Well, here's my *late* Christmas collection. The plan is that it will have some semblance of a plot, but with different themes and main characters per chapter. Each chapter will be someone else's Christmas fic.

This first one is a HidaHina get-together for Alex. Merry Christmas!

Oh, yeah: Me no own. Anything. But the plot, of course. And all the OOC-ness. It kind of crashes towards the end when I start getting worried about word count….

Mistletoe, Chapter One

"...I looked up, my gaze following his fingers. He always pointed with two fingers. Something about two being harder for 'Kuzu-sama to cut off. Gasping, I took a halting step back, hoping that maybe my getting away would make it go away. He smirked. "Not so fast," he said, and grabbed me around the waist.

Unlike the books, I didn't jerk awake. Everything just slowly faded into nothingness and gray mind-smog. It was more like a gradual hey look at that I'm alone again. Not that I need to not be alone; I like it this way, or at least, that's what I tell myself. I can't see the truth anymore through all the lies.

Don't jump to conclusions. I'm not confined against my will; I actually like it here. It's better than where I was before. Not that where I was before was bad, it was really nice. You were nice too. It's just.. I don't.. love you any more, really. Not like this thing I have for him. And he doesn't even like me.

You, with that dog of yours, always smiling like your smiles would save us if the sun ever went out. Not that it ever would. That actually sums you up pretty well. You were always able to do the task, but it always fell to someone else. That's probably why, when you actually were called into action, you were worthless. Completely and extremely worthless. You did more damage than good.

That's not an understatement, either. Yes, I guess I have grown bitter over the years. All I have to remember you by are the scars, both physically and emotionally. The emotional ones hurt the most. Not that I don't feel the physical ones... it's just that they aren't as evident during my late-night crying spells. They just aren't.

Yes, I mentioned late-night crying spells. They are true, although they thankfully don't last too long, real time. It feels like forever, though. When you wake up in the middle of the night and can't see the clock to tell what time it is through all your tears that just appeared for no apparent reason.. that's what I'm talking about. When you know you have no friends, when you don't even want to try, that's when the tears come.

I was once told by one of them that you couldn't tell just by looking at me. I'm thankful of that, but still. I guess people think I've grown out of my shyness, but I think it's the other way around. I can never look him straight in the face, and I can only look at the ground when his name is mentioned. I would like to think that could be cured, but even if we were together as only in my dreams, I think that would make me stutter more..."

Itachi put the paper down. There was a lot more, but he couldn't make himself read the inner thoughts of the girl. He just couldn't bring himself to ravage her mind without her even knowing. He snuck out of the room, leaving her to sleep.

&^&^&^&^&^

When she awoke, she knew something had been disturbed. The empty room, however, didn't tell her what. But the lack of noise upstairs did. Itachi never slept this late. Of course, it was a Saturday. Still, however, he didn't miss a chance to wake everyone else up by slinking around like the weasel he was.

She could tell he knew.

But what could she do about it? It's not like she could nicely talk him into not telling anyone. She would have to go with acting like she didn't know he knew, however risky that was. And it wasn't like she could go and attack him, not in her weakened state. Besides, Christmas was coming on, and she needed to be on her best behavior for them to do their own dishes for once. It was the only Christmas present she asked for.

They were always happy she didn't ask for much.

And, when she did ask for what they thought was too much, they let her know. Sometimes in less-than-pleasant ways, but mostly in at least a cordial manner. That had only happened once or twice, because she had a pretty good sense of when she was overstepping.

&^&^&^&^&^&^&^

She stepped out of bed, quickly getting dressed and out of the lacy nightgown. She had been told that she looked good in it, but told by people who were now completely wrong. She hated it, now. Still, though, it was what she had, so she used it. Back into her normal wear, she stepped out of the room. It was 5:45. Time to get breakfast started.

There was toast in the toaster and butter out on the counter when he came down at 5:50. Orange juice was made and out on the counter. There were nine cups sitting next to the pitcher. He yawned, stretching. Still in only his boxers, he sat down on a barstool. She kept her head down and attended to the eggs she was scrambling.

"Hey."

"H- hello, Hidan-s-sama," she stuttered.

"What's for breakfast?" He asked, as if he could not see what was cooking in fromt of him.

"I t-thought that y-you and e-everyone else could h-have t-toast and eggs and I m-made orange j-juice, I t-thought that would be n-nice, and…" she trailed off, her head still down, but with occasional glances up to attend to what she was doing.

"Yeah, that's nice of you, Hina-chan. I swear to Jashin, your orange juice is the best on this goddamn planet."

"T-thank y-you," she stuttered back in response, almost spilling the milk as she poured it into the mixed eggs.

He sighed, looking at his hands. They were callused and rough from so much hard use. Not that he cared, but he bet that hers were delicate, soft yet firm. But, of course, he didn't care. Especially after what Itachi had told him. No, he was only down here to have breakfast. As soon as the eggs were done, of course. He wouldn't follow her along with her normal chores, no, he wouldn't. Because he didn't care.

&^&^&^&^&^&^&^&^

A couple hours later, she was doing laundry. He was still with her, having abandoned all excuses. He was talking at her about anything that came to his mind; she was listening attentively, ready to spill her thoughts to her diary as soon as she had a spare moment. She had forgotten about Itachi's having read it.

"…and then, then Kakuzu and I kicked that motherfucker's ass like it was the end of this Jashin-damned world, and he bled so hard, and I was almost in for it, but then 'Kuzu had one of his strands tackle the guy and he fell over and hit his head and died. It was so pathetic, and it wouldn't have been, it would have been fucking awesome if I got to finish him off! But he was dead and…"

She continued to fold laundry.

"…and then 'Kuzu kissed me, and said that I had done a good job for a beginner, and I punched him so hard, and then he…"

She stiffened at the words "he kissed me." He saw her stiffen and mentally went over what he had just said. Oh shit! he thought.

"Well, uh, he kisses me all the time, and-"

She was fighting back tears. The boy she loved was GAY?

"…and he doesn't really mean anything by it," Hidan was panicking now, "and it's only him that's bi, I swear to Jashin-sama, I'm strait as hell, I don't know why the fuck I put up with him when he gets like that..."

She gave in. A tiny tear leaked out of her eye. If he was panicking before, it was nothing compared to what he was like now. But something inside him clicked. He stepped neatly over the pile of folded laundry and hugged her, just about picking her up he was that much taller.

She squeaked, and more tears leaked out of her eyes. Giving in to emotions, she nestled her head into his shoulder. No crying, though; she more shook, as if a nonexistant wind was about to knock her over.

He kicked over the laundry, needing to take his rage out on something. It wasn't quite satisfying enough. He was so mad at himself. He had made a girl cry. And not just a girl; a girl he really liked.

He had only put up with Kakuzu because he knew he could never have her. But, now that Itachi had told him that he had read her diary and knew she loved him back—and Itachi would never lie—he was mad at himself for making her believe, even for a second, that he didn't love her.

He carried her up the stairs, put her on his bed and kicked the door closed, pressing the little silver button that locked the door. It was a cheap lock that just about anyone could get through, but it was more the idea of the thing.

As he approached her, she stood so still that he could hear their breathing. He sat down next to her. She gulped, looking down at her lap. Her hands were clasped there, and she was wringing them as nervously as he had seen anyone do.

Pulling her closer, he lightly kissed her cheek. "don't fucking cry like that," he growled. "Makes me sick."

"S-sorry, H-Hidan-sama," she breathed softly.

!!!!!!!!

Well, that's Alex's Christmas fic. Go look her up on here- her penname is currently Temporarily In Hiding. Merry late Christmas!