New chapter! I was sad to see no one had answered my question about Ran, but Oh well. I can't force you guys to answer if you don't want to.
For those of you who do not own a Fanfic account, this is an announcement that the rating on this will be going up to M in three days time for the next chapter update due to the obvious lemon (not occurring in this chapter but in regards to future chapters and past chapters). So if you search for this story through filters, you will have to change the rating search filter to M instead of T.
Enjoy!
The woman in front of him, the very same one who'd been taking care of him, unknowingly, for the passed year or so, had tears streaking down her cheeks as she realised just who had answered the door. He couldn't stop the startled cry of her name escaping his lips, as she chocked out his own. He could feel his mating marks burn as she stared at him wide eyed.
"Baka!" She yelled out, her fist flying towards him. Shinichi dodged but didn't run, he had run from her for too long to want to ever do it again. Her fist shot passed him, brushing his ear as he dodged, just as Kaito walked in to see what was taking Shinichi so long.
"Nichi!" He cried out in alarm, a snarl escaping him as he tugged his mate further out of the way and behind him. He glowered at Ran, hands fingering the sleeping pellets. Her gaze darkened as she took in the other person shielding her target of anger. Shinichi quickly glanced between the two and darted around Kaito to stand between the impending fight. Both halted when he didn't move out of the way, but settled for glowering at each other, Ran glowering at both of them.
"Why haven't you come to see me!?" She demanded, clearly upset with this turn of events.
"Kaito? Shinichi?" Saguru inquired as he came around the corner, following the sound of the shouts, everyone else peering around him. He took in the scene and sighed through his nose.
"Ran-san, it would be best if all of us talked in private before anything else happens under misconceptions." He explained, gesturing for them to go to the Kudo manor while everyone else stayed. She gave stiff nod before disappearing out the door. The moment she did, the tension in the room weakened, and Shinichi found himself being checked over by his mates to see if he was hurt.
"I'm fine, she's just angry with me, rightfully so I might add." He reasoned, trying to push those searching hands away.
"Angry or not, she shouldn't try to hit you." Kaito growled, Saguru nodded in agreement.
"Look, it would be better if I talked to her now, then you can search me for injuries. The longer I take to go talk to her, the more likely she is to think I'm trying to make up a lie." Shinichi explained, finally managing to escape their fussing.
"We'll give you half an hour, if your not back by then, we're coming over." Saguru reasoned, gently brushing the tips of his fingers over his mark. Shinichi shuddered before nodding.
With one last glance over his shoulder, he walked over to his house, wishing that he'd asked his mates to stay with him. He hesitantly opened the door, and entered. It was an odd feeling, to feel like a stranger in ones own home. He gave a quick glance around the place, finding Ran in the lounge room. She was at least calmer than before.
"Hey." He greeted softly, she looked at him with an expression which could be described as tired. The guilt he felt instantly multiplied tenfold.
"Just what is going on Shinichi? Please just answer me honestly." She whispered, all her fire gone. He bit his lip and sat down beside her. Should he tell her the truth? No, not yet, only when it was safe could he tell her the entire thing. Perhaps he could tell her the bare basics.
"I can't tell you everything, not yet. One day, maybe, but until this case is closed, I can't tell you everything." He whispered, regret filling his voice. She didn't speak, just let him talk and explain himself.
"That day at tropical land, when I disappeared, I had gone to see what some suspicious people were up to. I was eavesdropping on their conversation, it was a black market deal of some kind, and their partner came up behind me and knocked me out. They force fed me a poison, one that was meant to kill me," Shinichi took a deep breath when Ran stifled a gasp," but I survived. It was still a poison though, and it had weakened me. That's why whenever you saw me, I was sick. The temporary cures never lasted long, but long enough for me to come and see you, to stop you from searching too deeply for me. If those who'd poisoned me realized that you believed I was still alive, they'd kill you and my family, then come after me. Finally, only recently, have we found what we hope is a permanent cure. I'm still trying to stop the guys who poisoned me, but they're part of a large organisation. So, I won't be returning properly for awhile yet, it's still not safe for you to be seen around me. But, I can promise you this, I will come back once we take these guys down." Shinichi explained, hands steepled in front of him, gaze staring ahead of him; staring at something, a target, a ghost, or merely nothing, Ran didn't know what but it was something that she never wanted to see on Shincihi's face again.
"And what about Hakuba-kun and Kuroba-kun?" Ran asked, because they were the only parts that didn't make sense. She could accept everything else, of course she could, she was the daughter of a detective and a lawyer. She was no stranger to dangerous situations. She tilted her head at the queer look Shinichi had adopted and the way he flushed lightly in the cheeks.
"They're helping me. Sa- Hakuba as a detective and Kuroba as someone who's had to deal with these people as well." Shinichi skirted around her question slightly, the names felt strange in his tongue after going so long calling them by first names and nick names. She frowned, contemplative. When Shinichi shifted nervously, his shirt moved just enough so that she could spy the necklace and marks. She gasped, gripping his shoulders and forcing him to still as she peered at the marks.
"What are these?" She asked, worry set in her voice. Shinichi couldn't stop the full body flush at her question.
"They're nothing, it doesn't matter." He tried to brush her off but she only gave him a look that clearly said she didn't believe him.
"Did they do this to you?" She growled, hand reaching out to tentatively touch the mark.
"Don't!" He cried out, but it was too late. The moment her fingers brushed the mark, his body burned. He howled out in pain, scaring Ran as she flung herself off the couch and away from him. He curled up into the fetal position, trying to stop the pain coursing through his body. The front door flew open with a bang and Saguru and Kaito dashed into the room. They took in Ran quivering on the other side of the room and Shinichi curled up whimpering on the couch.
Shincihi's spine arched and the illusion covering his wings disappeared, letting them show in all their feather glory. Ran stumbled back, her eyes widening. Wings, Shinichi had wings. He wasn't human, he'd lied, he was something supernatural, but at the same time he was still Shinichi, and Shinichi knew, she had told him countless times, that she hated the supernatural.
"What did you do?" Saguru snarled, their own wings flaring out as their mate howled in pain. Kaito was beside Shinichi, pulling him into his lap.
"I-I, I touched the marks on his neck, he wouldn't tell me what they were!" She stammered out, flinching when her friend let out a whimper. Kaito's and Saguru's eyes widened in realisation before coming to his side.
"Shinichi, its okay, we're here." Kaito murmured, pressing a kiss to his mark as Saguru did the same. He quieted to the occasional whimper, body shuddering. Ran watched in horrified fascination as her friend was slowly brought back to himself.
"Ru? Kai?" He murmured, eyes glazed with pain.
"Yeah, its us." Kaito murmured, nuzzling Shinichi.
"What happened?" Memory fuzzy with pain, Shinichi blinked up at them, leaning into their tentative touches.
"Ran-san touched your mating marks." Saguru rumbled, and the brunette detective's eyes widened before he gently pushed them back.
"Ran, I can explain!" He called out, not wanting to frighten his friend, his sister. Saguru wanted to snap at him for needing to care more about himself, but that was one of his more endearing qualities, something he found he liked in people, especially considering the two brunettes.
"You're a supernatural. Okay, umm, give me a sec." Ran mumbled, closing her eyes to breathe.
"I'm fine now, just, let me talk to her again for a few seconds alone." Shinichi said. Kaito opened his mouth to argue, a frown on his face only for Saguru to tug him away.
"But Ru!" He complained, glancing behind them.
"Just let him, if something else happens, we'll just be in the kitchen." Saguru called over his shoulder, satisfied when Shinichi nodded. He ignored the fact that he wholly agreed with Kaito, knowing that this was something Shinchi needed to do alone. Ran breathed for a second before sitting back down, but on the opposite couch. Shinichi felt a sting of rejection before pushing it away.
"Are you... Are you okay Ran?" He asked hesitantly, this was a lot to take in.
"I don't really know. I just found out my best friend is something from stories, stories that shouldn't be real but are apparently real... that and my love interest is also gay." Ran breathed out, opening her eyes and giving him a small smile. Shinichi flushed but let out a breathless chuckle. She was going to be okay then, just shocked and needed time to adjust.
"I, don't know how to explain this." Shinichi sighed, running a hand through his hair. Ran let out a hopeless little laugh, a weak smile on her face.
"Start with how you guys got together." She said, encouraging him to explain this mess to her.
"I met them after I had been poisoned, and they helped me out. I don't know when it happened, but it did. I, it used to be you, but it's not your fault that I fell for them, it's mine. We're called shifters, and after we turn fourteen we can find what we call mates. I also have some other genes that make me... attracted to a certain type of shifter. Those two were already together and were that type of shifter, and when they started caring for me, those other genes directed me to them. I can't tell you how or when it happened, but we all just clicked. Those marks on my neck, they're what we call mating marks. They will never go away or fade, and they let every other shifter know, that I'm taken. So, if I hadn't been a shifter, it would've been you, but because of what I am and now that I have met them, it will always be them." Shinichi gave a helpless little laugh, avoiding looking her in the eyes.
"At least it's nice to know it was nothing I did or didn't do, but are you happy Shinichi? I may not be the one you chose, but I'll still be your friend and I want what's best for you." She smiled, eyes glinting with unshod tears.
"Yeah, I'm happy, really happy." He smiled at her, his own eyes glimmering. She stood up and sat beside him, just hugging him, careful to avoid touching his marks this time. He gingerly moved his wings so that they rested in her shoulders. Fascinated, she gently touched them. He bit his lip and hesitantly glanced into her eyes in askance.
"They're beautiful." She said, smiling at him as he huffed a laugh.
"Baaro, you're not meant to call a guy beautiful." He murmured, tightening his hold on her briefly in thanks.
"You do when they've got wings." She murmured back, squeezing him gently, there was no need for him to thank her.
"How have you been though? I may not be the one for you, but I still need to make sure you get your own happiness. You're my best fiend, my sister, and my confidant. I can't let some unworthy jerk have you." He asked, startling a laugh out of her. She'd get through this, she'd been shot, kidnapped, lost, almost drowned, and killed, and she was still here alive. She was strong, she'd make it through this. Shinichi would make sure that he didn't have to lose his sister.
I'm not sure if I should be concerned about how much I enjoy torturing Shinichi... Oh well, it's good for story stuffs. Despite me shipping Shinichi with Kaito and Saguru, I actually really like Ran, she's an awesome strong female character, and I like her and Shinichi's relationship in Detective Conan, even though the chances of their relationship properly working out is slim. So, I hope everyone's brains are still intact after the massive explanations to Ran. Also:
A reminder that the rating on this story will be changing to M soon, probably when I next update a chapter due to the Lemon in a previous chapter.
I look forward to reading your reviews, so let me know what you think!
Love ShySecret-chan!
P.S Lu-chan where have you gone? I miss reading your informative reviews...