Welcome to Winds of Destiny: Converging! As the summary states, this is a story containing a collection of special chapters and extras featuring characters from the Winds of Destiny series. If you have not read Falling, I would recommend doing so before reading these extras. Here's the link—

s/13719208/1/Winds-of-Destiny-Falling.

The first story in this collection was previously posted as part of Falling, but I felt that it, and the other extras I have planned would fit better in their own story. That said, please enjoy the new format of the Valentine's Day Extra: Red Thread ~

Winds of Destiny: Converging

Red Thread - Prologue

"Misa-chan, come on! I said I was sorry! What do you want me to do?" Hawks pleaded as he followed Misaki out of the bedroom and into the kitchen.

"Not go on a date with another woman on Valentine's Day?" Misaki suggested over her shoulder as she reached out to open the refrigerator with a bit more force than was necessary.

He sighed and leaned back against the kitchen counter next to the sink. "Give me a break. It's not like I wanted to agree to this—"

"Then why did you?" She snapped, cutting him off as she slammed the refrigerator door shut and fixed him with an accusing glare.

"I wasn't really given much of a choice..." He reached up to rub the back of his neck sheepishly, grimacing as he looked away and thinking back on his meeting at the Safety Commission earlier that day.

...

"You'll be participating in this year's Most Eligible Heroes Auction," the President of the Hero Public Safety Commission told him succinctly from her seat behind her desk.

"Excuse me?" He asked, turning his head to the side, and squinting at her from the corner of his eye.

"The charity event you've been avoiding for the last three years," the President's dry voice reminded him.

Hawks nodded and said, "I know what it is. Not sure why you think I'll be participating this year either?"

"I've already signed you up," she informed him, having the decency to look slightly apologetic for doing something like that behind his back.

His eyes widened as he stared back at her and asked, "Why would you do that?"

The President sighed, dropping her eyes, and crossing her arms across her chest. "The organizer this year made me an offer I couldn't refuse, conditional on your participation. Apparently, they've had quite a few requests from some wealthy backers with an interest in spending the evening with you."

Not even trying to keep his disgust from filtering out into his expression, Hawks cringed as he asked her, "When is it?"

"February fourteenth at six pm," she replied, stone faced.

"Seriously?" Hawks remarked, flinching at the mention of the familiar date.

The President raised a manicured eyebrow at him and asked, "Is that going to be a problem?"

He clicked his tongue and looked away, muttering under his breath, "Who decided it'd be a good idea to set up a charity event on Valentine's Day?"

"Bored, wealthy, older women," the President replied matter-of-factly.

Hawks narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously and flippantly asked, "You're not participating in this thing, are you?"

She fixed him with a dry gaze. "Unfortunately, I have another engagement to attend that evening."

Hawks huffed out a rueful chuckle before trailing off sarcastically, "Unfortunately..."

"I'm sure it goes without saying, but I expect you to conduct yourself in a manner befitting of a representative of this office, Hawks," the President said, glaring at him reproachfully as if warning him not to make his usual spectacle of himself just because he happened to be an unwilling participant.

"Right..." He trailed off with a wry grimace.

...

Misaki rolled her eyes and turned to walk into the living room of her apartment with the bottle of water she'd retrieved from the refrigerator and sighed, "Whatever. It's fine."

He caught her by the wrist and pulled her back, wrapping his arms around her waist and staring apologetically into her dejected eyes. "No, it's not. But I promise I'll make it up to you."

She lifted her arms to wrap around his neck and pouted, "You better."

A suggestive smirk tugged at the corner of his lips and he moved his hands down from her waist to palm the perky cheeks of her behind as he hummed, "Why don't I start right now?"

Thank you for reading :)

LOLSAT