Title: A Little Too Late
Author: Fyliwion
Theme: #20 The Road Home
Pairing: Kaito/Aoko
Fandom: Detective Conan
Rating: PG-13ish
Disclaimer: Guess who doesn't own DC? ME! Can I have Kaito in my Christmas stocking though? Wedding singer doesn't belong to me either

If I told you
All the words I've yet to say
Would they matter?
Or would you simply turn
And walk away?

If I hold you
Will you tell me I should go?
Do I chance it ?
Or would it just be better
Not to know?

The Wedding Singer

It was perhaps the worst thing in the world to come home and the first thing you see is the woman you love swirling around in her window in a wedding dress.

The moment you know she can never be yours.

Ignore the fact you'd been gone for years. Ignore the fact you hadn't contacted her or so much as sent her one letter over that time. Ignore the fact you broke pretty much all ties with the woman.

It was still a more painful wound than any gunshot or knife could ever inflict.

Perhaps it wouldn't have been so bad if time had diminished his feelings, or if his feet hadn't dragged him straight to her house once he set foot back on Japanese soil. Honestly he hadn't expected her to even be there, and it wasn't like he was going to walk up to the door and knock anyway.

The best welcome he could ever expect would be a slap on the face, and maybe if he was lucky a couple tears. But then, he wouldn't want her to cry- so in the end it would be a lose-lose situation anyway.

Of course his heart had leapt at the woman in the window, it seemed too lucky for her to actually be there, and in more than one way it was. After his eyes had adjusted better he was able to make out the western style white dress, and veil place precariously on her still apparently untamable mass she called hair.

Even from the street he could see the distant look in her eyes as she spun and looked a the stars, and it was only several years worth of poker faces that kept his emotions under a tight reign. Something nudged him inside that said he should leave her be, that it was time to walk away from her life forever. That even watching her like this was wrong.

After all how many years had it been? And how badly had he probably heard her? It was worse since he was only what could be called a coward seeing how he'd ran after graduation from having to face her face when she found out-

Dropped all connections, let her think the worse of him so that it would simply be easier for her and he wouldn't have to see her face when all the pieces fell onto her lap. He had no right to watch something like her dancing in her window, all done up for her wedding, and as happy as could be apparently.

It was too late to wonder what things might have been like if there hadn't been KID, he'd made his choice a long time ago and he couldn't very well blame another identity when it was his fault in the first place. In all likelihood she wouldn't have had him anyway, though at least in that case he'd probably be inside and helping her get ready for the event instead of stealing glimpses like some-

Heh what was he saying? Of course he'd stealing glimpses after all being a thief should come more naturally than anything else when it was the only thing that seemed to keep him going. Or use to…

Of course all that was in the past too now, and truthfully that was the reason he'd come home. He wasn't quite sure what to do anymore- he could go back to magician work, but if Hakuba had proof or Nakamori knew-

Another fault. He was too much of a coward to face the prospect of jail. The idea terrified him, rather be a kaitou the rest of life than stop thieving only to find himself behind bars.

Looking back up to Aoko though he hung his head, she'd disappeared from the window as he'd been thinking. Perhaps it was better that way, after all he'd given up on her long before he gave up being KID- and that just wasn't fair to either of them.

"Well time to face Mom…" he said under his breath turning away from the house. If he looked at her window any longer he'd probably be arrested for a stalker and end up in jail anyway.

He had just started walking away when he heard the door slam open and a voice call his name in the darkness.

Kaito?!?

He wasn't sure if it was a whisper or a scream, or maybe it had been such a long time since he'd heard his real name spoken by anyone.

He didn't turn around, instead he simply stood there feet frozen to the pavement every inch of him tense with nerves.

"It is you isn't it?" her voice had gotten slightly lower since he'd last heard her. Lost some of the childishness that it had still held in high school, and become more mature, but there was no doubt in his mind that it was her voice.

It took a second to gather the courage to turn around, and to make sure he could hold a smile on his face when he did so. Of course seeing her up close almost undid the whole thing, but he couldn't help that.

"Hey!" Frankly he was shocked he'd managed to get that word out as calmly as he did, he just couldn't stand up to her. Not to mention he was too busy taking in every little detail of her.

She was even more beautiful up close, a grown woman dressed in a gown to die for and looking like Cinderella done up for a ball, and instead she was facing down a thief in the night in the middle of an empty street.

When she didn't respond he tried again, "Done up a little fancy aren't we? Is that the new style of pjs that took fashion while I was gone?" Walls were good. Walls kept people from getting hurt. Well alright maybe it was a little late for that, but he honestly couldn't think of anything else to do.

Funny how long the silence could last. The way she didn't say anything at the words, but he could practically see the pain he'd been hoping to never face grow on her face. He could see the hurt that had somehow hit an unseen target with the sharpness of his words.

"It is you-" a weight dropped with those words. It seemed to fall off of her and onto him as she took another step forward. "I… I thought I saw you from my window, but I didn't know if I was imagining it or-"

Kaito gave her a reluctant smirk, "Yeah it was me. Sorry. I was passing on the way to Mom's house, and got distracted by a girl dancing in her window." His lips turned up a little, "Still living at home then?"

"Only until Saturday," as she said it there was that flash of pain was there again but this time on his face. Stupid question. Stupid idiotic question.

"Oh. Right," he said feeling duly admonished as he looked down. "Well the dress looks- nice," he said stumbling for the last word. He dare not say what he wanted too, better to simply let it go. "So, um, whose the lucky guy?"

She had shut her eyes. He prayed she wasn't going to cry, an idiot like him didn't deserve tears. It was silly for her to cry over some idiot like him. Even from the distance he noticed her breath hitch, but then his own pulse was going completely crazy so who was he to talk.

She looked away, "Does it matter?"

"Not really I guess. He must be a lucky bastard whoever he is," he said wryly. A little too much truth in that statement for his liking.

A beat and then softly, "Would you kill me if I said it was Hakuba?"

Well he should've been expecting it, so the bloody pratt came back and got the girl. Well he was everything KID wasn't, so it shouldn't be such a surprise. Explained the western wedding by any means.

"Naw-" he said with a weak smile, "Though I might kill your fiancée-" Yeah right… KID never harmed and even Kuroba Kaito couldn't kill. He'd come close when faced with his father's murderer, but in the end someone else had done the dirty deed- not him.

She made a small sound, and he prayed it wasn't a stifled sob. He felt his mask crack a little, and he ended up taking a step forward. He didn't see tears, but then she'd always been strong and, "Oh of all the- Look don't cry. Come on. I'm not worth that, especially not when your all happy and have a life and everything alright? This was why I didn't want to risk this. I should never have come in the first place so Ao-"

He wasn't expecting her to turn back to him and lung into his arms pulling them both to the ground with the effort as she let something out that was roughly a sob. He doubled back trying to hold up both their weight and the dress as he found himself almost thrown to the pavement half holding a weeping girl in her wedding dress.

"Ao-" this was hard, this was could possibly be harder then facing down those black bastards. "Ao-" her arms tightened around his chest, and the only thing he could think of was the fact that she smelled oh so good, and it felt so wonderful having her for once in his arms.

He allowed himself to cradle her for a few seconds. Swallowed back his own emotions; however, he finally forced himself to remain calm, "Aoko come on now. You should stand up ne? Don't want to get your dress dirty…" she clung harder to him and finally he gave up. He let his own arms tighten around her, and gave up on any type of so called "reason".

"I missed you so much-" she murmured into his shirt. "I… I thought I was going crazy. You weren't home. No one knew where you were not even your mother," she tugged tighter. "I was mad. I- I almost told out of spite. I thought maybe at least that would get you home, but then I thought I'd lose you forever anyway and-" She was babbling but he let her go on. She needed to do this, even if he did wonder how he was going to survive this whole ordeal.

"I… I guessed you never wanted to see me again, but I did. Kaito I…" she droned off as she hung her head letting her arms hang limply beside her as she let go still half sprawled on the pavement.

He moved to sit up better. He honestly didn't have words for once in his life. He couldn't tease his way out of this one, or joke, or even offer condolences. He was too stunned to say much of anything, which was why when suddenly a hand lashed out slamming against his cheek he was actually grateful for the action.

This was an Aoko he knew, even if she still had one or two tears on her cheek.

"You bastard!" Her eyes were smoldering as she looked back up at him, "You-"

The sigh was one of relief as a smirk played along his lips, "Welcome back your ladyship." He winced as another slap met his other cheek.

It probably mad a hilarious scene if there was anyone to see them. A young man sprawled on his back on the sidewalk with a woman in a wedding dress half straddled over him hand raised for a slap. Quite a scene and thank goodness no one was out at that hour.

"How DARE you," her voice was dangerous this time. She was already stressed for emotions, and now he could tell she remembered that she was actually mad at him. Well of course she was, hell if it was him in that situation he'd be furious. "Kaito you- you. You were KID and you, you just- and than-" well she wasn't making much sense yet but that was expected.

"When did you finally find out?" he asked softly eyes kind as he watched her.

"Does it matter?" she murmured. "You knew I was going to after all what with that stupid letter-"

The smile turned bitter, "Would you have rather I left without explaining anything? Something tells me I probably wouldn't have a head now if that were the case. I found her by the way." His eyes grew distant as he looked beyond her.

"Her? Oh… you mean that stupid stone?"

He nodded, "Guess that's one way to put it. She's gone now, I made sure of that- kinda don't know what to do with my time now, though I suppose I can be expecting your Dad at my door in the morning ne?"

She looked down at her wedding dress, "That'd be stupid-" she said softly. "KID stole so much from me already, shouldn't I at least have my father for my wedding? This week at least is suppose to be happy-"

Ouch.

She pulled at the lace not meeting his eye, "Dad would probably be happy to see you anyway" she added softly. "It's not like I could tell him. Hakuba knows I know, but he also knows I won't testify that in a court."

His eyes widened and then softened again this time his top mask slid off, "Oh."

She clenched the lace a little tighter, "I thought you always talked about being a magician… or did you leave behind your magic tricks like you left me?" And there went another mask out the window. "Did you just abandon that too?"

"I didn't know if the whole task force would show up at my first performance-" he said with no laughter in his words this time. "I didn't really want to step onto stage and be arrested before I could even do my first trick."

"You'd just do a disappearing act, your awfully good at it after all."

He sighed. He deserved that one too, especially since it was true, "Yeah well, it gets a little tiring after awhile."

Both looked at each other from where they were, neither quite meeting the others eye. It was Kaito who finally broke, even if he had no right what else did he have to lose after all? The worst she could do was turn him in, and at best maybe-

Yeah right.

"You love him right? The pratt-" he asked her looking out into the darkness. " I mean you do-"

"He loves me. I'm fairly sure at least, if nothing else he'll take good care of me. Hakuba's always been like that- even in high school-" it was a statement more then a response.

"Hah. He's always been too much of a player for his own good, flirting with anything that has two legs and breas-" one look from her and he knew he went too far.

"He's a good man Kaito, and you know that. And he does love me, I mean he never gave up now did he? He was there when you left too-" she swallowed. "I… I owe him this much at least."

Kaito raised an eyebrow, "You didn't answer my question though-"

"Well it's none of your business is it?" she snapped back and looking away further. "You don't have any right to ask me those questions in the first place so where do you get off delving into my emotions? You don't even have them! All you ever do, all you ever did is hide behind those bloody masks and laugh at the rest of us! Well I'm sorry Kaito, some of us are not as perfect as you are… some of are actually human." Her hands trembled a little as she smoothed the lace for the tenth time.

"Your right, I don't," he felt his voice drop as well as his masks that all slowly fell away. He knew his last ones would hold, he doubt he could drop those even if he tried, in that regard she was right, but he also knew he'd lost hold on his emotions. "But some of aren't as strong as you Aoko, or as brave-"

Something in his voice must have caught her attention because when she glanced up her eyes went wide. His face looked at least five- ten years older, with wrinkles highlighted around his eyes. He had worry lines that hadn't shown before, and there was a tiredness in his eyes that replaced the glitter that always seemed to cause them to shine.

His cheeks were still red from where she'd hit them and he almost flinched when he saw her hand move to towards his face. He wasn't expecting her to lay it gently on his cheek instead, and touch the creases in surprise. His eyes closed at the feeling. He couldn't help feeling almost like a cat being stroked by its owner, or for almost a moment imagining what could have been.

Well he'd thrown off his masks, he was allowed a moment to dream. Not to mention the warmth of her touch was to all regards like some sort of drug anyway. Illegal and addictive.

He opened them again to meet her eyes this time, blue eyes that held as much confusion and pain as he knew his must have. "There- Your right… I can't pull them all down. I don't know if that's even possible after so much time, but you got through the rest." He laughed slightly, "See? I'm not so perfect, though I can't imagine it's that mesmerizing to see me without them." He touched her hand without thinking, and she pulled back as if burned.

He looked away, "Right well… I guess I'll-"

"Why?"

He blinked looking back at her, she hadn't moved an inch from where she sat as she gripped her dress again. "What?"

"Why? Why now? Why did you have to come back now?" Her voice was strong and more angry then questioning, "Why not a year ago? A month ago? Even next week! But why now! Why Kaito?" he could tell she was holding back for his sake and he shook his head.

"I don't know. Honestly… If I had known I would have waited, at least… at least until after the wedding," he said softly. "I had no idea… not until I saw you in your window all dressed up like this. Heh I hadn't even expected to see you there. But you looked so… well…" he smiled sadly. Then all at once it was replaced with a smile, "You know what the dress is missing?"

"Kaito?"

"Mmm- this" he reached towards her pushing back a strand of hair and her hand flew up to feel soft white petals. He drew his hand back and smiled at her, "There… now you really can rival a rose."

He realized he was starting to stare and finally decided he needed to move. He couldn't risk getting caught here, "Well I think I've over stayed my welcome, you might need to get your dressed cleaned- if you want just tell my mother what cleaners and I'll see to the bill since it is my faul-"

He never finished his words as suddenly a hand grabbed his arm forcing him to turn back towards her, and all at once he found himself pulled into a kiss.

It was sudden and fierce and a complete shock as he took a moment to register the fact that it was Aoko's lips against his, and it was Aoko who had grabbed his arms, and it was Aoko who-

It took another moment for his thoughts to come to a complete stop, and he discovered his arms wrapped around her and he was drawing her to her feet and then off of them. He had in his arms everything he ever wanted, and frankly common rational was not highest on his list of priorities.

He deepened the kiss slightly and he felt her give way in his arms, melting in them, a sharp contrast to the ferocity of how she'd begun the whole thing. When he was finished with the first, he nearly stole a second before he remembered the situation. If they hadn't been so entangled he might have jumped back like fire, but as it was he was frightened she might fall if he completely let go.

Instead he looked at her wordlessly only to be met by eyes that were smoldering and a serious expression, but her face was more alive than it had been all night.

He didn't quite know what he was expecting, but he wasn't quite prepared for what she did say.

"I don't love him."

He didn't even know he'd been teasing her hair until he drew his hand back, "What?"

"Hakuba… I… I mean I like him well enough, but.. I don't- I don't love him," her breath caught and she looked up at him with more courage then he could ever muster.

"Then why-"

"I… You'd been gone so long. He would at least take care of me, and I knew he loved me and I thought maybe I could grow to love him. Women use to marry because of that anyway, and I know Daddy would be happy with that so-" she hung her head. "I think… I think maybe I even believed I was in love, but then you showed up and-"

He shook his head and reached up to catch her chin, "No. Don't you dare give up all this because of me. Aoko I'm nothing. I'm barely worth wiping your feet on. I don't know what you were thinking kissing me like that but-"

He hadn't expected to see a smile creep back onto her face, "Oh? I didn't see you complaining when you were kissing me back, and Hakuba never came close to-"

Scarlet might come close to expressing the shade of red he knew his cheeks were, and he had to make a face, "Ek… come on Aoko don't torture me with an image of you and that-" he cut off with a shudder.

He was rewarded with a soft smile though, "Well it's the truth." Her eyes were sparkling this time, "What's that they say about not knowing what your missing? I… I had to know- and…"

He shook his head, "Aoko you shouldn't-"

"Kaito how long would it have lasted anyway? If all it took was one kiss from you to make me decide I shouldn't marry him? Do you really think it would last a year? Two maybe? Is that even fair to him?" She shook her head, "So don't be so conceited, its not just you. You just… decided it for me."

"…so you used me?"

"Basically," she said with a smile up at him.

"You realize Hakuba's not going to see it that way right? He's going to hear I'm in town and decide he wants my head on a platter for good this time, even if KID is retired and gone."

Her head jolted up, "Wait… you mean you really did give up being KID? That your-"

"Yeah," he smiled. "I told you I found her and she's gone, and the FBI have custody of Dad's murderers so its all done… So you think I should go ahead and pursue being a magician?"

"You always did say you could rival KID," the hesitant smile was back.

"Then I guess that's settled. I've kind of missed having an audience of my own anyway-" he smiled and then sighed. "Aoko… are you sure this is what you want? I mean you said it yourself Hakuba does love you and I'm not exactly the best replacement."

He was thrown off when her smile widened, "I just said I wasn't going to marry Hakuba. Whoever said anything about dating you?"

"Ehhh? But you said- I thought…" he noticed that she was beginning to giggle and he threw her a scowl, "Oh I see… so that's how your going to be. Well I'm sure once I start my magician work there will be plenty of girls all lined up in a row happy to go out with me. Not to mention I'll have to choose one of them to be my assistant. Maybe a blond American with a nice-"

"Kaito!"

"Well if your going to leave me stranded with just my poor lonesome self-"

She rolled her eyes, "Idiot."

"You know it." He looked down at her and studied the dress she was wearing shaking his head mournfully, "You really did a job to that dress… Even getting it cleaned I doubt you'll be able to return it. Though it would be a shame to anyway seeing how lovely it looks on you-" suddenly he grinned, "Hey it even gives you curves!!"

He felt her fist attach with his head as she yelled, "Kaito!!"

He snorted, "What are you trying to do? Wake up your father with all that caterwauling?"

Her face paled, "Oh no…. Dad… He's going to kill me!!" She looked at the dress and for a moment it look like she was going to faint.

"Do you mean about the wedding?" for a moment his face looked troubled again until she shook her head.

"No… actually he'll probably be relieved. Honestly I think he had some sort of bet going for you and I think he was a little disappointed when I said I was marrying Hakuba instead… My problem is the fact he paid for the dress-"

Even Kaito winced.

"Oh."

"Yeah… Oh…" she frowned and then a smile teased on her lips, "Of course… I could always blame it on you- It was your fault after all."

"Huh?? How is it my fault!?"

She shrugged gathering her dress, "You showed up at window."

"Oh? And who was the one who had the brilliant idea of tackling me to the ground?"

"But you-"

He grinned, "I could always leave a KID note and just steal it for a few days before returning it after getting it cleaned…"

"…..Kaito…."

"I mean it would get us out of trouble… we could always just blame him-"

"……..Kaito….."

"While I was at it I could leave one for Hakuba too… lets see something about I've taken from you the fairest of all, the shining sapphire now graces my- "

"………………………….."

He met her eyes and swallowed hard wondering if now would be a good time to escape, "Or I could just sneak you back into your room and take the dress with me and make sure it gets cleaned first thing tomorrow… ne?"

Her father might be scary, but he swore that girl had to have some Amazon blood in her.

"Alright-" she replied with a nod. "That's fine… but I swear if Dad gets one note-"

"I'll be good" he promised with a smile. "Really…"

"If you say so-" she said with a yawn as she leaned back against his shoulder. "I'm glad you came home Kaito… even if you were a little late-" she teased softly.

He chuckled before placing a hesitant kiss on her forehead, "But not too late Aoko. Not too late…"

A/N: Mebbie this ended a little too happy for my tastes… just means that I'm gonna have to make the next one angstier XD 'nyway it was based off of If I Told You from the wedding singer… well that and the scene where he sees her through the window in her wedding dress…. I couldn't resist… the scene where she crashes into him is also slightly based of Nana… but to figure that out you'll have to read the manga (or watch the anime) yourself

On another note: only 20 more stories to go!!! Now to see if I can ever get there XD Thank you all for keeping up with me as long as you have ;;