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]

[ Seven feet tall, that wide, and still light enough to fly? Not in that suit. But Tadashi hasn't gotten a very good look at it, save for a couple brief flights, so he can be forgiven for not realizing that the weight is allll wrong to have a person inside.

Meanwhile, One fidgets a bit at that question. He could lie, try to make his brother feel better. But somehow, the truth feels like it might be the better option. In a quiet, neutral tone: ]

Reviewed the security footage. [ A pause. ] The two of you went through a lot.

[tadeadshi]

... Yeah, we did.

[So that answered a few other questions he had lined up to ask. Tadashi tilts his head down, burying his face in his arms. It's almost uncharacteristic how he curls into himself like this, like he's trying to disappear but... He can't.

That's the whole problem he has to work out isn't it? People waiting for him with expectations of who he needs to be.

He carefully tilts his head back up, just his eyes under the cap's visor visible.]

You ever go through something that just... makes it really hard to go back to before it happened? You want to, you can see it, but what's happened keeps getting in the way?

[microbrobotics]

[ One good thing about this faceplate: it doesn't look strange when Hiro's eyes widen in shock. He can stare at his brother from inside the mask all he likes while on the outside, it's all smooth and cold armor. He's never seen his brother sit like this. Not in person. And it hurts, because he knows that pose intimately. Every time he got targeted by bullies, every locker he got shoved into. Just curling up and waiting for his brother to come and find him.

But in this case, it hadn't been bullies - it had been torture. And there had been no brother coming for him. He turns his faceplate back out towards the city, fighting back tears. No. Keep it together. The modulation will cut all the emotion out of his voice, so all he has to do is keep his shoulders from shaking. ]

Yeah. [ A pause; he realizes he should say something more than that. ] We never set out to be heroes. But something happened to change that.

[ He leaves it at that, for Tadashi to decide if it's analogous or not. ]

[tadeadshi]

[He considers that, letting the weight of his head rest on his arms. His voice is quiet after a minute:] Don't think I'd be cut out for superheroing.

[One seems like a good enough guy. Little short on conversation, but. Good listener, it feels like. One thing Tadashi's always been good at is trusting his feelings.]

I mentioned before, when you found us. I've got a little brother back home? He's...

[God, Hiro. How to even explain him without getting emotional. Probably can't.]

It's just been me and him and our aunt his whole life? Everything to me, keeping him safe. Those two years, I just-- I wanted to get home. Get back to them, try to get things like they were, back to before the fire.

Now that I'm home, I-- ... I don't know what to do.

[microbrobotics]

[ Tears well up in Hiro's eyes again, but for a different reason this time. His brother sitting here talking about him, about how to get back to being the person he was before for his sake ... He feels like the world's worst person now for feeling jealous and frustrated by Tadashi's return. It all seems so horribly petty when his brother's so lost that he's sitting here confessing to a stranger.

He resolves then and there that he has to do everything he can to help his brother. Even if it means letting go of his image of who Tadashi was before. ]

You aren't the same. You never will be.

[ Somehow, he manages to force a trickle of compassion past the modulation, to soften the words. ]

[tadeadshi]

[Well if a superhero can't take some time to listen to a confused victim, then what kind of superhero is he?

... Probably a very busy hero without a lot of time to spare, in all honesty.

But something about those words, even with the compassion. The finality of them confirming what he was trying to avoid telling himself strikes him deep. He can't help the shudder or that weird foreign noise that comes from his throat that sounds almost like a whimper.]

I know. I-i know.

[This guy probably doesn't want to deal with this. This hero has so many other things to be doing and here he is, listening to this poor bastard complain about hardships he can't fix and wasting his time. He didn't have to take Tadashi home. He didn't have to bring Tadashi out to see Callaghan, or stop to let him rest here on this turbine. He carefully ducks his head down and crosses his arms over the back of his head trying to breathe. Don't break down don't break down don't break down. Breaking down would be reserved for while Hiro's at class tomorrow and he has the attic-room to himself for the morning.]

It'd just-- I-it'd be easier if I could be.

[microbrobotics]

[ If Hiro weren't armored - if he weren't One right now, if he were Tadashi's little brother - he'd have reached out to hug his brother. And probably undone the conversation so far. But even if he'd wanted to, the armor is too hard for anything that gentle. So, instead, he reaches out slowly enough for Tadashi to react and move away if he wants to. Slow enough that his armored hand will only be the lightest amount of pressure, just a small reminder that there's still a person sitting next to him.

He stays like that for a moment. Swallows. He wants to say, then find a new angle, but he manages to bite back that specific phrasing. ]

It's not the only solution you have.

[tadeadshi]

[He doesn't move, not even when he feels the hand coming.]

It is, though.

I-it is, the only other solution is...

[Deep breaths. In, four, out, four. Something he picked up along the way to help.]

I can't just... tell my brother what happened. It's for his own safety I can't and-- just... [He literally can't.] So after he gets over the thrill and shock of his brother being back, he'll...

[Sigh.]

The novelty's gonna wear off real soon and he'll be stuck me. Not his brother, just. The me that's all wrong. What if he just... What if he can't? I talked to him for a while after i woke up, and I can already tell and I don't know how to fix it.

[microbrobotics]

[ Can't what? Can't love his own brother? The concept seems alien, even taking into account the fact that Tadashi doesn't know what Hiro's been through. (But hasn't he had those ugly little thoughts too...?) He shakes his head a bit inside his mask without moving the outside layer. Don't go too far down that road. He'll only get angry at himself and his brother, and help neither.

But then, what can he suggest? He doesn't know to fix the problem either, not when his brother can't be honest. (An uncharitable thought as well, but it seems to really be a can't and not a won't.) So ... he decides to take his own advice. Find a new angle. Maybe Tadashi doesn't have to fix that problem specifically in order to recover. ]

Then come back here. Think again.

[ Take the same break he's taking now: talk to a complete stranger that doesn't expect a single damn thing of him. ]

[tadeadshi]

[Come back here and think again? But that would require help coming back.

Tadashi's head slowly turns to look at One. He knew this was a Good guy. not just a good guy, a hero, but someone good. His feelings have never been wrong.

Which means he's being reeaaaally selfish keeping him here like this just to listen to him talk.]

... Thank you. But I couldn't ask you to do this again. I shouldn't've asked this time.

[microbrobotics]

[ Jeez, Tadashi. Be selfish for once in your life. Hiro makes such a face behind his mask; One remains impassive and unmoved by Tadashi's comment. How to convince him to take him up on this... He's sure it would help to have the option, even if Tadashi never ended up using it.

In the end, he shrugs lightly. ]

Why?

[tadeadshi]

You're ...a superhero? Busy person. Probably have a lot to be doing instead of sitting here with me.

Not to mention probably a life outside of that. 's not right to hold you up when I don't have to. Could be lots of others that need your help right now, down there. [He nods to the city for emphasis.]

[microbrobotics]

[ No one more important than you, he wants to say, but that would make no sense whatsoever. ]

My life, huh. So my decision?

[tadeadshi]

[Well. It is hard to argue that point, everyone's free to make their own decisions how they spend their time. Probably the only thing Tadashi's selfish about.

He nods to One, let's the conversation settle as he looks back over the city. His voice is quiet when her finally dorks again.]

Do you mind if we stay here a few more minutes? Not... Not ready to go back.

[microbrobotics]

[ Phew. He's not sure if he had any more tricks up his sleeve to try and convince his brother. He lets his hand drop back down then and just sits, letting the silence stretch between them. ]

Sure. [ He glances at the horizon - it's just barely beginning to pink. ] Sunrise soon.

[ Not a warning, but an offer. They can stay until the sun comes up. ]

[tadeadshi]

[He keeps his eyes goes to the pink-turning-orange sky, watching it slowly change.]

Probably can't stay too much longer, they'll notice me gone.

[microbrobotics]

Probably. Trip back is fast, though.

[ And it's nice, sitting here with his brother and watching the sun come up. The skyscrapers below them cast long shadows over the city as the sunlight first hits them. ]

[tadeadshi]

[He nods in acknowledgment to that. Once the colors have turned solid orange, tadashi pushes himself back up to his feet.]

Should probably start back. I can't.. Really thank you enough for this.

[microbrobotics]

[ Reluctantly, Hiro pushes himself back up too. Obviously he isn't going to tell on Tadashi having disappeared overnight, but their aunt gets up early; he doesn't want her to come upstairs and realize Tadashi's missing. He smiles, though, behind his mask. ]

Thank me by doing this again.

... And keep the comm. It'll call me from anywhere in the city.

[tadeadshi]

[Ah. Something else to guide him, simple as those subtle commands are. "Do this again", he'll find a time. "Keep the comm", it won't leave his pocket.

He nods and gets up to make his way back to Six, a new appreciation for this robotic marvel.]

Thank you, I will.

[microbrobotics]

[ Ha ha. Technically, it's all Hiro's work now, though Baymax still blinks down at Tadashi kind of funny when he sees Tadashi's expression. He glances towards Hiro, who just. Subtly shakes his head. Don't ruin this, Baymax.

So the bot just silently turns its back to Tadashi and Hiro so that they can hop on again. ]

[tadeadshi]

[True to One's word, it is a short flight back to the cafe. Getting in is kind of a pain, thanks to both the surveillance on the house and having to sneak in to avoid the family. But he does, gives a nod Goodbye to One and Six.

He crawls into bed and gets comfortable on top of the sheets. He ... really has a lot to think about. He really does think he needs to be who he was before for his brother. His brother and aunt need him to be who he was. Hell, he needs himself to be that person again. But it just... It doesn't feel natural anymore.

You never will be, it echoes in his mind.

He only closes his eyes, considers sleeping when the bright sunlight streams through his window. But still not actually asleep, listening for when Hiro wakes up to go.]

[microbrobotics]

[ Hiro can only hope he got through to his brother - that their conversation helped. And ... and he'll have to think about how to go from there, both as One and as himself. Tadashi will catch on if he asks the wrong questions, even if it helps him in the long run ... He can't let his brother find out. He can't. Tadashi knowing that his weapons were used against his brother? That his arm is all messed up because of one of them?

No. That would be worse than any damage that Hiro could possibly do by lying.

So he has to find a way to sneak back in without his brother realizing what's going on. Hiro is practiced at making it look like he's still in bed; a little inflated vinyl in the right shape plus a hologram projector sneakily built into the ceiling is enough to make a very convincing replica of a sleeping Hiro. With a rising and falling chest and everything. But coming back in a way that doesn't make it obvious that there's two Hiros ... that's tough.

In the end he settles for sending Baymax up first, from his spare charging cradle in the garage. Has him go to check on Tadashi - and conveniently block all of Tadashi's view for a few moments so that Hiro can get in through the other window. Tiptoe across the floor, ssslide back into bed ... Which sounds enough like someone rustling around IN bed that he can get away with it. ]

[tadeadshi]

[Perhaps when Tadashi doesn't have as much on his mind, when he's a little more in tune with his surroundings, he might find that weird spot in the ceiling. But for now, he listens to his brother shuffling around in bed. He can practically feel himself being watched and he can only assume with the silence that it must be Baymax; he's only getting readings of Tadash's steady heartbeat and slow breathing. That's one thing he did get good at while with the mafia, at least looking like he's asleep so they'd leave him alone sometimes - not always.

He's not ready to talk to his brother yet. He thought maybe after that talk he had with One that he could handle it, but... Not yet. Maybe when he gets home. He'll have to use most of his energy psyching himself up to talking to Aunt Cass before the cafe opens anyway.]

[microbrobotics]

[ Probably for the best; Hiro's exhausted again, and now he has to go to school for real today. He does stop by his brother's section of the room - ah. Already asleep, huh. He didn't even need to bother to have Baymax cover for him. In that case, he'll gather up his things and head downstairs for breakfast.

A few murmured conversations with Aunt Cass, and then he's gone for the day. Baymax retreats a little too. Still close, still quietly monitoring Tadashi's vitals in case something happens. His brother will have the whole day to do what he needs to do. ]