[CLOSED]

[tadeadshi]

WHO: Tadashi Hamada and Kaneda Shotaro
WHERE: De Chima #1
WHEN: Nov 2
WHAT: Tadashi's been meaning to have a Real Talk with Kaneda
WARNINGS: nothing too big to worry about here



[He'd thought about it since Kaneda first showed up and Tetsuo going missing, only to reappear at the August swear in only cemented it for him. He needed to tell Kaneda what he knows. There just hadn't been a good time to, but. Tadashi is going to make time. Starting with asking the biker to meet him at the house in De Chima; he and Hiro stay in Heropa mostly nowadays, Jacob works, and Shinjiro has school. It's more private than other options. He takes off work a little early from the lab and heads down to the residential neighborhood and starts some tea while he waits.

This might be rough. But it's the right thing to do.]

Comments

[rassera]

[Kaneda doesn't stop anywhere on his way over. From the way Tadashi sounded (odd thing to say, considering it was text), he really wanted to talk to him about something, something that couldn't just be said over the phone or in a video. That being said, it doesn't take him long to get to De Chima.

He knew the roads there almost as well as Nonah.

So when he gets there, it's a short bike ride over to De Chima 01, not a familiar stop to him, but only slightly. Minato's isn't all that far from here, honestly.

He gets off his bike, snapping his fingers to summon it back to the hammerspace that it resides in as he walks up. Giving a sharp knock on the door.]

[tadeadshi]

It's open!

[He's still just in the kitchen so it's not too far to call out. He's not about to let this water boil over and it gives him another minute to breathe before this conversation has to happen.

Another minute when he's sure Kaneda's inside:] In here, the kitchen!

[rassera]

[Kaneda takes Tadashi up on that, entering and peeking through the hallways as he walks in. The house was empty save for Tadashi, as he meanders his way through towards Tadashi's voice.]

Oi, there you are! What'cha makin?

[Because food always comes first.]

[tadeadshi]

[And sometimes he forgets how loud Kaneda is naturally.]

Tea, right now. [God letting it steep is going to be the death of him.]

I'm pretty sure there's food in the fridge if you want any.

[rassera]

[Anime, dude. Everyone screams.]

[But he takes a moment to remove his jacket, letting it slouch on the back of a chair as he opens the fridge (sorry Tadashi), inspecting it idly.]

So...somethin's eatin' you.

[Might as well call it as he sees it.]

[tadeadshi]

[And something is unsettling with the way his own hands just got unsure in pouring his own tea. Right. To the point. He's already having second thoughts about this, that telling someone their life is a story in his own world might have some really troubling repurcussions. But it's the right thing to do, otherwise he feels like he's lying to him by not telling him.]

It's probably something you want to sit down for.

[rassera]

[His body language goes rigid, that gloved hand on the door tightening at those words.

No one ever said that phrase unless it was something bad, and suddenly, he feels a little less hungry. With a brush of his fingers, he shuts the door silently, only the sound of his footsteps heard as he moves back over to that table, turning the chair around and plopping down on it backwards.

Those eyes don't hold the same laughter he entered with, but Tadashi has his full attention.]

[tadeadshi]

[In turn, Tadashi takes a seat across from him, hot mug between his hands so he has something to do with them, less looking nervous about this. He looks down at his drink, then back up to Kaneda.

He's Going To Do This.]

My brother and I. We told you before, we knew you before from news stories. Right?

[rassera]

[Tadashi's always been calm. Ever since they met, he always seemed to have his head on straight, friendly, and willing to help. And very rarely did that resolve ever break.

So why is it now that he's feeling the apprehension? The tension?

It wasn't like him.]

Yeah...?

[There's an air of caution as he speaks, as if testing the waters of this conversation.]

[tadeadshi]

[He steels himself for it - tells himself this is Right.]

That was only partly true. They were still stories, just...

[Breath. He decides to switch to Japanese, some of the inflections getting what he's trying to say across a little easier.]

This place brings people from all universes in, right? And in mine, you're-- A lead in a comic. And a movie based on it. I grew up reading them.

[rassera]

...

[The switch to Japanese is sudden, but not unwelcome. To hear his own tongue again outside of Tetsuo and Ken...to hear new voices speak it...it makes his day every time. It's a shame that it's followed by this.

Because a noise of confusion and exclamation replace what would be excitement. A brow raises as he leans back in that chair, unable to comprehend this entirely. He was supposed to understand Japanese better than English. Why doesn't this make sense?]

I'm in a movie? And a comic? You're not making any sense.

[tadeadshi]

[Oooh man he already started this out wrong. He rubs at his face and takes another breath.]

I mean - ah. Your life is a story in our world. What happened to you and Tetsuo, and the other Capsules. We read them-

[And he stops short there, a moment of quiet because Yamagata...]

I've known since you both got here what was happening to Tetsuo, but I wasn't sure when in the timeline you both were. I haven't said anything to him about this, but I felt it was only right I tell you that I knew.

[rassera]

[His hands grip that table as he listens, trying to wrap his head around the fact that he only exists as a story in Tadashi's world. That his life had a beginning and an end there in the form of a first and last page.

To be honest, it's hard to believe.]

Are you listening to yourself?

You're telling me that I'm...made up. I'm right here.

[Sorry, Tadashi, the shock'll wear off in a few seconds.]

[tadeadshi]

I know.

[He finally takes a sip of his tea, keeps his eyes fixated on it. Because he knows what he's telling Kaneda and what it probably means for himself. For everyone else here for that matter. He's going out on a limb in an effort to be honest and it could easily mean having Kaneda as an enemy.]

I know what it sounds like, but I promise you, I'm not lying. I know what happened to Tetsuo, and I know what will happen to him.

[He finally looks Kaneda in the eyes, all Determination and honesty.]

Please believe me.

[rassera]

[Kaneda stands up then, taking a few steps away from the table to put his arms behind his head, letting his back arch as he just soaks this all in. From what Tadashi was saying--if he's being blunt, is that he doesn't exist. That he's just a storybook character, or the equivalent of one.

That's bullshit.

With all he's fighting with Tetsuo, this is the last thing he wants to know--because then whatever he does doesn't matter. He's just a story.]

It's crazy.

[He'll be adamant on this next part.]

I'm just as real as you! Book or whatever the hell you saw me in, whatever you saw Tetsuo in, we're real.

[tadeadshi]

I know.

[Knows it with every fiber of his being, knows it with how tightly he's gripping his mug but refusing to look away from his friend - not a hero, not a character, but someone he's gotten to know here.]

I know because I know what it means for me too.

[An admission he's not even discussed with Hiro or Aunt Cass: that knowing what he knows about Kaneda and Tetsuo means the same for him and his fate: whatever he tries to change doesn't matter.

But he's still fighting like hell to try.]

[rassera]

[Kaneda's hands find a home on the counter of the kitchen, shoulders hunching slightly as he lets this sink in. The idea that he's just some story someone made up, brought to life for some reason here, it chills him to the bone. Because it means there's nothing left after the story's done. And when is that?

When will that be?...




No.

Fuck that shit.

He's spent this whole time here making his own decisions, functioning without a story. Did that guy write this about him too? Bullshit if he did. Tadashi would have told him sooner if he had. So he's not going to let something like this stop him. So what if he's a story in Tadashi's world? His world's just as real. Those shoulders square as he straightens up, unable to really look at Tadashi just yet.]

What do you see me as, huh?

[tadeadshi]

[He's still watching, still carefully gauging Kaneda's reactions. Tadashi knew going in this wouldn't go over easily or well, but he's not sure how it's going right now.]

Someone fighting and trying his best to keep his friends safe.

[Because it's that simple to him. Kaneda is a person, as much as he is, as much as Captain James T. Frickin Kirk was when he was here. They're people.]

[rassera]

...

[Hearing that causes his body language to shift, relaxing at that sentence. Because he knew he was real. He wouldn't accept it any other way. But Tadashi...he had to know.

And he got his answer.]

That's all I want.

[And that's all Tadashi saw in him. In a way, that's comforting.]

...So what do we do now?

[tadeadshi]

[Tadashi finally takes another sip of his tea, finally looks down from Kaneda's eyes.]

I don't know. I just wanted to be honest with you for now.