Disclaimer: Have you ever been on this website? If so than you know I don't own these characters. If not, now you do.

N/A: By the end of this story it may not turn out the way that it hints, like my last one. I had intended for there to be a confrontation with the stalker in that one, but it only hints that the others met her while Kaito was asleep. I feel like I failed at that story. *Sigh*

In this story Kaito is shrunk and it's up to the others to find the culprits (*cough cough* BlackOroganization *cough cough*)

"What happened?!"

The sudden shout made Conan cover his ears and Hakuba cringe. Hattori Heiji stood before them, a look of incredulity on his tanned face. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

The cause of his surprise was currently curled up in Hakuba's arms. A small figure surrounded by a blue dress shirt that was too big for him. Its hair was a messy arrangement of dark brown locks that fell into a sleeping face.

This small child was the slumbering form of their rival, Kaitou Kid.

To say that Conan and Hakuba had been shocked to find him like this was the understatement of the century. Conan remembered how they had found him on the roof of the skyscraper.

Conan raced up the stairs, not having the patience for the elevator. In order to catch Kid, he had to get up there fast and the elevator would have only slowed him down.

Not far behind him were the echoing footsteps of Hakuba Saguru, a fellow detective that Conan had met during his time chasing the phantom thief. Hakuba had told him about how he moved to Ekoda from London so that he could pursue the thief and be the first to catch him.

At least he was determined. Conan could definitely give him that.

The two had actually befriended each other because of the thief. As much as Conan would have liked to say that they had bonded over Sherlock Holmes, a man that they both modeled themselves after, it would have been a lie. Chasing the mysterious man behind the mask was how they met and was still the only way that they kept meeting up.

That was also the start of their own rivalry.

Both of them claimed that they would be the first to catch Kid. Sadly, neither had been able to make that statement come true. They were locked in a stalemate with no way out. If asked why they kept failing the answer would have been obvious.

Kid was just that slippery.

Neither of the detectives held back, never did, never will. But Kid was always a mile ahead, like he planned for every possible outcome.

So when Conan had finally burst through the door, he didn't have time to celebrate about getting there before Hakuba. What he saw on that night shook him to the core and made his blood run cold.

In the middle of the rooftop, Kid laid crumpled to the ground.

Even from this far back, he could tell the thief wasn't breathing.

He barely registered Hakuba coming up behind him before he darted forward. The only thought occupying his mind as getting to the other as fast as possible, praying that his suspicion was wrong, that Kid was alive.

His tiny legs pulled him to a stop right next to the thief as he quickly dropped to his knees. He ignored the sting of his skin breaking and locked his eyes on the phantom's figure. Or what he had thought was the thief's body. In his panic he hadn't noticed that the white suit was suspiciously flat aside from the head which was smaller than usual.

"Please, no. No, no, no, no."

He repeated the words like a mantra as he moved his suddenly shaky hands to remove to top hat. He let out a shaky breath at the sight that met him. A child. Instead of a teenager, which Conan was sure the thief was, was a child his own shrunken age, six or seven tops. He let out a breathless laugh when he realized that the boy was indeed breathing if a bit unevenly.

He frowned, however, when he noticed the blood that trailed from the boy's head and down his face.

He nearly jumped when a hand rested on his shoulder. The faux child snapped his gaze to the intruder, but relaxed when he saw Hakuba's face. The teen looked like he was going into shock. Conan would have laughed if the situation wasn't scaring him so much at the moment.

Hakuba knelt next to the boy's head and examined his face.

Cautiously, the older teen reached out and gently touched the child's cheek. It was warm and slick with blood. He quickly withdrew his hand and reached into his pocket. He pulled out what looked like a large rag and gently put it to the shrunken teen's head. He stiffened when the child whimpered, but relaxed when he didn't show any sign of waking up.

Conan stared openly in awe at the blonde next to him. He had expected the teen to react in a number of ways, but none of them involved him seemingly excepting this so quickly. Or responding in the way he did.

Without even so much as batting an eye, the detective seemed to make his decision. Moving slighty closer, Saguru moved his arms gently below the child-like figure and removed the oversized white jacket. The small boy made another whimpering sound, softer than before, and Hakuba made a cooing noise in response. A shiver ran through Kid's body as he was left in only his soft silky blue shirt. The teen only pulled the boy to his chest, in an unconsciously protective position that Conan found slightly amusing and endearing.

He doesn't know how they past every single officer without any of them asking questions about an obviously bleeding child in the blonde's arms and his own bloody knees. He doesn't remembered what happened once they climbed into the detective's car. All he remembers is sitting in the back seat with Kid's head in his lap as Hakuba drove to the hotel where they left Hattori earlier that night.

Kaito grumbled as he tried to peel his eyes open, but everytime he tried, a sharp pain went through his skull. He let out a hiss as a particularly painful pang made him want to just curl in on himself and hide from the angry pulsing in his head. Last rime he checked, it wasn't mining season.

After a while, though, the pain finally dulled enough that he was able to squint his eyes open. What he saw made him frown in confusion. The walls were decorated with dark swirling wallpaper and the surface he was laying on was ridiculously soft which he belatedly noticed was a bed. He could feel something warm tucked around him - covers - that somehow just made him feel safe with its comfort.

Movement in his peripheral vision made him turn his head and he tried not to wince when it caused a small jolt of pain. The sight that met him almost made his jaw drop if he hadn't already been laying on his side. Hakuba sat beside the bed in a chair with his head slumped forward and his arms crossed over his chest. His face was slack with sleep as his bangs brushed against his forehead. There were slight bags underneath his eyes that suggested that he probably stayed up late last night.

As he pondered the look on his rival and reluctant best friend's face, he heard a soft groan from his other side. When he turned however, he was shocked to once again be met with another familiar face. Kudou Shinichi, currently Edogawa Conan, was also sleeping next to his bedside. His head was resting on his arms which were crossed on the bed by his pillow. His ever present oversized glasses were missing and his face was surprisingly open in his rest. Kaito found himself wondering if he was dreaming.

He was brought from his musings when said not-child suddenly snapped awake. His head shot up and his bright sharp blue eyes met sleepy indigo. He watched with slight amusement as the boy's eyes widened comically. The two were locked in a staring contest until Conan finally yelped and jerked backwards, causing him to fall out of his chair.

Kaito lost it.

From his embarrassing position on the floor, Conan glared up at the thief as he let his humor be known by laughing very loudly. His laughter actually startled the sleeping Hakuba back to consciousness. But both detectives tensed when the thief seemed to realize that something was wrong with his voice and froze. He seemed to blink in confusion before abruptly looking down at his hands.

His tiny hands.

Now, Kaito would usually be trippy about something like this happening. However, at this point, he can honestly say that he just feels exasperated. With a heavy sigh mixed with a groan, he flops back onto the bed. Both of the detectives continue to observe him before, finally, Conan makes the first.

Mustering up his limited strength, Conan pulled himself up onto the bed. The thief's reaction to his new body had been strangely anti-climactic and had only caused his concern for the thief to grow. He crawled across the bed until he was right next to his fellow shrunken teen. At first he thought the boy was going to ignore him, but then, he abruptly sat up and looked right into Conan's startled eyes.

"I guess we're the same now, huh Tantei-kun?"

His voice was quiet and subdued, something that definitely didn't sound right when describing someone who was usually so eccentric. The look of defeat on his face caused something to turn violently in Conan's - Shinichi's - gut, like a knife wound and, before he could stop himself, the small teen pulled the boy into a tight hug.

To say that Kaito was surprised would be an understatement. He wasn't used to anyone but his mother and occasionally Aoko showing him such compassion. He was so unprepared that he could feel his eyes start to burn and his body begin to quake with suppressed emotion. He didn't know what to do or what he could do in this kind of situation. He never planned for anything like this. He wasn't ready for this.

To his horror, Kaito could feel hot tears begin to spill from his eyes without his consent. He tried burying his face in the other child's shoulder, but they refused to stop. The dam was broken and he was too tired to try and fix it. He shook in Conan's arms as silent sobs wracked his body. What would he tell Aoko? What would he tell his mother? What about Nakamori-keibu? They would all assume that he went missing. His mother would probably think that he had been killed. That she had lost her only family left.

He felt terrible.

The arms holding him only seemed to tighten, offering him the comfort that he oh so badly needed. He raised his too heavy arms and wrapped them around Tantei-kun's back. He knew that he was acting weak in front of the 'enemy', but at the moment he couldn't really bring himself to care. Tantei-kun wasn't really an enemy anymore either. They had been through too much together for Kaito to ever consider him an enemy.

He was reminded of the other detective when he cleared his throat. It seemed that Conan had forgotten that he was there as well when he suddenly snapped backwards once more with an embarrassed flush across his face. He looked like a child who was caught sneaking cookies. The magician let out a wet chuckle.

Looking at the other detective, he was caught off guard when the detective thrusted his hand - in a fist - towards his face. On reflex, the thief squeezed his eyes shut, expecting a slap and a rant about being reckless. A moment passed and Kaito dared to peek his eyes open.

Hakuba's fist had opened to reveal his monocle laying on his palm. Had Hakuba kept it even though it could be used as evidence against him?

Warily, Kaito reached out his tiny hand and grasped the inanimate object from the boy's grip. The metal was warm in his palm; the detective had probably never put it down since he picked it up. When Hakuba's large hand suddenly closed around his, Kaito nearly jumped out of his skin, but he would deny to his dying day that he shrieked.

Hakuba seemed slightly put off by his reaction, but he quickly erased his bewilderment from his face in exchange for a small reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Kuroba-kun. I just want to ask you something."

The teen's voice was so soft with just the right amount of tenderness that Conan almost forgot that they were talking to an international thief and not an actual child. He watched as Kaito's expression went from scared witless to apprehensive in a split second. How often was the boy tricked for him to be this uneasy?

Just the thought made Conan want to track down every person who ever lied to the thief or caused him any type of harm and make them suffer. And judging by the slight shift in Hakuba's maroon eyes, his thoughts were also chasing that trail of thought.

The anger was gone in an instant, however, and the caring look was placed back on his face. Anger wouldn't help the thief, right now. Conan had to do his best to help the boy through all of this and help him get used to the new life style of being shrunk.

They watched as the tension slowly bled out of the child before them. His shoulders sagged and his body seemed to deflate as he looked Hakuba in the eyes.

"Would you like to live with me?"

Kaito seemed to suffer from a sudden brain aneurism.

Both detectives had to keep themselves from laughing. At least Saguru did since Kaito was actually looking at him, but he did allow a small smile to grace his facial features. Shinichi, however, was having a seizure behind Kaito, clutching his stomach as silent laughter tumbled from his lips and his body seemed to convulse. It was a pretty disturbing image thanks to his small size.

Finally, the pajama-clad child finally seemed to calm down. He was able to meet the other boy's eyes, if a bit shyly. A bright blush covered his chibified face and his eyes were watery with fresh tears as he stuttered his reply.

"Y-You really m-mean that?"

His voice quivered with uncertainty. His indigo pools never left the maroon orbs that stared resolutely back into his own. The determination that he saw there was nothing like what he saw every time he faced down some crazy gunman or when he faced Tantei-kun in a battle of wits. Though filled with an unshakable emotion, they were still soft and caring. A look that his mother often used to give him when he was little and how she still looked at him during their video chats.

"I mean it," Hakuba said with such conviction that Kaito was shocked into silence. "I will look after you and watch your back until we can find a way to locate the people who did this to you. I promise that I'll be with you until your back to your old self again."

Kaito couldn't help but give a weak chuckle and joke, "And what about after I get my body back? Back to being rivals again?"

Hakuba's eyes seemed to harden.

"Whether you accept it or not, I am your friend, Kuroba-kun. And I always will be."

The young thief was doing a great imitation of a fish. His face was aflame with a vicious blush that was dead set on devouring his skin and flushing it a deep crimson that went past his neck and set his body aflame. How had Hakuba said all that with a straight face?!

The detective in question smirked when he noticed his friend's flustered state. The poor boy didn't even look like he could talk!

He watched as the child averted his eyes to the bedspread. He seemed to be seriously considering the offer. Conan, from where he was sitting next to the kaitou, reached out his hand and covered Kaito's smaller hand. This would take some getting used to, but both detectives were willing to be there to help the magician every step of the way.

Both of them silently cheered when Kaito gave a small nod. He looked like he was about to spontaneously combust with how red he was turning. Hakuba gave a very uncharacteristic shout of triumph before pulling both boys into a tight hug while still being mindful of the smaller's head injury.

He stood from his chair, pulling both children along with him (Conan with a joyous laugh and Kaito with a surprised squeak that he would later deny). Turning himself around, he let his large body drop backwards onto the bed. Above him, Conan was letting out an almost insane cackle as Kaito looked like someone had shocked him with a Taser set on stun.

The image let another idea pop into the teen's head.

"Hey, Edogawa-kun," he called hesitantly. There was no telling how Conan would take his question. But when the six year old turned his gaze to him, he decided not to chicken out and get it over with. "Would you like to come live with us, too? I know that your situation is the same as Kuroba-kun's."

Conan's faces went pale. "H-How did you..."

Hakuba let another small smile grace his features. "Did you forget that I'm a detective, too? Not only that, but your Osakan friend isn't very good at lying, Kudou-kun."

Conan seemed to tense up at the use of his real name before he deflated with a defeated laugh. "I knew he slipped up too many times around you."

Kaito was taken slightly off guard by the conversation. Hakuba knew who Tantei-kun really was? He wanted Shinichi to come live with them? He was both exited and worried about the idea. How would the non-child answer?

Suddenly, Shinichi turned his gaze to him, bright blue eyes pleading for an answer. It was a bit of a shock. Why would Shinichi even try to ask him about something like this? But would it really do any harm to have the young detective live with them?

"In all honesty Shin-chan, I don't mind if you come with us," he said honestly. Shinichi's eyes widened at the new nickname, but Kaito kept going. "You're not finding any leads about the people who made us this way from staying at the agency, right? If anything, Hakuba gets way more cases than Mouri-ojisan. He's more likely to get a lead than that crazy old man anyway."

Conan was slightly surprised that the Kaitou KID was actually okay with living under the same roof as two detectives. But he didn't really have much choice in the matter did he?

Before he could answer, the door to the hotel room slammed open.

"KUDOU! I'M BACK! ARE YA STILL ALIVE, BUDDY?!"

Hattori came in shouting and screaming, so loud that he almost made the other three go deaf. Kaito was so caught off guard that he threw himself at Shinichi with a frightened squeal (that he would later completely deny ever happened, no matter how much the three teased him - man, he had a lot of denying to do later).

Unfortunately, Shinichi also wasn't expecting the sudden shift in weight and with a muffled thump, both children went sprawling. "I'm going to kill him." Shinichi muttered under his breath (as soon as the breath was even back in his lungs and stopped trying to play hooky). Kaito only muttered back something that sounded like an agreement before they peeled themselves off the ground.

Hakuba was staring dubiously at them while Hattori was laughing so hard that he was on his knees, bent over, and gasping for breath. Now I know that I need new friends, Shinichi thought with an aggravated huff.

The next second two things happened.

A puff of smoke suddenly filled the room, making Shinichi and Hakuba cover their mouths and noses. When the smoke cleared, Hattori was wearing a dress. A frilly dress. A pink dress. Once again laughter exploded throughout the room for the third time that day. This time from the other three as Hattori face burned with shame and anger. He had to make future plans to make the thief suffer.

A Year Later:

If there was one thing that Kaito loved about this new form of his, it was the free chocolate. He was actually thinking this exact fact as he was eating an extra-large chocolate bar while resting on a bench. He and 'Conan' had decided to go to the park with the Shounen Tantei.

Okay, okay. They called Conan and wouldn't stop asking when he would ever come to visit almost every week after Conan had moved in with Kaito and Hakuba (a fact that still made the boy feel a little warm and irresistibly happy about every time he remembered his answer and Hattori's explosive reaction to living with 'the Blonde Bastard').

The aforementioned detective was sitting next to him, drinking a bottled water as Conan ran back and forth while keeping the soccer ball out of the children's' reach. Kaito gave a small laugh that was barely even audible. It was nice to see Shinichi actually having fun while teaching the kids something. It definitely wasn't a secret that he cared deeply about them, no matter how much he tried to play it off.

His smile was much, much better than his thoughtful frowns that he had while helping Hakuba solve a case like they did many a night. They were still looking for the people who had shrunk both the teens, but it was a difficult task when they were so good at covering their tracks.

Suddenly, he was startled out of his thoughts as a firm arm circled around his waist. He would have given a yelp if he hadn't seen the distinguishable tan of the arm. Hattori had picked him up again, much to his mild irritation. When Hattori had first started coming over to Hakuba's house, he had ignored his fellow case solver and had let out his frustration by ranting at Kaito about personal preservation, boundaries, and threats about his previous humiliation.

When words hadn't seemed to do anything, Hattori had actually started picking him up. At first, he had picked him up like he usually did with Conan, lifting him up by the back of his shirt. But when Kaito kept getting loose, he started carrying him around the waist with such a firm grip that there was no way he could have squirmed out of his hold. By that point, the ex-thief had given up. Hattori had been extremely smug about it. At least until Kaito dyed his hair purple and orange. Then he almost threw him across the room if Hakuba hadn't intervened and snatched Kaito away before permanent damage was done.

Kaito wasn't sure what the Detective of the West was up to, but he prayed that he came out of it alive.

He was saved from having a panic attack, when Hattori actually sat him down.

On another bench.

Looking around, Kaito found that the older teen had taken him to a restaurant or diner of some kind. The inside was polished a dazzling white with blue borders around the roof. Tiny chandeliers hung from the ceiling and Kaito wandered if they were made of real crystals with the way they shone.

The sound of someone roughly clearing their throat brought hi attention back to reality. Hattori wasn't exactly looking at him, appearing to be looking over his head at something else behind him. He had a slight flush working on his tanned skin, turning it a light mahogany color. Kaito was left wandering what he was so nervous about.

"Thanksferlookingafta'kudou." He had said it in such a rushed and quiet voice that Kaito thought for a second that he was either hearing things or at least had heard him wrong.

"Eh?"

Hattori's face turned even darker as he dropped his head in an attempt to hide his embarrassment. He cleared his throat once again and repeated himself, but in a more calm and slow voice. "I said 'Thanks fer lookin' afta' Kudou'." His nervousness painted his voice as he tried very hard not to stutter.

Kaito almost felt his jaw drop in amazement. Prideful Hattori Heiji was actually thanking him for something. It was so surreal that Kaito almost expected to wake back up in the park any second and this all be a dream. Even though he was an excellent detective and a good friend (if anything Shinichi said was true and when did he ever lie without a really good reason?), his pride and ego usually would refuse to let him apologize for anything he did wrong or ask or thank anyone who helped him (with a few exceptions).

Shinichi must mean a lot to him for the detective to say anything to him that wasn't an insult.

Before he could stop himself, Kaito let out a joyful laugh. Maybe he had been wrong to label the detective a complete idiot a year ago in that high class hotel room. Anyone willing to put aside their pride for a friend was an okay person in the not-child's book.

He only laughed harder when Hattori shot him an irritated scowl that practically screamed murder.

"S-sorry," he gasped. The look on Hattori's face was hilarious as it was still flushed while he tried to come off as intimidating. "It's just that you don't have to thank me for anything. Hakuba was the one who offered us both a place to stay and was the one who helped him solve those cases. I was practically the one who didn't really seem to belong."

It was true in a lot of ways. Hakuba and Shinichi could have gotten a lot of work done faster if Kaito hadn't been in the way. Not to mention that the sight of a dead body made the ex-thief so nauseous that more often than not, when Shinichi's corpse magnet ability was in full effect, they were forced to leave early if they wanted Kaito to not have a panic attack in the middle of the street, in the mall, the store, or anywhere else they were at the time.

He really seemed like more of a hindrance than a help of any kind.

A snort gained his attention as he turned his gaze back towards Hattori's dark gaze. The blush had vanished from his face and he looked a little exasperated with the boy. He had his face resting in his hand as he shook his head in slow disapproving strokes.

"Ya really are dense, aren't you?"

What?

"Ya really don't realize just how much of a help ya actually are." The teen gave a huff before locking eyes with the startled young boy. He was smiling ruefully as he said, "If it wasn' fer ya, Kudou and the Bastard would bury themselves in case files an' never come up fer air." He said this in such an amused tone that Kaito quirked an eyebrow. The boy still didn't understand what the other was trying to say.

"Yer the one who makes sure that the two of 'em go outside, aren't ya?" he questioned. Was this turning into some kind of interrogation? "Ya were the one ta make sure that they went outside at least once a day, right? Even if it was jus' ta the backyard. Like today when ya made K-K-Conan take ya to the park in Beika even though ya live in Ekoda. Didn' think I don' know what ya motivation was behin' that?"

Now it was Kaito's turn to blush. He wasn't expecting Hattori to know that he had indeed only came to Beika so that Shinichi could spend time with his friends. Not to mention that he was running himself ragged with all the cases he and Hakuba stayed up late at night to solve. He had refused to go just any park and had complained about wanting to go to Beika because he never played in those parks before and wanted to 'see the playgrounds that Shin-chan played on as a child'. He had been only slightly surprised that Shinichi had agreed, although he suspected that the other probably had a vague clue as to why Kaito had really wanted to go.

The look he had given him when they had 'accidently' met up with the Shounen Tantei suggested that he probably knew, though.

He just had really not expected anyone to realize what he was doing.

But Hattori Heiji was a detective for no reason. He wasn't a fool.

Before he could think of a reply and get his stuttering words under control, a dish was set down in front of him. He blinked slowly in comprehension before his brain finally registered what was going on. A large bowl was filled to the brim with chocolate ice cream. Bewildered, he looked up at Hattori with a face that must have been pretty funny because the other soon lost himself in a bit of a chuckle fit.

Next, a large plate dish was set on the table next to the ice cream. It was quite large and was too big for it to be a normal cake seeing as it took up half of the table. Why were all these things even being brought to their table anyway? They hadn't ordered yet.

A nudge on his shoulder gained his attention. He was spacing out a lot today. His gaze met a dancing indigo, much like his own. It took a moment for him to register who it was that was standing before him.

"OKAA-SAN!"

He practically screeched as he threw himself at her. Her only reply was to laugh and wrap her arms around him as she squeezed his small body to her own. He hadn't seen his mother since the incident. He had missed her terribly and would often stay awake late at night trying to picture what she was doing. Was she okay? Healthy? Worrying herself into an early grave?

But the woman he was pressed against was real and solid and he showed his joy by squeezing her back as hard as his body would allow. He was determined to never let her go unless absolutely necessary.

But the question still remained as to what was going on here. He reluctantly pulled himself away from where his face had been buried in her shoulder. He looked from her smiling face back to Hattori. The other only grinned as he took in Kaito's astonished gaze. Had Hattori called his mother here?

Apparently the surprises weren't over. Another person cleared their throat (what was this dry throat season?) and Kaito was met with another jaw dropping display when he turned his head toward the sound. Standing before him was Hakuba, who had actually been missing all day, along with Conan and the Shounen Tantei. When had they all shown up?

He was met with a surprising development when he finally took note that they were all carrying brightly colored packages of various sizes. All of them read To: Kaito on them with a respective tag saying who it was from. He was floored. What was all this about?

Suddenly the answer hit him in the face like a ton of bricks.

He turned hesitantly to his mother and asked what the date was. Her only answer was a grin as she gave the others their signal. All together as one they gave a great cry:

"Happy Birthday!"

Needless to say, Kaito cried that day. He spent a lot of time thanking everyone for their presents while also being more than happy to share his cake with them (to this day, he still wondered how he missed the 'Happy Birthday' that was written on top, but he decided that it was most likely do to with his height hindering his sight).

But most of all he had to wonder how he got such wonderful friends.

And to tone it down a few notches when he pranked Heiji again because he definitely wasn't going to just stop.

The End

I hope you guys enjoyed this story. I had meant to finish it earlier, but I experienced a block of some kind that wouldn't go away. I realized that Kaito's birthday come up two days ago and to make up for not putting up anything, I put the birthday scene at the end. Yay! Way to give your son a heart attack, Chikage! I used to react the same way when it came to my Mom finally popped in for a visit.

I noted that I seem to slack when it comes to Hattori and I'm trying to make up for it. We all love Hattori, right? I needed to involve him in the story more, so I made him the person who was supposed take Kaito to the party location. There was also the reconciling scene where they kind of apologize to each other without saying the actual words.

Thanks for reading! Tell me what you think. Was the birthday too forced? To quick? I thrive on constructive criticism. It's up to you guys to help me become a better writer, so be sure to do your jobs so I can do my own in a way that makes everyone happy!