Author's Notes: You know, I have to say, at this point it feels kinda weird to write a segment from Kaito's perspective without introducing a new misunderstanding that throws some innocent bystander under the bus. But it really was just a coincidence the first two times, I promise! Kaito doesn't even know enough people to throw someone new under the bus every single time I write about him!

Oh sure, the heist had been fine! Kaito got the jewel and got away and nobody came close to him and nobody shot at him. And really, that was all that any reasonable person could ever ask from a heist. Kaito, however, was not the least bit reasonable. He was therefore quite upset about how boring the whole thing had been. He'd taken it as a great slight when not just one but both detectives bailed on him, leaving the cops to chase after a dummy while he played an entire game of solitaire on the roof of the heist location, just out of spite for the lack of anyone to chase him.

His sour mood lingered for a few days after that, until the morning when Hakubastard finally admitted defeat and handed over the blackmail photos. The relief he felt at that was indescribable; he'd had nagging doubts about the whole situation from the first day, as soon as he'd calmed down from his initial rage. He didn't know if he truly believed that Hakuba was the blackmailer, or if he just really wanted to believe it because the alternatives were all so much more terrifying. And the more he pranked the Brit and got nothing out of him, the more he worried. But just before he could start getting genuinely concerned about how few other leads he had, Hakuba had subtly placed an innocent black USB stick on his desk before class started.

Kaito, to his eternal shame, nearly hugged the man in gratitude before he came to his senses and promptly ditched school for the day to rush home and examine the USB. Using the best image analyzing software he could find, combined with extensive checks on the metadata, he was able to confirm that, to the best of his knowledge, these seemed to be the original copies of the blackmail photos. Granted, none of the photos had a direct or close-up shot of his face, and the resolution wasn't high enough to necessarily prove that it was him, but any of those photos could've been enough to at least get a warrant against him. Needless to say, he was relieved to be able to delete them.

Of course, as with any blackmail situation, he still had to trust that there weren't any more copies lurking out there, but he'd already broken into Hakuba's house, computer, and phone enough times to be sure that they were all clean. Besides, Hakuba, for all his faults, was still honorable enough that Kaito felt he could trust him at least this much. So now he could finally rest easy about that issue, since it was definitely never going to come up again.

So, technically, everything was fine and Kaito had every reason to be happy with his life at the moment.

Oh, except for that one tiny little detail where Tantei-kun was not remotely interested in chasing him anymore! He'd come to the heist... but not to chase Kid? Was he seriously only there to catch up with his best buddy Hakubastard?! The very thought made him scowl. This might call for some more pranks.

When Kaito had seen Tantei-kun at the heist, it had instantly set his heart fluttering helplessly in his chest, forcing him to put significant effort into the Poker Face. He honestly hadn't expected Conan to attend the heist without a lot more convincing. The headstrong little detective was not known for being easy to manipulate, after all. There was a reason Kaito had stuffed him in a suitcase that one time instead of politely asking for help.

When he approached Tantei-kun, Kaito had prepared himself to deal with recognition, accusations, possibly disdain, or even just the polite and friendly response one might expect from a renowned detective meeting an average (more interesting than average!) stranger. But no reaction at all? That hurt. It was lucky for him, given his goal of maintaining his secret identity. But it still hurt!

No, he didn't break any of his promises by showing up without a disguise. He went to heists as himself rather frequently. He would get information from Nakamori-keibu, give his 'magician's opinion' about the traps, scout out the location, and set up his tricks. For this heist, he had the additional motive of appeasing Aoko, who practically dragged him out of the house to accompany her. He was unable to turn her down without raising her suspicions. He genuinely did need to check on some things and gain entry to the venue. He didn't think Conan would be there anyway. And even if Conan was there, Kaito was a fantastic actor and had fooled many people who suspected his real identity, and he could do it again. So going to the heist as himself was a perfectly reasonable thing to do that wasn't unusual in the slightest. The fact that his traitorous heart had nearly escaped his chest when he saw his little detective was an entirely irrelevant detail and in no way his fault.

He'd wondered if Conan would simply recognize him on sight. The boy always seemed to see through his disguises, no matter how meticulous he was about them; it was almost as if he could sense his very presence. Which was impossible, of course, but it was a nice thought and would've been really sweet if it were true. But Conan hadn't shown any signs of recognition at all. Maybe Kid was just so far from his thoughts that he wasn't looking for him even at a heist?

Then Kaito had done his usual magic trick with a white rose. But what was the harm in that? Yes, it was a little inside joke that made him chuckle to himself whenever he gave anyone white roses, since the reference to the iconic Kid suit was so obvious to anyone who knew. But he did that a lot, and he happened to only have white roses on him that evening, and it would've been suspicious if he hadn't done his normal rose thing. And Conan hadn't reacted to that either. He'd even seemed annoyed at the magic trick itself. Was Kaito just not impressive enough for his favorite critic?

And then Kaito had used the nickname. While it wasn't remarkable to call a small detective Tantei-kun, it was practically the only thing that Kid ever called Tantei-kun. So maybe that part was a little too obvious, but could you blame a guy for getting frustrated? Honestly, he'd just gotten a tad emotional about it, seeing how the detective apparently didn't care about him anymore. And indeed, there had been no response even to the nickname. Perhaps the nickname really wasn't that special to Tantei-kun?

Yup. This was certainly good news alright. His secret was safe. Tantei-kun would never be able to find him even if he was staring right at him. Kaito should be happy about this. Hurray. Except, as it turned out, being rejected just really sucked no matter how many times you told yourself it wasn't technically rejection if you didn't actually confess and weren't planning to date anyway.

Kaito shook his head and finally acknowledged the obvious fact that he wasn't going to get any homework done like this. Maybe he should take a break.

Aoko looked up as he pushed away from the table and wandered over to her fridge to look at all the options for snacks he wasn't hungry for.

"You're thinking about him again, huh?" she asked.

He let out a small huff of air. He wasn't sure whether to be annoyed at her observation skills or grateful that someone was there to listen.

"…did you get to see him at the heist the other night?" she asked cautiously, fidgeting with her pencil.

"Yeah, I saw him. Sort of. But we didn't talk, and he's still avoiding me."

Aoko made a sad noise of sympathy for him. "I'm sorry, Kaito! You must be pretty disappointed."

He gave a nonchalant shrug and hum that inadvertently conveyed that he was, in fact, very disappointed.

"Is it bad if I ask about it? Maybe you want to try to forget him instead?" she said gently, as if worried he might break.

"Nah, don't worry about me, I'm perfectly fine!" he assured her, projecting as much casual indifference as he could in response to her totally unwarranted pity. "Besides," he continued, a little more naturally, "he's not someone I can just avoid thinking about. Practically everything I see reminds me of him." Like, for instance, every single heist and every single time he disguised as Kudou Shinichi and every single case in the news solved by the Sleeping Kogoro. For example.

"Yeah, I guess so," Aoko agreed sullenly. "So would you be happier if he started talking to you again, or would that make it worse?"

"I would love to talk to him again! I really miss it, actually. There were plenty of things we couldn't discuss, but despite that… I always felt like I could really be myself around him." Not talk about himself, but be himself anyway. Talking to someone without having to hide the fact that he was Kid while also not having to constantly keep up the Kid persona, being able to banter with someone who neither hated nor adored his alter ego but treated him like an actual person… Yeah, it had been nice. Especially given the fact that there was no one else in the world quite like that for Kaito.

Aoko suddenly perked up — he could practically see the proverbial light bulb appear above her head. "Oh, Aoko just had an idea! What if you write him a letter and leave it somewhere you know he'll find it?"

"Already tried that." (Heist notes counted as letters and the Mouri's kitchen table counted as somewhere he'd find it, right?) "I know he got the message, but I guess he didn't care."

"Hmm, there has to be something…" she said, tapping her chin in thought.

"Yeah, like what? Kidnapping him?" he joked. Except it wasn't a joke. The thought actually had crossed his mind once or twice. The suitcase was still in the secret room, after all. So just as soon as the next insane psychopath tried to frame him for murder in another country, he was fully prepared to dust off all his kidnapping equipment and put it to good use again. It was probably just wishful thinking, but one could dream, no?

Aoko burst into laughter at his clearly absurd joke. "I'd like to see you try it, Bakaito! That would make a very funny headline in the news, probably… But seriously, what if you tried doing something to help him? Not with anything illegal, of course, but maybe there's something you can do with your magic skills to help him with his undercover investigation? What if you leave a note or send one of your doves to ask him about it next time?"

"Huh. Help him. That's an idea." Kaito rocked back on his heels and stared at the ceiling. He'd helped Tantei-kun before. Some of those times (airship) were a lot more fun than others (train), but all of them involved interacting with Tantei-kun, which Kaito was very much in favor of. Such a plan would've been absolutely ludicrous if applied to anyone else. Really, the idea basically boiled down to 'I miss you and want to hang out so I'll just wait around until you get attacked by terrorists.' But this was Tantei-kun they were talking about. As in, Kaito probably wouldn't even have to wait long for him to be attacked by terrorists again.

Ok, so maybe shelve the kidnapping idea for now and try some more constructive interactions first.

"Huh! That's a good idea, Aoko! Maybe I'll try it out, thanks!" He beamed at her, and she smiled back. Yes, this was a fine idea! Kaitou Kid didn't have to explain anything if he just suddenly appeared in costume to swoop in and rescue Tantei-kun during the next attempt on the boy's life. Maybe it would even help prove his skills and sense of justice again so that Conan would be willing to return to the heists and resume chasing him. Yes, excellent. This could work!

—

Much to Kaito's shock and disbelief, no terrorists attacked Tantei-kun during the next two weeks. So he organized a heist instead.

—

Haibara leaned against the wall while she and Conan idly passed the time until the heist. The eager crowd of Kid fans pressed around them, each vying for the best view and closest spot to the police cordon. It was annoying, but not unexpected for a private museum that preferred to capitalize on the extra revenue generated by Kid-tourism rather than shut down during the heist.

Haibara had taken a step back from her previous role of coordinating everyone via her computer because the team kept expanding and it made her nervous. Not that she didn't trust Hakuba in particular, just that she didn't trust anyone in general. Besides, with the police taking a more active role, and the Professor watching the kids, there wasn't much left for her to do over the comms anyway.

She'd also given the excuse of wanting to keep a closer eye on Conan to make sure he didn't do anything reckless. She'd even claimed that she just wanted to get out of the house for a bit.

But, unlike a certain Heisei Holmes, she was not completely and willfully blind to her own emotions. And that was the real reason she was here. When Conan had debriefed with her about the previous heist, he'd complained loudly and aggressively about Kuroba coming as himself and approaching Conan. He had acted like it was the most annoying thing to ever happen, but, when called on it, had also tried to claim that he didn't care about Kuroba at all. Haibara had just listened, fascinated, wishing she could've witnessed such a delightful interaction.

She wanted to see it. A love-struck charismatic criminal trying to smooth-talk an oblivious dense detective who kept lying to himself. It promised to be far more entertaining than the TV dramas she usually settled for. The corners of her mouth twitched upward at the mere thought. It elicited a warm feeling in her, the same feeling one might get from watching a train-wreck, or a baby eating a lemon for the first time, or compilation video of people slipping on ice. If asked to describe this feeling, Haibara would've scoffed and replied that this was the feeling of 'friendship.' Obviously.

So friendship was the reason she had come tonight, and the reason she had insisted on waiting with the public rather than past the police lines, to increase their chances of seeing him. And even though Kuroba hadn't shown up, or at least not yet, it had already been well worth the trip. Watching Conan squirm and pretend not to know the very meaning of the word 'emotion,' while also pretending not to be morose that the thief hadn't come yet, was such wonderful fun.

They were standing in the hallway outside the large archway that lead to the exhibit room. Conan was trying very hard to act bored and unaffected, which was adorable, given how a mixture of giddiness and irritation played out across his face and his wrist kept twitching as if he were resisting the urge to check the time on his watch. Ah yes, this should be an entertaining evening. Her diary entry for tonight would surely be bookmarked and re-read for ages to come.

A moment later, Haibara's breath stopped. Her blood turned to ice and the color drained from her face. Her mind locked in terror, and she couldn't seem to move her body.

Conan glanced at her with worry, the start of a question on his mouth, when she sprung into action, grabbing his wrist and yanking him through the nearest door, which was for a women's restroom. She threw them both to the side, behind the door, then hid her face against his shoulder while clinging to him for dear life. He put his arms around her and held tight.

They froze, stiffer than statues, barely breathing, listening intently until several voices came into focus as their owners passed in front of the door, pressed up near the wall by the crowd.

"—dou Shinichi?" The voice, only half-audible, was deep, cold, and malevolent. It was unmistakably Gin.

"He was that pesky detective brat from Tropical Land, remember, Anaki?" Vodka supplied helpfully.

"According to my sources, he may—" the final voice, quickly lost in the din of the background noise, was surely Bourbon.

When Conan felt it safe to move, he hurriedly stood up, pulling her with him, and tugged her across the room to hide in the nearest empty stall. She still felt numb, too numb to think, so she just buried her face in his shoulder again, clutching his jacket and hiding from the world, while he focused intently on his phone.

Haibara didn't know how long it had been. The two of them remained huddled in the stall, and she remained simply paralyzed. She knew that they were in possibly the worst spot in the entire building to escape from, given the door's proximity to the main room. There were no windows, only one door, and therefore no way to leave without being seen by everybody who'd come to the heist. Trying to blend in with the throng of Kid fans would be a nearly suicidal move with members of the BO actively searching the crowd right outside the door. It seemed their best bet was to try to stay hidden in the bathroom and desperately hope no one noticed or came looking for them.

Obviously, there were plenty of cops present, but that was no comfort at all. The BO members often appeared around cops with no fear, and rightly so, for no one had solid evidence against them. Children claiming to be teenagers shrunk by poison would probably only be taken seriously by the BO themselves. So going to law enforcement for help was not an option, at least not in a time-sensitive situation like this.

The more she thought about the situation, the more terrified she became, until her brain and body both seemed to have shut down. All she could do was dig her fingers deeper into Conan's arms and rely on him while she struggled to remember how to breathe.

"Alright," Conan whispered to her as he finally returned his phone to his pocket. "I've warned Hattori and the others to stay out of sight and return to base. Kid should be fine, since they shouldn't try anything in front of the crowd and the cops are still watching for snipers. But we're not equipped to deal with the BO right now, so none of us can get close to them yet. You and I just have to stay hidden here and wait. Maybe we can sneak out during the heist…?" he offered weakly, but didn't sound too certain. They both knew how precarious their situation was. So they just waited, in tense silence, hoping not to be found.

The bathroom door opened, followed by the clacking sound of heels on tile. The initial hope that it was just a random guest was crushed when the person slowly approached their stall, stopping right outside the door. Haibara's eyes stayed firmly shut, and her heart nearly gave out when the woman softly called out to them.

"Tantei-kun? Is everything ok?"

Haibara sill felt only the icy death chill from her former tormentors being nearby, so she would've preferred they remain hidden without moving. Conan, however, must've sensed Kid's presence, for he didn't hesitate to respond. "Kid, one of them can disguise too, so I need proof that it's really you!" He spoke in barely more than a whisper, just loud enough to be heard over the ambient noise but quiet enough to limit eavesdropping in case anyone else was nearby.

"Then ask me something only the two of us would know," Kid answered, just as quietly.

"What was the very first thing you ever said to me?"

"'Hey boy, what are you doing in a place like this?' and you said 'Fireworks!'" Kid answered without hesitation. Later, when she finally had time for that diary entry, Haibara would reflect on how sweet it was that Conan's gut reaction was to ask about their first meeting, and that Kid knew it so readily as well.

"Kid, help us, please!" Conan begged desperately, in a hushed but commanding tone.

"Anything."

"Can you get us out of here? Without us being seen by anyone?"

"Wait there, I'll be right back."

They heard the door open and close, then reopen again less than a minute later.

"Hey boy, what are you doing in a place like this?" Kid repeated softly, this time using an older man's voice. Conan instantly rushed out of the stall, dragging Haibara with him. She looked up and found herself facing a tired middle-aged janitor. A janitor, she noted with a surge of hope, who was pushing a large wheeled black trash bin. He moved the plastic lining aside, then, in one fluid motion, scooped Haibara up to gently set her in the bottom of the bin. Conan was deposited next to her and the black plastic trash bag was already back in place to cover them completely without anyone the wiser for it.

The ride out was leisurely. Kid, being a master performer, played the role of lethargic janitor perfectly. The bin was rolled at a slow walking pace and stopped several times along the way for more trash to be poured into the bag on top of them. The man really was quite the perfectionist. Eventually, several dings followed by a shift in gravity indicated that they were taking the elevator up.

They left the elevator, then there was a pause while Kid opened a door and pushed the cart through it, then they jerked to a sudden stop with the sound of a gasp. A few muted sounds that might've been silenced gunshots, some distant grunts, a thud. Conan nearly blew their cover when he tried to get out to join the excitement, and was only stopped by Haibara's vice grip on his arm. Then the cart surged forward, and the plastic bag was ripped aside.

"Kid, what happened?" Conan demanded.

"There was someone waiting out here for me. I got behind him and gassed him, but we should leave now," Kid answered matter-of-factly. He was now in full costume, and he leaned down to pick them both up, a child in each arm.

"I'll have you home before you know it, so don't worry about a thing, Ojousan," Kid spoke gently to her, in a voice so confident and in-control that she found herself actually believing it. She clung tightly to him, dreading the inevitable use of the hang glider, but the strong arm around her waist was reassuring. She knew she wouldn't fall.

"Tantei-kun, you remember where the button to activate the glider is, right? Can you hit it once we jump?"

"Got it."

"Well then~" Kid said, donning his familiar shark grin and Poker Face. He hopped up onto the ledge as if gravity itself couldn't touch him, spun on his heel, and let them all drip gracefully to fall backwards off the roof. The glider activated at exactly the right moment and Kid skillfully navigated the current of air around them to gain altitude and zip away from the building.

"And where am I taking you this fine evening?" Kid asked.

"You guessed right — just keep heading toward the Professor's house," Conan replied.

"Alright then, I should have you two home in just a few minutes. How are you faring, little Ojousan?"

Haibara took a few seconds to realize she was being addressed, then another few seconds to realize that she still hadn't regained control over her voice, so she just shook her head.

"Hey Haibara, you should open your eyes," Conan suggested. "I think you'd appreciate the view," he added when she didn't respond.

It took a mighty act of will, but she did force one eye open. And, well, Conan wasn't usually right about these sorts of things, but this was a pleasant exception. They were surprisingly high up, being treated to a bird's-eye view of the city glittering in the night. She'd seen aerial photos and drone footage, of course, but experiencing it first-hand was a different thing altogether. So she watched the cityscape go by, just admiring it, not even noticing that she'd relaxed in the process.

Author's Notes: Personally, I've always thought that Vodka, as a character, is misnamed. Yes, I do understand that they all need alcohol based codenames. But not all of them are pure alcohols. Chianti, Sherry, and Vermouth are all just different specialty kinds of wine, for example. So theoretically, the codenames just have to be alcohol themed, rather than alcohol types. The problem I have with Vodka's name is that it doesn't sound right to say "Gin and Vodka" when referring to the two of them. You have to say "Vodka and Gin," which also seems incorrect to me, because Gin is the more important figure and so should be listed first. Vodka is merely Gin's sidekick. Therefore, his codename ought to be Tonic. Fight me.

Next Up: A direct continuation from this chapter, still from Haibara's perspective. Things get a lot trickier and Kid is not inclined to be overly cooperative.