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October twenty first. The dreaded day that Ranpo hated so very much. His birthday. He never really took the time out of his year to celebrate it, neither did he tell anyone about it, but deep down he longed to celebrate that day. To feel what it felt like to be a kid again…wearing party hats, eating cake, having a million different balloons and that song. The same song people have sung for hundreds of years. Oh how he longed for that.
This year was no different. It was 5 minutes till the end of his birthday, he sat, alone. In the ADA office, the lights off, a cake infront of him, with the candles glowing brightly. Outside, the rain poured down and hit the glass loudly, distracting Ranpo from his thoughts.
The alarm on Ranpos phone went off, signaling it was the end of his birthday, and that’s when he snapped. For years on end, he wanted to feel the happiness every other birthday boy felt, even if he didn’t tell the ADA members he still wanted them to wish him a happy birthday. The only person who actually told him those words was the President, which he tried brushing off with his usual arrogant tone. Even after that, He tried dropping hints all day, but maybe they were too subtle.
Blowing the candle out of his birthday cake, the light brightening up the grim room faded. The only light source was the street lamps outside of the rain covered window. Ranpo couldn’t help but break down. He tried to hold it back. Biting his lower lip as his eyes watered, but he just couldn’t anymore. He shoved his right hand into not only the frosting but also the soft cake layers themself. Grabbing an entire fistful of cake he just forced it into his mouth. Crumbs and drops of frosting landed on his shirt and pants.
Usually Ranpo would love sweets, anything to satisfy his never ending desire for sugar, but this cake didn’t taste sweet. He’s never tasted anything so gut wrenching before.
After shoving a few more handfuls of cake down his throat, he felt sick. So sick and disappointed in himself. He turned his chair to the side, facing away from the cake and table. Leaning foreword, his shoved his frosting covered fingers down his throat. Activating his gag reflex, his body forced all of contents from this cake catastrophe, and his lunch earlier, to come out of his mouth and onto the floor.
It was a gnarly sight. Vomit dripping down his fingers, chin, lower lip, and all over his shirt. That didn’t stop his breakdown though. Tears continued to stream down his face as he tried desperately to calm down, though of course it didn’t work. The mix of crying plus the overwhelming emotions from his meltdown didn’t help. It just made him throw up more all over the floor.
The burning pain in his throat hurt more than the mental anguish he felt. Ranpo would rather be taking that same blade to his thighs again before ever experiencing this for a third time.
Suddenly the lights in the office turned on. His head cocked to the side, staring up over his desk. There stood a shocked Fukuzawa. Did he see all of that?? Ranpo hoped not..but he probably did.
“Ranpo-..”
Fukuzawa went to lecture ranpo. A habit of his, but the moment their eyes met, a switch flicked inside of Fukuzawa. Almost a parental instinct. He instantly rushed over to Ranpo, pulling him out of his chair and into his arms. Leaning against the wall, he crouched down into a sitting position on the floor. Fukuzawas body acted without hesitation, his brain didn’t even register what he was doing. Still, he continued to hold Ranpo close to him, brushing his long fingers through Ranpos short hair.
Was this the correct move? Ranpo was getting the leftover vomit from his shirt on Fukuzawa. As disgusting as it was, Fukuzawa continued to hold ranpo. He was shocked at first. Of course ranpo was shocked. This all happened so fast..but once it registered in his mind he broke down again. Shoving his face in Fukuzawas chest, he just let it all out. All the pent up years of hurt, of hiding himself from people, of missing his parents. He couldn’t hold it back and it showed. The only other time Fukuzawa saw ranpo like this was when he slapped him, and that was 12 years ago.
Fukuzawa may not be the best father figure, but to ranpo, he was his whole world.