Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan/Case Closed.

Pairing: KaitoxShinichi

Chapter Rating: M

Collection Summary: No matter where or what they are, their lives are always entwined. KaiShin stories in fantasy settings.

Chapter Summary: Their investigation into the death of Kuroba Toichi lands Shinichi and Kaito in the middle of a city-wide battle.

Cloak and Dagger

[Castle Verse]

Part 5

"Lord Chojin's son is dating the daughter of the Raishu family?" Kaito exclaimed, though whether he was shocked or excited, Shinichi wasn't sure.

"It looks that way," Shinichi replied. "And not just dating. Engaged to. All the people in the office are whispering about the engagement. Lord Chojin doesn't approve. He thinks her family's some backwater noble house with no real power, wealth, or sense. But he's still agreed to go to the ball where the engagement will be announced."

"I see, I see. Were you invited?"

"Huh? Invited to what?"

"The ball," Kaito clarified, laughing. Shinichi could be a little slow sometimes when his mind was full of puzzles. "Did they invite you to the party?"

"I guess it's not impossible that I got an invitation," Shinichi said after a moment's thought. "Some of the other staff did, but mostly just the senior members. There was a letter on my desk yesterday though. But it was labeled unofficial, so I haven't looked at it."

Kaito shot him an incredulous look then laughed. "That's just like you. Well, you should look. It'll make our lives a whole lot easier if you were invited."

"Easier how?"

"Well, it'll make things more fun."

"…Fun and easy are not the same thing. And, frankly, in your case, they're probably exactly opposite."

"Well, maybe. But you never know."

"What I don't understand is, if Lord Chojin's son was supposed to get the ring, why are the Raishu soldiers trying to stop us from delivering it?"

"Let's see. The most obvious reason is they don't want him to have it."

"I know that," Shinichi snapped, rolling his eyes. "I meant why."

"Perhaps they want someone else to wear it instead."

Shinichi hesitated. "Like heirs arguing over who should succeed."

"Exactly. I did some digging of my own, and I discovered that the Raishu have been buying a lot—and I mean a LOT—of magical weapons. The man paying for those weapons is the Raishu's next head of house. Before you ask, I know this because I snuck in for a look at the books being kept by his smuggler. He uses an anagram for his name. Way too easy, if you ask me. And this young man happens to have a little sister."

"Lord Chojin's son's fiancé," Shinichi said.

"Yep. So what if the sister doesn't like the idea that she has to stay on the sideline as her elder brother reclaims the kingdom? What if she wants to be the one in charge?"

"Then she could arrange for the all important ring to end up with the man she chooses. They won't be able to kill him once he gets it, so they won't be able to do anything even if they want to object. And she would become the heir to the head of the family." Shinichi frowned. "But wait. She wouldn't be protected. Wouldn't the family just get rid of her?"

"Maybe," Kaito conceded. "But I recall that it was Raishu tradition to choose the heir that wins. It used to be a matter of the last one standing. But then it evolved into proving their mettle to the current head because they realized that if they kept killing each other off, they'd eventually drive their own clan to extinction. Now assassinating opposing heirs is considered low class. And though the direct descendants get first dibs, the leadership can actually be passed to a cousin or other relative if the current head deems his or her own children unfit. Anyhow, I could be wrong, but snatching the royal ring out from under her brother's nose sounds like a pretty good way to show herself the better heir to her father."

They sat in silence for a long moment, thinking.

Shinichi broke it with a sigh. "So then, what now?"

"We still have to deliver that ring if we want Koizumi's information."

"I know, but… We can't just look the other way."

Kaito smiled. "Don't worry, we won't. But we will have to get creative."

Shinichi snorted, but he was smiling. "I figured that much out on my own, thanks."

-0-

"Hello? I have a delivery of crystal goblets from the Oyumis."

"Ah, yes, for the ball coming up." The butler smiled broadly. "I'll show your men where to take it. Just follow me."

Kaito jogged back to the wagon and waved at his assistants to start unloading. Since the cargo was fragile, he'd been given a lot of assistants for the delivery. Each man and woman cradled his or her box with care as they followed him in single file. They made their way into the house to a storage room as dictated by the butler.

Kaito whistled when he saw the other supplies already filling the place. "That's a lot of stuff."

"It's going to be a very big ball," the butler replied with a chuckle. "Our young lady is getting engaged, you see."

"Ah. Congratulations."

The old man beamed like a proud grandfather. "Thank you."

"Is the party going to be here? It doesn't seem big enough for the size of party these supplies suggest. No offense," he added hastily, feigning embarrassment.

The old man chuckled. "No offense taken. And you're perfectly right. We're having the party at the Star Lilly."

"You know, we could deliver these supplies there for you," Kaito offered. "It would make everything easier for you guys."

"Thank you for your good intentions, but we can manage."

"Well, if you change your mind…"

"I'll let the family know."

Kaito stood back and watched as the boxes were carefully stacked. As he did so, he cast a quick detection spell, searching for any traces of the magical weapons he'd seen. But either they were being concealed by a very skilled magic user or they weren't being kept on the premises. He would put his best on the latter. The estate was large, but most of the land was dedicated to the gardens, and he hadn't seen any storage sheds. As for the house… Well, it was large, but, if they'd stashed all those crates he'd seen in here, they would have had to commandeer some of the living spaces to fit everything. And, if they'd done that, they wouldn't be letting random delivery people wander in and out so freely with only one old butler to keep watch.

So everything was stashed at the Star Lily, eh?

A smirk tugged at Kaito's lips as he left to make the rest of the day's deliveries. His last delivery happened to be near the Star Lily. What luck.

-0-

"Is this for real?" Inspector Megure stared at the letter in his hands.

"Uh, we don't really know," Takagi, the officer who had found the note, said. "But I think it would be worth looking into. I mean, we haven't had much luck looking ourselves…"

The inspector frowned, but he knew it was true. But still, this wasn't exactly what he'd call a lead. All it really said was that they would find what they had been searching for at the party being held at the Star Lily. It gave a date and the aforementioned Star Lily's address, but that was it. It didn't even clarify what it was that they would find, although, in terms of what Megure's team had been searching for, the royal ring and its thief were the only things that came to mind. Still…

"This city is almost at the very edge of the kingdom," the inspector said. "How the hell would the ring have traveled so far without being found? We've had the areas around the capital under surveillance ever since the theft!"

"I don't know," Takagi admitted. "But if it really is all the way out there, it would explain why we haven't been able to find it."

Megure grunted. That was true. "We can't get a search warrant with a tip like this."

"I have a thought about that," a new voice spoke up. Megure and Takagi turned to see another officer had entered the office.

"Yes?" the inspector inquired. "I'm listening."

The newcomer, Shiratori, smiled. "I have an invitation to that party."

"You know the hosts?" Takagi asked, surprised.

"Not personally. But they are a wealthy family, and I have met them at a few business functions I attended for my family."

Megure nodded approvingly. "So you can go as a guest and check out how much truth there is to this tip."

"Yes. And if we have our people stationed around the Star Lily, we can move in immediately should there be cause to do so."

-0-

"So what do you think?"

Shinichi looked from one open ring box to the other and back. The two boxes were sitting on the dining room table side by side. Everything about them from the color and texture of the boxes to the rings inside them were exactly the same. Even the luster of the rings was the same. It was amazing.

"You really did an incredible job," he said sincerely.

Kaito beamed.

"So which one's the real one?"

"The box on the right is real, but the ring on the left is real."

Shinichi nodded his understanding. "I assume I'll be taking the box on the right then."

"Yep. Right after I replace on the protection spells." The smile slid off the magician's face to be replaced by a much more serious expression. "Do you think you can do this?"

"Of course I can," Shinichi huffed. "It's not like it's difficult."

"You have to make absolutely sure that you aren't seen. If you're seen—"

"I know, I know. Stop worrying."

"If you'd just let me do it, I wouldn't have to worry."

"You have other things you have to take care of," Shinichi pointed out reasonably. "We're short on time as it is. Just focus on your part and let me do mine."

Kaito sighed. Reaching out, he pulled Shinichi into a tight embrace. "Fine. But be careful."

"You too."

-0-

Though he really did feel like his job in this was easy, Shinichi still breathed easier after he'd left the ring box in the mail room. The old man who sorted the mail had gone out for his break.

From his desk, Shinichi saw the old man return. He held his breath. A few minutes later, the old man emerged with the little, nondescript box in hand. The old man was scratching his head and muttering to himself about finding the young master to ask about the odd parcel.

Shinichi ducked his head to hide his smile. Things were going just as Kaito and he had hoped.

-0-

"I feel ridiculous."

Kaito laughed. "You look beautiful."

Shinichi scowled, a hot blush splashed across his face. He looked down at himself again. It wasn't so much the dress that was making him feel awkward as the fact that the dress was so lacy. It was white with blue accents to match Kaito's white suit and blue shirt. It looked like it belonged on some noble lady who never had to do any work.

"Why can't I just wear what I've been wearing?" he grumbled.

"Because we're going to a party full of high officials. You know that," the magician admonished. "It would be rude to arrive in everyday clothes."

Shinichi grumbled some more but didn't dispute the claim. He knew Kaito was right. Still, he felt like a cupcake.

"I won't be able to run in this if things don't go well," he warned.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you."

Shinichi relented with a sigh. A small smile made its way onto his face. "I'll be counting on you then."

Kaito leaned down to steal a kiss from Shinichi before stepping back and sweeping into a deep bow. "Shall we be on our way then, my lady?"

Shinichi rolled his eyes but accepted the hand Kaito held out to him. "Whatever. The sooner this is over with, the happier I'll be."

-0-

The ball was a grand affair. Shinichi felt out of place the moment he and Kaito arrived. He'd grown up in a small village where parties like this were things in stories only. He'd been exposed to a much more extravagant world when he'd gone to work in the castle, but Kaito wasn't big on formalities. When he threw parties, they were bright, lively, casual affairs more about letting loose than anything else. This party felt like nothing so much as a time for showing off.

If Kaito felt awkward at all, he didn't show it. Then again, Shinichi supposed the magician had had to attend his fair share of fancy functions on this trips away from the castle.

"Smile," Kaito whispered into his ear. "You look like you've swallowed a bug."

Shinichi drew in a deep breath then let it out slowly. He focused on the small band playing on the stage in the corner of the ballroom. Music was something he could appreciate. He let the notes wash the unease out of his system. This time, when he tried to smile, it was more natural.

"That's more like it," Kaito said, his own smile broadening into a grin. "So which one of these guys is Lord Chojin's son?"

Turning, Shinichi scanned the crowd. Half the attendees were on the dance floor. The other half were milling about, chatting and enjoying the refreshments from the banquet table and the cocktails being carried about by the servers.

Blue eyes zeroed in on a young man in a sleek, black suit with gold embroidery. He was standing with a pretty, young woman dressed in crimson. The two were standing at the head of a short queue of what appeared to be well-wishers.

He nudged Kaito and nodded in the couple's direction. "There they are."

"Let's go then."

Together, they made their way towards the couple. They had to wait in line for several minutes before they could speak to the two.

"Ah, Shina," Lord Chojin's son said in greeting when they approached. Then he turned to his companion. "This is Shina, my father's new accountant. Shina, this is my fiancé, Lady Aiko."

Shinichi nodded to the two."

"You'll have to excuse Shina here," the lord's son continued. "She's not a big talker."

"I see." Aiko smiled. She turned to Kaito. "And you are?"

"I'm Shina's fiancé." Kaito held out his hand. "Congratulations on your engagement."

Lord Chojin's son shook his hand as his lady nodded (Kaito observed that the lord's son really was wearing the royal ring, although the man had turned it so that the crest was facing his palm and out of casual sight). "Thank you."

They talked idly for a few more minutes before Kaito excused them, saying something about visiting the banquet table. On their way by, the magician 'accidentally' bumped shoulders with the lord's son. He apologized, and the moment passed. Shinichi snuck a look back at the couple as they left. There was a bulge in the lord's son's breast pocket that hadn't been there earlier (it was quite well disguised by the fancy brooch pinned over the same spot), but the man himself seemed oblivious to it. Good.

In another part of the room, one Officer Shiratori was wondering if the tip really had just been a hoax. So far, he'd seen nothing out of the ordinary. Setting his empty glass on the tray of a passing servant, he went to the restroom. When he emerged, he caught a fleeting glimpse of a shadow figure hurrying around the corner at the end of the hall.

His eyes narrowed. He glanced around to make sure he was alone then followed.

The Star Lily was quite a large building with many halls and rooms. It was popular for conferences and parties of all kinds. Today, however, the entire building had been reserved by the Raishu family. This was fortunate for Shiratori because it decreased the chances of being seen by passersby.

He followed the suspicious shadow from hall to hall. The figure kept stopping to duck in and out of rooms. It almost seemed like it was searching for something. About five minutes into his pursuit, Shiratori saw a second shadow join the first.

He edged closer until he could hear their low murmurs.

"They aren't where they're supposed to be," one murmured urgently.

"Could someone have stolen them?"

"They couldn't have taken them all. At least not off the premises. We'd have noticed."

"Maybe the others misread the directions and put them in the wrong place."

"Let's go ahead and seal the doors first. It'll be messier, but we can finish the job with what we have."

Shiratori frowned. He didn't like the sound of that.

He made his way quickly to one of the windows on the second floor of the building. It faced the street outside and, more importantly, one of the police lookouts. Removing a collapsible lamp from his pocket, he placed a candle inside it and struck a match. Then he held the lantern up in the window and began flipping the shutters around the lamp open and closed, counting.

It was as he was turning away that he noticed something strange. This room was an art gallery of some sort, and there was a massive statue in one corner. It was an abstract statue with no particular shape, but, because he'd seen the statue before in a book, he noticed that it was facing the wall. It was conceivable that the people who'd set it up didn't know which way the statue was supposed to face, but…

Walking over, he peered around behind the statue. There lay, rectangular shape covered in a white cloth that made it blend in with the marble of the statue's base.

Reaching over, he pulled off the cloth to reveal a box. And inside the box was…

He stared.

Then he ran back to the window to add to his message.

-0-

To say that the party's attendees were shocked when the police swarmed in would have been an understatement. According to the police, they had gotten a tip about there being illegal weapons stashed in the building. When they'd then found the building's doors sealed with magic, they had acted immediately and in force. With those reasons under their belts, the police conducted a thorough search "for everyone's safety".

Everyone, including the police, were astonished at what they found. Not only were there illegal weapons all over the building stashed in weirdly obvious places (there was a whole set masquerading as an artistic display of decorative weapons), but several guests were caught carrying similarly contraband items. The most surprised of them all was Lord Chojin's son, who had been found carrying the stolen royal ring in his beast pocket. The police were very curious to know why he had a replica of the exact same ring on his finger.

By the end of the day, a whole boatload of people had been arrested for a variety of crimes ranging from smuggling to conspiracy.

It was exhausting, but Shinichi was just glad that everything had gone so smoothly and no one had been hurt. Some of the Raishu's men had been ready to fight—apparently, the son had been planning to take several of the dignitaries present hostage to force their assorted families to submit to him. He'd also been planning to kill off a few of the more troublesome heads of families as he'd arranged with their respective successors. Those greedy, would-be-heirs were also rounded up by the police.

All in all, it was a good day's work.

-0-

"Are you sure you wish to resign?" Oyumi Toto asked. "You've done a wonderful job for us. Do reconsider."

Kaito smiled and bowed to the man. "I'm very grateful for everything you've done for Shina and me. And I really enjoyed working for you. It's just that Shina and I decided we want to have our wedding by the sea. And then we plan to go traveling."

"I see. Well, I wish you both the best."

"Thank you, Sir."

Kaito went to say his goodbyes to the rest of the Oyumi household before meeting Shinichi outside.

"How'd it go?" he asked as the two of them began to walk.

"Lord Chojin wasn't very happy about my resignation, but he was polite enough about it. And you?"

"We're welcome to visit again anytime we're in the area. I promised to bring Toto a copy of that set of explorers' memoirs I told him about over dinner that time. Oh, and they'll be bringing some presents to the apartment later. I told them we'd be leaving tomorrow."

"Presents?" Shinichi repeated, startled. "You mean like going away presents?"

"Nope." Kaito grinned. "Wedding presents."

Shinichi froze in mid step. "What?"

"I told them we were leaving to get married and spend some time traveling. They expressed their disappointment at not being able to attend the ceremony, but they wish us both the best and a happy life together."

"…"

Letting out a hearty laugh, Kaito caught Shinichi's hand and began towing the frozen boy along behind him. "Come on. We still have a certain witch to see."

-0-

"I must say, you surprised me. I did not predict this outcome, and I am very rarely surprised."

Kaito nodded to the redhead seated across from him. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"As you should."

"It's your turn to hold up your end of the bargain."

"Indeed. I'll tell you what you wanted to know," Akako said, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Pandora is a gemstone. But it's not just any gemstone. It is a stone that carries within it the power over life and death."

Kaito allowed himself a sharp intake of breath. "You mean…"

"That's right." The redhead's smile grew. "It has the power to take life. But, much, much more than that, it has the power to make a person immortal."

"That sounds like a myth."

"Oh I assure you, it's real."

"Where can I find it?"

The woman laughed. "No one alive knows the answer to that. However, because I like you, I will tell you this. You are not the only one who has come seeking this stone. There are many with long shadows who wish to swallow the stars. They too covet its power for their own."

Kaito mulled this over then nodded. "Thank you."

'You're welcome. If you ever need anything else, come and see me again," she said, peering through her lashes at him. "Come anytime."

"Swallow the stars?" Shinichi repeated, frowning. He and Kaito were now seated in a carriage on their way home. They had hired the carriage because they had gotten an unexpectedly large number of what Shinichi preferred to call "going away" presents. "What do you think she meant?"

"I'm not sure, but considering her words, I'm sure we'll find out sooner or later."

The magician fell silent, eyes dark. Shinichi could guess what he was thinking just by looking at his face. Kaito suspected that these people Akako had mentioned were the same ones who'd murdered his father. If they were… Sighing, Shinichi turned his face to the carriage window.

"We've turned off the main road," he said suddenly, frowning. "It's too soon. This isn't the way home."

"Nope," Kaito agreed, unperturbed. "But it is the way we're going."

"Which is…?"

"You'll see when we get there."

Shinichi rolled his eyes. "Of course." He should have known better than to ask. Kaito did love his secrets, even if they were just small secrets like a surprise destination.

Shinichi turned to look out the carriage window again. Kaito wouldn't tell him where they were going, but that didn't mean Shinichi couldn't try to guess. He knew that they had already crossed the border of the magician's territory. So, wherever they were headed, it was on Kuroba land. Pulling up a mental map of the area, Shinichi considered the options.

Accounting wasn't part of his job as the castle librarian, but he had filed away quite a lot of official documents. Among them were records regarding the various residences owned by the Kuroba family. They had to be headed for one of those because, though all the towns and villages in the area would welcome Kaito, the magician preferred to stay in his own places when possible. It was less restrictive, he said, and involved less hassle.

So which Kuroba residence could they be headed for? Not any of the ones Kaito frequented. Had the magician gotten news of some new bit of urgent business that he had to attend to that he hadn't told Shinichi about? It would explain the detour, but Kaito hadn't received any messages that Shinichi could recall.

The carriage trundled through fields of wildflowers and sunlit woods. When it finally stopped, it was before a small but well-kept country house. There were no other buildings in sight. The driver helped them unload their luggage and carry it all into the house before he drove the carriage away.

"Where is this?" Shinichi asked, looking around in confusion at the simple but elegant décor. The house was beautiful and completely unfamiliar.

"It's a house Mom, Dad, and I used to come to whenever Dad felt like we needed to get away," Kaito explained.

"Don't tell me we came all this way just because you wanted a vacation," Shinichi exclaimed, dismayed. "We've already been away from the castle for so long! There's bound to be lots of work piled up and waiting for us."

"Oh come on, these last few weeks were stressful for both of us. Don't deny it. We need to relax a bit. Besides," he added. "We are supposed to be on our honeymoon."

Shinichi blushed. "That isn't real," he stuttered.

"It can be if we want it to be~," Kaito half sang, looping an arm around Shinichi's waist and reeling him into a kiss that put a stop to any more protests. "Now," he continued as Shinichi gasped for breath, face still flushed pink. "Let's open our wedding gifts!"

"They're going away presents!"

"Nuh uh. They're wedding gifts. They even say so on the cards~."

-0-

Unpacking their gifts took the better part of the afternoon. Now they sat on the thick, furry rug before the hearth in the living room, surrounded by unwrapped packages.

"I can't believe there's so much," Shinichi said, looking at it all at a bit of a loss.

"The Oyumis had quite a lot of people in their employ, and I worked with most of the ones who weren't out traveling at least a few times. They're a friendly bunch. Good people. I think every one of them contributed something." Pausing, Kaito picked up a vase and turned it over in his hands. A smile appeared on his face. "One of the guys I did a lot of delivery runs with made this himself. Pottery's his hobby. And his wife's a painter, so she paints the designs on his projects. This is one of their joint works."

They both fell silent, looking at all their gifts. Most of it was practical stuff for a newly wed couple like sets of silverware and the like. Though not extravagant, everything had clearly been picked out with care.

"I'm going to miss those guys," Kaito said, echoing Shinichi's thoughts.

"We could always go back and visit sometime."

The magician smiled. "We should."

"I'm not sure what we're going to do with these dresses though," Shinichi mused, looking at the half dozen rather pretty dresses that some of the girls had gotten for Shina.

"We'll bring them home, of course. You might need them sometime."

Shinichi eyed him suspiciously. "Like when?"

"Like when we go back to visit the Oyumis."

"Oh." Okay, he couldn't argue with that. The Oyumis didn't know Shinichi after all, only Shina. He sighed and flopped backwards to lie on the rug.

"I feel kind of bad that we've been lying to them."

"Think about it this way." Kaito leaned over him, using one elbow to prop himself up so that he could smile down into Shinichi's face. "They were safer because they didn't know who we really were or why we were really there."

"I guess that's true…"

"You know, they were always telling me what a lucky man I am to have you," the magician murmured, lips ghosting over Shinichi's. "They told me that I should be sure to take good care of you. I told them I would."

A pink tinge crept up into Shinichi's face. He was caught in Kaito's dark indigo gaze. He found himself holding his breath. His body felt hot.

"You already do," he murmured in reply, his words emerging just a little breathless.

Kaito closed what little distance there was left between them and captured Shinichi's lips in a deep, lingering kiss.

Time melted into heat and shivers that had nothing to do with a chill. Hands roamed.

Shinichi blinked dazedly up at the ceiling when they finally broke apart. He realized with mild confusion that he could feel the long, downy fur of the rug against his bare skin. It was so soft that he felt like he was going to sink into it. He felt like he was lying on a cloud. Only he'd lost his clothes somewhere along the way.

And there, looming over him, was the man who had brought him there. Firelight gleamed in dark, indigo eyes. There was a hunger in those predatory eyes, and it made Shinichi's heart beat faster. A delighted shiver ran up his spine. For a moment, he couldn't breathe.

Calloused hands brushed up his thighs, and he parted them without conscious thought. His cheeks flushed.

Kaito shifted to settle between Shinichi's spread legs, indigo eyes roving over every inch of his beloved laid out beneath him, inviting him to touch. To taste.

He leaned down. He trailed his mouth over Shinichi's chest and stomach, licking and nipping and sucking as though savoring the flavor of every inch of skin. Hands roamed Shinichi's sides, his thighs, his bottom. Shinichi squeaked when Kaito gave his rear a good squeeze.

Shinichi gasped and moaned, squirming under the magician's ministration. The hot mouth latching onto the sensitive skin of his neck made him whimper. The calloused hands roaming his body set his nerves on fire. His fingers found their way into Kaito's wild hair, and he arched his body up, yearning for more contact.

Then that hot, devilish mouth found his, and a tongue was delving into his mouth just as slick fingers found their way to his hole. The fingers thrust into his rear as that tongue plundered his mouth. And he found himself mewling in pleasure, squirming helplessly under his captor. His fingernails scraped down Kaito's back.

The magician growled. His attention focused solely on the warm body arching under his. They hadn't been together like this since that night at the inn. Their kisses grew more heated.

The last remains of the tension of the past weeks finally dissolved completely. The worries of the future too faded into the background, temporarily forgotten. All that could come later. At the moment, now was all that mattered.

Shinichi gasped against Kaito's lips as a third finger entered him.

Feeling Shinichi clench around his fingers, Kaito couldn't wait any longer. He wanted to feel that around his cock—wanted to hear Shinichi cry out his name as Kaito thrust inside him.

Shinichi let out a breathless moan as Kaito entered him. He could feel himself stretching to accommodate the large, hard cock easing into him. He wrapped his legs around Kaito's waist, pulling Kaito in deeper still. Kaito didn't stop until he was fully sheathed in Shinichi's tight heat.

For a moment, the two of them just lay there thus entwined, wrapped up in the perfect bless of simply being with the one that they loved. It was beautiful. It was electrifying. And it was soon not enough at all.

Shinichi moaned, fingers twisting into the long fur of the rug. Kaito was moving deep inside him, thrusting into him again and again and again, sending wave after wave of pure pleasure dancing along Shinichi's every nerve. And he couldn't help but arch his back and cry out for more.

Kaito let out a sound that was somewhere between a moan and a growl as Shinichi tightened wonderfully around him. The pace of his thrusts quickened. He was pounding into Shinichi now, spurred on by the erotic song that was Shinichi's pleasured cries.

When they came, they came together. Then they collapsed, panting for breath as they slowly surfaced from their joint moment of bliss.

Eventually Kaito let his breath out in a quiet sigh. Shifting, he pulled out of his lover and lay down next to him, enjoying the way Shinichi instinctively curled closer to him.

"This rug is going to be hell to clean," Shinichi muttered without opening his eyes.

Kaito chuckled. "I know spells for that."

Shinichi hummed in assent. "I'm going to go take a bath then." He sat up and looked around.

"I'll go with you."

"No."

Kaito pouted. "Why not?"

"You can come if you promise to keep your hands to yourself. I still have to make dinner. I know you don't have spells for that."

Kaito sighed. "Fine. I'll wait."

"Kaito."

"Yes?"

"Where did you put my clothes?"

"I sent them upstairs."

"Can you bring them back?"

'Mmmm. I don't feel like it."

"…" Shinichi glared at him. "But what am I supposed to wear?"

Kaito looked serene. "I thought you said you were going to take a bath. No one wears clothes in the bath."

"I'm not walking around the house naked."

"You could always wear one of these lovely dresses our friends gave you."

Shinichi smacked the magician lightly over the head and got up. Still grumbling about stupid magicians with lousy senses of humor, he grabbed the baby blanket Lady Oyumi had decided to give them and wrapped it around himself before heading off in search of the bathroom.

-End of Chapter-