Pareidolia

Omake

Christmas celebrations

"Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart."

― Washington Irving

"So… why are we renting this place for several days again?"

"Did you get everything at the market, Tayuya?"

"Oy, Bimbo, I asked you a damn question!"

"Isn't it obvious?" Temari frowned. The civilian village was close to the Fire Temple, and a perfect place for what Temari had in mind. Namely, she wished to observe a holiday that was not celebrated among the monks. Yo not insult them any further than Tayuya already did (on a daily basis), Temari had decided to take a break in training and to rent a small lodging in town.

"Candles, booze, decorative shit, and… wait, I think I heard of this before," Tayuya mused. She now saw the little tree that Temari had dragged into their temporary 'home'.

"Eh?" the discussion went completely over Genkuro's head. Temari said: buy this, so he had done as commanded. Or at least, he helped Tayuya buy everything on the list. Still, he had no clue what this was about. Why would anyone drag a tree indoors, and a tiny one at that? Not to mention that the entire premise of candles had been lost on him. No matter how Tayuya tried to tell him that they were meant to slowly burn and give light, the darned things just seemed so utterly redundant to Genkuro.

"You're getting your air-headed ass in line and follow me," Tayuya snapped. "We'll need food if we want to do this properly, right?"

The blonde kunoichi smiled and nodded, giving Genkuro the little push he needed to get outside and follow their rambunctious red-haired friend. 'She'll probably outdo herself again. I still can't understand how someone so completely rude and uncivilized can be such an excellent chef. Her talent for cooking isn't something she could've cultivated while serving Orochimaru either. It must be a gift from the gods…'

"What is this?"

"I tried to tell you," Temari sighed. "Just light the candles. Nothing more."

Genkuro shrugged, and lifted his arms.

"No! Only the candles!" Temari exclaimed. "Only light the candles, don't burn down the tree!"

"She just spent an hour decorating the bloody thing, ya retard!" Tayuya chimed in, slapping him on the back of his head.

"But why?"

"We're going to celebrate Christmas, idiot!"

"Tayuya is right," Temari nodded, when he looked at her in a state of utter confusion.

"What is thirst-miss?" he blinked, which was a rather peculiar sight with the flaming orbs which acted as his eyes.

"Christmas," Tayuya grunted. "The day of the year when we celebrate that some bloke was born a long time ago, by indulging ourselves in presents and food. We decorate our houses with all kinds of pointless shit, compete with neighbors regarding who has the most of that pointless shit outdoors, and sing all kinds of crappy songs. Can't say I ever celebrated it in my life, but it sounds like fun."

"You really make it sound like fun, right," Temari deadpanned. "Can't you be a little bit more respectful on days like these?"

"What? I didn't say the pointless materialistic crap wasn't fun. I rather enjoy all the little lights. It's very cozy. And the foods… hell, I always wanted to eat a Christmas dinner!" Tayuya smiled fondly of the memory ofthe one time she had been tasked with an assassination, and had taken the time to enjoy the victim's Christmas dinner after she killed him. The red blood had barely been visible on top of his red clothes. Although, the white beard was rather stained by it, not that Tayuya could care. For some reason Orochimaru had disliked the chubby bearded fellow, ranting something about coal. 'I still don't have a goddamn clue why he hated coal that much. He hated it even more than those cheerful songs…'

"Christmas isn't just about gifts or decorations," Temari sighed. "It is the feeling! The decorations, the scents and fragrances, the foods- the entire atmosphere breathes something that is out of this world," she almost seemed dreamingly, drifting away in the sparse memories she had from when her mother was still alive, and her family had still been functional. Perhaps she had been too young to realize how dysfunctional it was. Or it was before Gaara had lost his sanity – Sabaku Kyu on a Christmas tree was not a very pretty sight – and her father had been a totally emotionless douchebag.

No, in the days before that, Temari remembered, she and Kankuro had been singing songs with their mother. Her mother had spent hours and hours, it had seemed so long for the impatient child, in the kitchen. Then she brought it all to the table, the most delicious feast Temari could remember. Gifts, happiness, foods- it was a warm feeling, and most likely the best memory she had of her family.

Of course, Genkuro didn't understand any of her motivations. "Food" was another in instance where he had trouble seeing the point. Absorbing energy by torching something to the ground was far more efficient, and gave much less of a mess as well.

"Listen, I can give you all of the religious reasons, but if I had to do that, we'd be stuck here for months. Just understand that these days are about families being happy together, where we celebrate our humanity, our humble and great hearts. It is about peace, about loving everyone, especially those closest to you."

"Okay!" Genkuro smiled widely, and with a flick of his fingers the candles were lit. "But what is love?"

'Family? Warmth? Kindness?' Tayuya was left a little downcast by the explanation. Genkuro rummaged around, helping a busy Temari (who was especially busy at ignoring his previous question). Tayuya was left alone, absentmindedly preparing dinner. She suddenly realized she was humming the songs she had heard, all those years ago. In the one day of Christmas she had experienced in her life. 'Why would I remember those songs? It's kinda creepy, I only heard those darn things once. Why can I suddenly remember them when Bimbo is decorating the place?'

It wasn't long before Temari dragged her from the kitchen, and ordered her to change her clothes into something more appropriate for these days. A red top and red (mini-)skirt, both with white fur-like edges, was not what Tayuya would have called 'appropriate' though. Considering that it was Temari who had bought it, it was also completely unexpected as well. Usually Tayuya was the brash one, while Temari kept things at least a little civil. 'Ah well, at least Genkuro doesn't understand any of this, so who gives a damn?'

However, it didn't take long for Tayuya to change her mind. Temari had bought a top which was aimed for someone less gifted in the 'chest' department. In other words: Tayuya felt like her boobs were pushed up, bulging out of the narrow top. 'If this doesn't get the message across to that numbskull,' the redhead reconsidered, realizing the potential benefit of showing some cleavage. Even though it was less comfortable than her usual shinobi gear. Then again, she wouldn't have to do any combat in these clothes.

Getting back into the living room, Tayuya felt some feminine pride when she noticed that Temari's top wasn't half as tight as hers. Her mood soured a little when she saw that the mini-skirt had a far better effect on Temari, thought. The blonde's long gorgeous legs were shown off perfectly in this skimpy mode of dress. The red high-heeled boots made her even more attractive; Tayuya couldn't help but feel a little envy. 'Damn, why couldn't I have such legs and hips, rather than this stubby short figure?'

"You look beautiful," Temari surprised her friend with a genuine smile.

"T-thanks. You too," Tayuya couldn't help but blush a little. Getting compliments for her looks wasn't something she was used to- at all. It got even worse when Genkuro stepped into the room. It had taken Temari quite some time to persuade him, but she had managed it. He wore his usual white pants, but rather than being bare-chested like usual, he now wore a white short-sleeved haori. It was enough to make him look like a civilized human being, but not so much clothing that Genkuro felt smothered.

His unusual elegant style of clothing made Tayuya all the more bashful. 'This isn't me. I don't belong in this kind of shit at all. I'm a criminal. A murderer. How the fuck am I supposed to celebrate something like this? I can't be that much of a hypocrite, can I?'

"Right," Temari, oblivious to the girl's worries, smiled fondly. "I've been looking forward to this for quite some time now. I've not celebrated this properly for at least a decade."

"This Mistcras thing?" Genkuro guessed.

"Christmas," Temari corrected him. "We might be an unusual band of misfits, but at least we're celebrating this together. Tayuya, don't just stand there, get a move on. You're our chef, so serve dinner already!"

She was still in a state of mild disbelief. They had finished dinner, one where even Genkuro had complimented her for how well it tasted, and they were merrily talking to each other. 'It is almost as if we are normal human beings. Not hunted. Not broken, burdened by cursed seals. Not undead, or whatever the fuck he is. It just feels so… as if I don't have any concern in the world, this night.'

"-yuya?"

"Eh?"

"Oh, so you're still awake?" Temari gave her a nudge. "You were staring. Everything okay?"

"Y-yeah, it's just… this all, it is weird."

"Yup."

"Shut up, Genkuro," Temari teasingly slapped him on the head. "What do you mean, weird?"

"Well… us celebrating this, almost as if we are free of any concerns. It is weird. Makes me feel weird," Tayuya admitted. "It is warm. Happy. And I don't even know…"

"Because we are family," Genkuro nodded seriously. Even though he barely had a good understanding of the word. "You said Christmas is about presents?" Tayuya nodded at his question. "Then you both being happy is enough of a present to me."

"Don't be so cheesy," Temari laughed. "You don't even know what-"

"This is you," he grabbed her by her shoulder. Temari felt a strange rush of emotions. A sort of contagious happiness that made her… "This is you," Genkuro repeated. This was how she felt, in his eyes at least. "And this is Tayuya," his other hand rested on the red haired girl's shoulder. It was a bittersweet sensation, a confusing mixture or sorrow and happiness, of elation and doubt. It almost moved Temari to tears when she realized that Tayuya felt like this. Almost, because she felt the deep shimmering hope in the girl's heart, for a better future. Together.

"This is what it means to be family, right?" Genkuro added his own happiness (although Temari noticed he still had no idea what this entire festivity meant) to the fray. "It doesn't matter where we come from, or where we are going, but this moment is perfect, so why not enjoy it as such?"

Both girls were speechless at his declaration, enough for him to drag them both in a hug. Being the first to recover her composure, Temari squeezed Tayuya's arm a little, before hugging the two of them herself as well. "You can be such a baka at times, and still end up surprising me with such wisdom. I guess you're not as much of a knucklehead as I thought you were."

"He's definitely cunning alright," Tayuya suddenly started to laugh nervously. Although, being the shortest of the three, her laughter was a bit smothered by being pressed against the others.

At first, Temari didn't know what her friend was talking about. Until she saw her pointing up.

"Mistletoe?" Temari mumbled, growing red as a tomato.

Confused, Genkuro wondered why the two suddenly broke the hug. Both sporting a similar crimson shade of blush, and a similar bashful posture. "What?" he blinked, not understanding what suddenly had troubled the two.

"B-baka!" both exclaimed at the same time, too embarrassed to explain him what he had done wrong this time.

"What?"

"Presents!" Temari changed the subject, her blushing so bright she radiated almost more than the slowly burning candles. "Presents!" Tayuya agreed, donning a similar hue. Leaving Genkuro to look at the mistletoe as if it was some kind of hostile shinobi.

In a not too distant brothel, a certain white-haired man was shaken from his nostalgic musing. 'Unless my ero-senses are completely scrambled, I'm definitely missing out on some excellent writing material,' was what he thought, before returning to his annual ponderings about a certain blonde woman who always kept rejecting him. Christmas made him long for the family he never got to have.

"Hello sweetie, what are you doing here all alone?"

Until a civilian woman approached him. While not blessed as much with curves as the woman he actually loved, Jiraiya couldn't help but grin back at the brunette. "You know the reason why Santa is so jolly?"

"No?" the woman was taken aback a little, though it didn't stop her from leaning a bit closer to the tall and strong man she had been looking at for most of the evening, until her sake had banished her doubts.

"It is because he knows where all the bad girls live…"

Author's notes:

Worst. Pickup line. Ever. xD

I'm sorry for not being able to present you with a proper chapter. I spent quite a bit of time on revamping the timeline, as the upcoming chapters are a bit delicate and I therefore deserve some more time to prepare things properly. I promise, it'll be the first thing I publish in the next year. Until then, I hope you've enjoyed this omake. Illuminated and I wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

-Z-