『バウンド』 Bound

The Aftermath

"It's okay... he's one of us."

"This sword, shall we give it to the Weapon Recovery?"

"No it's his, I have it filed under his name."

"Excuse me, miss, I found two more people associated with your unit."

"Status?"

"One injured. One deceased."

His eyes fluttered open in a wince at the sharp lighting and loud voices. Nurses and doctors bustled around Tatsumi, who was lying paralytically on a white bed with a loose sheet over his body.

Najenda was at the door talking to several people at once. It seemed she was injured as well judging by the bandages over her bloodied torso. Tatsumi's dull eyes then ventured to the open window. Somehow, he was far away from the destroyed site. The smoke from the city is still apparent.

He rubbed his right eye when it began to burn uncomfortably once again. Then after a few seconds of silence, he jolted up.

"Where's Lubba!?" He yelled and the professionals gasped as Najenda whipped her head at him.

"Tatsumi! Here take this document, Shirley. Tatsumi, thank goodness-"

"Lubba. Where is here?" Tatsumi demanded at once as he pulled the cover off. Najenda blocked the side of the bed while placing the sheet back on him.

"He's fine. He was brought into another room. We thought you were the one who brought him in. That was until that person checked you in as well."

Tatsumi furrowed his brows.

"Me? Are you saying someone looks like me?" Najenda shook her head.

"It's more like your armors were similar. It was very similar to your Incursio. That was until he showed who he was."

Impossible. Since when could someone have the exact same teigu? Or even have them remotely close-?

"Wave."

...

It has been several hours and Tatsumi started to grow restless in his bed. Every minute, an injured person was found and tended to. So far, Mine, Akame and Najenda would check on him and every time they walked in he would ask if Lubbock was okay. Tatsumi still did not understand why he could not see Lubbock.

"He's still resting. What's the point in seeing him if he's asleep?" Najenda had said and Tatsumi crossed his arms.

"I just want to be there for him when he wakes up." They still did not let him see Lubbock. Which irritated him. Not as much as one particular young nurse annoyed him with her obvious crush.

"U-Um hi mister Tatsumi." The nurse greeted with food one hour.

"... Don't give me extra bread. I told you before I don't appreciate unwanted favors." Tatsumi said simply.

"S-Sorry. Its just..." She was blushing now. He always wondered how his scolding made her even more heart-eyed. "Do you think... maybe in the future we could..." She hinted as she set down the plate.

Tatsumi merely glanced at her with narrowed eyes.

"I'm gay." He stated clearly. This effectively caused her to stop favoring him, much to his relief.

Eventually at a point, Tatsumi grew impatient and got out of bed with a wince. His head swirled and his bandaged abdomen pulsed. Ignoring this, he stood up and opened the door. The halls were nearly crowded with caretakers and wounded fighters.

Tatsumi walked past them while looking around. He remembered Najenda telling a doctor Lubbock's room number and realized how close they were. He just needed to see Lubbock after so many hours of being separated.