In the Field

It was a calm morning. The sky was still dark and he had the world to himself. The only sound he could hear was his own breathing and the music coming through his ear buds.

Okay, today's to do list is schedule the cat's check up even though I can do it by myself, drop off the dry cleaning after class.

Oh, yeah. Smart move there, Akihiko.

Go to freaking class.

Go to class, try not to let Hamada get to you again, try to get Higgsbury to not dock me for stuff… I mean, okay, I had it coming but still.

The young man slowed to a stop, panting a bit as he looked ahead at the silhouette in the distance of SFIT.

He grabbed his water bottle, taking a long drink of it, shaking his head as raven locks got into his eyes.

Ikeda liked jogging early in the morning. It gave him a chance to think. A chance to go over assignments in his head or medical techniques. Possible invention ideas.

Though it was a new habit, he wasn't quite used to. He was used to just using the treadmill at home but his treadmill stopped working not long after the last campus party. He was pretty sure his mother had found a way to disable it as retribution for him coming home wasted out of his mind.

He wasn't proud of that. He had actually driven home and not even remembered it. It was a miracle he didn't get thrown out of the house for that.

He frowned, the memories of that night were very unclear still. He remembered tampering with Tadashi's drink and everything became blurry after that. Just waking up passed out in his bed and feeling like Hell warmed over.

Alright, Ikeda, stop thinking about that. C'mon.

Ikeda shook his head as he jogged onwards, taking note of some cars in the street. He was trying to focus on anything else right now.

Alright, for a minute, visualize a patient. They've been shot. What do you do?

His mind stilled as he visualized it, his hands moving through the motions in the air.

It was quiet… before everything changed as he heard the crunch of metal as one car blew past a stop sign, slamming into another and sending it spinning before it was launched into the air, flipping. Ikeda kept his distance until he saw it come to a complete stop.

Even his headphones couldn't drown out the screaming that was echoing through the quiet streets.

"Crap." He whispered before breaking into a sprint towards the accident.

Can't always expect quiet in this town now can I?

At least it's better than the squid from last week.

Ikeda's heart was racing in his chest, but he didn't think about the fear or the possible hazards hidden around him. All he saw were the people in the cars. A woman slumped over the steering wheel, a man upside down, unconscious in the driver's seat.

He also could see people who were out at the time just staring or people coming out of their apartment buildings to look.

Why am I the only one helping? Why?

"Why are you all looking!?" He screamed, already wrenching open the door of the flipped car. He pointed to a man who had his phone out filming. "YOU! Turn your darn camera off and call 911, I mean it!" He pointed to a woman who was leaning out of her window. "You! Toss down some blankets, and you with the PIXAR cap, I see you running over, jump on in!"

It didn't take long to put what he knew into practice but it was like he was on autopilot the whole time. From the man in the car, leaving the young lady he had employed to assist him, he hurried to do the same with the woman who was slumped over in her seat.

He could see a car seat and cursed under his breath. He knew this wasn't safe but he could see a bundle in it.

"Hey! Someone take her, there's a kid! Steady now!"

Ikeda passed her off as quickly as he could, before climbing into the car, minor relief flooding through him as he saw the baby was very much alive but also very much just asleep.

Kids sleep through so many weird things.

He hurried out. He could see fuel leaking out from under the car.

"Anyone know an ETA on EMS?" He glared at the man who was supposed to call 911. "Did you even call them?"

"E-Em well I was but this needed to be-"

Ikeda slapped the phone out of his hand, pulling his own out.

"I have to do everything don't I!? YOU!" He gestured to the first driver. "You trade places with her and put pressure on his side injury to keep him from bleeding out."

"F-Fine!"

Ikeda grumbled as he dialed 911, pressing the phone to his ear as he looked the woman over, finding she had a pretty large gash on her head from the impact but seemed uninjured aside from that.

"Yeah, some idiot was supposed to call you guys before but he thought it was an AMAZING idea to sit there. I need two ambulances. There was a car wreck. Patients are a male and a female. The female had an infant in the car. I can't find injuries on them."

After getting off the phone, Ikeda sighed, checking the time on the phone before glaring at the man he had taken it from.

"You know, I have half a mind to smash this thing into pieces."

oooooo

Despite knowing he was going to miss school he went ahead and volunteered to ride with. citing his status as a "med student" (even if at the time he was lying through his teeth). He was not letting this go any time soon if he could avoid it.

This was a drive he wanted. This was a thrill he couldn't help but enjoy… but there was also something else.

He was actually worried.

The ride to the hospital was fast. So much chaos though he didn't expect it. EMTs calling out signs, moving quickly and all he was doing was holding the woman's child. He knew the injury didn't look severe, but there was also the possibility it had done more damage because it was a head injury.

Please don't be brain damaged, kid needs you at 100%.

As soon as they got there and the doctors started to take the patients into the E.R. bay Ikeda took notice of someone hurrying around, grabbing supplies for them. A young man his age, wearing a volunteer's set of scrubs and even a name tag. One he knew all too well.

But… what day is it!? He shouldn't be around here at this hour! Class is today right? Ikeda was a bit frozen as he made his way over, one of the EMTs, having taken the infant as soon as the ambulance doors had opened. He could see a tall doctor with messy brown hair, calling out readings and another with longer black hair and dark eyes assisting.

"Whoever wrapped her head up did a good job. Though, looks like she has a pretty nasty concussion."

Normally he would've jumped right in to get the credit for what he did. Get praise. But this wasn't what he expected, even with all of the reading and studying he had done.

I'm… not even mad Hamada's here.

Though, he did bring his hood up over his head when Tadashi brushed past him. handing off an IV bag to the doctor before hurrying off to another task.

"Why is he here though?" He whispered to himself, tearing himself away from the E.R. bay, following after him. Was he right? He checked his phone and groaned a bit.

It was Saturday. No school. Of course he would be at this kind of place.

I didn't even realize it. Friiig.

Though… He looked back to where everything was going on and couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. That no one had died on his watch.

It felt… good.

Really good.

ooooooo

It was a few days later at the lab when Ikeda approached Tadashi. The young man was hard at work making adjustments to Baymax's healthcare chip, the robot on his charger, watching his creator curiously.

Ikeda knew Tadashi on basically any day of the week wanted nothing to do with him. He felt very similarly.

But there was information Tadashi possibly had that Ikeda couldn't get ahold of.

I can't get that woman and her baby off my mind. I need to know. I have to know.

He tugged at his shirt collar, looking from Tadashi to Baymax to Tadashi again. Tadashi didn't seem to notice him as he typed.

Ikeda took a few steps forward.

"Tadashi." Baymax spoke up, startling both young men as Tadashi looked to his creation. "There is an "intruder"."

… I deserve that.

Tadashi looked behind him, an unimpressed look coming to his face. He wasn't in the mood for whatever antics Ikeda was up to today. He had a volunteer shift after school and he was not going to go there with a bad mood.

"Ikeda."

"Sun-... Tadashi." Ikeda sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

Why did he think this would be simple? Tadashi for all intents and purposes had every right to let his robot beat the tar out of him and claim it was just a glitch. He looked around before clearing his throat.

"So uh, you drink water too."

"Yeah. I like it." Tadashi moved his water bottle, closer to him, giving Ikeda a look. "Unspiked."

"Okay, I deserved that." He shook his head. "Look, I'm just gonna come out and say it - what happened to that woman at the hospital?"

"... What?" Tadashi raised an eyebrow, curiosity coming to his eyes. "What do you mean?"

Ikeda sucked in a deep breath.

"I pulled her out of the car. Woman in her late twenties. Showed signs of concussion, possible internal bleeding if she wasn't treated properly. Had a 9 month old infant child in the car."

Tadashi's jaw dropped open a little.

Ikeda had been there?

"... How did you know I'd know anything?"

"I saw you. I was holding her kid in the ambulance and ran off cause I figured I had done my job. I had stabilized, with the help of some bystanders, all of those patients." Ikeda looked to the side. "That baby and her mom have been on my mind the last few days but I don't work there, nor am I next of kin so I can't ask."

Tadashi nodded, taking a moment to process all of this.

Ikeda had taken the time out of his day to help people and didn't lord it over his head. Ikeda Akihiko. The same young man who had made it his personal mission to harass Tadashi and the reason he had gotten drunk.

But… he looked legitimately worried. And he was being civil.

Tadashi sighed, knowing he couldn't keep it to himself - even if a tiny part of him did want to see Ikeda deflate some by keeping it to himself. It just wouldn't be fair.

"She's fine. Her memories a bit fuzzy of the actual accident but she knew her name, where she lived, her baby's birth date and her baby's name. The baby had no injuries and was just really hungry and cranky from being poked and prodded." He explained as Ikeda's eyes lit up.

"Thank you." Ikeda sighed in relief, giving Tadashi a sincere look of gratitude. "I'll leave you be now."

Tadashi and Baymax watched him leave before looking to each other.

"Did that just..?"

"It did. He was quite civil."

Tadashi ran a hand through his hair.

That had been odd but not entirely unwelcome.

Heh. Maybe some people are capable of change.