Merry Fucking Christmas; An Atari Oneshot

Warnings
MAJOR Sasuke angst
SHORT Oneshot
Itachi quotes (possible spoilers for Naruto nooblets)
Monocharacter
Rated T for minor language and use of blood

Set on the December 24th after the Uchiha massacre.

Eyes of onyx glazed as they read the 'do not cross' tape over and over again. The blaring yellow had been there for a little less than a year. The boy looked up at the infamous red and white uchiwa; the Uchiha's clan symbol as tiny droplets of snow melted when the soft material touched the boys face.

Sasuke didn't cry. His emotions were too far gone for such antics.

Slowly, the boy lifted the yellow line and entered into his home territory, walking the snow ridden streets in a daze.

Sasuke! Oiii, Sasuke! Dinner's ready!

The raven haired boy stopped at the edge of the corner which turned and snaked down to his home. Languidly, he allowed his head to fall to the right, lips slightly parted as cellophane visions of his mother beaming at him from the street enticed his mind. A small smile caused his lips to flicker. "Mama…" He whispered, voice caught and swallowed on the cool winter wind before his lambent mother slipped away from his unsteady gaze. The smile faded.

As Sasuke opted to reluctantly trudge down the streets towards home, the walls to the Uchiha manors lit up with Christmas decorations.

Merry Christmas, Sasuke.

"Merry…Christmas…"

The parroting of words were audible this time as his father and his work friends from the police force filled the streets in a huddle. There was a smile on the man's face. Was it directed at him? Surely, it couldn't be…He would never smile at Sasuke. Only at Itachi…Itachi…

"Itachi…" The boy whispered, verbalizing his thoughts. Subconscious curse words flew through his young mind. "Itachi."

Welcome home, my foolish little brother.

Nefarious laughter filled the air as the men evaporated from sight and were impossibly replaced with Itachi, complete in his ANBU uniform, mangekyou sharingan aglow. Foolish little brother, if you wish to kill me, hate me, detest me, and survive in an unsightly way. Run, run and cling to life.

Sasuke's fists balled at his side, nails digging through his palm only to accomplish staining the stark snow white ground with sporadic crimson spots.

We are brothers. That is a unique bond. I am the barrier you must overcome, so you and I will continue to exist together, even if you hate me. That's what being a big brother means.

A small growl emitted from the eight year old as the entirety of his minute frame began to shiver. Though the trembles were from anything but the cold. "Itachi!" The young nin hollered, now charging at the illusion with a packed fist. Swinging through the misty apparition, the boy ended up with a face full of snow, tumbling twice on the wet ground only to land belly-down in the white powder. "Damnit!" Sasuke's voice broke as he pounded the ground with one fist, tears now burning hot rivulets down his cheeks.

It took almost a full half hour before the boy found the strength to push himself to his feet. The cold had made him drowsy, his already unstable vision fading in and out as he staggered to the doorway of his old home. An icy wind swelled past him, causing him to shrink into himself, now hurrying towards the inside, noting the door was open.

As he edged his way in, the crunch of snow on wood made his gaze drop, soft onyx orbs realizing where he was standing. Though the outlines were covered in a thin blanket of white, the bold colouring had made them apparent to the child. "Mother…father…"

Sasuke dropped to the floor as his knees gave out, holding himself up with his arms as tears began to flow once more, melting the ethereal solidified water with it's change in temperature.

The first Noel, the angels did say was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay…

The boy looked behind him slowly out the door, past the walls, and into the street where, just like a normal December day, the Uchiha clan was bustling about. That's right, it's Christmas.

In fields where they lay keeping their sheep on a cold winter's night that was so deep…

Sasuke sat up on his knees, placing his hands to his ears as sudden screams and alarm bells pushed through the Christmas tune, a chaos of sounds enveloping the boy.

Noel, noel, noel, noel
Born is the king of Israel.

"Stop it…Stop it!" Sasuke fell to the wooden floor, pulling his hair as he tucked his knees to his chest, teeth grinding as heavy breathing and his own rapid heart beat began to drown out the array of sounds. "No, no, NO!" The shrill break in his voice echoed through the traditional Japanese home as Sasuke's body shook violently.

Foolish little brother, what ever are you doing?

Both onyx orbs shot open. Itachi's dark cackle reverberated around him. Screams, alarms, Christmas carols, a heavy heart beat, panicked breathing… The boy let out a strained whimper, feeling the entirety of his being paralyzed with a cold sweat.

The sounds escalated, becoming near loud enough to shatter the child's ear drums before everything fell to a loud silence. Sasuke blinked, taking his hands from his ears and hair to listen to the nothingness around him. Painfully, he contorted himself to look out the door and into the streets. The lights and village folk were gone, replaced by bloodstained walls and an air of abandonment.

Sasuke's body went limp with the realization he was alone once more.

It wasn't long before nightfall had come, a gentle navy sky engulfing the world as the snow bitten towns and villages were bathed in the creamy blue-yellow rays of moonlight. Sasuke stared at this change, still laying in the center of his parents outlines. The eight year old was now blanketed in a thin coat of snow, blown in from the doorway he had carelessly left ajar.

A shiver dared shake the powder off, but Sasuke wouldn't allow it. His entire body was numb anyways.

As both eyes fell to the right, a hand reached out, pointing a finger towards the snow on the floor. Was that his hand? Why, yes, indeed it was.

The boy parted his lips, wondering how his hand was moving on it's own, engraving elegant kanji into the snow.

There were no lights and festivities this year. No presents to wake up to. No tree to decorate. No stockings to fill. No smiles to share. Everything…was dead.

Sasuke smiled as he stared at the words he had written, stained slightly by the undried blood on his hands. "Merry fucking Christmas." He whispered, reading the red letters with a small twitch of a smile.

As the night grew darker, Sasuke slipped into a deep sleep, unaffected by the cold and unmissed by the lack of people he once knew and loved. He had tried to stay awake. He had tried so hard…but to no avail.

The only thing worse than real life were his nightmares, tribulations that would plague him till death. He always had wondered if there were a word to describe his life. Oh, right, that'd be hell, wouldn't it?

But that would have been an understatement.

A/N: Happy Christmas, all. Hasn't this just gotten you into the Christmas spirit? Hahaha.

Excuse my poor writing skills. They're…poor. Lmao. And they've only disintegrated over the years. -sigh- It was a good idea when it was in my head in anime form. D: …Rofl. Oh well. Maybe I'll get my ability to write well back someday. Then I can convey my ideas more…picturesquely.

And, btw, I had to keep the title G rated…so I changed it slightly. Lol.

Much love and happy holidays,
Atari