"I knew it." Sasuke said softly, his heart shattering into a billion pieces when he found Kushina with Itachi. "I fuckin knew it."

Itachi sighed as it was all over now. It's only been a week and Sasuke would have inevitably found out, but this was the wrong way.

"How dare you judge me Uchiha!" She glared.

"You promised you-"

"I didn't promise anything." Sasuke gave her the most menacing glare he could muster.

"And now you have the audacity to glare at me?! You sick person-"

"WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU INSULTING ME! I WASN'T THE ONE SLEEPING AROUND WITH YOUR BROTHER!"

"YOU ACT LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT YOU DON'T."

"THEN ENLIGHTEN ME."

"WHY DO YOU CARE ANYWAYS YOU-"

"BECAUSE I FUCKIN LOVE YOU, YOU FUCKIN MORON!"

"Would someone make you go through utter bullshit and give you many mixed signals for love?" Sasuke's eyes widened as tears flowed out of her blue eyes.

"And your content watching this, when you caused it?" She turned her teary eyes to Itachi, who got shocked as well from the rare sight.

She furiously tried to rub them off with her sleeve, but it wouldn't stop. She sniffled angrily and moved back when Sasuke tried to hug her.

"Stay away from me." She said coldly, "both of you."

Kushina walked out the door quietly. The two Uchihas were frozen with fear, none ever met with the sight of tears.

"We need to talk Sasuke." Itachi said seriously, his younger brother looking annoyed and angry.

"No."

"Don't." Sasuke's hand stiffened before he could grab the door's handle, that simple word holding so much authority.

Itachi explained everything to his younger brother, how he'd planned to leave and let her be with him, how he'd been selfish and how he envied him. His younger brother's mouth was agape as Itachi flicked his forehead.

"Forgive me Sasuke." Said teen sighed and ran his fingers through his hair frustrated.

"She loves you. Don't look at me like that, she told me."

"What...should I do?"

"Find ways to make it up to her. With both your attitudes, I'd be surprised if you'd tell me you've never fought."

"Tears were never involved."

"So? Will that stop you? What ever happened to my stubborn foolish little brother?"

"Shut up." He got up and walked out of the door, Itachi didn't stop him this time. It's up to Sasuke now.

She was walking the streets of Okinawa alone, wondering if the earth would ever be white. Her breathing was deep, cold air escaping her lips and red nose every time she exhaled. Kushina past two kids playing in a playground and thought about how they would catch a cold eventually. She sat on a swing and pushed herself with her toes, cursing her shortness. She let out more curses when she flicked a stray tear away. Dry anger nowadays was nowhere within her.

Another week past and Christmas Eve would be tomorrow. The rooms were cheerfully decorated to the holiday, and to everyone's mood. They all pitched in and soon it was looking beautiful. Kushina hadn't spoken to either of the Uchihas since the crying fest. Said girl was put into a Christmassy dress by Ino begrudgingly, but didn't show much resistance. The blonde had chewed her out when she found out, and exasperatedly yelled how she could reject not one, but both Uchihas. She felt inclined to some moral support though, but felt it wasn't needed now.

Kushina pulled her annoying dress down and damned Ino into the fiercest pits of hell. She stopped when Sasuke was a few feet in front of her, give her a once over and smirk, but ignored it and was about to pass him.

"Mistletoe." He muttered as Kushina froze. She looked up and found his claim true. Everything went silent between them and she fought the urge to quickly kiss him and run away to solitude. Her breath hitched as he pulled her chin up and cupped her cheek, blushing when he licked his lips. Sasuke bent down and gently pressed his lips to her cheek, a series of whistles from the rest who were eavesdropping ignored. He whispered hotly in her ear,

"You look ridiculous Uzumaki."

"And you remind me of a manatee." She bit back, pushing him off and walking away to her room. Must you always break my will? She thought smiling. I hate love.

Sasuke chuckled lightly when Kushina fell face first into the snow, and stuck her tongue out. She rolled around in it and laughed like a maniac. Everything was now back to normal, like nothing ever happened, and no one questioned it. They've yet to talk about Sasuke's ruthless confession and he was a bit insecure she knew, even if everyone said she loved him too. He couldn't let it sink in until he heard it from her.

"Snow fight!" Naruto yelled, calling them over to Kushina (since she looked like she'd never get off the snow). She sat up and shook her head, letting the snow fall out and smiled.

"Teams?"

"Girls vs boys!" Ino immediately said.

"But you're 4!"

"I'll be with you guys." Sakura perked up, shuffling to their side.

The fight wasn't all that serious, as Sasuke noted the redhead wasn't in it. His life, as you can see, revolved around her. Kushina appeared on top of a small hill, holding a snowball three times the size of her head on her shoulder.

"Uchiha Sasuke!" He gulped as she ran to him (as much as she could) towards him. Sasuke could outrun her now and he knew it, but why he stood still was a mystery. She slammed the ball onto him and he fell due to the weight, covered in frost and feeling it reach his skin as he hissed.

"Serves you right for all the turmoil." She put her knees on either sides of his thighs and hugged him, muttering something about ducks. His hand wrapped around her, the other to her hair as he sighed.

Kushina peeked through her door and saw Sasuke standing there, his arms behind his back. Her hair was in a messy bun and many bobby pins held her bangs out of her face, simple shorts and the fat cat t-shirt.

"What?"

"Can I come in?"

"I don't know...are your feet working?"

He plopped down on her bed as she came and jumped on it, landing with a resounding thud.

"So what's up?" Her room was a bit untidy; wrapping paper everywhere as all the gifts were exchanged a long time ago.

"Merry Christmas." He said and held out a purple gift. Kushina noticed him smile, like an actual one, even holding it in place.

"You got me a gift?" He nodded, smile still in place as she gently took it and unwrapped it. She quickly pulled out-

"OH MA GOSH! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!" She jumped onto his lap and attacked him with many cheek-kisses as he almost fell backwards by the way she quickly did all that. Sasuke was past bliss.

"How'd you find it?" She hugged the forest green skull candy headphones to her chest as if it would disappear if she let it go.

"I'll tell you later." He promised, carefully putting her back on the bed.

"I got you something too." She stated proudly. "Although after this, I don't think I'll ever be on par with you."

"You didn't have to..." she held her hands up and bent backwards until her fingers touched the ground and her back was flat on the bed. She searched under in that position as Sasuke took notice of her now visible stomach and smirked.

"An S ring?" He questioned tauntingly.

"It's strength." She said from the side of the bed. "Don't be so full of yourself narcissist."

"You just don't want to admit it stands for Sasuke."

"Found it." She stretched back and extended the pink gift, completely cutting him off.

"Pink?"

"Yeah, it matches your cheeks." He scoffed and snatched it.

"Y-you got me-"

"Yeah, the annoying game you've been blabbing non stop about." He pulled her into a hug.

"Thanks Uzumaki." He said softly, pushing a box to her. She pulled away and stared expressionlessly at it.

"I haven't given you chocolate in a while so..."

"You're my favorite, forever."