Me? Finishing a book? Absolutely unheard of, yet here we are. Oh how the tides change! It felt right to end this one on Naruto's birthday. Happy birthday, Naruto! 

Without further ado, welcome to the final chapter of Six Years Too Long. Hopefully it's not majorly disappointing. I rewrote it so many times and it just-- never looked quite right, so fingers crossed

This is the longest chapter we've had for this book to date! Yay!

Third person pov

In the end, Kurama uses two of his tails to hold the gate shut. He winds them around as many times as they'll go, sealing the massive metal bars in place. He stays as still as he can manage, eyes drawn to the paper seal in the quiet moments between sleep and Naruto's visits.

It can hardly be called a seal anymore. Peeled off and hanging oddly, slouched over half of the way down and folded over on itself, it would take only the vaguest of nudges to open the gates and send his chakra flooding out through Naruto's system. 

It's a scary concept, the thought that he could accidentally overwhelm his host with his power with just a bump. Even if his chakra would never seek to harm-- not anymore-- it is still foreign, and Naruto is still so young. Kurama's power is corrosive all on its own, and it will continue to be until he can teach Naruto to properly harness it.

There's a special sort of melding that needs to occur for the pair of them to coexist without the seal between them, and the simple fact of the matter is that Naruto's chakra pathways aren't matured enough yet. Maybe in a few years from now, as he grows and exercises his reserves more.

It would be better if Kurama could continue to gradually leech out, to slowly diffuse himself until Naruto's body is adjusted. The same way he'd been doing so far, over time so that Naruto would be better ready to take on the highly concentrated level of energy he'd be shouldering once the seal fully opened. 

It could be dangerous if Kurama were to do it now. As nice as it would be to "rip off the band-aid", as humans love to say, harm could come to the kit. The permanent kind that he'd never grow out of, that even Kurama couldn't fix. It simply wasn't worth the risk.

He needed that damned Namikaze to get his ass in here and fix this mess. And therein lied the problem.

"Tell him." Kurama hissed out. Naruto was sitting amongst the flowers today, and apparently his hearing had turned selective, because he didn't so much as twitch at the sound of Kurama's voice. "I can't hold it shut forever. I could slip up, you brat, and then where would you be? Potentially braindead. That's where."

Naruto pursed his lips but didn't say anything, averting his gaze. Kurama grit his teeth together, glowing eyes going narrow. He had no idea why Naruto was being so stubborn about all of this. Never in their time together had the little brat had the audacity to outright ignore him the way he was now, blatantly and seemingly without reason.

Did he not realize the true gravity of what could happen to him? Without the seal, the bars were weak, even with Kurama holding the gate shut. If Naruto were to fall into danger again, Kurama's chakra would corrode through the bars at an accelerated rate if he tried to help, thus breaking the seal down completely. It was too dangerous.

Even now, it was risky. If Kurama let himself get too annoyed, his chakra could rise and cause further fissures to the already-damaged cage he sat in. He is a being created of pure energy, and it answers to the rising and falling of his own mood. 

Kurama is on the cusp. He teeters on a fine line, and Naruto's direct chakra pathways lay on the other side. One wrong step and his raw chakra will be injected. Still so little, still growing, the kit will not stand up to such a tidal wave of power. A little bit leaked through a strong seal to heal and save, Kurama can give, and Naruto will be fine.

All of it at once?

Not now. Not yet.

"Naruto." Kurama snapped out, only to stop and take a deep breath right after. Near the base of the bars, he could already see the barest of cracks starting to form, crumbling through metal like it was nothing more than paper. "Kit. What are you so afraid of?" 

Naruto tensed up, and Kurama could hear him swallow heavily even from here. He hunched in on himself, head turning. Watery blue eyes peeked out from beneath a yellow fringe. There was fear there that gave Kurama pause. He frowned, head raising from where he'd allowed it to come and rest upon his paws.

His tails tightened further around the gate as he carefully stuck his snout out between two of the bars, ears flicking. It was an invitation. One Naruto seemed like he may finally be inclined to take, rising up on wobbly feet. He looked uncertain-- not of him, but of... something. 

Kurama doesn't understand humans as well as he wishes he did. All knowing and powerful as he happens to be, human children are something he has near no experience with. Most of his knowledge comes from his observation of Naruto. Anything else Kurama witnessed before him was cast aside with a scoff of disgust, the information deemed worthless.

Not that he's ever been able to see all that much beyond his jailers. Naruto isn't his warden, however, and Kurama does not feel he's in a cage. There is a grassy field forming just for him, and Kurama knows one day with certainty that he will step beyond this box and leave it behind for good. That is the gift Naruto has offered him.

"I... Do I have to?" Naruto asks, sounding squeaky and reluctant. It's unlike him, and Kurama's nose twitches as the boy scales his way up onto his snout. "He already doesn't like you! What's he going to do if he knows you can get out? What if he sees it's broken and decides it's easier to take you out than it is to seal you back in? Plus, I don't want to lock you up again! Believe it!"

Ah. He was being sentimental. How... special of him. Kurama huffed a little, settling his head down further and flattening down his ears as a show of his disdain.

"This cage is not forever. You've made that very clear." Kurama offered. "Should the bars of this one fail, I will have only two choices. One is to stay here and allow my chakra into your system, the shock of which will no doubt kill you. The second is to expel myself into the outside world, which will also subsequently kill you. Either way you will be gone, and either way I will be locked up in someone new who will undoubtedly be far less understanding than your pea-sized brain has allowed you to be."

It was true. The only thing waiting for Kurama if the last of this seal gave was grief and agony over what could've been. This little runt has grown on him like a particularly persistent type of mold, and Kurama loves him for it. For his energy, and his zeal, and even his stupidity.

Kurama will not be the cause of further of his suffering. He will not be the cause of his life ending, either. He refuses. He understands Naruto's fear, but there are greater evils and there are lesser. He does not want to be separated from Naruto.

But if Namikaze makes that choice-- if there is a choice between Kurama digging his claws in and harming Naruto's psyche just to stay with him, or accepting his fate and being resealed... he will say his goodbyes. Knowing Naruto, it wouldn't be forever anyway.

"I...I guess it would be worse. If they found out I hid it." Naruto frowned deeply. "If I say you told me to tell them, that would be points in your favor. I could get ahead of it."

Kurama hummed his agreement, a deep rumble that sent ripples through the water. It rustled the patch of flowers, sending a few petals askew and fluttering. Naruto let out a squawk of indignation at the sudden vibration, scrambling to keep balance atop his nose.

Fondly, Kurama thought he looked a lot like a flea. An annoying, orange flea. Had he really bent to the whims of such a tiny and helpless creature? Was this truly the crux of Kurama's existence now?

Is he honestly okay with it? Oh, how his siblings would laugh at him if they could see.

"Once you are old enough, the seal may be removed." Kurama allowed. "Right now you are still puny and pathetic, however. You need time to acclimate. As you age and grow, my chakra will become far more integrated. Especially now that we... interact."

Interact. Naruto clung to him like a little burr, more like. It would be good for the future, when they were able to fully work together. Kurama could only imagine the heights they'd be able to reach, his chakra combined with the veritable powerhouse that Naruto was already set to become. Uzumaki's reserves, for humans, were sizeable even in his eyes.

Naruto didn't look convinced, however. He fisted his hands into Kurama's fur, worrying the inside of his cheek. The fox observed him idly. It was nearly touching, how concerned he was over this. Were Kurama a lesser being, he may even be flattered.

Luckily, he is the Nine Tailed Fox, and he's not so lowly as to experience such sensitivities. His fondness only goes so far, of course. Love is very abstract. It can come in many forms. Serious and powerful ones, very much befitting of a tailed beast such as himself. 

(No, he has no dignity left, if you were wondering. He tries not to think about it.)

"...What if he seals you too tightly?" Naruto asks, so quiet that Kurama wouldn't have picked up on it if not for his heightened hearing. "What if I... What if I can't talk to you anymore?"

Kurama snorted, amusement curling up through him. He grinned.

"I am sealed within you, Naruto." He laughed. "If you want to find me, no matter how deeply I may be buried, all you need to do is look."

And that? That seemed to click in the boy, if nothing else. And it was enough.

~~~

Shikamaru asks him point blank about the fox. Naruto tells him point blank about the fox. Somehow, that doesn't scare him off.

Apparently he'd been more curious than anything. His mom had told him later, laughing a little as she ran her hands through his hair to get out the tangles, that it was just a Nara thing. They were inquisitive my nature and liked to know certainties when they could get them. 

To them, information was akin to gold. And Naruto happened to have access to some that very few people in the world did. 

Naruto was just glad that Shikamaru didn't like, hate him or whatever. Their newfound kidnapped-together-means-friends-forever bond was still holding strong, and Naruto couldn't help but feel a little giddy. He'd rather avoid being abducted in general, but if he was going to be taken alongside anyone, he was glad it had been Shikamaru.

It's not that Naruto doesn't have friends, or that friends are an entirely brand new concept. They're not. He has Gaara, and in a roundabout way, Sasuke. Even if Sasuke was more a rival than anything, someone that insulted him and that Naruto enthusiastically insulted back. He still fell under the slowly-expanding umbrella of people who didn't think he was a monster.

Their relationship was atypical at best. Even his relationship with Gaara was different, simply because they were two sides of the same coin and bound to click together. They understood one another in a way nobody else ever would. That was something Naruto valued incredibly. 

He wouldn't trade him for anything. And if Naruto could teleport between Konoha and Suna? He'd be back and forth daily, no questions asked, and he'd hardly leave Gaara's side for anything. That's the type of friendship they had. 

Shikamaru was like, just some dude though. He was normal. Well-- scary smart and way lazier than half the other kids their age, but regular by shinobi standards all the same. The thought that someone like that could ever associate with Naruto just completely boggled him. 

He knew it was different now. He had two parents just like everyone else, and the village was on the fast track to being too scared shitless of his father to so much as look at him sideways. Still, it was... 

Shikamaru knew. Shikamaru knew about Kurama and he hadn't so much as bat an eye. 

That wasn't the sort of thing most people would brush off. His own parents weren't even that calm about it, and they'd known right off the bat-- no question about it-- that Naruto had the old grump sealed in his stomach. Naruto had found and made a friend all on his own-- one who totally accepted him as is, Kurama and all.

Shikamaru didn't seem scared of him, nor did he seem annoyed by Naruto's persistent jabbering. He hung out with him regularly, never seeming to mind when Naruto rambled off on tangents of his own. He just hummed along, occasionally interjecting with a tidbit so smart Naruto had to stop and process it to understand half of what he'd said.

Their return to the academy was punctuated with a whole lot of glaring in Sasuke's direction. When Naruto sat down, Shikamaru didn't seem to hesitate to sit down right next to him. It made Naruto feel giddy and settled, like maybe he was finally doing something right in the field of outside social interactions. 

Today, Naruto noticed, Kashi wasn't even pretending to linger outside. He was plopped down in the corner, glaringly orange book in hand much to Iruka-sensei's apparent dismay. Naruto offered an enthusiastic wave, which was returned idly. 

"I'd hoped they'd give us more time off to quote-on-quote 'get over our trauma.' What a drag." Shikamaru drawled as he dropped into the seat to Naruto's left. He looked as tired as ever. "Looks like your guard duty got upped."

Naruto couldn't tell if he was referring to Kakashi, the clone of his father perched like a demonic entity in the tree outside, the various dogs laid out on the floor pretending to snore, or all of them together. He settled from shrugging and nodding instead of trying to figure it out.

"Believe it. I haven't had a second of alone time since getting back. I can't even go to the bathroom by myself without one of the doggies following me." Naruto gestured to Bull, who was laid out by his feet. The dog snorted. "I make him face he wall, but it's still awkward."

"At least he can't talk enough to tell anyone." Shikamaru rested his head down on his arms, making a face. "My mom keeps pinching my cheeks and trying to follow me everywhere, too. And my dad says he called in to work because he's got too much vacation time racked up anyway, but I'm not an idiot. I know he's hanging around because he thinks I'm going to get nabbed again."

The only way they were getting "nabbed again" was if Sasuke got them wrapped up in his shit again. Count on him to ruin days. At least something positive had come out of it-- no thanks to him, of course. 

"Want to draw them crayon pictures to try and entice them into calming down?" Naruto asked, already poised to pull the giant box he'd brought along out of his bag. In the corner, Kakashi perked up and tried not to look too hopeful. "I have 64 colors and an entire stack of stolen paper."

"I will never understand you mortals." Kurama sounded deeply disturbed for some reason. Naruto wondered what the problem was. Was it the exploitation of emotions using handmade, heartfelt items to his advantage or the fact that he'd sharpened his crayons enough to cut a man's throat?

"Naruto." Shikamaru raised his head, sounding almost solemn. He held out a hand. "I thought you'd never ask."

~~~

Minato screams when he sees the seal. Actually, literally screams. And then his mom whirls him around by the shoulders to look as well and screams too. It's because they're doing it that Naruto decides he should join in, letting out a shriek and throwing his hands in the air just for added effect.

Overall, there's a lot of mayhem. Naruto doesn't get the hype. Sure, is his seal missing like, all its layers but two? Maybe, yeah. But it's not a big deal. Kurama's like, super chill right now. Possibly the chillest he has ever been like, ever. He's not going to do anything.

They don't seem to know that though. And to be fair, the so called "second layer" of the seal is actively disintegrating before their very eyes. Not very fast, but it's definitely faded around the edges in some spots. Parts of the ink have an almost flaky quality, like it's dusting apart and drifting away against his skin.

"Oh my god, oh my god." His dad was fanning his face frantically, like that would actually do anything to cool the panicked red that was creeping steadily up it. "That's-- how did we not--"

"That's not strong enough to hold anything." Kushina stressed, sounding near hysterics. It was the nearest to losing her composure that Naruto had seen her since meeting her. She wasn't even this freaked out when Naruto returned from his kidnapping covered in blood. "How is it-- the Kyuubi should--"

Naruto pressed his lips into a thin line, crossing his arms over his chest as his parents practically fell over themselves in their distress. Earth to planet what the fuck, if Kurama was going to do something (like murder everyone, or eat babies, or whatever they thought he liked to do in his free time) then he would've done it by now. Believe it.

Kakashi sidled up to stand next to him. Unlike Naruto's parents, he didn't seem nearly as alarmed. He never really did, honestly. That was the best part about Kashi. He just sort of went with the flow. He'd freak out over the seal when Naruto freaked out over the seal. Because if anyone was going to know if there was a real problem here, it would probably be Naruto himself.

Kakashi silently offered him the bag of microwave popcorn he'd been munching on, mask up and down so fast it was impossible to actually get a glimpse of his face whilst he ate. Naruto stuck his hand in and came out with a handful, shoving it into his mouth. It was kettlecorn, which was fucked up, but no one was perfect.

"Kit." Kurama's voice grumbled from within his head. "Tell that utter moron to fix this right the hell now, or the first thing I'm doing when I get out of here is ripping his eyes out and shoving them down his throat so he can watch me rip his own damn intestines out. The seal is corroding away and if it should vanish completely, my hellish wrath with be unleashed upon all the pathetic, worthless, incompetent cretins who let you die to begin with."

Okay, so maybe Kurama's a little more stressed and agitated that he thought. That's fine. Naruto is absolutely not repeating any of that, thank you, but it's fine.

"Kurama's holding it shut with two of his tails. I didn't want to tell you, but he sorta made me and he wants to you to fix it like, right now. Since I might die or something. He's very concerned, and asked you to please hurry." Naruto said, like a liar. "Also I've been able to hear his voice in my head since I got back. Like when I'm awake."

Naruto was never planning to admit to that, but being honest about such a big secret totally cancels out the massive lie about Kurama saying please that he just told. Not that his mom and dad seem like they believe that part, but what're they going to do? Call a six year old a liar to his face?

Minato made a high-pitched noise, sort of like a tea kettle. His mom was just staring at him like he'd broken some sort of super expensive vase. Kakashi hummed, raising his brows and blinking lazily down at him. If Ayumu were here, no doubt he'd be scribbling away on his clipboard.

"He talks to you when you're awake?" Kakashi asked mildly. "Is that why you kept making faces at the academy? I thought you had indigestion or something."

"Nah. He's actually the one who led me back to Konoha after the whole kidnapping thing. It was super pitch black. You think I made it back near the walls all on my own?" Naruto snorted, and them pulled out his trump card. A stack of three papers, lightly fanned out. His dad zeroed in on them like a shark scenting blood. "Completely unrelated, but I love you so much and drew you this! Believe it!" 

His dad looked stuck between his previous horror and absolute delight. His mom looked teary-eyed. Naruto beamed sunnily, and he could feel Kurama's disbelief coursing through him. 

"That worked?" Kurama asked incredulously. Naruto didn't answer, lest his entire plan fail. "They're weaker than I thought."

Maybe a little, but at least they weren't screaming anymore. Naruto counted that as a win.

~~~

Naruto wonders how scared Gaara was during his sealing. If he felt the same sense of dread and foreboding, the same sort of shivers from the cool stone beneath his back. Had Gaara wanted to run too, desperately? Had he felt like something within him was trying to claw its way out-- something that had nothing to do with the tailed beast within him at all?

It's not that Naruto doesn't trust his parents. He does, and he loves them with everything in him. He knows they only want the best for him. He knows they're going to make sure he's kept as safe as possible during the process. They'll handle this, and they'll smile at him reassuringly while they do it.

That's not the problem. Not really, anyway. The real issue is that their relationship with the idea of Kurama being his friend is still so fresh. The territory is rocky at best, the frozen top of a lake liable to crack and break under the weight at any given time. 

Naruto understands. He'd be close-minded and foolish not to see their point of view. Once upon a time, maybe he would've even agreed with them, shared their vision of how things should be. Maybe he would've seen the seal, the cage, as a need.

But he loves Kurama, and he's glad he knows better. But he's also six. This isn't about what he knows, it's about what they do. Unfortunately.

It's still weird to know how little control he has over his life now. He wouldn't trade his parents for anything, but before it was just him and him alone. He made all the decisions, even if he knew looking back some of them probably weren't the best ones. There'd been a whole lot he didn't know-- was still more he had to learn. 

Having so much choice taken from him, though... Naruto didn't like it. It scared him, possibly more than anything had ever scared him before. This was the rest of his life they were talking about. His entire future. This could effect him for years and years to come, and what if it did so negatively?

The ink is cold against his stomach. Naruto's throat clenches as he lays there, hands clammy with sweat. He wants to get up and run away. It would be so much easier to. To hide away until this all blew over, until it worked itself out.

Kurama would never allow it. With the seal fading, Naruto knew this had to happen. He just didn't want to accept it. 

What if it took away their flowers? Their growing shrubs, their sprog of a tree? There's still a vast field to be grown, still so much work to do, to have, and Naruto had no idea what he'd do if that all went away. If his parents sealed it too tightly, and Kurama was pulled away from him forever.

He didn't know what he'd do without him. Kurama was special in a way nobody else ever would be, and Naruto couldn't bear the thought of going through life without him. Without his commentary, and advice. Without his company, and teachings.

"I'll still be here." Kurama's voice rolled through his head like thunder. "No matter how tightly they seal me, all you have to do is look. This is your mind. Turn yourself within, and I will still be here, just as I always have been."

Naruto knew he'd be there. But there was a difference between knowing and seeing. Kurama was a feeling in his chest: a warm, ever-present glow. What if Naruto wasn't smart enough to track him down? What if he "turned within himself" and couldn't find him no matter how hard he looked?

Things would change. And Naruto had no idea what he'd do when they did.

The candles circling them blaze bright and radiate a stifling heat all on their own, but Naruto still feels cold. He swallows thickly, blue eyes turning towards his father. They meet a matching pair, not quite as round but no less ocean-like. He sees his dad hesitate and knows he must look pale and terrified.

His mother stills. She has red clay staining her palms, the circle surrounding him just as fluid and rounded in its symbols as the curves of Uzushiogakure's swirl. He can feel the chakra and power thrumming from it as she closes in its lines. It's strange to him, to think that shapes can hold so much power.

This is his heritage. Another odd thing to consider. Inked on his skin and drawn onto the ground is his blood right. His mom and dad will probably teach it to him, and one day he'll be able to build seals from the ground up as well. It's a little comforting. If he tries hard enough, if he lets himself learn, maybe he can fully understand just what keeps Kurama locked away and how.

Maybe, if they seal him too deeply, he'll be able to dig him back out without killing himself or anyone else.

It's a dangerous line of thought. A useless one, because right now he's six years old and if they take Kurama away, there's nothing he'll be able to do. He knows that Kurama is trying to be comforting, saying that Naruto will be able to find him, but Naruto knows that the fox has no real way of knowing.

They could put Kurama to sleep with this seal if they wanted. Kurama could be placed in a dormant state, locked behind walls Naruto has no way of getting around. They could imprison him within Naruto's mind, alone, in the dark, and with no connection to the outside world.

That scares Naruto more than the thought of never seeing him again does. The idea that Kurama could be as alone as he was before. That Naruto might've sat by and just let that happen. He wouldn't be able to stand it.

"It's okay, Naruto. It's alright." His dad soothes. His palm is a warm contrast to the cold biting against Naruto's skin, gently running through his hair. "You'll be unconscious for this next part. You'll wake up and it'll be like nothing even happened." 

"You won't feel a thing." His mom tacked on, dipping down to press a kiss to his forehead. Her hair is a curtain of fire, the same blazing red as Kurama's eyes. "You're going to be just fine. I promise."

Naruto's not worried about himself, though. He knows his parents aren't going to hurt him. This is about Kurama. Naruto-- he's fine. He will be fine. His parents love him and he loves them too, and that's why he can't focus on himself right now.

"Don't take him away." Naruto chokes out. He sees his dad freeze and gulp a little, and his mom pauses. He peers up at them pleadingly. "Please don't take him away. H-He's not bad. I swear he's not bad, believe it."

His dad searches his gaze, and Naruto doesn't look away for a second. They have to understand what this means to him in full. That taking him away won't be something he gets over in a few days, something he bounces back from. He and Kurama are in this together now. 

Kurama taught him what love was. He taught him how to use his chakra, and he saved his life. He listened to his day, to his doubts, and he allowed himself to get to know Naruto night by night. He was begrudging and rude, but who wouldn't be? Locked away for years and years, treated like a monster.

Naruto knows exactly what being alone feels like. He understands what it feels like to be the subject of contempt and disgust, to be treated like you're worse than trash on the side of the road just for existing as you are. If Naruto's suffering of six years is unjust, just what would you call Kurama's lifetime of being hated?

His dad looks sad. Like Naruto's words are somehow sorrowful just for being spoken. Naruto wonders if his parents see Kurama as a he and not an it yet. If they get that he is a being with feelings and thoughts just as deep as any human being. He is intelligent, and capable of kindness, which he has shown to Naruto in spades.

Kurama had talked to them. He'd claimed to love Naruto. He'd saved Naruto's life. 

Is it enough? Will anything ever be?

"...Okay." His dad says after a beat. He swallows thickly, giving Naruto a small, reassuring smile. He reaches up to run a hand through his hair again. "We won't take him away, Naruto. I promise."

Naruto's never been good at trusting people at their word. He closes his eyes anyway, lets darkness take him under his mother's gentle sleep jutsu, and tries anyway.

~~~

Minato had known being a parent was hard. He just hadn't realized how hard.

It's rewarding. Every smile Naruto gives, every hug, every twinkle of the eye. Every word out of his mouth is a delight, because Minato and Kushina created this. This-- This little person, and he's just so wonderful that Minato can hardly fathom it.

Naruto is like a miniature sun. He'll be a great ninja one day, and probably an even better leader than Minato is. He's righteous and far too understanding, with an innate kindness that rests in the bare bones of everything he does. He reflects out all of Minato and Kushina's best traits, and it's... it's terrifying.

He's forgiving, and almost too accepting of others in some ways. Minato will never claim to understand just how he and the Kyuubi came to know one another. He just knows that their communication genuinely scares him, and that if he could get away with it, he'd put a stop on it for good.

When Naruto was older, it would be his choice. They're the ones who put the tailed beast in him. It's Naruto's life, it's his body, and he is the one shouldering that burden. Minato would never try to control what he does with that. 

The only issue is that right now... he's not an adult. He's six years old. He's emotionally vulnerable and still recovering from a bitter upbringing, in which he was left alone to fend for himself. He had no allies to stand at his back, no one to support him.

His concepts of love and friendship are likely forever altered because of this. His judgement of others isn't weighed on the same scale as Minato's is. Kushina understands better than he does-- yet simultaneously, she also knows the depths of the vitriol with which the Kyuubi regards everything.

To think their child could've worn such a creature down into any semblance of a positive relationship... anyone would understand why they'd have their doubts. Even after meeting the fox, it's hard to say. The Nine Tails is known for its cunning and deceitful nature. It is a master manipulator. 

Kushina can still remember her times facing it-- him, really. She used to whisper about the encounters at night, when all was quiet and it was just the two of them in bed. Her voice held an uncharacteristic tremor every time, talking of the sheer level of anger she felt rolling off the fox. 

All Minato had been able to do was hold her in times like that, as she muttered about fury, and hot rage, and empty promises all to try and secure release. Threats of destruction, gruesome descriptions of all the terror and rot the Kyuubi would infect the world with if it ever got out.

It (He?) was angry, and all it (He...) wanted to do was kill. Kill everyone, and everything, without question. The Kyuubi in Kushina wanted to burn the world to the ground, and it wanted to laugh while it did it.

It did not seem possible that the very same creature had cried for their six year old. Had claimed to love him. Had saved his life, more than once now, and was now holding the seal shut to keep from accidentally killing him.

He'd be able to escape. Right now, if the Kyuubi wanted, it could release itself and rain destruction down upon the entire village. It could devour them both in moments. It could raze Konoha to the ground, could blow Naruto's entire body apart with just a push of chakra. 

It could, but it hadn't. 

Minato had talked to the beast head on, at his son's pleading. He had felt Kurama's peace. There was no rage within the seal. Somehow, Naruto has done something nobody else has. Naruto got through to The Nine Tailed Fox, and--

Minato looks at Kushina and sees the look on her face, and they both know they cannot take that away. That if they lock the Kyuubi away, they will lose their son in the process. They will lose his trust, something he gives so sparingly.

Naruto's young, but he's not stupid. He's the smartest, best little boy Minato knows. He loves him. He loves him with everything in him, and if he says he can do this... Minato has to believe him. Because he's right. Kurama has saved his life time and time again, and he's doing it again right now.

The Nine Tails has done unthinkable things. But he's done well by Naruto, and has protected him. It feels inherently wrong to let his young child form this kind of connection with a being that old and powerful. There's a danger to it, a queasy feeling that enters Minato's stomach. He feels ill, knowing he is allowing an open channel between them as he finishes the last layer and doesn't add another one on top of it.

Naruto had begged him, though. His own father, and he'd pleaded, terrified. Minato had made a promise. He will not take Kurama away.

"We won't regret it." Kushina says. "He won't be able to get out. It'll be just like before. Ayumu will go in to talk to him every so often, and we'll monitor Naruto. If something is wrong--"

"Then we add another layer." Minato agrees, voice a rasp. He hesitates, looking up and meeting her indigo eyes. "Are we doing the right thing?"

As Naruto's mother and father, is this best for him? Is allowing him open communication that they cannot monitor with an ancient being okay? For Naruto's well being? If they seal the Kyuubi up, Naruto will be angry and upset. He'll be heartbroken. But in the long run, would that be better? 

Or is keeping it open truly better for his future? For his development, and safety? Naruto loves the fox, but is that a good thing? The doubts are all plaguing, causing a sense of malaise and fear that swirls in Minato's gut.

Kushina's jaw clenches. She peers down at their son for a moment, like she's searching for something in his unconscious face. Whatever it is she's looking for, she seems to find it. There's steel in her expression when she looks up again.

"Yes." She says with iron-clad certainty. "This is the right thing. This is what we promised him. We didn't seal the Kyuubi away before, after we found out Naruto could speak to him. We'd be hypocrites to take the chance to do it now just because the opportunity has arose."

That's all Minato needs to hear. He pushes aside the inklings of terror he feels for his son's future and starts performing hand signs. His wife mirrors them. Around them, the circle of watery clay lights up in a brilliant blue, their chakra coursing through it.

On Naruto's stomach, the seal starts to burn in, ink sinking into skin. Permanent. Minato tries not to think of the night they first did this to him, when he was no bigger than a hearty loaf of bread and wailing to the heavens.

The actual sealing takes mere minutes compared to the preparation, but it feels like a lifetime. Minato's chakra pours out and churns alongside his wife's. They breathe in tandem. Naruto's heart pulses in the air around them, a steady thumping that rings like a gong the louder and louder it gets.

The smell of ozone permeates the room. Minato is endlessly glad to have his wife here. Something in him calms as the seal takes, sinking below the surface of Naruto's skin and out of sight as the power seeps back out of him. Kushina reaches across their son for Minato's hand, and Minato takes hers, trying to catch his breath.

Naruto looks so much younger with his face lax. A stark reminder of just how little he is. Yet, at the same time, it serves as proof of how much time they've missed. Of all the moments he needed them and they weren't there. If Minato has anything to say about it, Naruto will never have to want for affection of any kind ever again. 

The seal scalds for a moment. There's shifting in Naruto's chakra, and they both tense as something fiery hot momentarily presses up against the seal. It seems experimental, the way the heat rises carefully and slowly. They both see the usually black ink flare back into view, only this time it's orange and glowing fiercely.

The Kyuubi, prodding against the seal. They hold their breath. Kushina holds his hand so tight it hurts a little, and Minato holds hers back. For a minute, neither of them can move, or hardly think. 

But the second of terror is over as soon as it comes. That heat recedes, flooding back into the depths of their son, out of sight and out of mind. Minato feels it drop back into the shadows, though there is one last flicker that seems to spark at them. Said spark doesn't seem malevolent. If Minato didn't know any better, he'd say it... felt like a thank you. 

This is the right thing.

Minato hopes beyond hope they're not wrong.

(It sure doesn't feel like they are, when Naruto comes to later with a slow blink. When he stops and yanks up his shirt. When his seal turns orange again, and his entire face lights up into a grin so blinding that Minato almost has to look away from its sheer brightness. He turns the full force of it on them, and suddenly they both have their arms full of a six year old so happy he's near tears, thanking them. And that... Minato doesn't think that, at least, could ever be wrong. Could it?)

~~~~

Naruto turns seven on a Tuesday. He doesn't personally see why this is a big deal, but according to everyone else it may as well be the most momentous occasion of the year.

His concept of his birthday isn't the same as everyone else's. Some ingrained part of him tenses up at the ready. He coils in on himself, tight and uncertain, eyes darting every which way. Today isn't just his birthday, you see. It's the anniversary of the Kyuubi's defeat, and there are certain individuals who'd love to celebrate by ripping him a new one.

It's happened before. This is always the worst night of his year, where he's forced to evacuate his apartment and flee. Naruto used to have to hide all his belongings, lest he come back to an absolutely trashed home and find them all destroyed in some manner or another. 

Usually, he'd hide out in the woods. It didn't always work out. but it was easier to hide there amongst the trees than anywhere else. He was found more often than not, sure, but he felt better at evading now than he did last year, now able to channel chakra into his feet to help him go faster and climb. 

He kept having to remind himself that today was going to be different. That this birthday would be an actual one, and not just a passing date he mourned at and fought for survival the night of.

He'd already celebrated somewhat with Kurama. The fox had been more at ease since the seal's reconstruction, and Naruto had awoken in their shared space to find that the flowers had grown and spread several more feet in all directions. His parents' trust in Kurama had soothed something in the fox, and ever since then, their plants had been growing like wild.

Kurama had wished him a happy birthday, and let Naruto crawl up on his snout and hug him. He'd seemed in higher spirits. Naruto didn't really get why, because he was honestly the exact same as he was the day before he turned seven, but he didn't mind. If it made Kurama smile, it hardly mattered. 

Like with so many other things, Naruto really has no frame of reference for what an actual birthday is supposed to look like. Again, they don't seem like anything all that grand to him. Isn't it just a meaningless marker of how much time has passed? He's older, but why's that have to mean anything special?

He's seen snippets at the academy. Ino coming in with a whole bunch of balloons tied around her wrist, puffing out her chest in pride as birthday wishes are rained down upon her. Everyone bringing cards for Kiba. Someone bringing cupcakes to share with the whole class on Choji's birthday-- bar Naruto, of course, because there's always never quite enough.

This birthday is vastly different than all the others ones he's had, which passed fearfully, on the run, and hiding away in hopes of slipping under the radar. He wakes up with a flinch, forever on edge. There's no academy today, but that doesn't stop him from trying to scramble to get dressed for it anyway.

His brain tells him he needs to be ready for anything and everything. His brain tells him to get ready to run.

He doesn't even get a chance to get out of bed, turns out. His mom is in the room mere seconds after his eyes pop open and he jolts up off his pillows. The ninken who'd fallen asleep piled around him all raise their heads to look at him, making vague, sleep whines at the sight of his obvious alarm.

"Nope! Don't move!" His mom cries out, stilling him in his attempts to untangle himself from the blankets. She swept forward with flourish, beaming at him. "Breakfast in bed for the birthday boy! Seven years old already!" 

Naruto stared at her, blinking stupidly as his father as Kashi appeared in the doorway, both looking delighted. His father had a camera ready and was practically about to vibrate out of his skin as the tray table was settled down over Naruto's lap. The boy blinked wildly, staring. 

The stack of pancakes he eats is massive and fluffy, and so delicious that he knows Kashi probably cooked them. Not to diss anyone else's kitchen skills. It's not like Naruto can talk, with his talents extending to boiling water to pour into his instant ramen cups, but he also has the excuse of being... seven, now. 

He's seven. Once upon a time, he might've just shrugged and patted himself on the back for surviving another year. Now, he's being scooped up into the whirlwind of what he has to guess must be a semi-normal birthday. Ish? Yeah.

"Kushina! Look at this one!" His dad looks like he's about to start shedding actual tears as he turns the camera towards his redheaded wife. "Look at him! He's getting so big!"

Naruto squints, Pakkun dozing in his arms. It looks like a regular picture of him just sitting there. Eating pancakes in bed, but still just sitting there. 

"We have to get that framed as soon as possible." His mom gushes. Naruto squints harder, glancing up at Kashi as the man's hand comes down on his head to ruffle his hair. He offers a closed eye smile behind his mask. Naruto's nose scrunches, but he leans into Kashi's side anyway.

The day is a rollercoaster. Sometimes he thinks he can hear Kurama's laughter echoing in the back of his mind in the face of Naruto's bewilderment, but since the new seal was placed, it's been hard to tell whether or not he's trying to speak or not. There are brief instances in which Naruto thinks he hears some whisper of his voice, but--

Well. At least he gets to see him when he sleeps. That's more than enough for Naruto. He'll take what he can get.

He had honestly been prepared for the chance of his parents sealing Kurama as tightly as they could. It wasn't that he didn't trust them. He just... He knew what fear did to people. He'd seen it first hand. People were afraid of him, and they'd lashed out because of it. 

He'd sort of thought his parents would do the same to Kurama. They were just as human as anyone else. He got it-- Kurama was like, the actual Nine Tails. A being supposedly created for the sole purpose of maintaining balance and peace between the great nations. 

There was only one of him out in the world, unless you wanted to lump him in with his other eight siblings. But he might eat you for having the audacity to do so. Naruto sure wasn't about to risk it.

The day was nice, for as unfamiliar as it was. Naruto half expected angry civilians to start crowding around the house at any moment, pitchforks raised and eyes blazing with righteous fury, but it never happened. The streets outside their home stayed quiet, and slowly, Naruto let himself relax.

"I really don't need a party. Believe it." Naruto insisted a tad uncomfortably as people began to file in. If the giant orange cake with his name on it had been a surprise, people showing up to celebrate had been an even bigger one. "It's really not that big a deal!" 

It was honestly too late to be making such objections. Naruto should've known something was up with all the balloons and streamers tacked around the dining and living room, but it hadn't crossed his mind. He'd never had a birthday party, nor had he been to one. How would he know?

"Just let it happen, man." Shikamaru said from his place slouched next to him on the couch. "Birthdays are troublesome, but sometimes you just have to weather the storm and let them take their millions of pictures."

As if to prove Shikamaru's point, Naruto's dad flashed by, snapping yet another photo of the two of them sat side by side. Naruto made a face. Shikamaru didn't bother moving, just letting out a large yawn and sinking further into the cushions he was propped against.

Maybe the size of the house is what made it seem so full, or maybe there were just that many people. Naruto boggled at everyone who came up to him to wish him happy birthday. Half the people were grinning adults he'd never met before, but that his parents seemed to know at least. 

Even Sasuke had run up to say it-- after kicking him in the ankle as hard as he could and dashing away-- which was making Naruto rethink the gravity of birthdays to begin with. If someone as terrible and mean as Sasuke was wishing him a happy one, they had to be more special than he thought.

Shikamaru's parents were here, and so were Sasuke's parents and older brother, along with his curly-haired cousin who'd grinned and tipped an imaginary hat to Naruto as he introduced himself. He seemed funner than the rest of the stone-faced Uchiha who lingered around. 

Teuchi and Ayame had come halfway through as well, armed at the ready to make ramen for all in their little kitchen. Apparently his dad had tried to pay them to cater but they'd refused payment, claiming this was their gift to Naruto for all the business he brought them. Naruto wasn't about to complain-- it was ramen, after all.

Ayumu hovered about with his clipboard, and so did a man in a green jumpsuit who kept trying to goad Kashi into challenges ranging from rock-paper-scissors to push up contests. When cake was finally served, he insisted that whoever finished last out of the two of them would have to do five laps around the entire village perimeter.

The green dude was still gone, presumably running them. Naruto had no idea.

It was fun. Overwhelming, but fun all the same. No one looked at him with vitriol. Naruto had no reason to run and hide. These people had come here to celebrate him. It was hard to wrap his head around, but the truth all the same, and Naruto's eyes stung just a little considering it.

The festivities dwindled as the sun sunk low. Naruto felt full off cake and ramen. Shikamaru had asked to stay-- Naruto's first ever sleepover-- and now they were looking back at old photos to finish off the night fondly. 

Once upon a time, Naruto had craved to have any piece of his family. It felt surreal to look at these photos and know these people were his to claim and his to love. Things were dreamlike, he and Shikamaru squished together, Naruto's parents on either side of them. A fantasy come to life.

If Shikamaru felt out of place wedged against Kushina, he sure didn't show it. Naruto tried to ignore the giddy feeling that came with being in such a sandwich. If Shikamaru wasn't weirded out, did this mean it was normal? Did it mean they could do it again one day?

"And here's Kushina is pregnant with you. She practically lived off Ramen and Takoyaki for the first two trimesters, but then suddenly she switched to Sushi for the third. She couldn't get enough of it." Minato laughed, tapping on one of the photos. 

It was his mother, stomach large and rounded, her cheeks puffed out from the sheer amount of food stuffed in them. Naruto shifted the book from its place half on his lap and half on Shikamaru's, peering down at her. She looked like she was glowing.

"I was eating for two, ya know?" His mom laughed. Naruto grinned, flipping to the next page. "Oh! These ones! I forgot how little Kakashi used to be." 

 And Kakashi was definitely little. Comically grumpy and looking like he'd rather be anywhere else, but that's not who Naruto was looking at. His eyes had magnetized to the other boy in the photo, who looked unenthusiastic about having to be set in front of a camera at all. Naruto's dad had a hand in his hair, ruffling it.

Shikamaru straightened next to him, also seeming to zone in on his face. The pair of them blinked at it for a moment. In Naruto's gut, he felt Kurama let out a howl, something in him beginning to twist and writhe. He swallowed thickly. 

"This here was my genin team. Kakashi, Obito Uchiha, and Rin Nohara." His dad sounded wistful, fingers lightly tracing the edge of one of the images. "They were... Obito reminds me a lot of you, Naruto. He's the one who gave Kakashi his eye. Right before he..."

Right before he died. Except he totally wasn't dead, because dead people can't kidnap kids. Believe it. Slowly, Naruto turned to look at Shikamaru. Shikamaru met his gaze, lips pressed into a thin line. They were both thinking the same thing.

Sure, the masked guy had looked older, but it was undoubtedly this kid all the same. There was no doubt about it. And the scarring around the face? Factoring in that Kashi has a Sharingan of his own? Even their haircuts had been the same, spikey and cropped short. The man who'd taken them-- this was him.

Naruto and Shikamaru frowned. This time, it was the Nara who flipped to the next page. More photos of his dad's genin team, this time more candid. Kurama's chakra was sparking within him, all the confirmation that Naruto really needed to know that his suspicions were true.

"What's wrong?" His mom asked, seeming to notice the sudden change in atmosphere. Shikamaru grimaced, flipping to another page. More of his dad's team, and more of Obito.

The more Naruto looked at him, the more like the man he looked. But if he was dead, then... and besides that, why? If he'd given Kashi the eye-- the eye that Kashi said had come from a near and dear friend, who taught him what it meant to be a ninja-- Why would he ever betray Konoha?

Naruto had never met Rin Nohara before. Did that have anything to do with it? Hopefully she wasn't also out there stealing kids and ripping up tailed beast seals.

"That's him, right?" Naruto asked after a beat of silence, still staring.

"What a drag." Shikamaru agreed. 

Naruto flipped to the next set of photos. The resemblance was uncanny. This was totally the dude. Believe it. 

Chewing at the inside of his cheek, Naruto contemplated. Kurama's chakra was swirling in his stomach. There was a small chance they were wrong, and that maybe the dude had just been a relative of his dad's dead genin. Or maybe they weren't wrong, and he'd never died to begin with. How had Obito presumably died, anyway?

Despite the scarring, he'd looked about Kashi's age. Angry and all sharp, harsh lines compared to the roundness of his younger face, but still the same person as far as Naruto could tell. He was generally pretty good with faces, and if Shikamaru and Kurama both though it was him...

Noses scrunched, both of them turned to look at Naruto's dad, who was starting to look a little concerned. Good, he should be. How were they supposed to do this, anyway? Was there any good way to? They couldn't just come out and say "Hey, we recognize this guy. This is definitely the dude who attacked us." or something! That would be insensitive, wrong, and--

"Hey, we recognize this guy." Shikamaru said blandly. Naruto barely kept his jaw from dropping. Come the hell on. "This is definitely the dude who attacked us."

Minato frowned at them. Confusion marred his face. Naruto shrugged a little, nodding his agreement. Whatever. He guessed they were going about this as insensitively as possible. Wow, what happened to the Naruto who didn't care about other people's feelings? Where the heck was he? Talk about emotional development.

"Believe it. This is definitely him, or at least a close relative to him." Naruto agreed. "He looked just like him. Even Kurama agrees it's him, and he's not happy about it."

Naruto lifted his shirt for emphasis, revealing his seal, which was alight with bright orange outrage. Shikamaru whistled lowly in the face of the glow. Naruto's mom blanched a little, expression dropping into something more stunned. But his dad-- he still just looked lost. 

Frowning, he shook his head. Denial was clear on his face as his eyes shifted back down to the photos. Obito was grinning in many of them, wide and boisterous. Not unlike Naruto's own smiles. Naruto could see where he might remind his dad of the Uchiha.

How had that happy genin gone to the hate-filled man from before? The one who'd tried to claw Kurama out of him for... what? What had he planned to do with him once he had him? Was he really the one behind the first attack? Was he going to take control of Kurama, and then-- 

"It's not possible. Obito died a very long time ago." Minato shook his head. "There was a cave in. His entire right side was crushed beneath a boulder, and we--"

He stopped, breath catching. The man's entire right side had been covered in scars, they'd both reported. Likely from the hard impact of something large. Shikamaru had said so himself.

His dad went pale, and then green, and then suddenly he was on his feet and running for the bathroom. Naruto's mom leapt up to race after him. Naruto and Shikamaru both winced, photo album still held open between them, wondering exactly what this meant. 

(Naruto had a feeling he'd be finding out whether he wanted to or not.)

~~~~

BOOK TWO IS OUT NOW! THE FIRST CHAPTER IS PUBLISHED!

AND THERE WE GO! Thank you all for reading this story! Naruto was one of my very first fandoms, and the one that truly got me into the thick of writing. This is the book that got me back into it and helped me reawaken my love for the anime, the characters, and even writing itself, which felt like it was becoming more of a chore than a delight at times.

The story doesn't end here, though! Book one may be closed now but this isn't the last you'll see of them from me, so stick around if you want to know more!

Also, we do have a discord! Come join us for news on upcoming stories, sneak peeks of future chapters, etc: https://discord.gg/JZdeDjRPn

Commonly asked questions and their answers, just to close off this story before the next ones! For info on the second book, scroll past if you're not interested in these!

-Q: Why is Naruto so smart/why does he talk so well if he's only six years old?

A: It's a fanfiction so you know, grain of salt. And if Kakashi can graduate as a genin at age 5, certified to literally kill and maim, and Itachi can be an actual ANBU captain at age 12... come on, I mean. You know. Ninja, anime, stuff!

-Q: How did Minato not know Naruto was talking about Kurama when referencing him?

A: Naruto refers to Kurama as a gigantic rat in a cage that taught him about love in his dreams and who lets him talk about his day. In what world is Minato going to assume the actual, literal demonic nine tailed fox is the grumpy but kind creature Naruto is talking about, who is his best friend? One who pees a bunch in water but is secretely super cool? Naruto shouldn't even be able to talk to Kurama at that point, shouldn't even know he has the nine tails at all. Also, plot convenience! 

-Q: How did Naruto not know Kurama was the nine tails?

A: Well if you look at images from the anime, Kurama's cage is super dark. Often only his upper half/head is depicted as visible in such low lighting. So... his tails were tucked back there. And any time he shoved one through, it was just the one. The other eight were still back there. Also, more plot convenience! 

-Q: Who is Ayumu?

A: Ayumu is in fact an OC! A lot of people messaged me wondering where he came from. You will not find him in the anime. He's a made up branch member of the Yamanaka clan specializing in mental health. He actually appears in many of the other stories I have in my drafts.

-Q: Are you going to post any other Naruto stories?

A: I've gotten this question in my DMs so much, because sometimes I mention drafts or share drafts. The answer is yes! I just don't want to overload Wattpad with them, I guess? I mean I just have so many, I don't know how much people would appreciate the spam. 

-Q: Why does Naruto rag on Sasuke so hard?

A: I think I'm funny 😭. They butt heads constantly in the anime and in this fic, it's honestly not because they hate each other or anything like that. I just wanted to throw a twist on their dynamic. Sasuke gives as good as he gets. Bitter rivals to the end!

A lot of people have expressed concerns that their rivalry in this story is borderline toxic, which I get-- I promise they grow out of it a little in the second book. But y'all... in the anime, Sasuke literally tried to kill him several times, left him and Sakura both behind, belittled them both, literally did not give a shit about them for a fair amount of time, vowed to destroy their home and them with it. And Naruto kept relentlessly pursuing someone who wasn't worth the time despite the fact that, for his own mental health, he really should've just let Sasuke go because he didn't want to come back in the first place anyway. If that's not a toxic relationship idk what is.

-Q: What the fuck is up with Kurama and the peeing thing?

A: So like, you know how in the anime, Kurama's chakra leeches through the water towards Naruto when he's trying to possess him in some scenes? That's what that is. It's chakra, Naruto's six year old brain just made an "obvious connection" and concluded that he was actually peeing and had some sort of bladder dysfunction. 

Book 1.5 and Book 2:

Book 1.5, called Six Years In-Between, has come to Patreon and likely will stay on Patreon only! It will be posted simultaneously, at the same time as Book Two. It will document the six years that pass in-between the first and second book. Mostly filler stuff, but some plot-- the letters Naruto and Gaara share, more Naruto and his parents, more Naruto and Kurama, another few kidnappings, more therapy, more flowers, any traveling Naruto does out of the village, and Rock Lee!

Book Two is out now! It is titled "Six Years After", and it will pick up when Naruto is twelve years old, at the start of the canon anime! 

Again, I thank you all for coming! By the time this chapter is posted on Wattpad, Book Two will have already come out on Patreon's Early Access. I thank all the patrons who liked this book enough to come read it early, and all the ones who decided my drafts were cool enough to read as well! 

Thank you all again! Check out book two if you enjoyed this one-- it'd be an honor if you did!