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Shinichi nudges Haibara under the table with a foot.
They're at Ayumi's seventh birthday party, held at the Mouri residence because Ran volunteered to host it (and because hers is the only place that actually has the space to host them all at the same time, the only other ones professor's lab and the Kudou manor.) All the Detective Boys are here, plus the aforementioned Ran and the professor, both of which are seated at the other end of the table from where Shinichi and Haibara are. Balloons of all colors cover the walls from floor to ceiling, the table is decorated in plates and ustensiles and napkins, everyone except them engrossed in some conversation, mirth shaping their expressions and voices.
Haibara has the presence of mind to not ask him what that's about out loud at a table full of actual children and instead makes a noise of confusion, tilting her head towards him in a voiceless gesture of I'm listening while still chewing on some cake.
"I'm pretty sure KID's on the roof," he says, the words barely managing to reach her through the surrounding noise. Good thing they're sitting next to each other, that makes it easier. She hums, inquisitive, but not surprised; she saw him as well. "I'm going to check it out, see what he wants. Cover for me if it takes too long, please?"
She swallows and drinks a gulp of juice. "I can try." She doesn't turn her head. "Don't let yourself get tased, I'd hate having to drag your body down here and explain that you thought it was a good idea to go see him alone," she adds, this time turning around and pointing her fork at him.
"Okay," he says quietly, then, loudly enough to announce it to everyone present inside and outside the room, "I'm going to the bathroom!"
Shinichi opens the door to the roof as quiet as he can, immediately closing it as soon as he's crossed its threshold.
The roof is empty for the most part. Nothing looks out of place except for the white fabric peeking out from behind a corner. KID's cape, he supposes. He's in costume. Not unexpected, but has he considered how much it makes him stand out against the grey of the walls? Or, going by the fact the hang glider is part of it, more likely it was necessary to get here in the first place. Or maybe, since it seems to hold the most of his hidden tools, he didn't feel safe without them on hand? Or...
Shinichi stays rooted to the spot, ears straining in search of anything that isn't the wind or the cars in the distance.
Something that sounds distinctly like a whimper, then a sniff, reaches him.
All thoughts of going back leave him. He's not going to leave KID like this, not when he's apparently crying on Ran's roof for some reason. He steels his resolve, mentally sends a quick apology to Haibara, and cements his decision.
Shinichi keeps his steps casual and unhurried as he walks away from the door and circles the corner, making sure he won't be standing right next to the other when he turns it. KID heard him anyways, going by how distinctly silent everything has turned. Good, Shinichi didn't want to startle him.
"KID," he starts once he stands a respectable distance from the thief while still facing him, and promptly finds himself not knowing what to follow it up with.
"Good evening, detective." The other's voice is nothing short of casual, a bit upbeat, even, but Shinichi can spot a covered-up shakiness in it anyways.
"I heard it. You can stop," he says, kindest as he can.
KID's face does something complicated that tries to integrate cheeriness with elements of nonchalance before it settles on... nothing at all, or something like it, trying to emulate an extremely bored student in the middle of a lesson whose contents they already understand but which they cannot leave and who has nothing to occupy themselves with in the meanwhile, maybe.
There's a lull in their exchange. KID does his best to look at anywhere that isn't Shinichi, eyes jumping between the floor and the sky like he can't decide which one he'd rather merge with to escape the situation. The moonlight does a wonderful job at illuminating his face. He's... nervous, Shinichi realizes with perfect clarity, and showing it. Maybe even afraid? But of what?
Then, to his utmost horror, KID sniffs — once. But it's enough.
Shinichi isn't sure if touching KID in this moment is tantamount to crossing some unseen barrier between them. He takes a moment to consider it, and promptly decides that, even if it is, it'd be worth it.
He takes a step closer, looking at his feet and nowhere else. He doesn't hear KID protesting, so he takes a second one. And another, and another, until he's one step away from KID's curled up figure against the wall, closes his eyes all the way, and reduces the distance between them to nothing with a hug.
KID effectively becomes a statue in his arms, unmoving, soundless, he can't even say with certainty if he's still breathing. Shinichi squeezes just a bit tighter, still keeping his eyes closed, burying his face in KID's shoulder, all as if to say it's okay. Is he embarrassed? Absolutely, but he can also bear it until he's certain the other is better.
One tremor. A brief instant passes, then another. And another, and another, until the usually unshakable phantom thief is a trembling mess in his hold. Shinichi could even say that he's writhing for a moment, seemingly halfway torn between pushing him off and dragging him closer.
In the end, KID makes his choice. His arms unwind themselves from his stomach and instead hold onto Shinichi with a strength that borders on hurting but doesn't. They dig into the back of his shirt, grasp at it, drag him in. When he lets up ever so slightly, they hold him more, so he does his best to match the intensity but, well, the body of a child only has so much of it compared to an athletic teen. He hears a whispered "Sorry, I'm sorry" next to his left ear.
Shinichi sighs and lets himself fall forward into the other's hold even more, lifting his chin and placing it on KID's shoulder now, the other's hair against his nose, his body solid and firm against his own. He almost whispers back "Stupid." but thinks better of it, and lets himself be held, and holds in return.
They stay like that for a while, KID doing his best imitation of a tree leaf on a windy day, every so often squeezing him harder before minutely receding, rinse and repeat, while Shinichi never lets him go, an anchor the other desperately needs to make it through the storm of emotion that wrecks through him. He knows this won't fix what KID was upset about in the first place, is painfully aware of the fact — but while they're here, in this stolen moment, Shinichi will help in whatever way he can, in whichever way KID will accept. It's not a lot, or maybe it is, but has to be enough for now, until KID can take off into the night feeling better.
When the shaking dies down to almost nothing, Shinichi pats him on the back three times in quick succession, pauses, then once, then a light tap, a pat, pauses again, then tap tap, pat pat, tap tap. It takes a bit for KID's brain to come back to functioning, but eventually he gets a pat, a light tap, then two pats in response.
"I won't ask about it, if you want," Shinichi starts, lifting his chin to speak clearly. He can feel KID's shoulder sag with relief and wow, he's really out of it if, huh. "I won't mention it again, either."
He drags his face back, gaze downcast, settling on looking where his chin rested a moment ago. Out of the corner of his eyes he can see KID's face turning towards his own, paying attention. His arms are still loosely holding onto the back of Shinichi's shirt, trying to keep him here as long as they can, fingers digging into the fabric.
They're halfway between holding onto each other and letting go, the inevitability of departure hanging over them like a sword.
"But." Shinichi pokes KID in his tie forcefully, right above the sternum. "You will reach out to somebody about it. If not me, then one of your friends as KID, or one of your friends when you're not KID, or literally anybody, you hear me?"
Shinichi allows himself a proper look at the other's face and finds it stunned, eyes wide enough that moonlight dances in them, but the expression is washed away like writing in the sand that's there one moment, then gone in the next with the tide. An approximation of a grin shows itself instead.
"Aww, you care about me, detective~!"
Shinichi takes half a step back and huffs in disbelief. "Never said I didn't, thief."
KID is at a loss for words and Shinichi feels the tiniest flair of pride in his ribcage at having caused it. He then shakes himself out of it and produces a bluebell with the flick of a wrist, holding it out for him to take. His grin has melted down into a sincere smile, head tilted to the side, eyes focused on Shinichi.
He does take it, carefully, and closes his eyes to smell it.
When he opens them again, the thief is gone.