I really hope that more people than reviewed until now actually like this story, because if not that would be VERY sad! To all others, THANKS; please keep on reading and enjoying this one. This is still special to me. Dedicated to "Meinz"! Happy birthday (once again, hihi)! Oh, a last thing. I wonder how many of you can figure out just WHO gets a guest-part in this one, hehehehe! Let me know!
Chapter eleven- The hot spring scenario
Heiji and Shinichi arrived in the late afternoon at their destination. They quickly walked to the Inn, hoping to arrive before the sun set. There, Heiji quickly greeted Kazuha's aunt and introduced Shinichi before they went to their rooms.
"You never told me they have only one futon in the rooms!"
"Gee, I forgot!" Heiji looked around, scanning the place. "It's been a long time since I was last here!"
"And what are we going to do now?"
"Don't act like a baby. We'll think of something!"
"It's already dark…" Shinichi stated slowly, looking out of the window.
"I so want to get in those hot springs! It's been forever!" Heiji looked at him with raised eyebrows and almost piercing gaze.
"Yeah, me too! Let's do that right away. The spring is illuminated, after all."
"Great idea. Glad to see that your brain still works, Kudo!"
"Pah, what did you expect?"
"No comment!"
Both grinned and prepared their bathing stuff.
"Are you ready?" Shinichi soon asked Heiji, having already his towel bound sed.. securily around his hips.
"Yes, let's go!" and together the two friends walked to the big, outdoor spring. They were joking on the way, Heiji a little relieved that he had talked so thoroughly with Shinichi. He really was a great friend.
As they approached the spring, girls laughing could be heard and they grinned at each other. The walked closer and closer to the source of the laugher until they could almost hear the jokes they were telling each other.
"And you know, what he than said to that man?" the brown haired girl chuckled.
"What?" the darker haired girl asked excitedly.
"Ran?" A voice behind the girls asked, making them turn their heads.
"Shinichi!" Ran breathed quietly and unbelieving as her eyes, soon after the shock had settled, lit up.
Shinichi only grinned seductively at her, but obviously more than happy that she had crossed his way so much sooner than expected. His surprise at seeing her was quickly drowned out by happiness about this unforeseen encounter.
He saw Ran rise out of the water, the towel tightly around her body and droplets shimmering on her skin in the faint and romantic moonlight. Shinichi knew that it sounded really old fashioned and like some scene out of a pulp fiction novel, but he was certain this scene held a lot of… poetry?
'Argh man, I have never been any good at this kind of things!' he admitted honestly to himself and shrugged mentally.
He approached Ran, clad in his own towel bound around his waist, and shortly before arriving at his destination opened his arms in silent invitation. Smiling beautifully, Ran stepped to him the last inches and accepted his invitation, falling in his arms as if she had spend an eternity waiting for him. Only few that were witnessing the scene knew the real irony behind it for she really had spend a long while waiting for him to come back to her.
'But that's in the past!' she told herself as the unbearable feeling of happiness at having Shinichi in her arms again, flooded her whole being.
He pulled back a little and smiled down at her, obviously just as happy to hold her again. To him it had as well felt like an eternity without her. Since his return he had made sure to see her almost every day, even if only for a few minutes. As he saw her beautiful smile, all he could feel, aside the feeling of falling in love with her for the umpteenth time and all over again, was the strong urge to hold her and never let go of her again. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and soon after leaned down to kiss her.
Heiji stood kind of awkward behind him, his cheeks redder than usual. Kazuha did not move, staying in the hot water that was reaching to her chin. She looked a few times at Heiji but as soon as their eyes met, both quickly looked away.
It was strange. Here she was, thinking herself finally certain about her feelings for him and then all he had to do was appear and she was as helpless as a child.
Ran and Shinichi had by now stopped kissing and turned to look at their friends. They held hands and smiled at the two, red faces.
"Well, Hattori, I guess that you can remember this young lady. Her name is Toyama Kazuha- am I ringing a bell?" Shinichi grinned at Heiji. Heiji only glared back.
"He is right, Kazuha- chan. I allow myself to assume that you can remember this gentleman as well. Well, it's time for us to let you two alone, then!" Kazuha stared, panicked, at Ran, certain that she could not handle the situation without her support. But Ran only smiled warmly at her, let go of Shinichi's hand for a moment and kneeled down to whisper to her friend.
"Ran! You can't leave me!"
"Don't worry! It's going to be all right. Just be honest with yourself and you two will solve everything really quickly, believe me! Have faith! But that's only between you two, my dear. You can do that!" Ran gave Kazuha a quick kiss on her forehead and stood up. Kazuha only looked at her, not less scared. But she only whispered a "good luck" and was again on Shinichi's side. He put an arm around her. He and Ran winked at Heiji, Shinichi even with a thumb- up, and left for another part of the hot springs where they could be alone.
"Do you think we did the right thing?" Ran whispered and looked up at Shinichi's face. He nodded reassuringly and held her tighter. "They can do this without us! Besides…" they found an empty spot in the huge outdoor basin and slipped inside. "..call me egoistical but I want you all for myself."
Ran giggled and welcomed the tight embrace, returning it with one of her own. Suddenly and unforeseen, she pulled his head down and kissed Shinichi hard and passionately, taking his breath away in a flash. He was startled but didn't even think about resisting her sweet lips. As she pulled away, lips parted while panting, she grinned at him and his stupefied expression.
"Oi, is it the mountain air or did you simply miss me?" he gave her one of his gorgeous one corner grins that caused some women weak knees.
"I missed you!" she smiled sweetly at him, melting his insides in the progress.
"I missed you, too. Like crazy!" he replied and she could not help her giggle. Winding her arms around his neck, she gave him a quick kiss on the lips.
"A lot?"
One corner of his lips curved up to a grin as his hands wandered her back. "A whole lot!"
"Why don't you show me!" she grinned back, something challenging in her look.
"Ran!" he looked around shocked, acting as if Ran had just said the most indecent thing on the planet. "How can you suggest that we do that here! People can come any minute!"
Ran only stared amused at him, a shade of red on her cheeks. "I did not! That's not what I meant!"
He grinned again at her. "Yeah, right! You little naughty girl."
"Shinichi!" she gently slapped his arm.
"Okay, okay. How about, we go for the rated version now, which implies light making out and…" he leaned down and whispered in her ear seductively. "…tonight I'll show you just HOW much I have missed you!" His breath caused Ran to shiver gently as she looked with red cheeks at him. Before she could really answer, he was attacking her neck with sweet kisses. She momentarily thought back on a time where he would have blushed at just the thought of kissing her and now…
"That'd be…great!"
Shinichi kept kissing her throat, then up her jaw, her cheeks, her whole face until he reached his destination. He kissed Ran, deeply and with all the passion that he held for her. With all the love that flooded his heart whenever he was allowed to be near her. And she responded to everything in kind.
"I am so glad you came!" she finally whispered after breaking the kiss, while looking in his eyes and panting slightly.
"So am I, my love. So am I!" he stroked a hand over her hair and she smiled again at him.
"Our romantic weekend is saved!"
"Hehe, you're right!" And as he bend to place a tender kiss on her forehead, Ran closed her eyes and hugged him closer, leaning her head against his chest.
"I hope they can work this out!" she breathed. Shinichi only nodded. "Me too."
Kazuha, after Ran was out of eye-sight, stared at the water right in front of her and wound her arms tighter around her body. As Heiji observed her, he felt his heart sink along with his courage. He wondered what he had done to freak her out that much. But he knew, there was no helping it. He had to talk it out with her. Very slowly, he did one step after the other and came to a halt a few feet away from her.
"Uhm… may I?"
Kazuha only nodded, not taking her eyes from the surface of the water that was rippling as he stepped into the bath and sat on a stone in the water near the edge. Kazuha was only a few feet away. Neither moved, not even daring to breathe too loud. The tension was unbearable and they now frequently stole gazes of the other.
They were afraid to talk, to move, to breathe too loud. At some point, this silence became too much and both burst out simultaneously.
"I am so sorry!" "It's all my fault!"
They fell silent and looked at the surface of the water again, everywhere but at the other, hearts racing, faces hot
"Y-you go first!" she quietly started.
"Nono, you first."
"Oh…o-okay. Y-you see… I am sure you want to know why I… why I went a-away…" she gulped and saw his slight nod. So she went on, trying desperately to find the right words. All the things that she and Ran had talked about were gone to the point where fear was again ruling her heart and her actions.
"F-first, you have to know that it was not easy for me, and that I had nothing planned beforehand. I am so sorry I left like this… but… you know, it's strange. I can not really put all the things I felt in words… all I know is that suddenly I was so scared of everything. Of you, of us, of myself… of being alone. Yes, of that the most…" she looked shyly at his face that radiated some sort of disbelief. She quickly shook her head and put a smile on, not wanting to hurt him.
"You don't have to feel bad about anything.
"I understand, if you say it happened just because you needed… relief. Don't feel bad about IT! No need to apologize, I really understand. And, after all, I am not sure I would have made such a good wife in the first place and you would be constantly on your cases, I would probably start drinking and go crazy out of fear about you at home until one day the police would call and tell me how sorry they were but they couldn't save you and.. and then I would be alone again…all alone…" she interrupted her ranting of her own, more and more tears falling from her eyes until by the time she was finished she was literally crying her eyes out.
Heiji watched her, shocked and deeply moved by this outburst from the usually strong girl in front of him. No with what he had counted, it was not even near to this.
"K-Kazuha…" he stocked and slowly stepped fully in the water, carefully reaching out to wrap his arms around her. She tried to persist and move him away but Heiji was stronger and held on to her. "Kazuha… shh, it's okay, it's okay…" he whispered soothing words to her while hugging her close with the one hand and stroking over her hair with the other. He could not believe that the reason she had been so freaked out was simply of… a psychological nature.
"Kazuha…" he whispered and lay his head on top of hers. She tried to clean her face with the back of her hands and stepped away from him, breaking herself free of his embrace.
"I am sorry. I didn't mean to freak like this." She felt new tears roll out of her eyes. "God!" she touched her face. "You must think I am so stupid!"
"No, don't say that. Of course I don't!" he quickly hushed her.
"It's okay. You don't have to be polite. You can go if you'd like to…"she half turned away from him, lowering her head.
"Oi, I really would like to grab your shoulders and shake you so hard that you finally wake up!" his words sounded unusually harsh, and Kazuha turned her head to look at him startled. "What?"
"Y-you heard me! What are you saying? Do you have any idea what you are demanding of me? How could I ever go without you? Why do you think that I don't l-lo-like you anymore?"
"I-it is only that… I was not s-sure you would still want me after waking up. I was so scared-…" the last words stuck in her throat and she hardly got them out as new tears welled up her eyes.
"Please, listen. I didn't m-make l-l-love to you because my hormones desperately demanded it, but because my heart was overwhelmed with my emotions for you. Because it seemed to be the perfect moment, because I wanted to show you my affection in every way I could, because it is what I want us to do for the rest of our lives for I am SURE you will make a great wife. It will not turn out as negatively as you think, this I can promise you. I will take the best of cares of you and not leave you alone for long. I will never leave you alone, do you hear me?"
Her reaction was not really responsive. She had her eyes closed, her face was pointing to the water, head lowered. She was listening to him but didn't make any move nor gave any sign of approval or disapproval.
"Kazuha…" he sounded desperate, stressing her name. "I would never, NEVER EVER use you like this. Hell, woman, I LOVE YOU!" he took a deep breath and screamed at her in his usual loud and energetic voice for the whole world to hear.
Kazuha backed away from him, a little taken aback. She blinked at him with her huge eyes, mouth open and had no idea how to respond to that. But Heiji was only getting started. He was ready to fight for her if necessary- Kudo had been right. He walked closer to her and took her by her shoulders, forcing her to look at him.
"Do you hear me? I - LOVE - YOU!" he gently shook her along with these words. "I do, I really do, and I want to never ever let you go again! Is that so hard to understand? Please believe me! Why would I want to leave you when a life without you is a real nightmare to me? I can't even think about what it would look like and frankly, I do not want to!" during his little speech he had gently pressed her body to his. "Do you understand, you beautiful wild-cat? You stubborn and passionate woman who likes to jump to conclusions and that I can not be without?"
Kazuha slowly pulled away from him, laying her hands on his chest. She shyly and very slowly looked up at him. "Did you say… beautiful?" her cheeks were burning.
He smiled at her, some of the tension leaving his limbs. "Of course! You are the most beautiful being I have ever laid my eyes on!"
"H-Heiji… these things you said… are beautiful. I am so-…overwhelmed and… I don't know what to say to that… Why?" her eyes watered again and her voice cracked, only managing a whisper. "Why do you love me?"
Heiji smiled a warm smile at the girl in front of him, laying a hand on her cheek and spoke softly to her while brushing with a thumb over her wet cheek. "Is a reason necessary? Why do I need a reason?"
Kazuha looked confused at him before he went on.
"Kudo once told me that, and I figured he was right. People need no real reason to kill each other, why do they need a reason to love another person?" a long silence followed and Kazuha looked at him, a look of awe in her features. She knew that he was right.
Ruining the momentarily mood, Heiji grinned. "Of course, if you want me to name a few reasons I would start with your endlessly good heart, your inner and outer beauty, the way you care for people, the way you take care of me, the way you brighten up my day and my heart with your mere presence, even the way your eyes glimmer when you are angry… I want to see that glimmer again in your eyes. Tears don't suit you!" he brushed over her other cheek with the back of his hand.
"Heiji-…" she whispered, almost sobbed, his name getting lost on the way. She took a sharp breath and could not help the new tears that rolled down her cheeks. "Heiiijiii!" she sobbed his name and as he opened his arms in invitation, Kazuha took it and hugged him for all she was worth. He only held her, leaning back against a stone where he sat down and could sit her comfortably on his lap while she cried out her fears and her frustration.
He was rubbing her back and as he felt the towel around her body had lost it's hold, he quickly tucked the knot back in place, making sure it held tightly again. Kazuha only vaguely noticed this but was touched nonetheless. She tried hard to calm down and a few minutes later even succeeded. Pulling slowly back, she looked shyly, almost embarrassed, at Heiji.
"Heiji?" she carefully started.
"Yes?"
"I am so sorry!" she whispered, her sad expression capable of melting even tougher men than Hattori.
"It's okay, really. If only you believe me and what I said because I was serious! You have to trust me in this!"
Ran's words about trust rang through her mind. She knew that both were right. She had to trust him and herself, have faith in them and their relationship. Kazuha nodded, smiling for the first time, and lay a hand on his cheek.
"I trust you!" and she meant it, saying it with so much confidence that he believed her right away, knowing she meant it with all her heart. And so she did the next words.
"Heiji… I..I also… I do… I mean…" she took a sharp breath and looked deep in his eyes. Eyes that were kind and understanding and that she knew better than anybody's else, that could be damn sexy. And suddenly, it was easier for her.
"I love you, Heiji." She told him seriously, never breaking eye contact. The look they gave each other in this moment actually betrayed everything to the other. What they were feeling deep down, their fears, their desires and so much more. This look simply said everything they needed to know.
As she saw his face distort in a bright smile, she could not help but mirror it. "I really do love you! So, so much.." she repeated quietly, feeling the need to tell him again.
"I'm so glad to hear that!" he whispered and leaned slowly his forehead against hers.
"I'm glad, too."
"Does this mean, everything is okay?" he hesitantly asked her. She smiled and nodded.
"Yes."
"Can…can I kiss you now?" Heiji asked hesitantly, only voicing his heart's desire which came out a little more pleading than he had intended. Kazuha's cheeks painted a little bit as she smiled brightly at him.
"I thought you'd never ask!"
---
A little later, Shinichi and Ran dared to come and look after the two, just in case they needed some help. Or more, in case Heiji needed first aid.
"I sure hope he's not dead yet. You never know, with a mouth as big as his!"
"Shinichi!" Ran warned him and looked again forward. "I hope they solved their problems and made up."
"Me too… but I think we don't have to worry anymore." He smiled and as Ran looked at him puzzled, pointed with his free hand in direction of the spring. As her eyes followed his lead they quickly lit up at the sight.
Heiji and Kazuha were sitting in the water, her arms around him. He had an arm around her and was holding her face with his free hand as they were engaged in a sweet kiss.
Ran smiled brightly as she saw this, and then turned to look at Shinichi who was grinning as well. "That's so great!" she whispered, totally exited and happy.
"Yes." he had to agree. He may never admit it but he did like it better when his friends were at peace with each other. He simply would never let Heiji know.
"What do we do now?"
Shinichi's grin turned devilishly as all the new prospects came to him and obviously Ran had noticed this too for she elbowed him in his ribs. "Don't even think about it!"
"B-but…what? I didn't do anything..!" 'Yet! So please let me…!'
"I know that look, Mister. Come on, we'll go and come again later." And before he could even think about protesting, Ran was dragging him away, pulling at his hand. But from the tone in her voice, it would have been more appropriate to drag him away from his ear.
"But Raaaan!" he winced.
"Did you just hear something?"
"Eh?" Kazuha looked around, scanning the place quickly. "No, why?"
"I could have sworn…" Heiji looked back at Kazuha and smiled. "Never mind!" As she returned his smile, she leaned forward and lay her head against his chest, sighing. Heiji's arms came around her small frame, hugging her to him. He placed his head on top of hers and sighed as well.
Neither couldn't believe how.. soothing a kiss could be. The moment his lips had touched hers, something had shot through them, something warm and incredibly pleasant, causing them to moan out simultaneously in relief only to clung on the other harder in the next. Yes, this was the stuff dreams are made of.
---
Twenty minutes later…
"How are we going to do this? What if they're still…at it!" Ran looked somewhat lost up at Shinichi who looked back at her.
"Careful, we're coming! You better not be doing anything we shouldn't see!" Shinichi suddenly screamed, walked towards the spring and covered his eyes with one hand while swinging the other in front of him like a blind person in order to avoid a collision with something or somebody.
Ran only shook her head, blushing and walked after him, ready to apologize for her fiancés behaviour. But she only found Kazuha and Heiji, sitting in the water, talking quietly with each other. Or at least that's what they had been doing before Shinichi's "attack" for now they were only staring at him.
He stopped walking and blushed slightly. Overplaying his embarrassment, Shinichi put an arm behind his head and laughed nervously.
"Oh, hi guys! Hehehe…"
Ran, Kazuha and Heiji kept staring at him for another moment before breaking stimultaneously into a fit of laughter. Soon even Shinichi joined them. He took Ran's hand and they neared the couple that was still sitting in the water and sat down on the edge of the pool.
"I daresay everything is now okay between you?" Ran carefully started.
Kazuha smiled at Heiji, then back at Ran. "Yeah."
"Waah, I am so glad!" Ran ejaculated and splashed with her feet in the water. All heads turned to look at her but she only smiled sweetly back. "What?"
"Nooothing!" Shinichi replied and took her hand in his again.
"I am only glad everything is all right again!" Ran stated.
"So am I!" Kazuha held Heiji's hand tighter and he responded to her grip.
"So what are we going to do now?" Shinichi asked and looked suspiciously innocent around. Heiji raised an eye brow.
"You know, we are kind of hungry." Ran helped out and looked at Shinichi. He had been complaining the past half hour that he was soo hungry he couldn't stand it and now he was getting shy. Typical men!
"Why don't we go and have dinner together?" Kazuha was the first to suggest.
"That's a great idea!" Ran joined her immediately. "Guys?" She looked back and forth between the two detectives, smiling widely.
"Sure!" Shinichi answered first.
"Of course!" Heiji joined soon after.
"Great!" Ran was too euphoric. She was dying to hear the news from Kazuha, so she leaned over and gave Shinichi a kiss on his lips, then took Kazuha's hand. She held her towel with one hand and stood up, pulling Kazuha up with the other. "We'll go get ready and you can pick us up around eight, room 19. See ya, guys!"
Ran was already heading towards the side- entrance to the house, pulling Kazuha along after her who could only wink at the men before they were out of view.
"Women!" Shinichi muttered.
"Yeah, who's ever going to understand them?" Heiji added.
Both men shrugged and looked at each other stupidly, silently meaning to say: "We don't!"
---
"Ran, you're pulling my arm off!" Kazuha complained a while later.
"Oh, sorry! Now come, we're almost there!" Ran walked along the empty corridor to their room. She quickly unlocked and pushed the door open before in turn pushing Kazuha inside the room. She sat her down on the bed before sitting down as well and looked at her friend, eyes wide and full of expectation.
Kazuha raised her eyebrow. "What?" she demanded.
Ran sighed annoyed. "Come ON! You know exactly what I want to hear!"
The other girl merely blushed and looked down at her hands which she had folded in her lap. Ran took Kazuha's red cheeks as a reason to cheer and giggled happily. She could not help herself as she swung forward and hugged her friend tightly.
"Oh Kazuha-chan, I am SO happy for you! I knew you would figure it out eventually!"
Kazuha hugged her back, smiling to herself. She guessed she had pretty much scared Ran yesterday. She had been obviously really worried about her. Kazuha held her a little tighter.
"Thank you so much, Ran, for your help. I am not sure I could have done it without your help!" Kazuha said quietly in Ran's ear.
"You would have, I am sure! And I am always here for you!" Ran smiled at the other girl.
"Thank you!" Kazuha repeated, now smiling equally back.
"So?"
"So what?"
"Come on, tell me already what happened between you?"
Kazuha blushed madly. She didn't know what exactly to tell but Ran definitively deserved the truth. "He… he had been so sweet, telling the most adorable things you can imagine. I told him all my fears and he said… said actually almost what you said, that I am not right and that he-…"
"That he loves you!" Ran stated as if it was the most obvious thing.
"How do you know?" Kazuha touched her glowing cheeks.
"Hello? Do you honestly think anybody in this spring did NOT hear him scream?"
'Right, I had forgotten about that!'
"Go on!"
"Y-yes… that's basically it… and that he won't ever leave me alone, that he thinks I am b-beautiful and that he loves me just because, without my having to do something in return. Do you know how much this means to me? How precious it is to have somebody who loves you just-… just because of you?"
"Of course I do." Ran smiled warmly back. "It is a gift, I know that."
Kazuha returned this warm smile and the two friends talked on until they realized shocked that it was about time they made themselves ready for dinner.
----
Dinner was a fairly funny and entertaining thing. The mood seemed light and pleasant and the two couples chatted happily about all sort of things. They made plans for the following day, gathering suggestions. Heiji and Kazuha remembered the zoo in the next biggest city that they had visited as little children. They decided it was a nice idea and that they'd do that the next day.
"Uhm.. Kazuha-chan?" Ran, who was sitting next to Shinichi, asked her friend.
"What is it?"
"Y-you see, Shinichi and I we… we have simply wondered if…" she looked at him and at his nod she smiled and looked back at her friend. "We were wondering if you two had a problem if we.. you see… c-change rooms?" Ran was blushing deeply. Hey, bear with the girl, she had to wait for her man to come back and be without him for over fifty volumes!
Kazuha looked surprised at Heiji who only grinned knowingly at Shinichi before looking at her as well. "What do you think?" she asked him.
"I have no problem with that. Didn't want to sleep next to that guy and perhaps being abused as a substitute-Ran anyway! Cuddling and kissing me, wuaargh!"
"W-WHAT?" Shinichi screamed and looked at Heiji.
"You heard me!" the two men shot little arrows back and forth through their gazes while the girls chuckled.
"Me for my part, I don't have anything against it." Kazuha told them, blushing a little.
"That's great!" Ran beamed, happy.
"Naughty girl!" Shinichi whispered to her under his breath, causing her to turn even redder.
"WHAT!" she looked at him but he only looked innocently/surprised at her.
"What? I didn't say anything!" The others laughed. Ran's eyes narrowed.
"You'll pay for that one!" she in turn whispered back to him.
'Oi oi!' Shinichi thought, wondering if he was to be afraid or delighted.
They ate in peace and afterwards made use of the neat dance floor in the back part of the restaurant.
After dancing for some time, Heiji asked Kazuha if she wanted something to drink. She agreed and he went, leaving her for a moment alone on the dance-floor. While waiting patiently, she thought about how sweet Heiji was behaving and her bad conscious nagged a little at her, telling her he was being so careful with her because of what she had done.
'Oh well, then I have to make him normal again!' she smiled inwardly at all the rather pleasant possibilities.
Suddenly she was knocked off her feet by a heavy weight that bumped in her side. Before Kazuha could really understand what was going on, a hand reached out to grab hers and pulled her to her feet again while murmuring quick apologizes.
"I am so sorry, it was my fault. Did you hurt yourself?"
Kazuha raised her head and was met by the sight of a handsome boy, about her age, with ruffled hair and an amazing pair of eyes. He reminded her vividly on Shinichi.
"No, it's okay, I am fine. It was partly my fault, I was day-dreaming!"
But he shook his head heavily. "No, I should have taken better care of where I walk and not knock over beautiful women. I hope you forgive me!" and again, before Kazuha could react he had bend and had kissed the back of her hand. She stared at him surprised and blushed. He pulled back and grinned at her. Then his eyes scanned the place for a split second and it seemed to her like he started sweating.
"I beg your pardon but I need to hurry. Have a nice stay and I hope to see you again!" he winked at her and dashed off.
Kazuha stared after him with open mouth, wondering about the young man and about what he was running away from. Surprisingly, she could have sworn she had heard him, as he ran away, mutter something like: "Damn mob of hers!"
Heiji immediately arrived and stared at the direction the guy had run to. "Who was that?" he asked her, his eyes small, but handled her a glass.
"I have no idea!" she answered him honestly and smirked as she saw that his face did not change but kept looking around in a threatening manner while, probably unconsciously of his actions stepping closer to her.
Kazuha giggled. "Are you jealous?"
Heiji looked surprised down at her. "ME?" he raised an eyebrow. "Oh please!"
What made Kazuha giggle even louder was not the fact of what he had said, but the fact that while he said it, he was glaring most threatingly at a guy who was dancing behind Kazuha and dared looking at her for a second too long.
She was hugging Heiji a second later, catching him off-guard. He flushed a little bit, realizing his behaviour and she felt his body relax slowly as he placed his arms around her. It was her luck that she could not see his face right now, for the look of sheer triumph that he cast this other guy would have been more than enough to send her in a fit of laughter.
At the other end of the dance floor, Shinichi and Ran were dancing closely, unaware of what was going on around them. How they enjoyed this sweet, peaceful moments of closeness neither could put in words. They were happy and content with everything and glad that they could now have their romantic week-end, after all.
At some point, Ran pulled her cheek from his chest and smiled up at him beautifully. He looked back at her and grinned his irresistible grin. Her smile widened. As her hands renewed their grip on his back a sound tore them out of their little world. They turned their heads and saw that a young man and a girl their age were fighting rather loudly about something.
"I knew it was better not to take you with me. I must have been totally out of my mind!" he screamed.
"Nobody asked you to, you monstrous fool!" the girl screamed back
"Oh YEAH?" they fought on and it seemed like he was backing a little away from her for she was swinging something that seemed like a large stick above her head.
As Shinichi lead Ran further away from the arguing couple, he had a nagging feeling in his gut that he had seen that guy somewhere before. He turned and looked at the young man who was about his age. This man seemed to catch his gaze and their looks locked for a second. Shinichi wondered if it was only his imagination or if this guy really seemed to start to get nervous.
However, before he could find it out, Shinichi was knocked sideway by a tall man who seemed to have drunken a few beers more than he could handle. He had dark, short, curly hair, thin lips, a long face and a nose that resembled a potato. A red potato. His face was almost completely covered in hair, giving him a very threatening appearance. Shinichi prepared mentally for a possible fight, but the man, instead of starting a fight, apologized to the detective and went to find the way to his room, now only dreaming of a nice bed while singing something that sounded a little like French but that Shinichi could not really make out the meaning of. It was only clear that the drunken man was happy about something.
Shinichi did not really wonder about it for he had other things in his mind. He quickly turned again and looked for the younger man he was just certain he had met before, somewhere- maybe on a case, but he was gone and so was his female company.
Just now he felt the tugging on his shirt and turned around to face a concerned Ran. "Are you all right?"
"Wha-.. oh, yes. No problem, this guy didn't hit me too hard."
"No, I mean you look like you've seen a ghost!"
"It's nothing…" he turned again to scan the crowd, then faced the young woman again whose face seemed no less concerned. "But, did you just see this guy?"
"I think I know who you mean. Is he a relative of yours?"
"Why are you asking this?" Shinichi asked, more than astrounished.
"Well, you two look so much alike! The last time I almost mistook you for somebody else was shortly before the Suzuki party on the ship. Remember? With the 'Black Star' and everything?"
'That was that time with…' Shinichi's eyes widened and he frantically turned his head again, walking a few feet around to find that person but he was disappeared.
'What the hell did he want here? What was he doing?' Our trained detective's mind started immediately with its work, searching for all kind of different possibilities why HE of all people was here. What he was planning, and was any danger possible? He gasped loudly as he left somebody pinch him in his arm. He turned around again and was once more greeted by Ran's face, only this time it seemed more annoyed than concerned.
"Ouch! What did you do that for?" Shinichi complained.
"I know that look! It means something is on its way. But Shinichi, we are on a weekend trip so don't you DARE run after some possible murder, mysteries or crimes or what do I know? I am warning you, you know what happened the last time!" She had this wild glimmer in her eyes that made her the more attractive and that he loved so much about her that he could do nothing but grin at the stubborn look she was wearing, complete with extended chin, smaller eyes and hands on her hips.
And neither could he help himself as he had her in his arms a flash later and was kissing her passionately, not intending to resist this immense temptation. He had had, after all, to resist it for too long already. As he released her lips she slowly opened her eyes and looked a little puzzled up at him with her rosy cheeks and dreamy gaze that was still a little questioning. He knew exactly what it meant.
"No, don't worry. You are right. We are on vacations! No mysteries."
'And maybe even thieves need vacations.'
She raised an eyebrow, obviously considering the trustworthiness of his statement and he had to grin at this.
"I promise solemly! Big promise of the greatest detective ever!" he joked and she smiled at him, satisfied with this.
"You must be joking!" A voice from behind made the couple turn and face a second detective. "How many times to I have to tell you that you are only second place? Gee, you can't even keep THAT in mind. What a great detective that makes out of you, you wanna-be genius!"
Shinichi turned, eyes narrow. "Oh really? I remember exactly just WHO really is second!"
"Oh yeah? Do you remember that time where…" and this was the beginning of a fierce conversation between Heiji and Shinichi that could take some time. Kazuha and Ran only watched with shaking heads and decided to go and order another drink for this REALLY could take some time.
"Why are we punished with such immature kids?" Kazuha asked her.
"I have really NO idea!" Ran shook her head and took another sip of her drink.
But, as the girls observed the intense conversation going on between the guys from afar with a smug expression, the fire in their eyes, words and gestures, both could nothing but think, although they wouldn't want to tell the other girl right now, that maybe, only maybe, they did have a slight idea why they ended up with these passionate, loving, childish men.
---
Later that night
"I can't believe I railed Hattori because they have only one futon in the rooms!" Shinichi sighed as he held Ran close to him. The girl giggled and pushed her body closer to his, holding his hands on her front tightly.
"Yeah, it IS something different when YOU hold me!" Ran purred against him.
"Yeah I kn..- WHAT! What do you mean? WHO has been holding you WHEN exactly?" Shinichi was almost standing in bed and looking at Ran thoroughly, and not pleased. But she only giggled and pulled him back down.
"Kazuha-chan!" she still giggled.
Shinichi thought for a long moment about it. "Boah, I am so hurt!"
"Ohh, how can I help you?" she grinned at him.
"I don't know what you can do to heal these wounds…inside!" he dramatically replied, closing his eyes in the act he was playing.
"Ohh, my poor, poor, hurt detective!" she leaned and kissed him full on the lips and passionate, silencing every complaint he had had a second earlier. The kiss intensified and Shinichi pulled Ran on top of him while he lay fully down again.
As the need for air arose, she pulled away, laying her cheek against him while trying to catch her breath. She gave him another kiss and laid her head on his broad chest, his loving caress on her back and the heat of his body sweeping the already tired Ran gently over to dreamland.
Shinichi was quite exhausted himself and all too willingly let the soothing feeling of her against him with the gentle extra weight and the added warmth carry him to sleep.
---
In the room next door, Heiji and Kazuha were sitting on the futon, unsure what to do. But she was already so tired, that she shyly and with red cheeks made the first move, slipping under the cover slowly. She held the other end up in silent invitation and the slightly redder detective followed it slowly.
They lay next to each other without touching, both even afraid to breathe too loud. Until…
Kazuha sighed. She was tired of this game. Tired of walking away.
"Heiji?" she whispered, turning her head to his side.
"Yes?" he looked back at her in the hardly lit room.
"Can you… h-hold-… me?"
She could not actually see his smile but she knew that it was there. "S-sure!" came his own shy answer as he moved a little closer to her. After a little awkward struggling with arms and positions, Kazuha had at the end her head on his arm that was resting on the pillow, one of her arms to her chest, the other around his torso while he rested his free hand on her hip. He had his head on top of hers, revelling in the pleasant smell that surrounded him.
Now, that was a very comfortable position, they both thought, feeling absolutely content and in a way… relieved.
"Sleep well-…" she murmured with a slight smile as she cuddled closer to him.
"Sweet dreams.." he kissed the top of her head, lay it back and sighed.
'Life is okay again.'
Well, at this point me, the author, really would like to tell you something...anything... but I don't know what! My brain is empty at the moment. I am sorry!If you enjoyed this story, just let me know, ok? I still got more of it in my backhand! (pokerface) It's far from being over, guys, faaaaaaar from it,hehe!