Birthdays had never been a really big deal for Naruto- maybe because he hadn't really celebrated them as a child, what with not having a family to do so with. To him, they were a way to count the days away to kinda important things. Things like when he was able to go to the pool alone, driving, ability to get a job without some kind of permit, and finally, drinking. Anything past that, he didn't much care. Just that he could finally do those things—the birthday itself didn't even matter.

He didn't really think that they would ever be big deals, actually- and it didn't really occur to him that other people might try to do something special- something nice and thoughtful.

Of course, the first birthday he spent with Sakura (and not just as close friends) put an end to that belief.

"You shouldn't even worry about it, Sakura," he told her. It was still a few weeks off, and she was stressing already. What cake did he want, where did he want to go to dinner, what did he want as a present? Things that he'd never really considered, nor had to. "It's just a birthday."

From her seat on the couch, she scowled at him. "Bullshit it's just a birthday! It's your birthday and it's gonna be special and… And think about it! You'll be able to drink! You'll be an adult! You'll be legal!"

He smirked. "Like that stopped you before."

He barely dodged the pillow thrown at his head.

"Naruto, shut up and answer the question."

He had to bite back a groan. "And what was the question again?"

"Where do you wanna go for dinner?"

"Some place with food."

This time, he didn't dodge fast enough.

She eventually managed to coax out answer from him—at least a few. Enough to plan the day so that she was content to leave him alone. A couple of days before the actual 'big event,' he found himself being dragged (well, he would have gone anyway if only to not face the boredom and loneliness of remaining home alone) to the supermarket, for both groceries and the picking of the cake mixes. Well. Kind of.

She really just grabbed something and he nodded his approval before even looking because cake was cake and he'd always eat cake.

But what he didn't expect was the improvised Tupperware container (which was a rectangle in shape which made it even more interesting) mixing bowl with the massive amount of batter from two cake mix boxes, and the threats of being beat if he didn't get his fingers out of the batter.

"Uzumaki Naruto, I swear if you put your hand in that bowl I'll beat you with the mixing spoon." The threat came just as the thought had popped into his mind, and he looked around the corner of the kitchen at her as she sat in front of the TV.

"It's actually more of a box," he corrected, a grin on his face.

"Touch it and you're on the couch."

That night they barely managed to stay up until midnight, but she was the first one to tell him happy birthday—at least in person. If the Facebook wishes didn't count, that is. Damn time zones.

And though he doesn't remember saying it, that probably meant the world to him because no one had ever bothered before.

She took him to dinner that night too—and though he was reluctant to let her pay without even helping, he knew it was special to her for whatever reason, and made no protest. It was nice—they drew on the tables and talked about random things, and really, it felt like a normal date.

Until the singing started.

But not for him, thank everything in existence. No, it would seem that two other patrons also shared his birthday—and were forced to wear a very obnoxious hat, get photographed in said hat, and then sung to by a crowd of waiters.

Basically public humiliation at the expense of the birthday holder, and for the amusement of the family who told the staff about the 'special day.'

"Oh man, I thought that was for me and I almost flipped out," he laughs lightly after someone right behind her gets the hat of shame.

Immediately he regretted his words, when he saw the mischievous glint in her eye.

"I should tell them."

Naruto froze.

"No, don't. Please, don't please please Sakura please no Sakura-chan please," he pleaded, whispering under his breath so as to avoid the attention of the dispersing waiters and waitresses.

"I dunno, Sunshine. Eighteenth birthday is kiiiiinda big," she said levelly, her voice only minimally raising on the words 'eighteenth birthday,' making him flinch and flail his hands across the table at her.

"SHHHHH not so loud please no that's awful why would you do that?" he squawked lowly, his levels of distress rising.

She only smirked, and carried on normal conversation, until threatening repeatedly throughout the dinner to inform their waiter of the event, just to watch him squirm.

Much to his relief, she didn't forsake his pride, and they left the restaurant hand in hand.

The cake came later, and its massive size alone was intimidating to the blonde. With three layers of thick chocolate goodness with bananas and nutella glazing between each and buttercream icing coating it sparingly, the creation was very impressive. And the pride she held in herself for making it made it seem all that more important.

They didn't make a big deal of it—no candles or singing or anything like that, and he honestly wasn't sure if he didn't like that more. So they ate in a fair amount of silence, in which he was barely able to eat half of the portion she had served him, and by habit they went to bed after for lack of anything else better to do.

And though the last mention of his birthday was a soft 'happy birthday,' as he snuggled down close to her, he knew that he would remember it always. Because she had given him a day more special than anything he could have imagined, and every small gesture made meant the world to him and touched his feelings in ways he couldn't describe. So he smiled contently, and hugged her tight, settling down into the happy feels and warmth she provided.