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Ranpo Edogawa, no matter how he looked at it, was really backed into a corner this time. The handsome young thief adjusted the white mask covering his eyes and simply grinned. His black poncho gently swayed in the breeze of the night, reminding the young man just how cold it can get sometimes, even with a trusty poncho to cover him. These men, probably the police officers that had been called earlier that arrived at the speed of sound, had followed him up to the roof of the building; but did they really think they could stop him here? He stopped to admire the jewel he had stolen, holding it up to his eyes.
“You guys really know how to pick ‘em.” Ranpo grinned again, opening an eye to take a look at the ruby. His emerald eye sparkled with pride at his catch. This would fetch a good profit.
“You! Phantom thief, stop right there!” A blonde-haired man burst through the door onto the roof, looking very disheveled and panicked as if he got ready as quickly as he could in the short amount of time. Ranpo blinked, surprised he actually came during this ungodly hour.
“If it isn’t detective Kunikida! Did I wake you up at a bad time?” The mischevious man tilted his head, lowering his hand with the ruby in it. Even with guns pointed at him, Ranpo wasn’t so easily discouraged. He would steal this ruby, along with something else that would be important to him later.
“Quiet, you! Stealing all these things have really thrown me off, you know? I’ve been trying to stick to a strict schedule and you keep messing it up! Soon I won’t be sleeping at all. So I’ve got to catch you, for more than one reason, now.” The young detective started to rant, clenching his fist in irritation. Ranpo simply blinked in response before he burst out laughing.
“You’re a fool to think a schedule would last with me around. Eh? What’s with the grumpy face, Ku-ni-ki-da?” He asked in a mocking tone, placing the ruby into a pocket.
“You’ve caused quite enough trouble, phantom thief.” Kunikida crossed his arms, looking unimpressed with the thief’s childish reaction.
“You’re silly if you think those guns will intimidate me.” Ranpo raised his hand, aiming a finger gun at Kunikida’s chest. “Bang!” He smiled, imitating the noise almost sweetly as he began stepping back onto the ledge of the building. From such a distance, no one could see it but Kunikida’s face had turned a shade of red, his heart thumping loudly in his chest. The phantom thief stole much more than a ruby. He didn’t understand why there was something familiar about this thief. Maybe that’s why he made his heart beat so fast. He brought his hand to his chest, gritting his teeth in irritation. There was no time for silly things like this, get ahold of yourself, he thought.
“W-Wait!” Kunikida exclaimed and stepped forward, snapping to as Ranpo began to fall back off the roof. Kunikida’s eyes went absolutely wide as he scrambled to get to the edge of the roof. The mischievous thief had disappeared, the only thing nearby was a car passing by at a slow pace. It was a convertible, which brought suspicions, but he could only see one passenger. A man with dark hair wearing what seemed to be a white shirt. He was gone.
Ranpo hid in the backseat of the convertible, his black poncho over his body that had landed awkwardly. The driver, who was sweating, simply cleared his throat once they were a block or two away.
“Are you alive, Ranpo?” He anxiously asked. Ranpo poked his head up and cleared his throat.
“Of course I am!” He huffed. “Edgar, take me home or something.”
“But the ruby..?”
“In my bag. You take it to the master. I need to go home and… uh, think about something.” He said, almost hesitating on the last part. Ranpo’s heart was beating so fast from both adrenaline and from the cute reaction he got from Kunikida. That surprised and shocked look as he stole his heart, it was wonderful. Yet seeing him at work as Ranpo Edogawa and not the Phantom Thief bugged him. It was the thief he loved, right? Or, he assumed so.
He loved him but had to get rid of him. Yet he, Ranpo himself, could try to get that thief obsessed idiot to open his eyes and like him, right? He’d like to think that. For now, its best he recovered from that fall into the soft cushion of the car. It was risky but planned. It also hurt like hell. Ugh, damn that detective.