Take a Break
"Tadashi, come on. Leave that for now; it's past midnight already."
"Can't," he answered without missing a beat. His voice was distant, despite sitting a few feet away, hunched over his desk. The table lamp illuminated the wooden surface with a glowing circle, with the residual light casting a pale yellow on the floor.
Hiro sighed and dragged the covers off. He hadn't seen Tadashi like this for a while. His eyes were lasers, pointed and focused, as he concentrated on the task at hand. This newest undertaking had initiated an unhealthy cycle of early mornings and late nights, sustained by a troubling caffeine habit that, by now, had probably done serious damage to his insides.
He padded over. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't sleep with that light in his eyeline.
"Do you mind getting me some more coffee?" Tadashi held out his empty mug without tearing his gaze away from his work.
Hiro ripped the cup from his hand and set it down just out of reach. "No. No more coffee. You've had enough."
"But I need it..." Tadashi's voice trailed away into a pitiful whimper, and for a second, Hiro felt a tug in his heart and actually considered brewing a fresh pot.
"What are you doing again?" Hiro knew that Tadashi had already explained it a million times, but he needed to distract him from the siren's call of the caffeinated drink.
"I'm upgrading Baymax's speed function. He keeps telling me how he is 'not fast,' and that is not a good thing in an emergency."
"Right..." Taking another look at Tadashi's horrific posture, Hiro dug his thumbs into his back, hoping to loosen some of the knots that had twisted themselves into his muscles. They were like rocks.
Tadashi hissed, tensing up. "That hurts."
Hiro relaxed his motions. "Yeah, no kidding." He was no chiropractor, but even he could see the strain this was taking on his brother. Still, he managed to find a shred of humor in it all. This situation was quite a switch from their younger days when Hiro would run himself into the ground with projects and Tadashi would have to force him away from his desk to sleep. Or when he bought him a surplus of vitamin C tablets to make sure his immune system didn't crash and burn. Now that the roles were reversed, Hiro gained a new appreciation for Tadashi and the lengths he went to in order to ensure he stayed well. He also realized that Tadashi was just as stubborn as he was when it came to receiving and taking medical advice.
"This stress will kill you," he said in his best matter-of-fact voice, stopping the massage altogether.
The older boy fidgeted in his seat. "I have to finish, Hiro. There's a deadline. Callaghan is breathing down my neck to get it done by next week before the official presentation."
Hiro knew that it was important, but Tadashi's health took priority. There would be no presentation to give if he was too sick to attend. He decided that if nagging Tadashi to do as he asked for his own well-being wasn't the answer, he had to try another tactic. He splayed his fingers over Tadashi's shoulders and snaked his hands down his arms. Like a pseudo-hug from behind, he curled into his form and nestled his lips by the shell of his left ear.
"'Dashi...?"
"Hiro..."
The response was a whine; a drawn out plea.
He nipped at the soft flesh of his ear and swiped his tongue over the lobe. Tadashi's weak spot.
"Come on. Take a break. Just a little one. Please...? It'll be fun."
He could tell that Tadashi was trying to resist, but his resolve was melting faster than the bit of remaining snow on the first day of spring. "Y-yeah?" His voice wavered with anticipation. "What are you going to do?"
Hiro chuckled low in his throat. A dangerous and enticing sound. "Don't want to ruin the surprise now, do we?"
The wrench in Tadashi's hand fell from his grasp with a muted clatter, the noise eclipsed by a muffled groan of defeat. "Move back."
He swiveled around in his chair and collected Hiro into his arms, pulling him into his lap. At nineteen, Hiro was far too heavy to be sitting there, but Tadashi didn't seem to mind. Both craved that sort of proximity as much as they could get it. Hiro nuzzled his face into Tadashi's chest, inhaling his warmth with a contented sigh. A faint laugh brought his attention to Tadashi's expression of hooded eyes and crooked smile.
"You're going to be the death of me, you know that?" Tadashi whispered with a small shake of his head.
A grin crept across Hiro's features. He would never admit it out loud, but he loved having that effect on his brother. To be the person who had the ability to make him shiver with just a touch, or have him bend to his will with a simple look. No words were spoken on the matter, but Hiro suspected that Tadashi enjoyed it, as well.
Tadashi brushed Hiro's jawline with his fingertips before closing the gap between them, capturing his lips in a tender exchange. A shock ran down the teen's spine. Tadashi had that power over him, too.
Without breaking the kiss, Tadashi slipped one arm under his knees and the other cradling his back.
Hiro giggled against his mouth as Tadashi stood and strode to the opposite corner of the room to his bed. If asked, being held like he was a new bride was the funniest thing to ever happen to him.
Carefully, Tadashi lowered him onto the mattress, but due to the awkward position, they were forced to part. Hiro gave a petulant cry at the loss of contact, but the slight blush that dusted his cheeks indicated that he could use a breather.
"I'm coming, knucklehead," Tadashi assured. He clicked off the lamp on his desk, plunging the space into darkness, save for the silvery streaks of moonlight coming in through the window.
He then returned to his side of the room and climbed into bed, finding a place next to Hiro.
Once Tadashi was laying down, Hiro draped the blanket over them so it covered the pair from head to toe. Their shared body heat was now sealed in, creating a warm and cozy environment.
"Is this the surprise? An indoor camping trip?" Tadashi asked, amusement evident in his voice.
"Yes, it is," Hiro said, attempting to assert a tone of authority. "You need to rest. I'm worried about you."
He felt two arms wrap around his middle and draw him in. "I know. You're right."
"The sun'll be up in a few hours and then you can get back to work," Hiro promised, hoping to relax Tadashi's mind so he wouldn't waste precious time thinking about what he had to do.
"Fine." Tadashi leaned in to press their noses together. "Just as long as you help me. I need that big brain of yours to figure out the last string of code."
"Deal."
Tadashi kissed him again, even more gentle than the one before. "Alright. Goodnight, Hiro. I love you."
Hiro closed his eyes and let the steady rhythm of his brother's heart lull him to sleep. "'Night."