Hello hello readers! I know, I'm posting this kinda late and I'm sorry but it's here now! And I hope you enjoy reading! Please, leave me advice or opinions or anything in the reviews. I love to hear your thoughts on my story! Thanks to everyone who reads!
Christmas is next week and Kushina, Minato and Naruto are going on their yearly trip to the Christmas parade in the next city over and are currently getting packed and ready so they can leave in the up and coming early morning.
"You did what?"
"We invited Sasuke, dear, like always. Itachi isn't able to come this year cause of work but what's the problem?"
"The problem is, I was gonna invite Kirie so we could spend some time together. It took her forever to forgive me for the whole lying to her and going to jail thing." Naruto whines.
"Well, they both can come, honey. Sasuke has been having a hard time recently."
"Ugh, I'm going to call Kirie." Naruto stomps off, up to his room.
Kushina looks at Minato, "What is that about? Usually he would be so excited to have Sasuke come."
Minato smiles, "He has a girlfriend, so it's only natural that he would wanna spend time with her. He has known Sasuke just about his whole life."
Kushina pouts, "Why did he have to have a girlfriend anyway?"
Naruto ran up to his room and grabs his phone, dialing Kirie's number in a hurry, after countless rings, Naruto finally hears her pick up.
"Hi Naruto!" Kirie smiles on the other side of the phone.
"Kirie!" Naruto practically glows.
"Hey, my parents and I are going to a Christmas parade early tomorrow morning in the next city and we are gonna a week. Come with me." Naruto says hurriedly, his excitement overflowing.
"Ah, sorry babe, I can't. My parents are having some kinda dinner with my family."
"Oh really? Man, that sucks! I really want you to come." Naruto whines and falls back onto his bed.
"I'm really sorry."
"Yeah, it's fine. Maybe another time. Well, I gotta get ready, I'll call you later. Bye, love you."
"Bye, I love you too."
Naruto hangs up and buries his face in his pillow, "Ugh! This sucks!"
Sasuke walks up to Naruto's house with his suitcase and rings the bell.
Kushina walks up to the door, "Sasuke! I'm so glad you're going with us!"
Sasuke smiles, "Me too. I love going with y'all on trips."
Kushina invites him in, "You can go ahead up to Naruto's room. Don't forget we are leaving real early."
Sasuke smiles and nods then walks upstairs to Naruto's room and opens the door, "Yo dobe!"
Naruto looks up and gives a small smile, "Hey, teme."
Sasuke senses something is off but decides ignore it, "You ready to wake up at five in the morning?"
Naruto groans in his pillow, "No! Of course not!"
Sasuke laughs as his sets his stuff against the wall and crawls into bed next to Naruto, "Well, lets get some sleep then." Sasuke gets up and turns the light out before returning to the bed.
Naruto turns his head and looks at Sasuke, "You're probably right. G'night."
Sasuke looks at Naruto and a small blush spreading across his face because of their close distance, "Uh, yeah. Night." Sasuke turns over to face away from him.
Naruto turns and faces his wall, their backs touching each other.
Sasuke's heartbeat races as he stares wide-eyed at the door as he tries to keep himself calm.
While Naruto just drifts off, feeling sorry for himself that his girlfriend isn't going with them.
It's five in the morning on the dot when Kushina goes into the boy's room, yelling and hitting pots together to get them to wake up and get ready, startling them from their sleep.
Sasuke falls off the bed as Naruto jolts up on his knees in his bed, they both look towards the sound of the noise and see Kushina with the pots.
She smiles triumphantly and walks out of the room.
"Man, your mum is trying to give us a heart attack." Sasuke says once he calms down.
"Believe me, I know." Naruto pulls the blanket over his head.
"Come on, dobe. Get up. Who knows what she'll try next if we ain't awake." Sasuke gets up and pulls at the blanket.
Naruto keeps the blanket firm in his grip, "I don't wanna get up."
"Come on dobe!" Sasuke says through gritted teeth, still pulling the blanket, "I don't wanna find out the other ways Kushina plans to wake us!"
They hear a knock at the door and then the gentle voice of Kushina, "You boys up?"
Naruto bolts up and is standing beside Sasuke when Kushina opens the door slightly, "Good. I was afraid I'd have to go with Plan B." Kushina smiles as she shuts the door.
The boys stand there horrified.
"I do not wanna know what Plan B is." Sasuke says shivering.
"Yeah, that gentle tone she uses is horrifying." Naruto agrees.
The boys had gotten ready and had eaten breakfast and are now loading up in the car; Minato is driving and Kushina is next to him in the passenger seat and Naruto and Sasuke are in the back, some of their luggage is sitting next to the boys so they had to squeeze in closer together.
"Man, there isn't a whole lot of room huh?" Naruto whines as he looks at the luggage on the other side of Sasuke, "I hope my door don't open cause I'll be falling out." Naruto gives the door a firm pull as he talks.
"Don't worry dobe. You'll be perfectly fine, you are next to me after all. Do you think I'll let you fall that easily?" Sasuke smirks.
Naruto puts a hand to his heart, "Oh my hero!"
Sasuke laughs as Naruto hits him, "Yeah right, teme! I can save myself!"
The boys continue laughing and playing around as the time passes; they watched a movie and played games and talked for hours as they traveled to the city. Eventually, as the time went by, the darkness and moon settled in and the boys got sleepy. Sasuke fell asleep on Naruto's shoulder and Naruto was asleep with his head against the door.
Naruto awoke before Sasuke and when he opens his eyes he sees bright city lights against the dark skies, he smiles and sucks in a deep breath, excitement flooding through his veins. He then looks towards the sleeping Sasuke on his shoulder, city lights reflecting on his pale skin, showing his peaceful face as they pass by, Naruto chuckles lightly as he looks towards his parents next, Kushina and Minato share a light conversation on the city and the Christmas lights as Suitcase by Matthew Koma plays on the radio. Naruto smiles again and turns back to the window as he leans his head back against it, watching the lights pass.
Sasuke opens his eyes and sees the inside of the car and outside he sees the city, Sasuke smiles and then looks down and sees he is laying against Naruto and he blushes and raises up.
Naruto looks at him and smiles, "Yo, sleepyhead."
Sasuke rubs his tired eyes, "We here?"
"Almost. We will be there in a few minutes." Kushina says looking back at both boys.
Sasuke smiles and looks towards Naruto.
Naruto also smiles.
And then Kushina yells, "We're here!"
The boys jump as they look towards Kushina who is now bouncing up and down in her seat and the boys bust out into laughter as they pull into the motel parking lot.
Minato parks and everyone climbs out of the car and as Minato goes to check in, the others attempt to get their luggage.
Kushina opens the doors and the boys realize just how much Kushina and Minato actually brought.
"Mum, do you really need that much luggage for only a week?" Naruto asks with an incredulous look.
Kushina looks at Naruto like he is an idiot, "I'm a woman, Naruto. I need my outfits and makeup. I need to look great for this parade."
Sasuke laughs out loud, doubling over at the look Naruto wore on his face.
Naruto pouts angrily and yells at Sasuke to stop which make Sasuke laugh harder, to the point where it looks like he is laughing but no sound is coming out, which, in turn, makes Naruto and Kushina laugh.
When Minato walks up and witnesses the fit of laughter from the three of them, he looks nervous to walk over until Kushina sees him and tries to control herself as she walks to him.
"You got the keys, honey?" Kushina says through her laughter.
Minato nods and looks at her curiously, "What's so funny?"
Kushina shakes her head, "Nothing, dear." She stops laughing and hollers at the boys to grab the stuff and come on.
After Naruto and Sasuke finish dragging all of Kushina and Minato's bags in, they bring in their own and take showers and then get dressed for the first part of the parade that has already begun.
"You boys coming?" Kushina yells from the outside of the motel.
The boys hurry, grabbing their stuff and bolt out the door.
"Yes mum! We are here!" Naruto yells.
They all start walking down the sidewalk since the parade is going on close by and driving would be too troublesome.
"Do you think it's gonna be big?" Sasuke asks Naruto.
Naruto ponders for a second, looking into the dark sky, "Probably, I doubt Mum and Dad would come otherwise."
Sasuke nods, "I hope it's more than a parade. I hope they have a place with lights where you can go walk around."
Naruto nods, agreeing.
"They do, Sasuke. Don't worry." Minato looks back towards him.
"Really?" Sasuke asks excitedly.
Minato smiles and nods, "Why don't you boys go there later."
Sasuke looks at Naruto, "Will you go with me?"
"Of course, teme! You think I'd let you go off by yourself and leave me?" Naruto punches Sasuke's arm lightly.
Sasuke chuckles and nods, a small blush spreading across his face, "Then let's go tomorrow?" He asks hopeful.
Naruto smiles and nods, "Sure, sounds good!"
Sasuke smiles so hard that his cheeks turn red, his eyes sparkle with happiness.
They finally come up on the parade, there are floats and Christmas music and people dancing.
Kushina gets excited and grabs onto Minato to drag him to the parade as the boys laugh and try to catch up, but before they do, Kushina and Minato have already disappeared in the crowd.
Naruto looks at Sasuke, "Guess it's just me and you."
Sasuke nods and shyly turns away and watches the parade.
They stand side by side as the floats pass and the music plays on, they laugh and watch the parade together.
The happiness Sasuke feels cannot be described, because he is with the person he loves most and his love is pouring out of his body as he jokes and laughs with Naruto. He feels like he is completely grounded to his spot next to Naruto, like he could stand here forever as long as Naruto was here beside him. The love he feels is overflowing and he feels hope; hope that he could actually be with Naruto, that maybe Naruto could possibly love him back.
Sasuke looks at Naruto's side view, he is smiling, watching the parade as lights flicker across his face, Sasuke blushes and feels a tear escape from his eye. Surprised he turns wipes it away, he then turns back to Naruto and watches him.
Naruto turns to Sasuke still smiling, and then turns back to watch the next float.
Sasuke blushing, turns to watch the floats.
The parade finishes and Minato and Kushina find Naruto and Sasuke chatting in the same spot, they walk back and get ready for bed.
They all climb into bed and everyone almost immediately falls asleep.
Minato and Kushina fall asleep in each other's arms.
Sasuke falls asleep with a happy smile on his face.
And Naruto falls asleep after checking his phone for messages from Kirie.
Sasuke is the first to awake, and immediately he smells food and coffee. He slowly raises up and looks around the room, he sees Minato setting food and drinks down on the small table in the room, Sasuke stomach growls and he gets up and heads to the table.
"Mmm, food." Sasuke says almost drooling.
"Yes, Minato went out and bought biscuits and waffles. Will you wake up Naruto?"
Sasuke nods and walks back over to the bed but then he smiles and slowly crawls onto the bed and stands up, wobbling a little, he then jumps on Naruto, screaming his name.
Naruto startles awake and hollers out and then sharply turns to the laughing Sasuke laying on top of him. He breathes a sigh of relief and then suddenly flips Sasuke on his back and straddles him, holding his arms above his head.
"You think that's funny, teme?" Naruto growls but it doesn't have the effect he wants because he is smiling.
"Yes, in fact I do, dobe." Sasuke says smirking.
"You boys cut it out and come eat." Kushina disciplines.
The boys stare at each other for another 10 seconds, challenging each other before Naruto shrugs and gets off and heads for the table. Sasuke soon following.
"The parade starts soon and it's gonna last all day." Kushina says excitedly as she sets all the food out.
"Really? All day?" Sasuke says pouring syrup all over his waffles.
"Yes, but I also wanna go shopping and then go to the parade and tonight they are have a light show."
"That's awesome! It's okay if Naruto and I go look at those Christmas lights tonight, right?"
Kushina nods, "Just keep your cell phones on and text me every now and then."
Sasuke nods and begins to eat.
By the time everyone heads out, it's past three in the afternoon, Kushina and Minato go their own way and so does Naruto and Sasuke.
"Where do you wanna go first?" Sasuke asks as he looks around.
Naruto shrugs while also looking around, "Uh, we can look around the shops first and then spend some time at the parade and then head to the park with all the Christmas lights. Sound good?"
Sasuke nods and the boys take off too the shops.
They look around the book stores, antique shops, and music stores before heading to the sight where the parade is, they spend a few hours there, enjoying the music and dancing, waiting for it to get dark so they can go to their final destination and hang out amoungst the Christmas lights.
"Yes! We can finally go see the lights! I've been waiting forever!" Sasuke says excitedly, looking back and forth between Naruto and what's in front of him.
Naruto gives a small smile towards Sasuke but he is feeling a little down because he is missing Kirie.
When they finally make it, it's better than they thought; the whole park is lit up with all kinds of lights, there are little houses with lights and a huge Christmas tree and a little walk way with lights touching one side of the ground, going over them, and touching the other side of the ground.
The boys eyes lit up when they see the whole scene in front of them, they both walk around to get a good look at the wonderful lights laid out before them.
"This is so pretty, isn't it Naruto?" Sasuke looks over to Naruto who is looking at his phone.
Naruto is sending Kirie, who hasn't replied since they got here, a message.
"Naruto?"
Naruto looks up and over to Sasuke, "Huh?"
Sasuke wears a curious expression, "I said 'it's pretty, ain't it?'"
Naruto nods, "Yeah yeah, it is." He says as he looks back at his phone, annoyance setting in.
"Naruto."
Naruto looks up to Sasuke again, "Hm?"
"Ain't ya gonna look at the lights? What are you even doing?" Sasuke says annoyed.
"Ah, nothing." He says, putting away his phone.
Sasuke sends a glare towards Naruto.
"Ne, Sasuke. Wanna go stand under the Christmas lights?" He says giving Sasuke a big smile.
Sasuke stays silent.
"Come on, Sasu." He grabs Sasuke and begins to drag him to the lights.
Naruto drags Sasuke all the way there and when they get there, he lets go off Sasuke's arm and starts to look around at the lights.
Sasuke sighs and looks around, a small smile creeping up on his face. He looks towards Naruto and his heart leaps, his oxygen disappears from his lungs before he takes a huge breath, and his love and happiness bursts through his chest and he can't help himself, he just starts laughing.
Naruto looks over curiously at the laughing Sasuke, "What's so funny?"
Sasuke looks up at Naruto, "It's nothing, dobe."
Naruto smiles, "Come on teme. You can't laugh that hard and it be about nothing. Tell me." He runs over to Sasuke at begins to push at his arm.
"It's really nothing."
Naruto pouts, "Don't leave me hanging man, tell me."
Sasuke pushes back at Naruto lightly, "It's nothing. I'm just happy is all."
Naruto tilts his head, confused, "I don't understand."
"That ain't unusual."
Naruto gasps and then hits Sasuke in the arm, "That's mean!"
Sasuke begins to laugh again and soon Naruto joins in.
Both of them are starting to settle down when they hear a voice.
"Naruto."
The boys looks up and see Kirie standing there at the entrance to the small walk way. Sasuke sucks in a deep breath and Naruto smiles bigger than ever as he runs over to Kirie and greets her.
"Kirie! What are you doing here?" Naruto says with a big smile on his face.
Kirie smiles, "I wasn't going to come cause of family but then I got a chance and drove here and I wanted it to be a surprise."
Naruto smiles and laughs, "I'm so happy you came!" He grabs her and hugs her, lifting her in the air before setting her down again.
Sasuke walks up and gives a weak smile, "Hey."
She smiles towards Sasuke, "Hi Sasuke! He keeping outta trouble?"
Sasuke nods and gives a fake laugh.
"Ne Sasuke, I'ma go show Kirie the lights and maybe the parade okay." He winks at Sasuke and then leans in to whisper in his ear, "Need a little romantic time." When he pulls back he is smiling.
Sasuke nods and gives another fake smile.
Naruto pats him on the back, "Thanks buddy."
He then proceeds to lead Kirie away, leaving a breaking Sasuke alone.
After a few minutes of Sasuke just standing there, staring at the spot Naruto was just standing in, he looks around and sees them laughing, holding hands and looking at the lights, tears slip down Sasuke's face before he realizes, he violently wipes them away. Sasuke then grabs his MP3 out of his pocket, as well as his head phones to listen to music, hoping to cheer up.
Once turned on, he flips through his music before settling on a song and as it begins to flow through his ears, he begins cry.
"Stone cold
Stone cold
You see me standing
But I'm dyin' on the floor
Stone cold
Stone cold
Maybe if I don't cry
I won't feel anymore"
Sasuke feels hot tears falling down his face and neck, making him shiver from the contrast of the cold outdoors, he holds his MP3 against his aching heart as he cries.
"Stone cold
Baby
God knows I try to feel
Happy for you
Know that I am
Even if I can't understand
I'll take the pain
Give me the truth
Me and my heart
We'll make it through
If happy is her
I'm happy for you"
Sasuke feels his heart shattering as he watches them with blurry eyes. He blinks away the tears and when he is able to focus, he can see them kissing next to the Christmas tree.
His hearts explodes, his feelings erupt from inside him, his earlier happiness has dissipated in thin air, he turns away and walks through the lights as the music further shatters him.
"Stone cold
Stone cold
You're dancing with her
While I'm staring at my phone
Stone cold
Stone cold
I was your amber, but now
She's your shade of gold"
As Sasuke walks and the cold wind hits his face, his tears slowly stop, he feels like that maybe his well is all dried up, he sees the beautiful lights passing by him but he feels nothing for them, and he wishes he felt nothing at all right now about Naruto.
He makes it past the lights as he heads back to where he last saw Kushina and Minato as the final lyrics to the song play through.
"Don't wanna be stone cold
Stone
I wish I could mend this
But here's my good-bye
Oh, I'm happy for you
Know that I am
Even if I can't understand
If happy is her
If happy is her
I'm happy for you"
Sasuke just lets the music play through as he walks, not caring what songs play next.
"We live and we die
Like fireworks
Our legacies hide
In the embers
May our stories catch fire
And burn bright enough
To catch God's eye"
All of a sudden Sasuke sees fireworks exploding in the sky, and he feels nothing but sadness because he was suppose to see this with Naruto, they were suppose to be together and enjoy another year together, they were suppose to be standing next to each other, laughing and cracking jokes as they watched the light show.
"We live and we die"
But no, Kirie showed up and took Naruto away from him once again. Sasuke wants to be happy for him and Kirie but how can he when he loves him with his entire being? How can he be happy that the love of his life is with someone else?
"Like fireworks
We pull apart the dark
Compete against the stars
With all of our hearts
Till our temporary brilliance turns to ash
We pull apart the darkness while we can"
Sasuke sees Kushina and Minato watching the fireworks, he doesn't even know what he wanted from them now, he doesn't want them to see him like this so Sasuke turns around and sees a bench and he sits down and decides to wait for everything to end.
"May we live and die
A valorous life
May we write it all down
In cursive light
So we pray we were made
In the image of a figure eight"
Sasuke looks up towards the sky and watches the fireworks explode and he can see people cheering and laughing but he hears nothing but the music playing in his ears.
"May we live and die"
Some people walk past him but he pays them no mind until someone is standing in front of him, blocking his view from the fireworks.
Sasuke pauses his music and takes out his headphones.
"Sasuke?"
Sasuke looks closely in the dark at the face above him, "Shikamaru?"
Shikamaru smiles, "Yeah. I didn't expect to see you here."
"Ah, yeah. I came with Naruto and his family to see the parade."
Shikamaru sits down next to Sasuke, "I came with my family to see it too. What are you doing just sitting here on the bench? Where is Naruto?"
Sasuke tries holding in his tears but can't, tears fall down his face and he begins to feel the pain all over again.
Shikamaru's eyes go wide, "Uh Sasuke?"
Shikamaru gives him a worried look.
Sasuke looks at Shikamaru, "I'm sorry."
Shikamaru lays his hand on his back, "What's wrong?"
Sasuke begins to tell Shikamaru everything, he tells him about his family and Naruto and how he fell in love with his best friend and about how his best friend and love of his life was taken away by a nice girl and about how he was ditched tonight, about how his happiness was snatched right out of his heart.
Shikamaru listens without interrupting, his hand never leaving Sasuke's back as he confesses.
Sasuke finishes his story and somewhere during, he quit crying and he looks over nervously at Shikamaru, "Sorry, I just..."
"Don't apologize." Shikamaru cuts him off.
Sasuke looks down.
"You are hurting and need to vent. Holding this in will only hurt you more. Also, don't worry, I ain't gonna tell no body, but...why don't you stay with me and ride home with me, then you don't have to be around Naruto or Kirie."
Sasuke looks at Shikamaru, surprised before he starts crying again, "Really? I can?" He wipes tears from his eyes.
Shikamaru smiles and nods, "Yeah, of course."
Sasuke smiles through his tears, "Thank you!"
"Now, come on and lets go enjoy the rest of the parade."
Sasuke nods and both boys get up and walk towards the crowd of people and when they make it to Kushina and Minato, he explains that Kirie showed up and that Sasuke was gonna stay with Shikamaru, Kushina smiles and nods and tells Sasuke to get his stuff after the parade, Sasuke nods and then the two boys head over to Shikamaru's parents and enjoy the parade together.
When the parade was over for the night, Shikamaru's parents went ahead to their motel and Shikamaru waits with Sasuke, Kushina and Minato as they wait for Naruto.
Naruto shows up a few minutes later with Kirie attached to his side, "Shikamaru! You are here too?" He says excitedly.
Shikamaru smiles and nods.
"I'm staying with Shikamaru tonight and I'ma be riding back home with him too."
Naruto looks at Sasuke, "Oh really? Why?"
Sasuke shrugs, "We hung out today and I had a great time so he invited me."
Naruto smiles and nods, "Okay, then mum, can Kirie stay with us? She don't have no where to stay tonight."
Kushina looks like she is about to say no when Minato speaks, "Yeah, that's fine. Kushina, you and Kirie can sleep together and I'll sleep with Naruto."
Kushina just huffs and nods.
"Okay, well you can come get your things Sasuke." Minato smiles.
Sasuke nods and they head for the motels.
Kushina and Minato are in front talking, then it's Naruto and Kirie holding hands and being mushy, and then Sasuke and Shikamaru, Sasuke glaring and Shikamaru giving Sasuke a sympathetic look the whole way to the motels.
Sasuke gets his one suitcase and says goodbye to everyone and him and Shikamaru head out and to the motel up the street a ways.
"Thanks again, Shikamaru."
"No problem, man."
"I wish my feelings would just go away." Sasuke hangs his head.
"Well, that might help but you can learn a lot from experiences like this, man. You hurt now, but as time goes by, you'll heal."
Sasuke looks at Shikamaru and gives a small smile, "Yeah, you're right. Thanks."
The boys make it to the motel and go inside and get ready for bed.
"Let's have a great time for the rest of the parade, ne?" Shikamaru whispers to Sasuke laying next to him.
Sasuke turns and looks at Shikamaru in the dark, "Yeah, let's. And thanks." He smiles, showing all of his teeth.
Shikamaru looks over to Sasuke and gives him a smile just as big.
I know! How sad right? Poor Sasuke...but at least Shikamaru was there. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed it and please leave reviews, all of y'alls words mean a lot to me! I will also try to update the next chapter very soon. Thank you to everyone who reads!