Because I can and because I want a Christmas fic.
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Empty milk boxes on the side, unwashed bowls one on top of the other, and the cupboard almost empty. An inaudible sigh escaped Naruto's lips as his eyes met the mess of his small house. His shoulders drooping at the mere thought of cleaning up. Defeated, he began, sighing every now and then in complaint to no one in particular. This was the reason why he hated coming home, among other things.

There weren't any missions lately. Holiday, said the Hokage. Whatever holiday it was, it was certainly taking a very long time to finish. Naruto scowled, scrubbing the bowl with an old sponge. Idly, he thought of catching a sponge next time he went fishing.

Only the soft swishing noise could be heard from the house as Naruto ran from one side to the other with a folded cloth. He snorted. If this went on any longer, his whole house would be so clean the Hokage would accuse him of being an impostor posing as Naruto.

Bored. That's what he was. A growl from his stomach reminded him of another word. Bored and hungry, he nodded and waited for another growl for confirmation. Any excuse to leave the house would make him grin. And this was a perfect one, off to the ramen house.

Something was odd. This realization came to him as soon as he stepped out of his door. Everything looked the same, he didn't feel any negative auras around and his instinct wasn't telling him that anything sharp headed to his direction. His eyes darted from one house to another, one person to the next, his ears alert and he walked to the ramen house guarded.

"On the house, Naruto."

"Really? That's great! Thank you, old man!"

Naruto ignored the complaint of the owner about not being old. Frankly, he didn't know why it was free. Questions later, first, he must eat.

Everybody was being nice. At least the cold stares he usually got weren't the same and it felt good. He asked about the ramen and the answer confused him. "Merry Christmas?" No explanations were given to him except that it was something celebrated ever since a group of traders from the west introduced that weird culture. There wasn't any harm to it and so the village graciously adapted.

Spending time with loved ones and giving gifts, Naruto frowned at that. He definitely had some money saved but there wasn't anyone he could buy a gift for. Sakura came to mind but he wasn't up to being pushed around today. There wasn't a single hostility directed at him so far, not even a hostile look, and if not talking to anybody meant for it to continue, he would take advantage of it. Just for today, no one hated him.

"Oi Sasuke!" Naruto rapped loudly at the door. Half of him expected to not receive an answer. More than half, actually, so he rapped louder and raised his voice to an insane volume.

Finally, a creak and a glower that would shrink anyone within their age group and lower but not Naruto. The best prank to pull off when it concerns the Uchiha Sasuke, be Naruto. "And a Merry Christmas to you too."

Sasuke stood there, shocked still. Annoyed one second, and now, he didn't know. "What?"

"Hah! You didn't know that, did you?" True to Naruto's nature, he bragged knowing about something Sasuke didn't.

One of Sasuke's eyebrows twitched at the loud brat standing in front of him. A shuriken was the most accessible weapon from where Sasuke stood. That would've been taken into consideration if Sasuke didn't personally know that even a katana wouldn't make Naruto shut up.

Nonetheless, Sasuke couldn't help his retaliation. Gravely, "So that was the reason Sakura gave me a gift."

That shut Naruto up.

Big mistake. Sasuke didn't really expect Naruto to shut up and look hurt. "Hey…"

Naruto raised his hand to stop Sasuke's words and grinned, "I know Sakura-chan's preparing her special gift for me. Of course."

"How about some ramen?"

"Huh?"

Without a minute's hesitation, Sasuke stepped out of his house and locked the door. Sakura did give him a gift, and so did a lot of other girls. No one told him why though. In a strange and annoying way, Naruto did while bragging all about it at the same time.

"Oi, oi, oi!" Naruto hurried and kept pace with Sasuke as they walked to the ramen house. "Who are you and what did you do to the real and foul creature called Sasuke?"

Sasuke smirked. "And a Merry Christmas to you too."