Whispered Secrets Morbid Obsession - Tumblr Posts - Page 2
His Soul (Chapter 17)
Undercover
Summary: After saving the abducted collectors, you were trusted with Curioso's box. What seems like a dangerous possession slowly turns into an opportunity to learn more about this creature and his curse. Can you earn his trust, and possibly, his affection?
Pairings: Curioso/Reader, Curioso/The Detective
--
Curioso’s mask moved closer as you arranged a blanket over your lap, adding more to the cozy ambience of the room. You knew there were several questions he was waiting to ask, judging by the way his fingers clawed anxiously at his thighs. You decided not to beat around the bush with this news. It was something you’d both been waiting for in these idle weeks. He must be just as excited as you were.
“They reopened the case with Brianna,” You began to explain. “Not the business with her wife - but the investigation with the house. They all laughed at me back then, but they’ve been trying to follow leads on the culprits and haven’t gotten a break since. They put me back on the case since I’ve been the only one to make the most progress.”
“The police have been mucking around for this long? They should’ve just kept you on to begin with. Why did they take you off the case?”
“Because they didn’t believe in my ‘nonsense’ about ‘magic and spells’ .” You used air quotations mockingly. “But now I can say I told them so! I…can only hope those people haven’t taken any more victims since our discovery…”
Curioso raised a thoughtful finger to his mouth. “So, what have they learned? If anything at all?”
“They tracked down the location in what they believe to be their bolthole. But get this…when they arrived at the place, not a single building could be found.”
“They’re hiding it again.”
The grin stretched to both sides of your face. “-Exactly. And that’s where YOU come in. You help me reveal it, we get to the bottom of things, and arrest these people once and for all.” You swiped the TV remote off of the table, sitting up straight as the excitement flooded you. “I’d been hoping to solve the case myself. It’s finally going to happen..!”
“I should apologize for how things went last time. If I’d have cooperated with you, we would’ve solved it long ago…” He bowed his head in regret.
“No, that was my fault. I trapped you when I needed your help. That’s not going to be a mistake I make again.”
He turned to you appreciatively and moved so he was laying beside you. He lifted his mask and looked into your ceiling, muttering quietly. “I remember someone was obsessed with experimenting on kidnapped persons…injecting them with something mysterious, seeing if they would survive it.” He clasped his hands together and added quietly, “With how many bodies we saw, it must not have been very many. They enjoyed hunting down their sick victims like they were animals.”
The spark in you slowly blew out, remembering the horrific details of what you were dealing with exactly. “The house must have been a hideaway, since the police were able to find the source of their operation.”
“I’m not surprised they did. There were plenty of clues that showed whoever was there was writing letters and reporting back to someone by the name of ‘Aydan’.”
Your mouth fell open in surprise. “What!? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Oh, yes, I found documents of their call history and a collection of received letters. But you didn’t particularly want my help at the time.”
You groaned. “Okay, you’ve got to catch me up with everything you found in that house. If we’re to tackle this investigation again, we need to be on the same page.”
“I’ve no problem with that. I just hope you’ve gained some trust in me so we can work together this time.”
“I believe I have,” You breathed, remembering how close his body was pressed against yours and the white hand merely inches away from your leg. “With how much you were able to do, you might just be able to solve this entire thing for me.”
“Detective! I’m starting to think you’re only bringing me along because I have magic and can do most of the work for you.”
“Believe me, it’s actually the last thing I want.” You pouted. He tilted his head teasingly at you.
“Is someone upset that I did really good at their job? You need not worry - I doubt they’ll hire me to replace you. I don’t believe I meet all their ‘human’ qualifications.”
Your face was heating up and you pushed aside your blanket. It was getting hot in here. And it certainly wasn’t because you were getting worked up with the fact that Curioso just pointed out your obvious insecurities. The fire was just…roaring!
“Just give me the breathing room to find things for myself, this time,” You muttered. “You can help me get through doors and all that, but I want to be as involved as you are.”
“Of course.”
You nodded to show him your gratitude, then picked up the remote to turn on the TV and scroll through the programs to find something good to watch. He settled in beside you, and you smirked feeling his warm arm pressed against yours. You didn’t notice it, but you shared your body heat with him when the two of you were this close. You wondered if he could even feel it and appreciate it.
You opened your mouth to ask him, but realized pointing out your proximity might cause him to move. And you didn’t want that. You liked his company, laying next to him and watching programs like this. You hoped he didn’t mind it, since he also did not openly address it. Or maybe it was just something you were overthinking and it wasn’t a big deal at all-
The movie began, and you forced yourself back to the present so you could enjoy it.
You were standing in your bathroom brushing your teeth as you listened to Curioso’s singing in the other room. It was an incredibly rare sound, to hear him humming or singing, or doing anything but standing still and observing you. But it made sense, because today was the day you two were heading out and officially re-starting your investigation. You’d be following the address the authorities provided you and seeing if you could locate and search the area yourself. You were instructed to apprehend any suspects and take them in for questioning. Or at the very least, learn of their current whereabouts so they could do it.
Your eyes wandered the mirror in front of you, observing your tired face and pajama-clad body. You still needed to complete your morning routine before you could go anywhere. You asked Curioso to brew you some coffee to save you some time, which is what you presumed he was doing in the other room while he sang.
After you rinsed out your mouth and wiped your face, you jumped at the sudden sight of the tall jester standing in the bathroom’s doorway. He was holding out your favorite mug filled with coffee, which had such a delicious aroma that your lips craved to drink already. You took it from him with grateful hands and took a long sip, enjoying its taste and the way the caffeine took immediate effect.
You looked at him suspiciously. “You didn’t spike this, did you?”
He held his hands behind his back. His smile appeared wider. “If I did, I think you’ll be thanking me, for the big day we have ahead of us.”
“Mm,” You nodded, licking the remnants off your lips. He was still standing there, looking at you, and you couldn’t help observing him. The imperfections of his mask still bothered you, but you weren’t going to pry about that now. Instead, your attention was directed to the sharp smile in front of you. “Do you brush your teeth?”
He didn’t even react. “No.”
“Then how do they stay so white?”
“Detective, I might blow your mind with this answer, but…” He wiggled his fingers in front of him. “- Magic .”
“Hm. And your breath somehow stays nice and fresh, too?”
“I don’t breathe.”
“...You’re an awfully boring conversationalist.”
You nudged past him with a mischievous smile and he scoffed at your words, following right behind you on your tail. You set your coffee down and headed into your room to get dressed for the day. As the door closed behind you, your friend did not follow you in, respecting your privacy like you asked of him. But you knew he was waiting for you on the other side, because he always did.
“Are you excited?” His voice was muffled behind the wood.
You slipped on your shirt and smiled to yourself. “Of course I am.”
“Do you think we’ll manage to solve it in one day?”
“Maybe. With your help, we probably will.”
“...You hold me to such a high degree, but you’re forgetting that you’re the superior collector here. I gave you very little help when you solved the fate of those collectors.”
“You’re just buttering me up.” You grew hot and bothered underneath your clothes. You always got like this whenever he complimented you or your detective skills.
“My praise does not come so easily..! I have no doubts you’ll impress everybody today.”
You twisted the knob and opened the door to find him seated just outside. He sprang to his feet and you pointed at him when he was up.
“Same goes for you . Seriously, I wouldn’t be able to do this without your help. You were right, last time…I’d have been driving myself around in circles if it weren’t for you.”
He appeared to be at a loss for words. You strolled around him and back into your kitchen, picking up your coffee and grabbing one of the oranges from your fruit bowl. You began peeling it as you sat at the table, which was littered with papers and notes. Curioso had already gone over all the details of the case with you yesterday, but now it appeared he was collecting and putting the evidence together. You arched an eyebrow at him when he came in and sat in the chair beside yours.
“Did you keep these from the house?”
“Only some of them are real, I’m afraid the others are only what I can remember,” He picked up some of the papers and began to stack them. “Just in case you need to review what we know.”
“Great.” You blew a strand of hair from your face and sulked in the chair. “I rushed to get out of there and missed collecting a bunch of evidence.”
“Why did you leave so quickly?”
“I…” You looked away from him. “You and I weren’t talking anymore and it wasn’t great. It didn’t help when the police laughed at me when I tried to explain what we found.”
“Our little dispute bothered you that much?”
“Well…yeah.” Your eyes slowly met the sockets of his mask. “We’d been finally getting along and working together. It was nice talking to you so much. And then I screwed everything up and it was gone.”
He hummed and looked away. “I didn’t enjoy it, either. It hurt immensely when you trapped me again. I’d been only trying to help you. And then you threw my box in your car and everything was upside down.”
You winced hearing this. “I hope I’ve made up for it. This time, things are going to go better; I’ll make sure of that.”
You ate the slices of your orange while your partner went through all the papers for a second time. He used a paperclip to hold it all together and held out the stack to you when he was finished. You took it from him and slid it in your bag. You stood from the table and walked around your apartment to make sure you had everything ready for the day that stood ahead of you.
He followed you downstairs as you entered your office. You took Curioso’s box from the memorabilia display and slid it in the last free space of your bag. He looked at you curiously and you tipped your hat at him with a wink.
“Just in case.”
“In case you want to put me in there?” He asked.
“In case you need to go in. Think of it as a last resort if anything goes…wrong.”
He went quiet as you finished turning off the lights and locking up your office. You hesitated at the threshold separating your building from the city streets. When you looked back inside, Curioso was no longer standing across from you. You looked around briefly in confusion before you glanced down and found his small face displayed on the lapel of your coat.
“Ready to go..!” He announced. You shook your head and finally shut the door.
The drive took a few hours and you spent that time conversing with Curioso. He retreated to his box for the ride and had been speaking to you from the passenger seat. The two of you discussed more about the case and lended your theories and suspicions on what was going to happen at their main operating quarters. Who were these people, and what was their goal exactly? Were they trying to develop a medicine or test some poison on their victims? If they were kidnapping people for these experiments, then you had a feeling it wasn’t for a good reason.
Then there was the matter of magic. Who had concealed that house? It was obvious they were hiding what they were doing, preventing anyone from finding the killed victims…but using magic was such a bizarre way of doing it. Not only did they have to find someone capable of it, but who was also okay with the reasoning for it. Because surely no one would hide a house for a bunch of people without questioning it? Or maybe they had enough money to spare and be hush-hush about it.
You were going to find out soon.
When you arrived at the area, you parked a little farther away so as to not be seen so quickly. You didn’t feel the strange sensation as you had last time…you had no issue pulling near the spot marked on your map. You were feeling completely at ease. It was almost off-putting, making you think you were at the wrong place or maybe the police had actually found a faulty lead.
You leaned over and pressed one of the gems on Curioso’s box. You understood how he revealed the house last time. Reading that book has answered so many of your questions. Pressing a particular gem allowed him to extend his magic beyond the box. Therefore, he was able to dispel what was hidden. You turned your head and widened your eyes as a large estate came into view - filling the once-empty field that had been nothing but stray haystacks and junk lying around.
You pumped your first in the air. “Yes! Thank God!”
“Don’t do that ever again,” Curioso reprimanded you. You shrunk in your seat and shrugged sheepishly. “The concealing spell on this place is stronger than the last. I handled it just fine, but this definitely means it’s their home.”
You leaned against the glass and observed your surroundings. The estate before you was a grand place with a courtyard in the back. It sat on a mountain overlooking the ocean below, whose waves thrashed wildly and unpredictably. The weather was cloudy and humid outside. You could taste the salt on your tongue as you rolled down the window. This was a desolate area in the countryside, the nearest human activity being several miles away in the city. It was an ideal spot to have a hidden base.
Your eyes locked on some movement from the windows, spotting figures inside. There were quite a few people there despite the lack of cars and vehicles around you. You hadn’t expected a full house. You worried your bottom lip between your teeth, wondering how to go about apprehending and questioning these people. You were in their territory, now - and you’d be outnumbered if they wished to try anything. You didn’t fancy dying while handling this case.
“I don’t know if I can sneak inside. There’s too many people here. How do we do this? Can you hide me ?”
“Let’s say I could, but it wouldn’t last forever. You’d have to work quite fast. How’s that field & track training, Detective?”
You groaned and pressed your head on the steering wheel. “It’s been far too long.”
“How about just calling the police already? The house is here now. But there’s no telling how long until they notice their spell is broken. You need to act quickly.”
He had a good point. You flipped open your cell phone and dialed 9-1-1…only for the call to never go through, dropping dead the instant it tried to connect. You had no reception out here and there had been no call boxes on the way. You swore audibly under your breath and scowled at the small screen.
“ Shit! I should’ve called them before we ever came out here.” You grit your teeth together in frustration.
“Then we need to act now…let’s try going undercover. Pretend to be one of them and say you were sent by Sophie. Ask to speak with the boss.”
You rubbed your chin, impressed. “That’s not bad for some last-minute planning.”
“I make a fine partner, if I say so myself..! You might want to change into something less…conspicuous.”
You glanced down at your trench coat, hat, and gloves, the prime ensemble of a detective. You nodded in agreement and reached around to grab your extra set of clothes. You always kept an extra pair in your car for an emergency, or for this particular reason…As you were about to undergo this uncomfortable change in tight quarters, you glanced at the box and felt your face burn deeply.
“Do you mind not looking, for a minute?”
“My eyes are closed..!”
“You don’t have any-” You decided not to bicker with him and pulled off your shirt. “Just keep an eye on the house for me, will you?”
You managed to change into the clothes, turned away from the box while you tried not to make so much movement. Soon, you were in a change of a button-up shirt, pants, and regular shoes. You scrutinized your look for a minute, thinking deeply and turning to Curioso after a moment.
“Do you think it’s fine? Or should you conjure me up some cultist clothes?”
“We’ll have to take the gamble. Just don’t act suspiciously.”
You had a determined look as you opened the car door and shut it behind you. You were deliberately leaving the box behind, but made sure your bag was on your person. You glanced down to see the grinning face of Curioso attached on the outside. You sighed in relief and began climbing up, trying to keep your wits about you. You rehearsed what to say in your head several times, feeling a little unsure if you could pull this off…
Soon, you were facing the tall front doors. You could hear the sound of chatter inside. You leaned forward and used one of the lion head knockers, wincing when the noise was incredibly pronounced on these sturdy doors. After a minute, someone opened the door, an older man with graying hair and a mustache. Immediately, he closed it behind him and stepped forward to advance on you.
You hadn’t been expecting it and stepped back in surprise. This man’s green’s eyes were on yours in an instant, his suspicion evident.
“Who are you?” He implored.
Despite having an imaginary script of this conversation in your head, your tongue failed to find words. “I - I am here for-”
“-For the initiation?” He asked skeptically, eying you up-and-down. You hoped your disguise was sufficient and you would not have to procure your badge and state your real business for being here.
‘The initiation?’ You wanted to ask, but instead you nodded. “Yes, the initiation. Am I…late?”
He visibly relaxed, but crossed his arms to show his resignation. “Forgive me - we are always suspicious of unexpected guests. Had you come here any other day, we would have killed you on the spot.”
Your face blanched. He chuckled at your reaction.
“I’m kidding! It’s nice to see a newbie come around here for once. Not many of you show up for our commencement parties. But we have been in need of new recruits ever since…one of our locations was discovered by the police.”
His eyes appeared to peer through your soul. You gulped and tried to maintain your composure. “Yes, actually, it was Sophie who told me to come here and join you.”
He looked at you quizzically. “The name doesn’t ring a bell, but she must have been working under Nathan. Come inside. You’ll speak with Aydan, and if you meet his qualifications, you’ll go into the courtyard to start your initiation.”
You followed after him trying not to wring your hands together. The inside was darker than it was outside - the wallpaper a crimson red, and the carpets and furniture an ivory black. The lights were dim but they also weren’t - flickering to provide just enough light to each person who came around it. You turned your head to look at the different portraits and pictures hanging around, of various well-dressed people and animals. It looked like a wealthy scene, proving your suspicion that these people must have enough money for bribery.
While you looked around, Curioso’s whisper came into your ear. “You are treading dangerously.”
You whispered back as quietly as you could in the direction of your bag. “This is good. If I can get a direct look into who runs this place and what they do, it’ll make it easier to arrest who’s in charge and bring this whole operation down.”
He didn’t say anything to that, and you followed this man as you two walked through different crowds of people. They were holding drinks and laughing, talking together as they made different gestures with their hands. You spotted one man who seemed to procure a champagne bottle out of nowhere and pour it into a lady’s awaiting glass. When your eyes glossed over to her, she pulled out a small piece of paper that had writing mysteriously appear on it without any mark of a pencil or pen.
Are they using magic?
Your thoughts were disrupted when he stopped in front of you and gestured to a door. “He’s right in here. Inform him you are here for the initiation, and he will begin the questioning.”
You nodded your thanks and he dismissed himself. You attempted to watch him leave the hallway, but he stopped and turned to watch you before he could disappear out of his sight. You exchanged a polite smile before turning the knob and walking inside the room. You quickly shut it behind you and glanced forward, only for your eyes to lock with the orange ones of a stout man sitting behind a large desk.
'Orange eyes?' You dwelled over the peculiarity for only a second before your attention flitted over to who was beside him.
And your jaw dropped in shock.
His Soul (Chapter 18)
Elise
Summary: After saving the abducted collectors, you were trusted with Curioso's box. What seems like a dangerous possession slowly turns into an opportunity to learn more about this creature and his curse. Can you earn his trust, and possibly, his affection?
Pairings: Curioso/Reader, Curioso/The Detective
--
Next to the man you assumed was ‘Aydan’ stood a suited figure with their hands clasped behind their back. Their hourglass figure made you believe it was a woman, but no hair cascaded down the red shoulders of the suit. What caught your attention was the glaring fact that this person did not have a face. Or any head at all. It was simply a blank space above the collar of the suit, and from where you were sitting, you did not see any neck leading to the body. You would have believed it was a mannequin, had the figure not slightly shifted under your attention.
You didn’t realize you were gawking.
It reminded you of Curioso - lacking any human skin, almost appearing invisible. Your partner wore a mask, so it was easy to tell where his eyes would be, but what you were looking at now…it was hard to pinpoint where it was facing exactly. Your attention was directed away when the man across from you loudly cleared his throat.
“Good afternoon. I trust Clinton led you here with no trouble?” He asked politely. His voice was deep and inviting.
You took this opportunity to lower yourself in the awaiting chair, sitting up professionally. You wore the most genuine smile you could manage. “Oh, yes, he was very helpful.”
“Good, good.” He sniffed, reaching into his desk and surfacing a piece of paper. “I was told you’re here for the initiation?”
Still not knowing what you were getting yourself into, you nodded helpfully. He bobbed his head a little in return and wrote something down. In this brief second, your eyes darted over to the suited being beside him, who had not moved an inch.
“So, let’s get the obvious out of the way. What do you practice?”
You blinked at him. “What?”
He shook his head. “Sorry, I forgot you’re a novice. What field of magic are you practicing?”
You had absolutely no idea how to answer this question. Prior to Curioso coming into your life, you knew very little of magic. When you first started your detective job, your belief in the supernatural was limited. But after the cases you’ve been on and the things you’ve seen, you’ve only recently begun to truly believe in things that challenged the laws of nature. Obtaining this jester and his box flipped your whole world view upside down - as they were visible proof that magic existed.
But even the book you read about his magic and his curse supplied little to you in the vast field of sorcery, so you didn’t know how to respond. You sat there with your mouth open, the word ‘divination’ on the tip of your tongue, as that was what the translator had told you she practiced, but you were interrupted before that term slipped out.
Curioso’s voice whispered in your ear. “Tell him ‘pyromancy’.”
“Pyromancy.” You blurted out.
His eyes glistened before he scribbled this information down. You began to sweat in your seat. What was pyromancy again..? A pyromaniac was someone who was obsessed with setting things on fire…so if you combined the two in this context…
“It’s the first question we ask because anyone who comes to our commencement must be practicing magic, otherwise how else could they have come here?” He gestured around with his hands and chuckled.
You laughed as well - just now realizing that you were the only person here who was not an enchanter, and had only arrived by chance that you were with someone who was. Only people who could magically see past the concealing spell could have found this place. Dear God. There was no backing out of this now, was there?
“As for the next obvious question - your name?”
You supplied him with a fake one on the spot, knowing that your true identity would lead to your police status. You’d have to stick with this alias during your time here…you clasped your hands in your lap to stop yourself from fidgeting. You couldn’t appear nervous. You’re a novice pyromancer here for an initiation…but initiated into what, exactly?
Aydan asked for more information from you, such as your age, how long you’ve been practicing your field, and other things you could easily lie through your teeth for. It wasn’t until he moved the subject to their organization that you found yourself growing nervous.
“-And how did you hear about us?” He asked with intrigue, leaning back in his chair and looking at you.
“Ah-” You decided to try this for a second time, even though it hadn’t worked with Clinton. “Sophie suggested that I join. She told me all sorts of good things about…what you do here, and I’ve finally come around to see it all for myself.”
“Sophie…Carter?” His eyebrows furrowed together and he turned around to face the filing cabinet behind him. But the suited assistant by his side was already skimming through a drawer and handed him a folder - which he took and opened on the desk in front of him. “...As I thought. She was one of many that was recently detained by the police.”
You feigned surprise. “She was? I guess that’s why I haven’t heard from her in awhile…”
He shut it and sighed, handing the dossier back to the one in the suit. As they took it, you saw a petite gloved hand take it from him. But there was no wrist to be seen in between the glove and the sleeve.
“The sacrifices we have to make…We shouldn’t have to worry about any more police interference. We learned what we did wrong with that location.”
This piqued your curiosity, but prying about it might arouse his suspicion, so you kept quiet. You were too busy eying the one beside him, studying the slim suit and the constantly-upright posture. It almost looked like a butler, ready to serve even the slightest demand.
When you caught Aydan’s orange eye again, he was grinning at you. “Fascinated by her, aren’t you?”
Your eyes widened in surprise. He didn’t seem upset…so maybe honesty wouldn’t hurt. “I am, yes. What is she?”
You felt rude not addressing her directly, but you wanted to play things safe. Aydan turned in his seat and admired the suited woman for himself, who stood stock-still with the utmost politeness. You couldn’t imagine where she was looking - but you presumed she had her head held high.
“It’s the greatest thing I have ever come across,” His yellow teeth shined as his grin widened, reaching out to trace a hand along her suited side. This action made you uncomfortable, but she hadn’t faltered in the slightest. “Magical servants. Bounding their soul to you for an eternity. Answering to you, serving you however you’d like, giving you whatever you need…just like a real servant, but they never die or complain. Have you ever heard of such a thing?”
“I haven’t,” You lied. “It sounds incredible.”
“They are extremely rare. I was incredibly fortunate to come across Elise. She has been my servant for many, many years.” He puffed his chest out as he continued to boast. “Sure, they’re a little strange, not having any faces or bodies…but if you make them wear something, then it’s not all that bad.”
You watched the two with intrigue. “How did you get her, exactly?”
You saw a flash of mischievousness in his eye as he addressed you. He shook his head. “I can’t spill my secrets. But just know that they are one in a million, and if you ever meet someone who has one, you better try killing them for it.”
Your smile felt tight trying not to react to that last part. Aydan looked down at the paper and read over everything he’d written. He looked satisfied as he checked something off and dropped his pen. “Looks like you’re a good fit for our family. If you pass initiation, and you have enough training, you’ll be experienced enough to work with us soon.”
“Training?” You implored.
“It’s recommended for newbies like you to work under the wing of one of our more experienced employers.” He paused to shrug. “-Unless you impress me at the initiation today. But be warned: I am one of the best maguses you’ll ever meet, so leaving an impression on me is incredibly…rare.”
You swallowed to get the moisture back in your throat. You didn’t even know where to begin with pyromancy, so you had no idea how to stand out besides being incredibly…incapable of any magic. Still, you held your bright expression and nodded to him in understanding.
“Feel free to mingle and meet some of our members at the party. Initiation starts in a couple hours, where you’ll be tested with a few other newcomers for entry into our club.” He glanced you over and turned to Elise. “Get our new arrival some more…fitting clothes to wear, will you?”
She conjured up some elaborate silk clothes for you. Curioso’s magic had blue and red colors that accompanied all his conjurations and spells, but Elise’s was a bright pink. Which was a color you’d also occasionally seen from your jester. You took them from her with a polite bow.
“Thank you.”
She simply held her hands together and Aydan flicked his wrist at you. “Put those on when you have the time, and enjoy some of our wine while you’re here.”
You were finally dismissed from the room, rushing away from the door to get as far away as possible. Once you were in a more desolate part of the hallway, you slumped against the wall and let out a deep sigh. At least that was over with…and it went pretty well. You were positive you hadn’t appeared suspicious at all.
“His aura wasn’t THAT impressive,” Curioso murmured in your ear. Your eyes widened and you involuntarily gasped at his voice. He’d been pretty quiet during that whole exchange.
“Did you see her!? Elise?”
“Yes - another who is cursed.”
“It’s amazing. I never thought I’d see someone else like you.” You were still trying to come to terms with this discovery. “I wonder if you two can meet.”
“We’ll worry about that another time, Detective. You have an initiation soon.”
“Right..” You put the clothes in your bag for the time being. Why wasn't he as excited as you were about her? Maybe he just was focusing on more important things. You probably should, too. “I’m going to need your help with that.”
“Obviously. And if my magic is good, then we don’t have to worry about you actually training to become a pyromaniac.”
“What was that about, by the way?” You narrowed your eyes skeptically. “Pyromancy? What is that?”
“The magic of fire..! It’s my favorite. We’ll have fun, you’ll see.”
“Alright…” Your eyes wandered to the open floor of party-goers. You couldn’t keep isolating yourself and whispering to your bag. You’ll need to mingle and make some acquaintances to fit in with everybody here. “In the meantime, I need you to help me. If any of these people ask or expect me to do some magic, can you…ah…well-”
“-Do everything for you?” He finished.
“Yes. Exactly.”
“I will. But please tell me you’re going to learn all you can and find a way to get out of this. I don’t know how long our charade will last, but at some point someone will check if you have a magical aura, and they will find that you don’t. We need to be out of here before that happens.”
“If you’re around me, then I have one.” You smiled. “Don’t worry, my goal is to learn what’s going on here and shut it all down. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“That’s good. Keep your confidence. You’re going to need it.”
You let your bag fall to your side and began your search for some sort of restroom where you could change. These people might be able to conjure themselves some fancy clothing right on their body, but you did not want to ask Curioso to change your clothes for you. You didn’t know what he could and couldn’t see…and having him seeing you naked wasn’t something you wanted to happen right now.
…’Right now’? Your face flushed at the sudden thought, hoping he couldn’t read your mind. Or anyone else here, for that matter...Wait. Was that a possibility? Of a mind-reader being at the party, who would expose you for who you were? Oh, God. Oh, god.
“Calm down, Detective. The restroom is right there. Can’t you see through the doors?”
You scowled and twisted the doorknob to the room he mentioned, locking yourself in a decently-sized bathroom. Well. At least they had those here. You placed your bag elsewhere and turned it to the wall, with the false hope that Curioso couldn’t see you changing.
As you looked into the mirror and admired your more formal getup, you made your goals clear in your mind: learn what this operation was for, who was involved, and who is in charge. Your lead suspect in that department was this Aydan fellow. He was friendly, albeit a bit intimidating, but the most fascinating thing about him right now was that he also owned a magical servant. And you were determined to learn more about her during your brief stay here.
Is she a captive, like Curioso had been under the Enchantress? Was she in danger? If there was any possibility of that, you wanted to help. You couldn’t let the victims of this curse suffer like your dear friend had.
You thought of him and it warmed you deeply. He was with you right now. He was going to help you. And you had no worries of anything going wrong so long as he was here.
His Soul (Chapter 19)
Pyromancer
Summary: After saving the abducted collectors, you were trusted with Curioso's box. What seems like a dangerous possession slowly turns into an opportunity to learn more about this creature and his curse. Can you earn his trust, and possibly, his affection?
Pairings: Curioso/Reader, Curioso/The Detective
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You strolled out into the large room and glanced around at the partygoers and idle drinkers. You decided to approach a woman sitting by herself, looking around with a bored expression on her face. The moment you were in her line of sight, she regarded you with disinterested eyes, but allowed you to take a seat across from her and introduce yourself. You stuck with the fake alias you’d given Ayden, and she gave you her name in return. She didn’t seem to pay you much mind as you sat there and attempted to think of what to say.
‘Off to a rocky start,’ you thought to yourself, pulling on the end of your sleeve nervously. She held out her long cigarette holder, aiming the end towards you expectantly.
“Would you mind..?” she asked. You perked up at the request. This was it..! Your first chance at magic!
“Not at all,” you replied politely, hovering your hand in the air. You froze mid-gesture, unsure of what it would… look like…to light something with your hand. On a whim, you snapped your fingers, and thankfully, Curioso had gotten the hint, as the end was lit aflame and she gave you a grateful smile. You dipped your head in return, feeling elated at this extremely small, yet effective, display.
You tried asking more of herself and this place, but you weren’t hitting it off with Amara. You excused yourself and moved on, making your way to the bar and asking for a drink. The bartender informed you that only one glass of wine was complimentary. You sat on the stool, sulking a little, as you reluctantly sipped from it.
“So you didn’t make a friend right away,” Curioso’s voice teased in your ear. “Don’t give up. There’s someone on the balcony outside - try talking to him.”
“Not sure if I should take socializing advice from someone who’s stuck in a box most of the time,” you grinned to yourself.
You could hear him scoffing and you chuckled to yourself. You headed outside to the balcony he mentioned. There, you found a man leaning against the railing, enjoying the sights outside with a cocktail glass in his other hand. You joined his side and peered down into the courtyard, where a few members were setting up for the initiation. Your eyes wandered a bit before you cleared your throat, earning the attention of the one beside you. His expression changed when he got a good look at you.
“Ahhh, a newcomer,” he stood up straight. The accent took you by surprise. “You lot are usually practicing somewhere. First time I’ve seen one up here at a party.”
You were about to rub the back of your neck out of a nervous habit, but corrected yourself with a confident posture instead. “I’ve got it all handled,” you replied smoothly. “Wanted to meet some people before things got started.”
“I like your confidence, mate. What is it that ya’ do? Read cards?”
“Fire magic,” you shook your head, scolding yourself for not remembering the actual name for it.
“Niiiiice. Pal of mine once burned his professor’s house down for sleeping with his girl back in college,” the man flashed a pearly grin at you. Something seemed off about him, but you got that vibe from everybody here. “I swear, you pyros have the most fun out of all of us.”
“And what do you..practice?”
“Me? I'm telepathic.”
Your face paled. You swore you recognized that term…was he a mind-reader? The one you’d just been panicking over earlier? Had he already read your thoughts and knew your true identity? As you opened your mouth to say something, he laughed loudly in your face.
“I’m just fuckin’ with ya’! I have telekinesis .” He carefully pronounced the word. “Means I can move things without touching ‘em.”
You looked him over carefully. You didn’t know all the magic in the world, but something wasn’t adding up here. “But isn’t that… psychic ? I thought this institution was for magicians?”
The man checked to see if anyone else was nearby. There were a few small groups out here, but they were engrossed in conversation and weren’t paying any mind to you two. He leaned in and whispered to you, “If I’m gonna’ be honest, mate? No idea. I think the head man branched out to parapsychology just last year. More about the number of people rather than what they are . If you get what I mean?”
You mulled over his words, not knowing what that entailed exactly. Before you could say anything, he was shoving a piece of paper into your hands and looking around nervously.
“Mind doin’ me a favor? This girl here…she gave me her number, but I don’t want it. Came on way too strong. Just…burn it real quick, will ya’? Don’t want her finding it in the trash or something.”
You held it in your hands with uncertainty, looking up at him and back down at the paper. Without any warning, it burst into flames right in your hands, making you jump and hiss out a swear as it burned the tips of your fingers. It dissipated into a single piece of ash, which floated wordlessly down onto the floor. The stranger was looking at you with a surprised expression on his face. In your brief confusion, you realized you had just done something wrong.
Someone who could conjure up fire probably wouldn’t be burned by it. Or at least that badly. You clenched your teeth and winced as you awaited his reaction.
He gaped at you. “That was impressive! Never seen a newbie conjure up a blue flame before. Might wanna save that energy for the initiation.”
You blinked stupidly at him. “...Right.”
“Well! Off I go, then. Good luck!”
He patted you on the back and sauntered off. You stared at the ash on the floor and brushed it away with the heel of your shoe, watching as it danced below before falling into a tree. You rubbed your fingers together sadly. It was a minor burn, really…but in the moment, it had hurt.
“I’m sorry, Detective. I didn't mean to burn you.” Curioso’s voice spoke. Hearing it soothed you from the pain in your fingertips. “I forget my fire burns much hotter than regular flames.”
“He seemed impressed,” you turned to rest against the railing.
“Of course. It takes a lot more power to burn blue flames.”
“Will I get burned each time like that? Should I put on my gloves to protect myself?”
“It might make them suspicious if you do. But I will do my best not to hurt you again. You have my promise.”
You smiled to yourself, appreciating the concern in his voice. “I don’t think you did it on purpose. I’m okay. Really.”
You sensed that he wanted to say more, but there was a loud announcement coming from below you. Initiation was about to begin. You were ordered to report for the start of the ritual. You discarded your half-empty glass of wine and headed down the staircase to the lower floor and went outside. You found a small group of other people wearing the same silk ensemble that was on your person. They glanced you over when you joined them, but said nothing.
‘Does everybody keep to themselves here?’ you wondered to yourself.
Aydan made his appearance when he climbed onto the makeshift stage, which was presently the centerpiece of the courtyard. He spread his arms wide as he addressed his distinguished guests, reciting a speech about how grateful he was for their attendance. Your eyes caught Elise walking through the crowds, carrying refreshments and offering them to the experienced maguses and other members of the audience crowding around you. They wore smiles and were laughing, clinking their glasses together. Like this was a show for their entertainment that they were about to indulge in.
You knitted your eyebrows together, trying to collect your thoughts as Aydan turned towards your group. His smile was wide, but there was a certain gleam in his oddly-colored eyes that spoke of something more sinister than politeness. You shifted uncomfortably under his attention, but the others around you did not falter at all, some even lighting up to be addressed by him.
“We are so lucky to have with us today a few thaumaturges, an alchemist, a pyromancer, and a diviner. While you are all novices in practice, I have every hope that you will excel at these tests. If you pass our initiation today, you will be welcomed into our organization and put under the wing of one of our remarkable mages.”
There was a collective cheer from the audience, either in support or from those you assumed would fulfill such a role. The faces around you looked to be captivated by the scene. You were keeping a watchful eye on your surroundings, locating the closest exit to you, should things go awry.
“Each test has been designed specifically for your field. You will be challenged on your endurance, strength, and magical capabilities. There is no time limit - finish whenever you'd like..!”
Your eyes wandered over to the rest of the yard, observing the equipment laid out for you. There was a table full of empty tubes and equipment with a mortar and pestle, a few others had potted plants, and another with parchment paper and books. You assumed the very last one was meant for you, as there were flammable materials waiting there, like firewood and charcoal. This sight relieved you, as you had thought this test would be something intricate and difficult. Your posture relaxed, and soon you were all dismissed to your stations. The others lined up where they were assigned. You were standing in front of different pits filled with various things.
As you looked around, you noticed there were no directions given to you. The objective seemed simple - light them all on fire. If that was the case, then this ‘test’ should go by with a breeze.
“This all may look incredibly simple,” your jester’s voice spoke to you. “But they are looking for excellence. Someone thinking outside the box.”
You took a peek at the other students, who were using their magic to grow small trees and bushes, to seek out hidden texts, to mix fascinating potions and chemicals which spewed out different colors and scents. Then you looked at your audience, who were grinning and pointing at them. There were a few eyes patiently trained on you as they waited for you to do something. You approached the first pit, which was filled with firewood. You took some time to inspect the material first, noticing that the batch placed before you was not dry.
“Ah, so that’s the challenge,” you muttered quietly. “Lighting wet firewood without any tinder.”
“Stand back a little.”
You obeyed and took a couple steps backward. You waited a few seconds before lifting your hands and vaguely gesturing at the pile. You still had no idea what you were doing and what was the proper positioning for any of this. But maybe this would work out in your favor…as you were pretending to be new to all of this.
To your amazement, the wood before you instantly caught on fire. Even more, the tips of the flames that danced around shone brilliant shades of pink and blue, some even mending together to create a purple glow that warmed the audience. Their attention turned to you and you were gifted with claps and cheers. You stood up straight and smiled at them, but then you were moving on, choosing not to gloat this soon.
When Curioso lit the charcoal for you, it was even more mesmerizing, as he painted pictures from the small cracks that came from the fire, making them look like dancing little people. The experienced magicians were charmed by the show, cheering and whistling for you. The others, noticing you were enthralling the audience, desperately tried to mimic your showmanship. But no matter how tall they grew their trees, or how much their potions fizzed and bubbled, the pairs of eyes refused to move from your direction.
The last batch was a combustible pile of sticks and leaves, likely given to you out of pity for the first two challenges. Curioso made the flames taller this time around, growing more by the second. It was practically a light show as the flames impossibly burned all the colors of the rainbow. Your ears were met with a loud collection of cheering and hollering, which prompted you to turn around and bow to them. The attention was a little overwhelming, especially for something that you weren’t responsible for, but you enjoyed it all the same.
“You’re amazing!” you couldn’t help whispering to yourself ecstatically
“No, you are,” he corrected, the grin evident in his tone.
You and the other test-takers finished at a similar time. The others stood in front of their stations with their heads bowed. Aydan took this opportunity to stand in front of you all, regarding you with a surprised yet delightful expression.
“Excellent job! You will now move on to the next portion of the test.”
You were led to another station, but this time your post already had a burning fire in a small pit. You felt nervous as you got close to it and felt the heat radiating off of the flames. You glanced over to look at the other’s work and noticed wounded animals waiting for the thaumaturges, an old stone engraved with special runes for the diviner, and bottles of poison for the alchemist.
“This part will test your innate magical abilities. Feel free to get hands-on and show us your connection to your magic. Perform miracles out of what has been given to you.”
Aydan clapped his hands together and stood to the side, so the audience had a clear view of you all again. You stood there clasping your hands together tightly as you watched the others out of your peripheral vision. The alchemist was attempting to rid the poison out of the liquid while the thaumaturges magically healed the animal’s wounds with touches of their hands. You were starting to understand what was expected of you.
“This is a bit more difficult because I have to make sure you don’t get hurt,” Curioso’s voice sounded a little stressed. “Reach out to the fire, but keep your movements nice and slow. Got it?”
You swallowed and nodded minutely, not wanting to give anything away. You deliberately took your time in reaching your hand out to the fire, trying your best to hide the wince that unintentionally took over your features. You never liked burning yourself and you hated the aftercare of treating it. But that was all that flashed through your mind as you reached out to the fire, imagining the amount of ice and burn cream you’d need to ease all the pain.
But as your fingers made contact with it, they did not burn. It was certainly hot and a little uncomfortable, but you did not feel any pain. Gaining some confidence, you reached out further, and watched in awe as your entire hand was encompassed in flames. Your jaw unintentionally dropped at the sight. It was a good thing your back faced a majority of the onlookers, as they would’ve seen the surprised look on your face otherwise.
“Now, take your hand out,” your friend commanded.
You did as you were told and your heart jumped a little at the sight of your hand still being on fire. It felt like your soul had left your body, because your eyes refused to believe the fact that some part of you was aflame, yet you felt nothing. You smiled a little as you got used to the feeling, moving your hand around and watching the flames fly in the direction of the wind.
“Put on a show! Play with the fire. Go nuts, Detective - I’ll follow your lead..!”
You followed his instruction and pretended to juggle the flames, earning gasps from the audience when it turned into little flames that jumped in the air, which you quickly caught. You didn’t actually know how to juggle, but Curioso did all the work for you - intentionally aiming them to fall into your palm each time. Once you were done with that, you held out both of your hands and passed the flame around, like you were catching a ball back and forth. The observers around you ate it up.
The flame blew out in your hand and you looked up in surprise. You were the last one to finish this time, but everyone you could see were smiling greatly, clearly happy with your performance. You fixed your posture and risked a glance at the other novices, who were glaring at you from their lowered faces.
Alright, maybe you were showing off a bit too much…but Aydan said that anyone who impressed him would forgo training, and that was exactly what you wanted. You couldn’t afford to care about how they felt about you. The man himself was just as happy as his guests were when he came around again.
“Marvelous! The judges will be tallying your scores and writing their comments down. They will discuss who has met their expectations. In the meantime…”
His eyes made direct contact with yours.
“-I’d like to see you in my office.”