zerotohiro | Some Legends Are Told, Some Turn To Dust Or To Gold [CEREALIA INBOX]

[He knows.

He's known from the moment the notification went off on his phone thanks to the app Tadashi created, known from the moment he actually looked and saw the names of some of the most important people in his life on that list.

He hadn't wanted to believe it at first. It was a matter of doubting Tadashi's work but also of trying to accept these things as fact. Those were two things he didn't want to do.

So...receiving Naoki's text is a little like the final nail in the coffin, so to speak, and for that reason alone he keeps this as text.]

When did you find out? [Text makes it much easier to hide what he's really thinking about all of this.]

When I woke up.

[When he woke up and there was no-one in the apartment that they all share but him. Not that that was unusual, but things were missing, things usually left, dishes, signs that they'd had breakfast before going out. And he'd followed his gut instinct.

When he looked for them, when he tried calling them, when he tried anything--

Though he'd known, right from the start.]

[He doesn't respond for a moment while he processes that. It's hard to imagine what that would be like, just waking up one day with everyone you know and love vanishing into thin air. That doesn't stop him from continuing though.]

According to the app, Weiss is gone, too. [Along with another name Hiro's all too familiar with, someone else he cares far too deeply about.]

I'm tired of letting this happen. I'm going to find a way to get to them this time.

[That is more-or-less what it was like. 0/10, wouldn't recommend. That's what it felt like. What it still feels like, right now, being in here alone is strange and almost suffocating.]

What are you going to do?

Hunt for the Nexus, go yell at Mosley, I'm not sure yet. But I can't just sit here and do nothing. Whatever will get me to them the fastest, that's what I'll do.

[He never handles loss well. Usually his response is to keep working and doing things. Though, on the other hand, being here and being with people, dealing with things like loss has taught him a few people skills he's sorely needed.]

I'm not going to ask if you're okay because that's probably the dumbest question in the world right now. But...what can I do? ["For you" goes unsaid. He might not know Naoki as well as he knows the girls but he's fairly certain the two of them have very, very similar feelings on this whole scenario.]

I don't know. [Naoki's not often in such a state of mind where he feels helpless, where he's at a loss. He is now, though, so that simple response might be telling.]

I need a little time for now. But later, I'd like to meet up with you.

[Not for any reason, he thinks, just... company.

This empty apartment feels like it'll kill him otherwise.]

[The answer doesn't come as much of a surprise.]

Sure. I don't mind. I'm ["Not going anywhere." Probably not the best thing to say, now that he thinks of it.]

Here. I'm here. Um, just text me whenever you want, I might be at my apartment or at my workshop or at someone else's apartment or at work or...something. I'll figure it out.

Thanks, Hiro.

[Just that-- and then Naoki will stop texting. He's going to need a while. He's going to go and vent (which may involve destroying some empty land, it's fine) and then some other things. But he actually won't leave contacting him again until the next day, though there was a chance there.

Still, it's later in the evening, when:]

Where'd you end up?

[It's not that he was waiting for Naoki to text. That'd be stupid. That'd be stupid to periodically check his messages and check Tadashi's app to ensure that his name was still on the list. It's late in the evening and he jumps when Naoki finally responds and he's quick to send out a reply.]

A little bit of everywhere, but I didn't stay out for long. ["I couldn't" goes unsaid.] You?

Same here, actually. I'm back at the apartment, for now.

[There's a break between texts while he considers what he wants to say before eventually deciding:] Want a snack? I feel like making something.

[It's one of the best ways he can think of to distract himself, for real. And he wants to see Hiro now that he's calmed down. Slightly.]

Edited 2016-03-28 15:58 (UTC)

[Aunt Cass stress-eats and apparently Naoki stress-cooks. He's fine with that. Tadashi isn't home yet and the apartment seems too big and empty.]

Sure. I'll be there in about five minutes? There's something I've gotta take care of before then.

Could I come there? Being here right now is a little

[He doesn't continue the text. His fingers hover over the keys as he stares at the screen. Then, eventually--]

I could use a change of scenery.

Yeah. Tadashi's still at work or something so I don't know when he'll be back, but he won't mind. [Naoki doesn't need to finish that sentence. He gets it.]

You don't mind robots or cats, do you?

[He thought he would.]

Nope, I don't mind either of them. Text me your address? I'll be by in a little while.

[There's a text shortly after with said-address.]

The door'll be unlocked, just let yourself in when you get here. I'll be here for the rest of the night.

Got it.

[And Naoki will-- go to make something. It's less relaxing than he thought it would be. Instead of three portions, he needs to make two. He ends up with more than he intended and leaves some behind with a mental note to give it to someone else as he heads to Hiro's place.

It always feels weird letting himself inside anywhere (Quatre says that to him too and there's always a hesitation and he ends up knocking anyway) so he gives a perfunctory knock before opening up the door and stepping inside.] Hiro, I'm here.

[He hears him, but he doesn't exactly get up. The apartment itself is fairly dark and quiet. There's a lump bundled up in blankets on the couch but said-lump turns his head when he hears Naoki enter the threshold of the apartment.]

Hey. [He watches him quietly, dredging up a tentative smile.] I should probably turn some lights on, huh?

Nah, don't worry about it. This works fine for me.

[He waves one of his hands-- his glowing tattoos are vivid in the dark, even when most of them are covered by his clothes. Naoki moves over to the couch, sinking down onto it next to the blanket lump formerly known as Hiro, drawing his feet up under him.]

[The glow from Naoki is probably enough for the other to see two important things. One, there's a fat calico-colored cat sleeping on the top of the couch near where Hiro's head is, and two, there's also a large white balloon-bot sitting not too far away. Baymax's white vinyl is more visible now and when he spots Naoki he waves.]

Hello.

[Hiro turns in his blankets to face Naoki instead, quietly looking him over just to get a reading on him. He likes Naoki enough, but he's still something a mystery to him compared to someone like Ruby or Yang.]

I keep forgetting that some of us are walking glowsticks. Doesn't that make it hard to sleep sometimes?

Hey, Baymax.

[Naoki aims a thin smile over at Hiro next. It's different from the ones he often wears, tired. He doesn't show his tiredness much aside from it, honestly, the utter battering his emotions have taken today.]

But nah... I'm used to the glowing, so it doesn't bother me. [He pulls his knees up further, leaning his arms on them.]

[Baymax is curiously watching Naoki, and it's not hard for the robot to pick up that he's feeling very much like his own patient.]

Your neurotransmitter levels are low. This indicates that you are: upset.

[Hiro sighs through his nose.] We went over this, remember, bud?

Shall I refer to my database on loss?

Not right now, Baymax. [And with that, he continues looking at the nursebot instead of Naoki for the moment.] I still think the glowing thing is weird, by the way. Cool, but weird. [There's a tentative pause.] ...we still have three days before we should really start panicking.

[But that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt like hell right now.]

[Naoki does glance over to Baymax, curious more than troubled that his upset has been noticed. At least like that. Huh. It's not like it's not obvious that Naoki's upset anyway, though perhaps had Hiro seen him earlier he would've really known the extent. But, Naoki wouldn't have wanted Hiro to see him like that.]

Hmm. [...] Were we supposed to wait three days?

[Vaguely asked, before his chin drops down onto the top of his knees.]

[Sorry for the impromptu diagnosis, Naoki. It's what Baymax does and with a person like Hiro he's constantly scanning for changes in moods. It's for the best that the two of them met later when they've had time to process things. Still, he nods, moving to mimic Naoki's posture.]

There've been a lot of cases where people disappear and come back three days later. I've met three people who've told me that now. [And his voice drops to a more quiet tone.] It's the only hope I have that they aren't completely gone.

[Naoki's quiet following that. But, inside, his heart is shooting up into his throat and he rubs his palm against his forehead a few times, vigorously, as though the friction will distract him from the thoughts and worries that are just bubbling away ready to burst free.

What if they don't come back? is the most pressing. What if they come back and don't remember? is the next.]

...Okay. Three days. That's something. [The waiting is going to kill him.]

...doesn't mean it sucks any less. [Annnd slumping. He's burrowing down into his blankets and more or less pouting.] Lemme ask you something. Have you ever been in Cerealia without Yang?

you beat me to it but oh good, what a happy conversation :')

:'''''')

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