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The minute he heard those words Kaito spun his gaze back quickly to the detective and managed to go redder. He stood from the table with a clatter and flinched when Keena touch his shoulder. Her tiny beak pressed the kiss to his lips and Kaito collapsed back into the chair.

Okay, everything was okay. He breathed slowly and faintly heard what Hakuba had said over the roaring blood in his ears. “On what exactly?”

Hakuba took a sip of tea before he replied, nervously shifting his legs under the table as he considered his words. “It’ll all sound so silly, honestly… I, ah, it’s about college. I applied to several universities and was accepted into my top three schools…” He set the cup down, then picked up the thick envelopes, biting his lip as he shuffled them in his hands.

“But I’ve no idea which one to choose. It’s not something that I can just hedge my bets with; it’s… it’s a huge decision and I’m really at a loss." 

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Kaito covered his cheeks and scrubbed at his face. On a breathy exhale he recovered somewhat and sat down. Did Hakuba even realized that they had just … He shook his head and reached for his tea. The blush was still staining his cheeks. 

“Thank you, ah what was it that you wanted to talk about?” He said quickly and ignored the way his hand trembled slightly. He wanted to change the subject fast before the detective had a chance to really read into what had just happened.

Interesting. Hm.

Hakuba looked down at the rose dove again, considering the situation and the question, rubbing the top of her head with the pad of his index finger. “Ah, yes… it’s about these envelopes,” he said, nodding his head to the stack on the table. He then brought the bird to his mouth and smiled.  "Keena, kiss,“ ready to let her do her trick and pull her away so that she could return to her master. All with a steady, warm smile. Just a liiittle bit smug. 

”…you see, I’ve got to make a decision very soon, but it’s complicated and… I’ve found that I don’t really have anyone to talk to. So I’m hoping you’ll be able to offer me some advice.“

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Kaito wiggled slightly and slid closer then scooted out back wards.

“Sorry about that. This is Keena.” The slightly small rose dove clung to Kaito’s shoulder and nibbled at his bangs. Kaito quickly moved her from his shoulder to his hand and offered her a chance to meet the detective. 

It took four seconds for Hakuba to recover from his deer in headlights stare once the bird was in front of him. He blinked again, then looked down at her, realization dawning. “O-Oh! Oh! A bird! That explains it. Yes, all right, all right…”  

Hakuba laughed at himself, bringing a hand up- slowly, carefully -to first brush his own hair from his face, then offered it to her, perfectly positioned for her to change perches if she wished.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Keena,” he said, smile immediately fond as he looked her over, memorizing her features. Then, he glanced quickly up at Kaito. “God, she’s beautiful. Is it all right if I ask her to step up? Does she know that command?”

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Kaito smiled and crawled down near Hakuba’s knees. His shoulder brushing the detective’s legs casually as he reached around to underneath the chair. The black shirt slid up slightly as Kaito arched his chest towards the ground revealing the red waist band of his underwear.

The tea was unfortunately forgotten the moment that Hakuba opened his eyes again, finding that Kaito had not gotten up as he’d expected, but instead…  He stared down at him, eyes wide, expression confused and somewhat horrified. 

“Ah… … K-Kuroba-kun…?” he asked, doing his best to remain ABSOLUTELY STILL. Rigid. “What are you…?" 

Really. Of all of the things he’d expected to have happen when he decided to go to Kaito’s house, THIS was not one of them. 

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Kaito bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from laughing. God could Hakuba be any more obvious. Getting up he walked back over to the pantry and pulled down a wooden box. Walk back over to Hakuba he moved to the floor on one knee and presented the box. “Here”

Blink.

“Uh.” Hakuba tilted his head to one side, not unlike a very confused dog, then reached out to take it from him. “Well, if you really insist… Thank… thank you, Kuroba-kun." 

Pulling the box into his lap, Hakuba ran his hands over the wood, eyes locked while he examined the craftsmanship. It wasn’t unusual, but it felt like home under his hands. He then brought it up to eye level, closed his eyes, took a deep breath to catch the scent, and sighed, unable to resist the moment of pleasure. "Mm… you really can’t find this sort of thing here.”

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Kaito raised his eyebrows in muted surprise. Well, the staring was new. His ears turn an interesting shade of red and took his seat again. Taking a sip of slightly chilled tea he struggled to settle his nerves in his stomach.

“My mother, who is currently somewhere in the United Kingdom keeps sending me tea and I mean tea anything. This is the second set I’ve received from her.” and a long note stating a inappropriate idea of giving them to Hakuba and few other comment that he tried desperately to ignore but now having Hakuba in front of him the letter was starting to come back in detail. “I have an extra box if you want it.”

“An extra box? Oh, I really couldn’t…”  Hakuba said, though the grimace on his face said otherwise. He really, really, really wanted the tea. “Really, that… your mum is wonderful. Do you know whereabouts in the United Kingdom she is? If she’s anywhere near London, I’m certain that my mum would love-”  

Wait, what was he doing? It was too late.

“-to… have tea with her, I think.” Tiny cough. “Ah… yes. It’s… yes.” What. 

Hakuba looked down at the tea and took a sip. Thank god for Earl Grey. 

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It was the smile. The uncontrolled and open smile. One he hadn’t really got to ever see. Frozen in the kitchen with hi hand under the scalding water Kaito watched Hakuba go for the cream. Blinking suddenly and very quickly he felt himself actually blush and shook his head. He decide that he had gone way to long with out proper sleep. Skirting past the hopefully distracted detective he made his way to the bathroom to grab the first aid kit.

“That was surprising.” He whispered to him self and leaned over the sink. It had been a while since he blushed for a simple reason and what terrified him that it was Hakuba that had gotten to him. 

His hand made his way into his hair again and he sighed and began to rumage threw the kit.

Hakuba stirred the tea and took another drink, eyes closed to really savor the flavor and warmth in his mouth for several seconds before he even realized that Kaito had gone. Blinking again, he glanced around to look for him. 

“Kuroba… kun?” he asked with a frown to the open room. “Hullo…?”

Huh. The detective, baffled, went back to drinking the tea and let his gaze rest on the envelopes – all thick, all opened, all emblazoned with official seals on the front, and all addressed to Hakuba, Saguru J. 

He sipped more tea, and waited. 

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Kaito expelled a short breath of air and winced. There quiet a bit of pain in that statement and he fully understood. He was just tired and that was an excuse but never gave him the right to be a jerk. Hakuba had asked him for his help and he just bit at him. Raking a scarred hand through his already disordered hair he sighed and smeared a little bit of blood across his forehead.
“Hakuba, I’m sorry. I’m just tired. I didn’t sleep well. An act I was practicing last week sort of back fired and I’ve been sore. You said you wanted my advice on something.” He smiled gently; apologetically and didn’t mention that it were nightmares that haunted him and that ‘trick’ cost him a few broken ribs and a sprained wrist was what kept him from sleeping.

The quick apology did much for easing the detective out of his sudden defenses. He was still upset, yes, but he managed to relax his back against the chair behind him, mouth twitching into a small, wincing smile. Kuroba was cordial, clearly; he should give him another chance. Hakuba nodded, shrugging his shoulders, and reached for the sugar.

“Ah, yes, that’s all right. It’s about… Ah- Kuroba-kun, you’re bleeding… Are you all right?” Hesitantly, he rose from his chair and leaned over the table to see if he could get a better look without getting too close. “Your head? Or your hand, perhaps… should get a bandage…" 

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 At first he was going to just going to dismiss the detective and get on back to work on the twenty millions thing that had decided to break on him at the last heist starting with his hang glider. With the tray on the table Kaito took the pot and began to pour in grading heights starting at the lip of the pot then high. Once the water was done he placed the kettle back on the stove and closed up the pot.

“To be honest I didn’t think I was going to either. I really wasn’t in the mood to entertain.” That was a first for him but he can have his off days too. “But you looked like you really needed the help.”

He smiled and his internal timer called the tea good to be drank. Pouring the brew into the china he place a readied cup inf ront of Hakuba and then served himself with three sugar cube and a small amount of cream.

…oh.

The color in Hakuba’s face drained as the realization set in. He’d known that Kuroba didn’t care for him much, and no one really enjoyed being interrupted, but saying such out loud? The cold twist of his stomach made everything at the table suddenly very unappealing. Swallowing against the constriction in his throat, Hakuba slowly, cautiously straightened up in his seat, shoulders squaring back, expression fading first to one of wounded pride, which he tried and failed to hide.

“Ah.” The detective let his hands rest in his lap, the fingers of his left feeling through slacks for the gold watch in his pocket. It was still there. “Well, since you’ve gone to all of this trouble, I’ll try to keep it as brief as possible so that you can get back to your work. Again,” Hakuba’s tone transitioned to one of calm neutrality, lips becoming nothing more than a thin, straight line. “I apologize for the interruption. Shall I begin?”

It was difficult to keep the underlying irritation out of his voice. If the damned thief hadn’t wanted him there, he shouldn’t have let him inside. He didn’t need to be invited in only to be told that he was unwanted!  It was insulting, really. And it hurt. 

The watch made a snapping sound as he flipped it open with his thumbnail and peered at it under the table, confirming the time before putting it away again.