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"You are invisible," repeated the blind boy when Naruto told him for the twentieth time how he had escaped from the villagers without being noticed by them.
"Yes! Exactly, I'm invisible and I don't know why. Anyway-"
"- the ravens in the village mocked you because you didn’t know"
Sasuke finished the sentence unimpressed and calmly stirred the stew he had prepared for them.
"Aren’t you scared? How can you sit there so calmly and stir the food? What if ... if I dissolve?! "
A sigh escaped the Uchiha when he let go of the trowel and pinched the fox in the side.
"OUCH!"
"Doesn't feel like you're dissolving."
For a moment the fox demon looked at his friend with indignation, blinking in confusion and finally unable to resist grinning.
"That's right ... but maybe you also have magical powers and can pinch ghosts. We can't be sure about that in your case "
"What’s that supposed to mean?"
Visibly confused by this statement, Sasuke had turned to his friend, the grey irises pointing blankly at him.
Naruto was about to answer him when something glowed in the dark shadows of those eyes that left the demon speechless.
As if in a trance, he stared into the endless grey, for the first time he recognized more in them than just his own reflection.
"Naruto?" Sasuke, who was still waiting for an answer, whispered gently.
The fox demon's heart quickened. Something was different. There was more. More than just his reflection. More than the grey veil and the foggy cloudy image that these eyes had given him so far. As if remote-controlled, he slid closer to the blind one, staring into his deep, auspicious soul mirror. Caught by a feeling he had never experienced before. His blood felt like it was boiling in his veins. His own pulse pounded furiously and loudly in his ears, a hot, powerful feeling rushing down his spine before the picture manifested in front of his eyes, letting him see.
"ARGH!"
His friend's agony ripped him out of his trance. The Uchiha crouched in front of him, writhing in pain, his palms pressed against his eyes.
"Sasuke! What’s wrong?!"
Startled, the fox bent down to his friend and tried to pull him up by the shoulders.
"What-?"
His heart started racing again. Blood. Blood that ran down between the Uchiha's fingers and made the fox catch his breath.
Panting with pain, the black-haired boy pressed his palms against his eyes, felt the heat burning inside them, along with the bloody tears that ran down his cheeks.
Desperation blazed in the blonde's bright blue eyes.
Was this his fault?
◊◊◊
"How are you?" Naruto asked quietly as he placed the fresh, cold towel over the blinds eyes.
"It's okay," was the powerless, somewhat weak response from Sasuke, who had suffered more pain in the past few hours than in his whole life.
The demon snuggled ruefully to his side, giving him warmth.
"I wonder what that was," he murmured softly to Sasuke, moving closer to him. He was sorry and felt like it was his fault even if he hadn't done anything at all. He had just looked at him.
"I have no idea. But I sure don’t want it to come back. ”
Sasukes voice sounded rough and scratchy. His cries of pain echoed through the dark forests for a long time before he finally passed out and Naruto had taken care of him.
The blind one sighed softly, feeling the pain that was slowly subsiding in his still throbbing eye sockets. It was strange. This feeling. It was so much hotter and stronger than it has been back then. Back when the vixen burned his memories into his eyes and cursed him. He would never have thought of experiencing anything more painful than that curse.
Was it really Naruto? Because he was one of them? A fox demon?
"I ... will find the reason and then I'll make sure it never happens again!", The fox abruptly interrupted his friend's train of thought and snorted from the side of his neck.
Sasuke couldn't help it. An amused snort came from his lips, followed by a breathless laugh.
"Are you laughing at me?"
"I would never dare to."
"Good! ... wait a minute, was that sarcasm? Hey! "
The blind ones laughter echoed through the bare walls of the little hut before it turned into a dry cough and finally fell silent.
Sasuke slowly turned his head to the side, felt the cloth slide off of his forehead and his cold skin that touched the the demon’s beside him.
"Thank you," he whispered softly, his forehead resting gently on Narutos. Sasuke was enjoying the warmth that radiated from his friend while the blond's mouth was open for a few seconds. Not a word came over his lips, he couldn’t form a clear thought. All he felt was warmth and the affection for his friend.
Slowly, even tenderly, he put his hands around the thin body in front of him, pulled him closer and finally buried his nose in the blind ones black mane.
He wanted to protect him, this human.
◊◊◊
"So?"
"How many times should I tell you? I don't know if it works because I can’t see you!” Sasuke finally smacked the fox. Days had passed and for days the blond had been annoying him with his newly acquired ability, which he was trying to test in a very strange way.
"Yes, but who else should I ask?"
"Maybe someone who can see?"
"Haha ... I don't know anyone except you. Is it my fault you can’t see a thing?"
"And is it my fault that you ask a blind man if you are invisible?"
The Uchiha just shook his head over himself. He couldn't believe that he was having this discussion again.
"Hrmpf.", Naruto grumbled dissatisfied and rolled over the floor.
How should he learn to use his powers if he didn't know if they worked?
Sasuke sighed again.
“Some merchants will walk along the mountain pass this afternoon. How about you test it on them? They're unarmed, they won't chase you even if they can see you and you can find out if your powers are working. ”
Naruto listened. Merchants?
"Hm ~ and if they happen to carry some nice things, I'll gladly lend them a helping hand to get rid of them.
He grinned mischievously and ignored Sasuke's shaking head.
What harm did it do to startle or play with a few of these merchants, and even to get some of their goods? In the end, they were still rich enough.
"Be careful and don’t go too far with your jokes."
"Sure~"
◊◊◊
"Tonight the moon appears in all its glory. The Fox Demon Will Appear "
"Do we have to take this path tonight?"
"We have no choice and this pass is the only way through the mountains."
"The cursed one and then a fox demon. My blood runs cold thinking of it! ”
The man shivered and rubbed his arms.
"Do you really think he will appear to us?"
"Let’s hope he doesn’t. But at least we don't have any children he could devour. ”
"Children?"
"Don't you know? Fox demons devour the children to live forever. "
"How horrible ... have you ... ever seen one of them?"
"No, but it is said that one of them lives in these woods. He takes a human form, a male with long blond hair wandering the streets, his eyes glowing red like the flames that envelop him when he haunted the villages with his vengeance. A fine smoke surrounds the man, veiling him like a ghost. You won’t recognize the demon's face. A fox mask prevents everyone from seeing it. In the darkness, he roamed from house to house, looking ... for something. "
Naruto raised an eyebrow as he heard the conversation between the two men driving through the dark on their cart. What nonsense. Long blond hair? Fire around him? HE, vengeful? Who had followed him many summers ago and thrown him down the cliffs?
"Unbelievable," he grumbled, sneaking through the treetops closer to the cart. His pointed teeth flashed briefly in the moonlight, revealing the naughty nature of the demon. He lived up to the reputation of the fox demons, who were known for their tricks as well and the jokes they could play on humans.
The moon stretched over the woods, bathing them in a cold yet gentle light. A light that was reflected on the demon's skin and finally surrounded him as he slid down from his hiding place onto the mountain path, feeling the cold ground under his feet waiting at the end of the pass. Now he would see if his powers were serving him.
The cart rattled towards him at a moderate pace, finally stopping abruptly with no movement on his part.
"What's the matter? Go on! Move! “, One of the two merchants tried to drive the horses, which shied from the presence of the demon, scratching their hooves uneasily.
"What’s wrong with them?"
"I don't know ... I can't see anything. What about you? "
The other man looked around, lost. Naruto smiled. It worked. These fools couldn't see him.
He stepped slowly towards the cart, causing only greater unrest among the horses. Snorting and pawing, they tried to back away from him.
"HO! HO! ”Their master tried to calm them down, tugged on the reins and almost lost his balance. Fearful, the two horses rose and kicked each other. The panicked neighing echoed through the dark night, terrifying it, while the blonde demon felt a new, unexpected feeling rise within him.
"WHO'S THERE?! COME OUT! ”One of the two merchants screamed in panic, waving his torch through the darkness.
Naruto's expression grew darker. Colder, more calculating. They were scared. These filthy people were afraid of him and the torch reminded him only too well of the evening they chased him and pushed him into the abyss.
Slowly the moon moved higher to the zenith of the sky, filling the night with its soft cold light.
"This is my forest and you are not welcome here," said the blonde finally.
Startled, the man dropped his torch when he saw the glowing figure before his eyes. The horses rose again at the sight, threw the second merchant from his cart in the frenzy of their fear and stormed away. The blond demon’s plans to relieve people of their treasures were forgotten. He wanted them to go away and never return to this place.
The dull crash with which the human landed on the ground, didn’t bother the demon. They should suffer these creatures. Suffer like he did.
His orange robe glowed bloody and the blond strands shimmered almost white in the light of the full moon.
"The demon ..." escaped the merchant, who could hardly take his eyes off Naruto while his friend fished for the torch.
Naruto held up a hand and wiped the air in a quick motion. A gust of wind extinguished the fire of the torch, the demon's gesture clearly visible.
"DISAPPEAR AND DON'T DARE TO RETURN EVER AGAIN!"
He shouted, feeling the fire rise inside him for a moment when another tail appeared behind him and whipped hard onto the ground.
The merchants fled without hesitation. No way they would mess with a demon.
Naruto looked satisfied on his fingers, which were still illuminated by the gentle light of the moon. He had driven them away.
Slowly he clenched his hand into a fist.
He would drive them all away. Those who wanted to harm him and Sasuke. Those who dared enter his forest.
"You learn quickly, little fox. But be careful. Because nothing can bring back time. “, The wind whispered into his furry ears, whirling mischievously around him.
"Time?"
Naruto looked up at the moon.
What did the wind want to tell him? Time…