Inbox: Mask or Menace

[megabytes]

"You've reached the comms device of Megaman.EXE. I'm not available at the moment, so please leave a message and I will respond as soon as I am able! Thank you!"

Comments

[microbrobotics]

[ Little brothers are always little brothers, no matter how old they are. It's not as though Hiro's more responsible than Megaman anyway.

He leans back gladly, just holding him close. ]

Too bad. No choice in the matter.

[megabytes]

Well, I can't drop Lan and I can't shake you. Guess I'm stuck.

[He can't help smiling. He's...almost painfully happy that Hiro's okay with this, given what happened before. He's not going to give him a reason to think he's just a replacement ever again.]

[microbrobotics]

Yeah. You are. NO taking it back now.

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Yeah, well, it works both ways. I'm your big brother now, so no complaining when I act like it!

[microbrobotics]

I guess I'll try not to.

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Good.

That includes not calling telling Tadashi "cheating."

[microbrobotics]

Fine. I guess.

[megabytes]

[He laughs, reaching up to poke Hiro in the back of the head.] Big brothers gotta stick together, you know. It's the rules.

[If Hiro doesn't expect Megaman to keep Tadashi in the dumb-things-little-bro-is-up-to loop, he's got another thing coming.

...oh. Oh, he should. Probably tell Hiro that Tadashi knows about him. Aaaaa, but what if Hiro gets mad...?]

[microbrobotics]

[ He makes a face at the forehead poking. ]

Yeah, yeah ... Bet you don't talk to him as much as you do me, though.

[megabytes]

Not really. Just...once or twice.

[So awkward. So uncomfortable. Help how does he this discussion.]

[microbrobotics]

[ Oh. They're serious again, huh. It does bring up a real concern... ]

I won't tell him either.

[megabytes]

[Very carefully looking away from Hiro.]

He, uh. He already knows.

[microbrobotics]

[ Surprise flickers in his expression - and disappointment. ]

... really? You told him?

[megabytes]

[He just nods silently. Please don't be mad, please don't be mad...]

[microbrobotics]

Jeez ... don't get mad at me for asking then. If you just straight-up told him.

[ He seems a little put out but not angry. Annoyed, at worst. ]

[megabytes]

[Megaman still doesn't meet Hiro's gaze, but he does frown a bit. He has *every* right to decide who gets to know, dammit.]

Tadashi's different. He deserved to know.

[microbrobotics]

[ That hurts. ]

And what, I didn't?

[megabytes]

[Oh, don't you dare-]

Tadashi deserved to know about me because I already knew about him. He deserved to know that there was at least one person who understands what it's like. He deserved it because he understands.

So no, you didn't deserve it, because things aren't always about you.

[microbrobotics]

[ Hiro flinches at that. He gets that Megaman can tell - or not tell - whoever he damn well chooses. But for Megaman to tell his brother and not him, no matter what the circumstances... It stings his pride no matter what he says. ]

Fine, whatever. Do what you want, I guess.

[megabytes]

Like you even care...

[microbrobotics]

Of course I care! I wouldn't be upset if I didn't care!

[megabytes]

Maybe about what you want, but you sure don't care what I want!

[microbrobotics]

Yes I do! What about all of this makes you think I don't care about you?

[megabytes]

Because you're not acting like it! You keep making it all about you!

[microbrobotics]

By asking about it? By reacting to it? I -

[ Now he's getting angry. He can feel the heat of it making his mind muddy with a strange amount of clarity. He's never been angry in dataspace before. He sucks in a breath, trying to calm himself. ]

What do you want?