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The first birthday Naruto spent with Sasuke, it rained half the day. He didn’t mind, though.
He hadn’t even told the rest of the team that his birthday was coming up. At first it just hadn’t seemed important, but now, the day was already here. There wasn’t much he could do about it. Kakashi and Sakura had already headed home.
Part of him, he knew, hadn’t told them on purpose. He knew Kakashi at least had access to his records. Maybe he’d find out. The past few nights he’d fantasized about going out to Ichiraku’s with everyone, and wondered whether Sakura would buy him a gift. He really wasn’t sure how it was supposed to go. He’d never had a birthday with friends before.
Instead, he and Sasuke were stuck in the rain.
They’d ducked under the awning of a little bakery in town. The downpour had started while they were on their way back from training, just a few blocks away from where they usually parted ways — Sasuke towards the compound at the edge of town, Naruto to his apartment. Now, though, they were stuck. Sasuke was scowling at his wet clothes as if he imagined the water might get scared and run away, but it wasn’t having much effect. His hair was limp and dripping too, and Naruto had to stifle a giggle at how he looked. Between the sopping wet hair and the offended pout, Sasuke looked like a cat caught out a storm.
Even through his annoyance, though, Sasuke looked good in the rain. The boy’s skin was dewy and pale against his dark locks, and his eyes reflected the soft gray light of the day like glossy black mirrors. They may train with fire but, on days like these, Uchihas seemed built for the rain.
Sasuke turned to look at him, lips drawn together in annoyance.
“Did you bring an umbrella?” he asked, without much hope, and Naruto shook his head.
“Nope.”
“Figured.”
Sasuke’s shoulders slumped, and Naruto crossed his arms. A storm on his birthday was bad enough — he wasn’t about to let Sasuke sulk away the day.
“So we’re stuck here! So what, it’s an adventure!”
There wasn’t a response. Naruto groaned.
“Oh come on,” he said, tugging at Sasuke’s sleeve, “we were training all day. Let’s do something fun in the rain! It’s the first storm of the year!”
“There might be thunder.”
“Who cares! Let us get struck by lighting then, what a way to go!”
Sasuke didn’t laugh.
“Please? Please please please?”
As Naruto spoke, he wrapped himself around Sasuke’s arm until he was practically hanging off it. Sasuke staggered a bit under the weight, cheeks reddening as he jerked his arm free.
“You’re such a kid sometimes,” he muttered, “Fine. What’s the game then?”
Naruto beamed. He tried not to look smug.
“A race!”
“Again, it’s raining.”
“I know, dumbass, that’s the challenge! We race to the Hokage’s tower, but the rule is we can’t get wet! We have to stay under roofs and awnings and stuff, right? Other than that, anything goes.”
Halfway through the explanation, Sasuke got a distant, calculating look in his eyes — one that Naruto knew well. He must be interested.
“Could be a challenge. What about crossing streets?” Sasuke mused, carefully surveying the road in front of them.
Naruto shrugged.
“Be creative?”
At this, the traces of a smile played at the edges of Sasuke’s lips.
“Well then,” he said lightly, “you’re on.”
In the end, the race was a tie.
The storm kept going for another few hours, and now the boys sat side by side at the base of the Hokage tower. Naruto had nestled himself into Sasuke’s side like he was burrowing into him, and Sasuke was looking pointedly at the floor. This had been accomplished after a good twenty minutes of arguing and complaining, during which Naruto had insisted that “he was cold, and yes this was Sasuke’s problem because he’s the one who pushed him in the river and made him all wet and he was shivering, how could you be so cruel, and anyway it was just common courtesy.”
Sasuke had accepted none of this, but Naruto had won when Sasuke’s own teeth had started chattering. Now, the two sat together, Naruto’s bright orange jacket thrown over them like a blanket.
“Wanna head back soon?” Naruto asked, eyes fixed on the gray sky above.
Sasuke shook his head.
“It’s cold,” he muttered.
“It’ll be warmer inside,” Naruto insisted, “I’ll walk you back.”
Sasuke just shook his head again.
Another silence passed, the rain pouring like static over the gray and beige of the village. Trees shuddered in the downpour.
Naruto yawned. The white noise was relaxing, now that he was getting used to it. He smiled softly, and nestled himself deeper into Sasuke’s side. The boy was still cold to the touch. He frowned — maybe he should try wrapping an arm around his back? To keep him warm? He doubted Sasuke would let him, but it was worth a shot. The kid could catch a cold.
He didn’t end up trying. It seemed the safer option.
“Today was nice,” he said, to himself as much as to Sasuke.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. It was fun. Thanks for that.”
Sasuke looked down at him, frowning slightly.
“What do you mean?”
“Well for starters you aren’t being as annoying as usual, that’s a perk.”
Sasuke made a dismissive noise, and Naruto grinned.
“Fine, I take it back,” he added loftily, ”you’re being annoying today too. Sorry I ever doubted you.”
Sasuke scowled, and opened his mouth to reply, but, after a moment’s pause, he looked away.
“It’s too cold to fight,” he muttered.
Naruto savored the victory, however small. It should rain more often.
At some point, he knew, he fell asleep, the sound of the rain folding around him like a blanket until his brain was filled with nothing but soft, white noise.
There was a moment, blurry and indistinct, when he thought he woke up.
His forehead protector was off, and a hazy image of Sasuke was staring down at him and gingerly running a hand through his hair. When Naruto’s bleary eyes met his, he bit his lip.
“Hm?” mumbled Naruto through the haze of sleep, but Sasuke just shook his head.
“Don’t wake up,” he said.
Naruto yawned, and smiled.
“This was a good birthday,” he said to himself, “First one with friends. Never had that before.”
There was a pause.
“I mean,” Naruto went on, “I just wanna say thanks. I guess.”
The rain poured down around them, and Sasuke’s large, dark eyes locked with his.
“I didn’t know,” the boy said quietly.
“It’s okay. I never said.”
Sasuke frowned, as if this wasn’t nearly a good enough answer. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of tense silence, he spoke.
“Close your eyes,” he said.
Too tired to argue, Naruto did as he was told. There was a rustling sound above, and, suddenly, Naruto felt warm. He could feel Sasuke leaning down close to his face, his lips almost brushing his forehead. Then, for a brief moment, they did. Through the blur of sleep and the constant hiss of the rain, Naruto felt the ghost of a kiss against his forehead. It was only a second — even then Naruto wasn’t sure if it had really happened. A moment later, and it was gone.
“Happy birthday,” Sasuke said softly, “Next time, I won’t forget.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
Naruto smiled. He didn’t open his eyes.
Later, when he woke up again, both Sasuke and the rain were gone. His jacket was still wrapped around him like a blanket, and the clouds had faded. The sun would start setting soon. Drowsily, still warm and giddy from the day, Naruto made his way home.
Neither of them ever mentioned what had happened. By the next day, Naruto had almost convinced himself it was just a dream. Sasuke was back to his usual self, and Naruto was too, in a way.
He thought the dreams would stop when Sasuke left.