Surface Breaker

by Shizuku Tsukishima749

-AU/Canon Divergence post-Shippuden 215.- When Naruto nearly dies at Sasuke's hands for a second time, he makes the decision to finally heed his dead master's advice and let Sasuke go. Healing and moving on are never easy, but luckily, Naruto has a whole village (and even those outside it) to aid and love him along the way.

17. Milestones: Part 3

A/N: Clarifications/explanations about some of Naruto's birthday presents can be found at the bottom! ;)

---

Naruto's next two weeks are full of tiring fun!

On top of healing and therapy, he trains like crazy (or at least as close as he's allowed). The second the rest of the Konoha 11 hear about his great time sparring with Team Gai and Konohamaru, they all want in! They spar with him every chance they get, a different team each time. Shikamaru came up with the seemingly random rotation, adjusting as needed, saying it would more or less simulate different kinds of battles in the field, where you never quite know what to expect. That way, Naruto would be as prepared as possible to come back to active duty.

At the same time, based on the results of his first week of his new sparring regimen and his charts, Tsunade clears Naruto to attend therapy three times a week instead of every day. Naruto's thrilled, and his friends are thrilled for him!

He's been sleeping harder with everything going on, making him harder to wake up in the mornings, but Shikamaru doesn't mind. He just lets him sleep a little longer, alternating between answering the Sand siblings' letters, always leaving space for Naruto to write at the bottom, and reading reports from the ANBU, Team Kakashi-Yamato-Sai (or Team Ex-ANBU, as Shikamaru's privately dubbed it), and Team Kurenai still attempting to find a trace of Sasuke and the supposed Madara Uchiha. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), the latter's results are always the same, a whole lot of nothing, and Shikamaru's seriously thinking they'll just have to let it go. Future threat or not, they've been chasing their tails for just over two months, and more importantly, he thinks it might be better for everyone that way, some more than others. They'll just have to be on high alert for anything out of the ordinary. Same as always.

This morning, however, is a little bit different.

Naruto wakes up to an empty room and a note on his nightstand. Yawning, he rubs the sleep from his eyes and reaches to read.

Naruto,

Sorry to leave so early, but I need to take care of a few things that can't wait. And because I know you, I'm gonna tell you right now not to worry. They're just some troublesome errands I've been putting off, that's all. Be back as soon as I can.

Shikamaru

Naruto snorts. Of course Shikamaru would leave the boring stuff for the last minute! That figures! And telling him not to worry, too! Naruto can't help but grin. What a guy!

Carefully folding the note, he slips it between the stems of the fresh flowers Ino and Sakura brought him just the other day. The get-well note from Ino's very first batch of flowers and Shikamaru's scribble from the day he brought him Ichiraku ramen are still nestled there, too. He probably could have taken them back to his apartment for safekeeping one of the times he and Shikamaru stopped by to get ready for training, but…well…

Naruto likes having them here. It reminds him that even when his friends aren't around, they're still thinking about him, still caring about him and loving him. It lets them be with him in spirit, and he can't ask for more than that. He really appreciates the thought that went into each of their gestures, more than he'll ever be able to put into words. He just hopes everything he gives back comes anywhere close.

His gaze flits to the window as a pretty bluebird flies by, singing as it goes. It makes him smile. Wherever his friends are today, whatever they're doing, Shikamaru and his errands, too…he hopes they're safe and having fun!

Shrrrrt!

And speak of the devil, Shikamaru slides the door open right at that moment and steps inside.

He does a double-take when he sees Naruto awake, a pleased smile crossing his face. He raises a hand in greeting. "Morning, sleepyhead!"

Naruto grins sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "S-sorry. I slept in again, huh?"

Shikamaru shrugs, walking over. "A little. Don't worry about it. Lady Tsunade said you're supposed to rest as much as you can before you go back on active duty, so I don't see anything wrong with you sleeping in." He winks teasingly. "You know what'll happen if you don't do what she says."

A shiver runs down Naruto's spine, and he nods, a few times. He knows better than anyone that he does not want to make Granny angry, especially about medical stuff! She'd totally murder him!

Settling down at Naruto's side, on the bed this time instead of his usual chair, Shikamaru looks at the nightstand where he left his note, glancing at Naruto's small bundle of well-wishes when he doesn't find it. He breathes a laugh. Figures he'd add it to the pile. Pretty soon, they're gonna need to find a storing scroll or something to keep them all in. The kid's just too popular for his own good…

Shaking his head, he grins Naruto's way. "I see you found my note."

Naruto nods, brightening. "Yeah, I did! Thanks a lot! So, did you finish those errands?"

Sitting back a little more to comfortably rest against Naruto's side, Shikamaru nods. "Mm hmm, just about. There's only one more thing left to do."

Naruto raises an eyebrow. "Oh, yeah? What's that?"

Shikamaru hums, then turns a soft smile on him. "Actually, that depends on you." Naruto blinks, and Shikamaru has to snort. This is gonna be good! "There's a personal project I've been working on the last couple months, and I already have everything else I need. You're the last piece." His smile ticks up in one corner. "So I was hoping, if you're up for it, you wouldn't mind helping me out for a few hours."

Naruto just stares for a few moments, then points at himself, eyes wide. "W-wait, you need my help? Really?" Shikamaru nods. Questions be damned, Naruto beams. If it's something Shikamaru needs him for, then it must really be something! "Are you kidding?! I'd love to help!"

Shikamaru can't help but soften, taking a moment to bask in Naruto's glow. He's the sun, all right. So warm and inviting without even trying. He beams right back. "That's great! Thanks s so much, Naruto! I really appreciate it!"

"Of course! Any time!" Figuring he should at least know something about whatever he's just agreed to, though, he pauses. "Oh! But, uh…" he tilts his head, "…why'd'ya need me specifically? I'm sure the others can help better than me..."

At that, Shikamaru just laughs and sends a warm smile his way. "That's where you're wrong." A heartbeat, in which he can't stop himself from melting further. He's well aware that he is putty in Naruto's hands at this point, but honestly, he couldn't care less if he tried. Nothing in his life has ever felt more right than standing steadfast at his side. "This is something only you can do, Naruto."

A sudden gust of wind from the open window tousles Naruto's hair in a way he swears is achingly familiar, and his heart skips a beat.

"This is a jutsu only you can master, Naruto…"

Naruto's expression morphs into something soft and bittersweet, and Shikamaru doesn't have any trouble reading between the lines. After all, Ino and Choji have told him he makes the same face about anything Asuma.

Knowing that, he can't help softening in kind, voice following. "Master Jiraiya again?"

Naruto nods, offering a small smile and a quiet breath of a laugh. "Yeah…" He looks toward the bright blue sky Pervy Sage loved so much. "When he was trying to help me get control of the Nine Tails, he said something like that, too. He told me it was a jutsu only I could master…" A beat, and his grin widens as he drives fist into palm. "And even though I failed back then, I won't let you down, Shikamaru! I promise!"

Shikamaru sputters a laugh. "Thanks, I guess," he ruffles Naruto's hair, making him lean into it all too happily, "but I wasn't worried. You're the last person I'd ever think wouldn't come through." Glancing at that same blue sky, he settles on matching eyes. "But for the record, I wouldn't call what happened with Master Jiraiya a failure."

Startled and confused, Naruto blinks. "You—you wouldn't?"

Shikamaru shakes his head. "No way." He nods toward Naruto's seal. "You said he was trying to help you force the Nine Tails into submission, right?" Naruto nods. "Well, through that, you learned force wasn't gonna work. So now, you're going about it a different way, your way, a better way that works for everybody." He shrugs. "Falling short of your original goal only to learn something even more valuable doesn't sound like failure to me."

Naruto hangs on every word, eyes wide and mouth forming a small 'o.' He gets it now. He hadn't thought of it that way before…! A slow, relieved smile overtakes Naruto's face, eyes practically shining with glee, and Shikamaru's overjoyed to see it.

"You're right!" It's crazy how much better he feels just hearing Shikamaru's take on all this! But then again, he should know by now! Talking to Shikamaru always makes everything better! "You're really amazing, Shikamaru! Thanks so much!"

Helpless in his fondness, Shikamaru just chuckles and shakes his head. "Hey, no need to thank me. I'm glad I could help you feel better. That's what I'm here for." He casts a glance at the clock and turns back with a grin. "So, what do you say, Uzumaki? You still up for helpin' me out?"

Naruto's beam blinds. "You bet!"

---

"Okay, you can open your eyes now!"

The moment Naruto does—Pop! Pop! Pop!—confetti poppers go off all over, and every single one of Naruto's friends, Shikamaru front and center, throws their arms in the air as they cheer, loud enough for the whole village to hear:

"Happy birthday, Naruto!"

And Naruto…

All Naruto can do is stand and stare, shocked and touched and in sheer disbelief.

The banquet hall Shikamaru's led him to is brightly lit with orange, yellow, and blue streamers strung everywhere, a rainbow and a half of balloons all over, too. There's easily the longest table Naruto's ever seen in the middle of the place, already laden with bowls that look suspiciously like Ichiraku's. There's a smaller round table next to it that's piled with so many beautifully-wrapped presents that Naruto can't even count them all. His heart stutters when he realizes, if this is a birthday party, and if it's for him, then those are all for…! He blushes to his ears, heart nearly stopping, he swears. Those can't…all be for—for him, can they…? There's…no way…!

The bright colors of the banner spanning the entire length of the hall catch his eye next, cheerily spelling out Happy Birthday, Naruto! in orange paint, a meticulously hand-painted chibi version of him, his Rasengan, and the Uzumaki symbol rounding out the middle and edges (Sai's handiwork, he can tell).

Finally, his gaze comes back around to all of his friends, every single Leaf man, woman, and child he's ever befriended over the years. They're all beaming at him, practically bursting with excitement and love.

At that last thought, Naruto loses his breath in a shaky, choked rush. His hands start to tremble, knees quickly following.

They did all this…for him…

Because, against any and all odds that have ever stood in their way, the village's or otherwise… they…they love him…

Tears rush in to blur his vision, hard and fast, the sudden lump in his throat only growing.

His birthday, October 10th…it's never been a good day. Certainly not something to celebrate. He's always known it as a day for mourning and hate, running and hiding and nursing (now-known-undeserved) wounds, wishing it never existed (wishing he didn't, when things got really bad). He remembers so clearly, those early years of watching village kids celebrate their birthdays with friends and family and wishing he had that, praying that would be him someday...only for any notion of such a thing to be beaten out of him, literally and figuratively, just as quickly. It didn't take him long to give up on it completely. He'd stopped wishing and hoping so long ago now, scarcely daring to entertain the thought. Even after forging the bonds he'd been so desperate for all his life, he never quite rekindled that spark.

So, now…something like this…!

He bites his lip white as tears start raining down. He never thought…! He never dared to imagine…!

But now…these people, all this…!

He can't take his eyes off of them, all these incredible friends that went to all this trouble and time and effort, all for him. They have no idea what it means to him. What gets him the most is, as much as he appreciates this like nothing else, he doesn't need this party or these gifts, not really. They are his most precious of people, all the present and party he'll ever need every single day of his life. As long as he has them, as long as he has people to love who love him just as much, he's content. Hell, he's happy, so much more than they can ever imagine. And they know him, so they must know that, too, and yet…they still…!

His shoulders are wracking with suppressed sobs by now, but he barely pays it any mind. There's no mistaking it. He's the luckiest person in the entire damn world…! He's not sure he's ever been this…this happy…!

With a strangled sob, his legs give out—

Only for a sure, safe warmth he'd know anywhere to catch him and press against his side in one smooth motion, carefully lowering him into the chair Kakashi slides in behind him.

All of it just makes Naruto choke back another sob, and Shikamaru smiles at him so gently, it hurts. "Easy, Naruto," he does his best to comfort, resting a calming hand on his shoulder. "Take your time. Just breathe. Everything's all right."

The others are concerned, but understanding, and they obediently disperse somewhat at Kakashi's silent hand sign to give him time. Naruto grits his teeth against further sobs, and he reaches to take Shikamaru's hand, threading their fingers together. A tiny whine slips from him, and he bows his head to rest the star of his face against the back of Shikamaru's hand. He needs something to ground him right now. Otherwise, he doesn't know what he'll do. He's still having trouble accepting that this is real, that he's not having some wonderful, but impossible dream. He doesn't know what to say, how to thank them. How…how can he ever…?

Watching him, Shikamaru can't help getting a little emotional himself, softening something fierce. Seeing Naruto do mental gymnastics over something as seemingly simple as a surprise party is breaking his heart, but he also knows that for someone like him, this is anything but simple. From what Naruto's told him about his past birthdays, he can only imagine the kind of things that are going through his head right now, and that alone is enough to clench his fists and send his heart into overdrive.

Going from nothing to something, to more than he ever thought he'd have, to all this…it would be a lot for anyone. But he knows that goes one hundredfold for someone like Naruto.

And that's exactly why Shikamaru wanted to do this. Hell, why he needed to do it. Nothing and no one were going stop him. He'd like to see them fucking try.

And really, knowing Naruto like he does, he's not surprised at all that he's crying, let alone so hard. To be perfectly honest, he fully expected it (hence why he asked Kakashi to be ready with that chair), and he's absolutely counting on the fact that he'll cry a whole lot more before the day is out. But he knows they'll be happy tears, if disbelieving and touched as hell, so it'll be worth it. Hell, it already is.

Overwhelmed right now or not, Shikamaru knows this is good for Naruto, too. Squeezing his hand, Shikamaru gets a little more comfortable, leaning his hip against Naruto's chair. It's fine if the weight of everything takes time to sink in. He doesn't mind.

There's nowhere else in the world he'd rather be.

Several minutes later, Naruto's just about himself again. He takes a deep breath through his nose and out through his mouth, once, twice, three times. Opening bright blue eyes, he looks around again. This still doesn't feel real, almost like he's in a daze or a genjutsu or something.

"You said…" He pauses and starts a bit at the sound of his voice, low and scratchy from all the crying.

"Hmm?" Shikamaru encourages with a raised brow, passing him some water in the same breath.

Naruto downs it in one go and clears his throat for good measure. "B-back in my room, when you asked for help…you said you needed to complete a personal project. You said you'd been working on it forever…" Naruto looks at him like he's seeing him for the first time for at least the tenth. "Was it…was this what that was? All along…?"

Shikamaru, arms crossed comfortably over his chest, just chuckles with a small, proud smirk. "You got me."

It's quiet for a long, pregnant moment, Naruto gaping at him with his heart in his throat, and then, barely above a whisper:

"Why?"

Shikamaru snaps to look at him so quickly, Naruto's afraid for his neck—but what makes him start is his expression like shattered glass. W-what'd he say?! He opens his mouth to apologize, yet doesn't get the chance.

"'Why'?" Shikamaru's voice is almost as soft as Naruto's was, his tone disbelieving in a way that Naruto can't wrap his head around, and that confusion suddenly couples with a bright flush when Naruto sees the helpless fondness bleeding through every one of the cracks in Shikamaru's face, so much that he doesn't know what to do with it all. His breath catches, heart skips.

Shikamaru chuckles at how flustered he's getting, powerless in the face of him. Damn it all… He really is lost on this kid, isn't he? He knows it shows in his voice when he speaks next, but he's long since gotten over being embarrassed about it—hell, about much of anything when it comes to him. "It's your birthday, Naruto. Your sixteenth." Naruto just blinks and tilts his head at that, and Shikamaru softens further, reaching out to poke his forehead gently. "I know your birthdays haven't been anything to celebrate so far, and I couldn't just let another one pass without doing something. I was determined as hell to make this the best damn birthday you've ever had. I am."

Tears are stinging Naruto's eyes again as he stares at him with wide, searching blues, barely daring to breathe, and Shikamaru knows he has to do this right. Rounding to kneel in front of him, he smiles all too fondly. "The truth is, Naruto, I promised myself a while back that I'd make you see just how much you mean to all of us someday, and I meant it. That drive's only gotten stronger since." He nods back toward the party."This is just one small way I can do that."

Naruto swears his heart's going to beat out of his chest. His mouth is dry, and tears are falling again, but he can't help it. He's…Shikamaru's so…!

Reaching to grab a fistful of Shikamaru's shirt, he pulls him in to hug him as tightly as he can, burying his face in his shoulder. Shikamaru's arms wrap around him automatically in turn, and Naruto's can't help the small sob that escapes. "T-thank you!" He holds him tighter. "Thank you so much…S-Shikamaru…!" He sniffs wetly, burrowing into the crook between his neck and shoulder. "No one's ever…! I-I never thought…!"

He purses his lips white as his tears silence him, and Shikamaru just rubs his back. Part of Naruto still isn't sure he deserves all this, but he does his best to stomp that feeling down. Shikamaru doesn't do anything that's not worth doing. He wouldn't have done this, any of it, if he didn't think it worthwhile, that he is. Of course, on that note, Shikamaru's revelation still has him reeling. He…really thinks that much of him…? It's hard to imagine anyone, not just Shikamaru, could feel that way about him. And yet…

The proof is right here in front of him.

He burrows into Shikamaru's warmth as far as he can, joy and gratitude and love rushing through him like nothing else. His hold on Shikamaru is so tight that he's probably losing his breath, but he's not sorry in the least. He knows Shikamaru isn't either. "T-thank you…for everything! You…you really are the best!" A few happy sobs escape, and he sniffles a few times before he's able to get out the most important part—for him, the most sacred sentiment there is. "I love you, Shikamaru…s-so much!"

Shikamaru just breathes a laugh and nuzzles in as far as he can as well. He knows Naruto's struggling inside, but he's glad he's doing his best to work through it, even if it's not for his own sake. If it gets him where he needs to be, it doesn't matter what convinces him. Frankly, Shikamaru's more than a little flattered to be a deciding factor.

Breathing Naruto in unabashedly greedily, he buries his face in his hair with a bright smile, happy pinpricks of tears in his own eyes. "Only because you were to me first," he insists, "to all of us. Gotta give credit where it's due." Naruto laughs, which makes Shikamaru smirk. Honestly… His voice is low and tender when he speaks up next. "There's no need to thank me, Naruto. I was thrilled to do this, believe me. The others won't stop teasing me about it." Not that he sounds particularly put out by that. On the contrary, he's grinning up a storm, proud as hell, thank you very much. "I love you, too, Naruto." Gentle fingers play with the smallest of golden waves at the nape of Naruto's neck. "So much."

They stay in each other's arms that way until Naruto calms down, and then, when he's ready, Shikamaru sticks by his side as he goes to greet everyone and, predictably, thank them for everything.

Of course, all his friends reassure him they were all too happy to help when Shikamaru sprung this plan on them a few months ago. It was the most fun they'd had planning a surprise party since they were kids!

Eventually, just when Naruto's pretty sure he's finished making his rounds, an amazing, eerily familiar scent catches his nose. He'd bet anything that's Ichiraku ramen, but…that can't be right…can it…?

Determined to get to the bottom of it, he follows his nose to a huge cooking pot on a giant portable stove behind a table, and Naruto does a double-take when he sees two familiar faces around it. He lights up instantly and waves like a madman. "Hey, Teuchi, Ayame! What are you guys doing here?"

Looking up, the two brighten as well. "Happy late birthday, Naruto!" Ayame chirps right off the bat.

"Hey, Naruto! How are you, kid? Having fun, I hope?" Teuchi greets.

"Thanks a lot, Ayame! And I'm great, Teuchi, thanks! I'm having so much fun already!" Shikamaru can't help but snort at that. The fun hasn't even started yet! Naruto balls excited fists at half-mast, stars in his eyes as he takes a big whiff of his favorite food. "Are you guys really making your ramen for my party? I can't believe it! This is the best!"

Teuchi laughs, pride puffing his chest. "You flatter us, Naruto! Thank you!" He nods toward Shikamaru. "Shikamaru here asked us to come, even offered to pay, but we said, 'For our favorite customer? Nonsense!' Especially on such an important day!" Smirking, he pats his bicep, Ayame doing the same with a wink at his side. "We'll serve the best ramen you've had yet, Naruto! Just leave it to us!"

Naruto's grin can rival the sun. "I already think your ramen's the best in the world, so if you think you can beat it somehow, I can't wait to try it! Thank you so much for all your hard work! You guys are the best!"

Hearing that, Teuchi gets choked up and has to step away so as not to get any tears in the broth. He remembers that rainy day all those years ago when little Naruto first tasted his ramen! To think that tiny slip of a kid would become such an important part of his life…!

Unable to help himself, he rounds the table to hug Naruto tightly, Ayame joining in from the other side. Naruto hugs them back just as tightly, doing his best to savor this moment and convey just how much their kindness has meant to him all these years. He meant it when he told Shikamaru and Choji that Teuchi and Ayame saved him that day in the rain. He doesn't know what would have happened to him without their help, and frankly, he's so incredibly grateful he'll never have to find out.

Once they separate to let Teuchi and Ayame get back to work, waving as they go, Naruto turns to Shikamaru with gratitude and wonder in his eyes. Shikamaru just shrugs. "I know how important they and their ramen are to you, so asking them was a no-brainer. You can thank me by eating your weight in ramen." He smirks with the best of them. "I know you can."

Naruto's eyes are like starlight, and his beam absolutely blinds. "All right!"

---

It's no secret among the Konoha 11 that Naruto's never had a birthday party before. But somehow, it never occurred to them that that also means he's never played a single party game in his life. He barely knows what they are.

And once they realize that, it's all over for Naruto.

They immediately drag him off to play every last party game they can think of—which, luckily for them, is easy as hell with Shikamaru as this party's mastermind. He's had every one imaginable prepped and ready to go for months. It doesn't matter one bit that a lot of these games are meant for kids half their age. This is for Naruto, so he's pulling out all the stops!

After bobbing for apples, tug-of-war, a three-legged race, hot potato, capture the flag, a water balloon toss, Cross the Demon Desert, a treasure hunt, musical chairs, charades, an egg and spoon race, and darts, it's time for the last game they can fit in before sitting down to eat: Pin the Headband on the Ninja!

Ino hands Shikamaru an orange cloth, and he starts folding it into a makeshift blindfold—until he sees the look on Naruto's face.

Out of nowhere, Naruto's gone a few shades paler, staring at the blindfold like it'll slap him if he moves or even breathes wrong, and Shikamaru instantly stops. Glancing from Naruto to the blindfold and back, his heart leaps to his throat in sudden realization.

Does this…remind him of the villagers who concealed their faces to gang up on him as a kid? It's not exactly the same, of course, seeing as Naruto himself will be the one wearing the covering and it'll just be for a game, but…maybe it's the covering itself, the principle of the thing. Shikamaru frowns deeply. The last thing he wants to do is scare Naruto when he's doing his damndest to show him a fun time. He needs to fix this…

Meticulously folding the cloth until it's in the shape of a flower (something Ino taught him as a kid), taking his time to think up a plan, he hands it back to a curious-concerned Ino with a reassuring wink.

Turning back to Naruto, he holds out his hands.

"As long as you'll have them, remember?" he intones softly, never pushing, just reaffirming. "These hands are yours."

Naruto goes stock-still, and when he meets Shikamaru's unflinching gaze, he has to blink hard and release a shaky breath to keep steady under the staggering weight of his love.

There it is again. Just like with Sakura and Kiba and Gantetsu, too…Shikamaru just sees straight into his heart, takes what he knows about him and uses it to help and heal like it's the only thing he ever wants to do. It's…everything Naruto ever wanted growing up and everything he doesn't think he deserves. He's not…used to this, someone caring like this, paying attention like this, to this extent. Not that he faults the others any, of course. They all have lives and families and just aren't as naturally insanely observant. It's not like Naruto expects something like this. Of course not. He never thought he'd ever be lucky enough to…to call someone as kind and intuitive and all-around incredible as Shikamaru his friend, let alone…whatever it is he's becoming. Because he doesn't know what to call it yet, doesn't have any clue what exactly to call what he's feeling, but he knows it's something more than he feels for the rest of the Konoha 11. He wishes he knew what it was, but…he hopes he will someday. Someday soon.

Realizing he's been quiet too long, Naruto doesn't hesitate to turn his back to Shikamaru, take his offered hands, and put them over his eyes. The sudden dark is disconcerting, but Shikamaru's hands are warm and comforting, safe above all else, and Naruto doesn't fear for a second. "Ready when you are, Shikamaru!"

Given the moment it takes for Shikamaru's heart to settle back where it belongs, he asks, "Can you see anything?"

"Nope! I'm blind as a bat!" And then, because Naruto can't help but tease (mainly so the others don't worry about what happened just now), he chuckles and says, "But your hands are cold!"

"Well, excuse me, princess!" They all laugh at that, Naruto the hardest, and Shikamaru can't help but smirk. This will be interesting! "Okay, Choji, headband, please!" Choji presses the makeshift mini-headband into Naruto's hand, closing his fingers around the pin to be safe. "All right! Ready, Naruto?"

Naruto throws his arms in the air. "You bet! Let's go!"

Choji spins them both in a circle for several seconds until they're both good and dizzy, and when he lets them go, Naruto, with Shikamaru as his human-blindfold, tries to find the poster on the wall. He's so wobbly and off center, though, he's totally missing the mark by a mile, moving toward their friends instead of the wall. They find it hilarious, laughing their heads off as they get out of the way. Naruto sticks his tongue out in concentration. If he can just get his bearings…

Eighty-three degrees to your left, brat.

Naruto freezes at the amused-sounding voice in his head, ears perking. You're gonna help, Nine Tails? Isn't that cheating?

The Nine Tails huffs. It's only cheating if it's a challenge. This is child's play. Newborn Beasts that have yet to open their eyes can do this on instinct alone in seconds. No container of mine will be an embarrassment. This is a matter of pride.

Oh, really? Naruto can't help but smirk. Is that why your tails are wagging?

They are not—! Doing a double-take when it sees the brat's actually right (it was so engrossed in this game for the sake of its pride that it hadn't even noticed), the Nine Tails' cheeks darken, and it immediately hides its tails from sight. Naruto snickers, and the Nine Tails averts its eyes with a warning growl. Just win for the both of us! Understand?

Naruto grins and nods. You lead, and I'll follow!

Coming back to reality, Naruto takes a breath and does his best to follow the Nine Tails' directions. His breath catches when he really does feel paper beneath his fingers, even more so when he swears he feels the Nine Tails purring in the back of his mind. Eleven millimeters up, then two to the right.

Following to the letter, he presses the pin into the poster.

Shikamaru's hands fall away almost immediately, and Naruto wonders why until he hears a deliriously impressed laugh. The others, previously quiet apart from laughter and whispers of excitement, burst to life behind him as well.

"What the hell?" Kiba.

"Now, that's just scary!" Choji.

"Way to go, Naruto!" Sakura.

"That was amazing!" Hinata.

The others cheer similar things, and that's when Naruto remembers he's allowed to open his eyes.

What he sees makes him smile fit to burst.

He pinned the headband on the ninja perfectly! He laughs out loud, and Shikamaru throws an arm around his shoulders to bring him in close. "You gotta teach me how to do that! That was insane!" Naruto whispers his secret in his ear, and Shikamaru looks from him to his seal and back before laughing even harder. He ruffles his hair. "You and your sly fox! You're amazing!"

Thanks a lot, Nine Tails! Honestly, Naruto wasn't entirely sure if he could trust the Nine Tails' directions at first, but he's really happy everything turned out okay! In his book, this just means they're getting closer!

It merely hums in response, but Naruto understands that as reiterating its 'matter of pride' sentiment from before, and he can feel its (smug) pride and contentment from here, so he'll definitely take this as a win for them!

The rest of the Konoha 11 gather up around him, too, congratulating him and telling him how crazy that was, especially for his first try, speculating how he did it, and when they hear his secret, they burst out laughing as well. Kiba goes so far as to rag him for being a wise guy while giving him a good, old-fashioned noogie for good measure.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

Of course, all that stops the moment the dinner bell rings a second later and they're all called to sit down. Naruto licks his lips, practically salivating already, and Shikamaru snickers at his side.

Sitting down with Naruto in the seat of honor at the head of the table, Teuchi and Ayame make quick work of serving the entire company, politely refusing Naruto's offers to help. They soon take their seats as well, and then everyone waits for Naruto to take the first bite.

Naruto, however, just blinks and flushes at all the attention, unfamiliar with this tradition and not sure what he's supposed to do. Beside him, Shikamaru leans over to whisper in his ear. Realizing his mistake, he reddens further and fumbles with his chopsticks in surprise. "O-oh, sorry!" Bowing his head and pressing his hands together, he winks Teuchi and Ayame's way. "Thank you for the food!"

Taking the first bite, he makes sure to savor it, and the others are quick to dig in. It does taste different from Ichiraku's usual ramen, but he can't really put his finger on how. For a good several minutes, things are quiet in the hall outside the sounds of eating, everyone so taken in by the flavor and good food to even think about talking. Only once they're nearly full do they start striking up conversation, and something about it gives Naruto pause.

He looks around, taking it all in. Having nearly every last person he loves together in one place, enjoying his favorite food and having such a good time… It all feels so…warm and bright… He doesn't know if he's ever felt calmer or more at peace than he does right now. He's…more than content, he's…ridiculously happy… He never really knew what this felt like before, but…this feels like…—!

His lower lip wobbles suddenly, a few happy tears streaming. He ducks his head so as not to call unwanted attention to himself (the last thing he wants is to worry anyone). Shikamaru reaches under the table to squeeze his hand, and Naruto squeezes back all too gratefully, biting his lip against a doubly joyful sob.

This feels like home…!

---

After dinner's over and all the dishes are cleared away, it's time for presents!

Naruto can only stare at the pile of presents, pulling on his collar as his cheeks heat up. "A-are you sure all these are for me?"

He has to ask, just in case there's been some kind of mistake. He's never seen this many presents in his life. Hell, the most he's ever gotten himself is two, and that was recently!

Sai chuckles. "Who else would they be for, Naruto?"

Ino grins. "Sai's right!" A surprised Sai blinks her way before a tiny, soft smile forms. "It's nobody else's party but yours!"

That just makes Naruto feel more intimidated. "T-that's true, but…"

A warm hand comes to rest on his shoulder. "Sorry, Naruto. This is pretty overwhelming for you, huh?" Naruto smiles up at a half-sheepish Shikamaru, feeling better already. "I admit, we may have gone a little present-happy." He shrugs, grin growing in excitement. "But can you really blame us? We're excited! This is the first time we've gotten to celebrate your birthday properly. We want to shower you with all the presents and fun we never got to as kids. Think of it as us making up for lost time." He holds up a finger with a wink. "Plus, if we all go one-by-one, that should make it easier, right?"

Naruto stares up at him, breathless, looking from him to all the others. They're all smiling, clearly feel the same way about this as Shikamaru, and if they feel that strongly about it, well…who is Naruto to take that away from them? Besides, if he's being completely honest with himself, past the feelings of being spoiled and embarrassed, he's really excited, too…!

Taking a deep breath, Naruto finally nods, grinning brightly. "All right! Let's try it!"

Purely by virtue of sitting next to Shikamaru, Ino goes first. It's a bunch of different flowers, the most beautiful Naruto's ever seen, and in the middle is a big cluster of the sunniest sunflowers Naruto's ever laid eyes on.

Ino winks and sticks her tongue out at his awed expression. "Glad you like them!" She puts a hand to her chest. "Since I have Earth and Water chakra natures, my father gave me permission to try to resurrect some of our clan's more forgotten floral jutsu, top secret stuff! For example," she gestures to the flowers, "this bouquet won't die!" Suddenly feeling self-conscious at such a bold claim, she waves her hands. "A-at least, theoretically! I'm still working on perfecting it! But if nothing else, they'll still brighten up your hospital room in the meantime!"

Choji goes next. His bulging gift bag is stuffed full of his favorite barbecue flavor potato chips. Shikamaru whistles appreciatively, smirking Naruto's way. "Damn, Naruto! Choji hardly ever shares his snacks, let alone these! You're one lucky guy!"

Choji snorts. "Snacks are the only thing in the world worth spending money on, Shikamaru! You know that!" He nods toward Naruto. "And it's important to break up the monotony of hospital food once in a while!"

Shikamaru breathes a laugh. "Yeah, I guess that's true."

Gai's is homemade, but Naruto honestly doesn't know what it's supposed to be. "It's a one-time cash-in for a day spent training with yours truly, Naruto!" Thumb pressed into his chest, his toothy grin gleams. "Trust me, after our work out, you'll be in tip-top shape to return to active duty!"

While Tsunade's glare spells murder, Shizune facepalms. "Yeah, if he's not already dead…"

Tenten gets him a whole set of ninja tools. "I noticed while we were sparring that your ninja tools were pretty worn, so I figured you could use some new ones!"

Naruto could almost cry at his luck! He does his best to save as much from his mission pay as he can, but between rent and bills and food, he barely manages to scrape by as it is. And once all that's paid for, there's almost never anything left over for his tools budget. He's been using mostly the same set for a few years at this point, only replacing anything when it's absolutely necessary. These new tools will definitely come in handy!

Completely coincidentally, Lee's gift runs in a similar vein: orange sweatbands for training! "I was happy to see you still had the yellow ones I gave you a few years back, but since those are getting old, I thought you could better benefit from some new ones! Plus," he grins and flashes a thumbs up, "these are your favorite color!"

Teuchi and Ayame slip in next. Technically speaking, their gift was catering the party, but since Shikamaru asked them to do that, they didn't think that was very fair. So, their real gift is a homemade coupon. "It's good for free birthday ramen for life!" Teuchi explains. "That's a one-of-a-kind coupon for our favorite and best customer!"

"For you and whoever you bring along!" Ayame clarifies, winking Shikamaru's way.

Hinata is next. She gives him a box of healing herbs and some more of the healing ointment that's become something of a bridge between them. She smiles shyly. "N-Neji helped me gather these special healing herbs in the forest and our family garden. I know you have Sakura and Lady Hokage and the the Nine Tails is helping you along now, b-but I figured it couldn't hurt to have something extra on hand anyway, just in case."

Shino hands over a carefully-wrapped bottle. "This is a very special bug pheromone, Naruto. Why? Because if you're ever in trouble and you open that bottle, my bugs will be able to find you no matter where you are."

Kiba tosses his present over with a wolfish grin. It's a necklace made of animal teeth, patches of gray and black cloth and white fur in between. As rough and tumble as Kiba usually is, it's obvious that this was made with great care. "You already know you're pack, Naruto," Akamaru yips and his tail wags excitedly, widening Kiba's grin, "but this is just to cement it for you. Those are Akamaru's fur and baby teeth, and the rest is just scraps from my jackets from over the years!"

Konohamaru's up next. His is a slightly-lopsided mug painted orange with #1 Big Brother handwritten on it. "It took me a few tries to get right, but it was worth it! I noticed you don't have a lot of cups and stuff at your apartment, so I thought you could use a new one! This one's more personal, too!"

Naruto already knows he's going to be using this from now on, especially while he's in the hospital! He's sure Granny Tsunade can swing that for him!

Neji's present is something decidedly more subtle. It's a hand-carved wooden statue of two birds flying away from their cages. Naruto's eyes widen, heart thumping in his chest, and Neji can't help but fall tender. "We're both free now, thanks to you," he says softly. "I can't wait to see what you do with it!"

Sakura presses her present into Naruto's hands. It's a compact box packed full of all kinds of medical supplies. "Mine might not be as immediately useful as some of the others' gifts," she prefaces with a flush, rubbing the back of her head, "but I made a personalized med kit for you, Naruto! I know the Nine Tails usually heals you right away and you two are starting to get along better, but I figured it couldn't hurt to be safe!" She chuckles. "If nothing else, this should last you a while! I can tell you more about what's in here and how it's unique to you in more detail later!" (From the pointed look Shikamaru's giving her, she knows she'll be telling him, at the very least.)

Off to the side, Kakashi's heart warms and pangs at once. This moment reminds him so very much of when Rin gave him his own personalized med kit to celebrate him making jounin and squad captain. Seeing the echoes of his beloved teammates in his students really is something else. Part of him even goes so far as to entertain the thought of Rin having something to do with Sakura's idea for her gift. Wouldn't that be something…?

Sai and Yamato pass over their joint present next. It's a new team photo, all current members of Team 7-slash-Kakashi (sans Naruto, of course, being in the hospital at the time) aiming huge smiles at the camera. The top of the wooden frame (Yamato's work, he realizes) reads, New Beginnings. Naruto looks over at his teammates with his heart in his throat, wondering if this means what he thinks it does, and they smile.

"We know how much Team 7 means to you, Naruto, and we also know that's a big part of why letting Sasuke go has been so difficult for you," Captain Yamato starts gently.

"And that's why we can't thank you enough for letting us be a part of it, for accepting the both of us as easily as you have, more so than anyone else," Sai continues. He rests a hand on his chest. "Myself especially. I'm still learning how to navigate emotions again after growing up with the Foundation…but still…" His dark eyes flash, and Naruto's surprised at their intensity. "When you asked me to keep Team 7 rolling for you, I know for a fact that was the happiest I've felt since Danzo dragged me under. That trust has meant more to me than I'll ever be able to properly express, at least as I am now, so…I want to give back." He nods toward the photo. "This is one way I can do that."

Naruto can only stare. "S-Sai…"

"Hence the new team photo!" Yamato picks up with a wider smile, reaching over to ruffle Naruto's hair. Naruto leans into it all too eagerly, quiet, happy chuckles leaving him. "We'll retake it once you're well enough, of course, but we thought you wouldn't mind this as a placeholder for now."

Naruto shakes his head, a bright smile playing. "Are you kidding? Of course I don't mind! This is great!" Looking back at the photo, something like grief spreads like watercolor in his heart. "It's…different from our original picture with Sasuke, but…" his heart warms at the bright, genuine smiles on his beloved teammates' faces, "…everyone's so happy in it, and that's all I want! And I know I'll get there, too, so…" grinning with the best of them, he flashes a thumbs up, "…just you wait! Once I'm out of the hospital, we'll take the best team photo this village has ever seen!"

Everyone laughs, particularly his teammates. "Of that, I have no doubt!" Yamato teases.

Sai nods. "I'm looking forward to it!" And just by his smile, maybe the biggest Naruto's ever seen, Naruto knows it's true.

(When they finally do retake the picture several months later, Naruto keeps both versions on his nightstand.)

Iruka-sensei is next. His gift is a kunai—but not just any kunai, Naruto notices right off the bat. Its point is long on one end and short on the other. It's not the Leaf village's style, that's for sure. After a moment, his eyes widen with a gasp, and he points at it. "Is this—?"

Iruka nods. "That's the kunai from your little escapade in the back hills when you were a kid." Shikamaru sits up a little straighter, interest more than piqued. Could it be…? "Since it's been seven years, I figured the evidence team wouldn't have use for it anymore, and they said I was welcome to take it. So, it's yours now, just like you wanted back then."

Naruto grins excitedly. "Wait, for real? You're really letting me have it, Iruka-sensei?"

Iruka chuckles and nods. "Mm hmm. It's not so much about the kunai itself, though, Naruto, as what it represents." That catches Naruto off guard, even more so when Iruka's expression turns somewhat sad. "I don't know how much you remember since you were unconscious for almost the entire fight, but when those Hidden Waterfall spies attacked you to get the documents that kunai concealed, Kakashi and I stepped in to save you."

Naruto tilts his head, thinking back. He remembers everything before the fight—Hibachi tricking him by telling him he could be part of their Academy gang if he brought something cool back from the back hills battlefield; Iruka-sensei trying to stop him, and Naruto letting him have it because he only ever acted like a teacher when it was convenient for him and he wasn't even trying to understand Naruto's feelings; finding that kunai and running when the enemy spies attacked him, setting off all the traps he could to catch them up—but during it… He kept slipping in and out of consciousness, so it's all pretty hazy. But now that he thinks about it, he does just barely remember seeing Kakashi-sensei there. It was the first time he'd ever seen him. (And now that he's older and knows about Kakashi-sensei's past, he thinks that was probably on purpose. Not that he really minds or can blame him, of course. No way. He could never.)

Iruka's a little uncomfortable revealing this next part, but it's more out of guilt and shame than anything. The eyes he fixes Naruto with are full of regret. "At the time, saving you was more out of obligation and a blanket sense of responsibility as your teacher and Hidden Leaf ninja than any personal connection. We couldn't see past the walls we'd built up against you yet, so we did what we had to do while still keeping you at arm's length. Afterward, we acted like it never happened."

Hearing that, some of the holes in Naruto's memory start to make sense. Because he's always remembered waking up in his bed in his apartment that night, but he was never sure how he got there. At first, he thought maybe the whole thing was an elaborate dream. But the cuts and bruises and dirty clothes told Naruto differently, never mind the fact that Iruka-sensei started giving him hell in class instead of ignoring him and Hibachi's gang's bullying only got worse after that.

Iruka bows his head as low as he can, till it's almost touching the table. "We were wrong for that, for all of it. We know that now." Kakashi nods. "I'm so sorry, Naruto."

Kakashi bows his head just as low, in complete agreement with Iruka. Shikamaru figures they must have discussed this beforehand. "So am I, Naruto. You'll never know how much." A heartbeat. "I hope, in time, you can find it in your heart to forgive us."

It's quiet for a long, pregnant moment, and then,

"But…wait, what are you talking about? There's—there's nothing to forgive." Iruka and Kakashi raise their heads, wide-eyed, and Naruto just chuckles. His expression is soft as anything, and Shikamaru can't help but marvel along with them. "I'm serious! You had your reasons for keeping your distance back then, and sure, it hurt," he shrugs, "but I understand, too. Needing to protect your heart…I know how that is better than anyone." Pointing at himself, he laughs. "You're talkin' to the guy who pranked the villagers for years because being yelled at was better than being ignored and forgotten, remember?" Shikamaru clenches his fists, the rest, too, but some of them also look shell-shocked and a little pale, like a good few things they never understood about Naruto growing up are finally clicking into place in their minds. "So, don't beat yourselves up about this anymore, okay? Please. It's more than fine. I swear."

Breathing heavy sighs of relief, Iruka blinking back tears, both men are much more at peace now than they were just a few minutes ago. "Thank you, Naruto," they say in unison, looking at each other and chuckling.

Naruto just smiles wider. "Of course!" Holding his fancy new kunai up to the light, he examines it giddily. "I still can't believe you got it back, sensei! That's so cool!"

Iruka laughs. "I actually have a little more to say on it, if you're up for it."

He nods eagerly. "Yeah, yeah! What is it?"

Iruka softens again, this time without the earlier weight. He actually feels pounds lighter. "Back then, you wanted that kunai because you thought it would get you friends so you wouldn't be alone anymore." He gestures around at all of them. "But look at all the friends you have now, even more than are in this room! You've come so far since then, Naruto, gathered every single one of us into your fold all on your own, and even learned some incredibly important lessons about which friends are worth keeping along the way." Beaming, sudden tears sticking to his eyelashes, he offers a thumbs up. "I'd just like to say, as your Academy teacher and your friend: I'm so proud of you, Naruto!"

As expected, Iruka gets the tearful hug of a lifetime for that.

Minutes later, the next present is a little different.

Shikamaru pulls a small envelope with a smaller parcel attached from one of the pouches on his belt. Handing it to Naruto with an easy smile, he says, "Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro sent this for you a few days ago. They made me promise not to give it to you or tell you anything about it until your party, so," he shrugs, "here we are."

Lighting up from the inside out like a firework, Naruto handles the presents as carefully as always, the same way he did when the Sand siblings visited in person. The smaller present catching his interest first, he finds a small bottle shaped like a miniature version of Gaara's gourd. This must be his present, then. Unable to help his curiosity, he undoes the cork keeping it shut, and his eyes widen and breath catches when sand comes out of its own accord to caress his cheek before going back inside. Tears sting Naruto's eyes at the achingly familiar gesture, and it's only then that he notices the note attached to the bottle.

To protect you even when I'm not with you.

Happy 16th birthday, Naruto!

Your friend, Gaara

Tearing up even more, Naruto holds the mini gourd close. "Gaara…"

He wishes he were here right now. He wishes all of them were. But he knows that's selfish. He's sure they would have been here if they could, sure they wanted to, but Gaara has a whole village depending on him now, and Temari and Kankuro have to help him. Actually, come to think of it, he wonders why they sent more presents when he thought they already gave him theirs when they visited. He uses the elixir Temari and Kankuro gave him every day, and he sleeps with Gaara's bear every night. Getting even more from them after those makes him feel…well, more than a little spoiled. His cheeks are getting hot just thinking about it.

But then again, he remembers what Gaara and Temari told him before: it's his birthday, his sixteenth besides, and especially since getting presents as a Jinchuuriki is rare as hell, when it does happen, he should just accept them with open arms. Besides, if he knows his honorary siblings, and he does, they're trying to make up for his past birthdays as best they can.

And honestly…he appreciates it like nothing else. So much.

Moving on to Temari and Kankuro's present now, he's confused and curious when he finds what looks like a letter with a photograph attached. However, he does a double-take when he sees the large Sibling Adoption Certificate written across the top in Temari's familiar, neat hand. There's some official-sounding jargon he suspects Kankuro threw in for authenticity's sake (he can hear him now: "If you're gonna do something, you gotta do it right!"), and at the bottom, he finds all three siblings' signatures.

The attached photograph features Kankuro and Temari grinning toothily and flashing peace signs at the camera with their arms around Gaara's shoulders, while a softly-beaming Gaara holds a 'Welcome to the family!' sign in the middle.

Naruto's hands are shaking as he reads, and a good few tears have already fallen, but he doesn't mind. He's smiling up a storm, so touched and happy, he can barely stand it. Carefully hugging the unofficial document and photo to his chest, he whispers, "You're—you're mine, too. Thank you. I-I love you so much…!"

Once Naruto's composed again, it's Shizune's turn. Her gift is a two-and-a-half millimeter thick red thread bracelet with a light blue-white stripe zig-zagging through it. And, as Naruto looks closer, he sees the kanji for 'peace' stitched into it in white. The bracelet itself is clearly old and worn, falling apart, actually, but Naruto can tell it's been well-loved and cared for as well as possible, too.

He raises an eyebrow at Shizune, who is only too happy to explain. "That bracelet was my Uncle Dan's, Naruto." His eyes widen, and he looks from her to the bracelet, Tsunade, and back. Reading his mind, Shizune softens and shakes her head. "Don't worry, Naruto. I asked Lady Tsunade first, just in case. Both of us agreed that it belongs with you."

Naruto sighs in relief and then looks at the bracelet again. "So this was really your uncle's, Shizune? It's so pretty!"

Shizune laughs and smiles, pride emanating from her. "Thank you, Naruto! Yes, it was. I made it for him as a good luck charm when I was still just a kid. 'Peace' was his favorite word, hence the kanji!" Taking a breath, she sobers and can't help but warm just looking at Naruto. "You remind me so much of him, Naruto. The way you two think is almost eerily similar sometimes." She chuckles, only to melt a little more. "He would have loved you."

Tsunade snorts, though Naruto can tell there's some pain there. "That's an understatement." She rolls her eyes with all the exasperated fondness of an almost-wife. "He would have doted on you to the point of distraction."

Shizune laughs again. "Oh, absolutely!" She nods toward the bracelet again. "I know it's delicate at its age, but I trust you to keep it as safe as you can."

Naruto's eyes don't leave the threadbare-or -worse bracelet in his hands, an idea forming in his head. He hopes neither of them will mind this gift getting a new lease on life. He has a feeling Dan would be all for it!

He nods with a determined grin. "Just leave it to me!"

From assistant to teacher, Tsunade is next. The wooden box with a carry-handle she passes over is surprisingly heavy, and upon closer inspection, Naruto loses his breath in recognition. Eyes snapping back to Tsunade, he points at it and asks, voice barely above a whisper, "I-is this—?"

Tsunade just smiles. "Why don't you open it and find out?"

Naruto hesitates at first, fingers trembling, but he takes a deep breath and forces down the lump aching to form. Not now, not yet. Flipping the clasp, Naruto opens the lid to find exactly what he thought he would: brushes and paper, ink and ink pens, even book bindings and covers he can fashion himself. The sight alone, never mind the familiar, dearly-remembered smell of it all, is enough to bring the tears rushing back. He can barely see Tsunade through them when he finds her again.

Her smile is sweet and loving. "This is one of Jiraiya's old writing sets. He made sure to keep one here in the village at all times in case he stayed a while. As he liked to say, 'A writer must always have his tools, as inspiration can strike at any moment!'" She chuckles, and the heat behind Naruto's eyes increases a little more at the memory. "I know you paid more attention to those manuscripts he made you read during your training than you let on, so I figured, just in case you were at all interested and inspiration ever struck," she winks, "you'd be the perfect person to entrust with this." A heartbeat, in which she softens. "He'd want you to have it, Naruto."

Naruto hugs the set close, lower lip trembling as tears rain down, though he does his best to keep his present dry. He ended up learning so much about writing on his travels with Pervy Sage, and it struck something inside him. Realizing the complex emotions the characters could feel, the complex emotions he could make the readers feel with just his words… It was so new and exciting and the possibilities seemed so endless and amazing, and especially since he read Pervy Sage's Tales of a Gutsy Ninja, cried over it, well… He hasn't told anyone, but he actually has been considering dabbling in writing himself for a while now, and that drive's only increased since he lost Pervy Sage.

So now, with this, this perfect artistic arsenal literally handed to him on a silver platter…eventually, once he's better, once he gets a few more things sorted out (namely befriending the Nine Tails fully and figuring out what to do about the Akatsuki)…maybe he can. Of course, he has no idea if he'll be any good, and he knows it'll probably take a long time to get anywhere close to Pervy Sage's level (because even Naruto can admit that he actually did have a real talent for it, even if his usual novels weren't to his taste), but hey—never know until you try, right?

He blinks, and the next thing he knows, Tsunade's hugging him tightly. Setting his gift in his lap, he hugs her back as best he can. He feels her tears soaking his shirt, but he doesn't mind. After all, he's getting hers wet, too, so it's only fair. She buries her face in his hair and breathes him in like he's something indescribably precious, and he relaxes into her all the more. "Happy birthday, Naruto." He nuzzles into her, curling a fist in her familiar green haori. Overcome with love for this boy, she squeezes her eyes shut as more tears stream. "I-…-I love you so much, kid."

Knowing how much that means from her, Naruto can't help but beam. "I love you, too, Granny. Thank you so much." Sniffing, he gently pats the writing set. "I love it! I'll do Pervy Sage proud, I promise!"

Pulling away to beam right back, she laughs and ruffles his hair. "I know you will!"

Shikamaru is second-to-last. Well, technically, third-to-last. "I've got something for you, too. Naruto."

Naruto whips to face him so quickly, Shikamaru's afraid for his neck. "W-wait, huh?! I thought the party was your present!" Comically huge, guilty tears well in his eyes. "S-Shikamaru, you didn't have to get me anything else! This party is everything I've ever wanted, honest! You've done more than enough as is!"

Shikamaru snorts, giggles, and then bursts out laughing. He can't help it. Naruto really is the most precious thing! When he looks back, it's obvious Naruto's confused, so he waves calming hands. "Everybody else told me you'd say that same thing. But when it comes down to it, this party was honestly more for me than you." Naruto raises an eyebrow, and Shikamaru nudges him with his elbow with a chuckle and a wink. "Seeing you happy makes me happy, too, you know? So for me, this party was just me being selfish."

Naruto just stares, mouth agape. If that's being selfish, then Sasuke's a saint!

Shikamaru pulls out a box from behind him and sets it in front of Naruto. "This is my real present."

Naruto opens it like he has all the others, like it's the most special thing he's ever received, but he feels like there's something…more here that wasn't present with the others'. It's hard to put his finger on. Maybe because this is Shikamaru's, so it's that feeling he doesn't have a name for yet...

Inside is a big black book titled Memories. Opening it, Naruto sees it's actually a photo album, full of pictures of all of them as kids and even a few from the last few years, playing together, messing around, just having fun. He's surprised to find that a lot of them are of him, smiling and laughing, or him and Shikamaru playing at the old park near the Academy. That makes Shikamaru smirk. What can he say? He's long since accepted that he's a sucker when it comes to his sun!

"How'd you even take these, Shikamaru?" Naruto has to ask. As far as he knows, the old man who took their team picture still uses his giant camera and tripod. He thinks he'd remember seeing something like that around as a kid, especially pointed at him.

Shikamaru chuckles. "You know, that's a really good question." He shrugs. "A cousin of mine works at the photography studio, and he'd ask us kids to test out his new inventions sometimes. Most of 'em were duds, but once in a while, he'd come up with something good." He gestures to the photos. "These are the results. It was so long ago, I actually forgot all about these until my mom found a box in her closet of childhood memories a while back. She got all emotional and asked me to go through them with her." He snorts at the memory. "I started planning your party shortly after, and I already knew exactly what your present would be." He grins. "For you, something like this is a no-brainer!"

Naruto has to purse his lips to keep them from trembling, stubbornly blinking back his tears for now to make sure he doesn't ruin any of Shikamaru's hard work. To think that someone, let alone Shikamaru, was paying attention to him even back then, even more than he thought…

He keeps flipping through the album until he gets about a third of the way through and realizes the rest of the pages are blank. He turns to Shikamaru with a raised eyebrow, and Shikamaru laughs. Leaning in close with a warm smile, he taps one of the blank pages.

"Since there aren't nearly as many pictures in here as either of us would like, I figured we could fix that from now on, make some new memories to fill in the blanks." He shrugs. "If you want to, of course."

Instantly, Naruto lights up. Besides his team photo(s), no one's ever wanted to take pictures with him before! "Wait, really?! You mean it?!"

Shikamaru blinks for a moment, caught off guard, but then he remembers exactly who he's talking to and breathes a laugh. He can't help but soften. Honestly...this kid'll be the death of him, but at least he'll die happily.

"Of course I mean it! Always, remember?"

Naruto looks at him like he's hung the freaking moon and stars and sun themselves, and then he's throwing his arms around him. Shikamaru was honestly expecting that, so he catches him with a chuckle like it's second nature. "Thank you so much!" Naruto sniffs. Unable to keep the tears back anymore, he buries his face in Shikamaru's stomach. "I-I know I said it before, but you really are the best! All this…it means…s-so much! I can't thank you enough…f-for everything!" But that doesn't mean he's not going to spend the rest of his life trying.

Shikamaru just holds him closer. "Like I said, seeing you happy is more than thanks enough. I'm just happy you're happy, Naruto." He swallows as a few tears sting his own eyes. "You deserve this happiness. You always have. Thank you for letting me give it to you."

(Shikamaru gets some great photos of them together that day, and he and Naruto have fun putting them in the album when they get back to the hospital.)

Finally, it's Kakashi's turn.

"Mine might seem a little unconventional, but once you hear the story behind it, I'm sure you'll understand." He holds up two fingers. "Technically, there are two parts." He hands over a tissue-wrapped bundle. "This is part one."

Insatiably curious, Naruto peels back the wrapping carefully, not sure what to expect.

What he finds makes him nearly drop it in shock.

It's a picture frame. A man with bright blond hair and bold blue eyes smiles up at him from the photograph. He knows from Kakashi-sensei's old team photo that that's his Dad. But what startled Naruto and caught him so off guard is the woman his dad has his arm around.

Her stark red hair is the longest and most beautiful he's ever seen. But what really captures him is her smile. It's like the sun and starlight and life itself. He's never seen a more stunning smile in all his life. She's the most gorgeous woman he's ever seen period. And according to what Kakashi-sensei told him, red hair is a dead giveaway for Uzumaki heritage. So, if he's right…then she must be his…she's his…

He doesn't even realize he's crying until a tear drips onto his hand, and he quickly moves the picture so he doesn't ruin it. He looks up at his sensei, holding the photo up so he can point. "Is this my…? I-is she my…?" It's such a sacred thing, so far beyond his reach, yet something he's longed for all his life, he can't even bear to say it. "R-really…?"

Truthfully, Kakashi didn't know how Naruto would react to this present, but he had a feeling it would be something like this. Seeing him get so emotional over someone he tragically never got to meet is doing equal and opposite things to his heart. "Yes, Naruto," he confirms softly, tone gentle in a way Naruto's noticed really only surfaces when he's talking about her. He must really have loved her like his own… "That's your mother, Kushina Uzumaki." He nods toward the photo. "I'm sure you remember, but the man next to her is her husband and your father, Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage." He smiles at the memory it brings. "I took that photo myself, you know, just after we found out she was pregnant with you." He chuckles. "That's why she's glowing so much."

Looking back at the picture, Naruto thinks he picks up on what he means. So that's why she looks almost otherworldly…! Now that he thinks about it, Kurenai-sensei's had that look about her, too, been 'glowing', he supposes it's called, since she's been pregnant… He wonders if all pregnant women get that way when they're going to have a baby. He also wonders why, if it's their chakra reacting to the new life growing inside them… Catching himself, he flushes a bit. He's starting to sound like Sakura and Granny!

Gaze drifting back to his Dad's face, he chuckles. "Dad looks really happy, too! They must have been excited!"

Kakashi laughs himself at the memory. "Oh, yes! You wouldn't believe how much! They were the happiest, most excited couple I've ever known!" Holding up a finger, he pulls out a slightly bigger box. "Which, as luck would have it, segues nicely into the second half of my gift."

While he takes his time walking it over, he covertly surveys the room. Naruto's been too emotional and awestruck to notice, but everyone here who didn't already know of Naruto's parentage are doing some insane mental gymnastics right now, particularly the rest of the Konoha 11. Ducking his head a bit, he smirks and chuckles. Good. Everything's going according to plan. This was his way of not-so-subtly letting everyone close to Naruto know just who his parents are, primarily because he thinks they should know and because he knows he can trust them to keep it a secret, unlike the villagers. Once they come to terms with it, he's sure they'll be just as floored as Naruto and Shikamaru were when they first heard. He's looking forward to it.

Setting his present in Naruto's hands, he stays close by. He knows he'll need to explain this one.

Inside is the last thing Naruto expects.

It's a traditionally-styled baby drum rattle. Naruto's only seen ones like this a few times, so he gets the feeling they must be rare these days. The intricately-carved handle and most of its body are painted red, but its hexadecagonal faces, front and back, are a bold yellow. The rims around the faces are black with tiny white flowers equidistant from each other, and the two red strings with black wooden balls on the ends must be what make the sound.

He stares at it for a long few moments, feeling a strange sense of familiarity he can't explain, before fixing his eyes on his sensei, a million questions burning in his eyes. Kakashi softens.

"This drum rattle was yours when you were a baby, Naruto. Minato-sensei bought it for you before you were even born." He chuckles. "He was so excited, he couldn't help himself! Kushina teased him about it forever. He used it whenever he could, and you'd always get so excited in her belly, kicking like crazy. It was adorable!"

That sentiment is something he can admit now, but was reluctant to as a kid. Even back then, after everything he'd already lost, he was too afraid of getting attached. But now… He can't help but warm. Now, he's already too far gone on this precious kid. There's no going back now, and he's more than okay with it. It's only because of Naruto that he's able to smile and laugh and admit things like this at all. This is more than worth it. He is.

He nods toward the rattle, expression saddening some. "After I lost them…I wanted something more to remember them by. Pakkun and I went to the last safehouse they used outside the village, and we found this in the rubble. It was almost completely destroyed, but I repainted it and fixed it up as best I could. I've kept it with me all these years…" he stares at it wistfully for a long moment, and then, swallowing thickly, he smiles over at Naruto again, "…but now, I think it's time to pass it on to its rightful owner."

Naruto's eyes come back to it, holding it a little tighter. Pursing his lips, he fingers the handle, trying and failing a few times before he manages, voice slightly raspy from nerves, "Can I…can I try it?"

Kakashi chuckles warmly, nodding. "Of course! It's yours now, after all!"

Permission given, Naruto does just that, turning the rattle swiftly from side to side. Immediately, his eyes widen. The sound is a hollow kind, like rain on a tin roof, but a bit tighter, too, being so contained. It's…something about this is…!

Tears flood Naruto's eyes almost instantly. "I…I remember this…" Kakashi's heart skips a beat, eye going wide. "This sound… I...I-I don't know how, it...it shouldn't be possible, but somehow…I-I do..." His grip on the handle tightens, but it's always gentle. "When...when Dad first used it, all the times after...and Mom, when she...everything was shaking, but she held me and...she used it to calm me down…" He goes quiet a moment as tears fall, eyes far away. He gratefully squeezes the hand Shikamaru offers. "I...I remember...!"

Everything else about those moments is fuzzy, the sound the only thing coming through. He vaguely remembers something like shaking and a stark red blur that must have been his Mom because of her hair… He can't remember anything else, no matter how hard he tries. He didn't even know he had these memories, broken and hazy as they are, until this moment, until this sound. Part of him is a little sad and frustrated that he can't remember more, like his Dad's voice or his Mom's beautiful face…

But…in the end, it's okay! Because he has this sound. This sound and the rattle that make it… They tie him to these memories, to his parents. They tell him, beyond any shadow of a doubt, beyond anything the villagers tried to yell or beat into him growing up, that from the moment he was born, hell, even before…

He was loved. They loved him.

And that means more to him than anything else.

He doesn't hesitate to lunge at Kakashi-sensei, tears like a waterfall. Kakashi's not ashamed at all to say he's teared up, too, and with Naruto in his arms, the heat behind his eyes blazes. "Thank you, Kakashi-sensei…!" Still clutching the rattle, looking up at his sensei like he's given him everything in the world in the palm of his hand, there's reverence in every line of him. "Thank you so much…!"

Kakashi smiles, a tear falling as his visible eye closes in loving joy. "Of course, Naruto." A shaky exhale, during which his hand finds its way to Naruto's hair. Looking at him like this with that hair and those eyes, Kushina-influenced golden waves at his fingertips…he's not sure Naruto's ever reminded him more of his parents. "Happy birthday, sunshine!"

It takes a good few minutes for Naruto to calm down, but Kakashi doesn't mind. By the time he does, Kakashi's chuckling. That pup probably thinks he's forgotten him by now…!

"What's so funny, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi ruffles Naruto's hair. "Oh, just that a certain person—or rather, nin-pup—is probably chasing his tail with anticipation right now!" Naruto just tilts his head, confused, but Kakashi just laughs again. "He made me promise to let him deliver your present himself."

Making a few hand signs, he presses his hand to the floor. "Summoning jutsu!"

In a puff of smoke, Pakkun appears with a small box in his mouth. Naruto beams, crouching down to his level. "Hey, Pakkun!"

Pakkun's lips quirk into a smile around the box, and he moves to deposit it in Naruto's hand. "Here ya go, kid! Happy birthday from all of us nin-pups!"

Naruto looks from him to the present and back, then gasps. "Wait, for real? You guys got me something? You didn't have to do that!"

Pakkun grins. "Hey, it's the least we can do after all you've done for the boss!" Naruto blinks at that, not really sure what to make of it, but he just takes it as the compliment he knows it is. That said, Pakkun turns to Kakashi with an unimpressed frown. "Late as always, eh, Kakashi?"

Kakashi raises his hands in his defense, chuckling nervously. "S-sorry, Pakkun. It wasn't on purpose, I swear…"

"Mm hmm…" Shifting his attention back to Naruto, Pakkun finds he hasn't even tried to open it yet. He huffs a laugh. Any other kid wouldn't waste a second tearing into a gift, but not him. Each present he gets is uniquely precious to him, and he treats them as such. He's a good pup… "Go ahead, Naruto. Open it." He sits down to be more comfortable. "The boys made me swear to stick around for your reaction so I could tell 'em all about it later." They're out looking for any trace of Sasuke or the supposed Madara Uchiha right now, but he's not about to tell Naruto that. Anything that could ruin his big day is strictly off limits.

In the box, a dog bone-shaped cookie the size of Naruto forearm awaits him. Curious, Naruto leans in to smell it, and to his surprise, it smells really good! In fact, he thinks he recognizes that smell…! Given a moment, he gasps, stars shooting to his eyes. "No way! You guys found me a Miso Pork Ramen-flavored cookie shaped like a dog bone?! That's so weird, but so cool!"

Pakkun raises a clarifying paw. "Not found, kid. Made." He points at Kakashi. "The boss here made it 'specially for you!"

Naruto blinks wide eyes at Kakashi, who rubs the back of his head, a light flush to his cheeks. "W-well, I do like to cook, and your tastes are particular, so I took this as a personal challenge to test my skills. The pups put their heads together and literally begged me, so I couldn't exactly say no!"

Naruto is beaming, whole galaxies in his eyes. "Oh, wow! You guys are really too good to me! Thanks so much, all of you!"

Pakkun nods, tail subtly wagging (Naruto knows better than to say so, but it's the cutest thing he's ever seen!). "You bet! Only the best for our master's boy!"

Naruto blinks at that, glancing up at Kakashi. Does he really talk to his nin-pups about him that fondly? Kakashi just smiles helplessly and nods. No point in hiding it. Naruto throws his arms around them both. Pakkun licks his face once (don't tell the boys!).

"Happy birthday, Naruto!"

---

Once all of Naruto's presents are safely sealed away in a storing scroll, Shikamaru checks the time.

Turning to Naruto and the rest of the Konoha 11, he suggests, "We've still got about two hours before we gotta clear out. What do you say we play a few more games?"

Naruto's all for it. "Hey, yeah! What are everyone's favorite games we haven't played yet?"

They instantly shower him with answers, and he lights up more the more he hears, asking questions and practically vibrating with excitement. It's almost comical, but it's also the cutest, most wholesome thing Shikamaru's ever seen.

Honestly, Shikamaru's sad to see this day end. Seeing Naruto so happy, so much that he cried multiple times…he thinks it might be the happiest day Shikamaru himself has had in a long time. The only time that comes close is when he realized his dream to stay by Naruto's side. In some ways, he wishes this day could last forever.

But still…even if it can't, he's so damn happy that Naruto finally got to celebrate his birthday. For real, for the first time. He meant what he said before. Naruto deserves this happiness, just the same as everyone else. He's always deserved it, and the fact that he's been deprived till now makes him want to wring some villagers' necks. He suspects it always will. But he's doing his absolute best to heal those scars in whatever way he can, and he knows better than anyone how much Naruto appreciates it. Hell, he'd be the biggest idiot on the face of the planet if he didn't know.

"Hey, Shikamaru!"

Speak of the devil…

Naruto waves him over with a beam. "Come on! We can't start without you!"

And Heaven help him, Shikamaru can deny him nothing. He turns to his dream like a flower to sun, melted as snow in spring. "On my way!"

Naruto truly is a wonder to behold.

And if he can, if he'll let him, Shikamaru wants to be there to bask in every last ray of his light.

---

A/N: Present Notes: Choji: Choji's quote, "Snacks are the only thing in the world worth spending money on!", is from Shippuden episode 178, "Iruka's Ordeal"!

Gaara: I know technically Gaara should have to control it, but hey, man, it's the ninja world! Maybe he imbued it with some of his chakra or something! Semantics! ;P

Shikamaru: I'm hand-waving that camera tech still kinda sucks at this point in canon 'cause, honestly, after 16+ years post-Kakashi's team picture, you'd think it would have gotten at least a little better, you know? Plus, Shikamaru having a camera geek genius cousin somewhere could totally work! lol.

Sakura: Rin makes the personalized med kit for Kakashi in Shippuden episode 119, "Kakashi's Gaiden – The Battlefield of a Boy's Life! Part 1"! What makes Sakura's special is, she mainly has some supplies in there that can help on the off chance Naruto loses control of the Nine Tails again (since his skin completely burns off if he gets too far gone, and I imagine that hurts like hell), but she didn't want to bring up a somewhat sore subject in pleasant company. ;)

Kakashi: The rattle Kakashi gives Naruto is actually an Easter Egg from the Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3: Full Burst video game! I played through it for the first time months back and teared up at the intense feels the rattle scene gave me (this video on Youtube: youtube(dotcom)/watch?v=VPAGRJxPVHg ; 11:15 - 15:06), so I figured using it for half of Kakashi's present was perfect!

Tsunade: This one just made sense to me, and plus, I knew I could also use it as a teaser for my upcoming (post-this fic) writer!Naruto oneshot! :D

Shizune: Even though she made her bracelet for Dan, it was recovered from his body the day he died, and she's kept it ever since. According to the databooks (which I know are mostly bullshit, but I indulge them for silly stuff like this, lol), Dan's favorite word was 'peace,' so that's why I put that detail in! And later on, Naruto ends up taking the kanji (平和) and what he can from behind it and sews them onto his headband! So, it goes 平, knot at the back of his headband, 和.

/

Iruka (IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THIS AU/FIC): If you've read my ending notes before, you'll know I've technically made one of my favorite Naruto filler arcs more or less canon in this fic (Shippuden episodes 176-178, where child!Naruto's switches to Iruka's class and bullies trick him into going into the back hills to get a special kunai from enemy ninja, and Iruka saves him with Kakashi's help), changing certain details to mesh better with canon events. By the conclusion of the arc, Iruka and Kakashi are more open with Naruto and start getting on with him a little better much earlier than in canon. But here in this AU, Kakashi and Iruka remain cold/indifferent toward Naruto and keep their distance from him (minus Iruka changing tactics to yelling at him when he finds ignoring him just makes him harder to handle, of course) until canon events. Everything else is more or less the same (minus Shino calling out Naruto 'cause I just don't see him doing that, lol)! Just so we're clear on that! Hope that's cool with everyone! ;)

IMPORTANT: Short writing hiatus notice: As you can probably tell by how long this chapter took me, lol, things are very busy IRL for me rn. I am still working my 2.5 jobs, I'm still having some health/sleeping issues I'm trying to figure out, I'm studying like crazy to renew my computer repair certification (which is eating up a lot of my writing time, T_T), and there was a fiasco where I thought I was moving across the country for a new job for a bit there that I eventually turned down (lol, yeah, that was a doozy!), so it's been a lot! Plus, I've also just...been working on this fic for almost a year and a half straight, the writer's block on this chapter (and the most recent chapter of my smaller Naruto AU, Chasing Sunlight, too, LMAO) was hella real, and I'm feeling a lot of pressure to update faster than I can (not from you guys, you guys are so sweet and patient, I'm talking internal pressure, lol).

So, I think it would just be best for me to take a step back from writing as a whole for a little bit. I will not be abandoning this fic! Believe me, I have over 50-freaking-K of notes of upcoming ideas, character development, and plotlines that I refuse to let go to waste! Haha! I just need a little break for a month or two or so to recharge my batteries, yk? I might write some tiny things here and there, but we'll see! I hope you guys understand! Thank you so much for everything so far! I love you all so much! See you in a few months (provided I can even manage to stay away - honestly, I love writing this fic so much, we'll see if I can restrain myself, haha)! :D *heart*

Thanks so much for reading!