Candy Canes & Mistletoe

Author's Note: This is a YAOI story. That means there will be male x male romantic relationships featured in it. There will also be straight and possibly yuri pairings later on as well. This story is intended to be a feel good, holiday fic with some good old fashioned Christmas magic in it. The plot may be a bit cliché, but it's all in good fun. If any of that bothers you, you might want to turn back now. For those of you still here, I hope you enjoy this story and reviews are always appreciated.

Dedication: This story is dedicated to Emirri. She asked for a Naruto x Sasuke Christmas Story and well, here it is.

Disclaimer: I own nothing and make no profit off of any of my stories.

Chapter 1

Not this again! It was way too early for this. Why did everyone insist on playing Christmas Music for two or even three months straight? It was December 1st and already, he had been listening to Christmas Music since Halloween ended.

"Oh stop looking so grumpy, Sasuke." Itachi chuckles at his expression as the two of them walk side by side down the hallway. "It's Christmas." Towards their offices and yes, it would be Christmas in twenty-five freaking days! "You should get into the holiday spirit and besides, think of all the thoughtful gifts that are no doubt waiting for you in your office."

Thoughtful gifts? Is that what his brother actually called them? Every year, it was like clockwork. People would leave them all sorts of gifts for Christmas and Valentine's Day. Well at least, that had been the case until last year.

"That's easy for you to say." Sasuke rolls his eyes at his brother. "You have Gaara now. No one is going to try to make you fat with fruitcakes." Seriously, who ate fruitcakes?!

Last year, Itachi had finally gotten a boyfriend. His brother was now dating the hot red head from Human Resources. It was bizarre really. Itachi and Gaara were two of the most driven and composed people that Sasuke had ever met, but now they were acting like lovestruck teenagers. (God only knows what went on in their offices and the Janitors' Closets these days).

"I'm sure they aren't trying to make you fat." Itachi smiles at Sasuke. "That and remember, it's the thought that counts."

That was easy for Itachi to say. He didn't have to deal with all the giggling and stares. Since Sasuke didn't really talk about his preferences, he got it from both sides. Women and men.

Itachi opens the door of Sasuke's office for him. "You know, if you just told them that you were gay, most of them probably settle down." So the younger Uchiha quickly darts inside his office and sighs when he sees all the gifts laid out on his desk.

He'd thought about it. "I prefer to keep my work and love life separate." The raven haired Marketing Director shrugs as he shoots Itachi an envious look. "Not everyone gets a hot red head dropped into their laps and a fairy tale, office romance." Usually, those kinds of romances didn't end well.

It'd be horribly awkward, if one had to work with their ex. That was just something that Sasuke Uchiha would rather avoid. Thank you, very much.

"Alright." Itachi chuckles and pokes the other man's forehead. "I guess you'll always be my foolish little brother." Damn it! "You always have to do things the hard way."

Why did Itachi always have to poke his forehead? It was just really annoying. He wasn't a little kid anymore! It might have been cute when he was five, but it wasn't now. At twenty-five, it was just ridiculous.

"This isn't the hard way!" Sasuke scoffs as he sits behind his desk.

Itachi being Itachi sits on one of the plush, leather couches that were inside his office. "Yes, it is." To add insult to injury, his brother even stretches out on it as his eyes take in his surroundings. Silently judging him.

Sasuke knew what was going on. Itachi was psychoanalyzing him. It might be crazy, but he could swear that his brother was almost a mind reader. He wasn't making it up.

"You're too tightly wound up." Itachi shakes his head. "This place is absolutely spotless. "Are those books actually in alphabetical order?" His brother shoots him an incredulous look as he gazes at the large oak bookshelf that spanned one side of the room.

Yes, they were in order. Of course, they were in order. That made it easier to find things!

Sasuke nods his head. "Well yeah." He shrugs. "So what? That doesn't mean anything, other than I like to be able to find which books I need faster."

Honestly, he didn't know where Itachi got these crazy ideas from and Sasuke was going to tell his brother as much when their was a knock on his door. "Come in." There was no sense in making whoever it was wait just because Itachi wanted to play detective."

It was Jugo. "Sorry, to interrupt." He beams and hands Sasuke his mail. "Just figured I'd drop these off before everyone officially clocks in for the day."

Jugo was one of the mailmen inside Sharingan Corp. They had probably a couple dozen mailroom employees working for them. It was mostly due to the sheer size of the place though.

"That's fine." Sasuke smiles as he takes the mail. "How's Kimimaro?"

Sasuke quite liked Jugo. The guy was the very definition of a gentle giant and he was currently dating a man from Accounting. The guy's name was Kimimaro and he was eerily quiet. Well unless he was around Jugo.

The orange haired man smiles back. "Oh he's great." His smile was slowly transforming into an outright grin. "He's really excited for the holidays. We're planning on going skiing in Aspen."

"Didn't know that you skied." Sasuke muses as he looks over his mail.

That's when he hears Itachi chuckle as the man slowly walks over the sandy colored floor tiles to get to them. "He doesn't." Of course, his brother knew about Jugo's vacation. The man knew everything. "Apparently, Kimimaro is quite excited about the prospect of teaching him."

Right. Sasuke could just picture that. The giant would try to go down the hill once and those two would probably spend the rest of the vacation cuddling up by the fireplace. Not that that was a bad thing. Sasuke wouldn't midn that himself.

"That's right." He smiles. "We'll I'll see you guys later." He turns towards the door and gestures at the large mailbag that was swung over his shoulder. "I still have a lot of mail to deliver."

Sasuke nods at that and the mailman quickly slinks off. Well as quickly as a man his size could slink anyway. Jugo was a pretty good slinker, all things considered.

"Alright. He's gone now." Oh boy. "Now, as I was saying." This wouldn't end well. Itachi wouldn't stop analyzing him. "It's a beautiful office, but it just screams tightly wound. The red and white rose rug is a nice touch though." He rubs his chin thoughtfully. "That indicates that you're a classical romantic."

Now, the younger Uchiha couldn't help, but scoff at that. "You're an idiot." So he whacks his brother upside the head. "You know that rug was a gift from Mother!"

"Right, but you kept it." Itachi rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "Which means the assessment still stands."

This was utterly ridiculous. His brother really needed to stop this stupid, little game. "Itachi, I'm the Marketing Director for one of the largest corporations in the world." Because Sasuke knew exactly what he was playing at. "I think that if I wanted to find a boyfriend, I could find one! I'm not completely helpless."

"True." Itachi chuckles. "You haven't lacked for offers, but you really should find someone. You're only young once, Sasuke." Uh huh. "Anyway, all the leather furniture indicates you like to be in control." Sure. "You're also very concerned with how others see you because all your office equipment is all shiny and new."

That wasn't because he cared how others saw him. That was because he didn't want to have to deal with a jammed printer or computer problems. Besides, Sharingan Corp. could afford to get them the best of the best when it came to such toys.

"Well thank you, Dr. Uchiha." Sasuke rolls his eyes as a particularly sappy Chirstmas Song plays in the background. "Tell me, where did you get your degree in Psychology?"

Itachi chuckles at him. "You know that I have a degree in International Business from Harvard and psychology is nothing more than a hobby." Right. A hobby that he was so good at the FBI or CIA should have snatched Itachi up long before now.

Be that as it may, Sauske wasn't stupid. He knew that his brother was up to something. Something big. He just had to figure out what it was.

"Out with it." Sasuke shakes his head.

The COO shakes his head in amusement. "Out with what?" His brother was their Chief Operating Officer and responsible for the day-to-day affairs of their family's company.

"Itachi, don't play dumb." Sasuke raises an eyebrow. "It doesn't suit you. We both know that you're planning something."

After all, the man didn't get to be a COO by thirty just because of his good looks. The other man was highly intelligent. Too intelligent, really.

The COO sighs and shrugs. "Well I just think that it would look strange, if the Best Man didn't have a date." Best Man?

Holy freaking fruitcakes! "You're proposing to Gaara?" Sasuke blinks.

That was fast. Granted that it wasn't ridiculously fast, but still they had only been dating for about a year.

Itachi smiles at him as he pulls out a ring. "Yes, though I'm waiting for the right moment." Damn. Itachi was serious. That was one expensive looking ring. "Which means you have a bit of time to figure out who you're going to take with you." Damn it.

Anyone Sasuke brought with him was immediately going to face the 'Uchiha Inquisition.' As if his brother wasn't bad enough, there was still his father and mother. His mother who wanted grandchildren more than anything and his father who was well intimidating as Hell to put it mildly. This wasn't going to be fun.

"Wouldn't it be easier just to tell him?" Gaara raises an eyebrow at Naruto as he tries desperately to get the vending machine to give up the Christmas Cookie, he wanted.

Gaara did love his sugar, the blonde notes. One would never suspect someone like the red head of having such a big sweet tooth, but he did. It was kinda funny, really.

Still, the Human Resource Manger had a point. "Maybe, but it'd be less fun." The other man shakes his head. "Besides, I'm not even really sure which team he swings for."

Sasuke Uchiha was well one secretive bastard. Maybe, that was part of the draw. Back home, everyone was an open book. That definitely wasn't the case with the Japanese Businessman though.

"How over the top did you go?" His best friend watches him with wary eyes.

Honestly, Gaara was overreacting. It wasn't like Naruto was planning to jump Sasuke at an office party or something. That would be fun, but that would definitely put him on the Naughty List. (So worth it though).

Naruto's eyes sparkle with mischief. "Well I figured before I tried to you know rock his world and everything, I should at least figure out if he's into guys." He didn't seem to be into anyone that way. So the blonde figured he had at least a fifty-fifty shot here, but it was better to make sure before turning on his Sexy Christmas Charm.

"Yes, that would be a good idea." His friend smiles at him. "Sorry. I tried to get that answer out of Itachi, but he was very insistent about respecting his brother's privacy."

Ha. That was a laugh. Naruto knew from personal experience that Itachi meddled into basically anything that had to do with his little brother and the reverse was true. One would think they were identical twins with how close those two were.

"Right." Naruto laughs. "I tried asking my dad too, but he gave me the same song and dance."

All he wanted to know was if he had a chance with the Marketing Director. It wasn't like he was trying to read his diary or anything. Not that Sasuke was the sort of person who would keep a diary to begin with and even if he did, Naruto was sure the sexy bastard would probably call it a journal or something like that. (Like that made a difference)!

Gaara kicks the machine again. "I hate these old machines." Yeah. They could be a real pain in the butt, Naruto thinks to himself.

"Here, let me get it." He smiles and waves his hand over the machine, causing a few snowflakes to appear.

One of the main ways that his magic expressed itself. Snow or snowflakes. Though wind was the most common. During the Christmas Season though, the blonde tended to get a power boost.

Gaara chuckles at that. "Thanks. Suppose you could always work that angle." The red head tilts his head. "Assuming he didn't immediately think you were crazy."

Yeah. There was that. It wasn't always easy dating when you were Santa's Son. That whole "Meeting the Parents' thing tended to get a lot more complicated when most adults didn't even believe your father and mother really existed.

That's when there was a small thud and Gaara's Christmas Cookie falls into the bottom slot. "Yeah. Though there are some benefits to having my dad as a dad." Like the fact he could always get the vending machines to work with a little Christmas Magic.

"So what did you say to him in the Christmas Card, exactly?" Gaara tilts his head.

Oh that. Well Naruto was actually rather pleased by his own cleverness this time. Sasuke was definitely never going to forget this particular Pick Up Line.

"I asked him if he preferred candy canes or stockings." Naruto grins from ear to ear.

Sadly, his best friend didn't appear to appreciate his genius. "Naruto, I'm not sure that Sasuke would even get an innuendo like that." What? Of course, he would. "This isn't the North Pole." Yeah. He knew that.

It was nice of his dad to let him strike out on his own. Of course, Naruto still visited regularly and everything, but he just needed some independence. Naturally, he did help out sometimes during the busy season.

Really, it was a good thing that Sharingan Corp. was so generous with it's holidays and vacation days. It was easy for Naruto to schedule his time off when the time came and then he could go and join in on the reindeer games and all that good stuff.

A short while later, Sasuke was in Suigetsu's Office. The man was in charge of the R & D Department. Well him and Kisame.

"I still can't believe they put you two in charge of this place." Sasuke shakes his head in disbelief.

His brother had slipped off to go and give Gaara his 'Good Morning Kiss.' The two of them didn't live together yet. So it had become something of a tradition for them to exchange one at work. Probably in one of the Janitors' Closets or their offices, Sasuke thinks with a smirk.

Kisame grins at him and shakes his head. "I don't know why." His grin displayed his inhumanly sharp teeth. "We're both a couple of sharks. We know how to chase our prey." Right.

Lets put the self-identified sharks in charge of the Research and Development Department. That will work out swell, the young Uchiha shakes his head at the thought.

Surprisingly though, it had. The R&D was surging in productivity since those two were put on the case. It was weird, but Sasuke mostly went with it. That didn't mean that he wouldn't tease the Hell out of those two though.

"Yo, Sassy what's with the fancy Christmas Card?" Suigetsu reaches for the very stylish card in Sasuke's hand.

The Marketing Director quickly jerks it back though. "Eh. Just something Jugo brought to me." He shrugs. "Haven't had a chance to open it yet and it was too nice looking to just throw away."

He probably shouldn't have said that. Now, these two wouldn't let him have any peace and quiet until he opened it. Oh well.

"Well what cha waiting for then?" The blue skinned man smirks at him. "Go on and open it, Loverboy. Probably just another lovesick office girl panting after ya."

Sasuke hoped not. You'd think they would have gotten the hint by now. It was always flattering to be liked, but again he wasn't planning on an office romance (and frankly, they just weren't his type for rather obvious reasons).

"Fine." He shakes his head as he opens it and reads the letter that had been carefully placed inside the card.

Dear Sasuke,

I've liked you for awhile now, but I've never really told you how I felt because of one thing. I don't know if you prefer candy canes or stockings.

If you like candy canes better, then we'll continue this game on through December. I'll slowly win you over with my awesomeness and we can spend Christmas getting cozy by the fireplace and kissing underneath the mistletoe.

You might be an icicle on the outside, but I know that you're really just a giant teddy bear. You're a romantic. I just gotta figure out what kind.

So if it's candy canes, place one underneath the mistletoe by the receptionist's desk sometime today or by tomorrow morning. Don't bother asking the receptionist who I am because she won't tell you.

It's cool if you prefer stockings though. If that's the case, well I'll just let you be. Though that would suck cause you'd miss out on being with me.

Love, Your Secret Santa

"Damn." Kisame laughs at that. "Someone's got it bad for you. They have a good sense of humor though. Of course, I would have said that you had an icicle up your ass instead of that you were an icicle." Sasuke glares at the other man for that statement. "Close enough though."

As annoying as Kisame could be though, the man had a point. Someone had clearly put a lot of thought into this game of theirs and it was definitely several steps up from the damn fruitcakes everyone else was giving him.

"You're such an idiot." Sasuke would have smacked Kisame for that icicle crack, if they weren't on the clock.

Suigetsu was still borderline cackling about the entire thing. "So what's it gonna be, Sassy?" Again with that stupid nickname that the other man had given him. "Candy cane or no candy cane?"

Sasuke didn't understand the whole candy cane symbolism. It probably meant something though. Clearly, it must have because otherwise his wiseass of a friend wouldn't be snickering right now.

"I'm not sure." He must have been missing something. "Not really getting the whole candy cane vs. stocking thing." It didn't make any sense to him.

That's when Kisame releases a loud belly laugh. "That was just his festive way of asking if you're gay." What?! "Candy cane means you prefer men. Stocking means you're into women."

Sasuke thinks about that for a second. Right. In a strange way, that made sense now.

Unfortunately, his friends were now looking at him rather expectantly. They wanted an answer too. Sasuke really, really hated being put on the spot like this.

Oh well. It wasn't as though he was trying to hide it. "Candy canes." He just didn't advertise it was all.

"Ha!" Suigetsu smirks at Kisame. "You owe me a hundred bucks. I totally called it."

Sasuke rolls his eyes at that. Unbelievable. You would think these two idiots were still in high school with the way they were acting. They had actually bet on whether or not he preferred candy canes or stockings.

Naruto smiles at Karin, a few minutes later. "So you're cool with keeping this a secret, right?" He had to make sure.

Karin might be his cousin and secretly an elf, but the woman was just as prone to gossiping as anyone else. Not that he could blame her. This was a pretty juicy secret to keep all to yourself for the better part of a month.

Well that was assuming that things went his way. If Sasuke liked women, there was really no point in trying to win him over. People liked what they liked at the end of the day.

"Don't worry." She smiles at him slyly. "I won't tell him anything."

Good. Good. Because it would totally suck if she did. That would make all the work he had put into that letter and all the shopping for gifts that he had done, completely pointless and that just wouldn't be any fun.

He smiles at her. "Good because if you tell him, I'm gonna have my dad put you on the Naughty List." That threat should tell her that the blonde meant business.

That wasn't a threat he made lightly. Minato rarely changed the Naughty List for anyone, even his own son. He'd have to do a lot of begging and pleading to get Santa to change it, but it would be worth it.

"Sheesh." She shakes her head and sighs. "I promise that I won't tell him anything. Elf's Honor." Good. That meant she was being honest.

Elves took their honor, really seriously. They were practically obsessed with it. The only thing that was more important to them was having pointy shoes and enough milk and cookies. (Which was probably why she made it so difficult to get those Christmas Cookies out of the vending machine).

"Great." Naruto beams at her. "Well wish me luck."

Karin nods at him and hugs him. "Good luck. Oh and you're going to need it, if you wanna talk to Gaara for the rest of the day." She winks at him. "I just saw him and Itachi go into his office."

Some guys got all the luck. The blonde was happy for his friend. Really, he was happy that Gaara had managed to land himself a sexy Uchiha Brother, but seriously. Now, it was his turn.

If everything went well, he might be dragging Sasuke into his office by this time next month. Well that or maybe later. Naruto wasn't really sure how quickly the other man moved in relationships. Still, he expected to at least be making out underneath the mistletoe by the end of December, anyway!