2:

Hiro was not expecting this; he hadn't been entirely sure what exactly he had been expecting, but it was most definitely without a doubt not this.

For one, it was a tree house- not a house in the trees but a literal tree house. It was like someone came through, removed all the tree's insides and replaced it with a fully functional, comfortable house that was decent size all things considered.

Tadashi must have noticed him gaping in awe (because he certainly was) and the next thing he knew he heard his brother chuckle as he lightly bumped his elbow against his shoulder- something Hiro hadn't felt from his brother in 2 years and he missed it. More than he ever thought he would.

That still didn't deter his astonishment at the tree house because, from where he was at, the tree still looked alive and healthy despite having an entire home built in the middle. An astonishment he didn't think he was capable of feeling since he discovered Fred was rich and lived in a mansion with a butler and everything.

"So what'd ya think?" Tadashi asked after Hiro still didn't say anything because what could he say? The home defied all logic. His brother defied logic. This whole freaking place defied any sense Hiro once had of the world.

"I'm dreaming," Hiro finally murmured, gaining the sudden urge to pinch himself until he woke from whatever trippy dream he slipped into, but then Tadashi laughed and Hiro suddenly never wanted to wake up because he missed that laugh.

"I wish it was that simple but, no, I can vouch for you," Tadashi chuckled shaking his head in amusement as he stepped forward gesturing with his head and called, "Come on. I want to show you something."

The pit in Hiro's stomach felt all too familiar as he followed his brother towards the tree because he recognized this. It was the night his brother took him to his nerd school in hopes of distracting him out of bot fighting, which worked but at a cost Hiro rather not have been paid.

Yet here he was, with his brother, in a psychedelic world straight from the pages of one of Fred's comic books replaying the scene right before his brother dies and Hiro doesn't think he could handle losing his brother twice- no matter how many years has passed since the first time.

"Tadashi wait," Hiro protested reaching out to desperately cling to the sleeve of his brother's jacket to keep him in place while his mind worked around a susceptible reason on why his brother should listen to him.

Tadashi did stop, throwing him a confused look with large worried eyes and Hiro swallowed as he racked his brain for something- anything- to stall his brother with. The only problem was his tongue had also turned to cotton and so he ended up just staring doe-eyed up at his brother, only adding concern to his brother's already worried face.

"Hiro? Is something wrong?" his brother asked slowly, carefully, not bothering to try to take his arm back- Hiro was gripping at it so desperately he doesn't think he could've if he wanted too.

"I-I does none of this seem to faze you?" Hiro finally asked consciously letting his brother's arm go as he blinked big brown eyes.

Tadashi smiled a gentle smile, almost like he understood, before he explained, "It did at first but then I just kind of learned to roll with it."

Hiro nodded, heart still fluttering wildly in his chest as he tried to focus on his brother's words. This wasn't the same, there were no crazed revenge-driven professors to start fires and kill his brother. His brother was here, with him, and Hiro needed to keep him safe. Needed to protect him because losing him again would be overwhelming, and something Hiro doesn't think he could recover from.

"Come on," Tadashi repeated softer, warmer, as he beckoned with his head and this time Hiro resisted the urge to latch onto his brother and never let go.

Erik was frowning at them beside the tree trunk, arms crossed and eyes narrowed, and Hiro couldn't shake the unsettling feeling the guy gave him. It was like electricity coursed off his shoulders, shocking him every time he got too close.

"Are you two finished?" he demanded unfolding his arms to glare as they approached him.

Tadashi didn't seem fazed as he nodded, practically bouncing in excitement, as he promised turning to lock eyes with Hiro, "You're going to love this."

Erik just rolled his eyes grumbling under his breath, "Oh, I bet he will," before he clapped his hands and pressed them against the tree trunk muttering foreign words under his breath.

To say Hiro was confused by the sight was kind of an understatement and he opened his mouth- probably to poke fun at the guy- when the ground underneath his feet quivered knocking his balance off. He stumbled and would've fallen if Tadashi hadn't caught his forearm, yanking him back to his feet with a stupid grin spread across his features.

"What?" Hiro muttered as he re-gathered his footing and realized that they were no longer level with the ground- or at least the ground they were standing on wasn't.

Somehow it had removed itself from the rest and was slowly rising up the tree, slowly, like an open elevator and Hiro was back to gaping like an idiot.

"Better keep that big mouth of yours shut kid," Erik warned as he brushed his hands together, "You'll catch flies."

Hiro's teeth clamped together as he turned to glare at the smug man still glowering at him. He wasn't even entirely sure what he did to the guy to warrant this much animosity, and Tadashi remained obliviously unaware to the stare down currently going down between the 16-year-old inventor and whatever the heck Erik was. Or his brother was just pretending not to notice.

"Aw, Hiro," Tadashi started setting a large warm hand on his back as he forced Hiro's gaze to break off from Erik's as he continued, "This next part is the best."

Which, at this point, Hiro didn't think was possible. After all he'd seen logic get thrown out the window and ignored at least five times since waking up on the beach and there was no way anything could top alive superpower brothers or houses inside trees or the ground detaching itself and raising without any signs of pulleys or cords or anything.

He was wrong, of course, because when the ground stopped and Hiro realized they'd reached the top his mouth was hanging back open as he took in the view.

It was one of those million dollar views that seemed impossible to find no matter how hard one searched. He could see above all the dark green foliage stretching all around them and past that was a strip of perfect white and contrasting blue as the ocean seemed to kiss the pinkish-orange horizon and it was a high possibility that he forgot how to breathe.

"Impressive, no?" Tadashi asked with an amused chuckle, large hand clapping him against his shoulder blades and lingering.

Hiro decided then that if it was all a dream, it was one he never wanted to wake from because everything about this place was perfect.

And he probably would've stayed there forever if Tadashi's large hand didn't maneuver his shoulder so he was turning around, back towards the tree house, as he spoke proudly, "You still haven't seen inside yet."

Hiro followed his brother inside the tree, surprised at the lush looking furniture and fancy utilities, and he tried to ignore how dangerous it was to have a fully operational kitchen inside a wooden tree as Tadashi excitedly led him through each room, ending in his room.

"This is where you can stay," Tadashi decided with a broad smile, "It'll be a little tight but we'll manage, right?"

Hiro felt his brother bump against him again as wide brown eyes took in the single bed and dresser before he nodded and grinned, "Right."

Because the room might be half the size of the one they shared inside Aunt Cass's bakery, but Hiro didn't think Tadashi could do anything that would make him mind. After all, he'd been so lonely after his brother's passing.

And so for the next several hours the brothers spent deciding how they could make it work. There wasn't any room for a second bed, after all, so they'd have to share- something 14-year-old Hiro would've whined about for several consecutive hours but he suddenly felt so needy and clingy he probably would've been more upset if they didn't share.

"Hey Hiro?" Tadashi suddenly asked, "Is everything alright? You seem more… reserved than normal."

Hiro blinked- because he wasn't expecting that- as he looked up at his brother's suddenly ancient eyes, searching for something to reply to his brother with. When he came up with nothing he just shrugged, plastering on a fake smile a complete stranger could detect.

"Of course. Everything's fine," he lied as he blinked at his brother's frown and asked seriously, "Why?"

"I don't know yet," Tadashi explained, brown eyes narrowing at the lie as he continued, "That's what I'd like to find out. If something's bothering you then I'd like to help."

Hiro's mind flashed to smoke and fire and pain and panic and his breathe suddenly caught in the back of his throat as he forced out, "Everything's fine Tadashi."

Tadashi just wasn't buying it.

"Hiro, you're still a terrible liar," he informed him with a deep sigh, hand reaching up to rub down his weary features and Hiro felt the beginning stages of panic; how do you make you're not-so-dead brother understand that they died?

"I'm fine Tadashi," Hiro replied a little more relaxed than before, "I promise."

Tadashi still seemed unsure, but he didn't press anymore. He just gave Hiro a warning look before he went on to ramble about some piece of furniture Hiro had the suspecting feeling neither one of them cared much about; Hiro remained silent, though, occasionally nodding his head whenever his brother glanced in his direction.

Hiro's mind, however, was drifting on to an explanation about how any of this was possible. He wasn't dreaming- not even his imagination was this great- and he didn't think he was on some weird acid trip- he doesn't do drugs and GoGo would murder anyone who tried to give him some.

So where did that leave him?

Alternate dimension: Hiro couldn't recall falling into any weird worm holes that would have led him to an alternate dimension. Time travel: definitely not because he wasn't travelling backwards and it still failed to explain why Tadashi had powers. Death.

Hiro swallowed when the possibility flashed through his brain.

The last thing he remembered was the robber and the terrified cashier and the gun and he couldn't reason out the possibility of him not getting shot- everything had been happening so quickly. Then again, he didn't think the afterlife consisted of his older brother with superpowers and a jerk who hated his guts.

He was running out of ideas but he really didn't want it to be him dying. Aunt Cass, albeit being stronger than most people give her credit for, couldn't stand losing both her nephews and life couldn't be that cruel. Could it?

"Hiro?" his brother snapped his fingers in front of his face, causing the younger boy to blink in surprise as he focused on Tadashi's steadily growing concerned face.

"Huh?" he heard himself ask, sounding like an idiot as he tried racking his brain on any explanation on why he was phasing out; 'hey Tadashi, there's a high chance we're both dead' was probably a poor choice of words.

"You alright little brother?" Tadashi asked and he smiled but it was tight with apprehension, "because you seem a little… distracted."

Hiro could've snorted at the understatement. He was so beyond distracted and he didn't have a clue on how to make sense of any of this.

"I just have a lot on my mind," Hiro replied vaguely as his stomach growled causing a perfect distraction.

"You sound hungry," Tadashi noted as brown eyes focused on Hiro's grumbling stomach, small smile gracing his lips, "Would you like me to make you something?"

Hiro nodded vigorously, thankful for the distraction.

Recently- Baymax informs him daily that it's a side effect of puberty- he's been growing hungrier and hungrier causing Aunt Cass to joke about him eating her out of business. Add that to the fact that he hadn't eaten anything since breakfast and he was practically starving- something his body's finally caught up in telling him.

Perfect timing, he thought anyways as he followed Tadashi to the kitchen sitting in a spare chair and watched as his brother fixed him something to eat.

Erik glared at them, or Hiro, but didn't say anything so Hiro didn't either. Tadashi seemed to remain oblivious as he fixed something Hiro couldn't quite make out. And when he survived to him it didn't even matter that Erik was still glaring at him because Tadashi was here and alive and for however long Hiro was stuck here he was going to make sure to keep it that way.

For now anyways.

Hiro awoke to a cold feeling, his gut wrenching in a painful knot as he blinked brown eyes opened to stare at Tadashi's slumbering face.

They were facing each other, Tadashi's relaxed face so close Hiro could've reached out to trace his brother's features if he wanted to. He didn't because something in the other room moved, the floor creaking under the new weight.

At first he shrugged it off as Erik moving around but the cold feeling didn't fade. He wasn't going back to sleep until he knew what was making the noise.

"Please be Erik," he murmured as he rolled over to quietly climb from bed without disturbing his brother.

Tadashi grumbled, his face bunching up in discomfort, but his expression instantly melted back into a peaceful mask and Hiro tiptoed out of the room.

The rest of the house was empty and Erik was in his room, sleeping, and Hiro couldn't help but note that the guy even slept annoyingly. Half his legs were tangled in the covers and the other half sticking out as his mouth dangled open, soft snores escaping his lips. There was no way he was the noise Hiro had heard but there was also no evidence that there had been anybody in the house to begin with.

"Great," he grumbled to himself as he started back to Tadashi's room, "Now you're hearing things."

Yet the cold feeling never went away, not even when he re-burrowed himself next to his brother. Instead it lingered, like some foreboding finger itching at him…

Hiro closed his eyes, blocking out all thoughts as he concentrated on sleeping. Sleep seemed to evade him, though, so he just stared and watched Tadashi sleep and some part of him wondered what his friends and Cass were doing.

He could imagine them, crystal clear, all gathered in the diner smiling and laughing. He could see them helping Aunt Cass serve the steadily growing crowd as they joked and teased and laughed and he wondered if they even noticed if he was missing.

He hates causing them to worry but whenever they fuss over him some part of him deep down enjoys it also. makes him feel loved, wanted and cared for.

Stop it, he commanded himself squeezing his eyes shut and curling forward so his forehead was pressed against his brother's chest. Unconsciously, his brother's strong warm arm wrapped around his lanky shoulders, holding him, and Hiro felt safe for the first time in a long time.

Something in the other room shifted, the sound of a dull thump as something hit something else and Tadashi tensed, squeezing Hiro, as bleary eyes blinked open.

"What was that?" he asked, whisper so soft it was almost silent.

Hiro shrugged, staring wide-eyed at his brother's impassive face.

It still looked like the Tadashi that he lost, just harder. Tougher. He was more willing to do whatever he deemed necessary, including fighting and that thought alone seemed utterly wrong. Tadashi just wasn't a fighter- he built a health-care companion- and he tried helping to the very end…

He shifted, as if to check the noise out, when Hiro clutched his chest with shaking fists and silently shook his head. He suddenly didn't want his brother to go, to leave him.

Tadashi's eyes softened as he pressed a gentle kiss to his temple and commanded for him to stare here before slipping out from bed and into the living room and Hiro just watched him go. Frozen, suspended in time. And then it was like time restarted and he bolted forward to follow his brother when an arm snaked around his thin waist and jerked him backwards on the bed. When he turned around he saw the man in black from the beach.

"Ta-" Hiro started to call when the man placed a finger to the spot where his lips were underneath his red and black mask and Hiro's voice died in his throat.

Furrowing his eyebrows in frustration, he glared at the man as he tried in vain to cry out. To beckon his brother back to his side where he could protect him. Keep him safe because Hiro was all but defenseless and this guy was whooping both his brother and Erik when Hiro first saw them.

The guy remained silent as he closed the space between the two, Hiro shuffling back. The guy flicked his finger and the sheet on the bed wound around his waist, pinning him in place, and Hiro suddenly felt trapped. Useless and frustrated and he's never wanted to run as much as he did at that moment.

"Hey Hiro I couldn't find-" his brother spoke, drawing Hiro's attention to the now opened door; the guy closed the gap, placed his hand against Hiro's forehead and Hiro suddenly found his voice.

All that came out, though, was screaming.

Hospitals are white and sterile and smelled unmistakably like bleach and ammonia. They were a place of illness and suffering and death and Hiro's hated them since he was young.

That's where he was now, standing in the middle of a hospital waiting room probably looking as lost as he felt.

"Excuse me," he tried as he approached a nurse scribbling something on a clipboard.

She ignored him, not even bothering to glance in his direction nor make any indication that she had heard. Hiro cleared his throat, tried again.

"Excuse me."

This time she did look up, but not at him. Blue eyes focused on something behind him and she smiled as she turned to walk in that direction- directly through him leaving a cold sensation as he felt himself ripple momentarily.

"Wha-"

Then voices filtered through his still racing brain and the cold feeling lingered as he spun around in the waiting room confused.

"Come on little buddy, open your eyes so I can give you a hug."

The nurse bent over to kiss a man dressed like a doctor.

"Woman up and wake up."

A little girl with a black eye and bruised cheek was sitting up straight in a stiff hospital chair; large brown eyes were red and puffy from crying.

"Please, wake up."

A man paced back and forth, like a caged lion.

"Wake… up."

A boy, slumped over and obviously bored, was playing on some game console, fingers pressing the buttons in rapid motion.

"Hiro."

A woman was crying.

"Wake up…"

The smell of bleach burnt the insides of his nose-

"Hiro!"

- the smell of hospitals-

"Wake up."

- the stench of death.

"HIRO!"

Brown eyes he wasn't even aware of being closed snapped open as he bolted upright, panting harshly as he focused on Tadashi's worried gaze. He felt himself calm as he focused in on his brother, willing his heart to slow down as the cold feeling lingered.

"Hiro?" and his brother's strong hands were practically crushing him as he checked him over, "Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah," Hiro reassured shivering and rubbing his head before he asked, "What happened?"

"Don't know," Tadashi admitted with a tight frown, "I came back to find you weren't alone and then he touched you and you went so still and lifeless and I-"

His voice choked, forcing him to stop, and Hiro instantly understood. For a brief moment, Tadashi was afraid he lost him; Hiro could relate. He did lose Tadashi.

"I'm fine," Hiro promised although he wasn't entirely sure himself.

He was cold and felt weak and the achingly familiar voices begging him to wake up echoed in his ears. Tadashi didn't say anything else, just drew him in a tight hug and didn't bother to break it when Erik suddenly appeared in the doorway- red faced and panting like he just ran a marathon.

Or returned from chasing the guy out of the house.

"Pack your things," he commanded dark eyes narrowing at the sight of Tadashi hugging Hiro desperately, "He found us."