"Nakamori-chan, I need some advice," KID began casually.

Aoko only glared in response as she gripped the bedsheets. She really wasn't sure how KID got into her room in the middle of the night. And she really wasn't appreciating it since tomorrow was Monday and she needed her energy for the traditional mop chase the next morning. Leave it to KID to be completely inconsiderate of another's plans. Apparently he wasn't content with robbing people of their highly expensive property. No, he had to go break into her house and wake her up at half past midnight. "Alright" she growled in a venomous voice. "How about taking some therapy sessions?"

Yet the thief only grinned as he cheerfully replied, "Though I will admit it's a popular theory that I've long since lost it, that wasn't what I had in mind."

Aoko lifted a brow. "You can sit here and wait while I find a pair of handcuffs. Maybe a few years in prison will get rid of your kleptomania," she suggested dryly.

"I don't have kleptomania," KID sighed, and Aoko let out a snort. He turned his blue eyes, barely visible in the darkness, towards her in a pleading expression. Aoko's jaw dropped. That... that was the puppy dog face. As in the one Kaito used on her when he REALLY wanted his chocolate ice cream. That was cheating. She felt herself waver as the thief begged, "Please, Nakamori-chan? I need advice."

The girl grimaced and glanced away. Her eyes flitted to the door as though she were wondering if she could wake her father before KID escaped. But even she had to admit it was impossible, the window was wide open. He'd be out of sight before she got through the door. So with a groan she muttered, "Fine. Sit down- I don't like having to look up at you."

Beaming triumphantly, KID obliged, sitting lightly beside her on the edge of the bed. The mattress springs didn't even creak as he eased himself onto it. "You see," he began after a moment's hesitation. "It's about a girl-"

"Kaitou KID has girl problems?" Aoko found herself snickering. "And sorry, but aren't you a bit old for that?"

KID smirked in that annoying I-know-something-you-don't way. She scowled, knowing she was about to he proven wrong. "Actually," he said lightly, "I'm only a few months older than you are." Her eyes went wide at that. Kaitou KID- an eighteen year old in high school? The thief grinned. "Yes, surprising, isn't it? A teenager has been leading the entire Taskforce on a wild goose chase for over a year." He chuckled smugly to himself. Then, in a much more somber tone, he continued, "Though I did have my reasons. Nakamori-chan, would you mind if I let you in on a few secrets?"

Aoko's eyes went wide. Before she could say anything, KID leaned back on her bed, crossing his arms and using them as a makeshift pillow behind his head. "Would you believe me… if I said I never intended to be a thief? Because it's true. When I found out my father was an internationally wanted thief… well, I didn't know what to think. My dad, the one I looked up to and loved, was a criminal. I never did find out why… though I suppose it might tie into his death.

"Some years ago, my father was murdered in a way that tricked people into believing it was an accident. Even I was fooled, until I discovered a secret room in my house. There, I found this," a gloved hand waved at his face, covered by a tilted hat and monocle, then lowered to pluck at his cape. "My first heist was an attempt to find out why my father was a thief… And that was when I found out he'd been killed. I continued stealing in order to find his killers, and when I did, I resolved to bring them down. I did, by the way, with the help of my favorite detectives. It should be on the news tomorrow morning."

He grinned up at the ceiling as though he didn't have a care in the world. "Now that my job is done, I can finally tell my friend I love her.

Aoko blinked at that word. Love. Not like, but love. And then she felt a sharp pang of guilt as she remembered her hatred for the thief before her, despising him for stealing her father away when his own father was dead. Killed. Slowly, she asked, "Why did you tell me that?"

KID sat up again and shrugged. "Not sure. Maybe I just wanted to talk to someone who wouldn't psychoanalyze me. Believe me, detectives are not the best counselors. Although I suppose there's a chance you won't believe me. It's a pretty wild tale, and this is coming from me." He chuckled.

Oddly enough, Aoko found she did believe him. She didn't know why, she had no reason to... but there was something about the thief that told her he wasn't lying. And so she only smirked and said in a mocking voice, "But you're KID. You have an army of fangirls- is it really so hard to get your friend to like you?"

KID barked out a laugh. "If I tell her I'm KID, she'll hate me!" At Aoko's surprised expression, he sheepishly added, "You aren't the only one, Nakamori-chan. Take Kudo- ah, Tantei-kun's girlfriend, Mouri Ran. Though we've recently gotten over our differences, she used to hold a strong grudge against me."

"Really?" Aoko inquired curiously. "Why?" KID looked away, blushing slightly in the darkness, and muttered something about disguising as her boyfriend. The girl rolled her eyes. "Ok, then. First things first, you're bound to tick off a few people if you make them think you're their boyfriend. That aside, why don't you tell me about this girl?"

The thief grinned. "Well, the most important thing is that we're childhood friends." Aoko's eyes widened and she let out a whistle of understanding. "-And we're still best friends... We argue a lot, and our classmates constantly say we're a married couple, which we always deny." He smirked, as though amused with himself.

"That… sounds like me and Kaito," Aoko said slowly. Almost suspiciously.

KID chuckled. "Nakamori-chan, you'd be surprised just how common that situation is. In fact, Kudo and Hattori- that is, Tantei-kun and Tantei-han, are also like that. Hakuba isn't though. Poor guy needs a girlfriend." Aoko giggled as he suddenly snapped his fingers through his gloves. "Hakuba was there, by the way! When we were taking down those murderers. I'm sure you can imagine just how shocked he was to wake up in the middle of a classic car chase. Guns blazing and everything. Kudo was at the wheel- and if you think I'M insane, you'll put that idiot in an asylum for his driving. Hattori and I were trying to shoot the wheels of our pursuers, which is a bit hard when Kudo's trying to turn the road into a roller coaster track, and Hakuba-"

"KID? The point?" Aoko cut in.

"Ah, right…" He coughed into a fist. "Say, Nakamori-chan? What would you do if you found out your best friend was a criminal? You know, just for an idea of what my friend would think."

She paused at that, trying to imagine her reaction if Kaito was in KID's situation. "Well… I think I'd be mad. I'd hit him over the head with a mop and decorate his house with fish posters for the lies." Was it just her imagination, or did KID just shudder? "But I'd also be sad, to know that he didn't trust me enough to tell me his secrets. But in the end... I think I'd forgive him. If he had a reason behind it, then there's no reason not to. I'm sure it'll be awkward, but... well, I don't think I could hate him." She felt her cheeks heat up as she spoke.

KID nodded, seemingly satisfied with her answer. For a few moments, both were surrounded in a comfortable silence. It was strange, she thought. She felt so at ease with a person she had hated only minutes before. There was something oddly familiar about him, something that made her capable of laughing with and talking to and teasing the thief like she'd known him for years. Then the silence was broken as KID spoke up once more. "One more question. If I were to confess to my friend… how would you suggest I do it?"

Aoko's already heated cheeks burned. That was an easy question, the answer had been imagined by her countless times whenever she was under the influence of a romantic novel. "Um. Well, don't wait too long. Just find the right moment, maybe some romantic scenery, and wait until the two of you are alone. Then… just tell her."

"Just like that?" he asked, sounding a bit doubtful. "No preamble, gifts, nothing?"

She shrugged. "If you want to do it that way, go ahead. Though… I-it might be a good idea to kiss her."

KID seemed to consider that. Slowly, his mouth began to widen into a grin that rivaled even Kaito's. Before she. could blink, he was off the bed and perched on the window sill, a white silhouette against the night. "Alright. I'll take your advice, Nakamori-chan. Thank you for your time, and I apologize for waking you at such a late hour." He tipped his hat and with a leap, he was gone.

It wasn't until lunch at school the next day that she was able to chat with Kaito. The boy had been flitting around all day, declaring himself to be Hakuba's bodyguard and fending off all the detective's new fangirls. The morning news had announced that 'Famous detectives Kudo Shinichi, Hattori Heiji, and Hakuba Saguru along with Kaitou KID' had taken down a crime organization two days before. It would certainly explain the many sirens she had heard on Saturday.

As soon as the lunch bell rang, Kaito was at Aoko's desk and yanking her down the halls. She barely had enough time to grab her bag. "Kaito!" she yelped. "Where are we going?"

"The roof!" he called back. It was technically off limits but… well, who said Kaito cares about limits? And so a few minutes later, Aoko found herself standing on the school roof with her friend, glaring at him.

"Kaito," she growled. "Care to explain why you nearly dislocated my shoulder?"

The magician grinned at her. "I didn't want to wait for the right moment, so I just made it. Look, we're alone, semi-romantic scenery." As he gestured to the nice view the rooftop provided, Aoko felt her eyes go wide.

"Kaito," she gasped. "You're not-"

"I love you," Kaito interrupted with a huge smile.

And then he kissed her.

...Not sure about this one. Were they in character? It feels like they're out of character. -twitch- ARGH! -headdesk-

And I know a lot of people wanted a Haibara's revenge chapter. I'll try to write one, but I need inspiration first. :P