phantom-thief-kid:

“Yeah, tell that to my hospital bill…” Kaito sat on the bed, shirtless. And, yeah, seemed like everything lately was going to hell, wasn’t it? He’d have a meltdown if he knew even more about that Bell Tree train mess or about Sazerac.

Hands behind his head, Kaito got up and followed Hakuba. What was with Hakuba lately and drinking? Not that he was tactless, but it was bothering him.

Hakuba plucked his suit jacket from the couch and unlocked the balcony, using his shoulder to push the sliding glass door open afterward. He knew that Kaito was following him, but he didn’t bother to argue. Kaito was stubborn, as himself and as KID, and probably wouldn’t listen anyway.

Out onto the balcony, Hakuba leaned against the concrete balcony rail, taking a swig of scotch straight from the bottle before setting it down on the ledge. Then, after a grimace and sharp exhale from the alcohol, he rummaged through his suit jacket and produced a pack of cigarettes – only to hesitate and push them back in their place. This was a non-smoking section of hotel. So instead he brought out the silver lighter and flicked it on and off uselessly. Brooding.

phantom-thief-kid:

“I’m being serious. You have enough on your plate already between Pandora and the ravens and everything else. Making up stories about dragons would be in bad form, to say the least.”

He noted the scars down Hakuba’s back. Those weren’t any pattern he’d seen before, certainly not something caused by garden variety detective work. He got up and started getting dressed as well. It would be wisest if Hakuba weren’t irritated when asking about that.

“Dragons aren’t real." 

Hakuba stood up and snatched his shirt from the nightstand, slipping his arms into the sleeves. His efforts stop there, and he looks back over his shoulder to Kaito. ”The world is getting knackered all around me and I haven’t figured out where I fit. Go back to bed. I’m not leaving. I just need… some fresh air, all right?“

He walked toward the balcony, brushing past the coffee table en route to take the half-empty bottle of scotch with him. 

phantom-thief-kid:

“Yeah. Giant thing. It threw me around and tried chewing on me. I have no clue why it did that.”

He blinked and looked up at Hakuba.“Hakuba, are you okay?” This was worrisome. He didn’t need to break Hakuba again. Especially not over some stupid scaly thing with no manners whatsoever.

“Bloody hell. Honestly.” Hakuba pulled himself away, moving to sit at the edge of the bed, bare back to Kaito. “I can’t tell if you’re being serious of if you’re trying to take the mick out of me." 

The detective reached for the bundle of clothes on the nightstand and began to get dressed. Boxers first, then pants, hands fumbling from the tired and irritation. 

phantom-thief-kid:

“It’s a lot of stuff, yeah.” Kaito yawned widely. “I’m pretty sure I can stay safe if I can get chewed on by a giant dragon thing with eight heads and have a shorter stay in the hospital than being shot when I was normal.

“I dunno about any other side effects. Maybe they haven’t appeared yet.” Okay, that worried him. If there were other side effects, things he couldn’t control… “Worried I’ll become a demon or a vampire?” He gave Hakuba a grin.

Hakuba met the grin with apprehension. Yes, he was worried again. “No… nothing like that.”  But why not? There were witches. Witches, immortality, magic stones, and gods. Demons and vampires wouldn’t be that much further of a stretch. It made his head hurt. 

“Wait… did you say something about…?” The detective pushed himself into a sit, looking down at Kaito. “What was… Dragon? Eight heads?!" 

phantom-thief-kid:

Meanwhile, Kaito was enjoying the time in the bed, lounging about. He was content with this, relaxing in a bed with one of his detectives. Sure, there was the question of how this would affect their interactions from now on, but they would cross that bridge when it came.

He had snuggled up to Hakuba, only half awake when he got the kiss on the shoulder. The question, though, made him wonder. Hakuba was worrying again? “‘Course I’m gonna…" Kaito muttered, his voice low. He was pretty sure he sounded groggy. “You worry too much, Hakuba.“

"I’ve been told that before,” Hakuba said, expression going dry. Here he was, concerned and close, and Kaito was calm and casual. KID, true to form. He sighed.

“I’m still attempting to wrap my mind around… everything. Secret crime organizations? Implications of eternal youth? And gemstones with the power of granting… what, immortality, was it?” The detective frowned. “How are you going to stay safe? What other side effects could there be?”

The hour was late- very late- and Hakuba was exhausted in almost every way a person could be. Still, he fought against impending sleep to live in the present, taking in as much sensory detail as he could. The cool of the sheets against warm, bare skin; the scent of that dark, wild mane of hair on the pillow next to him. He forced his eyes open, struggling against the call- and, indeed, desperate need- for sleep, and bent to instead kiss lazily at Kaito’s shoulder. Soon, his eyes closed again, and the distinct feeling of being lost washed over him. So the detective shook his head, waking himself up a little more.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t sleep. They were in bed, comfy and cozy, with several hours remaining before checkout at the hotel. Sleeping was a very good idea, in fact, with the work of the next day looming ahead. But Hakuba didn’t want to let it go, to return to reality. When they left the hotel, he knew, things would be different. Not in any overt way, but different. Subtle changes in the rules, whatever they were. Or would they? The uncertainty of it made him anxious. 

With that anxiety, too, the truths revealed earlier were busily attempting to settle into his conscious mind, like ticks searching for flesh. He would need to eventually sort through everything, write it down, mentally tag and organize it all, each to its proper place. Unfortunately, that also meant becoming responsible for and dealing with each piece of information. He’d have to form an opinion on it, decide what he thought and how he felt, and come to terms with it.

…which was something that was far too painful and difficult to do at present. That said, it was impossible to ignore, as well. 

He longed for a cigarette, and maybe another bottle of scotch. Both were impractical for many reasons. So instead he leaned his forehead against the back of Kaito’s head and sighed.

“Kaito-kun… will you really be all right?" 

phantom-thief-kid:

Hakuba relaxing so easily after that sudden tense-up was a bit of a surprise, but he was just rolling with it at this point. (He was curious, yes, but that would be something to deal with later.) The enthusiasm and warmth was returned in kind with that kiss, KID moving his hand up to Hakuba’s neck again. 

‘I don’t understand a thing you’re saying, Hakuba.“ He grinned widely, giving Hakuba a mischievous look. It sounded pretty and the tone was driving him up a wall.

"Mmm… I know,” Hakuba said, keeping his voice low and smooth. Their game thus far had made it easier for the detective to get into his role. “That’s rather the point. You like puzzles though, don’t you?”

What he’d said in French wasn’t a puzzle, especially not in the context of what they were doing. He slipped his fingers to the front of KID’s pants and pulled at the fabric, searching for a belt or button to undo while his eyes stayed on Kaito’s. The way he moved his hand was confident and practiced, not at all like when he’d failed at sleight of hand previously. 

Inwardly, Hakuba struggled for control of his head. If they continued much further, it would be very, very hard for him to stop. But he didn’t want to stop in the first place, so it was the thoughts that had to be banished. Why was it so hard to stop thinking? He turned to french once again, murmuring in an almost breathless whisper up against KID’s cheek.

“J’ai besoin de toi.”