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The beer swirled before him, amber and brown twinkling in the dark lights of the bar. Early or late, it was hard for Kaito to tell by that point.
Still, somehow he thought it would feel different.
Being done.
“WeIl have to say you did a bang up job of it,” said Hakuba, tapping his glass against Kaito’s.
Kaito looked up and raised an eyebrow, “It took long enough. What do I even do now? Hell if I know what with… everything.”
Over ten years. Ten years of fights on roof tops, and mysterious magic that Kaito never expected to really exist in the world. Ten years of disguises, around the world heists, and hustling in pool dives and street corners for enough cash to make sure he had the right equipment for the next one.
Funny how thieving didn’t really pay the bills when you happened to be working as a non-profit.
“Magician work?” asked Hakuba. “You were certainly loud enough about it in school.”
Kaito scowled, “Do you know how much money that takes to get that started? Props, crew, theater rentals-- I can work on getting some sponsors, but my reputation isn’t exactly sparkling.” To say the least. KID might never have been arrested, but Kuroba Kaito’s record ended up speckled with all the messes his nighttime job landed him in.
All the messes, and no acclaim. Kuroba Kaito couldn’t exactly ride out on KID’s coattails, when his night personae still technically had a warrant for his arrest.
“I’m sure you could get some small time gigs, you're certainly good enough-- On the plus side, you wouldn’t even be arrested this time around.”
Kuroba rolled his eyes, “Whose fault was that?”
The whole thing had been a fiasco. Finally a magic show in his own name, and the whole shut down when he was arrested under “suspicion for illegal activities.” Kaito Kuroba was cleared, but the producers wouldn't be signing him on again that was for sure.
Hakuba’s fingers tapped the glass, and he glanced at the man, “Hardly my fault you're the open secret of the entire bureau. Be glad it was more important landing those men behind prison, then capturing an idiot who doesn’t even bother trying to sustain himself on his thefts.”
Kaito glanced around, the bar was nearly empty and no one even glanced their way. Well, maybe one or two eyes flickering over Hakuba, some registering a cop, and others clearly wondering their chances. Maybe once upon a time he’d have had an interested party slipping over to him, but not now. Not with the tightness in Kaito’s shoulders, and the shadow that had taken over his eyes these last few years kept most people away.
He’d left behind his magician suits, and dashing performance personae for night time shows only. The effort was too much after everything else that had happened, and the money went for his KID suits and gear. Amazing the cost that went in for the repairs, to the constant blood stains, and tears that seemed to happen nightly, all of it added up and left little in his budget, so he was left in threadbare jeans, and his beaten up motorcycle jacket from back when he left school.
He touched the leather like a talisman.
He turned his head back away from the women, and waved for the bartender to pour him a whiskey. It was better this way, safer, easier just to be alone. He’d never really liked the attention anyway.
“How’s Aoko-chan?”
He spit out the last sip of his beer he’d just taken into his mouth.
Hakuba made a face, grabbing a napkin and dabbing the drops that had managed to land on his shirt. Kaito was already grabbing a thread of handkerchiefs he was using to mop up the rest of it, decisively not meeting the detective’s eyes.
“What about her?” Kaito’s voice was guarded, careful, his shoulders even tighter.
Hakuba rolled his eyes as he dabbed his suit with a napkin, “...Don’t be coy Kuroba.”
“Coy? What–? Hakuba, I haven’t talked to Aoko, really talked to Aoko, in years.”
The man raised an eyebrow, and Kaito raised one back. It was the truth after all, he’d tried to remove himself once he realized things were going to get rocky, and then suddenly the truth had come out, everything went sideways, and--
The look on Hakuba’s face left Kaito staring.
Whatever expression Kaito expected wasn’t… that one. He didn’t expect the man to look hurt, of all things. It was like Kaito had kicked a damn puppy. The man was shaking his head at Kaito with a look of shock?
“Kuroba, the two of you were best friends,” he said it like Kaito was an especially dumb child.
Oh hell no, Kaito was not having this talk. Not with fucking Hakuba of all people, “Hakuba, we were in school.”
“Kuroba, you dressed her up in a wedding dress and proceeded to win a skiing tournament. No one in school thought you were just friends.”
“Well, we were,” he said bitingly.
“Well that isn’t even the point. Clearly it was more than that after and you’ve made up for whatever lover’s spat you had concerning KID,” said the detective, rolling his eyes.
Kaito blinked in disbelief, “What? What on earth are you talking about? Lover’s spat? Hakuba we were never dating .”
If anything, the incredulous look on Hakuba’s face grew, “Kuroba, it’s fine. I know .”
Kaito took a long drink of whiskey, and met the man squarely in the eye, “Hakuba, I assure, there was nothing to know. Nothing was going on!”
The detective downed his glass in a sip, “I’m a detective Kuroba. I’m one of the best detectives. I know what I saw.”
“Well you saw wrong!” Kaito finished his whiskey and slammed his glass down, causing the bar to shake. A few heads turned his way, and he scowled back. “Can I get another drink please?” he yelled towards the bartender.
“Kuroba-”
“No! I mean it, nothing happened . Maybe she had some crush on my back when we were in school, but for fucks sake that was all it ever was. That went sideways years ago, and the last time I really saw her as… well me, she made it clear she never wanted anything to do with Kaito Kuroba again.”
Hakuba waved towards the bartender, who was looking at Kuroba warily. He waved him towards the better whisky he’d been drinking, pushing the glass towards the thief once the bartender had finished pouring it. Kaito barely noticed as he clenched the glass in his hand and took a sip, trying to drown in the smokey haze of alcohol.
“Aoko Nakamori? We are talking about the same woman? The person who looked at you like you hung the moon and stars? Who only wanted to catch KID to prove it wasn’t you? Who would have thrown herself in front of every member of those assholes to protect you, and… oh wait and she did, e ven knowing you were KID at the time.”
“Because it was her job Hakuba,” he said, refusing to meet the detective’s eye.
“Because she loves you Kuroba! When the two of you are in a room together the rest of us might as well be flies on a wall! Of course I’m going to ask you how she is, because the only person who probably knows more than you is Aoko herself,” Hakuba was watching Kaito like he had lost his mind.
Kaito could just barely keep from slamming his glass down again, the tiredness around his eyes had come back tenfold, and his voice had gone hoarse, “And here I remember you having a pretty damn big crush on her yourself. Didn’t you both go on a date once or twice?”
Hakuba laughed, that godforsaken smug smile slipping onto his face as he shook his head, “Do you know what Aoko-chan spoke about on her dates with me? You. She talked about you the entire time. I gave that up years ago Kuroba, around the same time I realized you weren’t the villain in this outrageous game of cat and mouse.”
“Yeah well, this is different.”
“Is it?”
Kaito couldn’t bring himself to answer, and stared darkly at the amber liquor swirling in his glass.
“Are you really going to try to tell me you don’t love her?”
Kaito’s eyes narrowed, “Of course I love her you asshole. She’s… She’s like my sister.”
Hakuba’s laugh was biting this time, and he took a long swig of his own drink, “You’re sister ?”
“Sure.”
“Kuroba, never once in the entire time of having the questionable pleasure of knowing you and Aoko-chan have I ever considered you anything even vaguely resembling siblings. Rather, I’ve had my outfit chosen for your wedding since graduating from the academy.”
Kaito spluttered more, “I’m sorry your what?”
“You can’t possibly tell me you’re that surprised,” Hakuba barely contained his mirth, “Surely you know that your ridiculously overblown melodrama has a rather extended following at this point. It was expected in school that you and Aoko-chan would be married-- indeed, I returned home after that ski trip and heard nothing else that year except how perfect she looked as your bride. I would argue his has only gotten worse over the years. Last I heard Kudo and Hattori had a rather extensive betting ring on dates now that they know you better. ”
Which was exactly what Kaito didn’t want to hear, "Oh fuck you-"
"Language. I thought you were supposed to be a Gentleman Thief. Also I rather thought we were talking about the fact I am not the person you-"
Kaito snapped his fingers and the drink that Hakuba had turned to a violent green with a sulphuric odor that permeated the room. Hakuba made a face and waved the bartender over who gave the drink a disbelieving look.
Kaito couldn't even care, “So what? I’m some fairy tale for your enjoyment? Sorry to disappoint, but this one doesn’t end in happily ever after. ”
"Says who?”
Kaito met Hakuba’s eyes, and he drew back in surprise.
“Aoko… for one.”
“You said it yourself, you haven’t spoken to her in over a year. Not really.”
Kaito’s heart was pounding. He’d had too much to drink for this kind of talk, too many thought’s racing through his mind now that he was free of his phantom.
“She hates me.”
“Does she?”
Kaito was drunk enough he probably shouldn't have driven his bike, but also the only way he was showing up at her doorstep.
Except, Hakuba’s words rang in his ear, and he couldn’t stop thinking about all the repercussions if he didn't.
Only no one was home. He stood with his head on the door, fist against the wood, but knew from the lights off she wasn't even there.
Of course not, she had better things to do than be home on a Friday night.
His head spun slightly, probably for the best anyway. Who turns up at their best friend turned enemies door drunk and looking more homeless than the boy she knew a decade ago.
"What are you doing Kuroba…" He murmured under his breath, just as he heard steps come up behind him.
"Kaito?"
He turned around.
The woman he met had a look of consternation on her face. Her eyes were curious, her keys held in a well manicured hand, and her head tilted in a way that left a curl falling into blue eyes.
She also made Kaito feel like an idiot.
Her cocktail dress was just on the other side of formal, her ears were decorated with sapphire drops Kaito remembered her father giving her for graduation, and her heels alone could probably kill him with the spike on the back. Her hair was swept up in a cascade that threatened to escape its pins, her eyes dotted with stormy shadow, and her lips a deep red meant for kissing, the center already slightly blotted and smudged.
A date.
Of course, of course she would have just come home from a date. KID was retired, she had her life back, and why wouldn't she be enjoying an evening out with someone who didn't scrape the bottom of the barrel?
He looked past her, but there was no waiting car, no second person, a small relief he supposed all things considered. Her eyes were quickly taking in his appearance, which was more fitted for the alleyway behind her home than her front stoop.
“Ah- hi,” he said through a cough. His mind was spinning.
Her eyes narrowed, he could tell she was eyeing his beaten up jacket, the smear of grease on his cheek, the smell of beer and whiskey on his shirt and breath. There was the way his hair was overgrown, and more of a wreck than normal around his face, the holes in his jeans, and worn work boots.
A far cry from the laughing magician who said he didn’t need her anyway. Who swore he’d never bother her again.
“Did something happen? What are you doing here?” She reached inside her purse for her phone, and Kaito noticed even her nails were freshly manicured. God… when did they get old enough that Aoko cared about the state of her nails?
“I-” what did he say? What did you tell her? That a prat of a detective had implied she might still be in love with him, so like and idiot he decided to throw himself at her door?
She sighed, shaking her head and reached beyond him to slip her key in the door. He stepped aside, glancing at her fingers, at her tight shoulders, and the way her curls slipped along her face as she opened the door, “You might as well come in.”
“What about your date?” The words were somehow more biting then he meant them to be, and he watched as she let out a long sigh.
“Do you see my date here?”
“......”
“...Just, get inside will you? No need to have someone walk by and ask questions I don’t want to have to answer.”
He stepped inside, busying himself with removing his boots so he didn’t have to meet her eye, “Wouldn’t want to be seen with a known criminal after all.”
“You're hardly known ,” she snorted. “Even if you are starting to look the part.”
“Cursed gems don’t exactly pay the bills.”
She rolled her eyes but stepped into her kitchen tinkling some glasses and reaching for a few bottles. “Whiskey?”
“I...uh,” he’d already had too much probably but-
“Definitely whiskey,” she muttered under her breath as she poured them both a tall glass of amber liquid. She took a long drink, making a face, before pouring another finger and shoving a glass his way.
“Thanks,” he murmured, taking a long sip.
She sat across from him, her eyes staring down in a way that reminded him of her father, “You still haven’t told me why you’re here Kaito.”
“Mistake?”
Aoko rolled her eyes and took another sip, “Hardly. I’m not an idiot, unlike some in this room. What’s going on?”
He stared down at the brown liquid in the glass, wondering what courage might be hiding in it. Wasn’t that what it was called? God-- why had he let Hakuba talk him into this? It wasn’t like he even had anything to offer.
“Kaito… I let you in my house after a rather abysmal date, and you haven’t talked to me years unless we’re both in uniform. I think I deserve to know why it’s Kaito Kuroba suddenly at my door.”
She had never looked more beautiful then she did just then. The moonlight slipping in through the window and catching her dimly lit kitchen. There she was dressed up for a date, hair starting to escape down around her face, her eyes filled with more than a little fury, and cheek’s brushed red. She’d gone from the girl he knew to this woman, this incredible woman, who by every right should have had him in cuff’s years ago and looking like a goddess of fury.
“Marry me.”
The words tumbled from his lips without a second thought.
Aw hell--
That was not what he’d meant to say. He wasn’t precisely sure what he meant to say, but it wasn’t… that. The look on her face, and the way she reached for her glass downed the rest after nearly spitting out her first sip told him as much. He couldn’t even touch his, as he stared instead at the way her hair curled around her face, and eyes reflected his.
“ What?”
“Er…” he nearly dropped his glass as he stared down at it. “Hakuba said you were supposed to marry me,” he managed to splutter out. Oh God, it sounded even worse.
“ Hakuba said?” she reached over and grabbed the glass out of his hand. “Just exactly how much have you been drinking??”
“Not enough apparently,” he muttered, stealing hers instead and pouring another finger full from the bottle that appeared in his hand.
Aoko rubbed her temples. In case the night couldn’t have gotten worse, never in a thousand years could she have expected this, but then Kaito always had a way of surprising her.
“Kaito-”
“Sorry,” he muttered into the glass. “I shouldn’t be here,” he downed the drink and started to stand, nearly tripping on the chair. He caught himself, like a cat that didn’t quite have its footing, but refused to admit differently. All legs, and clearly ready to fall head over heels. “I’ll just-”
“Don’t be an idiot,” she said with a huff. She reached out, catching his arms, “I’m not letting you go anywhere like this, and you drove didn't you? I should arrest you for driving under the influence!”
"Still trying to put me in cuffs?" the words tumbled from his lips and he saw the hurt there. "Aok-"
"Let's just get you to the sofa," she grabbed his arm.
He looked up from her touch, bright eyes searching her face. She was mad but… perhaps not angry. He thought he saw a glimpse of sadness reflected in her eye.
“Not fair to you.”
“Just be glad my date was abysmal,” she said, leading him to the couch. “And no more liquor. I’ll get you a glass of water, but clearly you’ve had enough. I don’t want to have to clean up my living room in the morning.”
“Mmmm,” he buried his face in her shoulder, letting his cheek rest against her neck and hiding in the curtain of her hair. It was being surrounded by Aoko, a thousand scents that were all her.
“Kaito, are you listening to me?”
His drunk brain registered that she was at least using his first name. That her arms were still around him, and she hadn’t moved away. He was spinning and the thoughts of the last few hours on repeat in his head.
“I wanted… want to marry you,” he said into her skin of her neck. “Only ever you. I know you hate me, but I can’t– I still love you.”
He felt her freeze and then settle him down on her couch, he looked up to see blue eyes that looked wet, which was wrong. Fuck. Why did he always make her cry?
“S’not fair-” he said, shaking his head. “Always making you cry–” he flicked his wrist and by some miracle a rose slipped into his fingers. “Just wanted you to be happy.”
Her eyes were even wetter now, not quite crying but close enough. She took the rose and turned quickly away to walk across the room and grab a blanket, “I’ll get you some more water.”
“Aoko-”
“You’re drunk Kaito. We’ll… we’ll talk in the morning. If you’re still here.”
“I-”
She slipped out of the room before he could respond.
He woke to a pounding in his head, and a raised voice in the other room.
“Marry me?! Marry me? What the hell were you two drinking!?”
Silence and a shattered groan and then, “Secret rende- are you reading romance novels instead of mysteries now? Since when did it look like we were having an affair!? When would we have even had the time with that damn syndicate Saguru???”
That made him wake up more. The voice was definitely Aoko’s, which was mad. Why would Aoko be yelling one room over? He managed to open his eyes, the room spinning marginally as he realized it was definitely Aoko’s apartment.
Or rather Officer Nakamori’s apartment. He’d only ever seen the inside as KID, leaving notes and heists for her. Dropping the occasional information on the men after him one she’d changed her focus, as much as it had pained him to involve her.
Thank God he seemed to at least be fully dressed, as Kaito, and with a blanket that had the feeling she’d dropped it on top of him.
“No! No, that is not an excuse! You don’t just presume things like that! No, not even what you think is a resonable deduction! Shockingly we both are more professional than— yes yes even if he IS a thief, he’s a fucking Gentleman Thief isn’t he?”
He’d definitely been out drinking with Hakuba. He remembered that much, and then… fuck? Hakuba had said something about him and Aoko and marriage? Expecting them to get married?
How much had he been drinking?
“No that is not an excuse– no you are not.. Saguru? Sagu- argh!” he heard a crash and then shut his eyes as he heard footsteps walking back towards the room.
He tried to even out his breathing but he could feel her eyes on him, “Kaito, you know as well as I do that trick never worked for me. I can tell you’re awake.”
He winced, and opened an eye, “Er..." at least she was using his first name?
“Right."
Kaito watched her as she sat down across from him, crossing her arms, “Do you remember anything about last night?”
“Uh…” his mind short circuited as he took in the nightwear she had on. Short silk shorts, with slits to the top, and a thin baby doll top somehow both too low and too high. It was more of a negligee set than proper pajamas and he wasn’t certain where to look.
Instead he focused on his broken memories as he vaguely remembered an image from the night before. “Did I uh— interrupt a date?”
She rolled her eyes, “The date was already over, bakaito . I’m going to take that as a no.”
He remembered more– he could see the flashes and things that made him wish he could disappear. He remembered words that he’d only ever imagined asking with a diamond and the promise of a better life.
Not drunk off his ass in yesterday’s clothes.
She sighed and stood up, “I trust you know where the shower is? Oh don't look at me like that Kaito, you’ve broken into my rooms enough. I left a set of dad’s extra things, I don’t know if they’ll fit but–”
“That’s uh… I could just–”
“I’ll be in the kitchen,” she said flatly and walked out of the room.
It took a minute for him to drag himself up. Longer to pull himself to the bathroom and stare at his reflection in the mirror. What had he been thinking coming here? Whatever the detective had said, what did he think he could gain coming like this? Maybe let things cool down, figure out what was next, and maybe then– what? Send a forgiveness note? A bouquet of flowers?
He ran the water cold as he let the shower sober him up, only turning the heat once he felt his head clear and the hammer turned to a dull throb. He felt less likely to throw up, and just a sense of illness finally climbed out and worked at drying his hair.
The clothes were huge. The shirt was fine, but finally he gave up on the sweats and pulled out his KID pants– the look made him laugh, but there was nothing else for it.
He walked into the kitchen, and he saw Aoko’s eyes widen and then a smile crack on her lips as she took in her father’s Task Force shirt over his white trousers. He grinned back and shrugged, “I figured it was this or boxers. Your dad’s sweats fell straight off.”
“Who said I would have minded the boxers?” she said, a blush immediately brushing her cheeks as she busied herself pouring coffee.
He felt a loss for words, standing at the table and staring at the woman in front of him. He remembered now, what he’d told her the night before– rambled into her ear, and–
“I… I should get out of your hair. I promised I wouldn’t bother you,” he said softly.
“Too late for that,” she said, pushing the coffee to him. “And I already started breakfast.”
“Nakamori-san-” his eyes flickered to the table and he saw a partially crushed rose in a glass, he felt his throat tighten.
“It's Aoko, bakaito-” she said walking up to him, blue eyes meeting his own.
"Aoko-" her name resting on his lips, as he thought he felt his heart shatter into a thousand pieces.
She stopped just before him, eyes meeting his guardedly, “Did you mean it? Aoko wants to know if you meant it, or if– if you were just drunk–”
“Every word Aoko,” he said before he had time to think. “God, if I thought you’d have said yes I would have asked-”
“Yes.”
He stared, “What?!”
“ Bakaito ,” she said, her voice cracking as she reached up and dragged him down catching his lips. He was too shocked and then slowly let his arms slide around her, pulling her up against him as he caught her face and deepened the kiss. The soft sound she made made him only more daring, as they broke apart and he stared down.
"You...yes??"
“Idiot,” she repeated, pulling him back down again, and this time he had her pinned against the table, the kiss turning more heated as she tugged at his shirt. “It's just too weird,” she muttered pulling it off him as he laughed as she pulled it off. He felt self conscious, the last time she’d seen him like this they’d been younger and he’d been– well he was might be fit but the gunshot wounds, glass scar, and other myriad of heist accident hardly painted a pretty a picture.
She didn’t seem to care as her fingers ran along his chest, “It’s done right?” she said finally. “Really done? No more KID?”
Kaito nodded, running his hand through his hair, wondering what sort of rabbit hole he’d just fallen through, “Yes. I… yes. The thing I was looking for is gone and Kudou and Hakuba rounded up the rest of the men. It’s done. Did you say yes??”
“Yes,” she said, pulling him down for another kiss.
He pulled away just a hairsbreadth, “Aoko I-”
“ Bakaito, just s hut up and kiss me already.”