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

[standalonehuman]

It hurts worse than Togusa can say, but there is one thing that would hurt even more. He feels it, that if the two of them let go of this lifeline, that other hand is already reaching for the bricks they would need to wall themselves off from the other one.

"I'd rather-" he stops, and he huffs out an unhappy laugh. "I'd really rather not have been shot."

"But I'd rather." What would he rather? Should he have pushed this conversation? Would it have done a damn thing to keep him from getting a bullet in his side now?

Togusa's shoulders relax, the tension in his brow relaxes. "I'd rather you stay. And we talk this through later. And I stop trying to piece everything together for once." It's almost asking for permission to let it slip through his fingers, instead of trying to tie together so many disparate pieces of information. If he's allowed to put it down for a minute..

..well, he doesn't know what that makes him. Because it's something that he doesn't let himself do.

[megatechbody]

For a split second, she tries to imagine a world without Togusa and her mind stutters. Even as she takes him for granted, being without him entirely feels impossible. Maybe after some sleep she'll head to the shrine and pray that he doesn't get sick of her.

His distaste for being shot draws an equally unhappy snort from her and a roll of eyes. As if this was as simple as what either of them wanted, anymore...

"That makes two of us." she grumbles, not quite having the nerve to meet his gaze.

Just a quick as she's wounded him, Mariko finds herself relieved that she's still in his good graces. Almost as quickly his seeking makes her want to squirm; she's not his superior or his boss or even anyone that important. He should be able to be as unfettered as she plays at being and do whatever he wants.

But if all he wants is her to stay and maybe a little fucking honesty from now on, she can't find it in herself to deny him.

"Whatever you want, Hitori." It's less supplication than it is a promise. She feels him relax, just from the way his grip eases and finally, their gazes meet again.

"I just need you to get better, okay?"

[standalonehuman]

There is a relaxation that goes through all of Togusa, like he is sinking in and becoming one with the bed beneath him. He nods, a bob of his head without much muscle behind it. "I'm going to get better. It didn't kill him, and I'm better than him." He's still stupid.

The nurses bustle back in shortly after, the surgery suite is ready for him. He mutters out instructions that Mariko is the person to talk to, and the nurses just seem to accept this. Once she's there by his side, they don't question if she's supposed to be back there anymore.

Togusa is wheeled up the hallway, back past the other closed curtains of other patients, to eventually one set of doors that Mariko can't follow through. It's only then that Togusa at last lets go of her hand.

"Daijoubu." It's all right. It will be all right.