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Book: Crimes of Passion
Pairing: M!Trystan Thorne x Emma Rose (F!MC)
Rating: Teen
Word count: 1138
Summary: Five times Trystan asked Emma to move in with him and the one time she said yes.
A/N: Submission for @choicesmonthlychallenge, rainbow prompts + National Take a Walk in the Park day (both in the fourth vignette).
One
“No offense, but old New York apartments are a menace,” Trystan says, opening his door wider to let Emma in.
“I’ve lost half my plays,” she complains as she drops her overnight bag on the floor. “My Folio editions were spared, but my collection of second-hand Penguins is a soggy wreck.”
“Not to be insensitive to your predicament, but I’m more worried about other things.”
“Like my furniture?”
“That, and the fact that your apartment flooding means the probability of mold in the very near future.”
“Ugh, don’t remind me. I’m not looking forward to a mold infection.” She pinches the bridge of her nose. “Can I stay with you for a few days?”
“I hoped that went without saying.”
“Thanks.” She looks around. “I don’t think I’ve ever spent more than a couple nights in a row here. It’ll be a little weird staying longer than that.”
“Maybe we should see it as a sign.”
“Of what?”
“That you should move in here.”
She snorts. “Yeah, let’s ask Ruby and Luke while we’re at it. Make a commune out of it.”
He could tell her he wasn’t kidding, but if that’s her reaction to what she thinks is a joke, she definitely isn’t ready. So he files it away for now.
“Come on, I’ll make you dinner.”
She sighs. “I really love you.”
“So I’ve been told.”
Two
He tries again a month later. They’re lying in bed on a Sunday morning, lazing about and enjoying a rare day off. Tracing a hand down her side, relishing the warmth of her skin, he doesn’t even think before the words are out of his mouth. “Move in with me.”
She goes completely still. “Here?”
“Yes? We can look for someplace else if you want, but I've always thought you liked my apartment.”
“I do, it’s just…” She seems to be searching for the right words. “We’ve only been together for three months.”
“And in that time, we took down three killers, an extortion ring masquerading as a cult, the Russian mob, and a jewel thief. Besides, if spending a month with my family didn’t send you running for the hills, nothing will. Move in with me.”
“Trystan…”
“That’s a no tone if I ever heard one.”
“It’s been three months,” she says again. “It’s too soon.”
“Very well. We can revisit the topic later.” He pulls her on top of him. “In the meantime, I have a few ideas about how to spend today.”
She smiles against his lips. “I’m all ears.”
Three
They’ve just stumbled into his apartment, both bleeding from various scrapes and cuts, and bruising already forming on their bodies.
Never again, Trystan swears, will they go after a pair of knife-wielding accidental kidnappers amped up on methamphetamine.
“Ugh.” She winces when she places a hand on her stomach. “Why couldn’t this happen closer to my apartment? I have an actual first aid kit there, not the pitiful thing you think passes for one.”
“You could keep your first aid kit here. You know, if you lived here.”
Emma groans. “You’re seriously bringing up moving in together now?”
“Why not? I love you. Do you love me?”
Even when aching from half a dozen different body parts, she can’t resist teasing him. “Well…”
He waves this off. “You love me. So why not move in with me? I’ve got a better coffee machine and wi-fi connection anyway.”
“Can’t argue with that one. But it is, I am forced to repeat, much too soon.”
He shrugs. “As you wish. Pass me those bandages, will you?”
Four
They’re walking down Central Park, both holding a cup of coffee and enjoying the balmy spring breeze. A motley of flowers explodes around them, a vibrant jumble of colors and scents. Trystan takes a deep breath. “God, I love this time of year.”
“Yeah, it’s hard to beat New York in the spring.”
He laces his fingers with hers. “Or this particular spot in the city. This is your favorite coffee shop, isn’t it?”
“One of them.”
“It’s only a couple of blocks from my apartment.”
She rolls her eyes. “Oh, here we go.”
“You’re practically living there already,” he points out.
“I keep a toothbrush and a set of workout clothes there. Not quite the same thing.”
“Semantics. If your things live with me, why can’t you?”
“I don’t think you understand what you’re asking. I’d be there all the time.”
“Yes, I believe that goes without saying.”
“Most couples that live together don’t also work together. We’d be on top of each other nonstop.”
“Can’t say I’d mind that,” he says with a grin, then laughs when she gives him a light shove. “Fine. I’ll ask again next month.”
Five
“So when are you two taking the plunge?” Luke asks.
They’ve just left Mafalda’s house after dinner, a dinner where he and Ruby announced that they’re moving in together. Appalled, she turns to him. “Luke! Rude!”
“Oh, today isn’t about us.” Emma chimes in. “I’d rather talk about when you’re going to ask Ruby to marry you.”
When he flushes bright red, she smirks. “That’s what I thought.”
Once they’re in his car, Trystan turns to her. “You know, Luke makes an excellent point. When are we taking the plunge?”
She gives him a sideways glance. “Of course you’re going to jump on that. I’m almost surprised you didn’t say anything back there.”
“I would never.” Taken aback that she’d think otherwise, he cuts her a look. “First of all, that was their moment. And second, using others to convince you falls outside the bounds of fair play.”
“I know.” Her voice has gone a lot softer. “I’m just teasing.”
“Besides,” he adds. “I wasn’t particularly eager to hear you say no in front of all our friends.”
She gives him an odd look. “And you’re sure I would have said no, huh?”
“Evidence points to yes.”
“Hmm.” But she doesn’t say anything else afterwards.
Six
Emma stretches from her spot on the couch after the longest workday in recent memory. “God, I hate paperwork days. I’m too tired to move. Okay if I stay over tonight?”
“Sure. Or you could just move in already,” Trystan says, reaching for the remote.
“Okay.”
His hand freezes in mid-air. “Sorry, what?”
“I’ll move in.”
He blinks. “You’ll move in. With me?”
“Unless you’re planning to move out, yeah.” At his blank look, she seems to shrink a little. “But hey, if you’ve changed your mind…”
A slow smile spreads over his face. “Oh, not even close. Took you long enough.”
“From where I’m standing, it took me just long enough.”
“You would find a way to argue about this.”
“Does that surprise you?”
“Not remotely.” He tugs her into his arms and presses a lingering kiss to her forehead. “Welcome home, Emma.”
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hey there crimes of passion creators! here's a list of writing resources:
a while ago i wanted to put together like a list of resources, stuff I come across - mostly writing for mystery, private-detective-inclined stories and I'd love to share them w you:
research:
what do private investigators do? tumblr masterpost
debunking private investigator myths
how do PIs source their information? reddit thread
reddit AMA
common cases private eyes take on
how do you become a private investigator?
some more examples of common pi cases
purpose of detective agencies
depiction in media and stereotypes to watch out for
responsibilities, rules and laws bounding a private eye
private detective lingo , glossary of terms
a private eye's handbook pdf
writing prompts/tips:
20 detective writing prompts
writing tips: how to write a contemporary pi thriller
writing tips: clues
crimeread's essays section
prompts filted by sub-genres
how to get ideas for mystery plots
100+ mystery story plots
how to craft a puzzle (w maps)
how to set up clues in a mystery story
ill keep updating this as I come across more stuff <3 and please rb' if you come across any interesting resources that might be of help!
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