Kotetsu's wake up call was a little more jarring. Like the last visions from a fleeting nightmare, he woke up with a gasp, clutching his sheets tightly in his confusion. The first thing that hit him was a painful ache in his left shoulder and pectoral. He tried to remove the covers off him, but even from his right hand it made his chest and neck hurt. This sort of damage always reminded him of an exhilarating night cleaning up the streets from dangerous scum; today, it just reminded him how terribly he had messed up.
He hadn't been able to protect his partner, let alone any civilians. In fact, they had all seemed much more well adjusted than him and Barnaby, and there was something very disturbing and a touch stinging about that revelation. But he wasn't allowed to wallow in his pathetic performance for very long; a young nurse came in with a sling, which Kotetsu blatantly balked at.
"That's not necessary! My arm's fine, it's my should--
"Shoulder, I know... But when you try moving that arm of yours even a little, it is going to hurt."
".... I can handle it," he huffed, a bit sensitive of how it would look in the public eye. This wasn't the first time he had ever been injured, okay?! A little discomfort wasn't gonna--Ow, ow owwow! His petulant face crinkled in sharp pain when he tried to cross his arms over his chest. His actions only made the woman sigh, but she tried an alternative approach than chastising.
"If you won't wear it for yourself, wear it for me? I don't want to have to worry all day..."
Flaring his nostrils in silent challenge, Kotetsu eventually relented and let her fasten the flexible sling around him with only a few sore grumblings. But in exchange for this allowance, he asked her to get his fifty cent mask from off his table. Not surprisingly, she tried to talk him out of it, but he was adamant. She either gave it to him and he would go willingly or he would start a fuss. Honestly, the former Hero wouldn't have, but she didn't know that.
With his identity secure again, Wild Tiger followed the nurse to the cafeteria where she took it upon herself to carry his tray for him despite his complaint that he still had one working arm. "Let's see..." she said pleasantly in front of him. "Let's put you--"
"Uh, actually," he interrupted immediately, knowing this game all too well after only being here a few days. "I need to check up on Bunny..." His words kind of trailed off as he worked to pick him out of the crowd. "There--" When he found him, though, the rest of his words died in his throat at the sight of the blond confined to a wheelchair. A few worse-case scenarios entered his mind and twisted his stomach in knots.
Forgetting his breakfast, he headed straight for his partner, barely missing a few crashes into other patients passing through. Wild Tiger stood behind him for a moment, took a deep, calming breath to collect himself, and then carelessly flopped down in the chair opposite the young man like he was wont to do. "Hey..." he greeted with a pleasant smile, not sure what the hell else he could say. It was all clearly written in his amber eyes, but there was genuine relief too. Barnaby was alive and looking a hell of a lot better this morning than last night.
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He hadn't been able to protect his partner, let alone any civilians. In fact, they had all seemed much more well adjusted than him and Barnaby, and there was something very disturbing and a touch stinging about that revelation. But he wasn't allowed to wallow in his pathetic performance for very long; a young nurse came in with a sling, which Kotetsu blatantly balked at.
"That's not necessary! My arm's fine, it's my should--
"Shoulder, I know... But when you try moving that arm of yours even a little, it is going to hurt."
".... I can handle it," he huffed, a bit sensitive of how it would look in the public eye. This wasn't the first time he had ever been injured, okay?! A little discomfort wasn't gonna--Ow, ow owwow! His petulant face crinkled in sharp pain when he tried to cross his arms over his chest. His actions only made the woman sigh, but she tried an alternative approach than chastising.
"If you won't wear it for yourself, wear it for me? I don't want to have to worry all day..."
Flaring his nostrils in silent challenge, Kotetsu eventually relented and let her fasten the flexible sling around him with only a few sore grumblings. But in exchange for this allowance, he asked her to get his fifty cent mask from off his table. Not surprisingly, she tried to talk him out of it, but he was adamant. She either gave it to him and he would go willingly or he would start a fuss. Honestly, the former Hero wouldn't have, but she didn't know that.
With his identity secure again, Wild Tiger followed the nurse to the cafeteria where she took it upon herself to carry his tray for him despite his complaint that he still had one working arm. "Let's see..." she said pleasantly in front of him. "Let's put you--"
"Uh, actually," he interrupted immediately, knowing this game all too well after only being here a few days. "I need to check up on Bunny..." His words kind of trailed off as he worked to pick him out of the crowd. "There--" When he found him, though, the rest of his words died in his throat at the sight of the blond confined to a wheelchair. A few worse-case scenarios entered his mind and twisted his stomach in knots.
Forgetting his breakfast, he headed straight for his partner, barely missing a few crashes into other patients passing through. Wild Tiger stood behind him for a moment, took a deep, calming breath to collect himself, and then carelessly flopped down in the chair opposite the young man like he was wont to do. "Hey..." he greeted with a pleasant smile, not sure what the hell else he could say. It was all clearly written in his amber eyes, but there was genuine relief too. Barnaby was alive and looking a hell of a lot better this morning than last night.