I can't guarantee what the future of this story may take but it may reference recent manga events and/or go AU. I am also a horrible updater. So if you don't like spoilers/alternate takes on time/hate waiting, please do not torture yourself to read this. I am a heavily inexperienced writer, and I would love any spelling/grammatical/story telling/IC errors pointed out. Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.
1: Fitting In With the Pack
You were and are still a very stubborn pup. Where Naruto was abandon by silent authority, and begged to be part of the group- you chose to leave the group by your own choice. Was it an attempt to be cool, a rebel? I was too young to be sure. All I knew was that I didn't care. I had you all to myself, and that was all that mattered.
I sensed them becoming excited, disgusted and amused as you did as you pleased. We once walked into class, hardly recognizable from all of the mud and grass caked to our bodies. As Iruka-sensei turned from yelling at Naruto to yelling at us, you looked a little nervous. I felt my tail curve under my body.
"-and the mess in the halls! What do you have to say for yourself?"
As you readied yourself for an apology, the sound you were waiting for arrived. Snickers, chuckling and laughter grew from the seats. Your confidence returned, and my tail raised to wag.
"I say I did a good job." You grinned, all canines in place.
... run run run ...
I felt your anger and frustration when your name echoed after the Aburame. I remember how you couldn't stand his silence. You and I were constant communicators. Either it be vocal or body language. We were never quite, and we were sure everyone knew our opinion. And you always chipped in for me when others couldn't understand me.
But this boy gave nothing. Well, not nothing. I'm sure there was something. It was just so foreign to us we couldn't recognize it. It was very different from Hinata, who communicated on a quiet pulse. Odd, but relaxing.
Shino however, seemed to pride himself in not making sense. He hid behind thick cloth, just to make sure that if any sound were to leak out of him, it would be muffled. And because he was an Aburame, it wasn't a 'faze', this was how he chose to live life on a day to day basis.
I remember you making fun of him in the hallways of the academy, telling everyone he showers with his clothes on. Every 'silent but deadly' deal was his fault. As I heard the echoes of laughter around us encouraging you further, I, a dog who saw the world with smells and emotion knew we were lost in a bug swarm.
... run run run ...
If a human wanted to understand how people like me think, all they would have to do was watch the Inuzuka clan and suddenly it all made sense to them. Which only confuses me more. I don't see much difference. Well, on the mental scale. We are very different on the outside. I'm hairier than you and I need an extra pair of legs to get places, but I have my favorite colors and foods. Well to be honest, there isn't much food that I don't like. I'd hate to think I'm discriminatory towards any food group- Except vegetables, screw them. How something edible can taste anything but is beyond me. Kiba, I'm sick of your mom 'sneaking' them into my dish. What? Does she think I can't smell it? Because you know what-
She's right, I can't. All I see is meat, all I smell is meat, then I take a bite and I taste beans.
WHY?
Where are you going?
What makes a good pack? You don't just need a strong leader. In a pack, everyone counts; it doesn't matter what they look like, or smell or taste. It all boils down to a similar mind set and strong communication. We will share space with anyone who respects things we love. If one of our own is in trouble, we would collect the others and do our best to solve it then and there. If a mind of a traitor slipped in among us, we would give them a warning to leave before we did it ourselves. And if you were not fast, your legs and throat would be our teeth's new playground.
That is why we are so hard to break.
And I guess that is why you tried so hard to take over the team when Kurenai-sensei was not there. Neither Hinata nor Shino showed outright interest in being leader, and you only wanted to help. Well, you wanted to help Hinata. You only wanted to show off to Shino.
Ironically, your communication with 'normal' humans was lacking, and you gave the impression of a bully. So what Shino did to you next, I guess you had coming.
I was shocked at first like you, but I managed to recover fast enough to enjoy the look on your face as you tried to process the fact that you just got slapped by an Aburame.
Interesting how that gesture never gets lost on translation.
... wait for me ...
When the only boy who passed Shino with top marks left the village, I didn't know what to think. I hardly knew the boy. It certainly left an odd feeling in all the other teams, I sensed that for sure. He who showed the best promise out of the new Leafs wilted and dropped out of the scene. I felt the disappointment in Shino, even as he kept his voice level. Suddenly leadership seemed more important to him and he stepped forward, determined to show he was not Sasuke.
It turns out he is an emotional kid, he just doesn't allow it to run his life like we do.
It's nice to know he isn't a machine, but to see someone express joy by not smiling is strange. It can give the wrong idea. After all, everything we do is shaped by our emotions. We eat when we are hungry, dance when the mood is right and laugh when a good joke is said. Shino doesn't do any of that.
I guess that what makes him a better ninja.
A better ninja in the field, not necessarily in the casual field. Strange how a boy who loved being so mysterious, was incredibly blunt. It was nice to know he was honest.
This didn't stop Hinata from crying, however. Which was the only excuse you needed to punch him back.
People think Inuzukas are just a bunch of violent maniacs, but that isn't true. We wait for excuses.
It looks like everyone here sucks at communication.
As you two clashed in the shrubbery I walked up to Hinata to comfort her. I scratched at her sandals until she picked me up. Licking her face, I managed to create a small smile on her face.
"Oh Akamaru, S-Shino is right. If I really l-like N-N-Naruto I would of confronted him and... and told him by now." Using me as a towel, she dried her soft, pale eyes on my head and ears. "G-good boy..." Despite our great insufficiency in understanding each other, I tried a whine and a snuggle under her chin. Shivering from the sudden touch of my cold wet nose, she scratched my head.
She's cute, for a human.
I felt your ego before I heard your stumbling steps into the clearing. You had your arm over Shino's shoulder, and both of you were covered in cute, bruises, and little beetles. I'd say that was the first time I saw Shino that unclothed, and from Hinata's gasp it also seemed to be her first time too.
"Oh my-! W-what happened?"
"Eh, nothing." was your grinning reply. Shino grunted,
"I'm sorry about earlier Hinata, that was not my place." My air supply was cut in half by her growing grip on me.
"Th-that's alright Shino." I smelled that she was biting her lip too hard. It was going to bleed soon.
"It's not alright!" You barked. "By hell if-" Shino shrugged your arm off and gently grabbed your shoulder, the little creatures crawled off of you and onto him.
"Let's not push this further than it needs to." Shino's voice returned to it's monotone level.
"Uh?" You gave a quick glance in his direction. "Yeah..." You walked up to Hinata and outstretched your arms to receive me.
"Careful there Hinata, Akamaru likes to breathe just as much as us." I was so glad to hear that as you plucked me from her. As I settled on your fuzzy head she began her persistent apologizing again. "Hey, hey! Calm down." You waved your hands. "Shino still owes you. You should think of a good payback... Like paying for lunch!"
I didn't hear Shino's comment on that matter but she started to smile again and I felt your relief as you began to fit into the pack.
"Please Hinata, chose a Sukiyaki-ya restaurant!" You placed a rough arm around her in a short squeeze. Strangely, it seemed to relax her as we walked out of someone's backyard.
"Please Hinata, don't," was Shino's short reply as our feet met the dry dirt road.
... I am right behind ...
Despite popular belief, most dogs can see color. However the colors we see compared to what they see are vastly different. Sight Hounds who's eyes are bred to see things from far away, don't see so fabulously up close. It doesn't help that their faces are long causing multiple accidents of face smackery.
Sukiyaki-ya restaurants are wonderful, but expensive. There is a common joke that you can only go to one if you own a cow you are willing to give up.
What is Akamaru? A giant Beagle with a wire coat? While a breed of dog will never guarantee what kind of personality a dog will have, I will do my best to give a bit of factual realism along the way. Oh God, are you going to get educated by a fanfic? OH NO! This isn't the Hetalia fandom!
If I do get a fact wrong or if you have a fun story/fact of dogs, please do share! Any fellow Borzoi lovers out there?
