A/N 29/12/2017: Thank you HMAkhlys for telling me about the typos. I have no idea what the hell happened to the chapter, but my guess is that the mozilla add-on translator rewrote the chapter when I opened it to edit it before uploading. This is a quick fix, later when I have time I will come back and check if there are typos that was actually made by me. English is not my first language, but I'm not that bad, I'm surprised it wasn't mentioned sooner :D.

A/N: This chapter is part of the story Leaves in the Wind, but the timeline is not chronological, that's why it's not 'Chapter 8' but 'Christmas Special'. This is somewhat later than where we left in 'Chapter 7'. I might be able to update the real eighth chapter in two or three weeks, but definitely not earlier, I'm very sorry about that :(.

I've tried to write a sweet and cute story, romantic but not cheesy. (Though I tried to make it so it will still fit in the original fanfic too). I hope I've succeeded. I'm interested in your opinion, so feel free to write a review or a PM.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. No, really.

Happy reading!

Leaves in the Wind

Christmas Special

"Here Kakashi, the next batch." And with that Genma placed a handful of scrolls in a messy pile at the table on the Hokage's left side. The spot just became free as Kakashi signed and stamped the last document of the previous heap.

"I don't know which is more annoying, making me believe it have run out and then make me disappointed by giving me more work, or bringing the new pile before I've finished the former and so squashing the hope that it will be soon over." Kakashi murmured drily mostly to himself, but it was loud enough for the other occupants to hear as well, namely Genma and Hinata.

Hinata stopped arranging the signed papers for a moment as she hummed, imaging herself in the Hokage's place. "I think I would prefer the second option." She said as she came out of her abstract thoughts.

"I've meant it rhetorically, but I agree, the latter is the better ... or less bad." Kakashi said sheepishly, which elicited a sheepish smile from the indigo-haired jounin, who after that, went on with her work.

"Is that so?" Genma asked, then turned to the Hokage. "I thought you would prefer the former. This way you can feel the satisfaction of accomplishment every time you are done with a batch, right?"

"That's the exact reason why it's so annoying." Kakashi said unimpressed by his bodyguard's so-called good intentions.

"I swear I wasn't doing it to annoy you."

Genma's tone was his usual calm and casual one, and if Kakashi would have been someone else, he would have believed him without a doubt. But since he was Hatake Kakashi, he couldn't be fooled by the brown-haired man. On one hand, Kakashi knew Genma for many years, he could tell just fine when the bodyguard was lying, usual tone or not. On the other hand, even if he was inclined to fall for Genma's nonchalant sounding voice, the bodyguard just told his true intention by outright forswearing it.

"Maa ii (1)." The Hokage sighed resignedly. If he went into an argument now, it would only make him finish his workload later. But that doesn't mean I will forget.

Genma was about to think he just got away when suddenly a chill came over him. Looking back at the Hokage signing and stamping just a tad bit more aggressively (almost impossible to detect), the poor bodyguard was made sure the uneasiness hadn't come from a wandering ghost, but from the silver-haired man.

Which made the his situation a lot scarier.

"It's okay, Kakashi-sama, that was the last batch, you will finish it in no time!" Hinata's gentle and warm encouragement cheered up the Hokage instantly.

For a while they worked in a much better mood, Kakashi signing the documents normally again. Only Genma was inside debating if taking out a more expensive insurance would be enough, or if he should reread his will and see if there's something he should complete it with. Aside of 'My doom was because of Hatake Kakashi', of course.

The brown-haired man's foresightful thinking process was disturbed by the amused voice of the Hokage.

"Look at that, Sakamoto-san sent us another complain." He lifted the paper from the table a little and hummed as he read the contents of it. "Well, not long ago I've sent a genin-team to work for him, so this was to be expected."

Sakamoto-san was an old man who lived alone. They say he wanted to be a shinobi, but just as he started the academy as a kid, his mother became sick. His father had died before that. With the need to support his mother he couldn't take such a risky and unstable job, and switched to learn a civilian profession. Fortunately, his mother made full recovery not much later. She had had cystitis, but had been given the wrong diagnosis by a charlatan. The fake-doctor was arrested and the mother had gone through the proper therapy, but the money that had been cheated out of them had been lost forever. So Sakamoto-san hadn't been able to switch back to the path of shinobi.

Nowadays Sakamoto-san frequently made requests in the form of D-ranked missions, and after they were completed, without fail he always sent an official complain. He was a grumpy, surly and impossible-to-please old man.

"I can't tell if he hates or likes our genins." Genma added amused.

"It really is strange." Hinata mused. "He always laments on the children's work, yet he will make another demand."

"Well, Sakamoto-san is an old and grumpy man, with a short temper. It could be that as he gets angry easily, he promptly writes a complain in his agitated state, but after he cools down, he feels guilty, and to make it better, he asks for help in another task." Kakashi said wisely.

The two bodyguards looked at the Hokage with overflowing empathy. Especially Hinata.

"Yes, this could be the explanation." Genma nodded.

"Poor Sakamoto-san must feel so ashamed every time as he realizes his temper got the better of him." Hinata went on. "And as he must be prideful and very bad expressing himself, he doesn't know how to apologise. Making a new request is his way of admitting he was wrong."

"You are right, that's definitely the reason."

Kakashi just watched smiling as his two jounin went on sentimentally, then huffed good-naturedly and resumed his work. But as he lifted and started to read the next paper he froze. He looked up at the two bodyguards still deep in their heartfelt conversation, then back at the scroll dismayed.

I'm afraid, he simply hates them. Asking for a team to decarburize his chimney and clean the house ... now way it was out of shame and guilt.

Kakashi decided not to bust the two jounins pink-toned bubble. They were so deep in their idealistic world, that even if the three quarter of Kakashi's face that was covered had been free to see, they wouldn't have noticed the shift in the Hokage's mood. So the silver-haired man picked up the calendar from his desk and turned a page to the next week to search an adequate day for Sakamoto-san's mission. "Oh, next week is Christmas."

"Yes, finally holidays." Genma reacted.

"Do you guys have plans how to spend it?" Kakashi asked.

"Oh, we don't celebrate it." Hinata waved her hand as if she was weakly apologising in the name of the Hyuuga family. "Since Christmas comes from the western culture." She reasoned. "The Inuzuka and the Aburame clan doesn't held Christmas either, but they exploit the free days nonetheless. Kiba's family goes to their favourite hot spring and comes back only in the new year. Shino's family travels every year too, but they visit different places. I don't know yet where they will go this year."

"Well yeah, Christmas is a new custom that's making its way between the less traditional." Genma mused. "And even if Christmas is celebrated here now, the meaning of it is somewhat different I think. While in the western culture it's about love in a general way, like family bonds, here in Japan it's more of a couple's holiday."

"We should celebrate it." Kakashi interjected.

Shouldn't you become a couple first? Genma thought stunned. Talk about being obvious. "Ugh, are you sure, I've just said ..."

Before Genma could say anything else Kakashi cut in. "I'm fine with the original meaning, family love and so."

No, especially for that, you should become a couple first. Genma looked at him wryly.

"Hontou (2), Kakashi-sama? Okay, let's celebrate it!" Hinata said with stars in her eyes. The two men was a little surprised by the indigo-haired beauty's unusual enthusiasm. It wasn't like she was louder or overly energetic, but since Hinata is such a modest girl, her rosy cheeks combined with her hopeful gaze was quite strange for the males.

"Oh, you are pretty excited, huh?"

"Of course, Genma-san, I've never had a Christmas before."

"Eh, how come?"

"Well as I said, our clan is too traditional, while Christmas is a fairly new holiday here. Kiba and Shino is never at home in end of the year, and the other's have their boyfriend or girlfriend so ..."

All three occupants of the room gave some seconds to reminiscence about the uncomfortable role of being the third wheel. Since all of them were single, they knew all too well the awkwardness of it.

"Well then, it's decided." Kakashi put the calendar he was unconsciously holding till now back on the table, as if the motion helped in accentuating the finality of the situation. He was actually not less eager, though he made it less obvious. "So, do you have any plans for Christmas, Genma?"

Though the underlying message saying 'You better have one, or invent one very quickly, like here and now' went unsaid, Genma was able to detect it. (If Kakashi knew Genma for many years, its only logical that Genma knew Kakashi for equally long).

It's not like I want to spend Christmas with you. The brown-haired bodyguard thought wryly. He was content with spending the holidays anywhere as long it was far from his duties and especially far from the Hokage. "I have promised to visit my folks, so yeah."

"Oh, that's a shame."

Oh please.

"What about the others? Do you know if any of the other three will be free?" Kakashi asked, and just like before, the underlying message saying 'They better have one, or you invent one for them very quickly, like here and now' went unsaid again.

"Ah well, um, I think they have things to do too." Genma said awkwardly scratching his neck, hoping he won't have to go into details. He actually had no idea how Kotetsu, Izumo or Iwashi wanted to spend Christmas, or if they had any kind of plans in the first place. And coming up with something was just a pain in the ass.

"Is that so?" Kakashi asked innocently, which annoyed Genma further. "Well Hinata, it seems we will be the only two who will be able to celebrate Christmas together."

"Yes, it seems so." Hinata replied regretfully, but still smiling.

Later at home the indigo-haired beauty finally realized that she will might celebrate a holiday that was held by couples (even if only in Japan) practically tete-á-tete with Kakashi.

No, wait. Kakashi-sama said he meant it in the general way, just like in the original western tradition.

That didn't stop her heart-rate suddenly pick up the pace, ears warm up, nor her severe blush-attack staining her cheeks under her cool fingers.

Oh my.

The next day Iwashi confirmed that yes, unfortunately he won't be able to celebrate with the Hokage and his lovely 2in1 assistant and bodyguard. Izumo and Kotetsu said they would be happy to celebrate with them at first, but later they 'remembered' they had made plans, thus with a hundred apology in tow they cancelled it.

After learning that indeed just the two of them will spent the holiday together, Hinata's heart beat a little faster again, but with breathing exercises and the mantra 'it's not a date or anything like that, it's not a date or anything like that' she was able to function normally again.

And since Kakashi said they will hold an original, western Christmas, Hinata decided to study the custom. This was her first Christmas, she didn't want to make a mistake or something very unfitting for such an important day. After reading tales, watching movies and listening to classic Christmas songs, she was totally swept by the spirit and the novelty of Christmas (3). (It was a miracle that she hadn't had a surfeit of it, really). But anyway, her initial embarrassment (though it was still there), got overshadowed by the excitement for the festival of the nativity.

"Yosh, looks good. And it smells good too. I hadn't thought the scent of it would be this strong." Kakashi said to himself as he admired the pine-tree he just put up in his living room.

Kakashi and Hinata agreed that they will spend the Christmas at Kakashi's place. The Hyuuga compound was out of the question, and neither the Hokage nor his loveliest bodyguard was such a Stakhanovite (4) that they would hold the nativity at the Hokage's tower. By the exclusion of these options, the only remaining place that came to mind was Kakashi's.

Buying and putting up the tree became Kakashi's task, while Hinata took on herself bringing the decoration and the ingredients for cookies.

Kakashi swept together the fallen leaves and pieces of the trunk that fell on the floor, then mopped up the dirt he wasn't able to clean with the broom. He was quite the beginner with putting up trees in his living room. Though the result looked perfectly fine, he quickly made sure the evidences of his not so refined carving technique disappeared.

Then he went to the bathroom to wash his hands. As he took a look in the mirror he realized he was still wearing the worn out clothes he had put up for the dirtier work. He decided on a quick shower before putting on a set of clean clothes. After that he arranged his rebellious hair with little result.

Just as he nodded in satisfaction, happy that everything was in order to welcome Hinata, he heard soft knocking.

The one by his door was indeed Hinata, with star-filled eyes, blushing cheeks and full of hands.

"Hello, Kakashi-sama. I have brought the decorations for the tree."

Kakashi was a little taken aback by the indigo-haired kunoichi. Her smile was probably more dazzling the content of the box she was carrying. But what truly made him wonder was the amount of snow on top of her head and shoulders. The last time it had been snowing in Konoha was days ago. Though the temperature had been constantly below zero and thank to that the snow hadn't melted, only a fairly thin layer covered the ground. From the trees and roofs it had been mostly blown off by the wind already, so it was unlikely that the snow the kunoichi was wearing like a winter accessory fell from somewhere high. (5)

And strangely, she was breathing deeper than one normally would, creating small white puffs.

"Are you coming from somewhere far from here? You look like you have been running."

"Well, I heard yesterday night from Hanabi that there's a village north from here. She said they import the most beautiful Christmas decorations, and they have their own handicraft products too."

So there was snowing there today. And with that the mystery of the snow-covered Hinata was solved.

"And she was right, they were so beautiful! It was so hard to choose." Hinata said enthusiastically, lighting up Kakashi's porch.

The silver-haired jounin couldn't help but melt, she was just too cute. He kind of understood now what the saying 'like a child on Christmas' really meant.

"Thank you Hinata, you really didn't have to go so far for these." Kakashi expressed gratitude warmly as he took the box from the kunoichi. "Why don't you brush off the snow and come in while I bring the box inside?"

"Oh, I still have to bring the ingredients." With that said, Hinata turned from the door and was about to left, but suddenly she turned back. "Oh but don't start without me, okay?"

"Wouldn't dream of it!" Kakashi chuckled and closed the door.

About 10 minutes later Hinata arrived with the promised groceries.

"That's quite the amount." Kakashi murmured as he took half of the heavy bags, then carried them into the kitchen and started to unpack.

"That's because we I wanted to try more recipes. There are more than one traditional Christmas cookies." Hinata replied smiling ear-to-ear. She was standing shoulder-to-shoulder to Kakashi, since he had a small kitchen table. Actually, the whole kitchen was small, a third person would have made it feel crowded.

They decided to start with the cookies. While they worked on them, Hinata told about the origins of Christmas. Kakashi was happy to help and listen, spending time with Hinata in a laidback and homely fashion. Sometimes they got so close they almost touched, and sometimes they really reached the others clothes or skin. Even though those moments were embarrassing, the happiness of being close was stronger. It was a new experience, yet overall it felt so natural that no one of them stopped to think deeper about it. For shinobi it was a rare gift to be able to be in a comfortable environment with an important person and do something the average people do. Moments of these were the true luxury for them.

"So this is the fragrance of Christmas." Hinata breathed in deeply while mixed the ingredients together.

"So it is." Kakashi replied, enjoying the aroma of cinnamon, clove and honey.

While the cookies were in the oven, they decorated the tree. First they put on the Christmas lights, then they followed with the other ornaments, balls and garlands, sometimes stopping a moment to admire the beauty of them - either before or after putting them on the tree, sometimes both times. The decorating went in the same cozy ambiance, though Kakashi took on himself to tell stories as Hinata started to run out of the Christmas tales. They sank into this intimacy and homeliness, and if they hadn't sensed the smell of the cookies, who knows how long they would have stayed in it.

"It's okay, they aren't burned." Hinata said in relief.

"Yokatta (6)." Kakashi smiled at Hinata. As he looked at the kunoichi, the window of the kitchen crossed his line of vision. "Wow, it's totally dark outside. Even though the sun sets really early in the end of December, time sure flies when you are in good company. I haven't noticed at all when it started to grow dark."

Hinata turned to the window too. "You are right, it's completely dark." She put the pan down and went to the window. "Even though it's not snowing, it's still beautiful."

Kakashi stood next to her. "It's a shame it's not snowing, but fortunately, what has fallen a couple of days ago hasn't melted. It's beautiful in the streetlights."

"Now that it's dark, we should light up the Christmas tree!" Hinata looked up at the silver-haired jounin excited.

And with that, Hinata ushered the Hokage into his living room, she stopped only when they reached the plug of the Christmas lights. Then she skipped back to the light switch on the other side of the room. Her excitement was palpable.

Kakashi inserted the plug into the socket, but not before Hinata quickly switched off the lights of the room. For a split second it was totally dark, but then the lights of the Christmas tree flared up.

Hinata marveled at the beauty of the tree as she slowly walked to the equally awed Kakashi.

For a moment they remained silent, soaking in the lights, the fragrances, the feeling of contentment. Then as if they had just reacted to the same sign, they turned toward each other, smile adorning their faces.

The small lights reflected in Kakashi's black eye were just like the stars on a night of new moon. It looks like a part of the universe, Hinata thought in wonder.

Kakashi was equally lost in Hinata's sparkling eyes. The reflection of the Christmas lights looked like pure souls playing in the mist of white clouds. It looks like a piece of heaven.

End of Christmas Special

Explanations

(1) Literally "It's fine already". Mainly, Kakashi expresses his resignation by it.

(2) 'Hontou?' means 'Really?'.

(3) I meant the spirit of Christmas in the figurative sense, and not the character of the novel A Christmas Carol by novelist Charles Dickens. I hope it came off as that. And by novelty I meant that the whole concept was new for Hinata.

(4) Alexsei Grigoryevich Stakhanov was a miner in the Soviet Union, on 31 August 1935, it was reported that he had mined a record 102 tonnes of coal in 5 hours and 45 minutes. So this achievement was thanks to that the Communist Party had arranged the whole event, and others assisted too, his name became a notion for someone who puts everything behind high performance in work. If you are interested, you can find more info on the web. At least in my country we use his name as a synonym for workaholic. I don't know about other countries though.

(5) Have you ever wondered just where that snow-covered car came from, when it hadn't been snowing anywhere in your surroundings?

(6) 'Yokatta' means 'it was good'.

Thank you all for reading!

I will properly thank everyone who signed up for following this fanfic, favourited it or wrote me a review after posting chapter 7 as I do every time in the next chapter. I will reply to the reviews in that too. But know this, I'm really grateful to every one of you!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!