A/N: Now we're back to fluff, random side pairings, and a rather frustrated Iruka. All that and Bull too. Hooray!
If you don't know what divinity candy is, you are seriously missing out. You're also missing out if you've never watched Bluetoes the Christmas Elf. Not that that has anything to do with anything, other than the song is in my head…
Christmas with the Hatakes
By: Reggie
December 14th: Eggnog
Iruka set down the last plate of frosted sugar cookies and stepped back to admire his work. He looked over his shoulder to where Bull was lying, calmly if unwillingly letting Sayuri play with his ears. "What do you think?"
Bull happily thumped his tail against the ground, trying to smile in spite of the infants not so gentle tugging. "It all looks yummy, Iruka-sensei. I'm sure the kids will love it."
"They had better. I'm completely out of sugar now, and I bought a five pound bag yesterday!" Iruka laughed to himself as he surveyed all the treats he'd spent the last few days making. He hadn't been able to sleep, so instead there were batches and batches of homemade cookies, chocolates, candies, cakes, and drinks. The only thing he hadn't made himself was the eggnog, and then only because he didn't trust the recipe Anko had given him years ago.
It had only occurred to Iruka after all the baking and general pastry making that there was no possible way he could eat all of it. He probably couldn't even give away all of it. That was when the Chuunin happened upon a wonderful idea. He would throw his former students, those formerly known as the Rookie 9 and Team Guy, a Christmas party. He'd heard from Kakashi all about the teenage party, and wanted to see for himself what was going on with Naruto and Hinata anyway. This seemed like the perfect excuse.
Iruka grabbed one of the pieces of divinity candy off the plate and tossed it to Bull, who snatched it up eagerly. The chuunin could already hear Kakashi's complaints that he spoiled the dogs too much, that they would get fat, but if Kakashi ignored Iruka's requests to save his chakra and not waste it on summoning the dogs, then Iruka could ignore his instructions not to feed them treats.
There was a knock on the door and, plastering a grin on his face, Iruka went and opened it. In dashed Naruto, barely little more than an orange blur, racing for Iruka's specialty Pumpkin Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip cookies. He was followed by Sakura and Kiba, both walking at a slightly more sedate pace.
Iruka raised an eyebrow at the pair as they walked in together, causing Sakura to blush and look down at her feet.
Kiba let out a low whistle, surveying the room, "that's a lot of food, Iruka-sensei. You must have been cooking for days."
"I had to make sure there was enough for you, and Naruto, and Chouji," Iruka smiled, going over to pick up Sayuri so she could say hello the young ninja streaming in. They were all familiar to her, as the group was often in and out of the apartment for one thing or another and she was looking up attentively from her spot by Bull. She'd even let go of his ears, which Iruka was certain the large dog was thankful for.
Team 10 was the next to show up at the door, looking surprisingly festive in matching Santa hats. Iruka would later find out that Ino had forced them on the boys as a way of trying to brighten their holiday, but for now he was a little chocked to see Shikamaru, of all people, standing there in one.
"Hi Iruka-sensei," Chouji said brightly, his long red hair sticking out even more oddly from under the hat. "Do you have any gingerbread?"
"Right over there," the chuunin smiled, motioning to the table. Chouji made a noise of delight before joining Naruto on his cookie raiding mission. Shikamaru shrugged at him, eyeing him curiously, but was quickly distracted by Sayuri grabbing his hat and tugging it off.
The young man sighed, mussing up his hat hair so the ponytail had more life to it. "She can keep that if she wants it."
"Nonsense, Shikamaru, it's much too big for her!" Ino grinned, offering Sayuri a pacifier she had pulled from somewhere. With a giggle, the infant dropped the hat in exchange for her own toy. Ino caught the hat and put it triumphantly back on her friend's head. "Besides, it looks so much better on you!"
Shikamaru didn't seem to agree with this statement, and Iruka couldn't help chuckling at the look of disgust on the boy's face. They had only been here for a few minutes, but already these kids were making him feel better than he had all season.
Her task of humiliating Shikamaru once again completed, Ino then turned to her next target. "Oh, Sakura! I thought I saw you coming to the party with Kiba. What were you two doing together?"
Sakura's face quickly turned a shade to match her hair, and she turned away. "Just because I got a date and you didn't doesn't mean you have to…"
Sayuri dropped her pacifier in surprise as Ino squealed and pounced her friend, "so it IS a date?"
Further conversation on this line, for Iruka at least, was interrupted by the arrival of Team Guy, Hinata, and Shino.
Hinata quietly reached out, silently offering to take the baby from him. When Iruka relented, Hinata smiled brightly and cuddled Sayuri close. Iruka couldn't help smiling. The young Hyuuga had often come over to help him after they had just gotten home from the hospital, and still came over whenever she could spare a moment. Iruka had always been of the opinion that Hinata would make a great instructor for the youngest students, and this was just further proof of that theory.
Knowing that Sayuri was safe in Hinata's hands, Iruka decided to go see what damage control he could do with the girls. They all might not be his students any more, but they were still just fifteen, whatever Kakashi had to say on the subject.
"Sakura and Kiba sitting in a tree…"
"INO! That is so childish! I'm not rising to it!"
"K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"
"We haven't…" Sakura fisted her hands tightly. "Well what about you and Lee?"
"Eh?" Ino cocked her head to the side. "Oh, that's right!" The blond whirled, grinning to find the boy in green—who was currently cowering behind TenTen. For her part, TenTen looked unsure as to whether she should leave Lee and let him figure this out on his own, advise him on what to expect, or protect him from this unknown plot the Kunoichi obviously had in mind.
Iruka looked over at the Shikamaru for a hint, but all he got in return was a shake of the teen head. Chouji was currently too involved in some of Iruka's homemade fudge to be of any help either.
Ino was bouncing, her blonde ponytail doing a dance of its own. "Lee-kun, I have a present for you!"
Lee peeked out from behind TenTen, seeming to gather his courage. "You…you do, Ino-san?"
"Uh-huh. Come here, I'll give it to you." There was something decidedly evil about the look on Ino's face, and Iruka paused to comfort himself with the fact that they wouldn't do anything TOO bad while he was watching. He hoped.
Lee crept forward, and TenTen seemed to decide that whatever happened now was on his own head as she went to get some punch.
Again, seemingly from nowhere, Ino pulled out a sprig of mistletoe. She held it up and planted a kiss firmly on Lee's cheek. The poor young man blushed furiously, a look of shock on his face. Sakura had a matching look, though with slightly less delight.
"Oh yeah," Naruto said around a mouth full of cookies. After Iruka shot him a look, the blonde swallowed sheepishly. "Sorry, Iruka-sensei, I just remembered something I was going to do."
After swallowing one more cookie nearly whole, Naruto walked over to where Hinata was playing quietly with Sayuri. "Hey! Hinata!"
"N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata looked up, wide eyed, and flushing slightly. "Do you need something?"
Iruka frowned, trying to figure out what Ino kissing Lee had to do with Hinata at all.
"Yeah! I wanted to ask you to be my date today, but I couldn't find you earlier. So, I'll ask you now. Will you be my date for the rest of the party?"
Hinata gasped slightly, and nodded slowly. Iruka saw Bull sneaking closer out of the corner of his eye.
Naruto's face lit up brighter than the Christmas tree, "great!" With that exclamation, he leaned forward and kissed the startled girl straight on the mouth. Iruka heard Neji start chocking not far away.
Hinata's face started out a nice pink, but was quickly going an unhealthy looking shade of fuchsia. Her eyes rolled back in to her head, and her arms went slack. Iruka darted forward, ready to catch his daughter, but Bull was already there and had the baby securely in his teeth by the seat of her pants before Hinata finished slumping forward, unconscious, into Naruto's arms and sending them both crashing to the floor.
Sayuri giggled, delighted with this new game, as Naruto floundered around awkwardly under the dead weight of his date. "Hinata? Hey, Hinata!"