Kaito felt his heart go soft and he buried his face against his knees and sighed. Embarrassed he held out his hand for the other to take. His scarred, calloused, worn hands were his life and work.
“I’ve liked you since high school. That first year you were there. I didn’t want to admit it at the time. Gods, I thought I had lost my mind but you were always there. A constant, irritating, wanted pest. I didn’t know what to do. So like a stupid little school boy I teased and poked at you just to get rise and see past that ridiculous mask you wore.”He raised his head and looked at him and gave him his true smile. That lop-side, slightly fang, small grin that made his eyes closed and crinkle around the corners.
The detective laughed, quiet and awkward as he took Kaito’s hand instead of his shoulder in the end. Listening to the admission, he couldn’t help but blush all over again, wincing through his smile. He was touched… flattered, even, and definitely surprised. And, god, he loved that smile. Despite the nerves, he felt warm all over.
“Ah, hey now… ridiculous mask? What are you trying to say?” Hakuba asked, squeezing his hand and putting on an exaggerated pout as he shifted to carefully sit down on the floor. “If you’re talking about my pokerface, well… god, of course I have to put on a professional front in school. It was the only way to survive.”