fic: MK, Darker Tale
I've successfully survived my first week of camp! It's downhill from here on out, baby.
...except when two of my counselors call in sick on Sunday night.
I feel kind of sad that I haven't been writing much lately. Mostly I blame my muse leaving me (graduation does that to you), but that's really no excuse. So I thought I'd post this thing I've been working on, and see what y'all think. It's very rough, and the italics have been lost, but please do comment anyway.
Summary: Magic Kaito. Shounen ai. Kaitou Kid goes after his biggest heist yet: a love story of a darker sort.
*****Prologue
Kuroba Kaito, sometimes known as Kaitou Kid, or International Thief 1412, is used to keeping secrets. Sometimes he thinks his life is nothing but secrets, and if he were not so practiced at it as he is, he is sure he would never remember who knows how much of what.
So it had been natural for him to keep this a secret, as well. After all, his life is all about shadows, about the grey space that lurks somewhere between black and white.
Still, he had not expected it to go this far, had not meant for so many people to be hurt. Especially not-
But when he thinks about it, he is not sure he really regrets anything, nor does he know where he could have changed what happened. Perhaps it was inevitable from the first, from that first night in a dark alley, like a runaway train with no brakes bearing down on you in the night.
And in the end, Kaito is not sure it matters.
*****
Hakuba Saguru is used to seeing the world in black and white. Or at least, he was-more recently, one Kuroba Kaito has been regularly challenging his most treasured beliefs. Still, he was raised traditionally, and still prefers to think of himself that way.
He is not used to the unexpected, nor does he enjoy not being in control. He is growing uncomfortably familiar with both sensations.
Deep inside, though, buried far down where he can pretend it doesn’t exist, Saguru is enjoying himself.
Not like he’ll ever admit that.
*****
Hakuba Saguru hates Kaitou Kid, hates him with a passion honed by years of chasing criminals, hates him with a deep and utter loathing that leaves him seeing red and trembling. He has sworn to catch the Kid if it’s the last thing he does, and that’s a promise that he fully intends to keep.
It’s hard to tell what Kaitou Kid thinks of Saguru-his ever-present grin could hide anything, and he’s certainly not telling. It’s a good bet that amusement figures in there somewhere, though, as well as a healthy dose of annoyance.
Saguru suspects (or knows; it’s sometimes hard to tell) that Kuroba is the Kid, and Kuroba knows that Saguru knows. But they’re neither of them talking: it’s stalemate, plain and simple. The kind of comfortable stalemate that could go on forever and ever, endless circles of hunter and hunted.
Getting too comfortable is dangerous, particularly in such a risky game as Kaitou Kid and Saguru play.
Chapter The First
Saguru panted angrily as he ran after Kaitou Kid, his overcoat flapping behind him. He’d been so close, close enough to touch the white silk of Kid’s jacket, close enough to feel the warmth of his slight body-
But the Kid had gotten away. He always got away.
Saguru pulled up short in surprise as he rounded the corner and almost ran headlong into Kaitou Kid. The Kid was standing still-too still-and staring at something in the alleyway. Something lying on the ground, the sharp tang of blood hovering in the air.
“Stay back,” the Kid warned, his voice low.
Saguru tried to edge past him. “I’ve seen dead bodies before, you know,” he snapped irritably.
Strong fingers grabbed his wrist and pulled him into a shadowed alcove as uniformed feet ran past the alley. He was wrenched around to face the cement wall, arms held firmly behind his back. “I saw someone disappear over the wall.” Kaitou Kid whispered into his ear. “A male, tall, long blond hair, wearing a black trench coat.”
Saguru tried to twist around and failed. “Why are you telling me this?”
The voice moved closer, and warm breath tickled his neck. Saguru suppressed a shudder. “Watch out for men in black, Hakuba-kun. Things are not always as they appear.”
And then he was gone.
Saguru turned around slowly, rubbing his wrists. That had been...odd... or at least odder than most Kaitou Kid encounters, which was saying something. He gave the body a cursory examination-a middle-aged woman, killed by a single gunshot to the chest-before retreating back to the mouth of the alley. A sharp whistle gained the attention of the nearest policeman.
Saguru watched dispassionately as Nakamori directed his men around the body, the Kid chase forgotten for the moment. Were the Kid’s heist and the woman’s death connected? Or had she just been in the wrong place at the wrong time?
Men in black... They’d been at a Kid heist before.
The Kid had shielded him from the body, given him evidence unasked for, warned him, maybe even given him a cryptic clue. The whole encounter left a bad taste in Saguru’s mouth.
He pushed it from his mind as he strode over to Nakamori. “You’re looking for a tall male with long blond hair and a black trench coat,” he said softly.
Nakamori gave him a sharp glance. “And the Kid?” At Saguru’s shrug he sighed wearily, then jerked his head to the side. “Give the man with the clipboard your statement before you go.”
**********
The next morning in class Kuroba was just a little bit paler than usual, his jokes falling just a little flat. Saguru watched him carefully from over his English text, looking for some clue as to what the hell the bloody thief was thinking.
In his head, at least, Saguru could swear like a sailor.
Unless Kuroba wasn’t really Kaitou Kid...
But no, it was there: in the casual way he dodged Nakamori’s wild swings, in his delighted laughter at his latest magic trick, in the dangerous warning look Saguru had once seen him give Koizumi. Anyone who couldn’t see that the Kaitou and Kaito were one and the same was either a fool or willfully blind, Saguru thought.
“Hakuba-kun, please read from page 52.”
Saguru stood, shaking off his musings and ignoring Kuroba’s lazy grin of amusement. “It was a warm day, and the young boy wanted a hot dog...”
At any rate, the next heist was bound to be interesting.
...wasn’t that a curse of some sort?
***
Another night, another heist, Saguru thought as he inched his way around another corner. Kaitou Kid usually favored heights, and a tall building like this was perfect for a take-off. Saguru had taken a gamble, insisting on a minimum of officers on the ground, posting most on the roof and on nearby staircases.
His gamble paid off as a flash of white appeared at the other end of the roof.
Shots rang out.
The police knew better than to shoot at a Kid heist.
Bloody hell.
Kaitou Kid’s mysterious men in black were back.
Saguru felt an irrational wave of fury wash over him. They were firing at his thief, trying to hurt his thief.
Nobody was allowed to catch Kaitou Kid but him. And nobody, nobody, was allowed to hurt him.
Saguru had no weapons, no way of contacting the officers without giving himself away. He frantically looked around, eyes landing on a length of metal pipe lying a few feet away.
Cliché, but it felt right in his hand. Watson, circling overhead, screamed her approval.
There were at least three men in black-maybe four, Saguru noted analytically. All had their guns pointed at the Kid. The closest was only a few paces away, just around the corner. Saguru crept around the corner, Watson circled closer, he tensed, and Watson dove.
The man cried out in agony as Watson’s claws drove deep into his scalp, a cry that was cut off by the application of a large blunt object to the back of his skull.
Saguru grinned fiercely in satisfaction-
and looked up-
into the shining barrel of a gun pointed straight at him, finger tightening on the trigger, too close, way too close-
and a white-clad arm jerked him aside, swept him up and over the edge of the roof, glider opening with a snap as the wind rushed by.
“You idiot! Just what, exactly, did you think you were doing?!” Kaitou Kid shouted in his ear.
“They were shooting at you,” Saguru replied-quite reasonably, he thought, given that he was currently flying. Buildings swept by as they dropped lower. “Where are we going?”
“Yes, they were shooting at me,” the Kid muttered, and was that a touch of fear beneath the anger? “They were shooting at me, and you’re totally defenseless.”
“Watson-” Saguru tried.
“Your stupid bird doesn’t count.”
“Well, excuse me,” Saguru said indignantly, “I’m a detective. I’m not supposed to carry a weapon. Do you have a plan for landing?” He added, as the ground was getting closer.
The Kid shifted his weight, and the glider rounded a corner. “I have got to get you a weapon. A tranq gun, at the very least.” Saguru ignored this-Kaitou Kid, share his toys?-and tried to be concerned at how quickly the ground was approaching. It was hard, what with the strong arms wrapped around him and warm breath in his ear.
“Landing? Us?”
“Relax, will ya? Don’t worry, I’m an expert.” They touched down smoothly, and the thief set Saguru down.
Saguru didn’t step away. Didn’t turn around. “Thank you for saving me,” he said instead. “I now owe you two debts.”
At this the Kid stepped back abruptly. “You owe me nothing,” he said roughly, and was gone.
Saguru slowly turned around. He was in a dark, narrow alley a few blocks from the site of the heist. In the distance he could hear Chief Nakamori yelling at his men.
Well.
That had been different.
***
Saguru was trying to ignore Kuroba. It wasn’t easy-the magician seemed to be in an especially good mood today-but with his superior intellectual prowess he was sure to prevail.
It was sort of like trying to ignore the proverbial pink elephant.
The memory of strong, hard arms against his chest and quick breath in his ear was making it significantly more difficult, but Saguru was sure he would prevail.
Even if flying had been sort of fun.
“Hey Hakuba-kun, whatcha got for lunch today?” Koizumi leaned dangerously close, her ample bosom threatening to pop out of its meager restraints, and Saguru automatically leaned away. Behind her Nakamori drew a silent “1,” bringing the score to Akako: 382, Saguru: 0.
Saguru suppressed a sigh as he opened his bento. He had long ago given up trying to win.
Inside his bento lay a small plastic gun, florescent pink, orange, and green colors clashing horribly. Below it was a small packet of nearly invisibly darts.
The thief had actually done it.
He casually closed the bento. “I seem to have forgotten my lunch,” he said calmly.
Kuroba pushed his own bento across the desk. “Mom packed too much today,” he mumbled around a mouthful of food.
Right. Which was why there was an extra set of chopsticks.
Saguru accepted the offer with a nod of thanks. “Could I borrow a piece of paper?” He asked Nakamori. He considered the blank paper as he chewed on a rice ball.
Thank you, he wrote, then erased it. I’m still going to catch you. No, that wasn’t right either. Finally, he settled on, You had better be careful, as well, before putting the note into his bento on top of the gun.
“Wha’ wuz tha’?” Kuroba asked around a bite of rice. Nakamori kicked him in the ankle.
“Just a note.” Saguru pretended not to notice the way Kuroba kept looking at his bento.
It wouldn’t be long before the thief got his note.
And-
And Saguru might even use the gun.
At least, he would think about it.
***
During the day they are uneasy friends at best, bound together by Nakamori and Koizumi and the shared misery of brilliant young people stuck doing work too easy for them.
At night Saguru chases Kaitou Kid, determined to catch the thief or die trying. His determination is matched only by the sneaking suspicion that the Kid is also chasing him, and is equally determined that they both survive the experience.
***
They dance, now. At school Saguru watches Kuroba laughing. He swears he will catch the Kid, and Kuroba answers with extravagant boasts. They keep a careful distance between them. They are not friends.
At night the Kid is all maniacal laughter and sharp edges, and Saguru despairs of ever catching him.
He thinks he will never catch the daytime Kuroba, either. Kuroba in the light hides with jokes and tricks and a carefree smile that Saguru finds just as intimidating as the Kid’s veiled threats.
Sometimes Saguru thinks he spends his whole life chasing after shadows. But every so often there’s something-a moment of stillness in Kuroba’s face, or the soft touch of a gloved hand in the dark-that keeps him from giving up.
Because he knows that if he ever catches up-
Well. The chase will have been well worth it.
*********
(I’m not so sure about the placement of this next part-here, or later?)
“Did you bring your gun?” The voice came from behind Saguru; he whirled, but of course there was no one there.
“Yes, I brought my gun. Will you please stop hiding, and fight like a man?!”
“I’m a phantom thief, Hakuba-kun. Hiding is what I do.”
Saguru growled. “At least stop following me, then.”
The voice came from his right now. “I’m just worried about you. Is that such a crime?”
Saguru paused. “The men in black again?”
“They’ve been around.”
“Well, stop being such a mother hen. You’re worse than my father,” he scowled. “Besides, you should be watching your back, not mine.”
The voice circled around him teasingly-now on the left, now behind him, now on the right. “Ah, but by watching yours for you, I’m also watching out for me.” The voice stopped in front of Saguru, as if the Kid had finally decided to stop playing around. “You worry about me almost as much as I worry about you. And it’s such a nice back.”
Saguru flushed horribly, and knew the thief saw it. Then he smiled-a slow, pleased smile-and started walking again.
“Say, Kid,” he said conversationally, “I never did thank you for the present. But-” his grin, had he been able to see it, now resembled Kaitou Kid’s right before the bombs exploded- “how do you know I won’t use it on you, instead?”
Saguru laughed at the muffled cursing behind him.
Ah, payback.
**************
Chapter the Second
Saguru was crouched behind some bushes, feeling superior. During the last few heists Kaitou Kid had launched his glider from the roof, and Saguru was convinced that this was the time the thief would apt for a ground route.
It was a gamble, but Saguru felt confident. Most of the time, he guessed correctly.
Tonight he lost the gamble. There was a flash of white on the roof, and the Kid’s glider snapped open with a flash of white.
Bloody hell. Saguru craned his neck frantically, tracking the glider’s trajectory. If the Kid landed close by, he could-
The glider crumpled. Started to fall. Red bloomed on white.
Eight bloody shit-eating monkeys fucking in a row.
Saguru ran.
Kaitou Kid lay motionless in the middle of the street and for a blinding moment of pure fear Saguru thought he was dead. But no, he saw as he dropped to his knees, the Kid was still breathing.
Don’t move a possible back injury. Saguru took a deep breath and told his hands to stop shaking. So he couldn’t move the thief. What could he do?
He could figure out Kaitou Kid’s injuries. Surely that was a good start.
Okay. An obviously broken leg. A gunshot wound to the shoulder, bleeding thankfully sluggish. A large bump on the back of the head-concussion, then.
First things first: apply pressure to that shoulder. Saguru’s scarf worked admirably well.
Saguru was probably in shock, he thought to himself dispassionately. Kaitou Kid was broken and bleeding, and the world seemed to be moving very slowly indeed.
The Kid groaned. Saguru bit hack a surge of hope and leaned forward, carefully keeping the pressure on the wound even. “Don’t move. You were shot and fell. It’s just me, don’t worry about the police.” Distantly, Saguru hoped his voice was reassuring. He didn’t particularly feel reassuring. “Can you wiggle your toes?” Feet moved slightly. “How about your fingers?” Gloves twitched.
Saguru sighed in relief. “Well, at least you don’t have a back injury.”
“Did’ja catch th’ train tha’ hit me?” Kaitou Kid mumbled without opening his eyes.
“They got away,” Saguru said shortly. “What hurts?”
“Wha’ doesn’t?”
Well, that was one was of putting it. “Your leg is broken, you were shot in the shoulder, and you have a concussion.”
“No police.”
Well, that was obvious. “Do you trust me?” Saguru asked abruptly.
Silence. Saguru waited, mind carefully blank. Then-
“Yes.”
“Good.” He carefully maneuvered the Kid into a half-leaning, half-sitting position against the nearest streetlamp. It was difficult to get the Kid’s arms through the sleeves of Saguru’s coat, but he managed. That white outfit was simply too eye-catching. “I’m going to need your help with this,” he said as he crouched in front of the Kid. “I’m going to put your arms over my shoulders, and I need you to hold on while I stand up. Can you do that?”
He got a weak glare in return and felt a little more hope return.
It was awkward, but then they were up in a tangle of limbs, Kaitou Kid’s warmth draped over Saguru’s back. Saguru didn’t want to think about the picture they made-one English detective, with a half-conscious, blood-covered thief on his back. It would make great headlines: Detective and thief caught in delicate position. Or, Detective tries to help thief and fails.
Saguru was maybe just a little bit hysterical.
Saguru took a step, then another. Surprisingly, they didn’t fall over. He carefully hitched Kaitou Kid a little higher and kept walking.
Saguru’s footsteps echoed as they walked, and he concentrated on that, concentrated on acting normal-just a normal high-schooler carrying his drunken friend home, yes sir, nothing suspicious about that. “Can you act drunk if you need to?”
“Yes.” Silence for a few blocks. Then, “where are we going?”
Saguru cursed silently. He would have to ask. “Your place.”
“What?!” The body on his back stiffened in alarm.
“Look, you’re injured, right?” Saguru said reasonably. “You’re too injured for me to fix you-you need help. And since we can’t exactly take you to the emergency room looking like that, we’re going to take you home, and change you into something normal, and then call an ambulance. You can tell them whatever you want, I don’t care.”
“You know who I am,” Kaitou Kid said warily.
Saguru nodded. “I have for a while.”
“Thank you for not telling anybody.”
Saguru shrugged and shifted the Kid higher again. “I can pretend not to, after this, if it’ll make you feel better.”
Quick breath in his ear. Softly, “that won’t be necessary, but thank you for offering.”
Saguru took a shaky breath, then another. Kept walking. “You can switch now, if it’ll make things easier,” he offered. Tried not to regret offering.
“That-might be wise.” An arm shifted, slowly, so slowly, and fumbled with something. Saguru concentrated on walking.
“Kuroba?” He asked warily.
“Ouch,” Kuroba said in his ear.
Saguru couldn’t help it. He laughed.
****************
Chapter the Third
Later still
Sometimes Kaito thinks this is a bad idea. Most of the time, actually-after all, he is a thief, and daring (practically inviting) a detective closer just has to be a bad idea.
But.
Hakuba is so interesting, and it’s so much fun to play with him. And his eyes are really quite pretty, sometimes brown and sometimes green-it seems to depend on how angry he is. And he looks so funny in that ridiculous coat of his, he’s practically begging to be teased mercilessly.
Really, Kaito should know better. If he cares about Hakuba at all (and he does, more than he should, and it’s getting worse all the time) he should at least be keeping him away from the men in black.
Except that Hakuba wants to help him catch the Black Organization. Which matters more to Kaito than he wants to admit.
Sometimes, Kaito thinks that this is a bad idea-but he’s a thief, and bad ideas are what he does.
*
Saguru knows that this is a bad idea. He’s a detective, after all, and catching thieves is what he does.
Did. Whatever.
Helping Kaitou Kid, being helped by the Kid, flirting with the Kid-none of these are at all conducive to actually catching the thief. They blur the lines, make it too difficult to tell right from wrong. Saguru doesn’t want to know why the Kid does it.
Or didn’t, anyway. Which is the problem.
Thing is, Kaitou Kid is simply fascinating, and Kuroba is just as much so. Together they’re a puzzle that Saguru is just itching to solve.
He’s always had a weakness for puzzles. His weakness for the thief’s piercing eyes is nearly as great.
Oh, Saguru knows that this is a bad idea.
Problem is, sometimes he doesn’t care.
*****
The doorbell rang as Saguru was taking the lasagna out of the oven. Grimacing, he slid the hot dish onto the counter and put a piece of ice on his burned hand.
Kuroba’s wide grin was the first thing he saw upon opening the door. “Hey. Heard you were having Italian tonight.”
Saguru shut the door and counted to twenty. Then he did it backwards.
He took the garlic bread out of the oven, turned the oven off, washed his hands in cold water, and put a new piece of ice on his burn.
Kuroba was still grinning when he opened the door again. “Please, come in.” Saguru was proud that it almost sounded like he actually meant it. Kuroba stepped inside, toed off his shoes, and offered him a large bouquet of deep red roses.
Saguru blinked. How did he do that? “For me?” And what the hell was he supposed to do with them?
“Eh heh heh,” Kuroba laughed sheepishly and produced a crystal vase already filled with water. “Anywhere I can put these?”
Saguru weighed the roses against the burn on his hand decided to take pity on Kuroba. “You can put them on the kitchen table. I’ll get another plate.”
He was putting out another set of silverware when Kuroba noticed the burn. “I’m sorry,” he said softly, catching Saguru’s hand in a deceptively gentle grip.
Saguru shrugged awkwardly and looked away from Kuroba’s dark eyes. “It’s nothing.” Especially compared to the cast that had just come off the thief’s leg.
“Kaito,” Kuroba said suddenly.
“What?”
Kuroba released Saguru’s hand and leaned back, the very picture of casual ease. “Call me Kaito.”
Saguru’s heart pounded. Kuroba was saying something else, but he couldn’t hear it over the roaring in his ears.
Nobody except his parents had called him by his first name in... a long time.
He wasn’t sure if he wanted that to change. If he was ready for that to change.
But surely Kuroba-Kaito-deserved exactly that.
The world started again. Afternoon sunlight was shining through the open window and pooling on the table, giving Kaito’s knowing face a gentle glow.
Saguru could feel himself smiling. “Next time, Kaito, call first.”
Such a simple thing, to call someone by their given name.
“No problem, Saguru.”
***
Later...
Saguru knows that Kaitou Kid is chasing him.
The only problem is, he doesn’t know which way to run.
Or if he even wants to run at all.
***
Chapter the Fourth
Saguru knows how Kaitou Kid feels about him, but every so often he finds himself doubting that Kaito feels the same way.
Then he remembers the way Kaito says his name-the same slow, soft drawl that the Kid does-and he can’t help but smile.
It’s really quite obvious, if you know what to look for.
***
Much Later...
“Kaito,” Saguru said abruptly, rolling over to face him, “how long can this last?”
Kaito stilled almost imperceptibly. “What do you mean?”
Saguru hesitated, “it’s just-” He reached out and touched Kaito’s hair gently, “this feels so temporary.”
Kaito’s solemn gaze was understanding. “Fragile, you mean.” With a sudden movement he rolled on top of Saguru, pinning him to the floor. Saguru grinned at the feel of strong hands holding him down. “Does this feel fragile to you?”
Saguru looked into the deep brown eyes gazing down at him, pleading with him for something-understanding, maybe, or just for a chance.
Kaito had been the one to reach out to him, the one to take the risk. Kaito’s hands seared his shoulders like brands, a mark of ownership that Saguru was more than willing to accept.
After all, ownership, like possession, worked two ways.
“No,” Saguru said gently, and raised a hand to Kaito’s cheek. Kaito turned into the touch, placing a soft kiss on Saguru’s palm. “This feels pretty permanent to me.”
***
Hakuba Saguru was chasing Kid the Phantom Thief-again, he added to himself with amusement. He seemed to spend a lot of time chasing the Kid, but that was fine by him.
After all, Kaitou Kid had a really nice ass. Not that Saguru was looking, of course.
This time it was the Kid who caught him, arms wrapping around him possessively from behind. Saguru leaned back into the shorter man, baring his throat invitingly.
The Kid ignored the invitation, instead leaning forward to breathe in Saguru’s ear, “How long do you want this to last?”
Saguru turned his head, looking past the Kid’s smiling mask and monocle to the serious blue eyes beneath. Kaitou Kid was-scared? Of him?
Well, that obviously couldn’t continue. “How about forever?” Saguru asked solemnly.
“Forever sounds good,” Kaitou Kid agreed, and kissed him.
Omake:
Hakuba: “Hey, did I just propose to him? And did he just agree?”
Kaito: “You’re all mine now! Mwa ha ha ha ha!” (begins hauling Hakuba off)
Hakuba: (protesting desperately) “No! Wait! Don’t I get a say in this?”
Kaito: (cheerfully) “Nope.”
(In the distance) Hakuba: “No way! You’re the crossdresser-you’re wearing the white gown!”
Notes:
This is set later in the story, after both Kaito/Saguru and Kaitou Kid/Hakuba have come to some sort of agreement.
Why is Kaito the one to do the pursuing? I think that he’s more the type to take risks (obviously), but he doesn’t really expect Hakuba to give in. Hakuba has to convince him that yes, he does really mean it.
***
Kuroba Kaito is a thief, although he only sometimes thinks of himself as such. Still, he has a thief’s eye for beautiful things, even if he almost always returns them.
Hakuba Saguru is one of the most beautiful things Kaito, or Kaitou Kid, has ever seen, and he has no intention of giving him back.
Ever.
*
These are the things that Hakuba Saguru treasures:
The fierce satisfaction of solving a puzzle.
The exhilaration of the chase.
The challenge of an equal.
The trust in Kuroba Kaito’s eyes.
*****
Am I crazy? Should I give up? What parts need more work?
*
"Always behave like a duck-- keep calm and unruffled on the surface but paddle like the devil underneath." (Jacob Braude)
...except when two of my counselors call in sick on Sunday night.
I feel kind of sad that I haven't been writing much lately. Mostly I blame my muse leaving me (graduation does that to you), but that's really no excuse. So I thought I'd post this thing I've been working on, and see what y'all think. It's very rough, and the italics have been lost, but please do comment anyway.
Summary: Magic Kaito. Shounen ai. Kaitou Kid goes after his biggest heist yet: a love story of a darker sort.
*****Prologue
Kuroba Kaito, sometimes known as Kaitou Kid, or International Thief 1412, is used to keeping secrets. Sometimes he thinks his life is nothing but secrets, and if he were not so practiced at it as he is, he is sure he would never remember who knows how much of what.
So it had been natural for him to keep this a secret, as well. After all, his life is all about shadows, about the grey space that lurks somewhere between black and white.
Still, he had not expected it to go this far, had not meant for so many people to be hurt. Especially not-
But when he thinks about it, he is not sure he really regrets anything, nor does he know where he could have changed what happened. Perhaps it was inevitable from the first, from that first night in a dark alley, like a runaway train with no brakes bearing down on you in the night.
And in the end, Kaito is not sure it matters.
*****
Hakuba Saguru is used to seeing the world in black and white. Or at least, he was-more recently, one Kuroba Kaito has been regularly challenging his most treasured beliefs. Still, he was raised traditionally, and still prefers to think of himself that way.
He is not used to the unexpected, nor does he enjoy not being in control. He is growing uncomfortably familiar with both sensations.
Deep inside, though, buried far down where he can pretend it doesn’t exist, Saguru is enjoying himself.
Not like he’ll ever admit that.
*****
Hakuba Saguru hates Kaitou Kid, hates him with a passion honed by years of chasing criminals, hates him with a deep and utter loathing that leaves him seeing red and trembling. He has sworn to catch the Kid if it’s the last thing he does, and that’s a promise that he fully intends to keep.
It’s hard to tell what Kaitou Kid thinks of Saguru-his ever-present grin could hide anything, and he’s certainly not telling. It’s a good bet that amusement figures in there somewhere, though, as well as a healthy dose of annoyance.
Saguru suspects (or knows; it’s sometimes hard to tell) that Kuroba is the Kid, and Kuroba knows that Saguru knows. But they’re neither of them talking: it’s stalemate, plain and simple. The kind of comfortable stalemate that could go on forever and ever, endless circles of hunter and hunted.
Getting too comfortable is dangerous, particularly in such a risky game as Kaitou Kid and Saguru play.
Chapter The First
Saguru panted angrily as he ran after Kaitou Kid, his overcoat flapping behind him. He’d been so close, close enough to touch the white silk of Kid’s jacket, close enough to feel the warmth of his slight body-
But the Kid had gotten away. He always got away.
Saguru pulled up short in surprise as he rounded the corner and almost ran headlong into Kaitou Kid. The Kid was standing still-too still-and staring at something in the alleyway. Something lying on the ground, the sharp tang of blood hovering in the air.
“Stay back,” the Kid warned, his voice low.
Saguru tried to edge past him. “I’ve seen dead bodies before, you know,” he snapped irritably.
Strong fingers grabbed his wrist and pulled him into a shadowed alcove as uniformed feet ran past the alley. He was wrenched around to face the cement wall, arms held firmly behind his back. “I saw someone disappear over the wall.” Kaitou Kid whispered into his ear. “A male, tall, long blond hair, wearing a black trench coat.”
Saguru tried to twist around and failed. “Why are you telling me this?”
The voice moved closer, and warm breath tickled his neck. Saguru suppressed a shudder. “Watch out for men in black, Hakuba-kun. Things are not always as they appear.”
And then he was gone.
Saguru turned around slowly, rubbing his wrists. That had been...odd... or at least odder than most Kaitou Kid encounters, which was saying something. He gave the body a cursory examination-a middle-aged woman, killed by a single gunshot to the chest-before retreating back to the mouth of the alley. A sharp whistle gained the attention of the nearest policeman.
Saguru watched dispassionately as Nakamori directed his men around the body, the Kid chase forgotten for the moment. Were the Kid’s heist and the woman’s death connected? Or had she just been in the wrong place at the wrong time?
Men in black... They’d been at a Kid heist before.
The Kid had shielded him from the body, given him evidence unasked for, warned him, maybe even given him a cryptic clue. The whole encounter left a bad taste in Saguru’s mouth.
He pushed it from his mind as he strode over to Nakamori. “You’re looking for a tall male with long blond hair and a black trench coat,” he said softly.
Nakamori gave him a sharp glance. “And the Kid?” At Saguru’s shrug he sighed wearily, then jerked his head to the side. “Give the man with the clipboard your statement before you go.”
**********
The next morning in class Kuroba was just a little bit paler than usual, his jokes falling just a little flat. Saguru watched him carefully from over his English text, looking for some clue as to what the hell the bloody thief was thinking.
In his head, at least, Saguru could swear like a sailor.
Unless Kuroba wasn’t really Kaitou Kid...
But no, it was there: in the casual way he dodged Nakamori’s wild swings, in his delighted laughter at his latest magic trick, in the dangerous warning look Saguru had once seen him give Koizumi. Anyone who couldn’t see that the Kaitou and Kaito were one and the same was either a fool or willfully blind, Saguru thought.
“Hakuba-kun, please read from page 52.”
Saguru stood, shaking off his musings and ignoring Kuroba’s lazy grin of amusement. “It was a warm day, and the young boy wanted a hot dog...”
At any rate, the next heist was bound to be interesting.
...wasn’t that a curse of some sort?
***
Another night, another heist, Saguru thought as he inched his way around another corner. Kaitou Kid usually favored heights, and a tall building like this was perfect for a take-off. Saguru had taken a gamble, insisting on a minimum of officers on the ground, posting most on the roof and on nearby staircases.
His gamble paid off as a flash of white appeared at the other end of the roof.
Shots rang out.
The police knew better than to shoot at a Kid heist.
Bloody hell.
Kaitou Kid’s mysterious men in black were back.
Saguru felt an irrational wave of fury wash over him. They were firing at his thief, trying to hurt his thief.
Nobody was allowed to catch Kaitou Kid but him. And nobody, nobody, was allowed to hurt him.
Saguru had no weapons, no way of contacting the officers without giving himself away. He frantically looked around, eyes landing on a length of metal pipe lying a few feet away.
Cliché, but it felt right in his hand. Watson, circling overhead, screamed her approval.
There were at least three men in black-maybe four, Saguru noted analytically. All had their guns pointed at the Kid. The closest was only a few paces away, just around the corner. Saguru crept around the corner, Watson circled closer, he tensed, and Watson dove.
The man cried out in agony as Watson’s claws drove deep into his scalp, a cry that was cut off by the application of a large blunt object to the back of his skull.
Saguru grinned fiercely in satisfaction-
and looked up-
into the shining barrel of a gun pointed straight at him, finger tightening on the trigger, too close, way too close-
and a white-clad arm jerked him aside, swept him up and over the edge of the roof, glider opening with a snap as the wind rushed by.
“You idiot! Just what, exactly, did you think you were doing?!” Kaitou Kid shouted in his ear.
“They were shooting at you,” Saguru replied-quite reasonably, he thought, given that he was currently flying. Buildings swept by as they dropped lower. “Where are we going?”
“Yes, they were shooting at me,” the Kid muttered, and was that a touch of fear beneath the anger? “They were shooting at me, and you’re totally defenseless.”
“Watson-” Saguru tried.
“Your stupid bird doesn’t count.”
“Well, excuse me,” Saguru said indignantly, “I’m a detective. I’m not supposed to carry a weapon. Do you have a plan for landing?” He added, as the ground was getting closer.
The Kid shifted his weight, and the glider rounded a corner. “I have got to get you a weapon. A tranq gun, at the very least.” Saguru ignored this-Kaitou Kid, share his toys?-and tried to be concerned at how quickly the ground was approaching. It was hard, what with the strong arms wrapped around him and warm breath in his ear.
“Landing? Us?”
“Relax, will ya? Don’t worry, I’m an expert.” They touched down smoothly, and the thief set Saguru down.
Saguru didn’t step away. Didn’t turn around. “Thank you for saving me,” he said instead. “I now owe you two debts.”
At this the Kid stepped back abruptly. “You owe me nothing,” he said roughly, and was gone.
Saguru slowly turned around. He was in a dark, narrow alley a few blocks from the site of the heist. In the distance he could hear Chief Nakamori yelling at his men.
Well.
That had been different.
***
Saguru was trying to ignore Kuroba. It wasn’t easy-the magician seemed to be in an especially good mood today-but with his superior intellectual prowess he was sure to prevail.
It was sort of like trying to ignore the proverbial pink elephant.
The memory of strong, hard arms against his chest and quick breath in his ear was making it significantly more difficult, but Saguru was sure he would prevail.
Even if flying had been sort of fun.
“Hey Hakuba-kun, whatcha got for lunch today?” Koizumi leaned dangerously close, her ample bosom threatening to pop out of its meager restraints, and Saguru automatically leaned away. Behind her Nakamori drew a silent “1,” bringing the score to Akako: 382, Saguru: 0.
Saguru suppressed a sigh as he opened his bento. He had long ago given up trying to win.
Inside his bento lay a small plastic gun, florescent pink, orange, and green colors clashing horribly. Below it was a small packet of nearly invisibly darts.
The thief had actually done it.
He casually closed the bento. “I seem to have forgotten my lunch,” he said calmly.
Kuroba pushed his own bento across the desk. “Mom packed too much today,” he mumbled around a mouthful of food.
Right. Which was why there was an extra set of chopsticks.
Saguru accepted the offer with a nod of thanks. “Could I borrow a piece of paper?” He asked Nakamori. He considered the blank paper as he chewed on a rice ball.
Thank you, he wrote, then erased it. I’m still going to catch you. No, that wasn’t right either. Finally, he settled on, You had better be careful, as well, before putting the note into his bento on top of the gun.
“Wha’ wuz tha’?” Kuroba asked around a bite of rice. Nakamori kicked him in the ankle.
“Just a note.” Saguru pretended not to notice the way Kuroba kept looking at his bento.
It wouldn’t be long before the thief got his note.
And-
And Saguru might even use the gun.
At least, he would think about it.
***
During the day they are uneasy friends at best, bound together by Nakamori and Koizumi and the shared misery of brilliant young people stuck doing work too easy for them.
At night Saguru chases Kaitou Kid, determined to catch the thief or die trying. His determination is matched only by the sneaking suspicion that the Kid is also chasing him, and is equally determined that they both survive the experience.
***
They dance, now. At school Saguru watches Kuroba laughing. He swears he will catch the Kid, and Kuroba answers with extravagant boasts. They keep a careful distance between them. They are not friends.
At night the Kid is all maniacal laughter and sharp edges, and Saguru despairs of ever catching him.
He thinks he will never catch the daytime Kuroba, either. Kuroba in the light hides with jokes and tricks and a carefree smile that Saguru finds just as intimidating as the Kid’s veiled threats.
Sometimes Saguru thinks he spends his whole life chasing after shadows. But every so often there’s something-a moment of stillness in Kuroba’s face, or the soft touch of a gloved hand in the dark-that keeps him from giving up.
Because he knows that if he ever catches up-
Well. The chase will have been well worth it.
*********
(I’m not so sure about the placement of this next part-here, or later?)
“Did you bring your gun?” The voice came from behind Saguru; he whirled, but of course there was no one there.
“Yes, I brought my gun. Will you please stop hiding, and fight like a man?!”
“I’m a phantom thief, Hakuba-kun. Hiding is what I do.”
Saguru growled. “At least stop following me, then.”
The voice came from his right now. “I’m just worried about you. Is that such a crime?”
Saguru paused. “The men in black again?”
“They’ve been around.”
“Well, stop being such a mother hen. You’re worse than my father,” he scowled. “Besides, you should be watching your back, not mine.”
The voice circled around him teasingly-now on the left, now behind him, now on the right. “Ah, but by watching yours for you, I’m also watching out for me.” The voice stopped in front of Saguru, as if the Kid had finally decided to stop playing around. “You worry about me almost as much as I worry about you. And it’s such a nice back.”
Saguru flushed horribly, and knew the thief saw it. Then he smiled-a slow, pleased smile-and started walking again.
“Say, Kid,” he said conversationally, “I never did thank you for the present. But-” his grin, had he been able to see it, now resembled Kaitou Kid’s right before the bombs exploded- “how do you know I won’t use it on you, instead?”
Saguru laughed at the muffled cursing behind him.
Ah, payback.
**************
Chapter the Second
Saguru was crouched behind some bushes, feeling superior. During the last few heists Kaitou Kid had launched his glider from the roof, and Saguru was convinced that this was the time the thief would apt for a ground route.
It was a gamble, but Saguru felt confident. Most of the time, he guessed correctly.
Tonight he lost the gamble. There was a flash of white on the roof, and the Kid’s glider snapped open with a flash of white.
Bloody hell. Saguru craned his neck frantically, tracking the glider’s trajectory. If the Kid landed close by, he could-
The glider crumpled. Started to fall. Red bloomed on white.
Eight bloody shit-eating monkeys fucking in a row.
Saguru ran.
Kaitou Kid lay motionless in the middle of the street and for a blinding moment of pure fear Saguru thought he was dead. But no, he saw as he dropped to his knees, the Kid was still breathing.
Don’t move a possible back injury. Saguru took a deep breath and told his hands to stop shaking. So he couldn’t move the thief. What could he do?
He could figure out Kaitou Kid’s injuries. Surely that was a good start.
Okay. An obviously broken leg. A gunshot wound to the shoulder, bleeding thankfully sluggish. A large bump on the back of the head-concussion, then.
First things first: apply pressure to that shoulder. Saguru’s scarf worked admirably well.
Saguru was probably in shock, he thought to himself dispassionately. Kaitou Kid was broken and bleeding, and the world seemed to be moving very slowly indeed.
The Kid groaned. Saguru bit hack a surge of hope and leaned forward, carefully keeping the pressure on the wound even. “Don’t move. You were shot and fell. It’s just me, don’t worry about the police.” Distantly, Saguru hoped his voice was reassuring. He didn’t particularly feel reassuring. “Can you wiggle your toes?” Feet moved slightly. “How about your fingers?” Gloves twitched.
Saguru sighed in relief. “Well, at least you don’t have a back injury.”
“Did’ja catch th’ train tha’ hit me?” Kaitou Kid mumbled without opening his eyes.
“They got away,” Saguru said shortly. “What hurts?”
“Wha’ doesn’t?”
Well, that was one was of putting it. “Your leg is broken, you were shot in the shoulder, and you have a concussion.”
“No police.”
Well, that was obvious. “Do you trust me?” Saguru asked abruptly.
Silence. Saguru waited, mind carefully blank. Then-
“Yes.”
“Good.” He carefully maneuvered the Kid into a half-leaning, half-sitting position against the nearest streetlamp. It was difficult to get the Kid’s arms through the sleeves of Saguru’s coat, but he managed. That white outfit was simply too eye-catching. “I’m going to need your help with this,” he said as he crouched in front of the Kid. “I’m going to put your arms over my shoulders, and I need you to hold on while I stand up. Can you do that?”
He got a weak glare in return and felt a little more hope return.
It was awkward, but then they were up in a tangle of limbs, Kaitou Kid’s warmth draped over Saguru’s back. Saguru didn’t want to think about the picture they made-one English detective, with a half-conscious, blood-covered thief on his back. It would make great headlines: Detective and thief caught in delicate position. Or, Detective tries to help thief and fails.
Saguru was maybe just a little bit hysterical.
Saguru took a step, then another. Surprisingly, they didn’t fall over. He carefully hitched Kaitou Kid a little higher and kept walking.
Saguru’s footsteps echoed as they walked, and he concentrated on that, concentrated on acting normal-just a normal high-schooler carrying his drunken friend home, yes sir, nothing suspicious about that. “Can you act drunk if you need to?”
“Yes.” Silence for a few blocks. Then, “where are we going?”
Saguru cursed silently. He would have to ask. “Your place.”
“What?!” The body on his back stiffened in alarm.
“Look, you’re injured, right?” Saguru said reasonably. “You’re too injured for me to fix you-you need help. And since we can’t exactly take you to the emergency room looking like that, we’re going to take you home, and change you into something normal, and then call an ambulance. You can tell them whatever you want, I don’t care.”
“You know who I am,” Kaitou Kid said warily.
Saguru nodded. “I have for a while.”
“Thank you for not telling anybody.”
Saguru shrugged and shifted the Kid higher again. “I can pretend not to, after this, if it’ll make you feel better.”
Quick breath in his ear. Softly, “that won’t be necessary, but thank you for offering.”
Saguru took a shaky breath, then another. Kept walking. “You can switch now, if it’ll make things easier,” he offered. Tried not to regret offering.
“That-might be wise.” An arm shifted, slowly, so slowly, and fumbled with something. Saguru concentrated on walking.
“Kuroba?” He asked warily.
“Ouch,” Kuroba said in his ear.
Saguru couldn’t help it. He laughed.
****************
Chapter the Third
Later still
Sometimes Kaito thinks this is a bad idea. Most of the time, actually-after all, he is a thief, and daring (practically inviting) a detective closer just has to be a bad idea.
But.
Hakuba is so interesting, and it’s so much fun to play with him. And his eyes are really quite pretty, sometimes brown and sometimes green-it seems to depend on how angry he is. And he looks so funny in that ridiculous coat of his, he’s practically begging to be teased mercilessly.
Really, Kaito should know better. If he cares about Hakuba at all (and he does, more than he should, and it’s getting worse all the time) he should at least be keeping him away from the men in black.
Except that Hakuba wants to help him catch the Black Organization. Which matters more to Kaito than he wants to admit.
Sometimes, Kaito thinks that this is a bad idea-but he’s a thief, and bad ideas are what he does.
*
Saguru knows that this is a bad idea. He’s a detective, after all, and catching thieves is what he does.
Did. Whatever.
Helping Kaitou Kid, being helped by the Kid, flirting with the Kid-none of these are at all conducive to actually catching the thief. They blur the lines, make it too difficult to tell right from wrong. Saguru doesn’t want to know why the Kid does it.
Or didn’t, anyway. Which is the problem.
Thing is, Kaitou Kid is simply fascinating, and Kuroba is just as much so. Together they’re a puzzle that Saguru is just itching to solve.
He’s always had a weakness for puzzles. His weakness for the thief’s piercing eyes is nearly as great.
Oh, Saguru knows that this is a bad idea.
Problem is, sometimes he doesn’t care.
*****
The doorbell rang as Saguru was taking the lasagna out of the oven. Grimacing, he slid the hot dish onto the counter and put a piece of ice on his burned hand.
Kuroba’s wide grin was the first thing he saw upon opening the door. “Hey. Heard you were having Italian tonight.”
Saguru shut the door and counted to twenty. Then he did it backwards.
He took the garlic bread out of the oven, turned the oven off, washed his hands in cold water, and put a new piece of ice on his burn.
Kuroba was still grinning when he opened the door again. “Please, come in.” Saguru was proud that it almost sounded like he actually meant it. Kuroba stepped inside, toed off his shoes, and offered him a large bouquet of deep red roses.
Saguru blinked. How did he do that? “For me?” And what the hell was he supposed to do with them?
“Eh heh heh,” Kuroba laughed sheepishly and produced a crystal vase already filled with water. “Anywhere I can put these?”
Saguru weighed the roses against the burn on his hand decided to take pity on Kuroba. “You can put them on the kitchen table. I’ll get another plate.”
He was putting out another set of silverware when Kuroba noticed the burn. “I’m sorry,” he said softly, catching Saguru’s hand in a deceptively gentle grip.
Saguru shrugged awkwardly and looked away from Kuroba’s dark eyes. “It’s nothing.” Especially compared to the cast that had just come off the thief’s leg.
“Kaito,” Kuroba said suddenly.
“What?”
Kuroba released Saguru’s hand and leaned back, the very picture of casual ease. “Call me Kaito.”
Saguru’s heart pounded. Kuroba was saying something else, but he couldn’t hear it over the roaring in his ears.
Nobody except his parents had called him by his first name in... a long time.
He wasn’t sure if he wanted that to change. If he was ready for that to change.
But surely Kuroba-Kaito-deserved exactly that.
The world started again. Afternoon sunlight was shining through the open window and pooling on the table, giving Kaito’s knowing face a gentle glow.
Saguru could feel himself smiling. “Next time, Kaito, call first.”
Such a simple thing, to call someone by their given name.
“No problem, Saguru.”
***
Later...
Saguru knows that Kaitou Kid is chasing him.
The only problem is, he doesn’t know which way to run.
Or if he even wants to run at all.
***
Chapter the Fourth
Saguru knows how Kaitou Kid feels about him, but every so often he finds himself doubting that Kaito feels the same way.
Then he remembers the way Kaito says his name-the same slow, soft drawl that the Kid does-and he can’t help but smile.
It’s really quite obvious, if you know what to look for.
***
Much Later...
“Kaito,” Saguru said abruptly, rolling over to face him, “how long can this last?”
Kaito stilled almost imperceptibly. “What do you mean?”
Saguru hesitated, “it’s just-” He reached out and touched Kaito’s hair gently, “this feels so temporary.”
Kaito’s solemn gaze was understanding. “Fragile, you mean.” With a sudden movement he rolled on top of Saguru, pinning him to the floor. Saguru grinned at the feel of strong hands holding him down. “Does this feel fragile to you?”
Saguru looked into the deep brown eyes gazing down at him, pleading with him for something-understanding, maybe, or just for a chance.
Kaito had been the one to reach out to him, the one to take the risk. Kaito’s hands seared his shoulders like brands, a mark of ownership that Saguru was more than willing to accept.
After all, ownership, like possession, worked two ways.
“No,” Saguru said gently, and raised a hand to Kaito’s cheek. Kaito turned into the touch, placing a soft kiss on Saguru’s palm. “This feels pretty permanent to me.”
***
Hakuba Saguru was chasing Kid the Phantom Thief-again, he added to himself with amusement. He seemed to spend a lot of time chasing the Kid, but that was fine by him.
After all, Kaitou Kid had a really nice ass. Not that Saguru was looking, of course.
This time it was the Kid who caught him, arms wrapping around him possessively from behind. Saguru leaned back into the shorter man, baring his throat invitingly.
The Kid ignored the invitation, instead leaning forward to breathe in Saguru’s ear, “How long do you want this to last?”
Saguru turned his head, looking past the Kid’s smiling mask and monocle to the serious blue eyes beneath. Kaitou Kid was-scared? Of him?
Well, that obviously couldn’t continue. “How about forever?” Saguru asked solemnly.
“Forever sounds good,” Kaitou Kid agreed, and kissed him.
Omake:
Hakuba: “Hey, did I just propose to him? And did he just agree?”
Kaito: “You’re all mine now! Mwa ha ha ha ha!” (begins hauling Hakuba off)
Hakuba: (protesting desperately) “No! Wait! Don’t I get a say in this?”
Kaito: (cheerfully) “Nope.”
(In the distance) Hakuba: “No way! You’re the crossdresser-you’re wearing the white gown!”
Notes:
This is set later in the story, after both Kaito/Saguru and Kaitou Kid/Hakuba have come to some sort of agreement.
Why is Kaito the one to do the pursuing? I think that he’s more the type to take risks (obviously), but he doesn’t really expect Hakuba to give in. Hakuba has to convince him that yes, he does really mean it.
***
Kuroba Kaito is a thief, although he only sometimes thinks of himself as such. Still, he has a thief’s eye for beautiful things, even if he almost always returns them.
Hakuba Saguru is one of the most beautiful things Kaito, or Kaitou Kid, has ever seen, and he has no intention of giving him back.
Ever.
*
These are the things that Hakuba Saguru treasures:
The fierce satisfaction of solving a puzzle.
The exhilaration of the chase.
The challenge of an equal.
The trust in Kuroba Kaito’s eyes.
*****
Am I crazy? Should I give up? What parts need more work?
*
"Always behave like a duck-- keep calm and unruffled on the surface but paddle like the devil underneath." (Jacob Braude)