✧ ex-gang

[reignitions]

[There's one thing Shio can say about his life now and that it's, for the most part, quiet.

Disbanding BLAZE was not the easiest decision (no matter how it felt at the time, grief is a bitch, etc), but... well, in hindsight, it's one he's glad he made now. Gen is moderately successful and that's good enough for him. Nobody causes trouble in this quiet little out-of-the-way noodle shop.

Even if that is partially by design.

He should be expecting one of his regulars in about three, two, one...]

Comments

[reignitions]

... Maybe if things don't work out with the Sognare gunman, I'll tap Rika to try with Yelan.

[Anyway. He just hands Wanderer the tea.]

Will do. I'll make sure Mitsuki knows, too.

[threebetrayals]

[He sighs as he takes the tea.]

Do you have a safe house I can borrow for now?

[reignitions]

Jiaoqiu suggested you stay here and I was planning on asking anyway. I bumped up the wards more than I thought I'd need, and, well--you know how the XRC is. We mostly slip under the radar.

[threebetrayals]

Did slip under the radar. With me out of the Fatui, I don't know how long that will last.

[Or: he kept the Fatui distracted and not focused on the XRC, which meant other troublemakers did as well.]

[reignitions]

[... Oh.]

In that case... maybe the ones that aren't idiots-- [see: Tartaglia] --will think twice before crossing BLAZE's surviving ex-leader.

[threebetrayals]

[Wanderer chokes on his tea.]

I'm sorry, what?

[reignitions]

[A shrug!]

It's pretty much an open secret that I'm ex-BLAZE, but only the rest of the XRC, a handful of the Sognare guys, and Jiaoqiu know I used to be one of the leaders.

[threebetrayals]

And you work at a soba shop?

[reignitions]

I wanted something quiet after I disbanded BLAZE.

[...]

It was Jiaoqiu who helped me get my shit together when I was grieving. Showed me I could do better. Encouraged me to take over Gen for the previous owners.

[threebetrayals]

...makes sense, I guess.

[If anyone would, it'd be Jiaoqiu.]

If you out yourself as the ex-leader, though, that'll just cause more trouble. It's not worth it.

[reignitions]

Then I won't. They'll just have to find out the hard way.

[threebetrayals]

...kind of hope Childe hears about it. It'd be funny.

[reignitions]

[A snort.]

I can already imagine it. It would... But I'd never know peace again.

[threebetrayals]

You could kill him.

[reignitions]

I would not be doing that. Even if I was willing, bodies raise questions and I wouldn't be able to effectively get rid of the corpse, so no.

[threebetrayals]

Break his leg?

[Wanderer.]

[reignitions]

[A snort.]

He wouldn't learn from it.

[threebetrayals]

No but you would know peace.

[reignitions]

[A snort.]

Fair. But hopefully he'll just never learn I used to lead BLAZE.

[threebetrayals]

Seriously.

[He sighs, trying to get comfortable.]

...Can you send one of your people to my apartment? I need things from there.

[reignitions]

Sure thing.

[He pulls out his phone to ask the rest of the XRC about it-- Ah, good, Kou's on it.]

Alright, someone'll have it covered.

[threebetrayals]

[He gestures for something to write on and with so he can give Shio the list. It's mostly just his clothes, medication, and some boxes of stuff. He was apparently expecting this, but obviously couldn't take the things before it went down.]

[reignitions]

[And he'll send that list over to Kou.]

Alright, done.

[threebetrayals]

Thanks.

[And he is just going to flop back, exhausted and likely to pass back out.]

[reignitions]

[He'll send Jiaoqiu an update--no call, just a text--to let him know how Wanderer is doing.

By the time Wanderer wakes up again, Kou will have brought all of his requested stuff over.]