Winter Wonderland
Over the ground lies a mantle of white
A heaven of diamonds shine down through the night
Two hearts are thrilling
In spite of the chill in the weather
A blanket of snow carpeted Konoha. Delicate snowflakes drifted through the air. Children were laughing, throwing snowballs and sliding down hills, building snowmen and snow forts. Horse drawn sleighs trotted along the streets, their bells jingling like music and families glided over a frozen pond. Sasuke's home overlooked that park, bustling with holiday activities. Sasuke was on the top floor, laying on a windowsill and gazing out at all the people. He didn't decorate much at the Uchiha mansion. He put wreaths on each door, candles in each window, and a small tree in his room. In attempts to give him her affections, Sakura had given him many bouquets of poinsettias. Sakura gave him the red ones, Ino gave him the white ones. The instant Ino figured out who Sakura was buying them for, Ino did the same. Then, all the other fangirls got wind and started sending him bouquets of silvery plants, holly, or worse, mistletoe.
So, Sasuke's house looked very festive. He had to hang all the bouquets in every crook of his house. It actually looked very extraordinary. There was a roaring fire in Sasuke's room. He breathed in the smoky scent, gazing out at the winter wonderland. Memories came flooding into his head. He remembered going on sleigh rides with his family every Christmas. He remembered having snowball fights with Itachi and hiding in snow forts, waiting to attack Fugaku when he came home from work. He stared at the ice-skaters. He'd never gotten the chance to learn ice-skating. It was a beautiful afternoon and he wished he could go outside and join them but he couldn't bring himself to go outside. He didn't want to go out by himself. He sighed and felt his eyes stinging. Just when Sasuke was about to burst into tears, there came a knock on the front door.
Love knows no season
Love knows no clime
Romance can blossom any old time
Here in the open we're walking and hoping together
Sasuke groaned, 99 sure there was a fangirl attempting a mistletoe trap. He slipped off the windowsill and trudged to the front door. Taking a deep breath, Sasuke answered the door. The person at the door was not who he expected. He didn't know how to react. It was a strange sight. His brother was disheveled, hiding something in his pocket and behind his back, and there was a guitar on his back. What was Sasuke supposed to do? Throw the door in his face? Chuck a lamp at him? But Sasuke was frozen, whether in shock, fear, or cold he didn't know. They just stared at each other. Itachi was blushing. Why would Itachi be blushing? Sasuke couldn't speak. What was happening?
Itachi scratched the back of his head and sighed. Hesitantly, Itachi revealed what he was hiding behind his back. It was a bouquet of red poinsettias garnished with mistletoe and cinnamon sticks and tied together with silver beads and a gold cross necklace. Sasuke stared at the bouquet dumbfounded.
"These are for you," Itachi said quietly.
Sasuke looked from his strange brother to the stunning bouquet. Sasuke didn't know why but he accepted the bouquet, breathing in the cinnamon. He loved cinnamon. He always had. Itachi had remembered.
"That necklace…is for you…" Itachi murmured.
Sasuke gazed up at Itachi. Itachi averted his eyes. Sasuke looked at the gleaming cross. He'd need to put in on inside. Sasuke reached over and squeezed Itachi's hand. Itachi looked at him.
"Do you want to come inside?" he asked quietly.
Itachi smiled and followed Sasuke inside. Sasuke led him to the flower-filled living room.
"Sit down while I find a vase for these. Then you can tell me what you want."
Sasuke left the living room and Itachi sat on a big red couch facing a giant gold-framed window. He gazed out at the wintry park with the ice-skaters and the horse sleighs. He sighed and hoped what he was planning would work. Sasuke returned and placed the vase with Itachi's bouquet on the coffee table. He sat on the red couch across from Itachi, waiting for his explanation. Itachi placed the guitar beside him and leaned his elbows on his knees.
"Sasuke," he started. "I know you're angry at me because of what I did. And I know you're confused as to why I did it. I don't have an answer for you today. I'm here about you and me, not you and the clan. I have a few things to confess to you."
Sasuke leaned on the coffee table, a few inches away from the cinnamon/poinsettia bouquet, whiffing the cinnamon again. He waited for what Itachi wanted to confess. Itachi twiddled his fingers nervously.
"Sasuke…I don't know how to tell you …"
Suddenly, one of the bouquets of mistletoe Sasuke had hung on the ceiling fell onto the coffee table between them. They were quiet and Sasuke felt himself blushing. Itachi gazed over at Sasuke. Sasuke blinked once and began to undo the gold cross from around the bouquet. He fumbled with it in his hands. The mistletoe was making him nervous. Suddenly, Itachi reached across the coffee table, took the cross, and put it around Sasuke's neck himself. Sasuke blushed and his eyes kept glancing at the mistletoe. Itachi gripped Sasuke's chin and made him look at him.
"That mistletoe is sort of what I wanted to confess. For a long time now, I've been longing to see you again. Ever since you ran away I've wanted to be with you. But, it' not just a longing for lost family…I think its love."
Sasuke stared at him astonished.
"You know what happens under mistletoe don't you?" Itachi asked, hoarsely.
"But, we're above the mistletoe," Sasuke whispered.
"Does it matter?"
"I guess not…"
So, Itachi pulled Sasuke into a kiss.
Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?
In the lane snow is glistening
A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight
Walking in a winter wonderland
Itachi's lips left Sasuke's and they stared at each other. Sasuke ran his fingers over the cross.
"What's the guitar for?" Sasuke asked.
"Come over here and find out."
Smiling, Sasuke stepped around the coffee table and flopped onto the couch, snuggling close to his new lover. Sasuke looked out the giant window. He listened to the faint jingling of the sleigh bells.
"Maybe we could go for a ride later," Itachi said, reading Sasuke's mind.
"Do you know how to ice-skate?" asked Sasuke.
"How hard could it be?"
"Let's go on a date," Sasuke suggested, sitting up and looking at Itachi.
"A date?" Iachi laughed.
"Let's go out for the day. I want to get to know you better."
"Okay. If you want to, I will. First, you asked about this thing," Itachi said, patting the guitar.
Gone away is the blue bird
Here to stay is the new bird
He sings a love song as we go alone
Walking in a winter wonderland
Itachi sat up and rummaged through his pockets. He pulled out a crumpled piece of paper and attempted to flatten it out. Sasuke tried to read the words but to many things were scribbled on or crossed out.
"What's that?"
"A song I wrote to try and make you fall in love with me. But, I didn't need it because you accepted me too easily."
Sasuke smiled.
"Sing it to me anyway," he said.
"Whatever you want."
Itachi started tuning his guitar.
"When did you learn how to play the guitar?"
"I don't know, actually. I picked one up and just started strumming away."
"You always were perfect at everything," Sasuke said dreamily.
Itachi smiled, looking at the messy paper.
"When you hear this song, you'll think differently."
Sasuke laughed shortly, gazing at Itachi. He had changed so much from their last encounter: when he tried to kidnap Naruto. Now, he was smiling and his eyes were laughing. He looked like the brother he grew up with. He was a different person. He wasn't angry at the world anymore. He was brand new.
"Promise you won't laugh at my singing?"
"Promise."
"Okay. Here it goes. I titled it 'Cinnamon Mistletoe.'"
Sasuke realized Itachi was nervous. That's what kept the smile on his face. Itachi
started picking notes on his guitar. The lyrics went like this?
"Christmas is the coldest time
It's colder without you
I rely on you to keep me warm
Like those chestnut roasting fires
It's been to long since we threw snow at passing cars
Too long since I stayed up late with you
Assuring you that St. Nick was on his way
Too many Christmases have passed that I could not enjoy
Too many New Year's Eves without confetti or joy
Cinnamon and mistletoe
The only thing connecting us
Cinnamon and mistletoe
The thing we love to fuss about all year
My favorite part of Christmas
Is giving you cinnamon sticks
And laying under mistletoe
And sharing poinsettias with you
My favorite part of Christmas is you"
The last chord rang throughout the living room. Itachi looked at his brother hopefully. Sasuke was speechless. Sure, the lyrics hadn't rhymed but Itachi had made them into a memoir of their Christmas childhood. Sasuke didn't know what to say.
"Sasuke? Are you okay?"
Sasuke's vision was blurring. There were tears in his eyes. Itachi saw this and instantly wrapped his arms around him.
"Oh, Sasuke. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. Please don't cry. I didn't mean it."
Sasuke took a shaky breath and looked into his brother's eyes.
"I'm not upset. It's just that I didn't realize how much I missed you."
Sasuke leaned forward and gave Itachi a kiss. For a few seconds, Itachi held Sasuke's lips to his. When they let go, Itachi suggested, "Why don't we go out on that date you wanted?"
"For real?"
"Of course. I've got the night all planned out."
Smiling at each other and holding hands, the Uchiha brothers left the mansion and entered a winter wonderland.
In the meadow we can build a snowman
And pretend that he's Parson Brown
He'll say, "Are you married?" We'll say, "No man,
But you can do the job when you're in town
Sasuke felt shy when he was with Itachi in public and he didn't know why. He felt awkward that they were holding hands too. To his relief there were fewer people around because it was getting late. He felt embarrassed having people stare at them. He knew their relationship was unusual.
"Nii-san? Aren't you cold?" Sasuke asked when he realized Itachi was just wearing his normal Akatsuki attire.
"What? No. Of course not. I'm fine Otouto. Just focus on keeping yourself warm."
Sasuke was perfectly fine. He wore big, black shoes, long, black pants, a long-sleeved violet shirt, his blue T-shirt over the violet one, blue gloves, and a beige scarf. He was concerned about Itachi.
"Maybe we should go back and get you into something warmer…"
"Calm down Sasuke. I'll be fine. I promise."
"I don't want you catching something."
"This cloak is warmer than it looks. I'll be fine."
Itachi led Sasuke past the ice pond and the sleigh rides to a little meadow in the park.
"What are we doing here?"
"We're going to make a really good snowman," Itachi replied, kneeling down and gathering snow together.
"A snowman? Itachi…don't you think we're a little old for that?"
"Please. You're never too old for snowmen. Don't tell me you're too good to get down and dirty and have a little fun."
"Fine," Sasuke mumbled, dropping down to the snow and gathering some.
"That's my otouto," Itachi said, ruffling Sasuke's hair and kissing his cheek.
Itachi packed a good snowball together and started kicking it around, snow gathering and making the ball bigger. Sasuke rolled his around with his hands instead. Soon they had two large snowballs. Itachi kicked his back over to Sasuke and helped him roll his snowball on top of his own. Itachi packed a smaller snowball together and placed it on top of the other two. They found some tree branches for arms and pebbles for a face. The brothers stood back and admired their snowman. It wasn't great but it was a snowman.
"So, now what?" Sasuke asked.
Itachi looked at the snowball thoughtfully. Then, a light bulb went on in his head. He went around the back of his snowman and moved the arms up and down.
"I know! This'll be really gay but just play along with me okay?"
"Um…Sure. Okay."
Itachi ducked behind the snowman and started waving its arms.
"Hello little boy," Itachi said in a childish, gay voice, pretending the snowman was alive.
"I'm Mr. Flakes. What's your name?"
"Come on Itachi. Don't you think that's a little immature?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," "Mr. Flakes" said. "Who's this Itachi person?"
Sasuke smiled and played along.
"Well, 'Mr. Flakes,' Itahci is my brother. He's such a great guy. He's kind, smart, loving, romantic, handsome…"
Itachi stood up and leaned on "Mr. Flakes" head.
"Keep going," he said, smiling.
"…playful, funny, protective, cute…" Sasuke continued.
Itachi ducked down behind "Mr. Flakes" and played as him again.
"Are you married to him?"
Sasuke laughed but was blushing.
"Of course not!"
"But if he's so amazing, doesn't that mean you love him?"
"I do. But, I think we're just taking things slow."
"He sounds like a great guy. If you don't hurry up, then I will."
Sasuke laughed and Itachi stopped playing as "Mr. Flakes" and enveloped Sasuke's hands in his.
"I'm serious Sasuke. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
"In marriage?"
"It doesn't have to be marriage. We can just live together."
"I'm fine with that."
Sasuke leaned forward and laid a kiss on Itachi's lips. He pulled away and smiled at him.
"What else do you have planned?"
Later on we'll conspire
As we dream by the fire
We'll face unafraid that plans that we made
Walking in a winter wonderland
Itachi smiled, running his plans through his head.
"Well…I plan on making snow angels, throw snowballs at all the people we hate, slide down some hills, go for a horse drawn sleigh ride, at midnight, go for some moonlit ice-skating, and at home, under some mistletoe…"
Itachi pulled Sasuke close against him.
"Don't get to dirty on me," Sasuke said, feeling giddy.
"Fine. And after some romance under the mistletoe we can fall asleep by a nice toasty fire."
"How long have you been making these plans?"
"When I was writing that crappy song for you."
"It wasn't crappy."
"You only say that because you love me."
"Is there a problem with that?"
"Of course not."
"So, what do we do first?"
Suddenly, Itachi pulled Sasuke down into the snow. They laid there for a second, Sasuke atop Itachi. Then, Itachi gently pushed Sasuke off of him and next to him. Sasuke stared at him in shock
"We're making snow angels first."
"O-Oh…"
"Now who's being dirty?"
Sasuke blushed, and tried to shake it off. Itachi started moving his arms up and down and his legs back and forth. Sasuke mimicked the movements. Itachi stood up and helped Sasuke to his feet, snow clinging to his back. They admired the close together snow angels that seemed to be holding hands. Then, Sasuke realized that his hands were in Itachi's. They smiled at each other, kissed, and, holding hands, started off to their next activity.
Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?
In the lane snow is glistening
A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight
Walking in a winter wonderland
Itachi led Sasuke back to where the rest of the people were. There were still very few. Itachi found and area beside the frozen pond where the horse-drawn sleighs were parked. There were two awaiting customers. Itachi approached a red sleigh led by and old, white horse. He rummaged through his pockets, handed the money to the drive, and climbed into the sleigh with Sasuke. The tired horse trotted away from the lot and the sleigh ride began. As they were pulled around the park, memories flooded back to Sasuke. He remembered being propped in Itachi's lap laughing and gazing wondrously at everything that passed by.
Sasuke looked up at Itachi imagining his younger self sitting in his lap. Itachi felt Sasuke's eyes on him and turned to meet them. He smiled and Sasuke smiled back. Sasuke wrapped his arms around Itachi's waist and hugged him. Itachi draped his arms around Sasuke's shoulders and hugged him back. For a few minutes Sasuke gazed at the sparkling carpet of snow. With that image vivid in his mind, Sasuke let the musical sound of the sleigh bells sing him into a half sleep.
Soon, Itachi gently shook Sasuke awake. The sleigh ride was over and they were off to throw snowballs at anyone they recognized or despised. Sasuke managed a shot at Rock Lee who was left dazed and confused. Itachi nailed Ino and left her infuriated and tearing around the park in attempts to find the perpetrators. Sasuke also hit Kakashi but he didn't seem to notice—he was too engrossed in his book. Itachi started a play snowball fight with Sasuke and they threw snow gently at each other, laughing.
Sasuke pushed Itachi down a hill playfully. Sasuke rolled down after him. At the bottom, they laid there laughing up at the sky. Snowflakes drifted into their mouths. Sasuke savored the cool snow that melted in his mouth. He brushed at the snow clinging to him and smiled at Itachi. It was great to have him back.
Gone away is the blue bird
Here to stay is the new bird
He sings a love song as we go along
Walking in a winter wonderland
Itachi reached over and laced his fingers through Sasuke's, smiling. Above them, in the evergreen trees, was a cardinal. He looked down at the two curiously and started singing down to them. Sasuke smiled. He couldn't remember the last time he had smiled so much in one day. He completely forgot about why it was just the two of them frolicking in the snow. He forgot about his purpose in life and why he was alive. As he lay there, his purpose was loving Itachi and spending Christmas with him.
"You've been quiet Otouto. Something's on your mind?"
"Just you and how much I love you."
"I love you too."
Itachi rolled closer to Sasuke and kissed him in the privacy of the tree's shadow. It was a deep kiss and Sasuke was flooded with wonderful thoughts of what may happen later. Itachi was planning romance under mistletoe when the returned home. Excitement welled up inside of Sasuke and he got more engrossed in the kiss. They heard someone walk by and hurriedly released the kiss. The cardinal in the tree above them seemed to be laughing at them. Sasuke turned red in embarrassment. Itachi smiled at how shy and timid he looked.
Itachi pulled Sasuke to his feet and they headed toward the frozen pond. The snowfall was lessening and the sky turned pink as twilight drew nearer. The crowds were gone except for a few couples and the frozen pond was empty. The lawn of snow surrounding the pond was dotted with snow sculptures and foot prints. Itachi surveyed the sea of sculptures and got another gay snowman idea.
In the meadow we can build a snowman
And pretend that he's a circus clown
We'll have lots of fun with Mr. Snowman
Until the other kiddies knock him down
Itachi led Sasuke towards a pre-built snowman and started reshaping its face. Sasuke sighed.
"Nii-san? What's with you and snowmen lately?"
"I don't know."
"How could you not know?"
"I think I spent too much time with Diedara and his gayness is rubbing off on me."
"A colleague. There! Done."
Itachi had drawn a clown face on the head of the snowman.
"You're not going to act out on this one too are you? The last time was sort of creepy."
"Okay. I won't act on this one."
"Give me a second."
Itachi tapped his foot, annoyed that he didn't know what to do with this snowman. Sasuke got bored waiting for Itachi, so, he rolled up a snowball and tossed it at Itachi. Itachi turned to Sasuke who just waved innocently at his brother. Smirking, Itachi scooped some snow off of the snowman and tossed it at Sasuke. Sasuke dodged and gathered up another ball. Itachi already had one and this time it hit Sasuke who laughed while throwing his snowball. Itachi dove down behind the snowman to avoid the icy bullet. Sasuke laughed at Itachi's desperation to avoid being hit with a snowball. Itachi tried to throw one from behind the snowman but Sasuke avoided it again, throwing his snowball over the snowman's head, hoping it hit his brother. For a few minutes they threw snowballs but kept missing.
Sasuke accidentally hit the snowman's head and it fell over on Itachi's head. Itachi stood up, snow blanketed his head like a hat. Sasuke laughed as Itachi kicked the beheaded snowman to the ground. The sky was dark and a big, full moon lit the sky up a little. Itachi approached Sasuke. Sasuke brushed the snow off of his brother's head and took his hand.
"I promised you some ice-skating," Itachi said, his eyes twinkling a little.
Sasuke nodded excitedly. Itachi had saved the best for last. At the entrance to the pond, there was a shelf stacked with skating blades. Using orange tape, Itachi strapped the blades to the bottom of his shoes. Sasuke did the same and clung to Itachi's arm as they stepped onto the ice. Itachi, though he claimed to have never skated, seemed like a pro. Sasuke slid and skittered at his side.
"Its all about balance Sasuke. Balance and coordination. Just concentrate. You can do it."
Encouraged by Itachi's words, Sasuke frowned in concentration, focusing on his balance.
"Try to dig the skate into the ice and then push off it like you were walking. Its not that hard."
Sasuke did as Itachi suggested and his stride began to even out a little. Feeling more comfortable, Sasuke loosened his grip on Itachi's arm until he was only holding his hand.
"Good job! I told you it wasn't that hard."
Feeling proud of himself, Sasuke glided around the pond with his brother. They made figure eights, serpentines, and circles before Itachi stopped short and Sasuke collided into him. They tumbled down into a snow mound.
When it sows, ain't it thrilling?
Though your nose gets a chilling
We'll frolic and play the Eskimo way
Walking in a winter wonderland
Sasuke fell on top of Itachi and felt himself blushing. Itachi smiled and held Sasuke close. The snowfall began to get heavy again and Sasuke shivered as it started to cling to his clothes. Itachi rubbed Sasuke with his arms to keep him warm. Sasuke soon found himself stroking his brother's face in return. It had been the best day of his life. He had lived in a dream. He was overjoyed at the thought of the rest of his life with Itachi. He leaned down and gave him a soft kiss. The best Christmas present he ever received was Itachi appearing at his door. No amount of bouquets or expensive gifts could compare to his brother. When Sasuke released the kiss Itachi said, "We have a warm fire and some mistletoe to get home to."
Sasuke smiled. Maybe the better gift was having Itachi appear at his door under some mistletoe.
A/N: LOL In case the ending was confusing, Sasuke's thinking semi-dirty thoughts by adding mistletoe to the picture. This was my first of six 2007 Xmas fics. Plz give me good reviews so I'm encouraged to submit my second Xmas fic!! XD :D Thnx. Merry Early Christmas!!