Hiro knew the exact moment when Tadashi stepped through the Lucky Cat Cafe doorway by the loud cheer that erupted throughout the building, echoing outside and through the open garage door where Hiro hid himself.
The welcoming party could finally begin now that the cause of celebration had finally arrived.
The rest of his friends had left, guilt driving them to join the festivities (Tadashi was still their friend, after all), leaving him and Baymax to loiter in the garage. Looking over the schematics for the suits, he mulled over them time and time again, focusing on anything that would keep him from going inside and having to deal with his brother.
He had refrained from speaking to Tadashi about the night of the car chase, opting to ramble incoherently and ambiguously before scampering out of his hospital room; when Aunt Cass had asked about leaving much sooner than their earlier visits, he'd explained he was busy with a side project. Obviously, she'd assumed it was for Tadashi specifically, cooing at him that he was such a sweet brother- her little man, all grown up.
Obviously, Hiro's behavior didn't discourage his brother- on the contrary, if anything, it spurred him to new heights. Just as actively as Hiro was keeping out of his brother's way, Tadashi seeked him out. It was like a game of tag, an awkward and tense game of tag that had them running around in circles and left both parties frustrated and a bit angry.
It was a bit cowardly, Hiro had to admit, turning tail and running whenever he spotted the familiar baseball cap, but he considered it necessary nonetheless. He just wasn't ready to confront the giant elephant in the room.
"How shall you keep all this from Tadashi now that he is home?" Baymax asked from behind him, having no problem bringing up topics he didn't want to be a part of.
Groaning, he slammed his face onto the desk. "I have no idea anymore- just... don't remind me…"
There was a pause, one where Hiro could feel his forehead begin to throb against the cool surface of his desk. Behind him he could hear Baymax teeter and press comfortingly against his back, white vinyl covering every aspect of sight when he finally (a full three minutes later) allowed himself to peel skin off of wood.
"A break from all thought process on the matter would help in your decision making," the robot suggested. "It has been proved effective in stimulating greater comprehension and better judgment when recovery time is provided."
The nursebot stepped back when Hiro swiveled his chair around to face him, eyebrows rising at what the robot was implying.
"I suggest you interact with your fellow peers in a more jovial environment."
"Are..." Hiro started, lips twitching, unsure of what he was actually hearing. "Are you telling me to go have fun at the party upstairs?"
"I am simply informing you of the benefits of joining the festivities." Baymax confirmed. "Stress can be overwhelming unless time is given to relax and enjoy one's happier moments." The whole thing sounded something coming out of a commercial and Hiro vaguely wondered if it indeed had- Baymax was never one to be subtle about things and he wouldn't put it past the robot to steal his lines off an older than death infomercial.
"I don't know..." Hiro scratched the side of his head. "There's a lot of people out there..."
"If I am correct, it is nothing you have not faced before." The robot offered the assurance with an honesty that soothed the boy.
Hiro pushed himself out of the chair, slowly and without much motivation. He stretched his hands and back, twisting and having it elicit a small pop.
"Fine," the boy agreed eventually, making his way toward the door with Baymax tottering behind, "but only because I know Aunt Cass bought some gummy bears yesterday."
"Though it is slightly discouraging that the only pull toward social interaction is a popular gelatin-based candy," Baymax said, watching as Hiro pulled at the bottom rail of the garage door after them, the object falling shut with rigidity that shook its frame, "it can be documented as progress in comparison to your previous self-isolation."
"Progress?"
"Of the healing process, yes." They had made it to the side door of the building, which barely muffled the cacophony of sound coming from inside. "This progression will eventually lead to a heartfelt talk of one's own feelings- do not fear showing you deeper emotions, it is all part of the process. If you ever feel the need to cry and talk about your problems, I may-"
"Okay, let's put you back in your case before you turn this party into an intervention." Hiro guided the robot inside and up the stairs, quickly as to not be noticed and/or stopped by party goers or his family should they spot him.
"I must stay active. To ensure that your stress decreases." The nursebot declared, abruptly stalling, when Hiro pushed him toward the red case sitting under their large clock. Hiro stumbled back, bouncing off Baymax's body; a fall would've alerted anyone downstairs and he didn't feel up for interrogation.
"Oh no, you are not coming." Hiro put more force in his next push, gaining a small victory when one of the robot's stubby feet took a step forward. "That'll do the exact opposite."
"But I-"
"Trust me, buddy, I'll be fine." Hiro leaned around Baymax's round stomach. "Seriously, I'm already satisfied with the care you've given me."
The robot blinked, then, to Hiro's great relief, voluntarily stepped into his case.
"I'll tell you how it went later, okay?" The boy promised just before a motor turned on and air was sucked out of the robot's vinyl suit, the material folding and fitting into its container perfectly.
When his friend was completely deactivated Hiro stood there quietly for a moment, looking around the room with a tired look. He ran a hand through his hair, eyes glancing at the red case and then at his bed, still crumpled and messy from that morning, before settling them on the doorway when a particularly loud hurrah stomped its way up the stairs and into his room.
Maybe it would be better with Baymax…
Then he remembered Baymax's continuous medical advice and lack of subtlety and decided against. He was trying to keep a secret, not tell everyone what he knew.
He sighed and followed his feet as they took him to join the party.
For the third time since coming home Tadashi waved away a helping hand, smiling as he explained that he was more than capable of handling everything one-handed. He learned to make sure his bandaged arm was out of view, recognizing the discomfort and pity in their eyes when they spotted it a second after greeting him.
Aunt Cass had explained to him that a little get-together to cheer everyone up was exactly what the doctor ordered (he could even ask the man himself, Aunt Cass having invited him and a few nurses to come celebrate at the Hamada household), especially with all that had happened the past few weeks.
"It's a party, for you! Unless you don't want one- that's fine, too. I can tell everyone to go away, Mr. Cho from next door will be tough to kick out though- he's always too ready to sneak off with some of my raspberry tarts... but I can totally manage if that's what you want. Say the word and I'll return everything. Well, not everything, the cake we can keep- it's chocolate with sweet cream frosting, you know, like the one we had for Hiro's graduation and-" She paused. "Where was I going with this?"
Tadashi had placed a hand over hers, stilling its exaggerated movements, a smile in place. "Thanks for the party, Aunt Cass." Her relieved expression had him more accepting of all the noise and people.
She had hugged him tight, careful of his arm, happily announcing that she had even bought a piñata before rushing off to retrieve it. Tadashi had smiled fondly at her retreating back, laughing quietly to himself as he strolled out of the kitchen and into the dining room.
Almost immediately he set off to corner his friends, all of them ending with similar results- failure.
Wasabi acted more like a waiter than a guest, coming and going with platters of food and drinks. Whenever Tadashi came near, all he would get was whatever food his friend was carrying shoved into his hands, no time to utter a sound before Wasabi disappeared the way he had come. Tadashi gave up after the fifth try, realizing quickly that he'd give his friend an anxiety attack before any information was voluntarily given.
He spotted Fred blindfolded and wildly swinging a bat in the general direction of a fox piñata, Aunt Cass among the audience of people apprehensively watching him; he saw her blatantly snatch a vase off a table when a particular swing went wide and cradled it protectively against her chest. Going anywhere near the area would have him with even more injuries and yet another trip to the hospital, so he wandered to the small circle of classmates in the opposite corner where he could see a familiar figure within their ranks.
Honey Lemon was the least enthusiastic of the group, shyly waving at him from her chair. She didn't provide her usual bubbly conversation, seemingly preferring to remain generally silent as the others talked about their lives. No one besides him seemed to notice her odd behavior, or the fact that she wouldn't keep his gaze for much longer than a few seconds, it flickering to her phone (a safety blanket if he ever saw one) in short intervals.
His light mood dampened immediately when he caught sight of the new phone (had her other one been destroyed?), remembering exactly the last time it was used- what had happened the last time they'd spoken. But, still, he forced his smile not to falter as he responded to a question posed by one of his other friends.
Uncomfortable with being the center of attention for very long, he artfully directed the questions away from him and onto others. It didn't take long for them to respond accordingly, happily (obliviously) taking reins of the conversation, and for him to become a listener to the countless stories he had to be filled up on.
Though, soon the recap of what he had missed wasn't enough to hold his attention and he found himself getting tired of socializing. He excused himself (Honey looked absolutely relieved and he tried not to feel too hurt) and made his way into the living room.
Tadashi's eyes roamed the warm room, skimming over the over-the-top decorations and the jovial party goers before pausing on a lone figure sitting by the coffee table.
Gogo.
Within seconds of spotting her Tadashi was making a beeline toward her secluded corner, offering gracious words and a polite smile to any individual who happen to stop him in the process, but making nothing more than small talk.
Some time during it, she had looked up and noticed him, but, thankfully, didn't bolt the moment she saw him heading in her direction like his other friends were prone to do of late; instead, leaning back in her chair and watching him with a cool complexion. She offered him a piece of cake when he sat down next to her, taking a bite into her own. "How you feeling?"
Her question was layered differently than the ones he'd been getting throughout the night, less superficial and more concerned with his actual health, both mental and physical. Tadashi found himself relaxing, his stiff back getting a break, and accepted the food (by the grumbles in his stomach, it was well-needed).
"I'm doing okay," he answered, only twitching a little when a couple to their right burst into rambunctious laughter. "Could be better..." The unfinished if my friends and brother weren't hiding something from me was obvious and he was sure GoGo got the message.
"Don't ruin your own party for yourself, Hamada," she told him, fork scraping against her plate as she rounded up a blob of leftover frosting and popped it into her mouth. Tadashi was about to retort that he wasn't the one ruining it when he caught sight of her arm.
"What's that?" A faint line, a shade too pale, ran across her inner forearm- he knew hadn't been there before the fire, seeing as someone would have asked about it before long. Though faded, as if it was hastily covered with some of Honey Lemon's foundation, that didn't make it look any less ghastly.
She rolled her eyes, slapping his reaching hand away. "Some guy hit my bike and I fell. Big deal."
Even with her reassurance, Tadashi couldn't help but think that it must've been one heck of a fall to get that scar. And before all the craziness that had happened lately he wouldn't have even considered her to blatantly lie to him, but, now, he found himself suspicious at her nonchalant attitude. "This isn't from the other night, is it?"
"Nope." Finally, someone openly stated that the other night hadn't been a figment of his imagination- that he wasn't going crazy and everything he'd heard was real. GoGo didn't seem concerned, tapping his plate as another reminder to eat. "Relax. I'm in one piece. We all are."
He took a bite, complying on the off chance that she would be more cooperative because of it, before getting straight to the point. "I'm glad, I really am, but none of you are telling me anything and all this," he waved a hand absently in the air. "isn't going to get us anywhere."
She brushed a purple strand out of her face, huffing. "I know, that's exactly what I told them."
"Then why-"
"It wasn't my decision."
"What does that even mean?" Gogo was never one to be muzzled.
She inclined her head to the living room, where, just barely spotted through the doorway, was Hiro, making himself very much acquainted with the bowl of candy their aunt had set out, no doubt searching for gummy bears. And as he watched his brother join the growing audience of the show Fred was giving, sending the pair of them a nervous glance when he passed them by, he finally understood.
"Of course," Tadashi muttered, taking another bite of the cake and finding he was no longer in the mood to savor it. "Any reason why?"
GoGo shrugged. "Beats me, but he was pretty serious about it."
"I'll talk with him."
She snorted and Tadashi was all too aware of how ridiculously determined Hiro could be. "Good luck with that."
Pushing that problem for another time, he focused on the task at hand. "Hiro, I can understand, but what about you guys? Why would you agree with him? What happened out there?"
Shrugging, GoGo offered a flippant, "Nothing we couldn't handle."
He caught her eye, holding it steady and willing her to understand his perspective. "I know you can handle a lot, GoGo, but we're not talking about just you. We're talking about Wasabi, Honey, Fred, and Hiro." He leaned forward. "Gogo, he's my little brother-"
"I know," she grounded out, grip too strong on her fork. "But it's already- I can't just..."
Tadashi's eyebrows furrowed, not expecting her sudden anger. "Someone tried to hurt him- all of you- and you expect me just sit back-"
"Yes," she told him, using the voice of finality that he recognized from when she was talking to underclassmen. "We're dealing with it."
He wasn't to be deterred. "How?"
Here GoGo hesitated, reaching for a piece of his cake and focusing on taking a bite out of it rather than answering his question. Slightly astounded, he couldn't believe that this whole situation was something that even she wasn't fully willing to tell him. Gogo, of all people, was keeping him in the dark.
With the twinge of betrayal that came with that thought Tadashi felt the rush of anger flush his skin. Their group of friends had never been one to ostracize, so him being the one left behind was a bit irritating (was this how his brother felt when everyone treated him like a child?). "No matter what you do, I'm going to find out. I'm going to be a part of it one way or another."
Tadashi was more than glad that he'd grown immune to the worst of GoGo's intimidation, not crumbling under the scowl directed at him; he was pushing her buttons and her limit, he could see. That he didn't wither under her dark eyes was only a small victory; she may have been against the notion of not telling him, but GoGo was going to stick by her decision and the promise to his brother. Gogo was faithful to the end.
Their stare off went on only for a moment, before GoGo got to her feet; Tadashi rose to his, the manners Aunt Cass had taught him refusing to be ignored.
The party went on around them, oblivious sans for a few pairs of eyes. The Korean girl stepped closer to him, unafraid to get right in his face for the few seconds it took her to say, "Do whatever you want, but, just know, you won't be getting anything out of me."
Then she was walking away from him, slipping between a couple with no care that she was distributing a conversation or the looks sent her way from the two. He watch her, eyes narrowed uncharacteristically when he spotted his brother watching as well.
The boy shuffled awkwardly next to their aunt at his 'big brother' stare, one which he had years to perfect.
He spent the rest of the party following after his friends, shameless in his need for knowledge. They, in turn, skittered around him- somehow, even more passionately than before. Now, when he even came within a ten foot distance to them, they would quickly excuse themselves from whatever they were doing and make a hasty retreat to some other part of the house. It was all so frustrating and Tadashi wanted to stomp his foot with how ridiculous it was getting.
Thankfully, before he blew a vein in his head, his nurse managed to corner him in the kitchen and ask him how he was doing. The older Hamada allowed himself to get distracted for however long by the man, who was honestly such pleasant company that Tadashi felt bad for not being his usual cheery self, and tried to limit the sidelong glances he sent at his friends to a minimum while they talked.
By the time evening rolled around (and the calming conversation with his nurse came to an end) their guests had started to trickle out one-by-one, leaving them alone with the mess that was the after-party. Fred was the last to leave, proudly carrying his hoard of candy (miraculously, nothing had been broken, only a few close encounters).
Tadashi was feeling tired (days on end lying in a bed hadn't helped him there), but he was adamant to help clean up. He'd have time to sleep later, he defended himself when Aunt Cass protested, and some light exercise would do him some good.
It was to his relief she relented. If he was doing something, then his frustration from the evening wouldn't overwhelm him.
"Where do you think you're going, mister?" Aunt Cass demanded, making Tadashi turn to spot his brother already halfway up the stairs. "You're helping clean up."
Hiro scowled, it looking more like a pout with his baby fat. One stern glare had him back downstairs, taking the plates Aunt Cass was holding and trudging to the kitchen with only minimal whining with instructions to wash.
"Did you have fun today?" His aunt asked him, pushing chairs to their rightful places. Tadashi recognized the question as one that was frequently voiced during his childhood and understood what she was truly asking: Are you happy?
Their aunt had always been doubtful of her skill as a parent and, no matter what the two Hamada brothers said, would bite her nails to nubs worrying over the fact. Tadashi never understood it- his aunt had been there when they needed her most, during the lowest of times where she herself should have been reduced to mind numbing despair, and had stayed with them regardless of it all. She had patched up the family with devotion that left no one lacking.
And it was because of all that that Tadashi, despite the entire situation with his friends and the thick tension ever rising between him and his brother, smiled and lied straight out of his teeth. "Yeah, it was the best. Thanks again, Aunt Cass."
She didn't spot the deceit and devoured the untruth as if she was starving, smiling wide as she helped him clear the table.
Hiro's call from the kitchen interrupted them. "Do I have t-"
Aunt Cass didn't even look his little brother's way, reaching over the table and grabbing a bowl of salsa. "All of them."
Seeing his brother forced into doing work had always been amusing before, only now Tadashi felt a sort of smug satisfaction. Hiro may have been dodging him the whole night, but Aunt Cass wouldn't let him get away that easy. Hiro sensed this and sent him a dirty look before dunking his hands back into the sink.
Aunt Cass talked as they worked, chatting about anything and everything. It was so completely and utterly her that Tadashi found himself smiling (honestly and truly) and soon enough their house was clean. Granted, it had its usual messy layout, but it was all relaxing in its own way.
"Wait, wait." Hiro was again stopped from bolting back upstairs. Aunt Cass herded the both of them to the table, practically pushing them into their seats. She darted into the kitchen, oblivious to how both their shoulders hunched at the close proximity, and returned with a plate full of her special hot wings.
"Don't think I didn't notice how neither of you ate any real food today," she spoke over their feeble arguments of how they weren't hungry, voice scolding, "and cake and candy does not count."
She piled each of their plates with a generous amount of wings, daring them to argue with a stern look. The boys shared a look of their own, problems momentarily forgotten in favor of a shared exasperation. If they were even going to call it a night and retreat to the safety of their room, they had to eat.
Hiro set upon his plate more eagerly than Tadashi, attacking the wings with a force that only a growing boy could. He idly wondered if the Hiro was truly hungry or just wanted to finish as quickly as possible so he could finally make his retreat away from them. The older Hamada watched for a moment, thinking, before setting upon his own plate, pace slower than even Aunt Cass with the obstruction of his arm. Though, finally, with only minimal difficulty, he dug his teeth into the spicy meat, nostrils flaring when they inhaled its overpowering scent.
"Be careful, it'll melt your face right off and set your tongue on fire..."
Across from her, Hiro paused, the wing stopping just short of his mouth; it could've been a picture worthy of their scrapbooks, complete with a spot of sauce on his chin. Tadashi was almost tempted to snap the picture himself, but Aunt Cass's stricken expression could easily lead them into another tangent.
It took a moment for Tadashi to understand.
Oh.
He spared his arm a glance, catching his family doing the same. Though the bandages covered most of the damage if one looked close enough they could see the slight inflamed skin of his fingers poking out where the gauze was thinnest.
"Hey, if these wings really do their job, then I'll finally match." He awkwardly waved his arm, inwardly wincing at the bad quality of the joke.
Poorly placed, but it did the trick.
Hiro let out a snort, it sending him into a coughing fit when some of the chili sauce went up his nose. And the sight was so comical, so normal, that it brought a laugh out of Tadashi and saw the tension dissipating. Their aunt leaned over the table and offered his little brother some water, trying to hide her own giggles under a worried frown.
It took a good minute for his brother to stop breathing fire from his nostrils, giving their aunt enough time to bring out the leftover cake.
"We can't let this go waste," She said, brandishing three forks and dropping them in their open palms. Her smile seemed to lighten up the mood, taking a heavy duty hammer and pounding the wall that had built up between Tadashi and Hiro throughout the day.
Tadashi caught his brother's eye, a look of understanding passing between them- there weren't going to be any interrogations tonight. For her, they would put the drama away.
They ended the night sitting in the kitchen, lamenting about past memories, while Aunt Cass went off on a tangent about Mr. Cho's most recent attempt at stealing her tarts (I tell you, he's in it for the recipe) and Miss Matsumoto's outfit of the evening (I love the woman, but miniskirts aren't for her).
Tadashi even found it in himself to give Hiro a face full of cake, spreading it across the boy's face and down his neck; he was barely scolded, Aunt Cass too busy looking for her camera and snapping a picture when she found it. When Hiro wiped the frosting from his eyes and glared at Tadashi, he gave the boy a smirk, a challenge in every line. They weren't fighting, yes, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to give his brother a hard time. Besides, Aunt Cass was laughing again and that was something even Hiro wouldn't dare ruin.
It was one of his more sweeter victories.
"Well, will you look at what the cat dragged in," were the words that greeted Hiro when he awoke.
It wasn't the gradual dip into consciousness as he was accustomed to, but a plunge that left him jolting up. Something stabbed him in the side and his head, a pain washing over him that left him reeling; he sucked in a breath between his teeth, hissing and coughing.
His back hunched over as he tried to get a bearing of his surroundings, clarity blinking into focus with every second.
He was lying in a bed. A bed that was slightly too small for his lanky limbs, covered with rough sheets the color of the sea in the early morning. Beyond that, his fuzzy mind recognized nothing. Not the walls with their tacky wallpaper, nor the layout of the room or its furniture- when had he gotten a vanity dresser?
A thud brought his attention to someone else in the room, snapping to the door, where Ren was setting down an opaque container next to two others.
There was a moment filled with unreserved dread where Hiro's hands flew to his face. Shaking fingers prodded bruised flesh and smoothed over the familiar slopes of his features, which were stripped and bare to the outside word. Wide eyes flickered every which way, doing nothing to hide the panic sparking in them.
"Relax, will you," the woman said, lifting the lid of a random container and peering inside. "Your armor's right here... or, at least, what's left of it anyways."
Her words brought all that had happened rushing back. The fight with Callaghan and Hiro's crushing defeat. His heart raced, going in time with his quick thoughts. How long had he been unconscious? Where was Callaghan now? At what stage were his plans at? Had he gone to Akuma Island yet? Where was his younger self now? He hadn't done anything reckless yet, had he? What about Tadashi; was he still at the hospital and safe? Had there been another attack?
Hiro went to lift up the sheets and get out of the bed, but a something pushed him back into the lumpy pillow. He looked up into the dark eyes of Ren.
"You took a bad beating- best not to overwork yourself," she advised.
He blinked.
"What?"
"You- well, you're being... nice." And not trying to kill me or my brother, were the other words he wanted to say, but tactfully omitted.
"Please- nice? Do I look like I do nice?" Ren scoffed, her hard exterior reestablishing itself, as she moved away from him. "No, I just don't want you bleeding on everything. Blood stains are the hardest to get out."
Ah, there was the criminal he'd gotten to know.
"This is only temporary, so don't get used to it." She told him, flippant and taking the edge off what it meant. "The only reason you're even here is because my girls found your sorry butt left rotting in the streets and the only reason you're still alive is because... well, because this whole mess might not turn out to be such a lost cause after all."
His eyes narrowed. Any gratitude he had been feeling dwindled, closing off as he himself did.
"Now, I've been thinking about it a lot and, you know, you're more part of this then you let on," she continued, leaning back and crossing her arms. "I'm not sure exactly what all if 'this' is- it's not just a war against Yama, that's for sure- but, still, it's enough to make a girl wonder."
Hiro pressed his lips together. He may have had just woken up in a strange place, probably escaping a death sentence on the streets, and had this women to thank, but he wasn't stupid. He was not going to spill out his entire story just because she wanted some entertainment or was vaguely interested in him. Yes, he had gotten information somewhat worth his money, but he still hadn't forgotten than they were the ones who'd targeted Tadashi and, judging by Ren's face, she hadn't either. They'd fought only a few days earlier, there was no way he'd fold.
She saw this and smiled. "Don't worry, it'll be all the more satisfying when I figure it out myself."
Time travel wasn't the first thing people generally thought of- well, except for Fred, but he was an expert when it came to out of this world theories so that didn't count- so there wasn't much to worry about. The likelihood of her figuring it out was statistically slim, but Hiro knew better than to underestimate Ren and took a mental note to keep an eye on the ex-Fujita.
"So this is you, huh?" She said abruptly, distracting him. Despite his growing migraine, Hiro managed to scowl at the woman as she casually settled on the night stand, staring him down with an experienced eye. "Mr. Hero is nothing but a snot-nosed brat- pretty disappointing, if you ask me."
He could feel one side of his jaw clenching as he grounded his teeth; he hadn't traveled back in time to deal with this kind of treatment. "I'm not a kid."
She angled her head back and to the side, considering his words, before blundering on, "So what's your name, kid?"
Breathe, he told himself when his temper threatened to get the better of him, she's just trying to rile you up for her own fun. He followed his own instructions, finding it easier done when speaking truthfully, "It's Hiro."
"Hiro?"
"Yeah, so what if it is?" He asked defensively, not liking the incredulity or sudden amusement her tone was suddenly laced in. "Is there something wrong with my name?"
"Nothing," Ren placated, hiding a smile, "it's just..."
"It's just what?" He challenged.
"Oh, come on. You really don't see it?" She was having a field day, Hiro could just tell; the longer he was left clueless, the more satisfaction she got out of the whole thing. Though she finally let up when it looked like he might explode in a splutter of teenage frustration and angry sass. "You're telling me that you're Hiro... Hiro, the hero."
He paused, unsure and unexpecting of what he had just heard, and then groaned loudly (though not of any physical pain), falling back onto the sheets, "That's all you have to say? A stupid pun?"
God, what a Tadashi thing to do- spouting bad puns in the most ambiguous of times.
Ren's sharp shoulders lifted in a nonchalant shrug, "What can I say, I've got an incredible sense of humor."
Hiro shook his head and slowly closed his eyes, shifting to get more comfortable in the bed, not knowing what else to do.
"Though, I gotta say that you do look a little familiar." Hiro froze, eyes snapping open and impossibly wide.
"Cause I'm sure I've seen that face of yours somewhere before," Ren continued, eyeing his expression as she rattled off, "You a local drunk? Got friends in low places you like to visit? Broken up a knife fight? A gang fight? No? Hmm, maybe it was at a bot fight- I mean, you did say you knew the game."
Her foot kicked at something underneath the bed, a metal clang ringing out as something rolled and banged against the bed's leg. Hiro almost wondered aloud how she had even found Babymax, which of whom was supposed to be safely back at SFIT- it took him a moment to remember that he had relocated the bot to some obscure underpass, paranoid of someone finding the small thing once school started back up.
It looked like none of his secret hiding spots were secret anymore.
"You know, I judge a few of them some nights when I'm not dealing with hero munchkins." She grinned, though it more resembled a bearing of teeth. "How about it? Ever been a competitor in one of my games?"
He didn't answer, already knowing the answer (it was stupid of him to forget in the first place, his last bot fight before going straight). Instead he looked away as if he hadn't heard her; his fingers itched to hold Babymax, desiring something familiar and comforting in such a strange place.
"Not gonna spill that either, huh?"
"Don't you have someone you need to hustle or try to kill or something?" He demanded, falling back to anger- an easy emotion, one that worked especially well with confusion and fear.
Her lip curled at that, good friends with the angry expression on her face- a mirror to Hiro's own. "No, I'm too busy keeping you alive, but, by all means, continue to insult me. Let's see where that goes."
Once again he had to look away, unable to respond to that. He was indebted to these people- these criminals; he could push buttons all he wanted, but he was on borrowed time. If he wanted to get through this with only minimal problems, he'd have to use everything he had and that included his contacts. Whether he liked it or not, whether he trusted them or not, he needed them.
Besides, Honey Lemon would surely be disappointed in him and his attitude. He'd leveled out in the years, but that didn't mean his anger didn't flare up from time to time.
He hated having to do this. He swallowed and sucking up as much courage as he could met Ren's eye, forcing himself to keep it. "Sorry... I know you didn't have to do this, but you did so... thanks."
She looked a little surprised, her earlier anger fading.
Struggling for a means to continue the conversation and uncomfortable with her stare, Hiro racked his brains for something before finally remembering the first day he had visited the roller derby and the interesting (peculiar) talk he had with the man in the ticket booth. "How about another deal?"
Ren raised both eyebrows, even more surprised. That was expected, because what did he have to offering his current predicament. "A deal?"
Hiro hesitated for a moment, cautiously taking in the gleam in her eye at the word, biting the inside of his cheek until a sharp pain flared. He continued, knowing that it was only way, "You said you were interested in me, right? Well, here's your chance to get what you want."
Hiro was almost proud at how much he was surprising the ex-Fujita- it left him feeling more in power than in actuality. "... and you're okay with giving me all this information?"
Hiro refrained from rolling his eyes. "No, not all of it. Just enough. You kept me in the dark before, so I don't see why I can't keep a few things to myself. Look, it'll be on a need to know basis, but I'll tell you what I can."
Pursing her lips, Ren mulled it over. "And what do you get?"
"I need a headquarters. And some intel would be nice too, but," he pointed an accusing finger at the woman, "no double crossing."
She shifted until most of her weight rested on one foot, hand curling around her hip- it reminded him of Gogo. "We're hired by Yama, kid, so there's going to be some of that."
Brown eyes stared at her, waiting.
Instead of taking his challenge and leveling her dark eyes in a stare off he was so sure was coming, Ren looked away, huffing, "Yeah, fine, I guess I can try to leave the double crossing at a minimum- or at least warn you or something. Happy?"
He smiled, the first of the day. "Immensely."
There was a moment of silence where Hiro looked curiously into the turned face of the woman. When he realized she was looking at his gap tooth he stopped smiling immediately, lips pressing together self-consciously.
No more smiling. "So, it's a deal?"
Ren didn't answer, searching his face. Whatever it was must have escaped her, because she reverted back to her usual sharp self. "Deal. But, don't think that this gives you any special treatment; this is still my place."
"Like you said, it's only 'temporary'."
His patient was awake during his next visit.
Baymax entered the establishment, greeting the regulars and inquiring about their health; unlike his first encounters, they were more inclined to speak of their injuries and problems. A sign of progress.
After a few cases with minimal abrasions, he followed the path he'd memorize, greeting a group of derby participants that skated by and reminded them to keep it safe. No one stopped him afterward.
He was spotted as he entered the room. Hiro's expression grew more obvious as he inflated and Baymax understood it as surprise (bewilderment, his online thesaurus supplied, always in the search for more applicable words)
"Hello, Hiro. It is good to see you awake," the robot greeted.
Hiro seemed to be just now recovering from the surprise of seeing Baymax's case roll its way casually into the spare room of The Flower Garden. "B-Baymax? What are you doing here?"
Peering down at his patient, Baymax opted to scan him rather than respond, noting the increased number of injuries since their last appointment. The need for immediate action was small, a professional hand already taken care to supply a good portion of medical aid; there was a lack of medication, those present on the nearby tableside proving to be only the generic products. "You are my patient. I am here to provide satisfactory care."
"No," the boy sent a look at his surroundings and the open doorway. "I mean, what are you doing here? How did you even get here?"
"I do not understand. You are aware of my scanner and adequate motor functions, are you not?"
Hiro sighed, shaking his head. "Does anyone back home know you're here?"
"My current whereabouts have been withheld from a selected few," he told Hiro, "for confidentiality reasons."
"You mean you snuck out?" Pause. "And no one noticed?" He asked incredulously.
"I am very careful not to wake anyone," Baymax assured him, checking his bandages. There was faint reminiscence of the earlier burns, nothing more. Another day or two, he hypothesized, and then he would remove them. "A full night's rest is imperative for a healthy lifestyle."
"I don't get it," Hiro mumbled, letting the nursebot take his arms and inspect it. More bruising, but nothing too damaging. "I always got caught sneaking out- I mean, never at first, but, eventually someone would notice I was gone. It's seriously unbelievable that you can do it."
"Yeah, surprised us real good when he showed up out of the blue." Hiro immediately stilled, but Baymax merely rotated his head and offered a polite greeting.
"Hello, Ren. It is good to see you again."
"Ditto."
He turned back to his patient. "Hiro, this is Ren."
Instead of answering, the boy gaped at the two. Baymax watched as Hiro sputtered, looking at Ren for the possible reasoning behind it, but she didn't give him an answer. She shrugged.
Intrigued by the motion, Baymax copied her.
"Your robot's been keeping tabs on you, so we've gotten to know him pretty well," Ren explained, holding up a hand for silence. "No one's complaining since he's been taking care of everyone here- won't leave anyone alone, even if it's a papercut." She shrugged again, Baymax following suit. "Better him than a doctor that needs papers."
At this, Baymax decided to speak up, knowing that his patient would be impressed at his rising aptitude with dealing with his other patients. "I have been steadily solidifying the bond between patient and practitioner."
He must not have been heard because Hiro suddenly turned to Ren. "He counts as part of the deal."
Tilting his head, Baymax could not find any recording or file concerning a deal. Ren seemed to know what they were talking about because she gave a sly smile. "Jumped on that real quick, did we? Fine. He's been at it for days, so I can't really say no. Don't ever say I'm not generous."
Perhaps it was nothing to be concerned about, this deal.
Baymax rotated his head again to peer at Ren behind him. "I require some non-generic medication. Is it possible you have some in supply? If not I shall retrieve the proper prescription."
Ren pursed her lips, appearing to think his question over. "Connor should have some hidden around."
"Would you inform him that I request a chat. I would like to discuss his medical teachings and express my gratitude for providing care for my patient while I was otherwise occupied." Baymax said. "This would also give me a chance to privately converse with my patient."
His request was accepted, Ren motioning to Hiro and Baymax. "I'm sure you two have a lot to catch up on."
Then she was gone.
As the door slid to a close, Baymax found that, even with all the processing power of his AI mind, he still could not obtain complete clarity on the subject at hand. He walked closer to the bedside so that his protruding tummy gently bumped against his patient's shoulder. "Hiro, you are still participating in the recreational activities that placed you in need of emergency care."
The teenager craned his head back, face taking on an expression of guilt before smoothing over. "Wha- I'm not..."
Baymax ignored the obvious lie, determined so by the palpitation of his patient's heartbeat. "I must again request that you quit these activities. It is counterproductive to your recovery and, as there are no positive outcomes that could possibly arrive from them, illogical."
Hiro did not take to his words.
"I know it's not good for me, but someone has to deal with it- the Fujitas, this mess, Callaghan, everything. If I don't figure it out, then everything might just turn even worse than my time." Hiro explained, eyes intense when they raise themselves to meet up with Baymax's own optics; Baymax compared the sight to a dated image of the boy on file, finding that this Hiro resembled his ten year-old self in more than superficial looks. "So, I gotta do this, you have to understand- please, I need you to understand."
Silence ensued as Baymax took in the information. "I still must insist an immediate halt of all activity concerning-"
"Nothing's going to convince me to stop, Baymax. I'm the only one who can save this time. Why don't- can't you understand?" Eyebrows were drawn, suggesting anger- an apt observation and assumption that matched the voice patterns of the teenager. Anger had been a constant emotion in his patient as of late, an observation that rung alarm bells in Baymax's system. "Maybe you haven't learned enough to get why, but it's... if I don't... well, I'm scared that it'll be all for nothing. Callaghan's going to cause so much destruction because of something that wasn't entirely Krei's fault- and he doesn't care, and that makes me so angry-"
"I have substantial data about human emotions," he informed Hiro, the file brought up to main attention. "Anger, sadness, happiness, anxiety, love, all that drives the human body to-"
"This isn't something that you can just download," Hiro interrupted angrily before going quiet. Shoulders drooped as the boy started blinking rapidly. Baymax started to search the room for tissues, immediately stopping the talk that was causing his patient such distress. Hiro shook his head, looking away. "Look, it's not your fault, it's just... so overwhelming and I- I just remembered home and... and how much I miss it and everyone. How much I wish everyone was here. Like Gogo and Wasabi and Baymax, well, my Baymax- he would have understood..."
The nursebot's battery level lowered a single bar.
"Your body is dealing with external and internal injuries simultaneously. This, coupled with the multiple variants of stress your mind has been experiencing, is not recommended, as it may lead to an untreatable condition." There was an uncharacteristic break in the robot's speech pattern, his hard drive strangely stalling to prepare out his next words. His parameters weren't expanded enough to convey his message in a human-like manner, nor to understand the reasoning why he went beyond what was protocol to ensure this specific patient remained healthy. "It is not my wish for you to progress beyond the care I am capable of giving."
He decided that he'd expressed himself adequately enough.
His patient moved, bed groaning in response as legs swung over it and bare feet touched down onto the ground (it was far too soon for strenuous exercise). Hands wrapped themselves around vinyl and pushed Baymax's pudgy form into their grasp.
Giant, white hands automatically came up to reciprocate the hug, Baymax never one to deny his patients the necessary treatment. If he was not a robot, he may have stated that he enjoyed the embrace, but Hiro had just told him moments before that his downloaded information was different, unable to be compared to actual feelings; his system ran inconclusive when it ran for the possible origins of these things called 'feelings'.
An experiment was needed, he decided, so that he could expand understanding of emotions. He couldn't risk using outdated information. Hopefully, he could gain satisfactory results comparing the theoretical to his experimental. If it proved reliable, then he could understand his patient's perspective; perhaps Hiro would converse with him about his experiment and indicate where errors could arise.
As of now, he took note of his current internal status, deciding to label it as 'content.'
"You still have another day's rest." Baymax said when the physical contact reached a few minutes in length, his patient up far longer than he would generally allow.
Hiro let out a watery laugh at the subtle order.
"This may seem strange, but I am sorry my care isn't as effective as my other self's."
"Like I said, it's not your fault. You can't help it that you and my Baymax are different." Hiro appeared guilty, of what Baymax did not know. "I... shouldn't have said that. I should be the one apologizing."
"There is no need. I already have made the required admissions." He patted Hiro's head.
For some reason his patient found that funny, hormone levels spiking and higher activity in the frontal lobe. "Never change, Baymax."
"That will be a difficult request to ensure with my construct of adaptable-"
"Never mind, buddy, you're the best no matter what." Hiro smiled and Baymax observed that he could file another moment where he was 'content.'
The days that followed his brother's return, Hiro had made the most progress and the least. The basics for the suits were finished, Hiro having more than a general concept about how they'd look and work- his friends had given him their pages of notes (entire journals, really) to help him out (or comic books in Fred's case), so he wasn't drowning in the stress of it all. So many ideas ran through his head, each one as good as the next, but where he focused on one, three more were already being considered and remodeled. He just hoped he'd come to a decision soon (there were too many sneaking glances from Tadashi as of late) before he slipped up.
Where it concerned his brother on the other hand, it was a downhill slope.
Just being in the same room was tiring, every moment alone with him left him high strung and wanting to sleep off the fatigue. Before this whole mess, the occasional argument had come up, Hiro no stranger to fights with his brother, but this was on a whole new level.
Tadashi had never been so angry at him.
The party had been the least of his troubles, their little treaty saving him that night, but no longer.
The glaring contests that they'd developed was borderline deadly, speaking volumes where they couldn't risk Aunt Cass hearing them at it. Hiro would enter the room and Tadashi was there, staring at him as if he could will the truth out of him; it was highly possible that he would- Hiro hated this feeling, of lying and keeping secrets from his brother.
In the end, he made sure to keep away from his brother as much as he could- harder to do than to say, seeing at they shared the same room. Only when he was around Aunt Cass did he get some sort of break, taking advantage of that whenever he could.
Two days past before they were thrown under the bus again.
He was working on the suits, only he'd hit a small problem (okay, a big problem)- Wasabi's concept was the toughest to condense, each design needing slightly different parameters in place for containing the plasma. He'd begun to slam his forehead against the table in frustration, ignoring Baymax's repeated insistence that he stop or else receive head trauma. And, after Baymax's eleventh reminder that he still hadn't taken a break from the suits, Hiro grudgingly separated himself from his work, glaring at it on the way out as if that could provide him with the answers.
A quick peek through the door showed no sign of Tadashi. That was a relief, as he didn't think he was up for another stare off. Quietly, he made his way towards the cafe, hoping to sneak off with one of Aunt Cass's donuts.
That plan was ruined when he spied his aunt stationed at their front door, a clump of letters and ads in her hands. Strange, Aunt Cass usually saved that until after hours.
"Aunt Cass?" He didn't get any answer, even when he came closer. She jumped when he tapped her arm, scaring him with how fast she whirled around. But really, her expression was more frightening, eyes wild and mouth tight. It reminded him of the night of the fire.
Holding his hands up, he eyed his aunt warily; the utter relief upon seeing him set him off, alarm bells ringing in his head. Whatever had gotten his Aunt Cass riled up, it had something to do with the mail, more importantly, the letter in her hands.
He stepped closer, turning his head sideways to better read the small, cursive print.
... in the loving memory of Robert Callaghan...
He looked up at Aunt Cass wide-eyed, finding the same fear mirrored in own her expression.
"It's next week," she told him, voice barely a whisper.
Hiro swallowed hard, guilt running its course as he realized that he had all but forgotten about the professor. Sure, he had heard when the tragic news of his unknown fate was announced, but he had let it slip to the back of his mind in favor or more urgent matters- Tadashi.
Now thoughts in the front of his mind centered themselves around the man.
What about his daughter? His wife? Did he have brothers and sisters? Hiro honestly didn't know and he felt queasy knowing that he hadn't bothered to find out more about his soon-to-be teacher. Tadashi probably would have told him-
"Tadashi." Aunt Cass jumped at his voice, crushing the paper to her chest once realization hit.
They'd been putting it off, telling Tadashi nothing of the fate of his beloved professor. How could they when people had still been desperately searching for the man- or the body, in spite of the weeks that passed by. The exhibition hall had been large, the wreckage so chaotic that searching wasn't even possible until days after the fire was put out (who knew how stable the building was). There was the sliver of hope that some miracle might arise, but seeing the words printed out in front of them, everyone seemed to have accepted the truth.
Callaghan was dead and nothing remained to be found.
How would Tadashi take it? Not well, Hiro knew, but what were they supposed to do? The fire had been pushed to make room for more important things, his current projects and worries far more prominent than lingering fears, but now...
It seemed it was going to haunt them for a while longer.
Hiro ran his hands through his hair, dread collecting in the base of his stomach. The man was a well-respected scientist, colleague, and professor. More than that, Callaghan had been Tadashi's favorite teacher, his mentor.
Nothing was going right. Tadashi had just been released and Hiro hadn't made his homecoming all the easier, so of course this was going to ruin everything even further. First the fire, then the masked man, and now Callaghan.
"What are you guys doing?"
Both Hiro and Aunt Cass jumped, whirling around to see Tadashi standing at the top of the stairs, eyeing them with a confused expression.
"Oh, Tadashi, I didn't hear you," Aunt Cass spoke far too loud, pulling a wince from both of them. "Did you want something, sweetie? Breakfast- uh, desert? Actually, you know, I remember your nurse telling me you shouldn't be up too much. How about you head to bed?"
"You want me to… go to bed?" Aunt Cass, in her frantic state, had ignored the fact that it was only four in the afternoon.
"That's right! I mean, it's been a long day and you're probably tired. A nap's just the thing you need." Hiro rocked on his feet, stuffing his hands in his pockets only to decide against it, letting them awkwardly hang at his sides before he crossed them over his chest. He subtlety inched in front of Aunt Cass. Be casual, he chanted, be casual, be casual, be casual...
He tried not to squirm under Tadashi's stare, this being the first time he talked with him since the awkward morning. By the looks of it, his brother wasn't fooled by their acting. "I've been inside the house all day," Tadashi deadpanned, "but, if you want, you can take one yourself. You look a little tired."
Hiro winced. His hours spent in the garage hadn't gone unnoticed.
"How about you and Hiro go out for some ice cream?" Their aunt offered a little too eagerly. "It'll be my treat."
"Um..."
"You know what, we can all go to that place you like- you know, the one that serves the awesome banana splits- what's it called again?"
"The Perfect Split." Hiro answered without pause.
"Yes, that one. It'll just be the three of us and- and you can even get an extra cherry or two on top. Then, when we're all stuffing our faces we can just sit back and..." Here, she faltered, "... talk."
Tadashi's gripped the railing as he took a step down the stairs, catching onto the weird trill in her voice. "What wrong?" He spotted the envelope in Aunt Cass's hands. "What's that?"
A beat of silence.
Tadashi was getting more and more worried, looking like he was a second from barging down the rest of the stairs and demanding they tell him. "Aunt Cass…"
Looking between Tadashi and the paper in her hands, Aunt Cass made her decision. Hiro frantically shook his head, hoping to dissuade her, but he was ignored as she stepped away from him and offered the letter. Her voice, when she spoke, was gentle, "I'm so sorry..."
Her voice got softer and softer as Tadashi accepted the parchment, eyes sweeping over its words, lingering as it reached its end before stopping altogether. Then he became still, unnaturally so, and Hiro thought that maybe he never would move again and stay rooted in the spot forever.
Then Aunt Cass placed a hand on his older brother's bicep, shocking him back into reality. Brown eyes, almost identical to Hiro's, looked to their aunt, impossibly wide and unfocused; they blinked rapidly.
Hiro opened his mouth, then closed it with an audible click of his teeth. It caught the attention of his brother, whose head swiveled like an owl and pinned him to the spot. Hiro stared back, neck angling up slightly to look his brother in the eye; in that moment he felt incredible small, young, insignificant...
"Tadashi..."
At the call of his name, Tadashi lifted his arms and wrapped them around the shoulders of both him and their aunt. From his position crushed against his brother's chest Hiro could hear the deep inhale he took, body shaking even as Aunt Cass stretched herself to envelop them both in a motherly hug.
"It's alright, it's alright. We'll get through this," his aunt whispered as she stroked the nape of their necks. "You'll be alright, I promise."
Hiro didn't speak, but returned the hug.
"Sweetie, I've got you- we're here."
He stood there, silently listening to his aunt's whisper sweet nothings and feel his brother's insistent trembling.
"It's gonna be alright."