✧ 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]

Shit--

[And Shio comes over with more tea.]

[threebetrayals]

[Tea that Wanderer drinks, slowly, only relaxing once the pain stops.]

Again, fuck Dottore.

[reignitions]

Jiaoqiu'll bring food over for you when he's done making it. And Kou brought your stuff over.

[threebetrayals]

Is Kou the dumb one?

[reignitions]

[A snort.]

No, that's Ryouta. [A beat.] But I wouldn't go so far to call Kou a blinding beacon of intelligence either.

[threebetrayals]

Kou would probably know that he's dating the holy twink. Might not realize the twink is holy, but he'd realize he's dating them.

[reignitions]

[He snickers.]

Yeah, exactly. I called Rika, by the way. She'll see if she can work her magic on Yelan.

[threebetrayals]

The power of lesbians.

[He starts to try and get up.]

I need a shower.

[reignitions]

Ah, hey, careful--

[As he hops up to try to help Wanderer.]

[threebetrayals]

[He needs the help.]

Sorry...

[reignitions]

Hey, no, don't apologize. Here, I've got you...

[threebetrayals]

[He's completely unable to put any weight on his left leg, though he does try. At least Jiaoqiu did leave a rough diagnosis with Shio when he left; Wanderer should be seen by a proper healer, but nothing's so bad that he needs emergency treatment. Just bruises, sprains, cuts, that sort of thing.]

[reignitions]

[Yeah, the minute Josuke or Giorno are less swamped, Shio's calling one of them.]

I've got you.

[And he'll help Wanderer with whatever he might need.]

[threebetrayals]

[It takes almost an hour, but he gets cleaned up and fresh bandages on. Jiaoqiu shows up and takes the kitchen over, mostly to help Wanderer but also to help a few others who need healing. Soon there's a bowl of fried rice and more soup being sent up for the injured former Fatuus.

Jiaoqiu beckons Shio over.]

[reignitions]

[Shio goes over.]

What is it?

[threebetrayals]

Has he told you what happened yet?

[reignitions]

No. He doesn't want to talk about it, so I haven't pressed the issue. All I've got is Dottore had something to do with what happened.

[threebetrayals]

Yes, he does. Moze got curious and went to find out more. Dottore attempted to clone that boy, and the boy refused. There was a fight.

[reignitions]

Fucking hell.

[The only thing keeping him from dragging a hand down his face is his hands being full right now.]

No wonder he doesn't want to talk about it.

[threebetrayals]

Agreed. I believe this sort of...magical medical mistreatment was regular for him, too, given his ancestry.

[He's not sure that Shio is aware of Wanderer's ancestry, given that this is mostly news to Jiaoqiu himself.]

[reignitions]

... His ancestry?

[threebetrayals]

He is a Raiden.

[A well-known supernatural family. All of them incredibly long-lived.]

His family rejected him for reasons no one seems to know, but the fact remains that he is a Raiden, and likely older than he looks or acts.

[reignitions]

Oh. Fuck.

[Yeah, okay, no wonder Jiaoqiu has those suspicions. This is a mess.]

Fucking hell. In other words, this is an even bigger mess than we figured.

[threebetrayals]

It is. Thankfully, he's been banished from the Fatui so they no longer have a Raiden under their control. Still, this might explain a lot.

[reignitions]

Yeah, it-- it explains so much.

[Christ.]

... I'm just glad he's out of there. And away from Dottore.