"Alright, it's finally here!"
Naruto pranced around in the snow in Konoha like a little kid. Sakura's vein bulged in her forehead.
"Stop dancing around like that, Naruto. You're embarrassing us." Sasuke closed his eyes and placed his hands in his pockets.
"I don't see what the big deal is about anyway. I mean, Christmas is just another day in my book. Nothing's special about the day before it, and it's the same thing as the day after it."
Naruto shot his rival a dirty look. "That's just 'cuz you don't know how to have any fun, Sasuke."
Team 7 was standing in Konoha, hanging around each other because there was nothing better to do. Well, for Sakura and Sasuke at least…Naruto only came to be with his squad because he knew that the longer he waited on Christmas, the longer it would take to get there.
"Oh-hey, you three."
The friends turned around to see their teacher, Kakashi Hotake coming towards them. He smiled.
"I didn't expect to see you guys today, with all this snow and what-not." Naruto put his hands behind his head.
"Well, you never know where we'll be, Kakashi-sensei. I mean, what, with us being super-stealthy ninja and all, we could be anywhere at anytime!"
Sakura smacked her forehead, and Sasuke sighed disappointingly. Kakashi rubbed the back of his head.
"By the way you talk, Naruto, it sounds like you haven't learned a thing since you started at the academy."
Naruto gasped. "Hey! I've learned plenty of stuff, Kakashi-sensei! Why, just the other day I was giving Konohamaru a lecture on the importance of controlling your chakra."
"No you weren't," Sasuke pointed out. "I saw you. You and that kid were practicing that stupid jutsu of yours…what's it called? Something like Se-"
Naruto covered Sasuke's mouth before he could say anymore. "Ah, ha ha, good one Sasuke."
Kakashi started confusingly at the two ninja, while Sakura looked ready to kill Naruto. In fact, the snow boiled around her.
"Well, I'd better be on my way," Kakashi said as he walked off. "I have to get things ready for tomorrow, y'know."
As Sasuke pried Naruto's hand off his mouth, Naruto looked shocked.
"Oh man, I almost forgot that tomorrow was the big day! I need to get my gifts ready."
Sakura turned to Sasuke, who was wiping his tongue off. "Sasuke, did you get any presents for anybody?"
Sasuke glanced at her slightly before turning away. "There's not really any point for me to get any," he said. "I don't have any family or anything."
Sakura's eyes started to mist up. "Oh, uh, that's right…I'm so sorry about that…" Then she brightened up. "If you're lonely tomorrow with no where to go, you can always come over to my house. My parents won't mind or anything."
Naruto gasped and jumped over to Sakura. "Can I come too Sakura? Please?"
Sakura rolled her eyes. "Oh, I guess so…" she grabbed her team mate's collar. "But you better not mess my house up or anything, you hear?!"
Naruto struggled out of his friend's grasp. "Ow, OK! Just let go of my jacket, alright? I can't breathe!"
Sasuke stared at the two bickering, and he smiled, ever so slightly.
The next day, Sakura heard her doorbell ring. Fluffing her hair to make sure it looked just right, she opened the door, only to be greeted by the enthusiastic face of Naruto.
She sighed dreadfully. Naruto waved from the doorway at his squad mate. "Hiya, Sakura! Merry Christmas!"
Sakura stepped aside. "Well, don't catch a cold out there Naruto. Come on inside."
As Naruto stepped in, Sakura glanced hopefully at her door. "You didn't see Sasuke on the way here, did you?" Naruto rolled his eyes.
"Who cares about Sasuke? We can get this party started without him, can't we?" Sakura felt her vein bulge.
"This isn't a party, Naruto! It's just a little get together for our team, OK?" Naruto sighed.
"Well, as long as there's food, it doesn't even matter what it is." Sakura lowered her eyelids.
"Well, a Merry Christmas to you too, pal." For the first time, she noticed a couple of presents tucked under Naruto's arm. "Who are those for?" she asked.
Naruto grabbed one and gave it to Sakura. "It's for you and Sasuke! Who else would it be for, Shikamaru and Granny Tsunade?"
Sakura smiled as she tore open the wrapper. "Well, thank you Naruto. Actually, my present for you is in my room. I was saving them until Sasuke got here."
Inside the wrapper was a box, which Sakura opened carefully. Naruto's present was a few instant ramen packs. She felt a sweat drop creep down her face.
"Uh, you, um…shouldn't have?" she said rather uncertainly. Naruto smiled sweetly at her.
"Well, you know, this way when we're on a mission together, you can make me and Sasuke some ramen to eat!" Sakura raised an eyebrow.
"Wouldn't you need a pot and boiling water to make the ramen, though?" she asked. Naruto scratched his head.
"Well, I guess you'll have to bring those along too in your bag, Sakura." Sakura rubbed her head, but she knew that her friend's intentions were good.
Suddenly, there was a knock on Sakura's door. She walked over and opened it up, only to find Sasuke's face meet hers. Sakura blushed.
"Uh, Sasuke! It's great to see you! Here, come on in, it must be freezing out there." Naruto crossed his arms.
"You didn't greet ME that warmly, Sakura." Sasuke looked around the house.
"This place is nice. A lot nicer than my house." Sakura blushed.
"Well, uh, I guess my parents have a lot of money or something…" Not wanting to bring back any painful memories from Sasuke's family, she glanced at Naruto's other present.
"Oh, that reminds me, I have presents for both you guys in my room. Hold on a second."
As the kunoichi ran to get them, Sasuke took a seat by Naruto. Naruto smiled at his buddy. "Hey, Merry Christmas, Sasuke!" he said cheerfully. Sasuke put his hands behind his head.
"Yeah, whatever."
Now it was time for Naruto's veins to bulge. "That's why I don't like you, Sasuke! You're such a stick in the mud, you know that?!"
Sakura hurried out to the living room where the two ninja were seated. "C'mon guys, don't kill each other yet. I have presents for both of you!" She handed each ninja their gift, and Naruto handed Sasuke his other present.
"Merry Christmas anyway, you jerk," he muttered.
Sasuke first opened Naruto's gift. Inside the wrapper was a darker headband, one that blended into his hair better. Sasuke looked at Naruto with a puzzled expression. "Why on earth did you get me another headband?" he asked.
Naruto rolled his eyes. "Duh! How can you not figure this one out?" he demanded. "This way, if you're on a stealth mission or something, no one will know what village you're from because the headband blends into your hair!"
Sasuke stared at Naruto like he was off his rocker. "People would still be able to see the metal part. My bangs aren't THAT long."
Naruto looked shocked. "What? Are you kidding me?? There's no WAY that plan would backfire!"
Sasuke silently put on his new headband. The metal part actually reflected the sun better than his old one.
Naruto sunk into the couch. "I don't wanna talk about it." He muttered bluntly.
Sakura smiled at Sasuke. "Well, what are you waiting for? Open my gift, Sasuke." Naruto gasped as he pulled the present out from under him.
"Hey, I almost forgot! Thanks, Sakura!" Sasuke daintily opened his wrapper, while Naruto tore right in.
Naruto gasped when he saw his gift. "Alright!" he shouted. "You got me coupons to Ichiraku! Thanks so much!" Naruto held the coupons in between his fingers like a mad-man. "I'm gonna blow all these whenever I'm finished here! Hee hee hee!"
Sasuke looked a little startled when he saw his gift from Sakura. "S-Sakura-chan…what's this?"
Sakura blushed and twirled her finger in her hair. "Well, that shirt you wear all the time…I thought it was getting a little small. So I got you the same one in a larger size. Plus, I custom made the iron-on design so it would still bear the Uchiha symbol on the back. What do you think?"
Sasuke stared in awe at the shirt. "I didn't think anyone remembered the Uchiha any longer…" he replied. "Sakura-chan…thank you."
Sakura smiled sweetly. "You're welcome, Sasuke. I still have the design in my bedroom if you would like to keep it for some of your other clothes."
Sasuke shook his head. "No, it's fine."
Naruto glanced behind Sasuke's back and noticed two little packages sticking out of his pocket. "Hey, Sasuke. What are those things behind you?"
Sasuke wordlessly pulled out two boxes that had Sakura and Naruto's names on them. Sakura gasped.
"You got US presents too? But I thought you said yesterday that you weren't going to get anybody anything."
Sasuke shook his head again. "No. I said that I didn't have a REASON to. But that was a lie, too. I do have a reason…I have my comrades, who would go to the ends of the earth to do anything for me…"
The Uchiha ninja handed each ninja their gift. "So, Merry Christmas, I guess."
Sakura unwrapped her gift. Inside the box was a bunch of smaller kunai with small pieces of paper tied to the ends of each. She gasped.
"You got me kunai to do my Sakura Blizzard technique! It must've taken forever to tie all the pieces of paper…thanks so much, Sasuke!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes and hugged Sakura. Naruto watched, dumbfounded. "Sasuke, what the heck?!" Sasuke unattached himself from his team mate.
"What, isn't that what you're supposed to do on Christmas? I've never actually celebrated it before." Sakura rubbed her head.
"You've never celebrated Christmas?"
"…no. My father saw it as a waste of time."
Naruto smirked. "Well, we'll just have to set the record straight with you and Christmas, huh? And we'll start by opening this last present."
Naruto tore open his package and ripped through the box with a kunai. Even in his most serious state, Naruto couldn't have contained his excitement.
"SASUKE! YOU GOT ME A HOKAGE HAT!!" Naruto grabbed the hat, which was smaller than the regular ones. He smacked it on his head. "How on Earth did you get me one of these?!" he demanded.
Sasuke shrugged. "Turns out they make those in smaller sizes just for playing around. But you'll probably be using it soon, so I got one that'll still fit you in a couple of years."
Naruto stared Sasuke straight in the eye. "You…you really think that I'm gonna become Hokage?" he asked.
Sasuke shrugged. "I got you the hat, didn't I?"
Naruto smiled from ear to ear. "Aw, c'mere ya big jerk!" With that, the shinobi grabbed a hold of his squad mate and squeezed him like there was no tomorrow. "Thank you so much! And Merry Christmas!!"
Sakura rolled her eyes and pulled Naruto off, but she knew that he still meant well. "C'mon, tiger, why don't we get something to eat in the kitchen."
Sasuke followed his teammates in, smiling half to himself. With Naruto's headband on, and now wearing Sakura's custom shirt, he decided something that day.
He liked Christmas.