Chapter Text
"Kaitou Kid!"
Nakamori rounded the corner, alone, and halted his skidding in the open room. Kaitou grinned madly. With the Keibu here, he could have fun taunting, teasing, and generally being his usual nuisance self. Hakuba and Metantei were fun, yes, but he was always on guard slightly. The Keibu was comforting in his incompetence, just the right amount for a normal day.
He began to speak.
"Ah, very glad you could join me, Nakamori-keibu. It's been so long since we've had a good chase, us two."
Nakamori gave a huff, taking a step forwards.
"I've caught you now-"
But before Kaitou could get a word in, his, and Nakamori-keibu's, walkie-talkie's went off with a crackle. Kaitou held out a hand towards Nakamori, (who was ignoring his radio in favor of Kid)(how touching) before raising it to his face with an amused expression. He took Nakamori's voice:
"Yes?"
Nakamori made a furious noise as he tried to speak. "Kaitou Kid, don't you dare-"
"ah, sir!" The crackle of a new voice echoed in the room. "One of the new officers found one of Kid's lighters and hit the switch, and a large fire's started. The sprinkler's won't turn on." Kaitou's grin faltered, his eyes narrowing. His lighter? No, that was-
The hand reaching into his pocket came all the way through. A hole.
Shit.
"We know your chasing Kid currently, but-"
"Kid must have messed with the sprinklers. Don't turn them on manually, who knows what he did to them! If Its his sleeping gas, (which it was) It'll only worsen the fire. Begin an evacuation. Now."
Nakamori looked at him, confusion on his brow.
Right, he still had a performance to play. Poker face.
"Ah, it seems I dropped one of my tools on the way here, and it's caused some problems" He placed his grin, spinning the necklace in his hands as he spoke, perched on top of a desk as he was now. "Given the fact that we were ordered to evacuate by you yourself-"
"Which I didn't, Kid-!" He stopped, fists clenched and thinking.
"But- a good idea."
"Yes, a very good idea. One we should follow, no?"
He hopped down from the desk with as little noise possible, removing a glove and pocketing the jewel. Kaitou rested the back of his hand on the door's handle, (cautious as ever, when had it failed him yet?) pausing for a second. Nakamori's eyes were watching him like a hawk.
It was a little unnerving.
Satisfied with the small chill the knob brought, he retracted his hand, (braced his shoulder) and opened the door.
Nakamori saw the hallway before he did. But what he saw was...not good.
Fire.
...
Everywhere.
Kaitou took an inhale (in panic,) and promptly regretted it.
"Ach- pffffffftp... eugh..."
He sputtered, and Nakamori gave him an unimpressed look
"Don't inhale the fire and smoke, Kid. Do I really need to remind you that you shouldn't inhale smoke?"
Kaitou shot Nakamori a look right back.
"I know that, I was just... caught off guard. Its spread quicker than I thought it would."
He had to get his bearings. The building had quite a few exits, and when he had been planning escape has seemed pretty straightforward. Now however...
Two of three main hallways were engulfed in flames, the furniture was just catching. The very left hallway towards the elevator shaft was scorching, the one straight ahead was warm, but sticking to the walls, and the one to the right was clear of everything but smoke. They had time if he played his cards right.
"Alright Keibu, if you don't mind I think the handcuffs can be put out of the question until your safe and sound with division two, alright?"
He turned no Nakamori, who nodded. (although the hesitance radiating off of him was almost as intense as the heat from the flames. Ouch)
Off goes the cape to Kaitou's hands.
He pulled out his water (half full) and doused the fabric, before pointing towards the right hallway. "There's a stairwell, but its locked. If we can get through to the end, I will gladly unlock it."
They stood in a standstill, Kaitou holding the damp cape, and Nakamori-keibu staring at him. Kaitou raised an eyebrow and moved his hands to indicate Nakamori should go first. He glared, but complied.
Kaitou followed behind, using the cape as a small barrier between them and the rest of the hall. He could not look back at the fire. Not when all he could see in it was his father's face, burning and writhing, and-
He grimaced. No need to have a flashback here of all places.
Not with the keibu.
The whoosh of fire sent a bristle down his spine. Something behind them was catching and quick.
He pushed Nakamori quicker to the end of the hall, and the arrived at the door.
Nakamori turned around, and Kaitou tried not to show how pale he felt.
"Ah right. The lock picks..."
He dug around in his pockets, one hand holding the cape, the other checking all visible (and nonvisible) stash piles of tricks.
A smoke bomb... his burner... dove food...
Ah!
Lockpicks.
"Come here, will you? I need you to hold the cape up and keep an eye on the flames for me."
Nakamori took it, shielding them both as Kaitou began his work.
___
Two minutes had passed, and he was still fumbling with the lock. The longer they took, the worse the situation would get, and the smoke was getting closer. He needed to hurry, but- his hands were unsteady. The fire was close enough that he could feel the hair on his neck almost twinge, and the longer he felt the heat, the worse the growing disarray in his head was getting.
He needed air.
He needed to do something.
"Wrap yourself in the cape, and take a step to the side Keibu."
"Wh-" The inspector gawked at him. "Are you insane? This cloth is the only thing keeping you from burning Kid! If I were to-"
"Just do it!"
He snapped at Nakamori, before schooling his expression. He really needed out of here. The fire was bringing up bad memories, and even worse were the echos of voices he knew weren't there. There was nobody on this floor, he knew this.
He knew this.
And yet-
Hakuba, Aoko, Keiko, his classmates, his mother, all of them screaming out Kaito KAITO help up help us why did you-
...
"Alright, I'm out of the way, but don't do anything stupid."
Kaitou steeled himself, before throwing his shoulder into the door. There's a sickening crack, and he's not sure if its his own or the doors.
Again.
The knob lands in his ribs, and he bites his tongue. That crack belonged to his ribs.
Ow ow ow.
Breathing was ragged, he could feel each breath pinch his left side. The pain was clarifying some things. Lots of things. Pain was always good for getting you back to performing in a life or death situation.
He gave a sigh.
He was being an idiot.
One of the first things Nakamori had taught him all those years ago was to not throw your shoulder at a door. Instead...
Kaitou grounded one of his legs, before kicking next to the lock.
"Ah! There... go. Go ahead. The stairwell's open, and-"
Nakamori shoved him forwards.
Rude.
The door shut with a click, and the air was clearer. Not so much as to breath deeply, but his lungs were less on fire than before.
Mostly.
Kaitou looked at the state of the stairwell, peering over the railing (with only minor protesting from his side and arm! Success!)
The fire was in the stairwell and fast approaching, but at least four floors down. Carpet was such a bad choice for a stairwell. It caught so easily! Did the safety inspectors even think when they approved this hotel?
Oh no, right, this hotel belonged to a wealthy man known for bribery. They most likely did, but well... money was money.
Off topic. Right. Fire.
...where was that music coming from?
Kaitou looked around, before realizing it had no direction. Oh. So it was him then.
Ugh.
"Keibu, are you alright?"
He spun back around to the Nakamori, who was watching the door.
"Ah, yes. I'm unharmed. What about-"
Kaitou cut him off. "Good. We can't go down, so the roof is our next best bet." He looked at the inspector, analyzing, before making a split second decision and picking him up.
"Kid-!"
"Oh, don't worry. I can climb just fine with you in my arms. Lets go"
___
Floor 17 passed, and Kaitou was still going...
Floor 34, and Nakamori was resigned. Kaitou's ankle was beginning to hurt.
46, and he had to shift Nakamori off his bad side. Four more floors...
__
Kaitou panted the last steps to floor 50, before placing the inspector down as gently as he could.
Which, in his current state, amounted to essentially dropping him.
"Kaitou Kid-"
"Don't. Lets- we just need to-" He took a breath, "Go. Now."
Nakamori looked at him with what was probably concern (which- fair, but now was not the time) before opening the door.
They stepped out, Kaitou's steps uneven ,favoring his left. The air felt cold and sharp, clean and clear. He gulped it down eagerly. The music was still present, but it was a faint ringing now. The cries had stopped with the lack of heat too, which was good.
The memories however, chose right then and there to torment him to their fullest extent.
Kaito attending his father's last show, age seven, watching with glee as Kuroba Toichi lit a match and threw it behind himself at the colorful banners. One of them skimmed, and the fireworks went off. Just as he had seen rehearsed time and time and time again, and yet-
A louder boom went off, and the air smelt like smoke and burning rubber and a terrible grittiness. Kaito, shaking, blinking away dots in his vision as he looked back at the stage.
His father writhing, screaming, posed like a boxer. As if the fire was beating him up and he was trying to fight back. As if he was loosing. Kuroba Toichi- his father didn't loose, and yet-
Hands around his waist, pulling him away, hugging his mother, confused. The feeling of dread. Knowing the trick had gone wrong, but not knowing why.
He had known that people died, but before that day he had not known Death.
Now, Kaito knew it all to well.
Kaitou's breath hitched, and he reached to the side of his head fruitlessly. His legs were pulled to his chest, and something cool was against his back. He leaned onto it, and winced before pulling away.
What-
Oh.
Right.
He was on a rooftop, in the Kid outfit, with Nakamori-keibu. Possible broken ribs, something hot and aching on his side, a shoulder hanging limper than it should be, and Not Enough Air.
"...Ki-...k-...Kid! Kaitou Kid!"
Kaitou looked up, still grappling for air.
"Ah, Keibu... right- I- ah. Hm."
He switched from panting through his mouth to his nose, biting his lip. Maybe a tad to hard. The taste of blood was not helping.
"Is- do you have a way to get us down from here, Kid?"
Oh? He needed Kaitou to do something?
...right now?
Kaitou hoped the grimace he had was well hidden. Standing up with a small grunt, he balanced himself on the air vent. "How flattering. You need-" some of the blood left his mouth. He pushed it away with his now very gray gloves. "-need my help. Hand me the uh... the cape. Please."
Nakamori looked more concerned, but did as he was told, handing Kaitou the cape. He fastened it with a click, before grabbing Nakamori and beginning a run to the edge of the roof.
His leg was killing him, and his arm was refusing to pick him up without significant effort, but he managed to the edge.
He poised his foot (the good one) and pushed off, hitting a button on his shoulder with a free hand and activating the glider.
With the weightless feeling of flying, he readjusted the inspector off his good shoulder. If it were anything but necessary, he'd laugh at the way Nakamori-keibu clung to him like a cat to a branch.
Although it was wise not to laugh. Breathing still felt- off.
His ribs again?
...yeah. Man he was an idiot.
"so Keibu-"
"Kaitou Kid."
Kaitou stopped, looking at Nakamori out of the corner of his eye. "...yes inspector?"
"Are... you alright?"
...
Huh?
"Keibu, I assure you I'm absolutely-"
"Don't lie."
Kaitou made a pout-like face.
"Now why would I-"
"Your a prideful thief who thinks admitting to injury, physical or mental-" And Kaitou tried not to flinch- "would make him weak. So don't even try. You were limping, blood was coming out of your mouth, and-"
Nope. Stopping him there.
"No worse than some things I've dealt with in the past. Bouncing back is the fun part, keibu. Now then... your-"
He stopped, giving a hiss as his shoulder slid again. Nakamori tightened his grip, and it made it so much worse. Ow ow ow, he was going to drop him at this rate!
"Okay! Were landing Now."
He tried his best to land on a nearby rooftop, wincing as his injured ankle tried to slow them down. His steps dug into the pavement, dragging as they came to a stop. Kaitou put down the inspector, before trying to step and crumpling.
"Ah- shit!"
He took a breath, hand reaching to his ankle. It was burning, the pain making his breath pick up again. His heart was in his throat.
How was his ankle of all things rendering him useless? Not the ache in his ribs, nor the terrible click his shoulder was making as he shifted to sit. Kaitou looked it over, fighting the urge to cough up more blood from his injured lip.
Ohhh.
That didn't look right. Your foot wasn't supposed to twist that direction.
He grimaced, fighting nausea, taking off his shoe and sock, before feeling his eyes widen.
That looked even worse.
Were toes supposed to be that purple?
"Oh good grief Kid. You really fucked this one up..."
He cursed himself, before poking it gently. The bolt that made his back straighten told him all he needed to know.
"Nakamori-san? I uh-"
Kaitou paused with a sickening feeling. He wasn't Kuroba Kaito right now, Nakamori wouldn't care if a criminal couldn't walk.
In fact, this was a terrible situation! The inspector who's *entire job* it was to arrest him had him helpless, unable to escape or even fight back.
Oh god.
Kaitou Kid was immobile.
He was trapped.
"Hm?"
The inspector turned towards him, looking curiously as he pulled out his phone. Kaitou shuffled to hide his foot, ignoring the gasp he needed to make as he wheeled his leg around to look casual.
"Its nothing, Keibu."
"Are you sure? You did just-" He paused, looking between the discarded shoe and the currently sitting thief who had blood around his mouth, and his eyes narrowed. "Show me your leg."
"Its nothing inspector! Really, you don't need to-"
Kaitou tried to stop him, but, being able to push with only one of your arms was very limiting.
Nakamori bent down and grabbed his leg gently, turning it back towards himself, and let out a tiny curse. "Kid, this is-" He sighed, before-
"Ah, Keibu!"
He'd picked Kaitou up. He had Kaitou cradled against him, and Kaitou couldn't even fight back. His breath was picking up again, and it wasn't pain.
"Please put me down-"
Nakamori ignored him, using the stairwell to take them down to the first floor. Each step shook Kaitou's shoulder, and at some point he stopped trying to fight the small whines.
He felt so small in Nakamori's arms, and he was still trying to push away from his chest. He hated feeling caught like this! It wasn't handcuffs, or a cage, but it was so much worse. This was the end! He couldn't fight at all!
He was trapped.
He was trapped He was trapped He was trapped He was trapped He was trapped He was trapped He was trapped He was-
"How old can you even be, Kid? You look so-"
Nakamori looked at him with pity (which he hated) and sighed. "Your just as old as my daughter, I bet. How do you even do this? Your so-"
"Keibu, please stop. I don't need the pity talk before you arrest me."
"
Wh- Arrest you?!"
Kaitou blinked at him, and Nakamori looked back with just as much confusion.
The gut feeling in his stomach was twisting.
"I can't walk, much less fight back Inspector. You have all the chance to-"
"You actually think I'm going to arrest you like this!"
Kaitou flinched.
"Why wouldn't you?"
"I-"
Nakamori paused.
"I don't- exactly... It doesn't matter why."
He placed Kaitou down in a chair.
"Where do you keep your spare outfit."
"What."
"Did your ears get injured too? Where do you-"
Kaitou took a shaky breath. "I.. didn't bring any for this heist. I-" he paused. "If you leave me here my assistant-"
"Like hell I'm leaving you here like this?! Do you think I'm that dumb? This wouldn't be-"
Nakamori cut himself off, huffing.
"You don't have any clothes?"
"I... have some. But-"
"Then tell me where you have them."
"They're my civilian clothes."
Nakamori paused.
"Ah. I see how that would be... not a great situation. But- still. Your either going to change into them, or your showing up to the hospital in Kid's regalia."
"You can't just-"
"I can."
They were at a standstill.
Kaitou sighed and moved to stand up. Nakamori made to push him back in the chair, but he put out a hand to stop him. He felt shaky. He needed to stop the shaking. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the gem.
Squinted.
Moved closer to the window with a struggle that no doubt had Nakamori in a panic.
Squinted again as he held it up to the moon. Then double checked it. Then *triple* checked it.
Plain.
"Your checking it?"
Kaitou looked over his shoulder, not even caring about his poker face. He must look weary.
He was so tired.
"Yes."
He turned back around, before holding it outwards to the inspector. "Take it. Its not... Its not what I'm looking for."
"Your looking for something?"
Nakamori took the gem, before moving to stand next to Kaitou. Kaitou leaned on his shoulder. Nakamori relaxed.
"Yes. Its... I don't even really want the damn thing, to be honest. But I have to, or else they'll-"
The shaking in his knees choose to rest in his arms too.
"It needs to be destroyed."
"...Kid. Are you in danger? Are you being forced to do this?"
He scoffed. Kaitou wished.
"Danger? Always. But its my own choice to do this Keibu, don't be mistaken. I-"
His legs gave out.
...he didn't hit the floor.
Nakamori held him from under his good shoulder, righting him again.
Kaitou tried not to cry.
"why do you even care?"
It came out pathetic. He didn't want to care about that anymore. Nakamori was here, so close, and yet-
He couldn't say anything. Couldn't ask for comfort, for help. Nothing. It hurt.
The attempt at not crying was thrown out the window.
"You- you don't have to care about any of this. About me. You have your daughter and a career. Why are you- helping me!"
"Because your a fucking child, that's why Kaitou Kid!"
Kaitou looked up.
"How do you-" he broke off. "I- Keibu." He steeled himself. "I think you might be mistaken here. Haven't you been chasing for well over ten years? If I am a child now, then I must have been a tot when I began. That doesn't make much sense, doe-" Oh ow. Ribs were fighting for their turn now. "-does it?"
Nakamori looked at him and Kaitou felt sick at the expression.
"Your not the first Kid. Your too young. You can't be him. The eight years-" the inspector took a breath. "The first Kaitou Kid is dead. I've been trying to deny it, but-"
"Please."
Nakamori looked at him.
"Not- not right now. Not after all the fire. Please, just-"
"Oh. The fire- did he-"
"Inspector."
Kaitou looked away.
Nakamori tensed again, before putting Kaitou back in the nearby chair.
"Your changing into your civilian clothes. I don't give a damn about arresting you now. If your doing this alone-" "not alone!" "-almost alone, then maybe you need another person. If you think I'm just going to sit back and try to not help you after finding out all this, then-"
Kaitou felt his lip quiver. He felt sick, and tired, and fuck-
"Nakamori-san"
Kaito's voice broke into a quiet sob. "Nakamori-san... I want to go home."
"Kaitou Kid-"
"I want to go home Nakamori. Please."
He was clinging to Nakamori's shirt, fighting ugly sobs. "Take me home. I don't even care if we miss dinner, Aoko can deal with it. Just- home. please."
Nakamori took a small breath, before reaching out and taking off Kaito's monocle and hat.
"...Kaito?"
Kaito looked back up at him through distorted vision.
"Please."
The inspector inhaled, before unbuttoning the Kid suit. He had on his normal clothes under the suit. He wanted to go home, to the plush couch he crashed on when he had bad nightmares. He wanted to go home and be quiet and small and alone, but he didn't want to be alone.
He wanted his dad.
Oh. Fuck he wanted his dad. He wanted to be held again.
"There. Do you-"
Kaito looked up at him, and Nakamori quieted. Then, he shuffled all of Kid's stuff together into a bundle and tied it around his shoulder, before picking Kaito up.
"Were going home now, 'kay? We can go home, and bandage you all up. Then we can-"
"Aoko doesn't know." He croaked out. "She doesn't know, and-"
"You-" Nakamori secured him, before opening the door (which was miraculously unlocked. No camera's ether) "She doesn't know."
"N-no."
Nakamori sighed, before beginning the walk home.
The streets were silent. On the rare occasion somebody saw them, nobody thought to question the Police officer carrying a crying teen. Not when they were both holding onto each other for dear life.
Every now and then, Kaito would bury his head deeper into Nakamori's shoulder, and Nakamori would reassure him.
By the time they arrived at home The Nakamori house, his face dried. Mostly.
Nakamori hit the doorbell. Kaito winced at the noise.
"Were here now."
"I know."
The silence hung like a weight on both of their shoulders in the shape of Kid's cape bundled over the Keibu's shoulder.
"Who could be-"
Aoko paused, opening the door. Then she made a small noise.
"Otousan? Kaito?"
Kaito gulped. Nakamori pushed his way through, and Aoko caught sight of his foot.
"How did Kaito get hurt?! Oh that looks-"
"Kuroba-kun is hurt?"
Oh.
Hakuba was here.
"Ah. Kuroba you-"
Kaito looked away, shame working its way through his sore body like a virus.
"He got hurt. Can one of you get the first aid kit?"
Nakamori set him down on the couch gently, before pulling Kaito's shirt over his head, careful of his shoulder.
He heard footsteps return, and two small gasps.
"Bakatio... how did he-"
Hakuba took the kit from her hands and dragged a chair, pushing Nakamori aside.
"You idiot. I heard there had been a fire, but-"
"I get it. I know, I just- fire."
He made sure to stress the last word. Both the Nakakori's watched them.
"Right. Your father- I see. How did you bruise the ribs then?"
"I-" he paused, looking at Aoko for a second. "-was dumb. Threw my shoulder against a door when I should have kicked it. The shoulder's from that too."
He gave a small cough, and gave a strangled yelp. "Owww fuck."
"You absolute-" Hakuba stopped, before reaching into the Aid Kit.
"And Nakamori-keibu found you after you left?"
"Ah, no he-" Nakamori interrupted, then paused.
"He got me out of there. Its- I think he hurt his foot getting on a rooftop."
Hakuba looked up at Nakamori from the chair, before registering the bundle on his shoulder.
"So you-"
"And you as well?"
The pair shared a quiet conversation Kaito couldn't bother to tune into, but consisted of mostly shocked looks from Nakamori, and tired yet confirming looks from Hakuba. They both glanced at Kaito a good deal, and he gave a small sigh.
"Hurt. Can you guys-"
Hakuba looked back, and his eyes widened with apology.
"Right, yes. The antiseptic's going to sting Kuroba."
"I *know* that. Just be- Oww!"
He tried not to squirm as Hakuba took the antiseptic to his burn. "I told you."
Kaito made sure to scowl through the intense grasp he had on the couch. "And I was going to tell you to be gentle. Its bruised under the burn."
Hakuba's eyes only squinted slightly, and he felt Aoko lean over the side of the couch.
"How did Kaito get hurt this bad? Fire? Rooftop?"
Kaito turned to her with a what had to be a look filled with tiredness and desperation.
"Kid Heist."
Aoko's face went through a range of emotions, the simpler ones being clocked as shock, horror, confusion, and then one Kaito could recognize from a mile away: unbridled rage.
Kaito winced. Here it comes-
"Kaitou Kid started a fire during his heist, and because of that thief," -Kaito was probably not doing so good if he could physically see the anger radiating off of her in small squiggles like an anime- "Kaito is now hurt. Is that what Aoko's getting?"
"Its-" Nakamori tried to interject, but Kaito was not having it.
"More or less, Aoko. Bad fire, and we needed to go. So we left." It was true... in essence. Any more details and he was afraid she would connect the dots.
Oh speaking of dots-
Wow, his vision was very swirly right now.
He gave a laugh. "Oi, Hakuba."
Hakuba raised an eyebrow, pulling a strand of bandages out to cover his side with. "Yes, Kuroba?"
"Theoretically," he began, and he saw Hakuba stop to watch him, "If I were to pass out right now, could you still do the first aid stuff?"
Hakuba froze, before his looked turned to pure concern. "Kuroba-"
"Just answer?"
"... yes. In theory, but-"
"great!"
Kaito gave him a smile, before he suddenly collapsed backwards onto the couch.
Ah, sweet, sweet unconsciousness.