1. first love
2. friendship
3. love of nature
4. passion
5. soulmates
6. unrequited love
7. lust
8. love of the game
9. devotion
10. love of food
11. polyamory
12. long distance love
13. lovesickness
14. romantic love
15. love of place
16. marriage
17. love of order and method
18. divine love
19. platonic love
20. infatuation
21. maternal love
22. obsession
23. agape
24. love of animals
25. unconditional love
26. forbidden love
27. ecstasy
28. the beloved
--
Day 17: love of order and method
Fandom: Poirot
Rating: Gen
Summary: Poirot falls into a trap.
Poirot sat in front of the desk, waiting for his prospective client to arrive. It was a power play, he knew, to keep him waiting, but Poirot was intrigued enough to concede to be a mountain who came to Mohammed.
The opulence of the room did not impress Poirot, but he did appreciate the order of the man’s desk. Yes, this man obviously shared Poirot’s love of order and method.
Everything was in its place.
Except for one file.
Poirot felt instinctively that the rogue file, carelessly left at a sloping angle, should be neatly placed on the top of the pile of similar. He looked about the room. Everything else was neat.
Well, perhaps, his client would thank him if he—
Poirot gave an exclamation of surprise and horror and drew back as the disturbed reptile wriggled its disapproval at being woken up.
Just then the door opened.
“Ah, I see you’ve met Cyril. Naughty boy.” The man strode behind the desk, picked the creature up by the tail, deposited him in a cupboard, and slammed the door to that cupboard shut.”
“Nice to me you, Doctor Roylott,” said Poirot, realizing this man was not client, he was adversary.

no subject
Date: 2026-02-17 08:23 pm (UTC)I do like Poirot being caught out by his insistence on neatness.
no subject
Date: 2026-02-17 08:44 pm (UTC)Yes, I like that too. Roylott used his passion against him.