What if...?

Chapter Two - Predicament

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Breathe, you moron. Breathe.

But Kaito was finding it understandably hard to stay calm and keep Poker Face up. That mirror back there – he looked like a freaking six year old! The 'Kid' part of 'Kaitou Kid' wasn't supposed to be literal for cripes' sake!

There was a bump on his head that hurt every time he tried to think about his situation too hard, and he was still wearing the clothes he'd been wearing earlier. Which had fitted perfectly well back then when he'd been with Aoko. They had. Now? Not. At. All. They hung off him as though he was wearing tents, or as if he'd put on one of his heavier costumes without the padding.

Not good. Not good at all.

Which was made worse in that all of his tricks kept falling out all over the place, making him have to pick them up as he ran in the driving rain. At least his Kid outfit had always been able to be packed up tight into the top hat, so that was easier to carry and not drop from the pocket that wasn't quite so secret any longer.

Exhausted long before he should have been, Kaito hid in an alley between two buildings that suddenly felt much bigger than they ever had before.

Breathe. Remember to breathe. And try to remember how to do Poker Face again. Preferably before the footsteps coming towards you actually notice you. And. . .

The magician-thief turned fake child cursed in fluent Nakamori-ese under his breath, which would have probably had those approaching him wondering how someone so young knew such bad language. But at that moment, he didn't exactly care. That was Kudo coming his way! Kudo Shinichi, the one who had almost caught him and – oh, this was bad.

"...Mou, Shinichi! It was bad enough you saying you'd lost your camera back there, I could deal with that. But you just had to get involved in that search for the missing kid too, didn't you?"

"O- oi, not my fault the brat ran off. Besides, you were looking just as hard as I was! You probably would've as if I'd gone crazy if I'd said no..."

"That's not the point!"

Oh hell. Kudo'd been looking for him. And if he had, then who knew what he'd found on the way here, if he'd been looking. Kami knew he could've forgotten at least one or two of his tricks along the way, and anyone who knew him or Kid would be able to figure out whose they were. If they found him.

"Ne, Shinichi. Let's just go home. I somehow doubt we'll find him now. It's been ages."

"Ah – yeah. You go ahead, okay? I just want to check something. . ."

The girl sighed irritably. "Fine. Just make sure you come back, will you?"

"Hey! Don't worry so much – I'll catch up with you!"

"Hmph. Just make sure you do, all right?" she called back as she ran on ahead.

Kudo snorted. "Idiot," he said, just loud enough for Kaito to hear. "Of course I'm going to. What does she think I'm going to do, disappear forever or something?"

Kaito swallowed hard, remembering what he'd said to Aoko, and that he'd basically done just that. Also because Kudo, instead of wandering off in some completely unrelated direction, continued on around the corner of one of the two buildings he was still hiding between.

And. . . oh, he was so screwed. Kudo was walking down towards him, looking right at him, and for some reason he hadn't been able to get his head together well enough yet to piece together his Poker Face.

"Ah, kiddo." There was that 'I've caught you' look on the guy's face, too. Even if it was toned down. Kudo crouched down in front of him, with not a single part of his expression indicating that he recognised Kaito as the Kid at all. "D'you know how much trouble you've caused?"

You mean, apart from theft, property damage, breaking and entering and various other offences including raising Nakamori-keibu's blood pressure? Why no, tantei-san, I don't know, care to enlighten me?

"E-eh..."

Kaito attempted an innocent smile which, while it didn't usually work most of the time, should be more effective with his appearance being as it was. Kudo frowned.

"Sheesh, how'd you get out of there, anyway, and dressed like that? What were you doing, trying to play dress-up as your older brother or something?" Ha ha, very funny. "Well, whatever you were up to, that won't do. Come on, I'm taking you back-"

"No!"

They both started to hear Kaito's voice after he'd been mostly silent through the exchange.

"Oi, oi, you've got to go back, right? I bet your parents are waiting for you somewhere. You want to go back to them, don't you?"

The thoughtless words made Kaito flinch at the thought of his mother. If only it were that simple. If just turning back into a child like this meant I could have dad back, I wouldn't mind so much. . . even if time had turned itself back just for me. But it hasn't, and if I went back to mom now, like this, then – and if anyone else saw me, if Hakuba figured me out, I'd be dead.

And if the people I saw tonight are anything related to the ones that wanted Kid dead, then so would everyone else.

"No. 'Tou-san's gone and 'Kaa-san's away, so I decided to go to Tropical Land on my own. I wanted to!"

He hid his wince at sounding so stupid, childish and cute. It was a necessary evil. Apologised to Aoko, not that she'd know it.

Kudo slapped a hand against his forehead for some reason. Then –

"I guess that settles it. I suppose you can stay over at mine, at least while we call the police over at Tropical Land to say that I found you. I should still have some clothes that'll fit you, too – at the very least, better than what you've got on right now."

Ohshit. There was no way he was going to go along with that. Absolutely no way. He'd sooner room with Hakuba. And Hakuba was the one who actually knew who Kuroba Kaito was!

"Ah, no – I know someone, I'm sure they could pick me up – you don't have to do that, I mean, really don't."

Kudo started looking at him strangely, but stood back up, a determined, concentrating look on his face.

Oh, not good...

"It's good you do know someone, but if you're going to be able to call them, you're going to need a phone. And I'm going to take you there whether you like it or not – kids like you shouldn't be out on your own, especially in weather like this."

And before Kaito knew it, arguments were no longer any use, as he was being physically lifted into the air and carried. By Kudo.

Perhaps one of his most embarrassing memories to date.

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AN: I'd always wanted to do at least a bit more for that story. This is supposed to be basically what happens next – so anyone who wants to take it up will have an easier time. I may yet write more for it, but there'd have to be a whole load of thought put into it that I don't have time for. Ah, well. Enjoy.