With a Side of Fries

"Sorry teme," Uzumaki Naruto grinned sheepishly, "I would've brought you to somewhere fancier than McDanzo's, but I'm broke."

"I prefer Burger Kage," Uchiha Sasuke said, brushing his so-called best friend's apology aside.

Sasuke was already in a bad mood because his alarm clock failed to go off earlier that day. This gave Naruto an excuse to awaken him (after he had let himself into Sasuke's apartment) with an off-key rendition of "Happy Birthday". As if that wasn't enough, Naruto also forced Sasuke to take the day off from work so they could celebrate his "special day".

The only thing special about this day was that his mother called him after breakfast—if only to complain why he hadn't given her grandchildren yet.

"You're already twenty-four, and you're still single!" Uchiha Mikoto had scolded. "Your friend Naruto is engaged to that one Sakura girl. Why can't you be more like him?"

"Because he's an idiot," Sasuke said.

This was, in fact, the truth. While Sasuke was climbing the ranks in his family's corporate business, Naruto wasted his time on get-rich-quick schemes. They usually failed, which explained why Naruto was always broke. A fast food joint like McDanzo's had been the only restaurant within his price range to take Sasuke out for his birthday lunch.

"I have a coupon for a free drink with the purchase of every meal," Haruno Sakura announced with a smile. "So let's order now."

Cue Naruto's fiancée. She was a medical student who had somehow fallen in love with one of the biggest idiots in the world. At first she seemed annoying, but Sasuke got used to her like he had gotten used to Naruto.

Sasuke walked up to the cashier.

"Welcome to McDanzo's. May I take your order?" she asked quietly.

Since she was short, he had to look down in order to speak to her. However, she had her own head bent over, as if the cash register was the most fascinating thing since sliced bread. Already irritated from that morning, Sasuke became even angrier. It was so unprofessional to not look a person in the eye!

Normally, Naruto was the impulsive one. However, Sasuke was pissed off and not thinking, so he lifted her chin up so their eyes could meet. She looked at him fearfully with wide, lavender eyes.

Now that he got a closer look at her, he noticed that she was quite pretty. She had delicate features framed by long, glossy hair. Although her skin was pale, it had a healthy glow.

"W-w-what are you doing?" she stammered, obviously uncomfortable by his scrutiny.

"I'd like the ANBU special and a medium drink," he ordered.

He let go of her. It might have been his imagination, but he thought he saw her blush before she lowered her head again.

"Sorry if my friend scared you," Naruto grinned at the cashier. "Sasuke's just being a teme like always. I'm Uzumaki Naruto! What's your name?"

Obviously, he was too stupid to read her name tag.

"Hinata," she squeaked. "Would you like to order, Naruto?"

"Ramen, of course!"

Obviously, he was too stupid to read the menu either.

"Sorry, we don't serve ramen at McDanzo's," Hinata apologized.

"Oh," he said, dumbfounded, "then how about… Chuunin-style chicken nuggets and a large drink! Oh, and I also want one of those kiddie crowns made out of paper. It's Sasuke's birthday, so he needs to wear one."

Before Sasuke could call Naruto an idiot, Hinata answered, "We don't have any kiddie crowns at McDanzo's either, but I do hope you have a happy birthday, Sasuke. Maybe I could… offer you free drinks instead?"

Sasuke was surprised by the offer. McDanzo's didn't have birthday specials, so the free drinks would probably come out of Hinata's paycheck. How could she be so kind-hearted to random strangers? Being a businessman, he knew that there would be no gain from a financial standpoint for giving to others. Being Sasuke, he couldn't comprehend the concept of being a good person.

"Thanks, but that's not necessary; I already have a coupon for free drinks," Sakura said as she waved her pink wallet in the air. "Oh, and I'd like a Root salad with a small drink, please."

She pulled out the coupon and a couple of bills. She handed them to Hinata, who entered everything into the cash register.

"Thanks for paying, Sakura. I owe you big time," Naruto grinned sheepishly.

"Baka!" she shouted, slapping him with her wallet. "You wouldn't have to keep borrowing money if you'd get a real job! How are we supposed to have a wedding if we can't pay for one?"

As Naruto and Sakura started bickering, Hinata giggled, "You have great friends, Sasuke."

Instead of responding to her comment, Sasuke turned to her and stated, "Giving out free drinks must take a chunk out of your paycheck. What do you get from being nice? People can take advantage of you."

"I know," she said sadly, her gaze downcast. "I mean, sorry! You should be having a happy birthday. I didn't mean to be so down."

"Then why do you always look down?" he frowned, tilting her chin up again. "Am I really that ugly?"

"N-no!" she blushed. "You're not ugly. You're very…  um… nice-looking."

"Thanks," he smirked. "You're very nice-looking too, especially when you blush."

This caused her to turn a deeper shade of red.

Sasuke noticed that Naruto and Sakura were having a make-up make-out session in the back of the restaurant. Ew. That meant he would be the one to wait for their order. Since he had some time to kill… he'd make Hinata blush again. It was his birthday after all, so shouldn't he get what he wanted?

The only problem was that Sasuke had never been that interested in girls—much to his mother's dismay. He didn't really know how to talk to them. Sure, he'd had conversations with Sakura, but that didn't count since she was Naruto's fiancée.

"Um, Sasuke?"

Hinata had been the one to talk first; now he didn't have to initiate the conversation. He felt confident and more at ease.

"You're in front of the next customer," Hinata said quietly.

If Sasuke wasn't Sasuke, then he would have blushed in embarrassment. Instead, he glared at the person waiting behind him. There was no way Uchiha Sasuke would be made a fool of! The person cowered and immediately hopped into the line next to them. Satisfied, Sasuke turned back to Hinata.

"I don't think that scaring the customers is…um… the best idea," she mentioned.

"I deserve customer satisfaction too," he stated.

"Did you need anything else?" she inquired.

You, was what he wanted to say.

"I'd like extra fries," was what he actually said.

They both knew that he was stalling just because he wanted to talk to her. She nodded her head and told him that it was on the house because it was his birthday. However, her blush also gave away that this wasn't the only reason why she gave him free fries. He found himself drawn in by her blush, her laugh, her smile. Or maybe it was her kindness, something he lacked.

Someone must have replaced Sasuke with a robot; there was no way that he'd actually feel this way about a girl (even though robots didn't have feelings either…). He found himself able to talk to her.

"Um, how old are you turning?" she asked.

"Twenty-four."

"Ah, me too."

"It's your birthday today?" he questioned, surprised at the odds.

"No, it's in December," she explained. "I'm turning twenty-four in December."

"You're weird," he smirked.

Talking to Hinata turned out to be quiet amusing. It was almost as fun as making her blush.

"E-excuse me?"

"It's because you think differently."

"Sorry," she lowered her eyes.

"It's not a bad thing; I like it."

"Oh, okay. Sorry."

"Stop apologizing."

"Sorr—I mean, how's your birthday going?"

"Better."

"That's nice to hear," Hinata smiled.

"So… do you like it here?" he asked.

"Where?"

"At McDanzo's."

"It pays the bills," she said, carefully avoiding the true answer. "I'm actually a pianist, but I don't make much money from that."

"Do you play at weddings?" he questioned. "I can set you up for a gig, if you do."

"You're getting married?" she asked, disappointment in her voice.

"No, it's for Naruto and Sakura's wedding. My mother keeps nagging at me to get married," he rolled his eyes.

"Oh, then I could play at your friends' wedding. They're a cute couple."

"Naruto's an idiot."

"He seems like a good person."

"I guess," he admitted begrudgingly.

"Oh… your order is here," Hinata said with a hint of sadness.

Neither of them wanted to part, even though they just met. Sasuke mentally promised himself that he'd come to McDanzo's more often. Hinata slowly slid the tray across the counter, and Sasuke picked it up. He double-checked the tray to make sure that the order was correct.

After running out of excuses not to leave, he mumbled, "See you later, Hinata."

"Yeah," she blushed. "Have a happy birthday, Sasuke."

He walked toward the corner where Naruto and Sakura just finished making out. He tossed them their orders and cups. They filled their drinks at the soda fountain. After they all sat down, Naruto cleared his throat.

"Let's make a toast!" Naruto announced, raising his cup in the air.

"Let's not," Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"To Sasuke, my favorite teme!" Naruto grinned, clinking his cup to Sasuke's then Sakura's.

This caused Sakura's drink to spill into her lap, ruining her new skirt.

"NARUTO!" she screamed.

"It's okay, Sakura. That skirt made you look fat anyway," Naruto explained.

As Naruto was taking a beating from his slightly-crazed fiancée, Sasuke rolled his eyes. He ate some of the fries, courtesy of Hinata. They were perfectly hot and crisp. When he attempted to grab another fry, he pulled out a piece of paper instead. There was Hinata's name and a phone number scrawled on it.

"Happy birthday to me," he smiled.