Hello Minna-san~ :)
Here's a little gift from me and my great beta! Happy New Year to you all!
"Tantei-kun, what are you doing here?"
"I was bored."
"So you decided to hide in a school closet?"
"Well, it is yours..."
"And how would you know that exactly?"
"Like I said, I was bored."'
''...''
''What are you doing?''
''Can't you see? I'm joining you.''
"Barou! It's too small for both of us to fit!"
''It's fine, just–''
''Oi!"
"See? Plenty of room."
"That was my foot."
"Sorry?"
"You're too close."
"I beg to differ."
"I can smell you."
"Don't you like it?"
"..."
"You smell nice too."
''... You're an idiot. I'd handcuff you if I could reach my back pocket.''
"I can take them for you if you wish so."
''Keep your hands off me, oh my go– why is the door locked?''
"That's your concern right now?"
''Well, yeah. I decided boredom is better than this. Let me out.''
"Now, now, Tantei-kun. No need to lie here."
"Wha–"
"You like having me here."
''That is... That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard.''
''Then why did you come?''
''To arrest you! I saw your heist notice on TV this morning and since I had nothing to do – Ran made me stay home because apparently I have a fever, even though I'm fine – I decided to track you down, which, no offense, was so easy it was embarrassing.''
"Is that so?"
"Yes, so if you would just let me arrest you and we can stop this nonsense."
"Ah, Tantei-kun, that just wouldn't do."
"Seriously, KID...''
"Kaito."
"Eh?"
"You did find me. And I am not KID right now."
''... Yeah. Like your name's Kaito. Right. I totally believe that. Not very creative, KID.''
"..."
"You're... not joking."
"I'm not."
"Kaito? Seriously?"
"Blame my parents."
''Wow, ok. Er-... any surname?"
''No.''
"Huh. Ok, then. I'm... Shinichi. Hi.''
"Hi. I thought you were arresting me though?"
''Huh? Oh. Right. I am... Where are my handcuffs?''
"No longer in your back pocket, that one's for sure."
"I swear to God, KID–"
"Kaito, I said."
"R-right. Give them back... Kaito."
"Aren't those for KID?"
"They are...?"
"Well, then you can't arrest me."
''What do you mean?''
''I'm Kaito.''
''But you're KID too!''
''Well, yes, but not right now. Do you see a cape and monocle? Am I stealing something? Is Nakamori-keibu currently yelling?... You know what, scratch that, he probably is. Point is, I'm not KID.''
''You just... said you were.''
''No I didn't.''
''Stop confusing me!''
"That's what happens when you chase a Phantom Thief out of boredom."
"There, you just said it! You're KID."
"And you're running a fever too. Tsk."
"I- shut up already!"
"How do you know this is not a hallucination?"
"... What? I-I can smell you?"
"Can you really, Tantei-kun?"
"..."
"Do I feel real to you?"
''You're... you're real. You are. If you weren't, I wouldn't be able to do this. Hold your hands. Smell your cologne. Feel... the cold. Why are your hands cold?''
"I'm sorry, Tantei-kun."
"What are you–"
"Stay safe, ok?"
"KID?"
With a small whimper, the little detective rises from his futon, legs tangled in the sheets, heart racing in his chest, beads of sweat dripping of his forehead.
It takes him only a few seconds to realize where he is as he scans his surroundings. Kogoro's bedroom, bathed in the afternoon sunlight filtering through the curtains of the balcony. Alone.
"KID?" he whispers again, unconsciously.
Only silence answers him, and loneliness had never been this crushing. He relaxes, shoulders sagging and falling back down on his pillow, arm on his eyes.
It was just a dream, after all, he thinks, and maybe the thought leaves a bitter taste in his throat, or was it the illness?
Either case, he can't feel KID anymore. He can't feel his little chest pressed against his body or his cold, cold hands restraining his wrists in that tight, dark closet, where the entire world seemed to be only Kaito– KID, he reminds himself harshly. Kaito wasn't real. Just an illusion. A product of his delirious imagination. A dream.
What a stupid name.
A laugh shakes him. Weak, shaky, bitter laugh, immediately strangled in his throat when he feels something.
A familiar prick on the back of his neck, a shadow in the corner of his eyes. He jerks up, sweeps the room with his gaze. No one's there.
Heart still pounding, he slowly lies back down. He's an idiot. God. He needs to chill.
.
.
Balanced on the railing of the balcony, pressed against the wall just beside the glass door, Kuroba Kaito, still in his school uniform, lets out a heavy sigh of relief. A small laugh escapes his lips as he stares at the twilight sky, heart beating furiously in his chest.
Phew! He looks down to the tranquilliser watch he's clutching in his right hand. He needs to find a way to put it back on Tantei-kun's wrist without the detective noticing, then he was good to go.
Still though, he thinks, eyes wide.
That was close.
THE END?
So, I am momentarily back to grace you with this little jewel (yes, I am totally boasting here), which is very close to my heart because it is the first of many (soon to come, I hope) stories I'd be writing with the amazing Neronn (I would have linked her profile but I have no idea of how to do this here, stupid ff net) :D
This was co-written because we were discussing the lack of KaiShin fics and we sort of got carried away with the dialogues on WhatsApp...
It WAS supposed to be a OS, but well, we couldn't help ourselves and had to continue this. So chapter 2 coming up soon! ;)
See you next illusion~
Zai.