[Hello, my dearest readers. It's been a while, hasn't it? I have finally finished with the first chapter of our newest addition to the Scorched AU(Because that is what I am calling this now). I'm looking forward to writing future chapters, so I hope you enjoy this newest installment!

Unlike a good amount of the chapters in my last story, this particular chapter does not have a playlist song(although I did consider 'Last Friday Night' just to see what your guys' reactions would be... Of course, that doesn't actually have a ton to do with this chapter. xD]

"And in the end

I'd do it all again

I think you're my best friend

Don't you know that the kids aren't alright?"

-The Kids Aren't Alright, by Fall Out Boy

"I dunno, Tadashi. These seem pretty banged up."

"I'm aware of that, Hiro, I was wearing them."

"Just a thought—maybe next time you decide to jump off a building, have Baymax catch you instead of shifting into a thrust level these boots weren't designed for?"

Tadashi rolled his eyes, leaning back in his chair. "I suppose I could, sure. But wouldn't that kind of defeat the purpose of rocket boots?"

In return, he received a glare from his little brother. "Rocket boots are meant for faster travel on land, not in the air. That's what Baymax is for, and that's why I made you a hoverboard."

"You've gotten so responsible lately, Hiro. It's sickening."

"Well, I did turn 17 last Monday. Maybe it's about time." Hiro threw his brother a look of triumph—not so small now, huh? "Which reminds me, you're 25. Act like it."

"I am, otouto."

"Then act like a superhero."

"I am. I'm sure you've heard of a few superheroes who act like this. In fact, I'd say that I bear a striking resemblance to Johnny Storm. This seems like the kind of thing he would do, doesn't it?"

Hiro raised a single eyebrow to heaven. "Johnny Storm?"

"Yeah..." Tadashi felt an evil smirk cross his expression. "The Human Torch."

"That joke was in bad taste and you know it, nii-chan."

"Well, I'll be honest, making jokes about it is so much easier than moping. Besides," the elder Hamada continued, his grin only growing larger. "I'd say we're both pretty smoking hot, don't you think?"

"Wow."

"I know."

"That was terrible."

At this, Tadashi started cracking up, throwing his head back in laughter. "Your face, Hiro. You look absolutely mortified."

And so he did. The comment about his expression didn't alleviate the irritation, either. In fact, if anything, Hiro's expression only seemed to grow more agitated at this. "You could have died, Nii-chan."

"But I didn't."

"Look, I'm just saying that you need to be more careful with these." Hiro looked up again, then back down at the ruined thrusters, carefully twisting another pair into his brother's boot. "I can't replace them every time you want to go out on a joyride."

"Maybe you should use yours more often."

At this, the younger Hamada stopped, then quietly laid down his work and spun in his chairs, facing his older brother. "I do use mine, I just don't use them for jumping off of buildings for no reason whatsoever."

"I'll bet you barely pass 30 miles an hour. Heh, I'd probably pass you while cruising, even if you're at full speed."

Hiro's eyes lit up with some unrecognizable emotion. "Is that a challenge, Tadashi?"

"You can bet your helmet it is."

Hiro tilted his head, an evil smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Maybe not my helmet, but..."

"Hm?"

"How about this: We have a race. The loser has to wear a duck costume to their next therapy appointment."

Tadashi let out a soft chuckle, imagining his therapist, Kyle, blinking in surprise as Tadashi waltzed into the office clad in a duck costume.

"Okay, but you don't go to therapy."

Hiro blinked, then came to a decision. "...We'll swing for a few pizzas afterwards on me?"

"The man drives a hard bargain," Tadashi replied, whistling appreciatively. "Deal."

"The rules are as follows: There are no rules."

The onlookers laughed loudly, causing GoGo to break into a grin. "In all seriousness, though, the race starts here at the university. You may take any road in order to get to the checkpoint—which would be Fred, down at the Fishing Wharf. You'll take a piece of paper from him saying that you were there, then you'll return here. The first man to hand his paper to me wins."

Tadashi glanced sideways at his brother, a grin flitting to his lips. "That will be me."

"In your dreams, nerd."

"Oh, and guys?" The brothers looked up at their team mate, who was holding the flag that would signal the start of the race.

"Yes, GoGo?"

"Please try not to run over any pedestrians. As funny as it would be to see you guys crash into someone, you are on rocket boots, and thus would likely cause serious bodily harm to said pedestrians."

"Yes, GoGo."

"However, walls take a hit considerably better than a person, so feel free to repeatedly ram your head into a wall."

"Maybe not my head," Hiro muttered, an evil glint in his eye.

"Yeah, if we hit his head against a wall, the poor building would collapse. His head's surprisingly thick. It might break the wall."

"Ha, ha."

"Ready?"

Immediately, the Hamada brothers slid into running positions, glaring at each other from the corners of their eyes.

"Set?"

And the rockets fired up.

"Go!"

Tadashi swore under his breath as he swerved, barely missing yet another pedestrian.

"Having trouble, Nii-chan?"

The elder Hamada glared at his brother, who was dodging people with ease, used to traffic as he was.

"As a matter of fact, yes, I am. Maybe I'll come over there and use you as a plow."

"Aw, don't be like that. Maybe you should just take your helmet off—bet your face would scare everyone away."

A year ago, Tadashi would have winced, and gone very quiet while thinking about how things might have gone differently had he not run in to save his professor.

But this was not a year ago, and Tadashi was not the same man who had pointed a gun at the man he had once looked up to. The scars had since faded—not gone completely, in fact they still gained several stares, but he had grown accepting of the fact that he would never look the same as he once did.

His family accepted him, and that was enough.

"Says the man who can't get a date."

"I'm 17, and 5'7. I have an excuse. On the other hand," Hiro replied, smoothly moving to avoid a collision. "You're 6'4, and most certainly old enough to have a girlfriend."

"Maybe you should just focus on the race?"

"Why should I?" They finally cleared most of the buildings and now Hiro swerved, sand flying as he moved onto the beach, out of earshot and communicating by comlink. "It's not as if I'm behind you."

"You will be soon."

"Eat my dust, Dashi!"

This said, the younger Hamada turned, smiling as his brother began to catch up, and moved in such a way, almost twirling and flinging a large amount of sand into Tadashi's face.

"What the-?!" His older brother doubled over, coughing and spitting out dust as Hiro spun, rocketing forward.

"I'll take that."

Fred smiled at Hiro(although the young hero couldn't see it through the suit), and let him take the piece of paper from his hand. "Where's Tadashi?"

"Choking on sand."

"And how long have you been working on that maneuver?"

Hiro felt an evil grin creeping across his face, opting not to answer.

"Right then." Fred paused, then continued. "You're going to want to get back."

"I intend to," Hiro replied with a smile, spinning to race down the street, and collided with an orange wall.

"And just where do you think you're going, otouto?"

Not a wall, then.

"Oh come on, 'Dashi. That's just cheating."

Tadashi allowed himself a smirk, dragging his brother along by one of his legs, kicking and screaming, as he retrieved his own piece of paper. "So is shoving sand down my throat."

"That was just a joke," Hiro wailed, doing his best to turn and kick one of Tadashi's legs out from under him. "Put me down!"

Fred was almost doubled over laughing now. "Deal with it, Hiro. You had this coming."

Suddenly Hiro grew very still, suddenly falling limp, and Tadashi shook his head, chuckling. "Really? Going boneless on me? Fine, makes this easier." Not waiting for a response, the elder Hamada threw his brother over his shoulder, easily carrying him over to the nearest stop sign, and paused as he realized he was in a more populated area.

Maybe I should do this somewhere-

"Somebody help me!"

Tadashi almost dropped his brother, his scream was so loud.

"What the?!"

"Stranger danger! I do not know this man, he's kidnapping me!"

"I swear, Hiro-!"

Exasperated, and looking around at the confused and concerned passerbys, he grabbed his brother by the shoulders and gently set him down.

Well, I say set him down, but in reality he left Hiro hanging by the back of the armor on his back, on top of the stop sign.

"You can't do this to me, nii-chan! I have rights!"

"You have the right to shut up," Tadashi growled before starting up his rockets again.

"Please?" Hiro reached up, taking off his helmet—not caring about the people who were doing their very best to ignore the brothers—and giving his brother the most pitiful look he had ever let cross his features.

And Tadashi almost reached out to put him back on the ground.

Almost.

"Sorry, otouto."

And suddenly, the wide-eyed, tearful, pleading expression was gone, replaced with a furious scowl. "You know, sometimes I seriously dislike you."

"Aw. Go cry me a river."

Tadashi could have been casually strolling down the street if he truly wanted to, but knowing better from the stories Aunt Cass had told him before that pressing your luck was never a good thing. Especially if your little brother is currently stranded on top of a stop sign and absolutely furious with you.

The university was finally in sight, the onlookers cheering, and he skidded to a halt as he came close to the finish line. University students whooped in excitement, clearing the way to the finish line, where a young woman in yellow armor was standing.

"Hey there, GoGo."

His team mate rolled her eyes. "You aren't going to cross?"

"Of course I am. I'll take my time, though, because our fearless leader is currently stuck on top of a stop sign."

He smiled at his friend, reaching into the compartment of armor that held his letter, giving her a wink.

And slowly, the smile dropped from his face.

"That piece of..."

"What?"

"He took my letter!"

"Really, nii-chan? It took you this long to notice?"

Tadashi spun at the sound of his brother's voice—the same brother whom only minutes ago he had left on top of a sign.

"Hiro-!"

With his usual confident swagger, the younger Hamada stepped through the crowd, throwing several of them a cocky smile. Under the mortified glare of the orange figure in front of him, he stopped beside his brother, producing not one, but two letters stating that he had reached the Fishing Wharf and returned.

"I think you'll find that everything is in order... Which is more than I can say for this nerd."

"It's taking everything in me not to slap you right now."

GoGo looked over the pieces of paper and then, forcing back tears of laughter, took Hiro's hand and held it up.

"The winner!"

The crowd cheered, half of them laughing their heads off in the meantime.

"Now, what does Tadashi have to do?"

Hiro's grin grew wider at Tadashi's sullen expression. "He has to go to his next therapy session in a duck costume."

"How very fitting."

"Oh, why don't you two shut up?"

[And there you have it, the first chapter. The next chapter is where the action gets started, so stay tuned!

Oblivious out! *throws self out of frame*]