#even if it's vague i think this is the only time that shinichi has ever openly acknowledged the physical attractiveness of a guy

[marshmallowgoop]

Spoilers for the ninth Detective Conan OVA, "The Stranger From 10 Years Later."

Realistically, out-of-universe, I know it's little more than fanservice. It's a peek at what a popular recurring character's future could be, a snapshot of how things may turn out for him. But in-universe, I can't help thinking about the implications of 26- or 27-year-old Heiji's short cameo appearance in Shinichi's literal fever dream.

There's an immense level of detail to the entire scenario. The tree in the Kudo yard has grown taller, downtown Tokyo is littered with new buildings and renovated old ones, a high school teacher's face is lined with more wrinkles than he ought to have after a mere "few months." It's a vibrant, breathing world that Shinichi's imagined—one that indicates to me that he's deeply considered the possibility of never returning to his old life. He's walked by his home, in a body so small that he can't even unlock the gate, and thought to himself, "One day, that tree will tower over the fence, but I'll still be stuck as tiny Conan." He's ruminated about it, wondered and speculated and deliberated, how the city around him will change while he hasn't been allowed to, not in the way he wants.

And he's done the same concerning Heiji. And... it's positive. Immensely so.

Interviewer: For today, we'll be interviewing... The famous detective from Naniwa, Hattori Heiji-san! He has brilliantly solved numerous intricate cases and is now recognized all over Japan! He's even opened his own detective agency!

Or, at least, it is at first, anyway. It's quickly revealed that Heiji and Kazuha's relationship hasn't progressed in the slightest, which, while obviously not a particularly favorable outcome for either of them, does say something about Shinichi. Because you could argue that Shinichi envisions Heiji living the life that he himself so desperately desires. You could say that the true purpose of Heiji's appearance in this OVA is to accentuate the future that Shinichi craves but cannot have, not yet and never as himself, where he's the mastermind behind a thriving, well-renowned detective agency, where an interview with him is unquestioningly broadcast on a huge screen overlooking Tokyo streets, where busy passersby stop in place, look up, and listen to what he has to say.

And... where he's also popular with girls.

Heiji is known as "The Lady-Killer of Naniwa" in Shinichi's imagination, and especially early in the manga, Shinichi does explicitly enjoy that kind of attention (File 10, included as File 1 in Volume 2, spells this out directly).

Interviewer: I've heard that the young ladies have a certain nickname for Hattori-san... "The Lady-Killer of Naniwa."

But the fact that Heiji and Kazuha have gotten nowhere points me elsewhere. This isn't an idealized fantasy that Shinichi wishes he could have for himself in the slightest. Ran is his dream. The emotional heart of this special, the dominant, overarching tragedy, is how Conan's overwriting and erasure of Shinichi prevents him from being with his lifelong love. There's no way that Shinichi would ever imagine a "happy end" that's anything like what Heiji and Kazuha have going on in this OVA.

So, what does Shinichi's conception of 26- or 27-year-old Heiji mean? A few things:

Even in this nightmarish "bad end," Shinichi cannot conceive of a life without Heiji, just as he cannot conceive of a life without Ran. It's unthinkable.

Shinichi wholeheartedly believes that Heiji will be wildly successful in his career.

Shinichi wholeheartedly believes that Heiji is so attractive and good-looking that of course he'll be wildly popular with women. Undoubtedly.

tl;dr, Shinichi's thought about Heiji's future, and those thoughts are really essentially, "Yeah, there's no way that my boy Hattori isn't going to have his own fantastic detective agency one day, and also, he's a hunk, so he'll be called 'The Lady-Killer of Naniwa.'"

Seriously.

#detective conan #case closed #the stranger from 10 years later #shinichi kudo #heiji hattori #heishin #ramblings #shut up goop #i know i'm a broken record but you can't tell me that shinichi doesn't think highly of heiji #or that he could never be romantically attracted to heiji #even if it's vague i think this is the only time that shinichi has ever openly acknowledged the physical attractiveness of a guy #like c'mon he literally thinks heiji is so attractive that he'll be called 'the lady-killer of naniwa'??? i seriously cannot get over that #and sure this is just an ova and probably not canon but if some of the kazunari kouchi-written films are apparently getting canonized (?) #i don't see why this kazunari kouchi-written special can't too #it's canon in my heart in any case lol #anyway of course thinking highly of someone and that they're physically attractive #doesn't necessarily mean that there's any romantic attraction #and i never ever ever mean to discount the significance of platonic bonds or imply that they mean any less than romantic ones #i'm all about focusing on friendship first (which is why i rarely tag ships) #but at the same time it *really* rubs me the wrong way to see the argument that shinichi could ~never~ reciprocate heiji's affection #it feels a lot like 'well of course the desirable protagonist could never romantically love the dark-skinned boy' #and maybe that's unfair of me but i can't deny that that's how i feel #shinichi clearly has a lot of love for heiji and this ova shows that he finds heiji attractive #like... i really don't think it's as implausible as it's made out to be

[phoenixkaptain]

In episode 219, the Gathering of the Detectives! Shinichi Kudou vs. Kaitou Kid, you can tell, spoilers for something twenty years old ahead, the Conan knows that Kid is Kogoro. Otherwise, he never would’ve been so openly intelligent. You can tell from the scene he deduces everything, when one detective mentions that it was Conan’s idea for them all to pretend to die to bait the murderer out. Conan wouldn’t have made such a plan to the others if he didn’t know Kid was disguised as Kogoro.

But, more than that, I love the subtle hints they put in that Kid is disguised as Kogoro. The fact he doesn’t smoke while they’re there. How serious he takes everything is very against his personality, even if you think he’d act like that in such a tense situation. That early in the series, Kogoro really was still the worst at taking serious things seriously. But, it goes even further than that. For most of the series, one of the only good things about Kogoro is how protective he is of his daughter, whether consciously or subconsciously. I don’t think he would’ve let them sit seperately, even if they did play a game to decide seating. Who would begrudge a detective who wants to sit by his daughter during a high stress situation where they’re all in danger? The fact that he doesn’t is telling.

Kogoro as a character is a dick. He’s loud and obnoxious and we all know it. In this episode, he’s oddly laidback. Disguising as Kogoro also means that Kid doesn’t have to be an expert detective, because anyone who’s spent anytime around Kogoro knows that it’s a miracle he ever got a detective job in the first place. He purposefully doesn’t spend much time with Ran and Conan (look how well spending time with Conan has turned out in the past) by sitting apart from them and leaving in the car with the other two. You could view Senma askign for a ride as a blessing for him, since it meant there was less time for him to talk to Ran and Conan.

I love the subtle tricks they put in the show. Earlier in the show, episodes 132-134, you can see how Kaitou Kid would start to piece together that Conan is more than just a weirdly intelligent small child. He can see, from the house, that Conan is hiding behind the tree talking for Sonoko, because otherwise we wouldn’t have so many shots focused on Conan walking to the back of the tree. Shinichi and Kaito are both showmen in their own way, which is why Conan plays it fast and loose pretending to be a child and always does a pretty bad job of it, while Kaito pulls off the performance near flawlessly so the reveal is all the more shocking.

Shinichi is so bad at pretending to be a child that he straight up confronts Kid in the house, while he was talking for Sonoko in the hall of the house. And people wonder why Conan has been found out by so many people and Kid hasn’t.

One thing I love is when Kid, disguised as a random medical student/magic nerd, pops into existence to shoot the bowgun for Ran, making him the most suspicious person in the world as he says “I have experience with this.” You know, as all non-criminal, completely innocent people do. The scene where he randomly punches the ground gets me everytime. It’s so weird. It’s so out of left field. And we know, after the fact, that it’s just Kaito being upset because a magician died and he didn’t want that to happen, but it’s so jarring in the moment that it’s really funny.

We know the culprit from the second part, because Conan outright explains how she could be the culprit while pretending to be a dumb child. But Kaitou Kid is so bad at pretending to be an innocent civilian, he straight up ends up being the most convincing red herring of them all. His only good quality is that he has an airtight alibi, but he’s so good at coming across as a criminal, it’s really a talent.

None of this has any order, but to completely jump ship, I want to talk about Akako. Akako is straight up a witch, confirmed. She knows the future, she talks with Lucifer, she straight up is actually magic and the show, any of the shows, never explain why this one character is actually a witch. I love her. Anyway, her Jii both have scenes warning Kaito. Akako warns him about Shinichi, with her vague-but-clear fortune about the clock. It’s also where she calls him like a devil or demon or something and I sit there thinking “Akako, he’s only seventeen, give him a bit of a break, please.” But then Jii, right before Kaito goes to do the heist he was introduced in, is like “I have a bad feeling about this.” Jii invoked Akako’s name, somehow, and his ‘oh no shinichi kudou’ senses started tingling. Kaito: “What could possibly go wrong? It’s not like there will be a small child waiting on the roof for me to ruin my plans. That would be silly.” (Okay, he doesn’t say that, but it always passes through my mind)

From the very first episode Kaitou Kid is introduced, Conan has a spidey sense for his presence. This sense comes back in every episode with Kaito in it. It is truly unfortunate that Kaito doesn’t have a ‘Kudou Shinichi will be there so I should cancel’ sense. It would help him a lot. The way it’s shot in the series, however, makes it seem like Conan can just feel Kaito looking at him. There are similar scenes elsewhere where he can tell someone’s looking at him, so it makes it seem like Kaito is just increibly nervous and/or curious about this small child and so stares at him. Which is why it kind of makes sense that he chooses to disguise himself as Ran, then as Kogoro. And, when Conan runs back into the house during the mystery fan murders, he passes out with a fever. Kaito as Doi comes in and helps, and says that he studies medicine, but it’s a fact he pulled out of thin air since Sonoko, who had a lot of contact with him prior, didn’t know about it. Kaito must be taking those warnings about demons more seriously.

Anyway, what was the point? I love Kaitou Kid. I love that Kaitou Kid I decided to name his child Kaito. I love Conan. I love how bad Shinichi is at acting like a child and how evil he comes across in these episodes. I love their dumb relationship where Kaito tries to keep his poker face and Shinichi just pokes and prods and tries to bug him. I love them, in short, and I think Kaitou Kid episodes are the best. I also think it’s funny that a bunch of the episodes about the infamous jewel thief have murder in them.

#detective conan #edogawa conan #kuroba kaito #kudou shinichi #kaitou kid #sonoko suzuki #mouri ran #mouri kogoro #koizumi akako #long drawn out meta on a show no one cares about but me #thoughts #i really do love this show #love how bad conan is at acting #love how stressed kaito gets #its a party all around

[headcannonballs]

The thing about Yusaku and Toichi being friends and rivals (and Toichi once mentoring Yukiko) is that it strikes me as extremely strange that Toichi's 'accident' should be left uninvestigated for so long.

Which leads me to my headcannon:

The Kudous and Kurobas are family friends due to Toichi and Yukiko's mentor-student relationship. They are close enough for their toddler sons to play together, but not so close as to know everything about each other.

When Toichi's accident first occurred, Chikage's first instinct was to leave Kaito with the Kudous while she investigated what happened. But when she got hold of Jii who told her what had happened, Chikage reconsidered her position.

Toichi was a phantom thief, as was Chikage herself. Although this is history now (Toichi being dead and Chikage having retired), it would still reflect badly on the family and may even affect Kaito's future. So she definitely did not want police involvement in the investigation.

Yusaku, however, is not actually law enforcement himself. If he could be persuaded to help... But no, the Kudous had a young son too. Chikage has no idea how dangerous Snake might be, and she doesn't think it would be right to involve them in such danger.

Chikage was determined to revenge Toichi's murder, but it needed to be done without involving the Kudous. And the only way to do so without the nosy Yusaku (and even curious Shinichi) budging in would be to leave. So that is what she did.

Chikage took Kaito and left without notifying the Kudous. Being a former phantom thief, she did have some way of hiding her traces. And Yusaku, faced with a friend's sudden death and their family disappearing naturally tried to investigate. However as Toichi's death officially was regarded as an accident, the crime scene was not protected and any evidence quickly became contaminated.

Chikage's disappearance was also regarded as taking a break to mourn her husband's death, and by the time neighbours discovered otherwise the trail had gone cold. Combined with the fact that he had his family and his editors waiting on him, Yusaku had no choice but to let go.

A couple of years passed. By themselves, Chikage and Jii had not made much headway into tracking Snake. Finally, Jii suggests himself dressing up as Kaitou Kid to draw Snake out. At first, Chikage is reluctant, but the news that the Kudous are moving to America seems to be a sign. At the very least, it means there is no one else who could recognize the original Kaitou Kid, and Yusaku would not be alerted to their presence. Unlike Toichi, who was always very confident in his skills, Jii was way more careful, and each heist was meticulously planned before execution. Thus there were long intervals between heists to ensure all safety precautions have been taken, and the search for Snake remained slow and arduous. But Chikage didn’t give up.

Unlike his parents, Shinichi remained in Japan. As Shinichi grew up, he can vaguely remember an uncle Toichi, auntie Chi-chan and a childhood friend Kai-chan. But he never connects it to the world famous magician Kuroba Toichi because they had always felt more like family friends who came over occasionally to play with him. He had assumed they moved away (as some family friends do) and he never connected it with the magician’s accident (which felt like some important thing which affected lots of people and couldn’t possibly have anything to do with funny uncle Toichi who always tickled him too much).

However, the clock tower heist drew his attention to the mystery of Kaitou Kid. A little research had revealed his father had been investigating Kaitou Kid’s thefts and was even responsible for naming the thief. As such, Shinichi became even more determined to catch the phantom thief, but without telling his father about it, so that he can at last prove himself better.

As for Kaito, he does remember the Kudous somewhat fondly as an interesting family (what a pretty old lady!), but is aware that Chikage is keeping away from them. Although curious, he doesn’t pry out of respect for his mother. It is only after his discovery of Kaitou Kid’s lair that he connects the dots. Thus he actually actively tries to keep away from Beika and Shinichi Kudou, to prevent his identity from being found out. It was not until the clock tower heist that Shinichi accidentally happens upon the thief. And Shinichi’s sudden disappearance, although intriguing Kaito, was actually a relief as well.

That is, until he meets Conan. In the queerest case of deja vu, he has the feeling of meeting Shinichi all over again, not only because they knew each other from before, but because seeing Conan is like seeing Shinichi back at the age when they knew each other as childhood friends. In fact seeing Shinichi as a 17 year old would have taken Kaito longer (by a few seconds) to recognize him then seeing Shinichi as Conan did. But of course, Conan does not recognize him in return.

Kaito assumes that the age shrinking has something to do with magic (maybe Shinichi attracted the unwanted attentions of another witch like Akako) and thus just treats Conan like a long-lost friend and rival. He doesn’t ever really endanger Conan during heists (hell the tazer felt reasonable as he knew Shinichi was really 17 and didn’t think that size mattered), and helps Conan out of tight situations. Even more so than with his Kaitou Kid taskforce, Kaito treats the matching of wits with Conan like a game, precisely because he knows who Conan actually is. Just like the way they played together when young.

It is just as well that Chikage has never met Conan and doesn’t know who he actually is, or else I bet she’ll be furious that after all that hiding and moving away, dear little Shin-chan still got involved in the Kaitou Kid mess.

#kudo yusaku #kuroba touichi #dcmk #kuroba chikage #kaitou kid #kudo shinichi #kuroba kaito #imagine when shinichi finds out that kaitou kid had always known his identity #and treats him like a little brother you tease #by pretending to be fooled by conan's amazingness #when actually kid knows everything already #i bet kaito deserves the football induced concussion he will be getting #also i really want to see yusaku vs kaito #although many assume being dad = being better #but i really think mycroft!yusaku and 400IQ!kaito will be the ultimate intelligence showoff #or maybe it's just me

[tangentiallly]

darling, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar

Eri wonders why a famous foreign actress like Chris Vineyard would have any contact with her daughter, a normal high school student. She decides to investigate.

~1.7k, Chris Vineyard / Kisaki Eri

********

Eri has noticed that the famous actress Chris Vineyard has been showing up around Ran a lot lately. She remembers Ran mentioning having met Chris Vineyard’s mother, Sharon Vineyard, when she and Shinichi-kun were in New York with Yukiko. As for Chris Vineyard … Ran is cagey about the details, but apparently something happened that night by the dock, involving Chris and Ran and Conan-kun and the little girl who lives at Agasa Hakase’s house.

She wonders, suspiciously, why a famous foreign actress like Chris Vineyard has any contact with her daughter, a normal high school student, at all.

Eri has never met Chris Vineyard, but she has met her mother Sharon Vineyard one or two times, back in the days when Sharon and Yukiko studied under the famous magician Kuroba Toichi. The older actress gave Eri the impression of someone who has been sailing smoothly in the entertainment industry for years. Casual elegance in every move, performative smile that didn’t reach her eyes, eyes that hinted that she’d seen many things in the entertainment industry and nothing could really surprise her.

Just another celebrity, in Eri’s eyes.

Eri has met her fair share of celebrities in her line of work, being a lawyer who has handled a variety of different cases and won all of them. Occasionally she gets celebrities as clients. So Sharon Vineyard, to her, is just another. Well, a friend of Yukiko’s too, so perhaps in a way an acquaintance.

As for Chris, the most Eri has ever seen her is a movie that she’s in, a side character in a movie set in Rome. She’s not sure how close Yukiko is to Sharon’s only daughter, since according to the rumors, Sharon hadn’t been close with Chris when she’d been alive either. But still, Yukiko’s the most obvious connection Eri has that can lead to any clues about Chris Vineyard, and why the actress has suddenly been appearing around Eri’s daughter.

Eri invites Yukiko out for tea when Yukiko’s back in Tokyo.

“Chris?” Yukiko asks, smiling her bright and pretty smile that hasn’t changed much since they were seventeen. “Does Eri-chan want a signature? I can get you one.”

“That wouldn’t be needed,” Eri says drily. “I guess I just want to know a little more about her.”

Yukiko tilts her head, “Well, I can certainly give you a list of films and shows she’s starred in that are my favorites.”

When Eri expresses that she wants to know more about how much Yukiko knows about Chris aside from the actress’s public side, and about the friendship between the two of them, Yukiko studies Eri with her wide eyes and then gasps, “Ahh, Eri-chan, you’re interested in Chris?” 

It doesn’t surprise Eri that Yukiko would leap to such conclusions, ever so interested in gossip and matchmaking.

“Well, I’m interested in knowing why she has suddenly been appearing more around here, and,” she hesitates. “I think Ran saw something and Chris Vineyard is involved, but I don’t know what exactly it is. I’m a bit worried, to be honest.”

Yukiko frowns in concern, “That’s extremely vague.”

“Yeah,” Eri says. “I don’t think she meant to tell me, but it accidentally slipped, and even then she hasn’t said much and just said it’s not a big deal ... but I can feel there’s more than what she’s telling me.”

“Ah, the lawyer’s instinct,” Yukiko says, nodding.

“More like a mother’s instinct,” Eri corrects her. “I know it’s a long shot and you probably don’t know what this is about, but you’re also the only person I know who directly knows her. I guess I want to know if she’s … connected with any suspicious activities. I know there are parts of the entertainment industry that are far less pretty than on the surface.”

Yukiko laughs, cheerful and bright. “You’re thinking too much, Eri-chan! Such a thing can hardly be possible.”

Suspicious, very suspicious, Eri thinks. Not like Yukiko at all. When she enquired about other celebrities in the past, Yukiko usually has some juicy gossip to share, even if it’s just rumors or speculations mostly. She would lower her voice conspiratorially and give Eri a few tidbits, with a scandalized manner. Entertainment industry being what it is, most people have a few stories here and there.

It’s almost like Yukiko is in the know, or even directly involved with what Chris Vineyard is involved in.

Yukiko is still smiling, her eyes bright and innocent as ever. But Yukiko is an actress, and Eri has known that for two decades now. She does have enough trust in Yukiko to know that her friend would never do anything to harm Ran, at least not intentionally, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t something going on here worth investigating. Yukiko’s son Shinichi has been away a lot and involved in a big case recently, from what Ran told her, so is it possible this Chris Vineyard is also related to the big case? And it would explain how Yukiko is in the know, if Shinichi-kun shared some of his findings with his parents.

“Yukiko,” Eri says seriously. “You’ll let me know if you think Ran is in any danger, right?”

“Of course,” Yukiko says immediately. And then she studies Eri for a moment, smiling wryly. “Eri-chan has always been observant.”

Is that an admission of something? If she pushes it, she knows that Yukiko will just say it’s a comment, a praise, with no ulterior motives. But it’s an admission of something, Eri can feel it, even if she can’t be sure what exactly the something is.

“Can you introduce me to Chris Vineyard?” She asks instead. “Does she need a lawyer?”

“She already has one,” Yukiko says, “though none with Eri-chan’s speciality. If she ever needs one, of course, I’ll let you know.”

“What if you introduce me as a friend you want her to meet?” Eri asks. “Or ... a potential date?”

Yukiko’s eyebrows shoot up, and her eyes brighten. “Ah, if that’s what Eri-chan is interested in,” she grins slyly. “You only need to ask. Of course I can arrange something.” She pouts. “Although you’re both so pretty and talented I’m not sure who I should be jealous of.”

********

So Eri goes on a “date” with Chris Vineyard, at Yukiko’s arrangement and introduction. 

“Kisaki-san.”

“Miss Vineyard.”

“Yukiko has told me about you,” Chris Vineyard smiles charmingly. “She says you’re an excellent lawyer.”

“Well,” Eri says. “She would be correct about that.”

Chris laughs, pleased. “I like your confidence. Well, here’s to hoping that I won’t ever need your field expertise!”

“Are you anticipating that you might need it?” Eri asks, smiling back easily.

“There’s no telling of what the future holds, is there?” Chris says lightly. “Anything’s possible.”

“Fair enough,” Eri agrees. “Well, you know my number, if you ever need it.”

“I will keep that in mind, Kisaki-san,” Chris says, lips pulling up into an ambiguous smile.

A waiter comes and they place their order, including two glasses of Chambery Blanc, a type of Vermouth. It’s Chris’s suggestion.

As the waiter leaves again, Chris takes a sip of her ice water, and Eri faintly hears the sound of teeth cracking down on an ice cube. “So tell me, Kisaki-san,” Chris says, a soft drawl in her voice, “what’s it like working as a lawyer?”

As the two of them chat about their jobs and respective fields, Eri notes that Chris, despite being almost a decade younger than Yukiko, not even 30 yet, has a certain aura on her, an aura of someone who’s seen far more than her age. It’s not exactly about maturity, although it may play a part. It’s not just that Chris lacks the bright innocence that Yukiko exudes all the time, either, considering Yukiko’s rather an anomaly herself and has cultivated a certain image.

Chris has a more cynical but also realistic perspective on most things, and also simultaneously a more laid-back, casual attitude, and a half-detached amusement. Eri has to admit to herself that she rather enjoys the company of the actress, more than she expected to.

Chris is intelligent, without a doubt. Not just knowledgeable about the entertainment industry, but also having her own views on many things about the society. She certainly has far more depth than most of the celebrities Eri has come across in work.

They find themselves disagreeing on some topics that come up that night, but it doesn’t deter this from being an enjoyable time. Eri has always liked a debate, especially one with someone who can competently present their own views. It makes the verbal sparring more interesting.

It’s even more interesting when the person who she’s verbally sparring with is a beautiful actress a couple of years younger than her.

It’s good that Chris Vineyard’s company is enjoyable, Eri decides. It makes the process of achieving her goal more pleasant. She’s decided to get close to Chris Vineyard and perhaps eventually dig out more secrets about her, finding out if the actress is entangled in anything suspicious or illegal, and also finding out if the actress and Ran know each other and if so, why. Nothing wrong with also enjoying this time spent, obviously. It will make her acting more natural and believable and help with getting more information.

Plus, if she’s going to be doing this anyway, it certainly doesn’t hurt to enjoy the process a little.

Chris Vineyard is a very beautiful and smart woman.

Eri has always liked beautiful and smart women.

********

As the end of the night approaches, Chris offers to have her driver drop Eri at her home on the way of driving Chris back, since they both drank some alcohol. “Although, my place is not far from here, and if you’re interested in seeing the insides of an actress’s apartment, now is also a great chance, Kisaki-san.” Chris smiles at her, eyes sparkling in the dim lights of the restaurant.

“That’s a very kind invitation, Miss Vineyard,” Eri says. “I’ll take you up on that, then.”

#dcmk #kisaki eri #vermouth #vermoutheri #kudo yukiko #my writing

[gisachi]

4, 16, 19,20, 21, 35, 39,41,42, 46!!! Sorry it's a lot. :(

Heey Anon hi! I know this took ages because I deliberately saved this for last even though this is one of the earliest requests I got. I actually already started with your request months ago and I attempted to incorporate all of the numbers. But I discontinued it because I had a hard time cramming all the kisses into one ficlet lol. So I’m scratching that and will approach this differently. Minus all the numbers I’ve already done, I will group the kisses into three, so I’ll make three ficlets for you! This is also to make up for the lateness. XD So this is the first one. Stay tuned for the other two!

20. Kissing in a stairwell, giving them an artificial height difference. 21. A chaste kiss given to each other because they are in mixed company.(1,777 words)

.

.

.

He is back.

Ran has a hundred reasons to believe that this is a dream, but her senses indicate otherwise.

She looks over her shoulder and he’s there, oblivious to her watching gaze. Her eyes trace the crook of his nose, dipping down to the depression of his philtrum, to his upper and lower lip that glisten with moisture, hiding the faint lines of dryness. She hasn’t noticed until now how clear and closed his pores are or how his hair turns gingerbread brown when hit by sunrays.

He sits behind her on the couch, and she feels his chest rise and fall slowly against her back, the warmth of his meditative breath fanning across her neck and causing stray strands of hair to tickle her skin. One hand is on her waist and the other over the black and white paperback print she holds open on her knees where his eyes are transfixed.

His index finger trails along unfilled white boxes as if reading Braille, deciphering the word behind each numbered riddle, and she notices how thin but slender his fingers are and his nails trimmed short, and she blushes at the slightest brush of his hand against hers.

She takes a deep breath, taking a whiff of his scent. It’s not a scent that comes and goes as when she passes by a bakery in the early morning. It lingers for a significantly longer time, the light sandalwood and musk that is uniquely his weaving like oxygen through the air.

And when he coughs, his croak resonates on her ears, and she internalizes that this sound is not a sound coming from a phone or from those hundred voicemails she’s stored, but a sound which she can source directly from his throat, from his voice box, from the actual person that is he.

Her senses indicate that this is more than a mere semblance of normalcy.

He is present. He is right here. With her.

This Shinichi is permanent.

“Earth to Ran,” he quips beside her ear, “I said number nine across is ‘aglet’.”

“Oh, right!”

Startled from her reverie, she twirls the mechanical pencil around her fingers before filling in the four blank boxes his finger is pointing at, beside the first ‘a’ of the down word ‘Neanderthal’.

She doesn’t need to look behind her to know that Shinichi is giving a curious look, directed not on the crossword puzzle but on her.

“You seem to be lost in thought,” he inquires.

“It’s nothing. It’s just…” she pauses, taking another deep breath, “I’ve been wondering.”

“About?”

“This,” she vaguely waves the pencil between them.

Shinichi perks his head back, nose crinkling in confusion. “The crossword?”

“No, no,” she chuckles, tilting her head sideways, her nose brushing his as she meets his eyes squarely. “Us. Right here. Peace. Stability. How we reached this point.”

“Oh.”

If the words didn’t come from her, she would’ve been amused by the sudden existential declarations too. But she knows he’s as used to this as she is whenever she gets emotional, and what she feels at the moment is no different from the moments he had returned in his real form in the past but this time, he’s around for much longer.

"How you’re here beside me...and actually staying,” she adds quietly, eyes lowering to the pencil she’s holding.

With an affectionate smile, Shinichi stretches a hand to caress her cheek. His skin is soft on her skin, warm to the touch and yes, this isn’t a dream. “Well, believe it or not, I’m not leaving anymore.”

As soon as he says that, a muffled ring from his pocket disrupts their little moment.

Ran’s stomach lurches. She knows what that ring signifies.

He holds one finger in front of her face as his other hand fishes for the phone in his pocket.

“Hello? Megure-keibu?”

She’s right.

“Where am I? At the Mouri Detective Agency. Yes. Yes… Uh, now?” He peers at Ran for a few seconds. His expression, though brimming with unkempt excitement, transforms into reluctance as his eyes meet her quiet ones. “Keibu, I don’t think now is the right-”

But as much as Ran doesn’t like where the next few hours may lead, she’s more mature than she ever was and knows better than convincing a warm-blooded detective to stay when his niche calls for him.

Halting him with a hand over his that holds the receiver, she mouths, ‘Go’.

Shinichi opens his mouth and closes it again. His brows furrow and he shakes his head curtly. ‘No,’ he mouths back.

Of course, she knows what’s running in his mind for it’s the same as what’s running in hers. He’s going to leave again. Ran understands the limbo that he’s in, having to choose on the spot between the only two options that comprise his happiness.

And knowing him, she has a hunch of what he might choose.

“Kudou-kun?”

“Megure-keibu, I-I’m sorry but I-”

Ran’s grip on his hand tightens, and she speaks a little above a whisper. “Shh. Don’t worry about me, Shinichi. This is the first time in two weeks TMPD calls for you again. I know you’re waiting for this.”

Her tone is firm and compelling and genuine, as genuine as the look of understanding she’s giving him, eager to wipe away whatever doubt and guilt he might be feeling for possibly leaving her again. He might be leaving, but Ran knows he’ll return. This is different from the past where everything is uncertain. This time, this time, for sure...he’ll return.

And she leaves him quiet, so quiet she can hear the hustle of the department on the other line. With a slow and reluctant huff of breath, Shinichi regards her with a light nod, and replies to the inspector, “Got it, keibu.”

“Sorry for the trouble. I already sent Satou-keiji and Takagi-keiji to fetch you. They’ll be there in a minute,” the receiver says. Shinichi acknowledges and hangs up.

She is ready to give him a teasing look, maybe pretend that she’s mad or anything to push his buttons, but she isn’t prepared for the tight hug that comes immediately after he shoves his phone back in his pocket.

Over her shoulder, Shinichi’s remorse is palpable from the way he groans heavily.

“God, Ran. Here I go again, I’m so sorry, I-”

“Wha- It’s okay, Shinichi!” Ran laughs mirthfully. “Really.”

He raises his head from where it burrows in her neck. “No. You’re disappointed. I can feel it.”

“Listen. If I have to choose between not letting you go and then having your attention divided by the prospect case and me, or letting you go to solve the case - which I know you can do so easily - and then coming back to me afterwards with your full undivided attention on me guaranteed, you know damn well which I’ll pick, right?” she says matter-of-factly, doting his forehead with the pencil.

That isn’t a lie considering how aware she is of Shinichi’s state - those dark creases under his eyes are a sign he’s been up most nights reading mystery novels, perhaps to compensate for the lack of real life mysteries coming for him.

Now that one finally arrives, how can she let it bypass him?

Even if she isn’t a huge fan of mysteries, since Shinichi loves it, and she loves Shinichi, little by little she’s learning to be thankful when they come his way, too.

“You’re not mad, are you?” he asks sheepishly, still not letting go of his arms around her waist.

“I will be if you won’t come back,” she chides, eyes narrowing acutely. She delivers it as a joke, but he doesn’t need to ask twice to understand she doesn’t mean it as one.

Outside, they hear tires screeching to a halt, indicating the arrival of his ride. Both rise from the couch, and Ran assists Shinichi to the door before the two officers can get out of the car to fetch him.

Shinichi bids her goodbye, and she watches as the man goes down the agency stairs.

In that moment, her chest tightens.

Shinichi with his back turned and departing away from her have always left a bitter taste in her mouth. This time, he’s doing it again.

Although assured that this Shinichi is permanent, still, she always finds the need to ask.

“Shinichi…” She halts three steps before the end of the stairs, just before he pulls the car door open. “You will come back, right?”

It is a simple question pregnant with meaning if specifically asked of someone she’s had the craziest history with. Shinichi knows why, knows where she’s coming from, knows the hundred implications she implores when she asks it.

And so, pausing on his feet, he faces her resolutely and walks to her. In front of her on the stairs he leans up, hand bracing her neck before he pulls her down for a kiss.

It’s only a quick press of lips but enough to convey the answer in his heart.

Even so, in that brief interval, she becomes hyperaware of everything.

The secure hand buried in her hair. The lovely smell of his sandalwood cologne. The sight of his red cheeks before and after he meets her lips. The sweet taste that lingers even when he separates.

Her senses indicate that this is more than a mere semblance of reality. Shinichi has never pressed his lips against her before. But in a matter of seconds, he suddenly does. And she feels his message everywhere.

This, indeed, is better than what any dream can offer.

“I’ll return to you before it gets dark. I promise,” he says quietly, face a breath away from her own. With what he has done and what she has felt, she knows he means it.

By the time Ran recovers from the daze, he is already in the backseat of the police car. She notes his half lidded eyes and crimson cheeks and ears, a look that is equally shared by the two police officers in front, except that their lidded eyes are more teasing in that respect. The belated realization that they were seen leads her to blush as intensely as he does.

Satou-keiji rolls her window down to give Ran a gaily salute. “We’ll bring him home before night, Ran-san, we promise!” she parrots before zooming away, no longer catching Ran’s embarrassed wave back.

Left behind, Ran waits until the car disappears from sight, gracious smile never leaving her face. She blinks back at the horizon with his promise at the back of her mind.

“I’ll be waiting, you idiot,” she whispers in the air.

.

.

.

#shinran #kiss prompts #fanfic #this is 6 months late haha sorry! #though it's no content november #I still can't resist posting #because it's one year of shinran writing for me yay! #this is me celebrating...by writing more hehe #anw I feel a bit rusty here! #but I still hope this is coherent #hope you like it anon! #will post the other two fics anytime~ #thank you for the requests!

[yzkhr]

Part two of the Love Language miniseries!

Once again, I dedicate this to one of my favorite Shinran authors, @meitanteisachi

Part three might take a little while since I'm in my lazy mode. So please forgive me if the next part will be late 🤧

Warning: Probably my longest fic ever. So long that I need to divide into two parts. I kinda got carried away.

-

Receiving Gifts-You feel loved and appreciated when your partner or someone gives you a gift. It doesn't need to expensive, just something sentimental and thoughtful.

She was seven when Ran received her first memorable gift from Shinichi.

She remembered how It had been a month since her mother moved away, turning her life upside down. At a young age, Ran forced herself to be responsible; learning how to cook without burning the food, doing household chores that her father never knew how to do, and taking care of both a child who's too young and a grown man who's too immature and broken to live on his own.

It vastly made a growth and development in her character. Teachers and classmates alike noticed the way she had matured, from the way she handled her emotions—always putting on a smile and being the bigger one in the petty fights— to her mannerisms and gestures that resembled an older sister.

To them, her mother leaving became somewhat a good thing, with her maturity blooming early.

If only that were true.

No one knew that as soon as she opened the door of the empty detective office, Ran would be filled with her mother's presence; Hearing her voice, seeing her face, and even missing her scolding. Instead of saying anything to her father however, she brushes it off, puts on a facade, being a mother, a wife, and a daughter all at the same time to a drunk and emotionally unstable man.

But at the end of each day, entering her room and not crying was impossible. Her eyes watering at the sight of the empty bed that used to be filled with her mothers' scent, all gone. And like the child that she was—that she should be— she would sobbed and whimper silently, until exhausted enough to close her eyes and unaware that there's no one beside her just to sleep.

Ran was sure no one knew or was even remotely aware of her secret. After all, her smile shined and eyes glimmered in school so different from the distraught face she wears each night since last month.

But she had underestimated him.

On the day of her birthday, everyone greeted her with their own set of trinkets and gifts. Most were letters and drawings, filled with gratitude and love through the used of poorly executed writings and simple but meaningful pictures. Ran was happy to received all of them, whether they were small—like a piece of her favorite candy— or expensive and big, such as the dress given to her by Sonoko.

But unlike all her other birthdays, she didn't feel as contented and satisfied. There laid a gnawing feeling inside of her, aware that she'll never have what she truly wished for.

As they walked home from school, Ran expected Shinichi to give her at least some sweets. So, when he invited her to come by his house she agreed with a nod, genuinely having no idea.

So, she stood for a few minutes outside the mansions' gates, reading out some letters to pass time. She became so engrossed at reading that she didn't even notice him go outside until he was finally in front of her. Catching a set of feet just in front, she looked up. Her eyes widened as soon as she saw a fairly large and fluffy inanimate object in Shinichi's hands, holding it out to her.

"Here you go, Happy Birthday, Ran." he greeted, tilting his head on the side behind the cute teddy bear grinning from ear to ear. Instinctively, Ran accepted his gift and brought it close to her chest, feeling it's soft synthetic fur.

She slowly scrutinized it, it's features somewhat reminding her of...

"M-mom?" whispering incredulously, she glanced at Shinichi. Still wearing a smile, he nodded.

"That's right. Even if you don't talk about it, I know you miss your mom. You've been crying a lot too--"

"I wasn't crying!" she denied, but her mask slipped a little when he deadpanned.

"Yes you were," he stated calmly, as if he saw her doing so. She glared.

"How would you know? I never cried in school!"

"I'm sure before we go to school you do. Your eyes were always a little red and puffy when entering the class after all." he argued back. Instead of being embarrassed, Ran found something more important to point out.

"You were watching me?" she questioned, eyes curious. She didn't know why, but the thought of Shinichi watching and observing her made her smile(and a little nervous).

In an instant, gone was the confident and composed childhood friend of hers, image being ruined by his immediate coughing as if he swallowed a huge thing, cheeks flushed a healthy red, and a stuttering mess as he negated her claim.

"B-Barou! Those were just coincidences!!" then he slightly looked away, seemingly afraid to meet her violet orbs. Scratching his still blushing cheeks, he changed the topic.

"W-Well, Happy Birthday. You can use that stuff animal when you feel, you know, lonely." he dazed off, then glanced over her shoulder. As if realizing something significant, his eyes widened.

"It's already sun down! You gotta go home now or Occhan is gonna scold me!"

Ran followed his advice right after. As soon as she arrived home, she found her father in a sober state, and was even the one who tried to cook dinner for the both of them. Eri called later that night, which made Ran happy. She still asked her mother when the woman will come home and Eri would always reply with a vague answer. She didn't pressure her mother anymore, not wanting to ruin both their day.

That night as she entered her room, strangely enough, Ran didn't feel lonely. She also didn't feel the need to exhaust herself, now having a sweet stuff animal to comfort and fill her warmth. She settled on her soft bed, hugging the teddy bear tightly. And for the first time since her mother's moving away, Ran didn't cry.

-

They were thirteen, she recalled, when she received her second most thoughtful gift from him.

"Hey Ran, did you find the kitten?" Ran glanced up, hearing her name from Sonoko. She shook her head as an answer.

"It's still missing. I tried asking around but they said they never saw it." her bestfriend looked at her worriedly, knowing what she was thinking.

A few days ago, her, Sonoko, and Shinichi found a little ball of fur on their way home from school. They all took pity, Ran specially. So, the three teenagers took upon themselves to look after it until just a week ago, it disappeared. They searched everywhere around the area, trying to spot a little black kitten with huge and round green eyes. Unfortunately, they never succeeded.

Seeing Ran's mood depleted, Sonoko patted her back as comfort, grinning.

"Don't worry about it! I'm sure it has found an owner by now." Ran smiled, being reassured but still a bit dissatisfied. She decided to adopt the kitten after all but it was still nowhere to be seen.

To lighten the mood, Sonoko changed the topic to new shops, magazine, and gossips. Since the teacher was late, the Suzuki Heiress was unstoppable.

Rans' attention was grabbed however, when a certain someone entered the classroom. He was yawning, not bothering to hide his sleepiness. Rubbing his blue eyes languidly, she noticed how the dark circles under them became even more pronounced than before. Her eyes also became aware that there were some lines seared into his skin—scratch marks.

As if conscious that someone was watching him, Shinichi turned his head around, meeting weary blue with observing violet. It only lasted for a second, with the former looking away and going straight to his desk.

Shinichi had been acting weird lately. It started a week before, with him telling Ran that he would be late and she can just go ahead without him. True enough, he always came late ever since, which normally rarely happens.

Another thing to note would be his physical state. He looked restless, eyebags so obvious along with the constant yawning and even sometimes sleeping through an entire period. The last part wasn't new, but Ran heeded how easily he fell asleep, unlike back then where he needed to toss and turn his head for a comfortable position.

The last thing to caught her eye would be the little scratch marks. She would've been convinced that it was another case but seeing the scrape from his arms threw her off guard. They were shallow, but it didn't wave off her suspicions any less.

So, Ran decided that after class, she would visit him, whether he liked it or not.

The day went by rough, with Ran not being able to focus thanks to a sleeping classmate who looked far too exhausted for a normal student. Sonoko, looking at her stressed friend, ask her out to eat that sounded too appealing but she had to refused, knowing that if she didn't find out the reason for her best friend's odd behavior, she'll be the one to act weird next.

Knowing Shinichi's detective instinct, Ran knew better than to follow him on the get go and get caught. She waited an hour around the area, before making her way to the Kudo Mansion. The only problem now was how to enter without being seen.

She treaded through the stone path, finding the gate unlock. The middle schooler shook her head, both thankful and a little scared. What could he be so busy about for him to forget closing the gate?

Once Ran reached the front door and checked, that's when the immense feeling of worry kicked in. Shinichi also forgot to close the front door!

'What's happening to him? Is a case stressing him this much? Did something terrible happened? Why isn't he telling me--'

Her thoughts were abruptly stopped when the sound that something metallic fell reached her ears, making her anxiety increased tenfold.

Wasting no time and completely losing her initial target, Ran rushed in like lightning, fear evident in every step.

Upon reaching the kitchen and thoughts of her bestfriend in danger flooding her senses, she barged in.

Only to find the great detective Kudo Shinichi rubbing his head, and a couple of pans and plastic bowls scattered around the tiled flooring.

They gaped at each other, unable to register the current scenario. Ran was broken out of her trance however, when she noticed a light bump growing on the top of his head, which he was rubbing a while ago before he froze.

Previous distress setting in once again, Ran hurried by her childhood friends' side, helping him to stand.

"What happened?" she asked, examining and touching the bump. As if electrified by their contact, he flinched and backed away slightly, eyes a bit hazy.

"R-Ran, what are you doing here?" he seemed more concern of her presence than his own well being which made her glare.

"You've been acting weird this past week!" she accused as he treaded away from her, a bit too cautious. She took note of how his left hand slid behind him, fully intending to hide something away from her sight.

"Weird what, me? Barou, I've been perfectly normal. You're just overacting." the response didn't sound so convincing when he was literally sweating and avoiding her scrutiny.

"Yeah, then why were you always late this week?" the interrogation began.

"I was busy with a case Megure-keibu presented me, that's why." gaining his composure, Shinichi answered in a confident manner but that didn't drop any of her suspicions.

"Then what about you being constantly tired these days?" Ran pressed on, ambulating near her suspect. he kept his ground, so sure she was the one who was weird, not him.

"The case was so hard that I couldn't find time to sleep." he casually said, looking bored and done with the questioning.

She kept on walking towards slowly and when she was finally in front of him, she smiled innocently.

"Okay then, I have one last question to ask," he smiled, thinking he won. Then, feigning obliviousness, he consented.

"Fire away."

With those words as her signal, Ran forcefully yanked his left arm that he had been so carefully shielding and him having no time to react, she succeeded, revealing the scratch marks as her last piece of evidence and a.... kitten!?

Silence ensued. Until a mewl came out fromm the little ball of fur. Ran examined the little thing, coming to her conclusion.

"Please don't tell me this was the little kitten that's been missing since last week." she quietly pleaded for him to deny, but all he offered was a gulp and a weary nod.

Anger and bewilderment filled Ran, as she shook her head as an attempt to calm, but seeing the kitten that she had been desperately looking for, for the past few weeks made her burst.

"Why didn't you tell me you had the cat!? You knew that I was looking all over the neighborhood! I even told you I was going to take care of it--"

"That's exactly why I took it!" he interrupted, his excuse perplexing her thoughts even more than before.

"What?" he sighed and put the little kitten down gently, moving to the counter and sitting on one of the tools.

"Well, remember when you first tried to take it home? It was really aggressive, wasn't it?"

She did remember her hand getting scratch and almost bitten when she endeavored to adopt it. So, she gave a nod.

"Well, knowing what you were planning to do, I decided to take it to a friend of mom's who happened to be a vet and get it checked just to make sure. She said it was fine but it seemed a bit violent to humans so she advised me to take care of it so that it will get used to the environment. Knowing you, you would've been dumb enough to just take it without any examination and might get yourself really injured." she tried to refute his last statement but decided against it, knowing he was probably right.

But there was one thing that didn't made sense. "Then why didn't you tell me about it? If I had known I wouldn't have wasted my time, you know." hearing her question made him clearly uncomfortable, eyes now travelling anywhere but hers and cheeks tainted a light pink. They kept quiet, him contemplating while Ran patiently waited.

Knowing his loss, the detective whispered but she still heard it. "I was planning to give it to you next week. I just wanted it to be a surprise."

For some really unexplainable reason, Ran felt her heart beating faster than normal that she might die, face heating up, and even having a stampeding elephant on the pit of her stomach.

"Shinichi..." she uttered, not knowing what to say. Still looking the other way, he misinterpreted her calling as scolding.

"I know, I know. I shouldn't have done that. I should've told you properly and you wouldn't have to put so much effort into finding--"

His next lines were suddenly gone when she wordlessly went in front of his sitting figure and patted his hair softly, just like petting a feline. He stammered and tried to speak but found himself to be voiceless by her next words.

"Thank you, I really appreciate it..." she wanted to say more but was being suffocated by the swarming butterflies in her stomach, not allowing her to do so.

"You better be..." he mused, trying to lighten the mood and to calm his racing heart. As if by magic, he felt a sudden urge to close his eyes and lean on her posture, loving the way she stroke his hair so gently. And so he did.

Ran was taken aback by the unforeseen intimacy but didn't complain. They stayed like that for a few minutes, until she felt almost all of his weight on her, coupled with his heavy breathing that she concluded he fell asleep.

Slowly, she moved him to the sofa of the living room, all the while trying to not burst at the feeling of his breath on her neck. Succeeding, she grabbed a pillow and a blanket from his room, finally setting him down on the couch.

Ran couldn't help but feel guilty, finally figuring out that she was the reason of all his strange behavior all along. It explained his worn out expression throughout the entire week, having to take care of an aggressive kitten without having any prior experience must be exhausting, and it showed through his sleepless nights and lack of energy at everything in class.

Then, her eyes travelled to the little scratches and wounds all over his arms. They were nothing serious, but they must have at least sting. Wanting to at least alleviate the pain, Ran brought the first aid kid from his room and tenderly tended to all of the gashes and marks, and him not even flinching one bit despite being supposedly a heavy sleeper, became proof of how much time and effort he put for her surprise.

Ran went home that day, carrying his gift with her. She knew that he was supposedly giving this next week, but the teenager was pretty sure that Shinichi wouldn't be able to handle another week of torture like that. So, she left a note to make sure he didn't worry.

Years passes after that, but Ran would never forget the kitten he gave her, and the inexplicable giddy feeling with it. Sonoko would remind her how happy she was that she couldn't physically stop smiling for a while that it weirded many out but personally for Ran, it was worth it.

-

(Has a part 2 because it's so unnecessary long)

#Minisseries #Love Language #Shinran #detective conan #Part 2.1/5

[jacksgreysays]

Determined Clairvoyant, Misguided Knight brainstorm, (2020-05-29)

A/N: So I had a weird sleepless brainstorming/outlining binge last night, passed out and woke up to this chunk of nonsense...

I’ve been reading a lot of DCMK (Detective Conan and Magic Kaito) fic but also I am always a little bit thinking of DoS so my brain went:

Hey, Shisui and Shikako have very similar personalities to Kaito and Shinichi...

But Shisui is the detective and Shikako the thief.

And on the one hand, I was considering just translating it into the in Friendship Is A (Mutual) Con 'verse, such that Shisui is Interpol/FBI and ends up helping the crew because what they do is morally right even if it's not legal...

But it just wouldn’t be the same!

Also, for those who don’t know anything about DCMK, I’m not really using the Detective Conan premise (in which a famous teenage detective gets shrunken into a 6 year old and has to keep his identity secret while finding/dismantling the criminal organization that did this to him. In their defense(?) they were trying to kill him but used an “experimental poison.” They’re not going out of their way to randomly turn teenagers into kids... although there is another teenager that got turned into a kid by that same poison) 

But it is interconnected to the Magic Kaito ‘verse (in which a teenager discovers that his dad didn’t die in an accident but was murdered by a mysterious criminal organization (possibly the same one as in Detective Conan? we’re not sure) because he used to be Phantom Thief KID who was searching for a magical jewel called Pandora that supposedly grants immortality because said mysterious criminal organization wants it for nefarious means. Also the teen and his dad are stage magicians and make their heists very flashy and fun)

Anyway, personality wise I was really feeling the Shikako = paranoid/logical Shinichi vs Shisui = flamboyant genius Kaito contrasting with their arguable respective roles as Shikako = chaotic neutral regular rule breaker and Shisui = lawful good believer of systems if not authority.

I was considering whether or not I wanted to transplant the characters into the DCMK setting, but seeing how that’s just (arguably) modern day Japan I was a little... the adapting would be more work than its worth when really all I wanted was thief!Shikako and detective!Shisui and I also, as previously mentioned, didn’t want to just insert Shisui into the Fia(M)C ‘verse.

So then I remembered this ficlet in which Danzo successfully became Hokage but a mysterious figure (ie Shikako) is working against him and I was like. Okay, but reluctant detective!Shisui having to try to capture insurrectionist thief!Shikako is hilarious. And I know Shisui isn’t actually KMP in canon, but Danzo is Hokage which means the situation is bleak and I kinda explain everything below anyway, so...

Enjoy?

~

shisui is one of the oldest uchiha in the village because everyone older than him was executed by danzo for their (supposed?) attempted coup

doesn't particularly want to be a detective, but he's the only one left

sharp-eyed shisui? it is both mocking his singular eye but also he does end up being pretty good at investigation

Itachi is clan head and also one of danzo’s busiest anbu (because danzo is creepy and weird) and he’s being run so ragged that shisui stepped up to do it since he vaguely remembers the KMP’s protocols and also, with one eye short, his combat effectiveness isn’t as reliable

He hates not being able to be back up for itachi, but until he figures out the depth perception thing, he’d be a liability

Itachi is the only one with both eyes (again, because danzo is creepy and weird)

every time one of his younger cousins activate their sharingan, they are forced to undergo surgery because danzo harvests one eye from each of them

sasuke is the next upcoming kid

hikaku/sai was the most recent

Shikako is working reverse chronologically to restore eyeballs because they’re not exactly labeled but she knows the newest eye goes to the most recent activator.

This is how she gets hikaku/sai’s immediate loyalty (he has both eyes, but still hides one under his eyepatch/headband because if you can’t passive aggressively use danzo’s tricks against him then what’s the point? )

((also, it’s a real good dramatic reveal of how shikako gets shisui to trust her because he’s like “you’re stealing my family’s eyeballs and turning my little cousin into your spy” and then hikaku/sai just flips up his eyepatch and blinks both eyes at shisui and he just. “well, that was literally the only argument i had”))

Oh, the age of graduation is lower in canon because danzo doesn’t believe in coddling kids and also “back in my day” nonsense, so sasuke is maybe around 8?

kakashi is, like, a weird sticking point. he's the only non-danzo adult that has a sharingan and, hey, he's also only got just the one, but shisui also remembers the elders being a little weird about him so :shrugs:

I should figure out what to do with him, tbh

i mean, i know Shikako helps Naruto escape/evade ANBU capture because Danzo was going to turn him into a “proper jinchuuriki weapon” so maybe she throws him at Kakashi and is like “BABY SITTING DUTY FOR YOU, SAD STRING BEAN”

and there’s also Tenzo/Yamato to consider here

at first the thefts are random but escalating: old mission reports, the sandaime's novelty(?) crystal ball, the hokage's hat, the sword of the thunder god, etc, etc

then it becomes directed: sharingan eyes

Shadow Thief Shikako is here to make things real difficult for danzo

while shisui is trying really hard not to get smitten (even though she’s stealing his family’s eyeballs! but he guesses better than in danzo’s possession? he’s very conflicted emotionally and very stressed and also a teenager), shikako is recruiting allies for her coup

She needs to make a deal with the devil… Kabuto? For the medical expertise in how to re-implant all the sharingan she’s stealing?

He does spy on behalf of who he thinks is the strongest, and shikako is v strong by this point

Although, the whole concept of “you were the first person i ever wanted to murder” “you flatter me” is kind of funny

What is going on with orochimaru in this timeline?

For that matter, what’s going on with the other sannin?

hyuuga have weird feelings about the whole one eye stolen thing, branch family in particular because on the one hand: DOJUTSU/BLOODLINE THEFT is literally their big nono. But they do like being the strongest clan in the village now.

Is neji’s dad still alive? When did danzo become hokage? Is it before or after Hinata’s near kidnapping?

Ibiki, anko, aoba -- gotta figure out what’s going on there

Does aoba not have the crow summons since shisui is still alive?

Is aoba a surprise half uchiha?

Unsure how bleak i want things to be for the Nara clan. They definitely don’t like things, but i’m not sure if they’re also largely killed off, just shikaku, or just yoshino…… unless Shikamaru has been taken as Danzo’s apprentice/ROOT?

Something also has to have happened to the akimichi and yamanaka tho, in order to justify/reflect it

Team 10 is essentially being held hostage. Shikako has to “steal” them from Danzo in order to get the ANY clans’ cooperation

they’re allowed to visit their family once a week in order to get clan training, but it’s on different days from each other so the other two are still within ROOT’s grasp and the one who is visiting their family knows not to step out of line

Shikamaru has been trying really hard to help him and his teammates escape, but he’s only eight years old. I’m but a boy. I’m just a boy

There is a war.

I’ve decided this.

It’s the only way to make sense of why danzo is still in charge without him having killed a ludicrous number of people (more than he’s already killed, that is)

There is a war and that’s where the majority of the loudest dissenters are sent (inuzuka, aburame, gai, etc) and because they are always out on the front lines they don’t know how bad it actually is at home

Mist rebellion peeps?

Zabuza and Haku are still alive at this time, i guess

Terumi Mei--is there even a mist rebellion at this time or are they too busy with the war, too?

… Gelel/Sand?

look, magical gems are the crux of Magic Kaito and I know I’ve replaced them with Sharingan eyes, but still. If there’s a magical gem I feel like I’m obligated to at least mention it

also, Shinichi in Detective Conan ends up with, like, the most ludicrous allies over the course of the series. He is a--as far as anyone else knows--a 6 year old Japanese boy with connections to the American FBI. That’s nuts! So Shikako having allies with Mist or Sand isn’t too far outside feasibility in comparison

~

A/N: So... in theory I would like to come back to this and actually write it--because as far as sleepless brainstorming sessions go, this one is fairly coherent--but just in case I don’t, I figure people would enjoy this mess of an outline anyway. And it’s nice to have notes for later.

Title is, unsurprisingly, my attempt to make the letters DCMK apply to Shikako and Shisui. On the one hand, I know the quote is “and angry Aburame, a focused Inuzuka, and a motivated Nara” but I kiiiinda misremembered wrong and thought it was “determined,” fell in love with Shisui as the “misguided knight” and then only after went back to check and realized that it should’ve been “motivated”

Ah well

#jacksgreyson #fanfiction #brainstorm #outline #incomplete #dreaming of sunshine #detective conan #magic kaito #shikako nara's guide to delinquency and military insurrection #determined clairvoyant misguided knight #shikako nara #shisui uchiha

[sternentinte]

Emogust 2019 - 07. 08.| In which character A. is searching for a cat, and character B has found a cat around their windowsill

„Let me get this straight”, Shinichi says, slowly, “you lost the cat. How in the world did you manage to lose the cat?”

“Hime-chan got scared while I was working in the lab and slipped out.”, Haibara states, “you need to get her back.”

“You lost the cat and I need to get it back?”

“We lost the cat, of course you need to get her back. You are already in disguise anyway and I need to finish this up.” She gestures vaguely around the chemicals in the room.

Shinichi gives up trying to argue. He knows Haibara adores that cat and he himself is actually kind of fond of it to—there is something about stealing a cat out of an illegal research facility both of you were trapped in that makes you like it, simple as that. That’s the short version of the story of how they adopted a cat even though they are technically still on the run.

On the run is a pretty loose term, since, as of now, they even have a (secret and FBI-protected, but nonetheless) apartment. Compared to the last five years, they are pretty safe right now—maybe not as save as they’ll ever be, not yet, but considerably safer than just a few months ago. Not quite safe enough that Shinichi could go back to his actual real identity and his actual real life. Not yet.

That is what he is hoping on though, as soon as all the loose threads are collected and, more importantly, convicted. As soon as everything gets out.

But, as of right now, he is a small boy with a silicon mask on his face that is looking for a cat.

He doesn’t find the cat. Not that day.

-

Bringing down a criminal syndicate, as it turns out, includes a lot of waiting time. It’s weird, but now, now that he has prove, now that he has done this, they actually don’t want him to finish it up.

“You’re a civilian, Kudou-kun”, Megure tells him, “You need to let law enforcement work it’s way through.”

Shinichi sighs, but only so he doesn’t scream. He hasn’t been a civilian for ages and that is his case, dammit. But he knows the only reason Megure is telling him this is that his higher ups know that Shinichi knows him, that Shinichi trusts him.

The problem with not being able to help, or at least, not being able to help all of the time, is that Shinichi has free time now, and after four years of constantly switching between running from and towards criminals, he doesn’t really know what to do with that.

It gives him too much time to think. Too much time to regret. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, it’s Haibara’s turn to be the adult of the family for this week. This way, he can’t go and do anything impulsive. Stupid, as Haibara would put it.

Instead, he looks for the cat.

It doesn’t seem to be in the immediate surroundings anymore, or at least if it is, Shinichi can’t find it. So, he does the obvious thing and makes posters. They are probably not the most effective, since, due to a total lack of pictures (“Pictures are dangerous.”, Haibara says at the back of his mind, along with his own general paranoia) he has to rely on descriptions.

Megure also gives him an exceptionally weird look when he asks him to print them at the department, but Shinichi really has endured worse. Also, if Haibara worries less about the cat, things are going to get done sooner.

He still doesn’t find the cat.

He begins asking people, children, old couples at the park, store owners. It’s risky. They might remember him and tell someone else about him, but on the other hand, he is a little kid and wearing a disguise, so there is a pretty low chance anyone could trace this back to him. But he doesn’t dare asking any of his neighbors either—better when they don’t know anything.

After a few days he’s not all to hopeful. It makes him sad in a way he doesn’t expect. He had never really thought he’d keep the cat, not even in the best possible outcome, the one that seems so close that the hope is killing him every time he thinks about it (so, pretty much all the time).

It was always going to be Haibara’s cat. But still. It was an act of being to hopeful, of trusting this to work. Relying on a future. And now the cat is gone.

Haibara is going to flip her lid, he thinks, but then he thinks better of it. If he has realised the cat is gone, Haibara’s probably known it for a while. She tends to hope less than he does.

He still doesn’t want to say it to her face.

He sighs. In front of him there’s a news parlour selling proper newspapers along with trashy gossip magazines. Shinichi steps closer and asks the boy behind the counter about the cat.

The employee leans down to him and tells him that, sadly, he hasn’t seen the cat. As he promises that he will keep an eye open, Shinichi realises that the guy is younger than him. Not younger than physical-him, of course, but still. The thought gives him a chill.

He distracts him by gazing over the shiny covers in front of him and immediately does a double take. On the cover—it’s Ran.

Its not new, not really. Ever since the band took off—Ran, Kazuha and that other girl he doesn’t actually know, Nakamori-san, Inspector Nakamori’s daughter—they’ve been in and out of celebrity gossip. Nothing particularly nasty that he heard of—but his access to news hasn’t really been all that regular at times. Also, he doesn’t want Haibara to know he’s paying attention to it—he knows her well enough to know it would only make her feel bad. But she probably knows anyway. They’ve learned to know each other way to well.

“Cuteness Explosion! Gosho Girls’ Ran-chan charms fans with new cat!”, the headline reads.

The picture has Ran posing, smiling slightly, friendlily, Shinichi with an obviously very satisfied black cat in her lap. It seems to have been taken from her social media and Shinichi wonders who took it. Maybe Uncle Kogoro or Sonoko or another one of her friends.

Maybe she has a secret boyfriend somewhere, he thinks, one the media doesn’t know about yet. He almost wishes for it, except he doesn’t, because he just isn’t that good of a person and he wants to be her secret boyfriend from back in high school forever. Well, but he also isn’t really delusional enough to hold out for that, so…

He looks at the picture again, only now really paying attention to the cat. But—How is this possible? Shinichi shakes his head and looks again. Maybe he is wrong. There are plenty of black cats around. He glosses through the article to find out more.

“According to Ran-chan, she found Maki-chan on her balcony…”

So apparently Ran found the cat, had tried to look for a former owner, but since it was neither chipped nor had a collar, she had ultimately been allowed to keep it. Of course Hime isn’t chipped. They can’t go around disclosing their location like that.

Shinichi sighs. Then he tries to look at the picture from another angle. Is it really Hime? Maybe he is paranoid.

Scratch that, he knows he’s paranoid. But this is ridiculous.

Well, there isn’t a lot he can do now. He buys the magazine.

-

Haibara is still in her lab when he comes back to the apartment.

“I’m back!”, he yells, and she answers with an affirmative.

He steps towards her and leans into the doorframe of the lab. He knows for a fact that Haibara hasn’t left the apartment in almost a week. She never does, when she is tall, too scared of being recognised.

“Any news, Kudou-kun?”

She seems almost cheerful. Maybe the research is going well.

“So…”, Shinichi starts, “I might have found the cat.”

She turns back to him, clearly surprised, but also weary. He was right, then, she didn’t expect him to find it anymore.

“But?”, Haibara presses.

“I might just be crazy.”

“Well, that’s certainly not news.”, Haibara huffs. She rotates her open palm in the air, a sign for him to just say it already.

“Look at this.”

He opens the magazine at the right page for her, but she flips back to the front.

“A gossip magazine.”, she says. Then she looks closer. “About Mouri-san.”

She looks at him. This is what Shinichi wanted to avoid.

“You know, whatever it says is probably not even-“, she starts, quickly.

“No, just look at the picture.”

Shinichi opens the correct page again and points at the cat. He doesn’t want to hear her advice. Not now. Really, he doesn’t want to need it.

“Am I crazy, or… Tell me I’m crazy.”, he says instead.

“You’re crazy.”, Haibara complies, but he can see her eyes widen at the image.

“That’s Hime-chan.”

“Are you sure?”

“Well yeah. That’s what you meant, right?” Her suspicious look is back, even though this is precisely the reason Shinichi bought the damn magazine.

He nods. “It doesn’t make any sense though, she doesn’t even live near here…”

“How do you know that?”, Haibara asks, flatly.

“Well, they put us far away from anyone who could have recognised us, remember? Also, she would probably have heard about Hime missing if she was near, especially if she asked around.”

Haibara shrugs “I guess Hime-chan is really good at running far away.” She pauses. “It’s probably for the best she is.”

Shinichi thinks of the last place all of them ran from and finds himself agreeing. “So, what are we going to do?”

Haibara shrugs again. “What can we do? At least we know Mouri-san is a good person. It’s better than Hime-chan just being a stray.”

Shinichi nods. Even though he found the cat, in a way, he feels defeated. And tired. So, so tired. He sighs, closes his eyes and concentrates on not falling apart. He’s gotten good at it, but it’s harder in quiet moments.

“Oi, Haibara!”, he calls back, “I’m gonna make some food.”

Haibara gestures him to go ahead. She’s right. There’s nothing to do but to hold out. Just a little longer.

-

“She really is cute.”, Aoko sighs.

Ran nods and pets her cat over the head. “Maki-chan.”

“Maki like true hope?”, Aoko asks.

“Maki like true hope.”, Ran confirms. “I’ve always had a thing for hope.”

——–

So this could be seen as sort of the other side to my story for the heart break prompt. (Still not sure if I’m doing the genre thing right)

@mintchocolateleaves, @sup-poki

#DCMKEmogust2019 #shinran #girl band au #platonic coai #haibaraxcats #I mean this could be fluff #but like #angsty fluff #nevermind #that's not how it works #i think

[multiply014]

31 Days of CoAi Prompt Fill 19 of 31:

Courtesan AU

On the eve of Shinichi’s 20th birthday, he finds himself blindfolded, his ears ringing from the excited chatter between two of his best friends swearing that he’ll “definitely go crazy” for their gift and he’ll “kneel to the ground and kiss our feet in thanks the morning after!”

Had Shinichi not been wearing the blindfold, he would have caught the suspicious wink and grin the two shared.

In any case, Shinichi is still blindfolded, and he’s fairly sure he won’t be going around kissing feet anytime soon, much less kneel while doing that. He chalks it up to Hattori and Kuroba being ridiculous again.

Judging by the sounds and the conversations they have had since getting down from the car, Shinichi deduces they must be bringing him to some kind of entertainment establishment. As their footsteps echo in a suspiciously silent—minus the snickers and passing comments from his companions—corridor, Shinichi really, really hopes it isn’t anything as cliche as a brothel… but he quickly resigns himself when he hears the sound of door unlocking and opening. Before he can complain how they can ever think that he’d want this as a gift—a mystery novel would have sufficed, really—he’s dragged inside and quickly thrown forward, and the words in his mouth are muffled by the mattress he had ended up in when he fell on his face.

His hands finally free from the death grip the two had been keeping him in, he sits up, he sighs and starts fiddling with the really tight blindfold.

“I don’t know what the two of you were smoking when you had been planning this,”—damn, this knot is tight—“and I don’t think I would want to know,”—ha, finally got it undone!—“but if it isn’t obvious yet, I—”

Shinichi’s mouth hangs open as he sees the profile of a woman, quite possibly one of the most beautiful women he had seen ever in his life—and his mother is an actress!—lit up from the oranges and yellows of the hallway lights seeping in from the ajar door. The light disappears in one quick motion, almost soundless except for the tiny click of the door lock, when the woman closes the door.

Now, the moonlight from the window is the only source of light, and Shinichi is treated to a full view of the woman’s face. Shinichi studies the way the moonlight is cast on her, and he can’t describe it in any other way but magic. Her robe, which had looked warm and red under the hallway lights, turns dark and heavy under the moonlight—

Not that Shinichi can notice much of anything else right now, because he’s too busy looking at her, at her face, at her lips that glimmer impossibly in the dark, like his own personal line of moonlight, at her eyes—

Would it be a crime to describe her eyes as the stars in the night when he can’t think of any other words with which to file this detail in his mind? Are they dark blue? Zircon? Dark green? Tsavorite? No, alexandrite? Reflected within is the moonlight, and a formless darkness he wants to see—

Except his eyes are forcibly pulled away by the motion of pale white hands—hers—undoing the laces on her robes, and Shinichi’s eyes widen when it starts to slip off her shoulders.

Shinichi instinctively looks back up at the woman’s eyes, and he sees her smirking, her eyes narrowing slightly, and he vaguely registers that she’s closer to him now—and that his mouth is still open, so he closes it and it feels so dry so he gulps—

And Shinichi would have flinched at how audible that had been, but the woman leaned down and is now very, very close, one-breath-away close to Shinichi. When she takes his hand, she guides it to her laces and pulls, her robes slipping down more. Shinichi sharply inhales, and it smells of strawberries and lime.

The woman leans further forward, and Shinichi can feel the dip of the mattress as the woman places her legs on each of his sides, one after the other. Shinichi can somehow feel the woman’s warm breaths gently on his neck, and her other hand lightly traces a path on his chest before settling on his shirt’s button. He can feel the heat of her breath on his ears now.

A movement capture Shinichi’s attention. He looks down, and the woman’s slender fingers are fiddling with his shirt button. This snaps Shinichi’s mind out of—out of whatever that was. Her hand is trembling, struggling with unfastening the button, and Shinichi is disappointed with himself that it is only now that he notices how her entire body had been shaking—lightly, yes, but he should still have noticed!

Shinichi exhales his frustration, and his suddenly booming heartbeats, away, and holds her hand still. She tenses up. He inhales deeply, then exhales, before he says, “Stop.”

“Then,” she replies as she leans away from him a little, now sitting down on his lap and facing him fully, “how do you want this?”

Her head is tilted at such an angle that the line of her neck is fully displayed to Shinichi, who blinks once, twice, thrice, before he manages to choke out a, “How do I want what?”

“This,” she whispers, as she pulls one of the ties on her robe off completely using his hand that she hadn’t let go, “Sex.”

Shinichi sputters, “I don’t want it!” In his panic, he’d somehow pushed the woman off his lap and she landed on the floor on her butt, her robe only covering half of her now.

He would have apologized, but seeing a completely bare leg and the annoying robe now hanging off her right shoulder stunned his brain a bit. The woman didn’t even look affected in the slightest before she fixes her sitting position on the floor to a more comfortable one.

Looking up at Shinichi, she just says, “Umm, ok, though I feel sorry for your friends who have kindly bought you a night with the priciest woman here...”

“You’re the priciest?” Shinichi doesn’t really expect much from his blockhead friends but...

“I think I’m getting offended. Do I not look like I’m worth it? Is that why you’re refusing?”

“No! But you were shaking just now…” Shinichi blushes at the not-so-long-ago memory that involuntarily presents itself in his mind, and he would have shaken his head to clear it if he wasn’t in front of the woman in the memory, because now is clearly not the time to relive those touches—

“... I was not.” For the first time that night, Shinichi sees the woman look away from him. He finds it inexplicably satisfying.

“You were, and it took you so long to unbutton my shirt like it’s your first time—”

“It’s not.”

A bit taken aback at her firm denial, Shinichi cuts his deduction short and settles for saying, “Yeah, yeah, I won’t tell anybody, I mean, if it got out that the top woman was a virgin—

The woman looks back at him and says, “I’m really not. I’m just used to… taking it.” She turns away again.

“… What?”

She sighs. “I’m only expensive because of my patrons. That’s it. So, yeah, I do feel sorry you and your friends got duped but that’s the way it goes around here.” She puts her hands on the sash of her robe, then looks up at him, saying, “Let’s just get to it.”

“Hey..?! Hey, stop undressing!” Shinichi scrambles down to the floor and—finally!—pulls up her robes tight against her body.

“The robe stays?”

“Yes! Now, just... stay there.”

“You want to do it on the floor? Well, that should be fine…”

“No! No, just… “

“It will be a bit uncomfortable though—”

“No! No sex!”

“… Ah.” When Shinichi sees comprehension dawn on her face—he admits it was fascinating watching her furrowed brows smoothen out, her eyes wide and bright looking down then at him, her lips in a tiny pout that suddenly parted slightly—he’s relieved that they’re finally on the same page. She continues, “Well, I think I can get you a refund for the night.”

Shinichi lets out a breath in relief and smiles as he says, “Thank you.”

The woman fixes her robes and begins tying the loose laces. She stands, a flash of her leg there and gone, as she turns and says, “Goodbye, then.”

“Wait,” Shinichi blurts out before he can think. She doesn’t stop though, so Shinichi asks the first question that enters his mind, “Where are you going?”

She ties the top most ribbon and pats her robe down, as she answers, “Probably another customer.”

“Then you might as well just stay here.”

At that, she stops. “I thought no sex?”

“No sex,” he confirms.

This is when she turns back and sees him standing, looking at her. She can’t figure him out. She asks, “Then why will I be here?”

He looks away from her, a sheepish grin now on his face, his hand scratching the back of his head, as he answers, “Uhh… to dupe my friends’ money?”

“Why would you want me to dupe your friends’ money..?”

He looks back at her, “Because they tricked me to get to this situation anyway?”

“Why are you asking me?” He sees her eyebrow raise at him, her arms now crossed across her chest.

“No, yeah, that’s my answer. They’re jerks so go get that money without putting in the work. That’s great, isn’t it?”

Her eyes narrow further, and the silence stretches between them... until she lets out a breath and relaxes. “Well, I guess..." This is one eccentric customer. She decides to play along. “So, what do we do?”

“Uhh..." Shinichi looks around the room and spots a chair. “I guess you can go sit down on the chair?”

“So, we do it on the chair?”

“No! I already told you, no—”

“No sex.”

“Yes! Now, if you don’t like the chair, then go lie down on the bed, I don’t know!”

“Lie down on the bed... but no sex.”

“No sex!”

“Ok...” She walks past him and lies down on the bed, as directed. Shinichi, now feeling awkward as hell and with the bed taken, gets the chair and sits down.

Unexpectedly, she starts the conversation once he sits down on the chair long enough. She asks, “Are you a therapist?”

“No, I’m a detective.” Shinichi makes it a point not to look at the direction of the bed.

“A virgin detective,” she says, and Shinichi manages to catch the smirk that flits on her face before her usual passive expression slips back on.

“Shut up! You’re just not my type.”

“If you think I’d be offended, sorry. I just pity you for having such poor taste.” She smiles, and her chin is raised up just a little bit, her head, propped up by her arm as she faces sideways so she can look at Shinichi, tilting just so that her bangs move down her forehead.

Thoughtlessly, Shinichi remarks, “You should smile like that more often.”

“… What?”

“You look like a stern stewardess with that ice-cold face and crossed arms earlier you know? Now you look more...”—beautiful is what he wanted to say, but—“You look younger, yeah.”

“Are you flirting with me?”

“What?!”

“You said no to sex, but you’re flirting?”

“What is it with you and sex?!”

“It’s my career.”

“Ok, alright, then is calling someone young, flirting?”

“Hmm. So I was wrong?”

“You were wrong.”

“I’m never wrong.”

“Just now you were because I wasn’t.”

“Ok.”

“Ok. So, maybe we should just try to sleep.”

“You’ll sleep on that chair?”

“Yes!”

“There’s space here.”

“This chair is very comfortable.”

“If you say so...”

“It is.”

“Ok...”

The woman lies on her back now, and closes her eyes.

She doesn’t know how long it had been, but when she feels the space beside her dip, she says, “Happy birthday.”

“T-thanks...”

#31 days of coai #coai #haibara ai #edogawa conan #detective conan #dcmk #x writes #x prompt fills

[amagirinne]

holy night.

hiya @airu27 i’m the person who got you for the @dcmkkaishinexchange!! 

[shakes] i worked really hard on this fic and i hope you like it...!! i’m so sorry for the delay my relatives pulled me to a last minute camping trip right before the 12th OAWJEGWOGJAWOGJ hopefully the length is enough to make up for it..! 🙏

here’s the a version of it on ao3! 

it also has a longer author’s note so heads up GOJEWAOGJEWOGW without further ado, once again, i hope you enjoy the fic!

ao3 link

―――

“OWW― Shinichi, you don't have to pull so hard!” KID whined as Shinichi pulled on his face for any traces of adhesive. Shinichi only pulled harder, making KID hiss with pain.

Shinichi had spotted KID loitering around the police station. If his sixth sense that was specifically designed for KID had not been enough, seeing a clone of himself out and wandering about was all the confirmation he needed. His double had tried to flee from him the moment he was caught in the act. However, Shinichi hunted him down like a hawk.

KID had hid behind a tree near the entrance. For a moment, he had thought he was safe and that Shinichi missed him. KID peered from behind the trunk of the tree to check if the detective was still around... only for said detective to clobber him with a snowball the minute he did. A huge one, in fact. It was like the time he threw a large snowball at Genta. Except this time there wasn't even a shred of mercy: Shinichi had planned on knocking KID out.

He was successful.

Shinichi dragged the unconscious KID inside. Not wanting him to freeze to death, he draped his blazer over KID and patiently waited for him to wake up.

“Maybe it'll teach you to stop using my face.” Shinichi pinched the thief's cheek harshly, causing KID to whine even more and somehow even louder than before. “How many times are people going to fall for it? I’m just glad Ran knows how to tell if it’s me or not now,” Shinichi muttered under his breath.

“Sorry, sorry, Detective-kun! Our faces are pretty similar and you’re very trusted to most people, so it’s only natural for me to use your face. Forgive me?” KID pleaded, clasping his hands together and staring at Shinichi with puppy dog eyes.

For a brief moment, Shinichi simply smiled.. all was well again, his apology accepted--

―Shinichi grabbed his cheeks and stretched them wide.

“SHINICHI-” KID shrieked. Shinichi managed to sneak in the chance to tousle KID's hair until it didn't look like his own before he was pried away from the thief. It was way too weird to talk to a spitting mirror image of himself. KID bore similar features to him, but he'd rather have KID look somewhat like himself.

“Why'd you keep me inside anyway, if you're gonna be like this.” A quiet ‘no fun, no fun’ followed up as KID pouted and ran his hand through his hair. Shinichi ignored him.

“Did you want to die of hypothermia?” Shinichi raised an eyebrow. “Besides, I did knock you out for quite a while. You may be a thief, but I have morals. I'm not just going to leave you out there where you'd be vulnerable.”

“Aww, so you do care about me.”

“Save it.” The thought of KID getting arrested so easily was anticlimactic. Plus, he felt like he'd have an unfair advantage over KID, and that would be insulting to the memory of their past cooperation.

… And, perhaps, just maybe, he might be a little biased towards KID as well.

He lowered his head as a thought crossed his mind. “Anyway, what was your goal here tonight?”

Normally KID was quick to reply, or give out such long-winded speech that Shinichi would often wonder, ‘Why haven't the security officers move yet, he's been talking so much that he’s exposed.’

Oddly enough, KID was taking a long time to respond now.

Shinichi snapped his head up and he spotted KID sneaking off with a pair of keys in hand.

“And where do you think you're going?”

KID temporarily froze in his tracks, then, the rustling of the keys grew noisier and more frantic along with his movements. Shinichi sprinted towards him with a frightening amount of speed and snatched the keys away.

“... stupid weather… making my hands more shaky…” KID mumbled. Then he tackled Shinichi and they began wrestling in an attempt to retrieve the keys. As they collided with some of the chairs and tables, a loud crash resounded throughout the room.

One moment KID had the keys.

Then Shinichi did.

Then KID.

Then Shinichi.

KID.

Shinichi.

Shinichi could easily keep fighting against the thief. However, the problem lied with KID's persistence, which could rival Shinichi's own hardheaded nature. KID was always unpredictable, and Shinichi didn’t know how long he’d keep up with this repetitive charade. Shinichi had to break the status quo before KID turned the tide in his favor.

He made a silent apology to whoever KID stole the keys from and proceeded to do something impulsive.

He threw the keys outside as he pushed KID away with his other hand, but not before he locked it and slammed the window shut.

KID’s jaw dropped. He raised a shaky hand to the window, words struggling to escape as anything but strangled noises.

“Anyway, get out of here before Inspector Megure comes around. I'm shocked he hasn't come over here with all the noise you made.” He released his grip on KID and looked around, expecting Megure to conveniently show up on cue.

“Right. Well, see, about Inspector Megure…” KID inhaled sharply. He sounded awfully nervous, and KID was rarely ever nervous. At least, in the public eye. If he was letting that show now, it couldn’t mean anything good. Shinichi felt something churn in his stomach as he eyed him.

It couldn't be―

“Where are you going with this, KID,” KID nervously grabbed at his collar and pushed out a forced chuckle. He looked off to the side, attempting to avoid Shinichi's intense stare, which didn’t help Shinichi’s worries at all.

“So Inspector Megure gave me the keys. I told him ― as you ― that I was gonna lock down the station today so he could go home early… so he gave me his pair of keys and left!”

Panic seized Shinichi's chest as he struggled to stay still.

“Oh god, oh no. Oh my god, Inspector Megure was supposed to lock the place when I was done.”

“You’re pretty well trusted around here like I said earlier, Detective-kun.”

“KID, those were the only keys.”

“Yes, they were.”

“And I threw them out the window. And shut the window. And locked said window.”

“You sure did.”

“KID.”

“Detective-kun!”

Shinichi dragged his hands down his face, trying to process the situation at hand. “Oh god, Sonoko’s not going to let me hear the end of it for not showing up to her party. But now it's gonna be twofold when she hears I spent the night with KID.” He already had a vague idea for an excuse, since he already knew he wouldn't make it due to the early heist note.

He figured he might be able to scrap some time to perfect it while they were cleaning up, and it'd soften the blow of Sonoko's rant, but now that plan had been thrown out the window.

“Can't you lockpick the door!? You've picked locks for complicated traps before! This is nothing in comparison.”

“I can't! I came in wearing your clothes, not my KID uniform. So I don't have my tools on hand. I didn't want to risk getting caught with that, that is, in case someone was around to give me a thorough search. I couldn't help but be prepared! But I certainly didn't expect… this to happen, of all things.” To prove his point, Kaito opened his blazer and revealed the plain, collared shirt that laid beneath it along with his tie.

Shinichi pinched the bridge of his nose. “Unless ― by some miracle ― someone comes by here, we’re stuck here until morning.”

“Specifically on Christmas night, don’t forget that Detective-kun!”

“Right… how could I.” Shinichi rolled his eyes. “Well, I didn't have any plans anyway, except for a party Sonoko planned on hosting that I wasn’t even going to attend.”

“I’d be so sure you'd spend Christmas with your friends rather than cooped up in this dark police station. But you continue to prove me wrong.”

“I got a heist note from you, and I wouldn't be able to sit still at the party knowing it had yet to be solved. Plus, I didn’t want Inspector Megure to be alone when locking up. Not that I doubt he could protect himself, but it’s lonely at night. Thought I’d give him a little company.”

Heist notes were a common weekly thing, but he had never gotten one personally. Typically they were sent to Division Two's inbox, and it wasn't everyday you went through your mail to find a KID card.

Shinichi immediately rushed to the police station and brought it up with his coworkers. He had stuck onto the note like glue, constantly working away until he fully solved it. Somewhere in between, he figured he might as well hit two birds with one stone and help out Megure with locking down the place for the night. He didn’t want to quit when the answers were so close.

“Why, Great Detective,” KID looked absolutely smug, “You were spending Christmas working on my note? That's sweet, I guess I'm just as important as your friends.”

“Stupid.” Shinichi was painstakingly aware of his growing affection towards the thief. But pride damned him from ever saying it, especially to a arrogant guy like KID. He refused to give him the satisfaction, at least right now. But when he was in private quarters, he allowed himself to imagine what'd it be like for KID to hold him close. What'd it be like to unmask him and get to know someone who's got similar intellect as him. What it'd be like to―…

He coughed, shaking his head before any of his daydreams had room to grow. “Of course I’m going to attempt and solve it, it's my job. I can’t let someone like you run rampant.”

In hindsight, he did spend his Christmas with someone he was falling for, just not in the way he had dreamed or one that could be realistically expected. “Better than spending my time hunched over his note and a mug of coffee... abhorrent to talk about in detail to Ran.”

The last thing he wanted was for Ran and Sonoko to decide he needed to find someone else and set him up for blind dates. It had happened before, and Shinichi would never make the two forget about the details of his date's previous love life, to the ex he clearly hasn't gotten over, to the blind dates the guy had gotten a little too attached to.

He shuddered at the memory.

“And here I thought we had something special.” KID sighed. “Oh well, I'll be your boyfriend for Christmas then!”

“Do you have any idea what you do to me? You drive me up the wall, both in a good way and a bad way.” Shinichi rolled his eyes, but brought his scarf up higher to cover his face. “I'd like the receipt so I can take this gift back, please,” he bit out to hide that he was heavily flustered.

Though KID didn't appear to be looking, much to Shinichi’s relief.

“Don't be rude! My mom calls me a national treasure, and mothers know best!”

“I'm sure the infamous Phantom Lady knows best.”

“She does! She's stolen the best gems after all.” Kaito began to peer through the desks, fingering the files and squinting to read the contents under the moonlight.

“You are not going through everyone’s things right in front of me!” He grabbed KID's wrist tightly before he could pick up another object on (what he assumed to be) Takagi’s desk.

“Oh let me have some sort of fun!” To Shinichi’s horror, KID’s hand detached with ease and another hand popped out. KID wriggled his new hand. Shinichi took a quick glance at the hand he was holding, finally noticing the odd texture. “Fine then,” KID said, “I won’t look through this one… but I’m gonna take a peek in there!”

KID opened the drawer to a nearby desk. A blue ribbon was sticking out. At once, Shinichi realized whose desk it was.

“Wait, KID don't look there―!” A sense of desperation had slipped into his tone, causing KID to halt in his tracks. The phantom thief immediately backed away, hands lifted in the air and wide-eyed. However, it was already too late. KID continued to side-eye the gift.

Unbeknownst to KID, the gift was his. It was originally bought as a Christmas gift, however, Shinichi didn’t want to make his intentions clear just yet and was going to pass it off as a New Years gift.

Rather than being a typical gift like roses or teddy bears, Shinichi had settled on something more sentimental: a milk puzzle with a message inscribed in it. Shinichi knew the thief would appreciate a challenge, so his true message was hidden in a code… which was hidden in the puzzle. Perhaps he went a little too overboard, but this was for the person who left an encryption inside another encryption on a clock tower.

He didn't think he was going to see KID so soon though. The contents of his heist note had revealed (well, through hints) KID's appearance would take place on December 31st. Heists often took a long time and occured in the evenings, and if it went on long enough, infringed on the next day.

Shinichi had elaborated a thorough plan to confess to KID, along a set timeframe. Though perhaps this was the danger in being too detailed, as one small unexpected error had compromised the whole affair.

“That’s my desk.” He said, trying to reason with KID. But KID didn’t appear to think that was a good enough reason and continued to shuffle through it.

“Oho, and who's this for…?” KID said, picking up the box lightly and carefully. It was sealed with white gift wrap and tied with a blue, satin ribbon. “Is it for the young lady you're always with?”

Oh, that's right. He supposed KID didn't get the memo. After all, you don't just start talking about your personal life with the criminal you're chasing.

“No, Ran and I aren't dating anymore.” He scratched the back of his head, “That's for someone else.”

“Really now…? Then who…” KID tilted the box in different angles, possibly looking for a name tag that addressed the giftee.

He might as well tell him. He couldn't use the excuse he had prepared for the heist anyway, now that KID saw it. “It's for you, actually.”

“It's for me!?” KID's eyes lit up, he pressed the small box tightly to his chest. “I didn't think you even considered me a friend... I'm truly touched, Dete― Shinichi.” He traced his thumb over the box, treating his gift with utmost care.

“I… It’s no problem, KID.” He coughed into his fist, “Anyway, you can find some way to entertain yourself. That doesn't involve rummaging through everyone's things. I'm gonna continue my work while I'm here.”

Shinichi settled on the floor, case files scattered about in front of him. When it came to actually looking at files then observing the crime scene in person, Shinichi preferred to lay everything out in front of him. It somehow imitated the actual crime scene in Shinichi's eyes, helping his focus. To read each page and constantly flip back for reference was just annoying.

He felt something warm against his back and craned his head to find KID peering over his shoulder, leaning against him. Shinichi nearly dropped his folders as KID's face drew much closer due to his sudden movement.

“Wow, that's brutal.” KID eyes were on the photo evidence. He remained blissfully unaware of Shinichi's panicked state.

“W...― What are you doing?” He tries his best to keep his breathing steady, as if it’d lower the pace of his heartbeat. KID was so close to him that Shinichi was afraid that KID could hear everything Shinichi ever thought about him if he remained there for too long.

“I’m cold.” KID spoke up after a couple of minutes. “Shinichi! Do something about that!” He sounded like a bored, dissatisfied child-- not an inaccurate description of him.

“Well, I can't exactly control the weather, can I?” KID pouted at him, but Shinichi continued to stare a hole through his case files. Anything to divert his attention away from Kaito. “Besides, the heater is broken, tough day to get locked in overnight.”

The heater broke during an argument between him and Hakuba, actually. Hakuba rarely ever showed up, and this was the one time they had argued. They shared similar interests, but a discussion of the best Sherlock Holmes book hand resulted in Shinichi getting a bit too intense. (It was only a matter of time before Hakuba and him disagreed on something.)

Hakuba thought “A Study In Scarlet” to be Doyle’s best work for the series, while Shinichi believed “A Sign of Four” to be the best one, arguing that not only did it have a classic mystery, but it further developed Watson and Sherlock's characterization.

To prove his point, Shinichi attempted to set up one of the elaborate traps in the Sign of Four so he could show how tricky yet clever it was.

However, it ended up backfiring completely and greatly damaging the heater in the building. He had sworn he would pay for it.

“You’re the detective here! Figure something out! Shinichi―” KID hugged him from behind and shook him back and forth. This time Shinichi did drop his papers and let out an unappealing squawk in the process.

“You made me drop my files!” He managed to say. Was KID normally this touchy? He was pretty sure he wasn't, with the whole ‘I'm a Phantom Thief who's untouchable!!’ shtick. Outright hugging him clearly went against that philosophy, not to mention making Shinichi's mind go through dizzying loops. “Go find something to warm yourself then! I’m busy!”

“You're the closest thing to warmth here, Detective-kun!! What, do you expect me to hug an oven or something?” He pressed himself closer to Shinichi, to the point where Shinichi could feel his breath on his cheek.

“I… Uh…” Shinichi’s eyes darted across the room in rapid motion as he tried to think of anything but how close KID was. How he wanted to turn around and hug him back, pretend that he was suddenly cold as well. Truly, he wished he didn't have such romantic feelings. It was clouding his perspective.

Kaito’s words flashed in his mind, and “stove” offered him a way out of his current predicament.

“Coffee. There's coffee in the break room, we can drink that to stay warm.” He pried KID's hands off a little too fast for his liking, both because he didn't want to seem too suspicious and also because he may have wanted to indulge in it a little longer.

A look of disappointment flashed across KID's face. Shinichi tried not to overanalyze the situation, his heart fluttering at the thought of KID actually reciprocating his feelings. Feelings he tried to undermine so that he could prioritize their status as thief and detective.

“You can see how well that's working for me right now.”

“Ah… Coffee… yeah! Good idea Detective.” KID beamed at him and got up, taking care not to trample over Shinichi's papers, which Shinichi silently thanked him for.

“That’s probably why he seemed disappointed. He probably hates coffee, someone who makes as much mischief as him probably likes something sweeter. Like hot chocolate or whatever. Sonoko mentioned some KID forums theorized that.” There was no one he had to prove that too, and yet he continued to make excuses on how KID couldn't possibly have meant that that as a romantic gesture.

There was absolutely no way.

“Most men would rather deny a hard truth then face it.” A small voice in his head chided. It sounded eerily similar to his mom’s, and it was accompanied by a phantom pinch on his cheek.

Shinichi shook it off, though he rubbed his cheek for a little bit.

He was not in denial. Absolutely not. He was just being realistic about this. “What are even the chances of him liking me that way? I may be his most preferred choice for heists, but no one sane would fall for someone who could throw them behind bars.”

Shinichi walked to the break room, KID following suit.

Upon opening the door, the view wasn't anything spectacular. There was a counter with a sink, a microwave as well as a coffee maker on top of it. The coffee pot was clean but had traces of heavy use. A small round table that could seat four people was nearby, as well as a fridge.

He started up the coffee maker. “Sorry to disappoint, but we only have coffee. If you wanted hot chocolate, this isn’t the place.” He grabbed a styrofoam cup and placed it underneath the nozzle.

Shinichi had a slight preference for iced coffee himself. The chilled taste diluted the bitter taste by a margin. But  beggars couldn't be choosers. He didn't want to walk twenty blocks just to satisfy his want, especially when he could be using that time to catch a murderer.  (When he was hanging out with Ran and Sonoko, though, he’d always get his fix: they took their time in the changing rooms.)

“Huh? Oh, no I like coffee. I actually prefer it black. What made you think I wanted hot chocolate?” KID sounded puzzled for a moment, then let out an all knowing ‘Oh… OH!’ before Shinichi had the chance to explain. “Wait a minute, only the forums dedicated to me think that. You're even reading things about me?”

“Hell no! That's Sonoko!” Shinichi failed to notice how close the cup was to him and ended up knocking it over. “Shit,” He muttered, quickly grabbing a nearby napkin to wipe up the mess.

KID jumped out of his seat eagerly to help him clean. He gently held up Shinichi's hand afterwards and observed it closely. “Did some of that spill on your hand?” He looked over Shinichi's’ hand, eyebrows furrowing as he searched for traces of a burn.

“No, it didn’t spill over on me,” Shinichi assured. KID’s posture relaxed, but he kept clutching Shinichi’s hand.

“Okay, good. I wouldn’t want to scramble around for a first aid kit. Still burns are a nasty thing to endure.”

“I’m a little surprised you know about first aid. I thought you’d have your assistant do all the work.” Well, there went theory number eight that KID’s assistant possibly worked at a hospital.

“I can't exactly go to the hospital for any injuries I get as KID, you know.” He gave a sheepish smile, “Plus, Jii-san can only do so m―” KID suddenly let go of Shinichi and pressed a hand to his mouth., “Ahaha… forget what I just said!” He made a shush motion with his finger, but for a second, he genuinely looked distressed.

“Jii-san huh… so they know each other personally?” Shinichi could understand why he was being so panicky over that fact, if they were related. He could get a family member in trouble. Shinichi heard himself say, “Don’t worry, already forgotten. After all, I'm only interested in capturing you.”

He was about to berate himself for letting KID off the hook, but the smile that KID gave him and a mouthed ‘thank you’ made him reconsider.

Speechless, Shinichi looked away.

“Anyway though, how about I wipe up the spill while you remake the coffee…? I wasn’t kidding when I said I was freezing earlier.” KID shivered to emphasize the point.

“Ah, right. Sorry about that.”

The aftermath was quiet. Rather then it being awkward, stifling silence, it was comfortable, something Shinichi could find solace in. Shinichi only spoke to let KID know the coffee's ready, KID giving him a nod in acknowledgement and offering his thanks before settling back into peacefulness.

Shinichi brushed his shoulder against KID's when he sat back down.

“How many divisions are there? I mainly hear about two and one, but that implies there's more than those two.” Kaito asked, breaking the silence.

“There’s about five I believe…? One deals with homicide, two is assault and criminal affairs, three is theft, and four…” He remembered a detective around his age ― Saihara…? He nearly mistook his surname for Haibara's alias. In fact, his full name was like an odd combination of Haibara and Shuichi’s. ― had worked with division four. “Four has cases with infidelity. Five revolves around juvenile youth.”

Shinichi didn't think there was anyway he could manage detective work with Division Four. Murder cases? Easy. Catching thieves and dealing with theft? A bit more work, but he could do it. However, to deal with personal affairs like marriage and infidelity? He could probably give facts, but the matters of the heart were more difficult than any case he'd worked combined.

Murder case motives all ultimately sprung from the same sentiment. The culprit had been pushed to their limit due to something the victim had done.

Even knowing a human heart was so much more complex and fickle than that, Shinichi had a hard time understanding others people’s feelings. There was a reason he and Ran had skirted around the topic of dating, even though Ran had made it blaringly obvious she had liked him that way― even admitting it when he was Conan. Thanks to that confirmation, Shinichi had been able to be bold with her, but KID was a different matter altogether.

“What got you interested?” Shinichi asked.

“Oh uh, I actually don’t know a lot about the divisions. I thought Inspector Nakamori worked with theft, since he was the most adamant about me. So I left the note in his inbox because I didn’t know there was a whole division dedicated to it!”

Shinichi didn’t know why (the late hour, degrading his sense of humor, perhaps), but something in that statement set him off, and next thing he knew he was laughing at the simple mistake that KID made― and also dying inside because he inhaled boiling hot coffee in the process.

“Hey! I wanted you to smile because of me, but not like this!” KID protested, sulking in his seat.

“I’m sorry― I just―” Shinichi gasped, and each chuckle that escaped from his mouth only made KID sulk harder. Shinichi wiped a tear from his eyes and managed to collect himself, though a few more snickers spilled out. “I just, I’m used to the concept of you being this elusive phantom thief. I know that making mistakes is human nature, but you’ve always did a good job at covering it up. So hearing that you messed up something that every person getting into law enforcement knows, it’s a little funny.”

“Yeah yeah I can see you’re having the time of your life over there,” KID grumbled, taking a sip from his mug.

“But I do like this side of you, don’t get me wrong.” Shinichi said thoughtlessly. “I’d like to see that side of you more, it’s cute.”

KID spat out his drink.

Panic seizing in his chest, Shinichi quickly set down his drink before he spilled it on his pants again. “Forget I said that, sorry it’s late.” That wasn’t smooth at all, Kudou Shinichi, what are you doing. He desperately wanted to look away and save face, but seeing how KID reacted would let him know whether to give up on him or not. He steeled himself and kept his gaze on KID.

KID frowned, but the emotion on his face was the most unreadable it’s been yet.

“... whatever you say,” KID's voice was so quiet. Was he neutral because he didn't want to further embarrass him? Was he neutral because he was unsure what to retort?

“Be logical.” Shinichi thought, beginning to calm down. “I’m going to sleep, then. My tiredness is clearly catching up.” Shinichi downed the rest of the coffee before he gets up from his seat, pushing his chair away and throwing his cup in the trash.

He could feel KID’s eyes burning into his back.

“Shinichi, how are we going to sleep? I’m pretty sure the police station doesn’t have any beds, last time I checked. After all, they don’t want people to sleep on their cases!”

Just like that, they fell back into their usual dynamic.

“I was thinking of just sleeping on the floor here. I was going to use my blazer as a makeshift blanket.”

“On the floor…? But―”

“You’re welcome to sleep somewhere else.”

“No, no, I’ll sleep on the floor with you!”

“Suit yourself.”

Shinichi lowered himself to the floor and covered himself with his blazer. KID copied his actions, settling himself next to him. Minutes passed, then hours. Shinichi would have really liked to fall asleep.

Except he couldn’t.

He primarily blamed the coffee, accessorily the fact that KID was sleeping next to him.

He was sure KID had an easier time falling asleep, as he was silent when he'd normally be extremely chatty. Shinichi turned over and looked at KID.

KID's hair was the exact picture of a messy bedhead on a late day of school, but it looked soft to the touch and fun to mess around with. Shinichi rubbed his palm as he recalled messing up KID's hair earlier.

He also smelled of coffee and of a specific cologne Shinichi bought often. (It was an admirable feat for KID to pay such close attention to every particular detail a person had for the sake of accuracy, when normally someone wouldn't notice such a detail at all. He supposed that's what made KID's disguises more believable. On the other hand, Shinichi had better eyes, and he looked into the cracks that KID thought he could cover up.) His parents had favored coffee when they were at home, and the cologne had been a scent Shinichi was familiarized with. In a way, KID had the familiar fragrance of home. It made sleeping on the cold floor of a police department slightly easier.

Without thinking, Shinichi wrapped his arms around KID's waist, pulling the thief closer to his chest and nuzzling his head in the crook of KID's neck.

He froze, realizing how impulsive his actions were. He would’ve moved his arms away from KID, but he was already too close. “Please, please be a heavy sleeper.” Shinichi begged internally, his cheeks heating up and his heart beating wildly at the thought of getting caught like this.

KID soon crushed Shinichi’s last hope of getting away with such an impulse by shattering the silence. “Are you― Did you turn around? Are you hugging me...?”

“Sorry I'm― cold. Really cold. I have a tendency of hugging anything nearby at home when I sleep, and I moved without thinking. I'll move off.” He told him the truth, plain and simple, but omitted that this also happened to be a fantasy of his. What KID didn't know wouldn't hurt him… or Shinichi's pride.

Shinichi attempted to move away, but KID grabbed his arm and kept it in place.

“No it's fine. You can, um, do that. You're cold, I don't mind.” KID sounded a lot more tired and laid-back casual than usual. Shinichi no longer heard Kaitou KID, but the person who lied beneath it.

Even KID was human, and humans could grow weary after keeping up a grandiose act for so long, but seeing that side of KID made him feel a little closer. A bit more real, easier to reach.

And Shinichi just wanted to know more.

“Okay.” Is all he said, before adjusting his posture to get comfortable. He pressed his face against KID's neck and carefully wrapped his arms around him. Even if he was given the okay, he was still hesitant, too afraid that he'd cross the boundary of what would disturb KID.

Even with the panic thumping in his chest subsiding, the conditions for sleeping were far from ideal― but he felt surprisingly at ease, just lying beside KID.

“... Kaito..” He heard KID mutter. Shinichi was ready to lull into rest, his eyes drooping shut, but jerked awake at that.

“What did you say, KID?”

“Can you… Can you call me Kaito? Just― just this time.” Shinichi couldn’t see what exactly KID― Kaito was doing from this angle, but he thought he saw Kaito bring something up to cover his face.

“‘Kaito.’” He tried. He was used to saying it (After all, the full title is ‘Kaitou KID.’) but surprised. If this was Kaito's real name, his identity had been right there all along. “Kaito… okay, Kaito.”

He felt Kaito shudder under his touch as he repeated his name.

“Yeah like― like that.”  Kaito shifted around, Shinichi moving his arms away to make it easier. Shinichi’s met with Kaito's stare head on, though he's only given a moment to observe the vulnerability on Kaito's expression before Kaito pulled him close. Unlike Shinichi’s, Kaito's embrace was a lot tighter, bolder. He paid no mind to how Shinichi would react, yet his face was clearly heating up.

Or maybe that was just Shinichi’s. He couldn’t tell.

“Sorry. I'm cold too.” Kaito's voice was a whisper, almost wavering.

Shinichi thought that this was the farthest it could ever go, and started preparing for a plan to face Kaito after tonight. But Kaito’s hand slipped behind his nape, and Shinichi realized that Kaito had something different in mind. ‘The show’s not over yet,’ his eyes seemed to say.

“Do you like me, Shinichi?” Kaito drawled his name, his breath hot against Shinichi’s skin. “Because I like you. Very much. I'm fond of you, and I want you to be aware that I wouldn't allow just about any detective to get this close to me.” He reached for Shinichi’s hair, twirling dark strands around his finger.

“I’m pretty sure that you return my affections by how you’ve been acting, and if not, I’m not just a phantom thief for nothing, I can easily steal your heart. But I'd like to know if I have to make the effort first… or if your heart is already in my hands.”

…

What?

Shinichi’s heart skipped a beat. The room had already been quiet, but any possible noise was drowned out, as if Shinichi had been pushed underwater. Kaito’s words looped in his mind, their meaning not registering at first . Realization left him speechlessly staring at Kaito, who only stared back with utmost confidence burning in his eyes.

Shinichi was thrilled beyond belief.

“And by the way, detective,” Kaito pulled him even closer, Kaito’s mouth centimeters away from Shinichi's. Shinichi’s heart thumped in his chest erratically. “Your lips look cold.”

Kaito kissed him, feather-light and fleeting. It's enough to leave an imprint on Shinichi.

It’s Kaito’s turn to look embarrassed as he shifted his gaze to the side to avoid meeting Shinichi's eyes. He covered his lips with his fist, a ‘I can't believe I just said that’ look gracing his face. “I'm―” Kaito beginned, but Shinichi, a surge of confidence overtaking him, didn’t let him finish.

“Hey Kaito,” Shinichi grabbed the collar of Kaito's shirt and pulled him closer, “Your lips look cold too.”

Shinichi crashed their lips together.

At first, Kaito hesitated, ever the gentleman, and moved away as Shinichi drew closer, as though to confirm Shinichi was fine with this. But it didn’t take long for Kaito to cave as he parted his lips and gave more room for Shinichi to work with. Kaito clutched at Shinichi's shirt and sighed. Shinichi slid a hand behind Kaito's head to lock him in place.

Despite the chilling cold, warmth was the only thing that filled Shinichi's senses. Warmth, security, and a sense of completeness. Shinichi was alive, more alive than ever before.

He was the first to pull away, panting heavily as he pressed his forehead against Kaito's. He looked down, bangs shielding his eyes, and he let out a shaky sigh before catching his breath, “I have wanted to do that for months now.” It was embarrassing to admit, but seeing as their heart to heart had escalated into this, Shinichi figured it’d be a good time to put it all out there in the open.

Kaito looked dazed. “I― That was― Wow…”

“Mr. Phantom Thief is tongue tied? That's shocking, considering you were the one who had a whole lot to say.” He smirked as Kaito let out a groan.

“Well I can’t help it, you can’t just kiss me like that and then tell me you’ve been holding that back for months! God, Shinichi, I wished you kissed me the minute you thought of doing so, because past Kaito would’ve been very, very happy to hear you returned his feelings. Just checking, but… Can I take that as a yes to my confession then…?”

“Yeah… do you think I’d kiss just anyone?”

“Hey! I did say it was obvious! But I needed to make sure,” Kaito pulled Shinichi back into a hug, “Kudou Shinichi, my boyfriend… My boyfriend, Kudou Shinichi… who I’m dating...”

“You're so embarrassing.” Shinichi buried his head in Kaito's chest.

“Oi, we only just started going out and you’re being cold to me!? This isn't even me being affectionate! You’ve seen nothing yet!”

Shinichi said nothing in response.Kaito huffed.

A wave of drowsiness began to gradually take over Shinichi, and a loud yawn escaped his mouth, “I think I'm going to actually sleep, now.”

“Goodnight Shinichi, rest well.” Kaito pressed a kiss to Shinichi's forehead. “By the way Shinichi, I hope this makes up for breaking in the building.”

“Goodnight, Kaito.” Shinichi broke away from Kaito's embrace and turned over, his back facing Kaito.

“Oh come on Shinichi!! Also, no ‘I love you’...?” Shinichi could easily picture the pout on Kaito’s face. .

He turned over again and stuck out his tongue, “I love you, idiot.”

“H― Hang on I wasn't actually expecting you to say it―!”

“No ‘I love you too', Kaito?” Shinichi said, his tone turning smug.

“Hey! I'm the thief here! Don't steal my lines!”

“That doesn't sound like ‘I love you.’”

“You…! I love you too okay!? Give me a break here!” Kaito whined. He shut up the minute Shinichi kissed his cheek.

“And you’re forgiven.” Shinichi gave him a cheeky grin before closing his eyes again and settling back in his arms. Kaito grumbled, yet the corners of his lips curled upwards.

“Goodnight, Shinichi.”

―――

OMAKE

“... dou… Oi… ku...!”

Words were incomprehensible. Shinichi stirred in his sleep, moving his hand to swat whatever the noise was.

The shaking only got more insistent.

“Kudou-kun, why is there two of you!?”

That snapped him out of his drowsiness. He jerked upright despite the ache in his neck and looked around.

Kaito was pulling at his collar nervously, giving Shinichi a shaky smile. Takagi stared at the two of them questioningly. A crowd started to form near the door. Some were alarmed, while others tried to peek inside curiously.

“Oh god, why is his hair done like mine.” While his hair was a little messy from sleeping on the floor, no one could miss the sight of Shinichi’s characteristic cowlick on top of Kaito’s head. But Shinichi was sure he had messed with Kaito's hair to prevent that from happening.

“Uh―” He started, but KID spoke too, loud enough to drown it out.

“Inspector Takagi, that's KID! He knocked me out last night and tried to impersonate me, but I made sure I took him down with me!”  

Shinichi remained frozen in shock for a little too long.

Bodys began to pile on top of him, and Shinichi cursed as he watched KID walk away with a smug grin on his face. He mouthed an apology before dashing away, but that wouldn't be enough to quell the anger building up in Shinichi's chest.

Shinichi was going to strangle KID the next time they met.

#my fics. #kaishin #dcmk. #[wipes sweat off forehead] whew

[presumenothing]

once more with feeling

(or, spooky action at no distance)

belated halloween-ish fic, aka questionably-serious crackfic with a heavy side of casual morbidity and inappropriate science. also entirely unedited phonefic which i refuse to even reread before posting. beware of character death (sorry shiho) and property destruction (not sorry). working title: the ectoplasmic method. this is what happens when grad school deadlines meet the looming shadow of finals?? idk just have it anyway

Somewhere, in the cell of a singularly dismal back room –

A figure falls to slump against the wall, the handcuff on one wrist letting out the sad jingle of a clink as it takes on most of her weight.

The same somewhere, scant minutes later –

"Oh, bollocks," says a disembodied voice, two feet up and several inches to the left, with more heartfelt feeling than its owner ever really displayed in life. "This isn't even scientific at all!"

…ahem. Anyway.

The first thing that Shiho does with her newfound freedom from both matter and gravity (along with most of physics and the sciences, really, natural or otherwise) is to float back out to the main lab, and sigh a non-essential breath of relief at the absence of a tiny horde of spectral lab rats scurrying about.

Admittedly the process of doing so is rather less smooth than imagination might suggest, with more error than trial in the grander scale of things, but such is the steady march of science.

Either way, some brief confusion of force and acceleration aside, the lab proves empty of any (other) less-than-corporeal entities.

Hypothesis: either said rats were once here and had since dissipated with the pass of time (because she refuses to use such a vague phrase as move on, even setting aside the question of whether it would even – theoretically – apply to animals of questionable self-awareness), or this… ectoplasmic… existence is yet another astronomically-rare effect of the apoptoxin.

Shiho's still mulling over the question when she reaches for the coffeepot from long habit…

…only for her hand to pass right through it. Predictably enough, in hindsight.

Her eyebrow twitches.

…

……

………………

Revised hypothesis: the afterlife sucks.

The moment of decaffeinated betrayal is interrupted by the insistently loud tick of the wall clock.

Her baleful glare at it yields nothing much of use, since she hasn't had any way of reliably telling the time over the past couple days, given her spectacularly cozy accomodations.

If nothing else, it's probably going to be a couple hours until someone discovers her very dead body and alerts Gin, she thinks in no little vindication – followed by an itemised list of unprintably detailed expletives.

Because, in that moment of thought, she'd suddenly found herself elsewhere in a quantum blink, with no experience or memory of having crossed the intervening space.

And staring Gin almost in the face, no less.

Shiho definitely does not shriek as she throws herself aside, all the while cursing stupidly broken FTL teleports that didn't even have the decency to deposit her somewhere more pleasant. Like Majorca, maybe. Or even back to America.

…actually, on that thought – Shiho narrows her eyes in concentration.

Several (failed) attempts at geographically displacing herself later, she gives it up as a bad job, earmarked for further study. At the very least Gin didn't act like he'd heard any ghostly screeching that may or may not have happened, even if he also failed to display signs of the sudden chill – more's the pity – that featured so consistently in those terrible movies she'd had the misfortune of being coerced into watching by certain people one time too many.

Though she supposes that could also be due to the fact that she'd dodged with the express purpose of not having him walk through her. Not that intersecting spaces with a corridor wall had turned out to be a much more comfortable option, on the whole, but it's mostly a matter of metaphysical principle.

Either way. Shiho inches forward until she's no longer coexisting with shoddily-constructed cinderblock, all the while cheerfully ignoring whatever nefariously above-her-paygrade evil Gin is monologuing about to Vodka, over the increasingly loud click of heels.

…wait. Heels? she repeats mentally, before promptly noping back through the wall before she has to experimentally verify whether Vermouth, of all people, can see her or not.

Which is how she finds herself somewhere that looks suspiciously like Gin's dressing room, complete with shelves of overpriced hair product, full-length mirrors, and a wardrobe she assumes must be full of identical white turtlenecks and black trenchcoats.

"Hm," she says, aloud, as she sets to work. All in the name of science, of course.

(Careful recollection of events, multiple attempts, and a fair assortment of choice swears later, she figures out what her previous attempts at properly haunting ghosthood had been lacking: emotion.

Fortunately, she doesn't lack for any degree of anger in this circumstance. It still takes some trying to have the conditioner bottles explode messily rather than just fall off the shelves with a series of dull thunks, but eventually she manages it.

Though she limits herself to breaking only one mirror. Just in case the bad luck accrues to her instead of Gin.

Then again, she is dead. How much worse can it get, really?)

Armed with her newfound discovery, she attempts to teleport again. A few minutes' intense concentration on the comfortable familiarity of her lab brings her back to where she started, but thinking fondly of her doctoral research lab garners her nothing but a faint headache and an impending sense of hypocrisy.

At least she confirms that her body is still where she left it.

Honestly, she's almost unsure whether to be offended or not, Shiho thinks, as she watches the slow creep of rigor mortis across her muscles.

Unbidden, the lone photo from that newspaper clipping flashes to mind –

"…oh, come on!"

Look, it's not like Shiho can deny the miniature cataclysm of feelings surrounding even the echo of that image, but really? Really? After everything else she's tried?

And why to an elementary school, of all places? Jeez.

Shiho rolls her eyes at the corridor – which stands empty, this time – and swears off shattering any more mirrors before floating off again. There's an awkward moment when she vaguely recalls something about children supposedly being more sensitive to unscientific phenomena, though that's quickly falsified by the inhabitants of the first half-dozen classrooms she passes through, teacher or student alike.

Ironically enough it's the de-aged Kudo Shinichi who does react somewhat to her presence, when she finally manages to locate his classroom – and honestly, couldn't he have at least faked his way into a higher grade? Pretend to be very unusually short for his age or something? That can't be enjoyable at all.

Shiho tries to imagine herself stuck with this bunch of seven-year-olds and can't help a shudder, which is why she almost misses one of said children leaning slightly backwards in her seat to whisper far too loudly. "Are you alright, Conan-kun? Do you need a sweater?"

"No, I'm fine," Kudo-kun demurs, rejecting the profferred garment – quite rightly too, Shiho thinks, since that's just plain asking to be a vector for germs. "Just a cold draft, that's all."

He doesn't look even once in her direction, but relaxes visibly when she finally floats back out of the classroom to observe via a window.

Huh. Interesting. Maybe it's something about having seen too many corpses?

Shiho almost discards that out of hand on grounds of Gin, who had seen easily ten times as many dead bodies, most by virtue of having put them there by his own hands.

Admittedly, now that she thinks on it, it does seem entirely possible that Gin would not notice a localised drop in temperature due to being cold-blooded to start with, anyway.

She has insufficient data, she decides, and three working guesses: either Kudo-kun has seen too many deaths, too many corpses, or he's just looped into the same cosmic joke for having taken the apoptoxin as well.

History and statistics suggest that she'll eventually run into both mass murderers and homicide officers if she hangs around him long enough. Which leaves the third category quite unverifiable, but at least it'd make more sense than some high school detective managing to be the single outlier that should not be counted in any statistic, ever.

Though even waiting out the school day in the hope of some murders happening feels like an increasingly unattractive prospect, she thinks, pulling a face at the chalkboard's worth of mind-numbingly basic math when the bell stubbornly refuses to ring the end of first period.

She didn't skip through the first half of her education just to subject herself to it in death, of all things, and besides it's about time someone found her body anyway.

Shiho contemplates the hallway ceiling for a minute before managing to rebel further against gravity until she reaches the rooftop, already preparing to move herself back to the lab once she gets her bearings straight.

Then someone behind her gasps Shiho? in a voice all too familiar, and she –

Shiho isn't actually too sure what happens, in the following minutes.

Somewhere in the glassy shards of thought left fractured by her sister's voice is a swift-rising horror that it'd all been a lie – that the bullet which killed Akemi-oneechan was one she'd made with her own hands –

And maybe she says some of this out loud, maybe she doesn't, maybe it's simply that her sister has ever been the sole person in this world who understood her (even if she'd only realised that too late), but when the unrelenting static finally clears Shiho find herself not-quite hyperventilating on the rooftop of one Teitan Elementary, head spinning from the lack of air that she doesn't even need, and the one voice she'd never thought she'd hear again.

Even through the haze she can hear onee-chan saying things like it's not your fault, never was and Shiho almost shakes her head in reflexive denial, even as her mind whirrs back to that thrice-damned photograph and whispers agreement in logic, that death by apoptoxin is instantaneous and a gunshot wound would've left a significantly different blood spatter post-mortem, which meant –

"How are you here?" she chokes out, unable and unwilling to look up and meet those eyes. "If it wasn't the APTX – "

"APT– oh, is that the drug you were working on? No," Akemi says, with a sudden vindictiveness that startles Shiho into looking up anyway. "No, it was that utter scumbag Gin who shot me, you can take my word for that."

Shiho supposes that she must look unconvinced somehow, because Akemi adds, "I'd say that you could confirm with that little detective about that, but… well…"

Her gaze follows the wave of onee-chan's hand down to a cluster of small figures in the field, one of which is barely identifiable as Edogawa Conan, from this distance. It raises another dozen questions in turn, but still Shiho persists. "But how are you still here? Why haven't you… moved on?"

"Unfinished business, I suppose you could say."

"Huh?"

Akemi-oneechan blinks at that, in some apparent surprise. "Isn't it obvious?"

Shiho shakes her head in full earnesty.

"Oh, Shiho," Akemi almost-sighs, as she floats over and – catches hold of her hands, with a bout of warmth against all logic, the first solid thing Shiho's felt since this all started. "It's you, of course, it was always you."

…her words won't work and either way she knows not what to say to that, so Shiho just stands (floats) there, gaping silently like an idiot.

Somehow Akemi-oneechan is still smiling. "Well, I mean – I did manage to track down Dai-kun by accident, and I've been keeping an eye out for anything around Conan-kun, you wouldn't believe the amount of trouble he gets into. But the only one I worried over was you, and yet I couldn't find you, no matter what I tried…"

Shiho tries – and mostly fails – to process all this, and pieces together the next logical question. "Then what about me?"

She'd thought that it'd been because of the apoptoxin, but that's obviously invalid now, even if it galls her to replace that with such a ridiculously nebulous notion as unfinished business –

"There must be something you haven't done, a wish you haven't fulfilled, or… well," Akemi pauses, and Shiho can tell just from the lilt of her tone that she's not going to like whatever follows next, "like I've always been telling you, maybe it's just that you need to live a little. Have some fun, you know!"

And Shiho surprises them both by snorting a laugh at that. "In that case, I've gotten a start on that already."

To describe Akemi-oneechan's expression as starry-eyed would not be amiss, nor her voice as a squeal. "What did you do?"

"…destroy all of Gin's hair products?"

"Really?! Oh my god, Shiho-chan, I'm so proud, I always knew you had it in you – "

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(AO3)

listen i literally?? don’t even?? know???? i did not see this coming, no plans here only bad jokes. the semi-crack antidote to this previous fic or something i guess, except not. don’t @ me 

#i refuse #to maintag #this utter disaster #of a #.......i don't even know what #so there #detective conan #dcmk #miyano shiho #fanfiction #mine #protip do not start fics at eleven ey em on a monday morning

[letitrainasunnyday]

“#like the fact that eri knows shinichi is conan“ uhm... tbh, I can’t think of a moment where Eri made this connection. she _does_ suspect Conan to be someone / something else than a normal 7-y/o boy, granted, but Conan = Shinichi? idk that’s new to me (I’ve seen many episodes, yes, but not every single one, though so it might have happened somewhere in the episodes I haven’t seen yet)

Oh, no, don’t get me wrong. I have no canon proof of this, but I’ve always firmly believed it. 

Here’s the thing: Eri is remarkably smart. Like, almost Shinichi-level smart. Remember that case with Yukiko where both of them solve a murder because Kogoro spent all the money and they gotta get him out of the gutter? There’s a moment in that case that’s so telling, because Ran turns to an uncharacteristically non-vocal Conan like “you’re being uncharacteristically non-vocal about stuff you notice” and Conan’s just like “welp these two are pretty much right on-point so there isn’t much else for me to do or say”. 

But not only that, Eri demonstrates deductive abilities that are on par with Shinichi’s in almost every case she’s in. She is unbelievably clever. 

You can’t tell me she doesn’t, at the very least, suspect there’s something weird about Conan. 

I think at this point, she’s all about conjecture. She doesn’t have proof, but she knows. She’s pretty certain that Conan has got to be Shinichi because, come on. The kid has his same deductive ability. But not only that!! The way he deduces, the way he exposes killers and the solution to mysteries… That’s Shinichi. It sounds like Shinichi, it feels like Shinichi. 

Eri has an advantage over everyone else: she knows both how Shinichi deduces and how Kogoro deduces. There’s a difference in how they present proof, in how they get to their conclusions. Shinichi follows Holmes. Kogoro doesn’t necessarily. Kogoro confronts the killer first, then proves it. Shinichi builds up the tension until he gets to the conclusion. 

You can’t tell me Eri Kisaki, who has known Kogoro her entire life and who has also known Shinichi his entire life, doesn’t notice that all of a sudden –coincidentally when this mysterious little Conan appears in their lives– the way Kogoro deduces sounds a lot like the way Shinichi does. 

Of course she can’t know for sure. There’s no proof. She probably has a vague understanding of how it could’ve happened –Ran herself, during the Desperate Revival Arc, made a pretty good guess– but she has no proof. She’s kind of in the same situation Akai was before he saw Conan use the voice changing bowtie.

And actually, now that I mention Akai, he brings up another semi-proof why Eri knows. If you had to enumerate the most intelligent characters, who would you say? I’d immediately list Yusaku, Shinichi, Hattori, Akai, maybe Amuro, and Eri.

Out of all of them, who doesn’t know about Shinichi? Amuro –yet. And Eri. So the most intelligent characters on this show all figure out somehow that Shinichi is Conan, and you’re telling me Eri isn’t one of them? Eri Kisaki, who looked straight through him the first time they ever met, and immediately knew, without knowing that Conan was living with the Mouris, that this kid was strange? 

You’re telling me Eri Kisaki, who has seen Conan protect Ran with his life much in the same way Shinichi has all these years, isn’t even weary of the little kid who just so happens to look a hell of a lot like Shinichi when he himself was a kid? 

You’re telling me Eri Kisaki, who knew Shinichi would eventually get in deep trouble, who is friends with Shinichi’s own mother and father, does not fucking know that Conan is Shinichi? 

Nah-uh. Mama didn’t raise no fool. She knows. 

#detective conan #conan #eri kisaki #shinichi kudo #breakdawn-avenue #conan ask

[raifuujin]

I really do not understand people's thinking. It's like they see a genuinely good hearted character that's slightly kept in the dark FOR PLOT REASONS (lbh Ran doesn't know just because Gosho doesn't want her to know. Case and point.) And they're already "boring" or "annoying". When there's also another certain character who isn't doing much at the moment and is also being kept in the dark and yet they stan her so strongly. Yes I'm talking about Ai. I'm sorry but I just can't understand them.

I do like that point, and yeah, I can’t understand arbitrarily devaluing main characters. Who are main for all kinds of reasons. I’ve mentioned it in a post before, but a lot of people dislike Ran purely because she doesn’t change like other characters. So apparently if you’re stable, ‘normal’, and not involved with all of the super dangerous, borderline spy plot, then you’re useless. Even if major story moments and most plot progression would never have happened because ‘normal’ moments were glossed over as unimportant, even when they led to important happenings.

Like when people think Kogoro isn’t important now, and I’m just. Every case Shinichi has ever encountered where he’s put in relation to the BO or BO information again comes directly from Kogoro’s connections and ‘random cases’ people ask him to do. Him being the known detective is what makes him important to the story and writing.

Ran is similar. She’s the ‘normal teenage girl’ who might go various places for different reasons. She’s friends with people like Sonoko who have access to places when there’s not a case going on. (Like that case where we’re given the background for why Amuro doesn’t like Akai, and Ran sees Vermouth again.) Kyoto happened because the girls were doing a normal thing and meeting up to discuss plans for the school trip. Which Shinichi would otherwise have not known about, had he not been suspicious of Ran’s behaviour.

And to your point, yeah, Ai has contributed less and less to any plot progression as her character development has gone on. But people cling to her importance because ‘she’s connected to the BO, and Amuro and Akai’s separate pasts through family connections’ and other ultimately ‘useless passive’ things. She hasn’t actively done anything aside from her one remaining bit of plot usefulness of having the means to give temporary antidotes. Her information hasn’t been too helpful past remembering the name for the murder that happened 17 years ago, even the Rum thing is more ‘I’ve heard the name, but have only vague clues because I never met them myself’.

Heck, I like to consistently point at the double standards as they relate to any character. It still comes back to the fact that people just see Ran more often, and get annoyed that she’s not as obviously ‘important’ as the rest of the main cast. People don’t like the DB much either, but that comes up more in a small complaint once in a while compared to actively trying to create reasons why Ran is useless. When really, she’s not, she just doesn’t fit the character type that people like to see in action. And even when she does get action oriented for a case, any progress she makes or action she takes is just ‘a rare one-time case’, as though she’s only made of exceptions and not her own unique character with a special role in the story.

#Anon #DC thoughts #I personally would never call a character 'useless' #Ever #Even characters /I/ don't like; I acknowledge that they have a role and they're filling it #At a point; it's not about a character being 'useless' #People just need to admit that there are character roles they personally don't like #No writing off a character because of BS reasons because you think you're analyzing them correctly #Admit to having biases; state the /opinion/; and move on

[stibnitebunnysblog]

BY: DEL CASTILLO, SHAHONEY

DE LOS SANTOS, NEN

DURAN, CHRISTINE JOY

WHAT IS SUCCESS?

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines success as a favorable or desired outcome. It also defines success as the attainment of wealth, favor or eminence. Why is success tied to wealth? And why does being successful mean having lots of money and fame? But for me, success shouldn't be defined by how much money you make, how high your grade point average is, or what circle you navigate towards.

There isn't a one-word answer to define what success means. My personal definition of success is being rich without wealth. To be successful it is necessary to be rich, but how can you be rich without an overflowing bank account and a bursting wallet.

Become rich with experiences; ones you can look back upon without any regret. You can be rich with happiness; even when things don't always go as we planned. Have rich connections and bond with your family, friends and peers. Instead of wasting your days away staring at a clock, stop worrying and become rich with time. Keep expanding your mind by being rich with creativity and new ideas. There is so much more to being rich than having money.

Maybe you are going to focus on money rather than living an enriched lifestyle, maybe money is your definition of success but when you look up success in the dictionary I hope you can see past the simply worded definition. It is my hope that you can live a successful lifestyle without focusing on your bank statement and anything, that instead, you can live rich with happiness. Let us live because, let's face the fact, success isn't wealth.

VALUING OUR FAMILY

Family is the single most important part of our life. Ever since, they are the one who teach us about values and serve one another as well as sharing life's joys and sorrow. They said that "The Family is the first essential cell of human society". Family may be has nothing to do with genes but and everything to do with love, compassion and support. We can define the word family in many things and can mean anything. Either your friend is your family or your certain someone.

There's no perfect family in every part of this world. There's always a misunderstanding between each member. However, when you have nowhere else to go, family is your route. Family will welcome you with open arms and and will always forgave you despite all the mistakes you've done.

But let's be practical, not all family are like that. Sometimes, they will dumped you for being 'like this', 'like that', 'why can't you be like that someone'. If you didn't reached their expectations, they will be disappointed of you and accused you of being an irresponsible daughter/son. And that sucks.

No one wants to be ever compared over someone else. We have our own characteristics, prowess and anything. We differs in everything. The question is, 'Would you still follow your parents' order even though you are not happy at all? Would you give up your happiness for them?

One of you might answered YES, because how could we disobeyed them where in fact they are the one who raised and feed us. In specific, we are just scared to be dump thinking we have nowhere else to go and that we are used to have them in our back. And for the word family.

We value our family so much that even sacrificed our own happiness for them. But for they are always right and always will even how hard it is to reach their high expectations.

WHEN YOU ARE INTROVERT

Introvert people never had their comfort zone. They always enjoying spending their time alone. Being an introvert was really hard for me. I may be enjoying being alone but there's this something inside I was lacking about. I only had two real friends in class. One was my cousin and the other one was an otaku. There's this day when my otaku seatmate was absent and I have no pair for the activity. And my other seatmate wants to work with her friend who was on rank no.1.  I just shrugged my shoulders off and started the activity right away. Working without a pair was really hard for me because the activity the teacher have given has a really long solution. But still I finished it.

Being alone without any other friends was no good. I felt a stabbed in my heart as I made my way to my room. I lying in my bed while looking up the ceiling and thinking about how bad my day was. I grabbed my journal from the cabinet and I started to write such emotional and mourning poems I've been keeping for a very long time. I was totally hurt and somewhat disappointed of myself as to why I am like this? Why I feel like I don't belong to them? What's worse is that I don't feel like I even exist when I'm around them.

My every day was no special at all. I woke up early and go to school then go home and write something in my journal. And that repeat endlessly.

But as time passes by, I can say I am better than I was. I concur that by writing poems, I expressed my emotions to I've been keeping for a very long time. It's like an effective medicine that gradually heals me. And with that I started to change myself slowly. I gained friends who genuinely cares for me and treating me like I belong to their group even though we just know each other not so long ago.

I recommend that when you are lonely, Tru to write something from your heart and vent your grudges and hatred through writing. Trust me, just by simply doing it, you will be better.

WHEN DETECTIVE NOVEL HITS YOU

Have you ever heard how cool detective novel is?

I was very late to discover such amazing detective novels. I was used to just chilling and minding my own business but when life's suddenly becomes boring, reading has been my counterpart. With that I also started to lost interest about mere things and anything which I can say a one good effect (my opinion). I was been told by my friends that I am no more my old self. I was stupid, I can say. I has this mind like a ten year old kid when I was in junior high. I lacked of knowledge about simple things and such. I want to pinch my old self for not getting matured early. Somehow I just laughed alone when I remembered how silly I was back then. But we all believe that people do change, don't we?

By reading detective novels, I started to think in a more mature way of solving problems rather than just giving vague explanations of who did that and why they did it. It catched my interest and preferences, I guess. Who wouldn't love mystery novels nowadays?

However, I've also got some quiet good benefits of reading these cool types of book is that-- as what I have experienced, you become the character that is there in the book. My perceptions in life has changed too and I believed it is because of the attitude of the character I was reading. Like I became keen observer, which was not so me. I also know how to crack codes and learned some. I was imagining myself like I was some sort of detective like Sherlock Holmes, Shinichi Kudo and of course, the very cool amongst all, Loki Mendez.

Some of you might think that it really does no good to me but everyone, we have this thing called taste and preferences. Like you can't just force someone to also like what you are liking. I keeps on recommending these books to my friends but it seemed like they were not interested at all. And that makes me disappointed.

If I were to choose amongst mystery novel and a romantic one. I will surely pick the former. Romantic novel is good but mystery novel is far more better.

Things have gone very hard right now because I couldn't buy any of those books displayed in the store. Like it's teasing me because I have no money to spend for them. I was really trying my best to save money to buy those but school payments is dragging me down.

Nonetheless, I believe time will come and I'd have it my hand while making a gargling sound saying 'my precious' using Smeagol's voice. But anyway, no matter how hard the life right now, if I have my book, I wouldn't mind thinking about anything. I can say reading mystery novels has become one of my passion and I will never bothered giving up on it over anything non-sense this world has.

DREAMS OVER FRIENDSHIP? FRIENDSHIP OVER DREAMS?

Dreams and friendship, should you choose between them? Shall you pursue one and leave the other alone? Or, should you pursue your dreams with your friends?

Let's talk about dreaming first. Dreams are meant to be live. I've read and heard about this, which made me think, other people around me reached their dreams without their old friends. I've seen them on their social medias. And others are so busy with their dreams that they've forgotten about their friends while others are busy hanging out with their friends that they've forgotten about their dreams.

Then what is friendship? Is it a bad thing especially when you're achieving goals in life or rather, it would help you to become stronger. Friendship is just a wonderful thing that could happen between people. It's like God has given you another brother or sister that you treat them as you family. Based from what I've experienced, other friends stayed longer than love relationship. Some I've cut them out of my life. The reason why is that they aren't real and bad-mouthed me behind my back. It really does take years before you realize what kind of relationship do you have with this people. Are they too clingy? Are they fake? Leaving you behind? Or a true friend/s that wouldn't leave you in case of trouble?. We can never know.

Dreams and friendship are both wonderful things made by God, through our minds and hearts. These people are talking can tear you apart, can make you cry or laugh. But then at the end of the day, would it be better if you could reach and live your dreams together with your friend. A strong bond that will motivate you to work harder and to achieve more goals together.

[gisachi]

ShiRan kiss prompts #12

Hi...sorry for the long wait. ^^;; Burnout hitting me like crazy, but I want to deliver new content so here it is, and I hope this is okay! This went waaay above my word count limit but whatever. xD Also I realized only after I finished writing this that I kinda strayed away from the prompt so I’m sorry if this played out differently from what you’re expecting, Anon! 😬✌🏼

12. Sneaking away to a hidden corner to share a secretive kiss. (2,363 words)

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Something’s off about Shinichi lately.

Between them, Ran knows herself as the moodier one, so it comes as a surprise when she starts to notice Shinichi acting sourly around her in class. When something bugs him, he usually won’t hesitate to tell her right away, so the fact that he isn’t bringing this one up bothers her a little.

This moodiness has been going on for two weeks. And two weeks ago was the arrival of Sakuraba-kun, a transfer student from London.

Sakuraba-kun’s fairly attractive with his blonde hair and brown eyes, and can speak a little Japanese because his father is one. Girls from their class envy Ran for being assigned by their sensei to assist him with Japanese classes, Ran being his seatmate. So for the past two weeks, she’s often seen around him, making sure he gets his homework done, and Sakuraba-kun cracks jokes once in a while and Ran laughs. A fun lot this classmate is.

“Do you find him attractive?” Shinichi asked her once as they ate lunch.

“He has nice features,” Ran casually replied, not finding the need to add, ‘but he’s not my type’, so as not to thread into the topic of who her real type is, with him.

Sometimes, she sees from her peripherals how the guys in their class whisper something to Shinichi, only for them to snigger and his face to contort into a god-awful frown and curse them away, and then the rest of the day is just him sulking and staring out the window.

Sometimes, before she and Shinichi go up the rooftop for lunch, they bump into Sakuraba-kun and he stalls them for a few minutes, and Shinichi tries to get into the conversation but Sakuraba-kun brushes him off everytime, leaving him peculiarly quiet the remainder of lunch break.

Sometimes, Sakuraba-kun catches up with them on the school gate before starting their walk home, and he goes in between him and her as he walks with them for two blocks before they part ways. Consistently, Shinichi releases a ‘tch’ under his breath whenever Sakuraba-kun places his hands on Ran’s shoulders before bidding her - only her - goodbye.

One time, during their walk home to which Sakuraba-kun wasn’t invited, he openly asked Ran about her relationship with Shinichi, having noticed how they always walked home together. She blushed at the question, unable to meet Shinichi’s eyes as she stammered, “Uh, we-we’re—”

“She’s my best friend. And I’m hers. Anything wrong with that?” Shinichi butted in, face blank but voice dead serious as he walked ahead without looking at their direction.

When he noticed that the two weren’t walking along, he glanced back and saw an amused Sakuraba and a blushing Ran tucking her hair behind her ear.

“Yeah, something like that…” her eyes remained fixated to the ground, Shinichi’s ‘and I’m hers’ replaying in her ear like a broken record.

“Mm. So, just friends?” Sakuraba-kun’s eyes drifted between Ran and Shinichi. He beamed annoyingly and patted Shinichi’s shoulders for the first time.

“That’s nice to know, Kudou-san,” he simpered, winked and walked away.

In those two weeks, that’s the first time Ran heard Shinichi audibly grumble.

The rest of their walk was spent in silence.

.

.

The next day was even worse. First period hadn’t even begun and Shinichi’s already as quiet as a rock, which only happened when he’s deep in thought about something. Ran wanted to ask him why, but her attempts always got interrupted by Sakuraba-kun asking for her help in some homework he probably knew the answer to already.

Before she knew it, the day’s already over and as she packed her bag, Shinichi silently drew near her desk.

“Ran, can we talk?”

“Oh, Shinichi. About what?”

“Hey, Ran-san! Are you ready for tomorrow?” the London boy interfered, shouting to her from across the door, “I already asked mom to cook her signature meat pie and I’m sure you’ll love it!”

Flashing him a kind smile, Ran waved him goodbye. “Yes, I’ll see you then, Sakuraba-kun!”

He disappeared out the door, and Ran returned her attention to Shinichi, who witnessed their interaction and was now eyeing her questioningly.

“Sakuraba-kun invited me to his house for tomorrow’s tutoring session,” she began, before he could even ask.

“Okay,” Shinichi nodded his head, averting his gaze to the window. “Okay. I see.”

There was thick silence; she swore she could hear a needle drop.

“I’ll go with you,” he said, and Ran’s eyes widened.

“I, uh... I’m not sure, Shinichi.”

“Why?”

“Sakuraba-kun said to come alone, since his flat isn’t big enough for more than five people, given his parents and brother are there.”

Shinichi perked an eyebrow.

“That guy asked you to come alone?”

She nodded.

“And you agreed?”

“I...don’t find anything wrong with it?”

His nose wrinkled in distate.

“Ran. A transfer student we barely know is inviting you to his house, instructing you to come. Alone. Aren’t you getting a little too comfortable with this?”

He said that with a slightly raised voice, and Ran’s eyes narrowed into crinkled slits. What was he implying? Was he really going to get mad at this?

“What’s with that ridiculous mindset, Shinichi? Sakuraba-kun isn’t up to anything bad. I can confirm that because he showed Sonoko and I his flat last week and-”, she paused midway, biting her lip.

More silence, and she knew right then she wound him up when she saw his jaw visibly clench.

“You went there, and you didn’t tell me?”

“B-Because! You’re going to get upset again,” she gestured vaguely at him, “Like that.”

He threw his head back, pinching the bridge of his nose. “God, you think wrong. I’m feeling worse. The hell are you like that?”

“The hell am I...like…Excuse me?”

In that moment something in her snapped. Apart from his spiteful tone, he didn’t even seem to think through the ramifications of his words. She was just trying to be considerate. But the way she saw it, he’s making her feel like it was entirely her responsibility why he felt worse.

“I don’t get it Shinichi,” she clenched her fist, tight. “Why are you so upset with me when it comes to Sakuraba-kun?”

“What? Is it wrong to be worried for my best friend?” he answered with an equally frustrated voice.

“That’s a lie and your smart brain needs to think of a better reason!” Ran screeched, taking him aback.

“Even if he isn’t doing anything to me in school you’re still acting so bitterly and I don’t understand why! And it only happens with Sakuraba-kun! Just admit that you’re being immature hating on another who hasn’t done you wrong!”

“What?! I-”

She saw the strong urge in him to say something but deciding against it the last minute.

It wasn’t her intention to shout but she couldn’t help it. If only he wasn’t this overbearingly flippant. If only he was more careful with the words he said, and wasn’t saying. Isn’t saying.

She waited for him to speak but instead, he ruffled his hair, grabbed his satchel and walked away, not even giving her a second look.

“Forget it. Go if you want to.”

That day, Shinichi and Ran didn’t walk home together.

.

.

The last bell rings and people start to dissipate. Shinichi refuses to talk to her the whole day, and Ran internally struggles as to whether she’ll talk to him first and apologize.

For what, though? She cannot even explain what happened yesterday. As far as she knows she didn’t do anything bad, maybe apart from being a little too harsh with her choice of words.

But it’s Shinichi who started it, she thinks. So she decides to hold on for a little longer, ignoring the little pang in her chest.

She really hates it when this happens.

Her phone pings to an email notification from Sakuraba-kun saying he’s waiting for her at the school gate. She blinks at it and closes her phone. At this point she isn’t even sure if she wants to go. But sensei has given her this job of tutoring him, and she must comply.

That makes her think. Sakuraba-kun is nice and all, but does tutoring him come with the obligation of teaching him whenever, wherever he pleases?

She sighs, pushes herself out of the chair, and stares at Shinichi’s back from two seats away. How she wishes Shinichi’s doing this with her so he can at least talk her through it.

...

But isn’t that what he tried to do yesterday?

“Are you still going?”

Without looking behind him, he addresses her, and she knows it’s for her because they’re the only ones left in the room. Instantly her mind snaps back to her irritation at him.

“Yes.” She replies, purposely hinting annoyance through her voice.

Shinichi exhales sharply, rolls his eyes and stares out the window.

Seeing that there’s no use arguing and Shinichi doesn’t seem to be in any mood to talk, Ran gets her satchel and walks out the classroom. Before she descends the stairs, she hears the sliding door open and his voice reaching out to her.

“Don’t go, damnit!”

Ran stops walking, half turning her head over her shoulder. “Why?”

“Don’t go there alone. Or at least. Study with him in a coffee shop or somewhere.”

“Shinichi.”

“Or just take me with you.”

“I’m asking you, Shinichi. Why?”

He doesn’t speak, letting the silence linger on, shallow footsteps of people echoing from afar.

“Do you like him?” he asks lowly, voice barely above a whisper.

“What? No! What’s with you, Shinichi?!” Ran scowls, this time turning around to face him.

“Have you ever thought that the reason he wants you alone is because he likes you?”

Ran’s lips shut tight, unable to reply. She won’t admit that that does cross her mind a few times, but she isn’t one to care so she sets it aside.

“Have you thought of the repercussions of being alone with a guy who likes you and wants you alone in his house?”

“He isn’t—”

“Have you ever thought that maybe the reason why I’m in a foul mood is because I don’t want that to happen?”

Ran would’ve been blushing if she isn’t so peeved.

“So it’s about what you want now? I’m not gonna go because that’s what Shinichi wants?”

“Then do you want to be alone with him in his room?”

“I’m just going to help him with his homework! You make it sound like I’m wanting to—”

“So you don’t, right?”

“Y-You’re giving me weird thoughts now! Baka Shinichi!”

He drags his feet to her, still not done talking.

“Then, have you ever thought that the reason why I’m in a foul mood is because you’re spending a lot more time with him than you are with me and god, I hate it?”

“B-But I need to because sensei asked m- Huh? Wh—”

“Have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe, about you, I-” breath short, he stops just before her, eyes never leaving hers. Ran’s face heats up, realizing how close he is now when a minute ago he’s just by the door of the classroom.

Gulping hard, she stands her ground, trying to look unfazed. She takes one step forward, meeting him eye to eye.

“Stop with the questions and answer me first, Shinichi!” she demands, voice laced with authority. “Why? Why do you not want me there? Why hate on him?”

He opens his mouth and closes it again, fists clenching and unclenching.

“And don’t tell me you have the right as my best friend to say all these because Sonoko is my best friend too and she doesn’t get mad when I’m with Sakuraba-kun!”

From the distance Ran sees two of their teachers talking to each other, walking to their direction. They don’t have much time. She doesn’t want their teachers asking them why they’re still around because she doesn’t know how she’ll explain this, and Sakuraba-kun is waiting for her outside.

“Answer me.”

She tries to sound commanding, but his silence exasperates her and she feels the corner of her eyes sting. Screw this. Once the teachers get nearer, she’ll just leave him like that and endure this petty fight for one more day.

“Just- whatever, Shinichi. I’ll-”

“Ugh. You want to know why?”

Not giving her time to reply, he grabs her wrist and pulls her behind the wall by the stairs, pinning her not so gently but not so forcefully either. Ran’s eyes widen, and shortly after uttering the first syllable of his name, she is stopped by his lips clashing with hers, muffling the rest of her sound.

His lips are firm and compelling, enough to paralyze her neck down. It lasts so quickly that Ran doesn’t even have time to close her eyes before he separates.

With eyes still closed and brows furrowed, he rests his forehead against hers and breathes heavily, cheeks as red as the setting sun spilling over their faces.

Her pulse starts to gallop a hundred miles per hour.

“Shi...n…”

“Don’t go.”

Hearing him say that again, more expressively this time, makes her forget how to breathe. And when she does attempt to breathe, he closes in again and captures her lips.

Though the press of his mouth remains commanding, there’s this certain softness in it that makes all the spite in her heart disappear. She suddenly forgets why they’re fighting, overpowered by her need to close her eyes and just...feel.

To feel his hand climb the crook of her neck, resting below her ear. To feel his grip soften around her wrist, holding her like a fragile glass he doesn’t want to break. To feel his chest against hers thunder from his raging heart, dancing in sync with her equally restless one. To feel his silky lips move against her dry ones, kissing her lovingly like he is hers, and she, his.

Has she been misunderstanding him all along?

He opens his eyes slowly, meeting hers. She loses herself at the waterfall of emotions gushing from his eyes, a mixture of affection and frustration and everything else in between.

“That’s why.”

.

.

.

#shinran #fanfic #kiss prompts #ok admittedly this isnt the best one ive done #i wrote this with a saturated brain #so i was having a real hard time #and kinda gave up editing and left it like this #i just dont want to leave it sitting in my drafts for so long that ill end up not posting it #im sorry im so negative #jkashdkags #but still thank u Anon for the request #now lemme just rest my fried brain first lmao #thank you for reading!!

[mintchocolateleaves]

Cost of Freedom (20/52)

In which the Tokyo police department get the reports from Solitary. Prison!AU

[Beginning]     [Previous Chapter]    [Next Chapter]

Tokyo MPD - 3.54 pm

“They took their time sending it over,” Aoko’s father says when she returns to division two. She, Hakuba and Ran had left for lunch after Ran’s stomach had started to growl, and after deciding on tempura, they’d left the busy police station behind. “But here are the reports from solitary. I printed copies for you.”

Her father doesn’t hand them to her, but rather to Hakuba and while it irritates Aoko that he’s trusting the teenager who dragged Kaito away over her, she doesn’t say anything.

Maybe because she knows it useless. It’s not like her father thinks she can find KID - she’d not known even when she’d been standing next to him.

Aoko shakes her head, and perches on the chair beside Ran.

“Aoko wants to read Kaito’s first,” she says, glancing at Hakuba. “Before either Hakuba or Ran-chan reads it.”

It’s a selfish request, she knows, but out of the three of them, she feels like she’s the one entitled to know what happened to him. Hakuba hesitates - clearly he wants to read them before the girls, wants to be the first one to know everything, how utterly like him. But he doesn’t hold onto the papers when Ran flicks through the pages, tugs papers from his fingers.

“Ran-san…” Hakuba says, but Ran doesn’t offer an explanation to him, simply placing the papers down in front of Aoko, offering a smile.

“We’ll look over Shinichi’s reports,” Ran says, “you read over Kuroba-kun’s, and we’ll swap in a minute, okay?”

Aoko mouths ‘thank you’ before looking down at the papers. There aren’t that many pages, no more than ten, and one glance at Kudo’s tells her that the ex-detective had gotten into far more trouble than Kaito had. (Either that, or time is a large factor. Aoko isn’t actually that sure.)

She decides not to spare the amount of pages any additional though, and instead, leans forward, both elbows on the desk, immersing herself in Kaito’s report.

Incident report - Prisoner 093253

The inmate was found attempting to escape in the gatehouse at approx. 2350.

Initial period of two days in solitary confinement has been issued by Guard: XXXX

Somehow, Aoko isn’t surprised about this incident. It’s kind of… expected when it comes to Kaito - he’s not the type of person who’s taken much notice of the rules. It’s expected of KID too, the escape artist that he is, who wouldn’t suspect him of trying to scheme his way out of prison.

This report, she skims over with only mild interest. It’s more technical than she’d expected, and Kaito doesn’t really do anything over the days. The reports did say that he was electrocuted though, but the guard who had caught him, so she suspects that he’d probably be quieter. He always did seem to be less outrageous whenever he was sick, recovering from flus and any other illnesses he’d had.

She turns the page, glances over the next incident - there are only two, if the markings (2/2) mean anything - and takes a deep breath.

Inmate was issued three days of solitary confinement following an outburst within visiting room A.

It’s not until she sees some of the transcribed outbursts he’d made that Aoko remembers to breathe again. She shudders, choppy breaths hitched as she glances over claims of innocence and death penalties and-

Aoko turns the page. She can’t keep reading Kaito’s words - they echo in her head, Kaito’s voice ringing out, sounding vaguely similar to the way he’d cried alongside her when his father had died. The next page is less painful to read over.

Well, the first half of his second visit to solitary confinement isn’t painful. He’s mostly quiet, there aren’t many notes written down. From the looks of the pages, he’s a perfect inmate, well behaved when he’s sat inside his cell.

It doesn’t seem very much like Kaito, for the first three days of solitary. He’s never been well behaved. Ever since they’d first met beneath the clocktower, Kaito had been pulling pranks and creating trouble. Never once has Aoko seen him play by the rules; he’s always had a passion for standing out, not fitting in.

Aoko sighs.

Then, she turns the page, and she sees it.

Possible visual hallucinations. Inmate’s grown more unsettled over the course of days 4-5.

Aoko bites her cheek. Her gaze lingers over the word 'unsettled’ before dragging it down to the transcribed conversation they’d written in the report. It’s not complete, starts halfway through, and while she’s certain something big had happened before hand, she’s not exactly sure whether it’s enough to lead to… this.

“The difference is easy to find.” - “Then tell me.” - “Aoko doesn’t want to.” - “Just tell me!”

Despite her best efforts, Aoko lets out a sob. It is quiet, at first. A silent shudder not unlike the tears she’d shed months ago, when she’d first found out, when she’d first learned of the connection between KID and Kaito, and the realisation that Kaito wasn’t going to catch the bus with her to their entrance exams at Musashi university. 

She wipes at her eyes the same way she had when Keiko had promised they’d go together instead, the same way she’d brushed away tears as she’d waited by the phone for her idiot best friend to call and just explain everything to her.

Her body collapses on itself as she turns the page, forcing herself to read everything, the same way it had when she’d spent an entire evening waiting for her father to come home from work. He’d solved the case, hadn’t he, so why had he kept her waiting?

She was always left behind… By the people she love, by time. By life.

Another sob. She reaches the final page, skims the contents until she’s reached the final word. When she looks up, tears blurring her sight, Hakuba and Ran haven’t seemed to notice her - she’s glad. All she needs to do is go clean herself up, and then… then she’ll be able to focus on finding Kaito, that idiot, and reading over Kudo’s file.

She pushes her seat out from beneath the table, stands. Then, at the sight of watermarks on the pages beneath her, Aoko stills. She flips the paper over.

“I’ll be back in a moment,” Aoko says, turning away from the table so that no one can see her face. She doesn’t give either Hakuba or Ran any opportunity to respond and is out of the room before either can respond.

“Ran-san…”

“Yes,” Ran says, turning to look at Saguru. She’s watched Aoko’s departure out of the corner of her eye, had seen the tears soaking paper, “I saw.”

“Should we-”

His phone buzzes in his pocket, and Saguru glances down. He glances down, reads the number on across the screen, before looking back up at Ran.

“I’ll go check on Aoko-chan.” She says, when he says it’s Hattori. “You answer that call, I’ll be back in a while.”

Saguru nods. “…Make sure she’s alright? Aoko-kun… she doesn’t like to let anyone know she’s suffering.”

Ran wraps her hands around her stomach, standing up. It sounds familiar, almost like Ran is the one being described. She remembers how hard it had been the first initial months without Shinichi, and she’d been able to visit him - Aoko… as far as she knows, hasn’t had any contact with him since his arrest.

“I will.” Ran promises, leaving the room in pursuit.

Aoko doesn’t make it to the bathroom.

She curls in on herself halfway down the second corridor, slides down the wall until she reaches the floor and lets herself cry. She’s glad for the urgency within the station, because no one stops to ask if she’s okay, to wrapped up in their own business to inquire about hers.

She can hear the transcript in her head, can hear Kaito’s words as if they’re being spoken right in front of her. She doesn’t know why she’s so overwhelmed, why she feels like someone is twisting her intestines - shouldn’t she be glad that Kaito was thinking about what she’d asked?

“Just tell me!”

His words filled her lungs like water. It was her fault, wasn’t it, for the torment he’d endured? When he’d called, she’d just caused more suffering, when she should have been understanding, should have known he’d been punished enough, that she shouldn’t have added to it by making him question…

“Aoko-chan.”

Aoko stills at the voice, but refuses to look up. Instead, she closes her eyes, trying to ignore the shuffling as Ran sits beside her. Glancing through the small hole between her legs and her arms, she notices that Ran is sat cross legged beside her.

“It hurts, doesn’t it,” Ran whispers after a few minutes of silence, “to read what they’ve gone through?”

Aoko doesn’t respond.

“The last time I saw Shinichi… He asked me to give up on him.” She pauses, chokes on the words. “And… I don’t think my heart would have been able to cope with that if I hadn’t been able to talk to anyone about it.”

They’ve not talked much before, Aoko knows, but there is some sort of link between them already. They both have to live with an absence in their lives, and Aoko wonders whether Ran is hurting as much as she is.

“You genuinely think Kudo-kun is innocent?” She asks, and tries not to sob when Ran responds with a quiet, yet firm, ‘I do’. “Well… Aoko knows that Kaito is guilty. She knows that he’s KID. She just doesn’t know how to feel about it.”

The curiosity behind KID’s identity had created her, has built Aoko into the person she is today. All of the protests against KID, all the time spent hating him and… and then her curiosity had just as easily destroyed her. How stupid that she’d told herself to never trust a liar - to never trust a thief - and yet… here she is… unable to figure out where she stands.

“What was Kuroba-kun like?” Ran asks. “I always find that it’s easier to figure out how you feel, from the memories you first come up with.”

Aoko closes her eyes, lifts her head up from her arms and leans back against the wall. She wipes away her tears, and she thinks.

“Kaito was…” She racks her brain for words, pictures him in her brain and scratches at her arm with nails. “Aoko doesn’t think he loved anything more than a crowd… He probably cared more about what everyone thought than what Aoko ever did.”

Beside her, Ran reaches out a hand, taking Aoko’s. She gives it a soft squeeze.

“And… he was always close enough to touch, but never close enough to Aoko to let himself get hurt,” she says, “Kaito was always the one saving Aoko, all the time. Even though he was always such a nuisance and constantly embarrassed Aoko daily, he never let anyone else make fun of her.”

Another squeeze, and Aoko falters as she searches for words.

“We went to find a monster in school once, and Kaito tried to keep Aoko safe…” She hesitates, “Aoko just wishes…” No, the illeism doesn’t seem right… not at the moment. She pushes it away. “I just wish that I hadn’t put all my faith in him.”

Emotion crashes over her like waves to the shore - hatred for KID, guilt that it means all this time Kaito has been conflicted, sadness now he’s gone… Fear that she’ll never see him again.

“We give away things we won’t ever get back,” Ran says, and when Aoko opens her eyes, there are tears in the other girls eyes as well. “But it’s okay… Those boys probably need it more anyway.”

Aoko glances at Ran, chokes on another sob. She says, “We need to get back-”

“The investigation can wait a little longer.” Ran says. “It’s okay to have a bit of time to ourselves.”

Aoko blinks, shudders again. This time, when Ran squeezes her hand, Aoko squeezes back.

“Aoko doesn’t know who Kaito is anymore…” She whispers, and then she is sobbing again, fingers wrapping around Ran’s jumper, tears staining fabric. She lets out a wail, pain bleeding from her - the thought of never hearing Kaito’s laugh again overwhelming her until she feels like her heart is disintegrating, turning into ash.

And it hurts, because even if she doesn’t know who he is anymore, she’s still willing to love him endlessly. Because even after everything that’s happened with KID she’s still unable to let go of the red string of fate that binds them together.

It’s agonising, because in the end, he still matters the most.

#Are you crying? Because I sure am #Hahaha #I have no words #other than #ENJOY #Team Haku centric this chapter #Fic: Cost of freedom #dcmk #mywriting #Kuroba Kaito #Kudo Shinichi #Mouri Ran #Nakamori Aoko #Hakuba Saguru #Mentions of Nakamori Ginzo #suffer