Who We Are (Hiro x Reader)

chapter twenty-seven

The sun is just starting to glow a deep orange as it sets when Hiro says, "Hey, princess." He nudges you.

You lift your head, blinking the sleepiness out of your eyes. You were almost asleep. "What?"

"Look," he says, pointing to the windshield. There's a large gate that blocks everyone from getting inside of the neighborhood.

Hiro pulls to a stop in front of the gates. "Is it new?" you ask, reaching for your seat belt.

He nods slowly. "Uh-huh. You stay here, 'kay?"

You relax. "Okay. Be careful."

He nods and unbuckles his seat belt. Your eyes don't leave his body as he climbs out of the car and approaches the black bars. His hands skim them, as if he's searching for a possible alarm. You roll down your window and lean out.

"Hiro-?"

"They're just... gates," he says. "No barbed wire, no alarms, no guards... just... regular old neighborhood gates." He kicks the bottom, watching the entire thing shake with a loud squeak. He puts his hands on his hips and sighs. "We're going to have to climb over."

You frown and get out of the car. "Really?"

"Well, sweetie, we don't have the time to dig a hole underneath the fence for you," Hiro snaps, annoyance clear in his voice.

You blink in shock, appalled that he would even yell at you like that. Your face hardens and you grab your backpack. "Fine," you say shortly, putting your weight on your foot and marching to the fence. You throw the bag as high up as you can, only to watch it fall at your feet. You try again, and again.

"___..."

"No." You grab it and haul it up. It goes over the top, landing on the road at the other side. You grin in victory and start to climb up. It hurts badly. There's so much weight on your hurt ankle and you can feel it getting worse.

"___, please come down from there. You're going to hurt yourself," Hiro says.

"Oh, I'm sorry," you say. "Didn't you just say that we'd have to get over the fence? That we didn't have time to dig out a space for me to move through?" You laugh dryly. "That's a level of selfishness I'd never seen in you. I didn't expect you to dig out part of the ground for me, or find another way in. I did expect some compassion and support, instead of you anger just because I got hurt while saving your life a couple of days ago."

"I'm sorry! Really, I am!" he calls out. "Just be careful, okay?"

By now, you're at the top of the fence. "Sure thing- whoa!"

There's a growl of a creeper as it walks towards the fence, right at Hiro. You grab your gun out of your belt and aim it, quickly taking out the thing. The blast out of the gun causes you to jerk back. Your grip on the fence loosens, and then you're falling down.

"___!" Hiro screams as you hit the dirt. He grabs the remainder of his things - his bag and Baymax - and starts scrambling up the fence. You're rubbing your ankle as he swings himself gracefully over the fence. He falls on his feet and kneels down next to you. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," you say harshly. Hiro reaches out for you. You move back, your eyes burning into his face.

Hiro's face melts in sadness. "___," he breathes, "I said that I was sorry."

"Is that what you really think of me?" you ask him, tears prodding at the corners of your eyes. "Do you believe that I do nothing but hold you back?"

"No!"

"Then why else would you say something like that?" you question, your anger numbed by sadness.

Hiro looks down in defeat. "I don't... I don't know. I'm so sorry, ___. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I just want to be enough for you," you tell him.

He looks up in alarm. "You are! You're more than enough for me!" He takes your hands and helps you stand up. "Look, I was just being a dumb jerk. I really didn't mean it." One of his hands grabs a fistful of his long hair. "Will you forgive me?"

You smile sadly and nod. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He looks around at the quiet neighborhood before him. All in all, it doesn't look promising. "This is it. It's right now the street here. Are you ready?"

"I think so," you reply. Empty cans litter the road. There aren't any cars, any lights, or any noises. Still, you keep your tiny shred of hope. Mostly for Hiro's sake, of course. You can only imagine the defeat in Hiro if his friends weren't alive. They're the last piece of normality he has. Even you are just a memory of the end of the world, of losing his brother, of losing his normal life.

Your limp is worse by the time Hiro turns the corner. You bite your lip against the pain in your ankle as you press on. Hiro is in good spirits, and who wouldn't be? He's just minutes away from the last people he knows on earth.

Right now, you're just wanting to get inside and sit down. Your ankle throbs as you take step after step. Hiro marches ahead, pointing his gun towards every area of the neighborhood in case of a creeper.

But this neighborhood is quiet and clean. No dead bodies, no undead, just you and Hiro. This gives you a bit of hope. Maybe this Fred guy's home is really secure. Maybe you'll have a chance.

"That's it!" he exclaims. He runs ahead and laughs a sound of relief and happiness. You look up at the giant mansion before you. "There it is! Fred! Honey! Guys!" Hiro turns around to face you, his mouth spread in a large grin. "We're almost there, ___!"

You smile back, genuinely happy for him and for the possible future. Your eyes still haven't left his when then loud bang! explodes into the air and you drop to the ground.