--Gangs--

[felyney]

[Lyney, as a rule, does not like going to people outside of the Family for help. He just doesn't know that he can trust them, and trust is tantamount for him.

But Shio was Family, once, before he managed to leave and maybe that's what Lyney needs right now. At least, he knows Shio won't report him to the Family for coming back injured.

He knocks on the employee entrance of Gen's, pressing his jacket to the wound on his arm.]

Comments

[reignitions]

Alright. Thanks.

[Time to take these noodles and the sake to Lyney.]

[felyney]

[Lyney has not moved from the bench. He's too tired. He's been running on fumes since Father was deposed, after all.]

[reignitions]

[Yeah, that's not a surprise.

He sets down a couple of plates of seafood yakisoba, the heated flask of sake, and two cups.

After a few moments, he reaches over to gently shake Lyney's shoulder.]

Hey.

[felyney]

[He starts to sit up, slowly and carefully.]

Hey. Is that seafood?

[His ears are showing. He's too tired to keep them hidden.]

[reignitions]

Yeah. Shrimp and calamari.

[A lot of fish doesn't play well with the stir-frying.

It's said as he reaches out to help Lyney sit up. After a moment or two, he sits down next to Lyney so the other can lean against him.]

[felyney]

[And he does with a sigh, reaching for the noodles first. He knows better than to drink on an empty stomach.]

I'm sorry about this, Shio.

[reignitions]

[He reaches for his own plate and shakes his head.]

Don't apologize. You know I'm more than happy to help you whenever you need it.

[felyney]

Still, you left the Family and here I am...

[reignitions]

I may have left, but I already knew doing so that I was going to keep helping you all however I could. You, Lynette, and Freminet especially.

[felyney]

Oh? Why us, especially?

[God, the food here is always so good.]

[reignitions]

You three are important to me. As important to me as Kazuma was.

[Lyney especially.]

[felyney]

...really? I know how much he meant to you.

[reignitions]

Yes, really. Kazuma meant a lot to me... but so do you.

[And so Lynette and Freminet being important to him are a natural consequence of that, too.]

[felyney]

[He smiles, leaning against Shio a little more.]

You mean a lot to me, too. When you left, I nearly took Lynette and Fremi and followed.

[reignitions]

[...!]

... Really?

[felyney]

Mhm. Father knew, though, and sat me down to talk about being her successor.

[And he couldn't let Father down, not like that. Not without giving it a shot.]

And now...

[reignitions]

And now this has happened.

[He can't blame Father for it, but there's a part of him that's angry with her for this.

... That doesn't matter right now. They'll have to find her, and restore her to her rightful position.]

[felyney]

And now this has happened.

[He sighs.]

So, is the former Balladeer planning a murder?

[reignitions]

Yes. And he's not the only one.

[He can't claim to know what goes through Nagisa's head but he knows necessary murder is a not insigificant part of what does.]

[felyney]

Am I allowed to help, or should I just focus on healing and laying low?

[reignitions]

Focus on healing and laying low. [A pause.] I'll be right here.

[Kunikaki, Nagisa, Ash, and however much of Sognare Fugo decides to alert will more than have it handled.]

[felyney]

[He smiles, and Shio can likely almost see the weight being lifted from Lyney's shoulders as he sinks down a little.]

Thank you, Shio. I...mm. I owe you.

[reignitions]

You don't owe me, Lyney.

[He puts an arm around him, smiling faintly.]

[felyney]

[It takes maybe a week for Lynette and Freminet to be found and brought to Lyney, who's more or less moved in under Jiaoqiu and Moze's place. They keep the basement as a safehouse anyway, and no one in the Family has any idea. It's just safer than Gen's, at least for now.

Lyney is a mess when his sister and brother are brought in, sobbing and clinging somewhat desperately. It takes Jiaoqiu coming in with (normal temperature) dinner for him to let go, and even then he's still a mess.]

[reignitions]

[Shio has followed Jiaoqiu in, eager to see Lynette and Freminet himself.

Nagisa just stays quiet, as he has since he brought the two in.]