To everyone I love on Fanfiction--this is something for you guys! This is just a little holiday thank-you, for sticking with me for however long you have been, whether its been a day or a year! I appreciate it, so much! This isn't much...but I hope you'll like it nonetheless. Thanks again, and happy Christmas!
Tis the Season
He was faced with a dilemma. He had no idea what to do, and little time to figure it out. He hadn't given it any thought up till now, and he cursed himself for it. Why had he put it off? It was so stupid of him, and he only had a few hours left.
Money was no object. He had plenty on hand; he always did. It wasn't that he wouldn't be able to afford it--just that he didn't know what "it" was.
It was almost Christmas Eve, and he had no idea what to get that idiot deadlast. Sakura's gift was easy; he'd simply strolled down the aisle until something pink caught his eye, and in the end came across a fluffy scarf with a pom pom at each end. While it wasn't very practical, it looked like it'd keep her warm, and that was something at least. Kakashi's wasn't difficult either; he got his sensei a novel, a real novel, about a soldier and two countries at war. It looked like it'd be good, even if Sasuke wasn't much of a reader.
But Naruto...he kept drawing up blank.
Why was it so difficult?! It was infuriating. He should know what his teammate liked! And this was Naruto. He was so vibrantly...him that a present should be a piece of cake. Sakura was always smiling and blushing when she was around him, but it was clear she was a whole other person with Naruto--and her scarf was so easy to pick out. Kakashi was more cryptic that anyone else Sasuke would ever have the misfortune of meeting, but it seemed like common sense to get him a book.
And yet Naruto, who was so open and so carefree...why was it so hard? He should've been the easiest one.
Did he like to read? What kind of movies did he watch? What did he do in his spare time? Sasuke had only ever seen him training, eating or with the other teams. He knew Naruto liked ramen and wanted to become Hokage. Other than that...
He felt like hitting himself. How pathetic.
--
"Sasuke-kun, you made it," Sakura said, smiling and waving at him. She was sitting in the snow on a plastic bag, wrapped gifts in her lap. Kakashi was leaned against the wall, and allowed Sasuke a wave as he approached. They'd agreed to meet outside town, mostly because Naruto had insisted and no one else cared enough to spoil it for him.
"Where's Naruto?" he asked, looking between them.
"He told us he'd be late, and not to start without him," Sakura rolled her eyes. "Typical Naruto." But she didn't seem to be as bothered as she was letting on. Kakashi seemed ready to wait as well, and Sasuke wondered why the two of them were in such a good mood.
Oh yeah. Christmas spirit.
Sakura, tired of holding them, handed Kakashi his present and Sasuke his as well. For Sasuke, she'd gotten a pair of heavy, dark blue work gloves, lined with fleece around the wrists--to Sasuke's surprise, he loved them. And Sakura loved her scarf, and Kakashi seemed bemused by his gift, telling Sasuke he'd read it and get back to him.
It seemed like not a minute later that Naruto was among them, breathless and bright-eyed. He wore his signature orange jumpsuit, a white scarf, white snowboots and white mittens. "Good, you're all here," he panted, excited. "Come with me!" And before any of them had time to question him, he was off again, rushing back the way he'd come.
"I can see he doesn't intend to wait," Kakashi observed lightly. "We'd best hurry, then."
Which was how Sasuke found himself running down a dark street, doing his best not to slip on the ice, after his much-too-excitable companion. Suddenly, the road veered off into the trees; Sasuke frowned. Just where does he think he's taking us?
Sasuke became aware of dim lights up ahead, and noise. And then suddenly he missed the crunch of snow under his feet and the dark shelter of trees; he was in an open space, where the snow had been cleared away and twinkling lights strung up in the branches overhead, and tables of food and music and so many familiar faces.
"You're here!" Ino trotted up to them, smiling. "Join the party!"
And a party it was; their whole generation was there, as were their teachers, bundled up against the cold and turning to look at the last few to arrive. "We thought you weren't gonna make it," Shikamaru grinned, "but Naruto said it wouldn't be a real get-together without everybody getting together."
Sakura turned to glance at him, suprise in her eyes. "You did all this?"
"No way!" the blond said at once, shaking his head. "There's no way I coulda done it all! Neji and Shikamaru are the ones who found this place, and Kiba and Chouji helped fix it up, and Hinata and TenTen did most of the decorating--everyone else brought the stuff." His face was red from the cold and he was breathing heavily, but his eyes were as bright as ever and he couldn't seem to stop smiling.
"Why so humble?" Kiba sneered as he passed by, and Naruto stuck his tongue out at him.
"Well, I think it was sweet," Sakura smiled, and kissed him on the cheek; Naruto's smile widened, and he blushed happily. She handed him his present, and then moved to join Ino and TenTen at the snack table.
At the sight of the present, he remembered himself, and tugged on Kakashi's coat. "Your present's on the table over there," he said, pointing. Kakashi eye-smiled at him, and ruffled his hair, on his way over to where Iruka stood talking to Kurenai.
Naruto turned to grin at Sasuke, and faltered at the look on his rival's face. "What's wrong?" Naruto asked him, frowning. "I know you don't like parties, but--"
"I didn't know what to get you," Sasuke said at once, not looking at him. "I couldn't think of anything. I'm sorry." God, he seemed so shallow. "If you tell me now, and can get it for you in time for Christmas, though." It was the best he could do, after all...
The blond surprised him by laughing. "Don't worry about it," he said, shaking his head. "There's too much else going on for you to have that on your mind." His words were sincere, but somehow they just weren't good enough. Sasuke opened his mouth, but Naruto cut him off. "This is the first Christmas I've ever spent with anyone else."
"...What?"
Naruto gave him a dry look. "I said, this is the--"
"No, I heard you."
"Quit interrupting if you don't have anything to say! Ugh. Anyway, up till now, I've never had anyone to celebrate it with. Now that I do..." Naruto's smile seemed to big for his face. "I wanted everything to be just right, but I didn't know what to do--so I asked Shikamaru for help, 'cause Shikamaru knows everything. I had to do a lot of extra missions in order to pay for gifts for everybody, but I didn't want to leave anyone out. And look at this place!" Naruto raised his arms at the splendor around him. "I couldn't have imagined anything better than this!" He turned to Sasuke again, who couldn't find his tongue. "For just tonight--I want everyone to be happy. We can worry about other stuff later, 'cause right now, we're all together and there's nothing stopping us from having the best Christmas Eve party ever." He pressed a package into Sasuke's hand, and then ran over to tackle an unsuspecting Kiba.
Sasuke watched him go, at a loss. His hand tightened on the present he found himself holding, and he looked around himself at the people he could call his friends. The lights were blinking merrily, and the music provided a soft background to the laughter.
This party probably couldn't happen every year. They all had families they had to get back to, relatives to spend the season with. It's nothing short of a miracle that they were all able to be here tonight. Naruto had worked so hard to make it happen, wanted to celebrate what was the most important Christmas of his life with the people who made it so special--to mark the day, to burn it into memory. The year he'd had friends to give gifts to, and a party to throw; nevermind all the extra work to pay for everything.
After a moment, Sasuke shook his head, smiling despite himself. What an idiot. And as he moved in to join the crowd, mingling with the only people he'd ever mingle with, he thumped him on the back of the head. "Being that selfless will get you in trouble someday, usuratonkachi," he smirked; Naruto's responding scowl was halfhearted, and his blue eyes laughed.
Sasuke knew just what to get him next year.
A/N: MEEEERRRRRY KNIIISSHHHMAAASSS!! Thanks so much for reading (this sorry excuse for composition)!!!