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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.” 

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He peeked up and rested his chin on his knees. He was still red in the face, neck and ears but he gave Hakuba a side ways glance. His gaze traveled from his eyes to him mouth and Kaito had the urge to kiss him again. Still watching his mouth he spoke again. Alluringly , quietly.
“And you feel the same?”

That it wasn’t an answer to his question confused the detective, but he shook his head to refocus, then nodded. Which was likely even more confusing in and of itself. “Ah, I… I do, yes. I mean, wait.”  Hakuba had to pause to consider, restacking the information from what they’d both sort of more or less said and acted upon. Was he correct in his deduction, then? Scratch that, had he made a deduction just yet?

“What I mean to say is… yes, I’ve liked you for a very long time. Romantically, if you mean specifically, but the admiration has been there for ages. I thought… I thought that it was obvious for someone as keen and observant as you, and that your continued wariness of me was a clear sign of disinterest." 

He then sighed, reaching a hand for Kaito’s shoulder, head tilting in concern. ”…Also, how often are you going to end up crouched down like this because of me? It can’t be good for your injury.“ 

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Kaito observed him from where he stood. His anger completely gone now left him drained. So Hakuba liked him. He … liked …. In a matter of minutes his face was blood red and he was tipping backwards wide eyed in shock. Catching himself in mid-tip he crouched low to the floor and shook.

What had he done? Confess? But! He never liked the detective like THAT …. right? Squeezing his eyes shut he really had to focus on thinking about it. No …. he did like him like that. Had always liked him like that.

Somewhere in Europe his mother was so mumbling ‘I told you so.’

Hakuba watched him, blinking, and felt his ears turn pink. His fair English skin did little to protect him from the displays of embarrassment, and he stood there for a moment, awkwardly just watching him. Then he glanced down the hallway to see if anyone else had caught their conversation, but it all seemed deserted.

Too deserted. He groaned, fingers moving through his hair again. The staff probably all knew by now, and Baaya had always known. But what did that mean…? 

The detective swallowed hard, looking back down to Kaito. “Ah… K-Kuroba…” he said, voice soft as he stepped closer, moving to crouch down next to him. “Are… you all right?”

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Watching him with a blank expression he took Hakuba’s face in his and lean up to him. His mouth pressed and sealed against his in a kiss. For a while his stood there then he slowly let go and stepped back.  ”Like that. That’s what I meant.”

A kiss… Hakuba met it with eyes wide open in surprise, bright red color overtaking his cheeks once again. It felt, strangely, like the ground giving way just in front of you, washing away the crisp and curling snow in an avalanche down several thousand feet of sheer cliff face.

Feet firmly planted, the detective shivered, blinked, and breathlessly whispered, “Y-yes… yes, then. Like that." 

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His anger deflated like a popped balloon. Kaito blinked then narrowed his eyes at him. “Huh?”

Hakuba took a half step back, embarrassed as he dragged his hand upward into his hair, awkwardly scratching his head as he looked anywhere but Kaito. “I… I’ve had a crush on you since… god, since… and I, well… I…”  

He let out a breath, desperately attempting to collect his thoughts and force them into something more coherent. If he were giving a confession, after all this time, he’d better damn well do it right. Wait, was this a confession? What if Kuroba had meant something else entirely?!

“Assuming that’s what you meant? I mean, I of course care for you regardless, but I don’t want to be presumptuous…" 

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He turned back on him fire in his eyes. “What? I’m not taking the monocle back so don’t even try to push that on to me …”

The detective came to a full stop at that, heart pounding, eyes wild and cautious like a stag unsure if it should fight or flee the wolf before it. 

“I’m not going to! But the other thing you said… I do! I DO want you, too.” Hakuba huffed, not quite standing down, but letting the anger dissipate. “And I have for… a very long… time, now… Kuroba-kun. And I…”

Hakuba looked down at the floor, defensive posture turning to more neutral, then submissive posture, awkwardly reaching up to rub the side of his neck. 

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 ”YOU! I WANT YOU! THAT’S ALL I’VE EVER WANTED!!” He snapped and snatched him up by the collar.  ”So go on back to England and take the damn monocle cause like Hell that I’m going to let you forget me over there and when you want me too you know where to find me.” 

He dropped him. Just let him go not caring if the other fell to floor. He was way too hurt and frustrated to care. If he was going to be an Ass then by all means Kaito sure as hell didn’t have to stay.

The shock of being grabbed so roughly and screamed at right in his face had Hakuba staring again. He couldn’t hide the tremble that moved through him, chest tightening like it always did in these sorts of situations. All he could do was set his his mouth in a thin, reserved line, brows furrowed. He opened his mouth to reply, ready to snap sharp retorts right back at him.

“Well, Kuroba-kun!” he called after him, following after with conviction, only to … to half his pursuit. Confused. Wait. He wanted… 

Kaito wanted him. 

You! I want you! That’s all I’ve ever wanted!

And now Kaito was leaving. He took a deep breath, realization snapping into place like the final piece to the puzzle. The detective gasped, locked his gaze on the retreating thief, and gave chase. Head down, teeth grit, dashing out into the long hallway, yelling at the top of his lungs.

“Kuroba!!!" 

There was no way in hell that he was going to just let him get away with that!

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There was no stopping his anger now. It was build faster than he could control it. He reached for the other and threw his hands down and paced away then stormed back. Small little intelligible noise kept coming from his throat. He took a deep breath and tried to center his anger in an attempt to calm down enough to speak.

“What do you think you are doing? You! That monocle is! I! DAMNIT!” he shouted and tore his hands into his hair.

Biting his lip, Hakuba pulled the monocle to his chest almost protectively, eyes wide as Kaito yelled at him. At least his blush was nearly gone, color draining from his face in confusion and fear. “I… I’m trying to help you, Kuroba-kun! Trying to protect you!" 

There were few things that set Hakuba on the defensive than being yelled at with included hand gestures. He frowned, quickly reaching for the lockbox to slip it back inside with a snap of the lid, moving after to get to his feet.