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31_days2009-07-01 10:58 pm
candy--chan.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2009-07-01 10:58 pm
[July 1] [DC/MK] In Limbo
Title: In Limbo
Day/Theme: July 1: "A dream is nothing but a ghost."
Series: Detective Conan/Magic Kaito
Character/Pairing: Kaito, Toichi
Rating: PG
“You know,” Kaito said delicately, “whenever I heard anyone mention limbo or any sort of space between life and death or whatever, I never imagined it would look like this.” He sipped from the bottle in his hand and looked around for the fourth time in as many minutes. “I guess I pictured something a little more, I dunno…serious? Definitely darker.”
Across the table, Kuroba Toichi smiled. “It used to be a lot less colorful here, but folks were getting all bent out of shape over having to wait for either their life or their afterlife in what was essentially a hospital waiting room. Many who came here had had quite enough of hospitals.”
There had been a tunnel, and a light. But Kaito had been nearly bowled over to come to the other end of that tunnel and into the light to find his father sitting there at a table, waiting for him in what appeared to be a high-class bar.
“So this is Limbo?” Kaito asked, sipping once again from the bottle. He could really think of worse ways to spend the time than sitting at a table with his father, enjoying a beer, of all things.
“Limbo is the most common name for it, yes,” Toichi said.
“Are there other areas?”
“There are. But I hope you’ll never have to see any of them,” Toichi’s expression turned grim. “Beyond here lies the Shadowland. The numbers of souls who have gone into the Shadowland and returned from it…well, I can count the ones I’m aware of on one hand.” He glanced down at his own bottle. “Past that is what most would call the Afterlife.”
“I don’t think I want to go to the Shadowland, Dad,” Kaito said honestly, then decided to change the subject. He didn’t want to think about what was in that place that would make that look appear on his father’s face. He held up his half-empty beer bottle. “So should I be drinking this? I’m underaged.”
That earned a laugh. “You choose now to be concerned with rules?”
“Call it a last-minute crisis of conscience,” Kaito shot back.
“Speaking of which, would you like to know how things are progressing in the Living World?” Toichi asked. One long finger trailed moisture in small patterns across the tabletop. “You’ve caused quite a stir, as I’m sure you can imagine.”
Kaito blinked, surprised. “You know what’s going on?”
“I took a look while you were getting a second drink,” Toichi admitted. “I’m sure you’re not surprised, but your little secret is out. Ginzo-san knows who you are, and he’s not terribly happy about it. Your mother has been filling him in on the details, though, and that’s calmed him down for the moment.”
“No surprise there,” Kaito murmured.
“He did, however, manage to get our old buddy Snake into custody. Our favorite gunman is currently cooling his heels in jail. The charges will stick,” Toichi said. The question of whether or not Snake would survive that long behind bars, whether from internal or external forces, was left hanging in the air between them, unvoiced and unanswered.
“That’s good, at least,” Kaito said, genuinely relieved.
“You took a total of four bullets in the torso. Two hit internal organs. The only reason you haven’t gone past Limbo yet is because there was already an ambulance at the scene as a standard precaution for the heist. So you received medical treatment almost immediately,” Toichi said, rattling off everything in a conversational tone that seemed at odds with the subject matter. “That little snap of the fingers you pulled off did do you a favor, though. As of right now, only a handful of people know the truth.”
That took Kaito by surprise. “What? I thought it’d be all over the news by now.”
“They have not yet made a public announcement. They’re waiting,” Toichi went on.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“There is one other thing that you should know, Kaito,” Toichi said.
“What’s that?”
“Aoko-chan.”
Kaito froze at her name, the bottle poised halfway to his lips. Then he all but slammed it back down to the table and blurted out in a hurry, “What about Aoko? Is she okay?”
“She was not hurt, if that’s what you mean,” Toichi said. “But she knows, Kaito. She knows the truth.”
“…how’s she taking it?”
“Well…” Toichi hesitated. “…she hasn’t left your side since they let her in the room.”
Kaito’s eyes widened. “What?”
“She’s keeping vigil over you. If you wake up, there might still be a chance for the two of you.”
There was a moment of silence between them before Kaito ventured another question. “Is she crying?”
“No. She isn’t.”
“…are you lying to me, Dad?”
Toichi didn’t answer.
PS. This is part of a longer fic. I'm using the themes as a means to get individual scenes out. Thanks!
Day/Theme: July 1: "A dream is nothing but a ghost."
Series: Detective Conan/Magic Kaito
Character/Pairing: Kaito, Toichi
Rating: PG
“You know,” Kaito said delicately, “whenever I heard anyone mention limbo or any sort of space between life and death or whatever, I never imagined it would look like this.” He sipped from the bottle in his hand and looked around for the fourth time in as many minutes. “I guess I pictured something a little more, I dunno…serious? Definitely darker.”
Across the table, Kuroba Toichi smiled. “It used to be a lot less colorful here, but folks were getting all bent out of shape over having to wait for either their life or their afterlife in what was essentially a hospital waiting room. Many who came here had had quite enough of hospitals.”
There had been a tunnel, and a light. But Kaito had been nearly bowled over to come to the other end of that tunnel and into the light to find his father sitting there at a table, waiting for him in what appeared to be a high-class bar.
“So this is Limbo?” Kaito asked, sipping once again from the bottle. He could really think of worse ways to spend the time than sitting at a table with his father, enjoying a beer, of all things.
“Limbo is the most common name for it, yes,” Toichi said.
“Are there other areas?”
“There are. But I hope you’ll never have to see any of them,” Toichi’s expression turned grim. “Beyond here lies the Shadowland. The numbers of souls who have gone into the Shadowland and returned from it…well, I can count the ones I’m aware of on one hand.” He glanced down at his own bottle. “Past that is what most would call the Afterlife.”
“I don’t think I want to go to the Shadowland, Dad,” Kaito said honestly, then decided to change the subject. He didn’t want to think about what was in that place that would make that look appear on his father’s face. He held up his half-empty beer bottle. “So should I be drinking this? I’m underaged.”
That earned a laugh. “You choose now to be concerned with rules?”
“Call it a last-minute crisis of conscience,” Kaito shot back.
“Speaking of which, would you like to know how things are progressing in the Living World?” Toichi asked. One long finger trailed moisture in small patterns across the tabletop. “You’ve caused quite a stir, as I’m sure you can imagine.”
Kaito blinked, surprised. “You know what’s going on?”
“I took a look while you were getting a second drink,” Toichi admitted. “I’m sure you’re not surprised, but your little secret is out. Ginzo-san knows who you are, and he’s not terribly happy about it. Your mother has been filling him in on the details, though, and that’s calmed him down for the moment.”
“No surprise there,” Kaito murmured.
“He did, however, manage to get our old buddy Snake into custody. Our favorite gunman is currently cooling his heels in jail. The charges will stick,” Toichi said. The question of whether or not Snake would survive that long behind bars, whether from internal or external forces, was left hanging in the air between them, unvoiced and unanswered.
“That’s good, at least,” Kaito said, genuinely relieved.
“You took a total of four bullets in the torso. Two hit internal organs. The only reason you haven’t gone past Limbo yet is because there was already an ambulance at the scene as a standard precaution for the heist. So you received medical treatment almost immediately,” Toichi said, rattling off everything in a conversational tone that seemed at odds with the subject matter. “That little snap of the fingers you pulled off did do you a favor, though. As of right now, only a handful of people know the truth.”
That took Kaito by surprise. “What? I thought it’d be all over the news by now.”
“They have not yet made a public announcement. They’re waiting,” Toichi went on.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“There is one other thing that you should know, Kaito,” Toichi said.
“What’s that?”
“Aoko-chan.”
Kaito froze at her name, the bottle poised halfway to his lips. Then he all but slammed it back down to the table and blurted out in a hurry, “What about Aoko? Is she okay?”
“She was not hurt, if that’s what you mean,” Toichi said. “But she knows, Kaito. She knows the truth.”
“…how’s she taking it?”
“Well…” Toichi hesitated. “…she hasn’t left your side since they let her in the room.”
Kaito’s eyes widened. “What?”
“She’s keeping vigil over you. If you wake up, there might still be a chance for the two of you.”
There was a moment of silence between them before Kaito ventured another question. “Is she crying?”
“No. She isn’t.”
“…are you lying to me, Dad?”
Toichi didn’t answer.
PS. This is part of a longer fic. I'm using the themes as a means to get individual scenes out. Thanks!