11.13

The girl’s brow rose in curiosity as he gave his answer before she smiled. “Yeah, it’s nice to meet you too, Conan.”

At his next question, though, her smile faltered and nervousness rose within her.

Free would be best.

“Ah, I don’t know much about the prices around here so I think if you could get me something cheap, that’d be great. I don’t plan on staying for long to be honest,” she told him, trying to sound as calm as possible.

If he’d find out that she was actually on the run and homeless, it would only cause more problems for her.

「    The boy glances up to regard her a bit, just for a moment as he blinks a little, before returning his gaze back on the map again. “ Something cheap ? ” he muses outloud, feeling around in his pocket for something to write with ( which he does, a ballpoint pen that’s attached to a small notebook he keeps on his person ).

“ Well, there are a few that might have rooms for a low price. ” Plucking the pen off his notebook ( which is then stashed back into his pocket ), Conan begins to draw circles on the map, around the areas he thinks would be a good idea to look at.

“…A walk, huh? I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to get a walk in or two occasionally.” He did kind of ditch the responsibilities of the dog off on the detective out of nowhere, after all. And he didn’t mind stopping by here at all, especially after his longer leave of absence. 

Of course the other would be considerate for his neighbors. Personally he was of the opinion they would enjoy it just as much, anyway. (Although it was evening, so? Maybe that was more his concern.) Didn’t want to push the performance, he could always come back for that anyway. Though he felt like the detective had a bit of space between his manor and his neighbors as well…and he said if he played ‘too loudly’, so… 

“As for the other subject…I would enjoy a more private performance as well, if you’d be so willing.” ( A ghost of a–perhaps slightly intimate tease in his tone and wording, but just a ghost. It’s been a long time, and he’d surprisingly missed the other more than he’d been aware. Less pokerface than normal. More…Kaito than usual. Still through the guise of Kid of course, but a tad…off. ) He had a feeling the dog in his lap would move less if it was quiet as well. 

「    Blinking a little, he’s a bit taken aback at what the other says –– not exactly by ‘what’ they say, but rather ‘how’ they utter out their response. Something about it feels... different, though Shinichi can’t quite identify what it truly is ( if anything, he’s aware that there’s a bit of teasing ( that flirt ), but at the same time it almost seems... open, relaxed, and something genuine... ).

Ah... it’s doing it again, that pounding in his chest, and Shinichi can’t put what this feeling is into words, not knowing whether it is a good or bad idea to try and deduce what it means. “ Would you ? I suppose, I can arrange something. I do enjoy composing from time to time. ”

Afraid that he would end up averting his gaze and make them realize his embarrassment, the detective decides to pick up Irene into his hands, holding the puppy up to KID’s face.

         ‘‘ You are right, the same as Holmes! ‘‘ And it didn’t help her that the mix of surprise and excitement just for that lil detail made perhaps his day. It really made her lips quirk into a smile before she started walking in the direction of interest of both individuals. ‘‘ And I can’t believe you’ve read too those, usually kids are into another stuff. You are one interesting kid! ‘‘

         ‘‘ Say… ‘‘ She paused a little, attention gone now from Conan– It’s obvious there has to be a reason the adult rushed while leaving the kid alone, aside the most obvious fact the kid ain’t weak. ( Or so he looked like, after all, normally a kid that little would be anxious or just interested in something aside than the case happening. ) ‘‘ This happens frequently? Like, the old man running away from ya for cases. Since it looks like ya are used of it and just go in your way. ‘‘ Though she can’t help but give out a snort accidentally after that statement. Again– It amused her in a way. 

「    Before he could really stop himself, the mere mention of Holmes has his eyes practically lighting up like a Christmas tree ( he’s only just met this person, but he feels an immense excitement, and a little bit of jealousy, but overall it’s always pleasant to meet a fellow sherlockian ). “ I don’t know about interesting... but I guess, it’s because I’ve always been a fan of books. ” he replies, just a little abashed. It’s the most logical explanation he could give, however ( which again, is a fact that isn’t far from the truth ).

Conan follows her lead, hand in tow, and is fully aware of which direction they’re heading towards. “ Hm ? ” He blinks up to Verger when she seems to pause in her next words, the smaller sleuth detecting a question coming up. “ Oh, - well, I suppose, it does. ” Though, it isn’t always for cases, but many other reasons, too ( some more ‘less’ respectable ones because of otchan’s bad habits ).

     seeing kudō take out his phone makes heiji snort, automatically ( and correctly ) assuming that… ‘ sendin’ a message ta kuroba ? i’m amazed ya don’t have each other on leashes or somethin’ given that ya keep textin’ each other yer locations ! ’

     it makes sense, of course, given that both kudō and kuroba have got some enemies – a lot of the members of the black organisation are still at large, and while most people don’t know that kuroba kaito = kaitō kid, kid has his own enemies to think about. 

     the otchan chuckles at that before politely asking heiji what he wants to drink. heiji, eyes twinkling, asks, ‘ na, otchan, why don’t ya give us some drinks that ya think we’ll like ? especially since kudō here is a bit o’ a beginner ! ’

    heiji doesn’t usually ask this of bartenders he doesn’t know personally, but since the otchan knows kudō and has probably heard of heiji, he thinks it’ll be okay. ‘ ah, do ya want me ta tell ya some o’ the stuff i like ? ’ offers heiji to make it more fair, but the otchan shakes his head with a smile. 

    “that would be cheating, after all. give me a moment, boys, and i’ll be right back. i need to take out something from the back for you two,” the otchan says before disappearing as he said he would. 

「    At the other’s comment, Shinichi rolls his eyes, one hand holding up his cell phone, the other hand tapping away a text message to send in an effortless speed ( a dexterity he partially learnt during his more... ‘silent’ days, then decided to enhance over time because it could save time significantly ). “ Barō, this is just a precaution. ” and a way to assure some comfort, so he won’t end up worrying Kaito unnecessarily ( which he doesn’t have to guess is a mutual feeling ).

Despite the reaction he had displayed, though, he knows that Hattori’s only kidding, and that they are well aware of their lifestyles and the dangers they would run into because of it.

‘ A beginner... ? ’ he makes a face at being called as such, words like ‘wouldn’t that rather apply to you ?’ about to slip off from the tip of his tongue, but he remembers that he actually doesn’t know about Hattori’s own experience ( if they are like him, who had a variety of tastes of alcohol for... ‘future reference’ as his dad had put it, or something similiar to a degree ).

     she lets herself be guided to a chair by shinichi, sitting down when shinichi prompts her to do so. ran, apparently not feeling as better as she thought, leans so that her head is resting on the table after shinichi had checked her temperature. 

     ‘ perhaps not, ’ she responds with a sigh, apparently already exhausted from the travel to the kitchen from her room, but she smiles gratefully when shinichi informs her that he has already bought medicine. she makes a mental note to try to get the receipt from him in regards to all of the stuff he just bought for her in order to pay him back for the groceries later. 

     she sits upright again when shinichi returns with a blanket and the bag of medicine, tugging the blanket closer onto her body even after shinichi has already wrapped her inside of the blanket, feeling warm in a way that has nothing to do with the fever. ran knows, of course, that shinichi cares about her, but she tends to be the one who takes care of him – or, at least, she used to, especially when they were younger. shinichi has really grown up, and it makes her proud, even if she might not have anything to do with it. 

     letting go of the blanket with one hand, causing it to slacken somewhat, ran checks the medicine’s instructions between taking one tablet as it is required, following the pill down with a gulp of water. ( ran has learnt how to dry swallow a long time ago, but it is always nice to have water nearby to try to flush the pill down, since sometimes it feels like the pill gets stuck in her throat ). 

     she smiles slightly when she notices shinichi fixing the blanket, and she nods when shinichi talks about the yuzu tea he made. ‘ if it’s alright, i’ll drink some, ’ ran states. 

「    Shinichi softly smiles, reaching a little up with his hand, so he can tuck a lock of her behind her ear, his voice coming out just as soft as he replies. “ Sure thing, I’ll bring it over to you. ” Standing up from his seat, he makes his way towards Ran’s kitchen counter where he had left the yuzu tea, and knowing his way around inside her kitchen, he easily finds a cup and brings everything over to her side.

After pouring the tea from its teapot, he carefully settles the porcelain cup on the table for her. “ The temperature should fine, but just to be safe... be careful of it. ” Ran is already not feeling too well, so he’d rather avoid her ending up getting burned. “ Ah, I’ll bring over your lunch, too. Just a moment. ” he then quickly tells before moving back to the stove to check up on the pot.

Shinichi doesn’t quite realize it, but he’s caught up in taking care of Ran, and it can be seen how he carefully grabs for everything he needs –– a bowl, smaller bowls, a spoon and chopsticks –– and arranges them on a tray, how he pays so much more attention than usual ( he always does pay her attention, but with her this ill, he can’t help but try his best to look after her ).

     ‘ a large black coffee will be all for me. ’ he had been debating about being indulgent for once and going for the mocha coffee the café offers, but coffee is an indulgence enough for kaitō kid. plus, he’d rather not have the association between mocha and kaitō kid, especially since that tends to be kaito’s choice of drink in public. 

     a smile crosses his lips as he nods to one of the empty tables in one of the corners – the perfect spot for the two paranoid guests. no windows behind them, a corner seat so that they could survey all of the people in the café, and there was a quick exit in regards to the kitchen within plain view. ‘ i’ll grab a seat. try not to drug my drink ~ ’

     kid leaves the detective behind with a jaunty wave, assuming that he would take care of their drinks without much intervention from kid. he goes to sit at the table he mentioned after grabbing some napkins – you never know when one might spill, after all.

「    There’s a knowing look he gives the other briefly, as if he had expected them to pick something that had a better chance of being ‘impersonal’. However, he simply nods and decides to not comment on it, although, he does slightly arch an eyebrow at the last bit of their words, then roll his eyes the moment he’s left to stand by the queue.

Fortunately, the line isn’t that long, and it doesn’t take a long time to get their orders across. The detective leisurely browses through his emails on his phone as he waits, some of them about reports, school-related ones and... non-school-related ones.

... He still can’t quite wrap his head around how this situation is happening ; ‘having coffee with Kaitou KID’ was not what he had expected to spend his evening on ( nor at all for that matter ), but lo and behold, here they are, doing exactly that.

“ Thank you. ” Once the orders are done, he politely thanks the barista before heading towards the seating spot KID had picked out of the many, one drink in each hand which are then placed carefully on the table’s surface when he reaches their seat.

Heiji stared at the phone for a moment while in thought. But then a wide smile broke out across his face. “Let’s stay in, after all yer sick. We can watch movies or somethin and drink tea. Ya know like normal people do.” Heiji teased. “An we all know what happens when we go somewhere.”

“Sorry fer the intrusion Kudo.” Heiji chuckled as he started to take off his shoes. But really a night in would probably do Kudo good and the other didn’t need a case to fall into his lap while he was sick.

「    “ -... ” He makes a face at the other for the teasing, but in truth, he can’t quite confidently say that possibility won’t happen ( and the two of them are, in fact, far from being ‘normal people’, considering their profession and all the sorts of trouble they would run into ). So for now, he lets his head give a small nod, already tapping on the screen of his cell phone again with his fingertips.

[ I guess, you’re probably right. ] [ There’s tea in the top cabinet. ] [ You can go head and pick the one you like while I’ll boil us some water. ]

tagged by @nvertoolate​ .

the dark. fire. open water. deep water. being alone. crowded spaces. confined spaces. change. failure. war. loss of control. powerlessness. prison. blood. drowning. suffocation. public speaking. natural animals. the supernatural. heights. death. dying. intimacy. rejection. abandonment. loss. the unknown. the future. not being good enough. scary stories. speaking to new people. poverty. loud noises. being touched.

“I’m not okay. I don’t think I’ll ever be okay.” meme .

「    He had worn a slight smile when he uttered those words, the appearance of it seemingly innocuous at first, even thoughtful, but it’s now obvious to perceive the hidden pain in it. Shinichi can’t even bring himself to look up, keeping his face lowered and his eyes downcast, his fingertips tense where he has his hands placed on his upperarms.

He shouldn’t feel nervous - doors that open themselves is normal, right? - but his heart was slightly pounding especially since even though he couldn’t hear anything odd, he just felt it. That feeling was familiar whenever he was being chased around before meeting Yuuko. It seemed to last forever but out of nowhere, it seemed to disappear. It definitely had to do with the figure that made out that looked like a doctor. He blinked, sensing that knowing aura that he’s known before but yet couldn’t pinpoint exactly what - more like who - it was. 

Ah, he should speak. “I was sent by Yuuko to drop something off. I think it was medicine.” Grabbing the school bag that he happens to have with him, he took out the small package that was clearly meant for him. He understood why it was medicine now even though Yuuko did tell him; he clearly was agitated and didn’t listen wholeheartedly.

「    Although it is questioning, the human boy’s apprehension, the surgeon stays placid where he stands –– he can always tell when a mortal soul is trembling out of some fright ( a SCENT he can effortlessly identify, ever since he can remember ), but what is curious to him is rather the spirits’ interest in this person, and how they seem to... ‘react’ to their presence ( even though, it doesn’t appear as if they can visually perceive them... ? ).

He merely gives a small, curious tilt of his head, letting his eyes shifting down to the package of medicine in the boy’s hand. “ ... I see... the witch sent you. ” he utters then, his expression carrying the same unemotional look ( the only exterior indication of some recognition of the name ‘Yuuko’ being expressed in words ).

「    As you can see, this blog is now archived.

I’m still slowly getting drafts from here done, but most of them are now put on queue ( so if you wonder about why there are still posts being, well... posted on here, that’s the reason why –– also, I’ve got every active threads on track, so don’t worry about whether I missed any of the ones you got with me ).

The new account is made, and everything is sort of put in place in there ( though, there’s not a lot going on there yet ). So without further ado ?? Here’s the link to the new blog : ☾ .

The girl was surprised to hear the boy offering help and a small smile appeared on her face. “You can? That’d…be nice. Thanks,” she said and gave him the map.

But her gaze turned to surprise as he told her his name. “Conan? That’s an English name. Aren’t you Japanese?” she asked a bit curiously. “Oh. My name…is Tara by the way,” she added, pausing a bit.

But not only his name, but also his behavior seemed a bit off. Weren’t boys his age more interested in soccer than reading maps?

「    Taking the map into his hands, Conan lets his eyes scan over it briefly. His attention is drawn back to the foreign girl, though, when she had uttered a question. “ Ah- well. I am, but my parents happened to give me this name despite of it. ” he explains as normal as he can, continuing to keep up his smile ( even if her slight pause when she told her name seems questionable ). “ It’s nice to meet you, though, Tara-san. ”