Shinichi was the first one at the new heist location as soon as he had heard of the announcement. KID was going to steal a new piece of jewelry and the young detective knew how he could coax 1412 into at least contact.
He took the ring and put it onto his finger, then clenched a fist so KID wouldn't be able to take it. He didn't do the same mistake Nakamori-keibu had done long ago with the ring of Marie Antoinette.
No, Shinichi made sure to turn the ring, hiding the gem within his fist. KID would have needed to cut his finger off if he wanted to steal the treasure.

He couldn't help himself. He wanted to see the phantom thief, he lingered for his voice, touch, everything. KID was his soulmate and Shinichi knew it. Just as he had managed to make eye contact with the young phantom for the first time, he had known it. The explosion of butterflies in his stomach, the blush threatening to take over his whole face...
Shinichi fell in love this instant.
And right now he went through hell and back because KID had rejected him. His tattoo had kept him up night after night, burning and aching so awful it made Shinichi prefer death. He wasn't that opposed to the lack of sleep... The Beikan was used to it, since his coffee overuse. But the constant pain drove him near insanity.
As nobody looked, Shinichi allowed himself a tiny glance into his hemd to check his tattoo. Pitch black. As if fresh tattooed. Kaitou KID wasn't happy. During all this, the colour had never changed. The male wondered what kind of colour KID's tattoo carried.
Was there a colour for despair? Agony?

Shinichi's pain had numbed his braincells down long ago to think of that.

***

Kaito didn't know what that was. His tattoo burned. It burned so horrible Kaito wanted to slice it off with a knife. Oh no, he didn't care at all if a chunk of his flesh would be missing, if only this brand of satan wouldn't bother him any longer.
It made sense to him, Shinichi was his soulmate. But KID didn't love him. Somewhere, inside the depths of his mind, a gigantic wall blocked the part he used to feel with. Did he want to feel again? Kaito didn't know as he couldn't remember how it was.
But the scars among his arms gave him comfort. It was insane, in a way... Human comfort wasn't granted for him, and thus, he kept letting his skin grow warm on his own. Boiling showers, the water flaming up his skin to a beautiful red (it didn't hurt bad, Kaito wouldn't dare to burn himself on purpose) and his small razor cards helped him to the love he craved for.
He couldn't remember the last time someone had hugged him and by now, he was so unused to it he would push anybody away who tried it. But it was okay. Because once his skin fired up red, it was almost as if his own body was embracing him.

It'll be okay, Kaito his body could tell him without saying a word. His own blood, the warm spots on his body within a boiling shower or after a few cuts were exactly the places someone would touch in a hug. It was his own way to achieve comfort...
And Kaito was satisfied with it.

But this brand of satan wasn't. It kept torturing the young thief his entire time after Shinichi had exposed him. Kaito didn't want to open up. Share his life. Trust anybody. His best friend was his own body, to hug him whenever he felt like short before a meltdown.
"You need to accept him Kaito. Else you both are going to die. Those who deny the soul bond are fated to die," Akako had repeated silently in class and Kaito wanted to cry. The familiar sensation came up, his eyes burned and yet no tears came. In such a moment, Kaito was glad he had lost his ability to cry.
Kaito just smiled.
Smiled and goofed his way through his mess.
Shinichi didn't deserve a broken monster like him. An inhuman creature. Because humans have feelings, don't they? Humans cry, don't they? For Kaito himself, he wasn't a human being anymore. A monster. Kaito was afraid. Afraid of what his monster was able to do once the chains of morals faded away. Kaito didn't want to hurt anyone more than now.
Aoko had often enough described him as coldhearted. He had hurted her too much with his way to handle things.

And now he stood there, in middle of a heist location, tarned as policeman, and saw the stubborn detective right in front of him. Kaito wanted to turn around and vanish. But he couldn't.
He had a duty to fulfill.
Lights turned off and Kaito proceeded to lit a lighter in front of Shinichi, revealing himself. For a moment, time stood still as indigo glared into sapphire.

Shinichi forgot how to breathe. He was captivated by KID.
Subsconciously, KID looked the same.
"KAITOU KID!" Nakamori-keibu bellowed and both jolted back into reality. KID leapt off and the task force after him, yet Shinichi remained inside the exhibition hall. KID didn't actually leave yet and he knew that.
The wall close to him suddenly slipped onto the ground, revealing KID behind in his hiding spot. A fake wall, one of his oldest moves.
"Meitantei."
"KID."
"I must ask you to hand over this ring."
"KID. Why do you deny me? I can look over your job. It doesn't matter. But I can't bear it anymore and I'm sure you feel the same agony."
KID silenced and averted his face with a huff.
"Meitantei I am not here to-"
"But I am. Hear me out and I'll give up the ring."
KID stared at him for a second and finally, his shoulders slumped down in defeat. Shinichi took this as invitation to continue.

"KID. I don't know what happened to you that you became like this. But... I want to help you. Understand you. You don't have to open up to me or share anything. It's enough to spend time with you as phantom thief, not as civilian. KID, we are soulmates and nothing will change that."
The young detective took KID's arms and smiled in a way which proved love and comfort but froze as he felt the scars down below.
"KID...?" he whispered, shocked and the phantom backed away, trembling. Shinichi had felt them. He was disgusted, wasn't he? KID shook his head to get rid of his doubts and turned to leave but Shinichi pulled him into an embrace against his chest.
"KID... I don't know you any bit... But... I want to know you. Please... Let me replace blade and hollowness. I love you, KID."