Chapter Nineteen: Demanding Answers (Cause That Always Ends Well)
Keep it together. Keep it together. Keep it together.
Keep it together. Keep it together. Keep it together.
Keep it together. Keep it together. K̸̞͝e̴̬͒ȅ̵̼p̸̲̃ ̶͓̽i̶͖̔ṯ̷̈́ ̴͚̃t̵̜͘o̷͈͂g̸͝ͅé̶̯t̴̮̀h̴͉̿è̶͕r̶̖̄.̸̟͝"
We can do this we can't do this so cold can't breathe we're losing ourselves so tired it's dark again keep calm pain can't trying no stay calm pain can't trying failing p̵͕͝͝a̴̬̒͒i̵̻̠̐̉n̷̼͕̒́ no no NO NO N̶̼͓̿Ọ̵̭̈—
A shudder passed through Hawks, shaking him from head to foot to wing tip. He tried to focus on holding Eri, who sat quietly in his arms as her own gripped a Hawks plushie. If he were able to, he might find it funny that they clung to her as desperately as she clung to a plushie of Hawks. They? Him. Him, for he was Hawks not them not—
Cold tired can't tired pain hurts focus can't trying scared P̷̤̗̾A̷̤̩͝I̶͔̟̔̈N̷̫̆—
Hawks huddled with Eri in the safety of his enveloped wings. They— He knew there were other people out there— wherever they-he was— but he couldn't deal with them right now. He could not even handle 'dealing' with them—himself. He-they resisted the urge to rock back and forth and focused on holding Eri.
Eri safe Eri okay she was dead now not-dead? How?
Were those his thoughts or ours— theirs? Theirs as in the voices, who were separate from him, dammit. The voices were trying, he was trying, but their head was a mess to put it lightly. In a reprieve of rambling lucidity, Yellow described it as if an earthquake had gone through their 'home', leaving exposed and sparking electrical wiring everywhere. Too often, everything would black out like a glitching video game world, forcing them back 'outside' to invade Hawks's conscious mind with their literally invasive thoughts.
Hawks had no idea what happened. The last thing he remembered clearly was… making coffee? Maybe? The next thing he knew, he was here, wherever here was. And Purple was there. Past Purple. Mini-Purple. His voice was not as deep but Hawks recognized it. How did Purple get back into his old body? Wait, that wasn't right.
Not back still here still trying Q̵͎̈͝Ụ̵͇̓̏Ȋ̵̤E̴̝͚͂T̸̢̽!"
Hawks must have loss consciousness because when he blinked, they—he was in a bed. He caught a glimpse of machinery and white walls and his chest went tight. His hands were free of restraints so he tried to rise but someone shoved him down. They— He lashed out, catching the Doctor— no, the man was too tall to be Ujiko— in the stomach. If that piece of shit 'doctor' thought he was going down without a fight he was in for a fucking surprise. The League may have succeeded in capturing him again but he wasn't going to lay down and let them turn him into another pawn.
A hand grasped Hawks's wrist and he saw red. Not red, like blood, but Aizawa-sensei's red eyes. He was alive? He tried to ask how he was alive and still had his eyes but no sound came out. Behind him, Present Mic was bent over and wheezing. Wait, how was he alive too? He'd been turned into a Nomu. Jiro had to kill him.
…Where was Eri?!
He looked frantically for her, trying and failing to pull free of Aizawa's grasp. He finally spotted her in Suneater's arms— Another not-dead person? How? Oh right, they were in the past.— and relaxed. Aizawa was talking. Hawks squinted at him and tried to hear the outside words through the maddening well of melding inside words and emotions in his head.
Cold cold dark pain sorry what happened confused can't think too much where need you Purple focus focus focus focus f̶̖̰̐o̵̦͉̐c̴͎͆̊u̷̫͍̎͠s̸̗͓̆͝,̸͉̞̀ ̷͕͌S̶͖̻̅h̶̠͋͘i̴̙̗̔ṅ̴̬̖̚s̵̮͋͒ő̴̡̮ ḧ̴́͜e̵̞͗l̴̀ͅp̴̻͠ ̶͈͛u̴͈͗s̶͆͜—
"All of you, SHUT UP!"
The silence was like a breath of fresh air after nearly drowning in the sea. Just like with drowning, although the air was fresh, it still hurt. The change was so sudden Hawks nearly blacked out but he stubbornly clung onto consciousness.
He could feel Purple lingering in the back of his thoughts as he struggled to keep himself under control. Purple, who was Hitoshi Shinso. He'd found another voice. That left Orange and Red. Hawks was not in the mood to rub the voices' continued trend of being completely obvious in their faces.
Hawks's wings felt strange and he pulled weakly against Aizawa's hold. Without the voices overwhelming him, the pieces were coming back and he already knew what was coming.
Hawks stopped struggling and went still. He forced his panic down and began going through his possible responses. Tsukauchi was not here so he might be able to get away with pretending he could answer the questions they would force him to. If his lessons taught him anything, he had to pretend because otherwise they would not stop until he was saying exactly what they wanted to hear, whether it was the truth or not.
"They won't torture you." Purple said. "If they planned to, you would not have woken here, in UA."
His pragmatic, logical answer cut through Hawks's unease and the suffocating feeling in his chest loosened. The grey tinges at the edges of his vision retreated and he forced himself to breathe. The teachers were still there, as was Suneater, Eri, and Miruko. His friend's presence drained away more of his fear.
He realized he was in Recovery Girl's office at UA. Ironically, the voices seemed perfectly calm about being in the school they saw destroyed. He got a vague flash of dorms and the feeling of safety that came with it and his brow furrowed. He expected more destruction.
"Have you calmed down?" Aizawa asked levelly.
Hawks repressed a flinch. He nervously eyed Aizawa's hand but did not try to break free of his grasp. He could, easily at that, but although Miruko was there, he knew he was in hot water up to his neck. He and the voices had merged somehow and done something with their Quirks. There was no way the other Heroes had failed to notice.
Green was back in contact, and the paper-thin walls the other voices were trying to build were already falling apart. Only Purple's Quirk kept him from being overwhelmed again. Hawks tried not to shrink away from Green's presence as it grew in his mind, pressing against his consciousness like a foot pressing down on his skull.
He could do this. He could handle three minds, himself included.
He could see fully now. Aizawa, Present Mic, Recovery Girl, Miruko, Suneater, Eri, Fatgum, and Snipe were all there. The Pros were watching him carefully, and Hawks saw Snipe had his hand on his gun. He hoped his wings weren't quivering.
What are they going to do to me?
"Nothing—"
"They'll want your cooperation." Purple interrupted Green. "They'll expect answers."
I don't have answers. Not unless you want to tell the truth.
"They'll lock us away." Purple said lowly.
In prison or a mental institution?
"Either is a possibility, if we're lucky." Purple said bluntly, not bothering to coddle him with lies.
And that's if the Commission doesn't kill us first.
"The Commission can go screw themselves."
Orange was back. He was angry. His anger was hot-hot-hot and Hawks swore he smelled nitroglycerin.
But it was okay. It was okay. He could handle four minds, including his own.
Eri was gone. So was Suneater. And Present Mic. And Miruko. Where were they?
Hawks tried to go to the door to look for them but Aizawa was still grasping his wrist. And his capture weapon was around him, pinning his wings to his back. When did that happen? Hawks's breathing quickened again but he forced himself not to try to break free because fighting back would just make it worse for himself.
"Shota Aizawa, stop manhandling my patient!" Recovery Girl snapped.
A flick of Aizawa's wrist released Hawks. He sat heavily on the bed and pretended his knees had not given out. He felt a familiar tingle in his wings and dared to glance up.
Yep, Aizawa had his Quirk active again.
"Eraserhead sees us as a threat to his students." Purple stated with deceptive calm. "He won't let this go. Not unless we give him something."
"Why not give him the truth?" Green said quietly.
"We just said they'd—"
"Only Aizawa." Green interrupted. He gave a frustrated sigh. "We're barely functioning again and we need help. Aizawa knows us well enough that we should be able to convince him of the truth. Plus, he's not as… illogical when it comes to All For One compared to All Might. It may be our best chance to get out of this without having to go on the run."
"You want to try to convince Mister 'Logical Ruse' we're his students from the future?" Purple asked flatly.
"It's that or have him stalk us and assume the worst." Orange snapped. "And you know he will."
"...Point taken."
Green gave a nervous chuckle. "At least he can't threaten to expel us again?"
"Oh no." Purple said tonelessly. "How terrible that would be compared to imprisoning us."
Green winced. "Just trying to lighten—"
"Hawks?"
Hawks dropped his gaze and refused to look at Recovery Girl. She stepped into his line of sight and patted his knee.
"I know you're rather overwhelmed but can you focus for me?"
"Tryin'." Hawks mumbled. It was difficult to speak. Again. How wonderful.
"After the confrontation with the yakuza, you had multiple seizures and were catatonic." Recovery Girl said bluntly. Hawks had to wonder if she had told him this before, only for him to forget. He hoped that was not the case. "I believe you may have a neurological disorder. I'm taking you to get an MRI tomorrow."
Hawks bit his lip. "Day?" he forced out.
Thankfully, Recovery Girl realized what he was asking. "Today is Saturday. Your appointment is tomorrow, on Sunday."
Eri's transfer had been on Friday. He'd been drifting for nearly a day? Hawks ignored that the nurse had called it catatonia, because that was not what happened. The voices did not leave him catatonic, just unaware. Though he had never done whatever he had done during the fight with Overhaul before…
He forced himself not to think about it and looked at Aizawa instead. Aizawa, with his slight scowl, red eyes, and tense expression.
"'zawa… talk?"
"Hmm?" Recovery Girl asked.
Hawks forced his lips to move right. He did not completely succeed. "Aizawa… wanna talk… to me. Report now?"
Her wrinkled lips pressed into a thin line. "Aizawa can wait." She shot the dark-clothed Hero a glare before looking back to Hawks. "You need to rest."
"No." Hawks insisted stubbornly. "Not usel'ss. Don't need rest. Gotta w'rk. Report."
He tried to rise only for Aizawa to push him down again. His instincts split between going limp and fighting back and pain lanced through his head. As a result, he ended up doing neither of those things and instead curled up on the bed, gripping at his head. He remembered he had observers and forced himself to uncurl.
"'m okay."
This time, Fatgum stopped him from rising. "You are not."
Hawks tried to voice his disagreement but only managed a vague mumble. Honestly, Fatgum's arms were much more comfortable than the bed. Hawks relaxed against him, remembered himself, and shrank away before the other Hero could hit him for being clingy.
"Sorry. Not seekin' comfort. Promise. Um. I can be good Hero. Yer…" The word he wanted to use evaded him and he poked Fatgum in the side. "…squishy." He realized poking the other Hero was rude and stopped. "Sorry." He vaguely remembered Miruko and her drunken escapades and looked around for her. When had she left? "Rumi?"
"She's with Eri." Fatgum told him.
Hawks remembered blood. "Som'ne died."
"Yes." Aizawa did not avert his gaze but his jaw quivered. With anger or sorrow? "Mr. Brave was killed."
Hawks lowered his head, staring blankly at the floor. Mr. Brave. He'd been part of the raid on the Shie Hassaikai base to save Eri. He'd lived until after the Paranormal Liberation Front had ransacked UA in the last timeline. Which meant a Hero had died because of the changes they made.
Unable to deal with that revelation, Hawks closed his eyes and tried desperately to focus on the now. The details of who attacked slowly came back.
Hawks stiffened. "Ov'rhaul?"
"Kai Chisaki is on his way to Tartarus." Aizawa stated.
The words did not make sense—Overhaul hadn't been arrested in the timeline yet, right?— but Hawks nodded slowly to pretend he understood. He instantly regretted it, and held his head. "'Kay. M'ruko will keep 'ri safe."
"Like you did." Aizawa said neutrally.
"Like I said, he won't let it go. I told you so."
"Hush, Purple." Green hissed.
"You are not questioning him now." Recovery Girl snapped. "He can barely speak."
"But he's aware enough to know what happened." Aizawa stated. "His report is already late."
Hawks's stomach dropped. He forced his wings not to close protectively around himself.
"You're fine." Green rushed to assure him. "Well, not fine fine. Aizawa's…" Misery swirled through their overlapping minds. "...suspicious."
How is that fine? That is the opposite of fine.
"At least it's not the Commission?" Pink thought optimistically. When had she come back?!
Hawks forced himself to keep breathing. In and out and in and out and in and out. Everything was fine. He was still in control and himself. He could do this.
"I can… a-answer questions a-a-and give m-my report." he stammered. At least his speech had not slurred that badly. Oh, who was he kidding? He sounded pathetic and incompetent.
"See? He's insisting. We might as well figure out what happened." Aizawa said in that same neutral tone. "Besides, he's not in trouble. I just need him to be honest with me."
If those words came from a Commission agent's mouth, Hawks would already be bracing himself. But this was Aizawa, and the voices trusted him. Maybe Hawks could as well? Or he could at least pretend things would be okay until his selfish delusions crumbled around him.
Hesitantly, Hawks nodded. To his relief, Aizawa relaxed slightly. Maybe he saw Hawks's willingness as a good sign he had nothing to hide?
Recovery Girl's lips were pressed thin as she shot Aizawa a warning look. "Don't press him."
Aizawa did not respond. Recovery Girl exited the room with everyone except Eraserhead, leaving him and Hawks alone. Aizawa seemed perfectly at ease despite being alone with a 'dangerous' individual. Of course, he had Erasure, and Hawks knew Fatgum was lingering outside. After all, his Fat Absorption was a pretty good counter to Hawks's known Quirk.
Aizawa remained standing and crossed his arms over his chest, glaring down at Hawks with red eyes.
"Let's talk."
XXXXXXX
Aizawa had the feeling he would feel Recovery Girl's gaze burning into his skull for the next decade yet he did not regret his decision to separate doctor and patient one iota. Not with Hawks so volatile. He flitted between alarmed movements and hollow stillness without warning, either sitting in place and staring at nothing or flinching like a startled, half-blind bird.
Hawks had not used… whatever that glow was again, though Aizawa had to stop his feathers from sharpening a few times. Hawks did not appear to even notice what he'd been doing. That gave Aizawa no comfort, because an out of control Quirk could be just as dangerous as one the user wielded knowingly.
Aizawa had little sympathy for him. Now that Hawks was aware once more, his compassion had shelved itself, leaving the Underground Hero Eraserhead to carefully monitor the possible threat in front of him. A threat that was in his school, with his friends and Eri nearby.
Aizawa took another moment to study Hawks, watching him shift in place, and noted his gown had slipped from his shoulder. Goose-flesh popped up along Hawks's exposed skin but he made no move to re-position it despite his shivering. Annoyed, Aizawa grasped it to pull it back up. Hawks flinched and smacked his hand away, gripping his wrist in a standard defensive maneuver.
"Don't—"
Hawks went quiet so quickly Aizawa wondered if he bit his tongue. His hand slipped from Aizawa's wrist and he stared off to the side, away from him.
"Don't what?" Aizawa demanded.
Hawks kept his gaze averted. "Nothin'."
"I thought we were going to be honest with each other."
The words came out harsher than Aizawa intended and Hawks shrank away from him. It was barely noticeable, but Aizawa made sure to notice such things on principle, so he saw it.
"Sorry. Yer wearin' black." Hawks mumbled, gaze still averted. "Amplif'er wears black."
The name was familiar but Aizawa could not place it. Nor did he have the patience too at the moment. His phone beeped. He checked it to see it was a text from Mic. Eri was asking if Hawks was okay yet. He sent a reply that no, Hawks was not ready for visitors and that was final, and shoved his phone back into his pocket.
"Hawks, do you know what happened during the fight with the yakuza?" he demanded.
"Fragm'nts."
Aizawa's eyes narrowed. "So would you like to explain what happened with your Quirk?"
A shudder passed through Hawks but he met his accusing gaze steadily. "Don't kn'w wha' happened."
His voice was toneless— eerily so— but it was his hollow expression that caught Aizawa's attention. He looked resigned, as if he knew he would not be believed no matter what he said. Aizawa didn't exactly care.
"You were glowing." he said flatly. "Glowing gold, to be precise. Oh, and I found this attached to your wing."
He reached into his pocket and yanked out the small device he had found, which he'd bet his sleeping bag was responsible for the 'convenient' technology malfunctions during the incident. The bewilderment— and fear— on Hawks's face was too genuine to be faked. He stared at his hands as if he expected them to glow with golden lightning again and a slither of unease crossed his expression. He covered it up and sat there, saying nothing.
"Well?" Aizawa asked coldly. "Would you like to explain that?"
"Don't know…" Aizawa could see Hawks's struggle to enunciate his words. "...explanation."
Again, he used that toneless voice. It rankled at Aizawa's already fried nerves. He stepped closer, eyes red as his Quirk activated.
"Give me one good reason I should not send you to interrogation right now."
Hawks stared at him, unblinking. His mouth was shut tight, not out of defiance, but that empty resignation. This was not the meek acceptance of a timid man or the bitter and silent mutiny of a rebellious soul. It was something else. Something much more concerning.
Aizawa's anger drained away, leaving exhaustion behind. He dragged a hand through his hair.
"Eri wants to see you, you know."
Hawks turned white as a sheet. "No Eri."
Aizawa did a double take. "Excuse me?"
Hawks's eyes were downcast and his hands were clasped placidly in front of him, almost like he was wearing invisible handcuffs. "Pl'se don' hu— Don' ask me q'stions 'n front of Eri."
Other than the obvious slurring, there was something off about his response but now was not the time to think about it.
"Fine." Aizawa said curtly. He noticed the sleeve had fallen again. "Would you fix that?"
Hawks winced and yanked it back up. It immediately fell again. "Sorry. It's weird on my w'ngs."
Aizawa's stress-fueled annoyance bubbled back up and boiled over. "Then take it off."
He grabbed the sleeve and yanked it back into place. Hawks recoiled like he had been burned. He abruptly turned away from Aizawa, hunching his shoulders, and locked his jaw as if he were bracing for a blow.
Seeing his reaction made something click in Aizawa's mind and his remaining anger— and fear— drained away. For someone who scoffed at illogical fallacies, he was truly blind. He knew what happened with Hawks and the Commission. Toshinori had told him himself.
Hawks did not think he was going to be questioned.
He thought he was going to be tortured, or at the very least, aggressively interrogated.
Aizawa may be ruthless with Villains but he never beat up prisoners for information. He knew there were Heroes that did, and the Commission's lackeys were at the top of that list. Among them was 'Amplifier', the man with a pain-enhancing Quirk.
Aizawa put together some of Hawks's odder responses and his stomach twisted. Had Hawks believed Aizawa would hurt Eri to force him to give the answers he wanted to hear?
Hawks took a few deep breaths and spoke, each word slow and carefully enunciated. "I don't know what that glow was. I swear I don't. But I-I—" His back straightened. "I p-promise it will not affect my performance at work."
Aizawa wished he had Present Mic's Quirk. Because if he did, he would have an excuse to scream and break things. He might even have the excuse to scream at Commission headquarters and shatter every single window in their hellspawn of an office. But the Commission may not be the only ones responsible for what was wrong with Hawks.
Aizawa steeled himself and went for the throat. "Toshinori told me someone used a possession Quirk on you."
Hawks's face went blank but his golden eyes widened with horror.
"Hawks, that is a very serious offense. And… based on what happened with the yakuza, it may have had lasting side-effects. Eight people possessing you could lead to… problems."
Hawks began slowly shaking his head. Aizawa could not tell whether the movement was a conscious one or not.
"Wrong." Hawks croaked. He took a breath and gritted his teeth. "Toshinori doesn't have the whole story. It's not what you think. You're wrong."
"Then tell me how I'm wrong." Aizawa demanded. "Because from where I'm standing, you're either suffering after-effects from that possession incident or you've been someplace you shouldn't."
Hawks lowered his head and locks of golden hair fell over his eyes. "Is that the logical conclusion?"
His shadowed— almost ominous— features might have alarmed Aizawa if not for the slight tremble in his voice.
"It's the one I've reached with the facts I have." Aizawa said ruthlessly. "So again, I ask: What happened?"
Hawks's fragile mask slipped, revealing the desperation he'd been hiding. "I don't know."
"You know something." Aizawa snapped. He shoved the device he'd found into Hawks's line of sight. "You know what this is."
Hawks did not recoil this time but he turned his head away. His body was still braced in preparation for an attack.
Aizawa took a breath and forced his voice to soften. "Hawks, please. I know we are almost strangers, but Shoto, Tenya, Fumikage, and Eri all care deeply about you. I want to help you, but I can't do that if you lie to me."
"You won't believe me if I tell you the truth." Hawks whispered.
"Oh really? Try me." Aizawa dared him.
Hawks went silent. He stared at his hands as the seconds ticked by, and Aizawa let him mull over his options.
As much as Aizawa hated the idea, he could not let this stand. If Toshinori got what he wanted, Hawks would become involved at UA. It was Aizawa's duty as a Hero and teacher to make sure he was not a danger to the other people on campus. And whatever had come over Hawks during that fight with the yakuza? However he had— likely unknowingly— gotten that device that messed up the technology around them? That was dangerous.
Hawks's trembling hands closed into fists and Aizawa knew he had come to a decision.
"Well?" he asked testily.
Hawks slowly moved his gaze up so he looked Aizawa in the eye.
"I have eight other people in my head. They're Heroes from the future. Your students, specifically. They came back in time to stop the world from being destroyed."
Aizawa could not find his voice.
Hawks took this as a sign to continue and, with a shuddering breath, began to tell the tale of how he'd woken in the woods with eight other minds in his head.
And it was exactly that.
A tale.
Because there was no way this was real.
There was no way eight of his students had time traveled.
As Hawks listed events and information only Aizawa's students should know, red-hot fury simmered in the teacher's gut. How could someone have gotten such personal information about his students?
He forced his anger to remain in his head and off his face because Hawks was the victim in all this, whatever this was. He'd been targeted and either gaslighted or brainwashed into believing this… this illogical fabrication.
Despite his efforts, Aizawa's disbelief must have shown on his face because Hawks leaned away from him, fear flashing across his expression.
"I'm not crazy." he whispered. "I'm not brainwashed or making things up."
"I never said that." Aizawa soothed.
"You're thinking it." Hawks accused. He gave a short laugh. It was a bitter, broken sound. "So many people have fantastical abilities but you can't believe this?"
He touched his pillow with a feather and it began to float.
Like Ochaco Uraraka's Quirk.
Before Aizawa could leap from his chair, Hawks broke the feather and the pillow fell back to the bed. Aizawa's stomach dropped but he reminded himself that Uraraka was alright and still had her Quirk. So how did Hawks have it? Did someone give similar Quirks to him…?
Like the Nomu.
Suddenly, too many things made sense.
Hawks's disappearance, his unexplained Quirks, his 'drifting' and catatonia, why All Might's 'I am here!' catchphrase was a trigger, how Hawks was 'possessed' and the 'voices' in his head… It all made sense now.
Someone had tried to turn Hawks into a Nomu. Or had they forced just enough Quirks into him that his mind had merely cracked— but he had mostly kept it— unlike the broken, mindless beasts Aizawa had fought?
One thing was for certain; Hawks had no idea what had happened to him. Or he was so traumatized he had blocked out the memories.
"Please." Hawks's voice cracked and his shoulders shook as though he'd repressed a sob. "Please believe me."
Aizawa almost wished he could. But sympathy could not erase the picture Hawks's story painted.
"Hawks, you're clearly unwell." he said gently. "I don't know what stories these people have been feeding you, but none of it's true."
Hawks stared at him blankly like he could not process what he was hearing. Thankfully the color remained in his glazed golden eyes. If Aizawa made him catatonic again, Recovery Girl would never forgive him.
Aizawa carefully touched his arm with his fingertips. Hawks did not flinch away, so Aizawa placed his palm on his shoulder. Even through the thin cloth of the gown, Hawks's skin felt cold.
"You're not in trouble. I know none of this is your fault." Aizawa soothed him. "The brain is… complicated, and it can be tricked. But it is not your fault, Hawks. I won't punish you for telling me what happened and this can only remain between us, if you wish it. The Commission will not learn of this from me. Whether this is a Quirk or… something else, we'll get you help. Through counseling or… other means—" Would psychiatric medication and the like do anything for someone who may practically be a Nomu? "—I will help you. I promise."
Hawks began to shake. He wasn't crying, but his eyes were glassy with tears he refused to let fall.
"Does 'help' involve locking me in a mental institution like Endeavor did with Shoto's mom?" he croaked.
"He what?" Aizawa shook himself. "Don't change the subject."
"I'm not." Hawks snapped at him. His voice came out choked, as if he were trying not to raise it to a scream. "I only know that because I have a future version of Shoto is in my head!"
"No you don't." Aizawa said levelly. "None of that is real, Hawks."
It may be cold and to some, heartless to be so blunt, but it needed to be said. Hawks's expression crumpled. For a second, Aizawa thought he might actually cry. His breathing quickened and he hunched over, wrapping his arms around himself and struggled to fill his lungs with air.
Before Aizawa could call for Recovery Girl, his breathing evened out and his arms fell to his sides.
Hawks looked up, and sharp, narrowed golden eyes locked with Aizawa's.
"What the hell is wrong with you? You made Gold fucking drift, asshole."
Aizawa's eyes turned red and his hair floated up as he activated Erasure.
The person in control of Hawks's body eyed him with dismissive irritation, lips twisted into a sneer. "That won't make me leave."
Aizawa let his Quirk deactivate as he calculated how quickly he could get his capture weapon out. Did this usurper have Hawks's speed? "Who are you?"
Hawks's body grinned with too many teeth and he cocked his head, crossing his arms arrogantly— or confidently?— over his chest. "King Explosion Murder."
Aizawa repressed a twitch.
Hawks's body's smirk widened almost mockingly. "Actually, that didn't become my Hero name because you and Midnight vetoed it. Assholes. I actually went by 'Ground Zero' during school but changed it to 'Nitro' after UA fell since shitty Deku thought Ground Zero was inappropriate."
A dark look passed over his features before his grin returned. His smile was not a nice one. In fact, it was on the verge of cruel, but it was too familiar to Aizawa to appear villainous.
"Don't play dumb with me." Aizawa breathed. "Who. Are. You?"
"You're the one playing dumb." The smirk became a recognizable, near-feral grin. "I'm Katsuki Bakugo, a time traveler from the future you and your 'logical fallacies' don't believe in. Nice to see you alive again, sensei."
XXXXXXX
Miruko barely got the key into the door for her apartment before she shoved it open, giving the piece of wood only the minimum amount of time to fall before her or risk being torn open. If she had pushed the bolt through the frame, she'd have to pay for it, but paying for a broken door was the least of her worries.
Hawks had woken up and although he was still a little… out of it, Miruko wanted to get back to him and UA as soon as possible.
But first she wanted to get him some new clothes.
Miruko hated the idea of leaving while Eraserhead questioned— interrogated— her friend, but she knew if she stayed outside that room she would barge in and likely deck the Underground Hero.
Yeah yeah, she knew he had questions and Hawks seemed willing to answer, but Hawks looked awful and did not seem to understand that he didn't need to be questioned right now. Eraserhead was not the Commission, who expected a timely report unless their agent was unconscious and literally incapable of giving one. Eraserhead would not punish Hawks for his 'tardiness' even though he kept staring at Hawks like he was scum on the bottom of his shoe—
Okay, Miruko was really going to have to work hard to not punch Eraserhead. Or kick him.
She busied herself with getting Hawks clothes, shoving his to-be-sold box of Endeavor merch aside as she dug through the other containers. She picked out a pair of comfortable jeans, a t-shirt and a hoodie with a loose, slightly raised collar. Hawks was always soothed by clothing that covered his throat.
As she inched out of the closet— she really needed to get Hawks his own space here— she knocked into a precariously-placed box. Naturally, it tipped over and she muttered an expletive that was rather unnecessary. She didn't care, because she could damn curse at an inanimate object if she wanted to.
Miruko glowered at the spilled boxers all over her closet floor and slammed the other clothes down on the couch with unneeded force. She began picking them up, shoving them unceremoniously back into the box.
A gleaming blue haze caught her eye and she paused, brow furrowing. Did Hawks have a weird flashlight or glow stick in there or something?
What is…?
Miruko pulled out the gleaming object. Her body went rigid from her ear tips to her toes and heart crawled into her throat. She stared at the sleek, glowing gun she'd found in Hawks's things as her hands began to shake.
Where did Hawks get a gun?
Why did he have one?
Why hide it from her?
Her mind jumped to an answer to all those questions and her ribs seemed to squeeze the air from her lungs. Could he be—?
She forced out a breath. Okay, calm down and think about this. Yes, Hawks is having some problems, but he's not suicidal. She considered Hawks's Commission-ingrained need to sacrifice his life and safety for others and amended that thought. He's not actively suicidal. So why does he have this?
Miruko carefully studied the gun, taking in its sleek, almost futuristic design, and realized this was the type of thing given to Heroes as support gear. Except support gear usually was not meant for killing. Miruko tried to tell herself that the gun may be a kind of stunner, but her gut was telling her it wasn't.
Why does Hawks have a weapon like this? Where did he get it?
Staring at the gun gave her no answers so Miruko shoved it back into the box and picked up Hawks's clothes again. She'd ask him herself once they were alone— as in not in UA or her bug-filled apartment. She shut the closet door and checked to make sure she had her keys before heading back towards her front door.
Before she could reach it, her phone chimed. She instantly pulled it from her pocket and checked the screen in case it was Hawks or UA. The number said 'Unknown', but she could see the message on her lock screen.
'You want to answer our call, Miruko.'
The message was rather cryptic, and usually Miruko would dismiss it as spam and ignore it, but her instincts screamed at her that was a bad idea. So when her phone rang and said the caller was an unknown number, she answered.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Miruko." the President of the Hero Commission said pleasantly. "I am just calling to thank you for housing Hawks for these past weeks."
Miruko knew that was a lie. She could not bring herself to call the President on her bullshit. Not this time, when unexplained dread made her skin feel cold.
"I know the Icarus Project can be rather… difficult to deal with." the President continued in a tone some may mistake for soothing. "But you have dealt with its malfunctions and appalling lack of emotional restraint admirably. However, your services are no longer required—"
"No."
"Excuse me?" the President asked with that fake pleasantness Miruko loathed.
"You're not forcing Hawks into a new apartment that he'll drown in more debt for." Miruko snarled.
"No, we're not." the President agreed, and alarm bells screamed in Miruko's head. "You'll find its new residence will be much more… unpleasant."
Miruko's body jerked towards the door.
"Please do not try to run with it, Miruko." the President sighed. "We will have no choice but to hunt you down, you see. For the good of the public, of course. The Icarus Project is too much of a threat to let go."
"Don't give me that bullshit." Miruko breathed. "Hawks hasn't done anything."
"But it has." the President said icily, finally letting her cold ruthlessness slip through. "It exists. Did you know the Icarus Project has access to multiple Quirks? Like the Nomu?"
Miruko hardly blinked. The President could tell her that Hawks was secretly a Villain and Miruko would not give a damn.
"He's not a Nomu." she said with certainty.
"I agree." the President said pleasantly. "But I believe the experts at our laboratory would be able to run some tests, just to be sure. I admit, some of the procedures would be rather invasive, but I'm certain they could stitch it closed again."
Miruko wanted to throw up. She wanted to scream at her that they would never touch Hawks. She wanted to tell her that Hawks was a person, not a toy to take apart and break under her boot. Instead she forced herself to think, because the Commission had called her for a reason instead of simply taking Hawks to a lab the first chance they got—
Comprehension came like a slap to the face.
They're blackmailing me, Miruko realized. They want me to make a deal in exchange for Hawks's safety.
Even though she knew the apartment building was a comfortable temperature, she felt cold, as if she'd been shoved out into a winter storm. She did not let the cold freeze her, because she'd already been silent for too long.
"That is unnecessary." Miruko said, and her voice was surprisingly toneless, even to herself. "Hawks is not a threat to anyone and you know it. So let's stop pretending that's why you called, yeah?" She swallowed the lump in her throat. "What do you want me to do?"
Even though she could not see the President's face, Miruko knew she was smiling.
XXXXXXX
A/N: Just so you know: I might not have internet access tomorrow or the next day so answers to any questions may be late.
Next update will be the 21st-ish.
