Four days till Christmas
"Why are we doing this again?"
"Because we're a family!" Deidara answered with a beam as Itachi set the automatic timer on his camera. "And this is what happy families do."
"But are the outfits really necessary?" Sasuke groaned as Naruto poked his felt reindeer nose with a mischievous grin.
"They're festive! I wanted you to buy you the angel costume anyway," Deidara sighed, recalling how Itachi had mercifully stepped in for his brother's sake.
They had cornered him as soon as he returned home that afternoon, Itachi smiling apologetically as Deidara forced the younger Uchiha into the novelty getup. Now he stood sullen beside the others in all their finery: Itachi dressed as Santa Clause, Deidara as Mrs Clause, and Naruto as a particularly adorable elf. He leaned over to give the blonde a discreet nudge, bringing a dazzling blushing smile to the other boy's face that Sasuke fought hard not to match with a kiss then and there.
Things between them had been better than Sasuke could have hoped. He liked Naruto not out of pity, and now that the blonde knew that they were both keen to act upon it. All Sasuke need do was make a subtle excuse for them and drag Naruto off somewhere out of sight, and no one was any the wiser of what they got up to.
Speaking of, Sasuke thought to himself…
He glanced over at Naruto to find him already looking back, cocking one eyebrow at the Uchiha as a silent suggestion.
"Everybody ready? Biggest smiles!" Deidara sang, and even Sasuke didn't have trouble following this command.
Three days till Christmas
"Back soon!" Itachi called behind them as he and Deidara went off to choose a tree. They had extended the offer to Naruto, who had said he'd sooner have a nap on the sofa, and Sasuke, who had brushed off the suggestion with some gripe about consumerism.
As soon they heard the door close they rounded on each other, turning off their phones so they wouldn't get bothered. Sasuke circled his arms around Naruto's waist, tugging off his shirt and pulling him close as their legs tangled together. For someone often so standoffish at first he was surprisingly tactile, a fact which Naruto delighted in as he felt Sasuke's lips hot against the nape of his neck, drawing a teasing finger down towards the waistband of his trousers. Naruto instead interlocked their fingers before Sasuke made it all the way, drawing his focus upwards once more as he nibbled playfully at his bottom lip.
Sasuke was brushing his fingers along Naruto's hipbones once more when they heard the doorbell chime downstairs, causing them to cast a frozen look at one another. They both launched into action at the exact same time, Sasuke fumbling for his shirt while Naruto tried to tidy his unruly spikes of hair.
As the first one ready he ran downstairs to get the door, only to find Ino, Sai and Sakura on the other side, Ino with one arm looped protectively around Sakura's waist,
"Naruto! Long time, eh? Mind if we stop by?" she grinned, but before Naruto could even offer an affirmative response the blonde was already leading the other two in past him. Sakura gave him a slightly weak smile as she past, clearly trying to put on a brave face. Naruto made a mental note to have a word with her later about that. After all, she'd been missing shifts left right and centre in the past week or so. No behaviour could be more out of character from the pink-haired girl he knew and loved. Before he could dwell on it much longer Sasuke was padding down into the café-
Right. Tea and coffee, Naruto thought as his mind raced through everyone's usual orders. Working in a coffee shop had its perks.
"I didn't realise we were expecting guests," Sasuke said somewhat shirtily, glancing from Naruto back to the trio. They got so little time completely to themselves without fear of discovery that the Uchiha couldn't help throwing a mini strop when that time was interrupted. Naruto was somewhat better at putting on a polite show.
"To what do we owe the pleasure?" he called over his shoulder with a smile.
"Well, Naruto, you see Sakura is due to be spending Christmas with Ino and myself, so when she told us she wanted to drop off her gifts for you all we simply had to pay you all a visit too," Sai answered placidly with his usual slightly lost smile.
"I did try calling ahead, but your phones were both switched off," Sakura added meekly, seeming a little confused.
Damn. Well, it couldn't be helped now, Sasuke thought. They wouldn't be around long, at least.
"Remind me again why they're staying over?" Sasuke asked, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration as he heard them all shrieking with laughter at Naruto's latest mime in charades.
"The more the merrier, my little reindeer~" Deidara cooed, sneaking a hug off him from behind and earning him a scowl. Itachi coughed, drawing back Sasuke's focus.
"We've bought enough food to feed practically fifty so they might as well join us for a short while over the next few days. And besides, we have enough blankets and bedding to go around.
Sasuke huffed in defeat, turning back to Deidara. "I thought you said Christmas was about family..." he muttered grumpily.
"And they're our extended family! It'll be fun, I promise," he declared confidently. Sasuke wasn't about to hold his breath.
Two days till Christmas
Stepping over the snuggle pile that Sai, Ino and Sakura had formed on the floor the next morning, Sasuke headed to answer the loud hammering on the door.
Please don't be more-
"Sasuke, my man-"
"UGGHH"
"Aww don't be a grump, Sasuke, you'll upset Karin," Suigetsu grinned evilly, gesturing to the redhead who flew across the threshold to pounce on the Uchiha in a boa constrictor hug,
"You're such a meanie, Sasuke! We came ALL this way to see you, Juugo swapped shifts especially," she babbled nuzzling into him as he grimaced. All the noise must have drawn the attention of the others upstairs.
"More guests! Do make yourselves at home!" Deidara called from the stairwell, well out of sight of the evil glares Sasuke was giving him.
Seeing this as the only invitation they needed the three of them wandered in, Juugo lugging their huge bags along in tow.
"Excellent!" Suigetsu clapped his hands in delight, "We'll go and unpack. We can bunk with you, Sasuke-"
"Like Hell you can!'
"OW, Juugo move over, you're hogging all the duvet!
"Think how I feel, Karin, I'm getting squashed over here!"
"Will you all just be quiet and let me sleep!" Sasuke snapped from behind his black silk eye mask, boxed in on either side by a chain of spoons he never asked to be involved in. There was only one person he had any interest in spooning and-
That's it.
Yanking himself out of the tangle of limbs and ignoring the whines of protest from his bedfellows, Sasuke retreated to the living room. There he found the three out for the count on the floor, and on the sofa-
"…Sasuke?" a whisper came through the darkness. So he was still awake after all, Sasuke thought triumphantly. He padded over to sit at the other end, Naruto shifting his feet out of the way to give him space.
"My room has been hijacked…" he muttered softly. It only took Naruto a minute to catch his drift. When he did his eyes widened, before lifting up the covers to allow Sasuke room to crawl in beside him.
They lay their facing each other for only a few seconds before they start kissing, Naruto's hands moving under Sasuke's shirt and tracing the muscles just below the surface of his soft, supple skin as Sasuke shivered in pleasure.
He lifted himself on top of him, knee brushing against Naruto's boxers during the move and causing Naruto to roll his hips to meet him in response, seeking that same friction once more. Sasuke obliged, palming him as the blonde tried his hardest to suppress the noises the feeling tried to draw from him.
The whimpers that did manage to escape sent Sasuke's desire into overdrive, muttering a series of half-whispered expletives as he reached a hand down underneath the fabric…
Only to be stopped by Naruto's hand gripping his wrist and stopping it with a halt.
Sasuke paused, looking down at him confusedly before shifting. Was this not what they both wanted?
"Sasuke, look-" Naruto begins, careful to keep his voice to a whisper, "I know you're impatient but… I'd prefer if we slowed things down a little..." he says gently, thumb brushing the Uchiha's collarbone as he carefully constructed his words.
"Are you… do you not want this?" Sasuke asked with a frown. His desire had always been insatiable. When he wanted something the pursuit could not wait, it needed to be available at the earliest convenience. He wasn't used to wanting things that didn't want him back, so this was unfamiliar territory for him.
Naruto however was quick to reassure him. "No, no I do I just…" he sighed, scooting out from under the blanket to sit up a little distance away, "I don't want this to burn out. I take this stuff seriously, I mean we don't even have a label for whatever this is," he explained nervously, trying to say it so Sasuke would understand.
There was a moment's silence before Sasuke spoke "Do we need to label it? Isn't it enough that we're two friends having fun in secret?" He asked softly as he mirrored his sitting position. This was exactly the wrong thing to say.
Naruto smiled sadly. "That may be enough for you, Sasuke. But it isn't enough for me.."
With that Naruto slipped back under the covers, turning over and settling down to sleep. Sasuke watched his back for a long moment, before placing a kiss on his head and heading back through the door.
If Itachi had any questions when he woke to find Sasuke curled up fast asleep at the end of his and Deidara's bed the next morning, he chose not to voice them.
One day till Christmas
Itachi observed Sasuke and Naruto quietly from the doorway as they each kept themselves busy in the kitchen, Sasuke cooking the savoury things, and Naruto working on the sweet stuff. He knew for a fact both boys were hopeless at the other one's job, so it was just as well they stuck to their own areas of expertise. The last time Sasuke had tried to bake it had nearly sent their family home up in smoke.
He couldn't help but feel a little pang of concern though. Perceptive as he was, Itachi had been the only one to recognise what had been going on between the boys the last few days. The little looks they exchanged, the half-hearted excuses to disappear for ten minutes at a time…
Itachi had been relieved to see them each happier for it, his baby brother more settled and content than he'd been in a long while.
That was before the encounter the night before.
The boys still communicated, chatting and laughing and sprinkling each other with icing sugar. But even so it was all so restrained, so measured, as if they had to filter any thought that came to mind before they said it.
Then there were the looks. Sasuke's eyes were on Naruto whenever he thought he wasn't looking, which was often. A look that spoke volumes of longing, like a child denied something he desperately craved.
He decided it was time to have a word, walking over to the blonde and resting a hand on his shoulder gently. "Naruto, Deidara tells me he wants to brief you on your 'Secret Christmas Mission'. He's just downstairs, so I can take over here if you like?" Naruto's face lights up at this cryptic invitation, nodding with a grin as he dashes downstairs to talk about god knows what. Itachi kindly focused on the mixing bowl in front of him, allowing Sasuke a moment to watch his back disappear out of sight.
A long silence stretched out between the two of them. But as Itachi had predicted, after a while Sasuke began glancing his way, mouth opening as he tried to choose his words carefully,
"... Itachi?"
"Yes, little brother?" He smiled back kindly.
"Can I ask you something about you and Deidara?" With Itachi's affirmative nod, he continued. "When Deidara wasn't available, but you had feelings for him, what did you do?" He asked, a glimpse of his younger self shining through this uncertainty.
Itachi sighed. This wasn't going to be what Sasuke wanted to hear. "All I could do was be a good friend to him, and be there for him in whatever way I could," he said honestly. Sasuke nodded, as if he'd assumed as much already.
"Thanks, Itachi."
"Not at all. Oh and Sasuke?"
"Hm?
"You've got icing sugar in your hair."
"Eagle Two, do you read me?"
"Copy that, Eagle One, loud and clear," Naruto spoke into his walkie talkie, fixing it to his waistband and nodding to Deidara across the street. With that signal they got to work, running and hopping over street furniture like agile cats, disguised by the darkness in their all-black attire.
Whenever they came up to someone asleep in doorways of begging for change, one of them would create a distraction while the other snuck a wrapped present next to their other belongings. Inside each of these was a care package, something that they had whipped up from leftover stock at the café and cheap supermarket essentials.
Once the gift had been planted they leapt off once again, continuing their mission until the sun began to rise on Christmas morning, at which point they ducked back in through the café doors and slipped back to bed without a sound.
When Deidara and Naruto would read the story that had made all the headlines a few days later about 'The Santa Clause Ninjas', they would act just as innocent and surprised as everyone else.
Secretly though, via their blonde telepathic link, they vowed to repeat the act the following year.
Christmas Day
"MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD MORNING!"
This was the first thing everyone in the apartment heard when they woke up, tinsel being flung left right and centre as Deidara danced through to the kitchen to make himself and Itachi a Baileys.
When he returned he found Itachi sitting up in bed with Deidara's stocking and his own that they had prepared each other, smiling up at him. "Merry Christmas, love."
Deidara beamed, setting down their drinks before leaping onto the bed to curl around the Uchiha, kissing him lovingly as Itachi's lips quirked into a smile against his own.
"Can we can we?" He urged in anticipation.
"Go on then," Itachi chuckled, handing Deidara his stocking which he delved into excitedly,
"Oh 'Tachi how well you know me!" Deidara squealed excitedly, pulling out a mountain of sweets and some very skimpy unmentionables in Itachi's size. He would have to give him a show later on.
Now it was Itachi's turn, reaching in to pull out…
"Oh, Dei…" he whispered, lifting it up to reveal a thick black book, inscribed with 'Memories' in italics.
Turning the pages Itachi first found photos of himself holding Sasuke as a baby- some in peaceful slumber, others wailing and crying.
Photos of Fugaku giving them piggybacks at their old holiday home.
A giant Uchiha family photo of him holding Shisui's hand on one side and Izumi's on the other.
Itachi's first day at big school in his oversized uniform that it took him years to grow into.
His first sleepover party, with a sleeping Sasuke clinging to Konan like a tiny koala.
A photo of his form tutor Minato grinning broadly as he handed Itachi the badge for Head Boy.
's first 'concert' in their backyard with only family members in the audience.
Hidan and Kakuzu laughing as they arm wrestled.
Itachi and Deidara's first unofficial date to go watch a Spy Kids movie, complete with the ticket stubs.
The two of them ice skating, looking shocked right before Tobi barrelled into them and knocked all three to the floor of the rink.
A picture Itachi had taken of the two of them tucked up in bed, where Deidara had kissed him right before the flash went off.
A photo of Itachi that Deidara had stealthily taken while he was asleep.
The whole gang helping to paint and decorate the café as it now looked.
Naruto joining them for a few weeks stay over Easter, that would become a few months, until it was unanimously agreed he should be a permanent resident.
Sakura waiting tables with a dazzling little smile, her hair much longer then so she looked very young.
And the most recent addition: the photo of the four of them all in costume, Sasuke back in the picture after years and smiling so genuinely that Itachi had to fight back his emotions.
He'd been so wrapped up in the present he had forgotten how long the silence was stretching on.
"Is that okay?" Deidara asked nervously as ran a hand through his long blonde hair. Itachi looked up, his mouth trying in vain to form coherent words.
"It's...wow, it's just…" instead he pulled Deidara into a vice-like hug, kissing him adoringly as he laced their fingers together. "It's perfect. You're perfect. Thank you."
The ten of them were just getting ready to sit down for dinner when the door went downstairs.
"I wonder who that could be," Deidara grins innocently, leaping to his feet and heading to let in his 'unexpected' visitors. Not few moments later the full lineup of were crammed around their table, serving themselves from the assorted dishes spread across the table. Sasuke sighed as Kakuzu berated Tobi for hoarding the parsnips. It wasn't even worth kicking up a fuss anymore.
After the table was cleared they settled into the living room, Deidara floating around dishing out presents to everyone. Sasuke got up to answer a light knock at the door, about to turn the visitor away before he saw who it was, at which point he broke into a beam.
"Uncle Madara! Thank God, finally someone else with some sense around here."
Madara chuckled, smiling charmingly down at the younger Uchiha and ruffling his hair, "I can't stick around long, I'm afraid, Sasuke. I'm just dropping off presents for you boys," he explained, handing Sasuke a stack of parcels wrapped in the prettiest paper.
Closing the door after saying their farewells, Sasuke heads back up the store.
"Who was that?" Itachi asked curiously.
"Uncle Madara, with lots of presents as always," Sasuke says brightly. Itachi didn't seem quite so excited, but nodded as he continued dishing out gifts.
Once everyone had a little pile in front of them, they began the unwrapping.
Among other things Sakura received a beautifully dainty set of necklace and earrings, which she put on immediately with a grateful smile. But it was Deidara who received more jewellery than the others combined, struggling to make up his mind over which choker to wear then and there. In the end he settled on wearing as much as humanly possible, till his neck was practically weighed down with the heft of so many assorted trinkets.
Itachi was one that people found notoriously difficult to buy for, but being Itachi he was pleased whatever he received. So he sat surrounded by books and several pairs of socks and grooming kits, thanking everyone very happily.
The various presents from Madara were eerily perfect, he thought as he toyed with a pretty little pendant of a birdcage. From Sasuke's noises of excitement across from him it seemed their unofficial uncle was as perceptive as he looked.
Naruto was given a mass of art supplies mainly, though one little rectangular box stood out. He recognised Sasuke's handwriting, unfastening the tape carefully so as not to tear the pretty metallic paper. Inside it was a little cubic light. His brow wrinkled a little in confusion, trying to work out what he was looking at. A night light, perhaps?
Sasuke huffed. "Okay, let me explain first. It's called a 'Happy Light' and it's meant to imitate the sun or something. It read somewhere that it's designed to boost your mood when the weather gets dark and gloomy."
Naruto took a while to find his voice to respond, swallowing down the knot in his throat as he reached over to squeeze Sasuke's hand. "Sasuke this is… thank you," he smiles, eyes tearing up as he gazes across at the Uchiha. Sasuke smiled back a little shyly, nodding as he relaxed his shoulders.
Sasuke received a mixture of jokey presents from the likes of Suigetsu and Tobi, to some nice clothing Neji had dropped around.
But one present in particular caught his eye. He tore open the brown paper to find a painting. In this portrait he immediately recognised his parents, as well as Itachi clinging to their father's leg. And there, nestled in his mother's arms, was a sleeping Sasuke. It was a perfect likeness of the whole family.
Sasuke stood, suddenly overwhelmed as he excused himself from the room. He felt the prick of tears coming on and he didn't want to be in the company of over a dozen people when they began. He escaped into the hallway, exhaling slowly as he tried to pull himself together.
God, Sasuke, get a grip.
"Sasuke?" He whirled around to see Naruto walking over to him slowly, looking crestfallen, "Listen, I'm really sorry if my gift upset you. I found the photo on Itachi's desk and I just thought-" but before he could say anything more Sasuke was kissing him. It was a very gentle display of gratitude. Nothing like the usual heated lapse in control.
When he pulled back, Naruto's eyes still closed as if savouring the feeling, he spoke quietly. "You have nothing to be sorry about. Thank you, Naruto. It's just beautiful," he said, sniffing back unshed tears with a smile.
Naruto smiled softly back, planting another chaste kiss on Sasuke's cheek before nodding back towards the living room.
As they reentered Itachi sent the boys both a worried look, but relaxed upon seeing their smiles.
Things could only get better, he hoped.
By the time the evening came around half those staying at the café were snoozing softly in their beds, and a drunken giggly concert seemed to have broken out in the kitchen among the few members of the band who were still conscious.
That was all except for Sakura and Naruto. Sasuke had conked out on the sofa a few hours ago so Naruto had tucked him in and left him in peace, beckoning Sakura to join him somewhere a bit quieter. Now they sat draped across one another on the plush seating downstairs, getting ready to fall asleep.
"Sakura?"
"Mm?" She mumbled back.
"Are you okay?" This caused Sakura to sit up and give him a look, but Naruto continued. "I mean it, are you okay? I've been worried about you these last few weeks. You know you can tell me anything, right?"
Sakura lay back down silently, frown deepening as if deciding how best to respond.
Naruto was just beginning to think she might have fallen asleep when he heard whispered words through the darkness. "Naruto… if I tell you can you promise to keep in a secret."
"A secret?" Naruto frowned.
"Nobody needs to know, okay? I'm…" she paused, before sighing, "I'm handling it. In the New Year it'll all be sorted."
Naruto was quiet for a moment before replying. "You have my word. Lips sealed," he said, looping an arm around her in a comforting hug as he waited.
Sakura exhaled, closing her eyes as she tried to summon up her nerve.
Just say the word.
"Naruto, I'm…"
Say it!
"I'm pregnant."
MERRY CHRISTMAS, MY DARLINGS! This extra long chapter is my present to you all, and a thank you for your continued readership. It gives me endless joy to know that you lots are enjoying my work as much I'm enjoying writing it, and it makes me that much more eager to keep the updates coming and the story rolling along!
I hope the New Year brings much happiness and many exciting opportunities for you all, till then, my loves! :D
