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

[tadeadshi]

[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.]

Comments

[microbrobotics]

[ 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.

[tadeadshi]

[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.

[microbrobotics]

[ Hiro leans in closer. ]

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

[tadeadshi]

... 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. ]

[microbrobotics]

[ 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.

[tadeadshi]

[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?

[microbrobotics]

[ 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?

[tadeadshi]

[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.

[microbrobotics]

[ 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.

[tadeadshi]

[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.

[microbrobotics]

[ 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.

[tadeadshi]

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.]

[microbrobotics]

[ 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.

[tadeadshi]

[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.]

[microbrobotics]

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. ]

[tadeadshi]

[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.]

[microbrobotics]

[ Aunt Cass please. He understands the impulse, though, and he doesn't want their aunt going up there before Tadashi's ready, so he patiently goes through all the details. Tadadshi got in last night. No, Hiro didn't see who brought him - he heard something at the window and found a shadowy figure lowering his brother into the bed. Does he think it's that Big Hero 6 team? How should he know, he's too busy with school to care about that kind of nonsense. Is Tadashi okay? ... well, he's here, anyway, which is all he can say to his aunt without lying. He promises to come get her the first moment Tadashi's ready for visitors, then heads back up with a heavy tray. Two plates of pancakes, bacon, eggs, rice, natto, orange juice ... Aunt Cass might just cook everything in the house trying to send good things up to her two nephews.

It's kind of a pain maneuvering that tray, actually; his arm hasn't been the same since his fall, so it hurts trying to lift anything remotely heavy with it. He has to kind of shunt it to his right arm to get it stable enough to bring back over to Tadashi's bed.

... Ah. He's found his hat, huh. ]

I think she might be trying to kill us with food.

[tadeadshi]

[When the door creeks, Tadashi forgets for a flash where he is. He freezes in place - until the smell of the food hits him and it doesn't match what he's accustomed to in this situation. He takes stock of the tray, then Hiro, then Hiro's struggle and ditches the hat to help with the tray instead.

Did Hiro not have Baymax look at his arm?

Is Baymax still active?

A lot he doesn't think to ask.]

Jeez, lemme help-- [And just. picks the tray up completely from Hiro and gets it to the bed before sitting back down. ... And starts carefully sliding most of it Hiro's way, he really just wants the pancakes and some of the eggs. Hiro's at that weird age he needs all the food he can grab.]

So, your arm?

[microbrobotics]

[ Baymax is downstairs with Cass for now; his charging cradle is still visible in Hiro's room though, and it looks well-used.

Hiro gives his brother a look - rolls his eyes a little - before letting him take the tray. On the inside, though, he's kicking himself and his stupid dumb arm for being so obvious. Good thing he knows this particular story backwards and forwards by now. He sits back down in his chair and gladly begins devouring his portion of their breakfast. ]

I had it, jeez. It's getting better.

[tadeadshi]

Shouldn't it be in a sling?

[He doesn't know how long ago it was or what's been done with it so far but if he's still having trouble carrying heavy stuff, then he knows Hiro should at least have it in a sling to remind himself not to do it. Tadashi keeps his eyes on the food, carefully picking at his pancakes and eating them slow. Just. Savors that taste, every bite of it. He still wants to try to talk, try to be normal? It's still hard getting his mind working in a normal, brotherly way and not be stuck in panic-fight-or-flight mode.]

What happened?

[microbrobotics]

[ A sling, sure. That'll work great with his armor. He was in way worse pain when he was first starting to recover from the injury but still going out in his armor. At least he'd been able to 3-D print his own cast, which had made things easier. Still way too many nights of PT since then, trying to get full functionality back ...

He huffs a little, not even going to answer that first question. ]

You know that giant, ancient cherry tree in the quad? The one that you're supposed to climb to the top of before you graduate from SFIT or else you're doomed to get the worst jobs ever?

[tadeadshi]

[His chewing slows until he stops and stares at his brother.

So he did go to SFIT. Not only that but he was socializing enough to actually hear about that which is great! But... apparently not enough. He swallows his bite and tries to fight down the anger he has that no one stopped his brother from actually climbing the thing.]

You-- do know that's just a dare right? That doesn't actually happen.

[microbrobotics]

[ It makes him feel a little bad, seeing his brother swallow the lie so easily. Nevermind that he's well-practiced with this story, having had to repeat it to his Aunt and every single doctor he's talked to since then. ]

Dude, I know that. But Fred got it into his head that since he'd been there four years, he had to give it a try --

[ -- he'd been cut off from the others. Bad tactics on Hiro's part, but the handheld stunners the mafia was using were being frightfully effective on the others' more traditional powered armor. But Fred's was basically all vinyl and rubber on the outside, completely immune to the shocks, so Hiro had sent him on ahead-- ]

And he got stuck. Like a cat. I mean, okay, it was pretty high up. He was convinced he was gonna pass out if he so much as looked at the ground.

[ Surrounded by at least ten goons at once; inevitably one was going to get to the metallic undercarriage protecting Fred's head. He'd dropped like a stone. They might have dragged Fred off, taken one of Hiro's friends hostage and exposed all of their identities. ]

So I went up to help him down. That's when I fell.

[ A swift, aerial rescue with Baymax; he'd put Fred down on the roof of a nearby building when the real weapon hit him. An EMP that instantly neutralized Baymax and his flight capabilities. The sudden shock and lack of magnetisation had thrown him from the robot and into an alleyway, fifty feet straight down. ]

Good thing I hit branches -- [ A fire escape ] -- on the way down. Or bad. I guess It's better than a broken neck. [ Or dead, which he would have be if he hadn't been wearing a new flight suit specifically meant to take the brunt of a fall from Baymax.

It all comes out so fluidly and casually. ]

[tadeadshi]

[Fluid and, for all his experience feeling out Hiro's lies, Tadashi buys this one completely. He's got no basis of three years of connection with him or their friends. He only makes it about halfway through his plate of pancakes before nudging it away, a couple bites of eggs. But he is watching Hiro carefully. Tries to gauge just how long ago it really was.

Except one thing.]

How'd Fred get down in the end?

[microbrobotics]

[ Months at this point; they'd gotten a respite from the mafia do to them thinking he was incapacitated. And he kind of was; the initial rounds of pins and casts had been awful. ]

The others did that. [ Came and found him in the alleyway afterwards; they thought he'd died too for a frightening second. ] Shoulda done that in the first place, I guess.