My Little Brother (Hidan)

Chapter 9: Friends

A/N at the end

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"Ya didn't tell me today's your birthday, dattebayo!"

Mitsuki glanced up from across the room, levelling a raised brow at a fuming Naruto.

They were in the blonde's apartment, Mitsuki having tackled Naruto to doing his homework, which was a feat in and of itself.

Everything was silent for over an hour, Mitsuki having finished his own assignment a few minutes ago and was now reading manga, and Naruto still struggling with math, and there was nothing to discuss.

That was, until Naruto suddenly remembered his discussion with Iruka-sensei yesterday.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, ya didn't!"

"Really?"

"Dammit Mitsuki!"

Mitsuki gave an amused huff before a thought occured to him.

"Then how'd you know?"

Naruto glared at him for a moment before answering with a snort. "'Cause me, Chouji, an' Shikamaru asked sensei, 'cause ya don't seem to celebrate your birthday, dattebayo!"

"What's there to celebrate?"

"Lots of things!"

"Name a few."

"Your birthday, dattebayo!"

Then he pointed an accusing finger to his friend.

"We've been friends for a year now, and ya still didn't tell us! Didn't tell me!"

Mitsuki winced as he saw the hurt in Naruto's eyes. He turned away. Damn, he was an ass. Friends are supposed to tell these things to each other, right?

Looking back at Naruto, he sighed.

"I just thought it wasn't that important." He quickly continued when he saw Naruto about to object. "Besides, it's not like anyone's gonna bother giving me a gift."

And wasn't that the truth. With Gai-sensei away on a mission, no one else who knew Mitsuki's birthday would waste time celebrating it.

Not that Mitsuki minded. His birthday wish couldn't come true anyway.

As Mitsuki turned back to his book, he failed to notice Naruto's smirk as he went back to solving mathematical equations.

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The next morning, Mitsuki was surprised to see that Naruto was already waiting for him in the Academy. Normally, it was the other way around. More surprising was the presence of Shikamaru and Chōji on either side of his best friend.

But what really caught his attention was the carefully-wrapped box on Naruto's hands, the words 'Happy Birthday Mitsuki' scrawled on it in Chōji's handwriting (there was no way Naruto and Shikamaru's was that neat).

Gingerly opening the gift, Mitsuki felt a lump on his throat when he recognized the contents as Naruto's extra pair of goggles, along with four coupons to Ichiraku Ramen.

He turned to his friends, who were all grinning widely.

"Happy Birthday, Mitsuki."

In that moment, he didn't care about his estranged brother, nor did he care about his (former) religion.

He forgot what his birthday wish was supposed to be. He didn't care.

Ramen seemed to taste better that evening.