Mikau: Hi everyone! Thanks for taking a look at this. It's my entry for Poirot Café's fourth Super Short Contest "Fear". I tried some new(ish) things out in this one like writing first person (it always seems to be Hakuba-centric when I do that, doesn't it? ^.^;) and writing in the present tense. I think this ficlette lends itself well to both. I hope you enjoy it! I do love a good demon!Kaito.

Disclaimer: If I owned it, I would have continued using the supernatural elements of Magic Kaito. Because I like them. I don't care if it's not realistic. :/

…

The Monster at My Window

This house is haunted.

My father never notices. He's never home enough to take much heed of the otherworldly giggles of children in the second floor corridor in the dead of night or the doors that suddenly fly open or slam shut without the aid of draft. The Superintendent hasn't the sensitivity for the supernatural that I do.

Baaya, a good Christian woman, perceives but simply refuses to believe or acknowledge. I wish I could be as ignorant, as blind and deaf as she is, of the spectral goings-on in this house.

Thankfully the usual lineup of hobgoblins has ceased to disturb me. I no longer start at the faceless man in the shower or the long-necked girl wailing in the closet just before dawn when everything is at its darkest.

Though…lately…a more sinister presence has taken notice of me, following me home and sitting out on my balcony railing, calling to me.

"Hey. What are you afraid of?" he snickers, leering. His violet eyes glint; his fangs show.

I followed him after a heist, and I saw him change. Kuroba Kaito's biggest secret isn't that he's the Kaitou Kid.

"Hey. Don't ignore me," he entreats—almost jeers—from where he's perched outside.

Only my screen glass door protects me.

I don't know what he is. I've had so little contact with any of the higher breeds of demons. Maybe a fox or a tengu…maybe a vampire.

God, I hope not, but…the way he smirks and eyes me…like he wants to eat me…

I shiver.

He smiles, cajoling, "Tantei-saaaan? Can I come in? Let's talk."

"I'm trying to focus on our Calculus assignment at the moment."

Go away.

"Invite me in, and I'll help you," he haggles.

"There's no point in doing it if I don't do it myself."

Please.

"So studious," he chuckles, and I feel icy chills wriggle down my spine like as many worms. "…So…what are you afraid of?"

"Do demons actually ask like that?" I endeavor to inject bravado into my shaking voice. I'm afraid of him. That's what I'm afraid of…at least…at night…when he's like this…the serial killer looking in at the window. He's much the same Kuroba as usual at school during daylight.

"Like what?" he prompts, eager to keep me talking, hoping I'll slip up and play right into his hands.

"Like in the folktale. Like…if I say I'm afraid of gold or manju or something, will you throw it at me in hopes of scaring me to death?" I challenge.

He simpers.

I shiver once more. His eyes are bestial, a predator's. His saccharine smirk is the sadistic smile of the executioner.

"Hardly. Real demons aren't quite as stupid as you humans make us out to be…. What are you afraid of, Tantei-san?"

I pull the curtains and hope he goes away.

He continues to call to me in endearing words, a sweet tone.

I collapse back into my desk chair with a sigh of complete exhaustion. My body shakes. It's too much. I'm coming undone under his nightly tortures.

I close the Calculus text and google "Exorcism".

…

Kuroba acts completely normal at school. It's enough to make me question my own sanity. Does that demon actually come to my balcony at night to sing seductive siren songs of "Let me in"? Have I gone mad? Is it all a delusion?

He sees me staring at him, looks affronted—as if I'm a crazy, weirdo stalker—and turns to bother Nakamori-san.

Does she know that the man she loves isn't human? …Would she believe me if I tried to convince her of that fact? …Or is she one of them too?

…

"What are you afraid of, Tantei-san? …Tantei-san? …Hakubaaaa. Hakubaaaa."

I ignore theme and variations of this for twenty minutes.

"Saguru." He's standing at the door, staring me down.

My heart jumps.

"Come over here." The playful tone has gone out of his voice. Now it's all commanding impatience.

I give a little yelp of distress as I find my body obeying against my will…because he is a powerful demon, and he has my given name…and thus power over me.

"Let me in," he purrs, but nothing happens…because entrance must be granted consensually.

I find myself laughing in relief.

He bares his fangs, utterly incensed at being foiled.

I get the impression I will pay for my insolence if…when he gets his hands on me.

…

Kuroba and Nakamori-san come over to collaborate on a school project. When Nakamori-san leaves to use the powder room, Kuroba acts naturally. He jokes and teases, smiling like the usual carefree clown. I laugh too, returning snark for snark, and it's almost as if we're…friends.

As they leave, Kuroba looks back at me and smirks. "Thanks for inviting me."

The remark is normal, but his words send ice through my veins…because he's got me. I finally invited him.

I spend several hours after that sitting in thought, mentally steeling myself against what is sure to come—Kuroba's visit tonight.

I think of my classmate, my frenemy; my sparring partner the gentleman thief; and then that creature that sits crooning out on my balcony.

It's difficult to reconcile them. Are they really all the same person?

…

I fall asleep at some point, for when I awake he's looking down at me with those iridescent violet eyes.

I jump, but I don't scream. Finding my voice as my heart recovers from the shock, I tentatively ask, "Are you hungry?" as I hold out my wrist to him.

He's taken aback.

I retract and awkwardly stutter, "Or…d-do you feed off of chi?"

He shows his teeth…as if to prove a point. "What are you afraid of?"

I look up at the monster, past the fangs and the wild eyes…and see only my rival and friend, posturing, putting up a front as always.

He wants me to say "You" so that he can spit back, "You're just like the rest who only see me as a demon!"

I smile. "That shinigami Edogawa scares me more than you do, Kuroba, you pacifist. You won't hurt me; you would have done so already. You're not capable. You're no monster, Kuroba."

The menace starts to fade, leaving him abashed.

"Honestly? I'm afraid of failure…and, like you, rejection," I admit gently. "…I won't reject you, Kuroba. Now, while you're here, what do you say to some hot chocolate and a game of chess?"

As the words sink in, his confusion morphs into joy. Grateful tears pool at the corners of his eyes, and he smiles and nods.

The

End

…

Mikau: Yay! Happy-ish ending! Poor Kai-chan just wanted someone to accept him. Bullying Haku-chan like that was mean, though, Kaito. :/ Ah well. I hope you enjoyed it! Vote for me? Hahaha. Right. -.- I had fun writing it, though. I came up with the idea while musing over the theme of "fear" and muttering "What are you afraid of? What are you afraid of, Hakuba?" over and over again. And then I remembered that Japanese folktale and then…demon!Kaito! Tadah! Really, my writing process isn't all that impressive. -.-; Thanks again for reading. If you've got the time on your way out, please let me know what you thought! Thanks in advance!