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Ever since Shinichi returned there has been tension between him and Ran. Ran still loved him, she had said as much. They still dated and hung out, sure, Shinichi himself relished in every moment but even now as they entered their shared apartment for college the tension felt so thick you could cut it with a knife and Shinichi felt himself walking on eggshells.
Ran had moved in a while before him. She had everything already prepped and in a rental car at 8 am that morning. All while Shinichi was shuffling through his father's library trying to find books he could take with him (avoiding the expensive first/limited editions his father owned, but taking his own personal first edition of the Sign of Four he received as a gift while he was Conan). Ran was basically finished putting her stuff away as he brought in his first box.
“Shinichi! About time you showed up!” She was smiling and Shinichi smiled too. He set the box of his clothes he was holding and hugged her tight. Her hugs felt like they were getting weaker. They were rare and he loved them but they weren’t as tight as they used to be, he worried that it was a sign she’d leave him alone in this apartment. However he quickly curbed his own rampant paranoia.
“Yeah Yeah, sorry you wouldn’t believe the show my mother put on as we packed the car with most of my stuff.” Shinichi pulled back and smiled. Ran got on her tiptoes to kiss him. He smiled into the kiss.
“And how much is left at your parents place?” She teased.
Shinichi replied with a dry laugh.
“Do you need help with your stuff? I can help.” Ran asked.
“Um Yeah That’d be great but don’t you have your own unpacking to do?” He was trying to be nice and considerate at the same time, it was hard to do.
“Yeah but I can at least help you get them into the place. Make it a new home faster.” Ran smiled walking past him. It left him blushing but the way the words were said… made him uneasy.
Shinichi picked up the box of clothes he brought in and placed it into their shared bedroom. It was still shocking for him to even say that. He placed the box on the floor next to the dresser and as he turned around. He noticed a picture frame on the wall. It was one of those tacky western style collage frames, he doesn’t remember her getting it. Looking at the picture inside, he realized it was all of them. It was them growing up. One where they were in 8th grade, one in middle school just after one of Shinichi's soccer games, The one taken just after the accident at tropical land, one of Ran and Conan, and there was one that Sonoko took while in Kyoto, and finally, A Photo of them right after he took the permanent antidote, you could practically see the steam radiating off his body in the photo.
He’d never forget the day he’d taken that antidote. Ran had demanded to be there and she held him the whole time he grew back into his old self. He had tried to convince her to not do it but being as stubborn as she was, she did anyway. He remembered how she found out. All because he was careless and the Black Organization managed to find out Shinichi Kudo and Conan Edogawa were one in the same. He’d never forgive himself.
“Do you like it?” He turned around to see Ran setting down another box of clothes on top of the one he placed earlier. “Sonoko got it for me, preloaded with pictures and everything. I couldn’t just leave it back at Dad’s place.”
“Yeah.” He said simply with a smile. He should’ve known Sonoko would be the one to put it together.
“C'mon we gotta get the rest of the boxes.” Ran grabbed his hand and began to pull him out the room.
Ran’s crying face as she held his small form close flashed in his mind and his heart steeled. Never again Ran. I promise. I’ll do everything in my power to make it up to you.
~~~
“Hey Ran, why don’t we go out and have some dinner tonight?” Shinichi asked as he held a cup of coffee in one hand and scrolled through one of his assignments due soon.
Ran stopped putting on her coat and looked at him sadly. She looked like she had something to say. “Sorry… I promised some classmates’ that we would study together and work on a project tonight…”
“That’s fine maybe next time. Good luck Ran.” Shinichi smiled to show that he was a little bit hurt after being shot down, but it was a last minute request.
Ran smiled and finished putting on her coat and grabbing her backpack. She said a quick goodbye and left Shinichi with a small smile.
~~
“Hey we should go out together soon.”
“Sorry but Sonoko wanted to go shopping.”
~~
“Wanna go for Dinner tomorrow?”
“I'm Sorry Shinichi but Sera is back in town and wanted to meet up with Sonoko Kazuha and I.”
~~~
“My Mom got me a few premier tickets to a magic show. Wanna go?”
“Sorry but I’m swamped with homework.”
“Oh then I can stay and help you.”
“No it’s fine you should go with Hattori instead.”
“...”
~~
Shinichi did what he always did when he was frustrated, made himself work and luckily newly appointed Inspector Sato had just the mystery to let himself get lost in. It was a cold case that was suddenly reinvestigated that brought clues into light thanks to the dismantling of the Black Organization. So currently the living room looked like a paper tornado had swept through. Not to mention it was fairly late too. Ran still isn’t home. She should’ve been home by now. It's been 2 hours since her last class. Normally if she was late she would’ve told him via text or a call.
He shook his head and tried to focus on the case. He sat right in the middle of it on the floor, Ran would be mad at him for creating such a mess, but he didn't mind in the moment ,well maybe a little but that would be solved later. He looked at his watch, it was nearing 10 pm, he should eat but he didn’t move. The case had to be solved. He fully dived into the case again.
He didn’t know how long he was absorbed into the case but he was only brought out of it when the door opened and he saw Ran standing in the doorway perplexed.
“Shinichi…? What are you still doing up?” Her voice wavered as she asked.
“Working.” was all he said, he went back to and shuffled the papers around again. He was missing something.
“It's 1 am though.” Ran said slowly.
“Is it...?” Shinichi looked at his watch and sure enough it was a quarter past 1. “Why were you still out so late?”
Ran didn’t answer and silence enveloped both of them. She placed her stuff on a nearby table.
“I was out. With Sonoko.” She said matter of factly.
“I See.” Shinichi was tired and Ran looked tired. So he decided to ask something important. “Hey we’re both tired we should maybe take a little break. Maybe next week we could go somewhere…?”
“I…” Ran didn’t answer.
“Oh. Are you going to tell me you're busy again?” Shinichi realized he started to say it outloud before he could stop himself.
Ran flinched.
“Shinichi…” She started but couldn’t find the words.
“Ran… Why are you avoiding me?” Shinichi stood and walked just a bit closer to Ran, practically trapping her. The silence was deafening and you could cut the tension with a knife. It sat heavy in the air as Ran refused to look him in the eye. “Ran are you… cheating on me?”
“NO!” It came out quickly, so fast Shinichi would've thought it was forced but he knew the sound of her voice was filled with nothing but honesty. “I would never cheat on you!” Ran looked down and Shinichi could only swallow the lump forming in his chest. “Look I just thought…” She trailed off.
“Thought what, Ran?” Shinichi had to edge her on.
“It's… nothing… it's not important. Can we talk about this tomorrow?” Ran asked looking up hopefully.
“No. We’re talking about this now. Why are you avoiding me?” He had to get the truth. Shinichi placed his hands firmly on Ran’s shoulders. “Please if it's something about me-”
“I thought. You were sick of me!” Ran shouted suddenly, Shinichi quickly removed his hands from her shoulders as he saw tears start to form in her eyes. “Shinichi you were Conan and lived in my house for over a YEAR! I dotted on you like you were my little brother! You must’ve hated it! So i thought… You didn’t want to spend any more time with me.”
“Ran…”
“You lived a lie for over a year and you lied to me! Shinichi I just… I thought…” She started sobbing.
Shinichi flinched back but quickly brought his hands to Ran’s face and whipped away the tears.
“I could never be sick of you!” Shinichi pulled her into a hug. “Listen to me Ran, I’m so sorry for all the pain I put you through, for lying to you. I won’t ever do it again. Ran. You mean the whole world to me, I want to be by your side like this. Of course I didn’t like to be treated like a child while I was Conan! I hated it! but I held on because of you Ran.” He held her tighter though she hadn’t yet reciprocated the hug but she was still crying. “I want to be here with you Ran, I want to be able to say I love you like this. I want to spend time with you, not as Conan, but as your boyfriend. So Please don’t even think for a second that I’m tired of you.”
Ran let out a strangled sob and finally wrapped her hands around Shinichi and pulled into the hug. She buried her head into his shoulder and let out muffled sobs. Shinichi was sure he heard a small “I’m sorry” from Ran. Shinichi brought his hand up to Ran's head and began petting her softly.
“You know…” Shinichi started only slightly regretting what he was going to say. “I’ve been in love with you since pre-school.”
Ran stopped crying and looked up at him with a bewildered “huh?”
“It’s true! Ever since I asked… well… demanded that you made me a paper sakura badge.” Shinichi looked at her, she was still crying but they were slowing down. That was a good step.
“No way! That can’t be true!” Ran said with a small laugh and Shinichi took a small breath through his nose. Ran was so… perfect.
“It’s true!” Shinichi laughed. “I was a bit of brat but seeing your face when I made my first public deduction I was instantly swooned.”
Ran smacked him a bit on the arm, it was light and didn’t hurt at all, which is saying something from a karate champion that can shatter concrete. She laughed some more, and Shinichi could only stare at her. He loved her laugh, he had to admit. It was perfect and fit her to a T. Ran’s was perfect.
“What?” He asked, pretending to be offended out of habit.
“Nothing, it's just… You’re such a cheesy hopeless romantic, I can see that now.” Ran brought her hand up to her mouth to hide another small giggle and Shinichi fell in love with her all over again, he tended to do that a lot.
“Listen… Shinichi I’m… I’m sorry.” Ran said softly. “I’m sorry for avoiding you and.. Everything.”
“It’s ok Ran.” Shinichi smiled. “Now-” Shinichi shifted a bit so he stood perpendicular to Ran and got down low to literally scoop up Ran, who let out a small peep in surprise. While he was by no means as strong as Ran, he made sure he was strong enough to pick her up. Though he won't admit that the reason he did so was to get back at all the times she held him when he was shrunk. “Let's get to bed.”
“Yeah.” Ran said as she wrapped her arms around Shinichi’s neck. She finally stopped crying and Shinichi was very grateful for that.
He walked to their room and gently laid Ran on their bed, not caring they both were still in their day clothes and not pajamas. Shinichi laid across from her and stared into her eyes. Still the prettiest blue eyes he’s ever seen, it was like they were almost purple. He could help but smile. Ran let out a small giggle and took Shinichi’s hand in her own. Shinichi's hand was smooth while Ran’s hand was slightly calloused from her karate. Ran leaned forward and placed her forehead on his and he felt like he was floating and he closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of their foreheads touching.
“Shinichi… I love you.” Ran said, her voice was soft and calming.
“I love you too Ran.” Shinichi replied.
Soon the two fell asleep laying there together and when they woke up their hands were still grasped together, and they would have it no other way.