Title: Christmas Cheer

Characters: Ai Haibara and Eisuke Hondou ((Meaning slight EisuAi))

Summary: Ai says she hates Christmas because she's always been alone, so Eisuke kindly points out that she is alone no longer.

Rating: K

Word Count ((Excluding A/N)): 398

Well, I wrote this a while go, a few weeks before Christmas, and I finally decided to post it. Merry late Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Disclaimer: I don't own Detective Conan; Gosho Aoyama does.


"Here you go, Haibara-san!"

Ai snapped out of her reverie, staring up at the teen blankly. Eisuke towered over her, smiling, offering her a mug of hot chocolate.

"Thank you, Hondou-kun," she murmured, taking the drink from him.

"You're welcome, Haibara-san."

They both fell silent after that, Ai sipping her hot chocolate slowly while Eisuke surveyed their surroundings with vague interest.

"You guys did a good job with the decorating," he said finally, and earning another blank stare from the eight year old, he added, "Hakase and you, I mean."

"I suppose so," she replied dully, and their conversation ceased once more.

Eisuke frowned slightly as he turned his full attention to the strawberry blonde beside him. She was the one who had planned the party in the first place, so why wasn't she enjoying it?

"You know, you really don't seem like you're enjoying yourself, Haibara-san. What's wrong?" his voice was laced with concern and she smiled wryly.

He sounded like Kudo.

"You're concern is misplaced, Hondou-kun. I'm fine; just a bit tired, that's all," Ai said dismissively, but he wouldn't let the matter drop.

His frown deepening, he kneeled down to her level, staring straight into her eyes.

"Why are you lying?"

"…And here I thought Kudo was the observant one," she muttered under her breath, her eyes darkening slightly, "It's none of your concern."

"No, I suppose it isn't," he agreed, "but that doesn't mean it can't be. I want to help, Haibara-san. It's not good to keep everything bottled up inside."

"You know, you're really starting to sound like Kudo, always worrying over nothing," she commented dryly before sighing softly, "If you must know, I've never been a big fan of Christmas. I just don't see the point in it all."

"Eh?" Eisuke blinked, staring at her incredulously, "You don't like Christmas?"

"Never have. Never will."

"Why?"

"Because I've always been alone."

"But you're not alone anymore," he reminded her gently, smiling softly, "So perhaps you should give the holiday another chance? Maybe you'll find it a bit more tolerable this time around."

"Perhaps…or maybe I'll come to dislike it even more," Ai pointed out, her lips twitching upwards in a slight smirk.

"Only one way to find out," Eisuke chuckled, offering her a hand, "How about joining the party?"

She sat her mug of hot chocolate to the side, accepting his hand.


Yeah...Blame Muse and Ami-chan. I really wouldn't be shipping these guys if it weren't for them. And so, this prompt is dedicated to them, even if Ami-chan has already read it. Oh, and the only thing this prompt doesn't contain is Eisuke's clumsiness, but that would've killed the whole mood.

xD