Sasuke's Birthday
Sasuke's Birthday
Disclaimer: I still don't own it.
Cold salt water flowed down Itachi's face in two identical furrows, physical evidence of his sorrow. Sorrow that he felt most acutely today, of all the days in the year. More tears fell silently, landing on the cold stone floor of his room in the Akatsuki lair and leaving dark splotches behind. He would have to clean those later; it wouldn't do for any of the other Akatsuki members to find out about this. The other 364 days of the year, Itachi was the ideal shinobi: completely without feeling or grief. But today, and only today, that emotionless façade shattered, and Itachi allowed himself to lament for the only mission he ever regretted completing.
No, it was not the anniversary of the massacre of his clan; that day had been nearly a month ago. Itachi hadn't even blinked to acknowledge it. That day he felt no regret for. He had done his duty to the village and to the shinobi world as a whole. He harbored no shame for having done it.
No, today was a different day. A day that should have been happy. A day where there should have been laughter and smiles and the love of his parents. But now, because of him, there was none of that. His grief was not for himself. His grief was for someone else, someone more important. Someone who shouldn't have had to suffer.
As he hunched over the single candle he always burned to honor this day, Itachi allowed his eyes to stray from the bright flame, landing instead on the calendar on the wall. Today's date stuck out as though it was the only one written there. July 23rd.
"Happy birthday… Sasuke."
A/N: I just had to post something today for Sasuke's special day. Happy birthday Sasuke! Now get your sorry little behind back to Konoha. Right now.