Shinichi walked into the room and Kaito smiled sweetly at him.

Too sweetly.

Oh, shit.

He almost backed away, but he stood his ground. He gave his lover a wary look. "What?"

Kaito hummed mildly, leaning his front comfortably against the back of the couch, his elbows resting on the top of it, his hands cupping his jawline. He appeared perfectly calm and vaguely amused, 'good-humored', but it didn't distract from the irked look in his eyes, despite how pleasantly he smiled.

Shinichi inwardly cringed. Uh oh...

He scrambled to recall if he had done anything that could've pissed Kaito off, but he was coming up with a blank. Shit, shit, shit...

"You forgot something today," Kaito kindly informed him, and, argh, Shinichi was now officially convinced that Ran's been giving his only true love lessons on being scarily passive aggressive. Because really, it's the only solution for Kaito knowing exactly how to make him nervous and scared for his life without any yelling or threats.

But...he forgot something? What?

"What did I forget?" Shinichi hesitantly stepped further into the room, instinctively ready to duck and cover in case something is thrown at him, even though he knew that it wouldn't happen. Kaito wasn't like Ran, all passive until she explodes in either fury or hurt. He was passive and then visibly irritated or distant. Kaito did not throw things or scream at him – he just ignored him in silence, if he was sincerely upset, which cut at Shinichi, deeply.

The cold shoulder was much worse than any thrown object.

Kaito stared at him, still smiling. Then the emotions in his eyes flattened, the annoyance twisting into sharp disappointment. Ouch.

"What?" Shinichi worriedly fidgeted. Clueless.

The magician sighed at this, bowing his head down briefly. He smiled wanly, and then he pushed away from the couch. He walked around the couch, neatly bounding across the room, striding pass a suddenly frozen Shinichi. Kaito didn't quite meet his eyes, and only gave him a vague smile (so fake it hurt) when he passed him to leave the room.

"Figure it out, meitantei," Kaito airily said. "I'll be upstairs when you do."

Shinichi frowned, listening to his footsteps as he walked down the hall, and then up the stairs, but he didn't turn and follow him. Instead, he fell into a detective mindset – something so easy and simple, like breathing – because he needed to fix this, and fix it fast. Obviously, he's really upset Kaito – genuinely – and that didn't happen often. He pouts, or whines, or sulks, or complains at the drop of a hat, but it's never serious.

This? This was serious. Personal.

"What did I forget...?" Shinichi wondered aloud, narrowing his eyes with intense thought.

It takes him a while. He's ashamed to admit it, but it's true.

It took twenty minutes for the realization to punch him in the gut with vicious guilt. It took him one minute to run out into the hall, reach the broom closet to grab a brightly colored present (cleverly hidden under a fish-themed bucket), and then promptly race up the stairs. He hesitated in front of the bedroom door, feeling very small – like scum, really, but he gathered his courage, and quietly opened the door.

Kaito looked up from his study of the floor at his entrance.

Something in Shinichi's stomach twisted at the sight, because it's obvious that Kaito had been sitting patiently at the foot of the bed. It twisted oddly between a warm, butterfly flutter – he loves the fact that Kaito has such faith in his detective abilities, even when he's being a complete idiot – and a lurch of guilt, because, really, he didn't deserve that sort of unconditional faith.

Not after he forgot (how could he forget? How, how, how?). Not after he obviously hurt him with his unintended disregard.

Because...because...

Indigo eyes stared at him without any expression, watching as he nervously shuffled over to the bed – to him. Shinichi's body language was distinctly sheepish as he wordlessly presented the cheerful looking package to the eerily silent form on the bed. Kaito glanced at the present, but he didn't immediately take it. Instead, he looked back up at Shinichi, watching. Waiting.

Shinichi swallowed. "Um...happy birthday, Kaito," He whispered, grinning weakly.

Kaito tore his gaze away from Shinichi's, and he considered the present. It was an average sized box, with a rainbow themed gift wrapping. It was fun and cheerful, and naturally intriguing, because it was a box (what's in it?), and after a moment, Kaito gently took the gift-wrapped box from Shinichi's hands. He quietly put it aside on the floor next to his left foot, and then he smiled at Shinichi, reaching out to pull the nervous detective into a hug.

Instantly relieved, Shinichi hugged him back, nearly hunching over Kaito's head as the thief nuzzled his stomach.

"Thank you," Kaito said simply, but with a quiet smile that was only heard, not seen. All he really wanted was a 'happy birthday' – he was sure that the present would be nice, since Shinichi tended to get really thoughtful gifts, but what he really wanted was just an acknowledgment from Shinichi. Anything else would just be a bonus.

Shinichi held him tighter. "...you're welcome. And I'm sorry – "

Kaito laughed, the sound slightly muffled due to the hug. "I forgive you. You didn't mean to forget. You were busy."

"That doesn't make it any better," Shinichi frowned.

Because to Shinichi, it was okay to forget his own birthday. He's never cared enough to remember it.

It wasn't okay to forget Kaito's birthday, however.

Not in his books.

Unseen by mortal eyes, Lady Luck smacked a repentant Death, who sulked.

How was he supposed to know that it was a 'Murder Free Day' today?