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Arthur’s eyes trailed across the room, sliding from each unmemorable face to the next. The decadency within the room was astounding, the glimmering dresses and expensive suits glowed beneath the crystalline chandeliers. He sipped his champaign, eyes finding Morgana talking off to the side to that journalist again.
It was near them that Arthur caught sight of a familiar mop of black hair. The person was turned away, but Arthur swore he could recognize it anywhere. Blindly setting the flute down on the table he had been leaning against, he made his way through the crowd. It was a bit of a fight to make it to the girls, who barely gave him a sideway glance, but he didn’t mind. He had other things on his mind.
Just as he made it to the man, he turned, a bright smile on his face and blue eyes flashing in enjoyment. They made eye contact, Arthur unable, no, unwilling to look away from the gaze that was like trying to swim in a riptide.
The man gave a parting word to the person he was talking to without breaking Arthur’s gaze, before easily making his way over, his grin never faltering. “Officer,” the man greeted as he sidled up to Arthur. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
Arthur felt his lips pull back in an almost snarl, eyes narrowing as he drug his gaze up and down the man. He found nothing out of place, not even so much as a piece of lint on his immaculate suit. He returned to the man’s eyes, which were gleaming in unfiltered humor.
“What have you done now?” Arthur bit out, stepping closer to keep his volume down and not attract any unwanted attention. The last thing he needed right now, would be for someone to realize what was happening.
“Nothing you wouldn’t expect,” the man laughed, taking Arthur’s hand in his and pulling him across the floor to the designated dancing area. It was already packed with couples moving to the music. Arthur froze, staring wide eyed at the man and the others dancing.
The man must have sensed his hesitation, turning and giving Arthur a reassuring smile. The crowd almost seemed to part for him as he pulled Arthur further into the throng of dancing bodies. “No one here cares who dances with who, so long as everyone is having fun.” He smiled brightly at Arthur as he pulled them both to a stop, pulling their hands up and sliding his other around Arthur’s waist. Their bodies slotted together as Arthur’s free hand found purchase on the man’s shoulder. The man leaned in close to Arthur’s ear, his breath puffing over his skin. “So look like you’re enjoying yourself.”
Pressed this tightly together, Arthur felt himself flush, not just from the heat of the room, but from how taboo it was. Despite this, he couldn’t help but enjoy the proximity even if he shouldn’t have, and knew he shouldn’t have. Not only were they both men, but because the man in front of him was a criminal. A highly wanted criminal that Arthur was supposed to be tracking down and taking in in handcuffs.
Pressed so tightly, also meant that Arthur felt a shape pressing into his stomach that certainly wasn’t natural. He tried to pull back to see if he could figure out what it was, but the man tightened his grip.
“Ah-ah, that’s cheating.” The man grinned, pulling his head back to meet Arthur’s eye. “You have to figure out a way to get it on your own.”
Arthur frowned, furrowing his brow. “You idiot, how am I supposed to get it back when you have it clamped between us?”
The man laughed again, and Arthur tried to ignore how it vibrated between not only the small expanse of air between them but also between their chests where they were pressed together. Arthur tried not to think about how he wanted to capture the sound, keep the feeling of it in his chest for as long as he possibly could.
“That, you prat, is where your brains come in. That is if you have any.” The smile that accompanied the words was softer than previously, but humor still pulled at the corners.
Arthur narrowed his eyes into a glare as the man led him across the floor slowly, much too slow for the music being played. “There isn’t a way, with it trapped between us.”
The man just smiled tilting his head as he leaned back in, picking up his pace and pulling Arthur into a faster step that matched the others on the floor. Arthur shivered as the man’s voice dropped, almost purring in his ear. “Then woo me.”
Arthur felt himself reeling. He pulled back sharply, quickly enough that they separated for a brief moment before the man pulled him back flush.
“Excuse me?” Arthur stumbled out, face heating. He couldn’t believe the words that were being spoken to him. Really, he couldn’t believe anything that was happening. That the man was in his arms, that no one else around seemed to care. That the man was telling him to woo him .
Arthur set his jaw. If this was how he apprehended a criminal, then so be it. Afterall, his pride didn’t matter in the end if he got the needed result. The man looked to be holding back laughter at Arthur’s response, which only strengthened Arthur’s resolve. He stood up straighter, tightening his grip on the other man.
“Well,” he rumbled, letting his gaze settle on the man’s features. “I need to know what I will be getting from this.” One of the man’s eyebrows raised, grin shifting into one of almost surprise. “I would also like to know what to call you by.” His grin dropped for a millisecond before popping back into place. If Arthur hadn’t been looking so close he would have missed it.
“Emrys. You can call me Emrys.” The man quietly said, eyes looking just over Arthur’s shoulder. Arthur wanted to say it, to taste the name on his tongue and feel it roll off his lips. He wondered if his real name would taste and feel the same. Emrys’ eyes danced back to Arthurs, humor alight in them once more. “As for what you will be getting from this, it will be what I have taken. Besides your heart by the end of the night.”
Arthur couldn’t help but roll his eyes, a grin of his own pulling at his lips. “Awfully brazen of you, don’t you think?” They turned in a slow circle, foot falls matched step for step, pace easy and in time with each other and the music both. “And how do I know that what you have stolen is truly worth going after? After all, not just every robbery gets the head detective put on it. I need to know if it’s worth my time and effort.”
Emerys snorted, rolling his eyes. “Well we wouldn’t want that now would we?” He snarked. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head, doll,” Arthur blanched at the name but Emrys just continued on. “I’m fairly certain that the duchesses’ diamonds are well worth the effort and time you will put in.”
Arthur’s eyebrows shot to his hairline, eyes wide. “How in the world did you pull that off?” He exclaimed, Emrys shushing him with a laugh as he glanced around. Arthur lowered his voice, but didn’t bother hiding his disbelief. “They’re guarded at all times, plus no one even knows where they’re hidden except for the duke and duchess themselves!”
“A criminal never reveals their secrets, sweetheart,” Emrys replied with a wink. They spun in a circle, before the music concluded. They didn’t move as other couples parted to clap for the musicians. The two men stood in one spot, still pressed together. “You’re not doing a very good job of wooing me, officer. I must say I’m a bit disappointed.” They continued to stare at each other, a flush fighting its way up Arthur’s face.
The words blurted themselves from his lips before he even realized he thought them.
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re beautiful?”
This seemed to knock the self assured grin from Emrys’ face Arthur had never seen him without. His bright eyes widened in shock, his lips slightly parting. A fleeting thought passed over Arthur’s mind that he’d like to know what they tasted like. He pushed it down. It wasn’t appropriate to think that. But at the small smile that gently pulled Emrys’ lips up in the first genuine look Arthur had seen all night, Arthur couldn’t find it in himself to care too much for propriety.
“You surprise me, officer. Every time I think I have you figured out I seem to be mistaken.” His voice was soft, thoughtful as his eyes shone with a feeling Arthur couldn’t place. Emrys leaned in, barely brushing his cheek against Arthurs. “I hope this continues in the future.” And with that, he was gone.
It took Arthur a moment to realize what had happened, that the space before him was cold and his hand was no longer clasped in the mans’ callused fingers. His cheek was still flaming with Emrys’s touch, a soothing reminder that it was real.
Turning, Arthur searched the crowd for any sign of him. The music had started again, and the man had taken the writhing bodies as a chance to escape. But Arthur couldn’t let him go that easily. Not when he had been so close. Not when he’d had a chance to- To what? To cuff him? To take him in? Despite all his training telling him otherwise, Arthur knew he wasn’t going to be able to do that. Now be that from the man’s slippery nature or from some gut feeling Arthur refused to acknowledge, he wasn’t sure.
Quickly surveying the room, Arthur saw a patch of dark hair headed for the balcony. He took off in a run, pushing past people and almost tripping over a woman’s dress. Arthur made it to the doors in time to see Emrys starting to climb over the railing.
“Emrys!” He called, out of breath from both the run and the way the moonlight seemed to shine in his hair and make his eyes almost glow as he looked up in surprise.
“Arthur?”
Before Arthur thought through anything, or even so much as moved, he knew he made a bad decision. He rushed forward, grasping Emrys’ lapels and pressing his mouth frantically to the man’s.
Of all the kisses Arthur had shared with people, it certainly wasn’t the best. It was messy, and for the first moment or two Emrys’ mouth was frozen and stiff against his before he was able to coax it into movement. Their teeth hit uncomfortably and it was too hot of a night to be this close. But Arthur wouldn’t have traded anything for the knowledge of how soft and pliant the other man’s lips were, how their mouths slotted together in a similar fashion as their bodies on the dance floor. That Emrys’ mouth was much like his eyes, like a riptide pulling him off his feet and sucking him into the ocean that was the smooth talking, charming, and handsome criminal.
As they pulled back, a breeze drifted through the air, the leaves of the trees singing as it ruffled Emrys’ hair across his forehead. Arthur stared at the man, who still had his eyes closed as he breathed deeply past his lips, noses still touching. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open, gleaming in the dim light with emotions that Arthur was afraid were splayed across his own face.
They both gently smiled at each other, before Emrys pulled back. “I think I can say that I’ve had satisfactory wooing.”
With that he smiled one last time before climbing into the tree and escaping out into the night. Despite every bit of training within his body, Arthur did nothing to stop him. Instead he just watched him disappear into the treeline, the stars glittering above with more decadency and glamour than anything within the house behind him.
Slowly, he turned back around and returned to the party.
~~~
Arthur pushed open the door to the station with little care, nodding to Lance who was behind the desk that morning. He nodded back, giving a small smile with a knowing gleam in his eye. Arthur didn’t pay it much mind, weaving his way back to his desk. Before he made it the entire way, a body blocked his path.
Morgana grinned at him with a mischievous look in her eye, her arms folded over her chest as she leaned back. Her gaze dragged over him, leaving him checking his own appearance for something that warranted this close inspection when usually the woman hardly gave him a second glance in the mornings.
“What?” He eventually asked, exasperated with her despite no words having been exchanged. She just grinned, shrugging as she walked backwards and led him to his desk.
“Nothing, nothing, just seeing if there was anything left over from Friday night,” she almost purred with a mixture of humor and teasing. Arthur almost tripped over his own feet at her words, glaring as he corrected himself.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He growled, fighting to keep his voice level as they finally reached their work area. His gaze caught on a neatly wrapped box setting on his desk. “After all, aren’t you one to talk? I’ve seen you with that reporter.” He knew he wasn’t doing any good keeping the distraction out of his voice, but he couldn’t help it.
He rounded on his desk, fingers trailing over the wood before stopping next to the box. Morgana threw herself into her own chair across from his, leaning back in a very unladylike manner. He traced his fingers over the brown paper wrapping. “Yes, but I don’t try to hide it.” Came her short reply, eyes drifting to the box. “What’s that?”
Arthur glanced up with a small shrug, before his attention was once again consumed by the box. Carefully he undid the wrapping. For once both Morgana and Arthur were silent as he pulled the paper back to reveal the box. It was a simple one, and opened without any resistance. In it, Arthur found a paper folded neatly with his name written across it in a quick but careful fashion.
Arthur opened it.
I hope you can forgive my intrusion upon your place of work, but I honestly did not see any other way of making good on my word other than to have shown up in person. Which, as you’ll find once you see the contents of this box, you will understand why as much as I would have wanted to do that to see you again, I would have been unable to.
I quite enjoyed the other night. I didn’t get a chance to say that before I had to make my escape, and I wish to see you again. I hope that this can make up for any ill feelings you may have held towards me before this. I also wanted to apologize for any trouble you may have gotten into for letting me escape.
If there is any way I can make it up to you, say over dinner or lunch some time, I’m sure you’ll find a way to get in touch.
Yours criminally,
Emrys
Arthur read it once, then twice, before opening the box once more. Inside, nestled neatly within some protective batting, was a diamond necklace. A grin gently pulled over his lips as he took it from the box. Morgana let out a gasp, leaning so far forward in her chair she nearly turned it over.
“That’s the duchesses necklace.” She breathed, eyes so wide they almost fell from her head. “The one that was stolen at the party. The one we were meant to keep safe.” Arthur didn’t pull his gaze from the glittering jewels. The way the light shone on them reminded him of the stars as a man slipped out of sight.
“How did you get that?” Her voice was full of disbelief, eyes shifting between him and the necklace.
“A friend of mine.” Arthur replied gently, returning it to the box and closing it. He carefully refolded the note and slipped it into his pocket.