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

Pairing: KaitoxShinichi

Chapter Rating: M

Warnings: Graphic content

Collection Summary: No matter where or what they are, their lives are always entwined. KaiShin stories in fantasy settings.

Chapter Summary: Shinichi has a problem he needs help with, but he's starting to regret asking.

Notes: I'm not patient enough to write long plotted things, though I might try someday, so I'm doing a collection instead. Each "world" will have its own tag word so that you can tell which stories are related. For example, this one's is "Fort".

Team Bonding

[Fort Verse]

Kudo Shinichi, Intermediate level Scout, sat at a small table tucked into the corner of Beika Fort's most popular café with a large mug of coffee clasped firmly in both hands. It was still steaming and the pungent aroma filled his senses, but it wasn't as comforting as it usually was. Annoyed, he gazed down into its murky brown depths, wondering why it had betrayed him.

"Stop moping with your coffee already," an impatient, female voice cut into his admittedly unproductive thoughts. "You're the one who asked me to come. The least you can do is look at me."

Resigned, Shinichi dragged his gaze up to meet that of his best friend. Mouri Ran stared back, her own cup of tea hovering near her lips. They continued to sit for several moments longer before the girl let out an exasperated breath.

"Honestly Shinichi, what's wrong with you today? Did you have a fight with Kaito?"

That finally got her a reaction as Shinichi started in surprise.

"What? No. Why would you think that?"

"Because you're obviously upset about something. But I've seen your mission record recently and you two have been doing really well, so it can't be work. It can't be about me if you came to me about it. And your parents aren't here at the Fort right now, so it can't be something they did. That really only leaves Kaito." Though she couldn't remember Shinichi ever having any issues with his Knight, there was a first time for everything. And first fights were always difficult.

Shinichi looked down again. "We didn't have a fight…"

Well, that was a relief, Ran thought. Although now she really couldn't guess what was bothering her friend. He'd always been the sort to keep to himself even when—or rather especially when—he had problems. The fact that he had come to her at all meant it must really be serious. And he still must have stewed over it for a long time before making up his mind to approach her.

"Was it something he said then?" she probed. Kaito could be rather…blasé about conventions and what other people considered proper behavior.

"…No."

"Something he did?"

"…No."

Okay. That didn't leave a lot of options.

"Was it something he didn't do?"

Silence.

Jackpot! "So what didn't he do?"

More silence.

"Did he forget something important?"

No response. Then again, that didn't sound like something Kaito would do, she mused. Shinichi on the other hand tended to forget even his own birthday. Granted, it was generally because he really didn't think it was important.

"I can't help if you don't talk to me, Shinichi."

The other Scout raised his mug to his lips and took a large gulp. It looked to her like he was trying to buy time. That was all right though. She could wait. Now that she'd pinpointed the source of the problem, it was only a matter of waiting out the silence. Since Shinichi had come to her, he'd already decided to ask her for help. She just needed to wait for him to gather the courage to actually say it out loud.

"We're not having any problems really," Shinichi began finally, still staring hard into his mug like he thought it was the one who was going to be answering his questions. "He's really—I mean, we get along and everything. It's just that we…we haven't…you know, we haven't…um…" His face grew redder with every word.

Ran furrowed her brows as she picked out the words her childhood friend was too embarrassed to say. "Oh, oh! What? But—your ceremony was over three months ago!"

"I know," Shinichi said, sounding far more miserable than she'd ever heard him.

Ran sat back in her seat and frowned. For the people of the Fort, a bonding was equivalent to marriage for other peoples of their world. At the Fort, however, it was a little more complicated.

"But Shinichi, an incomplete bond is only a fourth as strong as it should be. That puts you both in danger when you go into battle. You're incredibly lucky nothing's happened to you yet."

"I know, I know. I took all the classes you did, Ran."

Living within the inhospitable borders of the Wasteland, the people of the Fort had adapted by developing two distinct brands of magic. The power of the Scouts was that of detection. They could read the world and its creatures at a level that most other beings could not even begin to comprehend. This included the ability to sense the Wasteland Beasts who prowled their lands despite the creatures' own camouflaging magic. It was the Knights on the other hand who had the actual power to destroy the monsters. Wasteland Beasts were impervious to most other brands of magic in the world and impossible to kill with regular weapons. Without both these powers, their people would all have been devoured ages ago.

That was why every child of the Fort was trained from childhood to hone their mental, magical, and physical skills. Upon completion of their training, they were expected to find a partner.

It was a process that usually started well before graduation. The quest to find your match wasn't easy after all, as any member of any race well knew. Finding the person you wanted to spend the rest of your life with wasn't something that happened overnight. Partners had to be compatible not only in personality and skills but also on a less tangible, spiritual level. It was a resonance of sorts that couldn't quite be put into words (though it did tend to come with a degree of natural attraction), but it allowed a team to truly work as one.

Ran knew that some of the peoples from other lands thought that those of the Fort were telepathic, but they weren't. Not exactly. Scouts sometimes came across that way to others simply because of their supernatural awareness, but they couldn't actually read minds. Emotions, yes, to an extent, but minds? Minds were too complicated for reading. What their people did have was a mental bond with their partners.

A bond began when a Knight and a Scout both acknowledged and accepted a mutual desire to enter into a partnership (much like an engagement, in fact), but it needed physical intimacy to be completed.

And it seemed that was where her friend's current problems lay. Part of her wanted to laugh really hard, but that would be rude and probably lead Shinichi to run and not talk to her or anyone else about it again.

She had to admit she was surprised though. Kaito had always struck her as rather forward, helped along by an apparent lack of ability to understand the concept of shame. And she remembered the way he looked at Shinichi even before they had all completed their training. She was having a hard time reconciling that image in her head with what she was hearing now. To be honest, she'd expected him to jump Shinichi the moment they'd completed their bonding ceremony.

"Maybe he's just waiting for the right moment," she suggested, thinking out loud. Kaito was something of a perfectionist. The comment earned her a deadpan look.

"It's been three months."

"Well, what do you think might be the problem then?"

"I've…been wondering if maybe he doesn't…"

She couldn't hear his last words as they were mumbled into his mug. Folding her arms on the café table, she leaned forward to give him her best stern look. "You're going to have to speak louder if you want me to hear you. Now, what was that last part? I lost you after 'maybe he doesn't'."

He sighed and finally lowered the mug he'd been holding like a shield. "Like me…like that."

Ran snorted. "You couldn't have bonded to begin with if he wasn't attracted to you."

"But maybe he changed his mind."

"You'd know if he'd changed his mind. You know that. Besides, the number of cases where two people who have been able to establish the beginnings of a bond just falling out of it are practically nonexistent. It's not the kind of thing that starts on a whim."

Shinichi didn't respond.

It was Ran's turn to frown into her cup. Sometimes she really didn't get her friend despite the years they'd known each other. He'd always been smart. He'd aced all his classes and even set a few new records in the process. In battle simulations they'd both participated in, he'd always been calm and assured, making swift decisions that could turn around what had seemed to be a hopeless situation like it was nothing. Outside of such situations though, he tended to be quiet, keeping to himself and rarely joining in on social outings. Many of their peers had thought he was holding himself above them and disliked him for it, but the truth was that he just didn't know how to deal with people when it didn't involve work of some kind.

"Why don't I talk to him then?" she offered finally. "Or I can get Saguru to do it."

Shinichi looked horrified.

"Don't worry, we won't mention anything about this conversation," she said quickly, hiding a smile. "But really, it seems to me that he's the only one who can actually answer your question. If you can't bring yourself to ask, you might as well let us try."

"I…guess so," he muttered, face turning pink again as he returned to communing with his mug.

"Well, I need to get going now, but I'll see what I can find out and let you know, so don't stress out about it too much."

"Thanks Ran."

"You're welcome."

Shinichi remained in his seat as his fellow Scout departed. His thoughts continued to circle around the subject of his concerns. He could still remember the first time they'd met…

The Fort's library was Shinichi's favorite haunt. Not only was it full of books, but it was also quiet. The librarians were very strict about that. Here, he wasn't expected to try and make small talk or pretend to be anything he wasn't.

Today, he had set out pieces atop one of the many chess tables scattered throughout the stacks. He had sat down on the side of the white pieces since that side had made the first move, but since he had no opponent he was actually playing both sides.

"Who're you playing against?"

Startled, Shinichi looked up to see a young man around his own age with the most unruly hair he'd ever seen on anyone observing him through inquisitive, indigo eyes. Somewhere in the back of his mind he thought he might have seen the person before, but it had only been in passing. That meant the stranger was either in a different year or a Knight or both.

"Well?" said stranger prompted and Shinichi remembered belatedly that he'd been asked a question.

He glanced across at the empty seat on the other side of his table then back up at the stranger again. "I'm just—practicing."

"Can I play then?"

Shinichi hesitated, shifting a bit uncomfortably in his seat. He'd come here originally to be alone after all. On the other hand, it would be rude to just refuse.

"Come on," the stranger persisted. "It's gotta be boring playing against yourself."

"I…guess you can play," Shinichi gave in a bit reluctantly.

The stranger didn't seem to notice or just didn't care at the lukewarm welcome. He simply grinned and slid into the empty seat and began rearranging the pieces into their beginning positions with the speed of long practice. Seeing his familiarity with the pieces, Shinichi felt his own interest rise. It had been a while since he'd had a good opponent. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

"Oh, and by the way, my name is Kaito. Kuroba Kaito."

"Kudo Shinichi," he replied automatically. "It's nice to meet you."

"The pleasure's all mine."

That had been the first of many games. Kaito had been the most challenging opponent he'd ever played against and he'd lost as many games as he'd won. And in the meantime he found that he'd somehow made a new friend.

Never had he thought back then that those simple games would lead him a few years later to that sacred room in the heart of the Fort.

The crystal glowed pale blue in the center of the circular room. In its light, everything looked strangely surreal—as though they were standing in a dream. Yet at the same time everything felt so much more real.

"Are you ready?"

Glancing up at the young man standing beside him, Shinichi nodded. He'd been nervous earlier, but now that they were here he found that he felt nothing but excitement.

Together, they stepped up to the crystal. Standing to either side of it, they turned to face each other and clasped their right hands while placing their left hands on the warm surface of the crystal itself. It hummed at their touch and the light inside it grew brighter.

And as their eyes met and they chanted the vows that had been taught to them it grew brighter still. In its brilliance, space itself seemed to be burning away, flooding their senses with a buzzing energy.

He could feel Kaito's heart beating alongside his own. Not only that, but he could feel Kaito's own excitement. In that moment, they were seeing each others joys and fears, hopes and dreams. And they knew that, whatever came of their futures, they would be facing it together.

Then Kaito had leaned over the crystal and kissed him.

It wasn't part of the ritual—that kind of thing was supposed to be left for afterward, but neither of them had cared.

He always returned to that moment in his mind when he began to worry about things. That feeling of completion and hope—in that moment he had truly believed that everything would be all right. He just hoped he'd been right.

-0-

Out of all the people he knew, Kaito had to admit that Hakuba Saguru was the last person he'd ever expected to find himself having afternoon tea with. They'd never much liked each other. They didn't fight the way Hakuba and Hattori did, they just…didn't get along. They were like oil and water. When they could manage it, they preferred not to have anything to do with each other. But they had many of the same friends and therefore had gotten to know each other to a degree over the years anyway.

Even so, Kaito would never have expected in a thousand years to hear what he thought he'd just heard come out of the other's mouth. He eyeballed the blond for a moment longer, trying to figure out if this was some kind of lame attempt by Hakuba at developing a sense of humor. It didn't look like it.

"Excuse me, but I do believe that my relationship with Shinichi is none of your business."

"Believe me, if it were up to me, I wouldn't be here either," the blond grumbled, annoyed.

One dark eyebrow rose. "So why are you here then?"

"Ran was concerned."

That comment made Kaito narrow his eyes. "Is that so? And why is that?"

Now Hakuba was looking distinctly uncomfortable. "She…had lunch with Shinichi the other day after we returned from our last mission. She told me that she could sense that his and your bond was incomplete, and so she was concerned."

"And you got drafted into coming to ask me about it," Kaito concluded. He supposed that made sense. "Why didn't she just come herself?"

"She felt it would be less awkward if she sent me because we've known each other longer." The way Hakuba said it made it clear that he couldn't understand how she had arrived at that ridiculous idea. "Now, I would really rather we end this as soon as possible, but I've been instructed not to return without an answer or else."

Kaito winced inwardly. Out of all the Scouts and Knights from their generation, Ran was one of the most skilled when it came to physical combat. And she wasn't above using some of that skill to get people to do what she wanted. He might not like Hakuba much, but he wouldn't wish that on anyone. And, well, he supposed she had a right to be concerned. She had been one of the only real friends Shinichi had had for the longest time.

"Just tell her… Tell her I don't want to push him if he isn't ready."

Hakuba mulled this over, his expression growing thoughtful. "What makes you think he isn't ready?"

"Well, let's see, he jumps and shies away from me every time I get close."

"Oh." The blond was looking uncomfortable again.

"So was there anything else Ran wanted you to ask me or can I go now without sentencing you to her wrath?"

-0-

The first time he'd seen Shinichi had been from a distance at the Fort's annual winter ball. The boy had been seated in a corner of the great hall, holding a cup of coffee in one hand and a book in the other. As the party wore on, the boy hadn't left his seat except to refill his cup. A few hours later, he'd gotten up and slipped out of the hall long before anyone else had gone.

"Hey, do you guys have any idea who that was?"

The group he'd been eating with all turned to look at him before following his gaze to the empty corner. Not seeing anyone, they looked back at him, confused.

"Who are you talking about, Kaito?" Nakamori Aoko asked.

He rolled his eyes. If he knew, he wouldn't have to ask. "There was a person sitting over there most of the evening. Didn't you see him?"

"No. What did he look like?"

"And if you wanted to know and he was there all evening, as you claim, then why didn't you simply go ask him?" Hakuba Saguru added.

"For once, he has a point," Hattori Heiji mused, earning himself an annoyed look from the blond.

"So what did he look like?" Aoko interjected hurriedly. The last thing she wanted to have to do at the party was spend it mediating between the two.

Kaito shrugged. "I can't say for sure from over here, but he had interesting hair. Black and really neat but with this funny bit that stuck up like this." He gestured with his hands to illustrate his point.

The girl's eyes lit up with recognition. "Oh, that must have been Kudo. Strange though, I heard he hated parties."

"Well, he was reading a book."

"That does sound like him. He's in a few of my classes. He always gets full scores, but he doesn't talk much."

"I worked with him once in a sim," Heiji recalled.

"Was he the one that saved you from your ridiculous one-man charge during midterms?"

"Er, eh heh, yeah. That's the one."

"Then he really must be very skilled."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean? Are you saying I'm no good?"

"I'm surprised you caught on so quickly. You were fortunate your proctor was Scout Teacher Takagi. Any other teacher would surely have failed you."

"Why you little—"

Kaito tuned them out and turned back to Aoko. "So what's he like?"

"I don't really know. Like I said, he's pretty quiet. I think maybe he just doesn't like people much."

"Do you think so?"

He wasn't entirely sure why, but he'd had the feeling that Aoko was wrong. So he'd started keeping an eye out for Shinichi, observing him when he could, and what had started as a passing curiosity had grown into real interest. But it wasn't until a few months later that he'd decided to approach him in the library.

The first time they had worked together as a team had been during the exams at the end of that year.

"Hey Shinichi, do you have a partner for the final exam yet?"

On the other side of the game board, Shinichi shook his head. "Not yet. I usually just work with whoever the proctor assigns me to."

"Oh." Kaito paused, mulling this over before continuing. "Do you prefer that?"

The question earned him a puzzled look. "There really isn't anything to prefer. It's a test. That means you have to be able to deal with whatever situation you're put in."

"So your partner is part of your situation."

"Well, yeah… Isn't that how it works?"

"I guess you could look at it that way. But we are allowed to choose partners too. In fact, most people have partners they prefer to take exams with by now."

Shinichi shrugged, picking up a rook and moving it across the board. "I know."

Kaito waited a moment but it seemed that was all he was getting. "So does that mean you don't?"

"Huh? Don't what?"

Indigo eyes stared at the clueless expression being aimed his way in mixed exasperation, incredulity, and amusement. "A partner you prefer. Don't you have one?"

"Not really."

"In that case, would you consider being my partner?"

Shinichi sat back a little in surprise. "I… Are you sure? I mean, we've never worked together before, and everyone says the twelfth tier exams are extremely difficult."

"Weren't you the one who was saying you had to be able to adapt?" the Knight quipped. "Besides, I feel like we'd work well together. So what do you say? I promise I won't hold you back, if that's what you're worried about."

Shinichi blushed. "No, I wasn't thinking that at all. If you really want to give it a try then I'm okay with it."

"Great! I'll sign us up then."

Together, they had made perfect scores in every one of the five simulations making up the final exam—a feat that was just about unheard of for twelfth tier finals. After that, they had started teaming up during simulations whenever they could.

Letting his breath out slowly, Kaito folded his arms behind his head and looked up at the sky as he let his feet carry him wherever they would through the Fort's connected courts. Things had been so simple back then. He'd known exactly what he wanted and how to get it. He'd gotten Shinichi to open up to him, and they had had fun rocking the Fort with their spectacular performance.

That wasn't to say that he wasn't happy now, but he couldn't seem to shake the feeling that something was wrong.

It had something to do with Shinichi. Lately, he'd noticed his partner acting oddly. It had started around the same time as that talk he'd had with Hakuba—or, no, it had started some time before that.

Most of the time, Shinichi seemed normal enough, but every now and then Kaito would catch him looking strangely wistful—almost sad. The idea that Shinichi might be unhappy for some reason gnawed at him. And the worst part was that Shinichi wasn't telling him anything.

Well, until Shinichi was ready to talk, all he could do was keep his eyes and ears open.

(And if there was someone out there who was doing something to cause that look on his Shinichi's face, they were going to regret the day they'd been born!)

-0-

"Maybe you just need to give him some encouragement," Ran suggested. She and Shinichi were back at the café. She'd gotten Saguru's report and was now trying to gently prod her friend towards a solution without being too obvious. "I mean, you and I both know you get jumpy when people get close to you. He could just be waiting for you to give him a sign that you're ready."

"Like what?"

He almost immediately regretted asking when he saw a gleam in her eye. It was too late though. She'd already grabbed his wrist in a vice grip and dragged him out of the café. A few minutes later they were standing in one of the study rooms that could be reserved by anyone living in Beika Fort for anything from studying to exercising.

Shinichi felt his dread growing when he found that one Suzuki Sonoko was also in the room. She had apparently been waiting for them. She had set up some sort of makeshift curtain cubicle thing and was watching him with a positively evil smile.

He turned around just in time to see Ran lock the door.

"Ran's filled me in and we were brainstorming how to help you," Sonoko began, eyes shining with a crazed light. "Since you're no good at talking about these things, we decided you could start by wearing this."

He blushed, backing away from her and the thing she'd just pulled from seemingly nowhere. "B—but you guys…"

"Grab him, Ran!"

-0-

Kaito hated paperwork. He didn't really understand why the stuff was even necessary. If they came back from a mission then obviously they'd succeeded. If not, they should've been eaten by now. Why did the people in charge always feel the need to have written documentation about it? Okay, so he could understand the importance of records, but this stuff was just so dull and they asked for so many details that it was enough to drive a person insane. He was going to get cramps from all this writing. It was like he was being punished for successfully completing a mission!

Speaking of which, shouldn't Shinichi be here filling out boring paperwork too? The Scout was usually very diligent about his work, even when it was something as tedious as paperwork. That unwavering dedication was one of the things Kaito loved about him.

As though in answer to his thoughts, the office door opened. Relieved at the interruption, the Knight looked up—and stopped, the greeting he'd been about to give dying before it could be uttered.

"Shinichi," he said slowly. "What are you wearing?"

And who had seen Shinichi in it?! The mere thought sent a jolt of righteous (jealous) rage through his veins.

"It wasn't my idea!" Shinichi blurted, blushing furiously.

Kaito hadn't thought it was. Someone must have really twisted his arm to get Shinichi into something so revealing. And frilly. Which meant that someone must also have "helped" him into it because there was no way his Shinichi would climb into such a thing on his own even if his arm was being twisted. The pen Kaito had been writing with snapped with a loud crack, making them both jump.

Indigo eyes glanced down at the ink splattered all over his fingers and over the paperwork he'd been filling out. When he looked up again, it was to see a slamming door.

-0-

"You ran away?" Ran echoed, incredulous.

Shinichi buried his face in his hands. "It was too embarrassing!" What could be seen of his face between his fingers was distinctly flushed. "What was that thing anyway?!"

"If you mean the outfit, it was something Sonoko brought back from one of her family's trips to trade for supplies with the people beyond the borders of the Wasteland. She said it was quite popular over there."

"With what kind of people?!"

"Oh come on, does it really matter?"

"You two weren't actually trying to help me, were you?" Shinichi sulked.

"Don't say that. Of course we were."

"I'm never taking any advice from you two again."

"Are you sure? Because Sonoko did have a few more ideas, and it's not like you're coming up with anything on your own."

-0-

Kaito was starting to get seriously confused. And that was not something he was very often.

Since that day when Shinichi had made his extremely brief appearance in their study in that peculiar, foreign ensemble, things had been getting stranger. He had made similarly fleeting appearances in a variety of garments and accessories that Kaito was sure he would rather die than be caught in—which was probably why said appearances had been so brief. He also seemed to be suffering from a sudden spate of clumsiness. Just the other day he'd spilled milk and syrup all over the both of them while they'd been in the kitchen preparing breakfast.

Then there was the party being held by the Suzuki family that he had suggested they go to. Shinichi had never had any interest in parties before, though Kaito supposed the fact that the party coincided with the birthday of one of their friends may have gone a little way in terms of explaining his change of heart. Maybe Shinichi had decided to make an attempt to be more social? Or maybe Ran had threatened him into it, being Suzuki Sonoko's best friend and all. Kaito was inclined to believe the latter of the two possibilities.

Anyhow, back to the party. It had started out normally enough. Being a birthday party for Sonoko as well as a celebration of the Fort's new trade agreement with one of their neighbors, they had spent most of the time just eating and playing games with their friends. It was the first time in a while that they had all seen each other, since usually at least half of them would be out on missions at any given time.

The problem had started when Shinichi had a little too much to drink—which, again, was strange, since he usually stayed away from anything that clouded the mind. It turned out Shinichi was the kind who got depressed when he was drunk. He'd ended up curled up and hiccupping in a corner, mumbling something only he could understand as he stared at nothing with big, sad eyes that made Kaito want to strangle whoever had given his partner the drinks to begin with.

Although he had to say that Shinichi looked adorable all flushed and wide-eyed, attached to his side all warm and cuddly.

He'd settled for showering the congregation with singing paper birds that exploded in bursts of multicolored paint on contact before scooping Shinichi up and taking him home.

Kaito had always considered himself to be a patient person—er, well, when he wanted to be anyway. After all, he'd always been a schemer, and every perfect plan had its own perfect timing. Rushing what shouldn't be rushed only led to poor results.

But at this point he was hanging on to his patience with his teeth. On top of everything else, he had the feeling that some of their friends knew why Shinichi had been acting strange and were keeping it from him. The mere thought of it irritated him to no end. If someone didn't tell him what was going on soon, they were going to find out exactly why you didn't hide things—especially not important information about his partner—from someone who crafted insanely complex booby-traps for fun.

-0-

Well, when Ran had said Sonoko's latest idea was very direct, she sure hadn't been kidding.

Shinichi still had no idea why he was taking their advice—again. Especially considering he was inclined to believe that most of their ideas were just their way of having a good laugh at his expense. Okay, he did know why he was still listening to them. It was because Ran had been right that he'd hit a dead end on his own.

Which was why he was here now clad in nothing but a bathrobe. Since this was his and Kaito's home, he technically hadn't even needed that, but he'd brought it for the sake of his own sanity.

He had the vague idea that Sonoko had meant he should do this while Kaito was still awake to notice, but the mere thought had had him wanting to disappear into the floor. So he figured he could just slip quietly into the room after Kaito was asleep. His partner would have to notice in the morning, and it would at least be easier to start a conversation about it all then.

Taking a deep breath, he slipped into Kaito's room. It was pitch black but with his senses that didn't really matter. Slipping the robe off and folding it neatly, he placed it on top of the dresser before tiptoeing to the bed. The slow, quiet vibes he was getting from Kaito's mind reassured him that the Knight was fast asleep. That didn't stop him from blushing deep crimson as he very carefully inched under the covers and lay very still, holding his breath. When Kaito didn't stir, he eventually started breathing again and closed his eyes.

It was warm here, and the sound of Kaito's even breathing was soothing. Soon he could feel himself relaxing. As the tension left him, his thoughts too began to drift.

An arm fell heavily over his waist, startling him back to full wakefulness. He shifted a little in surprise and the arm around him tightened, pulling him flush against the strong body behind him. He realized with a start that Kaito wasn't wearing a shirt. Then again, the weather had been pretty warm lately, so he should have considered the possibility. Hot breaths ruffled his hair and brushed over the shell of his ear, sending pleasant shudders down his spine.

Heat climbed into his cheeks as he felt his heart skip a beat.

Was Kaito really asleep?

"Kaito?" he whispered.

There was no verbal response, but the mouth by his ear moved as though mouthing words. He was starting to think that the Knight was just moving in his sleep when teeth nipped sharply at his ear.

He let out a yelp and drove his elbow into the culprit's stomach on reflex. Kaito let out a yelp of his own and shot bolt upright, blinking wildly around at the darkness in search of enemies as his right hand gestured sharply at the window, causing the curtains to pull themselves open and flood the room with moonlight. Finding none, he made a confused noise and looked down.

"Shinichi?" He stared at the blushing Scout, wondering if he was still dreaming. Having Shinichi lying naked in his bed was something that happened quite often when he was dreaming, but this appeared to be real life. "What are you doing here?"

Shinichi sat up abruptly, unconsciously clutching the covers to himself like a shield against awkward questions. It turned out to be a very flimsy shield. Kaito was still watching him expectantly.

"Um, I…" He swallowed, mind racing. He wondered for a fleeting moment if Kaito would believe him if he said he'd suddenly developed a fear of being alone in the dark. But no, that was stupid. Kaito would never buy that. Besides, hadn't he come here to begin with so that they could talk about this? Only he hadn't expected to be put on the spot so suddenly. He also hadn't counted on how—exposed he would feel. Although how he had managed to fail to predict that, he really had no idea. It really should have been obvious. It just went to show how this whole situation was screwing up his common sense.

"Shinichi?"

Snapping back to the present, he coughed and looked down. "I was just… I mean… I—I'll just, um, g—go back to—"

He cut himself off with a yelp as Kaito caught his wrist and pulled him back from his attempt to flee.

"Oh no you don't. You've been acting weird for days. Now tell me what's on your mind."

Shinichi flushed (he was sitting naked on Kaito's lap!). Well, he was already way past being embarrassed. He would probably still feel mortified in the morning, but if he didn't at least try to explain now he knew it was only going to get harder. So he took a deep breath, gathered his courage, and looked Kaito straight in the eyes.

"Kaito, how long have we known each other?"

Kaito tilted his head slightly to one side. That wasn't what he'd been expecting. "I believe it's been almost five years now."

"And we've been working together for four of those years."

"That's right," the Knight agreed, one hand moving absently to trace his partner's spine.

The touch momentarily distracted Shinichi and it took him a moment to pull his thoughts back together. "A—and you asked me to be your Scout when we graduated."

"Yep. Because I knew you were meant to be mine."

"Or so you say," Shinichi muttered. Normally he would have been flustered and blushing at Kaito's teasing comments, but today it only reminded him of his recent insecurities.

Observing the play of emotions across the Scout's face, Kaito frowned. Shinichi was right there before him, yet it felt as though he was drawing away from him. And he didn't like that feeling one bit. "What is it, Shinichi? Talk to me."

Looking away, Shinichi's breath left him in a soft sigh. "It's just I…I really love you."

"As I do you," Kaito replied, tone serious as he temporarily shelved his natural urge to tease. He knew Shinichi had always found it difficult to express his feelings, especially those of affection. So while it thrilled him to hear the other say those words, it also worried him because he could sense the tension in Shinichi's lean frame and hear the troubled tones behind his words.

"Is there…there isn't someone you might…prefer to be with…?"

Kaito had never been an easy person to surprise, but at that moment he would freely admit to being utterly and completely shocked. "What? No! Why would you even think that?"

"But we…and it's been three months and…"

Kaito couldn't hear all of the other's mumblings, but he caught about that much. Three months, huh? The most important thing that had happened three months ago was—oh.

That was when it finally clicked. And that would explain Ran and Hakuba's behavior too. Shinichi was afraid that Kaito didn't actually want him.

He almost laughed out loud at the (in his mind) absurd notion, but he managed to refrain as he had the feeling that Shinichi just might run again if he did. Knowing Shinichi, it had to be hard for him to voice all this, even if it had clearly been weighing on his mind for a while.

Catching Shinichi's chin with one hand, he tilted the Scout's face up, though it still took some maneuvering to catch the skittish blue gaze. "Shinichi, I love you. I have no regrets about being your partner, either in the field or here at home. The only reason I haven't dragged you into my bed sooner was because I didn't want to force you into anything before you were ready. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable."

"O—oh, um, I… I guess I might not have been at the beginning," Shinichi admitted before a small, relieved, and slightly shy smile made its way onto his face. "But I've, um, kind of—for a while—I…"

Kaito watched in amusement as Shinichi began to blush again. The Scout really was too cute for his own good (he had no idea how hard it had been for Kaito to control the urge to just pin him down and ravish him). Taking advantage of a lull in the other's embarrassed stutters, Kaito leaned in until their lips were practically touching and smirked. "If that's what you wanted, you should have just said so. Although," he added, letting his gaze trail down the Scout's bare form, "I must admit, I rather like this form of invitation."

He loved the beautiful rose color that blossomed in Shinichi's cheeks just before he breeched the final few millimeters between their lips as he pushed Shinichi back down onto the bed.

It was kind of strange, Shinichi mused, but now that they were here, all his worries just seemed to be melting away.

Breaking the kiss, Kaito trailed his lips along Shinichi's jaw and down to the crook of his neck, nibbling and licking at sensitive skin. Shinichi tilted his head back to give him better access. Grinning at the response, Kaito latched onto a spot at the junction between the Scout's neck and shoulder, biting and sucking on the spot until he'd left a mark on pale skin.

Shinichi gasped, fingers tangling themselves in Kaito's wild hair. The Knight's own hands were roaming his body, apparently determined to explore every inch of it. He squirmed under their ministrations.

The night had been chilly before, but now all he could feel was heat. It swept through him in tingling, electric waves guided by Kaito's touch.

Then those hands found their way between his legs and his hips jerked involuntarily. What was left of Shinichi's coherent thoughts evaporated. All he could think about was that hot mouth and those skilled hands as they worked magic on his body.

Grinning against the soft skin of Shinichi's stomach, Kaito dragged one hand up his partner's side as the other continued to stroke and tease his member, relishing the way Shinichi wiggled and moaned.

Trailing back up to Shinichi's face, he gave him a quick kiss before pressing his fingers to those soft lips. Shinichi took the fingers into his mouth, teasing them with his tongue. It was Kaito's turn to groan at the way the Scout was sucking and nibbling on his fingers. He almost regretted having to pull away, but the rest of him was getting impatient.

Wet fingers traced the side of Shinichi's neck before fluttering down lower and lower. The Scout tensed a little as a finger circled his entrance then slowly pushed into him but otherwise held perfectly still. It felt strange. He didn't have much time to dwell on it though as teeth closed on his right nipple and Kaito's other hand returned to exploiting the sensitive spots he'd found earlier.

Shinichi's own hands too began to wander, combing through unruly locks and tracing patterns over Kaito's back and shoulders in silent encouragement.

The first finger was joined by a second then a third. They thrust deeper and crooked and he let out a startled cry as his entire body convulsed. Pleased at the response, the fingers continued to paw at the spot, making Shinichi writhe.

Feeling the way Shinichi clenched in hungry spasms around his fingers made his own member throb in anticipation. Unable to wait any longer, he pulled his fingers out, smirking slightly at the disappointed whine that escaped his partner.

Cracking open his eyes, Shinichi peered through the silver shadows until he met a pair of indigo orbs. They were full of passion and a burning intent. His breath caught in his throat. Kaito took a moment to rid himself of his sleeping pants before positioning himself back between Shinichi's legs. Nervous excitement coiled in the Scout's stomach.

For an instant, time seemed to still.

Then Kaito was pressing into him. His breath left him in an almost inaudible moan. He could feel every inch of that hard cock as it entered him slowly. It was thick and hot and it was prying him open. His inner walls stretched tight around it, light spasms running through him as his body both protested and welcomed the intrusion.

He hadn't realized it would hurt so much. Yet at the same time he wouldn't have traded it for anything.

"Relax," Kaito murmured soothingly into his ear.

All movement came to a stop once he was fully sheathed inside Shinichi's tight, velvet heat, and they simply lay there for several moments, savoring the feeling of being so fully joined for the first time.

Shinichi's breaths were coming in shallow pants as his hands clenched in the sheets. Half-lidded blue eyes were hazy with the heat of desire as they looked up at the man on top of him. To Kaito, the sight of Shinichi lying there under him, filled by him, features bathed in the moonlight seeping in through the window, was one of the most beautiful scenes he had ever laid eyes on. Even as Kaito leaned down to brush a butterfly kiss over those temptingly parted lips, he could hear a quiet "Kaito…"

The love and wonder in that voice was the last straw for Kaito's self control.

Diving forward, he caught Shinichi's lips in another passionate kiss. The Scout wrapped his arms around Kaito's neck to bring him closer before breaking away from the kiss to gasp as Kaito began to move inside him. The gasp turned into a cry as Kaito's next thrust hit the spot he'd been teasing with his fingers earlier.

His back arched. The first cry became a stream of breathless mewls and cries of pleasure that spilled from his mouth unchecked as Kaito continued to thrust inside him.

Long legs had wrapped themselves around Kaito's waist as blunt nails scrabbled at his back.

Both too lost in the sensation to form coherent thoughts anymore, they moved together in an increasingly frantic rhythm. Every motion pulled them closer and closer to the edge until they fell over it together, their voices mingling into a single cry.

For an instant, Shinichi really felt as though they had become a single entity. Whole. Complete. Not only could he feel Kaito's body fitted perfectly with his, but he could sense the love and want burning through his veins. He could feel Kaito's heartbeat and the way all of his thoughts were focused entirely on Shinichi in the same way that his own were on Kaito.

Later, Shinichi would think back on the moment and decide that it felt a lot like that moment in the crystal chamber three months ago only tenfold the intensity. In the heat of the moment, however, all that existed was them and the elation born from their long awaited union.

-0-

"Hey Shinichi, can you promise me something?"

Wrapped in a contented haze fueled by his several previous sleepless nights, Shinichi made a questioning hum and curled closer to Kaito's side.

"Next time you have a problem, just come talk to me, all right? I've been going nuts these last few days wondering if something bad had happened that you weren't telling me."

Shinichi blinked and let out a sheepish laugh. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize."

"Just so long as it doesn't happen again."

"Mmmm."

A fond smile crept onto Kaito's face. He cast a glance towards the window as he too settled down to sleep before deciding to leave the curtains open. There was something fitting about having the starry sky there and the moon to watch over their dreams.

He grinned to himself, thinking back on Shinichi's peculiar behavior of the last few days. Now it all made sense, and he was slightly chagrined that he hadn't figured it out sooner. However, he couldn't complain about the end result. Though he still had to wonder who'd been filling his adorable little Shinichi's head with those silly ideas. He had a hard time believing they'd all come from Ran. Although whoever it was, he supposed he owed them a thank you.

-End of Chapter-