Fuyu Yoru

By Hibiki

I do not own Naruto nor anything else here.

Note: This is not connected to any of my other stories merely sharing a few ideas here and there. All holidays listed here are fictional.

Sakura resisted the urge to drop kick the woman before her as the pink haired ninja waited impatiently in line for the nearly priceless decorations for her apartment, as she had for the last hour and a half. The heaters set up inside the stores around town filtered much too dry and balmy air onto the already crammed and tightly packed masses adding fuel to their irritable moods as they rushed to buy the season's bounty that lined every shop and market in Konoha and around the Land of Fire. The winter festival had arrived and the streets were lined with lights and greenery, with songs being sung over the radio and on street corners as the city hummed with an energetic merriment. So long, that is, as one was willing to fight lines and high prices to join in the festivities much like the Chunin was at the moment. The wreaths in her hands were for her and Ino's apartment, the final piece of their costly but amazingly detailed set up.

Finally she was at the counter, the annoying woman finally gave up arguing the price over some stupid set of lights she had found in the bargain bin and had left without them. With her packages paid for she went on her way with a huff shouldering past the rabble of aimless wandering fools who had trapped her inside of the shop for most of the lunch hour.

She trudged out of the store into the crisp cool but still heavily crowded streets that were covered in dirty mixed up snow and slush that countless feet had churned up. It was unpleasant to her, having been accustomed to having someone else run these sort of errands for her but with Tsunade giving her the week off for the festival she was forced into the lower part of the city to do it herself. Ino was at the apartment getting the place in order for their big dinner tonight.

"Sakura-chan!" Bewildered and slightly heady from the change in temperature Sakura whirled about to see a familiar blonde crop of hair sticking out over the crowd. A worn fingerless glove joined the hair waving out to her.

"Naruto?" She called out and from the horde strode her teammate. He was garbed in a large, ratty, yet warm looking coat that easily came to his thighs and looked like it had seen better days, an old scarf that was a little short on his hulking frame and a pair of beat up winter boots. His whole appearance seemed shabby, not really surprising since everything he had was second hand. Highly unlike her designer coat and bucket hat she wore to protect her from the harsh elements on her excursion.

It was then Naruto noticed her again through the multitude, and despite the conditions stomped through the icy mush with a bright smile on his face, very much seemed the polar opposite of Sakura, whose stressed marred countenance watched him as he walked over to her.

"Happy Fuyu Yoru Sakura-chan! Oh! Here, lemme help with that!" He stooped over and picked up her wreaths, his warm breath casting blooms of vapor as he lifted the rest of her bags with apparent ease. "Wow you and Ino-chan really went out!" It was true, this was Sakura and Ino's first holiday out of their childhood homes and Sakura's first without her mother. Her mother was off visiting relatives in a town not far from Rice's border.

"Thanks Naruto, think you can help me home with all this?" Naruto nodded and hefted the bags up again when another Naruto landed beside him and handed him a bag.

"Thanks." he remarked and the clone saluted.

"No problem boss!" The clone dispelled and Naruto blinked then nodded.

"so shall we?" He waved onwards and she nodded picking up the bag she was carrying. "I need to say hello and all that to Ino anyway."

"What was that about? The package I mean?" Sakura asked.

"Oh just getting something someone wanted is all, they had a sale but it was out of their price range. So I covered the rest of it. Erm…. I hope you don't mind if I get you something after out next mission, alright Sakura-chan? I promise it will be really nice!"

"Silly it's alright." She sighed on the inside as she waved off his apology. It was the same every year, so she was use to it.

* * *

"Ino, I'm home!" Sakura called out as she and Naruto removed their shoes at the steps. The packages rested against the table.

"Welcome home." Ino called out from the kitchen. She strode out wearing a slightly dirty apron over her normal garb. "Oh, hello Naruto! How are you, happy Fuyu Yoru!"

Happy Fuyu Yoru, Ino-chan, why you look even prettier than usual!" He remarked earning a smirk and a slight blush.

"Flattery shall not get you a piece of this cake Naruto, I know you can smell it." And indeed you could the smell of rich melted chocolate filled the air along with simmering bird and all sorts of warm pleasant food stuffs. "However if you'd like you could stay for dinner. Me and Sakura would be glad to have you." Sakura would normally protest this but with the male in question right before her and her reputation on the line she merely grinned and nodded as well, all the while cursing Ino on the inside.

"Yes we'd love to have you over." Naruto looked between the girls with surprise etched on his face before he scratched at the back of his head nervously.

"Thank you both very much but I can't tonight." He bowed in apology.

"It'll be a while yet, you certain you don't want to stay, Naruto? We're going to have plenty." Naruto nodded and thanked her again.

"Thank you Ino but I really do need to be going, I have some plans for tonight…"

"Oooh a date?" Sakura, despite her 'disinterest' in Naruto felt her stomach drop at the thought.

"haha, if I did she wouldn't be worth spending it with the most lovely kunoichi in Konoha!" He remarked earning a pair of red faces. "But no, I gotta job I need to do and it's getting close to that time already."

"Hey Ino, since it's gonna take some time I'll walk Naruto home okay?"

"Alright, dinner will be ready in an hour…" Ino slyly looked over at Sakura with a grin only a fox would appreciate. "So, if you and Naruto decide to spend the day together let me know okay so I am not worried." The mother hen. Sakura thought as Ino continued. Was eaten by this vixen. "Of course if you are going to spend the day necking with Naruto maybe you better not let me know. I don't want that ruining my Fuyu Yoru."

"INO-PIG!" She growled sending Naruto for the door and Ino for the kitchen to escape her wrath.

* * *

The members of team Kakashi talked, mostly on how annoying Ino was (Sakura), as they walked past the last minute shoppers towards their destination, laughing and grinning about things, mostly pranks to get back at her cute pigginess (Naruto).

"Well, this is my turn Sakura-chan. Thanks for coming with me." Now Sakura knew where Naruto's apartment was, so when Naruto was going to turn down a road several blocks from his usual turn she got curious.

"But this isn't your turn… Where are you going Naruto, you mentioned a job?"

"Oh I help out every year down at the shelter." He pointed down the street to the large building down the way that a large line of people stood. "I like to do what I can to help everyone in the village, it's my duty as a future Hokage!" Sakura smiled at that thought it fit him, he hated to see people suffer. It made her proud of him as his teammate and without a second thought spoke out.

"Would you like some help this year Naruto?" She asked. He blinked and looked confused.

"R-really Sakura-chan? You sure? I mean It's not really all that fun a thing to do. You should enjoy the holiday. Besides Ino had a huge meal for you two to have before she goes to her parents! It wouldn't be fair to take that from you." She shook her head a little miffed at him for thinking he wouldn't want to because it wasn't fun. And she was still a little annoyed with Ino as well. Like her teacher she turned the other cheek and held fast.

"Now hold on Naruto, why can't I help my friend, teammate, and future Hokage all the while help the people who will be coming to MY hospital when I take if from Shishou. It's the least I can do for you and do you not want to spend time with me?"

"Of course I do Sakura! But--"

"Then there are no more problems." She began walking towards the shelter leaving a thoroughly confused Uzumaki in the snow mumbling about women and their weird behaviors.

* * *

The skill at which Naruto cooked the food and helped everyone was astounding, and he did so alone with her and the other volunteers help until the orders came faster than the four could make before resorting to the Kage Bushin. Ten of him worked the back as she and the volunteers gave out bowls to the many who had come from all over Konoha. To her surprise, many of these people knew Naruto, talking with him fondly as he bustled about the shelters large kitchen, sharing jokes and talking about happier times they had all shared.

It was comforting, she realized. She liked the atmosphere she felt here. Despite a sad bit of greenery and a little tree that sat in a corner of the room where a few small knickknacks sat, the few children that sat with their families never once looked over, just content for the warm meal and the happy atmosphere. She was greeted by mostly warm smiles and happy people, it made her happy she was able to help them, she felt needed.

"Naruto, we need more." Sakura remarked as she heard the ladle hit the bottom of the pot as she measured out to the various people of the shelter. The man, or rather men, in the back looked to her and nodded, Naruto-prime pointed to two Kage Bushins washing pots out.

"You and you, get the other pot from the burner in the back. Two more, you two there, start on another batch. Move it people!" The clones at once snapped to attention then rushed off to work on their job. The two clones brought over her a new pot and she began to serve the rest of the folks. It seemed never ending and only after two hours of giving out food did the line thin down to a trickle, most folks remained, even if their meal was finished, a fire was going in the old fireplace near the corner and a few folks, perhaps a little drunk of the toso sang the old melodies. To this she found Naruto, the original she thought, being pulled forwards by a band of children, all of them pleading to tell them 'The Story'.

"Come on Naruto-oniisan! Please??" One of the children cried as they all tugged on his coat. Sakura giggled as the powerful shinobi looked ready to crumble to the five year old. Through the entire crowd voices rang out for the man to tell the tale.

"Alright, alright. I'll do it." Naruto grumbled half angrily half amused then walked to the front of the room, near the tree. The group of kids sat down beside the tree. The men, women, and children all grew quiet to listen.

"At the end of the fifth age of man, the world had been changed by war till all that remained were what we now call, the elemental countries. The people of this land were hardy and different than those before them, this change gave birth to the founder of Ninja, the Rikudō Sennin. At the age of twelve he had fought and won many battles, his power was undeniable. The lord of water, seeing this great power asked for the Sennin to train an army of men to fight under him, to end the conflict once and for all. The Rikudō Sennin agreed, however he could see the Lord wished nothing more than power over all the land. So, in secret, the Sennin went to each of other five Lords, and each one asked the same. Unbeknownst to these lords the Sennin took eleven men each land to train. The strongest of the men would be his generals in the shadows of their lord, the origin of the title, Kage. The rest of the men his apprentices. These 50 men would become the first nobles of the clans that you see today." Sakura was stunned at the man's knowledge of the Rikudō Sennin and his followers, given his grades and attitude back when they were in school she thought he was unfamiliar with them.

"These apprentice ninja studied for two years together unbeknownst to the leaders of the elemental countries. Two years the war had gone on, killing warrior and innocent alike, until the Rikudō Sennin could take it no more. In a surprise move all 55 ninja apprentices arrived at the battlefield, taking out the armies of both warring lords. The survivors of the battle returned disgraced to their nobles and informed them of the disloyal Sennin. After that, every nation fought against them, yet not a single man was lost in the countless battles. However the winter was coming and things began to get harder for them. Food, water, all were becoming scarce.

"With the war nearing end and the ninjas on the run from a now combined army of all five elemental lords they retreated into forests that make up today's northern Konoha. Their families have fled after the first battle against the Lords to the valley. It was here Rikudō Sennin received the letter of challenge from the leaders of the elemental armies, Futouwara Kouzou. The fifty six men would do battle against all twelve hundred thousand of their former lord's men on the day of Touji. With two days until the battle the men forced themselves into training.

"The original start of fuyu yoru was when the Rikudō Sennin was suppose to be training. It was originally suppose to be kan keiko for him and the apprentice ninjas for the coming battle on touji. However the Rikudō Sennin realized that with such a hard winter and the intense training they had performed already the moral of his men was abysmally low. 'Training them harder,' He was reported saying, 'would only break their sprit further. No, let this day be a day for them to eat and be merry with family and loved ones. Let them train their souls for the victory afterwards and not the struggle of tomorrow.' The whole day his army rested, and ate their fill, and gave thanks with their families, all the while the enemy's troops struggled and pushed themselves to prepare.

"The very next day, on Touji, the Rikudō Sennin and his refreshed men tore into the exhausted enemy lines and won the war, bringing forth the age of Shinobi to the world. In honor of the men who had fallen in battle on both sides and the Sennin's triumph, fuyu yoru would forever become a holiday of great feast and joy, so long as we remember all who fell before us to give us this peace." Naruto finished his speech and the whole room was silent, heads bowed in prayer till he rose his mug.

"Happy Fuyu Yoru! Let us eat drink and be merry, as the Rikudō Sennin wanted us!" Cheers rose up from the humble crowd and all began to eat talking joyously to one another as if they weren't strangers at all. A humbled Sakura stood behind her station in awe as Naruto made his rounds bringing blankets and more drink to those who needed it. In her mind Fuyu Yoru was about presents and decorations, as it had been with her family. She could barely remember hearing of the events Naruto was talking about, and had no idea they were connected as they were with the holiday.

"Hey Sakura-chan, here." The pink haired Chunin blinked and there stood her genin teammate and a steaming bowl of oden he held out for her. "You've been working pretty hard, eat, have fun! It is Fuyu Yoru after all! I can watch the rest of it." She accepted and shyly walked over towards the crowd feeling a little out of place, wearing her fancy clothes when so many others were wearing such torn and beat up garb. However at once she was waved over by a face that had seen too many years on the streets, yet who's eyes never lost their glimmer.

"Come over! Yes, yes, come over my dear! Wonderful to see you!" The older man laughed and patted a space beside him. "Happy Fuyu Yoru!" He reached out and took a piece of bread from the basket arranged on a bowl before them all and offered it to her. His hands were worn, and from here she could see the callous' showing him to be an ex shinobi. She felt his strength as she tore a piece from the loaf and watched him as he moved. "Been nearly twenty years since I picked up a kunai my dear." She started embarrassed at being caught but the older gentleman and the woman beside him merely laughed it off.

"I'-I'm sorry!"

"It's nothing, really. You have a good eye, I haven't been in action since right before the Kyuubi. The final battle against Iwa. Damn rockkie hit me with a landslide as I tried to pull my partners out of jam. Nearly took off my leg. Doctors said I would never walk again. Haha, Proved them wrong didn't I, Hun?" He asked the elderly lady next to him. She smiled and signed to him. "Damn straight!" He wrapped his arm around who Sakura now recognized as his wife and smiled. "Nothing will ever get us down." It was a bittersweet smile that tugged at his lips right then, something that tugged at Sakura's heartstrings.

I'm s-sorry to ask but how did…." She trailed off embarrassed.

"Not a problem little one, your only curious. Nothing wrong with that at all! Well…" He scrunched his face, his whiskers above and below his lips meshing obscuring his mouth form view. His wife signed again "Ah yes, well after the war there wasn't a whole lot to do with old shinobi unable to fight anymore. Most missions a hobbled old Ninja just past his prime wasn't in much of a need, no matter how much Sandaime Hokage desperately tried to find something for us, a few good men fell through the cracks." He took a swig of the warm toso then cackled. "Of course then I fell through too!" He laughed and his wife rolled her eyes and gave his shoulder a good natured whap. "Okay okay, I got it. Well I tried the private sector for a few years, working on anything the council would give to an old war vet like me and the others. It wasn't much but what they had got us a roof over our head and a warm meal every day. We were content to live the rest of our lives like that, then the Kyuubi came."

The pain in his voice, despite it being almost twenty years past, it was obvious how much the event effected him. "Our sons went out to fight the thing, their old man too weak and injured to fight in their place. The monster killed them. Then after it was taken care of, Yondaime rest his soul, any extra money for people like us vanished. The village was in crisis and there wasn't around money to go around. In the struggle to keep Konoha out of an invasion some folks were forgotten. Me and my Hun here we did alright. We've got each other, that's all that matters." His wife kissed him and then returned to her meal with gusto, a contented smile on her face. After a few minutes of comfortable silence the Wife, Kimiko she learned, began signing again, however at her. Sakura recognized a few but over the years her lessons on languages were overtaken by more medicinal pursuits.

"Oh yes I agree, Kimiko-san, she is very beautiful." Sakura blushed as a slightly tired looking Naruto joined them at the table next to her. He signed back at Kimiko and the older woman blushed just the same as Sakura.

"Oi Naruto, no flirting with my girl, you got a perfectly good one right next to you." The old man gruffly called out the younger man. Naruto laughed and took a big bite of the beef stew he had made for himself.

"I know, Jiro-Jiji." Naruto looked sidelong at his blushing teammate and got a little red himself, probably imaging being with her like Jiro insinuated. "I know." She blushed into her stew ignoring his nervous stare. Oddly the thought of being with someone like the older couple was rather comforting.

* * *

"Man that Jiji, always saying things so embarrassingly." Naruto remarked trying to break the awkward silence that had fallen between the two teens as they walked through the light snow fall that came with the evening. After the story a few more people had arrived to eat and the few presents under the tree had been given out to the children, to her shame Naruto pulled from a bag the very set of lights she had seen the same woman fight over earlier that day, he had smiled and allowed the woman to hug him as she cried, her children all gave him a hug as well. Her heart warmed remembering him with the children. He snorted, disturbing her thoughts, and continued on. "It's silly to even suggest a thing, the old fool."

"What's that suppose to mean? What am I not good for you?" She growled out, taking his words wrong. Naruto, who was walking along the top of a wall beside her shook his head. "Well what did you mean?"

"Look at me Sakura." His voice was even and calm but his lips held that same smile Jiro did when the older man had talked about him and his wife's hard life. "Do I really look like a guy who could get a girl like you?" He looked onwards as Sakura took in his scruffy appearance. The man was trying to be impassive but his quick movements at hiding his worn out gloves in his pockets belied his unease at her studying him. It was true, they seemed like complete opposites. He was loud and outgoing where she was quiet and reserved. She liked pricy things and wearing nice things, She looked guiltily to him. He wore what he could and was happy for it. Things always seemed more real with him than with others, while it seemed like she had been living in a foggy dream. "I'm not that lucky, Sakura-chan… I wish I was." He murmured the last part to himself, and she barely heard it over the blood rushing to her ears as she coyly hid her reddening cheeks in the collar of her jacket. Naruto was real, she realized, and it wasn't so bad being real.

The silence returned again but now neither parties were up to breaking it.

The pink haired girl looked at the blond haired boy as he jumped down from the ending wall to walk beside her, his hands behind his head as they walked. The large smile that had returned, as he looked about the green and white world, was infectious and soon she was smiling as well. The snow was falling heavier now, and all around them the decorations and lights began to shimmer as large clumpy flakes fell around them. It was calm, nearly everyone was inside with family and friends, enjoying the holiday. The snow on the ground, once brown and dirty, had given way to new white layers so thick they crunched under the pair's boots as they walked. The chill was picking up with the dying light and she moved closer to her teammate and his warmth. Naruto leaned in and wrapped a warm arm around her. She quirked an eyebrow but remained quiet as the heat of his body against her was nice.

A few couples walking the other way in the same pose looked over and smiled knowingly to her. Sakura, despite the urge to deny the unspoken statement, merely smiled at them and leaned against Naruto more. Naruto's 'mask' was off and he smiled genuinely and softly to her as they walked. It was a handsome smile she liked seeing there, it made her feel safe. The awkward silence had fallen away to comfortable peace in the stillness of the coming night. It was a nice feeling, being so close to someone like this and despite her earlier thoughts of Naruto she really couldn't see herself in anyone else's arms than his. She mentally cursed the old man for putting such thoughts in her head for a moment and just enjoyed the feeling on his arm around her. All too soon they arrived in front of the shop that her and Ino's apartment complex sat on. The two looked to each other, Sakura's jade green met his stormy blue as they smiled, a little self-conscious at their previous position to truly feel at ease. She turned to look at him and gave him a hug. He hugged her back, then as she was pulling away he gained a glint in his eye and leaned forward.

A pair of warm lips enveloped hers. Her eyes closed and she let his warmth envelope her. The smell of wood fires and warm food being cooked faded against his scent. When he pulled away his breath was heavy, his eyes alight with a fire.

"Happy Fuyu Yoru, Sakura-chan." His hands lingered holding hers before he turned and began walking towards his apartment, leaving her touching her lips

* * *

"Geez Sakura, where were you?! I had dinner ready to go and everything!" Ino remarked as Sakura slipped into the apartment. The pink haired woman looked to her friend and smiled wanly, her mind back on that moment in the snow.

"S-sorry Ino…" Ino nodded and moved about the room, fixing it up.

"Sorry but I wanted you here is all before I went over to my parent's. It just wouldn't be Fuyu Yoru without seeing my best friend you know? Anyway, here you go Sakura, this is from me." She handed Sakura a bag. Sakura startled, reached into it and pulled out a new pair of armored gloves like the ones she wore into battle.

"Thank you Ino, they look great." She murmured thoughtfully. Ino was wearing her gift scarf already as she made ready to head to her parents. Her mother was visiting relatives in a town outside of Konoha so Sakura would have the house to herself once Ino left. The whole room was filled with holiday cheer but as the door closed behind her friend it just didn't have the feeling it should of. In fact there was only one place she wanted to be right then.

* * *

"Happy Fuyu Yoru everyone. Mom, Dad, Sandaime-Jiji, Ero-Sennin." Naruto raised his steaming mug of toso to the heavens as he watched the snow fall. He pulled his jacket close around him again and took a deep breath. He smiled still smell Sakura from it. Perhaps it was Jiro's comment or the season, but he was glad he had the guts to do what he did.

"Tomorrow will be the second battle of Touji." He remarked, to himself Sakura was going to be pissed, but all he could remember was her soft lips against his, her body close to him. Her heartbeat racing as he kissed her, her hands holding him. The girl of his dreams kissing him. Yeah it had to have been the mood of the season, he was a dead man as soon as she saw him.

[knock knock] He looked back to his door then to the old clock beside it. It was missing the minute hand but from the position of the hour it has to be close to nine forty five. Who could it possibly be at this hour? He rested his toso on the counter and walked over. To his wonder and surprise there stood the object of this thoughts.

"Sakura-chan?" She was covered in snow, hat missing, breathing heavily, and absolutely beautiful. He blinked as she stared at him with an unreadable look upon her face. "W-what are you --!!??"

Warm lips pressed against his. At once he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

"Returning the favor." She whispered to him. She leaned her head against his chest, listening to his racing heart as he held her against him, bewildered but thrilled at having her there. "Happy Fuyu Yoru, Naruto."

Maybe the old man was right. He had a perfectly good girl right here. And it seemed like she was going to stay.

_-_-_-_

A little wintery Christmassy fic for you all, sorry about Memories and the others. I know what I want to write but putting it onto paper seems to take forever. Almost like a week per scene. On top of work being hectic and the Christmas season being here and all I haven't had much time. Memories is being worked on, with a little work on NNP and a glance or two at Reality.

Happy Christmas, and Good holidays everyone. Memories will return in January (weather I drag it kicking and screaming or not).

Fuyu Yoru: The Evening before Winter Solstice

Kan Keiko: Mid-winter Training

Toso: A special type of Sake that is mixed with herbs. It is used for New years (or in this case the winter season in honor of the men readying themselves for the coming battle and possible death) to remove bad spirits and illness and cleanse body and soul.

Touji or 答辞: Winter Solstice

Rikudō Sennin: Six Paths Sage

Kouzou Futouwara: The meaning simply is Kouzou: Structure(construction) Futou: Inflexible Wara: straw. Put into the correct order. Futouwara Kouzou: Inflexible Straw building. An ironic name, and a play on the old three little pigs story. (I had an urge to write in a Naruto talking about the battle and with a Hatake killing Futowara and his brother Futobou (inflexible stick) with the white fang but decided not to.)

-I find this hilarious because I just blurted out the first name that popped in my head as I tried to think of an old styled name and I had to check on it because my grasp on Japanese is tenuous. I find it ironic the first thing in my head had such a meaning. I laugh at it so.