Feeling pretty good today. We'll get to our regularly scheduled program of plots and plans next chapter!

Space is cool

A rose by any other name...

Mac and Cheese, please

Hawks and bittersweet revelations

-00-

The Kindness of UA

-00-

Thirteen wandered into the kitchen at around two in the morning. They had stayed up late, binge-watching the show Mic had recommended the day before and they were only regretting it a little bit. As soon as they had their special 'late night binge session' snacks they would feel a lot better.

When the light flicked on Thirteen screamed a little.

Hawks, perched in his chair instead of sitting in it, stared at them with wide eyes. He had a needle with a string in one hand, the other carefully pinching a macaroni noodle. There were several noodles laying haphazardly on the table in front of him, right next to the pot full of cooked noodles.

"Hawks," Thirteen breathed, clutching at their sleepsuit. "What are you doing?"

"Uh," he shifted, foot talons curling into the wood of the chair. "Making… macaroni bracelets."

"With cooked noodles?"

Hawks face scrunched. "Oh. You know, that makes a lot more sense. The string would probably, uh, fit better if these were uncooked, huh?" The noodle slipped from his grip, joining the others on the table. "...They'd be easier to hold without poking holes in them too."

Thirteen couldn't help it. They started giggling.

"Having the lights on would help too," they walked over, not even trying to muffle their laughter.

Hawks smiled tiredly, joining in. "Didn't want to bother anyone."

Thirteen wasn't sure how the kitchen light could bother anyone with how far away from the rooms it was. "I think the light will be fine. Oh, you've made quite a few of these."

There were six carefully strung together bracelets on the other side of Hawks' arm.

"Haha, yeah," he ran a hand over his hair. Thirteen couldn't help but notice the baggie shirt and shorts he was wearing. It was so rare to see him in casual clothes, today had been the first time and now they'd seen two whole new outfits.

Thirteen hummed, looking at the clock. "Would you like some help?"

"You sure?" Hawks sat up a little straighter, still curled over his knees. "I might restart, now that I know these are supposed to be uncooked."

"That would probably be for the best," Thirteen said kindly. "And I would love to help! My gloves make it a little hard to do things like this but I should be able to get a few done. How many are you making?"

"Fifteen. I like your suit, it's cute."

Thirteen bounced on their feet. Their sleepsuits were a lot less bulky than their hero one. This one was a sky blue with little clouds on it. It was the comfiest one, even if they were all made the same.

"Thank you! If you want we can grab a bowl to keep all the macaroni in and go back to my room. I'm watching a new show Mic recommended and it's really good! You could join me, if you want."

Hawks seemed to think about it for a long moment, staring down at his misshapen noodle creations. He smiled. "Sure. Sounds like fun!"

He hopped off his chair, grabbing the pot of noodles. He looked at a loss.

"We can put it in a container and leave it in the fridge," Thirteen suggested. "You can have it for lunch tomorrow if you add some stuff to it."

Hawks nodded, pulling out a large Tupperware container that Thirteen was pretty sure belonged to Snipe. "What kind of stuff?"

Thirteen watched him battle with the lid, amused. Had he never made mac and cheese before? "If you ask Mic or Yagi I'm sure they'd love to teach you. Let me grab my snacks real quick and we can go."

While Hawks gathered up his supplies and a new box of macaroni (Thirteen doubted Midnight would be too upset, she had fifteen other boxes) Thirteen pushed aside the food in the pantry they'd used to hide their snacks.

"You really like space stuff," Hawks sounded almost fond as he took in their various space-themed goodies.

"It's amazing!" Thirteen said, preparing to go into their typical oversharing state at the mere mention of space. "It's actually what the show is about. There is this new military program trying to create life on Mars and it's about all the things you would actually have to create and do to even attempt something like that. It's more realistic than other things I've seen because in the show they already have a temporary living space set up on the moon, which is the first place we would need to conduct all the experiments since it's far closer and gives a lot more opportunities for error since it won't take the same amount of years to send supplies there than it would to Mars while other shows and movies just have us skip straight to Mars which wouldn't make any sense at all."

"I can see that," Hawks nodded, using his feathers to help them carry all their snacks. "Why go so far when we've got a good place to practice on right next door?"

"Exactly!" Thirteen said excitedly. "We've actually taken some pretty big steps towards creating a living habitat on the moon, did you know that?"

Hawks shook his head, flicking the light off as they left. Thirteen tried to keep their voice lower as they walked down the hall.

"It's really fascinating. We haven't made one, yet, of course, but the plans for one are getting closer to a real-life trial day by day! It would have to be in one of the caves because of the lack of ozone layers protecting you from the sun, which on Mars we would probably be able to live on the surface, but because it's a cave system they would set up a bunch of solar panels and-"

Thirteen happily rambled on, sharing as many facts as they possibly could before they started the show. Hawks protested when they pulled up episode one, but Thirteen didn't mind restarting. There were probably things they had missed the first time around, it would be worth the rewatch.

The giant beanbag in front of the tiny television was big enough to fit them both. Hawks punched at his half a bit to get it lower at his back so his wings could drape over it.

"Is that stuff for your suit?" Hawks asked, looking at all the equipment carefully placed on the shelf next to Thirteen's bed.

"Yeah," they nodded, pulling out a big fluffy blanket from the closet. It was more a comfort thing than a warmth one, their suit had a temperature regulator in it, but considering how warmly Hawks always dressed they figured he would appreciate it. "I have some quirk nullification bracelets so I don't have to wear my suits all the time but I'm a lot more comfortable in them. I can never stop thinking about what would happen if the bracelets stopped working while I was asleep or if I was near people. My suits are comfortable too. I've worn them for so long I don't think I could go without them."

"Huh," Hawks stole a piece of space rock candy. "It must have been pretty rough for you as a kid."

Thirteen shrugged. "It wasn't great at first, but I never got to the point where I seriously hurt someone. I'm grateful for that. And it's taught me a lot about myself. I used to hate my quirk but it lets me save so many people and it's part of who I am."

Thirteen fiddled with the side of their face mask, opening the slot that led directly to their mouth so they didn't have to pull it over their head. They grabbed a handful of candy, throwing it in.

Hawks blinked. There was an odd look on his face. "...You've never worried about what people might think about you?"

Thirteen grabbed the remote. "I used to. I was… weird. Dangerous. People didn't like to see me so I didn't like to show them anything. Then I met some of my most important friends and they didn't care. They loved and encouraged me because of who I was, not what I looked like. So I stopped caring, because the way I looked was just how I was born and there was nothing wrong with that."

That was a tiny lie. There were times Thirteen still cared, still felt nervous when too many eyes were on them and the judgment in them was clear. But there were just as many memories of loving smiles, inspired looks, and saved lives to make those bad moments anything but brief. It was why they hadn't hesitated to invite Hawks in, or to eat in front of him. Because Hawks was a good person and even if he had thought Thirteen was odd all they had to do was show him that they weren't. They were completely normal, in Thirteen's own way.

Hawks nodded, fixating on the bowl of uncooked macaroni. He grabbed the roll of string and got to work on the first bracelet. "You're very strong."

"Thank you!" Thirteen brightened, scooting over so their shoulders brushed and grabbed some string for themself. "Before we start do you mind if I ask why you're making these? You don't have to tell me, but I can't deny I'm a little curious."

Hawks glanced at them, smiling. "An online friend of mine told me she made these with her students today. She sent me pictures and they looked cute. I don't need to sleep for a while so I figured I might as well do something with my time and they looked easy enough. I should have asked her for more specific directions though."

Thirteen laughed. "But mix-ups like that make the greatest stories!"

Hawks thought about. He laughed. "It was pretty funny."

Thirteen nodded, fumbling with the macaroni. They would crush the pieces on accident sometimes and it was a struggle to get the string all the way through with how clunky their fingers were even with a more skin-tight suit but it was fun. Thirteen hit play, settling happily back into the beanbag.

The first two episodes passed in relative silence. Hawks' wings would shift sometimes when he moved to grab more pasta or to get a new length of string. Thirteen didn't comment on the way he leaned more and more into them as time passed. Yagi did the same thing. Thirteen wondered if it was a top hero kind of thing, where it was normal to be so removed from casual physical touch that you automatically sought it out when it was offered.

That was sad.

"What an asshole," Hawks said, so suddenly it made Thirteen jump.

They giggled. "He is! He's always trying to steal their funding away just because he doesn't care about science at all. He does it in such horrible ways too!"

"That guy," Hawks pointed one long talon at the screen. "He's cool though. Kind of dumb."

"I think he's there undercover from somewhere," Thirteen confided. "There's just too many odd things he does."

Hawks pursed his lips, unblinking as he stared at the screen and expertly threaded noodles onto string without looking. "Maybe that one organization they mentioned in the first episode? The old one, that inspired this one to form?"

Thirteen gasped. "Oh my gosh, he might be! It would explain why he's always so helpful too."

Hawks shifted under the blanket, drawing his knees up close to his chest and curling into Thirteen more. Thirteen thought he looked adorable with his hands pulled up to his chin so he could keep working as he was enraptured with the screen. He really did look like a little bird, all bundled up.

The next few episodes were even more enjoyable now that the silence had been broken. Hawks was so smart, catching onto all the facts so quickly and even asking Thirteen for more information about things no one ever really wanted to hear them talk about. It was fun to tease and make fun of the characters too.

"She looks like she kills people," Hawks said the second the new secretary was hired.

"I thought so too," Thirteen nodded. "This is the last episode I watched so I'm not sure what goes on with her but I don't think she blinks. Not once."

Hawks squinted. "...She really doesn't. Maybe she's a secret assassin."

Thirteen snickered. "The last one was a Yakuza boss, so it's possible."

The new secretary in the show never stopped smiling, never blinked, and was always at hand to offer a comforting pat on the back even in moments she really shouldn't be there.

"Hm," Hawks breathed deeply. Not quite a yawn, but close to one. "Doesn't she kind of look like… a human Nezu?"

Thirteen coughed on their chips, wheezing with laughter. "She does! The way she dresses-"

"Her emotionless eyes-"

"The way she folds her hands when she talks-"

"The smile that promises imminent death," Hawks deadpanned.

Thirteen squeaked as they laughed. Hawks leaned his head back, brushing against their shoulder as he grinned at them. "Principal Rose. Undercover assassin."

"No, no," Thirteen shook their head, "that's all I'm going to think of when I see him now!"

"I'm getting him a little rose broach," Hawks told them seriously. "He'll wear it."

"He would," Thirteen agreed, stomach hurting from laughing so hard.

Hawks stretched his wings out, letting them brush the far wall, before relaxing completely into the beanbag with a self-satisfied smile.

Halfway through the next episode Thirteen paused it. Hawks was dead to the world, head resting on their shoulder. They set the remote on the floor, pulling the blanket up to fit over them better. It was early, probably around five in the morning, but it was the weekend. Smiling to themself they laid back and closed their eyes, glad that their blinds were strong enough to block out the morning light. Their alarm was set for noon, just in case. It would be plenty of time for Hawks to get to patrol if he needed to later.

Thirteen was glad they'd started the show. It helped them make some wonderful memories. Hopefully, Hawks would continue to watch it with them.

-00-

Hawks stumbled out of Thirteen's room an hour before noon with their blanket wrapped around him and sleep heavy in his eyes. Thirteen was in the kitchen with Yagi and Cementoss, all three sitting around the table with bowls of mac and cheese.

"Good morning Hawks," Thirteen waved at him excitedly in a solid pastel purple suit. "We made mac and cheese out of your noodles. Do you want some?"

Hawks blinked at them slowly. He nodded.

While Thirteen jumped up to make him a bowl Hawks slumped into the chair next to Cementoss and rested his head on the table. His wings were wrapped completely around his body beneath the blanket, trapping him in a cocoon of warmth.

"You struck me as a morning person," Cementoss said, smiling down at him. "Would you like some coffee?"

Cementoss was his favorite teacher at UA. Even more than Aizawa. Aizawa always tried to take his coffee away, he didn't deserve first place.

"Yeah," Hawks spoke into the table.

"Would you mind if I observed how you make it?" Yagi asked. "I would like to learn how to make coffee as well since we will all be living together."

Hawks turned his face to stare at Yagi. If Yagi's tea was good enough to convert the most devoted coffee drinkers, what would his coffee be like?

Cementoss nodded, looking pleased. "I would love to teach you, I brought all my coffee beans with me so I can show you quite a bit."

Cementoss used actual beans? Hawks used a Keurig, he had no idea how to actually brew a pot of coffee. This dorm life was looking more and more promising by the minute. An experienced coffee brewer and Yagi's future drinks?

Hawks barely even noticed the happy, rumbling little chirp he'd let out.

A moment later he froze, eyes shooting wide open.

Yagi and Cementoss laughed. "You'll have to be our taste tester Young Hawks. With your love of coffee I imagine you have quite discerning taste."

Hawks breathed in slowly. Had they… not heard him? No, Yagi at the very least spoke to him because he'd heard the traitorous sound. But he hadn't seemed surprised. He'd laughed. So had Cementoss. Like it was just something Hawks did and they knew what it meant.

Had Hawks ever chirped in front of them?

...Fuck, had Hawks ever chirped in front of them?! When would that ever have happened? Had Hawks somehow chirped and not realized it during one of their conversations? If he did, how often did he do that? It couldn't be too frequent, the Commission hadn't approached him about it. Rumi would have teased him mercilessly too. But it couldn't be a one-time thing either. Not with those reactions. They had seemed so at ease-

They had laughed. Fondly. At his chirp.

Like it was normal.

"Here you go Hawks," Thirteen placed the bowl next to his head, completely unaware of his inner turmoil.

Hawks sat up, smiling brightly. "Thanks! This looks pretty good."

"Oh wow," Thirteen laughed. "You woke up so fast. I'm guessing food is the way to your heart?"

To avoid answering Hawks shoveled a large bite of pasta into his mouth, not tasting it. Had he chirped in front of Thirteen before? How could he go about asking something like that without drawing too much attention to the fact that it bothered Hawks? He didn't want anyone thinking too deeply on it but he needed to know.

Well, there was one way. It would be simple and quick, and if they had heard it before they would hardly react to it at all, right? Hawks swallowed, glancing at Thirteen from the corner of his eye. His wings shook beneath the blanket.

Softly, barely audible to himself, he let out a small chirp.

Thirteen didn't even look up.

Shit. They probably hadn't heard him. That was fine, he could do it again. Hawks set his bowl down, talons wrapping around it with a clack that almost made him wince. He chirped a little louder.

"Big fan of mac and cheese?" Hizashi asked from behind him.

Hawks jumped, wings snapping open so quickly they knocked the blonde man over the moment he fully stepped into the room. The blanket fluttered to the ground as Hizashi cursed.

Nemuri laughed loudly, pointing down at her friend from the safety of the hall.

Hawks swallowed heavily, pasting on an easy-going smile as he hopped up to help. "Sorry about that Hizashi, you caught me by surprise."

"Wouldn't be the first time," Hizashi said, good-natured as ever. He accepted the hand up, clapping Hawks on the shoulder. His hair was down again, falling well past his shoulders and dropping in front of his face. "Don't worry about it. I'm glad to see you like the mac and cheese, I was gonna add some meat to it for you when you woke up but it looks like I'm too late."

Hawks felt the tension drain away from his body in a way that almost made him feel empty for the loss of it. He'd... he'd chirped in front of these people, yes, but it was- it was Hizashi. Thirteen, Cementoss, Yagi, all of them. Of course they wouldn't look at him weirdly or say anything about it. They were like Rumi. They were kind in a way Hawks knew was rare, but that was why UA was the best, wasn't it? This place was different.

For some reason the revelation made him feel tired.

"I'm always down for seconds," Hawks said, smiling.

Nemuri nudged Hizashi out of the way, giving Hawks a quick hug as she moved to the kitchen. "Morning, darling. It's good to see that some people can get up before noon."

Aizawa slumped in behind her, not rising to the bait. He perked up a bit when Cementoss and Yagi walked back in, steaming mugs in hand.

Hawks looked out the window as mugs were passed around, everyone excited to give Yagi feedback on his first try. He took the worries (it was fine, no one cared, it was fine) and shoved them away, focusing on the happy faces around him. "It's still before noon, technically."

Aizawa pointed at him, staring Nemuri down. She rolled her eyes.

"Please, do not feel bad if you do not like it," Yagi fluttered around them. "It is my first attempt, I do not expect it to be perfect and I will not feel hurt at all if you hate it."

Yagi was still the worst lier Hawks had ever seen.

Hawks drained the cup in one go, reveling in the burn. It tasted leagues better than the usual stuff he had. "Tastes great, Yagi-san!"

"Not the greatest," Aizawa said right after, nose scrunching up. "Could be worse."

Apparently Yagi had learned how to speak 'Aizawa' because he took it for the praise it was. He brightened up so much that Hawks had to squint.

"I'm making lunch," Hizashi said, taking the smallest sip of his drink and offering Yagi an encouraging smile. When Yagi turned away he switched his cup with Hawks who gulped it down without question. Aizawa glared at them. The glare only deepened when Nemuri also traded off her coffee. Hawks wasn't sure why they didn't like it, he knew they both liked coffee and Yagi's wasn't bad. It wasn't as good as the stuff from the staff lounge, sure, but it wasn't the worst.

"I'll help," Cementoss offered. "I've already finished my work for the day."

Aizawa snorted. "Of course you did."

"I," Hawks raised his hand, "can not help, but I can watch."

"Sure," Hizashi said. "Maybe you'll be able to make something yourself next time."

Sure. Maybe. Not likely. Hawks nodded anyway.

Yagi followed after them so he could clean up the mess he'd left behind. Hawks, away from the watchful eyes of Aizawa, offered to take care of whatever was left in the pot.

"I'm not sure," Yagi frowned. "Wouldn't that be bad for you? I've heard that too much caffeine could hurt your body."

Hawks opened his mouth to dismiss the blasphemy but a pale hand reached past him to grab the pot and dump it down the sink.

Aizawa rolled his eyes when Hawks pouted at him. "Drink some water."

"Both of you," Hizashi added.

Yagi didn't even look like he felt sad about how his creation was treated. He looked relieved, even. "I wouldn't mind making you more tomorrow, Young Hawks. But only a cup or two, you really shouldn't have more than that."

Hawks let his smile soften into something more genuine.

They really were kind here.

"Sounds like a deal, Yagi-san."

-00-

Yagi is the best bribery tactician ever, so long as he doesn't actually realize he's bribing someone.

...Too much fluff? I feel like that was a touch too much at the end. Hmmm. Ah well. It's happened now, and it's staying! Plus it's bridged the introduction of chirping so *shrugs*

By the by, since I have a tumblr now, if any of you want to hop over and talk head cannons with me I'm trying to flesh out this story more and I always work better with additional voices to chit chat with. Also, just want to rant and rave about the absolute panic the manga is inducing right now. Cause that's a thing. My tumblr name is thegc4life, it's just a place to share art and ideas really.

hinatayvonne: Going from a 'I sleep here' place to an 'I live here place' is a HUGE difference, there's gonna be stuff just laying around all the time and Hawks will just have to learn what home messes look like XD

Blad Warrior: This is a sitcom I would LOVE to see XD Imagine the pure shenanigans. Thank you for being such a sweetheart my dear, take care of yourself too! You deserve good things!

StandUpKeepMovingForward: *mirror*

micieloestrellado: Well, considering I really just can't help myself when it comes to angst apparently don't worry. There's always gonna be a dollop of it at least XD Hawks is gonna start to wonder if Aizawa actually does have eyes on the back of his head. There will be experiments to test it XD (Thank YOU! All the sweetness, for a sweet person!)