Chapter Text
Tonight is a quiet night, or it's just Haibara's thoughts. She saw the outside window open as she left the room. Haibara gently walked to the table and poured herself a glass of water, always looking towards the window.
It is now September, the weather has turned to autumn and is cold. Especially at night, the temperature drops significantly, and strong winds blow piles of leaves in front of the house.
Fall is the worst time for people with allergies, Conan isn't allergic, in fact he's not sure.
His nose turned red and burned every time he snorted, and Conan occasionally sneezed and shivered. His small figure sat on the roof of professor Agasa's house. Cold, lonely and small.
It was strange that he chose to climb up here through the window instead of using the usual way.
It's just... Conan wanted to distract himself with something else. The cold can help him stop sinking into dark thoughts. He could stay here until morning, Haibara and the professor had both gone to sleep.
Or not? Conan didn't know.
He wondered if anyone would come find Conan when he thought about that again...
No. No.
Conan shook his head away from that, he wasn't done yet. Conan couldn't allow himself to think about that, the black organization was still there, they would continue to harm everyone.
Give up was a word that shouldn't be used for a detective.
"Actually, sometimes it's okay if we give up temporarily, Shinichi."
Conan startled from where he was sitting, a soft blanket draped over his shoulders. Dr. Agasa sat down next to him, his sleepy eyes looking at him with affection.
"Professor Agasa..."
"It's four o'clock in the morning, Shinichi." He said softly.
Conan looked at him, looking down sadly, "Oh."
Agasa shivered slightly, not knowing whether it was because of the boredom in his beloved nephew's voice or the cold weather. He bent low over his sweater, placing his hand on the child's cold hair.
Ignoring the small startle, not looking at the wide eyes, Dr. Agasa smiled, "Can't sleep?"
Conan blinked, tension falling from his small shoulders. "Yes, I think so?"
The professor hummed in response, his fingers sliding into the boy's scalp, gently scratching it and comforting the boy. Conan didn't complain about that, he nestled deeply into the blanket, his head tilted to feel that touch.
"It's cold out here."
Conan made a sound as if he understood, snuggling close to him like a small cat purring to be petted. Professor Agasa chuckled and patted his head, "Do you want to come inside? We can talk over a cup of hot coffee."
The silence lasted after that sentence, Agasa nervously glanced at him, he couldn't see his expression as he kept his head bowed. Suddenly, Conan replied hoarsely.
"That sounds good."
Agasa smiled awkwardly, his arm hovering a bit before deciding to hug Conan. Conan didn't return the hug, but his body still relaxed as the older man pulled him into his arms.
Agasa led him back, feeling restless the whole time as the boy didn't say anything.
Instead of staying with Ran and Kogoro, Conan suddenly came here to sleep today. At first they didn't agree when Conan had just suffered a concussion and injury from the previous case, but regardless, Conan still appeared at his door at eight o'clock at night.
The child said not to worry about them, he was sure he had convinced Ran. Professor Agasa doubted it, because of Shinichi's smile he didn't dare ask further.
He let Conan sit on the chair, hurriedly went to get him coffee while exchanging glances with Haibara nearby. Haibara nodded towards him. Okay, she can handle this.
"Kudou."
"Haibara."
They looked at each other, the blanket covering Conan made him feel like he was the weaker one in this staring battle.
"I'll go get new bandages." Haibara sighed, surprised to be the first to retreat.
Conan raised his eyebrows and looked in the direction she went, "New bandages?"
"Your hand is bleeding, idiot." Her voice rang out from behind the door. Conan flusteredly raised his hand, wincing as the bandage on his left bicep was turning red.
Gunshot wound. Conan still clearly remembered the burning and painful feeling when the bullet went straight into his right arm, blood flowing down from where it hit and staining his clothes.
Takagi was the one who carried Conan when they caught the criminal. Under the dizzying vision of Conan's concussion, he could clearly see that his blood had stained Takagi's shirt and hands.
He didn't know how many times he had stained their clothes with his blood. Conan laughed to himself.
"Shinichi."
Conan looked up and saw a worried look from Professor Agasa. He grabbed Conan's left wrist, where his small fingers were stained with blood. Conan blinked and looked down at the wound on his right hand. The wound is bleeding.
Haibara walked up from behind the professor and placed the first aid kit on the table. Agasa looked at her, Haibara pursed her lips at him, took Conan's left arm and brought it closer to her.
They changed his bandages in a stifling silence. Haibara closed the first aid box, took a breath and took the coffee cup from the professor's hand to stuff it into Conan's hand.
Conan frowned at her. Haibara rolled her eyes then glanced back, snorting and looking at that cup of coffee. The coffee cup emitted hot steam, warming Conan's fingers. He exhaled, lifted the cup with both hands and drank.
The coffee cup fell onto Conan's lap, its warmth gradually spreading throughout his body. Conan hunched his shoulders, gently exhaling a shaky breath.
His body ached as he leaned towards the table. In his fading vision, he saw Haibara approaching him, her gentle voice coming from Conan's shoulder as her arms reached around his neck.
"Go to sleep, Kudou."
Conan's head fell onto Haibara's shoulder, Dr. Agasa's large fingers placed on his head again. They talked to each other without even confirming if Conan was listening.
"Shinichi needs to see a therapist."
"He won't like that idea."
Haibara gently stroked the back of Conan's neck, and the hakase stroked his hair.
"Does Kudo often touch his wounds?" Suddenly Haibara's voice turned serious, the heavy air between them making him wince.
Haibara's fingers traced circles again, until Conan stopped frowning, they continued talking to each other.
"I don't know. We should ask Ran about that."
"I don't think she'll know."
"Yes, after all, this is Shinichi..."
There was a prolonged silence between them. Exhaustion gradually took over Conan, the coffee cup was removed from his hand. Conan groaned softly again because of the pain in his biceps, the hands on his neck and head stiffened.
Haibara's fingers moved down his back, the professor slid his hand along hers, their warmth transmitted to Conan's back, gently soothing him.
"Go to sleep Kudou, you can temporarily rest today."
There was no day he could rest, the black organization was still there, they would take advantage of his weakness.
But what strange thing made him listen to Haibara?
For the first time, Conan decided to stay away from his own burden.