themoonlightthief:

themoonlightthief:

My muse has been missing for several days. Send “Where were you?!?” For mine to suddenly show up at your muse’s doorstep, in rough shape.

Kaito flinched, just barely managing to stop himself from taking a step back, his gaze shamefully, guiltily, darting off to the side and towards the ground. Maybe this had been a bad idea after all. He knew there would be questions – of course there would be – but he’d hoped against hope and prayed that his other self would, at the very least…

…He wasn’t quite sure how to finish that. And, in all honesty, it didn’t really matter at the moment anyway, did it?

Swallowing thickly, he opened his mouth, then closed it again, hesitating, before glancing back up towards the thief again. And the expression that met Kaito only made the guilt and utter selfloathing grow to the point that he felt like he might just throw up.

“Ah, I…”

A thin, weary smile curved at the corners of his lips and a bloody hand selfconsciously tugged the equally bloody and dirty sleeve down his other arm and Kaito chuckled, quietly, tired indigo eyes flickering away once more.

“I went to buy chocolate and got lost on the way home…?”

He stiffened, the gentle embrace catching him by surprise, and for a few seconds he’s not entirely sure what to do, arms hovering uncertainly around his counterpart, before slowly settling around him. He’d missed this. Another person’s body, solid and warm, pressed against his in a way that felt comfortable, gentle and soothing and Kaito squeezed his eyes shut, shoving thoughts of dirty filthy unworthy slut to the depths of his mind, arms momentarily tightening around the thief. 

The fact that the other didn’t question him further about what had happened made Kaito’s shoulders relax ever so slightly in relief, part of the previous tension slipping away.

…It didn’t make the guilt lessen any, though.

God knew he wanted – needed – to tell his double the truth, but the fear of what he might say, what he might do, if he found out—

Kaito gave an internal shake of his head and offered the thief a small smile in return, more genuine and warm than the one he’d given him before. Those weren’t things he wanted to think about right now. No, right now, he just wanted to focus on how good it felt to acually be back, contrary to what he’d felt the day he decided to run away.

“…Thanks.”

He paused, arms sliding away from the thief and falling back against his sides, fingers nervously picking at a loose thread at the hem of his shirt. It really was filthy, dirty, bloody, and he wasn’t any better, was he?

“I, uh…” His expression turned the slightest bit sheepish, hopeful and grateful. “…I guess a shower would be nice?”

The smile grew wider as the magician returned the hug and relaxed a little. It might not be much, but at least that told him he’d been right not to push. Kid showed a more full smile and took a few steps further in, though didn’t completely let go of his double as he did.

“Well, the least I can do is start it while you get some clothes, then. Maybe offer some company in there while I’m at it?~” A slight tease, as he usually does with offers like that, but not as much as normal. The thief definitely wouldn’t mind joining his other self right now, though half doubts the other would say okay at this time.