Memory of Rain

By: Lazuli

Sasu/Naru

G

I had to write a fic for Naruto's birthday! It's not long or special or anything like that, but something simple and almost painful and bittersweet. I hope I succeeded and please enjoy! Naruto does not belong to me.

Naruto watched the rain fall outside his window, the steady rain creating a washed out light. He shivered slightly as he pulled on his coat. It wasn't that cold, really--but his apartment was unheated and the rain created a chilly dampness. Zipping up his coat, he walked over to where his ramen had finished cooking, blowing on the hot broth before taking a bite of the noodles.

It never really got cold in Konoha. No snow or major frost--it rained a lot once autumn hit and was a little chilly around December, but mostly it was pretty pleasant. He knew in Water Country, it got cold--he shivered at the thought of training in knee deep snow and cloaks hindering every move made. Fire Country was a lot better in his opinion.

October heralded the start of the autumn rains, of friends or couples sharing space underneath umbrellas. Naruto never knew what to think about the people squished together under an umbrella meant for one person. This time of the year had never been his favorite, he'd never had any happy memories to look upon on this date. Sixteen years ago, Kyuubi attacked and the Yondaime had died. It was also the day Naruto had been born.

Shoving the rest of the noodles in his mouth and tossing the empty container away, Naruto hoped that enough time had gone by that there wouldn't be any dirty looks aimed his way, no whispers or frightened glances. That he'd done enough for Konoha where the antagonism wouldn't be as strong.

He wondered, sometimes, if his teammates knew why he was so subdued. Kakashi-sensei and Iruka-sensei knew--it had only been three years since Iruka started treating him separately from the monster he'd been perceived as. Three years since he found a family in the girl he had a crush on for so long, a silent boy too much like himself, and a pervert of a teacher that held as much pain and struggle in his eyes as Naruto himself did.

His apartment seemed more quiet than ever now, and he stepped across a forgotten coat, the dark colors blending in with the shadows of the room. He was suddenly eager to see who was waiting on the training field--

He struggled with his own umbrella as he locked his door behind him, grateful for the small covering. Kakashi sensei had given it to him as a late birthday gift last year when his teacher had noticed the lack of one. It was the first and really only--birthday gift he'd received.

He wasn't expecting anybody to be at the training field when he got there--it was a voluntary training, not a mandatory one--they were no longer really a team so much--not since Sakura gained chuunin status and he was vying for jounin. Ero-sennin said that while he wasn’t the smartest thing in the world, Naruto had too much potential to be wasted as a gennin and the training and evaluations he received from a Sannin constituted as a good enough substitution for the chuunin exams.

It didn't come as much of a surprise, though, to see Sasuke at the training field, dark eyes narrowed on Naruto as he came up, brushing dampened hair out of his eyes as he stared at Naruto and his umbrella.

"Scared of the rain?" Came the mocking taunt, not unexpected but still irksome. "I would think that you'd be above trying to stay dry. After all, if you spar with me, you're going to be soaked and covered in mud once I finish shoving you into the ground."

Naruto gave an inelegant snort at that, folding up the umbrella and tossing it to the side, smirking back at Sasuke. He could trust the bastard to be here, to act as if everything was normal and that he didn't get as many taunting looks these days as Naruto did. "You wish."

He knew it was worth coming out here today, with the offering of sparring with Sasuke and forgetting the painful thoughts he always carried with him. The pain of a shuriken marking his skin or a fist driving into his gut was more preferable than the void of loneliness.

~

It was afterward, when they were both soaked and muddy, clothes plastered to their bodies and muscles aching, did Naruto relax and really look at his best friend and old teammate. Someone that could look at him and trust him and not act as if anything was different today. To hell with the people that still cried over the loss of the Yondaime, to the scathing remarks and cold looks--Sasuke offered all of that and more without anything malevolent behind him.

Sasuke was offering a hand to him, hauling him upright and next to him. It took Naruto a moment to realize the rain was no longer falling on him, that Sasuke was pushed closer to him and a mud-caked hand clasped his own as they tightened around the handle of Naruto's umbrella.

"You're a mess." Sasuke's voice still held that acidic tone, but it wasn't as sharp or mocking as before. "I told you I'd get to rub your face in the mud." He reached out with his free hand and swiped at Naruto's face. "Let's go home, dobe."

Since Sasuke's face sported it's own streaks of mud, his own clothing as weighed down as Naruto's--he couldn't say much. Naruto pushed closer to Sasuke, both of them walking hand in hand under their umbrella, amongst the other couples and friends that shared a tiny space of warmth in the pouring rain.

Smiling, Naruto tilted his head up to the curves of the umbrella as he and Sasuke walked home together. Sometimes it took a long wait to form a good memory, but when it came, it was worth more than all the others.

Happy Birthday, Naruto.