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Gunshots. Three of them. If he could just make it in time. She was right there. One wings width away now. He could save Y/N. He had to -
Her body went limp before he would grab her hand, slumping to the ground.
No. No, no, no.
Keigo dropped to the ground, cradling her head in his lap, his wings wrapping around the two in a red shield. It was instinct to protect her. Behind him, Aizawa and Fatgum narrowed their eyes at the villain in question, their hearts growing cold and their eyes loosing any previous apprehension. No one touched Hawk’s songbird and lived to tell the tale.
The red-winged man payed no mind to them, holding his love in his arms, stroking her forehead. God why? Why? He shut his golden eyes, willing away the tears meant to come. No, he could turn this around. Y/N would make it. She was strong, wasn’t she? Of course she was.
It had to happen to him. Of course. He didn't mean to be selfish at a time like this, but the universe always felt the need to include him in their twisted desires. If that meant taking his love from him, so be it.
`"K-Keigo.." Y/N's faint voice cut through his deprecating thoughts. His eyes snapped open, a crooning coming from him as he wiped the side of her face with a gentle hand.
"Oh, oh God you're alive." His throat felt constricted with emotions, body shaking like his feathers in the wind, legs completely limp and unable to move even if he wanted to.
A small broken laugh escaped the woman in front of him, turning into a hacking cough. Crimson liquid flew from her mouth and onto her shirt, and Keigo’s heart began to sink once more. “Hey, hey save your energy. We’re - we’re gonna get you to a hospital, okay? And we - we can get-”
“Keigo.” Y/N cut through her husbands rambling, a sad smile crossing her face. She’d accepted her fate, and this didn’t bode well with her love. “We both know I’m not gonna make it.”
“Don’t say that!” The winged hero hissed, pulling her into a tight embrace. “We’re gonna get you to Recovery Girl. She can save you and we’re gonna continue our nice life together and have the kids we want and retire cause damn the world if they steal you from me too.” He didn’t realize tears had begun streaming down his face until Y/N wiped them from his cheeks. She stared into his eyes, a salty tear rolling down her cheek.
Y/N knew. She knew the moment she had said ‘I do’ she was subjected to his life as a hero. That came with the risks she was willing to take to stay by his side. Was it worth it? For Keigo? One hundred percent. But with three bullets lodged into her side, her bleeding out and staining her and Keigo’s clothes and the pavement beneath them, she knew that the risks had finally caught up to her. It wasn’t surprising it had caught her sooner than expected.
“M' sorry, my lovebird.”
With those words, the dam broke. Keigo let out a wail, burying his head into Y/Ns shoulder, who wet his own shoulder with her salty tears. His shoulder shuddered with every broken noise coming from him.
Y/N gently pet his head, running her fingers through his hair for the final time. She always did love how soft his blond locks were. She loved braiding it when they were in the shower together, laughs and giggles coming from the two of them as Keigo stole kisses and grins from his baby bird.
They didn’t part till the duo heard sirens outside of Keigo’s wing barrier.
“I know it’s not much,” Y/N said, pulling her face from his shoulder. Her voice was surprisingly calm, softer than Keigo had ever heard it. “But I want you to know you couldn’t have loved me better.” Fresh tears rolled down their faces, and a smile appeared on Y/Ns face. Keigo didn’t know how she was able to smile through this pain, but it was contagious. He found a shaky smile coming to his face.
“Keigo,” she continued, brushing a cold hand along his face. “I could never have asked for a better husband. God knows you’re my personal hero.”
“God, I love you Y/N.” Keigo slowly touched their foreheads together, his wings fluttering softly and stretching out, letting in enough light so he could clearly see his wife’s face better.
Y/N reached for her husband’s hand, weakly grasping it and squeezing it. “And I love you, Keigo.”
They stayed like this till Y/N’s grasp weakened, till her soft breathing no longer tickled his face. Till her forehead moved from his, and he caught her. He had always been there to catch her. His mate. His songbird. His love.
More tears wet his neck and shirt, silent sobs wracking his body as he clung to Y/N tightly, eyes clenched shut and praying to whoever ran this cold and heartless universe to bring her back, to take away this one pain. He'd never ask for anything else again, just as long as he could have her back.
The universe didn't much care for his pleas.
Y/N. The one person who kept him sane on the nights when he felt the world crumbling around him. The one who laughed at his awkward dating moments when his wings puffed up to try to impress her. Y/N, who shared his love of chicken and who shared vows with him on that cold winter’s night three years ago.
Three years ago today.
Now she was gone from the world.
And now?
Now one could keep him from tearing apart the world.