Detective Conan Fanfiction

Kiss of Death

Chapter 1: "Ebony clothing"

A/N: TAKE NOTE - I AM CHANGING RAN'S HUSBAND'S NAME TO TOMOAKI ARAIDE

Everyone, both the Kudo family and relatives, as well as the Metropolitan Police, stood solemnly in the cemetery.

They surrounded a certain coffin, not saying a word, for the death of the young detective Kudo Shinichi was a shock to them. Their eyes were puffy with excessive crying and their mouth were dry due to the numerous exchange of small talk, prayers and small condolences. All of them were beyond upset, except for a certain strawberry blonde, who was merely standing with them, yet her face bore a mild emotionless expression.

Ai stood among them, donned in formal black as well. She wore a black Lolita dress that had a white criss-cross strings in the centre and a hat to go along with it. The irony, that they now resembled the Organization she despised so much. Unlike Yukiko who was crying excessively, she refuses to use her acting skills to even pretend to be upset. She watch the coffin get lowered at a rectangular hole 6 feet underground, just like the rest. Yet, no one was allowed to see the deceased as the authorities did not allow the coffin to be open. They claimed that Kudo Shinichi, in his pursuit of his last case, he got shot brutally that they wouldn't allow any of his relatives and friends to see his body.

But in truth, it was simply because the coffin was empty.

Conan stood by Ai's side, busy looking around the crowd. He felt guilty for making the people that cared for him as Kudo Shinichi be heartbroken at this news, when in reality he was alive and well. He glanced at Inspector Megure, who wasn't crying but Conan was no fool. The old man was vividly devastated, having to know that the bright and young detective he admired and hoped to join the police force, was taken away. Sonoko was there as well, unable to withhold her tears and broke into sobs once in a while. Conan frowned when Ran was not present, despite that her parents were. Sonoko was the only Teitan High alumni to actually be there. It has been 3 years and their schoolmates graduated, having to separate ways while Conan was stuck as a 4th grader.

Yet the cold harsh truth was banging to his face - Kudo Shinichi sure had loads of fans, but had little friends that genuinely cared for him.

He was disappointed that Ran, his best friend since childhood, did not even appear in his grave. "She's not here, isn't she? You must've hurt her badly for her to not even attend Kudo Shinichi's funeral, Edogawa-kun," Ai whispered, cautious not to talk too loud for others to hear their conversation.

Conan grabbed Ai's wrist lightly, pulling her out of anyone's ear-shot."Strangely half of me is relieved to not find her here. I don't want to see her cry anymore. Besides, she married with someone else," he replied, trying to force a smile. He released his hand from the envelopment of her wrist, before holding her hand. Ai gasped softly, surprised at the gesture. Yet she entwined her fingers with his, their familiarity with each other diminished any uncertainty they had on their mind. They had held hands before twice, once at the Haido Hotel when she met Pisco and the other was during the Bus Hijacking case. Conan insisted that he saw her as his partner, which Ai tried to deny.

They needed each other to survive.

"She was your only friend as Kudo Shinichi, right?" she asked, giving his hand a light squeeze. So it wasn't just him that noticed this.

He nodded, saying, "you get to know who your genuine friends are, those who cared after you're gone. But the damned thing is no dead man sees his funeral. Except for me I guess."

After the raiding of the Black Organization, they shortly found Vermouth. Reports said that Vermouth shed her strong facade, having to be weak and vulnerable during the interrogation process, much to Conan's suspicions. She insisted that she had no knowledge of the Black Organization or her boss that was charred to flames at the warehouse. She persistently muttered that she had been framed before breaking into sobs, yet from her identity test results gave evidence that she was undeniably Chris Vineyard. The Metropolitan Police had to lock her up at a high-security prison, despite her pleads of innocence. With that, the Black Organization pulverized into non-existence and the case was closed, with the help of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, FBI and Shinichi himself.

Of course, the FBI was in great gratitude towards the shrunken detective, having to obliterate the syndicate they had been tracing for decades. Conan asked a favour in return, which is to kill off his original identity and for Edogawa Conan, as well as Haibara Ai, to truly exist in this world. It was an easy task for the FBI to manipulate the documents, creating death certificates, birth certificates and other identifications were all done within a snap of a finger. Conan had decided to stay as his shrunken form, having no choice but to fabricate Shinichi's death as a closure to those that were still wondering about Shinichi's whereabouts. Of course, only those that knew about the truth, the FBI, his parents, Agasa, Heiji and Ai, knew that this funeral was a lie.

Edogawa Conan emerged as the Kudo family's second son, but his surname remained as "Edogawa", to protect him from the media as the Kudo family was indeed famous. Of course, this was another lie they had to set as it was convenient to explain to Ran and the others his uncanny resemblance to Kudo Shinichi and about his alter ego's parents.

One lie after another -he sighed.

"That's the thing about lying, Kudo-kun," Ai suddenly spoke, breaking his pondering of the case, "you have to keep lying to cover up the first lie." Her comment stung Conan in the heart, knowing that she was correct. Ai had a way of reading his mind and after 3 years of knowing each other, the pair were able to complement each other's rational thinking.

He was silent at first, uncertain how to continue the conversation. Then his head shot up, as another baffling question dashed through his mind. "Say Haibara," he spoke softly, "if I were to really pass away, would you attend my funeral?" He gave her hand a light squeeze. She was taken-aback by his irrelevant question, but regained composure.

"No"

"Why not?" Conan asked, a little disappointed with her answer.

"Because I can't bear to show to everyone how broken and devastated I am if you're no longer by my side"

"Shinichi..." the raven-haired woman sobbed on her husband's shoulder, standing on her childhood friend's grave.

Ran was clothed in all black and had a banquet of flowers in her arms. She purposely had missed Shinichi's funeral. She was too ashamed, too upset to show herself infront of everyone. Her last memory of him wasn't the best either, how she regretted her last venomous words to him. Her tears were now dropping uncontrollably on her bandage knuckles, a reminder of how she got injured. When she heard the news just after coming home from her honeymoon, she was so infuriated with herself. She stared at her reflection with hate, despising herself for not reconciling with her childhood friend. She punched the mirror as hard as she could, breaking it and shattering into pieces. She glanced at her reflection again, noticing the cracks and blood in it. Yet, the blood and the damage was the least of her concerns. Shinichi was gone, before they even got to apologise for hurting one another.

She was angry, hurt and confused. Why was Kudo Shinichi so obsessed with cases? She knew, that his very own curiosity and eagerness will someday be the death of him. And she was right, Shinichi died in the midst of pursuing a dangerous case. Was it a punishment or karma for him? She did not know. He was the mystery enthusiast and detective freak that she acknowledge since childhood, which she did not understand. It was even a surprise for her, that they managed to be friends for a decade or so despite having little in common.

But to her, he was consumed with the idea of solving crimes, such that he was willing to forsake her and his normal school life to pursue cases beyond Japan. She waited for him alright, for 3 good long years. But she grew exhausted, tired of sobbing every night and wishing for him to come back. It even affected her final year examination in her 3rd year in high school, which affected her badly as her mediocre grades barricaded her from getting into universities that she had in mind. His disappearance was deteriorating the quality of her life and she knew she had to stop. She had to continue living despite his constant absence. She gave up the idea on the two of them ever being a couple and decided to go on a blind date that Sonoko had set up. She hit it well a fellow university student, Tomoaki Araide, who was studying medical science at the doctorate level. Unlike her conversations with Shinichi that sometimes bore her to death when he blabs about Sherlock Holmes and cases, Ran found herself immersed inTomoaki's ideals. He was passionate about saving people and hoped to volunteer in developing countries when he has spare time, to give medical care to those who couldn't afford it. His goal was to rescue people and keep the living alive, unlike Shinichi who was deciphering a deceased person's code. Yet, he kept the medical explanations in the simplest manner, to avoid Ran being confused or bored with complicated medical terms. He also listened attentively to Ran's studies and training as a Japanese language educator and her plans of being a martial arts trainer during the school holidays. She appreciated his undivided attention and the pair agreed to have a second date.

Soon, the second date turned into multiple dates after another and it led to marriage.

Now, she stood there, silently sobbing. For one thing, Ran suddenly realized that the superstition of being too happy will have a sudden depressing outcome. This was it. Despite her ending up with someone else, she still considered Shinichi as a dear friend. Slowly, she placed the flowers on his grave, his name, "Kudo Shinichi" (1990-2010), engraved in it. She thought of how life was fast and fragile. All her life, the saddest event that occured to her was her parent's separation. This was her actual first loss. She hated how it dug a hollow core inside her, like a part of her soul was taken away as well. Shinichi was gone, leaving her again but this time, it was permanent.

She continued sobbing, her cries fading to the distance like her memories with him, yearning for her fallen best friend.

(Year 2015, 5 years after the Fall of the Black Organisation)

Ai hugged her legs, her knees resting on her chin. It can't be! She was sure that they had already infiltrated their hideout. Gin and Vodka was supposedly handed over to a higher foreign police force to determine their sentences. She was all alone in her room, fearing that the Black Organisation will continue hunting her down and kill her. Not forgetting that the people around her would die too. Her eyes turned gray due to the petrifying fear, she started to shiver and suddenly visualized how she would be killed. Her greatest fear is devouring her mind. She even had recurring nightmares about their last encounter with Vodka and Gin.

It has been ten days since their another encounter with the Black Organisation.

She shuddered once more, unable to get the visions of her nightmare out of her head...

"Haibara, it's just an event with the American exchange students. Just go with me, will you?" Conan pleaded, attempting to gain sympathy by conjuring up wide, adorable puppy eyes.

Haibara sighed, restraining her temptation to explode her irritations. She shot a death glare at Conan, who seemed unaffected by it.

"For the last time, I said-"

Her words was cut short when she bumped onto a tall, burly man that was dressed in ebony, from his hat to his shiny leather shoes. His outfit was so comically sinister, that he would've been mistaken for Vlad Dracula on a Halloween night.

"I'm sorry-"

It can't be!

Despite the short black hair, the man's icy eyes that glints menacing silvery light and the scar across one of his eyes was a dead giveaway to his identity. Only one man had those eyes of Jack Ripper's -Gin.

Seeing the strong resemblance, Gin grinned at her menacingly.

"Sorry, little girl, didn't see you there. You remind me of a woman that I knew," Gin said to the shrunken chemist menacingly. Her blood froze instantly when she saw Gin's cold eyes and quickly embraced Conan tightly, looking away from them. Conan glared to the men dressed in black, warning them not to harm her.

"Aniki," Gin's partner, Vodka, nudged him, "what are you staring at? We have a tight schedule." Considering his partner-in-crime's words, he lowered his hat and walked away with Vodka.

Conan watched them walked away. After he was sure they were gone, he whispered to Ai, "It's ok now, they're gone. "She looked up, her watery turquoise eyes refusing to meet him.

"Don't worry, Haibara, I'm here," he assured her, tapping his hand on her back.

"Why should I worry?" Haibara snapped back and released her grip from him. Conan was surprised at her sudden change of emotions, but she was hiding them beneath her strawberry blonde bangs.

"They will definitely find me, I just know that one day, they will," Ai whispered to herself, knowing that the Black Organization will continue to hunt her. Memories with her sister suddenly flashed in her mind, reminding her sister's death. She began thinking about the consequences of her betrayal to the Organization.

Moments later, she heard the door open slightly.

"Did you ever learn how to knock?" she questioned, folding her arms. She hoped that he hasn't heard her in her helpless state.

"I won't let them harm you," Conan reassured her. He proceeded to tuck a lock of hair under her left ear, then gave a light caress of her cheek. He let his hand stay on her shoulder and sighed. Haibara flinched slightly at the touch, despite years of being familiar with Conan, she still found it difficult to get used to his gradual increasing physical proximity around her.

"Kudo-kun..." she responded and looked away again, not wanting to let him look at her face. Conan grinned, always finding Ai's reactions amusing whenever she feels repulsed when he gets too close to her. Consider it as a payback for torturing him with her endless sardonic verbal teases that poked holes on his ego. But that's what friends do, right? A friendship without the harmless insults is no fun.

Haibara returned the reaction with a frown, but somehow never actually asked him to stop his childish tricks.

"What? I'm not going to... You know, 'that'," Conan muttered, a little embarrassed.

She smirked, "Oh, that? Still haven't forgotten about it."

"Hey, look on the bright fact that you've given the second chance to re-live a normal childhood, with Hakase and the Detective Boys. Like Ran, you're happier now, aren't you?" Conan questioned, his face becoming more solemn. She'd always cringe when he says her name. Yes, she did respect Ran, but sometimes the little green devil just kept messing with her little head. Bit by bit, she too had lost hope long ago in trying to make him notice her despite that Ran had given up on him. She didn't want to fall any deeper and take the risk.

He was wrong. She was content with her life, but refused to find happiness.

Haibara, not wanting to answer the rhetorical question, replied, "There's an antidote kept, you know that." The sentenced left a bitter taste in her tongue, an offensive venom to Conan's perspective.

After all the years that he had stood with her, she still did not trust that he genuinely wanted to stay. Even if being Shinichi was living his dream of becoming a renowned "Modern Sherlock Holmes", that Shinichi was long gone, along with Ran's forgotten memories with him and his wonderful celebrity life.

"I didn't ask for that," Conan hissed. A little bit pissed that she fails to recognize his efforts and despite his initial impression of her, he did see her as a victim of the syndicate that robbed her normal life and family, not a criminal.

"I didn't ask you to stay as Conan either," she fought back.

"After a few years of peace, they're back. And for what? If they want me dead, then so be it. Just don't go around risking yourself as the righteous hero for someone who isn't Louise Lane," Haibara explained in a deadpan manner, "You may be a great detective, but you can't save everyone."

"What are you...saying?" Conan stuttered, he couldn't believe her words, "why are you being like this?"

"You claim to be a Great Detective, go figure it out. I want to sleep, you should go," Haibara squatted him away, still the deadpan manner she'd always try to put up.

"No"

"No?"

"You've always been like this. I know that your background had contributed to your detached character and that you're not heartless. I'm not blind, I can see it in your eyes. You care for the people you've met. I just don't get why you want to cease it. You know, you can't push everyone away!" Conan burst out of frustration.

Haibara was surprised, Conan was rarely ever pissed at her. He would usually dismiss her coldness as her typical attitude, but the red frustration in his eyes certainly proved otherwise. Oh, how she wanted to just have liberty to let him in. Eventually, everyone leaves, right? Like Akemi, they die, and they might die because of her.

"I'm sleepy, get out," she said sharply. Conan, not wanting to argue any further, walked away, slamming the door shut as hard as he could.

What have I done? But this should be the way.

"Shinichi, did you argue with Ai-kun?" Agasa inquired.

Conan shrugged, "Why don't you ask her?" he sighed.

"Anyway, Heiji called, he said he wanted to take a short holiday in Tokyo. He's staying temporarily at one of the hotels, I would like to have a sleepover there for a moment and discuss a case," Conan informed Hakase.

The old man did nothing but nod. He knew that it was partially because Conan didn't want to spend the night at the Hakase residence. Conan moved in here ever since Ran lived together with her husband, and he didn't want to trouble Kogorou any longer.

Ai stared at the door, the sound of it slamming echoed through the impregnable bricks of walls she had built. It irritated her that the echo remained a banging guilt in her ear.

Not wanting to hear it, she forced herself to succumb to deep slumber.

Sometimes, she just wished to sleep and not wake up.

A/N: I kinda ship Araide & Ran ever since the OVA 9, simply because I think Ran deserves someone who pays attention to her needs and not make her wait.