Chapter 7:
Brrr…
"Leave it." Gin hissed as he snuggled closer.
Brrr….
"What if it is important?" Vermouth remarked, struggling to free herself from the comfortable nest.
"My sleep's important too!" He grumbled and paid a small visit with words that not appropriate for children to whomever on the other side of the line.
With much effort, she finally wore off the evil force(s). "Hello!"
"Did I wake you?" Amuro Tooru delightedly replied.
"Of course not." It wasn't out of politeness, though. Their relationship had been complicated in a good way much to Gin's disappointment.
"You did." Talking about good manner, someone just doesn't seem to possess any.
"Need I to remind you that this is a private conversation?" Normally, Amuro wasn't rude by nature but the situation called for it.
"Do you know what time is it?" Gin feigned joyously, took the phone into his own hand.
"Uhm, 3 AM." He completely ignored the time difference between half the world away.
"Where the hell I'm supposed to be at 3 FUCKING AM!" Now, Gin was shouting.
And Amuro wasn't a poor little kitty either. He could give as good as he got. "At least had the decency to move away. Oh, what I'm talking about. YOU DON'T HAVE ANY!"
Amuro regretted instantly as he saw the shock on the high school detective's face. He seem to temporarily forgot the conversation was occurring in public. "Sorry, was I loud?" Yelling wouldn't become him.
Shinichi aware that Gin were alive and … well (unfortunately). But to hear the man's voice in the middle of the day, suddenly lunch seem much less appealing.
Meanwhile, Vermouth had successfully snatched the phone off Gin's.
Brrr…
The phone rang again. But this time it was a different one.
"Excuse me." He nodded the detective then walked further away. "Hey, got him to behave already."
"Yeah, else he will make a new best friend with the couch." She didn't have to turn around to see Gin's face. His action spoke plenty when he sulkingly stayed put. He enjoyed his bed very much. Well, not the bed itself, but the things we do on it.
"I'm in a bit of a sticky situation. Do you know anyone could find a con artist in Tokyo?"
…
"Ask for Katsuragi. He will be able to provide the help. Be respectful, he isn't someone to cross." Her voice turned serious at the mention of the name.
"Your friend. I know how to deal with them. Don't worry." Would Vermouth ever stop mothering him? Guess not. But he learnt to appreciate the concern over the years. "Good night."
"Doubt it." A warm yet demanding ran along her shoulder blade. Not that the night was bad.
"What was that all about?" The small talk didn't stop whatever he was doing though.
"Some problems." She muttered, try very hard to maintain her breathing.
"And he ran to you for help." This made Gin back down a bit. He wasn't planning to let Amuro leave it down so the more juicy parts the better.
"In his defense, you did the same thing." Vermouth stated matter of fact, while Gin tried in vain to look composed.
"It was out of professional interest." Decided that it wasn't a shame to accept help, he bit back.
"Didn't make any difference." She smiled wistfully at the confess.
/
Back in Japan.
"They are in Britain, aren't they?" Shinichi looked right into the other eyes, demand answers.
"Have you considered Spain or France? Or somewhere in Africa?" Bourbon stated all the possible places within the region.
"Please, no jokes." The detective was in no mood for games.
The time difference could tell him abundance clues. And judging by Amuro's reaction, he knew he had nailed it. Africa, you must be kidding. Spain or France were unlikely Vermouth's options of a home.
"What you are going to do? There is a reason why she chooses to stay where she is and not some exotic islands on the Caribbean." He sipped his drink gracefully, not the least bit concern.
What is he going to do? Shinichi often asked himself the same. Vermouth was powerful and connected. That he knew because when the government tried to recover the Organization's property, the money vanished from thin air. Only then did they realize, it was Vermouth's intention all along.
"Why did she wait until then?" After a moment of deep contemplation, the question was finally asked. Why wait when you have the mean and the will to make it happen?
Amuro set the cup down but he made no attempt to reply. Took the silence as a cue to continue, Shinichi spoke his deduction. "She was sick, wasn't she?"
"Wrong term. It's not was." He paused a minute, waiting for the word to sank in. "Vermouth is sick."
"Almost die, five years ago. Of course, she's much better now."
Five years ago, the high school detective met Sharon Vineyard for the first time in his adulthood.
No angel has ever smiled upon me. He pondered bitterly.
/
"Please, tell him that I'm not labeled fragile and a flush of wind won't break me." Her fingers buttoned up the shirt while waiting for the man clothed in a white coat to beat some senses into the mule.
"She is right, you know." The old man chuckled but didn't look up. His pen still busy making scratching noises of the papers until the solemn look on Gin's face satisfied his curiosity. "For now."
"What do you mean for now?" When Gin stood up, he nearly knocked down the chair. Oh, how much he loves to rile some reaction in the seemingly immutable heart?
"I assumed that the migraines are back." The man didn't faze by Gin's aggressive attitude. You gained steel like spirit after several decades of practicing medicine on criminals. They aren't always grateful to the hand heals them. "Stress will do that to you when I specifically told you to avoid any."
"I don't have the magic spell to vanish all my problems." Arms dramatically flung into the air.
"And I'm not blaming you." The doctor calmly adjusted his glasses in return. "I simply stated the facts."
"If I didn't know any better, I would lock her up in a dungeon somewhere and threw away the key." Gin huff each word.
"You must refrain yourself. I knew it's very tempting." He gave an advice while successfully jeering the only woman in the room and didn't end up in pieces.
They exited the building when the news was chirping about the wettest January.
"I finally like your friend." Gin commented as he carefully maneuvered the car out of the parking lot.
"Only when he insulted me and get away with it." Vermouth was quite annoyed since the men ganged up against her. The usual circumstances would be against each other.
"It wasn't much of an insult. More like mockery." Gin had no problem rubbing salt in an open wound in case you were wondering. Well, she would let them have their laughs for now.
"I do need to inform your parent that I'm not their personal nanny." Although Akai didn't look much upset with the child in his lap. The jerk practically dumped the girl in his house without so much of a reason.
"You enjoyed this." A pair of blue eyes innocently looked up.
"Fair point." His head titled to the side knowingly.
Akemi went to the living room and found a very agitated Akai.
"What do I do? She just fell asleep." He started rambling on. Akai didn't get along well with kid by nature. Calm, well manner, cunning none of them were children characteristics. But who could possibly look mature in their sleep. "Should I pick her up…"
"No! You're doing fine." Akemi assured, giggling slightly at his panic. It's not every day you can hear the famous Akai Shuichi rambling.
