Konnichiwa, minna-san! Guess what? This is my first Naruto fanfic! Just warning you.

Title: The Perfect Gift

Author: rachi

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: Shonen ai, hints of other pairs along the way, swearing, maybe a little angst? Not really that much, if any, I swear!

Summary: Naruto is struggling with his feelings for Sasuke and at the same time - the joys of Christmas! Ah, let the corniness begin...

Disclaimer: I. Do. Not. Own. Naruto. Or. It's. Characters. Wakaru?

I'll let you know ahead of time I'm sort of a beginning writer. So far I've only written TyKa for Beyblade. Just felt like I had to warn you. Also, these chapters are pretty short because I originally planned to make it a one-shot, but it became too long. Gomen ne!

Blah - Thinking

-blah - Kyuubi talking

Part One - Troubles

Naruto looked up at the sky through half-lidded eyes lazily. The sun was shining brilliantly, flooding the Earth with warm light. There were only a few white, fluffy clouds to dot the sky, making the day seem all the more bright. The air was warm with a cool wind breezing by every once and a while. A perfect day for training. But for some odd reason that was beyond his grasp, Naruto just couldn't bring himself to move. It was just too peaceful to waste sweating.

So Naruto found himself on his back, hands pillowing his head, just staring at the sky and thinking - something he did more often than most would believe. He'd discovered he had a slight problem a few months ago and had been avidly avoiding facing it. However, today, it seemed, the weather had it out for him. With this type of atmosphere his mind worked automatically. Besides, he couldn't run from it forever. Or - more or less - him.

Every time he talks to me, even if it's just a fucking grunt my stomach feels like there's a bunch of butterflies trying to get out. When he touches me my heart speeds up and I sweat - even if he only touches me for training! And I look at him. Like... he's hot. I've never noticed before but he's really sexy. I fucking stare at his ass! How pervy is that!

- Sounds like you're in love kit. -

No way, Kyuubi. Just no way.

- All the signs point to yes, little one. Remember, I know what goes through your mind. I live here. If all you feel towards him is comradery or friendship I think you're paying much too much attention to him. I know what your heart does. It says you love him. -

But, Kyuubi, he's a guy! He's not just a guy, he's Sasuke! What the hell am I supposed to do, huh? Just waltz right up to him and say 'Hey Sasuke I think I'm in love with you, wanna go out?' Oh yea, I can see that happening.

The kitsune snorted. - No, kit, but you should tell him. -

But Kyuubi, what if he thinks I'm disgusting and never talks to me again? I can't handle that! I mean, he can have any girl in the village and-

- And he's never shown any interest in them, has he? Not even that pink girl. -

Sakura's not a pink girl, she has pink hair, okay? Get it right.

- You aren't still infatuated with her, are you? -

Wha...? No! She's just a friend. An annoying, controlling, possessive, uh... she's just a friend.

Kyuubi chuckled and fell silent. Hopefully she'd made her point. She was very fond of her kit - the one she'd never had - and found herself, over time, growing to raise him like a mother would her child. In a slightly abnormal way, yes, but she had done it all the same.

"Naruto!" A loud voice made the blonde start. He looked up to see his friend making his way through the bushes.

"Oh, hey Kiba. What's up?"

The brunette shrugged. "Nothin' much. Just wondered if you felt like a spar? Nobody else is available."

"Oh. Hey! Shut up, dog breath!" Naruto shouted indignantly.

Kiba chuckled. "Relax, fox face. I'm just joking." Naruto glowered at him, but sat back down nonetheless. "So, up for a spar?"

Naruto sighed. "Not really."

Kiba looked at him worriedly. "What! You, not up for fighting? Something must be up." Naruto just blushed lightly and turned his head away ever-so-slightly. Kiba grinned evilly before plopping down beside his friend. "So... what's the matter?" He saw the blonde hesitate. He furrowed his brows. It must be serious if it was bothering Naruto this much. "You know I won't say anything, right?"

Naruto looked back at him before sighing. "Okay. I gotta ask... Have you been in love before?"

Kiba stared at him. "Well, I thought I loved Hinata..."

"No, I mean, with a guy." he whispered.

Ah, so that's what this is about. "Well, yea. Actually I..." he paused, fiddling with his fingers nervously. "This stays between you and me but... I'm in love with..." he trailed off to an inaudible whisper.

"Who? I can't hear you." Naruto said.

Kiba flushed and muttered "Shino." a little louder. "But don't let it spread, got it?"

Naruto first looked slightly surprised, then his expression turned mischievous. He grinned devilishly. "Shino, eh?" he jibed slyly, jabbing Kiba's arm with his elbow lightly. "Don't worry, I'll keep it hushed."

"Yeah, right." Kiba muttered, a hint of sarcasm lacing his voice. Naruto pushed the dog-lover playfully.

A few moments of silence rested upon the clearing until another question popped up. "How'd you tell him?"

"Actually he told me." Kiba admitted.

"Oh."

Silence once more. Then - "Naruto, who the hell is it?"

A swath of red appeared across the bridge of Naruto's nose. "I - no! I can't..."

Kiba glared at him. "Hey, I told you Naruto! Besides, I told you, it's not like I'll go shout it from the rooftops or anything."

"Well, I..." Naruto's blush spread across his cheeks. "Don't laugh! It's... Sasuke." he whispered the last word, almost afraid of the reaction. But instead of the explosion he was expecting, all he received was a long, loud sigh.

"I kinda figured." Kiba flicked a bug from his arm. "But I gotta ask - Why him? After all he's done? To us? To you?"

There was an uncomfortable pause before Naruto sighed. "I don't honestly know myself. Really, I just figured it out. I mean, he's a total bastard!" This was said with flailing arms to really get the point across, though it was hardly needed. "He's cold, self-absorbed, rude, big-headed, and he thinks he's the best thing to ever grace God's eyes!" Kiba had to laugh at that one, partly because it was true.

"But sometimes," Naruto's voice lowered. "Sometimes he's nice. He worries about me sometimes - I can tell, he acts differently when he is. I want to make him smile - and then when I do I feel jealous if there's other people around to see it. Like I want him to smile just for me. I wanna make him laugh more - a real laugh, not that evil or sarcastic chuckle he calls a laugh. I wanna spend more time with him, just us two. I wanna get to know him - what he likes, what he doesn't like, his favorite color, food, favorite things to do. That's probably why I spar with him so often - besides the fact that we both get stronger 'cause of it. I just - ugh! I don't know! I don't know what to do or think anymore! It's all just so confusing!" he growled, ruffling his shaggy hair in frustration.

Kiba grinned. "Sounds like you got it bad."

Naruto let the blade of grass he'd been fiddling with float away on the wind, but not before picking up a new one to torture. "Yea, guess I do."

"You should tell him."

The tanned boy threw his arms up, flailing his hands frantically. "I can't! What if he doesn't feel the same way? What if he's disgusted with me? What if he never wants to be my friend again! What if - "

"What if he feels like you do and you both live happily ever after?" Kiba interrupted. "Have you ever noticed how he acts with you? Like he could kill the world for looking at him but he couldn't even get mad if you glomped him. Face it - he likes spending time with you - for reasons beyond my knowledge." He grinned when Naruto gave him a sour look.

"Yea, but that's only for training." the blonde pointed out.

Kiba sighed. "Not always. He takes you out for ramen sometimes, right?"

"Well..."

"Besides," Kiba continued, "What if that's the only way he knows how to spend time with you? You'll never know unless you ask, no matter how fucking cliched that sounds."

"I know, I know but..." Naruto sighed.

Kiba joined him. "Look, Christmas is in two weeks. You're getting him a gift, right?"

Naruto looked vaguely offended. "Of course I am!"

"Then now's the perfect time to admit to liking him, idiot!"

"How!" Naruto yelled.

"I don't know, what am I, your strategist!" Kiba retaliated. He calmed his temper before speaking again. "You'll figure it out." Naruto gave him a grateful smile. Before he could say anything, however, Kiba waved it away with a flippant hand. "Hey, are we gonna fight or what?"

Naruto jumped up, his body suddenly aching for a spar. He took a fighting stance and grinned at his friend. "You bet!" He looked at Kiba curiously. "By the way, where's Akamaru?"

TBC

Okay, this is also my first multi-chapter fic. Heh. I know this chapter is short - gomen for that. Chapter won't be much better, I'm guessing.

Reviews lite my inspiration and Flames heat my fingers!

rachi