Chapter Text
“Heya Kunikida~!” Ranpo cheers, striding into the room with a lollipop in his mouth, flopping at his desk and putting his legs up as if he were in a hammock.
The ‘world’s greatest detective’ is late. Kunikida could count the number of times Ranpo had been late on one hand, which led him to look up from his paperwork with a relatively sour expression.
“You’re late,” he states simply, but the implication is clear. He desired an explanation for the detective’s lackadaisical behaviour.
“I am,” Ranpo responds, shifting the candy in his mouth slightly.
With the movement of the candy, a slight bit of writing on the side of the stick of the treat is visible. It had the name of a rather expensive brand, something the man shouldn’t ordinarily afford.
It wasn’t that the Armed Detective Agency didn’t pay well, but the organization didn’t pay well enough that Ranpo could get that particular brand on a daily basis. And Kunikida sure was seeing that fancy golden wrapper in the trash cans of the office a whole lot more recently. Ever since the first altercation with the Americans, in fact.
Kunikida eyes the lollipop with suspicion, his face twisting slightly as he considers that the sweet-toothed detective might have become a little obsessive in his spending.
“That looks expensive. How much did that cost?”
Ranpo pops the lollipop out of his mouth and cocks his head to the side, “What are you talking about?”
Instantly, Kunikida nods his head toward the offending sweet treat, “I happen to know the absurd price of that brand of lollipop, and you’ve been coming into work with one of those for the past few weeks. Did Fukuzawa give you a raise and not the rest of us?” Kunikida can’t help himself from asking, the curiosity inside him nearly murderous at this point.
When the detective realizes that the other man is wondering about his latest sweet cravings, he flushes a light pink shade as if exposed in some sort of well-kept secret.
“They were a gift,” the detective says simply, “So I don’t know how much they cost.”
Kunkida wants to pry, especially since Ranpo had never been the person to be easily embarrassed by anything, but he manages to hold his composure for a little while longer.
Instead, he raises a brow. He had not heard of anyone recently that would give the man any gifts, specifically expensive candy.
By that logic, it could not have been anyone in the Armed Detective Agency who had given the sweets to Ranpo unless they had spent a large chunk of their paycheck on the detective. But Kunikida did not know anyone in the Agency that held that level of respect for the man.
Perhaps Yosano, the closest thing to a sister the detective had, or Fukuzawa, something of a father figure to Ranpo, had given him the gift. But either option, though the most likely, still does not feel logical to Kunikida.
No.
There was something fishy going on with Ranpo, something that was making him act a whole lot differently than the usual way he was at work. And Kunikida swore he would get to the bottom of it. One way or another.
“Who were they a gift from, Ranpo?” he inquires, assuming that the best method to receiving a straightforward response is to ask outright.
Again, the detective blushes as if he has something to hide. Ranpo sticks the lollipop in his mouth again and mumbles something, but the sweet treat in his mouth makes him completely unintelligible.
Kunikida leans forward and crosses his arms.
"I know you very well, Ranpo," he says more sternly than usual, "Spit that thing out and tell me who gave you that lollipop."
In response, Ranpo rolls his eyes as he dramatically removes the lollipop from his mouth so he can speak better and sighs.
“Ed,” he says, his voice sounding as if he were discussing an angel rather than a human.
“Who’s Ed?” Kunikida asks, unsure if he’s mentally prepared to hear what the detective has to say about the man he speaks so highly of.
“Edgar Allen Poe….” Ranpo whispers, his cheeks darkening further.
Kunikida’s face pales as he recognizes the name. It was the name of an American, someone who worked for the ADA’s rivals, the Guild. He had known of a previous rivalry between Poe and Ranpo, but he had thought of it as a lot more one-sided than it was. Up until now, Ranpo did not ever talk about Poe, so Kunikida naturally assumed that he did not care about their rivalry.
But to now have evidence of the very opposite? It rattled the blond man’s brain.
“The same man who you told us was a long-time rival?” he enquires.
Ranpo nods, sticking the sweet back into his mouth and lazily throwing his arms over his head, “Yep!”
A lot of what the other detective was saying made absolutely no sense to Kunikida.
"Edgar Allen Poe came into our agency, gave you a $700 lollipop, and left?" he asks, his lips curling into a frown.”
For a moment, Ranpo’s face pales, “700 dollars???” he whispers to himself, seemingly in disbelief that someone would spend that much money on him.
Then he addresses the blond man, “He invited me to his home to pick them up. He hasn’t come to the Agency since….” he trails off.
It had been a few weeks since the American writer had slipped into the Armed Detective Agency’s office to show Ranpo his newest draft.
Kunikida stares at him sternly, his expression slowly becoming more confused with every word. How long had this been going on?
"You visited the home of...Edgar Allen Poe? For lollipops?"
He lets out a slow, calming breath and rubs his temples in an attempt to deal with this situation he had not anticipated this early in the day.
In response, Ranpo looks more than a little embarrassed, unconsciously brushing at his clothes, where a few tufts of greyish hair stuck to him. Raccoon.
“I’ve….” the man starts, “I’ve visited his home a few times over the past few months. Not just for lollipops.”
He reveals nothing more, allowing Kunikida to potentially draw his own conclusions about what was going on.
Before he attempts to deal with that situation, Kunikida raises an eyebrow, wishing to get more clarification on the current status of the two men’s relationship. “From your generally calm composure, the expensive candies I see you with every day, and the tufts of greyish fur on your coat, I assume that the two of you are no longer rivals.”
To his surprise, Ranpo looks shocked that his colleague had been able to catch him in such a manner. The detective must have been extremely distracted to let his guard down enough for anyone to discover some of his deepest secrets.
“We…” the flustered man whispers as he picks the raccoon fur off his coat, “We aren’t rivals, that is true…”
Kunikida looks at him, slightly worried. Now the curiosity from one of the detective’s previous statements finally boils over, "What else would you have visited Edgar Allen Poe's home for?"
“To look at his drafts, bring food for Karl, if a case had something American in it, simply to bother him,” Ranpo lists, “Lots of reasons to visit him.”
The blond man’s eyes widened with every excuse Ranpo came up with not to divulge any other details. There was no way the American writer would give the Japanese detective such expensive gifts for such meaningless acts, would he?
Then, the man hears a name he is unfamiliar with.
"Did...Did you just say Karl? Who’s Karl?"
Ranpo nods immediately, “Karl is Ed’s raccoon!” he exclaims, hopping off of his desk to show Kunikida his impressive collection of pictures of the animal, “He’s very soft!”
The blond man furrows his eyebrows as he peers at the pictures of ‘Karl’ blinking.
"Karl, the raccoon?" he whispers amusedly to himself.
Then he focuses on Ranpo again.
“Are you seeing him?” Kunikida asks immediately, sounding more like he was talking to the detective as a friend than a work colleague. His voice is laced with equal parts confusion and amusement.
Ranpo sputters, opening and closing his mouth a few times, starting and stopping sentences as he is unclear about how much he should tell the man about his new bond with Poe.
“We…. I…. He…”
Kunikida waits calmly for Ranpo to speak, his eyes never once leaving the other detective's. His expression is one of interest, though there are hints of suspicion on his face. He already knows the truth in his heart, but it would be infinitely more valuable to hear straight from Ranpo rather than assuming.
"Go on. How would you define your relationship with Edgar Allen Poe?” Kunikida says, motioning with his hand for the detective to continue.
Ranpo sighs, deeply staring at the woodgrain of his desk as he speaks, “He’s taken me to dinner or on walks a few times….”
Kunikida blinks, looking up at Ranpo curiously. His expression changes to one of surprise.
"A few times?" he asks, sounding more amused than anything else.
It was entertaining to think of the usually rather shy detective doing such mundane things as dinner dates. Until now, Kunikida had assumed that romance did not interest the man at all. But seeing how flustered Ranpo was when talking about what he’d done with the American writer, the blond man realizes how mistaken he had been.
“He is really quite generous….” the detective whispers dreamily, his cheeks scarlet, “Always taking me to fancy restaurants and paying for me….”
The suspicion on Kunikida's face is replaced with outright disbelief. He can't believe what he's hearing.
"So..." he says slowly, to avoid disturbing the detective too much, "Poe is taking you out on dates. And -paying- for you?"
“I wouldn’t call them dates, per se… “ he trails off, attempting to hide his face, obscuring his embarrassment.
Kunikida narrowed his eyes, trying to look at Ranpo's face, "Then what would you call them?"
Ranpo sighs, “Two… friends… I mean former rivals… hanging out?” he offers.
It is clear that the detective also doesn’t believe what he’s saying.
"Ranpo, are you listening to yourself right now?” the blond man says in disbelief, “You are trying to convince me that you and Edgar Allen Poe are nothing more than friends who occasionally hang out!”
He crosses his arms and sighs in mock anger, "Am I hearing this correctly?"
“Are you convinced?” the detective asks, embarrassed.
Kunikida just stares at Ranpo, "No, of course, I'm not convinced."
He pauses momentarily before he takes a deep breath, "I think we both know the truth here, Ranpo."
“Fine…” Ranpo relents, “The trips to the restaurants and the subsequent walks -may- have been a little more than platonic…”
Kunikida sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. Of course, he was elated that Ranpo had found someone he was romantically interested in. Still, as any good close friend would be, he was also concerned about whether or not this Poe guy was suitable for the other detective.
“And you’ve stayed with him at his place of residence, I’m assuming? Have you been intimate with him?" He finds himself asking out of curiosity.
From what Kunikida remembers, Poe did not seem like the type of guy capable of using Ranpo purely for sexual purposes, but it didn’t hurt to ask.
In response, Ranpo shrieks and his face darkens, suggesting he had stayed with the American numerous times, but had no idea how Kunikida could have guessed that.
Kunikida just stares at him as he turns beet red as he is exposed. For being the ‘world’s best detective,’ Ranpo sure didn’t have any form of poker face.
"You've spent the night at his house. Multiple times. Is that correct?" Kunikida asks.
When the detective looks at him with bewilderment, the blond man decides to explain himself further.
“Because of the raccoon fur,” the other man clarifies, “Unless that mangy pet of his comes with him everywhere….”
“Karl is with him always, but usually I only hold him when we’re home….” Ranpo whispers, digging himself a deeper hole.
Kunikida absolutely notices how the detective refers to the American’s rented apartment as ‘home’ but elects to say nothing about it to protect Ranpo’s dignity. However, he could not help but think of how long the man had been acting this way.
It was only in the last few weeks that Ranpo had come into the office late, often smiling and with a pile of expensive candy, Kunikida has never claimed to be the best at romantic relationships, but it seemed odd how quickly things were moving for the detective and the American writer.
Perhaps it was the fact that Kunikida had never considered Ranpo someone that would be interested in romance that threw him for a loop. Or maybe it was the undeniable evidence that Poe and Ranpo were working on different sides, being natural rivals. If Ranpo were to continue his relationship with the American, it would surely make him less efficient in his work for the Armed Detective Agency.
It was comparable to any of the agency members dating someone from the Port Mafia. The mere thought of something like that happening makes Kunikida chuckle to himself. It was a silly idea, thinking of any of his co-workers seeing anything in anyone from their number one rivals.
Luckily, something that crazy would never happen.
The man is interrupted from thinking about his crazy hypotheticals by Ranpo snapping his fingers in front of his face. Kunikida hadn’t even realized that the detective had gotten up from his desk, let alone was standing before him looking annoyed.
“Are you even listening?” the man complains, words barely understandable around the candy in his mouth.
“Yes, yes, sorry, Ranpo,” the blond apologizes, “What were you saying?”
Ranpo rolls his eyes again, sighing dramatically, “Here I am spilling my heart to you, and you’re not even listening,” he teases before he continues, flushing even more, “We’ve been going out for a little while now, so…”
Kunikida's mouth curves into a small smile, "Is it safe to say that you like him?"
The detective nods shyly, “Yeah…” he sighs, “I like him an awful lot.”
The other man’s smile widens, but at the same time, he narrows his eyes. He hadn’t heard any clarification that the American returned Ranpo’s affections.
"And...he likes you back?"
“I’d hope so….” Ranpo smiles to himself, seemingly thinking of something, “Considering how many times I’ve fallen asleep or woken up to him whispering how much he loves me.”
Kunikida looks slightly surprised by the confession. It warms his heart to see what he only assumes is Ranpo’s first serious romantic endeavour.
He can’t help but sigh in awe, his pride for the other man seeping into his every word, "Ranpo...you've got a boyfriend."
The detective nods shyly, “Yeah… I suppose I do….” he then looks at Kunikida teasingly, wanting to spin the embarrassment to someone other than himself, “Are you shocked that I like men? Or that I was able to pull one before you?”
"I'm more surprised at the fact that you can get a boyfriend and I can't," Kunikida sighs dramatically, putting his head down on the table and groaning, "What's wrong with me, Ranpo?"
“You’re pretty boring,” Ranpo says entirely honestly, but in a teasing manner, “I also think your meticulous notes on your ‘ideal’ partner would scare anyone off. You’ve told me about your ideal woman, but I’m curious about your ideal man.”
Since he had pried for all sorts of details into Ranpo’s personal life, Kunikida scoots across the table to grab his notebook, flipping through to the exact page he was looking for. The detective would be the first one to hear his musings on what he was looking for if he were to seek out a male lover.
He clears his throat, "Alright, alright...my ideal man… A man who is kind, intelligent, and has a soft, melodic voice. He's tall, athletic, and wears glasses. His eyes are dark, sparkling and full of life. He's witty and playful but also serious, responsible, and reliable when it matters."
Ranpo listens with interest, smiling at his friend when he finishes. But in the spirit of priding himself on being a superb detective and embarrassing the other man, he cannot let Kunikida get away with an obvious description of someone they both know.
“I didn’t think Katai Tayama was very athletic….” he murmurs to himself, knowing full well Kunikida could hear him.
Kunikida's face instantly flushes, "I...I never said- Who said anything about Katai Tayama?” he asks, trying to act cool and pretend he doesn't know what Ranpo was talking about.
The detective just laughs, “Come on….” he laughs, “I’m the world’s best detective.”
“Now….” he smirks at the other man, “Have you told him?”
Kunikida's face reddens further, "Told him what?" he asks, taking extra care in avoiding Ranpo's eyes.
He looks up at Ranpo, "I...you don't mean- You are most definitely mistaken because I-I have no idea what you're implying."
“You are romantically interested in Katai Tayama,” Ranpo states, “If -I- just told you that, congratulations! Now you know! Tell me… Have you told him that you’re interested in him?”
Kunikida can feel his face heat up even more. He tries his best to keep his voice calm and quiet, "I...I have not...I don't know if I could...I-"
He pauses to collect his thoughts.
"You see, the problem with admitting my feelings for Katai is that I don't fully understand him. I don't know what he wants from me. I want to tell him how I feel, but I'm not sure the feeling is mutual."
Ranpo nods in understanding, “Fair enough,” he sighs, “I don’t know if I would have pursued Ed if I didn’t already know how infatuated with me he was. But I think you should try telling him how you feel at some point. At worst, at least you will know where you stand. Think about if you’re really satisfied only being friends with him.”
For his limited romantic experience, it seemed he was rather knowledgeable in the best approach to confessing romantic attraction to someone.
Kunikida opens his mouth to respond but is silenced once more by Ranpo.
“Think of it for yourself,” he grins, “Are you happy for me?” The man sounds a little hurt, as if Kunikida’s opinion on his new relationship with Poe meant a great deal to him.
Kunikida isn’t sure how to respond. He doesn’t want to lie to Ranpo, namely because the other man will know if he’s not telling the truth if he says that he 100% supports the relationship. He doesn’t, not one bit. Two members of rival organizations should not cross that line. It would be inefficient and dangerous for both sides.
In fact, there was an existing rule set agreed upon by the Port Mafia and Armed Detective Agency for that very purpose. It had never been used before, but it offered little to no sympathy for the couple. The offending member of the ADA would be dishonourably removed from the organization. As for the Port Mafia…. Kunikida shudders as he recalls that the criminal group had agreed that the only suitable punishment for a wayward member was execution.
However, no such rules existed between the Guild and Armed Detective Agency (namely because it didn’t seem necessary). Perhaps they would have to change that in the coming days or weeks. But, Kunikida also had a great deal of care for Ranpo and wished all the best for him.
“I can’t say I’m the happiest about this news,” he starts, judging the other man’s reaction. When Ranpo doesn’t run away or look at him with disgust, Kunikida continues, “But you seem like you like him, and I assume he treats you well?”
“Very well…” Ranpo sighs, completely in love.
Kunikida rolls his eyes, “Then I support that,” he then sighs heavily, “Just be careful with him, alright? I don’t want him breaking your heart.”
The detective nods, happily running back to his desk to look at the cases the police requested his assistance with. Maybe things could still be normal if Ranpo were seeing a member of a rival organization.
~~~~
Over the next few months, Kunikida does not hear much about Ranpo’s developing relationship. If he didn’t see the detective come in with countless expensive sweet candies or be forced to witness the shy writer bringing his newest drafts over, the blond might have thought that the pair had broken up. But no, they only seemed to be getting closer. A fact Kunikida wasn’t confident he knew how to feel about.
Everything was completely fine and dandy between the pair.
Until that day.
Kunikida had never seen Ranpo cry before. It was a shocking sight to enter the ADA office to see the black-haired detective face down in a mountain of sweets, shoulders shaking as he sobbed into the wood of his desk.
The blond man felt his heart sink, an immediate sense of dread coming over him. He had a feeling he knew why Ranpo was crying already…. If he ever got his hands on that sleazy writer for doing this to the detective….
Composing himself, Kunikida quietly clears his throat, trying his best not to startle the detective as he approaches his long-time friend with a sympathetic look on his face.
“Do you want to talk about what happened?” he asks softly, giving Ranpo a way out if he didn’t want to discuss what troubled him.
“Ed is going back to America….” the detective mumbles into the pile of candy wrappers piled on his desk.
Oh.
Immediately, the younger man pats Ranpo’s back, doing his best to comfort the detective while he struggles to grasp the situation. Why was Poe only leaving now when the Guild had been long disbanded? Had something happened between the detective and his writer boyfriend?
Kunikida -would- get to the bottom of this.
"You're not...joking, are you?” he asks quietly, still patting Ranpo's back. "He's actually leaving?"
“Yeah….” Ranpo says despairingly as he slumps further into his candy wrappers.
Kunikida is silent momentarily, weighing his following words carefully, "But...Surely, he wouldn't just leave on a whim. Did he have a reason? An emergency, or did something happen between you two?"
“It was for work mostly. Most Japanese publishers don’t want to promote an American,” the detective responds, finally raising his tear-stained face from his desk with a smile. “And nothing happened between us. He invited me to come with him and move to America.”
The blond is quiet as he considers what he was just told.
"So, that's why you're so upset? Because he asked you to leave Japan? Leave the Agency?” he frowns, “It must have been hard for you to say no to him.”
“I said yes,” Ranpo replies, keeping his head focused on his desk so he doesn’t have to see Kunikida’s reaction to the big news.
The blond man takes a moment to process this new information, his eyes blowing wide with a combination of surprise, confusion, and betrayal.
"You're... leaving?" He asks quietly, still uncertain how he should be feeling.
Ranpo blushes as he nods slightly, “I’m moving to America in a month….”
A month????
Kunikida’s head is racing. Were there any signs? Could he put a stop to this? Would the ADA survive without Ranpo? He was such a major asset to the organization. There are so many things he wants to say, but when he opens his mouth, only one question comes to mind.
“Have you told Fukuzawa?”
Ranpo half smiles, “Yeah… He’s the one that suggested I agree…” he says warmly, “He wants me to spread my wings and pursue what I am devoted to. Plus, he said there’s a lot more crime in America, so I won’t be so bored, and they have more candy!”
Kunikida can’t help but smile a bit at Ranpo’s enthusiasm. He had to admit that the man did have solid points to move to America. But there is such a keen sense of betrayal as well festering in his heart. The world’s best detective was going to leave his home and family over a man?
His eyebrows raise slightly at Ranpo's last statement. "You're not deciding your future based on candy and crime, are you?” Aren't you afraid you'll miss home? That you'll miss being with me? Are you entirely sure about this decision? How do -you- feel about going to America?"
Ranpo nods instantly, “I’m certain that I want this! I want to be with him and explore America more than I’ve wanted anything in a while. And he’s super rich, so we can come back to Japan to visit you and everyone else a lot!”
"That's a relief. You know, for a moment there, I was afraid that you might be going just to please your boyfriend,” Kunida sighs, much less stressed than before.
He then laughs loudly, "He's really rich? You're not just exaggerating or teasing me?"
Ranpo joins Kunikida in laughing, “He’s -rich-,” the detective asserts, “One of the first times I met him in Japan for a case, he said he’d quickly forget that he spent 20 million dollars for a book.”
Kunikida feels all of his blood drain from his face. Twenty million dollars? He can't seem to wrap his head around this number.
"He's...that rich?"
“Yep!” Ranpo exclaims, sounding proud of his man, suddenly thrusting his hand in front of Kunikida, “Look at this ring he got me!”
The detective proudly displays a rather expensive golden ring.
Kunikida leans closer to look at the ring, running his fingers along its smooth surface and not finding any irregularities, "Oh my god. It's really gorgeous."
"And it's from him? It must be an engagement ring?"
He glances at Ranpo, sounding slightly shocked and amused, "Are you engaged?"
Ranpo’s eyes glitter with mischief, “I don’t know yet,” he sticks out his tongue, “I never officially gave him an answer.”
“You're joking, right?" Kunikida gasps, sounding exasperated as he sits up in the chair, his eyes wide.
"Why haven't you given him an answer?! Of course, you should marry him! He's rich, he's handsome, and he's in love with you! I mean, come on, Ranpo. What are you waiting for?!"
“I told him I would decide soon…” Ranpo merely giggles, the mischief in his eyes only intensifying, “But… I’ve been saving for a while, and… Atsushi taught me how to use my cellphone better so I could surprise him…. When we get to America, I’m going to surprise him by taking him to a library named after him…There I will give him this…”
The detective shows Kunikida a small ring box. Inside is a silver ring that is still excellent quality but nowhere near as pricey as the one Ranpo is wearing. It clearly took a few of the man’s paychecks to afford it.
Kunikida smiles when he sees the ring, but his expression is still full of shock, "This...this is your engagement ring for Edgar?"
Ranpo nods sheepishly.
His eyes widen, "You're going to propose to him in a library named after him?"
“Yeah…” an embarrassed detective responds.
Kunikida seems both excited for Ranpo and amused, "Why a library, if I may know?"
“Well…You know that Ed and I met about six years ago when Fukuzawa took me to New York, right?” Ranpo asks.
Kunikida nods, looking thoughtful, "I remember you telling me that, yeah."
The detective seems relieved that he didn’t have to retell the story in its entirety, “And do you recall how we met?”
Again, the blond nods, "Yeah, if I remember correctly, it was in a library, wasn't it?"
“Close enough,” Ranpo praises the other man, “We met outside of the library because we were both investigating the same crime….I think you know where I’m going with this now, right? Why I am choosing to propose to him in a library?”
"To take him back to where it all started...to the place you first met.”
“Exactly!” the man cheers, “Want to know a secret about the library? Why it’s named after Ed instead of me?”
A curious smile appears on Kunikida's face.
"Yes, tell me! Why is it named after him?” He asks excitedly, leaning forward and raising his eyebrows.
“My English pronunciation wasn’t the best at the time,” he starts, sounding slightly embarrassed, “When the officer asked my name, I said it, but apparently he accounted for my accent…” Ranpo giggles, “Who knew Edogawa Ranpo and Edgar Allen Poe sounded the same…”
The detective’s eyes sparkle as he continues, “I was charmed by Ed already, so I thought, why not let him take the credit for the case, even if he didn’t know? Now he has a library named after him!”
Kunikida has a massive smile on his face, "That's a really adorable story, Ranpo. It sounds like something out of a romance book."
Ranpo grins, “I hope he’ll appreciate that my version of saying yes to his proposal is me proposing at the library….” the detective looks gloomy for a moment, “Stupid bastard had to propose to me first before I got the chance to drag him to that library myself.”
The blond man softly smiles, detecting his colleague’s anxiety, “Don't worry though. He will definitely appreciate your proposal."
“Thank you, Kunikida,” Ranpo says genuinely before sighing heavily, “It’s going to be hard to leave this place…”
Kunikida is sympathetic. He was saddened by the detective’s departure as well, but he knew that right now, Ranpo wanted encouragement that he was making the right decision in leaving Japan to be with Poe in America.
"It will be hard, no doubt, but it's not all bad. Think of the good! You'll be with the man you love, travelling to a whole new country. You'll get to try new things! That's something that not everyone can say."
He pauses for a moment, "I know for a fact that Edgar is going to take excellent care of you out there,” he smirks, “And as you said, your man has a lot of money, so you can come back to Japan as much as you want!”
Ranpo grins, already looking much more chipper again, “You’re right!” he exclaims, then groans again as he realizes something, “Oh god…. I have to figure out how I’m going to tell the others!”
The young man pales as he remembers that he will have to explain his move to all of his other colleagues in the Armed Detective Agency.
The blond man nods, completely understanding, “Does anyone else know besides me and Fukuzawa?”
“Not yet…” the detective mumbles, “I’ll tell them soon… I promise.”
“I’m hoping that includes Atsushi,” Kunikida says, “That boy is very attached to you….”
Ranpo nods, “Of course, I’ll tell him! He helped me so much in learning how to prepare for my proposal!”
Kunikida smiles sadly for a moment, "I have to warn you, he's going to be heartbroken at first, but I do think he'll be genuinely happy for you. He loves you and appreciates you more than he can probably put into words."
"Yeah.... I think he knows better than anyone else what I'm going through...." the detective says under his breath, "I'll tell him first!" he decides, "Then Yosano, Dazai, and then the others!"
"That's a good idea. And don't worry; you can do it!" Kunikida is trying his best to ensure that Ranpo feels encouraged and supported in his decision.
It’s why he comes up with another plan to take Ranpo’s mind off the stress of telling the rest of the detective agency about his upcoming move.
"Hey, I know that you're busy trying to make arrangements for your move and everything, but...how about we spend the rest of the evening together? Just us, at my home, hanging out and relaxing?"
Ranpo’s eyes light up, and he nods immediately. It would be good to take his mind off things for a little while. He sends a quick text to Ed informing him that he’s spending the night with Kunikida and practically sprints to the door.
~~~~
The detective makes well on the vow to tell the rest of his colleagues about his move, and within the week, everyone in the Armed Detective Agency (and somehow several members of the Port Mafia) knew about the detective’s departure from the organization founded for him.
And, when the day comes, the airport is crowded with people wanting to see the man off. Poe was utterly understanding and more than welcoming to the other people that Ranpo held close to his heart.
“Thank you for allowing me to show our dear Ranpo the world,” the author said once he was certain that the last of their baggage was checked in and accounted for.
Kunikida stands almost at the end of the line of people waiting to give the agency’s top detective their final farewell. He is a bit saddened to see Ranpo leaving but knows it is inevitable. The young detective had started a fantastic life with Ed that he would not abandon for anything. The blond man smiles when he hears the author's appreciative voice.
He can’t help but speak, "No, we should be the ones who are thankful. Ranpo was very nervous about his about his move, but you've made him feel right at home, “ then he chuckles softly, "I hope I get to see him again someday."
Poe smiles warmly at Kunikida. The two of them had many talks in the month leading up to Ranpo’s departure from his home country and past life. They’d come to understand one another and their mutual desire for Ranpo’s happiness.
The author was a great guy for Ranpo. He is caring and attentive, practically worships the ground the detective walks on, and only encourages his chaotic behaviour. But most important to Kunikida and the rest of the ADA members was that Ranpo liked the guy.
“I’m sure we will be back in Japan within a month,” the author chuckles, “He’ll have forgotten something important and demand we fly back or something.”
"Yeah...that sounds just like Ranpo,” Kunikida gently scoffs, “I'm sure it's not going to be a very long wait at all, anyway. Even if it is, it'll be worth it."
He pauses for a moment, considering something, mulling it over in his mind for a while before he speaks, "Hey, what if--just a thought-we visit him over in America sometime?"
Poe absolutely beams, “I’m sure he’d love that!” the author smirks devilishly, “Once we are settled in our new home, we can plan something for sure!”
Then, the man brings Kunikida in close so he can whisper in the detective’s ear, “I think you all should surprise him! Whenever you’re ready, let me know,” then he adds, “Don’t worry about money. I will cover the entire Agency’s flight. You’ll fly first class and everything!”
Kunikida blinks in surprise but doesn't complain, even though he's not that big of a fan of flying. How could he ever deny such a generous offer from the American that cared so deeply about Ranpo?
"I mean, why thank you! You're too kind. When the time comes, I hope you'll count on us to make this as special for him as possible,” then he adds, "Do you think we could do it on his birthday? It might be a special day for him."
The author smiles brightly, “Sounds great!”
That’s the end of the planning for the moment. Ranpo and Poe still had many goodbyes to say.
Most of the rest of the couple’s goodbyes are short and sweet but no less meaningful. Until Fukuzawa. Ranpo, who had been on the verge of tears for the past few moments, absolutely breaks when it comes time to bid farewell to his father figure.
Fukuzawa calmly plays with the detective’s black hair soothing him as much as he can, “You’ll be alright, my dear Ranpo,” he speaks softly, tears bubbling in his own eyes that he wouldn’t dare let his boy see, “Just think of all the adventures you and Edgar will have! I’m sure you will send us lots of pictures once you’re more settled?”
Ranpo nods, crying into Fukuzawa’s chest, “We will!” he vows.
Fukuzawa pats Ranpo's back as he tentatively releases the man from his hug, then takes out a handkerchief and hands it to the sobbing detective, "Here, use this. You'll make a mess if you keep crying."
He ruffles the boy's hair, and a smile graces his face as he watches Ranpo’s tears slowly be dried by the handkerchief, "Now listen, you make sure you two take good photos with the camera I bought you. I'll expect to see them as soon as you get home."
The grey-haired man pauses for a moment, his tears finally boiling over, "And don't make me worry, okay?"
Ranpo nods, blubbering a promise that he will never make Fukuzawa worry. And not long after, the men share one last tearful embrace before Ranpo must head off with Poe. The Armed Detective Agency chief no longer hides his choked sobs as he watches his boy disappear around a corner, off to begin his new life and adventures with the man he loved.
Kunikida would never claim to be as emotional about Ranpo’s departure as the president that had practically raised him. However, he still felt an aching hole beginning to form in his chest. It still feels too unbelievable that Ranpo was gone. The Agency members had been preparing for this very moment for several weeks, running through every possible situation for how the departure would go over. But no amount of planning was able to adequately prepare them for how emotional it would be once the detective was gone.
Many cry for the first time in months or years when they see the empty desk when returning to the office after bidding the detective farewell at the airport. It would be hard to adjust to the sizeable gap Ranpo’s absence left, but they would get through it together.
A few days later, Kunikida is working at his desk, finishing up some paperwork. He's almost finished when his phone dings.
"No way..."
He had received a photo of Ranpo and Poe kissing in front of what appeared to be the library the detective mentioned to Kunikida. Upon further inspection, a silver ring was on Poe’s finger, meaning that the engagement had gone over smoothly.
Kunikida shouts to the rest of the office, "Ranpo sent us a photo! Guess what?"
Atsushi is the first one to bound over to the other man’s desk, practically jumping up and down, having already guessed where this was going, “Did Ranpo propose???”
Soon enough, everyone in the ADA is gathered around Kunikida’s desk staring in amazement at the photo, incredibly proud that Ranpo’s proposal had gone over smoothly. They knew they would have to find out when the wedding would take place in the coming months so that they could fly to America for the ceremony.
After the engagement and settling into his new home in America, Ranpo made sure to text and call everyone in the agency as often as he could. However, he often forgot about the time differences between his new home in New York and Yokohama. Not that anyone minded receiving phone calls at odd hours of the night when it meant that they could talk to their dear friend again.
It became commonplace for the Agency members to allow any calls or texts from Ranpo to bypass any ‘do not disturb’ features on their phones so that if the eager man wanted to talk to any of his friends in Japan, he’d be able to with ease.
However, one night, Kunikida received a call from Ranpo at 1 AM that was unlike no other.
As soon as the blond picked up the phone, he could hear the detective’s anxiety-ridden voice.
“I don’t know what to do- I was with Ed and then- I can’t see him- lost- Don’t know what to do.”
Back when Ranpo was living in Japan, he would occasionally attempt to take the train by himself. Most times, it would end up in a similar situation to right now, the detective calling someone from the Agency and begging for help.
But what was Kunikida supposed to help the panicking man when Ranpo was in New York?
Kunikida sighs, blinking sleep out of his eyes and trying to remain calm to reassure Ranpo.
"Okay, okay, slow down. Just take a deep breath. Now, I want you to tell me where you are. Try to give me some landmarks. You can do this. I believe in you. I’ll help you find him. Just listen carefully and follow my instructions, okay?"
“I-I’m in Grand Central Station…” Ranpo’s voice shakes, “Ed and I were in a g-grocery store, and I smelled sweets, so I went into the hall to check and I... I don’t know how to get back to the shop…. There’s… bathrooms nearby… I guess…”
Kunikida takes a deep breath, then speaks reassuringly yet assertively, the most effective way to get Ranpo to listen to him, "I'll guide you through each step. We'll take this slowly. First, you need to go out into the main hall. It's okay to ask for help if you don't know where you're going. There will be many people around to help you. Once you're out in the main hall, make your way down to the concourse lobby."
"It'll be alright, Ranpo. You can do this," he adds.
A rustling can be heard on the other end of the line as Ranpo tries to find the main hall, “There’s a sign that says main hall that I’m going to follow…” he still sounds dejected, but he is no longer crying. “I-i’m in the main hall now….W-what concourse do I go to? There are so many hallways….”
Kunikida sighs in defeat. He doesn’t know the layout of the New York subway, so he is just about as useless as Ranpo in navigating the maze of tunnels and tracks. But he does come up with a better idea than guiding the detective through the bustling subway station; contacting Poe directly.
"It's okay—no need to panic. You're doing great. We can try to contact Ed instead if you’d like. I'll call his cell phone, then. How much charge does his phone have?"
“H-he.. forgot his phone at home…” Ranpo mutters, further panicking, “W-will he be able to find me???”
The blond sighs, feeling a bit frustrated. Of course, that would be his luck. "Don't worry about it. You and I both know that he will move the earth to find you. Let's just get you back with him. Now listen to me, Ranpo. I need you to take another look around the main hall. You should be able to find a sign indicating the train platforms. Can you do that for me?"
There is a shaky breath on the other side of the phone, “Y-yeah…. Let’s see different signs for the numbered subway lines, restrooms, Karl-” He cuts himself off, “Karl!!”
The phone connection gets interrupted by Ranpo running across the station to the raccoon belonging to his beloved. Kunikida can hear it as the detective speaks to Karl as if he were human,
“Did Ed send you to find me? That’s so kind of him.”
It takes a few minutes until Kunikida is able to hear a small gasp and Ranpo running again, “Ed!” the detective shouts, throwing himself into the arms of his fiancé and tearing up again, “I found you!”
“Oh, how I am glad Karl found you, my dear,” Poe says softly, “Don’t wander off like that again, okay? I was so worried. How were you faring before Karl found you? I hope you weren’t too scared.”
At this point, Ranpo remembers that he had called Kunikida and pulled his phone out of his pocket, embarrassedly, wondering if his former colleague had hung up.
Kunikida had waited patiently on the other side of the line, listening to the detective's every movement. He smiles to himself as he listens to the happy couple reuniting, elated that the writer’s raccoon had guided the lost detective back to his lover. He remained entirely silent until he heard the rustling of Ranpo's phone being pulled out of his pocket.
"Ranpo, I'm still here. Are you alright?"
“I’m alright,” the detective responds, his voice still muffled as he is still clearly pressed close to Ed’s chest, “I found him.”
Poe seems to realize what has happened and gently takes the phone from his fiancé, “Thank you for helping him try to find me, Kunikida.”
"I must admit that I didn't do anything but talk, but I'm glad I could be of help to him,” the blond responds earnestly, “And, Ranpo, please stay safe from now on. You've caused us quite the scare."
“I’ll get him a leash,” Poe jokes to himself, “I’m so sorry for disturbing you… it must be super early in the morning in Japan if it’s only noon here.”
“1 AM….” Kunikida confirms, “But it's all perfectly alright. I would wake up for Ranpo any time!”
The detective has a pleasant conversation with the couple for another few minutes, discussing how life in the bustling New York City compared to Yokohama and Kunikida did his best to pry details about their wedding out of them. It isn’t long before he feels the urge to sleep possess him again once his adrenaline of dealing with a lost Ranpo has faded.
When Kunikida wakes again, the sun is streaming in through his window, alerting him that it is well past the time he should be heading to the office to begin his work day. He is shocked when, upon entering the office, someone is already waiting for him, pacing back and forth with anxiety.
Atsushi.
“I… have to tell you something.”