Work Text:
Hiro was getting to the age where most people would've at least had a serious crush if not a romantic relationship by then. However, no matter how much he tried to force himself to enjoy the idea, it just didn't happen, and he was beginning to think there was something wrong with him.
"Tadashi?" he asked, standing in his brother's doorway. The older boy turned away from whatever work he was chipping away at and focused his attention on his younger brother.
"What's up?"
"Why haven't I had a girlfriend yet?" he asked, a nervous expression on his face. Tadashi faltered for a brief moment, because that just hadn't been what he was expecting, but his expression quickly softened again as he processed the question.
"Well, is it possible you want a boyfriend instead?"
"No" Hiro shook his head. That wasn't right. "I'm not gay"
"Well, it's okay if you are, I mean-"
"I don't like anyone" Hiro cut him off. The room was silent for a minute and Hiro was getting ready to backtrack but Tadashi mercifully broke the silence.
"Oh"
"Something's wrong with me, huh?" Hiro asked, a sad acceptance in his voice. He was broken, he knew it. However, contrary to this notion, Tadashi shook his head.
"There's nothing wrong with you" the older boy assured. "Some people just don't want a relationship. My friend Fred is like that"
"Really?" Hiro asked, hope filling his features. He'd heard plenty about Fred- The certified goofball of Tadashi's friend group. If someone that cool was like him, then maybe he wasn't completely broken after all...
"Yeah" Tadashi confirmed. "He had a word for it- Aromantic? Asexual? I didn't ask him a whole lot about it, to be honest" he admitted with an apologetic chuckle. "I'm sure you'll meet him in due time though"
"He's like me..."
"Yep" Tadashi said. Silence gripped the room once more but it was not tense like before. After another moment, his face softened. "Thank you for trusting me with this, Hiro"
"Thanks for listening"
"Eh" Tadashi shrugged. "It's what big brothers are for"