Chapter Text
After the massacre, Sasuke never celebrated any holidays anymore. Not Christmas, not New Year, not even his own birthday.
For him there was nothing more to celebrate, and no one to celebrate with, anyway. He was alone.
When he was put in Team 7, he
still felt the same. Or at least he told himself.
But even so, he was forced to celebrate different occasions. Sakura knew about his birthday and made sure to celebrate. They celebrated each their birthdays, actually.
And when Christmas came, he, Naruto and Kakashi were also dragged along by Sakura to celebrate together.
Sakura wasn't insensitive to actually ask them to celebrate with her family, but instead they celebrated as a team in Ichiraku. Which was something ordinary enough that Sasuke didn't have a valid enough excuse to refuse. It shouldn't be a big deal, it was just ramen.
Naruto, of course, had agreed at once, and Kakashi had indulged their female teammate as well.
It had felt nice. Not only not having to be alone in a day where he'd have happy memories haunting him, but also being with people who were like him—Kakashi
and Naruto were two people who didn't celebrate holidays either. So he didn't feel like he didn't belong. It felt more like they were puzzle pieces that just fit somehow.
When he had left Konoha, he had stopped celebrating again. In fact, he hadn't even thought of any occasions at all. And neither Orochimaru or Kabuto found anything useful for such things, so therefore don't care about them, either.
When he had returned to Konoha, Christmas had passed while he was still incarcerated.
He wouldn't even have known it was Christmas had Sakura not visit him.
She couldn't exactly bring him the festivities, but she had brought him some pastries and had wished him Merry Christmas.
Not surprisingly, his birthday the following year was also spent with her, this time in the hospital. It fell on one of his check up for his physical rehabilitation, and of course, Sakura made sure to prepare for the day.
Christmases and birthdays during his journey of redemption felt very different than most of the Christmases and birthdays in his life so far.
His birthdays usually consists of him thinking about his life and whether or not he deserved that he was still getting birthdays. Or reflecting on whether it should be celebrated or not.
His mind would usually turn to dark thoughts during these times, and the only thing that would drag him out of his spiral is that one note that would surely come, of Sakura and the others greeting him.
Christmases, on the other hand, were a bit different. During these times, he would often be observing how a certain place is celebrating the occasion— it was very fascinating to him how each place he'd go to, there would be something, even just a minute detail, that would make their celebration different from the last place he'd spent Christmas at.
And always, he'd unwittingly wish that Sakura could see it, too.
When he had started traveling with Sakura, they were even more different.
Sakura would always make a big deal with such occasions, especially his birthdays. She truly, sincerely celebrates them, and even if she didn't know it, she's the reason why he had never turn to those dark thoughts again.
Because if someone as good as Sakura can find something to celebrate about the day he was born, and is truly happy during the day, then it couldn't be a bad thing, could it?
Christmases were also much different in the way that this time, it was often Sasuke who would lead Sakura. He'd make sure they were somewhere he had gone before, so he can show her all those things he couldn't when he first went to those places. It had been something he truly had started looking forward to.
During their last year of traveling together (although they haven't predicted it would be their last), they had spent his birthday quite differently—quite intimately and vulnerable that it resulted to Sasuke actually considering spending Christmas that year in Konoha.
Because by then, Sakura would have been five months pregnant.
But Sakura had convinced him, otherwise. She still wanted to spend this last Christmas with just them—with the three of them.
They had spent it instead in the Land of the Frost, not very far from the Land of Fire.
Sakura had simply wanted to see snow for Christmas, so he had decided to go there.
The Land of the Snow was more familiar to both of them, having been there during their genin days, but Sasuke simply refused to risk Sakura traveling that far in her condition.
The Land of the Frost was a small country, and with not much tourism in it, but their people had been welcoming, and Sakura looked delighted when she had seen the snow and their Christmas decorations. That was enough for Sasuke as a Christmas gift.
But what made this Christmas even more special is what happened when they were already settled in their room, in the inn they would be staying at during the Holidays.
Sasuke had set up Sakura's seat by the fireplace to keep her warm (all inns in the Land of Frost have fireplace because it's cold in their country all year round). They had been quiet and just relaxing—savoring the ambience and each other's company, when Sakura suddenly let out a little scream.
Sasuke had been very worried and was by her side in an instant, but Sakura was smiling.
And without saying anything, she took his hand and had placed it in her bumped.
And then he felt it. Their child kicking.
Sakura had started feeling them kick a few weeks ago but it was still too weak for Sasuke to feel it with his hand.
But now there it is. They were kicking quite hard, he can even see the distortion in the belly.
"Sasuke-kun, they're greeting you a Merry Christmas!" Sakura had said happily.
Sasuke had smiled then, a real, wide smile that Sakura was getting used to seeing.
He caressed his hands over where he could feel their baby was, and then leaned down to give it a kiss.
"Merry Christmas." He had told her belly.
And he realized it then. He knew for sure that occasions the following year would be different again. He'd be celebrating them as a father and husband—with an addition to his little family with Sakura.
And he would surely celebrate them now, with all the other occasions that has been added—their marriage anniversary, their child's birthday.
He definitely have a lot to celebrate now, and a family to celebrate with.
"Merry Christmas, Sasuke-kun."
"Merry Christmas. Sakura, arigatou."