I just HAD to write this. I was in a really sweet and cuddly and romantic mood and I had a certain picture in my mind that I had to get written down. Sorry if it's (a little) pointless fluff. I am not sure if this story has any point except making one feel all cuddly. Tell me if it was bad. Or good. Anything. Enjoy! Hugs, Your Jojo

Anticipation

By jojo

Kaito felt like a black sheep. All the people around him were enjoying themselves at their late afternoon walk and early season-shopping. At some corners he saw some people standing to sing Christmas songs and collecting money for some good purpose. Kaito huffed, not at those people but at the gathering mass that wouldn't let him through without a struggle.

Okay, so he couldn't but admit that the city was beautifully decorated. The bright lights were shining enchantingly, illuminating the city in the most amazing colors there were. Seasons decoration was hanging from every building and Santa Clauses were running through the streets. Wherever you went a Christmas song would await you.

A perfect preparation for the big day in two weeks. People enjoyed the mood, obviously and yet… Kaito just couldn't find his Christmas-spirit. No matter how many songs he heard or how many lights were shining nicely down at him, to Kaito everything felt simply stupid this year.

And the fact that he had been bored out of his mind to the point where his own thought started depressing him, had decided to take a late-afternoon walk around the city and walked right into a snow-rain that had him drenched to the bones was not lifting his mood, either. Not at all.

Huffing again and stucking his hands deeper in his pockets, Kaito quickly turned and tried to walk away from the cheery singing, preferably to find a nice and warm shelter as quickly as possible.

Suddenly coming to a halt, Kaito sighed in defeat as he looked upwards to a building he knew as well as his own house. If it was destiny or not, he didn't care, having already accepted his fate. Bringing up most of his courage, he raised a hand and pushed a well known button, hearing the bell ring in a melody he would recognize everywhere. He stuck his hands back in his pockets, feeling a strong shiver go through his body. Wether it was from the anticipation or the cold he did not want to think about at the moment.

Soon, he heard soft foot-steps approaching and felt his heart start beating stronger inside his chest. And as the door opened and a pretty young woman came to view, he could even feel it skip a beat or two. He had almost managed a smile at her, the first smile he'd smiled in days, but something inside held him back from doing so.

His childhood friend was clad in a black and white cotton panty hose with matching black skirt and a simple, white blouse. She had looked sweetly as she had opened the door and even as she recognized him but that changed quickly.

"Kaito? What happened to you?" She asked in concern, reaching out to touch one wet bang that was hanging right in the middle of his face.

He only looked at her in a certain way, almost lost and innocent, like a homeless puppy, but still quite handsome that she found her breath stuck in her throat for a moment. Honestly, she enjoyed the effect that only he had on her. But her mother instincts kicked in pretty quickly before the romantic thoughts could spread in her.

"Come inside. We have to get you dry before you catch a cold." She took his hand and lead him inside the house, closing the door behind her.

He didn't respond nor did he comment or say anything as she sat him down on one of the chairs in the kitchen and went to get a towel, having forced him to put his shoes off at the entrance.

Re-entering the kitchen with a fluffy, blue towel she wasted no time in putting it on his wet head and scrubbing it dry, smiling at the process. She really liked doing this and it was no secret to everybody who looked that she was having a lot of fun.

The sight that was presenting itself to her after removing the towel was really compelling one to laugh out and she didn't, couldn't resist either. His hair was standing in all directions even funnier than usual, looking all puffy from the rubbing.

"Tell me, what happened." She asked in tender voice as she patted his head gently, trying to tame it.

"I was sitting at home, bored out of my mind, the weather only depressing me more so I decided to take a walk and ended up getting drenched by this wanna be snow out there and then I found myself in front of your door, no idea why. That's all there is to it."

"I see. Seems like somebody has got a Christmas-depression." She giggled at him but he remained motion- and wordless.

Aoko took his jacket and went to hang it near the heater to let it dry. She walked back in the kitchen and poured him a cup of hot tea. Then the young woman sat down next to him and watched him drink it, a light, grateful smile forming on his lips as it started heating him up from the inside.

"What are you doing? It smells great in here." He looked around and only now noticed that the house was decorated as well and that she was wearing an apron.

"I was doing cookies for Christmas. You know, a custom in the Western World. And if I don't hurry, the next ones will burn. They are in the oven so…"

"Oh, don't mind me. Go ahead." Kaito said quickly.

"You can go to the living room and watch some movie if you like until I am finished."

She left him and went back to work, taking the ones that were finished out of the oven and letting them cool while she prepared the next baking-tin.

Kaito was almost standing up to follow her suggestion as something held him back. He soon figured that it must have been her soft humming. Confused, he turned around and watched her spreading the cookie-paste on the floured space in front of her. She had an almost blissful expression on her face as she kneaded it almost carefully with hands Kaito knew very well were capable of much more force. She was looking intently at her task and now singing a christmas song in a soft voice that had him staring at her openly.

But Aoko took no notice of him, being too preoccupied with spreading the paste without tearing it or poking holes in it. The sight had something enchanting and Kaito found himself unable to move away or tear his gaze from Aoko, the idea of a movie suddenly sounding not as welcome as it had a minute ago.

So, he leaned back on his chair, his shocks-covered feet on the chair and his arms wound around his knees. His chin rested on top and he watched Aoko work in the kitchen.

He didn't know why but to see her cut out hearts, angels, stars and other stereotypical Cristmas-objects he felt a warm sensation race through his body, warming him more effectively than the tea had and diving him in a peace that he had longed to find for the past days. He felt content and peaceful as he listened to her sweet voice singing softly, her head turning left and right to obtain a better view of what her hands were doing as she placed object after object on a baking-tin.

Slowly, a smile, the first genuine smile that had creeped on his lips for days sneaked on his face. Her song was almost a lullaby that wrapped his heart in a warm cocoon, making him forget everything bad outside this room. And at this moment, as far as Kaito was concerned, only they existed in this blissful comfortable atmosphere inside Aoko's kitchen. For nothing in the world he would trade his place on this simple wooden chair next to the wooden table that was decorated with flowers and a red table-cloth, simple but nice. Combined with the presense of the woman he was so deeply in love with for such a long while it let a sigh, a deep and happy sigh that came from the depths of his heart, emit from his lips.

"Kaito?"

Unfortunately, this sigh had made her realize he was still in the kitchen and it slightly alarmed her. She stopped her singing, in the back of her mind noting that she should feel embarrassed that he had been watching her but her concern was stronger.

"Are you all right?" She asked worried and was about to approach him as he held a hand up to stop her.

"No, I am fine, really. Better than fine. Just go on with your cookies."

She raised an eyebrow in question but his determined smile reassured her and she went back to her baking, now singing a beautiful song called: "All I want for Christmas is you". Kaito had always liked this song and he lay his chin back down on his knees to watch her.

This is how they spend the next twenty minutes until Aoko, after another song, turned her head to look at Kaito softly with a questioning expression.

"Aren't you bored?"

The magician shook his head. "Not at all." He said and was meaning it.

She smiled and turned back to look at the angel she was cutting out of the paste and placed it on the tin before giving him another sideward gaze. "You know, you could help if you want." She said softly and not at all forcefully, asking him only because she thought that maybe he would like it.

Kaito didn't respond but went on looking at her with an expression on his face that was unreadable. Aoko started another song and went back to the task at hand. She was almost finished with "Jingle Bells" as Kaito slowly put his feet back on the ground. He paused, his perfect pokerface making it impossible to read his intentions. Aoko hadn't even noticed the change.

He slowly stood up and walked soundlessly over to where Aoko was standing, looking over her shoulder and at her hands. He stood there for a minute, doing nothing. He was not even sure if she had realized he was standing right behind her and even if she did she let nothing show.

Humming the well-known melody of "Rudolph, the red-nose rendeer" Aoko went to cut out a christmas tree. Then she carefully placed it on the tin as not to break it. The rest of the paste she kneaded together again because it had too many holes already.

That was when Kaito stepped into action. Moving right behind her, his chest touching her back, he rested his chin on her shoulder and wound his arms around her waist. He hugged her closely and smiled as he felt her smile and lean back against him warmly, getting comfortable.

Neither spoke a word, Aoko only hummed softly and Kaito didn't take his eyes off her hands that were, now slower, still kneading almost leisurely. At some point, his hands let go of her middle and, still pressed at her back, they went to join hers in their task.

She smiled and momentarily stopped humming, turning her head to look at him with a grin. He grinned back, averting his eyes shortly from their joined hands and looked at her. Kissing her cheek softly, he nudged her head with his nose to turn back.

"Go on." He whispered in her ear, meaning to get her to resume the singing and kneading.

What he received was a strong shiver that cursed through her body that he could feel perfectly since she was still pressed against him. With shaky voice she went on summing a cheery but soft song that he didn't recognize and didn't have to know either. He was concentrating on massaging her hands sensually, meaning to make her forget everything else.

With a self-sufficent grin he discovered that Aoko was playing along, now running her fingers over his own hands as well while working on the paste. As Kaito started kissing her cheek and down her face to her shoulder, it seemed as if she had forgotten which song she was summing in the first place.

"Kaito…" She giggled as he started nibbling on her neck. She stopped their hands' motions and turned around in the circle of his arms, smiling at him. She placed the back of her hands over his shoulders so that she would not smear him. "Did you come to help or distract me?"

"I don't know…" He couldn't help but stare at her lips while answering her almost absentmindedly. "Maybe both…"

Aoko giggled again. She was obviously in posession of a Christmas-spirit, that was what was causing her good mood today. He kinda liked it since for once it made her seem in complete equilibrium. On the other hand, ever since they had confessed their feelings for one another, Aoko seemed to have changed. She was more comfortable in her skin and not as easy to tease and to drive mad as before. They still had their quarrels but they were harmless and both wouldn't want to be without since it was almost habit.

No, Kaito was talking about her whole behaviour. She even seemed to be smiling more and there were no words to describe how much he loved her smile for it was doing the craziest things to his system effortlessly. To sum it up, this whole relationship thing had only positive effects on both of them. Kaito couldn't recall a time he had felt so in peace with himself either or a time he had been this happy from the inside. He didn't even feel like teasing her that much anymore, which hardly ever made sense anyway since he long ago had confessed to her that she was the most beautiful thing to him.

As she snuggled against him, her head on his chest and arms tightening a little around his neck Kaito couldn't supress another smile. This were the times he cherished the most. Simply when she was close to him, giving him comfort when he needed it.

He wound his own arms around her and rested his head on top of hers, a content breath escaping his lips. Both young adults remained like this for quite some time until he felt her gently moving back a little to look at his face. He returned the look, trying to keep his arms around her as tightly as it was possible while granting her the space she wanted.

"Feeling better?" She whispered up at him, not able to switch her concern off.

Kaito couldn't help his smile nor could he stop his head as it moved down to press a tender kiss on her temple. "Yeah." He whispered back, smiling at her.

She retured the smile wholeheartedly. She was about to lean in and kiss him for real as she remembered something and quickly pushed him back all the way.

"Oh no! The cookies!" She hurried to the oven while cleaning her hands on her apron and opened it. A sigh of relief escaped her a moment later. "Thank god, they are not burned!"

Putting the gloves on, she took the tin out and looked more closely at them before a content smile appeared on her features. "Good…" she whispered to herself, placing the baking-tin down on the counter.

Kaito leaned back, his hands supporting his weight on the counter as he watched her. She was still bend over the cookies and after some time carefully picked one up. Blowing at it a little, Aoko turned to face him. Taking the three steps separating them, she placed the cookie in front of his lips, raising expectantly her eyebrows in silent invitation.

Without serious hesitation, he opened his mouth and tried her cookie. A smile appeared on his lips a second later. "Delicious!"

She beamed at him at the compliment. She didn't even have time to register his quick move but another second later, he had bend down and caught her surprised lips in a sweet kiss.

After pulling back, he grinned at her while licking his lips delightfully after making sure she was watching him. "See!" he was emphasizing his position.

"Yes, I see your point." Aoko giggled at him. Then she turned to look at the paste on the table. "I still have to put those in the oven and then I'm finished. Wanna help?" She caught his grin and corrected herself. "Help, not distract! After that I'll have time to tend to you."

"All right then." Kaito sighed out. Aoko only smiled, turned to flour the surface and spread the paste on the counter again. She handed him a knife and gently instructed him. It was her luck that Kaito quickly adapted to this task with a skill she wouldn't have believed him capable of. At least not when it came to things like this. Distantly, she wondered if Kaito could cook. Somehow, she had never had the opportunity to find out.

Pretty soon, they had the baking-tin full of recognizable and neatly looking cookies. She put them in the oven and turned to smile at him. "Those are certainly going to become really good."

He only nodded at her and went to help her clean the kitchen.

"We have to wait now for another fifteen minutes and we'll be done." She told him, facing the young man who was standing behind her.

Kaito nodded yet again and sat down on his chair from before. He opened his arms in invitation and, smiling, Aoko gladly followed his lead. She sat on his lap, her back comfortable against his chest, her head resting on his shoulder and her arms she placed on top of his that he had wound around her waist. With Kaito's head next to hers, they sat in this comfortable position in silence, watching the oven without really looking at it.

The time passed unnoticed by them and Aoko soon stood up, although reluctantely to leave the warmth of him, to switch off the oven and take out the last cookies. She watched them as they cooled and soon could put them on the plate on top of the others.

"All done!" She smiled proudly at him. "Come on, let's go watch a movie and eat some cookies. Take those and go ahead, I'll be right there."

She gave him the big plate and returned to the fridge. Kaito had already sat down on the couch as Aoko came into the living room with two cups. He looked at her and she answered before he could pose his question.

"I know you like pure milk the best and it fits perfectly to the cookies." Was her whole answer that she gave him with a shrug and put them down on the table before going to a cupboard to take a fluffy, white blanket out, returning to him.

She sat down next to him on the pink-white chequered couch, next to a matching blue-white chequered pillow. She threw the blanket around them, took some cookies and cuddled against him closely. Kaito wound an arm around her while adjusting the blanket and took one cup with cold milk in his other hand. The television was already running in the background but neither payed it any attention as they started feeding each other.

"What do you say?" She asked with a giggle after feeding him a star-cookie.

"Still delicious." He enjoyed her happy beaming at his praise and took a heart-shaped cookie to feed it to her, placing the cup with milk to her lips after she was done with chewing, allowing her to sip as much as she liked of it.

"You are right." She had to admit. He smiled at her expression and couldn't help himself. He dove down to steal a sweet kiss from her lips, the vanilla and cinnamon flavours that he found there enticing him to take another taste to which she did not resist but only responded to in kind.

"You did a really good job." He whispered to her with a soft smile after feeding Aoko another cookie.

"Thank you." She smiled at him, stroking softly over his cheek with a hand for a moment. Then she picked up a cookie with an unusual shape. "This one is from you." She stated with a grin, looking at the little dove in her hand. He smiled and took it from her before placing it to her lips. Right as she bit down he came forward to kiss her, stealing one half of the cookie in the process.

Aoko chuckled softly. "How come this one tasted better than mine?" She teased him.

"It's because of my unique charm!" Kaito answered arrogantely, causing her to chuckle some more and place a hand behind his head to pull him to her for another, deep kiss.

They went on teasing, gently feeding the other and drinking the milk to the cookies until both were completely stuffed.

Going back to cuddling and kissing tenderly, the comfortable warmth had long ago spread around them becoming so snug it almost send them to sleep right there. It was more than save to say that both young people in love were happy and content to the point of pure bliss.

Aoko watched Kaito yawn and stroked over his chest where she had been resting her hand on. "You didn't sleep last night, did you?"

He shook his head. "No. I was restless all night…"

In the back of his mind he wondered how she knew all the things she did but had long ago given up trying to explain her extraordinary womanly-instincts. However, Kaito would have almost growled in dismay as Aoko pulled back from him then and out of his arms but kept shut as she tenderly took a hand to stroke his cheek. Gently pushing his head down and on top of her lap, she leaned over to make sure he was covered up properly.

A confused young man looked at her questionly but she prevented him from talking as she bend to kiss his forehead gently. "Get some sleep, it'll make you feel better, believe me."

Had she told him that she was actually Kaito Kid, he would have believed her right away. There was no other reaction to her sincere voice and soft gaze, beautiful smile or to her hand that was tenderly stroking over his hair that was feeling a little softer than usual while her other was interwining its fingers with his own, the joined hands resting on his stomach on top of the blanket.

Snuggling against her with a peace in his heart and a content feeling in the pit of his stomach that he hadn't felt in a long while, our out-powered magician, for once, allowed himself the luxary of falling asleep in the care and arms of the woman he loved more than anything.

"Thank you…" He murmured against her.

"Whatfor?" She asked him softly in return.

"For helping me find my Christmas-spirit." Kaito smiled but didn't open his eyes. His smile only grew as he felt her kiss his temple slowly.

She was certain he had gone to sleep right then as he suddenly opened his eyes again, a powerful urge forcing him to add something to his statement.

"And for everything else of course." Aoko was smiling at him beautifully. "Especially for taking so good care of me and of course for loving me."

His eyes bore deeply into hers, leaving no doubts about how completely serious he was. Even the most unromantic person would have been touched by this open statement that left him unusually vulnerable and Aoko felt her heart starting to throb stronger in her chest.

She raised her hand to stroke over his cheek gently, then cupped it before she bend down to press a long and endlessly affectionate kiss to his lips, feeling his head tilt up a little to meet her better.

"You are welcome." She whispered against his lips the moment she had slowly pulled away, her breath dancing across his chin.

Kaito smiled without opening his eyes, his expression being only describable as blissful and peaceful while it at the same time mirrored her state of heart, before rolling his head to the side against her belly and falling into a tight, restful slumber.

A tender look was dancing on Aoko's face as she observed her spend boyfriend sleeping on her lap soundlessly. Her hand didn't quit its stroking over his head, never growing tired of it. And when it eventually did stop, it was to switch off the television. Then it returned to the task it so willingly accomplished. There was something so intimate about this contact that made her feel even closer to Kaito and this fact let her heart sing in happiness and bliss.

It made her happy that he was feeling so save in her arms that he could fall asleep right on the spot and that he considered her home a save zone that served him as refuge where his worries could not follow.

The young woman in love smiled at the boy on her who had just taken in a deep breath in his sleep. This is exactly where she wanted to be, now and forever. Be there for him and do her best to comfort him when he needed it. This is what defined a good relationship, after all.

Pulling the blanket tighter around them, making sure it would not fall off, Aoko gently pulled him a little higher on herself so that she could sink a little deeper on the couch. This way, it would be more comfortable for her to fall asleep as well.

And, after the long day she had had, it was no wonder that she was sleepy in the first place. So, stroking over his head a few times and observing him with half-closed lids and a happy smile on her lips, Aoko soon followed her Kaito into dreamworld, wondering if maybe they'd meet there.

And even if not, that was no reason to be sad, knowing that when she or he woke up, they would always be there for one other.

With this reassuring thought, Aoko fell asleep, her arms tightly around Kaito.