The pair was again fortunate enough to grab the lobby conference room in Sasuke's apartment complex for his party. The sunset, a deep reddish orange, was visible from a tall window of the conference room. The sticky heat of the day had relented, leaving a pleasant breeze.

Naruto ordered catering from one of the best Japanese restaurants in the area. Sasuke felt a fondness toward everything Japanese; it reminded him of his mother. Mikoto's mother was Japanese, and Sasuke and Itachi would sometimes visit her in the summer before she passed.

There were more than enough appetizers, teriyaki, sushi, beer, and sake for the party's ten guests. The food sat on a long table, with several smaller, circular tables scattered throughout the room. A half hour into Sasuke's party, everyone other than Shikamaru and Kakashi had arrived. Sasuke wondered if those two could be on time if their lives depended on it.

Sasuke was shocked when not a single person declined the invite, despite only a week's notice. After all, Sasuke wasn't even sure he wanted a birthday party until the. Naruto invited Sakura, Kiba, and Lee. Sasuke, meanwhile, invited Itachi, Shikamaru, Kakashi, and his staff at The Satin Grip.

Other than Shikamaru, it'd take just a quick glance to see which guests were most acquainted with Sasuke and which were primarily Naruto's friends. Sasuke's guests were either heavily tattooed or, in Itachi's case, bore a strong family resemblance. The juxtaposition was almost funny.

Given the short notice, Lee's distance, and his mobility issues, Sasuke was surprised when he accepted the invite without a second's hesitation. The day after Naruto invited him, Sasuke texted Lee, thanking him for accepting the invite but reminding him that there was no pressure to attend. Lee's response read, "No way in hell am I missing such a great friend's big 3-0!"

Sure, Sasuke spoke with Lee the few times Naruto wasn't around when he called Sasuke's landline. Sasuke usually put Lee on speakerphone for a few minutes while he attended to menial tasks around the house. Lee was more Naruto's friend than his, he'd thought. They had reciprocal respect and care for each other, but he never thought Lee would ride a train for hours just to attend his birthday party. Sasuke offered to buy his ticket, but Lee graciously refused.

Sasuke's only request of Lee was for him not to wear cologne. Some of the guests were asthmatics, Sasuke said, which technically wasn't a lie. Weeks ago, Naruto and he were both been forced to endure Lee's homemade cologne - "Lady Killer." The name was apt, but not in the way Lee intended. Neither Sasuke nor Naruto could hope to describe the noxious odor. The closest they could come was some combination of mothballs, formaldehyde, and bourbon; Sasuke was reminded of Shikamaru's grandmother's house.

He was equally shocked by his brother's attendance. Itachi was even busier than Sasuke, which was quite a high bar. He saw his patients on weekdays and would often attend medical conferences over the weekends. He was on call 24/7. Itachi usually looked exhausted, but unlike Sasuke, who couldn't sleep, Itachi simply lacked time to do so.

He'd hesitated to invite Itachi. Memories of his father and the note he left behind were fresh in his mind thanks to his conversations with Naruto and his therapist. When he greeted Itachi upon his arrival, he could hardly look him in the eye.

His therapist encouraged him to invite Itachi, and Sasuke supposed it would be a waste of his time and money not to trust her. He gritted his teeth and acted as though he was the same indifferent, composed man that Itachi knew. As guilty as he felt, an errant corner of his mind was pleased to see him again. Itachi was still his brother, after all.

Naruto served Sasuke Kirin beer in a large mug with, 'Don't Be a Richard' proudly emblazoned on the side. Sasuke rolled his eyes, deeply relieved that the party's other guests were not privy to the name Naruto had so insistently bestowed upon his penis. It seemed to be funny enough without that background to garner a laugh from the party's other guests.

"Happy dirty thirty!"

"Seriously, Naruto?" Sasuke asked, regarding the catastrophe he held in his right hand and then looking back at Naruto.

It was bad enough that Naruto referred to his own cock as Vlad the Impaler.

"It fits," Suigetsu added, his Russian accent especially thick thanks to the beer. "You're a Richard every goddamned day of your life."

Naruto was definitely eating this up.

"You're gonna drink from it," Naruto said with an impish grin, his cheeks full and almost unnoticeably speckled with freckles. The summer sun brought them out, which Sasuke had yet to observe given it was their first summer together. He'd kissed them while Naruto slept more than once.

"No, I'm not," Sasuke insisted.

"Oh yes, you are. Or else."

He had to admit that Naruto had him by the balls; he would rather his staff and friends not know that Naruto had named his dick. Suigetsu and Karin would never let him hear the end of it. Sasuke quickly downed the beer. At this rate, he'd need it to get through the night.

"Another."

The guests cheered, clearly onboard with that sentiment. As the party progressed, Sasuke stayed mostly to himself, silently sipping beer and eating appetizers while the guests interacted. Naruto, Kiba, Lee, Karin, and Suigetsu were the most vocal participants. While he was occasionally brought into the conversation, little was expected of him. As Naruto and Kiba argued over music playlists, Sakura left her seat and stood behind Sasuke.

"So, I have yet to wish you happy birthday," she said.

While he'd spoken to her over the phone, he hadn't seen Sakura since she barged into his apartment when Naruto and he fought. Naruto often ate out with Sakura or crashed at her house during the day to give Sasuke his alone time. As much as he loved Naruto, sharing his living space took some getting used to. They'd only been living together for four months, but sometimes it felt as though years had passed.

"Thanks," Sasuke replied simply.

"Of course. Thanks for inviting me."

"Thanks for coming."

She nodded, but she had yet to return to her seat. Apparently, she still had something to say. Kiba stole Naruto's iPod, which controlled the playlist, and Naruto ran after him laughing. Suigetsu raucously cheered for Naruto, whose music taste was closer to his own. Meanwhile, Karin shouted for Kiba's victory. Lee fervently rooted for both, unable to pick a side.

Just as Naruto closed in on him, Kiba tossed the iPod right over his head to Karin. Sasuke offered a silent prayer for the notably expensive electronic. Suigetsu flanked Karin in a heartbeat, and Sasuke easily heard them call each other all sorts of colorful names. Juugo's head tilted back as he guffawed.

Sakura took a seat beside Sasuke, which had been occupied by Naruto before the iPod shenanigans. She was wearing a pink party dress and a matching earring, necklace, and bracelet set that were silver with green accents. The accents perfectly matched her eyes, nailpolish, and high-heeled shoes. As always, her outfit was flawless. It was fitting that she was a fashion designer.

"God, look at those idiots…" Sakura said with a smile on her lips.

Almost as if to illustrate her point, Naruto tripped over his shoelaces and fell flat on the floor with a painful thud. He'd joined forces with Suigetsu and had been chasing Karin. Karin tried to help him up, but Naruto was already on his feet, laughing it off.

"It's hard not to with all the noise they're making."

Sasuke bit into his takoyaki, allowing himself to enjoy the greasy goodness that he so rarely treated himself to. He generally preferred lean foods, but this was an exception.

"He looks so happy, though," Sakura mused. "I'm glad he doesn't have to fake it anymore."

Naruto still did fake happiness, but then again, so did everyone. The extent was nowhere near what it once was. Sakura couldn't see the tearful nights when Naruto awoke from a nightmare or his panic attacks triggered by the most seemingly mundane things. If Naruto hadn't confided this in her, speaking of it wasn't his place.

"Or at least not as often," she added, almost as if she read Sasuke's thoughts.

"He's doing a lot better these days," Sasuke acknowledged.

And that was true. He was passing his classes by a wide margin. Upon his return to American soil, Naruto clung to Sasuke almost exclusively, thinking of him as the only person who could even come close to understanding his darkness. He hung out with his other friends now and even joined a study group at school. Though Sasuke knew that Naruto would never fully recover from his trauma, his old self bled through at nearly every turn.

"I can tell. You're good for him."

"He has a decent support system," Sasuke shrugged. "A lot of friends."

Clearly, Naruto prevailed in his struggle despite his humiliating wipeout, "Feel Good Inc." blasting over the sound system. Naruto inevitably mumbled through the verses and belted out the chorus, with Suigetsu and Lee joining in, both of them notably tone deaf. He was sure that Suigetsu would blame the alcohol later. People were having fun. He was glad to see it.

Kakashi and Itachi, the oldest guests by a decade, spoke to each other as they shared a dango. Sasuke hadn't even noticed Kakashi enter in all of the commotion. Kakashi and Itachi could not have looked more different, but they were hitting it off famously. However, he didn't trust either of them not to drag up embarrassments from his childhood and teen years. As if Naruto wasn't embarrassing enough himself…

"True," Sakura replied. "But you're the MVP."

She shook her head, laughing to herself.

"Remember that time I shoved my way into your place, and you locked yourself in the bathroom?"

"No," Sasuke said flatly. "Forgot all about it."

Sakura laughed a bit harder this time.

"You were so desperate and clueless as to how to help him. It was almost cute."

"Are you going anywhere with this?" Sasuke asked, raising his brows.

"That was only a few months ago. You sure figured it out fast."

He didn't feel right taking credit for Naruto's recovery.

"Naruto picked himself up. I could never do enough for him."

Sakura sighed, watching Naruto fondly. Sasuke sipped his beer.

"I get it. I've known him for over ten years now. I was even a Marine myself, but I haven't been able to do even a tenth as much for him as you have. I'm trying, but it never feels like enough."

"Sakura, stop," Sasuke said, shaking his head. "I don't deserve credit. I just did what any partner should, and you're a good friend to him."

"You seem happier too," Sakura diverted.

Sasuke couldn't hide the shock on his face, though it disappeared within seconds.

"Yes, it's obvious. Even I can tell."

Despite himself, he smiled.

"Really?"

"Well," Sakura said, taking Sasuke's takoyaki and eating a ball herself. "I'd never seen you smile before today, so there's that."

If even Sakura noticed this, wouldn't everyone else? His staff had noticed a change in him as well. It was odd, because other than loving Naruto, he couldn't recall doing anything differently.

"Tsk, it's unsanitary to eat after people."

It wasn't as though he minded. There was plenty of takoyaki to go around, but he welcomed the opportunity to change the subject.

"Cram it up your ass, Sasuke," Sakura told him with a smile.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, allowing several silent seconds to lapse.

"Sasuke…" she began, staring at the tablecloth.

"Hm?"

"Thank you," she muttered just loudly enough to be heard over the din of the party, her now glassy eyes looking into his own.

Sasuke doubted that Sakura was one to get teary-eyed; she definitely had the typically rough exterior of a Marine. He imagined that to make it as a woman in the service, she'd have to be twice as tough as the men. It took him aback, and just as he tried to formulate a response, Lee rolled up to them.

"Have you two met?" Sasuke asked, doing his best to hide his relief at the sudden intrusion.

Sakura shook her head as Lee gawked at her openly.

"Sakura, Lee. Lee, Sakura."

Naruto had been so distracted by organizing the party and preparing the venue that he forgot to introduce his closest friends. What a dumbass.

"Nice to meet you, Lee," Sakura said with a smile.

Lee stared at Sakura vapidly for a few painful seconds until Sasuke cleared his throat, hoping to break Lee out of his trance.

"Oh... Uh… Yeah! Rock Lee! But people call me Lee. But you already know that, huh?"

It took all of Sasuke's willpower not to wince.

"But yeah, I'm Lee. Nice to meet you!"

"Rock Lee, huh?" Sakura asked, shaking his hand. "That's an interesting name. How did you come by it?"

"My dad gave it to me," Lee said, now shaking Sakura's hand for a bit longer than was perhaps socially appropriate.

Sasuke cleared his throat again. It was like watching a train wreck unfold before his eyes.

"Sasuke, is your throat hurting you?" Lee asked, brows knit in concern. For Christ's sake... "You should have some of the oolong tea! I bet that'll clear it right up!"

Sasuke wondered if Lee could read a social cue if his life depended on it. Sakura gently tugged her hand away, Lee's surprise making it apparent that he'd forgotten he was still shaking her hand. He dropped it abruptly.

"I'm sorry, it's just… I mean you're really pretty and…" Lee rambled, his face flushing.

This conversation was physically painful to listen to, and Sasuke grappled between his urge to leave and the conscientious voice in his head telling him to stay before the situation got any worse. Getting sentimental with a tearful Sakura suddenly didn't seem so bad.

Sakura chuckled, shaking her head. This probably wasn't the first time this had happened to her.

"Sorry, uh… I don't know. I'm dumb. Sorry!"

God, he was even more awkward than Naruto had been when they first met.

"I'll be the judge of that. How do you know Sasuke?"

"Through Naruto," Lee answered, sounding a bit more sure of himself. "Naruto and I served together."

Sakura's eyes widened, clearly connecting the dots.

"Oh! He's told me all about you!" she replied. "How did I forget a name like yours? I went to high school with Naruto. We reconnected at boot camp. I'm a Marine too."

"Oh, wow!" Lee replied, lighting up as his shyness evaporated. "He told me all about you too! I can't believe I forgot! It's so nice to finally meet you!"

He held out his hand, clearly forgetting that they already shook hands. He pulled his hand back just as Sakura reached for it.

"Let's shake again," Sakura smiled. "As friends this time."

This time, Sakura's exuberance almost matched Lee's. Sasuke had always been grateful for the support that Lee gave Naruto when they fought together in Afghanistan. He was sure that Sakura felt the same way.

As they began to compare their experiences in the military, Shikamaru finally sauntered through the door. Sasuke glanced at his watch. He was even later than Kakashi was, which was quite the accomplishment. The room cheered as the final guest entered. Shikamaru held a plate of what appeared to be a dessert, covered by plastic wrap.

"Excuse me," Sasuke said, leaving Lee and Sakura to converse.

He could only hope for the best for Lee; he'd been off to a shaky start with Sakura. He approached Shikamaru, who scanned the room for a place to put his platter. For just a second, he wondered why Shikamaru would bring food to a catered party. Then he got a good look at the brownies underneath the wrap, and it all made sense.

Sasuke arched a pierced brow at him.

"Happy birthday," Shikamaru shrugged.

"Woah, brownies!" Naruto cheered, trotting up to Shikamaru and Sasuke.

Naruto checked the dish out.

"Oh, wait a second…" Naruto said as his eyes widened. "Are these special brownies?" he added with a whisper.

"No pressure," Shikamaru said to both of them. "But anyone who wants some can have some."

Naruto stared at the brownies intently, then looked back at Sasuke.

"Help yourself," Sasuke said before Naruto could even ask.

It was thoughtful of Naruto to seek his permission. He knew that Naruto had smoked weed several times before, so he trusted him to stay within his limits.

"How powerful are these?" he asked.

"Reasonably. Do you smoke?"

"Rarely, though I couldn't just live in Afghanistan for two years and not sample the local product, ya know?"

A lesser known fact about Afghanistan was that it was one of the top cannabis producers in the world. Naruto never told him that he smoked while abroad, though Sasuke couldn't say he blamed him. Any communication he had with Sasuke during his time abroad was monitored.

"Damn," Shikamaru said. "How was it?"

"I only smoked three times, but it was the best I've ever had. The kush there was like…" Naruto brought the fingers of his right hand together and kissed them, the typical chef's kiss gesture. "It was unbelievable. I only had a few hits, and I couldn't stop laughing for almost twenty minutes. It was so euphoric and chill."

Sasuke knew that Naruto was smart enough to do this safely, so he wouldn't bother to nag him.

"And you brought none home for me?" Sasuke inserted. "Rude."

The sake and beer Sasuke drank were loosening him up. His cheeks were slightly warm, but he still had his wits about him.

"Right, what was I thinking?" Naruto laughed, smacking his head. "I guess I'll have to save being an international drug mule for the bucket list. I was really looking forward to staying at an authentic Afghan jail too."

"If you weren't there for the reason you were, I'd be jealous," Shikamaru admitted.

Itachi approached the three of them. He should really be speaking to his brother more, Sasuke thought to himself, especially after he took the time to be here. He'd given Itachi a rather lackluster greeting thanks to the guilt gnawing at his innards.

"Shikamaru!" he said with a slight smile. "I haven't seen you since you were this tall."

Itachi, his cheeks slightly rosy, held his hand up to his waist. Just like Sasuke, his face tended to flush when he drank. They'd inherited that from their mother.

"Nice to see you again," Shikamaru said with a nod. "I hope you've been well."

"I've been great. Are…" Itachi cast a gaze over Shikamaru's shoulder. "Are those what I think they are?"

Sasuke didn't know if Itachi would approve, but he didn't really care.

"I'm sure they are. You're welcome to them."

Itachi shook his head.

"No thanks. Weed gives me headaches."

This was the first Sasuke ever heard of his brother smoking weed, though it didn't surprise him. He probably tried it in college.

"Bummer," Shikamaru replied, shaking his head.

"I will take another beer, however."

"Lemme grab you one!" Naruto offered. "Shikamaru, is it cool if I offer the brownies to everyone?"

"Go ahead. Tell 'em that a quarter of a brownie will give you a strong buzz, and a half is fairly heavy. People with no built up tolerance should start with a quarter. I'll grab some food."

"Naruto, you don't have to-" Itachi began.

Naruto shook his head.

"Nah, I'm the host! Plus, I gotta get you hammered so you can spill all the awkward, juicy details of Sasuke's childhood."

"You drive a hard bargain," Itachi conceded with a nod.

This was exactly what Sasuke feared would happen. Perfect.

"I'll be back!"

This left Sasuke and Itachi alone.

"Sasuke, can I ask you something?" Itachi said, the smile fading from his face.

"Shoot."

"Is there something on your mind?"

Itachi had always been uncannily perceptive.

"Nothing I feel like discussing now, but…thanks for coming on such short notice. I know you're busy."

Itachi shook his head.

"It's your thirtieth birthday. Coming was a no-brainer. Thanks for inviting me."

Sasuke simply nodded.

"This seems like a pretty nice place to live."

It only now occurred to him that he'd never invited Itachi to his apartment before. When they met, it was usually at a restaurant or some other venue.

"It's not cheap, but it's worthwhile. Conveniently close to the shop."

"Time is money, as they say," Itachi said, sipping his beer. "How's business?"

"Booming. I have to turn most people away these days."

"Really? Do you book up?"

"I'm booked up until next September."

Itachi raised his brows.

"As in September 2006?"

Sasuke nodded.

"And I thought my wait times were long."

A moment of silence passed between them.

"Anyway, the food is delicious," Itachi added, likely trying to extend the conversation.

Sasuke couldn't help but feel badly for Itachi, even as he felt his chest tighten with anxiety. He had to get his mind off of the past.

"You can thank Naruto. It was his idea."

"He's got good taste. How did you two meet?"

Sasuke suppressed a snicker. Whenever anyone asked this, the image of Naruto fainting and lying slack on the shop's floor flooded his mind's eye. This was prime blackmail material, so he refused to give it away.

"He came in for a back piece."

Itachi's eyes widened.

"Have you ever dated a customer before?"

Sasuke simply shook his head. Naruto approached them, offering Itachi his beer.

"Thanks, Naruto."

"You betcha!" Naruto grinned.

Distracted, he glanced forward and noticed Lee by the platter of brownies, holding a small piece of a brownie in his hand. Sasuke tilted his head but shrugged.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"Lee. I didn't know he had it in him."

Naruto glanced over.

"Wait…" Naruto said, his eyes widened. "I never told Lee!"

Why wouldn't he tell Lee? God, Naruto could be such a space cadet. Still, there was no way that one could mistake a weed brownie for a normal one, Sasuke thought to himself, especially one as powerful as Shikamaru's likely was. Sasuke had always hated the taste of edibles.

But then again, Lee didn't exactly have the most exacting sense of smell or social grace. His sense of taste was suspect, to say the least. Exchanging a quick glance, Sasuke and Naruto set off toward Lee.

"We'll talk later, Itachi," Sasuke said as they left.

"Oh, hi, guys!" Lee grinned as he finished whatever brownie he had in his hand.

"Lee…" Naruto began. "How much of that brownie did you eat?"

"Everything other than what I have in my hand."

Fuck.

"You ate a whole brownie?"

The expression on Naruto's face was so filled with dread that it was almost comical.

"Is that bad?" Lee asked. "Oh no! Is there not enough for everyone?"

Sasuke rested his forehead in his palm, shaking his head. This was going to be a wild night.

"Lee, those were…" Naruto began, searching for words. "Those were special brownies."

"They sure are!" Lee beamed. "Food made by friends with love is always special!"

How could Lee be so oblivious? Here he'd thought Naruto had mastered that art. Naruto shook his head, laughing nervously.

"Lee, you don't understand," Naruto said, leaning closer to Lee. "Those brownies have marijuana in them."

"Oh," Lee replied, his eyes widening for a moment. "I thought they tasted kind of funny, but I didn't want to be rude."

Sasuke wondered if Lee had ever been exposed to weed at all.

"Have you ever smoked weed before?" Sasuke asked.

Lee laughed.

"I'm sure I'll be fine!"

He'd take that as a no.

"Naruto, did you eat any yet?"

"I already had a quarter, but I'll watch over Lee! Don't you worry!"

"I'm so sorry," Lee repented, looking like he felt a bit too guilty. "Not only did I eat up all of the brownie, but now I'm burdening you."

"Don't worry about it," Sasuke answered. "It'll take an hour or so to hit you. You'll be fine."

"Just…" Lee whispered, leaning toward both Sasuke and Naruto. "Please don't let me do anything embarrassing in front of Sakura!"

"About that," Naruto said with a devilish grin. "You're crushing on her pretty hard, aren't you?"

"Yes! How did you ever guess that?" Lee asked, as if it weren't painfully obvious.

"Uhhh…" Naruto paused, choosing his next words carefully. "I have my ways."

"If only I could've worn Lady Killer…" Lee said wistfully. "Everything would've been perfect."

Mentioning the asthmatic guests at the party was enough to get Lee to abstain from coating himself in that olfactory tour de force, but what of the future?

"Um…" Naruto began. "Yeah, uh… about that..."

Lee looked back at Naruto exuberantly.

"Lady Killer is…" Naruto paused, smiling sheepishly and scratching his head. "Certainly unique! But I think it's more of an...acquired taste."

That was a charitable way to put it. Lee's eyes broadened as if his mind had just been blown.

"You think that there are people out there who dislike it? Who would ever dislike Lady Killer?"

"It's strong," Sasuke added, saving Naruto from his discomfort. "A love it or hate it sort of thing."

With most everyone with a functional nose hating it, but Sasuke would leave that unsaid.

"Well, my father did say it's a weapon that must be wielded with finesse."

The word fit; Lady Killer really was more like a weapon than a perfume. Sasuke wondered to himself if Lee's father was just as strange as he was. Probably even more so if he was responsible for this monstrosity.

"Exactly! You can't just hit 'em full force," Naruto jumped in. "Give 'em a sampler first, like they give out in stores, and see what they think. Think of it as an appetizer for the main course!"

"But what about singles events?" Lee asked. "Oh! I could come with a bunch of strips and let everyone try it! That'd be a wonderful conversation starter!"

It took all of Sasuke's willpower not to facepalm.

"Think of it as an honor," Naruto replied. "Show it to people you really know. You can't be giving out your family's special sauce willy nilly!"

"You're so right," Lee said, nodding fervently. "And I'm no one trick pony, you know. My dad and I have made dozens of scents! There's Foxy, Moon Sparkle, Hambone..."

Naruto couldn't hide the look of abject terror on his face. Sasuke was confident that Hambone really did smell like ham.

"When you let someone sample Lady Killer, add a few others and see if they have a favorite," Sasuke volunteered.

This would probably cause the least amount of damage. He wondered if all of them were as bad as Lady Killer. What if they were worse? That was certainly an unsettling thought.

"I like that," Lee said, nodding. "I can really show off my versatility!"

"Exactly!" Naruto added with a large grin.

"So...do you think I have a shot with Sakura?"

Naruto paused for a moment.

"Never say never! You know, I had a huge crush on her in high school!"

"Oh!" Lee shouted excitedly. "Did you two ever date?"

"I wish!" Naruto said, faking tears by rubbing at his right eye with his fist.

Sasuke cleared his throat.

"Yeah, yeah, don't get your panties in a bunch," Naruto said dismissively, knowing that it didn't truly bother Sasuke.

"If even you didn't score a date…" Lee said, trailing off and looking defeated for just a second before rallying. "Then it means I just have to try harder!"

What a typical Lee response, Sasuke thought to himself. If Lee had a goal, it was nearly impossible to deter him. It was one of the few similarities Sasuke shared with him.

"That's the spirit!"

As the minutes passed, it became more apparent which party guests had indulged in Shikamaru's brownies. Shikamaru was expert at hiding his buzz, but Sasuke recognized the signs. Kakashi, Suigetsu, and Karin had also clearly partaken. Naruto allowed Lee to mingle but kept a close eye on him.

Nearly an hour had passed. Content in knowing that Naruto would tend to Lee, Sasuke threw caution to the wind and helped himself to several more drinks. He chatted amongst his staff, with Kiba and Lee listening in. Lee and Kiba asked them questions about what life was like as a tattoo artist, and Suigetsu soaked up the attention, much to Karin's chagrin. Sasuke pitched in as well; it was comfortable subject matter for him, and his inhibitions were dulled.

Shikamaru joined both Kakashi and Itachi at their table. With liquor in his bloodstream, the prospect of speaking with his brother again seemed far less daunting. After excusing himself, Sasuke approached them. Itachi waved him over.

"Take a seat and help yourself," Shikamaru said, gesturing to one of the chairs.

There was a platter of teriyaki skewers in the middle of the table, with small plates at each chair. Taking a seat, Sasuke took a chicken skewer.

"What have you been talking about all this time?"

These were the only three people at the party who knew him before he owned The Grip, and they'd been deep in conversation for nearly an hour. That didn't sit well with him. He bit into a large chunk of chicken, enjoying how moist and flavorful it was.

"Do you really want to know?" Kakashi asked, tilting his head.

"You tell me."

Shikamaru shook his head.

"It's much more fun to talk smack about you when you're here, and you've taken care of that for us. Thank you."

"Hilarious," Sasuke replied.

"So, how do you feel about turning thirty?" Itachi asked.

"Time well spent," Sasuke shrugged.

Sasuke had never been one to get hung up on occasions. It was just another day, assigned superficial importance due to a random astronomical event. Still, he never expected to be so successful at such a young age.

What was still more surprising was that he had a boyfriend, and over two years in, Sasuke had yet to botch the relationship. Almost as if summoned by his thoughts, Naruto noticed them and trotted up to the table, sitting next to Sasuke.

"Kiba's keeping an eye on Lee," Naruto said, placing his hand on Sasuke's forearm.

"How's he doing?" Sasuke asked.

"It hasn't really hit him yet. He's just a bit giggly."

"Well, it's certainly hit me," Kakashi offered. "This packed a punch. Thanks, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru nodded.

"Yeah, me too," Naruto added. "Lee must have a slow metabolism."

Sasuke shrugged. He would've been mortified in this situation, but Lee seemed to roll it off well enough. Unexpectedly losing control at a large social gathering was Sasuke's worst nightmare.

"Thanks for coming over, Naruto," Itachi said. "It's come to my attention that I'm the only one here who didn't know you before today."

"In the flesh!" Naruto beamed. "Did Sasuke tell ya that I'm a cyborg?"

Itachi tilted his head.

"Are you, now?"

"Look, feel!" Naruto said, shoving his injured forearm in front of Itachi's face. "Screws! Rods too!"

At the very least, Naruto was clearly becoming less self-conscious about his scars. Without losing a hint of composure, Itachi felt the metal that ran underneath the skin of Naruto's forearm.

"So you are."

"See, Sasuke?" Naruto continued, apparently not content until Kakashi and Shikamaru touched them as well. He puffed up like a toad. "Told you so!"

"Sure," Sasuke replied, rolling his eyes.

"See this?" Naruto replied, pointing at Sasuke with his thumb. "This is the validation I get from him!"

Sasuke just shook his head; he'd gotten over being embarrassed by Naruto a long time ago.

"Huh…" Shikamaru mused, running his finger along Naruto's arm. "I feel it. Does it ever get cold?"

"I usually don't feel it, but yeah, it aches a little if the weather is super cold!" Naruto said, a large grin dominating his face. "Oh, and Sasuke is such an asshat for not introducing me to you before tonight, Itachi!"

"You're one to talk. You didn't even introduce Lee and Sa-"

"I understand," Itachi interceded. "It's hard to reach me someti-"

"He's a giant douche bucket," Naruto interrupted.

Naruto was clearly more than just a little buzzed. The alcohol and weed were having a combined effect.

"Well, thank you for taking care of him for me."

"He's fussy," Naruto said, leaning forward and pointing to Sasuke with his thumb. "Was he always so fussy?"

"He was actually pretty chipper as a little kid."

"Really?"

Sasuke wondered if he should be leaving for this conversation, but perhaps it was best to monitor it should some less than savory bits of his past emerge.

"Oh yeah. He was a little reserved, but with me, it was all smiles."

"Like… That half smile thing he does?" Naruto did his best impression of said facial expression. "Or the baby almost-doesn't-count-do-you-have-nerve-damage smile?"

Shikamaru and Kakashi snickered simultaneously.

"You could see clear back to his molars."

"Aww!" Naruto almost shrieked. "That's adorable! I demand pictures!"

"I don't have any with me, sadly," Itachi replied, causing Sasuke immense relief. "But take a rain check. We should do lunch sometime."

This certainly did not bode well for Sasuke.

"Saaaasuke," Naruto whined. "Why is your brother so much cooler than you?"

"I like this one," Itachi noted, gesturing to Naruto with his thumb.

A few seconds of silence passed.

"He wasn't that smiley when we met," Shikamaru said. "The bullies pissed him off more than just a little bit."

Sasuke was thankful that Shikamaru left his disintegrating home life unmentioned.

"It took me a bit to realize that I'd massively overestimated humanity," Sasuke shrugged.

"That's the Sasuke I know," Naruto said, hugging him a little too tightly. "The pouty lil misanthrope."

"You were bullied?" Itachi asked.

Itachi left the house just after Sasuke started grade school, so he hadn't witnessed the harder parts of Sasuke's childhood.

"Both of us were," Shikamaru replied.

"I was poor, and Shika creeped the other kids out."

Shikamaru was massively more intelligent than any of their peers, and it made them feel insecure and afraid.

"You were a talented and attractive kid," Itachi said, looking at Sasuke. "You probably made them insecure."

"Yeah, let's go with that," Sasuke answered.

"Do you remember that little blond girl who was all over you? She just wouldn't stop."

"You'll have to be more specific."

Itachi laughed.

"You always have been popular."

"Ironic, given that I never wanted to talk to anyone."

"I was like that in high school too," Kakashi volunteered. "It was like reverse psychology."

"Oh my goooood," Naruto whined. "I was such a dork in high school. I tried so hard to fit in!"

He'd probably been more than a little heavy-handed about it.

"People sense desperation," Sasuke replied.

"So harsh! Y'all were the popular kids, huh?"

"Whatever popularity I had was only due to Sasuke," Shikamaru stated.

"Not true," Sasuke contended.

A few seconds passed, the group picking at a shared plate of teriyaki skewers.

"So he hasn't always been so uptight?" Naruto asked, returning to Itachi's previous comment. "I never pegged him for the smiley sort."

"Yeah, you could really get a rise out of him when he was a kid. I loved sneaking up on him. He had the funniest look when-"

"Anyhow-" Sasuke interrupted.

"Was it kind of like this?" Shikamaru said, knitting his brows and lowering his jaw in mock shock. "Because that's the one I know."

"No, more like this," Itachi replied, his facial expression similar to Shikamaru's but a bit more dramatic, eyes bulging.

Naruto guffawed, pounding his fist on the table and slapping his thigh. This was a very rare expression for Itachi, and it showed. Kakashi and Shikamaru laughed for several seconds until Kakashi pitched in, "He was pretty composed when he worked with me, unless...something happened."

No way. This conversation was getting out of control. He would rather not explain the story of the jizz-covered backroom to his older brother and likely all the other party guests. Naruto was laughing even harder now, choking on his food as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Something happened?" Shikamaru asked, tilting his head. "You say that like you're referring to something specific."

"Yes, specifically irrelevant," Sasuke replied, rolling his eyes.

"It's difficult to imagine you-"

"Weeeee!" came a loud, squealing shout from the other side of the room.

Naruto and Sasuke flipped their heads toward the direction of the sound. To their horror, Lee was on the ground, rolling himself back and forth. His face was bright red as he struggled to breathe between fits of laughter.

"Wooo! WOOOSH!"

Kiba, clearly stoned himself, rolled Lee from side to side, much to Lee's enjoyment. Fortunately for Lee, Sakura was using the restroom.

"Lee!" Naruto called out, running up to him.

"No, no…" Lee told him. "The harder you try to make me stay still, the less still I go!"

Lee found a burst of strength, rolling his body in three distinct rotations as he wiggled his arms.

"Woooah!" he shouted. "Hoo boy! I'm a wild man!"

"C'mon, sit down," Naruto said, attempting to pull Lee's body up into his chair, only for Lee to squirm away from him.

"Nooo!" Lee shouted, shaking his head fervently. "You can't stop me! Fuck you, gravity!"

Fortunately, the other guests were amused if anything. As Sasuke approached him, Lee waved his hand manically and shouted, "Hello, Birthday Boy!"

"Lee," Sasuke told him. "Didn't you ask us not to let you embarrass yourself in front of Sakura?"

Lee's mouth immediately gaped open, his eyes nearly as wide as ping pong balls.

"Oh no! Sakura!"

In one adept movement, Lee picked himself up off the floor, using his arms to hoist his body up into his chair. Lee's arms must've been even stronger than Naruto's were before he was deployed. This was clearly a well-practiced maneuver.

"Well fuck…" Kiba said after blinking in shock.

"I… Can I lie down now?" Lee asked sheepishly.

"I'll take him up, Sasuke," Naruto offered. "We have a blowup mattress upstairs with your name on it, Lee!"

"Yay!" Lee cheered, raising his fist in the air. "Best birthday party ever!"

Lee laughed uproariously as he wheeled next to Naruto on the way to the elevator. For how far gone he was, it surprised Sasuke that he could move so quickly. At this point, it probably came to him like second nature.

"I don't get it," Kakashi began. "How did he not know those were pot brownies?"

"Lee doesn't have much of a sense of smell, or taste either apparently."

"I can definitely see how Naruto and Lee got along," Shikamaru added.

"He's a bit of a social disaster, but he's a good guy."

Sasuke respected Lee even more than he let on. He sympathized with him in this situation, though he was clearly having the time of his life. It was an honest mistake.

"How did Naruto meet him?" Itachi asked.

"In the military. They were in Afghanistan together."

"That'll do it."

Being together at all times during such a stressful time was sure to forge quick friendships.

"Yeah," Sasuke replied, just as Sakura entered the room.

"Where did Naruto and Lee go?" she asked Sasuke.

"Lee needed to rest for a bit. Naruto's up there with him."

"Is he okay?" she frowned.

It certainly didn't take her long to pick up on Lee's absence. Maybe there was more hope for him than he realized.

"Yeah, he's fine."

Sakura nodded.

"Did you try any of the brownie?"

"No," Sasuke shook his head. "You?"

"I was thinking of having a bit less than a quarter. Want to split one with me?"

Sasuke thought to himself for a moment. He was already a little drunk, but an eighth of a brownie was unlikely to have much effect.

"Sure, what the hell. But you take the big half."

"Fine," Sakura sighed.

She quickly returned, splitting the brownie quarter in two unequal pieces. It wasn't what Sasuke would call tasty; he'd never liked the potent taste of marijuana. Naruto soon after approached them, making a loud squealing noise as he noticed Sasuke finish his piece of brownie.

"You had one without me?!" Naruto shouted, resting his forearm over his forehead and leaning backward histrionically.

"Less than an eighth."

"Yawn!"

Sasuke shrugged.

"Is Lee good?"

"He passed out as soon as his head hit the pillow. I left him with a note."

Sasuke wasn't surprised. This was probably the least humiliating outcome for Lee. The party continued for a couple hours, with excitement high. With the help of the liquor and the nearly inconsequential amount of marijuana in his system, he was much better equipped to deal with this situation's social requirements.

Just as he neared his limits, the guests trickled out one by one until only Naruto, Shikamaru, and Sasuke were left. Lee still slept in Sasuke's office.

"Damn, what a blast that was!" Naruto shouted.

The party's guests all had differing levels of energy, but they complemented each other nicely. By the end of the party, they were so familiar with each other that it was difficult to believe that many of them had only met each other today. Kiba and Suigetsu were having a wonderful time teasing Karin as they walked out the door.

"Yeah," Shikamaru agreed. "The food was amazing too. It was nice meeting your friends, Naruto."

"Aren't they great?" Naruto beamed.

"And nice to see Itachi and your staff again."

"You should come in and hang out!" Naruto chimed in. "Or at least grab lunch with us. There's this really good burrito place about a block away from Sasuke's shop."

Sasuke remembered getting free burritos with Naruto and his staff when the restaurant opened two years ago, just days before Naruto left for Afghanistan. It was a nice memory.

"That sounds like a lot of work," Shikamaru griped.

Sasuke simply rolled his eyes.

"I can hardly even get him to come over to my place."

"I hate downtown."

Shikamaru lived a good twenty minutes away by train.

"Fair," Naruto conceded. "But just a few times?"

"Maybe. They seem cool enough."

Several seconds lapsed.

"So Sasuke, not sure how you're feeling, but I brought a couple joints if you're interested."

"You really pulled out the stops," Sasuke replied.

"This is the best stuff I've gotten in years," Shikamaru shrugged. "I would've just stuck with the edibles otherwise."

"Really?" Naruto asked, his voice almost squeaking. "I can compare it with what I had in Afghanistan!"

Sasuke was socially wiped, but Naruto and Shikamaru fell in categories of their own. They were more like family than they were like friends to Sasuke. He'd barely eaten any of the brownies; he always felt a need to be on his game in front of others. Not so with those two.

"When's the last time you smoked weed, Sasuke?" Shikamaru asked.

"God…" Sasuke said, combing through his memories. "The last time was with you."

Shikamaru gave Sasuke an eighth to congratulate him after he opened up The Satin Grip. That had been one hell of a night.

"Damn, almost nine years then?"

"I'm surprised you remember that," Sasuke snickered.

"How could I not?"

"For one, we were faded off our asses."

And it had been one hell of a good time.

Shikamaru chuckled, "I have a good memory."

Sasuke inhaled deeply, then exhaled. Midnight was only an hour away, but Shikamaru's offer was tempting. He was feeling bold tonight.

"Alright, I'm down. Let's go."

"Yes!" Naruto cheered, raising his fists. "Let's do this!"

Perhaps the night had just begun. Today astounded him. He didn't realize that there were so many people in his life who cared about him, despite the walls he built around him. Sasuke thought to himself that there were certainly worse surprises one might have.