Little Kurama

“I hope I can look back and laugh about this someday.”

“After the war this will cause, you mean?”

Kurama ignored the Blond Fools pitiful whining and the Scarred Nara’s staring.

Humans, he had come to understand, would complain about everything.

Kurama had listened to their complaint about “not stealing children” and “letting the dust settle before causing another ruckus, Kurama. Please.” He had agreed to their terms for the high price of Sesame Udon whenever he demanded it. He would “behave himself” and hold off on kidnapping anymore of Konoha’s children for the time being.

This child was not of Konoha so really he had done exactly as he said he would.

Besides, he had every right to invite his youngest sibling to his new home.

“Have they made any demands?” The Fool’s voice was muffled from where he had it pressed firmly against the wood of his desk. Kurama thought that if he was so exhausted then he should sleep instead of whining about “international incidents.”

The child, meanwhile, was happily telling him about the adventures he and his small replication of an upright bear had been on. The stories it told were not the epic travels Kurama himself had undertaken but he supposed they could be considered dangerous and exciting to such a little thing with no real means to protect itself.

“As far as we know they have no reason to suspect our involvement. Its likely the Kyuubi slipped in and out without them realizing he was even there.”

“I informed the child’s parent before I left the village, as was the responsible thing to do.” Kurama interrupted their nonsense in hopes that they would finally allow him and the child to return to the house so the little red one might play with Naruto.

The Fool began making a high pitched noise prompting Kurama to roll his eyes, a gesture he had picked up from Kushina.

The child was briefly distracted by the noise but quickly returned to its prattling while occasionally poking at Kurama’s ears and kneading at his fur.

His brother had so far only made three threats of violence through the shared connection close physical proximity allowed them.

Surely, the humans would do something about his ill fitting seal before it drove both him and the child insane.

“Hokage-sama, I’m sorry for the interruption but a delegate from Suna has arrived.”

“Please tell me it’s not Raza.”

“He introduced himself as Yasamaru, my lord.”

“Oh good.” The Fool leaned back in his chair with a strained smile. “It’s not Raza.”

“Nope, its just his brother in law who can super heat sand into deadly glass projectiles.”

“I’m trying to look on the bright side, Shikaku, let me have this.”

Kurama yawned widely and rolled himself slowly so as not to dislodge the child sitting on him. The child huffed a little sound that might have been laughter as it crawled forward onto his rib cage. Kurama was beginning to wonder if the child knew how to laugh.

When he had first found the little thing, it had reeked of the human disease, sadness. Now that he had taken him on a galloping run through the desert and stopped for treats at one of the many shops in the village, its scent had settled into a somewhat pleasant mixture of herbs and sand. He attributed the scent of sand more to his brother then the things home.

The child made the huffing noise again when Kurama began rubbing his face against the carpet to relieve an itch on his nose. Kurama would have to speak to its parent about how to properly raise a kit.

Kurama, sensing Kushina’s approach, twisted his head around as she opened the door to the office. She was chatting at a man with sandy blond hair but interrupted herself when she spotted him.

“You had one rule, Rama.” She planted her hands on her hips and leaned over him with a stern look on her face.

He twisted his head further to make it obvious that he was ignoring her.

Ignoring her as he was, he still didn’t miss the way she melted at the sight of the little red one. Kurama couldn’t help but agree with her assessment of it. The red was quiet a fetching color.

“Come on, cutie. Up you go. Woosh!”

Kurama grunted out a displeased noise as the child was plucked into the air and deposited into the mans arms with a “pwah!” noise.

He forgave Kushina’s transgression however when the little one hid a shy smile behind his toy. Kushina was an undisputed fountain of knowledge where child were concerned so Kurama would leave the matter of the seal to her.

“Kushina, the child’s seal is causing him discomfort and worsens my brothers already horrible disposition. I trust you can resolve the matter.”

Kurama stretched his entire body out and yawned again as the room descended into a tense silence.

~

After a very tense stand off was broken by Kushina revealing herself as his previous host, the red ones guardian agreed to keep Kurama’s presence in Konoha a secret on the condition that Kushina would fix the child’s seal.

Kurama would have been content to let his brother wallow inside his host for eternity if not for the sandy haired man’s sorrowful tale of the little red one’s mistreatment.

Kushina, having faced the same discrimination, shared a long look with Kurama before suggesting an alternative.

Shukaku was as brash and annoying as ever but he was not so far gone as to throw all logic aside. The Tanuki would behave himself as long as his demands were met and a tentative deal was struck between the blond fool and the much more pragmatic Suna blond.

The man returned to his home with a sleeping child in his arms and a Tanuki peeking out of his pack.