Last night was a blast! Even though Kaito didn't get to sleep in Shinichi's bed, he was still quite happy to be here at the detective's house. Chatting with the guy was quite fun.
Like always Shinichi really doesn't like to talk about himself too personally and would constantly revert his attention to the book he is reading. But that was fine, Kaito was okay with that.
Though he is quite worry for the detective's well-being. If only Shinichi just open up a little bit so Kaito could understand him more.
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Chapter 4. Bottle of Emotions
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Usually the magician always wake up early but all the stuff that had happened from yesterday brought a lot of tiredness to his body, to the point he didn't even move a single muscle in his sleep. And so he overslept quite a bit- no that's a lie. He overslept through the entire morning.
With the clock showing the 'middle of the afternoon' Kaito let out a grunting noise, his head ache a little bit but that's probably due to the fact that he slept for a long time. Stretching his body, though despite the minor pain, it was a good thing that this nonsense of a curse didn't strain his body muscle. Even though he did felt drowsy and weak last night but it was quickly fixed by having a very nice sleep.
No- a nice sleep wasn't just it. He realized that even though they were in a separate rooms, Kaito can still smell Shinichi's scent...
the relaxing smell lulled him to a deep soothing sleep.
The magician later then blushed at thinking of that. It was all the curse fault. He wouldn't be so freakish about it, if it didn't exist in the first place.
It was slowly turning Kaito weird and he can't decide whether he's okay with that or not.
Ah
Shinichi must have left already.
How does he know you might ask? Well, Kaito has always been good at sensing other people's presence but the lack of that fresh and sour scent was a dead giveaway. He really is weird and possibly perverted according to Shinichi- but it's not like he can do anything about it. It's a curse for godsake!
At first he was kinda sad that the detective left without saying anything but then he remembered the last night call. The situation must have been dire and just like Shinichi had said last night, the detective was needed in the early morning and right now clearly anyone can tell from the scorching sun peeking through the windows curtain, that it is indeed not early in the morning. (Or you could just look at the clock, you weirdo)
Kaito laid on the bed while looking at the ceiling, sometimes he was curious at how tired Shinichi must be with all the murder cases dropping left and right. Afterall the magician had his fair share of tiredness. Working as a phantom thief at night, gathering informations he needed, and frequently having to hide his identity was tiring and stressful.
Especially when your life is on the line.
Now that he think of it... he and the detective were on the exact opposite of a coin even though their problems seems to connect to one another. Kaito despite not hurting anyone brutally, he was a criminal and Shinichi was not. Which is kinda weird because here he was, being offered with hospitality so generously from the detective.
But then again, he also helped Shinichi so much too. Why did he do it..? To be honest.. he didn't really know himself. Kaito would help anyone in need, he might be a thief and a cruel in a fun way trickster but he isn't that villainy.
Though he never did get this attached with someone. It's true he have friends that he loves and care about, true that he loves to mess with someone in a fun manner but... He couldn't quite grasp why he was so attracted to this cocky and arrogant man. He liked him. Kaito loves him.
Being with Shinichi relieves him off his stress. They share the same secret afterall, and it made Kaito happy that he doesn't have to always hide his identity alone, of course there is Jiji and his mother but that's because they are family and obviously they would know.
'Hakuba doesn't count, that guy is a prick' he added a mental note.
Shinichi was just different. Kaito found out about Conan was by mistake and curiosity, at first Shinichi was shocked, wary, cautious- which is understandable since Kaito was an enemy back then.
Times past so fast and so does changes.
Kaito sighed, he's doing it again.. it hasn't been an hour and he's already questioning all the stuff he's getting in life. He never like being stuck without anything to do. He usually distracts himself by working on his gadgets and tricks back at his hideout, but he can't really do that here since he's inside Shinichi's house.
A rumbling sound can be heard coming from the magician's stomach. Well that just means that he was hungry and so off he goes to the kitchen.
Kaito had prepared himself to cook a kinda decent meal, he actually just learned how to fry an omelette without getting burnt three weeks ago. Though, he didn't expect for Shinichi to already prepared him a breakfast!
Kaito's mouth gaped open, his indigo eyes locked on the plate at the table. On the plate was a simple meal consist of surprisingly western breakfast like fried bacons with egg sandwich, on a closer look there was a piece of paper beside the dish. He grabbed and read it.
It says, "you looked tired last night so I didn't want to bother your sleep. As i said before, i have to leave early. There's a hot chocolate in the microwave, if it got cold just heat it up there. -Shinichi"
Kaito can't stop the smile growing on his face, the detective genuinely took care of him. "Aww Shin-chan!" He squeals.
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The meal was simple yet it was delicious to Kaito's tongue. He sometimes seen the detective cook but he wasn't expecting for it to be this delicious. "He'd be a great wife" he day dreamed, then scoffed thinking that it might be far fetched.
While the magician sipping his hot chocolate, suddenly the doorbell rang and that made Kaito jumped a little, "now who might that be?" He asked to himself as he walked to the front door. Shinichi didn't tell him that there will be a guest but maybe this guest visits without telling the detective either.
He smelled a bit of lavender as he reached for the door and when he opened it, he saw a girl with a very familiar spike, "ah Shinichi-!" The girl spoke in a surprised tone.
Kaito blinked, oh dear- here comes the 'you look like Shinichi' again, "I'm terribly sorry, but im not Shinichi." He said kindly.
The girl eyed him and then a realization strikes her, "oh! Im sorry, you look-"
"Yes i know, alot of people mistook us as twin"
".. i see. Is Shinichi home by the way..?" She asked. She looked quite apologetic and Kaito knew why. She was afterall Ran Mouri, the childhood friend/ ex girlfriend of Shinichi Kudo and Kaito knew well that after all that Conan fiasco, their relationship were not the best.
"Ah.. well.. he left this morning, a case i believe.. is there something you need from him?"
"No no! I was just checking" Ran said with a smile but Kaito guessed from the damp smell, as if the lavender was soaked in rain water, the girl must've been sad or disappointed that the detective wasn't there.
"It has been a while, im sure he'll be coming back soon. Why not come inside?" Kaito said, letting a girl feeling sad was not to his liking.
Ran hesitate at first but accepted the invitation since Kaito seems so welcoming.
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For an hour or so, Kaito and Ran spent talking, introducing each other (despite him already knew who Ran is-). Talking to her made Kaito feels bad from using her or using Shinichi as a disguise that made the poor girl have mix feelings. She reminded him too much of Aoko, caring yet strong. Kaito understood how and why the detective would fell in love with her.
They were having quite fun talking and Kaito really starting to like this soft scent of lavender that the girl radiate. That is until Shinichi came back, smelling quite off and Kaito couldn't tell what it might be.
"Kaito, you didn't leave the house did yo- ...Ran." Shinichi stopped as soon he saw the girl sitting beside Kaito. He didn't frown nor did he smile, "what.. are you doing here?"
"Shinichi!" Ran stood up, "i.. i came here to apologize" she said. When The detective came back to her after years, she had been furious as soon he explained about Conan. Angry and disappointed at the lies and him not trusting her more. That time, Ran had called Shinichi selfish for not caring on how she would feel about all of it. She even said that she want nothing to do with the detective anymore.
But after days has passed, Ran realize that she might be in the wrong as well, she felt that she might have been too harsh. She didn't stayed silent to understand, she let her emotions to control her entire body.
"Apologize? For what? Didn't you say that you don't want to involve yourself with me anymore?" Shinichi sneered and both Ran alongside Kaito was shocked.
That wasn't how the detective usually talks, especially to someone dear to him. Kaito was right, something smells off from Shinichi. The detective looked angry- irritated.
"I know i did but.. i was too harsh! I was too angry at that time so i just said everything based on my emotions.. I didn't try to understand." Ran confessed, despite her disappointment, she really doesn't want for her friendship to end. Despite her already having someone else, she still love Shinichi dearly as a friend. A family.
Shinichi rolled his eyes, "there's nothing to understand. I know you don't like me anymore. I know you're fed up with me. No need to lie to yourself, Ran."
Kaito scrunched up his nose in disgust, this rotting smell. Not good.
Ran stares in disbelief, "what!? That is absolutely not true!! I still care for you, Shinichi!! What made you think I don't like you anymore??"
"Seeing you so fastly move on and decided to date Sera is very telling." Shinichi said with a wry smile.
Kaito felt his whole entire body jumped when he heard those words followed by a loud slap, he cringed internally when he noticed the red mark on the detective's cheek. He kinda felt that Shinichi did deserve that but at the same time- that gotta hurt.
"Don't you dare bring Sera into this. How could you even say that?" Ran asked, not believing her own ears that Shinichi had really said all that to her. He can feel her blood boils but nothing can outcast just how disheartening the words were. To think that she came all this way to make things clear!
The magician looked back and forth at the two with a nervous look , he thought that he must be invading some very personal problems, "maybe i should just-"
"Ah sorry Kuroba-kun. This must be very uncomfortable for you, i'll take my leave." Ran said facing Kaito. There was a smile on her face but it was a sad one and her eyes was holding their tears from falling.
Kaito tried to give a straight face saying that it was fine and that she didn't have to worry about it. Everything smells awful with all the negative emotions (oh golly gee this totally helps him not getting sick again-) and it made him dizzy a little. He watched the girl left the house, with a frown he turned toward Shinichi who smells a lot like rotten lemon.
"Dont." Shinichi said with so much venom in his voice and that halted Kaito from talking just for a few second.
"What do you mean dont!? Can't you see that she clearly means what she says? What the hell is wrong with you, detective!?" To say that Kaito was quite angry is very understandable. He just can't believe that Shinichi would say all that after the girl he cared for decided to accept all the lies and putting aside all the bad stuff. Because if it were Kaito, he would totally be happy!
"Dropping the name already? Heh.." Shinichi scoffs and that went too far for Kaito.
With a red face from anger, Kaito grabbed Shinichi by the collar. The detective's face wasn't looking at him but he can see the slight smirk, the magician had no idea why the hell is Shinichi acting this way but he knew that whatever the reason was, it is still very wrong.
As soon Kaito wanted to start shouting just how irrational Shinichi was, he sniffed the air a little. The rotting smell was gone and was replaced with... the beach.. the beach is raining, and he swore that he saw a trickle of water.
"I... damnit." Voice shaky, Shinichi clenched his fist, "I dont know why i said that.." he turned to face Kaito, tears flowing down from his blue eyes and the smile that the magician thought was a smirk were wavering.
Shinichi was shaking. He feel so foolish, he blamed himself. Why did he say all that to the one girl he always wanted to protect? How can he be so stupid. So selfish?
"WHY DID I SAY THAT!?" He shrieked, frustrated at himself.
This antidote and its stupid side effect!!
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That morning, Shinichi have left the house to solve a case that he was informed by inspector Megure. The case wasn't a 'normal' murder case. It was way more gruesome than what he had solved in the past.
There was no, "they cheated on me so i have to kill them" or "they ruined my life so i have to kill them". None of that- it was all purely done in sadistic intention, kind of remind the detective of a certain assassin that gave shivers down to his spines
In the end, things escalated when Shinichi along with division one police (Sato, Chiba, and Takagi) were pursuing the culprit. The person just had to use an innocent little girl as a hostage and with every single step they took, the murderer injured the small child with a pocket knife.
Luckily for Shinichi still wearing the watch with tranquilizer dart in it, manage to hit the culprit. It was a win for them of course, but... the little girl were terrified and possibly traumatized by the event.
Watching how the girl shivers in fright as she lose the strength from her legs and hearing the choke sobs coming from her... for an instant, Shinichi could only see red clouding his vision.
The next thing he knew, he felt arms around his and people yelling for him to stop. It dawned to him that he had been kicking the unconscious culprit out of pure anger.
Shinichi did get a warning from letting his emotions get the better of him, there were also others who are worried of him, so he was shortly dismissed and were told that the report can be back up by Takagi.
In other word, they or specifically inspector Megure were telling the detective to rest. Afterall, Shinichi never in his entire career as a detective to lose his temper and resorted to violence against the culprits.
The thing is... if the other hadn't stopped him from kicking the murderer, Shinichi might. Might have injured the person more, even until now as he walked his way home his mind still wanders off in violence that he wished he did to the culprit and that thought had scared the detective deeply.
Shinichi winced, his head had started to hurt, that was always a bad sign. Ever since he got his body back, it was obvious that he hasn't been the most stable.. mentally. Usually he can still keep his calm maneuver despite really want to snap at everyone around him but when he was feeling stressed or pressured, he finds it really hard to control himself.
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Shinichi just hoped that he can get back home peacefully, for him to rest his mind. Despite having Kaito there, the detective didn't mind the thief being the noisy self. (He quite enjoyed it actually..)
Though he was definitely not expecting for Ran to be there. Adding more fuel to his already stressed mind, he had said very awful things to the girl and possibly have permanently hurt her..
He hadn't mean all of that! Honestly!! Alright, it's true that those thoughts were buried deep inside but that doesn't mean he would say all those stuff! Everyone have bad thoughts right? It doesn't mean he was a bad person right!?
Shinichi laughed at his own thoughts, the guilt biting him whole. It was his own fault for letting those words escape his mouth, he could've prevented it but he failed to do so.
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"Kudo, im here with your medication. You could've told me sooner that you nee-"
"Jou-chan!!" Screamed a messy haired male, clearly panicking.
Haibara stare in silent at a certain detective kneeling and a frantic magician by his side, "what happened" she asked almost demandingly as she went to their side in a hurry.
"Mouri-chan. She came to apologize to him. But things went wrong, i was mad at him for saying stupid things... and-" Kaito took a glance at the quiet detective, he furrowed his brows. "Shinichi suddenly went hysterical then laughing and then... quiet." He was worried, very worried. That was one hell of an emotional rollercoaster that he saw on Shinichi. The constant changing of the detective's smell almost had him puking.
Haibara hummed in understanding, "do you still have your sleeping gas?"
"Uh.. yeah, why?"
"Good, give it to him. He is in a blank state right now and he will not budge." Haibara explained, which earned an even more worried look from the magician. But in the end, Kaito did as what he was told, putting the detective into slumber.
When they moved (well- Kaito were the only one who carried) Shinichi to his room, the magician looked at the little scientist with his arms crossed, "i would like an explanation"
Haibara sighed, she didn't want to tell without Shinichi's consent but because of the detective's own carelessness, it was inevitable, "im sure Kudo have told you a little of the antidote side effect."
Kaito gave the girl a "how did you know" look and Haibara just rolled her eyes on that, "i do expect some side effect but it seems a bit more severe than what I expected.." she glanced at the sleeping form of Shinichi, "a part of his brain, specifically the limbic system was partially ruined. Hypothalamus and Amygdala of the system became abnormal to the point he-"
"Look, i may be a genius with a very high IQ but could you keep it simpler?" Kaito complained, he might be ridiculously smart but that doesn't mean he likes hearing all the complicated terms that the human body have.
Haibara deadpanned, "basically, the brain that controls emotional response was damaged. I came to the conclusion that due to all the stress he been through for 2 years may have affected the antidote on regenerating the cells that was lost. Other than that, Kudo's brain is relatively healthy." She took out a small bottle filled with yellow pills, "this here... i created a medicine that sort of control that part of the system. How it works, it calm his mind so he can sort his emotions easier."
Haibara calm face then turned annoyed, "but this careless idiot" she glare at Shinichi, "decided that not asking for a new stock after two days he ran out of the pills was a good idea. I dont want to clean up his mess all the time." She rant.
Kaito gulped, he can tell that the not-child was annoyed and he understood why. To be frank, whatever happened today were all purely the detective's fault but at the same time, the magician pitied Shinichi. At a young age, the guy already have to be in a very dangerous situation, while the same thing goes the same for Kaito... for fricksake the detective have to dealt with so many murder plus taking down an extremely dangerous international organization, the magician sometimes questioned his favorite critic's sanity.
"Well, i guess he's in luck! With my own problem I won't be leaving Shin-chan side any soon so..." Kaito eyed Haibara with a smirk.
"That would be wonderful. He's too stubborn to ask help but from all the stories he told me about you. You're the perfect fit for the job" the girl return the smirk, handed the pills to Kaito and walked away, "take care of him, mr. thief" she took one last glance at the magician with a teasing smile.
Kaito gave her a grin but then froze, "wait.. stories? what stories!?" It's not that he was suspicious, just merely a curiosity and he somehow felt happy that the detective talks about him even if those stories were probably the thief being annoying as ever.
With that all said and done, Kaito grabbed a seat and sat beside Shinichi's bed, he got nothing to do and he sure as hell not gonna leave the detective alone, so he waited silently while thinking of a plan to make his poor detective lighten up.
Oooohhhh Kaito was already giddy for all the possible fun he'll have with Shinichi. It may include crowds and possibly will mess with his smelling abilities, but that is fine, all he cares about was Shinichi.
Gosh, he really admitted that he love this reckless detective more than anything.
TBC
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I AM SO SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE-
The way i potray Shinichi here is kinda based on my own experience. When im stressed or pressured, i bound to say or do mean and awful things to anyone that in the end, will lead me to so much guilt and confusion on why i did it in the first place. (I used to be like this so often but im gradually getting better)
Oh and also!
One of my reviewer point out how this plot is similar to a webtoon (or manhwa-) to that i say, yes. I did take the inspiration from there uwu)
The name of the manhwa- hehe..
It's also "The Best Smell" I definitely suggest you read it! It's a pretty cute comic.
See you on next chappy~
Opinions and criticism are appreciated!