Note: Hiya, guys! :) Due to a request, I have written this chapter in Heiji's POV! I tried to capture his personality, but I don't know if I had succeeded in it! Inform me, please! :D I hope you like it!

Enjoy... :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan! :(

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Heiji's POV

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If you were to ask Hattori Heiji when exactly did his heartbeat began increasing frantically in his chest every time his childhood friend, Toyama Kazuha, was near, he would honestly reply that he did not know.

Maybe it was the time when they were both still very young and were snooping around, playing with his father's handcuffs, and somehow managed to end up being cuffed together for the whole day.

Or maybe it was the time when they were fourteen, and a murder case had happened their way back from the arcade and Heiji had went off and solved it in no time, and she had looked at him proudly, smiling hugely.

Or maybe it was when she hugged him. He felt her concern and worry and fear in the hug. He felt what he had placed there through, and yet, he played aloof, continuing to tease her, heckle her, and complain loudly that she worried too much.

And she would say: "You should be grateful that I even worry about you! Aho!"

And he would reply: "You're the aho, aho!"

But, somewhere deep down inside, he didn't want her to stop worrying about him. He didn't want her to stop caring. He didn't want her to stop fearing for his life—no matter how selfish that sounded, or how much pain he knew he was inflicting upon her!

Why?

Because it was that worry, that care, that fear, and maybe even those stolen, occasional hugs were what made his heart thump rapidly, yet contently in his chest.

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Heiji browsed his shelf of DVDs intently, his eyes searching for something interesting, yet funny to watch on his and Kazuha's infamous Movie Night. Behind him, he could hear the rustling of cushions and then the light squeak of the springs as Kazuha sat comfortably on the couch.

Not knowing exactly what he picked, he walked over to the DVD player and placed it in, before playing it. He headed back to the couch and plopped down beside Kazuha—closer than he had intended, but, oh well.

He could feel her stiffen slightly before relaxing.

He kept his green eyes on the TV the whole time, watching in a hazy blur as characters walked in and out of the screen, laughed, screamed, talked, and acted their parts perfectly. He couldn't appreciate it now.

Not with his thoughts running wild as he breathed in deeply, and caught a tantalizing whiff of her perfume. What was that? Lavender? Lilac? Orchids, maybe? He didn't know, but he knew that it was drugging his senses. His body hummed delightfully, feeling her warmth and heat traveling towards him. His hand twitched on his lap, wanting to run it over her arm and hold her small hand in his big one.

Shifting slightly, Heiji allowed his arm to rest, rather lazily, on the back of the couch, just behind her shoulders. Silently, he cursed himself. Why couldn't he just pluck up the courage and wrap his arm around her? Why was he being such a child when it was so obvious he wanted to place his arm on her shoulders and not on the back of the couch?

He paused, and then laughed out loud.

Kudo was right again. He was being a childish, wasn't he? He was Hattori Heiji, for God's sake! He could solve the most complicated, impossible mysteries of the world. He could dodge bullets, knives, and other, various dangerous weapons and getting out of it with a small hint of a scar. He could act so calmly and coolly on a crime scene.

And yet, he could not place his arm around his best friend's shoulder? How could such an innocent gesture cause him this painfully headache?

Ugh, she was such an aho! Always making things so complicated! Always being there on purpose; as if just to distract him...

His heart thumped wildly in his chest as he looked down, slightly alarmed, before his muscles relaxed under her weight. Her cheek pressed against his chest comfortably, as if it was made to be there. His eyelids were fluttering ever so slightly, but Heiji knew she was already on her way to dreamland.

His nose was filled with her mysterious, addicting scent and his green eyes caught the silky ribbon that held up her hair in its usual ponytail. Without his permission, his hand reached out and caught it, softly removing it. He watched as her hair cascaded down softly, halting just to her shoulders.

His lips curled slightly as he abandoned the ribbon at the end of the couch and gazed back at her. His hand reached out and caressed her hair, feeling how soft and silky it felt through his rough, callused fingers.

Kazuha sighed sleepily, moving even closer.

His heart thumped again, but he didn't feel uncomfortable with it now. On the contrary, he was so at peace with himself that he felt himself smiling stupidly, watching her resting against him, his hand playing with her hair, her soft breath even, and her long eyelashes slightly touching her cheeks...

He leaned down, pressing his lips against her forehead.

Something snapped inside him it seemed, and he finally understood why his heart had been thumping frantically ever since they were kids. Why he was so protective of her. Why he liked when she worried, even if he knew he caused her pain. Why she was always the person he turned to when he needed someone. Why she was the person that he thought about without even knowing that he was thinking about.

His lips curled again, lingering on her warm forehead.

"I love you, Kazuha."

He knew she was already sleeping and she probably didn't hear him, but he was happy he was finally able to get it out of his system. He knew it was probably cowardliness to tell her something this important when she was asleep and not when she was awake, but he knew that they had tomorrow, and after tomorrow, and the day after...

He would make sure that she wouldn't run away. Because he was tired of running away, too.

Closing his eyes contently and replacing his lips with his cheek on her forehead, Heiji accomplished his first goal earlier that night and placed his arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer to his chest possessively, sighing contently.

As he drifted to his own dreams, he had to smirk internally—Kudo couldn't say he was childish anymore. Smiling to himself, he unconsciously pulled Kazuha closer to him.

If only he had stayed awake for a few more seconds, he might have heard her reply—the reply he wanted to hear desperately.

But he was right, ne?

They had tomorrow, and after tomorrow, and the day after...

He was done running away. And Kazuha wasn't running away any time soon, either.

The End! :)

Note: So, what do you think? Hate it? Love it? Please, let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!

Till next time!

Take care! :)