BSD Oneshots

Am I Normal? (Ranpo and Fukuzawa, Ranpoe)

Ranpo quickly followed, suddenly very eager to get out of the view of all his concerned looking coworkers. He walked into the office.

Fukuzawa closed the door behind both of them.

Ranpo sank into one of the beanbag chairs Fukuzawa kept in his office for whenever Ranpo needed to just withdraw from everyone and take a break.

Fukuzawa sat down next to him. "What's bothering you?"

Ranpo shrugged, not meeting Fukuzawa's gaze. "It's...about Poe. Well, sort of. It's also about me."

"What is it?"

"...I feel more weird and different than I already do. Y'know how most couples have certain things they do?"

Fukuzawa nodded, though he wasn't really able to relate seeing as he'd never once been in a relationship in all forty-five years of his life. He'd just never found anyone he liked.

"Well...there's something Poe and I haven't done, and that's...y'know, do the deed."

"And you feel as if you're weird because of that?'"

Sometimes it still shocked Ranpo how well Fukuzawa knew him even though he'd been the man's adoptive son for almost half his life. "...Yeah."

"And you feel as if you're disappointing Poe?"

"I don't feel that I am, I know I am."

"Has he ever told you that?"

"Well...no, but-"

"Then how do you know?"

"Because what if it was something he expected when we got together?"

"Hm...well, has he ever said anything of the sort?"

"...No."

"Then it's very possible that you're getting yourself all worried for nothing."

"Maybe."

"I'd try talking to Poe about this. Communication is very important, after all."

"I know it is, I'm just worried." Is this how Ed always feels?

"That makes sense."

"But you're right, I'll try talking to him later."

Fukuzawa nodded. "Ranpo?"

"Yeah?"

"I just want you to know that you're not broken or weird because of this. That's just the way some people are. I've heard it's called being asexual."

Ranpo thought about it. "Is that the way you are? I've never seen you with anyone in the entire time we've known each other and you've never mentioned being with anyone before that, either."

"More or less. I don't care to 'do the deed', as you said, with anyone. In addition, I've never found anyone I'd want to date."

"Oh, it all makes sense now."

"Exactly. So again, you're not weird."

Ranpo smiled. "Thanks, dad."

Fukuzawa smiled back. "Of course."

After work let out later that day, Ranpo headed over to Poe's house, both so they could spend time together and so Ranpo could talk things out with Poe. He knocked on the door.

Poe opened it, smiling a little. "Hey, Ranpo!"

"Hiya, Poe!" Ranpo replied, walking in and closing the door behind him.

The two of them sat on the couch together, and that was when Poe noticed Ranpo seemed a bit down. It worried him. "Hey...Ranpo, are you ok?"

Ranpo considered claiming he was fine, but he couldn't and didn't want to lie to Poe. "Could I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

Ranpo averted his gaze. "...Am I failing at being a good boyfriend?"

Poe blinked in shock. There was no way he could've heard that right. Ranpo was asking that?! "What?! No, of course not! Why would you even ask that?"

"Because...we've never slept together and I've never even offered! Shouldn't I have done that at least once by now? Haven't you been wanting me to?"

"Well...no, not exactly. And even if I did, I'd never force you to do anything you didn't want to do."

"I know you wouldn't...I just don't feel very normal."

"Dear, are either of us normal?"

That got Ranpo to laugh a little. "I guess not."

Poe smiled. "See?"

Ranpo smiled back a little. "So...you don't mind that I haven't ever offered that sort of thing and...don't even think it's something I'd want to do? ...I talked about this with dad earlier, and he said it's called being asexual."

"Of course I don't mind. How could I when I'm the same?"

"Eh?"

"This is something that's been on my mind a lot, too. I've been wondering a lot of the same things you have. But again, I'm perfectly happy with the way things are between us now. I wouldn't change a thing."

"Same." Ranpo climbed into Poe's lap and leaned against him.

Poe looked down at him and smiled, running a hand through his hair.

Ranpo looked up at him. "Ed?"

"Hm?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

Poe leaned down slightly to kiss Ranpo.

Ranpo kissed back, wrapping his arms around Poe.

After a few minutes, the two of them settled down on the couch as Karl sat in the little space between them. They began to watch the next episode of the mystery series they'd recently started, just enjoying their time together. They were glad they'd talked things out with each other and now knew they didn't have to change a thing to keep enjoying their relationship. They had each other, and that was what was important.