Left-Behind Trace [Open]

[standalonehuman]

WHO: Togusa and people!
WHERE: The hospital, oops.
WHEN: January 7th and onwards.
WHAT: Togusa got shot, he's in the hospital, and finally knows how his Other got shot.
WARNINGS: Discussion of violence, medical treatment, and the like.

The news probably didn't take long to reach a lot of people. Togusa got brought to the hospital with a gunshot wound. Togusa's official story is that he got shot stopping an opportunistic mugger trying to steal things in the chaos of the fire. So what actually happened?

Comments

why does your canon hurt togusa let togusa be happy

[spirithacker]

Shinji is very, very careful when he hugs Togusa to stay gentle and not cling to him as much as he wants to. He definitely doesn't want to hurt Togusa again.

"I don't like when you get hurt," he mumbles into Togusa's chest. "Stop doing that."

As if him telling Togusa to not get hurt could actually keep him safe. He knows.

Despite repeatedly getting wrecked, Togusa is actually really happy? He's weird

[standalonehuman]

Togusa keeps his hug in return just as gentle, but he lets one hand clench at Shinji's shoulder, a point of reassurance. See? He's tough, he can take it.

"I won't. Okay? It meant somebody else didn't get hurt. But I won't do it again."

They both know that he only has so much control over that, but he needs to say the words in this moment. He'll say it, he'll give Shinji something that he can hang on to. He is absolutely not going to be the first one to break this hug.

[spirithacker]

Shinji isn't eager to let go either, but eventually he does, if only because he knows this visit can't last forever.

"Good. I can t-take it, but you'll make your robot sad."

This is not very convincing, even considering that 'I wasn't really worried' is the classic small child way to save face.

[standalonehuman]

Of course he could. Shinji is a brave kid who can look things like dying in the eye. Togusa didn't scare him at all. Togusa nods along when Shinji pulls back.

"I've got to take care of him. I've got too much left to do, no way I'm going away."

Every other friend, he's been able to keep his own concern in check, but he can't help it with Shinji. "Have you been staying safe?"

[spirithacker]

If you're going to fuss over anyone else while you're recovering, at least make it the actual child.

"I'm okay. I'm staying away from the firewall, 'cause the tank's not good at putting it out anyway."

Given that its weapons are mostly lasers, Togusa can imagine how well that went.

[standalonehuman]

"Good." Togusa smiles more. "When we get through more of it, I think it'll be safer."

"There's, it's hard to describe? There's doors behind it. I got hurt exploring one. If you want to check them out, I'd wait until the fire is out. I get the feeling they'll still be there."

[spirithacker]

This is the sensible attitude. If even Togusa got hurt, Shinji definitely isn't equipped to deal with them. He should just wait in safety.

"...But I wanna help..."

But Shinji is a small child, not a sensible person.

[standalonehuman]

Togusa's voice stays gentle. "Then please help out. But be careful about it. Wait for someone to get a way through the fire, and then go to the doors."

"It seems like nobody can go in there alone, so my other advice of keeping with people still stands, okay?" But there's not much bite behind the words, he knows he can't really enforce it.

[spirithacker]

"'Kay." It's solid advice, Shinji knows. Go with a grownup, not by yourself. He can follow that advice until he decides not to.

"Are you gonna get out of the hospital soon?"

[standalonehuman]

"Yes," Togusa smiles again. "They want to make sure my breathing is going to be okay. But then they'll let me go." This one isn't even him minimizing for the kid, he can tell him the full truth on this one.

"It doesn't even really hurt much anymore."

[spirithacker]

"Okay." And of course Shinji takes him at his word. "Make sure you have a really good dinner when you get out and don't have to have hospital food anymore."

[standalonehuman]

Togusa leans back and makes a hmm sound. "Soup dumplings and ramen, I think." He puts one hand behind his head.

"I'll be out of here before we know it."

[spirithacker]

"...Not pizza?"

Shinji is a child with very simple tastes, and those tastes say that pizza is the best food in the world.

[standalonehuman]

Togusa chuckles and smiles widely. "Pizza the next night. Pepperoni and cheese."

seems like a good wrapup point

[spirithacker]

"Better. You pass."

Satisfied that Togusa's sense of tase remains intact, Shinji stands up again. "I gotta go, I've got homework to do. Text me when you get home, okay?"

It seems like their positions should be reversed, the adult fussing over the child, but the child isn't the one in the hospital bed right now.