Hiro takes three steps forward and the building explodes in a plume of bright fire and a wave of sound that punches him in the face. The world goes dark and silent.
When he opens his eyes, there are black and white spots scattered across the ceiling. The sound doesn't come back. He hurts all over, his skin stings like its sunburnt, and there is a creeping itch that wraps around his head. Bandages, inquiring fingers find.
It takes a lot of miming, and a note pad, but he understands that the explosion ruptured his ear drums. The flash blindness will fade. But his ears… They don't know if that will heal, he'll just have to wait and see. Until then there are antibiotic eardrops and bandages and appointments to be scheduled and Hiro apes 'yes, yes, fine. Where is my brother?'
It takes a lot more than miming and scribbled notes to convince Hiro that Tadashi isn't just off in another hospital room.
Hiro squeezes his eyes shut and the spots multiply. He throws his arms over his head. The silence doesn't get any deeper, but his head feels less like it's about to explode.