Without
Iruka remembered Naruto's first Christmas with him. Thankfully, it had been white, not a speck of grass showing. It meant Naruto would be able to put his freshly knitted Christmas gift to good use.
Christmas had also been the first day Naruto and Iruka had done anything together as a 'family' as dysfunctional as it was. They'd trimmed the tree together, sang carols along with the radio, baked gingerbread cookies.
And then, to top it all off, in the middle of the night, they set off towards Ichiraku, it's warm light still glowing warmly against the crisp snow. They'd brought a box of cookies along. They'd made too much to ever eat on their own.
It'd been their tradition ever since. They repeated it every year until the villagers were actually looking forward to their absolutely delicious cookies.
But now Naruto was gone away on a long journey. It felt almost empty without him around. He'd sworn to himself and Naruto that he wouldn't worry, wouldn't think too much about it, wouldn't make himself sick wondering if Naruto was warm enough, if he had enough to eat, if he was getting taught horribly perverted things by the 'honorable' Jiraiya-sama.
He spent the day doing what he always did on Christmas. He trimmed the tree (it wasn't as pretty without anyone there to look at it with him.) He sang with the radio (he was off tune with no one there to correct him.) He baked cookies (they didn't taste as good this year.)
And in the middle of the night, he pushed aside the red hangings of Ichiraku.
"Iruka, Naru–!" the shop owner caught himself, watching Iruka's expressive brown eyes darken. "Merry Christmas!" he said instead. "The usual, or would you like to try my brand new Beef Christmas Special?"
Iruka gave him a sad smile, opening his mouth to order twelve Christmas specials before he realized that Naruto wasn't there to eat all that food. "Just a special, please."
On normal occasion he'd be marveling at the ramen, repeatedly telling the shop owner how good it was. But the noodles tasted bland. He wasn't in the mood to eat them.
"Pass the chopsticks please." Said a voice next to his ear. Iruka jumped, a blush dusting his cheeks at being caught off guard by Hatake Kakashi. They ate in silence for a few moments, before the jounin opened his mouth. He was already done while Iruka slowly slurped at the noodles. "Christmas is still Christmas, wherever you are." Iruka looked up. But Kakashi was already gone.
The jounin was right. Naruto was fine. Probably complaining about wanting Ramen and Gingerbread cookies, but fine.
And Christmas without Naruto was just a pill he was gonna have to swallow.
Suddenly, the Beef Christmas Special tasted wonderful.
OWARI
I saw this really cute pic on photobucket, and it inspired this. A little late, I know, but it's still worth something. I'd wondered what christmas was like with and without naruto and how Iruka handled that.