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That IS good. Like really good. Means you can come back out sooner than later and we can hang out WITHOUT all of the ghosts.

[Maybe that was a little enthusiastic, but it's true. He's ready to go back to how things were.]

I think we're okay. Baymax is back to following me everywhere I go. Can't say I mind too much though. I'm getting Tadashi to help me build a better tracking system for him so this doesn't happen again. We've got a little downtime, at least.

Yeah!! Thats definitely super good, im ready!!!

But thats a really good idea hiro. Im a little surprised that you guys didnt do it before, but now we'll be doubly covered in case something happens.

Anyway when did you want to hang out?

Cerealia keeps proving to me that we really gotta be ready for anything. I didn't think he'd need an external battery pack either but I made that last month after we were stuck in the jungle the first time. And I don't think Tadashi ever though Baymax would be that mobile. We're working on it. I guess just...whenever? I'm just at the shop with Baymax working on stuff. My schedule's a little more flexible the next couple of days.

[But...he's thinking of what Yang said to him.]

You can come join us if you want?

[And, practically immediately:]

Sure!!! Ill be there just wait for me!

[She...really will. She's jumping up to head over there right now, what a twerp.]

[Ruby...stop.]

You say that like I wouldn't always wait for you. [Hiro, you should stop, too.] You've got keys, I'm in my own workspace today. Just don't trip over anything, I've got a couple of parts set out. See you in a few :)

See you in a bit!

[So sappy, Hiro. But really, it just makes her feel so warm and content deep down, so she's practically skipping her way over to see him. Letting herself in is easy, second nature, and then she's wandering in.]

Hiiiiiiirooooooo. Oh, there you are!

[Bouncing right over to peer at said parts, curious and intrigued. She'll pat Baymax on the arm too.]

Upgrade time, Baymax!

[Well he is a Disney. But anyway, there are tool boxes and pliers and wires and all sorts of stuff on the floor. He hears her and he doesn't respond immediately because he's working on something that requires his full concentration. He's shaping thin wire and holding a piece of glass clamped in a pair of tweezers.]

Hey. [Even though he's focused, he grins wide enough that the gap's more obvious.] Gimme a sec to finish this. [Baymax, on the other hand, is more than happy to see Ruby and pats her on the head in response to the arm pat.]

Hello, Ruby. Hiro has programmed several new updates, but it is not upgrade time. It is only past noon.

[…he's still a robot. That's for sure. Hiro's bending the wire into an oval shape and inserting the glass into the frame before he looks up at her.] It still amazes me how fast you can move, you know that?

[She'll wait, it's fine; the pat on the head gets her to beam up at the robot. He sure is still a robot, but that's okay, that's what they love about him.]

It's a good thing you never change, Baymax.

[Especially considering the last event--just. It's a good thing. Baymax remains Baymax and that's just how it should be. And then she's distracted by Hiro again. (What else is new?)]

Eheh... [The praise coming from Hiro goes to her head even more than usual, this is a terrible thing.] I try! [Sort of, mostly it's the Semblance thing.] It helps that I know this trip really well, it's really easy to come here since I do it all the time.

[Embarrassing.

... Glass? Frames? She squints at that thoughtfully, curious.]

[Baymax has grown very, very fond of Ruby, truth be told. He recognizes that the girl makes his partner very happy and he's been monitoring Hiro's emotional state over the last couple of months and recording all readings. Ruby, as far as Baymax is concerned, is just another effective treatment and a very nice girl.

And Hiro would be inclined to agree, but he doesn't want to vocalize that. Instead he's taking a small tool to sand and round out the wire to make it more smooth.] Probably should've remembered that myself. I thought I had at least another two minutes. [He's teasing mostly. The glass is set in the wire and he sets the project side, turning in his chair to face her properly with a bright grin.

She'll learn about the project in due time once it's completed. But it says something about the fact he's setting aside his ground-breaking project for Ruby. For a moment he doesn't say anything, sort of looking at her carefully. It's…weird now, knowing what he knows about his own feelings for her and having her here and knowing that those feelings aren't as weird as he thinks. People don't just blurt out their emotions for other people, do they? It's about then he tunes in that he's just staring and he blinks suddenly to reconnect to the conversation.]

You look a lot better. […or he can say that, that's fine, too.] Not that you usually look bad, but I mean from when you were sick? You know what I mean. [He waves a hand vaguely in the direction of her face. Smooth, Hamada. Very smooth.]

[She'd be happy to know she's an effective treatment--but for now, she's just happy to see Hiro at work as ever. That previous event was scary for the both of them, honestly, but seeing Hiro back to his usual self helps a lot. She'll probably always be a little concerned, but that's what she's here for, really. She'll just...make sure she's always there to help him when he needs it.

For now, she has better things to focus on--like his words.

So smooth.

She's blinking, though, bemused but not offended. He's not calling her craterface, like... it'd take more than that for her to be insulted.]

Yeah, I totally know what you mean. [She really does, too. Sick is awful, she's so glad she's better.] I feel a lot better too, so... see? All better now! Nothing to worry about.

[Does that mean Hiro won't come and hang out with her and just chat and stuff like they'd been doing, though? She hadn't thought about it until just now, but--

... Maybe she should've feigned being sick a little longer.

...Ah well.]

And... you look better too! [Less... panicked.] We're doing great!

[Part of him thinks maybe they should talk about what happened with the ghosts. Part of him is worried that she's going to see him as more vulnerable than he really is and that she's going to be more concerned than she should be. Part of him wants to possibly actually tell her about what else happened...but it's still something that's tied up in a ton of uncertainty so he focuses on what he knows best.

Which is apparently that Ruby's hair has hints of red in it that he never really noticed before? Wait, no.]

That's the most important part. Baymax would've picked up if something was wrong, too, so you're in the clear. [He leans back in his chair a bit.] I wasn't worried...I know you can take care of yourself. It's just that you were getting a little worse. [There's a blink of surprise.] I didn't think I even looked bad. [Maybe a little deprived, but whatever.]

Whatever. So...what do you think we should do to celebrate the fact you're no longer under house arrest by tyrant Yang?

You just looked...worried.

[Mostly. Mostly worried. A little tired. And...something else. Something else that Ruby's less sure of, but extra concerned about.

...But she leaves it at that, instead grinning at that.]

Heh, tyrant Yang. Classic. [And true.] Let's see... [celebrate. What does she want to do to celebrate? She...

... wants to spend time with Hiro, isn't that really all it is? Wow, she's got it bad. Yang was right. Yang was right.]

Um... [Where's here sign, universe? The sign that Yang said she'd find that would make it so she could know it was the right time to say something and then everything would be okay!!!] ... this is fine, y'know.

Working on things and... well, being here. That's fine.

Yeah, well…there was a lot going on the last couple of days. [That seems to be the only explanation he wants to give right now, too. He can't help but snicker under his breath because hey, tyrant Yang sounds about right in that case. However, he's surprised by her answer. Maybe he shouldn't be, but he is.]

Are you sure? Figured maybe you'd want to actually go do something since you were stuck for a while. [A pause.] I mean I'm okay with this, too. I guess it's not that big of a deal as long as we're together, right?

I know.

[She'll leave it at that. They can talk about it later, when Hiro's ready. Especially because...well, yeah.]

I mean--I am doing something. And we could go do something if you want to! But yeah, I figured, so long as we're together I don't really care, so this is fine, and um.

[... Wow, those words sure escaped the both of them, huh.

Saps.]

I like this.

[There's a grateful look at that. As always, Ruby knows when to leave subjects alone and it instills a lot of trust in her. She's always been good that way. He's not in the mood to make her sad with anything he's thinking so another time.

They're doing great for themselves. He thinks about what Yang said, about thinking of why he likes Ruby when they're together and finding a way to say it but…how do they know it's the right time? Maybe it's too sudden to say it right now.

Maybe it's better to just ease into the day and play it by ear. No plan.]

I like this, too. I mean I can probably rig Baymax up to project a movie or something and we can just hang out but we don't have to go anywhere else yet. [The Cerealia equivalent of Netflix and chill, apparently.] I still owe you from pancakes anyway since you covered for both of us though.

[Clearly, netflix and chill, cerealia style, is now the plan. Ruby wasn't exactly expecting that, but nor is she complaining. Movies! Hanging out! Pancakes?

She perks up then, grinning in response.]

Oooh, are you gonna make them? You did say you could make pancakes.

[pancakes pancakes!!]

I did? [He sounds genuinely confused for a moment before he remembers why it's a bad idea to lie and try to impress girls.] That's right! I did! [Well. How to get out of this one...] I mean everything to make pancakes is back at my apartment. Can't really make pancakes here y'know? Major bummer.

[He hasn't realized the flaw in that plan but he's trying. Except...she seemed pretty excited about that. And he likes making her happy...] You really want pancakes?

Um, well... I'm not really picky?

[???

She just picked pancakes because he mentioned he could make them, but really she just wanted to eat something that he made (and something sweet). But if that's trouble--]

If you just want to pop some popcorn or something, that's fine too. Movie snacks!

[Sometimes Hiro really thinks he should just shut up and roll with things, then he wouldn't be left floundering around like this. Give him a moment to think that through…

…

…well. It's not like pancakes can be that hard to make. He's watched Cass make them enough times and there's a mix, right? And water and…some other stuff, the box probably has instructions. And he's tall enough now that he can see over the stove.]

Pancakes are okay. [How to make this more smooth…] Know what? We can head back, I can make us pancakes and you can meet Mochi now that you're better. I disassembled the microwave here anyway.

... Huh. I mean, if you say so.

[She won't argue that??? Instead, she throws her hands up excitedly in the air, beaming.]

Pancake time, pancake time! Let's go, Hiro, this'll be fun!

[At least she doesn't seem to suspect. Yet.]

[/INTERNAL SCREAMING. It's a lot harder to ignore the cute, but he's still doing a decent job even if he has to quickly look away before he grins too much.]

Give me a sec to put this stuff away. What kind of pancakes do you want anyway? Strawberry again? [He's carefully starting to pack up his tools and the wire frames and the glass, crossing the room and opening a small lockbox under a table. Stuffing the contents inside and locking the box again, he looks back at Baymax.]

Okay, buddy. I'm satisfied with my care. [The robot obediently waddles forward back to his charger, deflating and locking himself up in his case for Hiro to grab. With that, he tilts his head to gesture for Ruby to follow. Off to his doom they go.]

Yep! If you don't mind, I mean, then yes definitely. [Strawberry is still the best at all times. And...well, now that there's the possibility of pancakes made by Hiro in her future, Ruby's significantly more excited about this entire thing.

Nope, this is going to be great.]

Leeeeet's get baking--! [A beat. She frowns.] Coo...king?

[.....what do you call pancake making]

Uh.

Let's get pancake making!

I think it counts as cooking. [With that they're out the door, Hiro pulling on Baymax's case to roll behind him as they move toward the residential area. His free hand sort of twitches inside the sleeve of his hoodie, fingers curling and uncurling as though he's debating if he wants to grab Ruby's hand.

It's not much of a debate before they get to the Hamadas' apartment though and he unlocks the door for her, letting Ruby inside. Hopefully...she won't mind the mess? The couch has a pile of pillows and blankets neatly folded on the end of it (even when he's sleeping on a couch Tadashi makes his bed) and on the back of the couch is the fat Japanese bobtail calico cat. There's a section set off in a corner of the room with a desk covered in pieces of Tadashi's work, and a separate section for Hiro's own home lab. A small TV's perched across from their couch, and there's also probably an assortment of stuff just spread out...books, clothes, sneakers; it's a well lived-in apartment that two boys live in with a hall leading to Hiro's room and their bathroom.]

It's not as big as your place, but Tadashi and I are making plans to knock out the wall between this apartment and the next one over really soon so we can double our space. [He rolls Baymax to sit next to the couch before nervously eyeing the kitchen.] Make yourself comfortable. I'll get started making breakfast.

[She really doesn't mind the mess, don't worry. She's seen so much worse (and it's not like she's all that tidy herself), so really she's just curiously looking around even as he lets her inside. She can't help it. She's curious. She's curious about the place Hiro lives in and what's spread around. It's just...a way to learn a bit more about him, maybe.

Which is a thing she wants to do.

She always wants to know about Hiro.

... She's got it bad, doesn't she.]

That sounds like it'll be pretty good! If you need any help knocking down walls, just let us know. I mean--Yang.

["Yang" is an explanation all alone.]

... Oh--uh, do you want any help?

[SHE'LL HELP... in the kitchen..!!]

[There's a lot for her to look at. There's a bunch of drawings tacked and taped to the wall of Hiro's workspace and a small laptop that's on even with the lid almost all the way closed. There're tools like pliers and rulers and markers spread around and a couple of small metal roses carelessly left half-buried under some papers...and also empty energy drink cans and a half-empty cup of noodles. A slightly worn blue journal's also sitting on his desk. Tadashi's area's pretty clean compared to Hiro's desk but it's probably filled with a lot of things, too.

Surprisingly (or hell, maybe not even surprisingly anymore) he doesn't mind letting Ruby look around and do her own thing. He's completely comfortable in his own space and he's comfortable allowing Ruby inside.]

I might take you up on that. We're still measuring to make sure we're not gonna knock out the entire complex but the apartment next door's mine anyway. It just makes sense to combine them. [There's a sudden internal panic though at the suggestion.] Uhh...no! No, it's fine, I've got this.

[It's hard to say if he's assuring himself or Ruby.] I mean if you want to just sit at the table and wait that's fine but...I got this. [In fact, he's already moving and into the kitchen he goes. And up on the counter he goes because he's too short and so he's prowling through cabinets. Pancake mix, where are you...] How hungry are you?

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