Beta'd by solomonara. She's over on AO3 and you should definitely go check out her stuff as well :) Per the summary, she is the one who instigated this little two-shot as well.

kaishin/shinkai, graphic descriptions of pain, minor swearing, sickfic, get-together fic, fluff, I am meanest to my favorite characters

Lovesick – Part One

Shinichi was pouting and it was mainly because, at the moment, he wasn't Shinichi at all. He was Edogawa Conan, and he was sick of getting his hopes up and then having them crushed. This time yesterday, he'd honestly thought he'd be back to living on his own in his parents' house, going to high school again, solving cases and not having to pretend he wasn't damn good at it. But instead he was sitting on the couch in the office of the Mouri Detective Agency, drumming his fingers against the side of his face in irritation because Haibara's supposed new cure hadn't done a damn thing. He hadn't even changed back temporarily. It was a new level of low, and he clung to frustration so deep it approached anger because he didn't want to admit just how terrified he was. What if the cure didn't work at all because he was truly immune now?

He flinched away from the thought. What he needed right now was a distraction. Haibara hadn't given up. She'd found the results (or lack thereof) "interesting." He tried to take that in a good way. She was still working on it, so he just needed to be patient and do his best to not go crazy in the meantime.

Fortunately, at that moment, there was a knock at the office door. Kogoro glanced disinterestedly away from the TV on his desk, then sighed and got up to answer it.

"Yes, Mouri Kogoro, how can I help–?" He trailed off slightly as he took in the two people on the landing outside the door. It was an older couple, and they were obviously wealthy: high-class designer clothes, expensive shoes and jewelry on the both of them – the woman's purse alone would have paid the bills for a month. Kogoro straightened himself out immediately, adjusting his tie and standing a little taller, his tone shifting from disinterested to eager as he cleared his throat and backpedaled.

"Great detective Mouri Kogoro, at your service! Please come in; have a seat." As he stepped aside to welcome them, he reached over the back of the couch and snagged Conan by the shirt, hoisting him up and dumping him on the floor. "Get lost, runt," he muttered. "Go find Ran so she can make our guests some tea."

"Tch." Conan shot him a glare from the floor, but Kogoro was already walking away, his full attention on the clients.

Dragging his feet a little, Conan left the office and went upstairs. "Ran-neechan," he called, reaching up to turn the knob to the living area. The door to Ran's room was closed and he could hear her voice inside.

"No, Saturday night sounds perfect. Sure, I'll see you then!" When she opened the door, she was hanging up her cell phone, smiling. She paused a moment when she saw Conan, a faint blush rising to her cheeks. "Oh, Conan-kun, sorry, were you looking for me?"

"There's a customer," he said, then added, "Do you have a date?"

She brought the phone up to her chest, clasping it in both hands, the smile growing and the blush darkening just a little. "Mm hm," she said. "Oh, I'd better go make some tea!" She hurried out the door and down the stairs and Conan stuffed his hands into his pockets and followed after her. It was kind of nice to see her like that. Much nicer than seeing her cry over him time and again. It was what had helped him accept that what they were trying to have wasn't working. It hadn't helped him accept his situation, though. Not even a little.

Conan pushed open the office door quietly and slipped inside. Maybe this new case would be halfway interesting and he could occupy his mind with a good mystery for a while. Climbing up onto Kogoro's desk chair, he positioned himself to look like he was watching the muted TV and listened in on the client's story.

"I think it's all very distasteful," the woman was saying. "I just don't understand how the police have let it go on as long as they have."

"Children playing games, that's all it is," the man agreed. "But we've had quite enough. We'll not be toyed with."

"Of course," Kogoro said, nodding like he couldn't agree more. "You said you received a threatening letter? Did you bring it with you?"

"Yes, of course." The woman snapped open her purse and rummaged out what looked like an invitation. The envelope was thick parchment with gold filigree around the edges, and Conan noted with interest that it seemed to have been held closed with only a blood red wax seal that had been broken when the couple had opened the envelope. Kogoro pushed the flap up and pulled out a single notecard, also of parchment and decorated in gold, with elegant traditional kanji in neat lines down the length of it. He began to read.

"'It is my honor and pleasure to invite you to a magic show on the evening of November the 25th. I shall await your arrival and the completion of the night sky at the Constellation Tower. Kaitou KID.'"

Conan sat up abruptly. A heist notice. This was exactly what he needed. KID always provided a true challenge. A real match of wits.

A chance to be himself.

No longer bothering to feign disinterest, Conan hopped down from the chair, but he had hardly taken a step before a sudden and frighteningly familiar pulse shook him. He let out a strangled sound and dropped to the floor behind the desk, eyes painfully wide as his fingers dug into the front of his shirt. His lungs froze, he couldn't breathe – and then it was gone.

"Conan-kun?" Ran had just come into the room and had heard the odd sound. She set the tea tray on the table between the couches and hurried around to the other side of the desk. "Are you okay?"

Blinking, Conan suddenly realized he'd knocked his glasses loose when he fell, and snatched them up again quickly as he sat up. "I'm fine!" he said with exaggerated cheerfulness. "I just tripped."

"You should really be more careful," Ran scolded gently, her eyebrows drawn together in concern. "Are you sure you're all right? You look a little pale." She crouched down, reaching for Conan's forehead, but he scrambled to his feet quickly and backed away.

"I'm fine, Ran-neechan, really. I'll go play somewhere else so I'm not in the way." He took off at a run and was out the door before Ran could say anything more.

On the landing, he paused and stared down the stairs that lead to street level. Really, he should go to Agasa's house immediately and tell Haibara what had happened. His heart was still racing and his face felt too warm. Whether this was a side-effect or a delayed reaction to the cure he'd taken yesterday, she'd want to know about it, but… He glanced back at the office door. But if I tell her now, she'll keep me there for observation… I won't get to go to the heist…

Against better judgment, Conan moved closer to the office door and pressed his ear to the edge under the handle.

"–not go to the Constellation Tower tonight?" Kogoro was saying.

"Don't be ridiculous; I've been looking forward to this opera for months. I'll not have some miscreant ruin it for me. Or are you saying you can't handle one petty thief? If that's the case, we'll take our business elsewhere."

"No, no, you're absolutely right. Er, do you know what it is he plans to steal from you?"

There was a heavy silence and Conan reached up to crack the door open, peering inside to see the old couple leveling identical flat looks at Kogoro. "Er, that is, uh–"

It was too pathetic. This one wasn't even hard. Conan pushed the door open. "It's the completion of the night sky, right?" he said brightly, running back inside and up to the table between the couches.

"Didn't you leave?" Kogoro muttered, his expression sour.

"Look!" Conan reached up and snatched the notice from Kogoro's hand and laid it on the table. "This line here: 'I'll await your arrival and the completion of the night sky'. The lobby of the Constellation Tower has a star map on the ceiling. He probably feels something's missing from it that it needs to be 'complete', and that you'll bring that something with you. Hey, oba-san, would you happen to have any jewelry like that? Maybe something related to the moon?"

The woman's hand moved immediately to the large gem set into the center of her ornate necklace and Conan smirked.

"Oh! That's a moonstone, isn't it?" Ran asked from behind the couch where Kogoro was sitting. "It's beautiful."

"Thank you," the woman said. "I certainly think so."

"So that's KID's target?" Kogoro said. "The moon wouldn't be on a star map, but it would complete the night sky."

"Then, why not just leave it at home?" Ran asked.

"It's no good–" Conan started but he cut off when a sudden cough started up, and it took him a moment to force it back down so he could speak again. "Even if you don't bring it, he'll just send another notice and come for it at your house," he pointed out, ignoring the interruption though Ran's eyes were fixed on him again. "No one's ever stopped him by moving the target from the place that he picks."

"Hmph. I'd much prefer he be dealt with at the Constellation Tower anyway," the woman said. She dug into her purse again and pulled out a much more ordinary looking envelope and slid it across the table to Kogoro. "Your fee. I'll happily pay more if you actually manage to catch him."

Like that'll ever happen, Conan thought. He tensed a little, feeling another bout of coughing coming on, and hurried from the office again, Ran's eyes on his back as he went. He managed to make it to the room he shared with Kogoro and close the door before it became too difficult to suppress and he doubled over, coughing into his elbow to muffle the sound.

When it finally subsided, he dropped onto his futon to catch his breath. Maybe I overreacted before, he thought. Maybe I was imagining things. I probably just caught a cold. If I just rest for a while I'm sure I'll be fine by tonight. He sank down and drew the blanket up over his shoulders. The pillow felt cool against his flushed face and he let his eyes close, trying to ignore how he could feel his pulse moving through his whole body.

I'll just sleep for now… until tonight…

.

When Conan woke – just barely in time to make sure Kogoro took him with to the Constellation Tower that night – he felt one hundred percent worse. His head felt too full, like it had been stuffed with tissue paper, and his whole body ached. Fortunately, Ran was in her room studying, and Kogoro didn't care enough to notice how feverish Conan really was, so he made it to the Tower and slipped away from Kogoro without much trouble at all.

KID hadn't made his job that night difficult, either. The moment the old couple had walked into the building, he appeared out of nowhere in the center of the lobby and swept them a deep bow, then produced a white rose from thin air and offered it to the woman. She did not look pleased, and instead of accepting it she pointed a finger in his face and snapped at Kogoro, "Well, what are you waiting for? Get this thief out of my sight."

Conan had raised his watch by that point, glaring at KID through the scope, but he was having trouble focusing. It was like his fever had suddenly jumped up by several degrees. By the time he managed to steady himself enough to shoot, KID had vanished, reappearing behind the woman for a moment and removing her necklace in one quick, clean movement.

"That's phantom thief, milady," he chided, and then he was gone again and Kogoro and the security officers of the Tower were left tripping over each other, trying to determine where he went.

Conan ignored them all and ran for the elevator, slipping in among the little group of well-dressed opera-goers just before the doors closed. It started upward but when it stopped and everyone got off, he realized that this particular elevator did not go to the top floor. Swearing under his breath and too impatient to take the moment his fevered brain needed to think clearly, he ran for the stairs and started up them. Thirteen flights and a throbbing headache later, he reached the roof access door and fell against it, gasping for breath. His vision was swimming in and out of focus and his heart was beating so hard it hurt, but he reached up for the handle.

Can't stop now. He's out there, I know it.

He barely had the strength left to shove open the heavy door and he actually staggered slightly when it gave and opened onto the roof, but he regained his feet quickly through a force of will and managed to stand straight and face KID as the door slammed shut behind him.

KID's attention was on the necklace when Conan came stumbling through the door. He was holding it up to the moonlight as he always did, but the large oval moonstone was not the gem he was looking for. The necklace vanished and KID brought his focus back down to Conan. "What took you so long, Tantei-kun~?" he teased.

That was the moment the second pulse struck. Conan gasped, staggering forward slightly as he doubled over, clutching at his chest. He was suddenly shivering, but he couldn't even feel the cold night wind on top of the Tower. It was like he'd swallowed magma, and it was spreading through him, melting him from the inside out.

He only barely registered KID's voice from across the roof.

"Tantei-kun?"

Footsteps, Shinichi's brain told him, but his thoughts felt broken and faded. KID is coming over here. I can't move. This isn't a cold. I need to hide. To get away. I… I need…

"…help," Conan gasped out, not even aware he'd said it, and KID was there in an instant.

Nerves overloaded with pain and heat, Shinichi could not determine the moment he'd fallen or when KID had caught him, or even when his eyes had slipped closed, but when he opened them again KID was bent over him and he could see for once under the shadow of his hat and the glare of his monocle. He looked worried.

Another throb of pain had Conan crying out and his eyes squeezed shut again as he unconsciously curled closer against KID's chest, fighting to take in air his body just didn't seem to want.

KID had seen enough. He didn't know what was going on, but it was clear that there was something seriously wrong. "I'm taking you to a hospital," he said firmly, though he wasn't sure if he'd even be heard. He stood with Conan in his arms and activated the glider, but a weak tug on his tie made him pause. Conan had managed to crack one eye open, and he was staring up at KID as he struggled to catch his breath and gather strength enough to speak. KID waited, never looking away.

"Not… the hospital," Conan eventually said, his voice almost too broken and faint to be heard.

"Tantei-kun–" KID started, clearly intending to tell him off, but he gave up entirely a moment later.

"Please… Please… can't be seen… need to… hide–" He started coughing again and his whole body shuddered with it until he just couldn't take anymore and he blacked out in KID's arms.

"H-Hey… Tantei-kun…" KID stood frozen on the roof for a few seconds, staring down at Conan. Even through both their clothes, he could feel the heat radiating out of him. 'Can't be seen,' he said… And this… This is too much for any normal sickness. He… Is he… changing back?

Even as he finished the thought, KID was running for the edge of the roof, and he threw himself off it, into the wind. He needed to get the detective somewhere safe – fast.

.

Shinichi had no idea where he was. He didn't know how much time had passed. He didn't know if he was safe. He didn't know if he was alone. All he knew were the needle-fine incisions on every fleck of his skin, and the sickening feeling of his bones set on fire. He was being pulled in every direction at once and he was absolutely sure he'd just come apart. Any minute now. Any second. It would be too much and he'd be a mess of blood and bone and no one would ever solve his murder because he'd been killed three years ago in a theme park and one day ago at the professor's house and any second now in this place he did not know.

He suddenly realized he'd been clenching his teeth, trying to keep from screaming, and he just as suddenly decided to hell with that. He was being ripped apart, and that definitely justified a scream or two–

"Tantei-kun!"

A voice suddenly cut through the static in his head and he choked on the tortured sound tearing out through his throat. It turned into a groan instead and he was suddenly aware of something other than pain. A voice. Damp sheets clenched in his fists. A name he knew.

"Can you hear me?"

He went back to clenching his teeth after all and nodded. He didn't want to open his eyes.

"Can I help? Is there anything I can do?"

The voice didn't sound quite right. It should never sound that scared. He didn't want him to be scared. And he didn't want to die. Not anymore. Because it wasn't just pain anymore.

KID was there.

A fresh pulse froze him for a moment, his whole body going rigidly still before it released him, and he couldn't help the cry that escaped him when it did.

"Tantei-kun!"

Shinichi forced open his eyes with a harsh gasp. His vision dragged in and out of focus nauseatingly, but he recognized KID sitting beside him, even without the hat. "K-KID…" The name pulled itself free without his permission, but he didn't think he minded. Because KID looked relieved.

"Hey," he said. "Are you… Well I mean obviously you're not all right, but I mean… is this… normal?"

Shinichi managed to prop himself up just slightly to look down at his body. He was naked and sweating, but there was a sheet twisted (mercifully) around his waist and legs. Still, he might have blushed if he hadn't been distracted by the fact that his body seemed to be that of a scrawny adolescent kid – maybe twelve years old. "Wh-What…?" he breathed out, falling back onto the pillow behind him.

"You started growing, but I don't think you're… done yet," KID said awkwardly, clenching his hands together.

Shinichi didn't have a response for that. He was coughing again and he rolled onto his side, turning away from KID while he tried to get it back under control. He curled in a little, his whole body so tense that he jerked slightly, startled, when something ice cold and wet touched his face.

"Lie back, Tantei-kun," KID murmured. "Try to relax, okay?"

Shinichi turned onto his back again to look over at KID, slightly alarmed. Am… Am I actually hallucinating now? I'm worse off than I thought. I guess it makes sense; I must have a pretty high fever…

KID was pressing a wet cloth to his forehead. His gloves were lying next to a bowl of water on a chair beside the one he was sitting on. "You woke up when I went to get this," he said softly, following Shinichi's eyes. "You… were screaming. Is it better now, or are you just more in control of yourself?"

Shinichi stared at KID, not sure how to answer, but KID was staring back, meeting his eyes, unblinking. After a few moments, he just nodded – a subtle tilt of his head. "If there's anything I can do… I'm… I'm a little worried about what will happen if this drags on too long, Tantei-kun." He reached out slowly to touch the cloth on Shinichi's head. It was already hot. He removed it and dropped it into the bowl, replacing it with another without bothering to wring it out. The cold water ran over Shinichi's face and into his hair and it was relief, if only for a moment. "Is there… Is there any way to make it go faster?" he asked.

Honestly, he wasn't sure if that would be the right choice if it were even possible – would it just make his temperature shoot up even higher? – but he didn't think Shinichi could bear his current fever much longer without permanent damage.

It didn't matter though. Shinichi was shaking his head. "I… don't know."

KID's hands closed tighter around each other. He could see the rigid set of Shinichi's jaw, the muscles straining in Shinichi's neck. His hands, still too small, were shaking as he clutched fistfuls of sheets. "Maybe I should go–" he started to say, and he saw the moment new pain struck, the small body convulsing with it, coming up a little off of the bed. The cry it dragged out of him blended into a gasp, even as he reached out for KID. KID caught his hand immediately, almost as a reflex, and held it tight.

"Don't," Shinichi managed, and it was the last coherent thought he was able to voice because KID was meeting his eyes, and holding on tight, and sounded so perfectly earnest when he answered, "Okay. It's okay. I won't leave you."

A wave of fire crashed into Shinichi and he blacked out, screaming.

.

By the time the transformation had finally run its course it was the middle of the afternoon and Kaito's nerves were shot. As promised, he'd stayed at Shinichi's side, and had traded out warm cloths for cool ones until the residual fever finally faded to something approaching normal, but still Shinichi didn't wake. Kaito reached out wearily to draw his fingers through Shinichi's damp hair, pulling it away from his eyes. He seemed to be resting easier at least.

"You're gonna be fine," he murmured. "Right, Tantei-kun?"

He could feel his eyes dropping closed now and then and tried to fight against it, but it was quiet and warm in the little room and he'd been awake almost thirty-six hours now and closing his eyes for a minute might not be so bad…

.

When Shinichi's eyes eased opened that evening, the first thing he was conscious of was the absence of pain. He sat up quicker than he should have, but the only result was a brief head rush that cleared quickly. As he looked down at himself, he noted that there was still a deep soreness all through his body, but it was his body. And he was still naked. He cringed a little and went to pull the sheet that had slid into his lap more fully around his waist, but his left hand seemed to be caught. KID was still in the chair next to him, but he was folded over the side of the bed in what could not have been a very comfortable position, asleep with his hand wrapped loosely around Shinichi's.

Wait… No, not asleep.

"KID," Shinichi said, and he discovered that his voice was completely raw. KID stirred just slightly. "I know you're faking," he croaked weakly.

KID sat up then, his hand slipping away from Shinichi's. "You must be feeling better," he said with a sleepy sort of smirk. He yawned and rubbed at his left eye, and Shinichi wondered for a moment how he'd managed to fall asleep with the monocle still on and not lose it. "I really was asleep up until a few minutes ago," he continued. "But I thought you could use a minute to get yourself together."

"…I appreciate that," Shinichi said, a little surprised. He glanced around the room for the first time, and too many questions forced themselves forward – Where are we? What time is it? What day? Why are you taking care of me? Who are you?

KID spoke first. "You're safe, Tantei-kun. I promise. Don't worry about the rest; you need to recover for now. …You've been through hell."

Shinichi let out a bitter little laugh. "Right," he said, and the word had a sarcastic edge, but at the same time, he knew KID had a point. True, there were things he needed to consider seriously – Conan had disappeared from the Constellation Tower. Ran would be worried. And he needed to see Haibara and find out what had happened – but he wasn't sure yet if he could even stand up, let alone make his way back to take care of those things. He laid back down again with a resigned sigh, but his eyes flicked immediately up to KID when he stood.

"There are a few things I need to take care of," he said, pulling on his gloves. He reached over and lifted his hat from the desk behind him and set it lightly atop his head, casually completing the full image of Kaitou KID and hitting Shinichi with the abrupt realization of exactly the situation he was in. KID didn't seem to notice. He looked tired, Shinichi noted. Just around his eyes. It couldn't be seen in his posture at all. "There are clothes here for you, and a shower down the hall when you're feeling up to it. I won't be gone long."

Shinichi scrambled to find words – what could he say to the guy he'd been chasing for years after he'd done so much for him? – but again KID stopped him.

"Relax," he said, and his voice was smooth and soft. "You're safe. Just get some rest – and don't leave. I'll be back."

Shinichi felt himself nod and KID disappeared.

.

Shinichi dragged one of the chairs by the bed up next to the desk and dropped into it. His muscles were aching angrily just from the few minutes he'd spent standing in the shower and he could barely hold himself up, so he wedged himself into the corner he'd made from the chair back and the desk and reached wearily for the cell phone that had been left there on top of Conan's clothes. There were a dozen missed calls and messages on it – the first few from Kogoro and all the rest from Ran. He sighed, his eyes slipping closed.

"She's worried," KID said, and Shinichi started slightly, his eyes flying open again to seek him out. KID was standing in the doorway but he was wearing black street clothes with a baseball cap shadowing his eyes. Shinichi glanced down at the phone again.

"Yeah…" He tilted his head back against the wall behind him. "What the hell am I gonna tell her?"

"You didn't have a plan for this?"

"Not for disappearing at your heist, no," Shinichi said. "She probably thinks I've been kidnapped. Heh, I guess in a way I have been." He smirked up at KID and KID grinned back.

"Don't think I'll take the fall for you on that one, Tantei-kun. I have a reputation to uphold."

"Yeah, yeah."

KID moved into the room and pulled the other chair up across from Shinichi, sitting the wrong way around in it and folding his arms over the back. "So…" he started, just a little hesitant. "Am I gonna get the whole story here?"

"Am I?" Shinichi returned without thinking.

It gave KID some pause. "…Do you want it?"

Shinichi didn't answer. He did want KID's story, but it felt wrong to ask for it, especially now, after all he'd put KID through.

"Another time," KID decided for him, reading him the whole while. "We'll leave it at that.

"How are you feeling? Think you'd be up for a cab ride?"

.

If Kaito had realized just how exhausted the detective was, he might have insisted they wait a little longer before attempting to get him back home. Shinichi was leaning heavily into KID's offered support as they stood on the curb to wait for the cab, and there was a bag slung over Kaito's shoulder with Conan's things in it. The silence between them was starting to drag on and, unable to take it anymore, Shinichi suddenly said, "You know, this goes way beyond your gentleman's code or whatever. Why are you still helping me?"

Kaito just shrugged. "You're not in any position to turn down a favor at this point, Tantei-kun. You can barely stand, and it seems to me you weren't really expecting to change back. What if you start to revert again?" He felt Shinichi flinch just slightly, and he glanced at him before turning his gaze back to the road. "You're gonna need someone to bail you out."

It wasn't an answer at all, but Shinichi didn't press him again. It was obvious the thief had no intention of revealing his reasons.

The cab pulled up and Kaito helped Shinichi into the back seat before sliding in next to him, giving the driver Agasa's address without any prompting. Shinichi was a little surprised, given that he'd never told KID anything of the sort, but after a moment of thought it wasn't all that surprising and he realized he wasn't worried about it as he settled in for the drive.

.

Agasa had not been expecting this when he opened his front door. Shinichi was there – taller than him suddenly, but barely looking it, as he was somewhat slumped against another young man whose face was hidden by a black cap. Shinichi gave him a little smile. "Hey, Professor," he said.

"Sh-Shinichi?" Agasa stammered.

Haibara was suddenly there, looking around the professor's legs at the two young men on the doorstep. Her eyes stuck for a few moments on the one in black before she turned and headed back into the house, saying dispassionately, "Get him in here; he looks like death."

KID cast an uncertain glance at Shinichi for confirmation and Shinichi nodded, so they headed inside, Agasa closing the door behind them. Shinichi noted that KID seemed to have no problems navigating to the sitting room without instruction as Agasa trailed behind them. He eased Shinichi down onto one of the couches before stepping away, choosing to stand nearby, and he dropped the bag with Conan's things onto the end of the couch as well. Tucking his hands into the pockets of his black jeans, he let his posture slacken casually, but Shinichi could tell he was on edge. He'd seen KID relaxed, and this wasn't it. This was watchfulness.

"Shinichi, are you okay?" Agasa asked. "What happened? How did you–?"

"It was the cure he took two days ago." Haibara came into the sitting room with an empty syringe and pulled herself up to sit on the armrest of the couch next to Shinichi. Without preamble, she grabbed his arm and poked the needle into it, slowly drawing out a measure of blood.

"Ow! Hey, Haibara!" Shinichi complained, but she ignored him. Once the syringe was full, she hopped down from the couch.

"I need to run some tests," she said, and she headed back toward the lab again. "Thanks for picking up our little stray, KID," she called back as she went.

"KID?" Agasa blurted, turning immediately to the young man in black.

KID shifted a little, just a bare movement, but Shinichi recognized it as discomfort. "I should probably go," he muttered. His eyes moved to Shinichi. "Are you in good hands here, Tantei-kun?"

"Yeah, of course," Shinichi answered, meeting his eyes with a little confusion.

KID just nodded. "Next time, then." And he was gone.

.

Haibara did not allow Shinichi to leave Agasa's house for an entire day while she ran tests on him, but the results all looked good.

"It's permanent," she finally reported. "You won't go changing back unless you do something stupid like get yourself drugged again."

It seemed a little too good to be true, but even so, Shinichi couldn't stop smiling. "So, the delayed reaction… that was just part of this cure working differently from your previous ones?" he asked. Haibara regarded him silently, just staring until Shinichi started to feel uncomfortable. "Right…? Haibara…? There's not something else wrong… Is there?"

"No," she finally said, her voice light. "When you first took the pill, it didn't do anything, but it remained in your system, dormant until a certain chemical reaction activated it."

"Chemical reaction?" Shinichi repeated.

"A combination of neurotransmitters and hormones," Haibara said. "Serotonin, adrenaline, dopamine, testosterone…"

Shinichi blinked. Why… does that sound like… No, it couldn't be…

"You turned back at a KID heist, right?" she asked casually, throwing a knowing look over her shoulder at him. His face was rapidly turning pink. "Congratulations," she said, sounding bored as she turned back to her work. "You're in love."