Chapter 7.
Where's the mayo: I would too, I love the idea of her building all of these things and dragging the boys with her when she tests them out. Good thing Naruto has that healing factor!
CuteMochi00: I thought it did too, I would love to do something like that. Thank you so much, I'm glad that you like them.
As for the length I don't plan it at all. The shortest one for this story is 258 words and the longest is 4,601. I don't plan them out, I just sorta go with the flow.
Izzyrawr: I'm glad you enjoyed it, sorry there's only a few chapters sight now. I'll try and update often and hopefully this chapter makes up for how short the last one was!
"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Asuka… Happy Birthday to you!"
I laughed as I sat at the table, eyes on the disaster of a cake that my friends had baked. I was now officially ten, and the boys had been all but living with me for the last year and a half, and this was the first year we had celebrated my birthday. I always celebrated theirs, though Sasuke's had only come around once so far. Honestly last year I had forgotten it even existed.
My father had too.
This year however I had all of my friends with me; Naruto, Sasuke, Kiba, Shikamaru, Choji and Hinata had all come to attend my birthday party, gathered around my kitchen table and singing horribly off tune in the way that children do. I just sat there, grinning like mad while they did. I was excited. This was the first party I'd had in a long time and almost all of my favorite people were there.
We were gathered around my kitchen table on chairs and stools, everyone watching me as I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and blew out the candles.
I wish to stay with my friends forever.
When I opened my eyes I was met with half a dozen smiling faces, all aimed at me. I hadn't had many friends last time, and with my parents absent these kids were my family. They were the most important things. I had decided to be a ninja out of selfishness and the desire to live. Now I wanted to graduate, to become a ninja and stay with the people I cared about. And that made my heart all the more terrifying.
"What did you wish for?" Naruto asked, bouncing in his seat.
I shook my head. "If I tell then it won't come true!"
"Aw come on," Kiba whined, Akamaru joining him. I remained firm, looking away.
"Nope!"
"Can we have the cake now?" Choji asked, changing the subject.
I looked down at the cake, which was lopsided and only partially frosted, then at Naruto and Sasuke, who had nearly destroyed my kitchen in their attempt to make it. It still only looked half baked, but it was the thought that counted.
"Yeah," I agreed, "We can do cake, and then open presents." I took the knife that lay on the table, pushing it into the cake and cutting it into eight equal pieces, passing them out to my friends and leaving only one slice left on the plate.
I looked down at it, tentatively cutting away a corner with my fork and raising it to my mouth. An egg shell broke in my mouth and I winced, realizing that I was right. It was half baked. Somehow it managed to taste both salty and overly sugared at the same time, the chocolate that was supposed to flavor it seeming more like raw cocoa powder.
Kiba gagged on the side of the table, Shikamaru pushed his plate away and Hinata lowered her fork, swallowing thickly. Even Choji looked a little green around the gills.
"It's not that bad," Naruto tried to defend. Until he actually took his bite. He choked, spitting it out and Sasuke didn't even try.
"I think next time you should just buy it," I muttered, scooting away from the 'cake'. There were even chunks of soggy flower in it. I had no idea it was possible to mess up something that bad.
"Okay… all in favor of shoving this monstrosity down Naruto and Sasuke's shirts say 'aye'!" I called. Kiba called his agreement, Akamaru seconding the opinion. Shikamaru didn't say anything, just threw the 'cake' into Naruto's face. Choji, who never wasted food, dumped both his and Hinata's on top of Sasuke's head and I stuffed mine down the back of Naruto's shirt, then did the same with the last piece and the front of Sasuke's. Neither one had time to run before they were covered in their failure, literally.
After that, true to my word, I opened the present that my friends had brought.
I ended up opening Naruto's first, tearing away the orange paper and pulling the lid and laughing when I dodged spring loaded snakes aimed at my face. Underneath the gag I found a real present, which gave me room for pause. There, sitting at the bottom of the box, was a pair of goggles.
I pulled the goggles out, finding them not swimming goggles but working ones, the exact kind I had actually been needing, hanging from a sturdy, green strap. I brushed back the singed edges of my hair and let them drop around my neck, my head too small for them just yet.
I grinned widely at my best friend, dragging him into a hug as I thanked him sincerely. He turned pink and laughed it off.
"It's no big deal," he dismissed, and I rolled my eyes and sat back.
The next present was pushed towards me and I took it, finding it somewhat chewed on and wet.
"That ones from Akamaru." I looked up at Kiba, brows furrowing. The puppy looked very proud of himself so I assumed it couldn't be too bad. I hoped.
I opened the box, which was very heavy and somewhat damp, growing more and more worried as a strange smell hit me. I peered inside and paled.
Oh my god.
"It's… a bunny." I murmured, lifting it out of the box. "A dead one."
In my hand was the limp form of a tiny rabbit, clearly a baby. I looked at it, then at Akamaru, who was sitting on the table with his tail wagging. I smiled tensely and thanked him, secretly weirded out. I knew animals gave dead prey as gifts but I had never expected to get one. Ever. It was still and small in my hand, and utterly awful. But Akamaru was proud, so I didn't say anything.
Kiba's gift, in slightly better condition, was thrust under my nose then too. "Open this one now!" he demanded, and I took it from him wearily.
Unwrapping it I pulled the box apart, finding inside something less gross than the dead bunny now sitting at my feet.
I had to smile. It was paper mache, though what it was supposed to be I wasn't entirely sure. It was painted in browns and greys, and if I was being honest it looked like shit with white stripes. I looked from it to him, trying not to give away my confusion.
Kiba looked sheepish. "It's supposed to be a dog…"
"It's… interesting?" I offered, setting it on the table. "Thanks Kiba, it was a good effort," I told him, snickering a little bit.
Kiba groaned. "Hana said I should have gotten you a bracelet," he grumbled, flopping his head on the table. I patted him like a dog.
Shikamaru shoved a bag at me and I caught it, noting the half assed attempt at looking pretty.
"Your mom watched you put it together didn't she?" I asked wryly. Shikamaru nodded, muttering about how troublesome it had been to get me something.
I pulled the paper out, finding a puzzle box and a mini set of wire cutters, strippers and a small roll of insulated tape. I pulled them all out, setting them on the table one by one before I found something else at the bottom.
Out came the last item, a bracelet that was shaped like a wrapped around wrench. I smiled at him.
"That was surprisingly thoughtful."
Shikamaru's eyes rolled. "I was just going to get you the puzzle. Mom made me do more."
I snickered quietly and leaned forwards to take the box that Choji pushed my way.
"I didn't really know what to get you," he admitted sheepishly.
I shook my head. "You didn't have to get me anything so whatever it is'll be great," I was sure.
I pulled the paper away from the neatly wrapped box, unfolding the flap and peaking in. I smile and pulled out the spinning spice rack, filled with spices. I could definitely use that. Attached to the top was a butterfly charmed necklace on a thin silver string.
I pulled it off, looking at it closely. "It's pretty," I commented, "You're so sweet Choji."
The boy turned light pink under my praise and looked down. "I asked my mom what she thought," he tried to dismiss, but I didn't let him.
"It was sweet," I insisted, and the boy didn't object further.
Hinate's gift was next, set in a small white box without paper. I took it from her, pulling the lid off. Inside lay a pair of sturdy, black leather gloves. When I looked up at her she was looking down.
"For your hands," she managed, drawing my attention right there.
At ten years old my hands were calloused and scarred thanks to the work I did. Cuts from wires and knifes, burns from fire and electricity combined with callouses brought on by my practice with ninja weapons had them far from smooth and covered in scars, criss-crossing the thin digits.
"Thank you," I hugged the girl, startling her into turning bright red. She was so cute. Adorable child. Absolutely adorable.
All eyes turned to Sasuke who stared back at everyone.
"What?" he asked, sitting back, "I made the cake."
We stared at him before Naruto broke the silence, giving a shout.
"Sasuke you jerk! You can't go to someone's party and not give them anything!"
Sasuke bristled immediately. "I gave her a cake!"
"That's difr'nt!"
"Is not!"
"Is so!"
"Is not!"
"Is so!"
"Is not!"
"Is so!"
"Is not!"
"It doesn't matter you lame brains!" I shouted above the argument. It did not good as it had already dissolved into a fist fight, one that Naruto was losing badly. I brought my new goggles up over my eyes and dove into the fray.
Somehow we managed to drag Kiba in with us while Choji, Shikamaru and Hinata watched on.
For my birthday Sasuke gave me a toxic cake and split lip.
I didn't care, by the time all was said and done everyone was sleeping over, camped out in one of the only three parts of my house not covered in my projects, the living room. By then it might as well have been Sasuke and Naruto's bedroom.
My friends crashed around the room, Naruto and Sasuke had curled together on one end of the couch, both sporting black eyes. Choji lay back on the opposite end, Shikamaru leaning against him as pillow, completely hidden under the fleece I had tossed over them. Hinata had taken up the only solo chair, snuggled under a cotton blanket. I was in the middle of the couch with Kiba, leaning against him as he leaned against me, Akamaru curled up between us.
I watched my companions, people I had grown to love beyond character infatuation and into true friends, true family, moon light streaming through the thin curtains. The light lit their faces softly and I smiled to myself, snuggling under the afghan with Kiba and allowing my eyes to close.
This life was pretty good.
The words that escape a friend's mouth are "I'll be there when you say you need me" but the words that are unheard from a true friend's heart are "I'll be there... whether you say you need me or not." - Unknown
