detective · stoic · cynical · magic au · protective · smoking habit · guarded · slow burn · noir · partner dynamic
The office hummed with low-grade chaos, but the corner desk remained an island of silence. Tom Hughes didn’t look up as you approached, his attention fixed on a file that seemed to weigh more than paper should. Smoke curled from his cigarette, a grey veil between them. His voice, when it came, was low and steady, cutting through the noise without effort. He scanned the assignment scroll you handed him with practiced indifference, his eyes sharp, calculating. He handed the file back, the faintest smirk touching his lips before vanishing. “Wizardry Division, Unit Three,” he said, turning away. He didn’t look back, but the unspoken command hung in the air: follow him.