Who We Are (Hiro x Reader)

chapter eight

"So the creepers are gone now?" Hiro asks as Tadashi leads the two of you back to the front of the office.

"Creepers? Since when did you start calling them that, too?" Tadashi asks, offering a sly smile.

Hiro rolls his eyes. "Since one of them tried to kill me today and there doesn't seem to he an actual name for them."

"Zombies," you suggest.

"No," Hiro says quietly. "Haven't you noticed that their meals involve every part of the body except for the brains? These aren't zombies. These are... something else."

"They're sick," Tadashi says simply. "And we'll help them, but not today."

Hiro looks at the back of his older brother's head in pure shock. "What? We can't stop! This is the closest we've gotten to Fred's!" You can't help but agree. Without weapons, the entire mission of getting to Fred's will be nearly impossible. 

You're sure that Tadashi knows this, but it doesn't seem to worry him. Of course he'd put the health of his little brother first. "I know, but look at you," Tadashi says calmly. "You're barely walking. I can tell that you're in pain."

"I'm fine!" Hiro lies, shooting up straight. He lets out a loud groan of pain, his body bending forward as he grips his side.

"Hiro," you warn, encircling your arms around him. He lets out a shaky breath and leans against you. "You have to take it easy, or-" Hiro turns away and violently gets sick on the soft grey carpet. You don't let go of him, afraid that he'll collapse and fall in his own vomit. "Or that'll happen." You look down and see the splatter on your pants and shoes. You swallow thickly, using all of your strength to keep your breakfast down.

"Jeez, kid," Tadashi whispers. "We've gotta get him to Baymax."

"Not here," you say. "If one of those creepers hear him, we won't be able to move him quick enough. We need to get back to the café."

Tadashi nods in agreement. "We'll have to get the weapons another day."

"They might not be there another day," you remind him. Tadashi sighs and rubs his face as he mutters to himself. "I can go and get them."

"What?" Tadashi whispers.

"I can go," you insist. "I'll meet you guys back here."

"No," Hiro groans, his hand clutching a fistful of your sweatshirt. "No, it's too dangerous."

"Hiro-"

"He's right," Tadashi says. "I'll go. You've already fought too much today. It's my turn. You two wait here."

Hiro looks up at his brother. "No, it's too dangerous!"

"I'll be right back," Tadashi assures him. He looks at you and drops Baymax next to you. "If things get too bad... you know what to do." You nod. "Stay down, stay quiet," he orders before quickly exiting.

"And he yells at me for not listening," Hiro mutters with a short shake of his head. 

You hold him up and sigh. "Here, Hiro. You need to sit down." You help him gently sit down, away from the vomit, and then sit back next him. "Are you okay?"

Hiro chuckles and shakes his head. "Funny how as soon as I meet a girl - possibly the last pretty one on earth - I puke all over her."

You're blushing like crazy, so you look down so he won't be able to tell. As you pretend to lace up your shoes, you say, "Hey, you were stabbed, so I'll let it slide."

"Stabbed by myself," he adds. "There wasn't even a story other than a cute girl saving my butt heroically as I lay on the floor, screaming and bleeding."

You giggle. "Hey, I think either of us would do that. That was scary."

He nods. "Yeah, it was." He moves a little and hisses in pain. Your eyes widen. "Ah - I-I'm okay. Gosh, it just feels like I'm getting stabbed all over again with each little move."

"The cut probably needs cleaned," you mutter. "Here, lift up your shirt. I'll clean it up some more."

He obeys without another comment. As soon as his shirt is lifted enough for you to see, you rip off another section of your sleeve. Hiro sighs, "You really don't have to do that-"

"And you really don't have to tell me what I have to do," you interrupt. You look into his eyes and smile. He smiles back, his expression soft and kind. You ball up the cotton and dab it around the bandage. He winces a couple of times, so you slow down and take your time with cleaning it. "I'm sorry if it's hurting."

"It's not that bad," he assures you.

The back of your hand brushes against his skin. You recoil at the unnatural warmth radiating through. "It's getting worse."

"That's reassuring," he mutters sarcastically.

"Do you feel feverish?" you question, raising your hand and touching it against his forehead. He gulps at your sudden closeness. "Hiro?"

He blinks and stutters, "U-uh... n-no. I'm fine."

You frown. "Your forehead isn't warm, but your stomach is." You weren't a doctor, but you could only assume that this wasn't a good sign. Hiro needed treatment quickly. You place your hand on top of the bandage, your fingers stretching out and stroking his feverish skin. "You need medication, quickly." Turning to your backpack, you rummage around for your bottle of ibuprofen. "This'll knock out your fever and some of the pain."

"You don't have to give up any of your medicine," he says breathlessly.

"No, you need it," you reply, opening the bottle. You pour three pills into the palm of your hand, and dump then into Hiro's. "Where's your water?"

"My bag," he says, sitting up straight. You take out the bottle of water and hand it to him. He swiftly dumps the pills in his mouth, pours the water in with them, and swallows it all. He groans as he tries to shift again.

"Just lay down," you say. You ease him back until he's rested against the carpet, his backpack a makeshift pillow.

"___-" he stutters.

"Shh, you're okay," you tell him. "Your body is exhausted."

"N-No," he says softly. You lean down until your face is just mere inches from his.

"What?" you breathe. You can feel your pulse in your throat. His left hand shakily rises and touches your cheek. He guides your face close to his. You shake your head. No, no, no! What are you doing? You can't do this! This'll only hurt you in the future. Stop this! But do you want to stop? This is the closest you've been to a human in months. Your heart thudders. Could you stop yourself?  "I-I hardly even know you!"

"You saved my life," he whispers. "We have to know each other at least a little bit, right? Besides, it's not like we're confessing our love. It's just a kiss."

You lean back and sigh. "Hiro-"

You're silenced as one of the office doors in the back busts open and you and Hiro find yourself exposed in front of three creepers.