#tadashi

day one: meeting you

"welcome to the lucky cat cafe." tadashi's pavlov'd response came from behind the counter at the sound of the entrance bell ringing. he had his back turned to the door and whoever walked in, busy operating the ancient espresso machine his aunt cass refused to get rid of. by the time he turned around the customer was already standing at the counter, absentmindedly fiddling with her fingers. he began speaking the typical barista script before his eyes even met their face: "what can i do for-" looking up at them for the first time, his words caught in his mouth. he had only stumbled over his words terribly a few times in his life, but this particular instance definitely took the cake. he stared, mouth slightly agape and eyes wide. he was fumbling to remember how his typical line went before he accepted defeat, shook his head, cleared his throat, and said with an embarrassed awkward chuckle: "sorry about that. long day.. uhm, what can i get for you, ma'am?"

tadashi could say with full confidence that standing before him was the most gorgeous girl he'd ever seen in his entire life. from the very top of her head all the way down to her shoes, she was all around perfect. he fumbled with his notepad and pen, struggling to regain control of his motor skills and the burning blush creeping up the back of his neck up to the tips of his ears. he managed to stop gaping and tried to make his face look as normal as possible as he gave her his full attention, but was still visibly embarrassed and in awe.

the girl giggled awkwardly, a little embarrassed. not for him like you would think, but for herself. she thought maybe she had scared him by standing at the counter instead of waiting for him to turn around before approaching it. maybe her hair was messy, maybe she had something in her teeth, maybe he could just sense that she was the biggest nerd ever. "uh- hi, i've never been here before, so i'm not sure what's good.. what would you recommend?" her voice was gentle and smooth but timid, like she was talking to a small child or a deer. her response was not what the boy was expecting her to say, and also he was only half listening because his mind was screaming with 'oh my gosh she's so beautiful i sounded so stupid how could anyone stutter that many times in a single sentence', but luckily for him, his aunt had owned the bakery since before he was born, so he knew the menu and his favorite things on it like the back of his hand. he quickly recovered himself and put on his practiced customer-service confidence.

"well, i personally like our hot caramel macchiato. but if you're not a coffee person, we have the best smoothies and teas on this side of san fransokyo." he smiled, leaning his forearm casually against the counter. now that he wasn't looking at her like her skin was blue, she noticed how nice his face was. now she was a little flustered, her realization making her blush a bit. "uhm.. i'll trust your word on the caramel macchiato." she said, too embarrassed to want to stand there saying 'uhm' any longer. so he wrote her order down and she paid in cash, which he decided he really liked. no one ever paid in cash anymore, so it was intriguing to him that she did. soon after the initial interaction, she was sitting at a small round table by the window, nursing her macchiato quietly and looking out the window like she was waiting for something or anything to happen. at every opportunity he had tadashi glanced her way, blushing each time.

he felt like he had been transported back to being twelve years old and having his first crush, not being able to look at her without wanting to kick his feet with admiration and glee. she didn't stay for long, finishing off her drink within the hour and leaving her cup neatly on the table, which made him like her that much more. at the end of his voluntary shift, when the cafe was getting ready to close for the night, aunt cass found him at the counter with his chin in his palm staring at the door like he was willing someone to come. "you might as well have told her you're in love with her." she said, wiping down the counters behind him. tadashi shook his head, chuckling under his breath. "i'm not in love with her." but he really did hope he'd see her again.

day twelve: learning you

even while attending the san fransokyo institute of technology full time as robotics major, he began picking up extra shifts at the cafe under the guise of wanting to help aunt cass, but really every single day he hoped to see that girl again. and luckily for him, his little plan worked, because he did see her again. he saw her twice in the first week she had come in, and two more times after that. unfortunately for him, cass was usually the one who ended up taking her order, which reduced him to only being able to watch from afar. but one fateful friday night while he was working the closing shift post-classes at the institute, she came in. it was seven pm when she walked through the door, and tadashi had to physically refrain from leaping for joy. he made sure he was the one at the register this time, offering her a toothy, genuine smile in greeting.

"nice to see you again," he said casually, his body language and tone confident despite the fact he felt like his heart was audibly beating. she didn't expect him to remember her like that, so she was shocked by his words. she quickly recovered her face of surprise and smiled back shyly, unable to hold his eye contact. "hi, thank you. uh, you too." he smiled. "what can i do for ya tonight?" he was unconsciously leaning onto the counter again, like he was gravitationally pulled to her. she noticed, but thought she was overthinking and chose not to say anything. "i'll just have a hot chocolate. uhm, with whipped cream too please." "coming right up." he smiled, hurriedly scribbling the last words of her order onto his notepad, which she noticed had robot and cat stickers on the face of it. 'cute.' she thought to herself.

an hour later and twenty minutes before closing she was still sitting at the same window table she claimed every time she came to the cafe, looking out at the bustling city streets, building lights, and cars honking as they drove by. her fingernail traced an idle circle over and over on the polished wooden tabletop, her mind far off in another land. she was pulled back to reality by the sound of the chair across from her being pulled out, the sudden sound startling her and making her jump a bit. she looked up to see tadashi's kind eyes and heard him say, "sorry! didn't mean to scare ya," as he sat down, scooting into the table a bit. "i'm sorry, do i need to leave? i completely lost track of time, i'm really sorry-" she said all at once, cheeks burning in embarrassment and eyes trained solely on the table as she stood, beginning to gather her purse and garbage.

"no, no, you're okay! really, it's no worries," tadashi said quickly, just barely reaching out his hand as a gesture to stop her. she looked to him surprised, hovering in an awkward halfway position of standing and about to sit back down. "i just thought i'd come chat for a bit, that's all! you've come in here a few times and i've never caught your name.." he looked at her with a sort of genuine openness and curiosity on his face, making a friendly gesture for her to sit down if she wanted to. so she did. "oh. right. i'm (y/n)," she said as she timidly sat back down, like a prey animal who couldn't quite decide if she was comfortable or not. "(y/n).." tadashi tested her name on his tongue, "it's nice to finally meet you. well, you know, like-- talk to you." he laughed breathily, making her laugh as well. "yes. it's nice to meet you too, uhm.." she trailed off, giving him a look that said 'and your name issss..?'

"oh, i'm tadashi! tadashi hamada." he stuck out his hand for her to shake. her eyes flew open in childlike wonder and surprise, a small gasp parting her lips. "tadashi hamada?!" she exclaimed. "oh my gosh, i've read so many of your papers," it was like she had been struck by lightning in the best way possible. she was instantly lit up with glee and passion and awe, rambling her thoughts all at once with her hands and a full smile on her face. "i've followed your work for months now! i read your last beta-testing log on the medical assistant robot, and oh my gosh that is genius! i mean seriously, hyperspectral cameras for full-body assessment, using carbon-fiber and titanium plates for the skeleton? ugh, come on! that is amazing! in theory, it'll be resistant to deterioration!" she gushed, completely wrapped up in her amazement that she was sitting in front of one of her greatest academic inspirations. that was, until she saw the incredulous look on his face. she suddenly felt very small, and very stupid.

she quickly and awkwardly shut up as tadashi gaped at her, her inner light dimming with the overwhelming embarrassment of herself as she slumped back in her seat. "sorry. that was probably weird." her cheeks burned and she wished she would just evaporate on the spot. meanwhile, tadashi. was. in. love. not only did she look like she came straight off a runway, but she was passionate, apparently very intelligent, and understood the work he was doing! could she get any better? he quickly fixed his face and began trying to fix his mistake, feeling bad that he had made her feel bad. "no! no no no no no that's not it at all! i mean, i mean i'm amazed! and- and honored that you care about my work! you're in robotics?" he was smiling now, like a child who had been given free reign in a candy store.

"who, me? no no no, that's not- uhm, that's, that's not the case. i'm uhm, i just.. i mean i'm not even from here so-" tadashi watched as she stuttered and stumbled over her words, deciding that he could listen to her talk for the rest of his life and be perfectly happy. meanwhile, (y/n) really wanted to evaporate now. she slumped deep into her chair and covered her face with the sleeves of her sweater, feeling how hot her cheeks had grown in the span of like, ten seconds. she took a deep breath and peeked from behind her fingers at him to see him laughing lightheartedly, feeling glad he wasn't the only one who stumbled when they talked. unfortunately for (y/n), tadashi's energy was contagious, so she began to giggle too, if only at herself. "ugh, sorry.." she said through her soft laughter, adjusting her body to sit straight in the chair now.

"no, i'm just- i'm not even from here, you know? i came here for school, got an apartment and everything but.. now i'm not even sure if i'm going. i mean, the offer they sent me was great but.." tadashi nodded in understanding, giving her a look of sympathy. he leaned his elbows on the counter and rested his face in his palm, completely immersed in her words. "what school sent the offer?" "the san fransokyo institute of technology." now it was tadashi who lit up. "that's where i go!" he said excitedly, smiling with all thirty two teeth at the joyous feeling of relating to her. "the institute doesn't really send out invitations. even i had to apply!" he said, genuinely starstruck by this girl in front of him. "wow. you must be like, über-smart then!" he complimented her, looking at her in curious awe.

"well, i mean i guess so.." she mumbled, embarrassed. "you guess so?" "it's just that.. i don't know. i graduated highschool when i was 14. after that i tried going to a local college near my home but.. nobody liked me. they said i was a 'know-it-all'. and i mean, it's not like i was ever condescending or boastful! i can't help that academics come easily to me." she said, nearly pouting at the thought of how people had treated her. she looked up at tadashi through her eyelashes, her arms hugged around herself. "sorry. i don't mean to brag or anything." "no, no you're not bragging at all, trust me. i totally understand. y'know, my little brother hiro, he's a genius too. he just refuses to do anything with that big 'ol brain of his." (y/n) giggled and nodded knowingly. "i get it." tadashi leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms across his chest casually. "so.. if you're not from here, where are you from?"

they were swept into flowing conversation instantaneously. the clock behind them read eight-thirty, then nine, then nine-fourty five, and before they knew it it was eleven oclock at night, well past closing time. cass had managed to close down the entire cafe and turn all the lights off but one without them noticing before she snuck upstairs, smiling to herself at the clear infatuation her nephew had for this girl. they were laughing together about a time tadashi was programming his medical robot helper to perform a basic fracture reset and accidentally got himself punched in the face when (y/n)'s phone buzzed in her purse, drawing her attention away from the conversation for a moment. it was a text from her roommate asking where she was, and that's when she realized how late it had become.

"oh! oh my gosh, it's so late," she laughed breathily, standing from her chair. she was absolutely high on endorphins from the wonderful time she spent with the barista / literal robotics genius boy, and was all but giggling at nothing as she gathered her purse. "i really had better get going. i'm so sorry to keep you up like this," she said, giving him a shy but not repentant look. he waved his hand at her as if to say 'oh please', and helped her gather her cup that had not been touched nor thought about in nearly three hours. "it was my pleasure, really. it's been great getting to know you." he smiled, watching her as she slung her purse over her shoulder and stood straight, facing him. for a moment they only looked at each other, smiling softly and being on the cusp of words. when tadashi spoke, so did (y/n), and they laughed, fumbling over the courtesy of 'you go first' 'no really, it's okay, you go first' for a minute before tadashi decided he would go first for real.

"alright," he chuckled, shifting on his feet. "i just wanted to say that.. you don't have to shrink yourself for other people. you've shown me that you are beyond smart, and that is nothing to be ashamed of," he said, visibly trying to find the next words to say. he deliberated for a moment before softly chuckling through a sigh, shaking his head in disbelief at his boldness for what he said next; "look, next monday there's a showcase at the school. it's like a science fair. everyone just comes together and looks at what their peers have accomplished over the semester. i'd really love it if you came with me- just to give it a shot. see if you like it there. because truly, you would be the perfect fit."

his words were gentle and genuine, his eyes gazing into hers in an almost pleading way while still giving her the space to choose for herself. she was caught on words for a moment for multiple reasons, one of them being the onslaught of compliments and reassurance he had just given her. eventually she sighed a sigh of excited acceptance and said: "yeah, okay. that sounds nice- uh, really good." tadashi smiled wide, beyond happy that she agreed. "yeah?" he asked. "yeah!" they laughed in unison as tadashi set her cup down and fumbled around in his pockets for a pen. "here, uh- i'll give you my phone number. just call me when you get a chance, and then we can talk more about it whenever you want." he hurriedly scribbled his number onto a napkin he snagged from the napkin tray on the table before carefully folding it into a square and handing it to her.

REVIEWER/BRAIN DUMP #3 (O-CHEM EXAM)

AROMATICITY:

Molecule= aromatic IF:

1. planar

2. cyclic

3. conjugated (fully)

4. follows Hukles Hückle's rule (4n +2π)

Aromatic: Benzene

Antiaromatic: Cyclibutadine Cyclobudadine Cly Cyclobutadine—

"Cy-clo-bu-ta-di-ene..."

You grumbled under your breath, begrudgingly scraping the correct spelling of the molecule into the worn page of your notebook. Throwing your head back, your finger swiftly presses pause on your 10 minute timer. With a soft sigh, you gently closed your laptop.

Past papers, active recall... When's the last time I've had a meal?

Your eyes scanned your desk briefly, taking in the chaotic, entangled mess of notebooks, pens, and papers. It wasn't unusual to have your desk like this— rather, it had only gotten worse when the semester was nearing its close, and final exams were looming around the corner.

Of course, your organic chemistry exam was a little over... a week after today. But considering the scope of the material, you couldn't afford to leave it to the last minute (which, from experience, never ends well for you.)

You needed a break. Desperately. Your past papers had started to stare back at you with carbon-rings and Lewis diagrams for eyes. You take a step out of your swivel chair, peeling your body outside of the slumped posture you held for so long.

A check at the clock tells you that it's well into 11pm, and you quickly surmise that you were probably the only person in the labs this late.

This room had been your habitat for 3 hours too long, and like an abused zoo animal, you wanted out. You could feel the starchy crust of sitting too long starting to colonize your skin and joints, the pinching ache that came after numbness already crept into your feet and thighs.

Glancing outside your lab, you blink your eyes back to the land of the living. A walk outside sounded good about now. SFIT's campus was relatively safe at night, with high-tech security systems set in place and guards lining the area outside, being out alone at night didn't scare you in the slightest.

You beeped your student ID into the sensor of your door, the heavy metal plate swinging open, closing again once you step outside. Your feet come to life and take you out of your stuffy lab, walking you a few paces to the next set of smart glass adjacent to yours. You didn't get too far.

Quick, rain-like typing came from the room next to yours. The clicking gave you a small chill, because now you knew that you weren't alone. Your body suddenly stood at attention, stiff as it moved closer to the tall, imposing panes of frosted glass.

You peer inside, trying to make out a figure in the cloud of nearly opaque medium. Your heart started to pick up now, racing at the thought of finding an unwanted visitor in one of the most isolated parts of the student labs. Steady, slow hands reach in your back pocket for your phone.

When you found nothing, the fear started to dissipate. You started to slow your breathing, in and out

–THUNK!

You shrieked, suddenly met with a human figure pressed right up against the glass. The smart glass became transparent, giving you no sense of a barrier between you and the intruder. Whatever it was, it was tall, staring right at you, with big eyes and big hands and a green t-shirt and-and-and—

It started to laugh as quickly as it came to you. You blink, so utterly confused.

Tadashi comes around, unsticking himself from his window and opening his door for you. He's still laughing, nearly doubling down in his joy.

"You— scare way too easily."

After a bit, you calm yourself down enough to give him a deeply offended pout. You hit his shoulder. "That's not funny, Tadashi! I thought you left for the day! I was ready to call the police!"

After a few more hits to his shoulder and a good few laughs, he smiles apologetically at you.

"I'm sorry, sorry... I did leave for the day. But I forgot something, came back, messed around with my final project for a bit, and the next thing I knew, it was 10 o'clock. I saw you peering in and couldn't pass up the opportunity."

"Ugh, you jerk."

Rolling your eyes, you smirk yourself now, the hilarity of the situation finally hitting you through the cloud of mild annoyance.

Watching you laugh along with him, an easy simper graced his face, simply content at seeing you happy. When he realized he was staring, he came to his senses, jolting to attention. After clearing his throat, he gently nudges his head toward the inside of his lab.

"Wanna come in?"

You follow him inside without a word, taking in the familiar surroundings of his lab. It was definitely the space of an engineering student. Bits and bobs around and on the desk, haphazard little storage systems with contents that don't match the labels, and the big, circular window you've taken a nap in way too many times to remember.

It was definitely a lived-in space. And not just by Tadashi. You'd come by every now and then, ever since he had earned the space all the way back in sophomore year. And after you got your lab, a symbiotic relationship had sparked between you two.

It was a simple exchange. Whenever you were bored out of your mind and crazy from your course's chemistry content, you came over and watched him sketch a design or run diagnostic tests. When he got bored of soldering a circuit or debugging code, he came over and helped you review your chemistry terms. Both of you had gotten so used to each other, the grooves of each of your hands worked fingerprints into the other's daily routine. You had gotten so comfortable with each other to the point that physical touch and affection wasn't so strange anymore, despite only being friends. Of course, long talks with your close friend where you sometimes cuddle can lead to something that can't be encompassed in a typical platonic relationship.

It was cliche, but you've developed feelings for your best friend and lab mate.

But, to you, feelings weren't as easy as solving an unbalanced equation, or detangling some unruly wires. Tadashi was smart, handsome, tall, and most notably, the kindest person you've ever met. You'd just assumed that he had a partner already, or at least, you weren't even on his mind in terms of romantic partnership.

That was okay, though. You didn't need Tadashi to like you back. You just needed him to keep talking to you. So your feelings were safely tucked away in a box, put on a shelf in your mind. Not hidden, nor forgotten... merely put to the side in favor of someone more important, where it gathered dust and cobwebs and everything that stuck to something unimportant.

Tadashi makes a beeline for his desk with the blue screens, messing around with a coding terminal on one.

"Is your final project doing okay?" You mused, running a hand over one of the other desks. You picked up a little loose screw, putting it away in its appropriate little drawer.

He turned to you, lighting up with an excited expression. His smirk goes bigger, brighter. He takes your hand, leading you toward the big circular window at the end of his room, with a small red capsule-looking mechanism below it. He doesn't register what he's done until he looks at you again. With your mildly surprised expression, his eyes find your intertwined hands. His eyebrows hoist up his eyelids, and he quickly lets go of your hand. A subtle blush comes across his face. The hand holding yours rubbed the back of his neck– as if looking for an off-switch to turn down the red lights glowing from within his cheeks.

"Sorry, I was excited, and— god, I should've... asked..." "It's alright..."

You reassured him, returning his grin with a beam of your own. Tadashi swore his face got even hotter, before clearing his throat once more, re-focusing on the task at hand.

He took his left hand, hovering it close to your face. It was your turn to blush now. From where you were standing, he looked like he was about to cup your face and lean into you. Instead, his hand shifts at the last minute, plucking a hair from your head.

"Ouch— what the hell, Tadashi!?!"

You yelped, about to tell him off for the second time that night. The annoyance surges up in you like sea water in high tide. Just when it was about to reach it's summit, the small red capsule seemed to come alive.

A circular light turns on, going around fully before blinking twice. The red capsule opens, and like a scene from Transformers, it falls away mechanically. The white inside of the capsule is now fully exposed.

It inflates into what appears to be a puffy, white... thing. It has a face, consisting of two black dots and a line in the middle of them, a chubby belly, arms, and legs.

"What on earth..." Your irritation gives way to wonder as you watch the big, white.... thing— move out of the disassembled capsule and into the room, waddling clumsily toward you. Tadashi walks behind his creation, a proud, smug smile on his face.

The robot stops about three feet in front of you, raising its hand in a friendly gesture. It waves in a circular motion, too robotic to be human, but so strangely endearing.

"Hello! I am Baymax; your personal healthcare companion. I was alerted to the need for medical attention when you said: 'Ouch! What the hell, Tadashi!'"

You blinked in amazement as it spoke, your lips breaking into a cheerful, shocked smile as it repeated your crude words in a monotone cadence. You chuckled at the sight of Tadashi behind the robot, mouthing and imitating the robot's words in a silly, theatrical manner. The robot's chest lights up in a rectangle screen.

"On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your pain?"

"Oh. A... one? It doesn't really hurt anymore, Tadashi just plucked out one of my hairs..."

You locked eyes with Tadashi, a playful glare present in your eyes. You matched his goofy energy, placing two hands on your heart, closing your eyes and looking off to the side in a manner only done by hurting heroines in a telenovela.

"But! I.... am very hurt. And offended. By the actions of my friend here! Mentally. Emotionally. Spiritually!"

Tadashi pouts at your words, a look that quickly melts into a look of adoration as your dramatic display fades into a fit of snickers.

Baymax blinks, tilting its head.

"You are claiming to be mentally distressed due to the actions of your friend. Conflict resolution is the quickest way to resolve any problems within interpersonal relationships. Would you like me to simulate conflict resolution as a mediator?" You stare up at the robot, unsure of how to respond. "Uh, no, no, I was just, uhm... joking. With my friend."

Tadashi's smile falters a little at the latter part of your sentence, but perks right back up. He pats Baymax on the shoulder.

"It's alright, buddy. I'll code the tell-tale signs of banter into your system a little later." He turns to you, cupping his mouth. "Emotional stuff isn't his strong suit just yet." You nod in understanding, circling the adorably puffy robot with great interest. It follows you, stubby legs moving to rotate itself as you slowly walk around it. "A vinyl robot?" Tadashi crosses his arms, nodding with a smirk. "Yeah... it's a material I worked with a lot in my projects, and I figured it lent itself well to the whole "huggable" concept I was aiming for."

"Huh... really cute."

Tadashi nods, following behind you. "Yep. I wanted him to be friendly. He's gonna be working with the elderly and kids, and, well, everybody." You finished your round around Baymax, now looking into the "eyes" on his head. You look over the unit for a long time, muttering little whispers of praise under your breath. It was revolutionary enough for Tadashi to innovate creatively for the assignments he was given in class— but to make such a complex mechanism, a robot nurse, all on his own? That was like magic to you.

Behind you, you were blissfully unaware of the happy little gaze that displayed itself so blatantly on Tadashi's face. The signature look of someone who wasn't just seeing something else, but rather, cherishing it. Using the eyes as vessels to hold the vision of something too important to not picture in one's mind.

What you were unaware of, Baymax was hyperconscious about. His eyes turned toward Tadashi, running a scan discretely.

"Tadashi. Your neurotransmitter levels have increased greatly. Your heart rate has done the same. You are either in cardiovascular pain, or you are infatua—"

Tadashi snaps out of whatever trance he seemed to be in, waving his hands defensively, quickly moving between you and his robot. He covers the area below Baymax's eyes, interrupting the incoming diagnosis. "Ah buh-buh-buh, noooope! No cardiovascular pain here, haha... None at all."

You raise an eyebrow, suddenly concerned for the man in front of you. You touch a hand to his shoulder. "Hey, are you okay? Cardiovascular pain sounds serious, you shouldn't keep it under wraps. I know how you are with these types of things..." Tadashi's face heats up again, blushing coming back onto his cheeks. He turns toward you, looking like a guilty puppy who found out where you keep the treats.

"Yeah, no, it's... it's probably an error with his code, y'know, cause-and-effect reasoning errors. Nothing I can't fix."

"My last diagnostic rendered no errors—"

Tadashi's hand moves without him looking, covering the same spot on Baymax's head. The robot blinked, and if he could express emotions, he'd be thoroughly unimpressed.

Your eyes open up a bit in shock, before your lips curve into a small beam. For the nth time that evening, a snort bubbles out of your throat. Tadashi's blush worsens. He shakes his head, trying to regain control of the situation. "Uh, anyway, that's my project."

"He's amazing, Tadashi. You're amazing. I mean, how'd you even come up with this stuff? It's so cool..." Baymax looks down.

"Tadashi, your knees are losing stability and are at risk of giving out—"

"Hahaha, wow, Baymax is making a lot of errors today, aren't you, buddy? Gotta be real thorough when debugging you later."

Tadashi awkwardly pats Baymax's shoulder a little too aggressively.

Sensing a charged energy in the room, you slowly back up.

"I should probably leave you to that, right? I was gonna go on a walk to clear my head, so, I better get on that, too." Tadashi's face softens, his voice rounding out into a lower, gentler tone.

"You want me to come with? Being alone on campus might not be the best idea."

You raise an eyebrow. "Really? I dunno, SFIT''s really safe, even at night. And don't you need to work on..." You gesture to the big white puffball of vinyl behind him. He looks back, before looking at you once more.

"Baymax can wait. You can't. I know being alone isn't your strong suit. Besides, you can never be too careful at night."

A warm sensation circulates itself on the skin of your back at his suggestion and just how attentive he had to be to notice your aversion to being alone. Despite your inherent dislike of loneliness, you wouldn't be opposed to being alone with Tadashi. "Sure. I'm sure you could keep me safe, right?" In your words, Tadashi's quickening heart rate makes him realize that he would be undeniably opposed to being alone with you, on a long walk, at night, where he was very vulnerable to saying something he couldn't take back. He panics, and blurts out the first thing he could think of.

"Let's bring Baymax." You turn back, giving him a quizzical look.

"Bring Baymax...?" In real time, you watched as Tadashi wracked his brain for a reason for why he said what he said. Just when his eyes were about to blue screen, Baymax spoke up.

"While walking is a great exercise to improve overall health, walking at night poses many safety risks. Walking in groups minimizes the chances of unwanted events."

"...Yep! Took the words right out of my mouth. Thanks, buddy." Tadashi gave you a too-wide grin, but you relent.

"Why not? The more the merrier."

You smile, turning back to walk out the lab. Tadashi sighs quietly in relief, following after you. With a little bit of difficulty, Baymax squeezes past the door out of Tadashi's lab, waddling after you both.

Once out of the labs, you walk as a trio into the icy night air. You breathe it in, glad to have some reprieve from the stagnant oxygen you've been inhaling for the day. You turn to Tadashi once you're a few meters away from the labs, curious.

"So... approximately how many medical procedures could he do?" You nudge your head toward Baymax, who was diligently toddling after you two like a vigilant sentinel.

Tadashi smiles, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Ten-thousand."

"Ten thousand!?!"

You gaped at him as he threw his head back in a hearty laugh. When he looked at you again, he raised an eyebrow.

"And how about you? Studying for chem going okay?" "What's the fastest way to shut you up?" You retorted, lazily smirking.

Your walk takes you to the bridge over the small man-made river on campus. Thus far, you've traveled a short distance across the wide land expanse of SFIT, more toward the secluded area with less city lights there to obstruct your view of the stars. San Fransokyo was a great city, and there was no denying it. Though, the constant blaring of neon signs, streetlights, and billboards left much to be desired to someone who loved to gaze up at the stars.

The silence settled like a blanket around you and Tadashi. It didn't beg to be filled with conversation, nor did it wrap around you suffocatingly. It was... comfortable. Reassuring.

It gave you time to just be, without needing to think too much or present yourself in the best way imaginable.

And Tadashi, in spite of the blushing mess he was back at the labs, the walk seemed to calm him down as well. The quiet gave him time to gather his thoughts, to calm his heart into a steady rhythm. He never knew how... oblivious you could be to how he felt. Not that he minded. It just seemed too obvious to him. Tadashi would stare, giving his full attention to you and only you. You were the first person his eyes wandered to in a crowded room. The person he thought of when he saw little trinkets while shopping. Someone he could rely on to take care of him, when all his life he's had to manage other people.

It's not like his home life with Hiro and Aunt Cass made him hate taking care of people, and Aunt Cass didn't parentify him or anything. She did the best she could, taking care of him and Hiro as they grew up. She couldn't help that sometimes, things fell through the cracks. Tadashi could see his family at their worst, and had delegated himself to be the person they ran to whenever life got too much. When Hiro got bullied at school for being too young, or when Aunt Cass was worrying about their finances, he, at 10, 16, or 20 years old, took it upon himself to be the rock. The one thing they could count on when everything seemed to be out of place.

This role bled into every facet of his life. He had to help out. He had to turn a perfect assignment in. He had to help a struggling peer. Because if Tadashi wasn't helping someone, then who would?

You broke him out of this role. You held his hand through his toughest breakdowns and held him when he couldn't ask for help. He admired you so, so much. The way you carried yourself, the way you spoke up for other people, the way you always tried to better yourself. You were intelligent, skilled, and more resilient than anyone else. Even if you tore yourself down every now and then (which he vehemently rejected) you were sure of yourself. Someone independent, who wasn't afraid to mess up, pick yourself back up and keep going.

But Tadashi wouldn't dare put you in a box, or label you as "just" his safe place. You made him want to be better. To improve himself and be the best version of Tadashi he could ever possibly be. People like you made the world a better place, and if Tadashi could emulate a fraction of what you give him, maybe he could do the same.

He wanted you to know how he saw you, but, what confession would be good enough for his special person? This was the question that made him keep his feelings hidden, to do everything in his power to conceal how he felt until the perfect moment.

You deserved the best of everything.

You both leaned on the sturdy wood of the bridge, watching as the water moved slowly below. You were the only to break the silence between you both.

"Something on your mind?" Tadashi turned to you, big, brown irises filled to the brink with unadulterated veneration for you.

"No. Not really... just. Thinking about you."

The words were tumbling out before he could stop them. But, strangely, he didn't attempt to. He watched as your eyes got wider.

"Oh. About... me?"

Tadashi decides that it's time. He's waited so long for the perfect moment that the present could slip away from him at any given instant—

"Tadashi. Your heart rate is increasing once again, and your neurotransmitter levels are once again elevated. Would you like me to call the ambulance for your cardiovascular disease–"

"Jesus– Buddy!"

Tadashi jumped at the sudden noise, yelping, cutting through the peaceful evening atmosphere. You took a moment before doubling over in laughter.

"See!? Not so funny when it's you, huh?"

Tadashi opens his mouth to retort, before accepting that you were right. He'd rather let you have your revenge than be snarky right now, anyway. Turning to Baymax, he sighs.

"For the last time, I'm not having a heart attack."

"My scan suggests that you are either experiencing a heart attack, or you are experiencing the human emotion of 'infatuation' or 'romantic attraction'. Which is defined by a physiological stress response in the body, including symptoms like: a racing heart, mood swings, sweaty palms, 'butterflies'—"

"It's... it's the second one."

By now, you abandon your laughing fit for full awareness at the conversation between Tadashi and Baymax. Your mind races, hopeful and on edge for what may come next.

Tadashi turns from Baymax to you, inhaling deeply. "This isn't... how I wanted it to come out. I really wanted something perfect for you, and, even if it isn't ideal... I'd rather have you know how I feel, rather than wait for a perfect moment that may never come."

Stepping closer, your eyes meet his, and he refuses to let go of your attention for even a second.

"I have feelings for you. You're so capable, and intelligent, and... I-I feel like you don't make me freak out and pressure myself unnecessarily. And that's rare. I mean, I relax around you. But, don't get the wrong idea. You're not just someone who I can relax around, you... you make me want to be better. So... that's how I feel. You don't have to say anything now, or even accept my feelings. I just... really wanted you to know—"

It turns out, the fastest way to shut up Tadashi Hamada, is a soft, gentle kiss.

Baymax is watching it go down like (•-•)

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READINGGGG!! if you enjoyed this fic, please REBLOG and LIKE!! reblogs mean the world to me!! also feel free to comment ദ്ദി(｡•̀ ,<)~✩‧₊