Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its affiliates.
Winter Warmth
Winter was awesome.
It was like Spring, only better.
With Spring came dancing and cleaning and bad singing. It also came with disgruntled jounin and mysteriously disappearing ramen coupons.
But with winter came snuggling.
Iruka-sensei didn't call it snuggling, but that's what it was.
Sometime ago, Iruka-sensei had discovered that Naruto was a lot warmer than other people. When the furnace for his apartment building died, he took full advantage.
Not a day went by that villagers didn't see Naruto bundled up in a large coat with Iruka's head sticking out the front as they tripped over each other's legs and laughed.
Iruka-sensei made Naruto walk everywhere with him outside.
Naruto didn't mind though. It made him really happy to have an excuse to hug his former teacher all day long. And when his neighbors were complaining quite loudly when their heating unit went out, Naruto was silently thanking God.
Because that meant that Iruka-sensei slept in the same bed with him.
Iruka bitterly hated the winter with a passion and sometimes when he was doing the dishes, Naruto had walked in and caught him glaring something fierce at the falling snowflakes outside.
At night, Naruto was left sweating because there were so many blankets piled over him. He liked it. Iruka-sensei always found the best places to sleep on him.
It made the bounce in Naruto's step that much more pronounced the next day. Jealous glares bounced off the joy he radiated and even though Iruka snapped at him continuously for being so happy while he was freezing, it still didn't stop winter from being one of the most enjoyable seasons ever.
He especially liked it when he came back from his A-rank missions. He'd run home at full tilt, bursting through his door so fast that the hinges always squeaked like they were about to fall off.
Iruka-sensei yelled at him for it and then shoved him toward the shower, undressing him along the way and complaining quite loudly how much he stank before going back into the kitchen.
On these nights back from long missions, he basked in the doting Iruka-sensei provided along with the steaming bowl of home made ramen.
It was awesome.
But Winter would always end too soon and then Iruka-sensei would start packing up his things to return to his own apartment.
When Naruto saw that Iruka-sensei was almost done and was shrugging on his pack and bending over to pick up his box of blankets, his gut gave a hard yank and he found himself grabbing Iruka's elbow.
"Eh? What is it?" the chuunin asked. "Did I forget something?"
Naruto scratched the back of his head, looking anywhere but at Iruka.
"Er well…ano…well it's going to be winter again you know," he said, feeling dumb. "So, well yeah. Winter's soon this year I think."
Iruka stared at him, not making him feel anymore suave.
Naruto cleared his throat.
Iruka smiled slowly and set his box down, glancing around the apartment and settling his hands on his hips.
"We're going to need a bigger place you know."
Naruto grinned brilliantly and nodded his agreement.
Winter was awesome.
Fin.