Just long enough
Hiro saw the world different. He knew he did. He saw things in a series of cause and effect, equations and solutions, statistics and risk. He knew that by his physical attributes and height he had near astronomically low chances of being an alpha. He knew how many microbots he had made, the color code of Tadashi’s eye in four different formats, could calculate Mochi’s likely lifespan by factors.
Even if he let himself go there again, he could guess what region he was born in. He could use the laws of Mendelian inheritance to even guess about what his real parents looked like. Not that he cared about them, they had given him up. He knew he would never seek them out. Their knowledge and information to his vast mind was useless.
But he knew other things. More important things.
Like the temperature a human body could withstand before shock would set in. How fast it took for flesh to burn. Experiments and knowledge other people discovered and he kept locked away until he needed them. He knew that even if someone didn’t die from a fire, the shock to the system could kill them.
He knew that without the proper equipment. Without flame retardant layers and an oxygen mask with fresh clean air, if Tadashi stepped into that burning building he would die. Sure Professor Callaghan was a great man. Hiro admired the man and was glad that he accepted him into SFIT. But Hiro could see the future, the cascading horror of what would happen if he stopped fighting with Tadashi on this.
“Someone has to help.” Tadashi insists. Someone does have to help! But not him. He’s not suited for the fire, and even with a glance up Hiro knows he wouldn’t make it through the lobby before the heat or the toxic air killed him.
But Tadashi is twenty-one, he’s alpha, and he’s smart. He thinks he knows best, and his instincts are screaming to protect and help his mentor, and he’s not thinking right now. So Hiro, unable to come up with anything better appeals to the only thing he knows will be enough.
“And who's going to help me when you get yourself killed.” It’s a mean thing to say, cruel, and he’s good at that. Good at knowing how and when to strike. He sees Tadashi struck by the implication of him being alone. Pleading to that over protective alpha who sees him as a brother still. Who thinks he needs protecting even though he could get himself out of just about any kind of trouble on his own. Granted sometimes he took more risks than he should, but he had it handled.
“That’s not going to happen.” Tadashi insisted and worked his arm free of his touch. He watched in stunned confusion. Maybe it was because he wasn’t anything yet. Still sexless by society standards, that that hadn’t worked. He should have been able to plea to the alpha in him and have him wrapped around his finger. But he had failed and Tadashi would die.
Only fate was on his side. Even before he was registering what was happening he was lifted off his feet, heat assaulting his senses and his ears suddenly useless after a deafening noise. His eyes watched Tadashi blown off his feet as well. Traveling back off the stairs he had been trying to ascend to enter the building.
He came to, confused on the ground. Turning he panicked, wondering how he had ended up on the floor. His head aching from the pavement but his brain still working as it offered up a fast action rewind of the explosion. He scanned the area, glad to see Tadashi near him. He wasn’t moving but surely he was still alive.
It took two tries before he could even scramble towards him without falling over. But eventually his balance prevailed and he paused to stare at Tadashi. His hat had been blow off and his face was red, maybe he had burns?
Scared to check for signs of life, he reached out and poked his face. “Wish Baymax was here.” He muttered, maybe he’d do more medical studies. For all his efforts and manipulations to save him he was awarded a groan from Tadashi.
In silence he smiled, not ready to leave his side. Professor Callaghan was dead, but Tadashi was not. And that was the only success that mattered to him at that very moment.