Title: Birthday Present
Rating: T
Summary: Sasuke is the last one of them to turn seven so Naruto had to find the perfect gift for him.
Warnings: ...None. AU
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does.
Author Note: I know this is a little later then the other chapters, but I was distracted by Roma-chan and her wanting more of Mangekyō Sharingan and I was indulging her :) Hope the wait was worth it for you guys.
Mangekyō Sharingan is turning into a prequel to Team Tensai, which I didn't really expect because it wasn't supposed to be as long as it is. If you guys need some background to the Tensai verse, you can find Sharingan at story id: 5686039
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Naruto peeked around the corner of the weapons shop. Tosshin Feld was one the of the few shop keepers that had always been kind to him. Before coming back, Tosshin had supplied him with excellent weapons since he'd started at the Academy. Not only were his kunai and shuriken made with good quality steel, they had been reasonably priced.
"Naruto-kun?" Tosshin called out to him and Naruto bounced in the door.
"Tosshin-jii!"
Tosshin grinned at him from where he was polishing brilliant red armour, "How's it going Naruto? I heard you made chuunin?"
"Yes, Sir!" Naruto crowed, "Everything's going well. I'm actually looking to buy a birthday present for Sasuke. He's the last of the team to turn seven!"
"Wonderful," Tosshin finished with what looked to be an interlocking arms guard and gauntlet, "So what were you planning on getting for Sasuke-kun?" He asked as he hung the armour up.
Naruto never had managed to figure out what kind of armour Tosshin had on his walls - there were a total of seven sets - before coming back with his team.
"A nice set of senbon I think," Naruto wandered over to the small weapons display, "As a gag gift really," He paused then grinned, "What he really wants is a ninjatō."
It hadn't been long after Sasuke had returned to Konoha for good when he'd given up Orochimaru's Kusanagi and taken up a plain ANBU ninjatō to replace it.
"Ninjatō, you say?" Tosshin trailed off, thinking. "Naruto, what is Sasuke-kun's affinity?"
"Uh, lightning."
"I see," Tosshin dipped around the back of the counter and stood up with a long ornate sword case. He laid it on the counter and gestured for Naruto to come close, "I have here a sword that was left in my possession by a good friend by the name of Rose. She was an expert swordswoman. Although it is not a ninjatō, it is a shorter, double edged blade. The reason that I'd like to offer it to you is that it channels chakra darkly."
"Channels chakra 'darkly'?" Naruto frowned. He'd never heard of that before.
"You know that chakra techniques have a colour to them, correct?" Naruto nodded, "Well, the Shadow Cutter negates any colour of a chakra attack if used in conjunction with it. Say Sasuke-kun channels lightning chakra through the sword. When used with a regular sword it glows bright white, but if he is using the Shadow Cutter no matter how much chakra is put into the blade, it will stay dark. This is a sword of an assassin meant to stay in the shadows and reach out to kill without anyone knowing."
Naruto stared. Not only was the Shadow Cutter a straight, two edged blade, it cancelled the effect of the light from his Chidori. Sasuke had been bitching about the fact that he couldn't use the Chidori, with or without his weapons because Kakashi hadn't seen fit to teach him yet. With the Shadow Cutter Sasuke could use it and Kakashi wouldn't know.
"Wait," Naruto stopped himself from touching the sword, "What about sound?"
Tosshin smiled, "Same thing. No colour, no sound, no indication of power."
"Perfect." Naruto breathed as he dug out his battered frog purse. "How much?"
"You're going to give it to Sasuke-kun?" Tosshin pondered and Naruto nodded, "Then you may take it."
"For how much?" Naruto asked again.
"I have no need of it Naruto-kun," Tosshin shook his head in bemusement, "I paid nothing for the sword, I received it from a friend. Now it is my turn to pass it on to someone who will wield it with honour."
"What?" Naruto stared at Tosshin in amazement, "Free?"
"A gift," Tosshin wrapped the Shadow Cutter back in the silk cloth and put it back in the case and smiled, "The senbon, on the other hand, will be regularly priced."
"I, uh," Naruto cleared his throat, his voice squeaky, "Thank you."
Naruto paid for the senbon and collected the sword, in awe of his favourite weapons shopkeeper. "Thank you," He repeated before he opened the door to leave.
"Bring your teammates with you next time," Tosshin called back to him and Naruto left the shop with a shout of agreement.
At home, he tried the sword out. Coating it with wind chakra, he expected the black blade to glow, or resonate. It didn't. He tried a brief kata and found the all the power he was using was there; it was, as Tosshin said, invisible, soundless and impossible to sense. Naruto wiped the blade down and placed it back in the silk before wrapping it.
After he had carefully wrapped the senbon up and carefully tied a huge, vibrant orange bow on the sword case, Naruto headed out to the Uchiha compound.
Sakura met him on the way and they talked quietly while they walked.
Itachi meet them at the door, "Naruto-kun, Sakura-chan," He let them inside.
"Thank you Itachi-san," Sakura gave him a bow. Naruto waved at him and grinned. Itachi nodded to Naruto and led the two inside the house.
The sounds of a small party could be heard from the back yard and the two chuunin left their presents in the kitchen with the others before going outside.
"Sasuke-kun," Sakura smiled widely at Sasuke and gave him a brief hug.
Sasuke hugged her back and waved Ino and Hinata over. "Hinata-chan, this is my teammate, Sakura Haruno. Sakura-chan, you know Ino, and this is Hinata Hyuga."
"Hello," Sakura politely greeted the two girls and they wandered over to the punch bowl that was being guarded jealously by Chouji.
Sasuke glanced to Naruto and saw him standing under one of the larger trees in the yard by himself.
"Naruto," He walked over to Naruto, "Thank you for coming."
"No problem," Naruto refused to look at any of the children in the yard.
"You're lying," Sasuke sighed, "Naruto, you shouldn't be hiding. I know that they don't know you, but everyone is on their best behaviour. You aren't going to be shunned here."
"I'm not afraid of that," Naruto caught Sasuke's eyes for a moment then looked away, "It's just, the last time I saw them..." He trailed off.
"You were sending most of them to their deaths. I know. But we did the best that we could. As Hokage, you know that you had to sacrifice the strong so that others could live."
Naruto blinked back tears. "I remember sending out Kiba and Hinata. Kiba was so excited and Hinata was as calm as always. I never expected them not to come home."
Sasuke took Naruto into his arms, "If you had sent anyone else the mission wouldn't have been completed and we never would have gotten the information."
"They were supposed to be the best, Sasuke. Why does it feel like I failed them?"
Sasuke didn't have anything to say to that. He also remembered the last meeting Naruto had with the Inuzuka jounin and Hyuga heir. He knew, intimately, that if Naruto had sent anyone else on the mission over a hundred civilians would have died because the information that the team was sent after, would have gotten away unhindered. Because it was Kiba and Hinata they managed to kill all their opponents and Kiba had been the one to drag Hinata's body back to Konoha before dying of chakra exhaustion and blood loss just outside the gates.
"Come on Naruto, they're here now. They aren't going to die this time."
"You mean I'm not going to kill them this time," Naruto snarled, "I know that I killed them Sasuke, I know that."
"No," Sasuke pushed Naruto from him and shook him a little, "You didn't kill them Naruto; you didn't kill any of the people here." Sasuke had wondered why Naruto was so hesitant to meet his friends again even after a year and a half of being in the past. Now he knew. Naruto felt guilty.
"Yes, I did."
"Do you blame me then?" Sasuke asked forcefully, "For Shikamaru and Ino?"
"No!" Naruto exclaimed quietly, "No, Sasuke, I wouldn't do that. I would never blame you. They made their own decisions."
"But you blame yourself?" Sasuke lowered his voice, "You can't not blame me and still blame yourself for the same thing Naruto."
Naruto bowed his head, "I should have tried harder. I should have sent Sakura with Kiba and Hinata. She would have been able to help fight and then heal them. They would have made it home."
"Sakura had her own mission, Naruto," Sasuke sighed, "You know that. The hospital was a mess by then and Sakura was being run ragged there."
"I don't- I can't-" Naruto stopped talking and closed his eyes. He breathed deeply for several moments then opened his eyes and looked at Sasuke. Sasuke could see weariness and acceptance in his gaze. "We'll talk about it later, Sasuke. Right now it's your seventh birthday."
"Yes, Sir" Sasuke crossed his right arm over his chest, his fist clenched. It was a salute that Sasuke had only ever given to Naruto, "Now come on, you should meet everyone."
Naruto managed to keep his tongue throughout his introductions to the rest of the 'Rookie 9'. Sasuke took pity on him after the introductions though and let him hide in a corner for the rest of the party.
Itachi spent most of the time during the party hovering over Naruto. Naruto tried very hard to ignore him. Ever since Sasuke had declared Naruto to be his best friend, Itachi had taken to watching him whenever he was around. It was a little disturbing even for Naruto; and Naruto was used to 'disturbing'.
Finally the time came for Sasuke to open his presents and the troop of children stomped through the kitchen to the living room. Sasuke sat in the seat of honour in the middle of the couch with Kiba and Sakura bracketing him. Naruto stood near the wall closest to the kitchen with Itachi, who was still hovering, while the rest of the children sat wherever there was space.
Present after present was opened and Sasuke received kunai, shuriken, a weapons pouch, a bundle of exploding tags and several adventure manga. The manga were from Sakura who knew that Sasuke had a secret love of them and refused to let anyone else know. Sasuke and Sakura laughed the manga off as a joke but Naruto could see how much they meant to Sasuke.
The only present left was from Naruto and the ex-Hokage brought it from the kitchen with his own hands. Only Sakura and Sasuke understood what it meant to Naruto to be the one to present his gifts to his second in command.
"I have two gifts for you, Sasuke," Naruto handed Sasuke the first gift and Sasuke smiled knowingly when he revealed a set of deceptively delicate looking senbon. They were made from high tempered steel and brushed down with non-reflective black paint.
"So I can win against you more often?" He asked teasingly and Naruto smiled.
"Sure, whatever makes you sleep better," He agreed amicably, "Open your other gift."
Sasuke flinched jokingly at the bow but respectfully took it off, planting it in Naruto's hair with a grin. He set the case on his knees and lifted the lid.
"Oh." Sasuke went quiet and he stared into the case. "Naruto..."
"You wanted a ninjatō, I know, but I figured that the Shadow Cutter was just as good and maybe even a little better for you. It's similar enough to a ninjatō that I though you wouldn't mind; a shorter, straight, double edged, black blade. Leather wrapping around the hilt. Small guard for more defence." Naruto paused then foraged on, "I tried it out first, before putting the bow on it. I wanted to make sure that it did what it was supposed to."
"What does it do?" Sasuke asked as he brushed his fingers carefully over the sheath of his new weapon. Naruto knew that Sasuke had a thing for chakra blades and Sasuke knew that whatever Naruto had gotten for him would be amazing.
"It channels chakra darkly and silently," Naruto puffed his chest out, "Run chakra down the blade and you'll find that it makes no colour, no noise and no indication of the weapon being charged," Naruto was paraphrasing Tosshin, but there really was no better way to put it.
Sasuke's eyebrows rose in a silent question and Naruto nodded with a smile.
Completely excited, Sasuke carefully gave the sword case, with sword, to Sakura and threw himself at Naruto, "Thank you, thank you, thank you," He whispered into Naruto's ear as he hugged him tightly.
He was thankful that because of Naruto he would be able to use the Chidori again.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome, Sasuke," Naruto hugged him back, ignoring the startled looks that their embrace was garnering. "I know you and I value you're abilities. I hope you enjoy working with the Shadow Cutter."
"I will. I promise, I will."
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