#there are two reasons why I keep up with oc: Bell and Jet

[littleelectricpressurecanner]

Really appreciate OC throwing in a love interest for Bell for all the lesbians out here bored of Stabler's antics

[knybits]

- ̗̀ peonies, white roses and camellias ̖́-

hoooooooo boy guys youre all in for SUCH a ride :)) this is 5k words long so i broke it up into 2 parts!! also, this was LARGELY inspired off of the flower shop and tattoo parlor au that @thunderandrainclouds wrote (im linking it here!) and i thought “why not just write the au but with all our ocs” LMAOOOOO 

she also drew some art, so i hope youll give her art work some love bc it LITERALLY SENDS ME ALL THE TIME 

Akiko is my oc

Chiyo belongs to @thunderandrainclouds

Miyuki belongs to @kny-writings

so without further ado, please enjoy! 

Part One || Part Two

“Have you heard? There’s going to be a new shop across the street,” Akiko says, looking out the window at the construction team that’s pointing at blueprints. 

“Hah? Why the hell should I care?” Sanemi snaps, not bothering to look up from his client. Akiko rolls her eyes, directing her attention away from the busy scene outside and instead to her two co-workers, whom she hates with a passion. 

The ever so quiet Giyuu that once snuck up on her, tapped her shoulder, scared the shit out of her, and made her fuck up on a client. 

Sanemi, a royal asshole that can’t control his temper and snaps at Giyuu and herself. 

Yup, Akiko is living the life at her job. 

Unfortunately, the three of them are the best of the best, and they get clients from all over the world. 

What with Akiko’s talented eye for precision, Giyuu’s incredible watercolor designs, and Sanemi’s bold sense of style, their names are well known by other tattoo artists. 

It’s such a shame they all hate each other. 

Well, maybe Giyuu has no hate in him, but tensions are high. 

At any rate, a few more months pass, and Akiko is able to tell that the new store across the street is a flower shop. There are colorful buckets lining the outside of the store, and the windows are big and tall to allow for sunshine. The two stores line directly parallel from each other, and Akiko catches sight of three people that constantly walk in and out of the new shop. 

She doesn’t even realize she’s looking at one particular guy until he turns around, and their eyes meet. Akiko blinks once, twice, then she quickly turns away from the window of her parlor. 

It’s the next day that Akiko actually meets someone from the new store across the street. 

The bell to their parlor rings, and Akiko looks up from her phone to tell them that they’re still closed, only to see that Giyuu is already at the counter. 

“Hi! Sorry to just walk in, I read your sign I swear. But we’re your new store neighbors!” A bubbly voice says, and Akiko finds herself look at a pearl haired girl wearing a light green apron with a small batch of flowers in a small mason jar in her hands. Her white short sleeved shirt allows for Akiko to see her muscular arms, and she’s impressed by the size. 

Giyuu makes no move to talk, only blinking stoically at the girl. Akiko can’t help but find this odd. 

Sure, he doesn’t talk much, but he would at least greet customers or visitors. 

Her smile turns a bit wry, she looks nervous in Akiko’s eyes, and she awkwardly places the jar of flowers on the corner of the counter. 

“Uhm, anyway, there are two other workers over there, and if you ever want to stop by and say ‘hi’ you’re more than welcome to!  No pressure or anything,” she mutters a quick ‘fuck’ under her breath, twiddling with her thumbs. 

“Yeah, I’m Takenaka Chiyo, and uh… yeah, I think I’m gonna leave now so… bye!” Chiyo jets out of the store, the bell ringing a final time, and the store is quiet again. 

Sanemi walks into the store a few minutes later, an eyebrow cocked at the odd sight of Giyuu and Akiko staring off into the same general direction. 

“What? The fuck you guys lookin at?” 

Giyuu bursts into a fit of red, and both Akiko and Sanemi’s jaws drop. 

---

It’s been a week now, and Akiko finds herself looking out the window more often. 

She hates it.

Why? 

Because she’s looking out of the window to stare at some burgundy haired guy that works at the flower shop. 

He wears a forest green apron that reminds Akiko of a Starbucks employee, and Akiko can see that he also wears hanafuda earrings. There’s also a scar on his left temple, but she finds herself drawn to his bright smile every time he gifts a child a small daisy. 

She’s getting caught more often now though, and it’s embarrassing as hell for her. She tries to play it off nonchalantly, but she can’t help the quick blush that spreads across her face. 

“Oh my! How cute! Did you get these from across the street?” A lady gushes once Akiko is done with her tattoo and is ringing her up at the counter. Akiko turns her attention to the batch of wisteria, peonies, camellias, and white roses. 

Akiko smiles at her customer, handing back the change and replying, “Yeah! Our store smells a lot nicer ever since they’ve come into town,” she laughs, and the lady laughs with her. 

“Well I think it’s a nice touch to the store. Perhaps you’ll get a discount and can have more flowers in the parlor?” 

Akiko glances over at the window, catching the burgundy boy looking at her, before flicking her eyes back at her client with a polite smile. 

“Y’know? I couldn’t agree more!” 

---

“Sanemi go across the street and pick up some flowers I ordered.” 

“HAH?! Why me?” 

Akiko and Giyuu hold up their tattoo guns, continuing to scroll through their phones on a lazy Sunday before chiming in, “We have clients we’re waiting for.” 

Thank god Akiko found out she could purchase the flowers online. 

Otherwise she would have stayed staring out the window and sent in a telepathic order. 

Sure, she wants to walk over and say ‘hi’ to her store neighbors, but she also doesn’t want to meet the burgundy haired boy. Her heart might not be able to handle his smile up close. 

Sanemi glares at the two lazy asses before stomping over to them, his own tattoo gun in hand.

“Fuck that. I have clients too. Akiko you go,” he points his gun at Akiko, and on instinct she lifts her gun to point it right back at Sanemi. 

He’s giving her the nastiest glare now, and Akiko glares right back at him, slowly standing from her seat to square him up. 

“Wait, guys,” Giyuu makes the mistake to point his gun in their general direction, and the two whip their tattoo guns straight at Giyuu within a snap. 

And now Giyuu can’t help but actually point his gun at Sanemi out of feeling threatened, and Akiko slowly slinks back to her work area to grab another gun. 

The two other idiots do the same, grabbing another gun while moving back and forth between each other and glaring menacingly. 

“Put the fuckin gun down you brat,” Sanemi snaps at Akiko, one gun pointed at Giyuu and the other at our golden eyed protagonist. 

She scoffs, “You first, twat.” 

“Guys maybe we should stop before customers walk in-” 

“KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!” 

“YOU HAVE YOUR GUNS POINTED AT US TOO DUMBASS!” 

“How cool! What do you think is going on?” Miyuki smiles, resting her chin on her hand as she leans over the store’s counter to look through the window. She’s watching the three world famous tattoo artists and their stand off, and to say she’s interested is an understatement. 

Chiyo looks up from the register, squinting her eyes at the scene then tilting her head to the side. 

“Are those… Real guns?” 

“Do I call the cops??” Tanjirou suddenly shows up, quickly putting down the watering can in his hand to pick up the store phone, only to be stopped by the two older women. 

“Put the phone down,” they chorus without moving their gaze from the window. 

“Miyu, are you recording this shit?” 

“Do you take me for a fool?” 

“I- I really think we should call in some law enforcement to make sure no one dies…” 

“Oh wait? Oh? Tea? They’re putting their guns down- THEY’RE UP AGAIN!!” 

“This is gonna go viral.” 

“Guys I don’t think-” 

“OH SHIT ABORT ABORT! OLD MAN IS WALKING OVER!!” 

Miyuki scrambles to turn her phone off, shoving it into her apron pocket as Tanjirou scrambles to pick the watering can up again and rushes to the back of the store to hide. Chiyo, for reasons unknown, ducks under the counters and sits there, so Miyuki is left to defend the fort. 

She picks up a random rag, wiping the counter and making sure she doesn’t look into the eyes of an oddly hot hell beast, finally hearing the bell chime. 

“Hi! Welcome! How can I help you today?” Miyuki goes for a smile. 

There’s a crash and a bang from the back of the store, a miserable, “Ow…” then Chiyo popping up from the counter to dash back and check in on a certain baby. Needless to say, the store isn’t making the greatest first impression. 

But Sanemi pays the incident no mind, shoving his hands into his pockets before nodding his head back to the tattoo parlor. 

“I work there, and one of my stupid co-workers bought some flowers from you guys.” 

Miyuki can’t stop staring at his toned chest, which he so brazenly displays with the top half of his silk black shirt popped open. The shirt is tight fitting too, and Miyuki is about to ascend, her mind repeating ‘NICE’ on repeat like some mantra. 

“Uhh, yeah, lemme go get that,” she mutters under her breath, then stumbles to the back of the store. 

When Sanemi gets back to the tattoo parlor with another small batch of flowers, Giyuu looks up from his work and Akiko swings her legs off a nearby chair. She stares at him quizzically, in no way used to seeing him with a light blush on his face. 

“What? You embarrassed you scared the flower fairies?” Akiko scoffs, and Sanemi moves to slam the jar onto the counter but stops himself, setting it down gently instead. 

Now Akiko knows something is up. 

“She kept me there longer than she should have. Rambling on and on and on about flower language and what the flowers we ordered means and the colors and stuff. God she’s annoying,” Sanemi snaps, and Akiko raises a brow and the newly budding love. 

“Yeah, sure Romeo…” 

“CALL ME THAT AGAIN AND I’M CARVING AN ‘L’ ON YOUR FOREHEAD!” 

---

Akiko almost drops her tattoo gun and through her foot when she sees sunshine boy walk through her parlor doors. 

She’s just finished up with a client and rather than setting the gun down onto the metal tray, she starts to cough on her own spit and freaks out a bit. 

Sanemi and Giyuu look over at her, and she discreetly mouths at them to casually ‘fuck off’, before helping her client to their feet and assisting them to the counter. 

Sunshine boy is accompanied by his oddly attractive friend, but they wait patiently while Akiko quickly explains the steps for aftercare while ringing her client up. She’s quick to notice that she better hurry up though, since sunshine boy’s friend looks to be a bit… energetic. 

When her client leaves, Akiko tries her best to smile at her two customers, shutting the cash register door with a clank. 

“Hi! How can I help you guys today?” 

Sunshine boy looks apologetic, gesturing to his friend, who looks around the store at the examples of what he can possibly get tattooed onto himself. 

“Sorry, uhm, my friend Inosuke has been wanting to get a tattoo for a long time, so I thought this would be the best place…” 

Akiko starts tapping into the computer, spelling out Inosuke’s name before frowning at the screen. 

“Sorry, but did you guys make an appointment?” 

“Huh? Why would we do that? Just draw a boar on my arm,” the Inosuke guy stands before Akiko now, his arms buffer that the Chiyo lady Akiko met a few weeks ago. Akiko raises a brow, and sunshine boy quickly rallies his friend back. 

“S- Sorry! I didn’t know we had to make a reservation. We’ll just go now-” 

“Hold up,” Akiko raises a hand, clicking through the computer to check her schedule for the day. When she sees that she’s all clear, she looks up from the screen with a smile. 

“It’s your lucky day. I can squeeze your friend in,” Akiko says, but sunshine boy looks distressed. 

“No, that’s okay! We can schedule a real time and date and come back, honest!” He says, but Inosuke rolls his eyes and starts to waltz over to the chair that Akiko’s previous client was sitting on. 

Akiko smiles at sunshine boy’s abrasive friend, not too bothered by this attitude since Sanemi is leagues worse, so she turns to sunshine boy and winks. 

“Consider this a store neighbor special.” 

Wow. 

When has Akiko ever been this smooth? 

Akiko tunes out her embarrassed thoughts, shoving aside the last 20 seconds to get out her sketch pad and asking Inosuke what he wants. 

“A BOAR!!” 

“You’re gonna have to give me more to work with. Else you want me to ink Peppa on you.” 

So Inosuke rolls his eyes, and Akiko’s pencil dances across the pad of paper. She works quickly, listening to Inosuke ramble on about how cool boars are and how he used to live with a bunch of them when he was a kid (this mildly worries Akiko). 

By the end of it, Akiko’s drawn the head of a boar with sharp tusks, and Inosuke marvels at her drawing, claiming it to be badass and worthy enough to be inked on his arm. 

Even sunshine boy looks impressed, softly clapping for Akiko from his seat across she. 

Akiko ignores her subtle blush, deciding to get to work as she fills up her tattoo guns and swabs the arm that Inosuke wants inked. Then she quickly redraws the boar onto her ipad, gets it printed out, then applies the art onto Inosuke’s arm. 

“Is it done already?! That’s fast!!” 

The sudden buzzing noise from Akiko’s tattoo gun makes Inosuke jump a bit, and his face pales enough for her to notice. Even sunshine boy takes note of his friend’s alarm, and he offers his hand with a smile. Inosuke turns the offer down though. 

But once Akiko starts to get to work, Inosuke becomes oddly quiet, eyes trained on the flowers on the counter with the sound of buzzing clouding his mind. 

Akiko looks up from her work to glance at sunshine boy, who is watching with wide and curious eyes, and their gazes meet once again. 

She decides to strike up a conversation while she has his attention, flickering her eyes back down to make sure she isn’t messing up then casually saying, “I never got you name.” 

He blinks to snap himself out of his concentrated daze, flushing a bit and scratching at his cheek. 

“Oh, sorry! We’ve been store neighbors for months and I never properly introduced myself. I’m Kamado Tanjirou.” 

Akiko smiles to herself, “Finally, I can call you something other than sunshine boy,” she chuckles. 

Throughout the rest of the conversation, Tanjirou remains red in the face and Akiko busies herself as to not flush red too. Of course, the minute she puts down the tattoo gun, it’s over for her. 

hhhh so for some last minute notes, ill,,, explain a few things :) 

that tattoo gun scene? yeah think of that one episode from the office. cant picture it? literally type “the office showdown gifs” into google and bam, a live action of the scene. 

this was such a joy to write!! and i cant wait for you guys to read the next part! this was like,,, the set up of the ships so :) 

a huge huge thank you to mari and chuu for letting me use their ocs!!!!!!!! check our their blogs guys, theyre so so nice and such a joy to collab with :,,) 

[rosaalee]

Fastest Girl. [2]

Pairing: Rosalie Hale x Carter Jones. (FEM OC)

Series.

Genre: Twilight, Mentions of drugs/alcohol, slow burn.

Word Count: 1570

I've been dreading leaving for school the moment I woke up this morning. Not only was I joining a new school March of second semester is that I dont have my vehicle with me. I still have to contact my mom and ask her to get someone to bring it to me. I miss my baby already.

"Hey kiddo, you're gonna be late if you dont leave now," my grandma said before tossing me her keys. "Take my truck, I dont have anywhere to go today." she said opening the front door waiting for me to grab my bag and exit the house with her before she started watering her plants.

"Thanks G'ma." I smiled before hopping into her truck and starting the engine and driving to school. I made sure that yesterday I would take her truck around and get used to the roads here and where most of the major things around here were.

The drive to the school wasn't as long as I thought. Maybe it had to do that I was going 15 over the speed limit. Pulling into the schools parking lot was a nightmare, considering everyone has to be up in peoples business wondering who the new kid is. Here we go.

Locking the truck I scanned the parking lot a little bit, I didn't see Rosalie so I assumed she is a late person, or she's inside the building, which I dont know why because it seems like everyone likes to waste their time outside at their vehicles.

My boots smacking against the wet concreate as I avoided everyone's stares and entered the building, immediately finding the front office to my left. "Name?" The woman said at the front desk, she sounded like the one I spoke to on the phone.

"Carter Jones," I told her and tapped my knuckles on the wood desk waiting for her to hand me my slip as she leaned back in her chair and grabbed something from the desk behind her.

"Here's your class schedule, have your teacher sign this slip and leave it with them." she smiled before handing me my schedule and four class slips.

Walking away I was stopped by a boy who started introducing himself to me but I paid him no attention since I wasn't really interested, his name was Eric though from what I picked up. Without a reply I just walked away from him trying to find my first class which was History. 

Upon arrival I seen the teacher at his desk and walked over to him handing him one of the slips and told him my name. He nodded and told me to sit where I wanted and that there wasn't assigned seats. I hummed a response and found myself a spot at the back next to the window.

I heard the last bell ring and more students started joining the class. This brunette sat next to me. "Hi, I'm Angela Weber, you must be the new student." she said leaning over in her seat to say to me, but still trying to pay attention to the teacher.

Nodding my head, "Yeah, names Carter." I told her trying to end the conversation but she reached over onto my desk and grabbed my schedule.

"Oh we have 3 classes together," she giggled before putting it back on my desk. I fake laughed not really into the conversation just wanted school to be over. I'm not trying to be a huge asshole, it just 9am and who has time to be talking right now, especially trying to keep a conversation. I think she got the hint and dropped it.

By the time next class was I had 5 minutes to find my English class. I ended up over hearing Angela and that boy Eric mention they both had English and ended up following them to the class. Repeating what I did with the last teacher, this one had assigned seats. Ending up sitting next to someone named Jessica, she seemed exactly like a snob and the annoying preppy girls I would avoid at my old school.

Zoned out for the most of the lesion I didn't realize Jessica was talking to me till she snapped her fingers in front of my face which ticked me off. Angerly I looked over at her raising one of my eyebrows curious to know what she needed to say to break me from my thoughts.

"I was wondering if you wanted to sit with us at lunch, since it's your first day and you'll probably be a loner sitting at a table by yourself," she snarled while exchanging glances to Angela and Eric who I presumed were her friends.

Avoiding the fact that she was a real bitch, but she was probably right. I haven't seen Rosalie yet so I would probably be sitting alone. I agreed to sitting with them at lunch.

After the bell rang and I followed the three to the lunch room and grabbed some food with the rest of them, we sat at what I assumed to be their table. There was already a boy with short blonde hair sitting there, Jessica sat next to him, along with Eric and Angela. I happened to be sitting on the other side of the table, more onto Angela's side though.

"Mike, this is Carter, she's new here." Eric said to the blonde boy who just nodded, didn't really say much. Which was surprising to me since all the kids here are very active talkers from what I have noticed.

Biting down on my celery stick, I never really noticed the groups of people. There wasn't really a specific groups of people, sure there was the basic jocks and "nerds" and the outcasts, but everyone seemed to be together.

"The pale faces are staring," Mike brought up bringing everyone out of their conversations and all eyes behind me. I turned and seen one familiar face and four not so.

"They're looking at Carter," Jessica groaned. Causing me to roll my eyes and lean back in my chair facing the four at my table.

"Dare me to go over there," I smirked, knowing exactly what my goal was. I didn't want to sit with someone who I knew was already having a direct issue with me and I didn't even do anything to her. She dislikes me because I'm new.

"Uh, I don't think that's a good-" Angela started before Jessica cut her off.

"Do it, embarrass yourself." She spat, crossing her arms.

I pushed me chair back and grabbed my food tray, turning on my heel, noticing all eyes were on me. I walked over to the table, slammed my tray down. "I'm sitting here now." I stated, grabbing an empty chair and pulling it up to where I was.

Looking at everyone at the table, beside Rosalie was a presumably tall buff boy with jet black hair, is face was stern but he gave me a smile which I mirrored to him. Beside him was a boy with honey golden hair, similar to Rose's but more golden, his face held many emotions. Next to him was a girl with pixie like hair, sticking in multiple directions, she looked very sweet. And finally there was a boy with dark brown hair, he stared at me with much concern. I smiled at them all before turning my gaze to Rosalie.

"I really needed to get away from that bitch," I sighed taking a drink from my water.

"Jessica Stanley?" The pixie hair girl asked, fumbling with her fingers.

"Sure yeah. She's been a royal asshole to me for no reason." Turned my gaze back to my previous table and noticed her looking at me with rage. Whatever crazy.  "Rose, I wish I had my first two classes with you." I said bringing myself to a topic I could care about.

"I have Bio next, do you?" She asked raising her brow, leaning over the table to talk to me.

Thankfully I indeed did have Bio next, so hopefully I would be able to sit near her. "What about you guys?" I addressed to the rest of the group.

"Edward has it too, Alice has Spanish with Jasper and Emmett have Math," she told me, I nodded and continued eating my food.

We were walking to the class together, Rosalie was actually pretty close to my body, it was like she was trying to avoid bumping into anyone. Not like that would be an issue since most kids let them walk in front or they lean towards the walls and lockers of the halls.

I barely got my foot in the door before the teacher was up in my face, he said his name was Mr. Molina and that he was a huge fan of my grandma's work, which isn't surprising since she's a fantastic lady. He told me to sit wherever I wanted, and I opted to sit next to Rosalie, who's seat was empty.

Class was pretty boring, I ended up copying off of Rose, which she didn't really mind actually. I was never fantastic at school, I don't really care for it.

I was zoned out basically for the whole class. My hands were cold and shaky, all I want is a release. Hopefully my next class will have what I'm looking for.

[pitviperofdoom]

a mountain inn murder

So! I’d like to thank you all for your patience throughout this past month. I have promised fic and worry not, fic is on its way. I hope to get a chapter out either today or tomorrow, but for now, there’s a little something I’d like to share with you.

On Thursday I saw a movie that I’ve been very excited to see, and it inspired a BNHA fic idea that I’ve decided I’m  never going to write. But it’s still a rather delicious one, so I put together a detailed synopsis for your reading pleasure.

Warning: look full disclosure this is pretty goddamn depressing.

So to begin, it takes place in a slightly AU version of the BNHA world, so there are a few digressions from canon, such as Quirkless!GenEd!Midoriya who ends up working with heroes anyway as a strategist and consultant. But honestly that’s more background information than anything else, and the story itself doesn’t really focus much on him.

The story begins a year or two after what we know as Class 1-A would have graduated, so they’d all be around nineteen, maybe twenty. It takes place at a rather remote inn in the mountains during winter. Our main character is a Detective. I haven’t decided who that Detective might be, maybe an OC, I’m really not sure because I can’t think of a canon character that would fit super well in that role. The detective ends up at the inn while taking an impromptu vacation from work, hoping for a relaxing couple of days surrounded by pretty snow and scenery. There are others staying there for the holidays, specifically the new year, so their stay will be fairly brief but the detective doesn’t mind the company. Those at the inn are the following:

Makoto, the proprietress of the inn

Her coworker whose name the detective doesn’t catch, mainly because the man spends most of his time asleep or seemingly drunk.

The Iida brothers Tensei and Tenya, rather famous clientele for such a humble inn.

Yoarashi, a boisterous young man who gets along with very nearly everyone.

Momo, a pretty young woman who looks familiar but the detective can’t put their finger on why.

Chiyo, an elderly grandmotherly type.

Todoroki, a taciturn young man with rather prominent facial scarring—name rings a bell, though.

Inada, a large and forbidding man who treats everyone with the same level of unfriendly arrogance.

Akatani, a young man who works for Inada as a secretary. He’s a bit shy, but friendly and eager to please.

The detective settles in for their stay and gets to know the people around them. Ms. Makoto is friendly and seems to strike up a friendship with Momo and Chiyo, as ladies are wont to do. Her silent, sleepy coworker is surprisingly helpful in his own way, in spite of the drinking, the constant sleeping, and his need for a crutch. Yoarashi and the Iidas are cordial with everyone. For some reason, Todoroki seems determined to keep Inada from finding out he’s there, to the point where he wears a surgical mask, ostensibly to keep from catching cold. It’s difficult when they’re all so enclosed, but Inada’s secretary is very understanding and helps him avoid Inada’s notice.

At one point, on the second day of their stay, Inada pulls the detective aside and offers him a job. He’s a powerful man being hunted and followed, and is currently staying at this inn to take cover until the danger can be identified and properly dealt with. But the inn is more crowded than he thought it would be, so he would appreciate it if the detective could help him identify possible threats. He tries to subtly threaten the detective, but their instincts tell them it’s a bad idea, so they turn him down.

The next morning Inada is found murdered in his bed, and a blizzard in the mountains strands them at the inn until help can arrive.

Needless to say, the air about the inn is far more nervous and fearful the following day. Considering the blizzard, it is very likely that the killer is still among them, so the detective devotes themselves to solving the murder as quickly as possible. Poor Akatani is nearly in hysterics when he finds out about his employer’s death, and is utterly lost and on the verge of a panic attack until the detective helps him make himself useful. In spite of his agitation he still has a very efficient mind, and is quite useful in helping the detective organize their thoughts and run the investigation.

It’s a strange case from the start. Inada wasn’t just stabbed; he was stabbed nine times as if in a frenzy, and yet there is no sign of defensive wounds, on a big and strong-looking man who was fully aware that his life was in danger. (The answer to that comes when they find a cup, still wet with the dregs of drugged tea.) Beyond that, there is a flurry of evidence at the detective’s disposal, most of it confusing and contradictory. Chance encounters, noises they heard in the night, a watch stopped at the time of death. Objects at the scene of the crime that may or may not belong to several of the other guests. Evidence of several different quirk types.

The first person he interviews is Akatani himself, and the young man nervously reveals his employer’s true identity. “Inada” was none other than Todoroki Enji, the former Number One Hero Endeavor, who has been on sabbatical ever since the tragedy he suffered just last year. One of his children was murdered by villains, his ailing wife died of grief soon after, and his only daughter was in a fatal car accident. He’d been laying low lately because old enemies and villains were moving against him, trying to take advantage of his current leave to take revenge on him.

“Then you must have known,” the detective says. “The young Todoroki at this very inn…”

Akatani winces, and his jet-black hair falls further into his face. “Todoroki-kun and his father… don’t get along very well. They never have. Endeavor was… he was a highly successful hero. But that didn’t make him a good person.”

The detective interviews the rest one by one, and finds that they all have alibis for the supposed time of the murder. There is always someone who can vouch for someone else. Very frustrating.

And then they get to the inn’s second proprietor, the drunk with the limp, and they sigh. They ask him if he’s going to give up the farce. They can tell he isn’t really drunk, so why fake it? What is his real name, and what is his game?

The tired man sighs, sits a little straighter. His name is Aizawa Shouta, he says. Perhaps they’ve heard of him.

They have, vaguely. There was a news story about the underground hero Eraserhead. About his injury, and his forced retirement. Some villain got the better of him even without the use of their quirk, and forced him out of the game early. Ms. Makoto was a friend of a friend, kind enough to give him a job here until he got his head together again. It’s far away from people who might recognize him, as unlikely as that is. But apparently not far enough, he adds pointedly.

Akatani helps him take notes and comb through everything they know, and the evidence and witness accounts start pointing to a very frustrating possibility: that the killer is in fact not here at all. That they came in the night, committed the murder, and slipped away again. The blizzard doesn’t necessarily mean anything, because they have no idea what this hypothetical assassin’s quirk would have been. It’s the most convenient solution, to be sure. And yet…

Some of it doesn’t add up. There are too many inconsistencies. Too many coincidences. Too many connections. And those damned tragedies in Endeavor’s life keep coming up in them; Todoroki’s presence is just the start.

The proprietress Makoto, for example. Her full name, they discover, is Tsukauchi Makoto. Her older brother Tsukauchi Naomasa was a respected police officer until his career was ruined. He was said to have been investigating the death of Endeavor’s son. Aizawa Shouta? The battle that ended his career was with the very same villain guilty of the murder, after he tried and failed to prevent it. Yoarashi Inasa? Up and coming hero. His friend Keimi was killed in that same battle.

And most interesting are Iida Tenya and Yaoyorozu Momo, two more young heroes.

They had a friend and former classmate in common: Todoroki Shouto. Endeavor’s youngest son, a promising hero killed in the line of duty just a year ago.

The detective gathers them all together. He looks to Todoroki again, at the scarring on his face: burns over both eyes, lined with stitches. He takes off the surgical mask, and the burns continue down his lower jaw and neck. He’s Endeavor’s second son, a villain ex-convict released on parole, who went by the codename “Dabi”.

The former villain exchanges a look with Tsukauchi Makoto, and together they lay out the truth of Endeavor’s “tragedies”.

Shouto was always a rebel, but was forced into working at his father’s agency against his own wishes. Endeavor was always pushing him, testing him, forcing him to be better by any means necessary. And so, that day, when he was teamed up with the hero Eraserhead and Inasa’s friend Keimi, they ended up surrounded and horribly outnumbered. When all seemed hopeless, Shouto contacted his father to send reinforcements. But Endeavor misjudged the situation, wanted to punish and test his son for his rebelliousness, and did not. Shouto and Keimi were killed, and Aizawa was horribly wounded.

His mother did not die of grief; Dabi knows this. His younger brother had stubbornly taken him in during his parole, though the terms of said parole prevented him from visiting his mother. But he did anyway, and so he knows. When she heard the news that her youngest son was dead, she became frightened that her husband would return to her, to try to force another child out of her, so she got herself sterilized in secret. Endeavor did come for her, and flew into a rage when he found out what she had done.

In his defense, he did not mean to hit her so hard. But she was a fragile woman. Dabi was there to witness it but too slow to prevent it, and who would the courts believe? A renowned hero, or an ex-con breaking parole?

Fuyumi was never the same after this. The guilt was too much for her; Iida Tensei knows this, because he was the one she confided in. She languished, and her accident… well, who could say if it was an accident, or a suicide?

The guests are all quiet now.

There are two possible solutions to this crime. There’s the way the evidence points, to a villain assassin who crept in and escaped during the night. And there’s a second solution, one that follows all the connections between people.

Tsukauchi Makoto, the sister of the police officer who tried to get to the bottom of these deaths, whose career Endeavor purposely sabotaged to cover himself. The former “Dabi”, whose younger brother was killed because of their father’s negligence, who watched his mother die at his hand, who lost his sister before he had the chance to reconcile with her. Iida Tensei who had met Todoroki Fuyumi, who fell in love with her as he watched her suffer. Iida Tenya, who owed his life to his best friend Shouto. Yaoyorozu Momo who cared very deeply about Shouto, and was shocked when she found out about the abuse. Yoarashi Inasa, whose friend died as collateral damage to Endeavor’s cruelty. Shuuzenji Chiyo, who cared for Shouto as a school nurse, who was the very doctor that his mother went to for help. Aizawa Shouta, who watched his student die.

And as the detective finishes laying out these connections, they turn to Akatani. Helpful, eager, painfully earnest Akatani Mikumo, who fetched things, took thorough notes, offered insights, kept tempers cool throughout this ordeal. And now the young man won’t meet his eyes, but combs his black-dyed fringe out of his face and dries the tears from his face, wiping away the makeup that concealed his freckles and changed the shape and contouring of his face.

Midoriya Izuku, the up and coming strategist and consultant who has worked with almost every prominent hero from Eraserhead to Endeavor himself, who loved Todoroki Shouto with all his heart. 

Nine suspects. Nine stab wounds.

Midoriya opens his mouth to take the blame for the plot he created and implemented, by gathering the conspirators and organizing the details and playing the devoted secretary just long enough to set up Enji’s stay at the inn, but Dabi beats him to it. 

The only reason he’s here at all, he says, is because his little brother reached out to offer whatever help he could give. Tried to tell him that it wasn’t too late, that they didn’t have to let their father turn them into something they weren’t proud of. But he’s already made his choices. He’s already a villain, and the rest of these people—they aren’t villains. They aren’t even killers, not really. They’re just broken people who saw something terribly wrong and wanted to set it right.

The detective gives a thoughtful nod, and leaves the room.

When the police arrive, the detective delivers the evidence, and the witness statements, and the neat little first solution but not the second.

Half of them are heroes, after all, and the world needs its heroes, especially when men like Todoroki Enji exist in it. There is Law and there is Crime, but there is also Right and Wrong, and the two don’t always line up so neatly.

Sherlock Holmes is still my favorite detective but I frickin love Murder on the Orient Express and the critics can suck it because that movie was rad.