A ficlet for @fandomwithbenefits Spoiled For Choice 'conversations in the dark', and for @thepromptfoundry Trope Fl!p Fest 'too hot for human contact', though I'm about ten days late for that now... 500 words, rated T, no warnings apply!
Cross-posted to Ao3
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Quietly hurrying into the hallway, the only convenient door Phryne spots is the one to the coat closet. Well, in the current weather, it's unlikely that the homeowner will open it.
"Come on!" She hisses at Jack, who is rather reluctant to follow. "You're not supposed to be here either, now are you?"
Finally secure in the closed closet, Phryne breathes out a quiet sigh of relief... and carefully reached up to wipe the sweat from her forehead. Oh, what a sweltering hot day!
It seems they haven't hidden a minute too soon, as seconds later the clacking footsteps of the potential murderess sound in the hallway. A door opens, closes. Next to Phryne, Jack shifts, about to say something - when the door opens again and the woman walks back through the hallway.
This time, they are more hesitant to move once she is gone, not quite trusting the quiet just yet. Still, they won't be able to hide in there forever, and not only because they might get caught...
Usually, Phryne would delight in any opportunity to get close and personal to the detective inspector - but right now it's simply too bloody hot! Her elbow is touching his side, and that point of contact is already scorching, and sadly not because of any erotic sensations but rather solely because she'd like to jump into the sea to cool down her poor overheating body right about now!
"Jack," Phryne hisses. "Jack!"
"I'm sorry?" Jack looks up from where he had been staring at the small line of light between the closet doors as if entranced.
Phryne huffs. "Has the heat affected you this much? What's the plan?"
"Right. The heat." Jack clears his throat, tries to inch away from Phryne but only makes their arms touch instead.
Phryne smirks. "Well, I know the temperature isn't improving this situation, but I can't say I'm entirely unaffected from being in these close quarters with you, inspector..."
"Miss Fisher!"
Beaming, Phryne leans more heavily against Jack's side for a moment, even though the warmth really is stifling.
She pulls away before Jack can admonish her again. "So, my dear inspector, what do you say we make our way towards the front door, and if we get caught on the way we can say that we have just arrived and are just parched, if she could spare us a glass of water..."
"If they have heard anything about you, they would definitely believe that you are brazen enough to walk into a complete stranger's house to ask for a drink, and without even knocking," Jack sighs. "So I suppose that might as well work."
"Jack! It's a heatwave, we're just asking for water, not raiding the liquor cabinet! And -" a noise somewhere in the house, and Phryne instinctive lowers her voice to a whisper - "and of course we knocked first, but when no-one answered... You see, we were quite desperate for some refreshments, can't you tell by the state of us?"
After a moment's hesitation, Jack nods. "Alright. What are we waiting for?"
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More Miss Fisher fics on tumblr & Ao3 - I don't have a tag list for this fandom yet, lmk if you want to be notified when I post more!