Author's Notes: I should probably warn you readers that I often write slash/shonen-ai/yaoi. Nothing has been decided on this story as of yet, but I do have some ideas for a HakuKuro pairing. If you're absolutely against the pairing, inform me early on before I get too used to the idea. Otherwise I might make the pairing into an important plot device. This did actually happen with my other fanfic: "Midnight Clashes", even though the pairing is rather mild.

Twilight

Chapter 1

Prologue

"What a nice evening for a crime." Toichi did not bother to look up when he heard the sentence. He was currently crouched on an edge of a roof, keeping an eye on the museum where he would hold tonight's heist. Well, at least he was trying to keep an eye on the museum.

"You always think it's a nice night, Komori", Toichi commented to his companion. A red form moved inside his line of vision. Komori's smirk was wide and his red eyes glowed even more than usual. 'Kyuuketsuki' would have been a better name for the vampire-like phantom thief. The shoulder-length black hair shined in the moonlight when Komori turned his head to also look at the museum.

"So, what are the coppers up to this time?" Komori asked cheerfully.

"Nothing out of the ordinary..." Toichi mumbled. "But Kudo-kun is present."

"Yu-chan? Oh, I'm going to love this!"

Toichi finally looked straight at his friend in crime. The black carnival mask that covered Komori's face was a lot more concealing than his own monocle. But Toichi could not help thinking that the bat wing ornaments on the edges were a bit too much. Well, it did fit nicely with Komori's cape that took the form of bat wings while the man glided. Black was usually a color that had Toichi feeling slightly on the edge, but for some reason he was not as bothered by the color as usual when Komori was wearing it. That might have had something to do with the fact that the younger thief also wore a deep red jacket, a color that had everyone else on their toes around Komori. Komori was actually obsessed with that color. He even shoved it in his every-day persona. He had even gotten married in a red suit and had once mentioned that his last will only contained the request to dress him in the same color when he was buried.

Toichi smirked at his friend's enthusiasm. It was really surprising how seeing their arch nemesis had the younger thief in a complete state of glee. Komori loved the thrill of having Kudo Yusaku on the heists.

"I don't think Kudo-kun will, though", he said.

"Huh? Don't be ridiculous! He wouldn't come to the heists if he didn't enjoy the chase."

"So this is a heist? Not a horror night?"

"Of course this is a heist! Horror nights never have a magician dancing in white. It ruins the atmosphere."

"And a giggling maniac in dark red doesn't?"

"I am the horror night, so I can't ruin it. And I don't giggle!"

The two sat in silence for a while.

"And my suit isn't dark red..." Komori mumbled after a while. Toichi lifted an eyebrow at his fellow thief.

"It doesn't look pink either..."

"Aren't you the one always saying that the world isn't black and white?" Komori argued.

"Yes, but I fail to see what that has got to do with this..."

"My costume represents that concept. It's not dark nor bright red. It's just plain red. Red is the color we all bleed. That is the color I choose to wear. I've told Yu-chan this a hundred times and I'm pretty certain I've told you this at least once." Toichi did not reply.

"Fine!" Komori shouted out. "Be that way! We'll see if I'll talk to you for the rest of the night. Or the rest of the week for that matter." Toichi highly doubted his friend would stay mad at him for that long. He did not think Komori could stay silent that long, to be exact.

The silence went on for a good ten minutes.

"So...How was the meeting?" Komori asked suddenly.

"What meeting?" Toichi decided to not tease the other about backing down so quickly.

"The one with the people in black."

"Oh, that one. I refused their offer."

"Well of course you did! I meant their reaction."

"They seemed pretty unhappy."

"'Unhappy'? You have a habit to twist the truth around a bit, so I don't really know what to think about that statement."

"Then think nothing about it." Toichi turned his head away again. He heard Komori mutter something under his breath in English.

Toichi dared to look at his friend again. He was startled by the serious look on the other man's face. He almost lost his poker face when he was faced with the dimmed red eyes. Komori was not one to lose his smile. Especially if there was a heist coming up.

"Just be careful", Komori said quietly. "You aren't alone in this world. There are people who will miss you if something happens to you."

"I know that, Mike..." Toichi said with a sigh. "I really hope I've taught Kaito well enough."

"So your son is going to follow in your footsteps?" Komori asked. Toichi shrugged. "That's up to him to decide. You seem to lack a follower, though. ...Or are you going to train your son after all?" Komori shook his head.

"Satoshi really isn't anything like a phantom thief", he said. "He's more like an assassin. I bet Akena is training him to kill me even as we speak."

"I wouldn't joke about that if I were you."

"Ok, let's be serious then", Komori said. "If I really had to choose a next Akai Komori, I would choose my nephew."

"Saguru? The little Sherlock Holmes fan?"

"Why not?"

"I think he's too much like his father. He'll probably be the detective who chases after my boy."

"Nah, Kudo's kid will handle that part. Saguru would be perfect for the role of Akai Komori."

Toichi laughed.

"Ok, if you're so certain..."

"I am certain! Kaito and Saguru will be the next generation of master thieves."

"I say they'll be mortal enemies."

"We'll just see about that! You train Kaito in the art of magic and I'll pass on the secrets of the Akai Komori to Saguru."

"Fine then", Toichi agreed. He grabbed the edges of Komori's bowtie and straightened it out.

"But for now, let us go and try to make Kudo-kun crack."

Nine years later:

"You're not getting away this time Kaitou Kid!" Hakuba Saguru shouted as he bolted after the phantom thief in question. Kid only laughed.

"I would love to see how you're planning on stopping me, tanteisan!" he taunted.

Kid leaped out through an open window and found the blond detective still hot on his tail.

"You're getting faster, tanteisan!" Kid shouted over his shoulder. "You'd make a fine phantom thief with the agility you've gained."

"Don't make me laugh, Kid!" Saguru yelled. "The only reason I'm doing this is to see you behind bars. I have no interest in joining the criminals' ranks."

"Have it your way then." With that Kid opened his hang glider. "See you around, tanteisan! I hope to see you next time as well!"

"KID!"

To be continued...

Ending Notes: For more information about Akai Komori, check my other Magic Kaitou fanfic "Tinge of Red".