Cruel Fates by Strawberry'd
Detective Conan: Shinichi/Ran
September 4, 2006 – December 29, 2006
Word count: 1, 724
Disclaimer: Detective Conan/Magic Kaitou isn't mine. If it was, I'd end it already. DX And Shinichi would be big and his right age again, damnit.
He steals in under the cover of darkness to throw his slender frame into the light. He can hear her rummaging around in the bathroom just outside the room. Still hesitant, he creeps by the window, using the shadows to his advantage; he doesn't want to be seen before the time was right.
The faucet is turned off and the lights are extinguished. Softly humming under her breath, Mouri Ran hugs the bathrobe tightly around her and walks into her bedroom, not caring for the light. She knows her room well enough to maneuver without it.
He breathes quietly, even though he is exhausted. The last thing he wants is for her to notice him. He wishes to simply take in the beautiful sight of her before he needs to leave again.
It has been three years since he's seen her last. He knows she left home at the age of 19. She attends a university with her friends and he wishes terribly he could have also been included in her future.
But it can never be.
Perhaps it was the rustling of the curtains through the open window's breeze or perhaps he had moved or made a sound, but her eyes were drawn to him and he was found out.
At first, it was deathly quiet. She breathed, not wanting to ruin the moment, "Shinichi…?"
There is nothing left to hide now, he knows, and steps into the light. "Ran," he says simply, his eyes soft.
She hangs her head and her bangs hide her facial features, but he sees her hands trembling and how she presses her lips tightly together. He takes a step closer to her. Suddenly, she lifts her head and throws herself into his arms, embracing him tightly. "Shinichi! Where have you been? I've missed you so much! I thought… I thought…"
He sighs, feeling the energy draining out of his body, but cannot let go of the girl, no, woman, in his arms. He rubs circles on her back with his hands, quieting her with his touch. "Shhh, Ran… I'm here now… that's all that matters."
She sniffles, her face pressed into his shoulder, and abruptly, Shinichi realizes that she is wearing nothing under her bathrobe. He stiffens slightly and gently pushes her away. Looking into her hopeful face and bright eyes, he loses the nerve to tell her why he came here tonight.
There must be something in the moonlight, for when Shinichi's gaze comes to rest upon Ran once more, he finds himself with an uncontrollable urge to kiss the young woman he has not seen in three years. He feels fortunate when she does not resist, nor make a move to hurt him. In fact, she only makes a small noise, sounding much like a gasp and then holds Shinichi closer.
He presses her into his frame and kisses her fiercely, trying to make up for all those lost years. Even more tightly he embraces her, as if to make their bodies mold into each other.
They part after many more kisses, breathing heavily. His eyes are dark and her lips are swollen. Their clothes are in a state of disarray but they do not care for they only see each other.
He lays her on the bed, kissing her softly. "I am not scared," her eyes tell him and he understands.
She loses and gains something precious that night.
She falls asleep first with his arms draped across her body protectively. "Ran," he whispers as he moves away from her. "I'm sorry." He quickly dresses, kissing her for a final time. "Goodbye."
In the morning, she wakes up cold. He is not there. She is disorientated; she searches for a clue to tell her that he was really there, that it was not just another of her dreams. A hair, perhaps a fallen button? She runs her hands over the pillow she was so sure he had laid his head upon. There is nothing… nothing she can use.
Had he truly been there that night?
The following day, Ran comes home from grocery shopping to watch the news. There is a report on the fall of a large crime syndicate, some Black Organization. The members were all arrested with charges against murder, fraud and theft. There is only one causality the police have found, and Ran drops all her bags to run to the TV.
Kudo Shinichi, famed teenage detective.
She attends his funeral with a sinking heart. She had only seen him a few days before! It couldn't be happening; she thinks to herself, this can't be happening. Unbidden tears fall from her eyes as she stands by the casket. She is comforted by her father and mother, Sonoko, Heiji and Kazuha. They all realize what a shock this is for her and thankfully, keep their distance. Later on, she will learn that Heiji had been a partner to Shinichi's plans. She will learn that he knew where he was. She will learn that it was only because of Shinichi's order that he is not dead as well. In that moment, she will hate him.
A month later, Ran wakes up to a nauseating feeling in the pit of her stomach. Her eyes are wide as she bolts for the bathroom. Can it be…? She thinks to herself as sweat drips down her forehead into the white porcelain bowl. She empties her dinner from the night before and says good morning to the toilet.
When she is finished, she sits back, leaning against the bathtub, both hands pressed against her belly. There is no question to whose it is.
His… Shinichi's… baby? Ran closes her eyes and begins to laugh silently, her shoulders shaking. Soon there are tears falling from her eyes and she doesn't know if she's laughing or crying.
Rain falls down in sheets with no promise of surcease when Ran decides to visit Shinichi's grave one day. Two months down the road and Ran has visited his grave almost every other day. She can't seem to let him go, to free herself from his hold on her.
She kneels down on the muddy ground, giving no heed to the hem of her skirt, now caked in a layer of mud. She places a small bouquet of flowers on his resting place after whispering a few words to him. She talks to him as if he can hear her, and when she realizes what she's doing, she gives a watery chuckle.
"Oh, Shinichi," she says, hanging her head and letting the rain pummel her. Her hair is soaked and water runs down her face, mingling with her tears.
It's on her way back when a little boy (he couldn't have been more than seven or eight) comes running into her. Ran falls heavily and feels a jabbing pain in her stomach. Instantly, she gets up and runs to her car.
No, she thinks, no, no. This can't be happening.
She speeds on the highway and doesn't care. Fortunately, no police officer has seen her. Once making it to the hospital, she immediately asks for a doctor and is granted her request.
An ultrasound is conducted. She receives the news; there is none good. His baby is lost. Shinichi's baby…
Maybe they are never meant to be.
"She's been put through a lot of stress," the doctor stands up and wipes his hands on a cloth. "Make sure she gets plenty of rest."
Kazuha stands up to thank the doctor. After she closes the door behind the doctor, she swiftly turns to Ran, lying on the bed. "Ran… you idiot." She gently touches her friend's forehead and winces at the high temperature. "I always knew you were reckless… but pneumonia? Oh, Ran." Kazuha sighs and leaves Ran in the room to rest.
The door closes with a soft click and Ran opens her eyes, a pained expression on her face. "I'm sorry," she says softly to no one.
"I know," Kazuha whispers back from behind the door. "He knows, too."
A week later, she is back at home at perfect health. There is an envelope sitting in her mailbox, addressed to her. It is a formal request for a visit by his parents. Shinichi's parents.
Ran goes, of course. How could she refuse?
They sit down to dinner and his mother turns to her with shaking hands. "He would have wanted you to have this," she says.
Ran takes the medium-sized box and thanks her. She is curious to what is inside, but will wait until she gets home to finally open it.
"I… was carrying his baby." She confides in his parents. At their wide-eyed stares, she bites her lip and sighs. "There was an accident… and I had a miscarriage."
They seem to understand, but she knows they can't.
In the safety of her house, her room, she opens the tiny trove of treasure. Inside are hundreds of photographs, letters, and trinkets. She picks up a picture and marvels at how young they both are… how alive.
Carefully, Ran takes each precious item out and with each picture, feels his presense even more. These were his, he had held them in his hands, and treasured them. And now, she will too.
Her eyes are bright as she finally puts them away and gets ready for bed. Everything in that box had something to do with her.
She is hurrying home from a movie with Kazuha. It is raining, yet again. Ran feels a sense of premonition, a sense of impeding doom. She ignores it.
Although it is still early afternoon, the dark storm clouds make it seem like evening. She clutches her purse as she crosses the road, feeling the rain fall around her umbrella, leaving her in a bubble of security.
She hears the screech of car tires and a loud car honk. She looks up to see bright lights.
Ran stops in the middle of the road and drops her umbrella.
"Finally." She whispers. "I'll be with you soon."
A small bouquet of roses was placed on a grave early morning. An identical bouquet was then placed on the grave beside it. Heavy footsteps grew dimmer and the faint murmurs died away.
Kudo Shinichi. Mouri Ran.
Together at last.
AN: Ahh, that's.. uhh.. that was.. interesting. Hehe, hope you liked it 8D? Angsty, eh? I think I tried to think of the angst-y-est things that could happen to a person and this was.. born xD; Uhh, happy new year? And yes, I know this is a gazillion years late and it took me forever to write, but I… had things to do! D:
I swear my next DC fic will be so fluffy and light you will choke on the happy. Or at least be angst-y with a happy ending. Or like, smex. Or something! Jeez, I need to sleep. XD; Thank you for reading, all!
… was my author's note when I finished the fic (Dec 26). This is the second one-shot of Forever. The last chapter is coming up next! Heiji/Kazuha! Yay! I hope everyone's looking forward to it 8D I swear, I'll get to finish my Christmas fic… this year. Oh jeez, why do I phail so much?