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Now, Hawks is a busy man. Being the number two hero and owning his own hero agency at such a young age has caused him to take on more than he can handle most of the time. He rarely ever gets days off but he had crammed extra work into the past week so that he could FINALLY have this random Thursday off of work. So, of course, it’s this day that shit really and truly hits the fan.
He had been in the middle of shoving a bundle of noodles into his mouth when his balcony door slams open and a man with stark white hair falls through in a heap. Hawks freezes with his chopsticks halfway in his mouth, noodles dangling out of his mouth as he stares in shock at this random man who pushes himself up and glares at Hawks, “Cat got your tongue bird brain?”
He swallows his mouthful of noodles as his wings puff up a little in irritation, both at the man's words and at the fact that his guard had been let down enough that he allowed some random man to climb into his apartment. He quickly puts his food on the table and stands up to confront the man, a few of his feathers detaching to go scoop the other man out of his apartment, when the guy shivers and pulls his coat tighter around himself. Hawks eyes are drawn to the shiny stitching around the top, only to startle when he notices the burnt and tattered edges of the trenchcoat. That’s Dabi’s coat and this random stranger has it. His feathers sharpen and point towards the man as if they have a mind of their own and Hawks takes a threatening step forward.
The guy throws a hand up and lets out a burst of flame before the flame quickly sputters out and the man winces, cradling the hand close to his chest. Hawks stares down at the man in confusion, he’s dressed like Dabi, has a quirk like Dabi, hell he even sounds like Dabi, but he looks nothing like the scarred villain that the hero is used to. Random Guy glances up at Hawks with a glare and Hawks rolls his eyes, yeah those are Dabi’s stupid (pretty) eyes. Hawks recalls his feathers as he crouches down to get a closer look at Dabi and starts a little when he realizes the villain looks remarkably similar to a friend Hawks had made at the Commission when he was a kid. The only friend he had ever made there in fact, who had died a couple of years later to a freak quirk accident. Dabi gazes at the other man in silence, watching as the pieces slowly connect in Hawks’ head to figure out who Dabi really is.
The final piece settles into place as Hawks remembers his friend had a fire quirk, though he never saw it he had always heard whispers of his handlers discussing how the kid was gonna be the next big thing after his dad. Hawks lifts his eyes up to meet Dabi’s and the other man sighs and squeezes his eyes shut.
“So you’ve figured it out, huh birdie?”
Hawks can only nod his head, for once at a loss for words. He’s usually so sure of his footing in a conversation but now, face to face with his supposedly dead friend, he can’t get a handle on how to proceed. So he sits there staring blankly at Dabi until his wings droop and tears start to fill his eyes, after all these years of mourning Touya he had finally found his friend again and he just never knew. They had been working together for MONTHS and Dabi never mentioned a single thing.
The hero’s head starts to ache as his mind runs in all different directions, Dabi is Touya, Dabi is Touya Todoroki. Suddenly Dabi’s disproportionate hatred of Endeavor makes too much sense in a way that makes Hawks’ chest ache. His heart pounds as his temper rises, both towards the man he considered his hero and the man who sits in front of him with a wary expression on his all too open face. Hawks clenches his fists at his sides and glares down at To- Dabi, “So this whole time, you knew. You knew who I was but you didn’t think to tell me? Even when you came into my apartment on the anniversary of your death and saw me curled in a pathetic pile in the middle of my bed. What? Did it give you some kind of sick power trip to have that over me, or were you just scared Touya.” He knows it’s a low blow, knows it an unfair jab, but he can’t think past the rage clouding his mind.
Dabi growls and swipes Hawks’ legs out from under him, the smaller hero tumbling to the floor at the sudden attack, and slams Hawk’s shoulder into the ground with a too hot hand, “NEVER call me that again, are we clear? That’s not who I am anymore and you should know more than anyone how it feels, Keigo.”
The struggling hero falls still at the title, and Dabi falls back onto his own knees and stares down at Hawks, “I haven’t been Touya for years and just because I look like him now doesn’t mean you get to call me that again. Not now and maybe not ever. I know we were friends once and I know your little birdie instincts latched onto me even back then.” Hawks’ eyes widen minutely as he tenses up but it’s more than enough for Dabi to notice and he sighs, “I was young but I wasn’t stupid Hawks, you were my friend so I did research on bird quirks and I saw some.. stuff. I know what we are to each other, or at least what you think I am to you, and you gotta know it just can’t happen. Not in our line of work and ESPECIALLY not with you being the little Hero Commission’s spy.”
Hawks stutters out excuses and tries to ignore the slight pinch in his chest at Dabi’s words. Dabi just rolls his eyes, “Oh save it, the entire League knows. That’s why you only ever get invited to movie nights or Toga’s spa nights, we don’t trust you but you’ve kind of grown on all of us. We like having you around, even if we know you’re going to stab us in the back one day.”
Dabi glances up from where he was picking at a frayed jacket edge to see tears streaking down Hawks’ face even as the hero tries his best to discreetly scrub at them. The two men sit in silence, Dabi wanting to give Hawks space to adjust to all the info he had been given and Hawks being too afraid to speak lest a sob rip out of his throat without his permission.
After several minutes of silence, Dabi clears his throat at the same time that Hawks takes a deep breath and they both pause to allow the other to speak until Dabi gestures for the hero to talk first. That was another habit of Touya’s that Hawks had never noticed. Hawks shakes away the thought as he takes another deep breath and speaks the words he knows he will never be able to take back, “I was going to murder Twice. The Commission knows he’s been unstable but they also know he’s getting better at controlling his quirk and that he’s the most loyal to the League. Twice has an extremely powerful quirk when he can control it and it scares the Commission, so they ordered me to kill him on the day that they raid the PLF home base. Oh that’s also happening in like two weeks by the way so you might want to tell the big guy.”
Dabi closes his eyes as he feels his rage rising along with his body temperature. The pain of heat on his unscarred skin is unfamiliar now but he can deal with it, he did it before as a child he can do it now. He opens his eyes and glares at Hawks, the man is still crying but he doesn’t dare look away from Dabi. Hawks flattens his lips together before letting out a loud sigh as the man before him merely quirks a brow at him, “I haven’t told the Commission any important information on you guys in months, Dabi, I have never told them the information I get from the other members of the League. Hell, they don’t even know I’ve met the other members. They think I get all my information from you and from phone calls I’ve eavesdropped on. Someone else told them about Twice’s more recent mental developments so you’ve got another rat somewhere.”
Dabi furrows his brows in confusion, “Why the hell are you telling me all of this Hawks, I already told you the League loves you when we shouldn’t, so there’s no need to dig yourself into a deeper hole with the Commission. You know they would know this info came from you.”
Hawks’ chest clenches in pain and he shuts his eyes, “I just wanted you to know I am more loyal to you and the League than I have been to the Commission since you made me realize how fucked the system really is. I just want to save people but I can’t do it under a system like this, I couldn’t live with myself if I helped them anymore.”
Hawks laughs dryly and scrubs his hand across his face, “I was actually going to tell you all of this at our meeting tomorrow but, well, I guess fate had other ideas.”
Dabi finally stands up from the floor and brushes his pant legs off, “Well, even if that’s true, you were still a traitor Hawks. We want to trust you but we can’t just take your word for it on anything you tell us.” Dabi shrugs and makes his way to Hawks’ small kitchen to make a cup of tea, since that’s just about all Hawks ever keeps in the cupboards anyway. He won’t admit it, but he’s fucking freezing. He’s gotten so used to the feeling of nothing on the majority of his body so even though his body is made for the cold, he’s still learning what the sensation of being able to feel is like again.
Hawks watches from the living room as Dabi absentmindedly rubs his elbow against the worn cloth of his jacket. His heart squeezes in his chest as he realizes Dabi likely doesn’t even realize he’s doing it. He knows Dabi will never show it outwardly but this whole thing probably terrifies him. All these years he’s been able to hide behind scars and hair dyed black, but now that guard has been stripped away.
Hawks bites the inside of his cheek and looks at the ground as Dabi comes back into the room, his tea cupped in his hands. Dabi glances over at Hawks and sees conflicted emotions flicker across the hero’s face. Dabi grunts to get the hero’s attention and raises his cup to his lips, gesturing for Hawks to speak whatever is plaguing his mind.
Hawks turns his body to face the other man and pulls a wing into his lap to begin straightening the ruffled feathers, “So how did all this happen? I can’t imagine you’d go to any type of healer to get yourself fixed up after all these years.”
Dabi’s spin stiffens at the question and considers lying to the bird before realizing that Hawks knows exactly how to read the tells for this face. He swallows his mouthful of tea before setting the cup on the table and settles back into the couch, spreading his arms across the back and dropping his head back between his shoulders. “Well birdie, it seems you forgot to tell me that UA had a certain child in their possession. White hair? Hanging with Eraser Head?” Hawks’ eyes widen and he goes to defend himself but Dabi continues on, “Yeah, well, I ran into them a couple blocks from your stupid building. Eraser didn’t seem to notice me but the brat sure did. She grabbed my hand when I walked past and man Hawks, it was like blinding pain one second and then zero pain the next.” He lifts his head to stare down at the other man and forces a laugh, though it comes out a little strangled, “Do you know the last time I felt zero pain? I was probably still in single digits the last time my body wasn’t suffering in some way. And my reaction to it was so embarrassing, would you believe I passed right the fuck out? Right there in front of Eraser and the kid. Eraser scrambled to help me but I was only out for a second and by the time he saw me on the ground I was ready to blast my way outta there. Except, the second I called my quirk to my hands I had to drop it because the burning was so intense. I looked down at my hands and saw nothing but normal skin burned pink and freaked out, I lit myself up like a damn Christmas tree Hawks and Eraser helped me. He canceled out my quirk and had the kid go get some wet paper towels from the restaurant behind us.”
Dabi curls in on himself and looks down at his hands and all at once it hits Hawks just how young the other man is, he’s barely into his mid twenties and he’s suffered so much. Hawks reaches out and rubs a hand across Dabi’s knee and smiles. Dabi’s face pinches for a moment before he rolls his eyes and shakes the hand off. “Whatever, don’t get all soft on me. Important thing is, Eraser definitely knows who I am. He kept staring at my eyes and my hair. He got close enough to see the red pieces AND he saw my flames so, in short, I’m a little fucked. Hence why I came here. I couldn’t run back to the league with Eraser chasing after me. I ditched him the second he turned away to check on the kid but I’m sure whatever freaky vigilante connections he has will help him figure out where I am real quick.”
Hawks gulps and glances out his, unhelpfully large, windows that offer a perfect view of his living room from any of the surrounding apartment buildings. Even with no one being able to recognize Dabi they can definitely recognize a mysterious stranger in Hawks’ apartment with the two of them in.. interesting.. positions. He cringes as it occurs to him that someone has definitely posted a picture somewhere and that means that Aizawa is definitely on his way to Hawks’ apartment. As the hero glances back at the villain to warn him, there’s a sharp knock on the door and they both freeze.
Hawks can see Dabi’s chest start to heave as the villain panics so the hero quickly goes to the door and opens it just wide enough to see the scowling hero through the crack, “Heyyyy Eraser long time no see, would love to help with whatever you got going on but unfortunately it’s my first day off in forever so I’ll have to decline any heroing work tonight. Lovely of you to stop by though, see ya!”
Hawks goes to slam the door shut but Aizawa is too quick and whips his capture device through the narrow opening and uses it to jerk Hawks away from the door. The teacher shoves the door open and his eyes lock on the man who is sitting on the couch and staring at the pair of heros with what can only be described as resignation written all over his face. He sighs and stands up before shoving his hands in his pockets to mask the shakiness in them, “You here to take me in once and for all Eraser? Can’t say this is your classiest move but since when is classy in the hero dictionary anyway.”
Eraser glares unamusedly at the villain and finally releases a struggling Hawks from his capture weapon, “No Dabi, I’m not. I’m here to take your statement against the pro-hero Endeavor.”
Both heroes watch as the blood drains from Dabi’s face and pure fear flits across the young man’s face, “What is this some kind of fucking joke? This isn’t a case for CPS Eraser, I’m an adult AND a villain. You know damn well no one’s gonna care that daddy hit me when I was a kid.” It’s clear that Dabi is trying to lash out and be angry but the fear is a cheap mask for the childlike fear in his voice as he realizes he’s cornered and facing the one thing he never wanted to.
Aizawa holds out some placating hands and an unfamiliar gentleness creeps into his voice, like he’s trying to soothe an injured animal, “Dabi, this case isn’t about you. Not entirely. I am the one who filed the case months ago and have been one of the only ones handling the sensitive information along with All Might. We saw the younger Todoroki with bandages around his ribs after a trip home and knew we had to step in. We have been investigating for months and we have large amounts of evidence from the rest of your family.” Dabi lets out a strangled noise at the word family and Aizawa winces but continues on, “However, as I am sure you are aware, we don’t think the evidence we have is enough to sway the public opinion on Endeavor. We can see the monster that he is but the citizens might not be so easily swayed after all he has done for them. I talked it over with All Might and we both believe that your testimony would be the tipping factor to begin taking down not only your fath- Endeavor, but all the corrupt heroes that are currently in place.”
At the last sentence, Hawks’ head snaps to look at Aizawa and he sits in stunned silence, he had no idea there were so many corrupt heroes and he surely didn’t know that Eraser Head and All Might were single handedly taking them down. Hawks glances over at Dabi to see the villain shrunk in on himself with a haunted look in his eyes.
Dabi’s mouth twists and he crosses his arms over his chest, “So what’s the deal then, I testify, get the old man locked up, and then you turn your focus on me? Thanks but no thanks Eraser, I’d rather take him down then take myself out instead.” He turns dramatically towards the balcony to make his exit but is abruptly stopped by binding white material wrapping around his arms and chest.
“You can front all you want Dabi, we both know you can’t kill him. He scares you and you know he won’t hesitate to take you out first. I give you my word that if you help us with this case, I will keep you from being put behind bars.” Aizawa lets the scarf drop from around Dabi and expects the villain to bolt but he is surprised when Dabi simply drops to the floor.
Dabi clutches his shocking white hair in his grip, yanks, and after all these years he feels tears stream down his face as sobs wrack his body. He feels so overwhelmed and he knows that this is a breakdown that has been a long time coming, but it feels no less humiliating to cry in front of two heroes when barely anything was said to him. Deep down he knew he couldn’t kill Endeavor, that attempting to kill the hero would only end in his death but it was comforting to have a goal to focus his rage and pain on. In a matter of hours all of his walls and securities have been stripped away from him and he’s floundering in too deep water. He is in way over his head and it hurts, it burns.
Hawks stands in shock as the villain’s body shakes on his living room floor. He glances over to Aizawa to see him watching with an upset tilt to his mouth and furrowed brows. Hawks knows how conflicting this must feel to Aizawa. Dabi looks nothing like the Dabi that the heroes have fought. He looks all too much like a young man who has been through far too much and the hero instinct to save him is winning out in the older man.
Hawks moves across his living room to crouch in front of Dabi. He wraps his arms around the villain and his wings instinctively curl to protect the other man from Aizawa’s piercing gaze. Dabi gasps for breath and Hawks heart stutters, he reaches out to gently pull Dabi’s hand from his hair and Dabi latches onto his hand like a lifeline. Hawks pokes his head out of his wings to gesture for Aizawa to give them a minute, knowing that Dabi would be humiliated if he was seen like this. Aizawa catches on quickly and steps further into the apartment to go sit in the guest room while the two men have a moment alone, trusting that Hawks knows what he’s doing as the two men are obviously familiar.
Hawks uses his free hand to run through Dabi’s hair and smooth out the knots that Dabi’s tugging had produced. As his other hand is disrupted, Dabi reaches out slowly to run his fingers down Hawks’ wing. Another sob threatens to rip out of his throat at the feeling of the hero's feathers but he shoves it down and focuses on fixing the feathers that Hawks hadn’t gotten to earlier.
The two men sit in silence until Hawks can physically feel the tension leave Dabi’s body and the villain tilts his head up to finally look at him. His eyes are ringed in red and tear tracks streak down his face, but the most heartbreaking thing to see is the raw pain and fear in his eyes. Hawks isn’t used to Dabi being so open with his emotions but it seems as if Dabi just can’t hide them anymore with his face being healed. He had been depending on his scars to give him a permanent scowl so he hadn’t had to mask his expressions in so long he had forgotten how.
Hawks smiles sadly at him and thinks of what he can possibly say to comfort the other man, but before he can come up with the words to say, he has a pair of soft and hesitant lips pressed to his. He freezes and his brain goes offline long enough for Dabi to become self conscious and pull away, his eyes already closing off with fake anger. He tries to pull back from Hawks but the hero realizes what is happening and rushes into the villain’s space, sending them both sprawling onto the floor with Hawks on Dabi’s chest.
Hawks leans down and pecks Dabi’s lips once, twice before pulling back and sitting atop the other man’s hips with a bright smile. His smile turns a little more cheeky when he sees the light pink dusting across Dabi’s cheeks as the villain grumbles and covers his face, “Oh shove it Kei, as if we haven’t been dancing around each other for months. Just thought you wouldn’t wanna kiss a scar face since you froze up everytime I made a move.”
Hawks’ smile dims until he’s frowning down at Dabi, “That.. wasn’t the reason Dabs. Remember what you said earlier, about my ‘bird instincts’ latching onto you when you were still Touya? That is why. I was confused because I shouldn’t have been interested in you but everything was screaming for me to be with you. I just didn’t know how to handle it. I’m sorry I gave you the wrong impression but I like you for you, scars or no scars.”
Dabi’s blush grows deeper and he grumbles that it “really wasn’t that serious c’mon birdie don’t get all soft” while Hawks beams down at him and leans down to get another kiss. As their lips meet a throat is cleared from behind them and Hawks shoves his face into Dabi’s collarbone in humiliation, “Yeah Eraser?”
When Aizawa speaks there’s an undertone of amusement that only makes the bird hero flush more and wrap his wings tighter around himself, “Just wanted to make sure everything was still alright but I can clearly see you’re having a.. moment.. so I will come back another day.” He makes his way to the door and tries to ignore Dabi’s eyes digging into the back of his head. “Oh and Dabi, my offer still stands for as long as it takes you to feel comfortable speaking about your experiences. Until you make your mind up, I won’t tell anyone else what I know. Your secret is safe with me but I would suggest for you to stay out of view of the public, your family’s features are quite distinct.” With that hanging in the air, he walks out and shuts the door behind me.
Dabi finally relaxes completely and lays his head back on the floor, he stares at the ceiling as Hawks runs his fingers up and down his chest. He closes his eyes when he feels his bird nuzzle further into his neck and for the first time since he was 13, things don’t feel so bleak.