It had been terrifying easy to get here. But then again, international thief, he had skills they certainly hadn't.
They couldn't be as good as he is, they just couldn't. There must be some unknown balance somewhere in the universe to let the good guys win from time to time too.
Sometimes he catches himself thinking that all of this would be just another illusion from their enemies, another blurred reality. He just needs to find the exit, that moment that will bring him back into the real world. Just needs to find that little thing that doesn't fit into the complete picture to make it shatter like a card house.
He lost people before. He knows that people die. His father did, innocently, leaving behind a devastated family. Jack Connery did, he still had nightmares from hands that were slipping through his and the crying voice of a small boy. He isn't unfamiliar to death.
But this isn't right. It couldn't. Shinichi Kudo could not lie in a hospital bed, more dead than alive. This is the thing that will shatter the illusion. The small detail that doesn't fit.
Kaito waited for it, for the moment when he would be back at some rooftop with Spider facing him and his detective somewhere alive and ready to kick some evil guy's ass. He waited half an hour for his brain to klick.
They talked about this, he thinks while twisting the white sheets in one hand. They talked about making it. Talked about getting their lives back.
Shinichi doesn't even know his name yet. Present, always present never past, because Shinichi was there, alive, because his heart still beats. So, present never past.
"They're avoiding me, I think I'm not in the best mood for the past days." He is tired, too tired to put on a cheerful mask for anyone. Let them think what they want, they know nothing. Shinichi understands, maybe not the part about stealing but defiantly the part of lying to your loved ones for protection. See where it got him.
This could have been him. Maybe should even be him. He had the higher potential anyway, running around in a dead person alibi. Why it had been Shinichi?
"I think there's something coming Tantei-kun, something big."
The underworld is awfully quiet at the moment, silence before the storm. He's not sure if he will survive the endgame. Life was fragile, reality catches up quiet painfully with him. It almost seems like Shinichi always brought him back to the ground when he was about to lose it. The clock tower incident, he had become quiet careless at that point. Looking back maybe it had been the right thing of Lady Luck to teach him a lesson through a certain detective.
He's not sure if Shinichi hears him, but talking is good. It makes it easier for him. Jii is worried, even when he doesn't say anything when he comes back from his daily trip to the hospital. Move on, his eyes say, you will manage it.
He's glade that the old man doesn't voice his opinion, he doesn't want to argue with him about this. Maybe it would be the better, healthier, easier way to cope with all this. But then again, when does he take the easier way? Also he's not sure if the argument would be pretty, lately he feels more like screaming at all and everyone more than having a reasonable discussion over his behavior.
Always keep your poker face, his dad told him. It had been his mantra, his philosophy but now, his head was empty. Execpt for the endless what if's?
What if he told Shinichi his name?
They both played a game with fire, now one got burned.
Why didn't he manage to avoid it? He was good at tricking dead, why not this time?
He puts the roses into the vase on the night desk. Yellow, friendship. He's thankful that Mouri-san doesn't throw them away. He almost suspects the police to turn up one day but then again, they all had their hands full at the moment.
The hand of his wristwatch moves dangerous close to six, announcing the arrive of the brown haired girl. He knows the visiting hours, knows when which person enters, knows when which doctor checks in, he knows it all like the back of his hand. Call him paranoid, it saved his skin quiet a few times.
"Guess it's time for my goodbye, dear detective." No response, just monotone breathing and the annoying noise from the machines.
He wants them to burn in hell for that. Wants them to choke on their own darkness. Wants them to stop hurting people he likes.
"There's a heist next week" too early a voice whispers, the wounds are still too fresh "hopefully it's Pandora" I don't know how long I'm able to take it, how long I'm able to keep my hands clean.
There's a soft click coming from the door and he should put on the damn basketball cap, no masks he swore to himself at the one day, no more lies, and make an exit through the window but there's a sudden calm inside him. He got caught.
"Seems like it wouldn't be you who will put me behind bars, what a shame" The escape was open, one jump and he would be out of reach but he doesn't want to. It's over.
"KID?" The voice is soft and Kaito wants to throw his head back and laugh. Mouri-san. Too early. Of course. The universe wouldn't even give him the chance to get arrested voluntarily.
"Mouri-san, what a surprise." The clock shows that there would be still 5 minutes until her regular visit, like it would be 2 hours before the redhead would visit and like 5 was his call. They avoid each other. 5, 6, 8. Like a clockwork, carefully constructed to avoid any contact.
"Can we talk?" It's a question, she leaves an option for a no. Quiet a stupid move to make in front of a thief. Thief's always say no.
"Sure why not?" But he isn't the glorious KID at the moment. He's a highschool student who's about to lose a friend.
For the first time he turns around to face the girl. Their faces mirror each other. Bags under the eyes, worry written all over their skin. They're the same at the moment, not a thief and a normal girl, just two persons who are about to lose someone.
"We want to take them down." Her eyes are different, they're burning with something he just couldn't put his finger on. It hasn't been there the last time he saw her. Dead, hollow, just like his own, back then when he watched from a safe distance as he sat by the detectives' side for the first time.
The chuckle escapes him before he can stop it. It's bitter and sharp, sounding horrifying loud in the room. He doesn't remember his laugh to be bitter. "You don't know anything." They will go over dead body's, no matter what age.
He expects her to recoil, to get away from him. She should, would be better for all of them. She should leave him alone, he doesn't need anyone. Just another heist, another diamond, one day he would find it, and maybe then …
His hands are shaking and he forces them to still with grim determination. Mouri's still there. Kaito can't decide if it's extremely brave or foolish. Maybe a mix, they're all a bit messed up after all.
"I know what they're able to do! But I'm not going to sit here and drink tea while they're out there." She interrupts herself, taking a few deep breaths and then staring at him with these unnerving eyes. "We need you KID, please help us." The anger is gone, nothing left than a honest ask for help. His chest feels tight all sudden.
Help. They also talked about this, about teaming up. The déjà-vu hits him unprepared.
Keep calm, he tells himself while trying to suppress all the emotions swirling around in his head. Always keep your poker face.
"I wanted to tell him my real name you know?" He tells her the first thing that popes up in his mind just to distract her a bit longer, until he claimed back control over his thoughts. Luckily he manages to bit back the I miss him just in time.
Mouri waits, patiently with a soft smile on her lips. It remembers him of Aoko, before KID, before the lies, before the distance grow between them he isn't sure will disappear ever again. Somebody's sobering, in a high, pitiful whine.
It's him he realizes when strong arms encircle him, pulling his face into a surprisingly strong hug. It's okay a small voice whispers or maybe it's Mouri-san's because his head spins and he can't concentrate at more than the safety he suddenly feels. And so he cries, letting the tears wash away all the pain and fear.
It's a long time until one of them speaks and to his surprise it's Kaito himself, muffling the "yes" into blue fabric.
He doesn't really thinks about what a picture he certainly makes with red eyes and dry tears on his cheeks when he offers her a yellow rose, the first trick he done since that faithful night. It's feels like taking something back from them, like the first step to victory.
"Friendship" she smiles, closing her hands protectively around the stalk and maybe the world isn't such a dark place and maybe they would manage it.
"Nice to meet you Mouri Ran, my name is Kaito Kuroba." Kaito offers her a hand and when they shake hands, it's a firm shake nothing weak or soft left behind.
"The pleasure is all mine, Kaito-kun, please call me Ran. Let's make this world a better place until Shinichi wakes up." Her smirk is sharp and dangerous and there's a certain familiarity that sends shivers down his spine. "What's about starting with a few snipers?"
When Tantei-kun decides to wake up the world would be free of red glowing diamonds and silver haired snipers. Kaito would make sure of that.
Because you can't win a war against a black organization without an international thief. It's a law. Somewhere.
Thank's a lot for all the wonderful feedback. I'm speechless. To be honest I didn't expect it. You're the best. Hopefully Kaito isn't to Ooc, dragging your favorite Characters through emotional hell is fun and hard work. Also, let's just say, Ran knew that Kaito was visiting, you know leaving roses all over the place and so on. She decides to meet him and recrute him for the Revenge Squad.
Sincerely Anemonenfisch