Work Text:
Ever since Kuroba Kaito had confessed to her that he was Kaitou KID, it was customary for Amelia to stay up late on the night of KID heists.
She would engross herself in a book, laying in bed with an appropriately lit lamp beside her. Tonight it was one of the Narnia books. It was her daughter’s copy. Lilly had worn it out reading and rereading it what looked like a thousand times from the state of the book. Amelia, as an enjoyer of books, would usually balk at how the cover was slightly crushed and bent; how some pages were dog-eared and torn. During times like this, a book changed by her daughter's hands was as close to a comfort she could possess.
On the night with a KID heist, Amelia waited until her pager beeped, and not a second sooner. In her experience, sleep was not the comfort it was for others. Everything had to be right before she would let sleep take her. A message from Kuroba meant he made it home safe.
She didn’t like that Kuroba was all alone at heists, with no help against those dreaded policemen after him. That Jii man hadn’t been as active since his back injury last year and Amelia didn’t trust him that much anyways. The less said about Kuroba’s mother, the better. Kuroba had refused the idea of her timing her occasional nightly drives with his planned escape route, and only allowed her this page. He didn’t even have his detectives keeping an eye out for him anymore. Saguru hadn’t been to a heist in some time, and Yusaku’s mother stopped allowing him to go ever since someone had been shot.
Amelia wasn’t privy to the reason behind Saguru’s absence at heists. When he was jumping between England, Europe, and Japan, it wouldn’t have made sense to fly in for every heist if it got in the way of other commitments, but he hadn’t left the country much since inheriting a modest house in Japan. That was where they resided now. Her commitment to Saguru hadn’t ended once he’d left his father’s home.
That commit came with not prying into whatever was going on between the two boys. She was no bigot, nor did she disapprove for any other reason, but she respected Saguru’s agency. If there was something about Kuroba or anything else he didn’t want to tell her, that was his right. She even welcomed the sleep he was getting. No longer did she have to chase him to bed after he’d come home wired from a heist.
Amelia had just finished a chapter where her ears picked up creaking from outside her room. The house was old, and if there was ever an intruder they’d be sore pressed to sneak around the house with ease. She’d come to know what Saguru’s footsteps sounded like, and put down her book as her bedroom door was cautiously opened.
Saguru shuffled in, and his embarrassed expression spoke of his awareness of the hour. He’d gotten that time fixation from Lilly, and compounded it into an obsession.
He was well into adulthood now, but Amelia gave him a smile to assure him that she wasn’t mad he was sneaking into her bedroom now. He seemed to appreciate this and returned the smile. He squinted at the floor and looked around. One of his cats, Hato, was curled across his neck and shoulders like a scarf. The other two, Felix and Marigold, had followed after him into the room like dutiful personal, eager to see where this adventure took them. It didn’t look like he’d brought his glasses with him and was likely wondering if he was moments from a cat related tripping accident, and his contacts wouldn’t be practical at 3am.
A keen eye for detail did not apply to his natural vision.
“What brings you by at this hour, dear?”
“I… don’t feel…so good.” His speech was slurred and his legs wobbled in a way that didn’t look natural. That was when Amelia’s smile fell. Saguru hadn’t seemed sick that evening, only slightly more sullen than usual when he mentioned Kuroba had stopped by. There was definitely something going around though, and colds had a nasty way of sneaking up on you.
Amelia gripped her blanket, fully ready to help her boy even as she waited for word from another. “Would you like me to make us tea? I’m sure we have something herbal and some cold medication in the cabinet.”
Saguru shook his head, and shuffled on the spot. “Can I… stay here…?” he asked, sounding barely different from when he’d been a child, so neglected by his parents that he genuinely thought he needed Baaya’s permission to cuddle every time.
“Oh, of course honey.” Amelia replied, setting the book on the side table. That brought a little light into Saguru’s eyes, but it was mostly masked by his shadowy state.
She watched with concern as Saguru struggled to make it from the door to the bed, and gladly accepted him when he collapsed into her arms. Hato made a small mew of protest but simply relocated herself to the small of his back. Marigold and Felix also jumped onto the bed but lingered at the edge, as if on watch for a hidden predator. Amelia didn’t really understand animals but Saguru loved his pets so she loved them for what they provided for him.
Amelia stroked Saguru’s hair, enjoying this rare moment. These days Saguru was only physically affectionate in small moments. Often only when he was sick like this. Even with his own boyfriend. Amelia sometimes wouldn’t have thought of them as partners, merely colleagues enjoying time together. Kuroba certainly tried to be more physically affectionate, but it was hard to say how well his efforts were going.
“Sorry…” Saguru muttered, pulling away slightly. Amelia tutted, and pulled him back in closer.
“What for? You’re always welcome here.”
Looking at Saguru’s face, she knew he wanted to say more. Instead he bit his lip, and shook his head. She knew all his ticks and quirks and facial expressions. Whatever he was going to say, he felt guilty for not telling her. That was his right.
Amelia had cared for Saguru like her own son ever since he had been placed in her arms as an infant during the initial interview to be hired by the Hakuba family as a nursemaid and later nanny. It would have been easy to say it was her own hormones out of whack, mourning the loss of her own baby at a point where her chest was already heavy, but something about caring for Saguru had seemed so right. And in return, six years later when she was organizing her other daughter’s funeral, Saguru had been beside her, wet eyed but gripping her hand tight, like he was afraid if he let go she would follow her child to the grave.
She liked to believe her children’s deaths hadn't been in vain. It still hurt, and she had never been religious enough to think everyone lived and died for a purpose. Nonetheless, losing her own baby had brought her to Saguru. Her daughter's murder, full of questions and little answers, had inspired a drive for conclusion and an allure for mystery that had pushed Saguru to detective work, and he had helped so many people as a result.
Amelia held onto Saguru, rubbing circles on his back as he faded in and out of sleep. It could have been minutes or hours before he was awake enough to speak again.
“Baaya…?” Even more he sounded like the scared child he’d let behind as a confident young man. “Did KID hold a heist tonight?”
“Yes dear. Did he not tell you?”
“No…”
That was mildly concerning, but surely Kuroba had his reasons for that. Keeping Saguru safe was the likely culprit. Maybe this had been a particularly dangerous heist, and he hadn’t wanted to risk Saguru deciding to show up for once. That made it all the more concerning that Amelia hadn’t heard from Kuroba yet.
Saguru tucked his head under Amelia’s chin.
“‘m sure” Saguru was slurring his words now, “…Kai’s been put..ing… something in my drink...so I d-n’t go to…” Saguru trailed off, clutching Amelia’s blouse like a comfort blanket.
And Amelia’s world shattered in an instant.
“Saguru,” No. No. Not again. “Honey, please repeat that.”
But Sagaru had already drifted off to sleep against her.
On her nightstand, her pager beeped like a damning church bell.