Title: Connected
Author: Dragon-sama (Dragon-sama and/or Starling)
Fandom: Detective Conan / Magic Kaito
Word Count: 1264
Rating: K-plus (PG)
Characters: Kaito Kuroba, Conan Edogawa
Disclaimer: I, Dragon-sama, sadly own neither the characters nor the animes/mangas mentioned in this fic. Animes/Mangas and characters are owned by the awesomeness that is Gosho Aoyama. I do own Tsu-chan's soul, but who's counting? :D
[Tsugumi: ... As long as she keeps feeding my soul KaiShin goodies, I'm not going to mind!]
Notes: I decided to steal Tsu-chan's story! XD No, we actually decided to try a round-robin approach to this, so chapter two is mine! Hajime!
(1) Kaito's intelligent sounding spiel is not mine in any way, shape, or form. I stole it directly from Wiki: http://en(dot)wikipedia(dot)org/wiki/Shimabara_Rebellion
Kaito had his head on his desk, with his hands over his ears in a futile attempt to block out the annoying voice in the back of his head. Unfortunately, that wasn't metaphorical.
And now for something really challenging; we get to learn our times tables! the mock cheerful voice said. Now class, one times one is?
'Tantei-kun,' Kaito thought desperately as he swallowed a whimper. 'Do you really have to give me a blow by blow account of your day?'
Yes, came the flat reply, and Kaito could sense the annoyance. One times three is? Why what a surprise, it's three!
'Tantei-kuuun!' Kaito wasn't above whining, and this had been going on for the past--he raised his head a fraction to check the clock--three hours and twenty two minutes. His head thunked loudly as he let it drop down again, ears still ringing with the mind-numbing times-table exercises.
Suffer, you stupid thief. I already promised I wouldn't use this to expose you, Conan snapped unfeelingly. And oh my, we actually get to move on! Two times one is?
Kaito had to admit a new respect for the shrunken detective; not because of the promise, though that was both surprising and welcome, but because the boy had managed to live through elementary school again without committing one of the murders he spent so often solving. The magician didn't think he'd have been able to handle it nearly so well, at least without going insane.
You already are insane, Conan mumbled, and Kaito wondered if he was supposed to have heard that comment.
'Tantei-kun, if I promise to kidnap you and take you out to a real lunch, will you stop torturing me?' Kaito pleaded, willing to do almost anything at this point to get the detective to stop. There was an odd silence, and Kaito assumed he'd surprised the other into silence. Thank god!
Why would that be a good idea? Conan finally asked, but Kaito could hear the eager undertones. Yes! Tantei-kun was so much easier to read like this!
'Because one; you'll get to see who I am in real life, not that you don't already have my name--'
Kuroba Kaito, yes, and I'm very surprised that Hakuba is in your class. Why hasn't he caught you yet? Conan interrupted curiously.
'Because he's too stubborn and obsessed to be able to see what's right under his nose. And I'm that good,'Kaito thought smugly. 'Anyway, two; you'll get a free meal out of it, three; you get to get away from Kiddie Time for a while, and four; you might actually have fun! You don't get to hang around people your own age that often, after all!'
And you're a good candidate for this? the detective asked skeptically.
'Better than your Osakan friend. Have you ever hung out with him without it turning into another murder case?' Kaito teased.
Oh shut up, stupid thief. Fine, fine, but only because I want to ask you questions, and Haibara is already suspicious that something's up.
'Your fellow height-challenged victim?' Kaito asked, grinning into his arms at the mental snarl. He frowned at a sudden thought. 'You aren't going to tell her about this, are you?'
I hardly see how I can hide it, not from her. Conan replied dourly. She won't let me dodge out of her questions--
"Kuroba!" The voice right next to his ear made him shoot bolt upright in his chair, and he stared wide-eyed at the glowering teacher. He ignored the mental snickering, and pasted an ingratiating smile on his face.
"Uh, yes?"
"Since my class is apparently so easy as to put you to sleep, I suppose you'll have no trouble at all answering the question I just asked?" the teacher said pleasantly, though his eyes were boring holes into the nervous teen.
"Why Sensei! I was listening to everything you said!" Kaito lied. He mentally reviewed the past five minutes, trying to remember what had been going on in his actual ears rather then his mental ones. Stupid detective...
I heard that!
'You were supposed to!'
Kaito didn't take his eyes off the teacher as he focused on his peripheral vision; ah, this was their history class? He's snuck in to spy on the teacher's notes earlier that week--
You did what?! came the indignant shriek. Kaito sniggered, because the thoughts that followed indicated Tantei-kun's outburst hadn't been as silent as the boy would have liked.
--So he had a good idea on what the teacher should have been talking about. Time to see if his luck would hold out.
"The Shimabara no Ran was an uprising largely involving Japanese peasants, most of them Christians, in 1637–1638 during the Edo period(1)," Kaito recited confidently, inwardly praying hard.
'Oh dear God, Budda, any deity out there who looks kindly on hard working magicians (who sometimes steal), please let me be right!'
If there are any gods out there that look kindly on idiot thieves, I think we're all in trouble... Conan grumbled.
'Not now Tantei-kun!'
Kaito's teacher was frowning at him, but he kept smiling pleasantly back. Finally the teacher turned around to return to the front of the room.
"Very well, Kuroba-kun. Next time, don't slack off in my class!"
'Oh yes! Score another one for the Great Kaito!'
I can't believe you cheat!Conan actually sounded disgusted at that, and Kaito didn't have to feign the outrage he felt.
'Hey! I don't cheat! I just have to keep ahead in other ways, especially when I have a heist! I mean, how do you think I'd explain away the fact that my grades dip every time there's KID heist? Hakuba'd be all over me, 'cause I know he monitors my grades!'
You...really think a lot about this, don't you? Conan's thoughts were quiet.
'Of course! I'd have been caught long ago if I couldn't think about twelve steps ahead of all you detectives!'
And I'm sure it doesn't help that I'm now privy to those steps? Conan's voice was light and teasing, nearly causing Kaito to gape in shock. Who knew the detective could do something as human as making a joke?
Hey! I'm not that bad...am I?
'You, Tantei-kun, have a lot on your mind in the best of circumstances. Which is why I think I'll make it my new hobby to make sure you loosen up!' Kaito managed to inject all of his sudden high spirits into that remark, and he heard the mental gulp of dread.
I hate that stupid rock....
'Hang tight, I'm on my way~!' Kaito thought cheerfully as the bell signaling the end of class tolled throughout the school.
He leapt from his seat, dodging the worried Aoko and the suspicious Hakuba (feeling guilty about the first but rather amused at the second) to speed out of the classroom. Humming a cheerful tune, he pulled out his cell phone, made a quick call with appropriate voice to get him out of class for the rest of the day (and because he was such a nice guy, he did the same for the shrunken detective), then all but skipped down the halls and out of school.
Will you stop that incessant noise? Conan complained as Kaito began humming again, and the magician smirked in a rather evil way. Revenge was so sweet! Singing at the top of his...eh, mind, he began coming up with creative lyrics to his little tune.
This is beyond hell... his Tantei-kun moaned, and Kaito laughed freely for the first time since the disaster struck.
A/N: Back to you, Tsu-chan!
