Author's note: DC's 56th volume just came out in France! So yeah, of course I'd read it in English online before, but getting the translation in one's own language makes if different. Somehow. I have no idea why. And there was this little scene which hadn't struck me as very significant the first time over, and which triggered the idea to this drabble-like oneshot. So expect a mini-spoil.
Disclaimer: I don't own the rights of Detective Conan. A very talented Japanese mangaka does, and I'm merely borrowing the characters like we all love to do.
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With Every Beat
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Later that night, when all the excitement of the day had plummeted to soft, lazy sleepiness, when all the memory of Conan-kun's life had gone way to leave Shinichi in his bed, weary and restless due to Kogoro's snoring in the bed up there, he could not help remembering the tenderness in Eisuke-kun's voice when he spoke of his sister donating blood to him.
But even that, and all the consequences of this speech on his search for Mizunashi Rena, could only disappear in the smiling face of Ran bending to him, and her sweet voice saying, "But that works for us as well, doesn't it? I've given my blood to you before… so? Do you feel my kindness inside?"
Intensely, he'd thought, his heart beating a lot faster and cheeks blushing as though his blood was answering to hers. And now it struck him as strange that he'd never given more attention to that particular point in their relationship. It was true she'd given him blood, thus saving his life, but back then he'd had another preoccupation to think about – her knowing about being of the same blood as him meant her knowing he was Shinichi. And when that had finally been solved out with Haibara's aid, the whole matter of blood-donating had already slipped out of his head.
When exactly had they learnt of their being of the same blood type? He didn't know; he couldn't remember. It lay far in the past, as natural as snow falling in winter and water being wet. But now that he thought about it, it was yet another link relating them through time and space – one of those that his shrinking had not been able to erase – another red thread linking them indefinitely, wherever they went, however far from each other.
He contemplated his hand and wrist in the semi-greyness of the bedroom; followed the intricate circulation of the veins, pale-blue beneath his translucent skin, felt the faint pulse beating his life there. The life she had saved, once more, unknowingly, for the hundredth time. Without being aware of it. Without ever being aware of anything, least of all what he felt about it.
He touched the pulse point at the base of the wrist and thought it was also her blood he felt beating there – hers and his, mingled together forever more. Until he died, whatever happened to them in between, there would always be a small part of her living with him, in him. Forever more.
With every beat that sent blood racing through his body, it was also her heart that throbbed, her heart that pulsed in unison with his. Not with Conan-kun's – with Shinichi's, at last. Here they could finally be together – here was the final refuge he'd sought all along. Hidden deep inside him. Hidden deep, and yet proving itself alive, with every beat he felt.
"Do you feel my kindness inside?" he heard her ask again in an echo of this afternoon's, her gentle voice rippling away in the bedroom's relative silence with silk ruffling. And once again he thought, Intensely, Ran. His hand fell limp onto the futon's blanket, and yet he could still feel his blood, her blood, their blood pulsing, throbbing inside. Intensely…
With every beat…
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FLUFF ATTACK! Randomness was hard at work tonight. And my muse is presently sitting cross-legged on the carpet juggling with red hearts. (Note to anaime7: yes, it's wild-haired, too. Isn't yours?)
This is dedicated straight to Rani-chan, without whom I shouldn't have read the last chapters of DC (Shinichi came BACK! Wooooohhhhhh! Goes crazy for about the twentieth time since this afternoon), I LOVE you!
So I'm going to sleep. Right now. Going to sleep. In my bed. Yep. (Have had waaayyy too much chocolate again today…)
Hope you liked the read, minna-san!
