Chapter 5: Cat that got the canary cream

Shinichi was a bit put out. Last time he had seen Kaito it had been several days ago, and half of that meeting he didn't even remember anymore. He had the feeling something happened, because when he had asked Kaito had let out a slightly hysterical sounding laugh, but when asked he had just said it was okay, he would tell him later.

Now Shinichi was unsure if he shouldn't have pressed for an answer then and there, because since then Kaito had been a bit down and distracted and didn't seem to have as much time as usual. He missed his friend, but was too awkward and social incapable to right whatever seemed to have gone wrong. And it was galling that he couldn't find out just what was wrong.

Sighing he rubbed the bridge of his nose and resolved to talk to Kaito soon, as there was no other possibility of getting whatever had soured their friendship out of the way. Well... after the heist, if Kid managed to slip through his grasp again. Tomorrow at the latest. He would bake some chocolate-cookies and try to cheer him up, because it was almost unnatural to see Kaito not being his smiling, colourful bright self.

Right. Heist time. He had a soul-mate to hunt down (if the issue with Kaito would stop distracting him from that, it would be so much easier).

The heist was announced directly, not due to a riddle this time, but more of a calling card that Kid would come and take the Azure Ocean Heart, a priceless blue diamond. The security was ridiculous, but as Shinichi was looking over the scene, not impossible to break. The stone had been handed over for a gallery in a hotel, which of course meant that there were holes in the security. It was probably the reason why Kaitou Kid had not bothered with a riddle, the announcement had been sudden too, to make it harder for thieves to try stealing the gem. Normally it sat in safely in some bank vault probably, which made it a once in a lifetime opportunity, so Shinichi was not at all surprised by he heist. In fact, he had read the announcement of the gallery and started to prepare for Kid's call, on the off-chance that Kid would find the event too good to pass up. Thus he had for once the time to study the surroundings way before the heist was made public and before the Task Force shut everyone out, trying and failing to capture the thief once more.

And he had used that time well. He knew the layout like the back of his hand, the in's and out's and every possible route. He had actually gone so far as to plan a heist of his own, trying to come up with ways to steal the gem – and to escape.

With those plans in his head he felt better prepared than ever, nearly vibrating in excitement because he knew that for once he was not a step behind Kid. And that little step had always been missing when he tried to catch his soul-mate.

Looking at he clock he nodded to himself and went outside to avoid the mayhem that the start of the heist would bring.

• • S • •

The heist had proceeded much like he had thought. Colourful, flashy, just the way Kaitou Kid usually was. But the after-play had changed drastically. This time, because he had prepared himself (and begged a few of the division one to actually help him out, pulling strings with Megure who actually bribed Nakamori into complying to his wishes), he was able to cut off Kaitou Kid's easiest escape routes, herding him around the hotel. No matter how good, even Kaitou Kid would tire of running all those steps. Shinichi had been scared he would use one of the Hotel rooms to escape, but the windows didn't open and there were enough other routes that the thief would hopefully think he was safe enough. So far his plan seemed to work, Kid, not expecting division One to actually join in the fun this time around, found most of the routes cut off. A few new... inventions (read: failed experiments turned useful) from the professor helped a lot too. Like the sticky substance that reminded Shinichi of a giant spiderwebs that he had put up in quite a few corridors and that Kid seemed to avoid after the last one he had tried to cut had eaten his knife...

Okay, so maybe it was not quite safe yet, but not harmful to humans at least. Or walls. Metal though...

Well, that being said Shinichi felt a little bad for chasing his soul-mate around like a deer that was being hunted for sport. But not bad enough to stop. Which led to the current situation: He was chasing the white specter up to the topmost floor of the building, where a large swimming-pool was situated. Even prepared the thief had managed to wiggle past him and Shinichi was determined to not loose this one chance at catching his match. Gritting his teeth he forced himself to run faster, to catch up. All the running around Kid had already done was showing effect. He could see that the hairs sticking out of that hat were damp with sweat, see that Kid was breathing a lot harder. And he was slower too, if only a little but even that little bit was enough.

Sprinting as hard as he could he could feel his muscles burning, but he was determined to get to Kid and finally force him to meet him. At least he deserved an explanation for all the avoiding-acts the thief had pulled.

With a completely reckless jump he tackled Kid to the tiled-floor of the hotel's swim-pool, the phone the phantom thief had been holding, as well as the gem skidded over the floor and plunged into the water of the pool with two closely followed splashes. Together they landed in an utterly graceless heap of tangled limps, Shinichi was sure his knees would feel the impact for days to come and noting a little grimace Kaitou Kid was not faring better. Almost instantly the thief tried to squirm away, and lacking another method Shinichi clung to him like an octopus, straddling Kid and using every ounce of his strength to hold on and keep the phantom thief beneath him and restrained. Wouldn't do to give the thief the chance to gas him into oblivion.

"F-finally c-" he coughed "-caught you." he managed to bring out and then could hit himself over the head for his words. That's what he gave his soul-mate as a mark? What about all the things he had thought up when he realized his soul-mate was Kid and he had the chance to make it a nice sentence, something...

Urgh! Instead it was a stuttered out 'Finally caught you'! For heaven's sake!

"Uhm." Kid was stiff in his arms, breathing so hard that he was almost coughing and gasping for breath himself, while obviously realizing that he wouldn't be released any time soon. Slowly his struggles stilled. But hands kept Shinichi's own captured in a ridiculous stalemate. Like Shinichi was going to run, though it probably had more to do with keeping him from unmasking the thief.

However Shinichi was frustrated to see no sign of Kid recognizing him as his soul-mate. Frowning he sat up a little, practically straddling Kid. While being careful not to give him a chance to escape. That he was practically plastering himself on a stranger was... well food for thoughts later on. No matter how nice Kid felt.

"Why are you... avoiding me...?" he panted, hands closed around Kid's wrists and if Kid was trying to keep being difficult, Shinichi would be as blunt as needed. The thief under him blinked, almost dazed, his hat still casting a shadow. However Kid had managed to keep it on his head was a mystery for another time.

"Uhm... you... you are kinda a detective? It's sort of my duty to avoid you?" Kid did not sound completely sure about that himself, which Shinichi counted in his favour. A little.

Blinking Shinichi was floundering a little at Kid's answer. That... still didn't sound like Kid just found out that he was his soul-mate.

"But..." for a moment he drew blank, shoulders slumping in abject misery. Did Kid really not want to be his soul-mate? Had he already known and was avoiding him?

"... you are my...match?" he hated how small his voice sounded as he avoided looking at Kid, for once really fearing the reaction. It was his soul-mate! He didn't want to get rejected by his soul-mate. It felt horrible just thinking about it. Oh, he would be able to live, sure, but it would hurt nevertheless. And also... there was Kaito, who had made some advances that made Shinichi think he did want a relationship. He was not very sure but he didn't want to reject Kaitoeither. Not really. On the other hand was his soul-mate. He wanted to give him a chance but Kaitou Kid was making that very hard right now and Shinichi did like Kaito. A lot. It was confusing.

When only silence met his words he gathered his courage and finally looked up at the shadowed face.

Kid was gaping at him.

"What?!" frustrated and already feeling defensive he crossed his arms (or tried to, only to give up as Kid was still holding on to his wrists) and bit the inside of his cheek. If Kaitou Kid rejected him, he would not show the thief how much it would cost him!

"W-w..." Kid stuttered "...what?" he finally croaked out and then cleared his throat. He sounded terribly confused, which in return befuddled Shinichi. Did Kid not know after all? How could that be?

"You are my soul-mate. How can you not know about it?!" Shinichi frowned down at Kids form, sitting up and loosening his hold a little without trying to be obvious about it.

Was his soul bond defect? Was that even possible? There were people who never found their soul-mate, it was indeed possible that there were one-sided bonds?

If so, Shinichi would have preferred to have no words at all on his wrist.

"Ah. Yes, I mean... you are. But... but how do you know?" Shinichi reeled back a little, his hands almost releasing Kid completely, not that the thief seemed to realize that, as he made no move to throw Shinichi off.

So Kid did know about them being soul-mates? Now Shinichi was really confused about what was going on right now.

"Why wouldn't I know? Of course I know because you said the words..." Shinichi rubbed his arm slightly, finally giving up on restraining Kaitou Kid and allowing the thief to raise up a little by putting his weigh on his elbows behind him.

His gaze kept shifting between his covered arm, to Kid and flitting away. He didn't like being unable to control this situation and feeling out of depth. He really was not used to not understanding a situation but Kid really managed to confound him.

Maybe he should retreat, gather his bearings and try again later? He was loath to let Kid go, since he was really hard to catch.

Resting his hand on the floor he hesitated a second longer than finally rose from Kid who instantly sat up. Due to the top hat Shinichi was not sure about the expression, but when he took a slight step away, the thief's hand snatched his wrist again, holding him in place.

"Wait."

Looking down at Kid he hesitated, feeling conflicted, before extracting his hand carefully and raising an eyebrow.

It was the first time he had seen Kid lost for words, and realized that this was not the thief, but the persona behind the mask.

Funny. He sounded a little like Kaito.

"You know..." Shinichi said, gathering his courage.

"If you are averse to … to trying I would understand." it would be hard to make a relationship between a thief and a detective work. It did bother Shinichi, but he was convinced fate would not pair him off with a petty criminal. And if Kaitou Kid was one thing, it was mysterious and inscrutable. There had to be a valid, convincing cause that had put Kaitou Kid on his track. Who knew what reasons he had for his robberies. It was not money, or he wouldn't give the gems back.

"But I thought I had to at least try." Shinichi found it hard to express his feelings but there was already enough miscommunication between them that it seemed logical to just put it out on the table, no matter that he was basicly squirming under the silent gaze of the thief.

"I mean... that's... that's what you do if you find your soul-mate? And... and if you don't feel like that, that's... that's fine. I mean, I could live with that and I would just prefer the truth." Shinichi wanted to die on the spot "You know... uh.. being a detective I'm kinda big on truth. So..." he was babbling and he had a feeling like he had a shovel in his hand and was digging a hole in front of a stone with his name on it. "and... and I met someone I really like and... I keep putting him off and chasing after you and... that's just..." he sighed and put his head in his hands (the hole had to be more than 6 ft by now and seemed to grow deeper and deeper) and finally groaned out "I just... would you just say something?"

"... Do you know how frustrating it was that not a single one of my plans seemed to get through to your thick skull?!"

Shinichis head snapped up in disbelieve, watching open mouthed as Kaitou Kid was taking off his hat and monocle and …

And turned into Kaito Kuroba.

Shinichi blinked once. Then again.

The image didn't change.

And then it clicked. The puzzle piece that had eluded him all the time.

"Oh. Oh!"

And then he was laughing. A little hysterically but laughing, because this? This was just ridiculous, their dancing around each other, chasing and chasing like a cat after it's own tail. He had always prided himself on being intelligent, shows what he knows.

Warm hands settled on his shoulders and he looked into Kaito's warm amethyst-coloured eyes, that crinkled in mirth of their own as Kaito tenderly leaned closer to Shinichi, resting his forehead against Shinichis.

"Hello."

Feeling warm all over (and especially in his cheeks, that were beginning to hurt from smiling so much), Shinichi's reply was almost breathless.

"Hello yourself."

He didn't know how long they stood there, drinking each other in but Shinichi wouldn't have minded if it lasted for eternity. As it was, a distant shouting forced them to separate.

"You should go." Shinichi reluctantly allowed, clearing his throat awkwardly and still feeling the heat lingering in his cheeks.

"Hm. Not yet." Kaito backed off a little but apparently he was a god damn adrenaline junky or just plain reckless. Maybe it was his imagination but he could still feel the phantom breath of his soul-mate caressing his lips, the heat of Kaito's body close even through their clothes and was still able to smell Kaito. A fragrance of fireworks, chocolate and something sweet like almonds. It was addicting, but nothing more than the smile that seemed to mirror Shinichi's own.

"At least put on your hat..." Chuckling Kaito bowed down to pick the garment up, but didn't place it on his head yet. Instead he turned it in his hands, watching Shinichi as if Shinichi would suddenly decide to disappear like one of those illusions or magic tricks Kaito liked to use.

"I'm curious... when did I actually talk to you, if not in the library? And what did I tell you?"

Shinichi let out an amused huff of laughter, eyes sparking in recognition.

"You see, but you don't observe...!" he gleefully intones and delighted in the slight shudder and the little twitch of the hand that Kaito involuntary showed.

A Sherlock Holmes quote! Shinichi wanted to crow at that, ohh and it had happened completely accidental!

Still chuckling he grabbed the hems of his shirt and pulled it off, almost bursting out laughing at the look he got from Kaito, who suddenly went wide eyes and very red faced, before stuffing his white hat on his head as if that would help hide the burning ears. It was endearing! Feeling playful he threw his shirt in Kaito's face, if only to see him fumbling for it, before holding it in a clueless-confused way. His soul-mate was adorable.

"What are you doing?!" Kaito hissed mortified and Shinichi couldn't help but laugh again (he felt like he was walking on a cloud, that's how happy he was!).

"Silly, I've got a treasure to dive for."

He grinned and – in a fit of insanity or sudden loss of any respectability – shrugged off his trousers too. Then, standing only in his boxershorts and completely enjoying seeing Kaitou Kid, his soul-mate completely frozen, red faced expression as well as the appreciation and longing in his eyes, he took off the bandages that usually hid his soul-mark from prying eyes.

"After all, it's such a beautiful night for a beautiful gem. It would be a waste to leave it at the bottom of the pool."

A/N:

okay, this is a complete fluff story! I do hope you enjoyed it, I know there was not much plot-wise, but it was enjoyable to write and I hope you enjoyed to read it. As I said, there is a possibility of a Sequel named Blank Canvas, which I might or might not start to write if people are interested in it.

As it is, I will probably try to concentrate more on my main story Tfi

Thank you for continuing to read and review, I loved hearing your thoughts throughout the story progress.

Special Thanks to Qwopisinthemailbox, who had to endure being spammed and spoilered at all times of the day :P