There was a song Hakuba had heard the last time he had gone to England. It was by a group that went by the odd name of Franz Ferdinand. The name of the song was 'Take me out'.

At the time he had thought it was a rather amusing song, although he couldn't figure out what the lyrics had meant.

Now, he was starting to get an inclination of what the artist could have possibly meant.

I'm just a crosshair,
I'm just a shot away from you

He was currently standing on a rooftop, the waving mass of people visible to his eye, as were he and the Kaitou Kid to them. Banners were being waved; people shouting and Nakamori on the bullhorn ordering him to take the bastard Kid down so hard the thief would feel it in his kidneys tomorrow.

Which would have been fine and wonderful, doubts currently being passed through the department thanks to one nosy shrunken detective and his good-natured but loudmouthed Osaka mate about just where exactly he stood as far as the Kid aside, except for the fact that there was currently a gun being pointed at him.

And if you leave here
You leave me broken, shattered, alive

Kid glanced at him out of the corner of shadow-hued eye, his attention on the third member, the one the audience below -could not- see, the one who was dressed in black with an intent look on his eyes as if he had just gotten incredibly lucky and now the only question was who to shoot first.

Not for the first time, Hakuba wished he was armed with something other than his wits, his handcuffs and occasionally Watson. Everyone else was effing well armed.

I'm just a crosshair
I'm just a shot... then we can die

So. They were at an impasse. Personal relationships aside, it was his job to take down the two lawbreakers. It was the two lawbreaker's roles to take out the law-enforcer as well each other.

The question then became, who to take out first?

Ohhh... I know I won't be leaving here... with you

Kid caught his eye, a corner of his mouth curving up in a knowing smirk as his grip on the card gun shifted, taking the safety off.

The thief had a plan.

Which of course, made sense; he wouldn't be the uncatchable thief if he didn't always have a black up plan.

The question was, did Hakuba want to be in on this plan?

I say don't you know
You say you don't know

He raised an eyebrow slightly, acknowledging the question. It depended on the plan, certainly. Although at this moment, he wasn't quite sure what good he could do exactly.

And if Nakamori's bellowing was any indication, he -really- should make an effort to capture the Kid or face some very dire consequences.

The smirk widened slightly as Kid stared at the man in black, who was beginning to look impatient, and suddenly Hakuba -understood-.

I say... Take me out.

He blinked, positive he had misinterpreted the silent conversation. It wasn't as if he were THAT adept at reading body language and the pistol packing person was -right- there, there was a large chance that he could pick up what was blatantly not being said.

I say you don't show
Don't move time is slow

But at the same time, if he made any movement towards their guest, he was pretty sure that Black-san would shoot him. Same if Kid made any moves. Either way, this could end badly.

On the other hand, he could hear the footsteps echo behind him, the Task Force catching up to them.

I say... take me out

Feet making their decision before his head did, he turned towards the Kid and began to sprint. The man in black fired at him and he could feel the heat and the shards of cement shatter behind him as the bullet strike behind where he had been.

Kid fired and out of his periphery vision, he was aware of the card striking the shooter in the chest and enveloping him in a cloud of pink smoke. Sleeping gas.

Hakuba launched himself at the Kid, catching him in a flying tackle, sending the cardgun flying from the thief's hand and landing sprawled out on top of him. The thief cursed a blue streak, elbows and limbs flying as he wiggled to get out of Hakuba's grasp. Hakuba hung on tenaciously, but it was like holding on to an eel.

I know I wont be leaving here (with you)
I know I wont be leaving here

Police swarmed up the side of the building, like a swarm of large black ants, invading the rooftop and gathering around them.

"Arrest that one!" He shouted, motioning towards the prone figure in black with his head as he struggled to maintain his balance on top of the wildly buckling thief in what probably looked like a very lewd display to the gawking onlookers. "And someone get me my damn cuffs!"

I know I wont be leaving here (with you)
I know I wont be leaving here... with you

Cuffs were magically produced, hands grabbing the thief and hauling the two of them upright. The Kid looked oddly triumphant as both he and the sleeping gunman were escorted down the stairs, leaving Hakuba on the roof to catch his breath.

Strangely, he did not feel as exultant as he thought he would when he had first come to Japan for the express purpose of doing exactly what he had just done... capturing the Kid.

I say don't you know
You say you don't know

He was swept up by the men of the Task Force and hauled down the stairs; his back soon becoming sore from the amount of back slapping and cheering that went on. Microphones were shoved in his face as Nakamori swung an arm around his shoulders and gloated about the Kid's capture. The crowd shouted and demanded the thief's release, cries of outrage. Hakuba merely smiled politely and answered the rapid-fire questions on automatic, feeling quite outside of the din.

Internally, his thoughts were a churning mass of 'He'd caught the Kid' and quite a bit of 'Holy Shite' and 'What the hell was he supposed to do NOW?!'

I say... take me out

This continued in dizzying circles for an insurmountable amount of time, until a call from the Police Station reported that the Kid had never reached the Station.

They'd found an inflatable Kid doll handcuffed in the back of the police car instead, a rose and a note of apology on its lap.

The Kaitou Kid had gotten away again.

If I move this could die
Eyes move this can die

Cries of outrage became cheers of joy as the news was spread that the Kid had gotten away again. Out from under the police's close watchful gaze. Nakamori predictably nearly burst a blood vessel.

Hakuba found himself laughing.

C'mon... take me out.

It was a ridiculous thing to laugh about, but the turmoil that had been rolling in his gut since he'd first seen the gunman needed an outlet, which it found in a series of rather un-manly giggles.

And it was the same damn problem he'd thought of and faced in the snow-covered cabin over a year ago.

"w-Wanker." He managed to snigger. "The insufferable git."

And officially, those were his last words on the Kid's latest heist, capture and escape.

I know I wont be leaving here (with you)
I know I wont be leaving here

When he arrived home, he found the Kid perched on his computer chair, hands in his pockets smiling like the cat that had just won the prize.

Hakuba looked at him a moment, deliberated, then threw a house scuff at the smirking facade. "Wanker."

Kid laughed, ducking to avoid the flying slipper. "Bastard." The retaliation was without heat, coloured with affection.

Hakuba simply shook his head, sprawling backwards on his bed. "Do not do that to me. I thought for a moment that for sure one of us was going to end up dead."

"Sorry." Kid's tone was light, but the apology underneath was sincere and just a tad heistant, like he wasn't sure if Hakuba would want to continue. "But we got one, right?"

I know I wont be leaving here (with you)
I know I wont be leaving here... with you

Hakuba grinned tiredly. "Yes. Yes, we did." One would lead to others. And they'd managed to clear up quite a bit of his reputation as well. Ha. Take that and suck on it, Kudo.

"So..." Kid grinned, rising from the chair and stalking him with the fluid grace of someone with way too much flexibility in their joints. Hakuba grinned in returned, resting his hands on the Kid's waist as he found himself covered in a kaitou blanket.

"What shall we do to celebrate?"

C'mon... Take me out.

-fin-

~_^

• 'Take me out' belongs to Franz Ferdinand, used without permission. Lyrics slightly out of order.

This song has been haunting me since I first heard it over half a year ago, with Hakuba, Kid and a third person standing on a rooftop, an impasse between the three of them. It finally blessedly just resolved itself..

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