Time, Cherry Blossoms & the Moon

A/N: Warnings for overwhelming sy-ap - another level higher than ordinary was written some time ago after watching the 7th Detective Conan Movie: Crossroads in the Ancient Capital. A completely beautiful movie - it's got Heiji/Kazuha moments!! (does happy dance then remembers studying needs to be done so I won't fail my finals - Nooooo!!) Anyway, this would probably make a bit more sense if you've watched the movie. But even if it doesn't make sense, I hope you enjoy this. Have a nice read! :)

Disclaimer: Detective Conan & Magik Kaito (c) Gosho Aoyama. Dangit.

Jikan

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Japan is known as the Land of the Rising Sun since it's the first country in the world to receive the sun's bright light. The pre-dawn hours however are often darker than the night, like the deeper level of sleep that come some hours after one has gone to bed. It is in these hours that people sink into the lull of slumber and not easily roused. Hours perfect for those not wanting to be seen, creatures who prefer the dark to the light for numerous reason; perfect for thieves.

A figure stood against the walls of one of the buildings that offered a greater view of Tokyo. He remained very still, hidden in the shadows, not reacting to the cold wind that ruffled his clothes or the faraway noises of the city below.

For his mind was far away, soaring past the years and arriving at a time much simpler than the present. A time when his innocence was still alive and bright within him, unaware of the things his life was going to bring him… like her.

He had met her here, he recalled. He had seen the quiet, sad looking expression on her face and wondered why. After a minute of contemplating, he asked her what she was doing there.

Who knew after one short afternoon, she would be his greatest friend… and greatest fear. Because some time after her arrival, something else entered his life… a revelation that changed his life forever. It meant too much to be ignored and though it had cost him a normal life and gained him more enemies than he cared to have, it had given him another life he seemed to have been born for. It made him more aware of the abilities he had within and at times, it was a valuable teacher to have.

However, it was also the source for his many secrets, the reason for most of the lies, the cause of his greatest friend and love (he didn't deny it too strongly anymore) also being his greatest fear.

She was the source of his strength and hope. Were she to know the truth, he was certain she would leave. She would turn away from him and he would fall. He would fall desperately without hope of ever coming back up. And it hurt him to know she couldn't possibly stay. She had loyalties far more significant.

But, a small voice whispered, surely she had a bond with him? Surely the both of them had loyalties to each other as well…?

His journey wasn't over. Far from it in fact. But he needed answers before it was too late. Before she went too far for him to catch, he needed to ask her.

The sudden decision had been made when he passed by the building he was on. It had reminded him how deceptively easy it could be for him to slip into a routine without realizing they were moving on. It reminded him how little time he had left before he would lose her forever, regardless of whether she knew the whole truth or not.

They were no longer children, whose innocence remained untouched. They were no longer teenagers, with time still to grow and adjust.

They were grown up… and he would rather have her know now than in a time when he couldn't reach her.

She had to know.

A sound near him didn't make him turn. Soft footsteps echoed uncertainly across the ground and the figure of a young lady with a mind that was sharper than those who didn't know her expected could be seen. As he watched, she looked around rather hesitantly before calling out.

"Are you there?"

He looked at his watch. It wouldn't be long till daybreak. He drew in a breath before answering, his voice steadier than his emotions.

"That depends."

"…what?"

He called out again. "That depends on who you're looking for."

There was a moment's silence before she boldly answered. "That's your voice isn't it! Then, it's you I'm looking for!"

"Are you sure?"

He could feel the confused hesitation before her answer. "…of course."

So it was time. Taking in another deep breath, he slowly stepped out from the shadows, making himself heard so as not to frighten her. She turned to look at him and blinked in surprise.

"Before you say anything," he began without stopping. "I asked you out here because I couldn't think of any other better way."

He closed the distance between them and getting down on one knee, held up something that sparkled slightly in the dim light of coming dawn.

"Nakamori Aoko, will you marry me, Kaitou Kid also known as 1412 also known as the Phantom Thief also known as Kuroba Kaito?"

As he waited for her answer, he wondered if he had somehow lost his mind. Thinking if she could have her most hated enemy as also a boyfriend for three years now, he had thought maybe she could have him as someone to have and to hold for the rest of her life.

She stared at his serious, anxious face for a few moments before answering with a completely straight face.

"You idiot."

Apparently not. Kaito's heart began to sink. This wasn't turning out the way he had envisioned it.

"You idiot for making me wake up at five in the morning to come out here and listen to you ask me if I'll marry you!! Of course I will!!"

Blinking, he grinned as he got up and slid the ring onto finger. Aoko looked at him silently for several minutes, the smile on her face seemingly permanent. Finally, she spoke up slowly.

"It's going to be difficult, you know."

He smiled back. "I know. But I've got you, haven't I?"

"Yes… yes, you have."

Kissing her, Kaito wrapped his arms around Aoko from behind and leaned his head against hers, watching the soft glows of the sunrise together. And high above them, the magnificent clock tower rang out.

Sakura

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Afternoon was barely noticed in the cities such as busy Beika and bustling Kansai. It was only a time to come out of the cold, organized buildings, catch an all too quick bite to eat and head back into the dreary routine of work.

However the afternoons passed on slower for the quieter countryside and suburbs. The warm sun was at its peak and the hours seemed to slow down if one wasn't engrossed in any work. The afternoon also brought warmth in the months of autumn and winter; when trees shed their leaves and flowers seemed to disappear.

But one type of flower stayed in memory and in the heart, whether spring or winter, night or day. It was a flower that the people of Japan knew well and it was a flower everyone grew up with. Flowers that had seen all sorts of happenings, but mostly, the cherry blossoms had witnessed the births and deaths of relationships. Short lived as the blossom was, it was important to everyone, whether lovers or warriors.

And one amongst them always stopped to look at the cherry blossoms. Slowing down and stopping were rare things in this one's movements. Like a katana, they were always quick, precise, and to the point, allowing no time to pause and think. But he would always take the time to stop and gaze at the flowers, his mind suddenly slowing down to meet one single memory.

Right now, he was doing just that. Letting the wind blow about him, he stopped in front of a swaying cherry blossom tree in the park, hands in his pockets. A parked motorbike was just outside.

It always seemed that he only came when the cherry blossoms fell. He wondered why for a moment then put the thought away for another time. He started to stroll along a path, surrounded by falling pink and white petals, dancing with the wind. As he did so, another memory unfolded like a blooming flower after the first.

One memory had occurred years before but never forgotten. How could he? How could one possibly forget the first time he discovered a mystery so precious, it stayed with him to this day and possibly till the end of his days?

The second memory wasn't so far off, but as unforgettable and as important as its predecessor. A memory of a solving of a mystery.

What surprised him though was the fact that he had taken eight long years to figure the mystery out. Eight years had been spent wondering and searching when she had been right in front of his nose. Him, whose brain and brawn were often sharpened over and over, failed to solve that one mystery till that innocent afternoon at the railway station.

Then again, the saying that people always forget what was nearest to them had been coined for a reason.

The revelation had come upon him so quietly; it had stunned him for an instant. But for only one short instant. It had seemed so glaringly obvious when it dawned on him that he just managed to resist the urge to kick himself in the behind. Still, he had just smiled and continued on, never saying anything out of the ordinary, never acting out of the ordinary, keeping her totally clueless to his discovery.

From the very beginning, he had always seen her as something just a little bit more than usual. Nothing he could put his finger on… just that she was important to him and he couldn't lose her… like the cherry blossoms were to the people of Japan.

And just like the unassuming cherry blossoms that he never noticed until a certain time, she had never changed in his eyes until that very moment.

For some reason, he had never been able to see that she was the one he saw amidst the falling cherry blossoms. He had never even associated her for one second with such a romantic ideal. And she had never known… she had never known just who she was.

But what was important, he guessed, was that he finally managed to figure out how the pieces fell into such a perfect arrangement.

He stopped suddenly in his walk and his gaze fell straight ahead, veering away from the cherry blossom trees.

She was standing there, three feet in front of him, looking surprised.

"I thought you couldn't come?"

"Change of plans. I had to come and visit again."

Her face fell a little. "This place is important to you. Well," she brightened again albeit rather forcedly. "Did you find her?"

"Who?"

She placed her hands on her hips, annoyed. "Your first love of course! You said you saw her that time three years ago!"

He didn't answer her straight away as he remembered his words before, still gazing at her.

Maybe I'll tell you in 1500 years…

…Must be past 1500 years already. He looked away and held up a hand towards the tree. The wind threw him a cherry blossom that brushed against his fingers. Grasping it, he held it out to her.

"I did see her. I've been seeing her all my life."

She looked at him, confused. "What-"

Shaking his head, he reached out and took her hand. Placing the cherry blossom into it, he looked up again and gave her a smirk.

"Ahou. I've been seeing you all my life, haven't I?"

Kazuha blinked several times, fingers rubbing against the tiny flower in her hand…

Before throwing herself against Heiji and hugging him for all she was worth (as well as berating him for acting so frigid). As Heiji hugged her back, he felt the wind around him and several sakura brush against him. He smiled.

Finally, he could see her.

Tsuki

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It was night in The Land of the Rising Sun. It would be hours before the sun shone and woke the sleeping people of Japan. For now, they rested in their dreams.

But for those whose dreams were only visions of emptiness and loss, there was no rest or comfort of happy memories. Those were few. What appeared the most was the deep, dark fear of never returning home. The fear waxed and waned, coming and going in many forms in the deep hours of the night.

He was falling… falling into an abyss of darkness so black he could only hear the whistling of the wind in his ears. He heard people call out to him but he was unable to reply; his throat seemed to have closed in. He felt hands brush against him, frantically trying to hold onto him, trying to keep him from falling.

But he plummeted nonetheless despite his own efforts to clasp their own hands. He continued just going on and on, the abyss never ending. And he screamed although he could not be heard. His voice wasn't there but he still screamed for help, not wanting to fall…

No one came and he fell out of sight, swallowed by the sinister gloom.

Then the dreamer awoke, clutches of the nightmare slipping away like silk garments away from skin. The echoes of passing cars outside went unheard as he tried to breathe, tried to reassure himself that it was just a dream… just another nightmare that faded away…

Getting up softly in the dark, he wondered if he had really screamed. He hoped he hadn't woken anyone… he hoped he hadn't woken her. She had had a rough week and she needed her sleep. He walked slowly to the door and turned the knob, the dim light from outside coming through.

The floor was cold against his feet as he walked to the kitchen to get a glass of water. Just as he passed the balcony, the corner of his eye caught sight of something pale against the velvet tone of the sky. He turned and caught his breath.

It was the moon.

Neither a full glowing orb nor a thin slice of crescent. It was midway; a waxing gibbous moon. A quarter covered in darkness, the bigger part shining for those awake to see. It wouldn't be long before it grew to the full moon that held infinity of sentiments for the world.

A thin smile grew as he stood and stared. Water forgotten, his feet took him to the glass doors separating him from the balcony. Sliding it open, he stepped forward, feeling the cold of the night air sweeping about him.

One amongst the multitudes of legends, promises, hopes, dreams and memories the moon held, was his. It was a treasured memory; one he held near to him. It didn't surprise him how the smallest of matters could mean so much now and here, where he was. It reminded him of a time when things seemed so much clearer… back then, there were none of these nightmares. There was only soothing sleep, accompanied by occasional dreams. Dreams that had nothing to do with falling into dark abysses or losing his way in a myriad of paths only to lose sight of himself…

He shivered involuntarily, his arms folding in a reflex. But the sight of the moon soothed him. It gave him reminders that it wasn't all nightmares. It wasn't all dreams that shook him so badly he trembled for nearly an hour. Some were past memories that played back in his mind's eye and those were never scary. In fact, the memories were mostly about her.

Well, she could be scary at times but even then, he was never really scared. Just frightened enough to go on his knees and beg for mercy… He raised an eyebrow. She WAS that scary.

But it was only when he had done something really stupid that he suddenly found out he truly shouldn't have done. Or when she was protecting someone she cared about. Other times, she was so kind; it caused him to do his best and make sure she didn't get hurt. He knew she could take care of herself, not to mention taking care of him, but… it cut him inside whenever she got injured or got into trouble.

His heart grew heavy as he recalled the times he was the reason she had to cry. Too many times he had made her choke back a sob or try very hard to keep tears from coming. The guilt ate at him whenever he saw that familiar expression of sad resignation. She thinly hid the fact that she wasn't happy at all but that still didn't stop her from giving her encouragement when he needed it so badly.

The wind ruffled his mussed hair as he rubbed his left arm with his right hand, thinking back. Why was it that whenever he needed her, she was always there but when she needed him… he couldn't be there? Why was it that he couldn't repay her for what she always did: stick around with him, waiting so patiently to soothe his troubles as best as she could?

Those were good questions… but he couldn't answer them. There were some questions he knew, even the greatest of minds would never even begin to solve. Goodness knew how many times he beat himself on the head for being the idiot that he was but that never solved anything, did it?

The glow of the moon brought him back from the sadness welling within him. As he stared at it, the sadness slowly melted away, replaced by a memory. A memory of when the moonlight slid away to reveal the sweet smile of a girl whose only thoughts were about his safety instead of thinking up creative ways to kill him for making her wait two hours. And another time, when the moonlight once again faded back to show her concern and worry over him.

She was his hope, his protector… she was his moon in his sleepless nights.

Smiling, he turned to head back. And blinked to see her standing behind him, holding two glasses of milk. She smiled as she held out a glass.

"I heard you get up."

He shook his head as he took the glass. "You shouldn't be out here, not with your condition."

Chuckling, she allowed him to nag her back inside and sat down on the couch. As he returned from the bedroom with a blanket, she commented. "Shinichi, it's as if you're the one who's pregnant."

Shinichi frowned then softened as he watched her rub her swollen belly. "I just want to make sure nothing happens to you." Sitting beside her, he wrapped the blanket round her shoulders and put his arm round her. "I couldn't lose you, Ran. You know that." He said as he kissed her forehead.

Ran smiled widely then yawned. Her husband made her lean against him despite her protests. "What on earth will make you listen to me?" he asked in final exasperation.

After a minute's thought, she smiled. "You finish your milk."

He sighed. "Will you go to sleep if I promise to do so?"

"Yes." Said Ran with a smile.

Shinichi rolled his eyes, took the glass and gulped the milk down. He turned to her with an eyebrow raised. "Happy now?"

She leaned upwards and kissed him. "Now I'm happy. Night." Snuggling against him, she shut her eyes.

In the quiet of the night, Shinichi soon heard her even breathing and he sighed contentedly as sleep bore down on his eyes. As he slowly slipped into sleep, he looked at Ran's stomach. If it were a boy, it would be Conan (that was inevitable really). But should the baby be a girl…

Tsuki… the moon.

Shinichi fell asleep, arm round Ran and smile on his face, the nightmare gone at last.

.

Owari

A/N II: "Maybe in 1500 years..." and "Finally, he could see her" from Sakura came directly from the 7th movie. Just to give credit to the scriptwriters. Boy, I love that movie...