Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan/Case Closed.

Pairing: KaitoxShinichi

Heart of a Spell

Chapter 2 - Learning the Ropes

Life at the Kuroba mansion started out normally enough. Shinichi had been given his own suite of rooms—which was rather a lot more than he'd expected. There was a sitting room, a bedroom, and a bathroom. The furnishings were plain and comfortable just the way he preferred. It hadn't taken long to get all his stuff unpacked and in order, considering he really didn't have that much in the way of belongings. He'd only brought a few sets of clothes and some books with him from Beika when he'd moved, and the one week he'd been in Ekoda hadn't been long enough for him to start acquiring much else. Once he was done, he'd been shown around the house and the grounds by the old man, Jii.

He learned that Jii had not only been working for Kaito for years but he had also worked for Kaito's father, the late Kuroba Toichi. In addition, he was good friends with Kuroba Chikage, Kaito's mother, who had retired and was currently living in the next city over because she particularly liked the food and scenery there. Just from listening to the way the old man spoke of the family Shinichi could tell that he held a deep respect for them—not only as sorcerers but as people. He filed that observation away for later. Surely, someone who inspired such respect and care from others couldn't be that bad. Really, from what he'd seen, he didn't understand why the department was so hell bent on thinking this Kaito was the phantom thief they were looking for. He was a powerful sorcerer with a beautiful home and a job he obviously loved and was lauded for. What reason could he possibly have to want to steal anything?

Well, there were three other suspects. All Shinichi had to do was work here until the department was satisfied that Kaito wasn't the thief after all, and then he could go back to the really important cases like that serial killer.

"Feel free to come to me if you have any questions," Jii told him as he led the way down yet another long hallway. "I know it may take some time to get used to the place, especially when you're already new to the city, but I'm sure you'll like it here. And if you need any help settling in, just ask."

Shinichi returned the old man's smile with a genuine one of his own. "I will, thank you."

The last place Jii showed him on the tour was the library. Shinichi fell in love with it immediately. There were books everywhere on just about every conceivable subject! He was more than happy when the old man told him that he should wait here for Kaito. He would gladly have moved in and lived among the shelves. Although he supposed he should probably keep that thought to himself. It might make people think he was a little bit insane.

Oh but all those books! It was a piece of heaven on earth, surely. He'd never even heard of most of them! Even the Beika city library hadn't had so many books! Er, although it would only be fair to mention that the Beika city library was all of one room off of the building that served as the city hall.

When Kaito arrived it was to find his new assistant curled up in one of the library's large, plush armchairs with a book open on his lap and several more piled around him like the beginnings of a very strange nest for an even stranger bird. He paused in the doorway to observe the scene for a moment, smiling faintly. It was a rather adorable sight.

This young man wasn't anything like what he had expected them to send him. It was a pleasant surprise though. He had the feeling he could grow to really like the boy.

Still, there was that other matter. He'd noticed it the moment he'd laid eyes on Shinichi, and he had to wonder if they had any idea what they had all but just offered to him on a silver platter. Probably not. It was just lucky for them he wasn't that kind of person. The boy himself didn't seem to be aware of it either though. And that could be dangerous. Sliding a hand into his pocket, he fingered the object nestled there. It had taken him a good few hours to make it, but it would have been too risky not to—for Shinichi's sake if not anyone else's.

He shook his head at the thought. Beika must not have had any sorcerers trained in magical detection.

Padding silently over to the armchair across from Shinichi's, he took a seat before clearing his throat loudly.

Shinichi jumped. The sudden motion dislodged several of the volumes he'd stashed around him and they slid and thumped to the floor. Letting out a yelp of dismay, he dove to retrieve them—which sent yet more of the books, this time including the one he'd been reading, off to join the first batch of casualties.

Kaito watched in amusement as Shinichi spent the next few minutes scrambling about the floor after runaway books and apologizing. Eventually, he'd picked up all the fallen volumes and stacked them neatly on the nearby reading table. Letting out a short sigh, he turned to face Kaito at last, a blush dusted across his cheeks.

"I really am sorry," he said again. "I, uh, didn't mean to… I mean, I've never seen most of these before and I just wanted a quick look to see what they were about. I know I probably should've waited to ask you if that was okay, but I—"

"It's all right, I don't mind if you want to read the books in here," Kaito cut in before his new assistant could ramble on any further. Though he had to admit that the sight was rather cute. "There are a few books in this house that are magical in nature, but they aren't kept in this room. If you ever run across any of those, I would advise that you not touch them. They can be quite temperamental if handled incorrectly. Everything here is safe enough."

Shinichi blinked. Temperamental? How could a book be temperamental?

"Magic tends to have a bit of a life of its own," the sorcerer supplied as though he'd read his mind. "Now do have a seat. We have a lot of things to go over."

"Oh, right." Shinichi hurried back to the armchair he'd been sitting in earlier.

"Your first order of business will be to familiarize yourself with the organization and layout of this library, the pantry, and various other storage sectors of this house. You won't be able to assist me if you don't know where everything is. You will be responsible for the usual errands such as groceries and handling post so you'll need to know where it all goes. In fact, I currently have a rather large box of unread mail in the letter room that I will need you to go over today. Jii can teach you how to spot what's important and what's just junk. You'll be accompanying him for most of today and the next few days so he can show you the ropes and answer your questions. I also want you to read these." Raising his hand, Kaito made a beckoning gesture at the shelves. A stack of five, heavy volumes pulled themselves out of the shelves and flew to stack themselves in a neat pile on the air in front of Shinichi. Blue eyes stared at them for a moment before their owner carefully picked up the two on top and read their titles.

"Magic of the Ages," he read out loud. "To See the Unseen."

"That second one will answer the question you asked me yesterday."

"Huh?"

"About how I knew your mother was a sorceress. The truth is you told me yourself. Or rather your aura told me," the sorcerer explained.

Shinichi's brows furrowed. "My aura? Isn't that just the word people use for the energy in a particular living thing?"

"That's hardly a 'just' anything. It's very important. It is the beginning and end of all magic. Not only that, but it is like a person's second face—it defines a part of who and what you are. That was how I knew your mother was a sorceress. I read it in your aura."

"I didn't know that was something people could do," Shinichi mused, interested. "So what else can you tell about a person with this ability?"

Kaito waved a hand airily. "I can tell a lot of things. For example, I can also tell that you are a virgin."

Shinichi blanked for a moment before a dark blush spread across his face and he spluttered. "You—what—you—!"

"Is there a problem?" Indigo eyes blinked innocently at him. He didn't buy it for a minute.

"That is not the kind of thing you go around saying to people! Especially not to someone you barely know! Haven't you heard of privacy?!"

"Whoa there, easy now. You were the one that asked. Your face is turning all red by the way."

Turning even redder, Shinichi shook his head and forced himself to take a deep breath. He could see the way the sorcerer was laughing behind those indigo eyes. And besides, smacking his employer over the head with a book just because he was horribly embarrassed by an answer the man gave to a question he himself had asked probably wasn't a good way to start a working relationship. Even so, didn't Kaito have any understanding of the concept of privacy?

"So what else am I supposed to do?"

Smirking slightly at the obvious change of topic, Kaito decided to give the embarrassed young man a break and go with it. "Actually, I think that's quite enough to be getting started with. The most important thing right now is for you to get used to this house. There is a small, white card on the dresser in your bedroom. I'm not sure if you saw it."

"I did, but it was blank."

"That's right. Think of it like a magical message board you can keep with you. Each morning, it will show you the tasks that you need to attend to."

"That's convenient," Shinichi mused, intrigued.

"That reminds me. I have something else for you here." Holding out his right hand, Kaito turned it over to reveal a small, clover-shaped talisman. It sparkled gold and turquoise in the light spilling in through the library windows. The light also picked out the intricate runes that had been woven together with the tiny, turquoise stones to form the clover's shape. The talisman itself was attached to a thin, gold chain. "I want you to keep this with you. It should be helpful to you."

Puzzled, Shinichi reached out gingerly and accepted the trinket. It felt warm to the touch. "Helpful for what?"

"Think about it as a good luck charm."

That wasn't a real answer, Shinichi observed. It was the kind of wiggly answer that only looked like an answer if you didn't actually think about it. Yet at the same time it didn't sound like an outright lie. The mystery of it only piqued Shinichi's innate curiosity, but Kaito had already moved on.

By the time the sorcerer was done telling him about all his future duties, Shinichi had developed a healthy respect for Jii. The old man had apparently been handling what sounded to him like a work load meant for at least two energetic people, not one old man.

"Do you have any questions?"

Shinichi thought for a moment then shook his head. "No."

"Well then, I'll be taking my leave. If something does come up, ask Jii. He'll be working with you until we're both satisfied that you can handle the position." Kaito rose to his feet and headed for the door. Before stepping out of the library, he paused to glance back at Shinichi with an encouraging smile. "I hope you like it here."

Then he was gone.

Shinichi blinked at the empty space where Kaito had been, caught off guard by the unexpected encouragement. The words had stirred a strange feeling in his chest. It was warm and light, and he realized that he really had been nervous. Not only was he a stranger to this city, but he had been thrown without warning into being an assistant for a man who was both an incredibly famous sorcerer and a suspect for being a master thief. So much had changed in so little time and landed him in a life he had never imagined having or wanting.

But there was Kaito, the source of half his stress, encouraging him. And, strangely, it made him feel better, perhaps because it showed him that it was okay that he felt out of his depth right now. His new colleagues with the police hadn't encouraged him. They'd only told him what to do. Okay, some of them had assured him that he would be fine, but while that was nice and all, it hadn't actually helped. They were talking about the job.

Shinichi shook his head. What was he doing anyway? Comparing his employers? He had better things to do with his time.

He looked at the talisman again. It was a beautiful piece of work. He just wished he knew what it was for. Well, most talismans were made for protection of one kind or another. Shrugging, he undid the clasp and redid it behind his neck. If Kaito thought it was so important for him to keep it with him, then he would probably learn what it was for eventually by doing just that. In the meantime, he had some books to read.

-TBC-