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New years are peculiar to Ranpo, in the first few years of his life, the only things he remembers are vivid smiles and the occasional Fireworks. When Fukuzawa was introduced to his life his first new year with him was mostly dedicated to the building of the Detective agency—alongside the surprisingly many cases that he had to solve thereafter—They usually celebrate their new year's Mid-February in Relation to the Flower Season in the month.
This New Year however is different, starting off to the fact that he is now in a hospital bed.
The lights are not blinding, which is something he is grateful for by a mile. The books are a bit entertaining, though easy to predict, and the winter breeze is cool enough for him. It has been a few months since they Defeated Dostoevsky. In the eyes of the public, most of them are still wanted criminals, due to this all of them are still hiding in separation with selective secretive meetings.
He knows all of them are still in good condition with the help of Yosano, but it will take time before he tries to make his move once more. So for now, he solemnly resides in one of Poe's books, a supposed to be Haunted Hospital but has been proven False as the Main character, a patient of the hospital, is only suffering Hallucinations in a form of his broken Childhood.
Also adding the fact that he woke up and is now celebrating his New years in Poe’s book of all places does make this more peculiar.
The book has a different setting than the real world, it must’ve been near to midnight outside while the book is nearly afternoon. His body still doesn’t respond to the time of the book so most of his nights are dedicated to providing entertainment for himself or thinking about the agency.
The Wind Chime by the window moves, creating a melody Ranpo barely remembers, next to him resides his current past time book and a vase with a single Purple Rose in it. Story-wise his room was once a room of a side character he barely remembers the name of, her purpose is to add through the madness of the main character up until reaching the climax.
He was looking at the wilting Rose when a knock came, his only visitor Revealing himself.
“Happy new year, Ranpo-kun”
“Took you long enough.”
—
Fate is what binds things together, though Poe slightly believes in this concept, he thinks that it’s still by choice to how one’s fate is crafted.
But By a chain of different choices it seems like Fate itself looks at his laughable situation and decides to have more fun with his miseries. Because what is more laughable than two wanted criminals Dining together in a makeshift hospital to celebrate a New year. All alone than the two of them and a Racoon on their side.
Nonetheless, he still bought his usual treats with Ranpo, those are saved for dessert. The Main course however is Homemade, Ranpo already knows about it yet Poe still refuses to acknowledge the fact that he puts a but more effort to it. Something so domestic…he shouldn’t be thinking much about it.
(Ranpo looks at him with a single glance, all too knowing, he hides behind behind a evry very thin veil of naivety, yet the detective didn’t pry.)
“So, your boss took on a vacation”
“Back Visiting his wife, mostly to check on her too. Lou- his assistant, Followed”
Ranpo hums Karl chitters for a bit, asking for a treat. Poe gives him a single blueberry “How about the agency?”
“They’ll be fine'' Ranpo said, barely audible. He starts playing with his food. Ranpo sickly knows what kind of face Poe is making, it still doesn’t make it less sting when he looks at the author, Poe showing an unsatisfied face. Poe knows, and it feels weirdly right.
Poe sees Ranpo sigh, not a first but definitely, a rare sight to see “Atsushi is with Kyoka, they’re probably starting to look for Dazai. Kenji will make sure the others are fine, the siblings will help to keep Kunikida’s spirits up, same goes to Yosano”
It only took for Poe to nod for Ranpo to continue “Dazai could probably be in a similar situation as me, well, except he’s not in a fictional hospital, rather, he’s definitely in a million Dollar apartment with a very comfortable living space.” Ranpo tooks a bite out of the steak Poe made “though what we’re eating now is definitely far greater than what they’ll be making”
Poe softens up and couldn’t help but chuckle. It has been a good while since Ranpo talked this much to him, it was, to say the least, a sort of relief for the author to see the detective to be a little bit more genuinely bright after the chaos he has to face for the past months now.
Unbeknownst to him, he is not aware about the heaviness effect he has on Ranpo, but this feeling is different, something new and Foreign.
something weirdly right.
Ranpo could look away to a lot of things, but the warmth of his chest is not one of them.