Chapter Text
Pink sunset leaked in through the closed curtains of the room, striping Hiro’s upper torso. He sat alone in his room, a feeling he didn’t think he would ever get used to, and wished he didn’t have to. Downstairs talking could be heard. The low murmur and the somber mood, it was downing him more than he needed. The room felt cold, and the air was still. The whole house held its breath. Hiro couldn’t take it, but it wasn’t his choice anymore. He couldn’t bring Tadashi back. Maybe it wouldn’t have hurt as much is they had found the body, then he would at least say goodbye to his face. But, the building had exploded. Any remains burned in the fire before they could put it out. Hiro was only left with two things: his memories and a hat, which he kept close to him at all times. Aunt Cass tried to cheer Hiro up or at least get him downstairs for the funeral, but he refused with a cold shoulder. He couldn’t face them, any of them. It was…too painful for him. All the sad faces and people talking about him, it made Hiro mad and strangely jealous. It was only two days ago, and it already seemed like this brother was slipping through his fingers.
Hiro looked up at the small picture frame on his desk. Inside was an old picture of him and Tadashi when they were little. Hiro had just gotten a new action figure and Tadashi was telling him about how the amour would work, if it were real. But he couldn’t make that, not yet. It was his brother’s big idea, and Hiro didn’t have a need for it. It was a waste of time anyway. All this inventing and working to make amazing things or upgrade old ones, it didn’t seem to have a point anymore.
A few hours later, after everyone left the house, Hiro decided he should get up before his butt fused to his chair. Taking one more look at the photo, he stood and walked over to his bed, then flopped down face first.
Footsteps approached the door, followed by the sound of the door swinging open. “Hiro? Sweetheart?” Aunt Cass asked, the concern pouring out with every word.
“Mmm?” Was all Hiro could get out with his face having been buried in his covers.
There was a long pause, as if Aunt Cass was trying to get words out but couldn’t. She finally mumbled a quick goodnight and left the room, closing the door behind her.
What felt like hours passed before Hiro summed up the strength to move, but he wasted it on a move that had great consequences. He lifted his head and rested his right cheek against the warm fabric, looking into the darker part of the room, Tadashi’s half. Even the light refused to accept he was gone, avoiding the area to help Hiro imagine that he was still laying over there, curled up under the blankets, snoring softly. Hiro’s heart raced as he got a small sliver of hope that maybe, just maybe, he had suffered a bad dream. That he would climb off the bed, go over to the divider, and see the outline of his brother’s strong built body popping out of the square shape of the bed. But, just as he got to his knees and started to reach out to grab the edge of the bed, his heart sank. The shadows lightened as he rose, and the bed’s outline was straight, not a fault in it. A hole formed inside Hiro. This was it, the last straw. He couldn’t take it anymore. All the emotions, the hiding his thoughts and feelings from others, it all came crashing down on him. Hiro collapsed to his elbows, and he wept.