Hey you, see me, pictures crazy

Aiden had been sitting on his father's bed in their temporarily shared room for a couple hours by now. He hadn't turned on the lights so he could stay in the dark. He couldn't see a thing, but his other senses were working well enough to keep him alert. He sat slightly hunched with his elbows resting on his knees. He tilted his head a bit as he heard footsteps in the hallway. They were too heavy to be his father's so he settled back and waited some more.

He had gone through drumming about five more songs mentally when the door opened and spilled light into the room. Aiden jumped and blinked. He almost cursed himself in being too engrossed in the music. Instead, a hard-light sword almost materialized in his hands. It was just a flicker, however, when he recognized the silhouette in the doorway.

"Aiden," came the tired voice. "I've been hunting ninja all day. Hiding in the dark in my room..."

The teen shrugged. Then he realized his father probably couldn't see it. "I wouldn't be able to catch you any other way before you sleep."

The light was flicked on; Aiden squinted at the brightness. He rubbed his eyes as he heard his father step in completely and shut the door behind him.

"I've been beating different paths than Logan and the Black Widow. They're probably doing better with the blood-letting than I am with investigating." He sounded tired. It almost made Aiden get up and let him sleep. As did his first good look at Longshot since Hana was returned. There usually weren't dark rings under his eyes. His cheeks looked a little more hollow. Dad looked like hell warmed slightly tepid.

"Then let me help you. Go with. Two sets of eyes are better." Aiden was slowly going insane sitting on his butt. Hana had gotten her memories back and didn't need him around all that much. Angel had to sleep sometime and have some time to herself so Aiden didn't wear out his welcome. So he got quiet moments of wanting to help somehow. Wanting to strike back. To prove himself.

"Aiden, no. You and Hana need to stay here to be safe." Those words seemed like steel. Not moving.

Those words had never met Aiden. "One of the safest places is beside you. Please, Dad. I gotta do something! Sitting here and waiting for the all clear is ... stupid."

"Lemme put this simply... no. Not on your life." Longshot crossed his arms in front of his chest. "It's not safe next to me. They took Hana. From one of the safest places around. While I was here. It's safer among the teachers and students here than singled out with me."

That got the teen to his feet. He just barely bit back that Misha was already out. It was a hunch, but Aiden didn't want to get compared to the trouble the older boy was stirring up. Misha just wasn't around. He had to go somewhere. The current suspicion was that somewhere was out after the Hand. "Look. Everybody already thinks I'm this dumb blond boy who has an odd relationship with his sister. How being nice and concerned for your sister is odd, is beyond me, but there it is. I'm good enough. I'm good enough to help out. Good enough to strike back. Give me the chance."

"You're not dumb." There was no comment on the other things.

"Yeah, that's why everybody treats me like I'm five."

"You're not five." Dad was all about tired assurances at the moment.

"I certainly act like it sometimes. And I can't stop it. I get so excited over small things. Or you and Mom visiting. And everybody thinks, HEY a moron with the intellect of an eight-year-old! Except I didn't grow up. Grow up to be jaded that my power will solve everything. And hey, there are no wonders in the world because everything is a giant bucket of ... bucket of... aw, fekt. What's it matter? I can't mentally put it together anyway." His fingers flexed at his side. He was losing the argument on his own. He wanted it so bad that his energy was off and running before he could get traction. He tried to force his mind to stay, to not go off track.

"Aiden, that's not it. There's nothing wrong with you." Longshot reached out to place his hands on Aiden's shoulders but missed as his son backed away from the touch.

"Nothing wrong with me? Stop lying. I get caught and beaten and released." His hands balled into aggravated fists at his sides. He felt the disconnect between what his body was doing and what his mind jumped to. He dragged his mind back to the anger that poked red hot through the base of his neck to the middle of his brow. "Hana gets kidnapped, tortured until she forgets everything about her, and returned. And I just have to. Sit. There."

The shadows in the room may have been playing tricks, but it looked like Longshot made a funny face. When he spoke it was softly and in confusion. "You're upset that you didn't get tortured as badly? Aiden, you should be-"

"I'm not worth the effort. I get it!" His mind was sputtering. He tried to right it. Through gritted teeth. "You don't care how I feel. I don't feel it anymore."

"What? Aiden, I'm not under-"

"Forget it," the teen yelled in Cadre. If he noticed he dropped his father's personal f-word, he didn't show it. "Forget I was here. Forget I was even born. I don't care anymore."

"Aiden!" Longshot reached to grab his son by the arm. He missed as his son was faster than he was as an eight-year-old. It must have caught him flat-footed because it gave Aiden enough time to leave the room.