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Pale yellow sunlight greeted Iruka as he stepped into an empty kitchen, the first of his roommates to start the day. The grumble of the coffee machine percolating on the counter came to a screeching finish, pulling him from his sleepy haze. He yawned and poured himself a cup, enjoying the steam as it billowed over his face, bringing the invigorating, rich smell of coffee along with it. He took a reverent sip, and goosebumps rose on his arms. He was already feeling more awake.
The fresh pot of coffee worked like a beacon, before Iruka knew it Yamato and Gai had both joined him in the kitchen. Yamato set to work frying up some eggs and Gai got comfy at the breakfast nook with a bowl of overnight oats from the fridge. Meanwhile, Iruka leaned against the counter, alternating between bites of a banana and sips from his World’s Best Teacher mug as he looked over the next week in his planner. A bright red circle on the calendar caught his attention and his eyes widened. “ Oh! ” he sputtered, nearly choking on his coffee.
Gai looked over in concern, poised to spring and rush to his aid. Yamato was closer and had already moved to help, gently patting Iruka’s back. “You okay, ‘Ruka?” They asked in near unison.
Iruka cleared his throat. “Yeah, I’m alright. Just surprised. I forgot Kakashi’s birthday is this week.” He waved his planner in the air for them to see.
“His what? ” Yamato’s jaw dropped.
“No shit!” Gai abandoned his breakfast to join them and get a closer look at the planner.
“There’s no way. I’ve asked him so many times…” Yamato muttered to himself, shoulders slumped in bewilderment.
“Are you sure this is right?” Gai asked, prodding the calendar page.
“Positive.” Iruka crossed his arms, chin jutting up with confidence.
Gai flashed him a devilish grin. “I’ve been tryin’ to pry that outta him for years! How’d you get him to spill the beans?”
“I didn't,” he said, a trace of mischief in his tone. His lips pulled into a smirk, but it faded a bit as Yamato’s unyielding gaze crept over him.
“So how’d you find out?” he prompted, stone faced.
“It’s not important how I got my information.” –Especially since it was information he technically stole from a file in hokage tower.– “Just know my sources are credible, and we’ve got a birthday to plan.” Yamato’s glower didn’t relent, but Iruka felt no shame. “What? It’s not like he was ever gonna tell me. I had to take matters into my own hands.” he said, unfazed.
“Oooh, is that why he’s been so mopey the last couple of days? He’s upset about his birthday?” Gai wondered aloud.
“I mean, that would certainly make sense,” Iruka concurred. “But what can we do to make him feel better?” He tapped his finger to his chin as he plotted.
Yamato rushed to cut in. “Come on guys, let’s not jump to conclusions here. We’re not even supposed to know when his birthday is. If that’s why he’s been feeling down, it’s technically none of our business. ” Iruka and Gai just laughed.
“Yamato, please.” Iruka waved him off. “He’s our best friend and roommate, this is totally our business.”
“Damn right!” Gai nodded, crossing his arms over his puffed chest. “If our guy’s feeling down, it’s our job to lift him up!” He fist pumped the air and Yamato pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh.
“Okay, okay, fine,” he relented. “Since you mentioned it, I am pretty tired of seeing him look so sad; he’s been moping around like a kicked puppy for days now.” He glanced between Iruka and Gai. “So what’s the plan?”
In hushed excitement they began to detail a birthday extravaganza. Not without some creative and technical differences, of course. Their conspiratorial bickering came to a halt when Kakashi stepped into the kitchen from the bathroom, a towel hanging low on his hips. He quirked an eyebrow at their stunned silence. “Good morning,” he said, almost like a question. Ignoring his clear suspicion, the three of them managed to play it cool and chirp out greetings.
“Morning!”
“Good morning!”
“Hey!”
Kakashi studied them with a wary eye for just a moment before giving them a nod, and continuing on with his routine. They were acting weird, no doubt, but with a team 7 mission on his docket for the day he just didn’t have the range to look into it right now. So he pretended not to notice Iruka shoving his planner out of sight, and he didn’t say anything about the nervous sweat he glimpsed at Yamato’s temples. Gai’s wide, toothy grin wasn’t totally out of place for the early morning, to be fair, so that one was easier to let slide.
When he arrived home later that evening to the same rushed silence of his roommates, all gathered and plotting in the living room, he finally cracked. “All right, what’re you 3 up to?” he demanded with an exasperated sigh as he kicked off his sandals by the front door. Boy did that sound familiar after a long day with his genin. It was practically deja vu when three voices shouted back “Nothing!”
“So you’re all huddled up in the living room and whispering…for no reason?”
“Yep!” piped Iruka.
“And I’m supposed to assume it has nothing to do with me, even though you all immediately stopped talking as soon as I walked in?”
“That’s right!” Yamato supplied with a nervous smile.
Kakashi put his hands on his hips and stared at them, a quizzical glint in his eye.
Iruka looked to Yamato, who shrugged and looked to Gai, who scratched his head for a moment as he tried to think up an excuse. “I got nothin’,” he half whispered.
Iruka gave a resigned sigh. “I guess we shouldn’t really be surprised that you caught us. We were trying to plan something nice for your birthday.”
“Whoa, hang on. How did you guys even know my birthday was coming up?” When no one answered him, Kakashi followed Yamato’s pointed gaze over to Iruka, who simply shrugged his shoulders. Kakashi raised an eyebrow. “Iruka, what–”
“Don’t try to change the subject, Kakashi.” he interrupted.
Gai swooped in for backup. “Yeah, our source of intel hardly matters when your birthday is just days away!”
“What do you usually do to celebrate, Kakashi? We could use some more ideas.” Yamato asked, pencil and notepad ready in hand.
“Well… I don’t. ”
“What do you mean you don’t ?”
“We’ve gotta do something, it’s your birthday!”
“See, this is exactly why I don’t tell people when it is. I really don’t want anyone to make a big deal out of it. I appreciate the thought, but just drop it, okay guys?”
“Kakashi, don’t be like that, you deserve to be celebrated!”
“Yeah, and if you don’t want a party we can at least do something just us–”
“I said drop it, okay?!” He wasn’t sure what exactly had spiked his anger, but his voice had risen along with it. The room quieted and his anger gave way to a swirling mess of guilt and shame. “Sorry…” His eyes cut to the front door, his instinct to run kicking in. “I think I need some air.” He turned and left before anyone could respond.
The pitter patter of his hounds feet against the pavement soothed Kakashi as he walked. The sound was constant and familiar, it calmed him, allowing his mind to stretch and clear.
He wished he understood the birthday hype. Sure, he’d celebrated others’ birthdays. Gone out for drinks with Asuma every year on his day, and ran obstacle courses for Gai’s. Hell, he’d even dropped off surprises and treats for Naruto’s birthday each year. But that was because he cared about those people. He wanted to celebrate them. Himself? Not so much.
His dad was the last person who cared enough to celebrate his birthday. When he died, Kakashi stopped acknowledging it altogether, and in turn stopped telling people when it was. Maybe he kept it a secret because it was easier to give people the excuse of not knowing than to risk them knowing and just not caring enough to celebrate.
Ugh, but what even was there to celebrate, anyway? It was just another year of fighting, of bleeding. Another year outliving Rin, and Obito, and his dad, and countless other comrades. Another year closer to the day he finally died himself.
Still, his friends were just trying to be kind.
He returned home and they were scattered about the house, carrying on with their nights like nothing had happened. The next couple days passed much the same; there was no more whispering, no more planning. Just quiet. Normal. That’s how it was even as the dreaded day finally arrived. He woke up, his body clearly feeling the weight of another year as he dragged himself out of bed with extra effort that morning.
No one mentioned anything special about the day as he joined his friends in the kitchen for breakfast. He knew he should be happy that they were respecting his wishes, but he couldn't shake the tinge of sadness looming in his heart. Was his birthday really that easy to ignore? Wasn’t that just proof that the day really wasn’t so special, afterall?
He went about his day like any other. No one he came across made a point to offer well wishes or acknowledge him at all, really. And why would they? This was how he’d always spent his birthday. Which was fine. It was normal. So why did it feel so bad now?
He went home with a heavy heart and a cloudy head. When he pushed open the front door, his breath caught in his throat. Twinkle lights lined the walls and the scented candles he liked were burning in strategic spots around the room, bringing light and warmth that filled his heart and seeped into his bones. It was like a grey cloud over him was finally dissipating. Iruka approached him then, his hands in the air offering a truce as he drew closer.
“Now Kakashi, I know what you’re probably thinking, but I assure you none of this is for your birthday,” he said, dropping a reassuring hand onto his shoulder. Kakashi side eyed him, but he pushed on. “I mean it!” he insisted. “We’re just hanging out at home like any typical Friday night.”
“He’s right!” Yamato chimed in from the kitchen. “And I just happened to be craving eggplant miso soup today. I’m definitely not making it because it’s your favorite.” His eyes squinted up with his smile as he stirred a steaming pot on the stove.
That was when Kakashi spotted the towering chocolate cake on the counter. He opened his mouth to question it, but Iruka was already shrugging it off. “I was in the mood for sweets and remembered I had a recipe for your favorite dessert saved. I wasn’t planning on sharing, but I think I can spare a slice just for you if you really want some,” he teased with a wink.
Gai stepped into the living room then, arms full of pillows and blankets from the hall closet. Kakashi’s face must’ve shown his curiosity. “Oh, don’t mind me, I just felt like building a giant fort around the couch. Figured it’ll be nice and cozy when I watch the latest Icha Icha movie tonight.” He dumped the supplies and started adjusting cushions. “You can join if you want. I hear it’s gotten great reviews!” The shit eating grin on Gai’s face was priceless, Kakashi couldn’t help but laugh.
Iruka slipped an arm around Kakashi’s waist. “I guess something about today made us want to get together and celebrate with things that remind us of someone we love. Weird.”
Yamato joined them on Kakashi’s other side, resting his forearm on Kakashi’s shoulder. “That is weird, I wonder what could be so special about today?”
“Hell if I know.” Kakashi quipped. He laughed when Yamato and Iruka face palmed and eye rolled, respectively. “Thank you,” he said, the emotional shake in his voice saying even more than his words.
Gai clambered over and threw his arms around them, enveloping them in a group hug. “We love you Kakashi. Deal with it.”
“You can’t escape our love, so stop trying.”
He was beaming as he looked between the three of them, a faint blush on his cheeks and gratitude blossoming deep within his chest. He never thought he’d get attention like this on his birthday, let alone that he’d enjoy it. But here he was, surrounded by all his favorite things, all thanks to his favorite people. His thoughtful, loving, meddling family. “You know the only thing that would make this better?” he asked, eyes lighting up like a kid at Christmas.
Iruka exchanged a glance with Yamato and they both sighed in acceptance. “Summon the ninken, Kash.”