A/N: Okay, originally I was't going to post this until Wednesday but I had a massive writing spree and completed this fic! Yup, that's right. It's done. Fisnished...

So why don't I just post as usual until I run out of content? That's exactly what I'm going to do...

Have chapter 24... Because I love you all...

(Not creepy)

Naruto: The Mishap

Chapter 24

Within an hour of leaving we arrived at a well sheltered cave. Vines and trees blocked the entrance from view complete except for one obscure angle of vision, allowing me to see a way inside. Kyuubi lead the way as we passed through the cover.

Inside was a small, by our standards, chamber that receded back into darkness. Even I had trouble seeing the end. Kyuubi still lead us as we made our way down, but turned half way from where I thought the end was. She faced one wall of the cave and pushed her snout against it. A strange click echoed around before a portion of the wall opened, revealing another narrow chamber. After a wink at me she went inside. I followed, hearing the wall seal itself after me. We were plunged into darkness further until Kyuubi flared a little of her youki, giving her a red aura that provided enough light for us to see where we were going.

A few minutes of this second chamber brought us before a larger cavern. This was easily big enough for Kyuubi's full size. There was also signs of life in this one. Piles of bones in one corner marking an eating area, large deer by the looks of it. There was bedding in another corner, enough for her full size. A river cut though the cavern, also wide enough for Kyuubi to wash in, that flowed out of a hole as a waterfall. Sunlight poured in through the opening for the water, the spray a range of hues like a rainbow.

Overall it had a serene and peaceful atmosphere. I could easily see why she liked it here.

Speaking of Kyuubi, she was looking at me with an expectant look. "Well?"

I nodded once. "Not bad. I can see why you chose here for a home." She wore a smile of relief. "So what now?"

"Now we rest. This realm is dangerous and we need all our energy in case of a fight." She had that look again. "But as you can see, there's only one bed."

I shook my head in mild amusement. "Kyuubi, look at it. It's huge. Look at us. We're not. There's easily enough space for both of us, and a hell of a lot more after." I glanced to the bones again. "If you're a demon, why do you need to eat? I'm part demon and I have no requirements for food, even if I do miss it."

"I eat for the same reasons as you. I enjoy the taste and it replenishes energy quicker."

"Fair enough." I stifled a yawn, partly. "If it's alright with you, I'm going to sleep. I'm exhausted from all the travelling."

Kyuubi nodded as I went to the bed, following me discreetly. I settled down in the centre and curled up to preserve warmth. Kyuubi laid near me in the same manner, with her head facing me. I paid her no attention as I slowly drifted off to sleep.

I woke sometime later much warmer than I thought possible. I opened my eyes to a sea of red. Confusion reigned for a few seconds until I registered the 'sea' moving. Slow breathing noises drifted to me as the mass of red moved in time. Each strand of fur just inches from me-

Fur? Red fur? Kyuubi!

The realisation hit me full on as I snapped awake, rolling away from her and standing up. She wasn't anywhere near that close when I went to sleep. I watched her slowly wake herself up, stretching like the fox she resembled as she looked for me. I made myself calm before she saw me, hiding my shock and confusion.

"Did you sleep alright Kurama?"

"Fine." My short answer had her suspicious, I needed to elaborate. "It beats the dank caves we used before, and the grass."

She smiled. "You approve then?"

I nodded. "I still prefer a real bed, like I used before when I was fully human, but this is the next best thing. So yes Kyuubi, I approve." 'Just not with you so close in future.'

"Good. I'm glad you like it, because chances are we will be here for a while." My face fell inside. As much as I wanted somewhere to live in peace, her proximity when I woke had unnerved me. I did my best to hide my dismay though.

"So what's the plan for today?"

Kyuubi glanced out the waterfall hole, our window so to speak. "It will be getting dark soon and the other demons will be more active. We should probably stay inside until the morning at least, let things quiet down before we venture outside."

I nodded, seeing the sky beginning to darken. "So what does that leave us with?"

"Whatever we want to do."

"Good, because I really need to bathe. In all my forms, so I'll be a while." I entered the river as Kyuubi went to another area, giving me my privacy as I washed all three forms clean of their dirt. It took me a while, seeing as I had to do it three times, so it was definitely dark when I finished. Kyuubi had finished her own bathe ages before me.

I walked out of the river in my anthro form, shaking myself dry before flaring my youki slightly and hearing the water sizzle off of me. Kyuubi was back on the bed waiting for me as I approached. I shrugged her look off as I laid down in the middle again, a comfortable distance between us. She said nothing as I closed my eyes to sleep again. I had expected something, but it didn't matter. It just meant I could get to sleep sooner.

Or so I thought.

As I felt myself start to drift off, a weight pressed down on my body. I was laying on my back so something was now on my front. My eyes opened again to see Kyuubi laying on me, eyes staring into my own.

"Kyuubi? What the hell are you doing?"

She blinked. "Making you realise something you won't ever figure out on your own."

"Huh?"

She snorted heavily, looking slightly aggressive. "Even now you don't get it. I am still amazed at how sheltered your life was from all the things that everyone else knows."

To say I was confused was an understatement. "I don't have a clue on what you're saying Kyuubi."

She glared at me with annoyance. "Exactly. So I have to show you instead." She lunged forwards and slammed her lips against mine.

My shock was obvious as anyone could imagine. Summoning my strength I shoved her away, my expression ranging between confusion and anger. "What the hell are you doing?" I repeated my first question to her.

Kyuubi growled loudly. "Are you really so blind Kurama that you can't see what lies ahead of you? Do you know nothing of care and affection?"

I scowled in response. "Of course I do! Just because I have never experienced it doesn't mean I am ignorant of it."

Another growl. "Then why did you just do that?"

"I-" I stopped. Why did I push her away? Honestly I wasn't expecting her to do that, but I didn't find it repulsive. I looked at her to help me find the answer.

She was a demon, but I was part demon myself. She had a lot of power, but so did I to a lesser extent. We protected each other with our lives. We both travelled with each other simply because we liked the company. I wouldn't mind being alone, but her companionship was more than welcome. I couldn't find a single thing about her that I disliked. So I turned my thoughts to myself.

She was a demon, but I wasn't a full one. She had a lot of power, mine paled in comparison. I spent a lot of time trying to keep her from harm and only succeed by luck. I travelled with her because I am a broken tool, having her nearby made me feel less inadequate. Those were reasons to push her away.

I wasn't suitable for her. I had too many flaws in my life, too many reasons to be considered useless. My power may be vast, but I couldn't use it how I wanted to. I came from a family that was all dead, my adoptive one was sent away for their one protection. No friends to my name either. Apart from her, I had nothing. Even the clothes on my human back were no longer real material possessions, the youki infusion had made them energy instead. Energy that gave me dignity in that form.

I could see now, thanks to her abrupt actions, how she felt. But seeing that directed towards me was something I couldn't accept. That was why I pushed her away.

"Kyuubi. I am, well flattered I guess, that you feel this way towards me. But it cannot be so." I watched her anger subside into confusion and sorrow. "There is simply too much wrong with me to accept that. I cannot provide for you, cannot protect you. I will never feel suitable for you even after an eternity. I am flawed, broken and useless. I cannot, will not, give that to you. You deserve better."

"And who are you to say what I deserve? I know what I want Kurama. You. Not some demon with massive amounts of power and no sense of anything else. You say you are flawed, yet you overlooked one major factor that you just portrayed. Your care." I blinked in confusion again. "You said what you did because you care. You won't place me, or allow myself to enter, into a situation where I have to do all the work. You want to be an equal on many levels before you consider yourself suitable for someone. Well I can tell you this Kurama, listen hard and listen well." She approached me again, muzzle set in a serious expression. "You are suitable, I have chosen you. You're care and intelligence are two qualities you seldom realise you possess. Your modesty is another. When you died in Earth country, did you not wonder why I didn't just leave you? If you hadn't come back, do you think I wouldn't still be laying there beside you?"

"I don't know-"

"Exactly. You don't know. You never knew how I felt about you even then. These feelings took root well before I left the seal. Each day since then I have tried to show you signs, each one failed to get your attention. Even now, when I couldn't make it any more obvious, you still didn't get it. Not until I spelled it out did you finally understand. And yet you still fight against it." She sighed deeply, removing the last of her anger. "Kurama. Whether you believe it or not, I have chosen you. There isn't anything in existence that will change my mind. If I had to lay for an eternity beside your corpse in Earth country to remain with you, so be it." She faced me again with that look she used time and time again, only this time I knew what it was. "I love you Kurama, and I would be honoured beyond understanding if you would be my mate."

I just laid on my back staring at her. How could she have these feelings for someone so incomplete, so hopelessly uncaring of themselves? I didn't give much thought to my own well being because I felt so screwed up, what would it matter if I died again? Why did she care? Why did she feel so attached to me? Why was she so adamant about me being right for her?

Questions whirled through my head as Kyuubi shifted impatiently, waiting for an answer. One I didn't know myself. I sighed.

"Kyuubi, I can't answer you. You are right though, my life has been very sheltered. Perhaps that's the reason why I never understood the signs, why I can think straight about what you just said."

"You have had a sheltered life. But it wasn't your doing. We both know how much you were left in the dark in Konoha, how much you weren't taught from social interactions. Perhaps if you had conventional parents then you might understand how I feel, even if you had adoptive parents who were together. Your situation is unique, I understand that. But I am how I am Kurama, that won't change. Even if I have to teach you myself, I want you as my mate."

I sighed again. "Kyuu-" I was cut off by her pressing her lips to mine again, although less forceful than last time. I didn't push her away though, but I did crawl out from underneath her. She scowled again in response. "Please Kyuubi. I... I don't know what I'm doing... You're confusing me with all, well, this..."

"Do you not feel anything for me?" She had a look of mild rejection.

I threw my arms in the air as I walked to our window, the waterfall. "I don't know what I feel Kyuubi. I don't know anything!" I sighed as I slumped against the cave wall, leaning heavily against it as my world reeled inside my head. "Things don't make sense to me anymore. It was all so much easier before I knew about any of this." Ignorance is bliss, something like that anyway. "I don't know what to do, what to think, what to feel. This is an unknown area I have been thrust into, your accusations aren't helping me."

I registered Kyuubi moving towards me from behind. I heard a noise similar to the one I made when I shifted forms before two crimson arms circled my waist. Hot breath fell on my ears. "I understand Kurama. I am sorry for accusing you of anything. But my decision won't be changed. You say you don't know what to do, I can show you. What to think and feel are your choices alone, but whatever they may be let them decide your actions. Everything else specific I can teach you, we will both benefit anyway."

"How so?"

"You get to understand what to do, I get to receive as good as I give." There were numerous things about that line that both scared and excited me. I haven't ever been excited before, not about this sort of thing anyway. A warm furry body pressed against my own as Kyuubi moved closer still. "What's it to be Kurama? Will you accept willingly, or do I have to break you first?"

Then it clicked. "This was your plan right from the start, wasn't it?" I felt her flinch. "You intend to make me yours by any means necessary for whatever scheme your forming. You who told me to find someone who doesn't want to use me for other gains. Yet here you are doing exactly that. You never cared, you just wanted me for yourself."

I felt and heard her shift again before backing off, allowing me to turn on her. My claws flexed once. "Kurama, it's not like that. I have a bad way with words in this respect. I am as new to this as you are."

"Liar!" My bark was enough to silence her. "You planned this! How long was I your puppet? How long were you making me do what you wished?" She remained silent, backing away from me. "Answer me!"

"I never planned anything!" Desperation was thick in her voice. I didn't buy it.

"Konoha, my adoptive family, Inari. Now you. Betrayal runs in my blood, all I get is trickery. No more! I am not your slave Kyuubi! I am not your minion, your servant, your follower! I am Kurama Karani! And I will not tolerate this anymore!"

I turned from her and went to the waterfall. I ducked out of the cave to stand above the raging torrent as it plummeted below.

"Kurama, Please!"

Kyuubi's words fell on deaf ears as I pushed off, diving down the waterfall into the pool below. I allowed myself to be washed downstream a little before I pulled myself out and dried my body. I briefly saw Kyuubi standing at the top of the waterfall, eyes pleading at me. My own eyes narrowed as I walked away, the forest consuming me from sight.