Work Text:
It was the afternoon and the café from the first floor was crowded by the members of the agency and a guest. A guest named Edgar Allan Poe.
Poe, Dazai, Ranpo and Kunikida were at the same table. The last three were talking about the recent case they solved. Poe was just listening trying to grab the most of it for future novels and stories. From time to time, Ranpo would explain to him some details, things that happened before and that they were making a reference to and Dazai would engage in that memory and try to embarrass Kunikida in the process.
This would go on for minutes turning into hours. The sun slowly went away, and the stars started to appear. The solid blue sky started turning into a purplish colour, and almost one by one, the members of the agency began to leave
They said good-bye to Kyoka and Atsushi first, then Yosano, followed by Kunikida. Some time after, Tanizaki and Naomi headed away with Kirako. Then Kenji left and the last one was Dazai.
The evening was approaching, and the café was just left with Ranpo, Poe and the staff in it. Ranpo could be the whole evening and night talking about past cases or the new requests that came in every day or two, but Poe didn’t mind that. Through sharing a teapot of chamomile tea Poe listened to him carefully, trying to pay attention to his words rather than his looks, or Poe’s own thoughts. To suit the ambiance a bit, Ranpo’s voice started to get lower by every case and memory he had to talk about.
This made Poe’s thoughts get louder. He was waiting for a moment like this. Alone, with him. At the cozy cafeteria they’d usually hang out. Talking and listening. Like a date. Just like a date.
The aroma of the chamomile started to feel stronger, the lights of the stars got through the window and the purple sky turned into the most night blue ever. Poe wasn't thinking about ranpo's words when, while staring at him, he blurted out:
“I love you.”
I love you, repeated Poe in his head. Just realizing that he said it out loud.
Everyday trying different ways to make the line to have a meaning. Just to him spoil the right moment by saying ‘I love you’.
Trying to not look startled behind his bangs, he searched for Ranpo’s look for a response.
“I love you”, he hear in response.