Christmas Gift Drabbles 2009

by michelerene

Chapter four for The Cereal Killer. Naruto refused to look at his watch as he limped down the snow covered sidewalk, his body shivering from the cold. All he could think of was the look on Sasuke's face when he said "I won't wait."

2. For Gwyllion

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and Co. and, therefore, I do not make money from playing with them like they are my own personal and rather naughty action figures.

To: Gwyllion… my darling and adorable hobbit hole roommate and the second half of my personal OTP. Love doesn't begin to cover the love… I've move right into covet.

Author's Note: I guess this is kind of a fairytale, which, of course, makes me smile. It's based loosely on Hans Christian Anderson's "The Little Match Girl" because if Disney can change the ending of Hans's "The Little Mermaid", I most certainly can change this.

Christmas Drabble #2

To Gwyllion

From Me!

Gatou was a bully of a man with cruel, squinty eyes and a greasy mustache. He was the undisputed 'boss' of the Westside and had no qualms with using the town's poor and orphaned children as cheap… or, more to the point, free labor.

Three days before Christmas, and in the back corner of a dirty, disreputable tavern, Gatou glared down at his least favorite street rat. "Don't even think about coming back here until every last match has been sold."

Naruto Uzumaki bowed his head and closed his eyes. His small fingers clenched and unclenched around the orange patch on his worn, brown jacket and his right hand worried the bundle of matches in his pocket. Shifting, he pulled his jacket tight over his chest and tugged at his oversize brown pants. He had no socks and his shoes were tattered and far too big for his feet.

"I don't know if I can sell them all," Naruto began slowly and then looked up with big, blue eyes. "And it's so cold."

No one in the dingy pub even turned when the small, blond child, no older than eight, was picked up by his collar and slammed into the wall. In fact, most of the questionable patrons didn't even look up from their ale. Better to keep Gatou's attention on the unfortunate waif.

Naruto grabbed fruitlessly at the sausage-like fingers that pinned him and slowly cut off his air. He nodded his head wildly and then had to scramble to stay on his feet when his Gatou dropped him without warning. "Get out of here!" the fat man yelled and then laughed when, in his hurry to comply, Naruto tripped, tearing a hole in his pants and ripping the soft skin on his palms.

Naruto bit his bottom lip to stop himself from crying out and raced out of the door as fast as his little legs would carry him. He continued to run and run, dodging white faced prostitutes and grisly, smelly drunkards. He ducked under a crate of fish and twisted out of the angry grasp of a fisherman, saluting cheekily when he broke free.

Finally, when his lungs and legs couldn't handle it anymore, Naruto slowed to a walk. Looking around him, he smiled. Gone were the narrow, crumpling streets of the Westside, replaced by the wide, well maintained cobblestone streets of the wealthy Eastside. The men wore suits with polished shoes and jaunty top hats. Beautiful women strolled beside them with their cascading curls held in place with scarves that looked so soft Naruto's fingers itched to touch them.

Covered carriages lead by handsome steeds replaced the wobbly wagons with their haggard nags that Naruto was used to seeing. Fresh swags of evergreen draped from every lamp pole and decorative wreaths hung on every door. Children -oh, Naruto loved the children most- walked along behind their parents, warm hats on their heads and fuzzy mittens covering their fingers. Their voices rose like bells on the air as they pulled on their mothers' skirts, asking for hot rolls and toys and dresses and candy. They pressed their faces against the glass of the toy store or candy store and their parents patted them on the head and promised them all sorts of amazing things because… and this was Naruto's favorite part… 'Christmas was coming'.

Snow began to fall silently from the sky and, unlike the snow on the Westside that only seemed to make everything more miserable, dirty and wet, the snow here covered everything in a blanket of white, sparkling and pure.

Straightening his measly jacket, Naruto hissed when his hands rubbed over the coarse fabric. Dried blood covered the cracks of his palms and he bent quickly, scooping up a handful of snow and rubbing his hands to clean them. It hurt and once more, his lip took the brunt of his pain, before he stood, wiping his hands off on his pants.

Satisfied, Naruto stood a little straighter and dung into the pocket of his jacket, pulling out several crude, wooden matches. He smiled brightly and stepped out of the shadows and onto the side of the pleasant street.

"Matches!" he hollered, "Matches for sale."

Xxx

Sasuke Uchiha grumbled to himself and pulled the collar of his black, wool jacket up higher to stop the flakes of snow from chilling his neck. The action made the midnight black strands of hair on the back of his head stand up even more than usual. His right hand ducked angrily into his pocket, feeling the scarf he had shoved away. If he were a smart boy, he'd put the blasted thing on and solve his problem, but he was an Uchiha and he would not wear an orange scarf.

His grumbling turned to the curses he'd heard his brother use more than once but would assure that Sasuke got a bar of soap in his mouth if that same hypocritical, evil ass ever heard him.

Itachi and Kisame had thought it was ridiculously funny when the young Hurano heiress presented Sasuke with the gift. Of course, Itachi's face hadn't betrayed any emotion, but his damn evil eyes practically glowed with amusement. Kisame had to turn his head and cover his laugh with an ill-place cough.

"Asses," Sasuke growled and then tumbled to the ground, wrapped around a boy he hadn't seen as he was walking.

"What?" a voice said slightly dazed and Sasuke lifted himself off the wiggling mass enough to see bright blue eyes staring up at him. "Oi! Bastard, get off me!"

Sasuke backed up so quickly he fell on his bottom in the snow, his feet finding little traction on the ice. The blond boy sat up slowly and rubbed the back of his head, still eyeing Sasuke suspiciously. He hissed and brought his hand back down. Sasuke's black eyes widened at the gashes he saw.

"Did I do that?" he demanded and the way the blond flinched at the sound of his voice and shook his head made Sasuke realize he wasn't using his manners. He crawled forward to take the boy's hand when the blond's face paled and he began looking around in earnest.

"Oh no, oh no," the boy whispered desperately and turned over onto his hands and knees. Sasuke looked around as well trying to figure out what the boy was so worried about. Small, grubby fingers clawed at the snow and Sasuke finally saw the boy was picking up matches.

"What are you doing?" he snapped but the boy continued to ignore him and grab at the snow. A cold, wet feeling began seeping into his pants and Sasuke stood, brushing off the snow. The blond child had stopped moving, but now he held his matches close to his chest and a telltale tremor shook his body.

"Are you crying?" Sasuke asked again with a sneer. He had begun to think that the boy was deaf.

"Shut up," the blond whispered and then turned angrily and screamed, "SHUT UP!"

Sasuke immediately pounced on the boy, slamming a gloved hand over his mouth and yanking the child to his feet. "Be quiet, you little idiot!" he growled and then released his face and began brushing the snow off his tattered coat like they were long, lost playmates.

"I forgive you for running into me, although why you were standing in the middle of the street like an idiot…"

The boy slapped his hand away and rubbed at his running nose with his sleeve. Sasuke closed his eyes in disgust. "You ran into me, bastard!"

Once more Sasuke slapped a hand over his mouth. "Stop calling me that!" he hissed. "Where did you even learn that? Little boys do not say that… not ever."

"I am NOT a little boy," the blond sputtered angrily. "I'm eight!"

Sasuke took a step back and eyed the angry faced boy with cool speculation. "I never would have guessed over six."

"What… you, bas… JERK!"

Sasuke smirked. "Well, I am nine. My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I'm older and you have to do what I say and I say that you have to tell me your name and why you are crying like a baby over matches."

The blond stomped his foot, but when Sasuke mentioned matches, his little face crumbled and his lower lip began to tremble.

"My name is Naruto and I… you… they broke," he said pathetically and held up six, small broken sticks.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "So what? Do you collect them or something?"

Naruto shook his head and flakes of snow slipped from the golden strands of hair sticking out in every possible direction on his head. "No, I sell them. I have to sell all of them, you see, and no one will want to buy broken ones. I'll have to go… back…" Naruto's frame shook.

"Back? Back where? Home?"

A sad smile came to Naruto's lips. "Yeah, jerk… home."

In that one choked out word, Sasuke knew that going home didn't mean to Naruto what going home meant to him.

Sasuke ran his fingers through his hair and then held out his hand. Naruto stared at his glove covered fingers and then looked at him with confusion. "What?"

"I'll buy them."

Naruto instinctively pulled the matches closer to his body. "Why? They are broken and useless."

Sasuke released a disgusted 'hn' and snatched Naruto's bare fingers in his own, prying them open until the broken matches fell into his hand. "And I want all the rest, too."

Naruto blinked and then started looking around him as though he thought Sasuke were crazy and moments away from killing him. "Look, you ba-jerk, that's not funny. You can't buy them. You're a kid. Where's your mummy and daddy, little boy?"

Sasuke's fingers closed around Naruto's hand until Naruto gasped in pain. The noise shocked Sasuke and he threw Naruto's hand away from him like he'd been burned. "My mother and father are dead."

"Oh," Naruto mouthed, hardly a sound escaping, and he looked down nervously. "I'm sorry."

"Where are your mother and father?"

"I don't know," Naruto said and his fingers dug into his pocket. With a sigh, he pulled out the rest of his matches. "I don't remember them. And no one can tell me anything." He shrugged and finally looked up. With a blinding smile that nearly curled his eyes into inverted U's, he said, "Can you really pay for these, bastard?"

Sasuke glared at the name but stopped when Naruto blushed and muttered an apology. "Yes, I can." He pulled off his glove and stuck his hand in his pocket, fishing for the money Kisame had given him to entertain himself while he and Sasuke's brother conducted business they had in town.

Sasuke stuffed his newly purchased matches into his pocket and watched Naruto do the same with his money. When he was done, Naruto shivered and tried to pull his coat collar up to starve off the cold.

"Well, it was nice to meet you, Sasuke," Naruto said softly and then he jerked his head toward the road. "I guess I should go…"

Sasuke stepped closer to Naruto and pulled the orange scarf from his pocket. Without saying a word, he wound the warm fabric around Naruto's neck, stuffing the ends into his miserable jacket.

"I… I can't take this…" Naruto said but he nuzzled into the downy softness.

"Hn," Sasuke said. "I owe you." A blush came unbidden to his pale cheeks. "For breaking the matches."

Naruto's smile was huge, the brightest thing Sasuke had ever seen, and he'd swear that he felt warmer just seeing it. "I thought I ran into you?"

"Hn." Sasuke shrugged and walked away from the smiling boy. At the corner, he turned around and Naruto was still smiling and rubbing his cheeks against the hideous orange scarf. "Merry Christmas, idiot."

Naruto started and blushed. "Oh, yeah, Merry Christmas, bas-jerk."

Xxx

Sasuke sat in the carriage and stared out the window at the shops and businesses they slowly passed by. It was December 23rd and Kisame and Itachi were taking Sasuke to town with them once more. Since their run-in yesterday, he hadn't been able to get Naruto out of his head.

Sasuke knew that there were unfortunate children in Konoha, poor children and orphans, who unlike himself and his brother, had nothing once their parents died. He'd seen them huddled together in their ratty clothes with their dirty faces. Itachi gave money every Christmas to help the needy children, but they never stopped being needy. They never weren't there and so, most of the time, Sasuke didn't even see them anymore. He wondered if Naruto always sold matches on that corner and, if he did, how many times had Sasuke driven by him and never noticed?

"Sasuke," a smooth voice said interrupting his thoughts.

"Hn," he said and turned away from the window, blinking at the contrast in light from the outdoors to the interior of the carriage.

Itachi Uchiha gave him a pointed look. "I've been talking to you."

Sasuke just shrugged and propped his face in his hand before looking out the window again.

Maybe Itachi started speaking again, but through the frost covered glass of the carriage, Sasuke made out a blurry figure with golden hair and an obnoxious orange scarf.

"Stop the carriage!" Sasuke suddenly cried, banging on the roof, and Itachi's eyes widened.

"What are you doing?" Itachi asked his little brother incredulously and Kisame chuckled beside him.

"Sasuke," the tall black man said softy and Sasuke immediately stilled. With a grin, Kisame continued, "You're scaring your brother. What is this about?"

"May I get out here?" he said hoping his voice didn't sound as anxious as he felt. His heart beat rapidly in his chest and his eyes continued to dart outside the window. "There's something I want… something that I saw… yesterday. I just…" Finally, Sasuke forced himself to sit in his seat and address his brother. "Please."

Itachi looked at his brother, for what felt to Sasuke like a very long time, and nodded slowly. "When you are done, you'll meet us at the office." It should have been a question, but Itachi had never been much of an asker.

"Yes, big brother," Sasuke said slowly and then reached for the handle of the carriage. "Thank you."

Sasuke was gone and didn't see the look that Itachi and Kisame shared before the carriage began its journey again.

Xxx

"Matches!" Naruto hollered but then had to bend over slightly at the cough that racked his body. Several well dressed patrons left a wide berth between the boy and themselves. As his cough settled, Naruto heard someone say how sad it was, this poor little boy on the side of the road, but no one stopped to help or ask if he was okay.

Standing straighter, he put a smile on his face only to have it disappear when a hand fall on his shoulder.

"Are you crying again?"

Naruto snapped his head around and would have slipped on the ice had Sasuke not reached out and grabbed him. "Sasuke," he said in surprise. He jerked away from Sasuke's grip and straightened his jacket and scarf. "Why are you here?"

Sasuke's gloved hand reached out and grasped his chin. "What happen to your face?" Sasuke asked and Naruto's eyes widened at how serious the nine year old sounded. His pale face was harsh and his black eyes were angry.

"I…" he began and then jerked his head away from Sasuke's fingers. His hand came up and ran over the side of his face where he knew a black and purple bruise smeared across his tan cheek. Sasuke batted his fingers away and ghosted his thumb over the bruise. "It's none of your business!" Naruto spat and turned away from Sasuke.

He was forced to stop when the scarf around his neck was yanked and he fell to the ground. "Bastard!" Naruto growled and kicked out his feet, knocking Sasuke to the ground. Before Sasuke could move to his feet Naruto scrambled on top of him. Sasuke's chest heaved beneath him and his face was twisted with anger. Naruto's cold fingers curled into the warm fabric over Sasuke's shoulders and he closed his eyes, ignoring all the stares of the people around them. "Don't be angry at me," he whispered and then yelped when Sasuke arched up, bucking Naruto off and into the snow.

Sasuke glared down at him for only a second before pulling them both to standing. Naruto stood still while Sasuke brushed the snow from his coat and glared at the staring crowd until they began to move along again.

"I am not angry with you," Sasuke growled low in his throat but the brushes over Naruto's back were nearly painful. "Yes, I'm angry with you," he countered and then stepped back.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head and shrugged. "Look, I have to sell…"

"I'll buy them."

Naruto's fingers curled around the hair at his nape and tugged. "What? Why?" Sasuke didn't even answer and instead shoved bills and coins into Naruto's hands. "Sasuke…"

"I don't know why," Sasuke said and stood with his head bowed in front of Naruto. A dark blue scarf wrapped around his neck and Naruto reached out his hand to run his fingers over it, like all the times he'd wanted to feel just how soft those bright, beautiful scarves could be.

"Someone hurts you and makes you sell those matches. Is it because you don't have a brother?" Sasuke asked and the tips of Naruto's fingers brushed the scarf before Sasuke grabbed his fingers and twisted his hand until they were both looking into his palm. "I know that little kids get hurt, but I never knew one…"

Naruto's red nose squished up in confusion. "No, I don't have a brother. But other kids do and it doesn't help, I don't think." Naruto pulled his hand away and shove it in his pocket. "Yesterday I got in trouble for coming home so early, that's all. Today I won't. You don't have to worry."

"I'm not worried, idiot," Sasuke said and finally looked Naruto in the eye with cool detachment. "But, since we both have to wait to go home, want to look around with me? I still have to buy my brother a Christmas gift."

Naruto's blue eyes widened and he looked around at the colorful decorations and the smiling faces. "Um, I don't think that I'm allowed, really…"

"Shut up," Sasuke said and yanked at Naruto's coat, pulling him toward a stand with steaming breads, seemingly deaf to Naruto's objections.

Xxx

The sun was setting, just visible over the brick buildings around Naruto and Sasuke, and their shadows stretched ahead of them like willowy trees over the snow. Naruto's hands were shoved deep into his pockets and he pushed his mouth and nose down into the warmth of his scarf. He hadn't taken it off since Sasuke had given it to him. It was the only gift he'd ever received. He loved that it helped to keep him warm, but mostly, he loved that it smelled like Sasuke, reminding him of his new…

"Are we friends, Sasuke," Naruto asked. Sasuke walked beside with his hands clasp behind his back. He stopped under a burning lamp pole, the smell of evergreens swirling around them, and turned to look at Naruto for a long time before nodding his head.

"Yes, we are."

Naruto straightened his head until his nose and mouth were exposed to the cool air and he grinned. "I'm glad."

Sasuke stared at him for a long moment longer and then looked up at the darkening sky. "I have to go."

Naruto's smile faltered some but he nodded. "Yeah, me too. Time to go back."

Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed and Naruto quickly thrust his hands out to Sasuke. Sasuke held out his own and Naruto gave him all the matches he had bought that day. "Naruto, tomorrow is Christmas Eve…"

Naruto nodded and something like longing rippled through him. "Yep, I know."

"I won't be able to come and see you."

Naruto ducked his mouth and nose back into his scarf in an effort to hide his disappointment at not seeing Sasuke. It wasn't about Sasuke buying his matches and more about how being with Sasuke made him think of silly things he'd never have, like home and family. "Che," he said, muffled by his scarf, "You'll be with your family. You have fun!"

"Is there anywhere you can g-" Sasuke began but Naruto grinned at him and slapped him on the back before running off, waving wildly behind him.

"Merry Christmas, bastard!" he hollered jollily into the night and then disappeared into the darkening shadows.

Sasuke stood on the corner, under that lamp, until he heard a carriage come to a stop beside him. "Foolish, little brother," someone snapped behind him but all Sasuke could do was squeeze the matches in his hand and whisper, "I am worried, idiot."

Xxx

When morning came on Christmas Eve Day, Naruto awoke, in his attic room, to find that the temperature had dropped drastically in the night. He opened his eyes and looked across the planked wood to see that the frost had crept from the windows, down the low wall, and halfway across the floor to Naruto's thin sleeping mattress.

Whether it was the sight, or the actual cold, Naruto began shivering violently and tucked his knees into his chest and his face into his scarf, closing his eyes. "Sasuke," he whispered and then screamed when the door to his 'room' slammed open.

"Get up, you miserable welp!" Gatou yelled from the doorway and then disappeared down the hallway.

When he got downstairs, his breakfast, pasty oats and a glass of water, was frozen solid, most likely left to sit overnight. Unsurprisingly, Gatou didn't care and thrust a handful of matches at Naruto before pushing him out the door. "Don't come back until they are all sold!" he bellowed and then slammed the tavern door shut.

Naruto stood outside the miserable building and immediately noticed a difference. The roads were nearly deserted and Naruto began running, his movements unhampered, hoping his feet would warm up with the action. No one was out, perhaps because of the holiday, but mostly because it was too cold to do anything but freeze.

When he reached the Eastside, Naruto stopped on his corner and looked into the windows of the well lit shops. Customers and shopkeepers chatted merrily and drank tea, while the fires roaring in their hearths kept them cozy.

Whenever a lady or gentlemen walked by, Naruto smiled and held out his matches but they hardly looked at him, minds already on their friends and family.

But nightfall, Naruto's stiff fingers curled around a handful of matches still unsold in his pocket and he looked up to see the last light, in a shop across the street, go out.

He couldn't go home, but he couldn't stand on the corner all night either. With a nod of his head, Naruto wrapped his arms around his body, curling his fingers into tight fists and shuffled his cold feet across the street. He sat on the shop stoop to the toy store he and Sasuke had looked at the day before. Turning his head, Naruto looked into the window and saw a gingerbread boy running from a fox, a ballerina twirling in her pink tutu, and a Santa being pulled in his sleigh by eight tiny reindeer.

Yesterday, Sasuke had told Naruto all of their names. Cupping his hands in front of his face, he tried to remember them. "Dasher and Dancer and Donner and…" He was forced to snap his jaw shut when his shivering rattled his teeth so badly, it hurt.

Pulling his scarf up and over his head, Naruto leaned against the hard, brick wall and watched the empty street. He was going to freeze to death. He didn't doubt it for a moment. He had nowhere to go and no one could help him.

He closed his bright blue eyes and tried to remember his time with Sasuke. Yesterday had been the best day of Naruto's life. He'd never been so full, Sasuke forced food on him at every opportunity. He'd never been so warm, Sasuke dragged Naruto behind him into store after store, immediately placing Naruto next to the fire with a 'don't touch anything and don't move'. And he'd never been so happy. Sasuke told Naruto about his brother and his boyfriend. He told Naruto about trips to the ocean and warm cups of chocolate. He let Naruto pick the color of handkerchiefs he decided to buy for his brother and, for one glorious day, Naruto felt like he had family.

A single tear slide down Naruto's cheek and soaked into his scarf and Naruto sat up slowly. With shaking hands, he pulled the matches from his pocket and laid them one after another on the icy, brick steps. When he was done, he counted eight in all.

Picking one up, he held it between his fingers and peered at it over the edge of his scarf, his mouth and nose huddled in its folds.

"Just one," he said to himself and without giving it a second thought, struck the match on the stone beside him and then blinked as the golden light lit the darkness.

Naruto closed his eyes and felt the warmth wash over his face and lick at his fingers. Somewhere, he heard the softest chuckle and heard a voice he'd never heard say, 'and this one is for Naruto'.

His eyes snapped open and in the golden globe of light shining around the tip of the match, Naruto saw himself sitting on a rug in front of a crackling fire. There was a tree, taller than anything he'd ever imagined, beside him with presents spilling forth beneath its decorated branches. He reached out to take the present from a grinning, dark skinned man who handed it off and then ruffled his hair. He held the present close, running his fingers over the ribbon until a hand slapped him upside the back of his head. "Idiot, open it. It's only the first one."

"Sasuke!" Naruto gasped and then dropped the match, the light and the heat and the glorious image disappearing in the blink of an eye. "No!" Naruto shouted and grabbed another match, ignoring the sting of the blisters on the tips of his fingers and struck it against the wall.

This time Naruto didn't blink and hardly noticed the heat, so focused on the golden glow. He was outside in the cold and the snow, but he wore a warm coat with gloves and fur lined boots. His head was covered in a hat so fluffy that he nearly had to hold it with both hands as he ran through the snow laughing. He reached the corner of a huge home and plastered himself against the wall before slowly sticking his head out to peer around the corner. His stealth was rewarded with a snowball to the face. He sputtered and spit and then glared up at Sasuke who had run up to him. "Got you again!" the dark haired boy gloated.

The match fell discarded to the ground and before the wisp of smoke had died, Naruto had lit another.

Naruto and Sasuke sat curled together under a warm blanket on the couch. Each held cups of hot chocolate in their hands but their attention was focused elsewhere. The room was lit with candles and a single lamp next to a high backed chair. In the chair, a beautiful man with long, black hair that Naruto had never met but knew was Sasuke's brother, read from a brown covered book in his lap. 'The school is not quite deserted,' said the Ghost. 'A solitary child, neglected by his friends, is left there still.' Sasuke's free hand reached over to Naruto and brushed at his cheek. 'Are you crying?' he asked.

Naruto sobbed into the darkness and scrambled for another match.

The scene was completely different. Itachi and the dark skinned man, Kisame, Naruto remembered, walked together over rocks and shells. Sasuke and Naruto walked behind them as waves crashed against the shore and threatened to overtake their shoes. Sasuke reached out and laced his fingers in Naruto's, stopping him, before bending down and picking up something off the beach. Without releasing his fingers, Sasuke held out a white and orange shell the size of his palm. Naruto touched it tentatively and jumped back when long crab legs immerged from the shell. His laughter blended with Sasuke's and was carried away on the salt-kissed wind.

Naruto didn't notice his blisters rip on the rough stone, too anxious to see more.

Naruto and Sasuke sat side by side in a classroom. A handful of other children sat around them, talking and laughing, before the teacher rapped his ruler on his desk. "Children, I would like each of you to read your essays on the things you are thankful for. Master Naruto, if you please." Naruto turned to look at Sasuke who didn't smile but nodded toward the front of the room and Naruto walked down the aisle, coarse paper gripped tightly in his fingers. He cleared his throat and looked down to see that the ink had smudged over the page, nearly ruining all of his hard work. Casting a worried look at his teacher, he looked back at the paper and then right at the class. With a clear and proud voice, he said simply, 'I am thankful for Sasuke.' He might get an 'F' and have to listen to Itachi chastise him on his performance, but Sasuke smiled. And that was all that mattered.

"Sasuke," Naruto whimpered and quickly lit another.

Once more Naruto sat in front of a Christmas tree but this time he was older. He wore a suit and tie and handed gifts to Kisame and Itachi before turning to Sasuke. A blush stole across his cheeks and he hoped Sasuke thought it was from the heat of the fire. He held out a small, green wrapped present. Sasuke took the gift, his fingers brushing over Naruto's, and raised a single, dark eyebrow at Naruto's behavior. Opening the gift, he held up a beautifully etched pocket watch. Naruto could barely look at him as Sasuke opened the watch and read the inscription inside. Snapping the watch closed, Sasuke reached out and grasped Naruto's chin in his fingers, tilting his head up until he was forced to meet Sasuke's deep, black eyes. 'There is no one more precious to me than you,' he said softly, repeating the words he had just read.

"No, please, please," Naruto begged as he flung the used match to the ground and gathered up the last two.

In the golden glow, he saw himself standing on the porch of some home he had never seen but knew in his heart was his… their home. Snow fell in large, fluffy flakes making it impossible to see the other side of the yard. Wind blew around him, bending and lifting his blond spikes until they brushed over his cheeks and into his eyes.

He was startled when a bright orange scarf was wrapped around his neck and left to hang against his chest. Warm arms wrapped around him and without thought or consideration, he melted into the embrace. "Idiot," Sasuke spoke against his ear, pulling him closer and rubbing his hands up and down Naruto's arms. "What are you doing?" he purred and then bit playfully at Naruto's earlobe. "I promised you'd never be cold again…"

Naruto hissed and was forced to drop the burning match to the ground. His fingers ached and burned and his teeth chattered nonstop, shaking his body so badly he dropped the last match twice before striking it against the step.

Everything was warm and soft and Naruto felt like he might be floating. Suddenly, Sasuke was above him, his body pressed firmly on his own and so warm, Naruto moaned low in his throat. Black strands of feather soft hair fell into Sasuke's face and he slowly lowered his face, inch by inch, until Naruto could feel his breaths ghost over his skin. Sasuke leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Naruto's forehead, both his eyes, and, finally, against his trembling mouth. "Naruto," he whispered, "I love you."

Darkness surrounded him and, as the last match dropped to the snowy ground, Naruto curled into himself, resting his face against the cool brick. With shaky fingers, Naruto pulled the scarf up over his nose and breathed in the faint scent of the dark haired boy he hardly knew but that meant everything to him. "Sasuke," he whispered and his blond lashes fell slowly against his cold, white cheeks. "Sasuke, I love…" And Naruto knew no more.

Xxx

Sasuke's fingernails bit painfully into his hands and he stared out of the carriage windows into the darkness as if he could will himself to see in the pitch black. "Hurry, hurry, hurry…"

He didn't even know he'd spoken aloud until his brother spoke. "Sasuke, it's ten o' clock at night and the temperature is well below freezing. I'm sure your friend," he voice expressed his disbelief, "is tucked safely in his bed. Like you should be."

Sasuke just shook his head and continued to stare out the window. He knew Naruto was out there. He never would have been able to sell his matches. And even if he did, what was home? "He doesn't have a home," Sasuke finally said and Kisame jerked his head to look at Sasuke.

"What do you mean? Who is this friend of yours?"

"He has holes in his pants and only that stupid scarf I gave him to keep him warm. He sells matches across from the candy store. I have been buying them because he can't go back unless he sells them. He doesn't have a home and wherever back is, they hurt him."

Sasuke blinked rapidly, mortified when his lashes came away damp. "Hurry, hurry, hurry…"

When they reached Naruto's corner, Sasuke, Itachi, and Kisame all got out and stood in the cold, snowy street. There were no lights but for a few street lamps still stubbornly flickering. The snow had begun to fall and they couldn't hear a single sound save for the horses of their own carriage.

"Naruto!" Sasuke yelled and got silence in response. Itachi and Kisame stood side by side, Kisame's hands on Itachi's arms. Sasuke looked up at them with pleading eyes. "Help me look. I know he's here." Without looking down, he said, "Please."

Kisame nodded and headed to one side of the street, checking every shop stoop and corner, while Sasuke and Itachi headed toward the toy store. Sasuke froze when he saw the end of his orange scarf flapping in the wind and ran toward it, only to be yanked backwards by his brother.

"No, let me go. It's him! I told you! Let me go!"

"Kisame!" Itachi yelled and shoved Sasuke backward into the taller man's arms while he stepped slowly up to the small heap that lay cuddled on the cold, stone stoop. He bent down and pulled off his glove before gently looking for signs of life in the small boy.

"Naruto!" Sasuke screamed, fighting and kicking. "You idiot! You little bastard! Wake up! Naruto!"

Itachi stood suddenly and tore off his jacket before bending and wrapping Naruto in its warmth. "Sasuke," he snapped and Sasuke immediately stopped struggling. "He's alive… barely." Kisame stepped around Sasuke and scooped the blond boy into his arms. Itachi walked swiftly to the carriage and gave orders to the driver while Kisame carried Naruto, tight against his broad chest, to the vehicle.

Sasuke yanked open the door and Kisame crawled inside, sitting with Naruto held in his lap. Sasuke sat right next to him and gathered one of Naruto's frigid hands in his own. "Idiot," he whispered never taking his eyes off of Naruto's still blue lips. "I'm worried."

Xxx

Naruto felt warmth and softness all around him and smiled. He turned his face to the side and smelled Sasuke, a mix of cinnamon and snow and, without thought, he burrowed deeper into the cozy warmth. He froze when he heard a soft chuckle.

He tried to move his arms but they tingled and felt heavy and confined. Finally, he was forced to blink open his tired eyes and try to locate the source of the sound. His eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness and he looked around to see he was in a room he'd never seen before. Large, wooden furniture and gold framed paintings covered the walls. Moving his head slowly, Naruto turned and saw he wasn't alone in the bed.

"Sasuke," he whispered hoarsely and his dark haired friend chuckled again.

"Idiot." Sasuke's fingers came up and moved over his face, pushing blond strands of hair off of his forehead. "How do you feel?" he whispered and Naruto's face furrowed in confusion.

Taking a few moments, Naruto tried to move. "My hands hurt," he said, "And I'm so tired."

Sasuke nodded as though that all made perfect sense to him. "Are you cold?"

Naruto's eyes widened. "Yes… I mean, no… but I was. I was sooo c-cold." As if talking about it brought back the feeling, Naruto's small frame began to shake.

Sasuke stood quickly and Naruto tried to call out for him not to leave, but the black-haired boy was back before he could. He spread a large, red blanket over Naruto, one of many Naruto noticed, and then crawled back into bed beside him.

"I knew you'd still be out there," Sasuke explained and went back to running his fingers through Naruto's hair. "I made Itachi and Kisame come with me to find you. You were…" Sasuke trailed off and his fingers curled into Naruto's hair until Naruto flinched. "I thought you were…" If possible Sasuke voice became even quieter. "Dead."

Naruto shook his head, as if trying to comfort Sasuke. "You were freezing, barely breathing, and your fingers were burnt. Idiot, what were you doing?"

"Trying to stay warm and I…"

Sasuke leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to his forehead. "I promise you'll never be cold again." Naruto's eyes widened at the promise… a promise he'd already heard that night but Sasuke continued. "You are mine now. I told Itachi and Kisame after the doctor said you'd be all right. No one else took care of you but now, you are mine and I will. I'm going to keep you forever. Do you understand, Naruto?"

Naruto nodded slowly, angry when his eyes refused to stay open, but as he drifted to sleep he smiled and whispered, "There is no one more precious to me than you."

Sasuke's fingers brushed over his cheek. "Merry Christmas, Naruto."