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Sky Colored Eyes

20: A Paper Full of Wishes

There were many things that Shinichi disliked about being sick. First and foremost was just that awful feeling of having been drained of all your energy and left with nothing but a bad taste in the mouth that threw off the appetite and an inability to think straight through a head full of cotton. It was particularly irritating how he might be feeling perfectly fine while he lay there staring at the ceiling, but the moment he got up to try and do something more productive, all the aforementioned symptoms would come rushing back like they'd been lying in wait to ambush him. It was boring just lying around all day. That was the second thing he loathed about being sick. It was the way his brain felt like it was slowly going numb.

"Why don't you read a book or something?" Kaito asked. He had, once again, invited himself into the apartment. It was the third day of the detective's convalescence and therefore the third time the magician had broken into his house. Yesterday, he'd broken in to bring some 'healthy foods' his mother had told him to deliver (Shinichi had to wonder if the woman knew how her son was going to deliver her package). Today, he'd brought the detective his schoolwork.

Shinichi sighed, wondering idly if it was worth mentioning that he had a spare key in his desk drawer that the magician could borrow if he was going to insist on visiting so often. He had the feeling that bringing it up wouldn't make a difference.

"I tried reading this morning," he admitted, plucking dismally at the sheets. "My eyes can't seem to focus. I get dizzy after the first page."

"That's too bad. Would you like me to read to you?"

Blue eyes blinked at him in surprise. "What? Oh, uh, no, really, that's all right. But thanks for the offer."

"Let me know if you change your mind."

A loud clang echoed through the apartment, making Shinichi jump. "Did someone else come with you?"

"It's Aoko. She read something somewhere about cooking pears with sugar for people whose throats aren't feeling well. I told her you had a fever, not a sore throat, but she seems to think it might serve as some sort of preventative measure."

"Cooked pears?" Shinichi repeated, curious despite himself. "I didn't know people cooked pears."

"Me neither, but you live and learn. Anyhow, the fruit should be good for you, so just humor her."

There was a soft knock at the door. Both teens looked towards it, expecting to see Aoko come in, but instead the door opened on a familiar blonde.

Kaito scowled. "What're you doing here? Aoko let you in, didn't she?"

The blonde looked nonplussed. "Probably the same thing you are. And yes, she did."

"Ch. Figures."

Ignoring the magician's less than welcoming demeanor, Hakuba found himself a place against the wall (since Kaito was occupying the room's only chair). "How are you feeling?"

"Much better, thank you," Shinichi replied. "You guys really don't have to keep checking up on me."

The blonde waved away his words. "It's no trouble. If you're feeling up to it, however, there was something I wished to ask you about."

Shinichi perked up at the suggestion that he might actually have something interesting to think about now. "Is it a case?"

"You'll have to tell me. Do you remember what you said to us when we left the hospital after bringing Hasagawa-san back? You said that 'they've all lost'. What did you mean?"

"Oh." The dark-haired detective looked down, expression growing serious. "It just crossed my mind at the time that all the people we've met who've had that mark have had people they've lost. Ogata-san lost his wife. Takamura Sakuno's files mentioned that her father passed away from a heart attack when she was younger. Then there was Hasagawa Ren's stepmother. She lost her son. And then, well… I was a bit tired, but it occurred to me at the time that the same could be said about Chishima-kun."

There was a moment of silence as both Kaito and Hakuba digested this.

"When Chishima Sai first asked me for help, he told me he was having trouble with his brother," the detective continued when neither of them spoke. "When we found out that his brother had passed away, I thought that maybe his problem wasn't one he wanted to talk about in public so he made up the bit about his brother as an excuse to speak in private. But after seeing Hasagawa-san, well… I guess I started wondering if there might be more to Sai's original story."

"Like maybe he's being haunted too?" Kaito produced a couple juggling balls and began to make them spin.

"I know it sounds crazy," Shinichi muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. "But I couldn't get the thought out of my head."

"Did Chishima-kun have the same mark though?" Hakuba asked.

"I don't know," Shinichi admitted. "The one time I met him, he was wearing long sleeves and a hat. And I wasn't looking for brands.

"Perhaps we should ask his mother."

"That would be a rather tactless thing to ask," the magician said dryly. "Oh hey, Chishima-san, we were wondering if you might have seen any strange marks on your son's wrists or forehead," he continued in a perfect imitation of Hakuba's voice. "There have been several accidental deaths recently where the victims have had these markings, and the only thing we know that they have had in common is that they've lost loved ones. And your son spoke about having problems with his dead brother, so we thought he might be connected to it all somehow."

Hakuba glared as Shinichi blinked in mild surprise at the performance.

"Don't put words in other people's mouths," the blonde snapped. "I know how to deal with these situations. Believe it or not, this is a part of detective work that I am very well acquainted with."

"We can ask him in person when he wakes up," Shinichi said, sighing. His head was starting to spin again the way it insisted on doing right now whenever he stayed sitting up for too long. "We could also ask around the hospital and see if they'd be willing to check for us."

"I can do that," Kaito offered. "I'm good at getting people to talk to me."

Hakuba snorted loudly, but it was his turn to be ignored.

"If you would, I'd appreciate it," Shinichi murmured, covering a yawn. Blue eyes blinked rapidly.

Kaito hopped off of his chair and moved to push Shinichi gently back down onto the bed. "You should get back to resting. We'll go help Aoko with those pears." That said, he shoved Hakuba out the door before shutting it carefully.

Hakuba stumbled, just barely managing to catch himself before he fell. Frowning, he straightened out his clothes then turned to give the thief a suspicious look. "Why are you being so helpful?"

Kaito stared blandly back, his expression giving nothing away except perhaps a mild amusement. "Why shouldn't I be helpful?"

"You want something, don't you?"

"You should try not to be such a suspicious bastard. It probably isn't healthy." Smirking at the blonde's splutters, Kaito headed for the kitchen.

X

"What are those?" Shinichi asked, blinking a bit groggily at the stacks of colored papers being assembled on his desk. He didn't bother asking why Kaito was here again. By now, he half expected to see the magician every time he woke from another stroll through feverish dreams.

"Origami paper," Kaito explained. "I remember you complaining that you were bored. I was originally going to bring books, but you said reading was making you dizzy. So I thought you could try folding paper. It's all tactile, so you won't have to look, but it gives your hands something to fiddle with."

"Oh. That's…thoughtful of you. Thank you."

"We can try folding a thousand cranes like in that story. Then you could make a wish."

"You don't really believe that, do you?"

"Hey, you never know. Wishes can be answered in unexpected ways. It never hurts to ask."

"I guess that's true." Picking up the cup sitting on the nightstand by the bed, Shinichi drank half of the contents in a few gulps. The water still tasted funny the way water often did when you were sick, but he was trying to make himself drink more of it regardless. He sighed, staring into the clear depths of his cup and wishing it was filled with coffee instead. It felt like forever since he'd last had coffee. He desperately wanted to march out to the kitchen and brew himself a piping hot pot full of it, but Haibara would have his hide. And she would know. Somehow, she always knew. It was creepy and totally unfair even if she did mean well…

"Missing your coffee?"

"Oh shut up," he grumbled.

"Now, now, sulking doesn't help anyone."

"I am not sulking!"

"Right~. By the way, I got some information on Chishima-kun from the hospital."

"Already?" Shinichi asked, surprised.

"I happen to be an information specialist, my dear detective. I'm sure I've mentioned it before." The magician smirked. Getting the information had been easy. It had barely required any of his skills. The nurses had been happy to talk to the charming young man who was so concerned about his friend.

"So what did they say?"

"Well, that's where it gets a bit tougher." Kaito pulled up a chair and sat. "He got pretty banged up in the accident. He suffered serious abrasions on his arms, legs, and face. If he had brands, he won't have them anymore. Not much of them anyway. They told me they could take a look next time they change his bandages, but it's unlikely they'll be able to tell anything useful. Not until more skin grows back anyway."

Shinichi winced at the mental images those words conjured up. "I guess we'll have to wait until he wakes up then."

"Unfortunately, we don't appear to have much choice. Though there's always the chance that Hasagawa-san will talk."

"I don't think that's likely. From what I've heard, her condition hasn't changed much. She just keeps muttering about her son and refuses to answer questions."

"I see. Ah well. It can't be helped. So do you want a paper?"

Shinichi blinked then shrugged. "All right."

It was nice to have something to do with his hands. His fingers were a little stiff, but it wasn't like he was in any hurry.

"You're pretty good at this," Kaito observed. "I brought a box you can put them in too. Where would you like me to put it?"

"Oh, um, on the table will be fine, thanks." He shook his head in mild amazement at Kaito's thoroughness.

Handing the crane he'd just finished to the magician so that it could be placed in the box, he took another piece of paper. This one was a clean, Robin's egg blue on both sides.

If only he really could wish away the damage that the poison and the antidote had left behind. To wish away the weakness and the fear of what it meant for him in the future. Haibara could tell him he had to adapt all she wanted; such things were always easier said than done.

"Hey, Shinichi."

Blue eyes blinked as the detective came out of the daze of his own thoughts to find himself still staring at the piece of half folded paper in his hands. He lifted his head to find Kaito standing by the bed. The magician's hand was on his shoulder and his expression was one of concern.

"Are you okay? You spaced out there for a moment."

Shinichi managed a smile. "I'm fine. By the way, you don't have to stay here you know. I'm sure you have other things to do."

"Are you trying to get rid of me?"

"What? No. I was just thinking that you must be really bored."

"Not really. Should I be?"

Shinichi gaped at him. "What kind of question is that to ask someone?" he huffed eventually. "You're really weird sometimes, you know that?"

Indigo eyes blinked at him in feigned shock. "Only sometimes? That's a first."

"…"

Kaito started laughing. Shinichi sighed and leaned back into his pillows.

"Seriously though," the magician said once he'd gotten his mirth under control. "I'm not bored. But if you want to thank me, there is a little something you could do."

"What kind of something?" the detective asked a little hesitantly. He did feel like he needed to thank Kaito, but at the same time he had the feeling that agreeing too rashly to any requests could lead to dangerous results.

"No need to look so scared. I was just hoping that you'd help me with this new trick I've been working on. I've got it mostly worked out, but I need to try it out on an audience to work out the kinks. How about it?"

"What if I figure out how it works?" Shinichi asked curiously. "Won't that be a problem for you?"

"My dear detective, you should know that the greater the challenge is, the greater the success." Kaito grinned. "But don't underestimate me. You can try to see through my work, but that doesn't mean you'll succeed. And if you do then I'll just do better."

The challenge in his grin brought a corresponding smile to Shinichi's face. "We'll see."

"All righty then." The magician leapt up out of his seat and swept into a showman's bow. "Let the show begin!"

X

"There are bird feathers on your floor."

"Kaito brought a few of his doves over yesterday. They must have dropped them then."

"Kaito…" Ai's lips quirked slightly in a strange little smile that made Shinichi slightly nervous. "That would be your new magician friend. The one that looks like your long lost brother."

"We don't look that much alike," Shinichi grumbled.

"There are differences," the little scientist agreed amiably. "However, that doesn't change the fact that you two share a great resemblance for people who are not related. Incidentally, might either of your parents have, ah, secrets they might not have told you?"

Shinichi's jaw dropped. "You—you aren't—Haibara, that is not funny! And no, they don't. Jeez, you always say the strangest things."

"They're not strange at all. Call it a sense for reality." Picking up one of the aforementioned feathers, Ai gazed at it thoughtfully. A dove feather, eh? She had a couple similar feathers at home too now courtesy of the dove or doves that kept coming around to visit. She rubbed the feather between her fingers, smiling. "Has he been coming over often?"

"Almost every day. He seems to have a lot of time on his hands."

"I see."

All the smiling she'd been doing since she'd arrived for her visit was starting to set Shinichi's nerves jangling with unease. What was going on? She was giving him those looks that told him that she knew something he didn't and she was laughing about it behind that bland gaze.

"By the way, I brought you this." She pulled a folded newspaper from her backpack. "I thought you might appreciate the distraction. Unless Magician-san's already shown it to you?"

Shinichi gave her a puzzled look before taking and unfolding the paper. An all too familiar caricature grinned out of the paper at him. It was an announcement of an upcoming KID heist. The card with its riddle and signature caricature had been printed on the front page along with advertisements for the great exhibit that would be opening to the public, showing off antiques and other rare treasures from around the world.

"So the Kuroba boy didn't show this to you?"

Lowering the paper, Shinichi gave the little scientist a puzzled look. "Kaito? No, he didn't. Why would he?"

"Oh I don't know," she drawled. "It just seemed to me that he might be interested in this sort of thing, being a magician and all."

"Well, he did say he was a KID fan," he conceded.

"Is he now." The little scientist sounded amused. "Is that what he told you?"

"Something like it."

"And you just left it at that."

"What're you getting at, Haibara?"

"Nothing, nothing. I just thought, well, a KID fan who's a great magician that also happens to look a lot like a certain detective…"

"You're talking nonsense," Shinichi huffed, turning away.

Ai watched him retreat into his shell with an amused smile.

He knew something, she thought. Or at least he suspected. But apparently he was in the mood to deny.

Why? Was he not interested in catching the thief anymore? Or was it perhaps a feeling of fellowship for someone who he was starting to relate to? Someone he was starting to see as a friend as opposed to just a rival.

Well, whatever was going on in Shinichi's head regarding the infamous phantom thief, it was clear that he didn't want to talk about it. The pieces were all in different places now, their roles changing too with each step they took. Where it would lead them in the end, Ai couldn't claim to know. But what she did know was that it was going to be an interesting journey.

"So what are you really after now, Kaitou KID-san? Why go out of your way to befriend a detective?" she murmured to herself. "You must have something up your sleeve. I wonder how much you know…"

"Who are you talking to, Ojou-san?"

Ai started despite herself at the unexpected voice. Spinning around, she found herself looking up into the face of Kuroba Kaito. That cocky grin stretched across his face, however, was very much the famous KID grin.

"When did you get in here?"

"Just a little while ago."

It was an ambiguous answer that could mean anything, the scientist thought in mild irritation. Crossing her arms, she fixed the magician with a hard, flat stare. "Kudo-kun tells me that you have been coming here quite a lot of late."

"Well~, someone has to bring him his homework."

"Is that all?"

"Now, now, do you really think it's that strange for someone to want to visit an ailing friend?"

"No," she replied after a moment's pause. "But such frequency in visits is a bit unusual."

"Unfortunately, we kind of get homework every day."

Ai opened her mouth then shut it again. Eventually, she sighed. "I suppose it would be too much to expect a thief to explain his intentions."

Indigo eyes blinked at her. "Who are you talking about now?"

She ignored the question. "He's still healing. And I'm not talking about this cold. I don't know how much you know, and I'm pretty sure I don't want to, but please…" Here, her voice dropped from the clipped tones of the doctor to the softer, worried tones of a friend. "Don't do anything if you don't mean it. He doesn't need any more stress right now."

"My dear young lady, no one ever needs more stress. And I rather resent your accusations. Do I look like that kind of person to you?"

"Looks can be deceiving."

Kaito paused then shook his head. "So young yet so cynical. You should be careful about that. You don't want to grow up like some blond detective twits."

Ai blinked. "…What?"

"But seriously." And now the magician's expression shifted into something much more serious and, to the young scientist's eyes, more sincere. "I'm not here to hurt him. You can believe me or not, it's up to you."

And it was odd, the young scientist mused. She was accustomed to suspecting everyone. It was part of the way she'd learned to survive. Not only was it harder for people to trick you that way, it was also easier to avoid being disappointed. Yet she found herself believing the magician even though she was also fairly sure that he was a thief. She just hoped she wasn't making a mistake in not pressing the issue with Shinichi.

X

"You…want me to go to the KID heist with you?"

"That's right."

"But…I mean, you… What?" Had he been wrong? After all, he wasn't a hundred percent sure that Kaito was the Kaitou KID. It was just that part of him was almost sure…

"You don't have to if you really don't want to," the magician went on, seemingly oblivious to Shinichi's confusion. "I won't force you. But I think it'd be fun. Although you do owe me a date for the dinner you missed."

"But—but…I mean, there probably won't be much to see," Shinichi finished a bit lamely.

"Or there could be lots. Is there anything about it in the notice? I see you've been reading about it."

Shinichi gave up. "I'm still working on it."

"So if it looks like it might be a good show, then will you go with me?"

"I'll…think about it."

Figuring that that was as good an answer as he was going to get for now, Kaito changed the subject. "You're looking a lot better now. Think you'll be coming back to class soon?"

"I hope so. I hate missing all this school. I really don't want to miss those upcoming exams on top of everything else."

"Well, you still have a few days. In the meantime, I brought some stuff for that chem. review I promised you. If you're feeling up to it, we can start going over it."

Shinichi brightened. "That would be great. Thank you."

TBC