Notes: Hey everyone! (to those who actually read my senseless rambling) It's been awhile since I've last posted, but I'm back with a (rushed) (late) Halloween fic! I've been really lazy these past few days that Halloween almost slipped my mind. I totally forgot about it until my friend reminded me on the day before. Ever since the actual holiday, though, I've been eating candy almost nonstop. I'm such a fattie.

Anyway, I tried to finish the story before Halloween ended, but I got tired, and gave up on finishing it in October, so some parts might seem rushed, but I hope you like it nonetheless!

Warnings: shounen-ai, fluff, the usual.

Disclaimer: Pretty sure we all know that I don't own the series.

Well, without further ado, please enjoy! (or not lol)

Pumpkin Spice

Kaito should have seen this coming.

It was Halloween night, and everyone else was spending their time with their loved ones while their children rounded their neighborhoods, bubbling with excitement as they stuffed their faces with the multitude of sugar they had acquired. Aoko was probably enjoying an expensive french dinner with her english boyfriend. Damn that Hakuba. His mother was probably somewhere off in Europe (Northern Austria, if he recalls correctly), and to put the cherry on top, so to speak, the love of his life was probably sharing a bucket of popcorn with Mouri Ran while cuddling on the couch to watch some Halloween special or something.

It really wasn't fair.

Kaito wanted to cuddle with the detective.
Kaito wanted to share blankets with him.
And exchange kisses with him.
And feel the warmth of his hands in his, and fall asleep in the crook of his shoulder while inhaling his scent...

God, he was such a lovesick fool.

The magician groaned and buried his face into his couch pillow and whined like a child about the general unfairness of life. Not that it assuaged his misery any more. All he had for Halloween was himself, the doves, and the grand portrait of his father beaming down at him.

Sure, he was used to to the loneliness; after all, he'd spent the past four years of his life in solitary distress. But it was at times like this when the vacancy just got to him. He had gradually learned to cope with it, but the empty feeling that came with being alone was slowly starting to become unbearable. It ate a gaping hole away at his heart, and he desperately wished for someone to fill it up for him.

He wanted a solid rock in his life. He wanted someone who wouldn't throw him away after awhile like a rag doll like many had, someone who would consider them as their number one. Kaito was sick and tired of being everyones second choice, everyone's backup. He wanted someone to stay by his side through thick and thin, and someone he could trust with everything he had; someone who wouldn't break his heart like everyone else. Was that really too much to ask for?

Kaito also wanted that someone to be Shinichi, but he was pretty sure the detective was in love with Mouri Ran, and he was afraid of Shinichi's reaction upon finding out about his feelings. What if he gets disgusted? What would happen to their friendship?

He really was a hot mess, wasn't he?

The worst part, however, was not the fear of unrequited love. The worst part was the fact that not even Kaito could deny how good Ran and Shinichi looked together. It was as if they were made for each other. The two always seemed to have an unbreakable connection, an unspoken language that the two shared that could not be translated by anyone else. The relaxed mien they held around each other only further signified the tightness of their bond.

...All of which in fact was the reason why Kaito had been so surprised to find that the caller ID displayed Shinichi's name when his phone vibrated diligently against his butt (causing the startled magician to promptly tumble off the couch). Wasn't he too busy flirting with Ran? Kaito's fingers fumbled clumsily as he struggled to answer the call.

Araide Tomoaki beamed when he saw his beautiful girlfriend wave from across the diner as she made her way through the tables.

"Sorry for being late. Did you wait long? I was talking to Shinichi about his love problems", she said, rolling her eyes.

Kudou-san, Araide had decided, was not a potential threat to his position as Ran's significant other, so he only smiled and told her not to worry about it.

The buttery scent of pumpkin spice cookies filled the massive Kudou mansion from top to bottom. Clear azure eyes peered into the oven, and decided that the delicacies were about ready to be served.

Carefully, Shinichi reached into the oven and pulled out the baking tray, and popped one into his mouth. The sugar felt too dominating and cloying, in his opinion; but then again, he'd never been much of a sweets fan anyway.

The important thing was that he now had an excuse to call his beloved.

"Hey"

"Sh- Shinichi..?"

"Kaito?"

"Yeah. Aren't you with Mouri-san?"

"She left a few minutes ago to have dinner with her boyfriend."

"Isn't she your girlfriend?"

"...No?"

"Oh."

Cue awkward silence.

"Anyway, Kaito. I made too many holiday cookies so will you come over and take some off my hands?"

"Really?"

"Yeah. I think I read the recipe wrong because I have like 50 now."

"How do you read a recipe wrong?"

"Ugh. Shut up. I don't cook much, okay?"
I just wanted to spend Halloween with you.

"Just... just come over if you're not doing anything important, okay?"
Please.

"Okay. I'll be there in a few minutes. Don't miss me too much."
I can't wait to see you.

Shinichi waited for Kaito to hang up on him, and then laid the phone down on his tiny coffee table along with his tray of cookies.

The sight of Kaito standing on his doorstep almost made Shinichi melt. The magician wore a navy sweater and a white knit scarf, and he looked absolutely adorable. The way the chilly wind had mussed his hair and turned his cheeks and nose a rosy shade of pink only made the detective want to cuddle him into oblivion more. Instead, Shinichi just smiled genially and welcomed the grinning magician into his dwelling.

Shinichi glanced furtively from behind the coffee mug he was nursing at Kaito, who seemed to be inhaling the cookies. There was something about the innocent way the magician's amethyst eyes sparkled as he licked the crumbs off of his fingers that made Shinichi want to pin him to the ground and just go at it. He really was just too precious.

Kaito, on the other hand, remained oblivious to the other boy's musings. He decided to break the silence, which made the detective jump a little.

"These are really good cookies Shinichi"
"Huh...? Oh. Yeah. Thanks. Ran gave me the recipe." Shinichi managed.

There he goes. It was always Ran, Ran, Ran. It was sweet, but almost sickening how much Shinichi seemed to care for the girl.

"...You like her, don't you?" Kaito blurted. He then proceeded to mentally berate himself for asking such a question. Great. Shinichi must think weirdly of him now, because what normal guy friend asks their other guy friend something like that?

Shinichi, however, only blinked once. "Of course I like her. She's my best friend."
Kaito almost deadpanned.

"I mean, like, like her. Romantically."

"Oh... does it seem that way?" Shinichi cocked his head to the side in inquiry.

YES, Kaito almost screamed, but forcefully kept his nonchalant mask.

"Well, I don't. She's like my friend slash advisor."

"For what?"

"For-... for things you can't really talk about with your guy friends, okay?" For discussing how to handle all the feelings that come with being in love with you.

Of course, Kaito was dying in curiosity now, but he didn't want to seem too nosy, so he let the subject drop and shoved another cookie into his mouth. After a period of silence, the magician decided that the quiet was becoming uncomfortable and tried to strike up another conversation.

"I thought you didn't like sweets, so I'm really surprised you made something like this."
That's because I made them for you, idiot, Shinichi wanted to say.
Urk. Kaito was getting close to the truth, dammit.
"Oh, um.. I always make things. It, um, calms me down. They were supposed to be for for my neighbors, but then I remembered that Haibara put Doc on a diet." Shinichi lied through his teeth.

"It must be nice to be your girlfriend. I bet they'd get to eat this stuff all the time" Kaito japed.
Shinichi seemed to stare at Kaito for a long, long time before he finally sighed and averted his gaze, making it hard for Kaito to read his expression.

"It's the only thing I can really do for them, since I'm away at cases all the time, you know? I guess that's why no one really wants me as their lover."

"That's got to be an overstatement, Shinichi. I'd want to be your lover." Kaito crafted on an extra playful mask and tone, just enough so that it was believable if he covered up his confession by brushing it off as a simple joke, if Shinichi ever asked.

Kaito was taken by surprise when Shinichi didn't snort softly like he always did when the magician played around, but instead got up from his seat all of the sudden and laid a firm hand on his shoulder with the strangest look in his beautiful eyes.
"Do you really mean it?"
"Y-yeah. Of course it's an overstatement. I mean, I don't think you'd neglect someone like you're saying you would." Kaito's heart drummed against his ribcage as he rambled.

"No, I meant about being my lover. Did you really mean that?"

Fear of rejection immediately shot through the magician's veins.

"...What if I said I did?"

"Did you?"

Kaito tried to smile and tell him it was all part of some grand old joke, and get back to their usual friendly banter, but really, the tears behind his eyes were threatening to spill out, and he honestly didn't think he could contain his feelings from the detective any longer.
He hung his head, let of a long breath, and nodded weakly. His lip trembled when he forced himself to look up and laugh.
"Yeah, I did. I've wanted to for a long time. I'm...I'm so sorry Shinichi. Disgusting, right?"

Suddenly, there was a warm hand cupping his cheek, and soft lips caressing his own. Kaito uttered a faint squeak as his eyes flew open wide, but let himself get lost in the scent of the other boy's shampoo and the fuzzy feeling of the sweet kiss. Somewhere in his hazy brain, the magician subconsciously noticed Shinichi's strong arms snaking around his back to hold his petite body closer to his.

The two broke apart after a few moments, both red cheeked and panting, but Shinichi's arms never let go of Kaito's waist. Finally, the former teen let out a breathless chuckle.
"I'll be your lover", he whispered. Kaito only giggled and buried his face into the detective's neck.

Notes: Well, at least I tried?
Reviews and constructive criticism are greatly greatly greatly appreciated.

Oh, on another note, I'm thinking of attempting at a longer, multichaptered fic, but it's just a nascent idea in my head right now, so please don't expect one to be posted anywhere in the near future. I'm such a bad writer. I guess I just don't have the concentration and the motivation for it.

By the way, what did everyone dress up as for Halloween? I was a (quite ugly) rockhopper penguin.

Well anyway, see you next time!
-incandescent stars (Rosalie)