Happy Birthday to Me…

"Hey, dobe!" Sasuke yelled. Naruto's head snapped up- right into the ceiling.

"Ooowww!" He screamed, plastering both hands to his throbbing skull, "Owowowow!! Gah! You teme!" Naruto accused, dancing around under the low ceiling, trying to find somewhere he could stand up straight.

"I didn't hit your head, you idiot! What the hell are you spacing out for, we're on a mission!"

"A D ranked mission to catch a mole!" Naruto yelled back, remembering they were underground in one of Konaha's tunnels. Moles had recently been interfering with the tunnels, and they'd been sent to catch them.

"Shuddup Naruto!" Sakura whacked her poor blond friend on the head again, where it was still tender, "If Sasuke says it's important, then it is!"

"Will you both be quiet?? You'll scare away the moles! And Master Kakshi- stop reading your porn and give me a hand over here." Sasuke said irritably, as he hefted the string to launch the trap up to the ceiling, tying it off to a root. Kakashi didn't respond.

"Gaah! You stupid, stupid teme!" Naruto continued to yell at Sasuke, earning him another smack on the head.

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"Hey, guys-" Naruto started eagerly, after the mission was finished, "Do you know what tomorrow is…?"

"Huh? No, what's tomorrow?" Sakura asked, tilting her head to the side.

Naruto paused, face falling. Sasuke raised one eyebrow, "What's so special about tomorrow? Something good happening…?"
"I… its m- it's…" Naruto stuttered for a moment, then sighed, "Tomorrow is… um, it's two-for-one ramen day at Ichiraku…"

"Oh, you moron! Who cares about that?" Sakura said, turning away. Sasuke just shrugged, unable to even care enough to make a comeback of any sort.

"No one… I guess…" Naruto said quietly, before turning and heading home as well.

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The next day, Naruto showed up for the day's mission looking rather forlorn and distracted. He was far off for the entirety of the day, only responding when asked a direct question.

Sakura was bothered, but only blamed it on Naruto's stupidity, as always. Sasuke could definitely tell something was wrong, though.

"Hey, dobe." He commented at the end of the day. Naruto was staring off into space at nothing. "Dobe. Dobe! Hey, Naruto!" Finally the little blond looked over suddenly, as if only just hearing him.

"Huh? Oh… Sorry Sasuke!" Naruto cried suddenly, a bright smile plastering itself over his face like always. Sasuke paused- there was something very. Very wrong with that smile. No… not the smile. But there was something wrong here. He just didn't know what it was.

"Sasukeee, heeeeey, teme! What d'you want?" Naruto asked, impatient as ever.

"So… Naruto… What is today?" He asked cautiously.

"I told you, it's two-for-one ramen day! Do you want to come get some with me?" Naruto asked eagerly, and something clicked in Sasuke's mind when Naruto's face changed. His smile didn't reach his eyes. It was fake, a mask, his friend was trying to tough some hardship out without letting anyone know. But what was it?

"Ugh, ramen. I'd rather smell your nasty feet that eat that junk." Sasuke commented, a disgusted look on his face. Naruto's eyes had been smiling for just a moment when he'd asked Sasuke to join him, but at his friend's response, the light died in his eyes, leaving them cold. But his smile didn't change.

"Aaah, come on! Don't you wanna come with me?" He insisted, though his eyes continued to be dull.

"No, I don't want to! I'm going home now." Sasuke turned to leave.

"Aww! Teme doesn't wanna hang out with me!" Naruto said, pouting, one last attempt to get his friend's attention.

"Who would?" Sasuke snarled, agitated, before disappearing around the corner.

Maybe it was his imagination, but Sasuke could have sworn he heard a quiet, choked sob from behind him.

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Naruto hadn't gone to the ramen booth. It wasn't two-for-one day. Naruto had gone straight home.

He looked at the one tiny cupcake he'd bought for himself, with the flickering candle quietly melting in it. He was somberly silent.

Naruto closed his eyes for a moment, wishing.

"Happy birthday to me…" He said quietly, eyes broken and lonely, then blew out the candle.

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Draik: Poor Naru-chan! Happy birthday!

Naruto: *sob*

Draik: Oh, be quiet, you're not normally so emo.

Naruto: You wrote it!

Draik: You're only allowed to be emo when I tell you too! Dance, Naru, dance!

Naruto: Whaaat? No way!

Sasuke: *throws quarter* Dance, dance!

Naruto: *dances* Why am I dancing?

Draik: *writes furiously*
Naruto: Oh, I hate you. *still dancing*

Draik: Silence! Or the next thing I write will be NaruSaku!

Naruto: NOOOO!

Sasuke: Miiiiiine!

Draik: Hey, hey, this isn't a shonen-ai fic this time! Cut it out! *smacks*

Sasuke: FINE. Oh, didn't you wanna say something to the readers?

Draik: Huh? Oh, right! You morons distracted me. If you guys review enough, I'll write a new chapter! I planned this to be a one-shot, but Naruto here wants a happy ending.

Naruto: *sob*

Draik: Sheddup. So, if you review nicely, I'll write a new one! Thank you for reading!! *flies away*