Hello Minna-san~!
Short starting note: Another title for the fic could have been "Blessing in Disguise"
I sure hope you enjoy the read!
I am also disclaiming that Detective Conan/Magic Kaitoare not mine and I am endlessly crying over it.
Give Me A Hug Again
Kaito is fed up. He's just having the worst possible day ever. And this can only mean one thing: Lady Luck has abandoned him.
Of all day, why has the Fair Lady decided to leave him to his own misfortune today? Kaito has honestly no idea. Well, he maybe has one. But he really hopes he's wrong. Because that would link his rotten luck to one red-eyed witch, and God knows he does not want to deal with her today. Or ever.
Pulling out his phone from his jeans pocket, he clicks his tongue as he notices the damn device has died on his way home. Another bad-luck-related-outcome, he's certain of it. Afterall, he's made sure to charge it for at least an hour before leaving home to meet with Aoko and the rest of their friends that afternoon. There is no way his newly bought - two weeks old - Juavei Honor Note 10 would run out of battery so easily. This is just plain bad luck. Period.
Letting out a frustrated sigh, he leans over his desk to reach for his phone charger, which has mysteriously decided to disappear from his sight when he's just seen it from the corner of his eyes ten minutes ago. Could this day end soon, he whines internally while plugging the stupid phone to its cable.
"I should probably call her," he voices to the empty room before frowning in exasperation, "I could have if my damn phone wasn't dead."
God, he wants to knock his head against the wall. This day sucks. And it's not even over yet.
Another disheartened sigh escapes his lips as he collapses on his bed and he curses all the damn gods and all the other mythical creatures in the goddamn universe because why the heck did he just knock his head against the stupid bedhead right now?!
Forget the bed, the bed is a bad idea, the bed is mean today. He needs to chill. And what better way to chill than to enjoy a nice cup of homemade hot chocolate. Afterall, it's mid-January, winter is still here, and everyone knows how much Kaito hates the cold. Yep, he thinks, getting up to leave his bedroom and go to the kitchen; a nice warm mug of sweet and spicy hot chocolate is the true remedy to any cold - and bad - day.
Making his way downstairs a bit more light-hearted, Kaito doesn't even let surprise (or fear) show on his face as he misses a step and almost falls to his death. Thank god for his years of practice, he has a perfect Poker Face on while still grabbing the stair rails with his two hands, legs half bent in a squat position, the very picture of grace and elegance.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I present you the great Kaitou KID," he mutters jokingly in an attempt to calm his racing heart. He forces himself to laugh upon realising that 1) he's alone in his house, 2) he's talking to himself, 3) he's been keeping his Poker Face on like a moron, 4) he is goddamn alone in his house, 5) he just escaped his death, 6)... God, he doesn't even know anymore.
He really needs to phone the witch. He has to. This is just ridiculous now. And life threatening. And he has a damn heist tonight. And...
"Oh fuck me, I have a heist tonight!", he cries out, a hand smacking his forehead a bit too hard, hurting him in the process. How on earth is he supposed to survive a KID's heist in this state? What is going to go wrong during the heist? Because let's face it, it's just bound to turn horribly wrong. Kaito isn't a fool, an idiot, yes, but not a fool, and he knows for a fact that Kaitou KID without Lady Luck by his side is the best way of finding himself in jail (or killed) in the next few hours.
"WHERE THE HECK IS THE PHONE?!", he screams in sheer panic, roaming the house like a madman, whimpering every time he knocks himself against the furniture, "MAKE IT STOP!"
Tears in the corner of his eyes, Kaito launches himself on the black wireless device as soon as he finds it hiding behind some ridiculous smiley-emoji pillow his mother had bought for him for his last birthday - and why would she even do that when he was an eighteen grown-up man, seriously. He swears the damn cushion is smirking at him as he pauses for a second to stare at it. The bastard. Frustrated, Kaito throws it with disdain back onto the couch.
"Screw you, Bakako," he greets between his teeth as he nervously types the witch's number on the phone. It's only fair to name the damn pillow after her today; it's all her fault this day is even happening in the first place. "Now pick up, you witch," he mutters, crossing his fingers behind his back when he hears the line beeping for the fourth time. What is that damn woman doing not answering him right now?!
"When in need of my supreme assistance, I'd rather not have you calling me names, Kuroba-kun," he finally hears in what he senses is a threatening tone. Good thing she's miles away from him right now. He hopes.
"Forget that! Akako, WHAT is happening to me!", he sputters without caring about how desperate he sounds.
"What are you referring to?", she asks casually, and Kaito hates how unconcerned she sounds. He's certain she's staring at her perfectly manicured nails right now. The damn witch.
"A-ka-ko," he starts in a low-key voice. He's about to lose his shit, he knows it. He doesn't have time to though.
"Kuroba-kun." A pause. Too long for Kaito's liking. His knuckles are starting to turn white around the stupid device he's holding like a lifeline. He's about to kill her through the phone, gentlemanly ways be damned, but she cuts him off again, "There is a way for you to regain Lady Luck's favour."
"H-HOW? Aka-", Kaito strangles his phone as he hears himself squeak in disbelief because the connection just dies when he is about to be saved. "WHAT THE HELL!"
God, he's tired - so exhausted by everything right now. He needs this day to just be cancelled. Either that or he needs a hug.
Tossing the phone away in frustration - he hears it knocking the corner of a wall and he knows he'll regret it later - he just makes a run for the entrance. It takes him twenty-two seconds to put his sneakers on, grab his coat, scarf and keys, and leave the house. Now let's find a stupid payphone, he muses as his eyes dart around, his legs already taking him automatically to the last phone booth he remembers seeing… a mile away from his house. There, he hurriedly inserts three 100 yen coins to be certain the call won't just cut-off in his face again. Kaito slightly catches his breath as he listens to the beeps on the line. Pick up, pick up, pick up, pic-
"Kuroba-kun?"
"AKAKO TELL ME HOW!", he screams to the receiver. Forget patience and politeness, Kaito's feeling his soul slowly leaving him right now. He's just noticed six big black crows sitting in a row on the power lines in front of his telephone booth, and though they aren't doing anything alarming, he can feel them staring at him like he's one juicy piece of meat they'll have for their next feast.
"Kuroba-kun," he hears Akako saying again, stressing out the "kun" as if to make a point. Kaito gulps remembering she has a voodoo doll in his image and she's nuts enough to use it for simply being rude. Hell, at this point he can see her ordering those crows to have him for dinner. They look hungry enough.
"Kuroba-kun," she says for a third time, slower, in what Kaito feels is a deadly whisper. He gulps, eyes drifting to the crows.
"I'm sorry, don't make them eat me."
A sigh. That's all he hears through the receiver before the line abruptly cuts off and the long beep of the telephone is the only thing keeping him company. Kaito wants to scream, laugh and cry all at the same time. He does none of it. He simply stares back at those stupid crows which are still not moving from the power lines, their red eyes looking straight at him. The witch has just left him alone to his misery, and now he doesn't even know how to get out of this damn phone box.
"Can crows be deceived by a Poker Face?", Kaito ponders, half-seriously. Guess he'll find out soon enough.
It's with a heavy sigh and a desperate laugh that Kaito tosses his preparation bag on his left shoulder, ready to leave the house.
"What a shitty day..." he whispers to himself, a finger rubbing the little scratch on his nose. He's managed to escape the crows in one piece, though two of them succeeded in leaving their marks on his face. Good thing he's a fast runner.
At this point, Kaito's only hoping that no other catastrophe falls upon him before he even reaches the heist location. Then again, if he believes the last text message he received, Lady Luck won't come back to him so easily.
Received, 6:37 pm
Koizumi Akako
"Only when the demon of light will bestow its liking on the sinner in white, will the charming maiden find her way home." Prophecy imparted to me by the vile Lucifer when I mentioned your name, Kuroba-kun.
Great. How exactly is he supposed to decipher this right now? Fair enough, today is not the first time Akako has mentioned this 'demon of light' in one of her crazy prophecies. God, he still remembers that heist like it was yesterday. That's how scared he's been of getting caught that night. A rookie's mistakes, really. Kaitou KID learnt to be as unpredictable as possible afterwards. But that didn't give him any clue of who the mysterious walking demon might be. Akako was such a pain, honestly. Pulling his black beanie lower on his face, Kaito simply pushes himself in one of the train wagons, silently hoping that the ride to Beika will go without a hitch. Forget the witch's riddle; he'll find his own way out of this horrible day.
He doesn't. It's past 10:35 pm when Kaito finds himself on the rooftop, whispering a small "help me please" to his phone. His fingers are frantically tapping on the screen, his other hand tightened around the stupid jewel he's stolen thirteen minutes ago. Obviously not Pandora. He's busy texting her again, because everything simply went bad, and he's so done with this night. He seriously needs that hug right now.
For the first time since he's taken his father's mantle, Kaitou KID has appeared late at a heist. Twenty minutes late. Not because Kaito hadn't made it to Beika. He had. But he's somehow managed to misplace his KID's monocle along the way. How was this even possible, Kaito had absolutely no idea, and at this point, he seriously didn't care anymore. He spent the last ten minutes prior to the heist throwing his entire bag on the floor of the toilets, making certain the damn eyeglass wasn't hiding from sight, before giving up and running to the closest convenience store he's spotted on its way to the museum. Fuck this day, was all he mumbled as he started shaping a monocle out of craft paper. This was beyond ridiculous.
What happened next just made it ten times worse. He had to suffer Inspector Nakamori's jokes and scolding about his tardiness, two of the police officers insisting on the fact his monocle looked funny tonight, before finding himself covered in purple flour - he's added food colouring to it - because one of his doves flew away, triggering his own trap in the process. All of it while keeping his Poker Face on and being the ever-so gentleman thief.
A shiver runs down his spine recalling the last thirty minutes of his life. Kaito lets out a small sigh escape his lips, somewhat glad he's made it alive so far. If only Akako would answer him now.
He almost finds himself jumping when his phone vibrates in his hand.
Received, 10:38 pm
Koizumi Akako
He who can help is here.
"He who can help?", he repeats, uncertain. Kaito doesn't have time to ponder as he hears the rooftop's door opening in a creaking sound. Nevermind that he's locked it before coming out here. He's no longer surprised by his bad luck tonight.
"My, you've found me sooner than expected, Nakamo-"
He finds himself at a loss for words upon seeing who's standing before him. In a crimson red jacket and a grey pair of thick trousers, hands in his pockets, dark green scarf around his small neck, Edogawa Conan is staring at him with his piercing blue eyes hiding behind glasses too huge for his face. What is Tantei-kun doing here? Kaitou KID isn't stealing from Suzuki Jirokichi tonight. There's no reason for the boy to be here in front of him. God, and when he looks like this, his perfect white suit completely stained in a shameful purple, the stupid paper monocle not even covering his right eye properly. Why is Tantei-kun here when Kaitou KID looks like a living clown? Kaito wants to die.
Instead, he imperceptibly winces when he sees the small detective's eyebrows arch for a split second before a frown finds its way on his face. Tantei-kun is watching him in a heavy silence, his lips pressed so tightly together they just look like a thin line across his face. Tantei-kun is staring, and staring, and staring, and Kaito almost jumps when the boy finally asks in a small disbelievingly tone, just one simple question:
"What happened?"
And with this, Kaito simply loses it. He feels his Poker Face shattering into tiny pieces and he doesn't care anymore, because dammit, someone sounds finally genuinely concerned about him and God, he just wants to hug the boy. And he does. Because he seriously needs a hug right now.
"Tantei-kun…", he murmurs in a soft tired voice. He's drained, he's exhausted, he's cold. He doesn't pretend anymore. It's Tantei-kun anyway. Tantei-kun will understand. And he hugs him tighter, he feels himself trembling against the small body of his detective, and he sighs in relief when he feels the short arms wrapping around his waist because he doesn't want to move right now.
"Bad day?"
"Bad day". The worst, he thinks, though deep down he's starting to feel like his night is slowly getting better.
After a few minutes, Kaito wants to let go as he remembers that he's still half-covered in purple flour and this is just going to ruin the detective's jacket, but the grip on the back of his suit tightens.
"Don't move, idiot," is the tiny mumbles he hears against his chest, the little form in his arms hiding a bit more against him. He doesn't know why or how he can tell, but he's certain of it: Tantei-kun is blushing. The small detective is an embarrassing mess right now because of him, and still, he's agreeing to simply hug the thief.
"Tantei-kun..." he sighs, his voice gentle. His heart is beating furiously in his chest, and he's pretty sure the detective can hear it. But Kaito doesn't care. He's taken by such an overwhelming feeling of pure fondness for the boy right now. God, he loves him.
"Why'd you come tonight?", he asks softly. He doesn't have to elaborate, he knows the little sleuth will understand the other questions behind it.
"Occhan got called out to assist tonight, so Ran and I tagged along."
"I see."
They stay silent for another moment before Kaito feels the grip on his jacket tightening again.
"...and I wanted to see you," is what he makes out from the boy's next mumbling. A faint laugh escapes his lips, his face falling forward, a few inches away of his little detective's hair. Tantei-kun~..., he thinks fondly, enjoying the scent of citrus and mint shampoo.
"How can you be so adorable at such unexpected times?", he can't help but ask teasingly.
He almost cries out of surprise when he sees Conan raising his head, cheeks pink and eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Shut up or I won't hug you anymore."
And Kaito can't help himself, he laughs. One genuine happy laugh, because God, everything feels right again. He hugs the little boy one last time before straightening himself up, dusting light traces of flour from the detective's jacket and scarf. They share one last glance, the magician thief adorning his signature grin upon seeing the confused look on Conan's face.
"You are the best, Meitantei," Kaito finally says, producing a single pink rose out of thin air. Thank you.
Conan only has time to accept the rose that they hear footsteps and yelling approaching, and the Phantom Thief quickly makes his way to the ledge, activating his glider not before sending a last wink to his favourite critic.
"Give me a hug again next time, Tantei-kun!", he lets out wholeheartedly as he jumps and avoids a soccer ball at the same time.
"Stupid thief!" is the last thing he hears before flying away, his eyes shimmering with glee upon seeing Meitantei holding his rose. Kaito is sure of one thing now: he doesn't need Lady Luck to have a good day, he simply needs his Tantei-kun.
THE END.
Ok. So. This was written for the Season of Anime Exchange 2018 (a Tumblr event). I sure hope you guys enjoyed reading it, as I had a lot of fun (and trouble) writing this story.
Other than that, can we just all take a moment to appreciate Chikage who still sees her boy as a real KID and gives him an emoji-pillow for his 18th birthday? Thank you.
Also, Akako had nothing to do with Kaito's bad luck, he just had a bad day - like it would happen to any normal person. Kaito's just not used to it, is all.
This has been crossposted on ao3, so feel free to go read it there if you want. Comments are always welcome :)
See you next illusion~