Author's Note: Hi again, everyone! First of all, thank you all so much for the reviews and support! :)
For his chapter, I'm shaking things up a bit with a single one-shot for you all ^^ As a side note, the italicized part is a flashback from when Hiro and Tadashi were about age five and ten respectively. On another side note, I actually do play the piano and love it, (I hadn't played for a while, but writing this actually inspired me to play again recently, ^^) and I had a kitty that would jump on my piano when I played. It was the sweetest thing ^^
I hope you all enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it! And reviews and constructive criticisms are always greatly appreciated :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Big Hero 6- Disney does.
Piano Lessons
Baymax poked at the piano curiously, his large index finger managing to push three keys down together. He deflated his hands a little, then tried again.
Mochi, from the couch nearby, lifted his head at the sound. He hopped down as Baymax continued to press the keys, then pounced up onto the piano where he rubbed Baymax's arm and walked across with a jumbled stream of noise. He looked up at the robot as though awaiting approval for his own music making, and Baymax squinted happily, petting his head.
Baymax heard a small hum of laughter, and looked up to see Hiro walking into the room. "Mochi loves the piano," Hiro said, burying his hands in his pockets with a distant expression. "He'd always do that with Tadashi when he played, too..."
Tadashi sat at the piano, filling the house with music. People could even faintly hear it in the Cafe, including a proud Aunt Cass who would excitedly tell customers that it was coming from her nephew. It wasn't complicated ensembles or Moonlight Sonatas- just simple beginners songs. But that made no difference to her.
Hiro suddenly plopped down beside Tadashi on the bench, watching him play with large, brown eyes. Tadashi smiled at him. "Do you want to learn, Hiro?" he asked.
Hiro looked at the instrument, then back at Tadashi with a large grin, nodding.
"Here then. We can start with scales." Tadashi played the scale up, a bit unevenly since he had just learned it himself, then back down in demonstration, but wasn't surprised to see an unimpressed Hiro.
"I kinda wanna play something a little more…" Rather than using words, Hiro pretended to run his fingers quickly across the keys. "Or…" He pretended to forcefully hit the keys, throwing his head forward and back and making his hair swoosh as though he were in a rock concert.
"Hiro," Tadashi said, trying to get his attention back. "If you want to play music like that, you have to start with the chords and scales."
Hiro's cheeks puffed out in a growing pout. But it was then that Mochi hopped up onto the keys, walking across happily. Tadashi smiled, stroking his back, and Hiro scratched him behind the ears before Tadashi gently took the cat from the piano and set him on the ground beside the bench.
"Just start with the C Major scale," Tadashi insisted. "No black keys- it's the easiest one. Start right here," Tadashi placed Hiro's little hand on the keys so that his thumb was on Middle C, "and use your index finger to hit the next one...That's it. And E with your middle finger...Alright, now tuck your thumb under to hit F."
Hiro went to hit the next key with his ring finger, thinking he had figured the pattern out, but stopped with a surprised blink. "Why?" he asked.
"You don't have enough fingers to hit all eight notes smoothly," Tadashi explained. "Just try it- It'll make sense."
Mochi hopped up again, and Hiro huffed. "Mochi, that is so rude!"
Tadashi just smiled, setting Mochi back down again. Hiro looked back at his hand, and tucked his thumb under as Tadashi had said.
"Good. Now, lay your hand out like it was before over the rest of the keys. Mm-hmm. Use your index finger for G...There!"
Hiro finished the scale on his own quickly, understanding why he had tucked his thumb under now. He started back at Middle C, climbing up the scale again and again. It became fairly smooth after a bit, with only a momentary hesitation to tuck his thumb under. Even though music, similar to English, wasn't his strong suit like robotics was, he had still picked it up much quicker than most.
Tadashi smiled, obviously proud of his little brother, and nudged his arm. "Do you wanna learn a little duet?" he asked.
Hiro looked up, eyes bright. "Sure!"
"Here then. I'll play the high part, you play the low one…"
"Tadashi was a musician?" Baymax asked, pulling Hiro from the memory.
There was a pause as Baymax's question sank in. "Oh. Kind of," Hiro said finally, realizing Baymax was waiting for an answer. "It was just a short phase. He wanted to try it when he found some old piano books around the house."
Hiro sat down on the bench and pulled a hand out from one of his jacket pockets, choppily testing out the chords and scales he faintly remembered.
"You know how to play as well?" Baymax asked.
"Yeah." Hiro ran his fingers across the keys, after a moment straightening and adding in his left hand as he tried to recall the song Tadashi and him had learned together. "Tadashi was better than me, though," Hiro said with a fond smile. Mochi rubbed his hand, purring, and he stroked his head in response.
Suddenly, Baymax squeezed in next to Hiro on the bench, nearly knocking him off of it. "I would like to learn how to play," Baymax said.
"Really?" Hiro asked, surprised at the robot's interest.
"Yes. Music causes an increase in neuro-transmitter levels for both humans and animals." Mochi purred and mewed in agreement. "It would make me a better healthcare companion."
Hiro blinked, then smiled, just a hint of sadness in it. But it was gone in a moment, replaced by a genuine happiness. "Alright. Sure. Your fingers might be a bit big, but...I think we'll manage." Hiro placed his hand on Middle C. "We'll start with the scales…"