band aids

ii - beat up

(A/N: Yo i had a brainchild and all my chapters are gonna start with B like i am a hella rad genius i--
Hiro is 8, Tadashi's 12. Also sorry if i really like dialogue a lot.)

"What were you thinking?" Tadashi propped Hiro's bruised legs further up around his waist as the younger tightened his arms around his brother's neck and held the umbrella that shielded the duo from the pelting rain up higher above Tadashi's head.

Hiro buried his face in his brother's back and mumbled against the cotton shirt. "It wasn't my fault. They started it."

"And you fought back?"

"Well, yeah."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to show them they can't mess with me just because i'm the genius and they're not."

"Uh huh..." Tadashi replied listlessly, then skipped over a puddle and did a double take. "Wait, what? Did you ever consider the consequences?"

"Sorry."

"Being irrational isn't going to make things better, Hiro."

"Sooorry."

The brothers were silent for the rest of the journey Tadashi piggy-backed Hiro back home, barely managing to escape Aunt Cass, who was sure to have a fit when she saw Hiro's wounds.

It was the fourth time this month.

Hiro wasn't one to trigger anyone, never did. He kept to himself at school, and occasionally, just occasionally, would point out the mistakes of his school mates, that x was really equal to 6 and not 24.

That was what got him into this situation.

He really had to learn to keep his smart-ass in check sometimes.

Lesson one, never point out a bully's mistakes.

Lesson two, never go up against the school bully.

"You think just because you're so smart, you can get whatever you want? Get lost, asian wimp."

Had it not been Tadashi running to his rescue, Hiro wouldn't have escaped with only a pair of bruised legs, gashes and minor wounds on his arms and a black eye.

For crying out loud, the kid was only 8, and a super-genius. Super geniuses didn't have to be discriminated from society.

Tadashi sighed and used one hand to fumble for the door handle, while the other struggling to hoist Hiro up because he kept slipping, and chiding him for shaking rainwater from the umbrella all over the carpet.

After setting his brother on the bed, he slid out the first aid kit from under the bed numbly and retrieved the bandages and disinfectant from the cupboard. It had become a mechanical routine for him, the beat ups happening way too frequently.

The older brother bunched up Hiro's sleeve, revealing a raw gash, when he'd scrape his arm on the rough concrete earlier. The younger whimpered and tugged at his arm uselessly when Tadashi brought the anti bacterial wipe up to his forearm.

"No! It's gonna hurt."

Tadashi lowered the wet tissue. The clinical scent lingered in the air between the brothers. "Doesn't it hurt now? We can't risk getting it infected, Hiro."

"Tadashi no..NoNONO WHAT ARE YOU DO--OW! OWOWOW 'DASHI!"

"Sheesh. It's not even bleeding, Hiro." His brother bit the corner of his lip as he gently swiped the cloth over the wound multiple times. Hiro's eyes watered. It stung like hell.

"It hurts!" Hiro winced and bit his cheek, hoping to numb the pain. Soon, the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth.

"Real men don't cry." Tadashi said simply.

"If you had gotten hit by a truck, would you have said the same?" Hiro sassed.

"An hour ago you insisted you were fine." Tadashi quipped, remembering when he had worriedly rushed to help his brother up.

"Hiro! Oh crap, are you okay? What happened? Does it hurt? OH MY GOD your face is bruised! What did they do to you?"

"I'm fine, Tadashi." Hiro gripped his brother's arm and stood up, his voice lilting with false cheeriness. He took a step forward and limped, crashing into his brother's outstretched arms.

"Hiro!"

"It's okay, Nii-san, I can walk." He plastered a grin on his face and teethered forward catiously.

"But--"

"I'm fine."

Tadashi's heart sank. It was useless arguing with Hiro.

"If you say so. But i'm carrying you home."

"Tadashi, I'm hungry." Hiro whined, snapping the 12 year old out of his daze. Tadashi began applying the disinfectant carefully on his brother's arm as Hiro squirmed helplessly.

"Alright. Soon, then we'll go downstairs for a snack."

"Okay..." Hiro mumbled and watched his brother pull out a sheet of drawing block from under the bed. The pain scale from three years ago.

The corners were creased and torn, the faces discoloured and the paper yellowed and crinkled, but Tadashi had continued using it faithfully throughout the many accidents involving Hiro.

"On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your pain?"

"Seven." Hiro mumbled, swinging his feet back amd forth.

This time, Tadashi wrapped the knee in gauze and brushed off the remaining gravel and dirt off his brother's arm, sticking a few robot - printed bandages on various patches of red. Hiro poked them and smiled his toothy grin despite the pain.

His older brother pulled out a linty green lollipop and handed it to Hiro, who scrunched up his nose. He had gotten used to cherry.

"Lime?"

"Change is good."

"Hmph." Hiro frowned, but fingered the glass-like candy anyway.