So this is a one shot that I thought had a nice...feel to it, since I've been hard at work on ROTPR, or at least when I can, trying to rewrite some of the chapters, to where they're at least decent.
Anyway, this is an idea I had that couldn't help but type up, seemed kinda, dare I say it, cute; though having a cliche title.
Be sure to read the other one called: My Gift to You.
Also, if you're expecting a rhyme...your sadly mistaken...just throwing that out there; may also seem kinda kiddish.
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December 24th, a day of holiday cheer, a day where everyone shares in the love and companionship of one's family and friends. A holiday also refined into the form of giving to those whom are held in high regard. The season always being bitter cold, with always a high chance of pelting the landscape with a ever softening pearl white blanket of crystallized vapor.
Naruto Uzumaki, age 17, happily strolled down the streets of his beloved village, Konoha, simply put, the holiday cheer had already overwhelmed him. All was peaceful after the war had ended, Sasuke had returned, unwillingly at first, but soon had become accustomed to the life he once had. Naruto had finally fulfilled a promise, but to his own determination. He had brought him back for his own sake as well as the team.
Naruto had met up with several of his companions along his peaceful stroll, Rock Lee, 'bursting with the flame of youth' as ever quoted by Epic-Brows sensei, Sakura and Sasuke as the two were spending a bit more time with one another. Though one person always plagued his mind, the delicate soft blue hair that fell graciously along her back with pools of lavender that anyone could delve into, Hinata Hyuga.
It had been months since the fight with the Six Deva Paths, the defeat of Tobi, and...her confession. Hinata had willingly intervened, as he lied pinned to the ground by chakra blades, she stood between him and the last Deva Path. She stood fearlessly against the last Deva, stating how she will never allow no harm come to him. One of the few times anyone had volunteered to say that. He could only lie shocked as she then revealed everything she felt about him...and for him. Her words replaying within his mind, about her own weakness, her misguided choices but also how his influence changed those. She remarked on how she always wanted to become more, not just to herself, but for him as well. She loved him.
Naruto found himself dwelling upon that event, and even when he managed to save her during the war with his new found strength. He still held that event strong in his mind despite being more focused on the battles at hand, and further to come. His shoulders lowered, his once excited mood dropping to that of guilt, and sadness. He had seen her on a few ocassions, each time bearing a smile though fake. Her body language further pronounced her emotions coupled with short talk and responses, and brief visits; she was in pain and he knew it.
"I just don't know!" He screamed suddenly alerting nearby passers. "Some Christmas," he remarked, "I've got someone special suffering because of me, and yet I'm suffering, because of her. I don't know what to do." He said softly to himself before leaping up onto the snow covered rooftops. He positioned his jumps carefully as he leapt through the village also applying chakra to the soles of his feet just in case. The sharp unforgiving, frigid wind crashing against him, chilling and drying his skin and form.
He quickly arrived at his new house, and walked in slowly, then quietly shut the door, leaned his back against it and slumped to the floor. This house had been new on the market, and for a discounted price, due to some...negotiating. His new house only consisted of one story, with two bedrooms, one bath. A cozy home for any citizen.
As he sat there on the floor, he slowly lifted his head then stared blankly at the ceiling. Sometimes holidays can bring out the worst, memories or recent events can at times flood the mind, transitioning one into a depressed state to which negativity climbs to the brink of overwhelming.
Why him? Why did she feel that way? How is it that he can't find a reply to her? These, among others, always seem to flood him. "Damn it."
He suddenly rose and walked to his living room, against the wall was a medium size, plastic tree, beneath it were gifts wrapped for his friends, for each one of them. He shook his head and sighed as he walked down the hall and into his bedroom, over on his dresser lied a small box. He reached over and grasped it then flipped it open, inside rested a golden necklace with a small pendant attached to it, the pendant of a red swirl, his signature mark, the mark of the Uzumaki's. He smiled. He had pondered on what he would give her, and found this to be the best.
Maybe he did feel something more than friendship, his mind and heart felt more obligated to pursue that choice, but each time, he became ridden with doubt. Why was this occurring? He would then ponder, what if...it were a lie? A ploy? What then? He would then wonder, why would she do something like that, and afterwards ponder on why she would willingly risk herself for him. Was she telling the truth after all? Something that was given to him so easily, that didn't need to be earned in any manner, felt...odd.
He sighed and laid the box down on his dresser and rested upon his bed. The digital clock on his nightstand reading "Five-Forty-Five" then a small green "PM" in the bottom right corner, his eyes becoming heavy and soon drifted into a slumber.
Hours later, his eyes soon shot as he heard a loud thump come from his roof. He immediately darted out of the house and readied a kunai. He jumped up to the snow covered roof and could only see a large figure bent over, seemingly searching for something.
"What the Hell do you think you're doing?" He shouted as he leapt at the figure, and landed on top of it. Naruto had misjudged his area as his foot landed on him, the figure leaned backward as Naruto leaned forward and the two began sliding down the roof before violently colliding with the ground.
"AGH!" A loud screamed sounded, as the well-rounded figured sounded upon impact with the ground. Naruto only suffering from a slight shock in his foot, due to his acrobatic nature. Naruto looked in horror as he noticed the man clad in a full red with white fur-like lining down the center, a white mustache coupled with a long white beard, red pants with white cuffs with a black leather belt around his waist, and with a long, cone shaped hat in the same red fur-like material with a white trim around the main head piece also with a white ball at the end.
Naruto began to sweat profusely, "Oh shit!" He gritted his teeth together with a look of horror. The man he had mistakenly attacked had been none other the icon of Christmas, Santa Claus.
"Don't just stand there you idiot, help me!" He said in pain.
"Er-r, right!" He said as he made a few hand signs, then, "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He said as a few Naruto's were summoned after a poof of smoke rose from each, "Okay, on three!" Each counted and carefully lifted him, and into the house. Naruto and his clones carefully set him in a recliner.
"Agh, my arm's broken." Santa grunted as he then eyed Naruto, "Tonight is the big night, my arm's broke, my bag I can't lift," Santa then looked up at a nervous Naruto scratching the back of his head with a dumb grin on his face, "Now it's up to this knucklehead to deliver the gifts." Santa face-palmed. (A/N: O_o)
"W-w-wait m-me!" Naruto cried.
"It's Christmas Eve you idiot, and I'm down and out. With no doubt, it's now placed upon you to go out and about." Santa explained.
Naruto could only sigh as he knew it'd be the right thing to do for the guy, since it was technically his fault to begin with.
"How can I deliver gifts to everyone in one night? Even with my Shadow Clones I can't finish that quick!" Naruto panicked, he panicked as he had single handedly halted whom everyone expected.
"I can't stress enough my job that must be done, you will take on my role while the night is still young, take my suit and deliver the gifts to those sound a sleep in bed, act now, before I bust your fat-head!" Santa said a bit furious. Naruto only threw up his hands in defense. With a snap of his fingers, Santa now rested in a sweat suit, while Naruto suddenly donned the ever famed Santa outfit.
"Wow I can't believe this thing fits, I never expected it, not even one bit." Naruto said, then cocked his brow up upon his statement.
"Take my bag to the sleigh, upon your return, I should be gone by the dawn of the new day." Santa said as he pointed to the famous bag he was known for. Naruto walked over and hoisted it onto his back despite its size it was rather light. Santa bid his farewell as Naruto soon left through the front door, and on his roof was the famed sleigh and his reindeer.
He quickly leapt up into the sleigh, grabbed the reins, and suddenly flew away. (A/N: AGH!) "Let see, what were their names again? Ah yeah, On Flasher, on Denser, Pouncer, Nipten, Vomit, Stupid, Bummer, Bitzen, and what was the other one with the glowing nose? Oh right, Gandalf!" He grinned but was soon pelted by spit from the reindeer. "Sorry, sorry, jeez lets just get this over with!" The Reindeer couldn't agree more.
The first stop was the village of Suna, Naruto reached in the bag and read the tag. "Gaara." Naruto said as he grinned real wide, Naruto landed the sleigh on top of the Kazekage Tower, and snuck in. Now a Ninja Santa seemed cool to him, but considering he'd have to be even more of one to get past the lot of em. So with great care, he took out Gaara's gift and left it by his tree in the main office, he also had grabbed Temari's and Kankuro's as well. Each of their gifts wrapped appropriately.
"Naruto?" Someone called behind him. Naruto knew that voice all too well.
"Oh crap." Naruto mumbled as he darted out and back into the sleigh. He knew Gaara had seen him, so much for the great Ninja Santa Naruto. Naruto soon fetched out more gifts and marked the ever lasting list. Gaara was checked off along with Temari and Kankuro. The List from Suna not being quite big, he quickly found the others and dropped them off appropriately, mysteriously knowing which present went were. Some of the structures of Suna's settlement actually had a chimney, or what resembled one, to which he bounded from roof to roof, and magically fitting down their makeshift smoke stack, set the gift by the tree, and he immediately bounded off to the next. The magic of the bag was incredible, it allowed him to fit into the smallest of places.
At last all the gifts in Suna were delivered, he plopped in the sleigh and sighed, "Man, how does he do it?" He questioned, checking the list and marking each name off. "On to the next village!" The next stop was the Land of Waves.
His memory suddenly triggered to the mission when he first started, his first C rank that escalated into an A rank. Where he actually fought one of the seven legendary swordsman of the Mist. The old man Tazuna and his grandson, "What was his name again?" He pondered for a bit, "Inari." His sudden realization coming at an awkward moment. This stop had a few more than the last; four more to be exact.
Naruto's first stop was none other than the two he had just thinking about along with Inari's mother, Tsunami, which he just suddenly remembered as well. Naruto landed the Sleigh out of sight, and reached inside the sack. His hand caught something and began to pull, "What the hell?" Naruto struggled with the weight of the gift, as he soon realized it was a small fishing boat. "How in the hell?" Naruto said shocked. "Well this is for the old man, now for-" Naruto began to dig through the sack and found two smaller ones, one of em being a new set of tools for Inari, for what reason was unknown to Naruto. The Second, was a nice soft blue wrapped box marked for Tsunami.
"Must be a dress," He mumbled as he then lifted the boat and stumbled to their house, and almost losing his footing, placed it against their house making a small bump. Naruto darted off and got the other two, and silently made his way through their front door then left the gifts by their tree. "So much for the chimney thing," Naruto sweated.
Naruto then reached inside the bag and delivered the remaining gifts for the village then proceeded back to the sleigh and taking off once more. "Check, check, check, a-a-a-a-and check." He said with a grin, checking off each person in the Land of Waves.
Naruto had to admit, it seemed rather fun, seeing the world in all its glory, flying through the air with nine magical reindeer and sleigh, giving gifts to those good and coal to those who had been evil.
Naruto had flown through the night to various other villages from Kumo to Lightning, then to Earth and Wind. He traveled throughout the night, and then finally, last on his list was his own, Konoha.
Naruto had found a good spot to land, directly on top of the Hokage Tower. Naruto pulled out the list, and first name he saw was Sakura then next to her name after a serious of dots, read "Gift" and then the name below her's was Sasuke's. Naruto eagerly but steadily followed the series of dots and he blurted what he had found, "Coal!" He laughed, "Take that bastard."
Now, Naruto contemplated throughout the whole night on the use of Shadow Clones, this would definately make the job easier, however, Shadow Clones are more easier to detect considering they are at times disobedient; in Naruto's case anyway, but if he had summoned clones in each village, his own would definitely be depleted, not counting the Kyuubi's own chakra of course, but he didn't want to chance it in becoming too dangerous. He had to use his own chakra to mask his jumps, footsteps, and the opening of doors, or even the impact of a landing from an actual chimney. It was taking a bit of a toll on him already. It's not easy masking your presence from every ninja in the world.
So with Sakura's gift, and Sasuke's 'present' he bounded off and dropped them off appropriately, though when he left Sasuke's crappy apartment, he couldn't help but snicker. He returned to the sleigh, the next on the list was Neji and TenTen. Each one receiving a gift, this was going to be a treat, sneaking into the Hyuga compound was going to be fun. Naruto bounded off once more, within just a few minutes located the Hyuga Compound.
Naruto crept along the outer walls, and bounded over, him noticing the sensors patrolling through the outskirts of the compound, the inner courtyard, and no doubt within the manor. He hid behind inside the bushes and summoned a shadow clone, then he ordered the clone to henge into a cat, to ward off the sensor. Perhaps he could fool the sensor, but considering the Hyuga's themselves excel at detection, he would have to make the drop off quick.
He then ordered the clone-transformed-into-cat to scurry off and pounce of the head of the sensor, in hopes of agitating him. The 'cat' prowled amongst the grass and soon hopped up onto a nearby beam and with proper timing, pounced on top of the sensor's head. 'Now,' He thought as he hurried into the manor with the sensor recovering from the event.
He was inside now, this was the most dangerous part. With many elites living here, this would pose to be the most difficult task. "Wait...this is the main house, isn't it?" He mumbled as he noticed a picture of Hiashi, Hinata, and her younger sister, Hanabi. 'SHIT!' His thoughts screamed. Now he would have to make his way to the branch portion of the compound. This was gonna suck, and to think he'd have to do this again when Hinata's and Hanabi's names came around. Why didn't he think to grab them? He didn't know, but right now, he was trying not to get his ass caught and then skinned alive. The 'living room' of the manor seemed to be quite elegant, obviously befitting of the Hyuga's. The furniture seemingly made out of a very fine material, a type of cloth covering that easily gave the persona of comfort.
He scanned the room, and noticed a resting form on the corner couch next to the tree. The long blue hair draped over her delicate face, cheeks slightly puffed. "Hinata?" He whispered, he couldn't help but ask why she looked the way she did. He crept closer to her and got closer to her face until she mumbled his name softly, "Naruto-kun,"
"Hinata," To his surprise he found himself softly kissing her cheek, to which a smile formed on her face as she once again mumbled his name. He smiled and then blushed. What a smile, a heavenly voice; he soon trailed to her lips that were slightly parted, he eyed her, his cheeks now burning. He then leaned closer and closer, within a moment, his lips softly met hers and pressed ever so softly. He broke the kiss, and her face began to burn bright red with her hands suddenly rising to her face, a slight stir, "My Naruto-kun,"
"My...Naruto-kun," he repeated softly and then smiled, he had to go, though he didn't want to. However, his task to fulfill his part became stronger. He would come back, he thought.
He then left the the living room of the main house, and found his way outside to catch eye of more patrolmen. He then summoned a few extra clones as they then henged into seperate beings, one being another cat, and the other a fox. He gave his orders to attract the attention of the sensors. To his left, two sensors walked together side by side, while one remained in a tree just outside the branch house.
He ordered the cat to pounce on the sensor in the tree as a distraction, and then scratch the the legs of the other two while the fox would have a harder task.
The sensors on the right of the branch house were of four members opposed to the four the right, each positioned differently. One member also perched in a tree, another hid in a bush ever observing the walkway into the branch house quarters. Two of them also sat upon the room, getting more of a bird's eye view.
He then came up with an idea for the fox. The fox henged clone would have to attack the two on the roof and then quickly dash to the one in the bushes, and the last hidden in the tree. "Hope this works." He mumbled. "Go." He commanded as each scurried off.
The cat quickly and effectively scaling the tree, jumping on the head of the sensor causing him to scream, "Hey!" Alerting the two sensors and the others.
"Shit." He mumbled. The cat then clawed the legs of the other two, and quickly dashed off, their attention diverted for a short time. The two perched on the roof jumped off to assess the sudden commotion, while the two in the right remained silent and still.
"Change of plans, hurry and get the two away, bite, claw, whatever, don't care how." Naruto said in a bit of a panic. As if already knowing what to do, the fox hurried off and stealthily entered the bushes and bit the rear of the one in the bushes.
"The hell?" The patrolmen yelled, "A fox?" The sensor came out of the bushes, and as if on queue, the sensor in the tree hopped down.
"A fox...in the compound? How odd." One remarked. The cat and fox henged clones soon dispersed in a cloud of smoke.
"Aww damn it." Naruto mumbled.
"Henged clones?" One remarked as sudden suspicions instantly arose.
"An intruder...or a prankster?"
"Perhaps both?"
"I highly doubt it. Scout the area just to be sure though."
"Hai." They all sounded. The area was clear, Naruto could only look in shock as to what just happened. He shook his head violently and darted off into the branch house, left the present, and darted off over the wall.
"Hey!" Someone screamed behind him.
"Crap, oh crap, oh crap, running-running-running!" He voiced to himself as he darted off to TenTen's residence. TenTen's residence seemed to be of an odd situation as well, she apparently lived on her own in an apartment.
As he snuck in to deliver the gift, he suddenly tripped a wire. "DAMN IT!" He screamed as several kunai shot at him to which he sidestepped at the last minute, then four swords shot out each impaling the wall. The kunai being stretched horizontally, and the swords themselves taking on a square shape. He sighed in relief and until he heard another string snap, "Oh Fu-" just as he finished the sentence, a twirling throwing axe flew towards him. Naruto quickly scanned its height and trajectory. At it's current position, it's aimed directly at his midsection, to which he just dove out of the way as it then embedded in the wall. Naruto paled, "Whose there?" A feminine voice called, Naruto soon panicked as he left the gift on the floor and darted out of the apartment.
Naruto furious sweat his previous encounter and was on his way back to the sleigh. The amount of speed used to get from the tower to the others seemed impossible but with Naruto's immense training that he endured, it was definitely possible.
As he bounded back to the sleigh, the next on his list was Kiba and his sister Hana. Naruto could only face-palm. "The mutt? Seriously? Ah-h man." He groaned as he reached in the sack and searched for a bit, and found their gifts. The Inuzuka manor wasn't going to be easy, like the Hyuga abode, the Inuzuka had trained ninja hounds to help detect threats or intruders.
Naruto bounded from roof to roof; with the magic gift bag slung over his shoulder, until he had caught sight of their manor, obviously having been there before. The manor itself looked quite nice for the mutt-boy, since their influence during the war had gained them some much needed credit and of course they had gained a decent amount of wealth to boot. As he approached the outer walls of the manor, he applied chakra to his feet to quieten his fall, and a good sudden idea as well since there happened to be three of them sleeping outside. Naruto only tensed even more.
As long as he made no sudden noise, he would easily succeed. He paced himself slowly and looked above to notice a thin layer of smoke rising from the roof. He immediately bounded up, still applying chakra ever so carefully to not disturb; or potentially get maimed, anyone around him. His curiosity had paid off, a chimney was definitely in his sights. He approached it stealthily and as if magically once more, descended through the stack and into the main living room. The tree was in sight, he could only sigh in relief but he heard a serious of thumps to his right. To his dismay, the large white hound that Kiba was especially known for, Akamaru, stood only ten feet away.
"Oh hey Akamaru, what are you doing up?" Naruto confident in Akamaru's senses. Akamaru began to growl furiously as Naruto placed Kiba's and Hana's gifts under the tree. "Hey Akamaru, don't you recognize me?" Naruto asked, nervousness setting in. What he didn't expect was about to happen, to his dismay, Akamaru barked twice then released a loud howl.
"Akamaru what is it boy?" A voice Naruto knew belonged to Kiba. The series of barks and howls alerting the whole manor. "Your good to attack boy!" Kiba yelled through the manor.
"What's going on! Whose here?" A feminine voice called.
'SHIT!' Naruto cursed as he instinctively darted for the door, only to misjudge his course due to his attention on Akamaru chasing him vigorously. Naruto suddenly crashed through the wall, falling face first into the snow. He quickly rose his head to find the three hounds had awoken and growled viciously at him, their fur standing on edge.
"Double Shit!" He yelled as he just leapt over the hounds, and quickly hopped the wall. As he sighed in relief as his current sprint away from the manor, he looked back, and in horror, noticed the three dogs chasing after him. Thinking quickly, he made a few hand signs and summoned five Naruto clones taunting the dogs. Luckily they fell for it, and attacked the three as the real Naruto jumped off into the night. He made his way back to the sleigh, and decided, the bag was becoming more of a nuisance by the minute. Not again would be carry it off with him. His job was almost over.
Within the next hour, he had marked off Kiba, Shikamaru, Ino, Chouji, Tsunade, Shizune, Shino, Rock Lee, TenTen, and many others. All marked off the list. He plopped back down into the sleigh, sweat rolling off his forehead as the chilling air instantly cooled him, any longer he would definitely be sick. He then pulled out Konoha's listing, and checked the appropriate ones off. Only three remained on the List, Hanabi, Anko, and last on the list circled in red was...Hinata's?
"What? Why is she last?" Hanabi was listed as getting Coal most likely for her behavior to her older sister. Anko was listed as getting a gift, and Hinata's name had nothing by it. Why was that? She wasn't listed as getting coal, or a gift. Why was it circled in red? He'd have to inspect the sack but first Anko's gift needed to be given. For some reason, her gift was an actual sack. A sack within a sack? Strange.
"Great, the crazy snake proctor." Naruto mumbled as he shivered from their first encounter. He shook his head and snapped himself out of it.
He bounded off to and within just a few short minutes he was directly across from her apartment. He then notice someone landing next to him, "Naruto?" came a lazy tone, to which he knew all to well.
"Egh! Kakashi-sensei, uh-h-h whats up?" Naruto asked.
"What are you doing out so late, and what's with the Santa getup?" Kakashi asked. Naruto was completely dumbfounded not knowing what the hell to respond with.
"Doing my own gift giving, as well as...uh-h-h," His eyes darted from side to side trying to find a reason, "my own form of training, yeah, that's it." Naruto grinned sheepishly, sweat beading profusely down his forehead once more. 'I'm sunk!' His thoughts screamed as streams of anime tears began to fall.
To his surprise, Kakashi smiled beneath his mask, "I see, well Santa Naruto, would you deliver this to Anko for me?" He said as he handed Naruto an envelope, on it was a heart and then written on it was, "To: Anko, From: Kakashi."
"Wait, You and S-s-snake lady..." Naruto stuttered.
"Is there a problem?" Kakashi asked.
"No, not at all." Naruto laughed nervously scratching the back of his head.
"I see, well I'd greatly appreciate it." Kakashi smiled beneath his black mask, then performing a shunshin, vanishing from Naruto's sight in a poof of smoke.
"Crap." Was all the blonde, Santa clad ninja could muster. His attention now focused on the current drop off, for Anko Mitarashi. He sighed, for some reason he could feel he was going to die, either by her, or from massive heart attack.
He pondered on his approach to the current situation, he pondered. He could just leap up to the window and attempt to open it, but if it was anything like TenTen's abode, it was going to be a pain.
He would have to further observe it; a three story apartment building at that. He suddenly applied chakra to his feet and attempted to scale the wall only to end in failure, falling straight on his back into the cold snow. The building's walls became chilled from the direct snow fall and the frigid wind. He applied a bit more this time, enough chakra to penetrate the frost, but not too much to throw off his 'grip'.
He silently scaled the side of the apartment building, and peered through each window to find Anko's apartment, after searching for a good five minutes, he finally noticed the violet hair of the proctor resting soundly in her bed. The window being rather close to her bed.
He would have to try and sneak in through the door...he suddenly formed an immense hate for apartments. He silently circled around, hopped over the railing, since Anko's abode just had to be on the third story. He knelt down and rested his hand on the knob, suddenly flowing chakra through the lock, and with just a slight push from it, the lock had given way. He slowly creaked the door open, the thick smell of death in her apartment was almost too strong for him. Him, the hero from the war, was actually afraid.
He crept his way through her apartment, and in the corner was a small tree, not really decorated for the holiday but still had something to show. He gently laid the sack down next to it, surprisingly easy until he saw a shiny blade out of the corner of his eye.
"So, looks like I have myself a playmate for the night?" Anko's maliciousness to easily identifiable at this moment. What did Kakashi see in her...or was he seeing her? Naruto didn't know and didn't care at the moment.
"Uhh-uhh d-delivering your gift of course." Naruto stuttered as he quickly spun on his foot and came face to face with the Mitarashi.
Anko's brows perked up at bit recognizing him, "Brat, what are you doing!" She exclaimed in anger.
Naruto laughed nervously, "Just as I said I was doing, delivering your g-gift, and a m-message."
"Message?" Anko asked, as Naruto handed her the envelope, "From Kakashi eh?" She began to giggle; even that was scary. "A Christmas love letter," her baby tone sounding just plain weird. Anko then focused her attention on the Santa Uzumaki, and smiled.
"Crap." Naruto mumbled as she walked towards him, and hugged him. This was just plain frightening. 'Not good, not good.' Naruto held this overwhelming sense of dread, that he immediately knew was for the worst.
"Let's read it together shall we?" Anko grinned.
"But I-" Naruto started, soon finding the same kunai brandished once more.
She began to read, "Dear Anko, for quite sometime now, we have been seeing each other discreetly for the past two years-"
Naruto's thoughts interrupted him, 'Two years?'
"I've finally come to the conclusion that I would revel in the idea of having your hand in marriage."
'Marriage!'
"A long time of desolation had turned me into someone whose always highly anticipated your soft touch and loving kiss. It would be an honor if I were to join you. With Love, Kakashi." She finished reading the letter.
'Soft touch! Loving kiss? You've got to be friggin kidding me!'
"Well how bout that brat, doesn't that sound romantic?" She asked him, her grin and eyes full of death. He nodded nervously.
"Too many Icha-Icha books if you ask me." He said bravely.
"Good point." She replied, She decided to back off, her fun, his torture, finally over. "So...what do you think?" She asked.
"In all honesty, you freak me right the hell out, but if it makes Kakashi-sensei happy, then I'm happy. However," He started.
"However," Anko asked surprised.
"If you so much as hurt my sensei in any way," Naruto summoned a mass of clones filling her apartment, herself remaining unwavering, "I'll make you pay." Anko still stood there unnerved.
"You got it." She stated simply.
"Wait...what?" Naruto asked dumbfounded.
"I said you got it." He only stared at her in shock, "Come on brat, I'm not that cold hearted, besides," She began to blush, "I feel the same way, and even changed me a little." Naruto face-palmed again, he kinda felt stupid, but his 'threat', if you called it that, still stood.
"For some reason I find that hard to believe." Naruto stated walking towards the door.
"The truth can see farfetched at any point, but now...get the hell out of my apartment so I can sleep." She demanded.
"Gladly." He said as he exited the apartment and bounded off to the sleigh. Throughout this whole night, he had left the list in the sleigh, just to ensure he wouldn't lose it somewhere in another house, part of town, or even worse, another country. That'd suck big time.
He checked his list once more when he got back and found Hanabi's name with coal, just as he recalled, and Hinata's name circled in red with nothing listed by it. "There has to be something!" He cried as he searched the bag vigorously, even enough to turn the bag upside down and shake it violently.
"Come on, Come on!" He yelled but nothing came out, but wait...something did fall out. He studied it, 'A letter!' Of course addressed to the big man himself and underneath his name read, "From...Hinata." He said softly. He tore it open quickly and unfolded the letter.
He read, "Dear Santa, This...is going to sound like a really odd, but for this year, I've felt so distanced from the man I admire so much. I worry over him when he's away, always wondering when is the next time I'll see his handsome face again.
I've always felt this way, every time he goes on a mission, I wonder for his safety and whether or not he'll return. But I've always remained positive on his return. His name is Naruto Uzumaki. He's all I've ever dreamed of, the man I've grown to love so much. I've longed for the day to feel his warmth, his embrace, his kiss...his love.
This sounds so dumb of me, but, my only wish is to be with him, to walk with him hand in hand, to hold him close to me everyday. He means so much to me, and now that the war is over, I feel as if he doesn't even hold interest in me."
He stopped briefly, his eyes welling up with tears, and on the left side of the note, seemed to be a tear stain, "Was this tear drop...from her?"
He clenched his teeth together, and decided to finish the letter, "I can't help but love him so much, please help me make my wish come true. With most appreciation, Hinata Hyuga."
He sat in the sleigh and jerked the reins as they flew off and back onto Naruto's house. He jumped down, and slowly made his way through the door, his head hung down, the letter Hinata had written in his right hand. He shut the door, leaned against the wall, then slumped to the floor.
What had he done? From the letter, it seemed as if he had only caused her even more pain. He knew she told him that she loved him during the fight with Pain, but how he had never answered her, just made him feel so...horrible, possibly even worse than an Akatsuki.
Santa only smiled upon the boy, "Tomorrow is a new day boy, perhaps there is still a chance for her, to feel the gift...of joy?" He asked.
"But I...I don't deserve someone like her, not then...not now." He began to silently sob, "Maybe that's why...I never answered. Someone just gives me a gift for nothing, that's something I'm just not used to. Why would she do that? Why would she...love me?" She questioned.
"Everyone has their reasons, even I can't explain, but this season-" Santa stopped and then smiled, "try and see it her way. Perhaps even you could see why she loves you so, perhaps even share a special moment...without the mistle toe?" Naruto blushed. Santa Claus obviously feeling better, with a snap of his fingers, Naruto appeared back in his own outfit.
Naruto sat there wide-eyed on her letter, but then his frown turned into a smile, his cheeks began to burn red, and every moment he shared with her, flashed before his eyes. Her smile, her adorable laugh, her mesmerizing form...she was absolutely gorgeous. His final conclusion, he was in love! Just dumb enough to not realize it.
He began to smile as he came up with an idea. His clock reading Five A-M, he quickly went to his room, grabbed the little box that rested on his dresser, and slid it into his pocket and Hinata's letter into the other. He locked his house up, and raced to the Hyuga compound, annoyed that he had to sneak yet again. As he peaked his head over the walls, he scanned the area quickly, noticing that the sensor's were positioned all around area.
"Damn it all." So in his current path, six of em were stationed, the next idea was a long shot, he quickly summoned up a shadow clone, and voiced his idea to him, "Ok, follow the wall down and around the corner, once there, attract there attention in anyway you can. Think of something, anything I don't care what." His clone merely nodded and raced off around the corner wall.
The real Naruto leapt up and peaked his head over once more, constantly eyeing the adjacent wall. What happened next shocked him and made him slap his forehead. The clone had leapt up onto the wall, spun around, dropped his pants and boxers, and smacked his ass a few times. "Hey Guys! It's a full moon! Care to catch a glimpse?" The clone yelled.
To Naruto's dismay, the sensor's ran after him. "You've got to be kidding me." He mumbled but nonetheless it had worked. Naruto quickly ran through the courtyard and quietly slipped into the main house, and snuck back into the living room.
As his eye caught a glimpse of the beautiful Hinata still resting soundly on the couch, with a smile on her face and a tinge of red placed upon her cheeks. He mad a quick few signs, and summoned a clone then ordered it to henge into a large orange and black gift box, the clone snickered and did so.
Naruto attached a small tag to it saying, "Take this to your room, and open it there, you will find a great surprise once you're there. Signed, Naruto."
Naruto gave the sleeping Hyuga Heiress a good nudge as she soon sprang up in defense. "Huh?" She questioned, directly in front of her sit a large orange and black box. He could hear her through and began to snicker and blush at the same time. He silently and swiftly took off his jacket and shirt, initiating last minute portion to his ingenious plan.
"Take this to your room, and open it there, you will find a great surprise once you're there." She read silently aloud. Naruto felt himself rise off the ground and her commenting on it's weight. He could hear her footsteps travel down the hall. Now a problem began to arise, Hanabi had woken up and met her in the hallway, Naruto cursed and also forgot to give Hanabi her well earned lump of coal.
Now another one set foot, the lack of air and body odor began to surface. He choked and gagged quietly trying to keep his plan in motion. 'Crap.' he thought.
"Hmm? A cough?" She stated outside of the box.
'Shit she heard.' He thought, him starting to panic.
She seemed to run down the hallway, him bouncing in the box in such a goofy manner, the sounded of a door opening, and then closing; almost. She set the box down and he heard her take a few steps back, "Byakugan." She said softly.
'Shit, now or never!' He thought as he sprung out of the box with a gasp of air quickly following as he quickly caught the glimpse of Hinata's now tomato red face, her Byakugan deactivating quickly.
She eyed his bare, well toned chest as her eyes also traced the curves of his biceps. Naruto blushed, and leaned on the edge of the box. "Hey." He said low toned with a smile, and of course a red blush across his face.
Hinata remained wide eyed, "N-Naruto-kun! You-you shouldn't be here, if you're seen you'll-" She found herself being cut off.
"Let them, I came...to fulfill a wish." He said.
"Uh-A wish?" She asked nervously.
"Mmm-hmm." He noded, and then held up the letter, her letter. He read it to her willingly, his face smiling widely, blushing ever deeper.
"But how...how did you?"
"Long story," He replied as he climbed out of the box. She became hypnotized by sapphire pools. He then embraced her closely, "After reading that, I came to a conclusion Hinata-chan." She stared at him intently, eager to hear what he had to say, "I'm so sorry that it felt like I was ignoring your feelings. I was just never used to someone giving me something so precious so easily, I just didn't know what to do. During and after the war, I had thought about you, your words, and what they meant. They never left my mind, I was just so afraid that...maybe it was a lie. But, with that letter you wrote, I now know what you said was real. Spending time with you after the war had ended was some of the best times I ever had. I humbly wish for your forgiveness. He leaned back just a bit and stared into her luscious lavender pools, she couldn't help but shed tears of joy. Her smile she had graced him with, was heavenly.
"I could never be mad or hate you Naruto-kun." She said, which in turn made him smile.
"Thank you." He said softly before leaning in and kissing her softly. Her soft lips tasting ever so sweet to him. Her eyes remained wide open as he then released her. He stared lovingly into her eyes, "I love you Hinata-chan."
"Naruto-kun-" She stated before kissing him passionately. This time, it was his turn to be shocked as he soon pressed back. His tongue licking her bottom lip, demanding entrance to which she willingly granted. As their tongues battled furiously in her mouth, her arms embracing and drawing him closer. They soon had to break for air. "I love you too, Naruto-kun." She blushed furiously.
"I have to ask, how did you get that letter?" Hinata asked.
Naruto nervously scratched the back of his head, "This is gonna sound really odd but Santa paid me a visit, I thought he was the enemy, I jumped him, we both fell off my roof, he broke his arm, I had to play Santa Claus in his place." He laughed nervously, she then began to giggle uncontrollably.
"That's so cute, but it's hard to believe Naruto-kun." She said still giggling. He grabbed his shirt and jacket and slid them back on.
Upon telling her that story, someone poofed into Hinata's room, startling the both of them. Hinata quickly recognized the red suit with white fur lining as Santa himself, though he didn't look to jolly as the stories had portrayed him to be.
"You did a good job as me, but I hope last night's events instilled you with fear," Santa said a bit threatening staring down the blonde, "Merry Christmas pinhead, round two is next year." And with that he vanished in a white cloud of sparkles.
Naruto paled as Hinata looked at him in shock, "Told you." he mumbled, but for some reason, Naruto thought that Santa hadn't really injured himself at all, and instead planned this thing out from the beginning. But how...? Hinata interrupted his thoughts.
"I can't believe it...you took the role as Santa Claus?" She asked astonished.
"Yes and can we drop it, I just want to forget it right now." His face a bit pale. He immediately snapped himself out of his fear, and reached in his pocket and pulled out his initial gift.
"Here, this is for you." He said shyly. Naruto...shy? Hinata couldn't believe how shy he was acting, this was unlike him. Anyway, she slowly took the box from him, and slowly opened it up finding a golden necklace with a pendant attached to it. The pendant itself being his signature that he had grown accustomed to wearing, the red whirlpool.
"It happens to be the emblem for the Uzumaki clan." He said smiling, she looked at him astonished, blushing madly, and tears formed in her eyes.
"Will you put in on for me?" she asked. Naruto nodded and motioned for her to spin around, he couldn't help but eye her sleep wear, a gown that held her figure quite nicely. He reached over her shoulders, allowing the pendant to softly hit her chest, pulled the chain carefully around her neck as to not get caught in her hair, and then clasped it into its hoop. She walked over and look at her new gift in the mirror. She smiled happily, her mind screaming and jumping for joy.
"I've got a gift for you as well!" She said rather ecstatic. She turned around, opened her closet and handed him a thin but long box. He shook it trying to listen for anything, in other words trying to get an idea of what he got. "Open it."
He sat on her bed and tore the wrapping paper, and opened the box to find a long white, short sleeve jacket with orange flames on the tail, and underneath it, was a pair of black baggy pants. He quickly changed into it, Hinata almost fainting from the site of him in his boxers.
He stared at himself in the mirror, "This is awesome!" He cried and spun around quickly and hugged her tightly. "Thank you...Hinata-chan."
"Your very welcome Naruto-kun." She replied, as he kissed her softly.
"Merry Christmas Hinata-chan."
"Merry Christmas Naruto-kun."
"Say I have an idea, how about we go and have dinner at my place...and or get out of here before your dad finds out I broke into your home...twice."
"That would be a good idea." She couldn't agree more, and within her thoughts and unbeknownst to her as well, they silently thanked the one being that helped them get together.
Hinata ran in tow with Naruto, and in her mind she played the first few seconds of Victory Fanfare.
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Damn that was a long one. Well I hope you guys enjoyed it, and got a good laugh. The story was a bit rushed, and I know a bit long but hey the story takes place on Christmas eve night, of course it's going to be chalked full of detail. Anyway R&R and please no flames.
Also, so I said I wouldn't rhyme, oh well, probably won't do it again though. O.o Have a Merry Christmas all! Also I had to add the Victory Fanfare thing, just had to. Sorry if it killed it. I also shared some the same gift in this story as the second one I posted, I liked the idea that much.
