Once Again

The Truth

After a long and silent drive in Lillian's car (which I really need to give back to her, I was planning on doing it on the way back... That obviously didn't work out.) we walk up to my front porch. I knock on the door, Tadashi's hand was in this door, hehe... Woah! Focus! I knock, mom answers with open arms. Literally, she snatches all three of us in a hug.

"It's... Nice to see you, too!" Hiro grunts. She is a hugger, and a squeezer, and a kisser-on-the-cheek...er. Brain, focus! This is serious!

Gogo peers at me out of the corner of her eyes, which are nearly popping out from the aggressive mom hug and hints a small, thin-lipped smile. I return the gesture with a faint grin.

"Ah, okay! Come on in, I got a dinner to cook!" She pretty much is growling her words. Hiro smiles at me, seeing the resemblance that runs in the family. i lead the duo to my room and help them put their stuff away. I better tell Tadashi... I better ask him, actually. I need an excuse so they aren't curious and won't follow me, though. Think Honey, think, think, think...

"I'll be right back, I need to tinkle." I dart towards the door. Hiro's fingers spread at his sides and he turns on one leg to head to the other side of my room.

"Woooaaah-kay. Didn't need to know that." I smile. Even though he graduated school at thirteen and is way smarter than I am, he is still a little boy in my eyes.

As swiftly as I can I hurry up to the attic and close up the ladder behind me when I do get up there.

"Hey, Honey Lemon. Why the rush?" My eyes grow wide and I turn my gaze to the side. I talk semi out of the corner of my mouth.

"Uh huh huh... Well..." He walks over to me, concern splayed across his flawless, carved, perfect... Tan... Strong... Chiseled... Face, his face, he has concern on his face. Ehem... "Gogo and Hiro are here." His shoulders tense up.

"What?" He whispers.

"They saw me drive out and sneak someone into my house! What, what was I supposed to do?"

"Not bring them here." She shrugs and I go silent. During the awkward moment he has his eyes widen and he shrugs harder while pursing his lips. "Do they know?" I shake my head "no".

"That's why I came up here, I wanted to ask."

"Why'd you bring Hiro?" I have to admit, I get a sick feeling in my stomach when he asks this.

"He's your brother. And besides that, I... You weren't here so, I took him under my wing, sorta..." My voice gets higher as I squeak out the last few words. "I didn't mean to steal him, it's just -" Tadashi isn't looking at me, right past me. I turn to meet two sets of awestruck eyes. Oh my God...

"Holy crap." Gogo huffs under her breath, I've never seen her... In shock. "This can't be happening." She sharply yanks her head towards me and heaves herself out of the square in the floor. "Explanation." Now this is the really long and boring part where I stutter attempting to explain everything and Tadashi comes in and completes most of my sentences. We'll just skip to the end of our rant, you won't miss anything.

Hiro just stands there, blank faced, hands limp and numb at his sides. Tadashi is looking at his hands as he walks towards his younger brother.

"Hiro," Tadashi reaches out to touch his shoulder, but Hiro yanks backward and Tadashi tentatively retracts his hand.

"What are you doing alive?" Hiro sounds mad, really mad.

"Is that a bad thing?" Tadashi tries to sensitively laugh, but it doesn't budge Hiro.

"Why are you in her house?" Tadashi is about to answer but Hiro floods him with more questions, his voice steadily rises. "Did she know this whole time?! You never came home! Never! You didn't care enough to!" Gogo steps in at this point.

"All your brother has ever done is care for you, Hiro. He must've had a good reason." He throws his arms in the air at Gogo's comment.

"You're taking their side?!" Tadashi, Gogo and I are lined up in front of Hiro. He keeps yelling, I don't think that he can stop... And all because of me.

"There aren't sides, Hiro." I make an effort to sound gentle.

"You!" He runs his hands through his hair, breathing hard. Gogo orders him to calm down but it doesn't do any good. "Always there for me, huh?! Let me guess, it was for my own good that you let me believe for months that my brother was dead! Great job!" By now he is breathing so hard his face is beat red. I half wish Baymax were here to calm him down, but we wouldn't want a hack to get in him and see a living breathing Tadashi. That's all that the government needs.

"Hiro, it's not like that!" Tadashi pleads with his younger brother, his eyes begging for mercy.

Hiro zips back around, the conversation rapidly picking up speed and volume. It's a good thing that my mom is all of the way in the kitchen. "Oh, really!? Do enlighten me on why she didn't tell me!"

"Because I told her not to!" Tadashi actually raises his voice, he doesn't yell, but that sentence brings the room to a screeching halt in silence. Hiro's face drops.

"Wha- what are you... You wanted her to -" he is hurt, it looks like he just got shot in the heart. Stunned.

"I wanted you safe. I can explain everything, Hiro." Tadashi is down on one knee so that he can look his brother in the eye.

"No, Tadashi..." He looks at his feet, avoiding his older brothers tears.

"Hiro it's not like it looks, it's not what you think." My hands are clasped together in front of my chest. I take a step forward and when Hiro looks up, his face is hard. And full of anger.

"And to think, for a minute, I actually trusted you." I can't tell if he is talking to me or Tadashi, but it's hurts us both.

"Hiro, he's your brother, you can't just -" I put my hand on Tadashi's shoulder, who is still crumpled by Hiro's face. Hiro cuts me off.

"Really?! Look at him! Is that my brother?!" He screams and I try to calm him down but he won't have it. "My brother would have come to me! No matter what!" Shock overwhelms me.

"Hiro -" I'm paralyzed.

"My brother died! He's gone, so get over it." He storms off to the ladder, I start to walk after his but Tadashi grabs my hand from his kneeling position.

"He needs to figure this one out on his own." Tadashi is looking up at me, on one knee.

"But -"

"He needs to. This isn't something that I can just tell him. He needs to figure it out. If I could do something, I would." I look back at where he left. Gogo follows him but doesn't talk. She says they will stay the night if that's okay. I nod and hope Hiro decides that it is okay, too.

"What did I do?" I cry under my breath. Tadashi pulls me into his chest and let's me cry there. My hands are balled up in my face and my head rest over his heart. I hear him breath in air choked up with tears.

"The right thing." We stand there for I don't know how long, but he doesn't let go. Not until I pull away. His arms still wrapped loosely around me he leans in. "Are you okay?" I nod, and then shake my head.

"I am so sorry, Tadashi... I was trying to help, but..." I fade into sobs. He embraces me once more, and it's not until Gogo comes to get us for dinner that he lets go.