#and by extension ranpos too

[t4tsoukoku]

something about souheki being in a established relationship and atsushi being completely oblivious to this is so funny to me,, just thinking about atsushi going to dazais apartment because he needs something and then ranpos just. there. sitting on the couch as if this isnt really strange because atsushi didnt even realize they were friends !! dazai and ranpo soon catch on and they make a bet on when atsushi will realize (ranpo wins because of course he does)

[yokohamapound]

Ooh, a new BSD blog! :D How about the reactions of Dazai, Ranpo, Chuuya, Akutagawa and Fyodor when they see their female S/O in fancy attire for the first time? Like if they're going to some formal events together as a couple.

Hmm, it's almost like you knew I am addicted to fancy clothes...this sent me on a deep dive through my extensive Pinterest board.

Characters: Dazai Osamu, Edogawa Ranpo, Nakahara Chuuya, Akutagawa Ryuunosuke, Fyodor Dostoevsky

Contents: fem!reader, possessive, controlling Fyodor

Dazai Osamu

Dazai is the type of man to enjoy seeing you in everything you wear, especially when you're puttering around the apartment in just one of his his shirts, but seeing you in formalwear is something special.

Maybe it's another award ceremony for the Armed Detective Agency, a fancy gala that requires you to wear something more upscale than business casual. Dazai has a suit he can fall back on—probably something in a dark blue or a shade of camel, because black reminds him too much of his time in the Port Mafia.

He's waiting in the living room for you to come out of the bedroom, periodically whining for you to come out of the bedroom and pay attention to him.

"I'm going to die of neglect out here," he calls forlornly. "And I always wanted us to die togeth—"

The door slides open, and Dazai cuts off his wailing, looking over his shoulder. There's a moment of silence—yes, actual silence from Dazai—as his gaze moves slowly up your legs, his eyes getting progressively wider as he takes in the slinky little number clinging to your curves, how the neckline reveals the arch of your throat. Your make-up, those smoky eyes and glossy lips...

"I don't want to go," he blurts, shuffling over on his knees and wrapping his arms around your waist. "Let's stay home. I'll pour you sake and feed you grapes."

Edogawa Ranpo

Ranpo doesn't tend to make a big deal about what you wear. He notices of course, because he notices everything, but he'll only comment if you're wearing something particularly cute or if he's deduced something interesting from your choice of attire, which usually goes like:

"Are you wearing that skirt 'cause you wanted me to notice you waxed your legs?"

"Ranpo, even if you know something, it doesn't mean you have to say it."

"What? You wanted me to notice and I'm noticing. It's not my fault you're not subtle," he says, grinning around his lollipop.

"Right, because I'm the one that's not subtle."

He's fiddling with his tie as the pair of you get ready for a formal event thrown in the ADA's honour (normally he'd complain about going to something so boring, but Fukuzawa promised him there'd be a buffet and lots of people wanting to praise him) and complaining that he can't tie it and he doesn't want to wear it.

"Oh, you big baby," you chide playfully, sauntering out of the bedroom, heels clicking as you fix one of your earrings in place "You wear a tie every day."

Taking the ends of the tie, you start to weave it into a simple Windsor knot, glancing up to see Ranpo gawking at you, his pretty green eyes wide open. For once, his brain isn't processing information at warp speed. It's crickets in there, like he's short-circuited.

"That good, huh?" you ask, tightening his tie. "No deductions, smart boy?"

"Uh..." Ranpo falters a bit as you draw him closer by his carefully knotted tie. "Nope."

You give him a kiss and release him. He's grinning like a Cheshire Cat as he follows you to the door.

"Hey, is there room for snacks in your clutch?"

Nakahara Chuuya

If you're Chuuya's girl, you'll never want for the finer things in life, but that first, first time he sees you all dolled up is very memorable. Even if you have cash of your own, he would have handed you his shiny black card, pressing it into your hand with a kiss and a grin.

"Let me treat ya. Don't even look at the prices."

After some credit card BDSM—that plastic rectangle got used and abused and it liked it—you came back to the penthouse laden with shopping bags, your hair freshly styled, a mani pedi, and a facial. By the time Chuuya comes to pick you up, you're dolled up to the nines.

Chuuya walks in, calling out for you, only to stop dead in his tracks when he sees you. You've got your back to him, carefully fixing the edge of your lipstick in the vanity mirror, when you spot his reflection.

"Hey, babe, almost ready," you say, turning to face him.

A slow grin breaks out across Chuuya's face. He reaches up and pushes his hat back, as if to see you better, his blue eyes wide.

"Fuck me, doll," he says, his voice coming out rough. "You look incredible..."

You make a show of checking your beautiful antique watch. "I don't think we have time for that right now, but when we get home..."

Chuuya lets out a groan, pulling you toward him by the hips. You won't let him smudge your fresh lipstick, so he leaves a love bite on your throat instead, like a promise for later.

Akutagawa Ryuunosuke

Akutagawa swears by formalwear (even if his taste in formalwear is over a century out of date), so he's no stranger to being suited and booted. Perhaps the two of you have been tasked to infiltrate a high society soiree as part of Mori's plans, or perhaps you are his undercover bodyguards while he attends one himself.

Akutagawa dislikes clothes shopping, so he flatly refused to accompany you to buy a dress for the occasion. This is probably for the best. It's a lot less stressful to shop with Gin and Higuchi than it is with an irritable, murderous Ryuunosuke dogging your heels and glaring daggers at the sales assistant.

Which is to say, he has no idea what you are wearing until you show up to the gala. He's watching Mori from near the wall, his hands thrust into the pockets of his long black coat. Disinterested.

His pale grey eyes sweep over you at first, mistaking you for another of the wealthy partygoers.

Then they snap back, going wide. Akutagawa stands there as if he's been locked into place as you saunter over to join him, a flute of champagne in each hand.

The way the dress moves, how it flows or clings to the various planes and curves of your body, how you move while you wear it, as if you've become a new, elevated version of yourself.

"Sorry I'm late," you say, handing him a champagne flute. He's surprised enough to take it without muttering that he doesn't like champagne. "The boss did say to arrive separately."

"...what are you wearing?" he finally manages to say. "You look—"

"Ridiculous? Yeah, I know, but this is what we have to wear to these stupid things. I can't even get away with hiding a gun under this thing."

"No—"

Too late, you've already moved away toward the buffet to grab a couple of hors d'oeuvres for you and him. Akutagawa finds his voice a little too late.

"You don't look ridiculous."

Fyodor Dostoevsky

I can guarantee with 100% certainty that Fyodor knows exactly what you're wearing, because he took you to the exclusive boutique in order to purchase it—after he had you model several dozen gowns for his appreciation and approval. He had to spend all that money he stole from the Guild on something, after all, so there were shoes and jewellery into the bargain.

There are staff to pamper you: a hairstylist, a nail tech, and a make-up artist, all under strict orders not to speak to you or dare look you in the eye as they primp and doll you up.

"Doll" being the operative word, because you look like a porcelain doll by the time they're done with you.

Airy layers float around you as you carefully pick your way down the sweeping staircase, ankles wobbling in your slightly-too-high heels, giving you that vulnerable, fawnish air that Fyodor likes so much.

He stands at the bottom of the stairs, cool violet eyes watching every tentative step. His masterpiece is complete.

"Myshka," he purrs at the sight of you. "You look perfect."

He offers you his hand, cold fingers closing around yours as you stumble off the very last step and into his arms. He makes a soft, slightly mocking sound of amusement in the back of his throat.

"Careful, darling," he chides, his hand settling firmly, possessively in the small of your back. "I can't have you falling for anyone but me."

The humour carries a note of truth. Fyodor's finger traces along the line of your jaw, curling beneath your chin and tipping your face up toward his. His breath ghosts over your lips.

"I will have to dress you this way more often."

AO3 | Other Blogs: Bleach | BNHA | Naruto | JJK

[whathorselegs]

Lucy and Sigma as Cafe employee and besties headcanons

Instead of joining the Agency, Sigma is employed at the cafe along side Lucy and they become best friends.

They braid and style each other's hair.

Take their breaks in Anne's room.

Sigma is a little creeped out by Anne at first but he realizes she is just an extension of Lucy and becomes quite fond of her after that. He will greet Anne and ask her how she is, says goodbye to her when they go back to work, ect.

Lucy struggles to express her feelings a lot and will hug Sigma through Anne.

They un-ironically have tea parties and gossip together. (Kyouka and the clerks are all invited - Dazai is banned - Ranpo is on thin ice because he steals all the snacks - Poe and Louisa are always welcome)

They're the unofficial Atsushi fan club. (Kyouka is also a member)

They are both new to Yokohama so they go on exploration and sightseeing trips together.

Sigma gets into astrology, they both take it very seriously.

Sigma doesn't know his birthday so they use the star signs and his personality to try and figure it out.

Neither of them have had a birthday party before so they decide to celebrate their first one together.

Lucy gets Sigma a plushie because she knows he doesn't have any. Sigma gets Lucy button and ribbon themed hair accessories which she immediately wears.

One time Lucy messed up an order and customer got mad at her and Sigma went into full protective manager mode and kicked them out.

However outside of work Sigma has trouble standing up for himself and Lucy will always be there to encourage him.

They help out the Agency with missions where they can, but don't have the pressure of feeling like they have too.

[manias-wordcount]

Watching and Waiting (Ranpo Edogawa)

Kinktober 2024 Day Nineteen: Camgirl

𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚? ⇒ 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙢�� 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧?

𝙗𝙪𝙮 𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚?

He remembers the exact day he found your stream.

He remembers what he was doing beforehand. He remembers what case he was working on earlier in the day. He remembers what the weather was like outside. And what was put on his schedule for the next day. And how many errands he had left to run before the weekend hit. And what he ate that day for breakfast too. And lunch. And dinner. But most of all? He remembers how he felt the minute he laid his eyes on you.

He remembers instantly feeling deep down inside of him that he should look away. That he shouldn’t be here. That he should get out while he still can. Because he knew you’d be horrible for him. You’d be rotten for him. But he didn’t look away. He didn’t get out. And now?

“K-Kogoro~!”

He’s your biggest fan.

“...shit” Ranpo let out a small curse under his breath as his eyes focused on the sight before him once more. At the exact same time, he found himself spitting in his hand haphazardly before wrapping that same hand around his cock to continue his actions of masturbating absently to the pretty little show you’re putting on for all of your viewers right now. Including, and most importantly, him too. Because it’s obvious that his donation just came in- he knows by the way you moaned his screen name again from with such familiarity. But as much as he adores watching all the different lewd expressions your face makes during your streams, he was a bit more concerned about something else at the moment. “...there you go, there you go.”

That something being the makeshift fuck machine you had been letting viewers use to fuck you since this stream began.

To put it simply, it’s a pretty crude one. From what little he saw of it as you showed it off at the beginning of the stream, he can tell it’s not the most high-quality toy that exists. He knows this because, for a while, he considered paying for one to get sent to your PO box for the longest time and had done extensive research just to find one he would like to see you use for him. But he ultimately decided against it. He figured you would have a long way to carry it and likely without any help if what he knows about you is correct. He couldn’t do that to you.

And yet, here you arrived with your own toy. Not as fancy or expensive as the ones he was looking at. But still, what you have seems to be sufficient enough. It’s programmable and has at least three different settings. The dildo attached to it was long and thick and normal looking color. While the appendage that would work to piston the dildo in and out of your awaiting pussy wasn’t so loud that it completely drowned out your softest moans or the erotically wet sound your cunt makes whenever you’re thoroughly aroused. 

And of course, what matters most of all is that it’s something you enjoy. It’s most important that you have a fun time. That you feel good. That you get the orgasm you want out of it turn off every stream feeling lighter than air and as soft as can be. But in his mind, perhaps you’re enjoying it a little too much.

Not because he hates seeing you feel too good. But rather, because he hates seeing you feel too good when he can just barely get involved. Because everything about the scene in front of him sets him off. It lights a fire inside of him- one that’s nearly impossible to extinguish now that you’re front and center on his screen, presenting yourself so nicely.

It’s a little different than your usual set-up, but he supposed that's just what happens when you have a new toy you want to show off. Instead of being at sitting on a chair with your legs propped up on a desk while fingers on one hand stuff themselves inside of your needy pussy and the other hand holds a vibrator to your clit, you’re on your bed. Leaning back against piles of decorative pillows on a comforter that he’s almost fairly certain is new as of a couple of weeks ago with your legs spread nice and wide for the camera. The very same camera thas angled in such a way that the mechanics of the fuck machine were just visible from the corner of anyone’s screen. Exactly where it should be.

After all, no one came here to congratulate you for working so hard and putting together every single nut and bolt that made this thing possible. No, of course not. Everyone here came here to this website- to this stream for one reason and for one reason only.

To watch a pretty girl fuck herself in front of her webcam all night long.

By now, Ranpo has come to terms with his addiction. He’s come to terms with his addiction to you. He can’t deny that even now, he knows he’s going to be distracted at work tomorrow because he’ll be too busy recalling the sight of you whining his name as his more than generous donation suddenly ramped up the fuck machine to the highest setting for thirty seconds straight. He’ll be too busy thinking about how deep your pout got as your eyebrows furrowed together and your lip threatened to slip between your teeth as you tried to keep yourself from being too loud. He’ll be too busy thinking about how your chest was heaving up and down and how the dildo that was fucking you was thick and long enough to stretch you out and make a small bulge in your stomach with every thrust. He’ll be too busy thinking about just how creamy you got as that thing fucked you so stupid that for a moment, all you could do was whimper his screen name as you struggled to keep yourself from closing your legs and running away from the pleasure.

And now this new pose and this new setting for your stream? Hell, even the way you set the machine up. They all make for a dangerous combination. They’re all working together to paint a more intimate picture. One where he could all too easily imagine himself there. One where he knows others could all too easily imagine themselves there too.

He wonders if you even realized this. You seem like too honest and earnest of a girl to think about manipulating your viewers this subtly indulging a little more in their dreams of fucking you the way they’d want to. But then again, you didn’t become a successful camgirl on looks alone. There was a brain in that pretty little head of yours. A brain that goes blank every time you fuck yourself stupid for thousands of people to see, but a brain nonetheless. That's why he thinks you have to know. You have to know- you just have to.

You have to know that there are guys like him who want to be there with you so badly it hurts. You have to know that there are guys who want to be on the other side of the camera for once and would do anything to be the one to bring your knees to your ears. You have to know that there are guys who want nothing more than to be the ones to stuff you full of thick, hard cock and to control the intensity and the angle of each thrust. Because that’s what he wants. He wants all that. He wants all that he sees on his screen and more. In fact, he wants to be the only one who sees you like this. He wants to be the only one who sees you laid out like this. He wants to be the only takes care of your pussy like this. He wants to be the only one who gets to hear you moan their name when you’re feeling too good. Their real name.

His eyes nearly roll into the back of his head with pleasure as the idea lingers inside his head, but he’s quick to bring his attention back to the screen when he recalls the very real possibility of missing a moment of you enjoying yourself. At this point, the machine fucking you has slowed down quite, but you’re still struggling to catch your breath in between a few soft whines. At the very least- you’re not running anymore. No, you’re being a good girl for your viewers. You’re a good girl for him. 

Still, it’s hard to just sit here in his apartment and watch without being able to touch. You make things hard for him to just observe and not partake. From the moment he saw you, he was smitten with your looks. From the moment he heard you, he was in love with your voice and personality. But the first time he watched you rub your clit with half-lidded eyes as you took directions from the highest bidders in your comment section on how you should touch yourself, he was hooked. Dangerously wrapped up in your little web and you don’t even know who he is.

But that’s the thing: he knows who you are. 

He knows exactly, who are you.

Ranpo hisses lightly under his breath as the machine starts to pick up again while you call out the name of the latest donor to your stream- someone who isn’t him. He attempts to calm himself with a slow, deep breath as his grip around his cock tightens significantly while steady streams of precum leak all over his fist. At that moment, a crude thought comes to mind as he continues to watch you. Would you feel as tight as he’s holding himself now? Would you coat his cock in all the same juices and fluids that you’re showing off on his screen? He would like to think so. He would like to find out soon too.

And he will. He knows he will. He just has to be patient. He just has to keep watching. He just has to keep waiting. But his time will come to cross paths with you. His time will come to finally introduce himself to you. To finally be with you.

But for now, he continues to watch and he continues to wait in the darkness of his apartment, with your body being displayed across his screen. Just dreaming and dreaming and dreaming about the day he finally makes his approach. 

The day he finally gets to have you.

[rae-writes]

I humbly ask for more ranpo and poe, nsfw or not; whatever is fine, have a great day <33

gods, I love these two :((

sfw

dressing up in Poe's gothic/victorian style and slow dancing around his extensive library (it's not a want, it's a need) <3

having dessert dates with Ranpo where you travel to different sweet shops outside of Yokohama to see what they have and taste test the things you've never tried before <3

Poe getting all giddy when he catches you reading one of his books/short stories in your free time <3

And Poe feeling his heart melt when he sees you caring for Karl <3

Ranpo falling in love all over again when he watches you snap at someone who was undermining him <3

and Ranpo getting all softly smug whenever you go around happily parading 'the great detective, love of my life' as your boyfriend <3

falling into habit with Ranpoe, before the three of you even start dating, and waking up one day to realize you're all in love with one another so three shy confessions end up happening in the early morning as you collectively prepare breakfast in your shared apartment <3

spring/fall cleaning with Ranpoe, except it's highly chaotic and sometimes you can't remember what you've gotten done yet because Ran is slipping around on the floor and knocking into Poe- who was actively trying to help- which sends them both to the floor, leaving you to come over and give them 'feel better' kisses where they fell and 'hurt' themselves <3

going on outings with Ranpoe (and Karl, of course) and generally having a normal, peaceful time, butttt sometimes you just end up sprawled out on the pavement as the three of you try to untangle yourselves while laughing so hard you can't see through the tears (don't ask how, but it happened once...you're pretty sure it was Ranpo's fault, but who knows?) <3

nsfw [below the cut]

putting pretty butterfly clips in Poe's hair, pinning it away from his pretty eyes, and then riding him in his office chair; he's so embarrassed that he can't cover his eyes with his hair anymore, which makes his moans and whimpers all the more louder (especially when you tell him how pretty he is) <3

trying on Ranpo's coat and hat on a whim, but he thinks you're just the cutest thing ever, so he immediately bends you over his desk right there in the agency and shoves his fingers in your mouth to keep you from being too loud <3

letting Poe buy you whatever he wants cause he begs so nicely to spend his money on you. He never asks for a single thing in return, but he also won't refuse when you drop to your knees and wrap your mouth around his cock- whatever you want is what you'll get and he's more than happy to give you his cum <3

talking to Ranpo about his snarky behavior after a few complaints are made and getting a bit miffed when your boyfriend doesn't want to listen— curling your fingers around his clothed cock seems to do the trick, but you barely give him any friction until he's whining and begging and promising to keep his attitude in check <3

being sandwiched between Ranpoe, dizzily pleasured by Poe's soft words and touch contrasted by Ran's more rougher touch and teasing words; you've got nowhere to go when you're suspended in the air by both of them- and taking both their cocks at the same time- so you simply grip onto each of them and take turns swapping spit, content to fall limp and get fucked out <3

settling between Ranpoe, hunched over on your knees while they're laid out on their backs, giving slow kisses to each of them one at a time, hearing the other whine when they think they're being left out. Poe lays quietly, only softly tugging your shirt when you haven't been focusing on him in a while; he gives you the prettiest sounds of pleasure when you come back to him and shyly begs to be fucked first. Ranpo, meanwhile, whines and complains loudly when he feels left out, tugging at your hand and guiding it to his aching bulge when you don't respond; he hears Poe's plea, and it makes him finally snap his mouth closed when he realizes you're going to fuck Poe first because Ran's been a brat the whole time- and that makes him whimper pitfully <3

[thedarkdisgrace]

Here is my thread from twitter i wrote about my theory about Fyodor’s ability not working on ability users. I wanted to get this posted here before we learn even more about it than in the next chapter probably lol I’m probably wrong given how old Fyodor is there’s probably plenty we don’t know and haven’t seen yet. But I still think this is interesting to talk about :) (Also I had more images to add but I will have to wait till i have access to my PC to add more cause the mobile app won’t let me)

—

So what if Fyodor can’t use his ability on ability users? We haven’t really seen him use it on other gifted, we’ve seen him shoot/manipulate gifted but not use Crime & Punishment on them.

People he did use it on were normal people and the people who have touched him & lived are all ability users.

—

If Fyodor has used C&P on an ability user, please let me know but I can’t find a particular instance he does.

Either way, his ability is probably something he either is consciously controlling or the ability itself is selective in some way with normal people because this kid touches him with a cloth.

—

Meanwhile this agent has gloves on but Fyodor still kills him with C&P. So, clothes/cloth isn’t the difference on its own.

Like i said, it’s gotta either be he *does* have control in some capacity or Crime & Punishment is selective on its own, regardless if it affects gifted or not.

But even if it is selective or controlled why never use it on the gifted?

The people he claims to want gone the most? It would also make sense why he really wants the book to write ability users out of the world. If his ability doesn’t work on them, maybe that’s why he see them as sinners.

If Fyodor has an ability he believes is a blessing or something that’s “holy”, something bestowed upon him by god then him believing ability users are sin/sinners because that “holy” ability doesn’t work on them could make sense. It’s why he wants the book to completely erase them.

But also, a different extension of this is maybe Fyodor views the book as holy because of its power. Maybe someone say, stole the book to create ability users. Fyodor would want to correct that “sin”. And maybe his ability doesn’t work on anything made by the book, thus why it doesn’t work on ability users.

But that aside, either explanation could also explain Fyodor’s fascination with Dazai (aside with his intellect), Dazai’s a walking contradiction.

The ability user who cannot be unaffected by abilities. Fyodor may even see it as Dazai can’t be touched by their “sin” and maybe is tied to the book in some way. Of course such a thing would grab his attention.

It could also explain Fyodor’s reverence for Sigma, a being created by the book. He seems to hold the book in high regard & even Ranpo himself says the book was created by smth “greater”.

If Fyodor sees the book as a tool from god, he would think highly Sigma being born from it. Similar in the way he may view Dazai

I don’t believe Fyodor did anything to Sigma. (Addition to this repost: I still believe this. I still think it’s just information overload. That’s why he’s not waking up with skk. We were told about this for a reason and given Fyodor is old af it makes sense he as SO MUCH information to go through)

As Ango explained, you can pass out from too much information & Atsushi passed out from a small amount.

Sigma requested to know *everything*. I think Fyodor knew what he knows would fry Sigma’s brain. That said, I think Sigma will wake up.

(Again, addition to this repost: now that we know it’s like hundreds of years of information of course that would be hard for his brian to process)

(I will add to this next bit because we have more information from chapter 113.)

Whatever Sigma learned, he knew he had to tell the agency right away. He obviously knows more than just how Fyodor’s ability works but i’m sure he thinks the agency needs to know something *specific* he learned about Fyodor and/or his plans & ability.

(Addition: It’s interesting Sigma said this given he’s only *just now* going through Fyodor’s memories and seeing how old actually Fyodor is. I wonder if that is what he wants to tell them or if it’s *how* Fyodor is so old that he feels must be shared with the agency. I feel it’s definitely Sigma wants to tell them that he knows *how* Fyodor is that old. As he says “I know *what* Dostoyevsky really is. Not who, *what* he is. Interesting.)

—

Back to the main point, assuming his ability wasn’t used on Sigma (it wasn’t), Fyodor hasn’t used his ability to kill ability users.

He shot Dazai’s accomplice, he “shot” Katai as well. He manipulated Ace into killing himself. He wanted these people dead, why not use his ability?

Chuuya & Nikolai touched him without anything happening. Of course like I said, Fyodor can either control his ability or it’s selective on its own. So he could’ve chosen *not* to use it on Chuuya & Nikolai or for some reason his ability just didn’t care about them.

But still, why hasn’t he used it on other gifted? Like the first 3 i listed, he wanted dead right? He also choses to manipulate gifted like Mushitaro or mutilates them like Ivan & we’re not sure if he touched them or not. If he himself did the surgery on Ivan he had to have touched him.

Even with Shibusawa, Fyodor cuts his throat. He doesn’t try to use crime & punishment. Of course, Shibusawa was “dead” already so it could be a different case.

He also never went up against Natsume directly in untold origins, although in the novel Fyodor is only eluded to and we never see. But maybe Natsume is “that man” Fyodor refers to. (Though now it could be Bram given 113?).

You could also throw in Fyodor stabbing Mori instead of using his ability on him in there. But in this case Fyodor’s objective was to pit the ADA & PM against each other so they would take each other out. Though there’s an argument he still could have done that & kill Mori here.

But let’s just assume he didn’t want Mori dead because of his plan to pit the two organizations against each other. So, I won’t touch more on Mori other than he must’ve touched Mori when he stabbed him, but since Fyodor seems to have some control over C&P let’s also say he just didn’t activate it here.

No one knows how Fyodor’s ability works aside Fyodor himself (Sigma might know now, we’ll probably know in a chapter coming up).

Even Dazai, which is why Dazai hasn’t wanted to give him the opportunity to touch him. He’s see what we have, people touching him & dying. So until Dazai knows for sure how his ability works, why risk touching him.

That’s why Dazai was hoping Sigma would help (assuming we believe Dazai when he says he doesn’t know how Fyodor’s ability works).

Sigma should now know both Fyodor’s plans & his ability & i’m sure he’s going to wake up and tell skk. Then Dazai will know.

But what if Fyodor was secretive about his ability because it doesn’t actually work against gifted? He wants ability users gone & it only benefits him for people to believe he can kill anyone with a touch. So why wouldn’t he play into that assumption?

We also haven’t seen too much of his interaction with other DOA members (Addition: aside we now know Fyodor and Bram go way back and Bram may even know more about Fyodor's ability, but he might not). We've only seen Nikolai & Sigma & we only see Sigma touch him once, to get information & Nikolai holding his hands. Nikolai admitted he doesn’t know about Fyodor’s ability either, hence saving Sigma to help.

I believe Fyodor would want to use his ability on gifted if he could, like Ace or Katai etc. People he knew he wanted dead and wouldn’t serve another purpose. But he doesn’t seem to use it. (Again if we have seen him somewhere use it on an ability user please let me know). But since he doesn’t seem to use it on gifted, maybe he just *can’t*.

He could just be choosing not to for all those instances for one reason or another & it does work on gifted and we just haven’t seen it yet. We just don’t really know but I’m sure we will soon.

This is just a fun theory, one that will probably be proven wrong to be honest haha so take it as you will. Everyone has their own interpretations and we will find out in canon soon enough.

[ghostlynightpanda]

Could you write something for Ranpo Edogawa x ADA member, where reader gets threateningly letters from a stalker and maybe the stalker kills someone at one point because that person got too close to reader? And the other ADA members protect reader, but especially Ranpo?

Closer Than You Think

English is not my first language, so if you find mistakes, feel free to contact me!

synopsis: After receiving a series of threatening letters from a stalker, you find yourself under the Agency's watchful protection — but it's Ranpo Edogawa who notices your hidden fear the most. As the danger escalates, Ranpo's fierce determination to keep you safe reveals feelings between you that neither of you can ignore.

content/warnings: Ranpo Edogawa x reader, angst and fluff, stalking, -5.605 words

The morning light spilled across the Armed Detective Agency office in warm, golden stripes, and for once, things were almost peaceful.

You leaned back in your chair, spinning a small letter opener between your fingers with practiced ease, while the faint, near-invisible threads of your ability danced around your desk. They coiled lightly around your coffee cup, your stack of case files, the clock on the wall — little anchors, subconscious habits you'd developed after years of wielding your power without thinking. Hidden strings, fine as spider silk and strong as steel, were an extension of yourself now.

Across the room, Atsushi was arguing — politely — with Kunikida about paperwork, Kenji was cheerfully building a precarious tower of staplers, and Dazai… well, Dazai was pretending to nap on the couch, no doubt scheming something.

Normal. Comfortable.

Until he spoke.

"You're slouching," came Ranpo's obnoxiously bright voice from behind you. "Terrible posture. Terrible detective instincts. Very amateur."

You didn't even turn around. "Good morning, Edogawa-san," you said dryly, emphasizing the formal address you knew he hated. "And thank you so much for your unsolicited opinion."

Ranpo strolled into view, lollipop between his teeth, grinning like he’d already solved a case you didn’t know existed.

"You know," he said, hopping up to sit cross-legged on the edge of your desk — ignoring your obvious scowl — "if you asked nicely, I could teach you a few things. Improve your skills. Help you out."

You twitched one finger; a single hidden thread snapped taut between your hand and the mug on your desk. It shot into the air — and thwacked Ranpo in the forehead with a satisfying thunk.

He yelped and nearly toppled off the desk.

Kenji giggled from across the room. Dazai opened one eye lazily, smirked, and closed it again.

"You're so violent," Ranpo muttered, rubbing his forehead, looking genuinely wounded. "No respect for your elders. For the greatest detective of our generation."

You leaned back in your chair and propped your boots up on a file cabinet. "Maybe if the 'greatest detective' would stop treating me like his personal audience, I'd be more civil."

Ranpo grinned wider. If anything, he seemed delighted by your irritation.

You sighed internally. This was your daily reality at the ADA.

You were respected, sure. They trusted you with the tough missions, the dangerous assignments. Your ability made you lethal in close combat, and your mind was sharp enough to navigate the darker corners of the criminal world they often worked in.

But Ranpo — Ranpo was a different kind of challenge.

He wasn’t cruel, or mean. Just... endlessly infuriating.

He never missed a chance to show off when you were around, tossing around impossible deductions and stealing your victories right out from under your nose. He wasn't content with your polite acknowledgment, either — no, he wanted you awed, like the others were.

And you? You weren't about to give him the satisfaction.

"Hey," Ranpo said suddenly, plucking another lollipop from his pocket and holding it out to you, his voice lighter. "You want one? It's grape. Your favorite, right?"

You blinked.

You'd never told him that.

Still, you shook your head. "I'll pass."

Ranpo shrugged, popping it into his own mouth with a wink. "Suit yourself. More genius fuel for me."

You fought the urge to smile — and fought harder against the strange flutter in your chest.

God, he wasso annoying.

And yet... somehow, your mornings felt incomplete without these ridiculous battles.

You didn't notice the envelope at first.

Morning slipped into afternoon in a familiar blur of case reports and coffee runs. A client dropped off a simple theft investigation; Atsushi and Junichiro ran off after a suspicious lead; Kenji accidentally knocked over a filing cabinet; Yosano was off shopping. 

The usual chaos.

It wasn't until you returned from the break room — coffee in one hand, a fresh stack of papers in the other — that you saw it.

Sitting there. Right in the center of your desk. A white envelope. Stark. Ordinary. Except for the dark red smudge staining the corner.

Your steps faltered.

The chatter around the office continued unabated — Dazai teasing Kunikida about his strict schedules, Kenji laughing about something you couldn't quite hear — but for you, everything seemed to narrow in on that single, misplaced object.

Blood.

You set your coffee down slowly. The envelope wasn’t addressed. No name, no markings. Just the sticky, ugly stain seeping into the paper.

For a long second, you simply stared at it.

Then, with a muttered curse under your breath, you plucked it off the desk, careful not to touch the blood. A few threads snaked out instinctively from your fingertips, ready to snap tight at the first hint of a trap — but nothing happened.

The envelope was heavy. Something inside it shifted slightly when you tilted it. 

You broke the seal, and a thin, folded letter slid out onto your desk.

Blocky, uneven handwriting sprawled across the page.

I see you. I see how they look at you. But you're mine. Talk to them again, and they’ll die for it. One by one. Starting with the boy who smiled at you yesterday.

Your mouth tightened.

The boy yesterday…

Your mind flashed back to a minor incident on the street — a civilian you'd saved two days ago. He'd recognized you yesterday when you passed by the coffee shop, waved at you brightly, thanked you again.

Harmless.

At the time.

A slow, cold crawl worked its way up your spine.

"Yo," Ranpo's voice chirped from somewhere to your left. "You reading love letters now?"

You hastily folded the letter in half, stuffing it back into the envelope.

"Nope," you said, too casually. "Just junk mail."

Ranpo tilted his head, eyeing you in that way he did when he was about to rattle off some uncomfortable truth. 

But for once, he stayed silent. Just frowned faintly around the edges of his candy.

You tossed the envelope into your bottom drawer without another glance and slammed it shut.

Out of sight. Out of mind.

You’d dealt with worse threats before. Some creep trying to scare you with anonymous notes wasn’t worth losing sleep over.

Besides — you had a mission report to finish, groceries to buy, and Kenji to stop from stacking three more chairs on top of the filing cabinet.

Life moved on.

You made sure it did.

Later that night, when the Agency closed and the others headed out into the neon-lit streets, Ranpo lingered behind.

He perched casually on the arm of the couch, watching you pack your things with a thoughtful expression.

"You're acting weird," he said, not bothering to hide the statement behind a joke this time.

You shrugged, pulling your bag onto your shoulder. "Maybe I'm just sick of your voice."

Ranpo smirked, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Yeah," he said slowly, lollipop stick flicking between his teeth. "Maybe."

You left without another word, weaving through the familiar streets toward home, telling yourself it was nothing. That you were fine. That the uneasiness sitting in your gut was just paranoia.

You didn't notice the shadow following you from a rooftop above. Or the flash of silver as something reflective caught the moonlight. Or the figure that melted into the alley behind you, silent as a whisper.

But someone did.

Someone who stepped out of the Agency a minute after you. Who narrowed sharp green eyes in the direction you'd walked. Who sucked thoughtfully on a piece of candy, then crumpled the wrapper between his fingers with slow, deliberate care.

Ranpo Edogawa wasn’t the type to worry.

But tonight?

Tonight, something told him he'd better start.

The next letter arrived two days later.

This time, it came with the regular morning post — buried between an electric bill and a new case file — and dropped unceremoniously onto your desk by the mail carrier.

You spotted it immediately.

Same plain white envelope. Same dark, sticky red mark. This time, it had your name scrawled across the front in that same jagged, uneven handwriting.

A chill licked up your spine despite yourself.

You snatched it up quickly before anyone else could see.

From across the room, Ranpo’s eyes flicked up from his candy stash — casual, almost bored — but you caught the glint of attention there. Watching.

You turned your body slightly away from him as you opened the letter, scanning it quickly.

They don't deserve you. They don't know what you are. But I do. You're perfect. You're mine. Talk to them again, and I'll make them bleed for you. I'll show you.

The skin at the back of your neck prickled. You folded the letter neatly and slipped it into your jacket.

No big deal.

It was just a scare tactic. Empty threats.

You'd dealt with actual assassins before. Professional killers. Supernatural freaks who could level city blocks. One obsessed lunatic scribbling notes wasn't going to throw you off balance.

Still, you were careful to erase your expression before turning back to the others.

Kunikida caught your movement out of the corner of his eye. "Something wrong?" he asked, setting down his pen.

You forced a shrug. "Just junk mail again. Wrong address, probably."

He frowned slightly — Kunikida’s natural state — but let it drop.

For now.

The third letter came the next morning.

Then the fourth.

Then the fifth.

Always the same: hidden among the regular mail, faint traces of blood smudging the paper, and darker words inside — promises of violence, obsession, possession.

You hid them all.

Not because you were scared — at least, that’s what you told yourself — but because the others already had enough to worry about.

You were strong. You could handle this. You had your strings, your skills, your instincts. You didn't need anyone babysitting you.

At least, that was the plan.

Until the morning Dazai caught you.

You were sitting at your desk, carefully unfolding the latest letter — red thumbprint pressed messily into the paper — when a shadow fell over you.

"What's that?" Dazai asked, peering over your shoulder.

You startled, quickly folding the letter again. "Nothing."

"That didn't look like nothing," he said, smiling lazily but with a glint of something sharper underneath.

Ranpo, from his seat near the window, lifted his head just slightly — subtle, but enough to let you know he'd heard, too.

"It's fine," you said quickly. "Probably just some prank. Nothing serious."

Atsushi, standing nearby with an armful of case files, frowned in concern. "Prank? Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," you said firmly.

Kenji popped up from behind a filing cabinet, bright-eyed as ever. "If someone's bothering you, we can all help! Right, Kunikida-san?"

Kunikida adjusted his glasses, eyeing you with an unreadable expression. "It's probably nothing," he said eventually, though his voice was tight. "But just in case... keep an eye out. Don't take unnecessary risks."

You gave them your best confident smile.

"I'm fine," you said again.

They didn’t look fully convinced.

Dazai tilted his head, watching you far too closely. "You know," he mused, tapping a finger against his chin, "it's usually the ones who say 'I'm fine' who are secretly the most not-fine."

You rolled your eyes, but Ranpo’s gaze stayed pinned to you even after the others drifted back to their work.

He didn't say anything.

Not yet.

But you could feel it — like the tension in the air before a storm. Like one of your hidden strings, stretched too tight across a battlefield.

Something was pulling.

And you had the creeping feeling you wouldn't be able to brush it off much longer.

Later that night, you walked home alone again, your bag slung over your shoulder, the letters weighing heavier than you wanted to admit.

You told yourself you were imagining it — the feeling of eyes on your back, the flicker of motion just out of sight.

Still, without thinking, you extended a thread behind you, connecting it to a lamppost. A second thread wrapped around a trash bin.

A third threaded quietly through the air, like a spider laying down warning lines.

Nothing triggered them.

No attackers.

No visible threats.

And yet…

A block behind you, pressed flat into the darkness of a storefront awning, a figure waited.

Watching.

Waiting.

And higher up, from a rooftop bathed in silver moonlight, another figure stood — silent, green eyes sharp, arms crossed.

Ranpo Edogawa's mouth twisted into a small, grim smile.

He didn't need his ability to know something was wrong.

He could see it plain as day:

You were lying. You were scared.

And someone — someone stupid enough to think they could hurt you — was about to find out exactly why the Armed Detective Agency was feared by enemies far and wide.

Especially when it came to one of their own.

The morning started like any other.

Light filtered in through the wide windows of the Agency, the dust motes dancing lazily in the beams. You sat at your desk, boots crossed at the ankles, pretending to skim through a report while your mind wandered elsewhere.

The others were moving around the office like usual.

Almost normal.

Almost.

Until the delivery came.

"Package for Y/N L/N!" the mail carrier called, cheerful and oblivious, setting a small, neatly wrapped box on your desk.

You frowned immediately.

You weren't expecting anything. No one had mentioned sending a package. No return address.

The others looked up too, curiosity piqued. Atsushi started to approach, Kenji peeking around the corner.

Ranpo, sitting nearby munching on a fresh pack of candies, narrowed his eyes sharply the moment he saw the box.

You hesitated.

Your instincts screamed.

A thin thread slithered invisibly from your fingertips, wrapping around the box, feeling for traps — pressure plates, explosives, the taut sensation of a wire rigged to blow.

Nothing.

Just a box. Heavy. Cold.

Slowly, carefully, you pulled the tape loose with your ability, keeping your body tense, ready to react.

The lid slid open.

The smell hit you first.

Heavy, coppery, wrong.

Atsushi recoiled. Kenji made a small, shocked noise.

Inside the box — resting on a bed of pristine white cloth — was a human heart. Still glistening wet.

Pinned to it with a bloodstained needle was a folded scrap of paper.

You stared.

Your mind felt blank for a moment — a buzzing silence flooding through you, loud and smothering — before the words on the paper burned themselves into your vision:

See? I told you I'd do it. No one touches what's mine. You smiled at him. He smiled back. He won't smile at anyone again.

The world tilted slightly.

Atsushi swore under his breath. Kenji backed away, pale. Even Kunikida dropped his pen, the sharp clatter echoing like a gunshot across the room.

Dazai pushed off the wall where he’d been lounging, face suddenly serious.

Ranpo stood up slowly, candy forgotten between his fingers, the rare weight of true anger settling into his frame.

"Y/N," Kunikida said tightly, striding over to you. "What the hell is going on?"

You swallowed hard, forcing air into your lungs. Your hands — steady from years of combat — shook slightly as you pulled open the bottom drawer of your desk.

One by one, you laid the letters out.

Five in total. All marked by blood. All increasingly unhinged.

A sick trail leading to this moment.

"I didn't think—" you started, voice rougher than you wanted. "I thought it was just... someone messing around. A prank. I didn't want to bother anyone."

"Bother—?" Kunikida’s voice cracked with fury. He jabbed a finger at the gruesome package. "This is not a prank, Y/N. This is a threat. A clear, violent threat against you and anyone around you!"

Kenji looked like he might be sick.

Atsushi hovered near you like he wasn't sure whether to shield you or tackle you into protective custody.

Even Dazai, master of easygoing detachment, looked grim.

And Ranpo —

Ranpo was still.

Not the usual lounging, lazy stillness he wore like a second skin.

No, this was something coiled. Tense. Sharp.

His green eyes — usually full of lazy amusement — were hard and glinting like shattered glass.

"No more walking alone," Kunikida snapped, already pulling out his planner and phone at the same time. "Effective immediately, you're assigned an escort at all times. Grocery trips, coffee runs, everything. Someone will be with you."

You opened your mouth to argue, but the look on Kunikida’s face made you snap it shut again.

Dazai smiled faintly. "Don’t think of it as babysitting," he said. "Think of it as... enthusiastic friendship."

Kenji nodded vigorously. "We'll protect you, Y/N-san! No matter what!"

You exhaled shakily, pressing the heels of your hands into your eyes for a moment.

This wasn’t just annoying anymore. This was serious. Someone had killed — had murdered — a man because he smiled at you.

And you’d been so damn sure you could handle it yourself.

When you finally lifted your head again, Ranpo was right there.

Closer than before.

He didn't say anything — just reached out, almost awkwardly, and brushed a crumb off your jacket. His hand lingered for half a second longer than necessary, hovering near your shoulder, before he tucked it back into his pocket.

"You should’ve told me," he said quietly, voice stripped of his usual teasing tone.

You looked away.

"I didn’t think you’d care."

Ranpo let out a soft, breathless laugh — not mocking, not smug. Almost… wounded.

"You idiot," he said, shaking his head slowly. "I care more than you think."

The words were light. Easy to miss. Like he was offering you an escape hatch if you wanted it — the ability to pretend he was joking, if it hurt too much to believe otherwise.

But when you dared to glance back at him, his expression was deadly serious.

You didn't know what to say.

Luckily, you didn’t have to.

Because at that exact moment, Kunikida barked an order: "Everyone. Meeting. Now."

The Agency pulled together fast — Dazai, Kunikida, Atsushi, Kenji, Junichiro and Yosano forming a protective wall around you as they strategized.

Plans. Schedules. Rotating escorts.

And at the heart of it all, Ranpo standing just a little closer than necessary, sharp eyes never leaving you.

Watching. Guarding. Waiting.

Because if this stalker thought they could terrify you, isolate you, break you —

They clearly hadn’t counted on the full weight of the Armed Detective Agency crashing down on them.

And they definitely hadn’t counted on Ranpo Edogawa’s anger.

The Agency transformed overnight.

Where once your days had been filled with quiet missions and easy camaraderie, now every breath you took felt like it was being monitored.

Not in a cruel way. Not because they didn't trust you.

Because they cared.

And that — somehow — made it worse.

You couldn’t go anywhere alone.

Not even to the damn vending machine downstairs.

Kunikida accompanied you on coffee runs, armed with a notebook and a gun hidden in his jacket.

Dazai draped himself dramatically over your desk whenever you stood up, whining that it was too dangerous for you to even fetch your own documents.

Kenji insisted on carrying your groceries, proudly swinging your shopping bags over his shoulder like war trophies.

Junichiro trailed behind you during evening walks, his steps too quiet, his hand twitching toward his hidden blade whenever someone so much as looked at you wrong.

Atsushi hovered like an anxious guard dog, jumping at shadows and offering to "help" with anything that involved you leaving your chair.

It would’ve been almost funny — if it wasn’t so exhausting.

The final blow came when Yosano showed up at your doorstep that night, suitcase in hand, smirking like she was doing you a massive favor.

"I’m moving in temporarily," she announced without preamble, brushing past you into your apartment. "Doctor’s orders."

"Whose doctor’s orders?" you grumbled, glaring at her.

"Mine," she said sweetly. "And Kunikida's. And Fukuzawa’s."

You blinked.

"Wait, Fukuzawa agreed to this?"

Yosano dropped her bag with a heavy thud. "He insisted."

You sat there for a long moment, slumped against the doorframe, feeling like the last tiny threads of normalcy in your life had finally snapped.

When you'd first joined the Armed Detective Agency, you'd marveled at how fiercely they protected their own. How stubbornly they fought for the people they cared about.

You just never thought you'd be on the receiving end of it.

It was... overwhelming. And kind of beautiful. And absolutely driving you insane.

The next morning, Fukuzawa himself called you into his office.

He didn't waste time with pleasantries.

"You are one of us," he said simply, his quiet voice carrying more weight than a shout. "The Agency protects its own. Until this threat is eliminated, you will accept the help offered to you. No arguments."

You opened your mouth to argue anyway — a reflex — but Fukuzawa’s sharp look pinned you in place.

He set a hand gently on your shoulder.

"We will find whoever is behind this," he said. "I promise you."

The simple certainty in his voice — no grand speeches, no hollow comforts — made something in your chest tighten painfully.

You nodded, unable to find words.

And through it all —

Ranpo watched.

Always a few steps away. Always half-distracted by candy or a case file. Always pretending to be bored out of his mind.

But never far.

He never said anything about the way you flinched sometimes when the mail came. Or the way you checked the windows twice before leaving the Agency. Or how your hand sometimes twitched toward your hidden strings when a stranger got too close.

He just... stayed.

Silent. Constant. A shadow you could rely on even when you didn’t want to admit you needed anyone.

You didn't realize until much later — when the weight of everything almost crushed you — how much that silent support mattered.

One night, a few days into the full-blown protection campaign, you found yourself sitting on your tiny apartment balcony, knees pulled up to your chest.

Yosano was inside, noisily rearranging your kitchen for some reason only she understood.

The city lights blurred into smudges in the night air.

You heard the balcony door creak softly, but you didn’t turn.

You already knew who it was.

Ranpo.

He sat down next to you without a word, his jacket brushing yours lightly.

For a long while, the two of you just sat there.

The night was cold, but you didn’t feel it.

"You hate it," he said eventually, voice soft and wry.

"Hate what?"

"This," he gestured vaguely at the Agency’s newfound babysitting project. "Everyone fussing over you. Smothering you."

You shrugged, resting your chin on your knees. "It’s not... bad. I know why they’re doing it. I just... I don’t want them to see me like this. Like I’m weak."

Ranpo was quiet for a moment.

Then he said, very quietly: "You’re the strongest one here, you know."

You snorted. "Yeah, right."

"I’m serious," Ranpo said, almost sharply. "You kept it together. You didn’t break. Even when you should’ve. Even when anyone else would have."

You turned your head slightly, surprised by the intensity in his voice.

Ranpo wasn’t looking at you.

He was looking out over the city, jaw clenched, hands shoved deep into his jacket pockets. "But you’re not invincible," he added, softer now. "You shouldn’t have to be."

The words settled between you like fresh snowfall — quiet, heavy, undeniable.

You swallowed hard, throat tight. "...Thanks," you muttered finally.

Ranpo just shrugged.

"No big deal," he said — but his shoulders relaxed slightly, like you’d lifted some unseen weight off them too.

Neither of you said anything else after that.

You just sat there — two silent shadows against the growing darkness — watching the city lights blink like distant stars.

Waiting for the storm that was coming.

Waiting for the moment when the hidden enemy would finally make their move.

And when they did...

They would find out the hard way: You were never alone. Not anymore.

The letters had gotten worse.

Sharper. Hateful.

They shifted from desperate admiration to barely-contained rage.

The last one — delivered just two days ago — was almost a scrawl, ink smeared and heavy, words pressed so hard into the paper they tore through:

They're always around you. They won't let you breathe. I see it. I hate it. But don't worry. I'll fix it. I'll get you all to myself soon.

You hadn’t shown the others that one.

You didn’t have to.

Ranpo had looked at you that afternoon — really looked at you — and his mouth had tightened into a thin, grim line. You knew he understood. Even without words.

That night was the first time you were alone.

Yosano had been called away for an urgent assignment — a mission outside the city that needed her healing ability immediately.

She'd been furious about it, but Fukuzawa had assured her — and you — that the Agency would keep an extra eye on you tonight.

Still, you felt exposed.

The apartment was too quiet without Yosano’s sarcastic commentary echoing from the kitchen.

You locked every door. Checked every window. Threaded your invisible strings along every entrance like razor-thin tripwires.

Just in case.

And then you tried to sleep.

You woke to the sound of glass shattering.

Your body moved on instinct — rolling out of bed, crouching low, pulling a blade from under the mattress.

The darkness was thick and heavy, but you caught the shift of a shadow moving in your living room.

Too fast. Too bold.

Whoever it was — they knew the layout.

They weren't afraid.

You reached out with your ability, invisible threads spinning into the air, connecting silently to the floor, the doorframe, the walls. Anchoring yourself.

Waiting.

Listening.

The floor creaked again — and this time you heard it:

The rough, excited breathing. The low murmur of your name.

"Y/N..." the voice rasped. "So beautiful... so much better without them around…"

Your heart hammered against your ribs.

The stalker.

He was here.

He thought he had you.

You slipped silently to the door of your bedroom, strings already attaching themselves to the nearest heavy object — a chair — and the knife at your hip.

You could fight.

You would fight.

You waited for him to step into the doorway — the faint silhouette of a man, knife glinting faintly in the dark.

He was mumbling under his breath, eyes wide and crazed, swinging a blade loosely at his side.

You tightened the strings between your fingers — ready to launch the chair at him, disarm him, end this —

But you didn't get the chance.

Because before you could move, the front door exploded inward.

Two figures surged through the door:

Dazai, with a disturbingly cheerful smile, and Kunikida, already barking orders like a sergeant.

"You’re under arrest," Kunikida snapped, gun drawn and steady. "Put the weapon down!"

The stalker whirled, shocked and wild-eyed — but he didn’t drop the knife.

Instead, he lunged forward, straight for the broken window.

Trying to escape.

You moved to intercept him — your strings lashing out like a whip — but once again, someone beat you to it.

Ranpo.

He was already inside, moving faster than you'd ever seen him move, his expression stripped of its usual lazy amusement.

There was nothing playful in his face now — only cold, sharp focus.

In a single, almost casual movement, he tripped the stalker — sweeping his legs out from under him — and slammed him face-first into the floor with a vicious crack of impact.

The knife clattered out of the man's hand, spinning harmlessly across the floor.

Blood smeared against your hardwood floorboards.

The stalker howled — but it was a pitiful, broken sound.

Ranpo stood over him, breathing hard, his foot pressing firmly into the small of the man’s back.

"You thought you could hurt her," Ranpo said, his voice terrifyingly soft. "You thought we wouldn’t see this coming.“ He leaned down, green eyes gleaming with cold fury. "You’re dumber than I thought."

The stalker whimpered something unintelligible — and then Dazai was there, expertly cuffing him with casual efficiency, whistling under his breath.

"Honestly," Dazai said lightly, "if you're going to stalk someone from the Armed Detective Agency, at least try to be good at it."

Kunikida was already on his phone, calling it in.

You sank back against the wall, heart pounding.

The adrenaline was burning through you, leaving you shaky and cold.

Ranpo straightened and turned to you.

For a long moment, he just looked at you — really looked — like he was checking for injuries, counting every breath you took.

Then he stepped closer.

And without asking, without warning —

He wrapped his arms around you.

Not tight. Not possessive. Just there — a solid, steady weight anchoring you back to earth.

"You’re okay," he said quietly into your hair. "You’re safe."

You didn’t realize you were shaking until he said it.

You buried your face in his jacket for a second, letting yourself breathe him in — sugar, paper, the faint crispness of rain outside.

Alive. Safe. Protected.

By the time the police arrived, you were composed again — standing tall, weapon still in hand, as they dragged the stalker away.

But Ranpo never left your side.

Not for a second.

And when the others finally relaxed, giving you soft smiles and congratulations, Ranpo caught your hand under the cover of his jacket — a small, secret squeeze.

"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered so only you could hear.

You squeezed back.

Neither were you.

The apartment was quiet again. But this time, it wasn't an oppressive silence. It was peaceful.

The broken window had been boarded up temporarily, the glass swept away, the blood cleaned. Dazai, Kunikida, and the police had finally left after triple-checking every lock and securing the building.

Yosano had already called twice, furious she wasn’t here for the action.

You promised her you were fine. You didn’t know if she believed you, but you meant it.

For the first time in what felt like weeks — you were breathing easy again.

You stepped out onto the balcony, the cool night air brushing against your skin like a balm. The stars were dim under the city lights, but you didn’t care.

You leaned against the railing, closing your eyes, feeling the tension bleed out of your bones.

The door behind you creaked.

Ranpo’s presence was as familiar now as your own heartbeat.

He stepped outside, two lollipops dangling from his hand. Without a word, he offered you on, before he settled beside you, close enough that your shoulders brushed.

Neither of you spoke for a long time.

You just… existed together, in the quiet. In the safety you had fought so hard to reclaim.

The lollipop tasted like cheap cherry flavoring.

Ranpo shifted, leaning his elbows on the railing, gazing out at the city.

"You did good, you know," he said after a while, his voice lighter than it had been all night. "Kept your head. Stayed smart. Didn't panic."

You smiled faintly around the candy. "I had good teachers," you said, nudging him gently with your elbow.

He grinned — that cocky, lopsided grin you usually wanted to smack off his face — but tonight it was softer.

Grateful.

But then his smile faded a little, eyes turning more serious.

He fiddled with the stick of his lollipop, twisting it between his fingers. "You know," he said, almost too casually, "it... it scared me. More than it should have."

You blinked, glancing at him.

Ranpo never admitted fear. Not even on the worst days.

"You?" you said lightly, trying to tease him out of whatever heavy mood was clouding him. "The great Ranpo Edogawa? Scared?"

He didn’t laugh. Instead, he tilted his head back, letting the city lights paint faint shadows across his sharp features.

"I’m not good with... people," he said quietly. "Not really. I don't notice when people are upset. I don't know what to say when someone’s hurting."

He paused, the lollipop stick stilling between his fingers.

"But when you…" He swallowed. "When you started getting those letters, when you started acting like everything was fine even though you were shaking inside —"

His hands curled into fists against the railing. "I noticed."

You stared at him, heart thudding.

Ranpo turned his head, meeting your gaze — and for once, there was no smirk, no clever mask, no teasing glint in his eyes. Only honesty.

"I noticed everything," he said softly. "Because it was you."

The breath caught in your throat.

Ranpo looked down, a little sheepish now, scuffing his shoe against the concrete.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is…" He huffed a frustrated sound, like the words didn’t fit right in his mouth. "... I care. More than I should. More than makes sense."

Your heart twisted painfully in your chest.

You reached out before you could stop yourself, fingers brushing against his hand resting on the railing.

He froze at the contact, wide green eyes flicking up to meet yours.

You smiled — small, real, a little shaky.

"It makes perfect sense," you whispered.

Ranpo let out a breath — a short, disbelieving laugh, like he hadn’t dared hope you'd say that.

Slowly, carefully, he turned his hand under yours, lacing your fingers together.

His palm was warm. Solid. Steadying.

You squeezed his hand, feeling the last of the fear, the anxiety, the isolation drain away.

You weren’t alone. You never had been.

And now — you never would be again.

The two of you sat there until the stars disappeared into the dawn light, hands entwined, silent and safe.

For the first time in a long time, you didn’t have to watch the shadows. You had someone who would do it for you.

Someone who would always notice — even when you tried to hide.

And somehow, that made all the difference.

Masterlist

[obsidianstrawberrymilk]

Whenever I see discussions of BSD it's always with the assumption the Triparted Pact is correct- which, like, why?

Because it was Natsume's idea? The whole point of BSD is that no one is perfect - previously badass stoic mentor Fukuzawa just got a whole arc exposing his flaws and weaknesses because he trusts old friends too much and values people over morals. No one is all good and no one is all bad in BSD, why should Natsume be any different?

Most of what we've seen about him thus far seems to be positive - he helped out Ranpo in Untold Origins, got Fukuzawa that Abilities Permit (speaking of How Did He Do That), stopped Zenki Soukoku from killing each other in Cannibalism, got Oda to stop killing, etc. Which makes me think that we've got to see the flaws in him soon. He seems omnipotent, and seems to believe his method is the best way to protect the city - but that's never how it goes in BSD! Mori's whole Great Good thing is literally what makes him one of the series most antagonist antagonists!

Also, irl Natsume Soseki?? Awful fucking person. His students adored him, but he was cruel and abusive to his family, and I read in one source (this could be wrong) that he drove his wife insane?? Like I'm convinced he's going to turn out to be a darker character (possibly being an abusive mentor to Mori - like there has got to be a reason that man is Like That), and, by extension, we'll get his methods criticized - including the three way agreement he seems to believe is the only way to protect Yokohama.

[fyodcrs]

BSD 111.5: A Complaint (again)

All right. So.

I have criticized the S5 finale extensively, and now that the manga is following the same storyline almost exactly, I feel I want to air my grievances one last time, because it's just so bad. At least in my humble yet correct opinion (to quote Fyodor from the BSD dub). And it only gets worse the more I think about it. 

The writing here is...not good. I’m talking about the big “Chuuya was never a vampire to begin with” reveal, the retconned hand injury and what absolute contrived nonsense that is - and most of all, I’m talking about Dazai’s speech about why he “won” the "game," and how it makes no actual sense because what he says happened is not what actually happened. 

All of this is stuff I've talked about in other posts (I'll be repeating myself a lot here), but I really want to focus on Dazai's speech and why I just. Don't like it.

"You don't trust anything you can't control," Dazai tells Fyodor.

This is supposed to be the reason Dazai "wins": because he trusts people, and Fyodor does not. He relies on others he considers friends; Fyodor just uses others that he considers pawns.

And this is fine in theory. Indeed, it's been heavily foreshadowed. Personally, I think "Dazai wins because he has friends, Fyodor loses because he doesn't" is a super boring way to go with both Fyodor's character and with the conflict between him and Dazai, but whatever, we all knew something like this would be the reason for the ADA's victory over the DOA. Theoretically, it makes sense.

Except, it doesn't actually work the way they did it. It doesn't work because Fyodor's plan apparently hinges on the vampires, and Fyodor does not actually have control over the vampires.

In fact, Fyodor does not have direct control over any aspect of the Decay of Angels plot.

Fukuchi does.

First of all, the Decay of Angels plot doesn't begin until after Fyodor is already in prison. Fyodor is not the one who writes on the Page, and Fyodor is not the one in possession of the Page. Fyodor is also not the one who is in possession of Bram. All of this falls to Fukuchi.

Now, there is one interesting scene where Fyodor tells Dazai that he "added a line to the page":

But - unless I have my timeline mixed up - since the Page was not stolen and used until after Fyodor was sent to prison, this only suggests he told Fukuchi what to write. There is still no point where he actually had possession of the Page himself.

Fyodor is the one who set up the entire plot and arranged for all the pieces to be in place, but once it actually starts to unfold, he is no longer in a position to directly manipulate his pawns, because he's locked up underground thousands of miles away.

Of course, this does not mean he has been removed from play entirely; he is still communicating with the outside, and he is still able to manipulate the course of events to some extent, as we see when he (somehow; it's never explained) killed the pilots so Fukuchi could get his hands on the One Order:

But how is this any different from what Dazai is doing? Dazai lets himself be captured and locked away, too, to keep an eye on Fyodor and read his moves as things unfold on the outside. He is also in communication with his allies, and he is also able to do some string-pulling, as we see when he stops Fyodor's assassination attempt on Fitzgerald and the neutralization of the Eyes of God:

Basically, both Fyodor and Dazai have the same level of control over what is happening.

Dazai being superior to Fyodor because he "simply had faith" in Ranpo (and the rest of the ADA) implies that Fyodor did not have faith in Fukuchi. But that implies that Fyodor had some means of direct control over Fukuchi throughout the unfolding of the DOA plan and therefore did not have to leave anything solely in Fukuchi's hands. Or it implies that Fyodor had a plan independent of Fukuchi. Except he didn't. On both accounts. At least not that we know of.

In fact, in the anime (which I assume will be repeated in the manga in later chapters), Fukuchi says that Fyodor didn't have any direct control. Fukuchi tells Fukuzawa that he had Fyodor sent to prison for the purpose of preventing him from interfering in Fukuchi's actual plan. And Fyodor agreed to this. He got himself arrested on purpose. The reason he does this is suggested to be that the prison is essentially the safest hideout in the world. Except Fukuchi tells us that this action also severely hindered - though not outright neutralized - Fyodor's ability to influence events.

And I'm not trying to downplay Fyodor as the spider at the center of a complex web of manipulation, not at all. I'm simply pointing out that: a) Dazai is exactly the same, and is countering Fyodor move-for-move, and b) the plan still heavily relies on Fukuchi's independent actions.

As I mentioned, the DOA plot doesn't begin until after Fyodor is arrested and sent to Meursault. Fyodor was using vampires planted as guards as his means of communication (which doesn't even make sense itself, because when exactly would this have happened? When does Fyodor communicate with these vamps? Why did Dazai not notice this?), but Fyodor himself is not controlling those guards, Fukuchi is. Because Fukuchi is the one in control of Bram, and the vampires can only be controlled through Bram. It is certainly conceivable that Fyodor might have had these guards planted before his arrest, but the vampires are only usable as pawns as long as Fukuchi has control of Bram, or at least as long as Bram isn't in control of himself.

Using Chuuya as a pawn also requires Fukuchi to be in control of Bram. Therefore, Fyodor's entire escape plan relies on Fukuchi.

Fyodor literally cannot do anything with the vampires without Fukuchi. And if his entire plan rested on the vampires, that means his entire plan rested on Fukuchi.

In other words, Fyodor's entire plan rests on him having faith in Fukuchi.

It doesn't matter that Fyodor and Fukuchi are not "friends"; it doesn't matter that Fyodor thinks of Fukuchi as a "pawn" instead of an "ally" (although I should note we've been given no evidence of this, because we have never actually seen them interact and we don't know their relationship; we're just meant to assume this). The point is that Fyodor structured this plan of his to be centered around the actions of someone else. This is no different from Dazai. In fact, this is how the both of them usually operate. They just tend to have different ways of going about manipulating their "pawns"/"allies."

Then there's the "hand full of uncertainties" line:

How, exactly, was Dazai's hand "full of uncertainties" in a way that Fyodor's wasn't? How exactly did Fyodor have "the world in the palm of his hand" in a way that Dazai didn't? How exactly was Fyodor in more control of what was happening than Dazai was? As I've already pointed out, what we've been shown suggests they both had equal measures of influence on the outside, and therefore equal levels of manipulative power and equal amounts of uncertainties.

In fact, if we are to believe that Fyodor was surprised by Nikolai and Sigma, that was a whole hell of a lot of uncertainties being thrown at him. And just like Dazai, he just ran with it.

And the reality is that Dazai actually had a whole hell of a lot less uncertainties than Fyodor did, and a whole hell of a lot more control, because Chuuya was never a vampire to begin with. The moment Chuuya arrived, Dazai had the upper hand. It's not like he was ever in any actual danger from the point Chuuya showed up. He was in full control of the situation from that point on.

And you can say that's the whole point, Dazai was in control because he had an ally, but the point I'm making is that the only control Fyodor thought he had over the situation was also because of an ally that he believed he had. If he believed he was controlling Chuuya, he also had to believe that Fukuchi still had Bram and was still on his side. He was operating on faith in pretty much the exact same way Dazai was.

You can also argue that Chuuya showing up was proof for Fyodor that Fukuchi was still in control of Bram (even though he wasn't by that point) and that things were going according to plan. But I'd counter-argue that if at any point before Fyodor managed to escape Bram had had his will restored, Fyodor would have been fucked (had Chuuya actually been a vampire). The very act of using Chuuya as a pawn was a huge act of faith on Fyodor's part.

It's important to stress here that Fukuchi was not under Fyodor's "control" at any point, at least not so far as we've been shown. He is not brainwashed like Nathaniel. He is also not a throwaway piece. He is vital to the plan. And he has his own motivations. We aren't quite there yet in the manga, but we know from the anime what Fukuchi actually wanted, and we also know from the anime that Fyodor approached Fukuchi and propositioned him. They made a deal. Of course, Fyodor always had his own plan, but he knew what Fukuchi's real motivations were. Even so, he trusted that Fukuchi would carry out the plan as he instructed, at least so far as we've been shown.

The argument can be made that Fyodor doesn’t actually have any trust in Fukuchi, he simply trusts that he knows exactly how Fukuchi will act and that everything will go as he predicted. But how is that any different from Dazai? Ranpo negotiating with Bram and Bram ordering the vampires to attack Fyodor might not have been something Dazai and Ranpo set up beforehand, but it is certainly something Dazai planned for, because he purposefully set Fyodor up to be in a vulnerable position, anticipating that exact scenario. Again, they are both operating in the same exact way: not directly controlling their allies, but assuming that their allies will act as they expect. The only difference is that Fyodor’s “allies” did not meet his expectations and Dazai’s did.

I get that the point of this is supposed to be that Fyodor is undone by his cruel manipulation of others and his ruthless attempts to impose his own order upon the world. And that's fine. It's good, even!

The problem is...that's not what happened. Fyodor lost because he relied on something that was outside of his direct control: the vampires. Fyodor lost because he put too much control in the hands of Fukuchi.

And this in itself is a problem, because Fyodor should not have so heavily relied on Fukuchi. All of this would work for me just fine if everything didn't revolve around the goddamn vampires. You cannot have Fyodor's entire fucking plan hinge on the vampires, over which only Bram and the person who has possession of Bram have any control, and then try and tell me that Fyodor lost because he didn't have faith in people. Why would he use the vampires at all if he had no faith in Fukuchi?? Why would he get into a helicopter with the vampires piloting if he had no faith Fukuchi was still his ally and Bram was still under Fukuchi's control?? Why would he have agreed to go to prison in the first place if he had no trust in Fukuchi????? It doesn't make any sense.

And don’t try to tell me, “Well, Fyodor’s just arrogant.” That is the laziest fucking excuse you could possibly give to justify why Fyodor’s IQ points have been cut in half this arc. And, for the thousandth time I ask—how is this any different from Dazai, who also just assumed everything would go his way? Why is it "faith" when it's Dazai but it's arrogance when it's Fyodor?

Personally, I think BSD made a massive narrative mistake in putting Fyodor and Dazai in Meursault in the first place. It's over-complicated things.

Also, one thing that really bothers me about all this is that it's supposed to be a big character moment for Dazai, but...I don't see how this is any different from how he usually operates. Hell, this ruse Dazai and Chuuya set up is even something that SKK did before when they were a team in the Mafia. We've seen Dazai do this shit a thousand times. What's supposed to be the big deal here? The fact that he made a friendship speech this time?

It's just fallen really flat to me, and that's a bummer because I think Dazai is one of the most well-written and interesting characters I've ever come across, and I want to see great character development for him.

I've complained endlessly about Chuuya being in a Halloween costume the entire time so I'll just say here that it's really fucking dumb that Fyodor just. Didn't notice. That he was fooled by fake fangs and contact lenses. Dazai would have noticed, if their roles were reversed. Ranpo would have noticed. It really is just a case of Fyodor being made stupid out of nowhere so Dazai could win.

The retconned hand injury is also incredibly dumb, because first of all, in the manga it didn't exist until the last two chapters when it needed to exist. And second of all, the hand is clearly shown to be usable after the incident that is supposed to have injured it so severely that Fyodor needs the vampires - who, again, are not under his direct control - to pilot the helicopter so he can escape, and this is true for both the manga and the anime. It conveniently only becomes a problem when Dazai needs it to. Because plot, I guess. Because the universe is chaos unless Dazai is pulling another deus ex machina.

I really hate being so critical and so negative, especially about BSD, because it's been my favorite series for years now. But ever since the S5 finale I've been finding more and more things about this arc and it's conclusion (?) that make no sense to me. And considering that Fyodor and Dazai are my favorite characters and a large part of the reason I'm invested in this story, to see them both so poorly handled has left a very bad taste in my mouth.

In conclusion:

[dqzaiie]

who do you think will join the port mafia?

thank you for the question, anon!

i’m not entirely sure which ada member will be transferred to the port mafia, but i do believe this is best determined through the process of elimination.

the preface this, i am ruling out the clerks, as i don’t believe they would be beneficial to the port mafia. it would be quite unproductive of mori to choose one of them. (unless he chooses naomi to force tanizaki’s hand? though i don’t particularly believe in that theory.)

okay, let’s begin.

core agents:

while mori does want a member, this is not to the agency’s detriment. therefore, the pillar members are very unlikely to be chosen—these members being fukuzawa, ranpo, yosano, and kunikida. we can effectively rule them out as follows: fukuzawa’s ability maintains stability within the ada, ranpo’s deduction isn’t suited for a mafioso, yosano has been deemed off-limits, and kunikida is fukuzawa’s successor.

kyouka:

another agent who i believe is unlikely to be chosen is kyouka, as kouyou and mori have both shown to be impressed by her resolve to better herself, and i can’t imagine them forcing her back into the mafia after all of that growth. kouyou especially—she has given up on trying to take kyouka back, and is actively trying to keep her from the port mafia now.

as for members who are possible contenders, we are left with dazai, tanizaki, atsushi, and kenji.

atsushi:

i don’t really believe they will choose atsushi. to my knowledge, he still requires all men are equal to have full control over his ability, and if he were to leave the agency, fukuzawa’s ability would no longer have an effect on him. he has been training, but i don’t think he’s had enough time to master byakko yet.

however, i could see why he would be chosen from a narrative standpoint. it would provide the audience a new perspective, and allow further development for many characters. we cannot entirely rule him out, especially since the port mafia has been gunning for him since day one (though that was due to a contract from the guild. still, i suppose it stands.)

dazai:

i’d hope mori wouldn’t pick dazai, though, i have seen some compelling arguments as to why he may be chosen. in forcing dazai out of the port mafia, mori has shown to hold some regret, despite having chosen the “optimal solution”.

there is also the case of potential foreshadowing in the osamu dazai and the dark era light novel, with mori saying to odasaku, “…dazai’s capabilities are astounding. i’m sure in four or five years, he’ll have killed me and taken my place.” this takes place when dazai was eighteen, which would place him at around twenty-two or twenty-three.

all things considered, i don’t think it’ll be him. dazai has made too many strides toward fulfilling his promise to odasaku for mori to take him back now, and in disrupting that, i believe there would only be a severe backlash. i think mori will keep dazai’s executive position open and available to him, not force him back into it.

this leaves us with two possible agents: jun'ichirou and kenji. i have seen extensive reasoning as to why either of them may be chosen, and to be honest, i’m quite conflicted myself.

kenji:

kenji’s ability would be very useful to the port mafia, but his naïveté might be a disadvantage. he also may fall under the same category as atsushi in not being able to maintain full control over his ability without fukuzawa, but he has been shown to have precautions in place, so i cannot confirm that he needs the safety net. he is certainly a valuable asset to both organizations, and i don’t believe he would be opposed so long as he is protecting the agency.

tanizaki:

tanizaki has been the fan favorite for “most likely to be transferred over”, and i can’t say i disagree. initially, he was my pick as well. it has been foreshadowed multiple times, with hirotsu claiming his ability is suited for assassination, to tanizaki attempting to kill mori, and even jun'ichirou outright volunteering himself in yosano’s place. he has been shown to not be opposed to killing so long as he is protecting naomi and his friends. this idea is expanded on in the third light novel, untold origins of the detective agency.

“…tanizaki felt he was mediocre at his job, held mediocre principles, and had a mediocre sense of justice…”

i believe that he very well may be chosen, as this would provide him the development which his character has been severely lacking.

however, i wouldn’t put it past asagiri to disregard those statements entirely and find a way to surprise us—it’s just what he does lol.

[bungoustraypups]

i just checked ur dnf criteria on ur carrd and i think what you said about mori is definitely interesting! im interested in why exactly he's your favourite character, if you're okay with telling me? /gen (i personally don't like mori because yosano is one of my absolute favourite characters and i cant forgive him for what he put her through, but i swear i dont hate people who like him. im actually very interested, and i would like to expand my view of mori)

also do u ship ranpoe?

ok so first of all: kudos to you for having a reason to dislike mori that is both personal and also correct. he did terrible things to yosano and that is canon! i'm also very glad that you're open to listening since a lot of ppl in this fandom aren't (the number of times i've been accused of being a child predator for liking mori is at least 5! this is solely from twitter tho not tumblr)

also yes i do ship ranpoe. just getting that outta the way before the mori moment begins

SO

mori is my favorite character mostly for reasons unknown to me. i just love him a lot. my first bsd fanfic i posted, which is also the first one i finished in march of this year, is a fukumori mainly mori-centric fic about the two of them having a baby, and over the course of writing that i fell deeply in love with his character, both the way i wrote him and how he is in canon.

he's so very clearly (in my eyes and the eyes of other mori enjoyers) traumatized it's almost painful. combining how he is solely in canon with the experiences of the MCs of vita sexualis and the dancing girl (i have not yet read these novels but my good friend geeg has talked abt it extensively) opens up a whole new dimension to this too.

in fact, as i've stated multiple times before: of the main BSD cast, the two who i think most likely have CSA trauma (there could def be others but this is just from what i know) are probably dazai and mori (notably, separate experiences divorced from each other, meaning i 100% do not believe mori SA'd dazai or anyone else for that matter given there's no canonical evidence to support this)

he's hot. and i like characters i think are hot (and ones i think aren't but yknow this gives him more points)

he's mysterious and we know very little about him

he's so fucking tragic as a character. a man canonically full of regrets, who never considers his own feelings but uses himself for the greater good of his city and his country, who is constantly forced to swallow his true feelings because he has to appear as a strong leader all the time and can only hope to express himself even a little bit when he's alone with his own ability? the agony and hells are real

like there's so much, this is just a few reasons why i like him bc i can't think of all of them off the top of my head but i'm happy to talk about him whenever

[vypridae]

YOU HAVE HCS

GIVE :D

(i love hearing hcs literally RAMBLE if you want to:D)

OAHAOGHAOFDHA WELL. OKAY IF YOU SAY SO

under a cut bc i feel like im gonna overexplain or talk about waaay too many HSJKGHDFG

dazai needs glasses. he doesn't get them for himself because he thinks he can put it off. kunikida ends up getting him those circle glasses and he's like "noooo i don't want these i'll look like a nerd" but kunikida makes him keep them anyway bc he uses his lack of Vision as an excuse to not do his work. he thinks hes gonna get teased for looking stupid but everyone thinks he looks absolutely GORGEOUS and he gets like 10x more compliments on the street

dazai has morse code memorized and likes to fuck with kunikida in the ada dorms by tapping a message on his wall. kunikida has Overstressed trying to translate

yosano accidentally will infodump on neat medfacts and someone always has to tell her she's rambling (and usually its ranpo)

kyouka's favorite animals are bunnies, chinchillas and kittens, but she's allergic to cats (imagine how awful it is living with atsushi /j)

it is very funny to me to imagine akutagawa gets easily scared

hirotsu is the aroace ally who gets to deal with everyone coming to him to rant about / talk shit about / talk about their crushes on others

Q speaks fluent german and they love jumpscaring the pm members with it

louisa loves to dress up her room whenever she uses her ability. she doesn't really need to, she just likes to. maybe she'll have some coffee, and a really comfortable chair, and some lilac or pumpkin spice candles depending on her Vibe TM, and its just so aesthetic

nikolai can replicate signatures, and by extension handwriting, almost perfectly. he uses this to his advantage to forge notes. he also uses this to help sigma when he's Super Fucking Tired

sigma's favorite cookies are double chocolate chip

dazai trying the pocky game vs chuuya who just takes the pocky, kisses dazai, and then eats the pocky

poe visits ranpo while hes in the agency and he'll bring a new snack for ranpo every single time, it's always something he's heard ranpo offhandedly say he wants to try

nikolai is a WONDERFUL cook. if he notices sigma hasn't eaten in a little while / hasnt left his office in a bit, he'll surprise him and show up with a plate of homecooked ukrainian food, or homemade cookies (double chocolate chip), and sigma is soooo grateful. i also think nikolai knows what sigma likes in terms of coffee so he makes him coffees a lot because sigma is so sleepy and gets caffeine headaches

tecchou refuses to eat food thats not the same color, but he's actually a really good cook and jouno is genuinely surprised when tecchou makes him an actually delicious breakfast/dinner/whatever, and hes like "so does this mean you're done with your weird food combinations?" and tecchou is like "no, but i know you don't like them so i'm not going to force you to eat them." and jouno is like. wait. hold on. why are you nice

[sepiamestus]

I like ranpo and yosano's backstory I really do but like I hate too many others things (spoilers obviously)

Like I said previously, mind control. And by extension the book. A trope I cannot stand for the life of me is mind control. I think it lacks good motive and is just an awful excuse to get characters to do things they wouldn't do. Again just my opinion but I hate it.

Because the agency are like screwed at the start I just hate seeing nothing but bad things happen. I know the hunting dogs are meant to be like overpowered and a challenge but like I hate it. Also why do they always fucking target kenji in the beginning he's just a child

With where the manga is up to I haven't read anything because the characters that are relevant are characters I do not care about individually. That includes the prison section.

Again haven't caught up so I don't know the specifics, but the fact Fukuchi has killed god knows how many people to prevent this 'war' in the future THAT ISN'T REAL? THAT FYODOR MADE UP? I don't know how he was told or whatever but to go to that degree⁉️⁉️ oh my god I hate him

Sorry to be a hater in your inbox 😔😔😔

no no you've got some points! I like mind control in the like. Brainwashing sense, like as in a person's still in control of their brain but theyve been forcibly conditioned, so the vampire arc (while i appreciate the aesthetic) was a bit disappointing- although i could never bring myself to hate it because it gave us

💞💞💞

I do agree that the villains in that arc are disappointing though. I like some of the characters- Teruko's really cool. I like sigma and nikolai a lot. The other hunting dogs are ehhhh. I don't really care about them that much.

But THIS MAN

THIS MOTHER FUCKER.

Is the most annoying ass villain ever. not in the sense that i hate him because hes evil (although i DO because he killed my beautiful wife akutagawa even if he got better) but because i hate his dumbass time traveling swords that keeps rewinding the arc. Also i feel like we're supposed to get attached to him in such a short period of time and i??? I dont??? Think it worked?? Like when he dies im sad because fukuzawa is sad but not because he died. If we'd had longer to stew on their relationship maybe it wouldve been sad. But we only have like 1 arc and i dont care ab him. Die

Anyways yeah ur always welcome to be a hater in my inbox i will always join in <3 love andlight

[hesperidia]

1 21

Ask game ✩

Thanks for the ask! this was on the inbox for a while, bc i wanted to make a proper answer. sorry it got too long...

21- Something you’ve kept since childhood?:

Fairytale books!! One of my most prized possessions is a book that's like a "bestiary" for kids, with watercolor illustrations of creatures and fairies and little descriptions of each.

Two of my childhood plushies! One of them is going to be 24 years old soon. At this point that lion plushie is going to be forever with me, I'll be buried with it.

A (knockoff but still very cute) hello kitty blanket i've had since i was six <3

1- who is/are your comfort character(s)?: Okay this question goes under a read more because, it got too extensive

If you pay attention to this blog, you'll see i never shut up about Bungo Stray Dogs Ryuunosuke Akutagawa. But he isn't my comfort character (he gives me pain most of the time /hj) in fact, my comfort chara is Beast! Akutagawa:

He's the same character, but from the alternate universe presented in the bsd Beast light novel/manga adaptation. Basically, Akutagawa if he never got recruited into the mafia. I'd yap more about him but i already made a post however, i'll explain why he is here:

When i first read the main manga, i didn't care a lot about Akutagawa, it was until i read the Beast manga i started to open myself up, and there's something about him, about the fact that it doesn't matter how ugly of a person you are, how much self loathing you harbor for yourself, still there will be opportunities for you to be better, make better choices, have people who will support you in that difficult path. And, in turn, you can become that person for others (like beast Aku did with Atsushi).

I'm not going to lie, reading this manga threw me into turmoil more than once. There was a fair deal of projection as i read about Akutagawa's struggles, and his character development felt like a blow to the heart to me.

Plus, he has his fair share of silly moments, and takes his roasted tea with four sugar cubes iirc. Sweet tooth counter: 1

Also, from bsd, Ranpo Edogawa:

Okay so, I've a soft spot for characters who are childish, and look at the world from an unique perspective. Ranpo was actually the very first bsd chara i got attached to, and i liked him because he was a brat. At first he was a little shit, the worst coworker you could ask for (love it. v/ realistic) but the more you see of him, you'll notice how he can put aside his apparent selfishness and get serious.

When watching the anime adaptation of The Untold Origins of the Detective Agency light novel (the one where they show his backstory) i could not help but hardcore emphatize with him (and also project, recurring theme with all these charas 😅)

You have a kid who lost his family, got shunned by every adult he turned to for being too smart and too sincere, who met at the right time with a person who not only didn't dismiss him, but appreciated his insights, and Ranpo got too attached because someone was actually making the effort to understand him. That person would become his family later. Again, finding a place to belong and people who would accept you, and in turn giving that kindness to others (wow it's like this is one of the core themes of the manga. the sky is blue, water feels wet).

Looking back to Yosano's backstory, and the kind words (KIND WORDS!! RANPO? KIND? yes very real and true) he gave to her. The fact he went out of his way to retrieve her butterfly brooch. It's these little moments that make me appreciate Ranpo the most. That, and the fact that he puts aside all his pride when it comes to admit he fucks up. He might look conceited, but he really isn't...

Plus, he's loud, and silly, and scattered, and has a sweet tooth. (Sweet tooth counter: 2). Likes animals. He even can't use public transport properly at 26 y/o. Just like me fr...

Next a character i don't get to talk about a lot but she was the VERY FIRST character that i said ohhhh my god. I love you. You are me. What the hell... Annette Fantine Dominic from Fire Emblem Three Houses/Three Hopes:

Annette is super important to me. She's a person who is smart, but as a result of a continuous effort (she's a very good student, hardworking and diligent). And she kind of reminds me of myself when i was on hs. This doesn't mean she resents naturally talented ppl (her support conversations with Sylvain, another chara from the game, are some of the BEST in three houses).

Still, she feels the need to overachieve and overcompensate because her father, who's a knight, left her family when she was young so he could fulfil his duty to the kingdom and completely ignores the fact he has a daughter to take care of. Annette, kind of thinks that if she doesn't strive for perfection, people around her would leave like her dad did.

And she's always cheery, and puts up a smile, and tends to not recognize her talents (ex. she likes to sing about silly stuff, and does it really well, other charas point it out and Annie does not believe them at first, she tends to hold herself down). I'd talk more about her but it's been a while since i revisited fe3h...

Other things i like about her: She's 150cm tall and her personal weapon is a big ass magical hammer made of dragon bones called "Crusher". The first time she fights/defeats/kills someone in the game she asks her professor if she did okay. Likes cooking but ends up setting everything on fire (just like me... fr....) AND also has a sweet tooth (sweet tooth counter: 3)

Recently i got very. Very into Ensemble Stars, and a big part of it is these two (i talk less than i want to about them bc i still don't have all the facts, haven't read all their stories. But the fact they became SO important to me in such little time needs to be scientifically studied):

Mika Kagehira:

Mika is like crack cocaine for my brain. I got attached to him at first because 1- He was the very second card i got in the game and it made me curious. 2- His singing voice is so angelic (i know it doesn't have anything to do with the actual character, but there's something about Mika, who is very unkempt at times, struggles to take care of himself, actually having very clean vocals while performing. just a thought).

He's childish, and a lil (if you squint) obsessive, struggles with humanity (has a whole issue about being doll-like that he's trying to leave behind now) shy but will NOT hesitate to fight people. What i like about him the most, is his empathy. He stood beside his mentor/friend/obsessive crush???? when he had a breakdown and helped him get back up... A lot of times he shows concern for other characters and is up to giving good advice (Kohaku in tale of antiques comes to mind, and Midori in the Doll House scout story too).

(BY THE WAY, said mentor also constantly helps Mika when he's struggling and their relationship becomes healthier with time.. i am starting to think... there's a pattern here in what themes i tend to get attached to)

What else. His awful (affectionate) fashion sense. The fact he scavenges and repairs broken objects and plushies. He's an emo guy who has a card where he has blood on his hands and looks ecstatic about it. The chainsaw CG. The fact that he can't express his thoughts properly sometimes and getting misunderstood gets him down (ouch that happens to me) His favorite food is candy. Sweet tooth counter: 4

Last but not least, Leo Tsukinaga:

LEO i did not expect him to make it to my favs at first but he IS my favorite ensemble stars character ever on account of how many times i've screenshotted things he said. He reminds me of Ranpo a little bit personality wise, and the fact they're both geniuses. (who have struggled badly because of it). That and, being the ultimate sillies. (I've said it before, all my favs have to be a lil cringefail)

He always expects the best of ppl and the world around him, and that's his biggest weakness, that naiveté. After reading Checkmate i got genuinely sad for him, and the stories i read where ppl kept taking advantage of him made me angry (?) I find his general whimsy and unpredictableness(?) very endearing. He once said he hated Mozart and irl Mozart was also a very whimsical unserious person. (I wonder if they got compared alot and Leo grew tired of it).

Again it doesn't seem like so at first, but he cares SO MUCH about his friends. Izumi and Madara come to mind first. And even though he's a scatterbrain and has said, multiple times, that explaining himself is hard and that's why he prefers the language of music (one everyone can understand) i still remember his lines to Kohaku in sudden death, where he thanked him for being by Madara's side. I absolutely did not expect that. And i feel i've to mention this one line from night patrollers:

which i'll include because. because... i'm a broken record atp but the reciprocal support between people... augh (this screenshot is saved as "leo i love you" on my laptop... yeah)

Something i found in common between both mika and leo and probably Annette too is that they often refer to themselves as dumb??? but they ARE NOT they are really perceptive... i am hugging them both as i write this.

I couldn't recall if Leo likes sweet things. The sweet tooth total is 4. What else, he once got hipnotized into behaving like a cat but it was almost unnoticeable because he already acts like one. broke into his artistic rival's atelier in Paris just because he liked hanging out in there (iirc), does not take criticisms to his music/art very well (understandable 100%), goes from zero to 100 in 2 seconds. Dislikes sex jokes (ace king???) i <3 him.

There's so much i want to say about all of them but i can't. I'm insanely bad with words but i don't get to talk alot about these charas (the self consciousness eats me alive) and this was the perfect opportunity<3 Anywayyyy if you look for a pattern in here you'll sure find it

Honorary mentions for: Rei Sakuma and Kohaku Oukawa (enstars), Merrill (dragon age 2), Shinobu Kocho (kny), Lyon (fire emblem sacred stones) and Eliwood (fire emblem blazing blade). I would KEEP talking about them all but i am... eepy and this got insanely long sorry anon

[kaurwreck]

I want to see ranpo in a knee length flowy tan colored skirt, chuuya in a short black leather skirt, and also poe in a ridiculously large full length dramatic skirt

I will go crazy for any character in any skirt though I am not picky

anon, your taste is immaculate. kunikida is preppy and punctilious but bold and impertinent with little respect for convention misaligned with his convictions. i want that choleric a-type man in a khaki a-line skirt ft. a tastefully wide belt, pockets expansive enough for his notebook, and surprising breaks in the otherwise sharp silhouette, e.g., pleats peeking through a faux split like so

(except with brass buttons and detailing)

I'll give you two titles for the price of one: I own a copy of Confessions by Jean Jacques Rousseau and Voltaire: A Life by Ian Davidson, which maybe wouldn't be embarrassing except I own them because (1) I romanticized the Enlightment Era as a teenager so much that I daydreamed about singlehandedly liberating Belarus on the basis of Enlightment philosophy despite being very 15, very American, and very unsure of how I would substitute Russian energy in my grand plan to shatter diplomatic relations between two nations to which I have no personal ties; and (ii) I was not a teenager when I bought these two books together last year for the sole purpose of writing an extensively detailed alternate history in which Rousseau and Voltaire have sweaty, ideologically fraught sex in the aftermath of Rousseau publishing Emile.

[ask game: send me skirts you want to see bsd characters wear, and I'll share one too + the title of an embarrassing book I currently own.]

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

Ooo! I'd love to hear your thoughts on Lucy and Yosano! @ticklinglady

Ah hello there @ticklinglady! This is from quite awhile ago; I'm so sorry!

Lucy:

They are soooooo cool looking: I think she rocks the design honestly. I can't imagine her looking any other way. She's so pretty.

Didn't get enough screen time: Can never get enough screen time tbh. I feel like I'm in the minority here where I... actually don't necessarily want her to join the Agency? For one, I feel it's kind of a formality at this point - she's firmly in their corner and she's helped them so much already, and for another - I think she's very happy to be helping out in the café... something quiet and peaceful, and the owner who clearly cares about her, you know? But then that means she doesn't get as much screen time because she's not a member of the core group... sigh. It sucks. Actually I'd totally take a cute chapter extra where the café owner shows her the ropes... think of it - an adult who likes her and cares about her showing her how to make something that makes someone's day just a little nicer... an exchange of kindness... agh it's what she deserves!!! ...but yeah, I want her back in the main plot too forever and ever lmao.

They've never done anything wrong in their life: Tbh the part of Lucy's story that is so so important to me is how bitter and cruel she was at the beginning - she was having fun throwing those people into that room, letting them get chased around, see how they like being the helpless ones, the ones who have to struggle (not like they'd understand) - all in the name of avenging the young child so cruelly treated and discarded by what she thought at that time was the entire world... but also yeah, she's done nothing wrong ever I love her. 🥰

Yosano:

They are sooooo cool looking: Um. Have you seen her? ...yeah.

If they were real I would be afraid of them: A healthy kind of fear. I think that's wise honestly.

If they were real I would marry them: ...*cough* Next question.

I'm mentally ill about them: I don't know how you could go through her backstory and not be. Yosano's backstory takes BSD from disturbing at times to downright horrific. The war shattered this young girl. She had to build herself back from the bottom of the pit up. She never forgave herself. She felt honest relief when faced with someone who also did not forgive her. She honed herself into a threat and a harbinger. She did it to protect herself. She cannot see herself any other way.

They're deeper than they seem: YEAH. I mentioned this in another post but I don't see many people commenting on how she deflects questions about herself in the same way as Dazai, but instead of making herself appear harmless, she goes in the other direction - making herself appear so dangerous that even her coworkers are afraid. Yet she's frequently concerned about others, and does like to help where she can (even if she's often blunt about it). Yosano is full of juxtaposition. She values life more than anything. The callous disregard for life causes her to go into a murderous rage and decide such a person "should die by her hand". Her sadistic tendencies are ostensibly to scare her coworkers off from relying on her ability, but it's rather an ineffectual tactic when so many of them will throw themselves into danger regardless. She does it anyways, and apparently takes some genuine pleasure in the sadism. She tries to get Kunikida to loosen up at social events. She rarely interacts with the other members of the Agency except at meetings or parties. She carefully tries to get Ranpo to admit his ability (or lack thereof). She never talks about herself and hardly anyone appears to know the first thing about her (excepting Fukuzawa and Ranpo). She's analytical and a quick thinker with extensive medical knowledge. She almost never reveals the true extent of her thoughts and shrugs it off with casual indifference. She walls herself off - she's a very private person. There's. There's so much to her. She's flawed, she's kickass, her ability is op as all hell, and she's a great character imo. I hope to see her taking on a bigger role in the narrative again.