CHRISTMAS LISTS FOR DUMMIES: A GUIDE TO GIVING THE PERFECT GIFT
AUTHOR: fantasylover12001
RATING: T/PG-13
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto
SUMMARY: Naruto has always prided himself on being the best gift giver but this Christmas he hits a serious speed bump when trying to figure out a gift for his best friend (and secret crush) Sasuke. Will he find the perfect gift in time? Or will he learn that the best gifts aren't always necessarily wrapped?
AUTHOR NOTES: I'm sorry for the slight delay. I had three projects due this past week and a half so I was a bit too busy to write any fics. But on the bright side, that means you get two updates this week! This update, and another Sunday so I don't fall behind (I plan on completely finishing this by Christmas week). On with the fic:
CHAPTER 4: STEP 5-WHEN TOTALLY STUCK, ASK A FRIEND
Tip: There is no shame in asking for help. Another point of view can often help in gift-giving.
Naruto admitted that he wasn't the most brilliant of thinkers. Most of his plans during battles were spontaneous bursts of brilliance coming to him at the drop of a hat. He worked hard when he needed to but he was hardly a genius like Sasuke. Especially when it came to things like emotions.
To him, emotions were the most complex thing in the world. Battling shinobi? No problem. Army of armed bandits? Peace of cake. Figuring out his feelings however was perplexing and often exasperating. Especially when it came to his feelings towards Sasuke. So he didn't bother trying to figure them out on his own. When he felt confused and wasn't sure what to do about a situation he went to someone he saw as much wiser about these things.
He went to Sakura.
So immediately after an uncomfortable week leading Gaara and Temari back to Konoha Naruto automatically headed in the direction of the hospital where Sakura was sure to be working when the group entered the village.
"Where are you going, Dobe?" Sasuke asked, looking at him in confusion as he headed in the direction opposite of the Hokage's office.
"I need to talk to Sakura. I'll catch up with you guys later," he answered stiffly. After the slight argument (he guessed it counted as an argument. There was yelling) he and Sasuke had the two had been avoiding eye contact and each other as much as they could get away with. Well, Sasuke had anyway. Not sure about what he wanted to say, Naruto decided to do the same.
The blonde tried not to cringe when dark eyes narrowed at him. "It'll have to wait. We're to report into the Hokage immediately after we arrive. You know that."
Naruto sighed and for once didn't bother arguing. He knew it would be useless anyway. Sasuke was a very thorough ninja. He believed in following procedure almost rigidly unless something came up. It frustrated the spontaneous blonde to no end sometimes when they had been put on missions together the past few times before.
'Oh well, it's not like I can't catch Sakura on the way back' he thought as he thought in resignation as he followed the group to the Hokage's office. 'Besides, I owe Tsunade-baba a tongue-lashing for sending me on this mission in the first place.'
SasuNaruSasuNaru
Sakura was a bit surprised when she walked out the hospital and saw Naruto outside waiting for her. For one thing, she hadn't been expecting him to be waiting for her and for another he usually hated the hospital, saying it smelled funky and a bunch of other reasons that he once listed but she had tuned out after the first five or so.
"Naruto! Survived Sasuke I see," she said with a grin. She clearly remembered the blonde's state before he left. He had alternated between mild panic at the thought of being alone with the stoic ninja for the first time since he'd gotten back and angry ranting at Tsunade for putting him in the situation in the first place. It had finally taken both her and Lee and a few bowls of ramen to calm him down and see that it might not be so bad.
"Barely," Naruto muttered.
She looked at him closely and frowned. "What happened?"
"Well nothing really. Sasuke was just being his normally complicated self."
Sakura sighed. "Come on. Lets get something to eat. You can tell me what happened over dinner."
Naruto perked up. "Ramen?"
The pink haired girl sighed. "There ARE other kinds of foods you know, Naruto."
"But Sakura!" he whined. "I haven't had ramen in almost two weeks! Plus, I've had to put up with Sasuke's attitude all by myself! I deserve ramen!"
Sakura shook her head. 'I swear he'll never change.' "All right, ramen it is."
SasuNaruSasuNaru
A few bowls later and several village gossip stories later Sakura finally got Naruto to tell her about what happened. As he explained she couldn't help but shake her head at the stupidity of the two boys.
"Naruto, of course Sasuke doesn't care about the demon fox! Really, I thought you knew him better then that. No wonder he was offended."
The blonde shrugged sheepishly. "Well, what was I supposed to think? He's been avoiding me ever since Orochimaru and Itachi were defeated. Even before that when he came back he would barely look at me in the eye!"
"That doesn't necessarily mean anything Naruto. He could still be feeling guilty about your fight when he left."
Naruto frowned. "Huh? That? I told him to forget about it when he returned. I got over it."
' Men.' Sakura thought in annoyance. "Naruto, just because YOU'VE forgotten about it, doesn't mean HE has. Just telling him to forget about it doesn't solve anything."
"So he's avoiding me because he feels guilty?" Naruto said slowly.
Sakura shrugged. "Maybe." 'Or maybe because he's terrified of what you make him feel' Unlike everyone else, she hadn't missed the looks Sasuke had been sending Naruto when the blonde's back was turned and he thought no one was looking.
"But that's so stupid!" Naruto burst out in frustration causing a few of the restaurants customers to lift their heads and glare at the loud ninja for disturbing them.
Sakura sighed. "Probably."
Naruto frowned and looked down at his empty ramen bowl. Then he suddenly grinned. "Well, I'll just have to get him a gift that will show him there's nothing to feel guilty about!" Then he frowned again. "Of course that's easier said then done."
The girl blinked at him in surprise. "Naruto, you still haven't found him a gift? You only have one week left!"
"I know!" the blonde said miserably. Then he looked at the girl. "You finally figured out what to get him?"
"Um...yeah. I found a business that sells personalized weapon service kits and ordered one that is blue with Sasuke's name on."
"He'll like that," Naruto said with a small smile. Inside he was kicking himself for not thinking of it.
"I'm sure Sasuke will like whatever you get him," Sakura said.
"Yeah," he muttered. 'But I want my gift to MEAN something to him! I don't want it to just be any old thing that he'll use like once and then put it aside and forget he owns it.'
As the two paid for their meal and walked outside they saw that it had started to snow while they were inside. Naruto couldn't help but smile at the sight, suddenly feeling a little better. 'Now Temari can finally see snow' he thought, pleased.
"Sasuke's not going to be happy about this," Sakura muttered quietly looking up at the falling snowflakes.
"Huh?" Naruto looked at her in confusion. "How can he not be happy about snow?"
"He hates the cold. Snow always makes it colder."
"Since when did he not like the cold?" Naruto asked in surprise. He'd never noticed that!
Sakura shook her head. "Naruto, he's always hated it. He's just not overly vocal about it. Didn't he ever tell you?"
Naruto didn't answer her though. When she looked at him she saw he was grinning like mad all of a sudden. 'What's up with him?' she thought.
"Naruto are you all right?" she asked worriedly.
"Sakura, you are a genius!" he burst out and spun her around suddenly.
"Huh?" she asked in confusion as he set her down and rushed off. "Where are you going?"
"To Iruka-sensei's place! See you later!" he called back.
'Well, I can't deny that I'm brilliant, but what was that all about?' she thought as she stared after him.
SasuNaruSasuNaru
Iruka Umino was very tired. He'd finally been able to dismiss his class for winter break. He wasn't sure who'd been looking forward to the vacation more: him or his students. Normally he loved his job, but sometimes (particularly during the holidays) the adolescents could be very trying.
Then when he came home Kakashi had been there waiting and in a very horny mood due to reading Icha Icha Paridise. Not that he minded that so much but the Jounin tended to get very exhausting when he was in a horny mood. This was why he was currently nestled under the covers and his head burrowed in between Kakashi's shoulder blades even though it was only eight.
It was also why murderous thoughts ran through his head when the doorbell rang. He groaned softly and tried to ignore it by burrowing closer into Kakashi's warmth. But apparently the person wasn't giving up and insisted on banging on his door loudly along with ringing the doorbell.
'It's probably Naruto' the Chuunin thought dimly, remembering that the ninja was due back in the village today. 'He'll start to sneak in if I don't let him in. Especially if it's something important.' Judging from the urgency of the knocks, the blonde felt it was important.
He finally sighed and got up. As he pulled on his clothes he looked down at Kakashi and shook his head at his lover. 'How on earth can he sleep through that? I thought Jounin were supposed to be light sleepers?'
Iruka slowly made his way to the door and opened the door to reveal Naruto who burst out, "It's about time!"
"Naruto," Iruka replied. Not even raising an eyebrow. "Is there a problem?"
"I need your help," then he noticed Iruka's loose hair and slightly rumpled appearance and wrinkled his nose. "I didn't interrupt anything did I?"
"Kakashi and I were TRYING to sleep," Iruka said bluntly.
"Oh. Sorry, but this is urgent!"
"What do you need help with Naruto?"
Naruto hesitated and looked around. Iruka sighed and let the blonde in.
"You know how to knit right?"
The teacher blinked. Out of all the things the ninja could've asked THAT was the last thing he'd been expecting. "Yes. Just the basics though. Why?"
Naruto hesitated again and then said, "I need you to help me make a scarf."
"A scarf?"
The blonde nodded. "I need to make one by Christmas."
Iruka stared. "May I ask why you need to make a scarf by Christmas?"
A slight blush made it's way to Naruto's cheeks. "It's for Sasuke."
"Ah." 'That explains it' Then he frowned. "You're going to have to spend a lot of time on this, Naruto, especially if you want it done by Christmas."
"I know. I'll get it done."
Iruka couldn't help but smile at the familiar determination that flashed through his eyes. "All right then. Let's get started."
Iruka mentally apologized to his lover for the less time they were going to be spending together that week as Naruto hugged him gleefully.
AUTHOR NOTES: Okay, I have no idea how long it takes to knit a scarf as I have never knitted before in my life (no patience for it) but I'm figuring if you spend all your free time on it you can get it done in a week since scarfs aren't as big as say an afghan. Of course it's finding that free time that is probably the most difficult thing...;grumbles incoherently about evil teachers;