Ryuga x King

Bonus Chapter 2

(Author's Note: Posting both of these chapters in one day since this was intended to just be one chapter but ended up being really long.)

Ryuga's POV

Ryuga spent the next few days avoiding Kenta's parents. That was a fact he didn't bother denying to himself: he spent every daylight hour out of the house, either training or going on walks alone or sometimes seeing friends. When it was dark, he was holed up in his room. He couldn't face Kenta's parents: not when he didn't have an answer for them. The few times he couldn't avoid them were the times his thoughts ran even more rampant with his doubts and indecision. So he ended up limiting conversation with them greatly.

Right now, he was sitting outside on the porch, well past dark. Everyone else was inside eating dinner. Ryuga was waiting for them to all leave before he went inside for his own dinner. A twinge of guilt gnawed at him. He knew he should go inside since it was past dark and Kenta's parents didn't know where he was but his anxiety kept him out here.

Behind him, the door suddenly creaked open. Ryuga stiffened.

There was a sigh from Kenta's mom. "I knew it."

"Knew what?" Ryuga muttered, not meeting her gaze.

"You're avoiding us. It-it freaked you out, I... I knew we shouldn't have- I mean, with your trust issues and-"

"Trust issues?" Ryuga cut off her anxious rambling.

"You really aren't the most trusting. I didn't think you were trying to keep that secret."

Ryuga didn't- no, couldn't reply to that. Kenta's mom sat down next to him, heaving a sigh.

"It's okay... I get it."

Ryuga bit back a chuckle. "No, you absolutely don't. Don't make me laugh."

Kenta's mom glared at him. "You think you're the only person on earth with trust issues?"

"I didn't mean it like that!" he grunted, looking away. "I just... meant you don't. At least... You don't seem like you do." He looked back at her, raising an eyebrow. "You knew who I was and you didn't seem wary."

"I was... at first."

"Oh..." Ryuga was a little taken aback.

Kenta's mom sighed, "But I figured if you were friends with Kenta, you'd probably changed since..." She hesitated, biting her lip. "Since that tournament."

That tournament... Ryuga stiffened. He had never really known how much Kenta's parents knew about his past but that confirmed one thing.

"You saw Battle Bladers... And you still..." Ryuga shivered, his eyes narrowed. "I'm sorry, but you weren't wary enough. You didn't even know I didn't have L-Drago at the time, I could've... I..." He growled before exclaiming, "What if I had hurt you or dad?! What were you thinking?!"

Kenta's mom evenly met his gaze. "That you were just a kid in need of a place to belong. And..." Her voice faltered only for a moment, becoming steady again. "And that you had no idea how parents are supposed to be because you were abused."

Ryuga flinched. "You... You don't...! I..." He let out a sigh, his gaze shifting to the ground. "No... I can't lie, you'd see through it anyways." His voice turned to a growl. "I don't understand how you're so disgustingly perceptive."

"It's not perceptiveness... It's empathy."

Ryuga's eyes widened. "E-empathy?! You..." His words died. His shock quickly turned to rage.

Kenta's mom dipped her head. "Sorry to drop that on y-"

Ryuga barely processed what he did. The next thing he knew he was hugging his mother, glaring off in the distance at the thought of someone hurting her. She hugged him back. Ryuga was suddenly less tense, his anger fading slightly. The door opened.