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

[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. ]

[tadeadshi]

[Once he hears the door downstairs close, he waits a few more minutes before sitting back up. He... he really does need to go talk to his aunt himself. And he told Hiro he'd take that tray back down, it just never really happened.

He gathers it up in his arms and carefully makes his way back down the stairs his feet still know by muscle memory alone, though not a lot's changed as he's looking. He manages a few smiles, even makes it through an almost oppressively tight hug for her sake (got to be him for them, got to try). He even makes sure to sit at one of the tables, so she knows he isn't just down for a minute and will disappear again. She piles the table with breakfast that he ... honestly feels horrible only eating a small fraction of. Asks her questions about herself, about Hiro, about the cafe. Any current news or anything he should know and tries not to make too big a face when she gets agitated about Callaghan still being free somewhere.

It's only when she's opening up for business that he goes back upstairs, needs to try to sleep so he can figure out just what exactly he's going to be doing now. The worst vitals Baymax sends over are elevated heart rates, shortness of breath, frantic brain wave activity - nightmares, is all.

He doesn't sleep much. Tadashi's managed about five hours over the course of the entire day, from breakfast until dinner but he's awake by then, given up on sleeping and takes to just laying in bed, watching Baymax.]

[microbrobotics]

[ Baymax offers a few quiet suggestions when Tadashi is awake: breathing patterns to reduce the anxiety, mostly, and those are similar to what Callaghan taught him. He also comes over at some point to be a giant squishy pillow if Tadashi requires it. Hiro gave him some loose orders not to do too much, like contacting anyone outside the cafe, but - he's still a healthcare robot. And there are unobtrusive services he can provide.

Eventually, Hiro returns. It all happens much the same as yesterday: door chime, Cass' greeting, questions about his day, a tray of food to take upstairs. He managed a nap in his lab in between classes, thank god, or else he'd be completely wiped. As it is he's just ... basically as tired as he was yesterday around this time. This time, he sets the tray down in the middle of the room - notices that his brother did take the other one back down, good - and moves to take his plate. And then ... he holds for a moment, looking over at his brother's corner of the room. He could go in and talk with his brother, or he could wait for Tadashi to approach Hiro on his own. He wants to give his brother space, but not at the expense of seeming unapproachable or making it difficult ...

So he settles on pulling his chair over and away from his desk, so that he's within sight of his brother but not actively in his corner of the room. If his brother doesn't say anything by the time Hiro is finished eating, he'll speak up. And if his brother comes out to get dinner and takes it back into his "room" ... then he'll assume that's all the contact Tadashi wants today. ]

[tadeadshi]

[He almost doesn't want to talk. Not yet. He used a lot of his energy keeping up with Aunt Cass and then not sleeping, but...

That talk with One or not, he still feels like he has to try to be his old self. So when he hears Hiro roll his chair to the middle of the room, Tadashi decides to meet him halfway, grabs his own chair and rolls it to the shared space. He's quiet the first few bites but...]

Another long day, huh?

[Gotta keep it light, at least.]

[microbrobotics]

[ Hiro brightens visibly when Tadashi sits out in the open with him. And - he's relieved too, glad that his brother is making the effort. For all of his calm advice as One, it all sure seems to fall out of his head when he no longer has a mask to hide behind. He smiles a little and mixes a little karashi into his soup. ]

Do I look that bad? [ A faint grin. ] Got a new project I'm working on. Kind of a mess, but it'll get easier the more work I put into it, y'know? Probably going back to SFIT after dinner.

[ And by project, he means he's going to start finishing Cal's dismantling of the mafia and their weapons. Starting by asking for Callaghan's direct help in hunting them down... ]

[tadeadshi]

Y'look like you slept on a bus.

[A little too straightforward but... Yeah, he'll just take a couple quick bites of his food to hide behind. In some sense, Tadashi isn't as tense or tightly-wound; knowing Callaghan's okay and taken care of and not actually in prison helped ease a lot of that. Now whatever lingering nervousness he has is solely for himself.

Hearing his brother working so much on projects though... He smiles, a tight, worn smile, but it's there.]

Knew you'd love it there if you gave it a shot.

[microbrobotics]

[ It still gets a snort and an amused glance from Hiro. ]

Futon, okay. Don't even judge, I know you did it too.

[ Nothing but the truth there; he really had slept on the futon folded under his lab desk. He looks Tadashi up and down ... Yeah, definitely better than yesterday. How much is due to seeing Cal and how much is due to talking with One, he's not sure, but he makes a mental note to make sure Tadashi gets to see both of them sooner rather than later.

But - for now. Projects. Right. ]

Guess even older brothers are right every once in a while.

[tadeadshi]

[Or possibly a combination of those two talks plus just absolute exhaustion draining him of any real thought to be nervous. Really, it's probably just everything. Baymax comes over to watch them both, giving Hiro a curious head tilt. If he could figure out how to contact Hiro's friends, you'd think he could send Hiro a text asking if he wanted an update now or later.

Either way, Tadashi doesn't seem all that bothered by his presence in the space.]

Only once in a while. I'll try to make sure it counts when I'm right.

[microbrobotics]

[ Eh. He's alright with the bot waiting, anyway; he's had mundane things on his mind for once today. He's glad to see the comfort with which Tadashi shares space with the nursebot, both because Baymax was a great help to him, once upon a time, but also to keep those vitals tracked. ]

Well, it counted that time. Best decision of my life was choosing to go there.

[ His smile at that is warm and genuine, though he leaves out the part about that decision having come rather later than what Tadashi likely thinks of. ]

[tadeadshi]

[In turn, Tadashi's smile is worn and tired, but just as genuine as Hiro's. He's so glad and relieved his brother decided to go, even without Tadashi there as a motivation.]

Bet you still get into trouble there too.

[And he can't stop the silence that falls again. He thought maybe he could try to be the same as before but... There's such a distance now. A distance he isn't sure how to bridge except telling him where he was and what happened. And he should, he just... Sees how happy his brother isn't sure.]

What uh. [Clears his throat.] What else is going on?

[microbrobotics]

Well yeah. Of course. That's how I roll.

[ Ah, but what else ... He has to rack his brains to think of what else he can say without giving away his secret. For a moment, he even considers just telling Tadashi ... but no. It'd be too awkward after that talk as One. And he knows Tadashi's seen all those scars on his armor - for his brother to know exactly who his weapons hurt... That would hurt him right when he's starting to get better. Maybe Tadashi can't be the same ever again, but Hiro can pretend, at least. Until his brother's found his way. ]

Nothing, really. No illegal bot fights even, I promise. I do my homework and I do my projects like I'm supposed to. Except for dragging stuff home sometimes, I guess.

[ Ha ha. ]

[tadeadshi]

Oh good, because I was worried about that.

[There's the slightest hint of a joke in his tone but. If Hiro really had continued illegal bot fighting... There's no telling what might've happened. Thank god Hiro quit. That would've been like handing Yama the worst tech Tadashi could've built on a silver platter with Hiro's life on the line.

He won't ask how his grades are; Hiro's ...16 now? Almost 17 if his math is right, his brother's old enough to care about that stuff himself.]

Still helping Aunt Cass with the cafe? Or did she finally hire someone else?

[microbrobotics]

Hey, I'm not completely dumb.

[ Hiro's smart enough to get the grades he needs, anyway. Mostly he gets points taken off for participation, and the classes he cares about know he's good for the work anyway. ]

Someone else, part time. I'm too busy with school work so ...

[ Well, school work and superheroing. ]

[tadeadshi]

Gotcha. At least she isn't trying to do it all herself anymore.

[And he noms silently on his food for a couple more bites before deciding that's enough, sets the only half-finished plate back on the tray. Still having to get used to the "having enough good food available" thing here. Every time he shifts to lean down or lean back, a few more of those scars on his arms become visible, going seemingly all the way up; either slashes or burns or the ending tendrils of weird marks that go further up.]

... But how are you doing? It's... Been a couple days now?

[He thinks? He's bad at time.]

[microbrobotics]

[ Hiro freezes for a moment as he sees a fresh scar pop up. He's seen the tapes, so he has a good sense for what's there, but ... He swallows, slowly, and makes a mental note to have Baymax scan Tadashi later. (Which Baymax will do - and refuse to show Hiro. For the sake of his mental health.) ]

Tadashi, I'm fine. I'm just glad to have you back. [ A pause. ] I mean it. I don't care - I don't care if things are a little different, y'know? You're still alive.

[tadeadshi]

[Tadashi in turn freezes, eyes stuck on Hiro. If things are a little different? Something that had been clenched tight in his chest suddenly releases and he feels like he can take a full breath for the first time since the Six found them. Slowly, oh so slowly, he moves to get in front of Hiro. Then kneels down so he's sitting on the floor below his eye level - where he belongs no not where he belongs, just where he feels he should be

Maybe he should. Maybe he should tell his brother everything (minus a few certain details of incidents) and get it over.]

Hiro, I--I'm glad to be back too. But it being different, it's more than just 'a little'. You know? It's...

[You'll never be the same.]

[microbrobotics]

[ HIro still can't stop the sharp little intake of breath when he sees Tadashi get down on his knees. It' a gesture he's seen before, with his brother, but the context is so different now. Not an older brother getting down on his younger one's level, but just ... more subservient. God. He doesn't like that at all. But - he means it when he says he doesn't care if things are different. Tadashi's still his brother.

He makes himself smile a little and reaches out for his hand. He'd rather hug his brother, but... ]

I know. You had to have gone through a lot, right? But I'm still the same, so ... Why don't you rely on me this time? You protected me while I was a kid, so - so it's my turn to protect you.

[tadeadshi]

[His eyes immediately go to Hiro's hand, watching it carefully like he expects it to move. To do something, to do worse than sit and wait for Tadashi to take it. Once he's sure that's all that's expected, he obliges, a shaky trembling hand taking Hiro's. Then squeezing as he ducks his head down to lean against Hiro's knee. Hiro shouldn't have to be protecting him. He's the big brother, he shouldn't have to rely on Hiro at all. Hiro needs him to be unbroken.

Callaghan had suggested he talk to someone. Either his family or someone else, and One is a busy guy. His voice is quiet, uneven. Like he still isn't used to talking, despite all the easy conversation he had with Callaghan the night before.]

I... I-i. Everything that happened, it - [His mouth just got really dry really fast and he has to swallow down the bile that threatened to creep up. It's too much. He can't tell his brother. He wants so badly to explain things to him, so Hiro can better understand him, but he can't.]