2026-01-08: A Plague on Tsubasa's House
- Log: A Plague on Tsubasa's House
- Cast: Tsubasa Seki, Tae Takemi
- Where: Tae Takemi's Clinic - Yongen-Jaya
- OOC Date: 2026-01-08
- IC Date: Fri, Sep 07 2012
- Summary: Tsubasa visits Tae's clinic now their bloodwork has come in... and gets the exciting news that Takemi's willing to hook them up with HORMONES, though of course she wants them to keep it quiet. Tsubasa's used to sharing a lot more with their doctors than Takemi's asking, though... could this have anything to do with their crooked psychiatrist?
- Content warning: Brief discussion of transphobia
<Pose Tracker> Tae Takemi has posed.
It is Friday, and this time, Tsubasa has an appointment. Tae has gotten the blood work out of the way in advance to make sure it was even feasible for them, and has spent many a research session cramming on what she needed to know.
Now, she leads Tsubasa to her back room. Once they're situated on the bed, she's in her chair, looking over her paperwork.
She's explained the results of the bloodwork in a clean, not-so-clinical but still informative way, giving more information on any specific thing only if asked, in order to gauge Tsubasa's interest levels.
"So, the good news. I don't think we'll have a problem doing the hormone replacement therapy. You'll need to stay in my care to monitor and make sure there's no adverse side effects, and there's some choices you'll need to make, but it should be fine from what I'm seeing."
A pause. "The 'your mileage may vary' news is that there will likely be permanent effects. Deepening of the voice, hair growth, and some other things. Obviously, that's what you want, but if you're going to back out, now's the time."
Though she doesn't think they will, she's going to give them the option anyways. It's a big life change!
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
Blood work! Tsubasa hates needles, but pretends like they're not bothered at all. They are SO tough. Do you know how tough they are? They could probably get, like, ten needles, and not be reminded of the ICU at ALL.
So tough!!!
... luckily, that toughness translates into endocrinology results which are favourable. (Was it really being tough that did it? Oh, well, they can say that's what did it.) Tsubasa strangely seems to recognise a lot of the words she throws at them when she gives them their results; they must have been reading up on it before they got here.
(It's convenient, because she doesn't need to spend as much time explaining the ABCs of everything.)
And then --
"Really?!" Tsubasa perks up, that gruff, stoic exterior cracking to something more excited when Tae gives them the good news. They realise they're too excited a second later, though, and ratchet it back to a firm nod: "Cool."
That's right. They're cool and tough...
"Don't worry," Tsubasa shakes their head, when she says the effects are permanent. "That's what I want, man. Like, even when it makes me profile look different, the, uh... fuckin', fat redistribution shit?" That's basically what that does, yeah. "I'm into that. An' if it's permanent, fuck, man, that's better? Means no one can come in later an' go 'psyche, we takin' ya T back'. ... me partner's down for it too," they add, "so I ain't gon' ruin me relationship or nothin'... honestly, prolly make it better."
<Pose Tracker> Tae Takemi has posed.
Tae appreciates Tsubasa understanding some of what she throws at them. It makes it easier!
"Yep," Tae responds to the excited perk up. This poor kid... this is probably the best news they've ever gotten from a doctor.
"Good, good. You're going to want to decide if you want to do it via the muscle or the fat, based on the differences, but that's all you." She'll explain that as well, how it changes dosage and convenience levels, but...
"Hopefully that takes a weight off you," she says casually. "As long as no one's barging down my door about this, we're fine." It's said with a smug tone in response to 'taking the T back', but it's also realistic.
"Have you ever injected yourself? If not, I'll walk you through how to do it in a minute."
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
This is definitely the best news Tsubasa's ever gotten from a doctor. Tsubasa, by all accounts, seems to have had terrible luck with doctors. They told her who their psychiatrist was after one of those paperwork visits -- and on looking up Dr. Denji Inoue professionally, he's definitely a little shady. A dozen complaints against the regulatory body, all... handled internally, results sealed.
In a profession where misconduct is publicised for the safety of the public, the silence is notable. And notably unfair!
"Uh... what one hurts less?" Tsubasa asks, with a bit of a grimace. "Not that it bothers me or nothin'..." It definitely bothers them, which means that a subcutaneous needle -- going into the fat -- is going to bother them a lot less. It's several times smaller than the needle they'd need to inject something intramuscularly... and honestly, it's probably the safer option for a layman, anyway. Millions of diabetics do it on their own!!
"Shit, man, it sure does," Tsubasa says, rubbing at the back of their neck. "Don't worry, I ain't gon' rat ya out. You really doin' me a solid, Takemi-sensei."
They pause, though, and shake their head. "Uh. Ain't most of us fuck with drugs in Kasu at all, no matter what people sayin'... like, th' Death Boss will appear outta nowhere to kick your ass if you smokin' on school grounds, so most a us ain't gone there period. So I ain't, like... someone always did it to me." Beat. "When I was in hospital," they add, quickly. "Not, like, illegal shit."
<Pose Tracker> Tae Takemi has posed.
Tae keeps in mind about Dr. Inoue. She won't refer to him, at least...
"Subcutaneously, or through the fat," Tae says immediately. "You'll want to rotate sites in order to avoid irritation. Don't worry, I wrote up some notes to keep handy."
Then, she nods once. "I believe you. We'll figure out payment, but I'm in no rush to nickel and dime you." It's odd, a doctor who is least focused on the actual 'make money' part and more focused on the 'help the patient' part. Who knew those existed?!
"That's good. Sounds like your 'Death Boss' actually cares about keeping you all alive," she muses. "You don't have to be justifying anything to me. I'm not going to report you if I get suspicious." Unless they're in danger, and even then, probably not. She'd figure something else out.
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"Oh, yeah... 'cuz it bruises an' shit, right? My big brother was talkin' about that once... uh, he's studyin' to be a doctor," Tsubasa explains, a touch awkwardly, why they're familiar with fat injections like that.
"But it's cool, man, I got, like -- I got a good hunk a cash, actually," Tsubasa says, "since Shuyo-kun pawned off that yukata me mom got me. Uh, it was, like, all girly an' covered in these 'Tsubaki' flowers... that's the name she gave me, man, so I really didn't fuckin' want the birthday gift." They scowl, gloomily. "Guess that sounds pre' ungrateful, huh..."
Well, sure, not accounting for it being a transphobic assault on Tsubasa's person, it might sound ungrateful. ... Tae's probably read enough to realise just how much it would have negatively affected them, though.
"But yeah," they nod, "Death Boss is legit. There's a reason he's th' Boss a Bosses, y'know? Everyone listens to him. Guess th' name 'Death Boss' sounds kinda like he's bad news, but it's all optics, man. Ya gotta be fierce if ya wanna be respected. That's why my Boss is th' Thorn Boss." Of course, there's also the Pastel Boss... but do you really want to fuck with someone who calls herself the Pastel Boss?!
Precisely.
"Uh, it really was in hospital, tho'," they add, rubbing at the back of their neck again. "Like, uh... all th' scarrin' an' shit..." They try to cover it up with concealer and fake tan, but they can't completely hide something covering half their body like that. "I were in hospital for that a long time," Tsubasa shrugs. "Like... for th' burns an' shit." Amongst other things. "So I got a shitload a needles... like, had this one runnin' right up through me arm into me heart, apparently?" That would be a peripherally-inserted central catheter; patients don't receive central lines like that unless they're very unwell. "Uh, but shit like that... they just say 'don't touch that' an' 'quit bendin' ya arm' an' 'it won't hurt'... man, why everyone always lyin' 'bout that?"
<Pose Tracker> Tae Takemi has posed.
"Yeah," Tae says, not dwelling on awkward family life. She gets the idea they're not super into talking about it...
Which is echo'd when they talk about the yukata. They get gloomy, and Tae's expression softens enough she tilts her chair as if looking at paperwork. "I think gratitude can't be forced, or it's not real. And if you don't have it, you don't have it. If she expected it... that's basically asking you to lie, right?"
Tae thinks to her own parents. About how she felt she should have been grateful for even having a cushy hospital job, how their expressions the last time she saw them haunt her.
She moves on to the Death Boss. "It seems like you all have it sorted out, then. A little... interesting for a school, but structure helps."
Then, she holds up a hand as Tsubasa goes into their medical history, listening but adding quickly afterwards, "Oh, I believe you, don't worry. But if it wasn't that, it's not my business to get on your case. My only goal is to make sure you have the medical treatment you need."
A sigh, rubbing a hand through her hair. Tsubasa's telling her a lot, though she's doing her best not to poke into it. They must *really* not have many adults on their side.
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"Yeah... guess so," Tsubasa huffs out a sigh. "An' I ain't, like, opposed to lyin' or nothin', I do that shit all the time, but... I ain't wanna lie 'bout that." ... they say they're fine with lying, but they really give of the vibes of someone who says they do bad things a lot more than they actually do them.
You know. It's all about being tough!
... Tsubasa would know a thing or two about parents insisting they should be grateful.
"We got a system," Tsubasa nods, on the topic of the Bosses. "Ain't many adults give a shit at Kasu, so we had to figure out somethin' on our own... th' Bosses' rules is law, an' if two Bosses got beef they can't beat to a peace, that's when th' Death Boss steps in. All else fails, if you jump a guy and beat their dudes to shit, they'll usually back down instead a diggin' their heels in... so even th' worst arguments ain't unsolvable or nothin'."
... the way they speak is a little weird, huh? Their speech is very rough and gruff and truncated, but there's a touch of elegant oration to them which they can't really shake even with all that swearing.
Still, Tae says that she's not here to get on their case, and Tsubasa blinks, a touch embarrassed. "Oh... oh, yeah," they say, rubbing at their arm. "Cool."
They're not really used to doctors who don't insist on being told everything...
<Pose Tracker> Tae Takemi has posed.
Tae doesn't dwell on the thing about lying, though she does get the vibe they're not as 'tough' in that way as they present. They seem more vulnerable than scary.
Tae takes in the part about Kasu with actual interest. It sounds pretty noble, if violent occasionally. But... if the adults don't care, the teens have to step up, right?
She'll get to work on helping teach them how to use the needles and all the other info they'll need, before giving them their medicine. They'll need to come back in the future, but it seems like that was a given anyways. She wants not to care, which she's failing at, but it's not for her sake.
It's for Tsubasa's. The Plague being the only doctor they can look to... it hurts her in the soul.
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
... objectively speaking, they are more vulnerable than scary, they just try very hard to pretend it's the opposite way around.
Perhaps it's worth wondering... whether the kids from Cuss High are really as hopeless as everyone says they are, if they're learning to grow up and take care of themselves that quick.
Tsubasa proves an apt student at the things Takemi's teaching them -- they don't have a lot of deep knowledge, but they have been trying to learn, and they're quite smart on top of it. She needs to explain a few things... but there's a surprising amount of details which Tsubasa recognises and places on their own, with only a little prompting.
They assure her that the fridge is at a steady enough temperature to store the vials -- and make an appointment to come back for a review soon -- and they thank her, more than once, throughout the process.
Even if she's a Plague, Tsubasa's decided she's reliable.