Togusa (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
standalonehuman) wrote2030-01-27 12:00 pm
standalonehuman) wrote2030-01-27 12:00 pm
Recolle IC Inbox
Togusa
This is Togusa. Feel free to message me at any time.
VOICE | TEXT | VIDEO | ACTION
"Cleo? It's Togusa. I." A frown. How does he want to approach this? Something big must have happened. Another change?
"I just got your message. Are you all right?" Concern, raw and shaky in his voice.
"I just got your message. Are you all right?" Concern, raw and shaky in his voice.
Believe me, I am too.
But, you know? I've never asked Ardyn how he feels about losing both me and Fynn to the enforcement side of the law. Got to be a kick in the shorts.
But, you know? I've never asked Ardyn how he feels about losing both me and Fynn to the enforcement side of the law. Got to be a kick in the shorts.
Cleo is, understandably, quite confused. But even so, the hesitation, the outright fear in her voice is obvious.
"I... I didn't send you a message..." She manages to say, voice choking up. She's trying not to cry. Crying is weakness. She's already shown Togusa, a member of the force she so admires, nothing but weakness. She can't show him more.
... But then again, a part of her argues, maybe she should. Maybe she should make it clear just how unsuitable she is. Make it clear she's too weak for a job like this. Make it clear she can't do anything.
"I... I didn't send you a message..." She manages to say, voice choking up. She's trying not to cry. Crying is weakness. She's already shown Togusa, a member of the force she so admires, nothing but weakness. She can't show him more.
... But then again, a part of her argues, maybe she should. Maybe she should make it clear just how unsuitable she is. Make it clear she's too weak for a job like this. Make it clear she can't do anything.
Something has happened, all right. Cleo seemed not to even flinch from the monsters, but here she sounds hurt. "I guess for once one of these got sent where it needed to go. Cleo." Gentle kindness out of his voice. "Please, talk to me. What's happened that's got you thinking of dropping out of everything?" His eyes flicker to the clock. It's late, but the time doesn't matter.
"I can come over if it's easier." If she's had another physical change and can't stand the thought of being in public. "Or we can just stay like this." If she doesn't want even Togusa to see her. "But let's talk this out before you make a decision, okay?"
"I can come over if it's easier." If she's had another physical change and can't stand the thought of being in public. "Or we can just stay like this." If she doesn't want even Togusa to see her. "But let's talk this out before you make a decision, okay?"
[Tatsuo stares at his phone wondering where that had come from... then slowly scrolls up with dread.
FUCK IT ALL TO HELL
It's a good ten minutes before Tatsuo finally responds.]
I'm fine.
[no. no he's not.]
FUCK IT ALL TO HELL
It's a good ten minutes before Tatsuo finally responds.]
I'm fine.
[no. no he's not.]
"I can't..." Cleo took a breath, her voice shaking. "You can't- You can't come here. I can't... meet with anyone. I'm dangerous."
Her voice shrinks with her admission. She can't continue like this.
"I hurt Tatsuo."
With that whispered confession, she hangs up the call.
Her voice shrinks with her admission. She can't continue like this.
"I hurt Tatsuo."
With that whispered confession, she hangs up the call.
Togusa is so shocked by the confession that he doesn't even notice for a few seconds that the phone call has ended.
"That's-"
Rude. His heart breaks for her, the fear in her words was all towards herself. What she might do, what she thinks she did. This is far more complicated than he had dared to fear.
But no. Calling back. Ring ring ring.
"That's-"
But no. Calling back. Ring ring ring.
I just said "obviously not" Tatsuo. I already got it, no point in lying about it.
Talk to me. What's going on?
Talk to me. What's going on?
my brain likes to play tricks on me
i dream things that didn't happen
i dream things that didn't happen
Cleo stares at her ringing phone. She can't even swipe to ignore the call, but there's no way she can pick up.
The call rolls over to voicemail after a few rings, as Cleo just stares blankly at it. Nothing either of them could say could possibly help. She'll just quietly disappear from everyone's lives. She lived without friends for long enough, she can go back to that lifestyle.
The call rolls over to voicemail after a few rings, as Cleo just stares blankly at it. Nothing either of them could say could possibly help. She'll just quietly disappear from everyone's lives. She lived without friends for long enough, she can go back to that lifestyle.
Just because it didn't happen doesn't mean you wont feel things from it.
There's a wide gulf between what you objectively should react to and what your mind does react to. Doesn't make the feeling any less real.
[Especially when it's fear. But he wont point that out just yet.]
There's a wide gulf between what you objectively should react to and what your mind does react to. Doesn't make the feeling any less real.
[Especially when it's fear. But he wont point that out just yet.]
The hilarious thing is, it's worse than what actually happened. Like, thanks brain, for making up shit I didn't actually experience.
That's. That's awful, I'm sorry. I know your brain does that, when you go through something really bad, or that you have trouble making sense of.
So what actually happened?
So what actually happened?
[Something really bad or trouble making sense of... it's probably both.]
In regards to my earlier strangling comment, before we found the dragon, Yosuke and I found a witch. He was looking into this old well and she just jumped out at him.I was a few yards away from him and by the time I could get close enough, she had him pinned to the ground. We started talking to her, trying to calm her down so she'd let him go, but she was so agitated. At one point, I was sure she was seconds from strangling him, her hands were so close, but we finally managed to talk her down enough to where she let him up. Only she then flung us against the wall with her magic and pinned us there while she finished ranting at us.
[THIS IS NOT A TEXT CONVERSATION, YOON-SUNG.]
[You're getting a phone call. Ring ring.]
[You're getting a phone call. Ring ring.]
Yeah?
[ Main reason why he was texting was the fact he was tense, short, and maybe a little drunk. ]
[ Main reason why he was texting was the fact he was tense, short, and maybe a little drunk. ]
"Tell me you meant to send that to me. And tell me what the hell you meant."
[Togusa is just as short back, but it's out of concern, not- whatever it is Yoon-Sung is feeling.]
[Togusa is just as short back, but it's out of concern, not- whatever it is Yoon-Sung is feeling.]
You're the only cop I know that would probably not lock me up.
[ Because it wasn't a dream. He remembered the feeling, remembered how he just looked at the guy like he wanted to tear him apart. ]
It was one of those things so not in this reality at least.
[ Because it wasn't a dream. He remembered the feeling, remembered how he just looked at the guy like he wanted to tear him apart. ]
It was one of those things so not in this reality at least.
Okay. Togusa feels his heart start back up again, thanks, Yoon-Sung. He audibly breathes out.
"Pretty sure our jurisdiction ends at the bounds of reality."
"What happened? What did you see?" If Yoon-Sung needs to tell someone, he'll listen.
"Pretty sure our jurisdiction ends at the bounds of reality."
"What happened? What did you see?" If Yoon-Sung needs to tell someone, he'll listen.
"Yeah, well, doesn't mean that it's less valid."
He has a temper. Usually it was easy to keep under control through the liberal use of video game violence and thrill seeking activities, but it still was there, simmering under his playboy antics. It was half the reason why his past kidnapping event made him shake.
"I was walking after this guy while holding a knife. Not one of those hobby knives, but something heavy and sharp and serious. The guy was older, dressed in expensive business wear and carrying a bunch of papers, and he was panicking, running up this ramp over a highway."
He has a temper. Usually it was easy to keep under control through the liberal use of video game violence and thrill seeking activities, but it still was there, simmering under his playboy antics. It was half the reason why his past kidnapping event made him shake.
"I was walking after this guy while holding a knife. Not one of those hobby knives, but something heavy and sharp and serious. The guy was older, dressed in expensive business wear and carrying a bunch of papers, and he was panicking, running up this ramp over a highway."
Togusa tries her phone a few more times, his name just keeps popping up on that screen, before he seems to give up. Maybe Cleo was right? Maybe this went across the line and people will turn their backs on her now?
...
Nah, just kidding. There's a sudden knock on her door, insistent, unmindful of the hour of the night.
...
Nah, just kidding. There's a sudden knock on her door, insistent, unmindful of the hour of the night.
There's a sort of grim satisfaction when Togusa stops calling. She was right, so now that Togusa has stopped, others will too. She won't get in anyone's way anymore...
Until she hears a knock. And she cracks open the door, peeking through. "Who's there?"
Until she hears a knock. And she cracks open the door, peeking through. "Who's there?"
Togusa is standing there with a very sympathetic look on his face. "It's Togusa." As if she didn't expect this. There is a sigh, and he shifts. "Can we talk? Please. I'm not leaving until we can talk this out."
There's a pause as she takes this in, and then... She opens the door further.
Inside her apartment, all the lights are off. She simply leaves the door open before she returns to the couch, sitting down, legs curled up to her chest, and tail curled up around her.
She isn't saying a word, though.
Inside her apartment, all the lights are off. She simply leaves the door open before she returns to the couch, sitting down, legs curled up to her chest, and tail curled up around her.
She isn't saying a word, though.
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