The late morning sun hung low over Akagakure, casting a golden glow across the village's winding paths and crimson-roofed homes. The air carried the salty tang of the nearby ocean, mingling with the sweet scent of blooming flowers from the fields beyond the village walls.
Kushina Uzumaki walked with a spring in her step. At sixteen, she was a vision of vitality, her blue eyes sparkling with a mix of mischief and determination.
Kurama, in his human-like form, walked beside her, his presence softened by the casual ease of the moment. His crimson eyes scanned the horizon, but they softened whenever they lingered on her. His dark robes, adorned with subtle orange accents, billowed slightly as he matched her pace, his usual rough demeanor tempered by a quiet curiosity.
Today was different than normal. No clan duties or looming threats, just the two of them stealing a rare moment away from her responsibilities.
Kushina had insisted on this outing, calling it a "date" with a teasing grin that made Kurama's ears twitch. She had dragged him from the Akakage building, past the curious glances of clansmen, and out toward the fields on the village's outskirts.
"You need to get out more, you know," she'd said, her voice bright but firm, brooking no argument. Kurama had grumbled, as he always did, but followed her anyway, unable to resist her pull.
The path wound through Akagakure's residential district, where red-haired children darted between houses, their laughter echoing off stone walls. Kushina waved at them with a polite smile, although when she looked at him, she felt a nervous flutter in her heart. She pushed the thoughts aside, focusing on the warmth of the sun and the crunch of gravel beneath her sandals.
"Where are we going, brat?" Kurama's deep voice rumbled, a playful edge to it despite his attempt to sound exasperated. He crossed his arms, his sharp features softened by the faintest smirk.
Kushina spun on her heel, walking backward to face him, her hands clasped behind her back. "It's a surprise! You'll like it, I promise." Her blue eyes glinted with mischief, though a blush crept up her cheeks under his gaze. "Besides, you're always cooped up in that stuffy building sleeping. You need some fresh air."
He raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "I'm a tailed beast. I don't need air."
She stuck out her tongue. "Don't be so grouchy. You're with me, so you're gonna have fun whether you like it or not." Her confidence was infectious, and Kurama's smile widened despite himself.
"You know," she teased, kicking a pebble down the dirt path, "if you'd just admit you like spending time with me, you wouldn't have to pretend to be annoyed all the time."
Kurama's ear twitched. "Brat, if you think I enjoy wasting hours watching you skip around like a child-"
"Skipping?!" She spun around, planting her fists on her hips. "I'm not skipping! I'm walking gracefully."
"Graceful?" His deep voice rumbled with amusement. "If you say so."
Kushina puffed out her cheeks, then relaxed into laughter. The sound echoed through the trees, light and musical. Kurama pretended to ignore it.
Hours passed like that- banter, comfortable silences, and the quiet tempo of the forest. Eventually, the trees began to thin, and a soft light spilled across the horizon. The bustle of the village gave way to the fragrance of flowers.
Kushina darted forward, her sandals brushing against tall grass, until the world opened before them.
A vast field of flowers stretched as far as the eye could see, a living sea of color swaying with the wind. Blue roses dotted the expanse like scattered sapphires, their hue vivid and unreal against the green. Petals danced in the breeze, catching the sunlight in a shimmer.
Kushina hopped forward, kicking up a few petals as she spun to face him. "So, what do ya think, Kurama? Pretty amazing, right? I told you this place was worth the walk."
Kurama raised an eyebrow, his crimson eyes scanning the field. "It's… a bunch of flowers, brat. I've seen better."
Kushina's smile faltered for half a heartbeat, but she quickly turned back toward the sea of blossoms, letting the colors soak into her.
It was pretty- he could admit that much. But it wasn't a sight he hadn't seen before. Over his long life, he had seen waterfalls tumbling into hidden valleys, fields painted with every flower under the sun, and mountains crowned with eternal snow. He had seen beauty in every form imaginable, and he had seen it all too many times.
With time, even wonder dulled. With time, the vivid became monotonous- the rare became common.
He knelt in the grass, plucking a single rose. Turning it between his fingers, he glanced at Kushina, still absorbed by the sight around her.
Beauty only mattered when it was novel and rare- when it stood apart and above. The roses would not shine so brightly without the weeds creeping at their roots. If every plain in the world bloomed with these vivid roses, they would lose all meaning. They would merely be another sight you see every day.
Kurama let a trace of chakra flow into the rose, watching indifferently as it withered in his hand, collapsing into brittle ash.
For him, what has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done. So it was in the ages before, and so it will always be. There is nothing new under the sun.
A sudden weight dropped onto his back. Kushina had leapt up, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as if it were the most natural thing in the world. If he were weaker, he might have toppled, but instead he straightened, steady, holding her legs beneath his arms.
"What are you doing?" he asked, voice dry.
Kushina leaned forward, resting her chin on his shoulder with a mischievous grin. "You looked so gloomy over here- figured I'd fix it!"
He snorted. "I wasn't gloomy. I was just... thinking."
"Then, stop!" She playfully slapped his chest, "Why bother with thoughts that only make you sad?"
Kurama chuckled under his breath. "…So simple."
"Simple's better, dattebane." She hopped down, landing softly among the petals.
Kushina bent down, plucking a blue rose from the ground with careful hands. She tucked it behind her ear, then turned to him with a radiant grin.
"How does this look?" she asked, tilting her head slightly, the flower perfectly matching the color of her eyes.
Kurama didn't answer right away. He stood, entranced, as if caught off guard by how effortlessly she belonged in that scene. Light poured through the clouds, bathing her in its brilliance. Her long red hair cascaded down her shoulders. The off-shoulder blue dress she wore swayed gently with the faint breeze. (Image)
"…Pretty good," he finally said, his tone deliberately casual.
Kushina laughed, the sound clear and bright, like silver bells echoing across the field. "Pretty good? That's it? You'd normally say 'Not bad, brat' or 'It could be worse.'" She deepened her voice in a poor imitation of his gruffness. "You've finally given me a real compliment!"
Kurama looked away, a small smile tugging at his lips. "It's only because you fish for them so often."
"I do not!" She huffed, cheeks flushed. "I just want to know your opinion. Is that so terrible?"
"No." He turned back to her, his crimson eyes intense, making her blush slightly. "…You're beautiful."
"Wha-" Kushina blurted, caught off guard, but Kurama cut her off, his voice earnest.
"Among all the mortals I've ever known, you alone are the most captivating."
The weight of his sincerity stunned her. She had been called beautiful by her clansmen before, but coming from Kurama, it felt entirely different. A warm glow blossomed in her chest.
"Thanks…" she murmured, her voice small in the vastness of the field.
They stood like that for a while, the silence between them carrying more than words. Kushina fiddled with the hem of her dress, her heart racing. She had dreamed of this moment countless times- wondered what it would take to draw feelings from him. But part of her always doubted it was possible.
Her thoughts spiraled. Could a tailed beast, ancient and inhuman, ever feel the way she did? Could he love a human, or was his heart bound to something beyond her reach? The questions had haunted her, keeping her awake as she traced the lines on the ceiling, wondering if she was foolish to dream of him.
But here, in this field, with his gaze fixed on her, she felt a spark of hope. She wasn't one to shy away from hard truths, so she took a deep breath, her hands trembling slightly.
"D-do you like me?" she asked, her voice trembling despite her usual boldness.
Kurama's expression stilled, his eyes narrowing as he considered her question. "You're tolerable," he said after a moment, his tone teasing but soft.
Her face brightened, a playful glint returning to her eyes. She knew him well enough to hear the affection beneath his words, but she wanted clarity. "Yes or no?"
He sighed, the sound carrying a hint of exasperation, but his gaze never left hers. "…Yes."
Her smile broke wide, joy spilling across her face. Tentatively, she reached for his hand, her fingers brushing against his. The vulnerability in her eyes deepened as she looked up at him.
"Do… do you love me?" she whispered.
Kurama's eyes widened. The question struck him deeply.
Love was a foreign concept to him, a human emotion he'd never fully grasped. He'd admired the Sage of Six Paths centuries ago- someone who could be considered his father- but that had long faded into memory. For a thousand years, he'd felt nothing but rage and isolation- until Kushina.
She wasn't all that exceptional among humans. Sure, she was smart, bold, sweet, beautiful, and fiercely determined, but Kurama had known others like her. Women whose innocence and sweetness could sway the heart of any man or whose beauty could topple empires- yet none had stirred him the way she did.
Among his thousand years of solitude, her presence alone was a warmth that made him feel alive- instead of merely existing.
He couldn't pinpoint when it began. There was no grand moment or epiphany; it was something quieter, insidious, that had crept into him without notice.
The way her laughter cut through his bitterness. The way her stubbornness stood against his callousness. The way her presence made the centuries of emptiness fade.
He thought of what his life would be like without her, and the answer came to him immediately:
"…Yes," he said at last, his voice low but certain. "I do."
Kushina's eyes went wide, glistening with sudden tears of joy. Then, unable to contain herself, she leapt forward, throwing her arms around his neck. The force made him stumble back a step, catching her instinctively. Her lips pressed against his, soft- her heart beat wildly against his chest.
When she pulled back, her face was aflame with blush, but her smile was brighter than the sun over the field of flowers. "I love you too, dattebane," she said, the words spilling out with unrestrained happiness.
Kurama stared at her, momentarily dazed, before allowing a small, genuine smile to curve his lips. For the first time in centuries, the malice inside him softened into something else. Something warm.
Around them, the field swayed, blue roses dancing in the wind.
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A/N: I would appreciate it if anyone still reading could review my story. It still has grey stars, and I'd like for it to at least have a rating. Thanks!