DCMK || KaiShin || DCMK || The White Collar Phantom Thief || DCMK || KaiShin || DCMK
Title: The White Collar Phantom Thief – The Secret of Pandora
Fandom: Detective Conan / Magic Kaito
Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Gosho Aoyama for he created the awesomeness that is Kaitou KID. Ah, and Detective Conan, too. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.
Tags: m/m, future fic, post-Conan Shinichi, secret reveals, slow-burn, hurt/comfort, canon-typical violence/death, canon-typical magic, canon-typical crossdressing, fake relationship, fluff, adoption, found family, explicit intercourse, anal, oral, f/f, m/f
Main Pairing: Kaito/Shinichi
Side Pairings: Sera/Ran, Saguru/Aoko, Heiji/Kazuha, Makoto/Sonoko, Takagi/Sato
DC/MK Characters:
Task Force: Kuroba Kaito | Kaitou KID | Tsukino Guinevere, Kudou Shinichi, Hakuba Saguru, Nakamori Aoko, Hattori Heiji, Sera Masumi, Koizumi Akako, Furuya Rei | Amuro Tooru | Bourbon, Akai Shuuichi, Takagi Wataru, Sato Miwako, Jii Konosuke
Others: Mouri Ran, Suzuki Sonoko, Kyogoku Makoto, Tooyama Kazuha, Suzuki Jirokichi, Nakamori Ginzo, Megure Juzo, Mouri Kogoro, Kuroba Chikage, Kudou Yuusaku, Kudou Yukiko
Detective Boys: Agasa Hiroshi, Haibara Ai, Yoshida Ayumi, Tsuburaya Mitsuhiko, Kojima Genta
Black Organization: Gunther von Goldberg II | Spider, Snake, Rose
Summary: Akako gives Kaito a prophecy: If KID is not captured by the demon of light, both of them would die and only if he gets captured will he be able to reach his goal. Kaito would rather go to jail than risk Shinichi's life
With Kaitou KID gone, Snake starts going after the jewels more actively and people get killed. It doesn't take Shinichi long to see a connection to KID – and that this is the last branch left of the BO he had taken down.
Shinichi forms a special task-force to end the BO for good. And for that, he needs Kaitou KID's help.
The White Collar Phantom Thief
The Secret of Pandora
Case 16: The Apprentice of Kaitou KID
Kaito was such a dork. He really had put together a beautiful firework, much more impressive and grand than the little impromptu one that Shinichi had pulled all these years ago, back when he had just meant to draw the police's attention to where KID was. It was an amazing show and there was something... strangely serene about watching it not just with Kaito but also with Mizuki, sitting right between them. They had here safely wrapped into a blanket so she wouldn't be too cold.
"She is deep asleep," Kaito's voice was very soft as he spoke.
"It's late. She's a child," Shinichi still stared up into the night sky. "Children should be asleep at night. Or so I heard. Not outside, chasing after white-clad thieves."
Kaito laughed and nudged him. "Aw, but chasing thieves is so much more fun."
That made Shinichi chuckle ever so softly. "I'm not denying that. Actually, I did that even before I met you, Kaito. Chasing a white-clad thief at night."
For a moment, Kaito frowned, before his eyes widened. "What-"
"I once met your father," Shinichi spoke gently. "I didn't know about Kaitou KID or anything. I was a curious child, thinking he could do grown-up things. Trying to crack a code meant for my father. I think he might have had a lot of fun, making it a scavenger hunt for Ran and me... I don't even think he knew that I was the one working on the code, I think he expected me to pass it along to my dad."
Kaito stared at him in surprise, blinking repeatedly. Then, the look on his face seemed to melt. Soften. He leaned in, tilting his head so he could kiss Shinichi's cheek. It was a feather-light brush of lips. Just a thank-you for giving Kaito a precious new memory of his father.
For a few minutes, the two of them simply sat together in silence, watching the stars. Until it got too cold and they decided to bring Mizuki back downstairs. Shinichi lifted her up to carry her downstairs again, Kaito sneaking ahead to make sure the path was clear – since they hadn't been supposed to sneak her out in the first place. Once she was safely put in bed, tucked in and peacefully asleep, Shinichi gently brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her forehead.
/break\
There was something unusually solemn to Shinichi when the two of them headed back home. Something was on Shinichi's mind and Kaito could tell that it wasn't a case, not exactly. Curious. But Kaito was biding his time, waiting for Shinichi to speak up.
"Are you hungry, Shin-chan?"
Kaito frowned concerned, side-eyeing his boyfriend. They had eaten lunch together but it had been a while. Sure, it was very late right now, but maybe a little snack would be a good idea?
"I'm tired," Shinichi sighed, rubbing his forehead. "But we should talk."
Well, that didn't sound good. If they hadn't just had a wonderful date, Kaito would be worried. He followed Shinichi into the kitchen, where Shinichi went about brewing tea for the both of them.
"How do you feel about Mizu-chan?"
Kaito blinked blankly at him. That... was an unexpected question. Sitting down on the table, Kaito watched Shinichi go about the tea. How did Kaito feel about the poor little orphan girl who had just watched her parents die at the hands of Snake, the same man who had killed Kaito's father?
"I feel... deep sympathy for her," Kaito whispered. "I relate to her. I've been there. I mean, I... I still had my mom, thankfully enough. She... She lost both her parents..."
"She's all alone."
Kaito swallowed hard as Shinichi's words enoched in the room. "She's all alone. Yeah."
"Takagi-keibu said that..." Shinichi trailed off for a moment, like he wasn't even sure how to say what he wanted to say. "They're still looking for Mizu-chan's relatives. It might be a while before they find any extended family, she doesn't have any close relatives in the country."
Kaito blinked repeatedly. "...Oh."
Silence stretched on between them as the tea-kettle whistled. Was that what had been on Shinichi's mind? Kaito leaned back, a frown on his face. There was a tight, dark feeling around his heart at the thought. The girl had already lost enough, what were they going to do now...?
"What's... going to happen to her now?" Kaito asked.
"Takagi-keibu said that she's probably going into foster care," Shinichi replied.
The tea-kettle signaled that it was ready and Shinichi continued finishing the tea as once again silence befell the two of them. Both in their own minds, yet thinking about the same thing.
"Talk to me," Kaito prompted when he was handed a cup of tea. "I know your mind is working on something. My Great Detective already has the case solved, so, share."
"I was thinking..." Shinichi ran a finger around the rim of his cup, looking unusually unsure. "I just. I remember – I know my situation back then was different than hers, very different. But I remember when I became Conan, when I was lost and needed a place to stay and Ran and her father opened their home to me and it was... an incredible kindness."
"I guess it was," Kaito smiled a little.
He'd thought about that a lot, actually. What he would have done, in that situation. If he had stumbled into the Men in Black, trying to figure out what had happened to his dad, finding them, and getting 'killed' by them with the experimental drug. Probably... the same thing. The more often he played the scenario in his head, the more sure he grew of that. Completely alone, isolated in this new situation, feeling incredibly lost and vulnerable in these new limitations? He too would have sought the safety of familiarity. He'd practically grown up with the Nakamoris, he'd felt safe, he'd have something – someone – familiar there.
"What are you saying, Shinichi?"
"Something that's going to sound ridiculous," Shinichi looked up at Kaito over the rim of his cup. "I was thinking that we... should... offer to foster her. For the time being."
Kaito sputtered, choking on his tea. Okay. He had not seen that coming, not entirely.
"We've been dating for three days and you want us to take in a kid? Did not expect you to be the one to take the next big step, also not for it to be that big a step," Kaito joked weakly. "Shall I pick out a real engagement ring next, darling?"
The glare Shinichi threw him was weak at best. "I'm not suggesting a life-long commitment of adopting her, Bakaito."
"Aw, you're spending too much time with Ahoko," Kaito made a wounded sound."
The glare on Shinichi's face intensified. "I just think that... right now, after everything she's been through, she deserves better than to have to stay with total strangers..."
Kaito hummed, but didn't speak. Instead, he just watched. Quietly. People may say that was very unusual for him, but it really wasn't. Kaito's mind worked a hundred miles an hour, he always thought of every angle and right now he had a lot to consider. A child? That was so much responsibility, so much more than he had ever considered for himself. Well, 'ever' would be a lie. He'd spent time with the Detective Boys,he would be lying if he said he had never thought about what it'd be like if him and Shinichi ever had kids of their own. One day, in like, a decade or so, when they were married and all that stuff. Not... Not right now, barely dating, still in the middle of hunting the Black Organization, still quite young – sure, legal adults, twenty years old, but... Kaito still felt so very young and not ready at all. But he could also see what Shinichi was saying.
If he had lost not just his dad but also his mom and if they had put him with total strangers, people he didn't know at all. That would have been so alienating, so terrifying. And Kaito was observant – well, actually, it didn't even take Kaito's levels of observation skills to notice that Mizuki was very attached to Shinichi and a huge KID fan. The girl liked them both, was comfortable with them both.
In her position, after everything, she... she deserved to be somewhere she would be comfortable. Deserved to be with people around whom she would feel comfortable. The real question though was: Were Kaito and Shinichi in any way or shape equipped for this job...?
"Are... Are you sure about that though?"
"I think that..." Shinichi curled his fingers around his chin in that thoughtful manner he did whenever he was figuring something out. "I think that the Black Organization acted very unusually frantic this time around. They were invested in this one, more so than most your other cases. They thought they would find something here. I think that she may not be safe yet. Because she is the sole heir to the family fortune, which includes the gem. I think that... Mizuki-chan would be much, much safer with the both of us than with civilians, who might... also end up on the wrong end of a gun just because they offer Mizuki-chan a roof over head."
Kaito bit his lip, nodding along. That was actually right too. Civilians had no idea what any of this was. If another killer came along – they wouldn't know what to do. Both Kaito and Shinichi knew how to defend themselves and they also had the police force and some very efficient, trained killers on speed-dial. Damn, his Great Detective had gathered all the evidence and was building quite the solid case as to why Shinichi and Kaito should be taking in Mizuki.
"Should we... really do it?" Kaito looked at Shinichi concerned. "I mean, you're right, with everything? But still. We are... young. Both, physically, as well as... as a couple. It's... I mean. We're barely getting the hang of being an 'us' and bringing in a kid is..."
"Oh yeah, I'm very aware of that," Shinichi flushed the slightest bit before clearing his throat. "But I gotta disagree with you on one thing, we aren't just getting the hang on being an 'us'. We've been an 'us' for years now. Yes, being... romantic... is... new. But we've been a team for so long now, we work in sync so well. We've flown a plane together, captured terrorists together, cleared your name when someone tried to frame you for murder, we..." Shinichi reached out for Kaito's hand, taking it to interlace their fingers. "We are very strong together and we work incredibly well with each other and there is absolutely not a single situation we have ever faced that we could not solve together."
Damn, his detective was way smoother than expected and really good at building a case there, actually. Huh. Okay. If put like that, Kaito found it hard to argue with it.
"It does help that she already knows that I'm KID," Kaito offered after another moment. "Because I'd argue it'd be a bad idea to take her in while trying to hide that I'm KID."
"We will just have to make sure that she... doesn't tell anyone."
Shinichi looked doubtful at that. Understandable. Kids were notoriously bad at keeping secrets. Something about this little girl though made Kaito think that they would be fine. At least on that front. On other fronts... Well, Kaito had a hunch they'd be in a lot of different troubles...
/break\
The next morning, Shinichi and Kaito spent hours on the phones. While Shinichi had to catch up on the debriefings that he had put off for their date, Kaito had agreed to take care of everything regarding Mizuki. Calling around the police contacts, getting them certified to foster (with a little help from the right people). Everything took hours and Kaito felt like he needed a long nap after.
"Okay," Shinichi cracked his neck in a way that sounded incredibly not good. "I'm ready."
"I guess I am too," Kaito blinked, checking his make-up in the mirror. "As ready as anyone will be, probably. I mean. Can one be ready for this...?"
"...You're cute when you're nervous," Shinichi smiled just a little bit.
He leaned in to kiss Kaito's cheek, which helped a lot in relaxing the thief. Okay. Yeah. He could do this. Time to go and pick up their foster daughter. Ooof. Daughter sounded so serious. But it was true, she did need someone. Someone she could rely on and feel happy with.
"We're gonna meet someone from social services at the hospital," Kaito said after a moment.
Shinichi hummed his acknowledgment and took Kaito's hand. Together, they headed out.
/break\
"Mizuki-chan, these two nice people agreed to let you stay with them for a while."
Mizuki frowned, clutching her KID teddy close to her chest. This morning, some lady with glasses had come in and told her she would be released from the hospital. But her mom and dad were gone. So she wouldn't be allowed to go home. Where else was she supposed to go? Home was the only place she knew. Mom and dad were the only people she knew.
"Hello, Mizu-chan, how are you feeling?"
She looked up wide-eyed as she recognized the voice. Mister detective! And with him, the Kaitou KID! Though he still looked like the pretty lady, like he had yesterday when they had visited her in the hospital and given her the teddy bear. She looked between them in confusion.
"We thought that maybe, you would... like to stay with us?" Mister detective knelt down in front of her, offering her a smile. "At least for a while, until they can find some family of yours? Only if you'd like that too, Mizu-chan."
Her eyes widened even more. She could stay with Kaitou KID? With the Kaitou KID? For real? Nodding enthusiastically, she looked between the two of them and the lady with the glasses, who looked both concerned and pleased by this. Mister detective picked her up, still smiling.
"I'm Shinichi, that's Gwen."
Mizuki wiggled her nose at the lie. No. That was KID. But KID was pretending to be a pretty lady. Which made sense, because being KID in public would mean that the police would chase him. KID offered a grin and winked at her like they were sharing a secret, which they were. Heh.
"We'll go to your place to pick up clothes and your favorite toys and then we'll head to ours, okay?" KID said in the fake high-pitched voice that sounded so super real. "And then we will have cake!"
"Okay," Mizuki nodded obediently. "Thank you."
She had a feeling that she needed to be well-behaved for glasses lady right now, just like KID needed to pretend to be Gwen because of glasses lady.
/break\
Mister detective – Shinichi – and KID had a big house. Not as big as Mizuki's, but it would do, she thought. Much more important than the house was that they had a cat! She was snow-white and very soft and she purred really loud when Mizuki petted her. Shinichi showed her a bedroom, where she would be staying for now, and told her to put her stuff away and get comfortable. But clearly that could wait. This was a house where a detective and a thief lived together. What secrets was this house holding? That needed to be investigated! It must have secret rooms, like Mizuki's home did!
On sneaky feet, and with Kid-chan – as Mizuki learned the kitty cat was called – at her side, Mizuki went to investigate the secrets of her new, temporary home, while the grown-ups were busy with uninteresting grown-up stuff. She had seen KID go into a room earlier, so that must be his bedroom. And clearly, KID-related secrets must then be in KID's room, right? That sounded much more interesting than detective-related secrets. She had never been much interested in those.
"Okay," Mizuki whispered as she carefully walked along the wall. "We are looking for a hidden passage or something. They are behind like... book-shelves sometimes?"
She went to the book-shelf to look for suspicious books, but most of the time those would be too high up for her to reach. Climbing onto a chair, she started pulling out books one by one, but nothing happened. Disappointed, she jumped off the chair again. Mh. Where else would a secret door be hidden...? Her eyes wandered around the room, landing on the paintings on the wall.
/break\
"Okay, dinner i—is ready," Kaito announced proudly before turning to face Shinichi. "Uhm. Only thing missing is... Where's Mizuki-chan? It's kind of... quiet."
"I showed her her room, I assume she is settling in, perhaps playing?"
Right. That sounded wrong the moment it left Shinichi's mouth. With furrowed brows did Shinichi head out of the kitchen, closely followed by Kaito. They headed upstairs toward Mizuki's bedroom, just to find it empty. After exchanging a concerned frown, the two split up, trying to find her. It was Shinichi who spotted Kaito's open bedroom door and saw, through it, the open secret door.
"...Kaito, did you leave your secret doorway open, by any chance?"
"Yes, that is the kind of rookie mistake I'm known to make," Kaito replied sarcastically as he approached Shinichi. "Wait. That means she... found it...? On her own?"
Kaito looked both baffled and impressed, even as they headed toward the secret room. They went inside, his eyes scanning it quickly, trying to find her and hoping she was safe. Not all of his toys were safe for kids. Though he never aimed for serious harm, his tricks could cause it if executed wrongly. And a kid's untrained hands definitely qualified for that. What they found however was most definitely the most adorable thing Kaito had ever seen in his entire life.
"Look! I'm KID's apprentice!"
Mizuki an up to them, with her arms spread wide, a broad grin on her lips. The cape dragged behind her, because it was clearly too long for her tiny body, the top hat sank low onto her head, the monocle sat crooked on her nose because she didn't entirely know how to put it on and the bow-tie was... the messiest thing possible. But she had done her best trying to put on what she could from the costume. Kaito bit his lip to try and keep from cooing aloud.
"I really wish I still had the kid-sized KID costume now," Kaito whispered.
"...What does 'still' mean, Kaito?" Shinichi turned to narrow his eyes at Kaito. "Kaito, answer the question. What does 'still' mean?"
A razor-sharp grin was the only answer Shinichi got. If Kaito had gotten more time with Conan, yes, he would have absolutely put his tantei-kun into that costume. Alas, time got cut short and he never got around to that. It might have been safer for Kaito's health though, because that would have earned him soccer-balls to regions he may have never recovered from.
"You look adorable, Mizu-chan," Kaito went to her, but he then took the top-hat. "But these are not toys. And when you stay here, you will have to follow some rules. An important one is that you can't just wander into this room without anyone, okay? Many of the things in here can be dangerous and we don't want anything to happen to you, you understand that?"
Mizuki wiggled her nose with a small pout. "...Okay... But that means I can come in here?"
Shinichi heaved a sigh in defeat. "Only with Kaito supervising you."
"And you can't tell anyone about this room either. It has to be a secret."
"Duh," Mizuki grinned. "Like nobody can know that you're KID. Or Kaito-nii-san."
"Ex-act-ly," Kaito smiled as he ruffled her hair. "Good girl. Now come downstairs, dinner is ready."
"But I wanna see some tricks! There's so much fun stuff here!"
"After dinner," Shinichi took Mizuki by the hand. "Come on, both of you."
Kaito quickly took the monocle, bow-tie and cape off Mizuki too before they left the secret room. He took a moment, watching his boyfriend and their current charge leave. There was a strange, heavy feeling in Kaito's chest. It wasn't a bad feeling, but a big one. With a smile on his lips did he go back to putting everything back where it belonged before he went to follow them downstairs.
Author's note: Next chapter, Kaito and Shinichi will have to adjust to having a kd around ;)
