Eternals

Once both Bashur and Sky were out of their general area. Kurow could do absolutely nothing but let everything out. All the emotions he had kept to himself for the past few lonely months came out as he broke down right in front of the little sun god, the child of Amaterasu, But that was not what he saw when he looked at the puppy. He saw someone who was helpful, caring, soft, and lovable. But he also saw his partner and his best friend. But what if, what if he was something more? All of the emotions, even when he had first met the wolf puppy. All of the regrets. All of the sadness. And all of pain. All of it slipped out into the sobs that shook his entire body and the tears that rolled down his face.

Chibi sat in front of him, a calmness and soft look upon his face. He stared at his best friend at first who had gone through so much just to face up to his destiny, be resurrected and then live in a lonely and dark world for months in search of him. He knew the others would do the same but not the way that Kurow did it. Passionately and with a strong desire for purpose. Love. It was there and Chibi could just see it. He didn't see a soulless, Moon Tribe copy, a doll and someone not worthy of a life and love. No, he saw Kurow. His partner, his best friend and possibly even something even more.

Tears brimming at Chibi's own eyes, the puppy scooted towards Kurow and wrapped his front paws around his friend's neck in a tight hug. Kurow was caught off guard and let out a small gasp of surprise at the sudden gesture. But Chibi did not loosen his grip and simply tilted his head to rest his head on his friend's shoulder, his own tears slipping down his narrow face. Kurow simply whimpered and let the tears continue down his face. Shaking, he wrapped his own arms around the furry back of his canine friend, pulling him close to him and letting his tears soak the fur of the wolf puppy.

Their moment lasted until Kurow finally was able to calm down, pulling away while still shaking and the tears still falling from his eyes freely. He tried to speak but his words got stuck in his throat. Noticing his discomfort, Chibi smiled softly and lifted his paw and wiped the tears from the boy's face. Surprise clouding his eyes, Kurow looked back up to Chibi, his warm look comforting the young boy.

"C-Chi-ib-bi?" Kurow breathed, his voice cracking.

Chibi tilted his head and whimpered slightly as he used his real name. Although he preferred being called by his real name, hearing Kurow call him by his real name, it didn't feel right and by the way he said it, it sounded forced, like Kurow didn't want to say it like that.

Chibi barked, his words translating easily in Kurow's mind. "Don't call me that" he calmly said.

Kurow looked at Chibi with confusion. "W-Wha-at?" he choked out.

"Call me what you call me"

Blinking a few tears from his eyes, he shook his head slightly and spoke, "L-Litt-tle D-Dude-e?"

"Yes Kurry?" Chibi knew Kurow liked the nickname he had given him and in his time of need, the puppy knew he needed every bit of comfort he could get.

Kurow visably shook and only calmed when Chibi placed his paw gently on his hand, just a mere touch from his friend able to calm him. "W-Why?" he asked, his voice strained and almost pained.

The pain in his voice hurt Chibi, knowing that something was hurting his partner emotionally. His heart wrenched as he watched the usually lively and bright boy completely broken before him. Whatever was wrong, he knew he needed to help him. "Why what Kurry?" he gently asked him.

"W-Why do you f-forg-give m-me? W-Why d-do yo-ou put up with m-me?" Kurow choked out, tears flowing back down his face in emotional pain.

Knowing that Kurow felt this bad about himself broke Chibi's young heart and yet, he still was able to remain calm. He probably picked up this trait from his mother. But seeing him this broken before him was not something normal for Kurow and he felt the overwhelming urge to fix him, to make him feel better and be the best friend he had grown so close to. The Kurow he had fallen for.

"I-I forgive you because you deserve it. you don't deserve to die without living a life you desire to have. And I-" Chibi cut off, his other question clicking in his mind causing him to whimper in protest. He whimpered to show that the question hurt him. He whimpered as he gently attempted to nuzzle Kurow in comfort but only received a slight rejection by his friend pulling away from him.

"I-I don't put up with you" he started receiving a flinch of hurt from Kurow who now refused to look at him. Noticing this Chibi frowned slightly and nudged his friend with his snout. "P-Please look at me"

Hesitating, Kurow looked back to Chibi, tears flowing freely from his eyes as he prepared for the stinging words of how he wasn't wanted by his best friend. But the words never came.

"I don't put with you because I don't need to. I-I like the things you do and the way you act because... because that's just who you are"

"B-but what about w-when I-I betrayed y-you? I-I sided with A-Akur-ro and then f-fought you. I-I forced y-you to k-kil-ll me..." the Moon Tribe boy asked. "T-That's n-not who I-I am..."

"No, but you were scared of what your Okami-world destiny was and you needed the push to face it. I-I never wanted to kill you. I could have resisted but I knew I had to. But that doesn't mean I don't regret it whenever I think about it" Chibi barked, his words calming Kurow down a little bit.

"T-That fight... I-I hated every m-moment of it. I-I r-regret it t-too, d-dude" Kurow said, gaining some control of his tears.

"But Kurow, can I ask you something?" Chibi pressed, a question on his mind ever since he had been broken free of his dark trance only a few hours ago.

"S-Sure Little Dude" Kurow said, regaining the majority of control of his emotions by this point knowing that Chibi didn't hate him and actually was his true best friend.

The wolf puppy shook his head to himself, ridding the unwanted thoughts. He briefly looked away from Kurow as he did this, not wanting to seem dazed out while looking at his friends. Sighing, the pup looked back and smiled softly. "You have always been there for me, even when you were trying to outrun your destiny. So were the others. But when this whole darkness thing happened, you followed me without thinking. Why is that?" He tilted his head slightly. It was a simple question but it still held a great deal of meaning.

The question may be simple but it did not receive a simple answer from Kurow who was taken aback by the sudden question. Why had he followed him? Why would he not? But that wasn't the answer Chibi wanted nor expected. Despite being a puppy and having a mind as such, when it came the time, he could be serious and more mature. Now was one of those times. Plus, he wasn't going to trick the little god into believing some made-up crap-like lies. So he might as well just let it out.

He knew the others would've probably done the same but would've thought about it beforehand. He wasn't saying that they weren't loyal, they most defiantly were, but they would be more careful. And being himself, Kurow would be more reckless. But he had still followed Chibiterasu through that dark portal without a second thought and then had lived in the dark place for months, not even having the desire to try and leave without his partner.

Of course, there was a larger reason behind it other than them just being friends. If the puppy was just his friend, he would've eventually tried to leave at some point. Even when he had had that flirtatious mood to him, he never really had felt attracted to that Scholar Lady and only acted like it in order to not let his true feelings out. He had only ever had feelings towards the little sun god whom he went on adventures with and eventually fulfilled their Okami-world destinies together through his own death. Even when he was resurrected as an Eternal, he could never work up the courage to say anything and did his best to continue to hide his feelings.

But now was different. Now was the moment. The perfect place and time to say it. But not before he asked something. Something also important, at least to him. "You've always been my friend, gave me forgiveness when I didn't think I deserved it and yet you still stick with me. Why Little Dude?" Kurow asked, gaining full control of his tears.

It was Chibi's turn to be taken aback. His question was very similar to his which was normally something Kurow would do but this time, it felt different. Like he was trying to hint at something. Sure he himself was a might too young to worry about the whole feelings thing and whatnot. But he had expected to possibly feel them around Kagu or Kuni if anyone. But they were his close friends and if anything, he felt better around the strange and lively Moon Tribe boy who he went through the most with.

But it never occurred to him what his feelings were until Kurow was resurrected to which Chibi did his best to hide his feelings from the boy. They were too total different species but that never seemed to stop anything in the Eternals. In the Eternals, they were free to do what they wanted and feelings were no exception ever here.

But now was as good as ever a good moment to do so. To tell his best friend his feelings and finally let it all out. Chibi sighed and looked away from Kurow once more, trying to gather his thoughts before speaking. Kurow tilted his own head slightly at the sudden change of attitude.

Blinking his eyes a few times, Chibi lifted his head to meet the eyes of his best friend, who stared back at him with emotions too hard for his mind to read. "Kurow... I need you to know that you are my best friend, even more than the others and the reason why I always have and always will stay with you is because I like you. A lot" the wolf puppy barked with a small wag of his tail.

"Little Dude..." Kurow breathed carefully as the unspoken words rang through his head. He liked him, a lot. He knew exactly what that meant. But how could this work? How could he absolutely sure? There really was only way. And now he needed to figure it out. It was now or never. Sighing himself, Kurow held his friend's gaze before speaking, "The reason why I followed you through that portal so easily is because I like you, a lot too"

They were both frozen for a while, not moving but never breaking their gazes away from each other. They were lost in each other's eyes, transfixed by the other completely. Then Chibi made the first move. He smiled softly and playfully nuzzled Kurow, wagging his ink-tipped tail happily. Kurow giggled as he gently pushed Chibi back a few steps as the puppy licked him cheerfully.

"Whoa, calm down there Little Dude" Kurow said, pushing Chibi off of him, despite actually liking the affections he was giving him.

"I love you Kurow" Chibi barked, with full meaning.

Chuckling to himself, Kurow smiled. "I love you too Chibi" using his real name for once.