Naruto/Ilia
Nineteen years ago, everything in his life changed.
The unprecedented snowstorm, its icy tendrils damaging systems and threatening to plunge his city into a frozen abyss, was a harrowing ordeal.
What had changed his life then was the molten crimson crater, the flash of light that came from it and drew next to his beloved city, and the swarm of Grimm that it attracted.
Never before had he seen so many Grimm, and instead of being drawn to his city or the township below, they were all drawn to the crater and burned to cinders. So many Grimm were destroyed in an instant and at the center…
"Father?" The voice of a young man abruptly shattered his thoughts. He stood before the center console, his blue eyes staring distantly at the night sky as the airship glided through the air with ease, his earlier thoughts lost.
Turning, he saw a student of his Academy with a mop of spiky blonde locks wearing a coat and uniform similar to his own, a blue vest and orange tie, a color he found he had to have everything. Likely due to it matching the color of his Faunus trait as his tail swished behind him. "You seem lost in thought. Should I come back at a later time?"
"No, it's fine." James' lip curled at the sight of his, and shook his head before his face stiffened. "You are up late, soldier. Rest is paramount for peak performance."
"Speak for yourself." Cerulean eyes defiantly stared back into his, hand on his hip, smirking at his father's scowl. "You may be the General, and I'm your student, but I'm not on the clock. And I'm your kid. You are just as susceptible to sleep deprivation as anyone else. Make sure to get your rest before we arrive at Vale, old man. You can't kick the bucket and expect me to take over for you just yet? I don't want to do that!"
James glared down at his son, his disappointment palpable. He crossed his arms, feeling an emotional barrier between them. It had been there for quite some time… They had some fundamental differences. Ever since the incident at the Glass Unicorn. "With that kind of attitude, you're going to struggle. You won't achieve much with that mindset."
"Because you know that isn't my goal. I don't want to join the army when there are more important things to take care of." Naruto glared at his father with a scowl, matching the intensity with his gaze. "With all the people suffering and the Grimm hurting people, I just want to help everyone out there… So I'm gonna be the person who goes out there and helps them. …Be the hero they need, ya know?"
A harsh silence followed as the father and son duo stared one another down. Their varied shades of blue clashed, and their wills collided, only to cede when a startled voice stumbled upon them. "I apologize for interrupting! I'll go…"
"It is quite alright, Lieutenant Harper. We're finished here." Naruto huffed and turned away from his father, rolling his eyes. "So much for checking in on ya and ensuring you are doing alright, old man."
Sternly watching his son retreat until he had completely vanished, a crack in his demeanor visibly showed with a weak sigh; turning away from Olive and looking onto the sky, lost in his thoughts once more.
He knew that. His son's priorities were different than his… And that was who he wanted him to be. He was who Remnant would need when the time came.
He was the hero he could never be. He could do what he couldn't.
"What happened here?"
" General! Ah, yes! You see, I came upon the scene where these children were being savagely beaten by this little beasts! We had no idea she had lied to get in and…"
"That's not true at all!"
"Child, where are your manners? Where you asked…"
"No, allow my son to speak. If he is a key witness, I trust what he saw."
"So what happened was Ilia was enjoying lunch with her friends when the news was announced. She lost control of her emotions, and her skin turned blue… Everyone started belittling her for being a Faunus, and she just snapped and… I can understand… Her parents were in the mines."
"And she knocked out several students marked for Atlas Academy on her own?"
"Well… You see… I may have intervened just a little, but she did most of it… The jerks deserved it. We Faunus gotta look out for each other!"
"We? …Wait… General, your son is…"
"Indeed he is. Is that a problem?"
"No! It's just…"
"Very well. …Ilia Amitola?"
"...Yes."
"You have my condolences. I cannot express the grief I feel for the loss we have felt today, and we are currently taking steps to make sure something like this will never happen again…"
"Oh… Thank you, General…"
"While it isn't much, I can offer a scholarship to continue your learning in a more fruitful environment… I have an offer if you would like to listen."
Aimlessly wandering through the short passages of his father's grand airship, he couldn't help but exhale. He just wanted to check on his father. Be the person his father had raised him to be… The person he felt his father was before he had begun to change in the last ten years…
"Didn't go well?" A feminine chuckle echoed behind him.
Turning behind him, a small but slender figure faded from the white walls with the hint of electric blue being just an off shade from them. She slithered close to him, her hip pressed against his before a smile flickered on her tanned expression. "Well, I can't say I'm surprised, handsome. I've known you since I was eight, and in the last six years, your relationship has deteriorated…"
"Why are you trying to hide from me? You know you can't." Naruto scowled as he glanced down, feeling Ilia's proximity but not shying away. "Assume you heard everything?"
"I did. …You both need to put aside your egos." Ilia squinted at Naruto before standing up straight and placing her hands on her hips. "It's clear the two of you want to set aside your problems, so one of you has got to make the first move and let their guard down! So stop being so stubborn, as you know he isn't!"
"Why does it have to be me?!" Naruto growled his complaint, leaning away from the agitated state.
"Because I know you can let go of your ego and better the bigger man! You let me take control of our relationship all the time!" Ilia flatly countered, puffing out her chest.
Naruto's eyes squinted before he scoffed. "You can't compare our relationship to my relationship with my father's. I don't expect to get intimate with my father like I do with you!"
"Every relationship, regardless of its intimacy, shares many basic principles. You and your father's relationship at its base still share some of these principles. You must set aside your massive pride and considerable egos."
"You make it sound easy! It's been years since we had a normal conversation!" Naruto hissed before suddenly feeling Ilia slink back to his side, her hip onto his.
"It's going to take some time. You two let it become like this, so it will take time to heal." Ilia comfortingly responded with a smile. Her lips then quivered, her expression twisted devilishly as she rubbed against Naruto, and her eyes burned into his. "And as I said, you will have to put aside that massive, girthy, and weighty… Ego. …Wanna practice?"
Naruto couldn't help but sigh. Ilia was right. She always was. He had been listening to her and Ciel, which was why he had been trying so hard to try and patch up his relationship with…
"Practice, you say?" A brilliant sparkle shone within Naruto's eyes as he caught onto Ilia's innuendo and saw the shimmer in her eyes. "So, is this your way of telling me you want to take the lead or…"
"Only one way to find out."
R & R.
