Steadfast Soldier

Suit Up

He was never one for crowds. Even when he had presented at the showcase, Hiro had only a small lapse of confidence, which dwindled over time. There wasn't a crowd in front of him, but the various sets of eyes staring at him made him internally cringe. He couldn't read everyone's expressions, finding them difficult to decipher. Wanda was closest to him, but she only smiled with an encouraging tug of her lips. She, too, knew how it felt to face judgment through stares. Hiro laughed nervously, lowering his hand from the air as his eyes trailed over each face. Steve Rogers, the massive man that he was, stared at what Hiro assumed was right through him. Blue eyes seemed to hold concern and slight irritation. Great, he probably thinks this is a joke, Hiro thought. Sam's eyes were squinted, as if trying to see if Hiro had anything promising about him. Scott reached out a hand, resting it on Hiro's shoulder and guided him forward.

Hiro's legs felt numb as he stumbled, somehow feeling as if he was shrinking beneath Steve's shadow. It wasn't that the man was intimidating in the worst sense, but he was an icon to most and a hero to many. Despite working alongside Hank and Scott with training, he had never been in the presence of someone like Steve Rogers, the one man who held the power to turn him away or send him home. There were so many things he wanted to say, so many questions he had; thoughts of Bucky swirled up into his mind and he almost blurted out the entire story. Each question, statement and solitary word clogged in his throat and he felt a lump forming. He was nervous, and it was beginning to show with the way he simply stared. Scott's hand nudged him forward one last time and Hiro suddenly found that Steve was tall.

He took a deep breath and tried to settle his nerves. Breathe, Tadashi would say. One, two, and a third breath for good measure before he straightened up and mustered up all the confidence he had left in him, standing in the man's shadow.
"H-Hi, Captain America- Steve. Sir."
Nailed it.
"I mean, not that you're old or anything," Hiro said, "I mean, maybe kind of, but, you know- you look great for someone your age-."
"How old are you?"

The question was quick and cut right through his nervous stammers. Hiro was slightly grateful for the interjection, knowing he would have continued to endure the train wreck falling from his mouth, but the way he asked sounded judgmental. Hiro glanced back at Scott and lifted a brow in a silent question. The man waved his hand, motioning for him to continue talking to Steve. Brown eyes slowly dragged back towards the blonde and he frowned, shoulders slumping.
"Seventeen."
"He's seventeen."
"So? Wanda isn't exactly an adult either," Clint commented, arms crossing. Hiro was mildly surprised to hear the man defending him, but his intelligent mind reminded him that he was just another body for their team. "We could use his help, Cap."
"He's a child."
"Isn't everyone a child compared to you?"

All eyes flicked towards Hiro, a few shocked, a few amused, but most of them surprised to hear the sarcasm from the boy when he was all nerves moments ago. Even Hiro caught himself, blinking as he tried to find a way to excuse himself. Perhaps it was because he was so used to being around people like Scott, his Aunt and Tadashi- they were people who knew him and understood his bland humor. Calling Steve old was not something he thought the man would appreciate and he had only thought of that once the words fell from his lips. Steve, who had spent years encased in ice and forced to age in a time he should have never made it to, being called old. Hiro was sure the joke was already made numerous times, but he didn't want to offend the other- that was the last thing he wanted. He offered a nervous smile, shrugging his shoulders sheepishly.
"Sorry," he said softly, looking off to the side. Steve sighed and looked behind himself, staring at someone further back, hidden behind the odd vehicle selection of a get-away car.
"You never told me he was so young."

There was a gravity to the soldier's voice that made Hiro frown. Similar to exhaustion, his voice held a weight to it, pushing down on the current situation. Genius or not, Hiro was still human and his initial reaction to a heavy voice was to back down from the offensive game, even if there was no offense to begin with. He lifted a hand, scratching his hair and sighing, shoulders heaving as Steve turned his back to him. The last thing he wanted to do was inconvenience a team of heroes well beyond his reach; they were a real team, made up of the strongest heroes that defended the planet. Saving San Fransokyo from Yokai was one thing, but saving the world was another and he knew that they knew he'd never done so before. All of a sudden, Hiro felt small and shifted a step back, retreating towards the comfort of the vehicle they had arrived in. He was out of his league here and he knew it.
"Uh, listen, I can get back in the van-."
"Hiro."