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A Curse Marked Fate

63: Shapes in the Cloud

"Well that was a bust," Kaito grumbled. "You should have let me follow her."

Shinichi gave him a look. "And do what exactly?"

"Well, if I'd been able to get a hold of the Curse Mark amulet she decided not to use then we'd have solid proof that the Foundation not only can but does make and use them. Not to mention it'd be hard evidence that they've been researching magic that can be used to manipulate people's minds. That's illegal."

"And you know what the amulet she had with her looked like, do you?" Shinichi pressed.

Kaito opened his mouth then shut it again. Eventually, he grumbled. "It would probably have had a Curse Mark on it somewhere."

"I really don't think she would have stood around and let you rummage through her bag to check. So unless you were planning to snatch her whole bag, following her would have been pointless."

"We could have found out where she lived," Kaito persisted.

"There are other, less risky ways to do that," the little detective countered.

"We might have seen her coworkers—maybe identified the guy behind the fire."

"That's a big might. And again, there are easier ways to do that."

Kaito let his breath out in a whooshing sigh. "Okay, fine. I'll admit you're making good points. It just feels like this whole thing is still unfinished. I mean, sure, she decided not to use the amulet this time for whatever reason, but that means she's still got it. And it means she can change her mind at any time. Dad didn't exactly make it hard for her to schedule another opportunity either."

Shinichi sighed and gave Kaito's hand a squeeze. "I understand."

The two of them continued on in silence.

They had decided to walk as much of the way back to the Agasa household as they could, partly so they could unwind from the tension of the operation at the coffee shop and partly because Shinichi wanted to prolong the experience of being out and about as long as possible. Kaito had had his doubts about the wisdom of the detour, but he could understand Shinichi's reluctance to return. That, and he was enjoying this moment of respite alone with Shinichi.

Strolling together through the bustling city streets with Shinichi's hand in his, basking in the beautiful weather, it felt like they were on a date. There was the minor flaw that Shinichi was still a child, but it was still a tantalizing taste of what could be.

They stopped for sandwiches partway back, swung through a busy park to ditch their disguises, then stopped again for ramen when they were nearly there. Shinichi was mildly puzzled by how Kaito managed to put away a decent sized order of each with ease even though he didn't have any magic speeding up his metabolism. Where did he put it all?

Though they didn't exchange a word about it, neither of them was surprised when they realized that they were making their way down a familiar path towards the shore of an equally familiar lake.

With the sun dipping low in a burnt orange sky and the shadows growing long and stark over the grass, Beika Park was nearly deserted. Standing side by side on the grassy slopes beneath the great, spreading branches of their tree, they listened to the gentle rustling of the leaves overhead and watched the waters of the lake shine gold.

"I was…looking at her threads," Shinichi said, gaze trained on the flat expanse of mirror bright water. "It was a bit difficult with Uncle there. The threads kept slipping in and out of sight. But I can touch them with my thoughts now without having to physically reach for them. And I was trying to see if… Well, if I could learn anything about her intentions."

Kaito gave his hand a squeeze, silently encouraging.

Even so, it was a moment before Shinichi let his breath out in a short, sharp puff and continued.

"She really did—does—care strongly for Toichi-san. I'm sure she has for a very long time. Since she was his student. I think that's why she couldn't go through with it."

There were, he reflected, many more layers to what he had sensed from the woman back at the coffee shop, but it didn't seem prudent to try and explain it all, especially when he didn't think he could find the words for it. He'd had only a fleeting glimpse of that complex tapestry of emotions—of the admiration and the longing and the wish for something lost that might have been; of the bittersweet acknowledgment that the other had found joy and fulfillment without her and that she'd been clinging to a hope that never was.

But there was a kind of peace to the knowledge that the ones you loved were happy. Shinichi had felt it from her and known it instantly. It was both a sense and a wish that Shinichi was intimately familiar with.

The woman was in love with Kuroba Toichi, and she didn't want to be the reason he became someone he wasn't, especially not when he was so obviously thriving.

There had been something else too—a flicker of some intense emotion that had been sparked by Toichi's mention of his son. It had come and gone so fast that Shinichi couldn't be sure he hadn't imagined it though. He'd certainly had no time to decipher what it was or might mean. Considering all that, he decided to keep the observation to himself for now.

Kaito exhaled sharply as he ran his free hand through his hair, making it even messier than it already was. "I just can't get over that some woman I've never heard of until recently has apparently had a thing for my old man since before I was born. Hell, I think that would've been before he even met Mom. It's weird. The more you tell me, the more it seems like I should feel sorry for her, but I don't want to."

Shinichi could only shrug helplessly. "You don't have to feel sorry for her if you don't want to. There's no right or wrong about it. Relationships are just complicated. But I thought you should know that she really cares. You know, in case you're worried."

"You want me to know that Miss Sharon's not like Kurata-san."

Shinichi started to speak, stopped, then let out a startled laugh. "I guess I am. I hadn't thought about it that way, but you're right. They are different. I couldn't use this ability on her when we met, but I didn't have to to be able to tell you that what Kurata-san wanted was to have Matsuhara-san. She saw him as something that should always have belonged to her, and that's why she used the amulet on him. It wasn't about love. It was about possession. But Miss Sharon does love Toichi-san. So I don't think you need to worry that she's going to suddenly change her mind and make another attempt to use her amulet on him. She's already realized it wouldn't give her what she wants."

"I guess I can be content with that," Kaito decided after some thought. "Makes me wonder why else she's with the Foundation though. I don't suppose you picked up anything about that?"

Shinichi shook his head. "No, sorry. But it might be an angle to look into."

"I hate how we only seem to be wracking up more questions," Kaito grumbled. "And it's ridiculous how we have to just sit around and let them go about their shady business. I mean seriously, we already know they're up to no good. We've even seen their secret labs! Why can't we just drag the police down there and show them what's going on?"

"I know it's frustrating," Shinichi said ruefully. "This is just how some cases go. Sometimes, it just takes time to find and accumulate the necessary evidence. But we need to do it and do it right if we want to make sure the right people pay for the right crimes. In big cases like these especially, it'd be too easy for the higher ups to push the blame onto their subordinates by claiming ignorance since they're not the ones doing the dirty work themselves."

Kaito made a face. "Okay, yeah. I get it. It's still frustrating."

"Oh I totally agree," Shinichi assured him with a wry grin. "But that's why we have to keep brainstorming and testing strategies like we did today."

Kaito heaved an exaggerated sigh then laughed. "Right. Back to the drawing board it is. Though I do believe we should start planning how to crash their party at the Expo. That may end up being our best bet at both stopping and catching them."

It was Shinichi's turn to grimace. "You may be right. I just really hope we can build a case without letting things go that far. There are too many ways leaving it to the Expo could blow up in our faces."

Kaito stretched both his arms up as high as they would go then let them drop back to his sides with a huge exhale. "We better start heading back. If I don't get you home by nightfall, the little lady will have my head."

Shinichi gave the serene waters of the lake a last, long look then nodded and took Kaito's hand. Halfway up the grassy slope, however, he stumbled as the strength abruptly left his legs. Kaito's quick reaction saved him from face-planting into the dirt.

"Damn! You're pale as a sheet! You should've told me if you weren't feeling well," Kaito scolded. Leaning down, he slid one arm behind Shinichi's back and the other under his knees. A moment later, he had Shinichi cradled against his chest.

"I—I'm all right, I'm all right," Shinichi protested, though his voice sounded weak even to his own ears. He grimaced and took a moment to try taking a few deep breaths. "I was just a little lightheaded for a moment. And it passed. So you can put me down now."

"Not happening," Kaito informed him in a far too chipper tone that told Shinichi he was actually quite upset. "I promised Ran-san and the little lady—and the professor too—that I was going to take care of you. And that's what I'm going to do."

Realizing that he was fighting a futile battle, Shinichi surrendered and settled down. He ended up leaning his head against Kaito's chest, eyes closed.

Shinichi hadn't wanted to admit it, but he really was tired. And it felt nice, he thought drowsily, being held by Kaito. He could feel his cheeks warming at the thought and prayed that the older boy didn't notice. It made Shinichi rather glad though that he currently still looked like a child. It made him feel slightly less self conscious about snuggling into the embrace. That was something children did, right? So he could blame the behavior on his age.

Feeling safe and warm and inexplicably content, Shinichi drifted into a half doze.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed before he was startled awake by a familiar voice, sounding very cross, demanding to know where he and Kaito had been.

"Everyone else reported in hours ago."

"We stopped off for food a couple times," Kaito replied without an ounce of repentance. "Shin-chan was starting to look a little peaky. It just seemed prudent not to wait."

Ai harrumphed in a rather disgruntled way but couldn't actually argue with his logic, so she did the wise thing and let it go.

"Next time you take a detour, at least answer your phones," she said in acid tones. "We went ahead and ate since we didn't know when you'd be getting back. You can help yourselves if you're hungry. Otherwise, Ran-san said she'll be over in half an hour or so. She's bringing us a cake from the café under her apartment. It's a new item she feels we'll enjoy."

"Sounds good," Kaito replied. He gave the sleeping bundle in his arms a light shake. "Hey, Shin-chan. Do you want stew?"

The boy mumbled something incoherent and buried his face in the front of Kaito's jacket.

Kaito's smile softened. "Right. Let's get you to bed for now."

Ai followed the two with her eyes, watching the tender way Kaito tucked the little detective into bed. She watched him pull the covers up to Shinichi's chin before absently brushing the younger boy's dark banks out of his eyes. It was a simple, innocent little gesture, but the soft affection in the Sky Mage's eyes lent it an air of intimacy that almost had Ai looking away.

Smiling despite herself, she headed back into her lab to get a little more work done, relaxed now that everyone in this strange new family of hers had been accounted for.

X

Shinichi was awake and feeling much more himself again by the time Ran rang the doorbell.

She came in bearing a cake box and a very hefty book bag. Agasa immediately hastened to relieve her of the first before bustling into the kitchen in search of plates and a cake knife. Kaito offered to take the book bag.

"Are you planning to do your homework here?" he asked.

"Nope. I brought all our old year books," Ran explained, eyes bright with excitement.

Overhearing from where he was helping the professor set out their plates, Shinichi blanched. "You brought our year books?"

"That's what I said."

"All of them?"

"Of course. I thought Kaito-kun would like to see them, and we can use them to track your progress. It should be fun."

Fun was not the word Shinichi would have chosen.

Kaito, however, lit up like Christmas had come early. "That does sound fun. Let's start at the beginning."

Soon, all the year books had been dumped out onto the coffee table and arranged in chronological order.

"The earliest book I have is from when we were ten," Ran told Kaito. "Since that's when Shinichi started living with us."

Kaito examined the photo of the ten-year-old Shinichi then looked over at the real thing then back again. "Well, it kind of looks like he might almost be ten then."

Ran compared the image to the genuine article as well and nodded. "I think you're right."

"You know, Shin-chan," Kaito said thoughtfully as he went on to leaf through year book after year book. "You never really got—er, won't get?—much of a growth spurt, will you? Wow, trying to decide what tenses to use for this is not easy."

"I'll be happy so long as I don't have to use a stepping stool to reach the stove," the detective replied.

Kaito chuckled. "Good point. By the by, what's up with this one?" The Sky Mage held up a thin, hardcover volume bound in dark crimson faux leather. "Is this a year book too? It's a whole lot fancier than all the others."

"Oh, no, that one's from when we were at the Harumina Girls High School summer program. That was, let's see, right after we graduated middle school. Everyone decided to put together a photo book that all the participants would get a copy of that we could pass around and get signed like we would have with actual year books."

Kaito nodded then frowned. "So this one's yours?"

Ran grinned. "No. It's Shinichi's. I take it he didn't tell you about the program?"

Kaito's gaze flicked from the brunette to where Shinichi was rapidly retreating into his room. "Well, he told me about being recruited to investigate one of their dance instructors, which involved some, ah, dressing up, a dance lesson and a misunderstanding with some overly helpful guy who couldn't take a hint. But he made it sound like it was a one day thing."

Ran laughed. "He told you all that, did he? I'm kind of surprised."

Shinichi's door slammed shut.

Kaito's lips quirked into a wry grin. "He didn't want to, but we had a deal."

"I see. Well, it sounds like you got the abbreviated version. Let me tell you the whole story."

TBC

A.N: Happy Thanksgiving to anyone it applies to. :) A general happy holidays to everyone else.