justonetruth | (no subject)

There's a slight amount of rustling from the rafters, Aoko's only warning before she has a sudden and unexpected visitor. "Got you!"

Aoko lets out a startled cry. "E-Edogawa-kun?!"

"Hi Aoko-neechan!" Conan gives her a quick hug (incidentally planting a tiny bug on the back of her top) before squirming to be let down. "Quick, lets hide before Ran gets back."

Aoko would most likely notice the bug later, but for now she didn't catch it. She reached out to take Conan's hand before he could scramble off. "Ah, wait! Ran-chan said she was looking for you!"

"All the more reason to hide! Ran's really fast--" Conan freezes, turning around.

Ran is indeed fast. She's also right there.

"Bath. Now."

Aoko can't help but giggle as she places a hand on Conan's head. "You'd better listen to her, Conan-kun."

"I had a bath yesterday--" Conan dodges, but he is not able to elude Ran's grab.

Ran lifted him up easily, beaming at Aoko. "Thank you so much for your help!"

Aoko lifted a hand to wave it at Ran. "You're welcome! I guess taking care of kids can be a handful sometimes."

"Especially this kid." Ran sighed as Conan continued to struggle ineffectually. "For someone so smart, I don't get how you can be so difficult. If you'd just had your bath when I'd said, you'd be out and free to do whatever you want by now."

"It's the principle," Conan said promptly. "Also, I bet the water's cold by now. You can't run a bath and hold onto me, so--"

"You're going to disappear again? I think not." Ran turned to Aoko. "You're not free by any chance?"

Conan, meanwhile, was making urgent 'say no!' gestures.

Aoko shifted her gaze from Ran, to Conan, and back again.

"I can help you if you need it, Ran-chan."

Ran gave Aoko a smile of heartfelt relief. "Thank-you."

Conan was quiet, sulking as Ran led the way back towards their room.

"He's a good kid," she said. "Just prone to be -- well. Stubborn about certain things."

"He reminds me of someone back at home," Aoko mused with a small laugh.

"Someone back home?" Ran was startled. "Who?" Another friend Shinichi had hidden from her?

"Ah... just my friend Kaito, that's all!" Aoko blinked back at Ran, a bit surprised at her startled expression.

"Kaito? No way!" Conan made a concentrated effort to wriggle free. "We're nothing alike!"

"You're stubborn like he is," Aoko deadpanned.

"But he's so immature!"

"And running away from a bath isn't?"

Conan wriggled out of Ran's grip, but before she could grab him again, he's darted ahead, shoving his hands in his pockets and walking deliberately in front of them. "Oh, fine. I'll have the stupid bath."

"It's just a bath," Aoko pointed out as she linked her hands behind her and followed him, "Not the end of the world."

"You'll see," Conan said, shooting Aoko a look so dark, Ran felt compelled to take his hand again.

Aoko just gave him a flat one in return. "Definitely like Kaito."

"I haven't met Kaito yet," Ran said cheerfully brisk. "Is he a friend of yours, Aoko-san?"

"He's my best friend," Aoko answered with a nod, "I've known him since I was a little girl. I don't think he's here, though." A pause. "At least, not the one from my world."

"So there are other Kaitos here too? How many have you met?"

"Just one," Aoko admitted, though he was less a Kaito and more... Kid. But she supposed he counted.

"The only Shinichi I've met here was an adult -- grown-up. And didn't know my name. It was -- disconcerting." And had sparked a very childish quarrel with her Shinichi. Augh. Ran made a face. "I'm rather glad I haven't met any others."