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[There's a flash, and then the shadow is bearing down on him. Joker throws up an arm, but he can feel the persona at his back cringing away from the electricity arcing toward him. It's going to be bad, he knows it is, and he's already taken a few hits during this infiltration. He should have taken something from their supplies for his health before they started this fight, but they're running low, Mona had taken a bad blow during their last fight, Panther was low on magical stamina, and the rest of the team will always take priority.]
[His hair stands on end as the lightning gets close enough to feel its heat - and then there's a flash of black and yellow, and he stumbles backward as something more solid collides with him. He hears a grunt of pain and the sizzle of electricity - and when the light clears, Skull stands in front of him, breathing hard, slumping slightly, but only lightly singed, Seiten Taisei's natural affinity for the element lending him more defense.]
[Before Joker can say anything, Skull hefts his hammer and takes a swing at the shadow, sending it stumbling backward. He shouts victoriously, and Joker pulls himself upright to get back into the fray.]
[They leave the palace shortly after the shadow falls, stumbling back out of the museum of Madarame's palace. Joker knows he's been quieter than usual, staying out of the chatter, watching all of them. As they return to the real world, Ryuji stretches his arms over his head and looks in Akira's direction, crooking a grin.]
Man, my bed's gonna feel good tonight. You good?
[There's some concern in his eyes, too, and Akira makes himself smile in return, nodding. Ryuji's grin slips faintly, and he raises his eyebrows.]
Yeah, I'm good. I'll see everyone tomorrow.
[He can hear the confused noises behind him and Morgana sputtering as he hurries to catch up with him as he makes his way toward the station to take the Metro back to Yongen Jaya. He tries to respond normally to Morgana as they step off the train and head toward Leblanc, but he can't stop thinking about the blow Ryuji had taken for him, the hands on him shoving him out of the way, the sight of his best friend's back as he had withstood an attack that would have put Joker down for the count.]
[He had messed up. He had let down his guard, and one of the team had gotten hurt, had taken a hit meant for him. It's something he doesn't entirely know what to do with. He knows the rest of the team cares about him just as much as he cares about them, but he's had good friends before - but none of those friends stuck around after he was (falsely) accused of assault and sent off to Tokyo. None of them would have put themselves in danger the way Ryuji had - the way Ryuji hadn't even hesitated to.]
[He needs to thank him. He also needs to request he never do that again.]
[He doesn't see Ryuji before class, doesn't get a chance to catch him like he'd hoped - and so he sends him a text when they break for lunch.]
You want to get ramen later? I'm buying.
[He doesn't want to start with we need to talk, because that's never a good way to start a conversation, and he doesn't want to have to make this a rushed discussion before they have to get back to class. And so, ramen it is.]
[His hair stands on end as the lightning gets close enough to feel its heat - and then there's a flash of black and yellow, and he stumbles backward as something more solid collides with him. He hears a grunt of pain and the sizzle of electricity - and when the light clears, Skull stands in front of him, breathing hard, slumping slightly, but only lightly singed, Seiten Taisei's natural affinity for the element lending him more defense.]
[Before Joker can say anything, Skull hefts his hammer and takes a swing at the shadow, sending it stumbling backward. He shouts victoriously, and Joker pulls himself upright to get back into the fray.]
[They leave the palace shortly after the shadow falls, stumbling back out of the museum of Madarame's palace. Joker knows he's been quieter than usual, staying out of the chatter, watching all of them. As they return to the real world, Ryuji stretches his arms over his head and looks in Akira's direction, crooking a grin.]
Man, my bed's gonna feel good tonight. You good?
[There's some concern in his eyes, too, and Akira makes himself smile in return, nodding. Ryuji's grin slips faintly, and he raises his eyebrows.]
Yeah, I'm good. I'll see everyone tomorrow.
[He can hear the confused noises behind him and Morgana sputtering as he hurries to catch up with him as he makes his way toward the station to take the Metro back to Yongen Jaya. He tries to respond normally to Morgana as they step off the train and head toward Leblanc, but he can't stop thinking about the blow Ryuji had taken for him, the hands on him shoving him out of the way, the sight of his best friend's back as he had withstood an attack that would have put Joker down for the count.]
[He had messed up. He had let down his guard, and one of the team had gotten hurt, had taken a hit meant for him. It's something he doesn't entirely know what to do with. He knows the rest of the team cares about him just as much as he cares about them, but he's had good friends before - but none of those friends stuck around after he was (falsely) accused of assault and sent off to Tokyo. None of them would have put themselves in danger the way Ryuji had - the way Ryuji hadn't even hesitated to.]
[He needs to thank him. He also needs to request he never do that again.]
[He doesn't see Ryuji before class, doesn't get a chance to catch him like he'd hoped - and so he sends him a text when they break for lunch.]
You want to get ramen later? I'm buying.
[He doesn't want to start with we need to talk, because that's never a good way to start a conversation, and he doesn't want to have to make this a rushed discussion before they have to get back to class. And so, ramen it is.]
