The entire day just felt

off

. Why had no one mentioned what day it was? Sitting at the kitchen table, chin in his hand, Sasuke tapped his fingers against the wooden top. Ever since he'd woken up it was like just another day.

It's what he wanted, right? It's what he told everyone. He doesn't want to celebrate his birthday. Don't make a big deal out of it. Sakura spent that night with Ino. Naruto slept next to him but woke up this morning like nothing was going on. Breakfast was, painfully, normal. Kakashi sat a pot of coffee in the center of the table. Naruto stole Sasuke's toast then asked Kisame if, when he ate fish, that made Kisame a cannibal. As always, Itachi sat there quietly sending little jabs in Kisame's direction, working the blue man up.

Nowhere, not even in the slightest, did anyone mention it was July 23. Today was Sasuke's thirteenth birthday. No one cared.