A Dying Rose Still Has Thorns

A/N: This story was originally formatted as a Hawks x Reader story, but (y/n) has been replaced with an OC name in order to follow the rules and regulations of this site. The main character is also designed to be generalized enough so that readers can insert themselves into her character if they choose to, so physical descriptors will remain at a minimum. A Hawks x Reader version of this story can be found on other fanfiction sites.

Not even a cricket stirred the foreboding silence of the shoddy, run down street on the far side of the city of Fukuoka. The sound of despondent feet shuffling against broken concrete as well as the faint buzzing from a nearby flickering streetlight was the only other noise willing to accompany Jun on her late-night trek alone.

Going out was an inevitable necessity in life. Though if possible, Jun would stay in and seclude herself away from the world for the rest of her life. Nobody would even know she existed.

That'd be a dream come true, she thought.

Unfortunately the technology wasn't here yet for her to be able to pull that off, and she still had to eat, so Jun found herself taking the long path to the store to pick up heaps of supplies to stockpile so she wouldn't have to leave the comfort of her home for the next 100 years or so. Taking the long route was rather inconvenient, but she preferred it. The shorter path was more suitable for criminal activity anyway. Not to mention, she wanted to kill some time since her neighbors, who had just graduated from U.A. High, were outside her home all day and night, being loud and obnoxious by practicing their upcoming hero work and perfecting their Quirks. Bleugh. Lucky them.

She would never admit it, but Jun was secretly envious of those who had the privilege to study at U.A. to obtain their hero license. Just like any kid, becoming a hero was a dream she embraced during the throes of youth as well.

At least… until the accident.

Whatever. Some were naturally cut out for hero work. Others, like herself, not so much.

The shop was within Jun's sight a short distance away – she always made sure to head over mere moments before locking their doors for the night, to avoid the most amount of people possible. She didn't want them to know of her existence. It was for the best that way.

"Ah! Stop!" A petite voice called out from the nearby alleyway as Jun passed by it.

Her steps ceased immediately at the scene.

Of course, she mused in contempt. A lady getting mugged.

In this part of the city late at night? It was bound to happen, she knew. Though with her stupid tendency to disregard her own safety and travel at night, Jun was honestly surprised that it wasn't her instead.

The villain was a run-of-the-mill thug with scaly-blue skin. He had one craggy hand plastered against the wall behind the woman, with sharp claws raised to her neck.

Uh, at least I hope she's just getting mugged.

The situation may have been more serious than Jun thought, and her heart began racing over the different opportunities she had to choose from at this very moment. Conflict overtook her mind over what her next move should be.

She needs help… maybe I should step in-

No. A hero will pop in and save the day like they always do.

But what if they don't this time?

Enough, Jun. It's illegal for me to step in and help without a hero license anyway.

Jun began to walk away, pretending to be blind to the situation.

"HELP!"

At that, her feet froze again, completely immobile and unwilling to cooperate. The pounding in her head from her heart racing at an unusually fast pace blocked all other sensations. Jun's mind screamed at her to do one thing.

Save her.

The woman trembled while desperately handing the villain her purse.

"Got any more?" he hissed while a grotesquely pointed tongue lapped once at her cheek.

"Hey, get out of here, you creep!" Jun yelled from afar, her underused voice echoing through the grimy alleyway.

Neither he or the woman acknowledged Jun's meager existence as she continued to cower and tremble as his claw began reaching for her.

Jun's panicked eyes darted around for something to gauge any sort of distraction, then set her sights on a half empty trash bag sagging on the ground within arm's reach.

"I said knock it off," she commanded with a tad more urgency in her voice as she winded back her arm to chuck the bag at the assailant. It didn't register to Jun until the split second the debris flew from her grip that it took more effort to launch than it probably should have since the trash bag wasn't even close to being full. It was much, much heavier than she had expected.

Jun watched with a bead of sweat on her temple as the garbage bag flew at surprising speed to strike the assailant directly on the side of his scaly head, followed by an unexpected sound of metal and shattering glass. A broken lamp tumbled out from the plastic sack; its mangled parts now broken beyond repair.

What the – who throws out a whole lamp, bulb included?!

"Ow."

Uh oh.

It was then the villain finally acknowledged Jun's existence with a threatening side-eye glance. A tingling shiver crept up her spine as her shoulders and muscles stiffened over registering the trouble she had just gotten herself into. He stared for a moment before growling, "Shoo, you pest!"

His lengthy tail darted sideways and delivered a hefty push against Jun's chest, sending her backwards and out of the alleyway. "Forget what you saw, and I'll let you live," he passed her one last side glare before turning his attention back to the woman who had resumed her screaming.

He didn't even budge! Wh-what can I do then? Jun's thoughts plagued her as she stood helplessly in the sidelines. And yet, she refused to accept the villain's mercy to turn a blind eye. Her conscience wouldn't allow it.

Before she could process it any further, an immense gust of wind swept through the entire area, sending bits of papers and trash from the gutters out into the empty and dimly lit street. Along with loose refuse, something else was stirring within the winds as well.

Feathers.

While shielding her face from the powerful winds, one feather had managed to fly directly in Jun's path to smack her square in the face, giving her a chance to snatch one to inspect it further.

A crimson feather. That could only mean-

"HAWKS!" The villain shouted before dozens of feathers darted to invade his tunic before surging him backwards powerfully, effectively pinning him against the wall with no escape.

From above, a shadowy figure then hopped down from the rooftops, landing in the space between the streets and alleyway, directly in the middle of Jun and the woman.

"Heyo," he greeted almost too casually despite the dire situation a mere moment before. Hawks then lifted the visors from his eyes and rested them on his forehead before smiling at the woman. "Heard you needed a hand over here. Sorry it took a minute, but don't worry, I gotcha."

He then turned and flashed the criminal a confident grin. "The police are already on their way, so sit tight, over there, alright?" He strangely addressed the wanted criminal with the same respect he was treating that civilian. Something about this guy made Jun feel uneasy.

"Oh, thank you Hawks! Please, is there anything I can do to repay you? Would you like my purse instead? I insist!" She asked with visible stars in her eyes.

Oh, brother. Give me a break.

"You don't have to worry about it. Seriously," he voiced in a relaxed yet confident manner. "You gonna be alright out here? Need me to escort you home?"

"No, I'll be alright, Hawks. Thanks to you!"

Jun felt like she was going to throw up from all the cheesy hero banter.

"A nice lady like yourself wandering around in this part of town, at this time of night? I'm gonna have to insist you take one of these," he instructed as a lone feather detached from his wings and glided effortlessly toward the woman to guide her home.

"Th-thank you Hawks!" She bowed profusely before making her way home, with his feather close by her side.

Jun watched the woman prance away from the scene and out of sight. She then turned her attention to Hawks, only to see that he was already looking at her, catching her off guard with a serious glare.

"So just what in the hell was that?" he ordered.

"Wh-what was what?"

She already knew what he was referring to.

"I saw what you did back there. Trying to take down a serial criminal when you were clearly gonna get your ass beat."

Jun opened her mouth to speak, only she had no excuse or words to defend herself. He was right, after all.

His scornful frown then unexpectedly made a complete switch to that of a gentle smile.

"But that spirit, kid. You've got that on me."

Jun's eyes, which were downcasted in shame, perked up at his total change in demeanor.

Hawks then shut his bird-like eyes and tilted his head in a slightly annoyed but casual manner. "But, as the Number 2 Pro Hero, I'm obligated to tell you not to interfere with hero work, yadda, yadda, yadda. You get the idea," his gloved hand had been waving off what he was saying, clearly indicating that he didn't actually care nor believe in what he was reciting to her.

"Hey, don't blame me for stepping in!" Jun spoke up, surprising the pro hero into peering down to get a good look at her after hearing her form an actual cohesive sentence to him for the first time that night. "She shouldn't have been roaming alleyways late at night if she didn't want trouble."

"Heh, pot, meet kettle," he replied, smirking.

"And that means-"

"It means - look who's talking," he interrupted and with such a grating cockiness.

Jun's eyes squinted at the winged hero in irritation. "Man, you're no different in real life than you are on camera – an annoying big mouth."

"Yiiiikes… clearly you aren't afraid to speak your mind. But I can admire that."

"You don't know anything about me."

"Man," Hawks lifted an eyebrow with his mouth in a straight line. "We should go grab you a shirt. One that says, 'Careful, I bite,' as a fair warning."

We?

"So anyway, you alright, kid? You're not too shaken, are ya?"

"I'll give you some time to realize that we're both the same age."

"Hah-ah. Alright, alright," he remarked with both hands raised up to his chin with him palms facing Jun as a sign of submission. "Well anyway, I'm just on my average nightly patrol, but you're an unusual face. Tell me, what are you doing out in these parts?"

"Um… I live here. I was just trying to get something to eat, is all."

Hawks had slipped his headset down to his neck and had an ungloved pinky finger scratching at his ear in mild boredom. "You mean at that place that's about to close, right there?"

With his other hand he pointed at the store out in the distance just as its inner lights switched off.

"Damnit…" she mumbled under her breath. Looked like she was going to bed hungry.

"Hey, don't sweat it!" he beamed, the light returning to his eyes. "My job's not only about saving girls and pets in danger. I'll help out with the little things, too! I know a great place that's open until midnight, they've got the sweetest-"

"Th-that's okay," Jun interrupted almost anxiously. "I think I'll just head home now." She pointed in the general direction to her home using finger guns before turning on her heel to take off.

"At least spare me this," Hawks spoke up, one gloved hand tucked casually in his jacket pocket while the other rested on his hip.

His unusual serious tone convinced Jun to stop.

"Hm?" She turned her head back in his direction without directly looking at him.

"Your name."

Hawks asking her for something as simple as her name struck Jun as rather odd. It's not like he asks every person he saves for something as personal as their name.

"Tani," she answered using her last name, not sparing him a word more.

At that, Hawks' solemn demeanor melted back to a benevolent one and he flashed her his signature charming smile. "Well alright, Tani! If we're done here, I'll make my leave," he announced before lifting his pointer finger to tap his visor effortlessly to drop back down to shield his golden-colored eyes. He then turned around with his back facing Jun, his large, crimson wings stretching out to prepare to take flight. "I've got something important to do. Later!"

With another gust of wind and a puff of feathers, he was gone.

It was always an uncomfortable and awkward experience to carry out Jun's version of 'the walk of shame' back to her house every instance she had to leave, but the trudge back home this time felt odd to her, even more than usual. Usually Jun's thoughts and energy were spent entirely on trying not to be seen, however, those thoughts didn't plague her this time. It was as if she felt safe, for whatever reason. There was also this almost brooding feeling, a feeling she'd been pushing back into her subconscious for as long as she could remember but was forced back out into the open tonight. Jun remembered vividly the instance her heart garnered this sinking feeling - the moment she parted ways with the Number 2 Pro Hero. A feeling of emptiness.

This… is new, she thought.

The harsh grumbling of her stomach pushed Jun out of her thoughts as hunger cramps shrouded her senses.

"God damnit. Maybe if I didn't stop for help, I wouldn't have to die of hunger," Jun muttered to herself, her head held low and eyes diverted to the grimy pavement below. Though if she were being honest with herself, Jun was glad that she stopped when she did, even if she really didn't help much. Still, it helped to temporarily fill that void Jun had been concealing and suppressing for who knows how long.

Upon approaching the doorstep to her apartment, a plastic bag tied in red string into a neat little red bow sat in the place of the worn-out entrance mat.

What the heck is this? There's no way it could be for me.

Jun was about to step over the package, until a note on the front caught her eye.

'Hey, dove~

Felt pretty guilty for holding you up back there, so I wanted to make it up to you.

~Your secret admirer.

Just kidding! It's your Number One Hero~

~Hawks

P.S. Yes, this is for you, Tani. Yes, you.'

"What the hell, this guy knows where I live now?! That stalker! And did he just call me dove? Who even says that?!"

As if on cue, an incredible scent then wafted to Jun's nose, immediately extinguishing her flames of rage.

Whoa.

On a nearby beam high into the sky, Hawks perched from afar. He was crouching down bending at the knees with both elbows resting casually atop his legs, wings folded and tucked behind him, watching to make sure Jun got home safe. This side of the city was no place for a quiet soul like her, he thought. He smiled upon seeing her bring his offering inside with her.

Hawks found himself unwilling to move even minutes after Jun was out of sight. One hand raised to cup his chin, his face in serious contemplation. He couldn't place a feather on it. What was it about her that just… stuck with him?

And Hawks would be lying if he said he wasn't surprised to find out that Jun was the same age as him. As a pro hero, his age is plastered in every tabloid and talk show that exists on this planet. He's downright lucky that his real name hasn't been leaked yet. Then he'd be in trouble. But with Jun, she was just so… short to be in her 20's. So small, yet so feisty.

There wasn't a question in Hawks' mind that she was a good person, however. The way she stepped in to help that woman, even when she didn't stand a chance. He couldn't forget about how he almost doubled over laughing from watching at a distance as Jun hurled old trash clumsily at the criminal. A goddamn trash bag of all things. It was so pathetic that it was downright hilarious, he mused with a pleasant smirk and a brief exhale through his nose.

But even after being discarded like trash by that thug, Jun still stayed. She still had the resolve to help. That's the type of hero he needs at his agency. But he didn't know what abilities she had, or if she even had a Quirk at all! Surely if she did, she would've used it against that baddie. It's the reason why he didn't immediately swoop in and apprehend that criminal from the start. He wanted to see Jun unleash her Quirk's inner fury, whatever that would've been. But she didn't – so why? Why did Hawks find Jun on his mind even long after parting ways with her? Something about her stuck out to him. Hell, he didn't know much about her personally other than her last name, and that she was not much for conversation…

…so, why?

At that point, Hawks should have cut his losses and moved on with his mission, but he stayed. He was so used to receiving the attention of every girl who'd look his way. Jun was the first to actually rebuff him. To not immediately fawn over the second-best pro hero in the country. The Hawks.

He was confused by the unusual reaction to not being on the receiving end of attention for once. This time he couldn't lie.

Hawks was intrigued by her.

The lights to Jun's tiny home switched on, immediately drawing attention to the various trinkets, decorations and otherwise uncharacteristically surprising ornaments scattered throughout her home. She had posters, characterized mugs, and even magnets with puns on her fridge. Her personal favorite had to be the one with the chicken on it with text above it saying, "Guess What?" with a not-so-subtle arrow pointing to its hind end.

If anyone were to see Jun's insanely personalized living space, there'd be no way that they'd make the connection that this was where she called home, due to Jun's frigid and rather unapproachable exterior. It didn't matter. Nobody was going to see these things anyway. Home is where Jun belonged – just her, and the overflowing amounts of stuffed animals and pillows she had to help hide and numb the prospect of an empty nest and an empty soul.

Opening the takeout box revealed a beautiful display of chicken and liver skewers, likely from that place he tried to guide her to half an hour before. Jun would've complained that he had essentially stalked her to deliver this to her, but Jun's growling stomach implored her that she could let it slide this time.

This time, Jun mused. As if he'd be crazy enough to even want to see me next time.

Her attention shifted back to the meal delivered to her, personally, by that scarlet-feathered hero, her annoyed eyes softening ever-so slightly.

…but if he does… I should thank him.

Not even a single cloud adorned the sky that beautiful fall morning in Fukuoka. The invigorating winds caressed Hawks' golden hair and crimson feathers as he glided through the city, watching with keen eyes from above while civilians made their morning commute. Some were perceptive enough to spot a glance at the winged hero and hastily throw up a wave or shout for him, to which Hawks would always acknowledge their praise cheerfully, starting with raising a hand to his forehead, his fingers flat together before saluting and end with an amiable wave to greet them with a charming smile.

Hawks swiftly approached a sizeable window designed specifically for his entry and departure. He glided effortlessly into the office-style room his wings beating with extra effort to hover in place for a smooth landing. His back turned toward the window to survey the area, admiring the sunny day he was just basking in moments before. His mind wandered to the other night; a gentle grin lit up his face from reflecting on his entertaining night, starring Jun.

"Hawks." A stoic and impassive yet feminine voice then disrupted his thoughts, immediately wiping the pleasant smirk from his face, only to be replaced with apprehension and dread as his once alert wings drooped slightly.

"You're late on your status report. The Hero Public Safety Commission expect peak performance from you," the president of the Commission asserted to the winged hero, his back still facing her.

"Now, tell us everything you've learned about the girl."

"Before you bring it up, no, I didn't get a Quirk out of her," he remarked almost spitefully while halfheartedly attempting to maintain a professional composure under the pretense of being perceived as the Commission's subordinate. "Whatever her Quirk is, I'll figure it out. That's all I'm after on this mission. Then I can get back to my other mission. That oh-so crucial mission you tasked me with - I'll thank you to remember that."

"Absolutely not," she replied dryly. "It's imperative that you learn everything you can about this girl. The entirety of our civilization may depend on it."

A heavy silence developed a moment later. Hawks turned unhurriedly to address the president of the Hero Commission directly, a profound seriousness overriding his rugged features. "I understand. I'll gather what I need to, at my trademark top speed," he declared with a formal bow, his arm crossing over his chest, his large crimson wings spreading wide in compliance.

The leader of the Commission passed him an assertive nod in confirmation. "If your sources have even a fraction of credibility to their claims, then we need to decipher her worth as soon as possible." Her head then dipped slightly forward in grim contemplation.

"If the League of Villains have indeed taken interest in her… then we need to intervene at all costs."