Author’s Note: Whew! I waited and waited for the magic to strike, and finally! I was in the middle of a freaking shower and BAM! Ideas start hitting me like lightning bolts! I had to jump out and run to my computer! Now, I must write! Here ya go! Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I don’t own Naruto.

Gaara Discovers Birthdays

It was Gaara’s birthday tomorrow.

He had no idea. The poor thing.

Sure, he’d had birthday’s before. But never a birthday birthday-party. How could he have, when he would have simply decapitated and disemboweled anyone who’d dare approach him with cake and balloons? Now that Gaara was more mentally stable, perhaps it could be pulled off, if Temari and Kankuro were feeling awfully brave.

Speaking of Temari and Kankuro, they were gone, for reasons unknown. Something about picking up some stuff from the grocery or some other store, it didn’t really matter to Gaara. What mattered was that he was all alone tonight, and had not only closed and locked all the doors and windows, but shut off the lights, too. Why, you ask? It’s quite obvious.

Gaara sat huddled up on the couch, wrapped in a blanket like a caterpillar in a cocoon and watching the TV screen with horrified fascination. His favorite show was on, a show he’d been forbidden to watch, but if Temari wasn’t there to enforce the rule, then he wasn’t really breaking it, right? Oh, hell, yes he was, but Gaara just really wanted to see tonight’s episode.

“Where are the damn codes?” Keifer Sutherland hissed, tightening his stranglehold on the terrorist, who gurgled for air but refused to give in.

“I’ll never talk!”

“Oh, you’d better…” Keifer threatened ominously. “I know ways to make a grown man cry. Why don’t I show you one of them?” He slooowly reached behind him to draw out…

Gaara sat up, leaning closer to the screen, quivering all over with anticipation.

“GAARA!”

“Aaaagh!”

The door burst open, the lights were snapped on, and a very peeved-looking Temari stood before him, blocking his view of the TV and Keifer. Gaara wasn’t sure whether to be terrified of his sister or upset that he’d missed what the torture method was.

“Hey, Gaara!” Kankuro poked his head in through the ruined door and grinned at his brother. “How ya doing? Geez, Temari! Did you really have to ruin the door? And of course I’ll have to be the one to fix it…” He sighed and strode it, holding several paper bags filled with mysterious items, and caught sight of the TV. “Ooh! Is that 24? What’s this episode about?”

“Kankuro.” Temari said firmly, giving him a look that would have turned him to stone had he actually been looking at her. “Turn that off.”

“Fine.” Kankuro rolled his eyes but obeyed. Keifer and the now bawling terrorist disappeared as the picture winked out.

“What did I say about 24?” Temari asked softly, crossing her arms and tapping her foot. Gaara gulped and kept his eyes glued to the floor.

“Uh…you…you said…” he mumbled.

“That it’s too violent!” She finished for him. “All he does is kill and torture people! You don’t need to see crap like that!”

“Yeah, just go outside to see it!” Kankuro remarked, putting his bags down on the floor. The damn things were heavy.

“You’re not helping!” Temari kicked his shin.

“But…” Gaara protested half-heartedly.

“Upstairs!” Temari jabbed a finger at the staircase. “You’re in timeout, mister! March!”

Gaara sighed and shuffled toward the stairs, still wrapped in his thick layer of blankets.

“This is all your fault!” Temari hissed, smacking Kankuro on the back of his head. “You’re the one who wanted the Dish so you wouldn’t have to part with your precious Gilmore Girls!”

“Shut up!” Kankuro growled, rubbing his wound gingerly with one hand and batting at her with the other. “You’re the one who watches The Ultimate Fighter, so you shouldn’t talk!”

“What was that?!”

“Awgh, no! Not the Triangle!”

“Here’s a Rear Naked Choke for you, bitch!”

“GWAAGH! You’re… so damn evil!”

Gaara sighed and went dismally into his room. He really needed a Tivo.

---

“Gaara! You have a visitor!” Temari called up the stairs the next morning. Gaara frowned and closed his ‘Chicken Soup for the Mentally Disturbed’ book. A visitor? Who could it be? Gaara didn’t remember asking any of his friends to come over for that day. Oh, well.

He slid off his bed and went to the front door to see who it was.

“H-hi, Gaara!” Hinata greeted, a small, shy smile on her face. Gaara blinked.

“Hinata? What’re…” he began.

“Come on, l-let’s go!” Hinata took hold of his hand and pulled him out the door. Gaara had no choice but to follow or fall flat on his face, and he certainly didn’t want that to happen in front of her.

“Have fun, you two!” Temari waved from the doorway. Gaara stared back suspiciously at his sister before she disappeared from view. Had Temari arranged this? Why? Was she trying to get rid of him? Did she want him to get some fresh air and exercise? Was she going to have a crack-party in his absence?

“W-where should we go first, G-Gaara?” Hinata asked, looking up at him.

Gaara decided he didn’t really care what the reason was.

---

Gaara spent almost the entire day with Hinata. They went on a walk in the small park, took a trip to a few stores, and swung on the swings at the playground. Gaara didn’t even feel silly, even after Hinata showed him how to swing while on his stomach (it’s possible! I’ve done it before, I swear! It just results in horrible injury). Finally, the sun began sinking down to say hello to the horizon, and the sky’s color changed from lovely blue to a soft pink. Hinata checked her watch.

“A-Alright! It’s 5 o’ clock! L-let’s go back now, G-Gaara.” She took his hand and led him back home. Gaara was too happy to even ask why 5 o’ clock was significant. As they reached his house, Hinata stopped and pushed Gaara in front. He blinked and looked at her in confusion.

“Go ahead,” she urged.

Gaara opened the door and froze.

Everyone was there. And I do mean everyone.

Kankuro, Temari, Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke (yes, even him!), Kiba (with Akamaru), Shino, Choji, Shikamaru, Ino (who was sporting a neck brace and a cast on her arm, thanks to Choji’s rampaging during the Easter event), Neji, Ten-ten, and Rock Lee (is that everyone? I hope so) were all gathered in front of the door, waiting expectantly as if in anticipation of something.

“SURPRISE!” Everyone screamed. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”

Naruto chose this of all times to pop a balloon.

“You ruined it, moron!” Sakura roared, charging at him like an enraged bull.

“I still love you!” Naruto gasped out, bleeding from his nose.

“Caaaaake!” Kankuro groaned.

“Caaaaake!” Choji joined in.

“Not yet!” Temari chided.

“Let’s get this over with,” Sasuke sighed. “I’ve got some training to do.”

“Me too,” Neji said coldly.

“You mean brushing your hair?” Ten-ten asked.

“Augh! I have an itch on my arm!” Ino squealed and scratched vainly at her cast. “Someone give me a stick or something!”

“Eww!” Kiba made a face. Akamaru barked in agreement.

“You’d heal from your wounds ten times faster if you trained like me!” Rock Lee declared.

“…” Shino simply adjusted his glasses fluidly and looked cool.

Hinata looked up at him and smiled. Gaara didn’t know what to say.

“Come on!” She grabbed his hand and dragged him in.

---

First Gaara opened his presents. There were quite a few, seeing as he had quite a number of friends plus a brother and sister (That’s the plus side to having a big family! Trust me, I know!). He received a comfortable black bonnet from Kankuro, a lovely dark grey scarf from Temari, a coupon to Ichiraku Ramen Restaurant from Naruto (which really said a lot), a medical book from Sakura (Gaara appreciated this, since now he could update his knowledge on cursed sicknesses), nothing from Sasuke (not like Gaara expected anything from him), a comb from Neji (who he thought may or may not have been insinuating something), a green jumpsuit from Lee (that he would never ever wear even under pain of death), a book on birds from Temari (Gaara learned more about Shawn by reading it), a pair of sunglasses from Shino (which Gaara especially liked), a warm fur jacket from Kiba (if he ever went to a snowy place), a bone from Akamaru, a couple 8 x 10 headshots of herself from Ino (which Gaara would later ‘accidentally’ misplace in the fire), a rubix cube from Shikamaru (who demonstrated with ease), and a candy bar from Choji (as an apology for his horrendous display during Easter). From Hinata he received the boxed set of the entire first season of 24.

Gaara wanted to kiss her then and there.

Temari felt too guilty to take it away.

Neji cheated when the piñata was strung up, using his handy Byakugan to easily see through the blindfold and hitting the flamboyant animal with deadly precision, but no-one really minded since they were too focused on the candy (especially Choji, who suddenly became quite aggressive when the goodies came pouring out of the doll’s insides).

Naruto kept annoying everyone by popping balloons when they least expected it and blowing noisemakers in everyone’s ears. This was quickly remedied by Sakura catching him and telling him if he burst one more balloon she’d find a way to kill him with it. She was a medical ninja, after all. And Naruto sure as hell didn’t want to find out if it was possible.

Finally everyone gathered around the large dinner table to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Gaara as Temari came out with the cake, blazing with lit candles. It would have been very touching had not everyone been so disturbed at how shockingly amazing Shino’s singing voice was. Seriously, he could cut an album with P Diddy if he wanted to.

“Okay, Gaara!” Temari said, placing the cake in front of him. “Make a wish and blow out the candles!”

“Make sure it’s a good one!” Kankuro stated.

“Wish for some ramen!” Naruto suggested.

“He already got that!” Sakura barked, bopping him on the head.

“I’d wish for my brother to die,” Sasuke commented.

“No-one asked you!” Kiba growled.

“Wish for more cake!” Choji said, licking his chops and eyeing the treat.

“You’d better, with Choji here!” Shikamaru laughed.

“I know! Wish for the power of youth!” Lee struck a pose, which was quite impressive since he was sitting down.

“Oh, no, Neji!” Ten-ten gasped. “The cake’s chocolate! Aren’t you allergic?”

Neji stared at the cake quietly. It looked quite delicious.

“…I think I’ll manage somehow.”

“Oh, you liar! You’re not allergic at all!” Ino rolled her eyes and would have shaken her head at him if her neck brace hadn’t impaired her movement.

“…” Shino stood off to the side, anxiously waiting for the cutting of the cake so he could have a piece. After all, he loved chocolate.

“P-please don’t fight!” Hinata begged as several of the genin began squaring off.

Gaara smiled and watched his friends squabble amongst themselves. What to wish for? That was easy.

“I wish I never forget this night,” he thought to himself, then promptly blew out the candles with one big breath. Everyone cheered and got ready for some cake.

“Wow!” Naruto’s eyes widened at the sight of the delicious dessert. “Who made the cake?”

“I did!” Temari declared proudly.

“So if anyone dies, we’ll know why!” Kankuro shot in.

Choji froze, his slice of cake (how the heck did he cut it before anyone else?) halfway to his mouth.

“It’s fine, stupid!” Temari’s eyes narrowed dangerously, mouth set in a grim line at the insult. “Here, try some for yourself!” She grabbed a chunk of the cake with her bare hand and whipped it right into Kankuro’s jeering face. He fell over, sputtering from the icing and chocolaty goodness.

There was a tense silence as Kankuro slowly sat up from the floor, wiped the frosting from his face, looked at it, then raised his eyes to meet his sister’s.

“Oh, it’s ON.”

What happened next was burned into Gaara’s memory for as long as he lived. He vaguely wondered how he had ever been able to clean himself off after the massive food-fight that had ensued, but left that off as his mind blocking out all the traumatizing images for the benefit of his mental health. His following birthdays would never be as festive (or violent), but Gaara would never forget that first wonderful birthday he got to experience with all his friends.

No matter how hard he tried.

Sometimes wishes do come true.

The End

Disclaimer: I don’t own Naruto.

Author’s Note: Whee! That was really fun! I’m glad I finally got to write something for you all! Thanks to everyone how gave me suggestions, and thanks to everyone who reviews my stories! I appreciate it! Oh, and those are real UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) moves that Temari uses on Kankuro. I know, my sister is obsessed with that show. I whimper at the blood and cover my eyes. Later! Review, please!