Prey and Predator [Ranpo x Reader] + Bonus ✓

Bonus: For the one I love, anything

'You should've invited Ranpo,' Brother persisted as he pushed through the doors, taking familiar steps into the restaurant he'd suggested we grab dinner at; our footsteps echoed in the empty hall as I followed after him, sitting down at a table under a row of dimmed lights. 'Was he busy?'

'He opted to stay at home and look after Roze,' I replied, adjusting myself to the eloquence of the hall; the bicoloured tone of the wooden tabletop gave the restaurant a rather natural look, along with a stacked up case nailed to the wall that displayed transparent bottles of Japanese beverages and a potted vase holding a singular yellow tulip.

Brother chuckled at my astonished gaze as I perused the menu's prices, mouth gaped as I wondered how he could afford to eat meals here every week.

'It has a calming ambience, doesn't it?' he suggested with a smile, keeping his menu down as he sat comfortably on his chair; if I hadn't known, I would've guessed he owned the restaurant for how relaxed he was in its presence, his arm draped over the flank of his chair while he ran a hand through his hair. 'You really ought to eat here with your boyfriend and children -'

'We don't have children!' I argued in a whisper, looking down at the menu as a way to avert his amused eyes. 'We've only got Roze... she hasn't got any family members who could take her in, so, for the meantime, Ranpo and I are watching over her as a better alternative...'

'Oops, my bad,' he teased while forcing my menu down on the table, watching with amusement and I stuck my tongue out to him and sulked. 'I must've mistaken the two of you for a married couple already awaiting a second child -'

'I'm not pregnant!'

Bringing his hands to his mouth, Brother dramatised a gasp, the light above reflecting on a plain golden ring that I'd just recently noticed on his right hand. He smirked as he lowered his hands to the table. 'How would you know you're not pregnant?'

'Because -' - I cut myself off and glared down at the menu, reasoning with the prices as my cheeks adopted an embarrassing warmth. 'That's none of your business, nosy twit!'

Covering my stomach as he raised an eyebrow at it and burst into a peal of teasing laughter, I looked down at my shirt and clutched the fabric of my trousers, recalling mine and Ranpo's most recent talk regarding having children of our own:

"You're always teasing me about having children," I addressed, standing before his desk in an otherwise empty office. "I'm not able to tell whether you do it to get a reaction out of me or if you genuinely mean it."

Looking up from his portable gaming console, Ranpo stopped fidgeting with its buttons and spat his empty lollipop stick into the bin next to his desk; in other occasions, I would've defeated the silence by throwing his candy wrappers and chocolate packagings away, but he'd long learned to throw them away by himself - again, to avoid becoming a "messy father" for his children.

Ranpo sighed and switched his console off, resting it on his leather chair after pushing himself up and walking his way to my side; he pushed himself onto the desk and sat up with his arms next to each of his thighs.

"I don't think it's appropriate to tease someone about such important matters if one doesn't mean them," he responded, taking my hand in his to bring me in closer and wrap an arm around my waist. "I handle teasing comments as suggestive hints."

Timidly, I avoided looking at him and sought a distraction in looking back at his clear desk - that didn't please him; growing avid, he took my chin in his fingers and directed my eyes to look into his own, those whose emerald warmth reflected the same colour as the stone sitting on my chest.