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Hello everybody! Hope you all have been well, and that you had an amazing Christmas! Always good to keep that holiday spirit alive. Now, as I said before, the next chapter of this story is taking place around Christmas time so this release date is kinda optimal. That being said, I didn't release it on Christmas because the time frame of the story is set right after Christmas and the timing is kinda key to match up with the vibe of the story. So without further ado, do enjoy the story. :)

The Magic Sleeps

The flakes of white surrounded me on all sides, raining down like some shimmering blessing from above, and in front of my ninja boots, I could see nothing but dirt and snow. I wasn't surprised by the muddy brown footsteps marring the otherwise flawless white. I was currently walking the village streets, and I was definitely not the only one to do that. I was the only one, however, walking them in the dead of night, trundling through the cold while everyone else was asleep, watching the ground do nothing at all with each and every step.

The odd ache I could feel gnawing at my core was familiar, and a reminder of my troubled childhood. Things had changed so much since then and yet so little. Most people couldn't even see it – the things that had stayed the same, I mean. They just assumed me defeating Pain, saving the village, and being the war hero meant everything was ok now, and the past a distant memory. But the past was just a shoulder turn away most days, hiding in a lonely walk, or resting on a lonely swing. I hid it well though, settling for a small smile and making sure my eyes stayed dry as I remembered the scars; I don't think even one tear had fallen to this day. Even my closest friends were fooled. Well, except for Iruka. He could always tell when something was up. I'm not sure how, but he could. I avoided him a lot. But other than that, I was good, wasn't I? At least, I thought so...

And so I was here once again, this time in the middle of the night on Christmas, or more accurately, the day after Christmas since midnight had already passed. The air was cold and featured the usual chill that came this time of year. The sky was dark and blue with scattered clouds, a full moon resting directly overhead among the shining stars. The snow was still falling lightly, coating the ground in layers too light to matter. I could feel a few of them landing on my face every few steps. It reminded me of the magic that had coated the village only days ago.

No one had expected there to be snow this year, at least not before Christmas. But in a surprising turn of events, the village had been turned into a playground of flaky white. The sudden twist had really shaken things up around here. Everyone was that slight bit more chipper, and the village vendors started using the snow as an excuse to peddle just that little bit harder. Kakashi had even set up a celebration that very night after hearing how the city was in a buzz. He tries to be a good Hokage; I think he's getting better at it.

But all that to say that the snowy surprise had catapulted the village out of dull and sour into happy and joyful. The curse of the mundane had been lifted and a new thing come to pass. It was an awesome time. It had felt like there was magic everywhere. Smiles and giggles and laughs and snickers. Children running around and snowballs whizzing in spades. The white of snow had wrapped buildings and homes, the windows letting a little light out into the world and perhaps inviting a stranger to peek in. I had chanced a glance into many of them. In them, I saw families and friends, children and dogs, Christmas trees and Christmas snacks. It was beautiful, even if only from the outside. I had participated in a gathering of my own just tonight, my family made up of fellow ninja and those from past generations. As I pondered on it, I could feel a small tension building in my soul. What it was coming from, I did not know, but I knew I was feeling too out of it to even try to make it make sense.

Pushing the small gathering from my mind, I let the memories of Konoha flood me instead. Bright lights adorning the village shops, the joyful chatter of civilians and ninja alike, the inviting smells of baked goods on the streets, the smoke rising from that blue house's chimney. Everything was so alive then, so magical... But as I walked the empty, snow-filled streets of Konoha, I looked around, my lips parting into a slight frown as some part of me searched for even the faintest trace of the things that had passed. I couldn't find it. Much like I had suspected, the magic was asleep – the lights now off, the people tucked away in bed, the spirit of it all starting to fade. With Christmas gone, I wondered if the spirit would even be back tomorrow. My frown grew, and my hands dug deeper into my pockets, my eyes returning to watching the ground as it passed by.

I wished I could be asleep. To lay in my bed like everyone else and not have to watch it fade, but sleep was running away from me tonight. It was one of the few things faster than me in this world. Another one was time, but that's a story for another day.

Lifting my eyes to look around at the well-built houses and beautifully crafted apartments, I let my mind ponder on the people inside. In my musings, I could see them. A husband and wife falling asleep on the couch by the fire, a family warming itself under the sheets. I could see my nose breath mist in front of me as I exhaled loud. That was another thing I couldn't outrun – my desires. I wanted to be like them. Normal, I guess. No...that was the wrong word. I really liked being a ninja actually, despite the pains and grievances. I guess the truth is I just wanted the other side. To put it simply, I wanted to lay down in my bed tonight. To let my head hit the pillow and warm myself under the covers. To let rest come and the pleasant dreams take hold. To fall asleep near the couch and let myself be warmed by the fire. I wanted to have someone special by my side, right there with me, as happy to have me there with them as I was to have them.

But instead I walked the snowy, cold streets of Konoha alone, muddy snow at my feet, lights off all around, magic gone without a trace. It was sad, wasn't it? Walking the streets alone on Christmas, remembering things I would've preferred to forget.

An amused huff left my throat at the thought. Contrary to what one may think, it wasn't because I had some twisted sense of humor. Rather, it was because I knew this was just how things were sometimes. No one ever really told me it'd be this way, I just kinda figured it out as life went on. With no dad growing up, I didn't really have someone to teach me about the bitter truths of living on this earth. No one taught me that sometimes the times you should be happiest are the times you're most sad. And no one told me the world could take so much and give so little. No one told me I'd have to learn to let go of things I really wanted and find a way to move on without a word. In essence, no one really taught me how to be a man, let alone live life as one. Jiraiya had tried, but it wasn't enough. He was too kind, and on top of that, he didn't even finish the job. To be honest, the greatest lessons I learned were, ironically, handed to me by my enemies, though a few of them found their origin a little closer to home. Life was a good teacher too, probably the best of all.

I wanted to go train tonight. Sometimes it helps me take my mind off things. With Kurama inside, the cold wouldn't be much of an issue. But I wasn't even sure I'd use his chakra, to be honest. I wasn't currently and with how cold I was inside, trying to warm up on the surface felt kinda wrong. So I didn't. I just kept my pace and made my way.

...

As I neared the training ground, I let my eyes roam the familiar terrain. This particular training ground was all too familiar, but the snow had changed the look of things. Usually there was a huge field of green grass to train on; now there was only the white of snow. The trees lining the edge of the field had fallen prey to the falling flakes as well, their mild green darkened by the night and only visible in small patches underneath the mounds of white.

Smiling as I walked up to one, I ran my mittened hand over it's trunk, letting my fingers run down the bark until they came to rest in the middle of the sizable crater that had been created from my repeated punching.

"Well," I sighed, balling my hand into a fist in the center of the rings. "Looks like it's just you and me again, old friend."

A moment of silence, and then I softly pulled my hand back before punching into the wood with a crack, light splinters flying off as I did. "Merry Christmas..."

With that, I wrapped my scarf around my neck and took a step back, cracking my neck both ways and lifting my hands up in my usual stance. My eyes were sharp as I eyed the familiar target, and my arm only moments away from shooting out into the bark, but then I sensed it, and my icy blue eyes darted towards what I could just barely feel. Freezing where I was, I tried to make clear the faint. The chakra felt familiar, but not enough for me to place. It wasn't too far away though; maybe on the next training ground, or two over. Looks like I wasn't so alone out here after all.

...

As I stepped onto the mysteriously occupied training ground, I approached the chakra casually, though carefully masking my own. I was just investigating really, and I didn't want to have to make conversation with anyone just for the heck of it. To be honest, it could actually be a win for the both of us; maybe they didn't want to be bothered either.

Just up ahead, I could see someone's movements flowing in the snow. I followed the tree line and stuck to the shadows, hands in my pockets as I watched the shadowy figure silently. First, a quick spin and then a smooth transition into a bit of a squat, and with a violent thrust, a burst of light blue energy leaving a chakra powered palm. I could see the tossing of silky black hair, the moonlight revealing it to truly be a dark blue for just a moment. A faint smile graced my lips. Besides the silky, dark blue hair, the mini chakra blast that left her hand had given her away. It was Hinata... A moment after I realized it was her, I could feel my smile starting to fade. But why was she out here in the cold, in the middle of the field at night, all alone, training so hard?

The question was pushed to the back of my mind as she continued. Despite the chilling cold, her movements were still amazingly fluid, and the way she moved mimicked some type of dance, but not just any dance, a fighting type of dance. In her movements I could see the crafted taijutsu, and with every sweeping motion, the gracefulness that seemed to embody her character. With every thrust of the palm I could see the Hyuga influence, and with every closed fist, a hint of the spirit she had shown so long ago. It was beautiful to watch, and I couldn't deny a small part of me wondering what it would be like to fight in such a calm and composed way, to wield that quiet calm. My fighting style was always so direct and in your face; we were polar opposites to be honest.

It hadn't escaped my notice that she was also training on a lake. With the onslaught of cold, it had frozen over a while ago. Still, I had to admit she had guts for training on it. Imagine breaking the ice and falling into that freezing cold water. You'd basically come out a popsicle, that is if you came out at all. Water freezing over was always a possibility. Ah, she'd be fine. With her abilities, she'd probably just blow a crater in the ice.

How she maintained her grace and poise was also impressive. I could see her hair swinging with the wind as she did a twist and then landed, throwing a palm forward, the end of it releasing another flash of that potent blue chakra. I chuckled a light laugh and imagined the poor soul that got hit by one of those. You were down for the count, buddy. So down.

But then came a sharp yelp, and I saw her foot slip, the silky blue hair flying to the front of her face as she started to fall backwards. I acted on instinct, the familiar yellow glow already having coated my body; she never even got close to touching the ground.

As I supported her by her back, I could tell she was shocked to see me, her eyes having gone wide and her cheeks dusted a faint pink. It was probably even more jarring to see me in my Nine-Tails form. The yellow glow had lit up the area a bit, showing the scratches in the ice, and illuminating her slightly pale face. Smiling lightly, I started to set her upright, at the same time, allowing the familiar yellow glow to fade away into the night.

"Naruto?..." she said slowly, as I lifted the hand on her back to help her onto her feet.

"Hey," I said, letting my hands fall to my sides and giving a light smile. Lightly, I voiced my concern. "You ok?"

Clearing her throat slightly, she looked down, brushing off the front of her gear. "Yes," she answered silently. "But what are you doing here?"

"Me?" I chuckled. "I can keep myself warm. What are you doing out here?" I continued. "You'll catch a cold."

Her gaze fell a bit and she shrugged lightly, a sort of half smile on her lips. "It builds endurance. As ninja we have to go on cold missions sometimes. How will I be ready if I don't practice in times like these?"

Not satisfied with her answer, but unable to counter her reasoning, I let my lips pucker and didn't say a word.

The silence between us didn't linger for long. Giving me the softest of smiles, she turned away, her brows furrowed sharply as she returned to punching the air with her palms. This time around, there was no flash of blue.

"But is that really it?" I asked.

I could hear her let out a silent grunt as she threw the punch she had just finished charging. "What do you mean?"

"I mean there are a lot of cold days you can practice on besides Christmas itself, aren't there?"

"Mm," she grunted, holding out her palm for a bit and sighing so deep. "I just don't see it as that different from all the other days I guess."

I could hear a whizz in the air as she threw another palm forward, then she spun into a sideways kick, launching it out with perfect form before letting her foot land firmly against the ice.

"I don't understand," I said. "You have a family."

"Maybe," she said, smiling lightly. "But to be honest..."

"What is it?" I asked.

Pausing only briefly in the middle of her squat, she seemed to consider something for only a moment. "Let's just say that it doesn't always feel like they are what they are."

"Oh..."

"Yeah," she continued, throwing a palm through the air with a silent whoosh. "Hanabi is the only one I really feel close to. I think growing up with the expectations from my mom and dad created some distance between us." In the darkness, I could see her eyes drop a bit, then they lifted again as she threw another punch. "It doesn't help that they don't really show much emotion or anything either."

Frowning at her plight and annoyed at the knotting in my stomach, I silently answered, "I'm so sorry, Hinata..."

"It's ok," she said softly. "No one has it all, right?"

At her words, I could feel something twist even more inside, my previous discomfort now increased tenfold. Seems I had found out one of the things the Hyuga heiress wanted after all. Ironically, it was something I thought she already had, but as always, family was more than just blood.

"I had stayed up talking to Hanabi for a bit," she continued. "But she had gotten tired and I told her to get some rest."

"Then you came out here," I said.

"Mhm," she answered. "My mom and dad were still up, but I'd rather be out here by myself, doing something useful." Despite her even tone, I could see a subtle shift in her eyes. "I doubt they'll really miss me anyway." Without missing a beat, she threw out another palm, exhaling as it launched out and let out a small pulse of the familiar blue.

Now clued in to her troubled state of mind, I let myself fall silent. To be honest, I wouldn't have known what to say even if I tried. Family trouble was something I never got involved in, not only because I had no way of actually knowing how to handle it, but also because I realized a while back that the best thing sometimes was to be silent. Everyone wasn't looking for a speech. Sometimes they just wanted someone to sit in the dump with 'em. So I did.

When I felt enough time had passed, I perked up, and with the most chipper voice I could muster, shifted the conversation away to more light-hearted things. "So! You get anything cool this Christmas?"

"No. Just some clothes and ninja gear. You?"

"Nah, a lot of the same."

"You know why that is right?"

I shrugged and smirked. "You're the guru."

She threw a punch at the air and grinned slightly. "It's because people don't really know us, kinda like what you were talking about at the fall festival. They all give gifts for the same thing because they all only know what they see. They see boy and girl and ninja and whatever. They don't really know us deep down inside."

"Oh... Yeah, I guess you're right."

A silent spell fell on the both of us and the only sound between us was that of her punches whizzing in the wind.

"Thanks by the way," I continued. "For the scarf, I mean."

A faint smile touched the corner of her lips. "It's no big deal," she said. "It's just like all the other gifts, remember?"

"Didn't you make it by hand?"

"...What?"

"I've seen you working on it a few times around town. I've also seen you trying to hide it whenever I come around. I always thought it was just something personal to you or something. Or maybe that you were making it for someone special." I could feel a slight smile on my lips as I finished. "Never really even thought about the possibility that you were making it for me."

Blinking a few times and letting her gaze trail off to the side a bit, she soon turned back to her training, her voice low and mild as she answered, "I make lots of things..."

"Oh..." I said silently, my smile fading in the slightest. Perking up, I replied, "Thanks either way, I guess. Most people just buy something, you know. Kinda nice to have something a bit more personal."

After a brief pause, she stopped mid-punch, then turned towards me with a gentle smile. "You are very welcome, Naruto-kun."

That sort of odd silence between us returned as she went back to punching the air, and I could sense that our conversation was nearing it's end. Yet I wasn't quite ready for it to. Speaking the first question to enter my mind, I asked, "Why do you call me that?"

"Hm?" she said, turning to me in the cold.

"Naruto-kun. I guess I've always noticed, I just never gave it much thought."

"Oh... I'm not sure myself. I guess it just feels right to me."

"Oh..." I said, my gaze falling to the ground.

"Naruto-kun?" she interrupted.

At her voice, I lifted my head. "Yeah, Hinata?"

"I never told you what I would like."

I could feel one of my eyes crinkling in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"From back at the fall festival."

"...Oh," I said. "Yeah, that's right." Grinning a bit slyly, I added, "You chickened out."

The grin that stretched across her lips only half matched mine's. "That is one way of seeing it."

My grin still in place, I said, "So, why'd you bring it up? You feeling like sharing today?...Or tonight."

"Or this morning."

Having a bit of a slow moment, it took a few seconds for her joke to register. When it did, I chuckled a bit and said, "Yeah, this morning."

A light grin touched her lips in response. Inhaling a bit, she pursed her lips before she spoke. "Naruto-kun, I would like..." She paused briefly, the wind wrapping us in a blanket of cold. Suddenly, she bowed her head respectfully. "To spar with you... I would like to spar with you."

At her request, I could feel my gaze turning pensive. "Spar...with me?"

She nodded up and down quite clearly. "Yes, please."

"...But why?"

"Because you are strong, Naruto-kun." She looked down to her open palm as she continued. "And I wish to be the same."

"Really?"

"Yes," she said, the white eyes shifting upwards to me. "My background with my clan and the pressures of my family always made me want to be strong, but seeing your determination and growth over all these years has made me wish even more to have a strength of my own." She looked back down into her open palm. "I've been trying to build it for some time now." Balling it into fist, she finished, "I wish to test myself against you. I believe it will be a great challenge and one that I would look forward to trying to overcome."

I stared at her for a bit after she had finished speaking, and then, looking off to the side, started scratching the back of my head a bit. "Gee, Hinata. I never knew you felt that way. You make it sound like you look up to me or somethin'."

"In some ways I do."

I looked back to her and her smile was gentle and genuine. Quite unexpectedly, I could feel something swelling in me at the sight. To know that someone had actually looked up to me over the years as opposed to what had been the norm.

Letting my gaze fall away and smiling a bit, I looked back to her. "You know, Hinata, a spar would be cool. Real cool..."

"Great!" she chirped. But then her brows furrowed curiously. "But you cannot use your kyubi powers!"

A light grin grew on my lips. "Hmmm...ok."

"And your sage powers too," she rushed to say.

"Well, where's the fun in that?" I grinned.

Her grin turned the slightest bit sly as she replied. "Surely the great Naruto Uzumaki does not need these things to best little old me?"

A brief pause between us, I chuckled and let my grin turn sly as well. "But I thought you wanted a challenge?"

"I do," she smiled innocently. "But little by little."

Eyeing her with a bit of intrigue, I shrugged and let a sly grin cross my chapped lips. "Fine. I'll fight in my base."

Her grin grew. "Good."

Author's Note:

Hope you all enjoyed this little chapter. Not really fully resolved, but a nice setup for the next chapter, which will feature a fair deal of action. That should be released fairly quick (probably before New Years) since the chapters are so closely related. Romance...well that's probably coming very soon too. :) Please do review if you enjoyed it. I really appreciate it, and it's really nice to have the support when motivation is lacking. All of that being said, be well, and have a happy New Year's my friends. Peace.