Chapter Text
Shuichi, quite simply, felt a bit foolish. Or at the very least, embarrassed, with his profession in consideration.
The realisation had been sparked when he saw Snake Eyes rescuing Kiibo, but it hadn't properly sunk in until 2am the next morning, while he was lying in bed and overthinking the events of the day. Of course, as soon as he registered the possibility, he began to rethink his perspective of both Kiibo and Snake Eye's actions for the past few months and came to the conclusion that it made a lot of sense.
That particular conclusion also sparked plenty of questions, but he filed those away for the next morning. No matter how badly his conscious wanted answers, he wouldn't wake his brother up at 2:30am to entertain him.
His opportunity arose at breakfast, which Kiibo expertly forced him to have by cooking before he was up. Kiibo had mentioned over his fried rice that he'd be at home for the whole day, because Miu didn't need him in the lab, clearing Shuichi's worries of making him late by bringing up his relationship now. Even with that thought out of the way, he hesitated and distracted himself with his coffee, his sleep deprived brain realising that he wasn't sure how to approach this.
Kiibo finished eating earlier than him, but still sat at the table to accompany him. Shuichi watched him hide a smile with his palm as he typed on his phone, and the idea that he was talking to Snake Eyes crossed his mind. Downing the last of his coffee left him with a lack of plausible distraction and the perfect opening.
"Who are you talking to?" He asked lightly, to avoid making the conversation serious off the bat. Kiibo glanced up at him with a tilted smile, colour rising in his cheeks as he cleared his throat as his gaze darted back to his screen.
"Nobody." He replied, equally light. Knowing that wasn't the truth made the uncertain tremor in his voice more obvious to Shuichi, and he briefly wondered how he never picked up on it before.
The detective sighed into his empty cup of coffee, setting it aside and sticking his spoon into his rice. Or stabbing, that seems like an appropriate description. He paused for a brief moment, before forcing the words out before he could stop himself. "It's Snake Eyes, isn't it?"
Kiibo froze, quick to turn off his phone as, just as suddenly as before, he grew pale. The subtle reaction was more than enough confirmation for Shuichi, even as the other stuttered out an excuse, or denial. He didn't ignore his brother often, simply because he knew how much he hated it, but he was more focused on his discovery than listening to what he now knew to be a lie.
"I'm not mad if it is." He said quietly, because he wasn't, really. It would be a stretch to say he felt any sort of betrayal. At the end of the day, Shuichi understood that love was love, and he had good reasons for not wanting him to know. Perhaps he was a bit confused, and suffering an intense case of dramatic irony, but not mad. "I just have this speculation."
Kiibo relaxed with his reassurance, and let out a soft sigh of defeat. "He really is sweeter once he lets you get to know him." His gaze was still averted, but as he spoke, he lifted it to match Shuichi's. There was no judgement in his eyes. "How long have you known?"
Shuichi chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I only put everything together last night, after seeing him save you. But I'm guessing you've been together for longer than that?"
The other hummed, glancing away as he picked at his nails. "We're nearing seven months, but I've known him for over a year." Shuichi wasn't surprised. Kiibo always loved the idea of relationships, but he wasn't really the type to jump into them.
He ate his rice thoughtfully. "Could I meet his civilian self?" He asked after a moment of pondering, and Kiibo again seemed to hesitate in answering. It took another moment for Shuichi to realise what that sounded like, and he scrambled to correct himself. "Just- if you two are serious about this, I want to talk to him. I promise this isn't some conspiracy to arrest him."
He held his hands up in mock surrender, and Kiibo snorted in response. He mulled over the question, before leaning back in his chair. "Please don't be harsh on him. No matter what he says, or what he likes to think, he didn't seduce me. I fell in love on my own."
That drew a laugh from the other, shaking his head. He hadn't been planning on accusing the thief of that (mostly), and it wasn't like he was planning on intimidating him away from his brother regardless. "I'll keep that in mind." He replied playfully, humouring Kiibo all the same.
Kiibo grinned bashfully at him, fiddling with his phone absentmindedly. "Then seeing as this is all out in the open now, I don't see why you can't meet him." He looked down at his phone, watching it swing carefully as he held it between his thumb and forefinger. "Could...could you tell him something, though? When you do meet him? I was going to tell him myself but I never really got the chance-"
Shuichi knew what he was talking about already. Of course he did - how could he not? He smiled sympathetically, softening as he recognised his nervous stiffness. "If you want me to, sure. I'll take care of it."
Kiibo smiled back.
_
Kokichi knocked on the door of the apartment politely, as Kiibo had convinced him, as opposed to constantly breaking in. Speaking of his boyfriend, he had asked him to come over for non-specific reasons. The thief somewhat doubted that there was much severity behind this invitation, but it was a sort of situation where he couldn't be sure.
The door opened, and he instantly stiffened, his smile growing slightly forced. The detective himself answered the door with a small smile, and out of all possible outcomes, this was the one that he was least prepared for.
Kokichi laughed dismissively, glancing down the hall as he leaned on his heels. "Ah, sorry about that, I think I got the wrong door. Whoopsie doopsie!" He turned to make his escape, and he would have done so with grace and poise if Shuichi hadn't spoken up again.
"You're Kiibo's boyfriend, right? You've got the right place. Please, feel free to come in." Kokichi felt his blood run cold, and he turned around quickly to see Shuichi step aside, awkwardly gesturing for him to enter. His mind was trying to find a solution, because what the absolute fuck was happening, but he eventually reasoned that if Shuichi knew he was the elusive phantom thief, he wouldn't be letting him enter the apartment. There was no trace of hatred or irritation in his face, or stance, and decently assured that he knew his relationship status but not his criminal record, Kokichi chose to accept the invitation and enter the apartment.
"Sorry, Kiibo just went out to get the groceries." Shuichi said sheepishly, and Kokichi nodded to show he was listening as he went to sit on the couch. The other trailed after him awkwardly, before piping up. "Could I get you tea? Coffee?"
Kokichi found this situation surreal. He was used to Shuichi chasing him around and demanding he return whatever new thing he stole while absolutely failing at arresting him, not seeing him try to play host. He waved a hand, settling into the couch. "I'm good."
Shuichi nodded, bouncing restlessly for a moment, before quickly making his way over and taking a seat on the couch across from his guest. Kokichi found himself wishing Kiibo would hurry up so he wouldn't be caught in this awkward silence with his unwitting enemy any longer.
At least, he wished until Shuichi broke said silence. Then he decided the silence really hadn't been all that bad, and perhaps he preferred it to the current alternative.
"So, Joker. You're dating my brother."
Kokichi had barely been prepared for the original dilemma, but now he had to deal with the fact that Shuichi knew he was the phantom thief, and he was using his preferred title as opposed to his nickname? His face grew blank as he briefly wondered how to respond. Acting incriminating wouldn't help at all, but as per usual, his ego was reaching for the opportunity to boast.
"I'm not going to arrest you, if that's the issue." Shuichi interrupted his train of thought, leaning forward slightly. He hadn't grown any more hostile, at least, though some of his initial politeness had faded. "But I just want to talk. Okay?"
"How long have you known?" Kokichi murmured, voice quiet. His eyes were pinned on Shuichi, as if hoping to search his soul for answers. He didn't seem to be lying when he said he wouldn't arrest him, but it was understandable for the thief to still remain on edge.
"Believe me, not that long." Shuichi said lightly, a small smile forming on his face. It was something almost friendly, worlds away from the subtle frowns he wore during heists. "48 hours, at the most."
Kokichi hummed a single note, nodding slowly. He didn't offer any further reaction, but he had to admit that the small time frame was a comfort to his conscious. After a moment, he tilted his head to the side. "Talk."
Shuichi blinked in surprise, and Kokichi bit down on a giggle. "Excuse me?"
"You said you wanted to talk, right?" He elaborated, gesturing vaguely in his direction. This wasn't an arrest, after all - it was personal, and surely anything Shuichi wanted to tell him had some sort of value. "So talk."
Shuichi sighed, but shifted into a more comfortable position. "Fine. Listen, Joker. When I saw you and Kiibo together at the party, I could tell you make him happy. It's obvious, and from what I can tell, he loves you immensely." He smiled, faintly. If Kokichi wasn't watching him closely, he would have missed it. "So, as many differences as we have, I'm willing to ignore them for his sake."
Kokichi felt his heart skip a beat. Holy shit, was he getting the detective's blessing? He tried to bite down his smile once more, but it was harder to do when you were filled with pure positive emotion.
"However," Shuichi continued, face turning blank as his eyes grew serious. "This does not mean I'll stop doing my job. Every theft you perform is still risky, and you run the exact same chance of getting arrested as before." Kokichi found that reasonable. "To be fair, I won't use anything I know about your civilian identity against your case, unless you give me good reason to."
The detective's eyes darkened, to a molten gold, burning dangerously. Kokichi had never once felt intimidated by Shuichi until that moment - the force in his glare made him feel small, which was an impressive feat for someone so proud. "Speaking of which, if this is a ploy to get to me or my work, I would advise you to abandon that plan. It is one thing to be involved with me, but it is entirely another to be involved with my brother. If I find out that you have been manipulating him for your own sick gain, whether to get to me or any other reason, I guarantee you that you will find yourself in a pair of handcuffs and a cell quicker than you can blink. If you hurt him, in any way, your death will be slow and painful, and your body will not see the light of day again. Am I clear?"
A lump formed in Kokichi's throat. He had always wondered how someone so mild mannered as Shuichi managed to become so high ranking in detective work. Having now experienced the peak of his protective nature, he didn't doubt him any longer. He offered a half grin, slightly strained. "Crystal!"
Instantly, Shuichi reverted back to his humble self, smiling gently. His eyes lightened to a soft hazel. "Good." He glanced to the side, tugging at his sleeves. "One more thing. It's something Kiibo wanted to tell me on his behalf, so my acceptance of you might immediately go down the drain depending on your reaction."
Kokichi nodded in understanding, folding his arms and waiting impatiently. No fucking pressure, then. Shuichi took a heavy breath, as if it was difficult for him to say.
"Kiibo's powerless."
Kokichi was quiet for a moment, processing the statement. It made sense, he supposed, as he never saw Kiibo use any abilities. Still, he had assumed that was out of a lack of need as opposed to a lack of power. He shrugged, speaking softly. "That doesn't matter to me."
"It may not matter to you," Shuichi said in a firm voice, though his shoulders lowered in relief, and Kokichi was happy to believe he had passed the underlying test. "But it matters to a lot of others. He doesn't like being protected, but please promise me you'll keep an eye out for him?" He brushed his hair out of his eyes, and frankly, Kokichi was impressed with the amount of eye contact in this conversation. "I'm sure you would anyway, only because I watched you save his life the other day, but you'll understand that I don't exactly trust you. You still have to earn that."
Kokichi chuckled at that, but quickly sobered. "Fair enough. Of course, I promise to keep Kiibo safe. I'd rather die before seeing him hurt or in danger." His words noticeably lacked any usual ring - they were all seriousness.
His efforts were rewarded, it seemed, because Shuichi smiled kindly at him, in a way that once again reminded Kokichi how goddamn lucky he was. Shuichi huffed, getting up and brushing his jeans.
"Anyway, please let me get you some tea. Kiibo will probably still be at least ten minutes. He isn't usually quick with groceries." Shuichi stole a glance at the clock across the room, before clicking his tongue. "It'd be better than sitting here awkwardly."
Kokichi sighed dramatically, tilting his head back against the couch cushions. "Very well. Tea it is."
Shuichi ignored him as he moved over to the kitchen, and it occurred to Kokichi that not once had the detective asked for his name. He could respect that, and decided to remind himself to properly introduce himself once he had fully processed all this.
"I hope you know this means I'll be here all the time now." He called casually over his shoulder, pulling a foot up onto the couch. He could hear Shuichi groan somewhere behind him.
"Don't remind me." The thief giggled as he pulled out his phone, to see Kiibo had replied to his arrival text. He sank into the couch cushions as he smiled.
He was pretty damn pleased with this outcome.
_
[Kiibabe<3]: I'm guessing you've already seen Shuichi? Sorry for not telling you! He found out yesterday and he wanted to meet you properly. Did it go okay? He wasn't harsh, was he?
[Me]: it went well! i'm pretty sure i could get away with marrying you now
[Kiibabe<3]: That's good to hear? It's a lovely thought but I don't think I'm ready for marriage quite yet.
[Kiibabe<3]: Anyway, I'll be back soon!
[Me]: eh we'll get there eventually
[Me]: love you!!
[Kiibabe<3]: Love you too!!
_
Kokichi had to admit that he was a bit over excited after properly meeting Shuichi. It went better than he could have ever hoped for, and later down the line, he would single handedly blame that giddiness for his terrible decision.
He was one of two DICE members that still had contact to his blood related family. He didn't like to think about it often because, frankly, he barely communicated with his family at all. His mother could be dead for all he cared - his real family was DICE. They had tried to convince him not to call his mother (or rather, bluntly told him that it was a stupid idea) but unfortunately Kokichi was often spurred onwards by negative accusations.
Besides, he had been dating Kiibo for almost seven months and he had yet to boast to his mother. The remnants of his good mood from formally meeting Shuichi inspired hope that he hadn't felt in years in regards to his family. He sat on his bed, scrolling down his contacts list to find a number he hadn't touched in a while.
That small spark of hope persisted as he pressed call, but as soon as the call was answered, it was smothered. Something akin to regret coiled in his gut as he remembered how much he hated his blood relations.
"Hi, Mama!" He greeted chirpily, knowing she wouldn't greet him first. He could pretend he didn't want to immediately go back to forgetting he had a mother at all - he was a liar, after all.
"Kokichi." She sighed through the speaker, voice crackling from the feedback and concealed frustration. "If you're calling for money again, you already know the answer. I'll once again remind you that only contacting me for that is extremely impolite."
He bit his bottom lip, twisting his bedsheets under his fingertips. "I know how to maintain myself, y'know. I don't need your pity." He sniffed in clear distaste. "Not that you'd ever give me that anyway."
"Of course, because I trust your petty habit of living off stolen riches like a street rat." She replied, disdain dripping from every syllable. He pressed his lips together in a thin line, eyes drifting around his room idly.
"Yeah, and you're totally not a hypocrite, huh?" He muttered back, gripping his covers in a tight grip. A silence, uncomfortable and cold, settled in the conversation.
"Kokichi." She spoke dangerously, voice low. Despite desperately wanting to provoke her further, he decided to take the hint and changed the subject.
"So I was actually calling to tell you that I got a boyfriend." He continued, feeling slightly lighter at the mention of Kiibo. "He's a cutie."
"Mhm? Is that all you called for?" His mother huffed, and the warmth that filled Kokichi's chest at the thought of his boyfriend withered. "You haven't called for months. Why is now an exception?"
"You didn't try to call me either!" He shot back through grit teeth, poison bleeding into his voice as he gripped the sheets hard enough for his fingers to shake. "Are you that busy, Miss Yasuhiro? Can't find time in your schedule for your bastard son?"
"You are a disappointment!" Similar venom seeped from the phone, and Kokichi's eyes darkened as he hissed into the receiver.
" Good ."
He ended the call the moment the word left his mouth, before throwing the phone down harshly against the bed. It didn't give him the satisfaction of a crash like he wanted, but damaging his phone would be more of a hassle than anything.
He let out a heavy exhale, shaky with anger as he combed his hands through his hair. He closed his eyes, swallowing thickly before rolling his shoulders and quickly leaving the bedroom.
He was grateful that none of the others questioned him when he stormed into the dining room and collapsed into his chair. "You were right" was more than enough explanation for the nine of them.