Mikau: Hey everybody! I'm still kind of writer's blocked, and it's produced a lot of little KaiShin shorts, so I hope you enjoy! Thanks a bunch to reviewers from last time: Bunnyz-chan, Assasin8, MeitanteiRose, and patternleap!

Disclaimer: If I owned it…oh the possibilities. Well, for starters, Kaito and Shinichi would be fighting the same mysterious evil organization. Because it doesn't make sense for there to be two in Tokyo and there not to be a turf war. Seriously.

…

Acceptable Passenger

"Kid, let go! We're both gonna fall, you idiot!" Conan screeched at his white-clad rescuer.

"Shut up, Pipsqueak!" Kaito retorted (because it was a panicking Kaito in control at the moment, not the suave and level-headed phantom thief). "Like hell I'm gonna let you fall off a cliff to save myself!"

"You wouldn't even be in danger if you hadn't tried to save me," Shinichi mentally sighed.

He debated kicking the thief or trying to bite him to make the bandit let go, but, truthfully, Shinichi didn't really want to die. He'd like to think of himself as brave and selfless and noble, but…he didn't think he could bring himself to sacrifice his own life for Kid's. If it were Ran, there'd be no question, but…the Kaitou Kid?

Kaito could feel his glove start to slip off, and terrible memories of Nightmare's dead body grasping his glove crashed over him like an unforgiving wave. He wouldn't let it happen again. He'd die before he'd let his Tantei-kun…his Shinichi meet a similar fate. He couldn't fail this time.

He tightened his hold on Conan's wrist. "Hold on really tight. I'm gonna try to pull us up."

"Kid, just let go," Conan mumbled but tightened his hold regardless.

The tree root that Kid had been clinging to shifted. It wouldn't be long before it gave way.

Kaito froze, holding his breath and praying.

They were both as still as the dead for what felt like an hour but couldn't have been more than a few seconds.

"C-Can you maybe climb me, Tantei-kun? Use me as a stepladder and pull yourself up?" Kaito gulped. God, he was so scared, but if he could save Shinichi…

"Hell no! You could fall!" Conan snapped, making a mental note to whap Kid upside the head should they survive this mess.

"I've got my glider." Kaito started to shrug but was made to think better of it when the root moved again.

"Lot of good that'll do you here up against this stupid cliff. We're too close. Even if you try to use it, all it'll do is get caught on things and slow the fall. Heck, it might end up injuring you even more!" Conan reasoned with the nutty thief.

"That might be a risk I'll have to take," Kaito muttered, looking around and getting a list of his options together. "What if I pushed off of the cliff, throwing my body out there? That would get me a little further away from the rocks and the branches and the roots and other protrusions, right? I'd have a better chance that way, right?"

Shinichi considered it, taking a good look at their surroundings and doing a couple of quick calculations. "I'm going to climb you so that I'm hanging around your torso. Then, on the count of three, you're going to springboard off the side of the cliff, flinging yourself out there. From there, you'll do your glider thing."

"Sounds good. Hurry up and get in baby koala position so we can get this show on the road. I'm losing my grips—both on you and on the root. Move it, Meitantei."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Conan mumbled, using everything he had in him to carefully pull himself up and latch on to Kid's torso.

"One…two…three!" they counted together, and then they were airborne.

Conan nearly shut his eyes and awaited their painful deaths, but then he realized that he had such a beautiful view: the dark, navy, star-filled sky…and the Kaitou Kid's exquisite face.

Shinichi only came to the realization that they were unharmed and still in the sky fifteen minutes later when Kid finally broke the silence by asking, "So…where do you want me to set you down? Or did you plan on attacking me, knocking me out, and dragging my body in to the police as soon as we get back to civilization?"

Conan blinked. Well, he certainly had plans for Kid's body, and knocking him out didn't sound like a half-bad idea, but… "No. No, we're good tonight. You saved my life, Kid, and I wouldn't want to be ungrateful."

"Good. 'Cause depending on your answer, I was considering dropping you right now," Kaito tittered mischievously.

Conan rolled his eyes. "You wouldn't seriously drop me. After everything you went through to save me? …You can set me down wherever. I don't really care so long as it's within a reasonable walk to the detective agency, the police station, or some kind of public transit. I'm not really picky…." Conan bit his lip, taking the opportunity to stare longingly at Kid's beautiful face—so young and so like Shinichi's own. "However, if you wouldn't mind flying around for a bit, I…I kind of like this…being up high…and flying. I like your world. It's magical up here."

Kaito chuckled softly. "Yeah. I know what you mean. I suppose I could give you a little aerial tour of the city once we get back in town."

"Thanks," Conan whispered. He was perfectly content to stay like this forever: the feeling of Kid's arms wrapped around him…their chests pressed together…the smell of vanilla bean coming from Kid's shampoo or body wash…. Shinichi was content to stay in Kid's arms as long as the thief would allow.