I'm Still Here (Hiro x Reader)

Chapter Ten

| Hiro's POV |

"No, that won't work out. Too much pressure," Hiro mumbles to himself as he rubs his head. He winces at the sharp pain from his headache. He shakes his head and closes his eyes. What is he missing here? He's been at this all night, only getting about two hours of sleep right here at his desk. Crumpled bags of gummy bears scatter the floor and desk. He hasn't moved in hours.

"Hey, knucklehead," his brother greets him as he steps inside the garage.

"Hey," Hiro says, typing away on his computer. He yawns and leans back. "Um, what time is it?"

"Almost three," he says. Tadashi sighs as he notices his brother's drooping eyelids and his slumped figure. "You were up all night. Again."

"Yeah, I just . . . I need. . ." He yawns and lays his head on his desk. "I need more gummy bears. And soda."

Tadashi laughs softly. "Feeling stuck?" He asks, leaning over his brother's shoulder and examining the notes.

Hiro rubs his eyes and sits up. "Yeah, sort of. I was going to have an ear piece that could translate the messages sent from your brain to the microbots, but the ear piece keeps picking up different signals. I'm getting radio signals, TV signals. . . it doesn't pick up what you're thinking."

"You could try a headband," you say. Hiro turns his head when you walk into the garage and set your backpack on the ground. "I'm sure you can figure out how to get it to read your thoughts by some super nerdy experiment."

Hiro gasps. "You're right. That's brilliant. It'll take a little extra work, sure, but I could make it happen. You're actually pretty smart, ___."

Tadashi smiles at you. "Are you staying for dinner?"

"If Cass says it's okay, I guess," you say.

"Of course Aunt Cass will say that it's okay," Hiro says. He rolls his eyes. "She loves you. More than us, I think."

Tadashi laughs. "He's right. She loves you. She's already planning yours and Hiro's wedding." He winks at you. Hiro elbows his brother in the side, his whole face glowing red. Tadashi laughs at him. "I'm going to go tell Cass that you're here." He jogs out of the garage. Hiro goes back to typing away. He pauses every few seconds to rub his eyes.

"Tired?" You ask him.

"Yeah, I didn't get much sleep last night," He says. As if to prove his point, he lets out another loud yawn. He's so lost to the world that he jumps when you set a bottle of soda on his desk.

"I picked this up after school today. I figured you would need it."

Hiro twists off the cap and grins. "How do you know me so well?" He brings the bottle to his lips and takes huge gulps, trying to get as much caffeine in his system as possible.

"Is there something you need me to do?" you ask.

"Yeah," he says. "We've got to make the neuro cranial transmitter." He stands up and walks to his tool box.

"The what-mitter?" You ask.

"Your idea?" He states patiently.

"Oh, right. The headband," you reply.

Hiro laughs and shakes his head. "You know, I'm starting to take back what I said before. You're not smart."

You gasp. "Ouch! And after I brought you soda, too. Cruel."

"Hey, I appreciate it," he says, laughing again. "Come on." He grabs the tools he needs and starts heading back towards his workstation. You don't budge. "___, really?"

"You hurt my feelings, Hiro," you joke, turning away and crossing your arms.

Hiro rolls his eyes. "I'll make it up to you."

"How?" you ask.

He sighs. "I'll ask Tadashi if he can order pizza. Sound good?"

You smile at him. "How do you know me so well?"