I'm not exactly sure how I feel about this chapter, but I'm sorry for making you all wait.
Thank you all for your patience and for all the follows/fav/reviews. I really appreciate it!
*Just a reminder that the italicized sentences are a character's inner thoughts, and the bold italicized sentences with quotes are text messages.
Anyways, I hope you all enjoy!
It was finally Wednesday and he and Hiro had decided it would be best to meet at Hiro's place considering he already had all his tools and equipment over there. Due to the day's downpour Tadashi had to take the bus. Living in a city, Tadashi didn't have the need for a car, but on days like to day he thought maybe a car wouldn't be so bad. Either way, the bus would have to suffice for now.
The next stop was where he would get off and he could already feel his nerves slowly begin to rise. He didn't understand why he felt so pressured, he and Hiro had studied and spent time together frequently in the past few weeks. Was it because he would be at Hiro's place and not at his known comforts of the library or his apartment?
He didn't have much time to think about it further before the bus rolled to a stop and the doors swung open. Tadashi grabbed his umbrella and made his way towards the exit, turning in the direction of the café. The rain had slowed down quite a bit so he didn't feel the need to rush, giving him some time to collect his random thoughts. He hadn't even registered that he had entered the shop until he heard that familiar ringing of a bell.
"Hi there Tadashi!" The kind woman from the other day chimed out.
"Hello Aunt Cass," Tadashi smiled.
"Hiro's out back in the garage. But before you join him, here take these." She handed him two styrofoam cups. "It's my famous hot chocolate! It's Hiro favorite, and judging by the weather you boys could probably use it."
Tadashi smiled again and thanked the woman before making his way out the door and heading in the direction she had gestured to when she mentioned Hiro's whereabouts. He didn't have to go far before he heard the loud sound of heavy guitar riffs and drum kicks nearby.
When he arrived at the entrance of the garage he was met with the ever energetic teen, playing a mean air guitar toppling on a fairly worn sofa. The song was just ending when Tadashi chuckled at the sight and alerted the other to his presence.
"Hey!" Hiro turned around, his face slightly red with embarrassment and Tadashi couldn't help but laugh even more.
"That was some sick solo."
"I wasn't aware I had an audience." He quipped back, still fidgeting from being caught. "But just so you know my shows aren't free."
Tadashi raised a brow. "Oh really?" He extended one of the café cups in his hand. "Well will this cover it?"
Hiro smiled at the offered cup and brusquely grabbed it from the older male's grasp.
"Yeah this will work for now. But next time, it'll be double." He smirked at Tadashi over the brim of his cup as he turned and walked further in the garage. Tadashi followed and took a sharp look at his surroundings.
The garage was a decent size, filled wall to wall with all sorts of mechanical tools and fancy looking pieces of technology. Heck there was even a 3D printer. There was well over thousands of dollars' worth of equipment in the room and Tadashi's curiosity was getting the better of him.
"If you don't mind me asking, how did you get all this stuff?"
Hiro glared at him, suspicious of his innocently curious intentions.
"I didn't steal them if that's what you think."
Tadashi was a little taken aback at that response, and leveled the boy with a stare of his own.
The fact that he even had to clarify that belief hurt him a bit. For one, the boy must have gotten snide assumptions about himself quite a few times to feel the need to automatically be on the defensive like that. The other, that the boy would think Tadashi had such a low opinion of him.
"I didn't think you did."
Now it was Hiro's turn to be stunned. He kept Tadashi's gaze until he turned away, walking towards one of the machines.
"I purchased a majority of this stuff using the money from my bot fights. Some of the other tools used to belong to Aunt Cass' husband. I guess he passed away a few years ago, but when she saw how into inventing I was, she said I could use them as I like." He paused as if in thought and then turned back to face Tadashi.
"Anyways are you ready to put that big brain of yours to work?"
Tadashi placed his cup on a nearby surface and rolled up his sleeves. "Did you think I just came here for a free concert?"
Hiro rolled his eyes at his response, but the grin that spread across his face revealed he was genuinely amused.
He showed Tadashi to a desk near the back of the garage littered with what looked like an assortment of mathematical equations and rough sketches. From what Tadashi could see the kid was insanely smart. He had known Hiro's IQ was above average for his age, but his work was truly amazing. Tadashi faintly wondered how he managed to stay sane in an ordinary high school setting.
"Wow this is some great stuff. How on earth are you still in high school?"
Hiro seemed pleased with Tadashi's praise, but tried to play it off with a shrug. "Although I test out at a college level, the system has this stupid theory that since I come from a troubled background being around losers my own age will give me some sort of 'stability'. I think it's all a load of bull." He took a sip from his cup and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
Tadashi observed the action and considered the boy's words. He guessed the notion made sense in its own way, but from what he knew of Hiro, it seemed it was most likely having the opposite effect.
"Do you get along well with the other kids at your school?"
Hiro hesitated a bit before answering that one. "Not really, but I don't care. Once I win this showcase I can quit that pop stand for good."
Tadashi saw the determination in the boy's eyes and felt his own heart brighten at the prospect.
"Well then, let's get to work."
~ ~XxXxX ~ ~
The two spent hours creating a draft for their final concept. Although Hiro initially had a thought of what he was going to do, Tadashi had helped and amplified his idea tenfold. With their plan there was no way he wouldn't get accept.
They chatted and worked for the rest of the afternoon, with only a few sarcastic remarks here and there. And despite his own upcoming exams, Tadashi was thoroughly enjoying himself. Being with Hiro settled him and made him forget all about his impending deadlines, and on a deeper note, his suppressed loneliness. He hadn't been lying to Hiro when he said he didn't have many friends, and regardless of whatever he felt for the other boy beginning to grow, he valued the friendship the two were developing along the way.
He liked to think that Hiro felt it too. From Tadashi's perspective, the boy had changed a bit since their first encounter, and although he was still a little guarded and rough around the edges, there was a growing softness to him that Tadashi noticed and secretly hoped he was the reason for.
He watched the teen closely as he continued with his final sketch, absently playing with his silver lip ring, tugging and sucking upon the hooped jewel. His hair was tied back in its usual small ponytail, freeing the boy of any hindrance it might have on his vision, but Tadashi couldn't say the sight was doing the same for him. If anything Tadashi was having a hard time tearing his gaze away, completely infatuated on the tempting image of the studious teen in front of him.
Seeming to feel his eyes upon him, Hiro looked up from his work and met his stare with an expression of his own.
"You're doing it again."
"Doing what?" Tadashi asked unfazed.
"That creepy look you do, ya know where you just kinda stare at me in a weird way."
Oh, that…
Tadashi remained glued to the boy for only a second longer before he slowly looked away. He wasn't sure if he was gradually beginning to give himself away, and there was a very small part of him that was beginning not to care. But in the end, he knew which side of him would win, so instead he began to observe the mound of objects off in the corner of the room. He felt an odd tug in his chest when he saw the skateboard from their first meeting among the pile.
Hiro must have noticed cause he let out a small chuckle. "Look familiar?" He asked.
Tadashi turned back to meet his smirk with one of his own and swiftly got up from the table to retrieve the mentioned item. The sight must have given Hiro a thought. "Have you ever ridden one before?"
He smiled and continued to exam the board. "Can't say that I have."
"How about I teach you? Come on, it'll be fun I promise."
The hesitant look on his face just made Hiro smile even wider.
"I don't know."
"You drive a moped for Christ sake, you practically scream dare devil."
Tadashi indulged Hiro's sarcastic comment and allowed him his victory.
"Fine, but if I fall you have to carry me all the way back to my apartment."
Hiro scoffed at the agreement but led the way outside anyways. "Yeah yeah, whatever you say."
The rain had finally stopped leaving only a few puddles here and there. Adjusting the helmet to fit his head, Tadashi stood on the side drive way away from any left over water and placed the board down in front of him. Hiro stood on the other side of the board ready to give Tadashi his instructions.
"So it's real easy, all you have to do is balance your weight on the board." He held out his hands and looked at Tadashi expectantly. Despite his nerves making him want to back away, Tadashi laid his hands in Hiro's and felt the boy tighten his own in response.
"Ok now hop on and try to steady yourself."
Clinging onto Hiro's hands, Tadashi slowly stepped onto the board. Considering their difference in height increasing even further with the board, holding onto Hiro actually made the whole balancing act a bit harder. But Tadashi reveled in the feel of their hands combined, and even though he still felt a bit unstable with his stance, he knew there was no way he was letting go.
Hiro watched as Tadashi finished settling his feet. "Now I'm gonna help you make it to the end of the drive way."
With a gentle hold, he began walking and sliding Tadashi along the slick pavement making sure they kept at a safe speed. Now Tadashi wasn't exactly scared, but the thought of falling on the rough concrete didn't seem like a fun time. But with the help of the teen he managed to make it all the way down the driveway without a scratch.
They repeated the process a few more times, until Hiro felt he was ready to balance on his own.
"That was great!" He exclaimed. "How about you try again except this time I'll stay here at the bottom and you can meet me down here by yourself."
Tadashi nodded, reluctantly releasing their hands to walk back up to the garage entrance by himself. Turning to face Hiro he felt that familiar tug in his chest seeing his bright expectant smile waiting for him. Not wanting to disappoint, Tadashi placed the board down on the ground before balancing himself and kicking his leg against the pavement to begin his descent. It wasn't until he was almost half way down that he lost equilibrium and fell butt first into a puddle.
After the initial shock wore off Tadashi got up, sopping pants and all, and turned to see Hiro practically rolling on the ground with laughter. The thing is, Hiro not only had an adorable smile but he had one of the most contagious laughs Tadashi had ever heard. The combination of the two made Tadashi begin to laugh himself and soon they were both a hysterical mess.
Wiping the laugh tears from his eyes, Hiro eventually made his way over to check on him.
"I'm sorry but that was hilarious! You ok though?"
Tadashi briefly glanced down at his now soaked pants and smiled.
"Ya know falling wasn't as bad as I thought it was gonna be."
This earned him a shake of the head from the teen who lead them back to the garage to grab him a towel. As Tadashi began drying himself off, from the corner of his eye he noticed Hiro watching him.
He was never one for attention, especially while he was in the process of wiping a towel across his bottom and between his legs. It made him wonder if Hiro was even aware of his staring. He then stopped and waited for the teen to divert his gaze, but when that didn't work Tadashi gave a light cough to catch the younger's attention. That seemed to do the trick, and upon realizing his mistake Hiro quickly turned his back on him, rubbing the back of his neck in a nervous manner. Just as it appeared that Hiro was going to say something, Aunt Cass emerged in front of the garage entrance giving the two a puzzling look.
"Is everything ok in here boys?"
"Yeah everything's fine, why wouldn't it be?" Hiro's response was quick, but nowhere near snippy. He sounded a little anxious.
Aunt Cass didn't reply with a relevant answer, but instead gave the boys one last questioning glance before addressing them with her purpose.
"I just wanted to let you know dinner's almost ready and that you should come in and wash up." She then turned to Tadashi.
"Would you like to join us?"
"No thank you. I should probably get going."
Thankfully his jeans were dark enough to disguise the moisture from his fall and he figured no one on the bus would notice once he was actually sitting down.
He folded the used towel and placed it on a chair before making his way towards the garage entrance.
"I'll text you later." He had meant it as a statement but it came out sounding more like a question even to his own ears. If Hiro was still frazzled maybe he wouldn't want to talk to him at all. His chest hurt at the thought.
Without making eye contact Hiro nodded his head.
"Sure. Sounds good."
And with that Tadashi gave a quick smile to both of them before exiting the garage.
~ ~XxXxX ~ ~
Later that night after an oddly quiet dinner, Hiro sat on the beanbag chair in his room thinking over the day's events. When he thought back on their goodbye earlier, he hid his face in his hands. How could he have been so stupid!
He caught me staring at his junk! He must think I'm so weird, like who does that?!
There was a buzzing in his pocket alerting him of a new text message.
Hiro remained still. Part of him hoped it was Tadashi, while the other part of him really hoped it wasn't. What would he even say? Should he apologize, or would that just make things more awkward? He nibbled on his lip ring as he sighed and got out his phone.
'Hey'
'hey'
There was a slight pause as he assumed Tadashi was typing.
'What are you doing?'
'nothing much, just thinking'
Another pause.
'Thinking about what?'
Hiro thought for a second, before quickly typing out his response.
'you'
He figured things couldn't get worse compared to that evening, so he might as well just go with it. The odds of Tadashi taking him seriously were very slim. He probably just thought of Hiro as some sort of little brother anyways. But that thought still didn't stop Hiro from holding his breath while he waited for his reply.
'What about me?'
Oh the ways Hiro wanted to answer that. Instead he smirked as he tapped away at his screen.
'just at what a big nerd you are falling like that today lol. like dude you should've seen your face!'
The teasing remark put Hiro more at ease.
'Wow, and to think I was laying here thinking about how awesome your invention is going to be. How foolish am I?'
The thought of Tadashi laying in his bed while thinking of him sent an odd shiver down Hiro's spine. My hormones must be out of control today.
'im just telling it like it is ;p'
'But you didn't keep up with your end of the bargain.'
Hiro scoffed.
'yeah like i could actually carry you from my house to your apartment. have you seen your head? it's way too big'
"You're one to talk brainiac. You know what, you should get some rest, you've got school in the morning."
'can i see you at the library tomorrow?'
He was hoping he didn't sound too desperate.
'I'll be there :)'
'ok, nite nerd'
'Good night Hiro.'
The teen plugged his phone into its wall charger and climbed onto his bed, tugging the sheets out from underneath him and crawling inside. The smile on his face never fading until he had completely fallen to sleep.
A/N: Thank you all for reading! Please tell me what you think :)