Chapter Text
Two weeks after the long night at Hoshino manor, the husband of one of the victims passed away. In a letter he published online, he thanked Kaitou KID for proving that the Hoshino’s were responsible for the death of his wife and many others.
The events of that night were hidden from the press. They simply said that during the heist, bodies were discovered leading to the arrest of Jessica Hoshino and an investigation into the entire Hoshino family was opened. Conan’s kidnapping, the involvement of an astounding number of civilians, and the true game played that night were kept between those that attended.
Conan had to sit through far more questions than he cared to think about. After the initial report given to the police in which he simply told them he slept through most of the night, Hakuba, Hattori, and Sera had cornered him.
Hakuba had been easily calmed with Conan simply explaining that KID showed him a bunch of magic tricks while they discussed the case. Nothing that would lead to his arrest. Hakuba seemed relieved to know nothing nefarious happened. Conan didn’t have the heart to tell him.
Hattori had wanted to hear why all of this happened.
From what Conan had deduced, Hoshino senior had groomed Jessica to be his protégé. He taught her all his tricks and left her his greatest work. A mansion filled with secret rooms, torture instruments, and his greatest creation: An unremovable collar that forces the victim to enjoy their assault. From what Conan had gathered about Jessica’s victims, she most likely hadn’t expected two men to show up.
The bodies that were found in the garden after KID left proved his theory. She had shot one in the head. The other died from their throat being gouged open by the collar. The fifth time you try to remove the collar, it kills you. And that’s assuming you don’t accidentally overdose from the drugged pins.
After Jessica had gotten a taste of murder, she set her sights on Kaitou KID whom she was a fan of. She had expected to make it look like KID got the collar and left which would have caused the Task Force to leave. She had planned to wear the device herself, requiring the KID to come to her grandfather’s torture room to fetch the key. There she intended to incapacitate him and keep the thief as a toy.
KID was nothing if not meticulous. He had discovered the key to the collar well in advance just in case anything happened. While KID hadn’t expected it to end up around Conan’s neck, he had taken the incident in stride. Taking Conan ensured his safety while also getting all of the best detectives in the country involved.
The compliment soothed Hattori who ruffled Conan’s hair aggressively. Hattori was just glad Conan was safe.
With the pieces all put together, Conan had finally been allowed to go home. His legs were still wobbly and the pain-relieving ointment wearing off. Ran and Kogorou had taken the back seat, falling asleep not long into the drive, leaving Conan alone with Amuro.
The older detective had been the only one to remark on the twin red marks on Conan’s neck. Conan had simply brushed it off. But he knew the PSB agent knew or at least suspected what had really happened. Especially when he commented on Conan’s wobbly legs.
It was embarrassing.
But Conan didn’t hate what had happened. He wasn’t happy to lose his virginity to the effects of drugs…but losing it to the thief wasn’t awful.
When Haibara had learned what happened, she had run a battery of tests to ensure the drugs hadn’t hurt him in any lasting way. Luckily, he was fine. She had teased him mercilessly even while prescribing him a low dose muscle relaxer to help with the back pain. It took a few days for his hips and lower back to feel normal. A child’s body simply wasn’t built to handle that kind of treatment.
Ran mothered him more than ever. It was as though she thought KID would appear out of nowhere and snatch Conan out from under her nose.
And maybe her concerns were valid.
Because, two weeks after the incident, three days after KID’s client passed away, Conan found a KID card in his shoe locker after school.
It was a post card style image of Beika Park with a simple number puzzle revealing a date and time. The KID smiley was shushing him. So, KID wanted a private meeting…
A part of Conan knew he shouldn’t go. He should stay home where it’s safe. There was no need to get tangled up with the phantom thief. Hadn’t he done enough? He hadn’t told the cops what really happened. He had carefully kept their tryst a secret, protected KID’s reputation with blatant lies.
Curiosity was a curse. And Conan had been afflicted by it since the first time he was a child. Ran didn’t cross his mind for the first time in months, not even the memory of Amuro’s prying gaze could stop the excitement as he clutched the card to his chest. No warnings, no guilty conscious would stop him from finding out what KID wanted.
So, at 2AM Saturday morning, Conan stood under the lamppost pictured in the postcard. He could feel the thief’s eyes on him, heavy as the hands that caressed his feverish skin. The softest rustle of cloth and suddenly, KID was leaning on the lamppost behind him. Back-to-back like this, Conan felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Only the steel post separated them.
“You said you figured out who the culprit is, Tantei-kun, won’t you tell this gentleman thief your deduction?” KID’s voice was low and warm.
“Your plans weren’t that hard to figure out, KID. You had planned to steal the necklace and leave behind the clues needed to solve the case. But you prepared for almost every event. If Hoshino-san wore the choker, you had intended to simply gas her and remove it. But when it was put on me…” Conan trailed off, cheeks heating.
He was started by the magician appearing directly in front of him, kneeling down to his level. Normally, such a gesture would seem comforting. But like this, Conan was hyper aware of the cold steel against his back and the burning indigo gaze in front of him.
“When it was put on you… Finish your thoughts Tantei-kun.” KID’s grin was sharp, dangerous.
Conan steadfastly ignored the warmth building in his stomach.
“You flipped the script. You knew taking me would ensure plenty of detectives to solve the crime.” Conan broke their staring contest, looking off into the shadowed park over KID’s shoulder.
He shuddered as gloved fingers gripped his chin, gently making him meet KID’s steady gaze. Conan knew, he knew, that all of this would stop with a single word. A single no and KID would vanish.
“You have something you want to ask, don’t you?” KID whispered.
“…Why did you pick the lock? You knew what the collar would do, you knew it was drugged, you had the key. None of that had to happen. So, why?” The words tripped from Conan’s mouth.
And yet…he already knew why.
“Because I wanted you. You are correct, Tantei-kun. What a clever little thing you are. I had planned to lead the task force by the nose through the case. When I learned you would be attending, I eagerly anticipating matching wits with you as you solved the case. But when Nakamori placed the collar around your pretty throat… Well, I am just a simple thief. I could not resist the temptation.” KID gave a helpless shrug.
Conan had always known that KID was a man driven by his whims and desires. And Conan had fed the flames of passion when he agreed to let KID pick the lock. When he entrusted his life to KID. When he welcomed the man’s touch instead of fighting through the fever alone. Conan had walked willingly into the thief’s clutches.
“They challenged you. With an unpickable lock, with a horrifying case, with me. Your plans were one thing but more than anything, you wanted me… I was your reward, wasn’t I?” Conan whispered the words.
“Matching wits with you is always my reward. No, having you in my arms was the goal. It’s always been the goal.” KID snapped the fingers of his free hand; a beautiful blue rose appearing. “I should hope my courtship hasn’t gone completely unnoticed. Our rooftop meetings were not simply for business, after all.”
Conan couldn’t help the blush that he knew painted his cheeks. Flicking his eyes between the sapphire hued rose and the indigo eyes filled with a type of madness that left Conan breathless, he did the only thing he could think of.
He wrapped a hand in KID’s tie and pulled the thief forward into a clumsy kiss. It was worth it, to see the poker face crack just a tiny bit. To see shock flash through those haunting eyes. To see the beginnings of a blush on the tip of KID’s nose. Conan pushed KID away just as quickly as he reeled him in.
“I’m not a prize, I’m a person. If you want something from me, just say it. …All these games are dumb.” Conan muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets.
KID stared at him blankly for a moment before tipping his head back in a loud, genuine laugh. It made Conan feel warm. He couldn’t help the small bubble of laughter that spilled from his own lips. They were a mess. A thief and a detective. But Conan, Shinichi, had always been enamored with mysteries.
Kaitou KID was a mystery that always left him wanting more.
“I suppose I do not need to question whether my feelings are reciprocated then.” KID finally said once his laughter died down. “I intend to steal your heart, Meitantei. But until then, I think I shall continue this game of courtship.”
KID stood, dancing back a few steps, leaving Conan feeling colder than he would have liked. The thief took a bow, the lamplight causing his white suit to glow like the moon. There were no further words to be exchanged it seemed. With a puff of smoke and a whisper of a smile, Kaitou KID vanished from the park.
Conan stood for a few minutes, staring at where the thief had been. All that was left was the blue rose and a card. Picking it up, Conan was surprised to find a pretty silver chain with an interesting pendant wrapped around the stem of the rose. The pendant was a small key. The top of the key was shaped like a four-leaf clover set with a blue gem. Glancing at the card, Conan shook his head at how dramatic the thief was.
A reminder of our time together! Until next time, Meitantei~
Conan slipped the necklace over his head, tucking the cool metal under his shirt to warm against his skin. Then chain was slim and easily hidden…
He pressed the blue petals to his lips, inhaling the sweet fragrance of a fresh rose.
“You can’t steal what has been freely given, dumb thief.”