Chapter Text
Tadashi realized how stupid he was being a moment too late. Stupid hero complex was going to get him killed someday, probably today. He thought to himself as he used his arms to shield his face from the heat as best as he could.
“Professor Callaghan!” He yelled but his voice wasn’t as loud as it could be, his throat was clogged up with heat and smoke.
Why did he run in here?
What on earth possessed him to leave Hiro behind like that?
He was going to pass out from the heat for sure but a support beam had fallen over the doors as he ran in so there was no way to go but forward. Of course forward was a fiery maw that could rival the deepest pits of hell and Tadashi wasn’t wearing any kind of protective suit.
This was the end. He was going to die. He couldn’t see, his eyes were watering and his skin was blistering from the heat. In his mind he begged Hiro for forgiveness and prayed that his little brother would be ok. Wanting to focus on something other than the pain he thought of a few moments ago, standing outside with his brother. The moon was bright and full tonight and cast the nicest lighting over the gardens. Hiro had just won entrance into SFIT and he had looked so happy. He was so proud of Hiro.
Then Tadashi slipped on ice and fell on his ass.
As smart as Tadashi was he couldn’t quite figure out what was happening as a sudden cool wind seemed to propel him forward and soon his was sliding along a trail of ice rather clumsily.
The ice trail melted quickly behind him but seemed to materialize in front of him fast enough to keep him going. He soon gained momentum and was speeding through the flaming building. The ice formed crude ramps in places and managed to launch Tadashi over many flaming obstacles before propelling him even faster forward.
He was turned suddenly and he was speeding towards a large window overlooking one of the ponds out the back of the hall. He was horrified for a moment thinking he was going to end up a splatter against the reinforced glass but as he approached it the window frosted over. The temperature seemed to drop so suddenly on the window that it cracked and shattered, allowing Tadashi to be launched out of it relatively unscathed. With the heat of the fire, the sudden cold must have shattered the glass, he explained to himself as he crashed down into the shallow water.
He spluttered and splashed but was soon sitting upright in the pond. The cool water felt amazing on his skin. As he turned to look at the burning building a sudden explosion seemed to tear through it and Tadashi ducked and covered his head.
His ears were ringing, his head was pounding and his body felt like a burnt piece of toast. But he was alive.
He was alive! Tadashi couldn’t help but do a little triumphant fist pump to celebrate, wincing slightly as he agitated his burns.
A quick self-inventory proved that he wasn’t actually hurt that badly. His burns were mostly comprised of a few heat blisters and what felt like a bad sunburn over most of his body. He would definitely heal. It wouldn’t be pleasant but Baymax would be able to help him recover. He also had a few cuts from his daring, sliding escape.
The ice! Tadashi, ever the man of science and logic, had absolutely no idea how he’d managed to slide on ice out of a burning building.
As he tried to work out how exactly something so impossible happened his attention was drawn to a small patch of frost on the pond a little bit in front of him. It was over at the opposite edge of the pool, next to the pretty bushes decorating the edges. As Tadashi noticed the frost on the water he also noticed that some of the leaves closest to the frost had started to change from green to their Autumn browns. A puzzle piece seemed to click in his head. He remembered a poem he’d read to Hiro when he was little.
Once you eliminate the impossible whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.
“Jack Frost.” Tadashi whispered. All of a sudden he was no longer alone in the pond. In fact, there was a very angry young man hopping up and down in front of him, standing on a patch of frost on the water as though it were the most solid structure in the world.
“-just do that to people!” Jack hadn’t noticed Tadashi saying his name and seemed to be in the middle of a rant at the sky. “He has a brother! A family! You can’t just take him away from all that on a whim - you silent piece of shit!” He was really worked up about something. Tadashi guessed that at least part of it was to do with him. He was slim and pale, his hair was lighter than the moon and his skin was smooth like alabaster. He was wearing an old, blue hoodie with faded brown pants with ties around his calves. With his bare feet he looked kind of homeless, and at the same time Tadashi was struck by how beautiful he was. Long legs, slim waist and Tadashi may have had to force his eyes away from his ass. He wasn’t checking out Jack Frost. Not at all, must have a concussion or something.
He felt a light blush warm his cheeks. That was definitely it. Probably hit his head without even noticing.
Tadashi’s attention was drawn back to the winter spirit when he yelled some very loud, and very creative, insults at the… moon? Maybe?
Jack gave an angry huff, “Well you’re not gonna get him! I’ll stay by his side 24/7 if I have to, you egotistical, insane, cowardly son of a bitch!” As he was speaking a snowball appeared in his hand and he launched it at the sky. It was a valiant effort, it actually flew quite far, but of course came nowhere near it’s intended target.
“Jack Frost?” Tadashi couldn’t help but speak as Jack readied another snowball.
Jack paused, mid-throw, and looked over at Tadashi. His face morphed from anger to shock ridiculously quickly.
Jack’s mouth opened and closed a couple of times and the snowball fell from his hand. Jack was completely shocked. There was no way this man could see him; he was a young man but an adult nonetheless. He had some kid believers since the battle with Pitch but never any adults. Even the kids that believed in him grew out of it eventually. Well not Jamie, but he was special. So Jack may or may not have been completely ill-prepared to be seen by anyone, least of all Tadashi.
Jack didn’t believe it at first, so he took a few steps forward. Tadashi’s eyes followed him. He took a few steps backwards. Tadashi still watched him, although now a brow was quirked curiously. He flew up a little and then landed back down on his little frost patch on the water. Still Tadashi seemed to be watching him. Feeling like he should end his little show with a flourish he leant his staff against his body and raised his hands. Jack fluttered them a little, jazz hands!
“What are you doing?”
Jack grabbed his staff and held it tightly with both hands. “You… can you actually see me?” His voice was soft and full of… hope? Or disbelief? It was difficult for Tadashi to tell.
“Yes?” Tadashi answer sounded more like a question. He was in a word: baffled.
Jack ran a hand through his messy, white hair. “Wow, this… this is different.” Jack tilted his head and then shot a glare back up at the moon. “But it doesn’t change anything.” He turned back to Tadashi. “Look just… Some stuff is going on and I don’t really have time to explain. I will when I get back, but for now, just stay at home as much as possible. It’s not safe out at night.” Jack explained in a rush and then glared up at the moon again. “Specially not during a full moon.” He spat at the offending circle.
Tadashi had absolutely no idea what was going on or how he was supposed to react to what was going on. He was sitting in a pond, next to a building that was on fire, talking to a – spirit? – who had just saved his life? With ice… in the middle of a raging inferno…
Tadashi was usually quite calm and levelheaded in almost every situation but right now he would quite happily admit (at least to himself) that he was beginning to seriously question his sanity, which in turn was making him have a mild meltdown.
“Hey, Tadashi, look at me.” Tadashi looked up at the unexpected sound of his name and directly into Jack’s crystal blues, “It’s going to be alright. You’re going to be alright. Your family probably thinks you’re dead. Head home as soon as you can and I’ll meet you when I’m finished. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” Jack smiled brilliantly, showing off his strong jawline and perfect teeth. “I am a Guardian after all.”
Tadashi nodded.
Jack took off into the air and left only a few snowflakes in his wake. Tadashi looked at the quickly melting patch of ice where Jack had been standing. The leaves of the little plant by the water side were still brown. This was really happening. Tadashi had almost died tonight. And he was saved by someone he didn’t even think existed.
Tadashi Hamada had just been saved by Jack Frost.