"So… you finally came huh."
The rain patted on the window outside, his shadow being cast out in front of him. Lightning struck the ground and trembled through the air, sending a blast of sound through his ears. He did not move however, and merely turned his head up to see the figure in the distance.
You were gone. You were never around.
Same as Dad.
"Tyson…"
The voice called out to him, but his heart was already filled with hatred and cold. He did not want to forgive. He did not want to admit anything either.
"Where the hell were you Hiro." He stated point blank.
The shadows were moving all around him in the hotel, Tyson eyeing the coffee table in the center of the room. His breath came out harsh and rasp, Tyson clearing his throat.
"Why…" he asked, shaking his head.
"I used to look up to you… I used to call you my brother… now… I don't even know who you are anymore."
The figure at the other side of the room finally came closer to him, his blue hair slightly illuminated in the dark room's silhouettes. His eyes were fixated upon Tyson, and Tyson could feel that something was not right.
"Hiro… tell me something." He stepped forward a bit, leaning in.
"Where were you all this time?"
Hiro sighed loudly, closing his eyes for a moment. Tyson watched as his brother gazed out the window into the terrible weather that seemed to befall them as the night dragged on. The clock on the wall to the left ticked and rang two in the morning. Tyson swallowed, awaiting his brother's reply.
The silence was only cut by the sounds of soft rain that ran across the glass window pane that showed out into the world, the patio getting drenched. Tyson made no movements however, his lips pursed and his body set.
"Tyson… do your friends know you're out?"
"I told them I'd come home late today."
His brother's tone was soft, and almost inaudible.
This isn't the Hiro that I remember…
"Is… Is the house still…"
"Grandpa paid it off, remember? Or maybe you didn't get one of the thousands of calls I made to you. Tell me, is your answering machine still not working? Or is your text inbox still full?"
At this point Hiro turned to his brother and shook his head firmly. Tyson could see that Hiro's eyes were trembling and he instinctively took a step towards his brother.
Hiro…
"Tyson… what's the last thing you remember?"
"About what?"
"Us."
"…. I had just won the beybattle tournament… against that Brooklyn dude… and then… I saw you… smiling… after that… nothing. You left and never came back."
"Boris was taken down, the entire world eventually fell out of the fad and life became as usual."
"We buried Dragoon, Dranzer, Driger and Draciel in the Earth… back where they belonged. They returned to the spirit world… along with all the other bit-beasts. Hiro what does this have to do with anything?"
"I started working as an engineer in NASCAR… I was one of their top men… changing the tires… checking the oil… dealing with the antifreeze… everything had to do with that… it was just so time consuming…"
Tyson sat down now in front of his brother on the chair that faced him. He softly put his hands upon his knees and listened, tilting his head a bit.
"So you work for NASCAR?"
"Used to…" Hiro replied, taking out something from his pocket now. Tyson blinked as his brother lit up the cigarette and puffed a few times, letting the smell of smoke fill the room. This smell was a familiar smell.
Tyson could feel something within his heart begin to twist, and suddenly he thought of his grandfather.
I remember grandpa's face when Hiro graduated from college… he was so happy… Grandpa was the only person in our family who was really there for Hiro…
"What did it look like?"
"Huh?"
Hiro stared out the window now, not bothering to look at Tyson and merely smoking his cig every so often. Tyson swallowed.
"Just what… Mom wanted…"
"Was he…"
"Yeah. Right next to her."
"Huh."
The cig was puffed again, Hiro unfolding his legs and leaning forward. His eyes dimmed and he put his head in his hands. Tyson shivered a bit, feeling his body go numb with surprise. Something about Hiro's questions and answers bugged him to no end. He did not know what was going on, and he didn't think Hiro would have acted this way.
Hiro's usually so loud and outgoing… he's so bossy and… what happened?
"Hiro… what happened?"
"After NASCAR?" Hiro replied, stretching his arms now. Tyson nodded, now feeling calmer than before. Something in Hiro's responses gave Tyson some peace of mind. Tyson knew that deep down, there was something hurting his brother.
"After that… well… I don't know. I mean… when I got the call… I was at work… and then… I couldn't make it out on time… I didn't know what to think… I didn't want to upset you by not going… but I just… I didn't have any money at the time… and then… I got…"
Tyson's mouth opened a little, his eyes widening. His heart began to drop into his stomach. He gripped his pants.
"You got fired?"
Hiro did not reply to him, but merely closed his eyes and reclined back in the chair, letting the lights of the thunder outside illuminate him. The sounds of rolling thunder echoed in Tyson's ears, and as soon as Hiro had finished speaking his mind went into overdrive.
Hiro got fired… and he couldn't… is he… is he really sorry? For what he did? For everything? For missing me graduating from high school… for grandpa…
"Hiro… what are you doing now?"
Tyson spoke quietly; he could nearly feel his brother's sadness creeping in on him. He didn't understand what was happening at that point, he didn't understand why Hiro felt so sad.
Is this all coming from missing grandpa's funeral? I have a feeling…
"Nothing." Hiro replied softly. "Nothing at all."
Tyson pursed his lips again, this time looking away from his brother. After a few moments of silence his mouth decided to move again.
"I used to look up to you… you know what I said… why didn't you ever call back?"
"I didn't have any money to do it."
"Weren't you…?"
"I…" a flash of thunder and lightning illuminated Hiro's face enough for Tyson to see a drop of water roll down onto the ground below. Tyson gasped silently.
"Hiro…"
"It was something much more than that Tyson…"
"Hiro… Hiro tell me everything." Tyson said firmly now, his eyes narrowing. "I'm not mad anymore… I just… I don't know… I can't be mad if you're like this… it wouldn't be fair to you… not at all…"
He stood up, his eyes locked upon his older brother. The two of them were one and the same; they came from the same family, the same mother, and had almost the same problems.
Hiro understands what I go through more than anyone else in my life… maybe even more so than my friends. He's the one who helps me get through tough times… at least until he decided to not talk to me anymore. He's always helped me out in the past… Hiro… Hiro's not a bad dude… I just…
"I guess I just… I got a little mad… but you can understand why Hiro."
"I don't deserve your pity Tyson."
Tyson's eyebrows furrowed now, confusion filling his soul.
"What do you mean?"
"I… I…"
Silence once again overtook them and now Hiro stood up, walking towards his brother. They stood eye to eye now, Tyson breathing in and out evenly. Hiro slowly smiled at him, chuckling a bit.
"I remember when I used to look down on you… look how much you've grown little brother."
"Hiro…"
Slowly, Hiro's hand came upon his jacket and his fingers gently lifted up the sleeve of his right arm. Tyson's heart froze with horror as his eyes lined the numerous gashes on Hiro's arm. The perfect built arm that Tyson used to know was now littered with pricks and scars that were red and blotchy.
"You… you didn't…"
He felt sorrow overcome him now, Tyson's heart dropping to the ground. He gripped Hiro's collar feverishly, his eyes filling quickly.
"Hiro you bastard you DID NOT."
Hiro would not look at him, but kept his eyes fixated upon the ground. Tyson's breaths came out fast and quick now, his words flowing.
"Why didn't you ever call? Why didn't you ever call me for help? You KNEW I would help you… you know that about me!"
He let go of his brother now, shaking his head.
"Hiro you're my brother! I can't… I wouldn't just let you deal with these things on your own… you know I'm not perfect but fuck I would TRY!"
His brother did not speak a word, and did not look at him either. Tyson could feel the anger and rage returning to him now, his body moving on its own.
He smacked Hiro down hard, sending him flying into the couch and onto his back on the floor. Tyson screamed out in agony, his eyes dripping with hurtful tears.
"You fucking knew I wouldn't like who you turned into right? You fucking knew! You fucking did this to yourself… and then you came back here when you had nowhere else to go… you fucking knew I'd kill you… you fucking knew grandpa would've killed you!"
He was screaming now, hitting his brother who did not fight back but merely curled up into a ball and let his younger brother beat him into oblivion.
The reign of terror continued on Tyson's behalf, finally letting out all the anger and frustration that had built up over the course of years that had passed. He was angry, hurt, and moreover upset that Hiro would allow himself to stoop to so low a level.
After a few more minutes of terror Tyson finally stopped, his knuckles red and his breathing hard. He took deep breaths and got back up, his body swaying from the adrenaline rush to his head. He spoke again, softly.
"What the hell happened to you Hiro?"
The older brother did not reply once again, but instead remained on the floor in his ball of security. Tyson gazed down at his brother and clicked his tongue.
"I thought you were better than that."
"I'm sorry…"
Tyson stopped, his ears listening to the soft murmur that came from below him.
"I'm sorry… for everything… I'm sorry… I don't deserve to be your brother… I don't deserve a better life… I screwed up… I made a mess out of everything… I really did… and grandpa… I'm so sorry…"
Slowly Tyson's rage died and his heart twisted with pain. Hiro's soft cries ate at Tyson's heart, and Tyson blinked back his own tears.
"I don't deserve an escape… I don't deserve anything… I got too drugged up to even work… and everything came crashing down… everything… everything is so messed up in my life… I'm so sorry… Tyson…"
The rain was letting up now, the sky turning into soft oranges and reds as the sun began to break through the cloudy grey. Tyson gazed out the window now, his eyes catching a few birds shaking their wings off and quickly flying into the rising sun. He stood over his brother and softly his hands took a hold of Hiro's body. The man was lifted up and into Tyson's arms, and the brother breathed in heavily.
The rain was gone now, the sky illuminated with bright orange and a fiery red that danced across the sky. Birds called out to their mates and the sounds of the world awakening could be heard through the air.
In his heart, Tyson was settled. Peace had overcome him, and he lifted Hiro onto his back, stepping towards the door to the outside.
"…. Let's…. go… home. Brother."
In the midst of the door opening and closing, Tyson took one last look at the rising sun and his eyes became misty once again. He swallowed roughly and he took a breath of strength.
Slowly, Tyson smiled.