Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan/Case Closed.

Pairing: KaitoxShinichi

Lyrical Spices

Mint

[Song Inspiration: It's a Lot Like Romeo and Juliet by S.O.A.P. ]

After that meeting at the hospital, their relationship shifted again. This time, the change came like a flash of lightning rather than a breath of summer.

The first thing Shinichi noticed was the way that his heart skipped a beat every time his and Kaito's eyes met. It would then proceed to beat at double time. It wasn't the same sense of warm anticipation he'd felt before with those secret notices and clandestine meetings. It was…more than that.

Deeper. Stranger. Almost frightening even, but…

It was exhilarating too.

When he was with Kaito, the world was bright. He felt like he'd been set free, if only for a little while, from the cage of doubts and despair that had been slowly closing in around him before the gentleman thief had come and stolen him away.

Lately, they had been having dinner together at the Kudo Manor at least once a week. Nothing fancy. At first, they mostly got takeout. But eventually Shinichi went to the store and bought a tall stool and a few smaller pots and pans. He was careful to keep quiet about it to Kaito. The surprise on the magician's face the first time they had a home cooked meal at the manor was one he'd remember forever.

"I didn't know you could cook," the magician had said.

Shinichi rolled his eyes. "I lived by myself before I moved in with the Mouris. Of course I can cook a little. And I've been helping Ran out lately since her college workload means she has less time." It was the least he could do, he added to himself. It wasn't like Kogoro could cook.

Kaito laughed. "That makes sense."

It was when they settled in for hot chocolate after one of these peaceful dinner dates that Kaito had mentioned taking him on a trip to Okinawa. Apparently he'd gotten invitations to perform magic shows for several establishments there. The dates had yet to be set though.

"So if you want to come, I can see about scheduling it sometime that works for both of us. It'll be fun," he'd said. "So what do you say?"

And Shinichi had found himself reviewing school vacation days in search of the most suitable time without a second thought. That was when it hit him.

He would go anywhere the thief would take him without question. He had stopped pondering the wisdoms or even the merits of those places and plans. For him, as long as it was Kaito making the plans, Shinichi knew he would follow them—wanted to follow them—to whatever crazy place they led.

"I'll consider it a promise…That you'll be mine when you're your rightful age again. Or at least old enough so that your Ran-neechan won't feel the need to murder me for laying hands on her charge."

Shinichi blushed at the memory. It made him feel giddy and tingly all over. At the same time, it was a sharp reminder of the harsh truths of reality.

He was still only half the thief's age—not even legally an adult. If Haibara never found a cure, Shinichi would have to grow up the old fashioned way all over again. He couldn't ask Kaito to wait for him no matter what the magician said. One thing that he had learned from his time as Conan was that no one should put their lives on hold like that. You never knew what could happen next after all, and hopes all too often went unanswered.

Then there was the inescapable fact that the thief was a thief. He was a detective. Friendship was one thing, but more? Could they really spend their lives together? Or had they doomed themselves from the start?

He gave himself a sharp shake. Thinking like that was pointless.

"I'd like to make sure we pick sometime Ran is less busy too," he said in an attempt to distract himself. "I don't want to leave Ojii-san by himself too much. He'd probably give himself alcohol poisoning without me or Ran around to keep an eye on him."

"Of course." Kaito's grin softened into a smile. "You really are part of the family over there now, aren't you?"

Shinichi froze for a moment before he shrugged. "Well, I have been living there for three years. That reminds me though. I'll need a cover story if I'm going to be going anywhere farther away with you."

"Family trip, perhaps?"

Shinichi nodded slowly. It would be easy to call the agency as Conan's mother and tell them that the Edogawas would be going on a trip. The real problem was Haibara…

As though summoned by his thoughts, a familiar voice spoke from the dining room doorway.

"Kaitou KID?"

Both Shinichi and Kaito turned quickly to find Haibara Ai standing there. She was staring from the thief to Shinichi and back again. How she had gotten there without alerting either of them, Shinichi had no idea. But the little scientist had always been scary like that.

"Good evening, Ojou-san," Kaito said with a charming smile, tipping his hat to her as though he weren't surprised to see her there at all. "Would you care for some hot chocolate?"

The little girl stared at him, unimpressed. "No. What are you doing here?"

"I am simply enjoying a drink with my little Tantei-kun here," the thief replied in a mild tone that seemed to imply this should be natural.

Haibara's gaze swiveled to Shinichi. The detective gulped and shrank back a little under her scrutiny. He hastily downed a gulp of hot chocolate. He could still feel her gaze boring into him like she was considering the best way to dissect a specimen.

Kaito glanced from one not-child to the other and back again then rose to his feet. "I suppose I should take my leave for today. "Thank you for the chocolate, Tantei-kun. I'll see you soon. And it was a pleasure to see you again, Ojou-san. Good night."

That said, the thief bowed and vanished in a puff of smoke.

"So," Haibara drawled the moment he was gone. "This certainly explains a few things."

"Wha—what do you mean?" Shinichi stammered, wishing he could disappear as easily as Kaito had. Unfortunately for him, Haibara knew where he lived.

"All the times you've been going off on your own lately," she said dryly. "You've been with Kaitou KID."

"What are you thinking?" she demanded. "Are you thinking? You've been running off to who knows where regularly with a known criminal without a word to anyone. Do you realize how stupid that is? No one would even know if you were in danger. No one would even know if you were killed."

"KID doesn't kill people," Shinichi pointed out. He immediately closed his mouth again when Haibara's glare intensified.

"You're missing the point," she said acidly. "What have you two been doing?"

"Nothing! We just—have dinner or coffee together sometimes…"
"Oh. So you've been dating."

"What?! No!" Shinichi turned bright red. "That's not—it's not…"

"Your blush says otherwise." Haibara fell silent then, though she never took her gaze off of him. He felt like she was seeing right through him. She probably was. Eventually, she sighed and her arms fell back to her sides. "Well, if you insist on acting like an idiot, I can't stop you. But you will tell me when you're going somewhere with him."

Slightly relieved by the girls apparent acceptance of the situation (even reluctant as it was), Shinichi acquiesced.

"But remember," she added as she turned to leave. "Just because he isn't a killer doesn't mean he isn't dangerous. You should be careful."

Elsewhere, a certain phantom thief switched off his earpiece and stowed it away in one of his many pockets. He was going to have to have a talk with that Haibara girl sometime soon. He didn't want to alienate Shinichi's friends if he could help it. His Tantei-kun had few enough friends as it was. It would be best to make his intentions clear now and hopefully assuage her suspicions.

Still, Shinichi was going to be his whether she approved or not. He would be sure to make that clear too when they spoke.

-End of Chapter-