Disclaimer: don't own DC/MK

sorry for the late updates. PSAT, you know. And thanks for reading and reviewing.

DLizz: Happy birthday! I meant to post in the morning for you, but it's still Saturday, right?

Kuroi no kaze: Well, that isn't exactly what happens...

Oh, and this chapter is really information-dense. Can't wait to get past this so I can get to the good stuff - the actual plot and stuff.

Chapter 2

Two hours later, Kaitou Kid, having shed nearly all items of clothing that made up his night uniform, was perched anxiously at his chair, watching a girl serenely breathe in and out, still unconscious on his bed. He thought back.

The bandages and that thin waist were proof enough: the Kudo Shinichi that Kid had deemed his greatest opponent was a girl, and a beauty at that. That would explain how light she was.

The master of disguises looked more closely at his – her face, and noticed several things that were distinctly off. There was light makeup on her face, to make her delicate features slightly more masculine. There weren't the slightest signs of stubble upon her smooth chin. Her hairline was just slightly odd. The thief recognized the presence of a wig, which he tugged off to reveal silky, layered brown-black hair that neatly tumbled to a few inches beneath her shoulder, and was ever so slightly wavy. He looked down to the wig, realized that it must have been made from her own hair, and set it down with a sigh.

As he bathed her forehead (her fever had risen to 104 degrees, and was gradually getting beneath 102 as he worked. She was also, apparently, suffering from a certain feminine problem), he took the chance to wash off her makeup.

That being done, he sat back and wondered how and why: Was Kudo original ly a guy or a girl? If he/she was a guy, then how exactly had he ended up like…that? And, if he/she was a girl, why pretend to be a guy?

So much mystery. There was so much that he didn't know about the only detective who had ever completely figured out what he was looking for and why. Kudo had been a good enemy, which, they said, was the next best thing to a good friend. With the closing of that case with the B.O., he had felt a part of his identity become lost, and knew that someone at least would understand how he felt. He and Kudo had both lost a goal in life, because they had finally reached it.

That was when he began to feel empty. He was afraid- afraid that he no longer had any reason to keep up his Kaito Kid act, afraid that he would now become no different from anyone else, afraid that he would become unimportant, and, though he would never admit it, he was terrified that he wouldn't be able to see Kudo anymore. Like it or not, he had grown oddly attached to the teen tantei. Maybe it was just mutual understanding, maybe rivalry, maybe even a desire to be friends. Whatever it was, he now wanted to ensure the Holmes's safety.

Kid sighed. Time seemed to have slowed to a crawl. Suddenly, the detective's eyelids flickered. He quickly pocketed the cards he had subconsciously pulled out of his pocket and practiced with while bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Kudo groaned softly. Where was she? A sudden downpour of memories upon her helped some.

Oh, right. I fell. And someone caught me – KAITOU KID!

She looked around blearily, finally focusing her exquisitely double-lidded, beautifully lashed blue eyes upon the figure slightly to her right. Her guard was up, though her mask was slightly fractured by her realization that her wig and makeup were both gone. Her light-headedness didn't seem to help much either.

The teen detective blinked in surprise, her mask slipping yet again, at the glass of water the thief had suddenly proffered, seemingly drawing it out of nowhere. It made no sense for the thief to tend to her wounds and then poison her, so she accepted gratefully. The first sip proved her thirst, and she drank deeply, taking a second to swallow the pills Kid held out with his other hand.

For the second time that night, silence reigned. Neither really knew what to say to the other. Kudo was aware that Kid wanted an explanation, and she actually felt inclined to give him one. He had really earned it by saving her and finding out her secret himself. Kid, on the other hand was trying to tame his raging curiosity and find a way to phrase his questions more delicately.

Kid lifted his eyes to her face, saw how torn she was behind the Poker Face that she had re-erected and said "You don't owe me or the world an explanation, you know."

Kudo, now alert for what would follow that revelation, unconsciously leaned forward a bit.

The magician swallowed. He cleared his throat apprehensively and continued, "You wanted to know why I chased after random jewels, then returned them, but you never forced an answer from me. Neither did you stop looking for the answer, and you did eventually find out, but I didn't have to defend myself from your interrogations or suppositions, so I won't be unfair and force you to."

A small but genuine smile of gratitude spread across Kudo's face.

"Thank you, but I wish to explain myself, Kuroba-san." The one to whom this was directed wasn't too surprised at her revealing that she knew his name, and nodded his head to acknowledge it . He had known that it was only a matter of time before Kudo found out his identity, after realizing the reason for his heists and the fact that the original Kaitou was not the same as the current one, but that they were somehow related.

" I am not an only child; my older twin brother is the real Shinichi, but he lives under a different name on the silverscreen, while I assumed his identity for our mutual safety. My father helped me destroy all files concerning my very existence when I was 8, creating false documents for my brother as a distant relative at the same time. Thus, it was no difficult task to replicate what we had done when I became Conan a few years ago. "

"When needed, my brother steps in, becoming 'Shinichi' for short periods of time to prevent my gender from being found out, and filled that same spot several times after I shrank as the result of an unfortunate meeting with the Black Organization."

Kuroba had blinked several times during this revelation, taking in the information, and here he broke in, "The Shadow Syndicate."

"Yes, some call them that. I've spent the past few years finding them out and tearing them down. I have to admit, your intentional appearances as bait helped me in my investigations more than once, though you may not have realized it at the time. "

Kudo paused before lowering her voice and continuing sadly "Before I got involved with the B.O., I was content living the life of an amateur detective, solving multiple simple cases. When I caught their attention, my life suddenly revolved around their demise, and now, with my goal completed, living like I did before seems slightly…meaningless."

"Tell me about it," deadpanned Kid, who had somehow managed to remain serious for the entire night.

Detective and thief gazed at each other, similar mournful expressions showing through their respective broken Poker Faces.

They had finally found understanding.