A SILVER CAROL.
Naruto slowly tugged at the white rose, carefully avoiding the sharp thorns as he plucked the delicate flower from its stem.
Then, the blond slowly set the flower down onto his basket, filling the last hole in between the many roses he had picked. After looking over the white dome of petals and making sure that it was perfect, Naruto stood up, dusting dirt off his orange jumper.
Strolling slowly and silent towards his destination, Naruto found himself rounding a bend of a cliff overlooking the bustling city below.
The lights was vivid, like random, chaotic splashes of paint onto a dark canvas. The moon was shining with a glistening charm, smiling down onto the merry people of Konoha below.
A large tree, triangular in nature, stood in the centre of the blinking neon lights, towering above a swirling mass of flapping shirts and skirts. The faint sounds of happy chatter, of easy banter floated on the cooling breeze, drifting across all of Fire Country.
It was Christmas.
Naruto gave a sad chuckle as he stared at the colourful sight before him. They were so happy, the air filled with drunken joy as they partied away into the cheery night.
It was always like that. When he was there, a dark, forbidding pall was cast upon them. Yet, when he was absent, they were carefree. Their hearts were lighter as they, for a short moment, forgot their losses.
They hated him. He did not blame them, for they had lost many in that war. Naruto did not blame them for hating him. After all, keeping all that hate in oneself was destructive.
A ghostly image of Sasuke flashed through his mind.
Closely his eyes, the blond slowly turned around and shuffled off.
If they need someone to hate, to put the blame on, to make the suffering easier for them. . .
. . .he would take that role.
After all, he's the "damned fox" wasn't he?
He had sins to atone for.
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Notes: A short drabble. May have a longer second chapter, when I get round to writing that. For now, I have to concentrate on my other fic, Acceptance.
Merry Christmas, all.