Dislaimer: I own very little.

Of Christmas and True Friends and Books

Christmas was, in Conan's not-entirely-humble opinion, one of the worst times of the year.

For one thing, he didn't believe in Santa. He'd very clearly told Ran this before his first Christmas at the Mouri's as she'd started asking whether he'd already written to Santa. Nevertheless, year after year he still had to pretend the presents he received were from a nonexistent person living on the North Pole. He was even physically twelve, yet he still had to write a stupid letter every year. Perhaps Kogoro himself clung to some childish belief. The theory was certainly plausible enough, given the detective's delight whenever Conan struggled to remember to thank Santa instead of the Mouris. Stupid old man.

In the Western countries, his parents had told him, Christmas was a family holiday. He had still adamantly refused their offers to take him overseas for the season. He'd decided to stay in Japan, and stay in Japan he would.

It hadn't been an easy decision, of course. When Haibara had told him a permanent cure would be impossible, for some time he had seriously considered moving to live with his parents. After all, he could never be with Ran like he used to. Why torture himself by staying close to her, especially as the threat of the Black Syndicate still remained? Still, he had chosen to live as Conan.

Haibara had made a different choice. Although she still lived with Professor Agasa, she didn't miss her old life. A nasty little concoction of hers had ensured that, even to herself, she was only Haibara Ai, an exceptionally intelligent elementary school student.

Conan didn't entirely approve of her choice, considering it an act of cowardice. Still, he couldn't really blame her, either. As an evidence of this, he had a bottle of the amnesia-inducing drink hidden carefully in his old house. It would only be his very last resort, but still...

Neither Santa nor Haibara's regression were reasons for his current foul mood, however. Instead he was out on the chilly streets because he much preferred a walk outside when the other option was hanging around as Ran introduced her new boyfriend.

Of course, he had known for years he couldn't fill that spot for her. After discovering that he would never return to his old self, he had framed the death of Kudou Shinichi. It had hurt Ran, but had ultimately been better than letting her wait forever for somebody who wouldn't come. It didn't mean he had to like facing the evidence that she had finally gotten over him.

Suddenly there was a hand ruffling his hair. Looking up with a yelp, he saw a familiar dark face grinning down at him. "Stop it, Hattori," he grumbled. "I'm not in the mood."

"Whoa, whoa," whined Heiji. "I come to Tokyo 'specially to see ya, and this's the welcome I get? Is that any way to treat a friend, hm?" The Osaka-born boy glared at him. "I'd appreciate an explanation, y'know."

"Sorry." Conan sighed. "It's just... Ran invited her dear Shimitsu-kun over today."

"Ah, so that's it." Heiji nodded sagely, matching his pace with Conan's. "You're still pinin' for neechan. That's kinda sad, y'know."

"Shut up." Conan glared at him. "Just because you and Kazuha –"

"Me 'n' Kazuha what? Why d'you think I managed to leave 'er behind? There's this young officer she's so fond of, they'll prob'bly get engaged over the holidays." He shrugged. "Good luck to him, I guess. He'll be needin' it with her."

"You're not upset?" Conan raised an eyebrow. "After all the times you've risked your life to save her..."

"I've risked myself savin' you, too, y'know. She's my friend, not my girlfriend." Heiji smirked. "How 'bout Haibara?"

"Oh, please. She's twelve." Conan sighed. "Well, not really... Intelligence-wise, she's still twenty-two, she just doesn't know it. Talking with her is nice, but it always reminds me of all the things I can't talk with her about. Besides, I think she likes Mitsuhiko-kun, nowadays."

"Of course she does, 'coz ya wouldn't notice 'er for years." Heiji snorted. "Poor girl had a crush on ya. She should've known ya only bring grief to girls."

"You're one to speak. Kazuha-neechan had a crush on you for over a decade," Conan replied. "You're staying at my house, right?"

It was one of the better things about Kudou Shinichi being dead. His parents had announced the house was too full of memories for them to return there, giving it to Conan instead. This not only gave him the perfect excuse to visit his old home whenever he wanted; it also presented a place for Heiji to stay at whenever he was in Tokyo. Kogoro was definitely glad not to have to listen to the two boys bickering under his roof whenever Heiji was visiting.

"Yup, already dropped my things there. I was 'bout to come 'n' surprise ya when your sulkin' face filled the street." Heiji smirked. "You'll stay with me, right? 'Less ya want to go back to Ran-neechan..."

"Curse you, Hattori, and the day I gave you the spare key." Conan drew his cell phone from his pocket – he only had one nowadays. Shinichi no more called.

"Take it back, then."

"And miss seeing Uncle's face whenever you show up out of blue? Not a chance." Conan composed a quick text message, telling Ran Heiji and he would be at the Kudou's old house. He wasn't sure he could talk with her.

Heiji's never-ending chatter kept his mind occupied as they walked to the house. True, sometimes it annoyed him, but at times like these he was only glad not to have to think about the more difficult – or hurtful – things.

As they stepped into the house, Conan wondered how Heiji always seemed to change the old house's atmosphere by simply being there. Whenever he went there by himself, the house was empty and quiet, not uncomfortably so, but... When Heiji was there, he seemed to fill the house with noise and laughter even when he was silent. It was so now, too.

"Oh, while I remember," Heiji said. "I brought ya somethin'. It's s'pposed to be a Christmas gift, but as Santa obviously didn't bring it, y'can open it right 'way."

"Thanks, Hattori," Conan said sincerely. "For once somebody who doesn't expect me to believe in Santa!" He waited half interestedly as Heiji searched for the gift in his bag.

Conan accepted the parcel with a raised eyebrow. "A stack of paper?" he guessed, examining the weight and shape of the gift. "Why'd you give me something like that?"

"Just open it," Heiji replied with a grin. "I bet ya'll like it!"

Conan carefully opened the wrappings. As he saw the top page of what indeed seemed to be a stack of paper, his eyes widened. "'A Study on Kaitou Kid, by Hakuba Saguru,'" he read aloud. "But – this –"

"Is s'pposed to come out in February," Heiji finished for him. "I know. But, y'know, I've friends." He winked. "The Snob's boyfriend got me the script right 'way when I told him who it's for. You've quite a reputation."

"Kuroba Kaito? He's got quite a reputation himself, too. It seems he's even better at magic than his father. I also happen to know Hakuba didn't scrap him from the suspects list for Kaitou Kid until a year or so ago – after they had been dating for two years."

"That's the Snob for you. He's not bad when ya get to know 'im, but he's stubborn as Hell." Heiji chuckled. "One of my most interestin' friends, Hakuba Saguru. Right up there with the late Kudou Shinichi."

"And not me, eh?"

"Aw, c'mon. You're ten times more interestin'." Heiji ruffled his hair in a very annoying manner. "Now, are you gonna read it?"

Conan eyed the script almost hungrily. On one hand, he really really wanted to read it; on another, he couldn't just ignore Heiji, as he was bound to do if he started reading.

"Relax." Heiji grinned. "I'll just read it over your shoulder."

"And add your oh-so-witty commentary to every page?" Conan asked dryly. Not that he truly minded...

"But of course." The Osaka boy smirked. "I even bought snacks."

Who was Conan to resist such an offer? Thus he soon found himself on a couch, Heiji's arm over his shoulders, bickering about whether Heiji holding the bowl of chips would lead to him eating a majority of them. It was, to be honest, enjoyable.

As Conan later woke up, leaning against the sleeping Heiji with the half-read script in his lap, he thought that the holidays might not be entirely unbearable after all.