"Ch-ch-ch-cheating!" Tadashi sang in a high voice to the Chia Pet tune, pointing to Hiro's side of the board game. "Can't do that!"
Hiro scoffed at his brother, puffing out his chest in faux arrogance. "Well well, Mister Monopoly police is here to give me a referral. Ticket me, badge! I ain't bowin' to the man!"
Tadashi stood and lunged over to his brother's chair, coming at him from behind and putting an arm around his neck. "I am the law, punk!" He began to give Hiro a noogie as he squirmed and chortled in laughter beneath him.
"Alright, boys, I'm the Queen of the land and I declare there is to be no fighting before dinner." Their Aunt Cass glanced over at them as she mixed up the stir fry.
Hiro scooted away from the table a bit as he held onto his brother's arm, slightly muffled in a shirt sleeve with a huge grin on his face. "We live in a democracy! Mmhh-ahaha!" He laughed as Tadashi pushed his head down further into the nook of his elbow.
"Obey the Queen, peasant!" He laughed, backing up and grabbing Hiro's head with both hands, squeezing slightly and coming next to his face in jest. "We shall finish this with the gun of Nerf after dinner has been accomplished."
Hiro chuckled and swatted his brother's hands away.
Aunt Cass nearly stared at the two over her shoulder as dinner began to finish. "Wow. You two're rowdy tonight. Did something good happen?"
Hiro looked to the board, taking all of his brother's money and putting it in his pile before following Tadashi into the kitchen. "Tadashi just finished submitting his thesis proposal to his school, so he promised me this weekend."
Tadashi grinned as he pulled out plates from the cupboard and handed them to Hiro. "We're going bowling."
Hiro scrunched his face. "Bowling?"
Tadashi raised an eyebrow playfully. "Roller skating? Dance lessons?"
Hiro nudged his brother in the ribs. "Racing," he said, lining up their plates on the counter.
Aunt Cass squinted suspiciously as she dished out their portions.
Tadashi smiled softly, pouring drinks. "The annual bot race is on Saturday. Dozens of contenders lining up their home made racing beasts to take home the gold. Completely robotic, fueled by testosterone, and one hundred percent legal." Tadashi shot a glance at his little brother, who made a strained smirk comprised of both guilt and pride.
Aunt Cass hummed in approval. "Sounds like fun! Let's hope you enjoy grocery shopping on the way home. Isn't there a market by the race track?"
Tadashi nodded with a smile, "Sure Aunt Cass." Rather than clearing the table, they each sat with the board game as their place mat.
Aunt Cass scanned the board before squinting. "How does Hiro own the entire green-yellow corner?"
Tadashi glanced up to his brother as he took the first bite of his meal. "Because he cheated."
Hiro, mouth already full of food, straightened in defense. "Dib noh! (Did not!)"
"Hiro Hamada! Do not eat with your mouth full!" Aunt Cass frowned at him sternly, but she noticed Tadashi beginning to smile as Hiro giggled.
"Kinda hard to do, Aunt Cass," Tadashi cooed, giving a scolding eye to Hiro. "Still, he oughta learn to be polite. Guess I should help him with that."
At this Hiro chortled again, eyeing his brother in mock.
Tadashi straightened in dignity. "Ey, I've got great bedside manners." Knife and fork in hand, he proceeded to delicately take small bites of his meal, the look on his face humorously pompous. "It's all about tone," he crooned with a slight nasally voice. The family then burst into laughter and began to dig into their meal in merriment.
