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To say she was nervous was an understatement.
Fuyumi walked up to the mirror for what felt like the hundredth time.
‘It still looks too short.’
The baby blue dress was shimmering in the low light of her desk lamp. The glitter twinkling as she turned. It hugged her body tightly, especially around the chest and it ended right above her thighs making the idea of bending over a non-option.
A nervous sigh left her lips.
She jumped when her phone suddenly buzzed on her bed. The bright light illuminating the dark room.
She squinted her eyes as she looked at the screen.
New message.
‘I’m here. Hurry up we’re already late.’
Parties weren’t exactly her scene. They’re often too crowded and too loud for her pace, but she wanted to try something different tonight.
Plus, it was a Saturday and she had already finished grading papers.
So, when her friend Miko had asked her if she wanted to come with her to a house party downtown, she agreed to go out for once.
‘I hope I don’t stick out or anything.’
She grabbed her purse and typed on her phone.
‘Coming.’
-
As she walked downstairs, she tried to be as quiet as possible.
Dad was still sleeping, and she normally didn’t leave the house this late.
At least he was resting now.
Her dad recently had an encounter with a villain that resulted in prolonged injuries.
According to the doctor, he needed to have eight hours of sleep as he recovered, with no extreme use of his quirk, and he had to take his medication daily. Which he hated to do, so as per usual, meant Fuyumi was in charge of making sure he did so.
With light steps, she walked over to the kitchen. She checked the pill bottle with his name on it.
The pill she had set on top of the cap was gone, so she assumes (hopes) he took it.
She stood there for a few more seconds in the dark, just listening to the silence of her home.
With Shouto living at UA and Natsuo at the University, the house felt surprisingly lonely at times.
‘Maybe I should move out soon?’
She glanced at her father’s room.
She shook her head out of the idea and walked towards the door.
-
“Oh.” The noise left her mouth before she could think to stop.
When she opened the passenger side door there was a girl already sitting there.
“Go to the back.” Miko pointed with a red acrylic thumb, not looking up from her phone. She noticed the girl in the passenger seat didn’t look at her either.
Fuyumi walked over, opening one of the doors to the backseats.
Two other girls were also there, huddled close to one another as they looked at their phones, hushed giggles erupting from their lips.
She sat down, closing the door behind her, and once inside, tried to scoot as close to the door as possible.
The girls next to her continued to whisper and giggle occasionally.
As they drove, Fuyumi pulled out her own phone. Not looking at anything in particular, but contemplating if she should say something.
She didn’t recognize any of the other girls in the car.
Should she introduce herself?
“Um, where is the party again?” She already knew the answer but at least she said something.
“Downtown in one of the richer neighborhoods apparently. I have the address on my phone. Looks pretty full already.” Miko answered from the driver’s seat.
Her stomach began to churn with nerves.
She hasn’t been to a house party since her college days and talk of how crowded it already was didn’t help at all.
She pressed her forehead against the glass, listening to the low hum of the car engine.
Her eyes glanced over at the girls next to her.
She wished Miko had at least told her she was bringing other people.
Not that Fuyumi was anti-social or anything, just a heads up of some kind would have been nice.
She moved her head slightly, snuggling up against the glass.
Maybe she was just being prickly because she was nervous.
-
As they arrived, she deemed her nerves completely warranted.
The house was huge and there were people everywhere.
The house itself looked like a western-style mansion. A long uphill walkway led to the front entrance, showing two white double doors that had people constantly entering and exiting.
Loud music could be heard in the distance from where Fuyumi stood.
‘Who on earth is even throwing a party this big!?’
She picked at the bottom of her dress.
This may have been a mistake.
A sudden hand on her back jolted her out of her thoughts.
“Hey, snap out of it. I called you twice.”
Oh, it’s just Miko.
Fuyumi adjusted her glasses.
Outside of the car, she could fully see her friend.
Miko looked amazing as always.
Her long brown hair spilled in curls over her shoulders, Dark eye makeup made her green eyes stand out more, and was complemented by the short red dress she was wearing.
“Sorry, I got lost in thought.”
Fuyumi began to walk towards the house with the other girls, her head tilted downwards looking at the ground.
She let out a frustrated sigh.
“You didn’t tell me it was going to be like this.” She spoke up as she continued walking.
“Like what?” Miko didn’t look at her.
“Like this. I thought it would be a small gathering.” Fuyumi wrapped her arms around her body. Not because she was cold.
“Since when is a house party a “small gathering?”
She turned her head to look at Miko. “Not small, small. But…I guess…not like this.”
Miko didn’t reply, so Fuyumi decided to just give up on the conversation.
As they continued walking, Miko turned her head to look at her.
“I’m surprised you actually wore the dress I picked.”
Fuyumi looked down at her sparkly dress, pulling it down a little as they walked.
She felt a sheepish smile forming on her lips. “Well, it is very pretty…and expensive. It would be a waste not to.”
Miko smirked. “A nice change from those granny clothes you’re always wearing.”
Fuyumi frowned at that. She liked her clothes. They were professional.
Being close to the door, the music from the inside was much louder.
The girls ahead of them walked in first, then Fuyumi and Miko.
-
Inside was almost dizzying. The room was washed in blue light, Fuyumi had to blink a few times to adjust her vision. The music was so loud it vibrated the floor beneath, and the bass spread throughout her body.
People were everywhere, crammed inside the house in every corner.
Looking around, the house seemed even larger on the inside. There were stairs that led up to the second floor. As she looked up, she could see people leaning on the balcony, red cups in hand, and speaking loudly above the music.
Fuyumi looked over to where Miko once stood beside her.
She was gone.
What?
She scanned the area, standing on the tips of her toes, trying to look over the crowd. She spotted a red dress amongst the sea of people and began to push her way through.
Once she finally reached Miko she tugged on her arm.
Miko’s head snapped to look at her, giving her a frown.
Fuyumi knew why. Nevertheless, she continued to hold onto her arm as to not get lost.
They seemed to all reach their destination when they stopped at a long couch filled with guys in the corner. The area reeking of cigarette smoke.
Some of the men stopped their conversations to look at them.
Amongst them, a guy with brown hair and a black and white button-up looked at them as they approached.
“Well, well look who actually showed up!” His voice was filled with excitement, and he seemed to be addressing Miko.
“As if I would miss this.” Miko’s tone was flat in framed disinterest.
Fuyumi looked around; she didn’t recognize any of the men here.
“Yeah, yeah well I’m glad you actually came.” He put out the cigarette in his hand on the couch, leaving a black hole on the otherwise nice fabric.
Standing up he gave Miko a friendly hug. Miko didn’t return it, though he didn’t seem to mind.
Letting go he looked at the other girls.
“I see you brought friends.”
“Yeah.” Miko lifted her hand to point at them individually.
“Azusa, Rika, Mio and Fuyumi.” She pointed back to the guy in the button-up. “This is Renta. He’s the one who invited us and a world-class asshole.” Miko said dryly.
“Oh, Miko! You wound me!”
The girls all gave their individual greetings. Fuyumi shyly waved her hand a little with a polite smile.
“Awesome, nice to meet you guys.” Renta’s eyes gave them a once over before looking back at Miko.
“What are you losers doing anyway?” Miko asked with a hand on her hip.
“Just chillin’.” He sat back down, putting an arm over the back of the couch. “Why don’t you sit with me?”
Miko’s face contorted into a frown. “As if, it’s a party.” she crossed her arms, lifting her brow at him. “I wanna dance.”
Renta clicked his tongue dramatically. “Fine.”
Fuyumi watched as the girls with them took their own individual seats, making conversation with the guys on the couch.
Before Miko could walk off, Fuyumi tapped her shoulder. Raising her voice so she could be heard above the music.
“Hey, um…what do I do? I don’t know anyone here.”
Miko looked at her as if she just asked the dumbest question in the world.
“Uh, socialize? Dance? You’ve been to a party before.”
And with that Miko disappeared into the crowd with Renta following close behind her.
Yes, she had been to parties before but with people, she actually knew.
Her eyes looked back over at the couch. The girls they came with were mingling well with the rest of the guys and with Miko gone it left Fuyumi to stand there awkwardly.
Looking at the couch, then at the rest of the house, she decided looking for a place to wait this out was best.
But wasn’t she supposed to be having fun? Isn’t that why she came here?
She began pushing her way through the crowd.
Sweaty bodies and heat radiated around her as she tried to squeeze through dancing individuals. Some jumped after making brief contact with her and she cringed when she was bumped into something warm and wet.
Outside of the hustle and bustle though, she spotted the staircase from earlier. It looked like a good place to hide out for a while.
Making her choice she finally exited the large crowd and walked towards the stairs.
It was a little strange.
The area around was relatively empty it seemed.
She walked past a group of people chatting and a couple making out, but other than that no one seemed to be occupying near it.
As she walked up the steps, she thought she heard a tumbling sound, but it was hard to tell over the music.
She did however feel a buzzing sensation at her hip coming from her small purse.
Who would be texting her this late?
‘Did dad wake up?’
As she stopped walking to get her phone, she heard a loud bang, like something hard hitting the floor, followed by the sound of multiple people shouting.
Suddenly flashes of colors sped past her, along with the sound of running feet.
Something hard slammed into her shoulder knocking her phone right out of her hand.
Everything happened so fast she didn’t have time to register that her feet were also no longer on the ground.
She was falling backwards.
Her body tensed, eyes shutting tight preparing for impact.
But it never came.
She peeked one of her eyes open slightly.
She saw the ceiling.
But she wasn’t on the ground.
Blinking, her eyes opened fully to her surroundings.
There was pressure on her upper back.
She wiggled her foot and could feel that both feet were barely touching the step she was on. Only her toes grazing it. Her body began to slowly untense in curiosity.
She was floating in mid-air? No, something caught her.
“Hey now, that’s no way to treat a lady.” A smooth male voice said.
The pressure on her back was suddenly pushing her forward, until both feet were once again firmly planted on the step below.
A swarm of red feathers suddenly appeared from behind her along with her phone. She stared at them before opening her hands as they floated to her.
The pile of feathers gently sat her phone down on her open palms, then retreated to their source.
At the top of the staircase stood a shadowy silhouette with glowing yellow eyes. Behind it were a pair of large wings where the feathers disappeared too.
A burst of fear lit up in her chest, making her stand frozen in place.
“And just when I was beginning to give my heroic speech.”
The figure let out a sigh and began walking lazily down the steps.
Their appearance was made more visible by the blue lights of the party.
‘Wait…’
He stopped a few steps just below where Fuyumi stood.
“Well, maybe next time. Actually, hopefully, there won’t be a next time.”
He must have sensed her staring because he turned his head to look at her.
For some reason having his gaze directed on her made her more nervous.
“Ah, sorry miss! I got distracted. Are you alright?’
She heard that meeting celebrities was a surreal experience.
Meeting someone you're used to seeing on a screen in real life. However, she didn’t think she would be affected, with her dad being a pro hero and all.
She had been wrong, because all she could do was stare at the number 2 hero of Japan.
She wasn’t big on heroes. She appreciated the work they did but, outside of dad and the news she didn’t pay them much mind. Though even she had seen the now, number 2 hero on tv.
Now here he was standing in front of her in casual attire.
He seemed so much bigger in real life. Even though he was on the steps below her, making them matching heights, it still felt like he was taking up most of the space.
Maybe it’s the wings?
Oh, wait! She still hadn’t said anything!
Hawks was still standing there patiently.
“Oh…uh yes! I’m fine.”
“Good, good you got sideswiped pretty hard. Sorry about that. That was kiiiinda my fault.”
Fuyumi looked at him questioningly.
“Those guys were trying to steal some expensive items from upstairs. I caught them in the act and politely asked them to put everything back, but I guess that spooked ‘em.”
“Oh.” Was all she had to say about that apparently.
“Yeah, sorry again, have a nice night.” He gave her a friendly wave and was beginning to walk down the stairs, but Fuyumi’s brain-to-mouth filter must have been faulty because-
“What are you doing here?”
Hawks turned back to look at her, eyebrows raised in surprise.
‘Ah! Oh my gosh! That was so rude!’
She put her hands out in front of her. Gesturing wildly in panic. “I mean…I mean…What I meant was, what are you doing here specifically!? You know, because your famous! Isn’t it dangerous!?”
Hawks recovered quickly from his surprise and let out a small chuckle.
“I come to these things from time to time. Most people here are used to it.”
“Oh…I…I didn’t know that.”
She bowed her head down in embarrassment.
“You’re not from around here.” It wasn’t a question.
She looked up from the rim of her glasses. “No…I’m not. I came here with some friends but…they had other things to do, so, here I am.” She shrugged and said it with a small smile.
Hawks nodded in acknowledgment.
“To be completely honest I’m not really a party person.” Fuyumi ran her hands under the bottom of her dress, she sat down on the step. Why was she still talking?
“In what sense?” Hawks asked, standing in the same spot. She brought her knees up and wrapped her arms underneath them.
“I just…don’t really go to these kinds of things.” Hawks was silent for a few seconds before asking her another question.
“So why come now?”
It wasn’t a bad question. Fuyumi had been wondering the same thing. She told herself she just wanted to try something different but…
She inhaled. “I don’t know, I just…a lot has happened lately. I guess…I wanted to…”
Suddenly everything came crashing down. Everything that had happened in the past year hit her all at once.
Her little brother being hospitalized multiple times in his first year of high school.
His school being attacked by villains.
Her dad taking so many shifts he’s rarely home.
His sluggish steps as he walked back in after it was all over.
His latest injury that now had him on medication until further notice.
All Might’s retirement.
The increase in criminal activity.
“I just…”
She could feel tears prickling. Threatening to spill onto her cheeks.
“I…”
Her lungs felt heavy as she tried to breathe in through her nose.
“One of my students, he likes All Might. He wants to be a hero too…he’s very energetic and talkative. Always raises his hand in class.” A sad smile formed on her lips as she felt salty water slowly drip down her face. “But for the past couple of days lately, he’s been, so…quiet. So, I went over and asked him if everything was ok.”
A stray tear slid to her lip. She closed her mouth to quickly lick it away.
“He said that his mom had been attacked at her flower shop last week and that she was in the hospital. They knocked her out with a bat and…they…they destroyed everything. They got the money from the register, but they still destroyed the place.” She looked back up at Hawks.
“He said that his mom’s shop was in a good area of the city... but it happened in broad daylight…” Her lungs were feeling clogged the more she spoke but, for some reason, she couldn’t stop.
She looked back down.
“He asked me if things would be bad like that all the time, now that All Might’s gone.”
Her eyes looked at her shoes.
Hawks’ voice sounded far away as he spoke. “What did you say?"
She looked up at him and let out a broken laugh.
“What could I say? What could you say to a child other than “no everything will be alright?”
That sounded meaner than it should have been.
Hawks didn’t answer her. She wasn’t sure she was really asking a question.
She turned her head to look over at the party between the railing of the stairs. The music around them had switched to something low, making it easier to speak normally.
Goodness, what was she doing here? What did she want from being here? What were THEY doing? How could they…act like everything was normal.
Why was she so angry at them for it?
She rested her forehead in her palms.
Why was she pouring her heart out to a pro hero? A stranger.
She had been thinking about this for days. Worrying for months. No one knew what was going to happen with All Might gone.
Social media was full of “What are we going to do? Who’s going to save us now? All is lost.”
In the wake of his retirement, All Might left a road of chaos that was stirring to the surface, and no one was blind to it.
And now her dad had to take his place.
Her dad, who was nearing his late forties and was walking slower, aching more often, and lately, was passing out on the couch before he could even make it to his room.
She thought of the jagged scar that was now slashed across his face.
Even back when she laid awake in fear of him, when he was just this big scary man in her house, she viewed her dad as this powerful being, an unstoppable force that would never stop burning.
But his scar stood as a reminder.
That he was just as breakable as anyone else.
A sign that things were changing.
Everything spiraled all at once and it made her feel like she couldn’t breathe.
Why couldn’t she do anything?
And look at her now, venting to the number 2 hero in the country as if he had some sort of solution to all her problems.
She released a wet sigh and roughly wiped the tears from her cheeks.
Much to her dismay, her voice came out in a choked sob as she spoke.
“The world just seems like a really ugly place right now.”
She kept her gaze on the floor.
She didn’t have the guts to look up at Hawks.
Then, she suddenly heard him moving.
From her peripheral vision, she could see him walking up towards her.
Her head shot upwards, and her eyes followed him; and to her shock, he took a seat right next to her on the step.
It was a tight fit. Hawks’ wings took up so much space, and the small room they did have was incredibly narrow. She jumped when the wing closest to her moved, fanning out to rest behind her back, to make a more comfortable fit. She leaned forward more, so she wasn’t touching it. The other wing was almost comically squished against the wall.
She looked over at him. He was looking forward, with a smile on his face.
Arm resting on his knee as his foot sat on the step just below them.
Hawks spoke with his smile remaining.
“The world’s always been an ugly place.”
Guilt instantly pooled into her stomach.
She was being so insensitive.
Hawks being a pro-hero, (number 2 in Japan no less) more than likely had enough on his plate.
And most likely had worse stories to tell.
Now here she was, subconsciously letting out her frustrations at him, at heroes. Because, what? It affecting her personally? How could she be so selfish?
She tucked her head back down. Hiding, what she did best. “I’m sorry.”
He let out a chuckle under his breath. “For what? Being unhappy with the way things are? You don’t need to feel sorry for that.”
She glanced at him through her bangs. “I know, but I’m sure you have a lot to deal with already; with everything that’s been happening recently.”
His eyes were once again on her, and the same nervousness crept up her spine.
“It’s part of the job.” He replied casually. “Though, I do agree. All Might being out of the game leaves quite the gap, and criminals can definitely see it too.”
He looked away from her to look ahead at the stairs below. The same relaxed smile firm on his lips.
“They’re taking a chance they never had before.”
Though the words came out casual, for Fuyumi they made her feel like she was going to sink into the floor. She looked back down, letting out a broken hum of agreement.
She could feel Hawks’ eyes return to her, but she didn’t look up.
“Do you want me to tell you everything will be ok?”
Fuyumi shook her head.
“Good, because the truth is no one can say that for sure. We’re dealing with something completely unpredictable. To say that we have everything under control would be a cruel lie.”
Fuyumi let his words sink in. Her hands gripped at the carpet below as a wave of anxiety crashed into her.
She had tried to share her concern about her dad’s new position and his slower movements with Natsuo but-
“What can you do? Tell him to stop? You think he’ll listen?” The last question came out venomous. “Look, just leave him be. You don’t need to take care of him.”
“But-”
“Stop worrying Fuyumi.”
Stop worrying.
Worrying was all she knew.
How could she ever stop?
She couldn’t bring it up to mom; she didn’t want her to worry or worse, overwhelm her and throw her into an attack.
Not to her little brother either. He had enough to think about with UA.
Plus, she was still getting to know him. Her own little brother.
“Ah!”
Her body jumped violently. Something soft had brushed against her cheek.
Her head snapped up to see a red feather, floating close to her face.
She followed it with her eyes as it returned to Hawks and was greeted with a warm smile and sharp eyes.
“But that doesn’t mean you should count the rest of us out just yet. We’re no All Might, but that doesn’t mean we’re not preparing for the worst. We’re doing all we can to match what might be coming, including our new number one. For now, all we can do is keep moving forward, do our jobs, and try and protect the public.”
Fuyumi blinked.
Her stomach still coiled, but slowly, warmth was beginning to pool in, and a clumsy smile was forming on her lips.
‘He really is as nice as the news says.’
She tossed her head back, so her tears didn’t fall. She released a broken laugh and sniffed.
“I’m so sorry. I must look like a mess.”
“Not at all. You look fine.”
That wasn’t true but she took the compliment without argue.
“But, the number one hero, Endeavor, he’s pretty old too, do you think he’s built for what might be coming?” She asked meekly.
Hawks raised an eyebrow. “Endeavor? Ah, don’t worry about him. He’s more powerful than all of us, and even when he does push himself too far, I’m there to help.”
He suddenly leaned forward, close to Fuyumi’s face and she tried to back away but only managed to hit her head against the railing of the stairs.
He put a hand up as if he were going to tell her a secret.
“And, between you and me, I’ve gotten pretty good at walking the elderly home.”
She tried to conceal it, but the puffing of her cheeks did nothing to stop the burst of laughter that erupted from her lips.
Hawks was smiling next to her, and she continued to laugh until tears formed in the corners of her eyes, yet again.
Her legs loosening and falling as she clutched her stomach.
When she calmed down, she almost missed what Hawks had said.
“Sooo, you’re a teacher?” Hawks asked.
She huffed out a breath and wiped at her eye.
If it were possible, her cheeks would probably be red with embarrassment.
“Yes, ehm, I’m a kindergarten teacher.”
She was surprised to see genuine interest glow on his face. Yellow orbs widening and eyebrows raised.
“Wow, right at the quirk awakening age. Must be difficult, yeah?”
She giggled.
“Well, not all the time! In fact, most kids are more scared if anything. It can be a lot at first, even if they know it might happen. You have to let them know they’re not alone.”
Talking about her kids always made her feel better.
“Makes sense, it can be pretty scary, especially depending on the quirk.”
Fuyumi briefly wondered if Hawks could really relate. To her knowledge Hawks has a mutation quirk which was usually born-based.
She nodded. “Most of my students tend to have emitter quirks, so it ranges. Sometimes you have a child who can make people dizzy when they concentrate too hard on a test; other times you have a child who can talk to dogs.”
Hawks huffed out a laugh.
“Hm, even so, it’s a big responsibility. Teaching and preparing the next generation.”
Fuyumi didn’t know if she would take it as far as to say she was “preparing the next generation.”
She waved her hand around. “Oh, I wouldn’t say all that, I’m just teaching them the most basic skills.”
A sound, like a chuckle with a sharp edge, comes out of the hero.
“Basic skills essential for survival, how to read and count; not everyone is privileged to such things. You’re doing more than you think.”
She never thought of it that way.
She picked at her nails and looked down. “Well anyhow, their parents are the ones who usually help with quirk awakenings.”
“Must still be a handful. Teachers should really get paid more nowadays just for that alone.”
That brought another giggle from her lips.
She didn’t reply as Hawks continued talking. He was speaking about the educational system and how teachers don’t get paid enough for all their hard work. But Fuyumi had started to zone out.
Not in a bad way though.
It’s just that Hawks moved around…a lot.
His arms and hands move around while he speaks. Gesturing wildly to emphasize his words.
It’s interestingly child-like. A lot of her students do the same when they want to explain something or if they're excited.
She had to hold in her amusement of seeing a pro-hero behave this way.
Instead, she spent her time watching his arms and hands.
She focused her eyes on his hands in their fidgeting movements.
The tendons were visible as he flexed his fingers around. On some fingers rested several rings varying in size. His short fingernails seemed to be painted black.
She’s never seen a man wear nail polish before, but she thinks it looks nice on him. Maybe it’s to fit his “rebellious” persona?
Moving her eyes upward to his torso, Hawks was wearing a white long-sleeve that hung loosely at the wrists. Enough that she could see underneath it. He was wearing an array of different bracelets.
A necklace with a silver pendant shaped like a feather hung around his neck and his shoulders looked broad.
Though blonde hair had become more of the norm in Japan after the awakening of quirks, something about Hawks’ feathered blonde seemed foreign. Looking more like feathers then actual hair, and she briefly wondered if it felt the same.
He was wearing earrings, though the lighting made it hard to tell what color they were.
And his eyes.
Sharp black markings were around them and she wondered if they were natural.
His pupils were pinned. Like a cat’s, and, for some reason it made goosebumps rise on her skin.
Beyond his pupils were yellow iris, and upon closer inspection, she saw a tint of orange, red? At the very edge, as if it were creeping in slowly and would one day, take over the yellow.
His eyes were kind of overwhelming, it looked like he could see so much, maybe even right through her, to her flesh and bones if he wanted to.
And they weren’t blinking.
He wasn’t blinking.
He had stopped talking.
Fuyumi jumped as her mind came back to reality.
Hawks blinked for what seemed like the first time in a while. His smile widening.
“Oh sorry, I thought we were having a staring contest.”
Fuyumi cringed back in embarrassment. She had moved closer to him without realizing it.
She brought both her hands up to cover her face. “I’m so sorry.”
Hawks laughed and brought a hand behind his head. “Aw, it’s ok. I was just joking.”
Fuyumi dropped her hands to look at Hawks. “Still, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to ignore you.”
“No need to apologize. Wasn’t that important.” He squinted his eyes. “You do that a lot? Apologize?”
An anxious laugh left her. “Sometimes…I don’t know.”
She needed to find a way to change the subject.
“So, um, what do you usually do here?”
Hawks tilted his head at her, in a very…animal like motion.
"You said you come to these things sometimes. What do you usually do? I assume it's not talking to crying girls who spill their guts out to you."
Hawks chuckled and scratched at his cheek.
"Ah, well what I mean by “these kinds of things.” I meant this specific location.”
“Oh?”
“This house belongs to a friend from my hometown. He invites me and I come when I’m able. Almost everyone here is from there.”
“Fukuoka?”
Hawks brought his hand down. “How could you tell?”
“You speak with a Hakata dialect and well, your hero tower is in Kyushu.”
Hawks’ eyes lit up. “Ah, a fan?”
Fuyumi smiled. “Not exactly, it’s kind of known, and you’re the second most popular hero in the country.”
Hawks looked up as if he were thinking about it. “Hm, true, well as far as what I usually do, I just like to hang around mostly, sometimes the music's good, it's nice being in a crowd where something dire isn't happening ya’know? People gathering to have fun. "
Fuyumi nodded.
“I can see that...though um.” She reached into her purse. “I don’t think everyone is here to have “the good kind of fun.” She waved her phone around, referring to the men that bumped into her.
Hawks’ eyes widened owlishly. "That is, there are a few bad apples that try to ruin it, gotta make sure to toss those out." He swung his arms out making a throwing motion.
Fuyumi covered her mouth as she felt a laugh bubbling to the surface.
It…didn’t feel like she was talking to the number 2 hero in Japan.
It felt like she was just having a nice conversation with a handsome guy.
“I usually linger in the background, listen to good music, monitor, might light up some hash and watch the stars if there’s a backyard.”
It was Fuyumi’s turn to tilt her head. “Hash?” Was that a type of cigarette?
Hawks’ lips twitched upward. “Nevermind.”
She was still curious but chose to let the question rest.
“But, why choose to come here to do that?”
Hawks’ eyes slid away from her to gaze into the distance.
For a while, he didn’t speak, and Fuyumi thought she may have asked the wrong question. Before she was about to rush into an apology Hawks spoke again.
"There's something nice about people coming together to enjoy each other's company."
His eyes flickered back to her.
“Do you know what parties like this are? Mindless entertainment, it doesn’t require a lot of thought, just sweaty people and overly loud music.”
He moved his head around, like he was stretching from residual tension from his neck, and continued.
“And yet, there’s a euphoric feeling when you’re in it. Endorphins and all that.” Done with his stretching, his eyes fell back on hers, and this time there was something there, eyes flickering about as he investigated her own.
“Most people go to parties to escape something else.”
Fuyumi stared back. And she felt an icy layer instinctively coat over her skin.
The clogging feeling was gone, and the tightening of her stomach wasn’t just because of his eyes this time. But she held his gaze. Trying to look for something in deep gold, but she couldn’t see anything past cold, patient, animal eyes.
It’s as if he were daring her.
Abruptly, Hawks ended their new staring contest when his head snaps forward.
“Heeey! I love this song!”
She blinked.
Suddenly Hawks stood up; so quickly it made her head spin. His large wing that was once behind her, leaving.
She didn’t want to think too hard about why the disappearance of the soft feathers gently brushing against her back made her feel colder than her quirk.
Maybe it was just acting up again.
She watched as Hawks began walking down a few steps.
Oh.
The reality of where she was, coming back to her senses.
She slowly stood up and briefly listened to the song Hawks was excited about.
It had a smooth rhythm and slow beat to it. Though she couldn’t understand the lyrics since they sounded like they were in English.
Hawks turned his head back to look at her, she smiled politely and bowed.
“Thank you, for talking with me, I’m sorry for any trouble I may have caused. Please enjoy your night.”
Without meeting Hawks’ eyes, she turned around to walk up the stairs to her previously desired destination.
“Where are you going?”
She stopped and turned her head.
“Oh, I…I was just going to go sit down somewhere, wait this out until my friends are done.” Her answer came out uncertain and it made her want to slap herself.
He cocked his head to the side, in such a bird-like manner his head touched his shoulder.
“Why?”
Why?
What else would she do?
That didn’t come out though, instead, she just looked back at him. Her mouth was slightly open, trying, desperate to find an answer that wouldn’t sound unsure.
His head ticked up a little as he said his next words. “Come dance with me.”
She blinked.
Hawks extended his hand in offering.
And Fuyumi just looked at it.
“I…What?”
“Come dance with me.”
Fuyumi clutched the strap of her purse and gazed down at the young hero.
“I…I don’t…I don’t really dance.” It came out jumbled and stuttery.
“That’s ok, I do.”
“Uh…I.” She shuffled her feet nervously. Her eyes left his to dart around, anywhere but his gaze.
“Unless you don’t want to?”
Fuyumi looked back at him. “But why?”
“Because I like talking to you and I like dancing.”
He…liked talking to her?
Her eyes looked down at his open palm.
It would be stupid.
It would look ridiculous.
She would mess it up.
Hawks was walking closer until eventually, his wings were blocking her view of the stairs below.
“Isn’t that why you came here?”
Fuyumi’s eyes widened as they gazed up at the young hero in shock.
Didn’t she come here to have fun?
Maybe it was subconscious, but she felt her head nod gently, turquoise continuing to stare into gold, her arm was already moving, and the tips of her fingers rested gently on his palm.
To his credit, Hawks hid it better than most, but Fuyumi was so use to it, she couldn’t help but notice the slight twitch of his fingers as her skin met his.
She snatched her hand away quickly.
“I…I’m so sorry!”
A pair of wide inquisitive eyes stared back at her, waiting.
She looked down.
“I don’t- My body doesn’t retain heat… It’s…It’s part of my quirk.”
Her exes hated it.
They said it was like sleeping next to a corpse.
She kept her eyes down, but Hawks had gone so quiet she became curious.
She almost jumped back when she looked up.
The hero’s face was inches away from her own and his overwhelming unblinking gaze set a jolt down to her gut.
“Yeah?” The side of Hawks’ lip was curling up slowly. “That’s really something!”
“It is?” She replied timidly.
Hawks’ eyes widened even more, if that were possible, blooming with excitement at the news of an aspect of her quirk. She noticed how the slits that were his pupils had expanded into sharp ovals. His mouth split into a wide grin revealing rows of sharp looking teeth.
“Yeah, yeah, that alone is useful ya’know? You’d be really good at playing dead.” He shifted and put a hand up to his chin.
“I’d be-?”
“Really good at playing dead.” He answered. “If you needed to convince someone you were dead, you’d just need to go limp and quiet. They’d think you’d been dead for hours, days.” He said, as if the sentence was trivial, normal.
Hawks wasn’t looking at her. His eyes had drifted to stare at the paint on the wall next to them. The hand that was covering his chin now covering his mouth.
Pupils returned to their pinned shape.
Fuyumi didn’t know what to say.
It was the first time anyone had said her quirk could be useful. Albeit, in a rather odd scenario.
Whatever trance Hawks was in, he seemed to snap out of it due to her silence.
His hand moved away and one of his wings did a gentle flap. His arms began waving around wildly. “Oh! Sorry about that! See, when I learn about a quirk my mind kind of goes. I start to think about all the ways it can be useful.”
That makes sense she supposes. With a career like his that would be necessary.
“Um, no! It’s ok, I mean…you’re not wrong, I guess. I would be rather good at playing dead, heh.” She rubbed at her arm.
A warm hand grabs hers.
Hawks pulled lightly, guiding her down, and even as her feet began to follow his, she felt the need to ask.
“You really don’t mind it?”
He looks over his shoulder at her. “Not at all. It’s a part of you. Nothing wrong with that.”
*
Fuyumi’s not sure where her purse went.
Between walking down the stairs, to the sea of bodies in the middle of a too big living room.
When he walked them into the crowd she watched fascinated as his large wings seemed to demand space. Nonchalantly pushing at people too close, and practically moving them around so him and Fuyumi could walk through easily.
People didn’t seem to mind. Some didn’t even glance at the hard feathery object pushing at them, they just continued dancing.
Hawks had settled on one spot and his body had started lightly swaying to the music. At first, Fuyumi just stood there in front of him so he had tugged on her hand that was still in his.
Using that, he started swaying her with him and she went stiff at first.
She must look ridiculous.
A school teacher dancing with a pro-hero.
Then a warm hand was placed on her back and eventually, she relaxed into it. It was steady and firm and didn’t force her to move.
Though her body couldn’t keep heat, it could absorb it if met with a constant source and if she chose not to lower her body temperature. Hawks was very warm. Not the overwhelming heat of her father but, she could tell his body was warmer than most people.
And she let her feet lift up a little as they swayed to the music.
“We must look ridiculous.”
“Nah, we look great.”
An unsure smile was her only response.
They do look ridiculous.
She knows.
But maybe no one else cares besides her.
Hawks lifts her arm with his and spins her around like there in a waltz. She almost trips back into him but he grabs her waist.
“Ok, you do me now.”
Her arm is shorter than his, so he has to duck as he spins.
“Pfft, I don’t think this is how you dance to songs like this.” She half shouts. The music vibrates in her chest.
“S’how I dance.”
“Really?”
“Dancing is just moving your body around.”
Fuyumi followed his movements as he continued to gently move her with him. In a rather bold move, she lifted the hand that wasn’t still in his and rested it on his shoulder.
This was nice.
The music was slowing down as it shifted to a softer song.
She peeked over at Hawks’ shoulder to his wings. The feathers lifted the slightest bit as the body they were attached to moved.
“Wanna feel ‘em?”
“What!? No! I mean- I’m sorry for staring.”
“Ha, It’s okay. It’s also ok if you want to.”
Fuyumi ducked away. “No, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Hawks’ voice came out so quiet it almost sounded like a whisper.
This was nice. It was so nice.
The wings were so big they almost hid her completely. Their size was enough to deter people from getting too close and it acted as a fluffy wall cadging them both in.
This was so nice.
Why was she about to ruin it?
She leaned closer until, her forehead rested on his shoulder. Hawks didn’t seem to mind the invasion of privacy as he simply adjusted so their bodies were pressed closer together.
“Hawks, do you ever feel like you’re not enough.”
“All the time.” It was funny that she could still hear the smile in his voice.
“When I was younger, there were people close to me I wasn’t able to protect, and I think I hurt them by not doing more.”
Touya’s piercing blue eyes stare at hers, desperate for anything, looking down at her when she has nothing to offer.
“There was so much anger.”
For years, all her house was, was anger. In the walls, behind the doors, in the floorboards. Waiting and simmering until it boiled out. Banging, slamming against the walls, voices yelling and all she did was hid under her blanket.
Watching silently as her brothers were being torn apart by it.
Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. And she almost feels like laughing as she presses her face even closer into Hawks’ shoulder.
Repeating her usual routine.
“I didn’t know what to do, how to help I…I let them down. Hawks”
Shouto was better at hiding it, but she could still tell. Anger in her environment was so familiar she could sense it in the most subtle body movements. When he was home to visit sometimes, he would stomp up the stairs or close a door harder than usual.
Natsuo was more obvious, every movement made was aggressive. At times he would stare at dad like he was sizing him up. Ready for a fight. Her little brother was almost as tall as him now.
And Fuyumi would try to talk them down even though she knew it was useless.
That’s all she did. Be useless. Useless to her dad, her mom.
Useless to protect her brothers.
Hawks’ hand left hers as his arm wrapped around her waist. A warm hand was moving slowly up and down her back.
Oh, she was audibly sobbing.
She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck as she cried into his shoulder.
“When I was a kid, I tried to help people.” His voice came out calm and steady and she tried to cling to it over her sobbing and the music.
“Some who deserved it, some who didn’t. But I was just a kid, so I didn’t know the difference.”
She sniffed from her nose as she listened.
“And sometimes I would get hurt for it. For trying to help them. But I still tried. Because I clung to the idea that if I tried hard enough, things would change.”
Fuyumi is 8, Touya is hurt, and mom is yelling.
Dad towers over them as Fuyumi rubs Touya’s back.
“Get out of the way, girl.”
“I regret not trying to understand them more. That they must be hurting, and sometimes hurt is hard to see past.”
Fuyumi feels Hawks gently rub his chin against her hair.
“At some point, I realized I can’t fix other people. If people want to change it’s of their own volition. And, if that time does come, I’ll support them completely.”
Fuyumi moves her head so her cheek presses against his shoulder. Her puffy eyes gaze into the distance as Hawks continues to sway them gently.
Fuyumi’s in the kitchen and she just made dinner. Dad slams a fist onto the table, and she jumps out of her skin. She isn’t facing him, and she tries not to, she really tries. But her body begins to tremble as she instinctively coats her body in a thin but hard layer of ice.
Dad glances at her, and from the corner of her eye, she sees his brows furrow and his fist release.
“I’m…I’m sorry, Fuyumi. I’m frustrated from work and improperly showed my aggression.” The words come out almost robotic, like they're rehearsed and they most likely are. Maybe in front of the mirror but it makes her body slowly relax with understanding.
“It’s alright, would you like to talk about it?”
A smile pulls at her lips and a wet laugh shakes her.
Because he’s trying.
“Heeey. There’s a laugh.”
She continues giggling as she nuzzles her wet face into Hawks’ warm neck.
How unfair. He even smells good.
The hand on her back was had stopped and was now rubbing his finger on her shoulder blade.
“You’re a good hero Hawks.”
His head moves as he tries to nudge her to look at him.
“Huh? But you haven’t seen me in action yet?”
She moves her head away to look up at him, face inches away from his own.
“I have.” It’s said with puffy eyes and a wobbly smile, but Hawks smiles at her all the same.
A callused finger pushes her tears away gently and she moves one hand in an attempt to wipe away the wet stain now on his shoulder.
The other remains on the back of his neck, her finger lazily rubbing at warm flesh and her thumb takes sweeps at his hair. It does feel like feathers!
Before she can say anything, before anything else happens, she hears someone yelling. In fact, they all hear someone yelling by how the people around them turn to look as well.
She can tell the voice is female and she’s very angry. The second voice is male and-
“Fuck you! Wasting my time, you fuc-”
Oh no, it’s Miko.
“Oh dear.”
“Your friends, I’m guessing?”
“One of them.”
She feels Hawks’ arm leave her and she wants to pull it back but-
People are forming around Miko and the other girls.
She looks back at Hawks.
“It’s alright, looks like they partied a little too hard.”
A flurry of feathers gliding over to her, carrying her purse.
How it got into their possession she may never know.
“Thank you.” Leaving him with a smile she runs, pushing through all the people.
“Where the hell were you?”
Miko stands with a hand on her hip and her eyes furious.
“I-”
“I texted you earlier and you didn’t answer.”
Oh, that was Miko.
“Whatever. We’re leaving. This loser ruined my night.”
Fuyumi looks around for said loser, only to see Renta being pulled into the crowd as he and what she assumes are his friends laugh to the point that one of them falls over.
“What happened?”
“Doesn’t matter.” Miko huffs out. “We’re leaving.” Miko snatches Fuyumi’s arm and pulls her as the other girls follow.
Then realization hits her. In a desperate attempt, she whips her head around and she can’t see anything past the people returning to their dancing. The music is loud again. So loud she can’t even hear herself yelling. But she tries anyway.
“Fuyumi! My name is Fuyumi!”
She sees nothing as she’s being dragged away, when she’s almost out the door her stomach sinks.
Then suddenly above everyone's head, a swarm of feathers flutter around.
Almost like they’re waving.
Fuyumi smiles and she raises her hand to wave goodbye.
He may not even remember her. She’s just a kindergarten teacher he met at a party. But she’s happy she got to say goodbye.
As she’s practically thrown in the car Miko pauses to look at her.
“What the hell was that about?”
“Nothing.”
Miko rolled her eyes and went up to the driver’s seat.
Fuyumi adjusts as the car starts, nudging with her leg so the girls next to her can move over a little.
“What a trouble party.”
“Yeah, the guys weren’t even good looking.”
“I can’t believe I wasted my night coming here. Thanks a lot, Miko.”
Miko flaps the hand that isn’t on the steering wheel around dismissively.
“Whatever, it’s all that prick’s fault.”
The car goes silent.
Jade colored eyes glance up into the rearview mirror.
“What about you Fuyumi, how was hiding away in a corner somewhere?”
Fuyumi stared out the window at the stars above.
And she didn’t hide the smile as it slowly rose on her face.
Instead, she thinks of how wide and vast the sky is.
“It was nice.”