NeonHorizon: This chapter includes a bit of violence, but also some "dad voice" Endeavor. The next chapter will be sweeter than this. I promise.
He still felt uneasy about everything, but it was going smoothly so far. Hawks could see it all from his perch high above everything on a rooftop. His gaze was on Kaere and his lips curled into a soft smile as he tilted his head. Watching her walk next to Endeavor. She looked nervous, but he knew she was probably happy to be able to see her second favorite hero again.
How many birds am I trying to kill with one stone here? He frowned and counted them on his fingers, eyebrows raising when he realized just how many things were happening. All from three simple phone calls.
Hawks had chosen this location specifically to tell both Kaere and Endeavor to meet him because this was close to the back alley where he had met with Dabi. He knew the route that Dabi would have to take to get back to Kaere's apartment. The half-charred villain would take the quickest route because he was lazy; he would want to make the least amount of effort to get home.
Dabi was wearing a dark hoodie that had a neckline that hid the lower half of his face and he was wearing sunglasses. The odds of Endeavor recognizing him were slim. However, Kaere would most likely know it was him right away. Her disguise, if the simple black hoodie could be called that, would do nothing to hide her from Dabi. Which was exactly what Hawks needed.
Of course, once Dabi spotted her, a lot could go wrong. Hawks was depending on things happening the way he needed them to. Not that it was too crazy for things to go that way. He liked to think he could predict everyone's reactions well enough to determine how this would go.
His wings stretched out behind him as he crouched a bit lower, yawning. Hawks ran a hand through his hair, ruffling the already wind-blown blond locks as he tried to wake himself up a little more. I should've grabbed a coffee before this. When it's all over, I'm going to crash pretty hard. He smiled and lowered his eyes to the street again. But, hey, at least I won't be alone tonight.
It was going to be scary for Kaere, but Hawks had been preparing for this. The past few days went with little to no sleep as he got everything ready and planned out for this day. He would be ready to comfort her when it was all over. It was just a brief moment of fear and then she would be free. At least, that was if everything went according to plan.
Shift P.O.V
Kaere could hear what people were saying. She walked with her head down, her trembling hands gripping the strap of her bag. Her excitement at being able to walk alongside a hero she had looked up to since she was a teenager was overshadowed by the embarrassment and feelings of inadequacy that came from hearing what the people around her said.
Someone was telling their friend that she must be sickly and Endeavor was walking with her as some kind of charity stunt. Another person commented that she must be a shoplifter or pickpocket he had picked up and was leading to the police. She knew how she appeared; she looked shady because of how she was dressed and how she was slouching with her head down.
The girl slowed her pace so she was walking behind him instead. I'm…an embarrassment. He said it himself. I look like a punk…dressed like this. She lifted her eyes, peering at him over the rim of her glasses as they slipped down a little.
He's bright and shining and powerful. So if he's walking next to someone like me…She lowered her eyes again and pushed up her glasses. I've looked up to him since I was a kid. He's so stoic. He doesn't even care what everyone's saying. I wish I could be like that. I wish that people's words couldn't affect me. I wish I could be brave and just-
"Naoru. You're falling behind." The low, commanding voice made her look up again and found the flame hero staring down at her with narrowed eyes. "Why are walking behind me?"
She winced and sort of curled in on herself, clutching her bag's strap tightly. Swallowing the lump of anxiety in her throat, the girl forced herself to maintain eye contact with the fierce blue eyes above her. "I-I'm sorry. I just…I don't want to slow you down," she apologized.
"Then why are you walking behind me?"
Realizing that her excuse made no sense, she frowned. "Um…w-well, I just feel like I'm embarrassing-"
"I thought you were a fan."
"I-I am! I've been a fan since I was in junior high! I've…I've looked up to you for years! You were my favorite hero for so long, I just…I feel like I'm just…"
"I want you to walk beside me. Don't fall behind again." He continued to stare down at her sternly until she moved next to him. When they both started walking again, his glare softened slightly. "You need to stay close, but I'm sure you're already aware of that."
"Wh-what?" Kaere looked up at the hero towering beside her and quickly looked away when he glanced over.
"That boy told me that you're being targeted by a villain," he started. "He didn't go into details, but I can only assume that it's a member of the League of Villains. I won't ask questions now, but I'll expect a full explanation later. For the time being, I'm going to act as an escort to get you to the rendezvous point with him. Of course, like I said earlier, it's beneficial for both of us."
She nodded. Right. If people see him walking with me…it might soften his image a little. Even if I'm being mistaken for sickly. Kaere inched a bit closer, but still kept a small distance from the hero.
They passed an alley and she felt a chill run down her spine. Goose bumps started to form along her arms and the girl tensed. She lowered her head more, clutching her bag's strap with a white-knuckled grip. She could feel it; a burning gaze locked onto her from behind.
The girl was trembling as they neared a corner and she chanced a glance over her shoulder. Kaere's heart dropped into her stomach as she met Dabi's bright turquoise eyes from over the rim of a pair of sunglasses. He was a good distance behind them, walking at a leisurely pace, but she had never seen so much hatred in his eyes before now.
Nausea tore at her stomach and she lifted a shaking hand to cover her mouth. What is he going to do? I'm…dead. This is it. He's seen with a hero! He's going to burn me alive! Tears quickly and silently rolled down her cheeks.
She was facing forward with her shoulders now hunched and her free hand pressing at her stomach. She could feel bile at the back of her throat; threatening to spill out of her mouth and splatter the sidewalk. Kaere's heart was beating so loudly she could hear it in her own ears, feel the pulsing at her fingertips.
I'm going to die. I'm really going to die. There's no getting out of this. Not even Shigaraki-san can talk him out of it now. He saw me…walking with Endeavor! He's going to torture me and kill me! I'll never see Toga-chan or Twice-san again! I'll never be able to see Hawks again! Dabi won't let this continue…he'll come after me before we reach Hawks!
Her phone pinged with a message and she struggled to pull it out of her pocket. She already had a feeling about the sender and the message, but looking at her screen only confirmed it. A message from Dabi that ordered her to walk away from Endeavor and he might let her off easy.
Before she could even wonder if it would be the right thing to do, a large hand reached down to take her phone. Endeavor read the message and scowled. Kaere glanced over her shoulder again, still fighting back the urge to vomit.
"Call him," the hero ordered.
"Wh-what? Endeavor-san, I don't-"
"Call. Him. Now." The tone he used left no room for argument.
The girl hesitantly did as he said and was startled when he took her phone again. She awkwardly stayed next to him and picked at the ridges on the bracelet she wore. Keeping her head down and doing everything in her power to try to keep herself calm. He isn't going to…?
"Listen to me, you little punk. This girl is under the protection of the number one hero. So unless you think you can take me on, leave her alone."
You're…making it worse. You're making it so much worse. She chewed at her lower lip as he continued. He never left an opening for Dabi to even respond so she knew that the half-burned villain was getting angrier and angrier. Every word that Endeavor said was digging her grave a little deeper. Making Dabi all the more excited to torment her as the life left her eyes.
"There. That should do it." He handed her phone back to her, the plastic case almost burning hot. "Do you see him in this crowd?"
Kaere lifted her head and looked, but there was no sign of Dabi anywhere among the flock of pedestrians. The hero was even more alert to their surroundings now, but she could no longer feel Dabi's stare. Soon she would realize that this was not a good thing.
A few minutes had passed since the call. Everything seemed alright. She was staying close to Endeavor's side and almost felt safe. She even answered the hero's questions when odd, awkward small talk started regarding her quirk. They were getting close to where Hawks had told Endeavor to meet him and when the flame hero said they were close to their destination, she made the mistake of beginning to relax.
What she realized too late was that Dabi had not gone home. He had not gone off to do something else. From the moment he saw her walking with Endeavor, his anger only began to grow with each passing second. When her wrist was gripped from behind and she was yanked into an alley, she had no time to even scream.
Her glasses were sent flying onto the sidewalk from him pulling her so abruptly and her vision went blurry. The girl slammed face-first onto the cold, hard ground and had to quickly turn herself over to keep Dabi within her line of sight. Kaere saw the distorted flickering orange flames of the number one hero at the alley entrance shortly before a wall of blue flame cut him off from entering.
Dabi stood over her with the scariest grin she had ever seen. When she tried to drag herself away from him, he lifted a leg and planted a boot on her thigh to trap her in place. Leaning down, he took in the unbridled fear in the girl's expression as she began to hyperventilate. "You look…pretty scared, Kae."
"Don't! Please, please don't kill me! Please! I'm sorry-!"
"Awww. You think I'm gonna kill you?" He lifted his foot and stood over her for a second, a boot now settled on either side of her hips. The villain watched blood run down her chin from her split lower lip. He lowered himself so he was sitting on her waist and slid a hand under her chin, his thumb wiping at the bloody split and his grin growing as she winced. "I made the wall extra thick to buy some time. It's gonna take that old man a while to break through. He can't take the heat. At least, he can't push himself to like I can. I'm not gonna kill you. Not today. Today, I think I'm just gonna teach you who you belong to."
"What-?!" Kaere's eyes widened and fresh tears spilled down them. Fear, and panic filled her mind as his mouth met hers in a hard kiss. His left hand found her right hand and laced their fingers while his right hand gripped her left shoulder. The heat of his body bearing down on so much of her own body made her uncomfortable, but what happened next made her scream in sheer agony.
By the time Endeavor reached her, Dabi was making his escape. However, the flame hero's focus was on the girl. He shouted over his shoulder for someone to call an ambulance and stood back to assess her injuries; unsure if he should attempt to move her or not. Kaere's right hand had apparently been the main focus of Dabi's wrath. She bore horrifically deep wounds on her left shoulder and left cheek as well. Her mouth looked almost bruised.
Kaere stared up at the hero with teary eyes for a second before turning her face to the side. She had fought. She had kicked and thrashed; struggling with every last ounce of strength. With her experience, she was sure that she was going to go into shock soon. A glance down at her right hand only made her more certain of that.
The hero, deciding she looked okay enough, lifted the girl and turned to carry her out to the street. "I know where the closest hospital is. I don't see an ambulance anywhere so it would be faster if I took you there myself."
Consciousness started to fade as she gave a tiny nod. Her eyes closed as he stepped out into the sunlight and among a crowd of horrified onlookers. Kaere was barely awake when she heard the booming voice of Endeavor order hospital staff to take her for treatment. Her limp body was put onto a stretcher and she was wheeled away as fatigue settled over her mind like a blanket.
When Kaere's eyes opened again, she was lying in a hospital bed. Her burns had been bandaged, but she knew her quirk was working to repair everything. The deep burns, the split on her lower lip. Her biggest worry now was her right hand. She was tempted to look, but forced herself not to. Instead, she slipped it beneath the blanket without looking.
The door slid open soon after and the winged hero stood in the doorway in shock. Hawks had never looked so pale before. As he approached the side of the hospital bed, Kaere mentally prepared some words to reassure him that she was alright, but it was all forgotten when he threw his arms around her. "I'm so sorry!"