recolle | Day At The Range [Togusa and Bucky: Closed]

WHO: Hitori Togusa and James Barnes
WHERE: The Deadeye Shooting Range
WHEN: April 21
WHAT: James and Togusa using James' tickets to the shooting range.
WARNINGS: Overly lengthy explanations of guns because I'm a nerd?

Barnes had won those tickets to the shooting range in a raffle, but he needed an adult to go with him. Since Togusa has a membership to the range, he figured he was a good choice to go with him. And, frankly, he likes Barnes, but needs to get to know him better. If he's going to insist on continuing to look into Retrospec? He could use the help.

Togusa shows up after work, but he's changed out of his uniform, and the service pistol is in the car. Barnes is getting Hitori, here, not Officer Togusa. (Because the kid keeps putting his foot in his mouth every time he gets reminded that Togusa is a cop, so maybe it'll help him calm down a little.)

Togusa raises a hand in greeting when he arrives, then holds it out to shake. "James. Good to finally meet you in person, hunh?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"We're not sure," Togusa admits. "For some people, the memories come back to them when they're asleep. So, the running joke has been either that I need to get on a regular sleep schedule," and then he looks at the revolver, "or that there's nothing there for me to remember." But then why did Retrospec send him a gun?

But the look of sympathy is back when James speaks up again. He is okay with it? Truly? "Does it ring true to the sort of person you think you are? If it fits with everything else and it isn't making you question yourself? Then okay." Togusa even smiles a little. "Looks like you got off easier than some other people."

James shakes his head. "I usually get mine while I'm awake, that shouldn't stop it. I guess Retrospec really did screw you out of any fake memories. They don't send you anything else either? No 'sorry we didn't mess with your head' consolation package?"

He also isn't sure why Togusa keeps grilling him about this but...the way the last few questions are phrased give him pause. "Does it ring true?" The grin falls off his face, sliding into an expression of concern--almost worry--and he looks down at the gun in his hand again. "I...I guess so."

God damn it, James. You had to ask, didn't you? At that question, Togusa's hand reflexively goes to his side without meaning to. He realizes what he just did and quickly tries to put it back down. He's still not used to the feeling of scar tissue on his chest.

He huffs a quiet laugh. "Consolation package. That's one way of putting it." He doesn't mean to scare the kid, but it's too late now. "Not everything that people have been getting is so benign," Togusa admits. His thumb trails up, indicates a specific spot between his upper ribs. "Scar from a gunshot wound to the chest. Docs say I'm fine, though."

Togusa lets his hand drop again. "Which, like I said, it fits. It makes more sense for an injury like that to show up on me than on you." A weak gesture towards James. "I just wish I had any memory of how I got it. Same with you. If it makes sense that you know what you know now? Then don't worry about it. But it is curious as hell."

"Jesus," he says, almost dropping the gun onto the bench. "They gave you a bullet wound? Holy crap." This is an all-new level to Retrospec's insanity he could barely fathom. Fake memories, sure. New skills, sure. Weird books sent to his home, sure. But actually doing something visible, tangible to his own body? That's something he hadn't even considered.

"I mean, no duh none of it makes sense. You don't just wake up with a freaking gunshot scar and act like it's normal. And there's no reason for me to suddenly know how to fire a gun, I'm just some kid in high school! But at least my weird new crap is cool for once, that"--he points to Togusa's chest--"just sounds like a nightmare."

Togusa's back teeth grit in discomfort at the way James is looking at him. He'd just started to justify it to himself, that there was nothing that he could do about it now, but this is bringing back up all the worry that came with the change. "Didn't mean to scare you," Togusa mutters. But he breathes out a sigh, and runs a hand through his hair, floofing it in all directions.

"People have noted on the network that there have been physical changes. Eye color, hair color, for the most part it's things that are easy to explain. But this is a part of it. Just-" And then he lets that worry creep back into his voice, "I want people to be aware, without scaring the hell out of them. Don't go sharing this on the network, but, if there's somebody you really care about?" Somebody who should be warned? "You're right, it feels like something out of a nightmare. And I wouldn't want anybody else to get this as a surprise."

He crosses his arms and huffs a little. "If you don't want to scare the hell out of people, don't tell them about magical bullet wounds out of nowhere," he mutters. He doesn't really mean it--he'd rather know about it than be left in the dark, but it's not really the type of thing to say to avoid freaking people out.

"Alright, alright. You have my word I'm not gonna go around telling people about this. But, you know. Thanks for letting me know. In case." In case he gets something like that next. Which, between the guns and some of the more gruesome memories he's been getting, doesn't sound all that unlikely.

Togusa shrugs a single shoulder, "If the other option was outright lying? I'd rather tell people, but only when they ask."

He looks back up, and he looks down the range at the target again. "So what do you want to do from here? Wanna keep testing this out, or is this going to do it?" He turns to look back at James again, and even though he is reevaluating what he thinks of the kid, there's no fear of him. Just worry, and contemplating the big missing piece of James' life. Why does someone this young have to shoot so well?

James glances back over at both the pistol and the revolver. This whole conversation has cast a more sinister, doubtful light on why he suddenly knows how to operate guns so well, but at the same time...

He grins and turns back to Togusa. "Well, we're already here, aren't we? Might as well."

Suspicious as it is, he's not ready to give up practice time with a new skill that's this freaking cool.

(( Although, I think we can just handwave the rest of this since it won't be much different than what we already did. ))

(Sure thing!)

Togusa is glad to keep watch as they both get some practice in. He still has to be the 'adult' in this situation, but it becomes clear that James knows what he's doing, and doesn't need someone double-checking him. Frankly, Togusa needs the practice, himself, and starts out really well, but gets fatigued pretty easily.

Overall, it's a very successful day, and luckily for them, no one was paying close attention to them, so it doesn't even look suspicious to the range owners. When they're ready to pack it up for the day, Togusa turns the guns back over to the desk with a smile. He was far more relaxed by the time they were done, and he could get his mind off of the strangeness of James' sudden jump in skill.

"I'm glad we did this," he says as they head out to the parking lot. "The offer's still open, then. You ever need someone to come with you to come back? Just give me a call."

"Yeah? Alright, you got it," James replies as they leave. "When I want to head back over here, I'll let you know." When, because he already knows he definitely will--it's only a question of time.

"Anyway--I'll see you later." He pauses a moment as he takes his first step towards the street to head home but stops himself. "Thanks for taking me today."

And with that, he continues to walk out the parking lot to the bus stop home.

Day At The Range [Togusa and Bucky: Closed]

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