Chapter 5

Dinner was all devoured.

Ryoto sat contently in his chair as did his father, they ate more than their fair share of grilled meat, but something troubled him. "Has… Rook been here all day?" he asked offhandedly.

His father nodded. "Ever since you went to speak with the brat and knockoff." He explained. But then sighed. "I meant when you went to speak with YUUJI and SUIRYU!" he said sarcastically.

He didn't quite understand why he altered his tone; to his memory he always called Yuuji and Suiryu, brat and knockoff. But he snickered a little, still… "Why?" he asked.

His father didn't even know, he shrugged his shoulders to it, at the same time, Ryoto couldn't help but feel Rook was here to support him.

Since the meal was over, he stood and tried to help clear the table until…

"RYOTO!"

He froze, only to be bulldozed over by Marcy!

He hit the ground hard, Marcy was embracing him tightly as if she hasn't seen him in years! At the same time, he was panicked!

"Marcy… wait, I have to explain…" he tried to tell her that he wasn't quite the same as before when she stepped back a little. She didn't dare look away but merely stared and inspected him.

"Marcy… I'm sorry, I don't look like what I use to…"

"I was wondering if you would look more like your father. Mother did warn me about that, same with my father. At the same time… I like it!"

He froze to this, Ryoto peered over to his father who was just as surprised as he was. He merely shrugged his shoulders to it all once again.

Rook had stepped back outside to gather the dishes, but smirked at the sight before him. "Awww, ain't that cute!" he snickered. "By the way, I heard you ask your dad why I stuck around, it's because my mom thought he would need help, at the same time, at home we don't know if Pops is preggers yet"

His father snickered at the notion. "So she decided?" he asked.

Rook ho humed the notion. "I just knew to get the hell out of dodge when mom saw Pops being fluffy. He wasn't that big, but at the same time, that look in her eyes and dad knew it too…"

"Even Tooru women can we weakened against instincts…"

"Father… little help!" Ryoto demanded as Marcy continued to nestle herself into him.

His father peered over but smirked. "You're in no danger…"

"Harsh…" Ryoto muttered. But then focused back to Marcy. "Marcy… Please let go for a second we need to talk about why I haven't been around…"

"Your father explained it, you were knocked unconscious…" she explained.

"That was a while ago… I mean… when I went to that school without you guys… I… I was being foolish and greedy…"

She appeared confused but then, forced a laugh. "We knew you were going to search the school, you said it aloud. When you do, you usually mean it. We weren't interested in attending that place anyways, had we, they wouldn't have let you do what you needed to do. Since we're around you, and they would think we're part of the Kamo clan."

"I've been meaning to ask, when did you change your clan name?" Father asked.

"Shortly after we were born. Father asked our aunts and uncles about it. They were going by Itadori for a while, but none of them felt that they were a good fit for the name. So, father suggested the Tatsuo clan. It is the name of my grandfather, and my father wanted to honor his sacrifice and allow his name to carry on."

"Of course he would…" Ryoto saw his father paused and then mutter. "Tatsuo…" in confusion before peering back at him oddly. As if something had just come to mind but he was confused by it.

"I think it's a nice clan name. I'm going to have trouble picking mine…"

Father snorted a laugh. "Never thought about that, or you can use the name I made up too, but later in life you will need to decide to go by a true clan name. Tooru or Sukuna are powerful at the same time… you don't quite like the reaction you get from either one." he snickered.

It was odd to see his father this… loose in a sense, he's relaxed and in a good mood… is it because he doesn't have to hide his face anymore, let alone tip toe around the issue of him not truly knowing who he really is?

Either way, it's oddly refreshing.

Marcy finally pulled herself off of Ryoto and helped him to his feet. From there, she got a better look at him and began to inspect him once more. Her hands gently came over his second set of arms, then her eyes followed upwards to his face, there she saw the other eyes he developed but smiled. "I always did like your eyes, and now there's another set to look into!" she cheered.

All in all… she wasn't the least bit upset about his new appearance. And yet, it was oddly… relieving to him that she didn't mind! "Thanks Marcy" he said gently.

"For what?" she asked curiously. "I didn't do anything."

Ryoto forced a smile. "Just, thanks for seeing me for me still. I am aware not many would if they knew my father…"

She laughed it off of course. "My father told me this could happen to you, my siblings and I all knew your dad looked like that, father explained he was hiding his features from you since… he didn't want to scare you."

Ryoto paused oddly and peered to his father. "What? You thought I was scared of you? That's why you hid your appearance?!"

His father sighed. "I am use to the sound of screaming children, but when that child is my own, it hits and effects you differently. Never would I have imagined that I would have affected me that much…"

Ryoto shook his head. "You think your face scared me? Father… that was the first time I ever saw you hurt!" he protested.

His father froze oddly and stared at him. Ryoto nodded to him and explained, he still has some recall as a child, but the day he saw his face so badly burnt, that's why he screamed. "I thought something worst happened to you! As a kid, you see your father as someone who cannot be beaten. When you do see them wounded for the first time, that illusion is shattered and you realized, yes, they can get hurt… you thought I was scared of YOU?" he demanded once more.

There was silence.

"Told you so" came out of Ryoto's mother.

"Second that!" called Rook.

His father merely scowled.