Kakashi prowled the streets.

It was nighttime, and he had already found and observed his target. He gathered all the intel he needed. He was ready for tomorrow. He had no reason to walk, exposed, along an old, abandoned road where years of negligence invited stray plants to take root among the cracks in the asphalt and grow haphazardly under the careless watch of blinking streetlights

And yet… there was something nostalgic about the old, quaint town. Not the new parts; those were reserved for the middle and upper class. The old parts, however, ruled by gangs and poverty, by hardship and friendship, were his favorites. Dusty, broken, and weed-infested; easy to navigate when one needed to run, offering plenty of places to hide. And most folks were willing to look the other way.

His ears twitched and turned back toward the sound of creaking wheels and loud pants. The wolf hunched and slunk into the shadows. A kid on a bike. At one in the morning. Huh.

The kid pushed ahead, fighting the pedals. He was clearly exhausted. His breaths were labored and uneven. He stared at the asphalt, heaving, and did not notice the wolf lurking in the dark.

Kakashi's ears shot up again. Music – loud yet getting louder – a car.

A car speeding toward them.

His eyes snapped to the kid, but he was still pushing through pain and exhaustion – he failed to notice the oncoming danger.

The wolf calculated. He had to push the kid away and disappear. He could not be seen by him. The kid will think the car knocked him over and thank the heavens he did not perish. He rose and ran silently until he caught up with the kid, readied himself for the jump – and pounced.

He pushed the kid and his bike – both crashed hard onto the asphalt, scraped and bruised. He landed near him, crouching as he readied himself to grab the kid and pull him further away should the car stray toward them –

The car rushed fast, leaving behind an odd beat, a whiff of alcohol, and a flash of light.

And a strong scent of blood. Kakashi tensed again. He cursed in his head and, instead of fleeing, as he originally planned, shifted closer to sniff the kid; if he hurt him – Kakashi froze. Sensei. That kid – that kid could not possibly be –

The streetlight and his own vision made it tricky, but he was quite certain his hair was blond, and there was something about the shape of his face…

The kid lay sprawled on the asphalt, still panting. He winced, sat up slowly and painfully, and grabbed his head with an audible grunt. He hissed, trying to stop the bleeding with his palm, and looked up.

Fear widened those bright eyes. The eyes that now only beamed at him from pictures and memories. The eyes that, as a child, he had always looked up to. The eyes that looked at him now were wide and panicked and broken.

He had no doubt in his heart that they were sapphire blue.

That kid could not be the toddler that used to cling to him every night –

"Don't eat me," the kid managed. "Ah. Please."

Focus. He had to check the wound. Kakashi tilted his head as if in a question. He perked up his ears and wagged his tail, trying to look friendly. He considered lolling his tongue but decided it was too much. The kid should still flee. Monsters such as he do not care for manners.

The kid stared at him. His fear subsided. He looked… worried. "Hey, are you alone?"

Kakashi did not move. He waited, even when every instinct screamed at him, urging him to flee

The kid slowly got up to his feet and tiptoed, hunched, toward him. He kept his palm open and reached out, trembling slightly. "I'm not gonna hurt you, so please don't hurt me, alright? I think, I think we can be friends. What do you say? You wanna be my friend?" He kept his voice soft and light and soothing.

You should run away, boy, Kakashi thought. This is the wrong way to approach a wolf. Trust your fear and run.

And yet, the boy kept getting closer, still offering his hand while the other was pressed against his wound. His eyes were wide and lonely and sad. And hopeful.

Kakashi lowered his head just as slowly and licked the boy's palm. Sweat and dust and… bricks. Did the boy work for a construction company? He looked too young and thin for that. Involved in a gang, then?

"That's it, good boy," the kid murmured. He lifted his hand to brush his long fur and rub the spot behind his ears. "Hey, your fur is really soft! That means you're healthy n' stuff, right? I read about it in a magazine." He smiled; his eyes shone like the sun when he smiled. Just like Kushina's –

Kakashi rumbled. He lifted his head and licked the boy's wound.

The boy gasped. His eyes, just for a moment, were frightened again. His hands immediately gripped Kakashi's fur – perhaps he thought to shove him – and there they lingered. His tense body slowly softened with each gentle lick of his wound.

It was just a deep scratch, nothing more, and head wounds tended to bleed, but Kakashi still licked the cut thoroughly, cleaning the kid's face in the process. His long tongue ran from the kid's jaw to his forehead, licking the cheek and the boy's left eye.

"You… you're not eating me, right?" the kid asked quietly. You're not gonna hurt me," he whispered.

Kakashi rumbled again, sniffing the kid's hair, and kept licking him. He wondered why the boy thought the best way to approach the situation was by talking. He was a giant wolf, five feet tall on all fours, nine when standing on his hind legs. His bite could shatter bones with ease. His fangs and claws were four centimeters long. He was supposed to be a terrifying sight.

The kid, however, wrapped his hands around Kakashi's neck and cried.

Kakashi froze. He gazed down, staring at the pale hair and the shaking shoulders. That was unexpected. He exhaled and lowered his head, resting it on the boy's shoulder in a mock hug, and rumbled again.

The kid tightened his hold and rubbed his face in Kakashi's fur. "Don't leave. Please don't leave me. I can buy you food n' stuff and go on walks, and you can sleep in my bed – I bet it's comfier than sleeping in the woods – and I can give you belly rubs n' stuff. And… well, whatever else dogs like." His voice shifted from pleading to hoping to begging.

He held onto him so tightly.

Fuck. Kakashi closed his eyes and cursed the fates and his terrible luck and everyone else who appeared to be mocking him from the shadows. Fuck.

He always did have a soft spot for strays. And if the kid was…

No. he had no time for fantasies. One night, Kakashi decided. One night and he'll disappear. The kid, whoever he was, was not a part of the mission. He did not have time to care for him and play as his pet. No matter how hopeful his eyes were, how desperately he held on to him, burying his face in Kakashi's thick fur, or how broken and weak were his sobs.

But he could give him one night. Kakashi turned his head and licked the boy's cheek again, as if in agreement. The hour was late, and the kid probably had school tomorrow, and his parents must have been worried…

Where were the boy's parents?

The kid finally lifted his head and managed a shivering smile. "That's a yes, right? You're coming with me?" he asked, hopeful. His eyes lit up.

The boy must not have known much about canines if he expects this level of conversation from one. Still, it made the pretense easier. Kakashi got up and ambled toward the boy's bike. He stared at the kid and tilted his head. Don't make me bark, kid.

The kid's eyes grew anxious when Kakashi left his side – then closed in relief when he did not disappear.

"Yeah, you found my bike. Good job," he said, smiling, and got up with a wince. "Damn, my legs cramped up." He limped as he approached.

Kakashi trotted back to his side and nudged his head at the kid's shoulder. He was almost as tall as the kid, and yet, the kid simply smiled at him and wrapped his hands around his neck. "Thanks, buddy. Good dog."

I live for your compliments, Kakashi thought sarcastically and helped the boy limp to his bike.

It was easy to tell this was not their first tumble. The bike looked terrible, beaten and bent. The boy sighed and kicked them into the curve. "I'll pick them up tomorrow," he said. "I don't live far."

Still, it took him five minutes to get the limping kid home, which turned out to be one of those small, rentable apartments in the poorest part of the city. One step from homelessness, they used to call them. The kid limped toward a flight of stairs, flinched, and pulled himself up, one leg at a time. Kakashi walked with him, waiting patiently, sniffing and licking after every pained hiss.

The kid smiled at him, swallowing his pain. "Just a little more. Then we can eat and shower." He winced. "I hope you don't have to pee."

Kakashi shoved the kid's shoulder with his nose.

"Ow!" the kid laughed. "No pushing!"

Somehow, they made it to the second floor of the complex.

Those stairs must be dangerous in the rain and snow, he thought. What do you do then, kid?

"That's the door. Stay here and don't move." The kid pointed to the door marked with a swirl of paint resembling a whirlpool. "Gonna hook us some electricity." He snuck to the electrical box, glanced around, withdrew a small key from his backpack, and opened it. He retrieved several clipped wires as well and used them to connect the other houses' electricity to his.

This was a clever solution. Did his parents teach him that? Did he learn it himself? Kakashi tried – and failed – to kill the concern growing in his mind. This kid needed more help than a wolf, however big, can provide.

The kid limped back. "Good job, buddy! Here we go." And he unlocked the door.

Kakashi helped the boy limp inside, noting the cautious way he entered the small space and the way he looked behind him – twice – before locking the door. He turned on the light, still jumpy, and scanned the room.

"Well, everything seems to be where I left it." The boy muttered, as if to himself. "I'll show you around."

There wasn't much to see. The one-room apartment had a bed, a table, a single chair, a small bathroom, and an empty fridge.

The kid boiled water, then ransacked his backpack. He fished out half a sandwich and threw it to the wolf. "That's the best I can do for now. I'll save up, and then I can buy you food and a collar –"

Kakashi growled, deep within his chest. His fur bristled, enlarging his already large form. He lowered his ears and bared his teeth.

The kid fell back, eyes wide. He trembled. "A-all right," he breathed shakily. "No collar. Got it," he panted.

The wolf smelled fear and confusion and adrenalin, acerbic and rushed. He perked up his ears, forced his fur to calm down, and padded toward the boy with his head held low. He stopped before he reached him, then bumped his forehead against the boy's chest, rumbling.

"Don't-don't do that," the boy whispered. "You really scared me, for a second."

Kakashi rubbed his cheek against the kid's cheekbone and licked his eye. He was too skinny. He took a step back, found the sandwich, and carried it in his mouth, offering it to the boy.

The kid took it, and Kakashi sat behind him and licked his wound.

"I told you, don't eat me," the kid mumbled. He unwrapped the sandwich, tore a piece, and held it for the wolf, his palm open and flat. "Here. Now you know I'm your friend."

Kakashi hesitated. He could smell the boy's hunger and sense his saliva building up, then swallowed hastily. The boy's eyes, however, told a different story. Their hopeful spark hid a chasm of fear of rejection. He was so lonely.

Kakashi nibbled on the sandwich and licked the boy's hand clean of crumbs.

The boy's chest deflated in relief. He smiled – too fucking bright – and offered him another bite, which Kakashi also accepted.

Those eyes, those beautiful, broken eyes were impossible to refuse.

The kettle whistled, and the boy got up and poured the boiling water into a cup of instant ramen. He sat back on the floor, leaning against Kakashi, and smiled apologetically. "Can't share this with you, bud. I think it's lethal. I'll get you more food, I promise."

Kakashi growled in displeasure, then lay his head in the boy's lap. Don't buy me food, kid, he tried to communicate.

The kid petted him gently. "I know. It sucks to be hungry. I'll take care of you, I promise."

The wolf grumbled but did not move. The kid had a soft, understanding touch that soothed the wild beast roaring within him.

The boy finished eating and got up with a wince. "Shower time, buddy." He laughed when the wolf glared silently. "You have blood all over you. Come on."

Kakashi helped him get to the shower but refused to enter. He was not about to wash with an underage boy. He sat in front of the bath and glared at the door instead, pretending to be a loyal watchdog. This was ridiculous.

The kid tried to entice him by pointing the showerhead at him, but Kakashi bared his teeth, and the boy lost his bravado.

Eventually, he got out – Kakashi closed his eyes – dressed, and sat in front of the wolf. "It's just a wet towel. Don't get mad." Slowly and gently, he cleaned the fur from the stain of blood and dust. "Your fur is so pretty. I don't want it to get dirty," he mumbled.

Kakashi watched the boy care for him and wondered, not for the first time, where were the boy's parents. He had no doubt that the boy was attentive in his actions simply because he wished for another to act like that toward him. He leaned his head on the boy's shoulder and rumbled.

The kid hugged him, leeching warmth and comfort from his touch, and got up. "I'll just check tomorrow's schedule, and then we can sleep. How about that?" He walked, so tired he almost ran into a wall, to the small space that served as the rest of his apartment, and blinked at a wrinkled piece of paper, taped to the fridge. "History, English, Math." He hummed. "Pretty sure I don't have any homework… don't have any graph paper, though, for math n' stuff. I hope Iruka wouldn't mind."

Kakashi perked his ears and gazed at the schedule. Monday, third period, class A-7… that's his class. That's his period.

He blinked, gazing at the boy. He would never have guessed he was seventeen, especially considering his narrow shoulders and bright eyes. He turned his eyes to the paper again – and, were he not covered in fur, he would have probably paled. His heart raced, and his ears flattened against his skull all on their own. Damn. He had to resist the urge to tuck his tail between his legs.

The kid's name was Uzumaki. Uzumaki Naruto.

Kushina's maiden name was Uzumaki, and Sensei did name his son Naruto, after that cliché character from Professor Jirayia's book…

They told him he was dead. They told him he died with them. They said –

The boy – Naruto – ruffled his fur. "Bedtime, buddy."

He walked to the bed – still in the same room – and set his alarm. He yawned, stretched, and snuggled under the covers. "Come on." He lifted the blanket for the wolf and patted the mattress.

Kakashi follows, feeling dazed and dumb and dizzy. His heart thundered in his ears. He climbed onto the bed and rested his head on the boy's neck, sniffing him into his lungs. He smelled nothing like either of his parents. This might have been a mistake – he might have nothing to do with –

But the boy had no patience for his torn shreds of thoughts. He hugged the wolf and rubbed his face against his thick fur. "G'night, buddy."

Kakashi sighed – the air storming and hot and burning in his lungs – and licked the boy again.

He hoped the boy did not name him 'buddy.' That was embarrassing.


The alarm rang once. Twice. Three times

Naruto sighed and tried to reach the clock. Unfortunately, his aimless waving knocked it down, so the ringing started to vibrate through the floor. Naruto groaned. Fuck.

Something wet touched his forehead, and sniffed. Something even wetter touched his cheek.

Something sharp bit his nose.

Naruto snapped awake and pushed the head – white – furry – beastly – away from him with a loud yell –

And hit his head against the wall. He winced and covered his face with his arms –

A questioning rumble broke through the drumming of his heart. Naruto flinched and opened his eyes hesitantly, peeking from between his fingers.

A beast sat on his bed. A giant white dog with a long nose and sharp teeth and intelligent, mismatched eyes stared back. One was black and the other burning red; both were gentle… and perhaps slightly annoyed.

Naruto relaxed. "Oh, it's just you. You scared me." He bent down, picked up the still ringing clock, and turned it off with a yawn. "And that's just my alarm clock. It means I have to go."

The dog tilted his head.

Naruto got up, stretched, and began to dress. His eyes were still half-closed.

The dog followed him and shoved the now discarded clock into his hand.

Naruto stared and blinked. His sight was still bleary. "Yeah. It's early. My shift starts at five." he yawned again. "It's the only one I can go to, now that school starts n' all." He tied his shoes. "I should drop, honestly. I fail at everything."

The dog rumbled again and licked his face.

Naruto faked half a smile and pushed the dog away, then rubbed his head. "Don't take me seriously! That's too depressing. Maybe this year is my year, y'know? I'll get good grades and stuff and get out of this shithole and… and yeah." He picked up his bag and dropped a single notebook and three half-chewed pencils inside it. No lunch. His backpack was torn.

"See ya after school! I'll save up for dinner!" Naruto yelled, then locked the door and rushed outside.


The dog sighed, then twitched. Where a giant beast once lay now sat a white-haired man, naked and troubled. His eyes were eerily mismatched – one was black, and the other, burning red.

He stared at the clock, then placed it on the side table near Naruto's bed. Four-thirty in the morning. And he had packed no food. The man strolled to the kitchen. He noted the dust; the broken furniture and appliances, fixed with duct tape and rope to provide a semblance of functionality; the make-shift curtains; the lone chair. The fridge, despite a more thorough investigation, remained empty. The kid had half a loaf of bread left, and even that was stale. His dining table was covered in letters – bills, by the look of them.

The man ruffled through them, his brow furrowed. Fake, all of them, but judging by the state of his apartment, the boy did not know the difference.

The man opened the window and breathed deeply – and a giant wolf, as white as snow, jumped down into the trees and disappeared.


Notes:


Hey y'all!
So it's a bit different from what I usually write - hope you liked it! Please, tell me your thoughts =)
I didn't believe (or accept, you choose) some of the redemption arcs portrayed in Naruto, and that is going to be reflected in my writing. No hate aimed at anyone or any character, just my interpretation.
A lot of the moments will be aimed to reflect things that actually happened in canon, altered to fit the new reality of the AU, and I'll try to point them out when I can, but if you feel like my characterization is off, please feel free to tell me.
That's all! Thanks for reading!