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He chuckled. “Sounds great.” and because he wanted to say tomorrow he waited and thought about it before answering. “Is in four days good? There is still some stuff I have to take care of and I have to work.”

“Yes, I think that should do quite nicely. Around six, perhaps? I can have dinner ready for us.” Hakuba pushed up from the bed and stood, stretching his arms out in front of him with a yawn. “I remember that you have an aversion to fish, but I can’t recall if you’ve any other dietary restrictions or preferences, other than for the sweets." 

With a laugh, he looked back at him, grinning. "Do let me know if you have any requests.”

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“So I’ll be the first?~” He smirked. 

He was a little shocked. He hadn’t ever expected the detective to invite him over at all much less this soon into their …. friendship? It wasn’t like he didn’t know the Hakuba Manor. He had been in there thousands of times. ‘To know thine enemy’ and all. It was just going to be hilarious to actually walk through the front door. Blinking he placed a placed a hand to his chest and blinked. It was hot and his heart was racing just slightly. Excited? About being invited in to Hakuba’s home? 

No, it was being welcomed by him. To know that he was willing to share the same space that he could relax completely in with him. To let him share that personal side that no one else has. Kaito relaxed and smiled at him.

“Thank you.”

Hakuba laughed, mostly in spite of himself as he looked away toward the door, sheepish and wincing. “Yes, I suppose so. I was never really good at making friends, you understand, and I had a distinct disadvantage here in Japan…” He hefted a sigh. “Ah, anyway, just pick an evening and I’m yours." 

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Kaito looked at him and smiled. A small little smile that showed just a little bit of tooth and crinkled around the eyes. That was his real smile and that was some thing he didn’t get to do often. “That sounds a lot better than being alone.”

He was glad of it; it made it so much easier to let just a little bit more of the tension go, and Hakuba laughed again, shoulders hunching as he shrugged, suddenly bashful. As with most things Kuroba, the smile was infectious. “Good. I’ll… have you come over some time soon, then. Actually…”

Hakuba shifted onto his hip to pull out his mobile, flipping open the calendar application. “I have a case to work on this afternoon, but I’m free most evenings this week if you’d like to, ah, come over… It seems somewhat odd to me now that I’d never invited you before, but I guess I never really invited anyone… ever… so…" 

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“No I don’t drink after every heist.” He huffed playful. “Just some times. When the night are really cold, and the sky dark, and I come back here to an empty home.” He looked around his room for a minute and vanished into his memories some good some bad. He didn’t notice how he was slowly loosing his Poker Face with Hakuba. The emotions were playing so openly across his face.

Even that wasn’t really new for the detective, who had a collection of observations to draw from in terms of Kaito’s shifting moods and facades, though being this close to it was an experience all its own. Human intimacy was such a precarious thing. Hakuba let his smile tilt, brows creasing ever so slightly in commiserative sympathy. 

“That sounds like me, really… only, I drink scotch nearly every night, it seems… more so, lately.” He chuckled, letting his own guard an inch. “It’s a lonely world, Kuroba-kun; particularly those with duties as ours. But as we’ve established now…” Hakuba moved to elbow him good-naturedly. “We don’t have to be completely alone. Or, at least, we could share the alcohol." 

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For a minute he thought he was going to get kissed. So when Hakuba pulled away from him he blinked rapidly for a moment as if coming out from under a spell. He sighed and tried to understand what the pain he felt meant.

“I, in fact rarely ever drink. Last night was … was …a lapse.” He huffed and retreated a bit so he could face the detective. “I’ve never really had a lot of wine and most of it has been the cheap stuff.”

“I’ll have to have you come over one of these days; we have a collection at the house… though…”  Hakuba shifted on the bed, pulling a leg up onto it with hands on ankle, looking at him more directly. “If you don’t drink often, why were you drinking last night? I assume it was for the pain, but… you would be drinking nearly every heist, wouldn’t it?" 

It was a tease, and he hoped that it would lighten the air. 

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He shifted his head back to finally look at the detective. He wasn’t expecting him to be as close as he was. As his nose brushed against Hakuba’s he could feel the other breath ghosting over his face in calm breaths. He swallow and what ever he was going to say slipped right on out the window.

Along with his sanity. He waved goodbye at it mentally. 

Likewise, Hakuba’s thoughts fled him temporarily as he found himself staring right into Kaito’s eyes, so very, very close. He held still, not even daring to breathe as he felt his face flare up with heat. Oh. All that he would have to do is tilt his head ever so slightly and lean forward to kiss him. It wouldn’t be difficult. It might even be excused. And oh, did he want to! 

But this had been a desire for a very long time. Being attracted to Kuroba Kaito was nothing new; a temptation that he had resisted before. He studied his eyes for a moment longer, then pulled back, lips curving into a small smirk.

“Wine. I had a lovely red wine last night – a common, but delicious Mourvédre. It almost kept me from the heist.” He laughed. “Regardless, I’ll try to help curb your drinking.”

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Kaito didn’t even look out from behind the covers simply leaned over against him and rested his head on the other’s shoulder. “Why don’t we make an agreement that I never drink Whiskey again? I’m still all messed up.” He pouted and glared at the wall. 

Hakuba inclined his head, glancing down at Kaito and lifted his brows, equal parts skeptical and amused. “I think that may be a fair agreement, though I can’t really police your actions…” The detective smirked, and nudged Kaito’s head with his nose, playfully. “Scotch is better, anyway, though.”

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“Hold me.” Was out of his mouth before he could stop it. Whining again he covered his face in his hands. “NOT! Damn it!! That came out all weird!! I meant ….” He sighed and gave up. That was what he want in the most innocent way possible. “Just sit here a while. Everything still feels like dream to me and I’m so afraid that I’m going to wake up and find out it is.”

The detective hesitated, recalling how just minutes before this same person had been in near shambles on the kitchen floor. The roller coaster of emotions hadn’t stopped at any point in their recent interactions, and Hakuba had to wonder just how shattered his thief had become. Not that he was terribly surprised; watching him day after day in class had painted a despairing portrait of disguised misery. Still, it hurt no less to watch him writhe underneath the pokerface. 

“All right,” he finally said, and pulled himself away from the door, quietly padding across the room and to the bed. Hakuba hadn’t reacted outwardly to Kaito’s first request, but he chose to sit close to him, anyway, feet on the floor perched on the edge of the bed .“Is this adequate?”