You get used to being who you are supposed to be ... and you stop being yourself as society strives hopelessly to absorb you into its dark jaws. That becomes a terribly great weight ... so much so that even if you think that you fly freely that weight drags you to the ground to your perdition.

The blonde woke up suddenly, with sweat all over his face and pain in his body.

He had a bandage on his back and patches on his face and left arm, his agitation was fast and his eyes tried to adapt to the room that was too white ... too bright.

-What ... where ... is ...- He brought his right hand to his face, he felt that it burned, all of him burned.

-Hawsk ! -The thick voice of a man caught his attention and forced him to lower his right hand from his face- You cannot touch your face ... you are ... you are burning again- There was doubt or perhaps concern in those words- I will call someone ... Hawks?

He knew it ... He knew it, but right now, he did not know from where.

The younger boy's eyes rolled slightly before collapsing back onto the bed while being held by a concerned Todoroki Enji.

The number one hero, the hero of the flame of hell ... but right now ... a man who was so worried that he did not believe it and it was something he did not understand.

A week ago they had managed to get out of the attack on the lairs of the league of villains, he had calmed down when he knew that his son Shoto was in perfect condition, but something in his chest told him that something was not right ...

And this was confirmed when he was able to meet his number 2 … the hero who made it possible for them to be able to perform a tremendous blow.

But the condition he was in did not look very favorable. Enji carried him to the hospital of heroes, feeling on his suit the grip of the blond's hands, close to his chest.

On his way there, he felt that the boy's grip lost strength a couple of times. "Don't fall asleep, Hawks ..." He asked him imperatively and almost immediately that grip returned to his clothes, he felt that he was snuggling up almost looking for his warmth.

-We won Endeavor san? –He asked every so often

- We won ... of course we won Hawks -He pressed him against himself- We would not waste the opportunity, that with so much sacrifice, you gave us ...- He saw him for a few seconds, he could see a trace of a tear in the boy's visible eye- You hated doing this right?

-When ... we have the free time we always wanted ... Endeavor san ... we can have a few drinks ... you owe me a ... date, right? Without ... Nomus this time ...

"Anything you want ... as long as it's not with Nomus ..."

When he arrived at the heroes' hospital he wanted to hand over Hawks, but the blonde refused to let him go, and somehow he felt that he shouldn't leave him.

Endeavor stayed while they checked him out, and every revelation from the doctors was a blow to his chest.

He had broken ribs, he had absorbed smoke and heat, second and third degree burns, being the most affected were his wings, all of these issues Enji had not been able to see before.

He wanted to think that those burned wings, just like when he had supported him in the fight with High End, would grow back ... he wanted to think that it would be so. But he wasn't going to pull away until he was sure. He had to be separated from him to be cared for, it was nothing that someone like him could not bear.

He felt guilty leaving him alone while he went to give a press conference, the number one hero's duty... Reporting the casualties, injuries and results.

It burned on the inside having to avoid saying that the key pieces had escaped and were still a terrible danger to all of Japan out there.

That was information that at the moment he could not share with others.

When the press conference ended, he was surprised to be received by his daughter in tears, and greeted from afar by his eldest son, Natsuo, who worked at the heroes' hospital.

Shoto was with his colleagues from the UA, the three of them were fine and they came to see him ... it made him understand that he was doing something good now.

Separating from them and giving them their space and freedom was perhaps the best decision he had ever made ... to get them away from that misnamed Todoroki Enji.

When he said goodbye to his daughter, the doctor in charge indicated that Hawks had been transferred to a special room.

But they had not been able to communicate with any family member.

Endeavor took the clothes his daughter had brought him and ditched the hero outfit.

As he walked down the hall, he thought they were too empty compared to the rooms of the other heroes who were being cared for.

The messages he had received from Hawks in the liberation book came to his memory, in addition to giving him details of the plan, how he had infiltrated the enemy's ranks and the government's plans to checkmate the villains ... he had told how the government had made his life that of a puppet.

How they had manipulated him, from his behavior, his way of coming to light, of reaching the public. The way they had clipped his wings of freedom ... only to use his physical wings as an attention magnet and bait for their own purposes.

And every time he felt his wings become an unbearable weight that sent him tumbling to the ground ... there was only one thing that allowed him to fly with those cement wings.

And it was the image of the most stubborn hero ... the hero who brought him out of his misery and illuminated the path ahead, who showed him that no matter how impossible something might seem, he should keep trying.

"... It's hard to write more encrypted now that it's personal, I really hope you can't decrypt this part Endeavor san ... it's a shame to think you could be reading this ... I'm a brat, like you said before, but that does not blind me from knowing what is good and admiring what is really worth admiring, the tenacity with which you have built that bridge to cross the abyss that separated the you of the beginning with the you of now and the gap of be number one and number two ... I told you I would be the one to produce the number one that everyone will love and admire ... just like I do. Your fire lights the way, fire is not only used to hurt, It also serves to warm others ... and I'm sure you'll understand how to do it. Endeavor san "

The agent who had sneaked into the ranks of the villains, the brat who had climbed into his shadow ... the one who had somehow earned his "respect."

If he had to define any way ... it must be respect.

Because he did not dare to use another word for this. The lonely corridors confirmed that the boy was alone.

What good did so many fans out there make, if he didn't have a family to support him in these moments?. He walked into his room that day, with an idea in his head. He would be his family from that day on. And from that moment ... he stayed by his side.

Hawks had woken up 3 times since that day.

The next night he arrived at the hospital, he did not seem very agitated, he was just puzzled, apparently he was more scared because he was wearing white clothes and he thought he was in a lab or something, but he was able to calm down when Enji reminded him of what had happened.

He remained calm but restless until the doctor came to check on him ... he lost his temper and his control when he realized how sore his wings felt.

Enji had the image of the young man in tears trying to get out of bed, trying to fly out of bed ... and was finally injected with a strong painkiller.

The next day and the next, he started having fevers. The burns were causing infection and care had increased. Enji did not move from his side, from time to time he changed the cloths that accompanied the serums and medicines that made the number two hero stabilize little by little.

That morning he also woke up from a nightmare -Hey ... calm down ... Hawks ... calm down ...- He tried to hold him so that he didn't make an effort, so that he didn't hurt himself more.

-Who ... who are you?- The blonde barely let out a whisper as he barely remained seated and held by Enji. Those words froze the redhead's heart, how many times had he heard words of contempt from his son Natsuo, they hurt ... but this, it was destroying him inside.

Doctors would soon apply a pain reliever, letting him sleep again. They explained to Enji that it was possibly a nervous shock, possibly Hawks himself was trying to assimilate what was happening.

But now it was Enji who was trying to understand what was wrong with himself.

Three more days passed, and the week in that place came with the most recent awakening of Hawks.

Leaving number one again with a knot in his chest, with the desire to ask but even more to understand. The doctors did not come this time since the boy fell asleep on his own.

But the whirlwind of ideas and questions piled up in Todoroki Enji as the hours passed. The different images of the blond in his few encounters, how he was able to annoy him with his impudence and amaze him with his ability.

He had memorized those lines from the book hidden just for him ... he had trusted his ability even to leave him that special code. He had memorized every word ... to the point that he got stuck in a sentence that was driving him crazy little by little.

"... I told you, I'll be the one to produce the number one that everyone will love and admire ... just like I do."

"They will love ... and admire ..."

He saw the boy on his bed, during their patrolling encounters, once in a while, he had made some incoherent comments ...

"I like Endeavor san" ... "It's really warm Endeavor san" ... "We will have a date when we're free, do you promise? "

He shook his head, remembering the last thing he had asked him when he got to the hospital.

"When ... we have the free time he wanted ... Endeavor san ... we can have a few drinks ... you owe me a ... date, right? Without ... Nomus this time ..."

-Why would someone like you ... - he gently caress the child's blond hair -...look at someone like me? ... you are brighter and warmer than my fire ... but now ... I really want to give you that warmth that you admire ... you have to come out of this ... Hawks. I'm not going to forgive myself for not being on time for you ...- He leaned over his forehead and left a warm kiss.

The sleeping boy dreamed that he fell again and again, ever so often he saw Dabi making fun of him or burning his wings, which turned to ashes and made him fall to the ground.

Every time he was about to crash, he heard a voice calling him ...

"Hawks ... Hawks"

He began to hate that name that the government gave him ... but that voice ... he felt it lifting him up... a light that illuminated the darkness in which he was falling to ... and his wings grew again ... to try to fly towards that light ... but that nightmare roulette was repeated over and over again.

"Who ... who calls me? ..."

"Hawks ... Hawks ..."

"Who is? ..."

The blonde wondered in his unconsciousness

"... You are important to me ... I want ... I want to reach you ..."

He stretched out a hand trying to touch that warm light

- ... ...

-Endeavor ... san ...Enji raised his body surprised, he had only said his hero name as he always said it ... he did not know if with respect or with derision, but calling him full of joy.

-Hawks ... I'm with you … The blond's right eye barely opened but he noticed how a smile formed on the older man's face, without understanding why, he smiled too.

-... Yes ... I know ... I heard you called me several times ...

-I haven't let you rest ... I'm sorry.

-If I hadn't heard you ... I would have fallen into darkness ...- he made a gesture of pain -... you have saved me again ... Endeavor san. You are certainly my number one hero.

A hint of color appeared on Enji's cheeks- I didn't get to help you in time ... I don't deserve to be your hero. Don't move too much ... you're with bandages and medications. Those scars are ... my fault. Everything ... is.

-You have been, since before you think ...- Hawks settled himself as best he could on the pillow without stopping eye contact -This? –He smiles- Everyone is responsible for their injuries ... aren't we? Endeavor san? I will take care of my own healing.

-No ...- The larger man cut in, prevailing.

-Endeavor san?

-I ... I will take care of healing you ... the physical wounds and the others ...- The blonde thought he heard wrong... I will be responsible for you from now on, for you and us ...- He looked at him with ferocity -... the wounds that we have ... we will heal them together ... If you wish.-...-Hawks?

-... you ... are saying ... that ...

-You will live with me ... Yes ... yes, of course ... Ah ... I am stunning you with all this ... when you leave the hospital we will talk about these things ... meanwhile I will be with you ...

-Yes, I want that! -The blond cut off almost desperately- Yes ... I want to be by Endeavor san's side ... I want to be by the side of the person who gives my life meaning ... now ... now more than ever ... Endeavor san ... I like it ... I want to be by your side but ...- He felt the pressure of the bandages on his body -... I don't want to be a burden to you ... not now that you are shining on your own.

-I?

-I just helped form the plan ... you are the one who executed it and directed everyone ... the others must have already realized how great Endeavor san is ...

-You like me? –Enji stuttered completing what he was trying to say before.

-But of course ... -Hawks blushed -... I think I've been obvious before ... but not clear ... Yes, yes sir ... this brat has been in love with you since I was a chick, yes, please take me to your house ... I hope you understand that I will try to make you fall in love with me and to keep all the attention of the number one for his number one fan.

-How can you be so ... direct ... you never take care of your mouth?

Enji's words sounded a bit cold ... the alarms sounded in Keigo's head, he was about to ruin it ... and it wasn't something he wanted, not now, not with him

-I ... I'm sorry ...- His words were half said.

That mature man, who he had followed forever. That strong man, that warm fire with human form ... he had sealed his lips with a rough kiss, his eyes showed panic, not understanding what he had just done.

Hawks raised his right hand and caressed his face, cupping the man's lips with his own and smoothing the rough kiss into a soft, gentle one.

They slowly parted. One redder than the other.

Hawks was the first to smile -... I hope you take good care of me ... Endeavor san.

Enji sighed -... It's something that I've decided ... and something that I plan to fulfill ... chick.