The original idea for the fic was just Hakuba and Aoko talking, then the crepes made it in. o_0 Sorry.

• • •

Shades of Grey: A Simple Conversation
by Icka! M. Chif

• • •

"Hakuba-kun! Hakuba-kun!" Aoko's friendly cry alerted Hakuba to her presence, allowing him to turn and stop before he was bowled over by her cheerful arrival. She grinned at him, looping her arm through his and tugged him along in the direction he had been going before her welcome interruption. "Come with me, Hakuba-kun!" She demanded, grinning cheerfully.

"And might I inquire we where are going?" He asked, only somewhat reluctantly allowing himself to be pulled along. He was starting to get used to this, Nakamori-keibu's daughter suddenly appearing and dragging him off on some minor adventure or errand. It was something that hadn't happened to him often in the past and he was finding the experiences enlightening as well as entertaining.

"The Crepe Shop." Aoko flashed him a 500-yen coin with a pleased air. "Kaito's getting drinks, we're getting the crepes and we're meeting him by the bridge for a snack before heading home. Unless you've got other plans-?" She ended with a slightly pleading expression.

"Nothing urgent." He assured her, grateful for the opportunity to duck out, even if it was just manners on her part. There had been a few times he'd had to say no, but had been privately pleased by the fact that there was always another offer later.

Even if he was still completely baffled as to why she did so in the first place.

The Crepe Shop wasn't far from the campus. In fact, it often seemed like one couldn't travel very far without running in to a crepe shop every few kilometres. Although there was a higher probability of finding one near where either tourists or teenagers were prone to hang out.

Not that he was going to argue. The combination of fillings that went into the large thin pancake seemed endless. Anything and everything from pizza fillings to tuna and cream cheese to fruit, spices and whipped cream. And it was interesting to watch the people make the crepe on the round griddle in front of them, swirling and smoothing the batter with the efficient grace of an artist.

The fact that it was fairly cheap, usually between 290 to 480 yen, was just an added bonus.

They talked about today's lessons as they walked, the conversation easy and friendly. Aoko was not the intellectual that some others were, but that did not make her any less interesting to talk with. Not to mention that she was also up to date on the latest police gossip. Pardon, 'Personnel Interaction Information'. Officers of the law did not gossip after all.

The line was still short when they got to the shop and he allowed her to place her order first while he looked at the menu. "Nothing healthy." She teased him as she placed her order, a kiwi and strawberries with cream crepe and a chocolate and whipped cream crepe, most likely for Kuroba knowing his tastes. It was a small amusement, Kuroba getting the drinks while Aoko fetching the crepes. Chocolate wasn't the most masculine of tastes.

With a grand playful gesture, Aoko bowed, motioning him forward. He shook his head, amused by the action. "Blueberries and cream, please." He requested.

The middle-aged man behind the counter gave him a confused expression. A glance at Aoko showed her expression mirroring the man's. "Could you repeat that?" The clerk requested.

Hakuba sighed. "Berubeli ando cremu." He repeated, in English with a heavy Japanese accent. Enlightenment dawned on the other mans face as he scribbled down the order. Hakuba remained silent as he paid the man and took his place next to Aoko, waiting for their orders to be filled.

It seemed like he sometimes spoke two kinds of English, British-English and Japanese-English, in addition to Japanese and the German, French and smattering of a few other languages he had learned at London Bridge School. Despite the similarities, speak the wrong kind of English in one country or the other and it was incomprehensible for the person you were trying to have a conversation with.

Aoko seemed to pick up on his mood and was silent as the man filled the thin crepes in their fillings of choice, folded it quickly and neatly in half, then half again and slipped the warm snack into paper triangles for easier holding. The silence continued as he took her bag so that she could carry both her and Kuroba's crepes, took his own and wandered back down the street, Hakuba a half step behind her.

Brooding wasn't going to help. He changed trains of thought. "I have been wondering, Aoko-kun."

She turned slightly and smiled at him. "Yeah?"

"Why do you keep inviting me to join you and Kuroba?" He flinched slightly as he belatedly realised just how badly that had come out. "I am not complaining! I just... it confuses me." It was one of his more irksome flaws, he was terrible at understanding what motivated people.

Aoko smiled enigmatically, looking quietly pleased. "Mind if I ask you a question in return?"

"Um." He blinked "No?"

"Why did you stop hounding Kaito about if he is the Kid?" This was said in complete innocence and determination. Obviously something that had been bothering the wild-haired girl for a while.

He rubbed the back of his neck with the hand holding thier packs and chuckled ruefully. "London, actually."

"London?" She tilted her head inquisitively.

"It was pointed out that it is rather rude to pry into someone's life like that." Much to his embarrassment. Mum had rebuked him for being boorish and intrusive. In retrospect, many of his actions did appear childish and lacking in manners and tact. And as much as he hated to admit it, the rebuke had been deserved. "And if he -is- the Kid, attempting to shove the fact into his face is the last way to get him to admit it, is it not?"

Rubbing in the fact that he knew Kuroba was the Kid was also insulting, to say the least. Not to mention lousy tactical strategy as well. What was it going to accomplish? Annoy Kuroba to the point of admitting he was the Kid just to get away from him? Unlikely.

Stepping back to gather evidence had seemed prudent after his previous behaviour. He had still followed the Kid with the fervour he'd had previously, but stopped chasing Kuroba at school. The snide muttered comments back and forth during class were more interesting than the frosty glares and silences he'd been greeted with previously anyway.

But even that had changed since the night in the cabin almost half a year ago. There had been a few strange looks from Kuroba the following week after they had returned, then those had faded along with some of the coldness. A distance had remained, but even that was fading as Aoko brought them into each other's presence increasingly often and forcing them to interact.

Leading to the current confusion.

She made a thoughtful sound, eyebrows coming down in a familiar stormy expression. "So you still think he's the Kid?" There was just enough of a hint of malice to remind him that he was not quite as agile as Kuroba in dodging flying Aoko attacks.

"I think the possibility remains." He said diplomatically. "When you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

"-Sherlock Holmes." She grinned, the malice gone. "You Otaku."

He chuckled at the insult, taking it as the jest it was meant. "Any other questions?"

"Your turn." Her grin turned slightly wistful, then her jaw came forward in a stubborn expression. "You like Kaito, right?"

"Uh..." It took a second of flailing brain cells to realise that she hadn't meant it in THAT way. At least he didn't think so. "I admire his inteligence and skills, yes..." Neutral ground was good. Thinking about the thief's skills was bad. Especially late night in the light of the fireplace skills with those light hands, laughing mouth and quick intellect...

"Good." The stubborn look was still there. "So you don't mind being Kaito's friend then?"

"Friend?" Hakuba nearly stumbled. He and Kuroba were getting along better than before, but friends? He wasn't so sure about that. Recovering quickly, he looked at Aoko seriously for a moment. There was a little bit of sadness in her eyes and a lot of bull-minded stubbornness. "Aoko-kun, what is this about?"

She sighed, idly inspecting her crepe. "It's like this... Kaito's popular, right? Cause he's funny. But he's also really smart and lonely, because he -is- smarter than most people."

"He has you." He reminded her. It was rare to see one without the other, like they were joined at the elbow. Both were insanely protective of each other.

"It's not the same." Aoko shook her head. "We've been friends for ages. It used to be that we didn't have any secrets between each other... Then he started to change, before you transferred in. First it was little things, but... it's like he's distancing himself. From everyone, including me. I don't like it, he -needs- people."

"Is that why you have been inviting me along recently?" He asked, concerned. How long had Aoko been suffering about this?

She nodded. "You're smart too, you can keep up with him. And he needs that, someone who can challenge him."

"Kuroba is definitely a challenge." He agreed. "But... if I am not overstepping my bounds... I thought the two of you..."

A giggling stream of laughter erupted from her, like a silver song. The few people around them cast them confused looks. He flinched, feeling his face turn pink in embarrassment. She shook her head again, the crepes in her hands wobbling slightly as she held them none too steadily as she attempted to catch her breath. "We're not... we're not, oh my..." She laughed nervously, her own cheeks blushing pink.

He waited for the laughter to die down, attempting desperately figure out what exactly had set that off. "We're not dating." She finally got out, a grin stretching across her face, tears beading up in the corners of her eyes from laughing so hard. "For a while, it looked we would... then it changed... And like I said, we've been friends for AGES. It'd be like dating my brother. And we're so much alike."

"You are much sweeter than he is." He assured her. She blushed again at the complement. "But to answer your question, no, I do not mind being Kuroba's friend."

However, the question remained if Kuroba felt the same.

"Oi!!!" A cry from under them caught their attention. With a start, Hakuba realised that they were on the bridge, Kuroba waving at them from the grassy hill below. "What took you so long?!"

"Just because some of us aren't a speed deamon!" Aoko yelled back, picking up the pace to join him. Hakuba followed.

"Well if you'd quit stopping to flirt..." Kuroba taunted, a teasing smirk on his face.

"We are not flirting." Hakuba informed him primly. "That is your department, Kuroba-kun. For that matter, neither do we flip skirts."

"Ya don't flip in skirts you said?"

"Kaito!" Aoko plopped down next to him, a fierce scowl on her face. "Honestly, why do we put up with you?"

He shot her large violet puppy eyes. "Because you love me."

She bopped him on the head with the hand holding his crepe in response. Kuroba laughed and took the chocolate filled confection from her, eyes sparkling happily. "See? You do love me."

Aoko growled. Hakuba sat down next to her, amused by their antics. "I am afraid the delay is my fault." He apologised, diverting their attention to the previous topic before the mop came out.

"S'okay." Kuroba smirked. "Should anything happen, I trust you to defend her honour."

"Thank you." He said sincerely, blinking at the complement. Aoko glared at him for the implied comment that she couldn't take care of herself.

Kuroba shrugged casually in response, reaching beside him and picking up a bottle, flipping it to Aoko. "Calpis for you-"

"Thanks!" She caught it, debating for a second between setting down her oozing crepe or holding it in her mouth to have a hand free to open the bottle. After a quick glance around, efficiency won over manners and the bottle was opened.

Kuroba picked up a can from beside him and tossed it to Hakuba. "Royal Milk Tea okay?"

"It is fine, thank you." He caught the blue-rimmed can in the unoccupied hand. It was still cold from the vending machine. "How much do I owe you?"

Kuroba waved it off, picking up his own can of UCC milk coffee. "You can get it next time."

Aoko gave him a triumphant expression as she chewed on her snack.

So perhaps Kuroba did not mind being friends after all.

"All right."

-fin-

• Japanese crepes seem to be a staple when we go to Japan. The enormity of the variety of toppings seems limitless. Although sometimes 'Cream' means 'Cream cheese' and sometimes it means 'Whipped Cream'. Never know. ^^;; I did my best to describe what them in the fic.
The 'Blueberry' versus 'Beluberi' happened to me once in Kamakura. #^^#
Side note, found Crepe Stores twice in the US, in San Francisco's Little Tokyo and in Las Vegas' Chinatown.

• Calpis, often pronounced 'Cow-piss'. Has the white milky colouring of semen and tastes slightly citrusy. Not kidding. Pervertity aside, one of my favourite Japanese drinks, especially when it's hot outside. (is good for replacing lost nutrients when you sweat) Can be found just about anywhere.

• Royal Milk Tea is another commonly found drink. Tea heavy on the milk and sugar. Can be bought freshly made at coffee shops or out of vending machines either chilled or warm. There's a couple of brands including 'Rose' and 'Duke'. Rose tends to be a bit milder and sweeter, tastes watered down to me. I prefer the Duke brand, which is what Hakuba got, with the blue on the can. Much richer tasting.

• UCC Coffee is easy to spot with its stripped can. Light brown at the top, white in the middle and red-orange at the bottom. On the sweet side as well, but not overly so. Strangely cheaper in the Los Angeles Little Tokyo (79cents) than in Japan (110-150yen). Another fairly common drink.

back?