The pavement sizzled and melted beneath his boots, blue flame licking out beneath his feet as he stormed in her direction.

"I didn't plan on killing you, you know. His parents, yeah of course. They created that pox on hero kind. But you, with that quirk of yours? You could help me reshape society in Stain's image." Dabi mused with a sick grin, Airi moving back from him as he got closer.

"You can literally create the image by which society should live under. You can shape, smash and remold it all with a flick of your pen. With more training from me, we could be an unstoppable team. Our first act could be to end that bird, before he corrupts you further." Dabi continued, Airi's pulse racing at the way he grinned so wide.

Like he really believed the words he was spouting.

"It's already bad enough he probably put some chicklets in you." Dabi spat, and with that her eyes widened.

Has Dabi been watching them? Has the security Keigo put up so strongly been compromised? But even worse…

Could he be right?

Running the dates and numbers in her head, she and Keigo did have a send off for him the night before he left. Forgoing the usual protection since she was on the pill. Keigo even made a joke about chicks before the second round.

But… she can't remember if she took it the day after.

Could Dabi know something she doesn't know herself? Or is he just playing mind games?

"I see you're thinking about it. Don't worry, if it's true, we'll scrape the filth out of you. Don't worry, I'll make sure they're gentle with you. But the chicklets will burn." Dabi threatened as his flames began to burn brighter.

His words lit a fire in Airi's chest.

It felt like electricity crackled against her skin as she stood taller and stopped backing away, absolute rage pouring through her entire body at what he just threatened.

Regardless of if he's right or not, no one…

NO ONE THREATENS HER FAMILY!

Hawks sighed, pushing his visor up onto his forehead as he looked down at his social cell. His social media was still blowing up because of Phoenix.

Fan fucking tastic.

When he called Airi yesterday, he got an excuse that she was training. He knew it wasn't true, because by that time she's always done. She was pissed, he knew it.

Then he forgot to call her before passing out last night. That probably put another nail in his coffin.

He's known Phoenix was overstepping for the last few weeks. He's ignored it for the most part and subtly pushed her back to work, or towards another single hero or sidekick.

Ignoring it was probably not the brightest move. Because she kept trying. But Airi was fighting back, and he couldn't lie that it was such a turn on.

Seeing his girlfriend fight for him like this, he couldn't resist indulging in it. They broke one of the legs on his desk because of his indulgence, but it was so hard not to.

Not to mention he got an earful from Taiki. What is he, her father?

But yesterday? Yesterday pissed him off. He had to walk away before he said something he shouldn't have.

It pissed him off more upon seeing all the people online advocating his supposed relationship to his sidekick. He wouldn't touch Phoenix if she were the last woman on earth. He's got a goddess to go home to every night.

Hence why Phoenix was now shadowing a different hero today. Far from him before he fired her for her inability to take a hint. Bad enough he already had a lengthy chewing out with her last night.

The reason for why he forgot to call his loving girlfriend to see her before he passed out.

Hawks sighed again, shoving his phone back in his pocket.

Not seconds later, his business phone rang.

"Hawks speaking." Hawks answered without looking at who was calling him.

"Airi snuck away."

Hawks' wings bristled at the words Shoto spoke to him, narrowing his eyes off into the distance for how the kid didn't do his job.

"You weren't watching her?" Hawks asked, trying his hardest to keep his voice calm with this kid that couldn't do one thing.

"She created a distraction using her quirk. She started a fight with some of her creations down the street, and when I went to investigate, she slipped away." Shoto admitted, Hawks rolling his eyes up toward the sky above as he bit his tongue to prevent the growl in his throat from rising.

Hawks couldn't deny though, it was a smart move. Her quirk is achieving distance now, from the sounds of it. Fuck, it's such a turn on how strong she's gotten.

"Call Taiki. The feather I left with Airi is bugged. Taiki put a tracker on it so we can find her if something goes wrong. He'll find her." Hawks revealed, hating that they had to do it, but it was for her safety.

He knows when she finds out that he's going to tear him a new one. But it's worth it if she's safe. He knows that she's strong, but he wants to be there for her if something happens.

"She's going to be mad about this, but I'll call Taiki." Shoto agreed to Hawks' idea. "I'll call you when we find out where she is. Goodbye." Shoto hung up without another word.

Ugh, why did she go and run off like this? Is she that mad about yesterday?

Keigo pulled his social phone out again, calling Airi while he has a chance.

Of course, no answer.

That woman is going to be the death of him.

Later, they were finishing up some last-minute paperwork before heading back home when Shoto called him back at last.

"She's at the store across town. Taiki said he would call me back when he had her, but he never did." Shoto revealed, and Hawks felt his feathers bristle as a bad feeling settled in his chest.

They captured a lot of villains last night. But they still didn't find Dabi.

"I'm going to go find them."

"Yeah, keep me updated. I'm flying out right now." Hawks said before hanging up on him, barely giving anyone else a heads up before he took off.

When he gets back to the office tomorrow, he's firing Phoenix while he's at it. He's fucking fed up and done with the nonsense stopping him from living a good life with his dove.

Flapping his wings harder, his mind drifted off to the last time he was with her.

"Babe?" Keigo dragged his lips up her stomach, settling in the space below her ribs.

"Are you going to ask to go again?" Airi asked, dragging her fingers through his hair soothingly.

"Only if you're offering." Keigo purred, laughing when she playfully tugged at his hair. "No, I'm not. I wanted to ask you some things. Just… kind of stay awake a little longer with you before tomorrow." Keigo admitted, a tad bashful since he tries to keep the shyness at bay with her.

A man shouldn't be shy around his woman. Especially such an amazing one as her.

"Aww, you're so cute." Airi cooed, Keigo burying his face against her bare skin before crawling up higher to kiss her neck. "What did you want to ask me?" Airi asked, Keigo resisting the urge to groan when her hands moved back to rub at the base of his wings.

"Would you believe me if I said would you marry me?" That earned him a pinch on one of his feathers for being cheeky. "Ow, okay, okay!" Keigo ended up rolling off her when she continued to playfully bat at his wings. "They're sensitive, lovebird! Come on!"

Keigo hummed happily when she crawled up onto him, pinning him against the bed and nuzzling her face into his neck below his chin. Her teeth grazed his skin gently, before she settled herself on him. "I love you."

"I love you too, Dovie." Every time he hears her say it his heart pounds harder. It's a perfect remedy for anything bad that happens in their lives. Just to hear those words reminds him he still has her to come home to every night.

Right…

"Do you maybe want to make this more permanent?" Keigo asked carefully, wrapping an arm around her waist.

Airi made a confused hum, pulling back to sit up on his lap. "What do you mean?" Airi asked, Keigo rubbing at her thighs gently as she braced herself with her hands on his chest.

"Move in with me." Keigo laid it out flat for her, always willing to be direct if he needed to. Her reaction was worrisome though.

Airi looked even more confused. Why? Did she not feel as strongly as he did about their relationship? They already sleep by each other's side every night, what does it matter if it becomes his apartment permanently?

"Kei, we're already living together though." Airi pointed out, leaning back down against him.

"Yeah, I know. But this way is more permanent. We… we can make a home together, dove. Make something warm and happy to come back to at the end of the day." Keigo offered, wanting her to say yes. He wanted to know that this was permanent, wants her to know he wants their relationship to last.

One day he'll even pop the question. He's already been thinking about how to do it, but he's more than aware that it's way too early for that.

"Keigo…" Airi whispered his name, and he sat up when he saw her eyes start to well with tears. Oh, he didn't want her to cry. He hated that!

Keigo reached forward and pulled her face to him, kissing her before letting her hide her face against his cheek. "I love you, Airi. I want to create a future with you next to me. Starting with you and I fighting for closet space and making a mess of my kitchen." Keigo joked lightly, Airi sniffling against his cheek.

"But… What about Kyo? We're paying for the shop and flat together. I can't just leave him like that." Airi reminded him, his heart sinking as he worried that she'd not agree because of her best friend.

"You'll still be working there with him, my love. You'd just be making a home here with me, if you want…" Keigo offered, but his resolve started to dwindle as he realized he might be asking too much from her right now.

Was it too soon? Was he moving too fast again? Did Airi not want to live here in his nest with him?

"Kei." Airi sat up again, fingers gently ghosting over his face. He leaned into her touch, enjoying her touch. "For now, I'm staying with you like this. I want a future with you too, believe me. I'm so happy you're asking me this. But I made an agreement with Kyo, and I can't bail out on that. It's not a no, but I have to uphold my agreement for now." Airi explained quietly, letting him nuzzle and rub against her hands while she spoke.

"I love you so much… I'm sorry if I'm moving too fast."

"Oh, please. When do you ever apologize for your top speed?" Airi teased him, sitting more of her weight down on his lap.

Keigo cocked an eyebrow at her. "Maybe I'll skip a few steps. How'd you feel if I tried to put a few chicks in you, if you're gonna be a tease like that? I know they won't get past your pill, but it's fun trying." Keigo purred, leaning up to try to nip at her skin.

Airi leaned back out of his range, laughing down at him. "Now that's definitely moving too fast. Maybe one day. I always did wonder how I'd be as a mother." Airi mused with a soft look in her eye.

"You'd make an amazing mother. You'd be like your mom, nurturing, accepting and kind. You'd do a hell of a lot better than I would as a parent, probably." Keigo praised, but his latter comment earned him a swat on the chest. "Ow!"

"Stop that! Don't you dare insult yourself. You'd make a great father, Keigo. Just look at how you are with your younger fans, they adore you!" Airi praised him, Keigo snickering at how she got so offended with him every time he'd mock himself.

"I was joking, love- Ow! Come on, I- "Keigo cut off as he struggled to restrain her hands, laughing as she tried her hardest to fight against him. His wings swung out, wrapping around her to try to fend off her assault.

"You'd be a great Dad, Keigo! I don't care if you were joking, you'd probably have a son with little red wings just like yours." That one got him right in the chest.

Airi stopped when she felt him tense up, looking down surprised with him likely over how he gave up. Her eyes softened though, leaning down to kiss him.

"I would love that." Keigo admitted, unable to deny the idea that having a son like him would make him a happy man. He's never thought of having kids, personally. The life of a hero doesn't provide much time for a family. There's barely enough time for a girlfriend.

But he'd be lying if he said that her one suggestion didn't just root itself in him.

He wanted that with her one day. He wants to live with her, to marry her, and one day have a family with her.

Of course, if Airi will have a bird like him.

"Okay, pretty bird. Maybe I'll take you up on your earlier request." Airi purred quietly, pressing her weight down on his lap again.

Keigo flipped her over, smirking down at her as she laughed at his eagerness.

Yeah, one day he'll have that with her. When they're both ready for it, but right now these moments were for them alone.

Keigo still needs to make sure that future comes to them. He needs to help her forget what Phoenix has done, how stupid he's been to just try to ignore his sidekick's looseness.

Remind her that this big bird only has eyes for a lovebird. And she's the only lovebird in his world.

Halfway home, Keigo felt his phone vibrating against his chest. Slowing down, he pulled it out to see it was his intern.

"Yeah- "

"Sir, your girlfriend and Mr. Ozaki are in trouble." Keigo started flapping his wings harder, not needing any more encouragement than that.

That explains why they didn't find Dabi. It was a ploy, a way to ensure he wouldn't be nearby so that Dabi himself could try to take his dove.

"Mr. Ozaki was spotted activating his quirk after his coordinates merged with Miss. Kubo's. They're still in Fukuoka, but they're in trouble, sir."

"Send anyone still at the agency, I'll be there soon." Keigo hung up on him, waiting for the inevitable moment when he gets back in range of his feather that he left with Airi.

I'm coming, Dove. Just hold on.

Dabi swung the flexible fabric towards Airi again, but it was cut midair. A sword had appeared just in time to slice it, being held by a new knight. "Don't try fighting back, songbird. It's not going to end in your favor." Dabi warned, cerulean eyes filled with boredom over her action.

"Your threats on my family won't end in your favor." Airi replied, the knight fading away as a sword appeared in her own hand, the sticky note clinging to her wrist for her to write on.

Dabi turned his nose up at her, a wicked smirk appearing on his lips. "Family? Is that what you call that overgrown chicken? Don't make me laugh! He'll move on from you to some prettier thing in a month or two." Dabi jabbed, but Airi didn't flinch or even move. She stood her ground.

"I guess we'll see when that time comes that you're wrong. Again." Airi lowered her stance, ready to fight.

Dabi scoffed before his flames licked the ground around his boots viciously. "Fine, I like a challenge."

Just as Dabi took a threatening step towards her, a loud smash drew his eyes elsewhere.

Airi charged, raising her sword to strike. Only to dodge fast when she saw the flash of shiny metal, Taiki slamming into Dabi from behind and taking him for a run.

"MAD BULL!"

Airi jumped back as Taiki smashed Dabi into a building and began to kick and thrash around violently, reminiscent of a real-life bull. His horns smashed the windows, glass showering down on Dabi and kicking him in the shoulder when he raised his arm to fire his flames at Taiki.

"You just don't know when to die, do you?!" Flames erupted around Dabi, pushing Taiki back as it scorched across his metal.

Airi charged forward as soon as the flames died down, swinging her sword down as Taiki threw a punch.

Dabi ducked under Taiki's metal punch, and flames shot off his hand at her sword.

An arm swung in the path of the flames and her, blocking any from reaching her and knocking her sword flying.

Taiki grappled with Dabi, slamming him into the broken window once before tossing him down the street.

His foot kicked across the ground again, metal scraping loudly before he dropped to all fours and charged.

Airi created a set of rocket boots, charging forward with him.

Dabi rolled to his feet where he landed from Taiki's throw, jumping back out of the way when she charged at him. He caught Taiki's own shoulder to his, lucky he didn't take the full force of the bull charge.

"You're going to fight against me? How cute. Too bad." Dabi mocked them before flames exploded out around him in a circle, racing in their direction.

Airi was knocked back by Taiki again, Airi gasping as she heard him groan from the flame on his armor. "Taiki!"

"Get as far from here as you can, kid! You're not going to last under his fire!" Taiki snapped at her, one of his eyes peaking out at her through the metal layer across his body. His gaze blazing with rage and determination.

"Neither will you if you keep taking his hits like that!" Airi didn't hesitate to remind him, all too aware of how his metal was melting beneath the intensity.

"I'll be fine, I'm trained for this. The further away you get, the rougher I can be. Now go!" Taiki kicked at the ground roughly again before charging into battle once more.

No, she can't let others fight her battle for her. She can't let Taiki get wounded or possibly killed for her. She's not running away!

Kicking her boots on one more time, she raced forward.

Her race towards Dabi stopped halfway to him though when his flames suddenly grew in intensity and began to scorch the area violently.

Airi's eyes widened, scribbling in a shield as the flames raced towards her. But before they could, Taiki blocked their path.

"Let's see if you can handle this heat then, bullhead!" Dabi shouted before a jet of flame shot straight at them, Airi rocketing back as they hit Taiki straight on.

Airi gasped as she heard the metal around Taiki crack and sizzle loudly under the blue fire, writing fast to create a fire extinguisher.

Just as she started to liberally spray it in the direction of the flame, Dabi threw the fabric at her again.

It wrapped around her upper arm and he yanked, Airi yelping from the force of his pull before she was pulled into Taiki's back, screaming out at the feel of the hot metal against her clothed back.

Dabi yanked her again, pulling her clear over Taiki and straight to him.

Airi gasped when she saw Taiki's front though, the metal of his armor sizzling and popping from the heat behind the flames that were now gone.

"Taiki!"

Taiki dropped to one knee before falling forward to the ground.

Dabi clicked his tongue as soon as Taiki's horns hit the pavement, grabbing Airi by the scruff of her neck before walking over to her fallen bodyguard. "Pathetic. I expected more of a fight." Dabi grumbled, before stomping aggressively on Taiki's back and lighting the bottom of his boot on fire.

"STOP!" Airi swung her fist at Dabi's face, the villain not having expected it as her knuckles collided violently with his nose when he turned.

Dabi stumbled slightly before she continued, kicking with her left foot up into his stomach.

Dabi was knocked to the ground as electricity seemed to crackle across Airi's skin from the sheer anger she felt over this monster attacking her friends. Her family!

"I refuse to allow you to hurt him or anyone else I consider my family!" Airi shouted down at the villain as he pressed his fingers to one of his nostrils while sitting up.

Airi saw red stain his fingers as he pulled his hand away, his cerulean gaze landing on her with an almost feral grin taking over his face.

Normally, Airi would be afraid by a look like that. But instead, it pissed her off.

Airi's hand flew on the sticky note, a pair of gauntlets appearing over her free hand as Dabi got to his feet.

Air swung, catching him in the shoulder and making him stumble for a brief second before he grabbed her by the arm.

Airi pivoted, kicking back into his gut with her heel.

Dabi growled angrily, trying to grab her before she pivoted back around and punched up with the gauntlet.

Airi barely missed, only because he leaned his head back out of range at the last second.

Dabi grabbed her wrist again, yanking her forward.

On instinct, Airi snapped her forehead forward and smacked her own into his nose, Dabi shouting out as he stumbled back. Ow, who invented that move? It hurt her about as much as it hurt him!

Flames erupted around Dabi, Airi stumbling back away from him as they nearly licked across her skin.

"I can see that corruption of his leaking into you." Dabi snarled as he held a hand to the bridge of his bleeding nose, Airi breathing heavily from a few feet back so she could run if he tries to set fire to the area again. "I have no problems beating it out of you."

"He hasn't corrupted me, he helped me learn that I'm stronger than you realize." Airi corrected the monster as he stood to take a dash at her. Dodging left and right, she swung for his nose again in hopes that it would break and deter him.

"Don't make me laugh! That birdbrain doesn't care if you're strong or not. As soon as you're no longer useful to him, he'll drop you." Dabi snarled, continuing to try to attack her without his fire.

"You mean like you'd have done to me already if it weren't for Hawks?" Airi questioned, more than aware she'd likely be burned to a crisp by now if she weren't so valuable in Dabi's eyes.

"The only difference is I'm not trying to pop a few kids in you, doll face. I won't lie, I'd have killed you by now if it weren't for your quirk." Dabi agreed to her assumption, dashing at her faster than she's seen him move so far.

Airi kicked up, catching Dabi in the chest. But he didn't stumble this time, he grabbed her by the throat, lifting her with ease into the air.

Airi's concentration broke and her gauntlet disappeared as Dabi held her up, clawing at his hand as she felt his fingers warm quickly. She didn't need to see his hand to know his quirk was warming up.

"I said I wouldn't kill you, but I also said I had no problems beating the submission into you. You're not getting away this time, songbird." Dabi growled with a sadistic grin that stretched across his face, Airi continuing to struggle as his fingers tightened.

Airi gasped and hissed as his fingers grew hotter, fearing he might just singe her skin for fighting back. He lifted her higher, raising his other hand in the air with a psycho laugh.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!"

Airi was sent tumbling when something strong slammed into both, immediately knowing who it was. She's kind of glad he had that feather on her now.

HAWKS TO THE RESCUE! With not a second to spare! This fight is heating up, and not just because of Dabi's fire! Now that Hawks is here, it's only going to escalate further, isn't it?

But aww, who else loved that little fluffy flashback near the beginning? What do you think, is Keigo moving too fast? Or is he on the right idea? He's excited for a future with Airi, is there really an issue with that. Well... his decision to ignore Phoenix's actions was an issue... I'm sure it'll sort itself out... maybe... who knows you'll find out xD

What's gonna happen next? How's this fight going to go? Are Airi and Hawks going to be capable of taking Dabi down? Find out next chapter! I'll see you then!