It's already the 25th here (Christmas), and seeing as I don't have the time to write a proper story and whatnot, you get this. Buuut I'm working on the OP Big Bang story as we speak (or, well, as you read the author's note, really) so you have that to look forward to ^^

Special thanks to lunarshores for beta'ing! And a Merry Christmas to all of you!

Ace had hated the holidays for as long as he could remember. He didn't see the appeal of them. The moment Thanksgiving was over all you could hear over the radio were Christmas carols, everything as far as the eye could see was colored either red or green, there were decorated pine trees literally everywhere, and wherever you went, people were buying presents or picking out Christmas cards to send to their loved ones.

What was the point?

The wind suddenly picked up. Ace looked away from the happy family standing before a window display and adjusted his scarf. Hesitantly, he looked up. The stars were beginning to come out. He should probably get going home.

The piles of snow on the streets reflected the light of the glowing decorations covering every visible surface. Ace started walking down the street. He didn't hurry. It's not like he had anyone waiting for him to come home. Luffy was spending the holidays away with his friends on the other side of the country. Ace was happy for him. Really! But that did nothing to stop the all-consuming feeling of loneliness that washed over him like waves over a beach.

So he walked on, observing the people around him, seeing their smiles and hearing their laughter. They were all just so… happy.

He didn't belong here.

Eventually, Ace found himself straying from his path, trying to get as far away from civilization as possible. Snowflakes were falling from the sky in flurries around him, and it kept getting harder to trudge through it as time went on.

Lost in his thoughts, Ace ended up crashing into someone.

"Sorry," he murmured. "I wasn't looking where I was going." Not sparing another glance at the person, he passed them to continue his prolonged walk home.

A warm hand suddenly reached out and caught his wrist.

"Are you alright?" Ace turned around to look at the man who'd spoken. Their eyes met. The man's blue irises were flooded with concern, and his mouth was set in a frown. He was carrying a few boxes, all of which were covered with patterned wrapping paper and had bows at the top. Ace carefully removed his wrist from the stranger's grip.

"...Yeah, I'm fine." They both knew that that was a lie. Ace didn't move so much as a muscle as the man looked him over.

"You look like you could use something to warm you up. How does a cup of coffee sound? I know a good cafe not far from here." Ace's eyes widened in surprise, and hint of a smile slowly made its way onto his face.

"I think I'd like that."

Maybe, just maybe, his holidays wouldn't be so lonely after all.