Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters, nor do I make any profit from this fanfic.

Rated: G

Pairing: Sasuke/Naruto

Summary: Sasuke always found it difficult to acknowledge special occasions properly. However, when it came to Naruto, he'd at least try to make an exception. One-shot/Drabble, Canonverse.

Author's Note: Just a little birthday drabble for our Naruto. Dedicated to LauraNeatO.

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Living In Denial Sidefic:

A Good Day

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Sasuke and Naruto sat down on the park bench.

It was just after noon. Having left recently from an informatory meeting at the Hokage's office, the two had gotten lunch afterwards together. Sasuke would have prepared something at home for himself if it hadn't been for Naruto's incessant whining. It eventually became annoying enough to force him to cave in and settle for Ichiraku instead. However, he'd proudly managed to avoid paying for the other through an intense battle of rock-paper-scissors, which he'd won.

Dressed in his jōnin gear—as was Naruto—he crossed his arms over chest, his forearms nestling snugly against his chūnin vest. The breeze ruffled the dark, ebony locks of his hair, as he admired the tranquil scenery of bright green grass and tall trees before them. The sounds of birds chirping and children playing in the distance were prominent, and the air was crisp as it usually was.

To think that at one time, he'd never thought he'd return to this.

He'd been calling Konoha his home again for almost three years now. It took him a long time, but finally, he'd been able to come to terms with his life within the last several months. He'd been in a strange haze the first two years, not knowing what normality was, or how to lead a life without anger fueling him. He'd been in many ways, lost. Since being a ninja was the only thing he knew how to do, it had been natural for him to recommence that occupation after completing a considerable penance for his prior "criminal" activities.

However, it hadn't been easy to shake off the feeling of displacement at returning to an empty home with nothing but an endless night of tossing and turning to look forward to afterwards. For a long time, it seemed that that was what the rest of his days would be like. Nevertheless, through some considerable effort, things had gradually gotten better.

The sound of obnoxious slurping then suddenly broke through his sedate thought process.

Sasuke looked towards his right, watching in partial aversion and partial amusement, as Naruto eagerly attacked an ice cream cone next to him. He sat with a leg crossed atop the other as he reclined against the bench.

Naruto's blue-eyed gaze caught his, tipping the cone slightly his way. "You want some?" he offered. The slight smile on his mouth implied that he knew well that Sasuke would not accept since he disliked sweets.

Sasuke cast him a mild glance. "Is there ever a time when you don't devour something like a starved animal?" he replied, instead. "You have ice cream on the corner of your mouth, idiot."

"Yeah?" Naruto chuckled a little before quickly licking the area with the tip of his tongue.

Sasuke averted his gaze from the sight, focusing on his annoyance. "There is such a thing as a napkin."

Naruto waved him off, resuming his feast. "I took care of it. Lighten up already, Sasuke. You're just angry that your taste buds are challenged. Who doesn't like ice cream, anyway?"

"Apparently geniuses," he offered neatly.

"Pfft. Whatever makes you feel better, Sasuke. It's probably all those tomatoes that keep you in that awesomely grouchy mood of yours."

Sasuke sent him a less-than-amused glance. "At least the chances of me growing a second stomach are low on my tomatoes. Keep eating the way you do, and soon you'll be waddling to the Hokage's office."

"Heh! As if I could ever grow fat. My metabolism can't be beat! I'm gonna indulge, either way. Besides, it's my birthday tomorrow."

Sasuke regarded the other. "Do you want a prize?" he replied monotonously.

Naruto laughed, his bright, white teeth nearly gleaming in the afternoon light. "You know, I think you can be funny when you want to be, Sasuke."

Sasuke looked at the scenery in front of him again. "Hn."

"Was that code for, "I know"? Anyway, since it's going be my birthday and all, what are you going to get me?"

"What are you, five?"

"Nope. Twenty. Now c'mon! Whatcha getting me?" he insisted, giving Sasuke a nudge on the shoulder.

"I'd like to get you half a brain, but unfortunately, that isn't possible," Sasuke replied serenely.

To his quiet amusement, he could sense Naruto glare at him. "You bastard. I don't know why I torture myself with you."

Sasuke sent him a smirk. "You always struck me as a bit of a masochist."

Naruto sniffed. "Anyone who hangs around you must be a masochist then." He continued to eat what remained of his ice cream.

Sasuke let silence reign for a long minute. He then sighed. "I have that mission tomorrow that I'll be heading out early for. It'll take about two days." I can't be here for your birthday.

Naruto glanced at Sasuke. He smiled a little. "Ah, yeah. Well, that's alright. I have that mission at the next town over, but I'll only be gone for a few hours. Kakashi-sensei and Sakura promised to take me out tomorrow night, anyway. No need to worry about it."

"Tch. Who's worried?" he replied casually.

He then glanced at Naruto. Their gazes unwittingly met and held.

"Naruto-niichan!"

Both ninja turned their heads to see a teenage Konohamaru approaching them with a group of four younger children following him.

Naruto chewed the last bit of the ice cream cone, and smiled widely. "Hey, Konohamaru! What are you up to?"

The young Sarutobi smiled. Taller and leaner now, the chūnin would soon be campaigning for jōnin status. "Nothing much. I'm watching over these academy students for a few hours. Showing them a few tricks. Hey, Sasuke."

Sasuke nodded.

"Ah, that's good! Hey guys," Naruto smiled at the other children. The children, two boys, and two girls, greeted him enthusiastically.

Within ten minutes, Naruto was up from the bench and standing several feet away with Konohamaru and the other children. Sasuke sat back, watching silently as the small group crowded around the whiskered shinobi, who was engaging in a jutsu demonstration.

He had wanted to be present for Naruto's birthday. However, village affairs had to come first in this instance, as many developments were currently taking place. Up until now, he'd avoided mentioning anything about the other's birthday. He wasn't all too comfortable with events like that to begin with. Hell, he hadn't even celebrated his own for years until his return to the village—whereupon Naruto had insisted on doing so every year since then. Events like that were yet another aspect of life he'd had to adjust to. This time around though, for Naruto, he felt inclined to compensate in some way.

The children and Konohamaru suddenly laughed aloud as Naruto cracked a joke. Konohamaru playfully punched the Uzumaki nin in the arm, indicating that the joke was most likely at his expense.

As Sasuke watched this, his train of thought was diverted as he found himself wondering, not for the first time, what it was about Naruto that enabled him to generate such warmth towards others. Even if he wasn't trying, the other was able to pull people towards him like bees to honey. Even the darkest and most cynical of them—he would know. He'd always known that Naruto was a singular personality in what was such a conflicted shinobi world. Yet somehow, despite the innumerable hardships in his life, he never stopped being the eternal optimist.

Sasuke observed as the man in question patted one of the little girls on the head, offering her a bright smile that she returned. Children in particular took a liking to Naruto. It was as if they sensed the potential excitement and fun the other was capable of producing.

He would make a wonderful father, better than he could imagine himself ever being, Sasuke thought introspectively.

It was a thought that came without any jealousy attached to it. Whereas he was emotionally introverted in many ways, and often incapable of being demonstrative, Naruto somehow always managed to bridge the gap of communication between them, as he could do with nearly everyone else. He had no shame and wasn't afraid of expressing anything, especially when it came to praising and encouraging others. It was a trait that Sasuke occasionally envied, even though he would most likely never tell him so.

There was also his unwavering loyalty. There had been times when he'd thought Naruto a fool to believe and trust so blindly in others. He'd known all too well how damning the consequences could be. Yet, somehow, there was something firmly ingrained in the other that, once he put faith in someone, he never reneged on that confidence. For a long time, Sasuke didn't understand exactly how that worked, and it had occasionally pissed him off in the process. However, if he were honest with himself, Sasuke wouldn't ever wish for the other to change.

He most likely wouldn't be sitting here today if Naruto had been different.

Sasuke stared quietly at the other, as the tawny-skinned ninja created a small Rasengan in his palm, the other children gazing in awe. Naruto's blond bangs swayed slightly from the wind the jutsu generated, his hitai'ate glinting brightly beneath the sun.

He sighed.

Despite all the minor annoyances that came in dealing with the other, he intuitively knew that he wouldn't have the idiot any other way.

Naruto woke up the following morning, letting out a loud yawn. Sitting up, he swung his legs over the side of the bed, blearily glancing at his clock on the nightstand next to him. It was nine in the morning. He scratched his shirt-clad chest. He had to start getting ready for the day.

Heading over to the nearby bathroom, he commenced his morning rituals, using the toilet and brushing his teeth. He then padded over to the medium-sized kitchen, toasting a few slices of bread and making a ham omelet, as he hummed a song to himself. Several minutes later, he sat down at the table with his plate and a large glass of milk.

As he chewed his food, he found himself wondering whether Sasuke was halfway towards his mission destination yet. The other had told him the night before that he would head out at dawn with two others. Knowing Sasuke as he did, he would've gotten up before six, and then spent the time preparing before leaving the house no less than an hour after waking up.

Naruto sighed a little, staring absently at the fine wood of the table top. He couldn't help feeling the slight pang in his chest at knowing that the other would be away today, but village priorities and duties always came first. He could never hold it against Sasuke otherwise, anyway. He was thrilled that Sasuke was at least away proactively doing something for the village.

The thought put a small smile on his face.

After eating his breakfast, he took a brief shower, and afterwards, quickly dressed for the day. He had to deliver a set of copied scrolls to a noble relative of one of the daimyō. It would take him no longer than a few hours. After that, he could return and celebrate with his friends later on.

Standing in front of the large mirror in his room, he tied his hitai'ate. Today would be a good day, even if Sasuke wasn't around to share it with him. He'd just make sure to bust the other's balls a little about cheating his way out of having to get him a gift due to the mission.

Heading over to the bed, he picked up his backpack where it had been resting next to it. He unzipped it, checking to see if there were any miscellaneous items that were left over from the last mission. His brows creased slightly when he suddenly discovered a plain, dark pouch that he didn't recognize. Curiously, he pulled it out; finding it slightly weighty in his hand, as there appeared to be an object inside it. Cautiously, he pulled the object out, his fingers gripping onto what felt like a handle.

His eyes widened. It was a custom-made kunai, he saw, tossing the pouch onto the bed. He vaguely noticed a piece of paper falling to the floor as the weapon was fully unveiled, but he was too distracted at the moment. The sharp blade glinted brightly in the morning light that streamed through the room. The grip was covered in maroon-colored leather that made it comfortable for holding, and over it was a very familiar seal inscription stamped on it in fine kanji. Golden gild circled the base of the blade, and in the center of it, he could see a small Uzushiogakure swirl imprinted on the pristine surface.

Stunned, he suddenly remembered the paper that had fallen to the floor. Crouching, he picked it up with his free hand, realizing that it was small piece of scroll paper. Written on it, in fine, black ink, was one simple word:
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Usuratonkachi

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Naruto grinned widely then, the fingers of his other hand rubbing along the smooth handle. As the tip of his index finger traced the imprinted insignia of what was essentially his mother's clan crest, he couldn't stop the sudden mistiness that dampened his eyes.

Moments like these made all of the hard work, anger, and tears worth it. The fact that something as austere as a mere kunai could evoke such fierce happiness within him would have seemed silly to the average observer. However, not to him. Not when it came to Sasuke.

Naruto knew how hard it was for the surviving Uchiha to express heartfelt sentiment, as well as how much the other detested emotional displays. It made gestures like these all that much more meaningful to Naruto. It didn't matter what the occasion was, or whether Sasuke recognized an occurrence with a small smirk or a nod of his stubborn head.

Naruto clutched the kunai to his chest, his smile unfaltering. As long as Sasuke positively acknowledged him in any form, then it would certainly suffice for him. It was really all he could ever continue to want.

He stared at the kunai once more, chuckling a little to himself the way a pleased child would. Placing the piece of paper back in the pouch, he set it carefully on the nightstand next to his bed. He then placed the kunai securely into his weapon's pouch at his back. Grabbing his backpack, he energetically bounded from the room, shutting the door behind him.

It truly would be a good day.