((A/N: So here I am existing on the roof when suddenly Cam declares the Tiger is coming home with her! Me, being in dire need of a lawyer due to my lack of disclaimers, cried out in protest but no one listened. Instead, the REAL Donkey rushes into the room screaming 'MORTAL COMBAT!'))

Trust…?

For some people, it takes years to trust someone; sometimes even longer to rely on them.

Miyano Shiho had never trusted people easily. Over the course of her life there had grown progressively more dire reasons to avoid trust, but she hadn't been very trusting to begin with.

It was irony that her older sister was the exact opposite in that respect. It was something she had never envied about her sister but still had enjoyed.

Shiho was her own person. Her sister was her own person. There was no need for envy; they complimented each other nicely.

Her trust in others had done anything but improved over the years but when her sister died Shiho lost the belief in even the simplest things. She hardly felt alive when she'd escaped from the organization.

She still hadn't felt alive when she started her new life as Haibara Ai.

It was there she grew to trust someone. Now, when she looks back, she places the blame on how desperate she had been for something to cling to, something for her to believe. Something to trust.

It helped that Agasa Hiroshi was an easy person to trust. He was a kindly old man who had dealt with his fair share of children despite his status as a bachelor.

He was simple, kind and consistent. She was quite sure she would have ended her life had anything have happened to the old professor.

It took her longer to trust the next person she came to rely on.

Kudou Shinichi was also an easy person to trust, but she wasn't quite as broken as she first was when she'd meant Agasa. She had rebuilt some of her old walls again.

Still, time and time again Kudou proved his worth.

It made her almost feel hope.

She'd never actually thought she'd manage to find an antidote. She didn't think the organization would ever wilt.

She didn't think it was possible.

But Kudou had an unending amount of determination.

And a strong sense of justice. If he didn't stop the organization for himself, it was for everyone else that was and could be hurt by them.

Shiho didn't understand how he could be so untouched by the hopelessness of the situation.

She would never admit it to him, never in a million years, but she had found his determination admirable.

It was still years after all of that.

Miyano Shiho still didn't trust people easily. She trusted her landlord, Agasa-hakase. She trusted the determination of her tentative friend, Kudou Shinichi.

And now… she trusted Hondou Eisuke.

It had been an unexpected meeting, unlikely at best, but even though he'd only met her as Haibara Ai, he'd recognized her.

That was what caught her attention.

They'd only met by chance and only a few times before they began having pleasant conversation. Despite his clumsy demeanor, Eisuke was very bright and many times surprised her with his intellect when he wasn't already surprising her with his accidental antics.

It had taken time for her to trust him. More time than it had taken to trust both Agasa and Kudou.

But she did.

The boy himself let out a startled squeak as Shiho's head landed on his shoulder but he quieted down when he heard a soft snore escape her.

Blushing a fine shade of red, Eisuke rested a hand on her shoulder.

((Ending Notes: Semi-inspired by Ami-chan's adorable fic 'Cup of Tea' (go read it! It's a great fic!)

I love this pairing x3 EisukexShiho is soooo cute!

Other Shiho pairings I enjoy, you ask? (what do you mean you didn't ask?!)

-OkitaxShiho

-SaguruxShiho

-MitsuhikoxAi

-ShihoxAoko(don't ask xD)

-HeijixShiho

But EisukexShiho has to be one of the cutest :3

-Muse-chan after dinner.))