Chapter 3

A Hanyou.

Half-demon. Or half Yokai.

Huh.

Who knew?

Yokai are demons? Or just spirits of some kind? Naruto isn't sure. He'll have to ask later on.

As long as he didn't become some sort of ghost, he doesn't mind.

Still, this sort of proves the villagers right? He really is a demon now…

Uzumaki Naruto is now even further from a human, stuck somewhere in between what people called a demon and humans.

Or spirits.

Not that that difference would matter to the people in Konoha.

Yet, looking up at the man in whose lap he has almost crawled, he can't help but be fine with that.

It is not like being human has ever helped him. He's never been included in their group, or society, or whatever you want to call it.

And Kurama doesn't seem to mind what he is. So maybe he is better off being a Kitsune. Even if he is only half of one. It seems to be enough in the Kitsune's eyes.

And that is more acceptance than anyone has ever given him. Even Jiji.

And, honestly, Kurama has been nicer than anyone ever has been to him. In general.

So, he finds he isn't too upset about it. And Kurama has explained stuff, instead of hiding things from him. Also a big bonus point.

Besides, honestly, what have humans ever done for him? Except yell and curse and hurt him?

Maybe Yokai are nicer?

Besides, given what he just heard, he doesn't think he could be human again even if he wanted to.

Which he isn't sure he does.

"So,... Now what?" he asks instead.

"Now, we rest. I am exhausted. Food and sleep, and after that... We'll see." Kurama stretches, nearly dislodging Naruto from his spot.

"Good for me." Naruto could get behind that.

It has been a long day. Even if he hasn't been conscious for most of it.

Details, details,...

There is a cloud of smoke and suddenly there is food next to them. No fox, like before, just food. Noodle soup!

Is that ramen?

Naruto hurries towards it, Kurama following behind him at a more seduced pace.

Naruto peers inside the two big bowls.

It sort of looks like ramen? But the noodles are bigger, and white and the topics are different, but...

"Ah, Kitsune Udon. Yuki remembered my favorites." Kurama hums in delight as he grabs one of the bowl. "There should be some chopsticks around here."

He rummage in one of the drawers next to the sink place.

Naruto gets a bit impatient and he brings the other bowl to his lips to taste the soup.

Yum!

This is good!

The brownish, square topping tastes weird though, and he makes a face at that.

"Yeah, that is tofu. May take some getting used to." Kurama laughs at him as he waves a pair of chopsticks in Naruto's face. "Try and eat it though. It's good for you."

Naruto grimaces, but eats it without protest. He's learned to eat anything and everything over the years. Rather that, than starvation.

And this is quite good.

The noodles are nice. He may prefer these to the usual ramen noodles.

They eat quietly, both deep in thought.

"Well, I am done for today." Kurama says while stretching.

Naruto looks up, swallowing the last of his noodles. Damn, he only has some soup left now.

"Want to get some sleep?" the Foxman asks him with a raised eyebrow. "We can talk more tomorrow, if you want?"

"That sounds nice." Naruto says, before he drinks up the last of the soup straight from the bowl.

Actually some quiet and sleep sounds nice. His head feels a bit too quiet right now. As if too much has happened, and it has!, and he can't process anymore. Which happens during most days in the Academy.

Huh, he is missing so much classes right now...

Would anyone even notice him missing?

Kurama gets up and opens the sliding door at the other end of the room. It reveals a large, western style bed that could easily fit five or six people. And there are lots of cushions and fluffy blankets and Naruto is jumping onto it before he even realizes he's let go of the bowl.

Kurama laughs out loud at his antics.

And for once, someone laughing at him doesn't make Naruto feel angry.

Because it doesn't feel malicious.

And isn't that strange? The being Konoha has been cursing as a demon, and bringer of all doom, is not malicious by nature?

This might take some getting used to. Yet it is difficult to associate this cheerful if somewhat serious, man to the image of doom and destruction that has been painted to him over the years.

He doesn't act on those thoughts though. Instead he smiles, and snuggles into an extremely fluffy pillow. He feels warm, and safe. Even when Kurama come up to him, and removes his sandals for him without scolding him.

Naruto wiggles a bit, his tail asking for some maneuvering, and then falls asleep like a block.

He wakes up still feeling sleepy. He doesn't move, and his brain is still a bit foggy. He smiles in the fluffy fabric his face is pressed into.

The sun is shining brightly down on him, and he is warm and comfortable and he may or may not fall asleep again.

He blinks, trying to wake up. If the sun is this warm already, then he is waking up late.

For a brief second he looks around, wondering why he isn't in his bed back in his home. And then the events of yesterday start flooding back into his mind, and in a startled movement, he almost leaps from the bed, looking around frantically. Where is the fox-man? Kurama?

Ah.

He spots the foxman sitting back around the cooking spot. The lady from the night before is sitting next to him, and they are eating breakfast.

Naruto's stomach rumbles. Loud enough to turn both their heads. Naruto has to fight not to pull the cover back over his head.

Kurama chuckles at him, while the lady smiles.

"Come and eat, little one." she calls towards him.

Naruto hesitates a second, because last night, she hadn't looked happy to see him. Especially once she knew who he was.

But Kurama sort of explained why. Naruto wouldn't be happy either if some human had someone in his family locked up inside of them.

Kurama gestures towards him, and Naruto gathers his courage and leaves the nice, warm, and o-so comfortable bed behind.

The food is simple. Some rice, some soup, something green and... Is that fish?

He eyes the piece with excitement. He's never had fish before. He's seen it, of course. In restaurants, and at food stands in the streets, and it always smelled so good, but... Naruto had never been allowed to eat some.

Well, not any fish that tasted good. He'd gotten some thrown at him, but that had smelled so bad, he had refused to touch it.

He stumbles as his tail gets in the way of his legs, but manages to catch himself on his hands and knees, and in his excitement, he keeps on running on his hands and feet.

Kurama bursts out laughing. "Like a real fox, kit." he gently grabs Naruto by the shoulders and sets him down by the fire. "But eating we do with chopsticks, like civilised Yokai."

The fox lady chuckles again, hiding her smile behind her hand. "Well, isn't your kit cute, Kurama-sama. I can kinda see how you got attached."

"Just eat your food, both of you." Kurama grumbles, and for a second Naruto worries if he has done something wrong, but then a hand pats his head and he gets pushed gently towards the food.

Naruto grabs the chopsticks, and hesitates again. Because the lady is eating so... elegantly with the chopsticks. Naruto looks at his own hands, and wonders... He never really looked at how he holds them. He remembers having trouble using them when the other kids got taught at the Orphanage. And he had been so hungry last night, he hadn't paid it any attention.

Now though?

Now he is rested, alert, and a bit embarrassed?

He tries to copy her, and she spots his efforts immediately. Before he can sink into the floor from embarrassment though, she just nods with a smile and without saying anything makes her movements a bit bolder.

Is she... showing him? Without making fun of him?

Kurama is simply eating, and Naruto isn't sure the Kitsune even noticed?

He keeps on eating, paying special attention to how he holds his chopsticks.

Naruto wonders what will happened today. Are they staying here? There must be a reason Kurama brought them all the way here. Wherever here is. Or will Kurama go somewhere else? With or without Naruto?

Or is he going to leave Naruto behind?

Is he going to have to go back to Konoha?

"So, are we staying here?" he asks as his thoughts keep on spiraling, feeling worried.

"Hmm," Kurama hums while chewing on a mouthful of rice. "This is my home. We can stay here for a while."

"So, that means we will leave at some point?"

"Probably. You can't spend your entire life in one house." the Kitsune shrugs with a small smile.

"Am I going to have to go back? To Konoha, I mean?"

The man stills, eyeing him with a blank look on his face. Kurama gently lowers his little bowl of rice and his chopsticks. "Why? Do you want to go back?"

Naruto immediately shakes his head. "It's nice here. With you. I think. I haven't been here long, so…"

He may have turned completely red while saying that.

The foxman smiles again. "I will never make you go back there. And certainly not before you learn to hide that tail and those ears. Showing up like this is just asking for trouble."

That is a good point.

"Can I do that? Hide them, I mean?" he asks, fidgeting in his seat as he places his bowls and chopsticks down.

"Kitsune have a lot of special powers. Transformation is one of them. Genjutsu is another talent we have." the lady speaks up.

"Genjutsu? I got a class about that at the Academy. I wasn't very good at it." Naruto bites his lower lip in worry.

"Completely normal. Given our... previous situation, you had way to much chakra to use genjutsu. The illusions of the Kitsune are different. You will do fine with that." Kurama says with a shake of his head.

"Kitsune are known for their deception and their trickery. Because we do believe the most satisfaction can be gotten from a fight not fought, but won nonetheless. If you can fool someone into losing, even without them realising they were fighting in the first place, that is sweet victory." The lady says as she smirks at him.

"Transformation and illusions. Together with foxfire, that is what Kitsune excel at." Kurama agrees with her with a nod. "And while I agree with Yuki here, sometimes a good fight is equally satisfying."

"So, you will teach me?" Naruto asks eagerly.

"Teach you?" Kurama asks, an eyebrow raosed, but with a pleased smirk on his face.

"To be a Kitsune? A good one?" Naruto replies, not sure if that is what the Kitsune wants to hear.

Kurama tilts his head, studying him with a focused look on his face.

"Of course. If you want to learn, that is?" the Kitsune smirks at him, showing off his sharp teeth.

"Yes!" Naruto nods eagerly.

"It would do you well to learn how to fight. We both got attacked while you were sleeping. That may leave you feeling vulnerable for a while. Learning to protect yourself, will help with that."

The lady makes a dismissive noise. "No Kitsune worth the name will ever leave themselves or a kit this vulnerable. You will be taught, and you will learn. It is that simple."