Fic: On the second day (HS/KK) (PG) (1/1)
Title: And on the second day...
Author: Saitaina
Word Count: 4,959
Characters: Saguru Hakuba, Kaito Kuroba, Aoko Nakamori, Akako Koizumi, Nakamori
Rating: PG
Warnings: Character Death, magic
Disclaimer: Not mine, they belong to their original artist.
Summary: If you were given three days to save your lover's life, would you take them? Or are some things meant to be?
Notes: Previous 30_deathfics can be found here.
And on the second day...
A million words would not bring you back, I know because I’ve tried. Neither would a million tears, I know because I’ve cried. -Unknown
It was the second day of Golden Week and Saguru felt as if nothing could be better then these days. Here he was, seventeen, in the prime of his youth, allowed to do nothing more then to lay on the grass, sun shining down on him, illuminating the book under his hands, with his boyfriend curled up next to him, deeply asleep.
He knew that tomorrow things would be different, even on vacation he still had a job to do, just as the boy next to him did, and their jobs would lead them into a chase that was a few steps away from life and death and somewhere in-between 'fun' and 'adventure'.
But that was tomorrow and this was today and today, Saguru wanted nothing more then a refill of lemonade and maybe for Kaito to remove his elbow from Saguru's side.
Saguru closed his book and set it aside, resting his head on his arm as he gently ran his fingers through Kaito's hair, smiling as the other teen curled more against Saguru, making a soft, happy sighing sound before settling back down.
Saguru's eyes slowly drifted shut as he allowed the heat and smell of spring to lull him into rest, arm curling possessively around Kaito's shoulder. The sounds of birds and a distant lawnmower followed him into sleep's embrace, colouring his dreams with their noises.
It was the rain that had awoke him, at first a small drizzle, lightly hitting against his face and hands, chilling the skin and dampening his clothes. Then it became a fierce downpour, soaking everything it could in it's fury. His eyes blinked open, and he shot up, shivering as he realized what was going on. Kaito shifted at the action, before awakening himself, teeth chattering slightly as he glanced around in sleepy confusion, mind catching up quickly to the fact he was wet and it was raining. The pair glanced at each other, sharing a smile before gathering their belongings and making a dash for the house, barely making it up the porch steps before there was a crash of thunder and the heavens opened up even further then what they were, flooding the earth.
Saguru sighed, holding his soaked book before his attention was drawn to his boyfriend who was leaning on the porch railing, watching the rainfall, un-heeding to his soaked person. Saguru was drawn to the smile on Kaito's lips, moving over to the teen and wrapping an arm around his waist, giving him a gentle squeeze before turning his attention to the rain as well, pushing aside the annoyance and cold to simply enjoy the moment life offered to him.
--
"GET DOWN FROM THERE!" Nakamori yelled at the thief who was hanging off of a modern art sculpture that was itself, hanging from the ceiling.
Kid looked at them, grinning embarrassedly. 'I would, but I'm kind of busy," he called cheerfully, carefully reaching for the gem he was targeting for the night. He growled softly, stretching his body further, fingertips just barely brushing over the diamond when suddenly there was a loud crack. The Task Force and Kid looked up, staring at the chains that held the sculpture in place.
"Kid..." Saguru said, his eyes trained on the chains. "Get down, NOW!" he roared as the crack in the cement holding the chains spread.
Kid's eyes widened and he scrambled to get down, switching his weight to the safety cables. The statue crashed to the floor, a sharp edge slicing through the wires holding Kid, taking the thief down with it. Saguru and the Task Force went running, coughing in the dust clouding the air. Several uniforms started clearing away the rubble, desperate to uncover the fallen thief.
There was a new cough and Saguru knelt, shoving dust and rubble away, uncovering Kid, who was coughing in the thick air, blood speckling his lips. "Hurts," he mumbled, looking up at Saguru. The blond brushed his fingers through Kid's hair, pulling the fractured monocle from Kid's face so that the shards didn't fall out and into Kid's eyes.
"Relax, Nakamori called for an ambulance," he whispered, taking his boyfriend's hand.
Kid gave another weak cough and stilled. Saguru blinked, his hand flying to Kid's throat, checking for a pulse, his cheek hovering over Kid's mouth, waiting, desperately for a breath as he stared at the white clad chest. As the seconds ticked by, tread and horror seeped in as he failed to find a pulse, chest unmoving, breath still.
He tilted Kid's head back. He slipped his thumb between Kid's lips, ignoring the blood, already knowing it was safe to touch. He pulled Kid's mouth open, sealing his own lips over his lover's, pushing his breath into the still body, watching as the chest rose out of the corner of his eye.
Nakamori knelt next to him, his hands clasped, resting on Kid's shirt as he started compressions, counting under his breath. Saguru breathed again, silently praying as his lungs slowly emptied into Kid's. He raised up again and watched as Nakamori pushed on Kid's chest, the chest bowing with each thrust.
Leaning in again, he breathed, tears slipping from his eyes, splashing down against Kid's face, mixing with the blood. "Please," he whispered as Nakamori took up compressions again, the older man's face a mask of worry and fear. Saguru leaned in, taking a deep breath before his lips met Kid's.
--
Saguru stared off the edge of the building, watching the last of the swirling lights fading away. He shoved his hands into his jacket pocket, taking a deep breath, toes edging at the lip of the roof, sending small rocks flying over the edge.
He wondered what it would be like, to follow those rocks. To fall forward and let the wind catch him. He had seen Kid...Kaito do it so many times, simply fly off the building, gathering the air and wind about him, his laughter echoing into the night as his shining white wings opened, carrying him away.
But that was the past as of three hours ago. Kaitou Kid had been declared dead at eleven-fifty five and thirteen seconds in the evening. His lover, Kuroba had been declared dead at eleven-fifty five and sixteen seconds in the evening.
He swallowed, pushing his emotions aside again, already having had one break down this evening, in front of the media no less. He sighed, wiping at the drying tear tracks, trying to stop the replay of memories rushing through his head. Of things he could have done, should have done...it was all so useless.
"It's hard, isn't it. To watch your love slip away," a voice said from behind him and Saguru turned, watching as Akako joined him on the edge of the building, her thick traveling cloak rustling in the breeze. "The winds mourn their king," she whispered, pulling a lock of hair from her face before turning to Saguru. "What would you do, to re-capture your love?"
"Anything, but it's impossible. He's dead and there's nothing left," Saguru whispered brokenly.
"Nothing is impossible, Saguru-kun. You should know that by now." Akako smiled sadly at him, taking his hand and pulling him from the edge. "Come with me, let us see what the spirits wish."
Saguru followed her tugging, too distraught and broken to really care or listen to what she said. Kaito was gone, in a way that even he couldn't escape. Everything else was white noise, whispers and absent words. If Akako wanted to spout meaningless drivel at him, mumbling things that didn't really register, that was her choice.
--
Saguru found himself sitting at Akako's alter, watching the mini-skirt clad witch as she bustled around, setting a handful of candles and jars in his lap before arranging things on the alter. She patted his head, stroking her fingers through his hair as she seized what appeared to be a stripped and polished willow branch, standing and keeping her body as close to his as she could. "Ready?"
"Huh?" he said, shifting and looking up at her before blinking.
"I'll take that as a yes." She cleared her throat, tossing her hair over her shoulders. "From the earth that is her body," she started her spell, turning in a slow circle around the pair, imagining a flowing, golden ribbon following the branch. "To the air that is her breath, to the fire that is her spirit, to the waters that are her living womb, goddess, I beseech you!" She finished the spell on a yell, her wand meeting it's starting point.
There was a sudden clap and a hovering golden ring floated around them, twisting and turning in the air. Saguru stared at the golden band while Akako set the wand down and poured a glass of white wine, kneeling before the alter. "Earth, bone, and winding sheet. Let the spirit come to me, yet send it in piece or not at all." Akako said, raising her head as a wind rushed through the stone room. The candles flickered for a moment, almost going out before turning strong again, revealing a woman in the air above them, her long hair hanging in a braid past her ankles, dressed in a tight fitting dress that was faded with age.
"What do you wish of me, child?" the woman asked, looking down at Akako, and Saguru was struck by the resemblance between them, before his brain caught up and he realized the woman was floating in the air. He scrambled back, and two hands shot out, one ghostly and one flesh, grabbing him before he could break the sacred circle.
"We wish to know, if he can be saved."
"Yes. Call the lost, and then call back time," she said, knowing her daughter would under stand which spells would be needed. She smiled, raising her hand and gently tracing a symbol on Saguru's forehead. "Luck be with you, child, so that you may return him to us."
The woman vanished, as did the white wine, and Saguru blinked, wondering what the hell the woman had smoked. Akako stared at the mirror in front of her, turning the words over in her mind before looking at Saguru. "Are you sure , you would do anything to bring him back?"
"Yes," he breathed, looking at her, desperate. "Please, I need him."
She let out a heavy breath before nodding. She pulled out two pieces of parchment and a quill, quickly writing out two pages of characters before handing them to him. "Take these, one will reverse the spell, if you want to back out. The second...you might need. It will buy you some time, but you have to repeat it every first day."
"Every first...what?"
"You'll see," she said before putting Saguru in the direct center of the circle. She opened an exit for herself before closing the circle, creating a second, shining purple ribbon of energy around herself to protect her from getting sucked into the spell. Kneeling, she set up seven green candles around a picture of Kaito from the first day of golden week, lighting them before using one of the flames to light both a gold and silver coloured stick of incense.
"Guiding spirits, I ask your clarity, lend me your focus and your charity. Lead him to what he needs to find, for his sanity and his peace of mind." She then pulled the photo free of it's frame, a bit sad she had to destroy it, but figured if Saguru achieved his goal, it would be worth it to have Kaito back.
She held the photo over a frame, waiting until it caught fire before dropping it into a silver bowl. "Hear these words, hear the rhyme, I send to you a burning sign. Then his future self he'll find, in another place and time."
As flames licked over the Kaito's face, the pressure of the air increased, causing Saguru to gasp. The photo's flame started to die out, ashes falling off and smothering the flames. As the last flame died, there was a sudden popping sound and Saguru was gone. Akako sighed, extinguishing the candles and putting them away as the circles faded. "Good luck, my detective."
--
Saguru jerked awake as his alarm clock blared, the loud ringing switching easily over to the daytime talk show that Saguru enjoyed listening to as he went through his morning routine. He panted softly, pushing sweaty blond bangs from his face before looking at the clock and falling back with a groan.
A nightmare. A simple, stupid, horrific nightmare.
He laid there, staring at the ceiling, wondering what possessed his brain to give him such a horrific vision. He could still feel his heart pounding in his chest, the fear and terror he felt when Kid...when Kaito had died thrumming through his veins.
He wanted nothing more then to curl back up asleep and dream of something far more pleasant before he started the day.
The phone on his nightstand ran merrily and he groaned, reaching out and grabbing the handset and mumbling something that sounded vaguely like a greeting.
"Good morning," Kaito said, laughing at the sleep lacing his lover's voice.
Saguru smiled, his heart giving a skip at the sound of his boyfriend's voice. After the nightmare he suffered, it was a nice thing to wake up to. "Morning." Saguru sat up in bed, glancing at his clock before running a hand tiredly through his hair. "What's up?"
"Well, I was talked into taking Aoko on a picnic and wanted to know if you wanted to join us?"
Something tingled in Saguru's brain, the words sounding familiar but he brushed it off. "Sure, what time?"
"Ten?"
Saguru glanced at his clock again, noting it was already nine thirty. "Sure, do you want me to bring anything?"
"Maybe some of Baaya's cake?" Kaito asked hopefully, madly in love with the housekeeper's sweets.
Saguru laughed. "Alright, I'll see you at ten," he murmured and said good-bye, hanging up the phone and yawning, climbing out of the bed and getting ready for his day.
--
"I can't believe you did that, Kaito!" Aoko said, looking over her shoulder at the poor guy the young magician accidentally sprayed soda on.
"Oh come on, he's fine, Aoko." Kaito said, blushing and moving forward past Aoko and Saguru, using them to hide him, not that he needed to hide except from his own embarrassment.
"It was amusing, if rude." Saguru said with a smile, the tingling back but once more shrugged off. He hefted the picnic basket again, the weight of their left over food rather heavy. He paused for a moment, re-adjusting the basket, watching Kaito and Aoko move ahead of him. He frowned, watching the scene, feeling an odd moment of deja vu and his eyes raised up, looking at the large, heavy branch of the tree above the pair.
"MOVE!" he yelled at them and the pair turned, taking a few more steps forward, just as the tree branch gave a loud groan and suddenly fell, crashing to the ground where the pair had been. Saguru blinked, staring at the fallen branch, a shiver coursed through Saguru's body as he stared at the pair who were staring back at him with wide eyes.
This had happened before. In his dream last night, that same branch had fallen, striking Aoko on the temple, giving her a concussion.
Picnic basket forgotten on the ground, Saguru raised a trembling hand to his shirt pocket, fishing around for a moment before pulling free two scraps of paper. He stared at the writing, remembering Akako bent over, scratching out the characters written on them.
"Oh dear god," he whispered, raising his eyes to stare Kaito. If...If what he saw was real. If this was reality replaying...
Kaito was going to die in two days.
"I'm going to be sick," he whispered, and promptly passed out.
--
There were voices around him, worried and hushed. Saguru groaned, his head throbbing as he slowly blinked open his eyes, staring at the fuzzy, faded ceiling above him before closing his eyes again. He waited a moment, before trying again, this time the ceiling coming into focus, revealing a water stain in the shape of Africa above him.
He raised a hand to his head, meeting a wet cloth on his forehead, before the water stain was blocked by a worried brunette.
"Saguru?" Aoko asked, adjusting the cloth on his forehead.
"I do believe that's my name." he said weakly, before turning his head to fully look at Aoko. "What happened?"
"You passed out rather suddenly." She said, taking his wrist and checking his pulse, her eyes on her watch. "Kaito called dad who brought you here...uh, here is my house. You've been unconscious for a couple hours." She released his wrist and made a note on a piece of paper before smiling at him. "I called Baaya, she's already called your father. Dad called a doctor he knows and he recommended you stay here for tonight. I'm supposed to make sure you eat something, drink something, and rest." She had a stern look at her face as she detailed her jobs.
Saguru had to laugh at the look, before groaning as the laughter made his head hurt. "Then I guess I will have to be agreeable to your demands. I'm not as nimble as Kaito." he said, smiling at her. "You mentioned food?"
Aoko nodded and stood, heading for the kitchen to prepare Saguru a light dinner. After she left, Saguru forced himself up, groaning as his head swam. Once the world stopped pretending to be a Tilt-a-Whirl, he fished his cellphone from his pocket, pressing Akako's number, listening to it ring.
"Hello, Saguru-kun." Akako greeted as she picked up, the sounds of whispered chanting behind her voice.
"Am I interrupting?"
"Not really, just a crappy movie." The sounds were silenced and Akako's voice returned. "I have foreseen your call."
"Then you know why I am ringing you?"
"Quite. You wish to change history."
"But is it history, or the future now?"
"That depends on if you can accomplish it. Have you used your papers yet?"
Saguru glanced at the door for Aoko before pulling the papers Akako had given him. "Not yet, some..things have come up."
"Apparently you have figured out it's not a dream. Perform the daily one now, Saguru. There is no time to lose."
Saguru stared at the papers, wondering which she meant before taking a guess based on the wordings. "Is there anything special I need to do? Candles, incense..."
"I thought I would have put that on the paper."
Saguru blinked and looked back down at the paper. "You mean the three weeds and a representation of death and a bowl of water?"
"That would be it."
Saguru read through the paper again, a frown marring his lips. "Akako...this is a revenge curse against a cheating spouse."
"Death steals a loved one just as well as another lover. Not to mention none of the protection spells can protect against death. This is binding his life to that curse, either until you save him or until the time resets itself."
"But, wouldn't this curse effectively save him?"
"You have to stop the event, Saguru. But remember, every cause had an equal and opposite reaction." with that, the witch hung up, leaving Saguru to stare at his cellphone.
Saguru sighed, sliding the phone away before glancing towards the kitchen again. He watched as Aoko sung along to the music playing softly on the CD player, stirring something on the stove. He smiled, hoping he could keep that happiness with his actions before he stood, closing his eyes to block the dizziness that was effecting him. Once it had passed, he slipped from the house as quietly as he could, tiptoeing around to the garden in front of the house, searching the ground before gathering three weeds that were slowly strangling the other plants, braiding the plants together carefully as he stared at the sky.
"Please let this work," he whispered, staring down at the tangle of weeds in his hands. "Please." He headed back into the house, glancing at the kitchen again before tiptoeing his way into Nakamori's room, looking around before spotting the locked gun case next to his bed. He knelt, pulling a key from his pocket, thankful beyond expression that Nakamori had entrusted him with a copy in case anything happened.
He unlocked the case and pulled out one of the boxes of bullets, removing one of the deadly objects before returning everything to the way it was before he entered. Detouring into the bathroom, he filled a cup with water, figuring it worked just as well as a bowl.
Pulling the paper from his pocket, he dropped the tangle of weeds and the bullet into the cup, shoving them deep down and re-filling the cup with water before clearing his throat.
"You have been so evil, stealing my guy," Saguru read, feeling slightly foolish. He couldn't help but shiver though, as a tingle traveled up his spine, the slight tickling sensation causing his back muscles to spasm. He couldn't explain the feeling, it was different then anything else he had ever felt, but it felt...incredible.
"So unto you, this curse I hurl." he breathed, closing his eyes as the tingle grew stronger. "Don't ever go near my very best friend, or another time this curse I'll send."
He blinked as the tingling started to fade, confused. "That's it? That's all the protection we have?" he knocked the cup into the sink, resting his head in his hand. "Fuck." he cursed, body trembling.
He took a deep, shuddering breath before wiping the hand over his face. He grabbed the cup, dumping it out completely, slipping the bullet into his pocket before tossing the weeds into the garbage as he passed, heading back for the living room.
"Oh, there you are Saguru-kun!" Aoko said, grinning at him. "Your dinner's ready."
--
Saguru stood on the upstairs porch, watching the rain falling down on the grounds below. It was the second day, and once more it was raining. Below him, Kaito was doing what Saguru could only guess was interpretive dance about how much the boy loved the rain.
Saguru wanted to smile at Kaito's antics, it hurt something deep inside that he couldn't, but all he could do was stare at Kaito, and worry. He was no closer to finding a way to save his boyfriend, no ideas occurring to him and tomorrow night, he would be forced to watch his lover die.
"Please God, save him." Saguru whispered, resting his forehead on the porch railing.
--
"KAITO!" Saguru screamed, dashing for the thief just as the statue started to fall. He raised his gun, slicing through the thief's safety wires, shoving the falling thief free of the statue, ignoring the scream Kaito gave as he watched the art piece slam into the blond, burring him, blood splattering across the marble floor.
Saguru choked on the cloud of dust that was burying him, blackness encroaching on his vision. At least he's safe.
Blackness claimed Saguru after that thought.
--
It was raining again. It always rained on the second day, always a three pm. Saguru was huddled in his bed, tears sliding down his cheeks as he started at the list. Kaito had died five times. Twice by falling, once by a rookie's bullet and once being run over as he tried to make it to the heist when Saguru made him late.
Once when Saguru tried to knock him out with his own gas.
Nakamori had died three times, Saguru had topped out at six so far, even Akako had gotten caught in the crossfire and expired once. And in an event that still left Saguru speechless fifty people died in a 100 car pile up that Saguru had accidentally caused by tripping Kaito.
Every death weighed heavily on him. It didn't matter that they were all currently alive at this moment, it didn't matter that whomever died tonight or tomorrow would be alive again as time re-set. He still watched them die.
He laid back on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He had been through the same damn three days, for as close as he could figure, a month. Ten times that time re-set itself. Sixty-five deaths.
And no hope of stopping the next one. Every time he thought of a plan, every time he thought he had it...he woke up on the first day of Golden Week, just in time to be invited to a picnic.
He groaned, resting a pillow over his face, blocking out the sound of rain. He missed the sound of Kaito's laughter, but he just couldn't handle another day watching the smiles and the dancing. He couldn't handle another happy moment.
He threw the pillow across the room and drew his list close to him again, studying it, trying to ignore the names of the dead while he focused on the ideas that had failed miserably. Rubbing a hand over his face he turned away from the list, intending to stare out the window blankly until a new plan formed, but instead found his attention drawn to the papers Akako had given him before this all began. Reaching out, he picked up the papers, moving aside the all to familiar and memorized protection spell to instead stare at the second.
A reversal, something he was quite familiar with lately, but this was one to break the cycle, to admit defeat.
He stared at the paper for a long, silent moment before shifting his attention back to the list, back to the long column of names, those that he had sacrificed, for his own happiness.
Was it worth it, to save Kaito, to try again..when someone died anyway? Was it worth it, to have another stain on his soul?
Maybe...maybe this was destiny. Maybe Kaito was supposed to die, and every time he didn't...or even did, the fates cut another string to spite him.
He looked at the paper again, silently mouthing the words, closing his eyes as tears slipped down his cheeks. He could feel himself giving up, losing the hope that had been so fresh when he first realized what was happening.
Kaito was gone, and there was nothing he, nor anyone could do to prevent it. No matter what, in the end, it wasn't worth the sacrifice of someone else.
He swallowed thickly, wiping a hand across his eyes, steeling himself for what he was about to do, only to be startled as a rock hit his window. He looked up, just in time to see another small rock rain against the glass. Frowning, he stood and crossed over to the window, opening it and looking down at the brunette teen on the law.
Kaito paused, arm back in preparation of another throw, looking up at Saguru with sad eyes. "Why are you mad at me?" Kaito asked softly, cutting through to the heart of the matter.
Saguru gave a soft smile, wiping his eyes again before leaning on the window sill. "I'm not mad, Kaito, just tired." He paused, taking a breath before speaking again. "Would you like to come up?"
--
Saguru kissed the bare shoulder of the teen sleeping next to him before sitting up, the blankets pooling in his lap as he reached out for the paper he had set aside in favor of more enjoyable pursuits. He licked his lips, turning slightly to take a final look at Kaito's slumbering form before speaking. "My spell went wrong, please reverse it. Don't mess it up, and don't pervert it." he whispered, and gasped at the rush of...something that slammed into him. The past thirty days flashed before him, playing like a ghostly apparition in front of his eyes. Ten reversals, sixty-five deaths, morning, night, morning, night, laughter and tears, each and every little bit of time he had experienced melding together, the events moving faster and faster until they blurred, making Saguru nauseous.
And suddenly it all halted and Saguru forced open his eyes, choking slightly on the thick scent of incense filling his nose.
"Saguru?"
The detective turned, staring at Akako who was gaping at him, a copper bowl falling from her hands. "What...but you..." Realization slowly came over her and a tears traveled down her cheek.
"I'm sorry," Saguru whispered, lowering his head. He suddenly found himself on his back, a sobbing witch clinging desperately to him. Saguru wrapped his arms around her, his own tears falling as he finally grieved, for Kaito, for the others lost, for the thirty days he spent struggling to find an answer.
For the part of himself he lost to time and magic.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered again, sitting up, cradling Akako, resting his cheek on hers.
Time. It can be a moment, an instant, an eternity. It can stop, it can speed, it can repeat and steal. In the end, there is never enough, and no matter how hard we try to grasp those small, fleeting moments, time will slip through our fingers and vanish as silently as a shadow fading away.
Time is the enemy of all things, and time will eventually catch up. But time can grant us the greatest treasures. It can give to us a single instant, that we can hold forever in our hearts, and no matter what, nothing can take those instants away, not even death.
Fin
Author: Saitaina
Word Count: 4,959
Characters: Saguru Hakuba, Kaito Kuroba, Aoko Nakamori, Akako Koizumi, Nakamori
Rating: PG
Warnings: Character Death, magic
Disclaimer: Not mine, they belong to their original artist.
Summary: If you were given three days to save your lover's life, would you take them? Or are some things meant to be?
Notes: Previous 30_deathfics can be found here.
And on the second day...
A million words would not bring you back, I know because I’ve tried. Neither would a million tears, I know because I’ve cried. -Unknown
It was the second day of Golden Week and Saguru felt as if nothing could be better then these days. Here he was, seventeen, in the prime of his youth, allowed to do nothing more then to lay on the grass, sun shining down on him, illuminating the book under his hands, with his boyfriend curled up next to him, deeply asleep.
He knew that tomorrow things would be different, even on vacation he still had a job to do, just as the boy next to him did, and their jobs would lead them into a chase that was a few steps away from life and death and somewhere in-between 'fun' and 'adventure'.
But that was tomorrow and this was today and today, Saguru wanted nothing more then a refill of lemonade and maybe for Kaito to remove his elbow from Saguru's side.
Saguru closed his book and set it aside, resting his head on his arm as he gently ran his fingers through Kaito's hair, smiling as the other teen curled more against Saguru, making a soft, happy sighing sound before settling back down.
Saguru's eyes slowly drifted shut as he allowed the heat and smell of spring to lull him into rest, arm curling possessively around Kaito's shoulder. The sounds of birds and a distant lawnmower followed him into sleep's embrace, colouring his dreams with their noises.
It was the rain that had awoke him, at first a small drizzle, lightly hitting against his face and hands, chilling the skin and dampening his clothes. Then it became a fierce downpour, soaking everything it could in it's fury. His eyes blinked open, and he shot up, shivering as he realized what was going on. Kaito shifted at the action, before awakening himself, teeth chattering slightly as he glanced around in sleepy confusion, mind catching up quickly to the fact he was wet and it was raining. The pair glanced at each other, sharing a smile before gathering their belongings and making a dash for the house, barely making it up the porch steps before there was a crash of thunder and the heavens opened up even further then what they were, flooding the earth.
Saguru sighed, holding his soaked book before his attention was drawn to his boyfriend who was leaning on the porch railing, watching the rainfall, un-heeding to his soaked person. Saguru was drawn to the smile on Kaito's lips, moving over to the teen and wrapping an arm around his waist, giving him a gentle squeeze before turning his attention to the rain as well, pushing aside the annoyance and cold to simply enjoy the moment life offered to him.
--
"GET DOWN FROM THERE!" Nakamori yelled at the thief who was hanging off of a modern art sculpture that was itself, hanging from the ceiling.
Kid looked at them, grinning embarrassedly. 'I would, but I'm kind of busy," he called cheerfully, carefully reaching for the gem he was targeting for the night. He growled softly, stretching his body further, fingertips just barely brushing over the diamond when suddenly there was a loud crack. The Task Force and Kid looked up, staring at the chains that held the sculpture in place.
"Kid..." Saguru said, his eyes trained on the chains. "Get down, NOW!" he roared as the crack in the cement holding the chains spread.
Kid's eyes widened and he scrambled to get down, switching his weight to the safety cables. The statue crashed to the floor, a sharp edge slicing through the wires holding Kid, taking the thief down with it. Saguru and the Task Force went running, coughing in the dust clouding the air. Several uniforms started clearing away the rubble, desperate to uncover the fallen thief.
There was a new cough and Saguru knelt, shoving dust and rubble away, uncovering Kid, who was coughing in the thick air, blood speckling his lips. "Hurts," he mumbled, looking up at Saguru. The blond brushed his fingers through Kid's hair, pulling the fractured monocle from Kid's face so that the shards didn't fall out and into Kid's eyes.
"Relax, Nakamori called for an ambulance," he whispered, taking his boyfriend's hand.
Kid gave another weak cough and stilled. Saguru blinked, his hand flying to Kid's throat, checking for a pulse, his cheek hovering over Kid's mouth, waiting, desperately for a breath as he stared at the white clad chest. As the seconds ticked by, tread and horror seeped in as he failed to find a pulse, chest unmoving, breath still.
He tilted Kid's head back. He slipped his thumb between Kid's lips, ignoring the blood, already knowing it was safe to touch. He pulled Kid's mouth open, sealing his own lips over his lover's, pushing his breath into the still body, watching as the chest rose out of the corner of his eye.
Nakamori knelt next to him, his hands clasped, resting on Kid's shirt as he started compressions, counting under his breath. Saguru breathed again, silently praying as his lungs slowly emptied into Kid's. He raised up again and watched as Nakamori pushed on Kid's chest, the chest bowing with each thrust.
Leaning in again, he breathed, tears slipping from his eyes, splashing down against Kid's face, mixing with the blood. "Please," he whispered as Nakamori took up compressions again, the older man's face a mask of worry and fear. Saguru leaned in, taking a deep breath before his lips met Kid's.
--
Saguru stared off the edge of the building, watching the last of the swirling lights fading away. He shoved his hands into his jacket pocket, taking a deep breath, toes edging at the lip of the roof, sending small rocks flying over the edge.
He wondered what it would be like, to follow those rocks. To fall forward and let the wind catch him. He had seen Kid...Kaito do it so many times, simply fly off the building, gathering the air and wind about him, his laughter echoing into the night as his shining white wings opened, carrying him away.
But that was the past as of three hours ago. Kaitou Kid had been declared dead at eleven-fifty five and thirteen seconds in the evening. His lover, Kuroba had been declared dead at eleven-fifty five and sixteen seconds in the evening.
He swallowed, pushing his emotions aside again, already having had one break down this evening, in front of the media no less. He sighed, wiping at the drying tear tracks, trying to stop the replay of memories rushing through his head. Of things he could have done, should have done...it was all so useless.
"It's hard, isn't it. To watch your love slip away," a voice said from behind him and Saguru turned, watching as Akako joined him on the edge of the building, her thick traveling cloak rustling in the breeze. "The winds mourn their king," she whispered, pulling a lock of hair from her face before turning to Saguru. "What would you do, to re-capture your love?"
"Anything, but it's impossible. He's dead and there's nothing left," Saguru whispered brokenly.
"Nothing is impossible, Saguru-kun. You should know that by now." Akako smiled sadly at him, taking his hand and pulling him from the edge. "Come with me, let us see what the spirits wish."
Saguru followed her tugging, too distraught and broken to really care or listen to what she said. Kaito was gone, in a way that even he couldn't escape. Everything else was white noise, whispers and absent words. If Akako wanted to spout meaningless drivel at him, mumbling things that didn't really register, that was her choice.
--
Saguru found himself sitting at Akako's alter, watching the mini-skirt clad witch as she bustled around, setting a handful of candles and jars in his lap before arranging things on the alter. She patted his head, stroking her fingers through his hair as she seized what appeared to be a stripped and polished willow branch, standing and keeping her body as close to his as she could. "Ready?"
"Huh?" he said, shifting and looking up at her before blinking.
"I'll take that as a yes." She cleared her throat, tossing her hair over her shoulders. "From the earth that is her body," she started her spell, turning in a slow circle around the pair, imagining a flowing, golden ribbon following the branch. "To the air that is her breath, to the fire that is her spirit, to the waters that are her living womb, goddess, I beseech you!" She finished the spell on a yell, her wand meeting it's starting point.
There was a sudden clap and a hovering golden ring floated around them, twisting and turning in the air. Saguru stared at the golden band while Akako set the wand down and poured a glass of white wine, kneeling before the alter. "Earth, bone, and winding sheet. Let the spirit come to me, yet send it in piece or not at all." Akako said, raising her head as a wind rushed through the stone room. The candles flickered for a moment, almost going out before turning strong again, revealing a woman in the air above them, her long hair hanging in a braid past her ankles, dressed in a tight fitting dress that was faded with age.
"What do you wish of me, child?" the woman asked, looking down at Akako, and Saguru was struck by the resemblance between them, before his brain caught up and he realized the woman was floating in the air. He scrambled back, and two hands shot out, one ghostly and one flesh, grabbing him before he could break the sacred circle.
"We wish to know, if he can be saved."
"Yes. Call the lost, and then call back time," she said, knowing her daughter would under stand which spells would be needed. She smiled, raising her hand and gently tracing a symbol on Saguru's forehead. "Luck be with you, child, so that you may return him to us."
The woman vanished, as did the white wine, and Saguru blinked, wondering what the hell the woman had smoked. Akako stared at the mirror in front of her, turning the words over in her mind before looking at Saguru. "Are you sure , you would do anything to bring him back?"
"Yes," he breathed, looking at her, desperate. "Please, I need him."
She let out a heavy breath before nodding. She pulled out two pieces of parchment and a quill, quickly writing out two pages of characters before handing them to him. "Take these, one will reverse the spell, if you want to back out. The second...you might need. It will buy you some time, but you have to repeat it every first day."
"Every first...what?"
"You'll see," she said before putting Saguru in the direct center of the circle. She opened an exit for herself before closing the circle, creating a second, shining purple ribbon of energy around herself to protect her from getting sucked into the spell. Kneeling, she set up seven green candles around a picture of Kaito from the first day of golden week, lighting them before using one of the flames to light both a gold and silver coloured stick of incense.
"Guiding spirits, I ask your clarity, lend me your focus and your charity. Lead him to what he needs to find, for his sanity and his peace of mind." She then pulled the photo free of it's frame, a bit sad she had to destroy it, but figured if Saguru achieved his goal, it would be worth it to have Kaito back.
She held the photo over a frame, waiting until it caught fire before dropping it into a silver bowl. "Hear these words, hear the rhyme, I send to you a burning sign. Then his future self he'll find, in another place and time."
As flames licked over the Kaito's face, the pressure of the air increased, causing Saguru to gasp. The photo's flame started to die out, ashes falling off and smothering the flames. As the last flame died, there was a sudden popping sound and Saguru was gone. Akako sighed, extinguishing the candles and putting them away as the circles faded. "Good luck, my detective."
--
Saguru jerked awake as his alarm clock blared, the loud ringing switching easily over to the daytime talk show that Saguru enjoyed listening to as he went through his morning routine. He panted softly, pushing sweaty blond bangs from his face before looking at the clock and falling back with a groan.
A nightmare. A simple, stupid, horrific nightmare.
He laid there, staring at the ceiling, wondering what possessed his brain to give him such a horrific vision. He could still feel his heart pounding in his chest, the fear and terror he felt when Kid...when Kaito had died thrumming through his veins.
He wanted nothing more then to curl back up asleep and dream of something far more pleasant before he started the day.
The phone on his nightstand ran merrily and he groaned, reaching out and grabbing the handset and mumbling something that sounded vaguely like a greeting.
"Good morning," Kaito said, laughing at the sleep lacing his lover's voice.
Saguru smiled, his heart giving a skip at the sound of his boyfriend's voice. After the nightmare he suffered, it was a nice thing to wake up to. "Morning." Saguru sat up in bed, glancing at his clock before running a hand tiredly through his hair. "What's up?"
"Well, I was talked into taking Aoko on a picnic and wanted to know if you wanted to join us?"
Something tingled in Saguru's brain, the words sounding familiar but he brushed it off. "Sure, what time?"
"Ten?"
Saguru glanced at his clock again, noting it was already nine thirty. "Sure, do you want me to bring anything?"
"Maybe some of Baaya's cake?" Kaito asked hopefully, madly in love with the housekeeper's sweets.
Saguru laughed. "Alright, I'll see you at ten," he murmured and said good-bye, hanging up the phone and yawning, climbing out of the bed and getting ready for his day.
--
"I can't believe you did that, Kaito!" Aoko said, looking over her shoulder at the poor guy the young magician accidentally sprayed soda on.
"Oh come on, he's fine, Aoko." Kaito said, blushing and moving forward past Aoko and Saguru, using them to hide him, not that he needed to hide except from his own embarrassment.
"It was amusing, if rude." Saguru said with a smile, the tingling back but once more shrugged off. He hefted the picnic basket again, the weight of their left over food rather heavy. He paused for a moment, re-adjusting the basket, watching Kaito and Aoko move ahead of him. He frowned, watching the scene, feeling an odd moment of deja vu and his eyes raised up, looking at the large, heavy branch of the tree above the pair.
"MOVE!" he yelled at them and the pair turned, taking a few more steps forward, just as the tree branch gave a loud groan and suddenly fell, crashing to the ground where the pair had been. Saguru blinked, staring at the fallen branch, a shiver coursed through Saguru's body as he stared at the pair who were staring back at him with wide eyes.
This had happened before. In his dream last night, that same branch had fallen, striking Aoko on the temple, giving her a concussion.
Picnic basket forgotten on the ground, Saguru raised a trembling hand to his shirt pocket, fishing around for a moment before pulling free two scraps of paper. He stared at the writing, remembering Akako bent over, scratching out the characters written on them.
"Oh dear god," he whispered, raising his eyes to stare Kaito. If...If what he saw was real. If this was reality replaying...
Kaito was going to die in two days.
"I'm going to be sick," he whispered, and promptly passed out.
--
There were voices around him, worried and hushed. Saguru groaned, his head throbbing as he slowly blinked open his eyes, staring at the fuzzy, faded ceiling above him before closing his eyes again. He waited a moment, before trying again, this time the ceiling coming into focus, revealing a water stain in the shape of Africa above him.
He raised a hand to his head, meeting a wet cloth on his forehead, before the water stain was blocked by a worried brunette.
"Saguru?" Aoko asked, adjusting the cloth on his forehead.
"I do believe that's my name." he said weakly, before turning his head to fully look at Aoko. "What happened?"
"You passed out rather suddenly." She said, taking his wrist and checking his pulse, her eyes on her watch. "Kaito called dad who brought you here...uh, here is my house. You've been unconscious for a couple hours." She released his wrist and made a note on a piece of paper before smiling at him. "I called Baaya, she's already called your father. Dad called a doctor he knows and he recommended you stay here for tonight. I'm supposed to make sure you eat something, drink something, and rest." She had a stern look at her face as she detailed her jobs.
Saguru had to laugh at the look, before groaning as the laughter made his head hurt. "Then I guess I will have to be agreeable to your demands. I'm not as nimble as Kaito." he said, smiling at her. "You mentioned food?"
Aoko nodded and stood, heading for the kitchen to prepare Saguru a light dinner. After she left, Saguru forced himself up, groaning as his head swam. Once the world stopped pretending to be a Tilt-a-Whirl, he fished his cellphone from his pocket, pressing Akako's number, listening to it ring.
"Hello, Saguru-kun." Akako greeted as she picked up, the sounds of whispered chanting behind her voice.
"Am I interrupting?"
"Not really, just a crappy movie." The sounds were silenced and Akako's voice returned. "I have foreseen your call."
"Then you know why I am ringing you?"
"Quite. You wish to change history."
"But is it history, or the future now?"
"That depends on if you can accomplish it. Have you used your papers yet?"
Saguru glanced at the door for Aoko before pulling the papers Akako had given him. "Not yet, some..things have come up."
"Apparently you have figured out it's not a dream. Perform the daily one now, Saguru. There is no time to lose."
Saguru stared at the papers, wondering which she meant before taking a guess based on the wordings. "Is there anything special I need to do? Candles, incense..."
"I thought I would have put that on the paper."
Saguru blinked and looked back down at the paper. "You mean the three weeds and a representation of death and a bowl of water?"
"That would be it."
Saguru read through the paper again, a frown marring his lips. "Akako...this is a revenge curse against a cheating spouse."
"Death steals a loved one just as well as another lover. Not to mention none of the protection spells can protect against death. This is binding his life to that curse, either until you save him or until the time resets itself."
"But, wouldn't this curse effectively save him?"
"You have to stop the event, Saguru. But remember, every cause had an equal and opposite reaction." with that, the witch hung up, leaving Saguru to stare at his cellphone.
Saguru sighed, sliding the phone away before glancing towards the kitchen again. He watched as Aoko sung along to the music playing softly on the CD player, stirring something on the stove. He smiled, hoping he could keep that happiness with his actions before he stood, closing his eyes to block the dizziness that was effecting him. Once it had passed, he slipped from the house as quietly as he could, tiptoeing around to the garden in front of the house, searching the ground before gathering three weeds that were slowly strangling the other plants, braiding the plants together carefully as he stared at the sky.
"Please let this work," he whispered, staring down at the tangle of weeds in his hands. "Please." He headed back into the house, glancing at the kitchen again before tiptoeing his way into Nakamori's room, looking around before spotting the locked gun case next to his bed. He knelt, pulling a key from his pocket, thankful beyond expression that Nakamori had entrusted him with a copy in case anything happened.
He unlocked the case and pulled out one of the boxes of bullets, removing one of the deadly objects before returning everything to the way it was before he entered. Detouring into the bathroom, he filled a cup with water, figuring it worked just as well as a bowl.
Pulling the paper from his pocket, he dropped the tangle of weeds and the bullet into the cup, shoving them deep down and re-filling the cup with water before clearing his throat.
"You have been so evil, stealing my guy," Saguru read, feeling slightly foolish. He couldn't help but shiver though, as a tingle traveled up his spine, the slight tickling sensation causing his back muscles to spasm. He couldn't explain the feeling, it was different then anything else he had ever felt, but it felt...incredible.
"So unto you, this curse I hurl." he breathed, closing his eyes as the tingle grew stronger. "Don't ever go near my very best friend, or another time this curse I'll send."
He blinked as the tingling started to fade, confused. "That's it? That's all the protection we have?" he knocked the cup into the sink, resting his head in his hand. "Fuck." he cursed, body trembling.
He took a deep, shuddering breath before wiping the hand over his face. He grabbed the cup, dumping it out completely, slipping the bullet into his pocket before tossing the weeds into the garbage as he passed, heading back for the living room.
"Oh, there you are Saguru-kun!" Aoko said, grinning at him. "Your dinner's ready."
--
Saguru stood on the upstairs porch, watching the rain falling down on the grounds below. It was the second day, and once more it was raining. Below him, Kaito was doing what Saguru could only guess was interpretive dance about how much the boy loved the rain.
Saguru wanted to smile at Kaito's antics, it hurt something deep inside that he couldn't, but all he could do was stare at Kaito, and worry. He was no closer to finding a way to save his boyfriend, no ideas occurring to him and tomorrow night, he would be forced to watch his lover die.
"Please God, save him." Saguru whispered, resting his forehead on the porch railing.
--
"KAITO!" Saguru screamed, dashing for the thief just as the statue started to fall. He raised his gun, slicing through the thief's safety wires, shoving the falling thief free of the statue, ignoring the scream Kaito gave as he watched the art piece slam into the blond, burring him, blood splattering across the marble floor.
Saguru choked on the cloud of dust that was burying him, blackness encroaching on his vision. At least he's safe.
Blackness claimed Saguru after that thought.
--
It was raining again. It always rained on the second day, always a three pm. Saguru was huddled in his bed, tears sliding down his cheeks as he started at the list. Kaito had died five times. Twice by falling, once by a rookie's bullet and once being run over as he tried to make it to the heist when Saguru made him late.
Once when Saguru tried to knock him out with his own gas.
Nakamori had died three times, Saguru had topped out at six so far, even Akako had gotten caught in the crossfire and expired once. And in an event that still left Saguru speechless fifty people died in a 100 car pile up that Saguru had accidentally caused by tripping Kaito.
Every death weighed heavily on him. It didn't matter that they were all currently alive at this moment, it didn't matter that whomever died tonight or tomorrow would be alive again as time re-set. He still watched them die.
He laid back on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He had been through the same damn three days, for as close as he could figure, a month. Ten times that time re-set itself. Sixty-five deaths.
And no hope of stopping the next one. Every time he thought of a plan, every time he thought he had it...he woke up on the first day of Golden Week, just in time to be invited to a picnic.
He groaned, resting a pillow over his face, blocking out the sound of rain. He missed the sound of Kaito's laughter, but he just couldn't handle another day watching the smiles and the dancing. He couldn't handle another happy moment.
He threw the pillow across the room and drew his list close to him again, studying it, trying to ignore the names of the dead while he focused on the ideas that had failed miserably. Rubbing a hand over his face he turned away from the list, intending to stare out the window blankly until a new plan formed, but instead found his attention drawn to the papers Akako had given him before this all began. Reaching out, he picked up the papers, moving aside the all to familiar and memorized protection spell to instead stare at the second.
A reversal, something he was quite familiar with lately, but this was one to break the cycle, to admit defeat.
He stared at the paper for a long, silent moment before shifting his attention back to the list, back to the long column of names, those that he had sacrificed, for his own happiness.
Was it worth it, to save Kaito, to try again..when someone died anyway? Was it worth it, to have another stain on his soul?
Maybe...maybe this was destiny. Maybe Kaito was supposed to die, and every time he didn't...or even did, the fates cut another string to spite him.
He looked at the paper again, silently mouthing the words, closing his eyes as tears slipped down his cheeks. He could feel himself giving up, losing the hope that had been so fresh when he first realized what was happening.
Kaito was gone, and there was nothing he, nor anyone could do to prevent it. No matter what, in the end, it wasn't worth the sacrifice of someone else.
He swallowed thickly, wiping a hand across his eyes, steeling himself for what he was about to do, only to be startled as a rock hit his window. He looked up, just in time to see another small rock rain against the glass. Frowning, he stood and crossed over to the window, opening it and looking down at the brunette teen on the law.
Kaito paused, arm back in preparation of another throw, looking up at Saguru with sad eyes. "Why are you mad at me?" Kaito asked softly, cutting through to the heart of the matter.
Saguru gave a soft smile, wiping his eyes again before leaning on the window sill. "I'm not mad, Kaito, just tired." He paused, taking a breath before speaking again. "Would you like to come up?"
--
Saguru kissed the bare shoulder of the teen sleeping next to him before sitting up, the blankets pooling in his lap as he reached out for the paper he had set aside in favor of more enjoyable pursuits. He licked his lips, turning slightly to take a final look at Kaito's slumbering form before speaking. "My spell went wrong, please reverse it. Don't mess it up, and don't pervert it." he whispered, and gasped at the rush of...something that slammed into him. The past thirty days flashed before him, playing like a ghostly apparition in front of his eyes. Ten reversals, sixty-five deaths, morning, night, morning, night, laughter and tears, each and every little bit of time he had experienced melding together, the events moving faster and faster until they blurred, making Saguru nauseous.
And suddenly it all halted and Saguru forced open his eyes, choking slightly on the thick scent of incense filling his nose.
"Saguru?"
The detective turned, staring at Akako who was gaping at him, a copper bowl falling from her hands. "What...but you..." Realization slowly came over her and a tears traveled down her cheek.
"I'm sorry," Saguru whispered, lowering his head. He suddenly found himself on his back, a sobbing witch clinging desperately to him. Saguru wrapped his arms around her, his own tears falling as he finally grieved, for Kaito, for the others lost, for the thirty days he spent struggling to find an answer.
For the part of himself he lost to time and magic.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered again, sitting up, cradling Akako, resting his cheek on hers.
Time. It can be a moment, an instant, an eternity. It can stop, it can speed, it can repeat and steal. In the end, there is never enough, and no matter how hard we try to grasp those small, fleeting moments, time will slip through our fingers and vanish as silently as a shadow fading away.
Time is the enemy of all things, and time will eventually catch up. But time can grant us the greatest treasures. It can give to us a single instant, that we can hold forever in our hearts, and no matter what, nothing can take those instants away, not even death.
Fin