Chapter Text
Ranpo is sitting on the floor at her girlfriends house reading her newest novel. Poe is on a couch above her petting Karl and waiting for her to figure out who the killer is.
Ranpo leans back and looks up at Poe, "the killer is the ex-wife."
"Wha-" Poe is shocked, Ranpo is only a few pages in to the novel and she already figured it out? "What gave it away?"
"It's in the bouquet that was on the table. Yellow hyacinths. She was jealous of the new wife and killed her. It's so obvious dear," She closes the book and sets it on the table in front of them before moving up to the couch next to Poe.
"You know flower language?" Poe learns something new about her partner every day. She never expected someone as intelligent as Ranpo to focus on something so small like the meanings of flowers.
"Well yeah, it comes in handy sometimes on cases. Like just now, if I didn't know it might have taken me a few more pages to figure out the mystery. Always expect the unexpected," Ranpo kisses Poe on the cheek before swiping up Karl and heading to the kitchen in search of snacks. Poe sits there blushing, a hand resting on her cheek where the kiss was. Just how many flowers does Ranpo know?
~~~
The next day, Ranpo is working at her desk at the agency. Well, working is a bold assumption, she's just eating sweets and playing a video game while the other agency members run around in the office getting actual work done.
She opens a drawer on her desk looking for more sweets to see a dried flower on a napkin inside it. She picks up the flower to inspect it, it's a white camellia. Poe must have put it there. Ranpo finds her phone and takes a picture of it, sending it to Poe with the caption you're adorable too. She puts her phone away and carefully lays the flower on her desk and gets back to "work."
Poe is writing at home when she gets a notification. She knows instantly that it's Ranpo, no one else ever texts her. When she reads the message she blushes and sighs. Maybe she started with too easy of a flower?
She puts the work in progress novel away and gets dressed for the day. She puts on a simple dark sundress and ties her hair into a braid. This time, she'll do more than one flower. Karl runs around at her feet, excited to be going somewhere. She picks him up and lets him climb on her shoulders before the two of them head out to a nearby flower shop.
The person working greets her and asks if she needs any help, she mutters a quick no thank you and browses the rows of blooming flowers. Red chrysanthemums, clematis, gardenias, morning glories, a small sunflower, and tulips. If Ranpo knows the meanings, she'll surely get the message. When she checks out, the employee gives her a knowing look. She nods at them and quickly leaves, embarrassed by the situation.
She makes it home safely with all the flowers in one piece, thankfully. She sets them on the counter and Karl curiously smells them. When he figures out that it's nothing to eat he loses interest and walks away. Poe also goes back to writing the novel and waits for Ranpo to get home.
~~~
Right on time, Poe can hear the door open and Ranpo's bright voice reaches her office, "Poooe~ I'm hooome."
Poe smiles and leaves the office to greet her, "welcome home dear, I've got something for you." She leads Ranpo to the kitchen where the bouquet is waiting.
"Good, because I have something for you too," Ranpo smiles and follows her, hands behind her back hiding a surprise.
Poe picks up the flowers and turns around to hand them to Ranpo only to see Ranpo standing there with a single red rose.
They trade flowers and Poe's eyes water from the simple gesture. "Ranpo it's beautiful."
Ranpo cant stop smiling as she looks at her girlfriend, "you got all these for me? Now I think I should have gotten you more."
"Oh no, I am more than happy with just this one, because it's a gift from you. It's the most straightforward flower there is. Thank you."
"Yeah well I love yours too. Oh Poe who knew you felt this way about me," she jokes, setting the flowers aside so she can reach up and hug Poe. She wraps her arms around Poe and stands on her toes so she can reach up to kiss her. Poe hugs Ranpo around the waist and smiles at the kiss. It's short and sweet but it gets the emotions across.
Karl hears the noise from them talking and runs in to investigate, hoping for a snack. He crawls up Ranpo's back, grabbing the rose from Poe's hands and continuing the climb until he's resting on her shoulders. The two laugh at his silly antics and break from the hug.
Ranpo pulls Karl down into her arms while Poe searches for a vase to keep the flowers in. She should have found one earlier but she was more concerned about Ranpo's response.
After the flowers are watered and displayed the two find themselves back on the couch in their usual positions, Poe watching Ranpo read her newest novel while Karl enjoys being pet. The flowers sit on the table in front of them like a symbol of their love.