"Will you be my Valentine?" + "Try that again and I swear, I'll be Cupid just to shoot you with arrows," + "Oh god... Why are you here?"

William James Moriarty

Tag/s: PhantomThief!Fem!Reader, Longer Than Expected (800+ words)

"Oh, dear..." William muttered, seeing the Moriarty heirloom missing from its case.

"And this happened only last night?" Albert asked Louis, who hesitantly nodded.

"My apologies... I should have triple-checked everything was secure before we left..."

"No, it's not your fault, Louis," William reassured, analyzing the room.

"Everything was in place. The perpetrator managed to sneak through every security measure we had..." he muttered, not seeing a single footprint.

"Even with Mr. Herder's technology?" Louis questioned, making William nod.

"Interesting," Albert chuckled, looking around the room.

"So, it was a perfect crime?"

"Almost," William knelt on the floor, seeing short strands of hair and droplets of blood on the floor.

"But I believe we have found our phantom thief,"

"Miss (L/N), it is marvelous you could come," William smiled as you stepped into the manor, full noble woman attire.

" Of course, Mister William. It's my pleasure," you courtly smiled with a bow.

"Only a fool would turn down an invite from the Moriartys," you added, making William smirk for half a second.

"Yes, well... I was hoping we could discuss some things over tea," William innocently probed, making you quirk your head.

"Is it about the auction for next week?" you asked as William walked to you.

"No, not exactly," William answered, tracing his hand against your hat and hair.

"I see you are trying a new look,"

"O-Oh, yes...!" you smiled, flustered.

"I thought it would be a nice change of pace," you added, making William smile.

"It looks refreshing on you,"

"Oh, my... That is terrible," you gasped, hearing how someone broke into the Moriarty manor and stole their precious heirloom.

"I do hope everyone was okay,"

"Yes, no one got injured, thankfully..." William reassured, leaning back in his seat.

"Well... All except for you, miss thief," he probed, making you pause.

"Whatever do you mean, Mister William?" you questioned, keeping your innocent facade.

"The thief from last night got a small cut close to their head, I assume," William explained, pointing at the side of his head.

"And I believe your new hairstyle is a result of it, along with your hat," he added, making you cover your mouth with your fan.

"I believe that is too shallow of evidence to accuse me of a crime, Mister William,"

"Then it will be all right if you take it off? Or at least part your hair?" William questioned, making you chuckle.

You looked to the side as you felt the presence of someone, Louis, you assume, along with the eyes of the rest of the residents.

"They weren't kidding when they called you a genius," you sighed in defeat, removing your hat and letting your hair fall, revealing the cut on your head.

"So," you crossed your legs as you leaned back in your chair.

"What now? Are you going to arrest me?"

"Quite the contrary," William smiled, making you raise a brow.

"I would like to recruit you,"

"She rejected your offer?"

"It would seem so," William chuckled as he and Louis walked along the manor.

"However, she did return the heirloom," William reassured, showing the jewelry in his hand.

"Then... What do we do?" Louis asked, weary of having you know their operations.

"Simple, Louis..." William smiled, looking back at Louis,

"We wait,"

After that meeting with William, you noticed he would always be within arm's reach when you were socializing, which does not help since most women try to grab his attention.

Even during your heists, William would mess with you, playing tricks and making it harder to escape undetected.

But nothing you couldn't handle, and he knows.

It also didn't help that his newfound interest in you made your parents think he was a potential suitor, making you both meet more often.

"Oh god..." you muttered as you saw William waiting for you, "Why are you here?" you sighed as he walked up to you.

"Is this a bad time?" he teased, making a vein pop on your forehead.

"Kind of, yeah..." you muttered, ignoring him as you continued your heist.

"Why did you get past the guards?"

"Same way as you,"

You rolled your eyes as you avoided the rest of the guards, William closely behind you.

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again... No." you insisted, grabbing your score.

"So, if you don't mind-" William suddenly held your hand, putting something in it, making you jump back.

"...Try that again, and I swear... I will shoot you," you threatened, but he only smiled.

"Your parents asked me to give it to you," he explained, making you raise a brow and open it:

It was a ball invite for Valentine's Day.

"Oh, no..." you grimaced, seeing the lovey-dovey design.

"Yes... Even I am inclined to say it is too much," William sighed, fixing his tie.

"However, the host specified that we must say these to our dates," William cleared his throat as he walked up to you, making you step back and shake your head.

"Will you be my Valentine?"