For These Scars
~Chapter 4~
Written by: RinoaDestiny
King of Fighters, Kyo Kusanagi, Iori Yagami, and Saisyu Kusanagi belong to SNK
To say he was pissed off was an understatement. Kyo roared and he rarely roared.
"What the hell do you mean by that?" His tone was unfilial to the extreme, his volume raised higher than it should have been, and by all means, he shouldn't be towering over his father but the latest regulations were going too far, dammit! "What do you mean I can't see my friends?"
"Your friends can come over to see you. You cannot –"
"Then what's that bullshit about the clan chaperone? Was that all false?"
"If you need to go out for certain functions, then that holds." His father weathered his yelling as though it was nothing. He rarely saw this side of Saisyu – usually, the other preferred sleeping late and doing nothing much at all (leaving most of it to his mom) – but seeing him like this brought it home to him that Saisyu was the head patriarch. While he deigned to use his authority most times, apparently, his indiscretions with Yagami now caused this side of his father to show.
It was highly upsetting and irritating and downright enraging.
Kyo let his temper fly and didn't care that it was disgraceful for him to act this way.
He was an adult. Was twenty three. His own affairs were his business, not his father's. Finding out he pried into it – he still didn't know how or what gave it away – and going from shock to horror and then full-blown fury seemed like reasonable reactions. Because the hell? What did he care?
And now he couldn't see his friends? Was the old man really that worried about…?
"So if Benimaru and Goro want to see me –"
"They can come over. I've thought this through, Kyo. They know the other contestants. That includes that boy, correct?"
"Yeah. What of it?"
"I can't trust that you wouldn't use that as an excuse to find him. I do not control your friends."
"But you can control them if they come here?"
"Exactly. Now will you sit down and behave? This is most unlike you, Kyo."
Unlike him only because the old man treaded where he shouldn't have. Ignoring his father's directive, Kyo remained standing, fists clenched tight. Clansmen stood outside his father's study – reinforcements in case this got ugly – and he knew they remembered every word. Probably had someone writing it down. Blackmail material? Or just to throw his words back in his face should they need to as some form of control?
"And Yuki? What about her?"
"You still think about her? Consider her? I would've thought –"
"Do not bring that up. I'm asking you what would happen if I wanted to –"
"Considering she'll be your future wife, considerations will be different. We do not want to make her think twice about marrying into the clan, correct?"
"You trust her." That wasn't a question. He needed to know where his father stood on this.
"Why shouldn't I? She, out of all your friends and acquaintances, would be least likely to encourage your behavior in that regard. She does not know, son. Consider that a kindness from me."
"Kindness," he snarled, hearing an echo of Yagami's tone from long ago in his voice. "And me? What about me? Is this kindness?"
"Once you realize the full import of your actions and seek to make amends, we can discuss about relaxing these rules. Until then, son, you will continue to be watched. The clan relies on you – on what you bring to its future – but we cannot do that if you are still immature."
In other words, what he and Yuki would bring to its future. A child. The next heir.
Impossible if he and Yagami were still entangled, their lives as one.
"Anything else?" he snapped. He didn't like surprises and Saisyu springing this one floored him, made him see red. It was the reason why he stormed into the old man's study in the first place, demanding answers. He only found out today – a week into what boiled down to clan-imposed house arrest – that further limitations had been made to his freedoms.
He had every right to be angry. To be yelling, to demand to be heard.
"Not at this time. Don't test me, son. It'd go easier for you."
"Yeah. I'm sure it will."
Then, he left, one of the clansmen trailing him, close as a shadow. One of the impositions in his life now. He entered his room and slammed the door shut, right in the clansman's face. It made him feel better but not by much.
Yagami hadn't gotten back to him at all. He sent out another barrage of follow-up texts and left another voice message. It'd been days since he last contacted him and it was as if the other man had disappeared entirely. He wasn't sure where he was, what had happened, and it wasn't as if he could just up and leave to find out. His clan's restrictions barred that path to him – not that he wasn't seeking a way around it. Some loophole.
His father trusted Yuki but she didn't know. If he told her…
Yuki had been there, had been waiting, when he came back years later after 1997. He'd changed by then, his experience with NESTS embittering him to a certain degree and she'd been there. Had been his comfort and support in the days that followed. If he were to tell her what happened between him and Yagami, how their hatred transformed into something else…
He didn't want to hurt her. She was too good for that – to get that from him.
He wondered about his mother. Shizuka was anything but her namesake – she certainly wasn't quiet – and he expected her to drop by and ask him what was going on. Because Shizuka Kusanagi didn't just sit around like some good housewife without knowing what was occurring within the household. With his imprisonment (that was how he chose to see it) and Saisyu being unreasonable, it wasn't as if she'd be unaware of the sudden tensions between father and son. If she wasn't here, yet…
His mother was likely gathering information. Had her own sources.
She would show up. Ask him what was going on. And when she did, he'd tell her and see what she thought. Kusanagi clan though she might be, his mother was more level-headed, calmer, able to see the bigger picture. Able to see past her prejudices. If anyone would hear him out – see where he was coming from regarding Yagami – it'd be her.
He just needed it to happen soon. Not being able to go anywhere was driving him crazy.
Later that night, when the household was asleep – all lights off (someone probably outside his door) – he set his phone to 'record' and condensed all his concerns and worries in it. It took a few tries, since he wanted to make sure it captured his face and finally on the fourth attempt, he got a decently clear video. This, he sent to Yagami. If the other man was still around, was still interested in him even – he couldn't explain the sudden absence – he hoped this would let him know. Let him know that he, Kyo Kusanagi, was still invested in their relationship.
He just needed a response, no matter how brief.
He was willing to wait. To keep trying until he heard back from Iori.
Until then, he was up to his own devices. His own ruses to slip this chain, this yoke around his neck. Because he wanted out. As soon as possible.
He left another text and this one to a familiar friend.
It wasn't much but it was a start.
Beni, this is Kyo. Give me a call when you have time.