ETA: I received a comment about a line I should have ended this with and-because they were absolutely right-I added a final scene that includes the line in question. ;D Hope you guys like it.

There was someone upstairs.

By the sound of things, they'd crashed through one of the upstairs windows, a guest bedroom based on the side of the house the noise was coming from. Shinichi walked resolutely up the stairs, grabbing something to use as a weapon—a bat his mother had left lying around for whatever reason.

As he peeked into the room the sound seemed to originate from, he dropped the bat in his surprise, hurrying inside.

"Sorry about the mess," Kid said, coughing. His hand was pressed to his side, ineffectively suppressing the flow of blood from what seemed to be a gunshot wound. "I wasn't sure where to go. I wasn't sure who else was safe…"

"Well, you were right to come here," Shinichi said, pulling out his phone.

Kid grabbed his arm weakly, "I can't…"

"I'm not calling an ambulance. I'm calling a friend." Shinichi covered Kid's hand with his own. "You're safe here. I promise."

Kid nodded weakly, eyes falling shut. Shinichi dialed as quickly as he could.

"Kudou, someone better be dying. I know you keep odd hours, but some of us—"

"Kaitou Kid has been shot and is currently in my guest bedroom."

"I'm on my way. What's his status?" Haibara asked, all business, grumpiness forgotten.

"He's lost quite a bit of blood, but he's still clinging to consciousness. Wound seems to be a deep graze on his left side. Missed any major arteries."

"Okay. He's refused a hospital?"

"Yes."

"Okay. He's a lucky idiot—I can probably help him. But if I can't, you're driving him straight there."

"Okay. Do you have a key, or do I need to unlock the front door?"

"I'm already inside."

Haibara hung up at the same time Shinichi could hear her footsteps on the stairs.

"You remember Haibara, right, Kid?" he asked, trying to keep him responsive. Kid blinked blearily up at him.

"The tiny scientist?"

"Not so tiny any more, thanks. I'm probably 10 now," Haibara said, breezing into the room, turning on the light, and waving Shinichi aside. "Plenty old enough for emergency medical procedures, don't you think?"

Kid smiled, but didn't seem to have the energy to laugh. Shinichi frowned.

"Kudou, I need you to keep him talking. He can't sleep until I'm done," Haibara said, rifling through her bag, before unbuttoning Kid's shirt and setting to work. Shinichi tried not to spend too long looking at either the wound or Kid's chest.

"You heard her, Kid," he said, meeting his eyes. "Would you like to tell me about what happened tonight or?"

"Well, you didn't make it to my heist," Kid said, coughing a little. Shinichi winced. "Lemme guess, something came up? It's fine, don't worry about it," Kid continued quickly.

"I tried, but Inspector Megure called me about a triple homicide."

"Yeah, that figures," Kid said, looking… sad? Resigned? "Anyway, I was stealing the gem, as usual. Hakuba was chasing me, as usual. I went to the roof to fly away, as usual. But instead of following their, uh, usual MO, my fans shot at Hakuba, so I tackled him and took the hit before flying off. And then I made it here." Kid laughed humorlessly. "Joke's on them. The gem wasn't even close to what they're looking for."

"You mean, being shot at is normal for you?" Haibara asked, shooting a concerned look at Shinichi. Shinichi returned it, frowning at the thief.

"Yeah. They usually miss."

"Jesus, Kid, you should have told me."

"So you could do what, exactly, Kudou?"

"Help. You've always given me a hand with things I couldn't do alone. Did you think I wouldn't want to return the favor?" Shinichi asked, feeling hurt. It wasn't that he'd expected the thief to trust him… Although, he must if he was sitting here, bleeding.

Kid sighed, "I didn't want to put you in danger. You finally have your life back. I'm not selfish enough to ruin that for you." Kid looked away.

Irritated, Shinichi flicked the side of Kid's head. Kid flinched.

"Don't do things that make him move, Kudou. Sensitive work happening here," Haibara grumbled.

"What was that for, anyway?" Kid asked, lips pursed.

"You're an idiot," Shinichi told him. "My life is not going to be ruined if I help you. I might be in danger, but, well…" Shinichi hesitated. "I'd be ruined if I couldn't help you. You could have died tonight, Kid."

"You… want to help me?" Kid asked. "But… I'm a thief?"

"I was an evil scientist, and he helped me," Haibara supplied. "I think you may be underestimating Kudou and doing yourself a disservice." She snorted. "You're definitely more consistently good than I was when I found Kudou."

"True," Shinichi agreed. "Besides, you're not just a thief. Maybe I'm alone in this, but after everything, I consider you an ally at the least. More often, I think of you as a friend."

"Kudou…" Kid stared up at Shinichi, eyes a little wide. He bit at his lip, considering something for a long silent moment.

"You're all finished. I want you to get something to eat and drink before going to bed. Also, you should stay here for at least a day. I want to keep an eye on you," Haibara told Kid, double checking the bandages over his stitched wound.

"Okay," Kid agreed quietly. "Thank you. I'm grateful to your help, both of you."

"Of course," Haibara said, waving a hand as she stood. "Ayumi would never forgive me if she knew I could have saved the life of Kaitou Kid and chose not to. Not that she'll know that I did save his life…"

"Good night, Haibara." Shinichi waved as she strode out the door before turning back to Kid. "Can you walk to the kitchen do you think?"

Kid glanced at his wound before attempting to stand. At the pained look on his face, Shinichi shook his head.

"Let me help you into bed. I'm not going to make you walk up and down stairs." Shinichi slipped his arm around Kid's back, and together, they moved him quickly to the bed. "I'll be back with something to eat and some water. Do you have any preferences?"

Kid shook his head, "Not really. I don't like, um, aquatic things, but otherwise, I'm sure whatever you choose will be fine."

Shinichi nodded and headed downstairs. Glancing through his cupboards, he grimaced at the lack of options before settling for some noodles. They were quick to cook, so he could be sure that Kid would probably still be awake when he brought them up.

He filled two bowls and grabbed water bottle from the fridge before heading upstairs.

Kid was sitting up when he stepped inside. Shinichi froze as his eyes fell on an uncovered face, the hat and monocle resting on the nightstand. Hesitantly, Shinichi walked up to the bed, handing Kid his bowl and the water bottle.

"Thanks, Kudou."

"Anytime, Kid."

"Kuroba Kaito. My name, I mean. It's Kuroba Kaito."

"Eat your noodles, Kuroba."

Kid—Kuroba—grinned at him before digging in. Shinichi followed suit. In between bites, he seemed like he wanted to say something, but waited until he was about halfway through his bowl.

"You looked so surprised, but honestly, I was more surprised when you didn't try to take my hat and monocle off while the little scientist worked."

"That would have been a violation of your trust," Shinichi said firmly. "You trusted me enough to come here, I wasn't going to turn around and betray that."

"That's why I took them off myself. I wasn't going to ask a favor of someone who didn't know my name." Kuroba took another bite of his noodles, following it with a long drink of water. "I wanted to ask you if I could stay a little longer after the little scientist's observation period."

"You may. Is there anyone you need to contact? You could borrow my phone if you need to."

"I already called someone. He'll make sure no one wonders about my absence. Tomorrow, I'll tell you about them. The people after me, I mean. It's too long a story to get into tonight." Kuroba yawned as if on cue.

Shinichi smiled and held out a hand for his bowl. Kuroba smiled sheepishly, but passed it over.

"Do you want to borrow some PJs?" Shinichi asked, glancing at the unbuttoned and blood stained shirt. The jacket, cape, and tie had already been discarded, but the rest did not look very comfortable.

"Maybe some pajama pants, yeah," Kid said, eyes staying closed for longer than usual on each blink. Shinichi smiled and hurried out with the bowls.

He dropped them off in the kitchen before rifling through his drawers for a pair of sweat pants, luckily finding a suitable pair quickly. But when he made it back to the guest room Kuroba was in, he was already asleep.

Shinichi sighed. He set the pants on the bed and considered his options. While he was thinking, he remembered to close the window and shut the curtains. It wouldn't do to have Kuroba catch a cold on top of getting shot. When he returned to his bedside, he made his decision.

He'd changed Hattori's clothes while he was unconscious before, so this wasn't going to be any different. With that decided, Shinichi gently maneuvered Kuroba until he could undo his belt and pull the white dress pants off.

Ignoring the playing card print underwear, Shinichi carefully pulled the sweats up over his hips. He was going to leave, but decided it would be better if Kuroba was under the covers. With that in mind, he pulled the blankets out from under him and tucked the thief in.

On a whim, he pushed Kuroba's bangs off of his forehead, taking in the features that had always been hidden from him. His face was nice, overall. Pretty cheekbones, well-sloped nose, a soft-looking mouth…

He shook himself and walked away quickly, closing the door behind him. He leaned against the door and closed his eyes.

Shinichi was making French toast the next morning when he heard footsteps on the stairs. Kid—no, Kuroba—looked slightly… off, somehow, like he wasn't sure of his welcome. Shinichi smiled at him, gesturing at the stove with his spatula.

"Breakfast is almost ready," he said. "If you want something to drink, I can get you something. You can feel free to sit down either way."

Kuroba looked surprised, but tried to smile. "Water would be nice, thanks." His gait was unbalanced as he walked over to the table, sitting down heavily, wincing.

After checking the food, Shinichi quickly poured two glasses of water, setting them on the table. As he headed back to keep an eye on the toast, Kuroba spoke up, voice hesitant.

"I wanted to thank you again for last night. You didn't have to help as much as you did, and you definitely didn't need to change my pants for me," Kuroba said, blushing just slightly.

"It wasn't a big deal. I'm just glad we have a similar build, otherwise I couldn't have left you a clean shirt, too." Shinichi set the two pieces of toast on a plate, setting it down in front of Kuroba, picking up the plate with the previous two slices for himself. "Do you need pain killers?"

"That would be nice, yeah," Kuroba admitted as he started cutting his French toast.

Shinichi smiled and pulled out a bottle from his cabinet. He set it down in front of Kuroba as he took his own seat.

They ate in a comfortable silence for several minutes. Shinichi was taking a long pull from his coffee when Kuroba set his silverware down, countenance shifting dramatically. Shinichi took his last bites and set his fork down as well.

"I believe I owe you a story, Kudou."

"Let me put the dishes in the sink. We can talk in the library." Shinichi stacked the plates swiftly, glancing over his shoulder. "You know where it is?"

"Yeah. Meet you there."

"I think you should probably know," Kuroba said, not turning away from one of the book shelves when Shinichi walked in. "I hid a few flash drives in here. If something were to happen to me, you'd get a letter in the mail with directions on how to find them."

Under normal circumstances, Shinichi would be alarmed that someone had not only snuck into his house, but also took the time to hide things. With Kid, though, he wasn't all that surprised. He felt a little touched, actually, that Kid trusted him enough to hide important objects with him.

"I wasn't sure which detective I should hide them with, but between you and Hakuba, I was pretty that you at least wouldn't hunt them down early."

Shinichi laughed at that, settling into his favorite arm chair, watching Kuroba.

"That's probably true," he allowed. "Personally, I'd rather learn what's on them from you than from finding them. If I found them, it would mean…"

"Yeah. I'd rather you hear it from me, too." Kuroba turned back to face him, smiling wryly before sitting down in the other chair. He leaned back and sighed, closing his eyes. "I don't even know where to begin. I've never…"

"Begin at the beginning," Shinichi suggested simply. Kuroba sighed.

"My father was the first Kaitou Kid," he began, closing his eyes. "He was an amazing magician, and a threat to a particular organization. When he swore to stop them, they swore to end him. He was killed during one of his magic shows when I was 8."

"He was a kind man," Shinichi said, voice soft. Kuroba's eyes snapped open. "I met him once as a child. He gave me a riddle—well, a scavenger hunt, really—to solve, one with a message for my father. I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you," Kuroba said, looking away, smiling wryly. "That sounds just like him, always playing around…" He sighed, schooling his expression. "Anyway, when I turned 16, I found his hideout, his gear… There was a tape there, but it was too badly damaged to make much out. I eventually understood that my father was the original Kaitou Kid, and his accidental death was really a murder.

"From there, picking up the mantle wasn't really a choice," Kuroba continued, returning his gaze to Shinichi. "Obviously, upon Kaitou Kid's 'return,' the men who killed him were… understandably upset. They passed on a message: Continue and we'll kill you again."

"So, obviously, you continued," Shinichi said wryly.

"Glad you understand," Kuroba said. "I've been dodging them and all manner of other undesirables ever since. Some of them you've met, of course, but others… Have you heard of Nightmare?"

"Wasn't he the thief Interpol was chasing a while ago?" Shinichi asked, frowning deeply. That case had ended in tragedy; even Division One was talking about it after the news got out…

"I was there that night."

Shinichi read the hopeless expression with ease. He'd seen it often enough in the mirror, especially after…

"I know this is cold comfort, but I'm sure you did all you could," Shinichi said, keeping his voice gentle. "I… If anyone could understand how you feel, it would be me."

Kuroba's surprise faded quickly to understanding, and he nodded, seeming unwilling to say anything else about it.

"I haven't found what they were looking for, nor have I disbanded them, so here I am. Still getting shot at once or twice a month while I try to end what my parents started."

"What are they looking for," Shinichi asked.

"A gem within a gem that shines red in the moonlight. It's supposed to grant immortality once every 10,000 years or something."

"A fairytale."

"A fairytale that cost my father his life," Kuroba reminded him sharply. "They believe in it enough to kill for it; that's all that matters."

"Of course," Shinichi agreed quickly. "Well, you've been checking all you've stolen, right?" he asked, standing and walking to one of the back shelves, skimming over the case files he'd stashed there. When he found the one he was looking for, he tugged it out along with a notebook.

"I have. What are you doing?"

"I'm making a list. No use looking into gems you've already checked," Shinichi said, quickly writing out the names of every gem he'd taken. "What can you tell me about their organization?"

"I… They use codenames—Snake, Spider… Most of them seem to be jewel thieves or assassins. Their boss is… I don't know, actually. I've never heard them more than mention them. There's another man who seems like a sort of regional boss… What are you doing now?"

Shinichi leveled him with a flat look, "I'm taking notes. How else am I going to help you bring these people to justice?"

"You… still want to? Even though… I don't want you to be in danger."

"I already told you, Kuroba, I want to help you. If something happens and I could have prevented it… I don't want you to be another life weighing on my conscience. Losing strangers is bad enough; I couldn't imagine losing a friend."

Kuroba turned abruptly away again, his cheeks turning the slightest bit red.

"In any case, I'm going to need to contact some of my allies… Oh, and I'll need you to issue a challenge as Kid. I need an excuse to turn up at every heist, one no one would have any reason to question."

"You don't think that'll give us away?"

"Probably not," Shinichi shrugged. "I'll be going after you as usual, so I doubt people would read more into it."

Kuroba grimaced. "The return of the Conan days."

"At least now you know I'm not trying to arrest you," Shinichi grinned.

"Were you ever?" Kuroba asked absently, expression too casual.

"Maybe once or twice?" Shinichi said, considering. "I definitely wanted to arrest you at the Black Star heist…" Kuroba chuckled. "But even at the clock tower, you were more a mystery than a criminal."

Shinichi felt his face warm at the realization—he'd wanted to solve Kid for far longer than he'd ever wanted to arrest him. He wanted to catch him, sure, but… What did he have in mind for when he was finally well and truly caught? What would he do then? Let him go, like some sort of fish?

(Shinichi adamantly refused to think about how much he didn't want to release any hold he could have on Kid, tried not to think about wanting to keep Kuroba…)

"So, what," Kuroba asked, eyes sparking with mischief, "you want to solve me, detective?"

Shinichi jolted, feeling heat in his ears.

"Do you?" Kuroba asked, looking slightly unsure.

"O-Of course not," Shinichi objected, waving a hand. "You can't solve a person. That's ridiculous."

Kuroba made a sound, but it seemed unconvinced. Shinichi sighed.

"Look, I'm going to need you to keep me in the loop with this. Anything you learn, any contact you get, I need to know."

"Of course."

"And, if you… if you want the help, I can start researching potential candidates for Pandora."

"That would be…" Kuroba seemed surprised again. "That would be great, Kudou. Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

"Like I shouldn't mention you want to solve me like one of your investigations?" Kuroba teased, batting his eyelashes. Shinichi groaned.

"You're a menace."

"Having second thoughts?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

"What will you do now?"

The question seemed to echo in Kaito's ears. First Hakuba, then Akako, and finally Kudou, all echoing the one thought he was trying hardest to avoid. Kaito stared out over the city, the window reflecting just enough that he could see Kudou. His hands were in his pockets, his stance relaxed.

"The bad guys have been captured; the strays have been rounded up…" Kaito shoved his hands in his pockets. "What is there to do? Seems like I'm out of a job, detective. They're going to face justice now." Kaito sighed. He felt light, but like he was hollow. With Kudou and Hakuba backing him up, it was almost too easy.

"It's never quite what you expect, is it?" Kudou asked, walking forward. He rested his arms on the windowsill. "After all that time with a quest to drive you, it's hard to imagine a life without it."

"Finally," Kaito breathed. "You understand."

Kudou grinned. "Of course. If anyone could understand being nearly consumed by a mission…"

"It would be you," Kaito finished. "Seems like every time I think no one could understand, you defy expectation. So, what did you do?"

Kudou laughed. "I'm not a good example. My answer was to throw myself into someone else's quest."

Kaito glanced at him, taking in his embarrassed smile, and laughed in turn. "I suppose I can't find someone who needs a thief for their quest, huh… It's not like a video game where someone in need just wanders by you and asks for the services of a thief."

"Or a magician. You're not just one thing, Kaitou Kid. It's not like you to limit yourself."

Limit… "Is the quest really over?" Kaito wondered.

"Well, the conditions have been cleared."

"Not all of them," Kaito corrected, turning to face him. "After all, I swore to destroy Pandora. I should at least find out if it's real, shouldn't I?"

Kudou tilted his head. "You… Well, I suppose we can tilt at windmills a while longer."

"You're in, then?" Kaito asked.

"Yeah. I'm in."

"Kudou, is it true? You're helping Kid find gems to steal?" Hakuba asked. He looked unnerved and more than a little worried. Shinichi glanced up from his case file.

"It's true. Why?"

"W-Why? That organization has been disbanded, what's the point in chasing a fairy tale?" Hakuba crossed his arms, eyes flinty. He must have been at lunch with Kuroba.

"You don't approve."

"Of course I don't. It's needlessly dangerous and a waste of time."

"It is. But it's something he feels should be done, and I promised to help him." Shinichi considered his case file with a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth. Was this really the kind of work he wanted to do? Maybe his high school self was right about working as a private detective…

"Promise you'll look after him," Hakuba said, his voice soft. When Shinichi looked up, his eyes were hidden in the shadow of his bangs. His face was turned away.

"I promise."

"Hey, Kudou, if you become a P.I., are you going to charge me for your services?" Kaito asked, leaning into the couch and resting one foot on Kudou's coffee table. Kudou snorted.

"No. You can consider yourself grandfathered in. Pro bono, if you will."

"Cool." Kaito watched the ceiling fan for a long moment. Kudou turned a page. "Hey, Kudou, do you think you'd need help as a P.I.?"

Kudou shut his book, fabric rustling as he likely sat up and focused on Kaito. "Are you asking to work with me?"

"Maybe," Kaito hedged. "I'm still a magician first and foremost, but that's not really a full-time job. And, well, I can't really make a living as a thief if all of my friends are detectives."

"Never stopped you before."

"I didn't keep many of the gems before. I mostly felt bad about having them and turned them in to Nakamori so I could look him in the eye." Kaito sighed. "I've helped on a few cases before, so I know I'm okay at it."

"Okay?" Kudou sounded skeptical. "You realize that you've disguised as more than one detective, and each time, your investigation and deduction were not what gave you away. You're more than qualified for the job, Kuroba."

Kaito smiled, meeting his eyes before glancing away. "Thanks. It would probably just be until my magic career kicks off, but… Well, you've been helping me; I might as well return the favor."

"I'd be honored to have your help," Kudou said. "Actually, why don't you take a look at the one I'm working on now. It's a robbery-homicide, so…"

"Let me see. What are you looking for?"

Kudou handed him the file. "Anything that seems out of place or out of the ordinary." Kudou shrugged. "Outside of that, I don't actually know yet."

Kaito flipped through the file, eyes raking over the pages. If this was done by the man in question… but…

"Kudou, are you sure this guy did it?"

"No. What did you see?"

"For someone to break into this room, they'd need to be my height or shorter. There's no way a man this tall and bulky broke into the room." Kaito frowned at the testimonies. "He said he broke in?"

"Who is he protecting?" Kaito and Kudou asked at the same time. They met eyes and they laughed, surprised. Kudou's expression was warm and open. He looked delighted. Kaito could feel heat in his cheeks.

"Well if that doesn't suggest you're cut out for it…" Kudou winked. "How strong would you have to be to get into this room?"

"From the outside? Any experienced tree climber would be able to manage it, so not too strong. There are easier ways to get in, but it doesn't look like they were used in this case." Kaito shrugged. "I think this girl," he pointed to the first witness, "is probably a likely suspect. But this boy could probably get in as well."

Kudou nodded. "I'm going to need to take another look at the scene. If the height is different, then something is wrong with the evidence. Do you want to come with?"

"Now?" At Kudou's shrug, Kaito shook his head. "Nah, I think I'm gonna get some work done on my next show. I just had an idea for a trick."

"I'll let you know how it turns out, and whether or not I decide to go private. Let me know when your next show is; I'd like to go."

"Sounds good, Kudou. I'll see you later."

"Hey, Kuroba, I've been thinking," Shinichi said, tapping his fingers on the table in a restless rhythm. Kuroba raised an eyebrow.

"Did it hurt?"

Shinichi shot him a look, but decided to ignore the comment. "I… Would you consider going on a date with me?"

Kuroba's cheeks turned pink. "Um, what brought this on?"

Shinichi hesitated. The response wasn't overwhelmingly positive, but he hadn't outright rejected him… Ran would tell him to keep going. "Like I said, I was thinking, and I think dating you would be fun. We work well together, so chances are…"

"We'd play well together, too?" Kuroba finished. After a beat, he seemed to recognize the latent innuendo in the statement, and his blush spread out to his ears. It was adorable.

"Something like that," Shinichi said, fighting back a laugh at his expression—torn between hopelessly embarrassed and helplessly amused at his own wording. "If you're not interested, we can stay friends. Nothing needs to change."

"Sometimes change is for the better," Kuroba said with a thoughtful air. "I think… I got a prophecy about this the other day, actually."

"From Koizumi?"

"Yeah, something about the winds of change and…" He ducked his head to hide what Shinichi could tell was a deepening blush. "I forget the rest," he lied.

Shinichi smiled. "Then what do you think? Do you want to give it a try?"

"How much is really going to change? I mean, we go out to eat and do activities together, so all that's left if the more physical signs of affection, hand holding, hugs…"

Shinichi glanced down to Kuroba's hand, resting on the table. Curious, he settled his own hand, palm up, in the middle. He met Kuroba's eyes, lips pulling up. Kuroba laughed under his breath, but took Shinichi's hand, squeezing once.

"So, you're in?" Shinichi asked, rubbing his thumb over the back of his hand.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm in."

Shinichi glanced over his notes, humming to himself. Coming to a decision, he nodded once. "If you don't mind, I'd like to call in my partner for this one. I think his perspective will be helpful."

His client, Miss Takahashi, frowned, but nodded. "If you think they can help, please feel free. I really wish to find my grandmother's diamonds."

"If you'll give me a moment, I can call him and see how soon he can get here." Shinichi smiled at her and pulled out his phone when she gave a second nod. When Kaito picked up, Shinichi felt his smile grow a little out of his control. "Hey, I have a case that could use your eye."

"Oh? Theft?" Kaito asked. He sounded interested, but it sounded like he had the phone tucked between his chin and his shoulder. He must be working on something, so he was probably in his workshop. "Client still there?"

"She is, yes. Can you get here soon, or should I ask the usual questions on your behalf?"

"Hm, well, if I seal this, I can be there in… ten minutes. If she's okay with waiting, I'll come myself. If she's busy, go ahead and ask for me."

Shinichi pulled the phone away from his ear for a moment. "Do you have somewhere you need to be? He can be here in ten minutes."

"So soon?" she asked. Her eyes were wide and a little watery. "I can wait. I cleared my schedule before coming here."

Shinichi nodded, putting the phone back at his ear. "She'll wait. I'll see you soon."

"Be there in a few. Love you."

"You, too," Shinichi said. Kaito hung up, and he tucked his phone away. "In the meantime, could you tell me a little more about the people you've met recently?"

"Yes, of course. What do you want to know?"

Kaito let himself into the agency, making a beeline for Shinichi. He stopped just short of kissing the top of his head, limiting himself to resting his hand there for a moment. He shot the client a wide smile.

"Hello. I'm Kuroba Kaito. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The woman smiled, looking a little shaky. "My name is Takahashi Erika. Thank you so much for coming to speak with me on such short notice."

Kaito waved a hand to dismiss her worries. "I'm happy to help. Shinichi said your case involves theft?"

"Yes. It's a bit of a long story."

"Then we better get started."

When the client was gone, Shinichi pulled Kaito close, kissing him lightly. "Thank you." He kissed him again. "You've already helped a lot."

"You know me. I'm a people pleaser." Kaito yawned. "I always get so sleepy after listening to people report crimes. How can you stay awake for a whole day of that?"

"Coffee," Shinichi said, kissing his cheek. "And texts from you about whatever shenanigans you've gotten yourself into."

"Shenanigans? I would never." Kaito scoffed, pressing a hand to his sternum with a dramatic flair.

Shinichi made a noncommittal noise. "Do you need to get back to your workshop anytime soon?"

"Not really, why?"

"Just thinking about kissing you some more. I don't have any more client meetings today, so there's no reason for anyone to need me just now."

"Well, I do like kissing you… All right, I accept. You may kiss me all you like, but then I do have to wrap up at my workshop before we go home."

"Deal."

Kaito was distantly aware of the agency's door opening, but he was so distracted by the way Shinichi's hand was clutching his hip, the soft press of his lips, his tongue… He didn't pay it much mind.

"Oh, shit, sorry," Hattori said, probably backpedaling. "I didn't realize—Wait, Kuroba? When the hell did that happen?"

Shinichi pulled away, sitting up, but not bothering to get off of Kaito's lap. Kaito didn't bother to sit up, focusing on catching his breath. Shinichi was flushed, but didn't seem embarrassed. Kaito smiled.

"Few weeks ago?" Shinichi shrugged. "Before I opened the agency, but after I decided I wanted to."

"What? Why didn't you tell me?" Hattori huffed, sounding a little hurt.

Shinichi frowned. "Not much really changed, so I didn't really think about it. I figured I'd tell you when it came up, and I did. Just now." Shinichi grinned.

"Uh-huh, and what, I'm the last to know?"

Definitely hurt, but trying not to show it. Shinichi's expression went soft and fond, so Kaito thought he probably noticed anyway. "You're the second person I've told. Only after Ran."

"Oh. I thought maybe…"

"I still haven't told Hakuba yet, so you're ahead of him," Kaito offered. By the way Shinichi laughed, Kaito thought Hattori's face must've been particularly funny. He smiled.

"Well, I guess if I'm only losing to Ran and probably Nakamori, I can deal with that. Oh, right, I actually came to ask your opinion—it's uh… Personal, not business."

Shinichi's face lit up. "Are you finally going ring shopping?"

"Finally making an honest woman of her, eh, Hattori?" Kaito teased.

"What? How on earth did you both—? No, I don't wanna know." Hattori sighed. "Yes, I'm going ring shopping, and I want a second opinion."

"I'd be happy to come, Heiji. I'm honored."

"Yeah, well, not like I'm gonna ask someone else, am I? You're my best friend. Although… Hey, Kuroba, you're a thief."

"More importantly, I'm an everyday romantic as opposed to Grand Gesture Shinichi over here. If you're asking, I'd be glad to lend you a hand."

Hattori laughed at Shinichi's expression of fond annoyance. "Thanks, you guys. If you ever decide to tie the knot, I'd love to return the favor."

Shinichi's cheeks went an adorable shade of red at that, suggesting to Kaito that he hadn't thought that far ahead. Kaito had three proposals in mind for when they felt ready—getting next of kin status was something Kaito valued pretty highly, considering Shinichi's chosen line of work, not to mention the tendency his experimental tricks had of landing him in the hospital.

Kaito twined their fingers together. "I can't really get up to leave if you're sitting on me, Shinichi."

"Oh, right." Shinichi stood, eyes still distant. Hattori looked a little concerned.

"Is he alright?"

"He's fine. He just hadn't thought that far ahead, so it caught him by surprise. He'll rejoin us once he's followed whatever path of logic he's on now. Don't worry about it. Now tell me, what kind of rings were you thinking about?"

"Well…"

Later that night, tucked together in bed, Shinichi turned to face Kaito. Kaito blinked sleepily at him. "Something on your mind?"

"I think we should get married," Shinichi said, hushed and earnest. Kaito laughed a little, eyes falling shut. "I'm serious, Kaito, even if I'm maybe moving a little too fast."

"Not too fast. I've already thought about it." Kaito yawned. "Had some proposal ideas, but looks like there's no point to them now."

"You can still propose. We don't have to get engaged right now. I just wanted to bring it up."

"Very practical," Kaito mumbled, nuzzling his throat. "Now go to sleep, Shinichi. You have an investigation to undertake tomorrow, and I have a trick to finalize."

"Yes, dear," Shinichi said, kissing the top of Kaito's head. "I love you."

"Love you, too." Kaito smiled, falling asleep to thoughts of Shinichi walking down the aisle. Kaito was wearing the dress, though, to Dream Shinichi's visible chagrin. Kaito laughed to himself as he fell asleep. Shinichi followed shortly after.

"Well, Shinichi," Kaito grinned up at him from one knee, a simple silver band catching the light from his outstretched hand. "What do you think? Are you in?"

Shinichi laughed, pulling him up into an ecstatic kiss. When they separated, Shinichi pressed their foreheads together. "Yeah, you dork, I'm in."