Diagnosis (40 Nights: Shinichi and Ran)
Title: Diagnosis
Fandom: Detective Conan
Author: Amm (SoulSeeker)
Theme: #24-my heart is bleeding for you
Pairing: Kudo Shinichi/Mouri Ran
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters of Detective Conan-I just play ‘Barbie’ with them, because god knows they’re a lot more fun than real Barbies.
Summary: There was something very, very wrong with Shinichi.
The day began with a simple ring from the telephone.
Ran’s favorite day of the week, Saturday, always began this way. Shinichi had made it a routine, and she could easily predict it now. His voice was the one she heard from the other end of the line. What she didn’t know was that the voice was coming from just the opposite side of the house; from the mouth of a little boy who knew a little too much.
“Shinichi?” she asked upon answering.
Through the bowtie, Conan’s lips curled. Smiling, he was glad to be able to speak as himself. “Hey, Ran,” he greeted cheerfully. “Just checking in. How are you?”
“I’ve been all right,” Ran replied, nodding a little. “Can’t really complain about anything. And yourself? How’s that case of yours working out?”
Case?
Oh, right. The case he was supposedly on at the moment. Shinichi had told so many lies now, it was somewhat hard to keep track of them all. “Eh. Haven’t gotten anywhere,” he murmured. “Last lead I had was a dud.”
Ran rolled her eyes, having heard the same kind of things week after week. She wondered why Shinichi was having such trouble with this so-called case. If he hadn’t solved it in all the time he’d been gone, she knew it had to have been a difficult one. Shinichi was a pro, an expert, granted though he was only in high school. If the case was truly out of his league, then by now it would’ve fallen into the hands of the police. And surely it would’ve been on the news.
So far, there had been nothing.
What was this top-secret case? And why wasn’t he telling her anything about it like he did all his other cases?
“I’m sorry,” Ran replied, trying to hide the doubt in her mind. “Better luck next time?”
“Yeah, maybe,” Shinichi replied hopefully with a sigh.
It was never until he talked to her as Shinichi that he realized how much he wanted his body back. He would temporarily lapse into an alternate universe: what if he had never seen those men in black that day at the amusement park-if they had just gone home together, talk about how much fun they had that day? If he was blatantly ignorant of the Black Organization and what they were doing…what would become of Haibara? His life?
He would never know. But he didn’t have time to dwell on it; he needed to get through this case fast, and the sooner he did, the sooner he wouldn’t have to wonder.
“You know, I think I’ve finally figured out what’s wrong with you,” Ran said thoughtfully amidst the silence.
Shinichi raised an eyebrow, pausing a moment to ponder on her words. Now what exactly was she insinuating? “What’s wrong with me?” Shinichi repeated. “What exactly do you mean by that?”
Ran didn’t say anything for a moment, and she could feel his curiosity even through the phone. She smiled, feeling like she had some kind of power over him, for once. “You really want to know?” she asked, more seriously this time.
Shinichi smirked, not detecting the seriousness at all. “Oh yes, Doctor Mouri,” he replied. “My bleeding heart is dying to know.”
She rolled her eyes. The boy never could be serious about anything other than cases, for as long as she’d known him. Breathing a sigh, she took a seat down on her couch, staring at the white ceiling as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. Her smile lit up the room. “You,” she breathed sternly, “have a Rubik’s complex.”
A pause, as Shinichi thought.
“Come again?”
Ran sat up now, and began to fidget with her phone cord as she spoke. Her eyes narrowed, slightly aggravated that she was giving an explanation to Shinichi, while Shinichi had never explained a thing to her before disappearing. He didn’t deserve it; but she gave it to him anyway. She never had learned how to say no to him.
“Some people,” she began slowly, “have the Messiah complex. They have to save people-save the world.” She dropped the phone cord now, letting it fall to the ground. “But you-you have the Rubik’s complex. You have to solve the puzzle.”
Shinichi sighed, finally understanding where Ran was going with her diagnosis. It was where she was always going-she just took a different path. “I-”
“Drop the puzzle, Shinichi,” Ran begged. “Come home…”
“You know I would if-”
“Someone else can solve it Shinichi!” Ran exclaimed. “Someone else knows the answer to your case! You’re not the only brilliant detective in the world, Shinichi… please…someone else can handle it… I know it…”
Something about Ran’s quivering voice always made Shinichi choke. He couldn’t say anything, and he could barely move.
“It’s other peoples’ jobs to do this kind of thing…you’re still a student,” she reminded him. “You have school, family, friends to come home to…you’re in high school, Shinichi. You belong here…not out there! That’s what real police and detectives are for, Shinichi, and maybe you can join them one day, but until then…until then…”
Shinichi frowned, shutting his eyes, waiting for a response to come to him. Ran could still hear his breathing, and he ran a hand down his sweaty face in frustration.
“Believe me,” he murmured seriously. “There’s nothing I want more right now than to come home to my normal life. But please also believe me when I say…I can’t…not right now.”
“Then when, Shinichi?” Ran demanded. “When?”
“I don’t know…” he replied with a sigh. “I…I have to go.”
“Wait! Shinichi, what’s going on? Why can’t you come home?” she asked. “Isn’t there anything I can do to help? Shinichi?”
“Bye, Ran.”
“Shinichi! I-”
Ran sunk right back into the couch as she heard him hang up; her face wet, and her eyes watery. The conversation hadn’t gone exactly the way she planned; and now she still had no idea when she’d ever see him again. Never; tomorrow; five minutes from now. No clue, no lead to his mystery. But she had no time to ponder it. She had a life to lead, even if Shinichi wasn’t in it at the moment.
“Conan! It’s time for breakfast!” Ran yelled up to the boy in his room. She’d completely forgotten about cooking; but she figured cereal never hurt anyone. Her voice was still quivering when Conan made his way down the stairs.
“Morning, Ran-neechan,” he smiled, trying to look happy despite the morning’s events. “Something wrong?”
Ran smiled. Conan always found a way to make her feel better about anything. “No, Conan, don’t worry,” she laughed. “Nothing’s wrong. Is cereal okay this morning?” She held up a box of Trix cereal, hoping it would suffice.
“Cereal sounds great,” he replied.
Thankful, Ran grinned and quickly poured him a bowl. Since she had trouble picturing her father being happy with a cereal breakfast, she figured she’d better make him something else. After pouring Conan a glass of milk to go with his cereal, she put it down in front of him and briefly ran her hands through his hair.
“Well, I’ll be right back. I guess I’d better wake up my dad, and I have to grab a few things from my room.” Ran smiled at him, and Shinichi watched her as she made her way to the stairs.
Waiting in silence, Shinichi was just beginning to wonder where Ran was when heard his cell phone make a noise, from his pocket. A loud noise, and he nearly panicked, angry at himself that didn’t turn it off. Ran, he knew, would definitely recognize his cell phone when she saw it-and definitely its ring tone. Looking around nervously, he saw that no one was around, and quickly checked the screen: fortunately, it was only a text message. He caught a brief glimpse of it before seeing Ran coming down the stairs, with her father close behind.
He quickly stuffed the phone in his pocket and ate as normal, his heart racing.
Ran conversed with her father as usual, him griping about the lack of a true breakfast, and he smiled at her, his heart beat still abnormally loud. “Ran-neechan?” he murmured.
“Hmm?” Ran replied, almost surprised.
“I love you,” he grinned, his smile a mile wide.
Ran seemed shocked, in a good way. Where did that come from? she had to wonder.
“Aww, thanks kiddo! I love you too!” She winked and pet him on the head, ruffling his already unruly morning hair. “May I ask what for?”
“Oh…breakfast,” he mumbled with a smile.
She had to laugh at his answer. “I’ll have to be lazy and give you cereal more often.” Suddenly, she turned to her father with a stern face. “Why can’t you be like Conan, hmm? At least he appreciates what I do.” She folded her arms and growled. “Wait here. I’ll run to the store to get some eggs so I can make you your stupid breakfast.”
“Hmmpth,” was Kogoro’s only reply. He went back to reading the newspaper, probably looking for any news on Yoko Okino’s whereabouts.
And Shinichi pulled out his cell phone once more, smiling at his text message. He knew she must’ve sent it when she was upstairs, which was why she took so long.
i’m waiting for you
“Conan, what’re you doing?” Kogoro suddenly asked, looking up from his newspaper.
He shut his cell phone quickly, putting it back in his pocket as if nothing had happened. “Nothing. I think I’ll go upstairs now,” he replied. He put his bowl and empty glass of milk in the sink before he left, and on his way up the stairs, his cell phone was right in his hands again.
anticipation is very unbecoming of you - ill have to come back quickly :-)
He laughed, pushing the button to send the message. And Ran must’ve taken the cell phone to the store with her, because he had a reply within about a minute. Short and sweet-sort of.
jerk
He only shook his head, shutting the cell phone and putting it back in its hiding spot.
“Love ya too, Ran,” he grinned, laying on his bed. “Love ya too.”
A/N:OKAY. I have an excuse for disappearing! I REALLLY do. I promise. Uhhh. My dog ate my fanfics! Yeah that’s it!
… ahem. Anyway, the whole Rubik’s complex thing was completely stolen from House, M.D. If anyone caught that, kudos to you! House rocks! Woot. Hopefully it won’t be another 4 months before I post another one of these. SORRYYYY I LOVE YOU ALL.
Heart.
Fandom: Detective Conan
Author: Amm (SoulSeeker)
Theme: #24-my heart is bleeding for you
Pairing: Kudo Shinichi/Mouri Ran
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters of Detective Conan-I just play ‘Barbie’ with them, because god knows they’re a lot more fun than real Barbies.
Summary: There was something very, very wrong with Shinichi.
The day began with a simple ring from the telephone.
Ran’s favorite day of the week, Saturday, always began this way. Shinichi had made it a routine, and she could easily predict it now. His voice was the one she heard from the other end of the line. What she didn’t know was that the voice was coming from just the opposite side of the house; from the mouth of a little boy who knew a little too much.
“Shinichi?” she asked upon answering.
Through the bowtie, Conan’s lips curled. Smiling, he was glad to be able to speak as himself. “Hey, Ran,” he greeted cheerfully. “Just checking in. How are you?”
“I’ve been all right,” Ran replied, nodding a little. “Can’t really complain about anything. And yourself? How’s that case of yours working out?”
Case?
Oh, right. The case he was supposedly on at the moment. Shinichi had told so many lies now, it was somewhat hard to keep track of them all. “Eh. Haven’t gotten anywhere,” he murmured. “Last lead I had was a dud.”
Ran rolled her eyes, having heard the same kind of things week after week. She wondered why Shinichi was having such trouble with this so-called case. If he hadn’t solved it in all the time he’d been gone, she knew it had to have been a difficult one. Shinichi was a pro, an expert, granted though he was only in high school. If the case was truly out of his league, then by now it would’ve fallen into the hands of the police. And surely it would’ve been on the news.
So far, there had been nothing.
What was this top-secret case? And why wasn’t he telling her anything about it like he did all his other cases?
“I’m sorry,” Ran replied, trying to hide the doubt in her mind. “Better luck next time?”
“Yeah, maybe,” Shinichi replied hopefully with a sigh.
It was never until he talked to her as Shinichi that he realized how much he wanted his body back. He would temporarily lapse into an alternate universe: what if he had never seen those men in black that day at the amusement park-if they had just gone home together, talk about how much fun they had that day? If he was blatantly ignorant of the Black Organization and what they were doing…what would become of Haibara? His life?
He would never know. But he didn’t have time to dwell on it; he needed to get through this case fast, and the sooner he did, the sooner he wouldn’t have to wonder.
“You know, I think I’ve finally figured out what’s wrong with you,” Ran said thoughtfully amidst the silence.
Shinichi raised an eyebrow, pausing a moment to ponder on her words. Now what exactly was she insinuating? “What’s wrong with me?” Shinichi repeated. “What exactly do you mean by that?”
Ran didn’t say anything for a moment, and she could feel his curiosity even through the phone. She smiled, feeling like she had some kind of power over him, for once. “You really want to know?” she asked, more seriously this time.
Shinichi smirked, not detecting the seriousness at all. “Oh yes, Doctor Mouri,” he replied. “My bleeding heart is dying to know.”
She rolled her eyes. The boy never could be serious about anything other than cases, for as long as she’d known him. Breathing a sigh, she took a seat down on her couch, staring at the white ceiling as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. Her smile lit up the room. “You,” she breathed sternly, “have a Rubik’s complex.”
A pause, as Shinichi thought.
“Come again?”
Ran sat up now, and began to fidget with her phone cord as she spoke. Her eyes narrowed, slightly aggravated that she was giving an explanation to Shinichi, while Shinichi had never explained a thing to her before disappearing. He didn’t deserve it; but she gave it to him anyway. She never had learned how to say no to him.
“Some people,” she began slowly, “have the Messiah complex. They have to save people-save the world.” She dropped the phone cord now, letting it fall to the ground. “But you-you have the Rubik’s complex. You have to solve the puzzle.”
Shinichi sighed, finally understanding where Ran was going with her diagnosis. It was where she was always going-she just took a different path. “I-”
“Drop the puzzle, Shinichi,” Ran begged. “Come home…”
“You know I would if-”
“Someone else can solve it Shinichi!” Ran exclaimed. “Someone else knows the answer to your case! You’re not the only brilliant detective in the world, Shinichi… please…someone else can handle it… I know it…”
Something about Ran’s quivering voice always made Shinichi choke. He couldn’t say anything, and he could barely move.
“It’s other peoples’ jobs to do this kind of thing…you’re still a student,” she reminded him. “You have school, family, friends to come home to…you’re in high school, Shinichi. You belong here…not out there! That’s what real police and detectives are for, Shinichi, and maybe you can join them one day, but until then…until then…”
Shinichi frowned, shutting his eyes, waiting for a response to come to him. Ran could still hear his breathing, and he ran a hand down his sweaty face in frustration.
“Believe me,” he murmured seriously. “There’s nothing I want more right now than to come home to my normal life. But please also believe me when I say…I can’t…not right now.”
“Then when, Shinichi?” Ran demanded. “When?”
“I don’t know…” he replied with a sigh. “I…I have to go.”
“Wait! Shinichi, what’s going on? Why can’t you come home?” she asked. “Isn’t there anything I can do to help? Shinichi?”
“Bye, Ran.”
“Shinichi! I-”
Ran sunk right back into the couch as she heard him hang up; her face wet, and her eyes watery. The conversation hadn’t gone exactly the way she planned; and now she still had no idea when she’d ever see him again. Never; tomorrow; five minutes from now. No clue, no lead to his mystery. But she had no time to ponder it. She had a life to lead, even if Shinichi wasn’t in it at the moment.
“Conan! It’s time for breakfast!” Ran yelled up to the boy in his room. She’d completely forgotten about cooking; but she figured cereal never hurt anyone. Her voice was still quivering when Conan made his way down the stairs.
“Morning, Ran-neechan,” he smiled, trying to look happy despite the morning’s events. “Something wrong?”
Ran smiled. Conan always found a way to make her feel better about anything. “No, Conan, don’t worry,” she laughed. “Nothing’s wrong. Is cereal okay this morning?” She held up a box of Trix cereal, hoping it would suffice.
“Cereal sounds great,” he replied.
Thankful, Ran grinned and quickly poured him a bowl. Since she had trouble picturing her father being happy with a cereal breakfast, she figured she’d better make him something else. After pouring Conan a glass of milk to go with his cereal, she put it down in front of him and briefly ran her hands through his hair.
“Well, I’ll be right back. I guess I’d better wake up my dad, and I have to grab a few things from my room.” Ran smiled at him, and Shinichi watched her as she made her way to the stairs.
Waiting in silence, Shinichi was just beginning to wonder where Ran was when heard his cell phone make a noise, from his pocket. A loud noise, and he nearly panicked, angry at himself that didn’t turn it off. Ran, he knew, would definitely recognize his cell phone when she saw it-and definitely its ring tone. Looking around nervously, he saw that no one was around, and quickly checked the screen: fortunately, it was only a text message. He caught a brief glimpse of it before seeing Ran coming down the stairs, with her father close behind.
He quickly stuffed the phone in his pocket and ate as normal, his heart racing.
Ran conversed with her father as usual, him griping about the lack of a true breakfast, and he smiled at her, his heart beat still abnormally loud. “Ran-neechan?” he murmured.
“Hmm?” Ran replied, almost surprised.
“I love you,” he grinned, his smile a mile wide.
Ran seemed shocked, in a good way. Where did that come from? she had to wonder.
“Aww, thanks kiddo! I love you too!” She winked and pet him on the head, ruffling his already unruly morning hair. “May I ask what for?”
“Oh…breakfast,” he mumbled with a smile.
She had to laugh at his answer. “I’ll have to be lazy and give you cereal more often.” Suddenly, she turned to her father with a stern face. “Why can’t you be like Conan, hmm? At least he appreciates what I do.” She folded her arms and growled. “Wait here. I’ll run to the store to get some eggs so I can make you your stupid breakfast.”
“Hmmpth,” was Kogoro’s only reply. He went back to reading the newspaper, probably looking for any news on Yoko Okino’s whereabouts.
And Shinichi pulled out his cell phone once more, smiling at his text message. He knew she must’ve sent it when she was upstairs, which was why she took so long.
i’m waiting for you
“Conan, what’re you doing?” Kogoro suddenly asked, looking up from his newspaper.
He shut his cell phone quickly, putting it back in his pocket as if nothing had happened. “Nothing. I think I’ll go upstairs now,” he replied. He put his bowl and empty glass of milk in the sink before he left, and on his way up the stairs, his cell phone was right in his hands again.
anticipation is very unbecoming of you - ill have to come back quickly :-)
He laughed, pushing the button to send the message. And Ran must’ve taken the cell phone to the store with her, because he had a reply within about a minute. Short and sweet-sort of.
jerk
He only shook his head, shutting the cell phone and putting it back in its hiding spot.
“Love ya too, Ran,” he grinned, laying on his bed. “Love ya too.”
A/N:OKAY. I have an excuse for disappearing! I REALLLY do. I promise. Uhhh. My dog ate my fanfics! Yeah that’s it!
… ahem. Anyway, the whole Rubik’s complex thing was completely stolen from House, M.D. If anyone caught that, kudos to you! House rocks! Woot. Hopefully it won’t be another 4 months before I post another one of these. SORRYYYY I LOVE YOU ALL.
Heart.