shorterpass | man your battle stations, we'll have you dead pretty soon

Entry tags:

!mafia au

man your battle stations, we'll have you dead pretty soon

[Panic had run straight through his core when he knew someone had found their safe house. It'd been the best one yet, they had managed to stay there for months now, but it really was too good to last. They still had so much to find and clean up, he wasn't ready. He grabs his bag, the one he kept packed for if they had to run fast, and made for the door but stopped just outside.

It was them. It was the Six, they'd found him and Callaghan. He's not sure how, Callaghan's mods to his collar had jammed their trackers so... It must be something else they used. But if they're here then they could help. They could take over this mess, and he could go home.

Maybe.

Tadashi's throat's gone dry with the dirt and dust kicked up from their landing and scuffle with Callaghan off to the side and he stands watching, swallowing the lump in his throat. Callaghan, that's right, he-- He'd done so much to get them out, he couldn't let the guy just be taken back to prison, he'd be killed from the inside --

He makes a run towards the group, waving and trying to call out but any sound he makes drowned by the shouting.]

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[The Robot steps up, giving Tadashi a quick scan, sends over a series of readings - from bruises neck to ankles to improperly healed bone fractures to the state of shock his body and mind are in from the electrical shock, to a long string of mental problems. Once the information is neatly gathered and sent to Hiro's HUD, Baymax carefully picks Tadashi up, taking care not to jostle the Patient.

He keeps his voice to Hiro's comm.]

Will we be taking him to the hospital? I believe he would get the best form of treatment there. I am not fully equipped for some procedures he needs.

[ Each item on that long lists makes Hiro's heart sink a little more. But other than the shock, nothing seems to be life threatening. Besides, he doesn't want to risk taking his brother somewhere that public without making absolutely sure there's no way for the mafia to find out. And ... and he just wants his brother home so badly that he's willing to pretend a whole lot to convince himself this is purely the right decision. He shakes his head lightly, comm still routed to Baymax only. ]

No, Baymax. It's not safe at a hospital. We'll have to do what we can for him back home. Get a doctor to come in and help.

... Keep an eye on his vitals and get us out of here.

I understand. I will continue to monitor him.

[ True to his word, Baymax keeps periodically checking Tadashi's vitals and sending the readings to his brother as they fly home, taking a more round-a-bout route to the cafe. Hiro did say 'home' and not 'base', so no stop at Fred's mansion then.

It feels like days when Tadashi opens his eyes again, expecting to be in that room again, or the safehouse still. The Six finding them and taking him to jail is just a dream, had to be. He couldn't possibly be staring at his own ceiling that he'd memorized for ten years. Not sure if he's dreaming, he keeps laying there, scared to move.

When the scene doesn't change after a good twenty minutes, his eyes blur and he closes them to squeeze the tears out, finally moving to at least rub at his face. The first movement he's made since the shock. ]

[ It's morning, in fact. The most perfect morning imaginable, with warm, gorgeous sunlight pouring in through the open window. A cool breeze catches at the curtains, so that they drift in and out of the corner of Tadashi's vision. And ... there's his brother. Hiro is fast asleep in a chair pulled up next to his brother's bed, head and arms leaning against the coverlet. Surely a dream. Or maybe Tadashi's finally died and gone somewhere a lot nicer than where he was before.

... And yet his brother is visibly older than the one that Tadashi left in front of the exposition hall. Taller but still gangly, hair messy but cropped shorter.

Surely a dream couldn't have given him those details. ]

[Not the dreams he's had the last two years. The nightmares he has over and over, the ones that he wakes up screaming from and clinging for anything to ground him.

This is too good. This is too good and too sweet and too perfect to be real or a dream.

He trembles, shifting to move and roll onto his side facing Hiro and every motion is agony against his sore muscles and bones. But he faces his little brother, reaches a shaking hand to his to just touch. To touch and confirm he's awake and this is real and the smallest noise breaks free from his throat when he feels skin under his fingers. He still feels the weight of the collar against his neck, still sees the scars (burns and others) along his arms, he aches all over, but he's home. The one place he's wanted to be since he can remember waking up after the fire.

This is it. He made it. He can't hold it back anymore; he curls into himself on his side, knuckles just barely touching Hiro's hand and he tries to hide his face in the blankets so he can cry in peace.]

[ Too late - Hiro stirs when Tadashi first touches his hand. So by the time he turns away to cry, Hiro's wide awake. And - oh god. He's not even sure what to do with that, even having seen Baymax's list and knowing that his brother has to have a host of mental issues in the wake of his imprisonment and torture. Would it even be comforting for him to say anything? He doesn't know. So instead, he turns his hand very slowly so that he can take his brother's hand and squeeze gently. ]

Tadashi?

[Every muscle tenses when Hiro takes his hand. But his breath hitches and he forces himself to relax when he hears the voice calling him. Once he can get himself together, he turns his head to look at him. His voice is like a ghost shell of the brotherly warmth he used to have.]

H-hey... Little brother.

[ Hiro's breath hitches at that. How can he be so happy and yet so pained at the same time? He thought he'd never see his brother again - but he also never thought he'd see his brother broken like this. An ugly part of him wants his real brother back, not this pathetic little shell sitting in front of him. But he drowns it out with the sheer gratitude he feels for the chance to see his brother again. They'll get through this. He'll help, dammit.

Being very, very careful not to jostle anything, especially that collar, Hiro wordlessly leans in for a hug. No armor this time, just skinny awkward teenager elbows. ]

Ah--

[Incoming incomingincoming he can't help his reactions, eyes wide and scared until his brain processes there's no pain forthcoming and it's okay. This is his brother. This is his tiny baby brother who isn't so tiny anymore, here with him now. Maybe that guy had gotten his message to Hiro - that he was sorry. Sorry for everything, for not being the brother he should've been while captured, for leaving, for running into that damn building in the first place.

He carefully scoots closer to wrap his arms back around him, all the nervousness in the world making him question if this is okay.]

I'm sorry. I- [His voice cracks, god] - I'm sorry.

[ That wince is still there, even with Hiro unarmored and both of them safe in their room. He fights back the urge to let out a little sob of his own right then and there.

But for now, they're here. And Hiro's just glad to be able to put his arms around his brother even if his brother is too scared to hug back much. ]

For - for what? Knucklehead.

[He opens his mouth to speak, but what would he say? That he's sorry for things Hiro doesn't know about. Shouldn't ever know about, if given the choice. That he's not the big brother he's supposed to be, who he was before the fire. That's what gets him the most: he knows he isn't himself.

He shakes his head, moves to hold his brother tighter now that he knows it's safe.]

Taking so long t'get home.

[ Hiro leans in closer. ]

That's - that's right. You're late, bro.

... Make it up to you?

[His voice comes out small and quiet and so afraid that Hiro won't accept that. That maybe two years thinking he was dead only to find him like this - nothing like the brother he loved - might be enough to make him say no. Callaghan was trying to help with that some, trying to help Tadashi get some of his old self back before the Six found them.

So much for that. ]

[ Every time his brother opens his mouth, it hurts. This isn't at all like the brother he remembers. Certainly not like the image he built up in his mind either, the standard he's been trying to live his life by. But ... it's still Tadashi in the end. And he's desperately glad to have his brother back. ]

'course. ... You can start by having some breakfast with me.

[Someone telling him what to do? That he can work with. He's good at that. Tadashi gives a small nod and shifts to untangle himself from the hug, wipes at his eyes.]

What time is it?

Edited 2015-04-22 12:45 (UTC)

[ Hiro bossing his big bro around... That's just as bizarre as seeing his brother completely out of options. But he can go with it, for now. If that helps... ]

About 9 AM? Aunt Cass made pancakes. You wanna come down or have breakfast in bed?

[The thought of eating in front of them both makes his mind balk, though that might also be his sitting up straight with the headrush. He's not ready for that. Facing Hiro alone is hard enough right now to try and keep himself 'together' but him and Aunt Cass and her big emotional reactions, he'd crumble beneath it all. He shakes his head softly, bringing his knees up a bit.]

N-no. No, uh, up here. Bed's fine.

[ Ah. He should have expected that. He just nods a bit, moving to stand up. This way he can give his brother a few minutes of space too.

Look at how much taller he is than the last time you saw him. 5'4" at least, maybe 5'5". Not fully grown but getting there fats. ]

Sure thing. I'll bring up a couple plates.

[He sees it. And it makes his heart ache worse that he wasn't here to see it himself. But he's here now. That's the part that matters right?]

I'll see her soon. Promise, just... Not yet.

[ There's still plenty left to see, for sure. His gangliness is a testament to that. He nods a bit as he turns to leave. ]

Yeah. No problem. I think she's happy just knowing for now, anyway.

She's okay though... Right?

You both aren't hurt or anything?

[Yama's mafia hasn't stopped to pay a visit or anything since he and Callaghan escaped out? He watches Hiro with all the worry in the world in his eyes, some small part of the old him still there, scared sick for his little brother.]

[ Funny, he sure does have some bruises at the edges of his clothing. A faint scar on his face, a strange awkwardness to his left shoulder and arm.

And boy, he knows exactly what Tadashi means here. But he can't just say they haven't had any horrible mafia visitors. Surveillance, for sure. But no broken kneecaps. ]

Aunt Cass is fine. Trust me, she's as healthy as ever. And me - well, I fell out of a tree.

[And all the tension he'd built up releases and he slumps back against the headboard. Relief. Exhaustion.]

Good. I'm-- I'm glad you're okay.

Not that you fell out of a tree, we'll talk about it when you come back with food.

[Because no look he is really, really hungry, he's had shitty cheap food for three years now.]

Okay, okay, you'll get all the details. But it might be the actual stupidest thing you've ever heard.

[ And with that, he's gonna go downstairs and get breakfast while his brother's still relaxed. Good. Phase one of convincing his brother he's normal is complete. ]

[He'll believe it honestly. He'll believe anything at this point, he's had almost no contact with anything outside Yama's men and Callaghan for all this time, anything could be real and he'd believe it just about. While Hiro's gone, he looks around his corner of the room; a lot smaller than the one he'd stayed in at the facility, but it's still cozier.

At least for a minute.

Aunt Cass corners Hiro to talk at length about Tadashi and when'd he get back and how is he, why won't he come down; Tadashi takes the time to get up and walk around his own things, touch everything, refamiliarize himself with it all. His own clothes. His own books. His own drafting table, his own computer. His hands finally stop at his hat, hanging neatly on his desk's lampshade, moved from the bed when Baymax lay him down. Tadashi carefully picks it up and sits on the edge of the bed, holding it between his hands and just looks at it, gets lost in his own thoughts.]

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