It was another day in the Poirot Cafe, this time the employees had a helping hand in the form of a shrunken teen detective.
Amuro Tooru and Azusa Enomoto were tasked with the duty to keep an eye on one grounded Conan Edogawa, as both Kogoro Mouri and Ran Mouri were out of town for a couple of days during the holidays. One for an adultery case and the other for an extensive training camp.
The reason for grounding? Getting in the way of a case and pissing off the client with his queries.
The two employees didn't mind their temporary charge, as he was both behaving and helping out with the random errands around the shop. And when left alone, he'd retreat to his corner seat and quietly read the new volume of 'Detective Samonji".
The business was slow, unsurprising being neither the breakfast nor lunch hours. Amuro was cleaning the surfaces when the doorbell chimes, indicated the arrival of a new customer.
"Welcome to Poirot Caffe " always quick to the service, Amuro was ready to tend to the newcomer with a pleasant smile on.
"Hello, a table for one, please?" His voice had a hint of an accent to it, the occupants of the room couldn't help but notice.
"This way, sir ". Amuro led him
Conan's detective instincts and curious nature had him looking up from his book, already feeling a sense of familiarity by the sound of that one line.
The newcomer was a tall blond half-foreign looking young man in a casual suit and a suitcase. "Ah"
"Oh" in the silence of the empty cafe, it wasn't hard for the young man to hear that soft sound of recognition. Considering that the little boy was more or less right in front of him, it didn't take more than a quick glance to pinpoint him, and in return recognize him as well. After all, there aren't a lot of kids that can leave a greater impression than the one Conan did on people. "Hello, Edogawa-Kun, it's been a while "
"..." Conan was a little out of it, unable to answer he ended up staring a little bit longer than necessary on Hakuba Saguru's pleasant smile. The blond raised an eyebrow questioningly still keeping the polite smile as strong as it was.
"Something wrong?" He asked when the standstill staring lasted too long. A pale hand raised towards his face in a self-conscious act, wondering if there was something on to cause the boy to stare so.
Amuro, who stayed quiet during the exchanged, found an opportunity to intervene, adding with an amused smile. " Friends? Don't worry there is nothing wrong, it's probably just the meds effect. He's been languid all day." The tanned man then changed course and instead of the double seated table he had in mind, he opted to take the blond toward the corner table Conan was currently seated at. " How about here, then?"
"Ah No, it's okay, no need. I'm sure his companions would not be pleased by the sudden intrusion." Hakuba was quick to dismiss the idea.
"Hmm, but Conan is here on his own." his smile increasing in walts " I'm sure he'll appreciate the company of a familiar face once he's ... " he glanced back affectionately at the elementary boy. " more aware."
" If that's the case then, excuse me." The blond finally compiled, sitting down across from the bespectacled boy with the same kind of respect and manner he'd show an older stranger.
Amuro was enjoying the entertainment of watching the stranger act self-aware as he went to retrieve the menu and a cup of water.
He straightened his suit jacket first once he settled, he then gave a quick brush to his wavy thick hair by his hand. Then little lull of silence came as he sat straight, with his hands clasped right in front of him in a business manner. Eyes darting everywhere but never catching the boy's blue eyed hard silent stare that he was still pointing at him.
"Hmm..." he swallowed finally, addressing the boy again. " H-How are you?"
Conan was still unresponsive, clutching his book closely as he leaned on it as he stared.
'Snap' Amuro snapped his fingers right in front of the boy's face. "Conan-kun, He's talking to you," he said as he placed the menu in front of the blond.
"Blue as the color of the sky in a clear day, with a touch of silver reminiscing the clouds on the verge of rain.."
"..." Conan's sudden outburst of poetic description left the two speechless. "What?" Amuro asked
".." he simply pointed at Hakuba's face.
"Huh?" Hakuba touched his face frantically, then looked behind him in search for a sense to the boy's words.
"Oh, he means your eyes" the adult laughed good-heartedly at the teen's discomfort.
"What?" The blond's confusion and weirded out scared facial expression was just too much for the employee to handle. Causing him to double over in laughter.
Once the blond brain managed to decode whatever the tanned man said, his face exploded in an extreme blush.
Seeing that didn't help Amuro with his laughter at all.
"Ahem," he cleared his throat, looking at the boy in front of him now with worry he asked " Is he okay? What kind of medication did he take?"
The serious tone managed to ground the employee back to the conversation at hand. "They should've been your normal flu meds, nothing too serious." He stood up back to full height, with a worried expression of his own he continued " but perhaps they don't agree with him too well, that's the most subdued and random I've seen Conan in since I met him."
The employee then went back to behind the counter, rummaging through cartoon boxes by the sound of it, perhaps in search of the medicine given to Conan Hakuba thought to himself.
He looked back at the boy in front of him, who was now looking at him with half-lidded eyes. "It seems he's ready to fall asleep" He called out to the tanned man.
"On it, in the meantime, don't forget to decide on an order" the man winked at him all good natured.
Hakuba spared a last glance to the man retreating to the back room as he read the back of a pharmaceutical bottle, Seems like he found itbefore he finally forced himself to ignore the boy's gaze, in favor of studying the menu.
—————————
The rest of his stay was more or less quiet, with a cup of Earl Grey tea and Amuro-san’s Speciality sandwiches.
Conan, on the other hand, was fitfully asleep in front of the Brit-Jap, wrapped in a soft blanket and a fluffy pillow courtesy of the Barista.
Hakuba was a tad bit disappointed that that is how his reunion with Edogawa Conan ended up.
Just as he asked for the bill, did the young boy woke up. The sleep still in his eyes, but his eyes lit in recognition when he caught Hakuba’s gaze.
“Oh, Hakuba-san... Hello”
He couldn’t help the chuckle to be let loose from him, it just figures that Conan would wake up when he needs to leave. It has nothing to do with the adorable bed hair, nope not at all. “Hello, Edogawa-kun, hope you are dealing better now.”
“That was rude of me, sorry “ a faint flush colored his cheeks.
“Not at all, when sick one must take good rest.” Hakuba tried to reassure the embarrassed child.
“.... Well that, but tell me Hakuba-san, what have you been up to lately?”
Hakuba gave him a smile as he apologized. “I would love to stay and chat, but alas, I must be on my way now.”
“Oh, of course..” no matter what anyone says, Hakuba is not thinking of just how adorable that disappointed face with the messy hair that is otherwise spotless. “I Know!! My school has a sports Festival next Friday, how about you come by?”
“...” Well that came out of the left field. “ Won’t I be intruding?”
“Not at all, Uncle and Ran-neechan well be busy. So how about it would you let me make it up for my rudeness and we can continue this conversation.”
What can one say that challenging look? “Of course, will be my pleasure.”
“Deal then!”
Hakuba has no idea what he had in store for next Friday, but he knows that that triumphant glint in his eyes is worth them to be canceled. School be damned.
They exchange contacts and bid each other farewell.
“Till Friday then”
“See ya Friday!”
———————————
Friday Hakuba forgoes going to school altogether, dreading Kuroba Kaito and his pranks, in favor of extra sleep and attending Conan's match.
His great interest in the boy was no real surprise for the blond, after all, it was clear from the start how greatly talented he is. He just never got the chance to meet him outside of a case before, while lucid.
What did surprise him, was the observation that he was taking extra effort to dress well, even though he won’t be meeting anyone but Edogawa-kun. He filed that fact to the back of his mind for the moment and made his way to Teitan's Elementary...
It didn't take long to find the little sleuth, as the soccer game has attracted quite the crowd. And for a just reason too! Edogawa Conan was a little star, someone out of the little league or it's higher up. His own maneuvers were national level, and his leading skills were even better. He guided his team of average to amateur level skills to be in the right place at the right time, making their goals that much easier and much more in number. The matches attracted attention from professional little league talent hunters.
Class 1B won against all the other teams, till they lost against the 6th grader. Regardless of Edogawa's skills, he can’t keep winning on his own.
All in all, a kid’s championship it may have been, but Hakuba found himself well entertained.
He awaited the Soccer’s Headhunters to finish interviewing the little sleuth before he made his way towards him.
“Well, that was an amazing Play! Tell me, how does being the Hero of your team feels?”
“Hakuba-san! It’s great that you made it, did you skip class for me?”
“Skipping one day of high school won’t even be noticed. I was bound to be bored out of my mind, this was a better use of my time.”
“Oh my, I’m flattered!
Conan's smile just increased in brilliance/voltage " So, how did you find the games?" He hopped backward in front of the teen.
" Brilliant! Your play was amazing !" Hakuba wasn't exaggerating, he truly thought the boy could easily become a pro. " are you in any club? Besides the schools' soccer club I mean "
" I'm not in it. " the boy answered neutrally
" what .. You aren't? How come ?"
The boy shrugged his shoulders. " Ayumi and the guys caught me before I could think about applying, that's all "
The blond assumed he's talking about the group of children that stuck to him like glue. Ayumi was probably one of the two girls, and he's putting his money on the little brunette over that colder sherry blonde. "So what club did they drag you to?"
"The Detective Boys / Shounen Tantei Dan"
“Now that you mention it, you guys were at the Kirin’s Horn Heist, weren’t you?” Hakuba recalled “was the DB club your first exposure to the mystery" though Hakuba would bite his hat off if that really was the first.
" Haha no ! It was more of a family exposure" Conan replied offhandedly
"Your father's a detective too? " If Hakuba remembers a previous conversation with Mouri Ran, he 's positive that it was hinted somewhere along the lines that Edogawa Conan had been under their supervision for less than half a year prior.
" Hm, no. But I am Kudou Shinichi 's relative"
"Right... Wait, so how do you relate to the Mouri's? "
" I don't " he simply answered, "I was supposed to be under Shinichi-niichan's care, but..."
"He disappeared and you went with his family's friends, the Mouri, close by neighbors to add?"
"That's pretty much it !" He turns back to him, throws him another smile, and turns back to looking ahead. This time slowing the pace to be right next to Hakuba. "I don't mind walking aimlessly, but there is nothing to see here in school. Would you rather continue this in the neighboring park? If you are free that is"
"What of school? Shouldn't you head back ?" Hakuba glanced back towards the group of teachers they left behind as he glanced at the gate they were making there way too.
"No, it just mundane activities till the end of the day, I'd rather not participate in." He skipped the remaining couple feet towards 'freedom'. "There isn't any form of attendance so don't worry about that, I deserve a little delinquency leeway. Don't I ?" Conan tilted his head as he waited for Hakuba past the gate.
Hakuba chuckled "And what does the little delinquent captain and hero of class 1B soccer team want to do?"
They resumed walking side-by-side. Conan took a deep breath " I want, hmm, what do I want " he looked around, spotting a mini pancake parlor. " I want to get to know you over a mini pancake, what would you say to that, my dear Sherlock? "
"Haha! What's with you today, practicing your pickup lines on me ?" He was worried he'd offend the young sleuth if he were to mention just how cute he's being.
"I am sounding quite weird aren't I? Perhaps it's the adrenaline still pumping, for I feel all hyper ." He laughed, the whole time switching between speeding in front, walking backward facing the teen, and returning to his side.
"After a day filled with consecutive series of games, it is to be expected. Mini pancake it is then, but won't you prefer a proper lunch? I hardly imagine you had time for a snack even."
He shook his head 'no' vehemently. "I'm good! This way I'll have space for more junk as we go along. I do hope I'm not being very rude or persistent against your comfort, or anything like that."
"Don't worry, you aren't, I'm enjoying myself too. Perhaps, a tad bit too much when we've yet to pass the thirty-minute mark." Hakuba jested.
There was a pause in their conversation as they ordered their fill of Nutella covered pancakes. Switching to the topic of chocolate, its origins and its derivatives as they walked leisurely. Eventually jumping from topic to topic, at some point they got to their favorite fictional sleuth and they were in their own little haven of nerdy arguments.
And thus, six hours later and the sun started to set, and only the fact that it was getting dark made the two notice they were long past overdue returning back home.
"Well, time went by rather quickly..." Hakuba surprised by the revelation.
"That's too bad, and here we were having so much fun" Conan's tone dropped in disappointment. "Hakuba-niican lives nearby ?"
"In Ekoda, you?"
"Beika, quite nearby in fact; so I'm fine from here on my own. Though do you know the area well enough, or would you like me to walk you to the station from here?" Conan offered with the manners of an adult, to the point it took Hakuba a good minute or two to remind himself of the boy's age.
"No, I'll be fine. Regardless, I'll walk you back. To the Mouri's?" He stated, not giving a chance for himself to get swept by the boy's momentum.
"Hmm," the boy pouted but didn't insist. "Then shall we? The east exit would be our best option." He pointed out.
xXx
Edogawa-kun was scolded for not reporting his whereabouts, but Mouri-San was appeased and perhaps a little embarrassed for not noticing him before the bout of screaming when Hakuba took the blame.
All in all a day with Edogawa Conan proved to be quite entertaining. He found a kindred soul in the young child. And couldn’t help the wide grin stretching his face. He doesn’t think anything Kuroba can do could put him down from his current high. But better not challenge his luck. He hopes the prankster is too busy to come after him.
Hakuba can’t wait to have another not-date with the young child again
And no, he totally isn’t thinking how much of an actual date that day was. It wasn’t... as long as he tells himself that, then he isn’t breaking any moral code.
....he hopes.