A/N: Now that we've had fun with Kakashi, let's add Naruto and Iruka to the mix! Sorry this is so short, I kind of ran out of time. I had more to say, but all of it had spoilers to Kingdom of Secrets and I AM going to finish that so I didn't want them here.

Christmas with the Hatakes
By: Reggie

December 4th: Pajamas

Normally, Iruka would never have taken Naruto shopping. He'd learned when the boy was eleven that he and stores were like similar charges—they repelled each other quite spectacularly. And usually quite messily. If the store owners weren't angrily making sure Naruto wasn't allowed in, Naruto seemed hell-bent on getting himself kicked out from excessive noise.

That was three years ago now, though, and both the shop owners and Naruto had matured. Hopefully. Even if they hadn't, there was a new variable that needed to be addressed. It was named Sayuri, and it was exceptionally loud when over stimulated by bunches of strangers approaching her and cooing. Except when Naruto was holding her.

This was something Iruka could not figure out. It didn't even seem worth figuring out. It worked and he needed it, because he needed Sayuri to come along so he could measure her for her presents, so Naruto was coming too no matter what happened, so that Iruka would be sane at the end of this trip if nothing else.

Naruto grinned as he bounced along beside his former sensei, Sayuri strapped to his chest in her little carrier. He was as bad as the Academy students around the holidays, really. "Are Sakura-chan and I invited over for Christmas dinner, Iruka-sensei?"

"We were planning on it," the Chuunin smiled to himself. He hadn't really thought about Christmas dinner yet. His mother used to make roast teriyaki chicken, fried potatoes, and Christmas cake. Iruka had no idea how to make any of those things. He hadn't had a Christmas since his parents died. In the past it had hurt too much, and Kakashi had never shown any interest before so it was alright.

"Can we have ramen?" Naruto's grin was wide and mischievous, even as he removed Sayuri's pacifier from the diaper bag slung over his shoulder and stuck it in her mouth. She immediately ceased the little whimpering noises she had been making.

"No." Even though his tone was harsh, the corners of Iruka's mouth twitched in to a smile. Leave it to Naruto to think that was an acceptable Christmas dinner. 'Then again,' Iruka sighed to himself, 'who's fault is it that he doesn't know what Christmas should be like?'

He knew the answer; he just didn't want to deal with it.

Naruto pouted for only a moment before pointing enthusiastically at an orange pair of pajamas that were hanging on the very back of the rack of baby clothes Iruka was looking through. "Hey, Iruka-sensei, how about those?"

"If you give her those," Iruka said, matter-of-factly, "I'm burning them."

"But she likes them, Iruka-sensei," the young boy grinned, grabbing them and handing them to the baby. Sayuri reached out for them, most unhelpfully, and fisted one small hand in them. Naruto grabbed one of the awful sleeves, the little cartoon ninjas draw on it going lopsided as the fabric folded, and rubbed it against her cheek. She squealed in delight, the pacifier falling from her mouth, and Iruka only just managed to save it at the last minute.

After quick inspection, the pacifier was stuck back in Sayuri's mouth. "I will not only burn them, I'll burn everything orange you own as well."

Naruto's eyes widened comically. He knew better to suppose that was an idle threat. The pajamas were placed back on the rack, and both of the young ones stared back at him as if waiting further instructions.

Iruka sighed, running a hand wearily over his eyes. He really hated shopping, and he wasn't super pleased about having to acknowledge Christmas existed outside the Academy this year. This was really too much for one person.

There was the clattering of hangers, and Iruka didn't dare look. He could only pray under his breath that Naruto was not selected as Sayuri's Jounin sensei when she was older because THAT would be a nightmare.

"Hey! Iruka-sensei! I can't decide which one to get."

Naruto's excited tone was what made Iruka decide it was best to open his eyes and fend off any impending trouble the teen was about to cause. What he found was Naruto excitedly holding up three pairs of pajamas. One was a soft sea foam green color, with bunches of little dolphins playing sprayed across it. The second, a deep blue with bunches of henohenomoheji's printed in dark red—Iruka couldn't help wondering if Kakashi shouldn't get royalties for it or something. The third where baby yellow and had a cute little fox sitting squarely on the chest and playing on the pocket sewed on the tummy.

The Chuunin could not help staring. It should have been impossible to find those articles of clothing, never mind finding all three of them in one store. It was such a mind boggling coincidence that Iruka half-suspected that SOMEONE he knew had special ordered all three of them. He mentally cursed Tsunade for ever giving Naruto a Christmas bonus.

"I can't decide which one she likes best," Naruto grinned cheekily, and held them out to the baby to inspect. "Which do you think, Sayuri-chan? You like the foxes best, right?"

In response the pacifier was dropped again and small fists reached out, grabbing a handful of each of them, and shoving them into her now vacant mouth with a squeal of delight.

Naruto stared, completely dumbfounded. "I…I guess that answers that question."

Iruka couldn't help the laughter that came bubbling up his throat. It started as a soft chuckle, then graduated to belly laughs. Before long he was clutching the clothes rack to remain standing. He knew that Naruto and Sayuri were looking at him like he'd lost it, but Iruka didn't care. They couldn't see their adorable and very alike faces.