forum Vienna Calling | oxo | closed

Started June 12, 2023 by @knightinadream group

tune

(sorry for the wait!!)

An instinct within him told him that the detective was weary about sitting. His eyes squinted while observing the look in Erbosol's eyes or how his body was. He wanted to say that it was okay if the detective didn't sit, but the opportunity had passed. Edvin pushed the thought away. With his arms crossed in front of him, he leaned against the wall while listening to Erbosol.

Edvin nodded. Whoever this person is isn't the average murderer. If he were to believe in the native superstitions, he would have said that this murderer isn't even a man like him and the detective. Blasphemy. It's all blasphemy. Even with all of the loose ends they need to connect, the captain kept thinking that more will unravel as they go on.

They need to write all of this down. Any (and every) thought they think should be written in some sort of journal or book. Both of them have or are coming up with insight that must be recorded right away. He wished that he had his own journal at the moment, but maybe he can make that wish come true. It wouldn't hurt to. Not as much as this killer is doing to these people, the villages, and the empire above all.

Edvin picked up all of the letters. They were then tucked underneath his arm. Standing by the door, he begun to push the handle down. "My quarters or yours?" He asked, "One of us needs to be writing all of this down. We must prepare ourselves for this unconventional killer."

Probably would be better to have this discussion elsewhere. If the detective would like to have tea time as well, then they can do so. Edvin worried about working in the emperor's office. There was already enough to worry about when it came to this case.

(No probs! Just a heads up that i’m currently away on holiday so i’ll probably be slow/nonexistent for the next few weeks - but i will be back when i’m home!)

William didn’t know what to think of the entire case thus far. It almost seemed to be one large prank or trick that was being pulled on him to test his limits and skills as a detective. But with the seriousness of the Emperor, the fact that Edvin was here and the Queen herself had contracted him to this case… he knew that it wasn’t. Deep down he wished that it was because then he didn’t have to deal with the reality that there were so many innocent people dying at the hands of a monster.

This was a man who loved to kill. Fuck, maybe even needed to kill. There was something deranged about the whole thing. Town after town, kill after kill, no trace. No clues. Nothing. Will only hoped this wasn’t an experienced or first time killer but he knew it wasn’t. No man that was able to kill so many so easily and escape capture was a first timer.

They started out small. One person in a back alley where no one would look - of even by the darkest parts of the downtown districts that held more grime and drift than the entirety of government house itself. They killed messily, there was usually blood everywhere and a large crime scene. Then they moved on to the next kill with more precision and aim. They knew where they target would be or they type of target they were looking for but killed. A little trace, perhaps, but nothing more. Then if they were lucky to gain a third, a forth, they honed their craft until they were an expert. But this man here had seemed to skip steps one and two and was far more advanced and skilled. No, he wasn’t a first time killer, and Will dreaded to think where else he may have killed that they didn’t know about.

He was drawn out of his thoughts by Edvin moving towards the door and he cleared his throat, “Oh, yours, I suppose.” Will stood and took one last look at the map before moving towards the door.

Where his own room was he didn’t know. He had arrived and come straight there and hadn’t unpacked even a notebook. Edvin’s room was going to have to do for now, considering it was pointless going to his own.

(no worries, respond whenever it's convenient for you. enjoy your holiday!)

The moment Erbosol stepped out into the hallway with him, he closed the door. His quarters were the same ones that he had always been in whenever he visited. The thing is is that it is quite the walk from where they were standing at the moment. In order to continue their conversation in secrecy, in order to write down all of their thoughts…they must go now. The killer could be roaming the streets of the empire, planning his next string of murders.

"Very well then. Let's go." His steps were small and fast-paced. With little evidence or reason, the detective and him could not afford to waste any time. Edvin planned to not stop till he saw those wide ivory-golden doors; well, the ones that are for the quarters he will be staying in. It is quite possible that Erbosol is staying in one next to him or somewhere close by. If need be, he could take care of that matter later on.

The palace was a city of its own. Life filled every single corner. Edvin nodded his head at all of the pimple who passed by. Sometimes he gave a hello, other times he just walked on. His mind was heavy, full of thoughts that only ever contained whatever possibilities the killer could be. Edvin swore to God that there was no way in Hell that a man would or could even possibly kill so many people.

He would have tried to do some small talk with the detective. Or he would could have talked about the palace while pointing out some things. On the other hand, the only words willing to speak were all about their case. Not to mention, he isn't good at small talk nor was this the time to relax and give the detective a tour.

When he saw those familiar doors, a jolt of energy ran through him. The captain ran to the door on the left. His hand grabbed the handle before he swiftly pressed down then swung the door open. The room was twice the size of the library. It was rather quite open too. There was a bed by the left wall, a tall wardrobe on the right, and even a wooden desk. The walls were crimson and the window curtains were dark brown.

"Hold on a moment. I think I have my journal packed here somewhere…" He rushed over to his things. Whoever had handled his belongings had gently sat them down beside a small round table. His journal was in a black leather satchel. Edvin's face lit up when he finally found it. After grabbing his writing utensils, the captain sat at the table. He looked over at the detective. "I'm ready whenever you are."

(thank you!)

William tried to take in every aspect of the palace that he could while they walked, although their steps were light and hurried along the marble floors. It was the most impressive place he had ever visited. Incredoble, even more so than Her Majesty's but he wasn't going to tell her that. God no, she would be appalled at the thought. He just hoped that if she had or if she ever saw, she would agree. Because the place was magnificent and he didn't really know where to look or what to do.

While Edvin gave mostly head nods of acknowledgement to others as they walked, Will greeted each with a small smile and soft greeting. He was British, after all, it would be impolite not to. And these people, well, maybe some of them, would be taking care of him throughout his short stay at the palace. There was no need to ignore them or be rude, that would be preposterous. He would not lose his manners no matter how exciting it was to be in a new place. An amazing place. An interesting place. Even if the premise of his visit wasn't exactly amazing.

He was glad of the little to no talk between them as they moved. He was too busy taking in the surroundings, the entrances and exits and the way that they had travelled to really be thinking of words or conversation in the present moment. He was too lost in the place to begin to hold some sort of talk with Edvin. Either way, he was an awkward man regardless, small talk came as difficult to him as it did to the captain.

They came to the doors and William took a small look around the hall as the other entered. his own quarters were only just down the hall, which was convenient. He could head back to his room and get his own things - notebook and pen - if he so wished, but he didn't. Instead, he headed inside and shut and locked the door behind him. They didn't need anyone walking in on them or overhearing such a conversation.

Will shrugged off his jacket, leaving him in just his vest and shirt. Pacing always made him hot. He placed it over the back of one of the chairs nearby, rolled up his sleeves, and continued his pacing just as he had been doing in the office in front of Edvin's desk, "So, we know the towns he's killed at already and where we can project the next likely attack. We know that there was a scout group sent out that hasn't been heard from recently, and that it is highly unlikely that this is just one man."

Edvin did his best to write down as much as he could remember. Every word that was written on paper was in Swedish. He frowned at the realization of this somewhat minor detail yet continued to write. At that point, he was already on another page. As long as one of them could read it, he assured himself. Looks like he will be spending more time translating all sorts of documents.

His hand felt tensed. Setting his pen down, he sat back into the chair with his arms crossed. The captain watched as Erbosol was pacing back and forth. The action made him briefly think about when he offered the detective to sit down, and how he was pacing before then. He was fascinated watching the gears turn in Will's mind. It's the work of the world's greatest detective.

"Hm?" He sat up then took his pen. "Oh, yes…indeed." The captain cleared his throat. "If it is not just one man, then there must be a reason why all of these deaths have been executed in the same manner." His hand was still slightly cramping from all the writing, but he flipped to another page and continued on. "Unless there was one man who killed so many then others began to copy him…"

The more he thought about the case, the more stumped he was. There was a word that describes what he just spoke of. Copy something…A tutor of his taught him long ago. "Copy…copy…copy…" Edvin deeply exhaled. He looked up at Erbosol, "Do you think it is likely that there are copies? It seems too coincidental. Unless they all know each other and are killing together? That could explain how so many people are dying in such little time. Oh Lord, I do not know."

Copy. The idea was turned over in his head for only a few moments before Will was quick to shake his head, "No, there's no copycat killers here." There couldn't be. For towns that far out, in the middle of nowhere, he doubted word travelled fast. It also didn't help that there were no survivors of the attacks. How could word spread about the killings? Unless there was a traveller passing through but he doubted that was going to be the case.

If there was to be a copy it would then have to be one of the soldiers or men that had investigated previously. One that had gone mad, perhaps, and decided to take up the mantel and continue to kill in the same manner as the killer they had been chasing. But that seemed unlikely. Each thought that came to Will with each step he took, pacing back and forth in front of Edvin, and his gaze was transfixed to the ground as he mumbled each one to himself as he went.

"This is either one extremely talented man, or multiple. I fear it is the latter, but they would all be working together, not separately. The same exact manner of killing with no traces? The fact one of them hasn't slipped up yet is incredible, admirable." In a sick, twisted way.

He couldn't help but find it fascinating. The mind of a killer had always intrigued him, even as a child before he knew of his skills in the area. To learn how and why they worked in such a way, did what they did, and killed who they killed. It was all so interesting. Will couldn't help but find it incredible, in a fucked up sort of fashion. That wasn't to say he wasn't going to stop the people from killing, it was his job, after all, and the murders were disgusting, but he could find the other angle in it all.

"Ah, copycat…" Edvin uttered underneath his breath. In the corner of a page, he wrote the word in English in hopes that he wouldn't forget it again. While he spent a moment satisfied that Erbosol knew what he meant, the captain returned to frowning. The killer wouldn't be a copycat? He could see that one (or a group) killing people in one town then word traveled to neighboring town where someone would then murder more in the same fashion. Although, the more he thought about it, the execution of the killings seem to be too precise to feasibly copy.

He continued to write down the things that the detective was saying. It wouldn’t be a surprise to him if it were a group. In many ways, it made sense. How one person could kill so many people and get away with it is something that could only be a fable. A group of people going out to murder their fellow countrymen…Setting his pen down, Edvin rested his hand underneath his chin. From what he recalled, most if not all of these murders were of peasants. None of this would be a mystery (let alone a massive secret) if even one of these deaths were a noble. These people are devils regardless of whoever they went after.

"Why a group?" He suddenly asked. "There is the threat of someone getting caught or revealing what they have done. Someone must be a leader in all of this. What is the need to kill so many people, to kill with others?" Edvin ran his fingers through his hair. A few strands fell out of place.

He would admit that it is quite fascinating how the murderer(s) hasn't been caught. They can kill hundreds of people without leaving any evidence behind. "At this point, we would have to think like these beasts," Edvin mumbled. Lifting his chin, he looked up at Erbosol, "We barely know anything about them. I am not sure if it is possible…"

William couldn't stop his sigh. He stopped his pacing, now stood in the middle of the room and chewed on his lower lip, "I don't know." His multicoloured eyes moved from where they were trained to the grown to the captain.

He wished he had more of an answer for Edvin. More than simply I don't know. He feared that it put him in a bad light in the eyes of the other. Greatest detective in the world, allegedly, and yet he couldn't answer why they were killing or why they were killing in a group. That was if his hypothesis was correct. He could be completely wrong and this was just a very, talented - extremely talented - man who had a vendetta against random towns on the outskirts of countries but he doubted that was the case. No, it had to be more than one person. It had to be a group.

But he didn't know why.

More than one person meant chances for someone to slip up, someone to get caught, someone to break free from the group and inform the authorities. If that was going to happen it most likely would have happened by now, though. With all the murder that these people had committed, they had to be certain they were doing the right thing if none of them had said anything or left as of yet. So, was it necessity? Who kills from necessity? Unless they got caught stealing but to kill a whole town?

Each thought that he kept coming up with just ended up with a dead end by the end of the thought. He sighed once more, Until we catch one of them, or all of them and talk, then I fear we won't know. None of this is normal. It's all so unusual that… I don't have much more. Just speculations."

His face remained nonchalant. His eyes looked back at the detective. It's alright, he didn't know either. He doesn't know what is going on with any of this. "It is okay," He assured. "I am sure that we will figure everything out in due time. We will just have to wait."

Somehow he began to think that maybe there's just groups of people in that part of the empire who are…odd and they kill because others…Edvin wasn't sure what his mind was trying to come up with. The more he thought about the case, the more confused he was. Killing in groups seems too complicated but killing alone is impossible.

Impossible…That is the word he will be using to describe this case. Better yet, odd and impossible. He wasn't able to find a better way to describe it all. They haven't even started the investigation yet, but he knew that it would be odd and impossible. He even questioned if they would truly find out what was going on.

Only when Erbosol started to talk was Edvin able to get out of his head space. The detective was right. None of this was normal. They know nothing and that makes everything worse. And of the team of soldiers cannot catch these people makes the situation more complicated. What even happened to those soldiers anyways? That is another thing him and Detective Erbosol would have to look into as well.

Edvin placed the writing utensil off to the side. "We should stop with the speculations." He closed his journal. "The only thing we can do is wait and go over to one of these towns. Further speculation might cloud our judgments. I mean…all the evidence we have right now is those letters, but they can only get us one step forward."

Waiting gave killers ample opportunity to kill. Waiting meant giving the sick bastards out there a headstart when it came to their next killing spree. Waiting meant they were losing precious time stopping them.

But they didn't have anything more to go from. No leads but the letters. Speculations. Theories. God, Will was beginning to feel less and less like the alleged 'best detective in Europe' and more like a man who had no clue what was happening in his own life. How did he get here? Mulling over absurd, impossible cases on special order from Her Majesty? What had he done to get to this point?

Because it wasn't alright that he didn't know. He should know. Everyone expected him to know how to solve the case, that was the reason as to why he was called in to begin with. To help solve the crime, catch the killers, and save people. Sitting around the palace talking wasn't getting them anywhere but for the time being it was the only thing they could do. Without a solid plan going into the case, without confirming that he and Edvin were on the same page, they were going to get nowhere.

The detective sighed and ran a hand through his hair, dirty blond locks falling in front of his eyes as he mumbled something to himself under his breath. And then he found himself sitting on the edge of the bed, forgetting that these weren't in fact, his chambers, and then he was lying back, feet still on the floor. Unprofessional? Most definitely, but his brain was beginning to hurt.

"Until we get to those towns and gather more evidence then there isn't anymore we can do. The letters will only get us so far. We need to be there in order to gather more information."

"I suppose you're right, Detective," He sighed. It'd be impossible for them to do anything else. Vienna is so far away from all of these towns that there's nothing they could do for the time being. And as far as Edvin knows none one else knows about this except for that team Frederick sent out. God only knows the whereabouts of them. Waiting is what they could do until they reached the first place.

The captain watched as Erbosol laid back on his bed. Strange would be a great word to describe this at the very least, but he didn't care. Honestly he was in between asking him if he wanted to be tucked in or a bedtime story. Yet, he found the best detective in all of Europe to be the most intelligent man in the whole wide world. He found the Englishman laying on the bed to be profound. It was a genius idea. If it weren't an odd thing to do, he'd join him.

Edvin rested the left side of his head against the table. It's not the noble thing to do, surely, but he couldn't help but doing it. His old tutor would've whacked him on the head for slouching the way he did. What a bastard. The captain's mind was heavy. As much as he thought about everything, he thought about nothing at the same time. Most importantly he didn't want to think about the case anymore. If he gave it another thought before they reached their first destination, his mind would most certainly melt.

"The only things we can do is get there alive and not think too much about it beforehand," He mumbled. Edvin forced himself out of the chair. In a sluggish way, he dragged his feet while making his way to the bed. He turned around then sat down on the edge. Looking down at Erbosol, he asked, "You already are thinking too much? Aren't you?"

Proper or not, he laid down next to the detective. His hands were clapsed together, sitting on top of his chest. If he knew any better, he'd stop thinking. His head throbbed. Everytime it did he swore he could feel it. The captain stared up at the ceiling, hoping to ignore the thoughts that made his head hurt.

"Please, just call me Will, Captain." 'Detective' made him sound important. It made him sound as if he would be able to solve the case of the mass murdered towns, and bring closure to the King. He didn't know if he was going to be able to do that. The case was so big. There was so much wrong with the evidence that had been presented to him that he really didn't know if he was going to be able to decipher and figure out what it all meant. He was certainly going to try, but that didn't mean he was going to be able to solve the case.

Will's face twisted when Edvin looked down at him. Concern. Worry. Maybe even a tad of nausea, "All I do is think," He replied, letting out a soft sigh through his nose. He watched as Edvin laid down beside him. Thinking always seemed easier when he was lying down. Usually, it was on the floor.

Being closer to the ground made him feel more connected to the world. Like he could feel the energy from the earth and somehow it would help him think better. It was more secure down there. He was already pushing his luck with lying on the bed of the noble now lying next to him, he wasn't about to embarrass himself further.

Generally, he didn't mind. Most cases he was on his own. Sitting in his parents living room with papers scattered across the floor with no one but him and the housemaid to keep himself company. Lonely was another word that he would have described himself as.

"I can't stop thinking. It's my job," Will turned his head to the side so he could look at Edvin. He brought a hand up and pointed to his forehead, "It doesn't switch off." There wasn't anything he could do about it. He had gone his whole life this way, nothing was going to stop his ever turning mind from slowing or stopping.

Edvin turned his head to stare at Will. His lips were scrunched together. Calling the detective by his first name seemed off to him. He's been around soldiers for years and he doesn't even acknowledge the fact they have their own names. Rarely is he called by his first name by others except for his parents and siblings. But if Will is asking him to call him by his first name then so be it.

"If that is what you wish, Will." He returned to stare up at the ceiling. Soon after, he added, "And if I have to call you Will, then you must call me Edvin. Please, Detective." As much as he found it to be odd, it only made sense for them to call each other by their first names. He didn't like being called "captain" anyways. Too formal, even for him and it's a title more fitting for his brothers. It's too formal if he had to work closely with someone, travel deep into the Carpathian Mountains, and find the truth behind the murders of hundreds of people with them.

Good God. Thinking about the case was enough to give him headaches that would last a lifetime. How could Frederick trust him and an Englishman to solve it? Edvin didn't know a single thing about doing whatever Will does. Half of the time he doesn't know what he is doing as a captain. The only role he has some confidence in is being a father, but that means nothing in this case.

He rolled his eyes before glancing back at the detective. Briefly, he looked at Will's forehead. Oh to imagine all of the thoughts behind it. His eyes squinted at Will. Between the way he spoke and how he either paces around or lays down, it's not thinking. "You're not thinking, you're burrowing yourself in your mind. In English, I think it's called 'worrying' or maybe it's overthinking…" He bit the corner of his lip while pondering about it. Both words sounded the same to him.

Edvin gently laid the back of his head against Will's forehead. He kept it there for a few seconds. "You're going to make yourself sick if you don't stop for just a second," Edvin whispered. His hand returned clasped with the other. Maybe he should just get the detective a drink. No, that'd might make this much worse. And he's not sure if the Englishman liked to drink in the first place.

"Think for yourself first, Will. Not for your job," Edvin sighed. "And for your sanity, try to stop thinking every now and then." He ran his hand through his hair then did the same to Will. Whatever he would do or say may not help this man, but he thought it'd be better to try. After all, they have to work together for the emperor. One cannot do such a thing when they cannot get their mind out of the gutter.

(i know we haven't written much of these two but i love them)

Will tried not to chuckle. Or sigh. Or groan. Because what the captain was saying was no easy feat for him.

Thinking for himself wasn't an option. He had never put himself first. Not once in his life. Hell, he had four older brothers, how could he not put others before himself? Always the youngest, the left out, the one that had to try the hardest to gain his father's attention. The 'odd' one. It didn't help with his abnormality getting in the way of things. Those mismatched eyes caused him enough trouble in his younger years. So much so that even now, as an adult, he wasn't able to shake the damage that had been done by both his family and those in his school throughout his life.

It wasn't a possibility. The job came before everything, as he had been taught. People relied on him. They depended on him to find loved ones, solve crimes, help the people of London, her Her Majesty. She depended on him. Will's job was that of importance to her, and he had helped so many in her court, helped her more times than he could count. He couldn't simply change his mindset after having it set in stone year after year, case after case, by majority of the people that he came into contact with.

Edvin was right when he called it overthinking. In some instances, it was necessary. Like with their current case. They had murders to solve. People to save from potential death. The Emperor to help. Working the case required his brain to continue working all hours of the day and late into the evenings. He didn't have the opportunity to stop. He couldn't. Shouldn't. Wouldn't. Not even for the look on the captain's face that Will couldn't help but feel guilty for creating.

The touch to his forehead had Will stammering, just a little. He hadn't expected the man to lie down with him let alone touch him. And then Edvin was touching his hair and he couldn't help but lean into the touch before he knew what he was doing with a soft sigh. The detective kept his head turned in Edvin's direction, "You don't understand," He whispered back, chewing on his lower lip, "It's… complicated. Besides, the case has to come first, there's lives at stake." And two royals counting on him.

(no seriously though, i love them too.)

Everyone knows the feeling of putting their hand near something hot. Their hand hovering too close to the point where the heat radiates onto their skin. The need to pull away lingering in the mind as it thinks of only one thing: danger. That's what it felt like when Edvin combed through Will's hair. Only when the detective leaned into his touch did he realize what he was doing. He pulled his hand away. Fingers slowly curled into his palm as he turned his head to keep his eyes fixated on the ceiling.

He could have done it again. It would have been a great way to distract the detective, make him stop overthinking, but he didn't want to. Not that he himself doesn't like those kind of interactions. He enjoyed it a lot actually. They have to work together to help the Emperor solve this case. Whoever is behind it, they have to get them before more people die. The who, what, when, where, and why, they had to uncover all of it. He couldn't mess any of it up. Frederick would be furious, and so would everyone else.

Great, now he's the one who's doing the overthinking. Oh, the irony. He still had a point to make to the Englishman. As a matter of fact, he had multiple and God knew that he wasn't one to step back. But his brain couldn't piece together anything. That's probably way he brushed his fingers through those dirty blond locks. They were soft. He liked the way it matched the detective's eyes.

Edvin turned his head to stare back at the detective. For a while, he stayed silent. His mind was jumping around, thinking in Swedish then back to German and somehow figuring out how to speak English. He had a point to make yet he couldn't find the right words.

"No, I don't understand Will," He sighed. "But if we have to work together on this case, I want to understand. I am going to." Edvin promised himself this. If Will said something about it being impossible, then he was going to prove the Englishman wrong. And if it took however long it would take to solve the case then so be it.

His fingers lingered over Will's head. They stopped. Instead, he decided to point at the detective's forehead before letting his hand rest on his chest. "Now tell me, what's going on in that mind of yours?"

Each touch was like lightning striking through his body. Will didn't quite know whether he was enjoying it or not. He had definitely enjoyed the touch to his hair, although he liked that from anyone considering it was one of his weak points, but he wasn't about to ask for it. Their relationship was professional. They were strangers.

Yet here they were, lying on the bed next and only mere inches from one another. How they got into this position was beyond him. Well, really it was his fault, considering he had been the one to lie down in the first place. But it helped him think better. There was going to be no sleep, little rest for the both of them. The quicker they solved the case the better. The quicker people didn't have to die. The quicker he could go back to England.

God, why couldn't it have been someone else assigned to this case? Surely one of his brothers would be a better pick? One that had already been on the continent rather than England? Nope, it was him. Maybe it was his insecurities but Will couldn't help but feel like the worst pick for the job.

Edvin poked his head. Edvin seemed to make a promise to try and understand what was going on, his brain. Will felt his cheeks heat at the touch and bought his hands up to rub at his face. Where to even begin with the long-windedness of his thoughts? They barely slowed down enough for him to decipher them half the time.

"I fear that, considering the lack of evidence," He began to count each point on his fingers, "The location of the crimes, how there's a whole team of men missing after trying to investigate this…" He sighed, eyes darting from Edvin to his hands and staying there, "I don't know if it can be solved. Why is all this happening? There's no pattern, no motive, no- no cool down period. It's irregular, I can't see the links." Shaky hands tightened into a fist and opened again, a self-soothing motion.

Edvin's hands remained stiff. He was going to apologize for what he had done, combing Will's hair and all. It was an old habit. An habit that is unprofessional in the case of working with someone to find an unorthodox murderer. He shouldn't have done it. Edvin barely knew the Englishman aside from his reputation.

Will was right about everything. It'll be almost impossible to find anything when everyone invovled in the case is either missing, dead, or out killing more people. The thing is if Will cannot find any connections then Edvin wasn't sure how they'd find anything. They don't even know if the evidence that is there now will be there by the time they arrive. There could be nothing except for towns littered with empty houses and corpses lying about. Europe's greatest detective needs to have some sort of clue in order to have some sort of direction for this case.

Edvin didn't want to say anything. Every word that floated around his head would burrow the two of them into a fixed mindset. He didn't want to cause Will to overthink even more than he already is, but he also didn't want to stay silent. Good God this is much worse than he had anticipated.

"You'll see them, the links. Just not in here in Vienna. Something has to be there waiting for us to find, waiting to steer us in some sort of direction. We will solve it somehow…" He didn't know how to finish off what he was saying. Biting on his bottom lip, he paused. His gaze became unfocused. He wasn't sure if he had any confidence in his words or himself for that matter.

The emperor could have chosen anyone else to work alongside Will. There are so many detectives or more experienced military men that could have taken his place. Edvin can translate and fight like there's no tomorrow, but that's it. It's not enough to pull a suspect out of thin air. Part of him wondered if he was enough to do anything for this case.

He gently poked Will's forehead again then whispered, "Is that all that lays in there? Anything else?"

Will knew that he shouldn't be so stuck in his negative mindset. It had never helped him solve cases before. In fact, it had only hindered him in the past. He had learnt that early on. He couldn't stick in such a fixed set of thinking in order to solve a case. But this wasn't an ordinary case, this wasn't your usual stab and dash that he saw in London, or serial thieves taking high-end jewellery.

He wasn't one to often say that cases were impossible, but this one was certainly feeling that way, and he had only been in Vienna for no more than a day. Not even.

What kind of detective was he when he couldn't even decipher where to begin with a case like this? Certainly not Europe's best, that was for sure. Maybe it was the deep routed insecurities that he held inside that were meddling with his train of thought. In fact, not maybe, it definitely was, but it wasn't something that he was able to shake. Not after so long of it being ingrained into his being by everyone in his life.

No, that wasn't going to change anytime soon. And it was far too much to unpack with a man that he had just met. Will doubted that the captain would want to hear about that, anyway. Who would? The woes and fears of an English detective? A stranger. They were colleagues, now, but they didn't have to be anything more. Will couldn't even see why someone would want to hear about any of that. He wasn't anything special. He just had good genetics.

Will's gaze turned from his hands back to Edvin once again, multicoloured eyes darting across his features before settling back to those alluring brown eyes, "I do not think now is the time to be unpacking the depths of my mind," He whispered back, "I am sure you will find it less than interesting."

The case was going to be impossible in many ways. Edvin was unsure but he thought that most cases were impossible. Murderers have always been difficult to find. Usually it is a miracle to catch one, right? But they don't know who to look for. What kind of person stabs people on the side of their neck then does the same to hundreds of more people?

While he was trying to find where he stood when it came to thinking about the case. Hope. The captain wasn't sure if he had any of it, but he wasn't sure whether to be optimistic or pessimistic. Edvin couldn't place himself anywhere on the scale. After all, they were in Vienna, not Caraşova or those other bordering towns.

He wasn't going to force anything on Will. The captain knew that they had to remain in good standing with one another for the sake of this case and all. He wasn't asking the detective to talk about what's going on for any ulterior reason. If Will wanted to tell him everything or nothing, then that was perfectly fine with him. As long as they can work together, that's all that mattered.

Edvin wouldn't mind if there was a less formal aspect to whatever Will and him are supposed to be. Not that it's important for the case. Call him odd, but he wouldn't mind if they talked about things involving people mysteriously dying or whoever the murderers could be.

When those multicolored eyes looked back at his, he looked down at the covers. "I am interested only if you are interested in telling me whatever you are interested saying," He whispered back, "We do not have to unpack the depths of your mind or unpack anything for that matter."

Slowly, he turned onto his side. His neck was getting tired of turning to look over. Edvin stared into Will's eyes, taking time to look at each eye. Blue. Brown. Blue. Brown. He liked the contrast of the hues. "You know, once a tutor of mine told me that Alexander the Great had eyes like yours. Two different colors."

Will had never been good at talking to people about himself. He actively avoided it after what had happened in his childhood that he didn't know if he was even capable of doing so. No one wanted to know him. Not even his parents. Sure, he was close with his mother, but as he had grown she had become less and less interested in her youngest son that even she didn't ask him much anymore.

And he was too busy trying to take on as many cases as possible to bury his mind in work that he didn't have any friends to talk to. No lovers. No one but the housekeeper back home and half the time he felt like he was bother her with his worries. Maybe that was why he was such a good detective. Because he only ever focused on others. He came second to everyone in the world. It was his job to help them, not himself.

Murder made more sense than emotions. Which was probably a weird thing to think, but when his life revolved around people and crime and he could see the links and motives between them, the why and the how. But when it came to feelings? His own brain? He had no idea how to decipher them. For someone so smart he really was dumb when it came to his own head.

He wouldn't lie when he thought about wanting to get to know Edvin more. If he was going to be working with the man for a while then they might as well be friends. And the man was intriguing. He was interested in what lay behind those enchanting brown eyes. What thoughts. What was his past? He didn't know, but he wanted to find out, whether that was because he was a detective or because he was genuinely interesting in getting to know the man. Probably both.

When the other turned on his side, Will did the same, and it brought them practically nose to nose with one another considering how close they were. Edvin's comments on his eyes had him blushing, light red dusting over feckled pale skin. He ignored it.

"I doubt someone so great would have suffered from such an abnormality." Otherwise why would he have been so well loved?

Talking about one's self was something that Edvin was never good at. He found it to be selfish in most cases. Anytime he would, he ended up talking about his children or whatever else was on his mind. If anything, he's more interested in others. He'll turn the conversation whenever given the chance. In the case of Will, he was intrigued to say the least. He wanted to know more about the detective. Who knows? Maybe it's just interest or curiosity.

The captain froze. They were so close to one another. Physically at least. Edvin moved back a little. When he noticed his reflection in Will's eyes, he realized that he barely moved at all.

His brows raised soon after Will spoke. "Are you doubting one of the greatest military leaders in all of history?" The captain asked. He wasn't sure how one would suffer from such beauty. Of course having two different eye colors makes one unique from others, but it doesn't impede on one's character. "I believe the only thing he had suffered from was his final and only defeat…death, but in the end, we still call him Alexander the Great, do we not?"

Edvin's lips remained open. They waited for words to spill out. He kept looking at different things. Eyes, nose, cheeks, blush, lips. Then he stared down at the sheets. "Will…" The captain whispered, "He was loved for the things he had done. If anything, he was quite handsome looking too."

For awhile, his eyes lingered on Will. Finally, he decided to get up. After standing up, the captain straightened put his coat. He tried his best to smoothe out any wrinkles but forgot to comb through his hair. There were strands that had fallen out of place.

"I should…We should find out where you are staying. It shouldn't take long, but I know you probably want to relax after all of the traveling you had done."

Will was tempted to argue with the captain. He never tended to argue, he was a people pleaser, and Edvin had authority and power compared to him, it wasn't a good idea to anger him or argue, especially when they were going to be working together for what was going to be months, he figured, considering the size of the case.

But he couldn't bring himself to do so. He couldn't find the words to argue, to talk about it further. It made it worse when Edvin mentioned that Alexander the Great was declared to be handsome, and the detective tried to keep his brain from jumping to any conclusions about what that may mean in relation to him.

Yet words failed him. What would the man think of him if he told him about his childhood? How others had treated him, his own family, when it came to his 'issues' with his eyes. It had been ingrained in his head for long enough that Will wasn't going to change his opinion anytime soon, and he couldn't. He had tried but he just couldn't bring himself to believe that his difference compared to others was a good thing.

Edvin moved away a few moments later, and Will couldn't help but feel a little upset when the other moved out of his space. He had been able to feel his breath, his body heat, get a better look at his features and he wouldn't lie when he thought that he liked it.

He held back his sigh, and for a few more moments he stayed still on the bed while Edvin spoke. He didn't want to move. They had been in a little bubble of peace for a few moments and the detective didn't want to face the world and the case. He had to, though, and finally, he pushed himself up off the bed.

"Yes- Yes, of course. I'm… sure you have other things to attend to as well, before we really get to the crux of the case." He tried a small smile, but he turned away to grab his coat only a few moments later.

The more he remained standing still, the more he regretted moving so suddenly. Edvin was unsure of himself. What he was confident in was that he would've wound up making a mistake one way or another. He worried about talking too much or saying something that would upset Will. There's something he liked about the detective. Well, maybe not just one thing alone.

He knew that something would've happened if they remained that close. Whether it be by God or his foolish self, he would've inched closer towards the Englishman. He'd ruin the case in an instant. Things are going well between the two. For the sake of Frederick, the rest of the family, and the case, he had to put a stop to it. Not to mention they're bound to have more peaceful moments in the near future. If not, he'll make one or two.

"All I need to do really is to translate all those letters so you will have something to read. I think I also need to translate what I wrote in my journal too," He said, "Other than that, I am here if you need anything. You can bother me for whatever reason, but I do not want to take way any free time you have before we go."

Edvin stepped in front of Will. When he looked at him, he decided to fix the detective's hair. "You're in Vienna, in one of the most finest palaces in the world. You should look as fine as the architecture," He mumbled. His hand combed through a few times before falling at his side. "Oh my apologies, it appears that I didn't need to do anything."

The captain winked at him then strolled over to the door. He stepped out into the hallway. At a first glance, he already spotted a few palace staff walking up and down the hallway. "Excuse me," He called out to a servant in German. The servant, a short man with black hair, stopped a few feet away. Edvin asked, "We're looking for Detective Erbosol's quarters. Would you by any chance know where it is?"

The servant glanced up at the ceiling, thinking for a moment. Turning, he pointed down the hallway. "It should be three doors down on the left, sir." Edvin leaned over a little, repeating the directions to himself. The captain glanced back at the servant, bowing his head, "Thank you."

Swiftly, Edvin began to make his way to where Will was staying. He still was speaking in German when he beckoned to the detective and said, "Come on, Will! You should get some rest before we go. Let's go!"

"Maybe I'll have to find an excuse to come bother you all the time," Will said softly.

But the detective damn near fainted when he was winked at.

He wasn't good with affections, well, receiving them, at least. The only people who had ever really done that had been his mother and yet even still it was different to what he had just gotten from the Captain. He couldn't help the way his eyes went wide, his cheeks went red and screamed internally at his own reactions to something so simple.

It didn't help that Will found himself enjoying Edvin's touch. He liked the way his hands felt combing through his hair, the warmth from the other being so close to him. Considering he tended to run cold he needed as much as he could get, and being in close proximity with Edvin was easily enough to warm him up in more ways than one. And insinuating that he was as fine as Vienna's architecture?

God, he was screwed. If Edvin kept it up he wouldn't have any brain cells left for the case because the Captain would have stolen them all the way and turned him into a blubbering mess. So much for the smartest detective in the world. Reduced to splutters and red cheeks over a simple compliment from a very attractive man. A man who was kind, and smart, and one he was going to be working with for what would be weeks, if not months, and if he didn't stop his train of thought he very well might pass out.

At least Edvin was conversing with a servant and had his back turned for the time being, at least for a moment long enough for the detective to try and level out his expression, even if he was red.

And he didn't have a clue what Edvin was saying, but he figured it had something to do with his room when he beckoned him down the hall, "You know I don't speak German, Edvin. You might have to stick around and translate for me all day at this rate."

Edvin stopped walking then turned around. "What? I was not speaking Germ-" His brows were raised as he stared at Will. Then his eyes grew wide at the realization. So he wasn't talking in English? He was so sure that he was. Once he had opened his mouth to talk again, he started to laugh. Some strands of hair fell out of place as he threw his head back.

It took him awhile to stop. As he placed his right hand over his chest, he took a deep breath. He said in German, "Lucky for you, I speak Swedish, Danish, Romanian, and a little bit of French too…." His gaze wandered off, staring at the wall across from him. English was always difficult. The captain bit the inside of his cheek, waiting for the words (ones in English) to be locked and loaded into his brain.

He snapped his fingers then pointed at the detective. As he spun on his heel, he spoke in English, "You are going to be stuck with me anyways. I just only hope you like the sound of my voice." Again, the captain beckoned him. "Now come on, Will!"

In an blink of an eye, he was already halfway down the hallway. He always found the whole palace to be massive and easy to get lost in. Even now when he's only going a few doors down, he swore that the hallway stretched longer. Half of him felt like he walked for miles despite the fact that it only took him less than thirty seconds to reach where Will would be staying.

It was tempting to open the door. The moment his hand reached for the handle, he yanked it back. They'll be stuck together anyways. Edvin wouldn't mind being around Will for as long as he needed to be. He may or may not accidentally speak German if it would give him an extra minute with the detective.

(Why'd I just get the image of Will attempting to learn German to make communicating easier for Edvin…)

God, had Edvin always looked like that? Or was it the sweet as honey laughter that fell from the Captain's lips that made him seem ethereal? Or was it simply the detective being overdramatic as always when it came to how he viewed others? Will didn't know, but that was one mystery he was okay with leaving unsolved for the sake of his sanity.

Because Edvin continued speaking in German, and the Englishman couldn't help but smile even though he understood nothing that the man before him spoke. Maybe he should learn German, to make communicating between the two of them simpler. It was unfair that Edvin had to go through mental hoops to simply be able to talk to him, he shouldn't have to do all the work. Yet again learning a whole new language would take months. Will was sure they would have the time together but when working the case it would be near impossible to pick up an extra language on the side. Near impossible, but not improbable.

"Yes, yes. I'm coming." I could listen to him talk all day. Especially when he laughed like that, seeming to let go for just a moment. It was tempting to walk up to the taller man and brush his hair out his face, but Edvin was already bounding down the corridor like a hyper puppy for him to do anything. For the best, most likely.

Yet the detective took his time walking the short distance down the hall, half to see of Edvin would be able to wait the extra minute it took him, and half to admire the beauty of the palace. Not even Buckingham was as grand. Those multicoloured eyes were wide and practically glittering with wonder, like a child receiving their first piece of candy. Will was too enraptured by the place, keeping his eyes trained on the ceiling and at the wonderous painting that lay above them, to notice bumping into the strong wall of muscle that he met at his back.

Talking in different languages was always more than just what he said. Edvin always felt like he was a bit different if he spoke Swedish compared to German or English. Regardless, he knew that he would be having difficulty finding the right words when his mind was focused on someone else. He could no make sense of himself. It wouldn't be of any help no matter what tongue he spoke in. Sometimes words are not sufficient to convey meaning.

All of the buzzing energy evaporated. Not a single muscle in his body moved as he stared at the detective. Nothing else in this hallway stood out to him. The art lying above was dull yet the amazement gleaming in Will's eyes were more captivating. They shined on their own. Clearly, the captain enjoyed the sight of them up close, but he enjoyed the view from a distance. Only when Will turned around he was disappointed to not get a glimpse. Not that it affected his ability to enjoy the view or anything.

"God-" Edvin's breath hitched. It would be foolish for him to say that he didn't think Will would bump into him. And yet here he was trying to compose himself. While brushing against his coat, he cleared his throat. His face turned pink as he took a step back. "Are you alright?" He asked. "I was going to say that you should explore the palace, but I now worry that you might bump into more people or get lost in all of the beauty and glamor."

His hands ran through his hair till he thought it was neat enough. The captain tried his best to ignore the sound of his heart pumping rapidly. He looked up at the ceiling whispering, "It's beautiful but I believe there's someon- something much more beautiful here."

Being in Edvin's space was something that Will was beginning to enjoy more and more considering that he had been so close to the man so often in the space of the last twenty minutes. He practically radiated warmth, and his touches had been gentle when the captain had brushed his hair out his face back on the bed. It was bad to develop such a closeness with a man he would never see again after this case was solved - if it were to ever be solved. They would like never speak again and yet here Will was, silently hoping that wouldn't be the case when he was starting to really like being with Edvin more than he had any other case partner.

The man was different from the rest. There was something in those honey-brown eyes that had Will captivated and he didn't know what it was. For a detective he should have been able to decipher it with ease, however, instead, he was left with a pounding heart and confusion in his brain at the fogginess of his thoughts, especially when they made him feel like a schoolboy all over again. Fellings were easy when they weren't his own, but in this case, they were, and he had no idea what to do with them or how to react. He could simply only ride it out and hope that he didn't say the wrong thing or scare away the man standing before him.

He turned around, tilting his head up to look into those eyes with a sheepish smile, "I guess I would need someone to keep me out of trouble if I was to go exploring," He said, basically offering the invitation for Edvin to go with him, show him around, "So I don't bump into anyone, of course." But the only person he wanted to bump into again was the captain. Will couldn't help but want to feel those hands on him again. He wondered who else had been subject to the touch.

Before his thoughts became too out of hand he had to look away, quickly diverting his gaze to the door and wrapping his slender, pale fingers around the warm gold of the door knob and pushed it open. The room was grander than he had anticipated, and Will's eyes went wide once more at the space. His bag was seated on the bed and he sighed at the sight of it, glad the thing was in one piece. The detective was quick to move to throw his coat over the end of the bed.

Nothing in this world could prevent the captain from smiling at the moment. The look on Will's face bewitched him. He liked the way the detective had to tilt his chin up a little just to make eye contact. The detective's eyes must have been painted and sculptured by God. They were just utterly breathtaking. He knew that would never get tired by staring into them.

Edvin was unsure about getting close to the man. In the little time that they have spent together, he felt okay. There was no need to uphold a facade that many would see when they saw him. His fingers yearned for the softness of those blond locks. He wanted to be laying on that bed again with Will, talking about whatever came to their minds as they inched closer and closer. The captain found himself being able to talk to Will about things he rarely had to others.

Yet he worried about getting too close. Not to say that he concerned himself over their partnership for this case. It is likely that he may never see Will again. If they were to solve this case, Edvin would be thrown back into his normal life. Before he got to Vienna, he barely had any time to see him own children. He wouldn't be able to see Will, and he couldn't bear thinking this.

But oh how he could not resist the urge to get close to this man. "Yes well…I believe I may know someone who could be of help," He said. His hand combed through his hair before ruffling it. "If you ever happen to bump into him, just ask. I am sure he would be more than happy to show you around the palace." He would love to show Will every part of the palace possible. From the gardens to the ballroom, he give the finest tour of Schönbrunn in all of history.

After Will stepped inside, Edvin went to lean against the doorway. He tried to distract himself by glancing around at everything in the room. Only a second went by before he was back to staring at Will. "So, do you like it?"

Will bit his lower lip to suppress a grin, "And if I already have bumped into him, what would he say to giving me a tour?" Navigation wasn't his thing. Talking about himself, with someone that he was supposed to be having a professional relationship with wasn't his normal thing. He could help others. Talk his way into a situation that would gain information, and help people in that sense, but he could never help himself.

Less so when it was with someone he was beginning to like far more than what was good for him. He couldn't get attached. He couldn't allow himself to get attached when they were never going to see each other again after this. He would go back to England, go to his apartment and pour over cases day in and day out like usual, make the trip to Buckingham when he was called by Her Majesty and never see the handsome captain ever again. So it was definitely a bad idea that he was starting to like him more than the average person. Or maybe it was because he had never received a kindness from a stranger like this before, not in the way Edvin was being kind to him.

Maybe he was just totally deprived of anything good when it came to friendships that he was mistaking the wrong cues for different meanings. Maybe it was because he was terrible at his own feelings, any situation hat involved his feelings, when he was better at helping others. God, was it going to be like this the entire time he worked wit Edvin? Wishing for quiet moments to get to know him better, wishing to feel his touch on his face and through his hair once more?

He scanned the room, taking in the bed that was far larger than anything he had ever slept on himself, how the large windows let in streams of light and warmed him to his core, "Like it? It's beautiful! It's far too much for someone like myself." He would have been more than happy with a single couch or bed in a dark corner, as long as it was semi-comfortable with a place to rest his feet after standing all day.