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

Pairing: KaitoxShinichi

In Other Shoes

Chapter 11 - Quiver

Despite his best efforts, Shinichi was unable to escape being dragged to the boutique that weekend by his mother and Miyako (considering the three different occasions where his attempts to slip away had been thwarted by other members of the café staff, he strongly suspected that everyone was conspiring against him). As such, he found himself relegated to playing the role of a life-sized dress-up doll for the crazy woman who called herself his mother and her equally nutty friends.

He felt like he was going to have nightmares about that day for years to come. Not only was the boutique stocked with more costumes than you could shake a stick at but the place also sported a room equipped with high end photography equipment. Apparently the place also served as a cosplay venue and photo studio for people who wanted to dress up and take pictures. Shinichi knew the moment he laid eyes on it all that this was going to be a bad day.

There were times when he really wished he could be wrong.

By the time they were done with him, they must have filled at least three whole albums with photos of him in various costumes ranging from floral kimonos and ball gowns to an honest to goodness wedding dress. Then there had been some silly and ridiculous outfits that had made him roll his eyes. All of those, however, had been better than the handful of rather…suggestive costumes that Shinichi was furiously trying to scrub from his memory. His mother had thought they were cute. Shinichi had vehemently disagreed. He had, however, been outvoted. His only consolation was that even his mother wouldn't force him to go out in public wearing any of those horrors (he half wondered if his mother was trying to test just how much she could get away with. It turned out that she could get away with quite a lot).

Shinichi just hoped that no one he knew in his real life ever saw any of those pictures. If they did and recognized him, he would have to find a remote, deserted island far, far away to go live on.

Speaking of the people from his real life though, it was a little strange that none of them had tried to contact him. It was a mark of just how out of it he'd been that he hadn't noticed until now, but he'd been gone for several weeks. Shouldn't either Heiji or Ran have called him at least once?

Should he call them? What would he say if he did?

Why did he feel so reluctant to talk to them? He supposed that meant that he still wasn't ready. He wasn't ready to pop that bubble—that illusion that he had built around himself here in Iroyamura.

It wasn't very responsible of him though was it? To be hiding out here without a word to anyone. He didn't want to worry people.

"Come now, Shin-chan, what's with the long face?" Yukiko asked, gazing at her son's reflection in the rearview mirror (she had offered to drive, but Miyako, knowing her friend too well, had politely refused, relegating Yukiko to the front passenger seat). "You're not still upset about the clothes we bought, are you? You have nothing to worry about you know. You are my son after all. You're going to look absolutely fabulous."

"That's not what I was thinking about at all," Shinichi grumbled. "And I'd much rather look ordinary—the more ordinary the better."

"Aww, you don't mean that."

"Yes I do."

"Don't you want to impress Kuroba-kun?"

Shinichi spluttered. "What? No! Why would you even think that? You're delusional!"

Yukiko hummed in a manner that made it quite clear that she didn't believe him but was not going to push the issue for the time being. "What were you thinking about then?"

Shinichi debated whether it was worth trying to continue his previous argument but decided that it would be a futile battle. So he gave up and slumped back in his seat. "I was just wondering if I should call someone. Ran or Heiji, maybe. Since I didn't tell anyone where I was going when we left… They might be worried."

Or hopping mad and ready to knock his head off his shoulders.

"Oh, if you're worried about Ran-chan and your other friends, don't be," Yukiko said brightly. "I already told them all that you would be spending the summer with me."

"Oh." Shinichi blinked. "Uh, thanks…"

"No problem. You were in such a state, I knew you would forget, and I didn't want you to end up feeling bad about it once you remembered."

…And sometimes his mother could actually be quite thoughtful. Somehow, it never ceased to feel weird. But…it was at least a nice kind of weird.

-0-

Despite his many, many misgivings about the upcoming ball, Shinichi still found himself handing his spare ticket to Kaito one evening as they were returning from a local concert.

Why did he do this? He had absolutely no idea. It had to have been a moment of insanity. It just felt like the right thing to do at the time, and, by the time he realized how such an invitation might be interpreted, it was too late to take it back.

"What is this?" Kaito asked as he looked over the slip of paper. "Miyako's is holding a costume ball?"

"It's apparently something she does every year," Shinichi explained, handing over a copy of the event flyer as well. "Everyone dresses up in period clothing—though I think what period doesn't really matter. It just has to look old fashioned and fancy enough to fit in. Other than that, it's just a typical party with dancing and music and food. I'll be helping out with the preparations beforehand. And since I'm part of the staff, I get free admission tickets. I don't know anyone who isn't staff other than you though. So I thought, well, there's no point wasting the ticket, right? And you might have fun."

Kaito chuckled. "You don't sound very sure there."

"Parties aren't really my thing," Shinichi grumbled, looking away. "But, um, I know the food will be good since Miyako-san is making it all herself."

Kaito looked amused. "I wouldn't want to miss out on good food. Really though," he added, flashing Shinichi a teasing grin. "I'd go just to see you."

Shinichi missed a step and might have tripped if Kaito's hand hadn't shot out and caught his arm, steadying him.

"Oi, careful there."

"Thanks," Shinichi said, embarrassed. "But really, you shouldn't say things like that."

"Why not?"

Shinichi eyed him suspiciously, trying to gage if the older boy was serious or not. He found he couldn't tell—which probably shouldn't have surprised him, all considered.

In the end, he gave up and just said, "You'll give people ideas."

This only made Kaito laugh. "That's kind of my job. Magic is all about inspiring people and helping them dream."

"That's not what I meant," Shinichi huffed. "Oh never mind."

He supposed it was just the way the magician was.

Strange how that thought sort of made him want to smile.

When Kaito dropped him off at Miyako's that evening, he presented Shinichi with another red rose and a wink.

"I'll see you at the ball then, my lady. Promise me that you'll save me a dance."

Caught off guard, Shinichi floundered. "I…huh?"

I'll take that as a yes," Kaito decided and dropped a kiss on the back of Shinichi's hand (effectively freezing the disguised detective in place). "Until next time then."

And he was gone.

Shinichi was left staring after him, heart beating abnormally fast. This was the second time Kaito had kissed his hand. The first time, Shinichi had mostly been embarrassed. This time, well, he was still embarrassed, but there was another feeling too—one he couldn't quite put his finger on. It was making his heart race and his stomach do something weird and fluttery. His skin tingled where Kaito had touched him.

And he suddenly wondered when he had stopped calling Kaito "KID" in his thoughts and started just calling him Kaito.

-To Be Continued-