Fade to Darkness

Title: Fade to Darkness
Rating: M
Fandom: Detective Conan
Summary: Reincarnation only existed in fanfiction, yet Michael Leo Field was reborn as Akai Senichi, the younger twin brother of Akai Shuichi. However, his new life takes a dark turn; at the age of ten he is kidnapped and at twelve, he is forced to join the organization. [OC Insert as Akai Sibling] [Family/Angst/Drama/Crime]

Arc IV
Chapter VIII
Jodie
Warnings: I AM TERRIBLE AT WRITING ROMANCE

Leo applied the same disguised he had used when he had gone out to his favorite bar in Japan. He had the entire application memorized since he had done it so many times already. It was also a simple disguise so it was preferred to be used whenever he went out and didn't want to be recognized. After all, Leo Vineyard was a famous singer in the US and would be flocked by fans in public.

He arrived at a bar and immediately ordered the same drink he always had: a glass of bourbon whiskey. "Don't you ever get tired of drinking bourbon all the time?" A familiar female voice asked.

Leo glanced to the side and noted that it was FBI Agent Jodie Starling. 'I'm wearing a disguise so she shouldn't be able to recognize me as Leo Vineyard. Wait…' "What do you mean all the time?"

"We often drank together in that bar in Japan," She claimed. "But you were always a bit drunk. That probably explains why you didn't recognize me right away,"

'Why couldn't it be some random woman?' Leo took a sip of his whiskey. 'Of all people, it had to be Jodie Starling,' "If I recall correctly, which I probably don't, weren't you also somewhat drunk during our meetings too?"

"Yes, but I remember all our rendezvous," Jodie said.

"I remember all of our meetings and everything we talk about," Leo chuckled. "The only things in my memories that were a bit distorted were your face and your voice. I guess that's how alcohol affects me,"

"It's funny," Jodie told him. "We shared experiences to each other, yet we never properly introduced ourselves. My name's Jodie Saintemillion," She offered a handshake.

He accepted the handshake. "I'm Senichi Soren," 'As long as I don't give her my last name, she can't search for any information about me. And it's not like she has any reason to do so either. I'm just a random stranger she met in a bar. I doubt she'd find anything is she searches Senichi Soren since Soren is my middle name. Senichi Soren Akai is in the British database but not in the American one,'

They surprisingly had a normal conversation that ended without Leo ending up getting drunk. Once he returned to his apartment, Senichi collapsed onto his bed. 'I know I shouldn't get close to her because she's an FBI Agent. I know she will eventually realize I'm wearing a disguise. I know she will eventually find out that I'm Leo Vineyard, son of Vermouth, the woman who murdered her father,'

'So then why…' He placed a hand over his chest. 'Why is my heart pounding so loudly whenever I think about her? What the hell is going on with me? What is this feeling?' He ran a hand over his face. 'Is…is this love? How can I be in love with her? Am I able to love someone in this cruel and fucked up world?'

Over the next few months, they had drinks together at least once a week. The bartender and the rest of the staff jokingly called them a couple. Senichi did not miss Jodie's blushing face whenever they were teased. To think that the two of them had fallen in love with each other, yet neither asked the other out first.

XXX

"Jodie, you're lost in thoughts again," Akai said.

"Sorry," Jodie apologized.

"Are you thinking about that boyfriend of yours?" Akai questioned.

"He's not my boyfriend," Jodie flatly denied, though the tint of pink on her face gave her true feelings away. "Why does everyone call him that? Even everyone at the bar says we're a couple,"

"You always talk about him, yet you never mentioned his name," Akai recalled. "You seem really fond of him,"

"Did I really not tell you his name?" Jodie asked. "His name's Senichi,"

Akai momentarily froze. 'Senichi? As in my brother? Leo Vineyard is in New York, but is it really him?' "Do you know his full name?"

"Senichi Soren," Jodie answered. "I introduced myself to him as Jodie Saintemillion,"

'Soren!? That's Senichi's middle name!' Akai's eyes widened. 'Senichi is dating Jodie!? Does that mean the organization sent Absinthe to seduce Jodie in order to get information from the FBI, just as I had done the same through Akemi? No, that can't be. Senichi doesn't know that Jodie's an FBI Agent. They didn't even know each other's name until recently,'

"Shuu, what's with that expression you're making?" Jodie raised a brow. "What's so shocking about me introducing myself as Jodie Saintemillion instead of Starling?"

"It's nothing," Akai said. "I'm glad that you found someone else who could love you," 'I don't know if this romance will last, but even if it's for a short time, I want you both to be happy. You both deserve to live freely. But the reality is that both of you are chained to the organization in some form. Senichi is chained as Absinthe. You, Jodie, are chained by your desire to avenge your father,'

"He and I are not dating!"

XXX

Senichi fiddled with the rose in his hand. 'I took a bunch of online quizzes and the results were all the same. They all told me that I'm in love with her. The pounding of my heart is also proof that I am in love. I want to start a relationship with her, but it's risky. She's a hound. I'm a crow. But I think I can make this work. I have more freedom than when I first joined. I'm a high ranking operative like Gin and Curacao. And it's not like it's known that Jodie's an FBI Agent,'

"I'm sorry I'm late," Jodie apologized as she took a seat beside him. "Is there something wrong? You called me to our spot so suddenly,"

"I felt it was necessary to ask this in person," Senichi took a deep breath and held the rose out to her. "Would…would you go out with me?"

Jodie reached out and took the rose. "I would love to,"

Dating Jodie was one of the best things that had ever happened to Senichi. He ensured that he was always free during their dates. Their dates was their escapes from their jobs as a crow and an FBI Agent. Sometimes their dates ended up with them both staying the night at Senichi's apartment that he was renting. It was a separate apartment from where Leo Vineyard lived.

One of the gifts that Senichi received from Jodie was a beautiful necklace. The pendant was a black German shepherd with the initials S+J on the back. He had broken down in tears when she had given it to him for his birthday and thanked her profusely. It was a gift that Senichi would treasure forever.

XXX

Sharon Vineyard had "died" and a funeral was held. Of course Leo had to attend and Chris only attended so she wouldn't face backlash. The public thought that Chris and Sharon had gotten into an argument over Chris dressing up as Sharon's deceased husband at his funeral. Chris had to put aside their differences and attend Sharon's funeral.

'I've never been to a funeral before,' Leo thought as he placed a flower on the casket. Inside was a corpse made to look exactly like Sharon Vineyard. 'It's really gloomy and depressing. Then again, what did I expect? Someone died, at least that's what everyone here believes except for me and Vermouth. Is this how it was at my funeral? Everyone thought I was dead. Of course it would be like this, maybe even more depressing than this funeral. After all, I suffered a tragic fate,'

Leo caught a glimpse of Jodie whose eyes narrowed when Chris said her signature catchphrase in front of their mother's casket. 'Oh right, that's why Jodie started to become suspicious of her in the first place. This will also lead to her learning that Vermouth doesn't age,'

How long will Jodie X Senichi last?

Lucy:
So I read the last review and your reply, so I'm gonna guess who the blond with glasses was and well I can only come up with Jodie Starling…

Skai:
Yes, she is Jodie.