A Birthday Wish

"Grandpa!" Akira shouted, running up to his grandfather and wrapping his small arms around his grandfather's waist. The silver haired man looked down at the five-year-old before he pushed the boy away. "Grandpa?" Akira blinked.

"Dad, don't be such a kill-joy," Katsuro shouted, as he wove through the headstones on, his wife, Yayoi, following him.

"I'm not," Madara growled.

"Daddy, Grandpa is being Mr. Scrooge!" Akira shouted. Katsuro laughed and ruffled his son's dark hair.

"Grandpa just doesn't like this time of year very much," Katsuro smiled weakly.

"It's it because Grandma went somewhere far away?" Akira whispered softly, his voice a sad tone. Madara heard though and he growled.

"Akira, what have I told you about talking about Grandma in front of Grandpa?" Katsuro told his son in a hushed voice. Akira felt tears well up in his eyes.

"Sorry Daddy," Akira mumbled.

"Don't cry sweetie," Yayoi smiled at her son. "Grandpa is just a scrooge."

"I heard that Yayoi," Madara growled as he knelt down and trace the writing on cold slab of stone. "Yuzuki," he muttered.

"Hey, Dad... wanna come cut a tree down with us?" Katsuro asked.

"No." The old Uchiha growled.

"Please Grandpa! I'll let you pick it out!" Akira shouted, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"I said no, Akira," Madara growled.

"Dad, how did you get out here?" Katsuro asked.

"I walked," Madara got up and shoved his hands into his coat pockets and began heading towards the sidewalk. "I'm not some crippled that can't walk," Madara growled.

"I know, but Dad... I'm worried about you," Katsuro steered his father way, giving his wife and son some time alone with the gravestone.

"Why?" Madara glared at his eldest. "I'm fine. I'm perfectly able to live on my own! I've done it before!"

"Yeah, but Dad... you've always had Uncle and Mom—"

"Don't you dare talk about my brother or your mother!"

"Dad," Katsuro gave a weary sigh. "I... never said anything negative about Uncle or Mom. If it helps any, I miss them much as you do."

"No you don't," Madara groused. Katsuro rubbed the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

"Dad, I miss them. Especially Mom."

"Hn."

"Dad, please, come at pick out a tree with us."

"I have no time. I have to get home and feed the cat," Madara grumbled, pulling away from his son and heading towards his house. Katsuro sighed, watching his father walk off.

"You did your best Katsuro," Yayoi walked up to him.

"I feel like I'm not doing enough for him," Katsuro ran his hand through his hair, "I feel like I'm failing him. He looks so lonely, and tomorrow's his birthday." Katsuro looked at his wife, with a sad look on his face.

"Does that mean Grandpa doesn't want to get a tree with us, Daddy?" Akira asked, tugging at his father's coat.

"I'm afraid so, Akira," Katsuro gave a sad smile at his son.

"But I wanted to show him my new action figure," Akira pouted.

"He'll see it later," Katsuro replied.

"Promise?" Akira looked at his father.

"Yes, I promise. Now, let's go get a tree. Wanna see if Uncle Ran wants to come with us?"

"Yeah!" Akira shouted, jumping up and down.

"Let's go then," Katsuro grabbed his son's hand and led him off.


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"I don't see why you are complaining Katsuro," Hikari sighed into the phone. There was a loud shrill cry. "Hotaru! Leave your brother alone!" Hikari shouted, before sighing when her brother complained again. "Well, what do you want me to do? Check on him? Dad wants to be alone, let him be alone. He's always pushed people away in the first place... Arata's at work, I'm watching the twins, right now. I'm not very incline to leave at the moment, brother dear."

"Mommy, Seiichi hit me!" Hotaru whined.

"Seiichi, leave your sister alone and same goes for you Hotaru, stop bothering your brother," Hikari sighed. "Alright! Fine! I'll take the twins and go visit Dad if you are that worried about it. I don't see why you just don't bug Ran into doing it. Grr... Fine!" Hikari hung up and looked at her daughter. "Hotaru, go get your coat and shoes on and tell your brother to do the same thing. We are going to visit Grandpa," Hikari smiled.

"Yay, Grandpa!" Hotaru ran off to inform her brother, and the young boy soon came by to look at his mother with a sullen look.

"I don't wanna go to Grandpa's," Seiichi pouted.

"Seiichi, today is Grandpa's birthday," Hikari smiled.

"So? He doesn't get me anything for my birthday," the four-year-old pouted.

"Grandpa got you that nice Lego set for your birthday last year," Hikari smiled.

"But he didn't get me anything this year!" Seiichi pointed out as if it was the most logical thing ever.

"That's because you aren't five yet. He'll get you something when you turn five," Hikari walked over to the coat rack and plucked her son's coat down and began helping him put it on. "Besides, it's Christmas, don't you want to go and say hi to Grandpa on Christmas?"

"It's Christmas Eve, Mommy!" Hotaru chimed.

"Yes, and it's Grandpa's birthday," Hikari said.

"Grandpa was born with Jesus?" Hotaru's eyes grew wide at the thought.

Hikari laughed, "Yes, Grandpa was born with Jesus."

"Cool! Seiichi, we have Grandpa is Jesus!"

"Grandpa is too mean to be Jesus."

"Mommy! Seiichi called Grandpa mean!"

"Both of you, stop it," Hikari sighed, as she grabbed her cell phone and wrote a note to Arata telling him, where his family suddenly ran off to. She grabbed her coat and keys and shepherd her twins to the car. "Oh, damn," she growled after she finished buckling in Hotaru. "Mommy forgot Grandpa's birthday present. You two stay put," she ran back into the house to grab the present.


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Madara held the stocking that had his wife's name on it. "Yuzuki," he felt tears prick his eyes. He couldn't believe it had been three months since her death. It should never had happened. It was a freak accident. They were in the parked for crying out loud. The punk-ass kid was drunk and he wasn't even paying attention, he was more focus on texting his friend and Yuzuki was hit. "I'm sorry, Yuzuki," he muttered. He was busy putting groceries in the car and Yuzuki had gone back to put the cart away when it happened.

Madara shook his head to clear those thoughts before hanging up her stocking. "I miss you, so much love," he traced her name lightly. She died a few days later in the hospital. Madara wiped some tears away from his eyes before handing up his brother's stocking. "Grandpa!"

Madara looked over his shoulder when he heard the sharp cries of his grandson and granddaughter. He grunted a bit when he was pushed forward by the force of their impact against him. "What do you two want?" he growled. Seiichi and Hotaru looked up at him with big eyes.

"Merry Christmas Jesus!" Hotaru shouted.

"I'm not Jesus," Madara pulled his granddaughter off of him.

"Toldja," Seiichi pouted.

"Happy Birthday, Dad!" Hikari shouted.

"How many times must I tell you not to wish me a happy birthday!" Madara growled, looking over at her daughter, who hugged him.

"Always such a Grinch," Hikari shook her head. "Katsuro told me, you wouldn't go Christmas tree hunting with him," Hikari looked over at the fake little tree Madara had set up. "Why?"

"Your mother and I would always go get a tree... it's pointless to go now," Madara shrugged.

"But... Dad... Mom would've wanted you to be happy."

"What's the point," Madara shrugged. "Your mother was the light of my life," Madara shook his head. "She made my birthday special... along with your uncle."

"Dad, Uncle Izuna died over ten yeas ago," Hikari placed a hand on her father's shoulder.

"And your mother died three months ago! Your point? My life is nothing without them! They made it worth while!"

"Dad... I miss Mom too, and I miss Uncle Izuna, but... I'm still happy," Hikari looked over at her kids, who were looking under the tree.

"Mommy, Grandpa doesn't have any presents for me!" Hotaru whined. Hikari laughed.

"That's because all of your presents are under our tree back home," Hikari smiled.

"But what did Grandpa get for Christmas?" Hotaru asked. "He needs presents under the tree too, right?"

"I got coal, sweetie," Madara tried to must a smile,but it wasn't working.

"But... coal is cold," Seiichi pointed out.

"Exactly," Madara stood up and headed to his room. Hikari sighed and rubbed her forehead.

"Hotaru," Hikari looked at her daughter.

"Sorry Mommy," Hotaru muttered.

"It's okay, you know Grandpa doesn't like this time of year," Hikari said.

"Are you reprimanding my granddaughter," Madara asked, carrying two presents in his hands.

"Mommy, Grandpa is Santa and Jesus!" Hotaru's eyes grew wide. Madara chuckled softly, but it was weak and forced.

"Here you go Hotaru and Seiichi," Madara gave his two grandchildren their gifts.

"Mommy, can we open them?" Seiichi asked. Hotaru looked at her mother as well.

"Oh, fine, open them. Make Grandpa smile," Hikari said.

"Yay!" Seiichi and Hotaru tore into the presents with gusto, before looking up at Madara.

"Mommy, look! I got a dollie!" Hotaru held up the box with the doll in it.

"Cool! I got a dump truck," Seiichi smiled.

"What do you say?" Hikari gave her children a look.

"Thank you Grandpa!" Seiichi and Hotaru abandoned their new presents, ran up and hugged their grandfather.

"Dad, I'm home. Need help with the lights?" a voice called.

"How's my favorite bachelor of a brother?" Hikari shouted.

"Shut up, I got a girlfriend now," Ran frowned as he walked into the living room. "Hey, you brought your twin terrors."

"Uncle Ran!" Seiichi and Hotaru shouted, running up to their uncle and hugging him.

"Hey two little devils, giving your mother heck for me right?" Ran asked.

"You do realize, I'm the youngest sibling," Hikari smirked.

"Oh, I still gave you hell, little sister," Ran chuckled.

"So, you got a new girlfriend?" Madara asked, moving about in the kitchen.

"Dad, are you sure you don't want any help?" Hikari asked.

"I'm fine, and no, Ran, I don't need help with the lights, I got the lights up already. I did that last week," Madara shouted from the kitchen.

"So, what brings you here Ran?" Hikari asked.

"My big brother called and said how horribly lonely our dear ol' dad is," Ran chuckled, before looking the red stocking. "I miss Mom," Ran whispered.

"Yeah, me too," Hikari felt her eyes prick with tears. "It not fair... why did she have to die?"

"I don't know," another voice said. Ran and Hikari looked up to see their brother.

"Katsuro!" they shouted.

"What? Bah Humbug! I don't want all you guys crowding into my house!" Madara shouted.

"Grandpa!" Akira shouted, running up to Madara and hugging him. "We got the biggest tree there Grandpa! It's huge!" Akira let Madara go raised his arms high. "And I got to put the star on the top!"

"Yayoi," Madara nodded to his daughter-in-law, "about time you should up Arata," Madara growled.

"I had to work," Arata kissed Hikari's cheek.

"But isn't this nice Dad, we have everyone here," Katsuro smiled.

"Your mother isn't here!" Madara shouted, feeling tears prick his eyes. "She'll never be here again!"

Hikari frowned, before getting up and hugging her father. "It's okay Dad. We all miss Mom, just as much as you do. We hate it just as much as you do."

"Yeah," Ran got up and hugged Madara as well. "We miss Mom as well."

"I miss her too Dad," Katsuro wormed his way into the group hug.

"You don't miss her like I do," Madara muttered, his voice choked with tears.

"Yes, we do. She's was our mother. We miss her, it still hurts our hearts to think she's gone and everything," Ran said.

"Yeah Dad," Katsuro added and Hikari nodded.

"But you don't have to push everyone way either," Hikari smiled, looking at Madara. "I mean, you have three wonderful grandchildren, a daughter-in-law and a son-in-law. You have a warm rich family," Hikari said.

"So, please Dad... smile," Katsuro asked.

Madara sighed. "Fine," he smiled and looked at his children. "Thank you... thank you all for making this season a bit brighter."