Title: In Return for a Kiss
Author: Fyliwion
Pairing: Aoko/Kaito
Fandom: Detective Conan
Theme: #30 Kiss
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 13,500ish
Disclaimer: I still do not own them, but obviously I have Gosho's knack for drawing things out. Also drew inspiration from LeBlanc's Stroke of 8 ^_^

A/N: It's done. Officially. Techinically I had it done on the community for a while but it still needed tweaks before "finished." If you read it some things have ended included the ending. So to start off a new year... here it is! The last Kiss. Thank you all so much! Candy-chan for getting me into the community in the first place, S2lou for getting me writing again and boosting up the Aoko/Kaito fanbase on , the new reviewersfor all your recent posts that kept the kisses alive and kicking, and everyone else that has kept up with them for years. I've been writing conan/mk for five years to the day, and thought this is as good a time as any to post ^_^ Love you all and happy new decade!

The entire area had been cleared for several seats, and for good reason to- the last thing they needed was for the young man who was currently handcuffed to suddenly become one of the other passengers that happened to fill the plane.

He was entirely unremarkable, and she would have been too except for the cold look in her eyes and the chains that connected them at the wrist. The young man couldn't be past his early twenties, good lucking dressed in a non descript leather coat with a blue button up shirt and with eyes that could have easily made any woman fall to her knees. An outfit that wouldn't have looked out of a place on almost any continent. His hair was tousled from the trip, but the look on his face that some might have claimed was moonstruck.

Perhaps the largest give away that something was awry (other than the handcuffs) was how contrasting the woman was. Hair tightly pinned to the top of her head, a strict looking uniform, and everything about her screamed law enforcement. Unlike his shining blue eyes, her own were boring into the seat in front of her and had a hardness that couldn't be found in the young man's.

She seemed to be ignoring her companion completely.

He looked up from his window and his gaze trailed over her face- that same soft look came to his eyes as his gaze brushed over her hairline, cheeks, lips… the women shifted although she showed no sign of the scrutiny that was being done to her profile.

Finally she said in a voice as hard as her eyes, "Will you please stop staring at me Kaito?"

He grinned, unabashed as he leaned back in the nice comfy first class seat, "Not much else to look at… and I've never seen you look so serious."

"…." she let out a frustrated sigh as the woman came by with a cart to ask them if they'd like any refreshments.

"Champagne?" The stewardess asked the officer with a smile.

She shook her head, "Just a coffee please, and he'll have water-"

"Aww no last meals?" His voice raised a pitch in a whine and she felt where he'd leaned up against her, "I'd take some champagne!" He flashed the waitress a wide grin and even went as far as batting his eyelashes, "Pleaseee~?"

The attendant looked flustered and she looked back to the officer, "Ah… Well... Oh surely it wouldn't do him any harm mi-"

"Water." The woman didn't so much as shift in her seat as she glared back at the man, "He's a criminal no matter how flattering he might be-" she said firmly. "I might allow him something later, but for the moment I would rather not give him any ideas." She sent a glare to the thief who simply started to sulk in his seat.

"Yessum…" said the attendant flushing furiously as she hurriedly handed the officer her cup of coffee and a bottle of water before moving on.

The stewardess hadn't even managed to get two seats away before Kaito was popping peanuts from who knew where, and sipped his own glass of wine with a proud smirk on his face.

Aoko gave him a grieved look, but he just put his charm into his smile and leaned over saying, "Hey we're first class. They're free to us anyway… if anything wouldn't you think the wine would make me more compliant?" He made a toast against her cup of coffee.

"…Sneak anything into my drink and I'll shoot you here and now-" she warned as she sniffed her steaming cup hesitantly.

"Kaitou's honour! No spiked coffee this trip," he sipped his wine with satisfied smirk on his face.

Ah well… no use arguing-

The flight was far too long in her opinion, and made all the worse that they had to transfer planes midway in transit- regardless of the fact they shouldn't have even had to travel on a common airline in her opinion. The situation was made worse by the fact that they were keeping their "convict" under wraps. Currently they were noted to be transporting a small time thief—Not "Kaitou KID," since the last thing they needed was the media to catch wind of it and then have the idiot disappear in a poof of smoke before they even reached Tokyo.

At some point she realized that he'd appeared to have fallen asleep. Eyes shut, and leaning to one side with his calm face towards her she could almost pretend… almost believe for one second that he might be innocent.

His bangs brushed against his forehead covering his eyes just barely. He shifted his head a little to land against her shoulder, and for a moment she considered flicking him to make him move. Instead she ignored the soft sound of his breathing in her ear. Ignored the way his fingers brushed hers against the handcuffs. Ignored the way that she could start to think this wasn't KID, but just her best friend from high school who was accompanying her on an especially long trip overseas.

The attendant must have caught her staring as the woman asked softly, "Is there anything I can get you miss?"

Aoko almost leapt from her seat and shook her head furiously, "No… no nothing. Thank you."

"Of course."

When she turned back he had one eye looking at her questioningly with a sleepy expression on his face before he turned back to stare out the window.

She chose to ignore the way his fingers still brushed against hers teasingly, and the fact she knew he was still sending her fervent glances behind her back. She had a job to do, and personal life aside she had to finish it now that she'd already submerged herself into the middle of the whole chaotic mess.

But she didn't pull away when he fell asleep for a second time on her shoulder, shifting even closer than before.

And she just firmly ignored the shivers that ran through her with every hot breath that fell upon her neck.

He escaped.

He always escaped.

It wasn't her fault at least. She managed to get him to Japan even with all the red tape and shut down airports in between. She'd handed over the smiling idiot to the higher authorities, and been hailed as the premier officer of the force.

Hakuba had picked her up from a bar several hours after she'd dropped him off- and he was gracious enough to not comment on her condition. She couldn't remember all of the details of what she'd done, but she remembered enough that she knew she should be glad he was even willing to come get her.

Instead he'd not only picked her up from the bar but also dropped her off at home, made sure she got into bed, and set two aspirin and a bottle of water on her bed stand with a cold cloth on her head for later.

She half wondered if it was really Hakuba. A nagging little voice in the back of her head wondered if perhaps Kaito had already broken out by that point and it had been him instead. Something told her that it was more likely the thief had simply phoned the detective to pick her up and Hakuba had obliged. Wouldn't it just be like the two of them to do something like that? She wondered how two people that were at such odds got along so well together.

Either way when she woke up the next morning KID had broken out of jail, while she turned her cell phone off before downing the aspirin and going back to bed. They should've known better, after all she half suspected the only reason she got Kaito to Japan in the first place was because he let her.

No doubt he could have easily escaped somewhere in between if he had wanted to, but then he always was known for doing stupid stuff like that. Well he wasn't her responsibility for the moment and like hell she was getting out of bed after the trip she'd just come back from- an extra day of sleep wasn't likely to catch him any faster.

Of course it was a bit harder to ignore the knocks on her door sometime later that jarred her from her much needed rest.

Three hard raps, break, three more hard raps… a distinct police knock that she'd heard all her life from her father and almost everyone who came by now that she worked with the force. Knocks that wouldn't let you ignore them no matter how much she might want to.

She dragged herself out of bed just knowing precisely what she looked like. Make-up smeared, pajamas on, hair like something out of a horror movie… well that's what they got for actually coming to get her… What were they going to do? Fire the person who actually kept KID long enough to deliver him to the higher authorities? She highly doubted that.

Three more knocks…

"I'm coming!" she yelled as she crossed the room and threw open the door to reveal a far too awake Hakuba and two other officers behind him. She glared half wondering if she'd done something to get herself arrested while she slept…

Or maybe Kaito had gone and done something during that damnable escape and now she was going to get the heat for it…

That would figure.

"Well?" she snapped at the three of them. Hakuba at least seemed unfazed by her appearance, although the other two officers in the back traded surprised glances that didn't go unnoticed.

"KID's escaped," Hakuba stated calmly. Aoko on the other hand just stared at him waiting to see if the Detective felt like imparting further information on what the hell this had to do with her.

"…Yes and?"

"Well since he's escaped I need to-"

She didn't really want to hear it. She was tired, worn out, and still dealing with the mixed emotions of what "KID" and "escaped" meant. She cut him off "Look Hakuba- Just what am I suppose to do about that? The minute I handed him in he was out of my jurisdiction. I was just suppose to catch him, if he escaped that's someone else's problem… So unless you have a note-"

Hakuba cleared his throat, "We have a warrant for Kuroba's arrest."

Oh.

Oh.

Well that changed everything…

"I see…" she said trying to ignore the sickening feeling growing in her stomach.

He sighed, "So we felt that since you happen to be the officer currently in charge of capturing Kaitou KID you should-"

"Accompany you. Yes I suppose I should," she mentally scolded herself for the rush of fear that ran through her. She desperately wished her heart would stop going a hundred and ten miles an hour, and couldn't her stomach please stop feeling like she was going to throw up any time now. "Give me a moment to… uh get on my uniform…' she turned walking towards her bedroom before remembering they were still standing in the door. "Err just sit down… I won't be long."

"We'll wait."

Sometimes she wished she'd learned a poker face better. Kaito had babbled about the damned thing enough times that she should have learned it by this point. She should have tried harder or really been able to put up some sort of mask in situations like this.

It wasn't that she didn't have her own sort of barrier, a wall that kept her from breaking down when things got especially bad. She had learned that early on or she would never have been able to make it as an officer.

Never would have been able to take Kaito into custody the first time around.

It didn't make some things any easier… and this was one of them.

She had wondered sometimes what would happen if Kaito was KID. Back in high school she would scream, yell, and cry that Kaito couldn't be KID. She had done everything she could to prove that her best friend wasn't the man she hated more than anything.

But it had never stopped her from thinking about it.

Sometimes she came up with reasons why Kaito had to be KID—reasons why he had to steal the way he did… why he'd take on a job that he knew she hated so much.

She'd say he had to save the world, or really he was being forced to under pain of death or some other ridiculous reason.

Other times she thought about how she'd forgive him or maybe stop speaking to him or what and how she would tell her father.

But at that time Kaito wasn't KID, and she knew to her very core that Kaito couldn't be KID.

There was no fantasy this time… it wasn't pouring down sheets of rain, or a dark, bleak day that held an ominous shadow over the neighbourhood.

She wasn't wrapped in layers to keep out a cold wind, nor was she looking at morning fog that shadowed his house—and it wasn't even the middle of the night.

Instead it was warm and sunny and she was just another officer with a detective and a couple men in tow as they drove over to his mother's house with the warrant still in hand.

And somehow she kept calm. Somehow her nerves stopped screaming even when Kuroba-san opened the door and looked at her with grief and disappointment. Even when she called for her son shakily, and Aoko just stood there at the door as Hakuba went on to say they needed to do a search of the house while Kaito came up behind her.

Even as Aoko had to read him his rights for a second time without Kaito ever saying a word of protest, and then she was the one that escorted him to the car in cuffs once more.

Yet somehow she managed to shove the guilt aside as they drove to the station.

However, she could easily go a life time without having to sit in a car with Hakuba and herself escorting a handcuffed Kaito in the backseat.

When she walked in the office almost two months later she swore she was going to go deaf with the amount of screaming going on.

It was a rare occasion indeed to see Hakuba actually yelling at someone who wasn't KID. For that matter it was rare to see Hakuba yelling at all.

"What the bloody hell do you mean Kuroba Kaito might not be Kaitou KID? We have proof! We captured him! He all but admitted he was Kaitou KID! And even if he DID escape, we de-masked the bloody bastard! I've had him tracked down since high school!" yelled the British detective, completely losing his calm exterior that he was so well known for.

The chief rubbed his temples with a sigh, "But that's just it. He didn't admit to it. Contrary to everything that's been said he never made a claim that he was even Kuroba Kaito. Both his residences have turned up nothing, and to be frank Hakuba the lawyer is making an excellent case against us."

"Who on earth would be his defending lawyer in the first place? Damn it! Chief that man is-"

"Kisaki Eri…"

"The Queen of-"

"Exactly…" he let out a sigh. "She's made the perfect argument as to how Kuroba isn't KID. While we do have pictures and the evidence from when you caught him, she's making a claim that Kuroba was misrepresented and said that he was actually working on a tour out of the country-" Hakuba started to open his mouth to yell some more and the chief cut him off again, "We know KID wasn't wearing a mask, but further evidence has been brought forth that KID's true appearance is also similar to several other individuals."

Hakuba made a snort of disbelief and the chief threw up his hands, "Apparently Kudo Shinichi is said to be a match for KID's appearance. It was noted that the thief has disguised himself as the detective without a mask in more than one case with other detectives in attendance. There is also another man- Nagashima Shigeo who came up as a near identical match in looks as well. Without further proof it is a distinct possibility that it will be impossible to convict the young man."

Aoko's pulse quickened and she could hear her heart pounding in her ears. No way. Impossible… just… impossible. She didn't know what to say, but… Kaito cleared? She didn't know whether to be furious or- or-

"Nakamori what do you have to say?" All eyes turned on her and she felt frozen to her spot. "I know you were called in to give a testimony-"

She licked her lips nervously, but all she could do was shake her head, "I don't know-" she said softly. "I told them everything I knew but… I left as soon as my statement was given." She saw Hakuba look at her furiously and she shook her head, "I suppose it's never confessed either way… and as you said; no proof regardless of what I might think."

Traitor said the look that Hakuba threw at her. But she also saw resignation slip into his frown, and he let out a groan.

"That's settled then…" said the chief with a growl. "No proof… no way we can know. Kuroba goes free unless you or Hakuba can drag something out we don't already have. Just means we'll have to work that much harder to pin him. Damn but he's a slippery son of a bitch!" He slammed his fist onto the table causing it to tremble under his fist.

As Aoko slipped out of the room she tried to remind herself that she had no reason to be relieved and every reason to be enraged.

It didn't work as well as it should have.

Of course all it took was a heist to make her take back that choice in judgment. Suddenly she was ready to conduct the search of his house herself… if it meant she'd get rid of bloody KID once and for all.

She remembered precisely why she should have been furious, and helped end any inner turmoil she had concerning KID and his arrest.

Not only had the idiot led her on a stupid wild goose chase, taken out nearly the entire force with sleeping gas, and made her look like an incompetent fool, but now he was swinging her handcuffs over a thirty story building-

After he'd already tossed her gun into the damned ocean. She was starting to understand precisely why Hakuba hated him more than she did.

Any remorse she had started to feeling about arresting Kaito. Any good feelings that had started to pop up during those long plane rides, and seeing the bubbling, smiling magician on a regular basis? Any thoughts that maybe, just maybe KID wasn't so bad?

Well he could just forget any progress he'd made now.

"Give those back KID- Just because your not in them doesn't mean I still don't need them and I don't have the money to pay for a new pair seeing how I'm already going to have to buy a new gun because of you!" her voice carried an edge of anger as she watched the young man throw her a teasing grin as he spun them around on his finger.

"You weren't going to use it anyway Nakamori-san, you're too sweet," funny how the last part came out almost as a leer. Had they been closer she would have punched him, presuming of course he let her, which given her previous luck that night was highly doubtful.

"We don't just get those you know, they cost money and some of us have to actually pay for the stuff we use-" she glared at him as he tutted at her and leaned against the railing holding her handcuffs over the water.

"I give back everything I steal Nakamori-san, don't be so heartless. But you know as well as I that I don't approve of guns. And as for these?" He looked at the cuff and grinned back treacherously, "Well I admit a liking for watching you squirm."

"I'll kill you-" she muttered angrily.

"Of course you will…" he held the cuffs over the edge and started to admire the view.

She'd been patient enough, and anytime now someone was going to come up and see the whole thing. This was getting ridiculous, "KID just give those back already. You've won the heist, had your fun, drop the handcuffs and go already. I'm tired and have somewhere to be after this whole things done-"

"Oooh is it a date? Really? After the heist?" His voice was teasing and she thought about just letting him have the cuffs and taking off without them.

There was a new theory… ignoring KID. No attention and he'd probably just disappear into smoke like another of his magic tricks.

Or sulk…

And there was the problem. She had a nagging suspicion a sulking KID would be far more dangerous than a tricky one.

"A drink with another officer. Nothing serious, and no I won't tell you his name. The last thing I need is some poor man terrorized by you because I'm in charge of catching KID-" she snapped, "But since your obviously done with tonight's heist why don't you give me my damn cuffs and get the hell out of here?"

"Language Nakamori-san. Language…" he looked at the cuffs and suddenly one of those smiles played across his lips. "Alright… fine… I'll return your cuffs" he said eyes sparkling with danger. "But- only if you give me something first."

Yes this was precisely why she hated him so much, "Dammit those are mine!"

"Yes and obviously I've taken a liking to them. It's not anything you can't afford…" he swung them around and almost pretended to drop them off into the side overlooking the sea. "Just a kiss-"

"Like HELL!" She yelled. The flood of curses that came out of her mouth would have put Nakamori senior to shame, and KID laughed even louder.

"Is that even physically possible?" He was sitting on the ledge now. He had to wonder where she'd picked up some of the more unusual ones, he had been so certain he knew her full vocabulary at this point.

"Handcuffs. Now."

Another laugh, "I really had no idea you were the type officer…" he leered back just as light as ever. "Are you really the innocent girl I knew back in high school?" He knew it was the wrong thing to say as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

There were some walls you didn't cross, and that was one of them.

She growled, "Fine. Keep them. Have a great time…" she turned abruptly and started to walk towards the exit.

He sighed knowing he'd gone too far, "You cut me off before I could finish you know. A kiss on the hand… I'll take it as token from my favourite officer hmm?"

"Like hell," she snapped angrily.

"I'm a thief. I steal things… I suppose if you really don't want them though…" he let them start to slip from his fingers.

"Fine! Wait….. A kiss on the hand?" she asked incredulously. "What are you playing at?"

"Nothing!" he said with a shrug, "An admiring gentleman who can brag that he kissed the hand of his officer that's all…" he winked.

"That's it?"

He grinned cheekily at her suspicious, "I promise. Nothing more… just a brush of the lips then you'll have your cuffs, I'll be gone and you can go back to cursing me in peace and quite and be off to that date of yours."

"…on the hand?" Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him suspiciously.

"No secret lip poison or anything. Just a kiss and I'll leave you on your way-" he said with a nod.

She let out a languished sigh and finally stuck out her hand like some piece of unwanted wood, "Fine! Here…"

Another chuckle as he walked over like a giant cat. She suddenly felt half her size as he smirked, "Of course my Lady-" gloved hands engulfed her calloused fingers. Silk against the roughness that had developed from constant practicing with her guns and shallow cuts and calluses from constant paperwork and late nights writing. They were as far from a lady's hands as you got.

She pushed back the bitter thoughts that he probably had softer hands then she did given his use of gloves and his work as a magician.

He raised her stiff hand and his fingers were warm even through the fabric, slowly he lowered his head and warm, soft lips set themselves on her knuckles, brushed over her finger tips…

She tried to remind herself to breath.

Blue eyes looked up to meet her own confused ones. The emotions reflected were as far from the teasing nonsensical thief as he could get, but she tried to still her own face into a mask of sensibility. She wouldn't let him put her off guard, couldn't let him.

And why were his lips still pressed to her fingers?

She tried to concentrate on something else… concentrate on Kensuke who had asked her for a drink after the heist. Concentrate on the pile of paperwork that was still not done. Concentrate on the fact that while he would never let her , she could smack him in an instant. Concentrate on the fact that at this point Kaito must know that she didn't want anything to do with him.

It didn't do anything to change the fact that his fingers dwelled a bit too long on hers though.

When he finally stepped away he had that arrogant grin still pasted to his face, "Well… the agreement's met… until later Nakamori-san!" He tilted his hat in a flourished bow.

She scowled, "What about my hand-" she tried to reach out and blinked as she looked down before another flood of curses erupted from her mouth.

"Good Night!"

Half an hour later the members of the force hid behind the wall waiting to gain control of themselves before letting themselves be known to their commanding officer.

After all they didn't know she'd had her gun confiscated and none of them really want to risk getting shot.

Because for the life of them they simply couldn't stop laughing at the cursing woman currently handcuffed to the railing of the roof.

Needless to say it was another night of late night drinking for Aoko, and there wasn't a second date.

The first bouquet showed up a few days later. Not too extravagant, but enough that all eyes were trained on the arrangement as the delivery boy set it on her desk and asked her to sign off on it.

She looked at the paper work and frowned at the boy who was looking expectedly, "I didn't order these."

"Of course not-" he said with a shrug. "Usually that's why I'm delivering them if I may say so miss…"

Her eyes hardened as she looked at the dozen roses, all colours, and she asked wearily, "Can you at least tell me who ordered them than?" She looked for a place card, and finally saw a small note pushed into the branches.

The boy shook his head, "No name on the receipt. Sorry- just told to drop them off to Officer Nakamori Aoko." He seemed nervous and if it wasn't for his small size she might've thought it was Kaito in disguise. Except the boys brown eyes, and way they darted at his wrist showed she'd probably already held him to questioning too long- and wasn't his fault he was the messenger,

She began reaching for her purse, "Alright. Well thank you for your-"

He saw her reaching for the wallet and shook his head backing away, "Tips taken care of Miss, no payment needed. Thank you!" before turning and darting out of the police station, leaving a stunned Aoko still holding the tiny card and her wallet.

It was hard to ignore the stares she was receiving from her co-workers. She supposed she'd do the same in such a situation. She wasn't known for having too many beaus- or rather any boyfriends at all. That's what came from being "Nakamori Aoko" extreme workaholic and enslaved to catching Kaitou KID. It wasn't that she never dated, but it wasn't about to be said that she was known to see someone for long.

Looking around she brought her hands around the card and glanced down.

A KID signature.

No note. No thoughts. No nothing… just a tiny little card and his KID doodle.

She was going to kill him.

It had been no problem for him to slip through the window and into the guest bedroom of the mansion. It had been even easier to figure out which room was hers, and better still that the rooms next door were empty of guests. No one to hear, and on top of it he could go in, change and stash the rest of his articles of clothing before she ever saw what was going on.

All the better that the rest of her belongings hadn't been brought up yet. He'd overheard in the servant quarters that the luggage would be delivered after the heist in case KID did something with them. Not that Kaito could figure out what exactly he'd do with the luggage… hide in a suitcase? Purloin a suit? Much easier this way.

Sure enough the dress was laid out on the bed, some drapey, silky thing that probably would look just fabulous on it's owner. He thanked the fact that the servants had seemed to have come and taken her soiled garments… all the better since it would leave her trapped until someone came and let her out or he brought her clothes back.

She'd spend a good part of the time just trying to find the missing dress after all- and he'd already disabled her cell phone so she couldn't call anyone for help.

Of course what he wasn't expecting was for the bathroom door to open and have Aoko step into the middle of the room.

Water was dripping from a few loose locks of her hair, while she grabbed the towel closer to her body. The air was chilled as it clung to her wet skin, but that wasn't what made her hair raise. That was solely due to the man standing in her bedroom, and currently holding up the evening gown she had been planning to wear.

He turned slowly and a mild look of surprise came over his face before a leering smirk took its place. Violet-blue eyes lowered and began tracing her body- legs, arms, the curves along which the towel wrapped around her damp figure. The wet bangs that trailed across her face as she stood there shivering, and her mouth opened in shock.

He kept down a blush but only barely as he saw how the towel clung to her, damp and leaving very little to imagination.

He placed the dress over one arm and bowed to the girl with a tilt of his hat, eyes still trained on her as a lilting voice called out, "Good evening Nakamori-san!"

She stared, then as she clung tighter to her towel screamed, "GET OUT!" It was probably a saving grace nothing throwable was within her vicinity as she stared at him across the room.

"Ah-" he said with a chuckle. "I was just leaving actually… forgive me for interrupting your shower. Well I hope you have a nice evening Nakamori-san… and I must say-" His eyes traced her body again and she looked as though she was about to die from mortification, "You are looking particularly lovely."

She looked like she was either going to start screaming or really was going to murder him as he shook his head ruefully, "Well I'll be going!" He turned and began strolling towards the window when Aoko realized exactly what was wrong.

"Wait!" He turned and she saw him cock an eyebrow as her lips began to purse, "What are you doing with my dress?"

If a thief could look innocent, the expression on his face was probably as close as you go. He held up the evening gown and with a blank smile asked in a light voice, "You mean this one?"

"Yes that one-" she knew she should feel more self-conscious given her current condition of standing in the room wearing nothing but a towel and getting leered at by KID, but instead she just felt angry and now he was making off with her only garment in the entire room.

His innocent look was suddenly replaced with one that had a far more wolfish hint to it, "Why officer you're quite intelligent. Surely you can figure this one out…" he saw her look and grinned, "What better disguise? No one would suspect! I admit I considered Kudo for a bit, but I thought this might be more fun- and less conspicuous given the whole world knows I look a bit like him. What with your lack of clothing…" His grin widened, "Well I seriously doubt you'll be going downstairs in a towel especially with a room filled with so many handsome young men." His voice teased her gently, and she felt her cheeks go even darker.

"You are not taking my dress!" she said furiously as she started stalking towards him.

"Now Nakamori-san are you saying you will make an appearance in such an avant-garde outfit? I didn't think you were the type!" He leaned against the windowsill as his eyes laughed at the livid young lady who was shooting daggers at him.

"I caught you once! See if I don't catch you again!" she said her voice seeped with poison as she tried to dash over and grab the dress. He easily stepped away and held it above her head as he clucked her, still grinning.

"Of course you will. After all your father tried for twenty five years or so-" he told nonchalantly as he admired the dress he was holding up. It sparkled in the moonlight, and he really doubt he'd be wearing that, but then he'd already had plans for a duplicate.

She was furious and in the way she stared at him across the room he could tell she was more upset than normal. He'd wondered that she even stood there as long as she did in nothing but a towel, not that he minded but it was unusual. She hissed at him walking forward.

"You will not rob me of my clothes! Dammit give that back you… you thief!" It was perhaps the lamest insult she had ever used and the way he was laughing at her she felt all the more humiliated.

He knew he'd put her off guard too. His laughter rang through the room as he placed the gown over his shoulder, "Ah but Nakamori-san, have you forgot? That's precisely what I am… a thief." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"…And now the Kaitou KID is stealing women's clothing-" she deadpanned stopping slightly before him. "A female officer's clothes at that…" she growled. "Don't you think that's a bit beneath you?"

"Nay my lady-" he bantered back easily, "I would say that is perhaps the most daring heist of all. Danger, suspense, scandal, and a beautiful women at the center of it all-" he added as an afterthought. He shook his head at her like she was a troublesome little girl, "Have no worry Nakamori-san, I'll make sure you have a new gown after I'm finished. I would offer you this one, but somehow I have a feeling you wouldn't want to wear something I've been in, right?" Well no point in telling her about the second one, more fun this way.

"Bastard!" she shot back trying to find something to throw at his head.

"Au Contraire mademoiselle," he said with a smile, "I assure you… my mother loved my father very much."

He ducked as she threw a nearby object at his head.

"Give me back my dress or I'm going to scream, whether the entire taskforce sees me in a towel or not! I should've screamed for Hakuba or somebody by now anyway…" she said looking back towards the door. It was easy to see she was calculating how quickly she could reach for the handle, and the thief's own eyes followed hers.

He frowned, "Now Nakamori-san that wouldn't be-"

She took a deep breath and darted for the door as she started to scream "HELP! KID-" when something grabbed her around the middle, and soft gloved hand covered her mouth tightly.

She tried to bite it, lick it, anything that would dislodge the offending object, but nothing met her lips but soft silk, and his grip only tightened around her tighter. She squirmed trying to get away, but froze when she suddenly was aware her towel began to dislodge and slip as she tried to tug it up and was suddenly grateful for the arm holding it in place.

She heard a hiss next to her ear, her hair had fallen down from the towel and was now spilling around her shoulders. It tickled her neck as his warm breath brushed against her. "Now now Nakamori-san… I can't have you give me away can I?"

"Wvwebt bwe gwoo!" she tried to yell from behind the glove hand, but only was met with a light chuckle in her ear.

"Tsk tsk… I could have just hit you with sleeping gas you know…. Now if I let go of your mouth will you promise not to scream?" His voice was calm and she felt angry at being treated like some skittish animal.

"MWEVAR!" she tried to bite his fingers again.

His grip around her stomach tightened, "Now Nakamori-san be reasonable. I could very well let you go and you could scream, but you and I both know the situation you are currently in. Alone in your guest room, with no other clothes then the dress which is currently far away from your grasp and you wearing a towel-" another chuckle and she felt her cheeks heating up when she felt how close his body was to hers, "A very short towel may I add, oh and one that is currently slipping off. I dare say if I were to pull away just a tad-" He let a little space break between them and she felt the front falling away from her chest as she nearly had them both tumble over when she shoved back into him.

"Now if you still wish to scream for an audience, indulge me; but I admit that might be one show I'll have to watch-" he added.

"Mmmffphh…" she muttered into his hand, which he took as an agreement. His hand slipped away from her mouth.

"I hate you…" she snapped. "I really, really hate you, you know that?. I don't know how anyone even THINKS that they could like you. You are the stupidest most arrogant…" his hand clamped back onto her mouth and she tried to turn and glare at him.

He felt sweat forming on his forehead, "Oiy, come on Nakamori-san I'm not going to take my hand away just to have insults thrown at me." He took it away again, "Do we have a deal?"

"I will never make a deal with you!" she snapped at the thief. "You… you…"

"I know. Thief…" He said humorously. She could be so cute sometimes, "Well? You won't try to run for the door if I let you go?"

"….."

"We'll take that as a yes-" he said as he slipped his arms away. She frantically grabbed for the towel clinging to it with burnished cheeks.

"You're not leaving with my dress-" she hissed.

"I think Nakamori-san you are in no position to be giving orders…" he said raising an eyebrow.

She reached out and grabbed the edge of his coat glaring, "I thought you were suppose to be a gentleman?" her voice carried a distinct hint of disbelief, and that grated on his nerves even more.

"Nakamori-san surely you know at this point that you are not the first person of whom I have stolen clothes from. Unlike most however I am not leaving you tied up in the bathroom, which I thought you might be grateful for-"

"KAITO!" She yanked on his jacket more firmly and finally he gave a sigh swerving around to look at the angry girl.

"Now didn't that poor boy just go through a trial that he won proving that you couldn't prove he was KID?" He quirked an eyebrow with that same teasing smile on his face.

"…Seeing how I'm stuck in a room with you, wearing nothing but a towel, and you're about to wear my dress I think we can confirm this is off the books-" she hissed still trying to stabilize the far too short towel.

"Alright then. Tell me darling Aoko-chan… What will you give me if I were to give you back the dress?" He asked teasingly at the woman.

She stared at him incredulously, "Give you? Give you! It's my dress!"

He tapped his foot not letting it go. "Yes and I am currently in possession of said dress, and had every intention of borrowing it to use as my disguise for this gathering tonight. I will have to come up with a whole new plan if you rob me of that, so tell me Nakamori-san-" a teasing smile graced his lips. "What will the lady give me?"

Her eyes narrowed, "How about a knock on the head?"

"Tsk Tsk… so unladylike…" he said looking back towards the window.

"It's my dress! Why should I give you anything! I should shoot you for this!" She was almost yelling as she threw a pillow at his head again, which once more he ducked easily from.

He shook his head, "You don't have a gun on you, unless you have a gun hidden on that upper thigh of yours somewhere… and I have to say from my view I'm not buying that." She blushed even more and he saw her adjusting the towel as he tried to look bored.

"Fine." she growled at him, "What do you want this time? Another kiss on the hand or something else just as ridiculous!"

He shook his head but something in his eyes struck her. The way that his smile changed just a tad, and the teasing had started to seep out, "No. Not a kiss on the hand… after all I think this dress is worth a bit more than that hmm?"

For some reason his gaze caused her cheeks to grow redder. The way that he could see straight through her and for all she'd been standing their in a towel for a good while, suddenly she was aware of it, "Than what?"

Suddenly he was serious. Dead serious. She could see it in his eyes as they met her own, and the way his lips set. He said firmly, "A kiss."

Her hand clutched at the towel and forced a laugh from her lips, "Don't tease Kaito."

"You know I'm not-" he walked towards her and looked down at the stunned girl, "A kiss. Just one- and then I'll give you back the dress and leave you alone for the rest of the night. My word." His violet eyes (or were they mostly blue now?) kept her frozen where she stood. She found her throat dry as she tried to find words.

"Someone's been spending too much time out of Japan-" she muttered finally pulling her gaze away and wishing the blood would stop rushing to her face.

He chuckled, "Or I suppose maybe I've been watching one too many movies. Regardless that's my price."

Price. Prizes. It finally gave her the momentum she needed to step away and pull back into reality, "I think that might be too high a price."

"Well…" he smiled, "I suppose I'll just leave with this pretty little garment and be on my way then. Have fun being found in the towel… it is a very endearing look you know." His eyes lingered on her a little longer than perhaps they should have.

She watched him start to leave and felt her stomach clench as she found herself calling, "Wait!"

He turned quickly and her breath caught as Kaito… not KID but Kaito called out, "Yeah?"

"Just a kiss?" her heart was trying to beat itself out of her chest. Why would she agree to it? Why would she even consider it? Wasn't it better to just go out in her towel and tell them?

"Just a kiss," he said with a nod still looking at her as serious as ever.

"Fine…" she murmured looking away and feeling light headed as she said it. She forced her voice to be louder, calmer, "Fine. One kiss- that's it… and then I want the dress and no disguising yourself as me." She said meeting his too serious eyes.

"Deal-" he said as he suddenly closed the space between them far too quickly.

"Kait-" He had one arm around her gently and the other tilting up her chin. She fought back the butterflies that were suddenly set free in her stomach, just as she fought back the way her heart was pounding in her ears and she couldn't take her eyes off him.

His blue eyes bore into hers and she felt her blush spread. She was terrified on many levels. Scared of what this would do, what would happen, what it would mean for the thousand and one walls she'd been building through the years.

Looking at his eyes, blue eyes that went far deeper than they should, and held far more emotion than they had any right too (especially on KID) she wanted to pull away and run. Considered just letting him take the dress and yes, yes she'd find one of the other officers even if she was in a towel. This was ridiculous and there wasn't a way she could go through with it. She hated this man, and…

And she was paralyzed with fear, caught as tightly as any cornered animal.

And Kaito saw it. He saw the mortification and terror hiding right behind her eyes. Aoko who even in the middle of the worse crisis would always just scream and yell and fight back with all the fury and passion of a typhoon. Aoko who was never afraid, who at that moment was looking up at him and was fully ready to run in fear.

He was being stupid in the first place. He should never have drawn out the request although he'd never thought she'd actually agree to it. He'd been slightly angry, slightly hyped by the adrenaline and it had gone to his head, and now he was paying the price.

So he tilted her head, moved forward, and let his lips brush her forehead.

She was startled and pulled away, looking up confused as he shrugged, "I said a kiss. I never said it had to be on the lips did I?" He set the gown in her hands as she started to speak, and he placed a finger over her lips as he shook his head.

His mask had gone back up to hide all trace of the emotions she'd seen earlier, "Enjoy your evening. Until later Nakamori-san."

She watched as the tail of his cloak floated out the window, and she waited several heartbeats before her legs finally gave way and she sat at the edge of the bed, damp, clutching her evening gown and far more confused than she had been in a long time.

The next batch arrived without any delivery boy at all, and had a box of chocolates with it…. Expensive chocolates imported from Europe that were filled with different types of liquors.

She was slowly realizing she'd never be able to live this down in the office. The women were getting more and more eager to know about her mystery man who was simply "So romantic" and couldn't understand in the slightest why she had nearly broken a window when she threw the first batch.

She was getting so sick of by the next day that she began to contemplate actually telling them it was KID.

Except that knowing the females she worked with they'd probably come up with some elaborate love story and never shut up.

She also really liked her job, and didn't want to lose it because one of the other officers got the wrong idea from one of Kaito's stupid pranks.

When she got another bouquet after the next heist (this time she didn't even get close enough to do more than scream some insults in his direction and watch him turn half her fellow officers hair pink) she decided that the flowers were probably some elaborate heist note that she was missing the meaning too, and if she ignored them maybe they would go away.

There was something about a policeman's knock that automatically sent Kaito on edge. A quick "bang bang bang" and that was it, he was half way to the window before even thinking about the situation at hand.

Thus when his peaceful afternoon of actually planning some of his new acts for his show happened to be interrupted by the sharp sound of a knock he wasn't sure what to expect.

The last heist had been nearly flawless, and there was no way they could have further proof… if there had been anything Hakuba would have come forward with it ages ago, he'd been screaming bloody murder ever since Kaito got off trial.

Another knock and he decided he should probably answer it. More than likely it was Hakuba coming for some stupid reason, or maybe they just felt the need to bother him. From what he saw his residence wasn't surrounded by the taskforce or anything, so chances were it had to be a civilian visitor.

He strode over to the door and opened it to have a giant bouquet shoved directly in his face.

"Aoko?" he managed through a mouthful of rose petals.

"What the hell do you think you're doing Kaito!" He fought against the leaves and dozen or so flowers currently taking over his face as he tried to look at her. It was a bit hard to make a case for yourself when you were being beaten with your own bouquet.

"Uh… I thought it was kind of obvious," said the man as he stepped back into his apartment to set the flowers on the coffee table. "Want to come in?"

"…." she didn't move from her position at his front door as she glared at him. "Kaito encase you happened to miss the notice… I'm the officer in charge of trying to arrest you!"

He looked at her calmly from where he was suddenly arranging the flowers in a vase that he had pulled from apparently thin air, "Sure you wouldn't like some tea? You look like you could use some, when was the last time you slept?"

"Dammit Kaito don't do this to me! Just… stop it alright? No more flowers. No more gifts popping up in odd places. No more of this," she threw up her hands. "I'm. Not. Interested. I'm tired, I'm exhausted, and I can't deal with you and KID both do you understand?"

He looked up from his arrangement and the grin on his face was almost deadly, "Oh are these from KID? And here I thought you were just bringing me flowers…."

"You son of a-" he wondered if he'd gone too far as she nearly exploded in his hallway. Actually he was very aware that he'd probably gone too far given that it had been enough to make Aoko show up on his doorway without backup.

"Alright! Alright… stop… sheesh you're going to traumatize the neighbours… " he said with a chuckle. "Not that they aren't already scarred for life I'm sure, but fine. Alright…" he held up his hands. "Fine. I won't do that anymore… I'll leave you alone and just do normal heists. I can't stop all the flirting-" he told her carefully, "Be serious Aoko… that's half of what makes KID. But… I'll try alright?"

"…. Don't try Kaito, do it, or next time I'm delivering that idiotic thing to headquarters and I'll see they trace it right back to your doorstep do you understand?"

He watched her face carefully before he nodded, "Fine. Alright. I hear the rules loud and clear, obviously I've overstepped the line. I'll stop if that's what you want."

"….See that you do."

"And I'm not KID you know…"

The door slammed behind her.

He had another girl on his arms, and the laughter in his voice rang out easily. Easier perhaps than it might with her, where it seemed like another wall got build up every heist. The woman on his arm though- she was another story.

She was beautiful, with long black hair that might as well be silk, a shape Aoko could never even pray to attain, and eyes that were as soft as velvet. She could easily be a model, and her smile reached her eyes when she spoke to Kaito.

Though Aoko supposed it would be hard for anyone to not have a smile when they talked to Kaito unless they had no feelings at all. That was part of what made Kaito… well.. Kaito.

On the other hand she had absolutely no reason to feel so much as iota of… well… anything concerning Kaito and a woman. It wasn't like she was jealous or anything…

After all hadn't she been the one to show up at his house threatening him with arrest if he didn't call a stop to the whole charade?

But the way the beautiful woman made him smile, and how he looked just like any other man as he chatted so easily with the model-esque lady. God they made a pair together. He was striking in dress clothes and next to the woman they could've easily been say Izanagi and Izanami.

And how long had it been since she made him smile? Actually smile? Not the strained forced way that he got when they talked now?

It didn't stop the pang that ran through her, or how all the fantasy's she'd held when she was younger came back to her tenfold.

She was still watching him over her third glass of wine she'd downed where she stood, when his eyes met hers for just the briefest moment. She almost dropped her glass as he raised his eyebrow towards her before a small smirk slid into his smile and he turned back to the woman.

A waiter came by and she grabbed another glass, downing it in a single gulp. Bastard. That's what he was in the end, a complete and utter arrogant bastard who was completely and utterly stupid.

Fine. Idiot wasn't even suppose to be there, and she still didn't know what the hell anyone thought in inviting a known thief to a charity ball.

Convicted or no.

He left with the model.

She left drunk.

"Did you and the other boy break up?" asked Yuki a couple weeks later.

She looked up from her desk startled by the girl's comment. "Wh- What?" she asked weakly. "What makes you think I was dating in the first place?"

"…All those flowers. I mean… they couldn't just be a prank yea? Did you break up? Maybe we should go out for a drink after work Aoko-chan…it always help if I go out and try to forget about him," the girl gave her an encouraging smile and patted her on the pack.

Aoko was still trying to register what the girl was saying, "Wait? What on earth gave you the idea that I broke up with anyone?"

Yuki looked at Aoko awkwardly, and a faint blush tinted her cheeks, "Well… I mean it seemed pretty obvious. You looked a mess at the whole charity ball, and after the flowers stopped coming and you haven't been in the best of moods lately-"

"That doesn't mean I broke up with anyone!"

"Of course not Aoko-chan," Yuki said in the tone of voice that obviously meant she didn't believe a word the other girl was saying.

"I didn't!"

.Except a few drinks at the bar, a couple hours later had the girl watching Aoko with an even more enlightened look on her face.

"Wha-?" said Aoko glaring at the other girl suspiciously.

"You loved him didn't you?"

Silence. Even after several drinks Aoko had no response to that, and it sobered her up almost instantly.

"What are you talking about," she said softly, dangerously even.

"…I mean you loved him. The guy—like he broke your heart yeah? I mean it explains everything. I kind of was betting that you didn't really like him that much, but I realize I was wrong now… suppose I should have know—"

Aoko froze and clung to her drink like a lifeline, "I don't know what you-"

"Well 'cause we were betting you actually hated his guts, although a few people pointed out you have a tendency to yell more at the people who actually matter to you, I suppose that should have been a dead give away. Now I get it. You loved him…" she waved the bartender for another drink, "Well it'll be okay Aoko-chan. You'll find someone else."

"I don't understand!" Aoko said angrily, almost falling off the barstool as she waved a hand at the girl, "Or you don't…" she made a face, "I don't…It's not…" A couple drinks and the words wouldn't come out straight. She took a deep breath putting her thoughts in order, "I never loved him. I didn't even like him! He's… he's stupid…" her thoughts wouldn't form fast enough and the woman across frowned.

"Sit down… you don't want to hurt yourself."

"I don't love him!" by now it was a plea more than anything and the other woman shook her head.

"Look I don't—"

"Please. I don't…"

"Fine… Okay you don't love him…" Yuki finished her drink looking waywardly at Aoko, who she realized was far more gone then she'd previously thought. . "I don't even know who he is so I guess it doesn't matter. I think we should probably get you home…."

"I don't love him," whispered Aoko again, although it didn't stop the tears that started falling down her cheeks.

Maybe going out for drinks hadn't been the best idea ever.

"Yeah, yeah… whatever."

Whispers floated to her from behind her desk. She could hear the office go strangely quite, just as a bubble of hushed talk began coming her way.

Silence was never a good sign.

She looked up to figure out what the hell was going on, only to be met with two bright blue eyes smiling down at her as they hovered over her.

Followed shortly by one Kuroba Kaito sitting on her desk.

"What. Are. You. Doing. Here." she punctuated each word as she stared up at the boy angrily.

"Well I came to get you for dinner. You do get off in-" he glance up at her clock and back to her with a look of complete innocence, "Ten minutes yeah?"

She blinked up at him like he was speaking a foreign language, "Kaito this is a police station and you were on the stands against said police station as a felon… you can't just WALTZ in here!"

"Ah but see? I wasn't convicted, and there lies all the difference," he said with a grin.

She really hated him. Really, really hated him. That smug look, and the way he just waited for her without a care in the world. Ooohhh he made her mad, and to think she'd been crying over the damn idiot a week before.

"No. That does not make all the difference. Had you been convicted you would currently be in prison-"

"Or on another continent playing an extreme version of Carmen Sandiego…" he piped in while he suddenly sported a red fedora.

"…I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that…"

The man was now twirling the hat giving a look that should have screamed "danger danger" had she been not trying her best to ignore him… when he went on going, "Personally I think you'd make a much better version of her…."

A poof of smoke, and she looked down to see she was wearing some tight fitting black thingy with a red trench… and what she knew was that stupid fedora.

She threw down her files onto chair, looked straight at the thief and glared, "Kaito. If you don't get me out of this thing in ten seconds I'm going to see that you're arrested for breaking and entering, harassment, or what ever other charge I can come up with in the time it takes me to get Watanube-san and Yukari-san in here…"

She realized her mistake almost as soon as the words were out of her mouth.

With a sly smile he walked to her and leaned as he leered, "Ooooh Ao-chan wants me to undress her in the offfiiiceee… Can we make room on the desk?"

She stood like a dear in the headlights as he stretched out over her paperwork with an even more mischievous look… which finally sparked a response.

"…OUT!" She yelled. "Out now! And I want my damn uniform, those are expensive and some of us do NOT have never ending bank accounts and probably the access codes to every bank in the city!"

He pouted as he leaped off with the ease of a feline, and stalked his way to lean in the doorway pouting, "You wound me Aoko. I would never use those access codes unless I'm on official business, and not for money that's for sure."

"OUT!"

He grinned as he stayed comfortably in the doorframe, "Go to dinner with me and I'll change you back into your uniform, although I think that's a pretty cute outfit. Sure you don't-"

"…..Kaito I'm seriously considering killing you right now… if you want to get out of this alive I'd advise you to shut the hell up." She looked up and glared at him, "Aren't you dating that model of yours I saw at the Charity ball anyway?"

Kaito rolled his eyes, "Her? No way… she's married anyway. Oiy don't look at me like that! I didn't know until later! I'm not that much of an idiot."

"….On the count of three Kaito… one… two…" She reached for her gun when he showed no sign of moving but blanched as she pulled out a banana instead.

"What did you do with my gun…."

"You don't really want to be carrying those anyway do you?" He asked still watching her with a chuckle.

She stalked towards the door, "I have an entire force at my command, and one word and you'll be sitting on the street before you can even think about poofing anything or anyone!"

"But you wouldn't… come on Aoko… just dinner!"

"Get! Out!" she yelled picking up the nearest object to lodge at his head.

"Please?"

"OUT!"

"Look just a catch up among friends…. Surely your up for that!"

A book went flying across the room and missed him by an inch. He winced looking at the book mournfully, "Still so violent… alright alright… I'll go. What about just a drink then?"

"Do you want to be arrested?" she hissed angrily.

"A drink?" He wheedled further as he watched the girl's pretense slowly start to sink away.

"Promise you won't do this again?" she asked grabbing a vase to throw at him this time.

"Deal!" he said brightly as he held out her coat and bag that he got from who knew where.

"….I can't believe I'm doing this…" she muttered angrily as she grabbed her things from him in a huff, "This doesn't mean anything you know."

"I know," he said with a grin. "But at least it means your talking to me again yeah?"

"…. Don't push it…"

It was Hakuba who showed up in her office the next day, and she was starting to feel that the office had turned into her high school classroom.

"Yes?" she asked looking over the file she had been currently studying concerning KID's last heist.

Hakuba was giving her the mother hen look from where he stood in the doorway, "I heard a rumour…"

She stared at him waiting for the man to continue, and when he didn't she let out a groan, "I didn't exactly think you were the type to pick up break room gossip."

He cleared his throat, "Aoko-san is it true that you left with Kuroba last night?"

It took her best composure not to have all of her files fly everywhere, as she carefully- very carefully set them on her desk, "…What do you mean?"

"Katayama-san said that Kuroba showed up yesterday and you two had some sort of argument and then you took off with him," whatever showed on her face gave him the answer he needed. The detective rubbed his temples as he took a seat across from her, "What were you thinking? If the chief heard this you could be dismissed! Kuroba may not have been convicted but-"

She wanted to hide under the paperwork, "I know! I know alright? It was just a drink… don't you think I know all that? He showed up and wouldn't leave, so I said yes to a couple drinks to get rid of him… Seeing how you weren't around to kick him out it seemed to be the best idea I had at the time."

The withering look the detective gave her said he didn't believe a word of it which irritated her more than anything else, "What?"

"You still like him," it wasn't a question.

"What! No! I hate him! How could you even… he's KID Hakuba! I arrested him twice, or did you forget that?" She went back to looking at her paperwork deciding that it seemed like the better choice.

"Just be careful alright?" He said tiredly, "You're a good officer, and I'd hate to see all that ruined because of one of Kuroba's…"

"It was just a drink…" she muttered under her breath.

"Just think about it alright?"

"You said you wouldn't do this again," she told the magician who was waiting at her desk as she returned to gather her things to leave. He seemed to have made himself at home while he flipped through the files that she had left on the desk to take home with her. "And those are confidential you know-"

"Ah yes. Imagine how terrible it would be if I knew when the next KID heist was-" he said raising an eyebrow with a sly smile on his face.

She put her coat on and was grabbing her briefcase without so much as a look his way, "Is that a confession."

"No. I just thought-"

She fished out the other files she needed slipping them in the bag before turning to grab the KID files out of his hands, "Precisely," her eyes gleamed as she looked up at him, "And here I was under the impression you didn't understand how to think."

He pouted as he somehow reclaimed the papers and reopened them to his previous page, "You wound me severely my Lady Love!"

She grabbed them out of his hands and turned away praying her cheeks hadn't flared up terribly, "I am not your lady love as you put it. I'm not even your date. All you are is annoying," she snapped throwing down her copies.

"Ready to go?" He held up her purse and offered her an arm.

She sighed, "I don't think…"

"Too late! No thinking!" He marched her out before No even passed her lips.

She knew she was in trouble the minute she got the notice to go to the chief's office. It was never good, and she had an inkling as to why she was being called as well.

She wanted to kill Kaito. It was all his fault in the first place… and Hakuba had warned her as well… although she supposed she held some of the blame too.

Of course it was hard to hate any type of outing where Kaito was involved.

She hesitantly walked into the office, and winced at the disappointment she saw in her boss' eyes.

"You called me in sir?"

"Sit down Nakamori-san will you?"

So long as she wasn't losing her job, oh God he couldn't do that right? Theoretically there was no proof Kaito was KID, so how could they fire her because of who she was seeing? Not that she was seeing anyone… they'd just had drinks that was all.

"Nakamori-san I think we need to have a talk-"

It was Kaito who found her at the bar that was almost deserted except for a few lone business men still drinking themselves into an oblivion before going home.

He slipped up behind her as he looked at the way she stared at her glass intently as if trying to decide whether she still had enough tot take another sip. He fixed that by taking it from her hand and passing it straight to the bartender, "Come on Aoko- We're going home."

She looked up and frowned further as she took in his face, "Wha' are ya doin' here? Donchya have to go finish something or something…." She muttered towards the thief who reached for her hand.

"I came to get you. Can you stand up?"

"'Course… I don't need your help ya… you… you.." she started to stand up, and only Kaito swiftly to place an arm around her waist and hold her up stopped her from falling completely.

"Liar," he told her. His voice was light and teasing, but the expression in his face was far from laughing as he looked back at the bartender.

"How much did she have?" He asked dangerously.

The man looked nervous as he cleaned one of the other glasses, "Er.. I'm not sure. She'd been here a good portion of the night-"

Kaito slid out his wallet and pulled out several bills. Aoko craned her neck to see, but found it was too difficult to figure out and gave up. Kaito pushed them towards the bartender and held his gaze as he said, "Well next time try to cut her off will you? She may be a cop , but in case you didn't know she's also a single woman drinking alone… next time she might not have someone to get her." He snapped angrily.

The bartender looked like he was about to say something, but Kaito just wrapped his arm around Aoko, who was almost asleep at this point, and he tried to walk her towards the door.

"Dun't wanna go…" she muttered, "Specially with you. I hate you, you know… dunno why you sent …. You're…"

"I know, but Hakuba was further occupied," he told her softly as he stopped and in a quick movement lifted her completely off the ground bride style.

"I can walk…" she muttered angrily.

"Yeah well… its easier this way-" he said still not smiling as he hailed a cab to take her home.

In her haze she was well aware she should say something. She knew in the back of her mind she should pull away, and that the man holding her was one of the reasons she was even in the bar in the first place… the reason she ended up at that little bar at least once every month or so- lately more frequent than that.

But maybe it was the alcohol, or the lack of sleep finally catching up… but all she could think about was how soft his shirt was… and how warm he felt with his arms wrapped around her- and her head resting against his chest.

She falls asleep to the rhythm of his breath, heartbeat, and the smell of chocolate, roses and soap drifting from his clothes.

It's a gentle cloth on her forehead, and a hand carefully pressing several pills (which she presumes are aspirin) into her palm. She looks up into tired blue eyes that smile worriedly at her as he helps her with the glass of water.

Her head's pounding, and she winces sitting up and drinking what she can… thankful that it appears to overcast outside, and he had closed the curtains on the rest of the windows to keep out the light, or maybe the sun just isn't up yet… she's not really certain.

He realizes she's going to be sick before she does apparently… since she feels strong arms lift her up once more and carry her to the bathroom. A soft hand on her head, and her hair carefully wrapped up to keep it from getting in the way.

A cold cloth on her forehead, and all she want to do is cry because this is the last way she wants him to see her.

As he carries her back to bed she vaguely registers him saying that he's taken care of work before she drifts off again this time with the feeling of soft fingertips running soothingly over her pounding head.

The next time she wakes up it is to the sound of rain pattering on her window, and the wind rushing outside her apartment. Her headache is gone, and she almost feels rested… and as the smell of coffee and food wafts into her bedroom set on the table and all ready for her.

This time Kaito is already gone.

It surprisingly cold that night's heist, and all men were out. She was there, against all better judgment, but it wasn't like she could just miss it. Except she'd been thinking since then.

There had been no sign of Kaito. No annoying packages or people on her desk. No notes except this one.

So she'd come with a plan.

She'd waited. Waited near the exit he'd have to take. Waited for him to show up like she knew he would, and she waited alone. At that point she wasn't even sure what she wanted, but at least she could try.

He came juggling three gems in one of his hands, the glittering red one of that night glowing in the middle. He blinked as she stood in-between him and the exit, and he tilted his hat, "Nakamori-san what a pleasure to see you."

"KID," she said forcing herself not to wrap her arms around herself.

"Here to catch me?" He asked tossing up all the gems, and only the red one reappearing in his fingers. "I'm afraid this is my last heist tonight."

"It is then?" She asked stepping towards him, "You're really quitting? I didn't believe them even when they showed me your note. I thought…"

He smiled and nodded, "I'm retiring. I found what I'm looking for." The gem in his hand pulsed fainting as he held it up admiring it, "Smaller than I thought it would be."

Her eyes widened, "It's not even the most expensive gem you've stolen. Comparatively it's not even that valuable it's just-"

"I know," his eyes glittered. "I'm afraid they won't be getting this one back. I'll make sure they get something else… just as valuable or maybe even more so. This one is too dangerous, legend true or not…" he said with a shrug. He pulled himself away and the gem disappeared from his hand, "You can capture me if you like now. So long as I see the stone's destroyed before you bring me in. Well?"

The laughter bubbled up nearly hysterically as she stood before him in shock, "That's it? Just like that you'll let me bring you in? All this and of all times I've finally got you?" She shook her head, "Very funny Ka- KID."

He grinned back at her and shrugged, "Well I have one request before you do." His eyes went oddly serious and he slipped his hands into his pockets, "One kiss and you can have me. Your choice: You can drag me in front of the court, or I'll give my word that I'll show up on your doorstep Monday morning, dressed up as KID and already cuffs."

She bit her lip as she took a step closer, "One kiss?"

"Yup just on-"

He never finished.

She threw her arms around him as she nearly shoved her lips against his. She felt him wrap his arms around her, as her hands buried into his hair. She forgot everything. Forgot she was an officer, he was a thief, that she could wrap him in cuffs then and there.

She relaxed in his arms as the kiss went from harsh to gentle. First passionate and then soft, easy, as he took a quick breath and returned for a second and third…

When they stopped, as he pulled away and both caught their breath he rested his forehead against hers and chuckled softly, "Is this it then?"

She reached up, her hands on either side of his cheeks as she pulled him down to look at her. He blinked with a strange look in his eyes and she laughed. Laughed happily, freely, incredulously. She shook her head and smiled, "I have no intention of dragging you back in front of the judge Kaito."

His mouth opened and she shoved a finger in front of it, "I will; however, be very upset if you aren't in my office at six to take me to dinner Monday night. Consider this the down payment." she said with a smile.

"Really?" He asked, his finger brushing her cheek, caressing her neck as she nearly wished she could purr back at him.

"Really."

His grin was infectious and everything in his eyes told her she'd made the right choice. He dipped his head in and millimeters away asked, "So does this mean I can kiss you again?"

"Mmmmhmmm"

"Good. Because it'd really be a shame if KID was brought in for sexual harassment to his favorite officer."

"Kai-"

He cut her off without another word.