Warnings:
Angst.
Pairings:
Kiba/Tsume
Disclaimers:
Main characters are properties of BONES.
****************
Pride:
// And even
the comrades in our clan who couldn’t run away…the only one who survived…was
me. //
He groaned and buried his face
within his raised knees, not really caring about the huge gust of wind that had
begun to blow. Flecks of snow fluttered around him, but he didn’t care. He
could barely feel anything at this point.
Why had he shared something
so personal with him?
What had possessed him to
tell someone he did not completely trust about a past that he had wished to
shut out?
Was he trying to make him
understand? Did he really need his rival to understand him completely?
“Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.”
He got to his feet, abruptly,
and stared down at the fading lights of the dark city below him. Gloomy and
miserable, just as his heart felt at this moment. There was no warmth amongst
the people below him. Each alley had a dark secret that could bring a quick
death to wolves like him. And it didn’t help that the dogs in this city were
ready and willing to destroy them if given the slightest chance.
Memories of his encounter
with the disgruntled wolves caused him to place a hand against his chest. He
idly stroked the scars, wincing slightly as he felt the dull ache sear through
his body. It would take some time to heal, but he had no intentions of letting
these wounds stop him from his destination.
He was going to find
So, why did I have to tell
him about...that?
“Why...?”
He stiffened as his sharp
senses picked up the presence of another of his kind. Having spent some time
with the others, he could now tell one from the other without really looking
around. And this scent was all too familiar.
“Are you going to stand here
all night?” came the gruff and rather impatient voice. “That damn pup is about
to start howling again, if you don’t come back to the shelter. Not that I care
either way...”
“Then why did you come?” he
asked in a voice that was completely devoid of emotion.
It was funny how they could
act like complete strangers one moment and then the next, be ready to rip each
other’s throats out. But if there was one thing he couldn’t deny...it was the
palpable tension he always felt when around the silver-haired wolf. There was
this air of mystery and danger around the lean and strong beast – a danger that
he was all too aware of.
The taller boy scowled and
kicked at a clump of snow in exasperation. “I told you that, that damn pup…”
“But you didn’t have to come
did you?”
He was now in his complete
wolf-form, and Kiba did not need to turn around to sense that either. Rousing
the other’s anger was beginning to become a favorite pastime of his. Perhaps,
he needed the silver-haired wolf to remain in that form, he didn’t know. But
either way, he longed to taste the fervor of a good fight.
His pride was at stake after
all.
As for Tsume, he had heard
enough. He did not have to deal with the snow-white beast before him any
longer. It wasn’t as if Kiba had known him his entire life. It wasn’t as if
Kiba had gone through the hardships and sufferings of his existence. What the
hell did he know? Compared to him, the white wolf had had it easy and
yet he dared to look down on him?
But you
heard his story. And you can’t say that you weren’t shocked to find out about
his past.
Tsume shook his head quickly
as he tried to ignore that small, sensible voice in his head. This was no time
to think about some sentimental moment. He was sure that Kiba had had a lapse
in judgment, for he was sure that the other wolf would never have revealed
something so intimate to him.
He growled and bared his
fangs at the other wolf before him and repeated himself more slowly. “Toboe wants
you back at the shelter, and you are going to follow me back there even if I
have to drag you myself.”
Kami, you drive me insane,
Kiba!!
Kiba was now completely in
his wolf form as well and he finally spun around to pin golden depths on the
ones, seemingly, filled with hate before him.
Do you even
realize how beautiful you look in your true form, Tsume? There is a power in
your body that longs to be unleashed. I want to feel that power, Tsume. Show me
your true self - the one beneath the layer of false pride.
And in a move that betrayed
the wounds he had suffered just a few days ago, Kiba leapt into the air, headed
straight for the surprised silver-gray wolf before him. Barely having the time
to brace himself, Tsume found himself smothered by the large wolf and he
snarled angrily, shaking himself quickly to rid himself of the persistent
beast.
“Kuso!! I will kill you!!”
And with a wild swing of his
paw, he vaguely heard the sound of skin being ripped and the heady scent of
blood filling his nostrils. He could feel the heavy weight of Kiba get off him
and he used the opportunity to move away, his head lowered and eyes alert,
ready and waiting for his bleeding opponent to make another foolish move.
The white snow was now
stained with the red liquid and the white wolf, now with a large gash on his
side, stood panting harshly at the other. He seemed to be grinning and for a
moment, Tsume was sure that Kiba was enjoying this.
Does he long for death so much? I could kill him in a heartbeat if I
wanted to…
So, why don’t you?
Damn that inner voice! But
the question still buzzed around in his mind. Why couldn’t he just kill Kiba
and return back to the way things were? Ever since the white wolf’s arrival,
Tsume’s world had been turned upside down. His normal and boring life of trying
to fit in with humans had now become one of constant need for survival.
Damn him! Damn him…
“Damn you, Kiba!” He finally
bellowed in fury, even as his heart pounded with confusion and frustration. “Do
you want me to kill you?!”
Kiba smirked and hobbled
closer to Tsume. “Go ahead. You have already taken off a large chunk from
me…you might as well finish the job.”
A look of uncertainty
flickered behind the silver depths and Tsume found himself staggering backwards
in worry. Kiba looked…
“You are crazy, do you know
that?” Tsume whispered harshly. “You are insane!!” And with a furious howl
filled with pain, confusion, fear and need, he pounced on Kiba again, but to both
their surprises, instead of killing him as promised, Tsume found himself
darting out a hot tongue to lap on the wound he had created.
The hot blood filled his
mouth and he groaned softly, turning back into his human form as he licked the
bleeding flesh with hunger. The wound was on Kiba’s flat torso and now in his
human form as well, the piercing blue-eyed boy could only gape at the bobbing
head below him in bemusement.
What is this strange rush of…heat...that I feel?
He hitched in a harsh breath
as Tsume intensified his licks. A small pitiful cry of pleasure escaped his
lips, rather reluctantly, as he dug his fingers into the cold snow, refusing to
touch the other boy.
Stop it. Stop it! Oh, God…please…stop…
“Aah!”
Tsume smirked at the much
louder cry. Kiba’s torso heaved with each touch and the silver-haired boy was
quite aware of the effect his actions were causing. Hazel depths darkened into
golden pools of need, as he felt Kiba’s evident arousal against his chest. He
pulled away from the clean wound and smacked his lips in satisfaction. And with
a devilish glint in his eyes, he placed both hands on each side of Kiba’s head
and leaned closer to him.
The dark-haired boy stared
into the handsome face above, his breathing becoming ragged as he realized what
the other boy was about to do to him. He could feel his face darken with heat
and he squeezed his eyes shut as he felt Tsume press himself closer to his
body.
Stop this! I can’t…stop it!!
A reluctant shiver coursed
down his spine as Tsume licked his ear and whispered huskily into it. “You are
a beautiful creature, Kiba. So beautiful that I could rip your heart out if I
so choose to…” He moved his lips closer to Kiba’s and was about to seal them
with a kiss, when he howled out in pain. He rolled off the panting boy and
glared daggers at him, now holding his own bleeding rib cage. “You…you
bastard!”
Kiba staggered to his feet
weakly, his breathing still irregular as he tried to digest what would have
happened. He tried desperately to maintain some semblance of control on his
features, but realized that he was failing miserably at that attempt. His mind
was a whirl of conflicting emotions and Kiba did not like it all. “Don’t…don’t
ever do that again…do you understand me, Tsume?!” He finally managed to say
thickly.
Several minutes passed by as
both wolves stared each other down, daring the other to give in first. Finally,
the silver-haired boy turned away with a light snort. “Hn…don’t count on this
being the last time, Kiba. For someone who is so bent on being in control...it
seems to be that you are so easy to fall into temptation. Stay out of my way,
Kiba.” He growled softly, eyes narrowing into thin slits that seemed to twinkle
with danger. “I do not intend to stop next time, got it?”
Running footsteps were soon
heard and Kiba had to bite back his protest as he watched Toboe and Hige catch
up to them.
The brown-haired wolf, known
as Hige, sniffed the air and nodded with a small grin as he eyed the two taller
boys. “I knew I smelt something funny, Toboe.” He glanced at the bloodstained
snow and it didn’t take a genius to figure out what had happened. Although,
from the tension between the two wolves, Hige was sure that there was a whole
lot more than met the eye.
“Aarrgh! You two were
fighting again?” Toboe asked with a small sigh of exasperation, as he, too,
took in the situation quickly. He was the youngest and the one more concerned
for their personal welfare. “We can’t leave you two alone for a few minutes
without trying to kill each other. Eh? And what’s this?!” He exclaimed as he
finally tore his gaze away from Tsume to gawk at the new wound on Kiba’s
ribcage. “You are bleeding again! And your other wounds haven’t even healed
yet! Are you trying to kill yourself, Kiba?”
But the white wolf hardly
paid attention to the worried boy before him. His attention was focused on the
smirking hazel depths that seemed to hide an inner secret that he was
determined to discover one day.
Maybe someday, Tsume…he thought as he watched the lithe figure leap down
from the roof and into the darkened streets below. Maybe someday…we can put
aside our pride and find out the truth that really lies underneath.
~ OWARI ~