I'll Spend My Christmas With You
A.N. All characters belong to Kishimoto! Oh, and The Christmas Song belongs to Owl City too :D
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It's Christmas and we walk alone
Two strangers with no one to miss us
The blonde haired boy trudged along the snow covered path as other high school students from Konoha High flew past him in a swirling mass of colourful scarves, coats and hats, screaming happily about Christmas dinners and family gatherings. Clad in a dull orange coat that had long lost its shine, it was as if he alone was walking in slow motion, with everyone hurrying home out of the cold, treating him as if he was invisible.
On our own
Out in the cold
He may as well be invisible, no one ever paid attention to him anyway. Not in school, not at home. That cold flat that somehow just didn't feel like a home. That empty and deserted flat.
The boy absolutely hated going home. It was like a reminder of what he didn't have, that others took for granted, especially since the wafer thin walls carried noises of merry making and joyous celebrations of happy families next door.
Trudging onward
Braving a harsh winter storm
The cold was bitingly torturous, but Naruto continued to walk slowly, the cold wind seeping through his thin coat. He had nothing and nobody waiting for him at home anyway. There was no point in hurrying. Wrapping his arms around himself, Naruto continued at his slow pace, the merry crowd already well ahead, leaving him behind in the deserted street. All was quiet, and he was alone again. Just like always.
You and I met passing by
A sneeze interrupted his brooding, and Naruto turned his head in surprise. Who else would be wandering around the streets alone at this time?
It was another boy, someone he recognized. Uchiha Sasuke, the prodigy, the brightest boy in Konoha High, the richest boy in Konoha; Naruto's eternal rival. What was a snobby rich kid like him doing here? Whatever happened to that posh limousine and stuck-up chauffeur?
Before he could help himself, Naruto found himself calling out to that lone shadow. "Oi, Uchiha! What are you doing here?"
Sasuke looked up briefly, a look of complete surprise written on his face momentarily before it was replaced by that same aloof look he always wore, cold as the weather. "It's none of your business, Uzumaki."
Normally, Naruto would've just flipped that arrogant bastard off and continued on his way, but something seemed off about the raven that evening, and he couldn't shake it. He just had to know.
"What's a rich teme like you doing walking the streets by yourself?"
"… It's none of your business."
Naruto sighed and pouted, the childish expression fitting his face perfectly.
"I'm just curious you know," Naruto stated. "I'm not asking to spite you or anything…"
"I'm walking because the chauffeur's gone. That answer your question?" Sasuke replied with a dry laugh. Naruto widened his eyes. He didn't exactly expect the bastard to reply him.
"Why?" Naruto asked as he sat down on the curb, patting the space next to him, motioning for Sasuke to sit as well. Something had shown through when Sasuke had uttered that short phrase, and suddenly, it was as if he'd gotten a glimpse of the real Sasuke, underneath his aloof and snobbish exterior. It was intriguing; he wanted to see it again.
"Come on, sit down," Naruto said as Sasuke continued to stand and stare at Naruto awkwardly while it was evident he was trying to fight down conflicting emotions. "I won't eat you, you know."
And now our spirits feel warm
Sasuke finally sat down, as he seemed to succumb to Naruto's invitation of company. As soon as he sat down, he found two big cerulean orbs boring into his obsidian ones, curiosity and concern pouring from their depths. It made his insides flutter, and Sasuke felt confused. Just what is this unknown feeling?
"Did something happen?"
Naruto's voice broke his train of thought as Sasuke drifted back into reality.
"Sasuke?"
He was forced to look at those hypnotic eyes again, those eyes that belonged to the boy he thought he'd so detested before.
"You really want to know, huh? Well, fine. My parents… my family... they died." He whispered harshly. "There now, you happy?" His dark eyes glittered angrily, something that would have scared anyone else off. But not Naruto. That mask of anger was as transparent to him as before, and once again, Naruto saw through Sasuke's façade, saw his pain.
He put an arm around Sasuke's smaller shoulders, and Sasuke tensed, before relaxing into the warmth Naruto provided. He shook his head and laughed bitterly as tears threatened to flow.
I don't have anyone at home to talk to
"You know…" Naruto began quietly, "If you feel lonely, you can always come over to my place."
Sasuke looked up at Naruto, at the smiling Adonis that still had his arm around him. "Why would you want someone like me to come over to your house? Hell, why are you even here comforting me?! You hate me, don't you? We're rivals, we're supposed to hate each other!"
Naruto smiled painfully at Sasuke. "I'm here because I understand your pain, I understand how it feels like to be alone, and I can't help but remember how painful it was for me at the start when I was lonely too!" He laughed, a small bitter laugh. "Hell, I'm still lonely, which is why I feel this connection with you, tebayo!" he cried as he stared at Sasuke, willing him to understand what he couldn't convey through words. Please, understand.I don't quite understand what I'm feeling right now, but I certainly hope you do.
Naruto sighed resignedly after Sasuke just stared at him, creating a pregnant pause. Apparently Sasuke just didn't get it. Smartest in the entire school my ass. "You know what? Merry Christmas, Uchiha. I don't give a damn anymore."
Sasuke watched as Naruto stood up and brushed himself off before heading to where his house must be. He watched Naruto's retreating orange back as the cold wind came back and replaced Naruto's warm arm with its iciness on his shoulder. Why did he care so much? He didn't need Naruto. He never did, and he never will.
Meanwhile, Naruto was stalking off towards his house, grumbling about wasting time over moronic, anal retentive assholes. Halfway through his tirade however, he started to lose steam, and slowed down. Talking to Sasuke after all was his own idea, a diversion so that he wouldn't have to return to an empty house, wasn't it? Then since he'd wasted time, wasn't his objective achieved? He shouldn't feel angry.
Naruto stopped walking altogether, and he turned around to glance back at the spot where they'd been sitting, half expecting to see Sasuke sitting there. He wasn't. Naruto gave a small laugh. What did he expect? Turning back around, he got the shock of his life when he saw Sasuke right in front of him.
"ARGH OH MY GOSH TEME!" Naruto yelled as he jumped back, clutching his heart. "How'd you… What'd you…! Argh, never mind!" he stomped off again, this time muttering about teleporting moronic, anal retentive assholes.
Sasuke nearly smiled, despite himself at Naruto's reaction. "Dobe… is your invitation still open?" he asked quietly.
Naruto stopped in his tracks. "What invitation?" he asked cautiously.
"You've already forgotten?" Sasuke asked contemptuously. "Then forget I asked. Ja ne, Naruto." He turned to leave, and smirked as Naruto did exactly what he predicted he would.
"Hey wait, teme! You can, you can come!" Naruto yelled, running in front of Sasuke and holding his arms out, blocking Sasuke's path. "You're always welcome to my house, okay?" he grinned goofily as Sasuke smiled and nodded.
So I'll spend my Christmas with you
"Let's go then!" Naruto chirped happily, taking Sasuke's hand in his. "Come on!" The blonde then began to skip, and pulled Sasuke along, much to the latter's chagrin. "Come on, Uchiha! SKIP! Afraid of letting that stick outta your ass? Skipping regularly helps you stay HAPPY and GAY!" he cried as he laughed happily.
It's Christmas and we are in love
With the way that the soft snowflakes kiss us
Sasuke scrunched his face and scowled at Naruto's childishness. "What, are you three? Dobe, we're already sixteen!"
"What does it matter?" Naruto laughed as he paused briefly to turn and look back at Sasuke. "So what? You gotta let loose once in a while, Sasuke! Don't let that inner child die!"
Sasuke scoffed at Naruto's little speech, but found a smile worming itself onto his face anyway. To hell with everything, he thought. The dobe's right! Sasuke's small smile turned into a full fledged grin, and seeing that, Naruto broke into another one of his goofy smiles that Sasuke thought was completely endearing.
They just stood there, grinning at each other like idiots as snowflakes started to fall from the sky. Naruto looked up and gasped in surprise.
"It's snowing! Haha, it's SNOWING!" he laughed with glee as he chased around trying to catch one on his tongue.
From far above
The blustery breeze
Another gust of wind brought along larger flurries of snow, and this time, Sasuke didn't feel the cold any longer.
You and I met passing by
And now our spirits feel warm
Staring at that blonde idiot who was currently running around in crazy spirals trying to catch as many snowflakes as possible, Sasuke felt a sense of warmth and belonging that he hadn't felt ever since the passing of his family. Being with Naruto was like being with his family. It was comforting, soothing, like balm to a stinging wound. Naruto was his salvation.
"Hey Sasuke!" Naruto ran over, cheeks flushed from all his running. "This is fun, isn't it? Don't you just LOVE Christmas? I used to hate Christmas because I had no one to celebrate it with, but since I have you with me this year, Christmas is so much more wonderful! No wonder everyone loves Christmas so much!" He just couldn't get enough of this comfortable, warm feeling that chased away all the cold. It was just so wonderful!
Previously, Sasuke never thought he deserved to feel such happiness ever again. Never would he have imagined that Naruto of all people could be the source of his happiness. Never had he thought the solution to all his problems was lying right in front of him, just waiting for him to realize it…
I don't have anyone at home to talk to
And you don't have anything to do
So I'll spend my Christmas with you
"Sasuke! Sasuke, I have a present for you!" Naruto cried happily as he ran over, something cupped in his mittened hands. He held out those clasped hands to Sasuke, who leaned over to see what was hidden inside.
Christmas, a festival the Uchiha's had used to turn into a formal business gathering annually, never felt so real and alive to Sasuke. So even though he knew about exchanging presents and the like, it never felt genuine; when his father's colleague's children exchanged presents with him, it felt more of obligation than goodwill.
So when Naruto presented Sasuke with that semi-melted snowflake preserved just for that second in his faded orange-mittened hands, he felt something warm curl around in the pit of his stomach and spread slowly throughout his entire body. It was just a dirty little snowflake; why was it that his heart suddenly felt like it was soaring way high above the clouds?
"Oh it's melted," Naruto whined in disappointment. "Never mind, one day I'll get you one of those special preserved ones in a little glass sphere!" he declared as he flashed a large grin at Sasuke. Sasuke was dazzled. That smile… somehow was different from before. It was brighter, more overpowering, more… enchanting that ever. Or was it just that he somehow, had come to see it in a different light?
The snow started to stop, and Naruto pouted childishly. "There's not even enough to make a decent snowman!" Sasuke couldn't help but smile as Naruto started to whine about the evil weatherman that was in on an evil plot to raise the hopes of innocent young children only to dash them cruelly in a matter of minutes in order to wreck utter havoc onto the world.
"Come on dobe, aren't you getting cold? Let's go already."
"–and then he'll TAKE OVER THE WORLD! See how mean he is? See? SEE?!"
"…Naruto…"
"Yes?"
"You never heard me, did you?"
"Well I don't think you heard my hypothesis on the evil conspiracy theory either, did you?"
"But that was unimportant rambling, like most of your talk is! Mine was important!"
"Oh yeah? Just because you're an Uchiha makes your words GOLDEN and IMPORTANT, eh?"
"Don't be silly."
Naruto laughed. "It's funny to hear someone like you use a word like silly. It somehow… doesn't suit you. I shall call you Silly from now on! Haha! Alright then, let's go, Silly!"
I'll spend my Christmas with you
Sasuke twitched, and sighed. "Yes, let's go."
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A.N. Whee, that wasn't too bad, was it? :/ Haha whoa, it's seemed like last week when I last submitted a Christmas entry… time passes so fast! And I sound like an old granny! :x Hahahaha!
Anywhoo, Merry Christmas to all of youu!! ^^