A/N: Weeee, super long chapter. Full of painful Kamishiro flashbacks, and Rio playing dress up with her brother. Because I totally love Rio bullying Ryoga until he realised he was a really good duellist and even then he only starts standing up for himself when Rio's in hospital. Because I like the idea of the little crybaby pulling himself up and becoming stronger. And he's got quite the abusive family (because all my favourite characters have to suffer trauma, it's just how I am) and I also love the idea of IV/Thomas and Ryoga's lives being more entwined than they are in the show. Essentailly, we've abandoned canon and I'm wandering off on headcanons completely now. But that's way more fun anyway, yes, it's a painful little chapter but we get fun next chapter. So, enjoy and review and thanks to those who do, ok?


Kaito had quickly come to terms with the jealousy that rose in him watching Yuma and Ryoga together. Ryoga had that dumb smile and Yuma was laughing and Ryoga really seemed to loosen up around Yuma in a way that Kaito just couldn't bring out of him. He supposed he'd have to just wait and see about that. After meeting Ryoga's family, he started to realise why Ryoga was how he was. Looking at Ryoga, he couldn't imagine him as a young, weak sibling. He couldn't imagine him being bullied by Rio. She was a tease and could be a little mean sometimes but that was how siblings were. There was a part of Kaito that wished he knew more about Ryoga, that he could reach him like Yuma did, to make him laugh and smile like the stupid kid he was.

"So… it's true then?" Yuma said after a while. He glanced between them. "You two are like… a couple?"

Ryoga smiled and shook his head, and Kaito scowled. "No, Yuma, not like a couple. We are a couple."

"Then… you're boyfriends?"

"Yes," Kaito said.

Yuma frowned and Kaito wasn't sure why Yuma was struggling with it. He didn't seem his usual bubbly self now the question of their relationship had come up. If anything, he seemed almost sad. He would have thought Yuma of all people would be happy for them. Yuma was always happy for everyone.

"What's wrong, Yuma?" Ryoga said, folding his arms.

"It's just…" He frowned and Kaito walked over slowly, sitting next to Ryoga and gently taking his hand. Yuma sighed and shook his head. "I'm just worried."

"Worried?" Kaito repeated.

"Well, Shark we really hurt when Ken left him," Yuma explained and Kaito didn't miss Ryoga's wince. "And I know you're not like him, Kaito, but you're friends and you're my best friends and if you two are a couple now, then you might break up and you'll hate each other it and it'll all be ruined."

Ryoga and Kaito glanced at each other. Well, that was surprisingly rational and accurate for Yuma. And Kaito wasn't going to deny it worried him. If things went sour, would he and Ryoga ever be able to recover from it and carry on as friends? Ryoga sighed and patted Yuma's arm.

"Let's cross that bridge when we come to it, huh?" he said. "Things are going well right now, let's focus on that right?"

Yuma nodded slowly and Kaito had to agree with that. But suddenly Yuma was pouting again. "Does this mean you two are going to want loads of time on your own without me now?"

"Oh, I don't know," Kaito said with a small smile. He stroked Ryoga's cheek gently, tilting his head up so they were nose to nose. "Maybe we can just ignore you."

"We've been learning to tune you out for a while now," Ryoga agreed, his hands sliding up to Kaito's neck.

Kaito smirked and leant down to close the small gap between their lips. There were a few moments of silence and Ryoga quickly deepened the kiss, both well aware that Yuma was slowly turning red and he was laughing nervously.

"Ok, come on, guys," Yuma whined as their eyes slipped shut. Ryoga's hand tangled into Kaito's hair and Kaito reached absently around him, all but forgetting about Yuma as his jabbering continued. "Seriously, you two, knock it off. It's gross."

Their lips parted slowly and Kaito glanced over at Yuma as Ryoga smirked. "You won't be thinking that for much longer, Yuma."

"You'll start wanting some attention from someone special soon," Kaito agreed.

"No way!" Yuma cried. "I'm never going to be all icky and kissy like you two."

Kaito and Ryoga both laughed. Yuma was only a little younger but he wasn't nearly as mature. Yuma was still at the age where he thought romance and love were embarrassing. It wouldn't be long before he mind began to wander to more mature things.

"Don't worry, Yuma," Ryoga purred. "Kissing isn't the only icky thing we get up to."

Kaito smirked and Yuma's eyes widened. "No! I don't want to know!"

He jumped off the bed and hurried out, muttering about keeping their romantic ick to themselves. Ryoga smirked and Kaito pulled him closer, quickly reconnecting their lips in a deep, passionate kiss that Ryoga was all too happy to return. Now Yuma was gone they could have a little time together to do as they pleased. Who knew how long they had before someone interrupted them again? Kaito pushed Ryoga gently, lying him down on the bed without breaking their kiss. Ryoga obviously wanted to be on top but he hadn't even been awake from a day so Kaito was adamant that Ryoga was staying in the sheets and on the mattress.

"Alright, you two," Chris said from behind them. Kaito drew back and Ryoga huffed, tugging at his hair, trying to pull him back down. "I know it's not against the rules but perhaps you shouldn't get too frisky while in the hospital. And just because you're young and in love, please try not to traumatise poor Yuma."

"I think we should go all the way," Ryoga murmured, leaning up to peck his lips. "I think you should ignore them and we should do it right now. Just to piss him off."

"Hmm," Kaito murmured, pretending to think about it. "You mean, I could pin you down, tear off your clothes and make sure the entire hospital hears you screaming my name?"

It was incredibly difficult to keep a straight face when Chris was smirking and Ryoga was blushing heavily. The younger boy nodded slightly, gripping Kaito's collar. "Yeah… something like that…"

"And then afterwards, when we're cuddling and I'm telling you just how much I love you're your dad will storm in and we will be dragged apart and you will be locked up safely and I will be forced never to see you again and-"

"Alright, alright," Ryoga snapped as Chris chuckled. "I get it. It's a bad idea."

"I'm glad you understand," Kaito teased, kissing his nose. He moved from off over him and lay down at his side, gently taking his hand. Chris had a book in his hand sat across the room, obviously not paying much attention them. "Ryoga…"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask about you and your father?"

Ryoga frowned, playing absently with the breathing mask. He was using it less and less, so that had to be a good sign. Perhaps he'd be out of hospital soon, although if Ami got her way she'd probably keep him in bed for weeks, and that meant Kaito would have to deal with Ryoga's father.

"My father comes from a kind of… well, the family likes to hold up family traditions and things have been done a certain way for a long time and…" He sighed and shook his head. "I wasn't the ideal son."

"How so?"

"Well, like he said, Rio was…" He scowled and tilted his head away, gazing at the wall. "It would have been better if it had been the other way around." Kaito frowned. Ryoga's father had really done some damage to his mind. "They always said… if it had been the other way around, if Rio had been a boy and I have been a girl, everyone would have been happy."

"How can you say that?"

"Because that's what I was taught. That's what they all always said. Rio would have made a better heir than I would. They would have been proud of her."


"I don't want to be here," Ryoga whimpered, grasping his mother's dress.

Ami sighed and gently picked him up in her arms, brushing away the tears starting to spill over. His father glared over and Rio laughed.

"You should be more like me, Ryoga," Rio said. "Grandpa loves me."

"Grandpa loves you both," Ami said firmly.

"No he doesn't," Ryoga said quietly, burying his head in her shoulder. "He thinks I'm pathetic."

"Because you are," Rio laughed. "You cry all the time. Boys aren't supposed to cry. Grow up."

Their parents sighed and their grandparents came in. Ryoga quickly hid in his mother's shoulder as his grandpa glared and him. Rio smiled and bounced over only to be glared at too.

"Young ladies shouldn't make such a racket, Rio," he snapped. "Ryoga. Come over here." Ryoga gulped and his mother set him down. He stared up at his grandpa, tears filling his eyes as he approached. He was already shaking. "Stop looking so pathetic, boy."

"I-I'm sorry, Grandpa." Rio folded her arms and Ryoga lowered his head only for his grandpa to pull his head back up with a bony hand in his hair. "You're your chin up, boy."

"Yes, Grandpa."

The hand released his hair and his cane cracked across his back, forcing a sharp cry from his lips. "Will you stand straight?!"

"I'm sorry!" he cried.

"And stop your whimpering. We've got guests coming and I want to show off my grandson. So you will straighten up, you will be respectable and you will act like you're expected to."

"Yes… Grandpa…"

"And you, Rio," he snapped, glaring down at him. "You will be seen and not heard like a good girl."

Rio huffed and caught Ryoga's hand. "We need to go and get ready then, Grandpa."

She giggled and pulled him away and Ryoga had no option but to go with her. They ended up in the dressing room. It was full of clothes they were expected to wear. Rio grinned back at him and grabbed some clothes from the racks.

"Take off your clothes," she said, folding her arms.

"What? Rio?"

"Take your clothes off right now, Ryoga!" she demanded.

He frowned but did as she told him. She took off her clothes as well and to his horror, she pulled on his. "Rio?!"

"Put it on, idiot."

"No way!"

"Ryoga."

"No!"

Rio glared at him for a moment before she tackled him to the ground. Ryoga struggled and squirmed but Rio pinned him down. She forced him into her dress and Ryoga screamed for his mother to help him. But it was their grandpa who came in. He scowled and pulled Rio up as Ryoga sniffled.

"Don't pick on your sister, Ryoga," he snapped.

"But I-"

"Come along," he said, pulling Rio away. "Our guests are here." He glanced back at Ryoga, who was sitting up on the floor, struggling with the dress. "Stop fiddling, Rio." His eyes widened. He'd just- but he- they didn't look that much alike, did they? "And get up off the floor."

"Y-yes Grandpa…" he stammered as his mother appeared in the door. She frowned as Rio ran out after their grandpa and she helped him up to his feet. "What's going on?"

"She stuffed me in her dress!" he cried. "And he thinks she's me! And that makes me her. I'm not a girl!"

"No, of course you're not, love, he just doesn't see as well as he used to," she said gently, stroking his hair. "But right now Grandpa will be mad if you ruin his party, so…" She smiled and gently lifted him into her arms. "You just stay with me, ok?"

He sniffled and nodded, clinging to her as they went out to mingle with the guests. Rio was having fun with the other boys and Ryoga held onto his mother, being cooed over by the other women. And Rio even got into a fight with one of the boys when he called her long hair girly.

"Shh, honey, don't cry," Ami whispered when Rio was praised for how strong she was. The perfect son, they said. She'd grow up into the perfect heir for the family they said. They all thought she was him. Everyone but his mother loved Rio more than him. "It's been a long day, you're just tired."

"That's what girls are always like," Rio declared. "No st-stami-stame-"

"Stamina," Ryoga whispered.

"Yeah, that!"

"Such a boisterous little boy," one of the guests laughed. "He must be a handful."

"You have no idea," his father groaned.


"Help!" Ryoga screamed as Rio slammed him to the ground, cards flying everywhere. "Mother! Help!"

"You cheated!" Rio yelled, grabbing his collar. "You messed up the numbers or you cheated! But you didn't win!"

"Alright!" he cried, tears filling his eyes. "Alright, you won. You won, please let go!"

"Shut up!" she snapped.

"Rio!" She was lifted away and his father was holding her tightly. "What are you doing?"

"He cheated!" she screeched.

Ryoga sniffled, sitting up and brushing his tears away as his mother gathered up the cards on the floor. "What were you two doing?"

"We were-" He hiccupped and his father sighed. "We duelling and- and I messed up and-" Another hiccup. "-Rio lost."

"Don't be ridiculous," his father snapped. "Rio couldn't lose. You're too soft to win. You're right, you must have messed up the numbers."

Ami frowned and lifted him from the ground gently. "You look after Rio. I'll deal with Ryoga."

He nodded and Ryoga closed his eyes, snuggling into her arms as they got into the car. He sat there in silence as they drove. How could Rio have lost? It was their first real duel without their parents watching and telling them what to do. Obviously it was a fluke. He'd got lucky. Or messed up the numbers. His parents always did the life points, so he must have got his maths wrong. He couldn't have beaten Rio. He didn't have the killer instinct needed to win. He was too soft.

They ended up at the aquarium and his mother lead him through to the shark tanks. It was late and quiet and a father was trying to convince his youngest that it was time to go. Ami laughed softly and set him down so he could run up to the glass, and one of the sharks came over and swam around them.

"Hi Bertha," he whispered, putting a hand to the glass.

"How do you know her name?" the other boy asked.

Ryoga turned slightly and smiled. The boy had a poof of pink hair and was in one of those sailor suits the nanny kept putting him in because it was cute. Their parents were talking quietly and the boy's older brothers- at least Ryoga guessed that was what they were- were sitting on a bench, going through their cards together.

"Mother studies the sharks here," Ryoga said. He sniffled slightly and rubbed his eyes. "She lets me work with her when Rio's in a bad mood. I love the sharks." He smiled slightly. "This one's Bertha. And the big one up there, that's Ernie. And the one with the scar over his eye, that's Thomas."

One of the boy's brothers wandered over and Ryoga found himself staring up at him. The older boy smirked and patted his head. "You duel, kid?"

"N-no," he said quickly, shaking his head.

"Nonsense, Ryoga," Ami called. "You duel perfectly well."

"I've never won."

"You won today," she said.

"Rio said I cheated," Ryoga sighed. The boys frowned. "I won't duel anymore. Rio's a better duellist anyway. She's better at everything."

The older boy scowled and dragged him off the ledge and stood him on the floor before glaring at his younger brother. "Give him your duel disk and D-Gazer."

"What?!" they both cried.

The oldest brother was sitting on the bench still, watching with a small smile and the youngest handed Ryoga his stuff. Ami smiled and handed him her deck and extra deck, because he didn't really have his own deck yet; his father he wasn't as good as Rio so he didn't need one and his father never really taught him much but Rio needed a practice partner more her own age. The older boy laughed, setting his duel disk and D-Gazer and Ryoga hesitantly followed suit.

The duel was hard and Ryoga struggled against the older boy's impressive, and kind of creepy, monsters. And he'd only duelled once with AR-Vision. He and Rio just duelled on the table. He was really strong and listening to their parent's commentary he realised the boy was a competitive duellist- he was a champion. And Ryoga was getting his ass kicked.

It was over quickly and Ryoga hit the ground as his life points fell to zero. The older boy stood over him and Ryoga was ready to be told how pathetic he was, but instead, the boy held out his hand. Ryoga was stunned. After a moment, he reached up and took it, letting the older boy help him up as the young pink haired boy hurried over.

"You're really good, kid," he laughed.

"I am?"

"Yeah, really good," the pink haired kid laughed. "Right, Chris?"

"Not bad," the oldest boy said.

"A little more practise and you might be a threat," the middle boy laughed.

"Let's go, boys," their father called, walking off. "It's closing time."

"Hey!" Ryoga called after the middle boy. He paused and turned. "What's your name?"

He smiled and tilted his head. "Thomas. I'll see you on the circuit when you're older, Ryoga."

"How do you-"

"Thomas, hurry up," he father snapped.

He hurried off after him and Ryoga smiled up as his mother. She laughed and lifted him gently. "What kind of deck shall we get you, Ryoga? Or can I guess?"

"Sharks," Ryoga said, pointing over at Bertha. "Like you." She laughed and nodded. "And I'll train really hard and one day, I'll find him again, and I'll win."

"And we'll keep this quiet you're your father until you're strong enough to make him proud."


"You're looking good," purred a voice behind Ryoga. He turned and found a familiar face right behind him. He stumbled back and tripped, falling in a heap on the settee behind him. The boy laughed. "I hear it's someone's birthday."

"Y-yeah," Ryoga said, nodding slightly. "You- you're IV."

IV laughed and nodded. "I am. And you're the boy with the shark named Thomas."

"I…" He frowned. How did IV know about Thomas? He'd remember meeting IV, he'd remember telling him about Thomas. IV was a star, he'd remember meeting him he was sure. "Yes…"

"Kamishiro Ryoga," IV said, sitting on the settee at his feet. Ryoga nodded, going to get his feet off the settee and sit up but IV put a hand on his stomach, pushing him back down. "You're a rising star."

"I am?" Ryoga breathed, heat rushing to his cheeks.

"You are." IV shifted to his knees and Ryoga was stunned as IV moved over him. His heart was pounding. Usually when someone was crawling over him like this it was Rio about to yell at him for something, or tickle him. There was something strange in IV's eyes and Ryoga wasn't entirely sure he liked it. "I remember when you were a whimpering little kid. How old are you now?"

"Tw-twelve."

"Ah, you'll be an adult soon," IV teased, leaning down over him. Ryoga trembled slightly, squirming without thinking but IV's position over him kept him completely trapped. He didn't know why he was scared. IV was a star, a champion, he wouldn't do anything to hurt his fans. He was known for caring for his fans. But something felt so wrong. "Are you a fan, Ryoga?"

He nodded weakly and a soft smile came to his lips. "It's a real honour to meet you actually. My sister has a crush on you."

"Really?" IV whispered against his ear. Ryoga shivered and tried to turn away, something telling him this was really wrong. "And what about you? You're my number on fan, I bet."

"I- I, uh- IV…" He gasped as IV's breath fell on his neck. "You, uh, you're making it really hard to think."

"That sounds like a yes," he teased.

Ryoga opened his mouth to argue but his words caught in his throat as soft warm lips pressed to his neck. What was he doing? He shivered and pushed weakly against IV's shoulders. This wasn't right. He knew people would give anything to be in this position with IV but something felt wrong and his father was around and if he caught them-

IV's lips parted and Ryoga tilted his head back slightly, shivering and letting out a small whine as IV's tongue swept over his skin. All he could think to do was grip IV's shirt tightly and pray his father didn't find them like this.

"IV," he breathed. "You- you can't. Pl-please-"

IV caught his chin and turned his head back so he was gazing up at him. "What do you think, Ryoga? Does my number one fan deserve a little kiss?"

"A-a k-kiss?" Ryoga couldn't believe that. Why would IV ever…? No. No his father always said that kisses were for boyfriends and girlfriends, boys weren't supposed to kiss other boys and even if they were, IV wasn't… they shouldn't… Ryoga wasn't even sure why they shouldn't do it but something said they shouldn't. "IV, why-"

"Because you're adorable, little Ryoga," he teased, stroking his cheek. "And you're a wonderful duellist and you are my number one fan. Don't you want just a little kiss?"

"I- I, uh-"

IV leant closer and the words stuck in his throat. His heart was hammering against his ribs and his chest was heaving. His first kiss was going to be from champion duellist IV? Rio was going to be so jealous. He leant up slightly to meet IV but the door slammed and they froze.

"Ryoga!"

No... This couldn't be happening to him. He was about to be kissed by IV. Why did his father have to interrupt now? IV sat back and Ryoga sat up, staring up at his father. And Rio. She looked furious. IV got up and shook his head, walking towards the door where an older boy appeared, the young man Ryoga recognised as IV's manager V.

"How did I know you'd be where the noise was?" V said, shaking his head.

IV suddenly looked far paler, although maybe it was just the light. V sighed and wrapped his arms around his shoulder's tangling his hand into his hair and kissing the top of his head and IV muttered something about a shower. Ryoga's stomach dropped as V took him out, holding him gently. V and IV were always together and V always seemed affectionate towards IV. Were they together? Had IV done that to him as nothing more than a game?

"IV…?"

IV didn't even look back at him and Ryoga lowered his head. Who was he kidding? Like someone like IV would ever look at him seriously. He was just teasing him.

"You!" Rio yelled. Suddenly he was on his back again with Rio glaring down at him. "How dare you?! You knew I liked him! You knew I was looking forward to meeting him and you- you-"

"Nothing happened!" he cried, shaking his head.

"But it would have," his father hissed. "Rio, leave us for a moment." Rio huffed and walked out. Ryoga sat up, ready to face his father's wrath. "You two were… you were going to kiss him?"

"Y-yes."

"Stop stuttering," he snapped. Ryoga nodded quickly and closed his eyes. "Duelling is the only thing you're good at, Ryoga, don't let your opponents get the better of you. He only wants to get inside your head."

"I won't."

"I'm so glad I caught you before it went further," he said with a sigh. "Ryoga, tell me you didn't want that. Tell me you don't have a silly crush on him."

"I don't."

"You're lying to me." Ryoga nodded weakly and lowered his head, glaring down at his lap. And then his world was sent spinning, and he heard the crack just before he hit the cushions, his cheek on fire. And he was too shocked to even cry as his father's hand tangled into his hair and he was pulled up to stare into his furious face. "Say it to me, Ryoga. Be a man and say it to my face."

"I- I like him," he whispered.

"He's a boy."

"I know."

"Ryoga," he hissed. "Let me make this clear. You are going to grow up, find a nice girl, get married and carry on the family name. You are never going to be in a relationship with a boy. If you ever bring another boy home to us as your boyfriend, you will be grounded forever. If I so much as suspect you have even brushed hands inappropriately with a boy, you will be punished. Am I clear?" He nodded as much as he could. "Answer me!"

"Yes!" he cried. "Yes, I understand. No boys. I get it!"

"Good." He practically dropped him and stormed towards the door. "Just forget about that boy, Ryoga. He's obviously trouble."

The second he was alone, Ryoga's barriers broke and he laid on the settee, sobbing into the pillow. Everything about him was wrong. He was never going to be what his father wanted in a son. The door opened again and he glanced up to find Rio glaring down at him.

"You're crying again," she muttered.

"I'm a really bad son, Rio," he sobbed. "Father hates me."

Rio sighed and sat with him and pulled him up. "What makes you think- what the hell happened to your cheek?"

"Nothing…" Ryoga said, raising his hand to his aching cheek.

"That's not nothing," she argued, pushing his hand away. Her fingers brushed his cheek and he hissed, flinching away. "Oh… Ryoga…"

She wrapped her arms around him and he held her back tightly. No matter how much they argued, Rio was his twin and they loved each other. He could always rely on her when he needed her. She was the only one allowed to pick on him, she'd said so a million times. Anyone who hurt him had her to answer too. But their father was another matter entirely.


"He hit you?" Kaito whispered.

Ryoga started slightly at Kaito's hand on his cheek and turned to stare up at him. "It's not a big deal."

Kaito's eyes widened a little. Not a big deal? How could that not be a big deal? Things made more and more sense. Although, Kaito had never realised how entwined Ryoga's life had been with Thomas'. He was torn, hearing about how close Thomas had been to stealing Ryoga's first kiss like that. On the one hand, he was horrendously jealous that Thomas could get Ryoga in such a position, on the other he was disgusted that he would do that to a boy of only twelve. And that Ryoga's father would react like that.

"It's disgusting," Kaito snapped. "I mean, is that why he's so against us?"

"No-"

"If I leave you alone with him are you going to be safe?"

"Yes," Ryoga snapped, glaring up at him. "It was once and Mother was furious. I've never seen her in a rage like that. She kicked him out and threatened divorce and made him prove he'd changed before he was allowed to see us again. She's barely forgiven him even now."

"But-"

"Just drop it."

Kaito scowled and glanced over at Chris, who despite looking like he was reading, was obviously listening and was a little pale. His father had hardly been the best, neither had Chris', but he was pretty sure neither had gone as far as to strike their own children. Especially for something like that.

Still, if Ryoga didn't want to talk about it, there was nothing he could really do but change the subject.

"Do you still have a crush on Thomas?"

Now Chris lifted his head and Ryoga flushed bright red. "N-no!"

"Are you lying to me?" Kaito teased, leaning down to whisper in his ear. "Are you still his number one fan? Are you still waiting for that kiss?"

He might have been jealous, and possibly a little concerned that Ryoga did still hold secret feelings for him, but that didn't mean he couldn't tease. Ryoga was his now, he shouldn't have anything to fear from Thomas, but the idea of his little Ryoga pinned down under him, whining for him as he kissed his neck… and the passion between them, the tension and the level of obsession on both parts… did it all come from their mutual attraction to each other?

"At the start of the tournament where I got disqualified, he came into the waiting room and leant close and it was the first time I'd seen him since that time and he told me that whoever came second in this tournament was paying for our date."

Chris was staring over at them and Kaito realised not even Chris had known about that. It wasn't part of their plan to get to Ryoga. It was either Thomas going on his own initiative or a genuine offer of a date.

"I didn't know that," Chris said quietly.

"You're mine now anyway," Kaito grumbled, folding his arms.

"Don't be like that or I'll decide I should be jealous over you and Chris," Ryoga snapped. "Besides, it was just him playing with me, right?"

"I couldn't say," Chris muttered. "That first time he was disgusted with himself. He was physically sick." Ryoga scowled and Kaito wrapped his arms around him. "Tron made him do it. He was really pissed about having to do it too. He kept saying you were too young. He was fine messing with you if he had to but he really didn't want to be at all physical with you. He was comfortable enough with mind games but he was disgusted with himself for giving in. He kept saying doing that to a boy that young was disgusting, you weren't even a teen, how could Tron force him to do that? He couldn't duel in the rest of the tournament he was that worked up."

"I didn't exactly mind…" Ryoga muttered.

"Thomas' mind was already starting to fracture at that stage, you have to understand that Tron nurtured an instability in him," he said softly. "But I know he held special feelings for you for a long time. Asking you out on that date was probably a way of making it up to you. He practically forced it on you, and you were young, he probably wanted to make it up to you a little. I know Tron didn't tell him what he had to do until about five minutes before it happened. He probably thought he was done playing games with you and could actually get close."

"So… he really was asking me on a date?"

"Mine," Kaito said, tightening his grip around him. Ryoga shot him a glare. "Just making sure we don't forget that."

"You've got nothing to worry about, Kaito," Chris chuckled. "Right now Thomas is working up the courage to ask Rio out." Ryoga scowled. "He told me to be particularly nice to you so perhaps he can ask her to be his girlfriend without you attempting to kill him."

"Not a chance."

"Shh," Kaito murmured, pulling Ryoga around to face him rather than Chris. "Forget about Thomas. Focus on me."

"Oh?" Ryoga chuckled, leaning up so their lips were only a hair apart. "And you think you can keep my mind off the tall dark and handsome champion?"

Chris snorted slightly, obviously trying not to laugh at the description of his brother but Kaito didn't find it funny. Was that how Ryoga saw Thomas? Tall, dark and handsome? Ryoga smirked and pressed their lips together briefly. Tall was something Kaito definitely wasn't and he didn't particularly fit the dark part of it either, what with his blonde hair and light eyes.

"I'm only teasing, moron," he sneered. "Like I'd ever think of him like that."

Kaito scowled and pulled him back into another kiss, mainly to stop anymore teasing about how he worried about Ryoga and Thomas. And to reassure himself that Ryoga was completely his. And Ryoga was more than happy to reassure him and moved to press his body to Kaito's. Chris chuckled and Kaito caught his rolling his eyes but pushed that aside to focus on Ryoga. Chris was the least intrusive of the adults at least. His fingers slid under the sheets and Ryoga groaned slightly as he squeezed his thigh.

"Shark!" Akina came bursting in with Haruto behind her and they parted reluctantly as Akina climbed up onto the bed. "Are you ok now, Shark?"

Ryoga smiled and nodded and Kaito squeezed his thigh again, making his gasp softly. His mind wandered to how Rio had forced him into a dressed. He must have looked adorably. Ryoga pouting was always adorable and given how he and Rio looked so similar he'd probably pulled it off.

"If he's making noises like that, you need to have your hands where I can see them, Kaito," Chris muttered. Kaito glared at him for a moment before raised his hands and wrapping his arms around Ryoga's waist. "Thank you."

"So…" Kaito said slowly, kissing his cheek. "When was the last time Rio stuffed you into a cute little dress?"

"What about dresses?" Akina said as Ryoga blushed furiously.

"Why would Shark wear a dress?" Haruto said.

"Shut up, Kaito," Ryoga hissed.

"But you didn't answer the question."

"Before the accident, now shut up!"


In the Next Chapter: Kaito struggles with what he's learnt about Ryoga's childhood and family and Ryoga is amazed to find Thomas visiting him in hospital, and that his own personal fangirl seems to like his rival more.

Family Rivalry