A Kitsune Story

Chapter 4

Naruto blinked sleep away and then turned his head, squinting against bright light coming through a large window. Where was he? Abruptly, if awkwardly, he sat up and looked around.

His hands, human hands, clasped at fabric as he looked around the small, plain room. Being inside a human building made him nervous. A feeling that chaffed his skin, or was that the yukata?

He took a sharp breath that yipped as he spotted Sasuke asleep beside him. The second futon was shoved close; the edges crumpled together. Both blankets were on Naruto; Sasuke lay on his side, his head on the edge of Naruto's futon.

Scrambling to get free of the blankets, Naruto lunged. Putting his hands on the Sasuke's side, he leaned down to lick the young man's face.

"Mm? Ah!" Sasuke pulled back, looking alarmed.

Regretful, Naruto backed off and sat on splayed knees. He made a concerned noise, tipping his head.

"Naruto," Sasuke gasped and scrambled to sit up, too, "You're well now?" His surprise was understandable. A single, normal viper bite could incapacitate a person for a week.

Naruto gave a quick nod and then tipped his head with a soft whine.

"What is it?"

Awkwardly, Naruto reached to touch the white bandages showing at the overlap of Sasuke's yukata.

"Huh?" Sasuke glanced down and then realized what had Naruto's attention. "Ah, no. It's fine."

Naruto frowned and pawed at the flap of the yukata a couple times before he figured out how to use his fingers to pull it down.

"Really, it's fine," Sasuke gently pushed his hand away, but gave in to Naruto's worry and exposed his bandaged chest himself. "See? No blood. My ribs are bruised is all. I don't heal as fast as you apparently do, but I'll be fine."

Naruto made a soft noise and then frowned at the door. He could hear two people talking as they walked down the hall. His human ears tried to swivel.

"It's all right," Sasuke assured him as he fixed the yukata. "This is an inn. We're in the village on the edge of that forest."

Turning his head, Naruto squinted to peer out the window. It was so bright because sunlight was reflecting off a white awning on the next building. Blinking to restore his vision, he returned his gaze to Sasuke.

Sasuke touched the side of Naruto's face. "You're really okay now?" he asked with a slightly furrowed brow and then retracted his hand. "You looked awful before. The snake's venom... I was afraid..." His eyes became hollow and he didn't finish.

Naruto made a soft noise and leaned closer, putting his hands on Sasuke's thighs and peering into his face. Sasuke tensed but didn't push him away, so Naruto tucked in. His knees knocked awkwardly against Sasuke's legs and he pawed at the yukata, nuzzling into Sasuke's neck.

"Ah," Sasuke uttered and pet through the shaggy blonde locks, scratching behind his ears a little. "That's weird when you're like this."

Tilting his head, Naruto blinked twice and made a little noise. His nose twitched and he exhaled, letting his tails begin to slip out with his breath. As the bushy tails pushed out from under the yukata, Naruto's body began to diminish proportionally.

"Hey, stop," Sasuke grasped his shoulder, "Don't do that."

Naruto blinked, halting the transformation, and made a questioning noise.

"I'm sorry, but you have to stay in human form for now. Just while we're here, do you understand? It was me and a yellow haired young man who came to this inn, that's who needs to be here until we leave."

Naruto sniffed and shook himself. Sasuke released his shoulder. His tails pulled back into his body and he flexed his jaw, running his tongue over his teeth to make sure they weren't too sharp.

Sasuke rubbed the side of his head, scratching behind his ear, "These, too."

Twitching his nose as well as his ears, Naruto fixed them.

Sasuke smiled, his hand still on the side of Naruto's head. Naruto smiled back. It wasn't an expression a fox's features could form so his mouth flexed awkwardly at first. However, once he thought he managed it, it rolled into a laugh.

"What's so funny?" Sasuke asked with humor.

"Hap-" Naruto's mouth moved in a snap.

"Hm?" Sasuke tilted his head.

"Hap- see Sasuke again, kon kon," Naruto voiced awkwardly.

"You can talk."

Naruto snorted.

"I didn't mean to offend you, I'm surprised," Sasuke told him. "Surprised by a lot of things," he added.

Naruto tilted his head.

"You're alive. I thought..." Sasuke stared like he thought Naruto might vanish, like this wasn't real.

Nose twitching, a vulpine smirk formed.

"Father said..."

"Sasuke- Fath- free- Naruto, kon kon," Naruto pressed Sasuke's thigh. "Naruto return- late- night, but Sasuke- Fath- say no. Not be- guard-, leave villa- and live."

Sasuke's brow furrowed a little. Disbelief was as much a barrier as the fox's speech impediment.

"As told, Naruto live, kon kon! Naruto not Uchiha- guard-, so Naruto all human- guard- ...Try," he added with a twitch of his disappointment, "Human- scare- of Naruto... But now! Naruto Sasuke- guard-, kon kon!" He pressed close, licking Sasuke's face, and then grinned with a happy sound.

Sasuke seemed off-put but smiled at the lick.

So, Naruto did it again, putting his hands on Sasuke's shoulders. And again, and again until Sasuke fell back on the futon, laughing.

Giggling, too, Naruto started to flop onto his chest as he used to, but Sasuke, held him at bay. "Hey, you're a lot bigger now. And my injury."

"Sorr-" Naruto uttered sheepishly and nuzzled into Sasuke's side instead.

Slowly, Sasuke lifted his hand to rub his fingers in Naruto's hair again, which made his leg bounce contentedly. Naruto wanted to stay like that forever, however his stomach had a lot to say.

"Sorry, I didn't think - You must be starving," Sasuke sat up, "Stay right here, I'll get you some food."