Chapter Text
Gentle fingers ran through Poe’s hair, careful to untangle every knot in a way that avoided pulling on his scalp. The sensation brought a wistful feeling, evoking memories of simpler times.
As the brush began its rhythmic strokes, a contented sigh slipped from his lips.
Such a soothing feeling, he could easily fall asleep under the soft ministrations. Alas, his relaxation was broken by a quiet voice.
“Your hair is so pretty.” Ranpo mused out loud, though it sounded more like he was speaking to himself. With an amused huff, Poe cracked an eye open. In the vanity mirror, his reflection stared back at him.
Ranpo stood just behind him, expression focused as he mindlessly rummaged through the hair products displayed in front of them. A small Aha! escaped him when he finally found a few elastics he could use.
The detective worked meticulously, dividing the hair into even sections. Once he was satisfied with the result, he slipped his fingers into the hair elastic, stretching it slightly to ensure it wouldn’t easily break.
As Ranpo began twisting the first braid, Poe’s curiosity got the better of him. “What brought this on?” His voice came out hushed, afraid of shattering the comfortable atmosphere.
“What do you mean? I’ve always liked your hair.” It was the truth. From the moment the two reunited, Ranpo often wondered if the other's hair was truly as soft as it appeared. It was.
“I suppose…” Poe trailed off, a faint pink dusting his cheeks. “Still, to think you would wish to braid it… I must admit it caught me off guard, not that I mind!” He quickly clarified, raising his hands in a nervous gesture. “It’s just—well, I didn’t expect it.”
Chuckling, Ranpo kept his gaze focused on the movement of his fingers, trying to avoid embarrassing Poe further. “I dunno, maybe I'm just feeling a bit nostalgic.” He finished, snapping the elastic into place with a satisfying sound.
Poe's lips formed a small pout before his gaze flicked to his own reflection. “Nostalgic…?” He echoed, fingers tracing the newly completed braid.
Moving to part the next section of hair, Ranpo hummed thoughtfully. “If you must know, I used to do this a lot for Yosano back when she first joined the Agency.” He explained, a fond look crossing his features. Poe thought it made him look younger, happier. “She said it made her feel safe. Since your hair is starting to get quite long, I figured you would appreciate a bit of that care too.”
And oh if that didn’t make Poe’s heart skip a beat. He swallowed hard, struggling to keep his composure as a wave of emotion threatened to overwhelm him. The back of his eyes stung. “Thank you.”
For an author, he would surely feel ashamed later that those simple two words were the only ones he could muster at the moment. But he knew Ranpo would understand.
He always did.
Ranpo’s hands paused in their work for a moment and he leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of Poe’s head. Twirling a piece of hair between his fingers, he asked. “Shall I continue?”