Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Hawks, like he often did, laid awake at night, alone with himself in his small apartment. His apartment was up high, on the eighth floor. He preferred it that way. Should he ever get an urgent call, all he'd need to do is get out is to jump off his balcony and let his wings do the rest to get to wherever he was needed.

Didn't seem like that was going to happen tonight. It was always good to watch TV or the radio to listen for potential jobs this late at night, but who wanted to do that when you could sleep?

He sighed, only one thing lay next to him, his Endeavor plushie that his mother gave to him so long ago now. Sure, the flame hero saved his life as a child, but now that he was grown up he knew what kind of man he really was. He was a two faced, manipulative abuser who just wanted to look good in front of the public to hide the fact he torments his children and wife. But still, he couldn't let go of this toy. It was his only one, and he'd had it for as long as he could remember. This plushie didn't represent the kind of person Endeavor actually was, but rather the hero he'd invisioned him to be as a child.

Hawks rolled to his side, facing the window and gripping the plushie tightly in his hand, cuddling it to his chest. Even though everything about the 'flame hero' being a massive dick was true, he couldn't stand to be without his toy, even when he left the house sometimes. Still, even with it by his side, he just couldn't sleep. He could never seem to sleep.

Outside his apartment, even this high up he could hear the hussle of street traffic from cars to conversations that carried up from other balconies or people yelling outside. Suddenly though, he heard some tires screeching on the pavement and people screaming.

Hawks sat up and ran from his bed to the balcony window to have a look down. God damn it, some one had stolen a semi truck at 3 or so in the morning. The wing hero sighed and quickly departed his house from the balcony, swooping down fast enough to track the truck and follow it to its destination. He couldn't really see who was driving it, but that wasn't important at this moment. What really mattered was who's truck it actually was, and why whoever this was felt the need to hijack it.

The driver rolled down the driver's seat window as if to say something, possibly throw a weapon like a grenade or a bomb, gunfire was a possibility. Hell, activating a long range quirk was possible. But no, none of that happened he seemed… relaxed.

Hawks followed the truck all the way to a secluded area in a really old looking part of town until the driver purposely crashed into a nearby building.

"What the-" Hawks paused and gasped as the front of the truck set on fire. The engine must've blown up. He landed, trying to check the damage. He figured the driver would be dead, but he wasn't. He stepped out calmly like he hadn't just been in an accident. He stood in a heavily shadowed area and put his hands in his pocket. Not even one street light was in an area this deserted.

"You think I'm carrying something illegal, don't you?" A male voice asked. "Well why don't you throw open the back and find out?"

"I don't take orders from you!" Hawks yelled at him, something telling him not to step any closer. "What's your deal? Why'd you crash the truck?!"

"You'll find that out in a minute," the male voice said. "Now open the back," he demanded again.

Hawks inhaled. What choice did he have, really? He opened the storage compartment of the semi and found absolutely nothing. It was empty.

"What the hell is your deal?" Hawks scoffed at him. "Why'd you steal a truck with nothing in it, dumbass?"

"Who said I stole?" The voice asked, smirking in his place. "It was my truck. I wrecked it, and this is my property I wrecked it into. Where's my crime, hero? You gonna give me a speeding ticket like a cop? Shouldn't you focus on more important stuff. But nevermind that, I got what I wanted."

"What do you mean by that?" Hawks asked.

"Follow me," the voice instructed.

"No, I'm not gonna follow you." Hawks huffed. "What do you take me for? You're probably going to kill me, or some shit."

"Hawks, if I was going to kill you, I would have done it already." The voice said in way too kind of a way to be saying something like that. In any case, it caused the winged hero to decide to follow him.

They stepped into the clear part of the building where this mystery person he still couldn't see was leading him. He had to have hit the truck where he did strategically. Hawks couldn't decide if he was a genius for calculating that, or an idiot for wrecking into the building in the first place.

The man led Hawks downstairs, it was very dark so he had to watch his step carefully, until suddenly there was finally light, and he studied his surroundings first, too afraid to look at the man's face. He was led to an area that had an open bar. It looked nice and well kept. Down further was an area that looked more homey, a main room that led to other hallways, closets and different rooms. Finally he looked at his face.

A tall man with white hair stood in front of him. His face was charred, heavily burned, and stapled everywhere. He looked to be wearing a worn trench coat and some boots. He knew this man, one of those with the league of villains, Dabi. Who recently identified himself to the world as Touya Todoroki. That didn't matter to Hawks, he knew him from way before then.

"Why did you bring me here?" Hawks asked through gritted teeth.

"You didn't want to see me, your old childhood friend again? Hawks, c'mon. We know each other! Have a seat, put your feet up. Drink with me," Touya suggested, going behind the bar.

"It's three in the fucking morning." Hawks said, grumpily.

"Four," Touya cheerfully corrected, looking at his clock. "And what do you want to drink?"

"Something without alcohol in it. It's too early, besides, I don't drink." Hawks said, sitting at a bar stool not far from him.

"Neither do I, honestly." Touya said, sliding him a glass of something that looked pretty and pink. "It's dragon fruit, lemonade and sweet tea, try it."

Hawks shrugged and took a sip, not thinking he would like it. Then he smiled at the taste, drinking the whole thing rather quickly. He shoved the glass next to him. He didn't want Touya to see that he actually liked it. "So why a bar if you don't even drink?" He asked.

"It's better than a smoothie shop when you work with villians I guess," Dabi explained, cleaning a glass. "Besides, this is my house. I like this area most when guests come over, all the rest is just for me. This is just extra stuff, for show."

"You host a lot of villain meetings or something?" Hawks asked.

"I can't tell you that, although you probably know the answer already seeing my bar. I don't want you running and telling daddy dearest about anything I got going on or where I live, understand?" Dabi demanded more than he did ask.

"Of course I won't," Hawks said. "Endeavor would have my head too if he knew I was here."

"Yeah well, when he takes your head," Dabi sighs, setting the clean glass on the bar. "Tell him to give me my skin back." He meant it as a joke, and tried to laugh it off after, but it just made him sad looking.

Hawks figured he'd change the subject, although he was sorry for what had happened. "What do you want from me?"

"I want to offer you a deal, a trade, I don't know what you'd call it." The eldest Todoroki son answered.

"Meaning?" Hawks pressed.

"I want you to stay here for a while," Dabi told him.

"I'm not letting you kidnap me, I'm not stupid." Hawks told him.

"You're free to leave whenever you want, no one's stopping you. I'm certainly not holding you hostage." He answered a bit snarkily.

"No, I can't leave. You led me here-" Hawks tried to argue before Dabi inturupts him.

"The door is right upstairs if you wanna go." Dabi reminds him, and the room is silent suddenly.

Hawks sighs, puts his cup back in front of him, and looks at him. "Give me some more of that dragon fruit stuff… please."

"Oh, so you did like it?" Dabi beams, making him more with ease. "How was it?"

"The best drink I've ever tasted," he answered honestly, awaiting more.

"That's good," Dabi smiled, sliding him another. "Although, I do want to ask, why do you seem so adamant about going home? Your apartment is rather… not being rude but, boring? Empty? Other synonyms."

Hawks took a sip of his drink. "First of all, what the hell? Why do you know or care about the state of my apartment? And second, there's just one thing in there that really matters to me… I left without it, I can't sleep without it."

Dabi didn't answer the question, but he was intrigued by his statement. He figured he knew what he was talking about. "You talking about your doll?"

Hawks gulped another sip of his drink and gulped it. "Dabi, I'm not a baby anymore, okay?" He said, too quickly. "I-I don't need that, I don't even have it anymore. I-" he started to tear up.

Dabi noticed and stopped messing with him immediately. "Hey, hey, Hawks… Takami… look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you sad. I knew what it was all along, I was just trying to be funny. Look, why don't you go to my room and nap, it's late. I'll go get your toy, and I'll be back, okay?"

"No, can't sleep if I don't have him," Hawks sniffles.

Dabi facepalms internally. Of course, he literally just said that. "Then go watch a movie, any movie on my TV, okay? Your choice." Dabi exits the bar and climbs the stairs to the exit of the house. "I'll be back as fast as I can!"

Hawks feels scared as Touya leaves, he hates being all alone. He heads off past the living room to Touya's bedroom. It was bigger than expected, bed against one wall, a tall wardrobe next to it on one side, a walk in closet and a nice PC and TV setup. Hawks grabbed the remote and turned it on. He started browsing his streaming services until he found the only one he recognized, Netflix.

He figured if he was staying here, he'd make a new profile under Touya's. He smirked as he did so and looked at what there was to select. He couldn't find much that he was interested in at first. Most of the thing on here seemed too frustrating to watch at 4ish in the morning. So, he decided to just click on the next thing that came up. His vision was starting to look blurry, his eyes couldn't stay open and he was so tired… but somehow this show seemed to keep him awake.

The show he'd chosen was called Hero Preschool, it was a bunch of little kids teaching 'villians' lessons. Villains that did the unforgivable crimes of things such as lying about not eating candy when they did. Most times, Hawks would think this was the dumbest thing he'd ever seen but, y'know, maybe people shouldn't lie. Maybe if these villains these little cartoon superheroes were facing were the biggest problem he had, his life would be a whole lot simpler. He relaxed a lot more than he had and sat the remote next to him, laying on the bed and enjoying the show happily.

It didn't take awfully long for Dabi to come back with Hawks' Endeavor plushie. He figured maybe, even without the plushie, there was a chance he fell asleep anyway. But when he opened the door softly to his room as to not wake Hawks up, he saw the pro hero flapping his wings happily and giggling while watching a baby show.

Touya's mouth hung open. He didn't exactly know what to do. Hawks hadn't noticed him, but he seemed so happy. Should he come back later? Should he say something to mark his entrance? If he did, would that scare him? He didn't want to upset him again. Finally, after a while of thinking, he decided to knock on the door he'd already opened to make Hawks think he hadn't seen anything.

Hawks chirped with surprise and immediately turned the TV off quickly. "I- hi, come in-" he stammered, nervously.

Dabi smiled knowingly and entered, this time with permission. "Sorry I took so long, but look who I brought back." He said, holding out the very worn Endeavor plushie.

Hawks chirped happily this time and flapped his wings again. "Thank you for getting him," the hero smiled. "I don't like the real Endeavor at all, but this one is my best friend."

Touya yawned softly. "I'm glad. Now move over, this is my bed," he laughed and fell down gently on top of Hawks.

"Hey!" Hawks yelled. "I was laying here!"

"Yeah, well I pay rent here, so sucks to be you." Touya smiled happily. "Move over and sleep then if you're so tired. I don't have another bed in the house."

"Whatever," Hawks huffed and rolled over, away from Dabi and layed on the right side of the bed, not facing him. "Goodnight, jerkface." He said, snuggling his plushie.

Dabi exhaled happily, remembering just moments ago how he'd seen Hawks so happy over a little cartoon show that was so simple. "Goodnight, chirpy."

Chapter Text

That was by far the most difficult time Dabi had ever had sleeping in his life. He fought the urge to just shove Hawks out of bed because his wings flapped in his sleep, and his feathers were everywhere. What made it even worse was that Hawks was sleeping facing away from him, and they were practically in Dabi's face.

If this were anyone else, Dabi would have pushed them from the bed onto the floor, but this was Hawks, and Hawks was just different for some reason. "Chirpy," he whispered. "Chirpy, wake up!" He said, shaking him slightly. "Hawks!!"

Hawks woke up, a bit frightened. Dabi didn't mean to raise his voice at him, but he did. Hawks stopped flapping his wings and used them to cover himself without saying a word, and holding his Endeavor plushie close. "Scary," Hawks whimpered as his voice fell apart into tears, beginning to cry.

Dabi's mouth hung open in a bit of shock. He didn't mean to make poor Hawks cry again. This was twice now. Hawks seemed a little more sensitive tonight than he usually was. It all started when Dabi mentioned his plushie, and now they were here.

"Hawks, please don't cry," Dabi attempted to comfort in his drowsy state. "I was just going to turn over and ask if you would face me, please." He was careful not to touch the winged hero, not wanting to upset him further.

"Yelling is scary," Hawks sobbed. "No yell, please. I don't like it."

Dabi's heart broke in half, he opened his arms wide and gave a soft smile. "Okay, okay, I won't yell anymore, Hawks. I'm sorry I made you cry. You can have a hug if you'd like, okay? I promise it won't hurt."

Hawks opened his wings and leaped into Dabi's arms for a hug. He cried some more into his chest and brought his stuffed toy close. "Don't let go, please." The little begs

And at his request, Dabi didn't. He stayed there and held him close. He thought of things that maybe would calm Hawks down, something, anything. Sure, they were childhood friends and he used to know Hawks well, but now they were just two distant adults, who just so happened to be cuddling and sharing a bed.

Finally, Dabi had an idea. He remembered a few hours ago when he walked in the room and saw what Hawks was watching. "Hey," Dabi spoke up. "That show you were watching a minute ago? What was it called?"

Hawks sniffled and looked up at him. "Hero Preschool," he tells him, still keeping his plushie close to his side, but opening his wings a lot more.

"I thought so," Dabi said, taking the remote and finding the account Hawks made on Netflix first. He decided perhaps this moment would not be the best to mess with him about that. He just found the next episode of the show and selected it.

Hawks' eyes fixed on the TV in front of him, it was such a brightly colored, wholesome show that just took his mind and all his adult problems out of this world and into a safer one. He almost immediately stopped crying, settling down to just sniffles now as he leaned closely into Dabi and watched the show with him.

Dabi smiled, he was glad this had worked and that Hawks didn't seem to be upset any longer. He, without really fully realizing it, set the birdie up on his lap and held him there, his arm protectively holding Hawks up in the process.

Hawks didn't really realize it much either, but he didn't protest once he did. He was just so sleepy, he leaned his head into Dabi's chest as a pillow, hugging his Endeavor plushie still as he let out an adorable yawn.

"Are you falling back asleep?" Dabi whispered to him gently. Hawks gave a weak nod, which made Dabi smile. He decided he'd start to sing to him. Even rock him a little, by rocking his own body back and forth. He began to trace gently down his arm to soothe him as he sang

"I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean. Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens. Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance. And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance," he looks down at Hawks, whose wings are flapping slightly as he falls asleep, a single, happy tear of blood falls down Dabi's cheek, as he too feels so safe in this moment.

"I hope you dance," Dabi sings, kissing his cheek. "I hope you dance." He thanked all that was holy that Hawks couldn't see him crying bloody tears. That would likely have scared him into another crying fit.

Hawks' thumb slipped into his mouth as he finally fell asleep.

Dabi nearly pulled it out, not because he had a problem with Hawks suckling his thumb, but because he knew that Hawks could get sick or get germs in his mouth from doing that. So, Dabi decided in that instant without even giving it a second thought, a solution to this.

"Here, Hawks." He sits the little down in the middle of his bed, making sure and double checking he had his toy with him to help him sleep.

He then slips out of the room, grabbing his long trench coat and once again slipping out into the night, this time, to a 24 hour drugstore he knew of that wasn't too awfully far away he could walk in without bringing too much attention to himself.

He slipped into the drugstore carefully, likely the only one in there. He tried to sneak past the cashier, although he pitied him the most here. Only real villains would make teenage employees work for minimum wage before sunrise.

"Holy shit!" The cashier screamed himself out of his half asleep daze as he saw Dabi's face. He immediately scrambled to do something, pick up the phone, run, panic, something, but all he could do was shield his face.

"Oh shut the fuck up, I'm not gonna rob the Walgreens." Dabi told the teen. "Although, you work here I guess, where would I find baby products?"

The cashier looked at him as if Dabi's eyeballs had just fallen out of his head. "Aisle 6, please just don't hurt me."

Dabi laughed a bit. "Hurt you? Dude I could walk out with this whole store and you couldn't do a damn thing about it. But I'll tell you what, this time I'll be nice and I'll pay, alright? Just give me a sec." He then walks himself down the baby aisle and looks for one item in particular, but decides rather to buy many things while he's there. He goes down a few more aisles and returns to the traumatized cashier with what he needs.

Dabi very confidently stares the guy down as he nervously rings up everything Dabi brought to his counter. He tells him the total, and Dabi genuinely does pay for it. And without another word, leaves the store to go back to Hawks.

After a mostly sleepless night the sun was beginning to rise, and the sunshine was beautiful. More today than it mostly ever is for some reason to Dabi.

The scarred villain returns safely to his room to find Hawks awake and playing with his plushie.

Dabi smiles gently, he says a quiet "hey" as not to scare Hawks. "I bought you some things," he says gently, sitting them down on the floor next to the bed in their bags.

Hawks looks a little confused. "You went shopping for me?"

"Of course," Dabi smiles gently. He goes to his closet and puts most of the things he bought away, but gives Hawks a couple packages from the bags. "Here, these are for you." He tells him.

Hawks looks down confusedly at several packs of pacifiers. Some were different colors, some had pictures, and a couple of packs were Hero Preschool themed. He really wanted to try them out, but at the same time, he was scared to. He didn't want Dabi to think that he was a baby. Shit, maybe he already did. He bought them, didn't he?

Hawks blushed a dark shade of red. "Uhm," he cuddled his plushie closely. "What are these for?"

Dabi smiled reassuringly. "I noticed you suckle your thumb to fall asleep, I was thinking a pacifier would be a bit more sanitary, and some of them have your favorite show on them, huh?"

Hawks nods, he looks at Touya shyly. "Wanna try one…" he says to him.

"I'm so glad you do," Dabi smiles. "Come on, let's go wash them together, then you can try one."