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There was a quiet kind of tension that day, the kind that made the very air hold its breath. Falsely cheerful winter sun whipped around every corner, peaking through the windows of the Armed Detective Agency. It had been quite a quiet day at the office. The president had left for a sort of important meeting earlier that morning, and he sent Kunikida and Dazai out on a sort of mission together (no one was sure why he thought that was a good idea) and Niomi and Tanizaki to run errands. That left just Kenji, Ranpo, Yosano, Atsushi, and Kyoka alone to manage both the office and Ranpo consistent complaining--that is until Poe finally arrived.
“Ed!!” Ranpo hopped up from his chair, leaving a mess of potato chips all over his desk. Yosano stopped typing for just a moment to look up from her computer and, sure enough, there he was. Edgar Allen Poe stood hesitantly in the doorway, hunched over a novel he held in his grasp, Karl perched as always in his mess of hair. Atsushi looked up and shot him a simple smile. “Oh hi Poe!”
Kenji, obviously excited to see Karl (and Poe he supposed) again ran towards poor Edgar and stuck his hand out in front of him. Poe hesitated, and eventually gave in, lifting Karl slowly from his head. “Well I do suppose I’ve been here quite a few times now…and Karl does seem to like you..” Poe sighed in defeat of Kenji’s pleading eyes and handed Karl gently to the delighted Kenji. He bowed, “Thank you sir!!” before skipping off with Karl. Just then Ranpo ran towards poor Poe and jumped at him, wrapping his arms around his waist.
Poe's heart did a small twist when Ranpo gave him a quick hug. Ranpo took his hands and put them on his shoulders, standing on the tip of his toes to look at Poe eye to eye. He leaned forward, only a few inches from his face and his eyes gleamed.
“You came!! I knew you would!” Ranpo grinned, gestured to his glasses, then skipped out the office door. Yosano muttered something like “You sure didn’t sound like you did when we had to reassure you that he wouldn’t stand you up all morning..” before returning to her computer, a smile tugging at her lips. Poe turned around to see Ranpo already running down the stairs. “Ranpo wait I still-..ah nevermind” Poe shook his head, face still red from the interaction, much to his displeasure. It felt like they got closer everyday, both literally and figuratively.
Atsushi laughed, “You know Ranpo’s always so eager to see you. He hasn’t stopped talking about your little meet up all day. Obviously he’d never tell you that but…” Poe's mouth hung open a little. “He..talks about m..?” He whispered, but before he could even process the thought Atsushi looked up at him, “So where are you taking him anyway?” He said while organizing a folder in sections.
“Hm? What? OH Yes Ranpo! Well in return for finishing and judging my latest novel I promised to take him to the Yokohama cat cafe for dinner! It’s my treat I suppose.” Poe smiled at the thought of once again getting to roam around the city with Ranpo by his side. The last time they had an outing like that was just a month ago, but Poe couldn’t rid the memory from his mind. It was already half past 6:00 PM, and they’d need to leave soon and quickly if they wanted to eat and drop Ranpo off at his apartment before night. He couldn’t wait to talk more with Ranpo so he could "properly take revenge on his rival”. That, and see Ranpo’s delightful face again.
“No wonder Ranpo was so happy ha..well have fun Poe!!” Atsushi waved goodbye as Poe did his best to run down the stairs in his boots, tripping over his feet as he went.
“Oooooh Ranpo?” He called out to his Ranpo as his voice echoed down the building stairway. He stopped for a minute to look down the stairway, trying to figure out if he had already passed Ranpo on a different floor.
“Come on’ Ed, I’m down here!!” Ranpo’s impatient voice called back. Poe rushed down to see Ranpo leaning against a doorway, tapping his feet on the wooden floor title. He was wearing his usual outfit, but had removed his coat, his outfit emphasizing his figure quite well. Poe couldn’t help but notice it’s similarity to what Ranpo had worn on the day they first met.
“Oh finally I was starting to think you would never come!” Ranpo rolled his eyes and grabbed Poe’s frail hand, leading him through the hallway. Poe’s hands were warm in his, and though it was summer, his hands were always freezing, so it was quite nice to feel Ranpo comforting embrace. Before he knew it they were standing in front of the office building, staring at the busy freeway in front.
“So, do you know exactly where this place is, Ranpo?” The name rolled off his tongue so beautifully. Poe could listen to it all day. It horrified him.
“Hm? Oh follow me!!” Ranpo tugged on Poe’s hand as he let him down the street, guiding him through the crowd of Yokohama traffic. Past shopping centers and restaurants and offices Ranpo ran through the street, Poe following quickly around. Ranpo made his way quickly around the streets, pushing through crowds. Maybe a little too quickly.
“Oh Ranpo could you slow down a li-”
“No time! We gotta get there before they close!” The sun had begun to set, shattering light breaking through the tops of sky scraping splattering the city in shards of gold.
Finally, after running for almost ten minutes, Ranpo stopped in front of a small store with string lights around it. It was a cute little shop with colorful signs and bright white brick wrapping the whole building.
“Behold! The Yokohama cat cafe!”Ranpo laughed, god he laughed and Poe wished he could inject the sound directly into his veins. Ranpo turned to him, genuine curiosity in his expression.
“You like cats, right Poe?” He tilted his head and Poe nodded. “Then let's go!” He grabbed his hand once again and together they strolled into the cafe.
The cafe was just as pleasant on the inside as it was on the outside, filled with warm glowing lights and the smell of espresso. Family and couples sat around the dozens of oak tables, candles and Ranpo’s expression easily lighting the room. They made their way through the cozy building, the sound of clattering silverware and snippets of conversation just white noise for Ranpo and Poe’s endless chatter. As they finally found an empty table, Ranpo motioned for Poe to take a seat, “Ladies first!” Poe shot him a playing scoff and sat down with Ranpo.
The dinner went pleasantly, Ranpo ordering a Catpuchino, with three shots of espresso, much to Poe’s displeasure. Poe had ordered the garlic buttered lobster, which he was quite surprised to find on a cat cafe’s menu, and Ranpo ordered the original spaghetti. Throughout their meal, they were approached by a multitude of delightful kitties, each one a more pleasant interruption to their dinner than the last. They wound their way through mindless and mindful conversation, moving from controversial topics about their favorite authors (Poe’s was naturally himself) to if they put cereal or milk into their bowl first. They stayed in the cafe until long after sunset, and by the time they had left, all the other visitors were long gone, the restaurant only minutes from closing.
The chill in the air seemed to whip through everything from Poe’s bare ankles and neck to his very being. The day had long since passed, the sun retreated far past the horizon line, laying the city in a thick blanket of damp shadow. Soft rain had begun to pitter down on the concrete jungle while the two had been in the restaurant, and Poe stood awkwardly besides Ranpo in the rain. He shuffled to the left and right as he spoke, unsure of how close was too far and just how close he could get.
“Well,” He cleared his throat for good measure, “I’ll call you an uber.”
“What.” Ranpo turned to him, tone genuine.
“Well it’s after dark…and..I cant have my dear Ranpo standing out in the rain…”
“We are standing in the rain, Poe.”
“Ah…yes…I suppose we are…” And Poe laughed, god he laughed and Ranpo wished he could inject the sound directly into his veins, wish he could store it, bottle it, stretch it taut against the night sky and watch as the stars do all they could to compete with the sheer beauty of the sound.
Ranpo looked away, and muttered with mock indignation, “Why can’t I just stay at your place?”
“What.”
“That’s my line and–” He paused, “--You have an apartment, right?”
“Yes of course I just–”
“So it's decided!” Ranpo stuck his finger in the air and confidently began walking.
“It’s the other way Ranpo,” Poe paused and frowned slightly, “And I’m still calling us an uber.”
And they were off. The two of them stared out the opposite car window, saying not a word to each other as the muted landscape slid past their view. Poe lived just on the brink of the city, away from the crowds as he liked to say, but there was really no way to escape those in the city of Yokohama. He supposed he liked the way you could see the whole city from your window, feel as if you could see everything all at once. He supposed he liked the way it made him feel like a cat, a bit too high in a tree for its own good. After what seemed like a short eternity the car finally came to a slow stop in a dark parking lot. Poe was still hesitant about the whole thing, as he hadn’t exactly told Ranpo he could come home with him, not that he minded… He tipped the driver far too many yen than necessary and hurried after Ranpo, who was walking confidently towards Poe’s apartment building as if he owned the damn thing.
Poe placed his bag and trenchcoat on his hanger, and turned around to see Ranpo looking at him, burning holes into the back of his neck, but Ranpo quickly adjusted his gaze to Karl laying curled up on the floor.
“Oh, Kenji returned Karl!”
Poe had known about the detective agency seemingly "borrowing" the key to his apartment he had given to Ranpo, and though it frustrated him slightly, his dear Ranpo trusted them, so he knew they were to be trusted. Ranpo took the key in his hand for a moment, looking at his feet, and his expression was strangely sorrowful.
“Do you mind?” His voice was quiet, only a slight murmur, nonetheless laced with thought.
“Hm?” Poe was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, beside Ranpo now.
“That I have a key to your apartment. Do you mind.” He suddenly looked up. His glasses were off and now his eyes were wide open, brows furrowed.
“No,” Poe’s voice was soft, nearly a whisper, “no I don't."
Ranpo took a small step towards him, his expression still unchanging, “Why?”
“Why do I trust you? I’ve known you my whole life, Edogawa.”
“No you haven’t P-”
“Well answer me this, how could I not have known you if my life had begun the day I laid eyes on you?”
His eyes widened, so large Poe wondered if he shouldn’t have said anything. But he didn’t have much time to give it thought as Ranpo took a step towards him. Face to face. With an enemy, a friend—the only other soul in this world Poe knew he could trust.
Ranpo smiled, but it wavered, his eyes still pensive. “I like your outfit” He tugged on Poe’s shirt a bit, so it fit him more properly. He leaned forward, only inches away from his face now. Poe took a step back, now pushed against the smooth brick wall.
“...Ranpo?” His cheeks flushed. Why were they so close? Ranpo’s eyes almost seem to ignite with the light. They were a thousand glistening emeralds in a dark cave of uncertainty, a wild fire of passion and suspense.
He was gorgeous.
Poe had never truly appreciated how beautiful Ranpo’s eyes really were. And now, his face closer than ever, Poe wasn’t able to take his eyes off of them, and he felt as if he never would.
“Yes…Ed?” Ranpo smiled, his hands still wrapped around Poe’s waist, a fact Poe still hadn’t hammered into his head. It quite literally couldn’t be possible. He knew in the back of his mind he wouldn’t have it any other way, but with Ranpo’s hands still around him, the moment felt surreal.
“Thank you..” Poe nearly whispered the phrase, but there was nothing he could mean more. Ranpo, no matter how intelligent, no matter how much he pondered the words, would never know their true depth.
Ranpo’s smile faltered for just a second longer, and his eyes widened a bit, just for a moment, so quick only Poe himself could ever possibly notice. Ranpo brushed a strand of Poe’s brown hair out of his face.
Ranpo held his breath, looking at the floor hesitantly, then he closed the gap between them.
It took Poe a moment to realize what had happened. Ranpo’s lips had brushed his cheek, only for a moment, then he looked up at Poe.
“I-ah..uh..um–er..uh–” Poe stuttered like an absolute idiot, then blushed, which definitely didn’t help.
“I should be thanking you.” Ranpo grinned and wrapped his arm around Poe’s neck, pulling him down close to him. This time, Poe didn’t hesitate. This can’t be happening this can’t be happening this can't–
Finally, Ranpo pulled away, and this time, his face was bright red. Ranpo dizzily walked over to the couch, leaving Poe to drown in his own thoughts. He collapsed on the couch, cuddled up with a pillow, eating a bag of powdered donuts and flipping through Netflix. Perhaps stress eating? No. No Ranpo was definitely happy. That was undeniable. Poe’s mind swirled. Had that really happened? What happened to being rivals? How long have we been like this? What did Ranpo think of me? What is going to happen now? When should he head home?
That last question was answered awfully quickly when Ranpo turned to him and sat up for a moment, his cheeks still a soft pink. His eyes were unsettled, his shirt unbuttoned slightly. He was stunning, so gorgeous it hurt.
“Yes Ranpo?”
“Can you sit with me?” He paused and thought for a moment, “It’s quite cold in here..” Poe was about to mention how he could turn on the heat, but Ranpo’s frown quickly ruled that out. He gently placed Karl into his arms and plopped down on the very edge of the couch, nearly falling over its arm trying to give Ranpo as much space as possible. Instead, Ranpo shimmied himself towards Poe, and rested his head delicately on his shoulder. Hesitantly, Poe picked up his arm and slowly, unsure of himself, began moving it towards Ranpo.
After a few seconds of Poe’s hesitation, Ranpo impatiently grabbed his arm and put it around his own shoulder. He curled up into Poe’s side, and nearly fell asleep while Poe tried everything in his power not to bother his dear Ranpo. Don’t move a goddamn muscle. Karl jumped from the back of the couch to the small nook Ranpo had made with his legs, curling himself in a little ball on the couch where Ranpo's knee tucked toward his chest. Poe gazed at the ceiling, memories flooding his head.
He still remembered the day Ranpo had first beat Poe’s novel, and he remembered it so clearly it might’ve been just this past morning. Every detail, every moment preserved so carefully into Poe’s mind. He still remembered the day he lost.
After that, Poe had spiraled. He had his entire confidence, his entire meaning was built on his superiority, his expert intelligence, so when Ranpo had first beat him, his mind collapsed. He had centered everything around proving his worth, around challenging Ranpo. And when another detective beat him, he felt…insignificant. When he saw Ranpo sly smile, when Ranpo had brushed him off with a simple “Better luck next time”, Poe knew he couldn’t let Ranpo win against him, and he had to do something. Anything. It didn’t matter if he rot from the inside out, he would find a way to slaughter that arrogant bastard.
His health deteriorated to the point where he knew the only reason he hadn’t just given up on everything was to solely get revenge on Ranpo, to prove himself worthy to all the prying eyes he hid himself from. He cut off all ties from society, he barely left his study for those six years. Eating, showering, basic human hygiene began a chore he didn’t have time for. He didn’t care if he had to die in his study, nor if the whole world burned around him, as long as he saw his victory. He was driving himself mad trying to create something to reignite his title as the world’s best detective, trying to receive himself by slowly allowing himself to rot from the inside out. He wanted nothing more than for Ranpo dead, he wanted nothing more than to be the best. But there was always a part of him. An awful, quiet part of him hidden away, as Poe would never let it speak, that knew Ranpo had kept him breathing. Ranpohad sealed him in darkness but sealed him nonetheless.
When he and Ranpo met again, and Ranpo won yet again, he worried the cycle would restart. But instead of pure hatred, something in him shifted. As much as he willed himself to despise Ranpo, he couldn’t find himself feeling any anger at all. It felt odd, like a strange absence you’ve come to hate yet come to know. Poe found comfort in consistency, in the consistency of loathing he had felt for the cocky detective, but that had vanished, replaced instead with a feeling of admiration. After all these years, through everything, Ranpo was still himself. He was healthy, safe, and certainly not insane, something Poe couldn’t say for himself, and so they became closer.
Now Poe wondered ever so often
if he wasn’t the best, then was he anyone at all?
During those dark six years his entire life had revolved around Ranpo, and he was so relieved when that time was finally over, but..had anything really changed at all? His whole world still revolved around Ranpo, his whole personality, his time, his mind, his very being all dedicated to Ranpo, so was he really anyone at all? He had his own hobbies, his own life, but when people hear the name Edgar Allen Poe, what do they hear? Do other people see him as anything but Ranpo’s rival? The thought infuriated him, and it cut deeper the closer and closer he got with Ranpo; he knew that there was once a time he wanted nothing more than to have Ranpo dead. Was there a part…even ever so small…that still wanted that exact thing? He hated Ranpo right? Did he really?
A small whisper shocked him out of his daze.
Good night Ed
He glanced down at Ranpo, admiring his face, his features. His eyes opened slightly, as if just to say come face to face with Poe one last time before the night consumed him.
Poe swore the heavens were empty and all the stars were in his eyes
He had on that tight little smile Poe always loved to memorise, yet for some reason, tonight, it saddened him slightly. Poe stared at his ceiling fan. Ranpo doesn't deserve someone who seeks nothing more than to rival him. And that's all I want, yes? Poe wasn’t sure how or what he thought of Ranpo anymore. His feelings were contorted, his emotions blurred to the point of indistinction.
That night’s stars were an oil spill through the cracks in the blinds, pouring a leak of silver onto Ranpo’s face. Gentle rain pattered down on his window sill, muffling their already quiet breaths. No matter how intelligent, no matter how much he thought he understood, Ranpo would never have even a fraction of an idea of what he did to save Poe. Honestly, Poe didn’t really know either, but on this night, where the silent rain poured down from the heavens and their bodies curled together, to Poe, they were the only things that mattered. They were two silent stars in this ever shining sky, forever trying to outshine one another. The thought caused him to whisper these last words into the night sky, so quiet only him and the moon could hear.
Rivals are an interesting thing, aren’t they Karl? The same way lovers seek each other affirmation rivals seek to impress each other. The same way a jealous partner would become obsessed with his lover, rivals spend every waking hour with the other on their minds. The same way lovers crave each other's affection, rivals seek each other's touch. The same way lovers are determined to stay a pair, rivals would do anything to win against their competitor. It's the same with I and Ranpo I believe. The same ways lovers admire their partner, rivals constantly admire their competitor, to the extent they question if they were even ever rivals at all.