Electricity ran through his flesh, leaving him shaking and dizzy for what was the worst situation he had been in so far. Clutching the edge of the balcony, KID had trouble pulling himself up. His muscles felt weak, so drained, and all that for this stupid gem inside his hands.

Goddamnit, he was not letting go of that thing.

And yet, KID felt as if shot by a tranquilizer dart. Funny, seeing how that nuisance detective hadn't even been around today.
With the last bit of his strengh, he pulled himself up onto the balcony and laid flat on the cool concrete soothing his skin.
Police sirens howled, passing the common house he had taken up a spot to hide in. KID finally relaxed- they had left.

For a moment he remained in place, just letting the stress wash from his body. His limbs felt like pudding- Kaito lifted up the gem against the soft moonlight, and was rudely disappointed once again.
"Thanks for nothing..." he mumbled, letting his arm fall back onto the ground. He had to send this one off back to Nakamori again. Maybe try and hide it in tonight's dinner? He was digging that face of his whenever he peeled out a gem from somewhere inside his house.

Kaito chuckled. Ah, the rest did good to him.

That was until the balcony door slid open and he saw a shadow looming over him, obviously glaring down onto him. KID froze- what a rookie mistake.
"So, how do I deserve the honor of a visit? Can't you let me be even on my day off?"
Kaito paused. Now that voice was oddly familiar.

A flick of a light switch nearby confirmed the horror he had expected- Kudo Shinichi, right in front of his eyes, looming over him with the expression of a disappointed mother.
"Ah. My. I didn't want to disturb you, Meitantei. My bad."
Shinichi raised an eyebrow, holding out a hand to help the white thief up onto his legs. Kaito took him up on the offer, quickly pulling himself up again.

Well, that was awkward.

"Any luck today?" Shinichi asked, trying to divert the topic onto something different. Kaito visibly relaxed and shook his head, still dealing with the fact he had actually landed on the balcony of the Kudo mansion.
"Come in, it was a long night and the Crows shouldn't see you like this..." the sleuth muttered and turned on his heel, inviting Kaito to follow him back into the household.
"Appreciated," Kaito retorted with so much as a thankful nod before trotting after him.

It was fun, how Shinichi had gotten to know the whole truth. Very much fun. Not for Kaito, tho.

***

"What are they trying to do to you?! Answer me you Bakaito, what was that?!"
Shinichi spewed at him, covering behind a metal box with the wounded thief. Goddammit, the Crows had them cornered for sure. Kaito wasn't going to have much time.
He was sure he was going to die.
This time, it was all over.
Shinichi cradled the thief in his arms, watched the life drain from his eyes. The old hakase was just on his way, only a few more minutes and they were at his house with Haibara who was most likely able to save him.

"Meitantei..."

The voice was no more than a timid whisper as the thief reached up a bloody hand to touch Shinichi's cheek, smiling at him. Kaito was peacefully awaiting death at this point- it was no use any longer.
"You need to... promise me something. I... I don't think... I'll be able to do this... any longer..."
"Shut up, you need your energy! Where is that hakase...?!"
Shinichi was looking frantically around at this point while trying to stay as quiet as possible- they were still here, somewhere, watching, lurking.

"I'm serious. Meitantei, I need you... I need you to continue... this, for me... You are the only one I would trust with this..."
Shinichi fell silent as he stared down at the nearly limp man.
"Meitantei... search... for a gem... any gem, every gem... and hold it up into the moonlight... if it glows red from the inside... promise me to... to destroy it... at all cost..."

***

Kaito smiled to himself. He remembered losing his consciousness and waking up a day later inside a bed of the Kudo household. Fun times, fun times.
Especially the hours afterwards being questioned on everything related to the Crows.
Kaito had been so tired at this point.

Half happy, half devastated.

He had expected this all to end, once and for all. Forever. To be dead and done with it. He was grateful Haibara had literally saved his life- the scar in his chest where the bullet had been nailed into him was proof enough of this night.
And yet, he was prone to yet another cycle of moonlighting adventures for many more months to come.

Yet this time, with a new causality in mind. Kudo Shinichi, acting from the shadows to support him.
Oh, Kaito hadn't been happy about this at all. But what choice did he have?
That detective was a force of nature. A force of nature that took part in moonlighting himself a few times just to save Kaito's ass in time.
He had been thankful, of course, but the lectures afterwards was something he would have liked to avoid.

"A cup of tea?"
"Sure."
Kaito let himself down onto the couch in the living room, taking off his top hat and mussing through his hair. He leaned back into the cushions, now left alone with his frustrations about another failed heist.

When Shinichi returned with two cups, one with steaming tea and the other with his favorite black coffee, he found the young thief deep asleep on the couch.
The sleuth paused. Let out a sigh. Put the cups down and quietly draped a blanket over KID, before smiling down at him with something akin to concern in his eyes.

What an idiot... He should stop draining himself so much...

God knows how much sleep he got the last days again.

And yet, Shinichi did wonder. It was very unusual the thief would fall asleep in his house, even tho it had happened once or twice already. What could have gotten him so knocked out? Especially the state he had found him, just spread out like a starfish on the balcony.
Shinichi's smile turned into a frown, he had to ask him tomorrow about this.