Holiday Fun
“Iruka-sensei, can you lift me up?” Naruto asked. “I can’t reach.”
“Sure thing!”
Iruka bent down, and turned his back to Naruto, motioning for him to climb on; and Naruto excitedly hooked his small legs over his shoulders and held onto the top of his head.
When he was settled, Iruka stood up slowly, carefully readjusting his balance as he held onto Naruto’s legs, then walked over to the heavily decorated Christmas tree. He leaned close so that Naruto could reach; and Naruto grabbed the top with ease, and placed the star on the tree.
When he was done, Iruka stepped back and squatted down so Naruto could get off; and the two of them stood side by side admiring their work.
“It looks good!” Iruka grinned.
“Yeah!” Naruto agreed. “Santa will definitely see it when he’s flying through Konoha!”
“He sure will! Don’t forget to leave some milk and cookies out for when he comes.”
“And food for the reindeer!” Naruto added.
“Yeah, the reindeer will be hungry after all that flying around.”
Suddenly, Naruto’s stomach grumbled loudly.
“I’m hungry after all that decorating!” He declared with a grin. “Are the cookies ready yet?”
“Let’s go and ask Kakashi.”
With that, Iruka and Naruto made their way to the kitchen, where Kakashi had put squirt bottles with different coloured icing on the table, as well as small bowls of various kinds of lollies and chocolates; and in the centre was two trays of cooled cookies cut into various holiday shapes.
“Woah! What’s all this?!” Naruto exclaimed excitedly.
“Maa, I thought the cookies looked a little bland, so we’re decorating them.”
“Really?!” Naruto asked enthusiastically.
When Kakashi nodded, Naruto turned to Iruka, who was smiling warmly, happy that he liked the surprise; and he took his hand.
“C’mon, Iruka-sensei, you help, too!” He said, half dragging him to the table.
“Alright, alright, I’m coming!” Iruka chuckled fondly.
With that, the three of them took a seat and began to decorate cookies, Naruto starting with a present, Iruka doing a candy cane, and Kakashi beginning with a bauble; and as Naruto began telling his senseis what he wanted Santa to get him for Christmas, a warmth stirred in all their hearts.
Several years earlier, they never would have dreamed of having someone to spend the holidays with; but now, everything was completely different.
They finally had the one thing they’d been missing, the one thing they’d been needing all that time.
They finally had each other; and were a family.
This was exactly how Christmas was supposed to be.
