Title: Indication

Chapter Six: Showtime

Started: 4/12/2009 8:10:27 PM

Picked Up Again: 4/28/10 11:15:34 PM (Jeez, that's more than a year apart!)

Story Quote: This small fact did not go without despondent notice from Conan. It made his heart throb painfully to know that Kaito could make his heart race at the simplest of touches, yet he could not.

A/N: What is this? An-an update? No way! :) Yes, in fact, that is exactly what this is. All credit goes to Nataeiy1, my wonderful beta, and Shinigami-huntress, my brilliant muse. Without them this update would not be here. Give them a round of applause, you guys!

"I don't care," stated Conan obstinately. He glared at the ground of the gray-pebbled streets of downtown Beika. Somewhere from above him, he heard Kaito give an irritated huff. For some time this morning they'd been in the silliest of arguments, and to say the truth, it was seriously starting to aggravate Conan to no end.

The argument topic: Why was he so serious?

Conan heaved another annoyed groan as he leaned his back against the cold siding of an office building. It was about noon by now, yet there was absolutely no other way of telling beside looking at a watch. The clouds were a lifeless gray as they hovered overhead and the wind was bitter as it swept past. He wrapped his arms around himself as he ducked his head. "I can't believe that you dragged us out here in this horrible weather," he complained. Under different circumstances, he definitely would have taken a more… well, pleasant, tone. Being in this freezing climate just didn't put him in a "warm" type of disposition.

Kaito was silent for a moment; during which time Conan chanced a look in his general direction. Of course, he was atop the rickety old fence that no human should be able to keep balance upon. And he was standing as if he was on solid ground with his arms folded and a pout set into his features.

"You know," he finally spoke. "Sometimes I really want to hit you." He looked down at Conan with that childish look on his face. Conan merely looked back at him dumbly.

"Huh?" he asked slowly. Honestly, he had no idea where that came from, but before he could stare like a fish for too long, he quickly ducked his head to glare more fiercely at his shoes. This conversation was so stupid! He was just being immature! He growled, stuffing his hands deep within the depths of his pockets. He just wanted to get home; away from the storm that was brewing on the outskirts of the dreary gray clouds. "I don't even see why you made us come out here."

Kaito let out a low growl, and Conan looked up in surprise to see Kaito glaring at him. "Conan!" he yelled as he scooped the not-boy up into a headlock and grinded his fist on Conan's head. "What's wrong with you?! Why are you always so grumpy?!"

"Kaito-kun, stop it! It hurts!" Conan yelled with tears forming in his eyes as he tried to wiggle away.

"No, I won't! Why do you always have a frown on your face?"

"Kaito-kun!" he wriggled unsuccessfully.

"I'm not letting you go until you smile," Kaito said, giggling wickedly as he wrapped his arms tightly around Conan's waist. Conan stopped squirming and instead tensed up completely, sure that his cheeks were getting hotter by the second. "You get embarrassed so easily, Conan-kun," Kaito said quietly, making Conan tense even more rigidly.

"K-Kaito-kun…" he complained, feeling Kaito's breath on his ear, "let me-"

"Nope! I refuse!" In response, Kaito only squeezed him tighter. "Relax, already!" He gave a cheery giggle as he added, "Smile!"

Conan only stubbornly tensed more.

"And why don't you call me 'Kaito-niichan'? You did when we first met."

That's because siblings wouldn't—shouldn't—feel this way towards each other…

"Hey, tell me!" Kaito tried to coax the answer from him by resting his chin on Conan's shoulder and giving the boy the best puppy eyes he could muster. This only served to make Conan's expression become horrified before he began to viciously try to squirm his way out of Kaito's embrace.

"L-let me go! K-K-Kaito-kun, l-let me go!" Conan cried indignantly, pushing the stronger boy away from him the best he could.

"NO! Tell me, Conan! Why?"

The boy scanned his mind for a possible answer. His face was flushed an unidentifiable hue of red by now and there was clearly no point in trying to escape. He looked at Kaito's joyous face over his shoulder. Apparently, this position was having no effect on the other. This small fact did not go without despondent notice from Conan. It made his heart throb painfully to know that Kaito could make his heart race at the simplest of touches, yet he could not.

He frowned as tried to pry apart Kaito's hands from around his waist. "I don't know. I just seems odd to keep calling you that when you know I'm 17," he retorted sourly.

"Fine, I give," announced Kaito with a hefty sigh. He slowly untangled his intertwined fingers and stood. "You're the most determined-to-be-miserable person I've ever met."

"What? I'm not trying to be unhappy. It's just… hard not to be, you know?"

Who wouldn't be? If you had your entire life stripped from you in the blink of an eye…

"Hmm…" Kaito's face became shadowed at his words. "Well, that's why I'm here. I'm going to make sure we find a cure as soon as possible." He looked down and gave a wink to the boy beside him as a smile stretched across his face. "To do that and make sure you're not thinking about it so much. I want to see you happy, if it's the last thing I do."

For some reason, Conan's throat felt as if it had closed up on him at Kaito's words.

Then suddenly, Kaito looked up with a snap. While they had been preoccupied in their own little world, the world around them seemed to take a turn for the worst. Snow was billowing around them in every which direction, whipping sharply at their exposed skin as it passed.

"S-so what now?" Conan inquired as he tried to burrow into the scarf around his neck.

"How do you feel about an art exhibit?" Kaito opted.

Cue dumb look.

With a shaky gesture of his hand, Kaito indicated the large building down the street adorned with many fluttering banners. Beika Natural History Museum.

The muffled reply came simultaneously, "Anywhere is better than out here."

They were greeted by instant relief as they entered the great stone building. The room was heated to a nice, toasty temperature. Their frozen hands tingled as the heat began to thaw them. Upon examining the room, Conan observed the way the people were adorned. Dressed as if going to a queen's ball rather than a simple art exhibit. Many of these VIPs were giving them dirty looks as they walked by, seeing their slushy winter attire.

"Why kind of art gallery is this?" the young detective said quietly as another couple sent dirty looks their way. He stared them down until the husband took his wife by the arm and led he away. What was these peoples' problem?

Kaito looked around in fascination. "Obviously a big one," he said, oblivious to the stares.

"Right." Conan sighed. "Want to point out anything more, Captain-of-the-Obvious?"

Kaito looked down at him with a wide grin. "I knew you had a sense of humor in there somewhere!"

Conan took distraction in glaring down another man as he walked by; anything to avoid looking at that smile. Suddenly the room was a little too warm.

"Wanna sneak in?"

"Huh?" Conan turned to stare at him blankly. "Why?"

The thief just shrugged and pointed out the glass doors they had entered. "Well, we have to wait out the storm anyways. Why not get some entertainment out of it?" He grinned again. "It'll be fun!"

Conan was unable to reply as Kaito took him by the wrist and wheeled him down the corridor enthusiastically.

"Fun my ass!" he muttered, but with more mirth than the cold words let on. Who knew, maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

Once settled in the large viewing room in the basement of the building, the stage was lit with great, bright spotlights. Both boys stood in the far lefts of the room, perplexed by the flashy showing.

"What are they doing?" Conan asked wryly, trying to get a better look at the stage. People kept stepping into his line of view, causing his frustration to flare.

Kaito's eyes narrowed onto the stage determinedly. "I think someone's coming on to announce the show." A pause. "A child, by the looks of it."

"What, seriously?"

"Yeah... but I can't really see all that well. Wanna see if we can get closer?" The magician jerked his head in the direction of the stage.

Conan shook his head. "We're not even supposed to be here."

"Spoil-sport. We're going up there!"

Anything argument was rendered moot as he took off into the crowd, Conan in tow. Okay, this was going to have to stop now, Conan thought.

But the look of excitement on Kaito's face made him keep his opinion to himself. It could wait, at least, until after the show.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" the small announcer on the stage exclaimed into the mic. Kaito was right, this child couldn't have been much older than ten. Maybe eleven. Why was she announcing an art exhibit? The girl was undeniably attractive, idol-worthy, even. The silvery dress she wore ghosted about her as she walked was like mist. The way she commanded the attention of everyone in the room gave belief that she was no amateur when it came to public speaking. Perhaps a hired help? In order to promote the gallery?

"I want to thank you all for braving the weather and coming here tonight!" There were a few mumbled replies of agreement before the crowd fell silent again. "Without further ado, let's start this!" He laugh was melodious as she twirled away from center stage. A part in the curtain signaled the arrival of the stagehand, who held a large portrait before him.

"Our first piece," the girl began. "Is a classic from the English renaissa-"

She was cut off by the sudden lack of light. Shocked gasps and noisy panic rose into the air. The VIPs began to shift from their spots, knocking into those beside them and causing more blind chaos.

"Conan?!" Kaito shouted from somewhere to Conan's right. Why did he seem so much farther away? Wasn't he right beside him when the lights had gone out?

Raising his hands to grope through the dark, Conan responded with a worried, "Kaito? Where are you? I can't see a thing!"

The noise was almost becoming suffocating. These people needed to stop moving! His hand brushed something in which he latched onto. He was being jostled back and forth among the crowd. The object in his hand suddenly constricted around it.

"Is that you?" Kaito called, this time his voice closer. The pressure on Conan's hand increased more.

"Yeah! It's me!" Someone bumped into him again, causing him to lurch dangerously to the side. The hand in his drew him back from the brink of falling, and drew him close. He tried to tell himself that his racing heart was due to panic from the situation, not from the close proximity he knew he was in with the thief.

"Don't worry, I got 'cha."

Yeah, that made him feel loads better.

All at once, the lights blinked back into existence, and the simultaneous chorus of screams began.

There, on the stage, lay the still form of the young performer.

Now in red-stained silver.

She was dead.

A/N: I know, I finally return and it's a hecka short chapter. Oh well, it's better than nothing, right? Now I should really get to bed. It's almost one. I have school tomorrow. :) Please, if you bothered to stay around this long, would you mind leaving a review? I'm a review whore, let's feed the addiction. XD

I LIVE!!!

(Ending Song Time!!!)

"Another hero another mindless crime,
Behind the curtain in the pantomime,
Hold the line.
Does anybody want to take it anymore?"

Artist: Queen Song: The Show Must Go On