Mitsuharu Shorts and What-Ifs

Title: Mitsuharu Shorts and What-Ifs
Rating: T
Fandom: Detective Conan
Summary: This is a collection of stories that revolves around my main fanfiction, Mitsuharu. It will contain shorts that are canon to the Mitsuharu storyline as well as What-Ifs.


Original Drafts
Chapter 12

"Daddy, when is Mommy coming home?" Two year old Akai Michael, alias Winters Michael, stared up at his father.

Akai knelt down to Michael's height. "Michael, I'm not sure how to tell you this, but your mommy's not coming back,"

"Why?" Michael asked innocently.

"Mommy's dead," Akai confessed.

"Dead?" Michael parroted the unfamiliar word. "What's dead?"

"Dead means that they're not alive anymore," Akai struggled to put the definition into words that a toddler could understand. "It means she can't see us, hug us, or eat with us anymore,"

"Why not?" Michael began to tear up. "Doesn't Mommy love us?"

"Of course she loves us!" Akai brought his son into a hug. "She loves both of us very much! Please don't ever doubt that!"

"Then why can't she come back from dead!?" Michael wailed. "If Mommy loves us then Mommy would come back!"

"She can't…" Akai had wanted to refrain from crying in front of his son to appear strong, but he let his emotions show. "She wants to come back…but she can't…"

"Why not!?"

"She—" He stopped himself form outright saying that she had been murdered. "She got hurt really badly,"

"Th-then why don't we give her a band aid to cover her boo-boo?" Michael tried to wipe his tears and snot away with his hand.

"It's too late," Akai hugged Michael even tighter. "Mike, her injury, her boo-boo, it was really bad. The doctors couldn't get to her in time,"

"I miss Mommy!" Michael sobbed. "I want Mommy!"

"I do too…" Akai nodded. "I do too…"

"I'm going on a weeklong trip with some friends, Shuichi," Akemi told Akai, referring to her new friends she had made in the US.

"It's been a while since you took time off to just relax," Akai agreed. "I'll watch Michael,"

"Mommy will be back soon, okay Michael?" Akemi ruffled her son's hair. "Be good for Daddy, okay?"

"Okay!" Michael grinned.

At the airport, Akemi kissed her son's forehead and pecked at Akai's lips. "I love you both,"

"Bye Mommy!" Michael waved as she started boarding.

"Bye Akemi," Akai smiled and mimicked his son's motions.

That had been the last time they had seen her. Akai should've known something was wrong. When Akemi had said that she and her friends were going to England, he should've been able to tell that she was lying. If he had been able to stop her, then she wouldn't have been killed. 'It's all my fault,' Akai thought. 'I'm the reason she's dead. It was stupid of me to think that I could have a normal family life after the things I've done,'

When he had heard that their father had gone missing and was possibly dead, Akai was fifteen years old. He and Shukichi, eleven at the time, had already known about the concept of death. Haru had only been two years old, yet he was already mature for his age. The toddler cried for a day and then moved on.

'Haru…I haven't even thought about how he must be feeling…' "Hey Mike," Akai asked. "How about we go see your Uncle Haru?"

XXX

Jodie had offered to babysit Michael while Akai visited his brother to make sure he was in a presentable condition. If Haru had gotten into a depressed drunken state, Akai didn't want Michael to see his uncle like that. Akai entered Café Poirot and took a seat. Azusa approached him and took down his order.

Haru didn't seem to have noticed him yet. Actually, it seemed like Haru was a broken shell. His dark blue eyes seemed dull and lifeless. His motions to prepare the foods seemed mechanical and unenthusiastic. Azusa was constantly casting worried glances in Haru's direction. When Haru started chopping vegetables, the knife slipped and he ended up cutting his hand.

"Haru-san!" Azusa rushed over to his side to help him clean and bandage the wound. "Haru-san, are you alright?"

"Huh?" Haru reacted when Azusa gently shook his shoulder. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine,"

"You don't look okay," Azusa said. "Why don't you head home early? It's a slow day today so I should be able to handle the rest,"

"If you're sure," Haru agreed and started to leave.

Akai paid for his sandwiches and followed Haru out, downing his meal as he followed him. 'Where does Haru live? He said that he was living with a friend,'

Haru made no sign of acknowledging that he was being followed. Once he reached the front door of the Kudo Residence, he stopped but didn't face Akai. "I don't want you to see me in such a pitiful state,"

"It's alright to cry," Akai put a hand to Haru's shoulder. "You shouldn't be constantly withholding your emotions. You have the right to mourn too,"

"I don't want anyone to see me when I'm vulnerable," Haru's voice cracked and he bit his lower lip. "I don't want anyone to see me when I'm weak,"

Akai gently took the keys from Haru's hands to open the door and led him to the couch. He found some chamomile tea in the kitchen cupboards and brewed a cup for his little brother. "Drink,"

Haru took small sips of the beverage. "Everyone I love dies," He finally let the tears flow. "First my parents, then Kohji, then Tsutomu, and now Akemi," He didn't seem to have realized his mistake.

'His parents?' Akai noted. 'But Kaa-san is alive. He also addressed Tou-san by his name,' "Haru,"

"Am I not allowed to care about people?" Haru asked.

Akai sat down beside Haru and hugged him the same way he hugged Michael. "It's going to be alright, Haru. You are allowed to care about people. You are allowed to be happy,"

"I hate the crows," Haru sobbed. "They killed Kohji and Tsutomu and Akemi!"

Akai silently held his younger brother, not caring that his tears were soaking his shirt. After a couple more minutes, Haru had calmed down. "Michael wants to see you," Akai told him.

"Even after I couldn't save his mother?" Haru asked.

"It's not your fault," Akai said.

XXX

Akai picked Michael up and brought him to the Kudo Residence. "Uncle Haru!" Mike hugged his uncle tightly.

"Hey Mikey," Haru smiled. "How are you doing?"

"I'm still kinda sad that Mommy's gone but I still have you and Daddy and Auntie Jodie," Michael said. "I miss Mommy but I know Mommy doesn't want us to be sad all the time,"

"How about your dad and I tell you stories about her?" Haru offered.


Well this was a rather depressing chapter. Next up: Haru meets Haibara.