[ ah ... he lets that txt sit for a while, wondering how to socialize with healthy and well-adjusted people. in his age range. with no objective to go undercover.
obviously the answer is to stunt the conversation from progressing into banter or anything friendly and just be verbally constipated. ]
FROM: shengshun.li@cdc.org
i'll be out then. back in a few hours.
[ good luck with taking apart bots and ignoring their pleas and cries for help as programming............ ]
[ and that night, children, one shitty protag did fall asleep outside of the rover . . . because of stubbornness and paranoia. but it is better than falling asleep curled up on a toilet like he does in canon. ]
[ gentle, yes — but the poke jolts hei awake with a fearful and suspicious fervor. he immediately grabs for tadashi's foot with one arm, turning over in the process and ready to drive a blade into his shin.
he stops of course, but only by altering his trajectory, making sure his dagger only grazes him, cutting off its charge just in time. ]
[ The only reason Tadashi doesn't fall is because he'd actually managed to balance himself pretty well on the one foot, but he wasn't expecting Li to move that quickly and the intake of air he takes his sharp, and short. The dagger splits his pant leg, he hears the rip of fabric, and it might have nicked him on the way by but the blade is sharp enough he doesn't feel it.
Tadashi stays perfectly still, two teacups balanced in each hand, brown eyes wide, staring down at his rovermate. ]
[ shit. hei releases both tadashi's leg and shifts to rise on his knees, hand trembling with tension before he releases his grip on the knife, letting it drop to the ground with a small bounce. it lays flat, reflecting the silver lining of the slowly parting clouds above. hei swallows, hard, then exhales once he realizes tadashi isn't groaning in pain or falling to the ground. ]
Don't — [ — don't what? he wants to snap at him and call him an idiot but there's nothing to really chastise him over. nothing that's his fault anyway. he glances down at his leg once more, eyes wider now as they try and scan it in the dark. ]
[ Whatever instinct had him move immediately upon waking obviously doesn't stick with him once he realizes what's going on. Tadashi lets out the breath of air he'd gasped in gently, and sets his foot back down. ]
I've had worse.
[ He says, decide to settle on where Li's gaze goes and respond to that instead of to what was obviously a deeply ingrained instinct. Those knives weren't for show. Tadashi had never expected they were, but seeing it in action was different than swinging from hydrocus or being offered energy bars.
He crouches down in front of Li, and offers the tea cup. Steam rises between their faces. ]
[ he bites the inside of his cheeks for concentration, grounding himself in the moment, knuckles only now returning to color as he raises his hand. a pleasant and rather sweet smell is carried in the air between, thick and wet from the steam.
he wonders if an apology is in order as he takes the teacup, letting his gaze fall to tadashi's legs. he doesn't even remember falling asleep. ]
. . . Are you finally going to sleep? [ okay, it's almost like an apology. hei is relieved that those words spill from what feels like a tightness in his chest rather than a harsh reprimanding or demoralizing lecture. ]
[ Tadashi's expression softens into something mildly entertained. ]
It's morning.
[ You've slept out here all night... Tadashi had a nap and everything. Once Li takes the cup, he cradles his own in both hands, and doesn't check the injury on his leg. ]
What ...? [ well, it's certainly early in the morning, but another glance at the horizon confirms it for him. hei's expression falls as he hangs his head, glowering at his cup with a sniff. ]
And you only get me now. [ a pause, mouth pursing thinly to a frown. ]
You said you were only going to be out for a few hours.
[ Tadashi hadn't really thought to message him. And he'd ended up falling asleep against his bunk, instead of in it, too. He watches Li for a long moment, the downcast of his face and the fact he probably didn't sleep much, or well. ]
[ he gives a furtive glance up at him through his lashes, past matted and dirtied bangs, making sure it's subtle enough to go unnoticed. hopefully. what was this guy's deal... ]
Hm. Coming from you. [ he says coldly and dismissively, then thinks about his totally normal stalking from the night before. including the late night reading he did. ]
[ Tadashi smiles and something in his shoulders softens. ]
I know.
[ Li isn't watching him, but Tadashi regards him kindly for a moment before he glances out into the camp. Even if Hiro is here, now, what Li said to him had really helped. ]
I'm glad he's here. I guess that's pretty selfish, huh?
[ Tadashi knows Hiro would be safer back on Earth, but... He sighs and takes a sip of his tea. He's not really expecting an answer. ]
Maybe. [ he wasn't a good judge on that sort of thing. still, it's ... nice. not that he cares much. "humans don't like to be alone" he thinks. , and tadashi had seemed incredibly distraught before. much of his current stability might be from having his brother present to ground him, and everyone needed a purpose. tadashi's was clear.
he finally takes a sip of the tea, which is sweeter than expected. ] It's sweet.
[ The grin that pulls Tadashi's face is sudden and warm. He can imagine the look on Hiro's face if he heard Li say something like that around him. Stretching to stand back up, Tadashi offers a hand to the other guy. ]
Come on, you should get some real rest.
i keep staring at the "extended lab hours" from callaghan ... i'm on to you, professor
[ he stares at the hand offered to him, wondering why such a simple gesture evokes such a strong, petty act of defiance in his mind. maybe it's that the act feels all too familiar. hei has long since decided that tadashi is far too kind and open for his own good, and that attaching to someone like this would be an unwise decision. therefore, indulging in small actions that help cement and foster bonds — contact and touch — is useless.
rationally speaking. measures had to be taken. his gaze shies away, back to the ground, grip tightening on the cup.
then he rises to stand without his assistance. ]
Edited (i seriously keep laughing at the unread callaghan mail...........) 2015-04-14 03:56 (UTC)
[ It doesn't really surprise him, somehow, but Tadashi doesn't feel too heavy of a sting. As much as Tadashi always wants to help, he also knows that sometimes, you have to decide to help yourself.
Tadashi watches him once they're level for a moment, smiles lightly, then turns to head back to the rover, still cradling his tea. ]
Everyone will probably clear out soon. I'm going to go talk to Hiro.
[ Judging from earlier, he thinks maybe Li doesn't like to sleep around other people. ]
[ hei watches him walk on, allowing an amount of distance before he trails behind. it's only when tadashi's back is to him that he allows his gaze to return, batting away morbid, pessimistic thoughts about what horrible shit the cdc could throw his way. or his brother's way. ]
[ If he notices Li trailing behind, he isn't going to say anything about it. Tadashi tries to live by a philosophy of mindfulness. Being kind and helping others, he's found, make him feel good, and useful. So he doesn't turn to tell Li to hurry up, or try to engage him if he'd rather be quiet, not until he speaks up.
Then Tadashi turns, eyebrows lifted in gentle curiousity. ]
[ Tadashi smiles without flashing any teeth and faces forward again. The expression stays in his voice. ]
I'll do my best.
[ He's not sure how well that'll go, not because he has a habit of sneaking up on people, but because he somehow always manages to interact with people while they're preoccupied. He doubts it'll be much different with the people in his rover. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
 "unread")
 "unread")
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because i wanted to see how it works
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it apologises.
FROM: shengshun.li@cdc.org
did it know what you were doing when you took it apart.
go to sleep
probably because it's programmed to apologize
FROM: hamada.tadashi@cdc.org
don't worry i know what i'm doing
no subject
i don't doubt that.
[ ah ... he lets that txt sit for a while, wondering how to socialize with healthy and well-adjusted people. in his age range. with no objective to go undercover.
obviously the answer is to stunt the conversation from progressing into banter or anything friendly and just be verbally constipated. ]
FROM: shengshun.li@cdc.org
i'll be out then. back in a few hours.
[ good luck with taking apart bots and ignoring their pleas and cries for help as programming............ ]
no subject
don't stay out too late ok?
[ He figures Li is probably tired about the days events, too. Maybe he just can't sleep like how Tadashi's head is going a hundred miles an hour. ]
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Hey.
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he stops of course, but only by altering his trajectory, making sure his dagger only grazes him, cutting off its charge just in time. ]
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Tadashi stays perfectly still, two teacups balanced in each hand, brown eyes wide, staring down at his rovermate. ]
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Don't — [ — don't what? he wants to snap at him and call him an idiot but there's nothing to really chastise him over. nothing that's his fault anyway. he glances down at his leg once more, eyes wider now as they try and scan it in the dark. ]
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I've had worse.
[ He says, decide to settle on where Li's gaze goes and respond to that instead of to what was obviously a deeply ingrained instinct. Those knives weren't for show. Tadashi had never expected they were, but seeing it in action was different than swinging from hydrocus or being offered energy bars.
He crouches down in front of Li, and offers the tea cup. Steam rises between their faces. ]
I can't believe you slept out here.
no subject
he wonders if an apology is in order as he takes the teacup, letting his gaze fall to tadashi's legs. he doesn't even remember falling asleep. ]
. . . Are you finally going to sleep? [ okay, it's almost like an apology. hei is relieved that those words spill from what feels like a tightness in his chest rather than a harsh reprimanding or demoralizing lecture. ]
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It's morning.
[ You've slept out here all night... Tadashi had a nap and everything. Once Li takes the cup, he cradles his own in both hands, and doesn't check the injury on his leg. ]
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And you only get me now. [ a pause, mouth pursing thinly to a frown. ]
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[ Tadashi hadn't really thought to message him. And he'd ended up falling asleep against his bunk, instead of in it, too. He watches Li for a long moment, the downcast of his face and the fact he probably didn't sleep much, or well. ]
Maybe you should get some rest.
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Hm. Coming from you. [ he says coldly and dismissively, then thinks about his totally normal stalking from the night before. including the late night reading he did. ]
Your brother's here.
no subject
I know.
[ Li isn't watching him, but Tadashi regards him kindly for a moment before he glances out into the camp. Even if Hiro is here, now, what Li said to him had really helped. ]
I'm glad he's here. I guess that's pretty selfish, huh?
[ Tadashi knows Hiro would be safer back on Earth, but... He sighs and takes a sip of his tea. He's not really expecting an answer. ]
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he finally takes a sip of the tea, which is sweeter than expected. ] It's sweet.
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Come on, you should get some real rest.
i keep staring at the "extended lab hours" from callaghan ... i'm on to you, professor
rationally speaking. measures had to be taken. his gaze shies away, back to the ground, grip tightening on the cup.
then he rises to stand without his assistance. ]
hands you a glass of water for that thirst...
Tadashi watches him once they're level for a moment, smiles lightly, then turns to head back to the rover, still cradling his tea. ]
Everyone will probably clear out soon. I'm going to go talk to Hiro.
[ Judging from earlier, he thinks maybe Li doesn't like to sleep around other people. ]
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Tadashi.
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Then Tadashi turns, eyebrows lifted in gentle curiousity. ]
Hm?
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. . . Don't sneak up on me again.
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I'll do my best.
[ He's not sure how well that'll go, not because he has a habit of sneaking up on people, but because he somehow always manages to interact with people while they're preoccupied. He doubts it'll be much different with the people in his rover. ]