Guide:

(Y/N): Your Name

(A.N. Okay so in this one-shot you're older than Hiro. And, you're Tadashi's age. But I'm not making this a Tadashi X Reader for a specific reason...you'll have to read on to figure it out.)

"Is that a NERD I smell from here?"

Another punch came in the young 11-year-old boy's direction as a group of older boys, around 16 years of age, towered over him, sneers plastered on their faces behind the black face masks they wore. It's been happening for SO long now--probably ever since high school began for this young smart child--and it's breaking him to the point where he would just break down, cry, and fall into a great depression.

Hiro groaned as one of the boys kicked him hard in the stomach, losing all strength to come up with a comeback.

"Looks like he's getting winded up by us," another boy barked. "I mean, who knows how much longer he would last in our school?"

"Get away from me," Hiro growled, his teeth clenched hard together and his eyes scrunched up in anger. 

"Oh we'll get away, alright," a fairly tall boy said mockingly. "We'll leave, the moment YOU DO!" he added, pushing Hiro roughly into a locker and grabbing his textbooks. 

The rest of the boys roared in laughter as they took his books, flipping through them with an air of glee and mimicking a bratty toddler. "Oh my god, this is SO hard to read, mom! I don't understand! Can you help me? Or can you at least give me a better book to read?"

"Mom, I don't want to stay here!" a slightly plumper boy groaned with such a horrible falsetto, it could make anyone cringe. "Send me back to kindergarten! I'm not ready to deal with older boys!"

"I'm not ready for any more pressure!" the tall added. 

Hiro could only stare in horror as they started tearing up the books now, littering the pages in the hallways. "You would regret everything," he cried, as loudly as he dared. "In the end, you pay for the damage you do on me."

The gang of boys laughed. "Oh really?" the plump demanded. "They'll all think it's you. Honestly, you're not even MATURE enough to be here! Who has ever heard of a 11-year-old boy getting into high school?"

"My brother did," Hiro glared. 

"Your brother is a FRAUD!" they cried in unison. "What IS he to you?"

"He's my brother. He's family. And he's all I have," Hiro answered, putting as much edge into his voice as he dared. 

To this, the boys hooted in laughter. "All you have, little boy? ALL YOU HAVE?!" Their faces turned red as they registered this fact. "I bet your MOM never even cared for you! OR your dad, for that matter!"

"They thought I was smart," Hiro mumbled, clutching his stomach.

"Smart doesn't mean you can still come over here and prove your genius," thetall boy cried. "I mean, what grade should a typical 11-year-old student be in by now? Grade 5? 6?"

"It doesn't matter," the red-haired boy said. "Just not old enough to be here!"

"And what does your name even mean? What kind of name is Hiro anyway?" another boy cried.

"My mom named me Hiro," Hiro muttered. "Maybe with the hope that I could kick some serious booty."

"Nice try," the plump boy shook his head. "Because that is the EXACT opposite of what's happening!"

With that, they bashed him one more time in the lockers and left him, dazed and lost, slumped there. His nose was bleeding, and he just received several cuts. He let out a silent sob as he curled himself up on the floor, his hopes falling just as quickly as the pages from his textbook the moment they were ripped away from their bindings. Tadashi was too far away. And no one was there to help him...no one at all. 

A tear escaped his eye as he closed both of them now, surrendering himself into the dark void.

************

"Hey (Y/N)," your current boyfriend, Julian, greeted you.

You only turned your head back and smiled as you saw his form approach your table in the library, where you were working hard on a sociology project.

"Hey Julian," you grinned. "How've you been?"

"Not bad," he managed to say, brushing his brown hair back from his forehead. "Just, you know, doing things. Hanging out with the boys again."

"Hopefully not doing anything rash?" you smirked, jotting down another note as part of your research.

"Nah," Julian said offhandedly. "You know me, (Y/N). I'm not one to hurt people."

You chuckled as you felt him wrap his arms around you from behind. "Well, I'm hopefully holding you true to that word. You know if I do catch you hurting anyone..."

"I know, I know," Julian shrugged. "I mean, what with your work and all...your passions..."

"I don't expect anyone to hurt each other on the greater scale," you reminded him. "And certainly not in the school, either."

"I never expected you to care so much all of a sudden about others," Julian remarked suddenly, taken aback at your words. 

"Why else would I be studying social sciences?" you asked. "I mean, what with what's going on in the world today, it's about time someone should take action." Turning the page of your textbook, you quickly finished off another question. 

"Girl, you sound like the other nerd in our grade, Tadashi," Julian smirked. "I mean, what's up with you and him? I'm getting worried, babe."

"Tadashi and I are friends and nothing more," you said offhandedly. "His focus on helping people is different from mine. If he wants to do it with tech, I want to do it between people. Resolving issues and understanding the world from a humane point of view makes more of a difference. But not that I hold anything against Tadashi's purpose," you added. "Our views are different, and I respect that."

"Okay then," Julian sighed in relief. "I...I just don't want you hanging out with nerds, okay?"

To this, you rounded on him in shock, closing your notebook. "What was that, Julian? You don't want me hanging out with nerds?"

"Whoa, (Y/N)," Julian suddenly blurted, trying to undo his damage. "I didn't mean--"

"You," you muttered, leaning in slightly to glare into his eyes. "I thought you respected what I was doing...but now? I don't believe you."

"(Y/N), I just didn't expect you to be so concerned of others," Julian said quickly. "I mean--"

"Hold up," you interrupted him. "Shut your mouth until you hear what I have to say."

For a moment, tense silence clung to the air like a poisonous gas as you stared Julian down. Then he shrugged and sighed. "Fine."

"For the last few days, there has been something weird going on in the halls," you told him. "A group of boys with black masks would be bullying a younger student here, due to him being a nerd. And it's been happening every day. Are you aware of this situation at all?"

A flustered look crossed Julian's eye--which, for you, was hard to miss. "Um...well, um--"

"ARE YOU?" you demanded again, earning you and Julian some stares from the other students present in the library.

Julian nodded. "Yeah...I am." Then he checked his watch and got up, stretching. "Look, I...I'm kinda tired right now, (Y/N). You'd be lucky it's my break period...I could probably catch up on some sleep." Shouldering his backpack, he waved back to you. "Catch you later, (Y/N)."

As he walked away, a piece of black fabric fell from the open pocket in his backpack, fluttering to the ground. Curiosity overtook you as you examined it, turning it carefully in your fingers...and a dreaded feeling overtook your chest now, filling your heart with nothing but thoughts of betrayal.

The fabric that you were holding now was a black mask.

***************

"Hiro!" Tadashi cried now, running through the halls after a while just to look for his brother. He knew that around this time his younger brother would be tortured by boys in black masks. How this came to be, he didn't know...and every time it happened, he was unfortunately unable to help, what with his busy class schedule.  This time, however, he excused himself from his physics class for the bathroom, and the moment he was out of the classroom he raced through the halls in search for his younger brother.

Off to the right, he heard a loud laugh ring, and Tadashi snapped his head in that direction to see the boys in black masks--all except for one--towering over Hiro's slumped form.

"You think," the boy without the mask muttered loudly as he dared. "You think that anyone would be able to help you, Hiro?"

"Make that be Ziro," another boy piped up, pushing Hiro hard against the lockers. 

Tadashi gasped as he hid behind a wall. However, he wasn't the only witness of this scene now. At the exact same time, on the opposite side, you were staring, jaw dropped, at your boyfriend and his gang of boys, picking on the nerd that haunted your nightmares.

How many times you weren't able to help him before. This made you clench your fists in anger--not only because you never stepped up to do anything, but because Julian lied to you. He said he wouldn't hurt anyone. And he broke his promise.

Instantly, you ran over to the scene. "HEY!"

All the boys immediately jumped back. Julian just looked at you in shock.

"(Y/N)?" Julian murmured. "I thought you were still in the library!"

"Don't you FOOL me!" you growled, clenching the cursed and tainted fabric even tighter in your hands. "I saw this fall from your backpack." You shoved the fabric into Julian's chest. "Does this look familiar to you?"

Julian unfolded the fabric, his eyes widening and then looking up to you with a sad expression. "(Y/N)..."

"Just how COULD you?" you screamed, your form shaking. You then turned to the young boy, and mouthed, Hang in there.

The boy nodded, a small smile playing on his lips, and then you turned back to the group.

"You think," you muttered, in the same dangerous tone that you heard Julian use. "You think you can fool me anymore, Julian? I trusted you. I trusted you to the point where I thought you would respect me, respect my passions, my goals in life--my purpose. Helping others, that's what I want to do. And if it means making friends with the most hideous of our kind, I would do it."

At this point, Tadashi slowly turned his head around and looked into the corridor, his eyes widening with fear and yet at the same time shock. 

"I just can't believe that all this time, you would just LIE to me!" you finally screamed. "You said you wouldn't HURT anyone! It was because of YOUR promise that I decided to pursue this goal." Tears sprung from your eyes. "Now, not only have you physically hurt this little boy over here, you've hurt me too, and possibly Tadashi."

"Don't you get him involved!" Julian growled. 

"I might as well! He's one of the kindest boys I've ever met, next to you!" you cried, delivering him a strong punch in the gut. "And for what I know, this boy--" you pointed at Hiro, still cowering somewhat but not as much anymore, "--could be Tadashi's brother, or something! I mean, I can see the resemblance. But that aside--how could you? He's young, but he's smart. I've seen him before, I've known him for a little while, credits to Tadashi. And if he was not as broken as he is now, he might as well be able to kick some serious booty."

To this, Julian and the boys hooted in laughter again. "Nice try, (Y/N). That's not what I'm seeing," Julian shrugged, taking your hand. "He's so weak, isn't he. He doesn't even belong here!"

"He's a student here, Julian!" you protested, slapping it away. "He's one of us. He's human. He has feelings too! It's not just me, or you, or whomever you care about! He does too! He's not just some kind of unwanted monster. At least, not in my eyes." You turned around again and wiped the tears roughly, then turned back to Julian. "People could only mask emotions for so long, Julian. But right now, I'm removing that mask. I can't believe that this kid, who I've been SO worried about since I've seen him sprawled like that, would be bullied by YOU! You, and these--these--"

"Buddies?" Julian offered.

"RUFFIANS!" you screamed, slapping him hard on the cheek. "You know what, Julian? We're over."

Julian laughed in disbelief as he took your hand again. "(Y/N)...come on, you don't know what you're saying!" He leaned in slightly to you and closed his eyes, his lips slightly parted...

"No. I do know what I'm saying," you said, pushing him away and taking off the pendant he gave you when you and he first dated, throwing it hard on the floor and stomping on it. "You and I. We're over. And I don't want you to come back to me pleading for any more help. Got it?"

Julian looked crushed...until you turned away from him, picked up Hiro's limp form, and dragged him all the way to the other end of the hall, not even knowing that by this point Tadashi has raced back to class. Of course, you didn't know Tadashi watched this entire scene anyway. The moment you got there, you turned back. Julian and the rest of his buddies were gone.

"You okay?" you asked Hiro, the moment you turned back to him.

Hiro coughed and opened his eyes, looking at you with a worried expression. "What...no, oh no..." 

He struggled to get up, but you held him down.

"Hey hey hey," you said, kneeling down so that you were level with him now, bringing up a handkerchief to wipe away the blood from his face. "I'm not going to hurt you. I promise."

"(Y...Y/N)?" he murmured weakly. 

You smiled. "You do know me, huh."

"Tadashi's mentioned you," Hiro choked out. "He's talked about you for a long time now."

"Oh did he," you laughed airily, holding up a water bottle to his lips. "Drink up. You look parched."

Hiro shook his head. "No thanks, (Y/N). I...I'll be okay."

"I insist," you said firmly. 

Hiro sighed as he took the water bottle, draining all the water down his throat in one go. "Thanks."

"How long has this been happening?" you asked him, concern creeping into your voice.

"About a week? Two weeks?" Hiro scrunched his face up in thought. "I...I don't remember."

"Did you ever talk to anyone about this?" you asked.

Hiro shook his head again. "I...I didn't, no. I don't want people worrying about me all the time while I was still the main target of some pretty bad guys out there." He then put the water bottle down on the floor. "Just now...when you were fighting them back, I saw you recognized one of the boys," he told you. "And I'll just say...I got scared."

"Who...oh," you realized quietly. "You mean Julian, right?"

Hiro nodded. "The one without the mask just now."

"Julian...he isn't the person I thought he was," you said sadly, looking down. "I'm sorry he had to do this. Not just to you...but now to me too. How could he do this to both of us now? I was so sure...I believed him..."

"Hey, what matters is, you saved me," Hiro smiled, reaching a hand up to wipe a tear from your face. "I...I honestly thought that would never happen, what with the people ignoring me for a while." Then the smile faded. "(Y/N)...I couldn't help but think about what they said before. That I wasn't in anyway a hero...that I am not in any way honouring the origin of my name."

"You were named after the term 'hero', right?" you asked. "I'm just curious."

Hiro nodded, and he felt his heart lift as he smiled at you. "My parents just called me that because...well...they thought I would make a great impact on the world someday. The same way a hero actually would."

You chuckled as you took Hiro's hand in both of yours. "Your brother mentioned you quite a lot," you told Hiro. "How you managed to come here at a younger age than most typical teenagers, because of your genius...that's what I admire you for. You came here with a purpose. And just continuing to pursue your hopes and dreams, your goals in life...that's what I admire about you." You smiled as you brushed a hair away from Hiro's eyes. "Don't let those insults get to you at all, Hiro. You're worth something to me. You're worth something to everyone. Whatever you want to do, just go for it. Why let them hinder you to this state? If that's their purpose, then let them do it. You're only strong if you completely block them out, if you could brave away all those mean things just to do what you wish to do. Then, only then...only then would you be able to prove to others just what a good person you are."

Hiro nodded as he gave it some thought. "So...just keep being beaten up would make me a good person?"

"No," you shook your head. "Just be you. Be the smart and amazingly charming Hiro Hamada that everyone would soon come to know and love. Because this is the Hiro I want to see."

Hiro smiled as he took your hand and got up on his feet. "Thanks, (Y/N). Thank you so much for everything," he said as he gave you a hug.

You smiled as you returned it. "No problem, Hiro."

"Getting along with my brother, eh?"

You let go of the embrace to see Tadashi now, standing right beside you.

"Hey," you greeted him. 

"I see you've met my brother," Tadashi said again, gesturing to Hiro.

"Yeah," you nodded, smiling. "He's pretty cool."

Tadashi laughed and you followed along, feeling a grin spread on your face. "Thank you for rescuing him," he thanked you, giving you a hug, which took you by surprise but which you returned. "I...well, that's pretty admirable."

"Anything for friends, yeah?" you nodded, smiling at Hiro, who looked up to you with a grin--a thankful one.

Crappy ending, I know. Updates will be slow from here. REALLY SLOW. So be patient.