Takeshi grumbles under his breath, not liking the way Yamato no Orochi is talking to his friend. But he doesn't say anything, knowing that it's up to Taro to handle the situation.
Now guys enough let's now!
Yamato no Orochi nods, a sly grin on his face. "Lead the way, little one," he says, gesturing for Taro to go ahead.
Takeshi follows behind, keeping a close eye on Yamato no Orochi. He still doesn't trust the Yokai, but he's resigned to the fact that he's joining their dojo for now.
The students of the dojo look up as they enter, their eyes widening as they see Yamato no Orochi's imposing figure. Some of them look scared, others curious. It's clear that they've never seen a Yokai before.
Takeshi clears his throat, addressing the students. "Listen up, everyone. This is Yamato no Orochi. He'll be joining our dojo from now on, so I expect you all to treat him respectfully."
Takeshi glances at Yamato no Orochi in surprise. "You don't want to be called Yamato no Orochi?" he asks, confused.
Yamato no Orochi shakes his head, a smirk on his face. "Nah, I think it's too formal. Let's call me something else, something a little more human-sounding."
Takeshi nods, mentally noting the Yokai's preference. "What do you want to be called, then?"
Yamato no Orochi thinks for a moment, then grins slyly. "How about Ryu? It's close enough to my true name, and it sounds strong, don't you think?"
Takeshi nods, making a mental note of the new name. "Ryu, then. I'll make sure the students call you that from now on."
Yamato no Orochi - now Ryu - grins, pleased with the new name. "Thanks, human," he says, his tone somewhat mocking. "Ryu it is." Ryu's gaze lingers on Taro, his eyes hungrily taking in the boy's slender figure. He's clearly captivated by him, his expression intense and fixated. Takeshi notices the way Ryu is looking at his friend, his heart sinking with each passing moment. He knows that if he doesn't intervene, the Yokai will completely claim Taro as his own.
Takeshi steps forward, placing himself between Ryu and Taro again. "Hey," he says firmly, his eyes fixed on the Yokai. "eyes off him." Stay focused.
Ryu raises an eyebrow at Takeshi's command, his expression amused. "Jealous, are we?" he teases, a sly smile on his lips. "Damn right, I am," Takeshi snaps, his fists clenching. "He's not some property you can just claim." Taro intervenes again, placing a calming hand on Takeshi's arm. "It's okay," he says gently. "I can handle this."
The students of the dojo look on with confusion, baffled by the tension between the two of them . Some of them are murmuring amongst themselves, whispering about what's going on.
Takeshi glares at Ryu, his protective instincts flaring. He knows he's not as strong as the Yokai, but he'll do whatever it takes to protect his friend.
And later they come down and taro go back to his room and asleep