Chapter Text
Ranpo shot a few glances at the short ginger-haired boy who sat across from him. The smaller boy was hunched over with one elbow resting on his leg thigh and the other dangling past his right. Pure boredom showcased all over his porcelain face.
He was probably bored because they had nothing to do. Well, the shorter boy had something to do but without Ranpo’s helping hand it would take forever. But, Ranpo wouldn’t budge no matter how many times he was jabbed in his side with his ears being flooded with various insults as.
Thats right, the two of them were no longer in Japan. Oh, Ranpo had a acquaintance, more like someone who was just his support, like he needed support anyway. Ranpo was most-likely the smartest person in all of Japan. Well, it was his opinion of course and nobody would even consider arguing with him because it technically was true after all. The best detective, a gifted. Back to what he was mentioning, his support had the ability to create Novels and anyone who touched them would be transporter into them and would not be let out of them unless they were solved.
And Ranpo, was in one of those novels, the room was in had the aesthetic of a withered furniture house. To be more honest he was in the living room of said house. There was thick black mold covering the top of each wall and stains on the carpet. There was also a brown couch with a few tears and patches sewed into it that Ranpo and another person were both sitting on. oh? Did he mention he was in the novel with someone from the Port Mafia? Eh- whats his name?..he was a redhead if he could recall properly. And with a glance to his side that seemed correct, good on him, he thought.
“Chuuya. Nakahara Chuuya.”
The ginger mumbled, shooting a sharp glare at the detective.
“Thats what you were thinking, *right?* heh, Imagine getting deducted by someone like me? Your so pathe-“
“Quiet, plankton.”
Ranpo spat almost instinctively
Chuuya turned his head to look at ranpo so fast that Ranpo considered he might’ve just gotten whiplash, with pure disbelief on his face. One eyebrow raised and the other furrowed as his mouth hang slightly agape.
“..plankton?..what the FUCK is THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!”
He stood up and shuffled to get closer to Ranpo and then leaned over the sitting man. The both of them now quite close to one another. Ranpo just sat picking the loose strings on his vest, which there was quite a few of.
“It means whatever you interpret it to be.”
Ranpo simply responded, moving his eyes from his vest to to the now frustration-filled eyes of a considerably small man with overwhelming behavior issues.
“Hey, I don’t want to interpret it. Tell me what YOU meant by it.”
Chuuya stuck his hand out to flick the black-haired mans forehead, earning a wince from the taller man. Its not like he didn’t expect it- Chuuya was RIGHT in front of him for crying out loud!..urgh. Chuuya made a promise to himself that as soon as he got out of this “place” he would show Ranpo just how much of a pain in the ass he was being.
“Fine, if you insist. I meant in a way that your shor-“
Ranpos words were cut off by a foot flying past his head and landing against the wall with such force cracks were made and specks of now chipped aging paint fell in all directions.
“What did you say? Come on, what was it? Tell me, Edogawa.”
He leaned in closer, and closer. Till their faces were inches apart. Ranpo had stayed completely still and sat where he had been for the past, uhh?..past minutes? Hours?..he couldn’t even tell the time in this wretched place.
“I said what I said, aaaaandd! Im not wrong technically. And since I’m stating the obvious is it really wrong to say that? And- if your going to take offense to being called short when you ARE short maybe you need to work on your self confidence. Just suggesting.”
Ranpo closed his eyes as every word came spilling out his mouth, Chuuya staying as still as a snake about to launch at its prey. Glaring at the man obviously irritated, veins almost bulging out his forehead as little droplets of sweat ran down the sides of his face. And not to mention- his mouth, which previously relaxed lips were now formed into a disturbing grin.
“Your so smart aren’t you Ranpo? Your this, AMAZING! and, GIFTED detective who knows everything and anything, right? RIGHT?”
Chuuya slammed his fists at either side of ranpo, the taller make now looking slightly concerned with a slight shake now and then and beads of his own sweat running down his face.
“You get EVERYTHING, handed to you. All on a gold platter..you could do the bare minimum and everyone would be kneeling in front of you praising you while you prance around ignoring them, living in your own pride.”
And with that, Chuuya connected his knee against Ranpo’s cheek, sending Ranpo falling on his side with a loud wince as his hands rushed to cover his face, curling in on himself to protect his vital organs.
“..and you think YOU have the right, to call ME pathetic? Look at you, all scrunched up! Gonna cry for Fukuzawa? Cus, wait..NEWSFLASH! He isn’t in this freakish novel-whatever the FUCK world!”
Nakahara had a few locks of the taller males hair in his fist with a tight grasp. Edogawa was now shaking, well. He was trying to hide it but to no avail as chuuya pulled his hair harder and harder and as the already-forming bruise on his cheek was probably STINGING by now. Chuuya let out a chuckle at the sight, grinning as he then released his grasp but not before slapping Ranpo right on his new bruise earning a loud grunt from him.
“..now, since we’re stuck in a Novel and your lazy ass can’t be bothered solving it, which is such a disappointment to be frank, you have the ability to deduct anything and because of me you won’t solve it?..so petty..so worthless.”
And with that Chuuya turned and paced off, letting a few strands of Ranpo’s hair he “accidentally” pulled off before leaving a trail alongside his footsteps in the carpet. Leaving Ranpo curled up on the couch with his hands slowly leaving his sides as he relaxed his muscles and sat up. Running his hand through his disorganized black hair wincing as he felt bumps from where strands of hair were viciously pulled out. And the bruise on his cheek? Fuck. It hurt so unbelievably bad. But Ranpo wasn’t going to solve the novel anytime soon so he couldn’t get any medical attention from Yosano. How lucky he was. And with the type of guy he was imprisoned with in here he could only think of the possibilities of injuries he could have to endure and go through before the novel is finally solved.
“..jerk”
Ranpo could only mumble to himself before dropping his head in hands and trying to take a nap to make his rapidly increasing thoughts he was dealing with calm down a little bit and relax.
And with a few tosses and turns Ranpo fell asleep on the tattered couch, not noticing the redhead who laid his hands on him earlier sit as far away as could on the couch and watch whatever show came onto the screen of the old device he kept in hope of the demand for the item skyrocketing getting him some easy cash.