Just a note: I decided to have a time jump to get this story on our world's time line. I mean I could write a chapter a two to fill in the time, but who wants to even think about Christmas in January? So... Think of it as a month or two passing by with peace and nothing interesting happening.

Maa… I'm late… Does anyone care? (Looks around) I don't see a mob…

Chapter 10: Christmas in Konoha

Everyone had their own rituals. For some people it was the order they ate dinner (first the dessert, then the meat, then the rice, then "Mommy, I can't eat the veggies, I'm full"), for others it was the habitual search for company ("Heh heh. Can I watch? It's for reasearch..." SMACK!), while for Kakashi it was the regular trail of keeping his charges out of trouble. Really, it wasn't so hard now that Kajika had calmed down a bit (seeing Naruto every day wasn't that big anymore, that realization had only come after a month and a half), but then...

"Minna-san!" Kakashi said raising his voice a bit and waving his hands in a soothing fashion. "Minna-san! Settle, settle!"

Everyone ignored him. He blinked, realizing that this was what the invisible man must have felt like. Everyone just going on doing their own business, drinking tea, eating these strange looking star and tree shaped, frosted biscuits, talking about some sort of party or celebration that was coming up... Wait. Party?

Kakashi pulled his monthly planner out of his pocket and flipped through the pages until he got to December, scanning the page thoughtfully. It was a week until New Years... Konoha had followed the way of the rest of the modern world several years ago, adopting the day January first as New Year's Day. New Year's was always a big celebration, but it was a little yearly to be this excited about it.

He shut the planner, sticking it back into his pocket. Must be someone's birthday coming up. He frowned, that was no excuse for them to ignore him. "Minna-san!" he called again. This time Mitsuki glanced at him briefly before going back to listen to whatever Sakura and Naruto were cheerfully talking about. Time for another tactic. Determining the source of most of the noise, he teleported into the center of the group and covered Naruto's and Kajika's mouths, silencing the two. "Lunch break's over."

Sakura, Naruto and Kajika groaned and flopped over while even Sasuke looked disappointed. "Ano... Kakashi-san," Mitsuki said softly. "Maybe you could give them the rest of the day off?"

Kakashi blinked. "Why?"

"Just give 'em the day off baba!" Kajika shouted, jumping up to hit Kakashi on the head.

Kakashi easily dodged the blow, tripping the fox as she landed and sending her sprawling. "Is something going on?" he asked, looking from one hopeful face to the next.

"Tomorrow's Christmas Eve!" Sakura blurted out, her eyes filling with stars. "A night of romance and snow on the ground..."

Kakashi glanced up at the sky. "I don't think it's going to snow by tomorrow, Sakura-chan."

Sakura blushed. "You know what I mean! It's a night to be with the one you love..."

Sasuke humphed, turning so he couldn't see Sakura's hopeful looks. "I need to barricade my house."

"I need (glance at Sakura) to do (glance at Sakura) something... (glance at Sakura) ... Something important! (Glare at Sasuke) You won't win Sasuke!"

"I need to set traps!" Kajika shouted, pumping her fist into the air.

Kakashi stared at her blankly. "Why?"

She lowered her head, a scary look in her eyes. "Santa Claus is coming to town..."

"And I need to go shopping," Mitsuki said raising her hand slightly. "If you like, you can tell me who you give Christmas cakes to and I'll buy them for you Kakashi-san."

Kakashi blinked, crossing his arms. "Christmas cakes?"

Sakura began to look hysterical. "He doesn't know what a Christmas cake is!? Kami, he won't give us the day off then! My Christmas Eve will be ruined!"

Sasuke turned more so he couldn't see Sakura's pleading look. "I really need to barricade my house."

Faced with five pleading faces Kakashi bowed his head and sighed. "Double training the day after tomorrow."

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura and Naruto gasped, looking horrified. "That's Christmas Day!"

"Maa... you want three days off now?"

"Two and a half!"

"Fine, fine, get out of here," Kakashi said after a moment. He mentally shrugged as Naruto ran off, a maniac grin on his face. He'd give them hell later.

"So... what's your plans for tomorrow, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked, grinning at her true love.

Damn, Sasuke thought to himself. Sakura had gotten up first, that meant it would be harder to get ahead and lose her. Plus he couldn't tell her that he was going to lock himself into his own home, that would just make her want to come over and 'save' him. "... I-"

"Sasuke-kun," Mitsuki said, interrupting the boy. She smiled down at him. "Would you mind helping me with groceries?" she asked, packing away the leftovers from today's lunch.

"Whatever," Sasuke sighed, thankful for the interruption. If he'd had kept on talking he probably would have come up with some sort of lame excuse like he and Itachi had made up and were spending the holiday together... He shuddered at the mere thought of it.

"Ano... Do you need my help too?" Sakura asked, glaring at Mitsuki and yet smiling at her. That bitch had just wrecked her plan to get some time alone with Sasuke!

"No!" Kajika shouted, grabbing Sakura on the arm and looking deeply into her eyes. "I need you!"

"Eh!?"

"You're the virgin sacrifice I need to capture Santa Claus! You'll sit and sing and then Santa will come in, lay his head down on your lap and I'll cut off his magical horn!"

Everyone stared at her.

"What?"

"Santa doesn't have a horn. And that's how you capture a unicorn," Mitsuki said staring at the girl.

Kajika looked thoughtful for a moment. "Unicorn, shmuricon. Let's go Sakura-chan!!" In a flash and a puff of smoke, Kajika dragged a protesting Sakura off towards the looming gates of Konoha.

Sasuke blinked for a moment. "You know... I'm almost grateful..."

Mitsuki smiled at the younger boy. "Come on Sasuke-kun, we better get to the stores before they all close."

Sasuke nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets and following Mitsuki down the hill. After a moment's hesitation, Kakashi pulled out his book and followed. Hmm... Christmas Cake...

-

-

Kakashi had always thought hell would be a bit like the time he'd been trapped by Obito's shangrian eye. The endless pain, the feeling of helplessness and shame… Oh how wrong he was… This, this was hell.

Just to his left a girl squealed, gazing up at him wide blue eyes. "Oooohhhhh! It's Kakashi-sama and Sasuke-kun! Oh you two look so cute shopping together!"

Kakashi and Sasuke exchanged glances before looking in the direction where Mitsuki had vanished to. She was coming back for them… right? "Ano sa… Yes, Sasuke and I are helping with a little last minute Christmas shopping," Kakashi said smiling down at the woman. "We're just waiting for a friend to get back."

The woman smiled slyly at them, pursing her lips in what may have been a cute gesture. "So, what did you get your girlfriends?"

Sasuke and Kakashi exchanged looks again. This was a dangerous question. Especially since other girls had heard and were slowly circling in for the kill. "We're ah… not exchanging gifts this year?"

The group of girls that had gathered blinked at Kakashi, staring hard at the silver haired jounin. "WHAT!?" they suddenly shrieked together, looking shocked. "Not exchanging gifts!? Who came up with that stupid idea!?"

"I'll be over here," Sasuke said quietly, turning and leaving.

Kakashi blinked and glared at where his student had been. So, someone wanted more lessons about the importance of not deserting a teammate in distress, huh? "Me?"

The girls all glared at him except for one that began to laugh. "Oh, I get it!" she giggled, batting her eyes at the taller man. "You were just pulling our leg, Kakashi-sama! No girl would ever agree to not exchange gifts at Christmas time. You don't really have a girlfriend now do you?"

The other girls seemed to accept this, coming closer. Without looking Kakashi knew he was now surrounded. He mentally sighed. If he managed to escape without a marriage proposal from someone he'd count himself lucky. "Well, I-"

"CLAUSZILLA!!" a familiar high pitched voice shrieked as a small form barreled into him.

Kakashi glanced down, looking into green eyes. Kajika. Only the fox would go around screaming and have such deep forest green eyes. "Kajika-chan-"

"Clauszilla is attacking Tokyo!" Kajika wailed, clinging to Kakashi. She looked up at him, pathetic looking in her Japanese school girl disguise. "Only you can save us from Clauszilla, Kakshi!"

"…Clauszilla?"

"Hai!"

"What is this Clauszilla?"

Kajika smiled up at him brightly. "Well, I was wrong about Santa's food preferences so when I marinated Sakura-chan in cookie dough ice cream he licked the ice cream off of her instead of eating her whole." She paused for a moment. "You know… that would be kinda fun with-"

"No."

"Meanie. Anywho, due to the preservatives in the ice cream (and the fact that Santa is a Great Force Of Darkness) Santa mutated into Clauszilla! Half whale, half gorilla, pure toy giving evil!!"

Everyone stared at her.

"You just made that up!" one of the girls from Kakashi's fan club protested, pointing an accusing finger at the girl.

Kajika shrugged. "Mayyybe. Maybe not…"

"Ne, Kajika-chan, what are you doing here?" Mitsuki asked, her arms full of groceries. She smiled briefly as Kakashi took them from her, before focusing back on the girl. "Weren't you off playing with Sakura-chan?"

She stared blankly at Mitsuki before laughing nervously and rubbing the back of her head. "Oh yeah… Ummm… Sakura-chan had to go home?"

Mitsuki smiled at the younger girl. "Alright then. Kakashi-san, did you want me to buy a Christmas Cake for anyone?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Gai maybe… Anko too. Maybe Asuma and Kurenai?" He shrugged again. "What's a Christmas Cake?"

Mitsuki looked at him blankly. "I don't know really, Sakura-chan assured me that it was a vital part of Christmas though. I'll go ask Sasuke-kun if he knows."

Kakashi waited until Mitsuki was out of earshot before turning back to the fox. She smiled up at him innocently. "Ne, Kajika-chan, I better not hear anything about Sakura-chan having gone missing."

Kajika shrugged. "I'll let her go after New Years."

"You mean now."

"New Years."

"Now."

"Christmas?"

"You'll be grounded."

Kajika glared at him then nodded. "Now," she agreed poofing away.

Mitsuki returned with a sullen Sasuke in tow. "Sasuke-kun says Christmas Cake isn't important."

"Then forget about it." He shoved most of the groceries into Sasuke's arms, ignoring the self pitying look the boy had on his face. "What's for dinner?"

"Would you like soba,1 yakizakana,2 or curry?"

Kakashi remembered his fan club long enough to briefly wave at them before walking off, following Mitsuki as Sasuke trailed behind. "Maa, we have enough food for all that?"

"Well, the holidays are coming up and Kajika-chan does eat a lot…"

"Sou desu ne… Well, what do you think Sasuke-kun?"

"Me? I…"

The girls who had been surrounding Kakashi stared blankly as the man vanished from their sight. Glancing over at each other they exchanged bewildered looks. "What just happened?"

"What's a Clauszilla?"

"Who was that person?"

Sadly, their questions would forever go unquestioned.

-

-

Blissfully unaware of everything, Kakashi sat in his living room peacefully reading Jiraiya's newest book. He'd have to be careful about reading it though. The next installment of the series was due next month so he could only read a chapter a day to last him until...

The evil words 'To Be Continued' stared up at him as Kakashi gazed blankly at the book. Had he really been so careless and read the entire book already? What sort of sick running joke was this? Sighing deeply he stood, stretching. He blinked, happening to glance down.

"What are you doing Kajika?"

Kajika grinned up at him, pleased that the stupid ninja had finally realized that she'd been staring at him for the last hour. "Nothin'!" she said smiling.

"Alright then."

"But haven't you noticed what a nice night it is tonight?" she added quickly, jumping up from her crouched position and pointing to one of the windows. "Look at that moon. Isn't it huge?"

Kakashi looked out the window. The night was rather bright, but it had nothing to do with the moon. "The moon's waxing," he said, turning to gaze blankly at Kajika. "It's almost new."

Kajika sweatdropped. "Yeah... but... Look! Look at all the people outside! It must be a nice night out if everyone is out and about!"

It was true. There were more people out then ususal. He glanced at the thermostat hung outside his window. "It's below freezing," he said turning back to the fox. "They must all be mad."

"While that may be true, it could also mean that Christmas Eve is tomorrow!"

Kakashi sighed, sitting back down on the couch. "Ma, I already gave everyone the day off. What more do you want?"

Kajika leaped up next to him, fondly laying her head on his shoulder. Kakashi brushed her off. "It's not what I want, it's what you want!" she said brightly, smiling at him.

"Sou desu ka? What do I want?" he asked, not sure he wanted the answer.

"Help with girls!"

"…Honto ni?"

"Yup! I saw you today! Surrounded by pretty girls, without the slightest clue on what to do with them all! Well, never fear, Kashi-kun, Kajika-nesan is here!"

Kakashi sighed, leaning back onto the couch. Might as well listen to get this out of her system, he thought.

Kajika grinned at her victim's lack of protests, pulling her legs up to sit cross legged on the couch. She cleared her throat. "Well, before I can begin I have to get into the proper male mindset, so let me ask you a couple of rhetorical questions." A large pad of paper and pencil appeared in her hand. "One, let's say (rhetorically of course) that there's these two girls and a boy. The boy likes one of the girls, but she doesn't like him. On the other hand, the other girl likes the boy, but can't get his attention. What do you think that this other girl should do to get the boy's attention?"

Kakashi blinked, staring at her. Kami… She was asking him for boy advice? Wonderful… "I suppose-"

"I haven't gotten to the options yet!" Kajika snapped, her fangs flashing in the light. "Okay, option A, the girl meekly allows the boy to mate with this other girl in hopes that he'll choose her next season. B, she kills the girl in front of the male to prove her strength and determination. C, she waits until the male has mated and pups have been born then she goes and smothers the pups to show the male how infertile his choice was. D, she jumps the male. Or E, she goes and finds a new male, sending him to kill both her rival and her old favorite for their territory."

Kakashi stared blankly at her.

Kajika beamed at him. "Well? I was thinking B or D."

He stuck a finger in her face. "Naruto is not a kitsune."

"But he has the Kyuubi in him!"

"He is not the Kyuubi." He blinked. "And how did you know about that?"

Kajika rolled her eyes. "I could smell him, duh. That boy reeks of wonderful, bloody, and dangerous chakra… Mmmm…"

"He's not the Kyuubi."

"So? The Kyuubi's inside of him. I have to impress him so that when he gets out he may choose me as his consort."

Kakashi glared at her, slowly reaching for a kunai. "The Kyuubi isn't going to get out."

"I know that the one who sealed him is dead," Kajika said softly, grinning up at Kakashi with a predatory look. "No one would know how to do it again."

His hand gripped the tiny weapon tightly. If the girl so much as blinked wrong he'd plunge the kunai straight into her throat. "We would."

"You mean you would?" Her fangs were lengthening, her eyes glowing faintly. "I've seen that picture, I know who taught you."

They both tensed as if to attack each other. Kakashi thought about it, if he moved now would she be able to react in time? Would she flee or dodge? If she dodged would she be able to hit him? If she fled where would she run to? Kajika was thinking on similar terms only she was wondering how good human blood tasted. She had never eaten a human before and honestly had heard that they tasted like dog dung and mud. Maybe she could rip his throat out with her claws instead of her teeth? That would make a bigger mess though and she didn't want Mitsuki to have to clean up that much blood…

"Kajika-chan, bedtime," Mitsuki said brightly from the entryway. She pointedly ignored the tenseness of the two, but didn't enter the room. "It's ten thirty. Bedtime, Kajika-chan."

Kajika extended her claws. "In a minute."

If she fled would she grab Mitsuki and use her as a shield? Would Mitsuki try to protect the fox?

"Now, Kajika-chan," Mitsuki said, her voice harsher and her tone demanding. "Go to bed."

He was really too close for a good attack. He should jump to his feet first.

"Not now, Miki…"

The fox was going to move. He had to attack before those claws or teeth could get to him. Kakashi leaped to his feet as Kajika surged forward, claws extended for the place he'd been a moment before.

A rush of cold wind blasted through the room as Mitsuki pointed down the hall. "Bed!" she shouted, glaring pointedly at Kajika. "Now!"

Kajika dodged Kakashi's attack, poofing away to stand before Mitsuki. "Fine!" she shouted, stalking down the hall.

Mitsuki waited until the door slammed before walking up to Kakashi, glaring at him. "Don't you dare harm her," she growled, making a grab for the kunai in his hand. Instinctively, Kakashi pulled it away but managed to stop himself from countering and striking her. She glared at him harder, sticking a finger in his face. "If you or anyone else in this village kills another kitsune you'll all be destroyed," she hissed lowly.

Kakashi glared down at her. "It that a threat?" he asked coldly, his grip on the kunai tightening.

"No, it's common sense. Why do you think the Kyuubi came?" Without waiting for a reply or even some sign that he'd heard, Mitsuki nodded to him politely. "Goodnight, Kakashi-san."

Kakashi nodded back, turning to pull his futon out from where he'd stuck it under the coffee table. Kill another Kitsune? he thought to himself, unfolding the mattress. 'Why do you think the Kyuubi came?' If the Kyuubi had come in response to them killing a Kitsune, another fearsome beast would come if Kajika was harmed… But when had someone killed the kitsune that had brought the Kyuubi?

He turned off all the lights and lay down with all his clothes on, pulling the covers up to his waist. Why had the Kyuubi come? Honestly, he'd never thought about that before. It had just appeared and started destroying everything one day… If there had been a reason… He sighed, staring up at the ceiling. He wasn't going to get a wink of sleep tonight…

-

-

Kajika stared at the ball in her hand, then at the slumbering form of Kakashi, then at the ball again. She was still furious about last night. Not only had the stupid bastard attacked her, but then the stupid bitch had given her a lecture and then cuddled with her for comfort. Kajika refused to admit that the cuddling had made her feel better (it had reminded her of when she'd been living in her mother's den). She wasn't a teddy bear, dammit! And somehow that stupid bitch had managed to get her to promise that she wouldn't attack Kashi again!

She glanced back up at Kakashi. She was ticked, he was sleeping. Winding up, she threw the ball at his head, blinking in surprise as a hand automatically came up to stop the ball from hitting him. At the same moment a kunai flew at her head. She dodged the weapon as Kakashi blinked at the ball, both of them watching the kunai strike a kitchen cupboard.

Kajika turned to glare at Kakashi. "Morning," she said after a moment, turning to get some cereal for breakfast.

Kakashi threw the ball, hitting the fox on the back of the head. "Morning."

Kajika rubbed the back of her head, but decided not to say anything. "Want cereal?" she asked from the kitchen, silently emptying the sugar bowl and looking for the salt. Kakashi put enough sugar on his cereal to kill a three year old. Salt would teach him some manners.

"Mitsuki up?"

"Nope."

"Great. Let's have waffles."

"Waffles? Why wouldn't she let us have that?" The ball was at her feet. She rolled to over towards where Kakashi was walking in.

Instead of stepping on the ball Kakashi kicked it, hitting Kajika in the stomach. Opening the freezer he began searching through it. "It's the frozen kind," he explained looking for the box. "With Mitsuki, everything has to be home made."

Kajika frowned, remembering the fuss she'd made about cereal. He was right. She picked up the ball, throwing it as hard as she could at the freezer door.

The door hit him hard, the ninja rubbing his neck and glaring at the ice tray as he grabbed the box. "Where's the toaster?"

"Probably down he-REEEEEEE!" she shrieked as she tripped on the ball Kakashi had nudged her way, falling down onto her behind.

Kakashi grabbed the toaster, plugging it in and sticking two frozen waffles into it. "I hope we have whipped cream…" he muttered going to rummage around in the fridge. "Hmm… No whipped cream, but we have heavy whipping cream…" He stared at the carton of cream. "Oi, Kajika-chan, how do you whip cream?"

Kajika opened up a drawer and pulled out a whisk. "With this," she said throwing the whisk at his head. She opened a cupboard and threw a bowl at him too.

Kakashi caught the whisk, but the bowl landed on his head. "Now what?" he asked pulling the bowl off and pouring the cream into it.

Kajika shrugged. "I dunno. Whip it. Where's the maple syrup?"

"Fridge. You'll need to microwave it." He tripped her as she walked by, happily whipping the cream.

Kajika removed the lid from the syrup, throwing it at Kakashi before putting the bottle in the microwave. "How long?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Minute, maybe two…"

"Why do you want whipped cream?" Kajika asked, turning to stare at the happy jounin.

"It's good," he said simply, looking at the cream curiously. "It's getting sort of stiff."

"You're turning it into butter."

"Oh." Kakashi stopped whipping it, setting it down on the table instead. He walked over to the toaster, waiting for it finish.

They stared at each other from across the room.

Sighing, Kajika opened her mouth to speak, but stopped when the microwave beeped and the toaster popped up the waffles. "Want the first ones?" Kakashi asked, putting the waffles onto a plate and offering them to her.

"They poisoned?"

"Only a little."

Kajika smiled, taking the waffles and pouring a healthy dose of maple syrup on them. Sitting down at the table she ate about half of one before looking back up at him. "Oi, I promised Miki that I wouldn't help the Kyuubi out," she said quietly, playing with her fork. "Thought you should know since you're so damn worried about it."

Kakashi nodded, grabbing his own waffles from the toaster, drowning them in maple syrup and then putting a huge glob of whipped cream on it. "What brought that on?"

"Miki. She didn't like us fighting. All night she was all 'Blah, blah, blah. Don't fight. Blah, blah. Naruto is his own person. Blah, blah. Are you sleeping?"

"Naruto is his own person."

She stuffed another huge bite of waffle in her mouth. "Yah, so?"

The waffles gone, Kakashi stood, bringing his dish over to wash it. "So I'd choose option F, let him see you as yourself and not as someone who wants the Kyuubi."

"But I want the Kyuubi."

"Then don't pursue Naruto."

Kajika pouted, stuffing the rest of the waffle into her mouth. Standing, she joined Kakashi at the sink. "So you humans live how long now, hundred, two hundred years?"

Kakashi handed her a dish to dry. "Thirty is the average life expectancy for a ninja. Fifty if you're good, sixty or seventy if you're real good."

Kajika winced, setting the now dry dish down. "Wow. I promise that when you die I won't dance on your grave…" She trailed off looking thoughtful. "I can wait that long I guess… Can I still bother him though?"

"Why not?"

She smiled at him brightly. "You know, Kashi, you're not half bad."

"Keep drying."

"Bastard. So what are you and Miki planning on doing today? It's Christmas Eve after all… The hotels are supposed to have great deals this season! The hour hotels are even cheap- OW!" She glared at the ball which bounced away. "How'd you do that?"

"Ninja secret. I was planning on just relaxing at home."

"Boring!!! At least take her out for dinner…"

"Take who out to dinner?" Mitsuki asked, yawning as she entered the room. Blinking she stared at the two people washing and drying dishes. "What are you doing?"

"Washing dishes."

She stared at them. "You know how?"

"And that's my cue to go!" Kajika said brightly, waving as she ran for the door. She'd hid the fact that she knew how to cook and clean from Mituski for over a month now, she wasn't going to get tied into cleaning now. "I'm leaving!" she shouted, the front door slamming behind her.

"Be safe," Mitsuki and Kakashi both called. Mitsuki turned to Kakashi and smiled. "You want breakfast?"

"Already eaten." Sighing, Kakashi began wandering toward the living room when he heard an unattractive pealing noise. The phone? He'd almost forgotten he had a phone since no one ever called him. "Moshi moshi," he said picking up the receiver.

"Err…" The voice on the other end was familiar, but Kakashi couldn't put a face to it. Instantly, the voice more nasal, as if the speaker had pinched their nose. "Err… Mitsuki please."

He blinked. It wasn't as if the whole village of Konoha knew that Mitsuki was staying with him. In fact, only a few were supposed to know about her. So why was someone calling her and why was this same person disguising their voice? Mentally shrugging, Kakashi set down the phone. "Mitsuki-chan, telephone," he said pointing towards the phone and then heading to the living room. He sat and began to read, watching Mitsuki over the rim of his novel to gauge her reaction to the phone call.

Mitsuki walked up to the phone looking confused. Clumsily she picked up the phone and put it up to her ear. "Hello?"

Kakashi smirked under his mask. "You have the phone upside down, Mitsuki-chan."

Mitsuki blinked. "Oh. H-Hello?" she said again, turning the phone around. Her face lit up. "Oh! Good morning G-" She stopped, looking puzzled. "Why?" A long pause. "Ohhhh," she said looking at Kakashi with an almost nervous look on her face. She turned around so her back was to Kakashi, cupping her hand around the receiver.

Kakashi stopped pretending to read and watched her. Great. The fox was off ravaging Konoha (probably) and now the girl was up to something.

"Mmmhmm… Okay… Really? … Mmmhmm… Alright then! See yo- I mean… Yes… Yes… Got it! Talk to you later then!" Mitsuki hung up the phone, smiling brightly and humming.

"Who was that?"

Mitsuki started at the sound of her voice, whirling around. Weakly, she smiled at him. "Wrong number?"

"Mitsuki…"

She looked at him for a moment then smiled at him brightly. "Ne, Kakashi-san, I'd tell you but it's a secret!"

He could deal with secrets… He'd been taught how to torture them out of people. Wondering what he'd have to tell Tsunade to justify him (at least) tying Mitsuki up he settled back for a relaxing Christmas Eve

-

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Christmas is not a big deal in Japan. If anything it's a holiday for couples to go to dinner and hotels with each other. That and give really little kids presents. Wow, wish that was how my Christmas was like…

1. Soba- It's a noodle dish usually served in a soup. Really, really, really good. Try it.

2. Yakizakana- Grilled fish. I've never tried it because I can't get over the fact that the fish usually still has it's head attached. Heard it's good though.