Chapter Text
The night was quiet. No sound to be heard. Not a star in the sky to see.
Perched on the edge Hawks felt the pads of his feet dig into the soles of his boots, knees to his chest and his heel arched up to support the weight of his back as he looked over the street. Wings arched over his torso, red shining with the street lamps below, casting the gilded golden glow across the mask. Music filtered through the headset he wore, light piano caressing his thoughts. The first night in a new town was always quiet. On the heroes side it was more information gathering, taking him in and learning his patterns, relearning them considering they change with his location. Acknowledging that he’s here. No moves are ever made on the first night.
He hummed lightly, the voice changer he wore couldn’t even pick up the sound because of how quiet he was. Hawks knew he was being watched. Knew that the cameras were looking. Knew that the hero reports had already contained his future trajectory. He wasn’t nervous though, even if things didn’t play out with his expectations Hawks knew his means of navigation in this town, where to go, who to see, which places are safe or traps. He knew heroes. He knew villains. He knew vigilantes. They all acted the same in one way or another. They all acted thinking there was a level of rightness to their actions. In some way he was one in the same. Maybe he knew them so well because he was considered one of each of the three at one point in his life.
Taking in a deep breath he rolled his head back, neck cracking as he tilted it side to side. Looking up, the night sky stared back. How soulless, Hawks couldn’t help but think. With the way the sky gazed down at him as if he meant nothing, as if he was nothing more than a spec on the ground.
He supposed the sky would be right in that case.
With a deep breath he let his head relax once again, looking back down to the streets below. It was a quiet night all around. No petty thieves, or quirk law extremists. He didn’t even see any of Dabi’s sidekicks out on the ground. One would almost say maybe it was because he was in the block he lives on and the area was considered relatively deserted. Yet that didn’t make any sense, he saw number two himself in the middle of the night at Clenintimes not too long ago. Maybe it’s because he was out. Though Hawks had a reputation he didn’t think it would be that strong. It is only the first night, most civilians and threats wouldn’t know he was out yet.
Unless maybe someone who knows their way around in a villain's world managed to get his scurrying pattern. The heroes very likely know about his paths, but the villains shouldn’t. Thick brows pushed themselves together. It was the definition of being too quiet. Something was going on and he wasn’t entirely sure what it was.
Clenching his jaw, red wings jumped at the slight vibrations behind him. Hawks’ head was quick to turn to the side, glaring eyes peering through the opaque visor he wore over the top half of his face. Icey baby blues stared back at him, calm and collected, unafraid of the villain in front of them. Hawks wanted to tense up at the sight of Dabi before him, but he refused to express to the other any kind of physical ques he may have.
Dabi merely smiled at the other from where he stood several paces ahead, the back of his feet kissing the lip of the roof's edge. How easy it would be to get him to fall. Yet taking the action into serious consideration Hawks knew better than to let impulsive thoughts win, plus the hero wasn’t exactly a terrible person.
Though all this doesn’t change the fact that all of his expectations were flipped on their head. Nothing like this should happen on the first night. Maybe coming back here wasn’t his best judgment, but if he were to fly away now it would likely only cause further suspicion. Maybe Dabi would connect the mysterious blond to the deadly villain he spotted the next night. The way the hero wore that smile irked Hawks in a sense that the other had something up his sleeve. A plan predetermined and ready to execute, though he was confident in his ability to side step it completely.
“The infamous Hawks,” the hero spoke from where he stood, gaze turned down to where the other was crouching on the opposite edge, “I don’t know if I should feel honored or offended that you chose my area to hide in this time. Honored that you chose it in the first place or offended by the perceived judgment of my heroic abilities.” Hawks’ eyes never left the other, his sharpened gaze focused in on him, though the hero might not see it, based on the way his arm twitched he could certainly feel it.
Hawks could almost chuckle.
“Maybe a bit of both, I thought you just needed help around here is all.” One could hear the condescending smirk in his voice, he braved turning his head away from the other, “There’s a lot of dogs in this world, and they’re trained to bite yaknow? And people like you don’t even know their calling sign.” Hawks could feel Dabis gaze zero in on him, narrowing as he watched the villain remain unbothered where he perched. Hawks was half expecting the other to go on the standard hero tangent, which would inevitably lead to some kind of one on one fight, and Hawks gaining another personally attained enemy.
He almost sighed out. This dance he’s done is starting to get on his nerves. Hawks wasn’t entirely sure what he wanted from this life of running. He just knew he didn’t want to die. He just knew that he didn’t want others to fall down the same road as him. No other kid deserved to have their dreams used against them. No child needed to face the wrath of the commission first hand. Children weren’t meant to be soldiers for such cowardly adults.
“Then explain it to me.”
Hawks paused, slowly looking back to the other, sure enough he was still in the same spot, and hadn't moved an inch from when the villain last peered back. The hero hummed, slowly nodding, “I hope I’m exceeding your expectations.” At that point Dabi took a step forward, careful and he watched to see if the other would have any kind of reaction, and he didn’t. So he took another step, then another, and one more before the villain was standing, facing him with a down turned gaze.
Hawks is fast, that movement was done in just a second. If Dabi had blinked he would have missed it.
“I want to give you that moment, Hawks. Where you can lay everything out.” The winged villain had no response, so Dabi took it as a sign to continue talking, “I’ve looked through your files, listened to what everyone has had to say with your experiences.” He paused, just for a second, “You say there’s a lot of dogs in this world, and I want to understand you. I want to understand you because you’re not a hero killer like Stain was. Based on reported run ins you’ve explicitly told other heroes just to leave you alone, and even if they didn’t you would only leave them unconscious. The only connection between those you’ve actually killed is the fact that their training was all private with no specifics. That’s the only connection we have.”
Dabi did his research, and Hawks could respect that. This wasn’t the first time a hero has asked, though it is the first time they didn’t outwardly see him as a threat, though the others body language seemed to subconsciously expose he at least knew Hawks could take him out in a heartbeat given prompting.
“You’ve killed some, knocked out others, reports have said you have even saved civilian lives if the heroes and sidekicks of the area were preoccupied with bigger circumstances. No motives line up clearly, and on paper people can tell that there is an empty space in the middle of your story that desperately needs to be filled.” Dabi took a breath, straightening his shoulders as his back stood prouder, “Criminal or not, you are a human with motives and a life with reason, and that can not be ignored. It’s one thing to be a hero killer, it’s another to have hidden meaning that no one can see clearly.”
Hawks thought for a moment. He thought about slowly letting more of himself out. Maybe not now, not all at once, but in bits. Maybe letting such a big revelation such as full on government corruption be one of their own. Or maybe he could scream at the top of his lungs what they’ve done. To him. To his mother. To curse them out with tears running down his face, being pressed down beneath his mask. Something felt as though it was caught in his throat, keeping him from swallowing down rising bile.
Dabi was right in a lot of things.
Though as Keigo looked at him shame washed over his being in the idea of entangling him in the Commission's web. Based on his genuine heroic outburst of curiosity and concern Hawks had a few of his questions be answered. Dabi did want to help people, even if he was influenced by his father, he wanted to be an actual hero. Genuine, pure, and wholesomely, a hero.
His fingers felt as though they were buzzing, a sense of nostalgia ate at the lining of his head. Dabi is what a younger version of himself yearned to be. Dabi helped people, even if they were deemed unsavable, he was optimistic to a fault, and unhindered by others lapses in assumptions. Deep inside Hawks knew that some part of himself looked up to him. Commission dogs' corpses could lay around him, staining his hands red with their thickly coated blood and fresh sin, yet the other would extend a hand and ask why Hawks fell so far.
It’s why Hawks can’t tell him. Dabi shone too bright only for him to diminish the flame. People needed that kind of hope, and Hawks didn’t want to be the one to ruin that. There’s too many people who need saving. There’s too many kids who look up to the other. There’s too many families stuck in domestic abuse cycles. There’s too many people who need guidance. There’s too many people who need help.
Hawks lost his chance to be saved a long time ago. Though, he wasn’t bitter enough to take that chance away from everyone.
So he stiffened his upper lip, grit his teeth, and let his wings flare out slightly. Taking a step forward he watched the hero tense, watching Hawks’ hands to see if he were to grab any kind of weapon. The blond nearly forgot that heroes don’t know he can just use the feathers on his wings to kill, “Sorry to burst your bubble hero, but I’m uninterested in being the passion project of the number one's son, who is just so desperate to be out of his daddies shadow.” Hawks paused next to the other, their heads both turned so eyes could meet mask, “Why don’t you try again when I won’t be nothing more than your get out of jail free card.”
With that Hawks took two more steps before his wings stretched out fully and sent him to the sky. Looking over his shoulder he could see Dabi looking up to him, making no move in trying to follow him up through the clouds. Hawks’ eyes narrowed, brows pinched as he turned his head to look straight forward once again. A sense of something he couldn’t place washed over him.
How strange the other really seemed to be.
How strange he made Hawks.
Hawks barely knew him outside of half baked introductions, impulsive actions, and news feed, but he felt as though he could properly map out his intentions. His ideals. His morals. Maybe the other was just so unapologetically himself that it all made sense to Hawks so quickly. Letting the wind rush by him he closed his eyes and took in the air.
He was a different person when he was Hawks and Keigo could feel a crack form in his persona that night.
He couldn’t tell if it was for better or worse.
“ There's helicopters over my head, every night when I go to bed. Spending money and I earned it, when I'm lonely, that's when I'll burn it. Do you feel ashamed when you hear my name?”
Keigo frowned from where he laid on the roof. The sky was starless still and his back was bare of wings, feathers hidden in the crummy apartment down below. He had climbed up the fire escape to get here. Last night's run in with Dabi was weird, and it’s been the only thing on his mind since. The idea that someone wanted to learn more about Hawks past the mask. That the mask slipped so easily for the first time around someone he barely knew. It didn’t make sense to him, and it hurt to know that if he caved in and explained everything it could also put the other at risk too. Hawks isn’t a monster. He wouldn’t ever subject someone to such a fate such as the Commissions hit list. He would never wish their eyes to be put on anyone else.
A sigh escaped him as a wobbling feeling encompassed his eyes.
He was truly trapped to this unwilling destiny. Still stuck in the same cage they put him in, yet the bars are thicker and the golden paint has worn off. Closing his eyes he wanted to fall through the concrete building, and fall until his back lay broken and bruised on the ground. Should he tell anyone what happened they would be hunted as well, a rifle aimed at them at all times as they tried to continue simply living their life as intended. Anyone good enough to extend a helping hand, was far too good of a person to feel the burning edge of the consequences of Keigo accepting the help.
He truly was unsavable. No path was safe to take. All he could do was run until his inevitable death found home with him. His hand raised to his temple, rubbing at the sides of his forehead until he could fake feeling calm again. Until he could take a breath, feeling heavy and labored where he was, biting at his bottom lip his teeth pinched the muscle until the taste of metallic flooded his senses. Hawks wished he could turn back time and tell the younger version of himself that becoming a hero wasn’t worth it. To avoid the Commission at all costs, because no matter what he would end up a criminal. A villain.
Just like his father.
He quickly shook the thought away. That man deserves no space in Keigo's mind. He was nothing more than a figment of the past now, and he is going to stay that way. No matter how far Keigo falls he refuses to be associated with such a psychopath, especially by his own judgment. A bit of his chest fell inwards at his thoughts, both hands found comfort on his face, rubbing down his features as he contemplated how he got here.
Yet when the image of an old friend being held up by rope strung by her neck, paired with the clear voice of his trainers' blame being focused on Hawks, he doubled back. They had blamed him for the death of his friend. It was the last straw, the nail in the coffin, the last unforgivable piece of memory he endured from them. They said he wasn’t fast enough to save her, that he was too slow, that he should have seen the signs earlier. That he should have been a true hero and help her as he was groomed to do.
He couldn’t take the blame. It hurt too much. His unit deserved so much more than the abuse that the Commission forced onto them. They all deserved better.
He remembered seeing his mothers mangled corpse after Nagnat was captured. He remembered putting a feather through the throat of those who did it. That was his snapping point. Hawks was already being hunted, he had already killed his first Commission sent assassin and more were going to follow. They wanted the glory of killing a sixteen year old. They were all just dogs following orders. Sitting for a treat and attacking for a rank. It disgusted him. It disgusted him more how he nearly was one.
Hawks doesn’t kill heroes, he puts down dogs.
Dogs with blood stained paws and flesh between teeth. They attempt to kill him. He kills them.
Heroes aren’t dogs. Heroes do their best. Heroes make people smile. Heroes make people safe. Heroes capture villains, but they don’t know about the dogs. Which is fine. Maybe it’s for the best, that way they can avoid falling into the same fate as them, and as him. They can remain ignorant to it. Not necessarily a bad thing, just a statement of fact. Heroes and dogs didn’t need any kind of overlapping. They were separate, and Hawks wanted to keep it that way.
Letting out a sigh he let his eyes close. The breeze pushed past his hair, his face, cold yet real. He was a real person. Sometimes he would end up forgetting that if he got lost in the moment of not being himself. Thud. Jumping into an upright sitting position his eyes went wide open and caught an equally surprised pair of blue eyes. Blinking back once Dabi smiled, one eyebrow raised and white teeth on display, “ Heeey. ” Keigo sighed, falling back on the ground with a, “Oh my fucking God.” Laughter slowly bubbled from his throat as his hands carted themselves across his face, “Oh my fucking God you scared the absolute shit out of me!” He yelled to the hero, trying to gain control over his quickly thrumming heart. He almost felt caught red handed simply thinking those thoughts so close to a hero.
Dabi smiled at Keigo where he now stood, “I hope that’s of admiration and pleasant surprise.” The blonds head shot up, eyes wide as he watched the other make his way beside him and sitting down, “How the fuck is me yelling out you scared the shit out of me suppose to be a pleasant surprise?” Dabi shrugged his shoulders in response, grinning to the other so hard that the corner of his eyes crinkled, “Maybe just because it’s me.” He hummed out in response, clearly overly pleased with himself.
As Keigo laid back down his head shook, running his hand over his features to take the stress away from his very being, “What are you even doing up here? Running into each other two times in one week is a bit excessive, don’t tell me you patrolled this area to find me again, pretty boy.” It was said in a joking manner but when the other didn’t respond and golden eyes flickered over to the other man Keigo was merely met with a smirk glowing in his direction, his playful smile dropped in an instant, “Don’t tell me you actually did that.”
“You called me pretty.” Dabi dragged out the last word, swaying left to right with a dopey smile on his face, clearly attempting to get a reaction out of Keigo. Which worked incredibly well as the blond now smacked the side of his thigh, eliciting a yelp from the hero who jumped, “Don’t go all terminator on me blondie, I have sidekicks running the rest of the area. Plus it’s a quiet night, nothing seems to be going down.” A sigh escaped Keigo as he relaxed back down onto the concrete of the roof, “You said that the next time we saw each other I could score your number.”
“I said, maybe.”
“Maybe is good enough for me.”
Keigo shook his head in disbelief, gentle laughter rolling out of him. The pair settled into a blanketed silence mixed with their presence. It was calm and soft in a way as they stared at the blank canvas of the dark sky. Keigo’s sensitive senses picked up on the others' breathing, slow and steady, and from the side of his gaze he could take in Dabi’s features as his head tilted back. Suddenly his gaze turned, head unmoving yet his eyes bore into Keigos, “What are you, dear civilian, doing up here anyways?” He asked, yet the tone was a level of cautiously playful curiosity. Acknowledging that the answer he could get might not be something one would want to hear. No one really lays on the roof to stare at the sky just for the fun of it these days.
Chewing on the inside of his cheek, Keigo pondered his answer for a moment. He wasn’t exactly in a space to tell the other he was thinking about how the government killed his mother, blamed him for his friend's death, questioned his mental state when he was his villain persona, and was thinking about how he pretty commonly had assassins after him. So instead he merely shrugged at the hero. His head tilted back to the side to look up to the clouds, “I guess I’m just thinking some things over.” Dabi nodded at the answer, accepting it rather graciously without trying to pry at the others personal business, “I get you.”
The silence between them returned.
It wasn’t imposing or straining, it washed over them like autumn leaves raining down on those who pass by the trees they once rested on. The two didn’t need to talk. They could sit and be human, and be okay with that. Keigo appreciated the motionless gesture of understanding and humility. Being able to put the hero mask down just a bit more than he already was, and just be.
Hawks really did appreciate Dabi.
Keigo thought he was pretty neat as well.
Running his tongue over his teeth and letting out a huff of air after a few minutes of parallelled relaxation Keigo turned his head back to face the other, “You know, you really shouldn’t be leaving the rest of your area to the hands of your sidekicks, what if they need you?” Dabi turned to meet the others gaze, a smile forming on his face, “My sidekicks know what they’re doing, if they’d need me it would be for a threat I already know about.” Hawks nodded, trying to not think of the line's implications and what that said about himself, “But if it makes you uncomfortable I can stop, under a condition of course.”
His voice was like honey, sweet as he spoke and it pulled Keigo that much deeper into the small talk, “Oh really? And what might that be?” This was a dangerous game. Hawks knew that. Acknowledged how stupid he was really being, how careless he was acting, “Well, if I have your number then we can plan when to hang out, rather than me having to change my patrol patterns a bit on a nightly basis to see my favorite mysterious blond.” Keigo chuckled out, a smile growing slowly across his features, “You mean being a stalker?” The hero gasped, a hand being thrown to his chest, “Me? A stalker? I merely protect fine citizens such as yourself!”
Keigo laughed out, head turning back up to face the sky. The clouds parting just enough to reveal a handful of merely impossible to see stars. This was a dangerous game.
His head turned back to the other once again, extending his hand out towards Dabi, “Give me your phone then, hero.”
And Keigo desperately yearned for the adrenaline.
He watched Dabi’s face light up, hand in his pocket so quick Keigo could barely see it dip in, before a phone was soon laid in his own hand. Bringing it up to his face he navigated his way to the contacts and threw his number in. Pausing for a second to think of a nickname and then handing the phone back to the other.
Why was he playing this stupid game? Why was he going along with such impulsive ideas? Maybe he had grown so exhausted from running his subconscious needed an outlet, no matter the potential consequences.
Dabis face morphed as he let out a terrible laugh, “Chicken lover?” He yelled out to Keigo, it only brought a grin to Keigo’s face, “It’s true.” Dabi was folding over with laughter even though Keigo hardly understood why it was so funny to him, “I’ll make sure to keep that in mind when we meet up next time.” Keigo nodded in return, “Oh of course, but if we’re going out to a restaurant I get first pick. I know the best place around here and the owners are super nice.” Stretching his limbs out he popped a few joints, stiff from the material he was laying on.
Silence. For a moment he was worried that maybe he said the wrong thing, that maybe he overstepped somehow. Yet those worries were quick to dissipate, “It’s a date then.”
Keigo’s face warmed up ever so slightly as he hummed back. Voice quiet in volume.
“It’s a date.”
They spent a majority of the remainder of their time that night simply enjoying each other's presence. Dabi was right. It was a quiet night.
Keigo woke up the following morning to a gif of a cartoon chicken saying good night at the presumed time when the other fell asleep, and it warmed his heart to know that the other was thinking of him.
On the other side of that coin it terrified him to know how closely he was suddenly being watched.
Still, he smiled.