Author's Disclaimer:

Naruto is a trademark of Shonen Jump Graphic Novels and Viz Media. The characters and storyline belong to Masashi Kishimoto. There are a few minor differences between the mainstream storyline and my own. Please, read and enjoy my version of "Naruto", and remember constructive criticism is appreciated.

-Azteka

The nurses fretted and fussed over the injured ninja and yet all the while shot dark and venomous glares at the unusually quiet blonde ninja. The blonde was barely aware of the hateful glares for all his concentration and concerns were on the injured brown haired man, who was his sensei… No, he's much more than that. The petite blonde thought, He's my otousan.

As the med-nin began to roll Iruka away, Naruto took a subconscious step forward but immediately jumped back as a senbon was thrown at him. The castor did not care if the young teen had dodged or not. Naruto cast his large pure sapphire blue eyes at the ugly woman, the owner of the senbon.

"You've done enough, Demon!" She hissed loudly.

Soon all eyes were on him, and the hospital echoed with loud murmurings that were equally hateful and venomous.

Scared and confused, Naruto ran. A part of him knew he should not have and yet the majority of him understood that he could do no more for his teacher-father. Thus he ran. He ran until his lungs burned and then he ran some more. The young blonde could not remember when or how he managed to hide in his apartment, but he did. The petite teen curled into a tight ball in a corner and whimpered in pain.

Now he understood. Now he knew. He understood and knew why the village hated him. He bore a curse that was not his fault. Sealed within his own soul was the soul of the Kyuubi no Kitsune that had attacked twelve years prior! He was the Nine-Tail Fox-Demon…

~You are who you are.~ A calm voice whispered. The already scared child shoot up to his feet with a weapon drawn. It would not be the first time that someone had come into his home to attack him, and now he knew why…

However, standing in the middle of his tiny apartment was not someone from the village that the tiny blonde recognized. The man before him was… Beautiful. There was no other word to describe him and yet 'beautiful' did not seem adequate enough. The stranger was tall; taller than most people that the blonde knew. The other male had pale complexion that looked paler against his dark clothing. He wore a dark blue yet almost black loose pants that were tucked into a pair of soft looking boots, and he wore also a long black with red trimming surcoat with slits on both sides reaching to the man's hips; a style Naruto had seen popular in the lands far, far West. The older male had a pair of fingerless gloves; made out of leather and of course black. The man's hair was the deepest shades of red that Naruto could not help but compare it to blood. His hair was cut short, but his bangs were long and wild. And his eyes! Naruto seemed to have lost himself in those pools of deep crimson that were surrounded by thick black eyeliner that extended out from the corner of his eyes.

Naruto immediately dropped his weapon in shame of threatening such a beautiful creature. He averted his eyes as well to look at anything else than the other man.

~Am I so repulsive that you look elsewhere?~ His voice was closer.

Naruto's eyes snapped wide as he looked at the other male again, shaking his head violently.

"N-n-no!"

~Then why do you avert your eyes?~

Naruto was surprised at how silently the other walked toward him.

"'C-c-cause." Naruto replied lamely, which caused a faint pink hue kissing his cheeks and nose.

~That be no answer, Kit.~

Naruto's blush deepen at the gentle chide.

"D-don't wanna answer!" The poor troubled teen mumbled then let out a soft gasp of surprise at the warm and gentle touch of the man's long fingers. The feeling sent delicious shivers down Naruto's spine as he attempted to bit back a moan. The other man, however, had no reservations about keeping quiet. A low rumbling moan escaped his lips as he leaned down closer to Naruto's cherubic face.

~Very well, my Kit, do not speak your thoughts, but I must confess for I already know why you avert those beautiful crystal orbs of yours.~

"Y-y-you do?"

~Mm… Yes, but you are mistaken.~

"M-mistaken? 'Bout what?"

~It is you who are beautiful. Not I, Uzumaki Naruto.~

"Y-y-you know my name?" Naruto gasped in surprise. Then berated himself for his stupidity. Of course, this beautiful male knew his name. Everyone knew his name and cursed it.

~I do not.~

"Hunh?" Naruto blinked; his trance momentarily broken. Slowly his nose scrunched up cutely, which caused the other to lightly chuckle at the adorable sight. Naruto shivered as he thought of this man's voice was like smooth, rich chocolate. Another blush kissed the petite teen's cheeks.

The other man gently smiled and took pity on the poor confused angel before him.

~I do not curse your name, my Beautiful.~ The red-haired man clarified then took a small step back and knelt before the blonde teen. A large hand gently held onto the tiny mortal's hand. Crimson orbs never wavered from the sea of sapphire as the older male brought the small hand to his lips. Slowly turning the hand over, the older male nuzzled his face against the strangely soft hands of the young ninja.

~In fact, my Kit, I praise your name to my Goddess, Inari, each and very night and morn.~ The red-haired beauty murmured between each kiss he placed on Naruto's pulse line.

Chills rushed over the teen's warming body. Unaccustomed to such intimacy, Naruto's cheeks flushed deeply to resemble rosy red apples. The younger shuffled a bit to fight off the nervousness that seemed to have taken hold of him.

Sensing the other's discomfort, the elder released his hold and sat back.

~My apologies, Naruto-dono, for taking such liberties.~

"Hunh?" Naruto tilted his head to the side.

The younger teen had heard of honorifics before, but he had not heard of -dono before. However, he suspected it to be something of a special honor to be referred to as -dono, but he was afraid to ask and reveal his ignorance.

The other's eyes sparkled with bemusement, which caused a breath to be caught in Naruto's throat. To the undernourished teen, those sparkling rubies seemed to be glowing under the moonlight.

"I-it's okay." Naruto was beginning to hate his stuttering, "Everyone else usually hits me. This… this is nice."

The red-head frowned at the blonde's comment. It went against his kind's way to harm the young. He cannot understand how it was possible for the villagers to harm this child, especially this child for he had tasted this one's power. It was nothing like he had ever tasted. It was pure, untainted and raw, not to forget also addictive. It was taking every amount of self-control to keep him from ravishing the petite shy angel. Bloody pools focused on the tiny beauty as he took a shy step forward.

Naruto subconsciously licked his lips as he moved closer. He was being rude. He knew it, but he did not know this stranger's name, and he wanted to touch him to see if he was truly real and not some figment of his imagination, like so many apparitions before. Tentatively fingertips caressed smooth and soft cheeks, unknowingly causing waves of shivers and sparks down the elder's spine. A soft moan escaped pass the elder's lips, causing Naruto to draw back but an iron grip prevented him. He tensed then relaxed as he saw the other nuzzle his face into his palm.

"What's your name?" Naruto quietly asked.

~You know who I am but not my name.~ The other softly whispered then leaned closer, causing their noses to touch and their breaths to mingle.

"I do?" Naruto's timid voice laced with confusion.

~Yes, my Beautiful Jailer, for I am the Kyuubi no Kitsune, Ka'a.~ Ka'a whispered so softly and seductively…

Sapphire blue orbs snapped wide open.

Light blared into the small, rundown apartment.

All was as the night before, including himself curled in his little nest in the corner.

Slowly standing up, Naruto looked around and wondered if it was all a dream. Stealing the forbidden scroll, Iruka's injuries, mastering the shadow clone jutsu, Mizuki's words, learning the truth and actually seeing the so-called demon, who shown him more kindness, aside from Iruka-tousan, than all the villagers combined. Was it all a dream?

Suddenly blonde tensed as he felt himself being wrapped around by what could be described as a big, fluffy blanket. Slowly he relaxed as he realized who it was and realized that last night was not a dream.

Naruto smiled brighter than the sun as he hugged himself, imagining he was hugging Ka'a, the Kitsune. The big, fluffy blanket-feeling returned the sentiment. Naruto knew that he should fear and hate the fox-demon just like the way the villagers hated and feared him, but he could not bring himself to hate the entrapped fox. Call him stupid and what not, but his instincts were telling him that Ka'a was not truly evil. There was more to the story, but what it was he did not know but knew in time he would. As he also knew that from here on out, his life was never going to be the same…