Work Text:
Atsushi typed away at his laptop, the click of his fingers hitting the keys being the only sound in an otherwise empty room. It was a slow day for the Armed Detective Agency, with no pressing matters or urgent cases to keep the workers occupied. Kunikida had been the only one determined to still do his job on an uneventful day, and had dragged an unwilling and whining Dazai away with him on a case to ensure that he wouldn't neglect his duties.
After his departure, everyone else had begun to file out of the room for one reason or another, seeking to take advantage of a rare free day while they were given a chance to do so. Because of this, the usual hustle and bustle of the office was gone, replaced instead with silence. Atsushi had elected to stay behind in order to work on a report that he needed to complete, and he had watched as everyone else had left the room one after another.
Everyone, that is, except for one.
Atsushi sneaked a glance at his fellow detective, seeing him enjoying his usual drink of ramune at his desk. For some reason, Ranpo was the only other person who hadn't found an excuse to leave. The teen didn't mind the company, but he couldn't fathom why Ranpo had decided to stay. Normally the older man would be one of the first ones to complain about the stifling office environment, and make up some reason to get away from it. He had the perfect opportunity to escape just like the others before him, and yet he hadn't decided to act on it.
He could spot Ranpo draining the last of his soda, letting out a satisfied sigh once he had finished his drink. He set the glass bottle off to the side (probably to later request that Haruno break it open to retrieve the marble inside) before his gaze suddenly shifted to stare at Atsushi.
The were tiger snapped his head back over to focus intently on his screen, feeling the tips of his ears burning at being caught so easily. He refused to allow himself to peek back over at Ranpo, even to sate his own curiosity, but he could imagine the humored grin decorating the other's face. Thankfully, Ranpo seemed to be in a merciful mood and chose not to call it to attention.
A few minutes ticked by in silence, and Atsushi was just barely able to put the ordeal behind him in order to truly concentrate on his report. Though he still found his thoughts drifting to that of Ranpo. Surely he hadn't discovered any sort of enjoyment by sitting in the noiseless office for all this time. He had to be looking for some form of entertainment by now.
"Hey, Atsushi-kun."
The subject of his musings suddenly spoke up, breaking the established silent atmosphere around them.
The silver haired boy immediately straightened in surprise, his head turning quickly to face Ranpo's direction.
"Ah, yes? What is it?"
The brunette slumped forward onto his desk, his lips pursed in a displeased pout.
"I'm bored," he stated, sounding expectant as he watched Atsushi.
The younger man breathed out quietly, restraining the weary smile that threatened to escape. He should have known that was coming.
"Well, have you tried looking over some of the case files that were sent to us? There might be something interesting in there," he suggested.
Ranpo snorted, waving his hand in a dismissive manner.
"Of course I've already done that, but there was nothing worth looking into. Every single assignment was beneath my involvement. They're such low level jobs that even our inept police force would be able to handle it with no problems," he said, completely unabashed in his opinions.
Atsushi inwardly winced with sympathy. Ranpo truly never was one to hold back on that silver tongue of his, no matter the situation.
"And seeing as how you're the only one still here, you have been designated with the very important task of entertaining me," Ranpo continued on before Atsushi could even respond. "Luckily for you, I already have an idea for what we can do."
Atsushi hesitated, unable to entirely trust the carefree tone laced into Ranpo's voice.
"What idea would that be?" he asked nervously.
Ranpo grinned, holding out his hand and beckoning towards himself.
"Come here, come here."
Atsushi couldn't help feeling distinctly like a house cat being summoned.
But still, there was hardly any point in trying to protest. Ranpo was a master of achieving whatever he wanted, and there were none of the more experienced members of the Agency around to dissuade him in his actions.
Resigning himself to his fate, Atsushi stood up and started to make his way over to the senior detective's desk. His colleague held out his palm right before he was able to stand directly in front of him, instead gesturing over to one of the file cabinets.
"Before we begin, go over there and pick out one of the items in the first drawer."
Atsushi's eyebrows drew together in confusion. Everyone who worked at the Agency recognized that as Ranpo's exclusive snack cabinet. What could he possibly have in mind that would require something that he hid away in the depths of those drawers?
Though he still had quite a few questions, Atsushi nevertheless listened to Ranpo's request as he switched his destinations.
Opening the first drawer as he was instructed to, Atsushi gaped down in shock at the sheer quantity of the boxes that were held inside. Shaking off his surprise, he inclined his head towards the other's direction.
"Is there a particular flavor that you would prefer?"
"Nope," Ranpo chirped out, making a popping sound for the last syllable. "Just choose whichever one looks the best."
That was easier said than done, Atsushi thought dryly as he inspected the collection of sweets at his disposal. Finally selecting a box of strawberry pocky, he closed the cabinet back up as he turned to bring the item to Ranpo.
He blinked once he was able to catch sight of his companion again, seeing that the older male had now seated himself on the corner of his desk as he awaited Atsushi's return. Deciding not to inquire about the other's actions, Atsushi simply walked back over.
"So what do you plan to have us do with this?" he asked as he handed over the box. Ranpo perked up, accepting the item eagerly.
"I'm glad you asked!" he grinned, leaning forward excitedly. "Say, Atsushi-kun, do you know what day it is?"
Atsushi couldn't even be annoyed that his question had been countered with another question. He was instead left wondering why the subject change had been made in the first place.
"Well," he hesitated, "today is Sunday."
"Wrong!" Ranpo replied cheerfully. Atsushi's eyebrows furrowed.
"Eh? But I'm pretty sure it IS Sunday..."
"Oh, it is," Ranpo responded blithely, "but that's not the answer I was looking for."
The teen could only blink incredulously.
"OK..." he began slowly. "Then what answer did you want?"
"The correct response is that today marks the eleventh of November, which means that it's Pocky Day!" Ranpo corrected him.
Atsushi blinked curiously. "There's a Pocky Day?"
"Oh, how little you know," the brunette sighed, sounding almost disappointed. "Yes, it's a day to commemorate the delicious snack that I hold in my hands," he continued, holding the pocky box up as reference. "Though that's not important right now. What is important is how we're going to celebrate this occasion."
"How do you plan on celebrating it then?" Atsushi asked, tilting his head. "Are you planning to eat a lot of pocky?"
Ranpo chuckled, moving to pat the boy heartily on the shoulder.
"Silly, silly Atsushi-kun, that's far too simple! No, I intend for us to play the Pocky Game."
He held up his hand in a silencing gesture as Atsushi started to open his mouth.
"Don't worry. I already know of your ignorance on the subject, so I'll explain the rules," Ranpo reassured, working on opening the pocky box. "Basically, two players take the opposite end of a stick of pocky into their mouths, and take turns biting into it until they reach the middle."
"That sounds easy enough," Atsushi admitted. "How would you win though?"
"That should be obvious. If you don't pull away and the other person does, then you're the winner."
"Oh, I get it!" Atsushi smiled brightly. A few seconds passed before understanding seemed to dawn on him, causing his eyes to go wide. "H-hold on, then if neither player goes to move away doesn't that mean...Wouldn't they be-?"
His colleague smirked at Atsushi's realization.
"Kissing? Yes, they would be."
Atsushi had already come to that conclusion, but to hear it reaffirmed so casually from Ranpo sent the blood rushing to his face.
"W-why would anyone play that?" he demanded, trying not to flail in embarrassment as much as he wanted to.
Ranpo shrugged.
"For personal reasons, sometimes. People like to use it as an excuse to get close to someone that they're romantically interested in. And apparently it's fun."
The teen gaped at Ranpo, wondering how he was remaining so unaffected by the topic at hand. He was requesting that Atsushi play a game with him that had a high possibility of resulting in the two kissing. He couldn't believe that he wasn't just the slightest bit more bothered by it.
A stray question in the back of his mind lead Atsushi to pause. It sparked a fleeting sense of hope in him, one that he quickly tried to quell as he peeked over sheepishly at Ranpo.
"T-then...why do you want to play this with me?" he inquired, resisting the urge to fidget where he stood. Ranpo tilted his head.
"Because I've never played before, it's Pocky Day, and you're the only one here," he listed off easily.
Atsushi allowed his shoulders to sag almost imperceptibly, trying not to let his disappointment show. Of course it would stem from curiosity and a lack of available options. He should have figured as such.
"So are you interested?"
"I don't know..." he muttered with an uncertain frown.
"There's nothing to worry about," Ranpo spoke, dismissing his concerns. "If one of us is too unwilling to continue, then we can just move backwards. It doesn't have to result in a kiss."
Atsushi paused as he considered that. Ranpo did have a point; if he was too nervous then he could always just quit. Besides, it was just a silly game. What harm could it do to play?
"OK," he relented after a second. "I can give it a try."
"That's the spirit!" Ranpo grinned, gesturing Atsushi over as he set to opening the plastic wrapping. "Come here and we can get started."
Atsushi swallowed, attempting to settle his nerves as he took the last few steps to stand in front of Ranpo. He was unsuccessful, and was beginning to squirm as his companion completed his task. Ranpo huffed as he looked up and noticed him.
"You're at a weird angle, and you're moving around too much. Here-"
Before Atsushi could comprehend what he was doing, Ranpo had fisted a hand in the front of his shirt, pulling the boy down closer to his level. A yelp left Atsushi's mouth unbidden, and the sudden change in position forced him to slam his palm onto the other's desk in order to keep his balance.
This left him with his hand nearly touching Ranpo's thigh, and their faces were now mere inches apart. Atsushi was almost steaming at the suggestive pose that they had suddenly found themselves in.
"R-Ranpo-san!" he squeaked, feeling warmth creeping up his neck.
"What? We needed to be this close anyway," the other remarked, expression turning playful as he held the stick of pocky out to Atsushi. "Now go on. Say 'ah'."
Atsushi looked anywhere but Ranpo's direction as he obeyed, taking the end of the treat into his mouth with an inaudible 'ah'. Ranpo followed suit, biting down onto the opposite side with a cheerful hum.
Atsushi took a small glance back after a second, startled to see the green irises that peered back at him. He hurried to shift his line of sight to the floor, but a hand carefully patting at his cheek forced him to peek back.
"Now, now, no looking away, Atsushi-kun. That's another rule of the game," Ranpo informed him from around the pocky in his mouth.
"Seriously?" Atsushi lamented, voice coming through muffled.
"Afraid so," the older man smiled in amusement. "Now then, let's start."
As Atsushi had assumed he would, Ranpo started them off by taking the first bite. Atsushi followed his example, nibbling away at his side of the treat slowly.
They continued this process in consecutive order -- Ranpo happily munching away at his portion of the snack, and Atsushi trying to take as tiny of a bite as he was capable of. His self-consciousness was steadily rising as the distance between the two was gradually eliminated, and he was struggling against the desire to look away and shrink back as he wanted to do.
This had obviously been a mistake. He was aware of the risks before going in, but he hadn't considered just how much having Ranpo this close to his face would truly affect him. Though he made an effort to delay the inevitable by stalling his progress, Ranpo had seemingly made it his goal to pick up Atsushi's slack.
Before too long, they were nearly nose to nose. Their breath mingled together as more and more of the pocky began to disappear. With nowhere else to look, Atsushi was given the opportunity to admire the emerald orbs that mirrored his gaze. He had always thought Ranpo's eyes were beautiful, colored with a bright and vibrant green that left him breathless whenever he saw them. He adored the rare moments when those eyes were actually opened, enabling Atsushi to look upon them even if for only a second.
Now though, with the two in such close proximity to each other, Atsushi only felt dizzy. There was a pounding in his chest as he reluctantly ate another minuscule bite of pocky, essentially only scraping the end with his teeth. Ranpo's hair tickled at the bridge of Atsushi's nose, and they had reached the point where only one small movement would result in their lips touching.
Atsushi had already completed his turn, now it was all up to his opponent to decide how this would end. All Ranpo had to do now was pull away. He had to, right? Surely his desire to win wasn't so strong that he would even allow himself to kiss Atsushi. It was just a matter of time before he ceased playing.
But Ranpo only continued to lean in, seemingly undeterred by the lack of space between them. Atsushi's heart threatened to burst as they reached the last vestiges of the pocky. Any second and Ranpo would draw back.
Atsushi held his breath as those eyes softened, gradually slipping closed as Ranpo moved forward. He took the last of the pocky, successfully destroying the distance between them as his mouth pressed against Atsushi's own.
The teen's eyes widened, a tiny choked sound escaping from his throat as Ranpo's lips met his. Despite himself, Atsushi could feel his eyelids fall shut of their own accord as he slowly melted into Ranpo's touch. The kiss was warm and feather-light, flavored with a hint of strawberry cream that had covered the pocky. It never escalated past an innocent brushing of their lips, but Atsushi didn't care. He allowed himself to enjoy the contact, feeling every single one of his thoughts slipping away.
The kiss ended far more quickly than he would have preferred, with Ranpo moving away after a few more moments. Atsushi's eyes fluttered open, a small breath leaving his mouth as he focused his sight on Ranpo. The brunette was smiling at him genuinely, expression void of his usual cheeky edge, and Atsushi found his heart constricting painfully in his chest.
It was only a couple of seconds later when the recollection hit him, reminding Atsushi of what had just transpired. His jaw dropped open in disbelief, blood pooling beneath his cheeks and causing his entire face to heat up. Ranpo's smile morphed into one of amusement at his reaction, and Atsushi himself was simply trying to stammer out any sort of sentence.
Ranpo, meanwhile, didn't appear bothered by Atsushi's flustered stuttering. He instead nodded to himself satisfactorily as he retrieved the snack box next to him.
"Yep, I was right. It was just as sweet as I expected it to be."
His words sent a fresh wave of embarrassment throughout Atsushi. The younger male gawked dumbfounded at his companion, who was nonchalantly trying to take another piece of pocky from the packaging.
"EH?!"
Ranpo glanced back up, his grin making a reappearance.
"Is there a problem?"
"Y-you didn't pull away!" Atsushi exclaimed accusingly, shock continuing to circulate through his system at the fact that he and Ranpo had actually kissed.
"You didn't pull away either," Ranpo pointed out easily.
Atsushi recoiled guiltily at the other's retort, shifting nervously in place as he looked to the floor.
"I...W-well, no but I just...I thought you would be the one to move away since -- I mean I didn't think you would actually-"
Ranpo watched him intently as Atsushi floundered for an explanation. He sighed not too long afterwards.
"I really had higher hopes for you, Atsushi-kun."
The boy stopped, blinking at Ranpo in surprise. "Huh?"
"I knew you were horribly oblivious, but I didn't want to think that you were this dense," Ranpo shook his head. "What did I tell you when you asked why people play the Pocky Game?"
"That it could be used as a chance to get close to someone you like..." Atsushi spoke quietly, his chest twisting from an answer he couldn't allow himself to believe. "But you also said that I was the only one here."
"Not for the entire day. I could have brought up this idea to the others any time after Kunikida-kun left, but instead I waited until it was only the two of us. Why do you think that is?"
Atsushi was unable to respond as Ranpo pointed the pocky stick at him.
"Honestly. I wouldn't play this game with just anyone, you know," he huffed, turning away and biting into the treat for emphasis.
The teen flushed red, contemplating Ranpo's words as the other munched on his snack. It made sense. There had been more than enough time for Ranpo to propose the game to their coworkers before they all left the office. And Ranpo hardly ever did anything that he didn't explicitly want to do. So it wouldn't have been very logical for him to offer a game in order to kiss someone that he didn't hold romantic feelings towards.
It was such a roundabout method of doing things, but Atsushi figured that was the most straightforward confession he was going to get from Ranpo. Butterflies flitted around in his stomach at the knowledge that his affections were reciprocated.
He took a deep breath as he made a decision.
"Ranpo-san?"
The man in question turned back to him whilst still chewing, inclining his head curiously. "Hm?"
Atsushi reddened further, shuffling his feet as he cleared his throat.
"I-I'd like to play again, if you wouldn't mind. I need to try to win this time, since I didn't before," he murmured sheepishly.
Ranpo blinked once before grinning, completely seeing through his excuse. He chuckled as he took the stick of pocky out of his mouth. It had been dwindled down to where only the biscuit half remained.
"That's very admirable of you, but I wouldn't get your hopes up too high," Ranpo informed him, smiling as he raised the last of the pocky to Atsushi's face. He prompted the blushing teen to take it, with Atsushi allowing him to slip the pocky past his lips. Ranpo leaned in close, his eyes gleaming playfully as he whispered his next few words.
"I don't plan on losing that easily, after all."