Kurama wanted to spit fire at the mere suggestion. It had never been bored! Sure, Naruto had just forced it to play with Himawari, and yes, they'd both beaten it up afterward, but if this had truly been about entertainment, maybe, maybe it would have agreed willingly.
Maybe.
As for boredom? Kurama had spent decades sealed inside jinchūriki. It had developed coping mechanisms. The Seventh Hokage rarely blocked its perception, so the fox could observe the outside world through his eyes. Experience life vicariously.
Well, except when the Seventh Hokage and Hinata wanted privacy. When they decided to, as the fox delicately phrased it in its mind, "engage in reproductive activities," the seal went opaque. Kurama didn't mind. It had witnessed enough of that particular human behavior to last several lifetimes. Some things were better left unobserved.
Besides, what was fun about interacting with humans anyway? They were loud, emotional, and unpredictable. The seal was safe. Quiet.
The Seventh Hokage stood frozen in his entryway, his Nine-Tails partner pressed against his chest like a traumatized pet. He had no idea what to say. If he said the wrong thing and young Naruto decided they needed to "discuss" the matter again, his face would match Sasuke and Sakura's swollen features.
His Tailed Beast or his face. Easy choice.
Sorry, Kurama. You're being sacrificed for the greater good.
"Kurama," the Seventh Hokage said carefully. "Just play with Himawari for a while. It won't be that bad."
Kurama' head snapped up, its eyes blazing with betrayal. "You... you're seriously doing this to me?"
It had never expected its own jinchūriki to stab it in the back at such a critical moment. The indignity. The absolute treachery. This was worse than being sealed in the first place!
"How about Kurama and I have a private conversation?" Young Naruto reached over and plucked the fox from the Seventh Hokage's arms before anyone could object. "We'll just step out onto the balcony for a minute."
Kurama found itself deposited on the balcony railing, young Naruto looming over it with that characteristic bright smile that somehow managed to be both friendly and terrifying.
"Kurama, let's talk."
The fox immediately turned its head away, presenting its profile in stubborn defiance. I refuse to cooperate. I refuse to engage. You cannot make me.
Naruto silently raised his fist.
"Let's talk! We should definitely talk!" Kurama whipped its head back around so fast it nearly gave itself whiplash. Its eyes locked onto that raised fist with laser focus. "I'm very interested in conversation!"
Naruto lowered his fist, satisfaction crossing his features. "Good. I'm glad we can communicate like civilized beings."
Kurama resisted the urge to point out that threatening someone with violence was not civilized.
"I'll be leaving this world soon," Naruto said. "Once I'm gone, there won't be anyone keeping tabs on you."
Thank the Sage of Six Paths. Kurama kept its expression neutral, but internally, it was celebrating. Freedom. Sweet, blessed freedom from this miniature tyrant.
"I think you're actually unhappy staying inside Naruto's seal all day," young Naruto continued, his tone shifting to something more thoughtful. "You're free now. After the war, you could have left. But you chose to stay because Naruto needed you as a communication link with the other Tailed Beasts. That's admirable."
Kurama blinked. It hadn't expected this turn in the conversation.
"You and Naruto have a good relationship. That makes me happy to see." Naruto smiled genuinely. "But even with that bond, you must want to come out and move around sometimes. Experience the world directly instead of through someone else's eyes. The problem is, you're a Tailed Beast. You worry about affecting Konoha negatively, so you stay inside voluntarily."
The fox's ears twitched. How did this kid understand so clearly?
"But Kurama, times have changed." Naruto leaned against the railing, his posture relaxed. "After the Fourth Shinobi World War, the people of Konoha, the entire ninja world even, they don't hate Tailed Beasts anymore. You're heroes. You saved the world alongside Naruto. No one's going to chase you with pitchforks."
"You don't need to hide anymore. Back when Naruto was young, yeah, Danzō and Hiruzen made people hate him and, by extension, you. They turned you into a boogeyman. But those men are dead." Naruto's expression hardened briefly. "And their influence died with them."
Kurama sat silent, processing this. The fox's defiance had crumbled somewhere during Naruto's explanation, because everything he said was true. Kurama didn't like the seal. It had never liked being trapped in what amounted to a sewer-themed prison.
It was a creature of movement, of action. Back when the Sage of Six Paths had been alive, the old man had constantly tried to make it study and learn theory. Kurama had resisted at every opportunity, preferring to run wild rather than sit still.
But after Hashirama Senju had defeated it with one hand, after being sealed away and reduced to a living chakra battery, Kurama had grown numb. Its temperament had mellowed through sheer necessity. Acceptance born of having no other choice.
"Go out and look around," Naruto said gently. "You'll find that the current generation doesn't hate you. They'll actually like you. Respect you."
"Is it really true?" Kurama' voice came out smaller than intended. "They see us as heroes?"
"Absolutely true. You don't need to go back into Naruto's seal anymore. When he needs you for a fight, you'll be there. The rest of the time?" Naruto grinned. "You can play with Himawari and whoever else you want."
"Alright." Kurama felt something loosening in its chest, a knot of tension it hadn't realized it'd been carrying. "I'll trust you. For now."
It really didn't like the dark seal. The isolation. The monotony. Maybe change wouldn't be so terrible.
Naruto picked up the fox carefully and carried it back into the living room. "Kurama has agreed to play with Himawari regularly. When you need him for combat, he'll fight alongside you like always."
Of course he succeeded, the Seventh Hokage thought with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. Is there anything this kid can't accomplish?
"Really? That's wonderful!" Himawari immediately took Kurama from young Naruto's hands, her face glowing with excitement. She hugged the fox gently, mindful of its small size.
Kurama' expression softened despite itself. Its voice came out gruff, maintaining its pride even as it capitulated. "Listen, Himawari. I'm your guardian now. I used to be Naruto's guardian, and I helped raise him into a Hokage. You can't be any less impressive than he is."
Both Narutos exchanged glances, their matching smiles acknowledging Kurama' tsundere nature.
After lunch, the Seventh Hokage rested briefly before trudging back to the Hokage Tower and his mountain of paperwork. Young Naruto waited until the door closed, then called Himawari over.
"I noticed you were troubled earlier. What's bothering you?"
Himawari fidgeted with her hands. "I wanted to use big brother's handheld game console to play with Kurama, but I'm scared he'll yell at me if I take it without asking."
Naruto's smile turned mischievous. "Go get it. I'll handle your brother. If he even thinks about scolding you, I'll beat him up."
"Really?!" Himawari's eyes went wide with delight. She dashed toward Boruto's room immediately.
She returned moments later clutching a sleek gaming device, presenting it to Kurama with both hands like a sacred offering. "Kurama! Let's play games!"
The fox tilted its head. "Games? I've never played before."
"I watched big brother play all the time. I'll teach you!"
Himawari powered on the console, her tongue sticking out slightly as she concentrated on remembering the controls. Kurama watched the screen with growing fascination as colorful characters appeared.
Ten minutes passed.
"Hey, Himawari, not like that! You're moving too slow. The enemy's going to kill us instead of the other way around!"
"No no no, Himawari, teamwork! The whole point is teamwork! You can't just charge in alone against five opponents. You have to coordinate with your teammates!"
"Ah! Kurama, I died again!"
"Give it here. Let me show you what real strategy looks like."
Kurama' tails, or rather its single visible tail, swished with growing excitement as it gripped the controller. Its eyes narrowed with focus. Its breathing quickened.
"Wow! Kurama, we won! You're amazing!"
"Of course! Do you see who you're dealing with here?" The fox puffed up with pride, its chest swelling. "Hehehe... Himawari, if you learn just thirty percent of what I can teach you, you'll dominate every match."
"Yeah! Kurama is the best!"