A/N: I hope you like this final chapter of Bruises. Thank you so much for reading and staying with me throughout all this. I sincerely hope you like this last installment. Just because it is the last chapter, I'd like to leave a few songs I'd listened to over the course of writing this story. People have asked for such in the past, and especially with this first song, I used a lot of soundtracks to help structure and work through this story. If you'd like to listen, I think you'd see. Oddly enough, I used the first one the most. You can follow the plotline of Bruises throughout it, if you try. (Pst I didn't have time to edit this, I have work tomorrow and it's midnight, and this is twenty-nine pages, please be kind.)

'I'm feelin' the world go 'round. It's spinning me upside down. I'm finally homeward bound, I'm not giving up. It's crawling under my skin, and I don't care if I sin, I really want it. I really want it. I really want it right now.' I Really Want It – Great Big World

'You're alone, you're on your own. So what? Have you gone blind? Have you forgotten what you have, and what is yours? Glass half empty, glass half full, well either way you won't be going thirsty. Count your blessings, not your flaws. You've got it all. You lost your mind in the sound. There's so much more. You can reclaim your crown. You're in control, rid of the monsters inside your head. Put all your faults to bed. You can be king again.' – King, Lauren Aquilina

'Hey, you know they're all the same. You know you're doing better on your own. So don't buy in. Live right now. Just be yourself. It doesn't matter if it's good enough for someone else.' – The Middle, Jimmy Eat World.

'And I'm doing just fine. I'm always landing on my feet, in the nick of time and by the skin of my teeth. I ain't gonna stress, 'cause the worst ain't happened yet. Something's watching over me, like sweet serendipity. What will be will be, in the nick of time, and by the skin of my teeth. I ain't gonna stress, 'cause the worst ain't happened yet, something's watching over me like sweet serendipity.' Sweet Serendipity – Lee DeWyze

(~**~) (~**~) (~**~) (~**~)

"So if you'll look this up online, you'll see all the study objectives we have for the upcoming assessment, and you'll be able to see what I'm looking for in your next piece of work; you'll know what to focus on, and Seiko, I swear to everything you hold sacred, if I see that phone one more time, I am going to chuck this marker straight at your face. It's just going to happen, and you're just going to have to deal with it." Hiro shot a warning glare to the back row, where the student guiltily sat up for about the third time this class. And the class was only fifty minutes long. "It's a good thing you don't seem to mind your last assignment grade, going by the way you're fooling around back there. C'mon. I don't like to be a stick in the mud, but I also do not enjoy failing students. I'm almost inclined to give you even more work, since you have so much time on your hands."

Seiko's expression wilted over in guilt at the admonishment. But that was the joy of having a professor like Hiro— you could recover quickly and spin things right back around. So she offered a bashful grin, and stuffed it away. "It's Halloween," she offered, the statement coming off light but also apologetic in respect to her mindlessness. "You can't give out extra work during a holiday."

Hiro wasn't all that impressed, it was clear, as he raised his eyebrows a bit. At first, he was tempted to ignore her. Any other professor probably would have deducted points off this next test, or pushed the extra work anyway. But he was wrapping up already. And she had a point. So he rolled his eyes and turned to the board, picking up an eraser and setting to work wiping away that day's notes. "It's not Halloween," he quipped. "It is the day before Halloween. But I'll give you a pass anyway. As long as you stop staring at your screen and stare at some notes instead."

He cleared his throat, raising his voice a little bit as he continued. "And on the subject of Halloween, I do not want to get to class Monday and find out something awful has happened to anyone in this room, okay?" He turned and eyed the students listening, with a certain kind of sternness. "Yeah?" he pressed, when nobody reacted at first. "I'm serious, guys— drink, do whatever you want, I couldn't care less, but just be smart about it. Alright? Don't go driving off into the sunset thinking you'll be dandy. Or don't go wandering off somewhere, okay? Be safe. All that great stuff." He offered a grin. "Look both ways before you cross the street. Stay on the sidewalk."

He grinned and winked, to show that he was teasing. But the class still paused a little bit, those who could make the connection of what he was poking at looking a little off-kilter. There had been no acknowledgement of what had happened— not directly, between them and him. Of course there hadn't been, as much of a story as it was. Not that it was needed in terms of facts; a simple web search, and the story was there. Parents knew about it. Everyone had the facts. But facts were distinctly different than real face-to-face acknowledgement. If this was even counted as one. Because suddenly, their teacher, who hadn't once even mentioned the name 'Callaghan' seemed to be trying to make a joke.

A hand went up in the back of the room. Hiro looked over to see Amy, and he nodded encouragingly. Her stare was hesitant and curious; her voice was quiet when she spoke. "May I ask you a question? Professor?" she asked.

All eyes in the class were on her. Nobody seemed to breathe, just waiting for it.

Hiro's smile turned more brittle. It remained, but it was weak. "Is it about today's lesson? Or the test?" he asked, his voice overly-pleasant.

She slowly let her hand drift to the tabletop. "No," she replied, quiet.

He stared at her a moment. Silent. The class was staring at him, the intensity in their focus now a million times more than what they'd had during lecture. Because there were a million questions. Countless ones. And the tension in the room seemed to uptick a million degrees when he did reply to his student. "Go ahead," he allowed.

Giving in— he was giving in.

She stared at him, looking a bit nervous. "Have you heard? From him? Since then?" Hiro was immobile; for all he reacted to her, she might as well not have spoken. She immediately grew apologetic. It wasn't as if the whole class wasn't wanting answers, or wasn't seeking them themselves in the form of Google or YouTube videos of old news broadcasts. She was just the first of them to actually be brave enough to face it outright like this. Though at the moment she was really beginning to regret her move. "I mean…I don't…it's fine, you don't have to answer, I just thought…when you said…"

He coughed in the back of his throat, looking down and fiddling with his copy of the textbook, as if he was suddenly very interested in getting it perfectly lined up and straight. He could have dismissed her. He'd dismissed other kids that had asked before, and yes, of course he had been asked before. He'd been asked for information far too many times to count, in far too many different scenarios. But his eyes flickered inevitably over to Abigail, who was watching just as closely as everyone else, and he felt a strike of guilt hit him. It had been worse recently. He had allowed bias to take over him. He had missed classes, he had spent weekends holed up in his home, not even getting out of bed. He'd faked more smiles than he'd actually had.

He'd really let it get bad.

He couldn't let it keep getting bad. Could he? The guilt was too strong. And if that meant…

He cleared his throat again. "You mean Robert?" he asked, very calm and very collected. The class froze; everyone could have been made of stone. The lack of response was response enough, though. So he took in a slow breath, his stare turning a little distant as he continued to mess with the things on his desk. He coughed once again before moving on. "I don't hear from him, no. Thankfully enough. He's not allowed to contact me. And I don't necessarily want to pop in for a brief hello." A smile teased onto his face, though it was one of something akin to exhaustion. "I've been tempted to. Every so often. Just to go there and show him he couldn't hold me back. But…something always seems to come up." This was a tease, but only half so.

He looked at his kids brightly, giving them a smile as if to reassure those who were feeling uncomfortable. Which was probably most of the room. It wasn't much at all, and it really just scratched the surface of other topics that were much more painful. Ones he wouldn't ever spend time in the classroom talking about, such as the reasons he kept his room so cold and wore only hoodies or long-sleeves. Why when the room was quiet when they were taking a test and someone coughed or a book fell, he would jerk in faint alarm. Those were more overt signs, though. People could deduce pretty much all the information themselves.

He figured it would be enough for now. He wasn't really inclined to address the matter at all; he was here to teach, not to recount things he had left in the past as best he could. If he had the choice, he would never speak of it ever, or draw it forward in the mind. Maybe that was part of the problem. Maybe he owed it, especially to this class, but mostly to himself, to be more upfront about it. It was a part of him, after all. And while it was classified under 'personal life' and should stay as such…was it really? With how it was? Did he have an obligation of sorts? It was confusing, and it was a toss-up. So he couldn't stop himself from feeling a small relief at the fact that nobody else was going to press him for more answers.

Or he did, until another hand went up. And he couldn't stop his heart from sinking a bit when he turned to meet Abigail's eyes reluctantly. He said nothing, just raised his eyebrows and waited. So, letting her hand fall back down, Abigail looked at him with a puzzled stare and asked: "Why choose to do this?" It had been a question that had been asked before, in interviews like the one they had watched in class long ago. It had never been expressed obviously enough, though. He had always been able to dance around the question, because of this. Because of the fact that the words were never chosen with enough care. "Why did you choose to work here? I know…that you love this subject, and you would have done something similar had…" She trailed off and cleared her throat, backtracking a bit. "But you didn't have to choose this school to teach at. There are others. And…you didn't have to…take his office. You could have gotten another one, right? Another classroom to take?"

Hiro stared at her levelly, not even blinking at first, as he simply listened to her question. His face was blank. As he looked at Abigail— at the girl he couldn't even call by her first name, because of the man she was indicating at the moment. Because of the man he had taken everything after, in terms of his career, his rooms, his offices. He blinked, and looked back down at the desk. At the desk that had once been used by the man that nearly killed him, in far more ways than just one. His forehead creased, as if he too was wondering what on earth the answer could be.

But then his expression cleared, and he looked back up, a smile tracing over his face wearily. It did reach his eyes and light them up. It was only a little bit, but at the same time, it was still there. When he spoke, his voice was brighter— lighter with a dash of amusement. But only a dash. Because he was tired of dancing around things. If only in a way. He was tired of making it seem like it was only for some sort of self-fulfillment. Because there was another aspect to it. And maybe he just wanted to finally get it out to someone that wasn't Tadashi or Aunt Cass. Funnily enough how that one person would be Abby.

So he grinned and shook his head a little aimlessly. Turned to begin to gather up his things as he laughed a little bit under his breath. And he gave the answer that he knew carried a bit more of the truth with it. The answer that he preferred.

"Because it's a nicer way of saying: Fuck you.'"

(~**~) (~**~) (~**~) (~**~)

He didn't go too much, or too often. He usually had plenty of work to keep him busy, and he was often so booked that he didn't even stop to think of doing such a thing. But he went every so often; he reminded himself to. As if he had some sort of obligation, though he knew he did not. Maybe the fact that he didn't have an obligation made it all the more important to go. So he did. Once class let out, and once he got something to eat at the less horrible places on campus, Hiro gathered his things together and went to the Student Wellness Center.

It was where a lot of things were. It was where most kids went to go and hang out during their free time, given there were so many places to sit and rest in comfortable chairs. Not to mention there was plenty of reading material, as long as you sorted through the health pamphlets. It was where the Nurse Practitioner on the campus was, and where you could go if you needed medical care of any type. It was where students could find an odd job, either as a filer, or a janitor, or whatever else you should choose to prefer.

But mainly, Hiro went there because it was where students could go when they needed to speak with people. With counselors, more specifically. There was an option for students to come forward about personal issues either with a professional that was there from time to time, or they also had the option of speaking to another student. Of course, these students were those with psychology majors, and nearly graduated themselves; however, oddly enough, most of the time, students tended to go with the person that already had a degree. And probably wouldn't cross paths with them at the next football game. It just took a bit of the excitement out of watching your team score, should such an instance occur.

So Hiro wandered down there every so often, when he reminded himself to. He found in important. He'd visited the place several times, when he was enrolled. He was probably there more than any other students; so much so, that he had been asked several times if he would rather study the mind than the machinery, and try his hand at that. And he almost considered such a route. But eventually he had conceded, very politely, that if he had no idea what the hell to do with his own head, maybe he shouldn't meddle in the heads of others.

So he had just gone there for help, when he was a student, like the ones there now. Not to toot his own horn, but his issues had been a bit larger than the others that would be filtering through around him. Susan had cried because her boyfriend had broken up with her when she thought he had been getting ready to propose. And Anthony was upset because he had a D in Biology 100, and he didn't want to retake it over the summer. Hiro, on the other hand, would curl up uncomfortably in his chair, and cry senselessly to whatever poor soul was on the receiving end of him that day, saying that he had no idea what he was doing. That life wasn't any easier, and it would never get easier, and he hated being at this school, but he didn't want to leave, and that people would stare at him, and that people would pity him before he even had the chance to say: "Hi, I'm Hiro."

He'd been obnoxious. He was there so often, and so long, that he was amazed none of the counselors put bars on the door. It was a free program offered by the school, these sessions— Aunt Cass didn't have to pay for anything this way, so it was a better alternative to anything else. Hiro frequented them. And honestly, it was one of the main reasons he had even gotten through school; not only gotten through, but eventually grew to have a fondness, and an optimism. That fondness stayed with him, and it led him up to steps every so often.

Led him to visit those who were still working there, and remembered him. He would always bring Evonne a birthday gift, every March seventieth. She was an older women, who, when Hiro would stumble into her office with already-red eyes and an empty expression, would smile and laugh, and pat the chair across from her with a sweet: "Why, hello, Hiro." He would give Mrs. Sommers a hug on his way as well, and they would sometimes stop and tease one another. She especially liked to bring up the time when Hiro had been in the middle of recounting one of the more harrowing memories from his time away, and she had been typing notes on her laptop. Though he'd been sobbing, and talking in a little bit of a panicked rush, he had suddenly stopped and made a face. And he'd leaned over and looked at her as if she had committed a sin as he'd croaked: "Have you not updated Windows yet? How are you getting anything done?"

He would help file sometimes, or help straighten up the place after students left it rather disheveled. He would take over some of the student's jobs and wink at them, telling them they could shove off and he would take the rest of their shift— that he didn't mind, and they probably had studying to do. Sometimes, he would talk to the students. Only if he was asked, or if they were unable to schedule an appointment as early as they wanted to, and were forced to wait. When he was asked, he would sit with them and listen patiently, some part of him understanding why they wanted his ear, even if he had never seen the kid before in his life. Sometimes he did know them, and he was all the more willing to help.

He was always willing. Because he knew what it felt like to feel like you didn't have any options, or anyone to talk to. He knew what it could mean, should kids not be able to have that ear or that sense of companionship as soon as they needed. What could become of that. Isolation and loneliness and sorrow combined to make a pretty dangerous cocktail. While the sorrow was something you had to shoulder a bit, and live with, loneliness and solitude could be avoided. Once you started feeling isolated, that was when things snowballed. Hiro knew that firsthand.

So that was mostly why he did return. For the students that needed help then and there, and not in three or four days when there was a time slot for them. And it wasn't all that frequent when someone did talk to him. About their worries or troubles or problems, that he tried his best hand at fixing. Maybe it was once every other visit. But he went anyway. Just in case.

Because he would be damned if let a single kid leave that Wellness Center feeling alone.

(~**~) (~**~) (~**~) (~**~)

It was raining. The kind of rain that came down so hard you could barely see through it, and made you question whether or not you were actually underwater. It was the kind of rain that made it hard to breathe, even when you were in shelter, like Hiro was. Well— relative shelter. He'd had to sprint from his classroom to where his car was parked; he had tried to run in between the raindrops, but given that there was no in between, he was soaked from head to toe. The moment he had sat down and slammed the door behind him, he had let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding— as if he really had been miles below the surface of some lake. Dismally, as he tried to shake himself off the best he could, he looked on the bright side that at least he wasn't wearing his glasses; otherwise, he'd be blind, too.

He pulled out of the parking lot and started to make for the main road. Aunt Cass had demanded that they get together tonight for dinner, and he still had about ten tests to grade before that. He knew leaving dinner early was not an option— he was going to be fenced in for probably around five hours. So he had no choice but to get everything done beforehand. Nozomi had to get a bath, too; Cass was always begging him to bring her along so she could see her, and Hiro wouldn't hear the end of it if he didn't—

His train of thought was broken abruptly. Firstly, because he came up to a stop sign, and had to slam on his brakes so that campus security wouldn't spring on him like rabid dogs. But mostly, he stopped because movement caught his eye. He spotted a student just a couple ways ahead, lingering underneath the overhang of one of the dorm halls. He recognized them, too. It was Abigail. She was standing with a certain sting of anxiousness, eyeing the storm and alternating between starting forward and doubling back.

He frowned, hesitating for a second as he glanced around outside. Not pausing to think, he shut off his blinker from indicating a turn left, and turned right instead. He drove over and came to a stop a ways in front of the door. Rolling down the window, he leaned to the side and narrowed his eyes just a bit. "Hey!" Abigail immediately perked, surprise coming over her face. "Are you going to class?" The nearest building for that was halfway across campus from here. Most of the science buildings were on the other end entirely. Kids always walked from here to there on nice days, and bundled up on cold days. But rainy days? Without an umbrella?

Abigail grinned a little sheepishly. "Trying to!" she called back.

He raised his eyebrows. "Do you want a ride?" he offered. "I was just on my way out, I can double back!"

She seemed immediately grateful, but her reply was hesitant all the same. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it's no problem!" he assured. "It'll keep you at least halfway dry!"

The girl let out a huff of relief. Tightening her backpack sling over her shoulder, she ducked her head down and rushed for the car. Hiro made sure it was unlocked by the time she was there, and she let out the same huff of air Hiro had once she was safely inside and back above water. Abigail shifted, moving to hold her backpack tightly in her lap, trying not to get the inside too wet. She turned and offered him a tiny smile. "Thank you so much," she sighed. "I left my umbrella back at home last break. And my roommate was already at class with hers…"

He grinned. "For sure. I don't have that much on my plate." A lie, but it was alright. It'd only take about five minutes. "Where are you heading?"

"Romer, please," she chirped. "Down by the library."

He nodded. Feeling like a taxi driver, he started to turn around again so he could go back. It was a little bit farther than where he'd parked to begin with. The car fell into a little bit of silence, and Hiro cleared his throat in the middle of it a little uncomfortably. This wasn't nearly the first time he had given a student a ride. He rarely ever passed by someone without an umbrella without offering a lift. One time he had even picked up the awful geometry teacher that was notorious for everyone hating her— by the time she had gotten out, Hiro had fully understood why. Sometimes he was even flagged down from other students even when it wasn't raining because they knew he wouldn't refuse them— mostly seniors. And he guessed he couldn't blame them; he'd do the same in their position.

But there was something innately different about Abigail being the student he picked up, and it made him tense and a little rigid. The last full-on conversation they had had one-on-one was her wanting to drop his Term Two class, and switch over to Tadashi's. She had, of course, decided against it after a while, and in class at least, she had been just the same as ever. Which was fine— if Hiro had to deal with her along with an attitude, he would personally shove her out his door himself. She wasn't the type of student to harbor any sort of attitude, though, at the same time. She was the perfect student. All around, and inside and out. That made the fact that he was so uncomfortable with her even worse. It made the fact that he still could not say her name even worse.

It made it all worse, really.

He coughed again, and made another turn. "So. What are you messing around with in Romer?"

"Writing," she returned, Hiro immediately noticing how polite and curbed her voice came out as. "Research and Argumentation. I needed another English course, and that was the easiest route to take."

He nodded, pursing his lips a bit. "Gotcha," he replied. There was the smallest taper into silence before he took in another small breath and asked brightly: "Well, what's new with you? How have you been? You getting excited for Thanksgiving Break?" Oh, God, this is going fantastic. You're great. Like, really, you're absolutely splendid. The sarcasm of his own thought process was not lost by him, unfortunately. It hardly ever was.

She sighed again, but it was more wistful this time. "It's still forever away," she complained. "But I'm excited. My family is travelling to my grandmother's for it. And it'll be fun to have time away from school. But I've been good. Just school. Work. Figuring it all out— it's hard, but it's fun." She tilted her head to the side. In accordance with the inquiry, she offered her own. "How are you? What are your plans for break?"

Hiro blew out a quick stream of air. "Whew, boy," he mused with a grin. "Thanksgivings are always this whole ordeal at my aunt's house. That's where I'm heading, and where I likely will not be able to leave the entire weekend. Not that I'm complaining, really." His expression was undeniably fond. "Every holiday at her house is insane— she always goes all out. Tadashi and I come over, and it's always pulling teeth to leave. It's great." His smile was big and wide. He turned another corner.

Abigail smiled as well. "That sounds like a lot of fun," she agreed.

The conversation died again. Silence took its reign over the car again, and inwardly, Hiro realized if he turned on the radio, things would probably be much less awkward. Or at least less noticeably so. He didn't make a move for the knob, though. But once the thought occurred to him, it seemed to occur to Abigail. Keeping up her overly-polite tone, she looked at him curiously. "Do you not like music?"

"Oh— no," he mumbled, closing one eye in something akin to a wince. "No, I'm not really…a fan of…singing, or music, or anything like that. Not songs on the radio, at least. I never really…tune in, as they say," he ended a bit awkwardly. He never liked what was on the radio. Or, more specifically, he didn't like wondering what song would be coming up next. He remembered when he had gone out driving with Tadashi, one of the last time he had indulged the radio; Hiro had finished the last of his finals at school, and they had wanted to celebrate by driving out to the nearest hot-spot tourist location. It had been fun when they'd actually gotten there.

But Hiro remembered being in the middle of his driving shift, listening to the radio since Tadashi was asleep. He remembered a song coming on, and feeling the distinct sensation of: "Wait a second, where do I know this from?" An unclear but annoyingly-obvious suspicion he couldn't land at first. But he did land it eventually, and he'd realized that it had been one of the songs that Abigail had liked— that Callaghan had forced him to memorize, and had screamed at him when he was, at first, unable to grasp it. He remembered how his eyes had stung, he remembered how he had let go of the wheel with one hand and turned, scrambling to wake Tadashi up. How his brother had snapped awake at his frantic slaps, looking confused and irritated but immediately taking to panic himself at Hiro's clenched voice.

"Tadashi. Tadashi! I need to— I can't— can I pull over? I need to pull over. Tadashi, I need to pull over!"

"I don't like music," Hiro tacked on, as if it needed anything else. Which it didn't, but whatever.

Abigail seemed to contemplate this. Then she grinned again. "Most of what's on it sucks anyway," she offered.

This got Hiro to regain his smile. He nodded, wondering to himself whether or not she was offering him an out, or if she was really speaking her own opinion. It didn't matter, he told himself. He just needed to take it and not overthink it. So he moved on before it could fester. "Have you regretted sticking with me?" he asked, indicating her desire to switch classes from before. He flashed her a smile, to show that he was joking. If she really did regret it, things were about to get very awkward. But then again, they were already pretty up there on the 'awkward scale' so there wasn't much left to suffer with. "You've been doing very well in class— you're pretty much way ahead of everyone else."

She seemed embarrassed at the praise. Though they both knew it was true. "Thank you," she gushed. "No, I don't regret it all, I'm very…I'm very glad I chose to stay. I have too many friends in that class. Amy and I are planning on being roommates next year, we're going to apply for it." She added quickly: "And I like having you as a professor too. I mean, next year I will have your brother. But. No. I…you're a very good teacher. And I appreciate all that you've taught me so far. Because you've taught me so much, and it's so interesting, and it's really fun, too." She was getting close to rambling, by this point, but it was alright. "So…thank you. For letting me stay in your class."

Hiro was warmed by the sentiment. He always was, when he received emails saying students commended him as a teacher who made a positive impact on them. Or when students gave him end-of-the-year presents, even if it was just in the hopes of buttering him up for final grades. He always loved getting to know students more than just a kid to throw information at, and he loved hearing that it meant something more. But hearing it from her was a relief. It showed that he was slowly getting better— getting over it all. It showed that he was putting everything else aside much better than he had before. He'd been struggling to work with it, all. It seemed the effort wasn't entirely for nothing.

"Of course," Hiro replied warmly. "It's a pleasure having you. I'm really glad you chose to stay. Truly, I am." He offered her a smile, and she returned it. Their last encounter had been tense and regretful, on both ends, though for entirely different reasons. This was easier, even if it was still awkward and not entirely all the way there. It was closer to an actual friendship. Which was so weird to consider being a thing. It shouldn't feel weird, he knew that much. He guessed that was half the reason it was, though. "And I'll look forward to having you back for Term Four!"

She blustered a laugh. "Hopefully I make it that far; I feel like I haven't slept in weeks."

"You're just fine," Hiro objected. He turned again, seeing Romer at the end of the road. The brick building was nestled away where the other classes were that fell in the category of general educations. All the other major-specific buildings would never be this far away. "When I was in my junior year here, I was enrolled in twenty-three credit hours, actually," he laughed, only laughing again when he saw Abigail's startled double-take. "I really wanted to take all these classes, and over the summer I mentioned it to Tadashi. He told me I couldn't take that many at once, and I thought it was as good a challenge as anything else." He snickered, shaking his head a little aimlessly. "I mean, I passed them all, but man, did it take so much effort. I was running from one end of campus to the other, I was chugging coffee every single day…" He laughed again. "I did so much stupid stuff when I was going here, I swear."

Abigail's smile was from ear-to-ear now. "Like what else?" she was inclined to ask.

Hiro's expression was crawling over with nostalgia. He pursed his lips a bit in thought before landing on something halfway passable. "I remember my sophomore year, I went to this event on campus just because I heard it had free food. So I walked on in and just got a bunch of food without even thinking, and it turned out it was this really religious thing, which I didn't even know was an organization here. But I wasn't allowed to leave because I already gotten this entire load of food, so I had to be there for three whole hours, listening to them read these religious passages I couldn't even make sense of, and listening to these kids preach and stuff and oh my God it was so boring, no pun intended." His words were shaking with laughter, and it only escalated as he added: "Someone there knew about me, and they pulled me aside and said that hardship would be faced better if I…I don't know what they said, it was like: 'opened up to God', right? So they asked me if I could tell Him about the worst thing that's happened to me." He was cracking up by now. "And I looked them dead in the eye, and I told them the worst thing that's ever happened to me was me coming to this meeting, and that I really wanted to go home."

She gasped, her eyes going wide. "You didn't!" she objected.

"I did, and I felt bad about it later, but in the moment I thought it was funniest thing that had ever come out of my mouth," Hiro snickered. The awkwardness had evaporated, without either of them even realizing that it had. Thinking back to such things as that, Hiro landed on another, and brightened again. "There was another time, my freshman year, and I went with Tadashi to the Halloween bash they throw? You know, where they turn the dorms into haunted houses, and there's music, and games, and food?" Abigail nodded. She had gone to it just a few weeks ago; it was always packed and crowded. The biggest party the campus put on— everyone came.

Hiro nodded along with her. He was still smiling wide. "Well, I went with Tadashi, and the very first haunted house we went in, he made me walk in the front of the group. And it was fine, and I didn't care, until I started to turn a corner and one of the fraternity guys that was working as an actor jumped out at me. I completely lost it— I screamed, and I straight up shoved the poor guy over and nearly down the stairs. And don't laugh yet because I'm not even done!" he added, seeing Abigail start to giggle. "I turned and I started to run back to Tadashi, because he was a ways behind me, but I miscalculated, and I slammed my head into the wall instead. I blacked out, and I woke up an hour later in the Wellness Center with an ice pack on my face. Tadashi was so upset about it, and about making me go first, but my other friend that was with us, his name is Fred, he was still laughing so hard that he was crying. It was absolutely fantastic."

Abigail was laughing, at the mental picture. "That sounds so awful!" she giggled. "And like it hurt!"

"Oh, no, it didn't hurt that much," Hiro assured. "Trust me, it was nothing." By now, they were upon Romer, and Hiro stopped the car, getting as close to the door as he could before putting it in park. "But, oh well. I don't go first anymore when we go to the haunted houses." He flashed her a grin, and then exhaled heavily. "Welp. This is your stop. I'm afraid I can't lend you my umbrella, I kind of need it myself. But maybe you'll be able to bum a ride of someone from your writing class."

Abigail shook her head. "It's okay. I appreciate what you've done already— you didn't have to pick me up." He nodded, and she started to gather her stuff back together, and zip her jacket up in brace of the oncoming rain that would soak her through. "Thank you very much, professor. I owe you one."

"No problem," he repeated pleasantly. Some part of him realized that the smile he wore when he looked at her was genuine, now. Or more genuine than any other he had offered when it came to her. Usually his grins were fake and forced. This one wasn't, and some part of him realized the importance of that little fact. But he wouldn't give himself time to stop and wonder over it. He was too frightened that the relief over the fact would crumble and give way, if he did such a thing. So he just smiled at her simply and nodded again. "Have a good rest of your day, Abby." Still, the nickname was the one to pass his lips.

She beamed. Again, he had to wonder if she was put off by the assigned title. She didn't seem as such, but he didn't know how forthright that could be. "Thank you, Professor. You too! I'll see you Friday!" He repeated the sentiment to her, and she turned to let herself out of the car. She shut the door behind her and wasted no time; Hiro watched as she ducked through the rain and sprinted up the steps of the building to where her class was. She was gone in less than six seconds, in the still-torrential downpour.

Hiro paused for a moment, simply sitting in the newfound silence of the car. His smile remained briefly, lingering on his face for a heartbeat or more. It slowly faded, into more of a thoughtful one, and he looked down at himself, as if scrutinizing himself for an answer to a question he wasn't even entirely sure of in the first place. He shook his head to clear it. He refused to let himself think too much just in case it would all be taken from him, and he just kicked his car back into drive and regained his hold on the wheel. Without glancing back, he started to drive away again. To leave Romer and the campus behind him, and just go back home.

(~**~) (~**~) (~**~) (~**~)

November fourteenth, and they had a test. It was easy, to style the curriculum and the pace so that things just happened to line up. Or, maybe easy wasn't the right word. Could use selfish— selfish was just as appropriate, if not a bit more so. It wasn't like the class wasn't prepared for it, well enough. They just didn't have the same exact amount of time they usually had to review. It was just a teensy bit less, though; it wasn't anything anyone noticed. Or if they did notice, nobody called him out on it. So it led Hiro to now, sitting at his desk at the front of the room and just waiting for everyone to file in.

He met the calls of good morning and the attempts at regular conversation with a silent, tired smile. His head rested on a hand, and his other hand moved idly, to tap his pencil up and down on the wood he was leaning against. Usually he prefaced tests with energy; he'd found that the more he tried to do so, the better scores seemed to be, somehow. As if it was a kind of kickstarter. At the very least, he made fun of those who were so obviously cramming right before the papers were handed out, or the kids that had stealthily chose the route of just not showing up at all. There were always a smattering of those, no matter what day it fell on.

But once class officially began to start, Hiro just looked up from his desk and offered again that weary grin. "Alright," he sighed, pushing himself away so that he could stand and gather the papers. "Everyone here that's gonna be here?" The students glanced at one another, just the smallest bit put-off. Ignoring the fact, he turned and began to pace around the room, handing out the papers and giving murmurs of acknowledgement at the small 'thank-you's that were given in response. Though he wasn't paying that much attention. In his mind, he was counting down the hours until he'd be able to go home, and from there, it was a blank. Maybe he could go on a walk somewhere. Bring Nozomi along. She'd have fun, if they found a nice little trail. He was tired; he really just wanted to lay down…but he knew if he did—

"Hey!" The scream was accompanied with a slam as the door was violently shoved open. Hiro went into a spasm of shock, and he immediately lost grip of the rest of the test papers. They hit the ground and went kind of everywhere. Around him, his students seemed alarmed as well; Abigail actually squeaked and jumped nearly an inch off her chair. "How's the other half living, over here!?" the voice yelled again, just as intrusive, though thankfully not as so.

Hiro whirled around, his eyes wide and confused as they landed on the door. And immediately, irritation welled in his eyes at the sight of his brother. He was grinning like a dork; obviously he thought the stint was hilarious. Hiro, on the other hand, did not. Not today. He glared, leaning down and starting to pick up the papers that had scattered. "Tadashi, they're taking a test," he growled, despite the fact that nobody had had the chance to even open their booklet yet. "Go be obnoxious somewhere else, they have to get started, or else they won't finish."

"I can't pop in and see the students I'll have next year?" Tadashi asked innocently. Hiro straightened, having gathered the tests back up. He resigned to just standing stiffly, glaring at him with a silent expectation to leave. "I gotta scope out the competition, too, I can't have your kids being any better than mine." He grinned at the students, and offered them a wink. Most of them were smiling in turn; it wasn't the first time Tadashi had come into their class— the brothers were often together when Tadashi had nothing else to do in his break. But some of the students were following Hiro's lead— looking a tad disgruntled at their test time being taken. Of course, that was only half of Hiro's issue. "Maybe it's all a part of my secret plan to tarnish your kids' test scores…"

"Tadashi, c'mon," he sighed. He turned and started pacing again, to hand out the rest of the tests. He didn't look back at his brother, but the grimace of irritation remained like a ghost on his face. "Not today. Alright?" He shook his head and added as some kind of fixer: "Not on their test day, I mean. Any other day." When Tadashi did not immediately turn and let himself out, Hiro growled out a thinner: "Tadashi, please leave." Though there was no tone of politeness there whatsoever.

"Aw, man, you're such a downer," Tadashi chirped. Hiro stiffened immediately in indignant anger at the insult, and he felt an even bigger sting of anger when he heard Tadashi actually start into the classroom. He cut himself off short, mid-extension to Mark, who awkwardly froze mid-reach at the look of pained resentment on his teacher's face. "C'mon, knucklehead, lighten up! I'll leave in a second, I just wanted to—"

"Annoy me, and come in like you're—!?"

Hiro turned quickly as he cut his brother off, but once he did, he cut himself off. Tadashi was smirking, his expression much softer than it had been at the door. He was holding out a plastic bag that he'd held behind his back before, and he was now holding it out invitingly. He didn't say anything, and Hiro's hostility slowly shed away as he reached over and took it. He looked inside, and a worn and slightly repentant smile crawled over his face as he saw what was inside.

There were two bags of Gummy Bears, and a few cans of his favorite soda. He must have swiped some cookies from the café, too, because a few of his choice favorites were there as well. He'd gotten him ice cream, too— a whole tub of mint chocolate chip, with a spoon on top so that he could just eat straight from the container. His smile grew, along with his guilt for immediately snapping, but all the same, he looked at Tadashi gratefully, letting out a small huff of air. "This is— wow. Oh, geez…I'm sorry," he exhaled, shaking his head again. Tadashi smiled, and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I'm sorry," Hiro repeated, in a bit more of a laugh. "This is awesome. Thank you. I…I appreciate it. Thank you."

"Don't mention it, goofball," Tadashi snorted, rolling his eyes as if to ask: 'What am I going to do with you?' But there was an unbelievable amount of fondness there, at the same time. He freed one of his hands so that he could lean over and clap it down on his shoulder. "Call Aunt Cass once these guys are done with their tests. She mentioned wanting to go out tonight when she gave me those cookies." He pushed him a bit, affectionately. From there, he started to take a few steps backwards, to march out of the room and actually give the kids time to get cracking. "She also said to tell you 'hi.' I told her you would call, and she could tell you that herself, but she wanted to say 'hi' twice, so…this is your first 'hi.'" He grinned, grabbing the door handle again.

Hiro looked back down at the bag, his smile growing stronger now. The tension that had been fostered in his shoulder and his back was slowly melting. His stare was grateful and lighter when he looked back at Tadashi. He didn't need to say thank-you again; it was all already there. "Okay," he replied. "I will." Tadashi offered him a goofy look as response, and he doled out an exaggerated salute— first to Hiro, then to the kids. Hiro laughed under his breath when his older brother turned and shut the door behind him. He stood for a moment more, his expression soft and his eyes lingering for a heartbeat. Then he cleared his throat, putting his arm through the bag and turning to hand out the rest of the papers.

. . . . .

"No, it's not even my fault! If you think about it, it was all Gogo's fault! If she hadn't pushed it too far, we could have gotten away with it just fine, but she did, and because of that, we are now banned from the bowling alley!" Hiro objected, the anger in his tone offset with the wide grin on his face, and the intrusion of laughter in every other syllable. He had to talk a little bit louder than normal to be heard over the sound of the restaurant around him, but he probably would have been talking just as loud regardless. They all would have; there wasn't much thought of volume control. He laughed and shook his head, running a hand up through his hair and messing it up a bit. "I haven't been there since. I'm sure they've got a wanted posted up or something."

"You've never told me that before," Tadashi snickered. "Neither has Gogo."

"Oh, that's because we're bound to lifelong secrecy," he said lightly. "Though I just spilled it, so don't bring it up to her. She didn't want anyone to know she was that reason for that huge hole in the wall."

Aunt Cass eyed him, her nose scrunched up tightly as she made a show of looking her nephew up and down. "I can't believe you did that!" she snapped, her laughter also cancelling out whatever sternness she might be attempting to show. "You deserve to be banned, my goodness. And to think that I thought you were just a sweet little angel." Hiro grinned cheekily, crossing his arms where they rested on the table. "You're a criminal."

"I'm not a criminal!" he blustered, laughing again. "I am an offender. There's a difference. I think. I dunno." He smiled and took a drink of his soda. Their food still hadn't come yet, but he didn't mind the wait. "No, I wasn't a criminal. I was merely a misguided patron who really wanted a strike."

Tadashi snorted. "If you want to get a strike someday, maybe try working on your bowling skills until you can play without the bumpers up."

"Don't tell me what to do," Hiro replied neatly.

"Hey, be nice," Aunt Cass said, looking between the two of them with enough warmth to melt the ice in their drinks.

"Yeah, Hiro, be nice," Tadashi parroted, leaning over and nudging him, so that Hiro had to catch himself and not topple right off his chair. It caused Hiro to dissolve into a fit of giggles, a wide smile breaking across his face as he leaned forward a little bit, shaking his head. He moved on, to snap a sassy remark back, which would ultimately probably not suffice as nice. And Tadashi snorted with laughter, and Aunt Cass was quick to follow suit, far too happy to pretend to be cross.

And as they dissolved into a fit of giggles over something that shouldn't be all that funny, Hiro was just the same. He wasn't able to hide his smile, or his laughter, or the fact that he was genuinely happy, despite anything else. Despite the feeling he'd had getting up this morning, and despite the way his eyes had stung when Nozomi rushed at him to say her usual hello. Despite that. Despite it all.

He was happy.

(~**~) (~**~) (~**~) (~**~)

"5…4…3…2…1! Happy New Year!" The new year was brought in with a loud chorus of cheers and whoops, applause breaking out as confetti was shot off in every which direction. It'd be a huge mess to clean up later, but for the moment, nobody cared as streamers were literally strewn around the entire living room. Aunt Cass turned and hugged the person closest to her with a grip hard enough to choke them out, which thankfully was Tadashi, and not him. Hiro, strategically, knowing such a fate would befall anyone who was near her, had skirted around and was now perched on the arm of the sofa. His legs were pulled up to his chest, and he smiled fondly as he rested his head on the tops of his knees.

Fred was currently tearing through all of the confetti poppers that were left over; a mass of brightly-colored paper string was slowly building up at his feet. "This year is gonna be sick!" he roared. Hiro eyed him skeptically, and his smile cracked wider when a confetti popper shot off prematurely, hitting the side of his head and causing him to stumble to the side with a yelp. He knocked into Gogo in the process, and she immediately shoved him off, glaring at him in silent advice to cut it out. As always, though, he wasn't all that fazed. He just threw himself forward and gathered her in a tight hug, ignoring her stiffen. "Happy New Year, Grumpy!" he shouted.

Aunt Cass turned, but before she could attack Hiro, he shifted and hopped to his feet. He dodged his way through who was gathered, because there were quite a lot, and he hunkered to the kitchen to grab up the tray of champagne. Balancing it, he turned and started back to the party, beginning to hand them all out. He skipped over Fred and Gogo, who were dissolving into a slapping fight, and he went to Wasabi instead. His friend was grinning from ear-to-ear, his arm around the waist of his wife as the both of them tracked the success of Gogo putting Fred off of her. So far, they were pretty much evenly matched. "Hey!" Hiro chirped, having to talk a bit loud over the combination of music and television and conversation. Wasabi turned, raising his eyebrows. Hiro offered the both of them the tray. "Happy New Year!"

As expected, Wasabi grinned but refused the offer. "I've got to drive home!"

Hiro sighed. "It's one drink!" he objected. When Wasabi just smiled and shook his head again, he rolled his eyes, looking at Mina in exasperation. "He's a real keeper!"

She giggled, smiling brilliantly as she leaned over to take one of the flutes. "Better be!" she replied, after taking a sip. "He—"

"I want one!" Hiro jumped at the sudden yell and the unexpected grab to his leg. He almost lost his grip on the entire tray of drinks, but thankfully Wasabi was quick to help him balance it before that could happen. Hiro wanted to be frustrated by the intrusion, but he simply wasn't able to as he looked down and locked eyes with Eimi. Instead, an endearing smile broke over his face at the sight of her. The seven-year-old clung to Hiro's leg with one arm and reached up with the other towards the glasses. Her eyes were round with indignation. "I want one, I want one!" she pleaded. "Can I please have one, Hiro!? I want one!"

"I knowwwwww you want one, Em," Hiro cooed, stepping out of her grasp. "But it's an adult drink, okay? I can get you some grape juice in a second."

"I want that, though!" she objected. "I don't want grape juice, I want that juice!"

"Someone doesn't even know what they're asking for," Wasabi laughed, pulling away from his wife and stooping down to look at his daughter carefully. "C'mon, let go of Hiro, you've been hanging off him for long enough, tonight. How about you thank him for those piggy-back-rides he gave you tonight, and then you can go and find Jackson? I'm sure he'd like to play with you again."

Sullen, Eimi unwound from Hiro and blew out her cheeks at the rejection. But she got over it quickly, and regained her smile as she looked back up at him. "Thank you for playing with me!" she chirped instead, and Hiro's expression softened. He watched the little girl turn and scurry away to find her playmate, and he took the opportunity to step aside and keep going around. If it took any longer, the entire tradition of having the first year's drink would be next to pointless. As he stepped away from Wasabi, he grinned immediately at the next cluster of people who caught his eye.

"Hey!" he cheered, stepping over to the trio, already armed with a grin. "How are you guys? I'm glad you could make it again."

Stacy smiled, accepting a tall glass with a murmur of thanks. "Thank you for having us," she returned, a small laugh bubbling underneath her words. "I didn't think Cass could outdo the cake she made last year, but she continues to shock us!" She frowned a bit, turning and glancing around the room. "You haven't seen Jackson, have you?" she asked. "He's always getting somewhere…"

"Oh, no, I haven't," Hiro mused, glancing around. "But Eimi headed off in search for him, if anyone can track him down, it'll be her. Girl's insane, when it comes to finding someone to play with her, I swear. My back still hurts." He turned, and Tony took a glass for himself when he did. Hiro raised his eyebrows. "I'll have you know, the college is putting on a party soon. They do all the time. They're going all out— there'll be a hypnotist, a magician, they've got some sort of petting zoo thing, and tons of games. Food and all that good stuff. It'll be really fun, you can come if you'd like. Just say you're with me." He threw a smile in Stacy's direction. "Jackson would love it, I'm sure. And Eimi will be there."

She beamed. "That's wonderful!"

Tony smiled as well, and said at the same time: "That's really nice of you."

"Eh," Hiro shrugged. "It's the least I could do." He turned then, grinning a bit more mischievously when he turned to the couch. "Mrs. Shelts!" He chirped this teasingly, laughter edging his syllables. The old woman immediately swelled and lit up at his attention; she had the horrible habit of doing so. Hiro offered her a glass with a smirk. "I'm afraid you can't chug the entire bottle, but you can have a glass! If that's good enough for ya."

She shot him a pursed look. "Oh!" she exclaimed, her voice carrying a mock sense of reproach when she took a glass. "You're too much! You're always teasing me, you rotten little thing! A poor old woman! What am I to do?"

"You're not that old!" Hiro objected. The compliment came easily, with a broad and reassuring smile. He always harbored a soft spot for her, so the compliment came easily. But it was also true, too. She wasn't that old. She was young enough to have challenged Fred to an arm wrestling competition earlier. Which he of course had accepted wholeheartedly. "You're still young enough to party with the best of us!"

She grinned, bursting over with heartfelt affection. "You're far too sweet, my dear. I think it's my little Buttons that's warmed you up so much!" She looked down with a smile at Nozomi, whose head was resting comfortably in her lap. As Mrs. Shelts petted her gently, her tail wagged this way and that. She'd been there ever since she'd started to get tired from Jackson throwing her ball earlier. Given the time, Hiro was impressed she hadn't conked out yet. Mrs. Shelts looked at him warningly out of the corner of her eye. "You still have time to change her name, you know! I think Buttons has a better ring to it."

He mimicked offense. "Nozomi likes her name! Don't you?" Nozomi didn't respond as he leaned down at bit to look at her, which wasn't helping his case. He stuck out his tongue as he straightened. "It means 'little hope'! I thought it was very fitting."

She smiled. Raised her eyebrows again as she drank some of her champagne. "I have a little hope you'll give me a few more of these."

He laughed aloud, his eyes widening a bit. "Sometimes you really make me love you!" he snickered. Mrs. Shelts laughed as well at her own joke, leaning over and giving him an affectionate pat. The three of them lingered a moment more before Hiro turned and finished handing out the drinks. He gave some to Fred and Gogo now, who had sufficiently broken up after Gogo had socked Fred in the arm. He handed one to Tadashi and Honey Lemon too, who had drifted over to be with Wasabi and Mina. Aunt Cass had gone to the kitchen to check on her cake pops and how they were doing, so Hiro turned and finally went back to her.

He lifted a glass and gave it to her, leaving the tray alone on the counter. Cass immediately brightened when she caught sight of him, and she softened at the silent offer. Though as she took the flute, she glanced him up and down. "You're not going to have one?" she asked, innocently enough as she took a sip herself.

Hiro made a face, leaning back against the counter and plucking up one of the small treats. "I don't like drinking; the smell is gross," he reminded, not for the first time. She frowned a bit, seeming pained. Regardless, he brushed to off and offered her a smile. "So!" He tilted his head to the side. "Happy New Year, Aunt Cass!" He did turn and grab a glass of champagne at this, but only to clink it against hers as was customary. "Made it another one!"

She brightened and grinned at his gesture. Her eyes softened, and she leaned forward, rubbing his shoulder. "Sure did! 2027! How strange— time flies by, doesn't it?"

Hiro cuffed with a small laugh. "Yeah. Yeah, it kind of does." He looked down at the glass he was holding. It was a little pointless to do so, considering he wasn't planning on even sipping it. He just watched the drink bubble up from the bottom of the glass. Falling a bit silent as his forehead creased with the smallest bit of thought.

Aunt Cass turned and set her glass down on the counter. Hiro had a split moment to look up again, before her arms were around him tightly, and she was holding him close to her. He softened over at the embrace, turning away only to put down the glass in his hand before he shifted to pull her close to him as well. A smile broke out over his face, though the longer that the hug lasted, the sadder it seemed to get. But he still offered a small laugh, and repeated: "Happy New Year, Aunt Cass."

He heard her give a small sniff, and when she pulled away to look at him, her eyes seemed just the smallest bit red. But she smiled right back to him, especially when she saw him weaken just the smallest bit. "Yeah," she said, her voice softer than normal. Her eyes flickered over him, as if she was mapping him out entirely. "Happy New Year. Honey." Her lips shook a bit, and she ducked in for another hug. "I'm very glad you're here."

"Of course!" he replied lightly. "What else could I have gone?" Though he was a hundred percent positive that she hadn't meant it like that. She never did.

All the same, she didn't correct him. She just leaned back again, after pressing a kiss to his cheek, which he tolerated without question. She glanced at the living room, to where everyone was still socializing. Tadashi and Honey Lemon were talking to Mrs. Shelts, Honey Lemon laughing over something the woman had said. Nozomi was back up and rushing around, Jackson and Eimi making a game of throwing her ball for her. Apparently she had caught a second wind. The picture was very different than what it had been so long ago, that one New Years that nobody dared to speak of too openly. It was nice. Almost unbelievably so.

She brightened and wiped at her eyes. "We should go back," she said.

Hiro turned, apparently following the same train of thought. "Yeah, yeah we should," he said. A more enthusiastic smile spread over his lips, and the sight of it back on her nephew's face where it belonged made Cass' heart squeeze surprisingly painfully. "We haven't brought out Twister yet. I'll give Mrs. Shelts a run for her money." He drummed his hands on the countertop before turning and hopping back into the party.

Cass watched him for a moment, silent as she merely remembered back to a time when she had wondered if she would ever see him this happy ever again. She glanced down and took a sip of her champagne. Toasting the new year and everything that was better – would continue to be better – before turning and following her nephew.

(~**~) (~**~) (~**~) (~**~)

Finals were always dead silent. Almost awkwardly so. Only for him, of course, because all of the students were too busy thinking to stop and notice the fact that you could hardly breathe in the silence. Every simple turn of packet pages seemed loud enough to shatter windows, really. So when the last few kids finally got up and turned in their test, it was a relief, because Hiro was running out of things to do. He could only text and bother Tadashi so much, before he apparently turned off his phone and turned into a loser. The kids would filter by and turn in their paper with a rather nervous expression, and stop to offer little smiles and hushed 'thank-you's. He'd gotten a few hugs as well. Little bittersweet partings, because these kids would be Tadashi's next year, for Term Three. It'd be a whole year before he saw them again.

A whole year until he'd see them again. That was, unfortunately, the first thing to flash through his mind when he looked up at the final kid to leave. He smiled at Abigail as she put her test down with the rest, once again becoming acutely aware of the silence. But, given that they were the only ones in the room now, he spoke up. "Have a good summer, Abby." Against himself, he wondered whether or not it would be easier when she was gone. It was already easier— he was adapting to the challenge of having her there, ever-present. When she was Tadashi's problem…what would happen then?

She put her test down, and returned his smile wholeheartedly. It was not lost on her that between the two of them, hers was a touch more genuine. "Thank you, I hope you do, too!" Her smile turned a bit more thoughtful, but all Hiro was really focusing on was her glasses. How her hair was shorter, now that summer was starting. Again, the guilt stung at him. "I wanted to say thank you for not letting me quit. Last year, I mean," she started, and Hiro had to drag himself back into awareness so that he could actually listen to what she was saying. "I really love this class, and the people in it. It's so much fun. And…you've been my favorite professor." Hiro's lips twitched into a faint smile at this. "So thank you. I'm going to miss being in your class next year."

He wondered if the same could be said for himself. Stop it. I've been getting better. It's been getting easier. Just a few days ago, she came to my office for help and I didn't turn her away or make an excuse to leave early, he admonished himself. But at the same time, the other side of him snapped: You still can't look at her without thinking about it. Why can't you even say her name? "Sure," he replied, his voice a little bit of a croak. He had to clear his throat before continuing, with relief as it came out much more controlled and at ease. "You won't miss me too much; Tadashi can be cool when he wants to be. And you'll be back for Term Four."

She nodded. "But still. I think everyone will miss you."

You think he misses you?

He cleared his throat again. "I'll miss everyone too. I wish you the best of luck for your next two semesters."

Abigail nodded. She slung her backpack more over her shoulder. "Thank you," she murmured again, gratitude in every letter. Hiro mimicked her grin, and he was silent as she turned and made for the door. The small click it made as it shut seemed to echo in the now-empty room. He stared straight ahead for a second, at all of the empty desks and chairs in front of him. Nobody to fill them, nobody to be there at the same time he was. He shifted and looked down at his feet. Not all that sure what he was supposed to do now.

. . . . .

"What happened to not drinking?" Tadashi asked, hoping the question would come out in more of an exasperated demand. But really, it just came out sounding tired and worried. How could it not, after the phone call he'd gotten at three in the morning? As exhausted and confused as he was, the second he had heard Hiro's voice on the other end, he had scrambled up to get dressed and sprint out the door. An hour later, and now he was plodding up the steps to his house, carrying Hiro bridal-style with a wince every now and then. Hiro's eyes were glazed and half-open. He reeked of alcohol, which was a testament to why he'd needed picking up in the first place. He added offhand, as if to lighten the mood: "Not the best way to bring in the summer, buddy. You're lucky I don't have work tomorrow, or else I wouldn't have come down to get you. I would have rolled right back over and gone to sleep."

He immediately regretted the words when Hiro replied. "'M sorry…" His lips hardly twitched with the two words. His head was slack to the side, and his already-soft words were mostly swallowed by Tadashi's shoulder. But it didn't stop him from immediately weakening in guilt. He glanced down at his brother, seeing the misery that was written all over his face, and he started to open his mouth and say something more. To tell him what he usually did: that it was okay, that it wasn't his fault, or that he didn't need to be sorry. Before it could get out of his mouth, though, he stumbled over himself, not looking up at where he was going and accidentally walking right into the wall once he passed over the threshold.

Hiro was jarred, caught in between Tadashi and the wall, as if he was a human shield. He closed his eyes tightly in a grimace, and a small mumble of "Ow" leaked through his lips in the same weak way his apology had. Tadashi immediately doubled back, righting Hiro in his arms and grimacing. "I'm sorry!" he yelped, that guilt only doubling on itself. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to— oh, crap…" He realized only too late the extra mistake he had made, and turned, his expression already wilting as he looked to the corner of the living room. Having been stashed away for the meantime, Baymax was now inflating to life, alarmed by the call of pain. He didn't need this. Not right now.

He turned, heading for the couch, where Hiro would most likely sleep until noon tomorrow. Gingerly, he set him down, making sure he wouldn't roll over and crash to the floor. As he did, he glanced over and made a face. "Baymax, go back to your port," he growled, much too tired to have common sense. "I am—"

"I was alerted by a sound of distress," Baymax interrupted. Tadashi blew out his cheeks, looking stressed out beyond relief now as he tried to situate his little brother onto his side. Just in case. Baymax looked down at the younger of the two now, realizing his presence. He blinked at the recognition. He and Hiro had become close, if such a word was right. Hiro liked to get him to repeat things that came out funnier than they really were. Baymax liked to be with Hiro and make sure he was happy and healthy. Oftentimes, Tadashi had purposefully left Baymax at his home, or actively instructed him to stay there so that Hiro would have someone with him. Tadashi could only miss so many classes. "Hiro," the robot mused. He tilted his head to the side. "You have taken in a significant amount of alcohol. While you are not at risk of alcohol poisoning, you are at risk of vomiting, nausea, cramping, disorientation—"

"Baymax, not now," Tadashi hissed. "I am satisfied with—"

"Tadashi?"

He almost screamed. What he did do was crouch down to his knees, beside his brother. His hands went up to shove through his hair, and he had to pause a long moment before he looked up. Honey Lemon was standing at the top of the stairs, alarmed as she glanced from Tadashi to Hiro. She quickly descended the rest of the steps and started over, her hands clasped in front of her in concern. "Oh my goodness, what…? Is he okay? What happened?" she whispered, though Hiro's eyes weren't closed yet. He was mostly staring, in a vacant way, as if he wasn't actually seeing anything. It was a look hauntingly similar to a time that Tadashi would rather not revisit, and it was part of the reason his skin was itching with nerves. Which wasn't being helped by all of this.

"I don't know," he answered heavily, shaking his head. This had never happened before, and he did not like that. At all. "I don't know, he just called me and he was hard to understand. I don't even know what he said. I tracked his phone, found him at some bar. I brought him back here, I couldn't just let him be out on his own, he might—" He stopped short, not even sure how he had been planning on finishing that sentence. He didn't want to know. "He's fine," he went on to say instead. He looked back at him, his eyes raw. He reached over to carefully brush some hair out of his eyes. "He'll just stay here. I'll call Aunt Cass and tell her in the morning. Not now." She wouldn't even be up right now. He didn't want to give her a rude awakening as well.

Honey Lemon adopted the same sorrowful look as she studied Hiro. She started to say something, but seemed to think better of whatever it was. She just took in a slow breath and nodded. "Okay," she breathed. "Do you…are you going to go back to bed? Or…?" It was four in the morning. The kind of time where, if you hadn't gone to bed yet, or were rudely woken up, you stopped to think: 'Is it even worth it?'

He shook his head. "I'll stay with him," he mumbled. "You can go back. Don't worry."

She glanced at Hiro one last time. She only nodded, promising herself that she would get up earlier than planned and maybe make some breakfast for them all. But for now, she knew it wasn't her place to push and stay. Instead, she turned and went back the way she had come. Tadashi was relieved for the easy victory, and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Then he just turned back to Hiro, forgetting Baymax for the time being. The robot was taking to silence, just watching Hiro closely. Somehow, though Tadashi knew it was impossible – because it had to be, right? – he would have said that his creation was worried over Hiro's wellbeing. How could Tadashi possibly push him away, when such an assumption was made?

"You were doing really well…" Tadashi mumbled, a certain degree of pity coming over his face. He hardly ever let it show; he knew how Hiro felt about it. But for right now, he didn't see the point in holding it back. So he let it surface finally, somehow finding that it felt better not to cover it up. Because it was true; Hiro had gone nearly half a year without an episode. Though this was a different kind of episode than he normally had. "What happened?" Hiro closed his eyes as the question came to be, and Tadashi wasn't surprised. He just sighed and began to push himself up to his feet. "I'll get you a blanket," he offered. "Can't be too comfortable to—"

As soon as he stood and began to make for the hallway closet, he felt Hiro's hand wrap around his wrist and hold him back. The hold was surprisingly tight, and he jerked backwards, a little concerned. Hiro was looking at him groggily, but his pain was apparent underneath the bleariness. He spoke, and his words and syllables slurred together. "She said I was her favorite professor…she said she would miss me…"

He blinked a few times, having to try and fit the puzzle pieces together. It wasn't a hard leap, though. He figured his assumption was correct. His shoulders drooped, and the pity in his eyes grew even more as he moved back down to him. "That's good, Hiro," he encouraged, painfully aware of how fake his bright tone sounded. "Hiro, that just means you're doing well, despite her. And you have been doing better, you really have. You treat her like all the other students that love you to pieces. Which is an amazing thing for you to be able to do." He brushed his hair aside again, trying to be soothing. "You've done really well, Hiro, I didn't think you could do it. So it's okay. That's perfectly okay." He smiled, despite the sorrow there. "And now she'll be in my class. You get a break, yeah? Let me worry about her now."

"No…no, you don't get it, you don't…you don't understand…" Hiro pressed. He curled up closer to himself. He started to move his arm and pull it over his mouth. Tadashi, knowing this move all too well, patiently stopped him before he could. "You don't get it," he groaned. "She said she would miss me. That I was her favorite…me, but I've been— oh, I've been the worst…I've been terrible…I can't even…I can't even—I'm such a—"

"Hiro, Hiro, stop," he shushed. "Stop, Hiro. You're doing just fine. Don't be upset, okay? Please don't be upset, because you've done so well. You've been doing great. This entire time, you've done the best you can, and you've done so much better than anyone else could have. You've been through so much. Alright? And you've accomplished so much despite it. Don't you ever let yourself minimize what you do, okay? Because it's so amazing what all you've gotten to be."

Hiro let out a sigh that shivered on its way out. He sagged back into the pillows of the couch, his forehead creasing over just the smallest bit. He fell silent for a heartbeat, grimacing to himself. He curled his shoulders in just a little bit. His grip, still locked around Tadashi's wrist, tightened. "I just can't look at her without remembering him…I can't, I just can't, and I hate it, I hate it so much…" he sobbed out, the words so quiet it was hard to even hear them.

Tadashi hunched forward. Pain gripped his heart as he looked at his little brother. And remembered how long he had sat in front of the person who had tormented him for a year, never being the wiser to any of it, and never helping. He brushed through his hair again and heaved a sigh. "I know, Hiro…" he murmured, his voice thick. "I know…" Hiro fell silent, the confession being his last as he just took to flinching his eyes closed.

Tadashi's chest tore when he saw his baby brother's shoulders tremble up and down. He sucked in a slow breath, trying to look over the heartache somehow. Though it was hard. It was always hard. But he couldn't crumble; he could never crumble, he didn't deserve to. He just needed to be there for Hiro, and he always was. He would never let him be alone again. So he moved and shifted over, adjusting so that he could wrap his arms around his little brother. He leaned down, holding him tight and letting his head rest down on his. And he sat there in the dark living room, just to be there. Just to somehow do the best he could.

(~**~) (~**~) (~**~) (~**~)

There was another breed of early-morning phone calls from Hiro. This was the next one. At two in the morning, this time, his cellphone rang, and, seeing his brother's contact information, he immediately went into a spasm of worry and shock. He yanked his phone off of his bedside table, nearly ripping the charger out of it as he answered. "Hello?" he basically gasped, Honey Lemon immediately jerking awake as he accidentally spoke too loud. She turned and looked at him with a confused scowl, but he ignored it. "Hiro?" he pressed, when there wasn't an immediate reply. "Hiro, are you okay? What's— what's wrong?" He was still half-asleep.

"Hey!" Tadashi winced away from the shout. He grumbled, irritation now coming to rest on his shoulders when he recognized the eagerness in his tone. The fact that there weren't any slurred words or hiccupping gasps, or pained sobs. His voice sounded completely normal. Nope. It was one of these calls. "What're you doing right now?" Hiro demanded, sounding as wide-awake as if it was two p.m., not a.m.

"What am I doing?" Tadashi asked in a grumble. "Hiro, it's two. I am sleeping."

"That's lame," Hiro sighed. "Let's go get ice cream. Let's go to Steak 'n Shake."

Tadashi's head hit the pillow with a thunk. "I am not going with you to Steak 'n Shake at two in the morning."

"Why not?" Hiro asked, innocently enough. "It'll be fun. C'mon, get up. Let's go out!"

"Why in the world do you want to get ice cream now?" Tadashi groaned.

"Because I can!" Hiro pointed out in a laugh, not at all perturbed by the attitude. "Because I can, and because I want to, and because I want to have fun! And because it's happy hour!" He laughed again, and Tadashi met the ecstatic attitude with yet another groan. Hiro was not deterred, though. Tadashi could practically feel his grin from the other line. "Come on, Tadashi! Let's go! Because it'll be fun! Because we can!" His voice softened. "Come with me to happy hour," he pleaded, a bit softer.

Tadashi sighed. "Hiro. It's is two in the morning." He said this slowly, and patiently. As if he were speaking to child. "I am going to sleep. I am not going to happy hour."

Thirty minutes later, and he was sitting in the brightly-lit diner, snickering at Hiro as his little brother attempted to cram fifty cherries in his mouth. Not even missing his bed as Hiro grinned around a mouthful of fruit, snorting in a way that sounded more like choking than giggling, which made Tadashi laugh even harder. Thirty minutes later, and they were clinking their milkshake glasses together, toasting the day that hadn't even happened yet because the sun was not up.

Just because they could.

(~**~) (~**~) (~**~) (~**~)

His class was just getting out. It was his Term Five class, and, given that it was getting to the end of the year, he was enthralled to hear whatever jobs his kids had lined up for themselves once graduation was through and over with. It was just about everything he could picture, and he liked to know that just about everyone seemed to be going on a track that was best fit for them. He was currently grinning from ear to ear, listening to Allison, one of his better students that had hung back to detail the job she had just gotten working for a theme park. She was bright-eyed and excited, chirping on about the animatronics she had seen in her last visit, and the future of what she would be doing later.

She beamed, and added on: "It's my dream job. And I wouldn't have ever gotten it without you. Thank you so much, Professor Hamada."

He smiled. Felt that familiar tug in his chest that made things worth it. "Of course, Allison," he replied warmly. "It was my pleasure to have you these last four years. You've always been more than ready for all this. What a relief to finally be done with it, huh?" Movement caught his eye out the window, and he turned, his forehead creasing a bit as he looked outside. Tadashi's class would be wrapping up as well, just about now. But they were outside, altogether. The kids must have had a project of building any sort of flying contraption. There were small drones, little airplanes, cute little characters whizzing around. Only one or two of them were having trouble getting off the ground, it looked like.

Tadashi was walking through the small gang of students, making notes on their progress. Subconsciously, Hiro found himself seeking his students out, rather than listening to Allison, who was going on. He saw Amy was the creator of a little light green plane— it was working just fine, it was her driving that was the issue. Mark was the owner of what looked like it was supposed to be a flying monkey, which Hiro could stop and take a moment to give props to. That one had a hiccup or two, it looked like, where he was sitting. But it was easily a B grade. Maybe an A-, if Tadashi was feeling generous.

Tadashi kept walking, and Hiro's eyes flickered back to his brother as soon as he came to a stop beside Abigail. Hiro's smile wilted, and his shoulders did the same, when he saw she was piloting a bright purple car, that was currently whizzing through the air with considerable speed. It had little wings on the sides. He could tell that a lot of care and precision had gone into the making of it. Tadashi seemed to as well; his mouth was moving, and he grinned wide as he wrote something down on his notes. Abigail smiled brilliantly at whatever he'd said, looking overjoyed when she laughed.

"And you should hear my starting salary!" Allison gushed, still talking. Hiro didn't look at her though. His eyes were trained fixedly outside, that disheartened frown staying on his face. Allison wilted just a bit, more confused than anything as she pressed: "Professor? Would…do you want to hear what they told me?" He didn't move, though, guilt clouding his expression when he saw Tadashi and Abigail exchange a smile – a real, genuine one – before his brother began to move on.

"Professor…?"

(~**~) (~**~) (~**~) (~**~)

Term Four's first day was today. Despite the extra work that everyone was fully aware would come with the next step in their major, everyone was absolutely buzzing with excitement. They were getting their teacher back, after all. Tadashi had been wonderful, and nearly every bit as much fun as Hiro had. But those who were returning to Hiro's class – because there were a few that were mixed around, of course, such a fate was inevitable – were returning to his class in a rush, or a sprint. Nearly everyone was eager to have their professor back. A fact that was unheard of in any other class but this one, just about.

Abigail was one of the students who had actually been looking forward to the beginning of the fall semester, purely for this reason. She was sitting up front with Amy, a smile on her face as the two passed the time by gossiping. How Sandra had dropped out of school because she'd had a baby with her boyfriend Tom. How over the summer, Abigail had heard that Doctor Harman in the Fine Arts Building had had another baby, too, but she wasn't too sure. They were invested, and giggling, after setting up their notes, and the only reason they stopped talking was because Hiro swept into the room.

The students brightened at the reunion, and they all turned bright eyes to their teacher. A few already were calling out hellos, and questions, but after a moment, the excitement began to decay uncertainly. Once they took in their professor's state, the excitement died away. He didn't waste time with and greetings. He turned on his heel, a stack of papers in his arms. He began to hand them out to each person, sweeping right into the instructions without the foreplay. "This is what we're doing. No lesson plan— this'll be your first grade."

Abigail took the paper, discomfort and confusion coming over her expression as she began to read the assignment. She glanced at Amy and saw the same concern on her face. So she turned, clearing her throat before she asked a bit hesitantly: "Er…are you sure we should…are we allowed to do this?" It wasn't the first time she was asking this question, she realized. In this class, they pretty much did questionable projects half the time. Usually when she asked, Hiro said something along the lines of: 'The Dean owes me fun, and [insert their questionable activity here] is fun.'

Now though, he didn't bother with it. He just continued to hand out the sheets. "We're gonna do it."

Mark rubbed at his mouth, skeptically looking over the instructions. "Are you…sure?"

"I'm positive. He deserves every bit of it," he said shortly, finishing handing it out as he turned and went back to his desk. "We have three days. Including today."

"It'll be outdated, by then," Jackson announced from the back.

Mark looked at him blandly. "It's already outdated, Jack."

"Revenge is never outdated!" Yuri cheered, practically jumping in his chair with eagerness. "This is going to be so great! He'll need to get the plates, because he's going to get served. Hell yeah."

"But isn't getting revenge…not good?" Abigail asked slowly. She looked at the paper again. "I mean…especially this, it…it seems a little…"

Hiro looked at her calmly from his desk. He raised his eyebrows. "You don't think he deserves it?"

Abigail shifted. She looked down and looked over the paper again. "I mean…" She laughed awkwardly, tucking her hair behind her ear. Hiro's eyes flashed at this. "I don't know, I think...yeah, I…I can see why…I just think it's…I wasn't expecting the assignment. I guess. Is all." She tried another laugh, which tittered out just as hesitantly.

Amy had slowly turned in mood, and now she seemed to agree with Yuri's optimism. There was a small grin on her face. "I think it'll be good," she decided, turning her smile up to Hiro. "And it's not like we wouldn't be getting a grade— or learning something." Humor cracked its way into her eyes. She added a coy: "And we'll teach someone else a lesson in the meantime, right, Professor?"

"That's the point," Hiro replied neatly, crossing his arms. He raised his eyebrows again as he surveyed the class, and now that familiar little light came back into his eyes as he looked them over. That challenging sort of look he usually got that brought the smiles back on his students' faces. "So?" he demanded. Abigail cracked a grin too, and she looked back down at her instruction sheet. Might as well. Amy was right— they would learn something, and they would teach a lesson at the same time. "You ready?"

. . . . .

Hiro stood at the front of his class. They were each holding their buckets, armed and ready for his signal. They'd worked for days on it, and though Hiro was already happy to see their ability to pick up on this new skill fairly easily, he was mostly looking forward to this moment. He glanced back at them, checking that they were ready. A few looked doubtful, as if they weren't sure they should be doing this, still. But the majority of them were more than excited. Yuri was hopping from one foot to the other. Abigail and Amy were exchanging eager smiles.

Hiro turned, and smiled wide. He was the most excited out of the entire group. Of course he was. "Alright," he hissed, reaching out and starting to grab the doorknob. The kids began to shuffle forward and tighten their holds around their buckets. In turn, he began to shuffle to the side and out of the way. "Ready?" he whispered. A bunch of nods, and more smiles of anticipation. Without further wait, Hiro ripped open the door and rushed to the side, out of the way. His kids scrambled forward at once, as many people cramming into the entryway as possible. And they leaned forward, tipping over their buckets and spilling out the things inside.

Screaming immediately burst out of the room, as well as the sound of rushing and stumbling to get out of the way. Hiro waited until all his students had poured out their buckets before turning and running into the room, leading the way for his class to follow. A smile broke out wide over his face, and he clapped his hands together loudly. "Hah!" he snapped, looking satisfied beyond belief. "This is what you get!"

Tadashi was stumbling backwards, his eyes ten times as big as they should be as he started to scramble onto his desk. His students, who had been listening attentively before, were doing the same, pushing and shoving to get off the ground. Hundreds of tiny spiders were now swarming the classroom and getting everywhere. Covering the floor, but the better ones were starting to climb up the legs of the tables and chairs, getting the students that were trying to hide. They were robotic spiders, of course. Little tiny things that his class had never had to make to scale before, and had brilliantly. All for the purpose of this.

Tadashi looked up quickly, stunned as he looked at his brother. "Hiro!?" he screamed. "What are you— what the— you did this!?"

Hiro's class was grinning widely, a few of them doubled over in laughter at the sight of the teacher they had had last year so distressed. Hiro smirked crookedly. "Revenge is a dish best served with spiders, brother mine!" he yelled.

Tadashi was glaring at him furiously. But in the very back of his gaze, stuffed down and away, there was a gleam of humor there, too. And he looked impressed as well, once he realized these weren't actual spiders. "'Revenge?'" he demanded, incredulous. "What do you mean revenge? What did I do!?"

Hiro rolled his eyes. "You broke our Snapchat streak!" he yelled.

Tadashi blanched, too shocked to reply for a second. When he did, he snapped: "Hiro, that isn't treason against the country, you're such a drama queen!"

"We were on day two hundred, Tadashi,yes it was! I amthe furthest thing on this planet from a drama queen!"he screamed. Tadashi ducked his head, crumbling entirely now, as he broke into a fit of giggles. Hiro tried to stay looking angry, but he couldn't either, and he quickly shook his head, choking on his own laughter as he began to step back, nudging his kids back to do the same. "Have fun, jerk!" he yelled, turning now. "Hope you thought it was worth it!"

Tadashi tried to yell after him and call him back. As soon as he did, a girl fell off the desk, and was immediately swarmed with little robotic spiders, screaming bloody murder that was surprisingly able to be heard over the laughter that came from Hiro and his class. The older brother had to turn, freaking out a little. "Emily— aw, no, Emily, get off the ground!" With the yell, he was laughing again, and Hiro was nearly suffocating on it when he shut the door behind him, hearing Tadashi's frantic and hysterical: "Emily, get off the ground, oh my God this is so stupid!"

(~**~) (~**~) (~**~) (~**~)

It was Family Fun Day, and Hiro was not having any fun. He'd volunteered to man a station, in the hopes that it would be a fun time, with the added bonus of overtime. But he'd been sitting here for two hours, and he was honestly the second most bored he had ever been in his life. The college always put on these sorts of things, especially for kids who were far away from home and didn't have a lot of family time. Parents and grandparents and siblings and cousins came to visit the students that were here, and there were tons of things to do. Carnival games set up, and stations for kids to play, and tons of food like popcorn or cotton candy.

When Hiro offered his hand at volunteering, he'd wanted something cool like the dunk tank, where the Dean was currently getting soaked over and over again. But no, he'd gotten stuck here at the hula hoop station. The even little kids got bored of this place in five minutes and flaunted away. He wished he could do the same, and now he was really wishing he hadn't signed up for this dumb thing. No matter the extra money. Currently, he was listening to the kids laughing over at the bounce house, the conversation and the music, and he was spinning a hula hoop so that it would roll and come back to him. Very fun.

"Hiro! Hiro, Hiro! Hiro!" He smiled wide when he heard the familiar voice, and he turned in just enough time for Eimi to crash into him. He grinned and shifted to kneel down, leaning over so that he could wrap his arms tight around the little girl. She beamed, jumping up and down when she only hugged tighter. "Hi, Hiro!" she cheered, thrilled head over heels like she always was, to see him. "Are you having fun?"

Hiro grinned and looked up to see Wasabi and Fred following after the little girl. He pulled away and ruffled her hair with a smile. "'Course I am, Em," he returned. He looked her over, laughing at the cotton candy she was holding in one hand, and the stuffed tiger in her other. Her face was painted to look like a butterfly, and she was wearing a first place ribbon they gave to every kid who played down at the basketball hoop game. "But I don't think I'm having as much fun as you! You look like you're having the time of your life!"

"Mhm! Daddy told me I could play as long as I wanted!" she cheered. She showed him her tiger. "I named him Cuddles!"

He made a face at her, reaching out to poke her in the stomach. "Tigers don't cuddle, silly, they've got teeth!"

"I got teeth, and I cuddle," she squeaked.

"You do, indeed," Hiro affirmed. "And you're the best cuddler I know." He leaned a bit closer and looked at her intensely. "Don't tell Nozomi I told you that, though. She'll get jealous!" Eimi broke down into giggles at this, her eyes lighting up at the mention of his dog. She loved Nozomi to pieces, it was almost ridiculous. He shot a wink in her direction before he moved and stood, smiling at his friends once they finally caught up. "Enjoying the day?" he asked. "Obviously you can tell I'm completely booked over here. Far too many kids."

Wasabi smirked. "I can see that. How much longer do you have to stand and look at empty space? We were thinking of going out to eat."

Hiro drew his hands through his hair. "Hm. I have a couple more hours. I can text you." He looked over at Fred. "Have you seen Tadashi?"

"Handing out popcorn," Fred chirped, looking down at the bag he had in his hands. "He wouldn't give me any more."

"That's because that was your seventh bag," Wasabi sighed.

"I am a simple man with simple needs," Fred replied in turn.

"Aren't we all?" Hiro sighed. He turned and brightened, looking at Eimi eagerly. "Do you wanna hula hoop, Em? I'm sure you'd be really good at it!"

"Mmmmmm, no!" His face fell at the refusal. "I wanna go to the petting zoo! I wanna pet the llama!" Without a single word after that, she turned and she pelted off. Wasabi instantly washed over with panic, and he rushed after her, yelling her name. Hiro watched them with exasperated amusement, which only doubled when Fred left to get more popcorn. Apparently seven bags was not enough to put his colon out of commission. Finding that he was alone again, Hiro turned back to his hula hoop and picked up spinning it again, flicking his hand down quickly so that it would walk back to him, like before. It was a while before he was interrupted again.

By now, he was quite skilled at distracting himself with activities that literally entailed nothing.

"You're him!" It was two words he had grown to completely hate and despise, and Hiro soured immediately upon hearing them. He paused a moment, and tried to offer the benefit of the doubt, but when he did turn to look at who was speaking, his glare of irritation wasn't all that disguised. Though it weakened somewhat as he realized that they were adults. It didn't put them entirely out of suspicion, but usually the rude calls and outbursts tended to be kids. Last Family Fun Day, Hiro had been manning the Water Tag station, when a six-year-old had run up to him and said that their parents had been talking about him, and he wanted to know whether or not Hiro had died, back then. He had promptly taken to then squirting the professor in the face with a water gun and running away before he even got the chance to say anything.

Hiro really hated Family Fun Day.

His angered impulse began to ebb away when the man, who had called out in the first place continued. "You're my son's professor, aren't you? The robotics man! We've heard so much about you!"

Hiro cracked a small grin now. "Oh…oh, yeah, that— that must be me!" He reached out and shook both the mother and the father's hand. "Hiro Hamada. I teach along with my brother Tadashi."

"Our son is Ko Amano," the wife said proudly. Hiro reached the name after a moment's pause. He was in Term One. A B student so far, but Hiro was patiently waiting for the A student he knew would come later. It was always the same with those kinds of kids. "He just started this year, he is absolutely in love with this school and his program," she gushed, Hiro stuffing his hands into his pockets and smiling at the information. "He always calls home with so many stories about you and your class! He's so happy here, it's amazing."

"I've heard it's a ball," Hiro joked. "That's great to know he likes it. So far he's doing just fine. I'm glad to have him. Is this your first time at the Institute?" At their nods, he brightened. "I hope you're enjoying it! It's really a pretty campus. The best campus, if I do say so myself, but I might be just a little biased." He laughed. "I'm glad Ko seems to think the same. I know I loved it here when I was a student."

The father smiled, and he began to ask: "So I heard that you—?"

Before he could finish, something collided squarely into the back of Hiro's head, making him stumble forward in shock. Cold and wetness exploded there as well, and he reached back in alarm. He whirled around, his eyes already wide, and yet they got wider it shock when they landed on the perpetrator. Or…perpetrators. Abigail's hand was clapped over her mouth, her arm still thrown forward towards Hiro. As if she couldn't believe she had actually thrown her water balloon. Amy and Yuri were standing behind her, and they were bursting into laughter.

"The three amigos!?" Hiro demanded, a shout halfway between betrayal and approval at catching him off-guard. Before he could say anything else, Amy threw her water balloon, and it hit him dead in the chest. It exploded there as well, and he squawked with indignation as he only got more sopping wet. "Stop it!" he laughed, fumbling with himself to try and fix it somehow. "You can't—" Mark threw his water balloon, and Hiro tried to dodge it, but he only ended up make it hit him in the side instead. He was getting soaked from head to toe, and he let out a huff of frustration mixed with laughter. "Stop it, you're—" Somehow Abigail had another water balloon somewhere, and that one was introduced to Hiro's face. He tore it there, and, not knowing exactly what he was going to do with it, he grabbed a hula hoop and started to charge at them. "That's it! You guys are the worst students I've ever had!"

They shrieked with laugher, and turned to rush away, shoving at each other to go faster when Hiro raced after them. The parents watched with wide eyes as the professor started to run after his kids, unsure of what to think when he left the station empty. Hiro didn't look back, though, and his voice was punctured with breathless laughs as he ran after them. "Don't even bother taking your finals, they're all gonna be F's!"

(~**~) (~**~) (~**~) (~**~)

"This is so weird," Hiro decided one day, once class was near over, and he found a suitable stopping point. He was standing at the front of the room, looking over the kids. His kids. The thought made him smile with a bittersweet sort of happiness, and he went on to declare: "Term Five." They'd made it to Term Five— all the kids he knew would. He pursed his lips a bit, and made a face. "I don't like it. It's weird. This is…you guys are like the second actual group of kids I've had from beginning to end." And it was true. He had jumped in on a year, taking them off from Tadashi. He hadn't been teaching very long. How could he, with his age? "It feels weird! To know that I won't have you guys anymore! To not see you all every day! It feels weird, I don't like it. How's Tadashi been doing it this entire time?"

Yuri tapped on his desk with his hands, like a drumroll. "Who's your favorite in here?" he demanded, nothing short of coy. "If you had to pick someone, who would be your favorite?"

Hiro threw him a look, rolling his eyes and turning to his bag to begin to pack up. "I'm my favorite in here," he replied, layering on the smugness thick. "Because I'm just so great and fantastic."

Yuri held his head in his hands. "I'll be your favorite once you see my senior project."

Hiro laughed. "Oh yeah?"

"No, I'll be his favorite," Ichiko objected. "I'll mop the floor with you, man, just you wait."

"Bring it on," Yuri snickered. "I'm sure I can beat whatever shoeshiner you're coming up with."

Amy stuck out her tongue to her friend, from where she sat. "You called me at three in the morning this morning to see what I was doing for my project, asking for ideas," she outed. "Don't you be all high and mighty when I'm trying not to fall asleep, you idiot."

He leapt to his feet. "I did not!" he snapped. "And even if I did, maybe I got an idea between then and now!"

"I would bet a hundred dollars you have nothing," Amy mused.

"I would bet a hundred dollars you—"

"Guys, guys…hey? Suddenly, you're making it really hard to miss you," Hiro notified in a grumble. The students grinned in response, and he continued to pack up, jerking his head to the door. "Go on, you can leave. I'll end early today. Go ahead and please get started on those senior projects. You know how important they are, and I really don't want these five years to end on a bad note. I'm sure you guys don't either." He looked up and offered them a smile that was filled with genuine pride. "You've all come a long way, don't mess it up now. I've got high hopes for each and every one of you." Once he got all the smiles and unspoken affection he deemed adequate enough, he nodded to the door again. "Go on. Scat."

Scat, they did. With the normal hustle and bustle that he was accustomed to, the kids got up and began to leave. He was formulating in his mind the best plan of attack for dinner tonight, when there was a small cough. He looked up, and immediately smiled. Finding that it was easy now, and he did not have to think about it. "What can I do for ya, Abby?" he asked, Abigail looking at him nervously from her desk, still. "Don't tell me you don't have an idea yet for your project," he joked. "If you're drowning already, heaven help the rest of these suckers."

"No, I…I have an idea," she offered out. She reached back and rubbed the back of her head. He frowned and straightened at her apparent discomfort. "I wanted to ask, that, actually…if…if we could do whatever we wanted for our project. The instructions said it was open-ended. And that we could. I just…I didn't know if that was the whole truth. I wanted…to know if we were really able to do anything we wanted. You know…?"

He frowned. "Well, sure," he said. "There's no bar. You guys have come far enough that I don't need to give you a bar— that's the whole point of this program. You, and everyone else along with you, are ready to take things into your own hands. That's what Term Five is, basically. It's you proving that you don't need me anymore." He smiled at this, and she did as well, though it was still a little weak. "Do you…want to tell me what you're thinking of doing?" he asked hesitantly. Usually kids liked to make it a surprise along the way. And it was admittedly more fun that way. But kids often came to him for advice, as well. "Maybe if you tell me what you're bouncing around, I would understand why you look so afraid."

"No, no, I'm not— I don't want to tell you. Just yet. I don't think," she offered awkwardly. She smiled, and she stood from her chair, gathering her things. "I just wanted to know. As long as we really can do whatever we want, then I'm fine. I just wanted to check one last time before I started."

He smiled. "Sure. Yeah, go for it. Go nuts. The crazier and more you it is, the better."

Abigail nodded. She murmured a thank-you, and then turned and left the room. Hiro blinked a few times and eyed her skeptically as she went. But he just shook it off with an aimless smile and finished getting everything together himself.

(~**~) (~**~) (~**~) (~**~)

October, and the San Fransokyo Institute of Science and Technology threw their annual Halloween party. The campus was swathed in decorations, and the dorms were transformed into their customary haunted houses. Kids were running this way and that, and music was blaring overhead. Candy and popcorn and prizes were being handed out along the walkway, and, of course, the seniors had smuggled alcohol into the supposedly-dry campus. Hiro and Tadashi had gone with the rest of the gang, like they did every year.

Hiro was in the middle of the group when they filtered through the changed dormitories. When an actor jumped out a Honey Lemon, Hiro had stifled his smirk when she immediately grabbed onto his brother, who had been just as startled by the scream and tried somehow to help her anyway. He and Fred had competed in bobbing for apples, and Fred won by one apple after he somehow managed to cram two in his mouth. Tadashi had challenged his little brother to a s'mores-making contest, and Hiro knocked it out of the park by somehow stacking together three marshmallows, two pieces of chocolate, and managing to somehow take a bite. Wasabi had left only an hour and a half in, saying he needed to get home to go out with Eimi.

Hiro had started to coerce his brother into having a race across the entire campus to see who would be fastest, which wasn't the best idea when you'd eaten the s'more he'd had just before, when his students had rushed upon the group, party string ablaze and immediately splattering over Hiro from head to toe. He squeaked and fumbled, grabbing Tadashi and yanking him forward as a human shield. Gogo wasn't as forgiving about being attacked by the string, but couldn't hold back her grin when Hiro unraveled himself and chucked it at her smugly.

Hiro turned and snapped at them sarcastically, his students shrieking with laughter at the look that was on his face. Beneath the string, that was. As Hiro rushed forward and began bickering with Yuri, reaching out and grabbing for the spray can, Tadashi sobered a bit and watched him. His expression grew softer and more sober as his little brother wrestled for the can, grinning from ear to ear as he snapped at Abigail to help him, if she wanted a good grade on their next test. Tadashi watched his brother being happy. With his students. Not just with his students— with Abigail. Really and actually happy.

He wasn't much older than them, in actuality. He was the youngest professor the college had ever had. Twenty-nine, and he had been working for quite some time. These last five years, though, it had been hard for him. Tadashi had seen it, had dealt with it right alongside him, because even now, he was not going to let him think he was alone. It had gotten worlds better. A few hiccups here and there. But all the same. The fondness and relief in Tadashi's gaze was palpable, when he watched Hiro bicker and fuss with his kids, as if he was simply another student, completely the same as every other person here.

(~**~) (~**~) (~**~) (~**~)

"Give me a push."

"I do not wish to harm you by applying unnecessary force."

"It's not unnecessary, it's completely necessary, Baymax, just push me," Hiro said, making it much less of a request this time, and more of a demand. Baymax blinked and paused just a moment more, before he leaned down and gave the back of Hiro's chair an appropriate shove. It rolled easily over the smooth floor, and he grinned with triumph as he slid directly into his student's lab, gradebook and notes already in hand. Abigail's head shot up in surprise when Hiro nearly smacked into the opposite wall, but he recovered and smiled, his legs folded on the chair as he grinned at her. "Thank you, Baymax, your help is always appreciated," he hummed.

Baymax waddled into the room after him. "I am glad I could assist you, Hiro," he returned. Then he moved to look over at Abigail, and his head tilted to the side. "Hello, Abigail," he greeted, Hiro's eyes flashing a bit when he looked down to scribble on his notebook. Baymax often stayed down in the labs for the students, when Tadashi wasn't putting him to any other use. Given that the students were often misguided and up late, too, he usually had a hand or two in helping them with actual medical problems. Or just having someone to vent to. It was better than them having to sprint for the Wellness Center. So predictably, he knew pretty much everyone. "How are you doing, today?"

She smiled wearily, glancing over at Hiro once he looked back up. "Good," she trilled. "I'm nervous…"

"I can tell," he replied. "Your cortisol levels are extremely high."

"She's bound to be nervous, Baymax, take a chill pill," Hiro drawled. Baymax stilled, as if he was trying to figure out what a 'chill pill' was. Hiro rolled his eyes and scooted his chair closer to his student with a grin. "Let's put an end to the stress, then, huh?" All his kids were falling apart. It was their final project, after all. Their very last one, which they'd been working for ages on. "Let's see what you've got to turn in!" He didn't see anything at all, yet. All his other students had large inventions— like Tadashi had Baymax. Sitting in Abigail's lab, it was entirely empty. The desk and the usual furniture, but the floor was completely clean, and there wasn't even a box for storage anywhere. So far, he was pretty interested.

Abigail took in a slow breath and took a second to steel herself. Then she nodded and turned, going to her desk and picking up a small band from it. She walked back over and held it out to him. Hiro's forehead creased as he reached out and took it, turning it over in his hand. It was a bracelet. A slim, silver bracelet that didn't look like much. When he looked over it, he could see that there was a small button to press. He raised his eyebrows, and slipped it onto a wrist. Eyed it a moment before looking back at her expectantly. "So?" he prompted. "You've got my interest."

She wrung her hands together, still looking far too nervous. Shuffling her feet, she cleared her throat and began to hedge along worriedly. "Well, I don't…I was thinking of a name for it, I haven't…I didn't get to that yet, but it's…well, it's for…prevention. Safeguarding."

He nodded. "Okay." Fair enough, he guessed. A name wasn't required. The thing just had to work. "A safeguard for what?"

She looked near miserable. As if she was suddenly regretting something. She coughed again, and didn't answer. Instead, she just explained more. "Okay, so you sync and connect to the bracelet, so it— you know, it kind of registers your normal levels of blood pressure, of heart rate, and things like that. Kind of like Baymax can tell it. But— but that's— I didn't copy off him or anything, that's just…" Hiro grinned a bit at her rampant nerves, and she huffed for a moment before starting again. "So when it detects a change in heart rate— a really dramatic one, it knows, and it senses that something could be wrong with you. It can sense when you have hormones like adrenaline in response to something frightening, or if you have hormones like angiotensin in response to pain. And that's the safeguard…it makes sure you're safe.

"So when it senses all these signs and changes together, then it knows something is wrong." Hiro's expression was cleared now, and instead he was looking at her solemnly. "And so when a person is in a dangerous situation, where they are experiencing these changes, that's when they hold down that button on the side for four seconds. It alerts the police, and it sends your GPS location to their system. And it acts like a recording— it connects you to an operator, who would know to just listen and gather as much as they could on whatever situation you're in. And the bracelet— it would tighten around your wrist with all this, you know? And so— you know, unlike your phone or something like that, whoever it was wouldn't be able to take it off of you. If they even knew what it was in the first place. That's the thing, it's entirely unnoticeable." She shuffled her feet. "And it takes prints of someone that isn't yours, if it gets touched. It'd all be on there and gather everything, after it gets set off, I mean."

Hiro looked back down at it. His face was blank, but it was just as well, because if it wasn't, he wasn't sure what would be there. He wasn't sure what to say. Or do. Because there was that final thing coming, and he knew that it would. He asked about the mechanics, in a mumble of controlled focus. Because that was his part as a teacher. But it was clear that when Abigail spoke and answered his questions, she was looking at him intently, and waiting for the end of it.

"Seems like a lot of room for error," Hiro pointed out eventually. "A lot of possible false alarms."

"No more room than there usually is," Abigail objected respectfully. "You have to hold down the button for at least four seconds, so a simple fall or a bump against it wouldn't set anything off. And it doesn't contact the police without you holding down the button. As long as you do that, it's taken care of from then. And even if it starts recording, you could just say it was a false alarm, and they could tell that you weren't in any danger from your scan. But I mean…the point is, you can get information and help. With it. The police can know what's going on because they'll hear it happening like they were standing right with you. Or they'll have the prints, if the person tries to grab it." She shuffled her feet again. "And if you're taken someplace else, the police will be able to follow you, no matter what."

He felt his throat tighten and close somewhat. He tried to clear it without being too obvious, and after a moment he managed a tiny: "And…" He looked at his notes, at the last question he always asked at the end. It was, to him, the most important question of all. But suddenly, he didn't want the answer. He forced it out anyway, looking at her with that old difficulty. "The…personal reason for this invention in particular?" He asked it slowly. Robotically. Baymax might as well have asked it.

She looked at him miserably again, and now he could realize her extreme nervousness from the very beginning. Because she had been dreading this question to. She reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, Hiro twitching at the motion. And she took in a slow breath, turning earnest now as she looked at her professor. "Because if there is a way to stop bad things from happening, or at least a chance to doing so, I think anyone should take it. And I figured I could try," she offered. Her gaze flickering over just a bit more with this, though, she added softly: "I know it's not my place…and I know I probably shouldn't say it…"

Hiro concentrated on not blinking as he listened to her speak. As he stared at the face that seemed more familiar than it actually was. That seemed like a mirror to a place he did not want to look at, and yet came to his classroom day in and day out for the last five years. She looked at him squarely, now, and stated a soft: "But I don't think that you deserved any of it. And when you get so sad…when it's like you…have so much, sometimes, it seems…you don't deserve that either. You're the best professor that's on this campus. Even with…me." She said this last part softer. She shuffled again. Hiro's eyes were burning by now. "It's horrible. That you went through that…because there wasn't another option to take. So…"

She looked away from the bracelet and back to him. Maybe her last name didn't match…maybe it wasn't Callaghan. But everything else did. He didn't even remember her last name. Not right now, in this moment. Their eyes locked as she looked at him. As Abigail looked at him. And said in a small mumble: "So I made one."

(~**~) (~**~) (~**~) (~**~)

It was, arguably, the highest honor a professor could receive. To be demanded and voted by the students to speak at graduation. Usually they had celebrities come. Or famous people. Hiro guessed he could qualify as such, in technicalities. But he knew that wasn't the reason he was contacted by the Dean one morning, a week prior to the date. He knew that wasn't why he walked into Hiro's just-emptied classroom, a pleased and warm expression on his face at the cheery hello he received from the teacher. The reason why he had been asked to speak at this ceremony was because of the faces he could see grinning back at him.

It was a bit daunting at first, but he had quickly warmed to it. At the sight of not only kids from his class, but kids that he had talked to and smiled to at the Wellness Center. Kids he had stopped to explain math to when he passed the tutoring room and there was nobody there yet to help. Kids he had sat with for lunch, because they had been sitting with his students who'd flagged him over. They were kids he knew. Maybe not each and every one of them, but he knew a majority. And they knew him. Those who did not know him, knew of him. Whether or not that was a good thing was beyond him. He did not want to entertain it.

In the back of the crowd, he knew Tadashi and Aunt Cass were sitting and watching. Smiling with pride and love and relief and everything in between. He could practically feel it radiating to him where he stood on the stage, smiling wide. He could feel it meet and grow in size with each and every word he spoke. "I think it says something, that you would ask me to be here instead of anybody else. Instead of someone…famous, or someone well-known," Hiro went on, continuing to read the speech that he had written in preparation. Trying his best to pull it off. "I think it says that you've all got pretty low standards." He smirked with this, and the joke was met with a trill of laughter through the crowd.

His eyes softened. He leaned on the podium a bit. "I cannot express…how honored I am that you all would ask for me personally. I've been up…entire nights trying to think of the right words to say. Telling myself: 'Hiro, you can't screw this up, you've got to do it right.' I'm not the best public speaker, I never really have been, if we're all being honest. But I knew I had to do this speech justice. Because it's important. Because I'm giving it to the graduating class of 2030. Because I'm giving to you guys."

He smiled, and looked over them. "I don't know all of you. And not all of you know me, either. But I know a majority of you guys. More than just those that were subjected to the confusing torture that was my class, though they probably know me a little too much." Again, there was a burst of laughter. "I know you guys, and I know you deserve the best sendoff from this institute, because you gave this institute all of yourselves, and all of your effort. I've seen it, throughout these years. We all have. And we're all very proud of you. And we mean that, too."

He looked at the sea of faces— just in front of him. He didn't pay mind to the families and friends that were there watching. Not too much mind, anyway. Because this would mostly likely be the last time he would see these kids. It caused a pang in his chest, and he looked back down at his notes on the podium, taking in a quick breath. "This is the part of the speech where I give you advice going forward," he laughed lightly. "Uh…I'm not sure I would ever recommend anyone taking advice from me. Yesterday I tripped over nothing and fell up the stairs, and spilled soup all over myself."

The students laughed again, but mostly because nobody was at all surprised at the mental image.

Hiro cleared his throat. Adopted a more serious tone. "I know you guys will be just fine going forward. I've seen you handle tough tests and tough situations. I've seen you guys having fun at campus events and parties. I've seen you help each other, I've seen you study and I've seen you work, and so I know that you'll be great when you go there. Each and every one of you have my full confidence, for when you go forward. And I hope you have the confidence of everyone else around you. Your parents, your grandparents, your siblings, your cousins, your aunts, your uncles, and everyone in between. I hope your families and your friends help you along the way, and if not, know that you will always have family and friends back here, on this campus, always waiting to help you, even once you move on."

He took in a slower breath now. "The best advice I can give…the only advice I can give…is to live your life the way you want to live it." The words seemed too heavy in the air, once they came to be. But he went on nevertheless. "It's an obvious idea. But it's also a very, very important one. I want the same thing for each and every one of you, and that's for you all to be happy because you want to be. I want you all to be doing exactly what you guys want to do, and I want you guys to make yourselves unbelievably happy because of that. I want you guys to be insanely happy." He laughed, but it was smaller, and his grin turned a bit waterier.

He went on nevertheless, after a weighted pause. "Never…let anyone take away your happiness, no matter what your happiness comes from. And never…let someone take away something from you that is you. I want each and every one of you to know that you are the most important thing to yourself, going on. You are the most important thing. You. Not the job you came here to be able to get. Not the salary you're going to get, or the vacations you're going to go on." His shoulders curled a bit. "Not people's expectations of you. None of that matters. You matter. To your friends, and to your families, and to your teachers. And to yourself."

He cleared his throat. "If you've learned nothing from this college, then I hope you take this away with you. I hope anybody does. Because life gets in the way of things, sometimes. And you never know what's going to happen, later on, down the road. You can only count on a couple of things to always be there for you, no matter what. The first would be your family, whoever you deem fits into that category. The second would be yourself. You can never allow yourself to lose those things. They are yours, and they will always be yours, no matter what happens. So you have to protect them, and hold them close to your heart, where they belong."

Hiro drew himself up a bit taller, and cleared his throat again. "Because you guys are really wonderful kids. You're so fantastic, because you guys are yourselves, and you should never stop being yourself. It doesn't matter what comes up. It doesn't matter if it's not good enough for someone. You are good enough. You're always good enough. No matter what. You always have been, and you always will be." Again, he coughed, and shook his head. He smiled wearily. "You might think it's a little childish. For someone at your graduation to stand here and say the old 'Be yourself' line." He shook his head. It was a good thing he was speaking to a microphone; otherwise, he likely would not have been heard, as his voice dropped in volume. "But it's important. It's so, so important."

He sought out familiar faces in the crowd. Michael, and Amy, and Yuri. Alice, who had been crying in the Wellness Center when he was just about to leave. Kaori, who had been silent and sitting by herself at lunch, and who he had nudged her new best friend Chiyo to. He warmed and softened. "So many of you mean so much to me. You've been wonderful students, but you're wonderful kids, first. I am so glad…" There was a lengthy pause, where Hiro swelled even more. His voice was just a touch thicker when he managed a tinier: "I am so glad that I am here. That I was here to see you, and meet you, and teach you, and talk with you. I wouldn't trade it for absolutely anything in the world."

He was getting to the end of his time. And so he smiled big again, shoving down the lump in his throat as he proceeded. "I am proud of you and all of your accomplishments. I have so many wonderful memories of these past years, and I hope you have fond memories of this place as well, which you'll always carry with you. I know you'll be just fine going forward. Because each of you are wonderful people, that are deserving of everything great that will come to you in time. You'll meet so many new people and make so many new friends, and you'll find a place you never thought you would be able to find. And you'll be all the better for it. I know you will."

Hiro clasped his hands together. "So, to the Class of 2030, I wish you all the best of luck going forward. I hope that you find everything you are looking for, I hope you get to be so happy that you can't even stand it, and I hope you hold onto yourself with an iron grip, and I hope you never let go. I know you'll be just fine." He grinned. "But if not…well, then you've always got a family to come back here to, if nothing else. And we'll always be right here, waiting. Just where you left us." He dipped his head in a tiny nod. "Congratulations," Hiro repeated wholeheartedly. "I am so very proud of you. And on behalf of this entire institution, I wish you good luck going forward."

The crowd immediately erupted into cheers and whoops when he drew his speech to a close. Hiro smiled even more with the response, and as he nodded again and took his steps back, he felt his eyes sting and burn. Which was just as well; he'd rather it happen now, than when he was actually talking. He took his place back on the stage, and he watched the rest of the ceremony play out. He watched the kids line up and get called to receive their diplomas. He watched them turn their tassels to the other side of their cap, to signify their graduation. And he watched with a tender little grin when they all threw their caps into the air, screeching with happiness and victory at their accomplishment.

When the ceremony was through, Hiro stood and he walked back out the way he had come. He skirted through the crowd, smiling and shaking hands and doling out hugs when he was stopped by students he knew, and the occasional impressed parent. Mostly he just weaved and bobbed, and found his way back to Aunt Cass and Tadashi. He felt a little silly, dressed up in the graduation uniform as he came to a stop in front of them. But the self-consciousness couldn't weaken the brilliant smile that was on his face. "Hey!" he chirped. "How'd I do?"

Aunt Cass, was, of course, crying. And she quickly threw her arms around Hiro, squeezing him tight enough to choke him on the spot. "You did amazing!" she sniffled, Tadashi watching the two with affection as Hiro blew out his cheeks and tried to look irritated. "Oh, you were so wonderful! You are so wonderful! I love you so much, you're fantastic!" Hiro flushed, and did a dramatic show of rolling his eyes. She pulled away, though, and he couldn't even attempt to look annoyed when she fixed him with a relieved stare of pure adoration. She reached out and placed a soft hand on his cheek, running her thumb there. "I love you so much," she repeated, softer this time. Hiro weakened. "And I'm very glad you're here, too," she choked out, barely managing the wish.

Hiro smiled. He gave a small nod. He was here. He wasn't going anywhere. Not anymore.

Tadashi broke up the moment, to Hiro's relief. He stepped over and tousled his little brother's hair, his eyes soft. "You did good, knucklehead," he approved. Leaned over and added slyly, before Hiro could reply: "But your fly was down the entire speech."

Immediately, Hiro began to panic, and looked down. His expression then crawled over with genuine anger, and he looked back up indignantly. "Tadashi, I'm wearing a gown!" he snapped, only souring when his brother dissolved into laughter. He scowled. "And even if it was, I was standing behind a podium!" Tadashi didn't waver in his laughter, and Hiro glowered daggers at him. "Oh my God, you're the absolute worst. You're actually the worst person I've met in my entire life. You're like if trash took on a human form."

Tadashi was still laughing. He shook his head. "You don't mean that," he snickered.

"No, I do," Hiro promised. "In fact, your new name is going to be—"

"Professor?" He stilled at his name. At the voice. His eyes flashed, and Tadashi, who was already looking at who it was, began to die off in laughter, and adopt a much more sober expression. Hiro turned though, and met Abigail's stare with a ready smile. A genuine one, though it wavered only slightly when he saw her. She was wearing her black-framed glasses, and her hair, which had only just begun to grow out longer, was pulled back and up under her cap.

In the moment, she looked far too strikingly similar. But Hiro's smile was quickly recovered. "Hey!" he greeted. "Congratulations! See? I knew you could do it." It felt like ages since she had been crying in his classroom, and he had talked her down from quitting. He smiled. "Glad you stuck around."

She returned the grin wholeheartedly. "I am too," she replied, her voice earnest and heartfelt. She glanced down at her feet briefly before she looked up at him again, a little embarrassed. "I wanted to thank you," she offered softly. "For these last five years. I met…so many new people, and I learned so many new skills, and I learned so many new things." Hiro warmed at the sentiment. "I absolutely loved every second of it, and I know that I wouldn't be where I am now if I hadn't had you as a professor. So thank you so much. For more than just this diploma."

He nodded. "All in a day's work," he returned. There was a small pause before he added a slightly more withdrawn: "I know you're going to go far. You're brilliant, and you'll stay that way. Your…your last project…" She seemed anxious when he brought it up. He had graded it already, and it had been, of course, an A+. But he hadn't commented on it directly. Now he did. He relented a small, but emotional: "It was very good. Thank you. You should go on with that."

She warmed. Nodded her head. "Thank you. I want to."

The pair stared at one another. And even though they had only been introduced at the beginning of Term One, it felt, to Hiro, they had known each other for much longer than that. That they'd known each other far too long. It occurred to him, though, as a fact he had known this entire time but had been unable to properly face, that that was false. That they hadn't known each other for that long. It was another Abigail, who he had known. It was another life, and it was a life he was never going to have to return to. He may be unable to stop thinking about it, and there was no telling how long that would stay. But it wasn't her. Not really.

"Good luck, going forward," he wished. "You'll be fantastic. I hope you come back and visit." And he found that he meant the sentiment.

She brightened. "I will! I promise."

Aunt Cass and Tadashi were both watching the exchange closely. Silent, both fully aware of the situation. Of course they were— how could they not? But for once, Hiro found himself not focusing on where they were. He paid no mind to it. "I'll hold you to it," he just told her.

She nodded. Realizing she should get going because her parents were looking for her, Abigail glanced over her shoulder quickly before back to her teacher. She offered him one last smile, already walking away from him, backwards, and just hoping she wouldn't fall. "Goodbye, Hiro!" she called out, reaching up with her free hand in a quick wave.

Hiro softened at her grin, and her cheery goodbye. He felt a pang in his chest that seemed stronger than it should have been, and more palpable. It felt like a lot, standing there and watching her walk away. Watching the constant reminder of his time away smile and flounce its way out just as easily as it had flounced its way in. It felt like a part of him was leaving. Strange as it was. And so he felt his eyes sting again, and his vision blurred over ever so slightly as she turned on her heel and started away quicker. Hiro took a small step forward, as if he was going to follow. But he wasn't.

He sucked in a quick breath and shouted after her, hoping she would hear.

"Goodbye, Abigail!"

(~**~) (~**~) (~**~) (~**~)

A/N: Thank you very much for reading this story. It was truly a wonderful project to work on, and I loved writing for you all, and hearing what you thought. I sincerely hope that this ending is good, because I certainly wanted to do it justice. This is now the longest chapter I have ever posted on , copping in at 29 pages in 8.5 font. There was a lot I felt needed to be included. I hope you all liked it, and found it a proper closure to this story.

A lovely reviewer asked if I would share my inspiration and drive in writing this story with my readers, and I would be more than happy to oblige. And I think Hiro's speech reached it, in a way. I wanted to show how important it was to retain yourself, and hold onto yourself as best you can, even in the face of adversity. I would hope everyone would be able to do so, and even if you're in a tough situation, that you stay strong and live with it, rather than let it bury you. We all have hard times, and I've had my fair share. It is the most difficult thing in the world to swallow something down and carry it with you, when all you'd like to do is let it smother you.

But sometimes it really is the best feeling in the world when you can manage to rise above it. To be strong not because you lived with something, but because, even if just for a simple moment, you were able to let it go.