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Lio knew what was happening. It had happened before in the past. He has dealt with it before. It didn't want to be dealt with this time. he didn't want to be dealt with. He wanted to exist, and he was thriving in Lio. Blackheart just didn't want Lio telling anyone. Blackheart would take care of Lio properly. Lio didn't need anyone else. Lio wanted someone.
He knew the Conglomeration liked taking people in when they lost their partner(s). Lio lost Action. Blackheart didn't understand what the difference was between him and Takeshita. Why was he accepted, but he wasn't? What was the difference between Kyle and Action? Why did the Conglomeration vanish every time Blackheart tried to warn them about their reign coming to an end soon. He knows they will lose the titles if they don't listen to him. They just keep vanishing though.
Blackheart did try to warn Briscoe during their match, whispering all the things he'd been telling Lio directly to their friend. Briscoe did listen to him, so maybe it would be okay. Maybe the Trios titles would stay safe with them. He hoped so, he has nothing against the Conglomeration. They were good people who'd lost the people they cared about. That's why Blackheart wanted to help them. Lio missed having someone who cared in return. Blackheart wanted Lio to be happy. Blackheart didn't like Action enough to keep him. Blackheart wanted better for Lio.
Blackheart listens in the shadows, and peaks around corners until he finds them again. Crawls around the halls, listening to conversations, trying to find them. Wanting to at least see if they would take his advice. Finally, he hears it.
"I'm just sayin' OC, maybe we give him a chance? He chose to warn me about somethin' but I didn't fully understand what the rain and things that have been lost returning to kill as warnings." Orange hums in response, clearly thinking. Kyle tilts his head though.
"Wait, is that Rain like raindrops, or reign like title reign? Like...Dong Phallus Family haven't gotten enough of us and they are gonna come after us again?" Blackheart likes that Reilly understood what he meant. It feels good.
"KYLE!! That's a good point, maybe it is a warning? Like, no one really understands what's happening with Lio, maybe he sacrificed part of his humanity to predict the future or something? We all know that spooky shit is common in our buisness anyways." Blackheart didn't mind that assumption, it was wrong, but it was also kind. Assuming the best of him, instead of just treating him like a freak. Orange clears his throat quietly.
"I don't think that's it. I think it's a symbiotic relationship, or something closer to a demonic contract. He kinda reminds me of how Danhausen was originally or when he was upset. He'd always go kinda...dark and liked to scheme up chaos. Like with the railroad spike." Lio nearly purrs hearing that, enjoying that, even if he acted like he didn't understand, Cassidy did understand him.
"...is it safe for us to be around him?" Kyle sounds genuinely curious, and Orange hums quietly in reply, accompanied by the sound of rustling fabric like he was shrugging his shoulders.
"ORANGE, is it likely that we could ask him?" Quiet follows for about a minute, before another fabric rustling sound.
"If you can find him, I guess we can ask, if you guys want to. Just lemme be the one to do it so I can try using his name to get a straight answer. Or at least the closest thing we can get to one." There's a generally positive rumble of voices in response, so he decides to make himself known by crawling into the room on his own accord.
"It's fine. It's fine. HE is fine. He wants to help. He wants to be your friend." Orange takes a deep breath, before taking his sunglasses off and looking Lio in the eyes, unseen blue flames, and years unknown clear in his own.
"Okay Lio, how can he help us?" Blackheart tilts it's head gently to the side, and looks at Orange.
"He knows things. Useful things, possible things. Not always reality, but the future can be changed with effort. He wanted to warn you about the reign coming soon." Orange nods along as Blackheart speaks, staying quiet until he finishes.
"Okay. Am I talking to Lio, or am I talking to Blackheart? Is there still a difference?" Blackheart starts laughing like he is possessed, and smiles at Orange with deeply sharp teeth.
"He is me, and I am him. Lio is our name. He just didn't want to be seen until now." Oramge nods again.
"Alright, I feel like it should be fine. Do you want to hang around the locker room? Or is there something else you want from us?" Lio just smiles widely again, almost looking like if was splitting his lips apart from the force of it as he hops up onto a shelf and curls up on his high perch.
"Yeah, okay, that works. Are y'all happy with that?" Orange gently addressed the rest of the group, and got very happy nodding from Kyle, and pleased curiosity from Mark. Roddy looks at Kyle's reaction before nodding, and Ishii doesn't respond at all. Takeshita almost seems like he is off in his own world, not paying attention to the conversation being had.
"Big Tom? Takeshita?" Ishii looks directly at Orange, and gives him a single sharp nod. Takeshita looks at him confused, so Orange nods his head at Lio perched in his spot. Takeshita then nods like he gets it, and gives a small thumbs up like he was trying to copy Orange's bit. Orange smiles and sighs with relief.
"Cool, I'm gonna take a nap now. Today was hard. Ishii, can I use you as a pillow?" Ishii doesn't reply again, but does clear something out of his lap to allow for Orange's head. Kyle and Roddy fall back into a soft conversation, and Briscoe starts writing ideas down on a piece of paper. Lio feels accepted into their little group. He is very pleased.