Hiro Hamada.
Boy Genius. Science prodigy. Youngest graduate of San Fransokyo's most prestigious high school. Bot fighter.
It's quite a reputation to precede a fourteen year-old- such a reputation is almost unbelievable. And if it hadn't been for Tadashi Hamada, honest and good to the bone and all around nice guy, to inform them of the boy's legacy, it's highly doubtful his friends would even believe it.
But, truth be told, Tadashi confirms all the rumors with pride in his eyes. He even adds his own stories to the mix, talking of hover crafts and cat rockets and things that could only arise from a little boy's imagination. They listen, intrigued and amused at the same time, supplying questions that the Hamada answers with passion.
Yet, what makes it real isn't the outstanding displays of brilliance, but, rather, the domestic characteristics Tadashi describes. What the media labels as boy genius, Tadashi replaces with the title 'Mister Sass Master' or 'King of the Boneheads'. Where others marvel at his aptitude for robotics, Tadashi talks about a boy with a major sweet tooth and an unwavering love of gummy bears. When someone mentions something about graduating early, Tadashi grumbles something about lazy kids who don't want to apply themselves. And the entire nerd lab learns not to utter anything even remotely concerning bot fights, lest they want an hour long rant on the subject.
So, they learn all there is too know about the kid without actually meeting him. Even get a visual when Tadashi brings in a picture under Honey's request, spying a skinny kid with a gap toothed smile that dominates his face- Oh, Tadashi! He's utterly adorable!- barely holding onto a fat cat that looks confused to how it got there.
However, one of the last things they learn about is his deafness.
It's not that Tadashi purposefully withholds the information, he simply forgets. He's abashed and ashamed at the same time when he finally informs them of it- the question spurred by a comment made about the occasional signing he does when he talks.
He was born with it, Tadashi tells them, teasingly calling it a package deal with his extremely high IQ.
They express sympathy for the boy, proclaiming that it must be hard, especially for someone his age. But Tadashi politely rejects their pity, saying that it isn't a problem nor a disability, not for Hiro; Hiro, someone who wouldn't let anything stand in his way when he set his mind to it, had decided long ago that he was fine with his deafness and wouldn't let it hold him back.
Sure, he doesn't have many (any) friends his age, but that's more because of the genius aspect. And, yes, Tadashi would love it if that wasn't so, but settles for worrying about it at a minimum only because Hiro himself doesn't seem to be bothered with it. But besides that and the occasional confusion of a Lucky Cat Cafe customer trying to order through Hiro (only to find that Hiro doesn't hear him or his desire for a triple-shot espresso with cream) life is as average as can be. They manage just as well as anyone else, maybe even better.
And that's the end of that.
Until, one day, Tadashi decides it's high time to bring Hiro in and introduce him to his friends.
He announces it on the Tuesday after midterms and keeps reminding them of it til the day of, getting more and more cheerful as the set date comes to be. Honey bounces off the walls in excitement, gushing over it with Tadashi and anyone they can rope in with their enthusiasm.
With how much fanfare was put into the days before his arrival it's ironic that the actual arrival of Tadashi's little brother is quiet and peaceful.
They enter silently, only the door closing behind them with a soft click, barely audible over the sounds of the lab, announcing their presence.
The group look up to see Tadashi, hands in his pockets, guiding a shorter form into the main lab. A mop of hair that sticks out every which way frames a round face pitched on a thin frame; big, brown eyes look at them from under thick lashes, glancing at Tadashi momentarily before the boy gives a small wave.
"Ooh!" Honey Lemon squeals and skips forward, embracing the boy enthusiastically with a kiss on both cheeks. Hiro's cheeks flush as the rest crowd around him, eyes flickering to each of them in turn.
"It's great to finally meet you Hiro!"
"Yeah, little man," Fred drapes an arm around the younger boy's shoulders, directing him to the part of the lab where his chair resided. Hiro, for his part, listens, looking away only when the other is done speaking, eyes trying to take in all his surroundings. He eyes their labs, staring at their tech and projects.
Noticing his staring, Wasabi steps forward and detaches Fred from the kid, "So, Hiro, did Tadashi tell you about what we do in the lab?"
Fred is undeterred by his removal from Hiro, "Oh yeah, it's totally amazing. They're even making me a serum to turn into a giant lizard monster, right Honey?"
Honey only shakes her head, an apologetic expression directed towards Hiro.
But, silence is all they receive from their antics. Hiro isn't paying them any attention, still looking at the tech, oblivious to everything else.
Wasabi gives a nervous laugh, shrugging at a now frowning Tadashi, "Uh..."
Their friend lightly taps his brother on the shoulder, head nodding to the group and the question they just asked.
But Hiro just looks at them blankly.
Tadashi's eyebrows furrow as he quickly signs something to his brother, his index finger moving from side to side and then outlining what looked to be a question mark. The boy's answer, though muted, screams an sheepish undertone, even more so at Tadashi's exasperated expression.
"Sorry, guys, I think he forgot his hearing aids in my bag. It's with my bike." Tadashi explains before shrugging and smiling good naturedly. "No worries, I'll just run back and get them."
He angles himself toward the door, pausing to sign something at his brother with a stern expression, and tells them, "Watch him for a sec, yeah? I'll be back before you know it."
And with that he's gone, jogging back to the parking lot. They're left standing there, staring after his retreating form, until, as one unit, they turn their attention towards their new charge. Hiro stares back.
"Well, I say we get down to business." Fred starts, pulling a comic book out of thin air and hunching over to be level with Hiro. "How cool are you with inventing a-"
"No, shush!" Honey loudly whispers, manicured hands clamping over the science enthusiast's mouth. "It's considered rude to speak aloud in front of deaf people."
"Plus he can't even hear you, genius." Gogo leans against a table, the only one unfazed by the communication problem that seems to have risen up. She pulls out a stick of gum from inside her jacket, silently offering it to the boy to her right, not taking her eyes off the other three. She doesn't move when he accepts it, popping it in his mouth with a pleased smile, but merely takes out another piece and replaces the flavorless one that she unceremoniously sticks to the underside of Wasabi's unsuspecting desk.
"If we can't talk," Honey Lemon sends Wasabi a wide-eyed look, causing him to lower his voice. "what are we supposed to do?"
They dip into silence briefly, broken only by the loud chewing of gum.
"Oh, I know!" Fred exclaims suddenly, completely ignoring Honey's attempt at shushing him as he steps forward into the no-man's land between them and Hiro. He lifts his hands high in the air and starts stomping around the lab, face making a variety of extreme expressions.
Gogo raises a single eyebrow (and opts to smother her smile when she spies Hiro doing the same thing), unimpressed.
"What are you doing?" Wasabi almost sounds genuinely curious.
Fred leans too close to Gogo and has to skirt out of the way to dodge a punch. A curious Hiro watches, an amused smile curling at his lips. "What does it look like?"
"You honestly don't want me to answer that."
"I'm using an ancient technique that was said to be used by the Aztecs when they wanted to speak with their gods- all of which were proved to be actual aliens through science, by the way." He gives a conspiratorial smile to the kid, one that even Honey Lemon's hesitant correction of his facts can't dim, and shoves some paper in his mouth and pretends to devour it. "Charades."
Wasabi just shakes his head, exhaling loudly as Honey Lemon tries to prevent Fred from putting a handful of erasers into his mouth, who's claiming that he's obviously interpreting Godzilla rampaging through Tokyo. Gogo allows herself a small smile as she watches, amusement sparkling in her eyes.
The others are still at it, bickering and teasing one another, when Gogo feels a pull on her shirt and looks down to see Hiro, wordlessly pointing at the door leading to Tadashi's lab. He's looking up at Gogo, the assumed authority with the lack of Tadashi's presence, imploringly.
Gogo's eyes narrow and her lips purse as she considers the inquiry, sizing the boy up and observing the impatient way he shuffles from one foot to the other. She seems to find whatever she's looking for adequate and gives a simple nod.
And that's all Hiro needs before he's bouncing off, punching in a code that has the door hissing open before he slips in, door closing shut behind him.
It takes a while but the others eventually notice the boy is gone and question it with varying degrees of surprise and disappointment. The shortest of the group waves a hand absentmindedly toward Tadashi's lab, about to comment on how they undoubtedly scared their charge off when Tadashi himself bursts into the room.
He comes crashing through the door, stumbling and falling when he isn't able to stop on time to evade a lone chair in his way. Fred barks out a laugh, earning a light tap of the shoulder from Honey, scolding.
"Where is he?" Their friend pants, hands bracing themselves on the table as he picks himself up.
"Cool it, Hamada." Gogo says, picking up his hat, dusting it off with an efficient flick of her wrist before offering it to him. A pink bubble grows into existence before she clamps down on it with her teeth, producing a loud pop. "He's in your room."
"Oh," He says, shoulders relaxing. He straightens to his full height. "Good."
Wasabi steps forward and brushes off microscopic pieces of lint from Tadashi's back, asking, "What got you in such a rush, anyway?"
"They aren't there." He tells them, placing his signature baseball cap back on his head. Dumping his bag on the table, shaking it a bit so that all its contents spill out- a notebook, two pens, a pair of earphones, what looked to be a miniature first aid kit, and countless lollipops in an assortment of colors- and motions toward it all. "His hearing aids. They aren't in my bag and I know we brought them."
There's an expectant silence.
"That means he has them." He continues, sighing when they still don't understand and give him questioning looks. "And purposefully lied and said he didn't have them."
"Meaning...?"
Tadashi's eyes narrow, suspicious. "He's up to something."
"C'mon man, your little brother is totally chill." Fred declares. Honey Lemon nods from her perch on the arm of his chair.
"Yeah," Wasabi agrees. "That's a pretty big conclusion you're jumping to."
Tadashi almost looks offended, leaning back and placing a hand on his chest. "I'm not-"
"How about we go and ask Hiro!" Honey Lemon innocently suggests, clapping her hands together. She loops her arm through Tadashi's, guiding him away and leaving the others to follow. But when Tadashi opens the door and they file into the room, one thing becomes obviously clear.
Hiro isn't there.
The room, spacious and organized to a fault, is devoid of any sign of the boy. A pile of candy wrappers, crumpled and scattered along Tadashi's workspace, is the only proof they have that he was even there; eventually Wasabi shuffles over and efficiently gathers them all together, material crinkling against one another, in his hand and throws them away in the bin next to the desk.
"He's not here." Gogo states unhelpfully.
"Maybe he's invisible." Fred suggests in a voice that sounds a bit too hopeful, hands reaching out and about.
"Where could he have gone?" One of them asks frantically. "I mean, he's like, what, thirteen?"
"Fourteen." Tadashi corrects with a scoff. He's already scoping the lab for his little brother, checking under tables and inside cabinets- even going so far as to unhook an air vent and take a peek inside, muttering something about 'Hamada Brothers Extreme Hide n' Seek'.
They hear a clanging from a room further down the hallway.
Tadashi sets off immediately, a stern expression starting to form. The rest follow, exchanging glances, not used to the overly serious attitude of their friend. Without a word, faster than they've ever seen him, Tadashi barges down the hallway and through the door.
Once in the room, or rather, the spacious and empty lab, they don't have long to mull over the noise.
There's Hiro, in the middle of the room, decked out in spare parts and a pair of safety goggles in an imitation of armor. In his hands is one of Gogo's many disks and what looks to be a water gun. No, not a water gun, they learn when the boy aims it and shoots, greenish energy leaving the nozzle and hitting an empty soda can perched on one of the cabinets with an impressive blast. And when the blast rebounds, Hiro holds up the electromagnetic disk like a shield, absorbing it.
When he turns to a new target they catch sight of his ears and the tech settle there.
"Hiro!" Tadashi's voice scares them all, powerful and stern. It has Hiro starting, the force of his next shot throwing him off balance. He falls onto his butt with a small 'oof', barely missing the rebound shot that flies past his head and into the wall behind him, leaving behind a large scorch mark.
"Hiro!" Tadashi is first on the scene, already squatting by his brother's from before the others even have time to blink. He's checking over Hiro, grabbing arms and legs and lifting them up for inspection. The boy is blinking slowly, dazed as he tries- and partially succeeds- to focus on what his brother is saying. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
As soon as the older Hamada gets a nod in response he starts smacking the younger one, enunciating every word with a hit, "What. Is. Wrong. With. You."
"H-hey! Stop it." It's the first time they've heard him speak. Some syllables slide and merge with the others, becoming almost indistinguishable. "I'm sorry, okay?"
"You nearly got killed- and gave me a heart attack!" He lifts Hiro up by the armpits, easily taking on his weight, and sets him straight. He starts to de-armor the teen, scolding all the while.
"It was pretty cool though, huh?" Hiro asks, voice flowing better with the return of focus, grinning as he spins the gun with ease.
"Give me that." Hiro pouts, but does as he's told and hands over the thing. Tadashi disables it quickly, taking it apart with an efficiency that can only come from constant practice and experience. He unloads the ammo, which is a small glass tube filled with a green substance. He carefully tosses it to Wasabi, "And I believe that's yours."
The burly man regards the vile closely, eyebrows furrowed, "Is this one of my lasers?"
"You don't know?" Gogo asks, hand on her hip.
"I mean, it is- it's got the same wavelength, but I've never been able to concentrate it enough to make it portable and still retain its original force." Wasabi suddenly freezes. "Wait. When- Where did you get this?"
When Hiro doesn't immediately answer Tadashi nudges his shoulder, glance towards Wasabi with a particular look. The boy sighs, face taking on an apologetic expression, "From your table..."
"From my..." Wasabi begins before he yelps. "My system- in disarray!" He's running out of the room, only momentarily hindered by the door as he tries to pull instead of push. "Utter chaos!"
No one but Hiro reacts, eyebrows arching up in surprise at the man's over-the-top antics. If anything, Honey Lemon looks to be trying- and failing- to hide a smile, hip bumping into Gogo's, whose eyes sparkle with something close to amusement. Fred gives Hiro a huge grin, as if nothing is out of the ordinary.
Tadashi slips off the goggles from the bridge of Hiro's nose, tucking them into the collar of his own shirt as he mumbles something about stupid brothers who forget to wear helmets. When Hiro hears he makes a face at his older brother, which has Tadashi signing something, too quick for the other's to even have a hope of understanding, a small chuckle escaping him when Hiro sticks out his tongue in response.
Gogo walks over and bends down to pick up the forgotten disk on the floor behind them, frowning when her fingers smooth over the object's surface. Honey sees her confused expression and shuffles over, questioning.
"There's something off..." Gogo trails off, too focused on the object in her hands to notice when Fred leans in closer, intrigued, and into her personal space.
The taller girl adjusts her glasses, bending down to have a better look. "Is that my-?"
"It's another stage of your Hydro-repellent." Was the clipped answer that, to their surprise, came from Hiro. The boy is struggling to get off a shoulder pad, which had snagged on his t-shirt, while simultaneously waving off his brother's helping hands. "I enhanced it to include the subgroup of lasers, set to a certain wavelength anyway, that it can repulse."
He pauses, finally looking up and noticing their stares, before he adds, almost as an afterthought, "I'm sorry I, uh, borrowed it without asking. And also for," There he looks at Gogo, shoulders hunching a bit at the girl's hard eyes as she expertly spins the disk in her hands, "...borrowing that too."
"Oh, don't you worry about it!" Honey says, smiling to diffuse the boy's nervousness and calling it a success when he offers a shy one in return. "We forgive you."
"Yeah, totally, it's all underwater bridges." Fred supplies, clapping the younger boy on the back.
"The phrase is 'water under the bridge', idiot." Gogo corrects, rolling her eyes. "Aren't you supposed to be an English major?"
But Fred isn't listening anymore, but looping an arm around both Tadashi and Hiro, suggesting, "Oh man, all this science is making me hungry. How 'bout we take this party out to eat?"
"There is this new place uptown that I've been meaning to try." Honey brushes a few strands of hair out of her face before abruptly throwing her hands into the air. "And Hiro can come too!"
She disentangles said boy from Fred's grasp, hugging him to her side, oblivious to the pink pooling in his cheeks. She pauses only for a moment to look questioningly towards Tadashi, who nods his head, before continuing on. She whisks Hiro away, talking of food and chemistry, "And you'll have to tell me how you successfully manipulated the molecules to include Wasabi's lasers!"
The others trailing behind barely hear his response, but they can tell it's just as eager by Honey Lemon's excited squeal.
And when Fred runs up ahead, saying something about kidnapping Wasabi, Tadashi turns to Gogo, smiling, "Bet you believe all my stories now, huh?"
The girl looks away, to where Hiro is waving his hands in some motion and Honey is mimicking him with a determined expression on her face, and allows herself a small smirk. "Every one."
A/N: I'm sorry for the pitiful effort at science in this. I know next to nothing about anything, especially concerning chemistry and whatnot.