Yeah...I was listening to Carol of the Bells and all of a sudden... CHRISTMAS!!!! Those of you following my GaaSaku story...I'll try to have a chapter up soon. -cries-
Sakura smiled as she looked around. Once again, Konoah's Christmas Eve party was a booming success. Tsunade wobbled up, already tipsy and well on her way to being ripped. "No 'un plans party like 'oo, Sak'ra," she slurred.
"Thanks." Sakura grimaced, glancing around to see if any civilians had noticed the state of their 'esteemed leader'. Her eyes widened when Team 10 walked through the door. "'scuse me." She had to head Choji off before he attacked the refreshment table. She intercepted him just as he spotted the refreshment table, eyes gleaming with hunger. She forced a smile and laid a hand on his arm, gripping it with chakra laden fingers. He winced. "You so much as breathe on that table, Akamichi, and I'll shatter your jaw." He paled, his eyes cutting back to the table. "You won't do well on a liquid diet, trust me." Ino giggled, a hand lifting to her mouth and Shikamaru just patted his friend's shoulder.
"We'll go eat later."
"No need," Sakura said and handed Choji a card with a cupcake on it. "Akamichi are catered to especially. Take this to the kitchen and a waiter will take care of you." She didn't think she'd ever seen Choji move so fast.
"Just missed it this year," Ino said as Shikamaru ambled over to a chair against the wall. "Rookie 9 almost spent a Christmas together." She sighed, missing Sakura's smile. Various missions over the years had kept them apart during the holidays and the 'rookies' hadn't spent a Christmas together since their genin days, always seeming to miss the chance to spend the holiday with their loved ones by a few days. It was Team 10's first Christmas home in four years and Ino's first time at the Christmas party.
"Look out ladies," Someone yelled suddenly. "It's Grabby Clause!" Both women turned toward the door to see a man standing in the doorway dressed in the traditional Santa garb, carrying a bag over his shoulder.
"Ho, ho, ho," he bellowed, assuming the classic Santa pose, legs spread and boots planted, a fist propped on his hip and his henged belly shaking like the proverbial bowl full of jelly it was supposed to portray.
"Grabby Clause?" Ino asked out the corner of her mouth. Sakura smiled.
"You'll see." He strode to a chair and dropped his bag, snagging Shizune around the waist as he went.
"C'mere you. Sit on my lap, little girl, and tell Santa what you want for Christmas." Shizune laughed while fending off his wandering hands.
"I want the same thing as last year and the year before, Santa," she said.
"Me in your bed?" he asked loudly.
"Is that…?" Ino trailed off. Sakura laughed.
"Jiraiya…He does this every year." Ino snorted with laughter. "Just go along with it. It'll save you from being hunted down by his 'elves'." She pointed to Naruto and Genma who walked through the crowd, grabbing women to go next, dressed as elves, complete with curled green shoes and pointy ears.
"But he feels everyone up! Do you go along with him?"
"Are you kidding? He gives out Godiva truffles." Ino laughed as he enticed one woman after another into his lap, some being carried over by Naruto or Genma. Then he crooked his finger at Tsunade, who strutted over, settled across his thighs and looped her arms around his neck. Sakura smirked as she saw Jiraiya's cheeks redden beneath his beard. He was never as hands on with Tsunade as he was with the other women. At first she'd thought he'd feared for his life, as well he should, but over the years she'd realized the reverence stemmed from respect and general liking of his friend and former teammate.
"Have you been naughty, or nice little girl?" he asked.
"Naughty. Very naughty."
"Ho, ho, ho! That gets you two boxes of chocolates!" Tsunade kissed his cheek.
"Thank you, Santa. I'll try to be even naughtier next year." Sakura shook her head with a small smile. She never sounded drunk at this part of the party but Sakura knew that once her shishou was out of the public eye she'd go back to being the weaving drunk she was. Then she noticed Jiraiya zeroing in on her.
"And who's this vixen in the red dress?" He patted his lap. "Your turn, little lady."
"Watch and learn," she whispered to Ino and sauntered over to sit on "Santa's" knee.
"Have you been naughty or nice, little girl?"
"Nice." She toyed with his beard, twining a long white strand around her fingers.
"Can't earn your candy that way. What would you like for Christmas?"
"A chance to be naughty." She batted her eyelashes as everyone laughed.
"Ho, ho, ho! Got anyone in mind?" She was about to say you just to see his jaw drop but a silence had come over the room. She turned to see Kakashi in the doorway, usual eye crease in place.
"Yo."
"Got room for you here, little boy," Santa said, patting his other leg. "Even got you a present. This one's lookin' to be naughty." Kakashi shrugged and ambled over to sit on Jiraiya's other leg, knees bumping Sakura's.
"So you got my letter, Santa," he said, eye running over Sakura's form in her snug red dress. The room erupted in cat calls and hoots. Sakura blushed. From nowhere Santa produced a sprig of mistletoe and held it aloft.
"Someone's waiting for a kiss, little boy." Kakashi's eye took on a decidedly wicked gleam. He winked at her, or at least she thought he did, then turned to Santa and planted a big, smacking kiss on his lips. Everyone roared. Kakashi and Sakura were shoved from his lap. Kakashi caught her arm needlessly, to steady her.
"Cooties!" Santa exclaimed, spitting.
"You've got enough alcohol in you to kill the plague," Kakashi said easily, holding Sakura's arm a bit longer than necessary, his thumb seeming to brush down her arm when he finally released her. Jiraiya stood and swiped at his mouth.
"Someone get my sake anyway, just to be safe." Sakura chuckled.
"Nice move." Kakashi gave a half shrug.
"I thought so."
"Please, Uzumaki. There's not a person in Fire who can out drink me!" She turned to look in the direction of the loud, laughing comment to find Kiba. Akamaru loudly 'woofed' in agreement.
"That's 'cause they're all in Suna," Kankuro said, laughing.
"I'll take you both on and win! Believe it!" Great. Just what she needed.
"I better go break that up before I have to treat them for blood alcohol poisoning," Sakura muttered.
As fun as the party always was, this was the part she always dreaded. The evening had wound down nicely, the drinking binge having been neatly avoided with a few threats of mutilation to treasured body parts, and civilian and shinobi alike were pairing off or gathering their loved ones to take home. It was at times like this that she felt isolated and alone despite being surrounded by people. She waited around until Kakashi was the only guest left, seemingly lost in his ever present copy of Icha-Icha. Kotetsu and Izumo started raking trash into bags and Sakura smiled. "Go ahead and head home guys," she told them. "I can take it from here." They frowned.
"We can't leave you here to clean this up yourself," Izumo said. "It'll take all night." Kotetsu nodded in agreement. She waved them off, herding them towards the door.
"Go on. You've both got family to visit in the morning. I can handle it." It wasn't like she had someone waiting for her to come home anyway. She pushed them out and closed the door behind her. "Go home," she said through the wood. She turned, ready to spend the next few hours organizing only to find everything neat and orderly, bulging trash bags lined up by the door and extra food wrapped up on the remaining table, chairs folded and stacked. Kakashi still sat in his chair, still seemingly engrossed in his book. "Last call," she said, a smile on her face. "I'm locking up." He nodded, pocketing the beloved book before standing up with a small stretch.
"Excellent as always, Sakura," he said, referring to the party. She snorted and rolled her eyes.
"How would you know? You show up late and all you ever do once you get here is drink and read." She shook her head at him. "You don't even dance. Even Neji dances, Kakashi." He chuckled.
"He only does it to save Ten-Ten from Lee and Gai." She fought a smile, knowing it was true.
"That's beside the point."
"Maybe I just haven't found anyone I want to dance with yet," said as he shoved his hands in his pockets, his gaze turned upward. "Or maybe I think she'll turn me down." She waved that way.
"You? Self-conscious? Not a chance." He shrugged.
"Stranger things have happened." They stood in silence for a moment before he looked back and her and smiled. "Good night, Sakura." She pushed the small jolt of disappointment away and gave him a smile.
"G'night, Kakashi-sensei. Merry Christmas, hope you get everything you want this year." His eye crease stayed in place while he pointed directly above them. She looked up in question and was surprised to find Pakkun tied to a string, hanging from the ceiling, mistletoe clenched in his teeth.
"What-" she was cut off by warm lips on hers and though it only lasted a moment the electric shock that ran through her body seemed to weld her feet to the floor. She felt warm skin brush against her cheek as he leaned forward to whisper in her ear, the hand cupping her cheek sliding back to thread through her hair.
"I just got everything I wanted," his voice was husky and she shivered as his breath fanned her ear. Just as quickly as he'd appeared he was gone. She stared at the puff of smoke he'd left behind, the usual leaves replaced by glowing green and red lights that fizzled out as they reached the ground.
Uh...? Merry Christmas? XD Thanks for reading.
Black Rose