Spur of the moment chapter.

This was made because my hamster died and I was really sad. Nothing like this happened, of course
but poor Lulu is gone and up in hamster heave right now. She was one of those tiny Russian ones, so she wasn't
that friendly, but she was adorable and sweet when she wanted to be.

*cash is used the American way, in dollars. If I put yen I need to convert it and people will get confused and this way is just simpler

Interlude: Many Happy Returns

Nineteen. Not one of the bigger numbers up there but most certainly one of the lowest to reach the rank I had. Yeah, the great Kaitou Kid had become an Inspector. It was so sickening it makes me laugh whenever I look back on my life.

Hakuba had been back for an entire week, and here I was, falling apart inside with his clear eyes constantly on me as we worked together on a fraud case involving a politician. It was a bunch of leg work right now, which made his gaze all the more piercing since he had no real information information to distract him.

"What's that matter, Kuroba?"

"Nothing," I muttered under my breath, almost a growl. I hadn't meant to do that. Then again, my skills at masking my own emotions were stale at this point. "I've just got a lot on my mind."

"You look like you're ready to cry. What happened? Did Aoko-chan break up with you?"

We both laughed at that. As if that would happen after all that we'd been through together. All that we still had to go through.

"Not in a million years. Like I said, I've got something on my mind."

Hakuba sighed. I kept smiling. Yeah, like old times.

"We've been at this a few hours. I think now would be a decent time to take a break, and I am in need of some food. Tell me over lunch? My treat."

"If you're paying, sure."

I walked down the stairs ahead of the detective, my steps quickened for the simple thrill of being in front of him. I didn't find the enjoyment I normally would in such a childish act, but it did distract me for a while. I was sad when the steps ended and the warm air of the outside world took the place of the air-conditioned cold that helped numb me somewhat from my other thoughts.

"There's a place down the street. I saw it when we passed by earlier. We'll come for the cars after we're done."

"'Kay."

That got Hakuba's eyes back on me. Though all three detective were very different there was one trait that Hakuba had that they did as well. Hattori and Kudo, now that he was the right age thanks to a little undercover work in pilfering the poison, still felt uneasy when I agreed with them. I have no idea why. I want to say Hakuba was the first to feel that way, but I couldn't be sure. He was definitely the first one I noticed it with.

Hakuba actually took us to a fast food place. I raised my eyebrow at him as he pushed the door in, letting a small smile come before it faded into concern. "There are fewer ears in places like this. Restaurants tend to attract a very attentive crowd."

"And what's wrong with attention?" I pushed the door before it could close, hearing the remnants of a bell that had gone off when Hakuba had opened it.

"I want to know what's wrong, and I thought you'd prefer it if all of Japan didn't hear of it."

"It doesn't really matter." I shook my head, seeing a few scattered people here and there. A group of two in the corner, girls. Another man reading a paper near the garbage can in the front. Another group of three in the opposite back corner. A mother and what appeared to be her daughter and younger son.

"You don't mind eating here, do you?" Hakuba asked politely, falling back so that I could order first.

"Nah. Contrary to what you may think, even with my new job, I don't have very much money."

"Crime doesn't pay, but I've never heard that the law doesn't pay. What do you do with the money?"

"I'm helping my mom pay the bills. Now that I've got Dad's car, it needs gas. I can take care of most of the repairs, but I have to buy the parts. Everyday life can be expensive."

"I'll take you at your word. I haven't had the same problems."

"I'm aware," I said with narrowed eyes, hunching my shoulders forward as I looked at the menu. I didn't think the food at these places was bad. I could eat anything on there and be happy. People could be so picky sometimes.

The woman in front of me took her food, the plastic bag obvious that she wasn't staying. I moved to the front and ordered a burger with bacon and extra cheese, followed by a healthy dose of onion rings and a Sprite. Hey, at least it had no caffeine.

Hakuba pushed me so that he could order his food. I was somewhat surprised when he got the same thing that I did, but with some fruit-flavored drink.

"Didn't know you liked this kind of stuff," I said, quietly enough that no one else heard.

"There isn't much that I don't like. I'm not as heath-crazed as you seem to think I am, either. I'm sure your metabolism is higher than my own, but when good food is fattening, I'm not going to pass it up for that reason, though I wouldn't consider this the best food in the world. It's all about limits."

"Yeah, yeah." The bill was under fifteen dollars, so I didn't feel bad about Hakuba paying. Truth be told, I didn't have very much money for other reasons at the moment. There were a lot of repairs that the house needed, and Mom didn't have the money. I wasn't letting her know how close I was cutting it as well. If it became a problem, I was going to take care of it somehow. Nakamori could probably help me until the end of the month if I needed it.

We waited in silence for the food to be ready. I leaned against a counter containing condiments, watching so that I didn't squirt myself with the ketchup by accident.

"I didn't think much of it at the time, but the police were near your house early yesterday morning. Does what's wrong have anything to do with that?"

I twitched.

"Thought so. You're still here, so I have to think it wasn't anything important. There were only two cars. I didn't worry, because it would take more than that to catch you if they found out. Maybe I should have worried. What was it then?"

"Small thing really. I'll tell you when we get the food." I looked away, back into the same food parlor.

Hakuba didn't press. He even took the tray when it was ready, and we went as far away from anyone as we possibly could. I sat down by the window, which was half shaded to cover the glare from the afternoon sun. I took a few bites of the burger before putting it down and hooking an onion ring onto my finger. Hakuba ate some of the food before asking me anything. I couldn't read the detective, not that I could before, but I certainly used to be able to do it better than I could now. Hakuba had changed, though I doubt he noticed it. He didn't hide like he used to, but that only made it harder to tell. I could see falsity. Everything the detective put up was his true emotions, just not necessarily the important ones. It was like getting an "F" in history but then looking forward to lunch because they were serving your favorite food. The "F" was worse, but you could look happy when you were thinking of something else. Hakuba was like that.

"So, what happened?"

I sighed, leaning back in the chair and staring at the food in front of me. "Someone broke into my house while Mom and I weren't home. There wasn't much stolen. We didn't really have much. We won't be watching TV for a while, and someone took my laptop. The window was broken, but I called someone this morning to fix it. They should be done by the time I get back."

Hakuba didn't laugh, but it wasn't what he was expecting. "I can imagine how that would bother you but not enough to affect you like this. I know possessions never meant much to you unless they were... important in a way that wasn't based off their value."

"They didn't take anything like what you're thinking." I closed my eyes. "It's... ah, sorry. I guess this is bothering me over nothing, or at least, nothing I can change. You're going to think I'm stupid or something." I knew tears were forming in my eyes. I couldn't help it. I didn't want to think about it. Whoever this was, I was going to get them. They messed with the wrong person. Getting revenge never made it better, though, and that made me feel all the worse. There really wasn't anything to do about pain. It was there. You could forget about it for a time, but that was it. And I knew what a stupid thing it was to someone else, but to me it wasn't stupid.

"Please, Kuroba, I've had enough of your puzzles and hesitancy to tell from all these years to last me a lifetime. I'm not going to put up with it now."

I looked up, seeing Hakuba's light blue eyes, so unlike anyone else's. I don't understand why other people look down on foreigners. Hakuba's lighter features were just a different variety. It wasn't like he was an alien. I hated that term. I'd had to fill out a form when I'd crossed an 'illegal alien' in the country. Whoever thought up to use the term on other humans was none other than a racist imbecile.

"Kuroba," Hakuba snapped his fingers. "You're clearly not focusing on what I asked."

"Sorry." I was doing that a lot recently. It was safer to switch the subject. But Hakuba wanted to know, and it wasn't like I hadn't called Aoko to tell her after I found out. "Whoever broke in went through the whole house. My room wasn't very pleasant to walk into when I found out. I... I keep several things in there. You know how I had my birds in Mom's room? I usually have a few in my room. They're in cages, but they can get out if they want." I paused to eat another onion ring and saw that my hand was shaking a little.

Hakuba focused on me, resting his chin on his palm and just waiting. I leaned back to start again.

"One of the doves got out and must have attacked the guy or something. There was about five or six doves in there at the time. I found four of them hiding and one flying frantically around the kitchen. The robber had... ah," I swallowed. "They must have broken the bird's wing first. They stepped on him until he stopped moving. Not much I could do for him when I found him." I took a sip of Sprite.

"I think he got them mad, because I can't think Mary did much when they came in. She caught their line of sight though. She was never afraid of strangers." I rubbed my eye where it was getting too much to hold in the tears. "She had to have died then. She was bleeding out of her mouth and... ah, you know. They just stepped on her. I found some small blood stains on the wall. They might have thrown her. She died from internal injuries. It just... kinda got me." I giggled one of those nervous laughs you get when you're too emotional to let out any other noise. "Silly, I know. She was just a rabbit. I had her for two years, so it wasn't like she was young either."

"It's not silly at all." Hakuba blinked, watching me still. "You cared about her. She was a pet. Pets are family. Of course you would be upset."

I hate condolences. Aoko got me with that the other day, too. It only made me cry more. A few years ago, maybe I could have hidden it. I wasn't the same person I was a few years ago, though. I was a person who had his house broken into and his pet killed. I couldn't believe how attached I'd gotten to Mary from the moment that I had seen her. She was my little white rabbit. I'd already seen one die. I didn't think I'd have to see the same thing again. She was mine. They had no right to kill her. No reason.

"I know it won't be the same, and it don't intend for it to be, but come with me." Hakuba offered his hand. I wiped a few more tears, trying to stop them before accepting the offering. Hakuba let me go when I was standing and took the tray, throwing what was left on it away. "If you're still hungry, I'll get you something later."

"I'm not-" My voice cracked. That made me laugh for some reason, and Hakuba smiled with me. I felt better than I had before. It did help talking to someone. "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere to make the both of us feel better. I don't like depressing stories. If you want to leave when we get there, you may."

"Where?"

"Just come on. I never thought that I would have to call you slow, but you're certainly taking your sweet time."

"And I never thought I'd call you rude."

"Want to see me being rude?" Hakuba pushed the door open with his back so that he could grin at me. "It's been a few years, and an adult life is much different from that of a teenager."

"Don't remind me." I rolled my eyes. "When did you ever live the teenage life?"

"While I was away," Hakuba continued to grin even after we were out and on our way back to our cars.

"I don't want to know," I muttered, wanting to know at the same time I said the words. I didn't think Hakuba could live up to the images I pictured when he said that, but I'd get that out of him later.

Hakuba's car was first, and he hopped into the convertible, patting the seat. "Get in."

"What about my car?" I looked towards the old white hybrid model that my dad had made.

"We'll come back and get it. I'm sure that I'm going to be hungry soon anyway. We've got nothing terribly important to do today, and I don't feel like interviewing the rest of the people on our very long list. It can wait until tomorrow."

"We're skipping out on work?"

"I guess so." Hakuba raised his eyebrows and laughed. "It's not too bad every once and a while. Very freeing."

"Okay," I got in the car and shut the door. "Now, I really want to know what you've been up to while you were gone."

"A story or two for another day, then." Hakuba pulled away, driving with both hands on the wheel but a definite slouch in his posture. Maybe more had changed with him than the things that I'd already noticed. He certainly acted his age now, when he wasn't in front of people. My hand kept shaking while the car took off. While he'd been growing up and changing, I'd been doing the opposite.
"Hakuba."

Hakuba waited long enough to be annoyed when I didn't say anything more. "Yes?"

"I'm such a coward." I slumped into the seat, feeling my depression worsen. "I couldn't even touch her."

"Touch who?" Hakuba turned from the road to give me a strange look at my sudden change in topic.

"Mary. I couldn't touch her. I saw her there, on the floor, not breathing and covered in blood, and I couldn't even touch her. I spent all this time getting used to crime scenes. I even work for temporary assignments with division one. I see dead bodies at least once a month, and I couldn't touch Mary. Mom couldn't do it either. I made her cry, 'cause she had to try when I said I wouldn't. Nakamori-ojisan had to come over and do it. Then, I had to go and upset Aoko." I shook my head, hating myself. "I couldn't have just gotten it over with. I had to make everything worse. I was so shaken up at the time that Ojisan was the one who had to bury her. All I did was follow him and watch, like a child. I hate it."

"That's nothing to ashamed of." Hakuba stared at the road blankly and lowered himself further into the seat instead of comforting me. That knocked me a few notches back towards normal but not enough to matter. "It's only natural not to want to be near a creature you were close to when it's dead. If we're making any comparisons, I'm much worse than you. I never even cared to bring Watson over when I knew I was going to be in England for so long."

I shook my head sullenly. It wasn't the same.

"If Watson were to die, I don't think I'd even be able to see him... Just imagining it isn't something I like to do. If I'm lucky, he'll live another twenty years. Your doves, were they yours or your father's?"

"My dad's. Some of them. Jii was the one who bought them. I added ten when I started." I stared at the dashboard, the wind blowing my hair about in a way that made me long for a trip on my glider. It wasn't something I took lightly anymore, and I found myself craving the freedom constantly. I'd been employing the black one, for safety and security reasons. Kid had to stay gone. "Why? I didn't think you were interested in doves."

"I'm not especially. Doves in captivity live for a fair amount of time. Almost as long as Watson. If your father had gotten them before you were born, didn't you ever experience one of their deaths?"

"Of course," I murmured. "I've seen about two of them die, why?"

"Were you sad then? Could you touch them then?"

"I was a kid." I forced myself as far away from the detective that I could. "Of course I couldn't. My dad did it."

"Don't you think it was hard for him to do that? I'm sure he'd experienced it before then. He'd been getting used to it but it's not like death leaves no effect behind. You aren't used it." Hakuba paused. "It's also negligence on my part. I was home all yesterday morning unpacking, and I failed to notice anything wrong."

Until I turned my full attention to him, I didn't notice how hard Hakuba's hands were clutching the steering wheel.

"Dying of old age is fine, so I'm sure that, yeah, I'll be able to handle something like that. And don't worry about not noticing." This was in no way Hakuba's fault. How the stupid detective could find a way to blame himself for this was beyond me. "I'm going to catch the asshole that broke in and at least make sure they're held responsible."

Hakuba frowned, his hands still fisted hard enough to make his knuckles white. "You're replacing the window. If they were reckless enough to kill the animals in their way, I can't image they left your home in one piece. How are you paying for it?"

"With money, of course. It wasn't that bad." There were always people I could turn to if it did get that bad. We had to get new paint in my room, as well as plaster and paint for the main room where a large cabinet had been knocked over and broke through the wall. "Everything else can be replaced, and money is expendable."

"Right." Hakuba reached into his pocket and pulled out two fifties. "It's expendable, and I have enough of it. If you need more, just ask."

I hesitated for a moment and took it. "Thanks." I needed the money. I'd feel bad about it when I had time to.

"You're welcome."

It took me a few minutes to think about what he'd said earlier. "You were only home for an hour before you came with me yesterday. How in the world can you think that the hour you were rushing around a new house you're not familiar with yet, you'd notice something going on at my place?"

"It doesn't matter. I should have noticed, even if I was rushing a bit. What's done is done, and the only thing that matters now is what we do with the situation."

I smiled, letting myself take his words in the positive light they were spoken in. "I know. Wish it wasn't easier said than done."

"Don't we all?" Hakuba smiled back at me for a moment, eyes hardened and making his expression askew. My facial expression was probably similar to his, so I let him be.

I didn't hold back on my feelings when we pulled into a pet store.

"I am SO not going in there." I cross my arms and sat where I was while Hakuba got out.

"That's fine with me. I told you I found it perfectly acceptable if you wanted to remain outside. I'll be back momentarily. I swear, though, you leave this car and I will not let you forget it." The detective's eyes were full of bloodlust. Something I'd never seen from him, even when he was mad. It was actually scary.

"You don't see me getting out, do you?"

"Let it stay that way." Hakuba walked off into the shop while I sat there, more curious as to how he became so threatening than worrying about where we were.

Hakuba had taken the keys, so I couldn't listen to the radio or anything. I pushed the seat back and let myself relax. I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. Aoko was worried, and Nakamori had been running around with me, trying to find clues as to who had broken in. He was still working on it, though I had to report it early this morning or he would have been assigned something else. Robbery was grunt work, but the boss knew how close our families were. It was personal for me, so I wasn't allowed near it. You can't really expect an officer in the same department of the crime that was committed against them not to have some stake in that matter. Nakamori was mine.

It was a nice day out, so I ended up dozing. I slept through Hakuba getting in the car and only woke when he shook me.

"Kuroba, it's three in the afternoon. I'd let you sleep, but you'll never wake up tomorrow if I do."

"I'm up." I blinked my eyes, clearly lying as I tried to get the bright world behind my lids to make sense. "What do you want?"

"Keep her. If you don't, I'll take her. The new house is large enough that I can keep one downstairs and the other up." Hakuba put something into my lap, and I closed my eyes.

"Take it. I can't."

"So if you don't look at her then you won't want her? I named her already. We have Kuro-chan, and now we have Aoi-chan."

"That still isn't going to make me look at it."

"Her."

"It," I stated flatly. "Now take her."

Hakuba laughed. "You called the rabbit a 'her'."

"Darn it!" I sat up, and the furry thing moved around in my lap. I didn't look at it but turned my furious gaze on Hakuba. "I told you no!"

"Fine, she's mine, then." Hakuba bent over and picked up something dark and honey-colored off of my lap before I had time to look the other way.

"It's not white."

I surprised both of us when I spoke. I folded my arms again and looked anywhere but near Hakuba.

"No, she's not. That was for who you were then, when Kid and magic were important to you. This one is for Aoko-chan. For who you are now." I could tell Hakuba was moving but couldn't see what he was doing. "This one is for both. The brown for Aoko-chan's hair, like she did with Kuro-chan, and the lighter color for Kid. I thought it was acceptable."

"Not that you had your pick of very many," I grumbled.

"I would have left and gone somewhere else had they not had her. It has to be a girl, to go with Kuro-chan, and it had to match you and your personality."

I sighed, feeling my heart drop. I couldn't do that again. "Hakuba, you know I can't stand not to look at a cute, furry animal."

"I know."

"Then why'd you get it?"

"Her. And I got her because you need her, as well as your mother and Aoko. Kuro-chan will be rather lonely without a companion."

"You're evil."

"I've been called worse."

I gave in, growling at him as I turned to look at the small, honey-colored rabbit. "I'm not keeping it."

"Her." Hakuba handed the bunny to me. "Aoi-chan will be sad if you keep calling her an it."

"Let her be sad." I growled again when I realized I fell into his ploy. When someone keeps saying a word over and over again, it sticks with you.

I held up the rabbit, looking her over. Fine. Her. Her coat was softer than Mary's had been, but her ears stuck up the same way, and she had the same feral features. Her fur was a rich medium brown. The nose was different, and the ears were a little short, but they looked like the same breed.

I petted her, holding her in my lap while Hakuba started the car. This rabbit had black eyes, like Aoko's did. It curled up and stayed with me where Mary was always trying to run off and be on her own. Mary was like me. This rabbit wasn't. This rabbit was the calm I needed.

I wiped away the tears and turned the car back off before Hakuba could go anywhere.

"Thanks."

Hakuba smiled, eyes still far too hard. I couldn't understand it. "You're welcome."

"Can you stay here for a second?" I gave him the rabbit... Aoi-chan, and got out of the car. "I won't be long."

"What are you doing?" Hakuba held the rabbit, confused that I was going into the pet store without it.

"I need more food if I'm gonna keep her. I was running low and I thought I'd grab some while I was here."

"I'll go with you."

"No, please." I took a deep breath. "Thanks, but leave me alone for a while."

Hakuba nodded. "Take as long as you want."

I let myself grin when I turned away from him. If I really needed food, it would have been a good excuse.

I spent a minute or two in the shop, asking for information while I bought rabbit food that I didn't need. Once I got what I wanted, I joined Hakuba in the car.

"I wanted to get something else. I threw a few things out when I... found out. There's a pet shop down a while off from here that has it. Can we stop by?"

"Sure. We'll go, make a quick stop at your house to drop her off, and then we can get something good to eat. That burger wasn't cooked all the way."

"Really?" I tried to remember what it tasted like and failed. "I don't remember."

So I directed Hakuba to where I needed to go, much more collected then I had been earlier. Aoi-chan. Hm. It was no replacement, but she'd make up for Mary's absence. It wasn't so much as filling a hole as filling a need. The hole was still there.

Hakuba waited in the car without argument this time.

I went straight to the cashier to get what I wanted. I'd borrowed the phone from the other pet store. The people at the other shop didn't have it, so they got this one to prepare it for me. I opened the box and looked to make sure it was what I wanted. I grinned to the cashier and gave him one of Hakuba's fifties. He gave me change, and I took the box to the car, careful to sneak around the vehicle until I was close enough to slip the box into the back seat and pop up near Hakuba's door to scare him.

I wasn't actually trying to do it, just to mask me putting the box in there, but he jumped anyway and the poor bunny got dropped and fell into his lap. She wasn't hurt and quickly escaped Hakuba's clutches before he could drop her again.

"Kuroba, that wasn't nice!"

"Sorry." And I really was.

Hakuba shook his head. "What was that for anyway?"

"You said you had enough room, and I know how much fun Watson is," I rolled my eyes. "I did watch him for most of my last year in high school before Jii-chan and your housekeeper took over. He's a cool pet but not the friendliest of creatures. It can't be much fun having him."

"I appreciate your criticism, but I like Watson just the way he is."

"Well," I moved behind Hakuba where I opened the box. He hadn't seen it, and the sound attracted his attention.

"What is that?"

I plopped a Holland lop eared bunny - a light brown peachy color, close to Hakuba's hair but slightly nearer to an orange - into his now vacant lap. Unlike Mary and Aoi-chan's straight up ears, or even Kuro-chan's ears that were constantly back, this one's were in the front of its face and sticking up with gentle features. "Meet Midori-chan. I couldn't really think of anything else, and green is your birthstone. So now we have Kuro, Aoi, and Midori. Black, blue, and green." I grinned. "We match!"

"Kuroba, I don't—"

"You know you like her." I reached into the car and petted the rabbit behind her light-colored ears. I was sure she was the right one. Hakuba needed an animal that he could be calm with. A cat would have done just as well, but this way Hakuba would have to come over to my house or Aoko's every now and then. Midori was the best choice.

"You have no money, and you're spending what I give you on a rabbit?" Hakuba moved his eyes from the rabbit, who was currently trying to examine everything on Hakuba's body, to me. "I really don't need a rabbit."

"It will be a little more work." I went around the other side and picked up Aoi. I snuggled her close to me while she hung loose in my arms. "But they're worth it. Trust me, Hakuba, they're nothing like birds." I grinned and looked at him. "If you don't want her, I'll take her."

"I'll keep her." Hakuba scratched the rabbit behind the ears while he started the car, watching her closely so she wouldn't fall. "Why a girl though?"

"Because Aoko and I are dating. You're still single." I laughed.

"I don't need a girlfriend, and it's even sadder to think that I need a rabbit to take the place of one."

"I don't know." I winked. "See if she brings you any luck in the future. Cute animals are girl magnets."

Hakuba didn't argue, more focused on driving and keeping Midori in check. I was looking forward seeing Mom's reaction to Aoi. It might even help Aoko. The prospect of lunch was also promising.

"You know," I gave Hakuba a sly smile. "Akako-chan's been on me recently about some trespassing on her property. I guess a bunch of kids think she's a witch. She doesn't know you're back yet. Maybe opposites attract. You could always try double dating with us."

Hakuba blushed. I grinned more.

"I don't even know her."

I brought a leg up and curled Aoi close to me again, feeling her warmth and soft fur tickling my face. "I know, but anything can happen. Maybe you'll like her."

"Maybe."

I continued to grin. Possibilities had a way of making the future look much more entertaining.

...

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AN: Aoi is NOT pronounced the way Aoko is, though it's taken from the same kanji, meaning 'blue', and is pronounced (ah - oh - ee)