A/N: Okay, for those who follow my story Pandora's Will, I will indeed continue it. I've just been under too much pressure lately to write something with chapters. I've been looking for a job, trying to support my best friend's family, while trying not to worry my boyfriend and I reached my limit and got into a writer's block, but Akemi helped me out of it by helping me write these one shots. Next weekend, Chapter 5 of Pandora's Will, will be up, so don't fret! And enjoy!


Different Circumstances

The only thing he could humanly register was the pain. The stinging of every cell in his body, crying out to his brain that it was either on fire or shrinking until they were nothing at all. The thought passed through his mind that he found slightly ironic. A clean gentleman thief who traveled through the night in white as pure as the doves on his shoulders, taken down by the jealous crows who couldn't stand the beauty of his art work and therefor felt they did not need nor appreciate it. Kaitou KID was left wondering about that. Where could the people that did appreciate his work be at this point in time? He knew Tantei-kun hadn't been at the heist today, a fact that had been the root of his lacking show tonight. It led to him being careless since his favorite detective wasn't there to be of any challenge.

'This is all Tantei-kun's fault.' Kid concluded with a humorless smile as he attempted to ignore the pain his body was in. 'Then where is he to fix it?' It was only a passing thought, but it seemed to have the desired affect.

Lady luck had heard him. And she sent just the person he'd asked for.

"Kid!" The voice was juvenile at best but it broke through all of the pain for a second and he felt relieved Now why would that be? He and Tantei-kun had been playing this game for nearly two years, they knew how the rules worked and they knew what each one thought of the other. He was aware that Tantei-kun wouldn't find it 'right' to give him to the police in the state he was in now, drugged by their mutual enemy. That's right. Tantei-kun was after the BO too.

"H-Hey! My F-favori-ite critic!" He struggled to speak despite the pain and got a slap to the head for his trouble, he would have pouted if his body had allowed it, but it chose then to send a wave of pain crashing into his senses until he was nearly passed out.

He's world was fading into darkness and the only thing he could see was the face of the little detective he admired and thought of as a friend even if it was in his own mind.

For his part the little man looked frightened but understanding, as if he'd figured out what was wrong but couldn't help at all but watch. And Kaitou couldn't blame him. No one was more fitting to see his fall than this kid, or teen-used-to-be. Yup, Kaitou KID knew. Maybe everything. But that just made it more exciting, at least, that was what Kid thought. To think the Great Detective of the East would be the one who would fulfill his need for an equal, for a challenge. In this form, Tantei-kun was deadly, but it made him wonder what Tantei-kun would be if he was back in his true body. No doubt Kid would have to try much harder than. The thought made him chuckle, which made him groan in pain. Damn, when was he just going to die already, the pain was the torture before death he only expected from the BO itself, not a drug made by them. 'Wow, I'm wishing for death. How far has the great Kaitou Kid fallen.'

"Hey, its okay to go to sleep, I'll keep an eye on you." Tantei-kun's voice again. The kid was still there?

"Nah." Kaitou fought to speak correctly through the hurt in his system. "I'd be leaving you all alone then, wouldn't I Kudo-san." He wanted the kid to know he knew. He wanted to show the kid that he had someone who he could be Shinichi Kudo with, even if for the last moment of his life. "I'd feel like a l-lousy sh-showman if I le-left the audience to themselves."

The smile. That smile on Tantei-kun's face was a surprise. It was humorous but edgy, it was true but strained. It was a smile he'd only seen Tantei-kun wear when he was near Ran Mouri. Weird, was he feeling guilty for Kaitou's predicament? No, it couldn't be that, then what.

Another wave of blinding pain assaulted him and he clenched his hands and eyes lids. Damn, death was looking like a sweet release now, so where was it? Was lady Luck paying him back for all the time she'd put into him? That was kind of a load of bullshit, he'd rather have normal luck if it meant dying quickly.

"Well, that is just like you." Tantei-kun sighed. It made Kaitou feel slightly better. "I guess I'll say this now since you're about to pass out." That took Kaitou for a loop, what does he mean 'pass out' he was more like 'dying' but he refrained from speaking as Tantei opened his mouth again. "Welcome to my world. Kid."

Then, the world faded, and he was left wondering...what?

~!Kaito's not dead he's not dead, he's not dead!~

Shinichi shook his head as he watched Kaitou Kid from across the room. He'd known Kaitou would be in the same situation the moment he found the thief in the woods. He was certain that Kaitou'd survive the ordeal just as he had, they looked too similar for one to die and the other to be shrunken after all.

It was a bullshit deduction he knew it already, but he wasn't going to admit to anything that'd point to Kaitou never waking up again. He'd grown to like the thief as a rival, and as a self-appointed friend. To be truthful, Shinichi was found of the Phantom Thief who was currently withering on Ai's examination table. He'd called Dr. Agasa the second Kid passed out.

A memory of what Kid had called him came back to him. 'Kudo-san' so he knows. For some reason just knowing that made Shinichi feel lighter. Feel relief.

"He's beginning to change." Ai's voice shattered his thoughts like a sledge-hammer, he hopped off his perch on the waiting chair to come closer to Kid. Ai was right, Kaitou Kid was slowly shrinking. Body, hair, eyes, organs, everything was getting smaller. Shinichi could tell he'd be about Ai's size when the shrinking was done. He felt kind of cheated that Kid would be taller than him, even after getting into the same situation. Damn son of Lady Luck.

"This is the leading moment, if his heart shrinks in the correct way, he'll live like we did. He's other organs have already begun to miniaturize." Ai muttered to herself while Shinichi put up a face of intense indifference. He was nervous, no two-ways about it, but he wasn't going to show that to Ai, she'd be picking on him for having a crush on the thief or something equally as stupid.

It was a good three hours of watching Kid turn into a kid before Ai announced he'd survived the change and should be waking up soon. Shinichi couldn't help but think of how Kid would react to this situation. Something told him he'd be holding the thief back from so many pranks. He had to chuckle at his own thoughts for that one.

"I d-don't get ho-how this is funny, Tantei-kun, but you should l-laugh more often, you look p-positively breathtaking."

His smile was gone, a bright flush replacing it. What the hell had that been?

"Sh-shut up. How are you feeling." Faking indifference despite his stutter at the beginning of his sentence, Shinichi crossed his tiny arms across his chest as he peered at the laughing thief. Well he was feeling better if the chuckles was anything to go by.

"I didn't know you could turn red Tantei-kun! Its such a flattering color on you!" The kid, KID, was laughing even louder as Shinichi's face turned even redder.

From the corner of his eyes, Kaitou spotted Ai who was looking fairly amused at the scene they were making. It looked like Kaitou was about to regard her when she decided to speak out.

"Hello Kaitou KID. My name is Ai Haibara. I'm the reason you're here." Ai sounded excited to anyone who knew her. Shinichi could only guess why, but one of them made him feel a little exited himself. He guessed that watching KID transform, gave her a clue to creating a permanent cure to their current predicament.

"What do you mean? Where am I?" Kaitou squinted at them, probably trying to glare but it didn't help that he was almost swimming in his white phantom clothes. His body was about the same size as Ai, only slightly taller than the girl as he finally looked down at himself to discover his clothes were pooled at his waist.

The yelp he let out was almost comically animated as he rose from his bed of clothes in a frenzy. A puff of pink smoke had both Ai and Shinichi waving their hands to bat at the air and push the smoke aside. When the smoke had cleared, Kaitou was no longer on the exam table, and his clothes were gone too.

"Oh no." Shinichi sighed hitting the palm of his hand on his forehead in exasperation. "Kaitou KID is tiny, and roaming around Dr. Agasa's house where multiple, uncompleted, scientific, time bombs the Doc. calls 'inventions' are just waiting to go 'Boom!'."

"Then find him. I'm guessing he went to look for something to wear. I do believe your house has them?" Ai's unemotional face was almost dripping with displeasure at having her lab-rat escape from right under her nose. Shinichi didn't even spare her a glance anymore as he walked out the lab and right out the front door to his own house.

Just as Ai had stated, Kid was shuffling through his closet for tiny clothes. It was only situational irony that Kid had found a pare of white dress pants from a wedding Shinichi went to when he was nine, and the blue button up shirt his mom had gushed over back then and put them on. They were rather fitting on Kid's now miniaturized form. He now seemed to be looking for the jacket that went along with the pants but Shinichi knew that had been thrown away long ago.

"The jacket isn't in there." He spoke up and was kind of surprised to see Kid hadn't jumped at his voice. He'd looked absorbed in what he was looking for.

"I know." Was Kid's answering voice.

Shinichi looked skeptical as the thief continued to shift through the pile of clothes and shoes at the bottom of his closet. It was odd to watch what could have been a nine-year-old version of himself go through his stuff knowing it was actual a wanted criminal who happened to look almost exactly like him. The chances that Lady Luck planned for this are few, but the evidence is high.

"Where do you keep your gadgets, the old ones I mean. I saw prototypes in the Doc's house but nothing I could use. I know you got a few things still, so where do you keep them?"

Oh, that explained it, Kid was looking to get a hold of the trashed items Dr. Agasa made for him. Well, he wasn't using them and they were mostly all broken so he didn't see why not.

"Under the bed in a dark blue chest. All the old broken things Agasa made for me should be there. But why do you want them?" Shinichi asked while he watch Kid switch from his closet to under his bed.

A snort was his answer before Kid pulled the chest out from under the bed and pried it open, ignoring the lock as if it was mere, easily breakable string. "You disappoint me Tantei-kun. I thought you knew that I build and design all of my own props and gadgets. I was hoping I could start from the work you already had and make them better! After all, since you brought me here, you intend to keep me here." Kid cheerfully replied.

Okay, whatever Shinichi had been expecting, he had NOT been this. Kid acted as if he was okay with this, like he expected it all along, which Shinichi knew was wrong seeing as when he found him the thief believed he was already knocking on death's door. Granted, he sort of was, but still. How can Kid just take this all in stride, this could potentially ruin his whole life, so what the hell?

"Why are you okay with this?" He asked out right, glaring at the child messing with his voice-changing bow tie. He wasn't one to beat around the bush anyways.

Violet-blue eyes turned to Shinichi as if regarding him for the first time. That's when Shinichi noticed it.

No monocle. Nothing blocked his face from view. And Shinichi's exact thoughts were 'wow, he's cute!' then he promptly felt like shooting himself for even thinking like that.

"I guessed this would happen." The thief said simply as he went back to fiddling with the things in the chest.

What? Was that it? He guessed it would happen? Where did he get that theory?

"How did you guess you were going to be turned into the child?" Shinichi questioned further, walking closer to the thief and taking the stun-watch from his hands to show him how it worked.

"Well, I know who you are and I know who did it to you. I was prepared for any scenarios, and this one was one of the possibilities. I resigned myself to any fate and talked my mind into being okay with it a from the first day I figured out about you. So to find myself here now just makes me want to explore the things I can do in this body. How funny do you think it would be to make a heist as an actual kid?" The trade mark grin was back as he look the solar powered skateboard, the voice-changing bow tie, and the stun-watch with him up to Shinichi's bed.

Shinichi listened minutely and sighed when he was given an answer he could at least understand. He shouldn't have underestimated Kaitou Kid that was for sure.

"Oh, by the way, you may want to call me by my name since I'm pretty sure you will be spending lots of time around me." Kid climbed down from the bed and came to stand in front of Shinichi. It was so unfair that the other boy was at least a full head taller than him! "I'm Kaito Kuroba. Nice to meet you Shinichi Kudo."

A friendly smile and an outstretched hand, Shinichi never expected to find out Kid's true identity quite like this, but it would have to do.

"Same here." He replied, smiling a little himself. Who knows, maybe this will be a chance to make friends with the thief. He'd always told himself that if they had met under different circumstances, they would have most likely been friends, and now he had the chance to see what it would be like.

"So, do you think you can find me a screwdriver, hot-glue gun, a hammer, and a few random metal pieces?"

Shinichi allowed himself to laugh as he used his hold on Kaito's small hand to pull him out of the room and into the hall, where they proceed to look around for the items Kaito had named off. What they couldn't find, they improvised. Needless to say, between Kaito's mind and Shinichi's mind, they made some damn cool gadgets.

"Kai, I can not believe we made this..." Shinichi stared in amazement at he items that came out of his old, broken items. Battery powered hover-board rechargeable by plug in, two way communicator tie, and solar powered alert watch.

"Yeah, its not my best work, but its what I could do with all the things we found." Kaito shrugged, plugging the hover-board into the wall so it could charge. On a full battery, it ran for four hours at night and six during the day since Kaito kept some of its 'solar powered' attributes. He then grabbed the red mini-tie and tugged it on over the collar of his blue shirt. Lastly, the clasped the watch on his wrist.

"What do you mean 'not your best work' Dr. Agasa would kill to know what you did to make that hover-board, and the tie! How did you even get it to connect with mine like that? We can talk to each other through it! And the watch was a great idea, alerting me when you're in danger by the pulse in your wrist! Kai, this is amazing!" Shinichi was seriously impressed with the thief's work that he even felt a little jealous. "Do you think you can work on my new things, make them...like yours?" Shinichi asked reluctantly. He particularly wanted that hover-board. He hadn't even known technology like that was possible yet much less achieved by a teen-turned-child.

"Shin-chan." The nickname made Shinichi's attention snap to the confused looking child Kaito. "These aren't mine, I made them for us. I was planning on stealing your things and upgrading them later." A bright grin was flashed at Shinichi and he couldn't help smiling back. He really felt like a little kid right now, asking for his new friend's toys.

"Alright then! Do you think we can take a ride on the hover-board?" He was a little excited to try that little number out, but at Kaito's frown, his excitement plummeted.

"We might not want to pull it out of the charger just yet it needs a lot of energy to even get up into the air. I told you its experimental until I can get myself into my house and get a hold of some of my tricks, then you better prepare yourself Shin-chan, I'm going to teach you how to fly!"

Oh shit that sounded scary and fun! Not even as a child did Shinichi feel so young. How did he and Kaito get this close anyways? They've been working together for what must have been a little over five hours, yet they were speaking as if they were childhood friends. It was strange but not in a bad way.

Shinichi didn't really know why he was so okay with this feeling.

Kaito yawned, small hand going over his small open mouth. Shinichi smiled at how cute that had looked. Yeah. Cute.

"Come on, I think its nearly seven in the afternoon and we've had a long day. Lets get some sleep."

When Kaito followed him into the bath, Shinichi didn't spare a thought to it. When Kaito helped him into his pajamas, Shinichi smiled and thanked him. When Kaito laid beside him on his old, much to large bed, and snuggled up to him trying to escape the cold, Shinichi snuggled right back. And when soft lips gave his forehead a soft yet sweet kiss, Shinichi returned it with one to the cheek with a fleeing thought.

Okay. So maybe friends wasn't the limit. Maybe if they had met under different circumstances, they could have been more. A lot more.