This story is a birthday present for Zaiban2989, and the idea was born from a random conversation about how amazing her hubby is. It got a little longer then planned (by a lot actually). I wrote half the story in a notebook at work whenever I had time. It feels a little bit rushed, but I hope you enjoy it regardless.
(This is probably the oddest thing I've ever written before)
Story is unbeated, sorry for all writing mistakes as I'm not a native English speaker.
Summary: There is a difference between being 10 years younger and being only 10 cm tall. Magic has never been good for Shinichi's piece of mind. Birthday fic for Zaiban2989.
Pocket-Hubby
The sunrise reflected through the windows and cast the room in an eerie orange colour. A mug with still rising steam was clutched in his hands. If the warmth bit unpleasantly into his fingertips, he didn't let it show. Above the window, the blue curtains shivered in the breeze from the just-turned on air-conditioner.
"I wonder if this entitles me to a divorce," Shinichi mused into the room as he lifted the cup to his mouth. The coffee was both heavenly and too bitter to swallow. Now that the adrenaline had subsided, only the caffeine intake kept his eyes from falling shut.
"Oy," a thin voice replied with a mixture of outrage and anxiety, however Shinichi interrupted him as he continued.
"I don't remember this being in the marriage vows."
"We met when you were 7," was the protested reply.
Shinichi's eyes drifted towards the surface of the table. A second – untouched – cup sat adjacent to his. He had made it absentminded and purely out of habit. Letting his eyes leave the sight, he focused on the tiny figure. At first glance you would imagine it was a doll simply from the share size.
A delicate face was framed by a mop of wild hair – usually contained by a top-hat that was now laid abandoned by his feet. He was clad in a white suit that had once looked elegant but was now in mere tatters. The cape had long since been misplaced. The tiny figure sat slumped on what had once been Kaito's wedding ring. For a figure barely as long as Shinichi's ring finger, the details on the 'doll' was too impeccable and life-like that it came as no surprise when Kaito moved to drag his fingers through his hair.
"I think that would make you a paedophile thought."
'I think I might need binoculars to read his facial features,' Shinichi thought as what looked like a frown rippled across his husband's features – he only knew for certain from previous experiences and knowing Kaito better then he knew himself.
"You shrank," the tiny magician's voice shrilled – and hearing Kaito's voice so thin was too disorienting to dwell on.
"Not literally," the detective replied with the serene calmness that allowed him to not freak out during a murder scene. It was the state his mind had entered the moment he had discovered Kaito's new size after the heist.
"What exactly happened?" He rushed to ask before Kaito had the chance to reply.
His small shoulders fell a little, and it was the only indication of his emotions as the facial features ques were too miniscule to read. "I don't know – " he started rather hesitantly, "there was a gem. A yellow sapphire. It glowed a little when the moonlight reflected through it. Not red though," he added as an afterthought.
Shinichi bit his lip in thought – he knew well of Kaito's quest for Pandora – something he believed to be a fairy-tale. On the other hand, he had spent two years as a seven year old child, so all bets were off when it came to magic.
"Did you piss off Akako lately by any chance?"
The short hesitating break had him lift his eyebrow in question.
"Not any more than usual," Kaito finally replied with an air of defeat. "Nothing that would warrant – this," he through his hands up in the air to indicate his current predicament.
Shinichi nodded slightly. That ruled out their best option. "What happened to the gem?"
"I don't know, I was a bit preoccupied with shrinking. What about you?"
"I was a bit occupied with a tiny husband to notice anything else."
They blinked at each other like owls for several seconds, undecided if the entire affair was worth a desperate laugh or not. They never managed to decide as a large presence suddenly made an appearance, and before anyone could react, Kaito's untouched cup of coffee was spilling down on the floor. The mug hit the carpet with a hollow sound.
Shinichi was vaguely aware of Kaito's shriek as he stood to grab the cat. "Sherlock, you know you are not allowed on the table."
The only indication that the furball had heard him was a soft purr as he brushed his nose against his owner's collarbone. Sherlock was a large, orange tabby with green eyes. They had adopted him not too long due to the magician's insistent complaint about sleeping alone whenever the detective was out on cases.
"I thought we decided to name him Lupin."
Shinichi could not see his husband above the cat's head, and he scoffed at the statement. "You said, I never agreed."
The cat suddenly started to hiss in his arms that was followed by another one of Kaito's high pitched sounds in terror. With a sigh the detective dropped the cat gently on the floor, before looking at the magician. His annoyance over the situation – part of him was certain Kaito had somehow done all this on purpose in order to postpone his two weeks trip to England to consult on a case – it all melted away from the terrified expression on Kaito's features. Something he could see even in the miniature face. His arms were crossed over his chest for a false sense of protection.
The spilt coffee had formed a pool inside the wedding ring. If the magician hadn't dodged in time he would have been hit by the hot liquid straight on. Something twisted in Shinichi's gut at the realization. The hot coffee on such a small body would have been devastating, if not outright burned the flesh – and going to the hospital was not an option.
Sherlock stretched against his leg with a pleasant purr. Christ¸ the feline must look like a monster: the hiss terrifying. He shooed the cat away with his feet. "Kaito, are you alright?" he asked with guilt thickening his voice. When his miniature husband opened his mouth to reply, he frowned. "Be honest."
Kaito's mouth closed immediately, and he looked to the ground like a guilty child. It was all so disorienting that he had to look away for a moment so he could pretend the magician wasn't a few centimetre short.
"No, I'm not," if Kiato's voice sounded like he was on the brink of tears and courting hysteria, Shinichi was kind enough to not comment. The detective fell at loss on how to proceed, how to comfort the miniature man – he might have spent two years reliving his childhood, but that was something completely different. Kaito would never be able to live a normal life 10 centimetre short.
From the lack of anything else to do, he grabbed some tissues – mostly to keep his hands busy lest he reached for his husband – and started to clean the spilt liquid.
"We'll figure something out," he mumbled, his voice lower then he would prefer. "We always do." He picked up the wedding rind and went to the spring to clean it. The metal felt both cold and warm n his hand – and he swallowed as his chest ached. He had never once since Kaito without it, not since their vows. Even on heists Kaito preferred to put a band-aid over it rather than taking it off. No matter how foolish the detective called him.
It felt oh so wrong holding it in the palm of his hand.
"I don't know Shinichi. We've always toed the lines, but this is serious magic. No science to save our arses."
Shinichi clenched his hand and slammed it into the table. Pain crackled across his skin, and for a moment it chased away the spiral of thoughts. "No, we are figuring this out. I'm not going to leave you like this, We'll go find that gem – and need be, we will promise any boon to Akako to fix you. Being no more than 10 centimetres tall is hazardous. The cat could eat you, falling off the table could break your legs: a puff of wind could carry you away – " his throat hitched as his chest contracted painfully.
He had not let himself dwell on the thoughts previously, but now they all came gushing out with fear – and only then did he realized how utterly terrified he was. When Kaito hadn't come home at the designated time he had feared the worst. Barely had the time to grab his shoes and wallet before storming out. They had a rendezvous time and contingency plans – and back up plans, if he was ever late. If Kaito hadn't called by a certain amount of time, he would start calling the police to see if they had caught KID – and he had first contacted Nakamori, then Hakuba. It had not born any fruit, so he called Megure in a last ditch effort – praying that Kaito hadn't been assigned the lead role in a crime scene.
Nothing, no one had heard from him. So, he had, damned their promises, went to look for his wayward Husband, with a capital H.
"Shinichi," Kaito called out to him with a soft voice, "look at me."
The detective shook his head, dragging a hand across his face as he took jagged breaths. He couldn't seem to inhale oxygen fast enough, white spots drifted across his vision to a point where he could barely see anything, hand shaking –
"Come here."
He couldn't deny the command as he stumbled back to the table. He missed the seat of the chair – hadn't been looking for it, hadn't cared – and sunk into the floor with a head resting against the wood. "I don't know what to do Kaito. This is far out of my comfort zone. I don't know anything about magic, I don't know what to do –" he gasped out like a broken record.
There was a tug on the fringes of his hair, before realizing it was Kaito trying to comfort him. It made a new bout of hysteria bubble in his throat. This entire thing was utterly ridiculous – Kaito was the one being tiny, and yet he was the one being comforted – and he desperately wished he would wake up soon.
"Hush, its not your responsibility to fix everything – to save everyone. Remember why you married me, huh?" Kaito's voice was soft with affection, and soon the hysteria decreased to simply a pain in his chest. His heart fluttered ever so slightly.
"So someone can take care of you for once – watch over your needs. Don't panic just cause the situation is out of control and have no logical, scientific explanations. Magic is my forte, remember?"
Shinichi did not have to see to know the smile on Kaito's face, and he felt himself nod in agreement. "I knew you were a keeper," he whispered a moment later, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I wish –" he bit his lip, before deciding to continue, "I wish we weren't so busy all the goddamned time. This is the longest we've been together alone for weeks."
For a few silent moments there was an uncharacterised silence from the magician, before a broken laughter brushed against his ear – and rather then being obnoxious and loud, it was a puff of caress. "Being grown up with responsibilities sucks."
"Amen to that," the detective agreed.
" – But at least we have each other to come home to. We are fortune," there was a tight emotion in Kaito's voice he couldn't identity, and decided to let it go.
He closed his eyes. The magician was right, they were lucky, very lucky, even in all their misfortune. Despite the troubles, they always managed to get through everything together. He still had problems believing in magic, truly believing in it, be he believed in Kaito. Slowly, so as not to spook him, he turned around to get face to face with the magician.
'He is so tiny,' hysteria bubbled in his chest with renew vigour for a brief moment, but he swallowed it down before it could fester. "Yeah," he replied out loud, and then added as a afterthought as they did not tell each other it often enough. "I love you."
Kaito's face flustered a little, and he leaned forward to place one of his – too tiny – hands on the detective's cheek. he could barely feel the pressure, nor the heat from the palm, but the gesture made him feel better nonetheless. "I love you even though you are giant," Kaito said with a rueful expression, and Shinichi couldn't help the roll of his eyes in exasperation.
"Hopefully not for too long. I have a desire to kiss you, but that seems like a horrible idea right now."
The magician got a contemplating look on his face for a moment, before leaning forward. Shinichi went cross-eyed trying to keep up, but relaxed when he felt a tickle on his lips.
"Not a bad idea for me," Kaito hummed as he leaned back on the balls of his feet. "I'll have to say though, your breathe is horrible this close."
Shinichi exhaled deeply and felt a twinge of glee at the disgusted expression from his husband, before getting to his feet. All humour drained from his face as he adopted a professional and serious voice.
"First thing first, we need to go back and find that game you stole. Hopefully it will be the solution to your… little predicament," he ignored Kaito's dried laughter at his pun," "I'll be back later –"
"No," the magician protested, his tiny hands shaking in the direction of the giant – the detective wasn't sure to laugh or cry at the adorable display. "I'm not staying here alone. What if – what if Lupin tries to eat me?" at the mention of the cat, there was a moment that had them both focusing their gaze in the direction of the furball.
"I'll lock him in the bathroom before I leave," Shinichi suggested amicably, and logically, however Kaito shook his head.
"I'd rather stay with you," and only when he could hear the fear trembling through his husband, did Shinichi relent with a sigh. If he had shrunk to 10 cm instead of only 10 years he imagined he wouldn't wan to be alone either.
"Very well, I'll figure something out."
…
Shinichi's knuckles were painfully white where he clutched the wheel. Every bump on the road had him grit his teeth, and his gaze kept darting towards the cupholder every other second. This whole thing had not been good for his heart, nor his stress levels. He was constantly terrified of crashing – something that would definitely be fatal for the miniature man.
"Don't fret so much," hummed Kaito almost chidingly and barely audible despite the soft echo of his surroundings. "This is actually quite comfortable."
They only safe and practical way they managed to decide on was to line the inside of a cup with soft materials that functioned as a pillow. (Kaito's carefree 'why not just carry me in your pocket like a pocket-hubby?' Had been met with a cold gaze and a half-joked threat of: 'I hope your life insurance is updated in case I crush you').
This way would minimize the chances of being caught, and served as a bumper against the movements of the car. Not that Shinichi was feeling remotely comfortable with the whole situation – leaving Kaito at home hadn't been a viable option, but bringing him with seemed like an equally disastrous idea.
"You can't blame me for wanting my husband back in one piece. I'd rather not explain to Aoko why I commissioned a doll-sized coffin for the funeral," he bit out, hiding his nerves behind sarcasm calmed his nerves somewhat. Kaito was well aware of his habits and wisely did not remark on it.
He could finally see their destination in the distant, and he relaxed marginally at the knowledge they had made it in one piece without any incidences. He spotted a free parking lot and manoeuvred his car into the slot – taking care of doing it properly and slowly.
He reached out to kill the motor, but did not move an inch as hysteria started to bubble in his chest for the countless time that morning as his stomach gurgled in protest. It was barely seven in the morning. How was it possible that only a few short hours had gone since they said goodbye? He had barely waved at Kaito as he left, too occupied with a casefile and packing at the same time.
Now, a normal life, felt entirely too surreal to contemplate. A doorman from a hotel peered out at him in curiosity from across the street, and he gritted his teeth once again to keep his breathing controlled. His hand shook in his lap – and not for the first time in his life did he wish he had taken up smoking just for that rush of calming nicotine.
"Everything is going to be alright," Kaito propped his arms on the tip of the cup to peer up at the detective. He had a smile on his lips, and his hair was more windswept then usual – probably the harsh vibration of the car was horrible when you had a tiny volume. "We are just going to walk in, and no one is going to be none the wiser, yeah?"
Shinichi frowned at him, "why are you so calm? Why aren't you panicking?"
The magician only shrugged in reply. "My life is weird, no point getting hung up on the impossible."
He could only shake his head slowly – however Kaito's appease to the situation calmed him somewhat. Slowly, he reached out to unbuckle his seatbelt, grabbed a cap and pushed it down to his ears. He hesitated for a moment, before grabbing the lid for the cup. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
Kaito nodded, and sat back down on the pillows, his feet crossed as he grinned back up – Shinichi had a slight suspicion that the bravery was for his sake, but did not remark on it. "I was born ready. I've always dreamed of being carried in your manly arms."
He let out a frustrated breath, but nodded only, "alright, here goes nothing. Let me know if you get claustrophobic." He carefully put the lid on, trying not to jostle the cup. When he was satisfied, he opened the car door and got out. He then leaned in to pick the container up as careful as he could – already feeling queasy over the whole ordeal once again. He could not imagine being carried around in a small room. He had hated it whenever Mouri jostled him around as a child.
"This is like a rollercoaster," came Kaito's muffled voice from the cup.
Shinichi closed the car door and locked it, making sure he didn't make any abrupt movements. "Shut up, you are coffee now. Act like it," he groused out, his gaze snapping around to make sure no one was paying him any attention. When he was content they were being ignored, he started towards the hotel.
The doorman only nodded to him once before opening the door – and Shinichi was thankful for it. He strode into the reception and did not glance around as he went directly to the clerk. The clerk, a young woman with dyed hair appraised his appearance with an interested expression and her smile turned flirty as she addressed him.
"What can I do for you?"
"I'm with the police," came the rough reply, he didn't glance in her direction as his eyes were focused on the cup he held in front of him rather awkwardly. "I need access to the rooftop to look for clues after the Kaitou KID's heist yesterday."
She stood a little straighter, however the flirtish expression didn't leave. "Of course, we are told to do whatever we can do to help," she reached behind her to procure a keycard and handed it to him. Shinichi reached out to accept it, however she did not let go of the card. Instead her eyes focused on him as she bit her lip in what was supposed to be a seductive expression as she peered at him through her eyelashes. "Do you need some – company at the rooftop?"
The detective tugged on the card with a polite smile as he turned his hand a little to show off his golden ring. "I'm flattered, but I'm married."
A flush darkened on her cheeks, and she let go as though she had been electrocuted. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't – sorry. The elevator is just down the corridor and to your right." She cleared her voice and looked away in embarrassment.
He only nodded to her in gratitude, before turning and making way down the hallway. As he stepped into the lift and clicked on the top floor, Kaito hissed from the cup.
"Did the receptionist just flirt with you?"
Shinichi rolled his eyes, "don't sound so jealous. You have tons of fangirls fawning over you whenever you are done with your magic shows. You don't see me commenting on it do you?"
There was no reply from the cup.
The elevator stopped with a soft chime, and he stepped out. Just to be greeted by a gruff officer with a lazy expression. "This floor is off limits for the public due to a police investigation, please go back down."
Shinichi fished for his credentials and flashed him the card. "I'm here on official business: I've been asked by Nakamori to take a look."
The officer nodded towards him with a drowsy expression, "you are one of those freelancing detectives, right? Alright then, go at it then. Can't say there is much out there. Kaitou KID never leaves anything behind."
"That I am," he replied as he walked past him, his stomach twisted a little in anxiety. He was expecting to be found out at any moment, or be stopped by someone asking what was in the cup. he had no idea how he was supposed to talk himself out of carrying a miniature person around – and even if they confused Kaito with a doll, it would be just as bizarre. He would definitely be put away on a mental hospital somewhere for this.
Finally, they were alone as he stepped onto the rooftop. The fresh air a little lighter up here without any eyes peering at him. He carefully put the cup down on one of the tables in the outdoor garden and removed the lid. Kaito did not look worse for wear as he climbed out of the cup to look around.
"Let's see," he squinted as he took stock over the situation and the bizarrely new angles. Shinichi felt a twine of affection as the magician held up his fingers pretending the world was in a camera lens. "I think it was over in that direction," he finally said as he dropped one of his hands and pointed towards a few bushes next to the roses with the other.
Shinichi only nodded as he started to look around for the gemstone – and suddenly he regretted not asking the officer if they had already found it, however his mind had been preoccupied by panicking on the way up.
His thought process was interrupted as the sun suddenly glittered off something hidden in the bushes. He peered closer and discovered the necklace. He reached out careful not to be pricked by the thorns. He scoffed inwardly – how had the police not found it earlier? It could be that they simply had not bothered combing the place properly in the dead of night – seeing as KID always gave the jewellery back in person. It simply had not occurred to them to search properly.
"I found it," he called out before turning in the direction of where he had left Kaito. For a moment he could not see him, and his throat hitched as adrenaline flooded through his body. He almost sprinted back in desperation. His nerves calmed immediately as he spotted his husband. He had simply retreated back into the confinement of the cup, and now sat huddled underneath the fabric they had used as a pillow.
"Are you alright?" he asked in worry as he laid the jewel on the table.
Kaito nodded, "yeah, I'm just cold. I didn't realize how temperatures are a lot more extreme when you are smaller, you know."
Now that the magician mentioned it, the air this high up was a bit chilly as the wind rushed in his ears. He removed his cap and put the cup inside it in hope it would serve as some more protection against the wind.
"What do we do now?"
Kaito stood up slowly and peered over the top at the gemstone laying next to him. In comparison, the magician looked even smaller. "I don't know. I just lifted it towards the sky and peered into it."
Following the directions, Shinichi hovered the jewel over the cup to the point it obscured Kaito from view. Through the glass, it distorted the magician's body and face almost comically. They stood there in silence for several minutes without anything happening.
"Its not working," Kaito eventually said, his voice sounded almost defeated, however the detective did not lower his hand, even though his grip had turned harder and almost desperately. The jewel was laid as the corner piece of a tacky, golden necklace.
"Maybe it only works in moonlight," he magician continued when Shinichi said nothing. "Like Pandora."
This time, he put the jewel down a little harder then intended as he dragged his hand through his hair. "Should have thought about that earlier – I honestly don't understand these magic rules of yours. What is it with sorcery and the full moon anyway? It makes no sense."
Kaito's lips twitched a little, "honestly? I don't think anyone really know for certain. Scientifically wise it makes no sense, so I don't blame you. Sometimes though, all we need is a little faith."
Shinichi nodded blindly, before sitting down on one of the uncomfortable, white chairs. "What should we do now? Wait for night time? That's," he checked his clock quickly, "fifteen hours till."
The magician scratches his cheeks, "that's fifteen hours of us time. Why don't we go do something fun – like a date?"
Shinichi flinched at the carefully worded sentence despite Kaito's attempt to keep it flippant. He couldn't remember the last time they had been on a date – not between magic shows and police investigations. They seemed to never have time off at the same time – and it had felt like a strain on their relationship.
"Don't be daft, you'd terrify the waitress and possibly be caught for medical experiments," when Kaito looked away with a hurt expression, his heart ached a little, and a soft smile twitched on his lips instead. "How about, if this work, we go on a proper date tomorrow? Just the two of us?"
The magician's attention snapped back to him, eyes lighter and hopeful. "Really?"
The detective nodded, "I promise." They shared a soft expression, and he suddenly found his heart fluttering in his chest in endearment. He really should try finding more time to spend with his husband – he had missed their banter and Kaito's smiles. It had been far too long that their only conversations where in and out the door with a brief mention of 'I'll be out late' and an occasional kiss before they left for their appointments. In the beginning, Shinichi had tried to be there for Kaito's magic shows, but these days he forgot to even add them to his calendar.
Just two weeks prior he hadn't showed up to Kaito's private show for the president and his son as he had been in Osaka to help Hattori out with a case – it had only been a quick trip, had not even notified his husband. In hindsight, he knew Kaito had been disappointed when he crawled to bed that night – and he had only remembered the importance a few days later when one of his co-workers had mentioned reading about it in the paper. The guilt had crushed him, but he was certain he would be forgiven. He always was.
'I'll do better,' he promised himself.
"Let's go home," he picked up the lid and clutched it in his hand. 'Here we go again.'
…
The tv was a mere hum in the background, and Shinichi had long since stopped paying any attention to the show they were watching. The corner of the blue couch bit into his shoulder blade, and had started to ache after a while, however he refused to move an inch. Next to his lap Sherlock lay curled into a ball and snoring softly even though his tail twitched every other minute. The air-condition vibrated softly from the kitchen.
His eyes flickered from the window, to his chest where Kaito was hanging a little limply where he had fallen asleep with his head resting against Shinichi's chest. Every few second he would dip a little as his heart thrummed against the little body.
Kaito had complained he couldn't see the entire tv from where he had made a make shift chair on the table – the screen being too far up that his neck had started to hurt. It had started out as a joke to put him in his chest pocket, but neither had really protested afterwards. The magician had just jostled a little before falling to rest with a blissful expression, and Shinichi had decided that the look was worth his nerves being fried. He was careful not to move, nor breathe too much lest he woke him.
He wondered what an outsider would have said if they had seen them like this – laughed at the surreal view perhaps? Right there and then, he didn't really care about it as his chest fluttered ever so slightly. This was not how he thought his day would be yesterday.
He really hoped they figured out a way to turn Kaito back, and soon, this entire affair was making him nervous in a way he had never felt before. Briefly, he wondered if this was what it felt like to have a child – terrified of letting your eyes of them lest they got hurt. So tiny and fragile and completely in your care.
His thoughts were cut off as a loud chiming broke the silence. Kaito stirred in his pocket with a sleepy expression, and he reached up to rub his eyes. "Was happening?" he mumbled, and Shinichi couldn't help the affection humming through his veins at the look.
"The doorbell I think, mind if I put you down so I can answer it?" he lifted his hand and held his palm at Kaito's level. He was too afraid to pick him up himself – no idea how much force would crush a tiny human being, and not willing to experiment.
The magician nodded and after a moment, grabbed his little finger to propel him up and into the palm. Shinichi carefully started to put him towards the table, however Kaito protest made him freeze.
"Don't leave me alone with Lupin, please. I don't want to be eaten," his nervous glances towards the cat had Shinichi looking in that direction too. The feline had woken up at their movements, and was staring at Kaito was focused eyes.
He couldn't help the amused twitching of his lips – that Kaito was afraid of a cat, but the swallowed the humour and nodded in agreement. He put the magician down on the table, stood, and picked up the cat. Sherlock meowed at him in protest, but fell quiet as the detective draped him over his shoulder and held under his butt for support. The other hand stroked the fur on his back in comfortable strokes.
He might have protested getting a cat in the beginning, but he found himself not minding the feline. Coming home, discovering Kaito was off somewhere, having a cat lay in his lap as company was nice – and he knew his husband shared the sentiment.
He opened the front door with the cat purring in his ears, and greeted the newcomer. Takagi had finally been promoted to senior officer a few years ago, and he seemed to have aged out of his nervousness from this younger years. In his temples he had some grey hairs – an indication the stress of having twins at home driving him insane with affection and frustration.
The officer looked relieved at seeing him, "oh good, you haven't left for England yet. We tried calling, but you didn't answer, so I thought I'd just check in person. We need your help with –"
Shinichi held up a hand to stop him as he shook his head firmly. "Sorry, but I'm busy right now. I'm sure you can figure it out alone. You don't need my help with everything."
Takagi parted his lips in surprise – never having experienced the prodigy detective declining a case. His eyes darted past Shinichi's shoulder for a moment in surprise, however he shifted a little to block the officer's view.
"I'm serious Takagi. You are a smart man, as is your wife. If you really can't figure it out, then call me. But right now I have a different crisis that need my attention. I'm only one man."
Takagi flushed a little and scratched his cheek. "I – you are right. I apologize. I should have taken the hint when you didn't take the phone. Please forgive me intruding," he gave an awkward bow as he backed out of the doorway.
Shinichi watched him go for a moment, before closing the door with a sigh. He suddenly felt all those weeks of nonstop work rush over him in a wave of exhaustion – god, he was so overworked. No wonder the police constantly asked him for help with every single investigation: he hadn't taken a free-day for longer then he'd like to admit.
He let Sherlock down when the cat started to squirm in his arms, and the tabby happily went to his bowl of food. He left him in the kitchen and went back to the living room, and came to a sudden stop in confusion at Kaito's odd yet intense expression.
"What?" he swallowed slightly as he managed to unfreeze his limbs to fall gracefully back into his seat on the sofa. "What's wrong?"
Kaito shook his head slightly and drag a hand through his hair, the odd expression the detective couldn't deduce still on his face. "Nothing – I," he swallowed visibly, "I didn't expect you to decline a case for me."
He frowned slightly, "why wouldn't I? You are my one priority, you always are."
The magician looked away, and his hair fell into his face to hide his eyes from view, "it – It hasn't felt like that lately."
Shinichi's heart sank at that, and he filter his hands together on his lap to keep from reaching out. He looked down in regret. "I'm sorry. I haven't meant too. But you've been so busy too."
He got a broken laughter in response, however it sounded more like a sob then anything. "Only because you are. I haven't wanted to come home to an empty house every day. So I've been working more too. I thought – I thought maybe adopting a cat would help, you know. Not being alone."
A pain echoed through him, and he felt his blood freeze. He blinked a few tears away. "Is that why – why you were so adamant – " his voice broke on him suddenly, and he fell loss at words. He had never meant to make Kaito feel alone in their own home – "why didn't you say anything sooner?"
The miniature man peered back at him, and this time the tears in his eyes were visible, and the detective felt his eyes prickle in sympathetic response. Whatever he was going to be told, it was not something he wanted to hear.
"I was scared, okay?" Kaito's voice actually cracked for once, his magician under the moonlight, the fearless daredevil, was scared of him of all things. He hadn't hesitated to confess his feelings for Shinichi all those years ago, and pursued a relationship despite all odds and they had come out triumphing.
Shinichi dropped to the floor, banging his knees on the corner of the table, but had no care in the world as his eyebrows twitched in worry. "Scared of what?"
"Of – " Kaito hesitated, his eyes wandering everywhere but on the detective in front of him, his hands wringing and automatically reached for the wedding ring that was no longer on his fingers. Once he realized that, he dropped them almost in defeat. "Of you having fallen out of love with me. And – and wanting a divorce."
For a moment, the entire world froze, and he felt as though he was in a silent bobble. He inhaled sharply as pain tore through his heart. Kaito had thought Shinichi had stopped loving him? How long had this been going on? He knew he had been busy – but he had never meant for this to happen. It explained so much, and he had been stupidly blind to his own marital problems.
"Fuck," was the only thing he lips were able to produce as his face fell – shock and hurt and guilt and far too many emotions to fully recognize swirled in his mind. He dropped his head into his hands and let out a quiet sob that shook his entire being. He was an utter arsehole he realized, he should have prioritized their relationship more – make sure he was home at humane times, take Kaito out on dates, buy him things, send him a text messages through the day. But at one point he had perhaps taken his husband for granted – thinking he would always be there.
He was an utter fool for taking someone as amazing as Kaito for granted – and if all this hadn't happened, who knew where this would have headed? This explained Kaito's odd reaction at being told he loved him – they barely ever said it anymore, always an afterthought – of course it could be perceived differently.
"Fuck," he repeated, and he only looked up when Kaito called his name softly. He wondered what his expression would be like – he felt utterly devastated at the revelation. The magician looked calmer in front of him, his eyes questioning yet hopeful.
"I'm sorry, Kaito, I'm so very sorry. I didn't mean to take you for granted. Christ, how long have you been thinking about this? On a second thought, I don't want to know," he inhaled sharply, too fast that he choked a little at the pain throbbing in his chest. "I don't want to leave you, I love you. Please don't leave me, I'll do better." His hands reached out towards Kaito, but stopped halfway through the motion and fell slack down on his lap. His arms prickled painfully at the urge to hug Kaito – to touch him, and never let go.
The magician's expression fell almost heartbrokenly, "of course not, Shinichi. I love you too, I just wasn't sure – I'm sorry too for questioning our relationship –"
"Fuck Kaito, no," he interrupted him, "are you mad? You have nothing to apologize for. Fuck," he added for the fourth time, having sworn more in the past few minutes then he had for weeks. "If I was you I'd have slapped myself. Several times. You should have said something – " he bit his lip, suddenly remembering why they had stopped going on dates. He had missed far too many of them, that they had simply just stopped.
He wanted to hit himself repeatedly at the realization of what kind of arsehole he was.
Kaito stopped the spiralling of his thoughts as he reached out, however he couldn't reach Shinichi, and he suddenly understood that the magician wanted to hug and touch him just as much as he did. He leaned forward until they could brush their foreheads together.
"I'm sorry, so very sorry. I don't deserve you," he mumbled in the space between them.
He more felt then saw Kaito shaking his head. "Miscommunication is a bitch. I've missed you, I've missed this. I should have said something sooner. This is both of our faults –"
"Mostly mine," Shinichi said with a soft sob, but he quiet down at the slap against his nose, and his lips twitched upwards. "I'll take you on a proper date tomorrow, alright? I'll cancel my trip to England. Take some free days off for just the two of us. Like we used to when we were younger and newly wedded."
"I'd like that," Kaito replied with a soft voice, and this time he didn't have to see his face to know the affection in his husband's eyes. "I have to say, I'm almost glad all this happened now. If not –"
He didn't have to finish the sentence for them both to understand what he meant. They would never have had this talk if not.
"Me too," he agreed full-heartedly.
…
It was quiet but for the soft hums of the cars on the street, and the crickets playing in the background. There were no stars in the sky, an unfortunate bi-product of light-pollution from living in a city. The lights from the house and the neighbour's glowed across the yard. The wind was a colder breeze then it had been earlier while the sun was warming the air, and the chillness calmed his nerves.
"Are you absolutely sure about this?"
He glanced in the direction of Katio standing on their balcony table – some old thing worn down from weather from being out in the seasons for years. He had always meant to replace it. The wind ruffled his hair, but there was a peaceful, almost content expression on his face as he gazed up on the fullmoon above their heads.
Shinichi had never understood his fascination with the moon – to him it was nothing special. Just something that happened once a month on the dot like every other nature phenomenon one would gaze on in a life time. Like a sunrise. But for Kaito it was something different – a magic hour only he could comprehend.
As he watched his husband, he absentmindedly fished up Kaito's wedding ring from his pocket and hold it up in the air – he hadn't let go of it for a moment. As the light gleamed off the metal, he could read the inscription they had added almost as a joke. Your magic, it read. He removed his own from his finger and held it out next to the other. Your logic¸ it read.
His lips twitched ever so slightly in affection. This was why they fit so well together, two pieces in one. His job was to keep Kaito in reality so that the magician could sore the sky, and Kaito's job was to make sure he didn't get lost seeking order and truth in a chaotic world. Growing older had taught him that everything was not written in the books in his father's library. There was a whole different world out there he would never be able to comprehend.
He couldn't believe he had almost screwed up the most important part of his life.
"It's time," Kaito's voice cut through the night, and he dropped the ring on the table as he stepped up behind the magician.
He picked up the gemstone and kneeled down on the floor – he ignored the cold and the aching of his limps as he did. He held the stone over Kaito like he had fifteen hours earlier, and peered through it to make sure the moon was visible. The magician was not paying attention to him, his full concentration being on the reflection of the moon.
For several minutes nothing happened, and Shinichi's arm ached from keeping it raised. For every second that passed, his stomach dropped an inch in disappointment. Their entire hope had been on the gemstone – what if they had been mistaken and it wasn't the reason for Kaito shrinking – perhaps Akako was actually involved instead?
He was just about to voice his thoughts when something in the air suddenly shifted. Something prickled against his skin and made the hair in the nap of his neck stand on edge in warning – he might not ordinarily believe in magic, but then and there he could have sworn he felt something. The gem in his fingers started to heat up, and a soft, golden light emanated from it and basked Kaito in the light.
It suddenly increased in brightness, and Shinichi found his eyes glued on the gem in fascination. His entire sight was filled with the light and nothing else – no shadows of the night. And he inhaled sharply as he suddenly let go of the gem as though it burned him.
He withdrew his hand to his chest with a painful sound and stared down at it in hope that it hadn't been burned. Christ that hurt, and his entire body tingled unpleasantly. A moment later his feet collapsed on him and he fell on his butt with a soft groan. His head was filled with cotton and he buried his head in his hands from the vertigo threatening to make him lose consciousness.
He vaguely heard Kaito's triumphed cry in the back of his mind. "Yes, I'm back baby. Oh god, I've missed this –" the magician was babbling. Perhaps it was due to hearing Kaito's voice being tiny and shrill all morning that caused it to boom loudly and echo in his hears with a deep bass.
"I'm glad it worked," Shinichi mentioned to mumble in reply after a few moments, and he looked up to grin at his husband. Only to blink in confusion when he had to look up, far up, to even see Kaito's face. His pulse jumped in dread. "Oh shit, I don't think it worked. You are bigger now. Get down before the neighbours see you."
Kaito blinked around in confusion, "What do you mean?" before stopping as he noticed Shinichi on the ground. His eyes went comically big. "I think you are mistaken about who's the wrong size now."
Shinichi stared at him incomprehensible for several seconds, before he noticed the size of the table and the chairs – and only then did he realize his predicament. "Fuck," he swore loudly. The entire floor vibrated like an earthquake as Kaito jumped off the table and moved to kneel down. Shinichi was happy he was already sitting, otherwise he would have fallen over.
Nausea threatened to tickle his throat, but he swallowed down firmly. Kaito's face was entirely too big. He could see every pore, every hair growing on his chin for not being able to shave for a day – it was disgusting to look at – and yet the most beautiful sight he had ever seen as his chest fluttered.
"I guess I'm the one having a pocket-hubby now," Kaito said with a soft leer on his face, and Shinichi grit his teeth before rolling his eyes.
"This isn't funny you know."
Kaito rolled his shoulder in reply, "It is. Just a little bit you have to admit."
"Not remotely," he pursed his lip. He had not gone through a second childhood just to be 24 and 10 cm long. "What the fuck went wrong?"
The magician's amusement dwindled at the frustrated expression on his husband's face – as well as the fear. A fear he could understand well, and his smile softened. "Its my fault. I should have thought about the fact you looking through the gem would shrink you too – " his voice increased from habit as Shinichi parted his lips to reply in order to talk over him – something that wasn't needed. "The good news is, at least we known its reversible alright? Don't panic, please."
The detective let his mouth close and suddenly he realized something very important. He wasn't panicking – in fact he felt calm in the face of something illogical – and he knew it was because he trusted Kaito fully-heartedly to take care of the situation, and his shoulder's relaxed at the knowledge. He didn't always have to be in control.
"This means we have to post-pone the date for a day though," he said simply instead, his lips curling up into a rueful expression. An expression Kaito shared as he sat up and held out his palm for Shinichi to climb into.
"I think I can live with waiting for one more day."
…
The end
Happy belated birthday, Zai
Until next time,
Cesela