dedicated to: everyone. whether you love Him, are Jewish, or an athiest, Happy Holidays!
prompt: christmas, the Lord's birth! also watery tears's Santa's Lap.
rating: T

summary: All Sakura really wants for Christmas is Sasuke. Maybe Santa can give it to her, and for her only.

REVISED 6.29.14

secret santa

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Snow fell. Sakura loved the snow, especially when it was fresh and pure innocence. She stuck her tongue out, feeling a small snowflake melt on the surface, and smiled while she clapped her mittened hands together in delight.

Christmas was nearly everyone's favorite time of the year. There were mistletoe plants hanging around every corner (she noticed that Sasuke avoided going out of his house, while Naruto purposely dragged Hinata under them), and bright lights along with Christmas carols.

There were unopened presents underneath the her tree. Team 7 had promised to gather around for the holiday at her house, and she had to make sure everything was perfect. Nothing could spoil Christmas, since it only came once a year. Everything had to be immaculate.

She counted each present, and made sure there were equal amounts for everyone. Naruto's, wrapped in orange paper, was a box of ramen made by the top chefs in the world, along with a few Ichiraku coupons.

Sai's was rice paper and new paintbrushes, nicely wrapped in dark red paper with a bow on top. She couldn't wait to see his expression when he opened it, and would be happy just seeing him smile for once.

Kakashi...his present was embarrassing. She had actually gone into the porn shop and bought all the copies of Icha Icha...which caused the men around her and the cashier to wink suggestively at her and make vulgar comments. And then she remembered getting out, as soon as possible, not ever wanting to go back in there if hell demanded her to.

She didn't bother to give Sasuke a gift. Though he would treat it nicer than the other girls he had gotten from, he still would not pay any special attention to her's.

So she just gave him a tomato she grew in her backyard, organic and plump and red, saved from snowfall and still juicy.

She took a look at her Christmas tree and bowed her head in silent prayer.

Lord, you are my light in the darkness. All I want this year is Sasuke-kun. He is my light in the cold nights, too.

She heard the doorbell ring and quickly finished her prayer. All of Team 7 was gathered around, Naruto leading them in with festive cheer and badly sung carols, along with a large bag filled with something lumpy.

From the back trudged in Sasuke, hands in his coat pocket and hair dusted lightly with snow. Sakura blushed. He gave her a small nod and walked past her into her living room. Then, she went to the kitchen to make some hot beverages: warm cocoa for Naruto, and hot tea for everyone else.

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"Let's share presents now!" Naruto said after downing his fourth cup of hot chocolate. Everyone rolled their eyes, but Sakura smiled. "You go first, then."

He saw his present under the tree, and opened it fiercely, tearing it apart with his teeth. Sakura gaped, scared by his behavior (was he like this with Hinata?) and held it up, his eyes sparkling.

"Sakura-chan...you got me..." he didn't finish his sentence, because he had taken her in a warm hug and knocked her over. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"D-Did you read the card?" she said, trying to pry him off her. He withdrew, then found the neatly written card in his hand.

"Dear Naruto. Don't waste it all on one place. Love, Sakura-chan."

Sai laughed, and Naruto glared. "Then it's your turn, bastard! You're gonna be jealous because Sakura-chan gave me a better gift."

Sai scoffed, and she handed him his gift. "I hope you like it," she said quietly, unsure of how he would respond.

He opened his gift slowly, making sure none of the wrapping was ripped, unlike Naruto's, and tenderly unfolded everything. His eyes widened as he saw the rice paper and brushes, and he looked up at Sakura, her hopeful eyes glimmering down.

"Y-You got this for me?"

She didn't speak, just nodded. "Mm."

His surprise then turned into happiness, and he went his way over and pressed his lips against her cheek. "Thank you," he murmured.

Naruto glared. "Hey, I want to kiss her too!"

He made kissy lips at her, and she pushed him away playfully, laughing. "Hey, Hinata wouldn't appreciate this!"

"I was only going to kiss your cheek, too," he said, whining. She laughed, kissed him quickly, and handed Kakashi his gift.

"I'll admit, this was a disaster to get."

Kakashi smirked through his mask. "Then it must be pretty good." He opened it, and his eyes widened, too. He held up the collection and said, "I-Is this?"

"Yeah."

He opened the book, giggled a little bit, and was going to keep reading when he saw Sakura's angry face. He immediately relaxed, and kissed her on her forehead. "You're a naughty student of mine, Sakura."

"Screw you."

She looked over at Sasuke, who was on the couch, looking away from the team and crossing his arms. He tapped his foot, and Sakura said, "Sasuke-kun, I..I didn't get you anything special, but I hope you like this."

Sakura handed him the tomato, and he took it, observing it before taking a bite.

"Hn."

"You're welcome," she said. She noticed a small lump in his coat pocket, but before she could say anything, Naruto grabbed her and said, "All of us got a big Christmas present for you. It's really, really special, and I'm sure you'll love it!" he said. "Dattebayo!"

At that moment, Sasuke got up and sighed, leaving the room.

Sakura's heart sank.

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"It's a really big surprise and you're going to be happier than ever!" Naruto promised.

"Is it better than the dead maggots you gave me last year?" she said, half teasing. He pouted. "Hey, that was an accident!"

She laughed, before Sai said, "Sakura. Your gift is here."

In came a slim figure, tall, covered in red with a drooping white beard that made Dumbledore jealous. Sakura stared, then giggled, and everyone grinned with her. Everyone but Sasuke, who had left the atmosphere altogether.

"So," Naruto explained. "It's going to be like this. We all sit on Santa's lap, and he asks us what we want for Christmas. We tell him, and then...yeah!"

"Wait, I thought this was my gift, though!"

Naruto frowned. "Yeah, but we're the instruction manual."

Sakura pursed her lips, while the Santa Claus sat down.

Naruto immediately jumped onto Santa's lap, and Santa groaned and stared at him with glaring eyes. Naruto looked down, and saw his knee in Santa's crotch. "Sorry," he said quietly.

Santa made a small grunting noise, before Naruto began. "So, I want Neji to stop being a bastard to me since Hinata and I are official, and I also want Sasuke-teme to stop being a teme."

Santa made a grunting noise again, before Naruto climbed off and Sai went on his knee. "I want a girl I say mean things to to understand how I really feel about her. I don't like her friend. She's pretty and smart and amazing...but she's in love with somebody else," he said, closing his eyes. Obviously, he was thinking of her right then and there. Santa grunted, and Sai got off.

Kakashi was in front of Santa, squatting in front of him. "I'm not getting on your lap because that's weird." He jerked his head towards those two behind him. "I want Hanare. I love her, and I don't ever want to let her go," he said quietly. "And a few more editions of Icha Icha, if I can." Kakashi then winked and got up, before Naruto pushed Sakura towards Santa.

"Your turn," he said happily. "Go, Sakura-chan!"

Sakura was in front of Santa, and she blushed heavily before sitting down on his lap gently, barely putting any weight on his knee, in case she was considered "heavy."

Santa pulled her tighter onto his lap, and she squealed, her bottom now in the middle between his legs and his hands on her back and under her knees.

"Put your arms around my neck," he murmured softly, so that only she could hear. She recognized the voice immediately, and looked up in his eyes.

"Sas-"

"What do you want for Christmas?"

Sakura closed her eyes and bowed her head. For a while, she didn't say anything, until she looked up at him and said, "I want Sasuke-kun."

Everyone gasped, and Sakura blushed heavily before getting off. "It's okay if you can't do this."

Santa grabbed her wrist, and pulled her back onto him. He took a present out of his pocket, a nicely wrapped gift as big as his palm.

"How about this?"

She took it hesitantly, and Naruto cheered. "Open it, open it, open it!"

She took the ribbon and the wrapping off, and saw a necklace with half of the Yin Yang. Hers was white.

"It's..."

Santa took off his hat and beard. "Screw this," Sasuke muttered, itching his face. "I hate this." Sakura looked up at Sasuke, still in red, and breathed heavily while Naruto smiled in the background. Everyone else did, too. Even Sai, whose sad smile was still feeling happiness for her.

"One day, I hope that you can let the other half be with you." He took out his own necklace. It was the other half. The black.

"I am the darkness. And you are my light. You are the light that leads me home, the star leading me."

Sasuke put the necklace around her neck, and she felt herself trying to hold back tears while Naruto cheered, and Sai nodded, while Kakashi winked.

"Without you, I am not at peace," he murmured against her ear. "I like you a lot."

She turned around and slapped him hard, which shocked everyone. Her tears finally fell, and she laughed in between a sob.

"I hate how all men are so stupid!" she said, hugging him tight. "You're all so stupid...so stupid..."

He hugged her back gently, before bending down and putting her necklace to his.

"We match."

She smiled, looking at her Team, and saying, "Thank you."

"No problem!" Naruto said. Sai nodded, and Kakashi smirked again through his mask.

Sasuke looked up, and he said, "Mistletoe."

"Yeah," Sakura said.

He slowly leaned in, and Sakura closed her eyes. Their lips touched, and she held him tight.

"Merry Christmas," she muttered.

"Hn."

Everyone then began playing with their gifts, and Sakura sat on her Secret Santa's lap, humming a carol to herself.

"Whisper what you'll bring to me, tell me if you can..."

He smirked, feeling her warmth against him while their necklaces were laced together.

Slight changes!