It was Christmas Eve.

Yet here I was, alone. Alone again. Alone, sitting on the park bench in front of the large and jovially decorated Christmas tree in a thin zip up hoodie over an extremely low cut black dress that my sister had picked out and a thick woollen scarf all the while snow fell down in swirling patterns, freezing my butt to the cold and wet wood. I didn't mind. It was better than staying at home with drunken relatives who seemed to get an even bigger kick than usual when criticizing me and handing out callous words instead of presents when inebriated.

I blew softly into the bitterly cold wind and watched as the snowflakes flew away from me, tumbling further and further into the light mass of other flakes until they were unrecognizable from one another. This cold was nothing compared to the cold I experience from the members of my family.

It had been like this last Christmas too. My friends all had their own family dinners to deal with and I felt like they couldn't be bothered with her presence when bonding with family. They had no idea how lucky they were to have a family that actually insisted that they be there or pay the consequences (mostly lack of Christmas cookies given and an upset mother's dramatic tears). My family could care less. Hell, my family didn't even believe in Christmas, it was merely a time when money was reluctantly spent and shown off in various forms of elaborate gift giving and decorating.

I looked up quickly once crunching was heard in the snow covered path and was surprised when I recognized the face of the intruder on my silence and self wallowing. "Sasuke." I greeted quietly, unsure if my words were heard at such a distance.

He looked up from his feet, a look of confusion spread across his perfectly chiselled face, yet he nodded back in recognition, "Hinata." His voice was deep and solemn as usual.

"Would you care to join me?" I was surprised when the words came tumbling out of my mouth, and even more surprised when he nodded yet again and walked up to sit on the bench next to me.

"Why are you here alone on Christmas?" He murmured while staring up at the clouded dark sky, "You have family to stay with, don't you?"

"I'd prefer not to." My words were stiff, "I'm not sure if I'd really like to call them family either." I wasn't sure why I told him this. I had never told anyone before. "Besides, it's only Christmas eve."

"It's quarter to four in the morning. It's Christmas." He rubbed his hands together to keep them warm. It was only then when I realized how cold I was myself and felt the shivers tingle down my spine in waves.

He looked at me and gave me a quick once over, "You shouldn't be out here dressed like that in his weather. Or out in public in general for that matter."

I blushed and looked at him furiously, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"You're going to get raped with a dress like that, and that sweater isn't going to keep you warm." His voice was a rumble amidst the silence. I noticed that all throughout the time that he had been there, not once had he made eye contact with me; it was almost as if he was anxious or worried. It was a good thing I knew better, Sasuke Uchiha did not get anxious or worried, least of all around a girl like me.

"Thank you for your…concern." I stumbled across that word, searching for the right one. Sasuke Uchiha was not one to show or give concern in anyway, and even though we were on friendly enough terms (meaning if I said something to him, he wouldn't ignore me, but maybe give me a look of irritation), I hardly thought that I would be one to have his concern expressed towards.

He merely nodded and went back to staring at his feet. The silence began again and I found my thoughts drifting to the boy next to me. We went to school together, he was in nearly all of my classes, Naruto was his best friend (one of the very few friends in general, actually), many of he girls were wild about him (not that I blamed them. Much. He had 'piercing' black eyes that they had insisted were 'onyx', perfect black-blue hair that were probably the muse of many hair stylists inspiration, muscular figure with long lean limbs, long straight nose and thin pink lips), he was as antisocial as I was, his parents and brother had died in a car crash when he was a very young age and he had gone out with Sakura before for what had seemed like five seconds, yet I didn't really know much about him.

He caught my staring and frowned, "What?" He shook his head to shake off the layer of snow that had caught in his hair. I followed suit.

"What's your favourite colour?" I blurted out. Really. Sometimes this mouth of mine has a mind of its own, speaking much of the time without permission.

He gave me an amused look, "Why do you ask?"

"I—" I paused and blushed, feeling silly about my true answer, "Does it matter?"

He leaned back against the bench and spread his arms back across it, "I suppose not. It's…white."

I hadn't expected that. I would've guessed some emo colour like red or black, or a more boyish one like blue. White didn't really fit the being of Sasuke. But this was why I was asking in the first place; to delve deeper into his mystery, to expand what little of him I knew.

Many people may have thought the reason to this was because I wished to get on his good side and make him my boyfriend. Not so. I'm just curious. Curious as to why he didn't deny my request and continue down this path. Curious as to why he didn't show any kindness that I knew was there. Curious as to why he acts not unlike a rock to many of the people he meets.

"What's yours?" He surprised me (yet again) by asking. His head was tipped back so that snowflakes fell on his eyelashes and kissed his cheekbones and nose. It was a fairly odd pose for him to be modelling, it was too…laid back.

"I like…red." I answered and looked up at the sky too, opening my mouth enough to taste the snowflakes, but also enough that it wasn't obvious that I was partaking in such a childish pastime; eating snow.

"Why is that?" His arm was far enough down the bench that it was nearly wrapped around me. I didn't care. It was keeping me quite warm.

"Because it's such a vibrant and…free colour. My family hates it." I felt obligated to add in.

"Hm." He closed his eyes and grunted in acknowledgement. His cheeks were tinted pink from the cold and his lips were chapped and cracked. It intrigued me to see him in such a state of non-perfection.

I moved closer to him, he had a warmer body temperature than most people. He didn't seem much like a hot person. I associate hot with passion and fire, he didn't seem to have much of either of those…he didn't seem to have much of anything personality wise. I was mildly pleased when he didn't move away or draw back his arm, I was even more so when he drew it closer. Whatever person may have passed by would've embarrassingly mistaken us for a couple instead of chance acquaintances.

Suddenly Christmas music blared through the scratchy speakers above us, making me jump. I tilted my head to the side as I looked up at them, "Why would they be playing this now?"

He shrugged, "It's Christmas. I guess the city was eager to get a start on it." It was the closest thing I've heard to a joke come out of Sasuke's mouth. Okay, it wasn't even a joke, but it was close enough to wit.

He stood up suddenly and offered me his hand, startling me, "Care to dance?"

My eyes widened, Sasuke Uchiha was asking me, Hinata Hyuuga to dance of all things? I mutely nodded and took his hand, too taken aback to do otherwise. We clasped hands and he put one hand around my waist while I put mine on his shoulder.

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight,
We're happy tonight.
Walking in a winter wonderland.

We twirled around in a circle occasionally having me spun around quickly under his arm. I wasn't sure how long we danced for, it was all very strange. I don't think it even really registered in my mind that I was doing so, it was so bizarre. How the hell was I dancing to Christmas music, in the middle of the park at four thirty-ish in the morning with Sasuke?

When it snows, ain't it thrilling,
Though your nose gets a chilling
We'll frolic and play, the Eskimo way,
Walking in a winter wonderland.

He twirled me once more and then slowly dropped his hand out of mine, giving a slight hint of a smile? I smiled back uncertainly, "Thank you very much, Sasuke. I don't believe I've ever waltzed to Christmas music before in my life. It was fun." I genuinely grinned, it was true.

The slight smile escalated to a small one, "I agree."

I don't know what made me do it. Maybe it was the smile he had given me, but I walked back up to him and wrapped my arms around his neck, certain by some unknown fact that he wouldn't push me away, "Thank you. Merry Christmas, Sasuke. It's been the best one I've ever had." My cheek was pressed up against his which was pleasantly warm.

"That's incredibly pathetic." His breath I could feel against my neck which made me shiver against him and even more keen on staying close to him, "But me too. Merry Christmas, Hinata."

I think I might do a New Years one in Sasuke's point of view. Maybe. But knowing me it may never happen. I'll just leave it as incomplete for a while until I decide.

Happy Holidays,

MissLe