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]

[ Hiro bows his head a little at that. The selfish part of him wants to scream you could have done that from home, I would have helped you - but he can see where Tadashi's coming from, at least. He already keeps so much from Aunt Cass in the name of keeping what's left of his family safe. ]

Is it still out there? You're not - you're not going back out, are you?

[tadeadshi]

No.

[That at least gets an immediate shake of his head. Far as he's concerned, the Six can take over the rest of the clean up now. He's home, finally, after almost three years, he doesn't want to leave. Something he's learned in all this time is how to be selfish, and right now he just -

He just wants to stay home.]

No, I'm not going back out there. I think they - the Six - got enough when they found me they can probably find the rest.

[microbrobotics]

[ Hiro's shoulders slump in relief. Oh thank god. He's not sure his heart could take a Tadashi who wants to throw himself straight back out there, with Cal and the mafia and everything else ready to snatch him away again. Hiro will sleep better too knowing that his brother is here and safe.

He nods, finally. Gratefully. ]

They probably do. And - and I want you here too. Just stay and be safe.

[tadeadshi]

[Tadashi nods at that - another command he can follow. A habit he'll have to keep trying to break, but for now it's one he can agree with fully. He thumbs along Hiro's knuckles before easing himself away. He desperately needs his space again, but it's his brother and he doesn't go too far. Just scoots an inch or two away on the bed, reaches to idly pick up and bite on some bacon he'd passed up.]

So- So tell me about you? I probably missed a lot, how're you?

[Anything to keep from talking about himself, but also to help him feel normal for a little while, until Hiro inevitably has to leave or he has to face Aunt Cass and go through this song and dance of "you're alive! where were you! why didn't you come home! what happened to you!" all over again.]

[microbrobotics]

[ Right. Give him space. He leans back into his chair and moves to clean off his part of the breakfast tray. He ... ate most of the leftovers, sorry Tadashi. Between the superheroing and puberty, he's eating absolutely everything. ]

Me? I dunno where to start, I guess. [ School? School is safe. ] I took over your old lab.

[tadeadshi]

[It's fine, all he wants is this one piece of bacon, it'll take him a while to eat it.]

Yeah? It's-- it was the best lab space on that floor. Best light.

[microbrobotics]

Right? I guess they don't normally give that room to first year students, but they made an exception for me. I kind of got a late start, so ...

[tadeadshi]

... They usually reserved it for upper classmen or students with high scored projects.

[Like Baymax.]

Had to work hard to get it, I bet.

[microbrobotics]

'course I did. I built the microbots. And I've been doing a lot of things since then. Prosthetic limbs, mostly.

[ And powered exoskeletons. ]

[tadeadshi]

Really?

[He sounds hopeful at that. His brother making prosthetic limbs? Sign him up for that newsletter.]

Tell me about them? They've got to be amazing if you're making them.

[microbrobotics]

[ A bit of that good ol' lopsided grin. Hiro still loves to show off, okay. And he hasn't even gotten to do it in front of his brother yet. ]

Well, duh. I'm making them so that they interface directly with a neuro-cranial transmitter. And I did some extensive sensor work, so the prototypes I have almost feel the same as real limbs. Almost makes me wish I were missing something.

[ It had been close, with that arm. He'd sure considered the possibility for a while there... ]

[tadeadshi]

Hiro, that's--

[His mind flashes to the things he'd had to design and make, the kind of hurt they likely caused. And then to his little brother working on things that could repair the damage.]

That's amazing.

[microbrobotics]

[ What an uncanny coincidence, huh? He ducks his head, flushing just a bit. Brother approval. ]

I had to live up to you, bro.

[tadeadshi]

I--

[Ow.

Ow.

That hurts him, right in the heart. After the things he's done, had to do, the levels he's stooped to... There wasn't much to live 'up' to, only ways to go down for him. He never wanted Hiro anywhere near following those footsteps.

His jaw tightens and he goes to wipe his eye, still got some sleep crusties in the corner obviously, he's not about to break down on his brother. Maybe when he leaves. But not at this moment, he'll fight it off.]

Doing great at it. Passed me somewhere I think.

[microbrobotics]

[ He'd meant it as a compliment, of course; he doesn't expect the near tears in his brother's eyes. But - maybe he should have expected it? Tadashi had been forced to make weapons, something he can't picture his brother wanting to do ever. Damn it. He definitely said the wrong thing, then. ]

No way. You built Baymax. And - and I found your messages too.

[tadeadshi]

My messages?

[He didn't leave any messages did he? He can't remember, it feels like a lifetime ago.]

Which ones?

[microbrobotics]

Your recordings? The ones you made while you were making him?

[tadeadshi]

Oh.

[Oh, wow.]

How'd you even find those, they were half-buried in Baymax's memory discs.

[microbrobotics]

... He pulled them up. I was having a hard time after you were gone, so...

[tadeadshi]

[Tadashi watches his brother, knowing exactly how that likely felt. He remembers the pain from their parents, and then Hiro had to go through it for nothing.

He... Good he wants to hug his brother, but that means contact and he freezes st the thought.

But he has to do this, this one simple thing. Shaking, he moved to carefully out a hand on Hiro's shoulder.]

Hiro,I.. I'm sorry.

[okay. Okay he moved in, motions deliberate and calculated and hugs his brother.]

[microbrobotics]

[ Ah. Hiro forces himself to relax slowly, to keep from just leaning against his brother and squeezing until he pops. He makes himself settle for gently, gently putting a hand on his brother's back. ]

It's not your fault. They're the ones who...

[ He's going to burn them to the ground. Everyone who ever hurt his brother. ]

[tadeadshi]

[Perfect. Nailed it. This is the best kind of contact he can do right now, this is what he can handle until he gets settled again.

Oh. Wait. Crap.]

Does everyone else know yet?

[microbrobotics]

[ Of course they do. But Hiro shakes his head. ]

I was gonna send them a message once you're ready. Figured me and Aunt Cass and Baymax would be enough for now.

[tadeadshi]

[The tension bleeds out of him at that and he nods, giving him the gentlest squeeze.]

Thanks. Grew up a lot while I was gone.

Finally reach the top shelf, huh.

[microbrobotics]

[ It helps that they've already seen him and know how bad the damage is. All of them know to keep their space for now, and Hiro has first dibs. He snorts a bit, almost a laugh. ]

It's not all it's cracked up to be. Aunt Cass makes me grab more stuff now.