Current location:	Arlington, TX
Current mood:	jubilant
Current music:	We who were right all along Will then read out your names
Entry tags:	detective conan, gordian knot, magic kaito

[Detective Conan/Magic Kaito] Gordian Knot: Taste of Flames pt 2
Continued from here

+++

As the last person to see the Kaitou Kid alive, unofficially or otherwise, Heiji was invited to a closed confidential meeting of the Kaitou Kid Task Force by Nakamori. He felt somewhat conflicted about not telling Kaito that he was up in the Tokyo Metropolitan area, much less about the meeting. But if Kaito was the Kid, telling him about the meeting almost amounted to treason.

… And if Kaito really was the Kid, there was probably very little chance that he didn’t already know about the meeting, which nullified the whole argument right there.

Or at least that was what Heiji was telling himself.

He was rather surprised to find Hakuba Saguru already sitting at the table when he arrived in the little used upstairs conference room, looking pale and tired amongst the tense and twitchy police officers. Everyone was eyeing everyone else suspiciously, wondering if the other person was the Kid or a spy. Heiji went through the ritual face-pulling to verify that he wasn’t wearing a mask and went to sit across from the blond detective, rubbing at his sore cheeks.

Hakuba nodded at him as he sat down, hands cradling a cup of either tea or coffee. It took Heiji a good minute of study to realise that Hakuba wasn’t so much cradling the ceramic cup as he was white-knuckling it, holding the cup as if it was the only thing keeping him together at the moment. Heiji hoped for Hakuba’s sake that it was a quick meeting.

Nakamori brought the meeting to order, stating the basic knowledge with a hard fast clip that did little to hide his anger at the situation. He did not waste time with diatribe however, which just drove the point home how serious all this was. The other officers reacted accordingly, faces grave as they sat up straight, wasting little time on jokes or the topic falling off the proposed track.

When prompted, Heiji stood up and briefly described the goings on in Nagoya. Most of the people nodded at the name Kuroba Kaito, the magician was known among them, either under suspicion of being the Kid or for attempting to out-magic the thief and failing. Most relaxed at the discovery of the Kaitou Kid, proof that their pain in the butt was still alive, but their expressions then fell again delivered the news about Rose and her standard method of execution.

The mood further soured when he explained their deductions for the organisation’s motives with the school tests and the bombs as the realisation of just how large and organised a group they were going after. He answered a few questions and expounded on some points before sitting back down again, keeping his gaze away from Hakuba as he explained that he didn’t know how he escaped the final explosion.

Something brushed his leg as he sat down and he repressed a shiver at the gentle contact. Hakuba winced and shifted in his seat, stiffly straightening his posture.

Nakamori passed out pictures of Rose, the one Heiji had identified earlier and debates started flying around the table as people put the pieces together. Past cases were brought out and reviewed in light of the new information, and Snake’s presence was seen with new eyes.

Heiji found himself re-assessing Hakuba as it became increasingly obvious that the blond’s role among the officers was not as some sort of mascot or because of his father’s position, but for his knack for analysis. There was little doubt in Heiji’s mind that any of the information was new to Hakuba, but with the influx of information about the mysterious organisation in dark colours, Hakuba was able to expound further on Kid’s motivations for previously confusing situations with apparent ease.

It was rather ironic, while the British detective had trouble explaining and understanding a murder scene, he could get into the Kid’s trickster head with little difficulty, something that everyone else in the room stumbled over.

It was also a slight shock to realise that the Kid’s primary motivation wasn’t necessarily always jewels. A startling amount of the time, Kid made an appearance to help someone, usually by uncovering information that would have otherwise remain hidden. It was with some chagrin to realise that what Heiji knew of Kid, even after all this time, was mostly second hand by way of his reputation.

Which was a well deserved reputation, but also slightly off. Sort of like Kid.

He smothered a grin at the thought and turned his attention back to the notes he was supposedly taking and discovered that while he’d been thinking, he’d doodled little stick figures with katana taking out black trenchcoated guys with guns. Or at least, they were supposed to be trenchcoats, but really looked more like dresses. Heh. Oops.

Although calling in re-enforcements might not be a bad idea. He was pretty sure he could still get ahold of Jodie-sensei and the rest of her FBI buddies, maybe see if he could arrange a meeting between them and Nakamori, pool their resources together. Especially if the FBI weren’t aware that Kid was a target, since it was extremely rare for the various agencies to actually get together and share information.

Hakuba’s cup made a rattling sound and Heiji glanced up to see if the blond had caught what he’d been doodling instead and found Hakuba staring at the table like it had mortally offended him. His face was the colour of chalk, almost matching the white shirt he was wearing. The ceramic cup was also now sitting on its saucer, Hakuba’s arms tucked under the table. Heiji glanced around and realised that Nakamori had noticed as well, but no one else was paying any attention to Hakuba.

Nakamori glanced around and declared a brief recess, surprising a few of the men, but they obligingly headed out of the room, most of them heading downstairs for a smoke. Heiji glanced back at Hakuba and found that the blond had somehow vanished without Heiji’s noticing. He quickly rose out of his chair, heading for the door. Nakamori gave him a pointed look and Heiji tried to look reassuring and wasn’t sure he succeeding in doing so.

He paused at the stairwell for a moment before looking up. Up. Definitely up.

Heiji quickly climbed the stairs, peering around every landing to see if Hakuba was there. He didn’t see anyone until he got to the top level, the blond leaning next to the emergency exit door, which was shut and alarmed. Hakuba was almost curled into himself, like he had been at the movie theatre, hands gripping his upper arms, face twisted in pain.

What hadn’t been at the movie theatre was the wicked dagger long nails digging past the flimsy material of the white shirt he was wearing and into the flesh. He must have made a sound at the sight of the fresh blood oozing between the blond’s fingertips because Hakuba suddenly jerked his head in Heiji’s direction, pale blue eyes looking more like a cat’s than a humans.

”You did not see anything.” Hakuba all but hissed. “Turn back around and return to the others.”

Oh, hell no. He may not have cared much for Hakuba, Kaito’s friend or not, but there was no way he was going to just leave someone who was hurt --bleeding—like that. “It’s okay.” Heiji said softly, stepping closer. “M’just here ta help.”

”You may assist by removing yourself from this vicinity.” The blond’s tone may have been haughty, but his expression was scared shitless. Scared of –Heiji-, he realised with a sickening lurch.

He paused, taking in the fangs protruding slightly from Hakuba’s lower jaw and the impossibly pale blue eyes. A tremor wracked the other boy’s body as he fought what ever it was he was trying to contain within himself, eyes pinching shut as he turned away from Heiji to wrestle his own demons for a moment.

“I know who Kaito is.” Heiji whispered quietly.

Hakuba’s head snapped up, eyes wide and alarmed before he could catch himself. It was gone quickly, replaced by a scornful look. “So that is why you wished for me to introduce you.” He said, voice dripping with bitterness.

”Partly.” Heiji admitted with a casual shrug. “I don’t know if he knows I know, but I’d like ta think he trusts me with his secret.” He added softly.

The other detective froze, as if contemplating something he had not previously. “Therefore I should trust you because he does?” The words were mocking, but the tone was questioning.

“The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.” Heiji quoted.

He got a blank look for it. “That is not Sun Tzu, is it?” Hakuba asked hesitantly, as if trying to recall where the quote might have come from and failing.

”Uh…” Heiji scratched the back of his neck. “… Actually, I got that off of someone’s e-mail signature.”

Hakuba laughed. It was an okay sound for a moment, before it turned dark and somewhat twisted. “Alright then.” He said, face pinched. “Stay if you wish. But do not say you were not warned.”

And with that, Hakuba just seemed to… let go. There was almost like an atmospheric pressure change as Hakuba’s legs seemed to fly out in all directions at once, two limbs becoming many. Something snapped and hissed at him and he looked down to see a snake looking up at him, just within striking range. Hakuba made a muted whimper and the snake vanished, into a smooth tentacle, only for another one to appear on another one of multitude of the writhing limbs, disappearing and reappearing again and again.

He was distracted by the limbs by Hakuba doubling over in two, hands around his arms again as the pale material of his shirt seemed to try pull back away from his spine, shifting like something was trying to grow out of his spine. The pressure seemed to get worse, little whispers in his head, the failures and the pain he caused, but that was all they were. Little whispers. Talking to Kaito, honestly talking to someone who, if he didn’t understand, at least didn’t belittle it them, had exorcised a lot of his minor personal demons. That didn’t mean that all the hairs on Heiji’s body stood on end. He fought to stand his ground, not flee from the sense of a large hungry predator infront of him.

Hakuba growled, an animalistic sound as he visibly pulled back whatever part of him was trying to grow, the intensity growing and fading as he fought with himself. Eventually he won, the pressure fading back away to nothing. Hakuba remained where he was, curled in on himself, breathing heavily for a few moments before slowly turning his head and looking up at him as if surprised to still see him in a detached sort of way.

”’Conscience’, huh?” Heiji drawled. Hakuba ducked his head slightly, as if embarrassed be caught like he was, the tentacles curling in loop-de-loops and agitated spirals. He glanced away, rubbing a long clawed hand over the smooth bare skin of his other arm.

”I gotta say, I’m completely stumped on explainin’ this one.” Heiji added with a small grin. This was –way- outside of his expertise.



”I touched something I should not have.” Hakuba said, glancing away as if he was ashamed, curling limbs pulling closer as if to hide.

"Ya said that before." Heiji pointed out. "Back at the alley. Still haven't said what it was." When he'd asked about Hakuba's 'allergy'.

"A... stone. From his hand." Hakuba elaborated softly. Heiji stared, suddenly understanding better. The Kid was known for targeting things with supposed magical properties. If one had turned out to be more than they'd bargained for...

Well, Heiji wasn't sure if he believed in 'Magic' or not, REAL Magic, but it would explain a whole lot of what was in front of him now.

“And then further compounded the error by doing something I should not have.” Hakuba added quietly, his voice heavily laden with guilt. A few limbs spiralled into the air, as if climbing someone who wasn't there, then fell limply to the ground, slowly sliding back towards Hakuba as if he could make himself smaller that way.

Oh. OH. The only way for Hakuba to get a stone from the Kaitou Kid's hand was if the blond had been close enough to grab the thief.

The aftermath leaving them with a new friendship and fissure between the two of them. Which explained a lot of the cues he hadn't been able to figure out.

Heiji was silent for a moment, trying to do find words to fit the few theories he had. The way that Hakuba would reach for Kaito, then pull away. The way Kaito would purposely put himself in Hakuba’s personal space anyway. The fact that both he and Heiji knew about Kaito’s night job was and didn’t report it, despite the fact that they were in the best place to gather the evidence. That they were having this conversation at all.

”There’s this guy I’ve liked for a long time.” Heiji said quietly, surprised at the past tense slipping through so easily, much less that he was mentioning it at all. “And a friend who has liked me fer a long time. But he’s got someone he loves and never gave me a second look and I didn’t wanna string my friend along. When I met him, he mentioned that he had this friend, one whose long time crush now hated him, and had someone else who was interested.”

”Ah.” Hakuba’s voice was impassive.

”So I figured that mebbe his friend and me could help each other out, be the rebound person fer the other. Rebounds never work, right? Only I couldn’t figure out who the other person who had a crush on him was.” Heiji leered. “He said that they were really flexible.

It was worth it, any ego bruising for the conversation, to watch Hakuba turn bright red. The blush went almost all the way down to his navel, the various snaking limbs flaying about as if they didn’t know which way to go in their embarrassment. Gotcha.

”So… ah… you are not serious in perusing a relationship?” Hakuba asked delicately, the words coming out in a rapid rush, strangely hopeful.

”Beyond friendship when this is over, no.” Heiji smirked, showing just a bit of fang. Kid had told him that Kudo was the one greatest chance of actually capturing the Kid, because he lost nothing but pride at Kid’s fall. Heiji taken himself out of that running, by investing himself into the Kid’s --and Kaito’s-- welfare as well. He couldn’t say that he regretted that decision. “You hurt him however, and y’wont know what hitcha.”

”Understood.” The blond nodded, the blush receding. He didn’t think the other detective would hurt Kaito, but Heiji had gotten there –first-, which gave him first dibs on beating up anyone else who was interested in Kaito. Heh.

Hakuba cleared his throat, his expression turning more serious. “Speaking of which…” Several tentacles made a dismissive motion before returning to a random rhythmic dance.

”There’s a reason yer allergy’s actin’ up?” Heiji frowned. He’d made the leap from ‘kick-ass death sense’ to ‘allergies’, and from ‘allergy’ to ‘snakes’, but he still didn’t know how it –worked-.

”Unfortunately.” Hakuba nodded, his face grave. “I shall save the details for a later date on the hows and whys, but I believe that our efforts to root out those with ill-will towards our phantom friend have not been entirely successful.”

”There’s someone in the room.” Heiji frowned. He knew that Nakamori and the police had been working hard at uncovering the people who had been shooting at Kid, but they wouldn’t have invited anyone they suspected to the meeting. “Can you point them out to Nakamori?”

”On what grounds?” The tentacles began their agitated writhing again. “’Pardon me, Nakamori-keibu sir, but someone in the room reeks of subterfuge and blood and it’s making my allergy flare up. It’s quite socially unacceptable, so would you kindly mind doing something about it without any evidence or logic to back that up?’” His voice practically dripped sarcasm, self loathing and despair.

”I get yer point.” Heiji muttered. Somehow, he didn’t think ‘breaking out in tentacles’ would be acceptable as evidence in court. No wonder Hakuba had stopped showing up to heists and crime scenes if this is what happened to him every time he was around it.

”Apologies.” Hakuba murmured, running a taloned hand through his hair, surprisingly without cutting himself. The gouge marks on his arms were gone as well, Heiji noted. There was a bit of dried blood, but if there was any scarring at all, he couldn’t see it. If he healed that fast, Heiji did -not- want to be the person on the other end of a fight with Hakuba right now. Detective or not, that little voice in the back of Heiji’s head was correct, Hakuba was currently a very large, very scary looking predator. One that Heiji wasn’t sure if he could beat, even with a finely forged katana.

That wasn’t a reassuring thought.

Heiji shrugged it off. “Could you pick out who it was?”

Hakuba gave him a wry look. “In case it had escaped your notice, we’re in a Police Station. There’s more than the usual share of people with blood on their hands in our current location.”

”So it’s some sorta empathy thing?” Heiji mused.

”Some sort of ‘Possessed Greek Deity’ thing.” Hakuba looked annoyed. “Potentially Gorgonian or Erinyes, but seeing as I haven’t turned anyone to stone, most likely the latter.”

Heiji filed that away to look up later. ‘Erinyes’ sounded familiar, but he couldn’t place it at the moment.

Hakuba sighed, reading his confusion. “I can… ‘Sense’ when an… injustice happens. Only… it’s always going on. All the time. Everywhere. The worse the crime, the strong the pull to fix it. Time… doesn’t matter, the scent of blood never fades.”

”And ya can’t go out like that.” Pieces began to fall into place as to Hakuba’s strange behaviour. Withdrawn, but not. Hakuba nodded, looking like someone had just kicked his dog. He couldn’t be a detective, not if he always snaked out at a crime scene. “So what’s with the-“ Heiji made a flapping motion with his hands.

The blond grimaced, the tentacles flaring up for a moment before calming down again. “I… cannot always control… my appearance. They…” He hesitated, the normally eloquent detective struggling for words. “Everything is amplified… There is less of -me- whenever it goes… gets too far. I am sure you have noticed what Kaito has described as ‘heavy pressure’ whenever that happens.”

”Oh, yeah.” Heiji remembered the first time he felt that, stuck in an elevator shaft with the Kaitou Kid. He shivered slightly.

Hakuba gave him a small smile. “He isn’t immune, but it does not effect him strongly either.”

So did that mean that what Kid did wasn’t causing an injustice, but creating justice? Heiji scratched his head, his head starting to hurt. “Can we use that to catch whoever’s hidin’ here?” He asked instead, deciding that this wasn’t the time to get distracted by wiggling bits, wings and weirdness.

”I would rather not release that here.” Hakuba made a face. “But I would like my shirt back.” He added wistfully, running a hand down his pale chest.

”Ah…” Heiji shut his jaw with a snap. Right. Focus. Catch killers first, then ponder vanishing clothes later. Although… where -did- Hakuba’s clothes go?

Bad thoughts, bad thoughts, bad thoughts.

”Okay, new plan.” He tugged on some of the longer hair on the top of his head, using the sharp pain as a distraction to focus. “We know he’s not dead, but injured. And he’s gettin’ better.” Which they both knew, Heiji intimately, Hakuba not so intimately. At least, as far as Heiji knew.

”Which means it is almost certain that it will not be too terribly long before he makes a reappearance.” Hakuba nodded gravely, following his train of thought.

“And if we had enough of a warnin’, we could use it as bait fer a trap, catch these mooks in black.” Heiji stared at Hakuba pointedly.

Hakuba stared back impassively. “If we had enough warning.” He dully agreed, echoing Heiji.

… He didn’t have any more of a clue than Heiji did for when Kaito was going to don monocle and cape. Dammit. At least Heiji had the excuse that he didn’t get to see Kaito everyday.

But then, he didn’t know much about their relationship, other than they friends, in a strange twisted way. Friends with tentacles.

”Nakamori-keibu would probably be more than happy to help us in this objective.” Hakuba added hopefully.

”But first we need a date and a location.” Heiji mused. Hakuba nodded gravely, crossing his arms over his chest so that the talons were hidden from sight. “We could use that as an opportunity ta dig out whoever’s hidin’ with us now.”

”If at all possible, I would prefer for Nakamori-keibu not to be hurt in the process.” Hakuba looked almost worried. “Vocabulary and temper aside, he is a good man.”

Heiji was slightly taken back at the concern, but figured it made sense. Nakamori had also expressed some worry for Hakuba when they had met before he’d started dating Kaito. “Agreed.” He nodded. “Figure out the details later?” He offered. Most of what planning they did would depend on time and location. Hm. He’d have to see what he could do about coaxing Kaito into revealing that little titbit.

”That would appear to be the most prudent.” Hakuba agreed, looking relieved. “In the meantime, the break is almost over, you should probably return.”

”Nakamori-keibu knows I followed ya.” Heiji shrugged and stuck his hands in his pockets. “How long before y’think you can change back?”

Hakuba frowned, holding a hand up and narrowing his eyes at the talons. His hand shook for a moment, then the long nails started to retract. “Give me a few minutes and I can probably find my legs again.”

Hah. Funny guy.

”Tell y’what.” Heiji offered, rocking back to rest his weight on his heels for a moment. “Yer jacket and shirt are prolly ruined. I’ll loan ya my jacket, tell Nakamori-keibu and the rest of the guys that y’got sick and that y’need me ta escort y’home. Think I’ve pretty much done everythin’ I can at this point, it’s all re-hashin’ the material at the moment, so it’s no skin off my nose ta leave.”

Hakuba paused, looking off in the shadows with a contemplative look. “Kaito will most likely be home by the time we arrive in Ekoda.” He said carefully, almost as if he wasn’t speaking to Heiji at all, but towards another person who Heiji couldn’t see. “He would probably enjoy a surprise visit.”

If that wasn’t a peace offering, Heiji didn’t know what was. “Sounds good.” He cautiously agreed back.

Hakuba nodded back, then closed his eyes and leaned back against the door, taking a deep breath and letting it back out. Heiji wasn’t sure, but it seemed like the number of limbs started fading out. Either that or it was a trick of the light.

He leaned back against the wall as well, content to wait for a while. He wondered what he’d say to Kaito about this, without revealing too many confidences.

+++

Heiji dreamt his phone rang.

So he answered it. It was Kaito, asking him when the next time he was going to be up in the Tokyo area was, because he didn’t want to break up with Heiji over the phone. Heiji’d had a feeling this was coming for a while and easily agreed, on one condition-

-If Kid’s first re-appearance was in Osaka.

He woke up, holding an imaginary phone to his ear.

Heiji stared at his hand in mild amusement for a moment or two, the surreal feeling of having lived this moment before fading as the seconds ticked by on his alarm clock. As reality reasserted itself, he laughed, throwing the covers off his bed and reaching for whatever was laying around to get dressed in as he mentally reviewed his bank account.

Three Days. He had three days.

Perhaps it was time for an early visit to Ekoda. After all, it wasn’t very often he got to truly surprise Kaito.

-fin-

---

To be Continued in 'Be Like Water'.

Author Notes: Whew. Apologies this took so long, finally acclimated to the job enough to finish the fic! Y'all can thank Heiji for that, he wouldn't shut up.

Small odd fact, there's a quote by Gil Grissom at the start of 'Rope on Fire' about the 4 causes of death. Heiji deals with all 4 causes in his three chapters.

*does the math*
6,950 + 8,610 + 11,400 + 10,100 + 9,928 + 10,939 + 11,143 = 69,070
... with three chapters to go. @_@