Prompt: Free day
Shinichi had known there hadn't been time to wait for a cab, so he, Kazuha, and Shiho had run up the path towards the abandoned building. The recently finished coffee energized him, and he ran faster than he normally did. Heiji was the only person on his mind. Heiji was the one he had to save, before the worst happened.
When he got close to the top, he saw a car, with three men moving between it and the building, seeming as if they were packing. The motorcycle lay closer to them, turned off but with the keys still inside. Shinichi almost laughed at their foolishness.
"We need a plan," Shiho murmured next to him, and Shinichi nodded in agreement.
"They haven't left with Hattori yet, so we still have hope," he whispered. "Which of you is better on a motorcycle?"
Kazuha and Shiho exchanged glances. "Well, uh… We've never really competed against each other?" Kazuha offered.
"Put Toyama-san on it," Shiho suggested. "I have an idea of my own." She had a sharp glint in her eyes.
Shinichi breathed out. "Okay. Hit me with it, Miyano."
"Vodka wants you dead," Shiho said. "But he wants me dead too. If he thinks that maybe I'm here, then he'll be on alert. Seeing me will make him drop his guard, and that's when Toyama-san enters on the motorcycle, effectively shocking them."
Shinichi narrowed his eyes. "What if they kill you?"
Shiho met his gaze steadily. "It's a risk I'll have to take."
"So," Kazuha said slowly. "What exactly do ya want me ta do with the motorcycle?"
Shinichi turned towards her. "I'm glad you asked. Listen well and don't make me repeat myself. We don't have much time before they leave with Hattori."
Kazuha nodded.
"Long time no see, Vodka."
Vodka turned and narrowed his eyes. "Long time no see… Kudo Shinichi."
Kudo is here for me, Heiji thought, excitement filling his thoughts. Kudo is here for me, Kudo came for me, Kudo-
"Let Hattori go," Shinichi said, his voice deathly calm as he stared at Vodka.
Vodka laughed. "Why should I? I have plans, Kudo Shinichi, and I need Hattori Heiji to accomplish them." He raised his gun. "You, however, I'd prefer dead. I was hoping to kill you at Aniki's place, but I suppose here is good enough. Either way, you'll be dead."
"Drop the gun." A voice stated behind Vodka and Heiji. They both turned around to see Miyano Shiho staring directly at the man in black. Heiji's eyes widened. She had helped find him too? Shiho was a very busy person, yet she had apparently dropped everything and headed to Osaka when her best friend called.
"Sherry," Vodka spat out. "You and Kudo Shinichi are working together to get this boy?" He laughed. "Well, then this is just a party for me, isn't it!"
The clicking of several guns got Heiji's attention. The other three kidnappers had drawn their weapons as well. One pointed it at Shiho while the other two pointed it at Shinichi. Yet despite the threat of death, the two still remained calm. Heiji swallowed. What were they planning?
"You really should let Hattori go," Kudo Shinichi said calmly.
"What happens if I don't?" Vodka sneered.
The noise of a motorcycle cut through the air, and before anyone could think, the three kidnappers were on their sides, groaning in pain. Heiji's eyes widened even more as he saw just who was on it. "Kazuha?!"
"Ya idiot!" Kazuha spat out, tears in her eyes. "Ya got yerself kidnapped, and we were all so worried bout ya!"
"Sorry, Kazuha," Heiji whispered, but he felt so many complicated emotions in his chest. Not only Shinichi and Shiho, but Kazuha as well? They all worked together… to find him?
Vodka seemed to curse, before saying, "It seems I'm alone here."
As Kazuha stepped off the motorcycle and began unwrapping the duct tape from Heiji's hands, Shinichi said, "It seems you are."
Then a low grin spread across Vodka's face as he turned the gun to face towards Shinichi. "Well, at least I can do something before I get locked away."
And then he fired.
…no.
Kudo, don't die.
Kudo Shinichi can't die.
Kudo's not moving, he can't move, he can't-
Kudo, yer my boyfriend.
Kudo Shinichi, yer the world's best detective.
Shinichi, I love ya!
"Shinichi!"
And before Heiji even knew what he was doing, he felt pain rip through his arm, he saw Kazuha give a horrified gasp, Shiho with an expression similar to Kazuha's on her face but… also relief.
And as he slipped towards the ground, he felt Shinichi catch him, and his frantic voice in his ear.
"Hattori? Hattori, are you okay?"
"Love ya, Shinichi," Heiji whispered as the world turned black.
The last thing he heard before fully slipping into unconsciousness was Shinichi's voice calling out, "Heiji!"
Things happened fast after that. Kazuha, the nearest to the other kidnappers, picked up one of their guns and held it towards Vodka, forcing him to drop his. Shiho called the police and an ambulance, while Shinichi could just stay there, covered in Heiji's blood, watching him bleed out.
"I love you too," he whispered frantically, holding on to him. "You can't die on me, Heiji. You can't."
When the ambulance came, Shiho had to hold him back from going inside with Heiji.
Shinichi felt like the world was breaking.
Heiji was transported to an emergency room, Vodka and the other kidnappers were arrested, and Shinichi, Kazuha, and Shiho were brought to the police station. Shinichi sat in front of Heizo, looking down, barely registering that he was being asked a question.
"Kudo-kun," he finally heard, and he looked up blearily towards Heizo. Heiji's father sighed. "We took ya off the case."
"I had to find Heiji," Shinichi muttered.
Heizo looked a bit confused at the mention of his son's first name, but didn't comment. "And ya did, while the rest of us couldn't. Ya also locked up an extremely dangerous criminal. I applaud ya for that. Yet ya broke a few laws as well to get this far, didn't ya?"
Shinichi looked him in the eye and lied, "I never broke any laws. I saw a black organization member, went after him, and accidentally stumbled across Heiji as well."
There was no way Heizo fell for that lie, but he still nodded. "In that case, that's fine."
Heiji woke up to quiet. Am I… dead?
Then he heard a familiar gasp beside him and realized, No, I'm not dead. If I were, I wouldn't be in the same afterlife as Kazuha.
Turning beside him, he saw his best friend and smiled. "Hey."
"Ya really are an idiot," Kazuha whispered, wiping away the tears flowing down her face.
"Where's Shinichi?" Heiji whispered.
Kazuha gestured toward the door, and Heiji looked out to see Shinichi and Shiho talking. Finally, Shiho looked his way and said something to Shinichi that made the detective turn towards him too. Shinichi smiled slightly, then entered the room. Kazuha politely got up and left.
"Are you okay?" Shinichi whispered.
Heiji nodded. "I'm, uh, alive. So I'm guessing yes."
Shinichi laughed a bit. "That's good." Glancing away, he said, "You said you loved me."
Heiji nodded again, a bit unsure this time.
"I love you too, Heiji," Shinichi whispered. He leaned down and kissed Heiji softly, before drawing back, awkwardly changing the subject. "They say you're going to get discharged in a few days, though you still have to take care of that wound."
Heiji nodded. "Of course." As Shinichi got up, Heiji called out, "Let's have a date the moment I'm out!"
Shinichi nodded, smiling. "Alright."
As he left, Heiji found himself admiring Shinichi, his boyfriend and equal, more than any other version of him.
And here we are, the end of Towards the Center, my late af HeiShin week. I hope everyone enjoyed reading! As always, my upcoming works are in the end notes.
If you enjoyed reading, please leave a comment!
Upcoming Works
-A Day in Their Lives
Date: 7/31/2022
Fandoms: Digimon Ghost Game
Series: N/A
Pairings: Hiro & Gammamon
Summary: It's not often they get days to relax like this, bond as a family. When they do, they appreciate it.
-Promise
Date: 8/1/2022
Fandoms: Detective Conan, Magic Kaito
Series: Nico's Writer's Month 2022
Pairings: Masumi/Ran
Summary: A promise made ten years ago, finally fulfilled.
-Festival Games
Date: 8/5/2022
Fandoms: Detective Conan, Magic Kaito
Series: Friday Funtimes
Pairings: Shinichi/Shiho
Summary: Agasa brings the detective boys to a festival. Conan is determined to make sure Ai has a great time.
-Wrapped in Flames Chapters 1-3
Date: 8/15/2022
Fandoms: Detective Conan, Magic Kaito
Series: Nico's DCMK Events
Pairings: Shinichi/Kaito
Summary: When Kaito was little, his parents told him a prophecy, warning him to stay away from fire. Meanwhile, Shinichi is having nightmares of reaching helplessly towards a boy perishing in flames. When a witch pleads him to save Kaito from his curse, Shinichi forms a plan. He will not let Kaito die, even when they have to face an inevitable Reichenbach Fall. KaiShin BigBang 2022.
Upcoming Events
-HakuKai Week 2022
An event that I am hosting, celebrating the pairing of Hakuba Saguru and Kuroba Kaito. Prompts are now on my friend's tumblr (Radibe5), as well as on my AO3 collection, and reblogged on my own tumblr!