Chapter Text
Kokichi preferred to do field work himself.
Not because he didn't trust the rest of DICE - he knew they could handle the big stuff like bank robberies and museum heists just as well as he can. It was mainly because there was a much higher risk of getting caught and apprehended, and he really wouldn't be able to live with himself if something happened to one of them while they were carrying out his orders.
Which is why he usually let the others run background checks instead. Scoping out sites, breaking into domestic households with the strict rule of only stealing information.
An exception to this system was breaking into the annoyingly persistent detective's apartment because with how many close calls Kokichi had, he was starting to get worried that he had made more progress than he first thought, and he wanted to check for himself. Besides, breaking into a law enforcer's home probably held the same amount of risk as breaking into the art gallery in town.
He was curious of what he would find, and he pondered this silently as he fiddled with the lock of the apartment door. Maybe if he was lucky, he'd be able to score some blackmail material! He kept an ear out, making sure nobody was approaching. Rest assured, Shuichi wouldn't be back soon, seeing as he watched the detective leave with his own two eyes, five minutes prior. Then again, he couldn't be completely sure that he would be out for hours, like he first assumed, so he settled to just work as quickly as possible.
The lock gave way with a click, and a mischievous smile contorted his lips as he pushed open the door and walked in with a confidence of someone returning to their own, legal home. His smile quickly fell as he froze near the door, eyes having swept the open plan room and spotting a figure standing in the kitchen. They turned to stare at him as he entered, kettle boiling dutifully beside them.
Now, Kokichi was absolutely, honestly sure Shuichi lived alone. Of course he wasn't sure now, but it was generally accepted information that Mr Detective didn't live with his parents, and this person wasn't Shuichi. The white hair gave it away instantly.
They both stared, with an equal unwillingness to speak, before the stranger gave in. "You're not Shuichi."
Kokichi almost wanted to scoff at the obvious statement. In fact, he did, deciding to just take this all in stride. He was so glad he chose to wear his normal heist outfit to this mission, never appreciating the physical mask more.
"No shit." He huffed, relaxing as he wandered closer to this newly discovered obstacle at a leisurely pace. The other frowned, eyebrows pinching together as the kettle whistled for attention.
"Who are you, then? He didn't mention giving anyone else a key." He seemed to be ignoring his kettle in favour of paying attention to the thief, and sure, that's fine, but it was hilarious that this guy's first thought was that he had been given a key.
"Oh yeah, we're besties! It was about time I got a key." Kokichi quipped with a grin, folding his arms behind his head. "But anyway, you first! Name for a name, and all that."
He was half expecting the other to refuse, maybe shoo him out or call Shuichi for confirmation. Instead, he turned to the kettle and poured the water into a cup as the scent of tea began to drift in the air. "Kiibo." He offered, setting the kettle back down before adding, almost as an afterthought. "Naegi."
Kokichi instantly felt like he had been slapped in the face.
He should have known.
Shuichi didn't live with his parents, but he did live with his brother. Who, for the record, didn't have any right looking anywhere near that attractive in the dingy kitchen light.
Who did he assign research for this mission to? Had it been Fuyumi? Did she know about this?
Oh hell, was this her inconvenient way of trying to set him up with someone?
If it was, he decided to play along just a bit, quickly bounding forward. Kiibo visibly stiffened, one hand wrapping around his cup as he watched Kokichi approach a bit quicker than considered normal, with the same wariness in his eyes as Shuichi.
Kokichi took his free hand in one of his own, and despite the slight twitch of his fingers, was once again surprised by the fact that Kiibo didn't instantly rip his hand away from his grip. He momentarily debated what name to use, before settling with his code name, raising the other's hand and brushing his lips against his knuckles, like a pretentious gentleman. "Joker."
"Snake Eyes." Kiibo corrected as Kokichi released his hand. The nickname made him momentarily panic, eyes flickering up to his face. There was a flush to his cheeks, but more importantly, a glint of understanding in blue orbs that made him want to recoil.
He had plenty of encounters with the detective in the past, and with every encounter, he would be greeted with a single consistent question regarding his name. Seeing as Kokichi wasn't an idiot, he never gave it away, which lead to Shuichi settling with a nickname, something only the detective called him. Snake Eyes. A reference to DICE, and his understandably suspicious appearance during heists.
Fuck.
Kokichi pressed his lips into a thin smile, hand drifting to his pocket as he fished out a pocket knife, brandishing it in front of himself in a threatening manner as his gaze hardened. "Great! Introductions over. Do you plan on being a pain in the ass or will you let me do what I need to do, Kiiboy?"
Kiibo paused, wrapping his newly freed hand around his cup before lifting it to his lips and taking a sip. Kokichi noticed that his movements were slightly stiff, and was hoping that was because of fear.
He didn't respond for a few heavy moments, and when he did, his eyes were on the tea, swirling it idly. "I think that depends on what you plan to do. And it's Kiibo, not Kiiboy."
At this point, the thief was almost unnerved with how calm he was. He was pointing a knife at him, and he offered him a hard maybe? Either his confusion had slipped through his highly maintained mask or Kiibo decided to add on himself. "That knife isn't real anyway, is it?"
Kokichi laughed, playing it up as he rocked on his heels, leaning closer. He wiggled the blade, squinting one eye as he suppressed his nerves. "You're kidding, right? This is the real deal! Unless you want me to poke you with it to check?"
Kiibo looked less confident, which was enough for Kokichi to feel like he had secured the upper hand in the situation. His smile became more natural, underlying malice hidden behind his teeth as he stepped back, withdrawing his knife. "I'll take that as a-"
"It's not reflecting light!" Kiibo burst out, looking increasingly proud of himself while Kokichi could only stare, face becoming blank. When he didn't receive an answer, he gestured towards the knife, smiling smugly. "The knife. It's said you have some sort of power linked to illusions, and you probably weren't prepared to pull a knife so your illusion's missing reflections."
Violet eyes flitted to the metal, and Kokichi couldn't stop the curse that fell from his lips as he saw that he was right. Such a novice mistake! He had been honing his powers for years, and he tripped on something as basic as reflections?
Recognising that no lie he delivered would believably contradict that, he dismissed the illusion into a swirl of purple smoke that dissipated in seconds. "Doesn't mean I won't still kill you if you get in my way." He muttered bitterly, looking at the floor as he composed himself.
Kiibo hummed, smile remaining on his face as he presumably rode the high of his ego boost. He drank from his cup, leaning against the counter as silence lulled between them. Kokichi wondered if he could sprint towards the bedrooms. He had a fifty-fifty chance of getting into Shuichi's first try, right?
"Do you want some tea?"
"What?" Kokichi had to give himself a moment to process the question, baffled. By a lot of things, all of which lead back to how Kiibo was acting. Why hadn't he called the cops yet? Why hadn't he called his brother yet? He knew about him, so he probably knew about Shuichi's case, right?
"Tea. Seeing as you're here already. It's nothing life changing, but I still have some boiled water at the ready." Kiibo inclined his head to the kettle, setting his cup down with a curious expression.
Kokichi recognised what this was. A distraction. From what? Distracting him from completing his mission, or maybe stalling until Shuichi got back, to arrest him. He knew very well that it was a heavy suggestion, despite the light tone.
So he had absolutely no idea why he accepted.