Love/Hate (Lemon GarouxReader 🍋)

Rampage

This is all your fault. You burnt the first bridge. Now it's time to set fire to the rest of them. Burn them all to the ground.
That old geezer Bang has been away for the last few days and still hasn't returned as far as Garou knows. Right now, they're defenceless without their old master. The easiest of prey. That will be his first step to becoming the monster he wants to be.

There are wary glances when he shows up, his attendance having been increasingly sporadic over the last couple of months but he plays it innocent. He's just here to learn, like everyone else. Runs through all the drills, carried out with military precision even in the absence of the dojo master, keeping to the back, finding it so hard not to let his face slip into that malicious grin, like a predator toying with their prey.
Anyway, enough, that's plenty of warming up. Enough of being a fucking sheep. He's meant for greater things.
He stops mid-sequence, a sequence etched into his muscle memory, surprising the people on either side of him.
He sighs. This is it.
"There's nothing left for me to learn here," he says to no one and everyone.
There's a ripple of confusion and hesitation around him.
"So let's fight."
"Wha-?"
Too late! His fist connects with his questioner's jaw. Too easy. All that training and still that slow eh? Pathetic.
The ripple turns into a wave. The pandemonium begins. One, two at a time. Three even. A walk in the park. He's only getting started and already so much blood and chaos. Tsk tsk.
It's curious. He feels euphoric, powerful, invincible and yet absolutely calm and serene at the same time. His own blood is pumping, coursing through his veins, making him feel more alive than he's felt for a while and yet there's also a cool, logical voice inside analyzing the situation, thinking how strange it is to kick this place to the ground, to destroy his "home away from home", almost as if he's watching the whole thing unfold from outside himself.
If there's any regret inside, he's not aware of it.
It feels so liberating to let this side of him out to play. No holding back. No holds barred.
This destruction...it's beautiful. The start of something new and glorious and terrifying.
It takes him a moment to realise there's no one left. They're either on the ground or far far away, having run with their tails between their legs.
He lets out a little chuckle and swipes the trickle of blood off his chin. It might be his. It might not. He doesn't know and it doesn't matter.
Bang, you senile old fool, you'd be proud wouldn't you? Look how much your top student has achieved. First in a class. For once.

So. It's begun. There's no turning back now.
The monster has awakened.

He heads home one last time. Washes off the blood and sweat. But no tears. Never. Grabs a few essentials and heads right back out. No reason to lock the door to this shitty place. Not like he'll be coming back.
The sun has long set on this winter day and he disappears into the thick darkness.

You sit at the kitchen table, trying to concentrate on this stupid project, your foot tapping in frustration despite yourself. You can't sit still. Even Ryo can see that something is up, plays quietly, his big eyes glancing at you every once in a while.
You jump up and pace around the kitchen, irritated sighs escaping your lips every once in a while.
What the hell was he thinking? You're angry. Frustrated with yourself for believing he could ever be normal. Could change. What were you hoping for?
You know you were in the right. You don't doubt that. But why can't he see that he's acting like a fucking idiot? Why does he insist on this stupidity? Does he think he's invincible? What about the future? His 'live fast, die young' schtick is wearing thin. Why does he insist on throwing everything away?
You go back to your books but you're too annoyed to make sense of all this information right now so you decide to make dinner instead.
Usually Ryo would be in there, tugging at your sweatshirt, enquiring what you're making and in how long it will be ready but there's no sign of him today as he makes his way quietly into this room and gets started on his homework, despite it being a Friday. Unheard of for him.
"Hey buddy!" your voice is slightly strained as you knock softly on his door and poke your head in just over half an hour later. "Dinner's ready."
"Ok," he says and slides off his chair and follows you to the table.
You both eat quietly and you try to sound as normal as possible.
"Are you going to play with Tareo tomorrow?" you ask brightly.
"Yeah, he's gonna bring his hero action figures and we're going to play dinosaurs," he says, slurping the noodles out of his bowl.
You don't quite know how that makes sense but that's fine.
"Onee-chan," he starts quietly as he looks at you with his big adorable eyes.
"Yeah?"
"Did you finish your homework?"
"What do you mean?" you ask, a little puzzled. Is he checking up on you? That concern is kind of sweet.
"The homework you were doing with Garou onii-san. Did you finish it?" he asks, somehow sensing that maybe this is not a good question but too young and too curious to stop himself from asking it.
"Uh," you hesitate, "yeah...we finished that project." Lies.
"Oh," he seems a little disappointed. "So that's why Garou onii-san didn't come today."
"Yeah. I told him he did a good job helping me so he didn't need to come." More lies.
"I hope you get to do another project," Ryo's eyes suddenly glimmer with hope as he polishes off the last of his dinner. "Then he can come and play again."
"I'll make sure to tell him that," you say. This might too be a lie and you feel terrible.