Thank you for the reviews~!

Haha… so, today I had my first driver's lesson (pretty sad when I'm 17 and have no permit…) but it all went pretty well. I guess that's thanks to golf carts? O.o

Anyway:

Papa: (instructor, driver)…You also have to watch out for four-lane traffic stops. You have to keep an eye on your turn—and remember, just because it's your turn doesn't mean someone isn't going to go before you.

Me: (passenger seat) –nod-

Papa: Your grandma did that once…

Mewmaw: (back seat) Just because the fender was crinkled doesn't mean you won that argument.

So there's your scene for the day… I love my Mewmaw… srsly. XD

Heiji's Musings

It was a well kept secret that Hattori Heiji liked American movies. Not that it mattered a whole bunch—he couldn't understand English and had to use subtitles like most of the rest of his age group (except Kudo, but we'll ignore him). The only reason it was a secret was because Hattori never felt the need to reveal that information. Where would that come up in his conversations?

Still—leaning against one of the steps of Kudo's back porch, Hattori suddenly felt like his life was a movie. Maybe James Bond or Star Trek (he wasn't going to justify that)—or even that American T.V show, Chuck. It was just, only in a movie would this happen.

Sharp green eyes tracked the way Kuroba Kaito moved, how he danced around Kudo with a wide grin, trying (and failing) to bounce the soccer ball on his head. Hattori honestly couldn't believe it. The way the teen acted was so, so normal than what the Osakan thought Kaitou Kid would act like.

The irony made him chuckle low enough so not to draw attention. Really? A thief and a detective… it was cliché, and yet somehow it fit almost perfectly.

He propped his hand on his knee and laid his head down, still watching them. What was more surprising than Kaito being Kaitou was that Kudo had obviously not figured it out. Hattori wondered why—the clues were obscured, sure, but not so much to not be seen; Kuroba's dad died and then Kid disappears (he may of looked that up…), then years later, Kid shows up again, and hey looky there, Kuroba's the right age to take the mantle (he might not be 100% sure of this); then there's the fact both do magic—Kuroba is from Ekoda, and Kid's heist were mainly in that area (he noticed that after Kid met 'Conan' more heist showed up in Beika, and especially after Kuroba came) he even got Kudo to confirm that Kuroba's dad was a magician and that Kuroba was often lectured that 'magic wasn't for harm'. Sound like a certain thief's rule?

The facts had been gathering since Hattori met the other boy, but it wasn't until the other night when Kuroba came back with his Okasan from 'visiting a friend' that the dots had lined up with the lines. He had been flushed and grinning (and Hattori would have put that off to having a good time with this friend…) and then Kudo comes back murderous (…good time, indeed) and looking for Kid's blood and Kuroba looked so…intimidated, actually. Which the Osakan did not blame him for, but under the intimidation were a slight of worry and a sliver of smugness.

The again, he thought wryly as Kuroba jumped over Kudo's legs and flicked his hand, causing Kudo's hair to turn a dark purple, now that he was looking for it, the clues weren't so obscure any more.

He wondered if Kuroba was that confident and cocky or if underneath the smile he was tired of living a double life. The Osakan sighed and rubbed his temples, though his eyes still stayed on the two. He wasn't worried Kuroba would do anything bad, but a part of him, deep down in his manly pride, realized that he loved Kudo like a brother and Kudo loved Kuroba like…not a brother. So, yeah, okay, he felt a twinge of protectiveness.

"Kaito, you don't use your forehead for a head-bop! You use your head."

Hattori huffed a laugh, green eyes lit with mirth. Kudo looked exasperated and annoyed, but there was fondness in that look, and briefly he questioned whether or not Kudo knew how he felt about the magician.

Well…considering how long it took him to admit how he felt about Ran…I'd say no.

"I'll be right back," the Heisei Holmes said, ruffling his hair. He shot a grin at Hattori as he passed and the other detective smirked. Once Kudo was inside, though, the smirk dropped and green eyes became dark as they latched onto Kuroba, who was watching Kudo leave with blank eyes.

Hattori stood smoothly, an odd feeling come over him as he walked to Kuroba, hands shoved into his pockets. "He loves ya."

Indigo eyes snapped to him, flickering with surprise and confusion. "W-what? That was a random thing to say, Heiji-kun."

The detective stared until the magician was shifting. "He loves ya," he repeated, "so dun't screw it up. Thief," he added as a second thought. Any doubts he might've had about Kaitou's identity were swept away when those eyes flashed with panic and the type of fear you see from a caged animal. It was gone in an instant, replaced with a marble smile.

"What are you—"

"Don' give me tha', Kuroba. I'm not tha' Brit-prick, Hakuba, a'right? I dun't care 'bout your ECAs—thieves really ar'n't my terr'tory. I'll stick with th' murders," he muttered, scratching his cheek and watching as the confusion reappear, "But—I do care 'bout Kudo." Seriousness that he hadn't had since Kazuha was bullied in third grade came upon him, "If ya hurt 'im, you won't have t' worry 'bout Kudo or Jii-san, I'll make it so not even th' ants caun fin' your body."

The Osakan then smiled, driving the point, and turned around to walk back to the stairs of the porch.

"Why?" Kuroba asked softly, making him turn to look. The thief was staring, blankly, like he was expecting SWAT to jump out at any moment.

"I told ya. He loves ya—that's enoug' for me."

"He doesn't know."

"I won't tell 'im."

"But he doesn't know…"

Hattori tilted his head. Did Kudo really not know, he wondered. Or was it just an act? "He'll fin' out." He said finally, "But if ya tell 'im…" green and indigo eyes met, "I thi'k he understan's Kid a lot better than me."

Kuroba blinked then smiled slowly, and Hattori was amazed to see it was real. "Thank you…"

"Hey, what's with the weird atmosphere?" The two turned to see Kudo coming out of the house, holding three sodas. He was looking at them with a raised brow, worry creasing his forehead. "No fights?"

"No fig'ts." Hattori said with a grin. He bounced over and took a soda. "Th'nks. I think I'm gonna call Kazuha."

"So suddenly?" Kudo asked with a blink.

"Yeah. Loves in th' air," he muttered. The Eastern Detective gave him a suspicious glare, eyes shifting to Kuroba, who wore a smirk.

"Don't worry about it, Shin-chan," the thief said happily, "Nothing's wrong."

Hattori left the yard, laughing as Kuroba tackled his friend. His laughter faltered as he picked up the telephone—Kazuha wasn't going to like that he waited so long to call.

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AN: … so… (sweatdrop) Hm…