A/N: Two uploads back to back? WHAT IS THIS? THE WORLD IS ENDING! D8 Lol. Nope! Not yet! Everything's all good. ^ ^ I actually had the majority of this story written months ago. This was just some little thing I decided to write. I actually wasn't planning on posting this (which is the reason it never got completely finished and just kind of sat there), but I changed my mind. Since I did decide to post this, however, I'm going to have to explain some things. ^ ^;;
You should probably read the "Story Notes" before reading the fanfic!
Story Notes: Their world is a bit different than the Naruto world. They're not ninjas. The tribes are more traditional, kind of like Indian tribes. They're all of a species that I've called "ookami" in this story. They're half humans, half wolves. They have the ability to shape shift in and out of each form at will. Inu is Naruto & Hinata's oldest son, Zuko is Sasuke's son, Nen and Jei (who are mentioned at one point) are Neji & Tenten's son and daughter (Lol such creative names), and Mari (who's also only mentioned a few times) is Ino & Shikamaru's daughter. Also, "alpha" is just the replacement term I used for "hokage". Everything else should be pretty much self explanatory. Oh and just in case you wanted a better visual, Inu's hair pretty much looks like Minato's hair. XD /random tidbit
Warning: This is an OC x OC story! If you don't like original characters, hit the back button now! If you're only going to bash, I suggest you leave. Thank you.
With his golden colored, wolf tail lifelessly drooped down and with his wolf ears pressed down to the side, Inu dragged his paws through the snow that covered the forest terrain. Kankuro had sent him on another odd job that was one of those 'it's too easy for even you to screw up' missions. He absolutely hated how Kankuro always treated him like a pup-perhaps more of a frail mouse-then a growing adolescent. It's not like Inu wasn't capable of doing the harder tasks because he sure as heck have done them before. It's just that some people in the tribe still loved to look down on him. It's like some of them had forgotten that he was the son of Naruto Uzumaki, one of the best ookami warriors in the Konohagakure Tribe.
'It's only because they have high expectations for you, Inu. It's a very good thing.' His mother's words were filling his mind now. High expectations? If this is how you get treated, Inu wasn't sure if he wanted to be held on a high totem pole anymore. Inu really wanted to go elk hunting with the pack, but unfortunately, grouchy Kankuro put him on berry checking for Sakura to see how many of the herb bushes in the area were killed by last night's heavy snowfall. It wasn't that he minded helping the healer out, but Inu didn't like that strong feeling in his gut that told him that they only gave him this odd job because he had accidentally messed up in the previous hunt and their prey got away from them. It was like an unnamed punishment.
It wasn't too horrible though. Inu wasn't alone in the berry checking. Zuko had been asked to come along with him. Leave it to Zuko to take the task like it was a special mission given to him by the alpha-my father-or even Hiruzen himself, but that was just Zuko. Just him and his usual chill nature. Although, it kind of felt like Kankuro was somehow telling both of them, "You need to supervise this pup or else he'll scare the berries away too." Inu didn't know why he was dwelling on this so much, but at the same time, his emotions always ran high. It was normal for him to get easily embarrassed and dwell on many things at once.
Inu's blue eyes continued to stare at the ground as he vaguely headed towards where one of the berry bush patches were, following behind Zuko. Given the circumstances, being with Zuko at that very moment didn't make Inu feel any better. Zuko was a prodigy child, almost like how Nen and Jei were but in a different sort of way. He was infamous because of his father, Sasuke Uchiha.
His father had once been an outlaw, and a dangerous threat to the village. The only reason Sasuke was allowed back into the tribe years later was because of Naruto, Inu's own father. Although there was a strong bitterness between both Sasuke and Naruto, Inu's father could not ignore the fact that they had once been very close friends and pack mates. With the exception of a few, everyone was unhappy with Naruto's decision but had eventually let it be. Even before Zuko was born, thought of him to be just as dangerous as his father. Sure enough, Zuko had keen abilities and high ranking skills for his age.
Usually, it was a silent battle between Naruto and Sasuke when it came to Inu and Zuko. It was as if they had to compete between who had the better son and who would be better in the end. Almost as if it were planned out that one day Inu and Zuko would have to have a fight to a death or something. So after already feeling a bit insecure about getting this odd job, being with Zuko wasn't helping him feel better.
However, things weren't horrible. In spite the odds and how much their lives didn't fit the part, Zuko was one of Inu's best friends. No one else but them really knew about the friendship hidden there. To everyone else in the tribe, they were just rivals that were destined to compete with one another. In training session and when on hunts or missions, both Inu and Zuko would be serious and want to strive to do their best. It looked like they were fighting each other for the gold, but in reality, they were pushing one another to keep going so they could dash through the red ribbon, finish line together.
Of course, Inu's friends knew he was friends with Zuko, but that didn't mean they understood it completely. They thought it was insane of them, which it was. It was on the unspeakable line because they'd never tell their parents. Inu, maybe, but definitely not Zuko. His father would be much too harsh. Inu's father on the other hand, would probably think it over and in the end say he understood and wouldn't mind it. Hopefully, anyway...
The black wolf with some gray patches in his coat had glanced back at Inu. Those dark eyes rolled over the golden ookami for a moment before commenting, "You're going to make me ask, aren't you?"
Inu instantly snapped back to reality. His head shot up, his ears standing up straight. "What?" He responded naturally, being caught off guard after spacing out.
Zuko had turned his attention back ahead, but he continued the conversation by asking, "Why are you acting so gloomy? You look worse than Mari on one of her bad 'I-really-need-attention-right-now' days."
The light tease and acknowledgment caused Inu's ears to press back against his head sheepishly as his eyes looked away in embarrassment. "I-I don't know what you're t-talking about." There it goes again. His stuttering. Inu had unfortunately picked up his mother's younger, stuttering gene. Any time he felt nervous or ashamed, his dialogue would end up getting all smudged together. "It's nothing."
"Of course it is. It's always nothing, and somehow, I'm starting to get the feeling that this nothing problem is larger than you and everyone lets on." Inu could hear the slight irritation in Zuko's words. Even though he knew Zuko didn't mean anything extremely harsh or cruel, Inu just felt a little more vulnerable than usual. Feeling like he was being talked down to made Inu's heart hurt a little.
Inu was looking down at his paws again as the two of them walked. He was quickly remembering how there was more than one thing bothering him today. "Yeah, maybe, but it's too stupid to bring up."
"Too late. It's brought up, and I'm pretty sure there's a high chance of you telling me what's bothering you."
"How is that?"
Zuko glanced back again. There was a small grin on his wolf face and a glimmer in those dark eyes. "Because you always tell me."
Inu couldn't stop the sheepish smile forming on his face after that, considering that there was truth to Zuko's words. "So, just tell me what it is already? What? Did your father finally admit to you that you were adopted?"
A sly smirk stretched on Inu's face as he countered, "Did your father finally admit to dropping you on your head?"
Zuko gave a small chuckle but didn't say anything more. It was obvious he was waiting for Inu to answer the original question of what was bothering him. The frown returned to the wolf's face before Inu mumbled out in a melancholy tone, "I've just been having a bad day...Lot of stuff on my mind."
"Oh and being dropped on my head magically gave me mind reading powers," Zuko sarcastically stated. "What's on your mind?"
Inu grumbled, "Are you always this nosy?"
"Are you seriously not related to Mari in some way because you really love to drag things out."
Again, that usually wouldn't have hurt, but today was just an unusual day for Inu. Why was he feeling so insecure today? He paused in his walking, and the sound of less foot steps caused Zuko to stop as well and turn around to face the glum teen. He gave Inu his natural, dark, serious look before shifting from his feral form to his human form. Although Zuko's hair was solid black, unlike his father, it wasn't spiked. The bangs were longer in the front and grew shorter in the back but remained straight. Just like in his wolven form, his eyes were a piercing black. Inu shifted back into his human form as well. His head was still dipped down, his long, bright blond locks that were slightly shielding his face were in its usual spiked messiness.
"Let's rest a little," Zuko said casually as he motioned towards one of the tress of the forest, suggesting that they sit down. Inu didn't argue with him or tell him that they should continue on their berry examination mission. He needed a little break to just peacefully sit.
The two of them sat side by side each other underneath one of the larger trees that was mostly cleared of snow at the bottom due to its thick, tangled limbs. Fidgeting with his hands, Inu stared at his lap as he rested his back against the tree's trunk with his legs stretched out. Zuko had also gotten himself comfortable, his back resting against the tree as well and with one of his knees up to have one of his arms draped over it. As Inu continued to stare at his hands, Zuko stared off at nothing in particular.
When Inu didn't speak, Zuko filled the space. "Is it because of the last rabbit hunt?" Inu didn't respond, so Zuko continued. "Were you teased a little too much about it or something? Was it Neji's scolding? I guess he can be a little too straight-forward sometimes. Did your dad get all disappointed in you? Is that why you're upset?"
Inu lightly tilted his head back in forth before giving a half nod, indicating that Zuko's said reasons were kind of the problem. "Yeah, a little," Inu admitted quietly. "I don't want to feel like I'm holding the pack back or anything, like a burden." He paused to fidget with his hands again. "My dad didn't say he was disappointed, but I just feel that way because at the rabbit hunt...In events like that, it's just..." Inu shook his head. "No, never mind. Forget it."
Zuko turned to put his full attention on the teen. "No, not never mind. It's just what?"
Inu didn't say anything for a moment. He had lifted his head up to meet Zuko's gaze momentarily, but then a saddened expression crossed his face, and he turned his attention away once more. When Zuko pressed the subject matter again, the teen finally responded. Inu sighed before saying, "It was different because you were there at the rabbit hunt."
That had definitely caught Zuko off guard. His eyes widened, and sparks of curiosity were shining in them as he waited for the explanation. "Because I was there?"
Inu nodded. "I just feel like everyone expects me to be the best of the best because I'm suppose to look like how an alpha's son is suppose to look. Then it's like it's always different when you're there because they expect me to be nothing less than perfect because they don't want to even think that you, the son of an Uchiha, could out best me."
Inu glanced up to see a hazed over, serious expression on Zuko's face. When the teen turned his head to stare off into the distance again, Inu instantly felt guilt for wording his sentences in such a way. It was like he was trying to make it sound like Zuko was suppose to look like an outlaw's son, looking all evil and diabolical. Then that good was suppose to triumph over evil, meaning that it was Inu's duty to make Zuko look even worse and Inu be the victor. Knowing that he slipped up on his words a little, tears began to gloss up in his oceanic eyes. Why did he have to be so bothered by things?
Instinctively, the teen scooted away some. "I-I didn't mean it like that," Inu choked out. With his legs now being curled up with his knees in the air so his arms could wrap around them, the blond looked back down at his legs. After doing so, he was reminded how much of a bad idea it is to look down when trying to hold back tears. Naturally, a few transparent teardrops slipped out of the cerulean ocean and splashed onto Inu's pants.
That's when everything went hang wire. Something inside Inu just snapped. Before he knew it, he was blabbering nonsense like crazy. "Ugh! Could I really mess this up anymore than I already have? I think I just made the point the exact opposite of what I wanted to say! That wasn't the point at all! I wanted to say that it hurts every time that atmosphere comes up not just because of the pressure it puts on the situation but mainly because it's about you. Gah! I did it again! Made it sound like you were the bad thing again! The worst thing is me! Not you! It's me. It's always been me who screws things up and makes them worse. I know that. Ha! It's obvious isn't it?"
Inu now had his face smothered in his knees as large tears continued to roll down his cheeks like boulders tumbling off a collapsing mountain that just couldn't hold itself together any longer. His eyes were shut tightly. He didn't once peek them open to glance over at Zuko. He didn't even want to know how the other was reacting. Inu had a pretty good idea that Zuko thought this was the most stupid thing he'd ever been though, and he was probably right if that was his thought!
Inu continued on in a sobbing mess, "It's about you because it upsets me that it has to be about you! It upsets me that it has to be you that I'm suppose to be enemies with-that I'm suppose to fight with! That it's you that half of the tribe or more whispers bad things about behind your back! That it's you that I-that I-...". He had paused, wondering if it was a good idea to say aloud what his true thoughts were about the entire subject. However, after muddily thinking with his clouded mind, he figured he already said too much already that he might as well go on.
"T-That it's you that I-I," He was choking on his words again. "That I care so much about. Too much about! The tribe would force my dad to kick me out if they knew! If they knew how I'm not only friends with you, but that I care too much about you! That I like you! Really actually like you! In more than a friend kind of way! They've been right all along. I am a burden to the Konoha tribe!"
Through his speech, Inu's sobbing had turned to light whimpers and chokes than a full out drowning in one's tears. His breathing was all off now, coming out in ragged huffs. Somehow in his speech somewhere, his stomach had found the time to twist itself into a knot, along with his heart into a pretzel. His senses of touch seemed to have enhanced, for the snow around him felt like it was growing colder by the second. Naturally, he shivered.
When he felt a hand rest on his shoulder, Inu slowly lifted his head up out of his knees. Drenched, blue eyes blinked over at Zuko, who was staring at Inu with an expression the blond never would have anticipated. There was sadness and worry written all over his face as pure and clear as the snow on the forest floor. Those dark eyes glistened with emotions. Inu had expected him to yell, shout, or hurt him in some way (even though it seemed silly, he did think this). Yet, here Zuko was, feeling and appearing peaceful, calm, and heartfelt.
Zuko lifted the hand on Inu's shoulder up to the teen's face. He brushed his thumb lightly across one of Inu's bottom eyelids, wiping away one of the fresh tears. The black-haired teen leaned in close to Inu's face, pausing only for a moment with his eyes half lidded before pressing a kiss against Inu's lips. Being unprepared by the unexpected action, Inu froze. Blue eyes puffy from crying widened in shock. He could feel his nervous heart pounding heavily in his chest. However, it didn't take long before the nervous feeling subsided and comfort took its place. Slowly, Inu's eyes slipped closed.
The kiss remained light and gentle, reassurance being passed from one to the other. When Zuko pulled a few inches away, he murmured, "I care too much about you too, all right?"
He had his head tilted down so his hair covered and shadowed his face. Inu searched the teen's face, wondering what Zuko was thinking about. All it took was a single sniffle that made Inu's heart skip a beat. Zuko turned his head forward as if he were staring back off at the distance. If he was, however, Inu couldn't tell because his bangs continued to shield his face.
"Don't start thinking otherwise. Since you worry too much, I might as well clear that up now." There was a slight edge to his voice. It was usual though. Zuko had a tendancy of being a bit edgy when he was upset or something bothered him. One of his hands got moved down to the ground. He brushed away some of the snow so the grass was exposed. Without much thought, he'd twirl a few grass blades around his fingers before ripping them up and tossing them away. In an even tone, Zuko stated, "I don't hate you. My father might, but that doesn't mean I do. Despite what you might think...I'm not your enemy."
As he began to rise to his feet, he added, "Don't forget that. No matter what." He cleared his throat while brushing snow off of himself. Tossing his head to get his hair out of his eyes, he gazed back at Inu. A smile crossed his face. Since his eyes were still shining some sorrow and anxiety, he closed them before switching the conversation, "And don't even think about going squirrel chasing on the job! That lame excuse of "I could of sworn I saw something suspicious way over there" isn't going to fly!"
Inu smiled. A soft chuckle rolled out of his throat as he wiped his eyes of drying tears. He could feel his spirits lifted a bit more. "Quit trying to put the attention on me! You're the one always trying to put your workload on me! Slave driver!"
Inu also pushed himself up to his feet and brushed himself off. Zuko had already turned and began walking off in the direction they were previously heading in. "As if!" He retorted without glancing back. The blond stood there for a moment, his good-humored smile faltering momentarily. His features revealed a neutral, passive look of thinking as he stared at Zuko's retreating back.
With a small smile returning to his face, Inu quickly rushed forward. Snow dust trailed after him as he made a bolt towards Zuko. When he reached the other teen and nearly knocked him over, Inu's arms reached out and swiftly wrapped themselves around Zuko's core. The blond rested his chin on Zuko's shoulder for a second before nuzzling his face into the teen's upper back. "Thank you, Zuko," he whispered with a tender smile.
The back hug didn't last too long, for Inu then withdrew and dashed around him. Turned slightly to the side and hopping a bit, Inu grinned and warned him, "At this rate with you dragging your feet like that, I'll be the one telling Sakura you were slacking off!"
Zuko smirked and narrowed his eyes playfully. "Keep dreamin'!"
Swiftly shifting into his feral form, Inu raced across the snowy forest terrain with his tail wagging wildly behind him. It didn't take but a second for Zuko to be trailing behind him in his own wolven form. Just like their friendship, this would be their own little secret. They didn't mind though. No one else needed to know of their bond anyway. They both knew that one day the others would find out, but for now, they treasured their personal paradise of two.
Omg the ending is so lame, I know! D:
I couldn't figure out a way to wrap it up. Like I said previously, I had most of this already written, so when I was trying to finish it up somehow I kind of blanked. Lol.
I was originally thinking about writing this entire story over Zuko & Inu and their difficult relationship when it comes to their parents, the tribe, etc., but then decided against it because they are OCs, and OCs are generally treated pretty harshly nowadays. xD;; Oh jeez. I better prepare myself for the flamers on this story!
Oh and just remember, reviews make me smile and bring up my spirits! ;)
...Now I feel like writing a Sasuke x Naruto story. Cx Tehehe. I think I just might do that. I think everyone's forgotten by now that I do love the Naruto fandom! xD Lol