Work Text:
The wind ruffled Shinichi’s hair as he leaned against the railing of the Miziorashi Plaza. Below him was a large grassy plane filled with people sitting on blankets waiting for the fireworks show to start. Shinichi was waiting for Ran to come back from the bathroom. They had just been on a date at the Beika Tower Hotel and were planning on joining the spectators. They had been together for two years today, so Shinichi had decided to take Ran out to the place of their very first official date.
Perhaps he should just stop going there entirely, given his luck.
“Shinichi.”
Turning toward the voice, Shinichi smiled at Ran. She was dressed in a form-fitting red dress with black high-heels and a little black jacket. Her hair was done up in a twist and she had light makeup on that accentuated her natural beauty. She had a little black purse hanging from her shoulder. She was gorgeous.
She slid next to him, although she didn’t lean on the railing, “Wow, this is beautiful.”
“It is,” Shinichi agreed, and it was. Fairy lights had been strung onto the trees along the Plaza, and a crescent moon shone bright in the cloudless sky. Below them, kids were playing with a variety of glow-in-the-dark items, laughing happily as they raced back and forth. Lovers were curled up next to each other for intimate dates. Friends, young and old, were enjoying each other’s company. Seeing them all like this, safe, happy, and free from the shadow of the Black Organization, really was beautiful to see.
With the downfall of the Organization, Shinichi had finally been able to get his body back and was able to come clean to his loved ones and friends. Some took it better than others. After some time, however, the feelings of hurt, confusion, and betrayal had melted away into a sterling respect that still felt undeserved. Ran and he had gone to college and started dating. It had been amazing. After so much wasted time, he could finally hold her. Be intimate with her. Love her openly and honestly as himself. And it had been everything he had ever wanted.
And yet.
“Shinichi?”
“We aren’t working, are we?” Shinichi said bluntly. He turned to face her as he spoke. At first, she looked shocked, then increasingly uncomfortable. She shifted from foot to foot as she chewed on her lip in that way she did when she was feeling guilty about something. Shinichi smiled softly, “It’s ok, Ran. I’ve been thinking it for a while as well.”
She stilled. Shoulders slumping, she said, “I’m sorry.”
“Idiot,” Shinichi responded affectionately, “you have nothing to be sorry for. You’re not the one who got stuck as a child for a year. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine.”
A genuine smile pulled at Ran’s lips, “But you were such a cute kid.”
Heat flooded Shinichi’s face, “Sh-shut up!”
Ran laughed, sadness melting away as she linked her arm with his. The detective chuckled as well. She pressed close to him as she looked out over the railing at the rapidly draining sunlight.
“Besides,” Ran said, sobering slightly, “you’re not to blame either.”
Shinichi flinched, “If I had stayed with you that day at Tropical Land, I wouldn’t have turned into Conan.”
“And if you had, the Organization would still be active, Ai-chan may not be here, and more people would have been killed,” Ran interjected gently.
“Ran.”
“It’s true,” Ran pressed, “Conan did a lot of good.”
A pop and a hiss signaled the first firework. It exploded in a shower of purple and gold sparks.
For a few moments, Shinichi and Ran didn’t say anything as they watched colors of all types lit up the night in bursts of sparks. But Shinichi never could leave a mystery unsolved. “Are you sad?”
Ran hummed thoughtfully before answering, “Yes and no.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m sad about our relationship,” Ran confessed. Squeezing his arm, she turned to Shinichi with the most earnest smile he had ever seen, “But I’m not sorry I got to love you. Because being able to love you means that you're still here after everything; our relationship may be over, but as long as you’re still my best friend, I can never really be sad.”
Shinichi stared at her. How? How was it possible that she was this amazing? He tried to speak, but the words got lodged in his throat.
“I was so scared when that big battle happened, and I heard you were at the center. I thought for sure I was going to lose you.”
He swallowed thickly and tried again, “I told you before, I’ll always come back to you.”
Ran beamed.
They spent the rest of the night watching the fireworks before Shinichi walked her back to the apartment her mother had gifted her upon graduating college. Since he finally realized he couldn’t stop them from dating, Kogoro had at least demanded that they not live together until after Ran had an established job of her own. Since they never lived together, there was nothing for Ran to get back from Shinichi or his house. She kissed his cheek as he dropped her off outside her building. “Mom, Dad, and I are going on a trip to an onsen tomorrow; I’ll tell them when we get there so Dad doesn’t try and fight you or something.”
Shinichi chuckled nervously at the thought of getting judo flipped by the old man. Eri wouldn’t assault him, but she would still imply that, as a lawyer, she could find ways to make his life difficult if she chose.
Though if he were being honest, he would have a lot more than just Eri and Kogoro to answer to when people found out.
But that was for another day.
For now, he said good night to his best friend, waited until she was safely behind the front door, and made his way home. He was halfway there when his phone pinged. Sparing a quick, grateful thought that he only had to deal with one cellphone again, he pulled the device out of his pocket and looked at it.
Text me when you get home safe.
Shinichi smiled. Wow, you really have become my older sister, haven’t you?
The response bubbles appeared and disappeared several times before she finally responded. If you think that means I’m going to keep making you food and taking care of you when you’re sick, then you’ve got another thing coming.
You do that for me anyway.
I should have grounded you more.
Shinichi laughed out loud at that. Love you too, Ran-nee-chan. He laughed again at the deadpanned emoji she sent. Slipping his phone back in his pocket, he continued on his way home, heart light.