Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Desperate Christmas ❯ Desperate Christmas ( One-Shot )

Christmas, I hate this time of year. The streets of the village are aglow with colorful Christmas lights, wreathes hang on every door, snowmen and snowball fights are staged upon every front yard. All except for mine that is. I don't hang foolish and sentimental junk on my house nor do I waste my time with building snowmen and snowballs. Such things are pointless and hold no true value, non of the afore mentioned activities will enable me to become stronger. That's what I keep telling myself anyway.

I guess the real reason I don't participate in the festivities is because those things just bring back too many memories. The memories aren't bad, but the feelings that come along with them, those are bad. Its hard to pretend not to care about the world when tears are streaming down your face as you decorate the Christmas tree and remember the antics of your elder murderous brother and the smiles of your deceased parents.

I don't like to remember what life used to be like, it always makes the sting of betrayl that much more potent. There shouldn't be anything for me to feel anyway, except for a burning hatred and anger for him. Other than that I feel strangely numb. That's what happens, I suppose, when you're alone in life.

"Oi Susuke, heads up!"

I look up to see a fast moving white projectile flying straight for my head, its unbelievably easy to dodge. Before my mind can even fully register what was launched at me and who my attacker is three kunai find themselves in my hand and then sailing towards my attacker. There is a satisfying thump as my would-be assailant falls to the ground.

"Itai, shesh ya try to do something nice for someone and then they got the nerve ta try and kill ya! Teme Sasuke."

I blink at the sight before me. I was expecting to be faced with some Jounin level shinobi who had craftily snuck up on me, instead I am face to face with a pouting Uzumaki Naruto in my backyard.

To say I'm surprised is an understatement.

"What are you doing here, dobe?"

"I came to wish you a merry Christmas, jerk, and you try to kill me! Is that anyway to treat a teammate?!"

"Hn, idiot don't overreact. I didn't try to kill you, if I had wanted to kill you, you'd be dead." Rule number one when dealing with Naruto, never acknowledge that he's assessed the situation correctly, and never admit he's right.

"Asshole!" and that's all he shouts before he launches himself at me his eyes turning from the clear sky blue color that they are into a furious shade of violet.

The next thing I know I'm flat on my back in the snow with a smirking Naruto straddling my waist, his hands on either side of my face. I attempt to throw him off of me by bucking my hips sharply, like a disgusting piece of gum stuck to the bottom of your sandal he sticks fast and wont budge.

"Merry Christmas Sasuke no baka" he whispers, face mere inches away from mine. With each word his lips lightly brush against mine in a barely there fashion. I'm lost in the swirling depths of his eyes. A moment ago I was numb with coldness and loneliness , now I'm warm and ablaze with strange emotions that I have no name for.

Being this close to him, its like being embraced by a warm summer's day; a summer's day that reeks of miso soup. Again he brushes his lips against mine, this time with deliberate and tantalizing slowness. Those lips, they're so hot and demanding, yet soft and gentle at the same time.

What a baka first he's sneaking up on me, not that I'll ever admit that aloud let alone to him even under pain of death, and assaulting me with snowballs and then he's assaulting me in a totally different sort of way.

My mind is screaming at me to throw this idiot off of me and thrash him into next week for his lascivous acts, yet my body wont adhere to my commands. Just as I surrender to the dobe's ministrations he pulls back, a look of small wonder and triumph glints in his eyes before its gone completely and a genuine smile breaks out on his face and shines forth from the depths of his guiless eyes.

"What was that for, dobe?" Hastily I hurry to tack on my trademark insult onto the end of my inquery, it dosn't even faze him in the least; at least not like it used too.

"You're not alone Sauske, you should remember that Sasuke, never alone."

"What are you rambling about -"

I never get to finish my sentence as he pulls away completely and disapears in a pink puff of smoke. The only proof he was ever here, the small footsteps of his embedded deeply in the snow, my kiss swollen lips and the disapearing tendrils of smoke.

"Naruto" his name falls unbidden from my lips as I sit up and gaze around me in stunned amazement. The uttereance of his name does not encourage him to return. Once again I'm left alone in my backyard contemplating my existance. This time around I dont feel so alone. Theres someone out there that cares for me, even the tiniest bit, beyond superficial means; maybe Christmas isn't such a bad time of the year after all.

I think I just might be looking forward to Christmas and team training from now on.

· - · * * * · - ·

Villagers crowded the streets of Konohagakure and in their haste to purchase last minute gifts and return to the sanctuary of their nice warm homes paid no mind to the orange blur that streaked past them. Said orange blur had nearly ran halfway across the village, all in an attempt to place some distance between itself and the object of it's affections. This had been no easy task as the orange blur had to also avoid any and all who might recognize it, least it's ruse be up.

At long last the blur slowed down it's pace, somewhat, and turned down a narrow alleyway located conveinantly behind its final destination - the Ichiraiku. Once the blur came to a full stop one could finally identify the orange one as a small adolescent boy. His spiky blonde hair dancing merrily atop his head while his head protector attempted in vain to hold back the spill of righteous spikes of gold and prevent them from falling into his sky blue eyes and obstructing his view. Whisker-like birthmarks decorated both his cheeks, this paired with a wide toothy grin and a spunky personality cast an air of playful mischeivousness around the boy.

With a melancholy sigh the happiness drained from the boy's eyes and his hands rose to perform the simple and quick set of hand seals that had enabled him to get closer to his desired one. Lethargically his hands moved about, as his hands came together to form the last seal he let out a cry of "Henge no Jutsu". Instantly a rush of smoke engulfed the boy despite the weariness and weakness of the seals and vocal command; a fine example of his mastery of chakra. When the smoke cleared in place of the boy stood a young and distraught girl. Her shoulders slumped forward and her sea-green eyes darkened with sadness as she turned her gaze to the mouth of the alley. At the end lay the infamous ramen stand Ichiraiku, and seated there slurping down his fifth bowl of ramen, provided by Iruka-sensei no doubt, was the real Uzumaki Naruto.

Cotton candy colored strands of hair fell into her face and shrouded her features from the view of passers by as she emerged from the alley. Slender digits began smoothing the wrinkles of her dress and straightening her headband in an attempt to relieve the nervous energy that fluttered within the pit of her stomache.

Sasuke would have a happy Christmas for once knowing that he wasn't entirely alone and was in fact (in some way) cared for by the one person whose opinion mattered the most to him. In retrospect his attitude towards Naruto would improve and thus the morale of their team would as well, or at least thats what she hoped would happen. After today Sasuke was bound to choose his words around the blonde more carefully. Naruto also would begin to cut back on his insults in response to the change in Sasuke.

Haruno Sakura should have been happy that her two teamates would finally be at peace, and with the right words and a soft nudge in the right direction, be able to realize what had been staring them in the face for so long that even Kakashi-sensei had begun to wonder if they would ever act on it.

The sense of accomplishment she felt should have raised her holiday spirits tremendously, instead it only brought her to new lows.

In this single night her life long dream had come crashing down around her ears with Sasuke's enthusiastic response to Naruto's kiss. For a moment she had nearly lost herself in the kiss, the illusion of finally being embraced by her prince almost too much for her. But this was wrong, and to enjoy it even more so. Sasuke wasn't kissing her, in his mind he was eagerly responding to Naruto's admission not hers. Sasuke would never kiss her like that, not when she herself had never even received a hug from the mysterious hearthrob, Naruto would receive that and more.

To receive final irefutable confirmation that her efforts all these years to attract Konohagakure's number one rookie's attention was in vain, well that was just a painful blow to her heart and to her ego, one that left Inner-Sakura demanding vengence and bloodshed. Not even the thought of the look on Ino-pig's face when she found out that she too was out of the running for their prince's affections was enough to raise her spirits. Well okay, if she was honest with herself, which she usually tried to be, she'd have to admit that the thought did in fact raiser her spirits the tiniest bit. (Inner Sakura: Hell yeah it raises our spirits!)

"Merry Christmas Naruto, Sasuke-kun" she softly whispered aloud as she drifted silently up to Naruto and Iruka who happily brought her into their lively discussion, within seconds her morose mood had been shoved aside and the joy of spending the holidays with friends filled her with the hope that she could survive giving her two commrades such a heartfelt gift.

· - · OWARI · - ·