I had really fallen for him. I had really and truly fallen for the rival I had spent months trying to put away. Sometimes I wish I could have kept my strength, I wish I could have kept my oath as a detective to bring in the thief at any cost, but…the feeling of his skin against mine and the warmth of his breath on my face and the soft, gentle way his lips caressed my own…I…I knew I would never take him in. I knew I would never again look at him as a suspect.

Not when he is writhing underneath me the way he was now. Not when he is moaning and crying my name and pleading for 'more, dear God Shinichi, more,' and certainly not when we climax together and he whispers words of undying devotion and love in my ear.

We laid there in a bliss induced haze for a long time afterward with him curled up into my side and me stroking his hair. This had happened many times before, and, on those many times before, I would hold him close and tell him that this could not, should not, happen again. We were two different people on different sides of the law and world and if anyone caught us there would be hell to pay. On this night however I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't let myself lie anymore, not to myself, and defiantly not to him.

Moving slowly so as not to disturb the thief too much; I reached over, pulled open the side table drawer, and took out a long black box. As I brought it into his line of sight he perked up a little. "What's that?"

I nudged him a little so that he would move and I sat up a little straighter.

He too sat up, "Shin-chan?" he cocked his head slightly, like a curious puppy.

My heart began pounding. I forced myself to rip my eyes away from the sensual way the sheet had fallen over the thief's waist when he had sat up and focused instead on the box I was now twiddling in the fingers. My nerve was failing. How could I ask him this? Well, I knew how, but I didn't know what he would say or if he would be receptive at all or if he would….a soft hand covered my own and equally soft lips did the same. I felt myself relax as he gently squeezed my hand for a second before slipping the box out of my fingers.

Pulling back, he placed his forehead against mine, "Is there something you want to ask me Shi-cha?" I felt a small smile grace my lips and I let out a breath of a laugh at his interpretation of my mother's old nickname for me. I took the box back from him, opened it, and held it up to him.

"I know I can't ask you to legally marry me, but, if you would do me the honor, I would like you to be mine." In the box was a silver bracelet elegantly twisted into a series of complicated knots, and in the center of each knot rested a beautiful flawless gem, each of a different color. There were five in all.

Kaito let out a low gasp, "It's beautiful Shinichi." I watched as he reached forward and pick up the chain and hold it up to the light. The light of the moon shining through my bedroom window bounced off the jewels sending a rainbow of colors along the bed sheets. I felt an arm slip around my shoulders to pull me close while at the same time slipping the bracelet on his wrist and clasping it. He held it up to the light again, "How long did it take you to pick out the stones."

"A while," I leaned my head against his, "I had to put some serious thought into what moments I found important."

"Moments?"

I swallowed and gently took his still raised hand and let my fingers follow the silver knots to stop at the first two gems, an emerald and a pearl. "I assume you know what these two represent."

A soft nod tickled my cheek, "Our birthdays." He twisted his wrist gently till my fingers rested on the next two, "What about these?"

"Do you remember when we first met?"

"That April I stole the Black Star."

"And the first time we kissed?"

"That same November." I felt a sense of understanding to wash over him and his arm slipped from my neck and wrapped instead around my waist, "So I guess that this is the following December," he maneuvered himself behind me and caressed my cheek with his before nipping my ear, "the first time we made love."

I hummed, though whether as confirmation to his question or arousal at the love bite I couldn't tell. He chuckled slightly into my neck.

"You really did put some thought into this didn't you?"

I hummed again as my fingers, still on the bracelet on his wrist, moved to interlock our fingers. "I thought it was important. By the way you still haven't answered my question."

He chuckled again and moved suddenly so that my body, which had been leaning back against his, fell onto the bed with a muffled flump. He then slung his leg over me and straddled my waist. Leaning forward he began to ghost kisses all over my face and mouth while simultaneously slipping his hands up my arms to pin my wrists above my head. I shivered as his lips brushed my ear.

"I'll take that as a yes."

He chuckled.