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Cold.
That was the first thing that crossed Mouri Ran’s mind as she stepped outside. The wind was kicking up and down, blasting across the skin of her face with an icy bite. She looked out over the school grounds, dark and now covered in snow.
She had stayed behind at school well after all the other students had left. The karate team had been wrapping up practice, when she backed up into another student who had been carrying a soda. The fellow student quickly apologized and left, but a sticky mess was left all over the floor. Ran had texted Shinichi and Sonoko to go home without her.
However, it had taken her way longer to clean up than she thought. First the supply closet had been locked, so Ran had to hunt down a teacher. All the teachers seemingly had disappeared. Finally, once she got that open, she had discovered the cleaning room was an absolute mess! She couldn’t leave it behind like that. Supply room cleaned, she then got to work on the soda mess. It had settled in and was a hell to scrub out. Who the heck would bring a soda into the gym anyways!? It was against the rules! They should have stayed and helped her clean it up!
Now here she was, facing a cold and dreary night.
Ran stood there, looking out at it. The world was quiet, muffled by the soft flakes of white slowly drifting down. She hadn’t brought her boots, either. Walking home in her shoes was going to soak them to the bone.
Did she even want to go home…?
Hugging herself, Ran thought about home. Ever since Conan left their lives, life at home had been… rough. Whatever inspiration Conan had brought with him to her father had left just a quickly. Now the Sleeping Korogo just fell from grace. Cases dried up, police asking for his help dried up. Frustrated, the man had hit the bottle and gambling like nothing before.
She had been making great strides with her parents too! Ran swore her mother had been softening up. Well, that hardened with the return of the jobless drunk detective.
The wind howled slightly again, stinging her hands. Ran quickly brought them up to her mouth, blowing hot air on them. Should she call a cab? No, her father might get angry at her for spending money they don’t have. It was to be a cold, long walk home. Shaking, tears formed at the corner of her eyes. She gave a soft sniffle, trying not to break down completely.
“Oi oi oi…”
A sudden arm shot out and wrapped around her, pulling her against a very warm body. The girl looked up into the very familiar face of her boyfriend, Kudo Shinichi. His nose, ears, and cheeks were pink, probably from waiting outside for a long time. How had he snuck up on her so quietly!? She was beginning to think he was learning too much from those KID heists he kept going to.
“Shinichi! Were… you waiting for me here the whole time…?” Ran looked at him, astonished he was here.
Shinichi gave her a cute side eye look. “Of course not!” He huffed, sending a soft white cloud into the air. “I left and came back.”
Ran tilted her head in confusion. “Why?”
The Reiwa Homes pulled his arm back, before offering her a pair of gloves and her boots. “I told you this morning the temperature was going to drop and it might snow. I don’t think you were listening.”
Did he? Ran recalls yelling at her father this morning because she found him lying across the top of the kotatsu, completely passed out. She had been seeing red the entire way to school. Perhaps she must have accidentally tuned him out?
Shinichi continued to talk. “So I ran back to your place and got your gloves and boots for you.” He once again offered them, when she didn’t take them the first time.
Fresh tears pricked at her eyes again, though this time for completely different reasons. She gave a hard sniffle again.
“Are you crying?” Shinichi sounded concerned.
“No! No.” Wait, didn’t she promise Shinichi she’d be more honest with him since all the drama at home? “...Yes. It’s good tears, don’t worry.” Ran smiled up at him and took the offered warm clothing. She quickly sat, changing out her shoes and putting on the warm gloves.
“Crybaby.” Shinichi grinned at her, teasingly.
“Mou!!! Mean!!!” Ran lightly bapped at his leg, before getting back up.
“C’mon, let’s get going before we both turn into icicles out here.” Shinichi offered her his hand.
Ran stared at the hand for a second. Shinichi had put on a pair of dark gray leather gloves. Flushing, she slowly reached out and wound her hand around his. He pulled her closer, so that they were pressing shoulder to shoulder, the warmth from his body melting into hers.
It wound through her, slowly settling in her chest. Ran closed her eyes for a moment, feeling his heat through the fabric of the leather. “Yes, let’s go.”
Slowly, the pair made their way home. The entire city seemed to be hushed, not a soul around. The snow swirled about them, making the world so much more illuminated and calm. Their boots made soft crunching noises across the snow. Shinichi laughed at something she said and his voice rang out clear like a bell. Ran slowly forgot about her woes. This, right here, was perfect.
“Come home with me?”
Ran jerked to attention. “What?”
Shinichi looked a bit more red in the face. “Come home with me. My place is closer anyways. The heat’s better too. You need a break from your dad.”
Ran made a face. “But, dinner-”
Scowling, Shinichi yanked her in the direction of his place. “He’s a grown man. He can fend for himself for a night. Neither of us brought jackets. We can go into the living room and start the fireplace. I’ll make you hot chocolate and we can watch a movie or something while we do homework.”
This was true. Ran was wearing her leggings under her school uniform and they both had on a scarf to keep their necks warm, but besides that, just clothing layers. Her father though- no. You know what? She wanted to be selfish for once. Wanted to go and be warm and happy. “Yes.”
The blazing smile Shinichi gave her made it all worth it.
It wasn’t long before they were standing at the front door of the Kudo Manor. Shinichi gave himself a little shake, like a dog, dislodging the snow that had clung to his hair and shoulders. Ran giggled at the sight, imagining Shinichi as a cute little police dog.
The door was opened and the pair promptly fled to the living room. Shinichi must have been cold as well, he made a fire in record time. “Alright, hot cocoa time.”
“I’ll help you make it-” Ran started to get up from where she was seated next to the fire.
“Sit.” The command was so authoritative, it startled her. Ran flopped back down, looking up at Shinichi with wide lilac eyes. “I brought you here to destress, warm up, and relax. You -sit-, I will make the cocoa. If I see you in the kitchen, I will chase you out.” He left.
Ran smiled, turning back to the fire.
Soon, her detective brought out two steaming mugs of hot chocolate. Shinichi wasn’t much for sweets, so his was plain, but he had put a small dollop of whip cream and some marshmallows in hers. He also brought with him a heavy knit blanket. Setting the cups down, he wrapped the blanket around her shoulders, then slid under the blanket himself. “So, shall we do homework?”
Ran leaned her head against him, watching the firelight dance in front of them. “Can we wait till we finish the cocoa?”
“Of course.” Shinichi’s side pressed against hers.
Closing her eyes, she let out a slow, long, sigh. Tension she didn’t know she had eased out of her neck and shoulders. She didn’t think about school, about home, about money, about her mother and father. She only thought about sitting here with her boyfriend. Her detective, who cared for her.
And all felt right with the world.