[March 15, 2008] [Detective Conan/Case Closed] Repaying the favor

[ayaia-moon.livejournal.com]

 

Title: Repaying the favor

Day/Theme: March 15: Of handsome tips

Series: Detective Conan/Case Closed

Character/Pairing: Shinichi/Ran

Rating: PG/ K plus

 

When all was said and done, Shinichi was ultimately…annoyed. When his parents finally returned from Los Angeles, it was like having two mothers to mother him. The only difference was the sheer number of hugs his mother gave him as opposed to Ran, but Ran was only worried that she’d somehow hurt his shoulder, and so was very gentle.

Yukiko, Shinichi was convinced, simply didn’t care.

It had just gotten to a point where Shinichi was grateful for Kogoro’s presence (and that was saying something, because while underneath his gruffness, Shinichi was convinced he at least sort of cared about the fate of his daughter’s best friend, he certainly didn’t act like he did, and spent his time treating Shinichi…well…like he’d been treating Conan in all his time at their house), and then it had finally happened.

Shinichi had been discharged.

Shinichi, it had to be said, had felt like a first place trophy that everyone was arguing over for the last few days. His parents wanted him to come overseas with them (a point that the doctor disagreed with), and then they insisted that when they wrapped up the loose ends that they’d left in their rush to come see him that they would live in Shinichi’s house with him. (a point that Shinichi disagreed with.) Agasa-hakase was quick to point out Shinichi’s imminent need to…well…not be stuck in the body of a seven-year-old anymore. Ran was quick to agree.

All in all, Shinichi was immensely relieved when everything seemed to work in his favor. His parents were gone once more, handling their affairs overseas (which is where Shinichi liked them), The good professor had more than his share of help working with Haibara on an antidote (which made Shinichi very happy), and Kogoro had yet to kill him. These were all very good things.

Eating out with Ran later that day (a double treat, being his first ‘real’ meal after such a long time spent in the hospital, and also his first ‘date’ with Ran since she’d learned of ‘the big secret’) had him in very good spirits by the time dessert came around. True, he was still stuck as a little kid, and true, his shoulder ached dully, but aside from that, life was good!

“Shinichi?”

“Hmm?”

“Does your shoulder hurt?”

“It’s fine.”

“Do you want more dessert?”

Shinichi blinked. “No, I think I’m good.”

Ran smiled. “You can have whatever you want, you know. It’s on me.”

“I can just charge it, you know…famous novelist father and all…”

Ran just shook her head. “It’s fine.”

“Ran…not to burst the bubble or anything…but why are you being so nice to me?”

“What do you mean?”

“I thought…I thought you’d be furious…”

“It’s funny how quickly fury dies when serious injury is involved.”

“Oh.”

“Make no mistake, though, that if you ever. Ever. Do anything like this to me again, I will hurt you.”

“Oh.”

“So we’re clear?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. Do you want any more dessert?”

“Just…how about you give that waiter of ours a really good tip and we’ll call it good.”

“Are you sure?”

Shinichi grinned. “I’m sure.”

“All right…” confused, Ran did as Shinichi suggested, while Shinichi scrawled something on a napkin. The odd pair left the restaurant, and their fortunate waiter hurried forward to claim his tip before it was taken by the busboy…and he chuckled aloud at the napkin that had been deliberately placed on top of the bills. The message read thus:

‘Consider this tip an expression of undying gratitude. It was either fate, luck, or your marvelous food that made fortune smile on me today. I’m just repaying the favor.

 

-O-

 

A U T H O R S   N O T E

 

Beware the Ides of March.

 

O.O

 

…

 

Yeah, I got nothin.

 

~Ayaia