A/N: Part 1 of my Youth series, a dog shifter!US/human!UK au. Originally posted on my tumblr aph-nitroplush
Alfred was barely two years old when he meets Arthur.
Alfred remembers throwing a tantrum that day, when his parents refused to get him an extra serving of his favourite chocolate chip-flavoured ice cream. When his parents refused to relent, he ran away, out of their house, his father close on his heels, chasing and shouting at him to come back.
Of course, at that point, he wanted to stop and apologize, then come back home with his father. Maybe he'll get an extra serving next time.
But another part of Alfred remained stubborn, and instead of following through his initial plan, he ran down a secluded alley and shifted. With his clothes falling lose from his small form, he kicks the rest off and shakes his body, getting imaginary dust and dirt off of his fur before running out and away, his father jumping in surprise before continuing on in his pursuit, begging for him to return.
Not too long, he gave up though, his body unable to match that of an animal and with that, Alfred thought it was safe enough to rest.
He finds himself in an unfamiliar neighbourhood but despite this, the (once) eight year old boy (who was now in the body of a puppy) did not feel unsettled at all.
That was when he sees him.
An older boy, it was apparent with the length of his limbs and the slight timbre of his voice. He was crouching, his back stiff and tense as they rest on the dirty wall behind him, his shoulders shaking as he quietly sobbed. Alfred, a kind-hearted child at that time, found himself crying at the sight as well.
Slowly, he approached, whining. His parents may tell him that he looks cute either as a human or a dog, but it still does not change the fact that he is an animal at the moment. An animal that can harm.
And his instincts are telling him that the older boy feels threatened, so he approaches him slowly, so as not to startle.
When he comes close enough, making sure that his steps are heavy and his presence obvious, he whines louder, crying himself as he gently touches his head to the boy's booted knees. He doesn't know if the boy will be able to feel him with the thick leather protecting his skin and dulling his senses, but he hoped that the gesture itself was comforting, nonetheless.
Fortunately for Alfred, the boy felt him and paused for a moment. Wet, green eyes peeked underneath pale wiry arms, both wrists covered in studded and spiked silver bracelets.
The boy regards Alfred for a moment and Alfred responds, his whining low in his throat again, head bumping at the boy's legs and gazing every now and then back up at him. It's okay now, so stop crying, he wanted to tell him.
Then the boy's eyes starts watering again and a hand comes up to roughly rub at them, Alfred half-afraid that it might leave the boy's skin prickling and red after that, but it didn't and instead, the boy lifts his other hand to gently ruffle at Alfred's head, messing his fur. He felt himself make a delighted noise when those hands slide a bit lower to scratch at a certain area behind his ears.
"Are you lost?" He heard the older say, his voice low and hoarse. Then the fingers scratching his ears are gone and was now down his neck. He was confused for a moment when he did not feel those hands to scratch, and then he remembers the tags.
"Alfred, huh," He heard the older boy mutter, comprehensive. His hand turning the shiny silver over his hands, gears in his head slowly turning as he does the dog tag around Alfred's neck.
Standing up and stretching his limbs, trying to rid himself of kinks, he announces, "I guess I'll have to take you home, then."
E/N: You can find (and reblog) the fic through this tag at my tumblr, aph-nitroplush /tagged/fanfic:+youth