Next one is up! A little more goes on...people are introduced. And I gotta say again...it's so easy to fall behind. And its hard to write out these chapters. I don't really know what's gonna go next on the page until it gets written down. Like the Itachi is landlord thing, that just happened. Anyways...enough rambling.
Enjoy this chapter! :)
The ringing phone was picked up by the youngest living in the modest one story house in the suburbs in the northern Copper State.
"Sabakuno residence."
There was no response for the longest time from the redhead on the phone. He would nod imperceptibly every once in a while, not that the person on the other line could see. Finally, the silence was broken and his siblings that walked in to see him standing with the phone in hand blinked.
"We'll be there the Wednesday of as long as you have room for the three of us."
His siblings looked at him questioningly. "Where are we going Gaara?"
"Konoha."
***
The project was set in stone as of yesterday afternoon and it would be seen all around by this morning. The blonde was practically giddy as he woke up to the afternoon sun. He normally didn't sleep in this late but it was his first weekend since that project started. Thankfully the Hyuuga project didn't need to be done until two weeks after the holidays. He would have even given his people Monday off, if they didn't have one or two small projects due before Christmas.
Entering his kitchen, he took a quick look in his fridge to see what he had left and if he needed to pick up any groceries. Naruto pulled out some marinated chicken and lettuce, red and green bell peppers, green onions and other herbs and spices, deciding on making a chicken salad. And on afterthought, some soba noodles for a small helping of yakisoba.
He stir-fried the chicken with some extra seasoning before letting it cool and tearing it into strips. Rinsing the lettuce and veggies, he chopped them and set them on a plate followed by the chicken strips and the sauce he made while the chicken cooled. With the remaining veggies and chicken, he tossed it into the yakisoba and finished it off with his personalized sauce.
Setting the food on a TV tray, he moved over to the computer space he had set up in the living room and caught up on his e-mail. Some were from work acquaintances with invitations to holiday gatherings, others were from clients inviting him, and others were from old friends he kept in touch with. Responding to the ones deemed important, he tabled them onto his calendar to send reminders and finished off his lunch watching some anime Sai told him to watch.
Naruto was startled out of an awesome fight scene when knocking came to his door. Pausing the clip, he muttered to himself about interrupting a good fight and opened the door to find Hinata, Neji, Shino, and Choji at his doorstep. Somehow from his spot less than a foot away, he managed to get enough lift and speed to tackle hug Neji and Shino while the other two missed by a hairsbreadth. The trio landed with a loud woof of displaced air while Naruto nuzzled between the two's necks. An amused look was passed between them as Choji lent a hand to the fallen.
"It's good to see you too Naruto," the big man said as he pulled the blonde up who in turn gave the man a good ole punch in the arm. "Good to see you too Choji."
***
They migrated inside the house and Naruto puttered in the kitchen getting drinks for the four of them.
"I have this new tea from Rice. Iruka gave it to me when he came back from his trip there last month," he said as he set down ceramic cups in front of them all.
The four took their time to look around. It had become a yearly ritual to drop by the blonde's apartment to keep him from being too down during the season as bad memories came to front. It had started in their first year in college (second for Neji) when Choji and Shino were roommates with the loud blonde and Hinata was seeing Shino. And being the responsible cousin Neji was, he had chaperoned the first few dates and met the others too. They were so used to seeing the blonde's vibrant grin and his do-or-die attitude that they never wondered how he would be during the holidays. But when the bright boy suddenly seemed to be quiet and depressed, even the room with its bright decorations seemed to dull down as well, they knew something was wrong. So in the usual fashion, they took the unsuspecting boy out and plied him with unending alcohol, they kept refilling his cup when he didn't notice and by the end of the night, he had poured his heart out about the seasons.
But for the first time, it seemed as though the blonde was celebrating the holidays. While he received presents, they were always piled in a corner, but this year he even had a tree up and decorated it. Keeping with small talk, they updated each other on the simple things and decided to go out for dinner at one of Choji's family's restaurant.
***
During dinner, the question finally came up. We won't mention who asked, but they all fell victim to Naruto's sad-innocent-wide-eyed-puppy look of surprise. Three pairs of eyes glared at one.
"It's nothing. Decided to put one up this year."
Hinata was watching his eyes as he spoke, "That's not it is it Naruto," she whispered.
The blonde had a wry smile as he looked at the only female in the group. "You always did know me so well." He looked down at his hands.
"Someone, I dunno who, has been dropping off various gifts. They even set up the tree. There's a gift under the tree and one for me to find. I think I used to know them…before that happened. It seems like it. They leave me notes and their gifts…the gifts always hint at the past.
"But I don't remember anything! There has always been a little, like the foods and the gardening… But… The gifts, they're bringing back more. And I don't know if I want to remember or if I'm ready." The blonde looked very stressed. His hair was more frizzled than usual with his hand running through it every few moments.
A hand rubbed his back firmly but softly and he relaxed. A great sigh filled the silence. "But, really, I'm…happy about the time and thought this person put into this."
The four let the silence sit some more, letting the revelation sink in. and when it did, Naruto's eyes widened before returning to normal.
"Come on Naruto, let's head back up. We'll drop off our gifts and make plans the next get-together. What do you think of trying that new restaurant that's supposed to open down on Kaeru Street?" Neji tossed in as they exited the restaurant.
***
Christmas music was playing softly in the apartment when they walked in. The fairy lights were plugged in as well and underneath reflecting the twinkling lights was another gift. Shino walked over to it and picked it up. It wasn't big or heavy and it was wrapped in the orange that Naruto liked.
"The card…"
Naruto walked behind and plucked the classic greeting card.
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
Time goes by and changes are everywhere.
Forget not those who are always there
In the shadows and in the light
Hinata walked up behind the blonde followed by Neji and Choji. In her hands was a heavy black album sewn in silver. Embroidered on it were the words Cherish, Dream, Live. On the first page was a large photo. Dead center of it was the Namikaze family with baby Naruto surrounded by relatives from both sides with hair colors across the rainbow. Underneath, in the calligraphy of his gift giver were the words : In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future.
And...it's finished. Hmm...nothing cultural this time. Any questions, comments, praises or even complaints...click the button right below and drop me a line.
