Chapter Text
It starts with his signature green jacket when he's 14. Summer hits Seasoning City with a humidity that leaves him feeling like he can't get enough air into his lungs. It's too waterlogged, he'll drown in it, he's going to be consumed by his own heat. Shou is finally forced to go without the long sleeves after an incident that borders a little too close to heat stroke. He's in a T-shirt the next time he greets everyone and he forgets until he raises his arm to wave and sees the shock pass across their faces. He spends much of the night habitually pulling at the non-existent sleeves around his wrists, right where the ligature marks used to be.
When he's alone, he doesn't have much of a problem with them. The deep puncture scars evenly spaced along the underside of his arms from wrist to elbow are a strange type of honor for him. They're a sign of his resolve, his determination, his rebellion. All those people who were permanently traumatized by Claw's Awakening methods? Psh, he did it WILLINGLY. He survived and came out stronger for it, the pain unlocking far more power than his already considerable abilities granted him.
(...Still not enough to beat his pops, though.)
And if he did it willingly, if he asked for it, then there's nothing to be upset over. Those lackies were just doing what they were told (including not stopping, no matter what.) Shou knew the consequences going into it. Its not nearly as fucked up as it could have been, right? Right.
"No, actually, that's still pretty fucked up. Like…way fucked up."
It's easier to comment on how Ritsu's potty mouth only shows up in the absence of Shigeo than it is to reply to what was said.