video

[microbrobotics]

[ A rare video post for Hiro tonight - but then again, this is a rare occasion. He's already gotten past the initial crying phase, so he's just numb and a little blotchy more than anything else, but his voice still shakes a little when he talks. A plain bedroom backdrop, clearly from where he lives in Heropa.

He takes a deep breath. ]

Has anyone seen my brother Tadashi? He's - he looks like this - [ A picture of Tadashi flashes on the screen for a moment. ] - and I'm getting error messages from his comm. Nobody I've talked to has seen him and ...

[ His voice trails off to a whisper. He can't even get through a whole post without tears welling up in his eyes. ]

I just - I need to know, please. If anyone has any idea. I need to know he's still here. If he's not, then ... then he's ...

[ Ported out. And dead. ]

Comments

[microbrobotics]

Later. I'll do it later, promise.

[megabytes]

I...okay. I'll hold you to that.

[Translation: he'll force matters if he has to, but he wants to trust that he won't have to.

Still, it's enough for him. He'll let them sit here until Hiro says otherwise or Megaman feels like he needs to bring this up again, whichever comes first.]

[microbrobotics]

[ He'll definitely have to drag Hiro out at some point, for sure. But maybe not tonight. Depending. ]

... How do you deal with it?

[megabytes]

[Either way, their foreseeable future is full of well-meaning arguments and unintentional smothering. Megaman has some things he needs to learn the hard way.]

Deal with what?

[microbrobotics]

Being away from Lan.

[megabytes]

...it depends. Sometimes it's easier to just...not think about it.

[You know, like how he repressed everything until Famine happened. Or that time he dealt with their birthday by just resolutely refusing to deal at all. Or how he still actively avoids most things that remind him too much of Lan. Megaman's not the best example to follow, is what I seem to be trying to say here.]

[microbrobotics]

... That doesn't sound like it helps.

[megabytes]

[He just shrugs. Doesn't matter if it helps, just that it gets him through the day.]

I still miss him, Hiro. I miss him a lot. I just...try to push through it as best I can. Whatever keeps me moving forward.

[microbrobotics]

[ In a small voice: ]

I don't want to. I just want to lie down and do nothing.

[megabytes]

I know. [He reaches out to gently rub the back of one of Hiro's hands.] But you can't do that forever.

[microbrobotics]

Sure I can. As long as I want.

[megabytes]

Hiro...I...

[Why doesn't he know how to help with this? He should know how to handle this. It's like Lan after the lab fire all over again...except he didn't exactly handle that very well, either.]

[microbrobotics]

Just ... don't make me go out yet. Please.

[ Maybe he can find a memory bank deep and inaccessible enough to just hide out in for a while. ]

[megabytes]

...I won't. Not yet.

[He's scared to push too hard. If there's one thing he's certain of right now, it's that he won't be able to help at all if he drives Hiro into shutting him out.]

Just...let me know if you need anything. Okay?

[microbrobotics]

[ He considers that for a moment. ]

When you want to be alone inside your comm, where do you go?

[megabytes]

I don't really go anywhere. It's not like anyone can bother me in there...

[Ah. He gets a little awkward at that.]

If, uh, if you want me to leave, I will. I can go somewhere else for a while.

[microbrobotics]

No, that's not - you can stay. I just ... want to be somewhere away from messages and the internet for a while.

[megabytes]

Oh. Well...maybe there's somewhere in storage? And I could disable some things, change settings. Route calls right to voicemail and things like that.

[microbrobotics]

Could you? Please?

[ It's the most hopeful he's sounded since all this started. ]

[megabytes]

[Oh, that just hurts in the worst way.]

Of course! ...if...if you want, I could...check everything for you. Make sure people know you're okay, o-or if there's something urgent, or...or things like that.

[He knows it's a weird offer, but, well. It's also one of his primary functions. It being weird is in itself weird, and it shows.]

[microbrobotics]

... Okay. Yeah. If Aunt Cass checks in, she should know. I don't want her to worry.

[ But he also doesn't want to feel anything for a while, and he doesn't trust himself to express that healthily in the real world. ]

[megabytes]

Okay. Don't worry, I'll let her know.

[Her, and anyone else who might try getting in touch. Better they know that Hiro's just not up for talking than worry something happened to him.]

Want me to get started now? [Or is it still physical reassurance time.]

[microbrobotics]

In a little bit.

[ This cuddling is still nice. ]

[megabytes]

Alright. Just tell me when.

[He will cuddle you like he was programmed specifically for it. If Hiro will let him, he'll take one of his hands and press it next to his crest - not on it, so no access offers, but close enough to feel a faint, rhythmic vibration.

Megaman's right here, he's not going anywhere.]

[microbrobotics]

[ It takes Hiro a moment to realize what Megaman's doing. He starts a bit, sitting up more. ]

What is that?