Brothers
37
(Part 2 of chapter 36)
Normal POV
"Alright boys, I'm heading down to the café for my shift. Do you need anything before I go?" Aunt Cass asked, tying her apron on.
"I'm good. You need anything Hiro?" Tadashi asked nervously, still not sure if Hiro was angry with him or not.
"I'm fine Aunt Cass, thank you." Hiro said plainly, ignoring Tadashi completely.
"Alright then. Stay out of trouble. Especially you Hiro." She said teasingly before rushing downstairs.
"That won't be a problem Aunt Cass! Especially since Tadashi crushed my happiness in the span of five minutes." Hiro called, muttering the last part under his breath.
"You're still mad about that?" Tadashi asked, shocked.
'Still?! It happened last night.' Hiro thought, rolling his eyes.
"Hiro, are you ignoring me?" Tadashi asked.
'Wow. He should get an award for figuring it out this fast.' Hiro thought sarcastically.
Instead of responding, Hiro merely stood up, placed his dirty plate and cup in the sink, and went up to his and Tadashi's shared room.
Tadashi sighed and washed both his and Hiro's dishes.
'He needs to understand that I did it for his own good, but he's so stubborn. Maybe destroying his robot was a bit too extreme though. I should apologize. I know! I'll get him in a good mood first.' After he finished washing the dishes, he headed upstairs with his hands still wet.
He burst in and splashed Hiro with the cold liquid, who yelped in surprise. "Tadashi used water gun. It's super effective!" Tadashi cried out in a mock narrator voice.
He heard Hiro let out a snort and Tadashi felt hope rise before he saw Hiro hide his amusement with a glare. Quickly wiping the water out of his eyes, the younger boy pushed past Tadashi and threw all his papers on the floor. All his college homework went fluttering down on the floor.
Tadashi felt all the hope wash away. He hurriedly picked up his papers and neatly put them back on his desk. The elder looked back after his sorting to see that Hiro was seated at his own desk, typing away at his computer.
Taking a deep breath, Tadashi decided to try again and made his way to Hiro.
"Uh, hey. Whatcha workin on?" He asked.
Nothing but the sound of keys being clicked.
"Wanna go see what Mrs. Matsuda is wearing?"
…
"Want to build something?"
…
"Hiro I'm sorry." Tadashi said, voice breaking.
An incomprehensible mutter was emitted from Hiro.
"What?" Tadashi asked, but received no response except for more clicking of keys.
"Hiro, I did what I had to in order to protect you. I regret going to extremes, but I'm happy you're safe. I'd rather have you mad at me and be safe." Tadashi said sincerely.
…
"Hiro, please talk to me." Tadashi pleaded.
Hiro merely shook his head. "How long are you going to keep ignoring me?" Tadashi asked. Hiro shrugged.
"What do you want me to do?" Tadashi asked.
Another wordless shrug.
"Do you want me to buy you gummy bears?" The elder asked weakly.
Hiro shook his head.
"Do you want to go get some ice cream?"
This time Hiro didn't even shake his head. He just let out a huff of breath that pretty much said 'can you stop talking? You're really starting to bug me.'
"Hiro I'm sorry. But you can't ignore me forever!" Tadashi said.
Hiro gave his brother a look that said 'watch me.'
"Hiro please talk to me. I'm sorry. You're all I have left." Tadashi begged. He noticed Hiro stiffen at those words and felt a sliver of hope form. But it was gone with Hiro's next words.
"I wish I could believe that." Hiro said almost mockingly, walking out the door without another word. It took Tadashi a moment to realize the sense of déjà vu. Hiro had pleaded with him not to throw his megabot but he didn't listen. He just did it anyway. Guilt poured its way into Tadashi's heart and mind. He couldn't even imagine how Hiro was feeling. His own brother had done something so cold and emotionless to him. He had to fix this, and fast.
*Page Break*
Hiro's POV
Well this was weird. It's been hours since Tadashi last tried to talk to me. Normally he'd be an annoying mother hen and not leave me alone. Something was off. I went upstairs to make sure he was okay. Hey, I was angry at him, that doesn't mean I hated him. I was just upset.
When I got to our room and opened the door, I was surprised to that Tadashi wasn't there. I looked around the entire house and still couldn't find him. The only place I hadn't checked was the garage, but why would he go in there? Unless...oh my god.
Bursting the garage door open, I was met with a startled Tadashi.
"H-Hiro?! What are you doing in here?" He asks, all surprised. I ignore him and march over to see what he's doing. Uh huh. Just what I thought. Magnetic bearing servos, now where have I seen that before?
"You think rebuilding my megabot is going to just make everything okay?" I ask sarcastically.
He fumbles around with his hat for a second before letting out a shy chuckle. "Well I was kind of hoping." He said sheepishly.
"Well it won't!" I snap, causing him to flinch.
"Hiro I really am sorry. If I could go back in time, I would do it and never throw your megabot in there." He said. I honestly couldn't tell if he was lying or not.
"Then do it. You're a nerd. I know you can build a time machine. Go back and prove it to me. Prove that this isn't just some bull shit lie to make me forgive you." I say sarcastically and coldly, leaving the lab. I pretty much just indirectly told him that I would never forgive him. Harsh, but I wanted him to feel like a jerk, which he was.
"And I don't why you bothered to try and rebuild that megabot. It took me weeks." I say as I shut the door. Tadashi slammed his head on the desk and groaned.
*Page Break*
Normal POV
"Honey, do you know where Tadashi is?" Aunt Cass asked Hiro as they ate dinner.
"Nope. Sorry Aunt Cass. He wasn't here for lunch either. He's been gone all day today and most of the last half of yesterday." Hiro said.
"I'm going to call him." Aunt Cass said.
"Like I care." Hiro muttered, scarfing a chicken wing down his throat.
Aunt Cass came back to the table a few minutes later. "He said he's going to be a while and so he'll just spend the night at one of his friend's dorms. He'll be back tomorrow night at best." She reported, finishing her dinner.
"Fantastic." Hiro said blandly.
"Hiro are you alright? Did something happen that I should know about?" Aunt Cass asked.
Hiro knew better than to get his aunt involved. He was the younger sibling and therefore was always wrong no matter what. He didn't to get in trouble because of Tadashi again so he shook his head. "Nothing you need to worry about Aunt Cass. It'll blow over." Hiro said, taking his plate to the sink and rushing upstairs, willing himself to believe his own lies.
"Stay in college forever for all I care." The younger muttered to himself as he stared at the ceiling. "If I had my megabot I could be bot fighting right now. Why'd you have to go and be a buttface?" He asked no one.
*Page Break*
It had been three more days since Aunt Cass or Hiro had seen Tadashi and though he wouldn't admit it, Hiro was starting to get really worried.
"Don't worry Hiro. He's going to be back today for sure. He told me." Aunt Cass told him.
"Who said I'm worrying?" Hiro said plainly, shrugging away from his Aunt.
Aunt Cass sighed and went back to work, unsure of how to handle the boy at the moment.
A sudden buzz startled Hiro and looked around to see that the home phone was ringing. Normally he didn't answer the phone because Tadashi and Aunt Cass got to it first, but neither of them were here at the moment, so he picked it up.
"Hello?" He greeted.
"Hiro? Perfect. I'm coming to pick you up in ten minutes. Be ready." The other line said quickly.
"W-wait what? Tadashi?" Hiro asked, confused.
"Yeah, it's me. Hurry up and be ready when I get there. Wait outside for me. Bye." He said, hanging up.
"No one tells me what to do and especially not Tadashi and ESPEICALLY not right now." Hiro said, staying in his pajamas and jumping right onto the couch in their living room. About ten minutes later, he heard footsteps thundering upstairs, but he stayed in his lazy posture.
"Hiro?! Where were you? I told you to wait for me outside. And why aren't you dressed properly?!" Tadashi said frantically, waving his hands in the air everywhere.
"I don't have to listen to you." Hiro said with his tongue sticking out.
"Hiro please just come with me. This is important." Tadashi reasoned.
Hiro took a look at Tadashi and decided to oblige because his older brother looked exhausted. As if he hadn't slept in days, which he probably hadn't.
Hiro got up slowly and started walking to Tadashi, but apparently he wasn't fast enough because Tadashi picked him up and began running downstairs.
"Tadashi! Put me down!" Hiro wailed, banging his fist on Tadashi's chest.
"No way. You're moving too slowly and I don't want another day of you being mad at me." Tadashi said, determined.
"Yeah, like that's going to happen." Hiro said in sarcasm.
Moments later, they got off of the moped and were at SFIT.
"Tadashi I would much rather peel my eyes out with melon ballers than step foot in there again." Hiro said, voice on the verge of cracking.
"Trust me. You're going to want to see this. Just trust me this once." Tadashi said, holding his hand out.
"No. I don't want to go in there, so I won't." Hiro said determinedly.
"Alright then." Tadashi said, picking Hiro up.
"Put me down right now or I'll scream rape until someone can hear." Hiro said stubbornly and without a trace of joking.
"Hiro please just come. I just want to show you something. If you want to leave even a millisecond after that, then by all means, go and never come back." Tadashi pleaded.
"Please Hiro?"
"Fine. But remember. One millisecond and I'm outta there." Hiro threatened.
Tadashi sighed in relief and started to put Hiro down, but the younger piped up before he could.
"Oh no. you get to carry me now." He said, crossing his arms.
Tadashi let out a light chuckle despite himself and obliged.
As Tadashi was walking, Hiro noticed that there were severe bags under Tadashi's eyes.
"Hey, how long exactly has it been since you went to sleep?" Hiro asked, trying his best to sound like he didn't care.
"I'm not sure actually. Two days, maybe three." He says, scratching his chin.
"Why didn't you sleep? What could possibly have been so important as to stop you from something so vital for your body to keep functioning?" The younger one asked, not even bothering to hide his concern.
"You're about to see, now let's hurry up." Tadashi said, quickening his pace.
"You're unbelievable." Hiro murmured.
"Learned from the master." Tadashi said teasingly.
"Don't get all buddy buddy with me. I'm still pissed at you." The younger one warned.
The elder's smile faltered and for a split second, Hiro felt slightly guiltily, but it was washed away in remembrance of what he was mad about to begin with. The prodigy had to tell himself that Tadashi deserved this for what he did.
When they arrived right before Tadashi's lab door, the younger one stopped him.
"Wait." Hiro started, a bit nervous.
"What's wrong? Please don't leave yet." Tadashi said, worried that Hiro already wanted to go.
"It's just…I don't understand why bot fighting made you so…evil." Hiro said hesitantly, looking away in fear of Tadashi getting angry.
"You think I'm evil now." Tadashi said flatly, not even bothering to form his thoughts into a question.
Hiro hid his face in his brother's chest, unable to face him.
"I'm really sorry Hiro. It's just…I used to bot fight when I was your age." Tadashi admitted, looking utterly ashamed.
"Wait. You used to do it too?!" Hiro asked in shock, pulling his head out.
"Yes and I'm not proud of it. While it's incredibly fun and moneymaking, it isn't safe and can get people hurt." He said, hinting that he was hiding something.
"What happened?" Hiro asked knowingly.
"I don't want to talk about it, but let's just say that there's a reason I always want to help people in the world. A guilty conscious doesn't do good to your mind little bro. I just don't want something to happen to you. You have to believe that I did what I did because I love you." Tadashi said in sincerity.
"I can forgive you for being strict and I can forgive you for worrying too much about me, but I can't forgive you for destroying my megabot. At least not yet. You have to earn that forgiveness somehow. I don't know how, but you're going to have to." Hiro says, fidgeting his way out of Tadashi's hold. The older brother let Hiro go and opened the door. They both entered and Hiro saw a new invention in the corner of the room.
"What is this?" Hiro asked, poking at it. Tadashi hit a light switch and Hiro had to blink a bit before adjusting himself to the new brightness.
"It's a time machine." The elder said proudly, voice hoarse. Hiro blinked rapidly in disbelief. "A WHAT?" He asked, voice rising.
"A time machine. I wanted to show that I meant it when I said I would go back in time to not destroy your bot." He said, scratching his head. "So what do you think? Still want to leave and never come back?" he asked with a somewhat smug smile.
"Why? Why couldn't you just be a horrible brother and hate your little brother? Why do you have to be so amazing?" Hiro whispered to himself.
"What?" Tadashi asked, not having heard.
"Nothing! I can't believe you did this. For me." Hiro said in amazement, staring the machine up and down.
"Well I did. Now let's go back in time about four and a half days or so." Tadashi said, clicking some buttons on a remote. The younger watched silently as Tadashi set the time. So many thoughts were whirring around his large brain right now and he barely had time to comprehend them all.
"NO STOP!" Hiro shouted suddenly, yanking the remote out of Tadashi's hands.
"Hiro, what's wrong? I thought this was what you wanted. You said to build a time machine." Tadashi said, confused.
"Kn-knowing you would. That's enough." Hiro said simply, setting the remote on the table. "I didn't think you'd actually build one." Hiro said in awe. "I still can't really believe it. Y-you're insane." Hiro stuttered.
"Well I was kind of a knucklehead." Tadashi said sheepishly.
Hiro raised an eyebrow. Tadashi being wrong was a super rare occurrence and he wanted to take advantage of it. "And?" he asked slyly.
"And an idiot."
"And?"
"A bonehead."
"Aaaaand?"
"A nerd?" He said in the form of a question.
Hiro smiled a gap toothed smile. "The dumbest and nerdiest nerd of them all." He said lightly.
"So you're really fine with us not going back to fix things? I saw that tech. It must've taken a lot of time and effort to put it together." Tadashi said in shame.
"Yeah I'm fine. I have you and lord knows how much time and effort mom and dad went through to make you." Hiro said suggestively with waggling eyebrows.
"HIRO!" Tadashi screeched in horror, face burning red.
"HAHAHAHA!" Hiro cried, running out of the lab with Tadashi in tow, the time machine forgotten in their little moment.
What they failed to notice was a certain professor eyeing the machine with an odd hunger in his eyes.
"I will see you again my dear Abigail."
*Page Break*
I don't know why, but I felt like adding that last part as my lame attempt to be funny. XD
And shout-out to toothlessbravetangled. Omg you've re-read my stories like three times? I've read your review like 8 times! SQUEEEE You made me so flustered. XD sibling love is the best, I agree. I love my brothers to pieces and I get some of my ideas from things that happened to us
And I'll do my best to use your ideas! Thanks for reading fam!
Lots of love
-Girl you wouldn't expect.