Early update again because of reasons.
Please enjoy!
When Kaito returned, he had two huge boxes of chocolate ice cream with him. One got thrown into the fridge, the other landed on the table in front of the couch, along with a big spoon. Shinichi could only stare as the other boy sat down next to him with a huff, then started eating like he hasn't seen food in weeks.
"What's wrong with you?" Shinichi asked quietly.
"I was thinking."
"About?"
"Your situation."
"Oh."
Awkward silence settled between them. Well, it was only awkward for Shinichi, since Kaito was still busy with eating ice cream like there was no tomorrow. He was scowling too, and maybe he would've looked serious if his cheeks weren't puffed like a squirrel's. That was probably the reason why, despite hiding under his blanket on the other side of the couch and feeling absolutely hopeless with the state he was in, Shinichi had to laugh.
First, it was a snort. Then came the shaking of his shoulders, and the way his lungs just couldn't take air in, while his face got redder with every passing second. And then he just burst out, his laughter loud and somewhat ragged from the lack of air, but happy. He only laughed harder when he imagined Kaito with fluffy squirrel ears and tail. It went on for minutes, though Shinichi felt like he'd been doing it for hours. When he finally stopped, he felt strangely self-conscious, and as he looked at Kaito, he realized why: the thief was completely starry-eyed.
"W-what is it?" Shinichi asked, as he pulled the blanket up to his nose.
"This is the first time I heard you laugh like that…" He sounded breathless, and his cheeks were tinted with pink.
"Come on…" he mumbled, and choose to just bury his face in the blanket completely.
The silence didn't feel that awkward anymore, as they sat next to each other, Shinichi's problem forgotten for a while.
"I-I… I think I can bathe alone…" Shinichi croaked out, stubbornly avoiding Kaito's gaze.
After they got over Kid's apparent stress-eating issues and Shinichi's laughter, the two of them fell asleep on the couch while watching a mildly interesting dorama. They had no idea how it happened, but by the time they woke up, Kaito was sleeping on his back, with Shinichi cradled to his chest. They both just laughed it off, and had dinner – for once, Kaito ate at home for some reason.
And then he just had to ruin it, when he picked up Shinichi (like he usually did) and took him to the bathroom.
"But how? You… you could drown and then-" Kaito was babbling, doing wild, overdramatic gestures with his hands, and he would've had ranted for hours, if he hadn't noticed the way Shinichi was blushing, looking away, hands awkwardly joined behind his back. Wordlessly, he seemed to ask: "Please, don't embarrass me even more." He nodded.
"Stay here" he said, then left him alone in the bathroom.
"This is ridiculous. I am ridiculous." Shinichi gritted his teeth. He felt humiliated – all his life, solving cases, outsmarting culprits, chasing a dangerous organisation, it all led to this: being treated as a pet. He was unable to survive alone, and he resembled a hamster more than a human. And he couldn't even be mad at Kaito, the guy just tried to take care of him, in his own awkward, overprotective way. It would've been easier if the thief wanted to humiliate him on purpose – then he could direct his anger at someone.
"Say, Kid," he started when the other boy returned, and ignored the way he flinched when Shinichi didn't call him by his name, "why did you save me?"
"I… had a feeling that you were someone I need to look after." He put a wide, but not tall mug on the table, along with the glove Shinichi used as his pajama, a tiny towel, and an even smaller bell. "Turns out I was right." he added under his breath.
"And that gut feeling was… enough for you?" Shinichi asked incredulously.
"It was."
"You're insane" he hissed. Kaito chuckled at that.
"That shouldn't even surprise you anymore, Tantei-kun." Before Shinichi could've said something to that, he turned away, and filled the mug with warm water. "You should be able to climb into this without problem. The towel is there, make sure you dry yourself properly. I brought you pajama too. If you're finished, just signal with that bell. You can yell too, if you want that. I'll be outside."
After he left, Shinichi seriously thought about just drowning himself in the water. Luckily, or unluckily for him, his mind choose exactly that moment to paint a pastel coloured picture of Kaito with something he could only describe as "kicked puppy face". Damn, will he make a face like this if he finds me floating in this mug? He decided to stay alive for a bit longer. The water seemed to wash away some of his worries, anyway.
When he was finished, he rang the bell, and not even a second later Kaito was already there.
"So, how was it?" he asked with something like hope in his eyes. Shinichi had no idea what he was hoping for.
"It was good, I guess. Nice." The hope all but vanished from Kaito's eyes at that, but after a blink his Poker Face was already set in place, flawless as always.
"Then we should do it like this from now on." The thief picked him up, and went to the bedroom.
Suddenly, the images of that night flashed in front of Shinichi's eyes. It's been less than a week ago, he thought. Yes, just a few days passed, and he could still remember being held in bloodied fingers, the ragged breath above him, the way Kid stumbled down the corridor. It was enough to make him clutch Kaito's thumb a bit harder.
"Good night, Ar… Shinichi." It was his turn to blush, though it was barely visible, and he quickly turned away and went to take a shower after he put Shinichi on his pillow.
Kaito seemed to be comfortable. He still laid on his side, and didn't move too much, but as he slept with his hands under his head, he looked peaceful. Shinichi envied him for that, as he couldn't stay still for more than a couple of seconds. He turned to his right, to his left, he laid on his stomach, then on his back, and then on his right again. Sleep eluded him, and he was left with a strange, warm feeling in his chest, that increased tenfold when he looked at the other side of the bed.
"Hnn… why… aren't ya sleepin'…" Kaito slurred, as he blinked at Shinichi, trying to get his messy bangs away from his face a bit.
"I can't."
"An' why is that?"
"Well… isn't this weird? I used to chase you on rooftops, and now I'm sleeping in your b-bed. How are you so calm?" He didn't even notice how his voice was an octave higher.
"This is what you've been worried about?" Kaito laughed softly and smiled at him. "I'm calm only because you're safe." He reached out to ruffle Shinichi's hair. "No matter where you are or what you do, in the end, you're still Kudou Shinichi, and that won't change. Even if you wear glasses. Even if I can hold you in one palm. Stop worrying." He smiled again, before he closed his eyes and went back to sleep.
And strangely enough, he felt just like he did back at Akako's place, except it was Kaito who put a spell on him. A really powerful one.
