Chapter Text
Keigo Takami had spent most of his life in the air, relying mostly on his wings to get him from point A to point B in most situations. Flying was both faster and cheaper than any other mode of transportation available to him, and allowed him to take direct paths without encountering any traffic. Being so comfortable in the sky though meant he often had two left feet whenever it came to moving around on the ground. Any situation that required him to move gracefully on his own two legs was always a disaster waiting to happen.
“Keep your arms straight, Hawks.” The instructor eyes his posture critically before showing him the proper way to stand. “And try not to step on my feet.”
“Right,” he nods, wiping the light sheen of sweat from his forehead and then trying to mimic the pose once again.
Ever since meeting you, Keigo had been challenged in more ways than he could’ve ever imagined. It seemed like every date you’d suggested was designed to push him out of his comfort zone. He still blushed in embarrassment every time he remembered the way you’d laughed at him for flailing his limbs and wildly flapping his wings to try and remain upright the one time you’d both gone ice skating together. However, the memory of your breathtaking smile that day had warmed his heart and made him vow to always protect your happiness. He could also recall the time you’d begged him to hike Mount Fuji with you for your birthday. He’d whined and complained the whole way when you refused to let him take you in his arms and just fly to the top, but the view from the summit had ended up being incredible and he knew the effort had been worth it in the end.
“You’re meant to lead me,” the instructor laughs a little at his uncoordinated movements, “not the other way around.”
“Sorry,” he smiles sheepishly, wondering if he’d ever be able to get it right.
Being with you, Keigo had learned more than just how to function without his wings. He’d learned how to open up and trust another living person. For too long he’d had to rely on his own wit and strength to make it through each and every day. Understanding that he now had someone to lean on and share his burdens with was something that took quite a bit of getting used to. And more than once you’d had to remind him to include you in the things going on in his life. It took a lot of time and patience from both of you before healthy communication became a part of your daily routine. It felt as natural as breathing to him now, and he wondered how he’d ever kept so much bottled up inside him before.
“All right, now you’re getting it!” the instructor smiles and nods happily as she comments on his progress. “I never doubted you for a second.”
“Now that is just a bold faced lie,” he chuckles while doing a few stretches to end the class. “I definitely owe you a drink or two for putting you through this.”
It came as quite the surprise to Keigo that he was capable of being more than the number two winged hero, Hawks. Over the course of your relationship he’d discovered so much about both life and himself that he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to repay you for all the invaluable lessons. He was determined to try though, which is why he’d gotten down on one knee and asked you to marry him. He wanted to show you that he could be just as confident on the ground with you in his arms as he was by himself up above the clouds. To do that he had to fix his two left feet so that he could make your first dance together as a married couple as perfect and memorable for you as possible.