V. Shalyr: Okay, this one's a response to several requests that we received. ^_^

Disclaimer: We don't own DCMK

Caught on Camera

Photograph: Embarrassing Date #1

Shinichi took one look at the photograph on the next page and attempted to slam the album shut only for Kaito to snatch it from his hands.

"Oh no you don't, I like that picture."

Boy did he ever. They had another copy of that same photo in their bedroom that Kaito wouldn't let him throw away.

"But, Kaito," Shinichi said in a furious whisper, making a grab at the book. "It's—it's—"

"Cute," Yukiko finished for him, smiling wistfully.

"No!"

Peering curiously over at the picture in question, Toichi grinned—the kind of grin most people who knew him and his son well had learned to run away from. "I don't remember seeing that one. I assume that was your work, Yukiko."

"One of my best, if I do say so myself." She beamed.

"Most definitely."

Shinichi glared at his father for agreeing with her. It was unfair how it seemed like the only parent he could count on to back him up in any way was Kaito's mother. The idea of "shame" simply didn't register in the other three's vocabularies. Granted, in this case, it didn't stop Chikage from joining Yukiko in cooing over the photograph in question.

Did they really have to talk about this like it was some kind of—of art project?…

. . . . . . . . .

To Shinichi's disappointment, his mother's New Clothes Times had persisted into his high school life, albeit with a few additional quirks added in to compensate for the increase in years. Of course as Shinichi had gotten older, capturing him for these outfitting sessions only got harder. Unfortunately, his mother was a very talented woman.

And so it was that one Friday afternoon found him standing in the middle of his bedroom trying to die of mortification.

"Oh, stop complaining, Shin-chan. I don't have a daughter to try it on so you'll have to do."

"Mom…" Shinichi sighed, sneaking a look at his reflection in the full-length mirror and wincing before quickly looking away. The deep blue dress wasn't hideous by any means. In fact, his mother usually had surprisingly good taste in clothes. It was just that he would have appreciated it better if he hadn't been wearing it. Complete with a wig, expert makeup, and certain additions in the right places, no one would have guessed that Kudo Yukiko in fact had a son.

Oh why couldn't she have settled for some dolls?

His mother had really outdone herself this time. He rather suspected it was her way of alleviating stress after a major movie production. If he could confirm that that was the case, he'd see if he could make arrangements to be out of town next time. He could go somewhere nice and far away—like maybe on the other side of the world. Or maybe hiding nearby would be less expected and so more effective?

"Mom, I'm supposed to be going out soon." And there was simply no way he was going to still be wearing this when Kaito got there. He just knew it would give the magician ideas.

"Ooh, is it a date?"

"Of course not," Shinichi said a little too quickly, his face going pink despite his best efforts. He'd never been a very good liar.

His mother squealed. "And you weren't going to tell me? Shame on you. I'm your mother! If you don't tell me, who are you going to tell?"

No one, Shinichi thought, or at least most definitely not his mother.

"Mom, I don't have time for this," he hissed, but before he could say another word, he heard the front door swing open.

"Shin-chan?"

Damn, it was too late. And leave it to Kaito to pick the lock and enter a person's house without warning. Shinichi blamed that habit on Toichi-san who did the same thing on an equally regular basis. The two could really be disturbingly alike sometimes.

A moment later, Kaito appeared in Shinichi's doorway and stopped dead in his tracks. The magician blinked in surprise, stared, and then a grin that set off alarm bells in Shinichi's head began to spread across his face. "Aww, Shin-chan, you should have told me you were going to dress up. I could have come over to watch."

The fact that his best friend and now boyfriend had absolutely no sense of shame was probably Toichi-san's fault too. Perhaps that meant it was genetic.

Shinichi glared, folding his arms across his chest. "Don't you even think about it. I am not wearing this out."

There was just no way.

Yukiko beamed. "What a wonderful idea. After all, it would be such a waste to go through all that work and not show off the results."

"Definitely," Kaito agreed, leaning in to give his boyfriend a quick peck on the cheek. "You look beautiful. I wholeheartedly approve."

While Shinichi was trying to figure out if he felt flattered or betrayed by this—probably both—Kaito took his hand (partly because he just wanted to and partly so Shinichi couldn't run away) and offered Yukiko a dazzling smile. "We'll be on our way then."

"Of course, just—can I take a picture before you two go?"

"No," Shinichi cut in, "absolutely not. I won't."

He hated posing for pictures enough as it was without being dressed up for them.

"Aww, please? I promise that no one but the family is ever going to see it." She paused then added, "Or I could take it later…"

While you're not watching, going unsaid but loud enough for Shinichi to hear in the highly suggestive silence.

"Of course you can," Kaito said quickly, "as long as I get a copy too."

"Kaito!"

"What? You'd rather she was the only one who got to keep a copy? How unfair would that be?"

And that was how Shinichi found himself standing in the front yard of the Kudo Manor dressed like a young lady about to go to a dance with her—er, his—future partner grinning like a lunatic at the camera. Just as Yukiko lifted her camera, Kaito turned the detective around in his arms and pulled him flush up against his body before tilting his head back to catch his lips in an actual kiss.

And that was when the camera went off.

. . . . . . . . .

…Sometimes, Shinichi really had to wonder at the kinds of people he had in his life. "Insane" didn't even really begin to cover it. It was more like mad and bizarre and eccentric all rolled into one with a whole lot of not-necessarily-complimentary terms.

"Hey, at least it's never boring," Kaito said, having guessed what was running through his mind at the expression on his face.

And of course they couldn't have that.

TBC

V. Shalyr: I wanted to write some events from the actual outing, but 1) I liked where this ended and 2) I wasn't sure what events would be more interesting. If you have any ideas, please let us know!