It was Christmas in Konoha, it was as if the entire village was engulfed in snow. The academy had now become more of an elite play ground for the kids to have snow ball fights, lead by Ibiki of corse. Christmas was coming up and Ino decided to throw a party for all the ninja her age. Gaara, Kankuro and Temari had been invited because living in the desert they had not seen a lot of snow in their lives, let alone a snowy Christmas. Ino even took Temari shopping for something more weather adjacent. In fact it was there that they started talking about what their plans were for Christmas and decided that Ino should throw the party
Naturally everyone asked said they would come, and Ino hinted to Hinata this would be a good time to tell Naruto how she feels. Hinata blushes pretty deep but Temari suggested she could get him a great Christmas present. Hinata bowed and thanked her running off to go Christmas shopping with Neji and Tenten. From that idea, Ino and Temari retraced their steps suggesting to people that they should try and get presents for anyone they wanted.
Hinata had begged and begged Neji to go shopping with her. "No way Hinata" He said as he turned away. Hinata soon gave him the puppy dog eyes but it had no effect "Nice try Hinata but that will not work. Tenten joined Hinatas side giving the same set of puppy dog eyes. Neji twitched as a blush flushed his cheeks. "...fine" Both girls jumped onto him with a hug and Tenten kissed his cheek. Almost immediately everyone parted as Tenten took Hinatas hand "C'mon Hinata lets get ready" she said pulling away quickly as she began to blush as well. Neji stood there in awe as he softly touched were Tenten had kissed him, maybe going shopping wouldn't be that bad.
Lee and Gai had been doing their routine laps around the village gates on their hands as Lee brought up the party he had been invited too. "So Gai-sensei, what can you tell me about parties" "Well Lee, it is a Christmas party so you must get something that will make everyone happy" "Oh yes sir, like a present! I will make sure to get everyone at the party a truly amazing gift" Gai jumped to his feat and kicked Lee from under his chin to into the air. "You idiot! You forgot the most important part!" Spiting the blood from his mouth Lee got to his feet and pulled out a notebook "What was that Gai-senei?" "You forgot Sakura!" "But Gai-sensei, I thought of her also when I said I would get everyone a good gift" "That's just it Lee, everyone gets a good gift but you're supposed to get Sakura a better gift. To show her the power of your youthful love" Lee took this all to note as a stream of tears rolled down his face "Gai-sensie you are always so smart"
Shikamaru and Choji had been looking down at the two of them from the guard post at the city walls. The life of a chuunin was always different but this time all he and Choji had to do was guard, thus being able to stare up at the clouds and munch on chips all day, life was good. But to make things better Temari was in town for the holidays so listening to Lee and having already been invited he was already deducing the best present to buy Temari.
Naruto was laying up in a tree watching the snow fall. This would be another Christmas alone though he always had his friends and they were just like a family to him. Sakura and Sai were like his brother and sister. Kakashi his uncle, Iruka his father, Tsunade and Jiriya would be his grandparents and Kohohamaru like a little cousin. It was like a family, and that was all he needed "w-w-whats wrong with-th-th these p-p-people" shivered Jiriya as he stared out his peep hole into the now empty baths houses while Naruto just stared out on a tree. "It's w-w-winter, dont they-y-y w-wanna b-be w-warm?" "They're with they're family's ero-sannin now c'mon you can go sleep your cold off at my house, I'll make us some ramen" "Ok-k-kay Naruto" the old man shivered.
Sakura and Sai had been rapping presents for different people and Sai painted on individual drawings on the boxes while Sakura told him how to and how not too act at a party and at Christmas "what about Lee, Sakura?" Sai asked as he painted "Don't worry I bought him more medicine and bandages" "Not his present, I mean what about you and him. I see the way he looks at you and the books I have read show he has strong feelings for you. He is a chuunin capable of lotus and gate attacks, that is very powerful" Sakura blushed a little and tried to stop the conversation there "Yes, well, Lee is a good guy and all-" "Naruto told me that the day you met he promised to protect you with his life, no one who raised me in the ANBU ever said anything like that, why would he do it?" Sai asked innocently not looking up, had he, he would have seen Sakura was blushing very deep "I...I don't know...Sai, give me back his box, I wanna re-think his present" "Alright now explain this to me, why is it Ino dresses the way she does and gets guys but you don't do either?" It was at that point Sakura gave him one damn of a Christmas memory in the form of a sucker punch.