"Kaito no."

Shinichi firmly put his coffee cup down and the magician visibly flinched. Kudo Shinichi did not simply put his coffee cup down in the mornings. No. Definitely not at 8 am.

Kaito's grip on the phone tightened. "Nichi, my darling, my man," he started from across the living room while ready to bolt if necessary (Shinichi kept eyeing his shoes), "You're going to have to explain why exactly I shouldn't call your parents right now and tell them to come out."

Shinichi winced at the mention of a potential visit. There'd been far too many memories from the previous and, curtesy of Hattori, he'd yet to come back from that particular case as the man he was before.

He never would.

"Kaito you don't know what'll happen. With them, you never know what'll happen," he pleaded, as if trying to convey the trauma's he'd been through. The trauma she'd put him through.

The thief simply smiled, all grace and nonchalance. "I don't know, I think it's a great way for us to finally meet in person."

Ha! The ignorance! The naivety the man before him showed was far too great for this particular matter. He really didn't know did he? What occurred at the very same event just one year ago?

A great way to meet indeed.

"Believe me you'll regret those words in the face of her Louis Vuitton luggage." More so the thoughts of hauling the bags up the stairs was making him sweat (Even though he'd make Kaito do it–but still! The agony! The pointless amount of never ending clothes!). He cleared his throat. "You do remember what she did when she found out about us right?"

"What the strawberry lube and–"

"Yes! Is that not sign enough that you should rethink this!" Shinichi tried his hardest to fight the blush, but it was a futile attempt. The thief had seen it, and he'd grinned.

"Well I don't remember you complaining, plus you smelt like chocolate for three days~!" He inhaled the air through his nose as if to make his point. Shinichi blushed, but made action to glare. (The bastard).

"That's not the point, Kaito." He paused, practicing a few yoga breathing exercises Ran had taught him, before stating with finality, "The point is, she sent that fully well knowing we were literally on our second date."

Kaito's eyes became half lidded and his smirk pulled just enough to hint at teeth. "And I'm pretty sure I remember third base coming not too far after–!"

"You're not taking this seriously Kaito!" (While despite his protests he kinda wanted that conversation to continue). And no, he wasn't the shade of a tomato. He. Was. Not. "Let me repeat myself," –He cleared his throat– "She doesn't know you. She assumed we'd only just met. She then proceeded in sending a handful of American devices when she–! Honestly, that should be at least 5 red flags right there."

"Well I think that makes me want to meet her even more~" he wiggled his eyebrows, promptly reminding the room he was the worlds' greatest pervert.

"What about my dad then?" Kaito narrowed his eyes. "I can guarantee he'll know you're Kaitou KID the moment he steps foot through the door."

A moment of silence.

"You're bluffing."

"Oh yah? Wanna bet?"

The magician smirked, all careful and precise, gaze locking with the detective's.

"I win, you ask your mom for more chocolate covered condoms."

Shinichi let himself blush, but kept his face blank. "Fine. I win, you look directly into the camera your next heist and state, 'I'm a kleptomaniac and I have trouble controlling my actions'. Do we have ourselves a deal?"

"Deal."

Shinichi picked his cup back up and Kaito let the tension in his shoulders drain out.

"Also I'm inviting your mom."

The thief was across the room in an instant.

"Hold on! Shinichi I think your being a bit drastic, no? There's no need to bring, uh, that woman into this gathering. It would be completely unbeneficial to both of us and I–"

The detective smiled something meaning obliteration in the magician's eyes and Kaito held his tongue. "Unless you want fish to be on the menu I suggest you don't argue."

Kaito visibly swallowed. "Yes, ma'am."

"..."

"Shinichi! I meant sir, uh– Shinichi!"

—

"You want us all to be there?"

"You know I don't want that."

"Correction: Kaito wants us all to be there," Ran scoffed on the other side of the line and furthered her breath into a long sigh. "I still can't believe you agreed to it, I mean after last time..."

Shinichi stopped short and valiantly managed to save the pile of clean towels in his hands from dropping to the bathroom floor. "Ran we don't speak of last time. Like, ever again."

She had the audacity to laugh. "Well, it wasn't too bad, it's not like they weren't–"

"Trying to burn the house down while simultaneously trying to sabotage my relationship with all my friends? Oh yah, I'm sure they weren't trying, but boy did they get far." He put the towels down with a heavy thump.

"We don't think of you any differently!"

"Tell that to Hattori," he started, eyeing the stack now sitting on the towel rack and opted to straighten them out, "As if Conan wasn't enough, he now has to remind me everytime we walk by any form of cosmetic store that my mom used to dress me up as a girl. He even took me into an Ainz and Tulpe and asked every single customer what shade of lipstick I'd look best in. They thought we were a gay couple Ran. They thought the west and east, and I quote, were 'getting it on'." He sighed, and took a well needed moment. "I've never wanted to cry so badly in my life."

"What?! Everyone knows you and Kaito are the gay power couple in this country!" Ran half shouted into the receiver before promptly sensing his glare and blushing embarrassed. "...But I'm sure you could've left if you wanted to?"

"He threatened to tell Kaito."

"That somehow makes a lot more sense."

He returned to leasurly organizing the toiletries (Kaito left the toothpaste open again). "Yah, and when the murder finally happened, I had to solve it wearing a full face of makeup. I think I pickpocketed around twenty people's cameras that day alone."

She chuckled easily. "That aside, don't you think you're being a little harsh towards them? I mean this holiday only comes once a year, and they almost never come out as is."

That was it. That was the question that had been dreading his mind. He loved his parents, don't get him wrong, but–how could he phrase this without sounding like an asshole? "Any other holiday Ran and I'd be fine, but as unpredictable as they already are, with this they... they reach a whole new level and I can't even begin to deduce what's next."

Ran let out an enlightened breath. He closed his eyes in relief. "How did Kaito manage to persuade you anyways?"

"Manipulated the conversation until I stuttered and lost my cool," he said, no hesitation necessary. "I did get something out of it though." He mused, picking up another one of Kaito's lone socks (that are seemingly left all around the house without fail).

"Which is?"

He smirked. "Well his mom's coming, and we also made a bet that I'm definitely going to win, so at least those two factors will be in my favor. She always sides with me after all, so hopefully she'll be able to control him."

Ran hummed in affirmative. "So, in the end we're left with eleven people. Are you sure you'll be able to go through with this?"

"The calls already been made Ran. I have no other choice." Much to his displeasure.

Sudden cheer engulfed the other end of the line. "Yay! I love your mom!" Shinichi's eyebrow twitched. "I'll be looking forward to it then, and I'm sure I can convince her to take us all for manicures, you included of course~!"

The traitor.

"I hate you. Why did I even call you again?" He asked, despite knowing her response.

"Because you were looking for someone to complain to about your shit~" and there it was–false joy layered her words a mile high. Shinichi sighed.

"Right, that."

He heard a knock on the door from the other end of the phone, and smiled despite his circumstances. "See you on the 23rd, Shinichi!"

"See you on the 23rd, Ran."

After ending the call and putting his phone down Shinichi heard a hum from behind him.

"What's this about a manicure?"

He didn't bother to turn around. "I will castrate you if you don't walk back out of this locked bathroom this instant."

—

"When are your parents coming again?"

"Two."

The magician shuffled his feet nervously. "When is my mom coming again?"

"Two-Thirty. She wanted to help with the cooking."

He let out a relieved sigh. "Thank goodness. I'll have time to prepare."

"Prepare for what?" Shinichi looked up from his cup of coffee.

"Her."

Smiling, the detective turned back to the newspaper. "Speaking of preparing, we need a safe word."

The magician perked up.

"Why would we need that?" Kaito asked, easily ripping his way through another piece of bacon.

Shinichi took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Either my mom or yours may do something rash, or more accurately, will do something rash. If we think that time is coming we alert the other and work together to avoid either situation or conversation topic." He opened his eyes to see Kaito further devouring another strand of bacon, giving as much focus to the task as he would the average heist. "Do you understand?"

Just as he managed to fit the whole thing in his mouth he nodded triumphantly. "I guess that makes sense–"

"Don't talk with your mouth full."

"–but, here," he swallowed, stealing the last piece of bacon off of Shinichi's plate and earning himself a playful glare, "let's take a hypothetical scenario. Say person A alerts person B for a conversation topic that person B would rather enjoy, what do we do then?"

Shinichi took a long sip of coffee. Eyeing the smirk visibly threatening to tug at the edges of the magician's lips.

He set down his coffee. "Fine. I'll give you one pass throughout the entire night. I myself get one as well, and if we decide to use that pass, no matter how great this so called hypothetical conversation is, you won't get to use it again. Got it?"

"Alright Nichi," he moved to clasp his hands together and batted his eyelashes, "But since you made all the rules, what do I get in return~?" Kaito purred seductively. Move strategically thought out to make even the toughest women and men alike, swoon. The thief was just that good.

However, the detective simply smirked wholeheartedly at his darling magician. (Too bad he was better).

"Another day free of scaly sea creatures, where ichthyophobia prone Phantom thieves may live in peace." He finished and while despite the threat, he laughed and smiled fondly as the thief flinched, clutching at his heart in mock hurt.

"Not even a kiss?" He looked up from wide, glassy eyes, and puffed out cheeks.

It took him two seconds to crack.

"Fine, come here."

(Okay, so maybe the whole kicked puppy thing was better).

—

Shinichi was in the middle of hunting down the remaining socks that the magician seemed to find great amusement in marking his territory with, when the doorbell rang. Kaito turned his grinning face from Shinichi towards the door, tilting towards an expression of more curiosity than mischief. Good, because an expression like that will only encourage his mom to be–

"Shin-channnnn!" A feminine voice called from outside the front door. Both men stopped their respective tasks and turned to each other.

They were here.

Shinichi's steps felt heavier as he went to open the door. Kaito was regarding him with general amusement (which also meant he was about to fall on the floor laughing), which meant he also opened the door through gritted teeth.

They were immediately met with the actresse's auburn curls and red lips as she pressed her bag filled hands together in joy. "Shin-chan~! Oh how lovely to see you, and for the whole weekend too! You are just too cute!" Strutting through the doorway like the very opening was a runway she gasped, suddenly dropping all her Gucci baggage in favour of her epiphany. "That reminds me– Ah! Kai-chan!"

She ran in for a bone crushing hug, and Shinichi felt pride in hearing the magician's escaped whimper. Just wait for the cheek pulls, it only gets better from here, 'kai-chan'.

He turned back towards the door, smirking. "Hey dad," he said, taking in the author still standing on his doorstep watching the encounter through large rimmed glasses, with his lips curved into a knowing smile.

"Son, it's good to see you," he said while dropping his suitcase and giving way for a hug. Shinichi accepted easily.

"You as well dad." His smile brightened as they both turned back to see the magician mildly succeeding in wiggling out from under his mother's arms, eyes showing nothing but concentration as he used every escape artist tactic he knew.

Eventually managing (he wasn't the best thief/magician in the world for nothing), the other boy straightened, offering an unnoticeable distance between himself and the arms that had restrained him better than any handcuffs could. (He briefly mused the possibilities of using the tactic on Shinichi).

Yuusaku turned towards the newly released, smirking magician, with every bit composure Shinichi was definitely lacking looking at that face. "It's good to finally meet you Kaito-kun," the author smiled, and Kaito beamed back, "but I must say, I never would have thought the great Kaitou KID would pick Shinichi as the jewel he keeps, but I suppose fate would have it. Wouldn't you agree, Yukiko?"

Shinichi could hardly hold back his laughter while Kaito openly gaped at both the words and the words because was it just him or did Kudo Yuusaku just spout an overly romantic line like it was a factual based opinion? His mother squealed in delight and Kaito immediately began looking for loopholes in Shinichi's bet. (He kind of felt his pride as a master thief shatter into a million pieces, but who was he to know?)

Yukiko then charged towards Shinichi, digging her acrylic nails into his sides while she hugged the life out of him. Although he didn't really mind as the thought of him winning against the thief was much more appealing, so he smiled happily through the pain.

That is, until his mother laughed an ear shattering cry of mischief, "And don't worry, I brought more chocolate covered condoms for you to enjoy~!" and suddenly he kind of wanted to cry.

He flinched back and felt Kaito unconsciously fall back behind him, breath ghosting his ear.

"How did she–"

"She just knows." He whispered back.

—

"Shin-chan who's here? I thought the party started later...?"

"Oh yah, that's just my mom." Kaito answered, allowing the cards in his hand to disappear with a flourish causing Yukiko to let out a squeal and clap animatedly.

Shinichi smiled at the display as he made his way past the kitchen towards the two sitting at the table.

"Ah Shin-chan you should've told me Chika-chan was coming as well, I would've brought more photo albums!" She suddenly pushed out her chair and ran towards the door, leaving two bewildered faces to stare in wake at her disappearing Prada dress.

"Please tell me your mom is just overly familiar," the magician whispered, eyes never leaving auburn curls as she opened the door.

Shinichi observed the two women, and a sense of dread filled him. "My mom is overly familiar, but that's besides the point that she definitely knows your mom." He turned back towards Kaito. "How does she know your mom?"

"Yuki-chan! Oh, it's so good to see you, it's been far too long." Chikage's voice rang out. They both used nicknames. Nicknames.

"Yes, and can you believe it? Our boys together? It's like a dream come true wouldn't you say~?" She sang, hugging the woman at the door as they both squealed together. (The sound utter horror to both boys ears).

"This was a bad idea. What was the safe word again?" Indigo met azure in a silent plea.

"We never actually decided remember, we were a little busy..."

Chikage ruffled through her purse. "I think I brought over some of Kai's photo albums as well, I even got him in his first dress!" Shinichi almost choked on nothing.

"Abort, Shin-chan how do we stop this."

"I don't know, I think I'd much rather just let it play–"

"I have Shinichi's as well!"

The detective actively started choking.

After the magician preformed a quick resuscitation, both men huddled in the corner of the kitchen. "Kaito we need to find some way to escape, this was a horrible idea."

"Agreed. I say we faint amnesia and make our way to the mountains to live our new lives as monks." He paused. "Scratch that, let's go with the old gardener and dash, that way we can make out in the back of the rental."

Shinichi shook his head firmly. "I refuse to make out in the back of an insurance van."

The magician narrowed his eyes in confusion. "You had no refusals when it came to the police van..." He added a hand to his chin with extra thought. Shinichi scoffed.

"I kissed you to prove you were actually my boyfriend and not some flamboyant thief stalker who steals my case files and demands me time off." The magician removed his hand from his chin with a sense of enlightenment. "Also the fireworks, roses, and sexual harrassment weren't necessary either." He wiggled his eyebrows and Shinichi made an effort of punching him in the shoulder. The thief laughed.

"What about the time outside the police van? Technically we were still on the back." Now he had a stupid smirk on his face. The thief knew the more options he went through he'd be right at least once. Shinichi huffed.

"Fine, I'll give you that, but the insurance van is still a no."

The magician cocked an eyebrow. "What about just a normal van?"

"No."

"Ice cream truck?"

Shinichi scrunched his face. "That just sounds unsanitary."

Kaito took a second to nod his head ponderingly.

"The police station?"

"What no–"

"Interrogation room." He said with finality.

"No!"

Suddenly the women were behind them and smirking with all too much knowledge. Shit, it had been overly quite. "Did you have something you wanted to say Shinichi?"

Abruptly blushing something close to the colour of his mother's lipstick, Shinichi made a move to open his mouth but opted to close it. Instead, the magician spoke for him.

"Don't mind him, he's still discovering things about himself that may serve to come as a surprise, and is in the middle of processing." He finished with a smile, and the two women burst out laughing.

Realization dawned and Shinichi glared. That stupid manipulative thief.

"You–! Kaito, this was your plan all along!" he accused, making a move to leave but the magician held him back with a strong arm around his waist, which only served to make him blush further.

"Okay, so maybe I think I was cute as a kid, dress or not. But that mean we couldn't have a beneficial conversation proceeding the events." He purred in Shinichi's ear, whispering just low enough that only he could hear. "And don't worry, I'll turn the cameras off our next visit~!"

After Shinichi glared out a "fine" and relaxed his shoulders the magician perked up. "Speaking of kid's, you ladies said something about Shin-chan in a dress?"

—

Finally after finishing the impromptu mother and son bonding session–the question was asked, met by a "you knew my dad?" and another 30 minutes of photo albums–Kaito had himself situated in the kitchen with Chikage (apparently he could actually cook with her around), and the Kudo's were all sitting in the living room. What was less normal, was the fact that his mother had a grin on her face that could surely rival Kaito's best, and was abnormally close to his alter ego's persona as well.

"Don't you dare say it."

"What? Clearly you two are in love~" she cooed, clearly amused by his frown.

"Yes, but just because we've separated into different rooms doesn't mean you can harass me with plans–"

"I'm thinking a spring wedding, with blue roses, and on a sunny day where the two of you can stand outside underneath big white tents, breeze still flowing calmly as my Shin-chan gets walked down the aisle, wearing the dress–"

"Firstly if anyone's wearing the dress, that crossdresser over there is! Don't bring me into your weird fantasies, and we're not having a spring wedding!"

"What about winter then?"

"No!"

Yukiko started giggling madly and that's when Shinichi felt a warm weight on his shoulder. He turned his head and peered into dancing indigo eyes, as the magician bent down from his spot behind the couch to peck the detective on the cheek. However, shortly after he let on a grin and his eyes flashed mischief.

"Try again, Yukiko-chan~ Shin-chan's always loved summer..."

The detective immediately turned around to push at the magician hanging over his shoulder, but was uneffective when the thief only grabbed hold of his wrist and head securing in place a warm kiss on his lips.

When they broke apart (which was relatively fast to say the least–hello, his parents were right there), it was in the face of a laughing Yuusaku and Chikage, while Yukiko was on a rampaging squealing attack. He pushed the magician back away, settling instead to crossing his arms and puffing out his cheeks.

"Oh come on Shin-chan, they were going to find out eventually," he whined from behind him, each attempt made to kiss him again was met with a head turn.

Yukiko's screeching came to a halt. "Wait, you mean to say you're actually getting married this summer?" She had her hands clasped together, and her eyes were wide and hopefull.

"No."

"Yes."

Shinichi turned to glare at the magician who had started rubbing his hand across his shoulder in circular motions, which quickly turned to a messy I love you written across his skin, and he reluctantly gave into the meaning(ful)less petting. Yuusaku seemed to notice because his lips quirked.

Yukiko, on the other hand, looked like she was on the verge of tears and puffed out her cheeks in childish irritation. "I can't believe you didn't tell me Shinichi! And where are the rings?"

"We don't have rings yet, he hasn't even propos–!" he cut him self off and went bring red in his rambling, promptly clamping his mouth shut.

"So I was right! I get to see my baby boy walk down the aisle, and oh it's going to be perfect!"

"That's not what I meant!"

The thief chuckled lowly, efficiently breaking him from his denials. "It's okay Shin-chan, we all know I'll be wearing white. Plus when it comes down to it, we can always have the dress for later~"

He buried his face in his hands. "Oh my god I'm surrounded by perverts. Dad, Chikage, anything would be helpful at this moment."

Chikage moved to sit on the chair adjacent towards the couch. "Well, I've basically finished the turkey due to popular American request, so no need to worry about that. We've also got enough stuffing to feed 20 people, but as you described it, should be enough for that dark-skinned boy without running out..."

"Also I think it's nearly time," Yuusaku said, glancing down at his watch just as the doorbell rang. "Five o'clock exactly."

Kaito groaned. "I bet the entire library the blond is standing on the doorstep right now."

"Stop betting the library, Kaito, it's not yours."

"Fine. My legacy, then."

"Also, techinally not yours."

"What do you mean it's not mine? I've been KID for more than enough years to claim the title as mine."

The blond stepped through the door to glare at the thief. "Can you stop declaring your secret identity for all the world to hear, I mean it may've been excessively denied in high school but that doesn't mean you have to tell every detective you meet."

Kaito turned to face Shinichi with exasperation. "See what I mean? This is what I had to deal with in the psyche class you decided not to take. I swear he thinks he's an actual psychologist."

"Hakuba Saguru, detective," he made extra emphasis on that point, glaring all the while at Kaito chuckling in the corner. "It's great to finally meet you Kudo-san, I've been following all your recent works, and I must say I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment in the Night Baron series." Hakuba finished with a well held back sparkle in his eyes.

The author scratched his head guiltily. "About that..."

"Yukiko-chan!" A voice came booming from the outdoors. Carrying an assortment of what looked to be pie and wine, Nakamori Aoko flashed a brilliant smile to which Yukiko only beamed further as they hugged.

"Don't tell me Ran gave Aoko my moms phone number too..." Shinichi covered his face with his palm, in hopes of ridding the quickly escalating headache. (To no avail).

"Of course I did!" Ran said as she went to pat Shinichi's shoulder.

"Ran!" He almost startled, since when had she arrived? He shot her a quick smile before narrowing his eyes towards the three time national karate champ. "I'm so glad you did, really, it's great to know the extent of allies I have when facing these particular matters."

Her glare shut him down. "Don't get smart with me."

"Hai," he said, mimicking Conan which earned him more than a few laughs from the crowd.

"Kudo!" And thus enter the storm that is Hattori.

"Baka Heiji, don't go bargin' in on somebody else's house, y'know!" Kazuha yelled, from just outside the porch, practically flying up towards where Heiji had left.

"It's alright Kazuha, I'm used to it." Especially when he does just exactly that except during my only weekend off and when I'd already fully booked plans with Kaito.

Great now he was having conversations in his head.

The magician nudged him gently in the side, and he already felt himself leaning into the touch. Kaito smiled contently.

"This is some gathering, huh Nichi," the magician said lowly, sliding his arm around the detective's waist. "Sure you can handle it?"

He adopted a challenging smirk, and neither hesitated as azure met indigo. "As sure as I'll ever be."

—

They all sat in their designated seats around the table. Shinichi eased his nerves as the multiple smells rolled through and the magician made way to lace their hands together underneath the table. It was their first time spending this particular holiday together after all–even after being together for 4 years–and now that he's found out his parents had known this whole time... well, that's more a relief than a disadvantage at this point.

"Wow, this stuffing is really go–"

Except for situations like these.

"Shin-chan's getting married!" Yukiko cried out, with her hands pressed flat against her cheeks all the while somehow managing to hold her wine glass at the same time. All occupants' eyes turned towards her.

Hattori spit out the stuffing he was chewing and dropped his fork. "What ta who?!"

It was silent for a moment before groans resounded across the table and Hakuba cradled his now stuffing covered forehead with the back of his palm. "Who would you think idiot?"

Aoko shot the blond a quick glare and he sank a little bit into his chair. Retrieving her picture perfect smile, she beamed, "Aww, I can't wait!"

Shinichi's parents were giggling along with Chikage (mostly at him) and he watched as the magician threw a nervous hand through his hair, acting the part perfectly, while he smiled as if the sun had just replaced everything he was.

"Congratulations!" Ran chimed, and the magician happily accepted her offered hand.

"Why thank you Ran-san, Aoko-chan~!"

Although Shinichi still had his eyes closed at rest, he attempted to keep a level head as he practiced his breathing. "Honestly I don't know why I even try to deny it anymore."

A sudden gasp from beside him had Shinichi startling his eyes open. He watched as Kazuha inspected his hand, eyes moving across and back again as if she wasn't just looking at the same thing over and over again. "Wait, where's the ring?" She asked, seemingly affronted by the words themselves.

A certain mop wielder was left fuming.

"BaKaito! You didn't even give him a ring!?" she accused, leveling him a glare one would normally save for neighborhood perverts or pranksters, and well, Kaito.

He gasped. "What! Shin-chan don't tell me you lost it!" The detective could tell his plaster-saint smile was wearing thin into a manic grin, and he himself wouldn't buy it for a second.

"Okay, now you're just making stuff up."

Chikage hummed around her wine glass, twirling and swishing the liquid in fornt of her. "It's true Kaito, a gentleman should never lie."

He immediately placed a hand before his heart and grinned. "I would never~!"

It wouldn't be an understatement to say majority of the table attendees rolled their eyes, one detective in particular. "Oh yah, like how you continue to not lie about leaving your socks everywhere?" Shinichi asked, and the blond groaned. "Did he do this to you as well Hakuba?" he added, generally curious about his time living with the thief through university.

"Don't remind me," Hakuba replied. Face scorned into what looked like he was reliving traumatic memories. He sighed. "And to think our confessions would stand for anything but he just keeps denying it."

"You have no proof." The magician said, all seriousness and narrowed eyes, and the two briefly engaged in a staring contest. Aoko scoffed.

"None of us had any proof of you being KID, but that doesn't mean you didn't confess to it eventually." Heads nodded all around and the magician rolled his eyes.

Kazuha's eyes, on the other hand, went wide. "Wait, Kaito's KID?"

The thief in question groaned. "Look what you've done now Aoko." He placed his napkin down and glared.

"Whoops~" She chimed, showing little to no sincerity with the grin she wore.

Shinichi looked at Kazuha through sympathetic eyes, ignoring the bickering members to his left. "Sorry about that Toyoma, seems Hattori has disappointed us once again."

"Oi, Kudo..."

"Anyways," his mother suddenly stood, raising her glass and letting her actors voice ring out across the room. "If we've finally got all the confessions out on the table I'd like to begin the main event!"

Everyone's eyes landed on Shinichi.

"... which part is that one again?" he asked, partly bewildered and partly embarrassed as he scratched the back of his head.

"Really Shinichi?" Ran questioned, eyes void of any and all emotion.

"What? It's not my fault I remember the main event being the oven on fire last year!" His parents laughed the loudest as the table rung out with fond laughter. He himself sank back in his chair with a pout, but was shortly jolted by the feeling of a warm hand squeezing his own and looked up to see a matching smile.

A silent yet comforting action that had the detective smiling along with him.

Kaito stood up and addressed his audience with a joyful grin. "Well I suppose I'll go first since the host obviously needs a demonstration~"

The others followed shortly after.

—

Once the party was over and Shinichi's parents had retreated for their second night out this evening, Shinichi sat down on his bed, finally basking in the silence of a calm and collected home. The sounds of the magician tucking under the covers beside him, and the warmth that he brought was all he needed to feel perfectly at peace. Whether it was the feel of his heart beat as they shuffled closer together or the sharpness of his breath tickling everywhere over the detective's skin, all of it was perfect. All of it for him.

And that wasn't anything new–just like any other night with the magician beside him–yet he couldn't stop his heart from fluttering, with his mind replaying the same moment over and over again.

"Well I suppose I'll go first since obviously our host needs a demonstration~" The magician had said, lifting his glass and offering a smile that surprised the almost everyone at the table. He cleared his throat. "The things that I'm thankful for aren't for the reasons most would assume, in fact the reasons are less so complicated than they are simple. I'm thankful for the people in this room, that's a definite–my friends, family, mom... but most especially you, Shinichi. With all your many quirks and things you obsess about like Sherlock Holmes and soccer, I could never bring myself to be more thankful for everything that makes you who you are. And if that's staying up late binging detective samonji, or sulking for a week straight after hideo didn't get the team to finals, or maybe just the fact that you put up with all the socks I leave on the floor–"

"I knew it."

"–All these seemingly unnoticeable things, yet for me, they're what I'd call blessings. Like how I never have to apologize when I'm two hours late to dinner because Saoki-san switched the lights on the show again. Or when I force you to come with me to all the award galas even though I know you hate the crowd and just refuse to say it. But what I'm truly thankful for, is you allowing me to be apart of that.

"Allowing me to wake up next to you, and be next to you, and share my life with you and I'd never hope to dream in a million years living this without you tantei-kun. Because even if it took a while to make the switch from rivals, to friends, to best friends, and to what we have now–and god, what we have now is amazing–I'd do it all over again just to sit at the kitchen table each morning and argue about why cheesecake is considered cake when it so clearly has a crust. So then, since all's been said, I think I'd like you to know that I'm most thankful for you choosing me, Shinichi."

"Sit down before you accidentally propose, Baka."

"And who's to say I shouldn't?"

It wasn't long before he felt strongly withheld tears drip down his face. His lips started shaking and his knees buckled beneath him, even though he was already sitting down, the urge to crawl up into a ball and cry for everything he has was growing strong. He wiped haphazardly at his cheeks in attempts to erase the evidence. Too bad nothing got by his magician.

"Shinichi what's wrong? Wait, why are you–" he gently pulled the detective back against the headrest and maneuvered him so he was cushioned against his chest. "Nichi, darling don't cry, just tell me what's wrong?"

And there he went again, gentle voice, and calming motions rubbing along his back in circles, writing I love you oh so delicately. He cradled him as if he was made of glass and that reminder only encouraged the detective to heave harder into his shoulder. "I–I'm sorry it's j–just what you said..."

The magician's hand stopped just as it reached the 'You', hovering achingly still against the skin. "Hold on darling, I'm sorry I didn't mean to come on too strong Shinichi, there's still lots of time and whenever you're ready I–"

"Stupid thief," he mumbled against the magician's chest and for a second he felt his heart stop. Indigo met azure as he lifted his face, basking in the colours' undefinable radiance, "can't you see that I love you way too much to wait for something as important as this?"

He blinked. "Wait, Nichi are you saying–?"

"Yes," he nodded, "I'm saying yes." The man holding him smiled something beyond bright and shocked which had the detective laughing giddily. "Now I believe you owe me the ring stashed in the false bottom over there." He added, pointing for indication but the magician didn't even bat an eyelash, his eyes still trained on the detective's figure.

"You... You're saying yes?" Shinichi nodded. "You're saying yes!"

In wasn't until he was tackled onto bed and showered with kisses, that Shinichi truly laughed, all uncontrolled and caught up in the never ending assault on his everywhere. His forehead, cheeks, eyelids–especially his eyelids, the thief didn't want to see anymore tears after all–and Kaito let one last kiss linger on his mouth before getting up. Shinichi was about to complain about lack of warmth, when he opened his eyes to a sight he'd always imagined. Of course he always expected he'd be seeing it at a fancy restaurant, or a grand show, someplace with an audience present to congratulate and applaud.

But with the audience only the magician bent over on one knee, with a silver, tanzanite studded band held high enough to level with the detective sitting on the bed, he was sure the applause could wait.

"Well?" he said, after a moment of silence, briefly mussing the magician at a loss for words.

"Oh right–" he smiled, inching even closer to the detective's sitting figure. And as if time could slow even more, he watched the magician smile beautifully and brightly and watched as his indigo eyes sparkled in sight of the teary eyed detective. Watched as his mouth opened to say the words he'd so longed for ever since he met him. "Kudo Shinichi, will you marry me?"

He smiled as if he'd been handed the world. His world, to say the least.

"Yes."

—

Omake

Kaito ran past the guards at a much faster pace then normal, managing to disappear swiftly while living up to his much loved and adored phantom thief persona. With the jewel in hand, he made his way outside the air duck he'd been sifting through, and promptly switched from his straight blacks to his classic suit, reminding himself to never forget his poker face.

Yah, because he'd be needing that real soon if the cameras were telling him anything.

It seems they'd gotten a hint from an anonymous source that Kaitou KID was going to make a short announcement at his next heist. He scoffed. As if promising wasn't enough for the detective, he now had to go and publicize it and make the thief sulk for the weeks leading up to it. He'd nearly gotten away with it too... If only proposing wasn't enough to make him forget.

He sighed, bracing himself as he walked towards the light flooded glass doors. Police sirens, cameras flashing, everything was just outside, and you know what? If he was going to have to do this he'd do it in style–to hopefully save what little dignity he'd have by the end of the night.

He opened the door with a silent creak, and made his way outside. Taking calm and measured steps, he waited until the crowd began to scream and the officers started to move before activating the trap which had all the task force bundled in a nice goop for all to observe. The crowd cheered unconcerned now that the official figures were out of the way and everyone scurried towards him.

He simply held up his hand and everybody stopped. He continued walking down the road towards his favourite news anchor (the one that reminded him of Shinichi) and gave him a smirk. The news anchor looked awe struck but they had the camera rolling on the thief in no time, with the audience listening intently towards his every move.

"You're live KID," the anchor smirked, bringing the mic towards the thief. "Now, what did you have to say to the world?"

He looked straight into the camera, face still obscured by his hat and monocle, but he knew his detective was watching. He knew his detective knew it was him and he smirked deviously.

"I'm a kleptomaniac and I have trouble controlling my actions."

The crowd went wild.

—

He felt himself smiling as the gentle breeze ruffled his sleeves. His dark black blazer fitted perfectly onto his forearms and he let himself indulge in smoothing down the fabric. There wouldn't have been anything special about the fabric had he not been wearing it today, but something about the breeze blowing underneath a clear, sun setting sky with blue roses lining almost everything in his eye sight. He couldn't help but feel like he'd been waiting for this day his whole life.

But that's because he had. He'd been dreaming of the day he'd get to hear let alone see as his beloved walked down the aisle, and even after having to comfort the magician on his father's passing, he couldn't be happier to see his own father walking arm in arm towards him. With a pure white suit, and an azure colored vest underneath it all, he looked like the most beautiful human being Shinichi had ever seen. With a suspiciously familiar cape draped across his shoulders and trailing after him (both Nakamori's had snickered), along with the assortment of red roses in hand he looked dashing and his white teeth couldn't be any more visible.

Shinichi couldn't bring his eyes away from the sight, although he knew that was okay because he had Hattori and Ran and Kazuha all behind him with the most important people there to watch his back for him. He was set, they were safe, they were here, and as the rings were presented he couldn't even begin to express his vows with the same coherent thought he'd had only moments before. Because he kept looking at him like he'd written his name in the stars, and Shinichi would in a split second if the magician asked, but he wouldn't because they knew what each other wanted and needed and right now he really needed to stop himself from smiling too hard or his face might permanently be left like this.

Even as he wore the indigo gem–he finally realized it was the same colour as his husband's eyes–and was promptly swept down into the most warm and desperate kiss he'd felt since he'd first gone out with the magician, he couldn't help but let the words slip from his mouth.

"Well, you finally succeeded in wooing me Mr. Kudo, so what's next?"

"That's unfortunately for me to know and you to find out, Mr. Kuroba," he smirked, whispering lowly as they walked back down under the chatter of their many friends.

Shinichi glared but smiled lazily and heartwarming and everything Kaito ever wanted. "I love you," he said, eyes showing nothing but sincerity and trust.

"I love you too, Shinichi."

And with a quick peck on his cheek they were off, walking into the many ambushes from family and friends alike.

Years later on the night of their engagement anniversary...

"What did happen on thanksgiving, the year before we got engaged?"

Shinichi hesitantly looked at the oven.

"We don't talk about that year, Kaito."