This is my first fic. Just watched Bungo Stray Dogs and thought why not. IT is set after S2 of the anime or chapter 37. There is Edgar/Poe ship I if you squint, like really hard. Rated M for later chapters. And all rights go to their respective owners of course. Wouldn't be writing fic if not eh.

To my dearest friend Edgar,

I pray that you are well and are near the completion of your novel for your...oh how do I put this? 'Friend' shall we put it? As much as I would love to tease or spend time on pleasantries I first must protest that you always absolutely insist, much to my dismay, of communicating via letter. No matter how beautiful your cursive, do 'email' or 'text' elude my intellectual equal? Personally, I'd have to say yes...

I hope it doesn't come to your downfall.

I have been informed that we, the OCT, will scatter ourselves across Japan whilst working alongside the Rats in the House of the Dead to ensure the Guild's destruction. I, myself, hold doubts whether we can trust these rats, I'm more than certain an infestation is to occur. But you and I are cats among the pigeons, and it is not our place to comment on vermin.

But this is where my letter comes into play, it is so that you may escape. Your foolish leader wishes to burn The Moby Dick to the ground. Run, find a safe haven, stay safe.

This letter may be intercepted or delayed, so please please just...rely on your instincts and survive. Please.

Yours sincerely EBB.

X

P.S "I know a word of letters three; add one and none there will be." The answer is one. Your riddle was too similar to the last one my silly friend. And as such, my response is:

Brothers and sisters, I have none, but that man's father is my father's son.

A young girl of age fourteen stands apprehensively in front of a door, with the words 'Armed Detective Agency' engraved onto the brass plaque sitting atop it. Sparing a glance at her friend who nods encouragingly in turn. She faces forward, trembling slightly, gulping, and then opens the door…

BANG BANG BANG BANG

The scene reveals party streamers falling towards the ground with the faint smell of smoke from party poppers held by four members of the detective agency. The rest were standing behind them congratulating her, with the exception of the great detective who is also eating pocky.

"Cheers!" the detectives cheered whilst raising their glasses in celebration.

The great detective is enjoying the food that has been prepared and laid out. Observing the others who are similarly taking delight in the food, drinks, and their friend's company. The previously mentioned friend otherwise known as Atsushi is found to be conversing and profoundly apologizing to miss Haruno and Naomi, that is until Tanizaki arrived crushing poor Atsushi's shoulder. The great detective chuckles to himself. It was foolish enough to hurt Tanizaki's sibling, why make things worse and bother bringing it up?

Still! Even when relaxing with the group one must never stop observing, watching; especially a detective as great as this one. Whose sole being, relies on Ultra Deduction! It must be ready at all times to deduce to the finest of details.

During the celebration the door opens ever so quietly, a man coming in ever so hesitant. "Ranpo..?" the man asks cautiously, revealing himself to be Edgar Allan Poe the great American detective(!) with his raccoon draped across his shoulders, shuts the door just as softly. "I've brought the new manuscript you said you wanted to read on the phone..." he trails off.

"Oh. It's you! Come over here!" Edogawa Ranpo responded loudly, and curtly. Starting to bustle towards his new friend, and near intellectual equal.

"Is it really fine for me to be here?! I am from an enemy organi-" Edgar starts to ask, to clarify it was truly okay, but alas was cut off by his brasher counterpart.

"REALLY? I'll be right back! You stay right here!" Ranpo shouts pushing Edgar to the chair in the back, not caring of his response. Edgar wouldn't remain alone for long because without missing a beat the sweet, plain country boy appears before Edgar and bends down to be at eye-level with Edgar (but being short he needn't bend far) "Would you like a drink?" Kenji asks politely but clearly so as not to be drowned out by the crowd.

"Umm...what is appropriate for me...No...May I have what that person over there is having, please...Actually, what do people usually order in times like this?" Edgar mutters trailing off, failing to be assertive enough and ends up simply being drowned out by the rowdy bunch.

"I'm sorry I can't hear you over all the ruckus," Kenji says as assuringly as possible, hoping to ease an answer out of the man. As, if one is sincere in their question (be it a cow or person) then people will always be sincere in turn. Or so Kenji Miyazawa believes.

"...I don't need anything."

The moment he utters those words, he is left by his lonesome.

"Ranpo...Is this some sort of interrogation…?" Edgar asks to himself, knees curled up to his chest and Karl sitting atop his head. Clearly, a pet peeve of Poe (or anyone for that matter) is to be invited to a party and then ignored by the lone person he knows. Karl provides no comfort.

Tick tick tick tick

5 minutes. 10 minutes. 15 minutes. 30 minutes. 1 hour. 2 hours pass…"They seem to be having fun, huh, Karl?" Edgar sighs. Seeing as Edgar will continue to be ignored in his dark, lonely gloomy corner he pulls out, from the inside of his black long-coat, the letter from her.

Edgar breaks its wax stamp.

As Edgar gently removes the letter from the envelope, which bears the wax seal of a, now, broken raven, the paper itself is delicate and smooth, with unusually high resistance to bleeding and feathering; perfect for calligraphy. Yes, Edgar knows paper this paper well as it was from the notebook he had gifted to her, his closest friends, his allies, or anyone he thought worth keeping in touch with. Often considered to be antiquated himself, Poe merely enjoys the tactile sensation, scent, and love books give him.

"To my dearest friend Edgar-"

Sitting in the corner Edgar softly chortles to himself about his dear friends clear exasperation towards his insistence of only answering via letter with distinct memories of being badgered even by Sir Francis who had the nasty habit of leaving a new, cold, unfeeling phone after every interaction between the two, but the months had even worn down Sir Francis when he finally threw his arms in the air and admitted defeat. Edgar would never say it out loud, but it was a victorious day.

However, the slight quirk of Edgar's smile didn't last long when the letter became more serious in tone. Edgar had certainly lucked out in surviving as he had, in fact, finished his novel and challenged the great detective, his nemesis, his reason for being, his reason for shame for the past six years. Poe has come to terms with the child detective...in his own way.

Edgar has carefully tucked the letter back to the safety of its sleeve and is using the back of the envelope to make a start on the riddle, but soon finds that his precious Karl has been whisked away and is being coddled by the young girl, Kyouka. "Karl….!" Edgar slams his possessions on the desk and runs towards his friend, only to wilt away, far too timid to break through the crowd and put him back in his arms.

After being on the receiving end of much love and attention, Karl decides he's had enough and jumps out of Kyouka's embrace and scuffles back to his big friend. Poe scoops him up and guides him to his shoulder where Karl climbs up and makes an approving squeak. "Ummm, we should...go," Edgar starts awkwardly, unsure of how to leave in these situations. "I'm sorry we didn't get to talk Ranpo...I'll try harder next time. We can even try talking about the manuscript... which is on the table...by the way." Edgar mutters starting on his long rant to unintelligible mumbling, a faint blush creeping up on his face from embarrassment.

"Huh? What!? Speak up!" Ranpo shouts into his ear. "I think, Ranpo, what you mean to say is 'I'm excited to catch up with you soon! No no, it's my fault we didn't talk. I look forward to reading your manuscript.'right?" Dr. Yosano asks rhetorically with fervent fake joy but is obviously trying to prompt the immature man.

"Whaaat? Yeah. THAT. Whatever you just said I s'pose. See ya~" Ranpo spits out, in reality, he is more interested in eating the candy he's holding than seeing off his new friend.

Edgar Allan Poe takes his leave of the Armed Detective Agency with Karl resting atop his shoulders, worn out from all the excitement and attention. Two important items sit upon the table, one a gift intended for his intellectual counterpart; the other, forgotten, a precious message from a confident and inspiration. He'll remember in the middle of the night when he's asleep, in bed, in America. Probably.