Title: "The Christmas Shoes"
Authoress: Sasukez
Anime/Manga: Naruto
Pairing: NarutoxSasuke
Rating: K+ For: real-life situations
Occasion: Christmas 2009
Disclaimer: The anime/manga "Naruto" and all objects in association belong to Masashi Kishimoto and their respective owners. The song used is "The Christmas Shoes" by NewSong.
A/N: I was hoping to make this a more informative story as opposed to fun. I'm hoping it'll turn out decent. I hope you'll enjoy.
Set: Alternate Universe
It was almost Christmas time
There I stood in another line
Trying to buy that last gift or two
Not really in the Christmas mood
Uzumaki Naruto let out a long, exasperated sigh, running a hand through his blond spikes. After eighteen years, you'd think he would have developed smarter shopping skills. Nope. He still procrastinated and ended up getting last minute gifts for all of his friends. It was a nasty habit of his, if you could even call it a habit. The one good thing he could say about being such a late shopper was that the lines weren't nearly as long as they could have been. It was Christmas Eve and everyone was home preparing for the big night…well, almost everyone.
He studied his last gifts in his hands as he waited for the decent-sized line to move on. He liked to get at least two gifts for each of his friends and family. He'd gotten most of them early on, back in November, before the frighteningly popular sales broke out. The only people he really slacked off on were his two "female acquaintances." He was lost when it came to shopping for girls unless it was his girlfriend or mother. He'd ended up grabbing a pink scarf for one friend and a pair of violet gloves for the other during his ventures that day.
Another sigh passed from his lips. He really couldn't say he was excited for the holidays. For the past couple of years the joy and magic of the season had become lost to him. Lately, he'd been seeing Christmas as more of a greedy holiday than anything else. Everyone was more obsessed with receiving material things than giving and creating smiles. He was happy to give things to his friends but, he really didn't recognize the glow of true happiness in them when he did so. He honestly couldn't wait until the holidays were over.
Standing right in front of me
Was a little boy waiting anxiously
Pacing 'round like little boys do
And in his hands he held a pair of shoes
Naruto glanced around at his fellow, lazy shoppers in line. Some were gossiping, done up mothers and aunts, others were sagging, middle class people trying to stay awake. It wasn't late; just a little past noon. A lot of them were exhausted, he guessed, from trying to hunt down the proper gifts for their loved ones. That was probably the category he fell into at the moment, though he wasn't that exhausted.
The one person in line he couldn't categorize in his bored thoughts was the boy in front of him. He hadn't noticed him before, his thoughts being elsewhere. His curiosity was piqued, however, now that he really noticed him. This boy was about Naruto's age, with black hair and dark eyes. He was dressed in a worn out jacket and shoes, torn jeans, and a stained shirt. Naruto didn't recognize him as anyone he knew - he knowing a lot of people in town. This stranger didn't seem to notice him. His foot was tapping the slick floor in anticipation and he kept biting his lower lip. What Naruto found most out of place on the boy's person, though, was the pair of shiny, red shoes in his callused hands.
His clothes were worn and old
He was dirty from head to toe
And when it came his time to pay
I couldn't believe what I heard him say
Naruto didn't know why he couldn't stop staring. It wasn't like this person was some mutant creature he'd never seen before. Perhaps it was the contrast between his bedraggled appearance and the pretty shoes in his hands. Maybe it was his boredom that caused Naruto to start running off scenarios about the boy. Was the dirt and grime a result of a fight and he was reassuring his girlfriend he was alright by getting her a nice gift? Absurd. A gift for an abusive relative? As a peace treaty?
Naruto felt like a fool. It wasn't any of his business. He didn't know this person but, he couldn't help it. He stuck out in this crowd of average, mundane people. The dark-haired stranger glanced around, his entire physique tense and nervous. Naruto didn't know what his eyes were searching for, not until they fell onto him.
"You wouldn't happen to have the time, would you?" the boy asked, timidly.
Naruto blinked once before gathering that this odd boy was directing the question to him. He snapped himself out of his delirious daze and brushed his sleeve back to glance at his watch.
"Um…twenty after two."
The boy seemed to relax, ever so slightly, at the information, forcing a grateful smile in return. Naruto's question came out without his command but, he was determined to start a conversation with this stranger for some reason.
"Who are you shopping for today?" he blurted, unable to keep his gaze away from the lovely heels in the boy's hands.
He seemed caught off guard by the sudden question and Naruto repeatedly pounded himself, mentally, at how nosy he was. The boy settled from the initial shock of the question and managed an easy smile as he replied.
"Mom. You?"
"Just friends," Naruto found himself replying, rather sheepishly. "Stupid stuff really."
"I'm sure they'll love them," the stranger said, glancing at the items in Naruto's hands.
"You don't know my friends," Naruto chuckled. "I'm Naruto, by the way."
"Sasuke," the boy replied, shyly.
Naruto didn't get the chance to speak further as Sasuke's attention was instantly directed to the cashier when the person in front of him was done paying. He laid the red shoes on the counter and, again, Naruto could not stop himself from listening to his words.
Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please
Its Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there's not much time
You see she's been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight
"Hey," Sasuke greeted the cashier, quietly.
The weary, old man replied with a slight smile, searching for the price tag on the pair of shoes.
"A good choice," Naruto heard the man say in reference to the shoes. "Girlfriend?"
"Mother," Sasuke clarified.
"Oh. How nice."
"She hasn't been feeling to well so, I thought these would make her happy."
"Shoes? Is she one of those girls that can't get enough of them?" the cashier chuckled, good-naturedly.
"No," Sasuke replied with a melancholy smile. "Nothing of the sort. Its just in case."
"Just in case of what?"
"Just in case I lose her. There's no reason she should be under-dressed if she goes to the Gates tonight."
Naruto knew that the cashier must have been just as baffled as he by Sasuke's words. It made his heart clench, especially at the sound of the boy's broken and helpless voice.
He counted pennies for what seemed like years
Then the cashier said, "Son, there's not enough here"
He searched his pockets frantically
Then he turned and looked at me
The cashier was to stunned to add to the conversation and Naruto doubted there was much more he could say. Sasuke was shuffling through his pockets anyway, his attention drawn away from the elderly man. He produced a decent-sized pouch from his stained, jacket pocket, jingling with change.
"Um…how much?" Sasuke asked the cashier, softly, snapping the man out of his shocked daze enough to name a price.
"…Its thirty dollars," he replied, rather deftly.
Sasuke began counting coins and fishing around for bills, nervously. Naruto felt like he'd stood there for hours, watching the round objects glint as they hit the counter. His ears vaguely picked up on the annoyed murmur of the shoppers behind him and was half aware of many of them shifting to other, empty lines. He, honestly, didn't care for them. He was still intent upon Sasuke and the depositing of his money on the counter.
"I'm sorry about all the change," Sasuke said, sheepishly. "Its all I've got."
"Fine," the cashier murmured under his breath, staring at the heap of coins and few dollar bills.
"Is it enough?" Sasuke asked, resuming the biting of his lip.
The old man sighed before recounting the money, brow furrowed in concentration. Sasuke's hands continued to wrap around each other, eyes flitting about the area, Naruto guessed, in search of a clock again. How sick was his mother? Naruto wondered. What could she possibly have that could be so fatal? The thought kept making his throat tighten in remorse.
"I'm sorry but, you're short five dollars," the cashier said after counting the money again.
Naruto was heartbroken at the shattered and frantic look brought about Sasuke's face at the man's words. The boy searched his pockets once more, futilely. He desperately shook out his clothes and searched the floor with his eyes for dropped change before his gaze fell upon Naruto.
He said, "Mama made Christmas good at our house
Though most years she just did without
Tell me Sir what am I going to do
Somehow I've got to buy her these Christmas shoes"
"What do I do?" Sasuke asked him. "I can't go home empty-handed! She'll have nothing for Christmas if I don't get her these shoes."
Naruto was speechless. He hadn't the slightest clue what to say. Did he try to offer comfort? Or did he try to give advice? Even if he did come up with something to say, he wouldn't have gotten the chance to voice it. Sasuke went into a frightened rant, more to himself than anyone else. He paced around and battered himself for ideas while he, unconsciously, spouted reasons why his mother deserved a gift that night.
"She worked so hard to make sure everyone was in the holiday spirit. It didn't matter how sick she got or how weak she felt. She always put on a strong face for us. She deserves something nice for once. Five dollars…only five dollars…"
When Naruto caught the look on the cashier's face, he knew the old man was fearing of Sasuke's state of mind. The boy murmured over and over again about the missing five dollars, pulling at his knotted hair as he berated his brain for a clue as to where he could obtain the money.
This made Naruto glance down at the two items in his hands. They're insignificance seemed to double at the sudden need for a measly five dollars. Naruto questioned why those objects were in his hands. Was there really any good reason he was waiting to purchase these material things? Did his "friends" really need them? No. Not in the slightest. They'd probably end up stuffed in the confines of their closets or in a clothing drive. Why was he wasting his time when there were clearly other people that deserved better?
So I laid the money down
I just had to help him out
And I'll never forget the look on his face
When he said, "Mama's gonna look so great"
"Five dollars right?" Naruto confirmed to the cashier, stepping up to the counter and digging out his wallet.
This stopped both Sasuke and the old man. The latter nodded, eying up the blond in confusion.
"Here," Naruto went on, offering a crisp, five dollar bill.
The cashier glanced between the money and Sasuke once before accepting the bill and placing the total amount of cash heaped on the counter into the register.
"What are you doing?" Naruto heard Sasuke rasp.
The blond turned his blue gaze to the dark-eyed boy with a smile.
"Just helping you out. Its only five dollars."
This time, it was Sasuke who was at a loss for words. He held Naruto in his black gaze for a long while, scrutinizing his appearance and perhaps trying to figure out if he had a hidden agenda. The register rang and the cashier, hesitantly, handed Naruto a small amount of change and the pair of red shoes. Naruto thanked him, paid for his two items, and stepped out of the way to speak to Sasuke on the side. He placed the shoes in Sasuke's pale hands, the boy still in shock.
"Why did you do that?" he managed to ask, staring at the shoes in his hands.
"Because you needed a hand. You probably saved for a long time to afford those," Naruto answered, nodding to the shoes.
Sasuke had no reply, mouth slightly agape as he glanced between the purchase and the blond.
"Here. Take these too," Naruto said, offering him the scarf and gloves.
Sasuke stepped away from them and shook his head.
"I can't. Those are for your loved ones."
"Not really," Naruto chortled. "They'll go to waste if I give them to those two. I'd rather you gave them to your mom. They go with the shoes…sort of."
Again, Naruto had to place them in Sasuke's hands for the boy would not take them. Sasuke resumed staring at the three items in his arms, clearly unable to fathom what exactly was going on at the moment. Naruto could not help but feel a little proud of his actions. He could see a joyful glow, slowly, coming about Sasuke as it began to dawn on him that he'd been shown selflessness and kindness.
Very suddenly, and before Naruto could react, Sasuke tackled him in an ever-grateful hug. The blond stumbled at the impact but, managed to stay on his feet. He opened his mouth to say something, not really knowing what exactly.
"Thank you," Sasuke whispered before words could empty from Naruto's mouth. "Thank you so much. She'll look so beautiful."
Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please
Its Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry sir, Daddy says there's not much time
You see she's been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight
I knew I'd caught a glimpse of heaven's love
As he thanked me and ran out
I knew that God had sent that little boy
To remind me what Christmas is all about
When Sasuke drew back, his face was so alight with hope and happiness, Naruto almost felt like crying in joy. Still a little dazed by the hug, Naruto did nothing to stop Sasuke from grabbing his hand and shaking it in gratitude.
"You don't know how much this means to me," the boy beamed. "I'll never forget this. Merry Christmas!"
With that as his final word, Sasuke scurried out of the store and vanished out the glass doors. Naruto felt a warmth inside him at Sasuke's thrilled departure. Despite being empty-handed, he was over-joyed and finally in the Christmas spirit. As he stepped out into the arctic air, for the first time in a long time, h e could actually see the holidays clearly around him. People were smiling. People were embracing. They were giving and helping; rejoicing and pleasing.
Christmas was not a holiday of greed. It wasn't about the money paid for on gifts nor the amount of gifts given. It was about the meaning and thought behind what you gave. It didn't matter whether or not it was a scarf or gloves or a pair of shoes. It was the love and devotion that mattered most of all.
When Naruto arrived home that night, a smile was still plastered upon his face. He saw the decorations in a new light and the wrapped presents under the tree seemed more compassionate than ever.
"Did you get everything you need, Son?" his father asked from behind a book on the couch.
"Yeah. I think so," replied Naruto, sighing in delight as he took a seat beside his dad.
"Was it worth running so late?" the man chuckled, glancing up at his son from his reading.
"Yeah, actually. I really think it was."
Naruto could see why his father would be confused. He hadn't been there after all. He hadn't seen the hope in a poor boy's eyes at the thought of seeing his mother smile.
Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please
Its Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry sir, Daddy says there's not much time
You see she's been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight
A/N: Ugh. Yeah that was boring. The song told the whole story. Couldn't get to creative on this one. And I know Sasuke sucked. He sounded more like a con artist than a poor boy. Sigh. I tried. Please review. Happy Holidays.