DCMK || KaiShin || DCMK || KaiShin || Retirement Plan || KaiShin || DCMK || KaiShin || DCMK

Title: Retirement Plan – Don't Underestimate Great Detectives

Fandom: Detective Conan / Magic Kaito

Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Gosho Aoyama for he created the awesomeness that is Kaitou KID. Ah, and Detective Conan, too. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Tags: m/m, fluff, post-canon

Main Pairing: Kaito/Shinichi

DC/MK Characters: Kudou Shinichi, Kuroba Kaito, Hakuba Saguru, Nakamori Aoko

Summary: Kaitou KID (temporarily) retires and Kuroba Kaito has a five phase plan of meeting and befriending Kudou Shinichi and making him fall in love with Kaito. The plan is thrown out the window when Shinichi appears at his school's gates one afternoon.

Retirement Plan

Don't Underestimate Great Detectives

"I still can't believe KID is just... gone," Aoko's voice was baffled and soft. "I wonder why."

"Mh," Saguru's eyes immediately found Kaito, sharp as ever. "I suspect he finally found the gem he was looking for. You too noticed the way he always returned the jewelry he stole. Not this time. This was the first gem he actually kept. And then he only held one more heist, announcing it to be his 'grand finale'. His last show. That last gem must have been what he had been after."

"Ah. That makes sense. But then, why that last show," Aoko sat up straighter. "Bakaito! Don't you have any input. You're such a Kaitou KID fan, you must have a theory too."

Kaito startled out of his thoughts and turned toward his friends. "What? I... Kaitou KID was a magician. A showman. You don't just... end your career out of the blue. It needed a grand finale."

That was true, partially. The heist before that, he had indeed found Pandora, Hakuba was on-point with that. It had been unexpected. He hoped with every gem that it would be Pandora. But for it to actually be that gem...? He destroyed the gem and then he destroyed the organization that had killed his father, hand-delivering Snake to Nakamori-keibu personally. There was no reason for Kaitou KID anymore. Not that Kaito had any plans to 100% retire for good; Kaitou KID had been more than just a means to bring down the organization and find Pandora. He loved his games of cat and mouse with Nakamori and Hakuba and, most of all, his tantei-kun. Playing chess with Suzuki was a delight. Every wrong he could right, treasures he could liberate and return to their actual owners after they had been stolen by someone greedy and selfish, it felt so good.

However, Kuroba Kaito was also a high school student and by now in his final year. He was a genius, but even his grades had started to suffer from being KID, from the stress of the dual identity and the life he led. He wanted to take a break from being KID, now that the actual threat was taken care of. Focus on graduating high school and then working on establishing his own career as a magician, make his own name. Kaitou KID was his father's name, a legacy he had taken on. As a magician, he wanted to be known for his own tricks, as his own person. Once he would have something going, he would don the white suit once more and help those no one else helped and play the games that excited him more than anything else in the world. But for now, KID was gone.

Which was a shame, because only months ago, Edogawa Conan had left Japan for good. Had said goodbye to Kaito on a heist and then disappeared forever. Weeks later, Kudou Shinichi returned. How long Kaito had wished for that, looked forward to that. Ever since he had realized he might harbor serious feelings for the intellect of his tantei-kun, very much halted by the fact that said mind was stuck in the body of a grade schooler. All he wanted was to face off with Shinichi. And now that he finally got the chance to, he only had gotten three heists with Shinichi...

"What is wrong with you today, Bakaito?" Aoko side-eyed him suspiciously.

"Nothing. Nothing is wrong with me, Ahoko. I'm just... thinking," Kaito grumbled a little.

So he had been a bit down, because while he did want to focus on school and then building a career for himself, he also wanted to keep seeing Shinichi, keep talking to the genius detective. He'd held that final heist mostly for Shinichi. One last grand show. And his chance to say goodbye to Shinichi too, because it wouldn't be fair to just disappear on the detective. Even if he was just entertainment and maybe a trusted rival to Shinichi, even if their feelings were different. Because to Kaito... to Kaito, the Great Detective might just be the love of his life. He couldn't imagine a life without him. Every time his detective had nearly died had also nearly killed Kaito on the inside.

Which meant there was a plan. Because graduation was still months away, then building his career. He might be out of the KID business for a year or longer, two maybe. Depending on how well his career would take off, how quickly he could build a fan-base. And that was simply too long to go without his tantei-kun's wit and company. The plan was an easy enough five phase plan on how Kaito, as Kuroba Kaito, could befriend and perhaps ultimately seduce Kudou Shinichi.

He just needed to decide on an in. The most obvious one would be to just run into Shinichi; it'd be easy enough. Beika wasn't that far away. There would be plenty of opportunity to happen upon the Heisei Holmes. But that might be suspicious. Currently, Kaito thought his best option would be to befriend Suzuki Sonoko. It wouldn't be hard; he'd done it before once, in the Magic Lovers Club online. She was president of the Kaitou KID fan-club, Kaito was a known and vocal fan of his own alter ego so him engaging with the fan-club and befriending her wouldn't be surprising, he also knew he could hit it off with her. Through Sonoko, it'd be easy enough to meet Mouri Ran and his actual target – Shinichi. Once they'd meet, Kaito would take it slow. During this second phase of the plan, him and Shinichi would simply be acquaintances who had friends in common. Be friendly enough, slowly get closer to Shinichi. Then, in phase three, he would unleash the unholy amount of Sherlock Holmes knowledge he had acquired through his friendship with Hakuba, which would endear Shinichi to him. They would become friends, good friends, in this phase. Phase four would be the courting phase, where Kaito would slowly make advances, show Shinichi how romantic and charming he could be, that he was boyfriend material. In the final phase, he would finally be dating Shinichi. They would be the ultimate power-couple and by then, Kaito would resume being KID and he would have Shinichi's heart and support, because the Great Detective had always known KID wasn't a bad guy, he knew when KID did something good and he always let him slip away in that case, often times even actively helping him. He knew he could be honest with Shinichi by then and he would only don the white-cape again if he had that, if he had Shinichi's support.

That was the plan. Five phases into Kudou Shinichi's heart and back to Kaitou KID.

"You are scheming something," accused Hakuba in a hushed voice, staring at him with narrowed eyes. "I thought you would now be done with the scheming, Kuroba-kun."

"Different kind of scheming," chimed Kaito with a bright grin. "Personal scheming. Nothing you have to concern yourself with, I assure you."

"I do not feel assured," commented Hakuba dryly, side-eyeing him suspiciously.

"Ne, ne," Aoko sounded curious, interrupting the two boys and gaining their attention. "Is that the high school detective Kudou Shinichi...? I've seen him in the papers a lot lately."

Kaito stumbled over his own feet as he laid eyes on the Great Detective, leaning against the school gate, looking entirely bored as he stared at his phone. What... What kind of coincident was this? Was this fate? Had a case brought Shinichi to Ekoda? Was he waiting for a ride here? Or was there a case going on in their school? Kaito's heart and mind were racing as he ran through every possible scenario that might have brought Shinichi here and then, every possible way Kaito could now casually approach Shinichi without raising any suspicion. After all, he would be a fool if he'd let this prime opportunity pass him by! Oh, he could play the friendly, helpful stranger, offer his detective that he could show him the way, because Shinichi surely looked lost.

Bracing himself, Kaito straightened up and took a deep breath. Time for Kaito to make the perfect first impression, make Shinichi like him and want to spend more time with him. He just hoped Hakuba and Aoko weren't going to ruin this, because they were also heading for Shinichi with him.

"Ah. Are you Kudou-kun?" asked Aoko. "I've seen you in the newspapers."

Shinichi looked up startled, his eyes sweeping over the three of them and Kaito found himself chanting in his head look at me, look at me, Great Detective, see me. In the end, he settled on the one who had spoken to him, smiling at Aoko and offering his hand.

"Nakamori-chan, it's a pleasure to meet you," offered Shinichi, startling not just Aoko. "I've seen you at KID's heists, with the inspector. I've heard you be referred to as the inspector's daughter."

Aoko looked pleased by that as she shook his hand. Hakuba seized Shinichi up with narrowed eyes, before Shinichi grabbed his hand next to shake and the sense of jealousy in Kaito grew. His Great Detective knew Aoko's name. Was shaking hands with Aoko and now Hakuba before paying attention to Kaito. Did he not know that Phantom Thieves died if they didn't get enough attention?

"Hakuba-kun. I've been looking forward to working with you some time. It's a shame we never had the chance to meet during a heist," offered Shinichi charmingly, making Kaito even more jealous.

"So have I," admitted Hakuba, looking less suspicious and more pleased now.

Kaito's jealousy was growing and he felt like he would explode if Shinichi wasn't going to pay attention to him in the next five seconds. But he also didn't want to lung forward and forcibly draw Shinichi's attention. It might annoy or put off the Great Detective. So he had to wait for his tantei-kun's attention. He hated waiting. Finally did Shinichi let go of Hakuba's hand.

"As nice as it is to meet you two, I'm afraid we don't have that much time," Shinichi frowned and looked at his watch. "I made a reservation and we're running late already..."

"Reservation? Ah, so you have plans around here. Ekoda isn't your neck of the woods," Hakuba was putting on his detective-face again. "Who are you meeting in Ekoda? You said 'we'."

Kaito perked up too. He was still disappointed about not getting any attention from Shinichi, but he too wanted to know who had Shinichi's attention. The jealousy brewing in him grew even more.

"Kaito-kun and I," replied Shinichi – and wait, what? "We have plans. If you'll excuse us."

Kaito blinked doe-eyed, loving the way his name rolled off Shinichi's tongue. Before Aoko and Hakuba could ask any questions, Shinichi was taking Kaito's hand and pulling him along. Kaito's heart was racing and he had no choice but to let himself be pulled along by his Great Detective.

"W... What...? I don't... Why are you... How do you... What..." was all Kaito got out.

They finally stopped around the corner, out of sight, and when Shinichi turned toward him, there was that delightful detective smirk that always made Kaito shudder. He leaned against the wall, giving Kaito the chance to catch his breath and drink in the sight of Shinichi in his whole glory.

"I'm not going to leave it up to chance," stated Shinichi with his head tilted. "When I said goodbye to you, I knew it was only temporary. That I'd return, as me. But when you said goodbye..."

Instinct told him he should deny everything. That was what he did. What he did with Akako, what he did with Hakuba. They both knew for a fact that he was KID, but he always denied it. And now, there was Shinichi, telling him in no uncertain terms that he knew Kaito was KID, just like that. He couldn't insult the Great Detective, not him, by denying it. Not if he ever wanted any sort of relationship with Kudou Shinichi. Because his five phase plan had hinged on him first gaining Shinichi's trust and then telling him about KID, on his own account. Denying it, at any point, would however make him a liar, would destroy any trust he wanted to build before he ever got the chance, because if he reached the point of telling Shinichi after, there would be the fact that he had lied to Shinichi about it before. There was no denying it, so Kaito let the mask fall and put on his most confident KID smirk, his stance changing into something more leisure.

"Aw, so you already miss me, Great Detective?" asked Kaito teasingly. "I knew I had grown on you."

"Stupid thief," grumbled Shinichi, a blush dusting his cheeks. "Don't be so blunt about it."

Wait. Had Shinichi just admitted that Kaito was right? That he had grown on the detective...?

"But how," Kaito asked, after a moment. "How do you know about... me?"

The blush disappeared as Shinichi rolled his eyes and slipped into the role of the detective solving the case. Kaito lived for that part. The confidence, the smirk on Shinichi's lips, mh. He'd found it delightful when Conan went all mightier-than-thou expositioning the heist or the crime they had solved together, but it was a whole different ball-game when Shinichi did it.

"It's really not that hard. I know you look similar enough to me that you can pass for me, meaning you had to be around my age. Which meant it was impossible that you are the same KID who disappeared ten years ago. Which made me assume that the current KID must be either an apprentice or relative of the original KID. With the retirement notice, most likely having taken on the mantle to avenge the first KID, who had simply disappeared without a trace, most likely murdered. From thereon out, I took a leap. I looked up semi-popular to famous magicians who have died ten years ago, comparing their death dates to the first disappearance of Kaitou KID."

Shinichi took a moment, his eyes softening as he looked at Kaito. "I came across Kuroba Toichi. I'm... sorry for your loss. But between the fact that his death and Kaitou KID's disappearance were in the same year and that he had a son who is my age... I looked you up. One picture of you was enough to tell me I had come to the right conclusion. You're Kaitou KID."

For a moment, Shinichi paused, huffing out a small laugh and offering him a fond look. "I gotta admit, I was surprised when I learned that Kaitou KID is friends with Hakuba-kun as well as Nakamori-keibu's daughter... You really are a reckless daredevil, aren't you?"

"Otherwise, life would be boring," Kaito shrugged and grinned at his detective. "But why? I mean. These are information available to you for nearly two years. You could have dug into it long ago."

"Oh, I did," Shinichi blinked, frowning at him. "I've known your name for over months."

Okay, not what Kaito had expected. "Wait. But then... why now? Why approach me now? Can't let me retire in peace, gotta be the one to put me behind bars after all, Great Detective?"

Shinichi stared at him like he was stupid, genuinely an idiot. "Are you an idiot?"

That somehow hurt even more, making Kaito wince. "You're so rude, tantei-kun."

"Only when you're actually being dumb," argued Shinichi and stepped up to him. "I couldn't let you get away from me. I've waited over a year to finally stand on equal grounds with you and after only three heists, you decide to disappear. You... I couldn't let you disappear from my sight."

Shinichi stood right in front of him, glaring at him pointedly. The glare was accompanied by another blush, a nervous flutter of his eyes. He ran his tongue over his dry lips, seeming anxious. And no, that couldn't be it, could it? Kaito's eyes widened as he stared at the detective.

"I had a plan," blurted Kaito out. "It was a good, solid five phase plan. I never planned on disappearing from your sight, Great Detective. I had a retirement plan, to insert myself into your life as Kaito, to become your friend, to... I had a plan! And you just ruined it by just... walking in here."

Shinichi shrugged carelessly and tilted his head. "I've never been a patient guy. I don't have time for your silly five step plan, I already lost too much time of my life. Time with you."

"You're a bothersome guy," muttered Kaito as he took Shinichi's hand and brought it up to his lips. "Hello. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Kuroba Kaito. Do you want to go on a date with me?"

"Were you not listening to me, stupid thief?" asked Shinichi pointedly. "As I told your friends, we are already running late for the reservation I made for us. We are on our way to our first date."

Kaito sputtered, staring at his detective. "You just assume I'd go on a date with you!"

"Not assume. Deduct," corrected Shinichi smugly. "Your flirting is not very subtle, KID-san."

Truly what a bothersome guy. Kaito had awful taste in men. He let Shinichi lead the way.

~*~ The End ~*~

Author's note: This one was genuinely SO MUCH fun to write! I like when Shinichi gets one up on Kaito, poor Phantom Thief v_V I hope you had as much fun as I did with this one ;D