Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Chapter 14

October 10th

Naruto woke before the sun rose. He blinked a few times and glanced out the window next to his bed. The sky was completely dark, save for a faint glow in the east. He groaned and turned over, burying his head back in his pillows. After a few moments, he tossed on his other side. Another few moments and he sat up with a snarl. He didn't actually need to be awake for another few hours, and he didn't want to be awake either, but he knew sleep was a lost cause. The restless agitation that had kept him up half the night hadn't lessened any and was, in fact, worse.

He yawned and stretched, then ran his hands through his hair, rubbing at his scalp. What was this feeling? He let his hands fall to his lap and chewed his lip. Nervousness? It was kind of like that, but it was…sharper somehow. It was more than just nervousness, but not as much as fear. Anxiety, then.

He growled a little and threw his sheet aside as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Well, it didn't matter what it was; it was keeping him awake and it sucked. He stretched again when he stood and made his way to the bathroom. Since he was up, he could watch the sun rise and get a little training in before he had to get ready.

A few hours later, Naruto eyed his reflection in the mirror, a satisfied grin on face. He looked good, if he did say so himself. He was wearing his black and orange yukata, since he didn't have any other festival-worthy clothing, and his hitai ite was in its usual place on his forehead. The thin cotton of the yukata was more suited to summer than fall, but, like he had told his father, he almost never got cold. Besides, the sun was chasing away the pre-dawn chill.

His grin faded and he sighed. He still had time to kill before he needed to meet Jiraiya, and he couldn't just stare in a mirror. The early-morning training had helped relieve his agitation, but now that he wasn't occupied with that or getting ready, it was starting to creep back. He needed something to do, or someone to talk to...

An idea struck him, and his grin returned full-force.

He headed to his front door, but stopped with his hand on the knob. Two heartbeats were approaching. He smiled and waited until he felt them stop in front of his apartment. "Hey guys!" he called, yanking open the door.

Just as he had hoped, he'd caught them in the process of knocking. Lee stood with one fist raised, and Tenten was on his left and a little behind him. They both looked surprised. But then Tenten smiled and Lee pointed at the blonde in the doorway.

"I should have known you would know we were here, Naruto-kun!" the green-clad ninja cried. He made a fist again and pressed it into his chest. "But one day, I will surprise you! If not, I will perform six hundred one-fingered push-ups!" He held his pointer finger up for emphasis.

Naruto laughed, and Tenten rolled her eyes and smacked Lee in the shoulder. "That's ridiculous, Lee," she admonished. "For several reasons."

He turned wide eyes on his teammate. "But, Tenten-"

"Anyway," Tenten smoothly cut him off, turning to Naruto. "Happy birthday, Naruto-kun!"

Lee looked back to the blonde standing in the doorway, smiling. "Yes! Happy birthday, Naruto-kun!"

Naruto blinked at them. "You…came to wish me a happy birthday?" he asked, completely taken aback.

Tenten nodded and Lee exclaimed, "Of course! Oh, and to give you your present!"

Naruto blinked again. "Present?"

Tenten rolled her eyes again, this time at him. "Yes, present, silly." She nudged Lee with her elbow.

"Ah, yes!" Lee dug in his vest pocket for something, found it, and presented it to Naruto with a flourish.

It was a small envelope with his name on the front. He looked curiously at the two before opening the flap and sliding out the card inside. He stared, his mouth falling open and his eyes wide. He looked up at his two grinning comrades, then back at the card. Then back at the pair. "A-Are you s-serious?" he stammered.

Tenten laughed and Lee gave him his best thumbs-up, teeth-sparkling smile. "Yosh!"

Naruto looked back at the card, ghosting one thumb over the surface in awe. It was an all-you-can-eat coupon from Ichiraku Ramen.

He turned a blinding smile on the two on his doorstep. "Thanks guys! This is the best present I've ever gotten!" And it was. His mother never celebrated his birthday, and Jiraiya's gifts always consisted of hellish days of training on new jutsus. He wasn't even sure those 'presents' really counted, as much as he liked learning new things. Was it a gift if he could barely stand by the end of the day?

He remembered his manners then and gestured behind him. "Do you want to come in?"

Tenten waved him off. "No, that's ok, thanks. We just wanted to drop that off. Tell us when you want to redeem it, alright?"

He nodded. "Thanks again, really."

"You're welcome. Come on, Lee." The brown-haired kunoichi grabbed her teammate by the arm and started hauling him away.

"Farewell, Naruto-kun!" Lee cried. "Perhaps we will see you after the parade?"

"Sure! See you then!" Naruto waved after the retreating figures, who waved back and disappeared around the corner.

He grinned and slid the card back into its envelope. "Sugoi," he whispered, turning it over and tracing his name with one finger. His first birthday present from…from friends. He shut his door, still staring at the envelope, then pumped one fist in the air and spun in a circle. "Sugoi!"

He placed the envelope almost reverently on his kitchen table and left his apartment, locking his door behind hum. Somehow, his anxiety had been soothed by the brief visit, but he still didn't want to just sit around.

Uchiha Itachi sat on a comfortable cushion, sipping some tea and idly leafing through a few letters of complaint from clan members. As the Clan Head, it was his responsibility to sort out internal disputes, no matter how inane he found them to be. The Uchiha had taken a serious blow to their numbers and their pride eight years ago, but they were regaining both. It was a slow process however, and some of the survivors took out their pain and frustration on each other.

Itachi understood; he felt the same sense of loss every time he walked the streets of the compound–so much emptier now then when he was a child–or when his gaze fell on the only picture of his mother he had kept. He just wished his fellow Uchiha found another way to deal with it besides getting into arguments over property boundaries and kids' pranks. Although, he supposed it could be worse. They could be plotting another rebellion.

The sound of a sliding screen and swishing fabric told him Sasuke had finished getting dressed, and he let the corners of his mouth lift in a small smile. His little brother. The only thing that he loved in this world more than his village. He would have destroyed his entire clan with his own hands to keep him safe, had it been necessary. When he looked at Sasuke, the pain diminished and he found it much easier to think of a bright future rather than dwell in a dark past. Not that Sasuke didn't have his own problems of course…

His otouto entered the room, clad, just like Itachi was, in a black kimono with green Leaf symbols on the chest, shoulders, and back.

"Onii-san," Sasuke spoke, the slightest hint of annoyance in his tone.

Itachi turned to face him, lifting one thin eyebrow in question. "Yes?"

"Have you seen my zori?" The annoyance was stronger and Itachi suppressed a chuckle. His brother hated asking him for help.

"No," he replied and set his tea and the letters down on a black-lacquered tray. "Foolish little brother," he said as he stood and faced Sasuke. "Where did you put them last year?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. He hated Itachi's favorite nickname for him, which is, of course, why Itachi continued to use it. "Where I always put them," he said.

"But they aren't there now?"

"No."

"Then you must not have put them there."

"But I did," Sasuke insisted. "Where else would I have put them? And I haven't touched them since." Which was true. Sasuke didn't go near the guard uniform for the entire rest of the year. He preferred to keep it stored away–out of sight, out of mind–in the very back of the remotest closet in their house.

Itachi allowed a chuckle past his lips, much to Sasuke's displeasure. "We'll find them," he reassured, and gestured for Sasuke to precede him out of the room. They'd only gone a few steps, though, when there was a knock on the front door.

Itachi waved at his brother. "Look in the closet again. I'll answer it."

Sasuke hmphed but complied and Itachi headed for the door. Before he was even halfway there, he knew who it was. That chakra was unmistakeable. Another small smile graced his lips as he opened the door. "Ohayou, Uzumaki-san."

His brother's teammate beamed back at him, looking like a shot of summer on this fall day. "Ohayou, Itachi-san!"

"Please come in," Itachi said, moving back to allow the blonde teen to enter.

"Thanks!" Naruto stepped up onto the tatami with bare feet, leaving his sandals facing the door.

"Would you like something to drink?" the elder Uchiha asked, leading the way to the room he was sitting in previously.

"No, thank you," Naruto replied, settling himself gracelessly on a cushion.

"To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?" Itachi asked, sinking much more fluidly onto his own cushion.

"Oh, I just got ready early and I thought I'd come see if Sasuke was ready. I figured I'd walk to the gate with him." He grinned.

Itachi smirked a little. "How very thoughtful of you." Sasuke could complain about his new teammate all he wanted, but Itachi thought the blonde was good for his little brother. "Unfortunately, he has misplaced his sandals. We are in the process of searching for them."

Naruto laughed. "Lost his sandals, huh?" he questioned with a twinkle in his eye.

Itachi smirked. Naruto would tease Sasuke about this mercilessly.

The blonde jumped up from his place on the floor. "Well, I'll help too!" he exclaimed.

But the words had barely left his lips when Itachi heard the soft pad of footsteps and Sasuke appeared.

"Hey, Sasuke!" Naruto greeted enthusiastically.

The younger Uchiha crossed his arms over his chest. "Naruto. What are you doing here?"

Naruto grinned. "Helping you look for your sandals."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "No need," he said shortly. "I found them."

"Where were they?" Itachi questioned.

Sasuke looked away and his older brother could detect the barest hint of a blush on his cheeks. He mumbled something that may have been "the closet."

Itachi smirked. "The closet? Really?"

Sasuke looked back at him, his eyes flashing. "They were in some box! I never put them in a box!"

Itachi blinked at him. "Oh yes. I remember now. I reorganized that closet."

He relished the way his otouto glared at him. It was so much fun to tease Sasuke. And Itachi knew he could count on one hand the ninja that would dare do it, unfortunately. Itachi was just glad he could get some kind of reaction from his brother. Sasuke hid his emotions enough as it was. It reminded him disturbingly of himself.

"Since that crisis is resolved," the elder Uchiha said, ignoring both his brother's glare and Naruto's laughter, "we have time for tea before we leave."

The ceremonial guard that surrounded the Hokage in the festival parade was generally made of the two top ninja from each rank. The jonin had been Kakashi and Itachi for the last ten years. The chuunin had been Sasuke and Neji for three, ever since they were promoted. The genin usually changed every year; this year they were Uchiha Isamu and his teammate, Hyuuga Hanabi.

The guard met the Hokage at the east gate, so the three young men made their way through the village, Sasuke and Naruto walking side by side in front of Itachi. They were taking as many back streets as they could to avoid the crowds gathering along the main parade route. They would have just taken to the rooftops, but the formal outfits were more restrictive than their normal ninja garb. So they were stuck with walking.

The back streets weren't entirely deserted, however, and it didn't take too long for Naruto to notice the villagers' behavior.

Itachi could see it, in the way he kept glancing from side to side. He was still talking and laughing as usual, but his eyes were darting between Sasuke and the civilians. And those blue eyes were narrowing further and further. Finally, he walked out of his shoe with a loud "oops!" Sasuke rolled his eyes and muttered "dobe" under his breath, while continuing on. Naruto grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head while hopping around comically on one foot to get his lost sandal. As Itachi passed by, conveniently close, the blonde shot out his hand and grabbed the older man's arm.

"Help me out, please, Itachi-san?" he begged in a very convincing voice. Itachi obediently stopped walking and let Naruto lean on him while he went about putting his shoe back on. By this point, Sasuke was several yards ahead–out of earshot, but not so far that they couldn't see him anymore.

"I commend you on a brilliant performance," Itachi commented, his voice low. He knew the only reason Naruto had done any of that was to talk to him without Sasuke hearing or suspecting they were talking about him.

Naruto flashed him a smile from his half-bent over stance, still pretending to fiddle with his shoe. But then his face grew deadly serious. "Is it always like this?" he asked.

Itachi sighed. "Aa," he replied, "although it's always at its worst on this day."

"No wonder he never wants ramen," Naruto muttered as he straightened and glanced around again.

Itachi followed his gaze to the groups of villagers huddling together, staring at his brother as he walked down the street at a stately pace, head held high, face blank and eyes focused on the air in front of him, not deigning to glance at any of the people he passed.

Yes, it was always like this; had always been like this. When people noticed Sasuke coming, they got out of his way, giving him a wide berth so he always had an empty space around him, no matter how crowded the street might be. Some bowed to him as he passed, others whispered to their friends. Mothers held their children tightly so they couldn't approach the jinchuuriki, whether out of fear or misguided reverence made no difference.

And they all stared. They all watched him until they could no longer see him with fear and awe, and the occasional flicker of anger, written plainly on their faces. He couldn't ever just blend into the crowd, be one among many. The fact that he was different was forced on him every time he went out in the village whether he wanted it to be or not. He handled it like he had since that night; by ignoring it and retreating into the proud, cold shell he'd built. And it broke Itachi's heart, because he remembered the smiling, playful boy Sasuke used to be.

Naruto growled low in his throat, startling Itachi from his reverie. He glanced at the blonde and was surprised at how angry he looked. His fists were clenched at his sides. "Idiots," he muttered fiercely. "How would they like to be stared at like some damn animal in the Daimyo's menagerie?" Itachi blinked. It was a surprisingly apt comparison. "Why can't they see...he's no different from them..." His voice was a whisper, but Itachi heard him clearly none the less.

Itachi lifted one brow slightly. "But he is, Uzumaki-san."

The blonde suddenly faced him, his mouth pressed into a thin line and his jaw clenched. His eyes were incredibly intense, boring into Itachi as if they could see his soul. "He's not," Naruto hissed. "He's not different at all. Not really." He jerked his head towards the villagers. "They don't understand what it means to be different."

"And you do?" the elder Uchiha asked, intrigued by how the blonde was reacting to the situation.

The younger ninja narrowed his eyes, but Itachi could see the deep, haunting loneliness there nonetheless. He recognized it because he had seen such a look in his brother's eyes before.

A five-year-old Sasuke stared forlornly at him from a swing, where the young Uchiha sat alone, one small hand clutching at his stomach. "Nii-san, why won't the other kids play with me? Is it 'cause of...you-know-what?"

A seven-year-old Sasuke stared desperately up at him from a cocoon of blankets, eyes red and puffy from crying after his first day in the Academy. "N-Nii-s-san, Gorou s-said…he said I'm a m-monster! It's not true, r-right, nii-san? I'm j-just a c-container, r-right?"

A twelve-year-old Sasuke stared coolly at him from across the dinner table, after graduating top of his class. "Tch. I'll probably get stuck with Sakura. She's just like all the others."

Naruto looked away without saying anything, but Itachi didn't need him too. That look had been more than enough of an answer.

Itachi felt a slight pang in his chest. Because, as much as he loved his brother, as much as he wanted to be there for Sasuke, there were some things he didn't, couldn't understand. And somehow, this boy beside him did. He understood Sasuke's pain better than Itachi did and that hurt just a little. But he was glad at the same time. He knew the blonde would be good for his brother.

Suddenly, Naruto flashed him a grin, the strange intensity gone and replaced by pure mischief. The blonde took off after the younger Uchiha, clattering down the street in his fantastically bright yukata like a clown. "Hey, Sasuke! Wait up!" he called.

The dark-haired teen didn't break stride or acknowledge the blonde in any way, but Itachi could see how his shoulders stiffened slightly and he chuckled to himself. Then Naruto caught up with him and slung one arm around his neck, pulling his teammate into a headlock and causing Sasuke to stumble.

"Damn it, Naruto!" he said, struggling to get free.

"Ne, Sasuke," Naruto said, grinning like a fool and ignoring the stares from the shocked villagers. "I'll bet I can get to the gate before you."

"Hn. Idiot." Sasuke shook free and carefully smoothed his hair and straightened his clothing. "I'm not racing you."

Naruto shrugged and laced his fingers behind his head. "Fine," he said, strolling away.

Sasuke caught up to him and Naruto walked a little faster, so he was ahead of his dark-haired teammate again. Sasuke increased his pace until he was beside the blonde. Naruto sped up again. Sasuke sped up to match it. Soon enough, they were running down the street, Naruto laughing and Sasuke growling.

Itachi saw what Naruto was doing, whether he meant to or not. He was drawing all the attention, both Sasuke's and the villagers', and getting his teammate through the gauntlet of the village faster. The elder Uchiha allowed himself a rare laugh. Oh, yes, the blonde was good for his brother.

Kiba scowled at the four pots sitting on Kurenai-sensei's table. Three held plants. One didn't. His.

He looked away and crossed his arms over his chest. This was stupid.

"Kiba." Shino's smooth voice interrupted his silent grumbling, and he glanced at the dark teen. "I am certain Naruto-kun will appreciate your gift. It is wonderfully decorated."

As usual, it was impossible to see the Aburame's face or hear any nuance in his tone, but Kiba hadn't been his teammate for four years for nothing. He glared at the bug-user before he turned away with a huff. He was certain Shino was making fun of him.

Just because he'd waited until the last minute, and then hadn't been able to get a plant like the rest of them...

He hadn't wanted to do the plant thing anyway. Couldn't they come up with something cooler than that for Naruto's birthday? Sure, the blonde had mentioned he liked plants, but...honestly, plants? Naruto'd said he liked training too; couldn't they get him some personalized shuriken or something?

Kiba thought Shino at least would back him up, or have equal trouble getting a plant. But no. The Aburame had to show up at their sensei's apartment with a quite beautiful offering. The end of each of the plant's stalks had multiple small flowers growing in concentric rings. Each ring was a different color: yellow, orange, red, and pink. Shino said it was lantana and it would attract butterflies. Of course. Leave it to Shino to get something like that.

Hinata had gotten an aloe plant. She said it was easy to take care of, and when it was bigger, she could show Naruto how to make a healing salve out of it. Kiba'd been in such a pissy mood, he hadn't even teased her when she blushed.

Kurenai had repotted one of the pretty red flowers she grew in her own window box.

Which left Kiba. All he had managed was a terra cotta pot, which he'd painted red triangles on, and some potting soil. But it wasn't his fault!

...Well, it was, for putting it off, but he'd been planning to swing by the Yamanaka's flower shop yesterday morning, which should have been plenty of time. But then his mom had wanted his help fixing the leaky spot on the roof, and his sister, Hana, wanted his help with some of the new puppies, and Kiba knew better than to not give a hand when the females in his family asked for it. But by the time those tasks had been accomplished, the flower shop was closed.

And he was reduced to scowling at his pathetically empty pot.

Hinata patted Kiba on the arm. "Kiba," she started. "Shino is right. Naruto-kun will appreciate your gift. You can tell him you wanted him to choose the plant himself."

Kiba's scowl deepened. That didn't really make him feel better.

Kurenai just chuckled and went into the kitchen. "Here," she said when she returned, handing him a small pot and a tiny trowel.

He looked at the leafy green plant, then back to her. "What is it?" he asked.

"Cilantro," his sensei replied. "It's an herb used in lots of different foods, including noodle dishes. You can replant it in your pot."

He blinked once before grinning at the dark-haired jonin. "Thanks Sensei!" he exclaimed. "I'll get you another one, I promise!"

She just laughed again. "Sure, Kiba," she replied.

Once he was finished, and feeling much better about the whole plant thing, Kiba grinned and scratched Akamaru behind the ears. It was time to get to the parade.

Naruto wound through the crowds, making his way towards the Hokage Tower and the spot where Jiraiya had said he'd be. He was sure he'd beaten Sasuke to the gate, but Kakashi, who was there with the Hokage, said it had been a tie. Again.

And Sasuke insisted he wasn't racing. Again.

Heh. The Uchiha was obviously in denial.

Naruto stumbled a little and focused on the ground in front of him. He wished, not for the first time, that his yukata wasn't so hard to run up walls in. Otherwise, he'd have long ago taken to the rooftops. Though, he was a little shaky right now and jumping around at great heights probably wasn't the best of ideas.

It hadn't taken long for Naruto to get used to the everyday roar of heartbeats and thrum of energy in the village. It was always there, but he didn't pay attention to it unless he was looking for someone specific.

But today, with everyone crammed into a much smaller area than usual and hearts beating just a little faster in excitement, it was a hell of a lot harder to ignore. He felt awash with a sea of energy, and it made his head spin and his skin tingle. He wondered if this was what being drunk felt like.

As he came closer to the Tower, he could pick his sensei's heartbeat out of the cacophony, strong and steady and as familiar as his own. He focused on it, using it as an anchor to keep him from floating away.

He was so intent on reaching his goal, and not falling flat on his ass in the process, that he walked right into someone.

He just caught a glimpse of the woman's startled gray eyes before he bowed. "Gomen nasai!" he apologized and rubbed the back of his head. "I wasn't-"

"Naruto-san!"

He looked to the side and down.

"Kouta-chan?"

The young Uchiha was wearing a forest green kimono and holding the hand of the woman Naruto had just run into. He waved vigorously with his other hand. "Hi!"

"Kouta," the woman said, her voice gently chiding. "Introduce me to your friend."

"Oh, yeah!" Kouta straightened and took on a serious demeanor. "Kaa-san, this is Uzumaki Naruto. He's a new chuunin. Naruto-san, this is Uchiha Hiroko, my mother."

He grinned at the end of his recitation.

Naruto smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Hiroko-san."

She had the same dark hair as her sons, though hers had streaks of silvery gray. She wore a charcoal-colored kimono patterned with silver maple leaves interspersed with the Uchiha crest. Her face held the same aloofness that Sasuke's did, but her eyes were warmer.

The woman gave a tiny smile back. "Likewise."

Naruto glanced around. "Where's Isamu-kun?"

Kouta answered. "He's in the Hokage's guard this year with Itachi-sama and Sasuke-sama! Do you know what that means, Naruto-san?" he asked excitedly.

Naruto shook his head, bemused.

The young boy held up three fingers. "There's three Uchiha in the guard! Itachi-sama said nii-san was bringing honor to our Clan!" Kouta was obviously extremely excited and very proud. "And you know what else?"

"No, what?"

The young Uchiha puffed his chest out. "When I'm a genin, I'm gonna be in the guard too!"

Naruto rested his hands on his hips. "You'll have to work hard to reach your goal," he said, mock seriously.

Kouta nodded. "I will!"

Naruto chuckled and ruffled the young Uchiha's dark hair. "Then I'm sure you'll do it, Kouta-chan."

Hiroko smiled fondly at her youngest before turning her gaze on Naruto. "Would you care to watch the parade with us, Uzumaki-san?" she asked.

"I would, but I'm already meeting my sensei. Thanks though!"

"Of course."

"Well, I gotta go. It was nice meeting you! Bye, Kouta-chan!"

"Bye!"

And with a quick bow, he was gone in the crowd again.

After the parade–which Naruto enjoyed–and the Hokage's speech–which Naruto tried his best to enjoy–Kakashi appeared and asked to 'borrow' his blonde student for a few minutes. Jiraiya just smirked and waved them away, saying he'd see Naruto that night. Kakashi then ushered the young man over to a fairly empty corner of the courtyard in front of the Hokage Tower, where his other teammates were standing.

He waved, and Sakura waved back, smiling. The kunoichi looked very pretty in a calf-length dress that shaded from white to a deep pink at the bottom. She held out a carefully wrapped package when Naruto halted in front of her. "Happy birthday, Naruto-kun," she said.

He blinked at her and broke into a blinding smile. "Thanks Sakura-chan!" He took the gift and tore into the wrapping enthusiastically. It was a medic kit, small, but obviously packed by hand instead of store-bought. He didn't really need it for himself, but he could always use it to help someone else. "Thanks," he said again.

Kakashi was next. His eye crinkled and he held out a small scroll. "For missions away from the village."

Naruto took it with a confused look and unrolled it. Twelve small storage seals were painted on the paper. He set it on the ground and channeled a little chakra into the first seal. With a poof of smoke, the contents appeared.

He gasped and picked up the orange and black container gently, like it was a holy relic. "Ka-Kakashi-sensei," he murmured, awed.

Sakura frowned down at him. "It's just instant ramen," she stated, sounding confused.

He turned disbelieving eyes on her. "It's not just instant ramen!" he declared fervently. "It's Golden Delicious Pure Heart of Fire Ninja Way Ramen! The best instant ramen in the world!" He turned back to the Copy Nin. "Thanks Kakashi-sensei!"

"You're welcome," the Copy Ninja replied.

Naruto resealed his gift and tucked it away with the medic kit. He realized Kakashi and Sakura were staring at Sasuke, who'd been watching everything with an impassive expression. Sasuke only crossed his arms over his chest and stared back.

"Didn't you get Naruto anything?" Kakashi asked. He sounded amused.

Sasuke turned his head away. "Hn."

Kakashi chuckled and looked back at Naruto. "The Uchiha don't always remember important occasions, but when they do give gifts, they are very... special." He was still grinning, but he seemed distant. Naruto wondered if he was thinking about his old teammate and the Sharingan eye hidden under his hitai ite.

Sasuke just glared at nothing.

"Well, happy birthday, Naruto, and I hope you enjoy the festival today!" Kakashi continued, as he pulled his orange book out of seemingly nowhere. "Ja ne!"

He disappeared with a little wave, leaving the three chuunin in a semi-awkward silence. Naruto smiled brightly and decided to fill it. "Do you guys want to come to the festival with me? I was gonna meet up with Bushy Brows and Tenten-chan, and maybe some of the others. We could all go together!"

Sakura glanced at Sasuke, but shifted her gaze back to Naruto quickly. "Sure." She smiled.

Naruto grinned back. "Sasuke?"

The Uchiha just stared coldly at him. "No."

"Come on, Sasuke! It'll be fun."

Sasuke's jaw tightened. "No."

"Sasuke-"

"No!"

The word was hissed with such venom that Naruto was momentarily taken aback, and Sasuke took advantage of his silence. "I hate this fucking festival. I hate this fucking day! I've already been paraded around in front of the whole goddamn village! What in that thick, stupid skull of yours makes you think I would want to prolong that torture?"

It was, maybe, the most Naruto had ever heard his dark-haired teammate say at once, and even though it was angry and insulting, he thought it was an improvement. "You can't keep hiding forever," he replied.

Sasuke looked shocked, but only for a minute. His eyes narrowed dangerously. "I'm not hiding, usuratonkachi," he snarled.

Naruto matched the look, not about to back down. "What do you call it then, jerk?"

Sakura broke in, looking worried. "Naruto! Don't insult Sasuke-kun. Sasuke-kun, maybe you should-"

"Urusai!" Sasuke hissed, not even bothering to glance at the pink-haired kunoichi. "Stay the fuck out of this, Sakura. You don't know anything, and your voice only annoys me."

Sakura jerked back like she'd been slapped, and Naruto felt his own anger bubbling up. It was one thing for Sasuke to insult him, but to insult Sakura when she was only trying to help...

"Teme!" he growled, hands clenching into fists. "Leave Sakura-chan alone! I don't care if you hate this day; you don't have to be such an asshole!"

Sasuke's eyes widened and Sakura gasped. Naruto hadn't ever been quite that insulting before, but he didn't feel the least bit bad about it. Sasuke deserved it.

Sasuke opened his mouth to retort, but snapped it shut when a figure suddenly appeared next to him.

"Here you are, Sasuke," Itachi said smoothly. "Is everything alright?"

Sasuke's face became a blank mask. "Everything's fine," he bit out.

"Good. Shall we start home? Unless-" Itachi paused and swept dark eyes over the other two chuunin "-you were going to accompany your teammates to the festival?"

"No, goddamn it!" Sasuke's mask shattered, and Naruto swore he saw his normally-black eyes flash red.

Itachi seemed completely unperturbed. "Very well, little brother." He turned to Naruto and Sakura. "If you will excuse us."

"O-Of course, Uchiha-sama," Sakura stuttered. "W-We'll see you tomorrow, Sasuke-kun." She managed a small smile.

But Sasuke had already turned away, striding through the crowd that parted before him in a wave.

Naruto just gave a stiff nod, eyes on Sasuke's back, anger and sadness forming an uncomfortable knot in his chest.

Itachi simply dipped his head in farewell and followed his brother.

Sakura watched Sasuke and his brother depart, feeling hurt and sad and angry. She clenched her fist. This was not how today was supposed to be. And it was Naruto's fault.

Sakura rounded on her blonde teammate and smacked him in the head, hard.

"Owww, Sakura-chan!" he exclaimed, rubbing at the spot. "What was that for?"

"How can you say such mean things to Sasuke-kun?" she demanded angrily. "You pushed him too hard! It's no wonder he got upset!"

"Maybe so," Naruto retorted, "but that doesn't give him the right to take it out on you. He was being a bastard. What's wrong with calling him one?"

The kunoichi stared at him in disbelief. "Because he…he's…" She took a breath and tried again. "He's a hero. He protects us all by keeping the Kyuubi imprisoned. For that alone he deserves respect! But he's also a genius ninja and an Uchiha! He is next in line to be the head of a prestigious clan that's been here since Konoha was founded! He's one of the last in the village to possess the Sharingan!"

"So what you're telling me," the blonde replied, pinning her with his sapphire gaze, "is that Sasuke deserves respect because of a demon, a clan, and some freaky eyes?"

Sakura gaped at him, not expecting the question or the intensity with which it was asked.

Naruto continued. "What if he didn't have any of those things? Would you still respect him?" He cocked his head at her. "Would you still like him?"

"Of course I…" she started, but trailed off. Something about his look seemed to pierce right through her, and she had the impression that she couldn't lie, even to herself. Would she still like Sasuke, if he didn't have those things? It was for those reasons she'd been told to respect him, all her life, despite the fact that he was a cold jerk.

"You have no idea how hard it is, Sakura-chan, to be seen only for what you are, rather than who you are," her teammate said softly. "Sasuke may be a hero and an Uchiha and all of that, but he's also a human being. You should start treating him like one."

Silence. She didn't know what to say.

Naruto sighed and looked away. When he looked back, he was smiling as though nothing had happened. "Let's go find Bushy Brows and the others. I know they're around here somewhere." He sauntered off and it took her a few moments to make her feet move after him.

Naruto ghosted down the narrow alleyway, leaving the noise of the crowds behind him. He'd had fun with his fellow chuunin–eating festival food with Chouji, playing games with Kiba and Lee, and dancing with the kunoichi, though it took a combination of him pulling and Kiba pushing to get Hinata out on the dance floor. The Hyuuga heiress turned out to be a really good dancer, which wasn't too surprising since she was so graceful. But he still didn't understand why she had turned red and sat down when he told her so. Maybe she'd gotten overheated again.

He shook his head and smiled as he turned a corner. Yeah, he'd had fun today, but he couldn't help but think that it would have been more fun if Sasuke had been there. Though, as he spent more time at the festival, he understood better why his teammate had been so dead set against going.

The villagers, apparently, stared at Sasuke when he was around and talked about him when he wasn't. The young Uchiha was a favorite topic of conversation, along with the Yondaime, the Sandaime, and anybody else that had died sixteen years ago. It wasn't hard to overhear them–they weren't bothering to keep their voices down–so he had a good idea of what the villagers thought.

Most seemed to understand that Sasuke and the Kyuubi were separate beings, but they were afraid of the young jinchuuriki just the same. One man had called the Uchiha 'creepy' before a second man shushed him, glancing around nervously like Sasuke might pop out of the bushes any minute. The second man then proceeded to lecture his friend on how Sasuke was a hero and deserved respect, blah blah blah. It was almost the exact same speech Sakura gave, except the man recited the words like a mantra, as if the Uchiha was a temperamental god that had to be placated lest he unleash his wrath on the village.

Naruto couldn't stand it. It wasn't pitchforks and harsh words, but it was just as alienating.

It was a small consolation that the villagers' more negative emotions weren't directed at Sasuke. No, their anger and hate was concentrated solely on the inhabitant of the Uchiha's body. As the day progressed and more alcohol was consumed, more violent outbursts occurred. One particularly angry group had made some rather nasty remarks and lit a Kyuubi effigy on fire. Naruto had merely kept up his grin, despite his squirming stomach, and gotten as far away from them as possible before ANBU showed up. He didn't want to think about what they would do to him if they found out the truth. Maybe they'd try to light him on fire, which would be ok, actually...

His father had warned him about all this. Naruto knew what today would be like, but still, he'd had enough. So he was using back streets and alleys, away from the throng, to get to the Hokage's residence. His father said they'd have a quiet family dinner for his birthday; just himself, the Yondaime, and Jiraiya, and he was really looking forward to it.

He stopped at an intersection, trying to remember which way to go. He didn't have all the twisty side streets of Konoha memorized yet. As he gazed around him, a flash of red caught his eye down the alley to his right. Curious, he made his way towards it.

It was paint, peeling off of two large pillars with two crossbeams set atop them. Torii. The gate framed the entrance to a path, with more gates lining it and old, gnarled trees flanking them. All the torii had been painted the same brilliant shade of red at one time, although now they were peeling and faded.

Naruto smiled. He knew what this was. He started down the path.

Soon, two stone statues came into view, one on either side of the entrance to a small, single-story building. His smile broadened as he laid a hand lightly on one, tracing the features carved in the stone. A jewel placed under a front paw. Teeth bared in a snarl, or a grin–Naruto was never sure which. Ears perked, listening for their master's commands.

The kitsune of Inari.

This was a shrine to the kami of rice, agriculture, fertility, and various other things.

His mother's voice sounded in his head. "Why are you here?"

He had been three when he found the small shrine by the side of the road they were traveling and, enchanted by the statues outside, he entered. There was no resident priest; he was alone when his mother found him.

"There are foxes, okaa-sama!"

His mother sighed. "You know that most of these shrines are dedicated to spirits that don't exist."

He shrugged. "Aa…but…" He wasn't sure how to articulate the feeling he got from being in the shrine and his mother probably wouldn't understand it anyway.

"But you are half-human. And humans need to believe in something. I know." She sounded annoyed.

He looked at the floor. He hadn't meant to annoy her. "Gomen, okaa-sama," he said in a small voice.

She sighed again and reached to ruffle his hair. He looked at her in surprise. She hardly ever showed affection. "It's ok, Naruto. Come on."

The memory faded and Naruto looked around for the purification fountain. It was small and only held one ladle, but the water was clean. He dipped the ladle in and carefully rinsed his hands, then his mouth. That being done, he stepped up to the entrance, digging for a coin to throw in the offering box. He went through the ritual of bowing and clapping, and finally struck the gong. It looked old and worn, like the rest of the shrine, but it was polished and shiny nonetheless. He offered a simple prayer and turned to leave. He liked to visit shrines, but he never stayed long. He had learned more about them since the day he had first entered one. They were places of purity, and he suspected he was fundamentally impure. No amount of hand washing and mouth rinsing could change what he was. He just hoped the kami didn't hold it against him.

A heartbeat approached him from the right, slowly, calmly, and he paused in the small open space between the offering hall and the path. The person who rounded the corner of the building was an older man, maybe in his 60s, short, white-haired. He was probably the shrine priest. Naruto smiled at him.

"Konban wa, jiji-san."

The old man smiled back. "Konban wa, gaki."

Naruto gave a small laugh. He liked this guy.

The shrine priest was watching him curiously. "Forgive me for asking, but why are you here?"

Naruto tilted his head, surprised by the question. "To pray. Why else come to a shrine?"

The old man chuckled. "No, I meant why come to this shrine? Especially on this day?"

Naruto was confused. "Why not?"

"You're not from Konoha, are you?"

Naruto shook his head. "I've been here a little over a month."

The priest nodded. "Well, that explains it. You see, ever since the Kyuubi attack, most of the people of Konoha have avoided this shrine. I'm sure you noticed the…state of disrepair it is in."

Naruto frowned. "But Inari-sama has nothing to do with Kyuubi-sama."

The priest nodded. "That is so, but Inari-sama's messengers are foxes, and anything associated with foxes is anathema to the citizens of Konoha."

Naruto shook his head a little. "Well, I know better, jiji-san." He started down the path. "I'll be back."

The old man smiled. "I look forward to it."

Minato waited patiently in his living room for his son to return from the festival. Dinner would be ready in about ten minutes; enough time for Naruto to open his gifts first. Minato's gift, encased in a small wooden box, was placed neatly on the table in front of him. He hoped Naruto liked it. He hoped it made up for, in some small way, his inability to acknowledge his own son on his birthday.

Minato felt guilty. He had really, really wanted Naruto to be in the guard. His son was, truthfully, the strongest chuunin he had. He was probably stronger than many of the jonin, too. He deserved to be in it.

Not to mention the fact that he just wanted his son to walk beside him, as a sort of unofficial acknowledgement.

But they couldn't afford the risk. Naruto had remained fairly anonymous thus far, but that would change if the Hokage invited him to be in the guard. Minato would have been, literally, parading him around in front of the entire village and proclaiming him as a top chuunin barely a month and a half after he arrived. Which would have only drawn unwanted attention. He was no fool. He knew that the other villages had their civilian spy networks, just as Konoha did, and that festivals were ideal times to pick up information. No, he couldn't be so blatant. Even though he wanted to.

A knock on the door announced Jiraiya's arrival. Minato didn't bother to get up, knowing his sensei would just let himself in, which he did a moment later. He entered the room bearing a large, flat wooden box of his own.

He smiled at his elder student. "You're looking more comfortable, Minato," he remarked.

Minato chuckled. He'd changed out of the formal robes the instant he'd gotten back to the Hokage residence. Now, he simply wore his dark pants and a dark blue uwagi shirt with a white wave design around the bottom. "I am," he replied.

Jiraiya carefully placed the box he was carrying on the table next to Minato's present and settled into a chair opposite his student with a small sigh. "So, we're just waiting for the guest of honor, eh?"

Minato nodded.

"The gaki was looking forward to dinner," Jiraiya commented. "He's never really had a birthday party." He chuckled. "Which is my fault, of course."

Minato smiled. He knew about Jiraiya's habit of gifting Naruto with new, difficult, jutsu on his birthday, and Naruto's habit of working on them till he literally dropped from exhaustion. But his smile faded as he thought of the birthdays he had missed. So many years he could have been with his son, watching him, helping him grow into the amazing young man he was. It hurt his heart.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked quietly. "Why did you ever make that promise?"

The Toad Sage knew what Minato was talking about. He sighed. "I didn't trust him," he said bluntly. "Even after he told me about the ring. I pretended I did, but it would be easy enough for an enemy to get ahold of that information. Hell, Kushina could have been an enemy herself. She disappears, completely, for eight years, and then this child shows up, looking exactly like you?" Jiraiya made a dismissive gesture. "I'd have been a fool not to be suspicious. Naruto is the perfect trap for a man that can't be caught except by his heart. So, it was easy enough to promise not to tell you. Hell, if Naruto had turned out to be some sort of spy, I'd never have told you."

"It was a test," Minato said. "When you told him you knew who his father was, you were testing him."

Jiraiya nodded, deadly serious. "One of many. A spy would want to know everything they could about you. Of course, so would a son who'd never met his father, so it wasn't definitive. But he never wavered. Even the very day we arrived in Konoha."

"And if Naruto had failed your tests?" Minato asked quietly, though he knew the answer. He knew.

Jiraiya rose and moved to stand in front of him. He rested a heavy hand on the blonde's shoulder. "I think of you as my son," he said gruffly. "I'd never allow you to be hurt in that way if I could help it."

Minato closed his eyes and pressed down hard on his sensei's hand. "I'm glad," he said, his voice choked. "Glad it didn't come to that."

"Me, too."

Minato cleared his throat and looked up as Jiraiya went back to the chair. "So, it took four years for you to trust him?"

"Aa." The Sannin's smile was wry. "And by then I'd made a promise, to a gaki who had become my grandson. I couldn't go back on my word. But I could write to you about my new student." He sighed. "I know it's not the same. I'm sorry for that."

Minato sighed at the genuine remorse in Jiraiya's voice. Damn it all, he couldn't stay mad at his sensei when he was only trying to protect Minato. He shook his head. Maybe Kakashi was right; he was too soft.

"I forgive you." He smiled a little. "Just tell me if you run across any more unknown offspring of mine, hmmm?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "Sure, sure, though I didn't know you took some of my more worldly advice, Minato." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Minato rolled his eyes. "Shut up, Ero-sennin." He was rewarded with an indignant huff from his sensei.

But before Jiraiya could say anything, another knock sounded on the door. Minato grinned and rose. His son was here, now, and that was the important thing.

"...And Shino-kun, and Hinata-chan, and Kiba, and Kurenai-sensei all got me these cool plants! And Ino-chan got me a certificate to her family's shop! She said she'd help me pick some stuff out. Oh, and Shika-kun and Chouji-kun said they'd take me out to dinner at this BBQ place! Chouji-kun said I'd really like it, even if it's not ramen." Naruto paused for breath and Minato chuckled quietly. His son could sure talk. "But the best gift was Tenten-chan's and Bushy Brow's. Do you know what they got me?" he asked, staring eagerly at his father's face.

"I have no idea," Minato replied.

"The new, limited edition Icha Icha, which is not only printed on waterproof paper and signed by the author, but includes a preview of the next volume?" Jiraiya asked with a grin.

Naruto scrunched up his face in disgust. "Bleh. No, Ero-sennin." Jiraiya laughed and Naruto continued. "An all-you-can-eat coupon to Ichiraku's!" he crowed.

Minato laughed. "That sounds great, Naruto," he said. He glanced at Jiraiya. "We have gifts of our own, too."

Naruto blinked at him, then Jiraiya, a slow smile spreading on his face.

Minato picked the smaller of the two boxes up off the table. It was rectangular, much shorter and narrower than the one Jiraiya brought, but deeper. He handed it to his son, who stared at the box with something like awe. "This is from me," he began. He gestured. "Go ahead."

Naruto carefully unhooked the latch and opened the lid. He gasped. Inside, on a bed of black velvet, lay a perfectly polished and sharpened tri-pronged kunai with a yellow seal tag wrapped around the handle.

He looked up at Minato, his face a blaze of happiness. The older blonde smiled. "You said you wanted one," he remarked.

"Thank you, otou-sama," Naruto gushed, gazing back at the kunai and brushing his fingers over the seal.

Minato reached out and ruffled his son's hair. "It's more than just a gift, Naruto," he said. "Consider it a promise, too."

His son glanced back up at him, brows drawn in confusion. "Promise?" he questioned.

Minato nodded. "Aa. I know that Jiraiya usually gives you jutsu for your birthday, but this year it's my turn." He nodded at the kunai. "You still have some sealing concepts to master, but when you're ready, I will teach you the Hiraishin."

Naruto gasped, and if possible, his smile grew wider. He set the box down quickly on the table and lunged at his father. "Thank you, otou-sama!" he cried, wrapping his arms tightly around Minato's neck.

Minato returned the gesture, his own smile bright. It was the first time Naruto initiated a hug with him. "Happy birthday, musuko," he murmured.

Jiraiya cleared his throat after a minute, reminding him someone else was present. "The other one is from me," he said gruffly when the young blonde settled back on the couch. "Though I don't think it's going to be as well-received," he mumbled.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head, but couldn't stop smiling. "Thanks, sensei!" he said. He pulled the larger wooden box towards him and opened the lid.

Inside was a bundle wrapped in blue silk and tied with an orange ribbon. He looked questioningly at the Toad Sage, who just waved at him to keep going. Naruto untied the ribbon and unfolded the silk.

His eyes widened. "Whoa," he whispered, reaching to touch his present from the white-haired man.

It was a royal blue kimono, with matching hakama and haori. The chest and back sported the spiral symbol that Naruto wore, in orange.

"Since you are settled now, I thought you could use some formal wear," the Sannin remarked. "There's zori too, in a separate bag."

Naruto fingered the fine silk, seemingly in awe. Minato knew he'd never had anything this nice in his life; at least, not since he'd been with Jiraiya. His son grinned and rose from his place on the couch. He moved around the table and hugged Jiraiya just as fiercely as he had Minato, though a little less spontaneously. "Thank you, sensei," he said sincerely.

Jiraiya smiled at him and ruffled his hair. Just then, a timer went off in the kitchen. Minato smirked a little as he rose to his feet. His timing was, as usual, impeccable. "Dinner's ready!"

Itachi sighed inaudibly as his otouto slammed yet another closet door. "If you tell me what you are looking for, perhaps I can help you find it," he said calmly.

Sasuke just snarled at him, dark eyes flashing, and stomped away to ransack another part of the house.

Sasuke had been in a worse mood than usual after the parade, and it hadn't gotten any better. Most years, he disappeared into one of the Uchiha training grounds when they got home, only returning when it started to get dark, and sometimes not even then. This year was no exception, but hours of physical exertion hadn't drained his anger like it usually did.

Itachi knew it was because of what had happened in the courtyard. While Naruto may have been a bit overzealous in trying to get Sasuke to come to the festival–miracles take a little time, after all–his little brother had also overreacted. And now, Sasuke felt guilty about it. Not that he'd admit that.

Still, the elder Uchiha wasn't sure just what Sasuke was doing, rifling through a set of cabinets in one of the lesser-used sections of their home. Suddenly, his brother stopped, staring at something Itachi couldn't see. He reached into the cabinet and pulled out a small wooden box. He knelt, setting it on the floor, and flipped the lid open.

Itachi's eyes widened. He remembered that box.

"Happy birthday, Sasuke," Fugaku intoned, handing his youngest a wooden box.

"Arigatou, otou-sama," Sasuke said quietly, accepting the present for his seventh birthday in his small hands. He set it carefully on the floor and opened the lid.

Inside was a bottle of oil, a neatly folded cloth, a powder ball, rice paper, and a small brass hammer. Sasuke probably didn't know what they were for, but Itachi did. He frowned internally. "I have not begun teaching Sasuke to use a katana yet, otou-sama," he remarked. They'd actually had a disagreement about it; Itachi didn't think Sasuke was ready and Fugaku wanted him to start anyway.

"I know," Fugaku replied icily. "But I'm sure you will soon. You said his shuriken and kunai skills have improved greatly."

Itachi bit back a snarl. That damn manipulative bastard. He was using his son's birthday gift to get his way.

"Y-You really said that, nii-san?"

Itachi glanced down and saw his brother's wide black eyes looking at him with a kind of wistful eagerness tinged with hope that made his chest hurt.

"Aa, otouto," he replied.

"So, you'll teach me to use a katana soon? Like otou-sama said?"

Itachi resisted the urge to grit his teeth. Damn his father to the lowest circle of hell. "Aa. Soon."

Sasuke smiled brilliantly at him, and he focused on that instead of the small, smug smile on Fugaku's face. Because, otherwise, he might just murder the man on the spot.

He'd kept his word and started training Sasuke to handle a sword a few months after that, but his little brother had never used anything out of the box. He just kept it on top of the chest of drawers in his room. Itachi understood. Fugaku didn't give either of his sons gifts very often, even on their birthdays, and Sasuke was too young to understand what was really going on. So the box was...special.

Until that night. Afterwards, it disappeared from Sasuke's room, along with everything else that had to do with their dead father, and Itachi thought Sasuke had gotten rid of it. Apparently not.

But why would he want it now?

There was a tiny flash of chakra, and the smell of burnt wood pervaded the room. Sasuke shut the lid and rose to his feet, heading for the front door.

Ah. Itachi understood now. "Is that for Uzumaki-san?" he questioned.

Sasuke stopped, his shoulders stiff. "Aa."

Itachi smiled a little. Kakashi was right. Special gifts, indeed.

He turned and headed for the kitchen. "I'm making tea, Sasuke." I'm proud of you, otouto. "Be back before it gets cold."

"I will." Arigatou, aniki.

When Naruto arrived at his apartment after dinner, he was surprised to find a small wooden box sitting outside his door. He hunkered down, stared at it from several different angles, sniffed it, and finally pushed a little chakra towards it.

Nothing.

Shrugging, he scooped it up and took it inside.

He set it on the kitchen table next to his other gifts, and sat down to examine it more closely.

In the light, he could see it was a very fine box, a little larger than the one his father had given him and decorated with intricate carvings of dragons and flames. He lifted the lid and his eyebrows rose.

Inside, nestled in dark blue silk, was everything he needed for the maintenance of his katana. And it was all high-quality stuff, the sort he'd never really been able to afford. He grinned, but then frowned. Who was it from?

The only scent he could pick up from it was charred wood, and, as his eyes roamed the box, he saw why. In the middle of the underside of the lid was a scorch mark. It was still fresh; when he rubbed at it, his finger came away black.

His frown deepened. He'd felt something, under the mark.

He glided a fingertip over the blackened area slowly, carefully. He did it three times, just to make sure.

Then, his face lit with a sunny smile.

A symbol had been branded into the wood, but the person who'd left the gift hadn't wanted Naruto to see it. They'd burned the area around it, erasing it from view. But the symbol was scored deeply into the lid, so there was still an unevenness between it and the rest of the wood. It was a difference in texture he could feel.

He traced the lines of the uchiwa again.

Thanks, Sasuke.

Author's Note:

I got a request to make memories more distinguishable, so I italicized them in this chapter. Did it work? Was it confusing? Please let me know, as there are going to be plenty more memory bits coming up and I want it to be very clear for everyone. Thanks!