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Ranpo always thought love was idiotic. Because how can someone adore someone else so much to dedicate their time, life, money to them? It was stupid, another thing Ranpo didn’t understand about society.
How can you be willing to learn useless things about them? Would it ever be useful? Love was like a flame, one blow and it could disappear. It was fragile, and Ranpo didn’t like fragility.
So why was his heart beating so fast for his friend, or a rival, as Poe still insisted on? Why did his face burn when the writer showed that rare, small, hesitant smile? Why did he trip over his own feet when he laughed?
It was foolish. He never felt that way towards anyone. It was like… a deep care, like that he felt for Yosano or Fukuzawa, but it was more… passionate?
“Ugh!” He huffed, pushing his foot off the ground, making the chair he was sitting on spin. Yosano shot him a look from where she stood next to Kunikida’s desk, who of course worked.
“What?” She said, Ranpo glared at her for even asking. She took the hint.
He was going to meet up with Poe later… Would it be wise to explain these weird feelings to him? Like a confession? He felt weird bottling it all up, his mind practically had a special place for all useless information about Poe.
Like how he loved lavender candles, or the one brand of shampoo he used. How his eyes turned violet in the sun, how his arms were dotted with moles, how his hair was thick and wavy, in contrast to Ranpo’s own spiky type of hair.
But… How was he supposed to do it? Just blurt it out? Recite some cringe-worthy poem to him?
How do you even confess to a writer?
—---
Poe sat in his study, his mind swirling in different thoughts.
He was going to confess to his rival and friend, Edogawa Ranpo. He already felt his face heat up, was a letter really a good idea? Was it too cliché? He felt Karl jump onto his lap, his hand going to pet the raccoon’s head.
“Oh, Karl… At least you won’t ever leave me.” He muttered, picking him up and cradling him close to his chest. He leaned back in his chair. He nearly jumped out of his skin as a sound of raven caw rang out somewhere in his mansion.
Oh, it was his phone.
He put Karl down on the floor, standing up and almost tripping over his numb feet. He sat for too long again. He leaned on the desk for a minute, waiting for his vision to clear.
He took a deep breath and walked out of the room, searching for the device. It was in the living room, he picked it up and answered.
“Yes?” He said, casting a glance out of the window, on the backyard.
“Poe! Why do you always take sooo long to pick up?” Ranpo’s loud voice boomed from the other side of the line, Poe almost winced.
“A-ah, Ranpo-kun. I apologize, I left my phone in the living room. What is it that you need?” He said, fiddling with a button of his waistcoat.
“We’re gonna meet tomorrow at 2 PM! You hear? No excuses, not even for your novels.” Ranpo said. Poe frowned, his heart starting to beat faster in his chest.
“Did something happen?” He asked, concerned.
“No- No, nothing happened! I just felt like it!... So… Tomorrow then!” And the line went dead. Poe moved away his phone from his ear, staring at the screen. Something was up, he knew it, he knew Ranpo by now.
So, tomorrow it is. Tomorrow he will tell Ranpo what he feels like. If he reciprocates, they will be together.
If he declines… Poe doesn’t want to think what will happen.
—---
Poe’s knees almost buckled a few times on the way to the Detective Agency, that's how nervous he became. Good thing he left Karl at his mansion today. It already took a toll on him, his hands were unnaturally cold and sweaty, and he felt a slight pain in his stomach - it was how he felt anxiety.
“Ed!” Ranpo waved with a grin as he saw Poe enter the office. The nervous wreck of a man dragged himself to the desk, looking down at the object of his affections, ‘This was it… No coming back now…’ he thought.
“Ranpo-”
“Poe-”
They stared at each other in slight puzzlement and awkwardness, Poe was going to be a gentleman, so he let Ranpo speak.
“Yeah- So… I was thinking about going to the store and you’re coming with me!” He said, getting to his feet and latching onto Poe’s sleeve to drag him out. Poe almost tripped over his own feet, he cursed the heeled boots he chose to wear today.
“A-ah- Alright…” He said, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to refuse anyway. And so, Ranpo held onto his sleeve all the way, but they didn’t reach the store.
Ranpo brought him to a… Park?
“Dear Ranpo, this isn’t the store…?” He began hesitantly, he was suddenly yanked towards some far off corner without any people nearby. To say he was confused was an understatement.
“Duh, of course it isn’t! For someone so smart, you are so stupid sometimes.” Ranpo huffed, finally pulling away from Poe and crossing his arms on his chest. Poe stared at him in disorientation, what was Ranpo planning? Was Ranpo finally going to tell him he got bored of him? Or something terribly else-
“Ehem- so-” Ranpo began, clearing his throat and averting his eyes. Not like Poe’s eyes were visible anyways.
But Ranpo didn't say anything else, his mouth was slightly open, and it looked like he was still thinking of what to say. Poe absentmindedly began to fidget with one of his rings on his fingers.
“...yes?...” Poe tried to prompt him, but it seemed like Ranpo’s brain stopped. Something must’ve been wrong! Ranpo was the best detective in the world, how could’ve his brain simply stopped?
Finally he blurted out, cheeks aflame, green eyes staring right at Poe’s face.
“I always thought love is for idiots!-” He then threw himself into Poe’s arms, squishing his cheek against the other’s chest and wrapping his arms around his waist, “-b-but I wouldn’t mind being an idiot with you…”
Poe felt his heart start to pound against his poor ribcage, his face flushed in an instant. Was this a love confession he was hearing? Was it or was his hearing deceiving him? He placed his hands on Ranpo's shoulders.
“You-...” Poe stammered out, “w-with me?...” He wanted to kick himself for the way his voice sounded.
“Yes, wi-with you…!”
“Why..?”
“Because-!” Ranpo blurted out, “Because y-you’re stupidly smart a-and pretty a-and I love reading your books a-and I wish I could spend my time always talking with you about anything because you somehow make stupid things bearable and- and-”
“Breathe, Ranpo-kun.” Poe said quickly, accidentally butting in. Ranpo finally took a deep breath, he was rambling.
“So… Will you be an idiot with me…?”
“...” Poe looked down at him, one of his eyes peeking out from behind his hair, “G-gladly…”
Ranpo grinned widely, burying his face into Poe’s chest more.
They stood like that for a while before Ranpo raised his head and glanced at Poe, still blushing madly.
“...Kiss me…” Ranpo grumbled, pinching Poe’s waist. The one place Poe was actually ticklish. He slightly yelped, trying to shift away from the teasing hands, he was sure he was as red as a tomato by now.
“Yo-you want me to ki-kiss you…?”
“That's what I said!” Ranpo pouted. Poe swallowed hard, cupping Ranpo’s jaw with shaky hands. His mouth suddenly felt dry, were his hands sweaty? Oh God what if he fucks up their first kiss-?
He didn’t have a lot of time to think before Ranpo got ahold of his elbows and tugged him down for their lips to meet.
Poe’s eyes widened, he briefly tensed up. When his brain finally registered what was happening he slowly relaxed.
If you asked Ranpo what Poe tasted like, he would say coffee with the faint taste of cigarettes.
If you asked Poe what Ranpo tasted like, he would say cherry flavoured lollipops.
Ranpo blinked in dumbfoundment as Poe suddenly pulled and covered his face. Did he do something wrong? He never actually did this before!
“Uh- you- you okay?” He asked. Poe let out a pathetic sound, slouching his posture - it wasn’t good as it was. Ranpo could see the redness of his cheeks through a gap of his fingers, his face breaking into a smile.
“Have your brain fried down? Hey, come on, I want to kiss my boyfriend a little more!”
“B-BoyFriEND?!?”