Dense As a Rock - Ranpoe

Step 13: Go To A Diner

"What?".

"Go to a diner! You know a place with fries and milkshakes and jukeboxes", Kenji said.

"But would Poe like that?", Ranpo asked.

"Who doesn't love a milkshake and burgers!".

Ranpo stared at the boy with a blank expression. Then he shrugged.

"Yeah sure. I could try it".

Kenji cheered and with that Ranpo was up and out of the office.

Kunikida didn't even try and stop him this time.

****

"Can I bring Karl?", Poe asked when he saw Ranpo on his doorstep. He had been coming around so much lately that Poe already knew they were going somewhere else today.

Ranpo nodded.

"Yep, you can bring the little thief".

Poe did a small little clap with his hands and soon Karl was snug on his shoulders.

"We are t-t-taking the train a-again, aren't we?", Poe asked while he locked his front door.

"No, we are taking a limousine".

"... R-really?".

"No Poe, we aren't taking a limousine. We are taking the train again".

"O-oh okay".

****

"Karl c-c-can eat the fries here Ranpo", Poe stated.

"Well, he can't eat my fries", Ranpo spat back.

"I-I d-don't think he would w-want your f-fries".

Ranpo gasped and exclaimed, "How rude!".

Poe giggled.

Ranpo just glared at the raccoon, who glared back from Poe's shoulders.

****

"No, Ranpo j-just dip the fry in-into the milkshake", Poe instructed once more. Ranpo's face scrunched up.

"But... that seems so weird!".

"I-It t-taste g-good I p-promise".

Ranpo frowned but dipped his fry into the sweet drink.

Poe watched with bated breath as Ranpo then shoved the fry into his mouth.

"Y-You verdict?".

Ranpo hummed, then said, "It's pretty fucking good".

Poe lit up like a lightbulb.

"R-really!".

"Really".

****

When the bill was finally paid, Ranpo cleared his throat.

It was now or never he supposed.

"Poe, do you know why I have been taking you out on all of these trips?".

Poe looked back towards him and shook his head.

Oh my god, he really was dense.

"Well, the reason I have been wanting to get closer to you is...", Ranpo then stopped speaking.

What if Poe truly didn't feel the same way after all? What if Yosano was wrong?

Ranpo always hated the question "What if" because he never had to ask it.

He just always knew.

But now he wasn't so sure.

"W-what is the r-reason?", Poe asked. Ranpo looked back at him, his thoughts now gone.

"Oh um... you just deserve to be in the presence of the most incredible detective in the world!", Ranpo hastily shoved out of his mouth.

Poe felt a frown tug at his lips, but he caught it and forced a smile on his face.

"Y-you r-really a-are the b-best detective i-in the world".

****

Poe laid in his bed for what seemed like forever. He replayed that sentence over and over again in his head.

Why was he disappointed with that response?

He truly didn't expect a declaration of love, but even still, he hoped for one.

Poe was terrible at all of this.

Emotions and social ques.

And he hated it.

But even still he couldn't hate the source of his suffering.

****

Ranpo cursed once more.

Why didn't he tell him?

It could have been so easy! So very easy!

And now here he was, alone in his apartment, thinking about what could have been.

He let out another long sigh.

Ranpo tried to let Poe see the signs, now he was just going to have to flat out say it.

But that was so much easier to say than do.

Ranpo cursed once more before he threw himself onto his bed.

Love is so utterly stupid!

Step 13: Completed!