Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan/Case Closed.
Lure
Chapter 3 - Woes of a Detective
"What did he mean?"
Ran gave Shinichi an almost pitying look across the café table. It was the same corner table they had been at not so long ago. Shinichi practically lived here these days when he wasn't on a crime scene or in class. "It means he really does like you, duh. Honestly Shinichi, this is why you need to go out and meet more normal people. Not everything is about crime. Even criminals have normal lives—well, most of the time anyway. I guess there're probably some extra nutty ones out there that don't, but still."
"Ran, there is nothing and never will be anything normal about KID."
"Okay, maybe normal's not the right word, but it doesn't change the fact that not everything's about crime. Why do you find it so hard to believe that KID might actually like you anyway?"
"I'm a detective," he said bluntly, wondering why this obvious fact seemed to be eluding his friend. "He's a thief."
"You were the one who just said KID would never be normal."
That was true. But even KID's insanity had to have limits.
"Do you like him?"
Shinichi froze with his coffee mug halfway to his lips. "What?"
"Do you like him?" Ran repeated patiently. "I'm pretty sure he likes you, whether or not you want to believe me. So the real question is whether or not you like him back."
"Why would you even ask me that?" He knew he was stalling, but he couldn't help it. He felt like a deer in headlights staring fixedly at the car about to run him over.
"I was just wondering. I mean, you go to all of his heists when you can, and you obviously spend a lot of time thinking about him. You keep all the roses he gives you, and you don't seem to be as upset by the fact that he's broken into your house several times already as I think you would be if it was anyone else. You also blush whenever someone mentions him. So?"
"I…" Shinichi stopped and swallowed, throat dry. "I just… It's not…"
"It's okay if you do, you know," the brunette said gently. "I won't think of you any differently." If anything, Ran was inclined to think that this might be a good thing. Okay, KID was a criminal, but compared to most of the people Shinichi dealt with on a daily basis, he was definitely one of the better ones. Shinichi needed something more than just cases in his life, even if he disagreed. And she was fairly sure that KID would take good care of her best friend. "I think you should give him a chance."
"You…you do?" Shinichi could barely believe his own ears. Ran was encouraging him to go out with a wanted criminal—one whose real identity neither of them knew at that. Even if it was KID, there was something fundamentally creepy about that.
Yet her casual acceptance of the possibility was also a relief.
"It'll be good for you," she agreed, smiling. "Promise me you'll at least think about it."
Shinichi nodded mutely. Like he'd be able to do anything else.
He spent the rest of the day stewing over the question.
Despite his efforts to make it go away, he'd known for a while now that he had feelings for the gentleman thief. He just didn't think he should. It had been easier to ignore when he'd firmly believed that KID was only teasing him. But if Ran was right—and she sounded so sure—then that argument was no longer valid. It still didn't change the fact that KID was a thief. But, well, he was an honorable kind of thief, or as much as such a thing was possible anyway. He often helped the police catch more heinous criminals when they crossed paths, and he returned most of his loot. He was insanely brilliant and fun to be around. He was undeniably charming too, though he could be something of a pervert at times.
And he had been there through some of the worst times in Shinichi's life. The thief might not know it, but Shinichi had come to rely on him to be there. KID's heists and magic reminded him that the world could be a bright and amazing place and gave him a space in which he could forget about the death and despair he saw on a regular basis.
So he knew he maybe sort of really did like KID. He'd known that already even if he was only admitting it to himself now. That didn't solve any of his problems. If anything it made them worse.
He only ever saw KID at heists. He didn't really know who the thief was. Hakuba was always insisting he knew the thief's civilian identity even if he had no proof, but looking for KID outside of a heist like that felt wrong to Shinichi. That said, he couldn't exactly have a nice sit down with the thief to discuss the possibility of a future together. What would he say? "Excuse me, but Ran thinks all these pranks you've been pulling on me have been your way of asking me out, and I was wondering if that was true because I wouldn't mind going out with you when you're not out stealing things"?
…Yeah, not happening.
Why couldn't Ran have stayed and explained how she thought he was supposed to give the thief a chance?
-0-
Sharp, indigo eyes observed the detective from across the café. It took some effort to keep said detective from noticing that he was being watched, but the owner of the eyes had gotten the skill down to an art form. It was a necessary skill, after all, for indulging in his favorite hobby: Shinichi-Stalking.
Hey, everyone had to have hobbies.
"What are your real intentions with Kudo-san?"
"What're you talking about now, Hakuba? I don't know anyone called Kudo."
"Oh please, if you're going to pretend, there should still be a limit. I'm talking about Kudo Shinichi. You can't possibly not know who he is."
"Oh, you mean that Kudo. I thought you were talking about someone I knew personally. So what about him?"
"I was just curious. I mean, even you can't be crazy enough to think dating a detective would be a good idea in your circumstances."
"If this is another attempt to get me to say I'm KID, it might be one of your worst. I don't even know what you're talking about. Why would I want to date Kudo? I've never even met him."
The conversation had continued in the same manner for another hour or so before the blond finally gave up. Honestly, how Aoko could stand going out with him was one thing he would never understand.
Kuroba Kaito, sometimes known as Kaitou KID, wasn't entirely sure when his interest in the detective had grown from simple curiosity into real affection. These things were gradual after all. It was the detective's intelligence that had caught his attention at first. It was rare for him to find someone who could actually keep up with his ways of thinking—even rarer to find one who could also appreciate his artwork even while he tried to unravel their workings. It was a challenge not only for the thief to come up with even more complex magic tricks but also to coax that oh-so-rare look of unadulterated amazement from the little detective—and KID liked challenges. Add to that the sheer weirdness of the idea of a teenager getting ten years younger and it was no wonder that the thief was interested.
The more time he spent observing the detective, the greater his interest had grown. He admired Shinichi's heartfelt dedication to protecting all life—even the lives of criminals who most people would probably agree didn't deserve it. It wasn't every day you met someone who really cared that much and was willing to put his life on the line for that belief. Seeing him gave KID a sense of hope in his own struggles to bring his father's murderers to justice and reminded him that, no matter how dark things got, he should never allow himself to become like those men he hunted. Because Shinichi would be disappointed.
It amused him too how the detective could be so serious sometimes yet so childish when it came to things like soccer or his beloved books. The boy's clumsiness when it came to certain social matters and situations was also rather endearing.
As the years wore on, the list of things he found interesting about the detective grew longer. And the thief had noticed that it had started to include the beautiful shade of the detective's blue eyes.
He'd decided to pursue a relationship with the detective a little over a year ago.
He hadn't made the decision lightly. He was Kaitou KID, after all. He couldn't afford to be careless. He'd weighed all the pros and cons, the risks and the possibilities, and he'd decided that it was worth it.
The problem was that while the detective's cluelessness about romance was cute, it was beginning to get frustrating. He supposed he could at least thank the Mouri girl for clearing some of the confusion up for his dear Tantei-kun, but seriously, it had taken a whole year to just get the message across. At least the year had given him ample opportunities to gage the detective's reactions to his advances and determine that—whether or not Shinichi was aware of it himself—the detective returned at least some of his affections.
Things would have been so much easier if he and Shinichi had ever met in their civilian lives. Naturally he'd thought about introducing himself, but he knew that the chances of Shinichi figuring out that he was KID were quite high. He couldn't risk such an encounter before he had secured a more solid position in Shinichi's life. While he didn't believe the detective would turn him in, he also didn't want to complicate things unnecessarily by adding Shinichi's sense of obligation to the mix.
That and he knew Hakuba was just lying in wait for him to approach the detective and give himself away. Indigo eyes narrowed dangerously.
If Hakuba did anything to jeopardize Kaito's plans, he was going to find himself shaved bald!
In the meantime, Kaito had the feeling he could use the police and Hakuba's new 'ideas' to his advantage. It was, after all, part of the plan he'd been unfolding since the Yukimitsu incident.
-0-
The moment his eyes landed on Nakamori-keibu, Hakuba, Sensui, and the handful of other KID Task Force officers waiting on his doorstep, Shinichi knew it was going to be a bad day. He considered shutting the door in their faces, but they had already crowded inside. He found himself offering them coffee on instinct while he silently wished they would all disappear.
The sense of foreboding only grew as they explained their purpose for visiting him so early on a Saturday morning. When they were done, Shinichi could only think of one thing to say.
"You want me to do what?"
-0-
This must be how people in the ancient, uncivilized days felt when they were about to be sacrificed, he thought glumly. His own reflection looked back at him from the changing room mirror, looking just as excited as Shinichi felt, which was to say not at all. Unfortunately, he didn't have a choice but to be here.
It was for the greater good, they'd said. Ha! Greater good his foot. This was just them running out of ideas.
It was entirely Nakamori and Hakuba's fault that he was now wearing clothes that he would never have put on if he didn't have the metaphorical gun to his head. No, they weren't threatening him exactly. It was just that he either had to put them on or have them put on for him. Bastards. They were getting worse than KID. At least KID didn't claim to have good intentions when he popped people into random costumes.
The idea, they'd explained, was for him to actually participate in the jewelry show that had been determined to be the location of KID's next heist. It was a show being held to showcase the work of a new jewelry designer who had been getting a lot of recognition. Among this jeweler's works was a brooch that happened to house a star ruby of great quality. The jewel in question had passed through many hands and adorned multiple pieces throughout the ages, but this time its latest owner had requested that it be worked into a "brooch fit for royalty". Now it was to be presented to the world as one of a series of supposed masterpieces meant to boost their creator's career to the next level. This show, however, was going to be an active one, the jeweler had declared. It was not going to be a bunch of metal and rock lying around on velvet cushions. No, the pieces were meant to be worn, so worn they would be. Each piece would be shown on a suitable person. It was like a fashion show where the main point was the jewelry, or so Shinichi had decided. And lo and behold, Shinichi had somehow become the designated show person for KID's target brooch.
To match the overly fancy piece of jewelry, the clothes too were…unique. There were shiny bits and frilly bits and smooth, silky bits. Raised stitching formed complex patterns that made Shinichi go cross-eyed when he stared at them for too long.
The pants were the worst part. They fit him far too well. He supposed there were people out there who considered this sort of thing fashionable or whatever, but it did nothing for his sense of modesty. On top of that, the tight fit meant he'd been forced to wear something that looked to him like a handful of strings but which he'd been told was a type of undergarment. In his opinion, calling it clothing of any kind was being too generous. Okay, so that meant the pants weren't the worst part. It was the bits under them—or rather lack thereof—that were the worst part.
Altogether, he felt both ridiculously gaudy and terribly underdressed despite being fully covered.
The most degrading aspect of the situation, however, was that he had essentially been reduced to being a walking display case. All the dressing up and stuff was meant only to show off the jeweler's brooch design. And after he was done being a display, he was supposed to play bait by walking himself and the jewel into the ambush the police were setting up at the appointed time. He was still trying to decide if he was going to actually do so though. It wasn't like they'd bothered actually asking him to. They'd just said to do it and assumed he'd cooperate. Jerks.
A sharp knock came at the changing room door.
"Kudo-kun, are you ready? The show's about to start. They want all the models backstage right now."
"I'm coming." Heaving one last resigned sigh, Shinichi exited the changing room and shot Inspector Nakamori a glare. The man had the decency to look uncomfortable. "So where am I supposed to go then?"
"It's this way."
All too soon, he was walking out into the spotlights before a massive crowd, half of whom were probably there to see KID rather than the show, but no one was talking about that yet. He could feel eyes on him—not that that was surprising. He was, after all, walking onto a stage. That knowledge didn't make him feel any better. The staring was getting on his nerves. Someone in the front row had taken out a phone and was showing something on it to her friend before pointing at Shinichi. He suspected it was that photo again.
And now he had to stand and listen as the jeweler described the brooch in excruciating detail, explaining the inspiration for and meaning of every stone and curl of metal.
The minutes crawled by like lethargic snails.
Shinichi tuned out at about the ten minute mark and spent the rest of the show in a mindless haze of boredom wishing he could sit down. His prospects weren't looking good on that front either though. The show was going to be followed by a party where visitors could get a look at the various pieces up close. There would of course be food, drinks, and dancing. And a heist.
Nope, he wouldn't be getting any rest anytime soon.
-0-
"You look stressed."
Scowling at the sound of Hakuba's voice, Shinichi turned to give the other detective the most irritated glare he could manage. "And whose fault would that be?"
The blond seemed unfazed by the sarcasm dripping liberally from Shinichi's words. "I do apologize for the lack of warning, but you know how KID is. Every additional person in the plan is another potential leak."
"That would be a much more convincing argument if I wasn't stuck in the middle of it."
"True, but we all know KID keeps a close eye on you. Therefore the delay was necessary."
Deciding he didn't feel like talking to Hakuba anymore, Shinichi turned away with a terse statement about getting something to drink. To his chagrin, the blond stopped a passing waiter with a tray of fancy fruit concoctions. Taking two, he offered one to Shinichi. Not wanting to make a scene, Shinichi accepted the proffered beverage with a strained smile for the waiter and a short "Thanks".
"Is it your turn to follow me around then?" he asked the blond once the waiter had gone.
Hakuba blinked then gave a rueful smile. "So you noticed."
"Hard not to."
"It's the only way to keep an eye on the heist target."
"Because obviously I don't count."
"Two heads are better than one."
"Whatever."
A stiff silence fell between them as Shinichi buried his nose in his drink. Hakuba finally seemed to take the hint and turned his attention to surveying the party for suspicious characters. Every few minutes a handful of visitors would come up to Shinichi to ogle at the brooch or ask him about KID. He answered their questions in as few words as he could.
"No, I don't know who he is."
"No, I don't know if he's here yet."
"Yes, he's after this jewel."
"No, you can't touch it."
"I don't know what trick he's planning to show tonight."
"How would I know if KID is a good kisser?!" He glared at the last person to ask him a question but she only looked confused.
"But I heard you two were, you know." She turned pink. Behind Shinichi, Hakuba coughed, and the blue-eyed detective wondered if the blond was laughing at him.
"We are not—whatever you heard," Shinichi said to the girl in slow, measured tones that emphasized every syllable. Regardless of what the future might hold, he was not going to bow to these rumors!
"Oh." She didn't look like she believed him. "I guess if you say so."
He could see that last group whispering to each other as they left, casting the occasional glance back in his direction. He downed the rest of his drink in one gulp and glowered down at the cherry sitting at the bottom of the glass. What was up with people these days anyway? They were always nosing around other people's private lives. Could they not think of better ways to entertain themselves that didn't involve infringing on people's privacy?
He blinked. The one cherry had just turned into two cherries. No, wait, now it was one cherry again.
What the…
His thoughts felt fuzzy and disconnected. The glass slipped from his numb fingers but he never heard it hit the floor. Someone had caught it, he thought distantly. He could sense a presence beside him. Hakuba? It was warm and solid and standing very close.
"Don't worry," a familiar voice that most certainly was not Hakuba murmured into his ear. The words echoed and swirled through his head. "I'll take good care of you."
Shinichi's last thought before he blacked out completely was that now he was more worried than ever.
-TBC-
