Kaito woke up to a pretty familiar beeping, reaching a hand out to silence the alarm out of long developed habit. Took him a few moments to realise, though when he did, he sat up all too quickly to look around his – yes his – room, a slow, relieved grin making a way across his face before he stretched.
May have only been a week, but it had felt like so much longer, cut off from most people he knew. And he was more than happy to be back in his own body again.
Yes, yes he is buying a convenience store bento. Doesn’t care how weird it might seem to some people, he just doesn’t want to use more of the assassin’s money than he needs to. Which was hard, when the guy didn’t have much to do or eat at the hotel. Probably meant he ate out often… Jeez, make it hard a magician, sure.
Her own smile spread and she knew she’d been right. Her fingers continued to ruffle his hair. It didn’t matter what he looked like, he was still Kaito. “The way you were playing with the cards when I approached gave you away.” She admitted.
“Honestly, I was scared to approach you at first. I’ve met the man you’re disguised as twice. So, I wasn’t too sure it was you. I’m glad I was right.” Her fingers ran down to where she was resting her arms on his shoulders.
“Just a question though, what’s with the disguise?”
Ah… should’ve guess it might be something like that. He let out an amused breath as his eyes turned down to said cards, straightening the out in his hands. A pause at the next part, though he felt comfortable enough to not mind as she leaned closer. More surprised over the knowledge that she had met Spider before, and more than once at that. …Not that she really knew who he was, but interesting to know.
…And oh. Right… …Should he just say it? Because, regardless of whether she’d check closely, it’d still be fairly obvious to realise it’s not just a disguise, one way or another…
“Umm… That’s… I guess that’s something I’d like to figure out myself,” he said with a small laugh just before reaching up to lightly pull at his cheek. “Ran into a bit of trouble, and… Well, it’s definitely quite the ‘disguise’ I’ve got now.”
Moved to tug at a blond lock of hair as well before lowering his arm and leaning back, tilting his head towards Ran again.
“But you said you’ve met the person I look like before?”
(Just for general notes on Kaito in Spider’s body right now, since it matters more for him than the other way around: Kaito doesn’t currently have the pale skin Gunter normally does. That’s hidden with magic, which Kaito doesn’t know how to use, and even if Kaito thought it might be makeup, he has no real reason to go to lengths to hide it himself.
So, minus evil look, he does have the dark skin and tattoo showing. He’s also not aware he has a scar on his back, since he can’t as easily see that as everything else, and he’s not really been so interested as to get a good look at himself without clothes. Bit more concerned with the owner of the body and getting back to normal.
He doesn’t have a grasp on illusion magic, much less hypnosis, and he hasn’t entirely caught on or focused to try and use it. He can control his emotions enough to where nothing happens, though if he’s particularly upset, formless illusions an go off. I’d say when he’s happy as well to where it just slips out, but that won’t be as noticeable and depends on why he’s comfortable. Danger and getting defensive does have it react more, if needed, though not having control also means his energy gets used up faster.
Even if he found where the weapons were at poking around the hotel, he would have them with him nor would he use them. He’s still the same inside, so generally friendly with people, not minding touch, and not wanting to really harm. Tends to smile more and treat people like he usually would, unless he’s specifically trying to convince someone he’s Spider.)
from here
His appearance was only familiar due to the fact that she’d run into him a few times, one time being when he actually helped her out while she was injured. But it wasn’t that fact that made her approach him. He’d been playing with a deck of cards in a very familiar fashion. Not to mention he was apt to disguise himself should the need arise for a heist. So, she was sure of the fact that it was him. The idea wasn’t too far-fetched, was it?
Still, once she’d actually begun to run her fingers through his hair, she had a moment of doubt, scared she’d just done something wrong. A light blush crept into her cheeks and she smiled shyly.
“You seem very familiar to me.” She continued to ruffle his locks.”But not in appearance. I just wanted to know if I could trust my instincts.”
The bashfulness just made him all the more questioning at first, still wondering if it was from knowing the person he looked like or simply embarrassed at realising he’d just come up to a random person to touch their hair.
A blink at the response, though, and a pause passed before his smile softened and he relaxed more. Instinct, huh? …Well, it’s not as though he was acting differently, so… maybe he should have thought of that before getting concerned.
“…I suppose, in this, you can, ojou-san.” His head tilted a touch under her fingers. “What did you catch that made you think I was familiar, though?”
His eyes followed the other’s hand as it got close, though he made no move to knock the other’s hand away, relaxed as he was around his double… Or, knda former double? …Yeah… still felt more than a little weird, though he’s gotten a little more used to things.
“Yes. If you want proof…” Kaito grinned, which likely looked very out of place on someone who’s smiles were more along the lines of smirks. “Does anyone else you know know about our little game of ‘tag’?”
“Mm, well, if that’s the case, I think I can probably help,” he hummed, absently moving his fingers up to run them through that blond hair again, a slightly cheeky grin tugging at his lips as he ruffled the strands the other had just smoothed down. “Shouldn’t be too difficult to make a fake and replace the real one. Security’s probably looser too, since Kid’s already stolen it once and doesn’t usually steal things back, especially so soon.”
It might be a different story if the gem was within the hands of the police, but there was always the option of waltzing into the station as either himself or Aoko, with the excuse of dropping off lunch for the Inspector. On the other hand, it might get noticed sooner if he replaced the gem, but…
“You sure it’s the gem’s fault?” He glanced up – up, he glanced up, and was once more reminded that the thief was within Spider’s body and taller than him and, no, he should not be as jealous about that as he was. “Not that it’d be the first time, but– did anything happen with it at the heist?”
A roll of the eyes at his hair being messed up again, though Kaito kept the goo d humored smile. Much as he did mess with people’s hair himself, couldn’t really complain much when it’s done to him, even when his isn’t as messy as usual.
The questions made the corners of his mouth turn more to look considering. …Technically, this didn’t seem like it’d be the same in all honesty. Most things at heists with him happened right then, or gave some indication… This he woke up to the morning after, and he didn’t notice any flashes or something creepy with the gem itself the night before… Still strange, though.
“Well, nothing major that I can remember, actually… Just… more of a feeling than anything,” he admitted, hand moving to rub the back of his neck. “Spider was there, after all, and… I think he saw me checking the jewel. Or, it was after I did that I noticed him, at least. Could be Akako or something else, though something about that felt off. Worth looking into either way.”
His eyes followed the other’s hand as it got close, though he made no move to knock the other’s hand away, relaxed as he was around his double… Or, knda former double? …Yeah… still felt more than a little weird, though he’s gotten a little more used to things.
“Yes. If you want proof…” Kaito grinned, which likely looked very out of place on someone who’s smiles were more along the lines of smirks. “Does anyone else you know know about our little game of ‘tag’?”
Well, if the grin wasn’t enough to convince him, then that certainly was.
“Oh my god.” The magician slapped a hand over his mouth, lips stretching into a grin that was eerily similar to the one on…Spider? The thief? This was just so weird and strangely funny and all kinds of unexpected and Kaito only barely managed to choke back an astonished laugh, amazed eyes locked on his other self.
…Could he still call him that, though? Since, technically…
“How–? Doesn’t seem like something Akako would do, but–” It was difficult to hold still and keep his hands to himself and he couldn’t help but reach out again, fingers curiously brushing against the other’s cheek. “Holy crap.”
The other’s reaction only made him grin wider, and really, the magician being around and mostly treating him like usual helped put him at ease, even with all of this. Kinda hard to see most people like this in the first place, when most didn’t know Spider, and the ones that did might not be happy to see him.
“Still not sure about that, actually…” Kaito replied, absently smoothing out his hair. One good thing about disguising, looking entirely different and all the various, though usually faked, changes along with it felt halfway natural. Just… more odd when he knows he can’t take things off and go back to his usual self.
“I’m starting to think it may have to do with the last heist I did… Hope not, though, since the gem’s already been sent to be returned…”
A little startled at the touch in his hair, Kaito turned to look over his shoulder, almost dropping the cards he’d been working with when he recognised her. Might’ve been a bit too focused after getting something familiar (hopefully the assassin wouldn’t mind too much, and he kept the receipt to pay him pay for them later anyway) to help him keep his hands busy to have noticed Ran coming close to the bench.
…Why was she running her hands though his hair? One thing in his normal body, they were fairly comfortable with each other by now that it wasn’t strange, but right now? …Did she know Spider? Or was this for some other reason?
“Umm… Did you need something?” He asked, giving a small smile to, hopefully, hide most of the surprise just seeing her.
His eyes followed the other’s hand as it got close, though he made no move to knock the other’s hand away, relaxed as he was around his double… Or, kinda former double? …Yeah… still felt more than a little weird, though he’s gotten a little more used to things.
“Yes. If you want proof…” Kaito grinned, which likely looked very out of place on someone who’s smiles were more along the lines of smirks. “Does anyone else you know know about our little game of ‘tag’?”
Okay, he’s out. Hadn’t really taken him long to figure out where he was, either, once he found a subway station, and really, he could technically walk home. Just about a few hours away on foot. …Which was unnerving, as it meant an assassin was fairly close to him, but good to know right now.
…Though, it was hard to guess if the other would still be there. Kaito… had been a bit wary of going out when more wisps were showing up from time to time, and it took some time to figure out they appeared because of his emotions. Funny, since he’d been trying to keep some of his poker face after a while, but it seemed these didn’t care for how he looked, just how he felt… Much harder to hide, that.
So the magician hadn’t come out until he could get whatever those were under control, and that meant… well, he wasn’t entirely sure what to do now. Could go find his house and wait. Or hang around the hotel until Spider showed up. Either way, though, he just knew he didn’t want to hang around inside the place, so he’d decided to step out for air and to learn his location. But with knowing how close he was…
Kaito sighed, glancing down at the still dark skin of his hand before looking up at the hotel he now knew he was staying at.
…Now what?
Moonlight Archive 