Their New Future | BOOK 2 OF THE ANOMALY SAGA

CHAPTER 15

[continued]

"Ryūjin, think this through!" Haruki grabbed their arm and was smacked away harshly by his child, but it was quickly followed with a quiet apology.

"It would've happened anyways. Nobody in the entire world remembers who I was, and that includes daemons. The Gods have given me another chance at this life, and I want to do right by my son. That means working for it, not running from it. I have to put down my roots somewhere and work for our lives." Ryū spoke firmly, staring directly into their fathers eyes. They weren't going down without a fight.

"My adoptive parents don't even know who I am anymore. They're both living as if I wasn't apart of their lives. Ever. Do you know how painful that fuckin' is?" They bit their tongue, trying to avoid an argument and turned away, walking toward Tetsurou's temporary room.

"Okay, I understand that but I have to tell you something, so why don't you listen to me for a damn second, Eclipse?!" Haruki burst out and immediately recoiled from his words. He wasn't a timid man, but it was rare that he lost his temper.

"Don't you DARE fucking call me by that name." Ryū turned and was in front of his face in seconds, pure unfiltered anger hissing through their teeth. Haruki looked at them in shock, but he held his head down slightly, and just like that Ryū realised their outburst.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't-"

"No, I'm sorry, Ryū. I know you're still sensitive with that name."

"It's not... I'll get over it." They whispered, turning back in humility and continued to Tetsu's room to pack his bags.

Ryū quietly folded his clothes into a suitcase and piled his nightlights, books and other necessities tightly inside, zipping it and carrying it to the doorway with no struggle.

"Where are you even going to go?"

Ryū sighed in frustration as they moved three suitcases down the hall toward the entrance had to hold back their snark, opting to keep it simple.

"I can't tell you. For now, I want to be a normal person."

"But you won't be! You're a god, Ryūjin, why don't you understand that?!"

Ryū scoffed, turning to Haruki with an incredulous look, their long mullet being pushed to their back as they quickly whipped around.

"And? You never could tell me that I was. I had to find out on the verge of my deathbed, and no thanks to you. And now I have to live as if I'm a god? I never wanted this." They spat venomously, and that time they meant their words. "I had to find out everything BY MYSELF. You could've easily gotten out of that stupid hospital yet you chose to stay there, as if you weren't a god either. All that time where I was being EXPERIMENTED ON, YOU COULD'VE SAVED ME!"

They took a deep breath, turning their head away as they bit their lip in anger and looked at the ceiling.

"The Gods above have expressed their desire for me to live my life how I want, and not by some shitty thing from my past that you could've stopped. To not live as a god, but as a person. Unlike you."

They huffed and their chest puffed with air, bringing their head down as they could only laugh.

"I know you're trying to make it up to me. But this isn't the right way, Haruki."

He pressed his lips in an unknown emotion, his eyes hardening at their chosen words. He certainly wasn't expecting an outburst and he wanted fight back, but he knew deep down that they were right, as much as he hated it.

"You're always so fucking passive..." They muttered once he couldn't even say a word against them, inklings of disappointment appearing as if they wanted him to fight back. For once.

Ryū started to lace up white combat boots, tucking their plaid pants into the sleeve of the boot. Once they were done, they leaned against the dresser in the hallway, staring at Haruki as if it would make him speak up. They couldn't bring themself to call him their father, it felt odd after growing up with different parents and then him being absent.

"...I'll get Tetsurou."

He shuffled away, stuffing his scarred hands back into his pyjama pants. They watched as he walked into the living room, scoffing before coming back with Tetsu in his arms. Ryū smiled warmly at their son who was eagerly reaching out to them and they obliged, gently cooing him as they started to put on his shoes, coat and rest of his outerwear. They adjusted his fuzzy hat to cover his elf-like ears and kissed the rim of his hat as he giggled at the sensation.

"Listen, Haruki. As much as I need this, you need to find you own path to walk on. God or not. Thank you for helping me heal, but there's so much I can do with the help of others. Jiro will be in contact with you soon, and you two can discuss what you want to do."

Once again Ryū had planned everything, down to almost every little detail. The pair only stared at each other, one with a look of guilt and the other a look of determination.

"Once I am ready, I will find you. But I need to do this, I hope you can understand that."