Before I start this chapter I wanted to give a huge thanks and shout out to Lu-chan for being the first reviewer, and the first 166 viewers of this story! I love all of you guys, and you don't know how much it means to me to see people reading my stories, hopefully enjoying it.
Oh and to clear up any confusion there might be, this is a fanfiction that has a relationship between three guys. No, there won't be any breaking up of couples and then getting together with another person. The relationship between Saguru and Kaito isn't canon, so I'm making in my sorta AU verse that they're already together. If anyone is still confused on this, let me know through a review or message me(I don't know if I've blocked that on my privacy settings or not).
Okay, on with the story!
Saguru walked into the room after sending the Mouri's off, shaking his head at Kaito's determined clutching over the miniaturised detective. As he passed them he noticed something was different, it was subtle but it was there. He paused and looked at Kaito who nodded. Something was up, and Shinichi probably wasn't going to tell them without a fight. He unconsciously reached out as he sat down, brushing a hand through Conan's hair, finally letting it rest on his neck where he could feel the boys' pulse fluttering like a birds. Ironic, considering he and Kaito were the shifters in the room, well at least he didn't think Shinichi was a shifter. Though, the subtle shift in his scent might be a sign that he was and just hadn't told them either on purpose or had simply forgotten to mention it.
"Ru?" Kaito inquired, tilting his head in inquiry when he noticed that his boyfriends mind had left his body, even Conan was quietly observing the blonde.
"It's nothing, I just got lost in my thoughts for moment there." Sagu answered, which was quickly followed by a snort of disbelief from Kaito who clearly didn't believe him, even Conan was giving him a queer look. He, however seemingly shook his head before somehow managing to escape Kaito's, who squawked in protest, iron grip.
"Don't mind me, I just need to make a phone call while Ran's away." This immediately snagged Kaito's and Saguru's curiosity.
"No, don't even think about it." Conan snapped even before they had even made a twitch to follow him. Kaito sat down and pouted, if he didn't listen to Shinichi now, he'd get mean at heists later. He cast a sly glance towards Saguru who raised an eyebrow at him before sighing and sneakily following Conan who had disappeared into his and Kogoro's room. Through the door he could hear the muffled conversation between Shinichi and who he presumed was his mother. Saguru jumped when he felt breathing on his neck, obviously Kaito was curious enough to risk soccer balls and aquatic life forms.
"It's coming around, yeah this body is going through that again. I think it's going to be different from last time... My appetites been fine, just wanting different foods then last time... you don't need to destroy my ear drums... well at least you can pass that down to me, rather then giving it away... If my hypothesis is correct. Right, you'll have to get me a leave of absence..." The moment the words leave of absence had escaped Shinichi's mouth, Kaito had barged in with Saguru hot in his heels. Conan was powerless to stop Kaito from snatching up he phone to talk to his mother while Saguru prevented his escape by hugging him. Well damn, now they'd both find out and demand he explain everything. He could only watch in silence as Kaito chattered away to his mother.
"Thank you Yukiko-neesan," Kaito effortlessly charmed the woman into being cooperative, and she had extracted a promise to meet up in the future to talk about his father. Hanging up, Kaito turned around to interrogate their miniaturised friend.
"So..." Kaito started, crouching down to be eye level with Conan, who squirmed and then glared at the brunette in front of him, finding no leverage to kick either of them. He felt himself flush when Saguru's nose nuzzled his neck before inhaling softly. Yep, they had definitely noticed. Feeling himself go boneless, he couldn't find in it himself to be defensive about this. Kaito quirked a brow at him and he sighed.
"Can we at least talk when I'm not being used as a plushie?" Shinichi refused to acknowledge that he had just whined like a child.
"Nope, because you'll probably run or kick soccer balls at us if we don't restrain you." Kaito grinned at him, a thing of white gleaming teeth that immediately made him think shark. Letting out a sigh, Shinichi resigned himself to his fate.
"Well, I'm a shifter just like you guys. I could smell it the moment I met KID, and I confirmed my suspicions when I met the both of you." Shinichi started off, ignoring Kaito's protest that he wasn't KID.
"My mother is a Sparrow and my father is a Raven, and ever since I got shrunk, I haven't been able to shift. I believe that it's due to this body being physically younger than the time when Shifter blood awakens. So when Conan turns eight, my shifter blood will awaken again, but I don't know if I'll still be a Raven. I have a fifty fifty chance of being either just like last time, and I've noticed signs that it will be different this time." Shinichi explained, feeling Saguru's grip on him tighten slightly.
"So you were a Raven the first time round, and now you think you might be a Sparrow?" Kaito asked, wanting to confirm information. They'd need to to prepare stuff if it was true.
"I believe so, yes. That's why I was calling my mother, before you so rudely interrupted, I needed to get her to come as Conan's mother and take Conan away for an indefinite time. I don't know how my shifter blood awakening will affect my being shrunk." Shinichi shrugged helplessly, finding himself leaning back into Saguru's embrace. He could already feel his other annoying genes waking up, and explaining those would be whole other can of worms. Yep, his prediction that today was going to be annoying was coming true.
"Well, now that I've talked to Yukiko-neesan, you won't need to bother her over such trivial things. I'll just arrange a few things and we can either stay at the Kudo manor for the indefinite time or we can stay at my and Sagu-chan's place."Kaito grinned, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Shinichi flushed, and tried to scramble away from them both. He managed to escape Saguru only to be caught by the grinning magician who grabbed him and flopped onto the bed with him. Saguru came over and sat next to them, running his fingers through the brunettes hair making them both almost purr.
"It would be better for it happen at your place, Ran sometimes comes over to my place to clean or to check on things." Conan mumbled in a daze, it felt so good to have a do- he cut his thoughts off right then and there. He snapped out of his daze with a flush and managed to scramble away from both of them shaking his head. No, it's too soon for those genes to wake up, they had to wait until after his body became older, preferably when he was seventeen and could deal with it without it being weird.
Saguru and Kaito exchanged concerned looks as Shinichi dashed like a cornered animal away from them. Something was wrong, they'd all been fine a few seconds ago. So what had happened that had scared him away? Saguru recounted what had happened, they'd been on the bed and he'd just been running his fingers through the two brunettes soft locks, both of them seemingly enjoying it, when suddenly Shinichi's face had turned to one of horror and he'd scrambled away from them both. Nothing had happened, so it must've been something in his mind that had caused him to reject the petting.
"Shinichi?" Kaito inquired to the pacing individual.
"Ah, it's nothing. I just remembered I need to tell the Shounen Tanteidan that I might be leaving, and they won't exactly be impressed with me." Shinichi lied straight through his teeth, he knew it, and the two other people in the room knew it. He was surprised when they didn't calll him out on it actually. Kaito's merely threw his Conan phone to him and gestured for him to call them to come around.
"Ah, I should probably tell Haibara to come around an hour before them." Shinichi muttered, quickly finding her contact and asking her to meet him at the agency, and that it was important. Her reply was an immediate sarcastic thing that still managed to show her deep concern over his well being.
It only took her a few minutes before she arrived, the professor in tow. She was glaring daggers at him, he must've intruptted one of her drama's then.
"Gomen, but it's important." He started earnestly and immediately her body language shifted. She came closer, tugging on his shirt sleeve.
"Is it the crows?" She whispered, there was a slight tremble in her arms that she did well to hide. He shook his head, and she immeadiately calmed down, the trembling stopping.
"It's something else. I don't know if you noticed, but my blood is different from normal human blood, or at least there should traces of genes that don't belong in a human." Haibara nodded, encouraging him to continue, showing that she had indeed noticed the oddities.
"That would be my shifter genes, believe it or not I am something of the supernatural, funny isn't it? Me a detective is something that probably can't be explained by science." Her face turned contemplative as she eyed him.
"I'll have to take that into account with the cure." She mumbled, seemingly accepting his word for it. That's what he liked about Haibara, it didn't matter that she had been betrayed so many times, she still trusted him, treated him like a sibling if anything.
"Work on the cure as if it's only for yoursel. My Shifter blood is going to awaken soon, and I don't know how it'll affect everything else. So Conan's going to have to disappear for an indefinite time." Shinichi explained, slightly fidgeting under her gaze. Kaito and Saguru came out of his room where they had been waiting for him to finish explaining the basics of everything to her.
"They're shifters as well, I'm going to stay with them while my blood awakens." Shinichi explained when she cast them a curious glance.
"Well Kudou-kun, you certainly know how to surprise a girl." Haibara said dryly, giving him wry quirk of lips. He grinned in return, knowing that she'd accepted the fact however would poke and prod him later. It was a good thing that they had just finished talking as the Shounen Tanteidan came in like mini hurricanes, questioning the urgent message.
"Calm down guys, it's... I'm going back to America for a while. I don't know how long or if I'll come back-" there were cries of denial and protest but he quickly quietened them," because my mother rang and said that she's coming to take me back." He finished, feeling a pulse in the back of the head that threatened make him tear up. He wouldn't cry, if he did become Shinichi, he'd have to start back at point one with the Shounen Tanteidan. Haibara gave him a small knowing smile when all three tackled him, hugging him to the point he could barely breath. He didn't tell them to back off and he didn't try to escape, he'd miss this, it was easy being Conan, and soon, he might be going back to the shit-storm that was Shinichi's life right now. Though, he'd never give up the chance that he could be Shinichi again, unless it came at the price of someone's life, it was selfish of him, but he just couldn't.
"If you guys ever need any help, just message me and I'll send you help." He murmured, patting their heads gently.
"Even all the way from America?" Ayumi sniffles, big doe eyes staring into his. Something in his blood stirred at the sight and the subtle shift in her scent.
"Even all the way from America." He murmured, hugging the crying girl back and Mitsuhiko and Genta didn't even glower at him for it. Shinichi didn't allow his eyes to widen at he feel of Ayumi's back twitching as if there was something shifting under the skin. There was a surprise. Ayumi was a shifter, who would've thought. Dismissing the notion, he could faintly hear Saguru and Kaito in the background, talking about messaging Ran. He caught Kaito's eye and nodded who nodded back and left the room.
Shinichi was still sitting on the couch with the three clutching him when Ran came back, she had unshed tears in her eyes and he knew that she'd been told. She ran over and hugged him, the other three scattered to let their Nee-chan hug her imouto. Shinichi tentatively wrapped his arms around her neck.
"Ran-neechan?" He inquired when he felt his shoulders become damp with her tears.
"First Shinichi, now you. You're both going to leave me here alone." She mumbled, she probably didn't mean it that way but, he felt his heart grow heavy. He tightened his hold on her as reassurance as another sob caught in her throat.
It was a while before Ran let him go, and only after that was there a knock on the door. He had no idea who it would be, but he suspected it might be Kaito dressed up as Conan's mother.
"Nee-chan? What's wrong? Where's Ku-Conan?" The voice of the Osakan detective made its way into the room.
"Ha-Hattori!" Shinichi exclaimed, what was he doing here? Behind him he sensed Saguru tense up.
"Oh, Conan! What's up with Nee-chan?" Hattori inquired as he made his way over to Conan who was still swarmed by the Shounen Tanteidan. He raised an eyebrow at Conan who sighed and gestured that they would talk later. He nodded and glanced over his shoulder as Kazuha trailed behind him, worrying over the red eyed Ran.
"Conan-kun is going back to America for a while, his mother doesn't know how long or if it will be permanent." Ran choked out, making Hattori whirl around and stare wide eyed at Conan.
Everyone stayed to chat, not noticing when Conan and Hattori sneaked off to his bedroom.
"What's going on Kudo?" Hattori demanded, glaring down at him.
"There's a potential cure, and if it does work, its more than likely it's going to be permanent. So we've arranged for Conan to disappear for an indefinite time." Shinichi explained.
"Who's 'we'?" Conan looked away from his friends gaze, it felt like a kind of betrayal that he was going to turn to Saguru and Kaito before Hattori who he had known longer, not including the time Shinichi and KID had versed each other at the clock tower.
"Haibara, Kuroba, and Hakuba." He murmured, he didn't dare to look at the anger and betrayal written in those soulful green eyes. He could feel it, like fire or a laser, he didn't know what but he could just feel it. It wasn't meant to be threatening, but he could feel the muscles on his back twitch, like the wings were beginning to move under his skin in an instinctive reaction to flee. Then all at once it disappeared. He dared to look up, Hattori was looking down right dejected but he had understanding in his eyes. He had already told Hattori, or more like Hattori found out on his own that Shinichi had Shifter blood.
"It's because those are shifters, ain't it?" He inquired softly, so different from the usually loud and boisterousness that defined him. Shinichi mutely nodded, and immediately everything changed, Hattori grinned at him, something that spelled trouble.
"Is it because of those su-" Shinichi moved quick enough to slap his hands over Hattori's mouth as he glared at him.
"Don't say another word or I'll kick you ten ways to Sunday!" Shinichi hissed, his face flaming in embarassement. Hattori pushed his small body off of him and laughed loud enough that it had Hakuba come in to check on them. Shinichi waved him off as he stormed out of the room, Hattori's laughter taunting him to give in the to threat he had made.
Shinichi nearly groaned when he heard another knock on the door, who was it now? When he opened the door he jumped back in surprise, it was Sato, Takagi, Kaito and Fujiko Edogawa. He blinked, his mum, he knew for certain, was in America, and if it wasn't Kaito it had to be someone else. His mind quickly made the connection of Kaito's assistant, Jii. Ah, that would explain why Kaito disappeared for a while.
"Conan! It's so good to see you!" His 'mother' exclaimed, awkwardly hugging him. He let a half grin show when he noticed that it was just Kaito ventriloquisting for Jii.
"Kaa-san!" He chirped, bright, cheerful and childish that had Saguru, Hattori and Kaito shuddering. Pushing down the urge to smirk at them, he kept up the act. Dashing into his room he packed up Conan's minimal belongings quickly and efficiently.
When he came back out, he saw how shattered Sato looked and the contemplative look on Takagi's face. It gave him just the slightest urge to give him a hint. He walked around the room, hugging each and every person, just to make sure it looked authentic. When he hugged Hattori both of them found it be awkward, all things considered. Though, it was different with Saguru and Kaito, who whispered 'see you at home' in his ear.
When it was Takagi's turn he felt the corners of his mouth lift up into a smirk.
"See you in the next world." He whispered, flashing a smug smirk at the frozen man who quickly shook it off before smiling at Conan as he waved.
By the time he was getting into the car with Jii, Ran was bawling her eyes out as his guilt was peaking. It would be so tempting to just stay here, just to make sure she wouldn't be so lonely.
"Don't worry about Nee-chan, Kazuha and me will keep 'er company while you're gone." Hattori exclaimed, puffing his chest like a proud bird. The irony made Shinichi chuckle as the car started. He waved good bye, it felt so odd. Saying good bye when he knew he'd be back and some of them wouldn't know him.
Whew! Well, it's a long chapter so I hope you guys like it. Personally I had issues, thinking I'd accelerated the story way too fast, jumping from one thing to the other, but I couldn't find a way to break the chapter up without interrupting the flow. Anyway, please review, we Authors like the to know what everyone thinks, or at least I value the reviews given to me. See you next chapter!