"The secret to humor is surprise." - Aristotle

The Kuroba mansion was covered with red and green, full of glittering, shining beautiful decoration, the servants running up and down, dressed in similar style, holding huge gift boxes and trays filled with delicious and appetizing dishes, every window covered in paintings, flower and little snowflakes patterns, the warm smell of comfortable fire filling the whole building with Toichi and Chikage, the mister and the mistress inspecting as everything goes well. They wanted the holiday to be perfect, now that they had two little troublesome lovely teens, they themselves acted as little children as waiting for the miracles to happen. They wanted to see that girl smile honestly with real awe in her eyes. She could smile of course but she seemed a little out of place living in a dream they couldn't enter and therefore couldn't help her.

The girl they adopted and welcomed in the family as their own acted as a living life-sized doll, doing everything they asked, never saying any more than necessary. The blue child, Aoko, this mystery, slipped herself into their hearts like nothing before. Not to mention the effect she had on their only son. Kaito was mesmerized by the girl to the point Toichi and Chikage started to plan their wedding.

Talking about wedding this holiday was special because it was their wedding anniversary as well. That explains a lot.

" You have their presents ready?"

" Of course. And you the animals?"

" What do you take me for?"

" Do they suspect anything?"

" Not a thing." The happy married couple laughed at each other than stopped midway in sinc. " Unless Jii muttered them a word or two." Frowning at the same time made the couple giggle and chuckle again.

" At least Kaito can practice his fake surprise." Chikage shrugged.

" But that spoils the main point." Toichi pouted.

" Aw, darling, it will be good. Don't worry."

" Pst. Pssst. Aoko! Are you awake?" Kaito shook the fragile girl.

" Hm?" Aoko rubbed her dreamful eyes, still being asleep.

" Do you know what day is it?"

" M-m…"

" Hey, don't fall back asleep! We agreed."

" Aoko is not… sleep…ing. " the girl replied eyes shut closed, head bobbing.

" Yes you are." Kaito frowned. Aoko mumbled something incoherent. " Don't make me wake you up."

" I'm a…wake…"

"Hmpf." The boy looked at his companion, comfortably curled up in the armchair, covered in a blanket right next to him. The girl shifted a little closer to him, as he was warm and she was sleepy therefore a little cold. This of course made the young magician blush a tiny bit. He was prepared to drop, kick, flick, punch her out of the chair but not this. Not this. So this little distraction belated his plan with about half minute. Then he pushed Aoko out of the chair with greater force than necessary, waking, scaring and surprising her in the process.

" Ouch." That was all she said.

" Did you finally wake up?"

" Aoko is sure you had not needed to do this. Now her butt hurts."

" You forced me to do it."

" She did not."

" You did so. We promised to catch the mysterious figure bringing the presents this year, you should have woke up the first time I called you."

" Aoko still thinks it was rude."

" Shhh!" Kaito was right next to her, covering her mouth and pinning them both to the floor as he saw a shadow moving across the hallway. " It's here." He whispered. Only a second after did he realize just how close she was. Jumping a little he moved away to a decent distance, calming his heartbeat. Aoko simply blinked at him, completely clueless about the situation. She inched a tiny bit closer to him her voice only above a breeze.

" What do you plan to do now?"

Kaito didn't dare to even glance at her, fearing her slightly agape mouth would shatter his concentration to tiny pieces, breaking it beyond reparable.

" We wait and unmask it when the time comes. "

He could sense her nodding. Kaito hated how his senses seemed to only focus at her lately. Hated and liked it. And decided that he was too young to figure and sort this out. Plus he really wanted to figure out this little secret his parents kept from him.

He knew exactly well that his parents brought the presents and gifts every year yet they could always fool him somehow, with pranks or magic he couldn't decide. That was what he yearned to know the most.

The figure moved swiftly in the room, one majestic step after the other, silent like the hunting predators, calculated and slow, lighter than anyone's in the mansion. It had an oversized bag on its back. Its clothes were huge a dark, Kaito couldn't figure out the colors without exposing themselves. He wasn't sure how to unmask this person, but was eager to do it. Its figure was about like a human but it couldn't be too heavy, about like a child, but then it was way too tall.

The figure stopped right in front of the room's cozy fireplace put the bag down and started to place the gifts neatly next to each other.

" Won't we do something?" Aoko breathed the question and Kaito almost let out a loud yelp.

" Don't scare me like that." He grumbled back with frustration.

" Aoko had no intention doing so."

" We should catch it and tie it up then unmask."

" Aoko wonders if we have any rope ready for that…"

" A magician shall be prepared for everything." He said with proud then looked at the girl next to him. " You go grab its legs and I'll catch its arms. Then we can celebrate."

Aoko nodded in agreement then they both crawled closer to the strange figure.

" On the count of three. One… Two… Three!"

The teens jumped out from their hiding place. Aoko grabbed the creature's legs only to grasp nothing but air, Kaito tried to tie up its torso and arms only to fall onto the girl beneath him as the creature disappeared.

" Oh for the… I can't believe it!" he huffed with irritation.

" Aoko wonders if you will get off her soon…" Kaito looked down at the girl spread out below him, eyes dull and sleepy. He stood out slowly all his holiday spirit shattered and helped up the girl as well. " And now?"

" And now, we go back to sleep and wait for the presents tomorrow."

He stood there disappointed in the whole thing and Aoko watched him as a curious sleepy cat would, then decided to cheer him up, so she simply gave him a weak hug. She was far too sleepy and tired for all of this so that was the best she could come up with. Of course it woke up the young master of the mansion completely and for the sake of the holidays he dared to hug back. He could hear Aoko mumble something like 'it's okay' or 'you tried' but the girl was so sleepy that after half a minute in the comfortable silence and hug she actually fell asleep. Again.

The mister and mistress of the mansion greeted each other with their glass of wine and a huge grin-like smile.

" Told you the puppe t was the best idea."

" Yeah, darling you did, but it would have never worked out if it wasn't for my extremely quick reflexes."

" And I still thank you for that."

" Cheers to the two cuties."

" And for the holidays."

A. N. I'm terribly sorry I disappeared for this long but school and the upcoming exams just exhaust me, so here's your belated Christmas special, or for those who don't celebrate it the for-no-particular-reason-fluffy-chapter :)

Hope you enjoy it, it's one short silly stuff, and just for the clarification Toichi and Chikage used some life-sized puppet doll, controlled from the attic of the mansion to put down the presents but little Kaito was too busy being nervous around little Aoko, he couldn't see the threads they used... this time. I have no idea for the other times.

So I hope you liked it, again any feed back, positive negative review is welcomed and I'll try to finish the next chapter soon so you can enjoy. Or try to write a Carnival special :D our lovely detectives and thieves and their fair maidens dressed up all different costumes or in those they wear in Venice with those beautiful masks and all... I don't know yet, so if you have any idea please do tell me :) Or write your own story :D even better that way.

Once again thanks for reading and have a wonderful day and time in the Carnivals :)