Chapter Ten
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TADASHI!" We all yelled the second he walked through the door. He looked around in pure shock.
"What? When did you guys-"
"We had Hiro keep you distracted for a while." Aunt Cass said holding a balloon bouquet
He looked down at me and I just smiled awkwardly. "You little sneak." He pulled me into a head lock and gave me a noogie before letting me go.
"You're welcome"
"Some of the decorations were easier than others because we made them at the lab."
"You're pretty dense ya know that Hamada?"
"Go Go." Honey Lemon scolded.
"Sorry mom." She chuckled. "Let's get this party underway!"
"I got the cake." Fred ran to the back of the café to grab the cake Aunt Cass made with help from Wasabi and Honey Lemon.
One by one we all hugged him and as soon as I was done the lights shut off and Fred stepped around the corner with a cake. Go Go and I shoved Tadashi into a chair, Honey Lemon put a hat on him, and Wasabi stuck a noise maker in his mouth. He just sat there with wide eyes and before he could react, Aunt Cass snapped a picture.
We all started singing happy birthday to Tadashi as Fred approached with the cake. I asked Aunt Cass to make a special cake and she did not disappoint. The cake was shaped like Baymax and Baymax made out of my microbots. I stood beside Tadashi with my hands at my side, still singing to him. He held my hand and I looked down at him, he was beaming. I'm sure no one else noticed because our attention was mainly on the cake, rather the person carrying it. When we finished singing, Tadashi shut his eyes, squeezed my hand, then blew out the candles.
All our cheering and clapping was quieted by Fred's voice. "Alright, alright, alright. Let's eat!"
"I'll help get the food Aunt Cass." I rushed to the kitchen ahead of her.
"Me too." Wasabi got up and walked in after Aunt Cass did.
She had made a lot of food, I guess she was expecting- "Happy birthday Tadashi!" more people.
I walked back into the café to see that Professor Callaghan and his daughter had arrived. They said they couldn't stay long but could stay for a small chat and to drop off Tadashi's gift. We chatted them up while they nibble and eventually practically inhaled Aunt Cass's food. After one final happy birthday, a firm handshake between Tadashi and Professor Callaghan, and a hug from Abigail, they departed.
During the party, we mostly just ate and talked. Aunt Cass broke out the karaoke machine she had in the back for promotional nights in the café to liven up the party even more. We all put slips of paper with numbers and song names on them in Tadashi's SFIT cap and one by one we drew.
"Flyleaf – I'm So Sick. Alright." Go Go nodded in approval. "And I'm up first."
"YES! Katy Perry – Dark Horse." Honey Lemon squealed with joy. "I go up fifth."
"Hmm, Skillet – Awake and Alive. Can I get some help on this one?"
"Sure Wasabi, who do you want to sing with?" I asked, anxious to see who he'd pick.
"Hmm…Honey Lemon, will you do the honors?"
"Sure! I'll try my best."
"Alright then, we go up third."
"AW SWEET! A Perfect Circle – The Outsider. I go up sixth, hmph saving the best for last."
"Mine says 'duet'. Does that mean I have to-"
"Yes." Everyone exclaimed.
"Alright…Hiro, wanna sing with the birthday boy?"
"It will be my pleasure sir." I said in a haughty accent. "What song did you get?"
"Just a Dream. The cover by that sweet couple that got like a billion hits on YouTube. We go up second.
"I love that song. Oh yea, I got..." I opened the slip of paper and was happy with my fate. "Umbrella Cover. Done by All Time Low. I fill up the fourth slot
After everyone had their songs and the order we got the room set up for…all six performances. We had wireless microphones and the karaoke machine was programmed to pull up the corresponding videos if there was one by the artist, otherwise a lyric video would play.
When Go Go performed, of course she slayed the song and its entirety. When Tadashi and I performed, everyone said we seemed like a couple in a joking manner. We just glanced at each other then at Go Go who was trying to laugh normally. Honey Lemon and Wasabi actually sounded okay. Honey Lemon did Jen justice when her parts came up. When it was time for me to sing, I added my own flare, getting Honey Lemon and Go Go to be my back up dancers and by the last verse, I had Tadashi carrying me around on his shoulder. He set me down for Honey Lemons rendition of Dark Horse. She really got into it. She even drew me into her performance. I acted like she was sucking out my soul as she sang. When Fred sang, he really got into it, he didn't sound half bad but his passion really drew us in.
"I got every second!" Aunt Cass exclaimed. All of our faces dropped and then we realized she had recorded the entire thing, all the way from Flyleaf to A Perfect Circle.
"Awww Aunt Cass!"
"Oh shush Hiro. Time for gifts."
"Fine." I chuckled. I ran upstairs to get my gift while everyone grabbed theirs off of the table in the kitchen.
"Hurry it up will ya short stack?" Go Go bellowed from the bottom of the stairs.
I came down stairs with my gift and handed it to Tadashi. "Happy 20th bro."
"A disk. What's on it?"
"Well…I figured that people could use a pocket sized Baymax…so I made some blueprints and hoped we could make a prototype. Also I have another gift that Aunt Cass and I are sharing credit for but it'll be here later. In the meantime, Aunt Cass?"
"I'll wait until later when our gift gets here."
"Fair enough. Go Go?" Tadashi just looked at us, confused as to what had just transpired.
She handed Tadashi a black gift box with a purple ribbon tied around it. He gently undid the bow before opening the box. "Wow Go Go, a full Attack on Titan Survey Corps uniform. You even sprang for the cape."
"Yea, yea, yea I'm a huge softie." She opened her arms for a hug. "Bring it in." He picked her up and spun her around.
"Thanks. You're amazing."
"My turn. Go Go and I kind of worked together on this one with a bit of help from Mika Inoue. That nice sophomore in our chemistry class." She handed him a long, slender, tan colored box. When he opened it he nearly hit the ceiling.
"No…you guys didn't…working 3D maneuver gear?" Tadashi held the box carefully and examined the plugins for the gear. Aunt Cass just shook her head, normally she would be opposed to such large blades in the house but she let it go.
Honey Lemon squealed with joy and nodded. Tadashi picked both of them up and spun them around after setting the box down. "So where is it?"
"Mika is bringing it later. She should be here in ten minutes." He put them down and did a small celebratory happy dance.
"Here you are my good man. Happy Birthday." Wasabi handed Tadashi a small silver box with light blue lettering. Tadashi opened it and held up a breath taking silver watch.
"Wow. This is…IS THIS A FREAKING ROLEX?"
"Indeed it is. They don't even make those anymore."
"How…"
"My uncle is a packrat. He said I could have it."
"Are you sure I can…"
"No givesies backsies." Fred chimed in. Tadashi hugged Wasabi tight and thanked him for his gift.
"Alright my turn." There was a knock on the café door before he could present his gift.
"That's either Mika or our gift Hiro. Run down and get it please."
"Sure Aunt Cass." I went down stairs and saw Naes chatting with Mika who was wearing Tadashi's gift. "Hey guys, our gifts are here."
Everyone came down stairs and when Tadashi saw Mika he hugged her and thanked her for the gift. She agreed to teach him how to use it later. He turned to Naes and shook his hand excitedly.
"Hello again Tadashi. Happy birthday."
"Thank you sir."
"I suppose I'd better get on with why I'm here before Cass and Hiro burst. Step outside with me will you?" We all followed them out to the corner. "Your gift from Cass…is this." He gestured to the car they stood in front of. A white Mustang with red trim and racing stripes that had painstakingly, strategically placed swirls in them. The inside, white and red cloth seats, the most advanced dashboard on the market, red steering wheel, and under the hood a completely electric engine that could be solar powered or recharged.
Tadashi fell flat on his butt. He had no words, just an awestruck stare. "I…I…Go Go paws off." No one noticed Go Go creeping around to the driver's side, but we all saw he slink back to the group in defeat.
"There's more. Naes?" Aunt Cass said leaning into his touch.
"Cass you should really have a coat on."
"I know. Just tell him the good news."
"Oh alright. Tadashi, I have heard about your invention Baymax from Hiro and Cass and would like to formally extend an offer to have them placed in healthcare facilities all over the city."
"I…what? Wow…Th-thank you sir. I…I accept. On one condition."
"You get to keep the original? Add something to the programing?"
"How did you…"
"Hiro."
"I got your back big bro." I patted him on the back and he smiled down at me.
"We have a deal then." They shook hands to make it official. "Now let's get back inside." December weather isn't exactly the best to chat in." We all went back inside to finish up the party.
The party went smoothly after that. Everyone had fun just sitting around talking. Tadashi, Mika, and I went outside to figure out to use Tadashi's gear, which he picked up on pretty fast. After about 15 minutes, he was doing laps around the block at full speed. Mika seemed entranced with his flipping and twirling in the air, a bit more than normal. I let the thought go when Tadashi came in for a landing.
"Mika this gear is great. It's so smooth and handles like a dream." He hugged her after holstering his handles. I couldn't help but notice how her face changed when he hugged her…I had this nagging feeling in my gut but once again brushed it off.
"No problem. You're a fast learner, it took me a week to get it."
"Well I had a good teacher. Come on, let's go back inside."
"A-actually I was gonna head home."
"I'll give you a ride. It gives me a chance to test out my new set of wheels. Hiro, you in?"
"Pass up a chance to get inside that magnificent marriage of automotive and technological engineering? Not a chance." I slid into the back seat, somewhat unwillingly because Mika muscled me there.
We drove to a quiet street about 30 minutes from the café and stopped in front of a high rise. "Thanks for the ride. Happy birthday." She hugged him and kissed him on the cheek before waving goodbye to us and vanishing into the building.
I climbed up to the front seat and looked at Tadashi. When I say looked, I mean glared. "She needs to watch herself around my boyfriend."
"Yea…I noticed it too. I'll talk to her tomorrow." He put his hand on top of mind and stroked the back of it with his thumb. "You're the only one for me Hiro."
I kissed him on the cheek and smiled at him. "Get us home, I still have one more gift for you."
"You're just full of surprises." He has no idea.
When we got back, everyone was about to head home. Tadashi offered everyone rides but they all said they would be fine walking as a group. Go Go had to be carried away by Wasabi because she was still trying to get behind the wheel of Tadashi's car.
Naes had a car waiting and when he took his leave, he kissed Aunt Cass goodbye. Their relationship had really flourished over the last month and a half and it was nice to see her so happy.
We all went back upstairs while helping Tadashi with his gear and his other gifts. Luckily everyone was nice enough to help clean up before leaving. We asked Aunt Cass if she needed anything, she said she just wanted to drink some tea and go to bed. I made her tea and we bid her good night.
"So…what's this other gift?" I looked around before kissing him on the lips and pulling him upstairs. When we got up stairs, I shoved him onto his bed and dug his last gift out from the closet then went into the bathroom.
"One second."
"…alright." I came out of the bathroom a few minutes later and Tadashi nearly had a heart attack. "Jesus Hiro!"
I had a leather harness on around my shoulders, connected by a collar with a large metal ring in the middle, a black and read jockstrap, holding a leash and whip in one hand, and a ball gag, rope, and riding crop in the other. "You like?"
"I…I umm…I…"
"You love." I strutted over to him and pushed him down on the bed then ran the riding crop down his chest. "There's only one catch. We can't play until January sixteenth."
"Your…birthday…" He gulped down the building tension in his throat.
"Yes indeed. Just remember…all this…" I ground my body into his. "Will be yours on that day." I kissed his nose before slowly strutting into the bathroom and changing into normal clothes. I put his gifts away except the riding crop. "I'm going to bed…you…you should handle this" I rubbed the crop along the bulge in his pants. "Before you stain your pants from Honey Lemon."
I went to my bed and crawled under the covers. "Love you Tadashi. Sleep well. Or at least try to." I chuckled.
I just sat there, soaking in what just happened. Hiro was nestled comfortably in his bed as if he didn't just dress up the way I envisioned him so many times. "Great…now I have this to deal with." On the up side, today was the best birthday ever: I got a car, working 3D maneuver gear, full Survey Corps. Uniform, a great watch from Wasabi, and a book of sketches of the group from Fred. And also…I have great family as well as a great boyfriend. Even if he did leave me like this, I can forgive him. The only lose end is Mika. If she does like me. I'll have to let her down easily. In the meantime…I have to take care of the little gift Hiro gave me.