Just a few more hours until it's Monday, ssssooo... I might as well upload this thing, right? (No, I wasn't absolutely giddy with excitement, how dare you.)

Please enjoy!


When Kaito went home that day, it was like the calm before the storm. Every word he said, every smile he flashed, and every hug he gave Shinichi was fake. Painfully, disturbingly, frighteningly fake. It seemed like there was a wall between Kid and the rest of the world, as he strode through the house with a frightening grace. The way he curled his lips was predatory – he was ready to devour the world that rested on his palms. It wasn't Poker Face anymore, it was an unbreakable mask made of steel, set in a permanent smile that sent chills down Shinichi's spine.

The whole house was cold despite the hot, unmoving air outside. With every glance at Kid, Shinichi had to wonder if the other boy was actually some vengeful spirit, a youkai, a demon, a monster. The madness that usually hid behind Kid's smiles during heists was like an aura now, dark and hostile, resting on Kaito's shoulders.

And Shinichi was scared, he had to admit with a shiver. Not wary like he usually was, not careful. He was actually afraid of letting the thief leave his sight, because he felt the same chills serial killers brought to him, and this was wrong. Kaitou Kid was supposed to be a troublesome, but mostly harmless fellow, not… whatever the guy standing in front of Shinichi was.

"How was your day?" Shinichi squeaked out, not even bothering to be mortified by his own voice anymore. He had to break the silence, and somehow, anyhow, get the old Kid back.

Kaito gave him a surprised look (Shinichi didn't blame him, that was probably the first time when Arthur actually started a conversation), but it barely lasted for a second. His face morphed into a smile, sweet and warm, but it was too much, too fake. Shinichi needed all his willpower not to choke on the imaginary honey he felt being forced down his throat.

"Great. I had a lot of fun today." His tone was just like his smile, a disgusting kind of sweet, but still, it was so undeniably Kid that Shinichi had to cast the idea that it was someone else. And something, his gut, probably, told Shinichi that Kid was, in fact, lying straight into his face, because beneath the sugary surface Arthur felt the tension, the anger, the storm. "I'm gonna make some food." Kaito said suddenly, and left him alone.

This was no good. Shinichi had a plan, but he needed a heist to make it real, to succeed. He was going to catch Kaitou Kid by sabotaging his heist and ruining his tricks. This is what he planned ever since that night when Kid foolishly took him in, too easily trusting, too kind, too… No. Enough. Shinichi chided himself for letting his thoughts wander off. He had to find a way to follow Kid, whether he had to hide in his pocket or cling to his cape. It didn't matter as long as he could catch him.

A plate clinking against the table stopped him in his thoughts. Kaito stood there, and he gave Arthur one of those overly sweet smiles again as he sat down next to him.

"Go on, eat. You must be hungry, Arthur." Shinichi didn't want to tell him that no, he wasn't, in fact, he had no appetite at that moment, because that could've pissed off Kid, and he wasn't supposed to do that. Not when the thief was his only lifeline. Not when he could be killed by his saviour any moment.

He took a bite of his mini-muffin, carefully glancing at Kid occasionally. The other boy only smiled at him, then turned to the TV, and watched some idol with an unimpressed expression.

As he felt the chocolate on his tongue, Shinichi couldn't hold back his smile. Even if it was only his cooking, at least the remains of the old Kaito were still around. There was still hope, he thought as his eyelids grew heavier with every passing second. Strange. He didn't feel sleepy a minute ago. A sweet smell reached his nose then, and dragged his further away from his consciousness. Shinichi felt himself panic: He had to, he needed to stay awake! He had to watch Kid! But, as the time went on, that hysteric part of his mind slowly, but surely drifted away, leaving a dazed Shinichi behind.

"Oh? Are you getting sleepy, Arthur?" Kid asked. The sweetness of his voice was still venomous in Shinichi's ears, but he barely registered it, as his vision began to fade out.

"Yeah…" he yawned, and his voice was nothing but a soft whisper, as he closed his eyes.

"Good."