TLSM: Yay! It's Naruto-kun's birthday, so here's a birthday fic just for him, which is doubling as part three of my Seasons of Love Collection! It's short, because when I tried it with "I Should Tell You" It just didn't work, so here it is with "Life Support."

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Rent…sigh

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Naruto sat at the front porch of his country home, allowing the sun's warming rays to slither across his jaw line as the trees created new patterns with the sunlight upon the dirt road, creating shadows and glimpses of light as the leaves rustled softly to an unknown lullaby only mastered by Mother Nature.

Look - I find some of what you teach, suspect

Because I'm used to relying in intellect

But I try to open up to what I don't know…

"Naruto-kun?" a small voice called out.

He smiled, not even needing to turn his head to know who called him.

"I'm right here Hinata-chan, you should see how the trees and the sunlight are making patterns on the road, come see!"

The young, delicate woman smiled as she sat down on the porch swing next to her husband, eyeing his peaceful face as he seemed to stare at the woods that surrounded their country home, which they resided at for the first early months of fall.

"It's so…peaceful…it's hard to hear things like this in the cities…"

Hinata nodded, resting her head upon Naruto's shoulder as his hand softly held hers.

"The trees turn into beautiful colors at this time too…it's very relaxing" the young heiress replied, now grown out of her previous stuttering.

"Hmm, I think I'm going to get Rikka out of her crib and take her for a walk, is that all right?" Naruto asked, his blue eyes seeming even richer in the golden sunlight.

Hinata smiled and nodded. "Of course, Naruto-kun"

She only blinked to see her husband halfway up the stairs.

Because reason says I should have died three years ago…

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"See that Rikka? That was a sparrow that just flew by."

The toddler upon Naruto's soldiers squealed and clapped in delight,

"Spawwow! Spawwow!" the blonde toddler squealed, failing to pronounce her R's right, but at the age of two, Naruto was assured it wasn't a big deal.

Naruto smiled brightly as he noticed a frozen figure in the woods beyond the path, he looked to see a tall, dignified stag standing, staring Naruto down to see any form of attack.

"Rikka! Look it's a deer! You know, Misora's family herd deer, you remember Misora?"

"Mi-…"

Rikka pouted while trying to compute the unfamiliar name. "Mi…Mimi! Mimi!"

Naruto laughed, "Close enough squirt."

He looked again to see that the stag had silently disappeared.

There's only us,

There's only this …

Forget regret or life is yours to miss…

Naruto began to walk back to the house, hand in hand with his daughter, leading her by her uncoordinated steps.

"Did you know its daddy's birthday today?"

Naruto looked down to his daughter to see pure white eyes stare back at him.

"Daddy's biwthday? Weally?"

Naruto grinned.

"Yes really, I'm getting old."

Rikka grinned up at her daddy.

"Nuh-uh!"

Naruto's grin widened.

"Yuh-huh!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Yuh-huh!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Yuh-huh!"

"Nuh-uh!"

Rikka pouted, obviously not wanting to continue on.

Naruto couldn't help but laugh again.

"Okay, fine, you win."

Rikka cheered, and ended up being carried the rest of the way home, her chubby cheek resting on her father's shoulder.

No other road

No other way

As he gently placed his daughter into her crib, he turned to be greeted with a kiss on the cheek.

"How was your walk?"

Naruto smiled.

"Relaxing, Rikka's very energetic."

Hinata giggled.

"She's a lot like you."

Naruto shrugged, as his arm wrapped around Hinata's waist.

"Meh, she's still not as good looking."

Hinata playfully swatted him.

"I'm kidding!" Naruto grinned, "She's beautiful."

Hinata couldn't help but smile, as she embraced her husband, her head resting against his chest, smelling the faint smell of the leaves and the outdoor air.

"Happy Birthday, Naruto."

Naruto wrapped his arms around Hinata, tightening the embrace.

"Thank you so much, Hinata, for everything."

The young couple spent the rest of their evening sitting at the porch swing, hand in hand, stargazing.

No day but today.


TLSM: Good? Bad? Review!

Also,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NARUTO!