Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

I'm baaaack! All I have to say is thank god school's over! And about this chapter, I know that it's nowhere near Christmas season, but I had to make it so since it goes with the chronology of the school year.

Chapter 11: The Time of Cheer

--

"C'mon guys, this isn't funny!"

Naruto was currently on 3-way with Kiba and Shikamaru, and while the blonde was pouting, Kiba's loud laugh filled all their ears. He could hear Shikamaru let out a few heavy coughs, which were supposed to suppress his own chuckles of amusement.

It didn't fool Naruto, and frankly, he was about to rip both their heads off.

"Kiba, pipe down and try to be serious for once! Shouldn't you guys be trying to support me?" he asked, exasperated, while flopping down on his bed.

"Hey, hey! You've got my complete and full support of you and that Uchiha brat screwing each other's brains out. But, it's hard to be seriously when you…you sound like a damn girl!"

Cue more never-ending laughter.

"He does have a point for once, Naruto…" came Shikamaru's thoughtful remark.

"See! Even he noticed it! I still can't believe you called us up to ask our opinions on what you should get Sasuke for Christmas. I mean, just spend an extra 10 bucks and call it done. I'm tellin' you, this is the kind of stuff only chicks worry about."

Naruto sighed before letting out a growl of frustration. "Yeah, well maybe this is why your sorry ass can't land even a date with Hinata. Oh, and for your information, Sasuke and I haven't been screwing each other's brains out!"

"Yo, you didn't have to—eh, wait, what? Am I hearing you right? You and Uchiha have been going out for a some time now, and he hasn't tapped your ass yet?"

"No!" Naruto screeched with indignation and slight embarrassment. "God, not everyone's always horny like you!"

"I ain't always horny—"

"—That can be debated," Shikamaru butted in.

"Alright, alright, fine. I'm always horny. But how long are you and him planning on waiting?"

"I don't know," Naruto bit out, "I'm not marking a specific date on my calendar for when I'm losing my virginity. I just…" he trailed off and his voice softened, "I kinda want it to be…something special, you know?"

There was silence on the phone for so long that Naruto could've sworn both had hung up on him. When Kiba finally let out a cough, he had expected another comment about him being a girl, but what came next surprised him.

"Shikamaru, you're coming over now."

"Yeah…I was thinking the same thing."

"What? Hey! What about me?"

"You're not invited!" Both voices rang out in unison.

"Assholes! Some friends you guys are…"

"Trust us, Naruto," came Shikamaru's soothing tone, "this isn't something you want to be involved in."

"I don't like the sound of that," he replied, his voice laced with suspicion.

"Yeah, and besides, you've still got to get Sasuke a present, right?"

"Shit! You're right! Alright, later guys!"

Both Kiba and Shikamaru heard a click and breathed a sign of relief as the line went dead.

Thank god for the blonde and his A.D.D.

--

Sasuke twirled his phone in his hand impatiently. He had been waiting for a phone call since ten o'clock, and it was already near one in the afternoon. He swore to himself that this would be the last time he ever made an appointment with this company again.

On a more positive note, it was Christmas Eve. Well, a few hours away from being a true "eve" but still, it was the day before Christmas. Naruto had kindly invited Sasuke over for dinner and he had accepted. He was interested in what Naruto's adopted father was like and what kind of lifestyle they both lived.

Sasuke also thought that this would be a good time to give Naruto his Christmas present, instead of having to wait until tomorrow, but, by the looks of things, it didn't appear that his gift would be finished anytime soon.

He rubbed his temples. What an annoyance.

At about half past one, his phone finally buzzed to life. Sasuke sprang up from his bed, where he had been disinterestedly reading a magazine previously, and leapt for it.

"Hello, Sasuke Uchiha here."

"Ah, Mr. Uchiha, I'm very sorry for the delay. But the piece you requested has finally been finished. It's ready to be picked-up whenever you're free."

About damn time.

"I'll be there soon," he responded curtly, before snapping his phone shut.

Snatching his keys from off his desk, he made his way out the door.

--

"Alright, I'm sure you know why you're here."

Shikamaru nodded, as he made himself comfortable on Kiba's couch. It had been deemed an "Emergency Naruto Meeting," this little get-together between Kiba and himself, and they were both about ready to get started.

"So…wow." Kiba didn't know what to say, merely scratching the back of his neck.

"Hm," Shikamaru's voice was quiet, "it seems as though Naruto is actually falling for him."

Kiba winced. "You know it's so weird to think about. When they got together and stuff, I was fine about it, cause, god I'm about to sound like such an ass, but I didn't actually think they'd last. I mean…they're just so different."

Shikamaru nodded. "I agree. Logically, to me, it didn't make sense either. But now…"

"But now, it sounds like Naruto's not joking around," Kiba finished softly.

He shifted a little in his seat. "I can't believe this is the same dorky little Naruto that read comic books all the time when we were kids. The one that's so clumsy all the time, always tripping over his own feet or some other object. The one who was picked on like no other growing up. How he managed to snag Sasuke Uchiha, the kid that's had fangirls since preschool, and who has like a billion dollars in his pocket…I'll never know."

Both simply sat there for a few minutes, allowing the words to sink in. At last, Kiba clapped his hands once loudly, breaking the trance.

"Well, you know what this means right?" he asked brightly.

Shikamaru's lips tilted upwards. "Yeah, I think I know what's on your mind."

Kiba's own grin took a slightly lecherous turn. "It's time to go find ourselves an Uchiha."

--

Naruto hung his head low as he made his way out of yet another store. The more he wandered, the more he was beginning to wonder if all his efforts were truly pointless.

This was the first time he had ever had to purchase something of such extreme value. Sure, there had been father's day cards and friend's birthdays…but never a boyfriend. He didn't even have an idea where to begin.

And as if he weren't feeling pressed enough, this was Sasuke he was talking about. Sasuke. Sasuke Uchiha. The Uchihas were prestigious and wealthy. This was the kid that had everything he could have ever wanted since he was born.

How the hell am I supposed to buy something for someone who has everything?

It didn't help the fact that he was low on cash either. Granted, he had enough money for something that was decent, and if it were anyone else, it would've suited him just fine. But, as he passed by countless display stands, nothing jumped out at him. Besides, the money he had couldn't purchase him anything extraordinary. And extraordinary was what Sasuke deserved.

Glancing down at his watch, Naruto was surprised at how late it already was. Sasuke would be over soon. With a sigh of defeat, he began to head back home.

How am I supposed to tell him I didn't get him anything for Christmas?

--

"Ah! Damn it!"

Kiba and Shikamaru collapsed onto a bench located under a shady tree, both thoroughly exhausted. They had searched nearly everywhere in the center of town for Sasuke, only to find the man nowhere to be found.

"You don't think we're gonna have to stop by his estate, do you?"

"Nah, no way," Kiba shuddered. "I doubt we'd get back from security alive. Besides, he's got to be somewhere around here! I mean, he's got to be getting a gift for Naruto, right?"

He tilted his head back and let out a heavy breath. "This is so ridiculous. It's not even like Konoha's that big! Where the he—"

"Kiba!"

Two pairs of eyes swung their attention to the door that had just jingled shut to see Sasuke Uchiha walk out, hands shoved in the pockets of his designer jeans. He had taken all but two steps when he felt his face collide with the dirt.

"Jesus! What the fuck?!" He glared angrily at the body that had just tackled him.

"Aaaah you have no idea how long we've been looking for you!" Kiba shouted.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Sasuke asked coldly.

Kiba leaned down, his face mere inches away from Sasuke's. The Uchiha was beginning to get slightly creeped out.

"Listen," Kiba began, "I don't really like you all that much—"

"The feeling's mutual," Sasuke muttered.

"—You," he pointed to Sasuke, "and I," he pointed to himself," have absolutely nothing in common—"

"Your point?"

"—Except," Kiba continued as though he hadn't been interrupted, "one thing."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "And that would be?"

"Naruto."

The dramatics aside, Shikamaru took over. "Look, we'll make this short. Naruto's our best friend. He has been for as long as we can remember and he always will be. He obviously cares deeply for you. However…what we're trying to say is…"

"You hurt him, we kill you," Kiba stated simply.

Sasuke looked, from his position on the ground, from one to the other. He had just gotten Naruto's gift, which he had to admit looked perfect, and had been heading home to get ready for his evening with the blonde, when he had gotten tackled to the ground and was currently receiving death threats. They had got to be kidding him.

What a bunch of psychos.

He could do nothing but nod, showing his understanding.

"Good," Kiba pushed off of him and brushed some dirt off his pants, "then it's settled. Happy holidays Uchiha!"

The pair walked off (with Kiba whistling a merry tune) and Sasuke remained in his position until he could no longer see either of them in his line of vision.

What the hell had just happened?

He made a mental note to himself to tell Naruto to stop hanging around those two.

--

Naruto whizzed around the house once more, making sure he hadn't missed anything. Everything needed to be perfect for when Sasuke arrived. He had even straightened out his room for the first time in a good couple of months.

From the kitchen, Iruka chuckled at the nervous ball of energy jumping around. Naruto could be too cute sometimes.

The doorbell rang as a loud crash could be heard coming from the bathroom, and Iruka vaguely wondered if he should be worried. A loud curse affirmed his thoughts.

"Don't worry about me Iruka! Just distract him for a sec, will you?" came the yell.

Iruka chuckled once again before opening the front door. There, in front of him, stood a handsome young teen. He bowed upon feeling Iruka's presence.

"Good evening, sir," came the smooth voice.

"Now, now," said Iruka hastily, "no need to be so polite. You can just call me Iruka. Please come in!" He stepped out of the doorway to allow the boy in.

Sasuke looked around Naruto's home. It was nowhere near as large as his own, but it still had quite a…cozy feel to it.

"I'll be right back, Sasuke. I've just got to check on dinner. Naruto should be out soon," Iruka smiled warmly at him.

Sasuke returned the gesture. The man seemed very nice. Looking around again, he caught sight of the fireplace that was blazing. Above, he noticed there were pictures of Naruto when he was a child. In the first, he was wearing a t-shirt that seemed to be four sizes too large, and grinning with his front teeth missing. The second depicted him making peace signs at the camera. The third had him hugging a stuffed animal fox. Sasuke couldn't help but have his insides feel light when he saw them.

Cute, dobe.

"Sasuke!"

He barely had a chance to turn around before he was tackled for a second time (though this time much more pleasurable) by a giant ball of orange energy. Sasuke looked up into clear, blue eyes, before leaning down and capturing pink lips in a soft kiss.

"Hey, I missed you."

"Me too," Sasuke wasn't sure, but he could have almost sworn he had seen a tinge of sadness within those blue orbs.

Before he could ask though, Iruka signaled that dinner was ready and the two got ready to eat.

Sasuke looked down at the plates set on the table before him. There were steaming bowls of rice, along with fish, meat, and vegetables. It looked like a good meal.

He sat down and helped himself to a bit of everything. Taking his first bite, he then realized how hungry he was. He hadn't eaten much the whole day. Both Naruto and Iruka looked on, astonished, as Sasuke began to eat rapidly.

It was only when he felt the stares of the other two that he realized he was most likely acting very embarrassing. He slowed down to swallow his food before mumbling 'sorry about that.'

Iruka burst out laughing. "Don't be. I was merely surprised, that's all. Trust me, I've seen Naruto at his worst and he'd probably have eaten twice the amount you had by now."

"Heh, what can I say? I like eating," Naruto said while reaching for some fish.

Sasuke smiled. "This is all very delicious."

"Ah, well, it's alright," he spoke, very flattered, "I'm sure you've had better though, ne?"

"Not really," Sasuke shrugged. "I don't really have home-cooked meals all that often. My mother doesn't like cooking too much, and my father's rarely home anyways. So my brother and I just usually order something."

"Ah, I see…"

The rest of dinner was a nice, casual affair. Unlike most parents Sasuke knew, Iruka did not ask him about his father's company or what his goals in life were. No, instead, they talked about ordinary things and he treated Sasuke as though he wasn't some billionaire. Sasuke appreciated that.

Once it was over, Naruto led Sasuke up to his room and closed the door gently behind him. The Uchiha had first envisioned the blonde's room to be swimming with orange and perhaps to even have random posters of ramen sticking out here and there. He was surprised to find a seemingly normal-looking room. Hell, it even looked a bit like his own room, with the exception of the light green walls.

"I know," Naruto said as though reading Sasuke's mind, "I don't really like the color. But Iruka wouldn't let me go off and paint the walls orange. He said it would draw too much attraction."

Sasuke silently thanked the man.

"Iruka…he's very nice." Naruto grinned at him.

"Yeah, he's the best!"

Sasuke smiled, seeing that the relationship Naruto held with his father-figure was very close. He doubted his own relationship with his own dad had ever been that way.

Sasuke thread his fingers through Naruto's and led them to the bed. Naruto looked up and nearly lost himself in the intense, heated gaze held in Sasuke's eyes. He was fairly certain he could spend all eternity simply looking at the other man.

Not entirely sure how to begin, Sasuke decided he should just be blunt about it. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a simple, black box. He saw Naruto's eyes widen and he tightened the grip between their hands.

"Merry Christmas, dobe," he spoke softly, pushing the box toward the blonde.

Shakily, Naruto extended his arm and reached for it. He cracked the lid open and let out a gasp.

Inside, was a simple silver chain that shined in the dim light. Attached to it was a somewhat spherical shape, almost identical to that of a teardrop. It was a deep shade of blue, and it sparkled magnificently.

It was beautiful.

And now, all the guilt from before came flooding back. This necklace must have cost a fortune. And how was he supposed to repay that? With a simple thank you? He then wished, more than ever, that he had just picked some random gift. It would have been better than nothing.

Sasuke noticed the blonde's discomfort almost immediately. He felt his insides lurch. Had he screwed up?

"Do you…do you not like it?" he asked softly.

Naruto shook his head vigorously. "No, it's not that. I love it. I mean…it's beautiful. Thank you so much, teme."

Sasuke could feel himself breathe again as Naruto said he liked the gift. Well, that was good. He had been getting nervous. But still…something seemed off.

"I thought the blue would look good with your eyes," he added lightly. When Naruto merely nodded, he frowned.

"Something's wrong," he lifted the blonde's chin in his hand, "what is it?"

Naruto tore away. "God, you get me a gift like that, how am I even supposed to compare?"

Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise. So that was what Naruto had been worried about this whole time?

"Dobe, I promise you that I will love anything that you got me—"

"That's just it! I didn't get you anything! I wandered around town for hours today, trying to find the perfect gift for you! But…nothing seemed right. You have everything that you could possibly need. I—I just didn't know. I'm so sorry."

Naruto looked crushed. Sasuke felt his chest constrict.

He spent hours looking for a gift for me?

Naruto lowered his gaze, his mind racing. There had to be something, anything, he could let Sasuke have. Then, suddenly, an idea hit him. He let out a small smile.

If this was what he needed to do, then he'd do it.

Biting his lip, he began to undo the first button of his shirt.

Sasuke stared at the blonde, dumbstruck. He knew what Naruto was doing, and, as more tan flesh was exposed to his view, he realized he wanted this so badly. After almost giving in to his temptations, he knew he had to put a stop to this.

Naruto stilled, nearly done taking his shirt off, when hands pressed over his own. He looked over, confused. "You don't want to?"

Sasuke licked his lips. "I want to, god I want to so bad. I want you so bad. But not like this. I don't want you to do this because you feel obligated to. Do you honestly think I care about not getting a present? To know that you spent all this time considering what to get me, that's what means the most to me. Knowing that I was on your mind all that time."

"Sasuke…" Naruto whispered. Sasuke silenced him with a finger to his lips.

"Can I put this on for you?" he asked, gesturing to the chain still inside the box.

Naruto nodded, and, for the first time that night, his face broke out in a genuine smile.

Sasuke carefully removed the chain and clasped it around Naruto's neck gently. The blonde looked down at it and then looked at him.

"What do you think?"

Sasuke felt his mouth go dry.

"Breathtaking."

"Teme, I'm not—"

"No, Naruto. You are beautiful. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

"Sasuke…I don't even know what to say."

God, how could a single person make him feel so…happy?

"Then don't say anything," Sasuke pulled Naruto close to him and began running fingers through thick, blonde spikes.

"Merry Christmas Sasuke…"

And thank you.

--

An almost lemon…but then I decided to end with fluff instead xD

Don't worry though, it's fast approaching! Maybe in the next chapter or two

I don't know if any of you even bother to read my profile but I did mention how I'd like to get this fic wrapped up with. So expect an update maybe kinda sorta soonish? We shall see.

Please review!