cryptologic | IC INBOX ▲ CEREALIA

[ Well, it does...and doesn't. ]

She's told me that to my face, but I guess complimentary is better than the alternative.

[ Even if it doesn't give him much to go off of. ]

...okay I can't lie to you, we talked a little more but it's stuff I can't tell you. I promised. But it's not really bad. I'm going to figure out how to fix it.

[That should be alarming in and of itself.]

[ Okay, he would have been totally okay to accept that until that lest sentence. ]

Wait, what? [ The CereVice helpfully captures the sound of his voice - guess this is audio now. So he just keeps talking. ]

Whoa, whoa, okay, back up. Look, it's fine if you don't tell me, but I don't need you to fix it. Whatever it is.

[ Breathing pause. ]

I really, really, really, really, really, really don't need you to fix it.

[Wait, what?]

No, it's okay. I think I get it a little better now. It'll help her, too. It'll be fine, Dipper, you've just gotta trust me on this. [Please don't trust him since he's thinking of something vastly different than Xion's whole ordeal.] Maybe fix was the wrong word.

Dude.

[ Does Hiro remember what happened the last time Hiro offered to fix Dipper's problems?

Dipper does. ]

I appreciate you, you know, trying to help me...get the girl, or whatever. But if Xion has a problem with me, or...doesn't want to date or something, you have to let me figure that out on my own.

[ This he is absolutely set on. ]

[...right. He has to stop trying to fix everything for everyone. And even for something so minimal as people liking each other or dating he shouldn't be as stressed out as he is by the idea of things not working for people he cares about.

That's what this place is, isn't it? It's a chance. It's a chance for things to happen and that chance should always work the way people want it to.

Okay, wait. These are all...sort of crazy thoughts and he should really focus on being a good friend instead of letting his mind get stuck in a loop. So. Eventually he speaks up again.]

She doesn't have a problem with you. I can tell you that much. [Let's refocus on the subject here.]

[ He breathes a little, barely-audible sigh of relief at that. ]

Not that she'd tell you, if she did. [ He has to wonder what the problem is, though. Maybe he'd been stupid to assume he ever really had a shot with her, but now it feels like his shot is withering before he's even had the chance to really take it.

Which leaves him with two options, really.

Wallow in a pool of downward-spiraling paranoia (the usual), or do something crazy (also the usual).

Neither option is very appealing. ]

O-okay, let me - let me ask you this. Let's say I... [ oh god. ] ...try telling her how I feel. Or. Something. Like that. Given, whatever it is you're worried about...

[ Urgh. ] Should I even bother?

[Paranoia's not good. Being unsupportive isn't good. But steering Dipper wrong would be even worse so he's quiet again, the sound of his breathing pretty shallow as he thinks of how to phrase this. Truth be told he doesn't even quite know Xion's deal, just the little hints she'd told him. He's drawing off of another conversation though and filling in blanks where he can.]

In a case like this? It's probably better to show her instead of directly telling her. I don't know if words are going to cut it. [There's a sigh.] Then again, the actions have to be timed just right or she might back off. All of this is so complicated and I don't understand it. [Which is frustrating in and of itself. His conversation with Yu on prom night hadn't helped his ideas about relationships and stuff either, even though he did what he could to help there, too.] The one thing you can't do is give up though. You've just...gotta look for a new angle in this and keep trying. Does that make sense?

[ He has to take a moment to digest this, parsing it out and just think - and feel. He never assumed this would be easy - crushes rarely were, and the more Dipper learned about Xion, the more he spent time with her, the more he realized there was so much more to her than a beautiful, kindhearted girl that let him be her knight. He'd realized it that day, on the bridge when he'd rescued her and she'd told him about how her superior thought she was a mistake, how she betrayed them, how she thought Dipper deserved the truth but wasn't ready to tell him all of it yet.

But the more he learned about her, the more he realized how special she was.

The more he learned, the more he... ]

I...I won't give up.

[ Not on feelings like these. ]

I won't do anything stupid, either. Or try not to, anyway. [ Though figuring out what's stupid is easier said than done. ]

[He knows that Dipper knows more about Xion that Hiro does. He doesn't know how close they may be, just that Xion's worried and honestly thinks Dipper shouldn't like her. Then again, Tadashi assumed that he couldn't have happiness either. It sort of shows how many people in this world are struggling with things and while he doesn't expect himself to know everything, he does feel a little more upset that he's oblivious to a lot of things his friends are going through. It never used to bother him, but Cerealia changes things.]

Figure as long as you don't find a boombox and hold it over your head blasting some cheesy pop song you'll be fine. [It's an attempt at a joke, at least.] You took the first step by asking her to dance. Just keep doing stuff like that. [A pause.] One of the things that clued me in to Ruby and made this okay was the fact that she likes to hold my hand and I never bothered letting go. For people who don't really get this kind of thing actions are always way more important.

So...no chickening out, okay?

[ A snort of laughter. ] You definitely don't have to worry about me doing something that cheesy. [ Even if he...already gave her a pet dog. That was...sort of cheesy, admittedly. ]

No chickening out. And I guess I'll just...go with the flow. Or...do what feels right. I mean, that's mostly what I've been doing so far, and it hasn't gone down in flames yet.

[ So, that's a victory!

...Wow, this optimism is weird. Figures it'd be inspired by someone like Xion. ]

And it won't. I can guarantee that much. [He's happy Dipper seems to have settled on that and he smiles faintly even if the other boy can't see it.] Glad it worked out though, dude. Seems like prom was pretty big for a lot of people for a lot of different reasons.

[There's a short pause.] This is going to sound kinda dumb but are you busy?

[ Prom did it's job, then. They did right by those 80s movies tropes. ]

Not really. What's up?

I dunno. I just...do you maybe wanna hang out today? [He sounds very unsure of himself in asking that, but at the same time this is one of the few times the colony's not crazy. That, and the distraction would be welcomed.] I mean we can work on stuff and compare new notes about prom if you want but there's probably stuff at the shopping center or the entertainment district we can check out instead.

[ ...Whoa. Just like...hang out and do stuff together that doesn't necessarily include trying to save the world?

This is a new concept. ]

Sure, man. Think we can find some fireworks?

[ why not blow up some stuff, too. ]

[That perks him right up.] I think I know just the guy we can ask. I've got a few resources around the colony for things you can't find in stores.

[It's called the black market, Hiro. That's what you're thinking of.] We could get fireworks and launch them from up on the roof of one of the apartment buildings.

[ Though Hiro can't see it, Dipper's grinning now. ] I'm kind of really digging that idea. Sometimes you just need to blow things up, you know?

[ He's sure Hiro will understand this feeling. ]

Now you're talkin'. We can probably meet up on the roof of [insert apartment building here] in like half an hour. What do you think?

Sounds like a plan. [ A great plan where nothing could possibly go wrong, shooting fireworks off of a rooftop. ] I'll see you then.

[Just as planned, it's about half an hour later that Hiro's hauled up on the rooftop but surprisingly without Baymax. The robot's still in the building charging and Hiro's...still dressed in his armor anyway. The helmet's sitting on the ground next to him and he's staring out at the skyline of the colony as he waits for Dipper. On his other side there's a small box of fireworks that he's procured from somewhere. And a blowtorch.

Never question Hiro Hamada when it comes to doing things he wants to do.

While he waits for Dipper though he can't help but take one of the small shell fireworks out of the box, carefully positioning it to set it off. This building's far enough out of the way that they won't disturb too many people. Dipper shouldn't have a problem finding him if he follows the bright lights and noisy explosions.]

[ Dipper doesn't arrive in any cool outfit or armor, just his usual vest-and-hat ensemble. He nods approvingly at the box of fireworks and blowtorch as he approaches. ]

Wow, your guy really came through, huh? [ If Dipper should be worried that Hiro has some secret fireworks dealer in the colony, he's not. ]

I guess fireworks aren't Baymax's thing?

One thing you learn after a while is that people will come through on just about anything so long as you've got enough money for them. [He watches another firework go off, exploding in a small shower of sparks and novelty tricks before he grins slightly and turns his head toward Dipper.]

Baymax has never seen fireworks, but I can imagine the speech he'd give me about safety hazards. [A beat.] Plus I don't want something to explode and break him again. These ones aren't as intense as some of the ones at theme parks or the fourth of July, but they'll do.

Thaaaaat's fair enough. [ Yeah, he can imagine how nursebot miiiiight not be thrilled about this.

Which begs the follow-up question as Dipper starts to sort through their options in the box: ]

And what about Tadashi?

[A haphazard shrug.] I didn't exactly tell him either. [He's sitting up on his knees to paw through the box.] Kinda forgot to mention it. [Which is true. Sometimes Hiro's so used to doing his own thing now that he just…forgets to mention things. Ah well.] It'll be fine.

It'll be totally fine.

[ #famouslastwords spoken as he pulls a roman candle out of the box. ] Nice.

You know, the last time I did this...was actually the day before I got here.

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