(I do not own Detective Conan)
Conan was feeling particularly grouchy today. He had also felt particularly grouchy yesterday. At the moment he was mad, mad at Ran. She had cut him off from the last thing he had that made Shinichi feel like an adult… Coffee. Two days ago Conan had awoken earlier than normal and had trotted down the stairs where Ran was making Coffee for herself and Kogoro. Conan plopped down at the table and waited for her to set his own cup of the liquid that would allow him to focus in the morning in front of him. Ran set Kogoro's down and then her own.
"Ran-neechan, can I have a cup?" he asked politely, staring longingly at the steaming mug. Ran smiled at him and stood up.
"Gomen nasai Conan-kun." She went to the kitchen and a few seconds later she emerged with a mug that she sat in front of the shrunken detective. Conan looked down at its contents.
"Ran-neechan, this is orange juice." Shinichi briefly wondered if Ran had gone colorblind.
"Hai." She told sipping her own coffee. "I read an article that Coffee was bad for little kids." Conan stared down at his juice.
"But you always let me have coffee." Conan whined. Ran smiled down at the boy. Conan never whined that much.
"The article said coffee was known to stunt growth." She was still sipping her mug. Conan felt like falling over. My growth was reversed. He thought watching in torture. Finally unable to bear it any longer Conan headed for school. Tired and irate was not how Shinichi had intended on spending his day. He had taken a test Thursday that he was barely up for, because he had not had his morning coffee. Yesterday The teacher had passed back the tests and Conan was positively mortified that he had only gotten a ninety percent stamped on the paper. Already in a foul temper Conan ripped it up receiving a detention for his negative attitude. So now Shinichi had been cut off of coffee, made a ninety on a grade school test, and had a detention first thing Monday morning. Because Conan had gotten detention Ran had picked that time to influence some parenting on the irritated little boy and grounded him. He wasn't aloud to watch T.V. or go out with his friends all weekend. Shinichi didn't really mind not hanging with the Shonan tantei dan and he wasn't all that fond of T.V. it was the principle of the mater. His childhood friend had grounded him, and Kogoro was enforcing it. Funny what one missed cup of coffee could do huh? But Conan was now in a hotel for a special police dinner that they had all been invited to. Coffee was all around him all he'd have to do is sneak a cup. Conan checked to make sure Ran wasn't watching and lifted his hands up to grab the cup. He was close, inches from the rich, bitter taste that he had missed.
"Kudo-Conan-kun." Announced Heiji Hattori was there. Conan aborted mission and turned to face the detective.
"Heiji-nichan!" He chimed as Ran walked past. As soon as her back was turned Conan climbed up in the table to grab the cup.
"Conan-kun!" He heard Ran snap. Conan released the cup and pretended he was only grabbing an apple.
"You know Kudo, if you want coffee that badly you can have some of mine." Heiji offered his cup the boy. Conan shook his head.
"No, you've most likely put sugar in it." He justified glancing around to see if Ran was watching. "I like my coffee black, and sometimes with creamer." His tiny hands met the warm container.
"Conan-kun!" he released his prize. This was going to take some time. Shinichi crossed his arms in frustration and glanced at the creamer container, hey were packaged a lot like the sugar packets and Shinichi grabbed two for when he finally did manage to get some in his system. He decided he'd go and ask every officer on the force for coffee or at least ask them to distract Ran for thirty minutes.
"Conan-kun." Someone greeted him as he hopped off the table.
"Hakuba?" Conan asked the blonde detective.
"Hai, any reason you were sitting on the table?" Conan shrugged and checking that Ran wasn't watching and safely talking with Sonoko Shinichi hopped up again to grab the coffee.
"Conan-kun!" Ran had been on him an instant to set him back on the ground.
"But how? When did?" He truly sounded like a little kid. Ran huffed and went back to visit with her friend.
"You know." Heiji commented. "Coffee will stunt your growth." Conan had dropped all little kid acts even though Hakuba was right there.
"Shut it, Hattori." The anger detective demanded. Hakuba stared back and forth at Conan and Heiji for a minute.
"I take it you want some coffee, Conan-kun?" Conan looked up with eager eyes.
"Yes! Please tell me you have some!" the not child pleaded. "I really need it!" Hakuba raised his palms.
"Sorry kid, I don't drink coffee." Conan felt his face twitch, how can he not drink coffee?
"I don't either." A boy had come up. "I'm not allowed." He had spiky hair and resembled Shinichi closely. Conan gawked for a second before returning to his 'check to see if the cost id clear.' Ran was now deep into conversation with her mother. Conan hopped up on the table.
"Conan-kun!" Two angry female voices sounded.
"Gomen nasai!" Conan hopped down. Well that didn't work. He thought bitterly. Heiji chuckled and turned the Kudo look alike.
"Why can't you have Coffee?" He asked.
"I could have it at home, but that girl over there forbids it." The boy pointed to a girl who was chatting with Inspector Nakamori.
"Oh," Heiji replied.
"I'm Kuroba Kaito, nice to meet you." He held out his hand. Heiji shook it.
"Hattori Heiji."
"The famous Kensai detective?" Kaito inquired.
"Hai."
"Who's the kid?" Kaito looked down at Conan.
"Edogawa Conan, tantei-san." Conan told him in his detective tone. "Mind helping me get a cup of coffee?" His little boy voice returned. Kaito shrugged.
"No can do squirt. Remember, I can't have coffee either." Conan was thinking about just grabbing the coffee and gulping it down before Ran could take it away. Heiji sighed and grabbed the cup from the table and handed it to Conan.
"Hattori-kun!" Ran objected. Heiji took the cup away, recognizing Ran's threatening tone. I'll get that coffee. Shinichi thought watching Heiji set it back where it was. I'll get it if it's the last thing I do.