A/n: Hegh hegh sorry for the long waits in between my updates really I am but there is more and more things happening around me... anyway to those of you who have been pointing out errors in my fanfic that's great and all but I really can't do much about that. I really don't have the time to go back and fix the tiny errors in the past chapters. Also if you do point out my errors please don't insult me or the beta. No ones perfect and I know I'm probably the worst speller in the universe but really there's no call for telling me my beta and friend is an idiot. This long rant is really not so much about the people point out the errors so much as how you do it. However if you wish to offer advice please offer advise that I can use in the future not pointing out things that I did in the past. Thank you
12..12..12..12..12
(Please read A/n at the top)
Naruto raised a hand to push open the door and...
"GAAAA!" a loud "gasp" came from Narutos left. He turned to look and there was Haku... holding a piece of wood. "Sheesh, you don't have to yell..." Naruto said, poking a finger into his ear.
"Well I'm just not used to people coming out of the closet," Haku retorted.
"Heh heh, sorry... but I saw a hole in my kitchen wall and I thought it was a rat..." Naruto said sheepishly.
"Nope, no rats, Snowflake did it," Haku replied.
"The rabbit?"
"Yeah."
"Ok. Oh, here, I got the recipe for you... why did you want it, anyway?" Naruto asked, handing him the card.
"Well... I... wanted to try the chicken." Haku sounded slightly unsure of himself. Sakura at this moment walked in carrying a box.
"So when...err, hi N-Naruto, what are you doing h-here so soon?" She sounded panicked and tried to hide her box behind her back. Naruto pretended he didn't notice.
"I was about to patch up that hole for you," Haku interrupted, trying to distract him while Sakura slipped away. Haku then put the piece of wood over the hole and finally put a laundry hamper in front of it to keep his rabbit from causing any more damage in the area.
"Haku, are you going to the festival tomorrow?" Naruto asked, changing the subject and trying to sound cheery.
"I don't know yet," he replied.
"I'm not going," Naruto said, "but I'll tell you where to find me if you need me. I never really like the festival. Too loud. Anyway, I will be atop the tallest tree closest to the fourth Hokage's head on the monument."
"Ok," Haku nodded, looking slightly confused.
'I have a feeling I know what my teammates are up to,' Naruto thought. Aloud, he asked, "Do you need my help with anything else?"
"No, it is all right, I have enough help... BUT MAYBE YOU SHOULD GO THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR TO GO BACK HOME NOW," Haku hollered out the door. Naruto took the hint and got up to leave. 'Yep, just as I thought... a conspiracy.' Naruto chuckled to himself. 'Haku may be good at hiding, but he needs more work on covering up for things like this. On his way out, Naruto saw Hinata and Lee also in Haku's house, not to his surprise. "When did you two get here?" Naruto asked innocently, raising an eyebrow.
"WHY, WHEN YOU WERE GETTING THE YOUTHFUL RECIPE, OF COURSE!" Lee shouted. The youthful genin was still wearing the outfit from earlier, a light green collared shirt with dark green track pants, much to the relief of all spandex-fearing folk.
Sakura hit him. "Quiet down! THERE ARE PROBABLY PEOPLE TRYING TO SLEEP!!" she shouted, ignoring her own advice.
"You going to leave or what dobe?" Sasuke asked exasperatedly from the wall he was leaning against.
"YOSH-" Lee started to yell before Sakura cleared her throat. "Yosh! That is very unyouthful, but that is what makes you a worthy rival!" Lee exclaimed in a slightly softer tone, fire in his eyes.
"Don't worry N-Naruto you can get home and…. take a rest…" Hinata said. Naruto sighed in defeat, went home, and went to bed, shaking his head at the obviousness of his friends' behavior.
The next morning Naruto awoke to the sound of the parade celebrating the "death" of the Kyuubi. He sighed. Some things just didn't go as planned. 'Damn... I was dreading this. Because I got to the wave mission about a week early we got back a week early and I didn't miss this...' He stared out his window at his destination. Although in the past he would have sat atop the fourth Hokage's head, now he preferred to sit overlooking the mountain.
He plotted out the easiest way to get there and, once dressed, followed his usual route, jumping from roof to roof and avoiding all the people. He quickly reached the tree and was in his spot in no time. He summoned out Kyuubi so he could at least have someone to talk to. The leaves and branches on the top of the tree made good camouflage, and he was guaranteed a good amount of privacy, since the only clear opening through the greenery was down from the mountain.
Naruto idly shuffled the cards he had brought. "Your pick," he said to the fox.
"Go fish?" Kyuubi replied while sharpening his claws on one of the nearby branches.
"As long as you don't cheat this time."
"Sure... take away all my fun..."
"I still don't really understand why he didn't tell any of us," Sakura said as she walked out of a shop carrying a bag. She had recruited assistants in the forms of Shikamaru and Choji. While the latter went along cheerfully enough, the former slouched along, wishing he was cloud-watching.
"Maybe he j-just doesn't want to make a big deal out of it?" Hinata asked, playing with something in her bag.
"Makes sense to me, all of this is too troublesome..." Shikamaru said, looking up at a cloud slowly moving past.
"What?! Are you kidding me? It's an excuse to eat ice-cream and cakes." Chouji said between mouthfuls of chips. He would never understand why anyone would give up a chance at free food.
"So anyway..." Sakura said pointedly, glaring at the boys behind her, making the two gulp. "Once we get the last of this up Hinata, you and Haku get Naruto and bring him back to Haku's apartment and that's when we'll get him." Hinata nodded and they continued on.
"Hey, yeah! That looks really good!!" Sakura said, turning to examine what Hinata was doing. "Put that up a little higher so it's flush with the doorframe," she said to Haku. "Sasuke!! That's soooo perfect!!" she cooed, causing him to sweat drop'I'm just putting cups on a table,' he thought somewhat disbelievingly. "I put the cake in the fridge!" Iruka yelled out. "All right!" Sakura called back. She was supervising everything, a general in charge of her worker-minions, making sure everything was perfect.
Sakura then turned to Shikamaru, the only one of her worker-minions not actually working. "I don't exactly know why you're here but you could help!" she scolded.
"I'm here because our team had the day off and I do not want to spend it with Ino," he replied, opening an eye.
Sakura sighed at the laziness, but was determined to conscript him. "You could blow these up..." She handed him some multicolored balloons. Shikamaru sighed deeply and began blowing them up... slowly... Once he tied the balloon (slowly) he looked up to Sakura, who was still hovering over him.
"Why are you getting so crazy over this? I thought you hated him," Shikamaru said with a yawn.
"Well, yeah, I do, but still I love parties and this is as good an excuse as any to have one! That and the party was actually Hinata's idea." Sakura then went off over to the table to tell Sasuke what a good job he was doing.
Within a few hours, everything was set up and Haku and Hinata went to find Naruto. "So you know w-where he is, right?" Hinata asked, looking around the dimly lit patch of forest they were in.
"Yes. We just need to find... well, that, actually," Haku said, pointing to the tree Naruto told him of earlier.
"Wow it's so beautiful... is that him there?" Hinata asked, gazing at the large tree and peering through the leaves.
"It very well might be, or just a shadow of the leaves," Haku replied.
"Got any twos?"
"Nope, any jacks?"
"Damn," Naruto said, handing them over.
"Heh... oh, by the way there are a couple of your friends at the bottom of this tree."
"...Damn."
"Well, I'll leaf you to it then…"
"Please stop with the tree jokes," Naruto asked, exasperated.
"Why? Am I barking up the wrong one? Should I go out on a limb and say yes?"
"I really hate you at the moment..."
"Why, am I getting into a shady area?"
"I really hate you..."
"Quit being such a sap."
"Quit it!"
"You should see a psychiatrist and get to the root of your anger problem."
"Fine then, do whatever you want, but I'm going to leave now."
"Aww, and here I thought I was starting to grow on you."
Naruto growled as he jumped down from his spot. Hinata looked up in time to see Naruto jumping down right in front of her. "I guess it was him." Haku said. Hinata looked as if shed just been shocked a bit of red crept out from her cheeks. "So what is it you guys are here for?" Naruto asked, smiling as much as possible. "We would l-like you to..." Hinata trailed off… "come back to... Help...me... Err…"
Naruto blinked and looked up: the sun was setting in the distance and he guessed it was about 4:00. While he was 'distracted', Hinata and Haku had a quick consultation. "Maybe we should have thought over a p-plan before w-we came..." Hinata whispered. "Choose paint colors?" Haku finished in a hurry.
"Choose paint colors?" Naruto asked raising an eyebrow. Haku and Hinata nodded some what nervously. "Ok...um, sure?"
"How bout a light blue?" Naruto asked, a hand on his chin.
"Perhaps a nice red?" Haku replied, keeping the conversation going.
"Well, for a kitchen, h-how about green?" Hinata said, looking down to the sidewalk.
"Yeah, then it'll look nice with the bathroom," Naruto nodded. "Well, we can decide which exactly when we get in there, right?" There was a pause, while the three stood outside the door of Haku's apartment. Naruto stifled a grin as he heard various rustlings and murmurings coming from behind the door. "Um, Haku?" he finally asked.
"Yes?"
"It would be easier to get in once you unlock the door..."
"Oh... Sorry." Haku retrieved a key from his pocket. "I WILL OPEN MY DOOR NOW!!" he said, a little louder than necessary. As Haku fiddled with his door, the rustlings from behind it abruptly stopped, then a few crashes were heard, then finally an expectant silence.
A small click was heard when the key had unlocked the lock. Haku opened the door to darkness and stepped inside, followed by Naruto and Hinata. Suddenly (and completely by surprise…really) a light came on and everything came to life, accompanied by various shouts. "SURPRISE!" "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" "woo..." "Zzzz…" pop
Naruto blinked - or rather, twitched - at the set up in front of him. "Err…" he started but was cut short.
"I saw y-your birthday marked on your c-calendar and..." Hinata trailed off.
"I'm actually surprised Kakashi just popped in almost on time!" Naruto said in amazement, causing everyone to turn to the perpetually-tardy teacher.
"YOU'RE LATE!" Sakura screamed.
"I made it just as you all shouted surprise," Kakashi said, smiling under the mask.
"You were supposed to be here to help set up, then to help surprise him!" Sakura said angrily.
"But he was almost in time," Sasuke said in amazement staring at a dot on the ceiling.
"Yes see now wasn't that surprising?" Kakashi asked, eye crinkling.
"I give up..." Sakura said and sat down next to a sleeping Shikamaru.
Choji was starting to get into the chip bowl and had at least one of every snack on the table on his plate. Someone had stuck a party favor in Shikamaru's mouth so when he exhaled it would unravel, stick out straight and make a noise. Amazingly, he managed to continue sleeping even through the noise. Sasuke was grumbling in a corner wearing a pointed hat that no doubt Sakura had made him put on. Kakashi had taken to helping hold up the wall (a very necessary task) while reading his beloved book. Lee was trying to help Sakura get up from where she had collapsed next to Shikamaru. Hinata was by Narutos side, twiddling her fingers around a wrapped up box with a bow. Haku had gone to the kitchen with Iruka to get the cake.
Hinata finally gathered up enough courage and handed the box to Naruto, blushing more than ever. "You shouldn't have Hinata..." he said, looking down at the little box, "the party was enough..." Naruto unwrapped the little box to find a first aid kit with ointments and other things that would definitely come in handy.
"I know h-how hard you train y-yourself and I know how b-beat up you get so I thought that t-this would help you out…" Hinata stammered, looking down at her feet.
"Thank you," Naruto said with a soft smile. Before Hinata could look up, she felt his arms slink around her waist, pulling her into a hug. When she did look up, in surprise, Naruto kissed her on the forehead. Instantly she turned red and slumped over, passing out yet again.
"Wow, you're a real lady killer," Sasuke said, smirking.
Narutos eye twitched. "Is it everyone's goal today to drive me insane with bad puns?!" Naruto asked the ceiling, getting some weird looks from the people there. The ceiling did not reply.
"Maybe you should let her lay down?" Kakashi said, freeing up the nearby couch. Naruto placed the red faced girl down on the couch, scratching the back of his head. 'I really hope she gets over that soon…' he thought. It was then that the cake was brought out with its candles lit and the chorus of "Happy Birthday" started, with everyone joining in. Minus Hinata, who remained passed out on the couch. And Shikamaru, who, when someone kicked him, almost inhaled the party favor stuck in his mouth and was too busy choking to sing.
After the singing Naruto was given a present that was signed from everyone: a ramen gift card with enough on it for a month's supply easily, even for Naruto. After that, everyone just talked (or slept) for the remainder of the night. Sakura, tired from her valiant efforts to organize everything, had fallen asleep on Lee, who was ecstatic that his love was touching him. Sasuke looked at the two with an almost relived expression. After awhile, people started leaving after helping to clean up. Lee awoke Sakura as carefully as he could before moving. Hinata had awoken on her own and had gotten another thank you from Naruto before leaving. Kakashi had put away his book and moved to awaken Shikamaru by pushing him until he opened his eyes. With a yawn and a stretch, he, too, was soon gone.
Only team 7 was left. Kakashi cleared his throat, getting his team's attention. "So then, I guess I should be off. I want to meet you on the bridge at 8 tomorrow, all right? That includes you, Haku; now that you're settled you should be able to come too." And with that he jumped out the window.
"He does realize that that is about a ten story drop right?" Haku asked staring out the window Kakashi left from.
"If he is at the bottom of the building in a heap tomorrow you'll know," Sasuke said in a monotone.
"Well I guess I should get going... Sasuke would you walk me home?" Sakura asked, lacking her usual exuberance when talking to Sasuke.
Sasuke sighed. "I will walk with you until we need to go in different directions," he stated. Which meant to the street corner. Soon they too left. Haku had gotten some lettuce out of the fridge to give to his rabbit Snowy as he said goodbye to Naruto.
As Naruto closed Haku's door behind him, he heard a voice say "Well, that was interesting..."
Naruto glanced over his shoulder to look at the person in question. There stood Tsunade, smirking. "Heh heh, they gave me a surprise birthday party, and I learned that Haku can make almost anything sound disturbing..." Naruto said, thinking back to one of the conversations he had with him that night.
"Well, you're making friends a lot faster this time."
Naruto nodded. "So I take it you wanted to wish me a happy birthday too?" he asked.
"Yes, and give you this." She held out a box that was about an arms length long. Naruto opened it and smiled. "Thanks" he said sincerely.
In the box was a cape almost exactly like his father's, as well as Tsunade's necklace. "Since I know you can already do the Rasengan I'll give you that as well." Naruto nodded his thanks. "See you later, brat." And with that she was gone.
12..12..12..12
So there we have it chapter 12. I'm soooo sorry for taking so long to update but there are two things that are preventing me from the computer 1. School self explanatory and 2. My dad is home for the winter meaning he sits on the computer not moving for a couple of months. He rarely gives it up and we have to check for signs of life now and then. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and if you haven't already READ A/N AT TOP k? Ta ta for now!!