Growing up
Tadashi can’t help but be a little proud of Hiro. His little brother is flourishing in the face of the disaster. Everyone is still slow, sad, and coping with the loss of their favorite mentor. Even Honey isn’t smiling as brightly, but they are trying. It makes Hiro stand out- but he’s doing okay. He’s already been privately commissioned by the construction companies to develop more robots to help fix the school, new creations to replace his loss of the microbots. He had put so much work into that project and it had gone up in the fire. And with the near endless budget the company had given him- well, Hiro was an excitable ball of energy.
He had only been sad a week before he shook off the events of that night. Tadashi was still trying not to resent him for his happiness. Callaghan was dead and he could have done something. Maybe… He’d like to think he could have made a difference. But Hiro was doing it now while he nursed a broken wrist and was downing pills to stop all the aches his fall had caused him.
He sat on the couch eyeing his brother. He’d have a growth spurt any day now, he was hitting that age. Maybe he’d finally reveal his nature. He busied himself with these thoughts as Hiro ran his fingers over the screen designing another bot. He didn’t have the protective behaviour of an alpha. Nor the height or build, but it wasn’t impossible for an alpha to be a runt. But he did have the attitude of an alpha, albeit a kind alpha. He didn’t demand, but he was cunning and forward. That could be due to his intelligence. It was hard to tell.
He watched him stare mindlessly at the screen. No doubt testing ideas and code and waiting for a positive response. A beta was the most likely answer. That safe in-between that was free of pheromone lures and able to fall in love again and again so long as their heart could take it. Absently he licked his teeth, his ingrained urge to bite and bond making itself known. Betas could come in any shape and size, any temperament, just like Aunt Cass and his mother had been.
The least likely he supposed was an omega. Hiro could care, did care, but it took time for him to grow to like someone. He knew it was because of his time at school, people mocking him for his height and asking him if he was lost. Hiro was most definitely not an omega. He could understand how the biological imperative worked, but he couldn’t understand the mindless lust that could over take an alpha or omega. Hiro no doubt thought his mind could conquer all of that.
He had never been the victim of the alluring scent of an omega. He could not understand the blind lust and need it filled someone with. Or even a poor omega suddenly overcome with the need to be mounted, that anyone would do. Yes, beta would be the forgiving thing for the gods and fates to bless him with.
“I’m going to order pizza Tadashi. Leave me at least two slices I have an early day tomorrow.” Hiro muttered; rubbing his face as he stood up from his desk. Tadashi watched his brother shuffle around the room. Clear signs of a small block in his creative process that he needed to brood on.
“You do? Did you forget classes are delayed until after noon?” The fire had only destroyed parts of the campus. The administration fought with scheduling and relocation so that education could still reign despite the loss.
“I’ve got free range of the lab to make my prototypes for the construction crew. I’ve gotta come up with a name for that thing before then. Maybe Kaoru can help me.” He gave a dismissive wave, spinning on his heels again, but Tadashi was hearing static.
“Who’s Kaoru?” He dared, wondering if he’d even be able to hear him over the sudden odd noise. It was as confusing and deafening as the fire had been.
“A senior I met, he’s a biomedical engineer. You should know him. He’s trying to make an operating table that is also- you know what I don’t really know. He’s kind of protective of his work. He doesn’t tell me much.” Hiro gave a shrug, picking up his phone.
Tadashi stared at him, surprised at how distracted his brother was. But even more surprised that he had made a new friend in a week! Didn’t sound like much of a friend, but if he racked his brain he was sure that Hiro was speaking the truth. He knew of a student trying to developing an operating table with all the traditional medical equipment to track a patient’s vitals. Their scanning software was developed at the same time, his was better.
“He’s a cool nerd. We’re taking bets on what I’ll be.” Hiro gave him a toothy grin.
He frowned. He was so out of it he hadn’t even caught what kind of pizza he had ordered.
“You guys were talking about that?” Hiro is looking at him. That toothy smile and those innocent eyes looking right at him. Hiro doesn’t understand why he thinks it’s wrong.
“Yeah. He thought I was lost. When I told him I was a student at nerd school too he really opened up. Was surprised I was so young, didn’t even have scents yet. Then we got to talking about my likelihood of secondary gender.” Tadashi saw the way his brother looked away. He wasn’t telling him the whole story. But what else could be said? He knew Hiro wouldn’t open up if he hadn’t already on what had been said, or worse? Maybe he’d have to watch his brother, make sure he wasn’t being bullied in school.
“Two slices of pizza, right? Well I’m going to shower, eat, and sleep. What time do you need to be up?” He’s sweeping this conversation under the rug for now. He would not forget it, and he’d make time to talk to Kaoru.
He was already half up and off the couch when Hiro surprised him again. “Don’t worry about it. Kaoru is coming to pick me up. How else do you think he’s going to help me name stuff?”
“Okay.” He grumbled out, and left before he started fighting with him. He wasn’t seeing reason right now. He was hurting from Callaghan being dead. He was just being unreasonable to the idea that Hiro was actually growing up. Kaoru didn’t need to be talking about his gender to his brother, but the rest was fair.
-
Tadashi repeated that thought again as he watched his brother walk out the cafe doors with Kaoru. His little brother waking up on his own to meet up with a new friend he really knew nothing about. The way Hiro grinned and laughed when Kaoru talked to him. All of it bothered him, and he told himself not to say anything. He was just being far too protective.
But if he was honest with himself as he watched the older man walk away next to his brother.
No one should be filling that spot but him.