Pairing / Character(s):
Matthew Casey / Original Female Character
Kelly Severide, Christopher Herrmann, Wallace Boden, Firehouse 51 ensemble
Reader: N/A (Not a reader-insert fic)
Tone: Mixed
Credit for this lovley header belongs to: @desimarie12
Thank you for you help, time & patience.
Warnings: Casey being a good guy; reader being not a party person, pinning unresolved.
No Resolutions for New Years Eve
One more year nearly over, another one done, and she didn’t know what on earth she had been thinking. The last day of the year was a quiet affair for her - a time to contemplate, to look back, and to pat herself on the shoulder.
For a couple of years now, she had listed her accomplishments for each past year, because she wasn’t someone to make resolutions just to see them fail. Her success journals filled her with pride whenever she read them. They gave her confidence for the upcoming year’s challenges. They served as a reminder of things done right and crises managed. Whether it was moving on, trying something new, or overcoming a struggle, she wrote it all down, only for herself.
It was her favourite and most sacred tradition on New Year’s Eve, along with the relatively quiet countdown to midnight.
So why had she agreed to throw a New Year’s party for Firehouse 51?
By now, she knew every member of Casey’s and Severide’s crews, as well as the paramedics. But around twenty people were a real crowd for her - too much of one, to be honest. A splitting tension headache after two mere hours was all but guaranteed. Multiple conversations, underlined by music. A bunch of people she barley knew. No escape. That scenario would usually serve to send her running in the opposite direction and staying away until it was all over.
The answer lay in a pair of sky-blue eyes. A killer smile. And a voice she now wished she’d had the power to say “No.” to. Matt Casey had helped her out over and over again with her failed investment of a house. Last week, he had mentioned that he wanted to organise a party for his people who had the bad luck of catching the New Year’s Eve shift with him.
The next words out of her mouth had been, “If you give me a list of things needed, I’ll organise everything. This is such a lovely idea!” “Are you sure? We’re talking around twenty guys, so lots of food and drink,” Casey had asked. Instead of backing off, like she really should have, she reassured him, “Absolutely! After everything you’ve done for me, I’m glad to get the chance to help you out for once.” Which was true enough. He had fixed all the major issues as quickly and cheaply as possible. A number of his guys had pitched in to assist their lieutenant on several occasions as well.
So, she did owe him, Severide, and their crews for making her home liveable without letting her go bankrupt in the process. There was also the small issue of her unrelenting crush on Casey. And her too-active imagination. “Okay, then I’ll send you a text with what I think we’ll need later tomorrow,” he had agreed, with clear relief.
This was how she ended up standing in front of the bay doors with Casey’s truck loaded full of food, drinks, and party decorations. Of course, Casey called everyone over to help with unloading, unpacking, and setting up. Thanks to common sense seemingly prevailing in the majority of the city’s population for once, 51 actually got to enjoy their treat.
Severide made everybody holler by challenging Mouch to stay off the couch—at least during January—as a New Year’s resolution. Mouch countered that he’d do it as long as Severide would bench-press Chief Boden ten times during each shift. Needless to say, the chief shot that idea down quickly by asking, “Really, Mouch?” while lifting an eyebrow. That led to plenty of good-natured jokes and a fair amount of ribbing thrown around.
During this, Herrmann asked her, “How come you bought that house? From what I’ve heard, it’s quite the fixer-upper. Were you planning on marrying a handyman?” She was caught off guard, feeling slightly attacked by such a blunt question in front of the entire station. But thanks to her boisterous family, she was quick to strike back. “Sounds like a solid plan! Thanks for the suggestion. Care to recommend any candidates while you’re at it?” Unfortunately for her, he wasn’t outdone so easily. “Well, I’m sure Casey wouldn’t mind...” “Herrmann, let’s not go there.” Casey cut in. Balling her out. “Anyone else up for a refill?” Severide pitched in, holding up a bottle of Coke and effectively ending the exchange.
Since alcohol was out of the question, it didn’t get as loud and chaotic as she had feared. Still, around ten o’clock she was dragging her feet. Rolling her shoulders. Ready to head home. But she drank some Coke and managed to put a convincing smile on her lips for the next two hours.
By midnight, everyone headed up to the roof to watch the fireworks and toast to the New Year. It was a clear but cold night, and the view from the rooftop was stunning. After about fifteen minutes of enjoying the city skyline illuminated by the changing lights of the fireworks, she started to feel the frost in the air.
She wrapped her arms around herself. Tucked in her hands. Pulled up her shoulders. She wanted to get back inside and head home. “Hey, are you cold?” Casey appeared in front of her. “A little. The view from here is stunning, though. I’m going to head home soon in any case.” Whatever her lieutenant had been about to say was cut off by the alarm. “Engine 51, Truck 81, Ambulance 61, Squad 3 - structure fire, 2001 South Michigan Avenue.” “Damn, we have to go. Please don’t leave before I get back! I haven’t even had a chance to thank you yet.” He called over his shoulder, already in motion. You really should have said no then, but instead your subconscious answered, “Okay, sure. I’ll get started on cleanup.” One last look from Casey. Then he was gone. You were left alone on the roof, fireworks still going off around you.
You had to admit; this New Year’s Eve was a new experience—and not a bad one. It wouldn’t make the top of the list of accomplishments for 2025, but it definitely made the top five.
Credits:
Header by: @desimarie12
Dividers from: @cursed-carmine
Notes:
Okay, this got longer than I planed and it took longer too. So yeah, I cut it short, not giving my story the “usual” end with a New Years kiss. I couldn’t find a convincing way to make it happen. So, I did not, sorry. This could end up as the start of series.
Pairing / Character(s): Ensemble (Melissa King, Frank Langdon, John Shen, Parker Ellis, Jack Abbott, Lena Handzo, supporting staff & patients)
Reader: no reader insert
Rating: Teen
Tone: Case Fic / Ensemble Character Study
➤ Part of the Warmanjuary January fic action
➤ Theme: Stoking the fire (warming up January)
➤ Full masterlist
Warnings: medical emergencies, psychological distress, superstition-driven fear, discussion of illness and death, emergency department stress
7:00 pm
“Hey Dr. King, pleasure working with you tonight!” Senior Resident Frank Langdon smiles at Second Year Resident Dr. Melissa King, who steps up beside him. “A full moon night...,” he shakes his head. “I don’t think we’re going to see any more craziness than every other night.”
“You sure about that? There’s got to be a reason, we were assigned to support them tonight,” Mel asks.
“Yeah, I’m sure.”
“Sure enough to bet on it, Langdon?” Attending John Shen throws in from the side.
He shrugs his shoulders, “Why not? So, how many crazies do you get on an average night shift?”
“5 dollars on a max. of two it is then,” Langdon decides.
“Okay, I’ll say at least double. So, my money is on four,” Shen states.
“I’m with you on that,” Ellis announces.
“Guess I’ll do the tally then,” Lena Handzo—the charge nurse—decides.
“Write me up for six, Lena,” Senior Attending Dr. Jack Abbot throws in, while doing the handover.
After the handover from the day shift is completed, Ellis checks the board for her next case.
“Dr. King, let’s check out the kid with the pennies,” Ellis grabs Mel’s attention and heads towards west 13. She opens the door and addresses the mother, “Hello, I’m Dr. Ellis and this is Dr. King. What brings you in today?”
“Pff, my son...Evan... we were at the zoo. They had a “wishing well” in the marine section. It was a basin with a rail and a couple goldfish. People had thrown in pennies and other change,” she shakes her head. “I was studying the feeding schedule and when I turned to Evan... He had crawled under the railing—sat on his knees some change in his hands,” she shrugs her shoulder. “I asked him what he was doing and he said: Mom, look I’m eating luck.”
“He said he ate some of the change?”
“Pff, yes. I have no idea where he got the idea.”
“Barry told me,” Evan pipes in.
“...Barry, oh for heavens sake!”
Mel leans down to Evan, “Can you lay down for me, so I can check your belly?”
Evan nods and lays down on the bed. Nurse Rosa takes his temp and blood pressure, while Mel examines him.
“Rosa, we gonna need an abdominal X-ray,” Ellis orders.
“Ma’am, the X-ray will tell us, where the coins are and how many we have to deal with. We will monitor your son and be back after we checked the X-rays.”
8:00 pm
“Dr. Langdon there is a case waiting for you in west 12. A teenager believes she will die today,” Lena smirks.
Langdon raises his eyebrows, “King you’re with me on this one.” With that they head over and enter.
“Hello Lena, I’m Dr. Langdon and this is Dr. King. How can we help you?”
“Please, don’t let me die. I know I screw up a lot, but please...,” she’s shaking her head.
“Lena! We are going to help you! Please, calm down and tell us what’s going on,” Langdon’s firm voice doesn’t seem to get through to the terrified girl.
“Hm, Lena, why do you think, you’ll die?” Mel tries to get the teenager to look at her.
“Because that’s what the spirit said! She said I’m going to die tonight! Please, don’t let that happen!”
Drawing in a breath, Langdon runs a hand through his hair.
“Okay,” Mel gently lays a hand on the girl’s arm, “Alyssa here is going to take your blood pressure and temperature and test your glucose levels. And we are requesting a psychologist to come speak with you.”
“Should we call your parents for you?” Langdon asks.
Lena shakes her head and replies in a small voice, “They can’t help me...”
Mel squeezes her arm, “Try breathing in through your nose, hold your breath and breathe out through your mouth, Lena.” She demonstrates while moving her hand to show the direction of the air.
Meanwhile Alyssa takes the girl’s vitals and announces that the glucose is normal.
After some breaths, “Very good, Lena. Do this whenever you feel overwhelmed. We will check on you later.”
Both doctors head back to the hub. Langdon looks at Lean, “You got me there, this one counts.”
“You bet it does,” Lena singsongs back.
“Dr. Ellis? The X-rays for Evan are here,” Mel holds up her tablet.
The doctor takes a quick look and nods, “What do you see King?”
“Five coins, possibly six, no obstruction.”
“Which means?”
“We give Evan a laxative and wait for him to pass the coins,” Mel shrugs.
“Correct. Let’s go tell the mom.”
They tally to room west 13 and enter.
“Hello. We come bearing good news Evan,” Mel sits down on the bed across from him.
“We will give you a medicine so the coins come out with your poo. As soon as they are on their way, you can go home with your mom.”
“And how long will that take?” the mom wants to know.
“That depends on Evan’s reaction to the laxative. It could be two or three hours,” Dr. Ellis answers.
The mom sighs.
“The good news is, there is no obstruction so Evan doesn’t need surgery,” Mel assures.
“Mhm.”
Rosa hands Evan the laxative with a smile. As he takes it, Dr. Ellis turns to the mom, “We will continue to monitor Evan. If he tolerates the meds and fluids, we can discharge him.”
9:00 pm
“Rember to eat something now, people. Evening rush hour is about to start,” Abbot advises his staff. The group at the hub nods and moves to follow his recommendation.
After coming back from the lounge Shen takes a look at the board.
“Sudden Paralysis of both legs? Sounds like a case for us Dr. Ellis,” he addresses the Senior Resident. She looks up and follows him to central 9.
“Hello, Mr. Halvorsen. I’m Dr. Shen, this is my colleague Dr. Ellis. You stated in triage, that you lost mobility of your legs?”
“Yes. I can’t move either the right or left.”
“And when did this start?”
“Around 8 pm. We came back from birthday celebration. My wife drove—when I tried to get out of the car, my legs wouldn’t move.”
Shen takes notes on the chart, “How long was the drive?”
“About an hour.”
“And you had no trouble before arriving at home?”
“Correct.”
“Okay, nurse Bridget will check your vitals and draw blood, while Dr. Ellis does a neuro exam.”
Dr. Ellis tests the reflexes on both legs, checks Halvorsen’s pupils and grip strength.
“This doesn’t appear to be a stroke,” Ellis assures the patient.
“It could be a spinal problem,” Shen states, and they move the patient onto his side. So, he can examine the spine for signs of pain or tenderness.
“Well, Hr. Halvorsen so far, we ruled out a stroke and a traumatic spinal injury. We will send you up for a MRI though, to see if there is anything blocking your spinal canal,” Shen sums up the results of their exams.
“We’ll be back, when we have your images and lab results,” Ellis says.
“Fair warning everyone!” Lena calls out at the hub. “At a colleague party someone had the brilliant idea to bring Absinthe. First three patients are on their way. We’ll take them to south 17, 19 and 20.”
Abbot claps his hands, “That means, Dr. King, Dr. Ellis and Dr. Langdon—you each grab one. Give them antiemetics—if they’re nauseous, IV fluids—if they need them and general reassurances that Absinthe is just a very potent alcoholic beverage.”
The doctors agree.
10:00 pm
A man in all black slips through the ED’s doors. Even his messenger bag is black leather. He strides across the floor as if he owns the place, stopping in front of the trauma rooms. There he pulls a pipe out of his bag and lights it. He carefully swings it from left to right, vocalising softly. The charge nurse spots him, when he moves towards the hub.
“Sir? Sir! Stop! Whatever this is, you can’t smoke here!”
He stops vocalising, “My apologies Ma’am, but I’m not smoking. I’m cleansing these halls of healing.”
Abbot steps up beside Lena, “Well, these halls are equipped with smoke detectors, so put this out,” he points to the pipe. “And follow me please.”
“Central 6 is free. And I’ll inform security.” Lena informs Abbot, who nods.
“If you insist.”
“I have to Mr.?”
“Ashcroft, Rowan Ashcroft. Mr.?”
“Dr. Abbot, I’m the senior attending on this shift,” he steers his guest towards the room.
“Dr. Langdon, please join us,” Abbot throws out in passing.
After closing the door he turns to Ashcroft, “How did you get in here?”
“Through the doors.”
“Are you a patient? I mean have you signed in at the window?”
“No, thankfully I don’t require your help.”
“So, why are you here?” Langdon counters.
“Because these halls of healing and the healers require a cleansing. There has been too much stress, pain and suffering here lately.”
“Well, this is an emergency department,” Langdon justifies.
“Mr. Ashcroft, we appreciate your concern, but your continued presence is interfering with patient care,” Abbot tries to reason.
“And possibly smoke alarms,” Langdon adds.
“How about just cleansing the staff then? I would just ask them to transfer all their negative feelings onto Sephira,” Ashcroft pulls a small Boa constrictor out of his bag.
Langdon takes several steps back. Abbot grabs his head, “As lovely as Sephira is,” he extends a hand toward her. “She is an animal and this is a hospital. No animals of any kind are allowed here.”
“I’m sorry but I have to ask you to leave.”
“Can I at least cleanse you.”
“No,” Abbot opens the door and indicates for the man to leave. Security is already waiting for him to escort him out.
At the hub, “Dr. Ellis? Everything has been well with Evan the last two hours,” Rosa states.
“Great. Then King can discharge him.”
“I’ll let her know.”
Shen shaking his head over his tablet, “I can’t find anything wrong with this patient.”
“Apart from the fact, that he can’t move his legs,” Ellis throws in.
“Haha, very funny. So, what now?”
“We go back in and see if something changed. If not, we dig deeper into this.”
“Ah, hello?”
“Dr. Shen, Dr. Ellis, this is my wife, Anne.”
“Nice to meet you,” the doctors greet her.
“Mr. Halvorsen, we’d like to repeat your earlier exam. See if there are any changes.”
“Sure.”
Ellis goes through the tests again, with the same results.
“Ähm, doctors? Have you ever heard of something like this being psychological?”
“It’s certainly possible. Why would you think that?” Shen asks the wife.
“Well, my grandmother cursed him.”
Both doctors take a second to get their facial expressions under control.
“Your grandmother cursed your husband? Anything specific?”
“Mh...you cheating, lying, worthless dick will get what you deserve! Our family’s ancestors’ wrath will come down on you! You can’t outrun your fate!”
Ellis and Shen cough.
“I’m assuming he cheated on you Mrs. Halvorsen? Yeah, the “shock” of being uncovered and publicly called out like this could have triggered the symptoms,” Shen states. “Especially since we can’t find any physical causes for his paralysis.”
“We’ll continue to monitor your husband and check back in an hour,” Ellis holds the door for Shen.
Back at the hub:
“WTF?!” Shen is shaking with suppressed laughter.
“Oh, GOD! I love her grandmother!” Ellis is chuckling.
“Yeah, now let’s hope since it’s out in the open, he’ll improve,” Bridget adds.
“Has Psych been in yet, to see Lena Morales?” Langdon checks with charge nurse Lena.
“No, might still be hours it’s a full moon. They’re slammed.”
He sighs, “Okay. King wanna try again with Lena?”
“Sure.”
Mel smiles as they enter, “Hi again Lena, are you feeling a little better?”
The teenager shrugs her shoulders, still looking tense, “Not really. There are still hours left...”
“Have the breathing exercises helped?”
Nurse Alyssa takes her vitals again, with a slightly lower BP now.
“I think. Still...why is this happening to me!?”
“Lena, how did the spirit contact you?”
“We used a Ouija board.”
“A Ouija board?” Langdon turns away quickly to look at the ceiling.
Mel carefully elbows him, “Dr. Langdon! Lena, you said “we”. Who was with you?”
“Friends.”
“And did these “friends” get scary predictions, too?” Langdon again.
“No, why would they? I asked.”
“You asked if you’re going to die today?”
“No,” she wrings her hands, “I asked about my future. And it said I had none.”
“Jesus!”
“Well, maybe it just couldn’t answer your question?” Mel offers.
“But does the other side not know everything?”
“How could they know the future just because they’re dead?”
Lena blinks, “Mhm, maybe they don’t. But I still feel safer here.”
“Okay, we will not make you leave. We’ll be back after midnight,” Mel gives her a reassuring smile.
When she closes the door, Langdon sighs, “Even without psych we have to keep her here for her own safety.”
11:00 pm
“So, what’s up next,” Langdon checks the board. “Poisoning? Dr. King, you in?”
She nods and they head into north 5 accompanied by nurse Bridget.
“Hello Mrs. Hargreeve, I’m Dr. Langdon and this is Dr. King. What brings you in today?”
“I have been poisoned by my daughter.”
“Okay, what makes you say your daughter poisoned you and how old is she?” Langdon asks. While the nurse takes the patient’s vitals.
“She is 15 and she told me! Now, I’m nauseous and shivering.”
“Did your daughter tell you, what she used to poison you?” he requests.
“No, she won’t.”
“Fine, then we run a Tox screen to find out. In the meantime, we’ll give you some IV fluids and something against the nausea,” Langdon gives his orders to Bridget.
“We’ll send our social worker over to speak with you. We’ll be back with the lab results, Mrs. Hargreeve,” King states.
When both reach the hub, Lena smiles, “There you are, be dears and take care of the next two guys from that Absinthe party. They’re in north 1 and 3.”
“And Langdon, I’d say with your first case, the shaman and Shen’s curse paralysis we’re safely past two crazies now.”
“Yeah, I know and that’s if our mother was actually poisoned,” he huffs.
To Shen Lena says, “Dr. Shen, Mr. Halvorsen can now move his legs again.”
“Good, please discharge him. Tell him he should check in with a marriage counsellor if this happens again.”
“The cheating or the paralysis, Dr. Shen?”
“Either.”
12:00 am
“Dr. King, will you please, discharge our Ouija board victim now?” Langdon sounds pained. Treating intoxicated partygoers on top of a night with crazies all over the board will do that.
“Sure, Dr. Langdon. On my way now. You don’t wanna come?”
“Hell, no!”
“So, Lena, it’s 0:30 am now. You feeling okay?”
“I guess.”
“Great, then we will let you go home now. Your vitals are better and you’re a lot calmer. Nurse Alyssa will give a referral to see a psychologist the next couple days. Be safe.”
“Bye, Dr. King...and thank you.”
Mel smiles, “You’re welcome Lena.”
They’re barely back at the board, when charge nurse Lena turns to Dr. Shen.
“Dr. Shen, can you check on north 4 next? The patient is pretty terrified,” she asks.
“Family history of heart attacks at the age of 35?” he reads from the chart.
“That can’t be real,” Langdon shakes his head.
“Let’s find out Dr. Langdon. Bridget, you free?”
“Coming.”
“Hello, Mr. O’Connell. I’m attending Dr. Shen and this is our senior resident Dr. Langdon. Nurse Bridget will take your vitals while we go over some questions.”
“Hello. Two doctors?”
“Yes, you get the two for one special tonight,” Shen offers a tight smile. “So, what can we do for you?”
“I know it sounds like...make-believe or something. But my father died at 35 from something with his heart, as did his father and his grandfather before him. And I turn 35 tomorrow, well technically today.”
“Three deaths in the same family in connection with heart problems sounds like a pattern to me Mr. O’Connell, not make-believe,” Shen reassures the patient.
“We will run labs and an EKG first to rule out immediate heart events,” Langdon nods to Bridget. “Also, someone from cardiology is going to take a look at you.”
“As soon as those are back, we’ll come talk to you. In the meantime, you will be closely monitored,” Shen states pointing to the monitor the patient is connected to.
Bridget has taken the patient’s temperature and BP and is now drawing the blood.
Lena catches Mel in the hallway, “Dr. King, we just got to more Absinthes’. Can you take them?”
“Sure, where are they?”
“West 13 and 14.”
“Got it.”
1:00 am
“Do we have to involve social services?” King asks Abbot as they present their case to him at the hub.
“Yeah, no way around that. Even if we find nothing, a minor claiming to have poisoned their parent, means they have to get involved.”
“I’ll make the call,” Langdon agrees.
“And I’ll call Kiara to speak with the mom,” King offers.
“And get Lena to call the daughter, maybe she’ll tell her what’s going on here,” Abbot adds.
When Langdon checks his tablet, after making the call to social services, he calls Shen over, “Hey, Dr. Shen, the EKG of Mr. O’Connell is a little borderline, BP is still high. And cardiology hasn’t been down yet.”
“Pff. Then it’s us again.”
“Hello again, Mr. O’Connell. So, your lab results are fine. And we don’t see any sign for a current heart problem,” Shen sums up.
“However, could you be more specific about what kind of problems the males in your family had with their hearts?” Langdon quizzes.
“Well, my father was an electrician. He had a work accident and died the next day. He had a heart attack I think.”
“An electrician—with a work-related accident; Mr. O’Connell, was that accident an electric shock?” Shen’s brows are pinched together.
“Yes,” the patient nods. “That’s what my mom said.”
“Okay, and your grandfather—did he have any accidents before his heart issues?”
O’Connell shrugs his shoulders, “I don’t think getting stabbed in the heart during Vietnam counts as an accident.”
“No, but it sure explains why he developed heart problems later.”
“But he lived for five more years after coming back!”
“Yeah, that’s possible. Some heart injuries weaken it and lead to a person’s death years after the initial injury,” Langdon offers.
“That leaves your great grandfather,” Shen’s tipping his fingers against the tablet.
“He didn’t have any accidents, that I know of or other injuries to his heart.”
“So, under what circumstances did he die?” Langdon wants to know.
Another shoulder shrug, “He worked in the fields the whole morning the way my grandmother told the story. Then shortly after lunch he just collapsed and died in a matter of hours.”
“In the fields—at what time of year?” Shen leans forward.
“Harvest season—late summer.”
“Was it a hot day?”
“Very, my mother complained about how much water she had to carry over.”
“Heatstroke!” both doctors look at each other.
“Ähm, that means?”
“This means Mr. O’Connell; you don’t have a family history of heart issues before the age of 35. You family line had just a chain of unfortunate but unconnected deaths,” Shen explains calmly.
“Since your EKG was borderline though, we recommend a follow-up with cardiology in the next couple days. But it may very well have been stress-related,” Langdon advises.
“Pff, a series of unfortunate deaths—and I thought I was doomed. Thank you doctors.”
“You are very welcome Mr. O’Connell.”
Outside both doctors shake their heads at each other.
“That’s one unlucky family,” Langdon offers.
“Yeah, no wonder the poor guy was terrified, he’d be next.”
2:00 am
“The labs on Mrs. Hargreeve are back, Langdon,” King calls out to him.
“And did her daughter poison her?” he wants to know.
“Well, assuming she didn’t take SSRI and antihistamine on her own, then yes.”
“Thank God, the daughter was at least smart enough to choose something relatively harmless,” Langdon seems relieved.
“The mother’s BP and heartrate are still elevated. Maybe from the meds or it could be the shock,” King replies.
“Then get her admitted for observation,” he orders.
3:00 am
Lena addresses Langdon again, “Dr. Langdon, I’ve got another for your collection. I little boy in Behavioural Health 1 got himself an invisible friend.”
“Pft,” Langdon sighs. “Dr. King—any chance you want in on that?”
She is already getting to her feet, “I don’t see why I wouldn’t.”
After softly knocking on the door King steps into the room with Langdon.
“Hello Noah, I’m Frank and this is Mel. We are here to help you,” Langdon starts.
“I wanna go home!” the boy whines.
“We understand you, Noah. But we have to know what is going on with your friend first,” Mel replies calmly.
“My friend is fine!”
“That’s okay. Can you tell me who this friend is?”
“He is my mirror.”
Mel smiles, “What do you mean by mirror, Noah?”
“He looks exactly like I do... When I look into the bathroom mirror.”
She draws back a little.
“Does he have siblings?” Langdon looks at the parents.
The mother shakes her head, “No. He does not have siblings.”
“Please, find out what this is,” the father pleads. “He talks to this new friend all the time now and barely to anyone else.”
“When did this start?” Langdon wants to know.
“Only this week—but it got worse fast.”
“Noah, when did first talk to your friend?” Mel checks.
“Thursday night...I couldn’t sleep. I was scared. But mom gets angry when I turn the light on.”
Langdon nods, “So, four days give or take. That’s too long for a poisoning, especially without any other symptoms.”
“And it got worse over time not better,” King adds. She turns to the parents, “Would you talk to our social worker Kiara? It may help us find out, if there were any recent events that would explain this.”
“If it helps, fine,” both nod.
While the parents talk to Kiara in the family room, Langdon and Mel return to Noah.
Mel sits down on the bed besides Noah.
“Hello again, Noah. Did anything strange happen on the day that you couldn’t sleep?”
“No.”
“Okay, did you do something on this day that you were not supposed to?”
“Kinda.”
She smiles, “That’s okay, will you tell me about it please?”
“I played soccer in the garage and the ball knocked a box of the shelf.”
“And what did you do then?”
“I put everything back in the box and put it back.”
Mel nods, “And what was in the box, Noah.”
“Pictures of mom and dad and me...and...and...,” he falls silent.
“Pictures of you, your parents and who else, Noah?” Langdon lowers himself to the boy’s eyelevel.
“Another boy...a boy...who looked just like me. But that can’t be. Mom always says I have no brother or sister.”
Closing her eyes, Mel takes a breath and swallows, “Thank you Noah. We’ll go talk to your parents now.”
A few steps down the hall Mel turns to Langdon, “How could they? How could they just erase the memory of a twin brother from his life?”
Langdon lays a hand on her shoulder, “Grief. It was probably easier for them to deal with this way. The whole family is gonna need therapy.”
4:00 am
“Dr. Langdon,” Lena calls from the hub, as Langdon tries to skirt by.
“Yes?”
“Oh, don’t look at me like that, dear. I’ve just got another one from our favourite party for you.”
He runs a hand through his hair, “Where?”
“Central 6.”
“On it.”
5:00 am
After a conference with the parents in the family room Noah gets admitted to Psych for further treatment.
6:00 am
“Ugh. I’m so ready for this night to be over,” Langdon yawns.
“I thought full moon nights were nothing special?” Shen teases.
“Yeah, yeah. I get it, I was wrong about that.” He turns to Lena, “What’s the official count?”
“The total count is six crazies my dears. The Ouija girl, the Shaman, the curse paralysis, the poison belief, the family-heart fear and the invisible twin,” she counts them off on her fingers.
Mel checks her tablet for the status of her cases.
“Just a regular full moon night then,” Abbot remarks. “And it will stay this way, as long as people believe.”
“Believe in what?” Mel asks.
“In superstition, karma or simple misunderstandings. Many people take their feelings for their reality, without questioning why they are feeling a certain way.”
“Humanity is one crazy bunch,” Ellis adds.
“And that’ll keep all of us busy every other night,” Abbot closes.
Credits:
Line-dividers by @cursed-carmine
And a special THANK YOU to Kat @thatfanficstuff for keeping up my motivation over the last two weeks!
So, if you’ve ever wanted to send a request, ask about a fic, scream about a scene, or throw ideas at me: my ask box is open. 😉
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The undercover operation had been a success for intelligence—not so much for him. He was home alone. In his bed. Remembering you…
The way you danced, like nothing else mattered. Your body moving to the beat until he felt his heartbeat fall in sync. Your hair kissing your shoulders with every move. Those pants hugging your hips. That damn shirt revealing just one shoulder and a glimpse of your belly when you moved just right. He had wanted to push it off you so badly.
For a second, he thought of the badge clipped inside his jacket—and how easily some lines blurred. But he couldn’t even go over to you. He was on the clock. And his job was to keep his eyes on the mark. So all he got were quick, stolen glances. Then the fucking mark had stood up and left. He could’ve screamed in frustration. He had to follow him. Had to spring the trap on the cursed guy. No time to even send you his number with a drink or ask the barkeep about you.
So he lay naked on his back in bed, closing his eyes. Thinking about what could have been.
He walked over to you, through the dancing crowd. When he reached you, you turned your back to him. Grabbing his right hand, you placed it on your hip. It came to rest on your skin, beneath the shirt, right above your waistband. Leaning forward, he murmured low near your ear, “So, you wanna dance with me?” Your laughter rang out over the music, hooking into a long-forgotten yet familiar memory. The back of your head softly hit his shoulder. His nose filled with your perfume. ~His breath quickened. He grew hard.~
There was no answer from you. But you stepped back into him. Next, you started to move with him and the beat. Your ass brushed against him over and over. Never for long, never quite the full, prolonged connection he craved. ~His hand pressed down on his hardened dick. A moan escaped his lips.~ It was sweet torture. He could only take it for so long. “Enough teasing. Let’s step outside,” were his next words, followed by him leading you out the back door to his truck.
Jay closed his fingers firmly around himself, stroking up and down. The gathered precum eased his movements. Your body would have gripped him so tight. Now he couldn’t hold back the groans any longer. Rotating the flat of his hand over the tip, he sped up his movements, hips coming off the bed to thrust up. The sounds falling from his lips grew louder. Needier. Still, he drew out the pleasure, prolonging the time he could feel you riding him. Just a little longer—then he squeezed harder, thumbed the sensitive tip.
“Argh,” his loud groan vibrated against the walls. His head fell into the pillows, hips stilling after two more thrusts. But his eyes remained closed.
Credits:
This fic was inspired by two works:
– Like You Mean It by @thatfanficstuff (Chapter One: Bad Thing)
– In the Shower by @godjustkys
Both influenced the tone and framing of this piece.
Header and Line Divider by the author
Writen as part of the Warmanjuary fic action Masterlist Warmanjuary
January is the worst month for me. It’s cold, the holidays are over, and then there are the resolutions… On top of that, my birthday is on January 24th.
So this year, I decided to do something for myself—and for this poor January. I wanted to add some warmth and make a resolution that is as fun as it is useful: writing myself a birthday countdown story calendar in English.
I call this story collection Warmanjuary (Stoking the Fire).
All fics are one-shots that I had fun writing. They are meant to warm me from the inside out. If you need some warmth too, feel free to take your pick:
🤍 Fluff
🌩️ Stormy / heavy / emotionally intense
😂 Humor
☕ Slice of Life
🔍 Character Study
All angst has a happy ending.
If there is no mention of a reader, there is no reader insert.
If you're looking for a recomendation:⭐= Author favorite
This post will only contain SFW contend from this fic action. So certain days will be missing here. I plan on writing SFW mirror storys for them as soon as all storys for this are completed.
The MDNI Masterlist can be found here.
Day #1 - SFW Mirror😂🤍A Little Dangerous
Jay Halstead, Greg "Mouse" Gerwitz, fem!reader
You watch Jay. Jay watches his mark and you. And Mouse? Always watches everyone.
Day #2😂☕Glorious
Gloria, Dana Evans & the usual suspects
Gloria expects efficiency, obedience, and results. What she gets is cold air, cactus deliveries, and an alarming amount of forms.
Day #3 - SFW Mirror☕🔍Deadly Dreams
Sam & Dean Winchester
As the investigation in Sleepy Eye drags on, Dean begins to notice what Sam won’t admit: exhaustion without cause, dreams that linger too long, and something in the night that knows exactly when to let go.
To get answers, they’ll have to stop avoiding the danger—and invite it closer.
Day #4🔍🌩️Angles of Confilct Part One of 2
Derek Morgan x GN!reader
You challenge Derek Morgan’s methods on the mat—and force him to answer with everything he knows. Respect is earned, not given.
Day #5🤍☕Closing the Distance Part Two of 2
Derek Morgan x GN!reader
A long day at Quantico ends not with escalation, but with honesty — shared tea, an earned kiss, and the quiet decision to slow down instead of rushing forward.
Day #6 - SFW Mirror🔍🌩️Streched Thin
Greg "Mouse" Gerwitz x fem!reader, Jay Halstead
A coordinated cyberattack disrupts 911 dispatch, forcing the district into manual operations and stretching resources thin. While Mouse works to trace the breach, Jay manages escalating field chaos. As patterns emerge, the team moves to contain the threat before a targeted distraction turns into something bigger.
Day #7 😂☕German Breakfast
Firehouse 51 crew x GN!Reader
A German firefighter brings a “German breakfast” to Firehouse 51, triggering confusion, complaints, and a quietly satisfying reveal over shared food.
Day #8🤍🔍Overruled
Dr. Robert Chase x male oc; Dr. Gregory House
When House refuses to respect a day off, someone else does. A quiet Sunday of enforced rest turns into chosen intimacy—earned boundaries, steady hands, and Dr. Robert Chase finally allowed to stop.
Day #9☕🔍Stay for Tea
Aziraphale x Crowley
A small, contained moment: Crowley arrives after closing, Aziraphale puts the kettle on, and shared space is offered without pressure. The story ends where it becomes comfortable.
Day #10 - SFW Mirror ☕🔍 Cap holds the Floor
Dr. Robby x gn!med studend reader
A fourth-year med student shadows Dr. Robby through a brutal ED shift—heat strokes, a mass food poisoning, and a cardiac arrest. Amid the chaos, the student begins to notice something: Cap isn’t just running the floor—he’s running a system to keep himself steady.
Day #11🤍😂Found Trouble ⭐
Hank Voight
A quiet night in West Garfield Park turns unexpectedly kind when Sergeant Voight intervenes — not just to stop trouble, but to find it. A short, warm procedural vignette about authority, invisibility, and a dog who knows when to bark.
Day #12🔍🖤The Challange
Aaron Hotchner x fem!reader
He looks guilty. The evidence points his way. But a defense attorney who doesn’t bluff takes on the BAU—and the truth turns out to be quieter, and worse.
Bonus Day #12 🔍☕Whiskey Neat
Aaron Hotchner x fem!reader
A drink at the hotel bar turns into a debate about justice, compromise, and what it costs to win. Attraction is easy. Reconciling your beliefs with his is not
Day #13 🤍☕Behave
Matt Casey x fem!reader
One drink. One word. One choice.
A quiet bar, a line she won’t cross again, and a man who knows how to behave.
Day #14😂🔍Cat & Mouse
Penelope Garcia x Greg (Mouse) Gerwitz
A game of nicknames, networks, and one very literal mouse.
Day #15 - SFW Mirror☕🔍The Dream Lord
Sam & Dean Winchester
The answers are finally within reach.
Tracing the case back to its source leads Sam and Dean to a ritual meant to guard sleep—and a creature that never learned when to let go. Confronting the Dream Lord means redefining its rules, reckoning with consent, and fixing what was broken without turning rest into a weapon.
Day #16☕😂Disarming Serpent ⭐
Crowley, Aziraphale, fem!reader
A late-night visit to a certain Soho bookshop. A frustrated witch, a dangerous idea, and a better one. Sometimes the world isn’t fixed by force—but by thinking sideways.
Day #17 - SFW Mirror☕🤍Professional Performance
Dr. Jack Abbot x GN!reader
Valentine’s Day. Night shift. A carjacking case. You and Jack Abbot went home together this afternoon. Now you have to work together — and decide what that means.
Day #18😂☕Who gets her?
Kelly Severide x Leslie Shay
A little flirting, a lot of teasing, and absolutely no one “wins.”
Day #19🔍🌩️ Defining Terms
Dr. James Wilson x fem!oc (x2)
A quiet House M.D. character study about choice, limits, and who gets to define “hope” when the odds are low.
Day #20☕ Game Night
Jay Halstead x Greg "Mouse" Gerwitz; fem!OC
A long shift, an unplanned interruption, and a night that settles into quiet instead of noise. Jay and Mouse, watching hockey, sharing space, and being exactly what the other needs—no more, no less.
Day #21😂☕Cold Calling
Corwley, fem!oc, male!oc
A life insurance cold call reaches the wrong Mr. Crowley — and a perfectly normal call center learns just how far procedure can bend before it breaks.
Day #22☕🔍Quiet Danger
Sam & Dean Winchester
A routine investigation in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota turns up nothing but exhaustion, closed doors, and a death no one can quite explain. Some threats don’t announce themselves—they let you rest.
Day #23☕🤍After the Shift
Matt Casey & Kelly Severide
A long night, too many hours on their feet, and nowhere left to pretend. At Molly’s, exhaustion softens old lines between friends. What follows isn’t reckless or rushed—just two men choosing comfort, care, and honesty when the shift finally ends.
Final Day #24
☕🌩️😂 What We Believe
Jack Abbot, Melissa King, Frank Langdon, John Shen, Parker Ellis, Lena Handzo, Bridget Young, supporting oc!nurses
Night shift. Full board. Everyone is certain they know what’s wrong.
A girl afraid of a prophecy. A mother convinced she’s been poisoned. A man certain his heart is next. A child talking to someone no one else can see.
While the ED fills, a bet is made, quietly lost, and forgotten — because some nights aren’t about being right. They’re about what we believe, and who we trust to hold the line until morning.
January is the worst month for me. It’s cold, the holidays are over, and then there are the resolutions… On top of that, my birthday is on January 24th.
So this year, I decided to do something for myself—and for this poor January. I wanted to add some warmth and make a resolution that is as fun as it is useful: writing myself a birthday countdown story calendar in English.
I call this story collection Warmanjuary (Stoking the Fire).
All fics are one-shots that I had fun writing. They are meant to warm me from the inside out. If you need some warmth too, feel free to take your pick:
🔥 Smut
🤍 Fluff
🌩️ Stormy / heavy / emotionally intense
🖤 Dark
😂 Humor
☕ Slice of Life
🔍 Character Study
All angst has a happy ending.
If there is no mention of a reader, there is no reader insert.
If you're looking for a recomendation:⭐= Author favorite
Day #1🔥🌩️Lonely Night
Jay Halstead x GN!reader (MDNI)
The undercover was a success. As was his restraint. Jay Halstead, undercover in a bar, goes home with the mark arrested — and the memory of exactly what he didn’t get to touch.
Day #1 - SFW Mirror 😂 🤍A Little Dangerous
Jay Halstead, Greg "Mouse" Gerwitz, fem!reader
You watch Jay. Jay watches his mark and you. And Mouse? Always watches everyone
Day #2 😂☕Glorious
Gloria, Dana Evans & the usual suspects
Gloria expects efficiency, obedience, and results. What she gets is cold air, cactus deliveries, and an alarming amount of forms.
Day #3🔥 Last Round
Dean Winchester x m!reader (MDNI)
What starts as a joke over whiskey turns into a test of endurance, pride, and who actually calls the shots when the bar closes.
Day #3 - SFW Mirror☕🔍Deadly Dreams
Sam & Dean Winchester
As the investigation in Sleepy Eye drags on, Dean begins to notice what Sam won’t admit: exhaustion without cause, dreams that linger too long, and something in the night that knows exactly when to let go.
To get answers, they’ll have to stop avoiding the danger—and invite it closer.
Day #4🔍🌩️Angles of confilct Part One of 2
Derek Morgan x GN!reader (character study)
You challenge Derek Morgan’s methods on the mat—and force him to answer with everything he knows. Respect is earned, not given.
Day #5🤍☕Closing the Distance Part Two of 2
Derek Morgan x GN!reader
A long day at Quantico ends not with escalation, but with honesty — shared tea, an earned kiss, and the quiet decision to slow down instead of rushing forward.
Day #6🔥😂Down for You (MDNI)
Greg Gerwitz (Mouse) x fem!reader
Night shifts suck — especially when the 911 system goes down but the city keeps moving. On your break, you find Mouse right where he’s needed… and exactly where you need him.
Day #6 - SFW Mirror🔍🌩️Streched Thin
Greg "Mouse" Gerwitz x fem!reader, Jay Halstead
A coordinated cyberattack disrupts 911 dispatch, forcing the district into manual operations and stretching resources thin. While Mouse works to trace the breach, Jay manages escalating field chaos. As patterns emerge, the team moves to contain the threat before a targeted distraction turns into something bigger.
Day #7 😂☕German Breakfast
Firehouse 51 crew x GN!Reader
A German firefighter brings a “German breakfast” to Firehouse 51, triggering confusion, complaints, and a quietly satisfying reveal over shared food.
Day #8🔥🔍Overruled (MDNI)
Dr. Robert Chase x male oc; Dr. Gregory House
When House refuses to respect a day off, someone else does. A quiet Sunday of enforced rest turns into chosen intimacy—earned boundaries, steady hands, and Dr. Robert Chase finally allowed to stop.
Day #9☕🔍Stay for Tea
Aziraphale x Crowley
A small, contained moment: Crowley arrives after closing, Aziraphale puts the kettle on, and shared space is offered without pressure. The story ends where it becomes comfortable.
Day #10 ☕🔍 Mandatory (MDNI)
Mature themes due to institutional pressure and mental health context; no sex or violence.
Dr. Robby x fem!reader; Dana Evans
After a public incident, hospital protocol takes over.
A scheduled meeting, clear boundaries, and institutional safeguards put structure around a situation that can’t be ignored.
Day #10 - SFW Mirror ☕🔍 Cap holds the Floor
Dr. Robby x gn!med studend reader
A fourth-year med student shadows Dr. Robby through a brutal ED shift—heat strokes, a mass food poisoning, and a cardiac arrest. Amid the chaos, the student begins to notice something: Cap isn’t just running the floor—he’s running a system to keep himself steady.
Day #11🤍😂Found Trouble ⭐
Hank Voight
A quiet night in West Garfield Park turns unexpectedly kind when Sergeant Voight intervenes — not just to stop trouble, but to find it. A short, warm procedural vignette about authority, invisibility, and a dog who knows when to bark.
Day #12🔍🖤The Challange
Aaron Hotchner x fem!reader
He looks guilty. The evidence points his way. But a defense attorney who doesn’t bluff takes on the BAU—and the truth turns out to be quieter, and worse.
Bonus Day #12 🔍☕Whiskey Neat
Aaron Hotchner x fem!reader
A drink at the hotel bar turns into a debate about justice, compromise, and what it costs to win. Attraction is easy. Reconciling your beliefs with his is not.
Day #13🤍☕Behave
Matt Casey x fem!reader
One drink. One word. One choice. A quiet bar, a line she won’t cross again, and a man who knows how to behave.
Day #14😂🔍Cat & Mouse
Penelope Garcia x Greg (Mouse) Gerwitz
A game of nicknames, networks, and one very literal mouse.
Day #15 🔥While Sam Sleeps (MDNI)
Sam Winchester x m!monster
In dreams, Sam lets himself rest.
In dreams, something else learns how he thinks.
He allows it—once more—before he decides to hunt.
Day #15 - SFW Mirror☕🔍The Dream Lord
Sam & Dean Winchester
The answers are finally within reach.
Tracing the case back to its source leads Sam and Dean to a ritual meant to guard sleep—and a creature that never learned when to let go. Confronting the Dream Lord means redefining its rules, reckoning with consent, and fixing what was broken without turning rest into a weapon.
Day #16☕😂Disarming Serpent ⭐
Crowley, Aziraphale, fem!reader
A late-night visit to a certain Soho bookshop.
A frustrated witch, a dangerous idea, and a better one.
Sometimes the world isn’t fixed by force—but by thinking sideways.
Day #17🔥Expectations (MDNI)
Dr. Jack Abbot x GN!reader
A public ask, a quiet yes, and a few deliberate hours between two professionals who know where the lines are.
Day #17 - SFW Mirror☕🤍Professional Performance
Dr. Jack Abbot x GN!reader
Valentine’s Day. Night shift. A carjacking case. You and Jack Abbot went home together this afternoon. Now you have to work together — and decide what that means.
Day #18😂☕Who gets her?
Kelly Severide x Leslie Shay (platonic)
A little flirting, a lot of teasing, and absolutely no one “wins.”
Day #19🔍🌩️ Defining Terms
Dr. James Wilson x fem!oc (x2)
A quiet House M.D. character study about choice, limits, and who gets to define “hope” when the odds are low.
Day #20☕ Game Night
Jay Halstead x Greg "Mouse" Gerwitz; fem!OC
A long shift, an unplanned interruption, and a night that settles into quiet instead of noise.
Jay and Mouse, watching hockey, sharing space, and being exactly what the other needs—no more, no less.
Day #21😂☕Cold Calling
Corwley, fem!oc, male!oc
A life insurance cold call reaches the wrong Mr. Crowley — and a perfectly normal call center learns just how far procedure can bend before it breaks.
Day #22☕🔍Quiet Danger
Sam & Dean Winchester
A routine investigation in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota turns up nothing but exhaustion, closed doors, and a death no one can quite explain. Some threats don’t announce themselves—they let you rest.
Day #23☕🤍After the Shift
Matt Casey & Kelly Severide
A long night, too many hours on their feet, and nowhere left to pretend.
At Molly’s, exhaustion softens old lines between friends. What follows isn’t reckless or rushed—just two men choosing comfort, care, and honesty when the shift finally ends.
Final Day #24
☕🌩️😂 What We Believe ⭐
Jack Abbot, Melissa King, Frank Langdon, John Shen, Parker Ellis, Lena Handzo, Bridget Young, supporting oc!nurses
Night shift. Full board. Everyone is certain they know what’s wrong.
A girl afraid of a prophecy.
A mother convinced she’s been poisoned.
A man certain his heart is next.
A child talking to someone no one else can see.
While the ED fills, a bet is made, quietly lost, and forgotten — because some nights aren’t about being right.
They’re about what we believe, and who we trust to hold the line until morning.
Close to midnight the shop was finally open. You had observed it since the morning, waiting for the sign to flip. It was well known that the “owner” kept the opening hours obscured. Still, you’d hoped for a little more luck. But luck was not on your side. And that was the least of your problems. Well, you were here to change that. Quietly humming along to the beat of “The devil within” by Digital Daggers from your headphones, you entered.
Nodding at the man behind the counter, you stepped directly toward the nearest shelf. His presence had felt somewhat heavy to you. But you weren’t here for him. There had to be something about transformation magic in here. So, you went through book after book then moved on to the next shelf. The entire time you felt him watching you. It was disturbing. You rolled your shoulders and glanced toward the staircase. Maybe you’d have better chances upstairs.
When you headed over, he stepped in your path. With an annoyed look, you paused the music and pushed the headphones down.
“Yes?” you asked sharply, both of your hands making the universal “What do you want?” gesture.
“Good evening, my dear. Are you looking for anything in particular?” He looked honestly concerned.
“Transformation magic,” you replied. He might as well make himself useful.
“And what you are trying to transform?” he asked, while slightly elevating his eyebrows.
“Knives,” you hissed, irritated.
“Knives. Hm, what do you want them to turn into?”
“Why would you need to know that? You sell books. I need a book. So go, find it,” you snapped at him. It made your stomach turn, but your patience had run out.
“My dear please, I promise I am only trying to help you. The kind of enchantment you are aiming for is a rather complicated and delicate task.” His voice didn’t raise a single notch; it got softer instead. “Let us take a seat and see if we can find a less difficult path to your goal.” He pointed towards the plush, heavy chairs in a corner.
“Oh, to Hell with it! Fine.” You stomped over to the chairs and dropped into one of them.
The shopkeeper sat down in the other seat. Before he could say something, a man came down the staircase. You blinked and angled your head. There was something there. Somehow, he reminded you of Henry—your Boa constrictor—impossible.
“Aziraphale, what did you do now?” the newcomer leaned against Aziraphale’s armchair.
“Crowley, I am trying to help here!” he replied offended. “We are going to find a solution for this witch’s problem.”
“And that problem is?”
“Everybody my age and some even younger carrying a knife around. And they are using them too! This has to be stopped!” you threw at them, slapping your hands down on the armrests.
“I see. And you were going to solve this by transforming the knives into...?”
“Snakes,” you supplied. Correcting yourself, “Well they prefer serpent—especially the big ones.” You ended up looking at the man named Crowley.
“Very true,” he stated, “But what happens then—with them?”
That was a good question. One you had no answer to. Cause animals getting hurt on your behalf was unacceptable to you.
“Witch?”, Aziraphale addressed you gently. “Have you thought about using an illusion for this?”
You froze. An illusion? Illusions were simple—relatively speaking. And nobody was going to get hurt—serpents or humans.
“That sounds picture perfect,” you perked up. “So, every time someone grabs a knife, they see a serpent in its place.”
“You want all restaurants to close?” Crowley drawled. “You know, they use knives rather often.”
“Ähm,...” you stammered.
“Certainly, no one here wants that!” Aziraphale cut in. “There is a simple solution. Bind the spell to the intent, with which people are holding a knife.”
“That’s it! Only humans, who want to hurt someone will see serpents.” You were bouncing with excitement, which made your seat squeak.
“And what kind of serpent will they see? A poisonous one or a harmless one? Big or small?” Crowley fired questions at you.
“Corn snakes, they are harmless, small and common enough to cause shock but no panic.” You reasoned—more to yourself than to them.
Smirking at Aziraphale, Crowley commented, “Oh, the irony of serpents disarming humans.”
Aziraphale shot him an indignant look and got up.
“Let me get you the right book then.” He went behind the counter.
You angled your head again and decided it was worth a try.
Addressing Crowley, “On the topic of serpents: Why do you remind of my Boa constrictor—Henry?”
He smiled at you and said: “That’s not for you to know.”
So, you went over to Aziraphale to collect your book and pay. You swallowed. “Thank you, Aziraphale. For your time and your patience—you’re an angel.” You went to hug him.
He took a quick step back, holding up his hands, “That’s quite all right my dear. It was a pleasure. Have a wonderful day.”
“You too.” You waved at him and left the bookshop. You put your headphones back on and chose to “Power” from Songs of Legion from your playlist. The song now matching your mood.
