[There're still plenty of unresolved feelings when it came to Callaghan but it's only out of Hiro not taking the time to really deal with it. Cerealia needs him more.]
It's funny. Other people have said the same thing, too. That it's understandable, but...it's not something I'd do again. [He shrugs.] I wouldn't say we're "quarreling", but we're not really talking about it either. He knows I didn't do it and that it won't happen again and that was all that mattered to him.
[A pause.] Adelina, you're friends with him and I know he likes you...think you could look out for him for me? Just in case he does say anything.
I'll look after him, of course, but I do think it's something the two of you should speak about.
[she hesitates. she doesn't want to moralize or lecture, nor does she want to make him worry, but she does think this is important to say.]
I'm certain you've realized it, but you're very lucky to have him here. If he were to leave and anything were left unspoken, or a problem unresolved...
[It's meant to be a withering look that he gives her, but in the end it sort of makes him look much smaller and more pathetic than he really is.]
You don't think I think about that every day? [Because he does. He thinks of what it would mean if Tadashi disappeared before Hiro could fix things, how it would mean never seeing him ever again and saying goodbye all over again.] I know...I know I'm lucky to have him back. But if he doesn't want to talk about it I'm not forcing it. That's it.
[she knows that for those she's lost, there are still things she longs to be able to say to them, arguments or tensions long past that still come back to gnaw at her with regret. she doesn't want that to happen to hiro... but she could be overstepping her bounds, or misjudging the situation. she shakes her head.]
My apologies. I shouldn't have said anything. Regardless... I hope things go smoothly for the two of you. Has he seemed to act any differently toward you than he normally does since he found out?
...no, sorry. It's not your fault. [And it's not. He looks up at her with a small sheepish smile that says he knows he's overreacting a little bit even if he doesn't think he is. Adelina's always been that way. Blunt and to the point. It's what he appreciates about her.]
Things'll be fine eventually. I think he just needs the time to process it. I mean...I've got a couple of months of history on him that he never got to live through. I'll tell him the rest of the story when he's ready. That'll hopefully solve everything.
When you do tell him, let me know how it goes, won't you?
[hiro and tadashi are important to her, after all, and she wants to see this end up well for them.]
I will, ah, keep my fingers crossed. Is that the correct saying? And in the interim... I want you to know that you can always speak to me about this matter. I believe I understand a bit of what you must be going through.
Yeah, sure. [He doesn't think it's that odd of a request now, though it does make him nervous. What if it doesn't go well?]
You're definitely getting better at the modern lingo thing. [He can't help but flash a cheeky grin, though it fades just as quickly.] ...the fact that you might be able to get it kinda worries me a little. Just how much is "a bit"?
[it's said quickly and sincerely; she can see why he would be concerned, given their current topic of conversation, but it certainly wasn't her intent. she pauses a moment to think of how to phrase this in a way that relates to him rather than draws attention to her.]
You must look up to and care for him more than you can say.
[There's a soft snort, which really is all the confirmation she needs. However, he chooses to keep talking anyway.]
I mean of course I do. Tadashi and Aunt Cass are the only people I have left. Sometimes they're the only people that matter. [...okay, usually they're the only people that matter.] Tadashi and I are seven years apart, so he's always looked out for me. And you know Tadashi, Adelina. He's really smart and he's too good of a person.
Just that... I know what it's like to have someone who matters much more to you than any other, even if you have the opportunity to form more bonds here. I can imagine how you must feel about him being here.
Oh. [Given the way he doesn't elaborate immediately, he definitely seems to sympathize with the fact that Adelina can even remotely imagine something like that. It's...complicated, the thing with Tadashi being here and Hiro being here. But that's for them to eventually work out on their own and instead he focuses on the other piece.]
I mean he's selfless and will pretty much do anything to help another person even at the risk of himself. That's what went wrong in the first place.
action;
It's funny. Other people have said the same thing, too. That it's understandable, but...it's not something I'd do again. [He shrugs.] I wouldn't say we're "quarreling", but we're not really talking about it either. He knows I didn't do it and that it won't happen again and that was all that mattered to him.
[A pause.] Adelina, you're friends with him and I know he likes you...think you could look out for him for me? Just in case he does say anything.
action;
[she hesitates. she doesn't want to moralize or lecture, nor does she want to make him worry, but she does think this is important to say.]
I'm certain you've realized it, but you're very lucky to have him here. If he were to leave and anything were left unspoken, or a problem unresolved...
action;
You don't think I think about that every day? [Because he does. He thinks of what it would mean if Tadashi disappeared before Hiro could fix things, how it would mean never seeing him ever again and saying goodbye all over again.] I know...I know I'm lucky to have him back. But if he doesn't want to talk about it I'm not forcing it. That's it.
action;
[she knows that for those she's lost, there are still things she longs to be able to say to them, arguments or tensions long past that still come back to gnaw at her with regret. she doesn't want that to happen to hiro... but she could be overstepping her bounds, or misjudging the situation. she shakes her head.]
My apologies. I shouldn't have said anything. Regardless... I hope things go smoothly for the two of you. Has he seemed to act any differently toward you than he normally does since he found out?
action;
Things'll be fine eventually. I think he just needs the time to process it. I mean...I've got a couple of months of history on him that he never got to live through. I'll tell him the rest of the story when he's ready. That'll hopefully solve everything.
action;
[hiro and tadashi are important to her, after all, and she wants to see this end up well for them.]
I will, ah, keep my fingers crossed. Is that the correct saying? And in the interim... I want you to know that you can always speak to me about this matter. I believe I understand a bit of what you must be going through.
action;
You're definitely getting better at the modern lingo thing. [He can't help but flash a cheeky grin, though it fades just as quickly.] ...the fact that you might be able to get it kinda worries me a little. Just how much is "a bit"?
action;
[it's said quickly and sincerely; she can see why he would be concerned, given their current topic of conversation, but it certainly wasn't her intent. she pauses a moment to think of how to phrase this in a way that relates to him rather than draws attention to her.]
You must look up to and care for him more than you can say.
action;
I mean of course I do. Tadashi and Aunt Cass are the only people I have left. Sometimes they're the only people that matter. [...okay, usually they're the only people that matter.] Tadashi and I are seven years apart, so he's always looked out for me. And you know Tadashi, Adelina. He's really smart and he's too good of a person.
["What's not to look up to?"] What about it?
action;
[although...]
What do you mean by too good?
action;
I mean he's selfless and will pretty much do anything to help another person even at the risk of himself. That's what went wrong in the first place.