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It turns out the government doesn't keep child-sized sets of pajamas on hand, so the chopper has to swing around to a Dime and Rhyme so they can grab a few pairs. Kid finds a "Funky and Fresh" t-shirt in his and Jo's sizes, and offers it as a sort of twinsies thing. She agrees a bit too quickly for it to be out of anything but guilt, but Kid plows on, desperate to get back to how things were.
(It's cooler than that one Papa G grabs anyway. It says "keep on rollin'" with a weird leaf on it. Papa G says it's a maple, and Kid doesn't really get what Canada has to do with it, so his is better by virtue of making sense.)
But it's all so new! And maybe a bit overstimulating. Kid happy flaps around the fancy hotel with vigor, running into employee and towel rack alike. How's anyone supposed to sleep after defeating a giant death rock, anyway? The new clothes are nice but they don't scream "night night" texture, either.
Which is how Kid finds himself at Jo's door. He hesitates and hates himself for it. Jo's Jo again, and she won't be mean about him stopping by.
(Because you suck! Rang in his ears. Sometimes, when Kid felt sad, he remembered Chuck's insults. Sometimes he even made up his own. But he never suspected he'd add Jo to the list of bad voices.)
"Jo?" he asked, tapping at the door. "Can I come in?"
"It's open," Jo calls.
Kid twists the knob and opens up to find Jo still in the waitressing outfit she'd had earlier, and hugging Flo tight. The woman pulled away, sniffed, and rubbed her eyes. "Oh, hey, kiddo. We were just sorting out some plans for Mo's Oasis: 2.0."
"Oh," he said, and instantly felt like an intruder. This was family stuff. Kid Cosmic didn't really have that sort of dynamic in his life anymore. "Sorry, Flo. I didn't mean to-"
"Oh, nonsense! It's time I got out of Jo's hair anyway." She waved him off. Flo planted a kiss to Jo's cheek. "Good night, sweetie. Try to get some sleep, alright?" She gave Kid a solid pat on the shoulder as she passed. "G'night, kiddo."
"Night."
The door closed behind him. Kid rubbed his elbow self-consciously. He hadn't really thought out what to say or do once he got there- just wanted some kind of reassurance that nasty, mean Jo was gone still, really.
"Pop a squat?" Jo broke the silence, standing up. "I gotta go change real quick."
He hopped onto her bed and kicked his legs as she went into the bathroom. The door stayed slightly ajar, and the lights weren't turned on. Kid could only assume that was so she could hear him if he spoke.
But, again, she beat him to it. "I'm really, really sorry, Kid."
Kid felt his shoulders relax. Yup. This was the real Jo. "You already said that twice."
"Twice isn't enough," she replied. Kid barely caught the shuffling of fabric as she pulled the shirt over her head. "I never should've talked to you- to any of you like that. I got so caught up in Xhan's rules I forgot what the whole point of leading is. Caring for you."
Kid frowned a little at the Queen's name. He didn't know what to make of her, anymore. He knew she would take Jo aside, and Jo would come back stressed and angry and mean. He knew that the few times she said anything around them it had been cold and dismissive. He knew enough to put two and two together.
He settled on, "I don't like how she talked to you."
Jo blew some air out between her front teeth. "I didn't much like being talked to that way," she admitted. "I just- I thought because she was Queen, she would be able to teach me to be a real leader."
"But you are a real leader."
"Of the Local Heroes, yeah. I meant leader of an army." Jo took a second to study herself in the mirror. The sun with sunglasses giving a rock on symbol felt a little too on the nose, but otherwise she was still Jo. Just... Jo in the dark. "If you, or Rosa, or Tuna, or Papa G got hurt... I dunno what I'd've done. I was so scared I'd send you into a death trap."
"You didn't," he said, mildly. "Sounds like Krosh kinda left you in one, though."
"Little bit," she admitted with a wince. "If she'd waited until after Erodius was dead, I think I would've been okay with it. I mean, I woulda been pissed, but I get it. She just wanted her home back too." Jo stepped out of the bathroom and held her hands out. "Ta-da."
Jo did not make for a pretty sight in the dull glow of old lamps. Her arms were covered in rug burns from Fantos' grabbing and throwing. A few cuts dotted her cheeks from rough landings. Her legs, squished between a portal and a rock, had fared the worst, and were covered sickly purple-yellow bruising. One knee had a cut that was just barely beginning to scab over.
Kid felt his eyes well up.
Jo immediately panicked. "Whoa, whoa, it's okay! It looks worse than it is, I promise. Mom already checked me out and-"
"Promise you won't go alone ever again?" he demanded through hiccups. He frantically tried to wipe the tears away, but they kept on coming. "Promise you won't leave me again?"
Jo crossed the room to draw him into a hug. Her knees dug awkwardly into the carpet floor. "Never again," she said, gently carding her fingers through his hair. "I won't leave you ever again. I'm- I'm so sorry, Kid."
Kid clung to her and wept.