[OPEN] Earthquake Event - Clinic

[soul_mods]

Characters: OPEN
Location: Death City - Clinic
Rating: Varied
Time: January 22 onward
Description: Any disaster naturally will have its set of injured. OOC post here.



The barn that was the clinic had thankfully been spared any major damage, and apart from its furniture and supplies in disarray, it seemed to function without much difficulty. There was the pervading stench of chemical in the air due to broken bottles of medicine, but the open windows would soon deal with that. More importantly, the clinic was ready for its slew of patients, and bustled with its business more than ever.


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[Character(s)] [Date/Time] [Close/Open]

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[pawned]

Itou nodded, satisfied with the answer. If Sougo was anything, he was resilient. Like a cockroach, but not as big a one as Hijikata-kun. Itou was fairly sure that was a point to the vice commander, though.

"We persuaded him to go home and not leave until the aftershocks are done." He looked around, lips pursed, as if recalling something. "It's less and less now. It might be over by tonight. I'll visit him and make sure he's all right after this. I hope you don't object, but I'll do it anyway."

[sadoslash]

He nodded. Kondo was safe and that was all that really mattered. Sougo reached over to take one of the cups, opening the lid to make sure it wasn't poisoned or something, before taking a taste. The fake distrust of Itou aside, after the man's statement of going to see their commander, he spoke the nonchalant words: "Do what you want."

Itou wouldn't hurt Kondo. Sougo knew this. He trusted him in that respect mainly because he would have been an idiot to do so. Hijikata and him would be on Itou so fast, but more than that. Sougo saw the loyalty now. Things were much different than they had been before Itou had died. The first division captain might not have the social prowess or capability to make friends, but he wasn't too terrible at observing people.

[pawned]

What a surprise, Itou thought, face as deadpan as usual. He looked a bit tired from the events of the day, but most things tired him out now. If he thought about it, though, it was probably because he'd been stuck there with the entire Shinsengumi practically on his lap and they were always exhausting on a good day.

Friends are family that you choose, he'd heard once. If so, he definitely had bad taste.

Itou was silent for a while, contemplating his next question. Took a sip of tea. "I'm thinking of joining the Watch. There are some things I could use money for and they give the best salary for work that I'm familiar with. At any rate, someone needs to watch the terrorists there and represent us."

[sadoslash]

And just when Sougo was ready to give Itou enough trust, he went and did something stupid like saying those words. His expression became one of disapproval before it immediately went cold. Maybe he had overestimated Itou. Maybe he hadn't redeemed himself after all. "Why are you telling me this?" He began slowly, red-hued eyes leveling on the man.

"You don't represent us, Itou-san. If you want to work under that Mustang bastard then do it apart from the Shinsengumi. If you're willing to sever your loyalties to us then you're just as good as dead," Sougo didn't sugar-coat anything. Itou probably wouldn't be saying this to him if he expected a kind answer of approval. He would be able to get that from Kondo or possibly even Hijikata. Sougo was, and always would be, the difficult one.

[pawned]

There was a reason why Itou had chosen to ask at a time like this. Given the kid's injuries, Itou could probably survive a violent encounter with him. He took another sip of the tea, not particularly surprised at Sougo's words.

"I'm telling you because you're the one likely to be unhappy and suspicious with any such actions and quite frankly, the last thing I need here is you after my head. In case you haven't noticed, Okita-kun, all your reputations are in dire need of fixing. People know Kondo-san as the man who appears naked and obscene on the network, Hijikata-kun is an awful weapon, and you're a sadist." He paused a little, just enough to take a breath. "I have no wish to work under Mustang -- the man's not to be trusted -- but I have to earn and my skill set mostly has to do with politics, policing, and war. Besides, no establishment worth its salt will take a cripple for manual labor, nor do I have any intention of settling for such work. There are many benefits to this if only you'll be reasonable."

[sadoslash]

"And you're going to fix it? You. Don't make me laugh," suddenly, he didn't want the tea anymore -- setting it on the stand again before shrinking down under the covers. "I suppose you would fit right in with the merry band of terrorists." He rolled over onto his side, not facing the man because it pissed him off. The Watch always struck the wrong chord with him, especially since he arrived well before the rest had and been deemed a criminal without so much as a second look.

"Get out of my sight..." it was easier to just dismiss Itou because Sougo was tired and cranky -- liable to say things that he probably would regret in a moment of stupid, painkiller-fueled emotions.

[pawned]

There was silence from Itou's end for a while, and when he spoke again, his voice was dangerously soft, the only way he could keep his anger out of his tone. Not that his words weren't angry enough. "Do you mean to say that you'll fix it? Or that Kondo-san will? Or did you mean to rely on Hijikata-kun, who I'm beginning to believe may have the best chance out of the three of you. Were you expecting them to suddenly realize that you're not a criminal with your no-doubt exemplary behavior and charming personality?"

The legs of his chair scraped against the floor as he stood up, leaving his half-finished tea beside Sougo's because he'd lost his appetite for it, too. He moved off to the exit. "You always have been an insufferably brat. God knows why I expected you to be reasonable."

[sadoslash]

Itou better hope like hell that Sougo's aim was off because he suddenly sat up, grabbed one of the mugs and tossed it as viciously as he could at him. He didn't have any other weapon at the moment, so that would have to suffice. His eyes narrowed dangerously, "Who the fuck says we need to be fixed? You? Because things were just fine before you came along with your flimsy loyalty! You sure talk a good game, using your logic to sweeten the deal, make it sound like the best idea. But we saw first hand what a traitor you were."

Sougo's hands trembled with an unreleasable anger. He wanted to attack Itou. He wasn't used to yelling without any sort of physical release, and it was very rare when he lost it like this. (Twice in one day, this was a record!) "Don't tell me that you won't start to see how being in the Watch would benefit you. Don't butter me up with that bullshit that you won't turn into Roy Mustang's little lap dog because he gives you a bone. Don't try to claim it's all under the pretense to fix our reputation." Lastly, and most vicious of all: "And don't call me a brat again."

[pawned]

The mug hit him solidly at the back of his shoulder (the good one, thankfully) and shattered on the floor. Both of them knew that he'd taken far worse than this. He didn't flinch even though it hurt a lot and the tea was scalding him through his clothes, pride refusing to make him react to it. His pride had always been the death of him.

Itou turned to look at Sougo over his shoulder and sneered. "Who asked me to try and fix things after certain people made illegal arrests here? I remember it was within the four walls of this clinic."

It was difficult. He couldn't blame the boy for distrusting him, but it was difficult to prove his point with words alone. And really, his shoulder hurt. "Fine," he growled, stepping through the door because that pretty much made him a smaller target. "I won't tell you because it's a waste of time to try to make you believe, anyway." And then, equally viciously, just before he slammed the door, "Brat."

[sadoslash]

Sougo's fingers itched for a sword right at that moment, to wash away the stupid pride Itou displayed before him. But without Hitsugaya, he was left unarmed. The desire to cut him down was especially strong when Itou disrespected him one final time before slamming the door shut, thinking he could get away with these things -- believing he could take an inch with him when he had been there for much longer. Traitor. He branded the man mentally, reaching for his communicator with every intention of telling Kondo not to allow him inside.

But he stopped.

The problem here wasn't necessarily Itou switching sides. He made it clear he wanted to be a part of the Shinsengumi, and maybe he did believe he was looking out for their best interests -- who knew. He showed he cared about Kondo and he showed that he had changed, so much so that Sougo had even been pulled into the web. The problem here wasn't a question of betrayal of the Shinsengumi, no. It was much more self-centered than that. Sougo took this as a personal betrayal, Itou deliberately sabotaging what little fondness the captain had developed for him. He didn't give his trust easily, he didn't make friends easily -- so why did Itou have to ruin it with one stupid decision?

His brows furrowed and he went through the communicator, hovering over Roy Mustang's inbox. After a moment of debate, he decided to leave him a message.