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

[zerotohiro]

'Busy, leave a message!
...oh, you've reached Hiro Hamada. Whatever. Still busy!'

Hamada art by D-Joel, found on tumblr

Comments

[zerotohiro]

[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?

[masakados]

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.]

[zerotohiro]

[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.

[masakados]

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.

[zerotohiro]

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?

[masakados]

[He thought he would.]

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

[zerotohiro]

[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.

[masakados]

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.

[zerotohiro]

[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?

[masakados]

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.]

[zerotohiro]

[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?

[masakados]

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.]

[zerotohiro]

[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.]

[masakados]

[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.]

[zerotohiro]

[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.

[masakados]

[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.]

[zerotohiro]

...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?

[masakados]

No. I've been, you know... separated from her when things have happened, but I've never lived in this place without her here somewhere. [And the thought, reminder of it, has his shoulders hunching up.

But, he glances over at Hiro, folding his arms back on top of his knees.]

[zerotohiro]

Kinda thought so. [He frowns to himself.] Ruby was one of the first people I met on my very first day here. I guess I always thought we'd stick together...even when we were in the jungle and split up, we were sent to the mountains together.

The only thing I can think of is that they wouldn't just let CERES pull them out and leave them to be--["Sacrificed." Let's not talk about the creepy altar.] Stuck and out of commission. Does that sound like them to you?

[masakados]

[Naoki nods, as if to say me too. Yang was one of the first people he met. Though they didn't click at first, after that... she wouldn't leave him alone, and then he couldn't leave her alone.]

I feel like both of them would sooner blast CERES off to another planet than let that happen. [So, yeah. Agreed.]

[zerotohiro]

Considering they're both really fond of guns or things that shoot things...[There's a huff of amusement.] They're gonna be okay. So...we should think of what to do when they get back instead. [And then, followed in a much softer tone:] That seems like a lot more fun to think about instead.

[masakados]

That's for sure. [Naoki drags his hand over his head, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. When they get back. It's hard to find that much optimism at times.]

...So, what do you want to do with Ruby when she gets back? [Cute dates? Disney dates?]

[zerotohiro]

[A morally grey Disney is still a Disney and optimism...it's hard, but it's what Ruby would do. The question is an interesting one and for a short moment he stares at Naoki curiously. It's not necessarily a bad question, but it's one he's not entirely sure how to answer either.]

I dunno. Take the next step in our relationship I guess? [A shrug. Hiro please think about how you're phrasing things.] I think when she gets back I just want to make sure she knows she matters to me a lot more than I think I realized. Go somewhere maybe...we'd talked about a trip to the beach with two of our friends but I think I kinda want to spend time with just her more than that. ...is that weird?

[masakados]

[Take the next step-- Naoki has no idea what that even means. But at least he's clarifying. At least somewhat.]

No? That's not weird at all. [IT'S NORMAL, or he thinks it is.] Me'n Yang have taken a day or two here and there to get away, just the two of us.

Getting to hang out in a group is fun and all, but it's... how do I put it... you can really just be you. You don't have to think about things, you don't feel like you need to do or say anything in particular. That's how it is when I'm around Yang.

[zerotohiro]

That's how things are for me and Ruby too. We're a lot a like and it's just a lot easier to know we don't have to deal with everybody else when we're together. [Expectations. Leader responsibilities. All of the things that come from being teenage prodigy-protags.]

I think we're still figuring stuff out but I want to make sure she's happy. And she's one of those people who likes making friends so...[He sort of flails his hands. Alone-time might be something Ruby wants or doesn't want, he's unsure.] I think the good thing is that no matter what happens they're going to remember us when they come back. [Even if it's not right away, but he won't say that.]