A/N I'll be writing the chapters for this throughout today. All 16 of them. -.- Hopefully I can get it all done today in between doing my schoolwork. Hopefully, no one else is doing this idea today, and if they are...well, I'm doing it too. I thought it was a cute idea; I've been thinking about it for the past few days. o On an unrelated note, I'm finally actually learning Japanese! I've only gotten through 3 basic lessons and 1 grammar lessons so far, but it's a start! Woo
Naruto's first birthday wasn't anything spectacular. He, personally, couldn't remember a think about it, being only one year old at the time. Iruka, however, could recall that day with perfect clarity.
He had been the only one to celebrate it with him. On Naruto's first birthday, Iruka had asked himself many times why he had offered to take on the task of raising a child. Still being considerably young when Naruto was at the age, and having no such experience with babies, it had turned out to be quite an experience for him. He didn't regret it, no, but he could recall quite clearly how awful that day had been for him. Well, how the day had ended, at least.
The day started out fairly well. Since it was his birthday, Iruka figured that cake and ice cream would be the ideal thing to buy the little blonde. Everyone loves cake and ice cream on their birthday, he reasoned, and why should a baby be any different?
He had gone out to buy a small tub of ice cream of each flavor – how was he to know what flavor Naruto liked? – and a small cake bearing the words, "Happy Birthday Naruto!"
Iruka had been quite pleased when Naruto seemed to enjoy both foods (and in the case of the ice cream, all flavors). Naruto had hiccupped and giggled, smiling and reaching his tiny hand out toward the spoon he had been fed from moments before. Taking this as a sign that he wanted more, Iruka had indeed given Naruto more of the two delicious treats.
And more.
And more.
Soon, nearly all of the cake and ice cream was gone, and Iruka had had barely any himself.
How in the world was such a tiny thing able to put away so much food? Iruka had wondered, gazing down at the small boy with amazement.
Not too longer after all of the food was gone, Iruka sat Naruto down onto the floor. He brought out the small toys he had bought Naruto with a little of the money he had saved up. The toys had all come together in a bundled package, a sort of bargain sale Iruka had found. Each of the toy bundles came in varying colors; Iruka had opted for the package with toys of varying shades of orange.
Naruto seemed to enjoy all of the little trinkets, but after awhile, Iruka began to notice something odd. His face, which Naruto scrunched up into an odd, pained expression, looked a visible shade of light green. His eyes became watery, and in a matter of seconds had begun to outright bawl.
Iruka, startled by this sudden change of events, tried everything he could think of to get the kid to stop crying, and find out what was wrong.
Did he need a diaper change? No, that wasn't it.
Was he thirsty or hungry? No, he had refused everything Iruka tried to give him.
Did he have a bad dream? No, he hadn't even been asleep.
Think, Iruka, think! Why would he be crying like this? Why did babies cry?
He picked up the crying boy, holding him up to eye-level, as if inspecting him for any damages that could be the cause for the crying. Shushing him all the while, he gave the baby a once-over, racking his brain for even the tiniest hint of what the problem could be.
"Ah, Naruto, what's wrong!"
Naruto stopped crying, though leftover tears were still in his eyes and some were still rolling down his chubby cheeks. The green color of his face did not fade, nor did his pained expression. Naruto opened his mouth, and –
"Ew – ah, that's disgusting! It's all over me! Ugh, Naruto, when did you eat carrots!"
That was the first, and last year that Iruka had ever gotten Naruto cake and ice cream on his birthday. He would opt for something different next year, like ramen.