Author's Note: So, before you all read, I would like to thank my good friend VampireBond for giving me this idea. It's an idea I doubt I would've thought of, and I really owe VampireBond for this. So, with that out of the way, on with the story.

On the edge of a cliff in the Northern Alps stood a lone Doberman who stared off into the horizon, looking at everything within his view. This Doberman did not move in the slightest as he focused his gaze on the direction of where Ohu was. It wasn't too far, only a few days on foot. Maybe even two if he were able to run without rest. It wouldn't be impossible. Despite the limits to his stamina, his determination would give him the endurance he needed in order to make it to his destination. Even if it would be unlike anything he's ever done in the past, he could potentially manage to succeed. After all, he has done a lot of things throughout his long life.

He had already made his decision, anyway. He was going to return to Ohu. It had been many, many years since the last time he had even been anywhere near the area. There was no telling just what had changed over the years since he had been gone, and he couldn't say that he was completely concerned. He was never the Supreme Commander of Ohu, or a member of the Ohu Army, so any changes that were made to the pack or the location would in any way affect him. Right?

At least, that is what he had told himself for the past 12 years, always seeming to look for any kind of excuse to stay away. And besides, everything did change when he got word of the rumor that had been spreading across Japan. While the rumors weren't exactly specific, he got the part about how the Ohu Army were being killed of by humans, and the reason for that was that the dogs had supposedly gone out of control and started killing all humans in sight. But that didn't sound anything like the Ohu Army he remembered, especially when Gin of all people was their leader.

If that wasn't enough, word had spread about a more menacing threat within Ohu, perhaps the true cause of all the human deaths in and around Ohu. But what sort of threat would be so great that even the Ohu Army was vulnerable to it? Just thinking about the possibilities had filled the old Doberman's mind with worry. The only threat he could ever think of that was capable of what the rumors described was Akakabuto. But that monstrous bear has been dead for at least 14 years, and no other bear has ever reached Akakabuto's unnatural 40 foot tall size. So just what was happening in Ohu?

However, despite his growing need to find answers, a part of him still felt that perhaps it was better if he continued to stay away for the remainder of his days. Back when he was a part of Ohu, he had done some things. Things that he regrets, even now. Things that he wished he could take back. Unfortunately, even with the power of his will, he was but a mortal. He didn't have the power to fix his mistakes, because that was just life. There was nothing he could do about all that he had done.

Yet despite how he felt, he still needed to know what had happened in Ohu, where all these rumors were coming from, and what exactly was the truth? Most of all, though, what he needed to know was whether or not his love was alive. Before he left 12 years ago, against all odds, he had found love, a perfect love. He hadn't seen or heard from his lover since he left Ohu. But, should he go back, what would he even say to his love after having been gone for so long? What could he possibly say? Then again, this wasn't about getting forgiven for being away. This was about finding his love and saving him from whatever terror is within Ohu. After all, leaving his love was honestly the greatest mistake he ever made.

So, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. And when he opened his eyes, he stared into the horizon with a hard look of determination.

"I'm coming home. I'm coming back to you, my love."

And with that said, the Doberman leapt off the edge of the cliff he stood on. Instead of falling to his death, he managed to make contact with the side of the cliff with his paws, and the moment he felt the hard earth was when he begun running at full speed to the bottom. Then he leapt off once more as soon as he was close enough to the ground. And he continued running, heading off into the direction of Ohu.

Days later in Ohu, Weed was sitting alone in the woods away from his friends, still recovering from the aftermath of their earlier fight with Kaibutsu. But the threat of the monstrous canine wasn't the only thing on his mind. While he was glad that his father was alive somewhere, that didn't change the fact that Tokimune was dead. The Akita, who had been Gin's substitute, had died saving Weed from Kaibutsu, and he was buried with every other soldier that had been killed. At the very least, the humans finally realized that their pack wasn't responsible for all the killings, and they overheard them reporting the threat of Kaibutsu back to their base. But what good would it do now? Kaibutsu had gotten away, the Ohu Army was crippled, and no one knew where Gin was. Not even Smith knew where his friend was.

So because of all that had happened, Weed was dealing with more stress than what he could probably handle, which is why he needed to be alone in the first place. But it wasn't like his friends were too far away. They were nearby, still paying their respects to all their fallen comrades.

Weed was filled with nothing but worry about the situation they were all in right now. There were so few of them left, against a monster that not even the entire Ohu Army could stand against. Their chances were low, and despite the fact that they were willing to fight, they would still need a miracle if they were going to survive another fight with Kaibutsu. All Weed could do was hope that their luck hadn't completely run out just yet.

His train of thought was interrupted when he heard a twig snap nearby. The young pup immediately stood up, becoming alert as he tensely looked around. Whatever it was, it was close. Too close for his liking. But one thing he knew was that it wasn't Kaibutsu. He would've seen him, especially when the monster would hardly fit within this spot with all the trees around. So what could it be?

Suddenly, Weed was knocked onto his back before he could even seen the figure leap out at him. A large canine was standing over him, pinning him down completely, yet somehow gently. It quickly became apparent to him that the canine didn't mean him any harm, especially when it pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Gin! You're alright!"

Weed was already confused when the Doberman, who he didn't even recognize, starting hugging him. Now, he was even more confused as the Doberman had actually mistaken him for his father.

"Who are you?" He asked.

Sniper's eye widened, then he pulled back to look at the Akita in his arms. Once he realized his mistake, he immediately moved away.

"Damn it, you stupid fool!" He shouted frustratedly at himself. "Gin wasn't even a pup the last time you saw him!"

"How do you know my father?" Weed asked.

The Doberman froze, stopping to look over at the pup. "Your father? Gin is your father?"

Weed nodded with a smile. "Yes. I'm his son, Weed. Who are you?"

"My name is Sniper." The Doberman answered. "And as for how I know your father, you could say some time after the war with Akakabuto, he and I became close."

As he was talking, Weed looked over the Doberman. Sniper had clearly been injured before. On the right side of his face was a metal plate, his muzzle had several scars, and his hind-legs were also covered in metal. While Weed had no idea what could've happened to him to make him sustain these injuries, he knew that they had been severe.

"What do you mean by "close"?" Weed asked curiously.

Sniper sighed. "It's... a rather long and complicated story, kid. Especially when your father and I weren't exactly on the same side at the beginning. Honestly, though, that's my fault."

Before Weed could ask what he meant, Smith walked over to them. The French Spaniel was most likely here to check on the pup.

"Weed, are you okay?" But he froze when he saw the Doberman, then he immediately growled and stood in front of Weed protectively. "Sniper! What are you doing here?!"

Sniper, however, raised a brow as he looked at Smith in confusion. "Um, do I know you?"

Smith narrowed his eyes, feeling irritated. "How can you not remember me?! I'm Smith! Former leader of the Third Platoon, now I'm one of Gin's top generals!"

Sniper remaining eye went eye as he stared at the Spaniel incredulously. "Not possible! The Smith I remember was timid and cowardly, not to mention a jokester. You seem like you're brave and serious."

"Hey, I was brave back then!" Smith yelled, now feeling greatly offended by Sniper's description of him. "What were you back then? Other than a lying, cowardly, traitorous bastard!"

Sniper flinched, realizing that Smith had definitely changed over the years. "Things changed! You weren't there! You and the others didn't even know because Gin was afraid of what you all would think of him!"

"Oh, really? Well, what exactly did he not tell us?" Smith asked disbelievingly.

Sniper was silent for a moment, looking hesitant before he let out a sigh. "After the war, Gin and I... Gin and I used to be together."

Weed and Smith's eyes widened in shock, but it was Smith who gave the Doberman a truly incredulous look. The Spaniel wasn't even sure if Sniper was lying or not. For a moment, he thought that he was, because it wouldn't be the first time Sniper lied. But that look in his sole remaining eye, that look of sadness, it said that his words were true. But Sniper wasn't into males. At least, that's what Smith believed. Back when he was the second-in-command, Sniper never showed interest to anyone of any gender. So is it possible that he and Gin really were together?

"So let me get this straight." Smith finally spoke up, hardly recovering from his shock. "You and Gin were together after the war?"

Sniper nodded. "Yes."

"And you both are gay?" Smith asked slowly.

"I am." Sniper stated, unable to help but blush. "Gin was actually bisexual."

"That might actually explain a few things." Smith thought as he began recalling the times he caught Gin looking at some of his friends in rather strange ways. Some of them were John, Ben, Kurotora, Akame, and even Smith himself noticed Gin giving him odd looks. "I thought it was just admiration or worry or something of the sort! But if he was really into males... Okay, Sniper is actually telling the truth."

"Okay, say I believe you." Smith said. "How come Gin didn't tell us that he was bisexual?"

"What would he even tell you? That he once had a crush on John, Ben, Kurotora, Akame, a few other males, including you?" Sniper countered, and Smith's eyes widened as he blushed.

"Gin was attracted to me?" The Spaniel asked, unsure of what to think. "Why me?"

"He told me it was because of the time you saved his life." Sniper explained. "He loved John because the two of them are lifelong friends, he loved Ben because Ben was there for him and led him so far. He developed a crush on Akame because Akame was strong, intelligent, not to mention highly skilled, and the two of them even became close after meeting. There's also that crush he had on Kurotora. Despite how they met, Gin admired him because of his strength and reputation."

"Wow." Was all Smith could say as he struggled to process the information he now had. "But Gin could've told us. None of us would've said anything bad about him."

"It wasn't that simple, Smith. Hell, it's not exactly simple telling someone that you love them." Sniper stated. "It actually broke his heart when he realized that you could never love him back. Not in the way he wanted."

Smith's eyes widened. "What made him think that? I'm not saying that I would've gotten together with him, but I would've let him down easy. I might've even tried to get together with him, see where it would lead and if it could work."

"Well, Smith, it started when he eventually realized that none of you all would love him back." Sniper stated as he began to explain. "Ben and Cross were together, and he actually had a thing for Cross, too. John was straight, of course. Akame had told Gin that Gin was like a son to him, so no romantic relationship there. Kurotora had found a mate of his own, who wasn't Gin. And then there was you, who told him that you both were best friends. Just friends."

It only took Smith a minute to realize just what he had unintentionally done when he said that to Gin, and when he did, he immediately felt horrible for it. "God, I didn't mean it like that! We are friends, but that doesn't mean I couldn't have loved him! How did none of us notice the signs?" The Spaniel took a deep breath before looking at Sniper. "There's just one question I have left. How did you and Gin even fall in love with each other?"

Sniper sighed as he sat down. "Sit down. It's a bit of a long story, so let me tell you how our relationship began." Weed and Smith quickly sat down, then the Doberman began his story. "It all started about a year after the war, when Gin became an adult."

Flashback

Nearly thirteen years ago, Gin was far from Gajou, far from even Ohu, actually. But he didn't care, because he was leaving, and he had no intentions of going back. He couldn't even look at them anymore. It wasn't their fault that he was leaving, but he couldn't stay with them any longer.

The young adult Akita had actually wandered so far off that he didn't even know where he was, not that he cared about that, either. In fact, he wanted to be far away. He needed to be so that the others wouldn't be able to find him. If they had any idea what he was going to do, they'd all stop him. Which is why he needed to get as far away as possible, so that they wouldn't be able to stop him from doing what he was going to do.

Earlier today, Gin had gone back to Tokobu Valley, where he had stolen a revolver from a gun shop. No one would suspect that it was a dog who did it, not that it would matter. But he didn't care, because now he had what he needed.

His reason for doing this was simple. None of his friends loved him. At least, not in the way he wished that they did. Ben and Cross were together. John was a heterosexual dog, so there was that. Akame only saw Gin as a son rather than a potential lover. Kurotora had found his own mate, a female one, too. Tesshin, who was almost fully matured, could've been his lover, but the Koga Dog saw Gin as more a father/brother. And then there was Smith, who saw Gin as only a friend. Just a friend.

They loved him, but not in the way he wished they did. Normally, he wouldn't do anything as drastic as what he was about to do, and he originally had no problems with any of it. In fact, he was happy for Ben, Cross, and Kurotora, he still was. But that didn't stop it all from breaking his heart. Especially when he began to wonder just what would become of him in the future. No one in Ohu loved him, no one he knew loved him, so did that mean that love was not something that he would ever have? Was he destined to spend the remainder of his days in absolute loneliness? He couldn't think of any form of misery comparable to that.

Over the past few months, the pain only grew inside him until he could bare it no more. He wasn't the strong leader everyone thought he was, and there was nothing he could do to heal. So after some thought, Gin had decided what he would do. He was going to kill himself.

That's why he stole the revolver, because out of all the ways he could die, he had decided that he didn't want to jump off a cliff, nor did he want to slit his own throat with his claws. Instead, he was going to shoot himself, fire a 500 Magnum bullet directly into his heart. Or what was left of it, anyway.

A few feet away from him was a suicide note that he had dug into the ground, so that if his friends or anyone else found him, they would know what had happened to him. So with nothing standing in his way, the Akita pulled back the hammer of the gun, then he placed the barrel against his chest, pointing it at where his beating heart was. Gin almost thought it was funny, shooting himself in his already broken heart. Killing something that was already dead.

He closed his eyes as he placed his claw over the trigger. Who would've thought that the one to slay the great Ohu Leader would be himself? Perhaps no one, otherwise his friends would've been there to stop him. But they couldn't stop him. No one could stop him, now. Yet when he was about to pull the trigger, he was suddenly knocked onto his side as he lost his grip on the gun, which fell a few feet away. Opening his eyes in startled shock, he looked up and couldn't believe it when he saw that he was looking at his most unlikeliest savior. His greatest enemy, Sniper.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Gin? Are you actually trying to kill yourself?!" The Doberman demanded furiously.

"Yes." Gin answered carelessly. "So?"

Sniper's eyes widened as he stared at the Akita in disbelief. "What the hell has gotten into you? You were actually about to kill yourself, and you don't even care! What the hell were you even thinking?"

"I was only doing what I wanted to do." Gin replied before getting up and glaring at his enemy. "And you stopped me."

Sniper looked at him, his expression becoming more incredulous. "Have you lost your fucking mind?! Do you even know what you're saying right now?!"

Gin snarled angrily. "I know exactly what I'm saying! I knew exactly what I was doing! Then you came and stopped me, so why the hell did you get in the way?"

"Because someone has to tell you that you're going too far!" Sniper shouted. "Way too far! This is madness on an entirely different level! People might've thought that you and everyone else were suicidal for even challenging Akakabuto, but now you were actually going to kill yourself! What is wrong with you?!"

"What's wrong with me?! What the hell's wrong with you?! Why do you even care?!"

"Someone had to stop you, and I suppose that someone is going to have to be me, considering I'm the only person around to do just that! You can't just go kill yourself, Gin!"

"LOOK WHOSE TALKING! YOU'RE THE ONE THAT WANTED ME GONE!" Gin snapped, screaming with far more fury than anyone has ever seen. Sniper actually took a step back at the sudden outburst. "DO NOT ACT LIKE YOU CARE! ALL YOU'VE EVER DONE WAS TRY TO KILL ME, MORE THAN ONCE!"

For the first time, Sniper was greatly taken aback. He had never, ever seen such rage before. While Gin has been angry in the past, this was something different. It's as if this was all that was left of the Akita he once knew.

"Gin," Sniper said calmly despite the other's anger. "I know what I did. I mean it when I say that I'm so sorry for what I did, and what I tried to do to you. Especially when I never truly hated you."

The Akita, who had not expected such a confession, looked Sniper in the eyes with a look that was unlike anything he had seen before. It was like he was looking into the actual eyes of the Devil, because Sniper felt as though he would burn.

"What?" Gin asked, his tone full of barely surpassed rage.

Sniper gulped. This moment, he was actually afraid of Gin. What he had confessed was something he said out of desperation, really. And though Gin seemed to believe it, Sniper didn't know how he could begin to explain himself.

So, taking a deep breath, he began. "The moment I first saw you... I wasn't sure what I felt. It was so unclear to me. Something I had never felt in my life. And I'm old, Gin. Then when we fought, and you held your own, showing no fear, I realized what it was. Admiration, love; I just looked at you and I felt so proud. I didn't understand any of it, because I was afraid. I was a coward, I won't deny that. And since then, I tried to deny my feelings. I've tried, and then I was forced to fight you, forced to nearly kill you. I was afraid of what would happen if the truth got out, and at the same time, I didn't want to hurt you. I panicked, and I prayed that you would survive each time. I really tested our luck."

Gin gritted his teeth so hard it seemed like they'd crack under the intense pressure. And judging by his expression, as well as the look in his eyes, Sniper already knew what was going to happen. But nothing could prepare him for the full weight of Gin's unnatural fury.

"WHAT KIND OF FUCKING FOOL DO YOU TAKE ME FOR?!" Gin snapped once more, glaring at the Doberman with beyond furious eyes as his teeth seemed even sharper than before. And if that wasn't enough, Gin's blood was actually burning so hot that Sniper could actually feel the heat. "DO YOU HONESTLY EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE THAT YOU ACTUALLY LOVED, CARED FOR ME WHEN YOU BETRAYED US AND TRIED TO KILL ME?! YOU ARE A FUCKING DISHONEST, DECEITFUL, SELFISH, COWARDLY BASTARD!"

Sniper didn't step back this time. Instead, he lowered his head in shame of what he had done. "It's true, Gin. I am gay, and I do love you. I always did, and being the coward I always was, I did things I shouldn't done, things I wish I could take back. You're right about me. But, Gin, you can't kill yourself. I'm willing to change my ways if it means that you won't go through with suicide."

This time, Gin froze as he looked both incredulous and uncertain. Even though Sniper had deceived them before, this was unlike any form of deception that the Doberman would ever resort to. But he couldn't possibly be telling the truth, especially about being gay. At least, that's what Gin thought.

"I don't know if I can believe you." He said unsurely as he didn't know what to do or what to think.

Sniper wasn't surprised that Gin wasn't sure if he trusted him or not. He doubted that he would believe himself if he were Gin. And that's not including the fact that Gin was in a rather sensitive state, one where he was willing to commit suicide. But the Doberman was going to give up. "Think about it, Gin. If I truly wanted you dead, then why didn't I kill you now? Why didn't I just let you pull that trigger?"

Gin shook his head, backing up slowly as his uncertainty was growing. At the same time, he was beginning to feel strange. "What if it's all a part of a plan you have to use me? Become my mate so that you can have Ohu?"

Sniper would've objected, he wanted to object, but the Akita had a fair point. That sounded like the old, darker side of him. The part of him that was willing to exploit the emotions of others so that he could have what he wanted. This might end up being harder than he thought.

"Maybe I would." He admitted, feeling ashamed. "But I swear, I'm not planning anything. Please, Gin. You don't have to die."

"There's nothing for me here."

"What about the others? Your pack? Your friends? They're your family."

"They all have each other, Sniper. They'll get on fine without me." Gin looked away as tears formed in his eyes. "They don't need me."

Sniper stepped closer to him. "Even if they don't need you, Gin, I do. I don't just want you in my life, I need you in my life. It broke my heart to hurt you all those times. I couldn't survive if you died."

"How do I know for sure that you do?" Gin asked. "That you actually love me?"

Sniper looked into his eyes, and seeing the pain within them, he realized that there was only one thing left that he could do. "Actions speak louder than words. If I can't say anything that prove that I'm being honest, then I''ll have to show you that I love you."

And then, Sniper pulled Gin over to him. The Akita didn't even have a chance to react before he was suddenly pulled into a kiss. This was the last thing he would've expected from anyone, especially when that someone was Sniper. But despite his shock, he didn't try to pull away, not that he could with the way that Sniper was holding onto him so tightly. So instead of bothering, Gin chose to do what his instincts were telling him to do. He kissed back.

The kiss... perfect in every aspect. It gave Gin this feeling, one unlike anything he had ever felt before. He almost couldn't describe it, but all the pain he had felt, the desire to kill himself, all of it was just... gone. The Akita felt so safe in Sniper's arms, like nothing could ever hurt him as long as they were together. He wondered how he ever lived without Sniper, but that didn't matter now. Because the Doberman was right here, and he wasn't letting go.

After holding each other and kissing passionately for a few moments, the two eventually pulled away from each other. They both caught their breaths before looking into one another's eyes.

"Sniper... I don't know what to say."

Sniper stepped closer to Gin, looking into his eyes with a stern expression as he spoke in a gentle, yet firm tone. "Here's what you can say. You can say that you are NOT going to kill yourself. Not now, not ever."

With Gin's intention of suicide being long gone, he ha already made his decision. He wasn't going to die, especially not when he had finally found the love of his life.

End of Flashback

Once the story was finished, Sniper let out a sigh as he recalled everything that had happened that day. So much had changed for both Gin and him, and his only regret was that he had left his true love all those years ago. But knowing that there was no point it trying to live in the past, he pushed his thoughts and memories aside as he looked over at Weed and Smith. Both of them were staring at the Doberman wide-eyed, clearly unable to believe what Gin had tried to do. And Sniper knew they would have questions. Smith would definitely have some questions.

"Gin tried to kill himself?!" The Spaniel demanded incredulously. "And none of us even knew?"

"Do you think that trying to commit suicide is something that Gin would tell you about?" Sniper countered. "He knew how you all would react, how worried you all would be. I wanted to say something, but he begged me to keep it between us, otherwise he'd tell you all himself. I figured that he never did."

Smith growled furiously as he muttered. "Gin, when I find you, you and I are going to have some words."

"That doesn't matter now." Sniper said. "What matters is finding Gin. It's the only reason i even bothered coming back after twelve years."

"No one knows where he is or where he could be." Smith stated. "And as much as I want to find Gin, we still have to worry about Kaibutsu."

Sniper raised a brow, confused as to what he meant. "Come again?"

"Before you got here, a monstrous dog came and attacked Ohu." Weed explained. "He got away, and we're about to go after him."

Sniper groaned in annoyance. "Great. Akakabuto's canine counterpart. This oughta be good."

Smith snorted. "You're telling me."

Sniper sighed as he cracked his neck. "Well, in that case, let's go hunt a monster."