A/N: It's late, but here it is. I had to do some research and planning, which loosely translates to: "I got distracted by the 'nets, and I apologize profusely for the delay". [I have been thoroughly mind-melding with another Conan fic I'm working on, and it's kidnapping my fingers.] Also. WORDS. *headdesk* I have the last chapter all written up, but it keeps getting pushed back in deference to current plot points. As if this fic had a plot.
Also, I should mention I hate summer. Ugh. *melts into pathetic puddle*
Summer was crawling along into its late months, leaving a lingering discomfort in its wake. The sun blazed down, unrelenting, and impossibly bright. Many tried to escape under the forgiving cover of tree shadows, even as dappled as they were. That alone offered little solace, as the very air hung with the heavy load of tropical humidity, and it seemed to press against the skin. Breathing itself was enough to make anyone uncomfortable. It wasn't even the hottest part of the day, the sun having dipped to a more indirect angle, but the earlier heat still saturated the place, and radiated invisible heat rays back into the air. The ground rippled, the only testament to those unseen waves.
Conan's eyes squinted, as he rose his head to look at the sky. Among the several other small things he had noticed upon shrinking, he found that bearing with the heat was actually a little bit easier in his smaller frame. His gaze dropped to the can of ice coffee in his hands - it was currently the only thing between him and the merciless heat of the sun. He recalled sweating quite a bit more out on the soccer fields as a teenager. The tips of his fingers were wet instead, as the condensation gathered and dripped. Ironically, it was a bit easier to cool his hands, being able to wrap the whole of his palms and fingers against the cool, metallic surface, and he debated lifting it to his cheek. Every once in a while things like this would happen to remind him exactly how different things were for him now physically, in the form of a child. It was easy to forget, since his mind was still basically that of a teenager. Especially lately.
He glanced over to the portly man still struggling to set out the group's belongings into a semblance of organized chaos. Sweat shone on the balding parts of his head, and Conan gave a small grin. Hakase really needed the exercise. Haibara was a demon to force him to do the manual labor in this heat, but he knew it had some good side effects. It was barely noticeable, but someone with a keen eye just might be able to see how his belt was cinched one hole tighter, and that the sleeves of his shirts hung just a little looser. It was slow goings, but Haibara seemed to be making a dent.
His toes curled into the sand, pushing past the upper, hot layer until he found the cool and moist grittiness buried beneath. It felt really nice. He leaned back, using one hand to prop himself up, content in the best possible way. Truth be told, he had not been enjoying the early part of summer, due to a rather agitating series of encounters with Kid. The thief had been setting him all off-balance from the get-go; it was proving difficult to keep his mind clear.
He supposed now that things had settled down the past few weeks, and he'd had time to think, the whole situation was amazing, in a way. The possibility he could ever be like that was entirely new, but the evidence was embarrassing, but irrefutable. Damn thief. It was just like him to point out something so troubling. He had an uncomfortable bit of self-evaluation regarding all of his male acquaintances, and was relatively relieved to find nothing indicative of future problems. Even if he was like that, apparently he had no attraction towards his friends. That would have been very problematic, and overall distracting. It was a bit shocking, and mildly embarrassing though, when he found out he had a mild crush on his favorite Tokyo Spirits soccer player, but that was luckily a non-issue. Things were easier when he did not have to send a new critical eye at the people he knew.
In the end, that just left Kid, which was annoying, because that meant completely reevaluating his interactions with him for the millionth time, since it seemed things were always changing. Past encounters were growing stale, and Conan was impatient for the next heist, just so he could having something new to consider and dissect. Moreover, he really wanted to kick him for all the trouble he was causing. Ran had commented he looked less stressed out and happier lately. She blithely asked if he had made a new friend, which nearly sent him sputtering for entirely new reasons. Once he was actually able to grab a hold, he was going to give Kid a solid strangle.
"For someone who expressed concerns about going to the beach on Marine Day, you look rather pleased with yourself." Seemed Haibara noticed something, too, but she noticed the strangest things. Lately, she'd been giving him the oddest looks. He'd decided to not talk to her about the most recent Kid heist at all, to avoid dropping any kind of incriminating implications.
A quick sip, then he grinned over at her. "I'll admit, I'm surprised at the lack of a crowd here. Hakase managed to find a really nice spot."
Her eyes swept over to the shoreline, where a couple dozen kids were splashing and having a good time. Conan had expected to find throngs of people tripping over each other to play in the ocean, and was quite happy to find their place along the shore was a quiet, and sparsely populated one. She took a spot in the shaded sand next to him. "It was recommended to him by a colleague of his, who has family that owns the lodge we will be staying at. Hakase said he had asked around for a somewhat private beach, where he could take us all for the holiday."
Conan followed her gaze and focused on the people in the distance. There was something unsaid there, and it proved just how thoughtful the professor could be. The more embroiled he became in this hunt for the Black Organization, the more grateful he became. If it weren't for him, he just might be dead at this moment, along with all of the people he cared about, Hakase included. He even went out of his way to pick them all up from the school, and brought them straight here. Despite his dubious success rate as an inventor, he was certainly foresighted. They had arrived ahead of any crowds, but judging from the look of the place, it probably would not get too much more crowded than it already was.
"I'll have to thank him later, then." He nodded his head in the professor's direction. "When he's finished with the unpacking." Hakase struggled by, carrying a cooler that must have been packed to the brim. He let it drop under the large umbrella designating their spot, and it left a deep dent in the sand. "What did you pack, anyway? I know Genta's a big eater, but did we really need that much food? We're eating dinner soon, at the lodge."
Haibara put on that secretive little smile, and his eyelids fell to half-mast. Entirely too suspicious. "I may have packed a few extra heavy things at the bottom of the cooler." It was nothing new, but she just reconfirmed it for the nth time. Haibara was a demon. He looked back at Hakase, who had his hands on his knees, taking a breather by the car, and his heart reached out for him in pity. Conan hoped he wouldn't pass out from heatstroke anytime soon.
Speaking of which, Conan turned to look at the girl next to him. "Even though it's late in the afternoon, it's still pretty hot out today. Last time we came to the beach, you got heatstroke." And didn't she have this weird fixation on dolphins? He added on, as an afterthought. "There aren't any dolphins in this area during this time of year, so take it easy."
She was giving him an indefinable look and murmured something he did not quite catch when a slew of bubbly laughter caught their attention. Looking over, he could see the rest of their troupe making their way back from the shore in a quick jog. All during class, the three had been bouncing in their seats, and when the final bell finally rang, they had all shot out of the building, barely taking the time to toe their shoes on completely. Genta actually had to tie his shoes in the car, when he noticed the laces dangling.
Once they arrived at the beach, they had ran off, eager to explore, and now that they had returned, the familiar glint in their eyes gave away the fact they had found something, and wanted to share. Sometimes Conan had to wonder if they just attracted trouble, or had a knack for finding it. "Here comes the trouble trio." He grinned fondly, and depositing his can in the sand, rocked to his feet just as they came to a stop in front of the pair.
"You would never guess!"
"It's so cool!"
"Really amazing, you gotta see!"
Their words overlapped, and Conan patted at the sand on his shorts. "What'd you find, guys?"
The three all exchanged conspiratorial glances, then grinned at him. Ayumi piped up. "Actually, it's better in person. Come on, we'll show you! Hurry!" Conan raised one eyebrow curiously, but followed when they led the way, Haibara in tow. He paused only long enough to shout out a notice to the professor who rose one exhausted arm up in acknowledgement.
"We were looking for buried treasure, so we asked some people if they knew anything." His eyes fell into a deadpan at Genta's introduction. That was not surprising in the least. The kids always wanted to go treasure hunting for one reason or another.
Mitsuhiko continued, one finger pointed up in punctuation. "Most people did not know anything, but one guy did tell us there was a ferocious monster who lived at the edge of the ocean." Conan gave a small grin. That was probably a local elder who liked to tell stories to visiting tourists. Possibly a fisherman.
"So, of course, the Detective Boys decided to investigate!" Ayumi smiled at him, the pride apparent in her voice. It might be hypocritical, but he really should try to instill some caution into them before long. They landed themselves into dangerous situations far too often due to their "investigations".
Mitsuhiko leaned around the girl to elaborate. "When we asked about the monster, we found out it was a dragon!" His theory about the elderly fisherman spouting stories was becoming even more plausible by the minute.
"And of course, dragons have treasure!" Genta's smile couldn't get any bigger.
"One person we talked to was really, really scared when we asked about it. He said the ocean was full of terrible monsters. Another person said the ocean would swallow us whole if we weren't careful."
"That is certainly true, you should be cautious. Monsters do exist in the darkest corners of this world." He shot Haibara a disapproving glance. She merely shrugged, and continued walking, giving the undulating waves her usual aloof gaze.
Conan looked at the trio. "Well, the ocean is dangerous, and has killed many people by dragging them away from the shore, but not because of monsters. A rip current is a strong current under the surface that can take even a grown person by surprise, and drag them out to sea. It's a natural beach formation." Their eyes widened, and Ayumi turned to look at the water with a touch of fear. "However, there are warnings for that, and occasionally beaches are closed when there is a strong one found in the area. If you know to swim diagonally back to shore, then it's something you can escape from. Generally, the undertow increases at low tide and around the seasonal change, and it's still too early in the year for that."
He pointed up at the thin sliver of white hanging high in the sky. "And it's high tide for several more hours. We also won't be too far from shore, so there is nothing to worry about for us here. I think we have more to worry about heatstroke than monsters of the deep." He turned a sarcastic eye at Haibara, and was rewarded with a deadpan.
Mitsuhiko cut in, giving Conan an earnest look. "Oh, but we found the dragon!" He blinked at the boy. In fact, all three had similar smarmy grins.
He tried to smile, really, he did, but it was forced. If anyone noticed, they made no mention of it. "I suppose that's the 'really amazing' thing you wanted to show me, then."
Ayumi's smile brightened, and she raised an arm out, pointing. He followed her finger, spying an outcropping of rocks that jutted straight out into the ocean. The edge fell off into a small cliff, and a smattering of pebbles ringed around the edges in uneven crests, pushed into shape by the unrelenting waves. Conan wished he had his shoes then. It reminded him of the more unpopular beaches at Hawai'i, the sand and pebbles still too coarse to rightfully be comfortably walked on barefoot. "We found out where the dragon lives, but, well…" She squirmed a bit, and was looking over at Mitsuhiko, who also looked a bit nervous. Their words spilled together again.
"It's supposed to be really dangerous. What if it attacks us?"
"Some dragons breathe fire, but since this one lives at the ocean, does it breathe water?"
"What if it drags us out to the ocean and leaves us there?"
"Do you think it can speak? Maybe it will trick us! Maybe it will lure us out, and eat us whole!"
"But aren't dragons supposed to be like gods? Does that mean this one is a bad god?"
"We were told it was dangerous, so it probably is a bad one. We should definitely steal its treasure!"
"Yea, no bad dragon deserves to have treasure!"
"But how do we get in there without letting it know we're there?"
"This is life or death, it's definitely dangerous."
They were talking with such straight faces, and Conan had a hard time trying not to laugh. If nothing else, the three had a talent for working themselves into a frenzy.
"Oh, are you kids here to see the dragon?" The trio jumped, and Ayumi took a firm grip at Conan's shoulder. Genta shot Conan a dirty look, while Mitsuhiko had somehow situated himself in front of Haibara. It might have been amusing if the nails digging into his skin weren't so distracting.
Conan tugged a bit at the offending fingers and shifted his attention up to the speaker. The man smiled amiably down at them. Judging by his appearance, he looked like a local. His sun-parched skin, and sea-swept hair told the story of a man of the sea. "That's dangerous, you know."
Mitsuhiko was the first to reply. "You know about the dragon?"
He glanced over at the rocks, then grinned back at Mitsuhiko. "You could call me an expert."
The group of them made their way closer, and ignoring the discomfort of his bare feet, the first thing Conan noticed was the noise. A low, reverberating growl, that irregularly grew louder, before unexpectedly waning back into a quiet murmur. It had a feral, animalistic quality to it, and if he had encountered it in the forest, it would have set his hairs on end. It sounded like an angry creature that had been cornered.
The man, who had introduced himself as Fujiwara Kouzei, placed one hand to the side of his mouth, and whispered. "That's the dragon. When he's not out making trouble, he's here sleeping. He has a really noisy snore."
"Oi, he's not going to wake up with us here, is he?" Genta's voice was also a whisper, but pitched a little higher than usual. Ayumi was clinging onto his sleeve.
"Don't worry, he won't leave the water, unless he gets really mad. I've heard he's a really heavy sleeper, too, so we should be okay up here."
Conan's face slid to a deadpan. This Fujiwara guy was enjoying this far too much. Well, judging by the reactions of the kids, the performance was effective - except Haibara, but she was abnormal to begin with. She seemed a little distracted since earlier. He watched for a moment as she held her focus on some point in the sky before turning his attention back to Fujiwara. She could stare at the moon all she liked. He batted away a mental image of a trim figure in white, and pressed his focus back forward. "What can you tell us about this dragon?"
Fujiwara dropped his hand, and smiled out at the sea. "He used to be our local guardian deity, until the day he fell in love with a human."
That perked Ayumi's attention. Strangely, Haibara also turned her head, in muted interest. "Oh no, what happened?"
"A beautiful lady, Ama, was engaged to a noble man, and as payment of dowry, the bride's father sent a priceless pearl to the groom's family. All was going well, until the dragon, angry about the engagement, decided to steal the pearl for himself." At this, he looked back at the kids.
"That became his most prized possession, and he soon began to neglect the waters. When the dowry never arrived, the groom's family became angry, and cancelled the arrangement, but the two were already deeply in love. Ama was desperate, so she jumped into the sea, so she could take back the stolen pearl."
By that time, the kids were all leaning a bit forward with keen interest. "What happened then?"
"This was not such an easy thing to do, though. She had to wait until the dragon was asleep, before she could snatch it. However, as she fled, the dragon woke up, and chased her. The ocean turned choppy, and waves crashed everywhere when he violently woke up. She had been tired from waiting for the dragon to sleep, and she was not able to swim away. Half-crazy in anger, the dragon wound up killing the very human he had fallen in love with. Overcome with grief, the dragon now scares everyone out of the waters. When he sleeps, the waters are calm, and guards the pearl with an iron fist."
Genta spoke up. "What about when he's awake? Does he still carry it around?"
Fujiwara grinned. "That is something the groom wanted to find out, too. When he found out that Ama was killed, he chased until he finally cornered the dragon."
Their eyes sparkled at the story. "Wow, so he went right up against the dragon, how cool!"
That grin widened. "He was not able to find the pearl, though, and the dragon got away. He lives in the waters here, but no one dares bother him while he sleeps. Since then, many men continue to go out to sea everyday, looking for the dragon, and looking for pearls."
"What was the man's name?" Haibara seemed more interested than Conan was expecting. "You never mentioned it."
His smile now took on a strange twist. "His name was Fujiwara no Fuhito." Conan couldn't help but give a wry smile in return. Expert, indeed. He also understood now why he hadn't given the name to begin with.
From the corner of his eye, he watched as some psychic switch flickered in the trio's collective mind, and they huddled their heads together, shooting fierce whispers at each other. A nagging sense was edging in on him, and he had a suspicion of what they were going to plan before the first word even came out. The small curve of Haibara's lips said she was just as aware of their antics as he was.
"So no one has tried to search where he sleeps when the dragon is gone?"
"There really might be treasure here!"
"We need to find out when the dragon is awake, so we can come explore!"
Ignoring their continued plotting, Conan peered over the edge, then his lips curled up in a sharp smirk. I see.
He leaned back, shoving his fists into his pockets. "If we come back tomorrow morning, the dragon should be gone." The three all glanced at him in confusion. Fujiwara just made a small, strangled noise in the back of his throat, and gave a shocked look of someone duly impressed. Conan replied with a knowing smile.
"How do you know?" Mitsuhiko was giving his familiar skeptical look, and Ayumi was struggling to see what he had, though clearly intimidated. He had to give her points for having courage.
He grinned brightly. "You'll see. In the meantime, Hakase brought snacks. Let's head back and eat. I'm sure he must be worried, by now." It was almost funny how quickly Genta came to attention at the mention of food. Conan turned his attention towards Fujiwara, and shot him the same smile he used to charm the police. "Thanks for showing us around, Fujiwara-san."
He smiled in return. "Not a problem, but you should still be careful. Oh, since it's the holiday, we're having a festival near the lodge." Leaning forward, he propped his hands on his knees to be eyelevel with the kids. "We have all kinds of food stalls and games, if you're interested."
Ayumi's eyes sparkled, and the others all seemed to drip with enthusiasm. "Uhn! We heard about it, so we brought our clothes and everything!"
Fujiwara straightened, a hand on his hip. "Great! Maybe I'll see you guys there!"
With that promise in mind, bright smiles, and energetic waves, the group parted, heading back to the allure of good snacks, and cool drinks.
Kaito winced for perhaps the fiftieth time that day. He loved parties, events, and festivals like everyone else, maybe even more so, since he had a predilection for the theatrical and other venues of entertainment, but today was sheer torture. He knew the reasoning, but the less logical part of him was wondering why a holiday was made about something as distasteful as the ocean. Certainly, Japan was a country with heavy dependence on the sea, as much of its food came from there, and Kaito held nothing against his country for that but - those things were everywhere.
He shied away from another shaped banner with the printed visage of something scaly as it flittered lazily in the breeze. The mantra he had coined earlier in the day repeated itself. Just a bit of fabric, just a bit of fabric. He hated those banners.
Aoko had strong-armed him into coming on this little trip. He had no reason to refuse an invite for vacation, seeing as it was a holiday weekend, but had he known they would be visiting the motherland of all terrors, he would have refused. School credit could be earned in other ways, surely. He wanted nothing more than to finish this exercise in torment, and return to his room. However, judging by his enthusiastic teacher, and his classmates' brimming excitement, that would not be happening very soon. He let out a suffering sigh. Very rarely did he ever want for festivities to just end already.
But, he supposed, the one thing that had placed him even more on edge than anything else today was encountering those kids. They were so far from both Beika and Ekoda, it had to be some cruel twist of fate. This was because, wherever they were, he was sure to follow. Kaito shuddered slightly, trying to keep his eyes trained on the paper lanterns lining their pathway. It wasn't a bad thing. And it wasn't that it was a good thing either. It was dangerous. And tempting. Gods, it was tempting, and in all the wrong ways. His gaze lowered to watch his toes as he shuffled along, feet poking out from his yukata as he walked.
Ever since he last saw Tantei-kun, he had completely invaded all his thoughts. He was dreaming about him more frequently, too. Regular dreams, dreams that were more memory than not, and then there were the ones which caused him to wake up with a mess in his lap. Those were becoming more frequent as well. His cheeks tinged a faint pink, and he continued walking forward, if a bit more mechanically.
He refused to take matters into his own hands when the only mental images popping into his head were Tantei-kun, Tantei-kun, Tantei-kun. It was completely screwing with his rhythm. His sheets were suffering that price, and it was a bit mortifying that he could no longer appropriately handle his hormonal issues to avoid such messes. It wasn't that he had a problem with Tantei-kun, per se, it was just the size thing. Even if he very well knew exactly who Tantei-kun really was, that did not change the fact that there very clearly was an age barrier. At least he couldn't blame his subconscious, for whatever abstraction it decided to come up with.
Then there was the feelings issue. He had a shadow of suspicion when he last met with him, but now he was pretty sure about it. He knew he liked Tantei-kun from the start - he was amazingly sharp, quick-witted, intelligent, and fun to challenge - but like that? This new development was distressing. Tantei-kun was supposed to be a comrade in witticism, a rival. Ever since he decided to bring in the emotional aspect, Kaito was having a harder time rolling with the punches. More and more, he wanted to catch a glimpse, to talk more, to spend time together, to find ways to extend the times they did during heists. It was all Tantei-kun's fault, but he had to admit, he was falling. His face fell into an annoyed deadpan. And that was precisely what was vexing.
What to do about it, though, was entirely different. Kaito was Kaitou Kid. Tantei-kun was living out a secret identity, probably for some serious reason. He was also an incurable detective. His total antithesis, a toxin, his possible undoing. This would not be easy. Kaito had held off on sending out heist notices for several weeks now, because he wanted to avoid tackling the problem just yet. Now that those kids were in the area, somehow he felt meeting up with Tantei-kun was becoming inevitable. What to do, what to do.
His shoulders tensed a bit when he heard the warning tone in Aoko's voice as she called his name. Indigo flickered up, only to find her shooting an unpleasant look his way. Internally, he sighed. What had he done this time? Kaito felt he'd been behaving rather well ever since they'd arrived that afternoon. Too much chance for retribution in this godforsaken place. Another shiver slithered down his spine. "Your father may have neglected to tell you this, Aoko, but if you continue to scowl that way, your features will stick."
Her eyes flashed, predictably, and he shifted his weight to the balls of his feet, ready to jump away if need be. A yukata was stifling, and difficult to move in, but he could probably manage. "Oh, no you don't. You won't get off ignoring me that easily." Ah, so he'd been caught. That meant that an invasive and tenacious interrogation about what was on his mind was looming on the horizon. He tried placating her with an easygoing grin.
"What can I say, it's depressingly difficult to flip up a yukata, and I was trying to decide the easiest way. I'd ask you for pointers, but you're about as subtle as an elephant in a china shop." He hopped back a step.
She growled in reply. "You're an insufferable pervert!"
"I can't help being born a boy. Take up the facts with that friend of yours; her father's a genius."
"Keiko-chan's dad has nothing to do with it!" Kaito nodded to himself. Deflection technique was successful. Aoko at this point was simple to deal with, and if he was lucky, she would forget about his mood swings and distraction. Everything he had on his mind inevitably turned back towards his night job in one aspect or another, and that was one topic that was completely taboo. Aoko, for all her friendly concern, must never know. The less she knew, the safer she would be.
"What, you wanted to personally verify? I never knew you were so forward!" Her face turned red, and the explosion of rage building inside her was nearly palpable. Kaito grinned when she raised her arm, wielding the water yoyo in her hand like a brandished weapon. Oh, it was stretchy. This would be interesting.
Kaito ducked, and twirled past a few bystanders, cackling. The crowd parted, eyes wide, and a bit incredulous, as the thing cut an arc through the air. He wondered how durable the thing was, and how long it would last before the rubber cord snapped. He had to make sure he was nowhere near it when it finally decided to give way. As it was, it was serving as an interesting display. More optimistically, Aoko could even be a walking advertisement for the stall which offered them as prizes. If it weren't for the shimmering anger rolling off of her, she might have even been considered to be having quite a bit of fun. Kaito, well acquainted with Aoko to begin with, knew she probably very well was. She'd recognize it later, when she was more calm, but for now, he just had to dodge the strikes.
Another impressive series of swings, and he wondered if she might be able to take up the yoyo in a professional sense. Her handling of the thing was enough to cause people to stare, gawking. Kaito tapped the edge of it when it stretched to capacity, and shot her a cheeky grin. Close, but not quite. He scuttled backwards, weaving his way through the crowd.
As he flipped, Kaito decided that moving in a yukata really was as difficult as he predicted it would be. It was something that he could possibly get used to, however, as he had easily enough managed to learn how to move in a cape. He just needed some more practice, was all, and perhaps by the end of the weekend, he could concentrate a little less on how he was moving, and more on his surroundings. This fact was brought to home when he hurled himself in the air in a back flip, intending to bypass a nearby group of passers-by.
Kaito shot his arms out in front of him, mildly surprised at their proximity, and found the nearest set of shoulders he could use to propel himself along. He felt a little bad about it. The students at Ekoda High were used to his antics, but they were quite far from his usual roaming grounds, and knew he might be insulting more than a few people. He considered if he should put on an impromptu magic show to appease any ruffled feathers. It was a festival, after all.
All thoughts came to a stuttering halt, however, when piercing blue stared straight at him in startled shock, less than an arm's length away. Of all people, of all shoulders to choose for a boost- His eyes widened, and his weight faltered in a spectacular display of flailing limbs. Arms buckled, and he spilled onto the ground in a graceless sprawl. Both grunted as the wind was knocked out of their chests. Spitting out impulsive apologies, he scrambled to lift his weight up, and stared at the person under him.
Time slowed to a crawl.
His eyes were squeezed shut, brow furrowed in a tight expression of discomfort. One hand had flown up to Kaito's chest, as if to help soften the blow, and boldly grazed against bare skin. The contact seared his senses, instantly negating the twinges of pain radiating up from his knees and elbows. It felt like electricity, a magnetic kind of heat seeping from those fingers. The other hand fisted into the fabric of his yukata, probably in some misguided attempt to keep from falling in the first place. It tugged the cotton taut over his shoulder, very nearly holding him in place. As it was, it prevented him from pulling too far away.
A knee shifted up, brushing against Kaito's inner thigh, again bare skin as his yukata gaped open, and he sucked in a breath. Eyes opened, and then that blueness, overwhelming, bright, and full of so much more than should rightly be in a child's eyes, flittered open and locked on him. For one split second, there was no mask, no pretense, nothing but the simple honesty of Kudou Shin'ichi looking up at him in lightning-quick assessment. If Kaito hadn't already sucked in a breath, he would have done so again. They were so close.
Tantei-kun was here, underneath him. If he had landed a little differently, if he had tilted his head just a bit, if those fingers curled over his skin- Was he dreaming again? Would he wake up, balefully staring at his sheets, wishing for them to clean themselves? It was so vivid, so clear and real, but it had to be a dream. Because Kuroba Kaito never encountered Tantei-kun for a reason. It had to be a dream, he wanted it to be one. Dreams had a certain safety to them.
Kaito had even opened his mouth, lips already forming to say the familiar word. Meitantei. He was saved from that blunder by the shrill cry Aoko had let loose. "Oh no, are you okay?" She brusquely shoved him aside, tending to the fallen detective instead. No matter that it sent Kaito sprawling on the ground again, reigniting the sparks of pain in his knees.
Rather than complain at the rough treatment, he sent an irritated look at her profile, all the while mentally thanking her for the interruption. Gods, was he really just now debating kissing him? In public, no less! Kid persona notwithstanding, it was a criminal offense! A real crime, sort of. Sort of. Tantei-kun wasn't a real kid. Kind of. Argh, how confusing! Regardless, it was bad. Maybe. Kaito wanted to slam his head into the nearest hard, flat surface. He hadn't seen Tantei-kun in far too long, he decided, if he was reduced to a babbling idiot just by accidental proximity.
With a swallow, he tried to ignore the tracing tingles dancing over his skin. His nighttime musings had a whole new slew of fodder material to use, he wryly admitted to himself. More importantly, though, his brain was now rattled, and forced into high gear. This was not a dream. Dreams did not hurt. And because of that, it meant he had to get the hell out of there, pronto. Preferably as anonymously as possible. And with Aoko in tow, lest she spill any unwanted information.
From the corner of his eye, he could see the girl called Haibara giving him an odd look. A groan reverberated inside his head. There's no way she could possibly know, was there? No way. He watched for a moment as her brow furrowed, and shot a similar odd look in Tantei-kun's direction, resulting in her raising a single eyebrow in a clear arch. What was she looking at? Kaito really, really wanted to know. But no. Curiosity would be his undoing. The faster he got out of there, the better.
He turned his attention to the safest, if not the most ironic, target. "If you hadn't been flinging that thing around like a wild woman, I wouldn't have run into him in the first place." Kaito pulled himself off the ground, and patted at the dirt clinging to the fabric of his yukata. He carefully avoided the area on his leg where the traces of contact still lingered, unable to bring himself to erase the physical memory just yet. As such, he similarly readjusted the hem of his yukata over his chest.
Aoko shot him a dirty look, tinged with a bit of surprise. This time, it was a wince that passed through him. "If you had stayed still and accepted discipline like a normal human being, then this whole situation could have been avoided. Why are you always making trouble, Ka-"
"I can't help it if I was bored!" He hurriedly cut her off, grimacing. "And no normal human being would stand still when you're promising nothing short of a concussion. Besides, the kid's fine." A dismissive hand waved in Tantei-kun's general direction. Kaito was careful to avoid eye contact, but he could feel the tingling sensation of observant eyes on him.
She huffed. "That isn't the point!" Ignoring Tantei-kun was proving incredibly difficult. Plus, those other kids were here. They veritably oozed trouble vibes, and Kaito recognized them. He was an expert on the subject, after all, and as if on cue, one piped up.
"Ah! You're the onii-san from earlier today!" He glanced down, staring blankly at the young girl. Really, she was impossible to deal with, and seemed to unknowingly create a good deal of chaos in his life. She was insufferably cute, and the apex of all things pink in the world, so maybe this was her one curse. Kaito hated being on the end of it. He could hear the other boys quietly confirm her proclamation amongst themselves.
"Oh, that's right, he is the same guy!"
"Did we meet someone like that?"
"Oh come on, Genta-kun, don't tell me you've already forgotten! You're a Detective Boy, aren't you?"
"But we met so many people today…"
Did these kids ever shut up? Kaito wanted to flee already, and would have if that wouldn't have seemed terribly suspicious.
"You've met?" Tantei-kun's voice cut through the air like needles. The prickling sensation intensified, and Kaito's poker face slammed instinctively into place, so quickly that his cheeks hurt from the force of it. It was sheer irony, but he never thought he would ever have to pretend to be himself, when all he wanted at that moment was to be Kid. He fought back the impulsive smirk, instead fashioning his features into apathetic boredom. It was disgusting how giddy he was, despite the alarming danger of the situation. This wasn't a heist. Not even reconnaissance! Normal never felt so abnormal.
Ignoring the question, he chose instead to reply to the young girl who seemed insistent on hindering his escape. "Oh, if it isn't the pretty little ojou-chan! I interrupted your date, didn't I?" Ugh, the words tasted sour in his mouth.
Predictably, a tint of red grew across the top of her cheekbones, and her eyes twinkled at the implication. The boy next to her whined in protest. "It's not a date! We're all here together!"
"That's right! We're here for food!"
"Not just the food, Genta-kun, the festival." She spoke with a pout at having her bubble broken, though the blush persisted. Well, at least their attention span was relatively short. They could easily entertain and derail conversations on their own. He liked kids in general, as their reactions to his magic were full of wide-eyed wonder. But he only liked them when they weren't threatening to expose his civilian identity to his archrival and potential lov- No, Kaito killed that thought right there.
Kaito switched his attention back to Aoko, who was looking at Tantei-kun with a strange, considering eye. His stomach dropped, lurching at the familiar expression. She was curious. "Have I seen you somewhere before?" Her gaze moved over to the other kids as well. "You all seem… familiar."
No, bad Aoko, bad!
A smug little chuckle, and the rub of a nose preceded the reply. "We're the Detective Boys!" No! Introductions were bad! They lead to other self-introductions, which leads to further conversation, which leads to discussions of hobbies, which leads to an x-ray examination of your whole being by an ultra-perceptive detective, who can surely discover any and all secret identities a person may have, and Kaito will find himself in jail by morning, which means his father's killers will roam free, still hunting for that damn gem, Pandora. Kaito sucked in a breath at his own winded, internal monologue. In short - introductions were bad!
Seconds passed by, and he could hear the cogs in her brain moving, trying to place the information before Aoko's face lit up in recognition. His stomach churned with nervous energy, and he was beginning to debate if he should just grab her arm and run.
"Oh! I've seen you in the paper!" Her eyes were sparkling. "You've managed to thwart Kaitou Kid's heists, haven't you? So that makes you…" She turned her gaze on Tantei-kun. "The Kid Killer, right?"
Okay, so seeing the blush on his face was worth the subject of Kid coming up. For a brief second, a tiny flicker of panic seemed to pass over his features, before smoothing out into the bashful mask Kaito was familiar with. His chest swelled. Good to know he wasn't the only one flustered at the moment.
"That's just a nickname the papers gave me, is all." And then he tittered.
Aoko turned a sly eye his way. "How about that. We get to meet the famous Detective Boys, formidable enemy of the notorious Kaitou Kid. Even the rumored Kid Killer!" She was enjoying this way too much to be healthy.
Kaito's eyes slid into deadpan. He already knew exactly who these kids were, especially Tantei-kun, and had no such desire to acquaint them with his civilian persona. "Right, whatever. Can we go now? I'm getting hungry. Those unagi pies were good, but not very filling."
He heard the gasp, and practically felt the imaginary sparkles being pelted in his direction. "U-unagi pie?" Glancing over, he was entirely unsurprised to see a drooling mass of kid giving him the most earnest and demanding look. Kaito took a step back to feign shock and blinked. "Hey, onii-san, can you tell me where you got those?"
"Genta-kun!" More than one of his friends groaned in annoyance, and Kaito had to suppress a grin. Score one in his escape plan. Distract the glutton!
"Ah, sure." He nodded his head toward the distance, motioning at a stall he knew was clear on the far edge of the festival. "It's back by the south gate. It's a popular takoyaki stall, but they also sell those on the side. I recommend you hurry, though - the line is pretty long."
"Uhn, thanks!" He turned his attention to the others. "C'mon guys, let's go, let's go!" Slamming his feet into the ground, he clearly had no patience. In fact, he was already running off in that direction.
"Wait, Genta-kun! Argh, I'm so sorry." The polite boy gave him a small bow, before making his way after his friend. The others followed suit in similar fashion, sending him apologetic murmurs and making chase. One of the last to leave was Tantei-kun, who he avoided looking at, but when he was gone, Kaito finally felt like he could breathe again.
If he tried, he probably would not have been able to disguise his sigh of relief. Tantei-kun was like a double-edged sword. He had a bad habit of making everything so complicated! So difficult, things could never be easy with him around. At least he had managed to get past that small mountain of a hurdle. Now, all he had to do was ditch Aoko for a bit, and keep an eye out for Tantei-kun to make sure any and all suspicion was completely alleviated. At least now that he knew exactly where he was, Kaito could keep a watchful eye, and could effectively stay away.
Kaito raised a noncommittal hand, and gave a halfhearted wave at their retreating figures. "Bye~." He turned in time to see Aoko glaring at him. Her hair flew across her shoulder, as she turned her head quickly to the side with a pointed huff. His grin dropped down a few notches. Not good, she was still upset at him. But, the most important issue had been resolved, so he could take a little bit of silent treatment. It wouldn't last long, anyway.
He turned to face Aoko head on. "Look, I just remembered I left something in my room. It's getting late, anyway, so could you tell Arakawa-sensei I'm heading back to the lodge?"
She rounded on him, clearly surprised. Of course she was, Kaito never left festivals early. She was pinning him with one of her concerned looks. "What is wrong with you, Kaito? First you're totally distracted, then you fall onto a kid, and then you don't even try and say you're sorry or cheer him up. Actually, you totally ignored him! Now, you want to leave early?"
Kaito wanted to curl in a ball, or run away, or something, because now she was eyeing him with a frown. Not a frown of annoyance, or a scowl of irritation, but a genuine, worried frown. He had made her worry. What was worse - that was the one expression he was weak against. He never liked to see it, since she wore it so often after his father died. It set his senses itching, and he wanted to run, pacify her, or do anything to make it go away. He wanted to sigh.
He opened his mouth to give her reassurances, but Aoko continued before he could. "You're never clumsy. Even with these clothes, that wasn't normal. You're distracted about something. What's wrong? You haven't been acting normal for weeks."
His eyebrows rose. "Aoko…" Kaito hadn't realized he was acting any different from normal. Hakuba did not point anything out, anyway. Then again, he had been away, visiting England for quite a bit this summer.
"I'm your best friend, and I've known you for ten years. You can talk to me about anything."
Well, anything but Kid. Kaito swiveled his head, taking in the fleeting figures of the group of children from the corner of his eye. They were going for takoyaki, weren't they? Given the line he remembered seeing, that afforded him about twenty minutes, give or take a few. He let the sigh loose, and turned his attention back to Aoko, giving her a critical once-over. True, there was something bothering him. He could be vague, couldn't he? Maybe she could help him. Gently taking her arm, he redirected them to a quieter place they could talk in privacy.
He was quiet a long moment, mulling his thoughts around in his head, and then started slowly. "Aoko, you have a dream don't you? Like, a goal you strive for."
Her frown deepened. "What does that have to do with anything?"
Kaito waved a hand, a bit impatiently. He knew the answer already, but he needed to word things correctly. "Just answer the question."
A huff, and she nodded. "Of course I do. I've told you about it before - I plan to join the police, and kick criminal butts."
That startled a small snort through his nose, and she glowered at him. His eyebrows shot up, and he raised his hands in a calming gesture to stave off her indignant bout of self-defense. He doubted mops were standard issue, but he knew Aoko would probably wind up exactly where she said she would, doing exactly as she planned, mop or no mop. Little Nakamori, junior. It was fully an endearing mental image.
"I have things I strive toward, as well." She backed down, letting her hands rest on her hips, still frowning. His mouth opened, then snapped shut again, giving her another critical look. This was harder than he thought. "There is someone I know, and they aren't the most… supportive in that respect."
Aoko quirked an eyebrow, a minor bit of interest flickering in her eyes. "You aren't the type to let something like that bother you."
She really did know him pretty well, but Kid was a special case. "No, but this person," and he fought back the lump of embarrassment building in his throat. "They're very important to me. And, I'm pretty sure I'm important to them, too."
Kaito hooked his thumbs distractedly over the edge of his belt sash in lieu of pockets. He let his gaze wander back to the direction the group of kids disappeared to.
"We fight all the time, but it's all in good nature. We have our disagreements, but ultimately I think we have the same intentions in mind. It's just, I don't think they're too understanding of my, ah, shows. We bicker about my magic a lot, but that's just the way they are, and I don't expect that to change. They wouldn't be the same, otherwise." His eyes softened, and a soft chuckle passed his lips at the realization that he had been praising Tantei-kun's criticisms. To find something which would normally be insulting as something endearing instead - he wasn't just falling, he had already fallen. Aoko's eyes had widened a bit, and the light dusting of pink on her cheeks went completely unnoticed.
"I hadn't realized until recently just how important they were to me." Kaito blinked at his own words. To hear them actually said aloud seemed to solidify things. Tantei-kun was more than just important to him. He was becoming a reason all his own. "But, I can't give up my goals. I'm selfish - I don't want to give up either."
Kaito let his voice trail off a bit, and he become solemn. "I feel like, if I don't follow through, I will be letting my dad down." He finally faced Aoko again.
She gave him an expression he was unable to decipher. "Are you saying you feel like you have to choose between the two?"
"Well, they are at odds." Hell, he was a thief, and Tantei-kun was a detective. They were like polar opposites. Tantei-kun's position obligated him to try and capture him, and Kaitou Kid's position obligated him to run away. Her brow furrowed at that, looking mildly confused. That wasn't something he could explain.
When her lips turned down into a frown, he wanted to smack his forehead. This whole conversation had to be completely pointless! He didn't mean to make her even more worried than she already was. She spoke up, suddenly. "Are you sure about that?" Aoko looked to be speaking carefully, and Kaito raised a curious eyebrow. "At odds, I mean. If you talk about it, you might find they aren't as unsupportive as you thought."
She pinned him with a strangely expectant stare, and it made Kaito a bit uncomfortable. If he had to dodge tranquilizer needles while he was on the job, he was fairly convinced they were at odds. "We haven't exactly spoken about it, but I'm still pretty sure."
"Kaito, I…" She sighed and shook her head as if to erase that train of thought. "If they really find you important, it shouldn't matter, right? You shouldn't have to choose for something like that. Are you sure you're not making assumptions? It could just be a misunderstanding. I mean, it's obvious your father is precious to you."
Kaito's fingers tensed over the fabric of his belt. It was never easy talking about his father, especially now, knowing what he knew. He idolized him as a magician, and learning he had been going against a criminal organization as Kaitou Kid was nothing short of amazing. His father was doing something incredible. No, he was incredible himself. Memories of him were always pleasant, but knowing he had been mercilessly assassinated rubbed metaphorical glass in his emotional wounds. Nothing aside from arrest would stop him in his quest to land the criminals responsible in jail. "It isn't so simple. It's the principle of the thing. It's something that only I can do."
Aoko stared at him, shock plain on her face, and he wanted to wince. That was going a bit far. He averted his gaze again, and sighed. "They don't know about my father. So while it kind of concerns him, it doesn't at the same time. That's not the sort of thing I want to tell him about, really. Not yet, anyway. It's something I have chosen to do on my own. Just, it's difficult when they continue to fight me about it."
"Wait." He glanced back at her, and found her furrowing her brow. She looked completely confused. Kaito frowned. He felt it was a decent explanation, and hoped he wouldn't have to try again. Talking around the Kid issue was a bit taxing. Aoko opened her mouth, then closed it again a number of times, clearly trying to decide on what to say. Finally, she sent an uncertain gaze his way and spoke. "So, you're saying you're at odds about something you haven't even talked about?"
Kaito nodded, so she continued. "And yet you still concern yourself about what they think about it, right?" Kaito nodded again. "Because you care about this person, right?" He nodded a third time.
She nibbled at her bottom lip. "And they're a boy?" She blurted it out, as if unable to properly formulate the words. Kaito started, and wondered how the hell she figured that out. A quick reevaluation of their conversation sent a small groan through his head. He hadn't intended for that to slip out. He wanted to bark out denials, but he bit his tongue and managed to just shoot her a bug-eyed stare at the blunt statement instead. Kaito settled for a small nod of the head.
Aoko continued to stare at him, as if he were some alien, or some strange new species of animal she had never seen before. Multiple expressions flickered over her features, passing by and morphing far too rapidly for him to name any of them. His throat ran dry. He knew she was open-minded, but he hadn't expected her to have such a strong reaction. It made him nervous.
"Are… You like guys?" She was blushing deeply, now. Her feet scraped against the ground, fidgeting.
Kaito sputtered, and shook his head. His hands came up, using them to enunciate his point. "No, no, no!"
"But…," she trailed off, and was looking at him oddly again.
He had to fight the blush this time, letting his hands drop. His gaze wandered restlessly around, entirely conscious of the nearby roving crowds of people. "He's just different. It's his fault, he took over my brain!" He tugged a bit at his belt, failing at his attempts to conceal his embarrassment. "It's his fault. He made me… like this."
A long silence settled between them. Kaito didn't quite know to make of it, but he waited, anyway. She seemed to be thinking things through. Finally, she breathed in, then sighed heavily. "Ah, what am I going to do with you? You said it yourself - you're selfish! Who's to stop you from doing what you want? I have been trying that for years." And then she grinned. There was something strained about it, though. It was enough to spur a small sigh of relief from Kaito, and he let his hands fall back to his sides. "Whoever he is might complain about it, but you always get your way in the end, don't you? I doubt this will be much different. If he really does consider you important, then he will understand, I'm sure."
"Complaining is a mild understatement." Kaito slid into deadpan, all kinds of imaginations coming to mind - most involving soccer balls.
She shrugged. "Then consider this. Is he worth it? I think really that's the most important thing. I know you probably can't change how you feel about your obligations to your father, so it comes down to that." Hooking one hand on her hip, she tilted her head and looked at him sternly. "You said you don't want to give up either, right? Then all you have to do is put up with that until he understands. I still think you should talk about things, though. Not everyone is a mind-reader."
Considering his deductive abilities, Tantei-kun might as well be one. Kaito opted for a more diplomatic response. "I'll consider it." He gave her a bright grin. It was a shoulder-lightening conversation, but still left some issues unresolved by the sheer nature of being Kid-related. He would just have to talk to Tantei-kun, and see where things went from there. "Thanks, Aoko."
"That's what best friends are for." She had that same strained kind of smile as earlier. "Uhm, it's not… Hakuba-kun, is it?"
Kaito stared at her, brain fused in some minor temporal explosion. "Excuse me?"
"The guy. You know…" She trailed off, nibbling at her lip again. "I mean, you seem to get along well."
The implication was borderline horrific, and Kaito had to wonder if he would have nightmares. He turned fully, and firmly planted his hands on her shoulders. With a straight glare, he looked at her. "Aoko, that is singularly the most terrifying and insulting thing I have ever heard. Please, never utter that again."
She blinked several times, then nodded with something resembling relief. "Uh, okay." Kaito nodded himself, in satisfaction.
"Right. Anyway, I do still want to go back to the room. Can you tell Arakawa-sensei? It's been a long day."
Her familiar spirit returned, and she looked at him with an unapologetic leer. "Not fond of the décor, Kaito?"
"Shuddup. I can deal with the banners here, no problem." He frowned, and waved a flippant hand, causing her to giggle.
"Alright, alright, I'll go and tell him. You owe me a bowl of shaved ice tomorrow, though."
"Yea, yea." He was still pouting, but at least he was free to go. "I'll catch you later, then." Shrugging off his irritation, he raised his hand and waved with a grin as she trotted off. His grin sharpened when she was gone, and turning his head, he focused in the direction of the takoyaki stall. Time to stalk certain tiny detectives.
About five minutes later, he found them, still waiting in line as he predicted. The food stall was one of the most popular he'd seen so far, and after trying the takoyaki himself, was inclined to agree that the wait was well justified. Slipping into the edge of the crowd, he made himself scarce. A twirling head, and Tantei-kun was soon sending a curious gaze at the spot where he had just been standing. Man, his senses were sharp! Kaito tensed and considered giving himself a disguise, but felt it would be a bit futile - he didn't have an extra yukata, and there was no way Tantei-kun would let that large of a detail go unnoticed. It was more inconspicuous if he stayed himself, so instead, he chose to hang around the edges. It was a bit more understated spy work than he was used to, but not something he had never done before.
With a small shake of the head, Tantei-kun returned his attention to the Haibara girl, apparently dismissing his search. When he flushed and shot her a retort to something she had said with a smirk, Kaito really wished he was within earshot. Whatever had made him blush was certainly worth knowing.
It didn't take long, but Kaito could feel a smile tugging at his lips, only noticing it when his cheeks began to twinge. He realized with a start that his Kid grin was leaking out, and with no small amount of embarrassment, let out a small choked laugh at his own inability to restrain himself. A number of people sent him odd looks, so he tried his best to smother the expression into something more resembling absent amusement. He hurried his way further into the outskirts and amongst the nearby trees, out of sight. Navigating around a few bushes, he found himself a good spot, and hunkered against the nearest tree. The line had grown since the last time he passed by, so there would still be a fair wait involved. Until then, he could content himself with just watching in solitude. Settling into a comfortable position, he lapsed into thought.
"He will understand", hunh. Kaito watched as the group of kids interacted, eyes trained on Tantei-kun who continued to tense and send furtive glances into the crowds. He squeezed his eyes shut, and rested his head against the bark. Easier said than done. Could he take that risk? He swallowed and let himself drop to a squat, weight pressing into the trunk for balance. Could Kaitou Kid really take that kind of a risk? Over the edge of his folded arms, he sat silently and watched with half-lidded eyes. Was Tantei-kun worth it?
Multicolored lights danced over his face, half-hidden by the shadows cast by the trees. Ha, what a ridiculous question.
A/N: I have moved to AO3 (archiveofourown). You may find me under the username blindwriter. Look forward to seeing you there!