For those of you who have read this before, I did a little editing to make it better and I hope you like it. For those who are reading this for the first time, well, enjoy! Marry Christmas everyone!
The Christmas Gift
It was that time of year again. When the air was buzzing with wonder and the people were hustling about putting up decorations, buying presents, and singing carols, the streets covered in lights with red and green bows and wreaths; yep it was a great time of year.
The sounds of the elves frantically working along with the blasting Christmas music echoed throughout the workshop. Santa stood in front of his giant book propped up on his desk; the red cover donned with intricate designs of swirls and snowflakes with a Christmas tree in the middle. This book contained every name of every person in the world and his or her life story, the famous naughty and nice list.
His glasses slid down to the tip of his nose, as Santa looked over each name. Each year, Santa had a tradition to find an exceptionally nice person to give a special gift, also known as Christmas miracles, to. It brought him great joy to see the face of the person who he bestows this precious gift upon.
He used his finger to slowly scroll down the list, carefully looking at each name, until he came upon the person. This person was the best candidate for the special gift. They were a pure hearted person who asked for nothing in return. As Santa read his story, he became intrigued by this blond. They gave a simple gift to their lonely boss every Christmas in secret. It turns out that this blond is in love with his boss, perfect. But wait . . . this could be a problem. The Jolly man's eyes gleamed with determination.
"Frankie! Come here for a moment!" Santa called out to his right hand man, Frankie, the head elf and the one privileged to ride with him on Christmas Eve. Frankie was a bit taller than the rest of the elves. He was about the same size as a 15-year-old boy and looked like one too. Along with his height, his bright red hair, chestnut colored eyes, and outgoing personality, not to mention his clumsiness, his physical characteristics made him stick out.
Frankie stumbled into Santa's office, almost crashing into the desk. Frankie hastily straightened up and gave his boss a quick solute. "Franki reporting for duty! What can I do for ya Santa!?"
Santa chuckled at his friend's antics. This elf never failed to make him smile.
"I've found the perfect person for the special gift this year but . . ." Santa trailed off and pointed to the part of the story that is troubling him. His face scrunched up in thought. The red headed elf started to tear up. He was a very emotional elf.
"Oh Santa! What are we going to do!?" Frankie sniffled.
"Help him of course!" Both Santa and the tear filled Frankie turned to the doorway of the office to see Mrs. Clause standing there with a smirk on her face. Her husband knew that smirk like the back of his hand. He knew what it meant. She had a plan.
Trusting his wife will help, Santa smiled back and nodded his head. "Yeah. Let's give this fine man love this year. I trust you will help out with the problem?" He asked his wife.
"Leave it to me." was her confident reply.
Frankie jumped for joy as Santa and Mrs. Clause laughed in delight. This year was going to be a special year. If everything goes right, not one but two people will be getting a special gift.
Naruto Uzumaki was a happy soul that could brighten up a room with just a quick flash of his smile. He was the kind of person that would bring homeless people into his house on Thanksgiving for dinner or go to the local foster home to give the kids present on Christmas. Everyone in the office called him 'The Saint' after saving everyone from starvation by buying food for the whole office when they got rained in. He braved the storm with five bags of instant ramen and a wimpy umbrella.
Said blond was enjoying a small coffee break with one of his closest friends, Hinata. Her long black hair and porcelain white skin gave her a delicate look. This most interesting feature of hers was her light purple eyes. They looked like they could see right through a person's soul. She was a shy woman but when she opened up, people were happily able to find that she is full of wisdom and understanding.
She and Naruto have been close friends since they were in college. It was Hinata that gave Naruto the courage to admit to himself that he was gay. That's right, the lovable blond was gay and everyone in the office new. It was kind of hard not to know when they see the blond staring lovingly at the boss, the male boss. No one cared though. In fact, there was a secret bet going around on how long it would take said boss to notice.
"Naruto, how are you doing? I know that Mr. Uchiha can be harsh this time of year with the work load." Hinata softly asked her friend. Naruto was the secretary of the boss, Sasuke Uchiha. Although Naruto works with the Uchiha, the man has never once looked at him. It is almost like the poor blond isn't there and when he is noticed, Sasuke only gives him orders.
No one in the office likes Mr. Uchiha. At first, almost every girl was after him. He had devilishly good looks with his styled black hair which falls just a little into his mysterious onyx eyes. He was the classic tall, dark, and handsome (dark meaning mysterious). There was even a fan club until they saw how he really was. He was what they would call the Scrooge of the building. Never greeting anyone, stays in his office all day unless necessary, he was a kind of person that would get angry if you didn't show up to work for being sick in the hospital from what they guessed. They always wondered why their lovable blond's heart has been stolen by such a horrible man.
"I'm doing alright. No worries! I just worry for the boss." Naruto looked over to Sasuke's closed door, concern flashing in his eyes. Sasuke was especially angry this time of year. He hated Christmas. Most people thought it was just because it was too cheery for him. Naruto knew better or at least had a feeling it was more than that.
It was the first year Naruto started working for the company. Naruto was letting the Uchiha, his new boss, know that he was leaving for the night and would see him after the holidays. When he knocked on the door, it opened just enough for him to see inside. When he looked inside, he saw his stone faced boss talking on the phone; his eyes full of fury. It were the words that Sasuke whispered once he hung up that hit Naruto the most.
"No such thing as love, no such thing as Christmas spirit. I don't need either." The overwhelming sadness that consumed the raven's voice filled Naruto's heart with sorrow. He wanted to go up to the poor man and comfort him in any way he could.
Naruto would never forget that day. He wasn't sure exactly what happened but from then on he made a point to show his boss that during this time of year there was love and that the Christmas spirit was there too. It was also that moment when Naruto began to fall for his unsuspecting boss.
Hinata looked around to make sure that no one was in hearing distance before she asked, "Are you giving Sasuke a card again this year?" Every year, Naruto would make a Christmas card and tape a candy-cane on it. He would then sneak it into the raven's office and put it on his desk. No one knew about it because Sasuke would never tell anyone and Naruto wanted to keep it a secret. Hinata was the one who gave him the idea the first year he did it, making her the only person who knew.
"Yeah, although this year will be special. I-"
"NARUTO! Tell me it isn't true! You're not leaving at the end of the month are you!?" A man with spiky brown hair and canine features ran up and fanatically shook the poor blond.
"Kiba! Stop please." Naruto pushed his friend and Hinata's husband off. It was their first year at the office that the two of them met Kiba and six months later when Hinata married him.
Naruto looked at his two friends. I guess Hinata must have told him about my decision to quit work.
It was a few months ago when he was informed of having cancer. He can still remember the anguish and fury he had in the beginning. He became depressed and his life was in shambles until his friends picked him up out of it. He finally came to terms with it and has tried to live his life out to the fullest.
He told the doctors he didn't want chemo therapy. He didn't want to go through all of that. In response the doctors told him there was a slight chance for him if he were to get surgery at the end of December. He decided to do it. But because there was only a 30% chance of him surviving and a long recovery period if he were to survive, he had no choice but to resign. His plan was to put the resignation letter on Sasuke's desk along with the Christmas card.
"You know I have to. Now let's not talk about this. Okay?" Naruto gave them a smile but they could see it didn't reach his eyes.
"You three, get back to work." All three looked over to see their boss walk by with his head in a folder looking over something. Not once did he look up.
"Siriously, I just don't know what you see in a guy like that." Kiba commented. Naruto, happy for the change of subject, chuckled at his friend.
"He's not as bad as everyone thinks he is." This time, his friends noticed, a true smile graced the blond's face as he watched his boss walk away. "Well, I better get back to work!" He said energetically.
Sasuke hated Christmas. It reminded him of the one time he opened up to someone only to have them steel his money and then leave him high and dry just in time for Christmas.
He never really was a people person to begin with. It was that one year he thought he would let someone in that messed things up. Now he's more distant than ever. It's not that he wants to be a loner per se; it's just that he has trust issues.
Christmas was never something Sasuke looked forward to after the incident a few years back. But lately, he has been seeing the holiday in a new light.
It started a year after his worst Christmas. He mysteriously got a handmade card with a candy-cane taped on the corner. On it, written in some of the most beautiful penmanship, was a note.
Merry Christmas!
Christmas is a time of year that is full of love and joy! You just have to know where to look. I promise you will find it!
You are doing a great job! You're a good boss despite what people may say.
Know that you are loved and appreciated.
- Someone who loves you
Every year after that, Sasuke would find a new card with a candy-cane on his desk and every year it would have a similar message on it. At first he thought it was a bunch of crap but then they just kept coming every year and soon he started to look forward to them. It anyone knew that they made him smile, the office would think the world was going to end.
Now, if only he could figure out who it was giving him these cards every year. He knew it was someone in the office but just not who exactly.
Later that night, Naruto left his letter of resignation and the card on Sasuke's desk. With the card wasn't a candy-cane like usual but a silver chain with a blue crystal. It was the last gift he would be able to give to his love so he wanted it to be something that would last. Naruto took a deep breath, trying in vain to keep the tears at bay. He then quickly walked out of the office unnoticed, packed his bag and then left the building to head home.
Frankie watched as the blond walked away from the gift left on the desk. Thanks to magic, people can't see him so Naruto never knew that he was there the whole time. It made him sad as he watch the usually happy man cry. He then watched as a few minutes after Naruto had left, Sasuke walked in.
When Sasuke saw the card, his face softened into a small smile. When he picked up the card, the necklace fell out. Sasuke picked it up as he read the card.
Merry Christmas!
I hope you like the gift. I wanted to give you something that would last longer than a candy-cane this year. XD
I hope that this Christmas will be full of love for you!
Remember that someone loves you!
- I love you
The raven stared at the last three words. Never on any of the letters had the person actually wrote 'I love you'. It surprisingly warmed Sasuke's heart.
Frankie watch in awe as Sasuke put the necklace on, not once did Sasuke's smile fade. Then Uchiha noticed the letter or resignation. Opening it he read Naruto's name.
This was Frankie's moment. The elf quickly blew some gold dust on the unsuspecting raven, letting the magic do it's work.
"Uzumaki! My office, now." Everyone's heads shot up as they looked at Sasuke's door then at Naruto. Never had Sasuke called Naruto into his office like that. He sounded angry. He was never angry with the blond, indifferent yes, but not angry. Even Naruto was curious as to what was wrong. He looked over at Hinata who gave him a worried glance.
When Naruto walked into the office, Sasuke was sitting at his desk, glaring at a piece of paper in his hand. Once he noticed that the blond was inside, he looked up and threw the paper down.
"Care to tell me what this is about?" Sasuke growled out. Naruto was unable to answer. He couldn't help but stare at the man in front of him, caught in his gaze like a deer in headlights. For the first time, Sasuke looked Naruto squarely in the eyes and the poor blond didn't know what to do.
"Well?" Naruto mentally shook his head. He needed to answer or else he will look like an even bigger idiot than he must seem.
"I have to leave work for personal reasons."
For some unexplainable reason, that answer bugged the hell out of Sasuke. What did he mean by "personal reasons"? He took a deep breath so he wouldn't blow up on his secretary. That wouldn't be professional.
"And that would be?" He pressed on. If he was going to leave, then he better have a good reason.
Naruto stayed quiet. He really didn't want to tell his boss about the cancer. Honestly, he couldn't talk about it without tearing up.
He shifted his gaze from Sasuke's eyes when he noticed it. The necklace he had given was around Sasuke's neck where his collar was unbuttoned. It filled him with happiness to see his precious person wear a gift he had given him. Naruto never noticed the tears slowly falling down his face.
Sasuke was at a loss. He didn't know how to handle people crying. Crap, what the heck is going on.
"Uzumaki, I don't know what is going on but . . . I want you to continue working here." Sasuke sighed. What is with him today. "I need your skills and can't afford to lose you."
To say Naruto was shocked was an understatement. He never thought Sasuke of all people would say that to someone, let alone him. He dried his tears and gave the raven the biggest smile he could muster.
"I will continue to work for as long as I can." With that, he walked out the office; his smile never leaving his face.
Sasuke stood there stunned. That smile . . . he had no words to describe it. It gave him such a warm feeling. Wait, what is he thinking? He shook his head as he tried to get back to work but couldn't help looking toward his door, remembering the blond who just left.
Hinata and Kiba both noticed the grin on Naruto's face as he walked out of the Uchiha's office. Naruto noticed their worried and confused faces so he smiled even more and gave them a thumbs up. Both hurried over to find out what happened in that dreaded room.
"Naruto! Man, what happened?" Kiba frantically asked his friend.
"Naruto, what did he say to you?" Hinata, who was just as worried as her husband, asked her question in a much calmer manner.
Naruto placed a hand on each of their shoulders. "Guys it's okay, really. He was upset that I wanted to quit so he convinced me not to."
Both of his friends were shocked. Since when did Mr. Uchiha ever care enough to get upset when a worker wanted to leave let alone try and convince them to stay. It was so out of character for him.
"How did he convince you exactly?" Hinata asked.
Naruto's face turned red as he recalled what the raven had said earlier. "He said he needed my skills and he couldn't afford to lose me. He wants me to continue working here." Naruto knew that Sasuke didn't mean anything by it but he couldn't help but be happy. Not only did Sasuke say that he needed him but he finally looked at him. He finally saw him and that's all he could ask for.
"Well . . . if he was able to keep you working then I'm happy. Working will do you some good., keep your mind off things." Kiba replied.
Naruto was on cloud nine for the rest of the day. There was a skip in his step as he went about doing his work. He was even humming Christmas carols.
Everyone in the office whispered to each other, wondering if something happened with their stone cold boss and the Saint.
Frankie ran through the workshop toward Santa's office to give the latest report. He was excited to tell Santa what had happened. The elf burst into the room and skids to a stop just as he reaches the desk.
He gave the big man a quick solute and then smiled as he told Santa what had happened.
"I blew the dust on him and it worked! You should have seen the look on Naruto Uzumaki's face when Sasuke Uchiha finally looked him in the eyes!" he exclaimed.
"Good. The first part of the plan is working. Now all we have to do is get Sasuke to learn more about our loveable blond." Santa said.
He was happy that things were working. The gold dust was special. It amplifies the feelings that already exist for a period of time so that the person is more aware of them. Sasuke had always considered Naruto as an asset; he just wasn't good at showing it. The dust helped him with it and since it worked so well, Sasuke was able to notice Naruto even more.
Santa and Frankie continued to plan for the next part of the operation. Mrs. Clause watched as she was thinking of her own plan.
For the next few days, Sasuke had made a point to start looking at Naruto whenever he had to address him. Every time he did, Naruto's face would light up with joy.
Much to Naruto's enjoyment, Sasuke kept wearing the necklace.
"Uzumaki, I need you to file these." Sasuke said as he walked towards the blond's desk. As he handed the stack of papers over, his hand lightly brushed the other's.
Naruto blushed a violent red as he quickly stood up and walked away. Sasuke stayed and watched as Naruto briskly left with a mutter "I'm on it". Did he just see a blush on his face? Thinking he must have imagined it, Sasuke went back to his office.
Hinata and Kiba watched their friend as things began to unfold. They were curious as to why Sasuke started to look Naruto in the eye when the two talked. He had never cared to do that before.
This did not go unnoticed by the office. More whispers and bets could be heard.
It was while Naruto was walking home when he met the very people that would change his life for the better. He happened to pass by a small park, when he saw an old man and what seemed to be his teenage grandson.
The old man's hair was as white as snow and he had a large beard to match. He was a big man and his deep red coat made him look bigger. The other had a dark green coat which made his flaming red hair stand out. He looked a little on the short side but not by much. If he didn't know better, he would say that it was Santa and an overly tall elf. The thought made Naruto chuckle.
"Hello son! Merry Christmas!" the old man joyfully called as he waved Naruto over. Naruto was confused at first but decided to go and say hello.
"Now, why is a young and handsome man like you walking all by yourself looking so gloomy?" Naruto noticed the twinkle in the man's gentle, blue eyes.
Then thinking about the question he was asked, Naruto realized he didn't know how to answer. He didn't know he look sad or anything similar. He was just walking home.
"You know, it's good to talk things out." Naruto looked down at the boy. The red head was giving him a reassuring smile, telling him to speak his mind. For some reason, the blond had a feeling that he should talk to these people. He had no clue why but he decided to roll with it.
"Well . . . There is this person . . . that I have loved for a long time now but it's always been one-sided." He paused. The two strangers nodded their heads, eagerly wanting him to continue.
"Well, finally he has started to notice me but . . . it's too late." Naruto looked up towards the sky, one tear cascading down his cheek. "I am dying." He then took a deep breath and gave a sad smile to his listeners.
"Sorry. You probably didn't want to hear all that."
The old man and the boy looked at one another. It was heart breaking to hear the story from the very person it was happening to.
"Boy! Don't give up!" The man clasped his shoulder. "Let me tell you something. Live for love." The old man stated. Naruto looked quizzically at him. What did he mean?
"He means that you should go on and live your life because there is still love in it! You love that person right?" Naruto nodded his head. "Then live and try to win his heart!" The boy exclaimed.
"Right! And don't worry about the cancer, my boy! I'm sure everything will be okay! It is the Christmas season, anything can happen!" The jolly man winked.
Naruto couldn't believe what he was hearing. How could these people, who didn't even know him, tell him exactly what he needed to hear? They were right! He was Naruto Uzumaki! He shouldn't let things bring him down now!
With a wide grin, he replied, "You guys are right! Thanks! I really need the pep talk."
Naruto stayed and chatted with the two strangers, getting to know them more. After a while, he noticed that he never asked them their names.
"I'm sorry, I never got your names."
"Oh don't worry, my boy! Just call me Mr. Nick and this one here is Frankie." He put a hand on the boy's shoulder as he said his name.
"Well Mr. Nick, Frankie. It was great meeting you both."
The next day, Naruto had stayed late at work to finish up some last minute work. While going to make copies of a document, he noticed that Sasuke was still in his office. This was his chance! Maybe he should say hi or something. It was then that he remembered about his stash of hot chocolate in the break room.
With a grin on his face and a plan in his head, he made a b-line to the break room.
Sasuke sat at his desk, frustrated as hell. The client he was working with was giving him a hell of a lot of trouble. This was the last time he would work with them if he could help it.
Sasuke clung onto the blue stone around his neck. It had become a habit to hold onto it when he started getting worked up. It would calm him down. For some reason the stone reminded him of something but . . . he just couldn't put his finger on what it could be.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. Who could possibly be here at this hour?
"Come in." he called out in a monotone voice. He really didn't feel like dealing with people right now.
To his surprise, his secretary walked in. In his hands were two steaming mugs with candy- canes sticking out of each one.
"I thought you might want a pick me up or something . . .you know . . . since you're working late and all." Naruto nervously said. He could see that his crush wasn't in a good mood and could only hope that he wasn't making it worse.
Naruto gently place the mug down in front of the raven. To Sasuke's surprise, it was hot chocolate. He was expecting some weird coffee. He looked up at the blond, one eye brow up in a questioning manner.
"It's hot chocolate. I usually make a special blend around the holidays. The candy-cane is to give it a little extra mint flavor." Naruto explained.
This candy-cane reminded Sasuke of the ones he would get with the mysterious cards he would get each year. He then realized that he didn't get one this year. He got the necklace and card but no candy-cane.
"I didn't get one this year." Sasuke mumbled.
"What was that?" Naruto asked. He hoped to God that he didn't do anything stupid.
Sasuke looked up at the worried blond. Should he tell him? Maybe he could help find the person who has been leaving the cards every year.
"Every year someone leaves me a Christmas card with a candy-cane taped to the corner. This year I didn't get a candy-cane. Instead I got this necklace." He lifted up the necklace to show his secretary. "I just realized that I didn't get one when I saw the candy-cane in the mug."
To say Naruto was nervous was an understatement. His mind was going a mile a minute. Crap! Did he get found out because of the candy-cane? No that can't be right?
"I don't know who the person is because they never sign their name." Sasuke looked down at the stone in his hand fondly. "I would like meet that person and give them my thanks." A small smile graced his lips.
The red on Naruto's face was so bright it almost glowed. He had never seen his crush smile like that and it was because of him! Not that Sasuke knew it was him but still.
Taking a sip of his drink to hide the blush, Naruto thought about what to say. Should he tell Sasuke that it was him?
"I wonder why they don't sign their name?" Sasuke wondered out loud.
"M-maybe they are too shy to tell you." Naruto replied after he had calmed down. Sasuke looked at him, silently asking him to explain.
"Well, you not exactly a people person and from what is spread around the office, you aren't a big fan of the holidays." Naruto smirked. He remembered one year when someone had sworn they heard the boss say 'ba-hum-bug.' From then on, the code name for Sasuke in December was Mr. Scrooge.
Sasuke noticed the smirk on the blonds face. "What's with the smirk?" he asked.
Naruto smiled and told him the memory he was recalling. When he saw the annoyed look on the raven's face, he started to laugh. His loud, joyful laugh was contagious and soon Sasuke was chuckling along with him. It was a perfect moment. Sasuke hadn't been able to laugh like that in a long time and it felt amazing.
They slowly stopped laughing but the smiles on their faces never left. They looked at each other for a moment and in that moment time seemed to stop. Blue clashed with onyx as they stared into each other's eyes. The intensity in Sasuke's eyes had made the blond's heart stop and his knees became week.
Sasuke couldn't help but soak in the blond in front of him. He noticed that the other's eyes widened just a little. The raven gave Naruto a small and gentle smile.
"Thank you for the drink. It's getting late; you should probably go home and get some sleep. I'm going to need you early tomorrow."
Naruto mentally shook himself out of his stooper. "Any time! Good night Sas- um I mean Mr. Uchiha." Naruto sheepishly scratched the back of his head. He noted to himself to stop calling him Sasuke inside his head. Can't call your boss by his first name.
The raven chuckled. He was starting to find the blond endearing. "Sasuke is fine."
Naruto shot him one of his brightest smiles. "Well then, please call me Naruto!" He then waved and left the office, leaving behind the Uchiha in a much better mood.
His eyes He thought with a smile. The stone reminded him of his eyes. They were both the same shade of that mesmerizing blue.
Sasuke turned his attention to the forgotten mug on his desk. Zoning in on the candy-cane, remembering how the blond reacted when he mentioned the cards. Could it be?
The next morning, Naruto walk into the office with vigor. He honestly didn't get much sleep last night because he was so happy about the conversation he had with Sasuke. Everyone noticed the extra happy mood the blond was in and wondered what had made him so happy.
Hinata too wanted to know what had happened. She had a feeling it had to do with their grumpy boss.
"Naruto, did something happen last night?" She asked. Naruto's smile, if it were possible, got bigger.
"Yeah actually-"
"Naruto." Naruto and Hinata looked towards the direction of the voice and saw a tired looking Uchiha walking toward them. The poor guy looked like he didn't get a wink of sleep last night.
"Do you have any of that hot chocolate left? I could really use something to help me stay awake and that seemed to do the trick last night." The Uchiha quietly asked. He almost seemed embarrassed . . . almost. Naruto secretly thought it was cute.
"Sure thing! Do you want the candy-cane with it?" Naruto replied with much enthusiasm. He said his first name! He didn't address him by his last name this time!
"Yeah, that would be nice." Sasuke gave the blond a small smile before said blond ran off to go make the warm drink.
Hinata, who was there the entire time, was shocked. The Sasuke Uchiha just smiled. It was small but it was definitely a smile. Looking around, she could see the rest of the office was just as shocked.
Sasuke looked at the girl by him. His eyebrow had risen when he saw the look at her face. "What?"
"OH MY GOD! IT'ST THE END OF THE WORLD. BOSS JUST SMILED!" Kiba shouted as he ran around the office, flailing his arms about.
Sasuke sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. All he did was smile so why are they freaking out? For goodness sakes he was human just like the rest of them. "Inuzuka! If you don't shut up I will give you three times the work for the rest of the week." The Uchiha growled out.
Naruto came back with a mug full of hot chocolate and a candy-cane, chuckling to himself.
"You think it's funny?" Sasuke mumbled. Naruto laughed some more as he handed him the cup.
"Well Sasuke, if you smiled more, people wouldn't react like that."
Hinata smiled to herself as she watched the two converse with one another. To think that they are on a first name bases now when just a week and a half ago, Sasuke didn't even look at his face. Maybe it was a Christmas miracle. No, it would be a miracle if Sasuke returned Naruto's feelings and they lived a long life together. She silently prayed for that miracle to happen. From the way Sasuke's eyes softened when he talked to Naruto, the first part of her prayer was sure to come true.
Naruto watched as Sasuke walked back to his office, a small smile played on his face. He turned to Hinata who was giving him a knowing look. He blushed as he went back to work.
Frankie flew on Commit outside the window and watched Naruto talk with Sasuke. Things were moving a lot faster than expected. At this rate, they will be together before you could say 'deck the halls!'
"Come on boy! Let's go tell the big guy the good news!" Commit nodded his head then flew off.
It was a few days later and Sasuke found himself, yet again, working late. Why couldn't he go home at a decent time?
He sat in his chair and fiddled with the necklace that he wore while glaring at his computer. He realized that he never took it off. It was special to him just like all the cards he got over the years from the same person. He had saved every last one of them.
His mind then wondered to his blond secretary. When he pictured Naruto's smiling face, he got a warm feeling in his chest.
Sasuke was conflicted. He had come to care for the person who secretly gives him the cards but now that he is getting to know Naruto . . . He hoped to God that Naruto was the one who has been giving him the cards. That blond had squeezed into his heart so quickly and then once he got in, started to melt the ice that incased it. He smiled at the thought.
"Hey Sasuke."
Sasuke looked up to see the very blond he was thinking about in the doorway holding a full plastic bag.
"I saw you were working late and thought you might be hungry and since I was going to get myself some food . . ." Naruto shrugged, trying to hide his embarrassment.
Sasuke smiled, he noticed he has been doing that a lot lately, and thanked the blond. Naruto returned his smile with a grin of his own and set the food on Sasuke's desk.
Together they ate and talked. They conversed and joked as if they had been friends for years. It was just so natural for them.
Soon Sasuke noticed that the blond's facial expression had gotten serious. He wondered what could make the blond get like that so quickly.
"Hey Sasuke . . . why don't you like Christmas?" The blond hesitantly asked. Naruto was genuinely curious about that night years ago.
Sasuke thought for a moment. Should he tell Naruto the reason? He didn't have a very good reason not to. But still, it's not exactly fond memory.
"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it. I understand." Naruto gave his crush a reassuring smile. The last thing he wanted was to make the raven uncomfortable.
Sasuke saw the warmth and understanding in Naruto's eyes. He felt that he could tell the blond. "Well, about 5 years ago, I had proposed to my long term girlfriend." He paused to gauge Naruto's reaction. The blond looked surprised and almost sad.
"A few days before Christmas, I was working late. She called me right before I was about to leave the office and told me that the wedding was off and that she found a better guy with more money." Sasuke growled out the last part. Stupid woman. He hoped that the man turned out to be some old pervert.
Sasuke was broken out of his thoughts when he felt warmth envelope him. To his surprise, Naruto had gotten up and was giving him a gentle hug.
"I'm sorry. No one should have their heart broken like that, especially during the holidays." Naruto whispered in the other's ear. Sasuke felt Naruto's breath lightly hit his neck, sending shivers down his spine.
Before he knew it, Naruto had let go to sit in his seat again. Sasuke missed the warmth.
"Don't worry. I realized a few months later that I cared for her but I never really loved her. It's more like my pride that is bruised." Was he pouting?
They continued talking for a little while longer. Naruto was happy that Sasuke didn't mention the hug. He had no clue what had made him do it but it just felt so good to have him in his arms. He secretly hoped that one day Sasuke would hold him too.
By the time they were getting ready to leave it was around eleven o'clock at night. As they headed toward the elevators, Sasuke checked his phone. He saw that he had missed a call. The caller id said 'The Ex'. Speak of the devil.
The next day would not be the peaceful day that everyone thought it was going to be. It was around lunch when a storm blew in.
"Hi! Can you tell Sasuke that Sakura Haruno is here?"
Naruto looked up to see a woman with the gaudiest clothes on and bubble-gum pink hair. Was that even natural?
Remembering that Sasuke had told him not to let anyone in his office earlier that morning, Naruto told the . . . woman that no one was to see him. Politely of course.
"I know you are just doing your job but Sasuke will want to see me. I am the woman that he wants to marry." She gave a matter of fact smile. This smile was not a warm one. It was fake and reminded Naruto of one of the plastic-y girls you would see on TV. Kind of like the blond from Mean Girls.
"Wait, are you the one who he was engaged to?" Naruto asked.
By then everyone in the office was paying attention. They could see the annoyance that started to surface on Naruto's face. They knew it takes a lot to annoy and/ or anger The Saint. Something was about to go down and there was no way they were going to miss it.
She clapped her hands together as that fake smile of hers grew. "Oh good! He told you about me. Well, if you just show me to his office-"
"No." Naruto growled out. The pinkette noticed that the blond secretary had stood up and was now glaring at her. The office was dead silent. They had never seen Naruto so angry before.
"Excuse me? Who do you think you are to tell me no!" She shrieked.
"You hurt him. You are the reason that he loathes Christmas and why he's so cold to people." Naruto crossed his arms. "Why the hell would I let you see him?" Naruto was calm but it was a deadly calm.
The office was curiously watching. They wondered how Naruto had found out such information but then figured it had to be because the blond was starting to be close with the boss. Someone had started to eat popcorn.
Saskura was getting pissed. Who the hell does this secretary think he is!? Wait . . .
Her eyes squinted as she leaned her face toward Naruto. "I see. You're jealous. You love him!" She pointed one of her manicured fingers at him.
Naruto's eyes widened. He hoped that Sasuke hadn't heard that. What would he do if Sasuke thought he was gross and didn't want to be near him? He wouldn't be able to bare it.
Sakura realized that she hit the bull's-eye judging from the secretary's reaction. She gripped her purse then swung it with all her strength, hitting the blond in the head.
"You faggot! Sasuke would never love a man!" She yelled out.
Kiba and Hinata who had seen what happened, rushed over to make sure their friend was okay. Naruto stood there with his hand covering the left side of his forehead. Hinata got to him first. She gently moved Naruto's hand away to see a deep gash underneath. Kiba stood behind his wife glaring at the evil swine who had hit his best friend.
Sasuke heard someone yelling outside. He went to go and stop it so he could concentrate on work. "What is going –" Sasuke froze just outside his door. He looked at Sakura, wonder why the hell she was here. Then he looked at Naruto, who had Kiba and Hinata by his side. When he saw the blood on the blonds head, he saw red.
"Oh Sasuke honey! I came to take you back! I missed you so-"
"Did you do that?" The Uchiha growled out. The room went cold as the Uchiha slowly walked toward the group. His glare was sinister and it looked like he was barely stopping himself from murdering someone.
Sakura was too scared to answer. She had never seen him like this before. Hell, he almost never showed emotions in the first place. This was too much.
The office was secretly cheering for their boss.
"Did. You. Do. That." He repeated as he pointed to the cut on Naruto's head.
"I-"
"You better get out or I swear to God, you will wish you were never born." She was out of there before anyone could blink. Everyone could hear nasty sobbing and cursing in the distance.
Sasuke shut his eyes and took a deep breath. He needed to calm down so he could check on Naruto. Once he was calm enough, he turned to the blond and gently put his hand on the other's cheek and lifted his head to get a better look at the cut. By then Hinata and Kiba had backed away a little to give the two some room.
"Sasuke, I'm okay. It's not as bad as it seems." The blond whispered. It was hard to concentrate with the raven's hand gently caressing his cheek.
"I'm sorry." Sasuke whispered back. He pulled out a handkerchief and softly pressed it on the wound. He never wanted to see Naruto hurt again. He began to regret not taking care of things last night when he saw the missed call. He should have known that damn woman would try and do something.
To say that the entire office was shock would be an understatement. They didn't know exactly what was going on but just seeing their boss get so angry on someone's behalf and then being so gentle was . . . they didn't even know how to describe what they were feeling. They all mentally decided to stop watching. It seemed like they were intruding on a pair of lovers having a moment and they didn't want to ruin it.
Kiba and Hinata walked away, knowing that Naruto would be taken care of.
Once Sasuke figured the cut had stopped bleeding, he took his hand away from it. He moved his focus from Naruto's forehead to his eyes. He didn't realize just how close they had gotten.
He realized then that he had this sudden urge to snatch the blond up and never let him go. It was an overwhelming feeling of possession. He needed to move before he did something he would regret. Slowly, Sasuke moved away but his eyes never left the other's.
Naruto's heart felt like it would break through his chest. The way Sasuke was treating him; it was like he was something precious to the raven. He hoped he was right and wished that this feeling would last.
Remembering that they were in the office, Sasuke broke the trance they were in. "Next time, if that woman ever dares to come back, hit her." Sasuke said.
Naruto smiled. "I can't hit a girl."
"That's not a girl. It's some pink-haired demon." Sasuke teased, effectively making Naruto laugh. Everyone in the office chuckled. Who knew that the boss could crack a joke?
The next day, Naruto found a small box of multi-flavored candy-canes and a note taped to it.
The next time someone hurts you, let me know and I will take care of it.
These won't help your head but hopefully they'll cheer you up.
-Sasuke
Naruto could be seen eating the delicious candy all day.
The office was silent. Normally Sasuke wouldn't mind the silence. In fact, he would pray for it but a silent office means no Naruto. The energetic blond could always be heard, whether he was on his break or working at his desk. Sasuke, for the first time, didn't like the silence.
The raven calmly stood up from his desk and opened his office door to call on Hinata. He saw her with his . . . the blond every break they had. She should know where Naruto was.
"Mrs. Inuzuka, can you come here for a moment?"
The quiet women looked up in confusion, wondering what her boss would want with her. He had never called her before. She quietly moved from her desk toward Sasuke. Once she reached him, Sasuke motioned for her to go inside his office then closing the door once she was in.
Both sat down on either side of the desk. A thick tension was building in the room as the stared at each other.
"Do you know where Naruto is?" Sasuke asked. To Hinata's delight and surprise, there was a small hint of worry in the man's voice. It made her smile knowing that her boss cares for her friend. That smile soon disappeared when she thought of the reason why the Uchiha was worried.
"He is home because of an illness." She looked at Sasuke. At first glance it seemed as if he had no reaction at all but when she looked into his eyes, worry flooded them. It was in that moment she decided that her boss should know about Naruto's condition.
"His immune system is weak due to a tumor in his body." She said in a grave voice.
Sasuke's eyes widened in shock. Wait, she doesn't mean that he has . . . no!
"He . . . has cancer." It wasn't a question. It all makes sense now. That's why Naruto gave his resignation letter to him. Oh God.
Sasuke raked his hand through his hair. "I need to go see him." Sasuke whispered.
Hinata barely heard him but luckily she did. She quickly pulled out a pen and wrote down her friend's address without any hesitation.
She handed the paper to Sasuke. "Here. This is his address. I'll take over the phones and let everyone know you will be leaving early." Sasuke gave her a quick 'thank you' and shot for the door. Before he could open it, Hinata stopped him.
"Take care of him. He needs you a lot more than you think." Her face was serious. This was not the kind and shy Hinata that worked for him but the strong and protective Hinata. It was her way of saying, 'hurt him and I'll make you wish you hadn't.' It was an interesting side he had never seen before.
Sasuke gave her a quick nod of understanding and then left. Hinata stood in the doorway as she watched her boss run to the elevator. Kiba walked up to his wife and put an arm around her waist.
"Naruto?" He asked. She gave him a smile. "I never thought I would see the day when that guy would run out of the office for someone. Guess that's just Naruto's magic charm."
He felt horrible. His head ached so much that his vision was blurry, his was tired and he felt nauseous. He couldn't move off his couch to do anything and it sucked. He hated when this happened.
Naruto laid there, eyes shut, waiting for it to pass by. The headaches weren't constant thankfully. They would go away and then sometime later they come back with a vengeance.
"Naruto."
Did someone just call him? Who could it be? Everyone should be working right now plus he lives alone.
"Naruto."
There is was again. He opened his eyes a little to try and see who it was. All he could make out was dark short hair and pale skin. Could it be?
"Sa-sasuke?" he croaked out. His voice was raspy and quiet. It was so unlike the loud and happy voice that Sasuke knew.
The raven gently brushed his hand through the soft blond hair. "Shhh. Yeah it's me. I'm going to look after you for today. Can't have you missing work. You know the rules."
Naruto gave the Uchiha a quiet laugh at his weak attempt at a joke. "Okay. . . Tha-thank you."
He didn't have enough energy to point out that Sasuke was breaking those very rules by being there instead of work.
Sasuke gave him a small smile. He stayed there, running his fingers through Naruto hair, gently lulling the other to a deep sleep.
While watching the man sleep, Sasuke came to a realization. He had fallen for this man. They barely started to get to know each other and yet the blond has become such an important part in his life.
He sighed. He needs to find the person who has been giving him the cards to thank them but reject them. He loves someone else.
The next moring, Naruto woke up feeling so much better. He was almost 100% better so he could get to work and see his beloved Sasuke. When Naruto went to sit up, he became aware of the weight on his stomach. He propped himself on his elbows to see what it was. To his shock and secretly his delight, the very man he wanted to see the most was sitting on the ground sleeping and using him as a pillow.
So yesterday wasn't a dream. He thought. As he remembered what had happened, a blush creped onto his face.
Naruto was torn from his thoughts when he felt Sasuke nuzzle him and sigh. A small smile grace his lips and his eyes shone with love. God he wished he could wake up like this every day. Naruto softly placed a small kiss on the raven's head.
Sasuke started to wake up and slowly opened his eyes. Much to Naruto's relief, he had moved before his boss would notice anything.
Once Sasuke registered that Naruto was up, he shot up and grabbed the blonds shoulders.
"Are you okay!? You looked horrible when I got here! Why was your door unlocked? And why the hell didn't you tell me you had cancer!"
Naruto didn't know what to say. He was shocked at the emotions he saw swimming in the other's eyes as well as the fact that Sasuke found out about the cancer. Hinata or Kiba must have told him.
"I –I'm fine. I left the door unlocked because when I'm sick, Hinata and Kiba come check up on me after work so I leave it open for them. And I didn't tell you about the c-cancer because . . . I . . ." By the end, Naruto was crying. He didn't want to tell Sasuke about it because he didn't want his crush to see him as a useless and disabled guy. He hated the fact that he was getting so emotional now.
Sasuke hated seeing him cry like that so he did the first thing that came to his mind to stop his blond from crying.
He hugged him.
He pulled him into his arms rocking them softly from side to side as he whispered comforting words into Naruto ear. Naruto hid his face into the others neck, gripping Sasuke like a life line. Sasuke tightened his hold as the other continued to cry.
"It's okay Naruto. Everything will be okay." He rubbed Naruto's back, trying to calm him down.
Naruto leaned back to look Sasuke in the face. "It-it's just that . . . I didn't w-want to seem. . . useless to . . .you and."
Sasuke put his finger to Naruto's lips, quieting him. "Shhh. You would never seem useless to me. You're too good at your job for that." Sasuke smiled. "Now take a deep breath and calm down. I'm going to make you some food. Hungry?"
Naruto nodded his head yes and did as he was instructed. Sasuke gently patted the blond's head and went to the kitchen to cook.
"What about work?" Naruto meekly asked.
"I'm not going." Sasuke saw the worried look Naruto shot him. "Besides, I have tons of vacation time built up. It's about time I used it." He smirked.
For the rest of the day, Sasuke made sure his blond was taken care of. They watched movies and different tv shows on Netflix. Naruto slept for a little while, using Sasuke's lap as a pillow. They laughed as they told funny stories from their childhoods. They truly got to know one another. It was perfect. They didn't want the day to end but time was against them. When it got late, Sasuke decided it was time for him to go. They both had to work tomorrow.
They both stood at the door, neither one wanting to part.
"Well, I better get going. If you need anything, just let me know got it." Sasuke said.
"Yes Mom." Naruto joked. Sasuke rolled his eyes then waved good bye and left.
Naruto slowly closed the door and walked toward the window to look up at the stars.
"I haven't wished on a star in a long time but. . . I wish I could live to be with Sasuke. Please."
Sasuke was on cloud nine as he walked out of Naruto's apartment building. He never thought he could feel this way. Hell, he was never this happy with his ex.
"Well, someone looks happy. Found love, have you?"
Sasuke looked over to see an old man and a kid maybe 15 or so with him. "Excuse me?"
"Well, you're practically glowing. I bet they are a real catch." The old man winked. The kid nodded his head frantically in agreement.
"Who are you exactly?" Sasuke questioned.
The old man gave a jolly laugh. "I'm Mr. Nick and this here is-"
"Frankie Sir! We're Naruto's friends!" He exclaimed.
Wait, how did they know he knew Naruto? Just who are these guys? Sasuke gave them a wary look. It was obvious to the two that the dark haired man thought they were suspicious.
"Naruto told us about you. Showed us a picture." Mr. Nick explained with a winked.
Sasuke didn't know what to say. Naruto talked about him and even showed people his picture? What does that mean?
Frankie and Mr. Nick both saw the confusion on the raven's face but most importantly they saw the faint blush.
"You love him don't you?" Frankie asked with a teasing voice and a knowing grin on his face.
Sasuke looked at both of Naruto's friends. He could tell that no matter how much he denied it, they would know the truth.
"Yes. I do."
"YESSSSS!" Frankie jumped into the air then glomped the raven before he knew it was coming. Mr. Nick held unto his round stomach and let out a deep laugh.
Frankie let go of Sasuke still laughing. "Thank goodness! Naruto needs someone to care for him like a lover should." Frankie sighed out as he calmed down.
"Take care of that boy. He needs you more than you know."
"Take care of him. He needs you a lot more than you think."
Hinata's words echoed in Sasuke's head. What does everyone mean? Could Naruto possibly feel for him too?
It was December 20 and the office held its annual Christmas party. For the first time, Sasuke had attended. Not by his own will of course. A certain blond made sure of that.
Sasuke didn't mind so much. He liked watching his blond joking around with everyone and having a good time. Also, after the sick day, Sasuke started to talk more to Hinata and Kiba. The dog man still got on his nerves but Hinata was actually an interesting person.
"I noticed you started wearing that necklace sometime back. Did someone important give it to you?" Hinata asked as she walked up to the raven. Sasuke swore that the girl could see right through anyone with those eyes of hers.
"Every year for a few years now, someone has left a Christmas card with a candy-cane attached. These notes helped me cope with the Christmas holiday. This year, the person left this necklace." He touched the blue stone gently. "I have to find this person."
Hinata looked at him with just a hint of amusement in her eyes. "What will you do once you find them?"
"Turn them down." Sasuke watched Naruto laughing with Kiba across the room. "Because I love someone else." A gentle smile appeared on his face.
Hinata saw who it was the raven was watching. Well, her friend managed to melt the ice off of their bosses heart. Finally.
"I wouldn't reject them if I were you." Sasuke looks at her, sending her confused looks. She smiles at him and pats his shoulder. "You might just be rejecting the one person you're after."
Sasuke squinted his eyes in thought. Hinata knew the exact moment when the he was able to put two and two together because his eyes quickly widened and turned toward Naruto.
Sasuke had a right mind to just go over their and claim Naruto as his.
"Don't say anything yet. He will go out of his mind if he finds out that you know. So go get a drink and calm down. Trust me." Sasuke took a deep breath and did as he was instructed. The one person who had been giving him those cards was the one person he fell for. He couldn't be more happier. He knew Naruto was special and he swore that the blond would know how he felt by Christmas.
"Naruto , my boy! How are you!?" Said blond turned to see his new friends Mr. Nick and Frankie.
"Hey guys! I'm glad you could make it!" Naruto gave each of them a big hug. "Kiba, this is Mr. Nick and Frankie. Guys this is my buddy, Kiba." Kiba shook each of their hands enthusiastically.
"Well a friend of Naruto's is a friend of mine! Welcome!" Kiba took a moment to look at the two new comers as they talked to Naruto. If he didn't know better he would say that Mr. Nick was Santa Clause and the kid was an elf!
"Naruto, why don't you go over to Sasuke. I'm sure he could use you right now." Frankie pointed over to said man. He was alone over by the drinks, looking out the window. Frankie gave the blond a wink and pushed him toward his love.
"So you guys know about Naruto's crush huh?" Kiba smirked.
"Yep! The boy can stop talking about him." The old man smiled.
"Hey Mr. Kiba! Look at this magic trick!" While Frankie kept the brunette distracted, Mr. Nick quickly used his magic to conjure up some mistletoe over the lovers' heads. He always wanted to do this.
"Well look at that! Those two are a standing under some mistletoe!" the jolly man said loud enough for the whole office to hear. Every person turned toward Sasuke and Naruto. When they saw the mistletoe over their heads, they each sported a smirk. Oh this was good.
Sasuke and Naruto both shot their heads up to see the infamous plant above their heads. Both of their hearts were pounding, threatening to push right out of their chests. Naruto's face light up in a bright red while Sasuke turned to the side and used his hand to cover his mouth.
"Kiss him!" Kiba shouted. This was Naruto's big chance and he was going to help as much as he could.
"Yeah! Kiss him!" Someone joined in. Soon everyone was cheering for the kiss. Hinata secretly pulled out her camera. She wasn't going to miss this.
The two looked at each other. Naruto was shaking just a little from nerves. "Well . . . I uh . . . we don't have t-"
Before he could finish, lips softly brushed his own. Naruto's heart stopped and his eyes widened. He saw that Sasuke had his eyes open as well. The intensity in those dark eyes had sucked him in. He didn't notice when Sasuke had slid his arm around the blond's waste and pulled him closer. When Sasuke deepened the kiss slightly, Naruto was lost and practically turning to mush. He closed his eyes and kissed back.
Sasuke smirked into the kiss. He gently nibbled on his blonds lips as the other ran his fingers through the soft black hair.
The entire room was dead silent . . . for about three seconds before the cat calls and the cheering started. Hinata quickly took a picture before they stopped. Kiba was next to his wife laughing when he saw the picture. While everyone's attention was elsewhere, Santa and Frankie disappeared.
The kiss ended when both of them heard the cheering. They quickly flew apart and awkwardly stood there not making eye contact.
"Um . . . uh Merry Christmas?" Naruto said meekly.
Sasuke smiled. "Yeah, Merry Christmas."
The office celebrated for the rest of the night, dubbing December 20th as the day The Saint got his Scrooge.
Sasuke was about to lose it. He, Kiba, and Hinata were all at the hospital. Naruto was in surgery to remove the tumor. If Hinata wasn't there . . . Sasuke didn't know what he would do. The woman had kept him as calm as she could while they waited.
If he lost Naruto . . .
"Sasuke, you should sit down. Things will be okay. Naruto is a fighter." Hinata patted a seat next to her. Kiba had fallen asleep about an hour ago. It was late and Naruto had been in surgery for a few hours now.
"I know. . . It's just I never-"
"You can tell him when he wakes up." Hinata gave him a knowing smile. Sasuke hadn't been able to tell Naruto how he felt about him because the day after the Christmas party, work picked up and things got crazy. The two barely got to talk at all.
"Excuse me. Are you with Naruto Uzumaki?" The two looked up to see a doctor standing before them. They didn't like the grave look on his face.
Sasuke quickly stood up. "Yes. Is he okay?" He anxiously asked.
The doctor sighed. "The surgery went well but . . . he slipped into a coma and he might not wake up."
Sasuke's world stopped. This can't be. No! Naruto will wake up God damn it! He has too! "What room is he in?" Sasuke's voice was shaky.
Hinata went to wake up Kiba and tell him what was going on.
"He's in room 426." Sasuke rushed passed the Doctor to his love's room. When he saw it, he pushed the door open and saw Naruto laying there. He looked as if he was just sleeping and would wake up any moment. He was so peaceful.
It nearly broke Sasuke's heart.
Sasuke slowly walked over to the blond and sat in the chair on the other side of the bed. Hinata and Kiba were at the door, watching the two inside the room.
Sasuke gently picked up the blond's hand and brought it to his lips. "You better wake up, idiot." He choked out. Hinata pulled Kiba slightly, silently telling him to give Sasuke a few minutes.
Sasuke silently cried as he watched his love sleep, the other's hand still in his own. He moved the blond hair out of Naruto's face gently.
"If you want to save him, then take this."
Sasuke looked up to see an old woman dressed in a red dress with white outlining. She had snowy white hair and a pair of slim glasses. "The name's Mrs. Clause. You met my husband Mr. Nick perhaps." She chuckled.
"Of course he has!" In came Mr. Nick in a red suit and hat.
My God, It's Santa and Mrs. Clause! They're real!?
"Yes boy we're real! Now do you want to save Naruto or not?" Santa said.
"Of course I do!" Sasuke replied. Wasn't it obvious?
"Then give him this." Mrs. Clause handed over a small bottle with a bright red liquid in it. "If he drinks this, then he will get better."
Sasuke quickly took it. "But there is a catch. It will only work if your love is true." Santa warned him.
Sasuke gave them a determined look. Nothing could rival the love he has for his blond as cheesy as that sounds. The magical couple disappeared with a flick of the wrist to leave them alone. They stayed hidden to watch.
The raven gently lifted Naruto's head to give him the potion. As he administered it, Sasuke spoke. "Please work. I can't live without you. You have saved me with those cards every Christmas and then again this year when we finally got to know each other. You melted the ice surrounding my heart and helped me learn to love again. . ." He slowly put the blond's head down when the potion was gone. He leaned down and whispered, "I love you," then gently planted a small kiss on the other's lips.
He closed his eyes and bowed his head when nothing happened. Hinata and Kiba were outside the door, they had heard everything. Hinata cried when her friend didn't wake up. Kiba held onto her tightly, trying to comfort his wife as well as get comfort. Everyone watched from the giant globe at Santa's workshop. The elves and Santa took off their hats and bowed their heads. It was silent.
"I love you too." Sasuke shot up his head to see the most beautiful blue eyes. He never wanted to see those eyes closed again.
Tears slid down the blonds cheeks. Sasuke cupped the tanned cheek and whipped away the tears, giving Naruto a watery smile. Sasuke held Naruto's face in his hands as he swiftly kissed his blond.
The passion and the love that was built up between them burst out in this simple kiss. Naruto cried as he kissed Sasuke back. His happiness was overwhelming. Sasuke lifted his lips to kiss the blond's forehead, each eye, his nose, and then finally back to his lips. With each kiss he whispered over and over, 'I love you.'
Hinata and Kiba were crying and smiling. Both were happy for their friends. It was a miracle. They rushed in and started a big group hug. All four of them laughed. Well, Sasuke chuckled while the others laughed.
Everyone at the workshop cheered when they saw everything. Santa and Mrs. Clause were jumping in a circle as the hugged. It was a wonderful Christmas.
"Santa! It's Christmas eve! We need to deliver the presents!" Frankie yelled.
"Oh right! Got to go!" Santa gave his wife a quick kiss then left.
"And that kids, was how I met your mother."
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING MOM!?"
The three kids laughed as they saw their "mother" hit their father on the head with a towel. The first born looked a lot like his father except for his bright blue eyes. He had a mix of each parent's personality. The twins looked like one parent but had the personality of the other. It was funny to the family's friends.
"Alright you guys. Time for bed. We can't have you awake when Santa get here." They wined as their 'mother' ushered them to bed. Their father chuckled at his family. He couldn't be happier.
When his lover came back, he scooped him in his arms and gave him a quick kiss.
"Naruto, Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas, Sasuke."
That Christmas all those years ago, they got an even bigger gift than they had thought. It turns out that not only did the potion cure Naruto but enabled him to have children, courtesy of Mrs. Clause.
Well, they found out a year later when Santa left a third stocking with a note saying, "for the little one. Merry Christmas!" The first child, Neji who was named after Hinata's deceased cousin who had saved Naruto years back, was born seven months later. Turns out Naruto was two months pregnant when Santa left the gift.
Sasuke had also confronted Naruto about the Christmas cards he had left every year. He had made a card for Naruto and left it on his desk on the Valentine's Day after his surgery but instead of a candy cane, it had a ring.
To Someone who loves me.
I know who you are now. I wish we could have got to know each other sooner but since you are now living with me I guess it doesn't matter. I hope you continue to give me those letters for the rest of our lives.
Marry me?
The Scrooge who loves you too
The couple made their way to their room. They quickly got in comfortable clothes then slipped into bed. Sasuke pulled Naruto close, making the blond lay on his chest. Naruto loved moments like this when Sasuke would hold him.
"That Christmas, I got the best gift in the world." Naruto whispered.
"That you were cured?" Sasuke yawned.
"No, I got you." Sasuke smiled at his lover's answer. He gently lifted Naruto's chin so they could face each other.
"We got the greatest gift in the world, each other."
Naruto reached up and kissed him. It was slow but passionate and full of love. When they broke for air, Sasuke went in to continue the kiss but Naruto moved just out of reach. He smirked at the raven below him then quickly placed his lips on the others.
"I love you" He whispered.
"I love you too." Sasuke replied. "And I always will."
As Sasuke slept that night, Naruto came to the conclusion that Santa was the one who brought them together. That year Santa gave him the ultimate Christmas gift, love.
They didn't hear the giggling of an old man and elf as they added another stocking to the ones hanging on the fire place.