His fingers carefully and gently unfolded from the collar of Hakuba’s shirt, hand pulling back and away with a slowness that easily conveyed the uncertainty he refused to let show on his face – not that he could do the same for the faint hotness on his cheeks, but the shadow cast by his hat, along with the darkness of the room served to hide it well enough. He hoped.
Perhaps…this had been a bad idea after all.
The detective still hadn’t spoken and indigo eyes scanned his face swiftly and carefully for any sign of what he might be thinking. And, upon noticing the faint flush on his cheeks, the thief’s lips quirked into the hint of a grin. Well. That was something, at least. But not quite what he had expected.
A push, cursing, hell, even a punch—
Something more.
Instead of this…silence.
Kid tried hard to keep himself from fidgeting, the way Hakuba was simply staring starting to get to him. He wasn’t sure what to say and silence reigned for a few minutes more, before he finally got his mouth to work again.
“Well. It seems the delivery was a success.“ The lightness in which he spoke covered the nervousness, hesitancy and embarrassment well and he shifted away, tipping his hat forward slightly as he made the grin on his lips widen. “If the way it seems to have struck you speechless is any indication. That is all I came here to do, so if you’ll be so kind as to excuse me…”
Kaitou’s movement and the stated intention to leave, to take that warmth and wonder away, spurred Hakuba to act. He took a step forward, reaching a hand for the thief’s arm, to stop him- but gently.
“Ah- no, wait… Please.” Hakuba’s cheeks turned redder still, feeling somewhat like a shy mouse suddenly thrust out into center stage. “I-is that… really…?” So much for eloquence. The detective gulped. “Wh-why did you-?”
He had to know. The intentions and motivations of others had always been a driving force in everything he did, but this question, this action, was something he had a desperate need to understand.