Prey and Predator [Ranpo x Reader] + Bonus ✓

Bonus: Detective Edogawa

'You're late!' Ranpo complained as I took a seat beside him on the stairs leading up to the Armed Detective Agency, his face scrunching into a cross expression and lips forming into a pout; his expression softened, however, when I reached into my bag and brought the "sorry snack" I knew would be needed along with an apology. 'How dare you prioritise work over me!'

He humphed silently and took the bag I gave him pettily, tearing the top open to dig his hand in and bring various gummy bears to his lips. I sighed as I watched him chew silently and shielded my eyes from the exposure of the sun mantling Yokohama on that tropical afternoon.

'Congratulations on closing that case today,' he praised with a mouthful of gummies, extending the bag my way so that I was able to pull out a handful of bear-shaped sweets to feed on as silently as he, though my reason for such had been that the criminal I had managed to arrest today was supposed to be a surprise for him, and I had never mentioned that I was responsible for looking at the array of victims subjected to the said perpetrator.

Ranpo saw through everything, however, including the times I concealed my discontent with chewing, so, as a way to console me, he removed his brown hat from his head and patted it securely on my head, smiling as he leaned back onto the wall behind him.

'I'm just an ordinary little boy,' he began in a child-like whine, holding the bag of gummies closer to him as though it held emotional value to him. 'And now I'm sitting next to a pretty detective who gave me a bag of gummy bears! I'm so lucky to be sitting next to Detective -' - He outstretched his arm so that the bag was held under my chin like a microphone, but retrieved it with a grin before I could speak into it: 'Detective Convenience Store Woman! The C.S Woman! - Crime Scene Woman! Wow, what a clever name!'

I sighed with an amused smile, unsure on how to respond verbally to his childish role-play but appreciating it (ironically) that he mocked me in the nicest and most silly way he knew how to; I was glad that despite the years, despite the age, he retained that annoying and childish personality I somehow fell for. 'You don't have to pretend to -'

'Pretend?' he interrupted, bringing his elbow to his thigh so that he could lay his cheek gently on his palm. 'I don't pretend to see things from your perspective, so I like listening to you telling me about all cases you've solved, [Y/N],' he smiled tenderly when he pronounced my name, the sort of smile that had the ability to melt me inside and set off a flight of butterflies free in my stomach. 'Besides, I love that look in your eyes - a look that says "I'm enthusiastic and proud of this, so let me tell you about it!" - and I don't think I can ever get tired of it.'

His hand traced the skin of my exposed arm until his fingers met with my own and interlaced together, serving his head as a cue to be brought down to my shoulder where he could rest it; his other hand busied itself with holding the emerald he'd given me before on the tips of his fingers, the silver string wrapping around his index as though it were made for his touch.

'What case did you solve, [Y/N]?'

'You can't interrupt me, okay?' He nodded and I stroked his hair, adjusting my shoulders so that it could comfortably hold his head there.

On the previous morning, I had been summoned by my own agency to investigate the corpse of a woman that had been found dumped in an alleyway, the fairness of her skin painted with bite marks and patches of dried blood, from her neck running the crimson fluid that ought to have stayed in her body - along with her head, too.

Awaiting my arrival were two police officers, their navy blue uniforms complimenting the dimness of the alleyway while their badges strained for the light before the sun had fully awoken; the first introduced himself as an assistant inspector, bowing low to me as he pointed out that I was his senior in both age and title, and beside him was a much older and mature-looking male who bowed his head at my presence and had a camera hung around his neck like a useless arm sling.