-FIRSTS-
Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.
Warning: KaiShin relationship.
A/N: Fear not, this fic is still alive. It's a short, filler-like chapter this time as I'll need to get back into the mindset of this fic (can't believe it went on for so long. Also can't believe I've stuck with it for so long).
First Enforcement
Kaito rolled over to the other side of the bed, having abruptly woken up by a nightmare. He had been having these for the past few weeks, or more specifically, ever since his detective's close call with death (yet again). Peering up at Shinichi who leaned against the headboard with a sea of manila folders spread out across the blanket, Kaito took in the weary and tired expression. The orange glow only serves to enhance the shadows and bags beneath the eyes, and despite everything that Kaito had tried to have his detective relax, nothing worked (and he had tried everything in the various spectrum of the extreme). Not when Shinichi is so focused on identifying all the sleeper agents.
The first few days, and possibly the first week, ever since the fire, Kaito had allowed Shinichi to do as he liked. To which, Shinichi managed to procure a large stack of folder and information, supplied to him by the TMPD, FBI, and PSB (Kaito was sure Shinichi must have guilt tripped the PSB into getting him the information). Kaito let Shinichi mull through the boring text, sometimes helping him also. By the second week, the information pile and dwindled slightly but it was then filled up with various cold case files. Now, three weeks in and Kaito had to call it.
"Shinichi." Kaito muttered, starting to pull himself out of the blanket.
"Sorry Kaito, did I wake you?" Shinichi shuffles the folders slightly, motioning Kaito to lay back down. But Kaito could be stubborn when he needed to and now was the time to do so.
"You need to sleep." He stated plainly.
"In a bit, after I've read this through." Shinichi's eyes glanced over at the folder in his hands. "You should be the one who should be sleeping. Didn't you say the theater wanted you to stand in for a performance in the afternoon?"
"I can do that in my sleep." Kaito reached out towards the folders, hands busy with gathering them up into a single pile to remove them from his detective's person. "You however, need to sleep in order for you brain to act efficiently."
"Kaito…"
"No arguments." Kaito had to be firm even as Shinichi was trying to pull a puppy-eyes on him. He knew he would not crave into his detective's whims this time around, though he was extremely close to letting his detective get away with it. However, a look at the dark bags had him more determined than ever. "You're going to sleep and I'm going to make sure you sleep, even if it means I have to gas you."
He could see the inner debate behind the sapphire eyes, how Shinichi want to rebel against the suggestion and was weighing the possibility of whether Kaito would really pull out the sleeping gas. As an incentive, Kaito rummaged around beside the pillow to produce a small canister and shook it in front of Shinichi. He had been preparing to gas his detective to sleep (or rest, since he knew of his detective's resistance to drugs of such kind) so he had his stash stored at various locations around the apartment for quick access.
"You wouldn't…" By the widening of the eyes, his detective could guess at the potency of the gas. Kaito had made sure the dosages would be enough to ensure Shinichi could sleep for a full 8 hour cycle. Something that Shinichi sorely needs but refuses to take as he had mentioned they were short on time.
"You really want to try?" He shook the can a bit. "I can either put you out for 8 hours and you wake up all disoriented or you can sleep on your own and wake up refreshed and ready to start again. Your choice."
Though, if Kaito was being honest, his gas mixture would not leave Shinichi groggy but it was a good enough of a threat seeing as Shinichi had a first hand experience with KID-versions of the gas, which leaves the victims in a ditzy state.
"Fine." Shinichi grumpily moved to shuffle into the blanket, hands already reaching out to turn off the bedside lights. Kaito smiled triumphantly as he replaced the canister back to its holding place before wrapping a possessive arm around Shinichi. His detective had tried to deny contact but Kaito is persistent and held on. He had to make sure Shinichi would be sleeping before he himself succumb to the darkness of the night.
Kaito remained in a light doze, feeling every instance when Shinichi was jolted awake. Every time he felt Shinichi move, Kaito gently patted Shinichi to reassure him that he was here. Moments after such an action, Shinichi would once again settle back down to a restless sleep. Kaito had made sure to turn off the alarm, not wanting to disturb his detective even in his fitful sleep. He remained close, skin touching, at all times, and had the slightest urge to cancel the afternoon's performance.
If Shinichi had not suddenly jolted himself awake with wide frightful eyes.
"I'm here." Kaito was quick to respond and held Shinichi into a tight embrace.
"What time is it?" Shinichi craned his head to the small alarm clock beside the bed.
"Nearing noon." Kaito did not have to look to at a clock or the window to know the time. Being in close contact with a certain blond detective has that effect on people.
Shinichi cursed before scrambling out of the bed. "You're going to be late." But his actions were in vain as Kaito tugged his detective back towards the bed.
"You'll be staying in bed, away from the files, even if I have to tie you up." He said sternly before rising from his position. "You'll rest and recover before I let you near anything case-related."
"I need to find…"
"No," Kaito steeled his eyes, made sure Shinichi would be listening to him. "The police can handle things for today. It's the weekend, you don't have any tests or assignments to prepare for. So you'll take today as a rest day." He hoped his detective could agree to this, to at least stay put for the day inside the apartment.
"I've been neglecting myself again haven't I?" Shinichi looked sheepishly at Kaito, head hanging low.
"Shinichi." As gentle as possible, Kaito lifted his detective's chin so they could look at each other's eyes. "You've overworked yourself." He rubbed at the shadows underneath the once-clear blue eyes, which had fortunately seemed less dark from a full night's worth of sleep. "I know you're impatient, you wanted to solve this as soon as possible, but if you're not at your best, you'll only make mistakes."
Shinichi nodded and slithered down back into the bedding. Kaito tucked his detective in before leaving the bed itself.
"I'll bring back something after my show. Sleep for a bit more ok?"
Like a little kid, Shinichi nodded before snuggling deeper. For a moment, Kaito feared Shinichi might have caught a fever and placed a hand to test for the temperature. Shinichi looked at him wide-eyed.
"You'd normally argue with me…" Kaito offered as a form of explanation.
"I think I know my limits by now. And I don't want to worry you unnecessarily." Such truthful admissions earned him a firm kiss on the lips. Shinichi replied with earnest before closing his eyes. "Besides, I think I really should sleep some more…"
And not a moment later, Shinichi returned to a light doze. Kaito could tell the numerous late nights and intense concentration had taken a toll. He readied himself as silently as possible, making sure to leave a pot of warm tea on the kitchen counter inside the thermos. He then gathered up all the information folders and various bits of paper before proceeding to hide them out of sight (and hopefully out of his detective's hands). He had to make sure that his detective could at least rest his mind as well as his body during this down time.
Though when Kaito returned back to the apartment in the late afternoon after his show, he was surprised to find a lazy detective on the couch, sprawled out across the double seater with the TV playing a random drama programme.
"I thought you would be down at the station or something." He placed a bag of take outs on the dining table. "And I wouldn't have thought you would actually follow my word."
Shinichi turned to peer over the sofa back, greeting Kaito with a bright smile. The tiredness and weariness have smoothed over into a more relaxed expression.
"Welcome back." He called out before blindly feeling for the remote to switch the sound into mute. "I thought I'd take up on your advice today. And mostly because a certain someone had hidden all my notes."
"Gee...I wonder who could it be…" The smirk on Kaito's face was not apologetic for his actions. He even mock glared at the several doves sitting around the apartment, who noticed his gaze and as though to huff in indignation, flew towards Shinichi to settle on his head and shoulders.
"You're birds are betraying you." Shinichi patted the dove on his shoulder, giving its belly a rub as well. "Though I must say they have every reason to. After all, I am the law abiding one here."
"You three…" Kaito glared at the three doves close to his detective. The doves, if they can express themselves, would have laughed at Kaito in his face. Instead, they ignored Kaito completely and paid more attention to the detective they were sitting out. "Fine, see if I let you three tag along next time I have a show."
Shinichi could not help but laugh at the conversation between the master and his birds. Really, they were a continuous source of entertainment, how both the doves and Kaito all strive for his attention. Not wanting his magician to be too put out by the dove's behaviours, Shinichi rose from his seat to give him, what Kaito would normally call, the correct 'Welcome Home' greeting. Sauntering over to the busy magician by the kitchen counters, Shinchi leaned in to hug Kaito from behind and gave him a light nip at the ear lobe.
"What's for dinner then?" Normally, Shinichi would have cooked something but he really could not spare the energy to do anything. After spending the afternoon asleep, it seems his body became even more lethargic.
"Randomly picked up dishes, we have chicken teriyaki, potato salad, deep fried pork, steamed pork dumplings…" Kaito took out several containers from the first bag.
"Did you buy the whole food court?" Shinichi peered into the second plastic bag, holding more black and white plastic containers.
"You've not been having a good appetite lately, so I thought I better grab a few more choices." Kaito turned around in Shinichi's hold wrapping his own arms around his detectives waist and noticing how slim it had become.
"Stress...anxiety...it does that to people…" It was strange for Kaito to hear his detective to admitted to such. But he guessed it was because they agreed not to lie to each other, which meant Shinichi had to be more upfront about his own emotions.
"That's why I told you to take it easy for today. Don't want you to be all worked up. Especially since you're bound to have a breakthrough in the next few days." Pecking at the tip of Shinichi's nose, Kaito released his detective so he could help with setting out the dinner selection.
"You have such faith in my abilities."
"No, I just have faith in my own abilities to recognise genius when I see it." Kaito unashamedly complimented himself, earning another chuckle from Shinichi. The beautiful sounds of laughter from those luscious lips were things that Kaito treasure and stored as precious memories. "Now, eat up and we can finish the rest of that Detective Samonji season. We've been skipping quite a few episodes lately and I have it all recorded."
Shinichi looked surprised and thankful at the thoughtfulness of his magician and Kaito beamed back. Because of his detective, Kaito too had recently taken a liking towards detective drama, but only because it was Shinichi's favourite and he loved seeing Shinichi's face lighting up during the shows.
-TBC-
