Brothers
15
Ages
Hiro: 9 1/2
Tadashi: 14
Remember, my stories don't necessarily correlate with each other. They might somewhat include things from previous chapters in one way, and have no reference to things from other chapters in another. Just putting that out there.
Hiro's POV
Tadashi and I were casually eating ice cream and taking a walk. Just another ordinary last Friday of the month tradition. As I licked my strawberry with gummy bear filled tooth rotting cone, Tadashi started asking me random questions to test my intelligence.
"What's 76 squared?" he asked, licking his ice cream consisted of, *shudder*, snicker bars. I'm allergic to those poisonous pieces of evil sent from hell. Though I can't deny that I've wondered what they taste like.
"5,776. Geez Tadashi, could you have picked an even easier question?" I ask with a cocky smirk.
"Okay wise guy, what's the square root of 93,026,025?" he asks challengingly.
"9,645." I say in a bored tone.
"Alright, ask me a question." He says.
"Does it have to be a math question?" I ask.
"Nope. It can be about anything." He says, as if he's doing me a favor.
"Alright then. Hmm, what number am I thinking of?" I ask playfully. Tadashi gives me an unamused look.
"Knowing your trolling mind, it's probably a fraction or decimal." He says with a light smile. I grin. "Nope." I say. Tadashi looks surprised. "It was a negative fraction or decimal." I say smartly. Tadashi pushes me playfully, causing me to burst out laughing.
"Now ask me a real question." He says seriously. "Alright alright, don't get your boxers in a knot bro. okay, who painted the Mona Lisa?" I question. "Psh, Leonardo de Vinci. Give me one I actually have to think about bone head." He says.
"Okay, you asked for it. How many days can a human go without food?" I ask. "Isn't it 20?" he responds, a bit unsure. "Actually, a human can go more than three weeks without food. Mahatma Gandhi went 21 days without food, but water's different. You need that more than food." I say.
"Alright whatever know it all. Ask me another one." He demands. "Alright, name the first 10 numbers of pi AFTER 3.14." I say. "No biggie." He says. "Okay so it's 3.14 obviously, then it's 159253589 and…alright I don't know that 10th one." He says, defeated. I smile in victory. "Oh like you can do better." He says, biting into the cone of his ice cream.
"Can so. 3.1415926535897932834626433-"alright, I get it." He says flatly. I laugh. Tadashi stays quiet for a while.
"Don't sweat it Dashi. Not everyone can be gifted like me. That would defeat the purpose of me being special. Besides, you're way better at everything else." I say, using a bitter tone at the end. This captures Tadashi's attention rather quickly. "What do you mean?" he asks.
I look at my shoes. "Making friends, getting people to like you. You're smart, but not over the top, so it's not like people are jealous of you. You're just a likable guy, you know." I say plainly with a shrug. I see a brotherly expression on Tadashi's face and I wave my arms around frantically.
"Don't worry though! It's not like I'm jealous or anything. I'm only saying this because you looked sad that I got those stupid pointless questions right!" I cry, trying to play it off. Tadashi raises an eyebrow. "You sure about that?" he asks. "Yeah. Feel better?" I ask, hoping he bought it. No one needs a protective Tadashi right now, especially not me.
"Yeah, I'm fine." He says, finishing the last of his ice cream and taking a bite of mine. I glare at him as he does, but don't actually mind that much.
We're walking home when Tadashi decides to make things all serious and touchy feely. "Hey Hiro, if there was something bothering you, you'd tell me right? I mean, we tell each other everything don't we?" he asks.
"Why ask all of a sudden? Something bothering you?" I ask. "Hiro, I think something's bothering you." He tells me. "There's nothing bothering me. You worry too much. I'm perfectly A-okay." I assure him. "Alright, if you're sure." He says, though I can tell I didn't convince him.
I hate how Tadashi can always tell when something's bothering me. I wish he could just leave me alone sometimes, but no, he always has to play the hero. I feel like our parents got our names mixed up. If anything, Tadashi's name should be Hiro.
Now we were just chilling in the dining hall of the Lucky Cat Café when Tadashi tries to figure out what's 'wrong' with me.
"Hiro, did people at school say something? Is this about you being smarter than them or something? I mean you are the youngest kid in junior high." Tadashi says. I roll my eyes. "Tadashi, believe it or not, I can actually handle things myself. I can solve my own problems." I say. "I know, but you shouldn't HAVE to. I'm always here for you and I always will be." He says. "Oh c'mon, don't get all emotional on me. I know. You've said it a million times. I get it, you always wanna help. I just don't always need it." I say.
"You're right, you're right. I'm sorry. I just get worried. I know you don't have the best upbringing and I want to make sure you live a happy life you know? Like, I don't want you to think you're not being taken care of properly since…well you know." He says.
I merely blinked. I didn't know that Tadashi felt that way at all. I walk over to him. He seems to be in a daze after saying all of that.
"Hey, Tadashi!" I say, waving my hand in front of his face. "Huh, what?" he asks, snapping out of it. "If anything, I probably have the best upbringing. You're the best caretaker a kid could ask for. You're literally a brother, best friend, and mom/dad in one. I'll take that over nothing any day. Thanks for worrying about me, even though you get crazy sometimes." I admit, saying the last part teasingly. Tadashi smiles and looks at me with a knowing expression.
"You know what's coming!" he cried, holding his arms out. I widen my eyes in mock fear. "No, anything but the arms!" I beg. Tadashi laughs and chases after me. "BEAR HUG!" he screams, running toward me.
I keep running though, pulling chairs from tables as I do to stop Tadashi from catching me. Tadashi somehow manages to catch up to me and trap me in a bone crushing hug. "Ugh, Tadashi put me down." I demand, kicking my legs to get him to let me go. "Aw c'mon Hiro, you know you love my hugs of love." He says playfully. I shake my head and struggle to get out of his vice grip, thrashing about like a madman.
We're being so loud and obnoxious, we don't notice Tadashi's friends walk through the door looking at us with amused expressions. One of them clears their throat and chomps on her gum expectantly. "Guessing that's Hiro. The little munchkin you never shut up about." she says monotone. I give Tadashi a look, but he doesn't meet my gaze. He simply puts me down and adjusts his hat.
"Uh, hey guys, what's up?" he asks nervously. The chick with the gum puts her hands on her hips. "Gee Tadashi, maybe it's because Honey Lemon gathered us all here to tell us the big news?" she says.
"Right. Sorry Gogo, it must've flew past my mind. My bad. So where is she anyways? You're all here except her." Tadashi comments. "Well, Fred really wanted a donut. I couldn't let him barge here alone because no one keeps him in line like I do of course. And wasabi? I guess he just didn't wanna walk alone so he tagged along." Gogo said. Fred and Wasabi nodded in confirmation at this.
"Well, I guess this is as good a time as any. Guys, this is my baby bro Hiro." He says, pushing me toward them. "Hey Hiro." They all say. I mutter a hello back.
As you can guess, I'm not great at meeting new people.
"So Hiro, Tadashi seems to go on and on for hours about you, but tell us, are you as smart as he says?" Wasabi asks. I blink. I didn't think Tadashi mentioned me to his friends. I'm not that much of an interesting person despite my intelligence. "Uh, I guess that depends on how smart he said I was." I say with a shrug.
Gogo pops a bubble with her gum and quizzes me. "What's the capital of Honduras? Who was the sixteenth president of the United States? And what is the primary ingredient used for producing plastic?" she asks.
"In order. Tegucigalpa, Abraham Lincoln, and oil." I say flatly. I'm getting really tired of people asking me stupid pointless questions. When Tadashi asks them, I know it's for fun. But when others do, they're only doing it to test my intelligence.
"Guess he is." Gogo mumbles.
"Hey Hiro, why don't you go make some popcorn." Tadashi suggests, ushering him to the kitchen. I shrug and go to make some.
Tadashi's POV
Wow, how could I possibly forget that Honey Lemon's surprise thing was today?!
"So when's Honey Lemon getting here?" I ask. Gogo shrugs. "She said she'd be here any minute." The teen responded. I settled into a chair and the rest followed suit.
"So your bro's pretty cool." Fred comments.
"Yeah, I guess so. But don't tell him. Kid's got way too big a head as it is." I say. "We know. You've mentioned that a few hundred times." Gogo commented. Tadashi smiles bashfully. "You're really taken to him huh?" Wasabi says. "Yeah, wouldn't trade him for the world." I respond honestly.
"Ohhh! I sense brother complex!" Honey Lemon says, barging through the front door with a giant shopping bag in her hands. I feel my cheeks go red and not just from the sight of Honey Lemon for once.
"I do NOT have brother complex!" I protest. All my friends give me a look. "Yes you do." They all chorus. I bury my face in my hands. "Do not." I mumble.
"It's okay Tadashi. Everyone's different with their siblings. Gogo doesn't get along at all with her younger brother. Wasabi's okay with his younger sister, and I'm crazy close with my younger and older sisters! You're just in a tad deeper with your bond with Hiro. So that's why it's brother complex!" Honey exclaims eagerly.
I sigh and point to the bag. "So what'd you wanna show us?" I ask, trying my hardest to change the subject. Luckily it works because Honey starts jumping up and down excitedly. Before she can get into it, Hiro comes out with a bowl of popcorn and puts it on the table. He's about to leave, but I stop him.
"Hiro, don't you wanna stay and see what Honey Lemon wants to show us?" I ask. "Hey Tadashi, they're your friends, not mine. You watch. I'll just be out." He says nonchalantly, walking out the door. I want to stay and see what Honey's excited about, but Hiro's at the top of my list of priorities.
"Sorry Honey Lemon, I should go make sure Hiro's okay. He's been in an iffy mood since this morning." I say apologetically, heading to the door. "Brother Complex!" I hear them sing as I walk out. I shake my head. I do NOT have brother complex. They're just crazy.
Hiro's POV
I walked over to the bridge where Tadashi and I used to hang around as kids. I remember the days when we used to have picnics here with Aunt Cass. Sometimes Tadashi and I would sneak out after dark to sleep here, under it. It was one of the only times Tadashi would do something rule-breaking and it was pretty fun.
I go under the bridge and sit down. Grabbing a rock, I throw it past the river and it skips 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 times. I sigh and lay back, just looking at the cars pass by above me. Something about it just puts me in a relaxing mood.
"So, you want to tell me what's bothering you now?" I hear an all too familiar voice ask. I mentally roll my eyes. He never takes a hint does he? I just want to be alone. Is that too much to ask for? I calm myself, telling myself not to let my anger get the best of me like it has before.
"Tadashi, there's nothing to talk about. I just want to be alone for a while. Go back to the café and hang out with your friends." I say.
Tadashi's POV
Something's definitely wrong with Hiro, but he won't tell me what it is. I don't know how to help him if I can't tell what's bothering him. And the way he said the word 'friends' so bitterly made me shudder.
"Hiro, c'mon. We tell each other everything. Talk to me!" I plead. Hiro lets out a huff of breath. "Tadashi, I don't know what language to tell you this in, but I want to be alone. So just leave me alone!" he yells, looking away from me. "Hiro, you can usually answer any question within a few seconds. Why is it that this question scares you?" I ask softly. To my surprise, instead of looking sad, Hiro looks downright angry.
"Just quit it Tadashi. Stop trying to play the hero all the time. Give it a rest. I want to be alone and I don't know how many times I have to say it before it registers, but leave me alone. This isn't something you can help me with so just let it go." He spits.
"Well, we'll never know if you don't try." I press, not willing to leave him like this. Hiro doesn't say anything more.
"Alright, I'll make you a deal. I'll leave you alone if you come home with me." I offer. At least this way, I won't be worried that he's off alone doing something reckless. He still doesn't say anything. "Please Hiro. I just want to be sure you're safe." I say, trying to talk some sense into him. Hiro mumbles something incoherently. I think it sounded like "why can't he just leave." Or something along the lines of that.
I sigh and take my leave. Or do I? ;)
Hiro's POV
I finally hear Tadashi's footsteps leaving and I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. I mean, how can Tadashi help me with this? It's a pathetic problem. I don't have any friends. I mean, I'm not exactly bullied or anything, but the kids aren't exactly nice either. I get weird looks all the time for being smart and it drives me nuts. That, and the only reason people talk to me is to ask me questions. Tadashi's literally the only friend I have. He likes me for me, not my brain.
None the less, I'm glad he's gone. I just need some alone time. I don't want to talk about it. I just want to relax, throw rocks, and relive simper times. I skip a rock 8 times and whistle in joy when I hear footsteps approach me. I get scared and reach for my phone in case I need to speed dial Tadashi.
To my surprise, it is Tadashi. I twitch my eye. "What are you doing here?" I ask, teeth gritted. He places sleeping bags and pillows on the ground below.
"I left you alone for half an hour. I don't want you out this late, my friends left, and I won't say anything unless you ask me to." He says straightforwardly. I roll my eyes. Yeah, let's see how long that lasts.
Despite that my problems are still there, knowing Tadashi's here for me makes me happy. I see that he spread the sleeping bags pretty close to each other and Tadashi follows my gaze.
"I can move them if you want- I mean, I didn't think- if you don't like- I'm sorry, I'm talking out of line and I- "Tadashi, take a breather. It's fine." I cut in, smiling at his nervousness. He gives a bashful smile and lays into his sleeping bag.
I mirror actions and stare at him. He notices and starts to stare back. "Wanna talk now?" he asks, hopefully. I want to yell at him for ruining the pleasant moment, but I remember that he's just looking out for me and doing what he thinks is best.
"Tadashi, for the last time, it's not something you need to worry about. You can't help with this. Just let me deal with it on my own. You need to understand that despite what you promise me, there's going to be times when you just can't be there for me, I promise you you're doing enough for me. But this is something I gotta do myself, without you. I can handle it. I wouldn't do something if I knew I couldn't take it okay? You have to trust me." I say.
"You're right. I'm sorry. I just can't help but worry Hiro." He says.
"It's okay, I know all about your brother complex." I say extremely teasingly, causing him to flush a fresh sanguine. I laugh at his facial expression.
"Y-you heard that?!" he exclaims, extremely embarrassed. I nod cockily. "Yup. You're friends are pretty loud. But don't worry, I love you too big bro." I assure, patting his head playfully, holding back a loud eruption of giggles.
He pushes me playfully, but I guess he didn't predict his own strength because I go tumbling into the water. I pop back up to give him an irritated glare. He bursts out laughing and I get out of the water, dripping. I try to drag him into the water too, but he's too strong for me and I end up falling into the cold water again. I get out, shivering like crazy.
"N-not funny T-Tadashi." I say, teeth chattering. Tadashi's still laughing and I roll my eyes.
Wringing out my shirt and shorts, I climb into Tadashi's sleeping bag and he fidgets, trying to push me out. "Get out Hiro, this is a one person sleeping bag. That, and you're wet!" he cries. "Yeah, I noticed." I say, squirming my way in. He huffs, but lets me. I smile in satisfaction.
"God Hiro, you're freezing." He comments as I nuzzle into him for warmth. "Mhmm." I hum, drifting off. "Night." He says.
"Night Dashi. I still like you, even with your brother complex." I say, laughing softly. He bonks me on the head, but I can almost feel the smile on his face as we both drift off.
Guess Hiro's all too high and mighty to go to Tadashi for help this time.
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