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]

[ He obviously earned it anyway, but - imagine him trying to work in a shared space with his transmitter-equipped tools. Way more difficult. As tired as he is, he's brightening the more he gets to talk to each other. God, it's so good to have him home. He even smiles at Tadashi's joke. ]

Well, it made sense. It's how I got to trying them on prostheses in the first place.

... Aww, come on. You know she loves it. Plus now I can taste test all her new recipes.

[tadeadshi]

[He's still a far cry from himself, even as upbeat as he's making himself be for Hiro. He can tell his brother's worried and being the mess he is won't help things. Better to act like he's not and ... He isn't sure he can take the same role back that he had before, but he can try. His little brother isn't so little anymore and doesn't need big overprotective Tadashi hovering. Which in and of itself is a big relief: an entire role and mindset he doesn't have to try to fit back into, like a shirt he's outgrown. He can focus on just taking care of himself and being a brother.

He mulls all that over taking this bite off his fork, forgetting he's supposed to be talking. He tries to grasp at the last thing he caught Hiro saying.]

She come up with anything good?

[microbrobotics]

[ He didn't really have much of a choice. Not Tadashi dying and Hiro finding himself the leader of a superhero team. He would have liked to have his big brother in his life again, to be his big brother again ... But he's quickly seeing it's not going to happen. His turn to protect his brother. He can't even complain; Tadashi protected him for so many years that it's only right he'd return the favor...

So he makes himself brighten, keeping his tone normal. Like this were any other day with them just hanging out and having some brotherly gossip. ]

Depends on your definition, I guess. We went through a loooot of veggie pastries until she found a quiche recipe that I liked. They're all tiny and wrapped in bacon.

[tadeadshi]

[He's about to make a comment on Hiro eating quiche of all things but bacon fixes all problems. Hmm.]

Get her to try to make a poutine. It'll gross her out.

[Likely not if she makes natto of all things. He wants so badly to have a normal conversation, to try and get some of that simple brotherly feeling back but it keeps feeling like it's missing something. And he knows it's him. The thought of outgrowing shirts though... Ugh this one feels so loose, he's lost a lot of weight. Back to eating.]

[microbrobotics]

[ Yep, better put on weight before Hiro and Tadashi end up wearing the same shirt size. That would be embarrassing. Hiro can sense something is off. But he's trying, dammit, and maybe they'll find their way eventually. Or maybe all the trying will never make this feel natural again. He takes in a deep breath before continuing. ]

Poutine, huh? 'cause of the cheese stuff in it?

[ He shovels in another huge bite. ]

[tadeadshi]

[It'd taken months, nearly a year, to feel natural at carrying a conversation with Callaghan again, and that had gotten roadblocked when he found out about the fire for a while. Who knows how long it'd take with Hiro.]

No, the, uh. The gravy. Absolutely covers all of it.

[microbrobotics]

[ Certainly it's not going fast now. There's a strain to Hiro's smile when he grins at Tadashi's response. ]

Right, her gravy thing. I don't get it. It's just meat sauce.

[ God, he's so tired too. With what he has planned for tonight, if he doesn't sleep now he won't get any at all. ]

[tadeadshi]

I never got it either.

[But as disconnected as he is, big brother can still tell when Hiro's 'done' so to speak. He lowers his plate down to just set it on his lap.]

Sure you shouldn't settle for food coma now than later? Look like you could fall asleep on on top of your food there.

[microbrobotics]

[ He sits back up straight again with a little jolt. Was he that obvious? He's gotta keep it together around his brother, jeez. ]

I'm just a little sleepy. If I sleep now, I'll be bouncing off the walls at 4 AM. And I wanna talk more.

[ He says, pleadingly. But his eyelids just keep drooping on him. ]

[tadeadshi]

I'll still be here when you wake up.

[Probably. If he's not on a roof with some weird superhero pouring his guts out.]

Get some sleep, nerd.

[microbrobotics]

[ Ditching him for the superhero. Thanks, bro. Hiro opens his mouth to protest again - he knows he won't have a chance to talk to his brother as himself until tomorrow after actual school and PT - but he nods. Maybe his brother needs space again. It's not hard to figure out what he needs at any given time. ]

You want me to take the tray back down?

[ Unspoken and implied: are you ready to talk to her yourself? ]

[tadeadshi]

[He casts a glance over to the tray, then goes back to his food. He's certainly eating a good bit more than he did at breakfast.]

I'll take it down in a bit, don't worry about it.

[Translation: wanting to talk to her himself but needing a couple hours to regroup]

[microbrobotics]

[ Both good things. Both things that he can't help his brother with right now. So he nods again and moves to lie down on his bed. Not even bothering to change out of his clothes - just kick off his shoes. ]

Wake me up if you need anything, okay? And Baymax'll be here too.