It was Christmas Eve. A thud flew across the darkened apartment when Ino dropped her key in a bowl by the door. She had been working all day at the coffee shop. She had landed the best shift in the year, meaning she had also landed the worst. She would be working Christmas day, she did not mind. She had no friends or family to spend it with. No real friends that is. They would look into her eyes, knowing she was all alone and not care. They had stopped caring a long time ago, not since the night in the alley when she had killed a man. It was in self-defense. She had not ever wished to take a life; she had not even wished her childhood enemy dead, Sakura. Ino was an innocent being. Her long hair always seemed to dance around her body and perfectly symmetric face. Large blue eyes always used to smile along with her perfect lips. They used to. Now she does not smile anymore, and her hair hangs dead along her grey body.

Ino was no longer the person she used to be.

She did not smile.

She did not laugh.

She did no longer enjoy life.

At Christmas she was just a shell. She had no holiday spirit to say the least. She had no spirit at all.

Ino's apartment lay dark and cold. The flowers in her window had died months ago. She had not bothered to take care of them, and she had not bothered throwing them out. Ino let her long her out of her hair bun. She wondered if she should even bother changing clothes. They reeked of coffee and soymilk. They did not bother her, so why should she change? She looked through her mail. She had gotten a Christmas card from her friends Naruto and Hinata. She did not know why they bothered. She remembered well how Naruto yelled at her at the hospital, what names he had called her. Hinata was just as guilty hiding behind her man saying nothing.

"What kind of monster are you Ino?! I can hardly look at you! How could you do such a thing? He had a wife! He had three children, three small children! You killed their father! Do you even know his name? Do you even care? It was Sasuke, and you took his life in cold blood!"

Ino moved over to the trash bin. She could almost feel her cheek burn like it did when Naruto had slapped her. She was no monster, she tried telling herself that to no avail. She had killed him, she had taken his life. It did not matter to them why that night. They had not known, they had not understood. She had taken the life of a father, she had taken the father away from three innocent young children. She would still months later wake up in the middle of the night seeing her hands covered in crimson, his blood. It did not make any sense, she had not gotten his blood on her hands. He had assaulted her, she had acted on instinct. She had been walking home from a late night out with Sakura and some other friends. She must have looked like an easy victim wobbling drunk on her high heels. He had ripped her top off, taken off his pants himself. He was up against her, her back against a dumpster. She was fighting, kicking and screaming. She was finally able to push him off. Panties around her ankles she had gotten his head in the dumpster. She had used the lid of hit him. She had hit him so hard, so many times that his head was hardly hanging on. She had fainted shortly after that. Found the next morning. She had not been mangled by him; her body had been left untouched. The most severe injury was her mind.

The police had not pressed charges. She had acted in self-defense. Her friends had stopped coming when the case had come up in the media. It was easy for them to send flowers and text when she was the victim. They all stopped when they knew she had almost decapitated a family father. It did not matter to them that he had assaulted him and forced himself on her. He had not raped her so it did not count. He had not wronged her. Then a month later they had tried to pretend like nothing had ever happened. Ino could not pretend like nothing had happened. Something had happened. They had not supported her. They had been against her. They had betrayed her.

Ino sat down in her wing chair by the window, listening to the sound of her nails against the fabric and the traffic down on the street. She lit a small light by her chair. Her apartment was beautifully decorated down to the smallest detail. The sad thing, all that did not matter to her anymore, she did not see the beauty in it. She poured herself a stiff one, drinking it slowly. She poured herself another one. She got up and turned on the heat in her bedroom, something he usually did not do. Merry Christmas she muttered to herself. She poured herself a double. Sensually dancing by herself in the bedroom, she was by now intoxicated. She had to get up early next morning and lay down in bed. No sleep would put her mind to rest that night.

Why anyone in their right mind would have a coffee shop open on Christmas Day she did not know. Sure there were lots of people who did not celebrate Christmas. Why did they have to open at regular time? It seemed like Ino hardly had closed before she got up at five to open the next hour.

She had another glass of whiskey before walking into the bathroom wiping off her makeup smudges. Rock star lifestyle.

The weather outside was crystal clear. It almost seemed warm compared to how it used to be around this time of year. A few people had hazarded to the streets, a lonesome car drove past. Ino pulled her scarf closer around her neck, it was still cold. The walk was calming, but all seemed hazy to Ino. On her way she listened to Naruto's voice message he had left the week before. He and the crew were having Christmas dinner at his place. They were all to bringing one dish of their own. Ino did not have to bring any though. They did not expect that of her. Ino made a fake gagging sound to herself, not bothering to listen to her latest voice mail.

The wind was blowing up as Ino unlocked the door to the coffee shop. The heated room made her checks red like a blushing school girl. Ino went to the backroom and got undressed. She had done all the cleaning yesterday. Brewing coffee and making pastries went on autopilot. She had done this so many times before; it required zero brain activity on her behalf.

The first two hours she had two customers, a couple of ravers on their way home. She spent her time twirling her hair and playing that awful game Candy Crush. The third hour she spent dancing to the horrid Christmas playlist her boss had set up. Bubblé needed to choke on shit asap. Ino had spiked her own coffee to get through the day.

Well within the fourth hour someone ripped open the door making Ino stop dead in the middle of her bad backroom dance performance. She could hear the bell ring franticly. "Great a douche." She put on her worst fake smile and went out. She locked eyes with the man who had just entered. Chin length dark hair, eyes that belonged to someone who had seen it all, suit. He was a dead beat, try hard, want to be the boss of your random big shot company or possible a lawyer. Because lets be real, who else would be working Christmas day, besides her? She had missed the most obvious feature. The man was covered in white snow dripping wet. The lights started to blink a few times before going back to normal. "I am sorry miss, your shop was the only one open." Ino sighed for herself and closed her eyes to hid them rolling. Yes, she was the only one open. "There is an awful snowstorm outside. I don't know why you are open at all." She could not keep her smile anymore; this was a proper posh douche. He did not understand how her life worked and that gruesome correct speaking of his. "That make two of us." A smirk ran through his lips for a small second. He had small tight lips. He needed some chap stick, the weather had not done them right. "I'll find you a blanket, towel or something in the back." Ino left leaving the male alone once again. She found both a semi clean towel and a blanket they used during the summer. It smelled faint of cigarettes. "I hope I am no bother for you, I had to find shelter." He smelled on both the towel and blanket. Ino did not respond. He used to towel to dry off with a displeased face. He seemed to be unsure whether to undress or not. "I have a shirt that might be a bit small, if you'd like, that one is clean. It's mine so I've washed it." Ino said with a shrug. Looking outside the weather was actually awful. The sky and street was white with the heavy snow. "Thank you." The man said suddenly sounding shy.

Ino came back with her spare shirt. She often spills coffee on herself and keeps some spare outfits at work. The man thanked her again and slowly started undressing. He seemed uncomfortable and it was then Ino caught herself staring. "Sorry, it's not often I get a strip show at work. Well, except Shino, but he doesn't have anything under his robe so it's more like flashing. Sorry." Ino turned around. The wind started pounding on the building.

"I was on my way over to my parents when I got caught by the storm. I assumed I would have time to get there. Not that I have no need to go myself. There was going to be an empty and cold celebration," Ino responded with a shrug and turned to turn on the radio for some information.

"The storm is already in full effect on the west side of town. The police strongly advice people from going outside, this includes driving. There have been a few reports on a few minor injuries and most of the city still has working power. The storm is believed to keep going strong until next day, this is going to be a long night. Find something to keep you and your loved ones warm and some lights."

"That's encouraging," Ino mumbled before shutting off the radio and going to the backroom. The man had put on her shirt, and it was mighty tight. Ino usually used rather large shirts unless she was low on cash and needed the tips her rather large breasts would give her. Along with them, she had learned, came the attention and suggestions she did not want.

Ino came back with a few blankets several candle lights and left after dropping them off. The stranger had found a seat unsure what to do next. He was in the mercy of Ino in some sorts. She came back with several thermoses and cans. "We should take advantage of the electricity and brew some warm coffee while we have the chance. This place, unfortunately, cool down fast. I'll brew coffee, sleep might become dangerous." Ino put all her machines to use brewing coffee, she did not know how much more time she had. The man was just sitting there still and looking around. The minutes went by without a word being spoken. When Ino had filled the last can and put it on the counter the man asked her: "What's your barista special?" He was looking at their menu. Ino did not respond at first. She came out from behind the counter with two cups. "I call it Fuck Christmas, strawberry and coconut flavor, and todays special is with rum." She sat down opposite him. He took the coffee thanking. "We have plenty food, it might give you diabetes though. I have a few salads in the back." The lights started blinking again, the wind was picking up. "So now we just sit here and wait?" He nodded sipping his coffee. "This is really good!" Ino smirked, "well, it is my special. It's also proper etiquette to introduce oneself." He seemed startled that "I am so sorry! Itachi Utchia. From the Utchia and Nara law firm." Ino rolled her eyes, she knew a certain Nara, a big shot lawyer. She also know who Itachi's dad was.

Ino got up and started arranging the candle lights just in time. The lights started blinking again, but they did not come back on this time. "Fuck," she muttered. She was sure the spoilt lawyer was not used to such language. She knew that his dad used to represent the bad guys. She hated him because he was so good at it. He won almost every case, no matter how shady. His last case was in a lawsuit against some model agency being sued. The parents of a deceased girl had sued the agency. They had constantly made their daughter diet, causing her heart to fail. It was clear that the parents should have won, but they did not. He probably agreed that the decision was right. "So you're a lawyer too?" She tried to hide the despise in her voice. She could see him nod through the weak flame. Great for him, she went behind the counter to find her rum bottle. She needed something to get through this storm. "Sorry about asking, do you normally drink this much or is it the occasion? I am asking because you have a bottle behind the counter, your workplace." She looked at him with such an icy look that the storm outside seemed tempting. "We're fully licensed. This is also a bar at night time. We have other types of spirits if you'd like." This bottle was hers personally, but she did not plan on telling him that. "Sorry" he murmured. "You're very impolite for being so well mannered." He did not say anything but decided to top up his cup when she came back to the table with the bottle. "Are you playing though and being rude because my father is the biggest scum on earth?" She crossed her arms, "maybe." He laughed. "You are all the same." She did not enjoy being compared to other girls. "I'm not!" She was properly insulted, he just laughed. It did not help. "If it makes you feel any better, I work with human rights and my partner Shikamaru works with environmental cases." Still with her arms crossed she snapped. "Yes, I know he does. I know him, I used to fuck him for sports." Itachi turned beet red. He was without a doubt a prude; it would not shock Ino if he was still a virgin. "The fuck was so lazy he didn't even bother wearing a condom, told me he did, that was a lie. Bastard gave me chlamydia." Ino was still bitter about that. She had been clean all her life even with the lifestyle she had been leading. It had been almost a year since she had been with a man now, but she did not let anyone know that. "He might have talked about you," Itachi left out the part about how this Shikamaru used to constantly talk about her, had fallen head over heels in love with her and had a ring in his desk drawer still dreaming about her. She would never settle with a man of his rank, he knew that now, she had done him for fun. She was too good for upper society boys.

The conversation died out there. Ino did not mind the silence at all, Itachi on the other hand. He was not used to silence, not since he had left his cold childhood home and his distant parents. "What were you going to do when you got off you shift? You have someone waiting for you at home?" He could not take any more silence. "No." It was not that kind of short, conversation killer he had wanted. "That sounds sad, do you not have anyone that cares for you? No family, no friends?" She shook her head. "No. There is no one. I'm sure you have a lovely family that is worried about you and misses you. I'm sure your lawyer daddy is missing his perfect lawyer son. In your huge ass mansion." Itachi scoffed. "The mansion part is true. You should not judge me based on my privileges and father." Ino was back to crossing her hands again. "I'm sure you already made up your mind about me." Itachi nodded. "Selfish, spoilt girl who think she is working class because she never took use of her potential and became something of herself. You also obviously had some issues with your father leading to your totally blatant relationship towards casual sex, and sorry for me saying, your sluttish persona." Ino bounced straight out of her chair. "You got it all wrong! You fucking steamy conceited boastful prick! Fuck you!" She took the rum bottle with her and stormed to the backroom.

Itachi was left back alone. Sure that her outburst had been because he had hit a nerve, spot on. Now he did not know what to do to entertain himself. Ino had been a good source of entertainment. To him she seemed rather stereotypical and one dimensional. He had only read about girls and seen them acted out on TV, he did not know that they were real, besides the list Shikamaru had in their lunchroom. Always took Itachi's appetite away. Itachi did not have much contact with the other sex. Sure he had the mandatory casual fling in law school. Still even there, he had only met female version of himself. All dedicated to their degree, always chasing and hunting for the top grades. Their chase had all been in vain though, he had the top grades. Then there was his friend and partner. He barely got by at school. Always stopping at a pass, never working to get better grades, he did not try to better himself. Nobody had understood why Itachi had started a law firm with him. Itachi knew very well why. Shikamaru could measure up to him if he wanted, when he was motivated and when he needed to. Shukamaru was passionate and hardworking when he needed to. That was why they were so successful, he had only one flaw. He always ended up with girls like Ino, he had even ended up with Ino. He had always been attracted to the likes of Ino. Itachi had no idea of how he found even half of the girls that he had talked about. Now Itachi knew, he found them in low paying jobs that did not require an education, like a barista. Itachi would never learn to understand the fairer sex; he did not put in an effort either. He had almost asked his mother to find him an appropriate wife. He would soon, he had decided to let his mother arrange his wedding. With his father's connections he would end up with a well behaved woman, with morals and high standards. He would end up with a society lady, not a girl who stormed off ill-tempered with bottles of alcohol.

It was evening before Ino came back again. Itachi had found a tedious book that he did not like at all in the lost and found box. 50 Shades of Gray, he did not understand the buzz. It was normal in his circuit to have a mistress like that, and he did not understand the whole ordeal with the contract, also normal. He would have his future wife sign a contract. "Don't flatter yourself, I do not miss you. I got cold." She had not brought back her bottle. By the dull vail on her eyes Itachi could see that she was drunk. Itachi had been behind the counter himself and found some whiskey. After being used to drinking Macallan what he was drinking tasted like a cancer ridden pigeon with severe amounts of hemorrhoids run through a blender.

She sat down on the floor and put some blankets around herself. "You sat in the dark, alone for hours." She sat with her back against him. "It's not like it's an unusual activity for me." One could not possible make sense out of this girl. "So you sit alone for hours, in the dark doing nothing?" She turned her head around. "Yes." Again with the short answers that annoyed him beyond reason. He was used to embroiling every answer he ever gave, ready to back up and defend his statement; this girl took conversation for granted. "Tell me Ino for conversation sake, you don't have to answer, have you ever been arrested?" He also wanted to know what he was dealing with, if she really was what they defined as white thrash. She turned around this time, "yes." She could not even understand why she was being honest herself. "For what?" was his follow up question. "Murder," she said bluntly. Itachi was put back, but he did not let it show. "I was assaulted, attacked. The charges were dropped, but I was still arrested." She had never talked about it before, she was shocked herself. He did not know what to think. She had taken someone's life. It intrigued him more than anything, maybe she was not like all the other girls after all. "He had children waiting for him at home, but he also had his dick on my thigh ready to use it." There was real sadness evident in her voice. He got up and sat down next to her and put her arm around her. She rested her head on his shoulder and welcomed the comfort. "Maybe I was too hard on you, too quick to judge," she muttered. He leaned over and rested his head on top of hers again "me too, darling, me too."

They sat like that until the door blew open. Itachi was quick on his feet to close it. "I'm sure there's no one else coming around today, you can probably lock it." Ino got up and prepared something for them to eat. An almost frozen salad each, muffins of all kinds and croissants was all she could find for dinner. "What second language do you speak?" Ino asked between bites. "What makes you think I speak anything else than English?" Ino gave a little laugh, "really? Private school." Itachi could not deny, "Italian and French." Ino nodded. "My father was Portuguese, so I speak the language." Ino was full of surprises; she never spoke of her father. "My mother was alcoholic. She denied my father seeing me, and she denied me ever knowing him. I was sixteen when I ran away and found him; I got a year with him before he past. He died of cancer." None of her earlier friends even knew that. "I am sorry to hear that," Itachi said and put his hand on top of hers. "My father is an abusive womanizer." Ino wanted to make some smart remark, but she could not bring herself to do so. "What's your favorite color?" Ino asked trying to move to conversation someplace more cheerful, "Crimson."

As the temperature dropped the coffee intake increased to keep up the temperature. The mood was lighter and they were both more comfortable with each other. "It's fucking dick cold her!" Ino called out. Itachi laughed at her having gotten used to her often unlady like language. "It'll get better." They both knew it was only going to get colder. Ino was shaking under her blankets slowly losing the color in her face. "I have to use the bathroom, okay? Be right back." Ino nodded. Itachi and Ino clearly had different definitions on what right back meant.

When Itachi came back Ino had stripped to her underwear enraging Itachi. Itachi was thinking this was a bad way to try and get him to sleep with him. His father and Shikamaru had told him about girls who were willing to do such things to get a rich lover who could buy them fancy dinners and jewelry. That was until he saw that she was dozing off. He fell to his knees next to her covering her with blankets. She was freezing cold. He tried slapping her to awaken her. This made her groan. She tried taking off her blankets again. Itachi was by now honestly worried about her. "It's too hot for blankets!" Ino complained. Itachi tried his best to keep her covered while he desperately light more candles to generate some heat. Luckily there was no shortage of candle lights in the coffee shop at Christmas time.

Thinking back at skiing class at boarding school their teacher had told them undressing and laying skin to skin with the person with hypothermia was the most effective way heat him or her up. He stripped in record speed and covered both of them with the blankets. This would not help dealing with her constantly trying to doze off. He did one thing that he was sure would enrage and wake her up, he kissed her. He whimpered preparing for a heavy slap. It never came. She kissed him back, made barely audible sounds of satisfaction. Itachi was not sure how to respond to the new development. This was a girl his law partner had or has strong feelings towards. Hey, she even admitted to get an STD from. He never brought a condom, but who said sex was on the table? He never got with girls like this. He was honestly not sure if had ever had sex or if it was just a wet dream after a college party. Sure he had watched his average share of porn, but everybody said that you should not compare porn to real sex. Maybe you could with a girl like Ino?

While Itachi was thinking Ino had climbed on top of Itachi still kissing. She let her hand run through his hair, something that she had wanted to do since she saw him. It was even smoother and silkier than she had imagined. She was into it, he still wasn't sure, he made a dissatisfied grunt. Ino let his mouth go. "I don't have a condom." He did not sound nearly as frustrated as he felt. "I'll take a pill tomorrow. I need this, we want this." She bit her lip and whispered in his ear: "If I don't get your cock inside of me might actually die." That sealed the deal. He should be allowed to say fuck it once too; he should be allowed to fuck it once too. Be irresponsible, give into the urge.

He flipped her on her back. He was doing this, it was decided. She let out a seductive oh, and he did not even know that sound could be seductive. He kissed her with force and intensity. She enjoyed it, fighting him back. "I want to be bad." Itachi let out. He wondered why himself, it was not that dirty or sexy. She seemed to enjoy it though surprising him with her tongue in his mouth. He wanted to be the dominant one and quickly pushed it back into her mouth. She tasted like her special, fuck Christmas.

Strawberries and coconut.

Sweet and tropical.

She moaned beneath him. She was used to having to be the one in charge and enjoyed him taking charge this time. One could argue that Ino had heated up by now. She wrapped her slender legs around him pushing him closer. She could feel that the cold had done no harm to his length. "I want to make love to you, I do not want to fuck you." She would have let him do whatever to her right there and then, yet it felt good hearing him speak those words. No one had ever made love to her. She had already felt the difference. "Could we please pretend like there has not been that many other men before me?" He seemed uncomfortable, this being the first time he ever did anything like this. "There's only been one before, honestly." He was back on her lips. Unsure what to do he started to grind against her, hoping to come off as he knew what he was doing. She let out a sigh. Worried he realized it was at all like the ones she had let out earlier throughout the day, his confidence grew.

He grasped her breast waiting for her response. When she arched her back pushing herself against him he took it as a good sign. She unhooked her bra. Itachi had never been interested in breasts. He had experienced a few of his fellow female student undressed in front of him, but he was never interested and had never paid attention. He had never experience a boob up close, not since he was a baby and he did not want to think about that right now, not at all. It fit so perfectly in his hand. It was soft, but not jelly like as he had always expected, they were quite firm for being so soft. Her skin was silky and so good to touch. He tried squeezing it afraid he would hurt her. It changed shape after his hand. Her moan and back arching once again told Itachi that she enjoyed it. He now took in the size of them. To him they were perfect. His father enjoyed telling everyone at the dinner table, including their mom, how well he liked big breasted girl and how their breasts hit him in the face. He also started thinking about what his little brother had told him after his experience with his teenage romance. He had claimed that their loyal, male dog had bigger breasts than her. Ino on the other hand had perfect breasts Itachi thought. They were big, but firm so they did not slap around.

Not wanting the other breast to feel left out he kissed it. She froze under him, and Itachi was terrified he had done something wrong. He had seen this been done on several tapes. He was sure it was a straight normal thing to do. "Fuck!" She muttered. Filled with relief and butterflies Itachi talked without thinking first for the very first time in his well calculated life. "I will soon dear, patience." Then Itachi proceeded to fit as much breast as he could in his mouth. It was wet and sloppy. Ino knew that he had not done this before and let it slide; she did not want to crush his spirit. He would hit gold soon. He sucked and gently bit Ino's nipple. A jolt of pleasure ran through her body and she almost kicked him of. She let out a rather loud moan. He continued nibbling on one side and pinching on the other side. Ino seemed rather sensitive. She started squirming beneath him. Itachi moved up to her lips again, there was a ludicrous grin in her face. He covered it with his mouth. She was moaning and constantly rubbed against him. Itachi laughed to himself thinking about how similar their family dog had acted in heat before they cut off his balls. He could not tell Ino that, but she was thankfully too busy to notice his snickering. "Who would have guessed this would have happened, you fucking snobby, posh fuck?" She laughed. Itachi made a face as she entered his boxer. It felt like one more drop of blood could have made is cock explode. "You seemed more than ready." She slid out off her underwear. Itachi had a look at it. Crimson red and black thong with small crystal studs, it matched her bra. Itachi felt the holiday spirit wash over him. "Ready for my candy cane?" It must have been the worst thing Ino had ever heard and she laughed rather loudly and almost psychotically. Her laugh quickly turned to a moan like scream as he entered her without more warning than that. It hit her that she had not even seen him naked. She did not know what he looked like. She made a note to take a look later, now she was too busy screaming as he kept thrusting into her. She closed her eyes and did not know what to do with her hands. First she made fists, and then she had them in her own hair, his hair before she placed them on his back. Scratch marks, none of them seemed to notice at the time. They both curled their toes at the same time, almost screaming in each other's mouth. He came and lay down on her stomach in-between her breasts. He smiled at her with a deranged smile. If he had feelings for her he did not know, what she felt for him he did not know either. One thing was for sure, he had rocked her world, blown her mind and he had no idea he had it in him.

He rolled off her and lay down beside her. She grabbed his hand moving closer to him. They turned around and looked at each other and started smiling. Then they started laughing. It all seemed so perfect. That he had been at office late to avoid an empty family dinner, that she had to work on Christmas day and that there had been a snow storm. He could claim it was all lucky coincidences, she was certain it was faith. It did not matter, they were together that night either way. They were both happy.

They did not want to think about the fact that the snow storm would end the next day. They did not want to think about ever leaving the coffee shop. They did not want to think about the fact that the streets would be cleared sometime the next day. And what they had not thought through was the fact that the pharmacies would be closed the next day because of the snow storm so Ino would not her her morning after pill.

After they had gotten some rest Ino lifted the blankets to check out what she had been dealing with. Itachi looked like a question mark having no idea what she was doing. Ino smiled a devilish smile. "Itachi, I'm very cold. What are you going to do with it?"

This is my Christmas gift to you guys.

Please do not remind me that I should have updated a thousand other stories before even thinking about writing something like this… Ehem…

Cheer up! I'll get ahold of my old computers soon, meaning I'll update several stories soon! More Christmas gifts! I'm a generous writer.