Disclaimer: I don't own DCMK

Sky Colored Eyes

31: The Waiting Game

"Hey Shinichi, do you want to go see a movie with me?"

Shinichi looked up from where he was packing up his school bag and blinked. Kaito was standing in front of his desk with his backpack slung casually over one shoulder, the picture of an ordinary high school student without a care in the world (appearances certainly were deceiving). Their last class had just come to an end. Most of their classmates had already vanished out the door in the usual stampede that followed the final ring of the bell. The few students who had yet to join the exodus were gathered in front of the mural that had manifested itself on their classroom wall halfway through second period, courtesy of Kaito himself. They were taking pictures.

Shinichi slid the last book into his backpack and zipped it up before standing and slipping the straps over his shoulders. "I'm sorry, I can't. I'm meeting Haibara later."

"I see. That's too bad." Kaito hid his disappointment behind a careless shrug. "Haibara… That's that little girl who came to check on you when you were sick, right? The one who lives with that professor friend of yours?"

Shinichi nodded. "She checks on me once a week."

Kaito raised an eyebrow. "I would say that it's kind of strange for a nine year old girl to take it upon herself to check on someone twice her age, but with her, I guess I'm not surprised. Most of the kids in high school don't come across half as mature as she does."

Shinichi snorted. "You don't know the half of it. You should see the way she is with Professor Agasa. She's been regulating everything he eats since she started living with him. She's really strict about it too. I don't even remember when she last let him have an ice cream."

Kaito's heart went out to the old man at that. No ice cream for more than two years? The horror! "Doesn't that seem a bit much?"

"Well… I do feel a bit sorry for him sometimes, but he kind of needs it. His health's improved a lot because of her."

"Tough love, huh?"

Shinichi laughed, the sound genuine and warm. "I guess so."

"Man, kids these days." The magician shook his head, heaving a melodramatic sigh. "I don't mean this in a negative way, but what a bunch of little monsters! Like there's this boy Aoko told me that her dad used to rant a lot about. I think his name was Conan something. She says her dad calls the boy an interfering brat, but he apparently pays a lot of attention to the little guy when he shows up at cases anyway."

Shinichi stood frozen halfway to the classroom door as Kaito prattled on about the things he'd heard that Aoko had heard from her father. Why was Kaito suddenly bringing this up? Could he have figured out that—

Get a grip, Shinichi, he scolded himself. Kaito—who might be Kaitou KID—was just marveling at the maturity of two much too young children with un-childlike amounts of detailed knowledge. It had nothing to do with Shinichi except that his meeting with Haibara had triggered the topic. Just carry it through like a normal conversation and then let it lie back down where it belonged.

"Have you met him?"

Blue eyes blinked. "What?"

"The little detective brat who drives Nakamori-keibu up the walls. I mean, from what the old man's always grumbling, I thought he went along to help with a lot of different cases. Seeing as you're a detective, I just asked if you've ever met him."

"I…I… Yes, I think I've met him before. He's…my distant cousin, I think. I haven't seen him very often though. We normally only communicate through texts."

"Really?" Kaito leaned in to peer at him as though searching for signs of falsehood (or maybe it was just his own paranoia kicking in). "So you're still in touch with him?"

"Sort of," Shinichi stammered, mouth going dry. Breathe, he told himself. There was no reason to freak out. It wasn't like he was still hiding from trained assassins (just people who might want to toss him in the loony bin). "Um, I have to get going or I'm going to be late. And then Haibara will have my head."

"Yeah," the magician agreed reluctantly. "I better get going too. Or I'm afraid that I am going to be featured on tomorrow's front page. Girl with Mop Sends Innocent Boy to the ER."

"…What?" Shinichi glanced around and spotted what Kaito was talking about immediately. Hakuba was currently still sitting in his desk because he had been glued there. His clothes had all been dyed a blinding green and his hair was even greener and spiked up with thin strings of glittering, plastic beads wound through the spikes so that he looked a little bit like a scruffy, out of season Christmas tree. He was glaring daggers at the man they all knew was responsible for his predicament. The danger, however, was the brunette now striding towards them. She had a mop clutched in one white-knuckled hand and a scowl on her face that spelled trouble.

"Okay, time to scram." Kaito snapped his fingers. There was an explosion of light followed by a shower of paper stars and glittering sequins. By the time Aoko reached the spot where Kaito had been standing with Shinichi, both magician and detective were nowhere in sight. All that was left to remind the world of their existence was a floor speckled with glitter and a sprinkling of paper stars.

She stamped her foot. "Bakaito! You get back here!" There was no answer.
Outside of the Ekoda High School main gates, a pair of young men with unusually similar features came to a stop, breathing hard like they'd just run a marathon.

"Don't you think what you did to Hakuba-san was a bit much?" Shinichi managed to ask after he'd caught his breath.

"Nah. It's not like he's hurt. He practically begs to be pranked anyway with the way he behaves. And today was a special occasion."

"A special occasion?"

"Yep. He insulted me last time we brought your elementary school friends to the lake. Today was retribution."

"…I don't think that's a very healthy reaction to a simple insult."

"Oh come on. All he has to do to get out of there is get someone to lend him a pair of pants so he can take off the pair stuck to the chair." All considered he was pretty sure the blonde would be too embarrassed to run home in his underwear.

"…" That, considering the fact that he couldn't go anywhere, meant that Aoko was probably the one who was going to have to ask around for the spare pants. Which, Shinichi suspected, was not going to improve her temper.

Stopping at the corner, Shinichi glanced up at the street sign then turned right. "I'm going this way. I'm meeting Haibara at that café we ate at before going to see Sai and Koizumi-san."

"Go on then. Wouldn't want you to be late. Make sure you order the Chocolate Raspberry Special. It's awesome."

"I don't think Haibara would approve, but I'll see." Smiling faintly, Shinichi waved to the magician then started across the street. Kaito watched him go before heading the other way, steps aimed homeward. However, the magician veered off course just past the next corner, striking off across town so that he would reach the aforementioned café. He knew a shortcut that would get him there a little before he predicted that Shinichi would arrive.

He wasn't spying.

No, he was just…bird watching. That's right. He was bird watching.

Watching a pretty little bird he just couldn't seem to identify. It was a little bird that had flown into his yard, and he needed to figure out what kind of house to build for it to make sure it would stay.

His lips quirked into a lopsided grin.

He just didn't get it. He had always been good at reading people (it was a necessary skill for a good magician), and the skill had been honed to a razor point by his years as the Kaitou KID. All considered, a good impersonation was about a lot more than a face, a voice, and some knowledge of basic facts. No, it was about character—about really getting into people's heads and understanding how they thought and what made them tick. So why was he having such a hard time figuring out where he stood with Shinichi?

Shinichi obviously saw him as a friend. A good one, seeing as he likely suspected Kaito's secret but had shown no inclination to act upon it (although he supposed that could also just be a sign that Shinichi didn't view KID as a dangerous criminal in need of stopping, especially when compared to the murderers he dealt with on a regular basis. Which wouldn't exactly be a bad thing, but it would be nice to think that it was also because the detective liked him). He knew Shinichi was thankful for all the help he had offered since the boy had moved to Ekoda (though privately Kaito had to admit that he'd only really done what he wanted. Shinichi was just too interesting to leave alone). He'd even gotten a cake to prove it. The magician smiled fondly at that particular memory. Mmmm, chocolate cake. But on the other hand, Shinichi turned down his invitations without much thought, even if he showed no aversion to his advances in themselves. Well, to be more accurate, Shinichi didn't seem to notice. When he did notice, he never took it seriously.

The magician smiled as the girl behind the counter handed him his hot chocolate. He thanked her before moving to a table that afforded him a good view of the rest of the café. As if on cue, the door opened and in walked Shinichi.

X

"You look healthy," were the first words out of Haibara's mouth as she hopped onto the vacant chair across the table from Shinichi. Her sharp eyes scrutinized him from cowlick to toes and back again before meeting his eyes. "Have you been taking your medication regularly?"

"Yes, Haibara." Sometimes he thought the little scientist was starting to act more like his mother than his mother ever had. "How's the professor?"

"He's doing well. We've started taking regular walks in the evenings. He's almost done with that birdbath prototype too."

"You mean he really went through with it?" Shinichi couldn't keep the dubious note out of his voice.

"Is attempting to, yes. Aesthetically, it's actually quite stylish."

"Does it work?"

The girl shrugged, though the quirk to her lips was amused. "That remains to be seen." She paused to take a sip of her tea, studying his face over the rim of her cup. "And you? I heard Takagi-keiji and Satou-keiji discussing some kind of real estate case that seemed to involve you."

"Er, it's not actually about real estate. There have been a lot of…strange things going on, and I'm trying to find the man who might have the answers."

Ai arched one eyebrow. "This wouldn't happen to be related to that classmate of yours who came with us to Shiratsuki Lodge, would it? The one with the stepmother in the psychiatric ward."

Shinichi hesitated before letting out a soft sigh. "Yeah. But she's not the only one involved. It's a little complicated."

"Is it dangerous?"

The detective had to give this particular question some serious thought. "I can't say. Not yet. Most of the cases could just be tragic accidents. People getting scared and reacting badly, that kind of thing."

"It's not like you to be so vague. What's bothering you?"

Shinichi grimaced down into his coffee mug. His own face, ghostly on the dark surface of the coffee, gazed back. "It's just… This is going to sound crazy."

Ai smiled sardonically. "It wouldn't be the first time."

"Well, the man I'm looking for—the one we need to talk to—is a guy that a lot of people believe can speak to the dead."

"People who say that crop up now and then. It's nothing new. There are some really famous fortune tellers too."

"It's not…quite like that. According to our class witch, he's kind of using people's beliefs to help shape ghosts for them—ones that can be with them like the lost ones they loved. Or, well, I think it's more likely that they're like the loved ones the people think they lost. She said it would be shaped from their own hearts and memories."

Ai looked skeptical. "Class witch."

Shinichi coughed lightly. "Well…"

"And you're having trouble swallowing this."

"It's not that."

"It's not?" Ai would actually admit to being surprised. It wasn't something she experienced often. But Shinichi did always have that effect on her. "So, if it's not the viability that bothers you, then why do you sound so uncertain?"

"I…guess I've been a bit worried about what's going to happen when we do find him. I heard a lot of his clients now live happily with their losses because of what he did for them. If it does turn out that he's a criminal and we expose him then we'll be destroying the peace they've finally been able to find. They'll be losing those loved ones all over again."

"Don't you think you're getting ahead of yourself?"

Shinichi frowned at the question. "How so?"

"You haven't even found the man yet. It would be premature to start worrying about the aftermath. Find him then think about how best to respond."

Shinichi blinked then snorted, blue eyes dancing. "Thanks, Haibara. I guess I needed that."

"Yes, you did."

They fell into a comfortable silence, each nursing his or her own drink. It was Haibara who broke it.

"How's that boy? The one with the sticky fingers."

"Do you mean Kaito?"

"Yes, him."

"Oh. Well, he's normal…? Er, well, not normal exactly. Normal for him. He's helping me with this case. He's created three false identities already just for reaching out to the property owners who might lead us to the man we're looking for."

"His skills must be coming in handy."

"Yeah. It's kind of amazing. I've never seen anyone get so much done in so little time."

"Maybe he's trying to impress you."

Shinichi snorted. "He likes to show off, but I don't think even he'd go to that much trouble just to impress one person. Maybe if there was a whole audience."

Ai gave him one of those hooded looks that seemed to say 'You don't know anything, do you?', but when she spoke it was only to ask, "So what else has he done?"

The detective wondered why he felt like he was being poked fun at. "Well, he built an automatic voice modulator into this other phone he set up for me and arranged a place at a local restaurant that we're free to use as an office if we need it."

"All that so soon? He certainly is efficient. That or he's taking advantage of your case to have some fun."

Shinichi laughed. "He probably is. But I know he's serious about the case too."

"Hmm." Ai sat back in her seat. "Is that all?"

The detective's brows furrowed. "What are you talking about now?"

The little girl shrugged. "I'll take that as a no."

By now the teen seated on the other side of the table was giving her a rather strange look. She only smiled. Shinichi seemed…more relaxed than the last time she had seen him, she mused. It appeared that, slowly, the boy was beginning to unwind. The shadows and the tension and the scars were still there, but it seemed that they were no longer wrapped as tightly around her friend as they had been before. And seeing it for herself lifted a weight from her shoulders.

"I have the results from your last blood test," she said, pulling an unmarked, white envelope from her purse and sliding it across the table to him. His shoulders tensed almost imperceptibly. The muscles in his face set, apparently braced for bad news. Ai cleared her throat lightly and smiled. "It seems to me that you're doing quite well for the time being. As long as you take care of your health, keep the stress level down, and take your medication regularly, I think the frequency of the seizures should start to decrease."

Blue eyes widened. There was a glimmer of hope in that—a weak little thread of hope that wasn't sure if it dared come out, but it was there. The sight of it made Ai turn her face away because she knew that she couldn't answer it. Conditions may improve over time, but they could also decline. Such was the way with living things. And Shinichi's lifestyle wasn't going to help his case. But maybe a little hope wasn't a bad thing.

"Be warned though," she said seriously. "This doesn't mean you can go gallivanting off to do whatever. Even if the frequency of the seizures decreases, you can still bring one on yourself by putting too much strain on your body. That includes mental stress. However, if you can learn to take it easy now and then and pace yourself when you work, you should be able to carry on a relatively normal life without having to be afraid that you'll drop in the middle of the street."

Shinichi drew in a deep breath then let it out again slowly. Ai's warnings drifted in his head, shifting like sand on the wind before they settled down into their places. It wasn't the best news she could have given him, but it had been more than he had dared to hope for. He had a chance now. It wasn't until she'd said it that it had become real for him. He had a chance now to move on, not sprinting but not limping either.

"Do you understand?" the little scientist persisted. "No charging after dangerous criminals or throwing yourself off bridges to catch people unless you are a hundred and ten percent sure that there isn't another way. Ask for help when you need it. I'm sure that magician friend of yours would be delighted to oblige. And always take some time off—and thinking about the case over a cup of coffee is not time off. I mean time off away from any kind of work or stress inducing situation. Am I making myself clear?"

This time, Shinichi laughed. "Yes Haibara. I'll do what the doctor ordered. This case is requiring a lot of waiting time anyway, so I don't really have much choice."

It was the little girl's turn to snort. "Yes, well, not ideal, but we make do with what we have. Speaking of which, the kids are putting together a project for that arts festival they'll be holding in Beika Park. You should come see."

"Are you participating too?"

"I didn't see any reason not to."

"Ah." That made sense. "Well, if I have time, I'll be sure to come by. What's your part in it?"

"We're putting on a silent play. And that's all I'm going to say on the matter."

"Okay… Have fun with that."

She shot him a flat glare before hopping off her chair. "I'll be headed home then. I need to pick up some groceries on the way."

"I'll go with you," Shinichi offered, rising from his own seat and pushing the chair under the table before picking up his coffee cup. "I need to get some groceries too."

"Good. This way I'll know exactly what you're eating."

Well he'd certainly jumped into that one, Shinichi mused. Not that he minded. Half his food came from the Agasa household lately anyway. So it really wasn't anything new.

"Buy this," Ai instructed, putting a bumpy, dark green pumpkin into Shinichi's shopping cart. "You should get some of these too, and this. The pomegranate juice is good for blood pressure. And if you'd drink a cup of orange juice for every cup of coffee you inhale, you'd be doing yourself a favor."

Later, when they parted ways at the train station after stopping by Shinichi's apartment building, they sat together and waited, neither feeling any need to talk. Then the train pulled into the platform, and Ai stood up.

"Dinner at Professor Agasa's next week?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Okay. If nothing else comes up."

"Ch. Bit of a weak promise."

"Unfortunately, with my luck, the qualifiers are kind of important."

"Fair enough. You can bring that magician friend of yours too if you want," she added as an afterthought. "Tell him there'll be free food."

"Er…okay. I'll see if he's interested."

"I'll be going then. Good night."

"Take care."

Haibara Ai gave her friend—patient, brother, partner, friend—another look over before nodding and stepping across the threshold into the train.

There was purpose in his eyes again. It was that drive to find justice and bring light into the dark that had given him the strength to endure two years of living under a lie. When he had that look in his eyes, she knew he would stop at nothing to uncover the truth.

"It really is your calling, isn't it, Kudo-kun?" she murmured, her words forming puffs of steam on the cold glass of the train window.

And maybe…maybe this time, when the race was over, he wouldn't be lost because this time he had someone watching over him—someone with, no doubt, plenty of plans for the future towards which they could strive together.

Ai's lips curled into a smile. It wasn't her usual amused one or even the one that said she knew something she wasn't going to share. It was a soft, relieved smile: genuine and warming from within.

TBC

A.N: It's Pokemon's 20 year anniversary, and I wanted to get the Mew plush celebrating it, but they were already sold out in every store in my area! . Er, that was totally unrelated, I know. Just felt like sharing my surprise at how quickly they went. ^.^U