((A/N: The name used for Honey Lemon was originally coined by Becky_Blue_Eyes. Check her out!))

Being a mascot was more exhausting than Fred had given it credit for.

It was his first day on the job - a baseball game on a hot, sunny spring afternoon - and after his performance at the seventh inning stretch Fred retreated to the SFIT dugout and all but collapsed onto the bench, opening the costume's hood to fan himself.

Internal cooling or not that thing was still hot.

"Hey, you okay there?"

One of the players - number fourteen, a right fielder if he remembered correctly - had appeared to hover over him, brow knit in concern.

"Yeah." Fred grinned up at the player, nodding. "Just a little - whew! - overcooked."

"I bet." The player grinned back, offering a water bottle; Fred slipped his arm out of the costume to gratefully take it, and the player sat beside him. "If it's hot to us it must be a nightmare for you. You're a trooper."

"Nah. I'm having fun." He gulped down the water and then turned to peer at the player. "You? When are you taking the field?"

"Probably not any time soon." The player laughed ruefully, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's weird. I was kind of a star in high school, but it's a whole new world here... but I guess baseball's not the real reason I'm here."

"Yeah?" Fred sat up, grinning at the player. "What is?"

"Robotics - that's my major. Name's Tadashi Hamada by the way."

"Fred Lee." He shook Tadashi's offered hand, then sat up straighter still. "Wait, so - real-life robot scientist? Man, that is so cool!"

Tadashi laughed, scratching under the brim of his cap.

"I'm not exactly a real-life robot scientist yet... what about you?"

"Pssh, you're in the program. Close enough." Fred shrugged. "Not a student myself so no major - unless you count major science enthusiast!"

Tadashi laughed again, the sound warm and bright as he nodded.

"Huh... I can live with that. Hey, you know - you can come visit the labs sometime if you want..."

"Really?" Fred leaned forward, beaming. "You'd let me?"

"Sure! It'd be fun."

"Yeah it would!" Fred bounced in place, nodding fervently. "So what're you working on? Like for class projects? Man I bet it's so awesome..."

The game was nearly forgotten as the two chatted; Fred was only pulled away when a coach impatiently reminded him of his end-of-game cue, and he rushed onto the field with renewed enthusiam as his new friend waved.

-0-

Fred nudged the lab door open and peeked inside, a slow grin creeping across his face as he took in the spectacle. A student levitating a tray on tiny rockets, another talking to what he thought might be come kind of reactive AI, another pair in heavy safety gear prodding at what looked like a hard-light hologram, and off in a corner...

"Fred!" Tadashi waved as he called, beaming. "Hey, come on in!"

Fred waved back, and waved to the students he passed as he bounced across the lab to meet Tadashi. His new friend was standing with a tall, bespectacled blonde girl, who grinned and waved too as she and Tadashi both came forward to meet him.

"Fred, hi! Tadashi told me about you!"

"Yeah?" Fred glanced at Tadashi, who nodded.

"Yeah! Not often I run into someone whose major is 'science enthusiasm'. Anyway, this is my chem lab partner, Mariluz... it's mainly her show."

"Hey Mariluz." Fred offered her a hand, then laughed in surprise as she used it to pull him into a quick half-hug. "Hey, you know - that yellow looks great on you. With your colors you kinda look like a honey lemon!"

She blinked, glancing toward Tadashi as he gave a short, stifled laugh.

"Honey... lemon." She took a long look at her blurry reflection in a chrome panel and giggled. "Yeah I... guess I kinda do! Wanna see what we're working on?"

"Do I!"

Fred hurried closer, taking the safety goggles Tadashi offered; the rest of the afternoon he spent watching them work and chattering away with the two while they patiently answered questions or offered corrections. When they broke for snacks Mariluz sealed her fate as Honey Lemon by looking Fred dead in the eye as she squeezed both into her tea (and it was a week before Tadashi stopped chuckling at the name, only further encouraging Fred), and from that day on Fred was in the lab almost as often as Tadashi, watching and encouraging and admiring as their little group grew.

And sometimes - just sometimes - he found himself paying more attention to Tadashi than his current project, simply taking in the flow of intense concentration and occasional frustration and quiet pride crossing his features as he worked through problems.

-0-

"Heading out for baseball tryouts?" Fred asked. Tadashi was packing up early, stacking medical textbooks he'd begged from the library and organizing a small stack of data chips; Fred stepped forward to help, organizing notecards by color as he'd noticed Tadashi preferred. "I'll come with!"

"Uh, no... I decided I'm... not going out for baseball this year. I mean I'm just a benchwarmer anyway, and I'm busy with this robotics project, and Hiro - you know, my brother? Man, I gotta get him up here sometime - anyway Hiro just graduated and I've got my hands full keeping him out of trouble, so... and uh..."

He removed his baseball cap, looking a bit sheepish as he smoothed his hair back.

"And, I kinda have a date."

"A date?" Fred paused, hands still full of Tadashi's notecards. Somehow, the idea of Tadashi dating had never really registered with him - but shouldn't it have? After all, Tadashi was well-liked enough, and talented, good-natured, certainly good-looking - objectively speaking of course. Fred cleared his throat, packing the vague uncomfortable feeling in his chest away for now, and looked over at Tadashi with a grin.

"Yeah? About time you submitted to the college life, my man."

Tadashi laughed, shoving Fred's shoulder.

"All right, laugh it up. But yeah - meeting Wasabi in a few."

"Wasabi?" Fred's smile was less forced now; Wasabi on a date wasn't a mental image to take lightly.

"I know, I know." Tadashi chuckled, shrugging. "We uh... weren't going to say anything til we saw how it went. So... if you don't mind..."

"Lips are sealed, dude." Fred nodded once, then glanced at Tadashi's desk. "So uh... hey. I'll finish up here, you go ahead. Wasabi's weird about that whole 'on-time' thing, so..."

"Yeah - 'on time is five minutes early'." Tadashi laughed, reaching out to clap him on the shoulder. "Thanks - see you tomorrow."

"Yeah." He set the notecards in their proper place - chromatically arranged - and turned slightly to watch Tadashi head for the door. "Hey... uh..."

Tadashi turned back to him, one hand on the door.

"Yeah?"

Fred blinked as he realized he had no idea what he was going to say. Tadashi gazed back at him, head tilted, eyes curious, and finally he cleared his throat again and smiled.

"Just... you know, uh... have a good time."

Tadashi nodded.

"Thanks. Bye Fred."

"Bye..."

He jumped as the door closed behind Tadashi, metal-on-metal clang echoing through the nearly empty lab, and it took a few moments of aimless fidgeting to remember what he was supposed to be doing.

-0-

"Hey, uh... Tadashi?"

They were in the garage after another long day helping Hiro with his microbots; Gogo, Honey Lemon, and Wasabi had all left, and Hiro himself was draped awkwardly in his desk chair and snoring faintly. Tadashi finished closing the garage door and turned to Fred, hands sliding into his pockets.

"Yeah?"

Fred drummed his fingers against the garbage can he was perched on, avoiding Tadashi's eyes.

"So, uh. A thing I was... I mean. Hey - remember when you went on those dates with Wasabi last spring?"

"How could I forget?" Tadashi huffed out a laugh as he leaned against the garage door. "Most awkward three nights of my life. Probably his too. Gogo still brings it up sometimes after Wasabi let it slip."

"Hey man, I'm just glad it wasn't me who spilled the beans this time."

"Ahh, we woulda told you guys." Tadashi grinned and shrugged. "Even if I hadn't already spilled to you the first night." He paused a moment. "But yeah, so... it's not that kind of like. Better we figured it out fast."

"Yeah." Fred nodded slowly, taking a deep breath. "So uh... anyway, I... I know this sounds totally jerky, but... y'know, I was kinda glad it uh... didn't go the way you... planned?" He glanced at Tadashi, who was smiling gently, brow raised, and felt his cheeks heat under that soft-eyed gaze. "I mean I'd... I'd have been a lot less glad if you guys were upset, but you weren't, so I... uh..."

"I get it," Tadashi said, very softly. "And I... kinda figured."

"Uh... you did, huh?" Fred grinned weakly, leaning back a bit.

"Yeah. For one thing, you make the second most epic Sad Puppy Face I've ever seen."

"Wha...? I do not make Sad Puppy Faces!" Fred straightened in mock indignation, trying to resist grinning back as Tadashi's smile widened.

"Yeah you do. They're kind of glorious."

"Hmph." Fred's resistance melted at Tadashi's warm tone and he laughed, settling back slightly and crossing his arms. "That's right. I am glorious. So-"

Hiro shifted in his sleep, starting to slide from his chair; Fred and Tadashi both rushed to catch him, Tadashi reaching him first while Fred lost balance as his garbage can rocked and wound up sprawled on the floor.

"Are you okay?"

There was laughter laced through Tadashi's whisper as he straightened, Hiro in his arms; Fred grinned up at him, nodding.

"Yeah. I'm basically rubber."

"Good." Tadashi paused a moment. "So. Once I get Bonehead here to bed, want to grab a coffee?"

Fred got to his feet, lacing his fingers together to stop them from shaking with not-unpleasant nerves and smiling tentatively as he watched Tadashi carry Hiro back into the house.

"Sure. Sounds good."

-0-

They lingered at the twenty-four hour cafe until dawn swallowed the streetlights and Tadashi had to go catch a few precious hours of sleep before class; Fred lingered a bit after that, head buzzing pleasantly. He already couldn't quite remember everything they'd talked about, but the warm feeling lingered for hours and the promise of another date the next night brought it rushing back whenever he remembered.

A third date followed a week later, the two of them strolling through a small fair along the pier; Tadashi had taken hold of his hand almost shyly, and Fred bumped playfully against him as he laced their fingers together, and he'd never felt more content in his life.

Their fourth date was the day of the expo; they'd returned to the same coffee shop, foreheads nearly touching as they leaned across the table to talk.

"You know," Tadashi said, voice low and teasing, "I actually think this is going a little better than my last attempt at dating."

"Just a little?" Fred drew back slightly, trying for the Epic Sad Puppy Face. Tadashi chuckled low in his throat and moved closer to brush his mouth against Fred's, and Fred leaned forward again, allowing himself to be placated.

"Guess we should talk to the others, huh," Tadashi murmured after a moment.

"Yeah." Fred grinned, then leaned back a bit. "Tomorrow, though. I mean... it's Science Baby's big day and all..."

Tadashi laughed, the sound warm and rich and fond as he folded his hands over Fred's.

"Don't let him hear you call him that. But yeah, you're right... it's Hiro's day, but once he's had his presentation and gotten in, we can have ours."

"Right!" Fred leaned back in the booth, gesturing. "Now come over here. Official boyfriends selfie!"

Tadashi laughed again, readily getting up to join Fred; Fred swiped his hat and then threw his arms around him, hugging him fiercely, and Tadashi held balance just long enough to take the picture before tumbling to the floor, Fred sprawled across his chest and both of them laughing.

-0-

The expo was incredible, Hiro and his presentation were incredible, and their high spirits felt incredible as they left the exhibition hall to head to the Lucky Cat.

Tadashi had told them all to go on ahead, shepherding Hiro away to talk in private. As he left he'd glanced back at Fred with a quick smile; Fred smiled back, all warm giddiness, and waved slightly, watching Tadashi's retreating figure until he was swept away by the others.

They were nearly off-campus when they heard the sirens.

Cass, always a worrier, had started back only to find her way blocked by campus security that could be moved by no amount of pleas or reasoning and the four of them waited a short distance behind her in a tight, worried knot only broken when Cass's phone rang.

Hiro's gasping, incoherent wails shattered their relief and the rest of the night passed in a surreal, aching blur because no, that couldn't be right, it couldn't, I just SAW him.

The feeling of unreality took days to fade, replaced by a deep, lonely ache. He didn't know how to express it, and it felt strange to consider doing so.

After all, they were supposed to tell them together; he couldn't stomach the notion of talking about it without Tadashi there, not yet. Even if it might help. Even if he knew Cass and Hiro and the rest only had sympathy to offer.

Instead he was cheerful, trying to tease smiles from his friends as he always had, and if he sometimes broke down at the memory of a quiet laugh or teasing grin or softer, fond smile... well, didn't they all?

The longer it went on, the closer he grew to normal, the stranger the idea of talking to them felt. Hiro's crusade against Callaghan, and their subsequent activity, was a welcome relief (and almost everything Fred could've dreamed - almost, because he found himself wondering how Tadashi would have taken this, and imagining his reactions both hurt and soothed), and he sometimes caught himself wondering if he should talk about it at all.

Until he was in the middle of cleaning out his phone (he probably should've gotten to that a while ago...) and found a series of texts. From Tadashi.

Fred was still and silent a long time - longer than he could ever manage otherwise - the phone cradled in his hand and vision blurring as he stared at Tadashi's cheerful icon and quick, carefully-keyed messages.

Then he sighed, pocketing the phone, and headed out to find his friends.

-0-

"So... that's... uh, that's it," Fred said quietly as he finished. "We were... the next day, we were gonna..."

He couldn't continue, and only made a small, raw sound as Cass folded him into a hug.

"Oh, Freddy," Honey breathed. Her eyes were damp - they were all looking at him with sad, sympathetic eyes, even Baymax's slightly-hunched posture looked sorrowful - and she reached forward to lay a hand on his arm. "You know I... it's funny, I'd thought you two might be a little sweet on each other, but... oh, Freddy."

"Man," Wasabi said. "I had no idea. I mean... sorry, Fred."

"You know," Cass said gently as she released him. "If you need anything..."

"Yeah." Fred gave her a thin smile, gulping hard. "I just... kinda wish I had that picture. You know? I mean I meant to ask Tadashi to send it to me... but I forgot, I'm dumb like that, and it was on his phone so..."

"On Tadashi's phone?" Hiro asked quietly. Fred nodded once, and Hiro stood. "Okay." He hurried upstairs without another word; the rest of them stared after him as worry nestled in Fred's stomach.

"Uh... he's not... is he mad?"

"Hiro is not upset," Baymax said after a moment. "At least - no more than the situation warrants."

"Oh... uh... okay." Fred watched as Baymax started to shuffle up the stairs after Hiro, then stood, glancing down at his phone and the still-displayed texts. "Uh... listen, I'm gonna... go."

"I understand," Cass said. She smiled a little, moving to walk him to the door. "Give me a call if you need to. All right?"

He nodded, and with Honey's hug and Wasabi's pat to his back and an unusually gentle shoulder-punch from Gogo headed out into the streets.

-0-

Fred was playing one of his video games but only half-occupied with it when he heard the door open behind him; probably Heathcliff, making sure he'd gotten something to eat.

Instead, he heard shuffling footsteps behind him and a long pause before Hiro vaulted over the back of the couch, landing awkwardly beside him.

"Hey."

Fred hesitated a moment, then smiled tentatively.

"Hey Science Baby."

"Science Baby?" Hiro wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Really?"

"Yup." Fred gave a small but sincere laugh, nodding. "Of course, he said I shouldn't let you hear that..."

"Tadashi?"

"Yeah."

They sat in silence a few moments, the game forgotten, before Fred spoke again.

"So, uh... when you left... I was worried you were, yanno, mad or something..."

"Mad?" Hiro blinked. "No, why?"

Fred shrugged, and Hiro imitated the motion before continuing.

"Anyway I told Baymax not to let you leave, but he was too slow... I uh, wanted to see if I could get this."

He shoved a printout into Fred's hands; Fred blinked and looked down at it, holding it carefully in both hands.

Tadashi smiled up at him from a coffeeshop booth, Fred's arms tight around him and the both of them on the verge of falling.

"This..." Fred's hands were shaking slightly, eyes burning even as he grinned. "How...?"

Hiro shrugged again, his smile fond and a bit distant.

"When I was ten, we went to Miracle World. Tadashi spent all day taking pictures. Like Honey Lemon level, there must've been at least a hundred! And then... on the ferry back, the big dummy, he dropped his phone overboard."

"Ouch." Fred winced slightly, and Hiro nodded.

"Yeah. But Tadashi's an amazing coder! As soon as he was done moping, he made this script that would automatically upload any photo he took with his phone to his computer at home." Hiro smiled a little, glancing down at the printout. "Sorry I ran off without a word... I just wasn't sure if he was still doing it, and didn't wanna tell you I could get it if I couldn't... should've known he was."

"Yeah. Sounds like something he would do." Fred ran a hand over his eyes and sighed. "Thanks, Hiro."

"No problem. Just... in the future, hypothetically speaking, if you get a boyfriend, or a girlfriend, or whatever floats your boat at the time? Tell me right away, got it?" He tilted his head a bit, brows raised. "I mean - you were Tadashi's boyfriend, and you're pretty much a brother now anyway, so I gotta make sure they're good enough."

Fred chuckled, nodding.

"Little man I don't wanna think about what your standards might be. But sure, as long as you do the same with any boyfriend, girlfriend, or whatever floats your boat."

"Yeah, yeah. If I ever date - I think maybe I was scarred by all the PDA stuff I saw in high school. Can you believe they let that go on in front of me? I'm a child." He scooped up the second-player controller as Fred laughed. "So - we playing?"

"Yeah. Let's play."

He exited the game to switch to two-player, swiping a hand across his eyes again.

"Thank, Hiro. Really."

Hiro said nothing, but briefly leaned his shoulder against Fred's; Fred leaned back just as briefly, and then their full attention was on the game.