Work Text:
Once in a great while, when all the planets aligned and the perfect sprinkling of stardust fell over his Jinchuuriki, Naruto would leave the village for two weeks to a whole month and let Kurama run free. His resilient little host would leave all of his hard work and friends behind to travel deep into the ever-expanding Fire Country woodlands and completely set him free. Then, together, the two would clear their minds and just run, just for the hell of the movement, for the pleasure in each other's company, for the rush and the peace.
Today was one such occasion. Twenty-two and Hokage, Naruto was still very much the impulsive type. Even with his position and the responsibility on his young shoulders, Naruto still found time for him, to continue with something that had become a tradition for them, especially after the Fourth Great War. It endeared the young man to him so much more and he found himself looking down on the blonde head with something akin to parental pride.
"Okay!" Naruto announced. "I think I'm good and lost. Let's do this!"
He reached down and completely undid the seal. The rush of chakra along his system was always like getting a warm blanket pulled off in the early, cold hours of the morning and he shivered at the sensation. As he reformed outside the fleshy home of Naruto's body, the Jinchuuriki felt abruptly colder, lighter and bare.
A gentle puff of scalding air warmed him again as Kurama nosed him. "C'mon, Naruto. Let's go. Jump on."
The blonde roared with laughter as he jumped onto the brilliant blood orange fur of his bijuu companion before they took off at a speed that flattened the fox's ears to his head.
Late into the night three days later, Kurama lay curled around the miniscule fire Naruto had managed to build for himself. On it, he had cooked the food the fox had caught for him and boiled the water he'd used to clean himself up. He'd left a lot of the deer for Kurama, who swallowed it whole.
As it stood, Naruto was curled on his paws and surrounded by a warm layer of Kurama's meek mane. He snored loudly, tossed and turned and even fought in his (surprisingly) restful slumber. Kurama would have it no other way.
"You should get some sleep, Kurama." Naruto hummed out, nestling further into the reddened fur. "We're not stopping again for another three days."
The fox rumbled out a low laugh, one that made Naruto smile and laugh. "Rest, my kit. You'll need the energy."
Naruto was almost asleep before he realized Kurama's slip. "Kit?"
The giant fox rolled it's eyes and scoffed. "Would you prefer 'brat'?"
Naruto beemed up at him, his smile delirious in joy and pride. "Nope. I'll be your kit. G'night, Kyuu-ball."
He rumbled low. "You know I hate that nickname."
Naruto smiled, eyes closed and breathing slowing. "I know you love it."
He scoffed again. "Insufferable kit."
He laid his head down at Naruto's feet, making sure his tiny vessel wasn't crushed nor his furry blanket stolen from him.
"My insufferable little kit."
"Love you too."
Kurama was like the father he'd never had. Especially when they were out like this together. Mind you, most of the time, Kurama could only pull him back into their shared space or send chakra through his system. Out in the open like this, Kurama grew affectionate and even playful, as odd as it was.
They were on top of a mountain now, on the border of Lightning Country, simply watching the sunset together. Naruto was laying along the bridge of Kurama's nose, between the eyes.
"Hey, how do you plan on getting down?"
Kurama shrugged. "Didn't think about it. Hey, wanna pass by the Cloud and see Bee and Hachibi?"
"Sure! Sounds like it would be fun."
Blue and red eyes gazed out over the ocean into the settling ball of flames.
"I like being out here with you, dattebayo." Naruto whispered.
Kurama rumbled with a low laugh. "I know, kit."
"You should ask me more often to do this. Everytime I leave Shikamaru in charge back in the village, there's never any paperwork to be found."
Kurama cackled. "They should have made him Hokage."
Indignity made the blonde it upright on his own, kicking down onto his kitsune's muzzle. It made the large beast laugh harder.
"You furry bastard!"
"I call it like I see it, sweetheart."
"Don't patronize me, you damned fox."
Kurama snorted affectionately. "I will do as I so choose."
Naruto rolled his eyes, but began to absentmindedly pet the smaller hairs along the boney panes of his face.
A thick purr permeated the air.
Once the sun disappeared behind the water, they disappeared into the wilds again.
Their visit with Bee and Hachibi was brief, but wonderful. The fox and the longhorn were much closer now that the war was over and spoke to each other over the eccentricities of their Jinchuuriki and how great it felt to be outside their Jinchuuriki to roam once more. Bee and Naruto rapped for a bit together before a little sparring and a trip to the tea house.
Soon after, before the Raikage had a chance to question their presence, Naruto and Kurama took off once more, back to the sea.
There was nothing like swimming with a Tailed Beast.
Kurama lay on his back in the sand, looking something of a fuzzy beached whale, drying in the sun. His tails swished in the water lazily, occasionally flicking water at Naruto, who lay on Kurama's belly, also drying.
His chest heaved from laughing and cursing, his clothes hidden inside his scroll in a nearby tree.
"Man, I love swimming."
Kurama panted lazily. "We should come out this direction more often. Maybe we should go to Water Country next time to see what beaches they've got over there."
"Yeah. We always wind up in Earth Country or near Suna. Pfft."
"Hn."
"Hey, Kurama?"
"Hmm?"
"You know when I have to make those diplomatic trips to the other countries? What if you were the mode of transport instead of just walking or running? You're big enough to carry ANBU members if the Council insists, but I think you'd be more than enough protection for me out there."
Kurama laughed, shaking Naruto's tiny body amongst his fur. "Sure. You've got yourself a deal."
Normally, when Naruto came back from his little 'trips', Kurama was already locked away and sleeping or chatting animatedly with his Jinchuuriki.
This time, however, they seemed too into each other, too involved in their personal world to remember to lock Kurama away again. The giant fox walked right up and over the gates of Konoha.
His massive shadow was not nearly as surprising as Naruto's distant voice and Kurama's thunderous laughter.
Civilians and shinobi alike gathered around the training grounds where Kurama was currently settled down, listening to another animated story from the blonde.
"You're ridiculous, kit." Kurama teased, huffing enough warm air in Naruto's direction to raise his jacket.
"Am not!"
"Are to."
Naruto and Kurama remained camped out in the training grounds for another two weeks. It was during that time that the demon fox got his first taste of ramen.
"That's . . . actually pretty good."
Naruto jumped and cheered. "I told Sasuke you would like it! It's the best food!"
Kurama shrugged. "Not the best, but high ranking, for sure."
"Ahm, sir?"
Naruto looked up to see Dragon, one of his personal ANBU guard. "Oh, hey! Wassup?"
"With all due respect, you've been out of office for a month and a half, sir. Shikamaru-san has sent me to fetch you."
"Oh." Naruto looked a little crestfallen. "Alright. Tell him I'll take over again tomorrow."
Dragon nodded. "Sir." He vanished in a swirl of leaves.
The Hokage sighed. "I guess this is our last night, Kyuu-ball."
"It seems so, my kit."
The blonde lay down on his companion's paw, nestling into the soft fur. "We stay out here tonight and you go back in first thing tomorrow, okay?"
Kurama nuzzled the little Jinchuuriki, warming him with his breath. "Okay, kit."
"I wish you could stay out all the time. I could ride you into battle." Naruto laughed, if not a little sadly.
He snorted. "You would be the only one."
"Damn right I would be. No one else gets to ride my Kyuu-ball. No one touches you but me, Kurama."
"Sleep, little fox. Too much thinking might overheat that brain of yours."
"G'night, Kyuu."
"Goodnight, my lovely, lonely little kit."