Mikau: Hi there everybody! Welcome to the last chapter. Finally ghost Kaito has some actual lines. I think you'll like this chapter; it's really sweet. In my humble opinion anyway, but, as always, I'll let you be the judge. Thanks a bunch to everyone who reviewed last time: Bunnyz-chan, Mystical Marauder, Assasin8, and DetectivePandaThief. And on with the show.

Disclaimer: If I owned it, I think I'd resolve the whole "I can't tell Ran because they'd kill her" …only they're going to kill her anyway since you're living with her thing. I think it'd be a better argument if he said that he doesn't want her to know about the danger she's in, doesn't want her to have to keep looking over her shoulder and living in the paranoid hell that he does. But that's just me.

…

Chapter Three: Paradiso

On the twenty-first of June, the weather was positively superb. It made it feel like less of a solemn day and more of a day of celebration. They had chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast in Kaito's honor, and Baaya made an extra place setting, putting a little baby pancake on the plate there as an offering to their missing birthday boy.

They went to the graveyard after the dishes were all cleaned up and put away, and they sat and talked for hours, the four of them: Shinichi, Saguru, Baaya, and Kaito. Kaito didn't say much—not that Shinichi heard anyway—but Saguru acted as if he could hear the magician, and Baaya had this uncanny, sort of spooky habit of following "Kaito" with her eyes, watching "Kaito" interact with Saguru.

But Shinichi didn't believe in ghosts. There wasn't anything there. There couldn't be.

In the evening, after they got back from the picnic, Saguru had a few acquaintances over, some old friends from high school. It was a little surreal having them all there to celebrate Kaito's birthday when the guest of honor was no longer around, but…Shinichi guessed it was more a celebration of Kaito's life than anything.

And it was good for Saguru to be around his old friends. It was also extremely difficult and mentally exhausting. After the gathering had concluded, Saguru and Shinichi went straight to bed, promising to clean up first thing in the morning.

Baaya had completely understood and retired to her own room in order to recoup as well. The day had been hard on her too.

Saguru tossed and turned a little at first that night, but it seemed to help when Shinichi made soothing "shh" noises and rubbed comforting circles on Saguru's back.

The blonde soon relaxed and fell asleep. Shinichi wasn't too long in following.

Whereas Shinichi was an extremely light sleeper, Saguru was as good as deaf when asleep, so he didn't hear that distinctive squeeeeak of the floorboard as someone entered the room.

Shinichi tensed, eyes scanning the darkness for the intruder. He held Saguru closer to him and reached for Conan's watch on the bedside table.

A familiar chuckle broke the heavy silence. "Chill, Tantei-kun. No need to get so worked up over little old me."

Kuroba Kaito seemed to appear out of nowhere and sit at the end of the bed.

Shinichi would have screamed if he believed in ghosts, but he didn't. Instead he stared in silence before his mind decided, "You're dead. I must be dreaming."

Kaito rolled his eyes with a snort. "I assure you that you're acceptably awake enough to be having this conversation. Meanwhile, I'm being discriminated against because I'm deceased. Imagine that! You're a…an existentialist! You know that?"

"That's not what that word means," Shinichi grumbled.

"Well, what's the use of it then, if it won't mean what I want it to mean when I want it to?" Kaito followed suit in the grumbling and crossed his arms.

And then he looked at Saguru, and his mood changed entirely. He smiled and sighed wistfully, "You're so lucky."

Shinichi shifted uncomfortably. "This is just a dream. You're here to torment me because I'm stealing your husband. This is a manifestation of my guilty conscious."

Kaito frowned. "Tantei-kun, chillax. What do I have to do to get you to believe that I'm actually here?"

"There's nothing you can do," Shinichi answered brusquely.

Kaito would not be deterred. "How about if I tell you something that only the two of us know about, like how we met or that one time you nearly got me blown to smithereens?"

"That doesn't prove anything. If I already know something, there's no reason why my subconscious couldn't be pulling from that in order to create the illusion of a conversation with you," Shinichi responded logically.

Kaito really wanted to hit the detective. "How about I tell you something only Ru and I know, and then you can ask him about it in the morning?"

Shinichi thought about the proposal for a minute. "Like…what would you tell me?"

"I could tell you it was snowing the night we met," Kaito volunteered. "I proposed to him while we were in London, at the London Eye. He always wants to talk your ear off after sex, but I'm more of a basker. I like to cuddle and bask in the afterglow. He makes really funny noises if you lick—"

"—I don't need to know that!" Shinichi squawked.

Kaito shrugged. "Suit yourself. So do you believe me know?"

Shinichi pursed his lips. "No. I still think you're a figment of my imagination feeding on my overabundant guilt at taking advantage of Saguru."

"You're not taking advantage, you're helping," Kaito argued.

Shinichi was silent as he struggled with that thought for a moment.

Kaito pounced on Shinichi's moment of indecision. "He's getting better, isn't he?"

Shinichi made a noncommittal sound.

"And he likes when you fuss and fawn over him. He enjoys your affections, doesn't he?" Kaito pressed.

Shinichi looked down at the sleeping Saguru, and his brow furrowed. "I can't tell if that's because he returns my feelings or if it's that he's lonely and I kind of look like you so…"

"Kudo, you're more than just my substitute to him," Kaito assured in a soft, cajoling voice. "I've been here watching the whole time. He was a total car wreck at first after my death, but then you came, and…it's not just because you remind him of me. There's more to it than that. You got through to him. You didn't give up on him. You helped him through it. And it's more than just Florence Nightingale Syndrome too. You two get each other," Kaito insisted. "You've honestly become his best friend, and you two just…you complement each other…like a pair of bookends or something. You make each other stronger as people, professionally. Gosh, I've seen you two work together on those cases. It's a good thing you two never really teamed up to chase me 'cause you guys would of been formidable. I feel sorry for the bad guys that you two take on in the future," Kaito chuckled.

And then his expression turned from jolly to soft but serious yet again. "Honestly, Kudo, he really does like you. He wouldn't open up to you and be all vulnerable if he didn't. Ru's proud and strong. He trusts you a great deal, you know? And he'd like to take things to the next level, go a step further, but…he's still grieving. He's conflicted over this idea he's got in his head that he'd be betraying me if he let himself fall in love again."

Shinichi nodded. "That's how I feel too," he admitted. "I feel like I'm stealing someone else's husband. I can tell you've still got his heart. It's painfully obvious, and—"

"—Kudo, I'm dead," Kaito snorted. "You can't steal a dead person's husband."

Shinichi blinked, stared at Kaito for a minute, and then looked away once more. "I guess it's because it doesn't feel like you're dead. We talk about you all the time. I can practically feel you there with us some days. It feels like you're still around."

Kaito bit the inside of his cheek and shrugged. "I am. In some ways, I am, but…I can't be there for Saguru in the ways he needs me, so…I have to go. I won't be around much longer. Not like this, anyway. I'm leaving."

Shinichi's head whipped back up. "You're…leaving?"

Kaito nodded. "Yeah. I told Ru at the beginning of the month. I'm leaving. We already did the teary goodbye earlier, so…all that's left is for me to have this conversation with you, so…"

Shinichi gulped. "What conversation are we having exactly?"

Kaito smiled sadly. "The one where I tell you thank you for looking after my Saguru and entrust you with his future wellbeing."

Shinichi's mouth felt positively arid. "O-Oh?"

Kaito shook his head and chuckled. "I knew you were the one. When I kind of got the feeling that something was gonna happen to me, when I thought about what would happen to Saguru afterwards, I…I knew you were the one I could trust. And look how well things turned out. Shinichi, I want to keep trusting you in the future too. I want to give you the most important thing in the entire world to me. Will you take care of him?"

Shinichi swallowed, pushing aside his doubts and fears and responding, "Yes."

Kaito smiled his approval. "Will you love him as much as I love him?"

"More so," Shinichi replied resolutely, causing Kaito to raise an eyebrow. "You loved him enough to take that bullet and die for him. I'll love him enough to live for his sake, keep going so that I can be there for him."

Kaito smiled still, but it looked to Shinichi that there was pain mixed in there. His eyes seemed misty, like Kaito were about to cry.

"Good," Kaito whispered, and then a little stronger, "Good. That's all I could ever ask for. Then you have my blessing." Kaito stood and took a few steps towards the door leading out to the balcony. He paused and turned to add over his shoulder, "Treasure him."

"I will," Shinichi swore.

With a smile and a nod, Kaito turned to leave.

"Are you going? Really going this time?" Saguru called, slowly opening his eyes and sitting up, turning to look at Kaito.

The ghost chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was wondering if you'd say anything or if you were planning on continuing to pretend to be asleep."

"You're actually leaving this time, aren't you?" Saguru frowned at his husband, looking…sad and conflicted. And a little bit ticked.

Kaito nodded, coming back over to stand in front of them. "It's time, Love. I've gotta move on." Kaito cast a flickering glance at Shinichi and then looked back at Saguru. "And so do you."

Saguru followed Kaito's gaze and blushed when he understood his meaning.

"I suppose so," Saguru sighed. "But…" He looked up at Kaito with sorrowful eyes.

Kaito smiled gently, cupping Saguru's cheek, lovingly stroking it with his thumb. And then he leaned in and kissed Shinichi full on the lips.

This elicited an indignant shriek from the great Heisei Holmes.

Kaito pulled back, meeting Saguru's shocked expression with a snicker and a cheery grin. "There. Now I've kissed him, so you can go ahead and kiss him too, and you don't have to worry about cheating on me."

Saguru's face turned magenta, and it looked like he was about to deny anything and everything, but Kaito caught his lips with a kiss, sealing in the weak protests and the half-hearted lies.

What felt like an eternity later for Shinichi and only a few brief seconds for the lovers, Kaito reluctantly pulled away with a hum. "I've gotta go, Ru."

"Will I ever see you again?" Saguru bit his lip and prayed.

Kaito smiled and winked. "Sure you will. Every day in the sunset, in the moon, in the stars, and, most importantly, right here." Kaito placed a hand over Saguru's heart. "And here." He playfully poked Saguru's forehead. "I'll be with you always, so long as you remember me. Keep me in your heart, and I'll never truly leave you. You'll be sick of me by the time we meet again face to face on the other side."

"I could never grow tired of you," Saguru chuckled, wiping an errant tear from his eye. It was quickly replaced by another. "Really, you say the sappiest things, Kaito. Where do you get all of those lines from?"

"They come from the heart," Kaito assured. "And don't worry. You won't have to do without those either. I'm sure Tantei-kun has a boatload of 'em that he'd be just tickled pink to share with you."

Saguru and Shinichi both blushed at that, but neither said anything to contradict the statement.

"Well, our time grows short, my beloved, but I leave you in good hands." Kaito took Saguru's right hand and pressed it to his lips, giving it a tender kiss before placing it in Shinichi's palm. "You have my blessing, so…what was it? 'Live long and prosper'?" Kaito grinned as he spread his fingers into the proper positions.

Saguru chuckled at this, truly appreciating his darling's attempts to cheer him up.

But then Kaito's smile softened, turning more somber as he wiped the tears from Saguru's eyes. "It's okay to move on. I'll always love you, just like I know you'll always love me, Saguru, even if you love him too. Take care of each other. Be happy."

And then, with a shimmer of light, Kaito was gone.

It was silent once again, neither young man saying anything for a long while after that. They sat there, holding hands, each lost in thought.

Finally, Saguru, with quiet tears still streaming down his face, mumbled, "I'm going back to sleep."

Shinichi didn't argue as the blonde settled back down under the covers.

A minute or two afterwards, Shinichi joined him.

They huddled close for warmth, as close as they could without actually touching, anyway. It was suddenly surprisingly cold for a summer's night.

…

In the morning, Shinichi wondered if he had dreamt it all.

Saguru didn't seem particularly different. He certainly didn't mention any ghostly visits from his deceased husband, that's for sure.

They ate breakfast much in their customary way, and then they played cards (which Saguru had only been able to do without becoming upset as of the end of May) up in Saguru's room. They watched a few episodes of Red Dwarf, had lunch with Baaya, and then went up to the study. Saguru read something in French while Shinichi picked over a couple case files. For dinner they ate out at a little hole in the wall curry place in Shibuya that Kaito had taken Saguru to several years ago at the beginning of their acquaintanceship.

Saguru was oddly quiet. He wasn't cold towards Shinichi or anything. More like pensive.

Shinichi left him alone with his thoughts throughout most of the evening, but when they were about three quarters of the way through the meal, Shinichi spoke up. "About last night…"

Saguru bit his lip, looking down at his naan. "I'm terribly sorry. I'm a snuggler. I don't do it on purpose, but…"

Shinichi blinked, absolutely surprised. "Uh…it's okay. I mean…I don't mind," he replied a little lamely. "Whatever you need, consciously or…unconsciously. Or subconsciously." He frowned when he realized that he was just talking himself further into the hole of lameness. "You know what I mean."

"Usually." Saguru smiled fondly with a little chuckle.

"Good." Shinichi returned the grin.

Then there was comfortable silence once more.

Only…that hadn't been the conversation he'd been intending to have.

For Saguru to change the subject like that, either he really didn't want to talk about the whole thing with Kaito from last night, or…maybe it hadn't happened after all.

Of course it hadn't happened. Because ghosts we're real. It couldn't have happened. It was merely a dream…a really nice dream.

He only wished that Kaito would come and relieve all of his fears and doubts, take away Saguru's anxieties, and give them his blessing.

That night, Saguru slept in his own room.

He didn't treat Shinichi any differently. They still went about their days together, had wonderful conversations, spent time pleasantly, but…there was something the slightest bit off.

And Saguru didn't come to Shinichi's room the following night either.

Things went on like that for the rest of the week, and then that one week turned into two, and then three, and soon it was the middle of July before anyone had realized it.

…

The weather warmed up considerably, and so did Saguru.

Was it Shinichi's imagination, or was Saguru flirting with him? Like, more than just their normal, playful joking with one another?

Saguru seemed to be making a point to lightly rest his fingertips on Shinichi's forearm when they were sitting together laughing over some such thing. Additionally, Saguru would put a hand on Shinichi's shoulder from time to time and smile when they spoke. He stood closer than strictly necessary and stared into Shinichi's eyes a little too intently and for a little bit too long.

And it was wonderful. Shinichi absolutely adored the attention, the affection. And he was feeling less guilty about all of it now that he had dream ghost Kaito's approval.

Things went on that way for a while, both of them pushing the limits of their relationship; however, neither was brave enough to take it a step further. Neither was willing to risk what they had for something more just in case it had all be a terrible misunderstanding and the other hadn't really meant anything by all of the fawning and smiles and the soul gazing.

…

Shinichi finally got up the courage at the very end of August, just a day or two before Saguru's birthday.

They were walking in the park around the lake, and they had stopped at the overpass to look down and take in the beauty of the end-of-summer day.

Shinichi took a deep breath. Looking out at the scenery (cattails swaying in the wind, dragonflies buzzing about, fish making ringlets appear on the pond's surface as insects slid across the water), Shinichi blurted out (just like a teenager asking the girl he liked to prom), "Did you maybe want to start a detective agency with me?"

Saguru blinked and thought about it for a moment before turning to gaze at Shinichi inquisitively, considering. "By 'start a detective agency', do you mean 'start a family' with you? Because the way you said it and the buildup were sort of…more like something you would do when asking the latter, not the former." With a straight face, he continued, "I think you should know that I don't sleep with anyone until they've put a ring on my finger, so if you truly were asking me to bare your children, you're going to have to propose properly first."

Shinichi stared at Saguru with his mouth hanging wide open, inviting in the dragonflies. His brain had just overloaded. What? No. Seriously. What?

And then Saguru snickered, smiling mischievously in a look that would have better suited his late husband. Apparently Kaito had rubbed off on Saguru. "Sorry. I was just teasing you. No need to look so flabbergasted. I know you meant no such thing by inviting me to open a detective agency with you. I was just messing with you. Sorry. You were serious, and I should have taken your question more seriously. Yes, Shinichi, I would love to start a detective agency with you."

Shinichi gulped, thinking, "Now or never." His lips parted, and he rushed to get it all out before he lost his nerve: "AndwhatifIwantedyoutostartafamilywithme?"

Saguru found himself blinking again. "I…beg your pardon? Sorry. What?"

Shinichi swallowed, balling his fists in resolve as he repeated, "And…what if I wanted you to start a family with me?"

The look on his face was so completely serious that Saguru couldn't possibly misunderstand or misconstrue. When he answered, he knew that Shinichi really did mean it, and that thought made him want to cry in happiness.

"Well," he answered slowly, thoughtfully. "Seeing as we're both male, I doubt that will come to much, but we could always try. I…wouldn't be opposed to trying with you. In a few years after we're married, if you decide that you actually do want to marry me after we've been dating for a while and you've discovered all of my dark secrets, like the fact that I'm a nerd and a bit mentally unstable. I think we'll probably end up adopting, but…" Saguru searched Shinichi's eyes, saw the overwhelming joy on the other young man's face as he took in what Saguru was saying, what that meant. "The only problem is…you like women, and I am not female."

Shinichi's face suddenly hardened once more as he explained, "Saguru, I don't like 'women', I like Ran…and now I like you too, so… And I don't plan on falling in love a third time, so if you can accept the fact that I am the biggest geek and that cases follow me around like lost puppies, I want to…to be with you. I've seen you at your worst, and I still fell in love with you, so you've got nothing to worry about. I accept you the way you are, so…do you think you could do the same for me?"

"I think so," Saguru chuckled softly, taking a step closer and slipping his hand into Shinichi's palm. "After all, I find you ravishingly adorable when you go on one of your geek rants about the newest installment of whatever mystery series you happen to be infatuated with at the moment. And…running into all of those cases…I think it's a sign from above. Evil won't get away with it; crimes will be punished, life is valuable, and you're the one most suited to bringing the culprits to justice…keeping things in balance and providing closure for the victims, saving potential victims in the nick of time."

"You think too highly of me," Shinichi laughed sheepishly, a proud grin threatening to rip his face in half.

"You've earned my respect and affections." Saguru shrugged, giving Shinichi's hand a little squeeze. He leaned in a bit and looked Shinichi in the eye alluringly. It was like he was just asking to be kissed.

But before Shinichi could comply, a thought occurred to him. "Do you think Kaito would be okay with this? With us?"

Saguru looked a little surprised. The spell was broken as he stepped back (but not too terribly far, not more than an arm's length). "Of course he would. He said he gave us his blessing, didn't he?"

Shinichi's eyelids fluttered. "You mean…that night when…?"

Saguru nodded. "Right. Don't you remember?"

Shinichi blinked again. "But that was just a dream."

Saguru shook his head.

"Ghosts aren't real," Shinichi replied, firm in his convictions…but not nearly so firm as before. In fact, his convictions were slowly slipping away from him by the second. Because he had seen Kaito. Heck, Kaito had kissed him, and Shinichi had felt the magician's lips on his own. It could be possible that Saguru and Shinichi had just had a similar dream, but…

Shinichi looked away, looked out at the lake as he turned a little pale and asked, "Saguru…was it snowing on the night you met Kaito?"

Saguru chuckled at the fond memory and nodded. "Yes. The snow actually delayed his train, so he was late for the heist. Well, not noticeably late, not to anyone except me, but…"

"And…where exactly did Kaito propose to you?" Shinichi asked urgently. His unconscious mind getting one out of three right wasn't unthinkable, but…if his "dream" Kaito had reported facts that only Saguru and Kaito would know and gotten it on the money thrice…Shinichi might have to reconsider his entire world view about things pertaining to the supernatural.

"In London," Saguru answered, smiling over that memory too. "The London Eye to be more precise. He waited until we were up at the top, and he leaned in, kissed my ear, and whispered, 'I wanna be with you for the rest of my life. Do you think you could stand spending forever with me?'" A sad, longing look came to Saguru's eyes, but he kept smiling. "Why do you ask, Shinichi?"

Shinichi bit his lip. "I…It's nothing. I just…"

He needed to make absolutely sure before he started believing in ghosts—which didn't exist. They couldn't exist.

There was one more question Shinichi had to ask, one more thing that Kaito had said that he needed to make sure of. But he couldn't bring himself to say "So…after sex, do you talk a lot…or?" No. It wasn't happening. He also wasn't asking if Kaito had liked to bask in the afterglow or if Saguru made funny noises when licked…in some undisclosed location. Hmm.

And then a thought occurred to him: "Did Kaito used to call you 'Ru'? Was that his petname for you?"

Saguru shrugged. "One of many. Why all of the questions all of the sudden, Shinichi?"

"Because…I don't believe in ghosts, but…" His face was so contorted in confusion at this point that it looked like he was in pain. "But Kaito came and said goodbye to us back in June, didn't he?"

Saguru nodded. "Yes. He did, but…he's been with us all along, you know," Saguru replied and then his thoughtful expression turned slightly miffed. "What? Did you think I was just out of my mind, mad with grief whenever I had in-depth discussions with him?"

Shinichi took a minute to consider his response before giving it. "Saguru, I don't know if you remember back then, but it took you a full week to recognize me and remember who I was, and then it was another week and a half before you could recall that I had moved in with you as your caretaker. Sometimes it didn't even register to you that I was in the room or even talking to you. And then there was the singing. You used to sing entire depressing musicals like Les Mis and The Phantom of the Opera. I didn't know what to think, so please forgive me for assuming that your conversations with your dead husband were all a fabrication of your mind under stress due to grief. I mean, it's not like I could see Kaito, so… I mean, I could feel him there. It definitely felt like…I could feel him there with us when we were hanging out and having dinner together, and… Baaya seemed to see him, seemed to talk to him sometimes, but I just thought that maybe she was dealing with her own grief, too, so…"

Saguru's head tipped to the side, and he stared at Shinichi owlishly. "You're right. I don't remember all that back then. Was I really all that bad?"

Shinichi shrugged, dithering for a moment before he finally just nodded with a sheepish, "Yeah. It was pretty bad, but…I fell in love with you anyway, so…"

With a sigh and a shy smile, Saguru replied, "I suppose it's okay then. After all, I'm better now, right?"

"Right," Shinichi chuckled, mussing Saguru's hair and then trailing his hand down to cup Saguru's cheek. "Right. Much better, so… So I'm in love with you," he confessed, staring into Saguru's amber eyes, gaze unwavering, voice steady and sure.

"Really?" Saguru tentatively wrapped his arms around Shinichi's neck, nibbling nervously on his bottom lip in such a cute way that made Shinichi want to lean in and take a bite as well.

"Really," Shinichi confirmed. "Really, really in love with you. To the point where I want to start a detective agency with you…and a family a little bit down the road, so…?"

"I have to admit, I've been enamored of you for a long time," Saguru chuckled, daring to lean in a little closer. "There were times when I seriously wanted to…to…" Saguru blushed, looking down. "But I couldn't help but feel like I would be betraying Kaito if I allowed myself to fall in love again."

"But now that we have Kaito's blessing?" Shinichi whispered, tilting Saguru's chin up so that the blonde would be forced to look him in the eye.

"Now…" Saguru's cheeks blossomed pink like roses as he whispered. "I took a while to think about it, and…I love you too, Shinichi. I want to give a relationship a try. I don't know if things will work out because I'm still…" He bit his lip and continued, "…a little damaged, but…I love you, so I want to try."

"We all come with our little nicks and scuffs and bruises." Shinichi shrugged, smiling brightly at those three words, "I love you", leaving Saguru's lips and directed at him. "I can accept yours if you'll accept mine."

Saguru nodded. "All right. So long as you know what you're getting yourself into," he chuckled.

"I couldn't ask for anything more," Shinichi assured, finally leaning in for that long-awaited kiss.

The

End

…

Mikau: Thanks so much for reading guys! I hope you enjoyed this fic. It was really fun to write, and I want to thank StarlightDragons once more for inadvertently inspiring me to write this. Let me know if you liked reading this and would like to see me write more HakuShin in the future. I'll definitely take it into consideration if there's a demand. Thanks in advance for your reviews, and I hope we meet again soon! Take care, guys!