"Ran!" came a shout from behind her and she turned, eyes lighting up at the sight of Shinichi walking towards her, features sharp in his formal uniform.
"Well, it's not a suit, but it'll do." Ran commented, one hand on his medals. She pulled him down for a kiss and he smiled goofily at her.
"I like your dress. Red's a good color on you." Shinichi said and Ran blushed, much to his amusement. "I've got our tickets, everyone else is waiting inside. Just a warning though, Heiji and Kazuha are having another fight."
Ran sighed as Shinichi took her arm. "When are they going to admit they like each other and stop this? I mean, if Kaito and Aoko can admit it then they should have no problem!"
"You would think so, wouldn't you?" Shinichi laughed.
"Oh, here comes the civi!" someone exclaimed loudly across the room and Ran turned, not surprised to see Kaito there, grinning at the mock insult with one arm slung around Aoko, who looked at him in amusement.
"Shut up, Kaito. If you upset my date, I'll be forced to hurt you." Shinichi said friendly and Kaito laughed, a familiar sound. Kaito was always laughing, pleased with the world and full of joy for life. Ran could see the appeal in someone who was so happy. But she loved her broody man just as well.
"Kaito couldn't shut up to save his life. Neither can Kid, what a strange coincidence." Came an accented voice and Hakuba appeared, Akako hanging off his arm. She was scantily clad in a black dress and smirked at the other females.
"Poor pilots, having to wear your uniforms to something like this." She said and Kazuha glared at her heatedly. Aoko smiled to herself, long use to the toothless barbs.
"Not all of us can be technical support, Akako. And we do get to change out of our uniforms in a minute. Someone rather high up on the food chain," she gave Hakuba a pointed look, "convinced High Command that it was unfair for the ladies to have to be stuck in uniform while others got to go all out with dresses and such. So we get to cut out after everyone arrives and change into our dresses. Ran, you'll come and help us, won't you? Akako too?"
Aoko turned the full force of her Puppy Dog Look on to the two other women and they agreed, much to Kaito's continued amusement.
"Where's Heiji?" Ran inquired, seemingly innocently and Kazuha immediately scowled.
"I don't know and I don't care. He can go stick his head in a blender, for all of I care, which is none at all so we should just stop talking about the stupid krimzee." Kazuha said heatedly and Shinichi gave Ran 'Told you so' type of look.
"Well, that was a creative way to put it!" Kaito said, jumping back into the conversation with a characteristic smile. "I think the last person just came in, don't you ladies have somewhere to be?"
"Yes!" Aoko exclaimed, grabbing Kazuha by the wrist and looking at Ran and Akako. "Yes, we're going to go get dressed now and you men better wait for us like good lap-dogs."
Amidst giggles, she dragged them off. Shinichi gave Kaito a withering sort of look. "Lap-dogs? That was unnecessary."
Kaito laughed and slung an arm around his cousin's shoulders. "But true! You're so whipped, Shinichi! Also, how about a little wager, just to make our time more interesting?"
Shinichi gave him another look. "I'm not stupid enough to bet against you, hit up some other poor sucker."
"Right, Hakuba then!" Kaito said, removing his arm from around his doppelganger's shoulder and Hakuba scowled.
"Of course, I'm the poor sucker. What is it, Kaito, then I'll make up my mind."
"I bet," Kaito started, "that Kazuha's dress turns out to be nearly exactly the same shade as Heiji's eyes."
Hakuba paused for a moment. "I'll accept, but only if you take my bet too. I bet that Aoko's dress is the same dark blue color you've been complimenting on her for the past month."
"But I've already seen that dress and it is. We christened it last night." Kaito waggled his eyebrows and behind him came a choking sound.
"Geez, Kaito, too much information!" Heiji's voice said and Kaito laughed.
"So, you finally decided to show up! Ready to make up with the lovely lady yet?" Kaito said, throwing his arm around Heiji's shoulders and Heiji pushed him away.
"I ain't makin' up with that girl. She's crazy and homicidal. Don' know why I ever hanged out with her in the first place!" Heiji said.
"Sure, you say that now. But you'll be casually bickering with her again by the end of the night." Shinichi said, grinned unrepentantly.
"The only reason I might even consider makin' up with her is because I can' go flyin' without her. But I ain't that desperate yet."
"So he says." Hakuba remarked and Kaito, predictably, laughed.
"But the night is still young! Yes, the night is still very, very young!"
So you guys are persistent, okay? There might be more later, I haven't decided, but keep in mind, these stand alone! They just happen to follow the same premises! I can quit any time I want to! Just you wait and see! No, really! I mean it! I totally do!