[His nursebot's the best except for when he doesn't shut up at inappropriate times. Without thinking about it though he moves his hand to knock hers aside to check for a fever himself. The question doesn't do anything other than cause the tips of his ears to turn red but he keeps his face fairly neutral, ignoring how his voice raises an octave just slightly.]
I'm fine, Ruby. [Okay. Just…ignore everything else going on in your head and focus, Hiro.] Baymax's programming might be freaking out. If it's a virus going around, maybe he caught it, too. [Judging by his tone he doesn't quite believe what he's selling.] It's just weird that he can pick up everything else except for the temperature. I'm going to have to have him scan other people who're sick and see if he registers fevers.
[There's some weird stuff going on maybe Ruby's not sure but then Hiro's hand is against her forehead and she squeaks, a small noise that she wasn't expecting to really expect her, face going a little red. It was just really sudden, and while she generally doesn't mind personal space invasions, she wasn't expecting it, and it's Hiro, and--
And she needs to say something, TIME TO MOTORMOUTH AND HOPE FOR THE BEST.]
Well, I mean, uh... maybe we really don't have fevers? Maybe it's some weird alien sickness that doesn't cause fevers but makes you feel gross and icky otherwise except it only got some of us so you should really make sure not to catch it, Hiro! I mean I'd keep you company too if you got sick but it'd be better if you didn't get sick.
[He pauses when she squeaks and he's genuinely bewildered by her behavior even if his hand stays on her forehead. His hands are probably a little cold but he's otherwise not moving as he processes her babbling.]
...you are so weird sometimes. [Said the weirdo. Ruby's reaction successfully broke his own awkwardness and he's grinning, trying not to laugh even as he turns his hand so the back of it's touching her forehead.] Definitely no fever though. [He drops his hand, grabbing a notebook from his bag and making a quick note about Ruby's condition. He doesn't say anything for a bit as he works, writing down her other symptoms as well in his log he's started to create. Baymax, meanwhile, suddenly waddles closer and pulls out a red lollipop, offering it to her.]
You have been a good patient. Have a lollipop.
If you don't take that, I will. [He still hasn't looked up, pen scratching on the page.] How bad's your head?
[Yes, you are, Ruby. Finally though, he drops his hand and moves out of her personal space, and she's able to breathe a bit better--at which point she shakes it all off and perks right up, shifting to watch him write.
But first she will totally snag that lollipop.]
Nuh-uh, it's mine!
[SO THERE.]
It hurts, but it's not super bad. [She sticks the lollipop in her mouth and talks around it.] Kind of like "didn't get enough sleep the night before" bad and not "got knocked out by goons" bad.
[It might be a mumble but he still hears it and he doesn't think anything of it when he responds:] I dunno...I kinda like the weird. [He's distracted with his notes and he sees her take the candy out of his peripheral vision. Baymax seems about as pleased as a robot can be for the time being and keeps Ruby's stats up on his screen-stomach so Hiro can finish his task.]
So on a scale from one to ten, probably like a four. [He knocks his elbow into his backpack.] If you haven't taken any aspirin yet you probably should? At least until we can figure out if any of this is real or not. [The colony is real but they're not. The lines are fuzzy and it's bothering him a lot.]
Recommended treatments for headaches include resting in a dark and quiet room, appropriate temperatures, and acetaminophen. I can also look up natural treatments.
Not necessary, buddy. [He finally stops writing, still frowning as he thinks on this before scrubbing a hand over his face.] I'm not getting the right answers. Sorry. [Why are you apologizing to Ruby, you dork...]
...wait are you telling me you've been knocked out a lot before?
[Oh... well, if Hiro likes it, then... then it's kind of a warm, fuzzy feeling, isn't it? She smiles, ducking her head a little. Weird it is, then--which is good, because she's absolutely weird and can't stop being that way now.
But Ruby will just nod at the prognosis (painkillers are fine, she can do that), but--]
Why're you apologizing? [She doesn't get it either... as far as she's concerned:] You and Baymax came and visited me! I'm really happy about it, so...don't say "sorry", okay?
[... Oh. Yeah. That. She winces for a moment.]
Uh... no? [She twirls the lollipop around with the movement of her hands.] ... Just once! I mean, I didn't have Crescent Rose with me, and I'm not as good at punching people as Yang is.
I wanted to try and fix it. [You know how it is. Superhero who thinks he can save everybody.] And anyway you're not really surprised we're here, are you? I thought we went over this.
[A teasing grin, but it's true. He'd really meant that there isn't much he wouldn't do for her, including dropping everything to keep her company. Never change, Ruby. It's exactly why he likes her. She's weird and she gets him and he doesn't have to filter his own weirdness around her. They can be weird together. And she doesn't get offended when he points it out, so there's that. He's digging in his bag then for a bottle of aspirin he keeps in there, dumping out a few more notebooks, a set of pens and markers, a ruler, some packages of candy, his tablet, a game console, Megabot, his wallet, house keys, some books from home (mostly books for class but there're a couple of comics tucked in there...), a small tool kit, his phone from home and eventually finding the bottle before tossing it lightly into Ruby's lap. Maybe he should consider cleaning out his bag.]
I'm not as good as Yang, but I could probably teach you some of the hand-to-hand combat I've learned? It's not a lot but it helped me out a ton back home. And you've seen Baymax fight, it's a lot like that. Aren't you the one who told me it's better to have a back-up and don't go into a fight empty-handed? [Something like that. That's why his sword now has a gun.]
I don't need you to always fix everything, you know. [She just grins at him at that. She knows that he wants to be the hero who saves everyone all the time, but--] Sometimes I can fix things myself, I'm a pretty good fixer-upper too. But... the company is really nice.
[Always. His company is always nice, and she always appreciates having it while she fixes some things herself. So she watches him pull half of his home out of that bag, thoughtful and curious. They are all very... Hiro-y things. But she'll pop open the aspirin bottle and take exactly the proper dosage for her age and hand the bottle back, because Ruby's strangely conscientious about things like that. And then she downs them and makes a face.]
Ick. Pill swallowing. Not great.
[She wants to look at the comics, though..... she'll edge a hand towards one as he reminds her of her own advice.]
Well... yeah. But I didn't think I was ever not gonna have Crescent Rose. Things just went really wrong and I was focused on making sure that Zwei was safe and then there were bad guys where there weren't supposed to be bad guys and I was already tired anyway.
I know you don't but I just...["Want to." He wants to fix everything, fight and protect what he cares for most in his own way to let Tadashi's legacy live on and his own way to keep himself busy and focused. But the thing about Ruby was that she didn't really need a hero. She was one in her own right. She needed a partner and maybe sometimes the line blurred a bit.
(Truthfully, he understood the line blurred a bit based on his own personal feelings for her. What he wants to do with that, he hasn't quite figured out.) He doesn't finish the sentence but nods in response.] Company it is. [He doesn't mind keeping her company and he knows he'll stick around until she falls asleep again, at least. He's sifting through his pile of things while Ruby takes the medicine, casually watching her from the corner of his eye before swiping up the bottle again to shove into a small pocket of his bag.]
Pretty sure absolutely nobody on the planet things pill swallowing's great. It's even worse when your throat's swollen. [Why he said that, who even knows? The comic that she winds up picking up is about a man who turns into a radioactive lizard, and he doesn't even care that she's taking his stuff to look at. The comics are an assortment of superhero comics, comics about zombies, and manga that looks suspiciously like something that used to run in Shonen Jump.]
And I didn't think I was ever gonna be without Baymax. [A pointed look.] I'm just saying...we don't know what's going to happen to us here either. Why do you think I've been training with Yang to get better? At least Zwei's safe now.
[He wants to ask more about what happened, but maybe it's not the right time.] When you're better, I can show you some stuff Tadashi taught me when we were kids. It's pretty easy to learn. [There's a beat as he leans back a little to make himself more comfortable.] The other day I realized that I need to start spending more time with people and less time trying to solve everything happening here. Weird conclusion, isn't it?
[She likes that answer. She likes the way he cuts himself off and is fine with giving her company, because... she likes that he depends on her. She depends on him too, after all, but especially for someone like Ruby, for a partnership to work she needs him to trust that there are things she can handle on her own.
(Or she'll try to prove it and show off and we all know how that tends to go.)
She grins at him (it's always nice that he agrees with her), and focuses on flipping through the comic book thoughtfully. She likes it, but that's no surprise; she's always been interested in this sort of thing. So yeah, she misses his pointed look, too busy looking at radioactive lizards, but she looks up a moment later at that.]
... Huh?
[Weird conclusion? It processes slowly, and then... well, it's a bit like Hiro gave her the sun for Christmas, really. She brightens up immensely, beaming at him.]
Really? You finally figured it out? [Oops sorry, Hiro.] That's great! I'm so glad-- I mean, it's a good-weird conclusion, trust me. I should know.
[Because she's the one who feels worried and a little left out when he goes gallivanting into dangerous situations without her!!!]
[And while she's thumbing through that particular comic he's busy organizing things in piles that're probably just going to be dumbed back in the bag, though he does curiously flip on the power of the handheld gaming console to see if maybe it still works. Company. He's come to find that being with other people isn't so bad and being around Ruby's about as natural as breathing. (Apparently agreeing with her is coming much easier, too. She seems to do that to him, gets him to back down often enough. He hasn't pinpointed just why yet.)
But he's skeptical of that response.]
You...are way too excited about that. And what do you mean finally? [He raises an eyebrow.] Have you been waiting for me to decide to hang out with other people and do stuff with them? [She's included in that list of other people, but that's no surprise.]
[Hiro's company definitely is as easy as breathing. She doesn't have to think about it at all; even sick, she knows he won't judge her or make fun of her for anything. It's... nice.
It's easy. Easy in a way that a lot of things haven't been for a long time.
Of course, then he's asking that, and she's laughing a little, but it's a quiet sort of laugh. Because sometimes she thinks about Blake, and the circles under her eyes and the way that she almost looked manic as they searching for Torchwick, and she's happy that Hiro doesn't look like that.]
Well.. yeah. Obviously it's good to do hero stuff and I'm all for hero stuff--keep doing hero stuff!!--but you have to take a break sometimes too, and spending time with people is a good way to do that, and when you're not around I get kind of lonely and-- that's too much, ignore that, the point is, you definitely should hang around with people more and do fun things sometimes.
[He can't help the small pout that follows her laughter. Even if it's not mean and it's quiet it's still something that makes him wonder what he's really missing here. He's done his best to avoid prying eyes in his research and though he's gone some sleepless nights here, he's doing better than he was. Cerealia and the people in it have been good for him.]
I take breaks. Sometimes I even remember to eat three times a day. [It's a joke (albeit a bad one) but that's hardly the focus. Ruby tells him to ignore that but it's a little hard to do so.] ...I'm right here, dude. When haven't I been around?
[...other than the time he disappeared in the jungle after Tadashi's death. And the last tower raid. And a good chunk of the days following that. And okay, maybe she has a point. In the time their conversation takes, Baymax...has decided to start shuffling around trying to help clear up Ruby's room and also making sure to fetch extra blankets. Feverish symptoms means she has to stay warm, even if she's not registering a temperature, after all.]
[He asks, and... she just gives him a sad little smile, shrugging a little awkwardly. She's noticed when he hasn't been around, of course. All of those times when he goes charging into dangerous situations and has to pay the price, either physically or emotionally.
Times when they can't just...sit and build together, when they can't just sit and talk like this.]
I bet it sounds silly, but... I just get a little worried sometimes.
[Did it really have that much of an impact? He's not sure and he likes to think that maybe, just maybe, he can fool her all the times he barrels off into something dangerous and he can put up a front for her without questions. That she wouldn't notice if he was hurt or scared or anything of the sort. But of course that's a stupid thing to think, considering the one thing she'd said to him that still stuck with him.
'So... don't look so sad, okay? Like, when you smile but still look kind of sad anyway--you don't have to do that.'
If it was obvious to her back then, it was probably more obvious now. Worrying her wasn't part of the plan and his expression goes blank as he thinks of a way to explain himself.]
...I think I'm still getting used to people really worrying about me again. [Don'tsayitdon'tsayitdon'tsayit.] After Tadashi died I stopped noticing for a while. I got used to doing things on my own and then I accidentally activated Baymax and he overworried, and then he got my friends involved and I still kinda just did things without thinking. Being here and having friends and knowing that they're watching what I'm doing and worry about it still isn't the first thing I think about. [He ducks his head slightly, almost apologetic.] And with you it's even more different because you're not like my other friends.
I'm working to find answers so that all of us don't have things to worry about. But it kinda sounds like I just made it worse.
[She didn't really mean to make the moment sour, but... this is the sort of thing she has to say, too. Ultimately, she pushes herself into a sitting position despite the momentary dizziness. This is important. She wants to be upright for it, despite her body's current rebellion.
Because the things Hiro's saying... he's been alone for too long, and he's had to deal with too much, and even so...]
... I mean... I get it, I think. [She shrugs a little, smiling weakly.] When mom died, dad went kinda... well, he wasn't all there. And I had Yang, but even so, we were kind of on our own.
[A beat.]
But...! That's why it's even more important! [She even clenches her hand into a fist before her, to show how determined she is.] That we do things like... like making s'mores! Did you know that Yang's gauntlets get warm enough to roast marshmallows over? It's a thing, it's pretty cool-- I mean uh. And playing video games! And building things!
So... let's keep doing those things too, okay? Don't leave[me] us behind.
[He has half a mind to tell her to lay down again and not do that, but he knows she's not going to listen and that this is important. Before he can even stop her she's up and he suddenly registers something.]
...that's what Yang meant when she said you'd understand. [It's mumbled under his breath, realization crossing his face before he shakes his head and hears the rest.] Aunt Cass has always been good to us since we moved in with her. I kind of wonder if she felt like that about me when Tadashi left.
[Left. The word "died" is still a touchy subject, it seems, something he can only say now and again. The rest of what she says hits him and it doesn't sound so bad. It doesn't sound bad to do stupid things like play games and goof off and--]
Wait, they can do that? [That's almost impressive. He shakes his head suddenly, snapping out of his stupor and focusing on her.] I'm not going to leave anybody else behind. [Else. Like Baymax.] We're going to have a lot of time to do those things. I just might...need help remembering that, sometimes. [It's a big thing to admit, needing help like that. And speaking of:] You really should be laying down, you know. You're going to make your head worse.
[She smiles more brightly at that, because all that really matters to her is that he's trying. He's trying, and he's not trying to be totally lone wolf, which means... he probably won't leave her behind.
She doesn't want to lose anyone else. People should always be heroes, and help people, and save people... but they shouldn't leave behind the people that matter, either.
(Ruby doesn't want to have to talk to any more graves.)
So she'll just flop back onto her back with a soft "oof", staring at the ceiling.]
I'll help you remember. You can count on me. I'll help, and we can do all of these things, and other things too, and it'll be...really great.
[He's definitely going to try, if not for her at least for himself. She's a huge motivation to that though because he knows she's right and he has to really get it in his head that people won't leave and that not all people are scary. The nerds from the lab back home weren't scary. Ruby's not scary either. It's a learning process of getting close to people without the fear that they'll be ripped away without warning, too.
When she moves to lay on her back he glances at her before sitting up on his knees, shifting all of the stuff from his bag to a small corner and crawling up toward the head of the bed, settling next to her so they're side by side even if he remains sitting. Baymax shuffles back in with blankets he pulled from god knows where, setting them neatly at the foot of the bed.]
I know I can. Count on you, I mean. I count on you for a lot of things, remember? [There's a small grin and he's seemingly satisfied with her laying down and resting again even as an idea hits him.]
[She's glad he moved, really--now she can shift her gaze from the ceiling to him, grinning brightly. If he counts on her, then she's satisfied. If he tries, she's happy. She's a simple soul, after all, and if he's trying, that means... he won't leave her behind.
[Her enthusiasm's up which means she can't be feeling too badly (physically or emotionally) which is good. The last thing he wants to do is make her feel worse and it's weird how even just seeing her smile helps balance things out. What the hell was happening? When did that become a thing that was normal and acceptable?
Still, when she agrees he matches her grin and gestures for Baymax to come closer and stop before verbally providing him with a date and instructions to slow whatever it is down to a portion of its speed. Without another word, a light flickers and soon Baymax's stomach turns into another display. This time instead of showing Ruby's stats it's a video. It's clear that it's supposed to be moving much faster but it's enough to hopefully get across what he's sharing.]
I was doing some maintenance on Baymax the other day and found a whole bunch of video clips he keeps stored in his memory. [Another large grin.] This is San Fransokyo. [And his first time testing their armor and maybe he should realize he's lucky they didn't die but whatever. This is fine. The video's dim enough so that it doesn't hurt her eyes but bright enough to show the details of the city.] It's where Tadashi and I are from.
Edited (lets close html tags, me) 2015-12-13 07:57 (UTC)
[This is exactly the sort of cool thing she wasn't expecting, but can entirely agree is awesome. Her eyes light up as she watches, totally engaged and engrossed.
(Sure, he probably could've gotten himself killed, but Ruby's not concerned about that either--it's Hiro, after all. He knows what he's doing, and sometimes heroics takes some risks.)
So instead, she's both engaged in the flight attempts and in the city itself.]
Heh... you were like me when I first started. [Terrible, in other words--but they're both better now, so it's fine.] It's really beautiful though, Hiro... it's so bright! And look at everyone!
[Beacon's a bustling place, but even so...there's a difference to it, too. And nevermind Patch.] This is your world...?
[He's a little disappointed in himself that he can't show her anything that's really cool, the real pieces of his world that're incredible and maybe he could have prepared himself better for seeing her but...she seems to like it. And that's enough for him. He's making himself comfortable on her bed as he's watching the video, internally cringing at the sound of his own voice as Baymax continually scares the crap out of him.]
Hey, it's not like I've ever done this before. You don't even wanna know how our first run as superheroes went. [A beat.] We ended up attacking a pigeon and still missed. A lot. [He's carefully leaving out the part where he panicked and dove to hide behind Baymax. Ehem. Anyway. There's a grin because San Fransokyo's still home and he misses it way more than he'll admit. He knows it's still out there. It's just a matter of getting back.]
You should see it at night with all of the lights and everything. I don't think there's any place I'd rather live. But this is just a part of our world. The whole earth is really huge. California's pretty big, too. San Fransokyo alone is home to almost 900,000 people. [Annnd up into the sky with the air balloons.] I miss it a lot. Cerealia sometimes comes close to a smaller version of it but it's not quite the same. I kinda wish I could show you all the really cool parts of the city.
[Don't worry, Hiro, she's totally charmed. Even if she does end up laughing at the thought of Hiro attacking pigeons...especially with Baymax.
(She also doesn't miss Baymax's comment about Hiro's "treatment", but it doesn't take a genius to realize that he means his healing from the accident he told her about.
She'll keep quiet about it for now.)]
Whaaaat, so the pigeon won?
[She's joking, it's obvious on her face, but she can't resist the response even so. Ribbing Hiro comes easily, what can she say? Still, his city... his world, even--it all sounds amazing to her.]
... I wish I could see it, too. I keep wondering what worlds without Grimm are like. [Hiro's world is clearly the best option for sight-seeing.] And then you could give me a tour!
[Thank you, Ruby. He'd rather not really talk about his treatment or his dead brother or the fact that he's still in recovery mode. This is better. Charming Ruby Rose is apparently much better and high up on his priority list. Still, he can't help but gently push on the side of her head when she teases him.]
Shut up. It was a pretty big pigeon, okay? [It wasn't. They just messed up really bad.] I imagine worlds without Grimm are probably quieter, but we just have different kinds of monsters than you do. Usually they take the form of people. [It's...weirdly profound, maybe, and he doesn't say anything else about it, quickly sliding into another subject.] Anyway, I don't even know where we'd go first if I could ever show you the city. Sometimes I wonder if we could rebuild our worlds using whatever code CERES says they've recovered. And anyway our world isn't like yours. We don't have Semblances or anything. You might get bored.
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I'm fine, Ruby. [Okay. Just…ignore everything else going on in your head and focus, Hiro.] Baymax's programming might be freaking out. If it's a virus going around, maybe he caught it, too. [Judging by his tone he doesn't quite believe what he's selling.] It's just weird that he can pick up everything else except for the temperature. I'm going to have to have him scan other people who're sick and see if he registers fevers.
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And she needs to say something, TIME TO MOTORMOUTH AND HOPE FOR THE BEST.]
Well, I mean, uh... maybe we really don't have fevers? Maybe it's some weird alien sickness that doesn't cause fevers but makes you feel gross and icky otherwise except it only got some of us so you should really make sure not to catch it, Hiro! I mean I'd keep you company too if you got sick but it'd be better if you didn't get sick.
[Yeah.]
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...you are so weird sometimes. [Said the weirdo. Ruby's reaction successfully broke his own awkwardness and he's grinning, trying not to laugh even as he turns his hand so the back of it's touching her forehead.] Definitely no fever though. [He drops his hand, grabbing a notebook from his bag and making a quick note about Ruby's condition. He doesn't say anything for a bit as he works, writing down her other symptoms as well in his log he's started to create. Baymax, meanwhile, suddenly waddles closer and pulls out a red lollipop, offering it to her.]
You have been a good patient. Have a lollipop.
If you don't take that, I will. [He still hasn't looked up, pen scratching on the page.] How bad's your head?
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I am not that weird most of the time probably.
[Yes, you are, Ruby. Finally though, he drops his hand and moves out of her personal space, and she's able to breathe a bit better--at which point she shakes it all off and perks right up, shifting to watch him write.
But first she will totally snag that lollipop.]
Nuh-uh, it's mine!
[SO THERE.]
It hurts, but it's not super bad. [She sticks the lollipop in her mouth and talks around it.] Kind of like "didn't get enough sleep the night before" bad and not "got knocked out by goons" bad.
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So on a scale from one to ten, probably like a four. [He knocks his elbow into his backpack.] If you haven't taken any aspirin yet you probably should? At least until we can figure out if any of this is real or not. [The colony is real but they're not. The lines are fuzzy and it's bothering him a lot.]
Recommended treatments for headaches include resting in a dark and quiet room, appropriate temperatures, and acetaminophen. I can also look up natural treatments.
Not necessary, buddy. [He finally stops writing, still frowning as he thinks on this before scrubbing a hand over his face.] I'm not getting the right answers. Sorry. [Why are you apologizing to Ruby, you dork...]
...wait are you telling me you've been knocked out a lot before?
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But Ruby will just nod at the prognosis (painkillers are fine, she can do that), but--]
Why're you apologizing? [She doesn't get it either... as far as she's concerned:] You and Baymax came and visited me! I'm really happy about it, so...don't say "sorry", okay?
[... Oh. Yeah. That. She winces for a moment.]
Uh... no? [She twirls the lollipop around with the movement of her hands.] ... Just once! I mean, I didn't have Crescent Rose with me, and I'm not as good at punching people as Yang is.
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[A teasing grin, but it's true. He'd really meant that there isn't much he wouldn't do for her, including dropping everything to keep her company. Never change, Ruby. It's exactly why he likes her. She's weird and she gets him and he doesn't have to filter his own weirdness around her. They can be weird together. And she doesn't get offended when he points it out, so there's that. He's digging in his bag then for a bottle of aspirin he keeps in there, dumping out a few more notebooks, a set of pens and markers, a ruler, some packages of candy, his tablet, a game console, Megabot, his wallet, house keys, some books from home (mostly books for class but there're a couple of comics tucked in there...), a small tool kit, his phone from home and eventually finding the bottle before tossing it lightly into Ruby's lap. Maybe he should consider cleaning out his bag.]
I'm not as good as Yang, but I could probably teach you some of the hand-to-hand combat I've learned? It's not a lot but it helped me out a ton back home. And you've seen Baymax fight, it's a lot like that. Aren't you the one who told me it's better to have a back-up and don't go into a fight empty-handed? [Something like that. That's why his sword now has a gun.]
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[Always. His company is always nice, and she always appreciates having it while she fixes some things herself. So she watches him pull half of his home out of that bag, thoughtful and curious. They are all very... Hiro-y things. But she'll pop open the aspirin bottle and take exactly the proper dosage for her age and hand the bottle back, because Ruby's strangely conscientious about things like that. And then she downs them and makes a face.]
Ick. Pill swallowing. Not great.
[She wants to look at the comics, though..... she'll edge a hand towards one as he reminds her of her own advice.]
Well... yeah. But I didn't think I was ever not gonna have Crescent Rose. Things just went really wrong and I was focused on making sure that Zwei was safe and then there were bad guys where there weren't supposed to be bad guys and I was already tired anyway.
[She shrugs.]
But... yeah, I'd like to learn.
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(Truthfully, he understood the line blurred a bit based on his own personal feelings for her. What he wants to do with that, he hasn't quite figured out.) He doesn't finish the sentence but nods in response.] Company it is. [He doesn't mind keeping her company and he knows he'll stick around until she falls asleep again, at least. He's sifting through his pile of things while Ruby takes the medicine, casually watching her from the corner of his eye before swiping up the bottle again to shove into a small pocket of his bag.]
Pretty sure absolutely nobody on the planet things pill swallowing's great. It's even worse when your throat's swollen. [Why he said that, who even knows? The comic that she winds up picking up is about a man who turns into a radioactive lizard, and he doesn't even care that she's taking his stuff to look at. The comics are an assortment of superhero comics, comics about zombies, and manga that looks suspiciously like something that used to run in Shonen Jump.]
And I didn't think I was ever gonna be without Baymax. [A pointed look.] I'm just saying...we don't know what's going to happen to us here either. Why do you think I've been training with Yang to get better? At least Zwei's safe now.
[He wants to ask more about what happened, but maybe it's not the right time.] When you're better, I can show you some stuff Tadashi taught me when we were kids. It's pretty easy to learn. [There's a beat as he leans back a little to make himself more comfortable.] The other day I realized that I need to start spending more time with people and less time trying to solve everything happening here. Weird conclusion, isn't it?
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(Or she'll try to prove it and show off and we all know how that tends to go.)
She grins at him (it's always nice that he agrees with her), and focuses on flipping through the comic book thoughtfully. She likes it, but that's no surprise; she's always been interested in this sort of thing. So yeah, she misses his pointed look, too busy looking at radioactive lizards, but she looks up a moment later at that.]
... Huh?
[Weird conclusion? It processes slowly, and then... well, it's a bit like Hiro gave her the sun for Christmas, really. She brightens up immensely, beaming at him.]
Really? You finally figured it out? [Oops sorry, Hiro.] That's great! I'm so glad-- I mean, it's a good-weird conclusion, trust me. I should know.
[Because she's the one who feels worried and a little left out when he goes gallivanting into dangerous situations without her!!!]
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But he's skeptical of that response.]
You...are way too excited about that. And what do you mean finally? [He raises an eyebrow.] Have you been waiting for me to decide to hang out with other people and do stuff with them? [She's included in that list of other people, but that's no surprise.]
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It's easy. Easy in a way that a lot of things haven't been for a long time.
Of course, then he's asking that, and she's laughing a little, but it's a quiet sort of laugh. Because sometimes she thinks about Blake, and the circles under her eyes and the way that she almost looked manic as they searching for Torchwick, and she's happy that Hiro doesn't look like that.]
Well.. yeah. Obviously it's good to do hero stuff and I'm all for hero stuff--keep doing hero stuff!!--but you have to take a break sometimes too, and spending time with people is a good way to do that, and when you're not around I get kind of lonely and-- that's too much, ignore that, the point is, you definitely should hang around with people more and do fun things sometimes.
Trust me. It's good.
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I take breaks. Sometimes I even remember to eat three times a day. [It's a joke (albeit a bad one) but that's hardly the focus. Ruby tells him to ignore that but it's a little hard to do so.] ...I'm right here, dude. When haven't I been around?
[...other than the time he disappeared in the jungle after Tadashi's death. And the last tower raid. And a good chunk of the days following that. And okay, maybe she has a point. In the time their conversation takes, Baymax...has decided to start shuffling around trying to help clear up Ruby's room and also making sure to fetch extra blankets. Feverish symptoms means she has to stay warm, even if she's not registering a temperature, after all.]
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Times when they can't just...sit and build together, when they can't just sit and talk like this.]
I bet it sounds silly, but... I just get a little worried sometimes.
[...]
That's all.
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'So... don't look so sad, okay? Like, when you smile but still look kind of sad anyway--you don't have to do that.'
If it was obvious to her back then, it was probably more obvious now. Worrying her wasn't part of the plan and his expression goes blank as he thinks of a way to explain himself.]
...I think I'm still getting used to people really worrying about me again. [Don'tsayitdon'tsayitdon'tsayit.] After Tadashi died I stopped noticing for a while. I got used to doing things on my own and then I accidentally activated Baymax and he overworried, and then he got my friends involved and I still kinda just did things without thinking. Being here and having friends and knowing that they're watching what I'm doing and worry about it still isn't the first thing I think about. [He ducks his head slightly, almost apologetic.] And with you it's even more different because you're not like my other friends.
I'm working to find answers so that all of us don't have things to worry about. But it kinda sounds like I just made it worse.
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Because the things Hiro's saying... he's been alone for too long, and he's had to deal with too much, and even so...]
... I mean... I get it, I think. [She shrugs a little, smiling weakly.] When mom died, dad went kinda... well, he wasn't all there. And I had Yang, but even so, we were kind of on our own.
[A beat.]
But...! That's why it's even more important! [She even clenches her hand into a fist before her, to show how determined she is.] That we do things like... like making s'mores! Did you know that Yang's gauntlets get warm enough to roast marshmallows over? It's a thing, it's pretty cool-- I mean uh. And playing video games! And building things!
So... let's keep doing those things too, okay? Don't leave[me] us behind.
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...that's what Yang meant when she said you'd understand. [It's mumbled under his breath, realization crossing his face before he shakes his head and hears the rest.] Aunt Cass has always been good to us since we moved in with her. I kind of wonder if she felt like that about me when Tadashi left.
[Left. The word "died" is still a touchy subject, it seems, something he can only say now and again. The rest of what she says hits him and it doesn't sound so bad. It doesn't sound bad to do stupid things like play games and goof off and--]
Wait, they can do that? [That's almost impressive. He shakes his head suddenly, snapping out of his stupor and focusing on her.] I'm not going to leave anybody else behind. [Else. Like Baymax.] We're going to have a lot of time to do those things. I just might...need help remembering that, sometimes. [It's a big thing to admit, needing help like that. And speaking of:] You really should be laying down, you know. You're going to make your head worse.
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[She smiles more brightly at that, because all that really matters to her is that he's trying. He's trying, and he's not trying to be totally lone wolf, which means... he probably won't leave her behind.
She doesn't want to lose anyone else. People should always be heroes, and help people, and save people... but they shouldn't leave behind the people that matter, either.
(Ruby doesn't want to have to talk to any more graves.)
So she'll just flop back onto her back with a soft "oof", staring at the ceiling.]
I'll help you remember. You can count on me. I'll help, and we can do all of these things, and other things too, and it'll be...really great.
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When she moves to lay on her back he glances at her before sitting up on his knees, shifting all of the stuff from his bag to a small corner and crawling up toward the head of the bed, settling next to her so they're side by side even if he remains sitting. Baymax shuffles back in with blankets he pulled from god knows where, setting them neatly at the foot of the bed.]
I know I can. Count on you, I mean. I count on you for a lot of things, remember? [There's a small grin and he's seemingly satisfied with her laying down and resting again even as an idea hits him.]
Wanna see something kinda cool?
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That's enough.
So she perks right up at his words, naturally.]
Do you even have to ask? Of course I do!
[HIT HER WITH THE COOL STUFF.]
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Still, when she agrees he matches her grin and gestures for Baymax to come closer and stop before verbally providing him with a date and instructions to slow whatever it is down to a portion of its speed. Without another word, a light flickers and soon Baymax's stomach turns into another display. This time instead of showing Ruby's stats it's a video. It's clear that it's supposed to be moving much faster but it's enough to hopefully get across what he's sharing.]
I was doing some maintenance on Baymax the other day and found a whole bunch of video clips he keeps stored in his memory. [Another large grin.] This is San Fransokyo. [And his first time testing their armor and maybe he should realize he's lucky they didn't die but whatever. This is fine. The video's dim enough so that it doesn't hurt her eyes but bright enough to show the details of the city.] It's where Tadashi and I are from.
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(Sure, he probably could've gotten himself killed, but Ruby's not concerned about that either--it's Hiro, after all. He knows what he's doing, and sometimes heroics takes some risks.)
So instead, she's both engaged in the flight attempts and in the city itself.]
Heh... you were like me when I first started. [Terrible, in other words--but they're both better now, so it's fine.] It's really beautiful though, Hiro... it's so bright! And look at everyone!
[Beacon's a bustling place, but even so...there's a difference to it, too. And nevermind Patch.] This is your world...?
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Hey, it's not like I've ever done this before. You don't even wanna know how our first run as superheroes went. [A beat.] We ended up attacking a pigeon and still missed. A lot. [He's carefully leaving out the part where he panicked and dove to hide behind Baymax. Ehem. Anyway. There's a grin because San Fransokyo's still home and he misses it way more than he'll admit. He knows it's still out there. It's just a matter of getting back.]
You should see it at night with all of the lights and everything. I don't think there's any place I'd rather live. But this is just a part of our world. The whole earth is really huge. California's pretty big, too. San Fransokyo alone is home to almost 900,000 people. [Annnd up into the sky with the air balloons.] I miss it a lot. Cerealia sometimes comes close to a smaller version of it but it's not quite the same. I kinda wish I could show you all the really cool parts of the city.
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(She also doesn't miss Baymax's comment about Hiro's "treatment", but it doesn't take a genius to realize that he means his healing from the accident he told her about.
She'll keep quiet about it for now.)]
Whaaaat, so the pigeon won?
[She's joking, it's obvious on her face, but she can't resist the response even so. Ribbing Hiro comes easily, what can she say? Still, his city... his world, even--it all sounds amazing to her.]
... I wish I could see it, too. I keep wondering what worlds without Grimm are like. [Hiro's world is clearly the best option for sight-seeing.] And then you could give me a tour!
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Shut up. It was a pretty big pigeon, okay? [It wasn't. They just messed up really bad.] I imagine worlds without Grimm are probably quieter, but we just have different kinds of monsters than you do. Usually they take the form of people. [It's...weirdly profound, maybe, and he doesn't say anything else about it, quickly sliding into another subject.] Anyway, I don't even know where we'd go first if I could ever show you the city. Sometimes I wonder if we could rebuild our worlds using whatever code CERES says they've recovered. And anyway our world isn't like yours. We don't have Semblances or anything. You might get bored.
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