A/N: Yeah, I know I promised this birthday fic, like, forver ago. But, for some reason, I just couldn't get it right. I still don't really like it, though. I didn't want a fic like the other birthday fics, I just don't know if I pulled it off. I might do another one, in more of a Team 7 fashion...but for now, this is what you have to deal with. Apparently my SasuNaru muse abandoned me for other SasuNaru writers. Lucky them.
Oh, and xemorockprincessx: I swear I didn't forget about your last idea, I'll try my damnest to start it soon.
One-Shot #22
October 10th
October 10th.
If Naruto could hate a day of the year, that day was it. Everything that the village hated him for, everything he hated about himself, it all had something to do with that day.
Of course Naruto had questions about it all. One of the biggest being: why me? But, at the end of the day, the worse day of his life, he chose to ignore it even existed. Why celebrate it when no one wanted him to anyway? Why celebrate the day he became the most hated child in Konaha?
So, in the end, he decided to hide in his tiny apartment, hoping to just sleep until it was over. Sleep until the sun came back up on October 11th and everything would be okay. Why not? It was a pretty good idea, to Naruto. It's not like turning sixteen was that important anyway, right?
Sakura and Ino sat in a small tea shop, sipping their different favorite flavors, talking about what they were planning on doing at the festival that night.
"Think Sasuke will be there?" Ino wiggled an eyebrow.
"What's it matter? He's not interested in girls, remember?" Sakura frowned into her tea cup.
"I think he just said that to get rid of us."
"No, I think he was serious." Ino just raised an eyebrow. "Think about it, Pig. He'd never even so much as looked at a girl, but boys…boys he seemed to always take an interest in."
Ino thought for a second before raising her eyes to meet Sakura's. "I…I think you might be right…"
The sound of someone entering the tea shop alerted Sakura, making her look up to see who it was. "Speak of the devil."
Ino spun around in her seat to take a long look at Sasuke. "Damn, gone for two and a half years and he's still the hottest man in Konaha."
Sasuke's eyes met their gaze and he began walking toward them. "Girls."
"Hey, Sasuke. You going to the festival tonight?" Ino asked, batting her eyes.
"Probably not. Actually, I was looking for Naruto. Apparently no one has seen him all day."
"Well, no one will…" Sakura mumbled.
"Explain." Sasuke's voice had urgency in it. Sakura took a deep breath, setting her cup down.
"Today is his birthday, remember? The reason he's so hated to begin with. He never comes out on his birthday…"
"You'd think that after he's saved this town, everyone would just kind of give it up…" Ino sighed before continuing. "My family gave it up…so have half the other ninja's families. I'm sure if he'd just try…"
"He won't." Sakura stated. "He's too afraid. Not that I blame him."
Sasuke's only response was an 'hn' before walking back out the shop.
"Still not a man of many words, huh?" Ino smirked.
"Nope, probably never will be…" Sakura sighed, picking up her tea cup once again.
In order to dodge the villagers, which still hated him even a year later, Sasuke used the rooftops to make his way to Naruto's small apartment. He'd been there many times; usually just to wake the dobe up when he was late for training. For some reason, however, Sasuke's stomach was a bundle of nerves and butterflies this time. He'd just wanted to make sure the idiot was okay, right? Then why feel so nervous about it?
He knocked a couple of times, but quickly understood that Naruto wouldn't answer. He wouldn't want the villagers to know he's home. So, instead, Sasuke quickly picked the lock and slid his way in. The apartment, he noticed, was cold and dark. But the blonde was easy enough to find, lying there on his couch, sleeping as if he'd passed out there. His body was sprawled out, his television blazing.
Sasuke walked up to him, getting about an inch away from his face before growling out 'Dobe!' The blonde sprung to life, nearly punching Sasuke in the face, limbs flailing madly.
"What the f-"
"Calm down, dobe. It's just me." Sasuke's cool tone echoed through the tiny apartment as a smirk tugged at his lips.
"What is wrong with you? I could have filleted you with a kunai right now!"
"Well, if you don't want me here…"
"I didn't say that. I just said you scared the shit out of me…" Naruto turned his face, trying to hide the faint blush crossing his cheeks. He hated feeling vulnerable around Sasuke, and he probably always would. It was just something about him, something that drove Naruto nearly insane. "Did you need something, Sasuke?"
"Nah, just wanted to tell you Happy Sixteenth Birthday, Dobe." Sasuke collapsed on the couch next to Naruto, focusing on the television.
"Oh, well, thanks, teme." Naruto's blush deepened a little.
"It's payback. You visited me in prison to tell me happy birthday. It's only fair."
"Oh, well…you still didn't have to." Naruto rubbed the back of his head, slightly embarrassed. "I mean, this day is…well, usually no one remembers…"
"You're not evil, Naruto." Sasuke caught Naruto a little off-guard with his statement, as Naruto's mouth went slightly agape. "They just need to realize it. And they will, sooner or later."
Naruto smirked, gazing lazily at Sasuke as he spoke. "Thanks, Sasuke. You have no idea how much this means to me to hear you say that."
Sasuke smirked, laying his head back. "Hn."
Naruto chuckled lightly, kind of liking this new and improved Sasuke. "You gonna stay all day?"
"Hn."
"Is that a yes?"
"Hn."
"You're impossible, bastard, just impossible."
"Whatever, loser." Sasuke smirked, turning his head to get a good look at the blonde next to him. "Did you want something special for your birthday?"
Naruto pondered it for a minute, taking in his current situation. "Nah, this is perfect." The smile on his face satisfied Sasuke for the moment as he turned his attention back to the television. "Want to watch a movie?"
"Hn."
"Well, I'll take that as a yes, since you won't give me an actual word."
"Just be glad I say anything to you, dead last."
Naruto just smiled as he got up and walked toward his movie collection. This was promising to be a birthday he would never forget. Ever.
Just some implied SasuNaru, nothing major. And, you'll only see it if you squint with a magnifying glass. So, I guess you could say this is more of a friendship theme. But, hey, Naruto's hot, Sasuke's hot, it's a win-win no matter what they're doing. :snicker: Alright, kids, get your minds out of the gutter.
