More Than A Gemstone (Kaishin)

Sweet Solitude- with Minor Disturbances

Shinichi Kudo, by now released to his own house, was quietly trying to feel along the walls to go to his kitchen.
"Do you want a coffee?" Ran asked, leading him by his arm. The sleuth gave a nod, smiling a little.
"Yeah, I miss my own coffee. The hospital brand is just awful."

Ran let out a soft laugh and Shinichi found it did cheer him up quite a bit. He found his way towards a chair, just seconds before listening to his favorite coffee machine brewing the black liquid gifted by the gods for him.
"Seems like I'll have to take care of you again... Not much difference from Conan, hm?"
Shinichi winced a bit. Ran was still a bit mad at him about that but she had eased up a lot since his confession a few months ago.
"I'm sorry, Ran. Again, I really am sorry. It was just... the circumstances."
"I get it. It's... fine. I think. I'm still not fully over it but... It'll become better."
There was a hint of bitterness lacing her voice that Shinichi couldn't quite organize, he favored silence over an answer.

"Here it is..." Ran's melodic voice came from the right, just as an object was placed in front of him onto the table. A coffee cup, most likely. Shinichi reached out, slowly, before getting a hold onto the cup and lifting it to his lips for a first sip.
"Thanks Ran..." he sighed, finally feeling at peace. It had been a pleasure getting finally discharged- the bacteria hadn't spread any further in those past couple of days and while the doctors were still at a loss of what this had actually caused, it showed no sign of becoming better as well.

And yet, Shinichi was sick of staying at a hospital. Ran was going to check on him once a day to help him out and take a look a this eyes for any change, that was enough for him. He had tried compensating Ran with money... he couldn't exactly expect her to fall back into caring him just because. But she had denied it...
"Without me you'd end up starved anyway, so I can check your eyes too while I'm at it," had been her concrete words.

"I'm going to have to leave now. Please make sure to use the cane to find your way around- if you need anything, I've put myself on speeddial on your phone."
Shinichi nodded, listening to the rustling of Ran putting her shoes back on.
"The hakase next door can help you, too. See you, Shinichi, and be careful."
Shinichi flashed a smile into the direction he thought she'd be, waving softly.
"Take care Ran."
Once the door shut, his smile fell.

No matter what had happened and how much he had been incapacitated, he had never actually turned out blind. How was he going to read his favorite novels? How was he going to pick out clues on cases? How was he going to be of use, blind like this?
Shinichi frowned to himself as he took an absentminded sip of his coffee, enjoying it thoroughly.
"That's gonna be a question for later..."

Just as he was about to finish his coffee, the doorbell rang and the male almost flinched out of his seat. Who was it? Someone wanting to give him their condolences? Or some nosy reporters again?
His thoughts went poof as the door was unlocked effortlessly and graceful, almost silent steps washed into the housefloor.
"Shinichi!" Ran's voice chirped and yet, Shinichi knew just as well this couldn't have been Ran.
"Kitchen!" the answer came almost immediately and the sleuth took another sip of his coffee. It was curious to him what KID could possibly want from him, but he was going to play his game for a bit.

Under the disguise of Ran Mouri, Kaito Kuroba quietly stepped into the kitchen, mimicking her way to walk flawlessly.
"Did you forget something?" Shinichi asked innocently and the thief paused, then nodded.
"Yes. I wanted to remind you to eat well instead of just living on coffee and instant noodles."
Shinichi let out an unamused snort before raising his head slightly, clearly listening for Kaito's movements.
"What do you want, KID? Came to ridicule me for my incapaciation? I can assure you I am not less dangerous."

Kaito froze for a second, then let out a soft laugh, dropping the act instantly.
"Not this time, Meitantei. I came to check up on my favorite critic."
Shinichi paused, then sighed a little.
"I may have to repeat myself. What do you want, KID?"
"Oh you wound me."
Kaito paused, taking in the sleuth's appearance. A thick bandage was wrapped around his presumably blind eyes.
"I've heard about it. A very aggressive bacteria inside your eyes."

The detective raised an eyebrow, tilting his head a little.
"Came to apologize for that? Else I'd prefer solitude, if you don't mind."
"Oh I do mind," Kaito argued back in the same cheery voice, "especially because it is beneath me to let my favorite critic suffer on his own. But let me assure you, this has nothing to do with me."
"I figured," Shinichi retorted, voice becoming a bit unfriendly at this point, "I've tried not to let it out into the news that a teen speaking the Latin word for disease was all it took to do this to my colleagues and me."

Kaito paused for a second. So he did see, after all.
"...I do owe you for this, Meitantei. It was not in my interest to let him be harmed."
"But us? You owe me some answers, KID. What did your friend do to us, answer me."
The thief turned quiet once again and Shinichi was feeling anger bubbling up inside his nerves. He was blind for god's sake.
"Believe it or not, he cursed you upon a misunderstanding."
"You're joking."
"I assure you, I am not."

Shinichi shook his head with a frown before setting down his coffee mug and crossing his arms. Kaito knew if it wasn't for the blindfold, he would have become witness to Shinichi's best death glare.
"Curses aren't real, KID. I thought you'd knew that."
"I thought I did. But things happen, don't they?"
Pause.
"For example like a teen shrinking into a child?"
Shinichi winced at that jab and frowned even worse.
"That was a scientifically created pill, what is your point?"
"For god's sake Meitantei, humor me for once."

Shinichi breathed out a deep sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. There was a long silence between them before his annoyed voice finally came up again.
"...fine. I'll humor you on this one. What, pray tell, should I do to 'lift' this curse?"
"That's the problem."