Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan/Case Closed.

Pairing: Established KaitoxShinichi

Rating: M

Genre: Romance/Hurt/Comfort

Warning: Graphic content

Summary: Upset with Kaito's tendency to flirt with people, Shinichi decides to do some socializing of his own. Unfortunately, things don't go as planned.

Notes: This is part of the "Little Steps" universe. Each installation will have its own theme or running plot, and ratings will vary. Enjoy!

Little Steps: Problems in Paradise

Trust

Trust is important for relationships. Shinichi knows this. Kaito knows this. And they both feel that they have a trusting relationship. For the most part, this is true.

They both know that the love and respect they have for one another is real and runs deep. They understand each other in ways that no one else does. They see each others virtues and flaws and how they come together to make them the amazing people that they are.

It isn't that love is blind. Rather, love, real love, is wanting the other person for exactly who they are.

Flirt

While Shinichi trusts Kaito, it doesn't stop him from feeling hurt sometimes when he sees Kaito flirting with the women he meets even though he knows he shouldn't. Flirting is just something Kaito does (he's practically preconditioned to give girls roses and compliments and charm them off their feet). He never means anything by it. But Shinichi is only human. He can't help but wonder sometimes if Kaito will find someone better—someone more outgoing, or maybe someone who can actually give him children. He knows that Kaito likes kids after all. Shinichi has serious doubts about his own ability to be a good parent (his own parents certainly aren't winning any contests, and being around him had led the Shounan Tantei into way more than their fair share of danger), but he's sure that Kaito would be an excellent father.

Blue eyes peered over the rim of his cup at the dance floor where he can see Kaito dancing with a pretty brunette. The girl was someone the magician knew from one of his physics classes, apparently. They had been dancing together almost all evening.

Okay, so maybe it was Shinichi's own fault. Kaito had asked him to dance when they first got here, but he'd told the magician that he didn't feel like it. Now he wishes he had accepted the invitation even though the noisy crowd on the dance floor was the opposite of inviting.

Sighing, he takes another long swallow from his cup and grimaces. He doesn't like alcohol, but the bartender had been so enthusiastic about promoting his wares that Shinichi hadn't felt right saying he only wanted water. The problem is that alcoholic drinks tend to make him feel depressed. They mess with his thought processes and dredge up painful memories. He should have remembered that earlier. Well, he'll ask for water as soon as this cup is done.

It's just too bad they don't serve coffee. That would have made up for everything. Almost everything anyway.

He just wants to go home.

Stranger

Someone sits down on the stool next to his. Shinichi ignores him until he speaks.

"Hey, you're Kudo Shinichi, right? The famous detective."

Now Shinichi looks at him. He thinks the young man looks vaguely familiar, but that's no surprise. This club is popular with the students of their university. He could easily have seen this person before on campus. He doesn't really care either way.

"I am," he replies without much enthusiasm and returns to his drink. Other classmates had come by to greet him earlier as well, but the gloomy vibes emitting from him had had them retreating with haste.

This stranger doesn't take the hint. "Hey, can you tell me about some of your cases? I'll buy you a drink."

"No thanks. I would prefer coffee. But since they don't have any, I would like water."

"Fine, okay, everyone's got different tastes. So are you here alone?"

Shinichi opens his mouth to say no then shuts it again. He casts a glance to where Kaito and that brunette are still on the dance floor. He can't see Kaito's face, but the girl he's with is laughing. "I guess I am now," he mutters, turning back to his empty cup.

"Ah." The stranger gives him a sympathetic look. "That's tough."

Shinichi just snorts.

Conversation

The stranger seems intent on pursuing a conversation, and Shinichi eventually gives in because really, he's bored just sitting here and feeling like a fish out of water. Once he's opened up to the idea, he finds that the stranger is actually quite easy to talk to. It turns out he's read just as many mystery novels as Shinichi has. The detective is surprised to realize that he is enjoying himself.

So when his fellow mystery fan asks if he would like to continue their conversation in the coffee shop next door, he agrees.

He hesitates for a moment by the door though. He wonders if he should really be going without Kaito, but, well, wasn't that what the magician had already done? If Kaito can dance with someone else all evening then Shinichi can have coffee with someone else too. Unlike dancing, people had coffee with casual acquaintances all the time.

And anyway, it's coffee. He hasn't had any since morning. That was like forever ago!

Mistake

He realizes his mistake when his vision goes fuzzy. The last thing he sees is the man at the counter of the coffee shop. The guy must be in on the plot because he didn't look at all surprised as one of his customers collapsed. Maybe he'd even arranged for the coffee shop to be empty at this time.

The last thing he does is drop his favorite pen on the floor under the table.

Then everything goes black.

He wakes up in a small, unremarkable room. There is a nondescript chest in the corner, but otherwise there was no furniture. When Shinichi tries to move, he discovers that he can't. His entire body feels heavy and unresponsive. Several long minutes of struggle get him nowhere, but he does discover that his hands have been handcuffed together. The cuffs are attached to the wall with a short chain. Because of the length of that chain and its position, he wouldn't be able to stand up even if he could move.

He is starting to worry, but he knows better than to panic. First he has to wait for the drug to wear off.

Of course that's when the door opens and his captor comes in. The man walks over to look down at him. Now that he's smirking instead of smiling, Shinichi suddenly remembers where he's seen him.

"Remember me now, do you?" the man asks, noticing the look in his eyes.

"You…you should be in jail," Shinichi manages to whisper.

"And I'm still there. You'd be surprised what the right amount of money can get for you." The man chuckles. Crouching down, he grabs Shinichi's chin with one hand and turns his head so that their eyes meet. "I've been following your cases by the way. The famous young detective, Kudo Shinichi. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since you had the police arrest me last year for getting rid of my leech of a sister. I had everything until you came along. Don't you think it's time you paid me back?"

A switchblade gleams in the man's hands. The man leers.

"Cheer up, my dear detective. We're going to have a lot of fun together before I kill you."

Shinichi feels the beginnings of fear stirring in his stomach. He doesn't like the look in those eyes one bit.

Knight

The man is so focused on Shinichi that he doesn't notice the shadow gliding up silent as a ghost behind him. Shinichi doesn't notice either, too preoccupied by trying to make his limbs move. If he could just move his legs, he could at least try to fight back.

But then there's a spark, and the man slumps forward right on top of him. Shinichi experiences a fleeting moment of panic before he realizes that the man is unconscious. That is when he notices the figure standing over them both.

"Kaito!" he gasps, relief and elation threatening to bring tears to his eyes.

The thief quickly drags the unconscious man off of Shinichi, disarms him, and ties him up. Then he releases Shinichi and helps him sit up.

"The police will be here soon."

"The coffee shop owner—"

"Has already been arrested. Turns out he was wanted for multiple other crimes already. Oh, and I have your pen. Can you move?"

Shinichi tried again but managed only a weak shake of the head.

Without a word, Kaito scoops him up into a bridal carry and stands. Shinichi blushes. It feels embarrassingly like being some damsel who'd just been rescued by her knight.

"Wait," he says, pushing those images away. "The police—"

"I' left them a note. You can talk to them in person some other time."

Shinichi doesn't have either the energy or the inclination to protest.

Argue

"What were you thinking?" Kaito demands, and Shinichi thinks that the magician can be frightening when he's angry. They are in a hotel near the apartment complex where Shinichi's captor had taken him. The place had been much farther from their university than Shinichi might have guessed. And so Kaito had declared that they would stay the night at a local hotel before heading home. "Do you know what could have happened if I hadn't been keeping an eye on you?"

It's a rhetorical question.

"Why did you even talk to such a suspicious looking guy?!"

Shinichi can feel himself reddening. "What, so I can't talk to people?"

"That's not what I meant. You should pick who you talk to more carefully."

"We were just talking about books!" Shinichi exclaims, half exasperated and half defensive. It wasn't like the guy had had "Bad Guy" written on his forehead.

Kaito scoffed. "So, since he also liked books, you left with him?"

"To get coffee!"

"Without telling me."

"Well you were dancing with that girl all evening!"

"Because you didn't want to dance! Then when I asked if you wanted to leave, you said no."

They don't argue very often. When they do, it always feels dreadful.

It ends with them glaring at one another, both breathing hard. Shinichi breaks eye contact first, storming (well, staggering was more accurate, seeing as the drug still hadn't fully worn off) into the bathroom because he feels in desperate need of a shower to wash the past few hours away.

Reassurance

When they're both back in the hotel room, however, they've calmed down. And the tension from before has given way to that ache that always comes with misfortunes narrowly avoided.

"I'm sorry. I should have stayed with you."

"No. I was the one who wasn't thinking. I knew he looked familiar. I should have been more careful."

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No. You came just in time."

"That's good."

"I…guess I haven't thanked you yet for rescuing me."

"I'll always be there when you need me."

"Thank you."

Neither of them knows who moved first, but in an instant their lips meet, and they pull each other closer.

They both need reassurance right now.

Possessive

Kaito knows that he's possessive when it comes to Shinichi, but he can't help it. He's a thief, and thieves don't like to share. He returns the other jewels he steals, so he feels entitled to keep this one—the only one that truly matters to him.

He doesn't want to lose another person he loves.

And he can't help but be frustrated with how careless Shinichi can be with his own safety. He wonders sometimes if the detective ever thinks before running off after killers. He throws himself into danger because he's chasing justice, and while Kaito admires that about him, it also frustrates the hell out of him. Sometimes he just wants to lock Shinichi away somewhere that only he can reach just so he can stop worrying that he's going to turn around one day and discover that one of the murderers his Shin-chan uncovered had finally got their bloody hands on him.

He refuses to let that happen. Ever. Shinichi was his, and that was that. There was no room for negotiation.

Irresistible

Kaito often wonders why Shinichi doesn't realize how irresistible he is.

It's—everything. Although Kaito supposes Shinichi would call him biased. Maybe he is.

At times like this though, with Shinichi arching under him and those breathless little moans tickling his ears, he can't imagine anyone disagreeing with him.

Shinichi clenches hot and eager around Kaito's fingers, and the thief really couldn't resist any longer.

Squirm

Shinichi gasps as he feels Kaito's hard length pressing into him. Filling him. It's uncomfortable and wonderful all at the same time.

But the ache is growing rapidly with each passing moment. He needs Kaito to move.

He wiggles his hips in an attempt to get some friction, but strong hands keep him still and he whimpers.

"Kai."

Kaito presses an open-mouthed kiss against the side of Shinichi's neck before trailing up to nibble his ear.

"Patience," he murmurs. Then he catches Shinichi's lips in a deep, demanding kiss. He wants to savor the moment.

And maybe he kind of enjoys making Shinichi squirm. After the fright the detective had put him through, he feels rather justified.

Sound

Shinichi moans as Kaito finally begins to thrust into him. It's hot and hard and deep, and it makes his toes curl and his nerves tingle with pleasure. His fingers tangled themselves in Kaito's unruly hair as his other hand clutches at Kaito's shoulder. He is filled again and again as the magician's grip tightens on his hips.

Each thrust his deep, sending shockwaves of pleasure through his body.

Soon, his moans give way to outright cries.

It thrills Kaito to hear Shinichi screaming his name as Kaito thrusts into him, touching those secret, sensitive places inside his detective that only he is allowed to touch. He rewards his lover by picking up the pace, thrusting hard and fast, in, out, in—

Together

Shinichi comes first, clinging to Kaito like the magician is a lifeline. As Shinichi tightens exponentially around him, Kaito continues to pound into him until he can't hold on any longer and comes deep inside Shinichi.

Afterward, they remain tangled together for several long seconds, breathing hard and reveling in the afterglow and the feeling of simply being together.

Precious

Before he completely sinks into the sweet darkness of sleep, he hears Kaito's voice in his ears, soft and sure and full of warm sincerity.

"You are the only one for me, my dear Tantei-kun. You are more precious than a thousand jewels, and I will never let you go. I love you."

He wants to answer—to tell Kaito just how much those words mean to him. Just how much Kaito means to him. But he's so tired he can barely think, let alone form words. So he simply curls closer to the thief and tucks his head under Kaito's chin. It isn't until he feels Kaito's arms wrap around his waist that he is able to slip fully into the comfort of sleep.

-End-