Memories {Tadashi x Reader}

Tadashi Cracks the Shell

You were still a little weary of Hiro, but Tadashi had apologized to you for all of his actions. Tadashi had started making more appearances day to day. He would pop into your lab and just talk to you for a few minutes before going back to his lab.

You were starting to enjoy his company and not dreading talking to him. He was now remotely easy to have a conversation with.

You were close to finishing your entire outline for the finished exo-suit. You would soon be able to make changes to the prototype.

There was a knock on the door and you knew it was Tadashi.

"Come in," you called over your shoulder.

"Hey," Tadashi greeted. "I was wondering if you wanted to have lunch with me and my friends. You always eat in your lab, but you could always join us."

"Uh, I don't know," you said slowly. "How many friends are you talking? It's taken me almost a month just to be able to have a conversation with you, I don't know about a crowd."

"Oh, sorry," Tadashi rubbed the back of his neck. "I forgot about your shyness. I guess it's because you are more comfortable with me now."

"Yeah, sorry about that," you lightly said, but you could hear the bitterness in your own voice. It wasn't directed to Tadashi at all, but at your shyness. Tadashi was opening up to you and willing to let you meet his other friends, but you couldn't handle the anxiety of a crowd of people asking you questions quickly.

Tadashi must have herd the bitterness, because his eyes suddenly widened and he quickly said 'goodbye' and left.

You mentally kicked yourself, you may have just lost Tadashi, your only friend.

After a while if thinking, you grabbed your lunch and decided to head to the cafeteria. You were going to push yourself and make yourself face Tadashi's other friends.

You mustered up the courage to open up the door to the cafeteria, but immediately regretted it.

There were people everywhere.

After you opened the door, someone bumped into you, making you get pushed into the mass of people. You were getting smacked around like a volleyball. You ended up on the floor after a while of being batted around.

You curled up and tried not to get stepped on. You tried to imagine that everyone's eyes weren't on you, and that the walls weren't closing in on you. You felt absolutely terrified and helpless.

"___?" You didn't hear the voice, but you did feel a hand grip your shoulder.

It was Tadashi. He was kneeling next to you, a trey of food on the ground next to him. Somehow, he wasn't being tossed around.

He saw the panic in your eyes and he immediately helped you up and away from the crowd. Before you knew it, you were in your lab.

"Are you okay?" Tadashi asked.

"I-I'm fine," you choked out. Lie. You just had a panic attack. You hadn't had one of those in two months.

"Diagnostic: Anxiety levels are extremely high," came a robotic voice, "Effects of a 'panic attack'."

That was when you realized that you weren't in your lab. You were in Tadashi's.

You looked over and you saw a unfinished robot. There was a bright blue light scanning you.

"A panic attack?" Tadashi asked. He seemed to be looking for confirmation.

You nodded slightly. You didn't want anyone to know about them.

Tadashi gave you a small smile and pulled you in for a hug, "It's alright, your safe."

When he pulled away he asked, "Why were you even in there?"

"I was looking f-for you," you stuttered. You were still shaking slightly.

"What? Why?" Tadashi questioned, "I thought you didn't want to."

"W-Well I did want to," you softly said, "but I didn't want to look stupid in front of all your friends."

"So you went to the cafeteria when it was most crowded to find my friends and I?" Tadashi asked, you could see something in his eyes that said he was proud that you at least tried to go.

You nodded as your gaze shifted to the floor.

"Well, I'm very proud of you," Tadashi said. "You faced a crowd, just so you could do something for me, I guess you like me more than I thought."

You were so glad he couldn't see your face, because you could feel your face heat up at that comment.

Then you realized, you had done it for Tadashi. You had done it so he would approve of you more. You had done it to make him proud.

::;;::;;::

Tadashi was the first to crack your shell.