Code: DC,MK-WTLS-MC

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the featured media the rights go to their rightful owners.

Media: Detective Conan/ Case Closed Magic Kaito

Title: Where The Law Stops

Notable Sub-genres: [Kuroba Kaito | Kaito KID/ Kudo Shinichi] Slight AU (if I mention something you know to be false/ incorrect its either because I've changed it or didn't know haha). Snapshots/ flashbacks format. Post-Conan. the Black Organisation.

Rating: "T" for some Crude Language and Matura Themes including: Homosexuality, Crossdressing, Some Violence.

Chapter: Multichapter

Status. In progress

If anyone were to ask, neither of them could accurately tell you when this started. It could have been right at the beginning; the first time they ran together or Kid ran while Shinichi - later Conan - chased after him.

Really, it sort of felt inevitable even though it really shouldn't have been. Shinichi was a consulting detective, worked closely with the police and (later) even the FBI while Kid was a criminal, wanted for a number of offences.

It should never have worked.

But even at the beginning, the attraction had been there. First shrugged off as respect, and later an impossible friendship that was spent passing favours and IOU's.

And then identities were learnt and secrets were told.

Until they were here, with a story of their own.

.

.

.

Newly returned Kudo Shinichi was curled up in his family's library with the sounds of the rain aiding his lack of concentration, attempting to read a book he couldn't even remember the title of.

The fireplace was burning in front of him, cackling with a muted roar, and neck deep in blankets (courtesy of Haibara). Shinichi should have been more than warm but despite this, the fatigue he had been shouldering since he went from sixteen to seven ensured that ice reached to his bones, with a great sense of unease weighing him down.

Toby was laid out, head resting on his lap with a content face. Peaceful but alert, more than likely sensing Shinichi's worry.

It was the first time he had been alone since taking the antidote and he had been staring at the same page for over half-an-hour, words swimming in front of him and his mind miles away.

He had been trying to pinpoint what could possibly be distracting him, having long since leant from his time as Conan to pay attention to his intuition. However, no matter how much he thought about it, Shinichi just couldn't seem to figure out what was wrong, leading to him being unable to settle.

Relaxation was a foreign thing to him, regardless. Ever since he had first stumbled across The Black Organisation, Shinichi had been tense and jumpy at the best of times, nearing paranoid and skittish at the end. Especially when his circle of friends had started to discover his identity as he began the process of bringing Jin and his cohorts into the light.

In saying that, today had been particularly bad. As soon as he had woken up, Shinichi had felt something was wrong; like something was displaced, as though the world had shifted. It was a ridiculous notion but a thought he could shake as the hours dragged on and Haibara made her usual visit to monitor him, to see if there were any further changes to his condition.

The sound of his doorbell startled him from his slouched posture on the sofa and his half-mast eyes sharpened from the sleep that had started to cloud them. Toby was up on his paws instantly, ears turning as he tried to listen while his nose pointed upwards, sniffing relentlessly as he jumped over Shinichi's legs and onto the floor.

Swallowing, Shinichi shook his head as he tried to clear the haze that settled there and forced himself free of the blankets, knowing that he should probably take one with him to stop himself and his weak immune system from catching a cold. He left all three of them on the couch, unwilling to have something further hinder his movements as he made the journey to the front door.

His back was ramrod straight and his muscles seized as he forced them into awareness. This couldn't have been a social visit. It was half past ten, last he had looked at the grandfather clock which was nestled between his bookcases. None of his friends or family would disturb him this late, not when they knew he was still recovering and had the habit of falling asleep.

And of course, there was still Black Organisation members who had managed to seep back into the shadows like the monsters they were. Most (fortunately) were grunts; 'yes'-men who had little say in their dealings. But, still, it would be foolish to think that the sting operation that Shinichi had commanded would have captured them all.

It was doubtful that they would enter through his front door. Shinichi had managed to make himself quite the reputation after he had "come back".

Crossing his arms over his chest, Shinichi stopped what felt like a particularly harsh shiver as the cold drifted through the front door. Toby stood protectively in front of him and once again, Shinichi found himself wondering where Toby had come from to have such instincts. Maybe it was just a dog thing.

'Who is it?' He called as soon as he was close enough, standing to the side of door, against the wall as he waited.

'Shinichi-chan? Shinichi-can please! Bocchama - Bocchama is -'

The panic in those words were real but thats not what had Shinichi fumbling the security chain in a desperate attempt to get the door open. He knew that voice - he knew that -

The door swung open with the aid of the howling wind, revealing an old gentlemen, drenched and in a obvious state of distress. 'Konosuke-san?' Shinichi asks. 'Whats wrong-' ageing hands grab hold of his own, something Toby took an instant offence to if his warning growl was anything to go by.

'Shinichi-chan, please help.' The man begged, and Shinichi's stomach dropped to his toes. 'Bocchama said that you would be willing to help us if…if something happened.' The pleas sent a chill straight down Shinichi's spin.

'Kaito? Where is he? Is everything alright?' Shinichi asks. Konosuke had no coat or umbrella to speak of, which meant he had travelled whatever distance, in this weather, without them. Konosuke's indoor slippers spoke of the rush to get here but -

Konosuke's eyes widened behind his fogged glasses, taking a step forward in shock. 'Have you not seen the news?'

Shinichi's chest tightened and he shook his head. No, he had been trying to avoid current affairs with how much he had, had to do with them. Of course now that Konosuke brought it up, Shinichi's mind instantly whispered of the heist that was scheduled this week.

'I haven't been watching much television.' Shinichi replies. Konosuke he had meant only a handful of times as he had only met Kaito outside of Kid a handful of times but he knew that this was not normal behaviour for this man.

'Oh, Shinichi-chan, they've brought Bocchama in!'

Shinichi must have been feeling slow that day as those words refused to sink in, rattling around in his head with an eerie sort of echo. Haibara had mentioned earlier that his temperature had risen. No cause for concern as long as he stayed hydrated, she had said -

'Pardon?'

'Bocchama! They've arrested Bocchama!' Konosuke yelled, his skin a pale and damp in the streetlight's unflattering shadows.

No. Wait -

'What?'

'He was arrested this morning, at school!' Konosuke reiterated, speaking words Shinichi couldn't quite understand as a ringing which had nothing to do with the his doorbell, started to buzz in his ears. 'They've found new evidence and - and Bocchama always said that you. you.'

The man's gasping failure to finish went straight through Shinichi. He wasn't even surprised that Kaito had told his one, true accomplice that he should come to Shinichi.

They had long ago gone beyond their gentleman's agreement at heists.

Taking a deep breath that Shinichi had to try not to cough through, 'I am a detective.' Konosuke looked at him in a way few people had but after gently freeing his hands, he stepped aside and gestured for the other man to come inside.

'I am a detective, so come in and tell me your case, Konosuke-san.'

The tears the man shed could be played off as part of the rain.

Kaito Kid was as silent as they came but Shinichi - "Conan" - had been dealing with phantom thieves and assassins for awhile and was able to sense him, long before Kid came to stand behind him.

It was curious that the teen (one of the easier things to deduce) would come so close at all, especially with how careful he usually is with Conan.

'Such a depressing face.' Kid tsked, leaning over the back of the park bench where Conan sat to see his boyish profile. It was a nonchalant tone but his expression seemed wondering under the shadow of his top hat. 'You really should be careful of that, Meitantei. You don't want to get wrinkles so young.'

Conan huffed but stayed where he was slumped, deciding to completely ignore that Kid was fresh out of a heist and probably carrying on his person a very expensive jewel that wasn't his.

He didn't ask after what was stolen and he stopped the disparaging comment on the fringe of his mind. Favouring instead to watch the helicopters and police sirens in the distance. All his energy seemed to be gone, idly he wondered if it would ever return.

'How do you do it?' Conan asks instead.

Kid is silent for a long time before Conan feels a weight - a warmth - to his side and he realises that the thief has taken a seat next to him. 'Do what?' Kid inquires lightly, but there is an undertone of something that Conan doesn't feel like analysing.

It made him remember being thrown from a blimp only to get caught by desperate, strong arms and getting shocked by a stun gun all in the same breath.

'How do you pretend? To be someone else? You'll have to have a civilian identity.' Conan can feel Kid go still to his side, probably too close to asking something personal and unraveling their whole relationship of, ask me no questions I'll tell you no lies. 'Which one is the real one? Can you even tell anymore? I...I can't.'

It was getting harder and harder for him to tell where the lies stopped and where the truth lay. How much of himself did he put into Conan? How much of Conan had taken over? He couldn't tell and that scared him when he was stuck in a body that wasn't his own but was, and nearly everyone who knew him...didn't.

'…has something happened, Tantei-kun?'

Conan wasn't expecting an answer, so that was fine.

'Do you think there is?'

'You weren't at the heist tonight.' Kid responds, glancing at him if the sudden heat on his cheek is anything to go by.

'No. I wasn't.'

'Jiisan was in a terrible mood when the, ah, "Kid Killer" didn't show up after being personally invited.' The thief said delicately, but in an obvious dig for information.

It wasn't surprising that Suzuki Jirokichi would take Conan's avoidance to heart but the man would get over it, maybe even prefer it with how much he enjoyed the limelight.

'You would have stolen the jewel anyway.' Conan says offhandedly.

'So modest!' Kid exclaims but with every passing moment Conan can feel the thief giving him more and more attention. 'Seriously, Tantei-kun, has something happened? Maybe with those guys in black.'

Conan straightens instantly and regret kicks him in the stomach for ever getting Kid involved in his mess, even if it had been only on one occasion, it was one occasion too many.

'Don't speak of them.'

Kid shifts to sit towards him, folding his right leg underneath him in a familiar ease of movement that Conan should find himself mocking the other for, limiting his ease of escape, but he stays quiet.

'Mei-'

'Kaito Kid.' Conan addresses, eyes still far away locked onto the night sky. 'I see you go from heist to heist; each one bighter and louder than the last. It doesn't take a genius to work out that you're after something more than the jewels you're always giving back.'

'I'm flattered you would -'

'You obviously have things to do, Kid.' Conan continues, more than aware that he was being ruder than usual. 'And if you want to live long enough to do them, you'll forget everything about the men in black.'

Conan could vaguely see Kid's face, serious and free from smirk or amusement or mock-anything and set into a frigid darkness that made the childish thief anything but familiar. 'This isn't like you.' Kid states with such certainty.

'Isn't it?'

Kid's lips pull down. 'I may not be a detective but I think we've both known each other long enough by now to do without the subterfuge.'

'Ironic that, coming from you, Kid.' Are the first words out of Conan's mouth, tone sarcastic and dry but he stops short of the insult he has on the top of his tongue when he thinks Kid's face strays to actual hurt. Exhaling a puff of air, his eyes flutter closed and he admits, 'Ran was attacked today. Supposedly a mugging gone wrong.'

'And you don't think it was?'

Conan shakes his head. 'Its felt like someones been following me for weeks.' Haibara had commented on it too which hadn't helped his nerves as he tried to continue acting like brat. 'Last month the Mouri's was victim to a "burglary" only nothing was stolen. Add to that, pieces of my schoolwork going missing…. No, Ran was targeted.'

And its killing me, Conan doesn't say. He knew that this would be a time sensitive case but how it was effecting the people around him…he couldn't stand it.

'But the men in black.' Kid says in a way thats not entirely a question. 'The thing I don't understand about it is, is that while, yeah, you solved quite a few cases - from before - but I haven't heard about you getting involved in anything that could have remotely lead to the things you seem to be dealing with now.'

Conan's mouth tilted into a bitter sort of humour. 'Reading up on a critic like me? I'm almost flattered, Kid-sama.' He swoons theatrically before sighing, low and rough. 'You wouldn't have read anything because I didn't know what I was stumbling into either. By the time I had found out, I was like this and Kudo Shinichi was gone.'

Conan hears Kid's indrawn breath clearly but doesn't comment on it. 'So, they're the reason-' he gestures almost ungracefully at Conan's body.

'What, you thought I had woken up one morning like this?' Conan can't stop commenting though he had never understood how Kid had gotten the connection between Conan and Shinichi. 'If it helps it make sense to you, the poison they gave to me should have killed me. As it is…'

'Magic would make more sense than this.' Kid mutters under his breath but doesn't elaborate. 'But the men in black are still after you, even like this?'

'I've…gotten in their way.' Conan answer carefully. 'With all that I've done to them, it was only a matter of time that I'd begin to register on their radar. Not a lot I can do about that either; I would move out from Ran's but that would only further suspicions. I've tried to talk to Hattori into keeping his distance but I'm sure you know how stubborn he can be.

Much to Conan's amusement, the two of them had met when Hattori had been roped into helping with a heist. The night afterwards, Conan had, had the "pleasure" of listening to the other detective complain about Kid.

'The Detective Boys have already made a name for themselves so its safer to keep them close. Hakase wouldn't leave me alone if I paid him…' Conan takes a breath and refuses to look at Kid and his worry. 'You only know me through heists and we've never been publicly friendly outside of them…'

Kid hums, doesn't have anything to say about the possible danger to himself. 'Whoever they are, you could just leave them alone.'

What?

'These people…they're obviously dangerous, Tantei-kun. You seem to be taking a lot of risks when you could just -'

After all that had happened, giving up and letting them get away with everything they had done had never so much as crossed his mind. 'I can't do that.'

'Why not?' Kid sighs, sounding strangely resigned.

'Because.' Conan responds, feeling tired and old but alive and able. 'Because they're wrong. They're ruining lives every day and I can't let them do it anymore. They've got to be stopped.'

In Conan's peripheral he sees Kid's gloved hand push the bridge of his hat up but Conan doesn't glance over. Even if Kid wasn't wearing a disguise, he doesn't want to see it.

Kid's other hand brushes against Conan's cheek, startling him enough to tense but he otherwise doesn't move, staring stubbornly out into the night sky still filled with Kid Task Force members.

'Every time we meet, you do something that surprises me, Meitantei.' Kid murmurs.

Conan can feel the way his heart beats, hears it so clearly he worries that Kid can hear it too. This was an intimate gesture he hadn't seen Kid make before, which made it worse than the roses or kisses the thief would hand out like candy. Often heedless of worry for evidence that could be gotten from them.

'I have to keep you on your toes somehow.' Conan says, knowing the humour would fall flat. It wasn't even what he wanted to say but he was unsure of the words that would come out otherwise. 'Wouldn't want you to get complacent.'

Kid refuses to be moved, however. 'This could kill you -'

Conan understood the risks. 'If it does, you'll forget everything about this. About me, about the men in black, about everything you could have seen or heard.' He says in lieu of a demand.

Kid starts to lean in but Conan is quick to get up, stiff from sitting so long and cold from the nights air. '…have you said this to anyone else?'

Conan inclines his head but doesn't look back. Knows that, that would be a stupid idea. 'Everyone who knows where Edogawa Conan came from.' He replies.

'And how did they react?' Kid asks like he already knows.

Conan doesn't answer and Kid snorts as he too gets up from the bench, straightening his suit before he walks so they are shoulder to shoulder. Standing on the equal footing they just weren't in society. 'You know, Tantei-kun.' Kid says, almost conversationally. 'For someone so smart, you sure can be dense.'

Conan would have questioned that but with an explosion of pink smoke, the white figure was gone and he was left standing alone with his thoughts.

Konosuke was settled into Shinichi's guest room though he doubted the older man would be getting any sleep. It was, however, late into the night and Konosuke was having to deal with copious amounts of stress after hearing about Kaito and would need rest. It also left Shinichi with time to gather his thoughts.

Kaito had been arrested at school evidently without knowing his identity had been compromised. There were few facts to go on but it sounds like hints from the media and the statement Nakamori-keibu made to the public, that new information had been found after rediscovering a seemingly lost DNA sample that was taken from a heist a few years ago.

And with that one small piece of proof a case of circumstantial evidence was being put together which was stronger than Shinichi would have liked. Not airtight but he had seen a conviction be made on less. Really, Kaito should have been more careful where he reappeared and more subtle in his respect for the alter ego's abilities. That Kaito's face was the first "disguise" Kid had been seen wearing and they were both of the same height and build and…

Shinichi worried about what a jury would have to say about this If - when it went to trail.

But what could Shinichi do about it? He worried that any association he had on the case would just negatively impact Kaito instead of help him. Shinichi himself had only gone to one heist without needing glasses and a bowtie which might have helped. Unfortunately, Kid also had a nasty habit of using Shinichi's face to his advantage so he was otherwise more attached in the eyes of the public to the thief than he would have been.

He paced uneasily. He needed to do something. He was a detective. Kaito was a thief. Kid being prosecuted for the crimes he committed should be something that made him pleased. It probably would have too, if he hadn't spent the best part of two and half years reliving elementary school.

Shinichi had been pointedly ignoring Kid's identity since he had first laid eyes on his civilian persona; putting two and two together was one of the simplest deductions he had made. He had known instantly. Kid appearing right afterwards confirmed his suspicions. It wasn't easy not reporting this as he had grown up learning about crime, respecting the law and the police who would enforce it. It went against everything he was taught. He should have called the authorities.

But he couldn't do it then and he definitely couldn't do it now.

Not with all Kid and Kaito both had done for him.

Of course, that left Shinichi with the question of what he planned to do about Kaito's arrest.

Turning a blind eye and sabotaging a criminal proceeding were two completely different things. Yet, his mind kept going in that direction. Whispers of things he could do which he ruled out as soon as they cleared enough for him to see them didn't leave much doubt. But they wouldn't work. This wouldn't work if it was just him. He - he needed help.

Biting the side skin of his thumb, he abruptly halted his pacing and turned to the computer that was sitting innocently on the grand desk that was perched stately on a moroccan rug. Swallowing, he walked over and pulled out the leather recliner. It was his father's office and he had come in here to try and concentrate but now -

Unsteady and cold Shinichi started the computer up. Toby, thankfully, came to sit by his feet, head in his lap offered him not only some security but warmth. The one blanket Shinichi had the presence of mind to bring in here with him wasn't enough to protect himself from the cold and he could already feel the minute shivers starting to tense his muscles.

The computer was old but it worked and soon enough Shinichi was opening his email with the mouse hovering over the "compose" button. While stroking Toby's head and biting his lips red he opened up a new email and with only a small amount of hesitance started to type to a woman he hadn't thought he would ever talk to or see again.

Not after she to away in her typical fashion.

But she owed him a favour and in these circumstances he was willing to collect. Especially when he didn't know anyone who'd be able to get involved in this; that would be happy to go against the law and put their necks on the line for an irritating thief they didn't know. Shinichi had already asked too much of his friends over the course of Conan.

Taking a breath, Shinichi began to type. Hoping that he wouldn't live to regret this.

To:

Subject:IOU

I'm calling in that favour.

Its a time sensitive case.

Please respond quickly.

S

Con/textual Vomit: So my first real splash into the DC fandom. Sort of inspired to finally write something for this by Luna Darkside haha. I've been wanting to write a crossover pic for DC since '12 (though not this one) and oh, boy, yeah. I'm a procrastinator. Its gunned be...sort of drabbily with the flashbacks but it does have plot. Sort of. Hope it turned out okay.

(Original Upload: 30/05/16) (Updated: 24/10/16)

OZ