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nightmares and how you sleep

Summary:

Ranpo has nightmares every now and then, and he guesses they're only par for the course with a past like his. Edgar is there when he has them.

Notes:

hi! this is just a short little comfort drabble w ranpoe bc i love them. there are spoilers for the third light novel (the untold origins of the detective agency). the adaptation in s4 didn't include everything (as w most adapations of books esp when there is a short time limit of episodes) so i'll put a note below! naturally it contains spoilers for the light novel itself.

in the novel ranpo was kicked from the academy 6 months prior to where the novel begins. however, he is still wearing the uniform and has nothing really else on him which quite heavily implies he only has one pair of clothes and he states he has nowhere to stay or go for the night. as the reader can guess, this implies he's been sleeping on the streets for 6 months at age 14 (or even 13 depending on if he's newly 14 when the novel begins). he's essentially been homeless for half a year at a very young age. this is the mention of homelessness in the fic, and why he used to sleep lightly in this fic. i don't see that talked about a lot (or ln3 in general talked about a lot), but it is part of where he'd definitely get some kinda trauma from!

with that note that's all i really have to say on that for context and the rest of this is basically just comfort writing for me (fellow ptsd-haver) but i hope it's also comforting for others out there :)♡

Work Text:

It's not uncommon that Ranpo wakes up from a nightmare.

He wouldn't say he's riddled with night terrors or anything, but they do happen from time to time.

Now, Ranpo is not a crier. Even when he probably should have a good cry like everyone else in the world, he hates to, because he just isn't that sort of person and he'd rather not look pathetic (which is more of a "how he sees it" problem than a suggestion that anyone else would take it that way). For this reason, he usually just wakes up from nightmares in a wide-eyed cold sweat that is more or less silent besides fear-shaken exhales.

It's also not uncommon that Edgar wakes up easily.

Edgar is a pretty light sleeper, and Ranpo discovered this within the first couple of times they slept in the same bed. For example, the night Ranpo had tried to sneak a bag of chips into bed after waking up randomly (not for a nightmare reason), Edgar had woken up the second he tried to open it.

Ranpo used to be a light sleeper as a kid, mostly around thirteen and fourteen years old. Having to sleep on the streets with nowhere to call home will do that to you, because it kind of has to, but he's been (mostly) able to get back to sleeping like a rock in recent years now that things are better in that regard.

This is all to say that Ranpo wakes up from a nightmare tonight with a stifled gasp-y noise, and grimaces when Edgar stirs.

Despite the sting of a trauma nightmare still coursing through him, he's mainly concerned that Edgar is waking up, because he still hasn't figured out how to not be embarrassed opening up to him. Even though they are a couple, Ranpo is not skilled in being open with anyone. He's still learning to say I love you without feeling like a total cheeseball loser (because he's just not good at being sappy).

However, Edgar is getting up whether he likes it or not (and perhaps part of him does want the comfort).

Edgar shifts a bit before opening his eyes and propping himself up, brows furrowing in worry the moment he looks at him. Ranpo guesses he must look shaken up.

"Are you alright, my love?"

Ranpo swallows, fidgeting with his fingers and trying to figure out how to answer without making the poor bastard fret.

"..Did you have a nightmare again?"

Edgar's voice is so soft and warm that Ranpo is still almost blown away, because the care he's being treated with so outrightly is something he may never fully grow used to. It will always sort of amaze him that someone loves him and cherishes him so much to have that sort of tone, and it's not that nobody else loves him, but it's a different kind of love.

"..Yeah, kind of."

Edgar sits up fully and scoots closer to gently wrap an arm around Ranpo's hip and tug him into his side. Ranpo swallows before nuzzling into his neck, trying not to get too deep into thinking about how nice he is to him. If he thinks about it too hard, he really might cry out of pure sentimental happiness.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, not really."

"What do you need right now, then?"

Ranpo exhales thoughtfully before snuggling up closer.

"Nothing. Just stay like this with me."

Edgar smiles warmly. "Whatever you wish."

Ranpo thinks that's a pretty good deal.