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Description
     It was a cool breezy morning in Konoha Village. A beautiful sunrise could be seen as a figure stepped out onto a balcony. Leaning against the railing, the young man ran his fingers through his short, spiky blond hair, as blue eyes gazed sleepily at the village. From the balcony, all of Konoha could be seen.
     The blond turned slightly, resting on his arm. He ran his hand through his hair again, fingers brushing against the large, red-furred fox ears on top of his head. A long red fox tail trailed down his leg, twitching slightly. Three whisker marks on each cheek curved up as he yawned.
     Hearing footsteps, the 23-year-old kitsune, Naruto Uzumaki, turned as a raven-haired young man stepped through the balcony door. As usual, Naruto’s heartbeat picked up as he looked at the other man; his gaze traveling from the black hair that stuck up in the back like the tail feathers of a duck, and the small black-furred cat ears, to the onyx eyes, and across the pale, creamy, flawless skin to the long black cat tail that swayed gently.
     “Good morning Sasuke,” Naruto said to the neko. “You’re up early today.”
     “What can I say?” Sasuke replied. “It’s hard to sleep when you’re shivering from the cold, because your favorite blanket decided to watch the sunrise.”
     Naruto grinned sheepishly at that, blushing as Sasuke came forward to embrace him. The blond rested his head on the neko’s shoulder, sighing happily. He felt incredibly lucky that he and Sasuke were together. They were both orphans with no family, and no one to care for them. In Naruto’s mind, the fact that they had found each other was nothing short of a miracle. He could still remember the day they had met as if it were yesterday.

10 years ago

     “Sheesh, it’s hot today! What a scorcher!”
     A 13-year-old Naruto Uzumaki jumped through the forest, leaping from branch to branch. He was headed to the lake just outside the village, hoping to cool off with a nice long swim. The lake was one of his favorite places, with crystal clear water that let you see all the way to the bottom, 20 feet below in some spots. There was also a small stream that you could wade in at one end, and plenty of various kinds of fish to catch. It was quiet and very peaceful.
     Reaching the lake, Naruto hopped out of the trees, only to frown when he saw that he wasn’t alone. Another boy, a black-haired neko, was sitting on the shore gazing into the water, occasionally tossing in a pebble. With a start, Naruto saw that the boy was crying.
     Naruto began to edge closer cautiously. Kitsunes and nekos generally didn’t get along, being natural enemies, but Naruto couldn’t stand to see people unhappy. Whenever he saw someone crying, his first instinct was to comfort them. He had nearly reached the boy, when the neko jerked up and spun around, jet-black eyes reddened from tears locking onto his own.
     “W-who are you? What are you doing here?” the neko demanded.
     “I’m Naruto Uzumaki. I was gonna take a swim,” Naruto said uneasily. “Are you alright? Y-you were crying.”
     “That’s none of your business! Leave me alone!” the boy yelled. “Go away!”
     “Ok, ok! You don’t have to yell,” Naruto said, getting annoyed. “I was just concerned, that’s all.”
     “I don’t need your concern, fox. Get lost,” the neko growled.
     “Alright fine. But could you at least tell me your name?”
     The boy glared at Naruto for a full minute before sighing in defeat. “I’m Sasuke Uchiha,” he said reluctantly.
     “Well Sasuke, it’s nice to meet you,” Naruto said cheerfully. “Even if you are a jerk.”
     Sasuke glared angrily, then abruptly stood and brushed off his pants. “If you’re not going to leave, then I will,” he stated. “I didn’t come here to be bugged by a stupid kitsune. Good-bye.”
     He began to walk away, but stumbled and almost fell into the lake. But Naruto quickly reached out and grabbed Sasuke’s arm, pulling him upright.
     “Hey, be careful!” he exclaimed. “The lake’s deeper than it looks. And where we’re standing, it’s a straight drop to the bottom.”
     Sasuke jerked out of Naruto’s grip, then looked at him sullenly. “Thanks,” he grumbled, clearly hating having to say it.
     “You’re welcome,” Naruto said, grinning. “So, do you live in the village? I’ve never seen you before.”
     “I used to. Now if you don’t mind, I really don’t want any company.”
     Sasuke turned to leave, but a small stone shifted under his foot. As he fell backwards, he grabbed at Naruto, pulling the kitsune forward so that they both fell into the lake. Naruto came up quickly, spitting out water.
     “I thought I told-” he began, only to realize Sasuke hadn’t come up.
     He glanced around, then looked down when he noticed a thrashing beneath him. Sasuke was sinking rapidly, a look of sheer panic on his face. Naruto cursed loudly. The neko couldn’t swim? He was drowning!
     Naruto took a deep breath and dove underwater. He swam downward as fast as he could. He reached the neko and grabbed him firmly. The blond began hauling Sasuke to the surface, noting that the boy had fallen unconscious. He reached the surface and swam to the shore. He laid Sasuke out on the grass. Naruto groaned to himself when he saw the neko wasn’t breathing.
     He leaned over the boy and tilted his chin up. He took another deep breath and, bracing himself, blew air into Sasuke’s lungs. Naruto did this a few more times, until Sasuke suddenly gasped and started coughing. He jerked upright, then turned over and threw up. Naruto gently rubbed his back until he was done.
     “That was close,” Naruto said. “Are you alright?”
     “Y-yeah. I think so,” Sasuke said, wiping his mouth. “Thank you.”
     “You’re welcome. It was no big deal, really.”
     Naruto stood up, then helped Sasuke get to his feet. The raven-haired boy looked awful and completely miserable. He leaned heavily against Naruto, shaky from nearly drowning.
     “You don’t look so good. Why don’t I take you home?” Naruto said. “Where do you live?”
     “I don’t have a home anymore,” Sasuke said, barely above a whisper.
     “No home? I- I’m sorry,” Naruto said, shocked. Was that why he was crying earlier? “Well, how about I take you to my place then? It’s not very big, but you can clean up and eat something there.”
     Sasuke was quiet for a moment, then he nodded. The 2 boys began making their way back to Naruto’s house, the kitsune supporting the neko with his arm.

Description
     It was a cool breezy morning in Konoha Village. A beautiful sunrise could be seen as a figure stepped out onto a balcony. Leaning against the railing, the young man ran his fingers through his short, spiky blond hair, as blue eyes gazed sleepily at the village. From the balcony, all of Konoha could be seen.
     The blond turned slightly, resting on his arm. He ran his hand through his hair again, fingers brushing against the large, red-furred fox ears on top of his head. A long red fox tail trailed down his leg, twitching slightly. Three whisker marks on each cheek curved up as he yawned.
     Hearing footsteps, the 23-year-old kitsune, Naruto Uzumaki, turned as a raven-haired young man stepped through the balcony door. As usual, Naruto’s heartbeat picked up as he looked at the other man; his gaze traveling from the black hair that stuck up in the back like the tail feathers of a duck, and the small black-furred cat ears, to the onyx eyes, and across the pale, creamy, flawless skin to the long black cat tail that swayed gently.
     “Good morning Sasuke,” Naruto said to the neko. “You’re up early today.”
     “What can I say?” Sasuke replied. “It’s hard to sleep when you’re shivering from the cold, because your favorite blanket decided to watch the sunrise.”
     Naruto grinned sheepishly at that, blushing as Sasuke came forward to embrace him. The blond rested his head on the neko’s shoulder, sighing happily. He felt incredibly lucky that he and Sasuke were together. They were both orphans with no family, and no one to care for them. In Naruto’s mind, the fact that they had found each other was nothing short of a miracle. He could still remember the day they had met as if it were yesterday.

10 years ago

     “Sheesh, it’s hot today! What a scorcher!”
     A 13-year-old Naruto Uzumaki jumped through the forest, leaping from branch to branch. He was headed to the lake just outside the village, hoping to cool off with a nice long swim. The lake was one of his favorite places, with crystal clear water that let you see all the way to the bottom, 20 feet below in some spots. There was also a small stream that you could wade in at one end, and plenty of various kinds of fish to catch. It was quiet and very peaceful.
     Reaching the lake, Naruto hopped out of the trees, only to frown when he saw that he wasn’t alone. Another boy, a black-haired neko, was sitting on the shore gazing into the water, occasionally tossing in a pebble. With a start, Naruto saw that the boy was crying.
     Naruto began to edge closer cautiously. Kitsunes and nekos generally didn’t get along, being natural enemies, but Naruto couldn’t stand to see people unhappy. Whenever he saw someone crying, his first instinct was to comfort them. He had nearly reached the boy, when the neko jerked up and spun around, jet-black eyes reddened from tears locking onto his own.
     “W-who are you? What are you doing here?” the neko demanded.
     “I’m Naruto Uzumaki. I was gonna take a swim,” Naruto said uneasily. “Are you alright? Y-you were crying.”
     “That’s none of your business! Leave me alone!” the boy yelled. “Go away!”
     “Ok, ok! You don’t have to yell,” Naruto said, getting annoyed. “I was just concerned, that’s all.”
     “I don’t need your concern, fox. Get lost,” the neko growled.
     “Alright fine. But could you at least tell me your name?”
     The boy glared at Naruto for a full minute before sighing in defeat. “I’m Sasuke Uchiha,” he said reluctantly.
     “Well Sasuke, it’s nice to meet you,” Naruto said cheerfully. “Even if you are a jerk.”
     Sasuke glared angrily, then abruptly stood and brushed off his pants. “If you’re not going to leave, then I will,” he stated. “I didn’t come here to be bugged by a stupid kitsune. Good-bye.”
     He began to walk away, but stumbled and almost fell into the lake. But Naruto quickly reached out and grabbed Sasuke’s arm, pulling him upright.
     “Hey, be careful!” he exclaimed. “The lake’s deeper than it looks. And where we’re standing, it’s a straight drop to the bottom.”
     Sasuke jerked out of Naruto’s grip, then looked at him sullenly. “Thanks,” he grumbled, clearly hating having to say it.
     “You’re welcome,” Naruto said, grinning. “So, do you live in the village? I’ve never seen you before.”
     “I used to. Now if you don’t mind, I really don’t want any company.”
     Sasuke turned to leave, but a small stone shifted under his foot. As he fell backwards, he grabbed at Naruto, pulling the kitsune forward so that they both fell into the lake. Naruto came up quickly, spitting out water.
     “I thought I told-” he began, only to realize Sasuke hadn’t come up.
     He glanced around, then looked down when he noticed a thrashing beneath him. Sasuke was sinking rapidly, a look of sheer panic on his face. Naruto cursed loudly. The neko couldn’t swim? He was drowning!
     Naruto took a deep breath and dove underwater. He swam downward as fast as he could. He reached the neko and grabbed him firmly. The blond began hauling Sasuke to the surface, noting that the boy had fallen unconscious. He reached the surface and swam to the shore. He laid Sasuke out on the grass. Naruto groaned to himself when he saw the neko wasn’t breathing.
     He leaned over the boy and tilted his chin up. He took another deep breath and, bracing himself, blew air into Sasuke’s lungs. Naruto did this a few more times, until Sasuke suddenly gasped and started coughing. He jerked upright, then turned over and threw up. Naruto gently rubbed his back until he was done.
     “That was close,” Naruto said. “Are you alright?”
     “Y-yeah. I think so,” Sasuke said, wiping his mouth. “Thank you.”
     “You’re welcome. It was no big deal, really.”
     Naruto stood up, then helped Sasuke get to his feet. The raven-haired boy looked awful and completely miserable. He leaned heavily against Naruto, shaky from nearly drowning.
     “You don’t look so good. Why don’t I take you home?” Naruto said. “Where do you live?”
     “I don’t have a home anymore,” Sasuke said, barely above a whisper.
     “No home? I- I’m sorry,” Naruto said, shocked. Was that why he was crying earlier? “Well, how about I take you to my place then? It’s not very big, but you can clean up and eat something there.”
     Sasuke was quiet for a moment, then he nodded. The 2 boys began making their way back to Naruto’s house, the kitsune supporting the neko with his arm.