004. Insides.
Sometimes, he just needed to get away. Away from the act of being Conan. Away from the dead bodies that followed him practically everywhere. Away from the reporters who always followed him. And when he needed to get away, to be alone, he went home to the Kudo mansion and holed himself in the vast library of nothing but mystery novels.
He had needed to be alone when he made that phone call. Needed time to work up the courage to make it. Needed time alone afterwards to reflect upon it and his own feelings. Unfortunately, he wasn't alone inside the Kudo mansion anymore. At least, it didn't feel like it with the flock of reporters waiting outside. He hadn't noticed it as he was walking to his true home, too wrapped up in his own head to notice, but one reporter had followed him from school all the way to the Kudo mansion. And after an hour, that one reporter had multiplied in a few dozen. He knew exactly what they were waiting for too. So much for his home being a refuge.
Sighing, he retreated further into the library and picked up a few books to take with him back to the Mouri Detective Agency. At this rate, reading there would be more peaceful than reading here. If nothing else, Ran could easily scare away all the reporters. And while that thought made him feel extra guilty after the phone call he'd just made, he knew her well enough to know that she would welcome the distraction.
As he walked out of the library, he tucked his favorite Sherlock Holmes titles snuggly inside his backpack, the well-loved Sign of Four on top, and hidden below the small stack of Doyle novels were a few of the Arsene Lupin series.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed prompt 4 for Gifts from the Sky and continue to enjoy all future installments. Right now, I'd like to give a special thanks to LMeg9.20 for reviewing every chapter thus far. It's good to know that you enjoy my work so much. As always, thanks to all readers, alerters, and favoriters, and please review or provide a detailed, in-depth critique if it behooves you.