Work Text:
The morning light peaked through the blinds in the author and detective’s shared bedroom. Poe sat at a desk in the room adjacent to the bedroom, where Ranpo currently slept, writing fervently in a new book. Deadlines were deadlines and even if he wanted to stay in bed cuddled up with his sweet tooth boyfriend he had to finish this story. The sound of fountain pen scratching against parchment filled the apartment, mingling with the noises of birds who were chirping to welcome the new day’s light.
Ranpo shifted noisily in the bed a quiet, soft sounding groan echoed as he shifted. The author forced himself to stay focused on his writing, he was almost done after all. Ranpo sat up weakly, his normally messy black hair was somehow messier, and he let out a muffled yawn. He frowned, and looking next to him noticed the spot that was normally occupied by his raccoon loving boyfriend was empty. “Edgar...” he let out a quiet moan as he called, his throat felt sore. Swallowing hurt the detectives throat, and even just saying those two short syllables had caused his face to scrunch up in pain.
Poe leaned over the book, his pen scratching furiously as he finished the final few words for the chapter. “Ranpo is something wrong?” He said as he drew final period.
“Where are you?” He managed to choke out in response to his boyfriend. Poe frowned as he noticed the hoarseness in the detective’s voice.
Poe poked his head back in the room, “I was finishing up writing the story that I have to send in today.” Ranpo let out a small hum of acknowledgment to his answer. The brunette frowned as he noticed his boyfriend’s flushed cheeks. “Do you feel alright?”
“I’m dying Edgar, I’m almost sure of it,” As a cough shook the small man’s frame violently, he laid himself back down on the bed and pulled the covers up to his chin. A quiet groan escaped from between his lips.
Poe left the room and came back moments later thermometer in hand. “I’m going to take your temperature.” He placed the thermometer in Ranpo’s mouth, and placed a hand on his forehead frowning at the warmth radiating off him. He pulled the thermometer out of the complaining detectives mouth. “Not good, Ranpo. It’s much higher than it should be.” He pushed Ranpo’s hair back and looked down at his boyfriend concern pooling in his grey eyes. “I’ll call in and tell the agency you’re taking a sick day.” Poe took his hand off Ranpo and planted a kiss on top of his head.
Ranpo groaned and covered his head with the blanket. Poe smiled at his antics. He stood to leave Ranpo resting, a hand shot out and grabbed his wrist. “Cuddles?”
“Let me get you some soup and tea first, o-okay?” Poe said lifting up the blanket and planting a kiss on Ranpo’s forehead. “They’ll help your throat feel better, besides you need to eat something.”
“Fine.” He released the authors wrist reluctantly, just wanting him to stay by his side.
“I’ll be right back.” Poe wandered into the kitchen and boiled water as he heated up some left over soup he had bought a couple nights ago. He grabbed some tea leaves and placed them in the strainer, as he knew the detective despised the leaves floating in his tea. Poe hummed softly as he poured the now boiling water into the cup and rummaged through the cabinets for the sugar. He pulled the sugar bowl out of the cupboard and placed it on the counter. As the tea brewed he grabbed the phone and dialed the agency number.
Anxiety racked his body as the phone rang, he hated making phone calls. He needed to though, Ranpo couldn’t call the agency. He could barely talk loud enough for Poe to hear him. “Armed Detective Agency, can we help you?” a female voice said sweetly over the phone.
“Uh... h-hello. This is Edgar Allan Poe. I’m calling to say that re-regrettably Edogawa Ranpo will not make it to work today. He’s sick,” He stuttered out his response to the agent on the phone.
“I’m sorry to hear that, I hope he feels better soon. If we need his opinion on a case, Kunikida might give him a call. Have a good day.”
“You too,” Poe said as he hung up relief flooding into him. He pulled the tea strainer out of the cup and placed the sugar in. As he did he felt arms wrap around his waist from behind.
“You’re taking forever,” Ranpo said, his voice came out in a hoarse whisper. Poe’s face went red as the detectives arms tightened around him and his head rested on his back.
“Ranpo, making tea and reheating soup takes time. You should be in bed resting.” Poe was worried for his boyfriend. Ranpo didn’t get sick often, but when he did it took the detective forever to get over the sickness. Poe had a feeling that his need to be bed ridden was due to his obsession with sweets. “You’ll get better faster that way.”
Ranpo scowled into Poe’s back, “I was bored. Laying in bed is boring, what do I do? Stare at the ceiling the whole time?”
Poe sighed as he poured soup into a bowl for his needy boyfriend. “I’ll be in there in a second. But I can’t be with you and carry your tea and soup at the same time.”
“I want candy,” Ranpo said as his arms unwrapped from around the detective’s waist, and he moved to fumble over towards the cabinet in an attempt to grab his sweet treats.
“Not right now,” Poe grabbed his boyfriend’s wrist and led him back to the bed, he helped him get all tucked in and placed a kiss on his forehead. “Candy won’t make you feel any better. I’ll be right back.” Poe left the room again, trusting Ranpo to stay in bed. He grabbed a tray and placed the soup and tea on it carefully. He frowned and thought it would be okay if Ranpo had one small treat. He rummaged through the cupboards and grabbed a short bread cookie. It wasn’t anything fancy, or as sweet as Ranpo would normally desire. But it might tide him over till he felt a little better. He placed a red, fabric napkin on the tray and placed the cookie on it.
Poe reentered the shared bedroom and kneeled down next to the large futon that they slept on. Ranpo sat against the wall, playing absentmindedly with a string coming off the comforter. Poe placed the tray on his boyfriend’s legs and smiled slightly, Karl lay contentedly, snoozing near the end of the bed. The sunlight shown in through the blinds, Ranpo’s eyes darted over to the cookie. His hand shot out and he munched on it happily, taking a sip of the sweet tea to ease the pain in his throat. The smile on Ranpo’s face was enough for Poe to know that his sweet tooth boyfriend found the tea and cookie to his tastes.
Ranpo glanced at the soup, “I don’t like tomato soup,” he muttered, he was starting to sound groggy once again.
“I know, but it’s what we had, Ranpo. You don’t have to eat all of it,” Poe picked up the spoon and scooped some of the red soup up. He held his hand under it and guided it to Ranpo’s lips. “Please? For me?” Poe looked up at the sickly looking detective pleadingly, the skin under Ranpo’s eyes were dark, and his skin looked pale.
Ranpo opened his mouth grudgingly and let the author place the spoon into his mouth. He swallowed, and temporary relief flooded his throat as the warm substance went down. Poe continued to feed his boyfriend the soup spoonful by spoonful, until the small bowl was gone. Ranpo made no sound of protest, considering his stomach had been painfully empty before the soup. The detective let out a yawn as he placed his half full cup of tea on the short side table he placed his glasses on. Poe took the tray in the other room while Ranpo slipped himself down into a laying position.
The author reentered the room and laid back next to his boyfriend, instantly Ranpo’s arms wrapped around him tightly and crawled on top of Poe as if the detective was a heated, weighted blanket. Poe smiled, a blush forming on his fair cheeks. He ran his fingers through Ranpo’s dark hair. “You are a jerk,” Ranpo mumbled.
Poe’s eyes widened and he stuttered out quietly, “What did I do?”
Ranpo held Poe closer, “You wouldn’t let me cuddle with you.”
“Ranpo, you needed food and tea.” Poe tucked some of his boyfriends wild locks behind his ear. With his free hand, he pulled the comforter further up, “Now you need rest. And I promise I’m not going anywhere.”
“Not like I’d let you,” Ranpo scoffed burying his face deeper into Poe’s night shirt, “You’re stuck with me.”
“There’s no one I’d rather be stuck with,” the author said smiling, he placed a light kiss on Ranpo’s forehead.
“Good.” Ranpo chuckled, as he stifled a yawn.
Poe played with his boyfriends hair until Ranpo fell into a deep slumber. He removed his fingers from Ranpo’s messy hair and wrapped both his arms around the detective’s waist. He yawned and said softly, “Guess I need a nap too.” He fell asleep with Ranpo on top of him. After a couple days of the author doting on him, Ranpo felt much better. However Poe, it seemed, would be having his own sick day very soon. Luckily they had more tomato soup in the fridge.