{ written 12.23.08 for justsomehippie at lj }

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto.

Birds Have Flown South But I'm Here To Stay

The first snowfall this year brings cold and loneliness. Everyone is leaving for the holidays.

Naruto stands in his backyard and holds his hand out to catch the flakes of white. It feels like he is frozen down to the blood. In a way, this is alright with him. The twinkling Christmas lights and giant, inflatable snowman out front don't mean anything to him anymore. He would rather feel the cold in his bones.

The tree branches have bared themselves to the frost of winter. He stares up into the naked boughs and the snowflakes touch his face. Everyone is with their families, their lovers. And he is alone. Kakashi has even coerced Iruka into taking a beach house vacation. So the home of his childhood is quiet, except for the sound of jazz music played to color in the emptiness.

If he listens closely, he can hear the few cars that whoosh down the street. He hears a car pull up in the driveway and imagines headlights trained on the garage door. The car engine lapses into silence. For a long moment, nothing happens. Then the back door opens and closes. Shoes crunch across the snow-blanketed backyard.

"Idiot. You're going to catch your death of cold," a voice scolds from behind him. Naruto scowls and turns to glare at the person who had suddenly appeared beside him. Sasuke. Why is he always there when he needs him?

Naruto huffs and crosses his arms childishly over his chest. "Excuse me," he retorts snobbishly. "But you're interrupting. I'm trying to angst here, thank you very much."

And Sasuke, stupid Sasuke, who always effortlessly seems to know what to say, snorts and shakes his head. "I thought that was my job," he replies, wrapping a scarf around the blond's neck like a worried mother, embracing him to warm the bitter chill from his body.

The role-reversal is a twist. Usually it is Naruto who wraps his arms around Sasuke and comforts him wordlessly. Usually it is Sasuke who is cold and in dire need of consolation, even if he will never admit it.

It's snowing a little harder now.

Naruto hugs him back and smiles. The cold sends shivers down his spine. For the first time, he seems to realize he's only wearing jeans and a thin jacket in the middle of a snowy evening. Love is not enough to keep him from freezing to death. "Hey, Sasuke?"

"Yes?"

"Maybe we should go inside now?"

"Smartest idea you've had all day."

They walk back across the backyard. Their two sets of footprints jumble somewhere along as they walk close enough to bump repeatedly into each other. Sasuke holds Naruto's freezing, bare hand in his gloved hand. He has fallen for an idiot who does not know the proper way to defend against pneumonia. But he doesn't mind so much.

Once they have shut the door in winter's face and poured two mugs of hot chocolate, they curl up on the couch to watch a movie suited for the season. Naruto is singing joyous carols badly enough to wake the dead, sloshing his hot chocolate, pressuring his boyfriend to join in. Sasuke rolls his eyes. Just to get him to shut up - because he's ruining the movie about a fat man in a red suit and his flying reindeer, obviously - he leans over and kisses him.

Naruto strokes his boyfriend's cheek, licks the hot chocolate from the corner of his mouth, pulls away with a smile. They may have just lost themselves in the swirling depths of each other's eyes. And then Naruto promptly bursts into song. Sasuke groans and the moment is over.

On the TV screen, the magical sleigh pulled by flying reindeer soars over the rooftops of houses. Naruto is ruining the second verse of Jingle Bells now, and Sasuke is curled up beside him with his hands over his ears. Outside, the snow waits for those who will build snowmen with disfigured bodies and crooked noses.