I have yet to watch.)

[sweet-christabel]

One Dress a Day - bonus challenges

Multicoloured August The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency - Precious Ramotswe (Jill Scott)

Precious wears a lot of traditional Zimbabwean garments in some amazing fabrics. I’ve always liked this brown and teal dress, but I had to include this green and blue number as well! The cut is very simple, but they look very cool to wear, and they’re so pretty.

[the-wild-wolves-around-you]

hear those bells ring: chapter 4 (a deaf!bakugo x reader fic)

Summary: Bakugo and Reader finally get a moment alone, and important conversations are had. Over dinner of course ;) 

Pairings: Katsuki Bakugo x Reader; Katsuki Bakugo x You

Rating: M(ature)

Warnings: Adult language.

A/N: Sorry for the wait on ch 4, but it’s over 10k, so hope that makes up for it lol Anyway, hope you enjoy!

~*~*~ No spoilers or anything. This is just a self-indulgent AU fic with aged up characters. Everyone’s in their mid-20s. Fic title is from a song called “Achilles Come Down.”

Ao3 Link: Here

Ch 1 Tumblr Link: Here

Ch 2 Tumblr Link: Here

Ch 3 Tumblr Link: Here 

“Great. See you then.” 

The words ricocheted around your head like pinballs, and all you could do was stare as Dynamight turned on his heel and strode out of your ruined shop like he couldn’t stand to be there a second longer. 

“Bak—bro, c’mon!” Red Riot, or Kirishima as he insisted, called after the blond, who didn’t stop. Then the redhead turned back to you, clapping his hands in front of his face and bowing his head. “I’m so sorry about him. He can be a little…” 

“Direct?” you offered when the hero trailed off into silence for a beat to long. 

“I was gonna say he can be a little bit of a dick, but that sounds better,” Kirishima laughed, and you felt your face flush when he aimed that charming grin in your direction. 

You’d heard stories of how charismatic Red Riot was. He was a popular, mainstream favorite hero. The gossip magazines were always covered with his shirtless pictures that never failed to rile up the female population, even Mrs. Kojima and her old lady friends. 

But nothing could have prepared you for being in front of him, for having him wink and smile at you, even if you logically knew he wasn’t coming onto plain old you. He was currently wearing a dark hoodie and non-descript jeans, but you could still see the definition of his muscles through the bulky clothing, which definitely wasn’t helping matters. 

“W-Well, I’m sure you and D-Dynamight have more important places to be,” you stuttered as you averted your eyes. “I-I don’t want to keep you from any hero business.” 

“Alright, alright, I can take a hint, I’ll get out of your hair,” Kirishima chuckled as he held his hands up. 

Your face burned even hotter, if that was possible. “N-No! I mean—” 

“Just a joke.” The redhead winked at you again as he started to back up toward the front door, his boots crunching over glass and debris. “I’ll see you later, though. Oh! And, uh, make sure you’re on time tonight for Bak—Dynamight’s pick up. He really hates tardiness.” 

“Noted,” you murmured as your stomach bottomed out inside you. 

“Don’t look so terrified!” the pro hero laughed, pausing in the frame of your broken doorway. “I promise he’s not so bad once you get to know him. All bark, no bite, remember? But if he does bark at you too much, just let me know, and I’ll be sure to leash him.” 

Kirishima shot another sharp-toothed grin at you, and you strained your facial muscles to try and flash him a small smile in return. You weren’t very successful, since Red Riot’s bright expression dimmed a fraction, but thankfully he didn’t come back into the store. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” he said in a more serious but reassuring tone. “We can get breakfast! I know all the great places around the agency.” 

“O-Okay.” You didn’t know what else to say. Why was this pro hero offering to take you to breakfast? Was this just because of the news? You’d seen how the media had been tearing into Dynamight the last two days, calling him reckless, arrogant. Several interviews with the other heroes who’d been on the scene didn’t help matters, either, since by their accounts, they almost had the villain handled before Dynamight stepped in. 

Maybe Red Riot was just trying to butter you up so you didn’t help with Dynamight’s crucifixion. 

What the redhead didn’t know, however, was you couldn’t say a word against the blond, even if you wanted to. 

“Okay,” Kirishima echoed and drew you out of your thoughts. The pro hero flashed you one last smile and put two fingers to his forehead in a jaunty salute. “Have a good rest of your afternoon and evening! And when you get to the agency, if you need anything, just let our PR manager Nao know. Take care!” 

With that, the redhead pulled up the hood on his sweatshirt, slipped on his sunglasses, and ducked out of your store. Seconds later, he was gone. 

A beat of silence passed by, then two, and then you felt your knees give out from under you as you collapsed to the floor. Pain flared through your lower legs as you struck the hard, debris-strewn tile, but you barely registered the discomfort. Your breathing started to quicken, coming out in harsh pants, and the two paper bags in your arms crinkled with the motion. 

“Fuck,” you exhaled as tears blurred your vision, lifting a shaky hand to grasp tightly at your hair. “Fuck.” 

You’d been so stupid. Yesterday, when neither Dynamight nor the police came banging down your hotel room door, you thought maybe you were just being paranoid. That the blond pro hero hadn’t noticed anything unusual, and you could just go living your normal, unimportant life. 

Of course, the universe just had to prove you wrong. 

Because if you had any doubts before, they were gone now, evaporated under Dynamight’s hot, crimson glare. 

He knew your secret, and he was going to confront you about it. Tonight. Why else would he insist on picking you up? Alone. You’d heard Red Riot say he was patrolling this evening, so he wouldn’t be around to play buffer between you and Dynamight, which provided the perfect opportunity for an interrogation. 

But what could you do? Refuse? Dynamight didn’t seem to be the type to take the word “no” very well. Run? The expression you’d seen on his face before he left clearly told you that you wouldn’t make it very far. Besides, where would you go? Your parents were in America, and as you embarrassingly admitted to that detective the other night, you didn’t have any friends. 

And, until your apartment and shop were renovated, you didn’t have a place to sleep, and you didn’t have the spare money to live out of a hotel, so the agency was really your only option. 

Well, there was prison, too, you supposed. Maybe Dynamight was just going to pick you up and take you straight to the police station. 

He’s not going to turn you in, a small, hopeful voice inside of you said. He would have already done so if that was his goal. 

There was logic behind that sentiment, but it offered you no comfort. 

Because if Dynamight didn’t want to turn you in, what did he want from you? 

~*~*~*~*~ 

“Mrs. Kojima,” you sighed for the millionth time. “I’m going to be fine. And I really can’t take all of this with me.” 

You gingerly passed the large paper bag full of glass food containers back to Tadashi, Mrs. Kojima’s teenaged grandson, who stared at the bag with the hunger only a sixteen-year-old boy could achieve. 

“Fine?” the old Japanese lady scoffed, narrowing her dark eyes at you. “You would be fine in a nice, fancy hotel, not in a building with those… those… delinquents!” 

“Delinquents?” you couldn’t help but laugh. “They’re pro heroes. Famous pro heroes, some of the top in the country.” 

“If they’re so good, they wouldn’t have destroyed your home,” Mrs. Kojima huffed before she used her cane to nudge her grandson. “And Tadashi, give the poor girl back her food. Your face is too gaunt to be healthy, girl, and don’t think I can’t see those circles under your eyes.” 

The boy sighed as he stared longingly at the homemade food, and you could have sworn he was drooling, but he obeyed his grandmother and extended the bag to you again. 

“No, please, keep it,” you insisted as you waved your hands in front of you, taking a step back. “I-I don’t know if there will be a place to keep food in my room, and I don’t want to bother them too much.” 

“You should bother them, since they’ve been such a bother to you,” the old lady said as she nudged you this time with her cane. “You are too nice. I always say this. You need to be more selfish.” 

“I’ll keep that in mind.” You smiled. “But thank you for thinking of me, Mrs. Kojima. It was very kind for you and Tadashi to come see me off.” 

“How many times must I tell you to call me Ayano?” the elderly woman groused, tapping your shin with her cane again. “And of course we came. I wasn’t going to let you stand alone on a dark street and wait for that monster of a man.” 

“Grandma!” Tadashi gasped as he looked up from salivating into the bag of food. “Dynamight is the number two hero! He’s not a monster, he’s the coolest!” 

“I’ve seen him on TV,” his grandmother sniffed. “Always yelling and swearing. And Mr. Takeyoshi said he was very rude the other night. Not to mention all the damage he caused! Nothing but a foul-mouthed delinquent.” 

“Grandmaaaaa,” Tadashi whined. 

You sided more with Mrs. Kojima on this one, but the absolute adoration on the boy’s face made a small smile tug at your lips. 

But your amusement quickly faded as you glanced down at your phone again. 

6:58. 

Said foul-mouthed delinquent should be here any minute. 

As if your thoughts summoned him, the squeal of tires suddenly echoed through the otherwise quiet twilight, and you turned—with a pit in your stomach—to face the intersection down the road. Your street had been blocked off by barricades since the asphalt was still missing in patches, so the sleek, black car that had just pulled up was forced to park on the corner and put on its hazards. 

Your heart was hammering beneath your sternum, beating out a frantic, hummingbird rhythm, and you watched the car door get flung open, a lithe figure ducking out a moment later. The last rays of fading sunlight glinted off his ash blond hair before he pulled up his hood, but then he was looking in your direction, and even if he was too far to see the details of his face, you felt the instant his eyes locked onto you. 

“Holy shit, is that him?” Tadashi asked behind you, followed by a yelp as his grandmother smacked him with her cane. 

“Language,” she hissed, but the rest of her sentence was drowned out by the blood roaring through your ears as Dynamight started to walk toward you. 

No, not walk. Stalk. He looked like a predator slinking down the sidewalk, dressed in black and skimming through the shadows. There were a few people milling about the street, your neighbors who were still trying to clean up, but the pro hero paid them no mind. His gaze was still zeroed in on you, and your breath grew more shallow with each step he took. 

Don’t pass out, don’t pass out, you chanted in your head. And smile! Try not to look like he’s your executioner. 

You plastered on a smile, but it felt jagged like the broken street you stood on, your cheeks aching from the strain. 

Finally, after what felt like a blink and an eternity simultaneously, Dynamight came to a stop about ten feet away from you on the sidewalk. His hands were shoved in the pocket of his hoodie, his face was a cold mask on the tipping point of a scowl, and his eyes felt like red-hot embers burning into your face. 

“At least you know how to be punctual,” he said without preamble, his voice as sharp as his scarlet gaze. 

You heard Mrs. Kojima gasp behind you, followed by Tadashi frantically trying to shush her under his breath, so you cut the old lady off before she could say what was on her mind. 

“T-Thank you for taking the time to escort me to the agency, Dynamight,” you said, bowing at the waist so you could get a moment’s reprieve from those red eyes. “It’s… very kind of you, since I know you must be busy with your hero duties.” 

Mrs. Kojima harumphed behind you, and you took a deep breath to steady yourself before you straightened up. 

Dynamight’s crimson gaze had lost none of its intensity, but he finally seemed to notice Tadashi and his grandmother over your shoulder, and when he spoke, he’s tone was a fraction of a degree softer. 

“Yeah, well… it’s the least the agency can do,” he said evenly, like he’d memorized a script. 

You wondered if Kirishima had said something to him after they left. Or maybe the PR manager the red-haired hero had mentioned? 

Suddenly, you heard someone clear their throat behind you, and you winced. 

“Sorry, this is Mrs. Kojima and her grandson, Tadashi,” you said, motioning to them. “They’re some of my customers who just wanted to see me off.” 

“Customers,” Dynamight echoed as his red eyes raked over the pair. “For your stitching shop?” 

Something about his tone seemed off, but you couldn’t place it. 

“Alterations shop,” you corrected with a frown. “But yes.” 

“Is that all?” he asked as his eyes locked with yours, and you felt your insides liquify. 

Fuck. There was no way he could know that Mrs. Kojima and Tadashi had been “patients” of yours before. Right? Even if he knew about your quirk, that was a leap to make. 

Then again, it did sound kind of weird for two random customers to take an interest in their seamstress’ personal life. You’d set yourself up for that one. 

You opened your mouth, ready to clumsily explain, but Mrs. Kojima beat you to it. 

“I knew her grandparents long before you were a thought in your daddy’s brain boy,” the old lady huffed as she hobbled forward to stand beside you, Tadashi stumbling after her. “So I check on her from time to time, especially when she’s meeting and going off with some no-good delinquent at night. Is that alright with you?” 

“Mrs. Kojima—” you started as your eyes widened. 

“Grandma!” Tadashi hissed, his face flushing with mortification. 

Dynamight, for his part, actually smirked at the old lady’s attitude, amusement dancing in his red eyes as he finally shifted them off you. 

“Well, Stitches here is gonna be fine,” he said with a sharp smile. “She’ll be staying in our finest suite, being waited on hand and foot for the next few weeks.” 

Stitches? What the hell was that? Did he forget your name? 

“Is that so?” Mrs. Kojima narrowed her dark eyes on the blond, and her expression said she didn’t trust the pro hero as far as she could throw him. 

“Lucky,” Tadashi muttered under his breath. 

“If you don’t believe me, you can call her tomorrow and check for yourself,” Dynamight said before he turned to face you completely, effectively cutting off any rebuttal from the Kojimas. “Are you ready? It’s cold, and the car’s running.” 

“Y-Yes,” you stammered, shifting the strap of your duffle bag higher up on your shoulder. “J-Just a second.” 

You turned back to Mrs. Kojima, who was blatantly glaring daggers at Dynamight, but her expression softened as she shuffled in to hug you. 

“Watch out for him,” she whispered in your ear. “And take care of yourself. If something’s wrong, call me, no matter what. You can stay with me, okay?” 

“Thank you, but I’ll be fine,” you murmured as you pulled away. “I’ll call you when I know more about the shop’s repairs. Tadashi, take care of your grandma for me.” 

“Bah!” Mrs. Kojima scoffed, shooing you back with her cane. “I can take care of myself.” 

“I know.” You smiled as you grabbed the handle of your small rolling suitcase beside you. “Have a good night.” 

You turned back to Dynamight to find him suddenly beside you, the scent of burnt sugar enveloping you a moment later. You inhaled so fast it whistled through your teeth, but the pro hero didn’t even look at you as he slipped his finger through your duffle bag’s strap and pulled it off your shoulder. He slung it on his back in one fluid movement, and then he was reaching for your suitcase, too. 

“I-I got this one!” you said, a little too loudly, as you stumbled back a step and dragged the suitcase with you. “Thank you, but, um, I’ve got it.” 

Dynamight pursed his lips at you, his eyes narrowing into crimson slits, but then his gaze jumped over your shoulder. 

“Got something you want to say, kid?” he grunted, and he looked a little ridiculous with your pink and purple patterned duffle peeking out from over his shoulder. 

“M-Me?” Tadashi gaped and glanced around quickly like there was anyone else within half a block, but when he realized Dynamight was still staring at him expectantly, the boy began to ramble. “I-I just, uh, I just wanted to say I think you’re the coolest hero there is. Even more than Deku! Man, I wish I could have seen the fight the other night. You probably wiped the floor with that villain! When I grow up, I hope I’m a hero half as cool as you.” 

Dynamight actually seemed surprised by the boy’s adoring word vomit. The blond blinked as the suspicion and defensiveness drained from his face and posture, and then an easy smirk stretched across his lips. 

“You got a quirk, kid?” he asked. 

Mrs. Kojima made a face beside you like she was going to cut in, but you put a hand on her arm and gestured to Tadashi’s beaming face, and the old lady sighed and relented. She knew what this meant for her grandson. 

“Yeah, I do!” Tadashi grinned and puffed out his chest before he shifted the bag of food in his grasp and held out his right hand. His brow buckled in concentration, but a moment later a flame exploded to life in his palm. The flame grew, flickering upwards as it twisted and twined, changing shape as it went. In the blink of an eye, the teenager held the hilt of a fiery dagger, which he twirled around his knuckles. “I can make different objects with flames, and they act solid when I concentrate hard enough.” 

“That’s a pretty cool power,” Dynamight said as he eyed the flaming blade. “Bet you kick ass in your hero course.” 

“I-I do alright,” Tadashi said as he extinguished the dagger, trying to go for a nonchalant shrug, but the effect was ruined by his mile-wide grin and heart eyes. “You really think it’s cool?” 

“It’s only cool if you’re the best, so don’t slack off,” the blond scoffed. “Only losers half-ass their way through school.” 

Mrs. Kojima’s face was silently scandalized, but Tadashi’s grew determined. 

“Yes, sir!” the boy said as he bowed at the waist. “I’ll work hard to be the best of the best.” 

“Good.” Dynamight smirked. “Then, when you graduate, you can come prove how strong you are by taking me on. Who knows? If you’re actually strong, we might hire a new side-kick.” 

Tadashi looked like his eyes were going to pop out of his head as he straightened up, but the pro hero only snickered as he spun on heel and began to stride away. 

“You comin’, Stitches?” he called over his shoulder. 

“C-Coming!” you called back before you flashed the Kojimas one last smile. “Have a good night and be safe going home!” 

Then you took off down the sidewalk, your rolling suitcase clattering over the broken concrete behind you. 

Dynamight’s legs were twice as long as yours and quickly ate up the distance to his car still parked on the corner, and you only caught up to him as he was tossing your duffle in the trunk. 

You stood on the curb panting for a moment, just staring at him, and then the blond looked up and caught your eye. 

“What?” he grunted. 

“N-Nothing.” You cleared your throat and moved to pick up your suitcase, but he beat you to it, bending down and hefting the thing up in one fluid movement. The trunk slammed shut with a resounding thud, and the two of you were left staring at each other in silence. 

“Get in,” Dynamight finally said, jerking his chin at the passenger door. Then he walked around to the driver’s side, yanked open the door, and slid inside without another word. 

You could still feel the Kojimas’ eyes on your back, and you didn’t want to give them cause to worry, so you took a deep breath and got into the car. 

Even though your heart was trying to break free of your ribcage. 

The car itself was sleek and fancy, both inside and out. The seats were a supple red leather with ebony stitching, the dashboard shiny and inlaid with the newest gadgets, and you curled into the seat, afraid to even touch anything. This car was probably worth more money than you’d ever made in your entire life, and you had worked odd jobs since you were sixteen. 

The engine rumbled to life as Dynamight cranked the ignition, warm air blasting out of the vents and thawing your red nose and cheeks. The dash said it was only eighteen degrees Celsius, but the wind had been brisk. 

“Seatbelt,” the pro hero said as he yanked his own across his thick chest. 

You swallowed tightly before you did as you were bidden, and the second you were secured, the blond was throwing the car in gear and peeling away from the curb. Your barricaded street disappeared in a blur, and suddenly you were on your way. 

With Dynamight. Alone. In his car. 

The luxurious interior of the vehicle began to close in on you, feeling more like the walls of a coffin, and you braced yourself for Dynamight’s interrogation. 

Except… it never came. 

Minutes passed by in silence, and all the while, the blond’s red eyes stayed focused on the road ahead. One of his hands casually gripped the steering wheel, the other wrapped around the gear shift, and every one of the hero’s movements was fluid, precise. 

You tried not to, but you couldn’t help but study him out of the corner of your eye. His blank face gave nothing away, and neither did his slumped body language. He was covered in a dark hoodie and jeans again, so you couldn’t see much skin besides his hands and neck, but he looked… fine. 

One would have never guessed that he nearly bled to death beneath your hands two days ago. 

The memory of his blood, warm and tacky on your skin, made you clench your hands in your lap, and when you glanced over at the blond again, you nearly jumped out of your seat when you met red eyes. 

“Now you got somethin’ you want to say, Stitches?” he asked as he shifted gears, smoothly pulling around another car. 

“M-My name’s not Stitches,” you replied without thinking, but maybe this was a good thing. Thinking always got you in trouble. 

“Yeah, no shit,” the blond snorted, darting a quick look at you again before turning back to the road. “But you keep starin’ at me, so spit it out.” 

You fumbled for something to say, still thinking of his ashen face splattered with blood. “T-That was nice, what you said back there to Tadashi. He, um, really idolizes you, so you probably made his whole year.” 

“Tch.” Dynamight clicked his tongue as he looked in the rearview mirror. “Chances are, kid probably won’t end up as much.” 

You frowned. “But you said—” 

“I know what I said,” he cut you off, eyes meeting yours again. “And I meant it. Slacking off is for losers. Still, the brat will probably end up as a B-lister at most, more likely just an extra. That’s just the damn odds.” 

His words were harsh, but you knew they were true. There was no shortage of people signing up to be “heroes” in the world, but very few actually achieved the fame and notoriety of, say, All Might. Even years after his retirement, the Old Symbol of Peace was still talked about. 

“Well… thank you for not saying that to Tadashi,” you murmured as you averted your eyes out the window. 

“Someone will have to eventually,” Dynamight grunted. “But, if he proves me wrong, then he might actually have some potential.” 

“Mmm,” you hummed noncommittally. You didn’t want to talk about Tadashi anymore. Hell, you didn’t want to talk about anything. 

But you knew it was coming. You could feel the pro hero building up to it, the air in the car becoming more tense and charged by the second, like the calm before the storm. 

Part of you wished Dynamight would just rip the bandaid off already. 

The other part of you wondered if you would survive opening the car door and jumping from the moving vehicle, but at the speed the blond was driving, chances were slim. 

You were just thinking to pull out your phone and subtly look at the agency on the map to see how far away you were, but then Dynamight cleared his throat, and you felt all the saliva dry up in your mouth. 

This was it. 

“So,” the pro hero started as he pulled up to a stoplight, and his eyes found yours again. The red light reflected off his face and made it hard to tell where his irises began, everything washed out in crimson. 

But before he could get another word out, a loud growl split the interior of the car. 

Dynamight blinked at you before his gaze fell to your stomach, and you felt your face flare with heat. 

“Sorry,” you muttered as you clenched your abdomen, trying to shut it up, but it only growled louder in defiance. “I, um, forgot to eat dinner since I was busy packing.” 

And because your stomach had been in knots all day, but you didn’t need to tell him that. 

“Wasn’t that kid holding a whole bag of food back there?” Dynamight asked, frowning at you. 

“Y-Yeah.” You blushed even harder. Nothing escaped the pro’s notice, did it? “Mrs. Kojima had brought some stuff, but I didn’t know if there would be a place to store it in, um, whatever room I’m staying in. Plus, Tadashi is always hungry because of his hero course training, so it’s not like any of it will go to waste.” 

“You’ll starve yourself so some brat can stuff extras in his face?” the blond scoffed, and he looked at you like you were speaking another language. 

“I won’t starve,” you argued, a nervous laugh huffing out of you. “I-It’s one meal, and I ate a big lunch.” 

That was a lie, but maybe you could get away with a little one. 

Dynamight studied you for a long, silent moment, his face unreadable. Then the light turned green, and he clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes. 

“Tch.” He flicked on his blinker and turned left, weaving down a set of smaller streets leading away from the city’s center, where you knew his agency was located. 

“Where… are we going?” you asked as you glanced out the window. “Is this a short cut to the agency?” 

“We’re not goin’ to the agency,” he said. 

Your heart skipped a beat, and some of your unease must have shown on your face, because the pro hero scoffed again. 

“Don’t get your panties in a twist. We’re stopping to get food first.” 

You blinked in surprise. Food? He was buying you dinner? 

“Y-You don’t have to do that,” you stuttered, awkwardly waving your hands in front of you. “Really, I’m fine.” 

“Well, I’m fuckin’ hungry, so I’m getting food. That alright with you, Stitches?” His red eyes flicked to the side and pinned you to your seat, and all you could do was nod. 

The car descended into silence again as Dynamight navigated through the streets, and a few minutes later, he was pulling up to a curb. The street around you was definitely in a better part of town than you were used to, but it didn’t look too fancy. A number of small restaurants dotted the road, interspersed by a couple bars, and a few dozen people roamed the sidewalks, laughing and stumbling and obviously having a good time. 

Dynamight stared out at the crowd through the windshield, a small sneer of disgust curling his upper lip, before he turned to you. 

“Stay here,” he said. No, ordered. “I’ll be right back, so don’t go anywhere.” 

“O-Okay,” you replied with a nod. 

He narrowed his eyes at you, as if trying to discern whether or not you were lying, but he must have been satisfied with what he found because he reached for the sunglasses that were casually thrown atop the dash. He slid them on before opening the car door and slipping out, but he paused before he closed it, bending down and poking his head back inside. 

“Any allergies?” he asked bluntly. “I don’t need you choking and dying on my leather seats.” 

“No allergies.” You shook your head. “Anything is fine.” 

A part of you still wanted to argue about him buying you food, but something told you that you would both lose the argument and succeed in pissing the blond off, which you were trying your best to avoid. 

Dynamight grunted in acknowledgement before he straightened, pulled up his hood, and slammed the car door. He took several strides away before he gestured back to the vehicle, and it was only when the locks engaged that you realized he’d taken the keys out of the ignition at some point. 

He really didn’t want you going anywhere. 

You exhaled shakily as you unclenched and clenched your fingers in your lap, trying to get some feeling back into them. Your thoughts kept threatening to spiral off down dark avenues, so you focused on watching the people outside the car. The windows were pretty tinted, besides the windshield, so you didn’t think people noticed you watching them go about their night. Everyone was happy and smiling, flushed with laughter and drink, and a yawning loneliness suddenly opened up inside you. Even back in America, you’d never had a lot of friends, but you had drinks a few times in college with classmates, and you missed going out to somewhere besides the grocery or craft supply store. You had thought you would have time to make new friends here in Japan, friends that you could try restaurants and bars with, but it hadn’t happened yet. 

And depending on what Dynamight had to say, it might not happen at all. 

You stewed in anxious silence for several minutes, but then the locks disengaged with a chirp, and the blond was sliding back into the driver’s seat, shoving a bulging plastic bag into your lap. 

“Here, don’t drop it,” he muttered as he jammed the keys back into the ignition. 

“I’ll just, um, set it on the floor,” you said as you shifted the bag down to the floorboards, holding it in place with your feet. The aromatic steam wafted out of the bag as you leaned over it, and your stomach snarled at the delicious scent of greasy meat and roasted vegetables. “This smells really good.” 

“Of course it does,” Dynamight sneered. “I’m not gonna eat shitty food.” 

“Only the best for the best,” you joked awkwardly. You blamed your sudden lightheadedness. When was the last time you ate? 

“Damn straight,” the blond huffed, yanking on his seatbelt before shifting the car into gear. “Can you make it five minutes without fainting?” 

“Yes?” you questioned more than stated, your brow furrowing. 

“Good, then hang on.” With that, the pro hero squealed away from the curb, merging into traffic seamlessly. 

Dynamight drove for several more minutes, but you didn’t ask where the two of you were going this time. The blond probably wouldn’t answer, and if he did, it would just be some kind of sharp retort, so you settled for staring out the window while making sure the food between your feet didn’t tip over. 

You hadn’t explored the city very much since you moved here, so most of what you passed by was foreign to you. But, just judging by the amount of lights and traffic around, you estimated that Dynamight was skirting the edge of the downtown area instead of going into it. You knew the general location of his agency, since you panic-Googled it earlier this afternoon, and while it was closer, the pro hero didn’t seem to be driving toward it. 

Eventually, Dynamight pulled up to the curb on an empty street and parked in the shadow of a tall office building. There was no sign on the façade to indicate a company, and only the dim emergency lights shone through the darkened windows, so it was obvious everyone had gone home for the day. Next door to the building seemed to be a small park, concrete and steel giving way to green grass and shadowed trees, but there was no one walking on this particular street. 

“Where are we?” you asked as you frowned out the tinted window. 

“Dunno,” Dynamight said before he opened his door, sliding out of the car without any more explanation. 

You blinked in confusion as he wrenched open your door a moment later, but he still didn’t say anything as he bent down to pick up the bag of food at your feet. 

“What do you mean you don’t know?” you asked. “You drove us here.” 

“By the time I answer all your questions, the food is gonna be cold,” the pro hero grunted, and he glared down at you still buckled into your seat. “Get out.” 

“We’re not eating in the car?” You didn’t mean to ask this many questions, you could tell it was irritating the blond, but you were just so… confused as to how you got to this point in your life. 

“I’m not about to let you ruin my damn leather seats,” Dynamight growled, stepping back to give you room. “Now get out of the damn car… please.” 

The last word sounded like it was dragged out of the hero against his will, painfully, and you wondered again if he was trying to be nicer because of all the negative media coverage. You didn’t think the blond gave a shit what the media thought, but Red Riot and their agency did, so maybe Dynamight was being forced to make an effort. 

“Are you seriously just going to gape at me like an idiot? Do your legs not work?” 

Well, what was that saying? You could lead a horse to water, but you couldn’t force it to drink. 

“S-Sorry,” you stuttered as you fumbled with your seatbelt, and you nearly twisted your ankle falling out of the car. 

“Fuckin’ hell, you’re as clumsy as shitty Deku,” Dynamight grumbled as he easily caught your elbow and kept you from faceplanting. 

This close, you could smell the caramelizing sugar scent that you finally realized emanated from the blond, and even through the sleeve of your sweater, you could feel the strength in the pro hero’s calloused fingers. 

Your face flushed with heat, but you were pretty sure he was tired of your stammered apologies, so you just stepped up onto the curb as he slammed the passenger door and locked the car. 

Then he turned to the tall office building and froze before a scowl twisted his features once again. 

“Shit,” he muttered under his breath, and his red eyes snapped to you. “You’re not afraid of heights are you?” 

“I… don’t think so,” you said with a frown. “I mean, I’ve been on roller coasters before, and I obviously flew here from America—” 

“Perfect,” the blond cut you off, shoving the bag of food at you again. “Take this.” 

“O-Okayyyy?” You tentatively wrapped your fingers around the plastic handles of the bag as you drew the food close to your chest. 

“Now, hop on,” he said as he turned around and crouched, his fingers starting to crackle with light and flares of heat. 

“Wh… what?!” Your whole body felt hot this time, not just your face. “Y-You want me… to get on your back?” 

“Again with the damn questions,” he growled, glaring over his shoulder at you. “If it will get you to move your ass faster, we’re eating on that roof, and unless you have wings under that sweater, I’m the only one who can get us up there, and I need my damn hands to use my quirk. So. Hop. On.” 

You gaped at the blond for a millisecond, a thousand more questions racing through your mind. Why the hell were you eating on a roof of a random building? Was this allowed? Why couldn’t you just go back to the agency? 

But you knew by the look on the blond’s face that he’d reached his limit with questions, so you could do nothing but comply. 

Just don’t think about it. Don’t think, don’t think, don’t think. 

You kept up this mantra in your head as you hesitantly approached the hero’s back. He had turned to look forward again, so at least his crimson eyes weren’t burning a hole into you as you carefully slid one hand onto his shoulder while you used the other to cradle the food against your stomach. 

You were just debating the best way to finish this embarrassing endeavor when you felt strong hands slide over the backs of your knees and pull you forward, startling a yelp out of you. 

“Jump,” Dynamight grunted, and you only had time to mindlessly obey as he straightened to his full height in one fluid motion. 

“Shit!” you couldn’t help but curse in English, hoping he couldn’t understand you. His hands helped to guide your legs around his waist, and you dug your left hand into his shoulder so you didn’t fall backward or crush the food that was nestled between the hero’s spine and your navel. 

A beat passed in silence as the two of you found your balance again. 

“I-I’m not too heavy, am I?” you murmured into the hero’s blond hair. Your throat felt tight with embarrassment, but when you went to swallow, your mouth was as dry as a desert. 

“Tch.” Dynamight clicked his tongue as he shifted your weight a little, his hands burning the backs of your thighs even through the thick denim of your jeans. “I could carry two of you without breaking a sweat. Don’t call me weak.” 

“I wasn’t!” you rushed to assure him. “I just meant—” 

“I know what you meant, shut up,” the blond cut you off, turning his head a fraction so his red eyes sliced into you. At this distance, his burnt sugar scent was almost overwhelming. “Do you have a good grip on me? And the food?” 

“Y-Yes,” you said as your heart began to pound against your sternum. You hoped he couldn’t feel it. 

“Make sure,” he growled, fingers digging into the backs of your thighs before he suddenly let go. 

A small gasp was ripped from you as you clenched your legs around his waist, and your left arm went from clutching his shoulder to wrapping around his neck. 

“Ack! Don’t choke me!” he huffed as he stretched his throat out of the way. 

Your right hand scrambled down a few inches, and you fisted the front of his hoodie, anchoring yourself across his chest as you sucked in your gut, leaned more into his spine, and tried not to crush the bag of food that was steadily making you sweat. 

“I-Is that okay?” you asked, your voice no more than a timid whisper. 

“Fine,” Dynamight said as he dropped his hands down by his hips, his palms crackling with energy once again. “Don’t fucking let go.” 

“I wo—OHHHH!” Your sentence trailed off into a startled scream as the hero suddenly exploded off the ground. 

His quirk made your ears ring, but you didn’t even have time to process that before you were thirty feet in the air. Every muscle in your body locked up in terror, and you were sure Dynamight was going to have bruises on his ribs from your legs clamping down around him like a vise. The wind tore at your hair and clothes, stinging the exposed skin of your face and neck, and you ducked your head against the hero’s blond hair as you clenched your eyes shut. 

Don’t let go, don’t let go, you chanted in your mind. 

Then, as suddenly as it began, it was over, and you heard Dynamight extinguish his quirk an instant before his boots slammed into concrete. 

The two of you stood there for a moment as you panted against the back of his neck, your hammering heart still lodged in your throat, before the blond patted the side of your thigh. 

“You can get down now,” he said. “But don’t drop the damn food.” 

You peeled open your eyes with a shaky exhale, and you could feel your entire body trembling as you slowly slid down from the hero’s back. The crinkling bag drew your attention, and you had a split-second worry that you had crushed the food in your terror, but a quick inspection showed that while the containers were a little crumpled, no food was leaking out. 

“Come on, I’m hungry,” Dynamight muttered before his boots started to crunch away from you. 

You snapped your head up and blindly followed after the blond, your eyes darting to the ground to make sure you didn’t trip over anything and then up to your surroundings to try and figure out where the hero was leading you. 

The answer, apparently, was to the very edge of the roof, and you wondered if the hero was going to make you hop on the Dynamight Express again, but instead he came to a stop beside a large electrical box. To your shock, he opened a small door on the tall metal rectangle and produced a thick, dark colored blanket, which he then threw down on the roof’s gravel. 

“Sit,” he grunted before he flopped to the ground, sighing as he stretched his legs out in front of him. 

There was about four or five feet between the electrical box and the edge of the roof, but the soles of Dynamight’s boots nearly brushed against the roof’s wall. 

Or they would have, if a three-foot section of the cement wall wasn’t missing right in front of him. The edges of the concrete partition looked suspiciously charred black, and you frowned at the sight. 

“Did you… blast a chunk out of this wall?” you asked as you slowly sank to your knees beside the blond. You were painfully aware of the void of protection in front of you, and you knew you were at least ten to fifteen stories above the street. But at least it wasn’t so cold up here, tucked into this little nook with the six-foot tall hero’s body heat helping to warm the air. 

“It was in the way,” Dynamight sneered, leaning over and snatching the plastic bag from where you had set it between the two of you. “And wipe that look off your face. I’m not gonna push you through the hole, and you’re not gonna fall with me here.” 

He didn’t look at you as he said this, too busy pulling out several food containers and spreading them out on the blanket, but the absolute surety, the confidence, in his voice actually eased some of the tension from your shoulders, and you sighed as you shifted onto your butt and leaned back against the electrical box. 

Now that you were seated in front of the hole, you realized this building gave you the perfect vantage point to the east. Most of the other structures were shorter than the one you currently sat on, so the streets stretched out before you like a map. The night sky was clear above you, devoid of clouds, nothing but a dark purple canvas sprinkled here and there with stars. But the moon was nearly full over your head, and its pale light was just enough to see by. You could see cars several blocks away cruising through the pools of lamplight, people waiting at bus stops or walking down the road to their next destination, and a realization came over you. 

“Oh, I see,” you murmured, still staring out at the view. “You must use this building as a perch during your hero patrols, right? You can see a lot from here.” 

“No shit.” Dynamight rolled his eyes as he opened one of the take-out containers. The smell of a well-made yakisoba hit your nostrils, and you watched as the blond ripped open a pair of chopsticks. He must have felt your gaze, though, because his red eyes snapped up and narrowed on you with a glare. “Quit starin’ at me and eat something. I didn’t go through all this damn trouble for nothing.” 

“R-Right.” You cleared your throat as you glanced between the other take-out boxes. “Was there something for me in particular, or…” 

“Just pick something!” he snapped before he shoved a bite of noodles into his scowling mouth. 

You pursed your lips as you reached for the closest container, flipping up the lid to find nearly a dozen yakitori skewers. Your stomach snarled and cramped as the roasted scent of the chicken filled your nose, and you could feel saliva pooling in your mouth. 

Grease immediately began to stain your fingers as you picked up one of the skewers, but you didn’t even care as you brought the kebab to your lips. You took a tentative bite to find the meat still pleasantly warm, but then a groan rumbled in the back of your throat as the flavor exploded across your tongue. 

“Mmmm, that is so good!” you mumbled around a mouthful as you ravenously tore off another bite. “It’s seasoned perfectly, and I like the bit of spice it has.” 

“Told you I don’t eat shitty food,” the blond scoffed before he reached over and snagged a piece of yakitori for himself. 

You couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at the corner of your mouth, but you quickly covered it up by taking another bite of chicken. 

“Thank you for the meal, Dynamight,” you said once you finished the skewer, reaching for one of the other containers. This one turned out to be another plate of yakisoba, and you eagerly pulled it into your lap. 

Silence settled between the two of you for a minute, punctuated by the sounds of you both quietly chewing, before Dynamight broke it again. 

“Katsuki.” 

“Hmm?” you asked around a mouthful of noodles. When you lifted your head, your eyes clashed with glaring red ones barely two feet away, and you swallowed quickly so you wouldn’t choke. “Sorry, what did you say?” 

“My name,” he grunted before ripping into another skewer, white teeth flashing in the pale moonlight. “It’s not Dynamight. It’s Katsuki Bakugo.” 

Another hot flash broke out across your body as his scarlet eyes bored into you, and you dropped your gaze to your lap. The blond was too close, his burnt sugar scent still strong beneath the aroma of food, and your brain struggled to come up with a response. 

“Katsuki Bakugo,” you murmured because you couldn’t help yourself, testing out the syllables on your tongue. 

You thought you saw the hero twitch out of the corner of your eye, but he might have just been taking another bite. 

“Yeah, and you better remember it,” the blond said after a moment, his tone adamant, commanding. 

Like there was any way you could forget his name. Japan’s Number Two Hero wasn’t exactly forgettable. 

You found it a little funny, though, that he was so weird about his own name after refusing to call you anything but “Stitches” so far. 

“I will,” you murmured, darting a glance at Dynamight—Katsuki? No, that felt too familiar. Bakugo, then—to find him still staring at you. 

The blond’s crimson gaze was piercing, pinning you to the spot, and you couldn’t look away. You thought he was going to say something, but his eyes only roamed over your face silently, like he was searching your features for an answer to a question he hadn’t voiced. His scrutiny unnerved you, made you fidget, and you played with your chopsticks to try and quell some of your nervous energy. 

Still, he didn’t say a word, but his red eyes began to narrow bit by bit. 

Finally, you couldn’t take it anymore, and you opened your mouth to say something, anything, before he beat you to it. 

“You have a healing quirk.” 

The words hit you like a sledgehammer. 

Your heart slammed to a stop in your chest, and you inhaled so fast it was almost a scream. A million thoughts, excuses, and lies scrambled through your head, but the hero didn’t even give you time to grasp at any of them. 

“Don’t deny it,” he said, face twisting into his usual scowl. “Fuckin’ hate liars. I know you have a healing quirk.” 

The blunt confirmation, after so long worrying, felt almost like a relief, but it was quickly followed by a deluge of dread. 

He knew, he knew, he knew. The truth blared through your head like a siren. There really was no running from it now. 

“Well?” Dynamight—Bakugo—demanded as he glared at you. “Are you going to answer?” 

“You didn’t ask me a question.” The words fell from your mouth without your permission, and you winced as the blond’s expression darkened. 

“Fine,” he growled. “Do you have a healing quirk or not?” 

“…yes.” There was nothing else for you to say, so you just stared at the pro hero as the noose tightened around your neck. 

“I knew it.” A wild smirk stretched across Bakugo’s mouth, triumphant and proud. 

“How?” you couldn’t help but ask as you clenched your hands in your lap, the food long since forgotten. Your stomach was churning itself into knots anyway, but a morbid part of you just had to know what was the final nail in the coffin that had sealed your fate. 

“How what? Did I figure it out?” the blond asked as he lazily picked up another skewer and took a bite, like he didn’t have a care in the world. Like he didn’t hold your whole world in the palm of his calloused hand. “Because I’m not a blind idiot.” 

“I’m serious,” you said with a frown, digging your nails into your palms. 

“So am I,” Bakugo scoffed, and his red eyes found yours again. “If you’re going to lie, at least do it right. That night in your apartment, you said I wasn’t really hurt, didn’t bleed that much, but your hands and my clothes were soaked with it. Way too much for the stupid paper cuts or whatever you blamed it on. The burns on my left arm were better off than they should have been, too, but I knew you were lying before I even noticed any of that shit. I knew the second you opened your mouth.” 

You cringed with guilt, dropping your gaze to your fidgeting fingers. So, all your lies had been futile from the start. “Was it something in my tone or…?” 

“Well, stuttering over your words with your guilty ass face didn’t do you any favors, but no,” the blond grunted. “It wasn’t your tone, it was…” 

Here, the pro hero trailed off, and he was quiet for so long that you chanced a glance at him. 

Bakugo was frowning off into the distance, staring out over the city without seeing. You could tell he was struggling with something, and since you were obviously a masochist, you pressed him about it. 

“It was…?” you led and then had to stifle a gasp as the blond snapped his head around to glare at you. 

“You can’t say shit about this,” he snarled and bared his teeth like a cornered animal, and you distantly noted that his canines were more pointed and pronounced than what was usual. Then his next words stabbed into you, sharp and serrated, and dragged you back to the conversation. “Do you hear me, Stitches? You don’t say shit to anyone. If you do, I’ll kill you.” 

You blanched at the seriousness of his tone, the sharpness of his eyes, and a nervous laugh was startled out of you. 

“I’m obviously not in a position to say anything against you, Dyna—er, Bakugo,” you said, adding the “-sama” honorific after his name as a show of deference. “You could have me arrested or even deported for using my quirk on you without permission or a license.” 

“Damn right I could,” he huffed as he narrowed his eyes at you, but some of the tension and anger left the lines of his face. “But I’m not gonna do any of that shit because I need—you are going to help me.” 

“Help you?” you echoed in an incredulous tone. “What could I possibly help you with?” 

Bakugo glared at you as the muscle in his jaw worked, like he was chewing over his words, before he finally spat them out. 

“My ears. The reason I knew you were lying immediately was because I could hear you.” 

Your frown deepened as you processed his words. “You remember losing your hearing?” 

“Remember it?” The blond scowled at you. “What the fuck are you talking about? Of course I remember being fuckin’ deaf!” 

“I-I’m sorry,” you stammered, waving your hands in front of you. “I just—right after you crashed through my window, you woke up for a second, but you were disoriented. I was trying to tell you that you beat the villain before I saw the blood coming out of your ears and realized you must have blown your eardrums. Then you passed out, and when you woke up again, a-after I… healed you, you asked about the villain a second time, so I just assumed you didn’t remember waking up the first time.” 

Bakugo frowned at you, pale eyebrows furrowing over crimson eyes. “I woke up more than once? Yeah, I don’t remember that shit.” 

“Wait…” You blinked and pursed your lips as you tried to understand what he was saying. “If you don’t remember that, how do you remember losing your hearing?” 

“Because my hearing was shot to shit before I even ran into that damn villain,” Bakugo growled, and his face tightened again as he turned away from you. “Couldn’t even hear my quirk activate anymore.” 

He held up his hand to demonstrate, and flashes of light crackled to life in his palm like mini fireworks. The hero’s expression grew strange as he stared at the visual manifestation of his quirk, but then he clenched his fist and extinguished the sparks. 

Meanwhile, you felt your jaw gape open as your eyes widened. “You… how long has your hearing been in decline?” 

The blond ground his jaw so hard you could hear the scrape of his teeth, and he glared off into the middle distance for so long that you just assumed he wasn’t going to answer you. 

Then… 

“Fuckin’ years, I dunno,” he muttered as he pulled one of his long legs up, balancing his forearm against his knee and pressing his mouth into the back of his wrist. “Didn’t notice it at first, but it probably started at UA, once I was able to use my quirk more regularly.” 

Ohhh, of course. Your eyes dropped to the clenched fist in his lap, and you remembered the boom that made your ears ring as the hero flew you both up here. It had been so loud, and to think of experiencing that multiple times a day, at close range, for years apparently since you knew UA was a famous high school here in Japan… 

“Did you see a doctor?” You frowned, glancing up at the blond as his gaze snapped back to yours. 

“Tch, doctors,” Bakugo sneered, disgust glinting in his crimson eyes. “Fuckin’ useless pieces of shit. I left a good-for-nothing white coat’s office the afternoon I ran into that asphalt villain. Idiot doctor said most of my hearing was just gone, I was going to lose the rest, and there was shit all he could do. Then, few hours later, you patched me up in fuckin’ seconds, so I know that bastard was full of shit.” 

All you could do was blink rapidly at the pro hero as you tried to process all this information. Japan’s Number Two Hero had been going deaf for years, and no one had noticed? You knew that would have definitely made the news, let alone the gossip magazines. What’s more, a doctor said his hearing was a lost cause, and yet… 

“How well can you hear now?” you asked, curiosity getting the best of you. You hadn’t even intended to heal his ears that night, it had just been a side effect of you dumping your energy into his body in order to keep him breathing. 

“Dunno, haven’t exactly done a hearing test,” the blond scoffed and rolled his eyes. “But I can hear you just fine, my phone, too, and my quirk. I’d say that’s good enough.” 

You pursed your lips in thought, studying the hero like he’d been studying you all night, and then you remembered what had started this whole conversation. 

“Okay…” you said slowly. “Well, if you’re hearing is… fine now, what am I supposed to help you with?” 

“Keeping it that way, obviously.” He glared at you. “You’re gonna be stuck at the agency for the next few weeks anyway, so you need to make sure my ears stay working.” 

You gaped at the pro-hero, wondering if you were suddenly losing your hearing. 

“M-Me?” you stammered as your heart crawled up your throat. “B-But I… I’m not a doctor.” 

“No shit,” he said, apparently a favorite phrase of his, and he looked at you like you were a particularly dumb child. “I don’t need a doctor, I told you they’re fuckin’ useless. I just need your quirk.” 

“But…” you trailed off in disbelief. Out of all the outcomes you’d envisioned for this night, this had never even crossed your mind as anything in the realm of possibility. “I’m… not a hero. I don’t have a license to use my quirk.” 

Bakugo stared at you in silence for an endless moment before his upper lip curled into a snarl. 

“Do you think I’m an idiot?” he hissed. “I know all that!” 

“W-Well, I don’t know what you want then!” you said, your voice rising in pitch and volume to match his. 

The echoes of your words ricocheted around you before they faded off into the night, and the blond clenched his jaw as he glared at you. 

“I want you to use your quirk anyway,” he said, the low growl of his tone vibrating through you. You opened your mouth to argue, but he cut you off mid inhale. “And don’t start bitching about rules. You’ve been using your quirk illegally already. That kid and his old hag of a grandma are patients of yours, aren’t they?” 

Your jaw snapped closed with an audible click, and a smirk bloomed across the blond’s pale lips. 

“Hah,” he snorted. “Knew it.” 

“I didn’t say anything,” you gritted out, and your breathing grew shallow. 

“You didn’t have to,” he said, his smirk taking on a taunting edge. “You really gotta work on your poker face, Stitches.” 

Your vision started to tunnel, interspersed with flashes of Tadashi and Ayano’s faces. “The Kojimas have nothing to do—” 

“Oh, calm the fuck down,” he cut you off as he rolled his eyes again. “I’m not gonna turn a grandma and a kid into the cops. Especially not for doing the same shit we’re going to do.” 

A knot of tension unraveled beside your heart, but your insides still felt more tangled up than a yarn ball being batted around by a crazed kitten. 

“Thank you,” you murmured with a sigh, dropping your eyes to where your fingers were picking at the frayed hem of your sweater. 

“I don’t need your gratitude,” he scoffed. “I just need—” 

“My quirk.” You were the one to cut him off this time, and you lifted your gaze to his again. 

“Yeah,” he said as he narrowed those scarlet eyes at you like a predator zeroing in on its prey. “So, is that your way of saying you’ll do it?” 

You bit your lip as you considered your options, but really, you didn’t have any. Dynamight was a famous, rich pro hero with all the leverage. He could ruin your life… but he wasn’t. He was instead providing a trade. 

His silence for your quirk. 

The Kojimas flashed through your mind again, as did your other “patients,” as the blond called them. You thought of your parents, too, and your grandparents. If you agreed to the hero’s proposition, you wouldn’t have to return to America as a failure, and after a few weeks, you could reopen your family’s legacy shop. 

And, in the meantime, you still got to use your quirk. You could heal, actually be useful. Even more than that, Japan’s Number Two Hero was relying on you. 

You didn’t know if you were up to the task, having never used your quirk beyond minor instances that were usually days or weeks in between each other. 

But… 

“Yes,” you finally said as you looked up into Katsuki Bakugo’s face. “I’ll help you.” 

You just hoped you didn’t hang yourself in the process.

[annarellix]

The Scottish Ladies' Detective Agency By Lydia Travers (The Scottish Ladies Detective Agency #1)

When Maud McIntyre sets up her own private detective agency, she never imagines her first case will involve murder… A mystery in the Highlands? The Scottish Ladies’ Detective Agency is on the case!

Edinburgh, 1911: When Maud McIntyre and her lady’s maid, Daisy, form a detective agency, they never dream their first case will take place at a glamorous house in the Scottish Highlands. But when the Duchess of Duddingston, concerned that a notorious jewellery thief will target her lavish weekend party, employs Maud to go undercover as a guest to find the culprit, the agency has its first case to solve… Undercover with Daisy as her maid, Maud follows a trail of clues across the Duddingston House estate. And as she meets the weekend guests, she hopes one of them will reveal themselves as the jewellery thief. But when one of the house guests is discovered dead, Maud and Daisy realise they’re not only hunting precious gems, but a murderer… As Maud and Daisy investigate, they realise that a connection in Edinburgh might hold a vital clue that will help them solve the case. Travelling back to the city, Maud hopes that what she and Daisy uncover will help them piece together the mystery. But when Maud receives a telephone call from the Duchess requesting urgent assistance, she realises that the murderer didn’t have just one victim in mind. Speeding down the drive to Duddingston House, Maud and Daisy hear gunshots ring out across the estate. Will they reach the Duchess in time to save her? And might they catch the murderer in the act?

My Review: A gentlewoman who choose to work as Detective with her own lady’s maid: when I read the blurb I liked the idea and was curious about Maud and Daisy. When I met them I was glad to meet to two clever and unusual women who will be shunned for their gender and unusual work choice. Maud, a gentlewoman, is a suffragette and fights for social justice, Daisy is a very clever and vivacious woman. They’re a lovely couple that will not stop at anything when they want to investigate. There’s a lot of humour, there’s a lovely couple of MCs and there’s a solid mystery. I guessed the culprit but I didn’t guess why so I had a lot of fun in following the clues and trying to understand. I want to meet this lovely couple soon as I binge read this novel in one afternoon. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Bookouture for this arc, all opinions are mine

The Author: Lydia Travers was born in London.  She moved progressively north until settling with her husband in a village on the edge of the Scottish Highlands. She has raised children, bred dogs and kept chickens; and for as long as she can remember has written for pleasure. A former legal academic and practitioner with a PhD in criminology, she now runs self-catering holiday accommodation, sings in a local choir and is walked daily by the family dog. Lydia also writes as Linda Tyler and her first novel under that name, Revenge of the Spanish Princess, won a 2018 Romance Writers of America competition for the beginning of an historical romance. Her second novel The Laird's Secret was Commended in the 2021 Scottish Association of Writers' Pitlochry Quaich competition for the beginning of a romantic novel. Mischief in Midlothian won the 2022 Scottish Association of Writers' Constable Silver Stag trophy. She has had a number of short stories published in magazines, journals and anthologies in the UK, the USA and Australia.

https://www.facebook.com/LindaTylerAuthorScotland https://twitter.com/LindaTyler100

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Lydia Travers here: https://www.bookouture.com/subscribe/lydia-travers

Buy Link: Amazon: https://geni.us/B0BT57ZCF5social

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You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you'll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo

[elcias-diary]

Public Service Announcement:

It's on YouTube

get the word out!

WHY DOES NO ONE TALK ABOUT NO.1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY??

[fandomshatepeopleofcolor]

I think it would be really funny to see House of Dragon to be cancelled,what do you think?

Honestly I doubt it even though I wish that money could be used for another season of the number 1 ladies detective agency. That show was so good!!!

mod ali

[rc--chan]

Ace Attorney BNHA AU Because I Have Nothing Better To Do

(Disclaimer: I used google translate for the words in other languages, so if they are wrong, you know who to blame.)

Part 2  Part 3   Part 4

Phoenix Wright:

Quirk: Comeback King - Makes him invincible to physical attacks and the cold/heat. Gives him the ability to see people's inner secrets, very useful during interrogation. Manifests golden chains that can be used as a weapon and to subdue villains. Drawback: overuse can lead to migraines and chest pain

Occupation: No.1 Pro Hero, U.A. teacher and defense attorney

Hero Name: Flamebird - Origin: nickname given to him by Miles Edgeworth, age 9

Miles Edgeworth:

Quirk: Logic Chess - Gives the ability to analyze any situation in a matter of seconds and find the quickest solution. Heightened power of persuasion, only used during hostage situations. Creates chess visual only seen by the user. Drawback: overuse can lead to migraines and nosebleeds

Occupation: No.3 Pro Hero, U.A. teacher and prosecutor

Hero Name: Analyst - Origin: Name picked by his mentor Manfred von Karma.

Franziska von Karma:

Quirk: Peitsche - Literally means whip in German. Creates a whip out of a pale blue energy, can be used to strike people and to subdue villains. Has the ability to stun opponents and/or paralyze them for 12 seconds. Drawback: overuse leads to losing the ability to manifest the whip for periods of time between 5min and 2h.

Occupation: No.2 Pro Hero and prosecutor

Hero Name: Hofkönigin - Origin: Means Court Queen in German, name picked by her mentor/father Manfred von Karma.

Maya Fey:

Quirk: Mystic Soul - Gives the user the ability to communicate and summon the dead. The summoned person can either possess the user or take physical form and fight alongside it. Drawback: overuse leads to the user fainting.

Occupation: No.4 Pro Hero and Master of the Kurain Channeling Technique

Hero Name: Lady Mystic -  Origin: Inherited from her mother, as the Kurain tradition states.

Mia Fey:

Quirk: Possession - Gives the ability to possess people and objects. While something is possessed, the user's body becomes intangible making her invincible to physical attacks. Heightened power of persuasion, only used during hostage situations. Drawback: overuse leads to the user fainting.

Occupation before death: No.9 Pro Hero and defense attorney

Hero Name: Mystical - Origin: derived from the name Lady Mystic

Pearl Fey:

Quirk: Mystic Soul - Gives the user the ability to communicate and summon the dead. The summoned person can either possess the user or take physical form and fight alongside it. Drawback: overuse leads to the user fainting.

Occupation: Middle-school student and Spirit medium-in-training

Dick Gumshoe:

Quirk: No Food - Gives the ability to survive without food. User can still eat food, but the effects of starvation do not affect him.

Occupation: Detective

Diego ”Godot” Armando:

Quirk: Coffee Cup - Allows the user to multiply his strength five-fold for 9 minutes for every cup he drinks. Drawback: overuse leads to sleepless nights.

Occupation: Underground Pro Hero, prosecutor and ex-defense attorney

Hero Name: Before coma: Coffeeric - After coma: Godot

Manfred von Karma:

Quirk: Electric Glare - Gives the user the ability to charge in electricity and manipulate it at will. The second part of the quirk is the ability to paralyze someone for 30min if the user glares at them. Drawback: overuse leads to migraines

Occupation before execution: No.2 Pro Hero and prosecutor

Hero Name: Von Karma

Gregory Edgeworth:

Quirk: Logical - Gives the ability to analyze any situation in a matter of seconds and find the quickest solution. Drawback: overuse leads to nosebleeds

Occupation before death: Underground Pro Hero and defense attorney

Hero Name: Mockingbird - Origin: nickname given to him by his late wife

Dahlia Hawthorne:

Quirk: Mother Butterfly - Gives the user the ability to appear absolutely harmless, manifests in the form of white butterflies. The user can spy on other people using the butterflies. Drawback: overuse leads to loss of control and the butterflies that usually surround her burst into flames, revealing her true nature.

Occupation before execution: U.A. student and part-time villain

Larry Butz:

Quirk: Color Change - Can change the colors of anything he touches at will.

Occupation:  Artist & Various part-time jobs

As far as the plot goes, I think it'll be the same as the trilogy but with a BNHA twist. Dahlia does her whole murder of Doug Swallow when she and Phoenix are at U.A. Mia still saves Phoenix's ass from Dollie. Then she dies...look if you've played the trilogy you know what happens. The actual plot change happens in Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, where Phoenix is Apollo's UA homeroom teacher. But I'll be writing that and the plot for DD & SoJ later.

Few differences are this:

During the trilogy Phoenix is Mia's sidekick before she dies and he inherits her agency/law firm.

Maya is a UA student

Only the women who possess the quirk Mystic Soul can be Master in this au, which is why Mia became a defense attorney

At this point and time Miles is the number 8 Pro Hero.

After Manfred goes to prison Miles and Franziska end up co-running his agency.

Franziska still has the whole prodigy thing running, but now she also became a Pro Hero at 15. But since she mainly worked in Europe before, has no ranking in Japanifornia. But she was the number 5 Pro Hero back in Germany. 

If anyone wants to write a fic or make some designs based on this, feel free to do so, I don't have the time to.

[jrueships]

(Hands you detective au)

WOW!!! OMG THANK U!!!

IWBFIEB im /j of course fr thank u for this ask I've had a detective kinda au in my mind 4EVER.. multichapter pg/kawhi detective au... I won't write it yet because uhhhh looks at mountain of wips... looks away.. but YEA it's definitely a THOUGHT. My hatred of c0ps vs my love for detective aus.... FIGHT!!!

But BASICALLY the idea I have with the detective au is like... kawhi leonard was just some guy looking for a job to support his adopted son, Terance. One day he helped with a crime near his house and badda Bing badda bang! A detective agency liked his 'eccentric' thought process. It's basically a play on monk/Sherlock where detectives find a guy who thinks different than them so they make him do everything basically LMAO.. except kawhi doesn't Want to so everything. Despite being known for his austere exterior, the deaths stack onto him. He really hates his line of work but just suppresses it all deep down. To his quiet dislike, he ends up climbing higher into the forensic ranks due to his knack of solving cases. He gets pushed up from Arson with Kyle Lowry, a funny but kind of sad little fellow who misses his old partner transferred to another state agency, to Vice (AKA drugs) with Paul George.

Paul George isn't your ordinary humbug black and white detective. Though he did carry a pack of cigarettes and a lighter with his own initialed insignia, he only carried it for Style Points and Aesthetic. He takes most his cases with a grain of salt, just glad to be getting a good pay. He shows up to scenes wearing flashy, expensive suits and a cute hat with a bow. His shoes are always shiny and his baby blue corvette (fitted with it's own radio and sirens) is worth more than Kawhi's shitty apartment. He's flashy and shines his badge to all the ladies. A failed actor, He's obsessed with acting like his job is a movie and he the handsome main character.

He's recently new to the job, having moved up to replace Damian Lillard -- who suddenly quit. Paul's vain and jealous of Kawhi having quicker success than him just for 'being weird'. He constantly shoots offhand comments and let's Kawhi know who's the leader in this forced partnership. Kawhi could honestly care less.

I think I want chapter 1 to be them getting to know each other whether they want to or not. Chapter one is pg's big asshole era so it starts off with them getting sent to their first case together by the commissioner. The commissioner gives his complaints to kawhi rather than pg so that gets pg all annoyed. Insert a bunch of sarcastic and biting comments here. This continues even in the car ride, with Pg lowkey trying to flex his flashy accessories and higher authority to Kawhi's silence. Then the car stops at a red light and who do they see but Damian Lillard driving his rinkadink motorcycle. He quit to become a private investigator, saying he won't work with corrupt cunts. He throws Kawhi his number, flips off paul, and tells them Goodluck on their criminal case before speeding off before the light hit green.

This sends Paul back into a spiel, ranting to Kawhi about how Stupid Dame was and how he must be outta his mind. Then he starts putting up dumb ground rules to reestablish his superiority like rule 72 always say I'm right. Rule 56 always tell me I look sexy rule 57 always follow that up with a no homo though rule- You get it. That goes on for a Long while, and when pg is finally done he looks back at Kawhi, who hasn't said a single word since getting in the car, and asks if he has any questions. Kawhi nods and asks "can you turn on the radio."

Pg does. Reluctantly. But only because his voice was starting to get sore from all that talking.

Chapter 2 ... I am still thinking. I have a case in mind for them to solve but... it's a lot to think!

But I really want there to be a scene where they have to chase a runaway culprit but his sprinklers turn on so pg refuses to run through them and get him. So he just kinda points at the culprit's retreating form and barks at kawhi like "gO GET HIM!!! THAT'S MY MONEY RUNNIN OUTTA THE BUILDING, YOU BOZO!!"

And I want there to be a scene where pg and kawhi are scoping out a suspect at a diner so they have to squeeze really close together in a booth and snoop in a dark corner. Pg ask kawhi to light his cig for him (while it's in his mouth that's very important) ... they start bonding a bit. Kawhi talks a little. Pg starts noticing that kawhi isn't this kinda special golden boy detective but just a guy whos trying to make a decent living. He comforts kawhi after he sees a bad body.

I also want a scene down the road where kawhi gets shot and the closest place for treatment is his apartment so pg drives (and kawhi gets blood all over his nice car MAN!! "Leonard I swear you're gonna live and you're gonna wash this SHIT off my car, man!!") him home and kicks open the door to start getting to work on healing that wound. Kawhi is more concerned with not letting Terance see him like this... pg shows his Caring side and is really nice to terance.. gives him his badge to play with in another room. Also hands him his sketchpad he uses to draw the suspects so he can doodle away. Mandatory terance asking if Paul is kawhi's boyfriend. Mandatory Paul dodging the question by saying he has to go help dad-KAWHI. And he does and paul REALLY realizes that kawhi is just some guy who just thinks different but that doesn't make him any better or worse than pg and it's like "oh. Maybe he's not so bad..."

And YEAH. I think I want the end to have a twist. Blah blah they find out the agency is corrupt (probably take money from drug dealing gangs to not bust em all). They both end up quitting detective work to join Damian's private agency to put a stop to dirty work.

BUT YEAH!! Those are my ideas for it!!! Kinda long I dunno!!!! Ummmm ! Yeah! Lmao! Buddycop dynamics have me by the THROAT 😭