Kotetsu can't cling quite as tightly as Toshi can, but he's making a valiant effort to try. Toshi's voice is muffled, but he's close enough that there's no mistaking the words he says. And they make a lump rise in Kotetsu's throat to hear them. He needs forgiveness. He wants forgiveness. But he's still not sure he could stand to hear the words right about now. The assurance that Toshi isn't mad at him, therefore, actually helps in a way more than words of forgiveness might. Kotetsu's own guilt doesn't reflexively reject it out of hand. Toshi is still hurt, and understandably so, but...perhaps not so badly that Kotetsu can't help him again.
He's not sure he wants to let go, but neither does he stop Toshi from pulling away. Kotetsu is even working up towards mustering a reassuring smile, when the hand laid against his chest stops him cold.
He remembers. He remembers being on his knees and on fire, every nerve ending screaming, and even that being barely half of the pain he'd felt on some deeper level within. He'd felt something being dragged out of him, slipping through his fingertips like water no matter how tight he tried to hold on and he couldn't beg for screaming and what was worse was that the one who was doing it to him said that he was sorry, too...
Kotetsu gasps like he's just been stabbed. His eyes go wide and glassy for a moment as he flashes back, his hands come up to try and push Toshi away...
...and it's the feel of the android's hand that helps the moment pass. Losing his soul had happened at a distance, but Toshi is here, and sees him, and...it's a stupid, childish thought, but he holds his friend's hand to his chest himself, as though that could block his soul from being stolen again.
"Yeah." The memory has his voice choked to a whisper. There's no more pretending he's not shaken up. But at least what he says next is true enough: "I'm all here again."
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Date: 2016-11-14 01:22 am (UTC)He's not sure he wants to let go, but neither does he stop Toshi from pulling away. Kotetsu is even working up towards mustering a reassuring smile, when the hand laid against his chest stops him cold.
He remembers. He remembers being on his knees and on fire, every nerve ending screaming, and even that being barely half of the pain he'd felt on some deeper level within. He'd felt something being dragged out of him, slipping through his fingertips like water no matter how tight he tried to hold on and he couldn't beg for screaming and what was worse was that the one who was doing it to him said that he was sorry, too...
Kotetsu gasps like he's just been stabbed. His eyes go wide and glassy for a moment as he flashes back, his hands come up to try and push Toshi away...
...and it's the feel of the android's hand that helps the moment pass. Losing his soul had happened at a distance, but Toshi is here, and sees him, and...it's a stupid, childish thought, but he holds his friend's hand to his chest himself, as though that could block his soul from being stolen again.
"Yeah." The memory has his voice choked to a whisper. There's no more pretending he's not shaken up. But at least what he says next is true enough: "I'm all here again."