“James. My mum wanted me to have a Christian middle name that I could go by while travelling abroad, as ‘Saguru’ is sometimes difficult for foreigners to pronounce.”
((please note that this is headcanon/for this RP character specifically and has no basis in real canon at all anywhere ever.))
“To be honest, finances aren’t really a concern for me. Both of my parents come from wealthy families, and I’ve been padding my savings account with my earnings as a detective for a while, now. I could, theoretically, stop working right now and live out the remainder of my days in comfort.
"But as for what I would be doing if, say, I wasn’t able to work all of the time? I would probably travel, read, and take photos of everything, then write a book about my adventures. That sounds quite lovely, doesn’t it?”
“I’ve always enjoyed swimming, but not so much with my classmates for obvious reasons, and though I was part of the track team for three years, I didn’t particularly enjoy that in class, either. It was always tennis that I liked best. Not many stood a chance against me, as it’s been a habit to go to the country club any weekend I can get away to play.”
"Now, favorite memory…? The exam for our tennis unit in grade 10 involved combining the all-male class with the all-female class for a tournament. Boys against girls. Of course, we all wore our standard gym attire, but many of the girls hadn’t seen just how short our shorts were.
"Thus began the teasing and taunting on both sides, even though it was all rubbish because as nice and short as they were, the baggy t-shirts we were forced to wear left much to be desired as far as attractive sportswear was concerned.
"…regardless, our team lost by a narrow margin. Most of the blokes on my team really did not care for the sport or participation in general, anyway, so it wasn’t a surprise. But, I did receive several compliments from the girls on my legs. Again, track team. Ah, blessed tennis shorts."
“Kuroba Kaito… is, for the most part, an arrogant arse who enjoys laughing at the expense of others. He’s disruptive in class, inappropriate with the ladies, disrespectful to authority and to his classmates, and insanely stubborn. Despite the evidence that I’ve supplied, he has continued his vehement denial, both in reference to his thinly veiled alter ego and to my trustworthiness.
"The thievery, being a crime, is an unfortunate blemish on his otherwise spotless record. As frustrating and annoying as he is, the pranks that he plays are not something that could be written up except through the school administration, which is hardly something to worry about. I do hope, in fact, that his being a minor and, with the record he has for being a class clown, will help him attain a lighter sentence overall if he is ever arrested for his moonlighting.
"It seems that he realizes, at least in part, just how dangerous the work is, and how serious his crimes are. He’s careful not to be caught, to avoid leaving any traces, and to distance himself from others. In fact, even those who might be his allies are held at arm’s length, sacrificing whatever emotional refuge he might have for this… goal of his, whatever that might be. Clearly, whatever he is seeking is important enough to risk his life and well-being, which he does every single day, not just on his heists.
"The heists themselves are terrifying. I say this as both a spectator and a detective involved in attempting his capture. Although he has tried to put countermeasures into place to reduce risk of injury to all participants, people can and do get hurt. As I’ve pulled back from the chasing, my focus has shifted to scouting the perimeter, watching for would-be assassins. Every heist brings out suspicious characters, some armed, some not, and it’s difficult to tell in the mass of shouting fans who the professionals are.
"Someone such as Spider, for instance, would know precisely when and where to strike. Others, like Delon, only needed a badge to gain clearance, which allowed him to open fire on Kaitou Kid, despite Japan’s strict gun control laws. Kaito plans for many things, but he can’t control everyone. There are far too many variables in play for him to guarantee the safety of anyone. And with Conan-kun and his little friends deeply entrenched in proving themselves with his arrest… God, I’m just grateful that he’s as good as he is. So far, he’s managed. I can only pray that his luck continues to hold out.
"As for the matter of his being ‘precious’… Well, of course, no one can deny that the young man is certainly quite attractive, and his passion for what he does pushes those qualities even further. His dedication is, in a word, enchanting. Spend one afternoon observing him and anyone would be hard pressed to not to be taken by him.
"The smile, the laughter; it’s infectious. And although the pranks he pulls are unnecessary and, honestly, selfish and inconsiderate, the technical skill he employs to pull them off is impressive. That skill he would not have attained without countless hours of focused practice which, I believe, is driven by the love and admiration that he has for his father. It’s difficult to stay mad at someone for demonstrating that, even if it involves turning one’s hair ghastly shades of fluorescent pink.
“He exemplifies the order, ‘Keep Calm and Carry On.’ He does his best not to let it show how worn he is by what he does. He’s proud and stubborn, but continues to radiate light despite all of the darkness in this wretched world. I could go on and on about his keen senses, his intelligence, his generosity, and the pointed naivety, but I think it’s suffice to say that I admire him. He may be the one case that proved not to be as simple or open and shut as I previously thought, but I do hope that he continues to surprise me.
"I need him to stay alive and free for that. Life wouldn’t be the same without him. That’s why I’m to protect him, even if he will never believe that to be the case.”
“Several times, actually. Some of whom involved close, personal friends. It’s always thoroughly disappointing to see young people throw their lives away. Granted, I do have the young Ripper blokes to thank for inadvertently introducing me to my Moriarty, but even so… half of their gang is now dead, thanks to their illegal activities.”
“There are so many! The Princess Bride, Amelie, Moulin Rouge!, A Hard Day’s Night…”
“My god, yes, considering that she and my father are separated, not divorced, and haven’t seen each other in several months… I know that she has many suitors interested, but I trust that she’s a lady who honors her vows. I mean really, what kind of a question is this? If you know something that I don’t, you may as well tell me this instant! Is it the doctor?! I knew I never should have left England! Damn that bloody physician! I realize that we keep him on retainer, but he has no business making so many house calls, insanely attractive or not!”
“Despite being incredibly archaic in his personal beliefs, Hakuba-ojiisan has some very progressive views on modern science. He has made it a point to keep his laboratory and staff on the forefront of technological and procedural advances, becoming one of the leading privately owned and funded laboratories in the country. Indeed, the eldest Hakuba is quite the man of science. I only wish he weren’t so racist. He still does all that he can to pretend that I don’t exist.”
“Grandfather Wickham, on the other hand, was a shrewd business man whose vice was in the cards. He was a gambling man who loved his liquor, and no one could best him in poker or billiards. He died when I was quite young, but I have fond memories of the scent of scotch he drank and the cigars he liked to carry around in his suit jacket. I miss that man. I think we all do.”
The Belt
It was 17:14:32 – just after 5pm on a Wednesday afternoon when they were caught. Hakuba – then known as James – remembered his face; wry smile stretched under freckled cheeks, brown eyes squinting in amusement. John Wells. The most perfect boy he’d ever met. Athletic, smart, tragic. They’d met at the academy three years before and, somehow, ended up in the same middle school.
Together, they explored a private world of experiments and experiences. Both of his parents worked, so it was easy to sneak in after school and huddle in the under-stairs playroom. No one needed to know that they shared an intense love, or dreams of running away to Paris, and the hope that, some day, they wouldn’t have to hide. Wouldn’t have to feel so guilty about what they did together, how they felt.
He loved John. They needed each other. There was so much pain that needed to be erased. So many things to learn. John was safe. John was wonderful.
But…
They didn’t hear the heavy footsteps, nearly forty-five minutes too early, until it was far too late. Their laughter masked the closing of the front door and the door leading to the finished basement. The heat between them kept them from realizing that they were no longer alone. Really, it wasn’t until the door to their safe space was torn open, blinding them with light from the hall, that the panic fully set in.
Had they more time, even just a minute, they could have hidden what they’d done. What they’d been doing. As it was, James stared in wide-eyed surprise as John’s father hesitated a full five seconds before he grabbed the dark-haired boy by the arm, dragging him from his grasp. Rug burns on naked skin would have been bad enough, bringing a whine of sympathy to the blonde’s throat.
“Dad! No, it’s…”
“How could you do this to me? To your mum?! I thought we were PAST this!”
“Leave him alone!" It hurt. The yelling, the fear. It brought back too much too quickly. James pulled his trousers on and, heart in his throat, forced himself to step out and face the man. He’d seen too many people get hurt to stand by again. John didn’t deserve this.
However, as he looked between the two of them, his resolve faltered. There was pain in the man’s face. Anguish. John wore it, too. No one said anything for a moment as they let the outsider’s voice fade.
Then, without looking at him, the father gave a calm, simple command.”Get out.”
It was followed by one from John. “Do it, James… just go.”
"But… no, you can’t do this! He’s not doing anything wrong! It’s okay!”
“JAMES, get OUT!”
To hear those words from his lover, said like that, brought heated color to his cheeks, eyes stinging from the feeling that was something between embarrassment and betrayal. He went back into the playroom, gathered his belongings, and left without another word, just as that man slipped the leather belt from the last loop of his trousers.
The slap of it against skin and the subsequent cries reached him just before slamming the front door behind him on his way out for the last time.
Scar Chart
(Drawn by smokebombsandmirrors – thanks again!!!)
((I’ll probably write about these later, but he doesn’t want me to at the moment, so… yeah, I’ll come back to this at a later time. HOWEVER I can say that the animal scars were from WATSON, that cheeky bird!))
((he also wants me to specify that MOST of these scars are very thin/light; it’s just a few on his lower back that are awful.))