I do not own Naruto. I didn't earn money to write this story. Masashi Kishimoto created Naruto.

This is a gift fic for THEDORKYWEIRDO who's cheesy pick-up line got the most votes in the poll I ran. Merry Christmas!

Festival in the Land of Snow (Part One)

Princess Fuun looked down at the smallest member of Team 7, she smiled fondly. The boy had saved her in so many ways.

"Thank you Naruto," She gently patted his head. The injured boy grinned up at the woman from the hospital bed. She had been so frightened when the boy fell after the battle, but Naruto seemed to be one very surprising little ninja. He was healing up fairly quickly though.

"Awe," Naruto blushed, but then boasted, "It wasn't anything for the greatest ninja, and future Hokage of the Leaf, Uzumaki Naruto!"

The beautiful woman turned to the others in the room. Kakashi sat in the only chair in the room reading that awful book. Sakura was primly standing beside Sasuke. While Sasuke glared into space. His fists tightened and relaxed (Sasuke was ready to go home).

"Thank you all," Princess Fuun said graciously as she smiled, "There is a festival coming in a few days to celebrate my return. Would you please stay until then? You would be my honored guests…Besides I do think Naruto could use the rest." Kakashi looked up from his book briefly and nodded.

Sakura looked excited but then frowned, "I have nothing to wear," She whispered. Her little pink lips formed a pout.

Sasuke's eyes Narrowed (He really, really wanted to go home). That dobe was delaying his quest to get stronger with his foolish risk taking. Naruto tried to sit up and looked excited but he fell back to bed in exhaustion. Sasuke glared at the idiot. He'd nearly been killed. That stupid moron! Sasuke refused to admit how worried he had been for the other boy (not to himself most definitely to the dead last).

Sasuke grunted, "I'm going back to the inn." He shoved his hands in his pockets and slinked out of the hospital room surrounded in a dark and foreboding aura that would cause grown men to cross the street to avoid the young teenaged boy. He didn't look back but he could almost feel Naruto's glare at the back of his head.

"Naruto," Kakashi spoke up. He looked away from the orange book. Naruto looked angry, hurt, frustrated. He wanted to sigh but thought better of it. The long suffering Kakashi knew, or suspected, what was bothering the boy.

"Yeah?" He answered curtly still glaring at the door where Sasuke once stood.

"Rest. We will leave after the festival. I'll inform the Hokage," Kakashi smiled under his mask. Naruto relaxed and exhaled loudly.

"I…I'm going to go shopping. Is that ok Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked twiddling her thumbs.

"Sure," He answered, "Meet up back at the inn at supper time."

Fuun rested her hand on Naruto's head once more affectionately. The boy calmed and his eyes grew sparkly. He wasn't used to having the affections of anyone, let alone a beautiful girl, let alone a famous actress and a Princess too boot. She chuckled quietly. Naruto really was too cute for his own good. He didn't seem to realize this. She wondered if anybody had thought of teaching the boy seduction jutsu. He'd have men and women doing his bidding with the right training. She laughed inside at her thoughts. Then frowned he could also be taken advantage of by the wrong people. He was naïve, pure. Sure he was kind of loud, and orange was really a garish color. Fuun brightened up, that was something she would do to thank the boy. The boy needed something to wear to the festival!

"Rest up Naruto and I will see you at the carnival," She stroked his soft hair once more. It was like petting a young kitten…or maybe a fox tail. She turned and smiled at the excited girl who was about to excuse herself to the princess. Fuun stopped her with a raised hand and said, "I'll go with you. I have not had the chance to revisit some of the shops since I was young. She hooked her arm in Sakura's in a companionable manner. Sakura grinned excitedly. They left together.

Naruto lay back down and sighed. Kakashi was the only one who stayed but he wasn't much company with that book of his. He gave up the fight with his fatigued body and closed his eyes. Naruto would never admit it but sometimes he wished his teammates were friendlier. He was a very lonely boy. He wondered if he would ever be accepted completely. He drifted off to sleep thinking of how it would be when he was Hokage…

…Some time later he was awakened by someone tugging on his blanket. It was dark. Kakashi had gone. Naruto frowned. He was really alone now (except he wasn't).

"Oh you're awake," A young medic said with a smile, "Are you hungry we could not wake you at dinner time. You must be exhausted." The man…well really a boy only a few years older than Naruto was checking Naruto's wrappings and he encouraged Naruto to sit up. He then began changing the rather large one on Naruto's chest.

Naruto's stomach rumbled. He blushed, "Do you have any ramen in this place?" He looked up at the boy. Naruto was struck by how young the medic was. The boy had dark brown (nearly black) hair. His eyes were hazel green. He was a handsome lad looking to be 15 years old.

He was frowning, "That stuff isn't healthy."

Naruto pouted cutely. The medic flushed and stuttered. Naruto was a rare sight in snow country…well in the known world. He was beautiful. No mincing words. "Um," He helped the boy lower himself back to the bed.

"Ramen is the best," Naruto argued, "It's delicious."

"I'm not disputing that," The boy fumbled. The little blond was doing funny things to him.

"Tell you what. You eat something healthy and then when you are discharged. I will take you out for ramen," He smiled with a slight blush dusting his pale cheeks.

Naruto blushed in return, "Ok…I guess…um…mister."

"Oh it's Ryuu," The boy blushed, "And you're Naruto."

"How'd you know that?" Naruto asked dumbly. Ryuu held up his chart, but then laughed, "You also have announced such very loudly more than once since your stay here."

"Oh…sorry," Naruto said sheepishly.

"So I'll get you something to eat and be right back…oh and by the way I'll be your attending medic until you leave, based on the chart you will probably be discharged in the morning."

"Good! I hate hospitals…um…no offence," Naruto had the grace to look ashamed of himself. Ryuu could not help but think how adorable Naruto looked. He was so cute, like a kitten. Ryuu found himself staring at the boy's pursed lips and licked his own.

"Um…I'll just get you something from the cafeteria," He bowed and left.

For some reason Naruto was blushing. He didn't know why, but Ryuu seemed really nice…

…Sasuke grumbled as he shuffled toward the hospital. It was eight in the morning and Kakashi had elected him to go check on Naruto. Sasuke stopped when he saw the blond boy being lead out by a medic with dark hair and eyes. He was taller than Naruto but was not much older than he and Naruto. The medic didn't stop at the door when Naruto left, no he grabbed the boy's hand and lead him away. Sasuke grunted in dissatisfaction. His fists clenched. "What an idiot," Sasuke hissed. He decided to follow the number one knuckle headed ninja…

…Naruto blushed when he felt his hand being clasped gently.

"Come Naruto I'll show you around. I'm sure your team would not mind," He said cheerfully then tacked on in his own head, '…seeing as they hardly minded leaving you alone in the first place.'

"Ohhh," Naruto looked up at the boy. He grinned, "I guess…that's fine."

Ryuu nodded and began enthusiastically leading the boy away. "There is a big festival coming tomorrow. The marketers are setting up stalls…My family will have one. I'd like to show you the art of crystal making it's our family's special technique."

"You make crystals?" The blond boy said in awe.

Ryuu nodded. He let go of the boy's hand and began making hand seals. Suddenly he held hands out much like Naruto does to make his rasengan. Above his palm a crystal started to form. The boy was intent on his creation and seemed to lose focus of the rest of the world. Naruto was absorbed in the act of creation he was witnessing.

"Put your hands under mine," He spoke in a stilted tone as if it took a great effort. Naruto cupped his hands and waited as a crystal formed. It grew into a complicated series of fractals but soon those even started to bend and smooth into a lovely little figurine. A small kitten dropped into Naruto's palms. It was extremely cold. Naruto shivered.

"It is made of ice, but it is guaranteed to never melt. Some of my own chakra is trapped in there and it will stay solid forever. Naruto frowned for a second thinking of another ninja with the ability to manipulate ice.

"What's wrong?" Ryuu asked.

Naruto's fog cleared. He shook his head and smiled, "This is…"

Ryuu frowned feeling his heart flutter in an unpleasant manner. Then Naruto grinned, "This is the coolest thing I've seen…it just reminds me of someone I knew."

"The kitten?" Ryuu asked the confusing boy.

"No the jutsu," Naruto explained.

"Really?" Ryuu asked. He had not heard of this ability existing outside of his family.

Naruto nodded but didn't wish to explain further. He tried to give the icy kitten back, but the older boy shook his head.

"Keep it. It's for you." Ryuu blushed.

Naruto made a reverent face, "L-like a gift?"

"Yeah," Ryuu wondered if he had offended the boy when suddenly a weight hit him causing him to topple over. Naruto was hugging him.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Naruto shouted making the other boy's ears ring, "It's so cute!"

"Y-you're welcome," Ryuu blushed deep crimson feeling Naruto's weight on an inappropriate place and enjoying it much too much for public decency. He cleared his throat and gently pushed Naruto off of him. Naruto just smiled and got up offering the older boy his hand. Ryuu took it gladly. Naruto tugged the boy up surprising him with his show of strength. Naruto looked so delicate and small, but he was strong.

"Shall we get that Ramen now?" Ryuu offered not letting Naruto's hand go. Naruto nodded and pocketed the little kitten figurine with his other hand. The cold seeped through his clothes making him shiver but Naruto ignored the sensation. Ryuu pulled gently on Naruto and lead him into the crowded and bustling Market place…

…Sasuke tensed when the medic turned toward Naruto making hand seals. He growled was the guy planning an attack? Why was Naruto not defending himself? The idiot just watched with fascination. Sasuke was about to run in and protect the blond from his own stupidity when Naruto cupped his hands under the other boy's. Something small fell from the other boy's hands to Naruto.

Naruto said something and then tried to give the…whatever…back. The boy seemed to be saying he could keep it. Then Naruto glomped the boy shouting thank-you's. Sasuke wanted to go over and punch Naruto in the head for acting like such an idiot. People were staring and giving the two boys strange looks. Sasuke didn't like how happy the taller boy seemed when Naruto pounced on him—much less seeing Naruto siting on him like that.

Then the idiot got off of him and helped him up. They were holding hands now…why were they holding hands? They walked into the crowd. Sasuke followed them.

As they walked along Sasuke followed them watching in displeasure as neither boy let go of the other. Naruto nattered on about whatever. The older boy only smiled and nodded occasionally. They went into a small restaurant. Sasuke stayed behind them not making his presence known. They took a table out in the middle of the restaurant. Sasuke took the furthest table in the corner. He could still see them but his dark clothes and hair blended in with the background well. He watched them…

…Naruto had not realized that they were still holding hands until they moved to sit down at the table. He blushed and whispered an apology and let go of the boy's hand. He was looking at the table and failed to see the displeased look on the other boy's face. Ryuu had not wished for the boy to feel bad at all.

"Why are you sorry?" He reached over and grabbed for Naruto's hand again. Naruto flinched but then Ryuu held him in a firm but gentle grip. Both of his hands grasping Naruto's left hand. He felt the boy's naturally cool hands on his warm one. Ryuu brushed his thumb over the boy's knuckles. Naruto had such nice soft hands. That was unusual for a ninja. Most were rough and calloused from fighting. He supposed it was because he was young yet, but he also healed quite fast.

"You are very cute…you know…Naruto," Ryuu smirked at him. Naruto looked up and blushed. Something about that smirk reminded him of Sasuke. But he didn't feel insulted by the comment, not totally at least.

"Um thanks?" Naruto said unsurely. The waitress came and Naruto tugged his hand away as she handed menus over. Naruto grabbed his frowning when he saw no prices on the menu. How was he supposed to know how much he owed? Naruto found Ramen on the menu and was relieved, but only miso ramen was available. That's ok because that was his favorite flavor. At least Naruto knew Ramen was relatively cheap. He would have enough money for his portion.

Ryuu ordered a salad for himself and got Naruto his beloved ramen. They ate. Naruto seemed to grow quieter and more nervous as the meal went by—blushing and stuttering. Ryuu watched him intently enjoying how Naruto slurped his noodles. He was just too cute for words. Ryuu at some point made a decision and while he would have to get permission from his father to do it. He would convince him. He knew. Naruto would be his forever.

One thing about Ryuu, he knew what he wanted and he always got what he wanted. Sometimes he had to work hard for it but that made the object of his desire that much more desirable to him…

…Sasuke saw the way this older boy was looking at Naruto. He recognized that sick look anywhere. He saw it in the eyes of the crazy girls that followed him around back in Konohagakure. They finished. Sasuke almost wanted to laugh at the dobe. He was so un-used to such attention. Naruto barely finished his one bowl. He tried to pay for his own food. Didn't he realize that he was on a date? The older boy obviously thought they were. He refused Naruto's money. He got off lucky with Naruto not eating his normal volumes of Ramen.

They left and Sasuke followed. The waitress scowled at him as he left only enough money to cover the hot green tea he had ordered. No tip. Then once outside the boy was grabbing Naruto's hands again in an overly affectionately way that made Naruto squirm uncomfortably.

"Finally catching on Naruto?" Sasuke whispered to himself. As much as he enjoyed Naruto being made uncomfortable (normally) he did not like this. Sasuke was going to end this pervert's little game.

"Hey," Sasuke said only loudly enough for them to hear, "Where were you moron?"

"Moron?" The taller boy looked affronted.

"I wasn't talking to you," Sasuke glared at the sight of the guy stroking Naruto's knuckles. Naruto was just letting this guy molest him. Sasuke grabbed Naruto's free hand and started to drag him away. He felt a tug as the other pulled Naruto back.

"Uh…Ryuu," Naruto gulped, "This is my teammate Sasuke. I better go."

Ryuu frowned and held tight, "Naruto meet me here tomorrow at six? I'd like to show you the festival."

"Sure," Naruto grinned and nodded. Finally Ryuu gave up his hold on the blond. Sasuke dragged him away not saying anything to Naruto. He didn't dare open his mouth he might regret what he would say.

Stay tuned (All of you) Part TWO Will be coming really soon...