#kudo shinichikuroba kaito
Written Sept 2019<<Previous Part
Read on AO3
When Luck summoned the two of them to the meeting chambers, Kaito was surprised. Aoko knew that the upcoming ceremony was stressful for everyone involved, so why she would summon the most important people in it–this close to it–escaped him.
When Kaito arrived, the other apprentice was already present. He was silently sitting in a chair near Aoko’s. Kaito bowed slightly since it had been a formal summons before taking his seat.
The future Death spoke before too long had lasted, “Lady Luck, to what do we owe the pleasure of being summoned here today?”
Kaito had to take a moment to register that the other’s voice was what he had heard. It was absolutely beautiful. Kaito turned his attention to Aoko as she started her response.
“I simply wanted to get a feel for how you two were handling the preparations for the ceremony. Most before you haven’t handled the transition well.”
Kaito shot a quick glance at the other man. He seemed to be almost frustrated at her response. “I don’t see the necessity to pull us out of our preparations just to ask how everything is going. If you don’t mind I’ll be taking my leave now. I have much to accomplish and very little time to do it.”
As the future Death approached the door, Aoko said one last thing directed to him, “Just– Please keep in mind that you are never alone in your position. The rest of us are here to help.”
With a nod, he left the room.
Kaito watched as Aoko noticeably relaxed after he obviously wasn’t coming back. “Aoko, was that all you were going to say?”
“No, no it wasn’t but it will have to do for now. He is a stubborn one, you’ll have your hands full, Kaito.”
-<3-
Shinichi had to hold himself back from acting aggressively when he felt the transfer of power and confirmed it with Fate before she sent Life and Death to their next phase. His understanding was that there would be time for a quick rundown on control before they were separated from their mentors until their time on earth was over. He could already feel the slight pangs of no control and he was suddenly glad that any current realm holder couldn’t die.
But, he could now put a name to the other man that had been training on the opposite side for as long as he had. Kaito. His only true equal for as long as they held the titles. This should be interesting.
-<3-
The first time Kaito had to use his powers to negate Shinichi’s he honestly wasn’t expecting it. They had had an earlier conversation discussing what to do with a species that had invaded another’s space and was causing massive death on both sides. Together, they had come to the conclusion that eliminating the invading species was the proper way to solve the problem.
So, when he felt the spike of the other’s power he wasn’t surprised. He was surprised, however, when there seemed to be something fighting that spike, and then the spike was more like a tidal wave.
Kaito was quick to infer the answer: Chaos had decided to intervene. Chaos was a being that he had only met once before. When around him, Kaito had ended up confused enough that his mentor had separated them, leaving Kaito with a headache to nurse for a few days. After he had recovered, he was informed that Chaos was best left alone, as he was the only one that could influence another’s power to the point of no control.
Kaito’s best guess was that Chaos had created the mess they were trying to fix in the first place. So, the new Life rushed to his equal and opposite’s realm to help.
What he found was Shinichi crumpled on the floor, conscious, but obviously in pain, and, not 3 feet away, with rage flashing in his eyes, Chaos.
Kaito first addressed getting rid of the extra factor. Since he could influence the use of another’s power he could prevent his from helping Shinichi. “Leave, Chaos! Before you cause more harm.” The other being only smirked at him before vanishing. Next, Kaito had to focus on Shinichi. He slowly reached out with some of his own power and began soothing Shinichi’s with his own. Kaito watched the other relax and quickly moved closer, “Shinichi, are you alright?”
The other was slow to respond, but when he did it was with a smile. “I am now.”
-<3-
Gaining their own apprentices was an interesting process. Every little detail had to be approved by Fate and Luck both. The two had to be compatible, usually meaning they had to come from the same species and time period. Shinichi and Kaito usually were sitting together at a conference table in Fate’s realm when they had no other duties to attend to.
After the first month of searching, because the candidates they kept choosing were so different, Fate had made it so compatible possibilities would be connected to each other by a list toward the end of their profile.
By the time that Shinichi and Kaito had decided on a matching pair, they were already running behind in the other preparation necessary for their introduction.
-<3-
Introducing a new apprentice to the other-world was a much harder experience than either Kaito or Shinichi remembered their introduction being. But, it very well could have just seemed that way due to being on the opposite side of the preparations. For months ahead of time, they sat down with many of the other beings trying to arrange a schedule to introduce the apprentices to those that would truly be available for them to consult with on decisions that have to be made.
The actual bringing the apprentices to them was easy. Fate cast her spell, and suddenly they were there. Explaining what they were being dragged into? Much, much harder.
“So you’re like, making us immortal?”
“Kind of. Not entirely though. There are restrictions and policies that you will have to follow.”
“What exactly are we supposed to do though? Like do we need to-”
Shinichi cut off this question before it was finished. “You help maintain the balance. It’s not hard. You make sure creatures that die are replaced by living ones and vice versa. And then in a century, you get to teach your own apprentice how to do everything properly to take over for you. And the next few months should give you an idea on how to do that.”
-<3-
Before the ceremony, Aoko planned one last meeting between herself and the leaving Life and Death pair. She had had her first meeting with the apprentices early this morning, and wanted to consult with Kaito and Shinichi before they were to leave for Earth.
When they walked in, with the customary greetings and normal glances toward each other throughout their meeting, Aoko knew that it was time to let these two go be humans and left them with a few final words of wisdom before the next day’s ceremony–Fate never lets her Life and Death pairs get away with not meeting.
-<3-
Shinichi breathed in deeply as he lead his apprentice to the meeting point. The group of four had met many times before, if only in a way to show that Life and Death could have more together than just isolation. However, the catch to this was that they had to be very careful with names during these meetings because the apprentices were not allowed names until the passing ceremony, and Life could not know Death’s apprentice’s name until the same point and vice versa.
As they approached each other, Shinichi reached out his hand to take Kaito’s. They exchanged smiles before turning to their apprentices.
“After today, you will no longer have us to depend on. Your choices will be your own. If you really need it the others will help you, but you also need to help one another if it comes down to it. You don’t have to become as close as we are, but you do need to at least form a bond of tolerance otherwise the next 100 years or so will not be fun.”
Kaito snickered at Shinichi’s statement, “Trust us. When we were in your spot, we properly met each other once before the ceremony, not that you would think that would be the case.”
The two stared at them for a moment before turning to one another and shaking hands. Satisfied, Shinichi and Kaito turned around and led their apprentices into Fate’s ceremonial chamber hand-in-hand.
-<3-
“Do you, Shinichi Kudou, agree that your apprentice is prepared to take over the symbolic role of Death for at least the next century?”
“I do.”
“Have you, as their mentor, taught them everything you believe they will need to know to take care of this role for the time in which they will fill it.
“I have.”
“Do you, Kaito Kuroba, agree that your apprentice is prepared to take over the symbolic role of Life for at least the next century?”
“I do.”
“Have you, as their mentor, taught them everything you believe they will need to know to take care of this role for the time in which they will fill it.
“I have.”
Fate had Shinichi and Kaito step to the side and had the apprentices step forward and take their places kneeling in the same spot the two had just left.
“Do you promise to take care of your role and perform it to the best of your ability?”
Both apprentices nodded in agreement.
“Do you accept that one day you will be on the opposite side of this ceremony and will have to train an apprentice of your own to take on the role when it is decided it is time to move the titles on?”
The two apprentices once again nodded.
Once fate had recognized their responses, she turned to Shinichi and Kaito. “Are you ready?” At their nod and fleeting glance at one another, she waved her hand, a dazed look came over their faces and the apprentices felt the power transfer. She turned to them, “Did it transfer properly?” They nodded, she snapped her fingers, and Kaito and Shinichi faded from view.
-<3-
“C’mon, Shinichi! You promised you would go to Tropical Land with me! My friend Aoko bought the tickets already! You can’t just let that go to waste!”
Shinchi sighed and put down his copy of A Study in Scarlet. “Ran, I don’t have time to go to Tropical Land this afternoon. I have to go into the office to put the final touches on a police report.”
“Then why haven’t you done it yet? I bet you’ve been reading Holmes all morning. Besides, you never leave a case only needing ‘final touches,’ you always go ahead and finish it.”
Shinichi inwardly grimaced at being caught in the lie. Sometimes he forgot just how freakishly well Ran could read him. “Fine, I’ll go, but–” he was cut off by Ran cheering and attempting to pull him out of his chair, “–but, I’m not doing any of the weird souvenir photo stuff.”
Ran pouted slightly before accepting the compromise and dragging him out the door.
When they finally arrived at the entrance to Tropical Land, it became obvious that Ran was looking for somebody specific before even considering joining the steadily growing queue.
“Ran! Over here!”
Shinichi brought his attention to the call for his friend only to see a girl that he found to be strikingly similar in appearance to Ran and a boy that looked way too familiar for it to be the first time that they had ever met. Had they seen each other before and Shinichi was just having trouble putting the name to the face? No, that couldn’t be it. He always remembered names. Perhaps they frequented the same park and had seen one another in passing? That was more likely.
Shinichi watched the same slightly confused look that was surely on his face form on the other boy’s as Ran dragged him closer to the other pair. Good, so at least he wasn’t the only one that felt some sort of recognition when looking at the other.
When the two pairs stood across from one another, the Ran-look-alike spoke up, “I’m Aoko Nakamori. You must be Shinichi Kudou. Ran has told me a lot about you.” She took a moment to smile at him, which gave Shinichi the chance to see further recognition flash in the other boy’s eyes, before continuing, “And this is my friend–”
“–Kaito Kuroba. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” the boy-Kaito-said as he extended his hand. When Shinichi took it, it was like the world stopped.
Years worth of memories seemed to hit him at once. He could remember doing things that he definitely had not done in this lifetime, but felt right. Him escorting Ran into death’s realm, the first time Shinichi had met Life’s apprentice in that cafe, the awkward meetings that they were sent to toward the end of their mentor’s time, and the many, many escapades they had gotten up to in the ensuing years. Everything that they had done together throughout the last century hit his mind at once, leaving both of their faces warm at some of the more embarrassing moments.
Shinichi thought back to everything that Aoko said shortly before their resignation ceremony. Fate really does tie its Life and Death pairs together forever.
END
Summary:Prompt fill: We’re at an ugly Christmas sweater party and that thing is horrendous where did you even find that au, and “I tried so hard to meet you under the mistletoe that I knocked over the Christmas tree and now everyone at the party is staring at me” AU
Written Dec 2017
Read on AO3
How in the name of Jolly old St. Nick did this happen . Kaito stared dumbfounded at the detective across the room.He knew that there would be police officers at this party, Aoko had invited him to her father’s annual police Christmas Party for as long as he could remember, but seeing the high school detective was something else entirely. He had only returned recently, wrapping up a case that had kept him away for almost a year, or that would be what Kaito thought if he didn’t, a), help Kudo Shinichi take down that organization, and ,b), know that he was actually six at the time. In all of Kaito’s shock, he didn’t realize he had been staring, and Kudo had just whipped his head around back, sensing that someone was watching him. Kaito quickly turned back to Aoko, who was currently perusing the buffet table.
“Aoko!” Kaito said, maybe a bit too enthusiastically, “do they have those chocolate chip cookies like they did last year?” Aoko, who jumped a little when Kaito spoke, turned to give him an inquisitive look.
“Yeah, they do, but why do you…” Aoko trailed off, her gaze moving from Kaito’s face to something over his shoulder. “Oh sweet Christmas, he wins!”
“What?” Kaito snapped his fingers to regain Aoko’s attention. “What on Earth are you talking about?” Aoko looked at him, in a ‘are you serious right now?’ kind of way. “I’m talking about that guy’s sweater, there is an ugly sweater contest, remember?”
“Duh I remember, why do you think I’m wearing this, for fun?” Kaito gestured to his own torso, that was covered by a sweater of his own design. He had hot glued an entire advent calendar to the front and drew a stick figure Christmas scene on the back, and he had sewn the most obnoxiously colored lights he could find across the whole thing, and of course they lit up. He did all this work, and now Aoko was saying he won’t even win? He won every year, it wasn’t possible. “So, point this guy out for me, who could possibly have an uglier sweater than me?” Kaito said, turning back around to face the expanse of the room.
“There,” Aoko replied smugly, “the guy that kinda looks like you.” Kaito scanned the room until he saw who she was pointing at, Kudo Shinichi, “Great,” Kaito thought and, wait, “ Oh eggnog, what isthat?!”
Distracted by the detective’s presence, Kaito neglected to notice the absolutely horrendous roadkill that made Kudo Shinichi’s sweater. The thing had a stuffed reindeer piercing through the detective’s torso, surrounded by an actual wreath decorated with candy canes and gingerbread men , and just to add insult to injury, Kudo also had lights sewn into the sweater, similar colors to, but his were shaped like snowflakes.
“Aoko,” Kaito deadpanned, “I can’t believe that thing exists.”
“Me either, Kaito, it looks like you’re going to have to give up your throne.” Kaito turned away from the amazing sight to eat some pity cookies, it just wasn’t fair, Kudo was already stupid pretty, crazy intelligent, and now it turns out he is also a master at tacky sweaters? It was like the man wanted Kaito to fall in with him. Aoko gave him a sympathetic pat as he nibbled on a cookie. “There is always next year Kaito.”
After moping around the party for another hour, trying to make sure Kudo didn’t spot him, the judges decided that, yes Kudo’s sweater was a monstrosity that should not exist in this world, Nakamori found Kaito in order to give him his condolences for losing the crown. “Attention ladies and gentlemen!” One of the organizers stood on a chair, cupping her hands around her mouth in a faux megaphone, “It’s getting close to midnight, and you all know what that means! Mistletoe Mines!” There was a mix of groans and cheers throughout the partygoers, Kaito, well, he would have been one of the Scrooges of the bunch if it hadn’t been for the detective in the room.
The police holiday party had a very… interesting tradition, from eleven to midnight, mistletoe was hung everywhere . Standing at the dessert table, mistletoe. Asking the DJ for a certain song, mistletoe. Just standing in the middle of the room, slightly off center, you better believe there is mistletoe. Of course, they didn’t expect people to go in for a full-blown kiss, something chaste on the cheek was enough, but you had to kiss whoever was under the mistletoe with you, otherwise you had to face a punishment, and the police force knew some punishment games. It was a relatively well liked tradition overall, and if someone was seriously against smooching, they always got a pass. The women of the TMPD were always thankful for Kaito’s attendance. If he saw some lady get stuck under the mistletoe, looking very uncomfortable, or warily watching a coworker start to make their way over, he would rush in and present the lady with an overly dramatic declaration of love, then kiss the back of the lady’s hand. Kaito was the only one allowed to get away with it.
He continued the tradition this year as well. It had only been ten minutes since the mistletoe had been hung up, and he had already rushed to the aid of three women, they were all incredibly used to Kaito’s help at these parties, so they greeted his declaration and kiss with an equally dramatic rejection, and Kaito, wearing a Santa hat and ridiculously ugly sweater, would feign sorrow and walk away dejectedly. All three events were met with applause and a little bow from both parties.
Kaito’s mood was starting to brighten, then he saw Kudo standing under the mistletoe by the insanely large Christmas tree. He. Had. To. Get. Over. There. Aoko turned to say something to him, but only found a dust cloud, he was already sprinting across the room to be the first to Kudo, who looked quite flustered when one of his companions, Ran if Kaito remembered correctly, informed him that, yes, he was under the mistletoe and, no she would give him an out. Bless her.
In all of Kaito’s distraction, a state which has seemed to happen more tonight than any other preceding it, he forgot about the ten foot tall Christmas tree. Which he managed to smack straight into. And watched in horror as it began to fall. There were gasps, some small yells, and then, the tree was suspended, mere inches from colliding with the floor, ornaments precariously swinging back and forth on their branches. And Kaito, put on his best poker face and gave the best “ Tada! It’s magic! ” pose. Everyone was silent for a solid minute before they burst into applause as the tree slowly righted itself.
Kudo though, Kudo still looked at him in absolute terror, which, to be fair, he was in the line of tree. ‘ Oh Kris Kringle I almost crushed Kudo’ Kaito thought, in horror. He hoped to God he wasn’t blushing as furiously as he thought he was. Slowly, apologetically, Kaito walked toward Kudo.
“Aren’t you glad you weren’t just crushed by a Christmas tree, I think I deserve a reward.” ‘ STUPID, STUPID, KAITO WHAT? REALLY? YOU JUST ASKED HIM THAT? ARE YOU AN IDIOT?’
“ I suppose,” Kudo looked at Kaito thoughtfully for a moment before leaning in and kissing him on the cheek “Merry Christmas you stupid thief.”
Well, Kaito knew he had to be blushing now.
