Work Text:
Poe was in the process of completing his latest novel for Ranpo, who had been providing the writer with numerous ideas for murder mystery books. Poe was bubbling with excitement because this was the best piece he had written thus far, and Ranpo would be completely caught off guard by the unexpected plot twist at the end. Ranpo would have to read the entire novel before being able to identify the murderer. It had been a few months since Poe began working on this book, and he rarely took breaks from it, except for when Karl needed to be fed, Ranpo visited, or for basic daily necessities to avoid losing track of the storyline. Poe only had about 2-3 chapters left to write before showing it to Ranpo, so he hadn't slept for 21 hours. Karl began to pester Poe by tugging at his hair (not enough to cause damage), nudging his hands, and removing his gray star hair clip so that his hair fell onto his face. This forced Poe to get up and perhaps realize he needed to sleep when he saw himself in the mirror. However, this only happened once.
While Poe was jotting down the final paragraphs, the doorbell rang. Poe flinched, but quickly regained his composure, so it was not a big deal. Despite trying to ignore it and finish his work, the doorbell continued to ring persistently. The person outside seemed to be oblivious to Poe's hints. Consequently, Poe reluctantly went downstairs to answer the door and put an end to the incessant annoyance. To his surprise, when Poe opened the door, he found him standing there. They had a meeting scheduled for Thursday, but it was only Tuesday. Although it wasn't completely out of character for him.
It was Ranpo, holding a basket filled with sugary treats. The treats were stacked so high that they appeared as though they could devour Poe. It was a bit intimidating for him. Then, Ranpo's cheerful voice broke the silence, "Hey Poeee, why are you staring? Is something wrong?"
Poe snapped out of his thoughts about whether the novel he was writing for Ranpo would meet his expectations. He still had uncertainties, but he needed to respond to Ranpo. So, he said, "Oh, I apologize Ranpo. I was just lost in thought. But I can imagine it must be tiring to hold all those candies. Would you like to set them down?" With that, Ranpo dashed into the house and placed his self-made mountain of treats on the kitchen counter.
It was strange to Poe how their relationship had evolved from being adversaries to lovers within a few months. This cliché was definitely not something Poe had envisioned experiencing in his life, yet here he was, sitting in his home library, rocking back and forth on the floor. Poe had become overwhelmed when he got stuck on the last paragraph and couldn't find the right words to write. He had started pulling at his hair, and Karl had alerted Ranpo about this. Ranpo, who was napping on the library couch, was unaware of what was happening.
Once Poe had regained his composure, exhaustion took over and he drifted off to sleep on Ranpo's lap. However, this presented a dilemma: how to transport Poe to his room. Fortunately, Poe's room was conveniently located on the second floor, making the task easier. Surprisingly, Ranpo realized that Poe didn't feel as heavy as he appeared, as his multiple layers of clothing had created a deceptive illusion of weight. Nonetheless, this realization facilitated Ranpo in carrying Poe to his bedroom and gently placing him on the bed in a matter of minutes.
When Poe woke up, he found himself in his bedroom without any recollection of how he got there. The last thing he remembered was being on the library floor with Ranpo. Where was Ranpo now? Did he leave without informing Poe? As Poe absentmindedly scratched the top of his hand, he unintentionally caused redness and minor bleeding due to his short nails, which reminded him of Ranpo's previous request to refrain from chewing them until they bled. Poe knew that Ranpo wanted him to stop harming himself when stressed, but breaking such a habit would take time. Consequently, Poe decided to change the location of which he did it instead.
"Karl!" Poe called out, not desiring any further stress at the moment. However, after waiting for five minutes, Karl still hadn't arrived, causing Poe to grow increasingly worried. Suddenly, Poe heard footsteps approaching, but he assumed it was a burglar rather than Ranpo. Fear gripped Poe's mind as he contemplated the potential threat. However, as the door swung open, it revealed Ranpo holding a cup of coffee. "I apologize, Poe. I made you some coffee because I know you enjoy waking up to it," Ranpo explained, slightly out of breath. Poe was surprised that Ranpo hadn't spilled any coffee while bounding up the stairs, and he felt immensely grateful for Ranpo's thoughtfulness.
Poe reached out to take the cup from Ranpo, and in doing so, Ranpo noticed the red marks on Poe's hands. His expression transformed into a sad smile as he spoke, "Oh... Poe, I'm sorry for causing you worry. It was not my intention." For a moment, Poe didn't understand why Ranpo was apologizing, as he had momentarily forgotten about the red marks. However, once he remembered, Poe didn't appreciate Ranpo feeling responsible for his actions. Wanting to alleviate any blame, Poe offered the only response he knew for such situations, "No! I'm sorry for worrying you." Accepting the cup, Ranpo decided to sit on the bed and began drawing small patterns on Poe's legs, allowing Poe to name them - cake, hearts, stars, cats, and even Karl! Meanwhile, Poe took sips from the coffee Ranpo had prepared.
After finishing his coffee, Poe placed the cup on the nightstand. Ranpo then asked, "May I see it, please?" Poe slowly extended his hand towards Ranpo, who proceeded to shower it with gentle kisses. The ticklish sensation prompted Poe to burst into laughter, which only encouraged Ranpo to continue and relish in the delightful sound.
After Ranpo departed for the evening, Poe resumed his writing endeavors. However, this endeavor only heightened his anxiety as he struggled to conjure a satisfactory concluding line without revisiting and potentially undermining his previous efforts. Such an act would render this pivotal moment in the novel futile, thus rendering Poe incapable of mustering the will to proceed. Consequently, his stress escalated further, leading him to open the second drawer.
Before Poe could fully comprehend the situation, his arm began to hemorrhage, staining the carpet with crimson. As paradoxical as it may be, he found solace in this occurrence, as it provided a temporary respite from the predicament he faced, temporarily quieting his racing mind. However, he knew that these thoughts would resurface with even greater intensity, especially considering his impending meeting with Ranpo in two days. How would he address this predicament?
Overwhelmed by his circumstances, the writer succumbed to unconsciousness.