double date

Shinichi squints at the painting in front of them. The bright pink and green lines across the canvas are so jarring they almost distract him from the movement of Tooyama swinging Ran’s hand in the corner of his vision. “It’s ugly,” he mumbles.

Tooyama groans, dropping Ran’s hand to cross her arms. “This is why we shouldn’t do double dates. It drags fer all of us.”

“I never said I’m not having a good time! Just that it’s an ugly painting.”

“Art is like, subjective or somethin’, right? I like the colors, ya know! It’s nice!”

“Art is subjective,” Ran agrees. “You can still appreciate it as art, even if it’s a little bit of an eye strain for some people.” She holds her hands behind her back as she looks up at the painting. “It is kinda hard to look at, but I think it’s kinda pretty too.”

“Yeah!”

“You’re valid,” Shinichi says carefully. “And you’re wrong.”

“Oh yer so pretentious--”

Ran steps between them. “No arguing.” She grabs Tooyama’s wrist, then Shinichi’s. “Okay?”

Tooyama pouts. “Fine.”

“Um.” Shinichi hesitates. “Ran...”

“Nope. I’m gonna stay between you two now.”

“Ran please--”

“No arguing!”

“Ran, that’s my cane hand.”

She blinks, looks down at Shinichi’s wrist in her death grip and exclaims, “Oh!” as she lets him go. “Sorry. Let’s switch sides.”

He takes her hand with his free one and adjusts his cane in the other. “So you’re  actually staying between us the whole rest of the date, then?”

“Oh stop complainin’, Shinichi.” Tooyama seamlessly shifts sides along with Ran. “It just means we both get ta hold her hand.”

He snorts. “Fair enough.”