Redemption |complete| (SasuSaku)

The one who turned 20

Sunday 23 July, night time.

Sasuke was resting in his bed. Last night he fell asleep in Sakura's home and woke up well rested but tonight he couldn't fall asleep. Maybe the fact that it was his birthday was bothering him.

He remembered when he was a kid and his family used to celebrate it with a nice dinner and a little cake. His dad wasn't always there when it happened but his mom and brother were always celebrating it with him. He could still smell the cooking tomatoes and the joy on his mom's face. After the death of his parents, he couldn't remember a single year when he did something for his birthday. Between living with Orochimaru and travelling alone, it didn't give him many opportunities to have a dinner with people. It didn't really matter to him anyway, he was a grown up man now who didn't need a birthday party. Either way no one in the village knew that it was today anyway.

The door opened in the other room and he was already on his feet ready to attack when a blonde head barged into the room.

"Hey Sasuke come with me."

He sighed loudly.

"Idiot, I thought you were an enemy."

"An enemy in the village?"

Sasuke felt stupid for a minute. He had completely forgotten than the village was probably the safest place he had been to these past two years and a half. He decided to avoid talking about it.

"What do you want Naruto?"

"Well, I can't tell you exactly but come with me."

"What?"

"I was ordered to bring you somewhere but I can't say where until we get there."

"I don't want to leave my house."

"Argh, I told them that you were gonna be annoying but they didn't listen."

"Who is "them"?"

"Trust me a little bit. Come on, we'll be late and I'll get in trouble."

Naruto walked behind him and pushed him towards the exit. Sasuke pushed him away with his shoulder and started walking. Late to what?

Naruto made him travel around the village. The sun was already setting behind the forest surrounding the village. Him and Sakura were leaving tomorrow afternoon for their mission in Tsuchigumo and he definitely needed to get some sleep. Especially since it will be a mission that required protecting her from possible enemies.

"Loser, I have a mission tomorrow."

"And so does the person we are meeting up wi.... oh no. Please don't tell her I told you where we were going. She'll get all mad."

"We're going to Sakura's?"

"Yes. Don't ask any more questions."

Sasuke wondered what Sakura wanted to do with the two of them but he brushed the question aside. His stomach was growling and he remembered that he had forgotten to eat.

Their early evening stroll finally ended in front of Sakura's apartment. It was the third time Sasuke was going in there and he liked the idea that this place started to feel familiar to him.

Naruto pushed the door open and walked in leaving Sasuke wondering how this boy never understood what manners were. He followed him inside.

The smell of food filled the apartment and left Sasuke even more hungry than he already was. Kakashi was sitting on the sofa looking at some photographs.