Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

A/N: So…I just wanted to do a one shot. I like one shots. It means I can finish a story. Also, italics equal flashback.

-- Sakura Kaijuu

Kakashi opened his normal eye reluctantly. He had been having an excellent dream. But the incessant knocking on the door was starting to get to him.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto's voice came through the thin door. "Kakashi-sensei, I need to talk to you!"

He sighed. "Yeah…" he called back. Since Sasuke had left, Naruto had become increasingly dependant on his teacher's advice. The whole thing with Sasuke had thrown his universe into turmoil. It had been three years, and in some ways, he was still a little boy.

The jounin got up and got dressed in his usual blue shirt and pants. He pulled up the mask just as he opened the door. He felt the need to keep some things a secret from his students. "Yes, Naruto?"

His student looked around shiftily, "Uh…can I come in?"

Kakashi yawned and gestured his student into his home. As Naruto entered the apartment, he watched the door carefully. Naruto sat on a chair and Kakashi sat on his couch. He reached over to his table and picked up his hitae-ate to tie it on. "So, Naruto, what's up?"

"Um…It's about…um…Sakura-chan…" Naruto wasn't looking at Kakashi and was tapping his fingers together; a behavior he had picked up from Hinata.

"Really? What about her?" He raised his visible eyebrow. He had a feeling that he knew what Naruto was going to say.

"I…uh…I wanna know…what can I do for Sakura for her birthday…" he looked nervous. Kakashi opened his mouth to reply, but more words tumbled out of Naruto's mouth. "B-because she's been so nice to me, and I like her a lot, and I want to do something special to make her feel better. I know she's still worried about Sasuke-jerk, and what can I do?"

Kakashi smiled. "Sakura is a beautiful girl. And at the very least, she cares about you as a friend. She worried about you to no end for almost three years."

Sakura looked out the window from Kakashi's apartment, elbows leaned on the sill. It was another rainy October tenth. Tsunade had given her the day off. Hard-ass though she was, the Godaime Hokage of the Konohagakure village knew that Sakura needed time to remember her precious people.

Kakashi looked at the only student he had left in the village. He barely saw her anymore. Her hair had grown out since the beginning of her training with Tsunade. But she looked sad, staring out the window.

He was about to say something to her when she spoke first, "I wonder what Naruto's doing for his birthday…"

He patted her on the head. "I think the better question is whether Naruto and Jiraiya-sama remember that it is his birthday." He looked out the window with her. "Naruto might remember, but think about how he grew up."

Sakura remembered. He had been all alone from day one. She always assumed that they had died fighting the Kitsune no Kyuubi. She asked Tsunade once…and she hadn't agreed, but she didn't correct Sakura either.

But no one should be alone for their birthday. And she knew why Naruto acted the way he did. She had started to understand why on her first day as a part of Team Seven when Sasuke-kun had reprimanded her for making fun of Naruto. After that, she had tried her hardest to understand Naruto and Sasuke. She asked questions, she studied their families, and she just spent time thinking about what it must be like to be alone in the world.

"He should never have to think we forgot his birthday," she said sullenly. She looked up at her teacher. "Can we do anything?"

"Like what?"

"I dunno. But I don't want to be a bad friend." She leaned her face into her arms, still folded on the window sill.

Kakashi smiled. She had grown up so much since he first met her. After Sasuke left, Sakura had attached herself to Naruto. And now that Naruto was with Jiraiya, Sakura spent her spare time trailing after Kakashi like a puppy. He wondered if this was what a little sister was.

"Well, since we don't know where Naruto is, we could just leave it until you see him again," the jounin ruffled her hair. "I'm sure that he won't be angry."

"Kakashi-sensei!" she batted his hand away and smoothed her hair. Then she sighed. "I guess you're right…"

Now Kakashi was looking at the same situation. One of his students was looking to him for advice. He had a feeling about Naruto and Sakura. Naruto still adored Sakura, even after three years. And as much as Sakura said she was still in love with Sasuke, she was awfully worried about Naruto.

"Why don't you just ask her to meet you?" he suggested.

Naruto looked shocked. "And then what?"

"I can't think of everything for you," Kakashi was mildly amused. He stood up and headed to his kitchen to make himself some breakfast. He was hungry. "Maybe just wish her a happy birthday."

"I hafta give her something!" the blonde boy yelled. This wasn't helping. "Right?"

"Not necessarily," Kakashi smirked under his mask. He never had to. But girls had always flocked to him. Kind of like Sasuke.

Naruto moaned. "You aren't helping, sensei!"

"Well, this isn't my thing," he turned his back on Naruto so he could eat in peace. This was Sakura all over again. "I dunno. Pick up some flowers and go wish her a happy birthday."

Naruto was becoming more miserable by the second. He sighed. "Fine. I'll try. Can I use your phone?"

"Uh…sure. Why?" he pulled his mask up and turned around.

"So I can call Sakura-chan." Naruto looked sulky. "You had a good idea." He walked over to the phone and dialed Sakura's number. He turned away from Kakashi so that he couldn't see his teacher staring at him.

To his horror, Sakura answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Uh…Hi, Sakura-chan…" Naruto scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously.

"Oh, hey Naruto. What's up?" He could tell she was smiling from her tone of voice.

"Um…not much." He turned enough to see Kakashi's face. The jounin was looking at Naruto. He flipped back around. "Um…Can you meet me at our old training grounds?"

"I guess so. When?" Sakura sounded kind of pleased.

"Half an hour. Please." His face felt so red.

"Okay. Seeya then," she hung up the phone.

Naruto sighed in relief. He put the phone down and turned around. Kakashi was still looking at him. He blushed. Kakashi walked over and ruffled his hair. "Good job. Now go get the flowers."

"Thank you," Naruto ducked out from Kakashi's hand. "Seeya later."

"Yup."

Naruto left and Kakashi smiled. Yeah. He had a really good feeling about Naruto and Sakura.

Sakura brushed her hair and put on her hitae-ate. She smiled at herself in the mirror. Naruto was really bad at hiding the more positive emotions. She took out a package she had been holding since Naruto's birthday two years ago. She could give it to him. Finally. She knew he'd be giving her something.

"Mom! I'm going out!" she called.

"All right!"

Kakashi had made her feel a little better. But she still wanted to have something to give Naruto when he came home. It had to be something that would last. And something more meaningful than ramen.

She searched everywhere. She ran into Ino in a store. "What're you looking for?"

Sakura made a face. "It's Naruto's birthday. I need a present for him."

"Flowers?" Ino asked hopefully.

She rolled her eyes, "No. Something that lasts. I don't know when he's getting back."

"Oh." Ino thought. "I don't know. Ramen?"

"Yeah, Ino-pig, that's a great birthday present. Really meaningful." Sakura was getting a little irritated with her friend.

"Hmph. Well sorry for trying to help, forehead-girl!" Ino stuck her tongue out at Sakura.

Sakura crossed her arms and glared at Ino. Ino glared back. They stayed that way for a few minutes before Ino gave up. "All right. I'm sorry. But I really don't know what you should give him. Why do you care so much what Naruto gets for his birthday?"

The pink-haired girl blushed. "Nobody should have their birthday forgotten."

Ino raised her eyebrows. "So get him ramen. He'll love you forever."

Sakura blustered. "Shut up!"

Ino laughed. "Well, I'm sorry that I don't have any ideas for you, Sakura. But I've gotta get going. Good luck."

Sakura was silent as Ino left. She knew she'd think of something better than ramen. And when she did, it would be perfect. She promised herself that.

Naruto entered the Yamanaka flower shop cautiously. There was no knowing whether Ino would be there or not. He kind of wanted to avoid contact with his friends at this point. Talking to Kakashi had been hard enough.

Mercifully, Ino's mother was running the shop and all he had to do was ask her for a bouquet.

Ino's mother was kind, but wary. She knew what Naruto was. "What kind of thing are you looking for?"

"Uh…It's for a girl…" he said nervously.

Mrs. Yamanaka smiled. "I figured that. What's the occasion?"

"It's Sakura-chan's birthday…"

Her smile widened. She moved around the shop, picking out bunches of flowers. She arranged the cut flowers carefully and wrapped the bouquet in a layer of clear plastic, and then two layers of pink tissue paper. "That'll be eighteen dollars. Tell Sakura-chan that I say happy birthday."

Naruto handed over the money and took the flowers. "Thank you. I will."

He hurried out of the shop to meet Sakura at their training grounds.

Sakura and Naruto arrived at the same time. He tried to hide the flowers behind his back. She didn't bother trying to hide her present.

As they met in the middle of the open field, Sakura smiled. Naruto blushed and looked away. "Uh…happy birthday, Sakura-chan…" He shoved the flowers in her face.

Sakura's eyes widened and she smiled wider and blushed. "Wow…thanks, Naruto! These are amazing!"

"Y-you're welcome…" he mumbled. He was pleased with himself.

"I have something for you too, Naruto," she handed him the box. He looked surprised and confused. "For your birthday."

"That was in –"

"October. I know. I've had it since the first birthday you missed here," she was still embarrassed about it. "I just forgot to give it to you. Y'know, with all the crap that happened when you first got back…"

Naruto was shocked and happier beyond all reason. "You remembered my birthday?"

Sakura scratched the back of her head in her embarrassment. "Yeah…" She didn't feel like telling him that she remembered that day almost perfectly.

Naruto finally pulled the ribbon on the box. The lid and the box were wrapped separately so that after the ribbon was removed all he had to do was lift the lid.

He lifted out a necklace. It was a thin leather cord with six, small, wooden medallions knotted into place. Each medallion had a small picture of fire super imposed on the symbol of the Hidden Leaf. He looked at it in adoration. He looked from it to Sakura and back again. "Wow, Sakura-chan…"

She smiled shyly. "Do you really like it? I put it together myself. I thought it would be good for your dream…"

Naruto held the necklace in his hand tightly. Six little flames and leaves…for the sixth Hokage of the Konohagakure Village…He could feel himself beginning to cry. "Hah…and all I got you were those flowers…" He gave her a small smile.

"Naruto, I love the flowers. They're beautiful," she moved a little closer to him and looked up at his face. She still thought it was weird that he was taller than her.

He put the necklace on and grabbed her free hand. "Sakura-chan, this is the best birthday present I've ever gotten.

He was six years old. No one cared that it was his birthday. Sandaime-Hokage had stopped by. No one cared. And he didn't know why. He cried himself to sleep, the way he had every birthday that he could remember.

He turned eleven. There were kids that he got in trouble with. But they weren't really his friends. Shikamaru, Chouji, and Kiba…They didn't know it was his birthday. He knew by now that they didn't care at all. He didn't know what to do.

He turned thirteen. Iruka, Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke were all there. Sasuke didn't say much, but Iruka and Kakashi treated him to ramen and gave him coupons for more stops by Ichiraku. Sakura had given him a card.

And now he had this. Something that had been ready for him since he turned fourteen. Sakura was still smiling and hugging the flowers to her chest with her other arm.

Naruto leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. He let go of her hand, blushing. "Thank you, Sakura-chan."

Sakura blushed fiercely. "You're welcome, Naruto. Happy late birthday."

"Happy birthday to you, too."

A/N: Wheeee…I've been working on this on and off all day. (Yay for the distraction of television…) I hope it doesn't suck. Lemme know if it does. Or even if it doesn't, you should still tell me.

-- Sakura Kaijuu