The Way It Stops and Starts

After Ranpo's only shot at romance in his entire twenty-six years of living at his cute rival in an investigation competition, imagine his complete and utter embarrassment when the only person who ever caught his heart's attention shows up six years later with an elaborate plan to get revenge?

WHY?

All I ever wanted was a date, you gorgeous insane man, Ranpo thinks miserably as Poe stares at him with a maniacal smirk behind bangs even thicker than before. Why are you doing this to me? Did I really mess up that bad?

Ranpo pretends not to remember him at first. It's the only way to preserve his dignity while he's actually trying not to crumble under the weight of his stupid twenty year old past-self, and usually he'd rather DIE than call himself stupid.

But slowly, the embarrassment fades. Because Ranpo realises something that day, something that makes his brain stir with a very unfamiliar emotion that he thinks is called 'longing'.

Poe is so much more brilliant than Ranpo could have ever imagined.

alternately, the story of Ranpo Edogawa feeling constantly confused by his clever and adorable new friend.