Here, a KibaNaru Christmas fic for you all. Yes, I know that Christmas was a week ago, and that this is late, but I couldn't get it onto a internet access computer until now. Hope that none of you mind its lateness, and review to tell me if it's any good. I'm kind of feeling that it's not all that Christmas-y, but I like it. Also, as a bit of a heads up, I intend to write another story next year, this time focusing on a different couple and New Year's, so wait for it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, and if you don't like M/M relationships, then don't read. That is all.
Despite popular belief, the Inuzuka clan was by no means small. Everyone merely assumed that it was because the only humans that lived in the Inuzuka compound were the current head of the clan, the head's spouse, and their son, Kiba, and daughter, Hana. In truth, however, the clan was actually quite large, the head having several brothers and sisters. If anything, it was a surprise that the head had only two children. However, like dogs, once the pups were old enough to work and live on their own, they left their birthplace to start their own lives, and spread out across the continent. The only Inuzuka of a given generation who was expected to remain in Kohonagakure was the heir or the head of the family. So, while Kiba lived with only his parents, his sister, and their dogs, making it look like a nuclear family, he in fact had many aunts, uncles and cousins, their numbers ranging between thirty and forty.
Still, even if Inuzuka were very similar to their canine companions, they were still human, and often performed very human-like actions. For example, when it was time for Christmas, the entire family would flock back to Kohonagakure for the holidays. This annoyed Kiba deeply.
It wasn't that he didn't love his thirty or forty-odd aunts, uncles, and cousins, but having them all plus their dogs at once made his usually spacious home feel more than a little crowded. Not to mention some of the mentioned cousins were much younger than him, and anyone with young relatives of any sort can relate to how annoying they could get when they're brought together for an extended period of time. To top it off, it was his house, meaning he had to play the proper host and help prepare the sleeping arrangements and food and be social (which, after the fifth time his cheek was pinched, he really didn't want to).
So, when his first Christmas with Naruto as his boyfriend came around, he inwardly cringed a little when the blonde vessel shyly asked if he could join the Inuzuka clan for the holidays. The dog ninja had actually been hoping that he could use his blonde boyfriend as an excuse to get away from his extended family during the season. Still, Naruto was asking with puppy-dog eyes, and Kiba really couldn't say no to that. So, after asking his parents for permission, and getting Naruto to promise not to pull any pranks whatsoever, Kiba was allowed to have Naruto over during Christmas as a guest.
While it couldn't be called a disaster, it was definitely not a good week. Most of the family had known of the nine-tailed fox sealed inside of Naruto. However, they only came back to the village for the holidays or important family events, so they hadn't seen him defeat the great Hyuuga Neji during the chunnin exams, or see him save the village from the Shukaku, or see him retrieve the village's 5th hokage. Because of this, the mentality towards Naruto that had finally begun to wane in the village was still very strong in the visiting Inuzuka. The entire holiday, both boys had been subject to the family's criticism and shock, both overtly and behind their backs, on how the proper heir to the family could dare to even associate with the fox demon, much less date him. Many of the parents wouldn't let Naruto come within three feet of their young children, and Kiba's older cousins kept trying to pick fights with him.
Fortunately, Naruto had already won over Kiba's immediate family, and they had defended the boys' relationship, scolding the family members that talked ill of them and telling stories of the exams and invasion that they had missed and how Naruto had performed during them. Also, Naruto did accept a few of the challenges he was offered by the relatives that thought of him as a reject. After he made it clear that he was, in fact, a very strong shinobi, most of the physical abuse stopped. Still, Kiba spent the entire time wanting to punch someone, and was filled with relief when the holidays were over and everyone left.
So, when Naruto asked if he could go again a year later, Kiba was dumbfounded. Was the blonde a glutton for punishment? Kiba didn't see how Naruto could not only be willing but also asking to go through all that again. Kiba wasn't even sure if he could survive it himself. Still, Naruto could be very persuasive when he wanted to be, even when he wasn't acting innocent. By the time his tongue was circling around his boyfriend's left nipple, he once again had gotten permission to join the Inuzuka for the holidays.
Whatever slight hope Kiba had that this year would be different was dashed as soon as the relatives arrived. This time there wasn't even shock at Naruto's presence (aside from the varying forms of "You're still dating him?" when they first got there), only disgust. Kiba actually wondered how much of it was because the Inuzuka heir was dating another man, and how much was because the Inuzuka heir was dating Uzumaki Naruto. The relatives that Naruto had beaten the year before all came back, too, convinced that the blonde's victories from last year had been a fluke, and that they were ready for him now. Once again, they were beaten, this time with a few rasengan thrown in for effect. A few of the young ones did try to talk to Naruto, asking if it was true that he had once made the hokage faint from a nosebleed, but they were very quickly ushered away by their parents.
Kiba felt angrier than he had last time. After all, he had been dating Naruto for over a year now, and how the blonde was treated didn't go over too well with him. Kiba actually did punch one of his cousins this year, after he had heard him call Naruto a slut. Akamaru, who by this point considered Naruto in the same category of familiarity as his owner's family, bit several of the visiting dogs over the break. When he was asked why later, however, he refused to talk about it. Tsume scolded both Kiba and his dog for their actions, but at the same time made it clear that she would not tolerate any unprovoked attacks, physical or verbal, against her son or his lover in her home.
Considering these events, and the events of the previous year, Kiba thought that Naruto must have had enough of Christmas with the Inuzuka clan. Yet, one year later, his fiancée (after two years, Kiba had finally gotten up the courage to propose) asked once again. This time, though, he wasn't getting an invite without an explanation, no matter how good Naruto was with his tongue. Kiba could be downright possessive when he wanted to be, and couldn't go through another season of his precious blonde being insulted and abused.
"Just tell me why, Naruto. My family treats you like crap. I don't know how you put up with it two years in a row already. Why do you want to do this to yourself again?"
"Because it's your family, Kiba. You hardly ever see them, and even if they are all even bigger assholes than you are," Naruto ignored the low growl coming from his brunette boyfriend, "they still love you, and you should spend time with them, and I want to do that with you. Besides," and at this point, Naruto began to blush and avert his eyes from Kiba's, "I-I think that it's nice spending Christmas with a big family."
Kiba blinked. It took a few seconds to translate that last statement into what Naruto really meant: 'I don't want to spend Christmas alone anymore.' That explained it. When Naruto was younger, he had always spent Christmas alone, except for maybe an occasional visit from Iruka. Being able to spend that time with a huge family like Kiba's had probably sounded like heaven to him, even if he was treated badly.
Kiba let out a deep sigh. "Ah, what the hell. They were going to have to find out about our engagement sooner or later, anyways." Truthfully, he was kind of embarrassed as to how well Naruto had him wrapped around his little finger sometimes. Still, if puppy dog eyes or seduction didn't work, the old guilt trip always did the trick. "Just don't blame me if I pull an Itachi and massacre them all this year. I swear, if any of them start trying to pick a fight again, I'm taking them on."
Naruto laughed brightly. "How about we both fight them? That might get the point across better. And don't worry, your family will get used to me eventually. After all, it took you more than a few years before you'd even talk to me without calling me a moron." Kiba had to admit that Naruto had a point.
Christmas came, and so did the relatives. Kiba couldn't help but be amazed as, for a single moment, the entire Inuzuka clan went dead silent after he announced his engagement to the "fox demon." After the moment left, threatening growls from Kuromaru and the rest of his pack quickly quieted any protests that they tried to form. There were a few more challenges to fight, though less than the previous year, most likely due to the lasting impact of Naruto's rasengan. He and Kiba kept to their plan and fought them together, showing that they did make a very impressive team. A few of the younger generation even managed to finally rebel against their parents and play with Naruto, who was actually very good with handling small children (he claimed it was thanks to Konohamaru). Kiba had to admit, it might not have been an easy Christmas, but it was definitely better than last year's had been. Their engagement had seemed to drive the point home that Naruto was there to stay, so they might as well get used to him.
And after the clan had parted once again for the year, and Kiba finally had his family's living room to himself again, with the exception of the blonde curled up next him, he didn't feel the need to clobber anything this year. He actually felt very warm and content. And that feeling made it all worthwhile.