Hey guys! Okay sorry if some of you out there have gotten a double update with this chapter. Im having technical difficulties ;-;
Anyway thanks SOOOOOOO much to anyone who faved, followed or reviewed! Im really touched by all your kind words and appreciate all those who took the time to write them =)
Now ONWARD WITH THE CHAPTER!
Chapter Six
Traveling by robot was definitely a mode of transportation that Rikku could get used to.
It was a short commute, about ten minutes tops, and the runaway soon found herself landing soundlessly in an alleyway behind some kind of restaurant. By this time, it was completely dark outside - minus the illuminating glow from the streetlights - and it wasn't too difficult for the teens to sneak Baymax to the garage attached to the building without being seen.
"So... what are we doing here?" Rikku asked, rather confused that they were at an eatery rather than a house or duplex of some kind. She leaned against the building, raking her fingers through her completely windblown hair.
"Oh, that's right, you left before you got a chance to see it," Hiro stated as he grabbed a small cat-like lawn ornament and removed a key attached to the bottom. "Do you remember that loan Aunt Cass tried to get from that restaurant in the mission district?"
Rikku pondered on the thought for a second before nodding. "Yeah?"
"Well," Hiro continued, using the key to unlock the garage door, "She wasn't able to get financing for such a big place, so she tried for a small bakery instead. It took a bit, but she finally found this place, and it was just an added bonus that it had an apartment attached to it."
"Wow. That's awesome, Hiro." Rikku smiled softly, genuinely happy for the family's accomplishments. Cass had always talked about owning her own business, so it was cool to hear that she was finally able to live out her dream. Not to mention she was in dire need for a bigger place; the small duplex they had owned years ago was hardly big enough for one person, let alone two reckless boys and an always-visiting house guest.
The struggling noise of old gears was heard as Hiro lifted the heavy door. Once open, he flipped a small switch on the wall, causing a light to flicker to life seconds later. Rikku glanced around in awe as they entered the rather extensive space. While void of any cars, the garage was full of elaborate tech, workstations, and other cool, scientific looking stuff. All in all, it was interesting enough to make Tony Stark jealous.
"Whoa…" Rikku gasped in pure amazement as she examined some of the interesting knickknacks that littered the shelves, "Did you build all of this stuff?" Just then, a loud clanking sounded from behind her, and Rikku turned in time to see an impressive looking mechanism begin unhitching Baymax's armor; revealing his soft, marshmallow like interior.
"Yep," Hiro beamed, enjoying the look of admiration on his friend's face, "Well, most of it, anyway. It's kind of hard to find this kind of stuff at a department store." A confident smile parted his lips and he leaned against his now much more huggable looking robot.
To say she was impressed would be an understatement. Rikku always knew Hiro was smart, beyond smart, actually, but this was just amazing. "Wow," she mused, walking over to poke Baymax's pudgy belly. "I think I underestimated just how much of a nerd you really are, Hamada."
Hiro snickered, rolling his eyes as he removed his own armor, (which, thankfully, had clothes underneath). The teenagers stayed in the garage for a little while, chatting away while allowing Baymax to properly patch up Rikku's wounds. They then made their way to the upper level of the apartment.
"Hey, what about the big guy?" Rikku pointed her thumb over to the marshmallow of a companion as they reached the top of the stairs. He had waddled his way over to what Hiro had explained to be his charging station, his black optics closed in a sleep like trance.
Hiro hummed as he placed a finger against a metal plate attached to the door. There was a beeping sound heard, and within seconds it unlocked, earning yet another look of bafflement from the girl. "Don't worry," Hiro reassured before stepping inside, "He'll meet us upstairs."
Rikku raised an eyebrow at his rather nonchalant explanation. She was both interested and slightly frightened to find out exactly how a six foot tall vinyl robot was going to magically make his way out of the garage.
As she followed Hiro inside, Rikku found herself standing in a very charming looking café. It was a nice sized space; complete with lots of booths, tables and a yummy looking pastry counter. It was closed, but Rikku could definitely imagine the place bustling with hungry San Fransokyians ready for their morning treats before they headed out to work in the morning.
"This is so cool," Rikku mused, breathing in the deliciously spicy smell of what she assumed to be Aunt Cass' famous hot wings. The aroma was enough to earn a loud, greedy rumble from her stomach. The girl blushed, clearing her throat in a vain attempt to hide the ridiculous noises coming from of her belly.
"Sounds like someone's pretty hungry," Hiro teased as he closed the door behind them.
"Hehe, um, yeah... I-"
"Hiro? Is that you sweetie?" A woman's voice interrupted from upstairs, tiny traces of worry in her tone.
Hiro winced slightly, "Yeah, Aunt Cass, it's me!" he called back.
Rikku stuffed her hands in the pockets of her slightly muddy jeans, feeling a sudden wetness against her palms. Annoyingly enough, a wave of tension hit the teenager. Her stomach felt like there was a trapeze artist doing back flips in it, her mouth felt dry, and all of a sudden, she found herself rocking back and forth on the pads of her feet nervously.
Though she knew there was nothing to even be remotely anxious about, Rikku couldn't help it. After all, she wasn't exactly held to the highest respect in eyes of authority figures. Due to constantly ditching school growing up, she wasn't really favored by teachers or principals. Cops seemed to have it out for her line of "work", and parents of her peers just saw her as the delinquent teenager they didn't want their kids hanging out with.
Most of the time, Rikku made it a point to display herself as an extremely confident person, and she often pushed people's ignorance aside, letting them know that she couldn't care less what they thought of her. However, it was different when it came to Aunt Cass. Rikku actually liked her, and had great admiration for the woman. Aunt Cass was pretty much a secondary parent to her; hard working and sweet. She welcomed Rikku into her home with open arms, paying no mind to the fact that she already had two wild boys of her own to deal with.
Rikku owed a lot to her, and she didn't exactly want to reunite when she was battered, slightly bruised, and all in all plain crappy looking.
"Hey, you alright? You look kind of sick."
Realizing that she had been staring at the floor for quite a while, Rikku glanced up to see concern in Hiro's dark brown eyes.
"Hmm? Oh yeah, I'm fine!" The teen cleared her throat, brushing off his curious stare. "I guess I'm just kind of tired, is all." She flashed him a reassuring smile, and fortunately, Hiro didn't ask any more questions.
The two made their way up yet another tier of stairs, where a woman tinkering around in a small kitchenette awaited them. "Hiro Hamada, you're late for dinner again," she scolded as their feet creaked against the floor. Her back was turned toward the teens as she stood at the sink, scrubbing away at some dirty dishes.
"Sorry, Aunt Cass. I kind of got a little… held up." Hiro blushed slightly at his aunt's scolding tone while Rikku on the other hand flashed a smirk in his direction, highly amused.
"Excuses, excuses, young man. All I know is I had half a mind to feed your portion of wings to Mochi."
Biting her lip, Rikku's eyes lit up at the mention of the calico cat. She remembered finding him as the tiniest little thing when she was nine, and how she practically begged her father to let her keep him. Of course, he said no, dubbing the animal "too filthy" to keep in the house. She was more than disappointed, but was thankful that the Hamada family had a better appreciation for animals and opted to take him instead.
"Oh, by the way," Aunt Cass continued, bringing Rikku out of her reverie. Her back remained turned as she scrubbed relentlessly over crusty, old food that seemed to refuse to go away. "I've been meaning to talk to you about something. Now, I try my best not to snoop, but you left your laptop at the kitchen table and I reaallly want have a word with you about your internet history-"
"Aunt Cass, we have a guest!" Hiro interrupted, his tone desperate and rushed. He shifted awkwardly, and Rikku snorted as she tried with every ounce of her willpower not to burst into inappropriate laughter.
The woman immediately turned around, and Rikku bit the inside of her cheek as her eyes were met with familiar green ones. Cass wore a simple black shirt, which was covered by an apron that, in turn, was covered in a bright orange substance. Wing sauce, no doubt.
"Um… h-hey aunt- I mean, um… Miss Cass," the teen stammered nervously, unconsciously pushing a strand of hair from her face. She could see Hiro staring at her strangely out of the corner of her eye, but she tried to pay it no mind.
Yes, she was nervous to see Aunt Cass.
Yes, she was aware she was being completely ridiculous.
However, if there was anything that her father's constant scolding had drilled into her head over the years, it was that first impressions were everything. And, unfortunately for her, Rikku felt like she was already losing points with her crummy appearance.
Aunt Cass fell silent, a flicker of shock passing through her eyes.
"I, uh, know it's been a while," Rikku continued, gaze shifting ever so slightly to the floor, "and you probably don't remember me but I-"
"Rikku?" Cass gasped, placing a hand over mouth. Her eyes glistened with excitement, and within seconds Rikku found herself in the middle of a very tight embrace. She winced as the older woman squeezed her tightly, brushing past her bruises. The uncomfortable feeling quickly melted away however, and Rikku gave her tight squeeze right back. It was a blissful moment, though short lived as a sudden squeal exploded right next to Rikku's ear, ringing obnoxiously against her eardrum.
"GAH!" Aunt Cass exclaimed, releasing the girl from her hug and squishing her hands against her cheeks. "OMIGOODNESS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? HOW HAVE YOU BEEN? WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO? ITS BEEN SO LONG, LOOK HOW MUCH YOU'VE GROWN!" her rapid cooing caused Rikku to blush, and the teen tried to speak, although having her cheeks smushed together made it rather hard.
"Um, Aunt Cass," Hiro stepped in, an amused expression on his face, "I think she needs the use of her mouth in order to talk…"
Almost immediately the woman let go, pushing a strand of auburn hair from her face. "Oh, sorry!" she apologized with a light giggle. Rikku placed a hand over her now sore cheeks, flashing a sideways smile.
"Its fine," she brushed off, secretly quite pleased with her reaction. "It's really good to see you too Miss Cass."
"Aw sweetie, you know me! Just call me Aunt Cass!" The woman squealed. "Oh my goodness, you're probably starving, aren't you? You want something to eat?" she asked hurriedly, a slight hint of worry in her voice. She made it seem as if Rikku was emaciated beyond relief.
Rikku opened her mouth to answer, but an obnoxious growl from her gut beat her to it.
"I'll take that as a yes," Aunt Cass laughed. She quickly cleared off a small space at the kitchen table, urging Rikku to take a seat. She did, and Aunt Cass immediately brought her a plate of food which she more than gratefully devoured.
Soon after she was finished eating, the group of three found themselves doing a lot of catching up. Rikku filled them in on life in Newbai, sparing some of her less admirable adventures. She had reluctantly shared how her dad was doing, (trying to keep the bitterness in her tone to a minimum). She told them how business was going good for him, and that he was even working a new project for some kind of really important company.
They bantered on like that for better part of an hour, and although she was hoping to skip past it, Aunt Cass had wandered on the subject of what Rikku was doing in San Fransokyo all by herself. She explained that she was merely on a vacation of sorts (that her father knew everything about of course) and that she was on her way to a hotel when she ran into a bit of trouble, which was half true…
Even though Rikku didn't enjoy stretching the truth to the Hamada family, she knew it was for the best if they didn't know everything just yet. She couldn't risk Aunt Cass or Hiro shutting her out or turning her in if they found out the truth. She wouldn't be able to handle it.
"The nerve of some people!" Aunt Cass bellowed, as Rikku explained what had happened in the alley just hours before. Her eyes were furious, like she had half a mind to find the tool bag and kick his ass herself. Hiro also managed to chip in how her wallet was stolen, and how Rikku needed a place to stay. She blushed, obviously needing the help, but slightly embarrassed and ashamed of having to ask for it.
She hated feeling like a charity case. Even If she was, in fact, a charity case.
"Well sweetie, you're more than welcome to say here for as long as you'd like!" Aunt Cass said kindly once Hiro finished. "Aww, this will be just like old times! We can bake cookies, and you can even bunk in Hiro's room!"
Rikku flashed a look over at Hiro, not wanting him to feel like she's bombarding on his privacy. "Are you sure that would be okay?" she asked innocently.
She couldn't pinpoint it, but she saw a flicker of something in Hiro's eyes that made her regret asking. "Yeah, that's fine," he said with the smallest of smiles. "You can have… you can have Tadashi old bed."
Rikku suddenly flashed a crooked smile of her own, not catching on the slightest remorse in Hiro's tone, or the way Aunt Cass' face fell a little.
All that her mind focused on at that moment was Tadashi.
"That reminds me," Rikku started, a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Where is that big lug anyway? Is he here? Oh man, I dunno about you Hiro, but I say some serious payback is in order for…"
Rikku trailed off as she finally acknowledged the Hamada family's expressions. Sad and remorseful. "I'm… I'm sorry…" she apologized, though she couldn't fully understanding what she was asking forgiveness for. What was wrong? Did something happen?
"No, there's no need to apologize, hun, it's just…" Aunt Cass sighed heavily, her eyes glazing with tears. "There was an accident a couple years ago... a fire and he… Tadashi… didn't make it out. I'm afraid he's no longer with us."
Rikku felt her heart shatter, the rigid pieces falling into her stomach and cutting everything on the way down.
what?
No.
It wasn't true.
In a moment of shock, Rikku actually had to suppress an unbelieving snort. They was no way. No, they were just pulling a god awful prank to mess with her, right? Tadashi was going to come running down the stairs to put her in a headlock like he always did when she came over. Then he would make fun of her hair like he always did, even know he was partially responsible for messing it up in the first place. Any minute now, she would see those big dorky ears or ridiculous smile that would brighten up her stormiest days, and she would hug him like no tomorrow because she hasn't been able to do that for six long years.
Rikku swallowed the enormous lump in her throat, and she looked over at Hiro, whose gaze was on the floor. She then glanced back to Aunt Cass, whose own stare was distant and sorrowful. It wasn't a prank, and Rikku realized she hadn't said a single word since the dreadful news had been uttered. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't. She felt like someone was choking her and her eyes burned with tears, though she didn't dare let them fall.
It wasn't her place to cry over Tadashi.
Although she loved him like a brother, she had no right to mourn over such an amazing person. He was Hiro's brother. Aunt Cass' nephew. Their family. Not hers.
It didn't matter how much she wanted to cry, wanted to bawl and curse and scream. To do such a thing would be selfish. She needed to be strong for the people in front of her. The people who really lost someone.
Rikku swallowed again, and wiped her now puffy eyes before tears could fall. "I-I'm s-so sorry…" she finally stammered out, her vision slightly blurred. Her jaw clenched as she realized she was failing miserably at keeping her emotions in check. Tadashi is… dead. Tadashi died. And where was she?
Her friends were mourning over a great loss and she didn't even know. Didn't get to comfort them. Didn't get a chance to say goodbye.
Rikku felt nauseated beyond belief, and she sniffed noisily as a tear managed to make her way down her cheek. A warm hand was suddenly placed on her own, and through blurry eyes Rikku looked up to see Aunt Cass giving her a reassuring smile. She winced. How pathetic of her. She should be the one lending a comforting hand, not the other way around.
"Tadashi is… was a great guy. I'm… I'm really sorry for your loss," she managed to choke out.
There was a still silence for a few moments, and Rikku glanced over to see Hiro still staring down at the wood flooring beneath his feet.
Without warning, Rikku found herself lunging toward him for the second time that day. She pulled him over the table and into the tightest hug, softly sniffling into his neck. "I'm so sorry Hiro." She said tenderly, her voice barely a whisper. "I'm so sorry…" she repeated once more. Rikku didn't give the boy a chance to respond properly, for as quickly as it happened the moment was over and she pulled away before turning to Aunt Cass. "I'm…I'm sorry but... would you mind if I took a quick shower?" she asked quietly, her voice wavering slightly.
Aunt Cass smiled weakly at her, "Of course not, hun, the bathroom is upstairs to the left. I'll get you a towel."
Rikku nodded her thanks, before following Cass' directions to the restroom, where she hoped the hot steam and the sound of running water would drown out her heavy, heartfelt sobs for the loss of her friend.
Alright guyys thats it for now =D As usual id like to give a big thank you to friend and editor Melanie-March for taking the time to look over this for me. I cant thank you enough ^^
Oh! And in other author related news, i so stupidly decided to take on yet another BH6 story. (don't worry it doesn't mean i'm giving up on this one) its labeled "a light that never goes out." So if any of you are up for some MAJOR heart-wrenching Tadashi feels, feel free to take check it out. (Terminal! Tadashi au)
thanks so much for taking the time to read! have a good weekend! 3
Reviews and constructive criticism very much appreciated ^^