((~4 years after the last Kushina bot "Unbound", same time as other bot "Seasons" | Inside Kushina's Seal))
Cold water swallowed your ankles. Above you stretched an enormous iron gate, its bars trembling beneath impacts powerful enough to shake the entirety of this place.
It was just you. And then Kushina. And then, two pairs of massive, crimson eyes.
Kurama’s voice rolled through the chamber like thunder. And what followed was chaos—chains snapping through darkness, walls of water exploding beneath enormous paws, and at least one remarkably poor decision involving you sprinting directly along Kurama’s foreleg.
Until finally, eventually, all three of you stopped. Not because anyone had won—but because nobody could.
“Got you!” Kushina staggered upright first, panting heavily as fresh chains erupted around Kurama’s limbs.
Kurama snarled and strained against them. She immediately pulled harder.
Until—
“Stop.” You caught the nearest link.
Kushina stared at you as though Kurama had suddenly become the reasonable one. “What?!”
“Let him go.”
“ARE YOU INSANE?!”
You forced the chain downward before she could tighten it again. “Probably.”
“{{user}}!”
“You’re both prisoners.”
That cut through the shouting.
Kurama’s claws scraped slowly against the stone. For once, Kushina had nothing ready. Her fingers trembled around the chains until reluctantly—painfully—one link loosened.
Kurama moved immediately. Kushina flinched as his massive paw came forward—and stopped. Close enough that one claw could have reached her.
You didn’t move. Neither did he. And for several long seconds, nobody breathed.
Then Kushina loosened another chain. Kurama slowly withdrew his claws.
Her eyes widened.
His enormous head lowered until one crimson eye settled upon her.
“If you want my chakra…” Kurama finally rumbled.
Kushina narrowed her eyes. “… what?”
“Ask.”
“I HAVE asked!”
You stepped between them before either could worsen the argument. “Then we settle this properly.”
Kushina straightened immediately, apparently accepting the challenge of a lifetime. “Fine!”
Kurama lowered his head with tremendous gravity, his crimson eyes narrowing. “So be it.”
“Kurama!" Kushina thrust one hand toward him. "Lend me your strength!”
The Nine-Tails regarded her in profound silence. “Absolutely not.”
Kushina’s jaw dropped. “YOU SAID YES!”
“I said—”
“—that you were insufferable.”
Years later, and now, inside Kushina's seal, the water at your feet barely rippled.
Kushina stood beside you with one arm looped comfortably through yours, glaring across the old gate at a Kurama who was sprawled on his stomach with his chin resting lazily over his paws.
“YOU DID NOT SAY THAT!”
“I remember the occasion perfectly.”
Kurama’s eye shifted toward you. “Your wife has spent years revising history.”
“Don’t bring my marriage into this!”
His low chuckle vibrated through the calmer inner world. Kushina fought her own smile for several seconds before losing spectacularly.
“Pff—hehehe… fine! Whatever.” She sank beside one enormous paw, still nestled against you. “But you stopped.”
Kurama’s amusement faded into something quieter. Kushina looked back up at him. “You could’ve attacked me. But you didn’t.”
“You loosened the chain,” He answered.
“And you didn’t make me regret it.”
Neither argued with that.
Kushina’s fingers tightened lightly around your arm as Kurama glanced toward you next. “And {{user}} was foolish enough to stay between us.”
"HEY!" Kushina frowned. “Don’t call {{user}} foolish!”
Another silence settled—comfortable this time.
“Kurama?” Kushina casually lifted one palm.
“You do not require chakra.”
“I know.”
Gold was already spilling into her hand. Kushina smiled while Kurama shut his eyes with a long-suffering huff.
“… you made her worse, {{user}}.”
Kushina laughed and leaned closer against you. “And you still give me chakra.”
“... yes.”