Fire, Untouched: Chapter 1

[adustyspectacle]

Right, continuation of me posting some of the fics I've written. This one's for Big Hero 6. It was supposed to be Hidashi, but I can't make it work, so it turned into a quasi-platonic thing.

You can read it in AO3 here.

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life and death （焼死）

Hiro woke up with a strangled scream. He had a nightmare, although he couldn’t exactly remember what it was. All he could remember was the feeling of heat, licking on his skin as it devoured him. Hiro was screaming from the pain, how it burned. He remembered how painful screaming was too, as smoke and soot and ash choked his throat.

“Hey, you okay?” The voice made Hiro’s blood run cold. It shouldn’t have, because it was just Tadashi, and as he looked at his brother, face etched with worry (it was one of Hiro’s earliest memories, really, seeing worry on his brother’s face), he remembered his nightmare again.

Hiro was screaming, but it wasn’t his voice. It was Tadashi’s.

Something must have shown on his face, because his brother’s worried expression turned into slight alarm. Tadashi plopped himself to his bed, and Hiro scooted over to make more room for his brother.

“Hiro?”

“I’m fine, Tadashi, just… nervous, I guess,” Hiro said. He didn’t want to talk about his nightmare. Frankly, he wished he could forget. Hiro never really thought about it before, losing Tadashi, because Tadashi had been the one constant in his life. But now that the stupid nightmare was making him think about it, fear and dread clawed his insides.

A comforting arm around his shoulders snapped Hiro out of his reverie. It was warm and heavy. Tangible in a way no dream could mimic. “You’ll be fine,” Tadashi said, his voice a soothing balm on Hiro’s nerves. “I know you’ll do great tomorrow.”

Hiro finally relaxed somewhat, although he did snuggle closer to Tadashi. He felt embarrassed, because he’s fourteen for crying out loud. The last time he did this was when he was seven. But the nightmare was still very much on his mind, and his brother’s reassuring presence helped. Plus, his brother wasn’t saying anything or teasing him about being too old to cuddle, so it lessened the embarrassment a lot.

The last thing Hiro saw before sleep overtook him was the rise and fall of Tadashi’s chest, breathing, and very much alive.

---

Hiro’s showcase went great, and Tadashi expected nothing less. He’s always known, ever since when they were young, that his baby brother would go on and do great things. Tadashi knew Hiro was smart—smarter than him even—and that was why he was extremely proud of him right now.

“Alright geniuses, let’s speed those hungry brains. Back to the cafe! Dinner is on me!”

Tadashi wanted to take a moment alone with Hiro, but he figured it could wait.

---

They were finishing dessert when they heard news of the fire.

Apparently, just after they went to the Lucky Cat Café for a celebratory dinner, a fire and an explosion broke out where the SFIT Showcase was held.

Robert Callaghan died in the fire.

Everybody was shocked, Tadashi more so than the others. Dr. Callaghan was a good mentor, a reliable guide when he was feeling frustrated when working with Baymax. But more than that, Tadashi felt helpless, because if he had stayed for a bit, maybe he could have done something. Anything. He could’ve saved Callaghan.

“We should’ve been there…” he whispered to himself.

“NO!”

Tadashi jumped, startled by Hiro’s sudden exclamation. Concern and worry overtook his helplessness when he noticed his little brother. Hiro was pale. His eyes were wide with fear, and he was breathing heavily, as if the air was sucked out of his lungs. His arms were also trembling.

“Hiro are you okay?”

“I’m… yeah… I’ll just… go.” Hiro’s voice was small, barely a whisper. He practically ran upstairs. Tadashi hated seeing his brother this upset and scared.

“Thank you guys for coming, but I have to check on Hiro,” Tadashi said to his friends.

“We’ll help clean up and then we’ll go,” Honey Lemon replied. Wasabi, Fred, and Gogo nodded their assent, and all of them stood up to help Aunt Cass clear the plates. Tadashi smiled at them and went up the stairs.

He found Hiro curled tightly on his bed, covered in blankets. Tadashi sat beside him, but his baby brother moved over to the side, in invitation.

Tadashi took off his cap and his shoes in answer. He laid down on his side, facing his brother. Hiro’s eyes were shut, his lips pinched tightly, like he was trying to will his brain to not think of something but largely failing to do so. His breathing was uneven, and his hands were fisted so tight Hiro’s nails must be marking his palms.

He rested a hand on Hiro’s head, just behind his ear, and rubbed his thumb along the scalp. Tadashi used to do this when they were younger, when Hiro was too upset (because of bullies), or too scared (because of nightmares).

It always made him relax, and he did relax, but not as much Tadashi had hoped. So they stayed like that for a while. Tadashi liked the feeling of his brother’s hair on his hand. It was reassuring. He remembered holding Hiro tightly the first few weeks after their parents died. They held on to each other, but it was more for Tadashi’s comfort at the time, really. The loss of their parents affected him more because he was older, and he understood. He held on tight because he couldn’t stand to lose his little brother too.

Tadashi’s hand paused when Hiro started to speak. “Do you remember last night?”

“When you woke up suddenly?”

“I… I had a nightmare.” Tadashi knew that, of course, but he didn’t say anything at the time because if he did, Hiro would clam up and refuse to talk even more. He didn’t say anything about the cuddling too, because he knew his brother would be embarrassed. And… well, Tadashi kind of missed it.

Tadashi continued massaging Hiro’s head, silently urging him to speak.

“There was a fire, and… and you were there, Tadashi, you were burning and screaming and—”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay, I’m here.” Crap. So that’s why Hiro freaked out. Tadashi pulled his brother closer, wrapping an arm around him. Hiro’s hands went up towards Tadashi’s chest, and clung tightly to his shirt. His baby brother’s forehead rested on his shoulder.

“Tadashi, I… if you died because you did something stupid like save someone from an exploding building I…”

“I’m sorry.”

“I know you like helping people and… I guess I’m being selfish but I’m allowed to be, I’m your brother and… Tadashi, promise you’ll never leave me.”

“I promise, Hiro. I’m not giving up on you.” Tadashi meant it. He had been taking care of Hiro for the most part of his life. He loved him, and he didn’t want to be a cause of pain to his brother.

Tadashi could feel Hiro finally relax in his embrace. His breathing was even, and the way his hands clung didn’t seem like desperate anymore (although it was still just as tight like before). He could feel Hiro drifting off to sleep, so Tadashi said one last thing.

“By the way… Welcome to nerd school, nerd.”

The last thing Tadashi saw before sleep overtook them both was the smile in Hiro’s face, beautiful, free from the nightmare that plagued him.