Epilogue

"He's late."

Naruto chuckled at Sasuke, who was busy wrapping his coat around himself and shivering in the bitterly cold sea air. They were waiting at the train station for Sasuke's brother to pick them up on Christmas Eve, and Sasuke was already mentally cursing the presence of the sea for its horrifically cold winds.

"It's not that cold," he countered, nudging Sasuke gently. Sasuke gave him a death glare, noting Naruto's lack of coat and apparent ability not to feel the icy winds. When Naruto simply smiled sweetly at him, he went back to scanning the car park for his brother's car- despite knowing it wasn't there.

A few minutes later, Itachi's BMW pulled up next to them, startling Sasuke slightly as he beeped the horn a few times whilst right next to them. He instantly pulled on the handle, banging on the window when he realised it was locked.

"Open it," he yelled, hoping his brother could hear him through the glass. His brother shrugged as if to say he couldn't, but the slight smile on his face made it obvious he could.

When Itachi finally unlocked the door, Sasuke yanked it open and threw himself into the front seat, slamming the door behind him. Naruto clambered in the back, nodding a greeting to Itachi as he did so, setting down the bag he had been carrying with him on the backseat too.

"It's freezing," Sasuke complained, putting the heat on and rubbing his hands together in front of it. "And you're late."

Itachi flicked the heat off, ignoring the glare his little brother was giving him at doing so. "And I'm not very pleased with you, so forgive me for making you suffer."

"Huh? What did I do?"

"Please explain to me why Dad called me last week to ask if I was coming alone," Itachi asked. "And why he didn't take 'yes' for a suitable answer?"

Sasuke shrugged awkwardly, remembering that he'd spilled Itachi's secret of his girlfriend and trying not to look too guilty. "He did?"

"Yes, he did. Eventually when I avoided it enough he flat out asked if I had a girlfriend, and hinted a little bird had told him I did."

Sasuke gave him a weak grin. "And you think that little bird may have been me?"

"I know it was since he said 'Sasuke told me you were seeing someone' when he wasn't getting an answer out of me any other way."

"Oh," Sasuke scowled. "I told him to be discrete about mentioning it if he was going to!"

"And I told you not to tell him," Itachi sighed as he rolled his eyes, smiling for the first time to show he wasn't as upset about it as he made out. "I got him off my back, though. I made it clear she was my 'friend with benefits' rather than a girlfriend."

"Ah. And he was alright with that?"

"He didn't get that. He asked if I meant she was rich. I told him I meant she was my fuck buddy."

Sasuke stifled a laugh at that. "I bet that went down well."

"I was hoping to shock him with my crudeness, but it didn't really work," Itachi sighed. "He just gave me the 'be careful' speech and nullified it moments later by telling me 'if you do get her pregnant your mother and I will happily baby-sit'."

"I suppose I shocked him so much earlier this month he didn't have the heart to be surprised," Sasuke laughed. "I only told him because he was a bit upset at having two 'single' children. I couldn't let him think we were, and it did cheer him up."

"If you say so," Itachi shrugged. "I can tell them we actually got engaged last week over dinner tomorrow and shock him that way."

"You did? Congratulations!"

Itachi smiled at that, looking proud. "Thank you. She proposed to me, though. My friends are having a good joke about that right now."

He glanced over his shoulder as they stopped at a red light, nodding at Naruto. "And how are you, Naruto?"

"I'm alright," Naruto nodded back. "Nice to see you again."

"And you. You know my mother is pacing the kitchen excitedly waiting for you? She can't wait to get you back in the kitchen- she's been raving about how great you were last time."

"She's already cooking?" Naruto asked, eyes wide in curiosity and sidestepping the compliment. "Christmas isn't until tomorrow, though!"

"She likes to prepare everything she can the day before," Itachi explained. "She likes to be organized. She's really happy about having even one extra person this year."

They lapsed into comfortable silence, winding through the small side roads towards their parents' house. Sasuke flicked the heat back on at one point and Itachi let him, flicking the radio on in response. Christmas music filtered quietly through the car and Sasuke turned it up a little, thankful for something to break the silence.

"So your family doesn't mind that you're spending Christmas elsewhere?" Itachi asked of Naruto politely.

"I don't have any family," Naruto responded quietly, aware that Sasuke hadn't given Itachi or his parents any details about his life. "My parents died and I… Well, I don't see my other relatives anymore."

"I'm sorry to bring it up then, I had no idea."

"Its fine," Naruto shrugged. "It's just nice to have someone to spend Christmas with this year- I spent last year alone and homeless."

He chuckled nervously at that, and Sasuke knew the latter admittance had been difficult for his partner. Itachi's eyes flickered with genuine sympathy however, though only Sasuke could see it.

"I'm glad we can provide somewhere for you to spend it, then," Itachi responded after a moment of thought. "That must have been difficult."

Naruto shrugged again. "It's all in the past now, eh?"

The conversation ended with that, all of them humming or murmuring along quietly to the songs on the radio. They stayed that way until Itachi parked the car up in the driveway of their parents' house, smiling at their mother who was waiting in the driveway.

"Sasuke," she said kindly as he got out of the car. "Oh, honey…"

She latched onto him tightly, hugging him so hard he could barely breathe. He put his arms around her too, eyes narrowed in confusion as he felt her body wrack with sobs. Itachi shrugged at him when he cast his confused gaze in his direction, heading into the house to leave them be.

"I've been so worried," she whispered to him, still wrapped around him. "With everything with your father, and-"

"I'm fine," Sasuke interrupted her, shaking his head slightly. "Really, I'm fine."

"I was worried you'd take your brother's approach to stress," she wept quietly into his shoulder. "Your father mentioned you were told about that. And I couldn't… I couldn't-"

"Mum," Sasuke stressed, cutting her off again. "Reall-"

"I'm glad you're here," she interrupted him. "I needed to see you, I'm glad you're here, baby…"

Sasuke gave up trying to talk to her, letting her cling to him as though her life depended on it and keeping his arms wrapped around her tightly. He'd had no idea she'd been so concerned, especially since for the past couple of weeks, everything had been more than alright.

Eventually Mikoto pulled away, smiling fondly at Sasuke and running a hand across his cheek. "You're growing up so fast," she commented.

"What's got into you?" Sasuke asked, giving her a good natured smile.

"Oh, just ignore your sentimental old mother," Mikoto laughed, wiping her eyes and smiling back. "It's been a long day. I've been in the kitchen since six am."

"You don't have to go to so much trouble," Sasuke told her. "And you could let Dad help instead of throwing him out every time he goes in the kitchen."

Mikoto chuckled at that, turning to Naruto. He'd been standing by the car with the bag he'd been carrying in his hands, looking thoroughly out of place and confused by the exchange that had just happened in front of him in a foreign language.

"Naruto," she smiled, giving him a hug as well. "It's a pleasure to see you again. Hopefully you'd be so kind to give me a hand later? I've been looking forward to your expertise in the kitchen again."

"Itachi told me so," Naruto answered, smiling at her as she pulled free of the hug.

The front door behind them opened and Sasuke's father stood in it, frowning at them.

"It's too cold to stand out there," he scolded. "And look at you boy, you don't even have a coat on," he said of Naruto, frowning even harder at him. "Get inside, all of you."

Naruto quickly scurried past him, not wanting to anger him, but Fugaku put a hand on his shoulder as he tried to scarper away.

"Good to have you here," he told the blond, who gave the elder man a nervous smile in return. Fugaku looked equally nervous at the exchange and fell silent, pulling his hand free and leaving Naruto to take his shoes off in peace.

Mikoto and Sasuke entered the house, closing the door behind them as they did so. Sasuke found himself unable to meet his father's eye, taking off his shoes silently instead.

"Good to have you here as well, son," he heard his father say quietly. "You're looking well for once."

Sasuke glanced up at him, giving him a smile. "That's a first. Normally one of you tells me I look sick."

"Maybe this boy here is doing you some good," Fugaku laughed, nudging Naruto's shoulder. Naruto, who was untying his shoes and balanced precariously on one knee, almost toppled over with a yelp.

"Perhaps so," Sasuke agreed, laughing slightly, putting a hand out to Naruto's other shoulder to steady him. "By the way, I hear you got Itachi annoyed with me."

"I did?"

"By telling him I told you about his girlfriend."

Fugaku looked slightly embarrassed at that. "Ah- yes. Well… He set me straight on the… The nature of that relationship."

He swiftly headed into the living room to end the conversation, leaving Sasuke to laugh to himself and pick up the bag Naruto had put down when they had entered.

"I'll put these under the tree," he told Naruto. "Go and appease my mother and give her a hand, would you?"

Naruto smiled at him, nodding. "Sure."

Sasuke reached out and gave him a hug, nestling comfortably into his shoulder. Naruto gladly returned it, putting his hands under Sasuke's shirt. Sasuke yelped quietly, squirming away.

"You're cold," he complained. Naruto rolled his eyes and grabbed him back into the hug, keeping his hands to himself this time.

"And you're colder," he explained. "I was hoping to warm you up."

They stayed that way for a few more moments, Sasuke eventually pulling away and brushing his lips gently against Naruto's cheek as he did so.

"We aren't going to get much of a chance to do this kind of thing whilst here," he told his boyfriend. "My Dad might be tolerant of the whole thing but I doubt he'll appreciate a display of it."

"I understand," Naruto nodded. "Keep the lovey dovey stuff to ourselves."

He winked at Sasuke and headed off to the kitchen, leaving Sasuke to enter the living room. His father and brother were seated there, having a conversation with the TV on in the background.

"I'll put your gifts under the tree," Sasuke told them and they nodded in response, leaving Sasuke to admire the wonderfully decorated tree in the corner of the room by the window. His mother prided herself in making sure her tree always looked fantastic- this year, it was red and gold. Big and fluffy tinsel of both colours streamed around the tree, with baubles shaped like snowflakes hanging on the branches that were lightly dusted with lamenta. Coloured flashing lights ran around the green and candy canes hung on the edges of some of the branches. Sasuke snatched one up with a grin, looking up at the top of the tree. No matter how many times the decorations changed, the Angel in a red velvet outfit was always on the tree top every year- this year was no exception.

He knelt down and opened the bag he had bought with him, pulling out his family's gifts and placing them with the other ones around the bottom of the tree. As he reached to the back of the tree to place one down, his hand connected with something warm and furry.

Startled, he jumped back, frowning and getting further to the floor to look under the tree. A set of yellow eyes stared back at him, blinking slowly as though the owner had been awoken from sleep.

"Why is there a cat under the tree?" Sasuke called to his father.

"Your mother," came the tired response. "She wanted one. She wouldn't shut up about it so I got her one."

"Oh."

Sasuke continued to stare at the cat as the cat stared back, eventually yawning and standing up. It crawled out from under the tree, rubbing up against Sasuke's outstretched hand. She was white as snow with dark paws, tail and face- a Siamese, he realised.

"Her name's Classic," his father called again. "She's a year old, apparently. We got her from a rescue center- someone found her wandering the streets and took her there."

Classic purred and rubbed up against Sasuke once last time before scampering off in search of what Sasuke assumed would be food. He shook his head to clear the confusion before getting to his feet and joining his brother on the sofa.

"How have you been?" Itachi asked as he sat down, eyes clearly concerned.

"I've been good," Sasuke told him, silently feeling rather loved that day. "You?"

"Yeah, I'm alright. Bit of a hectic drive down yesterday with all the traffic, but alright otherwise. I'm sorry I couldn't collect you guys on the way- I got coerced into giving some people from University a lift down this way."

"It's alright," Sasuke waved a hand at him. "It was quite easy getting down. Since we got on at the top of the line we were able to get seats at least, which is more than can be said for most people from the second stop onwards."

"I'll get us a drink," Fugaku told them once they quieted, standing and heading to the drinks cabinet in the opposite corner of the room to the Christmas tree. "What are you boys having?"

"Oh, no alcohol," Sasuke declined, shaking his head. "Just lemonade or something will be fine."

"Same here," Itachi said. "I'll have a drink later- it's a bit early for me."

Their father sighed softly, pouring himself a shot of whisky and holding it up to them in a toast. "It's Christmas," he declared. "There's no too early or too late for a small drink."

He put the shot down by his chair and left the room, muttering something about cold sodas in the fridge. Sasuke smiled slightly as he felt a hand on his shoulder once the door was closed, and turned to see the concerned eyes of his brother.

"It's nice to see you looking so happy," Itachi told him. "Really."

Sasuke shrugged awkwardly, the hand falling from his shoulder as he did so. "I was happy before you know."

"But you're happier now, right?"

"Of course."

"Well then," Itachi replied as if that was all the answer he needed.

They looked up as the door clicked open again and their father re-entered, holding two cans of lemonade. He handed them over, still looking unimpressed at their choices.

"Your mother's hugging Naruto and crying," he told them with a sigh. "And she's telling him 'life will be better now'."

"Oh," Sasuke replied bluntly, knowing she'd somehow pulled a detail of Naruto's past out of him and unsure of what to say to that.

"So tell me about him," Fugaku prompted, sitting back down and looking over at Sasuke expectantly. "He's rather a mystery to us, isn't he?"

"His parents died when he was young," Sasuke explained after a moment. "And he's had a pretty rough time the past… Well, I'm not entirely sure. The past year at least."

"I see," Fugaku answered with a nod. "I'd say his luck changed when he met you, then."

"Yes," Sasuke nodded in agreement, not willing to explain just how true that was. "You could say that."

"And you trust each other?"

Sasuke nodded again. "Yes."

"And… You make each other happy?"

"…I hope so, yes."

"Well then," Fugaku replied, picking up the shot he'd poured earlier and holding it in another toast. "That's all that matters. And you will be pursuing a University course?"

"Yeah. I still don't know what yet."

"That's a start, son. What about Naruto?"

Sasuke shrugged slightly. "I'm not entirely sure. He sounded interested in perhaps joining me on that, but he's also not sure what he'd like to do."

"Oxford has a lot of good courses," Itachi hinted, nudging his brother's side.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at that. "I doubt either of us could get into Oxford."

"Don't give me that, you had excellent grades before you abandoned education," Itachi protested.

The conversation was interrupted by Naruto poking his head around the door, giving them a beaming smile. Sasuke smiled back- though less enthusiastically.

"Mikoto wanted me to tell you guys dinner will be ready in about an hour," he told them. "And that she has an early gift to exchange to you Mr. Uchiha since 'she was given Classic so early'."

Fugaku sighed at that. "Women, I swear. Tell her there's no need."

"She also told me you'd say that and that she 'didn't care, she was going to do it anyway'."

Fugaku sighed again, getting up. "I'll speak to her myself then."

He headed out of the room, continuing to mutter to himself. Itachi looked between both Naruto and Sasuke and tactfully followed, leaving them both alone once again.

"Eh, Sasuke," Naruto grinned, pointing above him. "I believe that's mistletoe in the doorway above me."

"It would seem so, yes," Sasuke agreed, noticing the sly grin his boyfriend was giving him. "What's your point?"

"My point is that I believe there's a tradition involving mistletoe and people who stand under it," Naruto continued innocently.

"There is?" Sasuke asked, also feigning ignorance. "And what would that be?"

"It means you have to come and kiss me."

"Oh, I see! I thought it was if people crossed paths beneath it that they had to kiss."

Naruto pouted at that, pointing up at the aforementioned mistletoe and pouting. "Shut up and kiss me, Sasuke!"

Sasuke got up, smiling and heading over to the blond in the doorway. One quick glance around showed them they had some privacy, so he gently locked their lips, brushing a cold hand across Naruto's warm cheek as he did so.

"Merry Christmas," he uttered as they broke apart, Naruto leaning his head on Sasuke's shoulder as they did so.

"Mm," Naruto responded. "Merry Christmas."

-.-.-

Author's Note: Yeah, it's a cliché ending XD It's Christmas Eve and I'm hosting this year, so I'm doing some early cooking and preparing my house and stuff today so I'm short on time.

Regardless, it's done! Finally! Thank you all so much for reading, and Merry Christmas to you all!