Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Some nights the wolf inside of me shrinks to nothing, she bares her teeth and runs away. The dragon in my chest rejects me, she’s so tired of being slain. There are nights when the lioness cowers, says she can’t fight another day…

What about the phoenix?

She sits with me in the darkness. She whispers: we’ll rise. Just you wait.

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Playlist;

Spotify Playlist

100 Moons by Savannah Saturn & Jonmarco

All I Got by Oliver Tree

Bad Habits by Ed Sheeran 

Beautiful With You by Halestorm

Birds by Imagine Dragons & Elisa

Bite by Troye Sivan

Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea by Missio

Brutal by Olivia Rodrigo

Chained Up by VIXX

Champion by Bishop Briggs

Cloudy Eyes by Unlike Pluto

Conversations in the Dark by John Legend

Cuz I Can by P!NK

Dangerous Woman by Rosenfeld

Death of a Bachelor by P!ATD

Do You Still Love Me? by Missio

Downtime by JAWNZA

Easy On Me by Adele

Edamame by bbno$ & Rich Brian

Enemy by Imagine Dragons & J.I.D.

Experiment On Me by Halsey

Fever Dream by mxmtoon 

Forever is a Long Time by Halsey

Heaven's Gate by Fall Out Boy

Help Herself by bbno$ & BENEE

Hold by Vera Blue

How Come You're Not Here by P!NK

Hypnotic by Zella Day

I am not a woman, I’m a god by Halsey

If I Killed Someone For You by Alec Benjamin

ilomilo by Billie Eilish

I'll Be Good by Jaymes Young

Infinity by Jaymes Young

I Want To by Rosenfeld

IWSMWLLY by Kina Grannis & Imaginary Future

Jumpsuit by Twenty One Pilots

Leave It Unlocked by Christian Blue

Leave The Light On by Zero 9:36

Little Bird by Imogen Heap

Nervous by Oliver Riot

Next To Me by Imagine Dragons

Peaches by grandson & k.flay 

Perfectly Untrue by Lucia & The Best Boys

Play Me Like A Violin by Stephen

Pretty Boy by Joji

Private Parts by Halestorm & James Michael

Sanctuary by Joji

Seize The Power by YONAKA

Sin Circus by Unlike Pluto

Slamdance by DEAR-GOD

Stigmata by grandson 

Streets by Doja Cat (silhouette remix)

Stunnin' by Curtis Waters

Take You There by H.E.R. 

Temperature by maxime.

The Phoenix by Fall Out Boy

Tied Down by Jaymes Young

Trigger Of Love by JAWNY

Voodoo Doll by VIXX

Welcome To Paradise by grandson

Wonderland by Natalia Kills

Wonderwall by Oasis

Yoko Ono by Mob Rich

You Get Me So High by The Neighbourhood 

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BNHA © Kohei Horikoshi

Hawks © Kohei Horikoshi

Storyline © Evixtus

Chapter Text

And in those moments when you feel afraid to trust love, remember that I have crossed a great ocean of loneliness to find you. 

Mine is not a fair-weather heart.

It was built to outlast storms.

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His wings reminded you of the sunrise. That bloody horizon that signaled a new beginning; the terrors that dragged you further into an inescapable abyss shied away from the striking colors that pierced the waking sky. He was an impenetrable fortress of protection and unspoken promises. His wings were a shield to the dark memories of your past that crawled from the shadows once again to leave a screaming echo that rang in your ears in desperate situations. 

You’d always presented yourself as an unbreakable being, your four walls stacked brick by brick and sealed with your regrets. You refused to let them down for anybody, even those who were closest to you once the last sliver of humanity you had began to circle the drain. 

But with only a vermillion feather those four walls crumbled as if they were a sandcastle. He was a walking time bomb, and the closer he got to your heart the more his risk of self-destruction increased. He was blind to it but you could see it clearly. You had always lived life looking through rose-colored glasses until he ripped them from your face and showed you the true colors of the world.

You’d thought of life as a tango: two steps forward, one step back. He changed the tempo and made the dance you’d grown accustomed to transform into something that left you breathless. It was almost as if there was a red string attached to him and the end of it was you. 

Desperately you dreamed to feel a tug on that string. You clung to it like a lifeline, ignoring every single warning sign that was tossed your way. He found your stubbornness admirable. The way you were flexible and able to be stretched past your own limits, only to snap back into a memory-retained shape was a characteristic he wished he had.

Every inch that he was pulled away from you he fought tooth and nail to get back. You did the same, never giving up until you were on the brink of death. His dedication stirred a hurricane in the person you once were. The lost little girl who had no promise of a satisfactory future was molded into a typhoon of a woman who kept one person in the eye of the storm:

Keigo Takami. 

Though that typhoon laid dormant under the light of a full moon, swinging from chains attached to the rafters of the ceiling. 

The ring in your ears was a foreign oddity that overpowered the familiar tune of television static. The blood that pooled in your head caused by your uncomfortable predicament made the underlying concussion worse with each second. It felt as if a sledgehammer was beating your brain into mash, the pulse traveling down the back of your neck and into the base of your wings.

The quirk-disabling cuffs had been dug into your ankles for so long that you were numb to the pain. The constricting metal around your torso kept your wings pressed agonizingly against your back, the base warping in torturous ways from the elongated confinement.

How long had it been? 

Hours? 

Days?

Weeks?

Time was untraceable thanks to the unchanging darkness. You weren’t sure if you were actually in a pitch black room or if it was just your (e/c) eyes refusing to cooperate due to the pressure behind them. You had to mentally reassure yourself that he was coming.

He would never forget about you. 

Or leave you behind.

Hawks was a man that had little semblance of self-control. He always found it difficult to let things slide if they didn’t go his way. 

“I guess I just have a hard time holding back.” 

His voice echoed in your ears, a welcoming thought that continued with repetition. 

Not knowing how much time had passed since you’d first woken from your unconscious state, it felt like a decade had passed when you recognized the unmistakable sound of a fight outside the room you were hung upside-down in. 

A sigh of relief crossed your lips and you felt yourself beginning to succumb to the exhaustion coursing through your veins. The tension in your limbs faded once light pierced through the seeping shadows that filled your prison.

“Took you long enough, you overgrown chicken.”

Chapter Text

She dipped her wings in ink to cover up her scars and wrote her story in the sky, her words lit up like stars.

~ Christy Ann Martine

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The steady showers that fell from the sky patterned onto the sidewalk, puddles leftover from the endless downpour. It had been raining for the past three days, the sun hidden behind the rolling black clouds. The horizon rumbled in the distance; the arrival of a spring storm. 

Yet the storm had not reached a small province on the outskirts of Musutafu where a silver car passed under a grainy streetlight, splashing a puddle onto the sidewalk in front of a small, local bar. Above a set of glass doors was a neon blue sign that displayed the outline of a phoenix. 

It was warm inside, the atmosphere welcoming to anybody looking to get out of the humid rainstorm with a background of soft music playing off of the jukebox in the corner by the mixing bar. The walls were covered in newspaper clippings on heroes and paintings created by an unknown artist. The array of stiff drinks and warm food were a bonus to the comfortable joint. 

Many of the locals would stop by after work to drink a beer and decompress, and you recognized most of them as regulars who had been loyal since your mother had first opened. Yet there were always the nights where a strange face would pop in now and again. 

In front of you sat an underground hero. He wasn’t popular by any means, tending to lurk around for night patrols and avoid the media like they were a plague. During the day he was a teacher at U.A.: the high school you had graduated from. He’d been there for a little over six years, known to be one of the toughest instructors at the top hero school in the country. He’d expelled a whole class a year ago, and that threat lingered over the heads of his current students; like a guillotine held by a thin string. 

Aizawa Shota had always been one of the most pessimistic, brash people you knew in the world. He worked hard to get where he was though he never took the hardships he faced in becoming a hero for granted. 

That’s how he ended up sitting at one of his top prodigy’s businesses, nursing his second glass of sake as the night passed on. It was early morning now, the sun would be rising within the next few hours. Seeing the hour, it was common for few people to still linger around inside. At the moment you only had three patrons: Eraserhead, a regular who lived across the street and another who had just finished his shift at work. 

Aizawa stopped by a few nights a week to wind down after his shift of night patrol was over, though he’d been on rest for awhile besides teaching his students. He was still covered head to toe in bandages, though his arms were almost fully healed by now thankfully. You hated seeing him in such a condition but he wasn’t the type of man to let you fret over him; it would just piss him off.

“How are your new students, Zawa?” You inquired, leaning over the granite bar top and propping yourself up with a hand. 

“Loud, obnoxious, idiotic children.” He took a sip of his drink through a straw and sighed. “Especially one of them. He has an impeccable quirk yet his personality says otherwise.” 

“Is his attitude as bad as mine?” You questioned with a chuckle. 

“No. He’s by far worse than you. While you were only aiming for the top to fill your fathers boots, he’s looking to surpass All Might just because he’s number one.” He replied bluntly. 

“I still think that’s an admirable goal, trying to be number one.” You mused, waving off the man who lived across the street as he set off the door chime. 

“He needs to have other goals besides being the best. That is what has burnt out many aspiring heros, he’s got to be cautious.” He finished his drink and pushed the cup in your direction. “Get me a water, will you? I’m done drinking for the night.”

“Sure.” You did as he asked, giving him a new straw. “The sports festival is tomorrow, isn’t it? Shouldn’t you be calling it a night or at least prepping?” 

“I just finished prepping.” He replied, shifting slightly on his barstool once the song had changed. He was of course speaking of how you’d just given him a decent taste at the new sake you’d ordered for the bar. 

You rolled your eyes. “How do you think your class will do?” 

“I’m sure at least a few of them will be in the top ten. Not sure how I’m going to survive the day being stuck in the announcers box with Present Mic.” 

“Don’t act like you don’t care about him, he’s your best friend.” You chided him, drumming your fingers on the table.

When he finished his water, you spoke up again. “Anything else you need for the night? I can call you a cab?” 

“No, I’m alright.” He stood up and cleared his throat after finishing. “The rain will keep me awake until I get home.” 

“Goodnight, Zawa.” You signaled him off with a wave as he slipped through the glass doors. You took a glance at the clock on the wall next to your menu and noticed that it was 3:12. Since you only had one patron remaining, you called him a taxi for his requested address and locked up after he had vacated the premises. 

As the taxi pulled away from the sidewalk, it pushed a small wave of water over the curb in front of your door. You’d moved to the side of the doors in front of the window to reach up and flip the switch on your OPEN sign when movement occurred in your peripheral vision. 

Your hand hesitated just above the switch when you located the source of action from a silhouette across the street. You couldn’t pick up any identifying characteristics of who it was, but there was a hitch in their step as if one of their legs had been injured. You furrowed your brow slightly as the figure stopped and swayed back and forth on their feet for a second before they fell face first into the ground. 

Before you could think you were already out the door and racing across the street. You didn’t check to see if there were any cars coming, but you lucked out when the street was empty. It wasn’t until you reached the unconscious person when you recognized him.

Hawks: a pro hero. He was steadily climbing the ranks and you would never admit it, but seeing how he had wings much like yourself had caused you to start admiring him. Your patrons had noticed when you found an article on him and slapped it over an old story about Endeavour; you acted clueless to their teasing.

Even though criminal activity was low in the Musutafu prefecture thanks to your old friend semi-retiring to become a U.A. teacher, you knew that if anybody with a sense of dissatisfaction towards heros came across him who knew what they would do. You never truly had the chance to follow your fathers footsteps in the hero spotlight due to your mother’s death a few days before your graduation, but you still felt like you had to help him. 

Standing under the bright lights on stage and receiving your diploma from Principal Nezu was more of a traumatic experience than a happy one. After her death you had no living relatives; well, the remaining ones had been shunned by your father for understandable reasons. 

Your paternal grandparents weren’t pleased when your father eloped with your mother: a quirk less woman who turned up pregnant shortly after. They disowned him until wings sprouted from your back and they tried to weasel into your life again. Needless to say he slammed the door in their face after he bitched them out for caring more about power than the shared bloodline that ran through your veins. 

You weren’t about to be responsible for the death of an up and coming pro-hero that was wildly supported by citizens and heros alike. You were thankful for your passive stockpile ability since it allowed you to use your telekinesis on things other than objects under fifty pounds and yourself. You took a hold of Hawks left wrist as your wings produced a soft blue ethereal glow. Within a few seconds his body was off the ground and you flipped him over without letting go of his wrist and guided his unconscious form back inside the bar. 

You switched off your open sign and made sure the door was locked before traveling into the hallway that held the bathrooms and the door to your apartment upstairs. You could feel yourself running out of power as you managed to open the door and somewhat drag the hero inside, turning off your quirk once you’d guided his form to the guest bedroom. 

You’d lived in the apartment above your bar your whole life with your parents until your mother died. It had been three years since she was taken from this god forsaken planet and your home hadn’t felt this lonely in a long time. 

Well, thanks to Aizawa you weren’t completely alone. 

A feline chirp came from your bedroom further down the hallway followed shortly with a pattering of feet against the wooden flooring, a fluffy tail blurred in your peripheral vision. 

“We have a guest for tonight, Yoshio.” You said to the cat, leaning down to run your fingers over his long steel grey fur. “I guess we have to wait until he wakes up to figure out what happened to him, but at least he’ll be dry and warm instead of getting sick out in this storm.” You dragged your palms across your face before using the last bit of energy you had to take Hawks’ jacket off. 

The thought of a hero you admired in your guest bedroom made your face heat up, especially since you were undressing him without his consent. But you didn’t have any choice when it came to seeing if he was injured. You hoped he’d understand once he was up and moving—the last thing you needed was a court case against a pro hero, that would be the end of your business. 

He was pretty battered up as if he’d been in a scuffle with more people than he could handle but thankfully there wasn’t anything drastic that required a hospital visit. His right leg was all scraped up, only visible thanks to the tear in his pants. As you dabbed the cuts with medical alcohol you’d retrieved from the first aid kit stashed under your bathroom counter you continued to glance at his face to see if he woke up. Thankfully he didn’t. 

A few bandaids here and there on his leg and some on his knuckles, you continued to scan him for more injuries. There was a shallow gash across his stomach like somebody had tried slashing him with a knife, but to your relief it wasn’t deep enough to need scars and you were sure it wouldn’t even leave a scar. Once you’d cleaned that up, you lifted your head believing you were done until you noticed that his bottom lip was split. 

There wasn’t much you could do about that, unfortunately besides wipe away the blood that had dried on the stubble across his chin but it gave you a chance to get a good look at him. The article of him downstairs on your wall wasn’t a profile shot so you hadn’t noticed the triangle marks underneath his eyes. 

That’s kind of weird, but it’s pretty cute.

You straightened up once you were embarrassed by your own thoughts and rubbed your cheeks with your hands, letting out a deep exhale. There was a rumble to your right and your (e/c) eyes shifted to the cat sitting on the pillow next to Hawks’ head. Yoshio’s amber eyes bored into you and you huffed. 

“Stop giving me that look, you weirdo.” 

He kneaded his large paws into the duvet, licking his lips. 

“I don’t know if that’s a threat or not, but stop trying to enforce my bedtime. I’m a grown ass adult.” You bickered to the feline like he was human, picking up the pace with bandaging the pro hero. The last thing you did before leaving the room was grabbing an old t-shirt and sweatpants that had belonged to your father. You hoped they would fit him since you’d assumed that he would want to change out of his filthy hero outfit once he was awake so you left them on the nightstand next to his head along with a glass of water in case he woke up in the middle of the night and he was thirsty. 

After closing the door to the bedroom and turning towards your own, you looked down towards the cat that was rubbing himself against your legs. “If he thinks I kidnapped him and he tries to kill me, you have my back, right?” 

Yoshio yawned in response and you rolled your eyes. As you walked into your bedroom to hit the hay, you muttered under your breath. 

“Please don’t think I’m some creepy stalker fan girl, Hawks.” 

Chapter Text

And just as the phoenix rose from the ashes, she too will rise. Returning from the flames, clothed in nothing but her strength, more beautiful than before.

~ShannonHeartzs

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When you woke up the next morning thanks to your cat demanding breakfast, you checked on the pro-hero after you did your morning routine. He was still asleep but he had rolled over onto his stomach, his large vermillion wings stretched across the bed and falling off both sides. You quietly closed the door before Yoshio had a chance to dart in and bat at Hawks’ feathers. 

After feeding the grey cat you perched yourself on a stool in front of your kitchen island, nursing a cup of fresh coffee. You were still in your pajamas though you’d had the decency to throw on a bra under your oversized t-shirt and fuzzy pajama pants. Your slippers kept your feet warm as you waited for the small furnace in your living room to heat up your tiny apartment. A glance out the sliding glass door that led to your balcony informed you that it was still raining. 

Shortly after you’d closed the bedroom door, the sudden noise caused Hawks’ eyes to fly open and scan the room around him. Immediately he was on guard since he didn’t recognize his surroundings. He sat up quickly, wincing as his body protested the sudden movement. His freedom of movement let him know that he wasn’t imprisoned so he calmed down a little bit. Still unsure of where he was, he scanned the room to see a few paintings on the wall, a mirror above a bamboo dresser where he met his own reflection and a small nightstand separating the bed he was on from the closet.  

On the nightstand was a glass of water, a t-shirt and a pair of sweats. The sight clued in that he was probably found after his scuffle with the Yakuza by a citizen but that still didn’t settle his racing thoughts. He hadn’t noticed how parched he was until he saw the cup, so he picked it up and sniffed it like that would reveal if it was poisoned or not. When he didn’t smell anything out of the ordinary he emptied it before anybody could say “chicken nuggets”. 

After he set the empty cup back where he found it he looked down to see his hero outfit all torn up. He clicked his tongue, knowing that Best Jeanist was going to give him an earful for having to patch it up again but he didn’t think twice about it. Carefully he stood up and stripped out of his clothes until he was only in his boxers, raising his arms to see bandages wrapped around his right wrist and band-aids across his knuckles. His stomach was also bandaged as well as one of his legs seeing that he looked partially mummified. Whoever patched him up did a good job though—maybe picking up strangers that had passed out on the street was a hobby of theirs. 

He didn’t question it when he changed into the outfit provided for him, guessing that whoever helped him was somebody with a kind heart. He appreciated the assistance, unsure of what could’ve happened to him if he had been left outside all night. He could barely recall what happened to get him in that situation besides the fact that he was jumped by a group of Yakuza thugs that outmatched him when it came to power. What an unlucky occurrence, he thought to himself. 

You had turned on the television in your living room and switched it to the channel that was showcasing the U.A. Sports Festival when you heard the guest bedroom door open. You shifted slightly on the stool to be able to see Hawks come limping down the hallway, casting a glance to the clock above your pantry; 9:54 AM. Yoshio was sprawled on the counter behind you, his fuzzy head bonking into the back of your bicep, demanding attention. You reached back with said arm to scratch him behind the ears when you greeted the pro-hero who was looking around your cozy home, the glass of water you’d given him the night before now empty and in his hand. 

“Good morning.” You greeted him.

His amber eyes shifted from your decorations on the wall to you once you spoke to him. “G-good morning. Where am I?”

“You’re above Treasure Wing.” You took a small sip from your coffee, not breaking eye contact. 

“The bar? Uh….I’m guessing you’re the owner then.” He rubbed the back of his neck with the palm of his hand, itching at the sweat that was creeping between his shoulder blades. He had to take another look at you when he noticed the movement of your indigo wings. “Oh wow! You have wings, too!” His own fluttered slightly in excitement.

“It’s not that common of an attribute, is it?” You chuckled softly, swinging your feet slightly. 

The sound was music to his ears and his throat suddenly felt drier than the Sahara desert even after chugging a whole glass of water. “Uh, my name’s…”

“Hawks, I know.” You replied casually. “You’re up and coming in the hero charts, I haven’t met anybody who doesn’t know your name.” 

Was that a compliment? He wasn’t sure but it made him blush a little bit. “Oh, right.”

“But my name’s (Y/N).” You added on. 

“Thanks (Y/N), for not leaving me outside all night.” He responded. “Sorry for the trouble.” 

You shook your head. “There wasn’t any trouble at all. I was just doing what I was trained to do.” There was a moment of silence, and Hawks opened his mouth to seemingly ask a question but you accidentally interrupted him before he could spit it out. “Are you hungry? I can make breakfast if you’d like. Oh, and do you happen to remember anything from last night?” 

Hawks tilted his head, acting clueless though he knew it would be a breach of conduct if he mentioned anything. “Not really, sorry. I just remember being on patrol and waking up here.” His stomach rumbled in response to your food offering and he placed a hand over it. “Would you mind? I’m famished.”

“Really? I thought you didn’t patrol Musutafu.” You hummed curiously, standing up and cruising around the island to start gathering ingredients for breakfast. 

“Sometimes I’m asked to cover for other heros if they’re reassigned for last-minute missions.” He covered his tracks, a little bit of anxiety flooding his veins when he realized you weren’t ignorant to the hero’s who usually patrolled your neighborhood. 

“Oh, well that makes sense.” You turned on the stove as you set a pan out, spraying it with non-stick oil before tossing some bacon on. “Anyways, I was closing the bar up for the night when I saw you pass out across the street.” 

Hawks furrowed his eyebrows, his eyes following your movements as he approached the counter. He stopped in his tracks as soon as he saw the large cat rise from his stomach and yawn widely. “Is your cat mean?” 

“Yoshio?” You asked from the stove, pushing the bacon around the pan. “No, he loves anybody that will give him attention but he has an attitude about everything.” 

Hawks cautiously approached the Maine Coon, holding his hand out for the feline to sniff. Yoshio’s pink nose twitched slightly before he curled his lips back and squinted his eyes, sneezing all over the pro-heros hand. The action surprised the overgrown chicken and with a yelp he tumbled backwards.

You looked around, abandoning the bacon on the pan and rushing over the counter to see Hawks on the floor on the other side. “Are you alright? What happened?”

“Your cat's defenses include sneezing on me.” Hawks shuddered, eyeing Yoshio warily. The feline ignored him and instead chirped at you, rubbing against your arms. You pet him as he wished, giggling at the winged hero. 

“He’s a big sweetheart, I promise. He just has allergies.” You reassured him. 

“Allergies to what?” 

“Chicken.” 

“Are you calling me a chicken?” Hawks glowered, rising from the floor. 

“You said it, not me.” You joked. “But do you eat chicken?” You inquired, turning to remove the bacon from the pan. You placed it on a plate before throwing hash browns in it next. 

“Yeah, it’s my favorite food.” 

Your wings stiffened slightly. “Well, unfortunately for you I don’t have chicken in this house.” 

“What?” He whined, throwing himself onto the stool furthest from Yoshio. “Why not?”

Didn’t I just tell you why? You internally facepalmed, pushing the hash browns around the pan. “I literally just explained to you why. And we both have wings, I think eating chickens is kinda cannibalistic if you catch my drift.” 

“Then I’m proud to be a cannibal because chicken is fucking delicious .” He looked at Yoshio who was licking in between his toes. “You can’t be a cat and not have chicken.”

“He can eat other kinds of meat, you know, like fish, beef, pork, lamb, etcetera.” You explained, grabbing two plates from the cupboard and dressing them once the hash browns were done. You pivoted around and handed one to Hawks after you’d fetched some silverware and placed your own on the counter, remaining standing. 

“Thanks! This looks great!” He dived in, shoveling the bacon and hash browns into his mouth. “And it is great.” He added on with his mouth full. 

“Thank you, but please don’t do that.” You shuddered at the sound of his lips smacking and scooted Yoshio off the counter when the cat approached to steal your food. 

“Do what?” He asked with his mouth full of food, again. 

You visibly cringed. “Speaking with your mouth full.” You stabbed the hash browns and stuffed them into your mouth in order to distract you from the revolting sound. 

“Oh, I’m sorry.” He replied after swallowing. “I’m used to eating by myself, so I don’t usually have anybody to talk to besides the television.” 

You frowned slightly. He sounded lonely. “I’ll let it slide, but please try not to do it again.” You grabbed his empty plate as well as yours, rinsing them off in the sink and putting them in the dishwasher before turning back around. 

Yoshio walked from the kitchen to the other side of the island where Hawks resided, silently curling his tail above his body before stopping by the stool the pro-hero was sitting on and yowling loudly. The blond jumped slightly and looked down, his feathers ruffling in surprise. “Can I help you?” Without another sound the feline jumped into his lap and sat down, his eyes peering over the counter top as he stared at you. 

“Don’t mind him, he’s trying to make me jealous since I refused to share my breakfast with him.” You explained, chuckling at Hawks’ rising level of discomfort as you watched the sports festival on the tv. 

“Why is he so heavy ?” Hawks complained, making sure to keep both of his hands on the counter. 

“He’s like twenty pounds or something since he’s a Maine Coon.” 

“Holy crap, no wonder it feels like a giant sandbag is sitting on me.” He joked, hesitantly placing a hand on the cat to pet him. 

Within a few seconds Yoshio’s amber eyes were closed and he was purring loudly, causing you to smile softly. “He’s never purred for anybody besides me and one other person, so you have his approval.” 

“Really?” Hawks quipped, returning the smile with one of his own even though the corner of his mouth quivered. “Cats usually don’t like me.” 

“Well you’re always welcome to stop by if you’d like to see him again, he’s the bar mascot and everybody loves him.” You motioned towards the back of your couch. “Oh, I also washed your jacket for you. I can throw your other clothes in the laundry if you’d like.” 

“Thanks! And it’s alright, I’ve gotta send it in for repairs anyways.” He replied, gently scooting Yoshio off of his lap. The Maine Coon jumped on the counter and flopped onto his side, rolling over onto his back and continuing to purr when you started scratching his belly. The pro-hero rose to his feet and grabbed his coat. 

You watched with interest as he separated two feathers from his wings and used them to help put on his jacket. “I’ll stop by again in a few days to bring these clothes back to you.” 

“Take your time, they aren’t mine.” You shrugged, moving past the counter. “It’s about time for me to open up anyways. I tend to have a big lunch rush.” You turned off the television as it went to a commercial break, hoping to turn it on again downstairs without missing anything important. 

“Hey, I just wanted to say thanks again for dragging me inside last night. That was really kind of you, and nobody would bring a strange man into their apartment.” He said from the end of the hallway as you drifted towards your bedroom, Yoshio following behind you. 

He had a smile that could light up a whole room and you felt your heart do somersaults. “It’s no problem; I was supposed to be a hero, anyways.” 

Chapter Text

You were born with wings.

Why prefer to crawl through life?

~ Rumi 

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The bar had been unusually slow for a Friday night. It only happened once in a blue moon, but you were grateful for it since your week had been busy and torturous. 

It had also been seven days since you’d last seen Hawks. You didn’t think too much of it as four days passed since you’d been flooded with tourists. The weather had been nice and warm which gave you summer vibes but you knew it wouldn’t last long since the spring thunderstorms were on their way. 

Aizawa had noticed a difference in you before you did: you were always watching the front windows. 

You brushed it off as daydreaming when he called you out which wasn’t completely a lie but it wasn’t the whole truth. That happened on the fifth day. The sixth day was the same as the others; hours on your feet with forced breaks from your regulars. Hawks haunted your dreams and you hoped that they would stop once you finally saw him again.

You were wiping the counter for what seemed like the umpteenth time that night since you had nothing else to do when the door opened and a man wearing a hood slid silently inside. You continued with your work but watched him sink into the corner booth with his back to the wall and his head down out of your peripheral vision. 

He was definitely a different persona than what you were used to, but with the tourists that had been bustling in and out of your joint over the last week you didn’t let your thoughts wander far. There were some familiar faces in the bar that would have your back if anything went down. 

The presumably tourist was bouncing his leg, seemingly impatient. He’d sat there for at least fifteen minutes without doing motioning for you, so you cracked your knuckles behind the bar and approached with your hands behind your back. When he noticed you closing in on his table his leg stilled. 

“Did you get stood up?” You questioned innocently as a mild conversation starter.

He clicked his tongue. “No. My meeting was supposed to start when I got here.” 

“Well since your meeting seems to be delayed, can I get you a drink?” 

“Sake.” 

You nodded. “Of course.” You pivoted on your toes and with a gentle push of your wings you were behind the counter. 

Something blurred outside your front window and you stopped before stepping out from behind the bar when a familiar blond burst through the door. The commotion caused the few people in your tavern to look over their shoulders to see what all the ruckus was about. When Hawks apologized with a large, innocent smile they turned back to whatever they were doing. You shook your head and continued walking just before he sat down at the corner booth where your edgy customer resided. 

When you approached the table and handed the anonymous man his drink, he pushed his payment across the table towards you. You gladly took the cash and pocketed it in your apron to put in the register once you took Hawks’ order. You spun to him and gave him a wink. “Anything for you, stranger?” 

“A beer sounds good.” He flashed you a million dollar smile that made your heart do backflips. 

“I’m on it.” You returned to your familiar position behind the bar, opening the register and placing the cash in it’s respectful place before moving to the glass-front fridge and pulling out a bottle of beer. They had started speaking in hushed voices when you left. After you opened the bottle you dropped it off at the table, acting ignorant to them falling silent when you approached and picking up their conversation again when you departed. 

They spoke for maybe twenty minutes. You weren’t able to eavesdrop in on their conversation but you could see the mouth of the other person moving as he spoke. Curiosity made your mind wander to what Hawks could be doing talking to a person so concerned about concealing their identity, but somehow your mind wandered off towards other heros. 

Eventually the stranger left and your regulars slowly followed suit, leaving their payment on the bar for you as they passed to say their goodnights. Once the door closed after your last regular you took a glance at your clock above the jukebox. It was pretty early for what was usually such a busy night; 1:03. 

You felt a presence behind you as you were putting the glasses away in their display cases. “How’s it going, chicken wings?” You questioned teasingly as you turned to face him. 

Hawks was sitting with his back towards you, his boots knocking gently against the barstools. “Ah, not too bad, beautiful, how about you?” He threw you a cocky smirk over his shoulder. 

Your heart skipped a beat and your stomach did a somersault but you hid it well with your poker face. “You been busy lately? It’s been awhile since I last saw you.” 

“You mean since you saved my ass from drowning in a puddle after getting my ass kicker?” He chuckled, letting his wings relax when he lifted his feet and flipped around to face you. “But yeah, a lot’s been on my plate this week. I’ll admit I’m tired.” 

“I feel that, one hundred percent.” You leaned back against the counter opposite of him, crossing your arms over your chest. 

“Oh, here are the clothes you gave me.” He lifted the left side of his jacket and pulled the shirt and sweatpants you had given him the day after you dragged him inside out and handed them to you.

“Thanks.” You took them and set them on the granite behind you, walking out from behind the bar to turn off your open sign. At the same time you activated your telekinesis and started sweeping with a broom.

“What’s your quirk?” He asked, sprawling out across your bar top. 

You flipped the switch on your blue sign before turning to face him. “That’s a sudden topic change.” 

“Well, you’ve got to explain the broom sweeping by itself.” He teased. 

As you returned to your spot behind the bar, you shrugged your shoulders. “I can’t do much anymore, to be honest. I’m too out of practice.” 

“So?” 

You have an exasperated sigh. “Isn’t the glowing broom kind of obvious that I have—“ before you could finish your sentence his gloved fingers brushed across the blue feathers behind your back. Your first reaction was to clap your hands together. 

That caused him to be enveloped in a blue glow and be thrown across your bar, knocking over a table as he landed. 

Immediately you realized what you did and rushed to him. You almost panicked. The punishment for assaulting a hero was years behind bars if he turned you in. “Holy shit, are you okay? I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to do that. It was kind of just a—“ 

His laughing cut you off and he sat up, running his hands through his hair. “Your quirk is pretty badass; you just yeeted me across your bar.” 

“Again, I’m really sorry.” You apologized again, wanting to rip your hair out even though he was surprisingly cool about it. 

“It’s all good. I deal with worse on a daily basis.” He jumped to his feet and brushed himself off, putting his hands on his hips. “Now let me show you my quirk.” 

“I already know what your quirk is.” 

He ignored your sentence and pulled a few feathers out from the base of his wings. They flew behind him and righted the table he had just knocked over thanks to you. 

“You just wanted to show off.” You scoffed. 

He laughed again though he was extremely embarrassed since you caught him in the act. Thankfully you didn’t see his blush since you were dealing with your own emotions. The sound made butterflies bash around in your stomach. You hated how head-over-heels you were for him already. 

“That’s not all of your quirk, is it?” He questioned suddenly, a serious look on his face again. 

You couldn’t help but slightly deadpan at his random questioning. “This feels like an interrogation.”

He feigned a shocked look on his face. “I just want to get to know you!” 

You rolled your eyes and shook your head but you couldn’t help but smile. You looked down to hide it from him but he saw the corners of your lips twitch. 

“Well it’s really a stockpile ability that lets me do multiple things.” You started. “The only one I can use without activating my stockpile is my telekinesis and I can only use it on myself and anything under 50 pounds. When I do activate my stockpile I can manipulate fire into blue fire and I have one more but those are my ultimate moves.” 

Your last sentence seemed to set off a lightbulb in Hawks’ brain. “You mentioned something about being a hero last week?” 

You nodded, not surprised he remembered what you said as a goodbye. It wasn’t something easily forgettable, really. “Yeah. I was a U.A. student. I was supposed to go off and become a sidekick but my mom died right before I graduated...so I took over her bar instead.” You smiled faintly; the topic of your mom was still rough. 

“Oh.” His wings fell slightly. He could feel the sadness looming over your shoulders so he thought of another quick topic change. He seemed to be really good at those tonight. “What was your hero name?” 

You smiled softly. “It was actually a nickname my mom gave me when I was younger but I think it’s kind of ridiculous since it’s something a fifteen year old would come up with.” You rubbed the back of your neck. 

“I’ve never heard a hero name that didn’t come from the heart.” He reassured you easily and you appreciated it. 

“It was Estrella.” You said gently. 

“What does that mean?” 

“It’s Spanish. It means star.” You informed him. 

“Estrella.” He tasted it on his tongue. He rolled the r perfectly and it sent shivers down your spine. “Does that have to do with your wings?” 

“What about them?” You questioned, not sure what he was talking about. 

“The stars on your wings.” He answered. 

“You aren’t supposed to see them in the light…” you responded. Without a word you moved towards the door that led up to your apartment. Hawks followed you, stopping a few feet behind you when you flipped the switch.

 “You mean these?” 

You extended your wings to their full span, letting Hawks get a full view of the galaxy littering your feathers. 

He was no man of astrology, but he would’ve been a fool to not recognize the constellations twinkling in the dark. 

Chapter Text

Spread your wings darling, you have better places to fly. Not everyone can handle you and that’s a blessing in disguise.

~cwpoet 

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“Those stupid idiots.” Aizawa growled under his breath. He subconsciously slammed the empty glass of sake he had just finished on the bar counter. You gave him a sideways glance as you handed another patron a drink, knowing that he required your listening skills so he could rant. 

You stepped to the side until you were in front of him, taking his empty glass to refill it. “Spill it.” You demanded, knowing he would’ve anyway without your cue to begin. 

“What am I supposed to do with three students who run off during their internships and take down Stain of all villains?” As he rambled on you hummed and nodded here and there to urge him on. Your mind wandered to the viral video that was shared worldwide. That man was one of a kind—that video shook you to your core every time you watched it. 

You were very thankful he hadn’t ever stepped foot in the Musutafu prefecture—at least as far as you knew. You hadn’t seen much crime around these parts besides petty thievery by minor villains. Heros didn’t even need to get involved during those altercations thanks to the threat of All Might looming over everybody’s heads. 

“You could put them on probation.” You shrugged. “Extra training, suicide laps, and so on.” You wiped out a clean shot glass, putting it away on its designated shelf as your customers slowly departed from your tavern. 

“I could make them sprint laps in their underwear, but their punishment was Endeavour getting the glory. The heros that took them on had their teaching licenses suspended, as well.” He replied to your suggestion, knocking back the last of his sake before sliding the glass across the counter to you. “I’m hitting the road. Put it on my tab?” 

“Sure thing. Have a goodnight, Aizawa.” You waved him out the door, knowing that he was one of the few who truly paid their tab. You always gave him a few free drinks or meals here and there since he was working so damn much—teaching at U.A. then prowling the streets for criminals at night. You told him that he deserved a vacation but he dismissed it, saying something about there not being enough time for one. 

While your hours were random and certainly took a toll on you, you never got as close to burning out like pro heros did. The unfortunate part of them protecting the country was that there were never enough heros. Something was always going awry; hence why so many students mowed over their competitors to get into the hero courses. You admired their determination, wishing that you still had that same fire in your belly. 

You were roughly halfway through spring, the top season for tourists to visit Japan thanks to the weather not being as terrible as it is during the summer. Many foreigners would seek out buildings that had AC during the sweltering days and this had been one of them. Thankfully the evening was much cooler than the afternoon thanks to overcast shielding the public from it’s harsh rays, so most of the customers that had taken shelter in your bar had left to have a night out on the town. It was a Friday, after all.

The last time you saw Hawks was exactly a week ago. You understood he was working his ass off and didn’t have much free time, but you found yourself still looking out the windows, eagerly waiting to see him again. Perhaps it was your slight infatuation with the similar quirk attributes you shared or maybe because you had to rescue him from hypothermia a few weeks ago. Nevertheless he was obviously busy since his name and face were flashing up on newspapers and articles at least every other day. 

Needless to say you forced yourself to choose only two articles to put up. One of them was an article of his where he saved a cat that looked a lot like Yoshio from a tree; the other one he had caught a drug smuggler and located the stash. 

You eyed the photo of him sitting on the branch, holding the grey tabby with a smile so bright you felt that if you saw that smile in person you’d internally combust. You shook your head at your stupid little crush on him as you turned off your open sign and locked the doors, your telekinesis enveloping the broom. You quickly wiped down the tables where your last customers had resided, double checking that there were no leftover dishes before rounding back to the sink behind the bar. Your sink was empty but there were still a few glasses that needed drying so you wiped them down with a white cloth, putting them away once you’d dried the bunch of them. 

As you returned the broom to the side of the fridge you double checked that all the bolts on the front door were locked. You made your way to the back hall and unlocked the door that led upstairs. As the old wooden door swung open you could hear Yoshio’s burly paws smacking the floor as he bounded to the second door. 

He meows loudly when you lock the door behind you, ascending the stairs only to see the six locks between you and your fur child. It was always a bad reminder of how bad your mom had gotten before she was murdered. You didn’t use all of them. Only one was locked while you were downstairs and you used that one and two others when you were upstairs. Living alone as a woman on top of a bar wasn’t something you really trifled with, remembering how often a drunk would break in to steal the kegs in the storeroom when your mom was still around. 

As soon as you opened the door the large grey cat was rubbing against your legs, his tail curled up over his arched back as he purred loudly. You nudged him out of the doorway gently, locking it up before you crouched down to let him jump into your arms. You held him to your chest and scratched the back of his head, his purr growing even louder. It was always a blessing having a literal teddy bear as a roommate. 

You went to your room and changed into a large t-shirt and some shorts, sliding your feet into your slippers before traveling back out to the living room. Yoshio followed you the entire time, meowing here and there after you had placed him down on the bed to get into your pajamas. Not soon enough in the cat's opinion, you were finally settled on the couch with a blanket over your lap—his favorite place to sit. You grabbed the remote from the arm of the couch and scrolled through the channels, your non-dominant hand petting Yoshio as he went into loaf mode on your thighs. Eventually you found reruns of your favorite show, only getting through two episodes before he leapt off of your lap, charging at the sliding glass door. 

You followed the cat with your eyes, seeing Hawks standing on the balcony, his face squished up against the glass and eyes wide as he waved at you. Yoshio meows loudly at the winged hero, rising up on his back legs and pawing at the glass separating him and the overgrown chicken. You stood up and walked over, unlocking the door and pulling it open to let him inside. 

“What brings you here?” You ask, stepping back so he could step in. Once his boots were on the mat he quickly used his left hand to close the door and lock it. 

“I was on my way home after work and figured I’d stop by.” He gave you that million dollar smile though you could see that he was still tense.

“Based on your body language I can tell that that’s only a part of the whole picture.” You pointed out, crossing your arms over your chest and leaning to one side. 

He chuckled awkwardly, placing a hand on the back of his neck. “You caught me.” He took a deep breath and sighed, gathering his thoughts on how to give you an answer that would slide as the truth but wouldn’t slip any vital details from his work. “There’s been a sighting of a guy who’s been targeting women living alone around the area.” 

You cocked your head. “Is that so? I haven’t heard anything about that from Aizawa.” 

He shrugged. “I’m sure he didn’t want to freak you out.”

You could understand that. Aizawa had become a supportive figure once you were enrolled in his class as a freshman at U.A.. He’d really picked up the role of a father once your mom passed. Not to mention that he was the reason you had Yoshio. “Well, you’re welcome to stay for a while if you’d like.” 

The tension Hawks held visibly in his shoulders left his body after your sentence. He was relieved that you accepted his answer; he wished he didn’t have to cover his actions up from you, you seemed like a person he could open up to easily. His eyes drifted to the television still running your favorite show. “Thanks. Having a late night binge session with your cat?” 

“Damn right I am.” You replied, turning and making yourself comfortable on the couch again. The winged hero followed you, placing himself a few inches away on the other side. 

“I’m glad I can partake in this sacred moment.” He teased, throwing his arms behind his head. Yoshio invited himself into the man’s lap, stretching himself out so his front paws were touching the outside of your thigh. 

Roughly twenty minutes had passed from when he arrived when you felt yourself start dozing off. It had been a rough week with the tourists coming inside your bar for the wonderful blessing of AC. When you were in that partial state of sleep, you felt a hand on your left shoulder gently draw you towards the right. 

A soft smile crossed your face when your head rested on Hawks.

✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧

The man standing in front of you at the bar was yowling at the top of his lungs, one you had heard many times before. As you opened your mouth to ask him to lower his voice, something snapped you out of your sleep. 

It took you a moment to register the fact that the true origin of the sound was your cat. Yoshio’s fur was bristled and his amber eyes were wild as he screamed in your face. You looked over to see Hawks next to you, sleeping soundly through your alarm cat going off. You only had a second to get a glimpse of the time from the clock on the far wall above the tv when the faint smell of smoke reached your nose. 

Immediately you stood up, your sudden movement making Yoshio jump off of your lap and causing Hawks to lurch awake. “What’s going on?” 

“Do you smell that?” You questioned, turning around to look towards your kitchen. You assumed he took a moment to try and catch the odor you were picking up on. 

The blond hero looked towards Yoshio who was bouncing off your leg in desperation to get your attention.  “It smells like smoke.” 

“Where’s it coming from?” You questioned, walking towards the balcony to check on the buildings around you. Hawks rose to his feet and wandered towards the door that led downstairs, panic rising in him when the smell grew stronger the closer he got. 

He noticed the amount of locks on the door but only three out of the six of them were locked. The sight piqued his curiosity but he had no time to question when he went to place his hand on the doorknob but flinched away as soon as he had made contact. It had singed the tips of his fingers. 

That only meant one thing: if he opened that door the whole upstairs would go up in flames; a flashover. 

He turned and raced back to the living room to see you standing there with a duffel bag hanging from your shoulder and a cat carrier in your hands, a purple blanket covering the opening. Seeing how it was rattling around in your white-knuckled grip and hissing, he could only figure that you’d managed to shove Yoshio in there. 

“My fire extinguisher is at the bottom of the stairs.” You managed to spit out before Hawks shoved you not so nicely out onto the balcony. 

“Sorry sweetheart but there’s no time for a fire extinguisher. Can you fly?” He expanded his wings to shield your view from the inside. Just as he had pushed you through the opening, the fire downstairs swallowed the door with six locks. 

Your heart dropped into your stomach. You hadn’t flown in three years, ever since your mother had passed. You didn’t even think about it since your heros license expired shortly after you graduated; you never got it renewed seeing that you took over running your mom’s bar instead. “I-I...yes I can.” 

The look on his face when you didn’t immediately take flight encouraged your body into responding to its survival instinct. Without your consent your wings opened and pushed you off of the balcony, Hawks directly on your heels. 

He had to catch you to prevent you from eating concrete when you attempted to land across the street from your bar. Just as your feet touched the cool tarmac what you could only assume to be your wine kegs got hot enough to explode, lighting the only home you had ever known up in flames. Hawks’ wings expanded to protect you from the explosion, keeping his wings wrapped around you until he felt the heat behind him subside. 

After the shock of what just happened wore off, you felt your heart implode in your chest. You almost dropped the cat carrier Yoshio was in when Hawks took it from your hands, letting you lean into his chest and cling to him for dear life as you lost control of your emotions. He wrapped his free arm around you, not knowing what to say in this time of need.

The only thing Hawks heard over the sound of your childhood burning in azure flames and your heartbroken sobs was sirens blaring in the distance.

Chapter Text

Give the ones you love wings to fly, roots to come back, and reasons to stay.

~ Dalai Lama

✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧

Hawks' penthouse was luxurious. The moment you first walked through the door you realized that he had a wonderful taste with interior design. It was surprisingly tidy and had a minimalistic feel to it. He primarily used muted monochromatic colors besides a splash of red and gold here and there. You had your own bedroom with just a wall separating yours from his. The extra bonus was a private full bathroom attached to your room and a decent closet. The only thing you weren’t comfortable with was how exposed the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room and dining room made you feel. 

Hawks was kind enough to cover the windows with the large cotton curtains, always making sure you were comfortable every morning before he went off to work. Unfortunately you hadn’t been able to keep control of your emotions since you had arrived; three days of inner turmoil. You were thankful that Hawks had been there when Yoshio sounded the alarm about the disaster downstairs. It gave you enough time to grab clothes to cover you for a few days, Yoshio’s food, a family photo album, and a few extra miscellaneous items that were important to you such as your mom’s picture frame and the jewelry box she’d given you as a child. If he hadn’t been there you probably would’ve had a panic attack and perished with your cat in the fire. 

The cause of the ordeal was still under investigation as they scavenged through the ashes of what remained. Aizawa mentioned that he was one of the hero's partaking in the case, seeing that he was assigned to keep an eye on the crime scene in case a criminal showed up to relive their doings. 

You felt awful for not exchanging many words with Hawks over the few days you’d been living in his house. He had saved your life. He was kind enough to let you stay until you got back on your feet again. You felt indebted to him; he felt the same way towards you seeing that you had pulled him off of the street those few weeks ago. You were thankful for his kind and giving heart, unsure of how to repay the favor he had done for you. How in the world do you pay back a man that saved your life and invited you into his home? 

You didn’t have much to do in regards to keeping yourself busy around the place, unfortunately. So you opted to silently scroll through the channels on the television, nothing at all catching your interest. You would turn it off and stare at the wall while petting your cat, numb to the world until a certain winged hero dropped through the skylight after work. He always brought back different types of takeout food when he arrived home. He made sure to not get any chicken for you and kept to himself and away from Yoshio while he ordered that for himself. Then after that he’d usually wrap you up in a large blanket on the couch in front of the tv and show you movies that you hadn’t seen before. 

Yoshio settled in surprisingly quickly for what had just happened to the only place he’s lived for most of his life. He enjoyed being able to bound around the penthouse and have more room to audition for cat NASCAR during the middle of the night. He was surprisingly fast for a twenty pound cat but thanks to his burly paws you were sure the neighbors below you had to listen to what sounded like a herd of elephants running across their heads. Needless to say he was also the epitome of a bull in a China shop when it came to him being fed. He’d also thankfully bonded well to Hawks, though the winged hero was tormented relentlessly by the Maine Coon at the same time. 

After going through your usual process with the cable channels, a small spurt of courage inside yourself caused you to push aside the curtains in the bay window seat, watching the people going about their day below. Yoshio quickly made himself comfortable in your lap. Your mind was absent from that moment on; an unknown amount of time had passed when Hawks arrived at home, dropping through the skylight with a smile on his face. In his gloved hands he was carrying a takeout bag, swinging it as he walked towards you after taking his boots off. 

“I got yakisoba for dinner, I hope you don’t mind.” He spoke up, petting Yoshio as the grey cat left your lap. 

You shook your head. “It sounds good, thank you.” 

He sat down on the seat across from you and copied your position of having the leg that was closest to the window tucked underneath you, your other leg hanging over the seat. His knee touched yours as he got comfortable; opening the bag and handing you the styrofoam platter labeled beef and tucking the plastic bag into his pocket after placing his own dinner in his lap. “No problem, I hope you like it.” 

He handed you some chopsticks and when you reached up to take them from him there was a static shock when your fingers touched his. You flinched slightly and took your hand away while he left his hanging in the air for a split second before retracting it. He suddenly felt himself get nervous, his feathers subconsciously twitching in display. Thankfully you didn’t see it since you were taking the first bite of your yakisoba. 

“Sorry,” he said after he cleared his throat. “I guess we have a spark of a connection.” 

You put your hand over your mouth to not scoff out your dinner. That was the smoothest yet dorkiest pickup line you had ever heard. After swallowing your bite, you lifted your head and smiled softly at him. “That was cheesy.” 

“Good thing I love all types of cheese.” He replied, breaking his chopsticks apart and taking a bite. 

You shook your head and continued eating your dinner, beginning a comfortable silence between the two of you when you looked back out the window. The sun was descending over the skyscrapers in the distance, streams of orange and purple hues blending together as if it was a painting; it emitted a golden light upon your skin and you relished in the beautiful sight. 

“The sunset is breathtaking.” You pointed out in a soft voice, causing Hawks to raise his golden brown eyes from his yakisoba.

 He only took a glance at the sky before he had to look back at you. “Yeah, it is.” Your (e/c) eyes met his and he looked down to his yakisoba quickly, not sure if he was caught staring at you. 

“If you have something on your mind you can tell me.” You encouraged his thoughts, not so subtly saying you caught him in the act. 

“Let me take you shopping.” He spat out, locking gazes with you once again. 

You gave him a smile and shook your head. “No thank you. I appreciate the thought though.” 

“Why not?” He questioned as he lowered his chopsticks to his styrofoam platter. 

“I’m already indebted to you for saving Yoshio and I’s life, not to mention that I’m living with you until I can find a place of my own.” You pointed out. “You’ve already done a lot for me and I’d feel guilty if you went and wasted your money after all of that.” You looked out the window, your face feeling a little bit warmer. “That would just make me owe you even more-“

His laughter cut you off and you gave him an incredulous look. “You don’t have to worry about paying me back anytime soon, or at all, actually.” Your shocked expression dropped when he smiled at you. “Just let me help you until you’re up on your feet again, yeah? I’m sure you’d do the same thing for me.” 

How could you say no to a person that was somehow breathing life back into you? You’d only known him for maybe 2 ½ weeks yet he was already one of the main anchors keeping you ashore in a brutal world. 

You heaved a sigh, unable to locate the word “no” in your dictionary at that moment. 

“Alright, fine. But I won’t let you go all out on me.”

Chapter Text

Death and love are the two good wings that bear the good man to heaven. 

~ Michelangelo

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As the early morning rays of sunshine pierced through the curtains blocking your bedroom window, your phone vibrated on your nightstand. You rolled over to grab it, putting in your passcode and reading a text that made your heart skip a bear. 

6:52

EraseUrButt

I’m sure you’re still sleeping but I’ve got information on what happened to your bar. I know who burnt it down.

Your fingers scrambled across your screen as you typed an answer back, placing your non-dominant hand over your chest as you sent it. 

6:52

(Y/N)

Thank you again for assisting in the process. Are you able to meet after class today? 

The typing bubble appeared at the bottom of your screen, informing you that he was typing a reply. You thanked him mentally for his quick replies.

6:53

EraseUrButt

Yes. Does 16:30 at Asako Park work?

Asako Park was directly across the street from your burnt down bar. The thought of going there left an ache in your chest but you understood the notion since he was still running nightwatch on the place. 

6:54

(Y/N)

I’ll make sure to be there.

• Read

You put your phone back down on the nightstand, rolling back over onto your back and rubbing your face with the palms of your hands. Yoshio rose at the foot of your bed and chirped, stretching his body out as he approached you for attention. You scratched him behind the ears as you sat up, brushing a stray lock of hair behind your own.

A few more days had passed since Hawks asked if he could take you shopping for some necessities. That meant that the time you’d been out of your old apartment had extended into a week. Unfortunately there wasn’t much to do around the penthouse and you discovered you were going a little stir crazy as the minutes dragged on into hours when Hawks wasn’t home. You’d considered leaving to go for a walk but you were unfamiliar with the prefecture you were in, too worried about getting lost even though you knew that the pro-hero you were rooming with could find you within a few minutes. 

As you walked into the private bathroom attached to the guest bedroom Hawks had let you stay in you began playing music on your phone before you set it down onto the counter. Your thoughts wandered to far away places as you went about your routine with robotic motions, wondering how your life would play out from this moment forwards. You mulled over the idea of going out to see if you could find another job. You only really had experience with mixology since that was pretty much the only thing you had done since graduating from U.A..

You stepped out of the shower, putting your hair up in a towel after drying yourself off and making your way back to the closet to find an outfit for the day. You only had a minimal selection of clothes to build a look with—none of them were fashionable thanks to your haste of emptying the drawers of your dresser instead of picking through your closet during one of the scariest moments of your life. After scolding yourself for not being more concerned about how you presented yourself around the man who saved your life, you grabbed the top and bottoms you thought would be the closest thing suitable for wandering the streets with a pro-hero. 

You hadn’t realized Yoshio was no longer on your bed until you exited the bathroom for the last time after brushing your teeth and making your hair presentable to eyes besides your own. You were curious to where the grey feline had disappeared to, your mind settling on the fact that he was most likely harassing Hawks out of bed if the winged hero wasn’t up and moving already. It didn’t take you long to figure out that his work schedule was wildly unpredictable. The first four days you had stayed with him he had always picked up a regular day shift to ensure that he could make sure that you had eaten at least once a day. Though yesterday and the day before you didn’t see him awake until the afternoon. He’d informed you that first afternoon that he was switched to evening shifts for the weekend, causing him to return home at ungodly hours of the morning. 

Singing along under your breath to the song stuck in your head, you grabbed the few dirty pieces of laundry you had and tossed them in the washing machine as you perused down the hallway towards the kitchen to feed your cat. To your amusement as soon as you came around the corner from the laundry room you noticed Hawks crouched over Yoshio’s food bowl, scraping the last of the wet food can into his dish. The Maine Coon paced around the pair of vermillion wings on his back, occasionally attempting to shove past Hawks impatiently but the man would elbow him away until he finished mixing the wet food with the kibble. 

It wasn’t until he rose to his feet that you realized he wasn’t wearing a shirt. 

’Don’t fucking stare, don’t fucking stare.’

You only caught a glimpse of his toned chest, forcing your feet to take you to the coffee machine as you prepped the beans for grinding. A feral part of you wanted to turn back around and drag your tongue across each and every crevice of his heavenly chiseled abdomen but thankfully the sound of the bean grinder kicking into action pulled you back to your senses. “Sorry about him, I was in the shower when his breakfast time came around.” You greeted him, moving away from the machine and opening the cupboard holding the cooking ware. 

“It’s no problem.” Hawks yawned, continuing the process of coffee making while you began preparing breakfast. “I figured I’d have an early morning anyways thanks to our date today.” 

You thanked whatever higher being that sat above the clouds that his back was turned to you when your feathers individually trembled against your will. For a second you choked on your words but quickly you were able to let a teasing reply roll off of your tongue instead of an unintelligible response. “Good thing I’m not interested in dating you.” 

‘Nope, just fucking your bird brains out.’ You mentally choke yourself out for these intrusive thoughts.

“Guess I’ll have to step up my game, then.” He retorted smoothly. Suddenly there was a mass of warmth inches from your back, a toned bicep brushing ever so slightly against your shoulder as Hawks set a cup of coffee down on the counter next to your workspace. The simple action left your throat dry enough that you felt like you needed to drink the contents of a lake to regain your bearings. “I made sure to take the daylight hours off just for you, y’know.” He commented in a slight singsong voice. 

You caught a glimpse of him taking a sip of his coffee, the groan he uttered under his breath sounded almost too sexual to be over the first taste of caffeine in the morning. “We should take off after breakfast then since I’m supposed to meet up with Eraserhead today, though you look like you still need to get dressed.” You commented with the addition of giving him a look over your shoulder. 

The cocky smirk that crossed his face made your stomach do somersaults as he waved to the expanse of his torso with his free hand. “I don’t need clothes, I’m in all my glory.” He shot back teasingly, the movement of his hand guiding your (e/c) eyes to drag from his pectorals to the grey sweats settled loosely on his hips. 

“You wouldn’t last three seconds on the street if you walked out looking like that.” Your tone of voice was monotone though there was a sting of jealousy in your chest at the thought of other people seeing him in this exposed state. 

“Oh, you sound a little possessive there, sweetheart.” He antagonized you. “Got anything you’d like to say?” 

‘I wouldn’t be speaking-‘

Your mouth opened automatically to bring your runaway thoughts to a screeching halt. “Just that breakfast’s almost done.” You felt his presence exit the kitchen quickly, causing you to catch a glimpse of the tail end of his feathers disappearing down the hallway. You assumed he was going to get dressed so you dressed two plates before setting them down in front of a stool on the other side of the counter. 

Just as you were sitting down to dig in he reappeared and took his spot next to you, fully dressed as you had guessed. “Thanks for the food!” He expressed before he started shoveling the mixture of rice and meat into his mouth. As you ate your own breakfast at a regular pace you watched the pro-heros golden-brown eyes drift from his meal to the large feline staring up at his plate with a predatory gaze. Yoshio knew he’d never get away with begging when it came to you. Hawks on the other hand never backed down from the cat’s scrutinizing stare, always taking it as a challenge instead. 

Your savior's relationship with your cat was entertaining, to say the least. They certainly had a predator and prey dynamic though at times you couldn’t tell which one was supposed to be the latter. Both of them were headstrong with stubborn personalities; neither wanted to be bested by the other and it certainly added some livelihood to the otherwise tranquil penthouse. Just the other night when Hawks had returned from his first knock shift of the week he was greeted with a mass of grey fur on his mattress when he retired to his room in the wee hours of the morning. Needless to say you were awoken by a one-sided argument further down the hallway, only hearing something along the lines of “devil cat” over the sounds or Yoshio singing the song of his people in defiance.

Hawks waited patiently for you to finish the food you had made, taking your plate for you and rinsing it off in the sink before placing it in the dishwasher. You rose to your feet and moved towards the front door, stepping out of your slippers and into your shoes. He followed suit, opening the door for you when you turned towards him and closing it behind you once you had stepped through. 

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Your walk through the streets went pretty much how you expected it to: every few hundred feet a fan of Hawks’ would show up either to get a picture with him or have him sign something of theirs. A majority of his fans were other women around your age, not so subtly flirting with him as they twirled their keratin locks around their fingers. 

To your surprise he kept contact with each one of them short, expressing that he was in a hurry since he had a meeting with his agency. You knew for a fact that he was lying but it was the easiest way for him to be released from the iron grip of his fan base while he was with you. 

After what seemed to be him giving a fan a wave goodbye for the millionth time, he turned to you with that signature grin of his before he sighed heavily. “Man, I can only take so much of this before I start losing my mind.” He vented nonchalantly, encouraging you to continue walking down the street and keeping pace with him by throwing an arm over your shoulder. His gloved hand rested on the outside of your bicep as he guided you around another corner. You would never admit it but that small amount of contact ignited a flame underneath your skin. The looming shadow of the hero mall just a block away from his agency covered the two of you from the harsh rays of the late morning sun. 

You watched with peaked interest as Hawks put a keycard through a scanner. “Don’t worry about her,” he commented to the security guard standing next to the entrance of the mall. “She’s with me.” The stranger nodded before swiping a card of his own which activates the doors to open. 

It wasn’t until you were inside when you opened your mouth to question the whole keycard ordeal before you realized that this wasn’t just any regular mall. “Hawks, this is the hero mall. I can’t afford anything here!” 

He turned around to face you, stopping you in your tracks. “I can’t waltz around a normal mall without being swamped by the public like we just were on our walk here. Besides, the rumors of us heroes having to pay more for stuff in here aren’t true. This place just gives us the privacy to do our shopping.” He smiled at you. “So don’t worry about it.” 

Hours flew by within what felt like seconds as he guided you through the mall with his hands stuffed in the pockets of his signature leather jacket, happily cruising behind you as you wandered in and out of stores that caught your interest. The smile that made your cheeks rise as you met heroes of all kinds and found clothes and daily necessities you loved made his heart soar in his chest. Just the few hours of watching you mill about in a store reserved for what happened to be the current-day celebrities had Hawks questioning himself. 

What was that term the kids were using nowadays? He had to pick his brain for a bit as he handed his card over once again to another cashier in a different store before it finally clicked in his head.

That’s right: they’d call him a simp. 

He wasn’t entirely sure what the whole context behind that coined slang was but he didn’t question the fact that when it came to you his heart was making decisions before his mind could. He’d jumped through some hoops when it came to the dating scene but none of those medial flings caused the same internal burn that started in the tips of his fingers when he looked at you. It felt like his whole body had been set ablaze when his eyes met yours. All he knew for sure was that now that he had you, he’d go through hell or high water to keep you all to himself. 

Soon enough it was mid afternoon. Your feet were pulsing by the time you were exiting the main doors of the mall, exhausted from moving around so much compared to being the couch potato you had identified as earlier that week. “I think I ended up with more than necessary.” You commented as you took in the expanse of bags between you and Hawks. “I’m sorry I got out of hand! I’ll pay you back eventually.”

He chuckled. “Don’t worry about it. I’m happy to help and I can make up for what I spent here in the next few days.” 

As he brought up the topic of wages that set off the reminder in your head from earlier this morning. “Oh, I totally forgot to ask earlier but do you know of any bars that are looking for a mixologist? I’d like to get back on my feet here soon instead of having to rely 100% on you.” 

His heart dropped at your question but he covered it up with a smile as he pushed the pedestrian button at a crosswalk. “I can’t think of any off the top of my head but I’ll ask around and see what I can find, alright?” 

“Thank you! That way I can definitely pay you back for all of this.” The satisfied smile that crossed your face made Hawks’ wings twitch as the bags on your arms shifted when you came to a stop at his side. 

“As I just mentioned, you really don’t need to.” He expressed calmly, double checking the road when the crosswalk began beeping to signal that you and him could cross. 

“But that would be detrimental to my mental health. I don’t like having others get things for me, it makes me feel very selfish and dependent on others. So for the sake of my sanity please let me pay you back.” You begged, frowning slightly. 

How could he say no to the face you just made? He gave a heavy sigh of defeat which caused you to giggle slightly. It sounded like music to his ears. “Alright fine, but don’t worry about paying me back immediately. You can take your time.” 

“Of course. Thanks Hawks.” You whispered his name with a bright grin and his heart melted. 

“Once we get back to the penthouse I’ve got to go run a patrol. Will you be alright on your own?” He questioned as you and him approached the street the building was located on.

Oh, yeah. I’m meeting with Eraserhead at 16:30 at Asako Park anyways.” You reminded him and he nodded. 

“I’m guessing it’s about your bar?” 

As a sullen look crossed your face at the topic, you came to a stop at the main doors of the building that lead up to the penthouse. He placed a hand on your shoulder which caused you to look up at his gentle smile. “There’s no need to fret. I’m sure they’ve figured out the cause and will get it handled in no time.”

You gave him a smile after he reassured you. “You’re right, everything’s going to be okay.” 

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The temperature had dropped considerably in the time it took you to put all of your new things away and make the trek to the park, relying on the maps app on your phone for guidance. Thankfully Hawks had made sure to put the address of his house in your phone and mark it as ‘Home’ so you could return back without any issues. It was 16:25 by the time you had arrived at Asako Park. You sat down on a bench that faced the remnants of your burnt down bar, wondering if you should’ve brought a pair of gloves as a chilly breeze blew by you while you waited for Aizawa. 

It didn’t take very long for the underground hero to sit down next to you without a sound. It always caught you off guard when he was purposely being stealthy since he was never this quiet when it came to interacting with you. The last time you had truly had a conversation with him face to face was that unfortunate night the week before. 

“Hello.” You greeted him curtly, catching his stiff weight shift in a silent greeting out of the corner of your eye. 

“The police deemed it an electrical fire.” He started, his eyes narrowing as he stuffed his calloused hands into his pockets. “At first I believed them until an eye witness reported that the fire was blue.” 

You tilted your head slightly. “Blue?” Could you have had a nightmare that caused you to lose control of your quirk? No, that wouldn’t make any sense. You couldn’t produce any types of fire, only make it burn hot enough to turn blue. 

“I think it may be a quirk user who wields blue flames. Even though All Might’s using Musutafu as his stomping grounds, that doesn’t seem to have much effect on the criminals around here since that video of the Hero Killer blew up.” He continued on, coming up with the most logical explanation in order to keep your mind from running haywire with overthinking what caused the fire in the first place. “It wouldn’t surprise me if more small-time criminals were motivated by his perspective on society.” 

“That doesn’t explain why Treasure Wing was a target though.” You mentioned, still unsure of how all of this lined up with your business. 

“You had a few pro-heros as regulars, more showing up as companions to those that frequented the place. It was a local hotspot. I’m guessing whoever did it cased the joint beforehand to figure out who showed up when.” He was right, unfortunately. There had always been lots of traffic for heros and their sidekicks on their days off or when they had the chance to stop by during a rare break. The only regular civilians that showed up happened to live at max a fifteen minute walk away from your business. “I’m sure it was their intention to burn it down with all of them inside.” 

“Hawks said that we had to escape through the balcony due to the signs of a flashover if he tried opening the door.” You informed the insomniac next to you. “They ignited the escape routes to barricade us inside.” You finished breathlessly, the wind vanishing from your lungs when you felt that repressed memory slam it’s fists on the forefront of your mind. 

They wanted to burn you alive. 

“If it wasn’t for your cat and that hero you speak so fondly off, you would’ve faced that ending.” Aizawa pointed out. “I’m glad you’re not living on your own anymore.” 

“So that’s it? That criminal destroyed my life in order to kill Pro Heroes?” Tears unwillingly began to fall from your (e/c) eyes down to your hands that had become numb from the cold. “Who would do such a thing?” 

“Somebody who wants heroes gone.” 

Chapter Text

Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without a word and never stops at all.

~ Emily Dickinson

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Aizawa left after some time had passed. His only comfort was an awkward pat on the back and one sentence. “I’ll let you know if I hear anything else.” You watched him walk away until his figure disappeared into the evening horizon. While he had taken it upon himself to pick up a parental role in your life after your mother died, the man had never been one for physical interactions unless it came to fighting. 

You felt like you needed to cry yourself to sleep while Yoshio attempted to suffocate you with his affections, maybe even vent it to Hawks if he was finished with his patrol by the time you got back to the penthouse. There were still a few people wandering about on the street when you finally began to follow the instructions from your phone. You considered using your wings to fly home but didn’t dare do it. With your emotions balancing precariously on the edge of being under control as well as the fact that you weren’t used to flying again; it had begun to rain. 

So you trudged along the street, hands stuffed into your pockets with your chin tucked into your chest to make yourself as small as possible. The downpour felt more like ice stabbing through the few layers of protection you had over your shoulders when the cold howl of wind buffeted your back. It wasn’t long before the raindrops falling on your head stopped even though you could visibly see it continue to land on the asphalt in front of your feet. 

You lifted your head only to lock eyes with Hawks, a look of concern on his face under the makeshift umbrella he had made over you with one of his wings. “Are you alright?” He asked as his gloved fingers wiped away the tears sliding down your cheeks. 

Your own numb fingers came up briefly to touch your face. “I didn’t realize I was crying.” You quickly wiped the saltwater threatening to fall from your chin, having mistaken it for rain when you began your trek. “I will be, but what Aizawa told me…” you sighed softly. 

“What did he say?” He inquired, his other wing forming a makeshift wall around you to give the two of you some more privacy. It also exhibited some more heat, a welcoming feeling compared to the crying sky. 

You filled him in on the details Aizawa had shared with you about the investigation. As you finished up your explanation an eyebrow rose when the color drained from Hawks’ face. “Why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?” 

He unwillingly breaks his gaze from yours when he feels the intensity under your stare, swallowing sharply. “I’ve dealt with that villain before.” When you didn’t say anything he waited until a stranger with an umbrella walked by before he spoke up again. “I actually met him in your bar.” As soon as he looked back at you, he was not expecting a right hook to come flying at his face. He narrowly jerked his head back as the skin of your knuckles brushed against the tip of his nose.

 You lost it.

The sound of muffled shouts and fists made bypassers look in your direction as they walked by, curious to what was happening behind the shield of vermillion wings. To keep the attention off of the two of you, Hawks was quick to grab your wrists in his hands to stop your assault. “Would you stop hitting me in a blind rage and let me explain myself?” He snapped at you, causing you to freeze in place. 

He took the moment of hesitation from you to sweep you into his arms, holding you close to his chest as he flew back to the penthouse. Sobs wracked your body during the journey, only regaining your composure when he set you on your feet on the balcony. He ushered you inside to get out of the rain, turning towards you once the two of you were both inside. 

“Would you get out of those clothes before you get sick?” He asked, slowly but surely herding you towards your room after you had your slippers on your feet. You wanted to defy his considerate request and demand an explanation from him but you didn’t have enough will in your body to even attempt to put up a fight; the wet clothing you were wearing didn’t help.

He leaned against the wall opposite of your bedroom door, patiently waiting for it to open again. In reality he had forced you to take some extra time to get control over your emotions. After what Aizawa had told you he understood that you weren’t very stable. He was already toeing the line of losing the trust he had slowly drawn out of you so he took that opportunity to think over how to properly word his previous actions. He couldn’t let too much slip at risk of the Association catching wind that he had spilled secrets about government assigned missions; but he couldn’t help but want to just vomit out everything he knew to you. 

Within a few moments the door to your room opened and he straightened up. You had changed into a large t-shirt and a pair of sweats though thankfully there wasn’t anymore rainwater dripping from your hair. You wrapped your arms around your torso to ease your anxiety when Hawks tilted his head towards the living room. He waited for you to take the lead before following you at a safe distance. He stopped in his tracks to go through the process of removing his jacket, watching you sit on the couch in his peripheral vision. 

“I was assigned a mission where I had to investigate criminals spurred on by Stain’s arrest.” He began, standing in front of the television. “A guy with a pretty nasty record suddenly appeared out of the woodworks again so I was instructed to track him down. I managed to get a hold of him and set up a place where we could meet.” 

Your hands ran across Yoshio’s smooth grey fur when he settled himself into your lap, taking your eyes off of the pro hero attempting to tell you as much of the truth as he was able to. “So you chose Treasure Wing?” 

You looked back up at him when he shook his head. “No. He suggested it. I wanted to change the location but that would’ve put me on the spot. Had I known what he was planning I would’ve done it anyways.” He was mentally ripping his feathers out for the danger he had unintentionally put you in. “I figured that with the amount of pro heros that showed up on the daily that I wouldn’t have to worry about you but I was wrong.” He finished with a sigh, removing his gloves and throwing them on the coffee table before he ran his digits through his damp blond hair. “I got this weird feeling in my chest that I can’t quite explain, but it told me something was off that night. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to keep your place from burning down. After all that happened I’m mentally beating myself up for being the cause of this.” He took a breath to continue but you spoke up before he could.

 “I forgive you.” 

That caught him off guard, all the words he had planned out beforehand immediately vanished from his mind.

 “I’m sorry for losing my shit on you earlier.” You apologized, a smile threatening to lift the corner of your mouth when Yoshio yawned audibly. “I understand that you didn’t intentionally put me in harm's way. I know that you would never do that, otherwise you wouldn’t be a hero.” You rose to your feet, holding Yoshio as you did so. 

“Please don’t beat yourself over it.” You continued, giving him a gentle smile as you said so. “You’ve done enough kind things for me to consider all of them to be an apology worthy of acceptance.” You sighed, holding your cat closer to your chest when he rubbed the top of his head against your chin. “I need some time to think all of this over though, so I’m going to go to my room. Goodnight, Hawks.” 

As soon as he couldn’t see your face anymore, the tears began to fall again. 

When you vanished down the hallway he let his body collapse into the closest armchair. He sat there with his elbows on his knees, hands clasped together and propping up his chin until he heard the sound of your door closing. A single feather detached from the base of his wings and slipped silently under the crack in your door, staying out of your line of sight as it came to a stop behind the headboard of your bed frame. 

As the sound of your sobs echoed in his ears, he found himself with his head against the door to your room for the rest of the night. 

Chapter Text

Baby girl you went to hell and came back with angel wings.

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Hawks had to double check that he was at the right penthouse when he arrived home the next day. He had dropped onto the patio with a takeout bag swinging in his hands, whistling a tune to himself when he saw you on your hands and knees in the living room ferociously scrubbing at a stain on the wooden floorboards. He watched quietly with a curious gaze as you paused to scrutinize your work. It was obviously to your satisfaction when you gave a sharp nod of approval and jumped to your feet and stretched your wings, vanishing out of his sight and into the kitchen. 

Much unlike himself, Hawks removed his boots before stepping through the sliding glass door. From how spotless the living room looked he wasn’t willing to put you in a bad mood after you’d worked so hard to make sure there wasn’t a lick of dust anywhere in the house. He made sure to scan the floor for any wet spots or the cat lounging about as he made his way across the floor he could now see his reflection in to put his boots in their designated location. 

“What are you up to?” He inquired as he stood in the entrance to the kitchen, listening to the sound of Yoshio’s burly paws smack against the floor as he approached with a meow. 

“I thought your place was due for a spring cleaning.” You replied, turning on the sink to wash the dishes. 

“Spring started a month ago.” He responded, crouching down to pick up the cat that demanded his attention. 

“Well it’s still spring.” You snapped back at him, running the dirty plates under hot water.

He refused to take a step into the kitchen, believing that you’d yell at him if he even breathed on the tile. “I may have my blond moments but I can tell when something’s wrong.” 

You gave a heavy sigh of defeat, feeling the need to vent boil in your chest as you dropped the sponge in the sink and turned to face him. “I’m super stressed out about this investigation. Why do they want to cover up arson with an electrical fire? Also because I no longer have a job I’m just trying to keep my hands busy, hence the stress cleaning. I’m losing my mind being stuck in your house without having anything productive to do.” 

A large grin crossed his face when a figurative lightbulb appeared above his head. “Why don’t you become a hero?” 

A solemn look crossed your face and you turned back to the dishes. “I can’t.” 

“Aww,” he pouted, letting Yoshio jump from his arms when the cat began struggling in his grip. “Why not? Wouldn’t it be fun to kick ass together?”

You paused, tilting your head slightly. “It does sound fun, but my father was a hero.” You dropped your gaze again to mindlessly run the sudsy sponge around the rim of a bowl. 

“That just sounds like more motivation to follow after him.” Hawks commented, drumming his fingers against the counter as he cautiously closed the distance between you and him. 

You put the last dish you rinsed into the dishwasher, pushing the buttons to start its cycle before drying your hands with a towel. “I’m sure you’ve heard of the Pro Hero Starbreaker?” 

“That’s the hero that worked alongside Endeavour, right? He vanished on a mission?” Hawks questioned to clarify as he jumped up to sit on the counter. 

“Yeah. He was my father.” You confirmed his assumptions and sighed, crossing your arms over your chest. “That mission he disappeared on was only supposed to take three days. We all thought he had died until a few months later where rumors were spread that there was a villain running around with his quirk.” You looked up to see Hawks watching you intently, waiting for you to finish. “Long story short, I watched my mom die in front of me trying to defend his name.” 

His face paled and he slid off of the counter, coming to stand in front of you. “That’s horrible, (Y/N).” Hesitantly he rested his hands on your shoulders, unsure if you’d give him permission to comfort you. 

He was relieved when you rested your head on his chest, letting your arms wrap around his waist as the faint sound of his heartbeat resonated in your ear. “I’m not sure if he’s alive or dead, but I sometimes hope that he did die on that mission. That way I know that neither of them have to be alone anymore.” You knew it was childish to think of that being their happy ending, reuniting in the afterlife after spending so many years apart on Earth but it was one of the only things that kept you going in life; the thought of them watching over you. 

There was a comfortable moment of silence before Hawks broke it, one of his hands rubbing the small of your back. “If there’s a chance that he’s still alive, don’t you want to try and look for him? If he isn’t, you could at least try to figure out what happened to him.” 

You hummed gently under your breath as you mulled over his words, soothed by his gentle touch. “I’d have to think about it.” You didn’t give him the chance to ask about hero work before you piped up again. “Let me sleep on the hero thing, okay?” 

Anything that you said after that went in one of Hawks’ ears and right out the other. He was pleased with the thought of you considering his offer, knowing that you’d be working alongside him a majority of the time. 

He was already planning your hero outfit. 

Chapter Text

She couldn’t feel her wings but knew they were there, so she built a ladder that led to the sky and when she touched the clouds she remembered how to fly. 

~ Atticus

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“This was not what I had in mind when you asked me for help.” Hawks gave an exasperated sigh. “Are you sure you want to do it this way?” 

“Yes.” You gave him a slight nod of confirmation, crossing your arms over your chest. “There’s no other option.”

“Actually, you could let me teach you instead of dropping you from twenty stories up!” he retorted, the sweat on his brow visible with the distance between the two of you.

“Why do you have to argue with me about this?” You questioned with a roll of your eyes. 

“Because there are many different ways to learn how to fly that aren’t a death sentence if it doesn’t work out.” He replied, not backing down from what he knew was the right option. 

You had found yourself in a predicament. Last week Hawks had brought up the topic of becoming a hero to work alongside him and figure out what truly happened to your dad. You still weren’t sure of what you wanted to do, so in order to distract him from your lack of an answer that he was getting impatient about receiving you told him he could help you relearn how to fly. Needless to say he was immediately interested and wanted to start the process as soon as possible so you agreed to begin that day; only if he helped you on your terms. 

So here you were, maybe fifteen minutes after the two of you had departed the penthouse. Not soon enough in your opinion Hawks set you down on the roof of an apartment building much taller than the one you and the pro hero resided in. You understandably had the jitters since the last time you had used your wings was when the bar burnt down, and before that it had been before your mom was killed. The professional flyer next to you had the same nervous energy about him. He was in no way comfortable with how you wanted to learn again but he didn’t really have a choice, seeing as he was literally the only thing that would keep you from having to be scraped off of the sidewalk. 

“Can I get another chance to talk you out of this?” He asked, pacing restlessly around you. “This is legitimately the worst way I can think of to learn how to fly again.” You didn’t think he noticed when you plucked a feather from his wing as he passed by but you were proven wrong when it began to writhe violently between your fingertips. You let it go to see it return to its designated place at the rise of his wings when he pivoted around to face you. “Would you please take me seriously? I don’t like this at all.” 

“Can you please calm down and trust me?” You sighed, ready to reiterate what you had told him just before leaving the penthouse. “When I was ten my dad taught me how to fly in the same way I’m asking you to help me. He took me to the top of our apartment building, twenty stories up, and held me over the edge by my arms. I vividly remember him saying: “flying should be natural within you. It should be your second instinct, like walking. If you can figure out your wings before you go splat then we can go out for ice cream after dinner.” And then he let me go.” You demonstrated him dropping you by opening your closed fists, imagining the child version of yourself plummeting to the streets below. 

He paled, running his hands through his ashy blond hair. “You’re 100% sure of this?” 

“Is your favorite thing to eat chicken?” You replied as if the answer was obvious. 

He held his hands up in mock defeat, knowing that there was no getting out of this now that he was this far into the whole ordeal. “Alright, fine.” 

You intertwined your fingers with his, locking your elbows and pushing him to the edge of the rooftop. He hesitated when the only thing keeping him on stable ground was the toe of his boots but when you added more weight into your hands his wings opened instinctively to keep himself from plummeting. You could feel how sweaty his hands were and it made you even more nervous than you already were. He somehow sensed the anxiety beginning to form a pit in your stomach and pushed back against you slightly to check on you. You shook the fog clouding your mind and gave his hands a gentle squeeze, a reminder that this wasn’t over until you could fly again. 

With a pump of his wings he pushed himself higher into the air to lift your feet off the rooftop, his knuckles turning white to make sure he didn’t drop you before you were ready. You wouldn’t tell him that the grip on your hands slightly hurt you since it was the only thing keeping you grounded in that moment. 

“Okay, I’m going to count down from ten. Are you ready?” He asked after moving away from the building, leaving nothing but twenty stories of empty space between you and the ground. You gave him a gentle squeeze in return as well as a nod. 

It had to have been the slowest countdown of your life. Every instinct in Hawks body told him to not let go of you. To put you back down on the roof even if you tried beating the shit out of him for stopping you when you were this close to getting a piece of yourself back. He knew for a fact that if he did that you would either never forgive him or hold a grudge for the rest of eternity. 

Both reactions were immediate exits out of his life so against his own will he let your hands slip from his.

Just as he loosened his hold on you and said ‘one’, you opened your mouth. “Wait, I-“

Hawks watched you plummet like a paperweight and he felt his heart drop right along with you. Before he could truly contemplate his actions he had already collapsed his wings to angle a nosedive after you. If he could just make himself a little bit more aerodynamic he’d be able to catch you before you became nothing but a bloodstain on the concrete. 

As you watched the windows blur by, you felt your life start to flash in front of your eyes which blacked out the image of the pro hero diving after you. The first memory that appeared in your head was your time spent at U.A., being scolded by Aizawa for harassing your friends with your wings in the middle of class, zipping above Ground Beta during mock battles and interning under the top heros of that day and age. 

Somehow you managed to face the ground beneath you when you realized a bulletin board was rapidly approaching. You angled your body just enough to miss it when another adrenaline rush spurred a repressed memory to the forefront of your mind. 

You had been walking down the street you grew up on with your mother after grabbing dinner from a local restaurant, just a few blocks away from the place you and her called home when a man stepped out of the alleyway. The trauma from that eventful night made most of the memory hazy, important details such as the man’s face escaping the deepest corners of your brain. Instead his features were blocked by a swirling cloud of grey when he mouthed a few words though you heard him clearly. 

“You should’ve stopped after the first warning.” 

You remember her mutilated cries, the image of your mother burning alive forever seared into the deepest part of you. All you could recall after she finally stopped screaming was being pinned against the ground. You felt the sensation of the asphalt scraping into your face as you thrashed wildly in the man’s grip, begging him to let you go and ripping your throats to shreds as you screamed for help as loud as you possibly could. The searing pain in your back as flames burned your wings caused one sentence to echo in your ears. 

“Don’t come looking.” 

You were only a few feet away from death when a spark ignited within you, jolting you to a slightly slower speed when your wings expanded. You flipped yourself over to land on your feet instead of headfirst, the impact of your boots on the ground causing a crater to form where you landed. Your (e/c) eyes met the skies when you took off once again, car alarms going off with their lights flashing in the aftermath. 

The citizens standing on the sidewalk who stopped when they noticed you falling from the sky were stunned, not even casting Hawks a glance as he flew over them, a shocked look on his face. 

“What the fuck just happened?” 

Chapter Text

She is water. Powerful enough to drown you, soft enough to cleanse you, deep enough to save you.

~ Adrian Michael

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The morning sunlight peeking through your window woke you up a week later. Usually Yoshio would take up the position of being your alarm, but today he wasn’t feeling it. You turned your head slightly to the large grey ball of fur on the pillow beside your head. He was curled up with his face hidden behind his tail, his back rising and falling with each breath. As soon as you sat up his amber eyes opened to watch you go about your usual routine. When you disappeared into the bathroom to take a shower, Yoshio rose to his feet and stretched, walking to the edge of your bed closest to the door and sitting there to wait for your return. 

Not much had happened between the time you relearned how to fly and today. Unfortunately you weren’t able to go out and practice on your own thanks to the fact that your hero license expired a few years ago. You didn’t feel like it was right to keep asking Hawks for help seeing how busy he was with work. Not to mention the fact that he had already done a bunch of things for you that you would never be able to repay him for. So you figured that you would get a hold of your old teacher to see if he’d take you on again. 

Aizawa already had a lot on his plate; summer break was closing in on his class, fighting tooth and nail to see if he could uncover the truth about your bar, and finally he had taken on a disciple. You felt pretty selfish to be asking him for help, but when you texted him and asked to meet up to talk he said that you could drop by U.A. around lunchtime. 

So that’s how you found yourself wandering through the hallways of the school you graduated from later that afternoon. You ran your fingers along the lockers as you walked by, fondly remembering the code to get into yours as old memories began surfacing in your brain. A few seconds later the soft smile on your face fell to a frown. There was no point in reminiscing on the last two years you had attended when the good times were overshadowed with the bad. It didn’t take you very long to reach the teachers lounge, a soft knock with the back of your hand resulted in the door being slid open maybe half a breath later. 

Aizawa stepped aside to let you in. From what you could tell, nothing about the school had really changed as of yet and that pleased you. A few minutes later you were seated on the couch, sipping on the cup of chamomile tea that Eraserhead had prepared for you before you knocked on the door. He looked as exhausted as always, though you could tell that he made an effort to tame his facial hair since it was a little bit shorter than when you had last seen him. When he put his own cup of tea down and leaned back against the couch across from you, you took that as a sign to start talking. 

“He wants me to be a hero again.” You began, not sure of where to go from there. “He brought it up in conversation two weeks ago and I still haven’t given him an answer.” 

“It’s not a bad idea.” He replied, crossing his arms over his chest. “You passed the provisional exam each year. We’ve changed it up quite a bit since you were here but that’s only because these kids nowadays have stronger quirks. I’m sure it would be a breeze for you thanks to the multitude of things you can do thanks to your stockpile ability.” It had been a few years since he saw you in action, but to your surprise he remembered a majority of your abilities.

“The only issue is that I’m really rusty and out of shape.” You replied. “Otherwise I wouldn’t be too worried about it.” 

Aizawa leaned forward after he thought things over for a moment. “Is that why you’re here? To ask me to retrain you?” 

You scratched at the back of your neck with your non-dominant hand. “I was going to ask Hawks for help, but he’s already got so much on his plate thanks to the H.A. He also doesn’t know the extent of my capabilities when it comes to my quirk. He already gave me my wings back if you catch my drift, so I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to consider him as an option.” 

“Did you have him drop you from the top of a building like your father did?” He called you out.

You broke the eye contact you had been maintaining with him, looking over the posters on the wall. “Yeah, I did.” You were a little embarrassed about that since you knew it wasn’t the greatest option of relearning how to fly, but it worked the first time you did it so why wouldn’t it the second time? “I accidentally used one of my old ultimate moves when I landed.”

“Which one, and where?” 

“New Moon, on Chuo-Ka.”

Aizawa didn’t respond at first; the look in his eyes informed you that he was thinking. You had never been fearful of the underground hero sitting across the coffee table from you, but when he was silent he could be quite intimidating. “Class 1-A and B are going to training camp over the summer break for a week. Why don’t you tag along as a chaperone and we can get you started there.” 

“Sure.” You replied quicker than you wanted to, a little more eager about his proposition. “I could use a vacation from the penthouse. Not to mention that I’d like to see your class full of babies.”

“They’re practically infants when it comes to the hero world. I thought about setting you up with some of them in a sparring match but we’ll just work on your endurance while we’re there.” He mulled about his thoughts, taking a glance at the clock on the wall. “After training camp I’ll throw you in the pit with Shinso.” 

“Shinso?” You questioned, subconsciously tilting your head to the side. 

“He’s the purple-haired kid from the Sports Festival that brainwashed one of my students.” He answered, checking the clock again. “Lunch is almost over. I’m sure you remember the way out.” 

You remembered watching the duel between Shinso and Midoriya. It was an interesting fight seeing that Midoriya had almost stepped out of the ring before he snapped himself out of it with his own quirk. Each time you saw the green-haired boy in action you could only think of the fact that his quirk was extremely close to All Mights. If only he didn’t break himself apart having to use it though. 

You stood up shortly after the insomniac did, waving him off as he disappeared around a corner before going out the way you came in. Your mind mulled about how you would preoccupy yourself until the trip, wandering off to how Aizawa would squeeze you in. As you traveled off the campus and down the street to a bus stop, your eyes roamed the people around you. It was a subconscious action, the slight prickling sensation that something was off fluttering in the base of your wings. 

You didn’t question it much, rolling your shoulders in an attempt to get rid of the sensation. It was probably anxiety based on the fact that you hadn’t roamed by yourself since before the fire. You didn’t feel like somebody was watching you on your way into the school. Musutafu was a relatively safe area seeing the fact that All Might was in the prefecture thanks to teaching at U.A. When you stepped on the bus your mind was dragged away from the thought of having a stalker when something moved inside of your sweatshirt. Needless to say it scared the shit out of you, and visibly reaching under your sweatshirt to snatch the moving object was not a public image you wanted to maintain; you weren’t purposefully groping yourself in public.

The tip of a vermillion feather brushes against the underside of your ear, effectively causing you to squeak under your breath and grab it with a vice-like grip. “When did you plant this thing on me?” You whispered aggressively, paranoid that casual bystanders on the bus were watching you. 

The feather only ruffled in response. 

“Fine, keep your secrets.” You huffed. “What do you want? I’m on my way home.” 

It rubbed against your cheek, causing your face to what up when a text came through on your phone. 

12:31

ChikkyWings

What do u want for dinner? 

You looked between the assaulting feather and your phone, releasing the death grip you had on it. 

12:31

(Y/N)

Surprise me. As long as it’s not chicken I’m down for whatever.

When did you wire me???

You questioned his motives with the feather in the last message you sent. When the dots appeared at the bottom of your screen you felt yourself release the breath you were holding. 

12:32

ChikkyWings

Does udon receive a green light?

It’s not a wire! 

I gave it to u so I can know if ur in trouble.

Your heart skipped a beat at the same time your stomach decided to do a backflip. Why was he so frustrating sometimes?

12:32

(Y/N)

Udon sounds good.

I can take care of myself, you know 

You could almost see the cocky smirk on his face when the word ‘read’ flashed across the bottom side of your text. He took almost everything as a challenge. To be quite honest with yourself, you liked challenging him; seeing how far you could push his buttons. 

What would it take for a man like that to snap? 

12:33

ChikkyWings

I know u can, kid.

It’s just in case u need a lil back up. 😘

You scoffed, deciding to not acknowledge the feather that slipped back down to your side. Knowing that it was there gave you a blanket of security that you didn’t know you needed. Yeah, you could defend yourself if somebody came along and tried to stir shit up, but you wouldn’t last for very long seeing how out of fighting shape you were. Your legs ached at the thought of how many miles Aizawa was going to make you run to build up your endurance.

12:33

(Y/N)

Excuse me

I’m only a year younger than you

The fact that you could hear him laugh at your retort gave you butterflies. You hoped that little feather of his couldn’t pick up on those phantom feelings like that. 

12:33

ChikkyWings

That makes u a toddler bc I’m barely a functioning child

You audibly giggled, knowing that he wasn’t entirely wrong in that statement.

12:34

(Y/N)

If you call me a kid again I’m gonna start calling you an old man.

I’m not scared to beat up a boomer.

12:34

ChikkyWings

Ooh, thems fighting words 😏

You stuffed your phone into your pocket when you reached your stop to get off of the bus, huffing and puffing under your breath as you stomped to the train station. It was ridiculous how fast that asshole could get you riled up. It was like he got a kick out of it or something. You felt yourself flinch slightly when the feather he left with you moved under your sweatshirt. 

You gave it a small slap with the open hand of your palm to get it to sit still, hoping nobody noticed that awkward action of yours when you put your earbuds in and turned on your music. You put your travel pass up to the scanner, moving through the rotational gates when it accepted your card. 

You didn’t notice the cerulean eyes burning into your back from a distance.

Chapter Text

Who is this, whose eyes, even now, sparkle through my mind to steal pieces of my soul? Her laugh ripples down my spine with warm familiarity, as if I’d already spent a lifetime with her. As if the universe had written this story years ago, and now sat atop the clouds as it unfolded, smiling at my doubts— as if there was any chance I would not love this girl for the rest of time. 

~ Atticus

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Hawks found himself gliding along the evening breeze, the sun falling over the horizon as he stopped a few blocks away from the penthouse he shared with you. The street was somewhat public, a few people wandering here and there as they window shopped through the small mom and pop shop lining the one way street. The street lamps turned on once his boots touched the asphalt, drawing any insects to its dull yellow glow. 

On the corner of this quaint market street was Hawks’ favorite udon stand. He stood with his hands tucked in his pockets as his eyes glossed over the menu on the side of the open doors, waiting for the person ahead of him to receive their order. He already knew what he was getting, but he was curious on what you would like seeing the different types of udon the stand provided. He hummed under his breath before drawing his phone out of his pocket and taking a picture of the menu, sending it to you. 

Within what seemed to be half a breath to him, you had replied with what you wanted. He shook his head slightly and smiled at your response, tucking his phone back into his pocket. When he noticed the citizen leave the udon stand, he reached to grab his wallet when the sound of his name stopped him in his tracks. 

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Hawks' return to the penthouse was about twenty minutes after you had sent him what you wanted from the menu. He entered through the back door, sliding his boots off as he robotically scanned the living room. You were sitting on the couch, curled up in a blanket with Yoshio on your lap while a news segment on up and coming heros played on the television. Somehow you hadn’t noticed his entrance until Yoshio had jumped up from your lap and ran to greet him. 

When he noticed your face brighten up when you saw him, he felt the thousand pounds of stress on his shoulders immediately vanish. He swore to whatever gods existed—if there was one—that you had him under some kind of spell. It was some kind of black magic; the way your (e/c) eyes ripped every boulder from his body and dragged him away from the dark shadows of his own mind. 

He wasn’t surprised that the fatigued look on his face didn’t go unnoticed by you. When you questioned him about what was wrong, he shrugged and brushed the conversation off as he sat down next to you on the couch, pulling the coffee table closer and setting the udon down on it. “Just a long day at work, stardust. Don’t worry your little heart over it.” 

He leaned back after grabbing his bowl of udon, already feeling the process of his decompression begin to soothe his aching muscles. He found himself relishing in the calm silence between you and him as his attention drifted to the television when the commercial break ended. The Hero Association was working him so hard that he barely had any time to sit down and actually watch tv anymore. Ever since your bar had been burnt down he discovered how much the government could throw at him without mercy. 

Perhaps it was karma, he thought. The thought that he played right into that fuckers hands made him not want to finish his dinner. How could he unknowingly let a villain slide into the only life you knew and rip that away from you? And in the midst of it all he was doing everything in his damn power to get you back on your feet again. The fact that he knew he would willingly throw all of his missions to the side to be at your beck and call stirred an emotion in him that he couldn’t quite comprehend. Was it satisfaction? Guilt for not doing what he had been trained his whole life for? Or was it something different? 

His mind drifted off to what happened the other week. He refused to go against his instincts again. Dropping you from unspeakable heights to teach you how to fly again was never something he wanted to do again. He had already led you into the palms of a corrupt individual, albeit unintentionally. In his mind there was no way for him to make that up to you, but he knew he would gladly spend the rest of his lifetime following you around like a lost puppy. 

There was just something about you. He was hooked on you like a drug, to him you were an IV that kept him alive. He was fucking star struck when he first laid eyes on you. The way the crest of your wings were a light blue that shifted into an almost abysmal oceanic blue before melting into the subtle violet ending at the tips of your wings; the way your hair frames your face perfectly, (e/c) irises that held so much innocence yet he could see the storm that tumbled behind your eyelids. He’d only known you for roughly a month and a half, yet he barely knew you. 

So why was he doing all of this?

It wasn’t just some debt that he had to repay after you dragged him off of the street. Anybody could’ve taken advantage of his weakened state and yet he found himself swept off of his feet by an angel. There was a soft hum in his body when he was near you, a fuzzy feeling that left him breathless. How was he supposed to process this? Why were you so fucking cute? 

It was almost like an animal instinct was fueling this emotion. In all of his life, while traveling the country while he was working to death as a child, he had never seen another person with wings like his. He knew he only had one puzzle piece of the whole picture. Most people in his life were a blip in time. He was always going so damn fast that he could barely remember what he did the day before yesterday. 

But after he met you he remembered every waking moment. You plagued his mind, badly enough that he turned his head every time he saw the color blue. The color used to always remind him of sadness. The memories he had were always tinted blue, as if it was a sign that he’d never be happy. Yet when he thought of you, the blue he saw made his heart pound in his chest. The tides of the ocean would come to a standstill and the moon collided with the earth each time he saw you. 

“Hawks.” 

He snapped out of his train of thought, turning to look at you. “What’s up?” He lifted his chopsticks to deliver more food into his mouth only to realize he hadn’t grabbed anything. 

“You’ve been sitting there like...robotically feeding yourself even though you finished seven minutes ago.” 

He took this moment to realize you were right next to him. Your face was at least six inches away from his, a furrowed brow and creased nose informing him that you were concerned. 

“Uh, I…” The words were stuck at the back of his throat. What was he supposed to say to you? How is he supposed to explain that he’s pretty sure a kiss from you would send him to heaven?

You sat back, the sudden motion catching him off guard as a hand covered your mouth. 

“Fuck. Did I say that out loud?” He audibly asked, his feathers prickling with anxiety. The fact that you immediately broke eye contact and fumbled over your words answered his question. “I’m sorry, I-“ Before he let his stupid bird brain say anymore he rose to his feet and took the empty bowls to the kitchen, unsure of how to go from there. 

Just as he was collecting his thoughts, prepared to save himself with a smooth cool over, he was surprised to see you standing up when he was about to sit back down on the couch. “Shit. Did I upset you? I’m sorry-“

“You could test out that theory.” 

The sentence left him speechless. This was a whole new side of you that he was seeing. He was enjoying every single second he spent with you. Each time he saw you he was able to pull another brick out of the walls you had built to create the impenetrable fortress around you. He wanted more. More.  

He chuckled softly, his hands reaching out to grab you by the hips and pull you into him. You collided into his chest, your arms pinned between you and him when his left arm snaked around your waist to ensure you weren’t going anywhere, his right hand tilting your chin up to look at him. His pupils were blown wide, leaving only a sliver of his golden-brown irises visible.

“Are you sure you want me to do that?” He was leaning into you now, the subtle push of his torso against yours causing a chill to roll down your spine and making your feathers shiver against your will. “I might not be able to let you leave me if that happens.” Needless to say he stole the breath straight from your lungs without even touching his lips to yours. 

His lips barely ghosted over yours, a tantalizing tease just before he dropped his face to the indent of your neck, taking a deep breath of your scent. You realized he was giving you a chance to back out of this. Your mind couldn’t help but wander to what would happen if you gave him your consent. Would he ravish you right here? Make your screams echo through the night? 

Your toes subconsciously curled at the thought, fingers grasping his shirt and applying pressure to his chest. Your attempt at getting him to lift his head worked, locking your gaze with his as he loomed over you. When the word he’d been dreaming of for the past few weeks left your lips it struck a chord in him that made his wings shudder. 

“Please.”

When his lips met yours the first thing you could do was gasp. The ferocity of it left your head spinning, dazing you for just the slightest second. When you didn’t return his affection you swore you heard a soft whine slip from his throat. He briefly pulled away to nip at your bottom lip, leaving it swollen as he pulled away before he was kissing you again. 

Your senses came about you and you forced him away from you for just the slightest second, taking the moment to regain your breath and run your fingers through his hair. Simultaneously you tugged on his blond locks, tugging his head back and nipping at his chin. His grip on your hips tightened; you were sure there would be bruises but you ignored it at the sensation the low growl remanating in his throat gave to you.

There was a predatory hunger in his eyes when he locked his gaze with yours after pulling against the hold you had on his hair.

“Do you know what you do to me?”

Chapter Text

The smell of her hair, the taste of her mouth, the feeling of her skin, seemed to have gotten inside him, or into the air round him. She had become a physical necessity.

~ George Orwell

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The water to your face shocked your body into fully waking up; you hated that it wasn’t scalding your skin so you cranked the knob over, giving a sigh of relief when it got to just the right level of heat. When you began going about your usual shower routine, your mind mulled to the events of the other night. 

Two days had passed since your steamy make out session with Hawks, and you hadn’t caught a glimpse of him since then. Your usual feather friend was there to keep you company while he was away. You had decided to name it Quill since it was your own little microphone into his head and consistently appeared around the house, startling you when you least expected it. 

Like last night, for instance; you had braved the kitchen that you were still unfamiliar with to make yourself dinner. You turned to the refrigerator to grab some ingredients when to your surprise, there was a vermillion feather leaning casually against the jug of milk. You’d never vocally admit it to him but the tiny gasp you let out when you saw it was because it caught you off guard, though you were sure he’d picked it up when you remembered how sensitive those damn feathers of his were. You grabbed the ingredients you needed, subtly acting like you didn’t notice when Quill tried slipping out of the fridge when you started closing the door. Quickly you slapped it shut, holding back a laugh when it got caught halfway like you expected it to, the top half bristling with anger. 

You opened the fridge and caught it before it could escape, rubbing it on your cheek. “That’s what you get for wiring me.” You cooed lovingly, turning back towards the stove. “Don’t worry, I’ll make you leftovers for when you get back.” When it started wriggling in your grasp you let it go, giggling softly when it brushed against your lips and rested on your shoulder.

After further questioning of Quill last night you learned that Hawks was in fact at work. He wasn’t supposed to be home until this evening so you wondered what to do to bide your time as you stepped out of the shower. You dried yourself off with a towel and wrapped it around yourself as best as you could underneath your wings, holding it to your chest with an arm before wandering back into your room to grab an outfit for the day. The first thing you noticed was a note on your bed and a red ribbon tied around the handles to your closet. You couldn’t help but wonder what sort of plan that flying chicken had concocted in his brain but you were curious to find out when realistically he was the only person that could’ve done all of this in the timeframe of your shower. 

I couldn’t pick a favorite since I’d like to rip them all off of you, but I’ll let you decide which one I have to replace first. Choose one and be ready at 19:00. 

~ Hawks xoxoxo

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t stop the smile that made your face hurt when you looked over the sloppily drawn heart and kissy face emojis. You felt like you got secondhand whiplash from how fast you presumed your budding romance with him was going. Maybe after knowing him for a month and a half just now going on your first date wasn’t such short notice. If anything it was prolonged due to the overwhelming circumstances of your life falling apart around you. Perhaps you would’ve had your first date with Hawks ages ago if that fuckface criminal hadn’t burnt down your bar. 

You didn’t let your mind wander too far when you turned and untied the bow. It came apart with ease before there was a sharp tug. You noticed Yoshio pawing at the ribbon, so you let go only to watch him pick it up in his mouth and bound across the room. Opening the closet doors revealed eight dresses added to your own choice of a wardrobe. You ran your fingers over each one, admiring the materials they were crafted from alongside the master stitch work. In the end you stared at two particular dresses the most. One was a floor-length black halter top dress with an open back for your wings that would barely touch the ground when you wore it; There was a cut in the right side that would expose your leg with each step. The second was a blood red strapless cocktail dress with a deep v-neck that would finish at the top of your rib cage. It left little to the imagination so you decided that you would go with the black dress for tonight and leave the red one for a...one on one occasion. 

Just after hanging the black dress up so it would be the first thing you saw when you opened the door, you noticed an unfamiliar red and black box on a shelf. You didn’t remember purchasing a pair of shoes that came in such a bold box when Hawks took you to the hero mall. When you slid it off of the shelf into your hands your jaw dropped momentarily before you flung the lid off of it with haste. 

Did he really? 

With a delicate hand you lifted the sexiest heel you had seen in your life out of the box. The outside was made of black suede which felt like heaven against your fingertips. Your eyes almost rolled into the back of your head when you finally allowed yourself to tip the heel over in your hand, revealing the bloody red soles to the artificial light over your head. 

This fucker went out and bought me a pair of Louboutins?! 

It was obvious that you had to wear them on your date tonight. Your toes curled in excitement at the thought of wearing such a powerful statement of a shoe while cruising down the street in public with Hawks. Before you let yourself lose control over the shoes you put them back into the box and set them out next to the dress so you wouldn’t forget about them. Then you turned and finished your morning routine of finding clothes to wear for the day, brushing your teeth and handling your hair. 

You left your room to feed Yoshio to discover that Hawks wasn’t home. You felt yourself frown in disappointment but quickly brushed it off. He was almost always busy with work, he was a hero after all. Your mind wandered to what you should wear during your trip for summer camp with U.A.. You still had yet to bring it up to Hawks. Would tonight be an okay time to talk about it? You were sure that he wouldn’t mind. 

You were brought back to the real world when Yoshio yowled at your feet, his tail standing straight up as he rubbed his side across your shins and stepped on your feet with his heavy paws. You had been standing in front of the fridge with his can of wet food in your hands for a while now which is why he was causing such a fuss. Hawks note must’ve really distracted you today if you were this ignorant to his needs when you were usually spot on with everything. You crouched down and carefully mixed the wet food in with the kibble in his bowl, using your elbow to push him away until you were done. As you rose back up to your full height he was upon his bowl. You picked up the faint sound of him purring and shook your head. At least he still loved you and his food. 

The rest of your day was spent lounging around the house. You sat on the couch during the morning, watching the news and random things on the television until the sun was out around noon. Then you spent a few hours sprawled out in the sun on a chair, Yoshio indulging in the warmth with you by extending himself out on the patio next to you. The late afternoon involved enticing the Maine Coon with a feather and the laser pointer before feeding him dinner. As you returned to your spot on the couch you happened to grab a piece of paper and a pen on the way back to the living room and began sketching out what you wanted for your hero costume. 

You figured in the back of your brain that Hawks already had something up his sleeve in regards to your hero outfit. You were sure he’d been thinking about it ever since you told him that you’d consider his suggestion. You clicked your tongue and shook your head, thinking back on your first costume back from your time at U.A. It would be nice to have some boots with iron soles and some belts to carry first aid supplies in case you and to rescue anybody. You wanted to add more but had to put the paper and pen down when the news told you that it was 17:30. Hawks would be here soon so you figured now was a better time than ever to start getting ready for the night. 

Yoshio had just finished his dinner when you turned off the television and began your trek down the hallway towards your room. He darted in between your legs as you entered your room, closing the door behind you with a shake of your head when he charged for your bed and leapt onto it. You stopped and took a deep breath, giving yourself a few seconds before running and jumping onto your bed, bouncing slightly when you hit the mattress and grabbed a pillow, screaming into it. You felt like a teenager with how you were acting, but you never figured that the day you went out with a Pro Hero would actually come—not to mention your favorite one. 

Your kiss with him those few days ago had turned into a steamy make out session that had left you breathless and wanting more but you still couldn’t contain your excitement. When you raised your head from your pillow you noticed Yoshio’s amber eyes staring into yours, a low purr emitting from his throat. You reached up and scratched him behind the ear. He head butted your nose in response before dragging his face across your cheek, somehow managing to bring you back to your senses. You spent the next thirty minutes procrastinating your preparation for the date instead cuddling your cat. Eventually you managed to coerce him off of your lap.

“Don’t look at me like that, I have to get ready.” You scolded the grey feline for his glare and walked to the bathroom. 

You crouched down to the cabinet underneath the sink and removed a small box. It was hand painted a dark blue with carefully made gold stars scattered around the top. It was by some miracle that you remembered to grab it when your bar burnt down. It was one of the only things you had left of your mother. You had stopped the chore of doing your makeup after she had passed. You’d gone through a major depression and lost a lot of self-confidence before your feathers grew back. Your heart dropped at the memory and you felt the need to shake your whole body, starting with your hands and feet and finishing with your wings. After you regained yourself you went about the process.

It turns out that your hand wasn’t as steady as it used to be, proven by the fact that you couldn’t keep your hand steady to save your life. You’d gotten one eye done alright but now trying to get it even with the other was easier said than done for somebody who was completely out of practice. Your hand was either shaking because you were so rusty or because of how nervous you were. Just the thought of being out in public with him got you all riled up. Your heart started beating frantically in your chest at the same time that your mouth went dry. Just as you were finishing the tail of the smooth wing you had created at the edge of your other eye, a meow startled you. Your hand went askew and dragged the black pencil down across your cheekbone. Wordlessly you whirled around to see Yoshio nonchalantly licking in between his toes in the doorway. With a soft huff of frustration, you cleaned up the mess you had made before touching up the damaged area and calling it good. 

A quick glance at the clock on the wall of the bedroom gave you a heads up that you had a decent amount of time left to get dressed and prep your hair. You hummed a song to yourself under your breath when you pulled the dress off of its hanger and slipped yourself into it. Somehow, Hawks had been able to find the perfect size. It was form fitting in all the right places and comfortable in the others. The material felt nice on your skin, reassuring you that you wouldn’t be getting irritated by it all night. You wandered back into the bathroom with a small smile on your face.

It took about half of an hour for you to finally be satisfied. You were standing in front of the mirror, all dolled up and ready to go besides the shoes. You had about fifteen minutes before he showed up to escort you off to who knows where, but you were more worried about not breaking your ankles in the shoes he’d gotten you. You treated them like glass when you removed them from the box, carefully sliding your feet inside of them and giving a sigh of relief when you didn’t have to force them in. You were a little wobbly at first when you stood up again, but after a few mandatory walks around the room to calibrate your new balancing act, you felt confident.

Standing in front of the mirror for the final time, you smoothed out the invisible creases across your torso. It was an anxiety response to the overwhelming amount of stress prickling at your skin. It was one thing to interact with him within the comforts of his own home, but having to stroll down the street with him was an entirely different story. Your mind was lost on the train of thought when a noise brought you back to reality. 

Did somebody just ring the doorbell? 

18:58

ChikkyWings:

It’s me, play along! 💞

You puffed out your cheeks in an attempt to hold back your laughter but a few giggles managed to escape your attempt. You smoothed out the nonexistent wrinkles once again before grabbing your purse and making a beeline for the front door. You made sure to give Yoshio a pat on the head as you passed, partially to soothe your nerves but also it happened to be an unspoken rule between you and him. 

Your heart was beating fast enough that you swore it was going to jump out of your chest and hurl itself out the nearest window. Your hand was shaking as you opened the door, forcing yourself to take deep breaths and internally screaming for your nerves of steel to run back and protect you. There was no way in hell you were going to survive the night with him looking so damn divine. You didn’t conceal the fact that you were dissecting his outfit when you fully opened the door but he didn’t hide himself doing the same thing to you, either. 

He stood in front of you with a bouquet of ume* flowers in one hand, the other stuffed into the pocket of his black slacks. He was wearing his leather coat with a nice white button-up and a red tie that matched his wings; He topped the look off with his signature shades. 

When his eyes met yours, your heart began to have palpitations. His smile was so bright that it was practically blinding. That fucking smile made you week in the knees and your body wanted to go into systematic failure every time. His free hand reached out to yours while the other handed you the bouquet, his grin never faltering. 

“We won’t make it down the street with you looking like a five course meal.”

Chapter Text

He walked into my heart like he always belonged there, took down my walls and lit my soul on fire.

~ T.M.

✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧

Hawks was quick to set the ume flowers in a vase on the coffee table, giving Yoshio a side eye before he returned to your side after stepping out the front door. He locked the door and took your hand in his, holding it up above his own to guide you down the staircase as if you were entering a grand ballroom. Once you made it to the bottom it was difficult to stifle the giggles you let out due to your nervousness. His actions were heartwarming and made butterflies go through the Hunger Games in your stomach. 

“I can’t get over how good you look.” He sighed happily, a stupid lopsided grin on his handsome face. 

“I’m surprised you can clean up so nicely.” You teased him, tugging on the end of his tie. You gave him a small smirk when his face flushed red and watched with a bemused look on your face when he struggled to remove his jacket. Once he’d completed the task of getting it off, he held it out to you by the shoulders expectantly, as if he had to prove to you that your teasing was futile. 

Your smirk turned into a small smile when you obliged his silent request. You soon felt the heavy fabric settle over your shoulders after it temporarily encased your wings and turned around to face him once again. The white button-up he was wearing was tailored to him perfectly. It was definitely made of thin cotton material, giving you a perfect view of the pack of muscles contained on his torso. You quickly averted your gaze to prevent drool from slipping from your lips like a feral animal in heat. 

Hawks of course noticed the look you gave him and his ego skyrocketed out of this universe and into a parallel dimension. The cockiest grin nearly split his face in half when he threw his arms up and flexed. “You like what you see?”

“Stop!” You shrieked and turned away, covering your face with your hands and unintentionally ruffling your feathers. That simple action sent your hormones into overdrive and you felt like you were going to burst at the seams. 

He gave off a boisterous laugh before snatching one of your arms and interlocking it with his, beginning his march down the street. “You’re so adorable when you’re flustered, babe.” 

You were so embarrassed that his flex got you so riled up that you wanted to escape his grasp and run back to the safety of your room; but you held out and kicked yourself in the shin in a reminder that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. It wasn’t everyday that a nobody of a bar owner/failed hero was seen on the streets with an up and coming pro who was blasting through the rankings. You felt your anxiety begin to boil in your stomach and flood your legs, making them feel heavy and made of concrete. 

“Hawks?” You spoke out loud, unaware of how quiet you were until you said it. He leaned down to hear you better, one of his wings expanding to wrap around your opposite shoulder to give the two of you some more privacy. “What about the media?” 

He straightened up with a nonchalant response, swinging your interlocked arm with his. “Don’t worry about them, it’s about time they understand I’m not up for grabs.”  

The statement took a second to fully hit you. Was this his sideways way of asking you to be his girlfriend? You furrowed your brow slightly in confusion as your heart skipped a beat. “Was…that you asking me to be your girlfriend?” 

He seemed to be off in his own little world before he stopped walking and leaned down slightly so your face was inches from his. “If that doesn’t work for you I can find something else.” 

The breath in your lungs immediately evaporated when his hands came to settle on your hips, pulling you into his torso. It was almost second nature for your arms to wrap around his neck, your fingers toying with the hair at the cape of his neck. “That seems pretty fitting…but I do like the nickname you have for me…” you averted your gaze again, playfully acting coy to see what kind of reaction you would stir up in him. 

His grip on your hips tightened before he gave you a soft kiss on the forehead, gently forcing you to turn around and continue walking in order to prevent you from seeing his feathers ruffle wildly. Perhaps it was a little too fast for a label to be slapped on whatever relationship you had with the rising pro-hero, but you didn’t care to think twice about there being no more secrets. 

Soon enough the two of you came upon a not-ironically private hero restaurant. He held the door open for you and swung his arm out to ‘present’ you inside. You gave him a close-eyed smile and sashayed in, giving him a perfect chance to stare at the swing of your hips. The host greeted the two of you once the door closed behind Hawks after he stepped inside, checking off a reservation before stepping out from behind the podium and bowing. 

“Nice to see you again, Sir Hawks; especially with company.” 

Hawks laughed. “How many times have I told you to drop the honorifics?” He waved the host off with a hand. “And it’s about time I take the apple of my eye out on the town, don’t you think?” He gave you a soft smile that sent blood rushing to your face. 

“W-well, I…” 

“Of course! Sorry, Hawks!” The host accidentally interrupted you, pivoting on the balls of his feet and heading off, leading you through a set of sliding bamboo doors and into a banquet room. Hawks signaled for you to follow, trailing along after you while the host skirted around the tables to another set of sliding doors. He opened them with ease, revealing a circular table with a vase of flowers and candles of varying sizes lined on shelves upon the walls. 

You settled yourself down on a cushion and Hawks did the same on the opposite side of the table, a faint blush on his cheeks after the host set two menus down on the table and left the room. “I’ve verified that these walls are soundproof; we could do anything we wanted in here.” You knew he was messing with you when that cocky smirk graced his features. 

You felt your face immediately heat up and you quickly opened the menu to hide yourself. “Stop teasing me!” 

He laughed and scanned over the menu, propping his chin up on the palm of his hand. “Sorry stardust, I can’t help it. Your reactions are just too damn cute.” He already knew what he wanted, and proceeded to stare at you over the top of your menu after he closed his own. 

Your heart was beating rapidly in your chest as if somebody was firing a Gatling gun. You took your sweet time reading over the menu to decide what you wanted. You didn’t lower it until your face had cooled off for quite some time, though in all honesty it took you a while to pick between meals. The restaurant had a wide variety of entrees to choose from between authentic Japanese cuisine and foreign meals from Thailand and China. You gave a heavy sigh in an attempt to ease your still heavily pounding heart. How were you supposed to survive the night when he continued to rile you up like he was? 

He was going to say something to you, evident by him opening his mouth but he didn’t get the chance when there was a knock on the sliding door. The two of you turned to look at the host when he stepped inside. “Are you ready to order?” 

You and Hawks exchanged glances before he nodded as a signal for you to go first. You looked at the host and informed him of what you wanted, adding iced green tea onto it as a drink before handing your menu back to him. The host bowed and took it before looking to Hawks for his own order. It didn’t surprise you when he ordered a chicken hot pot despite the fact that he was a bird and ate chicken. You quickly learned that while it bothered you, you were able to get over it pretty easily even though you still took every opportunity you could to joke about him being a cannibal, so to speak. As long as he kept it away from your cat you wouldn’t have a problem with it. 

Soon the host left with your menus and returned a few minutes later with your drinks, a bottle of chilled plum wine and your iced green tea along with two wine glasses placed in the center of the table. Hawks thanked the host and carefully poured himself half of a glass into one of them and handed the bottle to you since he was unsure of how much you wanted. He chuckled when you gave him a look before taking the bottle and pouring however much you wanted into the empty one. You gave yourself enough to give you some liquid courage if you needed it but it wasn’t enough to get you plastered. Idle chit-chat was apparent but thankfully it wasn’t awkward when it fell into a comfortable silence. 

You were idly sipping at your plum wine and admiring the decorations lining the walls when he cleared his throat and spoke up. “I know a bit about your history…so I suppose I should give you some of mine.” You straightened up slightly and nodded briefly to encourage him to continue, turning your body to face him fully and setting your glass down on the table. 

“When I was a kid…my parents weren’t very well off. I don’t remember much besides my dad being gone a lot and my mom and I always watching the hero’s on the tv. I wanted to get into U.A., and I thought Endeavour was really cool. I actually ran into him when I was little…but he probably doesn’t remember me.” Hawks seemed to be leaving out something important about his meeting with Endeavour but you didn’t care to question it. Back in the day the pro-hero was pretty intimidating and aggressive so it wouldn’t have surprised you if Hawks first interaction with him didn’t go so smoothly. “Anyways, I ended up being recruited to become a hero after I saved some people. I got separated from my mom and spent the rest of my childhood working and training.” 

Your mind began to connect the dots as he continued opening up on stuff. You were curious to know why he didn’t bring him his father again but decided not to push on it. There were obviously some sensitive topics so you decided to approach the ones that he seemed more comfortable with. “What was it like being trained under a different organization than U.A.? Did you have other kids to work with? Were you trained by Pros or what?” You inquired once he was finished with his explanation.

His eyes lit up and he seemed to straighten up a bit. He suddenly began word vomiting, going off on a tangent of his hero work when he was younger. You propped your head up with your hands when he began expressing vivid emotions on the different situations he faced during his first few years as a hero. 

“I want a society where heros have too much time on their hands.” He expressed, holding his hands out wide.

“Too much time? How do you think you’ll be able to achieve that?” You asked, genuinely curious. 

“Oh I’ll make it happen, stardust. I promise, at my trademark top speed.” 

You gave him a smile. “Of course you will.” You didn’t voice it, but it was obvious that this was his main goal in life. You decided that you had to do anything you could to help him reach his dreams.

If that meant becoming a hero to do so, then so be it. 

Chapter Text

I always wanted you, even when I didn’t know what I wanted, even before I knew you. It was you. You were the chapter that I didn’t know the words to, but always knew it existed and when I finally found it and began to read, I knew I was home. 

✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧

Hawks managed to get out as much as he was comfortable with by the time the food arrived. You had already finished your first glass of plum wine and felt confident enough to go for another one since you were sure you could handle it. The alcohol had let your body relax and made it feel almost like your life’s problems were melting away. How happy he had looked when he began talking about his beginning in hero word made your heart have palpitations. 

The host swiftly set the platters down with a deep bow, quietly refilling your iced tea and using his hands to offer another glass of plum wine that was still sitting idly and half full on the table. You gave him a gentle nod in permission and he filled both yours and Hawks glasses before making himself absent from the room. You were grateful to his quick and seamless entry and exit, almost as if he was barely a shadow in the room. 

The two of you both said your thanks and as soon as you took the first bite your body coiled in satisfaction. Whatever you had ordered was made to perfection and you couldn’t help but shovel large quantities of it into your mouth, hiding your chewing with a hand. You were subconsciously knocking your knees together in delight while you ate. Hawks thought it was adorable, continuing his own meal in a quaint mood. After getting about a quarter of the way through your meal you understood why he was a regular here. You wondered how his hotpot tasted and wanted to ask until you looked up. 

It was practically gone; he had shoveled the whole thing into his mouth and was now noisily slurping the broth from his bowl. You swallowed what was in your mouth and laughed, asking yourself how you found this manchild to be so attractive. You were impressed when he put the bowl down and gave a sigh of satisfaction before wiping his mouth with a napkin. 

“I see why you’re a regular here now.” You commented, putting more of your food in your mouth. 

He nodded and grinned, washing down his hotpot with his wine and reaching for the bottle of wine to pour himself another one. He had intended to go for a whole cup but when no more wine came out of the bottle after the glass was halfway full, a disappointed look crossed his face. He shook the bottle as if it was hiding more wine from him, fully prepared to order another bottle until he looked up and saw the look you were giving him. 

He tossed you a sheepish smile and slowly put the bottle back down, casually watching you eat as your expression changed with each flavor. He thought it might be a good idea to talk while you were eating but was too entranced with how you looked in his jacket on top of your dress. You had done your best to roll up the thick sleeves once your food had arrived but it was a struggle so you were eating carefully in order not to get any of it on his favorite jacket. You could’ve destroyed that jacket and he wouldn’t have been mad. He was already considering getting you a matching one but his mind drifted off further into a different realm. 

He could already imagine you flying with him in a hero costume that you had asked him for help with, using your quirk to stop criminals before he could even get the chance. He pictured you starting a playful competition with him about who could save more people, or how you’d get his ass out of sticky situations he had stumbled into. His train of thought crashed off the rails there, breaking the fourth wall and seeing the outline of a small child, two tiny wings on either side. It was as if a movie was playing in his head, nevermind the fact that his eyes had drifted away from you and to the subtle constellations on your wings. 

He was brought back into the real world when he heard you set your utensils down, (e/c) eyes drifting from the empty dish on the table in front of you and up to the pro-hero sitting across from you. “Was it good?” His face was flushed red and he had a nostalgic smile across his lips. You assumed it was from the alcohol seeing as he had drunk twice the amount that you had. 

Would he try to fly home drunk? Would you have to force him to walk home? It was more than likely the latter. “I think that was the best thing I’ve ever eaten.” 

“I love this place. Their menu is endless and I haven’t had anything bad here.” His voice was wavering but you could tell he wasn’t wasted, seeing that he was able to be coherent enough for you to understand him. “They’ve got Chinese and Thai food, too.” He enjoyed the way your eyes lit up at the sound of food.

“We’ll have to come back here then.” You lowered your gaze slightly. “I’d like to try everything on the menu…well…maybe most things.” If the simple dish you had ordered tonight had blown your mind you were excited to see how good everything else tasted.

“Definitely.” His wings fluttered cutely behind him at the idea of going on more dates with you. You noticed it this time and giggled slightly. You didn’t think his face could get any redder but it did. 

He cleared his throat and finished his wine, coming up with idle chit chat about other hero’s as you finished your own glass. You had shifted your position from sitting on your knees to your bottom and crossed your legs to get more comfortable. You were slightly irritated that your dress was crawling up the backside of your thigh and wiggled slightly, using your hand to pull the fabric that was bunching up out from its awkward spot. After fixing it, a small smile crossed your face and you let your legs sway and tap into his knee as you chatted with him.

You felt like you could talk about anything with him and never get bored. This probably had to be one of the funnest nights you’d had ever since you had lost Treasure Wing. Ever since then it seemed like all of the fun in your life had faded away but slowly and surely enough it started to feel somewhat normal again. Of course you had to change some things up in your old routine to adjust to your new life in the penthouse but as of now you couldn’t imagine going back to a small apartment like the one you had before. 

There was a soft rap on the bamboo doors and it opened to reveal the host stepping inside with a small checkbook. He handed it to the pro hero sitting across from you and stepped out once again. You watched him scan the check with a blank face and looked up to you with a brief blink of his gold eyes. “My wallet is in the left pocket, can you hand it to me please?” 

“Sure.” You replied with a nod, reaching into the pocket and cringing at the candy wrappers you could feel. You pulled his wallet out and slid it across the table to him. While he could put the payment you snuck your hands back into the pockets and fished for the wrappers you had felt a few moments ago and removed all the trash you could find. You set it into your now empty dish and hoped the host wouldn’t be upset with you throwing away trash that didn’t originate in the restaurant. 

“Why are there so many wrappers in your pocket?” You asked with a giggle.

“Littering is illegal, and it’s not like I carry a trash can with me while I’m flying.”

Your giggle turned into laughter and he rose from his seat. Seeing that he was ready to leave, you felt a pang through your chest. The date is over already? He watched a small frown cross your face before he moved around to you. One of his hands grabbed your thigh and he pulled your legs out from under the table before he pushed you over onto your back. 

You could feel the heat rising into your face when he crawled over you in that delectable button-up and tie. You couldn’t tell if he was serious or if he was messing with you based on the cocky smirk lacing his lips. Nevertheless his bold actions had caught you completely off guard and you were scolding yourself for not allowing yourself more alcohol for some easy confidence. 

Hawks immediately noticed how nervous you were and stopped once you were face to face. You looked away and he made you look back at him with both hands on your cheeks. “I’m sorry if I took it too far, I’ll back off.” He gave you a gentle kiss on the lips before removing himself from on top of you and offering you a hand to help you stand up. 

You took a second to regain the breath he stole from you on the ground before you accepted his hand and slowly rose to your feet. “It’s okay, thank you.” You squeaked almost breathlessly. He gave you another kiss when you faced him and tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear. He felt like he was going to explode if you kept giving him those doe-eyed looks. 

He took your hands in his and walked backwards to the door, holding both in one hand while he opened it. “Did you have fun?” 

You nodded and gave him a soft smile, feeling your heartbeat settle slightly. “Yeah, I really needed this.” 

“I’m glad I could do this for you, then.” He gave your hand a gentle squeeze. “Anything you need, I can get you. Or do it for you.” His voice dropped an octave at the last sentence and your heart skipped a beat. You felt heat rush to your legs. Maybe he didn’t mean that in a seductive way but you sure as hell took it as one. 

Stop it! Your legs are literally shaking, (Y/N). Get your fucking shit together. 

After he led you through the dining room, he stopped at the host's podium and placed the receipt and cash down. “Thank you for coming again, Hawks. We hope to see you again, Miss Phoenix. You’re like his perfect match.” 

Hawks grinned widely. “She is, isn’t she?” He swung you around and locked arms with you. It left you a stuttering, blushing mess and you barely managed to shout out a thank you to the host before Hawks swept you out the door. 

One you were outside you noticed the considerable temperature drop and looked to him to see if he was cold, but the immense amount of body heat he was producing told you otherwise. “We should make that our spot from now on.” He stated, swinging your intertwined arms as he guided you down the street.

“ Our spot?” You attempted to verify, unsure if you heard him correctly or not. 

“Yeah! I haven’t taken anybody there before and it was nice being able to eat there with somebody. So it’s our spot now.” He reiterated, not giving you the option to say otherwise. 

“I like that.” You sighed happily, resting your head on his shoulder. “ Our spot.” You noticed his wings had opened and one was wrapped around you, the other blocking the chilly evening breeze. You wondered how many more dates you would go on there. Would it be enough time to try a new item on the menu each time you went? You hoped so, and you felt your wings shudder slightly without your consent. 

It was a nice, calm walk back to the penthouse when something caught your attention. 

"Hawks, did you hear that?" 

He turned slightly to look down at you before looking around, his eyes narrowing slightly as he tried to focus his hearing. "Hear what?" 

There it was again. "It's over here!" You knew that sound—it was a kitten. You slipped your arm from Hawks’ and took off down the alleyway the two of you had just passed.

"(Y/N)!" He shouted, pumping his wings to catch up to you. Jesus Christ how the fuck were you outrunning him? He had to slam on the brakes when you skidded to a stop on your heels at the end of the alleyway and looked around. Once his feet touched the ground, he spoke. "What are you—"

You shushed him and crouched down, looking under a dumpster. "Can you hear me little baby?" 

At first the winged hero had thought you were talking to him until he heard a faint and squeaky meow. He watched as you went to the side of the dumpster and found an open, cardboard box. He followed swiftly, unsure if it was an actual cat or something else.

His heart broke when he heard your sniffles, and he immediately knew why you were crying. Inside the cardboard box was a litter of kittens, most of them dead except for one. He crouched down next to you and stopped your hands from reaching into the box. "Let me do it." He didn't want you handling the dead kittens, knowing that it would just make you even more upset. He touched each one with a gloved finger, feeling how stiff they were with rigor mortis. 

It wasn't until his finger touched a small tortishell that squeaked. She was smaller than the rest, obviously a runt. Carefully, Hawks scooped the kitten into his hand. When he brought her out of the dark box, he felt his heart plummet into his feet. The little thing was so emaciated, and her eyes weren't even open yet. He heard you choke back sobs and he turned to you, placing one hand on your shoulder. "Here, take her." He gently transferred the few-day old kitten into your hands and you tucked her against your chest once you felt how cold she was. You took two fingers and started rubbing her gently, hoping to invoke some warmth back into her little body so that she survived. 

The Pro-Hero rose to his feet carefully so that he didn't knock you over. He helped you to your feet. "Pull your arms out of the sleeves, I'm going to zip it up." You did as you were told and he zipped the leather jacket up once you were holding the kitten securely with your bare arms. He nodded slightly and wiped the tears from your eyes, not caring how your mascara was running down your face. If anything, he thought it just made you more beautiful. 

Before you could do anything else, you watched him bend over and close the cardboard box, picking it up and holding it in his arms. "Come on, let's go find a spot to bury these little guys." His voice was low and full of remorse. 

There was a small chunk of protected woods across the street from the penthouse, which was the perfect spot to bury the kittens. You found a good spot that was in the middle where no one would dare go to disturb the forest. It was a peaceful spot, a small creek babbling nearby. You didn't question where Hawks found a shovel as he started to dig. The box of kittens was resting by your feet as you sat down on a large boulder, the kitten next to your chest sleeping soundly. She had warmed up to her regular body temperature and had dozed off, finally feeling safe and warm. You kept a hand over her to make sure that she was still breathing as you waited for Keigo to finish. 

Soon he did, and he looked over to you sadly. "Are you ready?" You nodded softly and stood up from the boulder, the kitten moving slightly before she settled. He approached you and gave you a quick kiss on the forehead before he picked up the box and set it into the hole he had dug. "Do you want to say anything?" He asked, crouching down. You shook your head, tears brimming at your eyes. You felt like if you spoke up, you wouldn't be able to stop yourself from crying. He sighed softly and slowly began filling the hole with dirt, the particles bouncing off the cardboard and filling the empty space surrounding it. "They weren't ours, but I wish we had heard them on the way to the restaurant. Maybe they would've still been alive and we could've had a whole cat family, Yoshio being their adopted dad. You little guys didn't deserve this, and whoever abandoned you in the alleyway tonight has hell to pay. I promise I'll find who did this to you and make sure they can't do it again."

You couldn't stop the tears this time as Keigo crouched over a box of dead kittens and told them that he would take revenge. He was a hero in so many ways, and not just for people. His vow to punish the person that left them there in the alleyway to die was just proof of that. He didn't believe in evil being expressed upon animals, that was the cruelest thing a human could do in his opinion. Animals were selfless creatures that searched for love and affection, even the meanest. They were meant to be family and companions, not just pets or something for somebody to own. 

When Hawks made his vow, he knew he was going to go through with it no matter how long it took. Seeing how the perfect date he had planned out was ruined by some heartless person who didn't give a damn about animals, it made his blood boil. He didn't know what was going to happen next, knowing that you and him had a few-day-old kitten who still needed her mothers milk, but he promised himself that he wasn't going to let this kitten go anywhere. 

"Let's get her to a vet, okay?" He approached you slowly after he had finished filling the grave. He had found a few large rocks and made a circle over the freshly churned earth, hoping that if anybody came by they'd understand that it was a grave and was not to be trifled with. Eventually he'd make sure a little memorial was placed there, so that way those who passed understood the cruelty humans carried within them.

His kiss was soft and gentle and it filled you with warmth, no matter how sad the situation was, he always managed to make you feel a little bit better. 

Chapter Text

I didn’t fall in love with you. I walked into love with you, with my eyes wide open, choosing to take every step along the way. I do believe in fate and destiny but I also believe we are only fated to do the things that we’d choose anyway. And I’d choose you, in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I’d find you and I’d choose you.

✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧

There was a pressure on your chest in two different points, and the pressure would switch, like something was marching on you. It took you a few minutes to open your eyes and figure out your surroundings.

Your alarm cat was normal this time of the morning—which always meant that it was time for his breakfast. Yoshio stood on your chest with both front paws, sitting on your stomach as he kneaded biscuits into your pajama shirt. You squinted and blinked, focusing on your cat as you finally realized where you were. You knew you weren't in your room when the smell of cologne reached your nose as your senses slowly woke up one by one.

Hawks’ room was the same as it had been the first time you stepped in. The room's coloring was focused on red with gold and black tones as accents. There wasn't much hanging on his walls except for the fairy lights above the headboard and the wall opposite the bed was actually a large mirror, wide enough that he was able to see his whole wingspan and the top reached the ceiling. You already knew that he flaunted himself in the mirror when nobody was around. A large skylight was smack in the center of the ceiling, small dome lights scattered around it. Hawks had shown you last night that he had a remote control to change the colors. To the right of the bedroom door was the bathroom where a shower big enough to fit fifteen people was available—not to mention a lovely jacuzzi bathtub. The last wall in Hawks’ room had a large bookshelf full of an assortment of hero books and next to that was a large, dark red standing wardrobe. 

The bed had to be your favorite part of the room. It was at least 10x10 feet, obviously custom made as well as the sheets and pillows that were the size of your upper body. Keigo always portrayed himself as a fashionable man supported by modeling gigs and magazines with his face on the front cover, but he really showed his style in the way he had decorated his penthouse and how personalized his bedroom was. The bed sheets were made out of some sort of expensive silk that felt like heaven on your bare skin, red with gold trim and the duvet was gold with black accents. 

"What are you doing in here?" You whispered to Yoshio as you lovingly petted his head. "You know you're not allowed in here." 

The look in Yoshio's amber eyes expressed: "if you're in here, that means that I can be in here, too." And you just clicked your tongue at him. 

A pair of warm, thick arms snuck under the small of your back and your stomach, a burly hand pushing Yoshio off of your lap. You squeaked slightly as Hawks pulled you closer to his bare chest, and he exhaled heavily. 

The man was a goddamn cuddle-whore. Even if his whole body wasn't touching you, some part of him had to. The process of cuddling positions went from your head on his chest, to spooning, to him hogging the bed with an arm thrown over you, to him having his back to you with his wings covering you. 

The cutest fucking part was when his hand would unconsciously search for yours in his sleep, as if he had to make sure that you were still there. 

From what you could tell, Hawks experienced nightmares on the daily. Part of the night he had been tossing and turning in a cold sweat, but as soon as you had rolled yourself into his proximity, he seemingly slept peacefully. You didn't dare question what he dreamt of, deciding that if he wanted to talk to you about it you would gladly listen.

"I have to go feed Yoshio." You murmured softly, snuggling further into his warm arms.

Hawks huffed, blowing some of your hair into your face. "He can wait." Against your better judgment, you dozed back off. 

It was barely forty-five minutes later when Yoshio was howling and sprinting across the bed like a madman. You shifted slightly to see the cat puffed up at the end of the bed with his eyes wide. He scrambled with his front paws against the duvet before he crouched down, arching his butt in the air and wiggling it. You knew what was going to come next, so you turned your head to the left to be face-to-face with Hawks. 

Taking the opportunity, you placed a gentle kiss on the tip of his nose and suddenly his eyes were open. They were glazed over with sleep, but the sleepy grin on his face made your heart melt. 

All until Yoshio pounced on Hawks’ feet under the blanket and started biting at his toes. 

Now the winged hero was awake and he shot up into a sitting position. "Fucking Christ, that's rude!" He snatched the cat from further down the bed and gently tossed him off, Yoshio landing on his feet with ease. The dark grey feline turned to face the bed again and yowled louder this time.

You giggled and slid out of the bed, stretching your arms above your head, rising to your toes and expanding your wings until each feather shook slightly with relief. Hawks watched the process with a look of adoration. As you walked towards the door, the man whined.

You threw him a look over your shoulder. "It's 8:30, get up you whiny baby." 

Hawks threw himself backwards and groaned. "But I don't wanna."

"Then I won't make you any coffee." You chided him as you stepped out of the room. A fake, over-exaggerated groan followed you down the hallway. 

Yoshio was weaving between your feet with each step, his tail up and large paws stepping on your toes and tripping you. You managed to make it to the kitchen and opened the fridge, Yoshio meowing nonstop until you mixed the wet food with his kibble. Soon enough he was scarfing it down with a purr rumbling in his throat. 

You didn't feel the need to do your regular morning routine just yet, as having breakfast with your boyfriend sounded better than a hot shower. You meandered to the coffee machine and prepped the beans, letting the caffeine drip from it's filter into the pot as you went about making waffles. You were standing over the mixing bowl when hands settled on your hips and you felt Hawks press his body against your back. 

He was humming as he reached with a free hand to tuck your hair to one side, exposing your neck. You tried not to focus on his hot breath traveling from the back of your head to behind your ear where he nipped lightly. You gave him a little jab with your elbow but he kept going, continuing to nibble and litter your exposed neck with kisses as his thumbs rubbed circled into your hips. Your body was covered in goosebumps by the time he snickered and pulled away, he had felt your wings involuntary shaking and decided that he had teased you enough—for now.

You glared at him out of the corner of your eye as he sashayed to the coffee maker. He was only dressed in a pair of dark grey sweats, upper half completely exposed so you could see each line of muscle. His abs reminded you of a washboard, and you swore you could clean laundry off of him. Your mouth went dry as he turned to face you with two cups of coffee in hand. 

You could've jumped his bones right there, the way his sweats were deliciously riding low and exposing his v-line. For once you didn't try and not stare, instead scanning his body with an unconscious feral look in your eyes. 

He was eating up your attention, though a jolt in his lower abdomen was the only reaction he felt when you made eye contact with him. Wordlessly you took your cup of coffee from him and made direct eye contact as you took your first sip. He thought it was a sin how you licked your lips after, and he wondered how your mouth would look with—

He was snapped out of his thoughts when you turned to the griddle and started making the waffles. The jolt from earlier was turning into a burning ache, and he took a big swing of coffee unintentionally burning the roof of his mouth when you bent over to pick up the fork you had dropped.

He hissed under his breath and quickly got himself a glass of cold water, having to nurse his burnt mouth and he walked out of the kitchen for a few minutes to adjust himself. You giggled once he was out of your vicinity. Little did he know that you had dropped the fork on purpose and damn did your tease work on him. 

Soon enough the waffles were done and you had set two plates down on the table when Hawks returned fully dressed. He sat down and said his thanks before diving in. "I can't believe you were self-taught." For once he didn't speak with his mouth full, which was a definite improvement. 

"YouTube cooks are my teachers." You replied, calmly passing him a napkin to wipe his mouth with before you started eating your own pancakes.

"Praise YouTube." He muttered before he stuffed his mouth again. 

Eventually breakfast was over with and you found yourself sitting on the couch with Hawks, your costume sketch in hand. Originally you had been having a difficult time coming up with support items and outfit styles that would suit you. Thankfully the winged-hero's sense of fashion came into play and he put in quite a bit of effort to suggest something that you liked. He was super excited when you asked him to design the chest and head piece of your outfit. It took him about thirty minutes to come up with something that he thought you would love and he was right—you adored it.

There was another twenty minutes spent watching the television after finishing your costume when Hawks’ phone rang, and he answered it swiftly. You weren't able to decipher who the person on the other end of the line was, but it was a quick phone call before he said goodbye. 

"That was the veterinarian." He started. "She said that if we hadn't found the kitten when we did, she probably would've died like her brothers and sisters. Anyways, she's doing much better and is responding well to treatment. We should be able to bring her home in a few weeks." 

You fell against him with a happy sigh. "I'm so glad she's doing good. She's a little fighter."

"Speaking of her," he mused. "We should start thinking about names." His fingers found purchase in your hair and he weaved the strands gently.

You recalled his vow from the previous night, and how he said that the two of you would've taken on the whole litter, which made you smile. You could only imagine what Yoshio would do surrounded by so many babies—but in reality you'd only keep one of them, and the kitten was the one who survived, and you were definitely keeping her.

"Chicken." Hawks blurted out, and you laughed.

"Why would we name her something that Yoshio is allergic to? We want them to get along, don't we?" 

"Oh, yeah of course. Sorry, I'm craving chicken." He sat back and scratched the back of his neck. "How about Birdo?"

You shook your head. "Momo*." 

He paused at that one before nodding. "Yeah, Momo suits her." 

You smiled at him, glad that he liked your suggestion and turned to look back at the tv, but his hand caught your chin halfway there. He snatched your face back to his and he had a sultry smirk on his lips.

His eyes were hungry for more.

Chapter Text

I don't want safe. I want to lose myself completely within you. Run your perfectly rough hands through my tousled hair, bring my mouth to you kissing me hard under the heat of a thousand stars. Take my breath away, love me reckless.

~ n.r.h.

✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧

His kisses were slow and toxic, lips slightly chapped yet they fit perfectly with your own. He was stealing your breath little by little and your head was getting foggy, a cloud settling over your nervous thoughts. The torturous nip on your bottom lip made goosebumps crawl up your spine, and your fingers subconsciously found purchase on his biceps. You felt him smirk as the hand holding your chin gently slipped down your neck, he could feel your heartbeat quicken under his fingertips. His free hand lightly touched your side and you shivered under his gentle touch. He trailed slowly down to the hem of your shirt and was soon holding your hip in his hand, his thumb catching slightly on the waistband of your shorts. Within a few moments his hand was traveling up your shirt, and he took a hold of your breast, his fingers sliding to your nipple and tweaking it gently.

You pulled away for a second to try and regain your breath, chest heaving slightly and mouth slightly agape. Hawks took this opportunity to slip his finger into your mouth and you sucked on it needily. Your heart skipped a beat when a low groan came from his throat and he bit his bottom lip. "Fuck, that's hot." Your eyes fell to half-lidded and you noticed the tent building in his sweats.

Hawks started getting impatient, he hadn't expected you to come out of your comfort zone so easily, but it just made him harder. You were definitely proving something to him, and he lost it for a moment. A predatorial growl rumbled deep in his throat and he slipped his hand from your breast to the underside of your right thigh, and his grip was strong. You were quickly yanked under him and he moved your hands from his arms and pinned them above your head. 

His hand traveled slowly up your back and he grabbed the base of your wings, making a small yell escape your lips without your consent, and your face immediately ran hot. "Don't move your arms." He growled in your ear, following the command with a small bite on your collarbone. You nodded, and then you regretted it—you needed a hand to catch the drool slipping from the corner of your mouth. 

Hawks’ eyes were swarmed with a concoction of emotions you hadn't seen before, though the most viable one was lust. His calm brown eyes had a red tone to them, and his pupils were slowly shrinking to slits. He looked more like a raptor than a bird at that point, but if the dominating aura he held over you was a part of it, you didn't mind. 

There had only been a flicker of a flame when the session first started, and to your surprise, Hawks took your tank top in his teeth, grabbing the fabric close by with a hand. It was the sound of your top ripping that made you gasp as his wings suddenly expanded and covered the two of you in a cocoon. 

He let go of your shirt with his hand and pulled it out from under you with his teeth. When you made eye contact once again in the darkness, his eyes seemingly glowed. The next few moments were a blur as his mouth explored your body, starting from your throat and trailing down to your hips where your core was hot and aching for contact. He left hickeys in his wake, your skin burning with a fervent fire. He made sure to mark every exposed inch of you, either with little kitten licks, nibbles or kisses. 

When his fingers started dragging your shorts down, you raised a leg and stopped him in his actions. "S-shouldn't we go to the bedroom?" You mumbled, stumbling over your words as you fought for breath. 

"Why?" He purred, lowering his body over yours and running his hands up your partially exposed body, massaging the base of your wings again. "Nobody can see us in here, baby girl." 

"B-but the cat." Your wings quivered and your toes curled unconsciously against your will. 

He paused his actions for a moment before chuckling. He gave you a long, simmering kiss before sweeping you into his arms and taking off down the hallway. He moved so fast it was almost like you had teleported.  You barely made a moment to register you were in his bedroom when he threw you down on the bed, slamming the door shut hastily. You laid flat on your back and huffed softly, tilting your head slightly to see him crawling over you. 

In the heat of the moment you got nervous again and suddenly started giggling. He dropped his seductive gaze for a moment before he chuckled gently, giving you a sensual kiss that left you dizzy, one hand holding gently onto your throat as his other slipped into your shorts. 

His hand felt icy cold compared to the heat radiating off your skin, and a sharp gasp escaped your mouth when you felt a finger push your panties to the side and delicately run across your slit. His thumb and forefinger moved to the junction just below your jaw and squeezed gently, causing a hitch in your breath. It wasn't enough to rid you of oxygen, but it caused adrenaline to flow through your veins. He mercilessly played with your outer labia, leaving teasing traces of contact against your core that had your legs shaking. 

"H-Hawks." Your voice barely came out as a whisper and he hummed against your chest, taking a nipple into his mouth. "Please..." Your back arched as he flicked your clit.

"Please what?" His voice was low, almost unrecognizable. "I can't read your mind, stardust." He removed his mouth from one bud with a soft pop before he moved to the other. 

"Please stop teasing me." You choked out, one hand reaching for the one between your thighs and the other holding his other wrist. "And choke me harder."

His cock ached against his grey pants at your request, and his body shuddered as you elicited a moan as his grip tightened around your throat. The tip of his penis was shifting uncomfortably against the seam, pre-cum leaving a dark mark above the friction. He twisted his right wrist, making your hand let go of his and he plunged a finger into your pussy, curling up into your walls and skimming along your G-spot. His feathers shook individually as you moaned his name, your free hand finding the outline of his member and palming him through his pants.

He was panting now, sweat beginning to trickle down his forehead and threatening to drip into his eyes but he didn't care. He tossed his head, sending his damp hair flicking backwards and out of his face and he couldn't help but groan. The juices from your pussy produced an erotic sound that squelched louder the more he increased his speed. He watched in delight as your thighs clamped around his bicep, your wings shivering with the rocking motion from his arm. He took the opportunity to slip two fingers in, and your cry of ecstasy made him swear loudly. 

He quickly got a short scream out of you when his thumb rotated your clit vigorously. You subconsciously tightened your grip on his cock and he growled underneath his breath, biting his lip so hard that he could taste blood. 

There were stars behind your eyelids and your fingernails dug into his forearm. "H-Hawks I'm.." you couldn't finish your sentence as you bucked your hips against his hand, searching for a deeper touch.

"Cum all over my fingers, baby girl. Let me hear you scream." He quickened his pace, the smile on his face so wide he felt like his head was going to split. He loved the way you looked underneath him, how willingly you submitted to his ministrations and how you found pleasure in every action. He'd been around the block a few times with many women, but none were like you and he never took this much time with them. You were different, you were important, and he took mental photographs that would be burned forever into the back of his mind. He knew he'd never forget the ache in his loins so strong that he felt he was going to burst with barely any contact from you. He'd never gotten off by getting somebody else off before, but when he saw you reach your peak, he felt like he was going to bust a load right there. 

You came hard, and Hawks didn't stop fucking you with his fingers, too involved in preparing you for his size to stop. The curl of his fingers against your already sensitive walls had you keening his name, and your legs were shaking violently. Suddenly he let go of your throat and removed his fingers from inside you, leaving you panting and breathless. Your throat was dry and you ran your tongue around your mouth in an attempt to produce some saliva. The coil in your stomach had snapped already, but it was tightening up for more, and you weren't satisfied yet. 

When you opened your eyes, Hawks was atop of you, ripping a condom open with his teeth and sliding it over his member, which was larger than you thought. It was at least seven inches and had a delicious girth, and your mouth went dry again. His left arm slid under your lower back, placing a small pillow underneath your hips to raise you slightly. His right arm took a firm grip on your right thigh and he pulled it up over his shoulder, your knee bending to rest your leg over his back. He lined himself up and raised his eyes to meet yours. 

The lust-filled gaze had softened to one you couldn't recognize, but it made butterflies go chaotic in your stomach. "Are you ready?" 

You nodded softly and grabbed his left hand, pulling it close to your face and kissing his palm, intertwining your fingers with his. "I'm ready." 

He smiled softly at you and leaned down to kiss you once again as he pushed in. He swallowed your moans and returned one of his own. "Holy shit, your pussy feels amazing." He praised.

"Y-you're so big." You replied, your face flushed red. "Pl....please, move." 

He nodded feverishly and rolled his hips slowly, provoking erotic noises to come from your mouth. His pace was steady, helping you adjust easily to his size. He reached new places you never knew existed, and each thrust from him made the head of his cock push against a spot that made stars appear in your eyes. He puffed heavily as he moved, both hands moving to your hips as he held them down. His pupils were narrowing to slits again, and when you made eye contact with him, he took that as his cue to do more.

He grit his teeth and pulled his hips back, almost leaving you completely and you whined against the sudden feeling of emptiness. You opened your mouth to ask him to keep going, but not a word escaped when he suddenly started pistoning into you. 

You were sure the whole world could hear your cries of ecstasy as he fucked you mercilessly, and you only got louder as he grabbed your other leg and flung that one over his shoulder, too. "Fuck yeah, you take my cock so good." His voice had an animalistic tone to it, and part of you had a hard time believing that Hawks was fully present in that moment. You could've believed that his second senses took over, as there was something primal about him that made the flame in your stomach roar with a craving hunger. 

You were spun around and bent over, your fingers finding purchase in the silk pillowcases. He steadied himself on his knees behind you took a handful of your hair, pulling backwards and making you support your upper half. This had to be his favorite position, because from here he could tease your feathers, his mind imagining the different tones of your voice. He could also watch your ass clap back against his pelvis, and Hawks was an ass man at heart. He only gave you a second to breathe before he was hammering into you again, and he was using his free hand to tweak your feathers, drawing sounds out of you that you didn't know you could make. Who would've thought that your wings were so sensitive, and if he liked being this much of a kinky little shit, you could only imagine what his response would be if you pulled on his own feathers. 

You didn't have a chance to try before you practically lost your voice. You couldn't warn him of your impending orgasm, but he knew it was coming, and he just went faster. You didn't think you'd be able to sit right with how hard he was slamming into you, but you couldn't complain because the pain just made the pleasure stronger. His bedroom reeked of sex and sweat, the sound of skin slapping on skin echoing off of the walls. You were almost to your breaking point when his arms swept under your waist and he turned you around, facing you away from the headboard. 

You knew you were facing the mirror when he pulled on your hair again, goosebumps running down your spine. "Look at yourself." He growled in your ear, his hips never stopping. "Watch me fuck the daylights out of you." You listened to his command, not having any energy to put up a fight. When you made eye-contact with your own reflection, you almost lost it then and there, but you managed to stare at Hawks instead.

The way his body moved so smoothly yet so fast against your own, you felt like you were in a requiem dream. You could see the sweat shine off of his body, some dripping off of the top of his nose and onto your lower back. His muscles bulged as he took ahold of your hips and increased his pace even more—you didn't think it was possible. 

But when his eyes looked up and met yours in the mirror, the forest fire in your stomach clawed at your insides and you rode out the best orgasm of your life. Hawks groaned as your walls clenched around his member and his hips stuttered. He pulled back once more and slammed into you a final time before he filled the condom with his seed. You watched in the mirror as his feathers shot off and stabbed into the various things around his bedroom, knocking pictures off of the walls and a cacophony of thuds as some of them lodged into the wooden headboard. 

Your body collapsed once he let go of your waist, and you panted heavily, waiting for the feeling of numbness to go away in all of your limbs. You unclenched your fingers from the duvet, the joints screaming as you stretched them out of their cramped position. 

Hawks was quick to tie off the condom and toss it into the wastebasket before he rolled you over onto your back and peppered your face with soft, gentle kisses. His hands massages your aching muscles, starting with your shoulders and traveling down your arms and torso as he felt the tension leave your body.

You placed a hand on his cheek and pulled his face up to yours to meet his lips in a deep kiss, expressing the passion you held for him. 

No words had to be said the rest of the night as the two of you cuddled in the afterglow, a warm feeling settled around the room. You were the first to fall asleep, and he gently moved you from the foot of the bed to where the pillows lay scattered in a nest. He covered you with a blanket and gave you a gentle kiss on the cheek.

"(Y/N)." He whispered, and to his delight you didn't stir. He ran his fingers gently through your hair, and a soft smile crossed his lips.  "I would die for you."

Moonlight seeped through the skylight, illuminating your face in a gentle glow. 

"I love you."

Chapter Text

Forgive me if I stumble and fall for I know not how to love too well. I am clumsy and my words do not form as I wish so let me kiss you instead and let my lips paint for you all the pictures that my clumsy heart cannot.

~ Atticus

✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧

You awoke suddenly from a deep, dark sleep. It felt like you blinked and you were awake, so you had passed out hard. 

After session three...and session four. This man had the audacity to wake you in the dead of the night with a boner and you couldn't tell him no. At least you learned that he was a kinky little chicken when it came to his feathers being touched, and he was into feather play. 

When you sat up, you saw Hawks standing in front of the mirror in his boxers with his wings expanded—except it was just bones. All of a sudden, one by one each feather reformed his wings, leaving holes in the walls, headboard, and standing wardrobe. The thing is that he projected each feather each round, so everything in his room except you and the bed had been impaled multiple times with a vermillion feather, and you grimaced when you took in the amount of damage. 

Hawks was quick to turn around to you and jump on the bed, pinning you back down and he peppered your face with kisses. "Good." He paused to kiss your lips. "Morning."

You giggled softly and sighed happily after, swinging your arms around his neck. "Good morning." There was a moment of silence before the two of you exchanged a lovely morning kiss, and you had to pull away to breathe. "What time is it?"

He paused to look over at the alarm clock, but it was broken. "I don't know." 

Your eyes opened widely and you looked up at him. "Yoshio hasn't had breakfast." 

He quirked an eyebrow. "Why do you look so panicked?"

You had enough strength to push him off of you and you ran to his wardrobe, opening it to reveal vintage t-shirts. "Wow. I'm borrowing one." 

"Go ahead." Hawks mused, laying on his stomach with his chin propped up with his hand. 

You found one that said Hawkward and quickly threw it on, closing the wardrobe and searching the bedroom floor for your shorts, finding them hanging from the bathroom door handle. After putting them on, you opened the door to no cat sitting in front of the door. 

"Oh no." You murmured. 

Hawks found a clean pair of sweats and followed you down the hallway, a smile on his face as he wondered why you looked so worried. It wasn't until he got to his kitchen that it was destroyed. Everything had been swept off the counter, the curtains for the window had been ripped off of the pole—the pole on the floor and curtains now scraps scattered throughout the house. Somehow the stove was on and he watched you race to turn it off. He had no words, and you didn't say anything as you reached into the fridge and opened a new can of wet food, your face pale as a ghost. 

He glanced at the clock and noticed it said 11:37 am. 

It sounded like an earthquake shook the penthouse when Yoshio came running from the dark shadows of your bedroom projecting a yowl so deep and loud you swore a god was shouting. 

Quickly, Hawks used a feather to entice the Maine Coon's anger away from you and him and it worked. You gave Yoshio a little extra wet food this time as an apology, slightly mad at yourself for sleeping in—but it was so worth it. You settled when the cat followed a vermillion feather to his food bowl and took big bites, a loud purr vibrating as his tail swept the floor side to side.

You sighed and turned to Hawks. "Well, since it's almost noon, what should we make for lunch?" 

"How about I cook lunch?" 

"That sounds like a bad idea, and you'd just make chicken." Your wings dropped slightly.

"I'm a decent cook." He said. "I can make a mean bowl of ramen." 

"I don't know if I believe you." You replied, giggling softly. 

Suddenly you were swept back against the kitchen counter with his body caging you in and he had that same carnality in his eyes from earlier, his fingers skimming up your thighs. "I can prove it to you." 

You blushed heavily and nodded, and he smirked before he lifted you up on the counter, hands spreading your thighs wide and his thick fingers pulled your shorts to the side. 

He dropped to his knees and licked his lips.

You squeaked as his warm tongue lapped gently at your folds, seeing Yoshio have the right idea to piss off before your eyes fluttered shut. 

Your fingers threaded through his ashy blond locks, and he groaned against your core when you pulled on the strands. His nose barely nudged your clit and your thighs clamped tight on his head, a muffled moan coming from him again. A few vermillion feathers slipped between his head and your thighs and pushed them away, letting the pro hero get a taste of oxygen once again—though he didn't mind the grip that suffocated him. Stars glittered behind your eyes as he sucked on your clit, his tongue flicking it in the process.

He slipped his middle finger into your core, curling up to hit that button and you keened, your hips rolling against his face unconsciously as the coil in your abdomen tightened. You felt something soft brush against the nape of your neck and you barely opened your eyes to see a vermillion feather, another sliding up to the junction below your chin; they met and squeezed, making your heart skip a beat and your mind foggy. 

His mouth and his fingers traded places, pinching and rolling your button between his pointer finger and thumb, tongue deep within your folds to have your toes curling. You had enough confidence to snatch a hold on the base of his wing, and he shuddered, his free hand feverishly jerking himself off. You dragged your nails along the muscle to the tip of his wing and you tweaked on the feather. 

It only took a few more of his sinful ministrations before you unfolded and he followed shortly after, cupping his hand around the tip of his cock. He placed his member back in his boxers and he rose back to his feet, making a show of sucking his fingers clean and licking his lips. You grabbed his hair and pulled him in for a kiss before you straightened your legs and slipped off of the counter, letting yourself sit on the floor to the side of where the unholiness had taken place. 

Hawks hummed a song to himself as he washed his hands with a smile on his face. He wiped his hands off with the hand towel before he perused about the kitchen, gathering the ingredients he needed for ramen. 

Once feeling came back into your legs, you rose to your feet and watched him cut up green onions and slice beef over his shoulder. Damn he really did know how to cook. 

Soon enough, a bowl of ramen sat hot and steaming in front of you. "Thanks for the meal!" You raised your chopsticks to dig in before you stopped. 

"Wait... you only made one bowl. Why?" You looked up at him curiously and he smirked.

"I already ate, baby girl."

Chapter Text

She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn’t supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something.

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You were thankful that you had blow dried your hair this morning seeing that the wind was nipping at your cheeks as you glided above the skyscrapers. It was barely 8 AM and Aizawa had called you—it was time to start training. As you passed by a tall office building, you wondered when the training camp would take place. When you first spoke with him a few weeks ago he mentioned having you come along as a “chaperone” so to speak, so you were curious on why he was wanting you to start earlier than the training camp.

You slept in Hawks’ bed again last night. He was always a good cuddle buddy and it was hard to say no to a romp in the sheets with him. He had left earlier than you that morning saying he needed to run recon on something but never specified what. You shrugged it off, more focused on the fact that you’d be suffering through the next few months. 

Your feet touched down in an empty park that Aizawa had mentioned in previous texts. This landing had come much easier than the ones before, having tripped and scraped up your hands and knees on more than one occasion. Your reflexes always happened to kick in before you busted up your face thankfully, though you were sure you’d be going home with a few bruises from training if Aizawa was talking about more than just running laps. 

You purse your lips and check the time on your phone. You assumed it wouldn’t be too long before he showed up so you decided to do yourself a favor and stretch. You discarded your jacket and phone on a park bench facing towards a large, grassy field with a few trees scattered across its expanse. As you warmed up your shoulders you tilted your head from side to side, mind wandering off to being put against a sixteen year old. You were prepped to reach for your toes when you noticed an outline in the distance approaching you. 

It wasn’t too long before you recognized it to be Aizawa, obviously seen by the iconic yellow sleeping bag he lugged around with him. He looked as exhausted as always with his hands stuffed in his pockets. He didn’t give you a respectful introduction to the boy standing behind him before he stepped into his sleeping bag. 

The unknown kid had purple hair that stood up in odd directions, much like Aizawa while his quirk was activated. He had dull violet eyes that seemed irritated after you took in the full picture of him in a pair of sweats and a long sleeved shirt. He had a scarf similar to Aizawa capture weapon wrapped around his neck. “This is fucking ridiculous.” He spat out.

“It’s nice to meet you, too I suppose.” You scoffed and placed your hands on your hips, looking towards your old mentor when he sighed. 

“I’m supposed to fight against you?” The twerp went to continue but was cut off by the pro hero standing next to you. 

“Shinso, this is (L/N). She’s an alumni.” 

“Oh wonderful . I didn’t sign up to get my ass handed to me by a bird, old man.” 

“Listen here you rejected eggplant. I know jack about you and your quirk besides watching the Sports Festival, and it’s the same for you regarding me.” You retorted.

“Oh big deal.” He mocked you, tapping the toe of his shoe on the ground. “You have a pair of wings and I don’t.” 

“Bold guess, thinking all I have up my sleeve is flying.” Your shot back. 

“Are you going to prove me wrong?” He asked, taking a step back before squatting down.

“Try me-“ your words vanished on the tip of your tongue, and suddenly you couldn’t feel your limbs anymore. You made eye contact with Shinso; he gave you a smirk and yawned before pulling his phone out of his pocket. You could see Aizawa in his sleeping bag on the bench you had discarded your jacket on, his back facing you. There was no getting out of this now. 

I forgot about that, god dammit. 

“You should fly home, blue bird.” He directed, and your wings opened without your consent. You were cursing yourself under your breath when you began your ascent. He chuckled, tilting his head to the side with a lazy grin. “Can’t you go any faster?” 

As your figure began flying away, he unlocked his phone and opened up one of his social media apps. “What a waste of my time.” He scoffed, lifting his violet hues for a second to throw a glare at his mentor. “ This was supposed to be training?” 

“First Quarter!” 

Shinso felt a pair of boots slam into his shoulder blades, and he was immobilized on the ground. His phone skipped away from him across the grass as a stunned expression crossed his face. What the hell had happened? He had sworn you had to have been a good distance away before the effects wore off, but he had underestimated you. 

In all reality, you’d barely made it a mile from the park and across the river when a pair of vermillion wings snapped you out of your trance. You felt the breath return to your lungs and sensation in your fingers and toes when you noticed his exhausted look shift to one of curiosity when he noticed you idling in the air. You gave him a wave when he got within a few feet of you. 

He didn’t hesitate to greet you with a swift kiss. “What are you doing out here, stardust? I thought you were training?” 

“I was supposed to be,” you replied softly. “But with all that’s been on my mind recently I totally spaced on that kids quirk and ended up being told to fly home.”

Hawks had a wide grin on his face before he clicked his tongue and gave you a brief kiss on the nose. “You got this, baby. Get back there and kick that kid's ass.” 

You nodded with determination. “Right, I’ll see you when I get home!” You turned slightly and prepared to take off back to the park when something completely unexpected slipped from your lips. “I lo-“ You cut yourself off with a quick cough and quickly looked over your shoulder. To your relief—and a little bit of dismay—he was already gone. 

Your heart was beating a million miles an hour when you turned around fully and took off back towards the park, brushing off what you had almost said. You let that embarrassment turn into anger when you saw Shinso casually scrolling through his phone. “First Quarter!” 

After pancaking him into the grassy field, you stepped off of his back and wiped your hands briefly of the situation. You stomped towards Aizawa and gave him a few swift karate chops to what you assumed to be his rib cage. “Why didn’t you remind me about his quirk?” 

“Are you going to know the quirk of every opponent you come up against?” Aizawa growled from his sleeping bag. 

“Well…no, but-“

“Shut up and get back to it.” He scooted closer to the backrest of the bench, informally dismissing you. 

“Why can’t I move?!” Shinso shouted from behind you. You looked over your shoulder at him and could practically see him shaking in anger. 

You pivoted on the balls of your feet and marched back over to him, making sure to get a good handful of his purple hair and lifting his scowling face up to see yours. You gave him a sweet, close-eyed smile. 

“Don’t turn your back on a Phoenix.” 

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Chapter Text

He held me in his arms so close I could hear his steady heartbeat. “I love you.” He said. And in that whisper I heard the roar of a thousand promises.

~ Ariana

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Two weeks after the fateful day of meeting Shinso and unexpectedly starting your training early, your body unceremoniously hit the ground with a gentle thud when you plummeted through the skylight. You’d barely been able to get within safe distance of the open window before your stamina gave out. Thanks to your ridiculous amount of training your reflexes were on overdrive and you barely managed to catch yourself with your telekinesis to limit the impact of your fall. 

“Damn stardust, are you alright?” Hawks fluttered from the kitchen, it being one of his days off. He took your hands in his and helped you sit up. 

“Training was exhausting .” You moaned, leaning your head back into his chest. Today you had just been practicing with Aizawa since Shinso was studying for finals before summer break began. You were closing in on the training camp and you were praying that the pro hero you were training under would give you a bit of a break before then. 

He hummed into the side of your neck, wrapping his arms around your waist as carefully as he could without crushing your wings and brushing your tangled hair to the side so he could kiss your neck. “Don’t worry, babe. It won’t always be this bad.” 

You signed heavily and closed your eyes, enjoying the affection he was giving you after your rough day. “Yeah I know, but my body hurts.” 

“Why don’t I run you a bubble bath?” He suggested, resting his head on your shoulder and peppering your cheek with soft kisses.

You almost purred at the thought. “That sounds amazing.” 

“Also I have a surprise for you.” He grinned and stood up, helping you up to your feet at whatever pace you were comfortable with. 

“A surprise? What is it?” You asked as he waltzed down the hallway. He barely gave you a second to kick your boots off before he was back at your side and pulling you towards the bedroom. You giggled at his eagerness and followed him there, not having much of a choice when he herded you inside as if you were cattle. 

That’s where you found Yoshio laying in loaf mode on the bed, face down on the duvet. You chuckled at his antics and the Maine Coon lifted his head to meow at you. He rose to his feet and arched his back with his tail curled above him, purring even before you began petting him. Hawks wandered towards the tall standing wardrobe and pressed his back against it, wings out for dramatic affect. You smiled at his antics to get your attention and faced him fully when he cleared his throat.

“You said the school is going on summer break soon, which means that the training camp is coming up. That’s just a few weeks away, right?” When you nodded in affirmation he continued. “Well when you started training I got a hold of Best Jeanist and he made sure to add some final touches to it for you.” He held out his hand and without any hesitation you took it. He stepped away from the wardrobe with a smile. “Go ahead and open it.”

You didn't know what to say, and your mouth was agape in shock. 

"You love it, right?" He asked, his brown eyes resembling those of a baby birds. 

You turned and jumped on him, clinging to him tightly. "Of course I love it, thank you so much!" You peppered his face with kisses and sighed happily. What a man he was, to spoil you like this.

He chuckled under your affection and soon set you down on your feet. "Why don't you try it on? I'm gonna get the bath ready."

You nodded and hugged yourself once he whisked away into the bathroom. You tried it on, and the chest piece fit perfectly, as well as the pants. The earpieces were comfortable and the tail was easy to put on and understand, once you figured out that it was just an extra addition for balance—which you assumed was for in-air fights. The only downfall was that the boots were a little big, but if you wore a pair of thick socks, they would fit almost perfectly with a little toe room. 

You looked in the mirror and smiled, expanding your wings and reaching up to push the button on the right earpiece, and a heart-shaped visor exited it and connected securely with the left earpiece. You reached up to feel how thick the visor was. From what you could tell, it was made out of the same material as his own. A happy hum escaped your lips and your fingers started opening the small pockets on the utility belts, you could tell that the stuff inside was primarily medicine until you reached a certain pocket that was full of small, sharp objects; you knew immediately that they were supposed to be used as throwables with your telekinesis. The final part of your hero costume was  five talon pieces for your dominant hand. They were easily removable and you assumed that these could be used for heavy lifting. 

You heard music start coming from the bathroom and you giggled. Keigo was trying to get something out of you, and you knew you'd be happy to oblige. So you quickly stripped out of the costume and hung it back up in the wardrobe, running your hand over the chest piece with a small smile before you glided to the bathroom door.

Your bare feet touched the cold tile and you looked up to see Keigo with his back to you, pulling his shirt off over his head. A small smile crossed your lips and you stepped up behind him, wrapping your arms around his torso and leaning your head against his lean back, a few of his vermillion feathers delicately tickling your nose. He relaxed at your touch and leaned back into you, chuckling slightly when you huffed are him. 

He quickly turned around and had his hands on your hips, pulling you closer to him with a gentle tug. He tilted over you slightly before he met your lips with his own, his kiss slow and passionate—leaving a burning desire in your stomach. 

"Now let's take that bath, shall we?" The look on his face was the same as every other time, and you melted into his touch.

"I love you." The words slipped out unintentionally, sneaking right past your tongue and spilling out onto the floor. A heavy shadow fell over your back and you visibly paled. 

It was silent for a moment before you heard him chuckle and he swept you into his arms, slowly making his way towards the large bath tub. "I love you too, stardust.”

Chapter Text

She's not for everyone and she knows it. People find her different and strange. She dances in the rain, she laughs when she cries and loves through her pain. People fear the unknown and they never knew a girl like her.

~ M.S. Pastore

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Twilight was falling over the horizon, leaving the city to glow in the artificial lights drifting from open windows. The cityscape at night was always a picturesque moment and took your breath away each time, you'd never get tired of seeing it. You were wearing your hero costume for the first time out in public, and the short winter jacket didn't do much to protect you from the cold.

"Watch where you're going!" An annoyed voice shouted from below you, and you flapped your wings before you dropped your head.

Shinso Hitoshi was very annoyed at the fact that you were carrying him, the talon pieces of your costume digging into the back of his clothes. If he gave you the opportunity, you'd willingly let go of him. You were thinking about doing it, especially as you recalled Aizawa's words.

"The two of you need to work together instead of against each other. You've been sparring and practicing for a month now, and it's time to put the skills you've learned into an actual scenario." Aizawa said, sucking on his juice box. "Also, Shinso, you have no trust in (Y/N), and you already know that she's your immediate escape route if anything goes wrong, so why do you keep on antagonizing her?" 

The teenager didn't have any words. How was he supposed to explain that he felt completely outmatched by you? Your quirk was much stronger than his, as he could only brainwash people. You, on the other hand, had the ability to fly, use telekinesis, and you could script a few types of glyphs that had different effects. He hadn't seen any of your large glyphs, as you'd been practicing with Aizawa in private so as to not risk Shinsou's safety. 

"I guess I'm just hoping that she'll snap one of these days." He shrugged, lying between his teeth to his mentor.

He heard you laugh from next to him. "It's like you forget who I live with." You sniffled and wiped a fake tear from your eye, and he scowled.

That was another reason he always tried to get a rise out of you. Anything he said to hurt your feelings or pride you brushed off without a second thought, and you always returned it with a smile. You didn't take him seriously, he thought, which made anger bubble in his stomach. The downfall was that his lack of maturity towards your obvious strengths that he didn't have was going to get him in more trouble than he wanted.

He didn't take Aizawa's words to heart, though they floated through his head as you and him glided across the night sky. Soon enough, the two of you came upon your destination and you set him down gently on the rooftop before making your own soft landing. 

"So let's go over the plan." You suggested, crouching down and resting your elbows on the ledge of the roof. 

He grumbled under his breath before he crouched down next to you, propping an arm up on his elbow and resting his chin on his palm. He checked his watch on his left wrist. "It's 19:56. Our target is supposed to leave the building at 20:00, we made it here just in time." 

The mission the two of you were sent on wasn't one that would endanger either of you. It was a simple plan that involved following a target to find his whereabouts. He was a minuscule criminal known for petty thefts and robberies in the dead of night, but there was a chance he was connected to the Yakuza and this was an opportunity to hopefully uncover one of their bases. 

"Now remember we have to be stealthy. If we fuck this up in any way, we'll be exposed and Aizawa won't get the information he needs. So I'm thinking that you can follow the rooftops and power lines like Aizawa. I'll fly above you and keep an eye on anything suspicious. If anything serious happens, I have instructions to get you out of here ASAP." You relayed your plan, hoping that Shinsou would understand the importance of you getting him out of the situation. Compared to you, he was still a child and during this time Aizawa was legally responsible for him. Not to mention that this was an undercover operation and that it was technically illegal. Neither you or Shinsou had your provisional license, but thankfully the police were lenient and agreed to the Pro-Heros recommendation to let the two of you assist.

Though Shinsou was frustrated and held himself in higher regards than he did you, he understood the legitimacy of the task, and he knew you'd be the only thing that kept him from dying if anything went wrong. He commonly forgot that you were older than him and that you had been one of Aizawa's top students when he first started teaching, so you had much more experience with hero work than him, albeit you were a bit rusty. Over the past month he'd watched you turn into a girl with trauma that had recessed your quirk into a powerful woman who didn't have a second thought when it came to jumping into battle to save lives. He admired you for your tenacity, as he'd watch time and time again as Aizawa would lay you flat on your back, your skin littered with bruises and scratches from your matches with your mentor. But the next day, you'd show up with a bandaged cheek and the same fire in your eyes as last time. He noticed that the flame never withered during training, and that you were always jumping back up to your feet to start on the next round.

He wondered what kept that ember ignited, though he had never asked. Before he had met you, Aizawa had given him a basic rundown of your predicament, and Shinsou was warned to not push the topic further with you. He took that to heart, at least since he had enough common sense to understand that traumatic histories were never to be trifled with.

His train of thought was rocked off the tracks when he felt you tap his shoulder, and he turned his tired eyes to the door of the building across the street. There he was, the target. The man ended the phone call he was on and ashed his cigarette, his head turning slightly to check for people in his vicinity. When he saw nobody, he began whistling and turned right, trudging across the street before he slipped into an alleyway. 

"Let's go, Shinsou." You said, rising to your feet. He nodded and did the same, holding his hands up in the air as he stepped onto the ledge. You pushed yourself off of the roof with a pump of your wings, grabbing his hands and drifting slightly over the power lines. You hovered midair above him as he settled his feet down on the thin wires, using your hands to calibrate his sense of balance before he nodded and crouched down.

A month ago, Shinsou wouldn't have been able to dart across power lines like Aizawa but he had been training across the cityscape, commonly having you there to keep him from splatting against the asphalt. 

You slipped your fingers from his and nodded, staying in your position until the young hero had gotten a few meters ahead of you. You pushed yourself higher and tapped the button on the right earpiece, the visor clicking once it met the other earpiece. 

The target slipped into another alleyway and Shinsou stopped, his capture weapon hanging stiffly from his neck. With no power lines to follow into the alley, he had no idea where the target went until you flew above and signaled which street he had stepped onto next. He nodded to your signal and turned around carefully before he pursued the criminal. You drifted above, your eyes scanning the streets in front of the criminal, behind Shinsou, and sweeping each side of the street for any suspicious characters. So far it was clear as nobody had the audacity to walk around at this time of night, at least in this part of town.

Ideally, the mission went off without a hitch and you met up with Shinsou on the roof across from the building the target had disappeared into. You gave him a quick high-five and grinned. "That was awesome, you looked almost like Aizawa on the power lines." The pro-hero could move much faster than his student on the wires, but Shinsou had done a fantastic job keeping up with the criminal for his level of training.

For the first time, you saw a faint smile on his face. If the two of you weren't waiting in the quiet for Aizawa to meet you at the current location, you probably would've squealed. How could this little angsty boy suddenly look so cute? 

"Are you worried about the provisional exam?" Shinsou asked out of the blue and you tilted your head slightly.

"Well, I haven't done the exam in quite a few years, so I'll admit that I'm a little nervous. I'm sure they've changed the exam and made it harder than what I remember since new quirks are developing each day." You recalled, rolling on the balls of your feet. "But thankfully we'll be doing it together, so we can rely on each other. And from what's happened tonight, I feel like we're almost unstoppable." You were pumped, thinking about how excited Keigo would be when you showed up with your license after the exam.

"I don't think I'll pass." Shinsou chuckled, as if the thought was funny. He was surprised when you appeared in front of him and pushed him backwards.

"You can't allow yourself to think like that. Look at how far you've come, turnip-head. I met you a month ago and I watched you turn from a little asshole who could brainwash people into somebody who deserves to be a hero, so don't tell me that bullshit. You're a strong young man and I've never seen you give up on something so easily, so you need to take this seriously. Because if you don't, that's where you'll fail Shinsou. Besides, we’ve got a long way to go before that comes around so don’t put too much pressure on yourself, okay?" 

He hadn't expected your rant to hit him right in the heart and he stumbled backwards slightly. Why was he letting himself think this way, especially after what you and him just pulled off. He opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted by Aizawa landing on the rooftop with a heavy sigh. Both you and Shinsou turned to the Pro-Hero who yawned.

"Let's go over what happened."

Chapter Text

Our passion ignites us. Rapture spawns the inferno in which we perish, entwined. From smoldering coals we are formed, from our ashes, we rise. Discovered in the aftermath, our memory, our birth scars; third degree madness. Identical imperfections. Forever branded.

~ Lennon Hodson

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“You’ll text me everyday?” 

“Hawks, I’m not leaving the country. I’ll only be a few hours away. You’d be able to reach me at a moment's notice if I absolutely needed you.” 

“I know, I know.” He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “I just worry about you, y’know.” 

You gave him a soft smile and wrapped your arms around his neck, toying with the strands of hair at the nape. “I know, but I can kick some butt.” 

He gave you a gentle kiss and tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. “I’ll send you pictures of the cat everyday.” 

“Good. Tell him I didn’t abandon him, please.” 

He laughed. “Sure stardust. Are you sure you got everything?” 

You nodded in affirmation. “Yup, I’m sure I packed more than necessary.” 

“Good luck out there. I love you.” 

“I love you too, Hawks.” You gave him another kiss before waving him off. 

With a happy sigh you pivoted on the balls of your feet and wandered through the gates of U.A., both hands holding the duffel bag you had slung over one of your shoulders. You hummed a tune under your breath as you approached the familiar outline of Aizawa. He heard you call out his name and turned to face you when you approached. 

“You’re late. We’ve been waiting for you.” He scolded. 

“S-sorry!” You yelped, tossing your bag in the undercarriage of the bus before scaling the stairs inside. It was odd to see the entire group of students go quiet once you were onboard. “Uh, hello.” 

Aizawa stood behind you, looking over the arch of one of your wings to look at his students. “Class, this is (L/N). She’s an alumni that’s tagging along for the training camp.” 

They all stared at you with wide eyes like they were deers in headlights. Suddenly it was like a bomb went off.

“An alumni?” 

“Is that the word for a graduate?” 

“Yes Mineta, it is.” 

“Why is an alumni here?” 

“Stop talking.” Aizawa instructed and the bus fell silent immediately. “You can ask your questions one at a time.” He used a hand to nudge the small of your back towards one of the front seats of the bus. “Go sit down.”

Needless to say, the bus ride was interesting. Some of the kids pestered you with questions and there were too many names to fully memorize on the first go around. You’d definitely have to remember them by specific details of their look—like the dude with a bird head and the girl that had pink skin. You doubt you’d be able to remember their names but for now you could tell them apart from one another. 

You spent most of your time unintentionally eavesdropping on the students' conversations with one another, having to hold back your laughs when they all began teasing the one known as Bakugo. You faintly remembered Aizawa mentioning something about that student particularly being a difficult case to manage. You didn’t get much time to think about it before Aizawa took your focus away from his freshman class and towards him with idle chit chat. An hour flew by during those brief conversations and soon enough the bus came to a stop. Aizawa stood up and led the way off of the bus, declaring a bathroom break. You gave a quick glance back to the students before shrugging your shoulders and following him off. It wasn’t too long before they were copying you. 

You weren’t paying too much attention to what was happening around the students when two of the Pussycats showed up with a small boy tagging along. You gave them a brief wave before turning back to the view you had, enjoying being able to stretch your legs. Within a second you felt the ground crumble underneath you and barely caught yourself with your wings. You watched the entire class scream as they plummeted along with the landslide and into the forest below.

“What the hell was that?!” You shouted back at Aizawa and the pro hero’s standing near him.

“Would you mind keeping an eye on them for me? We’ll meet you back at the camp.” He turned his back to you and waved you off. You scoffed under your breath and looked back down at the faint shrieks from below. You didn’t come to the training camp to be used as a babysitter of all things. 

Something came hurtling at you from a diagonal angle and you narrowly missed a large mud boulder knocking you out of the sky. You lowered yourself closer to the treeline in order to locate where the attack originated from. It didn’t take too long for another boulder to be thrown in your direction. This one you had more anticipation for so your dodge wasn’t as close of a call as the first one. This second attack also gave you a good idea of where it came from. You saw a gap in the expanse of trees and dipped down to find a mud golem staring straight up at you. 

“So I’m a target too, eh? Guess I’m not just a babysitter after all.” You said to nobody but yourself as you collapsed your wingspan and planted your heels firmly in the face of the golem. It crumpled on impact and you landed on your feet shortly after, glad you were wearing at least the basics of your hero uniform for this. You brushed the dust off of your thighs and stiffened at the sound of the bushes moving behind you. Was it another golem? You stepped back and prepped your wings to take off again when a voice stopped you. 

“I don’t need a fucking babysitter!” 

“Of course you wouldn’t, Bakugo.” You teased the explosive teenager when he stomped out from the treeline. 

“Don’t be disrespectful to Ms. (L/N)! She’s an alumni and we should be honored to have her here with us!” You didn’t remember his name but he had glasses and huge tubes sticking out of his calves. You did know that he was the class rep. 

“Why did you truly come along with us?” You did know that the one with red and white hair was Todoroki. He was Endeavour's son. “I’m surprised to see you being attacked by the golems as well.” 

“It was super cool how you smashed that one’s face in with your feet! What’s your quirk? I-I’m Izuku!” The cute looking broccoli boy you couldn’t forget due to his quirks resemblance to All Mights. 

“Are you following me?! Piss off, extras!” Bakugo shouted at his peers, small explosions emitting from his palms. 

“I don’t need the honorifics, just (L/N) is fine.” You gave the class rep a soft smile and opened your mouth to answer the other two questions while ignoring Bakugo but you didn’t get the chance to when a few more golems showed up. “Would you like a hand or can you handle them by yourselves?” 

“I don’t need your help!” Bakugo growled, exploding one’s legs before doing the same to its head. 

The other boys didn’t seem to care to answer your questions and instead turned to their opponents. You shrugged and rolled your shoulders, preparing to stick around with this group for the time being. 

It took eight hours to get to the cabin. You were deadbeat tired and barely able to fly let alone walk once you reached the clearing. You put your hands on your hips and tilted your head back, panting as your hair stuck to the nape of your neck thanks to sweat. You had been separated from the group of boys about three hours in and spent some time fighting on your own before stumbling across Mina and some of the other girls who had banded together to get through the woods. They were all a delight to work with and smart as well. 

Overall after the way you’d gotten to know a majority of the class throughout your fights today gave you a good hope for the future of hero’s. Aizawa had done a damn good job with this set of students considering all that he and them had been through together. As the last stragglers limp out of the treeline behind you, Pixie-Bob finally spoke up. You were too tired to fully make out what she was saying but you did catch the fact that she commended the group for getting through it in the time they did. She mentioned believing that it was going to take them longer but they surprised her. 

You wandered off to Aizawa when Izuku spoke to Mandalay about her nephew, Kota. You barely caught the young boy punching the teenager in the crotch out of your peripheral and had to choke back your laughter. Aizawa elbowed you in contempt and you swallowed it. Shortly after he gives the class instructions to grab their bags from the bus and take them to their rooms. 

“You have a room next to mine. I already put your bag in there.” He told you after the kids slowly wandered over to the bus. 

“Aww thanks.” You gave him a pat on the shoulder. “What’s the plan for tomorrow and the coming days?” 

“You’ll be up early training your quirks like the rest of the class. You’ll have to wait and see what we do the rest of the time. Now come on, dinner’s waiting. You need to get a plate before the kids come in and eat like a hoard of monsters.” He walked towards the cabin and you followed him, humming under your breath as you looked forwards to stuffing your stomach and taking a hot bath afterwards. 

Needless to say you filled your plate after not getting the chance to eat lunch thanks to taking down Pixie-Bobs Earth Beasts with the class of 1-A. You wolfed it down pretty quickly and put your empty plate in its respective place before vanishing to your room to grab your change of clothes and marching to the bathroom. 

You enjoyed the warm water on your hot muscles and took your time soaking in it before your fingers got pruney. It was almost perfect that you decided to exit when you did since the girls of the class wandered in shortly after you were fully dressed. 

You told them goodnight before making your way back to your room and pulling out your phone to call Hawks. You flopped yourself on the bed and listened to the familiar hum for a few moments before he answered. 

“Hey stardust, how was today?” His voice reverberated through your phone. A comfortable warmth spread through your body and a smile graced your face.

“It was rough, but I survived. How was yours?” 

“Not too bad. It was weird coming home to just a cat, though.” He chuckled.

“How is Yoshio? He’s not too upset is he?” 

“Nah he’s alright. He’s definitely clinging to me like Velcro though.” 

“That’s good, I’m glad.” Your smile grew wider. “What do you have going on tomorrow?” 

“Ah you know, just the regular stuff.” He continued off on some of the ridiculous requests he was supposed to follow. 

It didn’t take long for you to fall asleep to the sound of his voice. 

Chapter Text

There is so much beauty in letting go of pain, watching scars turn into butterflies before they fly away.

~ Christy Ann Martine

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Your brain was too fuzzy the next morning to fully comprehend the words seemingly falling out of Aizawa's mouth. He was explaining something about reinforcement training and that this camp was essential for them to obtain their temporary licenses. In your regards it was for your provisional license since you just needed a refresher before you could get fully back into the game. After having that for a few months and going through some hardcore missions you’d be able to be a fully certified hero. 

You were rubbing one of your eyes and thinking about the Maine Coon waiting at home for your pets when Aizawa had Bakugo throw another softball to reference his throw from their apprehension test. His peers were shocked at the lack of improval but dropped the interest when their teacher explained the growth had been minimal and only emotional and technical in that case. Training camp was a time to focus on physical growth which is what he wanted them—and you—to prioritize today. After he sent each of his students off to their own things or teaming them up together to improve themselves he approached you. 

“Go off on your own and focus on your larger moves. Make sure you’re a good distance away from the camp before beginning in order to prevent any misfires from harming my class. Call me if you need any assistance. Mandalay will be keeping an eye on you.” You nodded at his directions and opened your wings, letting yourself rise above the trees when the faint figures of Class 1-B entered the courtyard of the cabin. 

You spent quite a bit of time perusing above the expanse of forest, stopping short at the other side of the valley before letting yourself reach the floor. You had to let yourself warm up in order to start stockpiling your abilities. You wouldn’t be able to do your ultimate moves without giving yourself some downtime in between each one. You knew that you’d be out here in the training camp for a few days so perhaps it would be a decent idea to spend a day on each one. You could wait a bit for disengage and mass disengage since those didn’t take as much of your stockpile ability up so you would more than likely be able to do those two in the same day. 

Your mind wandered back to your years at U.A. when you were first learning your ultimate moves. You remembered it taking quite a bit longer for you to handle them properly compared to your classmates. You prayed to whatever god existed that it wouldn’t take you that long this time around. You had been able to perform New Moon based off of a repressed memory, so it shouldn’t be too hard, right? 

It took about an hour for you to stockpile enough mana to produce Full Moon which was the basic one you wanted to get ahold of. You could focus on New Moon after you’d conquered the first one since that made it easier as it was. Letting yourself glide up into the sky above the trees once again, you focused your breathing as you looked down towards the forest floor. As you decided where to land, you searched for a place where there was wildlife so you could make sure it truly stopped time like it was supposed to. Making sure that you were still the same distance away from the cabin where the students were, you exhaled deeply before inhaling once and collapsing your wings. 

You let yourself plummet to the ground, making sure to lift your arms above your head to increase your speed. Just a few more seconds before you’d make contact. You let your eyes flutter shut and your upper torso relaxed to absorb the rest of the impact that the steel soles of your boots couldn’t tolerate.

“Full Moon!”

The second your heels hit the ground you could hear the air around you warble as the molecules came to a standstill. A good three hundred meter circle around you was frozen in time, defined by a shallow ring of blue fire that left the forestry around it unscarred. You rose from your crouched position and took in the scene around you. There was a stag and a few does across the creek to your left. Their heads were halfway upright since they heard your descent towards them though they didn’t have a chance to flee before they were forced to become as still as stone. 

You walked about the circle of stopped time that you had created, mesmerized by the immobile leaves inside and the ones dancing about the branches outside. The scenery inside your zone seemed to have a subtle blue hue as the faint blue flames licked at the trunks of large, ancient trees. The bark felt oddly cold to the touch when you brushed your fingertips against it, peaking your curiosity. Perhaps you didn’t remember it being like this because it had been so long or because you had repressed those memories after the death of your mother. 

You didn’t quite get the chance to think on it further when the wind buffeted your back, signaling that your two minutes of stopped time had reached its end. You gave a soft sigh and looked back up to the sky, admiring as a small cluster of birds flew below the quaint, white clouds lingering in the early morning atmosphere. You rolled your shoulders as the small herd of deer bounded into the forest and away from you, opening your wings to rise into the air once again to repeat the move until you were exhausted. 

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You were startled out of your trance when your phone went off. You pulled it out of your pocket and wiped the sweat from your brow when you read the message you had been sent. There was a couple from a few hours ago that hadn’t caught your attention when your phone pinged from Hawks that said that he loved you and that he missed you. There was even a picture of Yoshio sprawled out on his back in the windowsill, sunbathing. You smiled at that image and sent him a quick text in response before looking at the one most recently sent to you from Aizawa.

It was a message stating to head back to the cabin, that the students were preparing dinner on orders of Pixie-Bob. You smiled at that and replied with an “okay” before making your way back to the cabin. The late afternoon glide was peaceful as the warm summer days began to cool off as the sun began its slow descent. When your feet touched the dirt of the courtyard you were greeted by the sight of the students shambling around what seemed to be an outdoor kitchen. Some were busy hovering over frying pans while others chopped up ingredients.

You sat down at a table with Vlad King and Aizawa, catching up with the 1-B teacher and reminiscing on old times with them. The students went about serving themselves and you waited patiently for them to finish gathering what they wanted before you and the rest of the adults went about feeding yourselves. It was nice to see the class working so well together in order to feed themselves as a pack instead of as individuals. 

Your second day ended similarly to the first, having the entire bath to yourself while the students of 1-A cleaned up their dinner and ventured back to your room. Before you had the chance to dial Hawks number, he was already calling you. You answered with a smile and flopped down onto your bed. 

“Did you know I was about to call you?” 

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The third day was about the same as the first; a bright and early morning that you could barely process. You were ordered to go off on your own to privately master another ultimate move since they could be considered consequences if they backfired. Today you decided you’d spend the time you had focusing on New Moon. You felt confident in your abilities with Full Moon and since that one came easier than it did before the more difficult one should be a piece of cake. 

Having the practice of stockpiling from yesterday, you were able to reach the mana capacity you needed in order to go through with it. You let yourself rise into the air again and located that same spot from yesterday near the creek. Ironically enough that same minuscule herd of deer from the day before was venturing into that small meadow as you hovered above it. Since this ultimate move reversed time for up to 120 seconds you gave them a few minutes to drink from the creek and begin their trek out of the meadow before you allowed yourself to fall. 

For New Moon you had to have a little more speed and inertia on your side for it to function properly so you let yourself nosedive this time instead of going feet first like you did yesterday. Within a few hundred meters of the ground you barely noticed the herd of deer begin to bolt when you flipped over to create your glyph. 

“New Moon!”

The impact made you fall on your ass, your entire spine vibrating from the sensation when you winced. Your entire body felt like concrete and you didn’t have the energy to move from your position on your ass for about a minute. When you managed to catch your breath you rose to your feet, noticing the stag and his two does leaping backwards towards the creek you were standing next to. You stepped to the side, briefly allowing your hand to stretch out and brush against one of their coats as they passed by. 

The sensation made you smile softly. Once again you took notice of the short blue flames flickering around your landing zone. Just as the deers hooves reached the far end of the creek the reversal wore off and they continued their forward path like they had been before you landed. You opened your wings with a soft chuckle and let yourself catch the updraft from the trees. You were excited to tell Hawks all about your time at the training camp; you were sure that he would be proud of you. 

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Your legs felt like they were made of gelatin by the time that Aizawa requested your return to the cabin. You barely made it to one of the picnic tables before your legs crumpled. With a heavy sigh you used your arms to haul yourself into the seat and you let your head settle not so gently onto the surface. You could feel yourself drifting in and out of being present in the moment as the students of 1-A bumbled about preparing dinner like they did the night before. You barely noticed some of the students exchanging glances with one another and whispering about the fact that you looked like a walking corpse. You felt like you could sleep for a whole month seeing how rapidly you were refilling and draining all the energy you’d been stockpiling over the past few days.

“(L/N)?” 

You lifted your head at the sound of a soft spoken voice saying your name. Across from the table stood Uraraka and Asui, looking down at you with a worried look. 

“Hey girls, what’s up?” You cleared your throat and sat upright to make yourself look a bit more like an authoritative figure. 

“Sorry for bothering you. You look pretty worn out, so we wanted to make sure you got some food before it was all eaten.” Uraraka offered you a platter of delicious looking food. 

“Oh wow, you didn’t need to do all of that for me.” You were in awe of how kind and considerate Aizawa students were. You couldn’t remember any of your own classmates being this respectful of you, but that was an entirely different situation if you truly thought about it. “Thank you, I really appreciate it.” You gently took the plate and gave them a bright smile. “How’s your training been going?” 

“Horribly.” Uraraka sighed, holding one of her hands to her stomach. “I’m trying to build up my endurance for my quirk. If I use it for too long it makes me really sick.” 

You gave her a small pout of sympathy before looking at Asui once she began speaking. “Not too bad on my hand. I’m working on my camouflage right now; it’s pretty difficult to hide from Shoji.” 

“Eat and clean up quickly, children! The Test of Courage begins in 45 minutes!” Pixie-Bob cried from the front of the cabin, unintentionally interrupting your conversation with the girls. 

The two waved goodbye to you before moving off back to their classmates to sit and eat with their friends. You found the other adults of the group maneuvering over to your table to accompany you while you finished eating.

“How are your moves coming along?” Aizawa asked after sitting down across from you. 

“A lot easier than they did when I first learned them.” You answered him after swallowing the mouthful of food you had. “But I’m definitely still rusty and my endurance isn’t as high as it used to be.” 

“That’s a given seeing how long it’s been since you last trained.” He replied, drumming his fingers against the table. “It’s only been a few days and you’re remembering things quicker than I expected you to.”

You shrugged your shoulders after finishing your plate. “It probably helps that I have spent the last few weeks with you building up those skills again.” 

“I have a request for you.” He said, suddenly shifting topics.

You tilted your head to the side subconsciously. “What is it?” 

“I’ve got some students of mine that failed their exams and have supplementary lessons tonight in replacement of the test the pussycats came up with.” He began, looking over towards the growing group of students intermingling with each other. “While I’m dealing with them would you give Pixie-Bob and Mandalay a hand with the game?” 

“If all I’ve got to do is sit back and keep an eye on them I’d be happy to.” You replied without any hesitation. 

“Thank you. Tomorrow evening you and I will spend time perfecting those ultimate moves.” He rose from the table and headed back towards the cabin. You stood up and followed suit, chuckling when he dragged five of his students with his capture weapon back into the cabin for their classes. 

You watched the sunrise settle over the trees on the horizon, leaving the darkening sky to mix with streaks of purple and orange that left vivid hues on the nature around you. Pixie-Bob and Mandalay went about creating sets of students to go through the test of courage while the kids from 1-B went off into the woods to find their hiding places. Due to Shota taking an odd number of students back inside to follow up on their supplementary classes, Izuku Midoriya was left without a partner on the test of courage. 

Pixie-Bob was looking forward to sending the young man into the foreboding woods on his own but looked a little disappointed when you offered to go along with him seeing that he was fully prepared to piss himself. You engaged the wannabe hero with idle chit chat about U.A. and heros while you waited to go with him through the forest. After about ten minutes, Mandalay signaled to Asui and Uraraka that it was their turn to go in. They looked nervous thanks to the shrieks of fear from the classmates that had gone ahead of them but put on a brave face when the shadows of the trees swallowed them whole. 

The closer it got to yours and Midoriya’s turn the more anxious he seemed to get. You opened your mouth to ask him about his family but didn't get the chance when suddenly a plume of smoke began billowing from within the forest. Immediately your eyes turned towards it and your wings opened to lift you into the air for a closer look but you didn’t get the chance when out of nowhere two unfamiliar people appeared. It was instinctual to grab Deku’s wrist and yank him behind you. Sure he was a hero in training and you didn’t have much more skill than he did at this point in time but compared to you, he was still a child. 

And… technically… Aizawa had only been able to get you on this trip under the guise of being a “chaperone” since All Might couldn’t attend due to him being a target. So that meant that you were responsible for all of your mentors' students like they were your own. You were barely able to see what happened before Pixie-Bob was unconscious on the ground. Something that seemed to be a large magnet had struck her across the head and now she was in the hands of the enemies. Tiger, the male Pussycat stepped forward to rescue his comrade but the other villain, a green lizard dude prevented him from going any further. You weren’t fully aware of the fact that Midoriya had left your side until Mandalay ordered you to follow him. 

“(L/N), go help him find Kota!” 

Chapter Text

It’s okay if you thought you were over it, but it hits you all over again. It’s okay to fall apart even if you thought you had it under control. You’re not weak. Healing is messy. And there’s no timeline for healing.

~ Unknown

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“(L/N), go help him find Kota!” 

“I’m on it!” You replied, ducking under the sword of the lizard guy when he swung it at you. “Be careful!” 

The second you were in the air you felt the breath leave your lungs when panic ensued. Where the fuck did that kid go? Aizawa would have your ass served on a platter if anything happened to one of his students after he had directed you to keep an eye on them. You tried focusing on your senses to narrow down on where Midoriya had gone. The faint sound of crackling came from ahead of you. 

You almost shouted in joy when you saw the flicker of green lightning. You pumped your wings to take off after the faint flashes in the distance but terror suddenly overwhelmed you when a huge, hot flash of blue suffocated the air behind you. You weren’t sure exactly what caused you to blackout but within what seemed to be the blink of an eye your mind went blank. 

Your wings stopped moving and against your will your body began to plummet towards the earth. What was that? The blue? Was it fire ? The trees blurred around you as you fell, morphing into that old familiar comfort of the apartment you were raised in. 

You faintly remember bursting through the front doors of the bar after you got your provisional license for the first time, running up to the bar counter and slinging your backpack down on a stool before slapping the license down on the counter in front of your mom and dad. They practically screamed with joy and you reminisced on the taste of the dinner she made you that night; your favorite meal of all time. 

The breath was knocked from your lungs when you hit the ground. Tears immediately began streaming from your eyes and you choked on air that you didn’t have as you silently sobbed. You missed them so much. Your dad, your mom. You wished that neither of them had been taken from you, that things didn’t turn out this way. Perhaps if you hadn’t aspired to be a hero like your father they would still both be here today. Why were you forced to continue living and fighting a battle that you didn’t consider to be worth it? 

“What the fuck are you doing down there?!” 

You were hyperventilating when that obnoxious voice caught your attention. You were on your back and rolled your head to the side to see Bakugo standing above you. Seeing the explosive boy with Icyhot close behind him, carrying a fallen student from Class 1-B seemed to snap you out of your mental break. 

“Quit your fucking bawling you feathered freak and get off your ass! Didn’t you hear that there are villains here?!” 

Your body seemingly moved without your consent at his direction, sitting up. “S-sorry, I-“ suddenly you were slammed into by a body, thrown back into the ground. You were a few feet away from your previous position, noticing that long, sharp blades were impaled into the ground. 

“Hey half-and-half! Who’s supposed to be ahead of us?” Bakugo asked, removing himself from on top of you and forcing you up to your feet. 

“If I remember correctly it was Tokoyami and Shoji.” Todoroki replied, shifting his hold on the unconscious peer he was holding. 

The villain in front of you looked like he walked right out of a horror movie. He was wearing a large black straight jacket that was essentially a bodysuit. The only exposed part of his body was his mouth. It was held together by black restraints decorated with red spikes. There were metal clamps that came down across his cheekbones and up underneath his chin. They pulled at the inside of his lips, forcing his mouth to stay open and drool consistently. His teeth were replaced by long, grotesque blades; he was using them like legs to move around. He was oddly obsessed with the severed arm laying on the ground a good distance away from where you had just been. If Bakugo hadn’t saved your ass you would’ve been presented like a shishkabob. 

“Pretty. So pretty…no…this is work. It’s so alluring, but no. Can’t…pretty flesh—GAH—so enticing…” the opponent was off in his own dimension, seemingly fetishizing the displaced limb. “Don’t entice me…I have work to do.” 

Bakugos pupils blew wide and he gritted his teeth, his face twitching in contempt. “No fighting…is that the rule?” 

“Don’t engage him.” You ordered, stepping back a bit. “Use evasive maneuvers to get out of here, let me deal with him.” 

“Like hell I’m gonna let some girl fight for me!” Bakugo shouted from behind you. 

“Don’t argue with her, Bakugo. She’s technically our senpai.” Todoroki scolded him. 

“Oh pipe it you glitchy air conditioning machine!” He shot back at his classmate.

Before you could interact with either one of them, a voice took over your mind.

“Everyone in Class A & B! In the name of the Pro Hero Eraserhead you are granted permission to engage in combat! I repeat: use your training. You may fight these villains!” 

That telepathic message from Mandalay made you laugh. “Nevermind then—“

“Listen, we’ve discovered one of the villains' targets. It’s a student named Kacchan.” 

That name bounced around your brain for a second before you suddenly turned to Bakugo. “You-“ 

“Kacchan, you should try to avoid combat and stick to a group. I hope you can hear me!” 

“I could focus if you got out of my damn head!” Bakugo growled, already charging towards the opponent in front of him. “I can take care of myself!”

“God dammit, hey!” You hissed under your breath, realizing just how drastic the situation had gotten. Where was your phone when you desperately needed to call for backup? At this point nobody would make it here in time due to the fact of how far away you were from the main cities. 

Blades shot out towards the teenager before you had time to protect him. Thankfully Todoroki was already there to supply backup when he threw up a short wall of ice to block Bakugo from the attack. “Don’t rush into this fight carelessly!” He scolded the explosive boy once again. 

The blades from the villains mouth creaked as they solidified and refused to budge. “Have to keep going…have to work…do my job.” His voice was raspy and animalistic. 

“Weren’t you listening to Mandalay? They’re here because they’re after you.” Todoroki explained. 

You couldn’t care to focus on their short term argument when Moonfish was still an obvious threat directly in front of the three of you. 

“Telling us not to engage and then changing their minds.” Bakugo scoffed. “I don’t know how but I get the feeling this is Deku’s fault.” You could see a vein pulsing on his forehead when Moonfish attacked again. He dodged to the side. “We’ll I don’t care what anyone says!” 

Todoroki sent another wall of ice to shatter the blades of teeth, sending the criminal flying up into the air like a fish out of water. You crouched down and pushed yourself up in the air to get an aerial advantage over him, but found yourself unable to maneuver thanks to the fast-acting swords almost piercing through your wings. “I can’t be of any help unless I get closer!” You informed the students, hoping you’d be able to back them up from a distance. 

“He can move easily through this terrain with his quirk. It’s obvious this isn’t his first fight.” Todoroki stated, making sure to not drop the unconscious student he was carrying. “(L/N)! Do you think you could come around the backside if Bakugo and I keep him distracted? Even if we try to retreat we’ve got that poison gas everywhere. It’s obvious that they’re trying to corner us.”

You looked to where Moonfish was, a good distance away with his body propped up by the blades protruding from his bottom teeth. “Give me a large enough opening and I should be able to make it there.” 

“We’ll do our best.”

“Flesh! Pieces of meat!” Moonfish shouted and attacked again. The boys were doing their best to keep his focus on them while you tried to get the chance to get close enough to knock him out, though the three of you were becoming increasingly frustrated seeing that there were no openings for you to take advantage of. 

“Over there! I see ice!” You, Todoroki and Bakugo looked to your left only to spot Mezo Shoji sprinting towards you with Izuku held on his back. They were being followed by something large that was radiating so much bloodlust that it sent chills down your spine. 

“Bakugo! Todoroki! Give us some light!” Shoji cried.

“More flesh!” Moonfish shrieked with hunger, sending another blade out towards the approaching students. You went to block the blade but didn’t get the chance to when a large, dark purple shadow enveloped it and snapped it in half on the far side of Todoroki’s ice wall. The large bird flattened the death row criminal against the ground. Your small group of four was awestruck by the sight of the huge monster chasing after them. 

“Kacchan!” 

“It’s Shoji and Midoriya.” Todoroki mumbled. “And is that…Tokoyami?”

“We need some light, now!” One of Shoji’s dupli-arms procured a mouth at the end of it and traveled around to your side of the ice wall. “He’s out of control!” 

“He’s attacking blindly.” Todoroki noted. He went to put down the unconscious student he was holding. You took this moment to take the fallen student and check on him, comforted to know that he was still alive. “I’ll use my fire.” 

“Not so fast.” Bakugo held out a hand to keep Todoroki from using one of his quirks when he noticed Moonfish attempting to rise from the ground with his blade teeth again. 

“Don’t steal from me!” The villain screamed, going to attack the shadow again. 

“You don’t matter. Insignificant bug!” Dark Shadow retorted, gripping the villain in a large palm and squeezing him like he was trying to make lemonade. The second the blades shattered once again, the figure swept his ridiculously sized arm through the expanse of trees, ultimately yeeting the death row inmate into a large tree. The second you felt Moonfish’s energy fizzle out to signify his defeat your shoulders sagged. At least that part was over. 

You didn’t get a chance to relax when Dark Shadow began rising into the air, seeming to be angered at the fact that he wasn’t yet satisfied. “Not enough. It’s not enough!” You looked up to see the large black claws narrowing down on you since it didn’t recognize you as a familiar face. It wasn’t recognizing any of its users' companions but that didn’t seem to matter too much at that moment when it focused it’s targets on the bright blue-winged beacon that was you. You braced yourself for the impact but the shadow suddenly shrank back with a yelp when both Bakugo and Todoroki swung by Tokoyami with their quirks activated. 

The bird-headed student collapsed to his hands and knees, panting. After double checking on the unconscious student from 1-B you moved over to Tokoyami. “Are you alright?” 

“Looks like I’m still a terrible match up for you, bird brain.” Bakugo snipped. 

“Thanks. You saved me.” Tokoyami breathed heavily, sitting up slightly to look at you. “Yes, I’m alright. I’m sorry about that. Was anybody hurt?”

“Thankfully no.” You reassured him. “At least on this end there isn’t. You sure did give that villain a good beating, though. You have an impeccable quirk.” 

“We could barely defend against that guy yet you defeated him instantly.” Todoroki praised his classmate while Shoji and Midoriya stepped up next to you to check on the black haired student. 

“My friend, are you alright?

“Shoji. I apologize. You too, Midoriya. I'm still far too immature. Anger consumed me and I let my quirk take over. The influence of the darkness combined with my fury spurred Dark Shadow into a frenzy until it got so strong I couldn’t contain it. And I ended up hurting Shoji.” It was obvious to you that Tokoyami was angry with himself and you put your hand on his shoulder. 

“We’ll worry about that later.” Shoji said. “That’s what you would say if our roles were reversed.” 

“Look here,” you spoke softly. It caught you off guard when all of the boys looked at you, not used to the fact that they looked up to you as an alumni and all. “When I was your age, there was one time where my quirk misfired and I seriously hurt one of my friends.” They all seemed surprised that you would admit to something such as that, but you brushed it off. “She ended up in the hospital because of it, and it took me a long time to forgive myself. But in the end, she was okay and she forgave me even when I didn’t want her to. When we learn to be heros there will be many times where we lose control or make mistakes that can drastically change the outcomes that we desire. It’s our job to overcome those situations and make the best out of them. Please understand that you’re still young and give yourself some credit for coming this far. You managed to keep Dark Shadow under control long enough for nothing disastrous to occur, and that right there is a feat in itself.” 

That short story seemed to ease a lot of the tension that was lingering in the air around you. You had a tendency to pick up on those shifts thanks to somewhat being an empath. You rose to your feet, offering a hand to Tokoyami which he obliged with thanks. 

“I don’t know if you heard Mandalay,” Midoriya said. “But I found out the villains are after Bakugo.”

“Bakugo?” Tokoyami questioned. “Are they trying to kill him? Why?” Behind the dark haired student you saw the explosive blond watching everybody talk about him like he wasn’t there with a dumbfounded expression on his face. 

“I’m not sure but I think we should get to camp.” Izuku replied. “It’s the safest place now so long as Vlad King and Mr. Aizawa regrouped there.” 

“I understand.” Tokoyami nodded. “So our mission is to get Bakugo back to safety by serving as his protectors.” 

You couldn’t fight the smile that appeared on your face as you watched the small band of boys discuss their next moves.

Izuku piped in again. “It’s possible the Pussycats are still fighting in the clearing. Going that way would draw the attention of the villains. Plus it’s longer; we should cut straight across.”

Tokoyami looked like he was going to speak but you stole the words from his mouth. “We don’t know how many enemies there are. We might come across some of them by chance.” 

“We can use Shoji’s search ability to get us through. You can also cover us from above and give us a heads up if you see anything that Shoji didn’t pick up on. We also have Todoroki’s freezing power, and if Tokoyami is okay with it we can always use Dark Shadow now that we can actually control him.” Deku added on. “Honestly with a group like this we could probably go up against All Might.” 

Bakugo was obviously displeased at being left out of the conversation that revolves around protecting him. “I’d be fine by myself!” 

“We’ll surround you as we walk.” Todoroki turned to the explosive boy behind him. 

“I don’t need any of your protection, dammit!” 

“Let’s go.” Shoji directed, leading the way.

“Don’t ignore me!”

Todoroki followed behind him. “Just make sure you keep up.”

“Don’t tell me what to do!” Bakugo stomped behind the two-toned boy, letting Tokoyami take up the end. 

You laughed at his stubborn, argumentative nature and let yourself fly up above the trees to keep a lookout. A few minutes went by without you spotting anything so you kept your guard up, paying close attention to the group of teenagers escorting Bakugo underneath you. A few meters away, you noticed three figures. Two were on the ground and one was seemingly stuck in a tree.

“Hey!” You called down to them. Shoji and Izuku looked up at you. “There’s a group up ahead!” At your signal they picked up the pace, bursting through the trees at the perfect moment. 

“Uraraka!” Todoroki called out.

“Quickly guys! Help her!” Asui cried as the girl that Uravity had pinned underneath her managed to get out from the hold.

Immediately you dropped down, hoping to land on the fleeing villain with First Quarter so you could capture her but missed by inches. The ground around you rumbled thanks to your rough landing.

“There’s too many people here now and I don’t feel like being killed tonight, toodles.” She looked over her shoulder at Midoriya and gasped before her eyes switched to you. A sick smile that made you nauseous crossed the expanse of her blushed cheeks before she darted off into the woods.

You heard Uraraka say something about following her but Tsuyu shot down the idea by mentioning that nobody knew what the villain's quirk was. You scratched at the back of your head before turning around to face them. “Let’s keep moving, we don’t have any time.” 

“Who was that?” Todoroki asked

“One of the villains. She was crazy.” Tsuyu answered. 

“Uraraka, you’re hurt.” Izuku pointed out. 

“It’s not too bad, I can still walk okay.” Uraraka brushed off his concern. “You’re the one that looks terrible.” 

“We can’t stand here and talk.” Shoji supported your suggestion of continuing to move. 

“I’m just glad you’re not hurt too bad.” Midoriya replied. “Now come on, join our group! We’re protecting Kacchan and making our way back to camp. We could use your help.” 

Tsuyu put a finger on her chin. “If you’re protecting Bakugo, then shouldn’t he be standing here with you guys?” 

You quickly scanned the group of kids around you and felt your heart drop into the pits of hell when you realized that you had lost sight of the one the villains were after. Izuku was immediately in crisis mode. 

“Nice trick, eh?” 

The entire group turned to see a man balancing precariously on the branch of a tree over the top of you, holding a small marble in his right hand. He was dressed as a magician, a cane in the hand opposite of the marble along with a white mask covering his face. “I used my magic to capture the lad you’ve been guarding. A taken like his would be squandered were he cast as a hero. We’ll provide him with a grander stage where he can truly shine!” 

“You mother fucker.” You hissed under your breath, wings expanding as you felt your blood boil in your veins. You had taken your eyes off of Bakugo for one fucking minute and of course that mistake had to backfire on you. 

“Give him back!” Izuku demanded. 

“Give him back?” The man repeated. “What an odd thing to say. Bakugo doesn’t belong to anyone. He’s his own person; don’t be so arrogant.” 

“We’ll stop you!” 

“Right now!” Todoroki ran forward and activated his ice towards the tree. 

The man jumped up to avoid the attack, giving you the perfect opportunity to launch into the air. You missed grabbing his jacket by mere millimeters, just barely brushing against the fabric with your fingertips before he narrowly maneuvered his way out of your reach. 

“Why the aggression? We merely wish to show him that there are options besides the fanatical world of heroism he’s drowning in.” 

Now being up in the air, you were able to notice that not only Bakugo was missing, but also Tokoyami. “No.” You almost inaudibly whispered it, but the rage that coursed through your body made your mind run blank. 

“It’s important to choose a side that aligns with your core values, after all.” 

“He has Tokoyami!” You told the kids, unable to process the thoughts going through your brain when you hovered over a tree a distance away from Mr. Compress. 

“If you’re monologuing because you think you’ve beaten us, you’re mistaken!” Todoroki hissed through gritted teeth. 

“A bad habit of mine,” Mr. Compress sighed. “I was once an entertainer, you know. Taking Tokoyami was a bit of improv on my part.” 

What were you supposed to do? Not only did he have two hostages, but he could more than likely snatch another student from your guardianship within a split second. While he went off on a monologue about the villain known as Moonfish that Tokoyami had taken down, your mind ran through all of the possibilities and outcomes of whatever you did next. Todoroki deposited the unconscious student he had been carrying with Uraraka before running forwards. You only had a second to react before there was an impenetrable wall of ice thrown up into the air, almost freezing Todoroki where he stood. 

“Apologies, but slight-of-hand and escapologist are my specialties, not combat.” Mr. Compress stated nonchalantly as he floated above the ice. He moved behind one of the pillars and stuffed a marble in his pocket once he appeared on the other side. “I’m not foolish enough to fight hero candidates and an alumni from U.A.” 

He tossed his hands behind his head and sent a message to his team. “Vanguard Action Squad, I’ve acquired our target. Our little show can finally come to a close. Meet me at the retrieval point in the next five minutes for the final bow.” 

As Mr. Compress floated away, the students below you took off after him on foot. Meanwhile you pursued him in the air, opening one of the side pockets on your hero outfit and removing the small throwables you had access to. As soon as they were in the palm of your hands, you activated your telekinesis and pumped your wings again to get in closer. You were rusty on multi-tasking but you were able to send the projectiles close enough to make contact. They impaled into the villain's clothing, though they didn’t seem to affect him at all. The dude was ridiculously fast, and at this point you were leaving the students behind you in order to keep up with him. 

“Get back here you piece of shit!” You were beyond angry at yourself and the group of villains that had decided to attack the training camp you so desperately needed to be a part of. He turned to mock you over his shoulder, but a blur of bodies flew by you and knocked him out of the sky. You laughed at the sight. “Those damn kids are so smart.” 

As they plunged towards the earth, you didn’t notice that they had landed in the middle of a group of villains until your feet hit the ground. 

Chapter Text

Patience is the best weapon and silence is the best revenge.

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The second your feet hit the ground you were on guard, immediately aware of the three people in the vicinity before the students used Mr. Compress to soften their landing. Your heart was beating so fast that you could feel it sitting at the back of your throat. 

“Out of the way, Compress.” 

The words you heard barely interacted with your brain when you noticed one of the three bystanders step forward. For a second all that you saw was blue. If you weren’t so focused on keeping the few students of class 1-A that you had with you, you would’ve paid more attention to who exactly that was. 

Your feet moved before your brain did. You had landed a few feet from the kids and had just enough foresight of the flames to leap in front of them and throw your wings up as a shield. Adrenaline had your limbs shaking as you waited for the searing hot flash of pain to course through you but it never came. Instead it was replaced by a sudden burst of energy. 

Something moved in your peripheral though you were too distracted by the fact that your wings were absorbing the fire and transforming it into mana for your passive stockpile ability. Todoroki handled the oncoming assailant thankfully. Midoriya and Shoji were stunned by the fact that you were unharmed by the flames, though there were some minor flames lapping over the arch of your wing and singing your hair and skin. 

The fire vanished and you stumbled forward, using one of your wings to regain your balance before you landed on top of Midoriya. Using that wing as an anchor, you planted the ball of one foot firmly in the ground before pivoting to block the flying syringe aimed for Deku. That didn’t do much to protect the young boy though when the creepy girl from earlier slipped under your arm and tackled him to the ground. Just as she raised the knife to stab him, Shoji used one of his large arms to slap her off. 

She flipped through the air and skidded on her feet until she halted herself, dropping her gaze. “So that’s how it is. You want to come between us? To be honest you’re not really my type.” She tightened her grip on the knife and looked up to Shoji with a dark stare that screamed for blood. “But I’ll cut you anyway.”

“She’s crazy.” Shoji said somewhat fretfully. You could tell that he was overwhelmed, though needless to say that you all were feeling that way at this point. 

You turned to find where the magician landed, strolling up to speak to the blue-flame wielder that couldn’t seem to take his eyes off of you. Unwilling to back down from what could possibly be a challenge, you stared back, unwavering. 

Until it hit you. 

It was him.

“The police deemed it an electrical fire. At first I believed them until an eye witness reported that the fire was blue.” 

“Blue?”

“I think it may be a quirk user who wields blue flames. Even though All Might’s using Musutafu as his stomping grounds, that doesn’t seem to have much effect on the criminals around here since that video of the Hero Killer blew up. It wouldn’t surprise me if more small-time criminals were motivated by his perspective on society.” 

Though all of those opposing you weren’t easy on the eyes, this guy looked like the walking dead. Now you remembered why you blanked out on his face when he set your mother on fire and destroyed your wings; he was pretty nightmare worthy.

Compress searched for the marble in his pocket but curiously enough didn’t find it. 

“Midoriya! Todoroki! (L/N)! We’re done!” Shoji’s shout snapped you out of the haze you had drifted off to. “He gave away his best trick. I’m not sure what your quirk is, but it has to do with those little marbles, right?” He rose to his feet. “The ones you’d stashed in your pocket.” He lifted his true hand and revealed two small marbles. “So I’m guessing these are Tokoyami and Bakugo.” 

Your heart soared in relief. These students of Aizawa just couldn’t stop amazing you, could they? The kids turned and darted off, and you followed them on foot. For some reason you didn’t feel like you could fly at the moment. It was apparent that your body was not running at 100%, though you weren’t sure if that was caused by your fatigue from the last few days or if it was because your wings could consume fire.

Compress laughed. “Well, color me impressed. Just as I’d expect from someone with so many hands. How splendid.” 

Something ahead of your small group moved in the trees, and something that you had never seen before appeared from the dark shadows. “What the hell is that?!” You asked.

“A nomu!” Izuku replied.

“Quick, this way!” Todoroki shot to the left and the rest of them followed. The emergency brakes were pulled when a huge looming shadow blocked the path. You recognized him from the USJ incident; Aizawa had filled you in when he first showed up at your bar covered in bandages.

“Not this guy.” Shoji growled.

“He was at the USJ.” Todoroki was shocked.

“The warp villain.” Midoriya was also terrified.

“It’s been five minutes since the signal. Let’s go, Dabi.” The warp villain instructed the group of villains that you had left behind. 

The blond girl said goodbye to Midoriya as she stepped through a portal while the Deadpool replica Todoroki dealt with dived through his own. Compress and who you assumed to be Dabi (it was nice yet horrifying to finally know who ruined your fucking life) stood in front of a larger portal. 

“Hold on. We’re not lesbian’ without the kid.” He stated, refusing to walk through. 

“Don’t worry.” Compress said, making Dabi look over at him. “They were so proud of themselves for rooting through my pockets that I thought I’d let them gloat.” He turned around to face your group when you quickly caught on to what he was saying. 

“Allow me to explain a basic tenet of magic.” He lifted his hands to his hat and his mask. “If I’m flaunting something shiny, it’s because there’s something else I don’t want you to see.” He revealed his face halfway and opened his mouth, sticking out his tongue to show two marbles—Bakugo and Tokoyami. 

Right there in that split second you felt every ounce of your mind and sanity vanish from existence. Compress snapped his fingers and the marbles Shoji was carrying turned into ice. Anything that was said didn’t reach your ears; there was no sound to the world around you. It all just seemed to be turning in slow motion. 

It was all way, way too much for you. 

The teenagers shot forward to the portal as they began to exit, leaving you frozen where you were. Compress bowed as final goodbye before a large beam of light shot him in the face. It caused both marbles to fall and the three boys lunged for them. Shoji caught Tokoyami while Todoroki was inches away from Bakugos marble before Dabi snatched it out of the air right before he had a chance to touch it. He demanded Compress to release them, revealing Bakugo with Dabis hand around his throat and Tokoyami within Shoji’s reach. Midoriya darted forward to grab Bakugo, but it was too late. 

The second the portals vanished, the scream that ripped through Midoriyas throat tipped you over the edge. 

Vlad King was able to call for aid, and they arrived shortly after the villains departed the training camp. Out of the 40 students between both classes, 15 were unconscious that had been heavily affected by the gas. Eleven others were injured. Thirteen were physically unharmed…and one was missing. Pixie-Bob was in serious condition due to the blow to the head she received from one of the enemies and Ragdoll was missing. It was obvious that she had lost a lot of blood due to the scene at the partner table where you and Izuku never got a chance to stand for the test of courage. You fortunately were relatively unharmed thanks to a few scrapes and bruises here and there from your quirk training and the events that had unfolded earlier that night. Meanwhile on the villain's side three had been captured and arrested. The others disappeared without a trace thanks to that large shadow villain. 

That didn’t erase the fact that you felt utterly and entirely responsible for what happened to Bakugo while he was under your watch. You felt like Aizawa would never forgive you.

Needless to say, the vacation/training camp that you had been looking forward to turned into one of the worst moments of your life.

Chapter Text

Trusting you is my decision. Proving me right is your choice.

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You were so thankful to be home. 

Having the comfort of your cat again relieved so much tension that you didn’t realize you were carrying. Though the pressure was still paramount thanks to the fact that you returned home after training camp knowing that Bakugo wasn’t safe yet. He’d saved you from being skewered by Moonfish yet you were unable to take him back from the hands of the enemies.

Hawks wasn’t home. You could really use his comfort right now, but you understood what it meant to be a hero. Especially after what had happened just a few hours ago. You had called him the second you were able to track down your phone, seeing that you had left it back at camp before the test of courage because you figured that you wouldn’t need it. 

He was relieved to know that you were okay, and he told you he was rushing to get his patrol done as fast as possible so he could be there by your side. Thankfully while you were waiting for his return Aizawa was giving you updates on how the progress with finding Bakugo was going. 

You burst into tears the second that you had seen Aizawa after the incident, apologizing profusely for letting them take him. He essentially shook you around and told you that it wasn’t your fault, you had done everything in your capabilities to protect his students. He was thankful that you were there since he was sure their injuries would’ve been much worse if you hadn’t been. He informed you that once things had gotten situated again and you were fully ready that training would continue. 

The second that you plopped onto the couch, Yoshio was in your lap and purring away. You could tell that he missed you for the few days that you were gone by the way he wouldn’t settle down. He was also purring so loudly that his body was shaking; you thought that he may end up internally combusting. 

You switched on the television, opening it immediately to the news coverage of Aizawa, Vlad King, and Principal Nezu from U.A. standing at a conference table. You had to look twice at the fact that Aizawa had gotten all cleaned up. You could imagine the battle he put up in order to avoid that, but knew that he went through with it in order to maintain professionalism. If he wasn’t a teacher at U.A. you figured that he wouldn’t have given a rats ass in the first place seeing that he wasn’t one to be in the spotlight to begin with. 

Aizawa himself goes on to apologize to the community, students, and their parents for failing to protect the children at the training camp. You put a hand over your mouth and held back your tears, knowing that you had played a hand in how the situation turned out. A journalist asked what measures would be taken to ensure the students' safety when they returned to school. Nezu answered that question by strengthening U.A.‘s security systems and re-examining the crime prevention system. As the journalists continued to ask questions and the three men standing behind the table answered them, your mind wandered off to how the public would handle the situation. 

You could figure that they weren’t taking it lightly. Training the next generation to become heros was one thing, but exposing them to villains—albeit unintentionally—was an entirely different story. You exhale through clenched teeth, attempting to melt the stress away by petting your cat. Your attention was brought back to the television when Aizawa explained to the public why he allowed them to engage in combat. By doing that it prevented the worst possible outcome from occurring—a student dying. Nezu piped in that if it weren’t for two of the students defeating the villain that had the gas quirk the outcomes would’ve been much more severe. 

Your heart dropped when a reporter asked if they had already failed in securing the students’ well-being due to not checking on Katsuki’s mental instability and “villain-like” performance during the Sports Festival. God if you had been there in person you would’ve strangled him yourself. It was obvious that the question was targeted to aggravate Aizawa in regards to Katsuki’s whereabouts being unknown. Your former teacher seemed to speak what you were thinking at that moment—the villains were foolish to believe that they could convert Katsuki.

From the brief moments you’d interacted with him, Katsuki was certainly a force to be reckoned with. He had a tenacity in fighting that you could barely comprehend. Honestly dealing with the whole picture face to face was overwhelming if you weren’t skilled in dealing with stubborn, short-tempered, no-filtered, take-no-shit teenagers. It was apparent that he would excel in the hero world, though his attitude about it stated otherwise and made most things come off very backhanded. You were sure that somewhere underneath that aggressive exterior there was a good heart and you hoped to be there to see where he lands among the rankings. You had to switch the channel after Nezu backed up Shota’s statement by explaining that they were cooperating with the police force to locate Bakugo. You ran the palms of your hands over your eyes, deciding to busy yourself to keep your mind off of the fact that you weren’t able to assist in the raid. 

As celebrity interviews began to play on the tv, you stood up to feed the cat. Afterwards you meandered to the bedroom, collecting dirty laundry as you found it to toss into the washing machine. A quick glance of the clock informed you that it was almost 20:00. You hadn’t eaten dinner, and while you weren’t particularly hungry you knew you needed to put some sort of fuel into your body. So you wandered to the pantry, going about the process of finding something filling yet light to eat. As you tried to locate whatever you decided on, your phone buzzed. 

19:47

EraseUrButt

Two locations. One’s full of Nomu’s and the other is where they’re holding Bakugo. 

Before you had a chance to unlock your phone and reply, another one showed up.

19:47

EraseUrButt

Turn on the news if you’re not already watching, it’ll probably show up there soon

You turned to look at the tv over your shoulder, quickly shuffling over to grab the remote and turn it back to the channel with the interview. You were dismayed to see that the anchors were still discussing the public apology from U.A., but watched one of them hold up a hand to silence her coworker when something else showed up on their screen behind the camera. 

“This just in, All Might, alongside the #2 and 3 Pro-Hero’s are currently fighting an unknown enemy in the Kamino Ward.” 

You were scared senseless when Hawks dropped through the skylight, causing a brief shriek to leave your lips before you placed a hand in your chest. “A little warning next time?” 

“Sorry, stardust.” He rushed over to you, dropping whatever bag of takeout he had brought home this time quickly on the coffee table and sweeping you into his arms. “I missed you so much. Are you okay?” 

You missed him, too, but had too much on your mind now to truly focus on reuniting with him after being separated for a few days. “I missed you too.” You gave him a brief kiss. “But I really need to watch the news right now.” You quickly ducked out of his arms and threw yourself down on the couch. “What did you get for dinner?” 

“I got us hotpots since I figured you needed some comfort food.” He replied cheerily, a little upset that you brushed off his affection but he understood why you did so. A student of Aizawas, who you looked to like a father, saved your life. And now his life was being saved by those who were known to be the best. He didn’t mind whatsoever, knowing that you’d be snuggling him in bed that night and more than likely stuck to him like glue for the next while.

The smile that you gave him was genuine, making you think back on the date you went on with him a month ago. “You’re the best, you know that?” 

At your praise, he preened. “Only for you, stardust.” 

Your eyes shifted back to the tv as he sat down directly next to you, leaving just enough room for the two of you to eat comfortably without bumping elbows. He was humming something under his breath and going to open the takeout containers when your hand shot from your lap to his when you suddenly saw a huge ramp of ice manifest in the corner of the screen. Immediately he returned the grip you had and you silently thanked him for it, it was grounding you in the moments you forgot to breathe. 

Some of the students you had bonded with the past few days were quite literally flying haphazardly through the air and calling out to Bakugo. You couldn’t feel your heartbeat when he shot himself up to them and grabbed Kirishima's hand. Almost immediately you burst into tears for a multitude of reasons; Bakugo was safe, those kids were fucking idiots for being so reckless but you were so… proud of them for taking that risk to rescue their classmate. You couldn’t deny that you wouldn’t have done the same thing if you had the opportunity. 

Hawks sat there next to you, rubbing your shoulder and pulling you into his arms when your whole body began to shake. The hotpot was completely forgotten about while he held you through the rest of the events from Kamino Ward. 

The world changed that day, and you were thankful that he made it home to you. 

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Chapter Text

Our passion ignites us. Rapture spawns the inferno in which we perish, entwined. From smoldering coals we are formed, from our ashes, we rise. Discovered in the aftermath, our memory, our birth scars; third degree madness. Identical imperfections. Forever branded.

~ Lennon Hodson

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After Kamino Ward, a few months flew by like they were seconds. Perhaps that was because you were training almost five days a week with Aizawa and Shinso unless otherwise stated by the Underground Hero. Your body was sore, battered, and bruised by the end of the day thanks to your hand-to-hand sparring practice but you felt like you could take on the world. Autumn was almost over, and winter was rapidly approaching. It was obvious by the colder weather and threats of snow off the shores of Japan. During those freakishly quick months, the day for you to get your provisional license came and went, and you got it. 

You sat up the next morning and looked over at your boyfriend sleeping soundly, a slight snore coming from him as he inhaled.

You really hadn't expected Hawks to be the one you were fighting against for your provisional license. You were pretty sure that the pro-hero had suddenly showed up wherever Aizawa was one day and harassed him into saying yes. What most likely happened was Aizawa just wanted the flying chicken to shut the fuck up and leave him alone, so he agreed. 

So when you and Shinsou had stepped into the arena, you weren't prepared for vermillion feathers to come flying at you individually.

"Say hello to our willing volunteer, Hawks." Aizawa said from behind you, his voice dripping with annoyance and sarcasm.

"Hey, stardust!" Hawks called as he flew above you and Shinsou. 

"What the fuck are you doing here?" You shouted back at him, unable to hold back the smile on your face. Shinsou looked at you with an exhausted expression and rolled his eyes so hard they almost went into the back of his head.

He didn't answer, instead shooting more vermillion feathers at you which you dodged easily, Shinsou doing the same.

"This feels more like a test for you and not me." The purple-haired teen grumbled underneath his breath. Over the past few days he had put in a request for a support item, and he got it within 24 hours. It was a mask that resembled a voice box, the design not surprising for such an emo kid. There was a small crank on the left which allowed Shinsou to adjust the voice box as needed, and he sighed as he rose the mask from his neck and covered his mouth with it, narrowly avoiding more feathers.

Eventually Hawks was perched on a rock across the arena, letting his feathers float around him like a protective tornado. 

"Alright, Shinsou." You cracked your neck. "I have a plan." He took a few steps towards you and listened eagerly as you explained. He understood that you had much more knowledge of Hawks' strengths and weaknesses, and you knew his quirk better than him. After you finished, he nodded and pivoted on his heels, finding something to take cover behind.

Thankfully the kid had learned that he was not a hero that was up close with hand to hand combat, though he knew he could if he found himself in that predicament. If anything, he was a support hero much like Aizawa, commonly used for backup in case things went awry. His mind processed the plan as you took off into the air towards Hawks.

Your boyfriend hadn't expected you to come charging so valiantly and it had caught him off guard. He barely managed to process and predict your moves until he saw your support item tail steady in the air behind you. Keigo knew your quirk through your own explanations as you remembered more and more during your training, but he hadn't expected you to sweep up above him and plummet like a meteor with your feet aimed at his head. 

He narrowly dodged your kick, using a leg sweep to knock you off of your feet as soon as you landed, but he missed because you took right off into the air again. He narrowed his eyes and looked up at you only to see that you were gone. Quickly his mind had connected the dots when he realized that your first attack had been a fake-out. You knew he was going to dodge and attempt the leg sweep, so you had used a majority of the ricochet of your landing to shoot you back up into the air. Of course, he thought to himself, she wouldn't tell me all of her secret moves. He grinned to himself, stepping off the ledge he was standing on and letting his wings glide him down to the ground. 

You were across the arena, weaving in between obstacles to find Shinsou scaling a wall. He saw you coming out of the corner of his eye and pushed off the wall, flinging himself into the air. You caught his hands with your own and dipped down before slamming your feet into the ground and throwing Shinsou sky high. If only you could read the students thoughts. He would've never agreed to this plan if it hadn't been for your relationship with Hawks, but he never really had the chance to be thrown in the air, so why not start now? He knew you would catch him anyways. 

As Shinsou's body cleared the building you had tossed him over, he got a clear view of the Pro Hero looking around, trying to figure out your next move. Just before Shinsou fell back behind the cover of the building, he used his mask, and your own voice exited the speakers. "Hawks!" It was a panicked scream.

As soon as Hawks heard your cry for help, his feathers automatically opened as his mind assumed the worst. Immediately he located the direction the sound was coming from and zoomed over there, expecting to see you crushed underneath something or stuck somewhere, but you were nowhere to be seen.

He heard your cry again, from the other side of the arena and his mind went into haywire. His brain forgot immediately that this was a test, as he thought you were in danger. Hawks mate for life, and his instincts took over when he heard your scared shouts. He was practically seeing red as you and Shinsou sent him on a wild goose chase all the way around the arena, and he was getting angry. 

He was breathing hard, hovering in the air as he scanned the destroyed arena. It had originally been seamless without any damage, but little did he know that you were altering the layout to incite his protective instincts over you. The more you made it look like a villain attacked, the less control he had as he searched for you. His mind erased the fact that Shinsou was your teammate so he was surprised to see the student nonchalantly walking around with his hands stuffed in his P.E. uniform, kicking rocks as he whistled. Without any reasonable thoughts, Hawks dive bombed the purple-haired teen with an intent to kill. 

The two made eye contact, Hawks’ arms outstretched to grab the student. Shinsou smirked and the pro-hero faltered slightly. Why wasn't he scared? 

"First Quarter!" 

Before he could dodge your attack from above, he felt your talon pieces grab him by the base of the wings and your iron soles slammed down against his back. It forced him into a scorpion position and he was smashed against the ground, you crouched on top of him. 

"Sorry baby." You cooed in his ear. "You shouldn't have bothered my mentor for this." 

You stepped off of his back, leaving him laying there on the ground with a shocked expression on his face. You had brushed the dirt off of your pants with a happy smile on your face, running to Shinsou and pulling him into a tight hug. "We did it!" 

The teenager lost his breath in your death grip and he felt like his eyes were going to pop out of his head. He tapped you gently on the left shoulder and you pulled back, remembering that he wasn't one for much physical contact with another human being. "I honestly didn't think that plan would work." He hummed, pulling the mask off of his face and letting it rest against his collarbones.

"Fun fact: Hawks mate for life, and when their mate is in danger, it's like they lose control of themselves." You rolled on the balls of your feet, ignoring the ashy blond who was slowly regaining feeling in his arms.

"Congratulations!" Hawks called, his face pressed into the ground. "I really shouldn't have underestimated you, stardust." He really didn't think that you knew of a way to immobilize him, but it turned out that your plan was flawless. You turned to face your boyfriend, grabbing his shoulders and rolling him over onto his back so he could look up at you. The look of adoration in his eyes made your heart skip a beat and you wanted to smooch his face. "You really showed me what was what, huh?" He laughed before his face dropped. "How long am I going to be like this?"

You shrugged and kissed your pointer and middle finger, pressing it against his lips as an indirect kiss. "Probably fifteen to thirty minutes." 

He laughed again. "Awesome! Just stay right where you are, I have a perfect view." You giggled and crouched down, ready to plant a kiss on his face but you heard Shinsou gag from behind you.

You turned your head to tease the boy, but you saw Aizawa sluggishly crawling over on the ground in his sleeping bag. "Congratulations." He muttered, his tired eyes switching between you and Shinsou. "Once Hawks is mobile again, I'll go have your licenses printed." He fell asleep as soon as he finished talking.

It was idle chitchat between you, Shinsou, and Hawks as you waited for First Quarter to wear off. Eventually he regained feeling throughout his whole body and was able to stand up after about thirty-two minutes. Aizawa heard the commotion and sighed loudly, not wanting to end his nap so soon. 

As the four of you walked out of the arena, you held Hawks hand in yours and swung your arms together, your head resting on his shoulder with a content smile. 

"How about I take you out tonight, huh? As a celebration? Our place?" Hawks suggested and you looked up at him before leaning in for a kiss.

"That sounds wonderful. Our place?"

"Yeah, where we had our date."

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Chapter Text

Not telling me something or hiding something on purpose is just the same as lying.

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"*Best Jeanist Whereabouts Unknown*"

Is what flashed across your screen that morning. You choked on your morning drink and called for Hawks, your cat pawing at your pant leg with a loud purr. There was no answer. You listened hard for the number two hero, he should be up by now. He usually would have sent a feather if he was busy, but there wasn't one for that either. You walked down the hallway, leaving your drink on the kitchen counter and faintly touching the doorframe of your previous room, before stretching around the corner. 

"Hello?" Obviously nobody was home, and you made your way out of his room, snatching your cat off of his bed and closing the door behind you. You returned to the kitchen to grab your drink and then settled onto the couch to watch the news.

As the television droned on about Best Jeanists whereabouts, you couldn't help but wonder yourself where he was. Perhaps on a vacation? But he just got back to work...why would he disappear without telling anybody? Your eyes drifted from the tv to notice a small book that seemed to have fallen from the coffee table.

On the cover read "Special Abilities Liberation Front." You briefly glanced over it until you came across a dog-eared page. You clicked your tongue in disdain. Why couldn't he respect a book? Some words on the pages were circled with a pencil. Until you began to connect the dots, it seemed like gibberish. 

Enemy...liberation...battlefield...league... overthrow...100,000...April...

You quickly closed the book and jumped to your feet, gliding on your wings down the hallway and into your old bedroom, stuffing the book in a box in the back of your closet. April was four months from now. What were you supposed to do? Should you tell him that you know? No...he'll tell you, won't he? He won't lie to you. 

It was obvious through the message he conveyed that he was at the meeting, he saw all those people who were ready to riot in April. He couldn't do anything, except this. You wondered who he gave the message to, your mind wandering once again to see if he would tell you.

Drifting back out to the living room, you sat there and mulled about the house as you used to, playing with Yoshio on and off over the rest of the day. You'd even done obnoxious things, knowing it would get his attention when he got home. You had hidden tiny plastic babies around his room, bathroom, and places around the house where Hawks would find them, but not the cat. 

The Maine Coon thought he was intelligent, but he had little to no spatial awareness when it came to finding his own source of food. He also could barely control his large paws when he sprinted, often knocking into things and causing them to fall over, or just being so loud you swore that he was causing an earthquake.  The downfall of a two-year-old cat was the zoomies, especially when you were no longer in a small apartment and Yoshio had room to run. 

You even ordered a cat tree and had it delivered the same day. It was at your front door before it was completely dark out, and you had it assembled and placed in the far wall of the living room where thankfully Hawks didn't have anything. Well, he had moved a bookshelf when he gave you the idea of buying Yoshio a cat tree. Alright y'know what, he bought the cat tree. 

You had takeout teriyaki for dinner, and eventually fell asleep on the couch, Yoshio curled up next to you. 

Hawks silently entered the house sometime in the dead of the night, closing the sliding glass door behind him without a sound and turning to see you sleeping on the couch. He put his boots away before tucking an arm under your neck and the other under your knees and carrying you to your bedroom. 

After laying you down and covering you with the blankets, he said goodnight to Yoshio and stepped outside, closing the door behind him. 

The pro hero rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. He hadn't slept in 46 hours. He barely made it to his bed before collapsing; Hawks was asleep by the time his head hit the bed.

Over the skyline of Japan, the starry night sky hazed into a bloody horizon.

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Chapter Text

You never knew the stars had a flavor until you first kissed him. It turns out they taste like ambition and ancient fire, desperation and self-destruction, determination and dark matter and the mind-numbing fear of being left alone again. 

(he's not alone anymore)

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Hawks’ large shower was always amazing to bathe in, and he never ran out of hot water unlike the shower in your own personal bedroom. It was nice to be able to shower with somebody else in the morning, and there was a new section of your routine whenever Hawks decided to join you. 

It always started with him sneaking up behind you, running his hands up your naked body from your thighs to your shoulders then down your back and massaging the base of your wings and back. In return you'd wash his hair for him, running your fingernails across his scalp and earning a satisfied groan from him each time. It was lots of soft touches and taking care of each other, all until Keigo got that gleam in his eyes.

Wordlessly his fingers found purchase in your hair and he pulled your head back and leaned into your exposed neck. His kisses started lightly underneath your jaw and he made a path down to your collarbones, leaving bruising hickeys and love bites in his wake. Your hands slid across his wet back, reaching for the sensitive feathers closer to the base of his wings and tugged. His body ran cold with goosebumps and you felt him get harder as he pressed against your thigh. Soon enough he was rutting into you, his teeth sinking into your skin as he growled. 

You let go of his wings and grabbed him by his hair, pulling his lips to yours in a hungry frenzy. His teeth clashed against yours and he shoved you back against the wall of the shower, the cold tiles making you shiver. He grabbed you by the thighs and lifted you up. His lips met yours again as he sunk you down onto his cock, gasping against his lips with whispers of praise against your bruised lips. 

He steadied you on the wall and his nails dug into your legs to make sure he wouldn't drop you. He bit your bottom lip gently before he pulled almost completely out of you. You whined at the feeling of emptiness and dipped your head  to his neck. When he pushed in again, you bit his muscle and he hissed in response. His wings extended to help balance himself and he rutted his hips against yours. The sound of skin slapping on skin echoed off the bathroom walls, the hot water and body heat making the mirrors fog.

Your cries of pleasure were music to Hawks ears and he just wanted to hear more and more. It was like he found his favorite song and wanted to listen to it on repeat, the only song he didn't think he could ever get sick of. He balanced your body in one hand, using his own to keep you pressed up against the shower wall. His free hand flicked at your clit and you keened his name. A smirk crossed his face and he abused the bundle of nerves, his pace never wavering as he pushed you over the edge. 

"Fuck me until you cum." You panted, nipping on his lower lip as your nails left crescent moons embedded into the skin on his back. 

He chuckled and a rush of heat seared your body. "I planned on it." He pulled you off the wall, his arms holding you up as he turned you around. Immediately your hands reached out to grab the shelving in the wall to support yourself. You took a breath to prepare because you just knew he was going to pound you until stars were burned into the back of your eyelids. 

You couldn't hold back any sounds as he fucked you mercilessly, praise slipping from his lips as he watched your ass clap back against his hips. "You take my cock so well baby girl." He purred and bent over above you, his teeth sinking into the base of your wing gently. "Who do you belong to?" 

"You!" You cried, tears brimming at your eyes. Euphoria licked at your spine, running from your toes to your fingertips as your legs shook. 

"What's my name?" He growled, straightening up and slowing his pace.

You whined and unconsciously rutted your hips against his. His palm struck your ass cheek as punishment for not answering him and you yelped, rolling your bottom lip between your teeth. "Hawks."

"It’s Keigo." He demanded, increasing his pace again.

"Keigo?" Was that his actual name?

"The neighbors can't hear you." He was reaching his peak, but he wouldn't finish until you did what he asked.

"K-Keigo!" His true name sounded foreign on your lips but you liked it. He pumped his hips twice before he pulled out and came across your back with a guttural moan. 

Just the sound of him orgasming made you ready to go another round, but your legs almost gave out on you and he pulled you up to your feet. When you turned around his eyes were full of adoration and relief. 

You knew that him running in and out of the Meta Liberation Army was exhausting, though he didn't know that. He was stuck in his own head of not being able to talk to anybody about it, and having sex was one of his only reliefs in life. Coming home to you everyday or night was a blessing in his life, as he never realized how alone he was until you moved in. Not to mention that he had such a strong bond with Yoshio that the pro-hero couldn't see himself living without a cat. 

His hand came up to rest on your neck and his thumb brushed over your cheek. "I love you so much stardust." 

You leaned your head into his hand and your own came to hold his other, kissing his knuckles. "I love you too, Keigo." 

He gave you the softest kiss before he rested his forehead against yours. You sighed softly in content with a gentle smile on your face. Your mind wandered to the fact that you still had to wash out your conditioner and finish your morning routine, but Keigo’s voice caught you off guard.

"Marry me."

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Chapter Text

A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because it's trust is not in the branch, but in it's own wings.

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The silver promise ring on your left hand was a constant reminder of what you signed up for. 

Mentally you shut down for a few hours to process the thought after Keigo asked. Thankfully, he was in no hurry to receive your answer and was willing to listen to what you had to say instead of getting upset.

You put it simply for him: it was too soon. There was also so much going on between the two of your personal lives that there was no room to prepare for a wedding. You were officially a pro-hero, already scaling the ranks since you've been seen with both Eraserhead and Hawks himself while out and about. You'd made some appearances when it came to other heroes who needed an extra hand with something, but that was usually on patrol and nobody recognized you, so that was always fun. 

Keigo wasn't upset at all when you told him that you weren't ready yet. He understood that he had jumped the gun a little bit, but he was willing to wait. He asked if he could get you a promise ring instead, and you agreed. You already knew that you'd be spending the rest of your life with him, no questions asked. So, a promise ring was a good start.

That was two weeks ago, and you hadn't seen Keigo since then. You were beyond frustrated with him, as he hadn't even sent you a message to let you know that he was still alive. Not to mention that you had to go and pick up Momo by yourself and introduce her to Yoshio. 

Out of pettiness, you'd started sleeping in your own bed again. Every time you'd walk into his room, you would just get even madder at him. There was a nagging feeling in your chest that made you anxious for his return, or his lack of one. If the Liberation figured out that he was in there to spy, they'd kill him without a second thought and nobody would know about it. He'd be the next Best Jeanist: "whereabouts unknown". 

When you brought Momo home you started her off in Keigo's room. Once she was comfortable there, you had set up a mesh door so that her and Yoshio could meet and visit with something in between them. Yoshio wanted to get in Keigo's room and play with her so bad that he started howling and scratching at the mesh door, so you booted him down the hallway and closed the actual bedroom door. 

Day four was when Momo and Yoshio were able to interact with each other. Momo was very brave and even tried attacking Yoshio to signify her dominance but it obviously didn't work. He was gentle with his corrections as he understood that she was still a baby, and after a few hours of the two of them playing Momo decided that he was a good napping spot. The whole time she slept, the Maine Coon groomed her almost obsessively until she woke up and yelled at him. Since then they've been inseparable, wherever one went the other would follow and vice versa. 

Momo bonded with you almost instantly though she was a little timid at first. You spent a lot of time in Keigo's room just minding your own business as she explored, and on day two she was approaching you willingly. 

It was officially the tenth day that Momo was home that Keigo made an appearance again. He didn't get home until about 02:30 AM, and he was greeted with an empty living room. 

The pro-Hero assumed that you were in bed and quietly took his boots off, hoping not to make any noise and wake you up. His ears picked up the sound of your talons coming immediately yet he wasn't fast enough to dodge them. The individual talons pierced his jacket and pinned him to the wall with a loud slam, effectively knocking the wind out of him. His vision was hazy while he focused on you, trying to regain his breathing when you finally came into focus.

You stood in front of him with your arms crossed over your chest, in his Hawkward shirt and your pajama shorts with a scowl on your face. "Where have you been?" He opened his mouth to speak but you raised your hand. "Don't answer that, I have an idea of where you were, but it still doesn't mean you're off the hook." 

Keigo's feathers twitched unconsciously and he felt chills going down his spine. He knew he should've at least snuck away for a few hours to send you a text but he didn't find any openings to do so. Not to mention that he had finally come to the decision that he needed to tell you about what was actually happening. 

"Stay here." You pivoted on your heels and walked away, shoulders tense and hands clenched into fists. It wasn't like he could move anyways, so he rested his head back against the wall, a dull headache roaring at the contact. Soon enough you returned with a small book in hand and he visibly paled when he caught the first word of the title. 

"Fuck." 

Your eyebrows furrowed at his curse and you sighed heavily, resting the spine of the book in the palm of your left hand and holding onto it with your fingers as you opened it up. "Let's see here..." 

Not humorously, Keigo imagined you lecturing a class in the way you stood and read off to him the notes he had highlighted.

"Why didn't you tell me? I know you gave it to somebody. Who?" 

"I gave it to Endeavour and the U.A. kids he's training." His voice started off strong, but the last part of his sentence faded out as he dropped his gaze to the floor. "I didn't tell you because I was scared."

"Scared?" You almost didn't believe him, he never presented himself as somebody that was scared but you decided not to question it. You didn't know what he was experiencing when he was spying on the Liberation Army so you had no say in the matter. If anything, you wanted clarification and you signaled that with the motion of your hand.

"Because..." he began mumbling and you felt yourself growing frustrated. 

"I can't hear you, Keigo. Speak up." You didn't intend to say his name with so much malice, but it slipped out and your heart dropped when he flinched.

"Because Dabi's intentionally going after you." 

You didn't say anything, instead taking a moment to yourself to process what the fuck he just said. Your mind was a raging ocean of emotions, yet the tsunami that flooded your senses was nothing. Just pure numbness. Keigo didn't like how scarily calm your voice had become and he felt himself slipping into a cold sweat. 

"You can't hide things like this from me, Keigo, especially if my life is in danger." You closed the notebook in your hand and dropped it on the floor in front of his feet. 

Suddenly Keigo was on the floor and he stumbled to regain his balance so he didn't fall over. Immediately he went to comfort you, but you smacked his hands away and pushed him roughly. 

His eyes met your own and his heart shattered when he saw the tears streaming down your face. 

"Fuck you."

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Chapter Text

And the rest is rust and stardust.

~ Vladimir Nabokov

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You didn't sleep at all that night; memories haunted your brain like a poltergeist. Unconsciously you found yourself rocking in the corner of your bedroom with your knees to your chest, tears streaming down your face as you choked back sobs. How could he do this to you?

He knew what Dabi did to you and your mother, so why? What was the point? Did he think you weren't going to figure it out eventually? 

A sob erupted from your throat and you clapped a hand over your mouth to make yourself quieter. Your cats heard you, of course and Yoshio was the first one to rush over, Momo hot on his heels. 

They'd been laying on the bed curled up together when you first bustled into your bedroom but they didn't move when you crawled to the corner to cry. 

Why the corner? It's always best to have a breakdown in them and it made you feel safer. Needles to say it was also the furthest point in your room from Keigo. You assumed he hadn't left the living room since you didn't hear him, or maybe he had gone to his room and you were too much of an emotional wreck to hear him.

At the thought of being a wall apart, perhaps him on the other side made you recoil and you shuffled to the opposite corner, wiping the tears from your eyes as Yoshio meowed at you.

When the Maine Coon forced himself into your lap and began purring loudly, you just cried harder. He was always so on spot with your emotions and he was the greatest thing to ever happen to you. The cat could read you like a book and he could figure out what you were feeling before you recognized it. You began petting him and his soft fur slowly soothed you. You extended your legs to give Yoshio more room on your lap when you felt sandpaper on your free hand. 

Momo was licking your fingers with all of her might, a soft purr rumbling from her tiny body. It was as if she was copying Yoshio in his ways to comfort you, and god damn did she do a good job. When your skin began to feel raw, you scooped her with your free hand and set her on your chest. She mewed in your face and began licking your nose, pulling back and making a weird face when she tasted your tears. Her front paws began to knead into your chest and the feeling was relaxing. Her tiny claws didn't make it through the shirt you were wearing, but there was a few tiny pricks here and there which helped you feel less numb.

Eventually you stopped crying and Yoshio began grooming Momo who cried in protest and swiped at him. She tucked her legs under her body and settled in loaf-mode on your bosom. You didn't want to get up, she was too cute and had just gotten comfy. 

Your phone vibrated under your thigh and you used your free hand to grab it, leaving the other on Yoshio as the cat settled down as well. 

3:54

ScreamDad:

My spidey senses are tingling. What's wrong?

How did Present Mic have the audacity to text you at such an ungodly hour of the morning? You didn't question it, you needed this distraction.

3:55

(Y/N)

How'd you know? Are you stalking me?

Jk. I'd rather not talk about it over the phone.

Are you with Aizawa?

You sent him three individual texts instead of one and he began typing his response, signified by the dots on the bottom of the screen in the messenger bubble.

3:55 AM

ScreamDad:

How DARE you!! 

That bad, huh?

Yes, we're at Signa's Grove.

He sent three individual texts of his own and you giggled. Signa's Grove, huh? That wasn't far from here, you could get there in about five minutes. Signa's Grove was a winery with a restaurant and bar open to the public 24 hours a day. You knew that Aizawa would've preferred to go to your bar, if you still had it. Hizashi obviously picked their "date space".

3:56

(Y/N)

I can be there in five minutes? 

Is it alright if I show up?

Hizashi responded with a picture of Aizawa looking as exhausted as usual with his middle finger to the camera. It looked like there was somebody slumped over next to him. You wondered who it was.

3:56

ScreamDad:

Hurry up! We miss you!

The picture of Aizawa made you feel better, but you still didn't want to move the cats that were resting on you. You shifted your legs and Yoshio seemed to get the idea so he rose from your lap and waltzed over to the bed. Momo immediately jumped off your chest and scrambled after him. You watched from the corner as Yoshio gracefully jumped up and Momo copied though she didn't make it all the way up. Her tiny needle-like claws dug desperately into your duvet and she scrambled her way to the top. 

You rose from your sitting position and stretched, shaking your limbs to regain feeling back into them before you moved towards your closet. You slid the door open before your heart dropped. Most of your clothes—the nice ones anyways—were in Keigo's room. You just had to make do with what you had. You glanced about your minimal selection for a moment before you pulled a sweatshirt off of a hanger and slid it over your head. You sighed and took off your shorts, finding a pair of capri leggings in one of the small cubbyholes in front of your knees. 

You turned to look at yourself in the mirror and flinched at how disheveled you looked. Your hair was a mess and so was your face, blotchy and red from your aggressive crying. You quickly shuffled to the bathroom and splashed cold water on your face, running a brush through your hair after. 

When you looked at the felines laying on your bed, you decided to crack open your bedroom door so that way they wouldn't be locked in for the rest of the night. They had access to a litter box in your bathroom, but not food and water so you deemed it a necessity before you left. Your heart pounded in your chest as you silently turned the doorknob and opened it slightly. You didn't have the balls to face him after what happened and you pursed your lips.

Keigo would most likely stop you if he saw you trying to leave, so you decided against walking out the door like a normal person. Instead, you opened your bedroom window and popped off the screen, looking down at the street below you. It was primarily empty except for a car driving by every now and then. You scoffed at yourself. You couldn't believe that you were sneaking out. What was this? High school? With the way Keigo had your emotions running haywire, you didn't question it. 

Carefully you balanced yourself on the window sill and let yourself step out. Your wings opened automatically and you made sure to secure the screen back in the window to prevent the cats from jumping out—that would be an immediate death sentence. Unfortunately you weren't able to close your window from the outside with the screen in so you let it be. You had a feeling that the pro-hero who owned the penthouse would look for you in the morning, assuming he was passed out. You took a peak through the bay window of the living room to see if he was there, making sure to stay out of sight. The bastard was sleeping on the couch, face-down. He didn't even take his clothes off before he passed out. 

Anger bubbled within you, but you left before that anger developed into anything else. 

The flight to Signa's Grove was short and sweet and you felt relieved when your feet touched the ground outside of the door. When you opened the door Hizashi was up on his feet scurrying over to you. You didn't even have time to figure out what table he came from before he locked your right arm with his left and dragged you. 

You were plopped down into the seat before you could process anything and Hizashi scooted into the booth next to you, effectively trapping you from escaping. Not that you wanted to, anyways. You were with two of your favorite people. 

Well, make that three.

"This is a winery, isn't he not supposed to be in here?" You asked, motioning to the teenager sleeping with his head on the table.

"He was on patrol with me tonight, and still is. We're just taking a break." Aizawa explained, sparing a glance at Shinsou. He lifted his glass to his lips and took a sip before he sighed. "Fill us in, you look like shit." 

The closest thing to you was a fork and you used your telekinesis to pick it up and smack Aizawa's head with it. He wasn't phased and just took another sip of his drink with direct eye contact. You dropped the fork and it clattered on the table. That woke Shinso up and his head lifted. The first thing he saw was you and he rolled his eyes before setting his head back down.

You started to pick up the fork again but Hizashi's hand on your bicep stopped you. You turned your attention to the blond to see his face covered in sincere concern. 

Your fingers began unconsciously tapping the table. "So..."

The glass in Aizawa's right hand broke when you finished spilling the tea. "I'm gonna fucking kill him." 

"No." Hizashi said, raising his hand. "We'll kill him."

"Who thought pro-heros would be willing to murder another for their alumni?" Shinsou muttered against the table. 

"Don't kill him." You scolded. "Though I wouldn't mind seeing that fight, he doesn't deserve it. He was scared, and rightfully so. They could've killed him anytime they pleased. So I can't blame him." You were making excuses for Keigo at this point though you knew it was wrong. You still loved him and you had to do your part to protect him, even if it was against two of your previous mentors. 

"Doesn't matter." Hizashi intercepted after he finished his drink. "We've got your back and we'll figure this out. There's something we need to talk about, though."

It felt nice to get the weight off your chest and you leaned back in your seat. Shinsou finally lifted his head to pay full attention and he rested his chin on the palm of his hand with his elbow on the table. "This was my idea." 

"What was?" You inquired, staring at the teenager. He obnoxiously sipped his (obviously) non-alcoholic drink through his straw as he refused to answer. 

The fork rose again, and dropped when Hizashi reached into his jacket. "U.A. feels responsible for what happened to your bar. Dabi's interacted with staff and students multiple times yet we still couldn't get him. Knowing that he has a previous history with you, the principal approved of Shinsou's idea."

Your jaw hit the floor when Hizashi pulled out a check with 1 million yen. He turned slightly in his seat to face you, and he held the check out. "Please give us another space to hang out in. We loved your bar, it was our favorite. We also love you, (Y/N) and we know you need this. So you can't tell us no." 

You took the check with shaky hands and stared at it. You'd never even considered having this much money in your life or even just holding it in your hand. You almost forgot your name when you saw it printed on the flimsy piece of paper. 

Every head in the bar turned when you started crying again.

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Chapter Text

Her walk is like a shot of whisky. Neat and strong and full of purpose. And so many underestimate her punch. 

~ JM Storm

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"Wake." A pillow hit you in the face. "Up." Before it could strike again you raised your hand to grab the offending material and stopped it midway. You opened your eyes to see Aizawa looming over you with two pillows. One in his right which you were holding, and another in his left. 

The man obviously knew that you were awake with how you grabbed his makeshift weapon, but he swung his left arm wide and smacked you in the face with it. "Once more for good measure."

"Quit bullying her." Hizashi nagged. "Let the woman get up in peace." 

"School starts in two hours, she's going to make me late if she keeps sleeping in." Aizawa retorted to the blond man in the kitchen.

You could physically hear Hizashi roll his eyes. "Like you don't sleep all the time." 

Aizawa grumbled under his breath and dropped both pillows before storming into the kitchen. You had expected to hear a fight, but instead Hizashi came out wrapped in Aizawa's scarf with two mugs of coffee in his hand. 

"He tried strangling me, save me." Hizashi fled to the couch and set himself down on it when you moved your feet to give him more room. Wordlessly he handed your coffee to you and he took a sip of his with a happy sigh. "How'd you sleep?" 

"Not well, actually." You murmured, staring at the coffee in your hands. You would've desperately sucked it down on regular mornings, but your stomach churned with anxiety. "I haven't slept on a couch in a minute and it felt weird." 

Hizashi looked up at Aizawa when the man returned to the living room with a scolding gaze. "I told you that you should've let her sleep in the bed and Shinso on the couch."

You waved Hizashi off with your hand. "It's fine, he's still going to school and he needs restful sleep before class." You forced yourself to take a sip of your coffee and you let the liquid sit in your mouth before you made yourself swallow it. 

Speaking of the purple-haired teen, he shuffled out of the guest bedroom with a loud yawn. His tired eyes scanned the living room before they rolled and he threw himself into the armchair across from the couch, leaving Aizawa with only one place to sit: next to Hizashi. 

The exhausted man grumbled and dropped onto the free seat on the couch. "What are your plans today, (Y/N)?" 

You didn't even think about what you were possibly going to do today. You definitely didn't want to return to the penthouse in case Keigo was still there. If he was awake that would mean a confrontation and you weren't ready for that. You took another sip of your coffee and this time you didn't have to force yourself to swallow it. "I don't know. I don't really have any place to go except back to the house..." 

A lightbulb went off over Hizashi's head and the man grinned. "Why don't you come to U.A. and act as a special guest? I'm sure Class 1-A would love to meet an alumni who actually graduated under Aizawa."

"She's not the only one that graduated." Aizawa muttered bitterly, though you knew he didn't mean it. Hands down you were his favorite student along with Hizashi's, he just had a reputation to upkeep and that was why he was mean to you sometimes. It never phased you though, you knew he always meant well when it came to you.

"You did say that you had a few students that needed a 'what-for'." You replied, leaning back on the couch and nursing your drink.

"Particularly one, the other one just has a bad habit of hurting himself when he uses his quirk." Hizashi commented. "That little shit doesn't even pay attention in English anymore." 

"Midoriya or Bakugou?" Shinso piped up from the armchair, his eyes closed with his head back against the cushion.

"Both." The two teachers replied at the same time. They exchanged a glance before sighing. "They're too caught up with competing with each other to actually pay attention."

"Sounds like somebody needs to step in." You mused, finally finishing your coffee with an agreeable stomach. "Is anybody going to make breakfast or shall I?" 

"Shinso go help (Y/N) with breakfast." Aizawa told the student.

Shinso groaned loudly and let his whole body slip off the leather armchair onto the floor before he rose to his feet. "Just don't burn anything."

You stood up and stretched your arms above your head, your right wing smacking Hizashi in the face as you did so. You gave him an apologetic glance and he shrugged, returning it with a small smile. "You don't even know my level of skill when it comes to cooking. Have you been in outer space every time the discussion of my bar came up? I didn't just mix drinks, you know." 

"Seems like that's all you're good at sometimes." Shinso muttered under his breath. You quivered in anger, what the fuck shit in his Cheerios this morning? You looked over your shoulder to see if either man would support you but they were having their own conversation and you just turned and followed the teenager into the kitchen.

"What the fuck is your problem?" You asked him when he was leaning over to pull pots and pans out of the cupboard.

"What's your problem? Why are you always such a crybaby, huh?" He retorted venomously. 

"Aizawa!" You called out, blocking the whole entrance to the kitchen so Shinso couldn't escape your wrath. "Can I fucking kill him?" 

"No." Hizashi and Aizawa said from the living room. 

Shinso threw a cocky smirk at you as he set the pan down on the stove, turning to the fridge to grab some sausage links. 

"Feel free to scar him, though." Eraserhead's tired voice chirped up.

You ripped open the drawers around you and picked up all the silverware you could find, mainly looking for knives. Shinso wasn't paying attention, instead tending to the sausage in the pan when you finally got enough of what you needed. He didn't have a chance to look up before forks, knives, and spoons stabbed his uniform into the wall closest to him. His eyes widened, he hadn't expected you to return his harassment so violently, but he underestimated your mental stability to make reasonable decisions at that point.

"Listen here you little fucking purple people-eater, you don't get to fucking treat me like shit over the smallest things. I don't care what the fuck happened to you to give you such a nasty attitude, but you're gonna learn the hard way when you give the wrong somebody an attitude and they kill you for it. Get your fucking shit together and stop acting like a five year old. Heros don't act like this, villains do." You were directly in his face at that point, and Shinso would never tell you that you scared the shit out of him in that moment. 

Aizawa and Hizashi intercepted before it went any further and the blond man pulled you away from the kitchen. "Why don't we stop by a cafe for breakfast, huh? Grab something for the road?" 

Aizawa wordlessly began pulling silverware and knives from his kitchen wall, effectively letting Shinso back down to his feet.

The Pro-Hero didn't say anything as he left the kitchen, following Hizashi to help calm you down. 

Shinso kicked himself in the back of the leg. 

Why can't he just learn to shut the fuck up?

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Chapter Text

She wore her scars as her best attire. A stunning dress made of hellfire.

~ Daniel Saint

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Aizawa threw open his classroom door. "Why aren't you in your seats?" You heard the loud chant of apologies and scuffling of shoes on the floor as the students who were still gossiping rushed to their seats. "I know yesterday I said we were going to be training all day, but I figured you could have an hour to meet somebody."

You had your back pressed to the closed door, leaning in slightly to hear what they were going to say. 

"Sensei!" 

"Yes, Midoriya?" 

"Who are we meeting? Are they a hero? Are they famous? Are they a U.A. alumni?" 

"Stop asking me questions about somebody you’ve already met." 

That was your cue to step in, and you pulled the heavy door open after you turned. All eyes were on you in your black hoodie with "Hero Association" written on it, and dark blue Capri leggings with your knee-high boots. 

When you turned to face the class, you made eye contact with a few of them before you dropped your hood. One happened to look like an angry Pomeranian and the other was a little boy with purple balls on his head—was he drooling? He hadn't even seen your face yet. You recoiled slightly in disgust and you noticed a girl with a tall ponytail smack the boy on the head with her book. He withered back into his seat. 

You cleared your throat. "It’s nice to see you all again. If you don’t remember me, my name is (Y/N) (L/N) and I went with you all to training camp." 

Immediately everybody was asking questions except the Pomeranian. Midoriya was sitting behind him, practically vibrating in his seat. He looked like a rocket that was about to bust it's cap and bounce off the walls. Before he could do so, Aizawa spoke up for you.

"Be quiet." 

They were quick to stop yelling and sat back. You felt like you visibly sweat dropped before you threw them a half-assed smile. "I don't really know what to say at this point, this was pretty short-notice for me. So why don't I answer questions? I don’t remember all of your names, so please remind me that way I don't have to keep rudely gesturing, thanks." 

All hands shot up in the air and you sighed, glancing over your shoulder to see Aizawa already in his sleeping bag. "Wake me up when you're done." You stepped to the side and the grown man rolled underneath the desk where it was dark. 

You returned to your original position before scanning the room. You noticed a girl with pink skin and hair and you smiled. "What do you wanna know about little ole me?" 

"I'm Mina Ashido. You said you just recently became a hero though you're one of Aizawa's first students. Can you go into a little more detail on that?" 

"Sure!" You drummed your fingers against the desk. "When I was still a U.A. student, my mom ran a bar popular with heroes called Treasure Wing. Right after I graduated she passed and I took over which is why it took me until a few weeks ago to become a hero. Sadly somebody burned down my bar in an attempt to take down some pro-heros, but I just got the funding I need to build a new one." 

Mina looked satisfied with your answer so you scanned the room again. You couldn’t forget Tokoyami. He was training under Keigo, right? He had his hand raised, so you pointed to him. "Tsukuyomi?" Keigo had only mentioned the student once or twice, and you never worked with Keigo at the same time he was working with Tsukuyomi, so you weren't sure if it was actually him. 

All you could really remember Keigo saying was "One whole bird." 

He looked stunned since you knew his name, and everybody else in the class looked at him with astonishment. "M-may I ask two?" He stuttered slightly at all of the attention on him, but you nodded. "Tokoyami Fumikage. What's your hero name? And how do you know my hero name." 

"Oh those are easy." You leaned against the desk with your elbows propping your head up. "My hero name is Estrella, and I know your hero name because you're interning under my boyfriend." 

Aizawa shuffled slightly under the desk as if he was showing his disapproval and you nudged him with your foot. The man stilled and you kept your full attention on the bird-resembling student. No wonder Keigo kept chanting "one whole bird", or maybe that man's just a little crazy. 

Tokoyami sat back and you moved onto the blond boy sitting near him. You noticed Midoriya in the back switching his arms to hold his other hand up. "Hold on, I'll get to you in a minute, okay?" 

He nodded, but still didn't put his hand down and you turned back to the blond. "What do you have?" 

"My name is Denki Kaminari and I'm single. Are your parents pro-heros, too?"

You shook your head, ignoring his comment of his relationship status. "My father was, but he disappeared and my mother had the bar to run, so she never became a hero." 

Denki looked like he wanted to ask something else but you skipped over him and went for the green-haired boy in the back. "You look like you're about to bust your cap, how many questions do you have for me?" 

He stood up. "I only have two! I’m Izuku; what's your quirk? Can you use your feathers individually like Hawks?" 

"Nah, I'm not as cool as him. Maybe I'm cooler? I guess I'll leave that up for you to decide. Primarily I stockpile energy, or mana as I call it. I’m able to use telekinesis with limits without stockpiling. I can do different things depending on how much mana I have stockpiled up. You saw a glimpse of what I can do at the training camp." 

Aizawa had mentioned something of there possibly being a spy for the League of Villains somewhere in U.A., so you didn't want to risk sharing that information just in case you had to use it against one of the students—you really hoped that you didn't have to. Midoriya was writing everything you said down into a notebook and you hummed in curiosity. "What are you writing in?" 

"Oh!" Midoriya lifted his head. "S-sorry! I have journals to take notes on pro-heros and their quirks. I didn’t get the chance when we were at camp."

You shrugged. "It's alright, I just never expected myself to be in a student's journal. You're not writing love notes to me there, are you?" You teased and his face exploded with red. He couldn't respond except with small whimpers and muttering under his breath, so you left it at that. 

Some of the other students laughed and you gave them a quick glare—it stopped. 

A boy with weird elbows had his hand raised so you motioned for him to speak. 

"I'm Sero Hanta, thanks for coming and talking with us today. Who trained you to become a hero?" 

"The man sleeping under this desk, actually."

Sero sat back down in his seat with a grin, and a boy with spiky red hair caught your attention. 

"Kirishima Eijiro, do you know Shinso?" 

You looked away for a second, still regretting what you did to the purple-haired teen earlier. "Yes, he and I trained together under Aizawa. We even took our licensing exam together. He's a strong student, I think he'll become a great hero." Why'd you have to tell them that instead of him? You mentally began beating yourself up for it, but stopped when the angry Pomeranian raised his hand.

"What happened in your licensing exam?" He didn't say his name which made you a little ticked off, though you knew exactly who he was. 

"Didn't I ask for you to remind me of your name, Bakugou Katsuki? Who taught you how to respect your elders?" 

He jumped out of his seat, trying to look intimidating but again, all you saw was a very angry Pomeranian. "YOU FUCKING—" Sero quickly taped him to his desk, including covering his mouth and threw you an apologetic grin.

"To answer your question, Hawks intercepted Aizawa on his way home one day and didn't leave him alone until he agreed to let him have a part in it. He obviously got his ass beat because Shinso and I both passed. Who's next?" 

The girl with the tall ponytail raised her hand and you motioned to her. "Yaoyorozu Momo. What inspired you to become a hero?" 

You took a deep breath. "The man who destroyed the Treasure Wing also killed my mother. That's why I became a hero. Anything else?" 

Those who had their hands raised dropped them and all looked between each other. A girl with dark hair and bangs lifted her hand after you gave her your full attention. She rose from her seat and bowed slightly in your direction. "Kyoka Jiro. How difficult was it for you to graduate?" 

"Not bad, actually. I was pretty spot-on with my grades and I did great in training. I'm sure Aizawa won't tell you this but I was his and Present Mic's favorite student." You finished with a wide grin, knowing that Aizawa was rolling his sleeping bag in front of your feet. "Who's next?" 

A large kid with very full lips had his hand raised. "Satou Rikidou. What was your most difficult fight?" 

"Well when I was still a U.A. student, I was set up against Present Mic during my first licensing exam. It was really, really hard to get close to him since he can scream in every direction, you know? That's where my wings came in handy because my teammate distracted him and gave me an opportunity to sneak up from above." 

"Did you win?!" Midoriya shouted out.

"We barely won. I had to pull a dirty move and kick Present Mic in his family jewels, and then I had to drag my teammate out of the ring because he'd knocked her unconscious. You would not believe the range that overgrown cockatoo has."

Aizawa shuffled under the desk, signaling that he wanted out of his dark napping spot so you moved. "Sorry everybody, it looks like our time's up. I feel like I'll be seeing you all again eventually, so you can ask me more questions then if it's an open opportunity. Thanks for having me!" 

As Aizawa stood up and began unzipping his sleeping bag, the class chanted a large "thank you" which made you blush slightly. Who would've thought that your alumni-ass would talk to your undergrads five years later? 

Nevertheless, it was the distraction you needed.

But as soon as you left the classroom your heart sank.

It was time to face the overgrown chicken.

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Chapter Text

Hell is empty. All the devils are here.

~ William Shakespeare

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Keigo's day didn't exactly go as planned. Every morning he would roll over and feel you there laying next to him, but when he rolled over he fell off the couch instead.

The blond sat up and had to take a minute to process his surroundings. Why had he fallen asleep on the couch? What time was it? Where were you? 

Ah fuck, that's right. 

He fucked up. 

His brown eyes scanned the wall until he found something that told him the time. He didn't recognize the clock until he remembered that you had purchased it and put it there so that way he wasn't always asking you what time it was. 9:37 AM. 

He figured that you were awake by now so he jumped to his feet, ready to make amends and he rushed down the hallway towards your bedroom, only to find that the door was open. Strange, he assumed that you would've closed it last night and locked it. He knocked his knuckles on the door, effectively pushing it open more to reveal the cats laying on your bed, but no you. The bathroom door was open, and so was your bedroom window. The screen looked odd so he approached it. With further evaluation he came across the answer that you'd left the previous night through your bedroom window. 

"Fuck." He had no idea where you were, who you were with, anything. His feathers prickled with anxiety. Yoshio meowed from the bed and he turned towards the large cat snuggled next to the kitten. Momo was just waking up, her green eyes glazed with sleep. "I figure the two of you want breakfast, yeah?" In response, Yoshio leaped off the bed and Momo followed with an anguished cry. 

He didn't let his thoughts get to him though his mind was rushing to bad conclusions of what happened to you. He didn't have time to fret over what could've happened to you when he figured that you were with Aizawa. The pro-Hero was your only companion that he knew of, and he was sure that you would tell him about others if there were any...right? 

Did you end up at another guy's house? Did you sleep in his bed with him? Did anything happen? He unconsciously busted the can of wet cat food in his hand but used his other to catch what fell out. He grumbled under his breath, calling himself a 'fucking idiot' and more demeaning words as he dished out the wet food from the destroyed can. Once both cats were chowing down, he used the fork to scrape the wet food that remained into a baggy and tossed it back into the fridge next to the rest of the unopened cans. 

He blacked out, and found himself in the shower standing under the water with his clothes on. How did he get here? Deciding he might as well bathe since he was already in here, he stripped off his soggy clothes and tossed them onto the tile floor outside the shower.

The next place he found himself was back in your bedroom, searching for anything that said where you had gone. He found no note, and his anxiety began to increase again. Was he having panic attacks? Why was he blacking out so often? 

The final time he came back to consciousness he was laying on the couch staring up at the skylight, waiting for you to get home. It had been six hours since he had woken up and he was going stir crazy. The cats were avoiding him like the plague, they refused to leave your bedroom unless they needed water or food. He had nobody to talk to, and nothing good was on the television. With a heavy sigh he threw himself to his feet and decided he might as well get out of the house and do something to distract his brain. He hoped that by the time he came home, you were there and willing to make peace with him.

With a last glance at the forlorn penthouse, he closed the front door behind him and locked it.

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The sun was settling over the horizon by the time that you got back to the penthouse. It wasn't exactly close to U.A. high, but it usually didn't take you all fucking day to get home. You'd procrastinated on your return by hanging out in different parks simply people-watching. The last place that you stopped was by Momo's siblings. Thankfully the dirt remained untouched as well as the stones. You were surprised to see an actual memorial granite slab settled in the soft earth. 

For those lost to the cruelty of man.

It made you cry, since you knew exactly who put it there.  There were different flower arrangements scattered around it, some flowers already wilting but others seemed fresh and placed there recently. You wondered who put them there, since you knew that Keigo had been away for two weeks. 

You went to unlock the front door before you noticed that it was slightly open. Your heart immediately began to pound in your chest. 

There was somebody inside, and it wasn't Keigo. 

The ashy blond knew better than to leave a door open—primarily the front one because the cats could get out—good luck finding them then. The back patio was a different story since it had glass fencing surrounding the perimeter that was too tall for any cat to jump over. 

You put the penthouse key between your pointer and middle finger, putting your old bar and apartment keys between your others as a makeshift knuckle buster. There were things on the wall that you could grab with your telekinesis as soon as you got inside, but you didn't know if your reaction timing would be fast enough to make the distance between where the picture frame came from and the intruder. 

If you had one weakness, it would be a surprise attack. 

And whoever was inside knew that Keigo was gone, but they didn't know who would return home first, you or him. 

Carefully without a sound, you stepped inside, closing the door to where you had originally found it—slightly open. The intruder could be anywhere in the apartment, but you didn't know where. 

Quickly scanning your surroundings, you whipped out your phone to send an SOS text to Aizawa, Hizashi, and Keigo. You didn't know who would get there first, but you knew that you had backup coming if anything went awry. 

Before you could send the group message, something struck you across the back of the head.

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Something that resembled a tsunami siren began sounding off in Keigo's head and without any hesitation, his instincts took over. 

He had been on patrol when the ringing first started in his ears and he lost complete control over himself. Unconsciously his wings threw him into a fast pace back towards the penthouse. Red began to sink in from his peripherals, giving him tunnel vision. 

It took him twenty minutes to get home and he broke the glass of the skylight with a kick to drop in. As he plummeted he pulled two feathers from his wings. Shattered glass fell around him as he landed harshly on the carpet in a crouched position, wings swept out behind him poised to shoot feathers if anything approached him from behind. 

His heart plummeted into his chest when he saw a large trail of blood lead from the front door to the kitchen and he followed it with a sprint. It could've been one of the cats for all he knew, but the smashed phone at the entrance to the kitchen told him otherwise.

You were unconscious on the floor, various knives stabbed through your wings to pin you down. Your clothes were ripped from your body in haste, remnants of the fabric scattered across the tile. Your skin was littered with bruises and various burns that were rapidly healing.

What he saw made him want to vomit, but he didn't have any time. 

Written out of indigo feathers plucked from your wings read:

Welcome home, Hawks.

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Chapter Text

There is a girl. She is wise and wary of flames but still, she knows she will survive the fire life scorches sometimes. She has been a Phoenix before and every time she burns to ashes she knows exactly how to rise again.

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Pain was what you first felt when you woke up, the annoying monotonous beep echoing in your ears and giving you a headache that you didn't ask for. 

When your eyes fluttered open you did not see the recognizable ceiling of your bedroom. Instead it was starch white and the smell of sterilization invaded your nostrils. 

Immediately you sat up and clawed at the IV in your dominant arm. Panic overwhelmed you in that moment and that stupid beeping picked up the pace and set off an alarm when you took the pulse reader off of your finger. 

You barely had a moment to process that you were in a hospital when the door was thrown open and two familiar faces rushed into the room, two nurses hot on their heels.

Aizawa looked like he hadn't slept in eighty seven years and Hizashi's face was blotched red from his uncontrollable crying. Quickly enough your heartbeat began to settle and you relaxed against the bed. Your arm was bleeding from where you had ripped the IV out in a blind panic and one nurse began to take care of the mess while the other prepped your other arm for another IV. 

"What happened?" You asked, looking between the two men. Hizashi started crying again and you rolled your eyes, looking to Aizawa who avoided eye contact with you. "If you're not going to tell me how the fuck I got in here, get the hell out!" 

"You were raped." Aizawa blurted out, not knowing how to explain it to you in a nicer way. He was never one to sugarcoat things, but you didn't expect him to spit that out so easily. His tongue was tied in knots, he didn't know what to say or do to comfort you in this time of need. He gave a quick glare over his shoulder to Hizashi who put himself in the private bathroom to cry where nobody could see him. You didn't even know what to say. All you knew was that you were going to probably need years of therapy to overcome this trauma. It was not something you were looking forwards to.

"Where's Hawks?" You asked, your heart rate picking up again. Aizawa tilted his head to motion towards the door.

"He said that you probably didn't want to see him, and that you'd be in a better mood if we were the first you saw." The pro-Hero explained, gingerly settling himself down into the open chair next to your hospital bed. 

Slowly you began putting the previous night's events into order and you came to the realization that the intruder was the one who assaulted you. "Who found me? Did anybody get my SOS text? I sent it to you, Hizashi, and Hawks." 

"None of us got a message from you. Your phone was smashed so we couldn't pick up on any details from that." 

"Are you on the investigation?" You asked, drumming your fingers against your thigh as the nurse let go of your now bandaged arm. The other replaced the drip bag and they quickly left the room to respect your privacy. 

"No. Same with Hizashi, and Hawks. We've been deemed too close to have a part in it." He sighed with frustration, obviously upset that he couldn't help. "I don't think any of us could get anything done with how amped up we are."

"Has anybody told you anything?" You were beginning to get upset again and your mind was a typhoon of emotions. You wanted to cry, scream, laugh, kill something. 

He rubbed his face with the palms of his hands. "No. But Hawks knows more about this than I do, so you should talk to him about it." 

You were supposed to make amends this way? With you sitting in a hospital bed after your boyfriend had found you after you were raped in your own house? This was not what you had planned out. It was like some kind of fucked up movie had replaced your life instead of a normal one.

Hizashi came out of the bathroom with a face not as red as before. You'd assumed he'd splashed cold water on his face before he sat down on the other side of your bed and took your hand in both of his own. 

"Can you go get him? I want to talk to him..." you gave Aizawa a sideways glance, knowing that he was going to attempt to be a helicopter parent since he was the closest thing you had to one. "Alone." 

Hizashi squeezed your hand and his eyebrows furrowed in frustration. Neither of them wanted to leave you alone with somebody who refused to tell you that your life was in danger, but they knew that they didn't have a choice when your grip on Hizashi's hand became so strong that the grown man yelped in pain and yanked his hands back. Wordlessly they both stood up at the same time with a last, forlorn glance in your direction before stepping outside. 

You took the moment that you had to yourself to reach up to the back of your head. Your fingers gingerly traced over staples; you counted at least seven of them. You didn't remember what you were hit with, but you knew it was a blunt object if it cracked your skull open and made you need staples instead of stitches. 

You removed your hand from the back of your head and raised your arms. Bruises remained from your attack, but the tender flesh and slightly paler marks signaled that you had been burned as well. Thankfully your body had a tolerance to flames and could heal any wounds from them, but you would always be reminded by the scars that were left behind.

Soon enough the door to your room opened and you lowered your arms from your crucial examination as Keigo stepped into your line of sight. His head was lowered and his hair was a mess, tangled and swept in an array of directions. 

He only said a few words to you before his whole body crumpled to the ground. "I'm so fucking sorry." 

You sat up again and leaned over the edge of the bed slightly to make sure that he hadn't passed out on you. No, he had clapped both hands over his mouth and pushed himself to the wall, refusing to blink to prevent tears from spilling. 

"I'm sorry, too." You replied before he could say anything else. He shut his eyes and held them tight, his gloved fingers wiping away the tears that fell in a panic. You'd never seen him cry before, and you could tell that it wasn't something he did often. "I shouldn't have exploded on you like that when you came home. I know how important your mission is and I put myself over your job and responsibilities. I shouldn't have done that. I didn't consider what had happened to you during those two weeks and I now understand why you were scared to tell me." He didn't respond, but at least his sobs didn't shake his whole body anymore. You rolled your bottom lip between your teeth and sat back once again, letting your head fall back against the shitty hospital pillows. "It was him, wasn't it?" 

You heard Keigo clear his throat and watched as he crawled over to the side of your bed and stopped, looking at you for permission to sit on your bed with you. You patted your hand to let him know that it was alright and he perched himself on the edge, making sure to give you personal space.

You didn't want personal space. You wanted somebody to hold you and let you cry until you fell asleep or passed out from lack of oxygen, whatever came first. You didn't want somebody, you wanted him. Unsure of how to ask, you made a grabby-hand motion towards him and thankfully he obliged. 

He scooted up next to you and flinched slightly when you leaned your head against his chest, listening to his rapid heartbeat. It soothed you, but you were still waiting for an answer and Keigo knew that. 

Slowly his arms came to wrap around you and he held you close, making sure to not touch your IV drip as he did so. 

"Yeah. It was him."

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Chapter Text

You are the fire that lights my soul and keeps my heart warm at night

~ Christy Ann Martine

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You were in the hospital for three days so they could monitor your recovery. Your time spent was not enjoyable. Sleep was a figure of imagination at this point as you only experienced nightmares from what you could remember of your assault that night. 

Keigo never left your side, he refused to leave when he was asked by both the doctors and nurses. Nobody had the guts to argue with the #2 Pro-Hero, so he was allowed to stay. 

If you had thought that Aizawa was an overprotective parent, you didn't recognize Keigo with how he was treating you. Basically you didn't have to lift a finger to do anything or the overgrown chicken would be fretting and squawking like a mother hen. 

You were quickly getting tired of it, but you didn't mind the attention. The last thing you wanted was to be left alone, anyways. He even had to escort you from your bed to the bathroom and hang out in there while you showered. You'd already experienced a few breakdowns from the trauma and Keigo was quick to get you a therapist who would arrive wherever you were to talk. If you didn't like who you were talking to, he didn't even give them a chance to breathe before they were kicked out of your private room. 

Eventually you nagged at him to stop treating you like a baby and he obliged—somewhat. It was difficult to stop him from breathing over your shoulder at every moment but he quickly realized how frustrated you were getting with him and he stopped a majority of his antics. 

He refused to let you eat the hospital food, instead ordering takeout and having it delivered to the lobby where he could pick it up and fly it back to you at short notice.

The day that you were released from the hospital, Keigo had to explain something to you. 

"I'm selling the penthouse." 

"What? Why?" 

He sat back against the bed with a sigh, pulling you closer to him with his arms wrapped around your waist. "I don't think you should live in the house that you were assaulted in." Before you could say anything, he lifted a finger to silence you in a motion that he wasn't done yet. "Eraserhead and Present Mic explained to me what U.A. did for you, and I want you to take that opportunity. I want you to find a place to put your bar, and then we can find a house nearby." 

Your mouth dropped slightly, but his hand came to close it with a small chuckle. 

"Wait..." You had to process the information. "You want us," you motioned between him and yourself with a hand. "To buy a new house?"

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When you were discharged from the hospital you immediately went to Aizawa's house—which actually meant that you were staying at his place in the Class 1-A dorm. There was an extra bedroom next to his that nobody used, so it was yours for the taking. 

It was pretty questionable on why you were staying on campus, but the students were respectful of your privacy. The only one who had a basic idea of what was happening was Shinsou—Aizawa had filled him in after you'd allowed it.

He had been in the middle of patrol with Shinsou when he received the call from Keigo explaining what had happened to you. He didn't explain what exactly went down, but Shinsou understood that you were attacked and in the hospital because of it. The student didn't stay in the same dorm as the rest of class 1-A, so it wasn't like he was going to spill anything to them. 

When you'd asked Shinsou his opinion on them, he'd said: "stuck up assholes who leave a bad taste in my mouth". You didn't agree with him particularly, but you figured it was a part of his competitiveness to become a hero.

The only downfall of staying at the campus was that you were unable to see your cats. By the way, Aizawa had taken care of your cats while you were hospitalized. But it wasn't long before you were out and about on the street with Keigo and a companion of his.

Tokoyami, of course. 

The Pro-Hero felt that he had been neglecting the students' internship, so Keigo told him to tag along as a "body-guard". 

You smacked him silly for that one, but you'd briefed Tokoyami of your predicament in the nicest way you could: "I'm being stalked by a member from the League of Villains." He was thoroughly alarmed when you finished the sentence but took his job as serious as always, like the silent fighter he was.

It took two days for you to find a building that looked promising enough for a new bar. It was large and had a dance floor; a temperature-controlled storage room as an extra accessory—perfect for alcohol. It was absolutely perfect in your opinion so you dropped 250,000 yen on it. That left you a little bit short on what budget remained, but Keigo assured you that he'd cover the cost of anything else you needed. 

Tokoyami was surprised when you asked for his opinion on how to design the bar since you were having a difficult time trying to decide between two different blueprints that you had sketched out. Not surprisingly, he pointed to the second blueprint which Keigo had also preferred. So there was another 150,000 spent. You only had 100,000 remaining, half went to getting the supplies you needed and the other half went to all the shipments of booze you had sent to you. 

Two days after you purchased the new building for a revamped bar, you and Keigo went house shopping. It took three days for him to find a house he was satisfied with. You were absolutely enamored with all of them, but he was being a picky feather-plucker. 

The new place was larger than the previous. It had three bedrooms instead of two, two of which had a private bathroom attached and there was an extra in the living room. Another benefit was that this place had a sunroom you had to walk through to reach the backyard; the wall to the outside was pure glass as well as the sliding door. Half was authentic grass and the other half was a pool. Needless to say you were head over heels in love with this man and his indecisiveness because this was by far the best penthouse you'd looked at. 

While you spent time directing movers and interior designers with how you wanted your bar, Keigo somehow managed to move everything from the previous penthouse to the new one. He added multiple cat trees and he attached shelves to the back wall of the sun room to create the "cat jungle" as he so fondly called it. Transferring the cats was thankfully any easy process, though you only needed one cat carrier instead of two because Momo shoved herself inside Yoshio's before Keigo could stop her. They were immediately introduced to the cat room and settled in fast with the amount of enrichment they had. It was maybe two days later when you let them explore the rest of the new home. 

Keigo installed security cameras and an alarm system to the penthouse as extra precaution. Some would've said that he was paranoid about Dabi finding you even after you moved an hour away, but you appreciated his concern because it made you feel safer. It meant that you would be able to set the alarm at night and the only one that could disarm it other than you was the Pro-Hero himself. Every window, door, and skylight had a sensor on it and each floor-to-ceiling window was refurbished with bulletproof glass. Proximity alarms were set on all four sides of the property as well. 

Basically the new house became a well-protected establishment and there was a weapon hidden in every room. 

You never got to say goodbye to the only home you had after the bar burnt down, but you didn't want to. There were good memories, yes, but the bad ones swarmed over them like a plague. 

Your therapist would arrive at your house every Tuesday at 11:00 AM. She was 42 years old and stood at 5'3" with green hair and green eyes; Inko Midoriya. 

You mentioned to her that you met Izuku during a surprise guest visit experience at school and that caused you two to hit it right off the bat. You learned that she was a therapist specialized in sexual abuse cases and was swept on your case as a last resort. Thank god she was, because you needed a woman exactly like Inko to support you. She was soft with her words and managed to help you put your emotions into order and give you ways to have a sense of balance and purpose again. Keigo was supportive, yes, but he couldn't give you reasonable coping skills to slowly start to feel normal again. 

After Inko departed from your house at 12:00, you settled yourself into the dark blue velvet chaise lounge in the sun room, enjoying the purple and orange sunset over the horizon. City lights flickered on as it slowly sank and a silhouette appeared from the sun. 

The figure came closer and your heart rate steadily increased as Momo settled herself against your rib cage, Yoshio nuzzled tightly around her. 

Keigo's feet touched down in the grass of his backyard, a takeout bag of takoyaki swinging in his hands. He noticed you sitting in the chaise lounge and slid the door open, both cats raising their heads in their silent greeting. 

His wings shivered and his heart skipped a beat when you smiled at him.

"Welcome home, Keigo."

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Chapter Text

Most people are good and occasionally do something they know is bad. Some people are bad and struggle every day to keep it under control. Others are corrupt to the core and don't give a damn as long as they don't get caught. But evil is a completely different creature. Evil is bad that believes it's good.

~ Karen Marie Morning

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"You're sure this is the guy?" You asked, eyebrows furrowing as you looked down upon the man walking casually in the street. 

"Yup." Keigo popped the 'p' at the end, drifting next to you above the streets. 

It was almost midnight, yet here you were with your boyfriend tracking a man he'd been hunting for the past two months: the man who left Momo and her siblings in a box hidden behind a dumpster to die.

"He's got multiple accounts of animal abuse being held against him, so I'm surprised he's even showing his face." Keigo mused.

"It's almost midnight, babe. Almost nobody is out here at this time of night." You replied, rolling your eyes at his egotistical grin. 

"But we are." 

You had to nod your head at that one, but changed the topic to what was needed. "What's our plan?" 

"Apparently this guy has a speed quirk which is how he's been getting away so easily and evading police. I'm thinking we're going to have to corner him. I'll distract him, and you sneak up behind him and cuff him." 

"You want me to sneak?" You snickered. "I only sneak around if I'm with Aizawa or Shinsou, not you." 

"I know." He threw you a glance. "But if he realizes that there's two of us he'll be quick to run." 

"Got it. Go ahead, I'm right behind you." 

Keigo drifted himself downwards and landed quietly on the sidewalk. He shoved his hands in his pockets and started whistling a tune you didn't recognize. You pushed yourself higher in the air and fell back a little bit to not give away your position. 

The winged hero unceremoniously bumped his shoulder into the man. "Sorry about that, I should pay more attention to what's around me!" 

The man stopped and looked over to see who bumped into him. He looked ready to fight but when he realized who had bumped into him he froze. "H-Hawks? What are you doing here?" 

"I'm just doing nightly patrol. You look nervous, are you okay?" 

The man looked like he was ready to break out in a cold sweat but he mustered a fake grin. "I'm fine, just nervous because of the villains that could be lurking around the corner." He casted a glance at an alleyway nearby. 

"Yeah, I get what you're saying. That's why I'm here though to look out for criminals." His eyes narrowed and the man visibly paled. "Junichiro Uyehara, you're under arrest for twenty-eight counts of animal abuse." 

"Fuck that!" Uyehara screeched. He went to run but Keigo shifted his wings slightly to block him—Uyehara phased through him and darted around the corner and into the alleyway he had glanced at earlier.

Keigo touched his wing in shock, not understanding the paralyzing sensation that was left behind. His finger went up to his radio and he pressed the button as he watched you dive between the buildings after Uyehara. "Don't let him run through you, it leaves a paralyzing agent behind!" After that, he ran on foot after you. He hadn't done that in a long time.

"Understood." You replied. You had to narrow your wingspan to fit into the tight alleyway, following the black neon light that streamed behind Uyehara as he ran. You didn't want to touch it, unsure of him actually phasing through you would paralyze you or if the neon light trailing behind him did. 

The man ducked under a fallen pylon that blocked his path. You took mental note that he couldn't phase through inanimate objects, only living ones apparently. The alley was getting narrower by the second so you had to collapse your wings completely to become more aerodynamic. Thankfully you were in your hero costume and your makeshift support item that resembled a tail helped you balance as your feet stuck to the brick wall of a building. Easily you bounced between the walls like a ping pong ball, your boots leaving small cracks and indents in the masonry as you did so. 

You reached behind you to grab the collapsible staff attached to the back of you utility belt. Once it reached your side your thumb brushed over a small button to expand it, Uyehara looking over his shoulder to see if he was being followed.

He screamed like a little bitch when he saw you running sideways on the wall right behind him. You interrupted his cry with a smack to the face with your staff.

"First Quarter!" 

The impact broke the mans nose, but you wished you could do more harm to him. Perhaps a punch to the face or a kick to his balls for each kitten that died when you and Keigo found Momo, that would be satisfactory. You stood over his fallen form as he writhed on the ground crying about his broken nose.

"Oh shut the fuck up, you Flash reject." You growled, collapsing the staff and placing it back in it's holster. 

Keigo came up behind you huffing and puffing. He had little to no endurance when it came to running so he was a little pissed off that he wasn't able to fly. "I'll get ahold of the police." He whipped his phone out of his pocket and held it up to his ear.

You gave him a soft smile before you scowled are the man underneath you. He was screeching something about not wanting to die and it infuriated you. You grabbed him by his hair and lifted his head, a snot bubble popping from his broken nose. 

"You deserve to fucking die for what you did to all those innocent animals, you sick fuck. You're lucky to have been immobilized by the one and only me, because I would've loved to leave you in a taped up box to die."

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Chapter Text

A strong woman looks a challenge in the eye and gives it a wink.

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Even though you were technically a pro-hero now, you still needed an escort according to Keigo. To your dismay, Eraserhead and Present Mic agreed with him on that part. You were pretty upset about being treated like a damsel in distress but you underhandedly thanked their concern for your safety by not putting up much of a fight. 

As you stepped outside the main lobby doors of the penthouse you shared with your raptor of a significant other, you noticed Hizashi parked in his car. You’d mentioned to him and Aizawa that you needed to run to the new bar to make sure construction was going to plan, so the two of them made sure that one of them was able to be by your side since Hawks was busy. 

He wasn’t home a majority of the time anymore which you really didn’t appreciate but you understood why. You were glad to have Momo officially in the house for good as the days went by. You found yourself getting lonely more often than not when he was gone, though you knew that you were safe since he was doing everything in his capabilities to keep an eye on Dabi for you. 

Hizashi was blaring to music, loud enough that you could hear the muffled audio on the outside. He was tossing his head from side to side, singing at a reasonable level of volume for himself. When you knocked your knuckles on the window he shrieked, causing a crack to go through his windshield. He gave you a halfhearted glare when his pointer finger slammed down on the unlock button to let you inside. 

“You scared me half to death!” He whined.

“Maybe you should be more observant of your surroundings, you ding dong.” You teased him, buckling yourself up as he huffed and turned on his blinker to signal him reentering traffic. 

“Okay mom.” He replied mockingly, checking his mirror as he pulled into the road. 

“I wish you guys would’ve let me fly there.” You sighed, propping your head up on the palm of your hand as you looked out the window. 

“And I wish that we didn’t have to escort you out and about too.” He gave you a glance out of the corner of his eye. “But with what you’ve been through, and what’s happening underground is reason enough for us to be cautious.” 

You lifted your gaze to look out the sky once you got bored of the buildings blurring by you. There were quite a few grey clouds, though the sun was visible once some of them passed by. It was only slivers of sunlight, leaving the world beneath cold and foggy.

“What was the point of becoming a hero when I can’t defend myself?”

“Now don’t be like that,” Hizashi replied softly. “As heros we all have our limits, even All Might.” 

“You don’t have to remind me about him.” You shot back sullenly. You couldn’t ever forget the fall of the Symbol of Peace. The world was forever changed that day; citizens were already questioning the role of heros thanks to Stain but that was only the tip of the iceberg. All Might's retirement had society in shambles. Who were they supposed to call to in their times of desperation?

Hizashi continued on with a particular rant about how you were a strong individual, a hero setback by the misfortunes that occurred through the first eighteen years of your life. You weren’t paying much attention to it, instead your mind was running with your emotions. You missed Hawks. You wanted to hold him, kiss him, fall asleep in his arms, eat dinner with him; be a true couple for once. Like the two of you didn’t have any undercover work to do—just you and him. 

Your mind was slow to bring you back to the present. It was even slower to give warning to Hizashi when he drove forwards after the light at an intersection turned green. All you could do was stare at the ginormous foot nearing his side of the car. 

On impact, you blacked out. You weren’t sure if your vision failed you in those moments or if it all happened too fast to comprehend, but when you were able to see again you were upside down. You could see the intersection that you had just pulled into, confirmed by the car behind you having been recently abandoned in the middle of it. 

To your right, Hizashi was unconscious. He was hanging from his seat much like you were, except he had blood running from his head. Otherwise he looked relatively unharmed. You would have waited for help, but the panicked screams of the citizens around you informed you that this was no place to wait for assistance. Reaching over with an arm, you shook his shoulder to see if you could rouse him. You realized after a few tries that he wasn’t waking up anytime soon. 

Your hands felt heavy when your fingers fumbled for the button on your seatbelt. Your heart almost failed to work properly when the thought ran across your mind that it was jammed, but it soared when the button finally gave in to your relentless pushing. You were thankful for your wings protecting the flesh of your back from the shattered glass, but didn’t rejoice in the fact that the shards would have to be picked out later. You took a few seconds to regain your composure before taking a deep breath and kicking the already cracked windshield once. You were frustrated that it didn’t give on the first try so you continued until it did. Fortunately it broke the rest of the way when you kicked it for the fourth time. 

You were thankful that you had broken the glass when you noticed the large pair of feet that sent the car flying approaching again. You could feel yourself beginning to panic when you whipped around to unbuckle your old teacher. His seatbelt was easier than yours oddly enough, even though he shared the side of the impact but you didn’t question it. You took the brunt of the glass shards when you pushed yourself through the windshield, slowly pulling him out after you. 

You scrambled to your feet once you and Hizashi were clear of the car, leaning over and grabbing his shoulder pads and dragging him to the sidewalk as fast as you possibly could. It was almost pointless when the large human stopped at the intersection you had been kicked from. The giant looked around like he was deciding on where to go, before grunting and running to the right. 

You felt yourself break when you realized that it was heading straight for your new bar. The one that you were so close to reopening. Your reaction to the hero’s approaching your side was visceral: shielding Hizashi by hovering your body over his and prepping your wings like you were about to attack. You softened when you realize who it was. 

“Oh good. Can you take him? I need to go help the others.” 

“Present Mic?!” One said in shock while another started checking his vitals. “What happened?” 

“Our car was kicked by that giant.” You replied, looking over your shoulder in the direction it went. “Please make sure he’s okay.” When you turned around, the unfamiliar hero spoke up again.

“You should stay here, too. A civilian shouldn’t try to go up against a criminal. Besides, you’re hurt, too.” 

“I’m not a civilian.” You replied as you opened your wings. “I know people who have fought with more than a cut on their forehead, so leave your concerns in my imaginary complaint box.” Then you took off. 

The wind in your face sobered you from the adrenaline that was rushing in you from the wreck. You were able to question what your plan was when you got to the giant in order to prevent him, but you didn’t really have the time to process it when you noticed he was maybe twelve blocks away from your bar. You could feel yourself internally screaming when you pushed your wings as fast as you were able to. There had to be something that you could do before it all fell apart before your eyes once again. You couldn’t let that happen. Not if your life depended on it. 

Not soon enough in your opinion, you were right behind the giant. He stood at least 24 feet tall and wasn’t all that memorable. He was pretty plain looking besides the huge gut bouncing about as he moved. You wondered if this was somebody with a gigantification ability who got ahold of some of the last remaining quirk-booster drugs, but you couldn’t be too sure of yourself at that moment. 

You were thankful for the fact that you were legally a hero again when you noticed a teenage girl standing frozen in the giants’ path of travel. You gritted your teeth and dived down, snatching her out of the way just before she was squashed. She screamed in either surprise or terror, but gave you a shaken thank you when you set her down on the sidewalk. 

“Go that way.” You pointed up the street where you had just been. “There are heros up there handling evacuations. Please inform anybody that you see on your way; move quickly.” 

You turned to see the giant kick a car just because he could. You lifted your hands to block yourself from the debris flying about thanks to the explosion. Just as you were lowering your hands you noticed a boy who seemed to attend junior high due to his school uniform peeking out at the giant from the alleyway. Your eyes landed on the handle of a wooden baseball bat sticking out of his backpack.

“Hey!” At the sound of your voice his head whipped around quickly. He stared at you with wide eyes. “Can I borrow your bat? I need to use it to take down that big guy over there.” He didn’t seem to have any words to say to you but pulled the bat out of his bag anyways, subconsciously memorized by the blue wings attached to your back. “Thanks. I’ll uh, get you another one. Go on up that road to meet heros who are evacuating people.” 

You took off once again, partially aware that you’d more than likely never meet that boy again but that wasn’t your main concern at the moment. Instead you focused on the giant who was still seemingly on the path of destruction towards your bar. As you followed him, you permitted yourself to stockpile mana into the wooden bat you were holding in your dominant hand. You just needed a few more seconds to load as much as you felt you required, so you veered off to the side to give yourself that sliver of time but not waste any in the process. 

If you didn’t know that the giant would’ve had to bash through a building if he refuses to go around it you wouldn’t have had the chance you got. Perhaps it was reckless, but all you had to do was change his path of direction and evade his attempts at grabbing you. 

“Waxing Crescent.” You muttered under your breath, exhaling deeply before procuring a small, right crescent that circled your torso. 

After it appeared, you darted forwards towards the giant as his hand lifted to smash the building. “Hey!” His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he blinked before he looked directly at you, eyes dilating into tiny saucers. 

That moment was when you threw that bat as hard as you possibly could at his face, making your exit past his other side. He roared in pain, using a hand to cover his eye as he stumbled about while he was temporarily blinded. You could feel an indescribable amount of rage begin to pour off of the monstrous man in waves as he turned and charged after you. You zigged and zagged between buildings in order to remain being caught, but you weren’t fast enough when you were snatched by it’s free large hand out of the air. 

The crescent that had been revolving around you shattered as soon as you were grabbed. You couldn’t help the silent scream that escaped your throat as you tried to force his grip to loosen. He was quite literally squeezing the oxygen from your lungs.

“You bitch!” 

He roared and his spittle narrowly missed your face. If it had actually hit you it more than likely would’ve temporarily waterboarded you. You couldn’t do anything but hold back your nausea when he arched his arm back and threw you. 

You were either moving too fast to see anything properly or your eyes had failed you yet again, but at the rate you were going it wouldn’t be too long before you splattered against the side of a building. If you’d been dressed in your hero suit like you were prepped to go on patrol you would’ve had your support items to interrupt your unplanned flight. 

Even though you couldn’t see, you closed your eyes in acceptance of your fate. You were disappointed that you hadn’t done more with your life, but you were fully prepared to be able to finally see your parents again. The thought of how the people you knew would handle your death didn’t cross your mind. 

Suddenly the air around you stopped and you felt yourself collide with something soft and warm. Immediately you knew that it was Hawks, and softened into his grip. The comfort that immediately surrounded you was one that you knew you would have missed if you truly had died. 

You felt your feet touch the concrete and you frowned, stepping back once you felt capable of walking again. “I could’ve handled it.” 

“Sure you could’ve, stardust.” He replied with a smirk. He leaned down to give you a kiss, one that displayed every emotion he was feeling in that moment. “I’ll be back.”

He left you breathless when he pulled away, turning to look off into the distance. The looming silhouette of the giant was hard to miss. 

“I can’t lose you.” 

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Chapter Text

Tell me every terrible thing you ever did, and let me love you anyway. 

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"I think it's about time we talk about your sex life, (Y/N)."

You had been sitting in the living room across from Inko and your feathers twitched unconsciously. She noticed, of course.

"Um, what about it?" You muttered softly, an unfamiliar pang in your chest that you quickly recognized as anxiety. 

"Am I correct when I say that you haven't had intercourse since your attack?" Her voice was calm and gentle, but it didn't help your nerves. You nodded. "Why not?"

"Well, I guess I've just not been comfortable? Hawks hasn't pushed it on me or anything, he understands and he's very patient."

"I think you should go for it." She replied bluntly. "It's been almost a month now, and I'm not telling you to push yourself if you don't feel like your ready. But one of the first steps to feeling like yourself again is being intimate with somebody who makes you feel loved." 

Inko never let you go down the wrong path. Her words were wisdom to your ears every time she spoke. Keigo was a great therapist, yes, but he wasn't a motherly figure such as Inko. He also wasn't a woman who specialized in sexual trauma cases. 

"I don't know if I'm ready." You replied, unconsciously biting at your fingernails.

"Take the next step when you feel like it, okay? Don't push yourself, but do understand that Hawks might not make that move. I think he's waiting for you, (Y/N)." 

You looked out the large window of the living room, lowering your hand to your other in your lap. Maybe it was time to step back up to the plate. 

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Keigo could tell something was different when he came home, his feathers ruffling behind his back when he landed on the back patio. You weren't in the sunroom like usual, though he did spot Yoshio sprawled across a shelf he had attached to the back wall above the doorway. Momo was curled up on the chaise lounge with her nose tucked into her tail. He crouched down next to the kitten who was getting bigger everyday and rubbed the top of her head with a gloved finger. She lifted her green eyes and gave a small meow, immediately purring when she recognized who it was. 

He smiled and stood up straight again, wondering where you could be in the house. His alarm wasn't going off, which meant you were okay. He wondered if he should've brought takeout home again, but was glad that he didn't when he found you cooking in the kitchen. "It smells good here."

You heard him come inside and take off his boots while you were slaving away over a pan of stir fry beef and vegetables, checking the rice in the boiling pot before turning the handle of the first pan towards the inside of the counter. You turned to grab some plates after you turned off both burners, thinking of how convenient it was that he arrived home just as dinner was finished. "Welcome home." You mused as he approached, facing him as he enveloped you in a hug.

You felt all the tension he held in his body seep away as he leaned into your touch, sighing heavily as he tucked his head into the side of your neck and inhaled your scent. "I missed you." He mumbled against your skin.

You ran a hand through his hair, the other coming to cup his cheek when he pulled away. "I missed you too." You met him for a gentle kiss and he smiled.

"What's for dinner?"

"Stir fry and rice." You chirped in reply. He straightened up at that and eagerly grabbed a plate that you had removed from the cupboard and dished half of what was there for himself.

He flew over to the table and waited patiently for you to serve yourself what was left and sit down with him before he dug in. "Thanks for the meal!"

Dinner was quaint as he chowed down, obviously starving. There was idle chit chat when he asked how your day had gone. You asked him the same and he replied with his usual response: "I wish I could tell you."

As each day went by he noticed you returning to your normal self, as if that terrible night hadn't happened to you. He wished that he could've prevented it, read Dabi's thoughts before he assaulted you. It was difficult for him to show up at the hideout and play it cool around the burnt villain. He wanted to gut Dabi right where he stood every time Keigo saw him, but he knew for the sake of his mission that he couldn't.

The pro-hero had dreams about how he'd kill him. They were different every time, and he would willingly do it to make sure you were safe. He held so much rage in his body that he felt the tiniest thing could make him snap, and he had no outlet for that pent up emotion. 

Usually fucking the daylights out of you would cure him from every negative thought dancing around his busy bird brain. But he knew that you still weren't over the trauma, and he patiently waited until you were ready to be intimate with him again. 

It was like your body had completely shut down and didn't know how to handle affection anymore. He wondered if the memories that remained plagued your mind when he touched you or kissed you, but he'd never felt your heart rate increase, or that familiar clammy sweat of when you were anxious or nervous. Instead you felt cold, like you were a shell of who you once were and he hated it. He wanted his (Y/N) back.

"Keigo!" 

Your voice snapped him out of a trance he didn't realize he had fallen into and he looked up at your worried face. "Yeah baby?"

"Are you okay?" You questioned, standing up to take his empty plate.

"I'm peachy." He replied with a forced grin. You frowned at that, and he dropped it when he knew you caught him. He refused to let you take his plate, instead snatching your own from your hands and briskly standing up. You flinched at his quick movement and he stiffened slightly before brushing by you and moving back into the kitchen.

To his dismay, you followed him. The whole day he was away all he wanted to do was come home and spend time with you and the cats, but there was an itch in his wings that didn't let him settle like he wanted. The tension in the kitchen was thick and couldn't be cut with a knife, and he could tell you were getting nervous when you started drumming your fingers against the counter.

"What's wrong?" You asked.

"Nothing." He replied sharply, turning on the kitchen faucet and started washing the dishes.

"I know you're lying to me."

"I said there's nothing wrong!" 

His shout made you step back, and you wrapped your arms around yourself as if that would make you feel better. Wordlessly you turned and left the kitchen, finding solace in the dark sunroom only illuminated by the floor lamp that stood over the chaise lounge. Unfortunately Yoshio did not pick up on your wavering emotions, instead curled around a sleeping kitten on the furniture. 

Was it your fault that Keigo snapped at you? Was there something going on at work? You knew he couldn't tell you everything that was happening since the mission was top secret, but you knew whatever he saw everyday was wearing him down. 

And he didn't have his outlet; you. 

You had been so emotionally and physically distant with him that he felt as alone as he was before he met you. You understood that it was partially your fault, if you hadn't met him none of this would've happened. If he hadn't collapsed outside your bar Dabi probably wouldn't have found you. You didn't have any memories of the trauma from the most recent occasion, but that didn't stop the nightmares and depression from overflowing you. Each night it was on repeat; you finding the door to the penthouse cracked open with somebody inside. It was always vivid, and you'd woken up screaming and crying about two or three times each night. Keigo was always there to comfort you, bring you back to earth from that horrible moment in history. 

Yet who was there to comfort him in his time of need? You were the only person he could really talk to, that he had in his life, actually. 

"I'm sorry for snapping at you like that." 

His voice brought you back from your train of thought, but you didn't look at him. "I guess I deserved it." 

"You didn't, though." He stepped towards you to embrace you, but you stepped out of his reach. Silently his arms fell back to his sides. Were you upset with him? He wouldn't be surprised, you had been so volatile with your emotions recently that he didn't know what was going to happen next. You'd either start crying or start an argument with him. He prepared himself for the worst.

"I'm sorry, too." You started. "I know that you're going through a lot with work and I haven't really been there to comfort you. I know you can't talk to me about any of it, and I know that's hard. I'm sorry that Dabi's after me, I wish he wasn't. I'm sorry that I haven't been a good girlfriend. I'm sorry I've been so emotionally and physically distant from you. I'm sorry—"

"Stop apologizing." He was a little irritated that you were pulling the 'poor-me' act and his wings ruffled. He knew he shouldn't be getting frustrated, he had no right to.

"No, let me finish." You retorted, upset that he interrupted you.

"I don't want to hear it."

You turned to look at him, releasing your self-hug. "Excuse me?" 

"I don't need to hear you apologize for things you can't help." He replied, crossing his arms over his chest. 

"But I need to apologize. I won't-"

"Shut up!" 

Your heart dropped, but the familiar burn of anger started in the tips of your fingers and rose up to your shoulders before it flooded your whole body. "What is your problem?" 

"I'm not the one that has a problem." He shot back, pointing a thumb at himself.

"Don't you fucking dare turn this on me." Your hands balled into fists at your sides, your fingernails digging into the palms of your hands.

"Why not?" He grit his teeth. "You haven't been the same, and I don't like it."

"You think I can help that? Do you really think that me being raped is something that I can just get over immediately?"

"It's not my fault—"

"I never said it was!" You yelled at him.

"Why can't you just listen to me for once?" His voice was raising, which you took as a challenge to match it.

"How can I listen to you when you don't talk to me?" 

"You know I can't, and you don't talk to me either!"

"Because you're never home!" 

"I can't help that, I have a job, (Y/N)!" 

"So do I! How hard is it to come home and tell me what's on your mind? I tell you all about my day and what happened, I know you can't tell me what's going on at work but—"

He cut you off before you could continue; at this point it was a screaming match, and both cats had fled the room with ruffled fur when your telekinesis pulled a book off of the shelf. Your emotions were so out of control that tears were streaming down your face, anger bubbling in your stomach and your whole body shook with adrenaline as it tried to figure out it's next response: fight or flight. 

The book slammed into the wall next to his head. 

His sudden silence stole the breath from your lungs and immediately your whole body felt like it was on fire. That would be the flight response, and unconsciously your wings opened as you began walking backwards towards the sliding glass door. 

It seemed like another night at Aizawa's before you were slammed into a floor-to-ceiling window, your hands trapped above your head. The impact made you cry out in shock.

He kissed you desperately, like he was afraid that if you left you'd never come back.

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Chapter Text

I cannot remember exactly the first time your soul whispered to mine, but I know you woke it. And it has never slept since.

~ JmStorm

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Your heart was beating frantically in your chest as you fought for oxygen, the unparalleled anger gnashing in your stomach soon switching to that burning desire you hadn't felt in what seemed like forever. You pulled away for a second to breathe, though he only gave you maybe half of one before his teeth clashed against yours as he kissed you again. 

Your legs were shaking and you felt yourself give out at the knees with a whimper, unsure if you could hold yourself up at this point. Thankfully he felt you slump and his free hand grabbed the underside of your thigh, hiking it up around his waist so you wouldn't fall. That same hand skimmed up your exposed leg, quickly slipping under your shirt and traveling to your lower back. 

You flinched with a soft mewl when he caressed the base of your wings, some of the indigo feathers unconsciously twitching at his touch. His hand felt like ice compared to your flaming hot skin and the difference in temperature made you shudder. 

He let go of your wrists to straighten up and you immediately found purchase in his hair, yanking his head back to expose his neck. A guttural growl was emitting from the base of his throat, but when your teeth sank into the sensitive skin on his neck he stepped backwards with a snarl. You were expecting him to drop you so you jumped up, tucking your wings flush against your back. If your assumptions were correct—

You were in the bedroom. It astonished you how fast he could move, it always felt as if you had teleported because just a blink would make you skip over everything you passed. 

To your surprise, his actions slowed when he laid you gently on the bed. Wordlessly he removed his hero jacket and shirt, stripping to his undergarments. You'd assumed that this was going to be quick so you grabbed the bottom of your own shirt to take it off, but his hands stopped you. 

"Please don't." His voice was soft, though his breathing was ragged. You looked up to see his pupils blown wide, irises enclosed with red instead of his soft brown eyes. You felt a pang in your heart—he was losing his sense of humanity but the amount of strength he was holding prevented him from losing control. "Let me."

You nodded, suddenly feeling nervous when he started lifting your shirt. Your hands shot to stop his when your heart pounded so hard it practically hurt. You felt yourself shaking, though it wasn't because you were scared. 

You didn't want him to see the scars Dabi left behind.

Though your body was flame resistant due to your quirk, it wasn't completely fireproof. Singed handprints were across the expanse of your stomach and inside of your thighs. You hadn't been naked around Keigo in a long time—the trauma made you lose every ounce of self-confidence you had. It was a constant reminder of your assault and you couldn't even look at yourself in the mirror without feeling that burning sensation over every scar.

Tears were brimming at the corners of your eyes when he spoke up again. "Stardust," his voice was almost unrecognizable with how soft it was. It was barely a whisper and it sent shivers down your spine. "We don't have to do this."

"I-it's okay." You sniffled, using a hand to wipe the tears from your eyes before they spilled out of your tear ducts. "Just go slow...please Keigo."

He stared at you for a moment, searching for a sign in your eyes that said you weren't prepared or comfortable. No matter how much of a Gatling gun your heart was resembling, you knew for a fact that the pro-hero looming above you wasn't going to hurt you. He wasn't Dabi. He didn't wield blue fire. All Keigo has ever done was love you and do his best to keep you safe and away from harm's wrath. There were times he failed, but the times he didn't fail outweighed them and that's all that mattered.

What playing cards the world dealt you he didn't have any control over and you knew that. He was your safeguard, your sanctuary, your home. Through the shit life had thrown at you as soon as he entered your life, he never strayed far from your side. He was always there for you, no matter if he was working with the Meta Liberation Army. He had told you time and time again that you came first before anything else that he had to deal with. He was your shining beacon in the darkness, and you were his. 

This time when he went to lift your shirt, you didn't fight him. Instead you closed your eyes and repeated to yourself mentally that everything was okay. This was normal. This was true human affection, not some villain taking advantage of your unconscious state. You began steadying your breathing, thankfully chasing away the plaguing thoughts that swarmed in the back of your brain. 

You felt that if you opened your eyes you would get tunnel vision, so the darkness behind your eyelids was welcoming when his palm traced over the first scar Dabi had marked you with. Unconsciously you flinched against his touch as if the burn would return. Cold goosebumps were left in his wake instead and it was so much better than you had expected it to be. 

Suddenly you felt his warm breath against the skin of your stomach and your breath hitched in your throat. His hands settled on your hips and his thumbs rubbed circles into the soft skin, cementing you to reality. You hadn't expected him to kiss your scars, though you didn't recognize the feeling due to the dead nerve endings where the raised handprints were. 

"I love you, (Y/N)." He murmured against your skin. "These scars don't change that. You're still as beautiful as the day I met you." 

You choked back a sob. How could he say something so soppy and sweet when you were permanently marked by a man who destroyed your whole fucking life? 

"I still want you to marry me." He moved from the first handprint to the next; three on your stomach in total. "You're perfect." He went to the last handprint on your torso, his fingers slowly dragging the waistband of your leggings over the rise of your hips. "You're my soulmate." He started a trail of butterfly kisses down your left leg, removing your pants completely from your lower half. His hands trailed from your calves to the inside of your knees, his eyes darkening when he focused on the scarred fingerprints marking the inside of each thigh. 

He couldn't wait until he was able to end that fuckers life. Not only were the scars a reminder to you of one of the most horrible memories you'd never forget, they were a reminder to Hawks of how he failed to keep you safe. He'd never forgive himself for his lack of security with you. For his own sanity he reminded himself of the steps he took afterwards to assure that you'd never experience that trauma again. 

He wasn't alone in those thoughts. Even Aizawa and Hizashi—surprisingly Shinsou as well had vowed to do everything in their capability to prevent anything from happening to you again, whether they could help it or not.

His kisses on your inner thighs ignited that spark in your stomach and without your consent your legs squeezed together. He huffed softly, recognizing the action as sexual instead of frightful. To his relief you were becoming more accepting of his advances, which meant he wasn't doing anything wrong. Nothing that he did triggered flashbacks and his feathers shook with satisfaction. He decided he wouldn't increase his pace unless you gave him permission. If you would allow it, he'd express how much he cared for you in these moments through the simple gestures he was doing at the moment. If he had to kiss the scars Dabi left behind the rest of the night, so be it. He could die happy knowing that you weren't afraid.

The muscles in your legs relaxed and he lifted his head slightly, barely able to make eye contact with you when you propped yourself up with your elbows.

Your mouth was slightly agape and your cheeks were flushed, the glazed look in your eyes telling him all he needed to know. He refused to continue unless you gave verbal permission, and the look in his own shifting brown to red ones expressed that. 

"Keep going." You whispered, giving him a soft smile. "I'm okay." He stared you down for a second to make sure you weren't lying, giving you the option of backing out.

Of course he would be sexually frustrated and have to get himself off, but he would gladly do it knowing that he had gotten you this far. 

He hesitated as if he was doubting himself, and you pushed off your elbows to sit up correctly. Your touch was gentle on his exposed biceps, leaving goosebumps behind on his skin as you cupped his face and pulled him up to you for a kiss.

He crawled over you, effectively trapping you underneath him without breaking the intimate action. His wings fell on either side of you like a protective shell and you mentally thanked him for that since it gave you a stronger sense of safety. The darkness also soothed you, and it settled your frantic heartbeat when he nipped at your neck.

He pulled your shirt off over your head when you sat up slightly to assist him and his lips met yours again as he fought to get his boxers off. Though you knew he was eager, your heart soared with his willingness to take it at your pace. He understood that you were at a low point in life, and you knew that he would never try to change you. 

He didn't have enough patience to remove your panties before he slowly sheathed himself inside you. You gasped against his lips, gripping his shoulders in an attempt to ground yourself. He waited with bated breath to let you adjust to his size, lighting the sensitive skin underneath your jawline with soft kisses. 

Electricity crackled underneath your skin when you whispered permission for him to move. He sighed softly with relief when he gently rolled his hips and he heard your breath hitch in your throat. 

This was definitely the most vanilla sex you'd had in a long time, but you appreciated it. You didn't know how long it would be until you were willing and comfortable enough to get kinky with him again, but he wasn't complaining. He was easily satisfied with anything you did, and this moment was perfect to him. 

He was worried that you'd never be able to enjoy yourself again. That he wasn't able to pleasure you in the way he knew best. He had never craved anything more than yourself, not even chicken and that was saying something. You fit him perfectly, and it didn't seem like the world was ending when he was with you. You were the perfect match, the one that completed his ideal picture. You were the missing piece to his unfinished puzzle. 

Slowly but surely his rhythm increased when you felt yourself nearing your release, and it was coming fast. He picked up on your impending orgasm when your walls tightened around his length, and he settled his hands on your hips to keep himself steady. He closed his eyes and grit his teeth, hoping for your sake that he could keep control of himself until the very end. He panicked slightly when he heard you sob and he forced himself to stop, his eyes opening again and focusing on the outline of your face. 

"Are you—"

"Did I say stop?" You asked, rubbing your eyes with the palm of your dominant hand. Your other hand skimmed up the side of his hip, dragging your nails along the muscles in his back before gripping onto the base of his wings.

He yelped at your touch and you could feel the heat radiate off of his cheeks. Without a word he picked up the pace again, his heart skipping a beat in his chest when you began fiddling with his feathers. He understood your motion to help him achieve his own orgasm, but he wanted you to climax before he did. It would feel wrong for him to do the latter if you were unsatisfied. Your needs came before his own. He growled in frustration with himself though it sent shivers down your spine. 

It wasn't long before you were keening his name and your grip on his feathers tightened. Without his consent his wings lifted from around the two of you and stretched out, a shudder ruffling each feather. He was desperate for his release at this point and his eyes shrouded in red.

It turned you on immensely and that's what made the dam burst. At your cry he leaned over you again and sank his teeth into your collarbone, his grip on your hips tightening to the point you thought you'd be bruised. 

"Go." Was the only word that came out of your mouth when he finally lost it.

His hips moved so fast that the tip of his cock reached your sweet spot with each thrust, leaving stars burned into the back of your eyelids when the coil in your stomach tightened and snapped not only once, but twice. 

He felt as if his soul had left his body and went to heaven when he pulled back and slammed into you a final time. Like always, each feather on his wings shot off of the base and embedded themselves into the walls. They quivered in relief when he slumped over you and peppered your tear-streaked face with gentle kisses. 

You cried, and left one hand on his bicep as you wiped the tears from your face and made sure that your nose wasn't running. Your face was blotchy and red, though he didn't care. 

He started his aftercare at your neck, rubbing the tense muscles until he felt your body relax in his hands when he continued to your shoulders and traveled further down. "I love you so much, stardust." 

"I love you too." You whispered back, eyes fluttering shut. 

He smiled softly when you fell asleep, and he leaned down to kiss your forehead. "To the moon and back, a thousand times."

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Chapter Text

I feel like girls who drink whiskey tell good stories.

~ Atticus

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It had been maybe five days since you almost died trying to protect your bar, and thankfully it hadn't been stepped on. Your building had been saved by the distraction you created. You also helped save lives in those crucial moments since you led the giant down a street where no civilians were.

Originally the giant user could only grow to be ten feet tall at max, but there's been a quirk-enhancing drug sifting through the streets like nobody's business. From what you had heard the drug had primarily been distributed from the Yakuza, but soon after it was taken down there were less sightings of the drug.

Of course there were those who tried to imitate it and the failed experiments usually turned into horrible self mutilation, but apparently a few of the original copies had been located and dispersed among criminals. The giant had been one of them.

Thanks to Keigo coming to save your ass, you were able to live to see another day. It also meant that you could finally reopen Treasure Wing. 

You were behind the new counter of the bar when the front door slammed against the wall aggressively. It made you jump and you were ready for a fight, knowing that you were the only one in the bar at the moment. To your pleasure it was only Aizawa and Hizashi.

They were fighting about who was going to get through the door first, both halfway in and pressed against each other. Mic opened his mouth and you clapped your hands over your ears, knowing what was about to happen so the blond man could win. He shrieked and you watched Aizawa stumble backwards covering his ears.

"You fucking asshole!" He shouted, watching his friend run up to you and sit down on a stool. 

Even though you covered your ears, there was still a ringing sensation left behind so you smacked Hizashi with a damp towel on his shoulder. "That's for deafening me, you dunce." 

He gave you an apologetic grin and Aizawa sat down next to him with a nasty side eye. 

"Where's your bouncer?" The tired man asked, turning his full attention to you.

"Apparently Hawks is bringing him here." You replied. "He didn't tell me who it was, though." 

"How's set up going?" Hizashi asked, resting his chin in the palm of his hand after he propped his elbow on the table.

"Good, actually. I'm almost finished with dishes." You answered, turning back around to dry the shot glasses you had just cleaned. Everything purchased was new, but for your own concerns and the well-being of your customers that would be arriving within the hour you washed and sanitized them. "I open in an hour, how long are you two sticking around?" 

"I have the night off." Hizashi said with a grin. 

"I have to patrol tonight with Shinsou." Aizawa sighed, casting a glance at the bottle of sake sitting in your glass-front fridge. 

"Tell the purple people-eater I said hi, will you?" You filled a glass with cold sake and slid it across the counter towards your mentor. 

He responded with a nod and took a sip of his drink, a sudden look of relief crossing his face. "I don't like drinking at other bars." 

"It's not the same." Hizashi added with a frown, looking for his own glass of sake. To appease him you gave him one.

Your heart soared in your chest. "I love you guys, too." After your mother had passed, the two of them became frequent fliers at your bar. If they didn't show up together, at least one of them would come to check in on you every night. It was mainly Aizawa since the original Treasure Wing resided in his regular patrol area. Hizashi would stop by as much as possible, but he was assigned to the other side of the city when he was working.

"How are your classes going?" You asked, lining up the shot glasses that you'd just dried with the others. 

"It's strange not having a full class when they're needed for their internships." Mic stated, swishing his sake around before taking a sip. 

"They need the experience though, and none of those who've missed class for their internships have fallen behind thankfully." Aizawa spoke up, turning on his rotating stool to scan the empty area behind him. "You really have a dance floor?" 

"Hawks and Tokoyami chose the blueprint for that one. I couldn't make up my mind." You shrugged. "Besides, it gives Mic a chance to DJ like he used to."

The blond's jaw dropped. "You'd let me DJ?" 

"You always were the best at drunk karaoke." You teased, which was an obvious "of course". 

He smiled widely, yet bashfully. "I'll have this place booming in no time." 

"What would you ask as a pay rate?" You inquired, not wanting to cop out on him if he was going to run your dance floor. 

"Shit, you don't have to pay me." He took a sip of his drink. "I'll do it for free alcohol." 

"Sounds like a deal." You returned his smile with one of your own.

Before you could continue your idle chitchat with two of your favorite people, the door opened again and all three of you looked to see who it was. As soon as Keigo stepped through the door, Aizawa looked away and finished the last of his drink before scooting the glass to you in ask of another.

"Hey! I thought you wouldn't be here for a little while longer." You chirped up as soon as you recognized him, the flutter of your feathers going unnoticed by you; Aizawa definitely noticed.

"Surprisingly we didn't come across any criminals on our way here." Keigo responded, putting his hands behind his head. He stepped out of the doorway and the last person you thought would ever come to your bar lumbered in. 

Endeavour scrutinized the place before he gave Hawks a knowing look. "You lied to me." 

"Wha—" Keigo dropped his arms. "No I didn't. I said I had a security job I needed help with."

"I'm not going to bounce a bar with you, Hawks." The #1 Pro Hero replies tartly. 

"Please don't feel like you have to stay, if you don't want to." You sweat-dropped from behind the counter. "If I had known that he was going to ask you to help I would've told him not to."

Endeavour turned to look at you and you wanted to drop off the face of the earth. He wasn't that scary looking at all, but he sure as hell held an intimidating aura about him. No wonder he was All Mights replacement. 

"You're Star Breakers daughter, aren't you?" He asked.

Your wings flopped behind you and you opened your mouth to reply but no words came out. You cleared your throat and swallowed hard, pinching your thigh to bring you back down to earth. "Uh, yes." You hadn't heard your fathers hero name in a long time.

"I worked with him when he was still around." He replied bluntly. "He was a good man. You're jumping ranks just like he did." He gave a look to Keigo who was idly ogling at you.

"I didn't think I'd become #42 so quickly, to be honest. I've only been a Pro-Hero for about three months." 

"I'm aware. You deserve your rank." He scanned your empty bar once more, drifting over Aizawa and Hizashi who were paying attention with sincere interest. "I suppose I'll stay. Until I'm needed elsewhere." 

"Thank you." You expressed your gratitude. "Can I get you a drink?" 

"A Red Eye will do." He surmised, and you turned to the fridge to grab tomato juice and a cold beer for the hero. Add a dash of vodka and his drink would be complete.

It only took you a moment to prepare the alcoholic beverage and you set it before an empty bar stool away from Aizawa and Hizashi. 

"Do you want anything, Hawks?"

His wings fluttered cutely behind him as he rushed to the bar and threw himself on a stool next to where you put Endeavors drink. "A beer, please." 

As they went about drinking and having their own conversations, you were making sure you had everything prepped for your first night back at work. You wondered how long you'd be there. The latest you'd stay was 4 am, you told yourself. Your sleeping schedule would probably become erratic again, but as long as you got up to feed Yoshio at his breakfast time everything would be okay. 

There was one window at the front of the bar to the right of the door that would let you see a patron as they approached. It also gave you an opportunity to see if they looked familiar or suspicious. If there was anybody you didn't want in the bar, all you had to do was whisper it to the feather that Keigo would leave behind for you.

Soon enough it was ten minutes to 18:00 and you were officially opening the doors. Your heart was pounding in your chest from excitement, and your hands were shaking slightly with nervousness. It had been too long, and you were hoping the first night was a busy one. A full bar for you meant a good night, and hopefully lots of tips.

"Okay, it's about time to open." You mentioned, wiping your hands on your apron. 

Keigo drummed his hands on the counter before turning his stool around and jumping off, pleased with his beer. Endeavor put his empty glass down and wordlessly followed, wondering how the night was going to go.

The #2 Pro-Hero opened the door with a smile on his face, but it dropped slightly. "(Y/N)?" 

"Yeah?" You asked, walking towards him. Endeavor stepped back to let you approach the winged hero. "What's wrong?" 

"Oh nothing." He chirped, the smile returning to his face. "You should see all the people lined up." 

You doubted him for a moment before peering around the corner. Your jaw dropped. 

All of your regulars were lined up, some leaning against the wall and others chatting with their friends. It seemed like the line went around the block. 

A man walking down the street was passing the line, a puzzled look on his face. He stopped by somebody you didn't recognize, but you knew it was a pro-hero. 

"What are you all lined up for?" The man asked.

"Booze!" A person in line replied. "Good booze, too!" You didn't see who responded to the bypasser, but you recognized the voice when you noticed tall white bunny ears twitch. 

"Is...is that Mirko?!" You felt like you were going to faint. She had never shown up at your original bar. "How in the—"

"I may have made fliers and dropped them on people as I passed." Keigo rubbed the back of his neck, knowing you were either going to yell at him or thank him.

"—Hawks" you almost said his real name instead of his hero one but thankfully you caught yourself. "Why?" 

"Because this is your dream, isn't it?" 

You'd expressed to him on multiple occasions how something you'd always wanted was to have a bar full of pro-heros. He had decided that he needed to help that, and what better day to do that than your opening night? You felt like you were going to cry, but instead you grabbed the collar of his jacket and made him kiss you. 

"Thank you." The smile on your face was so wide and stunning that he felt his heart do somersaults in his chest. 

His feathers ruffled slightly. "I told you, I'd do anything for you." 

"Then you better start letting them in!" You pivoted on your heels and zoomed back behind the bar, the smile never leaving your face. 

He stepped outside, and Endeavor did the same. You heard shrieks from the people lined up outside and you giggled. 

"We helped, you know." Aizawa mused, nursing his sake. 

"How so?" You inquired, prepping glasses to make drinks. 

Hizashi pulled a crumpled flier from his pocket. "After Hawks made these we gave them to U.A. teachers, and some other pro-heros that we work with." 

"You really didn't have to." You replied softly, flattening the creases in the flier. 

"But we did." Aizawa spoke up again. "You've been dying to get your bar back up and running, so why not start with a bang?" 

"Anyways." Hizashi drew out the vowels before getting off his stool and stretching his arms over his head. "Are you ready? It's gonna be a long night, you know." 

"Do I have wings on my back? Of course I am!"

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Chapter Text

Here's to the nights we'll never remember with the friends we'll never forget.

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Aizawa was perched at one of the corner seats of your bar, out of your way and almost invisible to others. He was able to see the whole bar from his seat, and he was also able to keep an eye on you. He was content nursing his water in the corner until he had to go on shift, he knew that there were three other pro-heros here that could take care of things if anything went down. But that didn't stop him from scrutinizing everybody that walked through the front doors, even if they were familiar with him.

Your heart was beating frantically in your chest as pro-hero after pro-hero filed into your bar one by one, chatting amongst each other and sitting down at tables or finding seats at your booth. You noticed some immediately went for the dance floor as Mic started the music. 

You were jittering with nerves, knowing that within a few moments, the one and only Mirko would be walking through your door. It might be necessary to mention that you're a diehard fan girl for the bunny hero, because hot damn could that woman kick some ass. If anything you thought that she should be as close to #1 as Hawks was. She was only 5 spots away, the highest ranking woman hero in Japan. 

The first person you truly knew and recognized that walked through the door was none other than Midnight. She practically sprinted to the bar and sat down on the stool directly in front of you. She placed her chin in the palms of her hands with her elbows rested on the table, a bright smile on her face. "It's been way too long, how's it been?" 

As you indulged her with a conversation and a drink, more people began filing in. Your bar was at least halfway full within the first thirty minutes, and you were moving so quickly between tables that your feet started going numb. Thanks to your telekinesis, you could whizz drinks to tables and people across the room while you were making others. 

Throughout the night a smile never left your face. This is what you had wanted for so fucking long. A day of normalcy where you felt completely at home, in Treasure Wing. Nothing could ruin the mood you were in, knowing that you were safe and well-protected with the amount of pro-heros in your bar compared to who and what could come after you. 

You thought to yourself that you'd need quite a bit more help around here so you wouldn't burn yourself out. Eventually you'd have to look for a second bartender to deal with the amount of refills and requests coming in. But until you could find somebody, you could do the job just fine. 

"Slide me a fuzzy navel, would you?" 

You looked to your left and you almost felt yourself pass out. Fat Gum, in all his glory, had squeezed himself onto a stool, preventing people from sitting in the seats on either side of him. It was comical, but you made sure to hold back your laughter as you nodded.

"Coming right up!"

You slid two beers across the counter to Kamui Woods and Edgeshot before filling a martini glass halfway with orange juice and the other half with peach schnapps. You wished you could chat with Fat Gum, but you were preoccupied with making other drinks so you floated it to him with your telekinesis.

He looked a little shocked to see his drink float over with a blue glow, but he smiled and took it anyways. He lifted it slightly in his hand in a silent thanks before he left the booth and wandered further into your bar. 

To your right sat Mirko, waiting patiently for her Matcha Hai. She watched intensely as you grabbed a tall, clean glass and started it with matcha powder and some lemon juice. You added a shot of whiskey and followed it with club soda before topping it off with gum syrup. 

"I've never made a Matcha Hai before, so let me know how it tastes." You said as you set the glass down in front of her.

Her face was blank when she lifted the glass and took her first sip. You felt cold sweats going down your back when she didn't answer your statement. What if she hated it? Oh god that would be the end of your life. 

Your heart soared when a grin burst across her tan cheeks. "This is fucking amazing!" 

It was maybe five hours into the night when you straightened up from grabbing another bottle of whiskey from the fridge. You were prepared to open the cap when you turned around, yet shrieked and almost dropped it when you noticed Keigo right behind you. 

"Don't do that!" You chided, punching him in the shoulder. "You scared the shit out of me." 

"You didn't hear me when I was calling for you." He said as you shouldered past him to pour more shots, turning to face you. 

"Sorry," you apologized. "I tend to get in a zone when I'm bartending." 

"It's alright, it's pretty cute." He teased.

Your face flushed slightly and you turned to face him after setting the bottle of whiskey down. "Do you need something?" 

"You should take a break." He chirped, collecting empty glasses with his individual feathers and placing them in the sink so you could clean and reuse them. 

"Who's going to serve drinks?" You asked, beginning to clean the cups he put in the sink. 

He waved you off with a hand. "They can survive for thirty minutes without you pouring alcohol down their throats. Come dance with me."

You laughed. "I don't dance, Hawks." 

"Neither does Crust." He motioned towards the #6 pro hero shaking his whole body like he was having a seizure on the dance floor and you giggled again.

"Give him a break, he's having a good time." You scolded softly, moving into the next glass. "Are you just going to leave Endeavour out there all by his lonesome?" 

"He told me to piss off." He chuckled.

"Probably because you were blabbing his ear off the whole time." You joked.

"You better come with me or I'll get your fathers involved." He threatened.

You rolled your eyes. Aizawa would tell him to leave you alone, but Hizashi on the other hand... "Fine." You sighed heavily and started removing your apron. "I'll be back in 30!" 

The patrons at the counter signaled you off by raising their drinks, so you followed Keigo out from behind the mixing booth albeit slightly unwillingly after he removed his jacket. 

You took a deep breath and exhaled heavily, regaining your senses as Keigo took your hand and pulled you into the middle of the dance floor. The crowd parted willingly for you to trail after him, and they enclosed the floor once you had passed.

As soon as the song finished and the next one came on, you noticed that stupid smirk of his cross his face. Of course it had to be the song that was basically bragging about looks, so his ego increased by tenfold when he started dancing.

You couldn't take it seriously and erupted in a chorus of giggles. He wasn't the best dancer, but he was definitely trying. You knew for a fact that he didn't care about others looking at him, he was so accustomed to being swarmed by fans that having his coworkers judge him was a minuscule problem. 

It got better yet slightly worse when he started  mouthing the words. You bet he was actually singing under his breath as he danced without a care in the world. His intention was to make you laugh, and put you in a good mood of course; it was working.

You did your best to go along with his moves when he grabbed your hands to guide you in his catastrophically embarrassing dance, though you couldn't stop laughing with a happy smile on your face.

It wasn't long before the song was over and you had a minute to catch your breath. "That was strangely euphoric."

"Dancing gets your blood moving." He said with a shoulder shimmy. "Loosens up the muscles." 

"More like it makes me hurt in the morning." You replied, wiping the sweat from your brow with the back of your hand. "Are we gonna dance the whole time or actually sit down?"

"You have been on your feet the whole time." He commented with a finger on his chin. "How about one more song and we can go get some fresh air?" 

"That sounds good." You mused, not minding the heros that left the dance floor to go sit down. You eagerly wanted to get them what they requested, but you reminded yourself that you were on a forced break and Keigo wouldn't let you go back until his 30 minutes of distracting you from work were up. 

As Mic played the next song, you made a mental note to give him a break once yours was up. 

You started dancing before Keigo did, and he took his time mimicking you and watching you the whole time. You found yourself being immersed in the song and closed your eyes. The smile didn't leave your face as you just let your body flow with what felt right. You didn't think about the people that could be watching you, judging you for your lack of dance skills. 

For a moment, everything was blissful. You forgot about Hawks and the pro-heros that filled your tavern. You forgot about the trauma you'd lived through, what you had survived and done to get to where you were now. You felt like you were fifteen again, dancing by yourself in your room and using a hairbrush as a microphone. You remembered dancing with your mom and dad on your tenth birthday after they rented a karaoke machine for you to sing totally off-pitch to. You remembered the sleepovers with your friends from U.A. before your dad disappeared, and how happy everything was. 

If only there was a way for you to go back in history and do something different, as if that would change what fate had planned for you. If only something you did or didn't do when you were younger altered your parents destiny. 

You had to remind yourself that none of that was possible, and that you were okay. You had people to support you, you had Yoshio and Momo, and especially Keigo. If you were able to go back and change anything, you wouldn't be enjoying the night of your bar opening again. You probably wouldn't have met the #2 Pro-Hero.

You didn't open your eyes until the song was over, and when you did Keigo was standing in front of you with a bright smile on his face. 

"Did you have a good time?" He asked, taking your hand in his and leading you off the dance floor. 

You returned the smile with one of your own. "Yeah, I did." 

He escorted you back to the bar where he sat down. You went behind to refill drinks of those sitting at the counter before making one of your own and another for Keigo. It felt good to sit down. As soon as you did you really noticed the pulsation in your feet; it was a breath of fresh air. 

You had lifted your drink to take a sip before Hawks moved his closer to yours. "Why don't we make a toast?" 

You lowered your glass and tilted your head slightly to look at him. "For what?" 

He shrugged. "I don't know, everything? Anything you want." 

You drummed your fingers against the counter for a moment before angling your drink towards his. "How about to how life gets better?" 

The soft clink between your margarita and his beer sounded like thunder when it was only a whisper. 

"To how life gets better."

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Chapter Text

His arms are strong enough to hold every fear, every beautiful broken piece of me. This man doesn't just make me feel complete, he completes me. 

~ S. Marie

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"Baaaaaaabeeeee." A voice whined from across the house. 

You were sitting in the sunroom with the cats, enjoying the warm light as it dappled Yoshio's dark grey fur and illuminated Momo in a soft glow. It was about noon and you were watching the two play, humming calmly until Keigo cried for you. 

"I'm in the cat jungle." You called back, refusing to stand up and go to wherever in the house he was. There was a few moments of silence before he did it again.

"Baaaaabbbeeeee." This one was prolonged and drawn out more than the previous and you rolled your eyes. 

"You have legs and wings, Keigo. Use either pair to come to me, I'm busy." You snickered at the last part as you lounged in the chaise, pulling the book closest to you on the bookshelf off of it's resting place and opening it when he flew into the room. 

"You're too busy reading an upside down book to give me attention?" He pouted from the floor which he threw himself on after he realized that you were faking it.

"Yes, yes I am." You teased, flipping the page and refusing to turn it right side up. You wanted to see how needy he would get, and boy you weren't disappointed.

He started fake crying which tricked Yoshio into thinking that he was actually sad and the large cat ran over to him with a few chirps. He used an arm to push the cat away; he didn't want attention from the cat he wanted it from you. Yoshio failed to listen and instead yowled loudly, moving his body over Hawks face to silent his cries. 

You laughed at the image, watching in amusement as the winged hero retorted profusely to the cats affection, his voice muffled by Yoshio's long fur. He used both of his hands to pick up the large cat, Yoshio meowing in protest as he was removed from his resting spot and Keigo sat up. 

You flipped to the next page when a few feathers tickled at the back of your neck. You pressed your lips together to avoid giggling, instead acting totally entranced by the upside down book in your hands. 

It didn't stop there, as Keigo found ways to annoy you with the cats instead. Yoshio's eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning when the pro-Hero pulled the laser pointer from off the shelf behind your head. The red dot had both cats at attention, and they scrambled wildly to catch it as he moved it around the room, up the cat tree, further along the cat perches lining the top half of the walls. His last plan of attack was setting the dot on your exposed thigh. 

You weren't paying well enough attention to see Yoshio go into attack mode atop of the bookshelf. He crouched down and wiggles his haunches, preparing to leap to catch the red dot. The next thing you knew was that twenty pounds of Maine Coone had come falling from the ceiling and onto your lap.

You shrieked at the sudden weight and claws in your thigh when he scrambled to chase the red dot around the room again. Momo was still sitting on top of the bookcase, looking unsure of how to come down since she'd watched your reaction after Yoshio landed on you like a bag of bricks. Deciding against his aggressive departure, she made her way back down to the floor the way she went up. 

As she matured, she was sleeking out with her tortishell coat. Her fur was much shorter than Yoshio's, but she was still silky soft from the nutritional diet you had her on. She was a little smaller than the average domestic shorthair due to her neglect when she was born, but thankfully she was healthy and strong. She was attached to you much like Yoshio was, having seen his relationship with you. She absolutely adored Keigo though, and would rather sleep in his lap instead of yours when Yoshio was taking up all the room. 

You slammed the book in your hands shut and put it back on the shelf after rubbing your sore thighs. "Alright, you overgrown chicken. Now you're gonna get it." 

He mocked your silly threat, putting his hand up and opening and closing his fingers as he did so. He continued taunting Yoshio with the laser, unsuspecting of your approach from behind him. 

With a war cry you jumped on his back, ignoring the fact that all of his feathers separated from the base of his wings when you made impact. He stumbled slightly under your weight since he wasn't prepared for your attack, and you laughed as he had to grab the wall to keep himself from falling down. 

Vermillion feathers separated you from his toned figure, lifting you into the air to give him enough time to turn around and tackle you himself with a laugh. When you landed on the floor he began tickling you mercilessly.

Tears were at the corners of your eyes as you begged him to stop, not being able to contain your giggles and gasps from his relentless assault on your sides. Eventually you tapped his shoulder with an open palm twice. 

"Alright, alright, I forfeit." 

Thankfully he stopped, and sat up on your waist. "You shouldn't have attacked knowing that you'd never win." 

"I kicked your ass getting my license." You teased him with that reminder, panting to regain your breath. 

"But that wasn't hand-to-hand combat, was it?" He replied cheekily, wiggling his fingers in your face. 

"You got me there." You replied, a soft smile on your face. 

He looked down at you, a look of adoration in his eyes that sent butterflies banging around in your stomach. It had been how many months now? You'd expected the honeymoon phase to pass especially with the trauma you'd experienced, but it seemed like it was never going to end. Not that you were complaining, of course. 

If you could stay here forever, living life to the fullest with the man of your dreams, you could die happy. When you were home with him—cats included—nothing outside your sanctuary bothered you. You never stressed about the business your bar was getting, now that you had reopened and booming with pro-heros as patrons. You never worried about what you would come across when you were out on patrol.

And no matter how exhausted you were when you went to bed, you woke up feeling like you'd been filled with a newfound energy that you didn't know existed. 

"I love you, stardust." He murmured gently, dragging you back in from your train of thought with a kiss.

"I love you too." You replied almost breathlessly. You'd regained your breath after his tickle torture, but his kiss stole all the air from your lungs like it did every single time. 

He laid his head on your chest, just holding you. You ran your fingers through his hair, enjoying the soft moment you had with him while your time balanced precariously on a thin line. He was the reinforcement to that line, a net to catch you for if you ever fell. You knew that he'd be there until the end of time.

You couldn't wait to grow old with him.

"Hey." You spoke up, and his gold eyes met yours as he lifted his head slightly. 

"You wanna get married?"

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Chapter Text

Once in a lifetime, you meet someone who changes everything. 

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"We're getting married." 

The look of disgust that crossed Aizawa's face either made you want to cry or punch him in the mouth. You knew that he didn't like Hawks after the stunt he pulled about Dabi trying to hunt you down and kill you, but you understood his reasoning behind it. 

You were also willing to defend Keigo to the death, and Aizawa knew you'd choke him out if he talked shit about Keigo in front of you. 

You were giving your mentor a scrutinizing glare, perhaps pressuring him into a nice response instead of a tart retort, and thankfully a small smile crossed his face. "Congratulations."

Your feathers ruffled with his praise only to stiffen when you heard Hizashi wail at the top of his lungs. You didn't know if it was a happy cry or sad cry, but the overgrown cockatoo was not holding back the waterfall of tears. You slid him and Aizawa a glass of sake across the bar before returning to Midnight's margarita. 

"You're so grown up already." He sobbed, leaning back in his chair and turning his head to Midnight. "She's getting married." 

The woman with dark purple hair gave you a graceful smile when you gave her the margarita you'd mixed together before patting Hizashi gently on the shoulder to comfort him. "I know, honey." 

Shinso didn't seem to give a damn on the other hand, instead pushing his straw around in his glass of sprite. The only reason he was in your bar is because he was partaking patrol with Aizawa once again. "Your kids will be ugly." 

"Say that again and I'll make you babysit said ugly children." You threatened, reaching for the knife under the counter that you used to cut limes and lemons with. Aizawa gave you a look out of the corner of his eye and you put your hand back on the table. 

Shinso had no response to your threat, instead finishing his sprite and continuing once it was gone just to make that obnoxious fucking noise. You were ready to stab his hand into your counter before Aizawa cuffed him on the back of the head. 

"So when am I getting my invite?" Nemuri asked, propping her chin in her hands. 

"Next week, but since I don't have any actual "friends", I was gonna ask for your help in dress shopping." 

Her jaw dropped. "Really?" You gave her a quick nod, drying the glasses in the sink before the doors opened for your customers. 

You then turned to Aizawa and Hizashi. "Since I don't have anybody walking me down the aisle, would you two do it?" 

The next thing you knew, you had three pro-heros crying at your bar.

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The next few days were hectic as hell. You were overrun with patrol shifts and then you had to run the bar. That left barely anytime to go dress shopping with Nemuri until she physically showed up at the penthouse and dragged you out by your ear. 

You were unsure of your spending limit, but Keigo opened his wallet and handed you his credit card before you left. You looked between him and the card, wondering if this was actually alright. 

"Don't hold back baby, if I don't cry when I see you then you chose the wrong dress." He gave you a kiss and pushed you out the door, leaving you to Nemuri.

You had ten options to chose from, and making that choice was probably the hardest thing you'd ever done. You tried them all on, of course. Midnight wasn't much help because she feared up every time you stepped out of the changing room, so the final decision was still on hold. 

At your request, Hizashi and Aizawa showed up to assist. Not surprisingly, they dragged Shinso along as well. You should've asked Hizashi to help instead of Midnight, though he was more brutal in his criticism when it came to your dress. You appreciated his help, though you had to throat punch Shinso when he said one of the dresses you tried on made you look fat. It would've been better if he hadn't come along. Aizawa and Hizashi stood over him, shaking their heads and clicking their tongues.

That caused a lowkey mental breakdown where you sobbed in the changing room and asked Midnight if you were actually fat. Of course she denied it every single time. 

"No matter your size or shape, you will always be the beautiful (Y/N) I watched grow up and become into a fantastic hero. If anybody tells you otherwise, who are they to judge? You don't have to follow societal standards of beauty. They can choke on a crouton." 

That definitely made you feel better, and it also helped you make the decision you'd struggled with for the whole day. The dress of your choice was by far your favorite, and everybody waiting for you to show it off approved of it as well. 

"I figured it was going to be that one from the start." Aizawa commented, knowing that since it was the one you'd spent the longest in. You couldn't help it, it took your breath away. 

The next thing on your agenda was finding a place to hold the ceremony. Keigo wanted to go all out, but neither of you had enough open time to plan for it. So you settled for a skyscraper on the top story. It had a beautiful view of the city and it was breathtaking at night. Not to mention that Keigo thought it would be the perfect idea to fly off hand in hand.

Keigo took care of the rings while you handled the invitations. You were unsure of who to invite, but you figured it out. It was a small gathering, but the people you'd sent invites to were important in both your and Keigo's life. 

The final thing on your schedule was to train two new bartenders to run things while you were away. You're probably wondering who they are, and  it was Mirko and Ryuku. Surprisingly enough Ryuku had a history with bartending so she just needed a refresher. Mirko on the other hand had no experience but she was a quick learner and she moved fast. Your bar was in trusted hands while you weren't present, and you knew for a fact that they would take care of the place. 

You decided that you didn't want to throw a bachelorette party, but Nezumi said otherwise and invited quite a few people. Needless to say you were given a shit ton of sex toys and lingerie, not that you were complaining. You even did a boudoir photo shoot. The rest of the night was spent drinking and watching sappy romcoms while drunk off your ass. 

As of that night Mirko had probably become your best friend aside from Keigo himself, so at the last minute you asked her to be your maid of honor. She accepted.

When you woke up the next morning on the floor of Nezumi's living room, you felt your stomach roll like the tides of the ocean. 

You stumbled to your feet, not wanting to throw up on your previous teacher's carpet. You barely made it to the bathroom and threw open the lid before you vomited everything you'd eaten and drank from the day before. 

When you'd finished dry heaving, you were surprised to see Nezumi walk in with a bottle of Gatorade and some ibuprofen. "Hangover from hell?" 

You swallowed the ibuprofen and took slow, small sips of the Gatorade to not upset your stomach again. "Yeah, you got me there."

"Well, thankfully your wedding isn't until tonight so you've got all day to recuperate." She spoke softly, rubbing your lower back. 

You leaned your head against her shoulder and sighed, closing your eyes as if that would help the roaring headache. "Thanks, Nezumi."

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The day went by slower than you had expected it to. You had spent at least three hours at Nezumi's personal hairdresser, one of those whole hours was figuring out how to style your hair for said ceremony. The next three hours was getting your hair done with the girls, some leaving shortly after to work for a bit before it was time for the wedding. 

You took a nap in the car, your dress already at the skyscraper waiting for you. You were a little sad you didn't get to see Keigo today, or wake up next to him, but you were excited since you knew what was coming.

Once you were actually in the dress your nerves hit you like a semi truck. What if Keigo didn't like it, it's not like what he said when you went dress shopping put any pressure on you or anything. A panic attack ensued, though Rumi and Nezumi were quick to snap you out of it. 

There was a knock on the door of your dressing room after Midnight fixed your makeup. "You know what that means, (Y/N)." She mused, a bright smile on your face.

Your heart was still rattling in your chest when you stood up and smoothed out any imaginary creases in the dress. You had to check yourself over before you let Nezumi open the door because you knew who was standing outside. 

When you had calmed down enough to function properly in front of your fatherly figures, you turned towards her and gave her a nod as a signal to open the door. You'd never expect to see Hizashi or Aizawa done up in a suit and tie, you were expecting something half-assed from the sleepless hero but they both went all out. It wouldn't surprise you if Nezumi forced them to rent a tux for the occasion. 

Hizashi almost burst into tears when he saw you again, and you noticed Aizawa stiffening his upper lip. 

You gave Hizashi a hug to comfort him in his obvious time of need before you did the same with Aizawa. "Thanks for doing this."

"This better be the only time I have to do this." Aizawa sighed, and you giggled.

"I promise it's just this once." 

He cocked an eyebrow at you like he was doubting you before it was replaced with a smile. He leaned forwards and kissed your forehead. "You look beautiful." 

You returned his smile with one of your own. "Thanks." 

They escorted you out the door into the foyer, where Mirko and Nezumi were waiting. Behind them was a little girl with long white hair that had a short horn sticking out of her forehead. She was absolutely adorable and you knew you'd kill somebody for her. Her name was Eri and she was holding a basket of flowers. Shinso was standing next to her, tugging at the tie around his neck with a disgusted look on his face. When he saw you he dropped his hands and took a long analysis before he turned his head away with a scoff. He was blushing. You wanted to give him shit for it but now wasn't the time. 

Besides, he was holding your rings and you knew for a fact that if you antagonized him enough he'd swallow them.

Keigo's groomsmen were already walking down the aisle—consisting of Endeavour and Tokoyami—and you felt your heart rate increase again. You wished with every ounce of your being that your parents could be here to see this day, but having your makeshift family here with you was enough. It was all you could've asked for, and every single one of them was willing to be there. 

Then the music started, and you felt faint at heart but you managed to keep it together. You were a bundle of anxiety and nerves, but thankfully when Aizawa took your arm in his and Hizashi did the same with your left it soothed you. 

Nezumi gave you a wink before Mirko lead the way. Once they reached the makeshift alter, Shinso followed with a bored look on his face. He sneered at 1-A when they stared at him. Next was Eri, and she skipped down the aisle in her white dress, adorably flinging petals around her. 

When she reached Keigo, she threw the last of the flowers in front of her and stomped on them to ensure they wouldn't move. He choked back a laugh when Midnight scurried forwards and gently lead her to stand in front of her. 

Slowly but surely, Aizawa and Hizashi escorted you down the aisle. The blond man was a mess of tears and kept having to dab at his eyes with a handkerchief but Aizawa was looking like he needed to do the same. To the left of the preacher stood Keigo in all of his glory. 

He looked absolutely fucking perfect in the black tux with a red tie to finish the look. His jaw dropped when you came into his line of sight, but he quickly closed his mouth when he felt his eyes start to water. You noticed each individual feather on his wings ruffle, though you weren't sure what caused it. 

Aizawa and Hizashi dropped you off at the bottom step, both taking a step back to give you the chance to walk up before they turned and sat down in their seats. 

You couldn't help but smile so hard your face hurt when you stood in front of Keigo. He was genuinely about to cry, which would've been the second time you've seen it happen. At least if he did, it was on a better occasion. 

"(Y/N) (L/N) and Hawks— Today you enter as individuals, but you will leave here as husband and wife, blending your lives, expanding your family ties, and embarking upon the grandest adventure of human interaction. The story of your life together is yours to write. All those present have come to witness and celebrate your love and commitment this day—eager to be a part of the story not yet told." The pastor began, not needing to recite the sayings from his book. 

It amused you that Keigo didn't give his birth name up, but it wasn't a surprise since it was shrouded in secrecy. The only other person in the room that knew it was Shinso, and you made him promise back at your licensing exam to not speak of it. 

"(Y/N) and Hawks, seek from within yourselves the serenity to accept the things you cannot change, the courage to change the things that you must, and the wisdom to know the difference. Live each day one at a time, enjoying your time together one moment at a time, learning all that you can from each other. Accept hardships as the building blocks of experience, realize that accepting both the good and bad are simply a part of being alive. Strive to make things as many things right as humanly possible in your life together, that you may be happy in the life you share from this day forward." 

Keigo looked like he was getting impatient, but thankfully the pastor gave him the go ahead to recite the vows with you before he would be interrupted. He reached across the empty space between the two of you and took your hands in his, his touch warm and inviting in the skylight of Japan. 

"You may now speak your vows." The officiant declares, taking a step back so you and Keigo could continue the ceremony.

"I've waited for this day for a long, long time. I thought I'd never get the chance to meet a woman as beautiful and perfect as you. I thought my life and my job would never give me the opportunity to meet you, but thankfully it did. (Y/N), you are the light of my life. You're my soulmate and I don't think I could live a day without you. I would die for you, kill somebody if you asked me to. I never get the chance to tell you how much you mean to me. You're the best thing to wake up to in the morning, and the most amazing thing to come home to at night—including the cats. I wake up with an energy I never had before. I feel invincible knowing that you're mine, and this seals the deal. The species of bird my quirk originates from mate for life, and I've found my soulmate in you." 

He never took his eyes away from yours, and he gave your hands a gentle squeeze as a signal that it was your turn after he slipped the golden ring on your finger. You'd recited this so often that you could say it in your sleep. 

"Hawks, I never thought I'd be marrying somebody so goddamn stubborn, yet somebody who cares for me and protects me as much as you do. If I hadn't rescued you from the rain that night, I don't know where I would be now. The only comfort I had in life was Yoshio, but now I have you and Momo as well. You've done so much for me in the short time we've known each other and been together, and I can't thank you enough. With your limited free time you've made me the happiest person alive, even through our arguments and fights. I've never had anything like this before, and I'm glad I found it with you. You are the most stunning, handsome man in the world and I couldn't ask for anything else. I will love you a little bit more each day until we die, and I hope we do that hand in hand. I've struggled a hundred times waiting for somebody perfect enough to sweep me off my feet and teach me how to fly again, always thinking that it would never happen. You're the reason I breathe, the reason I survive in this cruel, dark world. But when I'm with you all I see is light, an end to the dark journey I thought my life would be. When I reach that light, I have a new path ahead of me and I'm going to enjoy every single moment of it." 

You placed the ring on his finger, and gave him a soft, gentle smile. The two of you looked towards the pastor and he stepped up again, never letting go of each other's hands.

"Wedding rings are made precious by our wearing them. Your rings say that even in your uniqueness you have chosen to be bound together. Let these rings also be a sign that love has substance as well as soul, a present as well as a past, and that despite its occasional sorrows, love is a circle of happiness, wonder, and delight. May these rings remind you always of the vows you have taken today." 

He looked between the two of you and scanned the crowd to see if there were any objections before he cleared his throat and put his hands together in front of his waist. "And now, by the power invested in me by Japan, I can pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." 

Keigo took your face in both hands and pulled you into a kiss that left you seeing the Milky Way and every galaxy around it. When he pulled away from you, you giggled at the smeared lipstick on his lips. 

He pulled you in for another one. 

"Ladies and gentleman, I present to you, for the first time, (Y/N) and Hawks." 

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Chapter Text

One day love will come in the form of somebody who wants to give more than take, and you will know why love is rare.

~ Mark Anthony

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The sun was setting behind the skyline of Japan when the official party started. You were led by your left hand to the table at the end of the dining hall, two chairs tucked neatly under the red satin table cloth. Behind the left chair read a sign that said "bride" and behind the right chair was a sign that read "groom". 

Adorning the table was a large bouquet of red roses, purple bellflowers, and pink camellias. Roses were an obvious symbol of romance, bellflowers stood for unchanging love and honesty, while camellias represented humility, discretion, and perfect love. It was probably the most stunning bouquet you'd seen and you felt your heart soar.

Keigo pulled your chair out for you and you gave him a bright smile before bundling the back of your dress in your hands and sitting down. He pushed you closer to the table before seating himself, his left hand taking a hold of your right one. 

"I've only been wearing these heels for maybe an hour and my feet hurt like a bitch." You complained, leaning back in your seat with a heavy sigh. 

"Did you bring an extra pair?" He asked, rubbing the back of your hand with his thumb.

You shook your head in response. "No. I was going to but I left my flats at Nezumi's house this morning." 

"Then kick them off, I doubt anybody would notice if you did." He chuckled, taking a moment to admire you. 

Your tongue poked out of the side of your mouth as you took your free hand and removed the heel from your left foot, using your toes to pry off the right heel before you let out a satisfied sigh. Your toes had been cramping from the point in the toe and your heels were getting sore from the angle your feet had been. 

You and him engaged in idle chit chat about both the bachelor and bachelorette parties the night before when the music started. It had caught you off guard before you realized what was happening. You had to dance, in front of people, with your husband. Needless to say, you were as nervous as you could possibly be at that moment. 

The dance in your bar had been different; nobody was paying attention to you at that moment. But now you had to dance in front of your friends and family and fellow companions with all eyes on you. 

"You nervous, stardust?" Keigo questioned, giving you a small squeeze with his hand. 

"A little." You replied softly, following his lead when he stood up out of his chair. 

"Just think of it like that night in your bar, huh?" He was calm and relaxed, which rubbed off on you and you appreciated it. He was used to being the center of attention, but for once he was glad he wasn't alone during those moments. "It's just you and me here, nobody else." 

You nodded hesitantly, finding yourself in the middle of an open circle. You placed your left hand on his left shoulder while his right hand settled on the rise of your hip. Your opposite hands met and you intertwined your fingers with his, the stunning diamond on your ring finger gleaming under the soft lights hanging above you. 

"If it makes you feel any better, think of them all in their underwear." He suggested, giving you a coy grin. 

You giggled at his idea. "That just makes it worse, to be honest."

"Then just focus on me, alright? I'll keep you from embarrassing yourself." 

You felt like you were in heaven as he took the first step towards you, leading with his left foot. You stepped back in response to his pressure and quickly enough you got the hang of the tempo. 

Before you knew it, the song was ending and you felt yourself frown. 

"I'd love to do another song, but it seems you have to choose which father of yours to dance with first." He whispered in your ear, looking over your shoulder at Aizawa and Hizashi having a hushed argument.

He kissed you sweetly, yet softly when the final note played and you heard the group around you begin to clap. 

Your heart was fluttering in your chest when he twirled you with your intertwined hands, gracefully sending you towards Aizawa who had won the argument over who got to dance with you after Keigo. 

You had to say that he looked nice with his hair up and his facial hair groomed to a tamed version of it's normal self. "You clean up nice." You commented, picking up the same tempo you had with Keigo when he lead with the first step. 

"I could say the same about you." He replied softly. You noticed the simmering glare he threw over your shoulder, only to who you could assume to be Hizashi. 

"Oh stop it." You scolded him, pinching the muscle of his shoulder. "Give him a break, he's emotional." 

"He's a screeching demon full of tears is what he is." He muttered in response, turning his attention completely towards you again. "What's on your mind?" 

You shrugged and looked away for a second, catching a glimpse of Shinso stopping Eri from stealing all the chocolate-covered strawberries on the table full of food. "Not much, besides how I feel like a whole different person. This really isn't how I had expected my life to go, you know? I thought I'd be running the bar by myself for the rest of my life just to keep the memory of my mother alive." 

"She'd be proud of you, you know." He commented, giving your hip a gentle squeeze. "Your father would be, too. You've grown up quite a bit these past few years, more so in these last eight months."

You gave him a gentle smile. "I just wish they could be here to see it." 

"They may not be here physically, but remember that they're watching." He reassured you, ending the dance once the song had finished. He gave you a kiss on the forehead before he handed you off to Hizashi.

The blond cockatoo had a blotchy face from what you could only assume was his nonstop crying. "I've never cried this much in my life." He grinned.

"I doubt that, remember when we watched The Notebook?" You teased, following his lead when the third song began. 

His eyes started watering again and he took his hand off your hip to fan his face. "Ugh, don't remind me of that movie. It always gets the waterworks going." 

"Almost everything does." You laughed, a smile on your face as you continued to dance with your second fatherly figure. 

"Since we have a moment to ourselves," Hizashi began, ignoring your sentence. "I just wanted to say how proud we are of you, Aizawa and I. I know a lot went south when your dad never came home from that mission, but the way you took it in stride is something to be admired. You resemble him in almost every form that I recognize, you know? Your fiery personality, your aggressive obsession with trying to destroy my family jewels." You laughed and he smiled. He'd never drop that subject. "He really wanted the best future possible for you, and for a while I thought it would be Treasure Wing since that's what kept your mom going after he disappeared. Aizawa never approved of Hawks, but I knew from the day you two met that you were destined to be together." 

Hizashi had you on the brink of tears at this point, and your upper lip quivered. You used the hand you had rested on his shoulder to dab at your eyes to not mess up your makeup, knowing Nezumi and Mirko would be on you like vultures if they noticed a smidge of it to be off. 

"That means a lot to me, Hizashi." You replied softly. "Thanks for everything you've done for me, I don't know if I could've done it on my own without you and Aizawa." As the song ended, you stretched up on your bare toes and kissed his cheek. 

He started crying again when he escorted you back to the table Keigo was sitting at, pulling a handkerchief out of the pocket on his chest and blowing his nose after he seated you. You watched him rush to Aizawa with a loud wail, most of the heads in the room turning when he cried out. 

"Are you hungry?" Keigo asked, running his knuckles gently down the side of your cheek in a loving manner.

"I'm famished." You said in return, leaning into his touch. 

"I'll go grab you a plate, alright?" He rose from his chair and rushed to the table covered in hoerderves, picking two of everything and bringing it back with a flutter of his wings.

He set the plate down in front of you. "Here you are, my gorgeous bride." 

Your face flushed and you looked over the array of snacks you were able to choose from. It wasn't time for the actual entree to be served, so this would hold you over until then. "Thank you, my handsome husband.

His feathers ruffled as his ego skyrocketed, turning to grab himself a plate before he returned to your side. 

This was probably the best night of your life, coming before your reopening of Treasure Wing. You were officially (Y/N) Takami and it made your heart soar through the earth's stratosphere and land among the stars that littered the galaxy. You felt on top of the world, almost invincible when it came to anything. You hoped that you always felt this way now that you were a married woman. Due to Keigo's name being unknown to the public, that meant that you weren't able to change from your maiden name to his for quite a while. You could do it on personal paperwork, but people would have to remain unknowing of the change.

"(Y/N)!" A voice said from the crowd in front of you.

Your attention turned to the voice that had called for you. Mirko seamlessly moved through the crowd in a fluid motion, though they parted for her as she passed by. 

"What's up?"

"I'm surprised you haven't come and nagged at me to help you change." She teased, standing in front of the table with her hand on her hips and a bright smile. Mirko wore a floor-length dress that went over her left shoulder with a slit in the right thigh that was a dark royal blue. Needless to say she was stunning and it really made you question your sexuality. 

"I would've approached the topic earlier but I forgot my flats at Nezumi's this morning." You replied, resting your chin on your free hand with a frown. 

"You mean these?" She revealed your white lace flats and you gave her a wide grin. 

"You are a lifesaver! I genuinely just kicked off the heels like they were Satan's incarnate." 

"She kicked me in the process." Keigo added on with a bemused grin. 

You cocked an eyebrow at him and turned your head. "Did I? I'm sorry." 

He waved you off with his free hand. "I'm just messing with you. Go get comfortable, we've got a long night." 

"Oh!" Mirko's face almost split in half with her wide grin. "I almost forgot." You gave her a curious look before your brain connected the dots; the boudoir polaroids.

The plan was for Mirko to slip one to him on the hour throughout the procession. There were six in total, though you didn't know if you'd still be there by the sixth picture. If you knew your husband, he'd be acting on the pictures before the two of you had even left and the thought made a storm surge in your stomach. 

You leaned in and gave Keigo a quick kiss before standing up and taking your flats from Mirko. "I'll be back." 

"Take your time." He replied softly, watching you intently as you approached Midnight. 

Mirko pulled a clasp purse out of seemingly nowhere and popped it open, grabbing the first Polaroid her fingers touched and she slapped it face down on the table in front of Keigo. "Here you are, #2. Your first teaser of the night." 

"Teaser?" He echoed, though he didn't receive an answer because when he looked back up from the table, Mirko had already disappeared into the crowd. 

He quickly dragged the Polaroid across the tablecloth before it reached the edge in front of his torso. Flipping the picture up, his wings subconsciously shivered at the sight.

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Chapter Text

He brought her mouth to his and said, "I am going to kiss you until the only name you will ever taste is mine." 

~ N.R. Hart

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Three hours in, it was finally time to eat. 

Unfortunately you hadn't had the chance to spend much time with your newlywed husband. You had instead found yourself talking to other heros that you had invited to your wedding, such as Kamui Woods, Edgeshot, Fatgum, Ryuku, Mount Lady, Gang Orca, and whoever decided to accept your invitation. 

You were able to steal glances of him here and there, though each time you did it sent shivers down your spine. Whenever you were able to see him, you realized that he was always already looking at you whenever you made eye contact. Each time you did, the look in his eyes grew more carnal. 

You weren't purposefully avoiding him at first, dying to be able to get off your feet and relax while munching on snacks together, but once you noticed Mirko give him the third boudoir photo out of five you decided to make a game of it. 

He was restless, and you knew it. He knew that you knew, too. He looked a little more on edge each time you spotted him; noticeable by his wings visibly stiffening, how he'd tug at the tie around his neck or play with the cuffs by his wrists. He was fidgety to keep his hands busy as a distraction. A few had noticed his out of normal persona, but only three women in the room knew why he was such a mess. 

When it was time to finally eat, you slumped your body into your chair and sighed heavily. "God I'm starving." 

"Having a good time?" Keigo asked, sitting in his chair shortly after you did. 

"It seems like everybody wants to talk to me or something like that." You replied, leaning back in your seat.

"I can't blame them." He wasn't looking at you, instead staring with an empty look in his eyes out to the friends you and him had invited. 

"Can I have a kiss?" You asked, fluttering your eyelashes and leaning towards him. "I'm getting tired of all these people." 

"No." He replied sharply. 

That caught you off guard and you sat up straight. "Oh. Okay." Your heart sank in your chest. Did you do something wrong? Did somebody tell him something? What was there to tell? Your anxious thoughts dwelled in your brain and clouded any other thoughts. 

Somebody mentioned something about eating dinner, and of course the bride and groom had to go first. You gathered what you wanted ahead of Keigo, his gaze burning into your back. He was acting carefree and normal when the person in line after him started a conversation, but you knew something was wrong. 

As you waited for him after you'd gathered your food, he walked close behind you back to the table. He radiated an overwhelming amount of heat that made your stomach coil. You weren't sure of what he had hidden up his sleeve, but the thought of it caused a mix of anxiety and arousal. You questioned if you should really be getting turned on with his sudden quiet dominating aura, but that just made it harder to tell yourself no. 

Because it was hot. 

When you sat down, you flexed the muscles in your thighs in an attempt to ground yourself to reality instead of horny thoughts. Thankfully it was toasting time, so people were standing up and speaking about either you or Hawks, or both. 

Something soft touched the inside of your left ankle and you jumped, bumping the table since it caught you off guard. Thankfully nobody was paying any attention to you. 

Your heart was racing in your chest when the object by your ankle slowly maneuvered it's way up your calf. Your mouth went dry when you realized what it was. You gave him a quick glance. He had a smirk on his face but paid no mind to you, instead focused on Midnight who was speaking. 

The feather drifted delicately across the expanse of your thigh. You tried to keep a straight face, your feathers trembling. Was he really going to do this? Here of all places? You gave him another look but he remained the same.

You couldn't hear what Midnight was saying when the feather moved to the inside of your thigh and brushed lightly against your panties. You bit your lip, subconsciously making fists with your hands when you placed them in your lap. 

You heard him chuckle under his breath, resting his chin in the palm of his hand with his elbow against the table. You started conjuring up ways to get back at him as he toyed with you only by using a feather. 

You audibly gasped, though it was almost silent when a second feather followed the same route as the first one. They worked together, lighting drawing patterns against the sensitive skin of the inside of your thighs. It was difficult for you to control the pace of your breathing when Midnight stepped off the stage and Aizawa stepped on. 

The man looked right at you when he started speaking, and you threw him a large smile to avoid him suspecting anything. That was when Keigo manipulated the feathers to apply pressure against your core, mercilessly driving you up the wall. 

You were so aroused that your body was aching for release, the bubble in your abdomen swelling and ready to pop. You felt your eyes start watering slightly, though thankfully it could get brushed off as you being emotional for Aizawa's speech. 

Keigo didn't stop teasing you until the toasts were over, about thirty minutes. It took all of your willpower and capabilities to not crumple over and let him have his way with you right there. 

There was a thin layer of sweat over your exposed skin when he finally finished his torture. The feathers stayed pressed against the inside of your thighs, coated with your arousal. He chuckled again, digging into his food without a second thought. Your fingers were trembling when you mustered enough energy to eat. 

The simple action of chewing and swallowing helped you come back down to earth from your euphoric ride. You were so embarrassed, what if somebody had caught you?! But you couldn't ignore the intrusive thought in the back of your mind that said; do it again. 

Keigo finished eating first, and left the table, saying he needed to use the bathroom before he disappeared around the corner. 

The coil in your stomach was still wound tightly, and the feathers between your legs started moving towards your core again. You shoveled the rest of your food down your throat in a respectful manner. Thankfully nobody had noticed your husband's disappearance since they were all too busy eating and chatting amongst the people at their table. 

Mirko and Midnight exchanged a knowing look when you rose from the table and followed after Hawks. 

As soon as you were out of sight of the crowd, a feather slipped out from the cut in the side of your dress, slipping under the bracelet on your wrist and dragging you at a quick speed down the hallway towards your changing room. 

You were jolted to a stop in front of the door, and before you had time to react, Keigo had thrown it open and grabbed you by the neck. He squeezed lightly, gently cutting off your air supply when he yanked you into the room and closed the door behind you. 

He shoved you against the wall, his other arm slamming next to your head. The action made you gasp and your heart skipped a beat. Your hands covered his own around your neck, your legs trembling. 

"You think you can get away with teasing me like that?" He purred, pulling back enough to expose his sharp canines. His usual amber eyes were filling with red, starting from his pupils. "Avoiding me all night?" 

You moaned softly when his knee pushed between your legs, propping you up against the wall and making you stand on your toes. "It wasn't my intention-" 

He snarled, his grip on your throat tightening before he returned to his original amount of pressure. The slickness between your legs was paramount, you could barely keep yourself up. "You liked seeing me all riled up, didn't you?" You nodded when he moved his hand from the side of your head and down to your hip, reaching through the leg slit and gripping onto your exposed thigh with a tight grip. "You know how badly I wanted to bend you over the table and fuck you?" 

Shivers ran down your back and to your toes, your breath hitching in your throat. You selfishly began moving your hips against his thigh, needing the smallest amount of friction for release. He dug his nails into your thigh and he smashed his lips onto yours, moving his knee further up the wall. "So now you want my attention?"

You bit his bottom lip and he growled, the hand that was around your throat moving behind your neck and grabbing a handful of your hair. He yanked your head back and you gasped, shaking under the scrape of his canines against your exposed neck. "You're so wet for me, stardust." He purred, wrapping your legs around his waist and picking you up. 

He swept everything on the table next to you off it before setting you down, his mouth meeting yours again as one hand fumbled with his belt buckle and the other dragged up your thigh, moving your panties to the side before he plunged a finger inside. 

You choked back a moan at the sudden intrusion, your eyes almost rolling into the back of your head when he started a quick pace. You were barely able to help him with his belt when he added a second finger. The action made you keen his name at the same time he managed to get his pants down. 

He didn't let up with his rough pace, your body falling backwards against the table, your mouth agape as you tried to make coherent words come out of your mouth. "K-Keigo p-please."

"Please what?" He demanded, removing his fingers from your slick pussy. He placed said fingers in his mouth and cleaned them up, making direct eye contact with you as he straightened up. 

You sat up as well, letting your hands trail under his tuxedo and up his torso, nails lightly leaving lines in his skin. The action caused goosebumps to crawl across his skin until he felt your hands nearing the base of his wings. He clicked his tongue and grabbed your hands roughly with his own, removing them from his shirt and holding them above his head. This brought you back to your feet, and you looked up at him with lust-filled eyes. "Please fuck me, Keigo." 

A soft smile crossed his face before it was shadowed by a hunger that lingered dangerously in his eyes. He spun you around by your hands, grabbing them again and putting them behind your back. His free hand pushed you down against the table, gliding along the sensitive feathers along your spine. "You want it that badly, huh?"

"Yes-" you were going to confirm his question, but the sudden thrust pushed you further onto the table. "Oh-oh my god—" 

He pulled out slowly, leaving you panting and breathless. "This." He rammed his hips into you, making you shriek. "Is punishment for those pictures." He pulled out slowly again, and you couldn't form the words you wanted to say when he slapped his hips against yours. 

You bit your bottom lip in an attempt to keep yourself quiet, knowing that anybody could walk in at any second. This was slow and torturous, it brought tears to your eyes as he kept up the same pace. "P-please!" 

"Speak up, stardust." He mused, leaning over your back and nipping at your earlobe. 

"Please, just fuck me already." You breathed, choking back a sob when he thrusted deeper and stilled. 

"Do you deserve it?" He questioned, rolling his hips backwards in an antagonizing manner.

"Yes, I do." You replied, licking your lips. 

"That's a good girl." He hummed, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear. 

He let go of your arms and they fell to your sides, aching and numb. You felt him remove his dick completely, and you turned to whine at him about it when he gripped your hips and started a brutal pace. 

It was difficult to keep the noises you made under wraps, your heart pounding so fast that it felt like a Gatling gun. Praises spilled from your tongue when your eyes rolled back into your head, his fingers delicately tweaking the feathers on your back. 

You cried his name under your breath when he spun you around so you were facing him. God he looked so fucking sexy in his tux, his lip between his teeth and his eyebrows furrowed. He was giving off short breaths each time he rolled his hips, keeping a tempo that was driving you insane. 

His hands on your hips controlled your movements, keeping you firmly pinned as he had his way with you. Your head was lolled back and your mouth agape. Fireworks were going off behind your eyelids when one of his hands traced down your bunched up dress and glided lightly over your exposed skin. His thumb found the bundle of nerves that ignited every cell in your body and you almost screamed as his pace never stopped. 

He silenced your scream with his mouth, his tongue dancing with yours as he grunted with each movement. His feathers danced across your skin, igniting the geyser in your abdomen. 

You keened his name as your orgasm rolled over you like a tsunami, your nails violently scratching at his shoulders as your body twitched and jerked from the sensitivity. He wasn't far behind, his teeth finding purchase in the nape of your neck as his rhythm became sloppy and unsteady. 

With a final groan he gave one last pump of his hips before his feathers stabbed into the walls and various items around the room. 

You laid breathless underneath him, the outline of a kaleidoscope lingering in your peripheral vision. He leaned over you, his hands tucking the stray pieces of hair behind your ears. 

He kissed you slowly once, and then twice before he stood up again, guiding you to a sitting position when his hands met your own. 

You gave him a smile, your cheeks flushed red from your sinful actions. Your heart was slowing it's incomprehensible pounding as your breathing began to return to its original pace. Your dress was all wrinkled up now but hopefully nobody would notice it. After a short attempt at smoothing the wrinkles with your hands, you looked to Keigo to see him fixing his cuffs. His tie was crooked and uneven and his white undershirt wasn't tucked in all the way. 

You moved in front of him and he stopped fixing his cuff, instead watching you with adoring eyes as you tucked his shirt in for him and then undid and redid his tie. You looked up at him once you had finished and he took your face in both of his hands, his lips meeting gently with yours. 

"I love you, (Y/N)." 

"I love you too, Keigo."

Without saying anything, he took your arm with his and led you back out to the crowd. 

When you reached the ballroom, everybody was already up and dancing again, or they were talking with one another. It didn't seem like anybody had noticed your disappearance, thankfully. 

Keigo turned towards you and started walking backwards towards the dance floor. 

You took a mental photograph.

"How about another dance, stardust?"

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Chapter Text

Nothing has made me sadder than imagining myself not seeing you ever again. 

~ P.G.G.

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After you danced with your husband he received his fourth boudoir photo. 

Instead of his usual wing twitches, he only smirked and tucked it into the chest pocket of his tux with the others. You frowned at that, since you thought the ruffle of his feathers was cute.

A soft movement on your inner thigh made you flinch. You hadn't noticed him even putting it there. It had either been there the entire time and you just hadn't noticed it or you weren't paying enough attention during your dance. 

He was dragged off into a conversation with Endeavor shortly after, and you found yourself in a conversation with Mount Lady. The little bit of time you had left would be spent doing such: chatting with others.

After being whirled around the open room by multiple different people, you finally found yourself standing in front of the buffet table. You let out a quiet sigh of relief and started sneakily stuffing your face with snacks when you heard a familiar, obnoxious voice behind you. 

"Oh look, you're already waddling." 

If you could've turned your head 180 degrees you would have. Instead you craned your head over your shoulder, turning your body to face your harasser shortly after. You swallowed the macaroon in your mouth.

"Says the one who looks like he walks around with a stick up his ass." 

You hadn't noticed Shinso's companion when the insomniac eggplant verbally assaulted you at first, but when the electric blond cackled you rolled your eyes. 

"We better go find Todoroki to put some ice on that burn, Shinso!" 

"Why doesn't he just cook the rest of your trash ass instead?" The purple-haired teen shot back at Kaminari, yanking at the tie around his neck with gritted teeth.

"Trying to find some freedom from your prison suit, Shinso?" You teased, stuffing another macaroon in your mouth. It wasn't one that you liked and you grimaced but swallowed it anyway.

"More like trying to tighten my noose." He muttered under his breath. 

You smacked him on the shoulder for that one, noticing that Kaminari was busy fiddling with the cuffs of his sleeves. When Shinso opened his mouth to nag at you for hitting him, you tilted towards the blond with your head. You hadn't heard the song end and another one begin until you noticed Kaminari's flustered actions and a knowing grin crossed your face.

Shinso stuffed his hands in his pockets and turned to face Kaminari, a blank look crossing his face. "What's your deal, battery bitch?" 

"Shinso!" You cuffed him across the back of your head. "Knock it off!" 

"D-do..." Kaminari stuttered. He cleared his throat and lifted his chin. "Do you wanna dance?" He held his hand out to Shinso.

Shinso's face could immediately take anybody's attention off of Hawk's feathers with how red it was. "I...I don't..." he could feel your gaze burning into his back. "I mean, sure." 

Kaminari lit up like a kid in front of a Christmas tree and he grabbed Shinso's hand before the baggy-eyed teen could say anything else. As he dragged his partner into the dance crowd, you found a margarita under your nose. 

"Oh." You graciously took the margarita with both hands and looked towards your right to see Midnight and Mirko standing there with smiles on their faces, both holding a margarita of their own. 

"This is your action drink." Midnight winked. 

"Action drink?" You repeated, tilting your head slightly. 

"It's a booster for tonight." Mirko's wide grin couldn't be identified as a promise or a threat. 

You found your straw without breaking eye contact with your maid of honor, taking a not so small sip. "Whatever do you mean?" You asked innocently.

Nezumi laughed and Rumi rolled her eyes. "I just gave him the fifth picture." She said in a velvety voice, popping open her clutch and holding it upside down to prove that it was empty. She closed it and copied your maneuver with her own margarita. 

"Don't worry dear, ours isn't laced like yours." Your old teacher waved you away with a hand. 

You took your mouth off the straw and pouted. "What the fuck did you put in my margarita?"

"It's pretty much women's viagra." The bunny hero replied. 

You sighed. What had you expected from the R-Rated Hero and Mirko of all people? You didn't know it until your bachelorette party, but Rumi loved pulling pranks on people. "At least it isn't a laxative."

"There's some optimistic thinking for once!" Nezumi teased, patting your shoulder. "Anyways, once your done with that drink it's time for you to say goodbye!" 

"Already?" You questioned. It felt like the ceremony wasn't even that long, though you supposed it had been five hours. "Well, in that case what time is it?" 

"I'd say it's about 11:30 or so." Rumi responded. 

"Good thing it's a Friday, am I right?" You giggled, already about halfway done with your drink. You were already on your last legs after your round with Keigo in the dressing room, but you knew by tomorrow morning that you'd need a wheelchair to get around. 

No, he could just carry you instead. He could also make you breakfast in bed. 

The thought put a smile on your face. 

"Before you leave though, you have to see Aizawa and Hizashi." Nezumi informed you. 

"Where are they at?" You questioned, scanning the crowd for two of your favorite men in the world. 

"They both happen to be sitting at the bar." Rumi replied. "Come on, I'm heading that direction anyways." 

You walked besides the melanin queen with Midnight on her other side. They let you part from them towards Aizawa and Hizashi, moving off to have their own discussion with Ryuku. 

"I heard you wanted to see me?" 

"Yes. I heard you're not having a huge honeymoon?" Aizawa asked. 

You nodded in confirmation. "Hawks can't get the time off to take one, and I also have the bar to run. So the weekend is ours." 

"Well I'll be watching your cats for you." The insomniac replied, putting his glass of ice down on the bar once he finished his sake.

"Thank you, I really appreciate it." Aizawa rolled his eyes at your bright smile.

"Where are you going?" Hizashi asked, piping up from his unusual silence; he was more than likely drunk. 

"If I know any better, Hawks will have something for us up his sleeve that's private." You replied with a glance to the side and a small smirk.

When you put your empty margarita glass down on the counter, Mirko and Midnight appeared at your side again. "It's time!" The somnambulist squealed with glee. 

They escorted you away from Aizawa and Hizashi after you'd given your goodbye hugs. "So how long is it supposed to be until this booster kicks in?" You asked.

"About thirty minutes to an hour." Rumi answered your question without any hesitation. 

"Lovely." You chirped sarcastically, smiling as you were directed to the open balcony where the actual ceremony had taken place. Keigo was waiting for you on the platform. Rumi handed you the bouquet of flowers and they stepped away so you could walk up the few steps. 

As the crowd began to gather around for your departure, Keigo let his arm rest over your shoulders and leaned down to your ear. 

"Enjoy walking while you still can."

Your face washed over with red and your wings shivered, your feathers tingling with the slightest bit of arousal as your stomach began to boil. 

"Alright everybody!" Mirkos voice boomed over the crowd and got immediate silence. "I need all the ladies up front. Yes that includes you students!" There was natural conversation as the genders split and congregated to their respective places. The bunny hero turned to look at you. "That's your cue, Mrs. Phoenix." 

With a smile you turned your back towards the crowd and took a deep breath. As you exhaled you tossed the bouquet backwards, noticing the girls from U.A. dive away from it while most of the others did the opposite. You recognized Mount Lady's screeches of triumph when she stood up from the middle of the crowd looking disheveled. She was holding her dark purple dress in one hand and the bouquet in a death grip in the air with her other hand. 

"Now that that is over with," Mirko spoke up again with a chuckle. "Let's pass out the lanterns." 

A few select people wandered the crowd handing lanterns to others while Rumi handed you one and Tokoyami gave one to Hawks. You lit his and he lit yours, your wedding guests doing the same with their own. You looked towards your husband and smiled at him. He returned the gesture and counted down from three, signaling you to release your lantern at the same time he did. 

As they rose two winds collided with them, making them spin as they lifted further into the dark sky. They were foreign lights against the skyline of Japan, but it was a settling sight that sent shivers down your spine. 

Once yours and Keigo's lanterns were quite a bit a ways away and everybody else had lit their own, they let them go. 

You took another mental photograph when he took your hand in his and made you face the horizon. "You ready, stardust?" 

"I'm always ready." 

He led the run with the first step, and you hurried after him, unable to hold the laughter that slipped from your lips. 

When your wings opened and caught on the breeze, it felt like the first time.

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Chapter Text

His hands were all over me, dominant masterful hands. They were the intention of leaving his mark on every inch of me. And I never wanted to be possessed completely; until now. 

~ N.R. Hart

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Keigo shimmied the key into the lock of a door, not wasting any time in practically yanking it off of its hinges so he could open it for you. You gave him a confident grin, stepping through the door before pivoting on the balls of your feet and grabbing his tie. Your arousal was slick between your legs when he chuckled, easily giving to the pressure around his neck. The golden artificial light in the hallway had accentuated his features, though as he passed under the door frame into the dark room, his golden-brown eyes flashed as his pupils blew wide.

He kicked the door closed behind him, ignoring the slam as he kissed you. He cupped your chin with his hands, pulling you into a blurry haze of featherlight touches of his lips against your own. His fingers lightly dragged down to your shoulders, making haste of undoing your dress while your own loosened his tie and began unbuttoning his shirt. A slight gasp left your lips when he pushed you up onto your toes before you felt a mattress at the back of your knees. You let yourself sit down, shoving his own shirt off of his shoulders as he rubbed at your hips with his thumbs, letting his tongue slide into your mouth. 

His kiss made you drunk and left you breathless. You were shaking by the time he pulled away to let you breathe, instead moving his mouth down to your collarbone and taking the thin skin in between his teeth. You moaned softly before your feathers shivered against your will. He forced a soft cry out of you when he teasingly dragged the outline of his boner against your soaking mound, leaving a damp spot on the fabric of his trousers. You let your legs swing up around his hips and returned the friction, causing him to groan softly between clenched teeth. 

In that slight second of him showing weakness, you sat up and quickly took a hold of his feathers. His grip on the base of your own wings tightened momentarily, making you shudder under his grip but he softened it since he was unsure if that was out of pleasure or pain. Once again you took advantage of his slight hesitation, forcing him over onto his side before you rolled him over onto his back. 

“Oh,” he chuckled, his hands settling on your hips as you swung a leg over his torso, letting yourself hover just slightly over his almost painful erection. “So now you’re in control, stardust?” 

“I figured it would be a nice change of pace.” You teased lovingly, placing your hands on either side of his shoulders and kissing him again. 

He hummed against your swollen lips, exhaling softly as you nipped on his lower lip. You trailed love bites down his jawline and neck as you let your hips roll against his own. To your delight he groaned thanks to your actions, his hands pushing your hips to guide your movements. You stilled yourself, smirking against his warm skin at the whine he produced. “Not yet, you impatient bird.” You nipped at his pectoral muscle. “I’m allowed to taste every inch of you, too, you know.” 

He didn’t get the chance to argue with you when you began a slow and steady pace with the shift of your pelvis. It was unfortunate you had him pinned since you weren’t able to fully see how much you were unraveling him. You hadn’t even done much but the fact that you had suddenly taken control made him ready to end round one where you were. He was dismayed when you stopped your movements, instead shifting yourself further down where you had access to his belt. 

Your fingers slowly undid the buckle as you ran your tongue in the dips of his abs, making haste with his belt. He lifted his hips to help you pull his pants off, sitting up briefly to clash his lips against yours as he removed them and his boxers completely. You placed your hands on his chest to push him back down before backing up slightly to lower your chest down to his thighs. 

His legs quivered as you dragged the flat of your tongue against the underside of his dick, letting your puffy lips surround the tip, lapping up the precum that seeped from the top. The groan that left his lips was sinful as his fingers came to rest in your hair, hoping to push himself further into your throat. You batted him away with one hand, allowing your dominant hand to pump his shaft as you removed your mouth to say one thing. 

“Don’t touch, only watch.” 

Keigo hissed in contempt, unable to find any words when you suddenly let the top half of his cock slide against your tongue. His head fell backwards against the mattress and his fingers dug into the silk sheets when you started to bob your head, your hand encouraging that rhythm around what you weren’t able to take in your mouth. 

Here and there you’d let his swollen head brush against the back of your throat, making sure to relax so your gag reflex wouldn’t act up. Occasionally you could hear him sigh and moan under his breath, though when you hollowed your cheeks and picked up the pace, he swore loudly. 

“Fuck, (Y/N).” 

You felt a wave of heat course through your body at his subtle praise, encouraging you to continue that action. You let your free hand gently massage his balls; a high-pitched whine left his lips followed by a quick buck of his hips, accidentally making you gag. 

You moaned around his dick at the sudden pressure on your almost painfully hot pussy. Your arousal made the feather he used to delectably tease your clit soaking wet. Much like you had in those moments where he took advantage of your weak spot, he had sat up and yanked your mouth off of his dick. 

He pulled you into his lap, his lips meeting yours so aggressively that your teeth clashed against his own. “If you keep that up,” he said breathlessly between kisses. “You’re going to finish things before they’ve even started.” 

Your fingers dragged from his wings up to his shoulders before they finished at the nape of his neck, tangling in his ashy blond locks and yanking his head back. He snarled when you sank your teeth into the sensitive skin around his jugular before dragging your tongue up to his earlobe. Your breath was hot against his ear, causing shivers to erupt across the expanse of his entire body—wings and all when you answered with a bold whisper. “You wouldn’t be able to stop me.” 

That seemed to flip a switch in him.

A sudden shriek left your lips when you were off the bed, your legs over his shoulders and your back was slammed against the wall, temporarily knocking the wind out of you. Keigo tucked the inside of his elbows underneath your knees to hike your legs up, his hands coming to form the perfect seat for your ass. Two feathers forced your thighs apart, revealing your dripping core to his golden eyes. His voice had dropped an octave when he spoke again. 

“Oh sweetheart, you know what you signed up for when you married me.” 

His tongue felt as hot as a flame when he ran the flat of it in one long strip up your pussy to lap up your arousal. Your fingers dug into his scalp when he enveloped his lips around your clit, sucking on it briefly before he returned his tongue to running along the inside of your outer labia. You couldn’t keep your eyes open when he dipped his tongue into your opening. Your thighs tried their hardest to clamp together around his head but his feathers prevented it, instead letting you writhe in the air against the wall as you screamed his name repetitively. 

He drew two orgasms out of you, ignoring the fact that your entire body was trembling as each wave of ecstasy rolled through your body. At the end of it all, you were controlling his movements as you got off on his mouth, pushing you over the edge for a third time. He didn’t let you relax through the last twitches of your orgasm, instead keeping you mewling as he continued to dart his tongue in and out of your weeping hole. His tongue would brush against your clit now and again, making you jolt as hot electricity shot through your overstimulated nerves. 

“Mercy,” you whispered hoarsely under your breath, unsure if he heard you. “You’re killing me.” 

He left his tongue just on the edge of your swollen, raw lips before he hummed. You let out a silent shriek as your body crumpled forwards, unaware that he would have drawn a fourth orgasm out of you through just a sound. Fortunately he was prepared for you to give way to the exhaustion, instead straightening you up again with some more of his feathers. When he pulled back, you barely recognized the disheveled man between your shaking thighs. His hair was in complete disarray and the sheen of your arousal and cum across his face alongside his almost black eyes made your stomach coil in content. He looked almost feral underneath you. 

God you loved him.

“We’re not done yet, stardust.” He gave you a grin that made your heart almost stop its rapid gunfire-like beating. 

By the time you realized you were in his lap and on the bed again, you let out a low moan when you felt his thick cock slip in between your walls. The second he was fully encased within you, he silenced your labored breaths with a kiss, swallowing every sinful sound that left your mouth. The shallow roll of his hips was painfully slow, though each motion left stars burning behind your eyelids. 

Keigo muffled his groan of pleasure against the skin of your shoulder, leaving lovebites in a trail up the side of your neck. He ended just below your ear, unable to hold back the whine that slipped from his throat when you started to raise and lower your hips. You started at a pace that slowly drove him insane. He wasn’t able to do much to take control back from you when your lithe fingers trailed over his shoulders and began lightly tugging on his feathers. It didn’t take too long for you to make him a whimpering mess, unable to withstand the stimulation from his feathers while your inner walls tightened around his length. 

You felt his member twitch within you, signaling that he was close to his release. That filled you with glee, hoping to give him a taste of his own medicine after what he had just put you through on the wall. So you quickened your pace, digging your fingernails into the broad muscles of his shoulders. Your confidence skyrocketed when his feathers began bristling, making you bold enough to pluck a feather from one of his wings and bury him to the hilt at the same time. You leaned back, using your free hand to flatten it against his chest and keep him a good distance away so he could get the perfect view of you licking the length of the feather you pulled from his wing. That sent him over the edge, his hands flying to your hips to hold you steady as he emptied his load. He hissed through clenched teeth, muttering praises under his breath as that familiar sound of his feathers impaling various things around the room echoed in your ears. 

You enjoyed your soft, sweet kisses in the afterglow as the two of you came down from your highs. You brushed the damp hair sticking to his forehead back into his ashy blond locks before resting your forehead against his. Slowly he began tilting his torso backwards, guiding you to lay down on the bed beside him. One of his hands cupped your face while the other rested on the rise of your hip. You let one of your hands rest on his cheek, the other resting on where you could feel his heart beating in his chest. 

“It beats for you, you know.” He whispered softly. 

You smiled gently at him, letting your hands intertwine with his. “You always say the cheesiest things.” 

“I wouldn’t say them if they weren’t true.” He teased back, running the tip of his thumb just underneath your eye. “You’re beautiful, and I love you so fucking much.” 

“I love you too, Keigo; I hope you know that I married an Adonis of a man.”

He chuckled at your compliment, quickly pushing you over onto your back and swinging himself over the top of you. 

“Good thing I have a goddess by my side.” 

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Chapter Text

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The street below you was full of side shops. Tourists and locals alike adore flocking the sidewalks to window shop or wander in and get their hands on something they think is worth buying. More often than not, it was famous for its Knick knacks that foreigners often took home to their families and small privately-owned hobby shops. Unfortunately that meant that it was also a street prone for purse snatchers. You had a bunch of free time to kill while you were on patrol, so you decided to waste some extra time by hanging out for a bit to keep an eye from above. Low key you also just wanted to people-watch because everybody was so busy. 

It was the new year; during the times that you were on patrol and not working your bar alongside the staff you had hired, you were pretty bored. Getting married to Keigo meant that you had a lot more things at hand whenever you wanted them. You were able to make your own schedule at the bar, so you had yourself set up for Friday nights and weekends since those were the busiest days of the week, usually. Your husband wasn’t home often which would have left you awfully lonesome if it wasn’t for Yoshio & Momo. Aizawa was busy with his class and Shinso with classes, so you were essentially on your own for a bit. Thankfully you were able to make up the time by dropping in at your bar when you felt like it or extending patrol for another hour. Somewhere in the late afternoon you were supposed to meet up with some other heroes to make sure that the patrol was interchanged with no issues. 

Your mind wandered off to the thought of Aizawa and Hizashi. You hadn’t heard much from them besides a few days ago. The insomniac had sent you a text talking about how the Hero Association wanted them to go to Tartarus to visit a member of the League of Villains. You weren’t able to figure out how it went due to no answer when you texted him or tried to call, but he sent you a message the next day saying that nothing important came of the visit. You weren’t entirely sure how to feel about that but if it had something to do with the fate of humanity then he would’ve told you, you knew that for a fact.

Your eyes watched a man wander into a small shop before skirting to a woman with her young son wandering into another across the street from him. You’d been out for roughly two hours and had been at this spot for maybe twenty-five minutes or so. You only planned on staying no more than forty-five at most. There’s a bright, white streak of light in your peripheral vision. You can feel something barreling in your direction but it’s so fast that you can’t exactly pinpoint where it is. You abruptly straighten up and take a few steps back, letting your shoulders relax to continue stockpiling while you search the sky. You scold yet thank yourself for blinking when that basic human instinct alone revealed that what was narrowing down on you was a star, 10%. 

You jumped up just in time to have it seemingly smash into the rooftop below you. There was heat beneath your feet before an explosion occurred shortly after and sent you flying further into the air. You’re thankful for the support item that helped you regain your balance for midair flights, 17%. You only had a second to straighten out and expand your wings to prevent your path of travel away from wherever it was, the wind rushing the bits of hair that escaped your hero outfits hood against the rim of your heart-shaped visors. The wind bit at your skin, but your body felt like it was on fire when there was a flash of black in front of you—21%. A huge palm swipes towards you to smack you out of the sky like a bug. You felt the breath leave your lungs when you collapsed your wings and felt your body begin to plummet. 

You shot up again to flip over and plant your heels firmly in his chest, fast and flawless—25%. “First Quarter!” Your legs go numb for a split second due to the iron soles of your boots being overwhelmed for the lack of give upon impact, 0%. A large limb smacks you out of the sky and you go flying once again. 

Already your body is beginning to ache due to the blows it’s been taking. You’ve been stockpiling in the background but used up almost all of what you had already as a first attempt at incapacitation; already up to 5%. The wind is starting to feel good against your seemingly blazing skin, but you can’t think about how good that feels when the thought of what happened at training camp crosses your mind. You let your eyes close to gather your thoughts for a second before you can take in your surroundings, 10%. That thing that was attacking you may or may not be a Nomu. It looked similar to the one that was captured at the USJ incident early last year when the freshman first began, but different enough that it made you guess twice since this seemed like a hurricane in comparison.

You have to remember that this isn’t time to think, only time to protect the citizens that have yet to evacuate and overcome your opponent, no matter the cost. You reach to your side to grab the staff that you had quickly become fond of, you weren’t sure what you would do without it; 15%. You throw your hands out in front of you while extending the staff, digging it into the surface of a rooftop. Once you’ve come to a full stop you throw your head up at the sudden presence in front of you. You jolt backwards in a second, the knuckles of Nomu’s fists just barely brushing against the rim of your visor. Your hair whooshes behind your head due to the speed. You stumble up to your feet while simultaneously moving backwards to avoid being hit. Each dodge and parry is a close call, you’re pinned down and can’t find an opening, 20%.

You just have to look harder while also prioritizing your survival. You’re moving left, right, and backwards at this point to parry and slide millimeters out of the way of a flying right hook, eyes flitting around Nomu to find any sort of weak spot that you can take advantage of, 22%. You had become too accustomed to the pattern of punches he was throwing that you were totally unprepared for the left hook. The impact to the side of your head makes your ears ring but it also somehow gives you a chance to notice that when Nomu pulls both of his arms back, his right arm hitches before following a second after the left. You can feel enough power stored up for you to do First Quarter if you need to, but since it didn’t work the first time you figured you needed to up the ante a bit. You step to the side to dodge his left arm before using your staff to block his right. There’s a small hum of confusion from Nomu before he tilts his head; you’re at 30% now.

This temporary lapse in overpowering you doesn’t seem to phase him, though. Instead he puts his other hand on the staff as well, forcing you to mirror his actions to counteract the weight; 34%. He’s still able to outdo you even now strength wise though you weren’t sure what to expect when it came to fighting one of these things. You can feel the tread of your boots scraping for traction while you try to anchor yourself into one spot, 38%. You aren’t sure how much time has passed before your back hits the wall and all the oxygen is knocked from your lungs. You still don’t give in. Your arms are shaking and your body feels hot, like every bone in your arms is going to snap if you keep this up. It’s getting harder to breathe when Nomu’s face is inches away from yours, 42%.

You’re so close to 45% that you can feel the adrenaline starting to rush in. The sound of your staff creaking alerts you to the intangible stress it’s under, followed shortly by a small crack splitting across the material of your support item. Any more weight and it’ll break. You don’t want to have to wait for another one to be made if this one gets destroyed, so you don’t want to give it the chance to. It was like a lightbulb lit up in your head at the same time as Nomu screeches. There's the sound of wind being sucked into his throat before a hot gas builds up in his throat. He’s quite literally building a star , meaning a huge, burning ball of gas in his throat to spit at you. You were mere inches away from death and it excited you.

He tilts his head back to launch it. You shut your eyes and find the button on your staff, collapsing it. You duck down just a fraction of a second before the star collides with the wall behind your head. Just as you had hoped, it blinded him like you wanted it to. Your eyes shoot open and color returns to your vision while you feel a surge of power run through you, 60%. You’re staring right at Nomu’s torso. While in the meantime he’s rubbing at his eyes and making sounds of pain. You take a deep breath to reconstruct your thoughts. If using one of your glyphs didn’t work on his body as a whole, maybe it would work if you focused them on a specific part. You could try it out by using First Quarter and not lose all that much that you couldn’t quickly replace, right? 63%.

In one fluid motion you took his moment of temporary disablement into your own hands. You extended the staff while simultaneously rising up, activating First Quarter when the top of the staff pierced the soft tissue of the trapeze muscle in Nomu’s shoulder; 38%.  A short laugh of glee rips through your unmistakably dry throat when you notice he can’t use that arm anymore. It makes a sound of irritation and swipes at you with its right arm. You block the action with your staff, feeling invincible for just a split second before jumping back to gain some space, you need a second to breathe. He tilts his head back and goes to procure another star in his throat, not wanting to give you that brief lapse in time. 42%.

You take a deep breath and try to identify your surroundings as quickly as you can to figure out your next move. You’re on the roof of a building a distance away from civilians. You can’t hear any in the building below your feet but you can hear the news helicopter roaming the sky around you. Your husband isn’t here, 49%. You’re more than likely not getting any backup anytime soon since the chopper is focused primarily on you rather than anything else. You could only assume that that was a good thing since there were lives at risk besides your own during this fight. You can taste the slight metal tang of blood on your tongue and you can feel the wind buffeting your hood behind your head. You can’t feel your arms and legs right now, but that isn’t important because you’re still standing which means you can still move. And now, that’s the only option you had in order to survive; 55%.

You collapse your staff and open your wings to propel yourself forward towards Nomu, planting the other end of your staff in his throat to make him choke before he can spit out another explosive ball of gas. The price of your move was life-threatening when an expanse of knuckles shattered some of your ribs in an uppercut that ripped the oxygen from your body. You fell to your knees and choked on the surge of blood that formed in your throat and slipped from the corners of your lips. Your life was hanging in the balance when your body’s stockpile kicked into overdrive; 70%. The sound of Nomu stomping up to your body curled into a fetal position is muffled by the sound of blood rushing in your ears. “Disengage!” 

You’re back to 5% stockpile due to using that move, but it was worth it when it sent Nomu flying fifty feet away from you. You had tunnel vision when you scrambled to your feet, clutching at your stomach as it felt like knives were ripping through your insides. The faint ringing of the helicopter alerted you to your surroundings again, and the pain disappeared. Nomu was flying right at the damn thing. Why did they have to videotape every single fucking hero fight? Didn’t they ever realize they were at the possibility of getting in the way? You didn’t have to think twice before your arm lifted and you swiped it through the air. You were only able to grab Nomu for half of a breath with your telekinesis to redirect him away from the news crew hovering in the air. Your body screamed in protest after the maneuver. You have definitely overdone it now. The thick expanse of Nomu’s shoulder missed the helicopter by inches. You gave a short sigh of relief when you watched it back further away from your fight scene, but that relief was quickly replaced by terror when you realized why it had moved away, to focus on the monster.

Nomu had recovered pretty quickly. He ended his unplanned flight by landing on another roof, his bare toes and bloody fingers digging into the coarse footing to halt his inertia. He crouched low for a minute before proceeding to run back in your direction on all fours. It was like watching a nightmare run at you while you were asleep, unable to scream or move. Your wings opened without your consent to get you out of his way so you at least wouldn’t take a direct hit.

To your horror, you couldn’t do anything but watch and mouth the word ‘no’ to nobody but yourself when he used the news helicopter as a launch pad.  He sprang off of the opposite rooftop with no issue, stretching his arms out and grabbing ahold of one of the legs to swing it off balance. You could faintly hear the crew inside scream when he reached up and grabbed the moving propeller with no issue, halting it in its tracks and letting it plummet towards the ground while placing his feet on either side of the open side door and crouching down. 

All you could see when he jumped at you was the few heros on the street below, looking up at the helicopter in horror before your vision failed.

“Estrella?”

There’s a voice. You’ve never heard it before in your life but for some reason it snaps you into focus and you can feel endorphins alongside adrenaline running through your body. You tilt your head to the side and have a brief flashback of when Katsuki Bakugo yelled at you to get off your ass back at training camp. But this time it wasn’t that hotheaded Pomeranian. Instead it was a businessman and a few of his coworkers alongside him, all leaning over you. 

You swallowed, trying to get rid of the heavy, dry feeling in your throat. You were in an office. There’s a sharp, stinging sensation scattered across your back. You were more than likely tossed or body slammed through a window thanks to Nomu. “You…” you were surprised that you were able to talk. Your hands form into fists as you sit up. “Need to evacuate the building.” 

There’s a presence behind you and you can feel a hand closing in on your back; it’s another businessman who’s trying to assist you. You aren’t surprised when he recoils in shock due to the temperature of your wings. “You’re bleeding.” He says. “Can we help at all?” 

You give a groan of frustration and drop your head to take a deep breath before tilting it back again. “You can…help…” You grit your teeth and struggle to your feet, body swaying side to side while you force your body to continue stockpiling again. “By evacuating like I told you to.” You’re unsure why but you can feel your mana piling faster than it had before, 45%. Perhaps it had something to do with you being surrounded by citizens that had yet to reach safety, but you couldn’t think about that right now. 

Not when Nomu pops his head through the broken window that he had created by throwing you through it and scouring the crowd of business workers you were surrounded by and you, trying to decide who to attack. His eyes suddenly focused on you and he stuck out his tongue mockingly before darting to the side, inside the building. His mouth is open to spit another star and you notice the businessman that said your name freeze in fright. You shove him to the side and take the blow. You barely had the time to activate Waxing Crescent to protect yourself from the blow before it catapulted you back out the window. It hurt like a bitch, but it did exactly what you wanted it to by focusing it’s attention back on you. 

Since you were flying through the air again, you were able to use that support tail you were gifted. As you felt yourself turn right side up again, you sighed. Where was your backup? You weren’t Endeavour, you couldn’t take this thing on alone, 15%. You had multiple cameras on you already so the pressure was on at this point. You noticed another news chopper getting too close for your comfort while Nomu approached your temporary midair safe haven. In order to ease your anxiety and reduce the risk of civilian fatalities, you took off again. Thankfully Nomu gave chase like you wanted. You could hear it laughing as he ran along the side of a building on all fours with an animalistic look on his face, tongue hanging out and flapping in the air as he destroyed buildings with his grip, 30%.

It didn’t matter at all when you missed the sound of wind sucking into his throat before he vomited another star at you. Just like you predicted, it followed your every move. This weird power of his seemed oddly familiar but you didn’t have the time to really think about it when he was using this ability to try and kill you. There was no way for you to avoid the impact with it since it resembled a heat-seeking missile. You seemed to be getting a lot of last-minute lightbulbs in the back of your brain during this time of crisis, 40%. Back at the training camp last summer your wings had been hit with fire but they didn’t burn. This star wasn’t all that different from then, was it? What if you took the hit from the star with your wings? Would that add on to your stockpile? The worst case scenario was that it would hurt you more than you already were, but what did you have to lose? The pros outweigh the cons so it was a risk worth taking. 

The air behind you fizzled as the star closed in. You took a deep breath and let your wings collapse so you could dive down towards the ground. Thankfully the street below you was empty, so you weren’t putting any lives at risk besides your own at this point. Just like you predicted, the star redirected its route towards you by hooking a wide arc downwards to line up to your face, 50%. In the back of your mind, you apologized to Keigo in case this suicidal idea you had didn’t work out. You curled yourself into a ball and did a front flip, letting your wings take the blow when the star closed in on you. The explosion projected you to the side a bit but it didn’t damage you too badly. You were able to spin yourself around to face Nomu again once you read your mana levels; 75%. 

He launched at you from the side of a building. You dipped to the side so he misses when another surge of adrenaline floods your veins. You open your wings to push yourself further into the air when he catches himself on a building slightly below you. He screams in anger and leaps up to grab at you. When he’s mid jump you collapse your wings and smash your feet into his back, forcing his body to smash into the street below you. He’s stunned underneath you even though you didn’t use any mana during that attack. You’re at 85% when you use him as a springboard to shoot upward again. This was the last chance you had to take him out for good. 

There was no point in trying to capture him alive. You wouldn’t be able to without dying yourself. The only option you had was to kill him, and he didn’t seem like he was willing to answer any questions if you had asked. You weren’t even sure if he could speak, actually. Stop it, there’s no time to think, only do. You didn’t have enough mana stored to perform a complete Full Moon but you could maybe get a minute and a half before your time ran out. If this didn’t do it, then you were done for. You wouldn’t be able to keep going after stockpiling and depleting your mana so rapidly over a short period of time, even though you weren’t sure how much time had actually passed. 

Your body was reaching its limit and your vision was going in and out of focus the more you strained to keep yourself awake. Your injuries were catching up to you and there was a cut somewhere on your forehead that was causing blood to pool over one of your eyes, though you can’t tell which one at this point thanks to your tunnel vision. You can faintly see Nomu standing up at this point below you, obviously dazed. He shakes his head in an attempt to regain his bearings, so you take another deep breath to steady your heart rate and focus on your next attack. You relax your wings and let your body fall, raising your arms while your feathers warp with the rush of air above your head to increase your aerodynamics. You miss the mutated creature by inches just like you had planned, your back facing his as time slowed to a stop while the gray circle that started underneath your feet expanded outwards. 

The second that the circle reached its completed size, you felt your body begin to tilt backwards. The only reason you didn’t hit the ground was because your shoulders hit the lower back of Nomu. The impact caused your skin to crawl and you jolted upwards again, body swaying slightly while you turned around to face him. He’s right there. All you had to do was destroy him. But with what? How were you going to do that? You didn’t think you’d get this far in the first place, actually. You didn’t have much time, and you’d wasted enough of it already by staring at Nomu instead of doing something about him. You had to think quickly, so you began to scan your surroundings. There had to be something here for you to help yourself. 

Your tired eyes locked onto the unfamiliar figures of some local pro-heros on the outskirts of your circle of warped time. They were stunned by what was happening inside your small quirk-powered zone but they were snapped back into focus when you locked eyes with the one closest to you. “He’s frozen…for an indeterminate amount of time. I could…use a hand.” The words were hard to say, like you hadn’t spoken for the last two decades of your life. 

You would never remember what happened after you said that sentence. All you could picture was a flash of color returning to your vision, signaling that time was returning to its original passage before a large, muscular forearm slammed into the side of your already broken rib cage and into a brick wall for the final time. 

In an unknown location, a heavy door was kicked open hard enough that splinters took flight as it bounced off the wall it was attached to, the hinges groaning in protest at the force used to open it. Without hesitating, it takes half a breath to be on the other side of the room, a deadly sharp vermillion feather pressed to the pale flesh lined with stitches. 

“You were supposed to send that High-End after Endeavour. Not my fucking wife .” 

The other man leaned back in his seat with a cocky grin on his face. He’s obviously unphased by the weapon pressed against his Adam’s apple. He swallows, enjoying the slight cut the feather gave to his throat. 

“ Do it . Blow away your cover and throw away your wife’s life and the mission you’ve gambled everything on. You should’ve known better than to get married when you’re playing both sides of the coin, Takami. ” He leans into the blade with a sadistic smile and a soft hum. 

“Besides, don’t you think she enjoyed reuniting with her father after all those years?” 

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Chapter Text

“We stop looking for monsters under our bed when we realize they are inside of us.” 

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“Onto today’s hero talk: who’s this Phoenix we’re all hearing about now? Yesterday in Fukuoka, Kyushu, a rising hero took on what we believe may have been a Nomu with a breathtaking display of power.”

On the television screen, the familiar man with one large horn bulging out of his forehead cleared his throat. “The event took place mid-afternoon, the prime time for tourists and civilians walking home after work.” Behind the disfigured horn, a picture appeared. It was an enhanced screen-cap of your face mid-fight; it was the moment in time where you had your arm out to redirect Nomu away from the helicopter. Your eyebrows were furrowed alongside a look of determination as your face was littered with cuts, dirt, and flecks of blood behind your cracked visors. “This woman, right here, showed us the definition of Plus Ultra, ladies and gentlemen. She took on a Nomu that I’m sure Endeavour would’ve struggled to fight and won by the skin of her teeth.” 

He shifted his glasses just before the screen was overtaken by the scene of the fight. “If I’m hearing this correctly, Estrella hadn’t been a hero for more than six months before she took on this challenge. Before we get into detail about Estrella’s battle with the Nomu, I’d like to let her speak for herself about what happened here.” 

Being on TV for the first time was definitely nerve-wracking to say the least. Your hands were covered in a thin layer of cold sweat, so you wiped them against the material of your slacks as if you were rubbing away wrinkles that had manifested there over your time wearing them. How were you supposed to casually talk about killing somebody that you knew the true identity to? 

Just breathe . You told yourself, letting the habit of finding your senses go about you to chill yourself out. Don’t panic. That wasn’t who you thought it was. Besides, you don’t remember doing it, so what is there to give away?

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FIVE DAYS AGO…

“What the fuck are we supposed to do now?!” A hero called from amidst the wreckage of the street, looking towards his companions. The most they had ever dealt with was petty street crime, not a mutated monster that could cause a high-ranking pro-hero to knock on death's door.

“I’m not sure, what’s the plan?” Another replied.

“We don’t have one, that lady was the only chance we had at winning. Didn’t you see her quirk?” The two of them met up on the trashed sidewalk, just outside of the crumpled building that you had been thrown through. “Do you think she’s dead?” 

“She probably wants to be if she isn’t, seeing the extent of her injuries. I’m not sure how she was still moving…” His sentence was left unfinished when Nomu intervened, picking him up by encasing a palm around his face from behind and whipping him to the side. His body remained motionless a few blocks away, though heros working alongside him were quick to his aid.

“Fuck! One of you should cover me while I see if I can do anything about this guy.” The other hero sighed heavily, darting into the middle of the fray to see if he could do anything to deter it off of the already mortally wounded heros trying to take care of it.

Your train of thought during this moment of unconsciousness was never to be remembered. Your body was heavy, as if it was made of concrete when you were able to move a finger. That was all you needed, though it took every ounce of Will in you to raise that finger in the first place. Your mouth and throat felt as if you had swallowed sandpaper, you felt like you could drink a whole ocean. Sight wasn’t an applicable thing, not with the amount of blood streaming over your face. There was enough there to begin causing it to feel thick in your eyelashes, so you didn’t even try to open them. You weren’t sure if you had that ability within you at that moment anyways. There was a surge of heat through your back. You couldn’t recognize if it was pain or adrenaline powering you up again, but your body was shifting to stand before you realized it. 

The one remaining helicopter had learned it’s lesson with its familiar thanks to Nomu, and decided to stay a good distance away to avoid any more fatalities. The cameraman in the back was shaking while he panned it to the left towards Nomu. The anchor was describing the situation, though her voice cracked when she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. She elbowed him in the side and he yanked it back around to focus on the gaping hole in the wall that you had been thrown through. 

“Estrella’s back up!” One of the hero’s called when he noticed your outline stepping out of dust and rubble of the building and into the open area.

“How is she still moving?”

“Look at her, she’s on fire .”

The top half of you was hunched over like you were about to collapse due to the pain, wings hanging limply at your sides. A good portion of your feathers were dragging on the ground, stained dark with blood. You took a deep breath and straightened up, holding your breath for a split second before letting your wings rise up above you. 

There was a streak of blue where you once were, leading into the sky and leaving a shallow crater on the sidewalk. The news crew responded in shock before focusing back on Nomu when he suddenly stopped attempting to smash professional hero’s into the ground. The mutated villain looks up with a curious tilt of his head, completely ignoring the heros that were struggling to surround him. Even they weren’t entirely sure what he was looking at up there, but not all of them wanted to follow his gaze in order to see where it was going. 

But one did, and he was thankful that he thought to do so. Otherwise he and his allies would’ve met an unfortunate end. “Hey, get out of here! We gotta clear the area!” 

“Why?” Another asked. The prior hero pointed up, and so the rest looked up since Nomu had lowered his arms. Their faces blanched before they scattered like flies.

Nomu wasn’t quite sure what to think of the blue…firebird diving down on him at that moment. There was a tugging inside of him, a part deep within that he didn’t fully recognize as a mutated human being contorted into a mass killing machine. What was this feeling? Was this the rush of knowing he was staring his death in the eye or was it something different? Something more… personal than just an order to destroy, perhaps? He would never fully know for sure, but there was a voice in his head that made him blank briefly. 

“Thank you, my Phoenix.” 

There was no sound when your fiery heels implant in his forehead, the impact immense enough to send him into the underbelly of the city. You were left on the subway tracks, your feet where his head would’ve been just a moment ago. Immediately the helicopter was over you, focusing on you shortly after your landing.

You look up to the helicopter, still completely blacked out, giving them an ‘OK’ sign with your fingers before the sound barrier fixed itself and the explosion of noise that should’ve happened when you sent Nomu through the floor finally occurred. 

The world rumbled, and the camera went to static.

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“So, Estrella, how are you feeling after your recovery time?” 

Your eyes flitted away from the screen when you looked back over to him. You’d watched this footage hundreds of times in order to fully understand whose life you had ended with your own abilities. 

“A little sore, Daikaku, but otherwise not too bad.” 

“That’s good! Did you ever think you’d end up where you are today?” 

You gave him an owlish blink, not quite fully understanding where he was asking. “What do you mean by that?” 

“My apologies, did you ever think you’d make it to the rank you’re at now, I meant.” He clarified.

You smiled softly. “No, actually. I never thought I’d make it this far.” 

“How come?” 

“Well, I suppose I had always focused on the things I found comfort in. Such as my home and my bar, for instance. I aspired to be a hero when I was younger but life threw other stones at me, and I had to catch them in order to prevent the tower from crumbling.”

“I remember hearing that your father was an old pro-hero, right?” He ignored the way your soft smile turned tight-lipped, or maybe he just didn’t notice. “Do you think he’d be proud of you if he saw you today?” 

You absentmindedly wrung your fingers together in your lap, crossing your leg to hide the anxious antic from the audience sitting in the crowd. 

“I can only hope so.”

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Chapter Text

Tell me: would you kill to save a life?

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FIVE DAYS BEFORE THE INTERVIEW &

TWO DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT…

When your eyes fluttered open to reveal a white, sterile ceiling, it surged with anxiety. Were you back in the hospital? You forced yourself to remain calm, letting your eyes roll around to take in your surroundings. You visibly remembered the last time that you woke up in a hospital and you yanked the IV out of your arm. You still had a small scar there from that incident. 

Slowly, you lifted your head. There was no way that you would allow yourself to panic again like you had before. Not only had a few months gone by since that last hospital stint, but you’d gone through some intensive therapy and gained some good mindfulness skills. Inko had even said that you were progressing rapidly through treatment compared to some of her other clientele. You went to move your hands to help yourself sit up, but found that one was occupied. 

There was your husband, both hands clamped around your left one. His head was resting next to your shoulder, his upper body propped halfway on your bed while the rest of him remained in a visitors chair. His eyes were closed and that’s what led you to notice that he was snoozing. You leaned over and kissed the part of his head that you could reach. Twisting in such a way caused your ribs to shift, and a sharp pain shot up your side. You hissed in contempt, moving your free hand to hold the aching body part while you quickly retreated back to your previous position of lying down. Your wings felt cramped and you needed to sit up to relieve the pressure from them.

Thankfully, Keigo is awake in an instant and smothering your face with kisses. The intense affection made you flinch at first because it came as a surprise, but you quickly melted into it with a soft smile and a gentle laugh. 

“I’m so glad you’re okay.” He murmured calmly, brushing some hair behind your ear before running the pad of his thumb down your jawline. He kissed you softly on the lips and gave you a big smile. “Stardust, you kicked ass out there. You wiped that thing out like it was nothing!”

You gave him a blank stare. What was he talking about? “What do you mean? I passed out when I went through the wall.” 

He tilts his head to the side with an owlish look in his eyes. “You don’t remember stomping Nomu’s brains out?” 

“N-no…?” 

He gave a lighthearted chuckle and smothered you in another kiss, interrupting your train of thought from traveling too far. 

“You came out in decent shape besides needing that gash on your forehead stitched up—it’ll probably scar. Your femur was fractured and your ribs were shattered, too. You’re going to have to rest easy for a while, but they told me that you were free to go after they checked you out once you woke up. That old lady from U.A. stopped by because she watched the fight and was apparently worried—“

“Babe, you’re rambling.” You placed the back of your free hand against his forehead after sitting up slightly. “Is everything okay? You’re not running a fever…”

He took the hand that you held to his forehead and kissed your knuckles, holding that one afterwards. “Yeah, I was just so worried about you, and proud, because you’re #17, baby!”

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Keigo took you home later that afternoon after the doctors checked you over and gave you the discharge paperwork with instructions during your recovery. You were excited to go home and see your cats, you missed them dearly after learning that you had passed out and stayed out for two days while your body recovered from your overuse of your quirk. He was able to stay home with you for another day before he had to return to work. 

He hated leaving, and you hated it when he had to leave, too. So the two of you spent the day lounging on the couch, snuggled up and watching old movies while indulging the aggressively affectionate Yoshio and Momo. About halfway through the day, after the two of you had finished lunch, he pulled up a video on the television for you. He had mentioned wanting to show you what you had done, and that he had something important to tell you once you had seen it. 

The news coverage of your fight with Nomu was spotty and grainy due to the amount of debris flying through the air. You visibly cringed when you watched yourself go flying into the building that you blacked out in. A few minutes passed by while you watched the hero’s that you had asked for assistance engage with Nomu to distract him from killing you. You strained your fingers in your lap as an anxious tic, your mind flashing back to the training camp; Keigo took your hands in his.

“It’s alright, stardust.” He soothed you. 

The camera suddenly shifts towards the wall you had blown through, and you notice a small flicker of a flame burning inside the building. Slowly but surely, a slumped over figure rises up from the ground. Your wings hung limp over each side of your back while your upper body swayed forward and back while you struggled to maintain your balance. You placed a foot out to the side to steady yourself and straightened up, stretching your wings out simultaneously. A brief second passed before you crouched down and within a flash you were gone—there was nothing but a streak of blue where you once were jetting up into the sky. 

Both the cameraman and news anchor respond with shock, looking upwards to see nothing and turning back to Nomu. The large mutant was looking up at something, completely ignoring the hero’s around him. One of your comrades during that fight followed the villain's gaze, and his face paled. He shouts at his comrades to fall back and they do so after one of them questions why. 

There’s no sound when your heels are planted in Nomu’s head. You had to stare long and hard at what you saw- you were on fire. Like, quite literally in flames . His body hit the ground yet made no sound. The impact forced him through the asphalt making up the road and the earth below it, placing him on the subway tracks of the system that ran below the city. Nomu had been on the ground for at least half a minute by the time the sound waves reacted appropriately to the occasion. The camera panned to you, where you flashed the ‘OK’ hand sign before slumping over.

Your husband paused the television after the segment was finished, and tapped the coffee table in front of you. You curiously followed his hand to see a note that he had slid towards you.

I can’t tell you this in person because I’m bugged.

I wish I didn’t have to tell you this, but I promised you no more secrets. I really love you, you know.

Flip the page when you’re ready.

You looked at him, puzzled by the note. The stoic facade he was putting up was almost believable if you didn’t know him so well. His face twitched with concern, so you knew this was no joking matter. You rolled your bottom lip between your teeth when anxiety began to radiate in the pit of your stomach. You took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before flipping the small note over.

Dabi sent the Nomu after you. It was what they call a High-End.

I have reason to believe that it was your father.

Your heart plummeted, and your lungs withered in your chest. The lump that built in the back of your throat outweighed the heavy feeling in all of your limbs, like somebody was pouring wet cement into your veins. 

Your father ? 

“Really?” 

All this time you had thought that he was dead. In fact, you had even wished for it . You weren’t sure whether that was a good thing or a bad thing. Your hands began to shake, and you didn’t even hear yourself ask for clarification from him before the onslaught of tears began to stream from your eyes. Had your father spent all of these years being tortured and mutated into a Nomu? How long had he suffered? How did he end up there? What happened to him? 

“I’m so sorry, stardust.” 

Keigo pulled you into his chest, placing you in his lap when your lower lip began to tremble. You couldn’t hold back your anguish anymore, and you started sobbing hard enough to shake yourself and your husband. You wrapped your arms around him and continued to cry, unable to catch your breath while you choked back your wails. He rubbed at your lower back and pulled you even tighter into his chest when your crying turned into screaming. He stared out a window while he held back his own tears caused by anger and frustration, primarily triggered by your devastation. 

“I’m so, so sorry, baby.” He kissed the top of your head, focusing on the faint stars he could see in the sky while he began to rock himself in an attempt to soothe your onslaught of emotions. 

“I promise we’ll avenge him.”

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Chapter Text

Now I sometimes sit on the porch, waiting, trying to feel you there like the color of the flowers in the dark.

~ Sharon Olds

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Your eyes drifted about the bar roving with customers. You couldn’t bear to look at them for too long, (e/c) irises quickly reverting back to the glass cups you were drying with a rag behind the counter. It was difficult to keep your mind busy from the pictures flashing through your head. 

Had you really killed your own father? 

Your wings twitched subconsciously, an act that didn’t go unnoticed by Aizawa who was sitting nearby, nursing a sake in his hand. He furrowed his brows, watching you closely while remaining quiet. If you continued what he recognized as nervous ticks he’d speak up. It was hard for him to ignore the way your eyes flitted to the door, and then back across the expanse of heros taking up the booths and dance floor nearby. 

“What’s wrong with you?” He questioned, setting his sake down on the counter again. 

You missed his question, mind reverting to your husband being away from home. Your interview on television had been a week ago, and you were almost back up to 100% health. Your wounds were healed, it was just the waiting game for your stamina levels to balance out again before you could go back to your job as hero. Thankfully you were able to keep your hands busy during your downtime with the bar. The few staff members that you had hired were curious as to why they suddenly got a week of paid vacation, but none of them questioned it when they walked out the door with a check in hand. 

It felt nice to revert back to your one-man team of running the bar, even if it took more of a toll on you now than it did before. 

“(Y/N).” Aizawa said your name this time, jolting you back into focus. 

The glass you were cleaning slipped from your hands, and you fumbled to catch it before it hit the floor. Unfortunately you missed and it bounced off the corner of the bar top, cracking before shattering on the linoleum by your feet. You groaned inwardly and used your telepathy to fetch one of the brooms and dustpans when you robotically turned to grab his cup of sake and refill it. Your brain was still in a different dimension when his hand settled over yours and prevented you from taking his glass. 

“Take a break.”  

It wasn’t a suggestion. 

You nodded and dropped the rag in your hands onto the counter, making yourself a… very alcoholic margarita while returning the broom and dustpan back into its designated spot in the kitchen. “Sorry.” 

You apologized for your lack of awareness, leaning on the counter with both of your hands once you finished making your drink and sucking half of it down in one go through a straw. Doing that gives you enough of a buzz to finally feel your jittery nerves and racing thoughts come to a slow, almost molasses pace. 

Aizawa watched your out of character antics and couldn’t fight the frown crossing his lips. “Is this about the interview?” 

You shook your head. “I’m alright, really.” (E/c) focused on the jukebox behind his right shoulder, still distant. 

He took another swig of his sake. He had finished it, and wanted more, but had just forced you into break and wasn’t going to ask you to refill it. 

You noticed and did it anyway. 

The underground hero knew trying to get answers out of you was usually easier than this. You’d never been so standoffish with him before, even when it came to talking about your husband that he still wasn’t too fond of. How come it has suddenly become a chore for him to learn about things you used to tell him without hesitation? Sure, he found your openness with him quite annoying sometimes, but he understood that you didn’t have very many people to lean on in regards to support, and you needed a system of friends outside of your husband. If it were up to you, you’d be holed up in the penthouse with Hawks and your two cats and wouldn’t have a care in the world to step foot outside ever again; he knew that. 

“I…” Aizawa started to speak, drawing your (e/c) back to him. He sighed. He wanted to say that he knew something was up with you. You were acting quite out of the ordinary and he could tell that your head wasn’t attached to your shoulders. You were almost acting…paranoid. He didn’t want to stir anything up to make that behavior in you worse, so he switched gears. “Wanna talk about what happened in Tartarus. But not here.”

Now this caught your attention. Two weeks had passed since you learned that he and Hizashi were stopping by there to visit with a member of the League of Villains. You looked around the bar, eying each and every one of the hero’s inside. Most of them were common middle-class that wandered around the streets, there weren’t any bigwigs in the presence—besides one. You finally settled on the oversized man running security at your door.

“Hey, Fat Gum!” 

The kind man had volunteered to bounce for you after his first night here on his days off from patrol. You offered him better than average pay for his time, but he declined it, saying he’d do it as long as you supplied him with an abundance of free Fuzzy Navels. You were more than happy to oblige. He let another person through before looking at you when you called for him. 

“I’m gonna step into the back for a few for a break!” It was hard to shout over the music blaring in the background, but he threw you a thumbs up when you gestured to the kitchen with an arm. “Thanks, you can go on break when I get back!” 

You grabbed your margarita and led Aizawa around the corner, closing the door behind him once the two of you were inside the break room. It was a small room with a circular table and chairs in the center, a small kitchenette in the corner and a bathroom attached to the far wall. Before your mentor and father figure could begin talking, you held a finger up to keep him quiet while you used your free hand to run it over your clothes. You hadn’t seen much of Hawks’ feather that you had endearingly named Quill since he went undercover at the League of Villains, so you assumed he needed it for work. That didn’t stop you from double checking, though.

Once you knew for certain that you were in the all clear, even wandering towards the bathroom to check the center of your back if the feather was stashed there, you sighed softly. “Sorry. Sometimes Hawks leaves a feather of his to keep an eye on me, and I didn’t want him overhearing our conversation.” You felt you owed him an explanation for the quick grope-session you had done on yourself. 

He appreciated your honesty, and the fact that you were dedicated to keeping this conversation between you and him. He hadn’t been able to talk about what he’d seen with anybody, Hizashi didn’t even want to think about it, so his friend of however many years was out of the question. 

“Hizashi and I talked to Kurogiri, the warp villain.” He began, watching your face change when you remembered which one that was. “He was held up in a chair, in a straight-jacket. They had to keep him asleep otherwise he’d act up and use his quirk. At first I thought they wanted us to interrogate him, just use me as a way of keeping him incapacitated to get more information about the League.” He turned his head, eyes downcast. “I…had another friend growing up with Hizashi. He died when we were young while on a work study. He was crushed by rubble from a building.” 

Your eyes softened. He had never told you this before. You couldn’t blame him. Aizawa was one of the most reserved and isolated people you had ever met. He was the definition of a hermit if he wasn’t forced to be social. The tone of the insomniac's voice told you what didn’t need to be said: him and Hizashi watched their friend die. You still weren’t sure what this had to do with Kurogiri, though? 

Aizawa ran his hands through his thick, black hair. “After my friend died…his corpse was taken before it could be cremated.” 

Your heart dropped in your chest into the pits of hell. A strange, warm buzz started in your fingertips, and it wasn’t from your margarita. 

“All For One took him and somehow turned him into a Nomu…creating Kurogiri.” 

You felt like you were going to throw up. Cold sweats suddenly covered your body. Unknowing to you, you began to shake. 

Aizawa focused on the trembling in your large, sweeping wings immediately. He was a smart man. It didn’t take him long to slowly start connecting the dots. He had two guesses: you were shocked at what he had said, or you knew the Nomu you’d killed last week. 

When you darted to the bathroom and puked up your dinner into the toilet, he knew it was the latter. He looked away to spare you a shred of decency, tuning out the sounds of your upheaval until he heard the toilet flush and the faucet begin to run. He turned back to find you rinsing your mouth and splashing cold water on your face before finishing up and approaching him again. “S-sorry.” 

“It’s fine.” It wasn’t. It was absolutely disgusting that you’d done that, but he knew you couldn’t help it and was thankful you made it to the bathroom instead of puking all over your own break room. “Now it’s your turn to talk. You can’t get out of it now after…that.” 

You knew you’d unwillingly cornered yourself at this point. There was no getting out of it, now. You’d practically given yourself away. You couldn’t lie to him and tell him that you were pregnant or something, you’d just chugged a margarita in 10 minutes. He was onto you and once he noticed, you knew there was no escaping him. 

“The Nomu from the other week…there’s reason to believe that it was my father.” 

Aizawa’s face went blank, though his dark eyes said enough. He closed them to sigh heavily and rub at his temples. He thought his friend being turned into a Nomu was bad. The fact that your father had become one as well, and that you actually killed it, or him, was even worse. He groaned and rubbed the palms of his hands down his face. He’d fucked up without even knowing it. Had he known your erratic behavior recently had been due to this, he wouldn’t have mentioned what happened to Oboro. 

Though, there was no avoiding it anyway or taking it back anymore. 

“I’m sorry, had I known-“ 

“No, please. It’s okay.” You cut him off before he could finish his apology. “You didn’t know because I hadn’t told you. I’m sorry about your friend.” 

He stared at you solemnly. 

“I’m sorry about your father.” 

You inhaled deeply and sighed, rubbing the palms of your hands on your thighs and giving him a smile. “He’s…in a better place now. I’m glad I could put him to rest, y’know?” You were surprised at how quickly you’d digested the news of your fathers corpse being reanimated now that you had somewhat of an insight on how people became Nomus. In all reality, you’d been in shock ever since you first got the news and would spend tonight crying over a tub of ice cream, staring at pictures of your father and apologizing profusely while Yoshio and Momo snuggled into you. 

“Yeah. You’re right.” 

What you said seemed to settle Aizawa a little, though you weren’t sure if his unease was due to his own recent inflict of trauma or if he was worried about you. 

“Well, I should get back out there. Fat Gum needs to go on his break.” You stretched your arms above your head, hoping to shake off the underlying depression you were sinking in as if it was quicksand. 

“Right. Come on then.” Aizawa led you to the door and opened it for you, hesitating in the doorway as he watched the constellations on your wings glint in the dark parts of the kitchen. 

How do you do it, (Y/N)?

How do you see the flowers in nothing but a burnt forest? 

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Chapter Text

I wish you were still just a human to me, I don’t want to look at you and see poetry. 

~ k.p.k.

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A few weeks had gone by since Keigo was last home, and April was just around the corner. You had kept yourself busy by preoccupying yourself with work and keeping your cats entertained, yet not much had come out of it. You hadn’t budged from your position as #17, though you weren’t looking to aim any higher. You hadn’t been aiming for a rank that high anyways, you’d just wanted a side job for your off-time at the bar, something you could do alongside Hawks. It was unfortunate that you’d followed your original plan of becoming a hero in order to spend more time with your husband, and he was nowhere to be seen. 

Not only that, but you were a hero that killed the parent she was trying to represent once she’d stepped back up into the spotlight. 

The only few people who knew that though were you, Aizawa, Hawks, and… Dabi. You hated thinking about him. What had you done to him to make him hate you and mess up your life so badly? You wondered what kind of mind somebody had to use a reanimated, transformed corpse in order to trick somebody into committing parenticide. You shook your head. You couldn’t think about that. Not when you had other things to focus on. 

Like the fact that your morning alarm was going off, meaning Yoshio was on your chest, doing his usual march. Alongside him, on your thighs was Momo, doing the same. Though she was much gentler in her biscuit-making, which you appreciated. Your eyes fluttered open to see the grey felines amber eyes boring into yours, a silent demand for breakfast. You ran your fingers over his velvety soft fur and he immediately purred upon contact. Momo felt a little left out once she’d realized the affection being given, and nudged her head underneath your elbow to get some herself. 

You spent a few minutes scratching under her chin and fawning over Yoshio in the early rays of sunlight peering through the windows. You heard nothing but purrs, silencing the thumping of your own heartbeat. The only thing that could make this better was if your husband was home. You wished he could be here to partake in your morning routine. After coercing the Maine Coon off your lap, you swung your legs over the edge of the bed and rose to your feet.

Yoshio did his best to trip you up as you meandered down the hallway towards the kitchen in order to feed him. You grumbled under your breath at him as he meowed repetitively and wove between your legs as you walked, howling in shock when you stepped on his paw. 

“That’s what you get for walking in between my legs.” You chided him, watching his fluffed up body skitter towards his food bowl to wait patiently instead. You looked down to see Momo walking alongside you, her tail curled in the air as she rubbed against the outside of your calf on the brief occasion. “You are such a polite lady, Momo. Can you teach him some manners?” 

Her green eyes blinked at you in a silent response once you stepped onto the cool linoleum of the kitchen. You went about opening a new can of wet cat food and fetching both bowls from the floor, mixing their deviated portions in with the dry kibble before setting them down. Yoshio purred while he scarfed as much into his mouth as he could. Momo on the other hand sat down and wrapped her tail around her paws, taking her time with her breakfast. 

You used your foot to scoot Yoshio away from the other feline when he approached her bowl after finishing his own. When he tried again, you picked him up with your telekinesis. Immediately he went ragdoll, only to find himself in your arms. He’d become familiar with this method of restraint when he refused to back off of Momos food until she was finished. It wasn’t until the tortishell was satisfied that you set him down again, and he beelined for her food bowl to check it over. He gave you a withering glare after he found it empty, like it was your fault. 

“What? Don’t look at me like that, greedy boy.” You rolled your eyes and wandered out of the kitchen, stretching your wings out subconsciously as you thought about what you would do today. 

You moved back into the bedroom, fetching an outfit for the day and traveling into the bathroom. As you went about your usual showering process, you wondered when Keigo would come home again. You hadn’t heard from him last week at all, and he usually sent you a text every other day or so to say that he loved you and missed you. You never texted back in order to keep him safe while he was at work. You wished you could though. You’d always typed out your responses, thumb hovering over the send button before you closed your phone and continued on with whatever you were doing. 

You turned off the shower and stepped out, getting dressed and finding Yoshio and Momo out in the sunroom afterwards. Your older cat was lying on a platform attached to the wall closest to one of the windows making up the far wall, basking in the morning rays. Momo was sprawled across the chaise, doing the same in a sun stream of her own. You smiled at both of them before returning to the kitchen and making yourself an easy breakfast, two bagels with your preferred toppings and a cup of coffee. 

The rest of your day went by slowly, washing and folding laundry, cleaning the litter boxes, playing with your cats, you were even bored enough to clean a bathroom by the time 2:00 rolled around. You lounged on the couch after having lunch, ramen. Your eyes were stuck on the television screen as whatever news anchor droned on about whatever the current hot topic was. You were bored out of your mind, that was for sure. Eventually you rolled yourself off the couch and gathered some of your personal belongings to head out. You weren’t sure where you were planning on going, but you needed to get out of the penthouse before you went stir crazy. 

You made sure that the front door was locked before exiting through the sunroom, giving the cats some goodbye pats before stepping out into the warm, spring sunshine. The past week had been an absolute downpour, so you were glad to see that the weather had become happier, it was always good to get some vitamins in you. You opened your wings and let them take you off the patio, drifting through the sky while you enjoyed the breeze through your hair. 

You weren’t sure how long it was that you were out there, bobbing and weaving in and out of the bits of clouds when your phone rang. You drifted back underneath the fluffy, white cumulus and pulled it out of your pocket, not thinking twice about checking the name for some reason.

“Hello?” 

“Hey Stardust!” 

“Hawks?” You were a little taken aback, but you were glad to hear his voice. You were careful to use his hero name to keep his private life confidential. Unable to contain your excitement, you did a little upwards twirl. “I’ve missed you.” 

He gave a longing sigh. “I miss you too. I’m sorry I haven’t been home, it’s…busy nuggets over here.” 

“Busy nuggets?” You echoed, unable to comprehend what that could mean. “Are you distracted?” 

He chuckled. “No, sorry. I worded it wrong. The nuggets are in the fryer.” 

That clicked in your brain. “What is the timer set at?” 

“They only have six minutes left.” 

“Six minutes?” You let out a low whistle and continued on your undecided path. “That’s not too long now.” 

“Yeah. At least it’s after our anniversary.” 

“What do you mean?” You were curious about where exactly his mind was. He did have those nuggets to prioritize…

“Happy anniversary, Stardust!” 

You took a moment to straighten your thoughts. 

Had it already been a year? 

“I-I didn’t realize it’s been—“ You weren’t able to complete your sentence. 

“That’s okay. You’ve had a lot on your plate and I have, too. I’m surprised I remembered it, actually.” You heard him give an embarrassed chuckle, and you could picture him scratching the back of his neck. 

A soft smile crossed your lips. “Well, good job on remembering for the both of us. Happy anniversary.” 

“I wish I could be there to spend it with you.” You could practically hear his frown. 

“Yeah, I wish you were here, too. We’ll see each other soon, though, right? We’ll be able to celebrate properly later, too. After all of this is over.” You were searching for some sort of reassurance that this entire situation would go smoothly. 

You knew people would die, it was unavoidable. All you could do was hope that the majority of casualties were on the opposing team, even if the goal was to capture them alive. 

“Yeah. You’re right. I’ve got to go, I love you Stardust. Kick ass out there.” 

“I love you too, and I will. You do the same, okay?” 

“I always do. My goal is to always come home to you.” 

Your heart fluttered in your chest. He could still make you melt with one sentence and caused butterflies in your stomach when he looked at you a certain way. 

You hoped it would always be like that. 

“Alright, I’ll talk to you soon. I love you.” 

Your smile was beginning to hurt your face. “Talk soon, I love you too.” 

With that, the call was done. Your smile was replaced with a frown and you held your phone to your chest. You missed him so badly, your heart ached. You’d see him soon enough. 

Six days. 

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Chapter Text

“Rome wasn’t built in a day, but it burned in one.”

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Two days after your phone call with your husband, you switched the open sign on by your front door. Next to you, Fat Gum stretched his arms above his head with a yawn after he had finished his drink. You gave him a small smile and a friendly pat on the shoulder before moving around to your usual spot behind the bar. Yesterday you had been approved to go back to your regular hero duties. You were thankful for it, but decided to take one last night enjoying the safe space of running your bar. It was your comfort zone besides the penthouse, and recently you had felt like you needed to spend more time in it than elsewhere. 

You had this underlying sense of anticipation that wasn’t subsiding. You did your best to distract yourself from it by keeping yourself busy at the bar, which wasn’t hard when your customers were high in quantity compared to the first one you’d taken over after your mom passed away. When you got behind the bar, you took Fat Gums empty glass and cleaned it. Sure enough, a wave of customers slowly began to file in one by one once the Pro Hero outside cleared them. You were always thankful for his assistance, he made you enjoy the job just a little bit more. 

The hours blended together as the night went on. You made drinks, cleaned glasses, entertained your guests, managed the till, and more. Your legs and hands were numb and you were on autopilot when your six hour mark rolled around and you felt your phone buzzing in your back pocket. You almost missed it, and decided it was about time for a break anyway. Darting into the break room, you shut the door behind you and answered it, holding it up to your ear. Your free hand found the light switch and flipped it, exposing you to the familiar room with the small kitchenette and the round table sitting in the center of it. 

“Hello?” 

“Good evening, Mrs. Takami.” 

Your heart stopped. You manually breathed, hearing it beat once in your ears. Your fingers ran cold and your wings stiffened against your will. “Who is this?” 

“My name is Takagawa, and I work with the Hero Association, much like you.” 

You chewed on your lower lip, peering through the blinds of the window showing you the kitchen. Beyond the gap in the doorway you could see Fat Gum continuing to bounce your door like normal. “What can I do for you, Takagawa?” 

“Are you aware of what your husband, Hawks, is up to?“ 

Your eyes narrow on the clock on a nearby wall, alerting you to the time: 11:14 PM. All you could hear besides the slight hum of your phone was the ceiling fan circling above your head. “I know enough. Why?” 

Takagawa was silent for a moment. “We have a job for you.” 

That statement alone gave you enough insight to know what they wanted. “No.” You were ignorant to your hand shaking when you began pacing the room. You saw somebody move through the blinds, seating themselves in the corner spot of your bar. 

Aizawa. 

You used your telekinesis before he could spot you and locked the door, knowing he would come searching for you if you didn’t show yourself soon enough. Your heart was going fast enough you were sure it would beat out of your chest. 

Takagawa sighed. “Mrs. Takami, I was told not to tell you this, but I have some information dire to you.” 

A cold chill crawled up your spine. “Well? Spit it out already?”

“I will tell you if you agree to the mission.” 

You continue to work your lower lip between your teeth, running your free hand through your hair. You didn’t want to agree to anything before you knew the terms. “What kind of mission are we talking about?” 

“You’ll be going undercover in the Meta Liberation Army. Hawks has shared their propaganda with a few select heros. You are one of them, aren’t you?” 

When you didn’t deny it, Takagawa continued. 

“Now we understand the risks you are taking when we ask you to do this. Dabi is on site and you may or may not interact with him and or some of the other members of the League of Villains. We have reason to believe that a man named Bubaigawara Jin, or Twice, is working with them. Hawks is tasked with his assasination.” 

Your blood roared in your ears. Your husband…the one you’d shared vows with…was a trained killer? Your mouth flopped open and closed like a fish. 

“We need you to eliminate Dabi.” 

You speak before you can think. You aren’t even sure what you’re feeling when you hear a knock on the break room door. 

It’s Aizawa. 

“What do you mean? Why me?” 

“Besides Endeavour, you are the only known hero with a tolerance to extreme flames. You’re able to manipulate it as well, aren’t you?” 

A splash of blood spreads across your tongue and it snaps you back into reality. Your free hand forms into a fist at your side and you dig your fingernails into your palms. 

“(Y/N), I know you’re in there.” 

You ignore him. 

“Fine. I’ll do the mission.” 

You don’t believe yourself when you say it, but you sealed your own fate. 

“An excellent decision, really.” 

Your eyes flit to the doorknob rattling—your mentor was seconds from busting in. “Now tell me about that information you said was ‘dire’.” 

Takagawa chuckled. 

What he told you made the breath in your lungs vanish from your body. 

You ended the phone call simultaneously with Aizawa finally opening the door. You hadn’t realized that Yamada was with him as well until the loud blond toppled through the opening onto his hands and knees. You place your hands on your hips, hoping they wouldn’t notice the way your chest was rising and falling rapidly and the slight tremble in your wings.

“Can a girl not have a phone call with her husband in private?” 

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The knock on your front door the next morning made you stand up off of the couch. It had been a few weeks since you had last worn your hero suit. It had been repaired by what remained of Best Jeanist’s company and fit like a glove—like it had never been damaged in the fight against Nomu. Inko Midoriya had given you the okay to disallow yourself to believe that what you had fought against that day wasn’t more than a mutated creature. 

There was no piece of your father in that monster. 

Right? 

The person you found on the other side of your door was one you had missed teasing over the last few weeks; Shinso Hitoshi. The purple-haired teenager had his usual bored look on his face. His expression didn’t change much when you stepped out of the way and let him come inside. He lifted an eyebrow as his dull eyes scanned the interior of your shared home. A low whistle escaped his chapped lips and he stuffed his hands in his pockets before turning to you once you had shut the door behind him. 

“You like living off of your husband's wallet?” 

A wooden spoon came hurtling from the kitchen and whalloped the back of his head with a dull thump. “Watch your fucking mouth in my house, brat.” 

He rubbed at his skull with a low grumble. A grey cat rubbed against his calf, a tortoiseshell doing the same against the other. 

“Shinso, this is Yoshio, and that is Momo.” 

He watched them both for a moment, giving a quick glance at you before crouching down and letting his hands run over their fur. Momo purred and prioritized her head being pet rather than anything else. Yoshio, on the other hand, flopped onto his side with a loud meow and exposed his belly. 

“How long do you expect me to watch them for?” Shinso asked you, not rising from his position when he spoke.

“As long as I need you to. If you can’t come and feed them for any reason, call this number. This is my neighbor a few houses below mine.” You point to a piece of paper magnetized to the fridge before opening it and showing him where the wet foot cans were. You pointed to a different piece of paper on the fridge explaining portion sizes for each cat. 

“Why aren’t you just having Aizawa do this?” Shinso asked. 

“Because if he knew I was going away for a bit I’d never hear the end of it, and knowing him he would follow me. Besides, you’re getting paid for this whole ordeal. Got any more complaints?” You asked, placing your hands on your hips. 

He rolled his eyes. “No. What if one of them starts choking or dying?” 

“Please refer to the list of veterinary numbers located here .” Your pointer finger slapped onto another piece of paper. “These are my babies, Shinso. If anything happens to them under your watch, it’s your ass on a platter, got it?” 

He nods, understanding that you really weren’t joking around with him. “Yup. I hear ya, loud and clear.” 

You pull him into a hug, slightly enjoying the way he groans with disgust and tries to wriggle out of your hold. “Thanks, you moldy stringbean.” You kiss his cheek to finalize your thanks, leaving him blushing redder than a fire hydrant in your kitchen. 

Before you walk out the front door, you peer beyond it to meet his flustered face. “Oh, and I’ll know if you touch or steal anything. There are cameras all over the place. Thanks again, bye!” 

After you were finally gone, Shinso looked down to the large grey feline sitting at his feet. “How do you live with her?”

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Chapter Text

“Be careful who you trust, the devil was once an angel.”

~ Unknown

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Your flight to the Meta Liberation Army took about as long as you had expected it to: three hours and seven minutes. You were thankful for the amount of flying Aizawa made you do during your training to regain your Hero License again, otherwise you don’t think you would have been able to fly such an amount. You wondered how Hawks did it, and by the time your feet touched the barren ground did you finally understand why he stayed away for awhile. Your heart was speeding up when you slowly approached the large, obelisk type opening signaling that you were in the right place. 

The two men on either side of the gate were quick to stop you, using their quirks to display their strength. You put your hands up and held them just underneath your chin. 

“H-hey, I’m not looking for a fight here!” You reached to the hip bag resting by your side, pulling out the small booklet Hawks had brought home all those months ago. “See? I have this.” 

One of them approached you and snatched the book from your grip. He flipped through the pages and scanned it over. You could hear your heart in your ears when he read over a certain page, his hand tightening around the edges of it. You almost jump out of your skin when he quickly flips it back to you. You take it from him and stuff it back into the pocket of your bag, feeling your wings tremble slightly in relief. His friend stays by the gate, and he leads you inside. 

You know before you even get past the main doors that the second he spots you, it’s all over. You have to keep your cool though, and act like you don’t know him. Otherwise your entire cover will be blown. You knit your fingers together behind your back, letting your eyes go wide in order to play up your amazement once your escort opens the doors. You aren’t sure if you’ll see him again, but you make note of the way his quirk works before you notice vermillion flash in your peripheral. 

You can feel his eyes on you before you’ve made it fifty steps into the building. You weren’t sure if he had found you by pure luck or if he’d located you through Quill. You turn to talk to the one who had led you inside, but don’t make it far when he zips into your line of sight. He physically uses his body as a barrier between you and the grunt. You’re unable to take your eyes off of his handsome face when he turns and manages to shake the grunt off of your tail. It wasn’t until the unnamed pawn vanished back outside did he finally greet you, though it wasn’t the one that you had expected. 

His eyes scan the empty hallway you’re in, before grabbing your hands and quickly dragging you into a different room. He doesn’t speak until the door is closed, and you’re pressed up against a wall. It only takes you a second to realize that you’re cramped against him in a closet too small for the two of you to be in comfortably. You can’t say that you don’t like the way you’re flattened against his chest. For a second his eyes flashed in the dark, and he looked like he wanted to devour you before he spoke. 

“What are you doing here?” 

His voice is low and causes shivers to crawl up your spine when his hands rest on your hips. You understand he’s being quiet so the two of you aren’t eavesdropped on, so you maintain the same level of volume he has. 

“I—“

He interrupts you before you have a chance to explain yourself. “You shouldn’t be here. You know who is here, right? Do you realize that you’ve just waltzed into his hands?” 

You clap a hand over his mouth before he can continue, and he furrows his brows at you in frustration. “Listen to me.” You whisper, and he blinks once in response. “I’m not here because I want to be. I was asked by the Hero Association to come.” 

When you remove your hand from his mouth, he tilts his head closer to yours. “What did they ask you to do?” 

He knew that you weren’t here on your own accord when your pretty (e/c) eyes looked away from him. He placed a hand on your cheek, catching the shimmer of a single tear slipping down it against his gloved hand. He wiped it away with his thumb and held you impossibly close, the best he could do to comfort you. “Stardust, let me help you.” 

You melted into him. “They…they told me what your purpose here is.” You felt him stiffen, but when you didn’t pull away from him in disgust, he wasn’t sure how he felt. “They want me to kill him.” 

The second that sentence left your lips, he knew the inner turmoil you were battling. He didn’t need to know the name of who you were referring to when you said that. His eyes softened, and he kissed your cheek. “I’m sorry.” He knew why they had asked you, he didn’t need to verify it with you. “You didn’t have to listen to them.” 

A twinge crosses your chest. You cannot identify it. “It wasn’t an option, Hawks.” How you were still maintaining a whisper was unknown to you. 

“Yes it was.” His response was quick and right on the tip of his tongue. He knew you were going to say that. 

You became annoyed. “If it was optional, then why are you here?” 

“I didn’t have a choice.” 

The glare you give him says enough. Isn’t that almost exactly what you had just told him? Backing out wasn’t an option. 

“They have something against me.” 

“Which is?” You cock an eyebrow. 

He flattens his lips and refuses to look at you. 

“Is this about Dabi?” 

He shakes his head. 

“Are you lying to me?” 

He finally meets your gaze again. “No, I promise.” 

“Then what are you hiding?” 

“Nothing.” His answer is too quick for your liking. 

“Keigo.” His name rolls off of your tongue in a warning. You place your hands on his shoulders and push him away so he can see how serious you are. “You can’t lie to me. I’m your wife. I can read you like the back of my hand. I’ll always be able to tell.” 

He sighs in frustration and runs a hand through his ashy blond locks, chewing on his lip in contemplation before he presses his forehead to yours. “(Y/N)…” Him using your actual name made your heart skip a beat. His eyes fall shut. “There’s a lot of things about me that you don’t know.” 

You can hear your own breathing in your ears when your anxiety skyrockets. What does that mean? 

“You…you know I love you, right?” He swallows hard, the sound echoes. 

“J-just spit it out.” You have to manually inhale. “Y-you’re starting to freak me out.” 

You want him to look at you. You need him to. You don’t think your heart can take how scared you are right now. Why was he saying these things? 

“I didn’t pass out in front of your bar by chance…stardust.” 

It hits you like a slap to the face.

Any oxygen that was in your lungs withered immediately. Your world is shaken until the axis is violently spinning around it like a magic eight ball. Your peripherals are beginning to go black, or maybe that was just the darkness of the room. 

“What are you saying?” Your voice is unsteady and you subconsciously are flattening yourself against the far wall, pulling away from him. 

The way his eyes meet yours makes your heart shatter. 

“It was an order.” 

His back hits the opposite wall when you shove him away from you. Your shoulders are heaving and you can no longer stay quiet. You cannot tell that you are crying when you bat his hands away, struggling to fight the hyperventilating you were starting. He looks just as hurt as you do, maybe worse when his eyes finally meet yours again. 

“So all of it.” Your voice is shaking, and you can barely speak over the concrete lump sitting in the back of your throat. “All of this, of us, our life together , was nothing but a lie?” You can’t believe the words you’re saying. The mere thought makes you want to rip every strand of hair out of your head. “A MISSION?” 

He flinches with every word, shrinking away. The tears in the corners of his eyes make your heart crack, a feeling you thought couldn’t hurt any worse. 

“Is that really all I am to you? I…I can’t believe you.” You sniffle, and chuckle in disbelief. 

The last entire year of your life had been nothing but an assignment for him. 

You wipe the tears from your eyes before they can escape. You can’t let him see you like this. He didn’t deserve to see what he had put you through. You could get through this on your own. You didn’t need him. 

You had Aizawa. 

And Yamada.

And Shinso.

“I really thought you loved me.” You can’t fight the tremble of your lower lip. “B-because I don’t think I can live without you.” Before he could say anything else, you yanked open the door, hard enough to almost pull it off the hinges and darted away. 

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You aren’t sure how long you’ve sat in your hiding spot. You’ve been sitting with your back to the wall, wings shrouded around you like a veil to conceal you from the outside world while you sobbed your heart out. Your hands are clawing at your chest, willing that beating organ to stop hurting so badly. You feel like you’re about to implode when you rock forward and back, resting your forehead against your knees and letting your emotions run free. 

All of those moments you had spent with him. Did they really mean nothing? Had they truly been nothing but an assignment to him? Something he had to do in order to step up in the hero society? Had he truly played a part in destroying the last good thing you had in life, and manipulating you until you bent to his every whim? 

Was Keigo Takami even his real name? 

Your body runs cold, and you blink rapidly. A numbness crosses the expanse of your chest and fills every limb until you can’t feel anything at all. It’s a familiar charge that puts you into a state of mind you’ve become accustomed to: autopilot. You begin to manually breathe, letting your eyes dry and adjust to the darkness of the room. The constellations on your wings illuminate the small closet with tiny bits of light that make it easier for you to identify the cleaning supplies you’re surrounded by. They’re all covered in dust. 

You can’t help but wonder the last time this closet was used for it’s intended purpose when you force yourself up onto your feet. The metal soles of your boots feel heavier than normal when you lift them and open the door. You tilt your head out to see if there’s anybody around. Finding nobody, you finally step out. Your anxiety skyrockets at the thought of stumbling across your husband—could you even call him that anymore? 

The ring on your left hand feels like it begins to burn, though you aren’t even wearing it right now. You look down to the aforementioned limb, eyes lingering on the small divot where your wedding band had sat. You drop it back to your side and let your feet guide you. You block out any thoughts of that handsome vermillion-winged man with a shake of your head. You can’t focus on him. You have a mission to complete.

You come around the next corner of another endless hallway when you spot him. He’s pretty far away so you’re not quite sure who it is, but perhaps he could help you get back to the main building? You had been briefed on who the main League of Villain members were, so you were especially slow and cautious on your approach towards him. An instinct told you to begin stockpiling, so you did. 1%

You despised the way that your footsteps still gently echoed in the empty corridor even though you were doing your utmost to keep them silent. Another worry in your head was the fact that he could recognize you as another top pro-hero, but you hadn’t been #17 for more than a week at this point. It would’ve been hard to miss your fight with Nomu going viral, which was another suspicious action you’d have to explain. 

“Excuse me—“ You’d only just begun to call out to the figure that had become a man in a black-and-white bodysuit when a sharp, stinging pain cut through the right side of your abdomen. 8%

You threw your right arm up before dropping your elbow on where you assumed your assailant's neck was. There was no neck, and instead the force you’d exhilarated through that move nudged the handle of the syringe, wedging it further between your ribs. You groaned and fumbled for it, almost gasping in relief when you were able to wrap your fingers around it and yank it out. Adrenaline seeped into your veins, giving you a boost of mana as well as partially numbing the pain. 15%

You whirled around at the sound of footsteps quickly approaching, and found that blonde girl dressed as a student from the training camp. You dodged her next attack and aimed the talons on your dominant hand for her face. The tips of the talons scraped across the bridge of her nose and she frowned at the single bead of blood that dripped onto her lower lip. 

“That stung a little bit. Why don’t you settle down and give me a bit of your blood instead of being a brat?”

She charged you again, and you pulled your arms back to brace yourself before you felt four arms grab your own, rendering you immobile. You struggled against your captors’ grips, but they refused to let go of your biceps. Your telekinesis ripped the bags hanging from your hip open and used the projectiles you had to dig into their faces. Their grip still didn’t ease up in the slightest. When you noticed their mirror images of the man you had originally spotted, you wrenched your arms out of their grip and threw a punch through the one on your left.

Your fist sank through his face and he melted like sludge. You recoiled in shock and went to do the same to the one on your right. Your teeth are grit in frustration when you’re hit in the head with a heavy object. 

Your vision is darkening and your ears are ringing when your body hits the ground. You can’t see much beyond Himiko Toga’s blonde hair when she sinks a syringe into an easily locatable vein in your forearm. 

A sickening smile crosses her face when your eyes roll back into your head. 

Keigo. 

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Chapter Text

“Please understand that I was in pain. I never meant to ruin things.

I never meant to ruin us.” 

~ Unknown

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Amber eyes dilated and flitted across empty hallways, unable to focus on much beyond the bright, artificial lights bearing down on him from the ceiling. His mind was on overdrive, every sense in his body on alert. His mouth was dry, and he felt like he could’ve drank an entire lake and it wouldn’t have satisfied him. His feathers were twitching with each step, a foreign buzz ringing in his ears that had him in a fragmented state of mind. He wasn’t able to get control over his thoughts. 

The faint sound of frantic sobbing pierced through the hum. He stopped, boots squeaking on the linoleum. His body felt unbearably heavy. What was this feeling? Dread?  He tilted his head towards the sound, attempting to locate the source. It wasn’t a woman crying. He didn’t care. He forced himself to take a breath, reminding himself that he was still human. It didn’t drown out the sound of whoever was crying. He attempted to tune it out.

His mind did exactly as he wanted when one thing shoved itself into the forefront of his mind: you. Your eyes, and the way you would look at him. How the tone of your voice would change depending on who you were talking to—your laugh. The glitter in your wings, the constellations lining the ombré feathers. How you walked, breathed, blinked, existed. His saliva caught in his throat. 

He hadn’t heard from you in two days. 

He called until your voicemail box was full, and then until you wouldn’t take his calls anymore. Even when it sent him straight to that prerecorded message each and every time, he still tried. The further he walked, the louder the sobbing got. He still didn’t pay any mind to it—even when he walked right past the door. He didn’t check again when he caught a glimpse of blue and violet ombré wings in the far corner of the room, tending to a man on his hands and knees clutching at his head. The picture didn’t fit the profile, so he moved on. 

He was too far into ‘autopilot’ to really recognize the difference between the ‘true you’ and the copy in the room he had just passed. If anything, his brain told him he hadn’t seen what he had in order to maintain the dwindling energy he carried. His hands were tied as well as his tongue when it came to fixing the situation he had found himself in—somewhere he had seen himself headed, but tried his best to avoid. Unfortunately, his attempts at protecting the relationship he had built with you were inept. Now that he thought about it, the amount of time he had spent with you had been an act of balancing on a wire. If he stepped too far forward, you’d fall. If he stepped back, he would fall. 

Somehow, you had seen something like this coming. Your life had been too full of hardship and heartache for you to adjust so casually to being thrown into a world you hadn’t been a part of in years. You knew from the beginning that something as easy as your life with Hawks was too good to be true. After Dabi’s break-in, things had been sailing on relatively smooth waters. Sure it was choppy here and there, but it wasn’t as bad as it could have— should have —been. Eventually, after more time passed with lesser chances of things happening, you’d grown to accept your new life; a hero, a wife, a woman who started at the bottom and clawed her way to the top. 

Keigo felt hatred stir inside of him. He wasn’t sure where it came from, or who it was directed at but it filled every inch of his being. Whom was it aimed at? Himself? Dabi? The Hero Association? You? No, definitely not you. He had to find you, to tell you how he really felt. That yes, it was an assignment. One he had only put half of his heart into after he finally met you. 

You had been described as a dangerous person, primarily for the fact that your quirk wasn’t something that the Hero Association had seen before. It wasn’t anything like your fathers except for the telekinesis and wings—the glyphs had come from a mutation, a scientific detail the world had yet to truly understand. The company did know that you had some sort of relationship with Dabi, even if it was unknown to you. The Hero Association had only been working off of a fluke of info, a possible dead-end that they launched Hawks into without a second thought. They hadn’t realized how on-track they were with their hypothesis until the original Treasure Wing was destroyed. 

From there it had been cemented—figure out who you were exactly and what sort of relationship you had with Dabi. 

He hadn’t wanted anything to do with the mission at that point. Keigo had fallen in love with you so hard and fast that he tried to back out of his responsibilities as soon as he could. He hadn’t met anybody like you before, someone who took the punches and just kept rolling forward. Someone who could snap back into the person she always had been from the beginning. He admired you for that, and wanted to have that ability. 

Keigo loved you so much that it hurt. He found it difficult to breathe when he thought of a life without you, his life before you: lonely, just working, eating, and sleeping. Then he would wake up and do it all over again. You brought light into his life, a splash of color—blue and violet alongside the large grey cat you could deadlift from the ground like it was nothing. He wanted to protect your soft, kindred soul: saving Momo on your first date with him, and making sure she had a home. You cared for the cats and him like it was nothing, you did so much for him by just being in his life. 

He had fallen so hard for you that he had forgotten the original focus: his mission. All of it had gone as the Hero Association had wanted, anyways. Of course, they had hoped for a surprise visitor at the wedding—but thankfully it had gone smoothly. He hated the fact that he had to ask them for permission to marry you. 

“Are you asking us if you can marry her for the mission or another reason?” 

He knew that if he hadn’t answered that question correctly, they wouldn’t have allowed it. 

“For the mission.” 

His mouth was bitter when he said it, the worst lie he ever thought he’d spoken in his years alive. He regretted it the instant he said it. He should’ve kept his impulses under control, and maybe your chance of being in this situation would’ve at least been shaved in half. He knew from the moment it began that it was destined to possibly die. Possibly the only cause was his own decisions, though a majority of the blame lies with the Hero Association as a whole. He couldn’t help but wonder; would you and him have even crossed paths if it wasn’t for him being set out on this mission? 

He passed by a random person, somebody he didn’t know the name of but had interacted with a few times before. 

“Have you seen a woman with wings around here at all? They’re blue and purple.” 

“No, sorry.” She shook her head and wandered away. 

He worked his lips between his teeth and looked down at the toe of his boots, wondering where you had gone. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed your number for the umpteenth time. 

Hopefully, you have gone home and were just ignoring his calls. 

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Chapter Text

"You are a hurricane of a girl; remember to breathe every once in a while, do not drown within your own storm." 

~ Unknown

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The ring in your ears was a foreign oddity that overpowered the static, one similar to the sound of a television on a nonexistent channel. It was piercing, and you had no way to muffle it. You couldn't move your hands, they were restricted to some capacity. Same with your wings. Your eyes were heavy, as if somebody had glued them shut. Unable to do much against the overwhelming ache in the back of your head, you slipped back into an unconscious state. 

You found yourself inside a living room. Everything melted into your vision one item at a time, like the room was being put together piece by piece around you. Slowly but surely, you felt tears prick at the corner of your eyes. The couch that sat with its back a few feet away from the kitchen island, facing a small television on a bamboo-colored entertainment center. The window to the left of the couch had a pair of white curtains, revealing an old street you knew from your childhood: home . 

You look down to your legs, finding your favorite old pair of pajama shorts on your hips and your bare toes dig into the shallow, soft carpet underneath you. A soft sensation brushes against the back of your calves, and you turn to find Yoshio rubbing his head against you. When you say his name, his dark topaz eyes look up at you and he chirps gently. 

Your heart skips a beat when another set of paws comes bounding down the hallway; Momo . What was she doing here? She hadn't even been born when you still lived at the old apartment, the one you had grown up in. 

You nearly leap out of your own skin when you feel two hands settle on your hips from behind, and you whirl around. Your heart leaps into your throat when you meet a set of warm, golden eyes melting into your own. His ashy blond hair shadows over his left, and he reaches up to tuck a strand of hair behind your head; Keigo .

"How did you sleep?" 

You weren't sure how you felt being this close to him. You felt betrayed, knowing what he had told you. Every nerve inside of your body told you to shove him away from you, to kick him out of the apartment. Yet you did the opposite: flinging your arms around his neck and holding him close. You let your eyes fall shut and you drink in his scent. He pulls you into him, letting his thumbs massage circles into the small of your back just under your wings. 

"Someone's cuddly this morning." He teases, and you flatten your lips.

This is too good to be true, having him here with you. 

You haven't had access to your childhood home in over a year. 

This was a dream.  

A pit of anxiety transformed into a black hole that was suffocating. 

What was happening here? 

How was this dream going to end? 

"(Y/N)? You're up early." A voice pierced your frothing thoughts, making your breath leave your lungs.

You haven't heard that voice since you were fifteen.

You immediately forgot about your husband, turning around fast enough again to give yourself whiplash. 

Behind you, at the opening of the hallway, stood your father . 

Your heart has officially stopped. He stood tall, (color) hair covering bright turquoise eyes. He was in his pajamas, like he had just woken up. Attached to his back were wings mirroring yours—a light azure blue that morphed into dark blue and then violet towards the end of his feathers. Lining each one were small, sparkling constellations.

You catch a faint wisp of white hair behind him— your mother .

What were you supposed to say? 

Don't mind the fact that Keigo and both your cats were here, that was a normal dream. 

Why was your father here? 

You close your eyes, needing a second to process what was happening. 

When you do, you feel the air rush around you, and suddenly you are cold. 

A shiver crawls up your spine, and your eyes pop open again at the sensation. 

You were no longer in your old apartment. Now you were somewhere dark—you couldn't see any walls around you. There was a faint light emitting from the black ichor surrounding your feet, illuminating both yourself and the other person still remaining: your dad. 

"Hello (Y/N)." 

Your mouth is dry. "Where am I?" 

"You're with me." He replied calmly, blinking.

You look around you, squinting in order to see beyond the darkness. "Am i dead?" 

He chuckles. "No. Let's call this...limbo." 

You look back to him, unable to take your eyes off of the stars patterning his backside. "Why am I here?" 

He ignores your question. "You look just like your mother." 

You scoff, and look away. 

You want to cry. 

This feels unreal. 

You know it is. 

You haven't been able to talk to him since you were a freshman at U.A. 

"She always said I looked like you." You can't fight the tears.

"She was right about that, too." He chuckled again. It's so soft that it almost sounds angelic.

There is a nagging feeling clawing at your chest. At first you don't know what it is, but it doesn't take you long to digest. It's regret; shame for what you've done. You had become a hero with the slight intention of finding his whereabouts—dead or alive, and he happened to fall right into your hands. It obviously hadn't been a coincidence, so how come all of this was happening? Why was everything that you loved once again being taken from you? Your old wounds resurfaced; losing him for the first time and then your mother, what happened to you in that alleyway. Your life after U.A., Keigo Takami , training camp, Dabi, the Nomu, Hawks , and now this? 

"I'm sorry!" You blurt it out, holding your hands to clutch at your heart. It hurts so badly . "I...I'm so sorry!" One of your hands attempts to wipe the tears from your face but it's futile. "I'm sorry I couldn't save Mom!" 

He hasn't looked away, watching you silently. 

He doesn't say anything, he knows you're not done.

"I'm sorry I..." You hiccup, and it frustrates you. It's hard to breathe. "I didn't know that you were actually that Nomu, if I had...I—" 

"(Y/N)." 

You swallow. Your head hurts, but you can still focus on him.

"What happened to your mother and I is not your fault. It is the consequences of decisions we made...one we made before you were born." 

A decision? 

What kind of decision did they make? What kind of decision caused your mother to die by being burnt alive? You didn't know the fate your father met, but you knew what happened to his corpse. Could they have made a choice so drastic enough to sign them up for a terrible end? 

To put their only child through a lifetime of hell?

"What....do you mean?" 

Your father begins to walk towards you, and it only takes him a few steps to be close enough to touch you. You want to reach out and make sure he's real, that you can actually feel him. Yet, you cannot find the ability to move your limbs. Your arms remain locked at your chest, palms flat against the beating organ behind your breastbone. 

"We made a choice regarding you, and we believe it was the best one to make. You have truly grown into your wings." 

He was wrong. "No, I haven't. I can't do half of the things you can—"

"You put me at rest; I wasn't able to do that. If it wasn't for you, I don't think I would have truly been able to see the woman you have become." He placed a hand on your shoulder, and your body zapped to life. 

The darkness around you exploded with light, particularly blue and violet—they were flames. 

"Remember these things, (Y/N)."

Your hair whirled around you, and the fire swarmed closer. 

"We are proud of you." 

He placed his other hand on your other shoulder. 

"We love you."

It feels like your lungs are on fire, every breath you take is hot and burning. 

"We chose you ." 

The blue and violet flames that had burst into the landscape were licking at your skin. They traveled up your fathers wings and outlined him—yet he didn't burn. 

For a second, he flickered into a different person. 

"He loves you." 

Ashy blond hair with hypnotizing, amber eyes. Your heart feels like it's on fire. 

You loved him, too.

"You are a Phoenix." 

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"Ugh, he didn't have any reaction to her copy. Dabi's gonna be sooooo mad." Toga whined, letting her arms fall slack at her sides after she'd melted off the skin of you. 

"He saw you, and that's what matters right? NO, WE'RE FUCKED!" 

"Yeah, I guess." She grabbed the clothes Twice was handing to her over his shoulder. "Why didn't he approach, though?" 

He shrugged, resting his hands on his hips. "I thought it was a spot-on copy. THE WINGS WERE WRONG!" 

Toga's golden-yellow eyes flicked to Twice's as she pulled up her skirt. "What do you mean?" 

"Don't listen to him, the wings were perfect! THEY DIDN'T SPARKLE!" 

She tilted her head after putting on her shoes. "Sparkle?" 

Twice had to think, as well. What was he talking about? "THE STARS! ON HER WINGS, IDIOT! Don't call Toga an idiot, idiot!" 

"No, you're right." She revealed the syringes she kept hidden in her sleeves. "I didn't get that much blood...but if it was her quirk, then there's no helping it." 

"What are we gonna do about Dabi? CAN WE AVOID HIM ENTIRELY?" 

The blond shrugs. "He should be happy enough with the fact that she's not roaming about anymore. Who would've thought she was going to walk right in here for us?" 

"Didn't he say she was married to Hawks? AWW, I LIKE THAT GUY!" 

"That's why he had us get her in the first place, silly! What do you think he's gonna do with her?" 

Twice shrugs, mimicking his companions' actions from earlier. "Hostage? SHE'S GOT A PRETTY FACE—" His right hand slaps his cheek, silencing his invasive half. 

"I'm sure we'll find out soon, even if Dabi doesn't like sharing his things." 

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Chapter Text

“Oh star child—how long will it take for you to understand? no galaxy could ever contain you.”

~ F.T.

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Maruta Shiga, a “quirkless” man who runs Jaku Hospital. He idealized community based medicine in quirks and after forming the hospital put his efforts into charitable works. He’s set up orphanages and nursing homes nationwide, earning a rapport that puts him in the upper echelons of society. 

“How do we know it’s him?” Rocklock asks at the hero gathering; they were going over the plans about the upcoming approach for a war against the Paranormal Liberation Army—the same one your husband had warned you about. The same one you were now drawn into, no thanks to the outcomes and the truths you now knew.

“We had someone go undercover based on a tip from the Safety Commission. They discovered a locked down area in the hospital and nobody knew what it was being used for. It’s only accessible via the morgue. Only Shiga goes in and out. Our insider did spot him dragging somebody in there, and we haven’t seen her come out.” Answers Detective Tsukauchi.

A picture is revealed.

The energy in the room darkens more than it already was. 

Aizawa and Present Mic stiffen in their seats. 

So that was why you hadn’t been answering their calls.

“I understand a comrade is in danger, but for her safety and the rest of ours we have to proceed with caution. We have reason to believe that there are up to a dozen or more Nomu’s inside the morgue. These more than likely are High-Ends, similar to the one Estrella eradicated in Fukuoka. We aren’t sure of the Liberations plans with holding her hostage, she may be subjected as ‘bait’ for us. Arresting Maruta Shiga won’t be tricky, but the Paranormal Liberation Front will catch wind of it if we get ahead of ourselves.”

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That television static was evolving, turning into something that was brain-rattling and caused the rest of your body to feel fuzzy as well. The monotonous white noise your head was creating did not subside the dull ache at the back. Your body pulsed with an ever increasing pain. It connected with the fact that your wings were restricted, by what you were unsure but they were clamped firmly with some sort of restraint. It was difficult to tell, but it felt like a metal net holstered to you at your lower rib cage and the back of your neck. 

You were sick of being hit over the head, didn’t they have a better way to take you out? Why had that turned into their best method? 

There’s a slight movement, though it isn’t due to your own choices. It’s difficult to guess what sort of predicament you are in. There is an immense pressure in your brain that makes you feel nauseous. It’s all the blood in your body pooling up in your head. You don’t have anything in you to throw up even if you tried; you aren’t sure how long you’ve been here. Minutes? Hours? Days? 

How long could a person be held upside down before dying? Was this some sort of slow torture? Were they expecting you to break out of this confinement? You couldn’t get a read on your mana levels, so you were probably right in assuming that you were held in quirk-binding restraints. That was frustrating. It’s easy to tell that you are hanging. Wiggling your legs shakes the rest of you, and you can feel a bit of tension a distance away. Without your quirk, you wouldn’t be able to get enough speed to break free. You growl in frustration, which barely makes a sound from your throat. 

You hear footsteps at a frantic pace over the white buzz in your head. You go limp, hoping to seem unconscious while you hone in on your other senses minus your sight. A door opens, and someone runs inside. You can sense their location in the room thanks to their haggard, panicked breathing. Outside the door again, you can hear someone else coming in at a fast speed. Your heart begins to quicken, and you hear a voice. 

“I got a tough call to make! Your walk is over, Johnny! I needja to warp Shigaraki and me outta here, stat!” 

Your blood runs cold. Did he just say… Shigaraki? 

You know exactly who Shigaraki is. To think that you were in the same laboratory as him this entire time and you didn’t have a single clue? You swallowed hard, but the doctor was paying no mind to you. You had to be extra precautious about getting out of here now. You would have a better chance if you waited until after their departure.

But what else was in this room with you? 

Before you could truly begin to guess all of the options, a large crash occurs through the door, followed by what sounds like glass containers shattering on the floor. 

A grin splits your face. “Took you long enough, you overgrown chicken.” You whisper to yourself, but the voice you hear makes your grin falter for only a second. 

“Are you the real one?!” 

“Mirko?!” Your voice isn’t a whisper this time. 

Maruta Shiga screams. 

You hear, “Oh, Estrella! We’ve been looking for ya!” 

If she planned to continue, her voice is interrupted by more glass breaking, and what is unmistakably some sort of fluid being spilled across the floor. 

“NOOOOOO!” 

You can only laugh at the doctors devastation. You’re slightly disappointed that it isn’t Hawks here to save you to make up for things, but you’re more than glad that it’s Mirko rather than anybody else. You weren’t sure if you could handle anyone other than those two finding you in your current predicament. 

Mirko lifts her hand to the radio next to her ear. “Guys! I found the old fart, a bunch of tough looking Nomu, and Estrella! I dunno if the old guy’s the real one, but a good kick should tell me!” 

Mirko springs forward. “You the real one?! Let’s find out!” 

“AHHHH! I AM! I’M THE REAL ONE!” 

“Better give ya a good kick to be sure!” 

A weird, tiny Nomu with a big head, a tail, and two legs jumps up and headbutts Mirkos hip, straying her off course. Fortunately, it sends her your way and she makes quick work to spring up and break the chain's attachment to the ceiling. “Heads up, girly!” You hit the ground unceremoniously, but the impact breaks the restraint since you rotated around to land on your back. 

It wipes the wind from your lungs and you bite your tongue upon doing so, but the payoff is worth the pain when Mirko goes back to apprehending Maruta while you regain your senses. 

You mentally thank her for her help, and slowly roll over onto your hands and knees. You press your head against the ground for a split second, begging the ebbing sensation in your head to lessen when you hear Maruta Shiga cry out again. 

“Go slaughter those meddlesome heros! My precious High-Ends!”

All of the hair on your body stands up, and you scramble to your feet when you sense an ominously large hand coming for you. You feel a visceral shriek of fear leave your lungs and you launch upward, avoiding it’s ensnaring grasp by the skin of your teeth. You return it’s hostility with a swift downward stomp to the back of its neck, causing the flooring underneath it to crumple. 

You look up, vision returning at just the perfect moment to see Mirko be tossed through a wall above the door she broke through. Before you can call out to her, one of the Nomu’s jumps up from below and grabs you out of the air like a shark aiming for a bird out of the ocean. It launches you towards the same wall she went through. 

Your senses slowly begin to return to you, one by one. The final one is your sight, and you can hear your ally before you see her next to you. In your blackened peripheral you can spot the blur that can only be Maruta fleeing behind the High-Ends. You scoff. What a coward.

“You think you’re getting away, you old fart?!” Mirko shouts. You can practically hear the adrenaline coursing through her veins. “Estrella! Get out of here, I can handle these freaks.” 

“Are you sure?” You disentangle yourself from the rubble, holding onto a broken pipe to remain up out of the enemies reach. “I can always take a few out for you.” 

“And let you take some of my stardom? I don’t think so, honey.” She chuckles. “You go kick some ass somewhere else—you’ll probably have more use on the front lines.” Before you can argue anymore, she adds one last thing. “Oh, your hubby’s there, too. Head 80 kilometers to the west and you’ll find him.”

You don’t have much of a choice. The laboratory is too tight of an area for you to get the proper angle on any of these Nomu’s for an attack. She has a much better chance in these close quarters. Not to mention the fact that you’re more than likely to make the ceiling cave in. All you’re doing by hanging around now is slowing her down. 

“Right. Show ‘em who’s boss.” Your final words of encouragement is what boosts her enough to launch off of the wall and back into the fray. You use her distraction as an opportunity to slip down and through the opening in the wall. 

You’re only able to fly for about two minutes before you’re forced to stop. Running at you is Crust. The last time you saw him was the opening night of your bar. He says your name, surprised to see you before a wide grin splits his face. “You should evacuate! You may come across Nomus on your way out!” 

“Thanks for the heads up!” You wish you had the time to stop and chat with him. “Be careful!” 

“You as well!” He gives you a two finger salute, before directing his comrades to advance on the Nomu that had suddenly appeared behind you.

Your breath is echoing in your ears as you attempt to find a way out. It feels like the walls are closing in on you, but you brush off the feeling. It’s your anxiety getting to you—you must stop it from going any further otherwise it is going to be your downfall. 

A Nomu is in your path. With a war cry, you stomp its head into the wall before giving yourself time to think. You bounce off of the cracked plaster and continue on.

If you were correct, you were now in the middle of the war. You wished you could have been more assistance to your comrades sooner; it isn’t the time to dwell on that either. You need to get out of here. 

“(Y— Estrella! ” 

You’re going fast enough that you nearly blitz past. Behind you stands Aizawa, Present Mic, Endeavour, and more. 

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Aizawa is stern, you already know what he’s wanting. Now that he’s got you in his sights, he isn’t interested in letting you go. 

“I have to get to the hideout.” You answer him plainly, casting a glance in the direction you were heading. The clock is ticking. 

“We could use your help here.” He replies back. “Why didn’t you stay with Mirko?” 

“Because I was more of an obstacle than anything else. I’ll just be the same here. You know I have a better chance outside.” 

He can’t argue with you on that. He is the one who trained you. He’s the one who brought you back into the rankings. 

“The door back into the morgue is at the end of this hallway.” Eraserhead, your longtime mentor, tells you sharply. His tone says he isn’t happy about this; he knows he can’t stop you. “The ground floor is the one above us.” 

You give him a soft smile, feeling some of the tension vanish from your shoulders. Your anxiety lessened as well. “Thank you.” 

You’re out of the hospital in five minutes, but you don’t feel out of breath. If anything, you feel like you’re about to explode. There is so much heat radiating through your body that you feel like you walked straight into a burning building just to feel the burn. It causes a sharp sting in your chest, and the feathers in your wings go numb. You stretch them out, and they shake enough to make your bones hurt.

You aren’t sure what you’re feeling, but your mana levels are through the roof. If it is by chance your body telling you that you’re overloaded already, you ignore it. It’s easy to do that when there is a strange pull eastward—the direction Mirko had told you to go once you were outside. A mild breeze buffets your skin, and you follow the instinct. You leave a streak of blue in the sky behind you.

You only hope you can make it before it’s too late. 

You have to find him.

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In the hideout, a door is thrown open. Razor sharp vermillion feathers flit through the room, destroying every piece of furniture including the ceiling. 

“What the heck is going on here?” Twice dives for the floor, laying on his head and shoulders with his legs up above him when he turns his head. His eyes go wide when he finds Hawks standing in the doorway. The ashy blonds face is primarily concealed by shadows except for his dangerously narrowed eyes. In his hands are the largest feathers he could use as swords. 

“I sent out the date and time of the attack via code. And if I make it sound easy, believe me, it wasn’t.” Feathers fall on either side of him, smaller chunks fraying off as he spoke. “The real threat here was the numbers on your side…” 

“Hey.” Twice tries to interrupt, but it’s no use. 

Hawks continues, “…I had to keep an especially sharp eye on you and your double. Certainly couldn’t leave you to your own devices. “Let’s go over Liberation ideology before the big conference.”” He quotes himself from a few days prior. “You didn’t suspect a thing, right?” 

Twice tries again. “Haw-“ 

A feather stops millimeters from his face, and he falls silent again. 

“Please don’t resist. I’m going to capture you and hand you over to the authorities. That’s how this works.” 

Twice begins to hyperventilate. “But, but…hold on…” Your husbands face is unchanging as he watches Twice begin to unravel. 

“It’s always…like this.” Tears erupt at his waterline. “NOT AGAAAIN! I had to…I had to trust you…because I felt…bad for you. A-and…that pretty lady of yours.” He sobs, oblivious to the way the minuscule feathers remaining behind Keigo’s shoulders twitch. “How sad is it if nobody trusts you?!” 

The feathered hero lets out a calm, yet slightly shaky breath. “Well, thanks. You’ve just been unlucky, but you can make a fresh start once you pay for your crimes. I’ll even help you start over. You’ll even tell me where my wife is, right? Because…you’re a good person.” 

A brief moment of silence passes before Twice speaks again. His hands are covering his face, obviously distraught. 

“Shaddup. You call yourself a hero? Fresh start? That’s a load of crap.” 

“Stop that.” Hawks tries to shoot him down. 

“C’mon!” 

“Bubaigawara!” 

“As for me ,” Jin sits up, dodging a feather yet letting it pierce the mask over his face. “I stopped giving a damn wayyy, way back!” 

The room turns into a hazard of knives when Hawks recalls his feathers in order to make another attack. 

“I don’t want to fight you…Bubaigawara! Tell me where she is and we can work something out!” 

Twice is too far gone to reason with now, he feels betrayed. “Well good for freakin’ you! I don’t know where your wifey is, not like I should care anymore!”  

Hawks grits his teeth. He can’t waste his time subduing Twice when he has more important things at hand, finding you. 

“I’D TRADE MY SOUL…” A wave of doubles forms underneath the duplicating man, lifting him into the air, Sad Mans Parade. “…FOR THE LEAGUE’S HAPPINESS!” 

‘Twice,’ 

Despite the turmoil in his heart, Keigo feels calm when the pristine image of you flashes through his head. 

‘ This isn’t your fault.’ 

In the distance, a dark pair of boots stomps up a stairway. 

‘As always, scummy heros are to blame.’ 

Dabi knows he doesn’t have much time now, a wicked smile nearly splitting the stitches in his face. 

It isn’t long before Estrella, the Phoenix Hero makes a grand entrance.

✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧

Chapter Text

“It’s beautiful isn’t it? How it all hurts, but we never give up.” 

✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧

The wind that cut through your hero suit was icy cold. It felt like tiny razor-lined whips were lashing into your skin at whatever mile per hour you were at. You almost felt like a hummingbird with the rate your wings were beating per minute; yet they didn’t look that way if you checked on them over your shoulder. You would’ve had to have been blind to miss the jet trail following behind you. Having one made no sense, you weren’t using any part of your quirk to make it to your top speed. But something was fueling you. The grey cumulus you flitted through concealed your line of sight, so you dropped down underneath in order to regain it. The more you lowered your altitude, the thicker it got. 

In frustration, you reoriented yourself to aim up. It only took a few seconds for you to break through it once again. You knew you weren’t at a high enough altitude to be mowed over by a plane so that was a relief. That didn’t quench the anxiety filtering through you. The air was much thinner up here than at sea level, so you had to maintain an even pace of breathing in order to not pass out. If you inhaled too quickly, it was lights out for you. You couldn’t let something silly like that be your downfall. 

Not after all the shit you’d been through. 

Your anger was palpable, though you weren’t sure who it was for or why you were so angry. More than likely, you were mad at yourself. Mad for believing everything Keigo had told you from the beginning. You should have known the truth. It was practically written on the wall—you just chose to ignore it. 

But, how could you see the truth if you didn’t know it in its entirety?

Before you could try to get the answer to that question, you notice a bright light beneath the clouds. You stop your flight, but your inertia throws you off route by quite a ways. Now having the glowing behind you, you rotate quickly and dive below to follow it. You aren’t sure what it is, but logic told you to investigate. 

You’re forced to slow down when you get closer to the ground. Without getting within range of being sensed, you decide to glide above the scene below you. Your anxiety skyrockets, but you do your best to quell it. What fuels it the most is the fact that the light you spotted from up above the clouds was actually Denki Kaminari acting as a lightning rod. Beyond the electricity he’s absorbing into himself, it doesn’t take you long to identify the people surrounding him; Cementoss, Edgeshot, Midnight, Kamino Woods, Gang Orca, students from class 1-B, Sun Eater, Tsukuyomi and Fat Gum. There were plenty more that you could have put names to had you truly tried, yet you focused on the oversized man leading Sun Eater and Tsukuyomi towards an opening that led underground. 

You were on the front lines. You can faintly pick up on the sound effects of each person's quirk as they use them—the sensations were overwhelming. Anticipation prickles at your skin, leaving a numb tingling sensation to travel through your body. It doesn’t suffocate the feeling of sudden implosion. In order to prevent yourself from truly combusting—not like it would actually happen—you had to let out some of this steam. The last thing you wanted to do was harm your side of the combatants below, so you had to be smart about this. 

You spot movement in the corner of your eye. You look twice when you realize at first that it isn’t Fat Gums trio at the source. The entryway they were heading towards was beginning to plug up with enemies. They were piling up towards the front, nearly trampling over their allies with their desire to win. Without thinking twice, you collapse your wings and dive. Your shadow flits across the ground as a silent, nearly invisible warning. The people it crosses over pause momentarily at the sudden darkness, only casting you a glance before returning to the foe they had in front of them. 

You want to call out and give them a warning. The last thing you need is for one of them to get caught up in your ultimate. It would nullify any precise measurement you made, and the risks of them getting hurt in the meantime were extreme. You don’t hear what Fat Gum says to Sun Eater, but it’s probably along the lines of ‘fall back’. He’s more than likely apologizing to the 3rd year student for his confusing orders. As an explanation, all your friend does is gesture up with the pointer finger of his right hand before you make impact with the ground. You are definitely overloaded with mana; you won’t be cocky with it.

“Waning Crescent!” 

It takes half a second for the sound barrier to fix itself. The air around you warbles as bits of rubble are spit up from the crumbling ground underneath you. The earth shakes, and a small, left-facing crescent moon begins to encircle your torso. 

“Why is it dark all of a sudden?!” 

You don’t recognize that voice: logic says it’s an enemy. You’re still overloaded with mana, even after using a move that should’ve consumed at least half of it. You can’t give them time to realize what’s going on. Before they have a chance to process, you launch back into the sky, ricocheting off of your landing. Fat Gum holds a hand out in front of the interning students at his side when Amajiki takes a step forward. He can tell that you’re not finished. 

You can practically taste the energy flowing through your veins when you bypass the roof of the Liberation hideout. You take a deep breath and relax, stretching your arms out above you. The motion changes your inertia only slightly, enough to have you moving parallel with the earths surface. You exhale, flip, and plummet. 

“Last Quarter!”

Your legs have static running through them when you land. The darkness surrounding the opening vanishes the second you straighten up, using your wings to help you maintain your balance. 

Somehow, you’re still overloaded with mana.

Why? 

You can barely absorb the image of your enemies rolling on the ground, clutching at their heads. Some of them vomit due to the nausea. You catch faint complaints about being dizzy, being unable to see straight, their heads hurt… good. The effects of Last Quarter wouldn’t wear off for half an hour—that should be more than enough time to apprehend those you’ve officially batted out of the ring. 

Without knowing it, you shaved the Liberations numbers by 75. That wasn’t even an inch out of the 10,000 participants they had on their side, but you didn’t care. It was enough to make a difference. If the only thing you were able to manage didn’t count as anything more than baby steps, you’d take it. You roll your shoulders to release some of the tension you can feel stiffening the muscles in your upper body. Behind you, Fat Gum, Sun Eater, and Tsukuyomi are approaching. 

A large, gloved hand gives you a friendly slap on the shoulder. “You really know how to make an entrance!” 

Suddenly feeling bashful, you look away but shrug sheepishly. “At least I have decent timing.” 

He laughs, a little too jovial for the scenario he’s in. The sound makes any nervous thought drift from your veins. “You got that right, lil’ lady.” 

“So what was the plan before I messed it up?” You ask, feeling a bit embarrassed about the idea of ruining a procedure he had set up for the students. 

His broad smile told you otherwise. “We gotta block that tunnel and keep those cronies from coming out. Sun Eater and Tsukuyomi can be our ammo, let’s cover their backside.” 

You give him a short nod in understanding. After he sends Amajiki ahead of you, he lets you follow before taking up the tail. You should be able to make it inside without a hitch thanks to Amajiki’s Centaur attack. It served its purpose as it should.

“Sorry folks, but I need you to stand down.” The young hero’s voice is so soft that you barely caught what he said. 

“Great delivery!” Fat Gum praises him, running for the entry at his top speed. “Let me hear it again!” 

Amajiki’s hands slap over his face in bashfulness. 

Just before your bouncer was swallowed by the shadow of the tunnel, you lock in on an assailant charging around the corner at him. Before Dark Shadow can pop out to defend its temporary host, it nearly misses its head being flattened by your boots with a squawk of surprise. With your foe now attempting to regain the breath you’d kicked from his lungs, you give Dark Shadow a thumbs up. Taishiro spits Tokoyami out of his fat and turns to face the outside. He’s nearly big enough to cover the entire opening, so you slip underneath his arm to give your husband's intern assistance if he needs it. In a dark hallway such as this one, you know he doesn’t require it at all. Still, you would much rather be safe than sorry.

“Should I do it?!” Tsukuyomi is asking for permission. 

For what you aren’t sure, but you don’t intervene when Fat Gum gives him the green light. “Show us whatchu got, kid! Your job is to plug up this crazy-long tunnel with your full power!” 

Dark Shadow floods out of the intern's back in two portions. They arch away from him before conjoining again above his head. Immediately, your telekinesis does its magic by catching the rubble plummeting from the ceiling. You avert it away from yourself, Tokoyami, and Fat Gum as it falls. Even if you were on the same side as the student, the amount of chills that traveled your spine at the sheer size and mass of Dark Shadow sent you back to the training camp. He’s grown so much since then that you barely recognized the teenager standing in front of you. 

The rumbling underneath your feet attempts to throw off your balance, but you widen your stance in order to prevent that. The speed behind Ragnarok is enough that you could compare it to a bullet train. The walls shake alongside the rest of the tunnel, a sudden feeling of claustrophobia washing over you. The darkness pouring from Tokoyami halts; Dark Shadow has met interference. You wait with bated breath, more than ready to give him assistance. The rubble above him is thrown forward or to the side thanks to you. Something gives, and Tokoyami was successful. You let a bit of tension dissipate from you as Dark Shadow begins to recede back into his body. 

“Nice going!” The pride in Fat Gums voice is practically cement. “That was quick, too!” 

Just before vanishing inside of Tsukuyomi completely, you notice Shadow’s figure morphing into a double of the host. It’s shaking. You can nearly taste the nervousness it bled. “Fumikage…” It’s voice is meek and frail, nothing like what you remembered back at the summer camp. “Down there…a real nasty one.” 

“Yes, the one that nearly stood up to our Ragnarok.” The goth student replies calmly, believing he understood what his quirk was saying. 

“No!” Shadow shrieks, clutching at its head. “Not that one! A real monster!”  

Your mouth opens to ask for clarification, but Toyomitsu beats you to it. It doesn’t upset you at all. In fact, you preferred him taking charge. Even if you were above his ranking in the hero chart, he had more seniority seeing that he had seen much more action than you have at this point in time. Besides, you had no room to speak when you’d already failed the one mission the Hero Association had truly given you: stay undercover.

“Don’t worry about that one. They say he won’t make a move.” 

You, including Shadow and both students, turn to look at him.

“Not without orders from the big boss, anyway.” He shrugs, hoping his nonchalant demeanor would keep things to a minimum. 

You already know who the “big boss” truly is: All For One . 

“Anyway, it’s back to the rear guard with us. Estrella, are you coming with?” 

You look at him and make eye contact. Your heart skips a beat. “I have to find Hawks.” 

“Hawks?!” Tokoyami exclaims after he’s absorbed into Fatgums belly. 

“Oh, right. He’s the reason why we’ve got this intel, eh? I dunno much about it, but odds are, he’s here somewhere. If you wanna fly again, we can keep an eye on you from down here. Our team is on an abnormal frequency, it shouldn’t be hard to find it if you search.” 

You nod in understanding, and raise a hand to your earpiece. You locate the dial with the tip of your pointer finger, and begin to roll it a certain way. A few moments of static floods through your ears, until you finally land on the correct channel. Over the background noise occurring around you, it’s easy to identify the sound of your comrades relaying information and whereabouts to one another. 

Dropping your hand to your side, you open your wingspan. “Thank you.” 

“Good luck!” Fat Gum calls up to you once you’re in the sky. You grit your teeth. 

Where would he be? 

It’s hard to stay focused with the amount of clamor occurring below you, as well as the voices slashing across your radio frequency. Your mind strays to your other friends, Mirko, Midnight, Aizawa, Hizashi…it was obvious that the U.A. students were here. Were you only left out of this plan because you’d been nothing but an inconvenience? Or had the Hero Association had this planned all along? You shake your head. You can’t contemplate that now. You have to find him. 

Something within you is pulled in a certain direction again, and your heart skips a beat. What is this feeling? Your instincts draw you further away from the now collapsed tunnel, out towards what you now recognize as the building you infiltrated however long ago: when you were first assigned to go undercover for the Paranormal Liberation Army. Underneath and slightly behind you, Fat Gum, Sun Eater, and Tsukuyomi merge back in with the rest of the rear guard.

You swallow hard. The closer you get, the stronger that feeling grows. Whatever it is is causing an itch in you that you can’t ignore. 

You’re glad you listened to it when you spot blue flames bursting through a vent. 

Little did you know that Tokoyami spotted it, too. 

✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧

Chapter Text

“Perhaps one day we will meet again as characters in a different story, maybe we’ll share a lifetime then.”

~ pavana 

✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧

“ You killed him .” 

Hawks can do nothing but wait as the rest of his feathers burn up across the expanse of his back. He isn’t prepared for the next wave of flames that blows him through a door. He lands on a balcony with a railing separating him from the ground below. He rolls to the side, the pathway already crumbling in his path of direction. 

“HOW COULD YOU?!” 

It splinters underneath him, erasing the lack of oxygen he already had in his lungs. He slaps at the fire on him, the temperature continues to rise. He doesn’t make it far before Dabi’s heel slams into his rib cage. 

“How dare you kill Twice like that!” 

Hawks looks up, finding a monster looming above him. 

Dabi’s seams are splitting, blood streaming and collecting at the point of his chin before slipping down his neck and towards his collarbones. Steam erupts from the corners of his mouth and his eyes. 

“Is that…” Keigo coughs. “The face of a man who just watched a friend die?!” Dabi stomps on him yet again. 

“Hey now!! That was rude!” And again. “I haven’t cried since my tear ducts got all burned. With Twice around my dream had a way better chance of coming true! So of course I’m sad! You should be too, seeing that I burnt that pretty little birdy of yours to a crisp.” The man bursts into flames, and the previously-winged hero shields his face from further damage. “SO, SOOO SAD!” 

Hawks can’t let himself falter at the news of your death. He doesn’t have any reason to believe it’s true, anyway. He would know. He had that wicked sense of intuition, and it had never led him astray. It hadn’t surfaced at all after your disappearance, so he tread carefully on the assurance that you were alive. 

“You and the League…” It was hard to speak under the searing heat, but somehow he managed, probably out of spite and stubbornness more than anything else. “I looked into your backgrounds, but I came up with nothing! I found out about Shigaraki eventually. Only you…” 

A blink sent him to a flashback of his childhood, the moment where he was informed of his rough training. All he had asked was if he could be like Endeavour. Then to you, and the moment you told him that your father was a hero that ‘disappeared’. You wanted to find him.

With a low chuckle, Dabi answers him. 

Hawks heart plummets through the floor. How had he not figured it out sooner? 

“More than Twice. More than anyone, you should’ve been keeping both eyes on me . The League? Shigaraki? I never gave a crap about them. A single person…with a single conviction…has the power to change the world. There are no “true heros”. I…plan to make my will a reality.” He laughs, tilting his head back to look up before it drops again, hanging low like he had no bones in his neck. His turquoise eyes lock with Hawks golden ones. 

“See ya, Keigo. Say hello to that little bird for me, will ya?”  

Keigo’s eyes widen as Dabi’s entire body bursts into flames. 

“Your life’s another thing I don’t care about.” 

Before he meets his fate like he expects, a large rumble causes the burning villain to stumble backwards. 

“ Hawks !” 

It’s his hero name, but the voice he hears doesnt match the person he sees…a Phoenix ? . Tokoyami is behind you, he catches sight of the students head over your burning, blue wingspan. He can’t look away from you. To him at that moment, you look like an angel. How did you know where he was? He’s so happy to see that he was right, that you are alive. 

“St..ar….dust…” 

You shush him, gathering him up in your arms the best that you can, using your telekinesis as an aid, and huddling over him protectively. He groans at the movement. 

“Sorry, sorry.” You apologize, looking over his wounds. Your hands are trembling. “I’ve got you.” You blink back the tears. His wings are gone. You draw the flames that linger into your own wings, soothing him from that further pain. The entire right side of him is burnt, including a majority of his face; he can barely keep his eyes open. Immediately, the pocket in your tool belt holding burn salve pops open and a small jar of it hovers millimeters from your hand.

“You…” Your voice is shaking, barely a whisper as you gently kiss his cheeks. “You did so good. I’m proud of you; just…hang on for me, okay? To…” You swallow the lump in your throat when your voice catches. You do your best to be gentle while lathering as much as you could onto any burns you could reach. “Tokoyami is going to get you out of here.” 

Hawks goes to argue, but he chokes and swallows instead, his eyes closing for a brief second before opening them again. “He told… me… his name.” They’re heavy, but he doesn’t want to stop looking at you. “You…have to…leave.” 

No. You can’t. He completed his mission, and he was in no condition to try and complete yours, either. You shake your head, and are about to reply when Tsukuyomi shouts a warning to you. Already in a squatting position, you leap to the side with him in your arms. 

Dabi’s flames catch the tail end of your feathers, but it only fuels your mana. 

“I’ve got this.” You give him a soft smile. “I’ll see you soon, okay? I love you.” Then, with a soft, tender kiss, you let Dark Shadow envelop him and guide him back to the bird headed student. 

To give you an advantage, Tokoyami takes your husband in his arms and jumps off the top balcony; Dark Shadow uses a large claw to bat Dabi away. You jump up and dive after the villain. Your mind is plagued with fear about the idea of facing your mothers killer, but you can’t think about that now. He was millimeters from killing Keigo and taking the one person you couldn’t live without from you before you and Tsukuyomi had intervened. If it hadn’t been for the U.A. student backing you up, you don’t think you would have been able to pull off such a stunt. You were thankful for his assistance, because now Hawks was out of harms way and you could finally get some answers. 

Before Dabi can drop down to unleash a blast of blue flame onto the pair a few stories below, you tackle him midair and crash through the wall on the opposite side of the courtyard. His breath is stolen from his lungs. With quick enough timing, you use his chest as a springboard to tuck your legs underneath you and kick off of him. He blasts through the next wall before leaving an indent in the third layer. Had he gone through, he would’ve been blown through the building entirely. You don’t want to give him even a second. You flip over again, and unleash another devastating kick to his rib cage. 

“Second Quarter!” 

A support beam gives way under the impact, and the two of you finally break through the other side; 150% mana. While he plummets to the ground and the hero’s scatter to avoid being crushed, you tilt your wings up and glide on the draft to watch him from above. 

You catch Tokoyami in your peripherals, he’s carrying Hawks in his arms with the support of Dark Shadow. “Get out of here already!” 

All of a sudden, a large wall of ice with deadly points forms from thin air. One barely misses with a sweep of your wings, it slices through the fabric of your hero suit, leaving a mild gash across your upper torso. You grit your teeth and attempt to ignore the pain, flying up above. Through the spikes you spot Dabi using the wall as a chance to get back up on his feet. Before you are able to drop another attack his way, you watch him melt the spikes separating the two of you. You avoid the flames with a spiral upward, knowing the only part of you that could tolerate such heat was your wings. He leans back with a wicked grin. 

“Why don’t you come down and play, little bird? Are you looking to become a charred drumstick just like your husband? Too bad I didn’t cook him as much as I did dear old Mommy, eh?” 

Something within you snaps .

“Waxing Crescent!” A palm sized right crescent moon began to circle around you. You could probably keep it up for about a minute, but it would drain your mana. You’re already down to 100%.

He barely had a chance to blink before he watched a streak of blue follow you. He narrowly misses your stomp, stepping to the side. He’s inches away from where he once was, and meets the murderous glare you throw out of the corner of your eye with a smirk. 92%. You sweep your left leg out to knock him off his feet, he jumps up to avoid it and sends a flaming fist towards your face. You dip backwards, letting yourself bend into a c-shape. Your support device, the tail, catches fire. Without thinking twice, you unhook the belt from around your waist and let it fall.

When your left foot plants firmly on the ground, you pivot on your right and deliver a nasty punch right to Dabi’s ugly ass face. He’s stunned, and you follow the momentum with a war cry and a kick to the right side of his rib cage. You let out a deep breath you hadn’t realized you were holding when he crumples through another wall of the manor. You let the crescent fall. 86% left.

How dare he talk about your mother like that.

“Well…” You hear coughs occur from the dust billowing from where he landed. “You pack quite a punch, don’t ya, stardust ?” Slowly, he rises to his feet. His hands are flaming when he raises one to wipe the blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. 83%. 

Your stomach rolls uncomfortably at his use of your husband's nickname for you. “Shut up, you overcooked kebab. I think it’s about time you get locked up for the rest of your pitiful life. If you’re not willing to do that peacefully, I’ll kill you just like Hawks did your friend.” 

Even from a distance, you can see his turquoise eyes dilate. His upper lip curls back in a sneer. “You talk a lot of shit, stupid bitch. Especially for someone who’s husband married them only for a mission.” 

Your heart twists in your chest, and you furrow your eyebrows. Don’t let his words get to you. He’d already fucked up so many things in your life, now wasn’t the time to let him obtain the upper hand with just some manipulation tactics. You were smarter than that. Your mana is starting to top off again thanks to his constant generation of fire; 89%. 

“You talk a lot of shit for someone whose body can’t tolerate his own flames. Yet I can handle them?” You shoot back venomously. 

That seems to really piss him off. Something glints in his left hand, and you see an obscenely large knife—something out of a butcher's shop—be drawn from his coat. You wondered where he’d gotten that from—perhaps Toga. At least he was making it a bit more interesting?

“Start contemplating your final words, (Y/N).” His voice is light and taunting as he tosses it from hand to hand. “The first time we met I burned them off, but they grew right back, didn’t they? So this time I’ll cut them off.” 

He charges forward, and this time you aren’t prepared for the tsunami of blue fire charging your direction. You attempt to use your wings as a shield and direct the rest of it off of you. It works, but using them like a fan how you intended exposed your front side entirely. It does fuel you back up to 100% mana, at least. Dabi saw this and delivered an uppercut to your ribs. It knocks the wind from your lungs but you recover quick enough to catch the oncoming hand holding the large knife with your own. Your tool belt catches fire. You can’t take it off; 101% .

He pins you to the ground, his free hand clapping down on the ground next to you before taking hold of your hair. You cry out in pain when he yanks it to the side, and your arms holding the knife inches from your throat begin to shake; slowly it starts nearing you as his strength overpowers yours. 

“What’s wrong? Can’t think of any words just yet? You’re running out of time~” 

You tilt your head back and try to take a deep breath, activating Disengage with a silent cry: 36% mana now.

He takes a large chunk of your hair with him at his sudden departure. He blitzes through the same hole you’d sent him through previously. Your peripherals are blackening when you scramble to your feet, swaying slightly. You finally ditch the tool belt. Your hips and lower torso are burnt.

The knife is on the ground. 

Before you can even think about it, you grab it with your telekinesis and everything else you can that’s in your midst; including the remains of your support items and the rubble surrounding you. When you see his outline appear in the dust, you launch yourself into the air and send it all—minus the knife—in his direction. As you predicted he obliterated them with another rolling wall of fire. The sudden increase of light reveals to you that he himself is now ablaze. He’s given you another boost; it probably infuriates him. 

The smell of burning flesh reaches your nose. 

Before you can blink, he’s up in the air next to you. You collapse your wings and drop down just enough to avoid a sweeping arm of flames. It singes the end of your already torn hair and brushes the edge of your feathers. You rotate quickly and deliver a roundhouse kick to his head, fully intending to kill at this point, 80%.

“First Quarter!” 

He falls back to the ground, and this time he grabs your wrist. Immediately, the flames begin to crawl up your skin and you’re unable to get away. The ground is closing in. You don’t have enough mana for Disengage yet. You only have 39%. By the time you have enough, it’ll be after impact. You could activate your telekinesis to catch yourself, but you want Dabi to suffer the fall. Unless…

You tuck your wings in and use the momentum of your fall to flip forward and force yourself out of his grasp. 

It works. 

Simultaneously to his landing, you rebounded off of your inertia back into the sky, 70%.

You notice him already beginning to get up. He looks like nothing more than a walking skeleton at this point, fueled by his flames. You wondered what was driving him, but you didn’t care. If he wasn’t willing to give in, you’d have to kill him. You’re running low on energy, but the fire Dabi produces is somehow also a booster to your quirk. It gives you enough mana to reload yourself entirely, though it definitely isn’t the overload you felt after being freed from your restraints back in the morgue; 96%.

You raise your arms above your head before collapsing your wingspan. It’s not enough for a full two minutes. You’ll take any opportunity you could get, though. You just wanted this over with. Your body aches when you begin your fall. With a deep breath, you let your mind go blank except for one thing: land on or near Dabi. That’s all you wanted to do. You’d give your own life as long as you could have that. 

“Full Moon!” 

Your legs are numb when you hit the ground, leaving a shallow crater where you landed. Dabi isn’t directly underneath your feet, but he is within a foot of your collision. He’s in the hot zone, right where you needed him. Your eyes are heavy, and you tilt your head back to look up at the sky when you notice dark clouds overhead. It looks like it’s going to rain, or maybe that’s just your quirk turning everything around you grey. You look back down at Dabi, now standing over his form. 

He’s pushing himself up with both of his arms, chest open and exposed. The remains of his coat are nothing but tatters now after being ruined by his flames. Even they are grey in this frozen point in time. Subconsciously, you are upset with yourself at your lack of strength up until now. Why had it taken until this point in time for you to overcome your past? Would you even get the answers you desired at this point? 

You doubted Dabi would have a final confession. 

You wondered what his last words were going to be when you plummeted the knife into his chest, piercing straight through his heart. 

You’re out of mana.

Only fifteen seconds pass before time returns to its normal rate of frame. You are standing next to him, hands still around the knife. 

You want him to know that it was you who killed him. 

Turquoise eyes lock with (e/c) when he crumples back, his arms giving way. You don’t have enough energy to remain standing, and continue to hold onto the knife when you land. You grunt when your knees hit the ground.

“You know….I was adopted?” Dabi’s laugh was interrupted by his cough, blood slipping from the corner of his mouth. “My parents gave me up when I was born.” 

“What does that have to do with anything?” You asked, hands shaking as your last strains of adrenaline kept you from passing out. 

“I had a sister.” His voice was very faint. “They...chose her over me…” He tried to swallow but blood caught in his throat, making him choke. 

It didn’t take long for your mind to connect the dots. The phone call from Takagawa. 

“No…” Your grip loosened on Dabi, though he wasn’t in any shape to go anywhere. Your peripheral vision darkened which caused you to fall back. The extent of your injuries were catching up to you—the shock of what he was implying snatched the lasting energy you had. “What are you saying?” You questioned him. There was a faint smile on his face.

“You had wings.” He struggled to breathe. You sat up again and did the decency of wiping the blood from his mouth. Your wings fall limp against your back; they feel… wrong. 

A million thoughts crossed your brain at once, but nothing could come out of your mouth. If you had known what your parents had done, you would’ve said something or tried to find him. This was what your father had told you about. 

The choice that your parents had made.

“I’m...I’m so sorry.” Your lips quivered and you wiped at your eyes with your non-injured hand. 

“It’s not…” He took a deep, shallow breath. “Your fault.” 

“Why did this have to happen?” You questioned out loud, knowing that Dabi didn’t have the answer either. Here you sat thinking that your parents had been diamonds in the rough yet they kept this dark secret from you. 

Only for you to discover it in such a terrible way. 

His voice was raspy. It was probably the most coherent thing he’d said in the last thirty minutes. “Sorry for fucking up your life.” 

Your tears fell since you were unable to hold back the painful lump in your throat. “What’s your actual name?”

He chuckled, though his skin was turning pale. “Touya (L/N) .” 

Knowing these were probably your last moments with your fucked-up brother, you took his hand in yours. “I wish things could’ve been different.” 

“Our…grandparents.” He swallows the blood in his throat, though he chokes on it instead.

“What about them?” You ask. You know he doesn’t have much time left. If you’re going to get any answers from him, now was your only chance. 

“They tried…” 

His turquoise eyes began to fade.

Your heart leaps into your throat, and you grab the collar of his jacket. “Da—“ You stop short. That’s not his name. “ Touya? ” 

“Touya.” You say it with earnest this time. 

It’s foreign to you.

And it shouldn’t be.

It sits weird on your tongue, yet it rolls off so smoothly that it makes you want to scream. 

“ TOUYA!” 

You shake him, desperate now. “Wake up! Please! I need answers! 

“You can’t just—just LEAVE after everything!” 

Reality hits you like a freight train when you realize that he’s already cooling. 

You attempted to crawl away, unable to do much but hyperventilate before your arms gave way. 

You choke out a sob of pain and arch up to wrap your arms around your stomach, rolling over onto your side so you’re further away from Dabi. 

No…that’s Touya. 

Your brother. 

When your eyes close without your consent, you feel something drop on them. It’s mild enough that you almost mistake it for a tear. 

But it is a raindrop. 

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Chapter Text

“Lift with your knees, atlas, the heavens are a burden but in the starlit ink of constellations you have written: endure.”

~ a.j. 

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The world seemed to come to a standstill. 

No rain. No wind. 

The war was over. 

Shigaraki is dead, along with many other people. 

Crust sacrificed himself so Aizawa could escape Shigaraki’s decay.

Midnight died after instructing her students to run or fight.

The wounded outweighed the healthy. 

Mirko was missing an arm and a leg. 

Aizawa cut off his own leg in order to prevent his quirk from being deleted, and his right eye was gone.

Bakugo Katsuki almost died in order to protect Midoriya.

Your husband.

Many heroes were forced to retire due to their injuries. It was a fight that changed all of Japan forever. Due to All For One rehoming his quirk within Shigaraki, both passed upon his death. It was almost a sickeningly beautiful harmony that they went out together, though that didn’t phase you in the slightest. Your mind felt blank, every part of your body strangely numb.

Your home nation was oddly quiet now. The news of the hero's success caused a few more criminals to think twice about their actions. Some still declared their undying loyalty to Stain and the League of Villains. Some were inspired by the ways of the Paranormal Liberation Front, so occasionally rioters would form. Thanks to temporary backup from outlying countries during the recovery process, the riots didn’t climb much more beyond angry mobs. 

A majority of the population sang a tune favoring those who fought, and mourning those who died for the cause. Large memorials were held for the fallen, citizens gathering in parks and outside of hero agencies. Flowers, offerings, signs, cards, speeches, pictures, and more set up as tribute to them as well. 

Your injuries were pretty severe; multiple burns—primarily across your hips and stomach, some broken ribs, a major concussion, and a few scars to prove your time on the battlefield. Even if it was short. 

Even if you’d killed another one of your family members.

Though you weren’t sure how to feel about it.

You had nothing but time on your hands with the fact that you were forced to lay in the hospital bed for a while and recover. It was reassuring to know that not only were you in the same hospital as Keigo, Aizawa, Mirko, and the others were here as well. It had been pre stocked and equipped with extra supplies in order to prepare for the incoming wounded after the war. Even Medicine Girl was on site. 

That didn’t stop your ever racing mind.

You’d officially murdered not only your father, but your brother as well. 

Dabi—no, Touya. 

How do you go about something like that?

You had a sickening feeling of joy at knowing that you weren’t an only child like you thought you had been. But it was overpowered by a paralysizing sensation of dread at knowing that not only had your brother murdered your mother, he’d raped you too. How do you process something like that?

That dream that you had when you were hanging from the ceiling of that underground laboratory. Had that been a mere fluke or was there some sort of deeper meaning to it? Was it your intuition or possibly your deceased father reaching out to you from the afterlife? If it was the latter, was that the reason you had been overpowered when you and Tokoyami rescued Keigo from Touya? Or was it simply you fully digesting reality? Maybe some people would call it an ‘awakening’. You didn’t know what to call it.

Being that everyone you knew had partaken in the war and was either in recovery or dealing with loved ones, you didn’t really have anybody to talk to. You couldn’t vent, or even see the people you really wanted to. You asked the nurses of Hawks, Aizawa, Mirko, and the others injuries. They couldn’t tell you much besides what they knew—some of them weren’t even sure themselves. 

You weren’t settled until Medicine Girl walked in the door. 

“It’s been quite a long time, dear. I barely recognized you when they pulled you in here all burnt up.” The short white woman was quick to make herself comfortable at your side, standing with her hands tucked behind her back and a soft smile on her face. “Eraserhead kept nagging me on your condition, even after I told him that I was the one to personally fix you up.” 

You decided to skip straight over the reconciliation for years passed, instead asking about your family. “Aizawa, how is he? Hizashi? What about my husband?” 

Your heart rate picked up on the monitor and she raised her hands. “Settle down, now. All of them are alright. I oversaw their surgeries much like I did yours. Unfortunately, some of you who went through that will never be the same.”

“What do you mean?” You questioned, your voice neutral and slow in order to not show your ever growing anxiety.

Medicine Girl gave a soft, forlorn smile. “Eraserhead is missing an eye and a leg. Mirko is worse off.” 

A wave of nausea rolled through you. Your heart felt like it was torn to pieces knowing the severity of their injuries. When you closed your eyes briefly to hold back the onslaught of tears, you remember what your husband looked like when you and Tokoyami found him. 

“…and Hawks?” Your voice was barely a whisper, yet surprisingly, she heard you. 

“He’s still under heavy sedation due to the severity of his burns, but I’m treating him daily.” 

“When can I see him?” You attempted to sit up, using your arms to push your upper body. They gave out within a second, feeling heavy and laden with concrete. 

Medicine Girl held back a short laugh under her breath. “Not for a few days, dearie. Not only do you have a concussion that I couldn’t fully heal with my quirk, your stamina is depleted after treatment.” 

Before you could ask exactly how many days it would be when you could see Keigo and the rest of your family, the door to your room opened. 

Medicine Girl didn’t say a thing when a tall mop of purple hair rounded the curtain and made its way to the visitor's chair on the opposite side of your hospital bed from her. 

Shinso popped his gum and swung his head to the side, staring you down. “You look like shit.” 

Once again, before you could make a nasty comeback, Medicine Girl beat you to the punch—a large irk mark on her forehead. “Don’t you see that she is speaking with her doctor? You can wait outside until we are finished!” 

He looked directly at her, then back at you. The look on his face asked if you were really gonna make him leave. You jerked your head towards the door in support of what she had just said. He let out an audible groan before slugging himself out of his chair and dragging his legs back out of the room.

Her eyebrow twitched before her soft smile returned to her face and she looked back at you. “I also have some other information that is important.” 

“Is it good, at least?” You asked, hoping for a way to settle your ever rising anxiety. It had dwindled a bit once your obnoxious little brother figure entered the room, but now that he was gone it had skyrocketed again.

She gave a gentle nod. “Yes. Despite your injuries, your baby survived the ordeal.” 

…

…

What did she just say? 

“I’m sorry?” You didn’t recognize your own voice. 

A look of realization crossed her face. “Oh.” Her eyes flicked towards the window, and she rubbed at the back of her neck with a hand. “I figured that with how far along you were that you knew.” 

A baby. 

You wanted to ask her if she was pulling your leg, but you didn’t. Not only could you not find the words, as easy of a sentence as it was, you knew she wouldn’t joke about something like that. 

“How far along am I?” 

Subconsciously, your hands traveled to your stomach and wrapped around it protectively.

“Eight weeks.” 

You did the math out in your head. It added up. You had been busy for a long awhile, so you supposed with so many other things going on that it made sense for you to not keep track of your cycle. You rubbed at your eyes with the palms of your hands and let out a deep, heavy sigh. 

You were going to be a mom. 

“Is there…” you sighed again, feeling an onslaught of emotions that hit you so fast you couldn’t recognize them. “Can I…” Tears pooled at the waterline of your eyes. The sentence you almost said, it hurt to know that you couldn’t ever say it out loud. 

‘Can I call my mom?’ 

You hadn’t thought of something like that since shortly after she passed away. 

You tried to swallow the lump in your throat and finish your sentence.

“Can I make a phone call?”

“Of course.” Medicine Girl nodded and pulled a phone out of her pocket. “I usually wouldn’t let patients use my personal phone, but…” 

“Thank you.” You held your open palm out and let her give it to you, dialing a number you had come to memorize by heart. “Would you mind helping me sit up?” 

“Am I not your doctor?” She scoffed playfully, doing as you asked. 

You put the phone to your ear and let your eyes wander towards the window. The sky was gray outside, and a light sheet of rain was falling from the clouds. It only rang a few times before it was answered. 

“Hello?” 

“Inko?” 

“…(Y/N)? Is that you?” 

“Yeah. Sorry I’m not calling from my phone…are you busy?” 

She was quiet for a moment. “That depends. Do you need me in person?” 

You felt like an inconvenience. “If possible, yes.” 

“…(Y/N), you were in the war, weren’t you?” 

You straightened up a bit, finding it easier now that you were sat up at a comfortable angle. “Yes, I was.” 

“So you must be in the same hospital as my son.” 

Your heart dropped into your stomach. “Inko, I’m so sorry—I—.” 

She let out a soft chuckle. “ It’s alright. I’m actually here right now with him, but he’s asleep.” 

“No, please, you don’t have to come up here.” You let your free hand rest on your cheek, numb to the IV line embedded into your arm. “Spend as much time with him as you can.” 

“(Y/N), I heard how hard that war was on my son; I cannot imagine what it was like for you. What room are you in?” 

You were trying so hard not to cry by the time you gave her the answer.

“I’ll be there in a few minutes. Do you need anything?” 

You shook your head no before you remembered that she couldn’t actually see you. “No, thank you.” 

“Of course. See you soon.” 

After she hung up, you handed the phone back to Medicine Girl and leaned back. “Thank you.” 

“Sure. Hit that red button on the remote there if you need anything.” Knowing there was no need for her to be there any longer, she left the room without another word. 

The second she did, Shinso slipped through the door behind her. “Finally. Aizawa’s been on my ass about knowing your condition. He’s having me run around and check on everybody .” 

You couldn’t fight the smile that spread across your lips once the purple-haired teen threw himself back into the visitors chair from earlier. “Good. I’m glad he’s still himself. How is he doing?” 

“He hasn’t changed a bit despite missing a leg and an eye. I don’t know if he plans to retire now and become a teacher full time or what.” He replied with a yawn. “What about you?” 

You let out a deep sigh. It was the only thing you were able to do without bursting into tears. There was so much running through your head right now, and you didn’t want to dump all of that onto Shinso. He hadn’t signed on for being your emotional support system. 

“I’ve been better, I'm exhausted right now. I also have a headache and my ribs are sore, but I’ll be alright. Medicine Girl says I can get up and move around in a few more days. How are my cats?” You kept your answer short without giving too much away. You didn’t realize you had yet to take your arms from your belly until his tired eyes glanced at them briefly. He didn’t say anything about it, and you were thankful. 

“They’re good. Yoshio’s needy and demands a lot of attention. Momo’s pretty laid back and chill. I thought you said that she was the kitten, not him.” 

“Yeah, she is.” You chuckled softly, though it hurt your ribs to do so. 

You were unable to continue the conversation in whatever direction you had planned when there was a soft knock on the door. 

“Will you tell her to come in?” 

Shinso rolled his eyes. “Door’s open.” He called out, and cocked an eyebrow at the green-haired woman standing in the doorway. He looked back at you. 

“You should go check in with Aizawa. I’m sure he’s going restless knowing you’re not back yet.” You shooed him off subtly, and he was smart enough to get the hint.

“Sure, whatever.” 

Just before Shinso stepped out the door, he said something you didn’t think you’d hear from him just as Inko sat where he had just been. 

“I’m glad you’re still around.”

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Chapter Text

He knew he had no right to touch her, crave her like air, but he did both. And when he put his mouth on hers he recognized the taste of her, like she’d been made just for him.

~ Jill Shalvis

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The next few days that you are forced to spend in the hospital in order to recover are dull, slow, and boring. The only thing you really get to deal with when you are alone is your foreboding thoughts, the haunting idea of what your parents had done and how their choices affected your life to this day. It leads you to wonder what life would have been like had they decided to keep Touya. Why had they given him up in the first place? You had so many unanswered questions that you weren’t sure if you wanted the answer to. 

“Our…grandparents.”

“What about them?” 

“They tried…”

That plays in your head like a broken record stuck on repeat. The only way you are able to escape from it is by distracting yourself. Medicine Girl hasn’t deemed you fit enough to return home to Yoshio and Momo, so you’re forced to remain relatively cooped up in the hospital. She never fell for your nagging about leaving the room, but once Shinso had heard enough he must have bargained a deal with her in order for her to let you out. 

On one proposition: you had to be in a wheelchair. You still hadn’t fully recovered your stamina and were at risk of passing out. She even told you that after the battle, you were technically still in a “fragile” state regarding your pregnancy. Meaning any drastic wrong move could increase the chance of losing them. So, you obliged. 

Being able to leave the room meant you were able to visit Aizawa. He was happy to see you roll into his own private suite, even if you were pushed in by Shinso. Hizashi even happened to be there as a visiting guest and nearly cried with joy at your arrival. When they asked why you weren’t walking on your own yet, you said that you still hadn’t regained your stamina. Fortunately for you, none of the three men had the audacity to question you any further. You distracted them anyway by immediately telling Aizawa that Shinso called his prosthetic a peg-leg.

You didn’t tell them or any of the U.A. kids that stopped by afterwards to check in on you. Not even Fat Gum or Mirko. 

All you said was: “I killed Dabi.”

Which meant your baby remained a secret. 

You weren’t quite sure why you didn’t tell Aizawa. Perhaps you weren’t ready, as you didn’t even think you were anywhere near prepared to be a mother. You could’ve asked him for help, you knew he would at the drop of a hat. 

But you still didn’t know where your relationship with Takami Keigo resided. He had lied to you. All of it had been nothing but a cover scheme for the truth about you and who you unfortunately learned to be your brother. Had he known what the Hero Association was looking for when he passed out at your bar? Did he plan on taking things this far with you? How was he expecting it to end? A happily ever after or a quick sign off on divorce papers and never to be mentioned again? What did he want from you? 

What did you want?

You weren’t entirely sure, to be honest with yourself. You didn’t even know how you felt about this baby. Was it thrill or dread filling your bones? How come you hadn’t noticed any changes or signs until Medicine Girl had to spell it out for you? What did you want with Hawks? In all reality, you wished you could go back to how it was before you knew the truth. You wished you could live in the facade of everything being fine forever. You wanted to wake up every morning to Hawks and your cats without him having to spy on the League. 

You wanted everything to go back to normal. 

But nothing would ever be the same from here on out. 

Especially not today. 

You had just finished the breakfast Shinso had brought for you when Medicine Girl entered the room. The window was cracked and the curtains opened in order to let the spare bits of sunlight seep into the otherwise dreary white room. Shinso had to get to class, otherwise he would’ve stayed to eat with you. Her short stature paused at the doorway to relish in the gentle breeze wafting in before she approached you. The neutral smile on her face seemed normal, but you could tell there was something on her mind. 

“How are you feeling today?” She asked you. 

“I’m alright.” You reply casually. “My ribs are feeling a bit better and I’m not as achey or tired. I think my staminas almost fully regenerated.” 

“Oh good, I was hoping you’d be getting closer to fully healed by now. Did you eat a full breakfast?” 

You raised an eyebrow at her. Who was she, your mother? No, but she was your doctor. “Yes. Can I try and walk on my own today?” 

“We’ll try it out, I suppose.” Her face rose into a small smile. “I do have some good news for you, though.” 

The first thought that came to your mind was that she was finally allowing you to go home. Your face lit up and you sat upright, finally only feeling a slight wince of pain compared to the twisting stabbing sensation you’d felt after you’d first woken up. “I can go—?”

“Hawks is awake.”

You looked at her like a fish out of water. Anything you had planned on saying left your head. He was awake? Already? You thought it was going to be awhile before…you slumped back in the bed. Your eyes fell to your hands, where your fingers interlocked across your stomach and rubbed together nervously. Your anxiety grew to be strong enough to force you into a momentary out-of-body experience. You can nearly see your consciousness shaking you back into focus.

“He is?” 

Fuck. It was too soon. You weren’t ready. You hadn’t even thought about what you were going to say. You haven't told anybody what had happened.  Nobody except Inko knew. Was he really going to be the second person you told? There was a high chance he already knew, actually. That was probably why the Hero Association had assigned him to that mission in the first place. They knew before you did.

How did they know? 

“He asked for you.” 

Your heart skipped a beat. 

You didn’t know whether it was out of dread or excitement. You felt the back of your eyes begin to burn when you fought off tears. 

“If you’re not ready for that I can tell him you’re still resting.” 

You thought about it. 

Eventually you would have to face him. You felt like the hospital was neutral territory, a better ground for a conversation as dire as this one rather than your home turf. You didn’t want the cats to witness the onslaught of emotions that were sure to occur. If it didn’t go well, you had Aizawa and Mirko still in the hospital on the same floor as you to take sanctuary with. You would be able to figure it out from there. 

Rip the bandaid off. 

May as well take as many punches at once and heal after it all, right? 

No matter what happens now you have to survive. 

If it’s by your husband's side or not, you are determined that you will not let this be the end of you. 

“Yeah, I’d like to see him too.” 

The walk you take to the burn unit is unsurprisingly quiet. Medicine Girl doesn’t say anything to you. You’re thankful she doesn’t. You’re not sure if you could keep yourself together if she did so. You just wanted to run and hide right now. Your footsteps felt robotic as you followed her through the hospital. You were surprised you could walk at all, though it felt entirely different to do so. Nothing felt the same. You were exhausted by the rampant thoughts running through your head. 

You didn’t want to be alone. 

None of the nurses looked twice at you when the two of you stepped inside the burn unit. The hallways are stark white, and you follow the short woman through a thinly carpeted area with a large circular desk where nurses and aides sit behind computers. There is an opening halfway in the circle where you’re able to enter the hallway where the rooms reside. Each door is dark gray with tall, wide paneled windows making up the outer wall. Most are hidden with stark white curtains, forbidding you from seeing who is inside. 

You do your best not to follow the nurses with your eyes when they step into various rooms to tend to the patients within. You wonder how many are victims of the war you fought in alongside many others, and hope that they heal quickly even if they didn’t fight. Your temporary distraction of the war is futile when Medicine Girl stops at a door that is closed. It is Room 202. There is no name on the small panel next to the window. This curtain is closed, too. 

Your heart plummets.

She turns to you, and places a hand on your arm. 

“Enter when you feel ready.”

Even though her voice is low and barely above a whisper, it still makes you jump out of your skin and your wings press flush against your back with anxiety. You make eye contact with her, and you see her shoulders drop slightly when she sees your face. 

“He’s pretty bandaged up,” she begins, and you swallow hard. “He cannot speak right now, so he is using an app on his phone to replace his voice. It’s a bit awkward, honestly. He…does not have his wings at the moment. There does seem to be signs of rapid healing and there was no damage to the internal bone structure of his wing base, so the outcomes are very positive. He has asked for you continuously. Are you comfortable with this? I’m not usually one to make assumptions but there seems to be some unresolved issues between the two of you. Am I correct?” 

Nearly numb to her words and missing everything she said, you nodded softly. 

“If you’re sure, I won’t pressure you into doing something you aren’t happy with.” She sighed and stepped to the side, revealing the door to you in its entirety. “Stay as long as you’d like. Visiting hours are over at 18:00. For you I’ll make an exception.” Shortly after, she walked away. 

The space between you and the door seemed to be rapidly growing. You took a deep breath in through your nose and held it. You focused on your senses, but could not hear anything coming from inside his room. The rest of the hallway was quiet around you, too. You let it out and opened the door.

Had it not been for the multitude of bandage cabinets lining the far wall, it didn’t differ much from your own room. The only other difference was the occupant, as well. You heard a gentle, electronic voice versus seeing him first. It immediately drew your eyes over to the bed centered on the perpendicular wall to the cabinets. 

“Stardust.” 

You could feel the lump in your throat building before finding any words to say. You stepped in and gently closed the door behind you, making your way to the chair alongside the wall. The curtain is blocking the window to the hallway where the nurses and Medicine Girl reside; you’re thankful for it. It’s difficult to work up the nerve to look at him. You feel so betrayed and hurt, yet you miss him so badly that it nearly hurts even worse. You felt sick to your stomach knowing that you’d played the perfect fool the entire time.

“I was worried about you. Are you okay?”

You don’t like the adapted speech he’s using. It doesn’t sound anything like him and it makes trying to have this conversation even more difficult. 

“Yeah, I’m alright.” The first word comes out under your breath, but you swallow quickly and speak up to be heard. “Just a little sore. What about you?” 

What you can only assume to be a chuckle catches in his throat. At least he still has some sense of humor about him, you guessed. You didn’t think this was really a laughing matter though. Did he understand what your head and heart were at war about? Did he understand what he put you through? 

“You don’t have to act all nice to me, you know.” His thumb taps speedily away at his screen, seeing that the other is currently mummified and bound by a sling. “You have every right to be upset with me, and scream and shout. Honestly I’m surprised you came, I wasn’t expecting you to at all. So, thank you.” 

“I know I don’t.” You’re surprised that you replied as fast as you did. You cross your arms over your chest to take on a more defensive posture and finally look up at him. “But I don’t have any energy for that and neither do you.”

Hawks hair is shorter. Touya had burned a lot of him and it off in the war, though it’s only a few inches shorter. It’s still a drastic change to what you had been used to before, but your heart skips a beat when he looks at you and does his best to give you his brightest smile. 

God you love him so much it kills you.

He doesn’t type anything, but he does nod after a second in agreement. 

“Why did you pass out in front of Treasure Wing?” 

He made direct eye contact with you, his thumb hovering over the keyboard. It goes to start, but falls back to where it originally had been. 

“No more lies, either.” 

Keigo nods again in agreement. “I was ordered to investigate a possibly dangerous person living in the Musutafu Prefecture. All that they told me was that you had possible ties to someone possibly associated with the League of Villains. They said it was an ‘undercover position’.” 

Your heart dropped at that statement. 

“So you passed out to get inside? Why not just come in and ask for a drink?” 

“I was actually jumped by some Yakuza thugs on my way there. That had been my original plan, but I figured I could use the injuries in my favor and worsened them a bit. I was going to play it off as a crash landing but then it started to rain, and my wings got soggy.” 

You chewed on your lower lip. He hadn’t strayed his eyes from yours except to the keyboard. The mask covering the lower half of his face was transparent, so his expressions and emotions were easy to see if he wasn't using his mastered poker face. Fortunately for you, he is not concealing a damn thing. 

His eyebrows are furrowed and his mouth is pinned in a frown. He seems frustrated, guilty, disgusted. It’s a bit more difficult to tell his body language without his Fierce Wings there to emote, but you seemed to have perfected reading him after only a year of knowing him. At least you thought you had. Now you weren’t so sure. 

“Did you know To—“ You swallowed. “Did you know Treasure Wing was going to be burnt down?” 

He took a long, deep breath and closed his eyes for a second. “No. I didn’t. That’s when the HA told me to investigate more into the League. By that point though I didn’t want anything to do with the mission.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I wanted out of it.” 

“Why?” 

“I had already fallen for you.” 

That stirred something within you that you didn't recognize which made it impossible to interpret. It felt like a hot pit of lava that made you want to run from the building, yet also ask more questions. All of this was so much to swallow at once, were you even ready to process the answers you were receiving? 

“So why did you continue?” Your voice was hard to locate.

He began to type again, doing his best to maintain eye contact. Every now and then his golden brown eyes would scan you, attempting to read your body language. 

“I tried backing out, saying that I didn’t want to do it anymore. I told them I thought you were just randomly targeted by someone who wanted to get rid of pro heros after the video of Stain went viral. Treasure Wing was a mild hotspot and if someone in the area hung around enough it was easy to figure that out. They didn’t believe me, and said that they needed to know more about why you were targeted. If I wasn’t willing to cooperate, they had a line of replacements willing and ready.” 

That was hard to swallow. 

“I didn’t want you to get hurt anymore, so I agreed to stay on the job. I was worried that anyone else they put on would get you in harm's way, but it turns out I was the one that continued to let you get hurt.” 

“Keigo-“ 

“I think I was blinded by you, honestly. My brain told me that maybe you were just trying to play me into a corner so you could kill me and that the HA was right, but my heart and something else told me otherwise. It was really hard not to fall in love with you and that damn cat, but the longer I was around you and the more I got to know you…I couldn’t help it. I’ve never met someone like you and I didn’t want to give up the chance at keeping you in my life forever.” He tried to laugh, but choked and coughed. His oxygen mask fogged up and quickly faded. “Guess I fucked that up, too.” 

You didn’t have to ask for him to continue. 

“Eventually I weaseled my way into the Paranormal Liberation Front. It wasn’t until then that Dabi started dropping hints on what his primary focus was. I played oblivious to what he was saying until he broke into our home.” His eyes fell shut briefly. You mentally thanked him for not continuing with that particular topic. Just thinking about it made you want to throw up. “The HA wasn’t letting me out. I was in too deep to be replaced at this point. I figured the best way to protect you was to get involved as much as I can, and hide it from you. I wanted to stop him before the war, take him out quietly. They told me I could go to trial for doing that.” 

“Our marriage?” 

“It was real to me. You are my wife. There is no one else that I ever want to give that title to. I had to ask the Hero Association for permission. I knew going in that they wouldn’t let me if they knew I wasn’t doing it for the mission. So when they asked, I told them that I was. It was stupidly selfish of me. They wanted Dabi to show up and ruin the ceremony. I’m glad he didn’t. I wouldn’t change a thing about that night.” 

“The Nomu?” 

“Dabi told me that he was going to send it after Endeavour to take him out. He lied to my face and sent it to you instead. I didn’t know anything about it being your father. Had I known, I would’ve done everything in my power to stop it. I nearly killed him once I heard, but if I did then that would ruin everything I had done to protect you. I’m so sorry.” 

It’s taking every ounce of willpower within you not to cry. “Did they tell you they sent me undercover, too?” 

He shook his head no. “You really caught me off-guard when you showed up… I panicked.” You watched his Adam’s apple bob in his throat. “I’m sorry for everything. God I hate the fact that I have to talk through this fucking thing. I should have been 100% honest with you from the start, it was foolish of me to think that I could hide it from you. You’re too smart for that and I knew it. I don’t know what I was thinking. After I told you everything, that was the last time I saw you before the war. He told me he was your brother just before you and Tokoyami arrived.” He let out a heavy sigh, like he was hesitating. “I don’t deserve anything from you. I’m sorry I dragged you into this mess.” 

Keigo let out a frustrated groan and fumbled to unlatch the oxygen mask from his face. He knew he should keep it on, but he couldn’t convey himself properly through a damn speech device. 

“(Y/N).” 

Your name sounded so foreign to you. Not only had it been forever since you heard it with your own ears, heading Hawks say it over your nickname made your heart skip a beat. Even if it was scratchy and hard to hear, he still said it. 

“I never wanted it to be this way. I wasn’t lying when I said I love you.” He took a wheezy breath, determined to finish. “I really, truly do. You mean everything to me. Fuck the Hero Association. I don’t want anything but you. You are all that I have. If I don’t have you, I have nobody.” 

He grit his teeth, blinking back the tears in his eyes when his free hand scrunched into the blankets. 

“ I don’t want to be alone.” 

The words ripped from your throat before you could think twice about them. “I don’t want to be alone either.” The concrete brick sitting at the back of your throat hit you full force, and you couldn’t hold back your own tears. “I love you too, and I don’t think I ever couldn’t love you.” 

“I want…to try again.” His face remained sullen, yet there was a small bit of light in his eyes that remained hopeful. “Can we?”

“Before I answer that, I have to tell you something.” Those words spilled off your tongue like sandpaper. You had to face the music now, before it was too late. Logic said it was best to tell him now rather than later, just in case it made a difference in what he desired. 

“Okay, what is it?” Hawks will never tell you that his heart dropped, then leapt into his throat at that statement. Seeing you sitting there, hands laced around your chest in a protective manner and eyes downcast broke his heart. Your wings were sheltering your shoulders protectively, it was easy for him to tell that you were anxious. He hated that he was the one to put you into this predicament. 

“I’m pregnant.” 

A look of shock crossed his face, then a wave of emotions that you couldn’t identify. They happened so quickly. Surprise, fear, happiness, worry, excitement, you were surprised he didn’t combust. The way his eyes locked onto your stomach made you feel somewhat insecure. You fought the urge to wrap your arms around your stomach as if that would protect your baby— his baby too—from his stare. 

You flinched when he finally looked back up at you. A slow grin crept across his face. “It’s mine?” It didn’t come out louder than a whisper. You nod, once again unable to find the words you could have said instead. 

Suddenly, his frown fell and he snatched you back into focus on him. 

“I swear I will do everything I can to make sure we can be a family again.”

✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧

words; 4,034

Chapter Text

“…and I can’t ever talk about it. She said. I can’t and I won’t. I can only cry or scream it.” 

~ Sue Zhao

✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧

The day after your reconvening with Keigo, Medicine Girl finally gave you the okay to go home. You were overjoyed and dying to be back with Yoshio and Momo. It had been almost two weeks since you had seen them, and Shinso had told you that Yoshio was getting chaotic. He didn’t have much free time during the weekdays to stay with them due to his classes at U.A., but he said even on the weekends when he was there all the time, the cat was beginning to howl at the windows. 

You felt so bad for him and Momo. You missed them so much, but it was difficult to leave the hospital when your husband was still here. Fortunately for you, he was also recovering rapidly enough that the base of his wings were beginning to sprout from his back. They were small, but the progress was promising enough that the surgeon overseeing his own treatment was willing to let him return home as well. You felt like one more night away from them wouldn’t kill them, even if the large gray cat thought otherwise. Keigo was allowed to return home around noon the next day.

Shortly before the two of you fell asleep the night of your release, he admitted to you his backstory. The true one, about his mother and father and how he ended up becoming a hero. It definitely shocked you to say the least, but you were thankful for his honesty and took some time to digest what he had told you. Even if his father had been a murderer, he had been apprehended by Endeavour himself. Yes your husband had killed Twice which was difficult for you to comprehend but there wasn’t anything you could do about that. Keigo resembled a hero, not a murderer; so you decided to acknowledge his past but it did not change the way you already looked at him. 

There was only one condition on the two of you returning home: you were off of hero duty and required to relax until fully recovered. You didn’t mind that at all, and neither did Keigo. It meant the two of you could spend time getting to know one another again without any interruptions. The cats didn’t count in that mind, of course. They were always a wonderful blessing to ease any sort of tension that built between the two of you. 

Yoshio and Momo greeted you excitedly when you got home. The tomcat couldn’t decide who to love on first, so he decided it was fair to weave in between the two of you and rub as hard as he could. In the meantime he also yowled at the top of his lungs, like he was scolding you for the time you spent away. His anger was understandable. Momo was much nicer in her greeting. She lovingly rose up on her back paws and stretched her legs up towards your left thigh, kneading her soft paws against your pants without pricking her nails into your skin. You were thankful they were safe, happy, and healthy when you returned home. Shinso had done a fantastic job watching them for you, so you made a mental note to reward him thoroughly.

The week following your release was unnerving to say the least. You’d come to the decision of sleeping in separate beds again until things had been repaired a bit more. That idea quickly fell through when you were having nightmares that led you to stay awake throughout the night. Yoshio and Momo didn’t help at all, even though they tried. You weren’t able to get a restful night's sleep until Keigo finally got you to fall asleep beside him. 

The bedroom next to the one the two of you shared was slowly being remodeled into a nursery. Nothing had been changed yet but you had at least come up with a good basic blueprint and agreed upon it. He wanted to do it all himself but was obviously not able to until he was fully recovered. The rough draft was rolled up and placed safely in the closet inside said bedroom to store for later use. 

Now knowing that you were pregnant helped you uphold the standard of eating healthily, not like you hadn’t before. You just added a bit more nutritional standards that were found in the pyramid triangle which did its part. You hadn’t brought up what to name the baby and wouldn’t until later. It was too early to be able to identify the gender of the baby right now, so bringing up that discussion would be more productive later. 

It had been eight days since you returned from the hospital that someone finally decided to visit you. 

You had just finished lunch with Hawks when the proximity alarm for the house signaled someone approaching. Momo and Yoshio had been curled up with one another in a sunbeam bursting through one of the many windows in the living room. They had become accustomed to the chime and raised their heads as it went off. Momo yawned and Yoshio groomed the side of her face for a moment affectionately. Your husband had already sat down on the couch with the tv remote in his undamaged hand when the doorbell rang. You were just about to, so you decided to fetch the door instead. 

You couldn’t remember if Inko was scheduled to visit you today or not. Nevertheless, you weren’t anxious about answering the door. The people who knew where you and Hawks lived were relatively few, and they were those that you already trusted with your life. You checked the peephole just to be sure, and found yourself surprised at who you found on the other side. You went ahead and unlocked the door, not hesitating to open it and step to the side to invite them in. 

“Aizawa? You didn’t call or anything…?” 

“Sorry.” He replied with a sigh. “I didn’t really have any time to waste. Have you seen the news at all recently?” 

“Uh, no.” You signaled for him to step inside with a wave of your hand. “We were just sitting down on the couch though, so we can turn it on. What’s going on?” 

You closed the door after he did so and was quickly greeted by your cats. Yoshio recognized him while Momo wasn’t too sure, but her companions' reaction to his arrival gave her enough confidence to approach. She slightly arched her back into his hand as he stroked her fur, a gentle rumble escaping her throat. 

Aizawa inhaled deeply. “Someone overheard some things you said at the hospital, and they’ve leaked the information to the public.” 

You felt your whole world be thrown out of orbit once again. Slowly but surely you’d been taking baby steps over the last little while to rebuild and repair yourself. There was so much about your identity that you had yet to learn until the war that the process was slow and fragile. This insinuation cracked the glass house stacked around you. 

“What do you mean?” 

Aizawa opened his mouth to answer your question. He was interrupted by Keigo turning on the television. At the moment he was still forced to use the interpreter to speak, but was due for a checkup in a few days to determine whether it could be removed or not. 

“What channel?” 

Aizawa let out a short scoff through his nose and meandered over to the armchair next to the coffee table. Carefully he set himself down. It was interesting watching him move seeing that his walking gait had changed due to the prosthetic. Wordlessly you set yourself down next to the recovering hero next to you. Momo and Yoshio slipped their way around the furniture, making sure to get their attention from everyone. 

“Any and all are eating the story up like candy.” 

Keigo clicked on the first news channel he could find. It was the National Hero Channel. Not only did it discuss the latest hot topic regarding the heroes around Japan, it kept civilians up to date with politics and any changes to the weather for the upcoming week. 

“TRUE LOVE OR JUST A MISSION? THE INSIDE SCOOP ON #2 PRO HERO HAWKS & #11 PRO HERO ESTRELLA’S RELATIONSHIP”

It was difficult to watch your entire story with your husband be blasted all across the NHC. This was the same channel that had done your interview when you fought the Nomu. Instead of Daikaku Miyagi being on screen, it was a younger, fresher face: a woman who shared some characteristics with Mount Lady, but obviously wasn’t her. It took a few minutes for her face to click in your head: she had been a nurse in the burn unit. You didn’t notice your head tilting slightly in thought as you processed the information she was spilling. 

Had she been on his case while he recovered? You hadn’t seen her in your room during your stay that you remembered so it was more than likely she was on his. You took a quick glance at him. The look on his face was a blank slate. Immediately you had to remember that since Aizawa was in the house, he was more than likely to return to his trained state of nature: stoic and unbothered. It was easy for you to tell that his brain was running a million miles a minute; simply by the slight crease in his brow and the bob of his Adam’s apple. 

The news anchor was sitting at the regular table they showed for the daily discussions. To the right of her head was a sequence of pictures that would change as she spoke. Before she began, there was a disclaimer floating across the top of the screen: this information was shared with us by someone who wishes to remain anonymous. 

She started at the beginning, which meant she traced your history back to your childhood. She said everything without breaking her tone or taking her eyes off of the screen. It was almost like she had rehearsed the words in her sleep. 

She explained how your father had been a famous Pro-Hero by the name of Star Breaker. He worked alongside Endeavour and All Might many times and made a name for himself. He had a daughter, Estrella, and later vanished on an undercover mission he had been assigned to by the Hero Association. His wife was murdered shortly before their daughter's graduation from U.A., leaving behind an orphan and a bar that had no one to run it. Instead of becoming a hero, she turned to the bar. 

Your body was numb with something you weren’t sure of when she went into detail about how your relationship with Hawks developed. You picked up Yoshio in order to quell your turbulent emotions until she finished. You nearly lost your marbles when Keigo’s hand met with yours. She mentioned Dabi, your brother and how he was the main factor into the investigation. The only thing she didn’t seem to bring up was that he had broken into the home Hawks had first moved you into after Treasure Wing burnt down and raped you.  Your baby wasn’t a secret anymore. You realized that the physical contact may have been more for your sake rather than his until she began unleashing information on his past as well. Someone had to have been eavesdropping on your conversations those last two days to have gotten all of this information. 

It was definitely nerve-wracking to say the least. Now everyone in the country of Japan knew your backstory, and they were debating whether your relationship with Hawks was entirely authentic or if it had been a ploy to discover if you were a criminal or not. The data leak took maybe twenty minutes overall to explain. You didn’t move an inch throughout its duration nor had you spoken a word. Neither had your husband. 

Aizawa watched quietly as the two of you swallowed and processed the fact that everything that you had kept a secret was out and in the open. Your dirty laundry has been aired. There was no hiding it now. There was no way for you to shut it down and act like what they said was a lie. 

“What does…” your voice was meek. An existential crisis was rampant and about to break through. You still hadn’t come to terms with secret your parents kept from you, and didn’t even have all of the answers for it. How were you supposed to heal from all of this? “What does this mean?” 

Keigo didn’t say anything. His phone was off and his eyes were downcast to his lap. You couldn’t read him right now. Aizawa’s voice is an odd interruption to the silence.

“The Hero Association is trying to keep it under wraps. It sounds like they’re in pursuit of who shared confidential information. They’re asking all of us that know the truth within the Association to not share it with the public. The journalists and reports are swarming your hero agency with questions right now.” 

“So just lay low like we have been.” You confirmed quietly, feeling Keigo’s hand squeeze yours gently. “That’s easy enough.”

The two of you could do that. Hiding from the public eye wouldn’t be too difficult. The penthouse you stayed in had strict security measurements just to get inside the building, so there was little chance of someone being able to get inside without either you or your husband being notified beforehand. 

“I’m sorry to drop in on you unannounced with news like this.” Aizawa apologized for his disruption to what had originally been a nice, peaceful day. 

“It’s no problem.” Hawks answered dutifully, seeing that you were unable to find your voice at the moment. “We appreciate it. It’s better to hear something like that from a friend rather than finding out about it ourselves. That would have been much more of a shock to us.” 

“I understand.” Your old mentor nods slightly in acknowledgement. “I have to get back to U.A. and make sure the dorms are repaired for the students’ return.” 

With that, he rose from his seat in the armchair and Keigo led him to the door. He locked said entry after the schoolteacher had stepped out and returned to his spot next to you on the couch.

“Keigo.” Your fingers bunched into the fabric of your sweats and you attempted to swallow the lump in the back of your throat. “I don’t know if I can take all of this.” The tears were milliseconds away from breaking over your waterline. “It’s…so much.” 

He pulled you into his arms, lying back on the couch that way you could lay on his chest. The sound of his heartbeat echoing in your ears is what made the dam withholding your despair finally crack and give way to the pressure. Being pregnant didn’t help your emotional control, it felt like you had been doing nothing but crying over this last week. You knew that if Fierce Wings was at its full health, he would have used his wings as a metaphorical shield from you and the world. His hood arm rubs your lower back, filling you with a comforting warmth that helps ease your screaming thoughts. 

“I know, stardust.” It takes you a second to interpret his true voice. It’s still rough and distorted, but not as it had been when the two of you resolved your issues at the hospital. “This only makes things harder for us..” He’s able to speak in full sentences now, but still catches in his throat when he swallows. “You and I are going to get through this together, okay?”

That somehow gives you more of a sense of ease. He’s right, you think to yourself. We can do it together. 

We don’t have to be apart anymore. 

“The only thing we have to worry about right now is our family.” 

✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧

Three more days pass by without much of a change. Your story and Hawks’ is still circulating the internet and discussion boards. The news media hasn’t been as chatty as they had been the day that Aizawa stopped by, but it did come up in discussion every few hours. It was like they didn’t want anyone to forget. Due to staying indoors, the most sunshine you’ve gotten is whatever you’ve been able to absorb from the balcony. The last few days had been nothing but lovely, mild weather. A welcome alternative to the stormy springtime you were used to during this time of year. 

It didn’t help brighten your mood at all, unfortunately.

In order to distract yourself from being in the spotlight right now, you decided to reach out to the Hero Association. You figured that it was reasonable to ask for the files they had on your mother and father seeing that everybody in the nation knew about your history. While they understood that you yourself wasn’t the leak, they were adamant on not releasing any more information. The association still had yet to figure out who the rat was, and was on strict lockdown at the moment. 

You acknowledged their reasoning, but that didn’t stop your hormonal rage. You hated being susceptible to your chemical balances while also attempting to grasp the full severity of your situation. 

Keigo was taking a shower when you decided it was about time to check the mailbox after informing him you’d be right back. You tucked your feet into your outside slippers at the front door and let it click shut behind you. The ride down the elevator was calm and quiet. No one got on with you, so your trip was quick. The main lobby was nice and tranquil as you meandered to the mailbox. 

Inside the small cubicle labeled with your penthouse number wasn't anything out of the ordinary. At least nothing had caught your attention when you picked it up. The ride back up the elevator was the same as it had been heading down. You locked the door behind you after stepping inside, greeting Yoshio and Momo even though you had only been gone for a few moments. 

You sifted through the envelopes you had picked up as you walked towards the recycling bin in the kitchen. You took what needed to be thrown away into your hand and went to place what you chose to save on the counter when a small white envelope slipped from your fingers and fluttered gently to the floor. You purse your lips and recycle the extras before carefully bending down to pick it up. It had landed face down. 

When you flip it over you aren’t sure how to feel. 

The name on it is yours, but it is addressed with your previous last name; the one you shared with Touya. Seeing it handwritten made a sense of dread wash through you but it was only momentary. You made sure to treat it with care as you split it open. Inside was a one-page letter. 

Keigo was out of the shower and wandering into the kitchen by the time you unfolded the piece of paper. He had been given the okay yesterday to be free of the oxygen support, and was slowly exercising his voice back to its full clarity. 

“What’s this?” He asked, sidling up next to you and placing his hand on your outside hip. “A letter? From who?” 

“I’m not sure. I was just about to read it.” You answered him, your voice fading as you analyzed the kanji scratched onto the page. 

Dear (Y/N),

I hope this letter finds you in good health. I know it is odd to receive mail from someone you do not know, but I feel it is dire to reach out to you. On the news today I saw a story of a young woman and her husband. They were brought together by politics and a desire for the truth. It was only later that night that I recognized the woman on the news called “Estrella”: my granddaughter. 

I have been searching for you for a long time. I’m sorry if this is confusing or it makes you angry. Technology has modernized to the point that I cannot comprehend, which made it difficult to reach out. Before today I hadn’t known whether you were alive or dead. The last time I had any idea how you were was when the National Hero Channel announced that my son had disappeared on an undercover mission. I tried to reach out to your mother and offer her my support, but my letter was returned and had never been opened. 

I wish I had located you sooner, as I do not have much time left. I have been in the hospital for a few weeks now and the doctors say I am very sick. I do not know how much time I have left, nor do they. 

Despite that, I’m sure you have many questions and you do not deserve to remain in the dark any longer. If you do not wish to make contact with me and return this letter, I understand.  I wish to tell you the truth about who you are, and who your brother is. 

With love, Grandma

Underneath her signature is an address for a hospital on Shikoku Island.

“Stardust?” You didn’t realize you were crying until his slightly calloused fingertips wiped them from your cheeks. “What do you want to do?” 

“I…” 

It’s difficult to swallow. 

What did you want to do? 

Did you want to fly to Shikoku as soon as possible and get the answers you have been unknowingly searching for your entire life or remain ignorant? 

You turn and wrap your arms around Keigo, burying your face into his chest. Without hesitating he pulls you into him, not saying a word. 

“I don’t know anymore.”

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words; 3,743

Chapter Text

No one expects an angel to set the world on fire.

~ Unknown

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It only took two days to verify that the letter from your Grandmother was authentic. Same for the hospital address she had attached to said mail. When you approached Medicine Girl about traveling on a plane, she nearly had a heart attack. She forbade it, and said that taking a ferry was a much better and safer option. So, you obliged. It took another week for you to finally be permitted to be off of rest anyway. 

Keigo still had yet to regrow Fierce Wings to their full capacity, but he wasn’t phased by it at all. It had been at least three weeks since the war overall, and he guessed they were nearly 35% of the way there. You just shook your head and went along with him, knowing any growth at all was a fortunate thing. You did your best to block out the faint memories of your own wings being lit up all those years ago, and it worked. 

Two days after you were released from resting at home you returned to work at the bar for a short while. Your husband said it was important to get the whole ship to yourselves in order to have a peaceful trip to the other island; so it would be a few more days before he was able to reserve a private ferry. 

You enjoyed being back at the bar anyway. Not only did your regulars come to check in on you and say that they missed you, none of them brought up what had happened on the news. A lot more people attempted to become patrons just for the sake of gossip, but fortunately Fat Gum and your regular patrons were good about keeping an eye out for those ones. Aizawa and Hizashi were a plus in all the ruckus. Thanks to AFO being taken down a few weeks ago, the crime rates had dropped by a large capacity. Of course there were still criminals here and there but nothing like it had been shortly after Stains video leaked to the public. 

A few hours go by on your regular shift. You notice you are wearing out easier than you did before; you could’ve gone up to 8 hours without taking a break but now you were exhausted pushing 4. Fortunately for you, Aizawa wanders into the building a few moments later. He sits down at your bar and asks for his usual: sake. You pour it and slide it over, in return he passes you a Manila envelope. 

You pull it closer to you by your fingertips and cock an eyebrow at him. “What’s this?” 

“We should go to the break room.” He replied after he took a sip of his drink. 

You call out to Fat Gum that you’re going on break and he signals that he heard you with a thumbs up. You carry the Manila envelope with carefulness when you lead him into the break room. You’re still adjusting to seeing him with the eyepatch and his prosthetic leg, but it’s growing on you. You open the door and close it behind him. He pulls out a chair for you at the table in a quiet thanks. 

“How are you?” He asks you the second that you set the Manila folder down. “With the news and all.” 

“It’s been kinda rough.” You admitted, letting out a gentle sigh. “Being pregnant isn’t helping at all, but Hawks and I haven’t fought like we did before.” You felt awkward talking about your issues with your husband, so you redirected the topic onto Aizawa. “What about you?” 

“It’s strange not having my leg anymore.” He takes another sip of his sake. “I can still feel it sometimes, and I dream about the fight a lot. Says it’s called Phantom Limb Pain or whatever. Otherwise nothing’s changed. School’s good. My students are quiet, though.” He finishes with closed eyes, like he’s processing what the nation is still recovering from. 

“It does feel like the whole country’s gone quiet, hasn’t it?” You agreed sullenly. “Anyway, what did you bring me?” You tapped your finger on the folder, waiting for his answer before you opened it. 

“You mentioned trying to access information about your parents. I managed to get some for you.” 

Quickly, you undo the small metal pin and pull out a small bunch of paper. It is being held together by binder clips. On the first page is a picture of your mother. It’s black and white but you can see her (e/c) eyes and bright white hair without a doubt. You missed her, and you felt angry at her all at the same time. How could her and your father have done this to you and Touya?

“How did you get this?” 

Aizawa finishes his sake. “I have a few connections.” 

“Well, thank you.” Inside the file was a lot on your mother that you had hidden in repressed memories. It brought her back to life inside your head. 

Her name was (L/N) Emiri. She was born in Kyoto and registered with a telekinetic quirk at the age of six. It displayed her height and weight, nearly mirroring your own. There is no information on her parents or any of her family. Down below her identifying information is a section of notes. They are typed out in a different font, like they were added on at a later date. 

It says that at the age of 16 she went MIA. No record shows her whereabouts during that time. She doesn’t come back into the public record until she’s 21, quirkless . Behind that paper is a marriage license to your father. Beneath that is a birth record for Touya (L/n). There’s added text to this as well. He vanishes from Honshu island and reappears in a public school on Shikoku Island a few weeks later–going by a different name. Many years passed by, and at the age of 17 he reportedly died in a house fire. 

That was before your father went on the mission he never returned home from. What you were reading on the papers in front of you was difficult to digest, not at all different from what you had been feeling since fully grasping the concept of having a brother. What did knowing all of this information now mean? Would it have made a difference in your life had you figured all of this out earlier? Would it have been at all possible for you to try and re-establish the bond you had with Touya? Why did he “die” in the house fire before your father went on his mission? 

Was the mission he went on to find Touya?  Was that why he never came home? Did he find the answers he wanted? Or did he die before figuring out the truth? Did Touya play a part in his death as well or would you never know?

There are only a few more pages beneath that record. The first one is the disappearance of your father. There’s an official letter stating he went MIA on a mission, and was declared deceased. It was signed by a detective and what appeared to be a coroner. That meant that there was no way to verify that the Nomu you saw wasn’t your father. For two years Emiri attempted to defend your fathers name, saying that he would return like nothing had happened. Did she know about what happened to Touya? Then, she was murdered. At the time they never found who did it, but now you know the truth.

“This is….more than I could have asked for.” Your voice was meek, barely able to leave your throat.

“I know. I feel shitty about having dropped all of this onto you, meaning the public knowing about your private life now.” He let out another sigh, deeper than before and crossed his arms over his chest. “I figured if i got this to you, it would be beneficial. I’m sorry if this is more than you can handle right now.”

You swallowed hard. The lump at the back of your throat felt permanent at this point, like it was something you’d never be able to get rid of. “It’s okay. Thank you, again.” You take a second to regain your steadfast tone of voice. You have to remain strong. You couldn’t break down yet.

“Of course.” He stands up from his seat. “I have to get back to the dorms, but I’ll swing by again soon.” 

“Sure.” You rise as well, rubbing the palms of your hands on your pants. “I’ll walk you out.” 

The rest of your shift at the bar, you run on autopilot.

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Two days pass by slowly, like sap dripping from a tree. Finally the time had come to take off for Shikoku Island. Keigo was coming with you, of course. You shared with him what Aizawa had uncovered for you. He wouldn’t allow you to go through what had a lot of emotional weight to it alone. He took you into a warm embrace and kissed your forehead, reminding you that he was never leaving your side again.

Yoshio was less than happy when he caught you packing a suitcase to leave. He jumped inside of it in an attempt to stop your actions. You proceeded to set out your chosen outfits around him instead, which he decided to bodyslam and fight like it was his natural-born enemy. Eventually you had to coerce him with a deep conversation and lots of snuggles before he decided to leave you be. You promised him and Momo that you would only be gone for three days compared to your unplanned two week vanishing act. He was still less than satisfied, but hopefully as understanding as a cat could be. 

Keigo did his best to fill the empty ambiance of the travel time to Shikoku with random conversations. Sometimes he would ask you about random things, like what were some of your memories from U.A.? Or he’d ask you what gender you thought the baby was going to be. You said you weren’t sure. When you asked him if he wanted a son or a daughter more, he said he wanted a son first, and then a daughter so he could take care of her. You laughed and said if that happened he would probably bully her. Keigo said he wouldn’t allow it.

Shikoku Island was the smallest of four making up the nation of Japan. It was only 225 kilometers long, and most of its locals lived in the North. The South was a mountainous region with much less population. That’s where your Grandmother lived. Due to her sickness at her elderly age, she had been transferred from a small emergency clinic on the southern side up to the North, where a major hospital was key for her care. The ferry ride to Shikoku Island was only a few hours long. The ocean was calm and blue, not a cloud in the sky to hide the warm spring sun from your skin. 

It felt amazing, being out on the open water like this. It almost made you forget about what was happening back on Honshu. The feeling was only temporary though, as it dissipated once you reached the island. Instead of returning to that empty sense of numbness, you found yourself in awe instead. You found it beautiful. The inner bay was lucious with flora, the beach warm with azure blue tides rolling onto the golden shores. The ferry signaled its arrival into port with a deep bellow from its horn. You and Keigo had spent a majority of the ride outside, wanting to enjoy every bit of the sea breeze that you could. You were more than thankful that you didn’t get sea sick with your pregnancy.

After departing from the ferry terminal, you were surprised to learn that your hotel wasn’t too far away from the hospital your Grandmother was at. While you had been distracted by your tumultuous thoughts and mindset, your husband had been planning ahead. You made a mental note to thank him for the amount of time and care he put into this last-minute trip for you. He just made the overall picture more tolerable to bear. If it hadn’t been for him you probably would’ve been somewhere you couldn’t imagine. 

Not once did he let go of your hand since the two of you stepped foot onto Shikoku. Not unless he absolutely had to, of course. He opened every door and spoke to everybody before you felt like you needed to. That gives you the perfect opportunity to lose yourself in your surroundings. When you climbed into the taxi he had called earlier, you felt his thumb run across the back of your hand after you rested your forehead against the window. 

What was Touya’s life like, growing up on this island?

Forty-five minutes passed before you reached the hotel the two of you would be staying at. It was in the next town over. After depositing your bags in the suite Keigo had reserved, the walk to the hospital felt apprehensive. The winged hero beside you was blabbering about something with his fingers interlaced with yours. While you were thankful for his attempt at being optimistic, it didn’t silence your thoughts. You had so many questions. Would you be able to get the answers you desired? 

You would never remember what the inside of that hospital looked like. The lobby was essentially a white blur in your peripherals when you hyperfixated on the front desk. Behind it sat a woman with a blank face and nondescript details. The only thing you could feel was the warmth in your right hand, Keigo’s constantly moving thumb the only anchor you had to the real world. 

“How can I help you today?” Her voice echoed in your ears.

“I'm here to visit my grandmother.” Your voice didn’t sound nor feel like your own.

“Of course. What’s her name?”

You hated this. The only reason you didn’t have to go through this with Keigo was because Medicine Girl was taking you up there personally. “(L/N) Okina.”

Without saying anything, she types the name into the system. It only takes a few seconds for her information to pop up. 

“She is in Room 314. May I see your identification?”

You and Keigo hand over your Hero Licenses, which she plugs into the system as visitors. Shortly after, she writes your names on a small sticker and gives them to you to wear on your shirts. Your husband audibly thanks her while you give her a gentle, yet warm smile. He leads you away from the front desk and you follow without a word. You don’t have the willpower to take your eyes off of him as he finds out the quickest path to your Grandmother's room. 

“How are you feeling, stardust? You’ve been quiet since we got on the island.” He is thankful that the elevator is empty besides you and him, otherwise he wasn't sure if he would have been able to keep things private. 

“I’m okay.” You say quietly. “Just…nervous I guess.” You weren’t sure what else to tell him because you yourself weren’t sure. 

“It’s okay to be nervous.” He reassured you that how you are feeling right now is valid. “You’ve been through a lot this past year, and this just seems to be the icing on the whole cake, huh?”

His metaphor makes you giggle. “Yeah, it kinda is.” You give him a soft smile. “Thank you for coming with me.”

He furrowed his eyebrows for a second, as if it had been an option for him not to come. He wiped the expression off and smiled back brighter, making your heart skip a beat. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

When the elevator dings to signal that you’ve arrived on the third floor, you take the lead this time. A few feet away from the elevator is another desk, though you don’t need to stop at that one this time. To the left are rooms 301-321. To the right are numbers way off the one you’re searching for, so you head left. The walls of this hospital are a bit more run down than the one you stayed at after the war, but it’s still just as eerie and sterile. Keigo knocks on the door for you when you arrive at Room 314. There is a moment of silence before a voice invites you in.

You take a deep breath before finally stepping in. He is close behind you, his breath is tangible against your feathers. You aren’t sure how to feel when you finally lay eyes on her. She has white hair like your father and Touya. You are not sure if it’s natural or if it’s just her age. She has pink eyes, though. She seems to be having a hard time breathing on her own, presented by the oxygen filtered into her nose through tiny translucent pipes. 

“It’s so nice to finally meet you.” Her voice is frail and delicate, as if she could be shattered like a glass vase. 

“Likewise.” Is the first thing that builds on the tip of your tongue. You make yourself at home in the chair near her bed. Keigo stands behind you, leaning against the wall. He has a kind smile on his face. “I hope you don’t mind that I have a guest. This is my husband, Hawks.” 

“Oh not at all.” Okina has a weak smile, but her soft blush colored eyes show happiness. “I’ll take all the company, I’ve been so lonely here.” 

A pang of guilt shoots through your chest. “I’m sorry I didn’t–”

“Do not apologize.” She cuts you off and you sit up a bit. “You have no reason to do that, no matter what you are trying to apologize for. You had no idea what was happening and your parents hid so much from you. I figured they had brainwashed you into believing your Grandfather and I were some horrible monsters.”

You looked away sheepishly. She wasn’t wrong. “I remember my father telling me that you and Grandpa disowned him after he married my Mom. He said that you tried to come back and fix things when my wings started to grow.” You look back at her and see the sad look on her wrinkled face. “But that wasn’t true, was it?”

Okina shakes her head. “Not entirely. It’s true that we didn’t like your mother. My quirk is ‘Starsight’. When the sky is clear, I can see bits of the future in certain ones. I foresaw your mother having  a baby boy and attempting to kill him after he was born.”

That sent a shot of dread through your system. Keigo placed his hand on your shoulder in order to help you remain grounded.

She takes a few seconds to catch her breath. “I’m sorry, I get winded now when I speak for a long time.”

“No need to apologize.” Keigo replies comfortingly to both you and her. He knows you don’t mind it at all; it gives you moments to process the information she’s giving you. This is a whole other load of details you didn’t realize could be a part of the overall picture. You aren’t sure if you’re more thankful or not for coming out here. 

“They told us that they were going to keep him. They promised it, actually. But then, she became pregnant with you. They sent him to an orphanage before I could see it in the stars. I saw your birth and him sitting in a room full of kids. It took us two weeks to track him down, they had sent him North where they thought he couldn’t be found. We adopted him and brought him home.” 

Okina takes another break, and you look back behind you at Keigo. He’s not focused on her at all, really. He is prioritizing you over what she is saying. You are what matters to him and how her words are affecting your mental state. 

You aren’t sure where the words come from, but it’s fueled by your need to fill in the empty spaces. “What was Touya like as a child?”

Her face returns to one of content, and a forlorn look drifts into her eyes. “He was a good boy. He said that his dream was to be a hero. We didn’t tell him what your parents had done, but he knew. He was old enough by that point to remember. While he was well-behaved and got good grades in school most of the time, he would have his outbursts. Most of them included self-harm, and each time he did it, it got worse.” She looks away from you. “We had to send him away, twice I believe. He was too much of a danger to himself and us, we couldn’t handle it. The last time was when he was sixteen. Shortly after that, the house went up in flames when I left him there to run to the grocery store. I should have taken him with me.”

Okina was crying now. 

You took a deep breath, and filled her in on what had happened to you. You explained how your father left when you were a freshman in high school, at U.A. to be exact. For two years your mother, Emiri tried to defend his name. She was murdered by who you later learned to be Touya in your senior year. You didn’t have any wings when you graduated. Your wings regrew and you ran Emiri’s bar until you met Hawks. You explained what happened from there on out. By the end of it you felt as winded as she did after just a few sentences here and there. 

She looks between you and Hawks before smiling. “I saw it in the stars, you know.”

You pick your head up a bit. “Saw what?”

“The two of you, and a family.”

Immediately, you felt put on the spot. What did that mean? Did she see any other part of your future with him? Would she tell you? You debated whether or not to tell her that you were indeed pregnant, and starting a family with him against all odds. Before you could decide, she spoke up again.

“I have a favor to ask of you, even though I have no room to do so.”

Nevertheless, you felt obligated to hear her out. “What is it?”

“You’re staying at a hotel nearby, I assume?” When you nod in confirmation, she continues. “Your grandfather and I rebuilt the house we raised Touya in after we thought he died. Please visit, I would love for you to see the pictures on the walls.”

“Sure.” You agree without thinking about it. You’ll have to discuss it with Keigo later, but for now it is worth considering. “Is that all?’

“Yes. Thank you, (Y/N), so much, for visiting me. I can rest easy now knowing that I was able to meet you and your husband before I pass.” Okina gives you a smile only a Grandmother that loves you with her whole heart can. You wish you could have seen it more before now. Slowly, she withdraws her hand from yours. “I would like to rest now.”

You don’t want to leave. Now that you’ve met her you’re worried about letting go of the last family member you have. There is a foreboding feeling in your soul that tells you that you really don’t have a choice. It tells you that her death is inevitable, and this indeed is the last time you will be seeing her. You aren’t sure if it’s a good sensation, but you rise to your feet and walk out the door anyway. 

“You are everything we envisioned that you would be, my dear.” She calls as your wings are the only thing remaining inside the room.

What your grandmothers last words to you are the same ones you heard from your father and your mother. 

“You are a Phoenix.”

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words; 4,097

Chapter Text

“All of the struggles in love and life are worth a single moment of being in somebody’s arms and knowing in your bones, this is where you belong.” 

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On the southern side of Shikoku Island, there is a modestly-sized traditional Japanese home. It is six kilometers down the highway from the quaint city of Kochi. It is a left-hand turn through a small village with kind and generous people, and located on a private drive just a kilometer in length. There are large, pale stone walls that surround the property, ensuring its security. The main entrance is through a large gate carved out of beautiful Japanese elm. It is hand-etched with constellations that can be spotted in the sky on a clear night. 

Beyond the gate is a large traditional garden. The native flowers and flora thrive in the well-tended flowerbeds, nestled cozily next to one another. There is a large, bountiful koi pond with an array of fish; their scales glint and shine under the sun. Smooth stone boulders make up the walkway around the garden and koi pond. They lead around the far side of the house, which is much larger on the inside than it looks from the outside. In the backyard there is a clothesline to hang laundry during the good weather as well as a playset for children. 

If you turn to look at the back door, there is a large gray tomcat and a smaller calico feline snoozing in one of the sun rays. They live a life of luxury, having free roam of a home large enough to fit multiple generations in, as well as a bountiful amount of food in their bowls and a loving family to call their own. The Maine Coon is a force to be reckoned with, even though he’s about to hit ten years old. He is still as chaotic as he was when he was a kitten, never once changing over the years and the places he has lived. This was the fourth place he’s called home, and he would be buried in the yard underneath the maple tree when his time came. 

The shorthair calico has always been a much gentler soul. A bit on the shy side when she had been rescued as a kitten, her companion was a great comfort to her as she figured out what it was like to be a beloved member of the family. He brought her out of her shell, and she was much friendlier now to those she didn’t know. Despite that, she loved her family with her entire being. Especially the little ones…they were her favorite. Her gray brother was much more tolerable of their rough hands, and she preferred when they were gentle and kind with her.

Yoshio’s head jumps from the Tatami mat he is lounging on when the floor begins to vibrate. In resonance with it are two pairs of feet sprinting through the hallways. Momo sits up in order to be prepared to avoid being run over, stretching her mottled front legs out with a wide yawn. The walls begin to shake more as the stomping grows closer. Both cats turn towards the open Shoji doors, revealing the hallway. Some of the picture frames on the walls shake and go crooked, but they are quickly leveled out by a soft, ethereal blue glow.

In the pictures are two separate families. One is of a grandmother and grandfather sitting on the front steps, their teenage grandson with a bored look on his face a step lower and in between them. The other family is of the Takami family.

The first child runs by so quickly that if you had blinked, you wouldn’t have seen her. Short, ashy blond hair conceals her (e/c) eyes when she squeals with joy, sliding on her bare heels to dive around the incoming corner. Behind her is a boy two years older than her with white hair and turquoise eyes. Their conversation is incomprehensible, but it’s full of laughter and competition as the two of them vanish deeper into the house.

“Hey, no running in the house!” 

A maternal voice stops the two children in their tracks before they crash into the kitchen.The daughter stops first, using her hands on the wall as an emergency brake. Her older brother doesn’t stop in time and runs straight into her back, knocking them both to the floor. 

“Ow! Kaiyo, you crushed my wings!”

“Ow Kaiyo, you crushed my wings.” The white-haired boy mocks her. “They’re not even fully grown yet, Okina.” 

Within a split second, the two of them are at each other’s throats. “Yeah? Well, neither are yours!”

“At least I can use mine.”

“Just because you can flutter them like a chicken doesn’t mean you can fly.” Okina isn’t backing down.

“Is this argument productive at all?”

Okina and Kaiyo turn quickly. The first thing they see is a large set of blue wings standing in front of the stove. The woman in front of it takes a step back to make sure she’s visible beyond said set of wings when she looks over her shoulder. 

You personally don’t understand why your two oldest are fighting. Hadn’t they just been playing tag outside? How did it end up inside your kitchen? Kaiyo was eight and Okina was six, so of course they would bicker more often than not. While being near different personalities, they had a lot in common and spent a majority of their freetime together–they were practically glued at the hip. Where one went, eventually the other would follow.

“I’m in the middle of making lunch, and if you wake up Eisuke and Emiri there will be a price to pay.” 

Those two are your youngest, your four-year-old twins. They were chaos in a handbasket, Emiri being the most rambunctious of all four children. She’s also your youngest. Eisuke on the other hand is the sweetest thing you could’ve asked for. He’s an old-soul in a small body, bringing you flowers he found in the backyard and wanting to help you make dinner. Emiri was nearly the spitting image of you, while Eisuke looked just like his father. They had been a surprise, but you couldn’t see your life without them here at this point. 

You had to have a c-section done for their birth, and made sure to have your tubes tied while you were still on the table. You weren’t interested in having any more babies, no matter what your husband said. Sure your house was big enough as it was thanks to your Grandmother Okina writing it to you in her will shortly before she passed away, but these four kids already ran you ragged at a pace you couldn’t compare. 

Before you could continue your nagging, you heard two small voices come through on your baby monitor. “Okay, you two, enough rough housing. Please go grab them and play with them until your father gets back with our guests from the airport, okay?”

“Sure, Mommy.” Okina replied without a beat of hesitation, pivoting on her toes and skipping out of the kitchen. Between her slender shoulder blades were two small wings. Near the base they were a deep red which then blended into a dark blue at the end. While she did not have constellations just yet, she did have a birthmark on the back of her neck that looked like a spitting image of the North Star.

Kaiyo kicks at an imaginary rock with his foot and sighs, heavy enough to throw his white bangs out of his face. “Yeah, I guess.” He turned and procrastinated on following the ashy blonde six year old. Between his shoulders was a set of wings that looked much like your own; a deep blue base except for a red fade with some spare constellations. His quirk was fire-dominant, though he hadn’t worked at it enough to discover its full capacity. He was supposed to start flying lessons soon enough anyway, just a few more months now.

You turned back to the large hotpot that you were currently tending to on the stovetop. You couldn’t wait for your guests to arrive. You hadn’t seen them since last Christmas, and it was midsummer now. The window above the kitchen sink allowed a warm summer breeze to cut through the kitchen and down the hallway. You loved this house. Not only was it absolutely perfect to raise a family in, but it being a traditional home meant that it was set up to allow a crossbreeze through the summer months. 

A soft meow near your feet made you look down to find Momo rubbing up against your calf. Yoshio was approaching you as well with a noise of his own, brushing up against the opposite leg. You enjoyed their small moment of affection before you identified your youngest running down the hallway with Okina and Kaiyo in tow.

“Mommy, Mommy!” 

Eisuke’s voice was full of excitement as he got closer. You made sure to step away from the hotpot before turning to embrace him. He collided with you with all of his weight, as if he hadn't seen you in two years though he had only been napping for maybe an hour and a half. 

“Hi baby. Did you have a good nap?” You asked him. Being surrounded by your family like this made your heart nearly burst with happiness.

“I did. Is Daddy home yet?”

“Not yet, but he should be with our friends any minute.”

Emiri attempted to pick up Yoshio while Okina and Kaiyo focused on Momo. The tomcat went limp in the young girl's arms and began to purr loudly. She squealed with delight and shuffled into the living room with him. Kaiyo left his other sister and Momo’s side to follow her and supervise her behavior with said cat. 

“What are you cooking?” Eisuke asked you, tugging on the bottom of your shirt when you rose back up to your full height. “Can I help?”

“Of course you can, go grab your stool and you can add the final spices in for me.” You instructed him gently, pulling said spices out of the cabinet so he could do so.

Eisuke’s small head of blond hair bounced excitedly as he rushed towards the side of the fridge to grab the stool with his name hand-painted on it. Each of them had one. He holds it triumphantly above his head before setting it down on the floor next to the counter edge. He steps up and you place your hand on his lower back to ensure he doesn’t fall. 

“Okay, now this one first.” You give him the container. “Give it five big shakes, okay?” He does as you say, counting together with you at the same time. 

“Good job, Eisuke! Now this one, do two shakes this time.” He is a fantastic listener, unlike Okina and Kaiyo who had gone into the living room with Emiri and the cats. 

Just after he gets down and is putting his step away do you hear the front door open. Keigo is the first voice you identify, followed by the only other people in the world you consider family. You put the hotpot on simmer so you can go greet them. Kaiyo, Okina, Eisuke, and Emiri are quick to join your side and follow you down the hallway. The twins are giggling and playing with one another while Kaiyo and Okina are whispering to each other. 

You shake your head before turning the corner into the foyer to find your husband stepping up in his sandals. He greets you with a kiss. Some of your children gag at the public display of affection. You don’t care to identify who it is because it changes by the day. 

“Hey stardust, we’re home.”

“Welcome back.” You greet him lovingly.