2025-12-15: A Very Patient Intake
- Log: A Very Patient Intake
- Cast: Tsubasa Seki, Tae Takemi
- Where: Tae Takemi's Clinic, Yongen-Jaya
- OOC Date: 2025-12-15
- IC Date: Sun, Aug 26 2012
- Summary: Takemi makes an exception to see a patient on Sunday when Tsubasa rings her with an enduring cough, only to find, when they show up, that they're absolutely the kind of patient she serves: someone who's been let down by the establishment. When she helps them with their breathing troubles, though, they muster the bravery to ask about something else -- hormones -- and Tae promises to help them if she can despite all the usual regulations.
- Content warning: References to attempted suicide
<Pose Tracker> Tae Takemi has posed.
The Takemi Medical Clinic is an interesting place. It's a Sunday, which usually means 'closed', but Tae is usually here working on her drugs if she's not Out and right now she's not Out. That means when a teenager calls asking to schedule an appointment and has immediate issues, she decides 'okay just come in' because her clientele is... different from usual. She can't just refer them to a hospital.
The front lobby is a narrow hall, with a red couch on the right underneath a bulletin board, a potted plant, and a nook in the back wall with an open window that allows one to talk to Tae, who's currently sitting at it, waiting. Underneath the window are eccentric and morbid posters giving medical safety tips and other warnings. For example, one is of a teddy bear with a syringe sticking out of his head.
Tae herself gives 'punk rock' immediately. The choker, short dress, and very high heels all give the vibe of a doctor who doesn't care much about how she's perceived.
It's a quick chat to get led to the backroom, once Tsubasa identifies themselves. She assumes they'll feel safer talking in private, so once they're there, she sits in her wheelie chair. There's a medical bed opposite a fairly loved work station, with a set of boilers behind the currently retracted privacy screen.
"Normally, I'd start you off with a full set of paperwork, but that's just going to bore you, so we can do that afterwards," she says, gesturing for them to take a seat on the bed as she reaches for her stethoscope and light, knowing there's a cough she'll have to treat. "Let's start with the basics instead. Preferred name, age, gender, and reason for visit?"
Yes, she knows their name. It's just some measure of tradition for a non-traditional doctor.
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
When Tsubasa got back in from walking Lance, that morning (which was early that morning, for a teenager; Lance is used to being walked before school and she is not changing her schedule just because there's no school!!) they had another coughing fit, and unfortunately, Dr. Ichika's Dad heard that one, too. Having seen the news -- and knowing from his wife that Tsubasa was targeted and at one point almost taken by Eiji's operation -- he sternly informs them that they have to see a doctor.
... he doesn't find it very funny when Tsubasa points out they're looking at one right now. Said something about how that's a 'breach of ethics' because he's 'personally invested'.
So that means they have to call another doctor, and, well... Dr. Inoue is a psychiatrist, and Tsubasa's pretty sure he's part of the Order, so they're definitely not calling him.
That leaves them with one card in their wallet. Unfortunately, they end up coughing again when they call her up, and that means that she just tells them to come in now.
Tsubasa... remembers this clinic from when they were out here visiting Ren, at least, so they don't have too much trouble getting here, arriving at what is at least a more comfortably morning hour. (They probably shouldn't ask how long Tae's already been up working on her formulae.)
In a frightful magenta and green wig, massive burn scars originating from their right run up and down their body, covered up by fake tan and a ridiculous amount of concealer. (And Tae may well be familiar with why: scars don't absorb sunlight like skin does, and that gets worse the deeper the scars are. They don't tan; they just grow darker and more prominent with sun damage.) Their cyan and white makeup matches their blue eyes, which both seem functional despite the scarring across one. They're in a military-green tank top and cargo pants which are riding just a little too low on their hips to be anything but scandalous to adults; they have a neon-blue-and-black binder visible beneath their clothes, and it's immediately apparent it's not just another tanktop because of how tight it is to their belly and chest.
In short: this kid's a piece of work, as they push open the door.
They look real confused to see a doctor with a spiked choker, too.
"Uh." Tsubasa gives her a sceptical look from where they're seated on the bed. "Jus' said, I'm Tsubasa... Tsubasa Seki. Eighteen, none a ya business, an', uh..." They rub at the back of their neck, looking away. "Me girlfriend's dad told me I had to come see ya. Uh. Like. Lungs are fucked, man, like... smoke damage." From the fire, presumably. Not that they don't look like the kind of punk who smokes in school. (She might not realise that Eikichi would never allow it; Kasugayama's a long way from here.) "But, uh... friend a mine tried to top themself with chemicals, an' I had to go in an' clean it up, like, jam th' windows open an' get a fan goin' an mop th' bleach up an' shit... like, they said they were goin' home with someone else, but... place is kinda old, woulda kept th' fumes trapped if I didn't."
Tsubasa shrugs. "It's whatever, man... jus' get coughin' sometimes. Ain't like I never do that anyway..."
<Pose Tracker> Tae Takemi has posed.
Tsubasa's fake tan and concealer is definitely noticed, but Tae doesn't remark or even blink on it. When they get seated, though, and they're as rough as she is...
She just nods as she writes down the information. "How are you spelling 'none a ya business', for my notes?" she says in that deadpan that symbolizes she's joking, but trying to give the message 'then I won't pry'.
When they mention the chemicals, she winces, having actually *treated* Myunghon over it. "That's rough. Sorry you had to go through that," she simply says, instead of waxing into it or digging deeper into something that surely must have been difficult for them.
"Any shortness of breath? Wheezing? Is there phlegm? I'd like to take a look at your airways. I'll probably be prescribing something, but it's best to know if it's dry or wet, and how bad it's gotten."
Should Tsubasa consent, she'll take a look with her light at their throat and nostrils. "A cough from inhaling those kinds of fumes should go away within a few weeks at most, but with your lung issues, it's best to be on top of it."
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"Jus' slap a fuckin' X down," Tsubasa answers her question, and they think they're being sassy but they don't realise that means they ACTUALLY ANSWERED HER QUESTION!
(How are they supposed to know Myunghon's actually spoken about their gender to this doctor, though, man, they hate doctors.)
"I... I'm cool, man," they insist, rubbing at their opposite arm, and that hitch in their breath means they're definitely not cool, but they're also very only-just-eighteen about it. "Ain't the one what tried to opt outta life. Worry 'bout Yeo-sama." Which is something which might just make her worry more, because that's the same address they used when calling her about Myunghon a few days ago, and the fact that they're still speaking in that register must mean they're important to them.
"Uh, yeah, but that's normal... kinda, yeah... uh, a bit..."
She'll find their airways inflamed by the chemical irritants; spirometry will reveal reduced tidal volume in their lungs, though the fact that they refuse to take their binder off at least means it's not quite as low as they're reading. It's something which isn't completely reversed when she offers them a bronchodilator, but it does at least manage the acute injury pretty well.
... which is to say, it's acute-on-chronic lung damage; this chemical insult is aggravating problems which were already there, and that explains why they still have this nasty cough despite entering the Cardboard Dragon after the attempt.
But damage like this, at their age... is the sort of thing you'd only get if you were caught in a house fire, or something equally as grievous.
Well.
That would explain the burns.
<Pose Tracker> Tae Takemi has posed.
"Sure," Tae says, as casually as she started, and slaps an X down. She understands that a nonbinary punk teenager who is clearly struggling would not trust her; it was only part of Myunghon's care that she got *their* gender information and learned how to start trying to help people with that, after all.
Though, as Tsubasa mentions they're cool, and uses that honorific... she speaks casually, looking over at them from where she's grabbing her equipment. "You're allowed to feel bad about what happened to them. You're allowed to have your own pain over it. That's normal stuff."
But she refuses to dwell on it unless they decide to, instead. When they do the spirometry, she doesn't press on removing the binder at all. She finishes up with the bronchodilator, and then...
"So, the inhalation damage should be alleviated with care. But you have what's clearly chronic lung damage... have you been taking your regular bronchodilators?"
She's not going to pry on the fire, though she does note it in mind. Something like that is traumatic, it's not for her to press on unless they bring it up.
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"Nah man, I'm tough..." ... Tsubasa's definitely not, no kid is tough enough to walk in on that and get out of it fine, but an answer like that about the pain they're in definitely does mean they don't trust Tae, yet.
Tsubasa apparently isn't aware of how many of Tae's patients walk in not trusting her as far as they can throw her.
They frown, settling back on the bed -- breathing a little more heavily, after having to huff into that mouthpiece so much -- and grasping at their opposite arm. Once more, they look away. "What, like... them puffers? Ain't got nothin' like that, man..." They grumble, glaring at the far wall. "I don't need that shit, I ain't old. Guess they give 'em to me in hospital, but it's whatever, man... ain't like I could get more later anyway."
Translated from cagey embattled teen: they do not see a regular doctor. ... and they're embarrassed about having to take medication at their age, too.
<Pose Tracker> Tae Takemi has posed.
"Sure," Tae says, casually enough to have no judgment in it. They don't want to talk about it, they won't talk about it. Tsubasa's already shown more trust than the majority of her patients, who come for drugs or to get bullet wounds patched up.
As Tsubasa settles, and glares at the wall...
"Hey," Tae says, firm in tone but not mean. She expects too much softness will scare Tsubasa off. "Taking care of yourself is important. It'll clear your airways and help the shortness of breath. If you don't like feeling this way, I'd recommend it just to improve your quality of life."
Though her expression softens afterwards. "I'll add a couple to your prescription. When they get low, contact me again and I'll refill them. But you should really keep seeing a doctor. Your issues can be managed if you stay on top of them."
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"..." Tsubasa sulks, but looks back to Tae at that firm tone, anyway.
... it's not the first time they've heard people talking like that.
"Ain't got no doctor," they admit, gaze turning down. "'Cept... 'cept for me psychiatrist, man, an' he... uh, he..." Tsubasa bites at the inside of their cheek, before they decide, "... fuck it, man, anythin' I said'd jus' make me sound crazier."
They hesitate a moment longer, before they look back to Tae. "Uh... Takemi-sensei... you're sayin' th' puffers'll fix this shit up? Mm... guess I can try it... me girl's dad's a doctor, he'll ride me ass if I don't anyhow."
Actually, they're pretty sure Ichika would be doing that if she heard this was a quality of life thing, but they're not gonna throw her under the bus like that.
"Sorry... sorry to bother you with this stupid shit," they add, and at least the contrition is a little less aggressive. "I shoulda been smarter, but... I don't know, I... I weren't thinkin' too hard, jus', gettin' it done... someone had to." ... helping Myunghon cope with their crisis isn't the first time this kid's had to step up, huh?
<Pose Tracker> Tae Takemi has posed.
"You don't have to say anything you don't want to," Tae tells Tsubasa. "But believe me, there's a lot of *shit* doctors out there. I get it."
But as they say it'll 'fix this shit up', she sighs. "It'll help it. I can't say it'll take it away forever, but forward progress is better than leaving it to fester."
Though, she's more firm when they blame themselves for helping someone. Her tone is sympathetic, but she's not necessarily soft. She doesn't know this kid, but it's always teens she's most sympathetic to and least likely to let get away with self-deprecation - she's been a sick teen herself, and it's the kids she fights for most.
"It's not stupid shit. You don't need to be smarter. You tried to help someone and got hurt in the process. That's life, but part of life is fighting the battles anyways."
Tae makes a resolution. "Tell you what. I don't know your financial situation, but I'd be willing to negotiate with you based on what you do have. You need a doctor? No questions asked, come to me instead of letting yourself get worse."
She'd rather deal with their prickliness than see another kid need a body bag because they didn't take care of themselves. And hey, if they refuse...
They'll know the offer's open.
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
Tsubasa shakes their head, when Tae says she gets it, but...
Well, maybe it's fine if she just gets that he's a shit doctor.
... it's not like it would be safe for her to know the details, anyway.
"... they said somethin' like that in hospital," they say, quietly. "How me lungs were jus' fucked forever now. Fuck it, it's just like the rest a me..."
Tsubasa frowns, rubbing at their opposite arm with their hand, when Tae insists it's not stupid. "Chyeah, least I can throw a punch..." How is it that even when they're agreeing with her they're even more concerning?!
(Check the patches on their high-top sneakers. This brat's definitely part of a gang.)
"Uh. Finances ain't... great. I ain't... supported by me parents or nothin'," which is illegal, Tae would know, even if she just mindlessly clicks through the child protection recertification every year. They're definitely not old enough to be out of highschool, yet. "Yeo-sama put me up in a place, I... get money when I can," because how are they supposed to explain grinding for cash in Mementos, "get food from churches an' shit, an' whatever."
They're gloomy, as they add: "Ain't gon' need a doctor for another two years, anyway... but sure, if I need somethin'. Sure."
(Two years, if they're eighteen, would put them at twenty -- a legal adult. No guesses on why someone evidently uncomfortable with their birth sex would be waiting on that: doctors don't treat gender identity disorder in minors.)
<Pose Tracker> Tae Takemi has posed.
Tae doesn't have much to say about the lungs or the scars... what can she say? She's not a therapist. She's given the compassion she can, at least. She does speak anyways, though. "People still find a way to thrive despite that. It might not be what you expect, though."
Moving on to the throw a punch (which is ALSO CONCERNING this kid definitely needs help), Tae glosses over it, instead... "Either way, I'm not going to leave you to dry. I defer payment sometimes, so there's always an option. If it's health versus money, focus on the health first."
She gets the thing about two years... considering her options. They'll come to her if they feel safe asking for something, and she can consider if she'll break the RULES then. "Whatever it is, doesn't matter. I didn't sign up for this job to refuse treatment."
But then, knowing she's probably pressing their patience and mood, she goes over her form. "I'm going to prescribe you some medicine with the bronchodilators. There'll also be instructions on how frequently to take it and how to use it. Keep consistent, and it should help that cough. Check back if it persists."
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"Yeah... guess ya right. Got plenty enough good shit goin' on... I got friends, got me girl. Ain't dead yet. Ain't gonna be." And that's at least something relieving, hearing how sullenly stubborn they are about surviving; suicide contagion is a real threat, when a kid comes across someone they depend on trying to kill themselves. They say it teaches the wrong kind of lesson about how to cope, but... seems like Tsubasa's been through the school of hard knocks for a while, as far as coping goes.
(... and while that makes them more vulnerable, rather than less, survivalism being part of their identity likely is a protective factor.)
"Heh... man, but I wanna be rich." It's probably a joke; there's no way a punk like this ever gets anything close to rich, because while most disaffected youth will stop dying their hair and get a husband and obey the laws of society, well, those scars would take more money than they could ever afford in plastic surgery to fix. "Sure, sure..."
They hesitate, glancing back to Tae as she scans over her form again. The fact that she's including instructions is important, because their mind is somewhere else entirely.
"Um... hey... Takemi-sensei?"
With that specific air of 'oh my god, this brat is about to disclose something important and i have five other patients to see this hour alone', except of course that today is Sunday so those five other patients aren't actually sitting out there,
"You... uh... you give people needles in this joint?"
Okay, so they're either after opioids or steroids, then.
<Pose Tracker> Tae Takemi has posed.
Tae does smile a bit behind her forms as Tsubasa indicates they still have things to live for. They might even notice it.
"That's a mood," she says about getting rich, instead of some statement about 'oh no one needs to be rich as long as they're happy' because frankly she thinks that's bullshit, money is important in this world. Instead, as they hesitate, and they move to ask that question...
Well, Tae normally would flat out shut someone down. But she knows there's other factors behind this teenager, behind Tsubasa's life, that she doesn't understand. And, frankly, since she opened the clinic for them, she'd rather just hear the question out since no one is actually waiting on her. So when they ask about needles...
"Depends on what kind," is all she says. She's not going to play guessing games, but neither is she going to give a yes or no answer without more information.
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"You too, huh? Thought doctors were all loaded... uh, guess ya might not be if ya see folks what can't always pay, tho'." Being fair, Tsubasa's only ever met the one doctor on a personal basis, and, well, Dr. Ichika's Dad has the kind of money that makes Ichika call him 'daddy' when she thinks no one from school's listening in.
(... Hanzou might be pulling in more money now, but he sure wasn't back when he was just a lowly salaryman. Money might not be the root of all evil, but man, evil people sure seem like they always got money.)
Tae asks what they mean, though, and Tsubasa kind of freezes up again. "Uh. I-- I heard, uh -- T's a needle," and then they pause, and back up, and clarify: "Y-y'know -- uh -- testosterone? An' if ya take that, it... makes ya not a girl, uh... I ain't no fuckin' girl," they add, defensiveness creeping into their voice again, "jus'-- jus'-- got, like -- th' body a one. People fuckin', thinkin' I'm some chick, really fucks me shit up... even had some prick wantin' to nab me an' sell me off 'cuz he figured he could pick me off easy when I ain't got no family gives a shit. He reckoned I was a girl... reckoned that was all I was fuckin' good for. Like, I really..."
There has been that scandal in the news, recently -- a high-school boy involved in human trafficking. They'd be about the same age... it's not impossible it's the same situation.
"Real fuckin' problem," they settle on, after trailing to nothing. "But -- but Dr. Inoue says I'm jus' fuckin' crazy -- he ain't gon' risk diagnosin' me with gender identity disorder when I'm, like -- psychotic. I ain't fuckin' crazy, man, pricks like that really are after me..."
<Pose Tracker> Tae Takemi has posed.
"Only at a certain level," Tae admits. She doesn't address the 'can't always pay', that's her choice to defer sometimes.
But, as Tsubasa freezes up, Tae listens to them sympathetically. The human trafficking comment makes her grimace, she did see the news.
She doesn't know their health situation. She doesn't even know if she entirely believes them on *everything*. But she's not going to dismiss it to the opposite of 'it's false', either... and in what she's learned, there's no reason to deny their *gender* over their supposed mental health issues, if they even exist.
"I've never prescribed for gender identity disorder. I have very few patients who've confided that in me," she starts. It may seem like she's denying them, until she follows it up. "I'd need to do some research. I'm aware there's other methods to prescribing 'T', but I'm not immediately against it."
She's already a failure of a doctor, so if she can help someone who's been rejected by the system like her...
"I would need to see you regularly for it, should I agree. I'd also want you to contact me immediately if anything felt wrong in any way. I'd also not want to hear about this spreading all over the internet or something." That may sound sudden, but there's already rumors about her...
"...but I'd like to help you if I can."
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
So it's only the big shot doctors with the nice cars, huh...
(Tsubasa doesn't know Dr. Ichika's Dad well enough to have heard about the pittance junior doctors are paid, or the extreme conditions they work through without claiming a dime of overtime. Not all doctors live a charmed life, Tsubasa!)
But Tae says she's never prescribed for gender identity disorder, and Tsubasa shrugs, that sullen expression returning to their face. She might very well anticipate the way they're about to go 'whatever, don't worry about it', except that she keeps talking before they can, and --
"Huh?" Tsubasa blinks, looking up, having not at all expected the sentence to end like that. It means they just kind of -- stare at her, blinking like a daft fool as she lays her conditions down. "Y--yeah, 'course, whatever ya want, like -- I ain't no snitch!" And that much is probably at least true, if they're as rough as they look.
... kids like that don't tend to survive long enough to get to the doctor's office if they go around telling the cops what they've seen.
"You... you really wanna help me?" They ask, again, still quite dumbfounded. "Like... seriously?"
Tsubasa's definitely not someone who has no help -- Myunghon's clearly been helping them out, for one, and this mysterious father of their girlfriend did advise them to come here -- but apparently it's not the kind of thing they expect.
<Pose Tracker> Tae Takemi has posed.
Tsubasa is surprised. Tae just continues to speak, pre-empting them from retreating. She doesn't believe they're a 'snitch', but that's boundaries in practice.
"Yes," she says to the question. "There's a saying in the medical industry called 'first, do no harm'. To not allow your practice to harm a patient, even if you have to refuse a treatment... many doctors would choose that in this situation, even if that's not truly their only reason. But I believe in beneficence, and here, I believe the good in helping you outweighs the harm that could theoretically happen." This is case in point with the shady medical trials she does...
"I'd rather you get this medicine from me, administered safely, than resort to doing it yourself. And if it means you'll see a doctor, all the better."
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"Believe in doin' good, huh..." Tsubasa thinks of their work with the Phantom Thieves, the things they're risking to make that difference, and wonders how similar it all is. "... that's cool."
They laugh, a touch awkwardly. "I ain't never managed to get none a me own, like... guess I ain't hung 'round th' gym enough?" Which suggests, at least, they've tried; but it's much harder to secure testosterone than estrogen, given the fact that it is useful at the gym. "Uh, guess it is safer with a real doc, yeah..."
Tsubasa takes a breath, and bows their head. "Then... please help me if you can," they ask properly, though their stoic nature can't quite cover their nerves.
<Pose Tracker> Tae Takemi has posed.
Tae smiles lightly, but then goes back to the situation at hand. Especially when they ask for help in a respectful way, their nerves betrayed.
"Head up, it's alright. Give me, let's say, a week to do the research fully, and I'll help you." She's already brainstorming how exactly she'll do it and what she'll do.
"If that's all you need right now, I can get you your prescription for your cough and some forms to bring back."
A week may feel like forever... but for someone who has no other alternative, it might feel like a miracle to even get started. At the least, Tae's probably going to be prioritizing this with her medical formulae for a bit.
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"S--sure, yeah," Tsubasa straightens up, though they manage to still look remarkably relieved for their reserved nature. A week...?
... it's a lot shorter than two years, which really felt like functionally never.
"Wow... y, yeah, that's it," they nod, and nod again, when she asks if that's all they need. (It's definitely a lot of what they need, and they sure can't think of anything else.) "I'll get those forms back, like... next week?"
Tsubasa hustles out of the clinic holding questionnaires and a prescription, and they're really not sure what just happened, but, like...
... maybe some doctors are legit???