A Demon's Hunter

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Naruto x Sango

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Story Start

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When he had first met her she was a little girl. In the forest, a mere seven years of age, a dangerous age to be out alone with all matters of monsters and demons that plagued the world.

"You're not from around here, are you?" a seven year-old girl questioned. Her brown hair was tied into two pigtails and her warm brown eyes twinkled. She was wearing a small linen kimono, a bit worn out, handmade, a bright peach shade with a dark sash holding it together

"No, I'm not," the young man replied. He looked to be a teenager with sun kissed orange hair stylized in tufts while his cerulean blue eyes held gentle warmth. His outfit was made of silk, darker overtones and a bit more rich in design with a white shawl. "You're lucky I happened to be on my way through this area."

"So why are you on your way to our villager mister?" the girl wondered. "Do you plan on hiring my Otou-sama to hunt demons?"

"No, nothing like that." He replied with a gentle chuckle. "I actually wish to join the village. Settling down in a demon hunter's village fits my capabilities. So tell me little one do you plan on becoming a demon hunter?"

"I'm not little." the girl snorted. "I'll have you know I'm turning eight soon."

"Oh?" the man responded with a bemused expression. "Forgive me for the disrespect then little one.

"I'm not little!" the little girl argued puffing her cheeks out.

On her birthday he had given her a gift. A special treasure that Sango never parted with.

"Morning, little Sango!" Naruto greeted in a cheery voice as he walked up to where Sango was practicing her morning exercises. She had decided she wanted to take after her father and become a demon hunter one which meant that she had to start training while she was still young.

"Morning!" Sango greeted back as she waved and walked down her driveway. She paused and then added. "I'm not little!" she ran and gave him a friendly hug. "Are you coming to my birthday party tomorrow?" she was as excited as one could be. There wasn't that many communities in that area, meaning the selection of people were rather scarce. Larger villages had dozens upon dozens of children and lived in areas where they could afford what passed off as entertainment. Being a rather secluded demon hunting village of a rather stable size meant a specific set of cash flow coming into the village.

That money was often spent on armor, weapons, food, and what was good for the village. Parties or milestone events were among the few times a little extra money could be spent with less frugality.

"I'm sorry little one, but I have to leave tonight to take care of a demon problem and I won't be back for a few days." The blond answered.

"Oh," the child sadly responded as she looked down, eyes downcast.

"But I got you something." Taking something out of his pocket he crouched down and opened his palm.

Sango gasped so loud the man swore the child would faint from the lack of oxygen she would be getting from holding her breath so look. It was a violet crystal flower that glowed quite brilliantly. Sango had never seen anything like it.

"A flower for a flower." He told her as he could see how her lit up. "Do you like it?"

"Oh, Naruto-Oji! It's beautiful!" Sango cried as she flung her arms around his neck. She hugged him tightly, and he tentatively wrapped his right arm around her frame. Sango pulled away, teary-eyed. "I love it so much. I don't think I've ever seen anything so pretty."

"I'm glad you're happy. By the way don't call me Oji. I'm not that old."

Most people would have thought the friendship strange. True, a friendship between a man and a young girl was often a cause of alarm. The deviants of the world perverted the ideal to the point where a genuine kind hearted man could be accused of the darkest evils and incapable of controlling his own sexuality. This friendship though was of one of mutual affection and purity.

The blond stood at the edge of the river. His eyes closed, his ears taking in the sound. Something felt amiss. He felt as if something was going to happen. "Naruto-Oji heads up!" An eleven year old girl's voice shouted.

Naruto turned and saw it was none other than Sango barreling towards him. With a tackle that resulted in a yelp emerging from his lips the two went tumbling into the water. Sango emerged from the water with a mysterious grin. "I did it! I caught you off guard and landed a hit. Now you have to train me like you promise! Naruto?" she took notice that he seemed to be floating face down in the water. "Naruto-Oji! Naruto-Oji wake up!" She screamed, dragging him from the water on to the shore. He didn't seem to be breathing. "Help!" she began panicking. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean too…Naruto-Oji wake up!" Suddenly Sango found herself hoisted up and sent flying into the lake. She emerged from the water, drenched as a grinning Naruto stood at the surface.

"And that is how you completely catch someone off guard? Any questions?" the answered Naruto received was that of a sandal to the face.

He would protect her. It didn't matter against who or what. He would care for her and let no harm come to her if he could help it.

The warning bell had rung. Demons were attacking the village and the slayers were readying.

Sango ran to grab her sword out of her hut, but her father stopped her.

"No Sango, you can't go. This is too dangerous for you! Stay with your mother and the rest of the civilians." He ordered.

"But Father, I've been training for this. I'm ready!" Sango argued. She wasn't a child that needed protecting. She had spent the last five years training and she was ready to prove herself.

"Do as I say!" He ordered and Sango went back into the hut.

She watched as all the demon slayers hurried to get their weapons. Sango saw Naruto getting his swords and rushing out to the forefront. Sango wanted to get in the action too. She ran over to the corner of her hut and grabbed her sword and dashed out the door, before her mother could stop her.

"Kirara!" she called out to the demon cat whom in a blaze of fire that had grown about thirty times her size roughly. Grubbing onto a tuft of hair she swung herself onto the back of the giant Saber tooth cat. Arriving to the thick of battle she jumped off and began engaging in the battle. The first demon she attack was rather weak, it mindlessly lunged at her to which she swiftly killed by driving her sword into its skull. Putting her foot on the neck of the blue skinny gargoyle she dislodged it and attacked the next demon which was a red snake with three eyes.

The adrenalin was pumping through her veins. She had to repress the repugnant smell of the creatures and blood as she continued fighting. The sound of her heartbeat, scream of warriors, and roars of the demon made it near impossible to hear. That was when she saw Naruto surrounded by several demons.

"Naruto watch out!" she cried as she began running towards him. The rookie mistake would cause her as a flying demon shot buy and sank its fangs into her legs. Sango's screams pierced the battle field and drew Naruto's attention.

"Sango!" Naruto yelled as he held off another demon. Several other demons were drawn to the screams and sent of blood as they charged the downed girl who only had Kirara for her protection. As mighty as the two-tails was, even she couldn't simultaneously fight off dozens of demons without the chance of one getting a lucky strike in.

And as a result Naruto made his decision. Gone were the cerulean eyes and in its place was red slits along with a monstrous red aura that nearly crushed everything within its radius with never ending fear. What followed after was complete and other slaughter. Red flashes and dismembered demon parts that filled the clearing.

"Naruto…" She said wearily. Naruto went over and clutched the wound causing Sango to wince. Coating two of his finger nails with saliva he jabbed it into the puncture marks causing Sango to wince in pain.

"It'll neutralize the poison." He told her.

"Get away from her demon!"

"You monster so this was your plan all along!"

"I knew we shouldn't have trust the outsider."

Almost instantly they had turned against him. It didn't matter if he was a comrade for years. That he looked after or taught their children hand to hand combat. That he shared stories over an open fire while contemplating the future. It all changed now that they knew who he was. What he was.

Without a word the leader, Tanaka and Sango's father stepped forward. No words were exchanged; everything was conveyed through their eyes. Naruto continued looking ahead as Tanaka walked past him.

"Sango, I told not to come out here! Now look what happened!" He shouted in anger. Sango was about to speak, but he father scooped her up in his arms and carried her back to the hut to be treated.

Naruto head hung low, he didn't have to open his eyes to know the looks he was being given. Indifference. Scorn. Hatred. Fear. Kirara had turned back to her small form and she rubbed against Naruto's leg.

A melancholy formed on Naruto's face. Of course they would turn against him. He was far too human to be thought of as a pet or hunting tool like Kirara. He was sure the only reason they tolerated Kirara was because of how long she had been part of the village having served side by side with the founder of the demon slayer village.

"Come on girl," he softly beckoned as she leaped up into his arms. "Let's go ho-…" he paused. "…back to the village." He softly finished.

Everything had changed. Parents kept their children away from him. There were the whispers and looks of fear. He was kept at a distance. It would appear some cycles would remain unbroken. As time went on Naruto took more and more missions out of the village disappearing for weeks or even months at a time until finally after two years he made a choice.

"You're really going." A voice softly spoke behind him. He was halfway over a wooden bridge that led to the outer province. He turned to see little Sango. No, she wasn't so little anymore. She was blossoming into a young woman.

"I don't want to, but I have to," Naruto explained. "I'm not wanted here anymore. It'll be better for everyone if I just go."

"Make them understand. Make them see you're not a demon. Things can go back to the way they were. You don't have to leave." Sango suggested.

"It's not that simple. It's for the best." He said as he turned to leave when suddenly he felt a body collide with his and a pair of arms wrapped around his waist.

"But you can't leave me, Naruto!"

"Believe me, I don't want to." He replied as Sango pleaded again. Her voice started to crack and he could smell the salty sensation of her tears.

"Y-You can't…don't leave me. You're my best friend…I…I…" the words were caught in her throat. Naruto was her closest friend. One of the constants in her life and the thought of losing him tore at her heart.

"You're young Sango you have your hold life ahead of you. Be with someone that'll make you happy." He shrugged himself out of her hold.

"You once told me I should be true to myself tThat the important things are worth fighting for. You're already leaving; please don't have my last memories of you be that of you being a liar." Sango covered her mouth as the tears began to fall. She couldn't stop herself from crying.

Naruto turned and walked to her. He gently cupped her cheeks and wiped the tears away with his thumbs. A hiccup escaped Sango's lips as her cheeks flushed a bright red. That was when it happened. Her first kiss. The sensation of Naruto's lips against hers was unlike anything she ever felt.

It was sweet, in a tingly sort of way that almost made her go light-headed in a giddy sort of face. There was a taste yet there wasn't a taste to the lips. When the kiss ended she was breathless.

"Come find me again my little taijiya if you still fill the same way in a few years." He said as he turned and walked away.

How long had it been? Two Years? Three years?

'Where am I?'

He glanced around the field, at the road behind him, and at the lights of the houses in the distance.

'I'm outside a village.'

He stood up and took in the area around him. It was time he went home.

"Sango," he whispered again, the word rolling sweetly off his lips. It was time he kept his promise.

Days of silent loan travels as he made his way through forests and mountains. The paths unmarked but the memories clear. After what seemed like a lifetime he made it back to the village.

The rumors proved to be true. The village was basically a ghost town. He began walking through the village, hoping to see some form of life. It was then he arrived to the graveyard. He continued walking along the various rows of tombstones as memories coursed through. That was until he saw her. Those brown eyes and long dark brown hair she was much older now, wearing pink eye shadow and her long hair is usually tied loosely with a ribbon.

She was wearing a traditional woman's Kimono. Over this she wore a long skirt with traditional woman's arm guards and leg guards, and straw sandals. She turned and their eyes met. Silence permeated through the air for seconds until he spoke. "I guess I can't call you little anymore." He gingerly said as he suddenly found himself pulled into a tight hug.

That night they spent much time catching up. Stories of the past and such and simply enjoying each other's company and after all this time feelings didn't changed.

"Sango…are you sure?"

Settling down and rebuilding the village. She was so young. Was she absolutely sure?

Instead of verbally answering she leaned forward, grabbing his robes and meeting him in a kiss. He paused for a moment before returning it, pulling her closer shifting her onto his lap.

He trailed kisses near the corner of her mouth, moving to lightly nibble near her ear. Her hands gripped his robes tighter as his he trailed kissed from her neck to her collar bone. She rocked her hips against his, causing him to groan.

Smiling down at him, she pulled him for another kiss, gently peeling back the outer layer of his robes. He grabbed her hands, pushing her back. "Sango, are you sure you want this?"

Their eyes met as she pushed his outer robes from his shoulders and letting them fall to the futon. She did not answer, instead trailing kisses around his neck, teasing him with small nips.

His hands found the ties of her skirt again, removing it and running his hands along the edges of her yukata. She clutched his shoulders as his hands pushed the yukata from her shoulders. He kissed each inch of skin that was bared, letting the yukata pool around her waist. His hands lightly trailed around the cloth that bound her breasts, teasing her.

She parted the remaining robes, eager to feel more of him. Her fingers gripped the strands of hair that were pulled back, lightly tugging at he continued to tease her with light touches. He removed the cloth, laying her down and exploring her body.

(Unrated Version can be found on Archive of Our Own!)

"Sango…about last night…"

Sango was a bit concerned about that and wondered if he regretted the whole thing. Naruto however seemed to sense the question and replied.

"No…I don't regret it. I promised that I would stay by you and I keep my promises. I just hoped that you aren't doing this out of obligation." He responded as he leaped down from the branch.

Sango smiled and spoke gently to him as she kissed him on the cheek. "I'm with you because I choose to. And that's it." With that she captured his lips with a sweet passionate kiss.

She was his and he was hers. That was all that mattered.