October 10th NaruSaku story
Naruto awoke on a day he wished he could just sleep through. Today was Naruto's 18 Birthday. Today was a happy day for almost everyone in the village. 18 years ago today the 4th Hokage had sacrificed his life to seal the Kyuubi into a newborn child. To honor this noble action a village wide festival was held. However one boy never showed up to the festival, he would try his best to hide, and not draw attention from any of the villagers. Naruto was hated for being the container of the 9 tailed demon fox, but on this day it was so much worse.
Naruto's thoughts were interrupted when a brick was thrown through his bedside window. The broken glass cut his face as the brick caught him square in the temple. Naruto saw stars before blacking out. He awoke an hour later and saw his reflection in the mirror. He grimaced, at the blood dried to his face. Naruto bandaged his head and walked outside to get some ramen. Ramen was the only thing Naruto could look forward to on this cursed day. Quickly he looked both ways before making a run for it.
Naruto made his way to the ramen shop without being spotted and quickly sat down greeting the old man and his daughter Ayame. The old man looked down as he saw his favorite customers face and knowing what day it was sat down a miss ramen for the boy. "This ones on the house Naruto." The old man smiled "Happy Birthday." Naruto looked up at him and thanked him for the ramen. Just as he was finishing a group of kids ran in yelling at him. "Hey I didn't know demons ate ramen." One jeered. Naruto tried his best to ignore them. "Hey freak look at me when I'm talking to you!" The old man turned to say something to the kids but Naruto stood. "I apologize for the inconvenience" he bowed and left the shop. Naruto walked outside only to be struck by a bottle in the back of the head. He stumbled forward barley catching him self as the three kids began to beat him in the street.
Naruto was trying to hold back tears as he was kicked by a group of villagers, even the older ones had joined in. He tried to stand up only to receive a hook to his jaw that put him back down. 'Fight back damn you!' the Kyuubi screamed in rage. 'No they don't know, its not there fault.' He thought as he was mercilessly beaten. Naruto heard a familiar voice yell "Hey that's enough!" Naruto moved his battered head to look at his one and only mother figure. "Tsunade-Kazan" Naruto said trying to smile. Tsunade looked down at the only man she would ever allow to refer to her as mother, she would never tell him but she loved the affectionate nickname. The pain in his eyes was a dead give away that his ear-to-ear grin was a fake.
Naruto slowly made his way to his feet with the help of the 5th Hokage. She looked at him. "Jesus Naruto look at you." He smiled weakly, the world still spinning for him. Tsunade gently picked him up tears streaming down her face and made her way to the hospital. Naruto was slipping in and out of consciousness as Tsunade laid him down on a bed and began to heal his broken body. Naruto looked up at her and raised a bloody hand to wipe her tears. "Don't cry Kazan" he pleaded. Tsunade simply nodded and then looked him in the eyes. "Naruto why did you let them do this to you?" Naruto never answered her question because right then the door busted open to reveal Naruto favorite sight, his Sakura-Chan. The pink haired girl didn't look very happy at the moment however. "Baka!" She yelled at him "what did you do to end up like this." Tsunade turned to give Sakura the telling off she deserved but Naruto gently took her hand as he looked over to Sakura. "I guess I pushed myself to hard training" he smiled that big grin the mask of his pain.
Tsunade looked at him puzzled and he simply shook his head no. Sakura sighed and walked over to inspect him. Green light emitted from her hands as she scanned his battered body. "You really need to learn when to stop Baka." Sakura told him, Naruto laughed "Sure thing Sakura-Chan." After an hour Naruto was free to leave. He turned down Tsunade's offer of an anbu escort. Sakura approached him before heading home. "Naruto" she called, he stopped and turned to face her. "Are you going to the festival tonight?" She asked in a cute voice. Naruto looked at the ground "no Sakura I cant make it sorry." Sakura was a bit taken aback "why can't you go?" She pressed in, Naruto turned around trying his best to hide his emotion "I have to go Sakura-Chan later!" Naruto ran straight home.
Naruto arrived at his house to see all his windows smashed in. Walking up his apartment stairs he saw his lock had been smashed. Naruto opened the door to see his house destroyed. His bed and only couch were shredded his food and dishes scattered over the floor broken. His bed had been stabbed and slashed. His walls were what got to him though. They had spray painted them to say Die Demon. Naruto took a sharp breath as he slumped against the wall pulled his knees against his chest and sobbed.
Sakura was really worried about Naruto so she went over to Kakashi's house to see if he knew what the problem is. Kakashi opened the door for her "Sakura!" He smiled come on in. Sakura explained to him what had happened, while she was talking she noticed his face grow dark. "Do you know what is up with him?" Sakura asked hopefully to which Kakashi let out a sigh. "Sakura" he began "Do you know the reason we have this festival?" Sakura looked at him angry "of course Sensei everyone knows the reason behind this festival." Kakashi looked her in the eyes "so it should make sense why he doesn't want to go." Sakura looked hard at him "what are you talking about the festival has nothing to do with Naru…" Her eyes went wide in realization as she clapped a hand to her mouth. "Its his birthday" she gasped as hot tears began to fall from her eyes.
Meanwhile Kiba came by Naruto's like he did every year with beer, paint and other supplies. Kiba had always felt horrible for what the villagers do to his buddy and years ago made helping him clean up and get drunk his responsibility. (Ninjas can legally drink at 16) Kiba arrived at Naruto's house and they began to drink. Naruto had drunk a few more beers than Kiba but neither was drunk just buzzed. Kiba and Naruto talked for a while before Kiba left the supplies and went home to get ready for the festival, he was taking Hinata. Naruto sat there looking at the walls when he heard a gasp. Naruto looked over to see Sakura standing at his door way. 'Shit' he thought 'how do I explain this away.'
Sakura looked down at the sad blond haired man sitting in the middle of a ruined apartment. She looked in disgust at the messages left on the walls. Naruto stood up and walked over to her. "Hey Sakura-Chan!" He called putting on his fake smile. "I guess I got robbed when I was at the hospital crazy huh?" Naruto asked. Naruto heard a muffled sob as he looked at the now bawling girl in front of him. Naruto didn't know what to say to her as he opened his mouth to try she simply ran to him and wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. Naruto returned the embracing placing his strong arms around her torso and holding her. He whispered to her "its ok, its alright." Sakura stopped crying long enough to look up at him. "Naruto, why did you lie to me?" Naruto felt like scum he had lied to his most precious person. "I…I didn't want to see you cry Sakura-Chan." Naruto looked at her she saw the honesty in his eyes as well as the pain.
He never stops putting me first does he she thought. Sakura reached down to pick up the box she dropped "Happy birthday!" She said trying to be cheerful. Naruto looked down at the box dumbfounded. "For me?" He asked her wide-eyed. She laughed "Baka of course it for yo…" She was cut off by a passion filled embrace as he crushed her into him. He cried openly as he did so "thank you so much Sakura-Chan." Sakura rubbed his back unsure of what just happened. "This is the first gift I ever got!" He exclaimed proudly. She looked at him sadly 'I really need to get better at being his best friend she thought. Naruto opened the box to see what she had gotten him. He looked down as a wide smile swept across his face. In the box was a new coat. The coat looked a lot like the fourths but the main color was black while the flames were orange. Instead of having a Kanji for the fourth it was the Uzumaki swirl. "Thank you so much Sakura-Chan!" He yelled as he quickly tore of his old coat and put on his new one.
Sakura had to admit that he looked fine in his new coat. Over the past few years she had slowly began developing feelings for the knucklehead but just these past few months had she really taken notice to how much she was attracted to him, physically and socially. Over the past three years she had given her heart slowly yet surely to Konohoas number one most unpredictable ninja. Sakura noticed the windows were smashed in as a breeze hit her and she shivered. Almost immediately after she had felt something warm wrap around her. She looked down to see Naruto's old black and orange coat hung over her shoulders. She gratefully accepted his coat and slid her arms through the sleeves. Naruto blushed a bit "it looks good on you Sakura, you can keep it if you like… Since I have this one now" he quickly added. She simply smiled and said thank you as she snuggled into the warm comfy jacket that smelled just like her Baka.
Naruto saw the sun setting and shouted in alarm. "Sakura you have to hurry the festival is starting soon." Sakura just smiled up at him, "I'm not going" she said simply. "What?" Naruto asked dumb founded. "I thought you love the festival" she looked at him "I love my best friend more and I want to give him the best birthday ever!" Naruto looked at her, "Thank you Sakura-Chan." She simply smiled "Your welcome Naruto-Kun." Naruto went blank for a minute, did she just call me Naruto-Kun?
Sakura leaned over and pulled him into a hug. "I know that this day hurts you, I am so sorry I didn't do more for you in the past. I promise I will be with you from here on and I wont let anything happen to you. I love you Naruto-Kun." Sakura leaned in and kissed a star struck Naruto. Naruto had forgotten all his pain in that moment. He smiled "I have always loved you Sakura-Chan." Naruto leaned in and kissed her once more. Best birthday ever he thought.