A/N: This happened in the aftermath of Katsuki's encounter with the thief in Chapter One (The Newbie and His Winged Pal) of my "To be a Hero" story. Hawks had developed some anxiety over Katsuki's safety and Ishikawa helped him understand this new territory.

A PROTECTIVE INSTINCT

The crimson feathers hummed quietly as they flit around in the air, going as swift as they could through any openings they could find. One picked up weak vibrations and went straight toward the source until it found a metallic ball tucked underneath a slab of rock. The ball beeped when the feather tapped on it. It rolled out and four metallic legs sprang out. The spherical bot beeped again and then it scampered out of the simulation zone, heading toward a black box and went through a little opened slot. The feathers moved around frantically as they picked up more vibrations in the area and tapped each hidden spherical bot that they located. Soon there were a swarm of the little bots scampering out of their hiding and headed straight for the large black box. A screen showing the percentage of the bots that had entered beeped every time a bot entered the box.

Hawks pursed his lips as he stared at the numbers, still not fast enough, he thought to himself as he watched the numbers going up rapidly. He crossed his arms and then tilted his head to the side, eyes sliding shut as he concentrated on each of his scattered feathers. In less than a minute, the number reached a hundred and the buzzer rang. The teenager sighed as he called his feathers to return to his back. He rubbed a hand on his temple as a headache began pounding in his head. He turned around when he heard the door sliding open to reveal his guardian.

Ishikawa smiled at him, "You did well, Hawks."

"Yeah? Don't feel like I did well though," said the teenager with a small frown.

His guardian's smile faltered. The teenager had been doubtful about his abilities ever since the incident where he saved Katsuki from a thief a couple of days ago. The boy was lucky Hawks saw what happened while he was flying back to the apartment. The teenager was distressed when he called Ishikawa, he was on the verge of a panic attack. It was the first time the teenager lost his cool in years. Ishikawa placed a hand on his charge's shoulder, "Hawks, you saved him before it got really bad."

Hawks blinked and looked up at him, "But if I was faster, I could've… his arms… what if Katsuki can't use his arms?"

"The doctors took care of him. They said he'll still be able to use his quirk. We even called in someone from UA to help fix his arms."

The teenager sniffed and rubbed his nose, "He'll still be able to use his quirk?"

"Yes. He'll need a few days of rest and a few more healing sessions to make a full recovery. We've had heroes who suffered from more grievous injuries and managed to make a full recovery and get back to work. Bakugou will be fine. He's tougher than he looks."

He watched Hawks carefully as the teenager seemed to think about what he said. The teenager nodded and smiled, "You're right. Katsuki would be offended if I think he won't be able to use his arms anymore."

Ishikawa ruffled his hair, "Why don't you go visit him? I can drop you off."

"Nah, I'll go by myself. Thanks… Ichiro-san," Hawks added the last part quietly.

The man blinked in surprise. Hawks had never called him by his first name whenever they're at the training facility. He rubbed his neck shyly, "You're welcome. Go get cleaned up before you visit him."

Hawks quickly took his leave, his mood lifted. Ishikawa watched him and pondered on the changes he's seen with his winged charge. Ever since they moved here, the teenager seemed more energetic and willing to share his thoughts and worries. He's obviously grown attached to the agency's current youngest trainee. He sighed, he'll talk with the boy when he gets home later.

" Someone, please do something! He's hurting Kacchan! "

Hawks slowed down when he heard the cry. He turned around, searching for the source of the voice and spotted a crowd. Curious, he went to check it out. A little boy with green hair was screaming, begging at the crowd for help while being held back. There was an explosion and that's when he saw Katsuki being grabbed by a man. The man dragged him into the alleyway by his hair, the small boy stumbling after him as he was manhandled roughly.

Hawks snapped out of his shock when he heard a pained scream. He dove toward the alleyway, sending some of his feathers ahead. He smirked when he saw the boy turned and kicked the man between his legs, the man howled in pain. His feathers snatched the man and pinned him against the wall. He landed in front of his friend, startling him. He grabbed Katsuki's shoulders to steady him as he swayed, "Katsuki!"

Katsuki stared at him and laughed which sounded like a wheeze. That's not good . The boy blinked, "For someone who… claims to be the fastest, you're so fuckin' slow to get here, feathers."

"We called an ambulance and the police! " said someone among the crowd. Hawks nodded his thanks and returned his attention to the boy.

"Help's on its way kid. Hang in there!" said Hawks, his voice slightly high pitched as he tried to hold in the panic. His brows knitted together in worry at the sight of Katsuki's mangled arms, "Shit, your arms!"

What happened to his arms?! That looks bad!

"Hurts… 'm tired," whispered Katsuki as his eyes fluttered shut.

Hawks' grip on him tightened as fear slammed into his chest, "KAT-

"KACCHAN!"

Katsuki's eyes snapped open, "Deku?"

Hawks turned to see the green-haired boy who was screaming for help. He was covered in snot and tears. The boy wailed at the sight of his injured friend, "Oh my god! Kacchan don't die! Please don't die!"

"Not gonna die… shitty nerd," said Katsuki before he passed out.

Hawk's eyes widened as Katsuki fell limp in his arms. He carefully lowered him to the ground. He turned to the wailing boy beside him, "What happened?"

The boy Katsuki called 'Deku' rubbed at his eyes futilely, his tears won't stop. He sobbed uncontrollably as he babbled, "We were on our way get the new Hero Legacy game when that man stole his mom's card. Kacchan tried to catch the thief. He caught up to him and had him pinned down but the bad man hurt him! I dunno what he did. I dunno how he hurt Kacchan! Kacchan couldn't fight back!"

Hawks turned his attention to the man he had pinned on the wall. His eyes gleamed dangerously, "What did you do?"

The man scoffed, "Brat thinks he's so tough. I just taught him a lesson!"

"He's just a kid!" Hawks screamed.

The man flinched but then he smirked, "He got what he deserved for being a cocky brat."

Hawks had never felt so much rage before. He had never had the need to want to hurt someone so bad until now. It was an unfamiliar feeling in his chest. Growing strong and out of control. Like a roaring fire. He snapped out of it when he felt a small hand grabbed his wrist. He turned to Deku who looked at him with worried huge eyes, "W-will Kacchan be, okay? His breathing's funny."

The teen's eyes widened and he lowered his gaze to his unconscious friend. His chest was rising and falling quickly. Hawks lowered himself to listen to his breathing and there was a whistling sound with each breath. He pressed two fingers on his wrist and could feel his rapid heartbeat. He looked at the man who had called for the ambulance, "How long ago?"

"Huh?" asked the man, confused.

"The call for help!"

"Uhh, ten minutes?"

"The ambulance should be here by now!" said Hawks as panic returns. He didn't dare to move his friend. Katsuki has grown extremely pale, lips turning blue slightly. He cursed. What should he do?! His mind was going blank.

Deku leaned over his unconscious friend, "Kacchan… please, don't die."

Hawks pulled out his cellphone and speed dialled Ishikawa's number. As soon as the man picked up, he spoke, "Katsuki's badly hurt!"

"What do you mean?" asked Ishikawa, a tone of concern in his voice.

"He-he was attacked and badly wounded. His breathing is fast and shallow. His heartbeat is fast. His arms are a mess! I- I don't know what to do!"

"Calm down, Hawks. Did you call for help?"

"Someone already did but that was over ten minutes ago! It's getting worse! His lips are turning blue!" said Hawks as he tugged at his hair.

"Tsk. That's not a good sign."

"W-what if they're too late?!"

"Don't try to move him. You'll make it worse. Just wait for help to come."

"But he's-"

"They're here!" said Deku as he stood up.

Hawks looked up to see medics running toward them. They asked him to give them room to assess and take care of Katsuki. He stood up and stared at them, their words fading out as his eyes stayed on Katsuki, making sure his chest was still rising and falling. One of the medic's hands glowed as they hovered over the boy's chest. They spoke quickly, pointing out what needed attention before they could move him. The other medic secured his broken arms with bubble-like casts. Deku stood beside him and held his hand. Hawks blinked and looked down at the boy. He squeezed the boy's hand and gave him a reassuring smile that he knew his eyes didn't show, "He'll be okay. They'll take care of him."

Deku nodded. He rubbed at his swollen eyes, "C-can I borrow your phone? I-I need to call… his parents."

Hawks realized he was still on the line with Ishikawa. The man was calling his name to get his attention, "T-they're here. They're going to load him into the ambulance."

"Good. Are you okay?"

"I'm… I'm not hurt."

"That's not what I mean, Hawks."

Hawks frowned slightly, "I'm okay. Look, I need to call his parents."

"Alright, keep me updated."

"Okay."

Hawks hung up and dialled Masaru's number. The man answered the phone on the third ring, "Hello, Hawks-kun?"

"H-hey, Masaru-san. I… something happened to Katsuki…"

"How'd you know Uncle Masaru's number?" asked Deku curiously.

Hawks nearly forgot about the boy, "We're… friends."

"Oh."

Hawks told Masaru what happened. The ambulance siren started blaring just as the police arrived to apprehend the thief. Hawks didn't stay long to talk to them, he gave them his card and then picked up Deku to follow the ambulance to the hospital. He'll let the other witnesses talk to them. The two boys then found themselves sitting on cold and hard plastic chairs for some time before Katsuki's parents showed up. Mitsuki quickly pulled Deku into a hug and comforted him as he cried and apologized. Masaru patted his shoulder and nodded, "Thank you, for saving him."

Hawks nodded mutely. They waited in the waiting area for a few hours until a doctor came out to update them of Katsuki's condition. He said the boy was lucky he got help sooner. Other than his arms, a few of his ribs were broken. And one of his lungs got punctured. The CT scan also showed that he might have a concussion from the blow to his head.

Hawks stared at the floor, his fist clenched tightly by his side. If he didn't space out, he could've saved Katsuki quicker.

Hawks was lost in thoughts as he walked toward Katsuki's room. He chewed on the yakitori absentmindedly. The plastic bags of food in his hand crinkling while his other hand was holding onto Ishikawa's old PS Vita. Katsuki hadn't woke up since they brought him in. He wondered how long it'll be for him to wake up. He sighed as he paused outside the boy's hospital room. He grabbed the doorknob and pushed the door open. His eyes moved to the bed and he froze. Katsuki was staring at him. He's awake!

He pulled the stick of yakitori out of his mouth as he rushed toward the boys' bed in excitement, "Katsuki! You're awake!"

"How long was I out?" asked Katsuki hoarsely. The boy grimaced. His throat must've hurt, he wondered.

Hawks brought a glass of water with a straw to the boy's lips, "Uhh, nearly two days? They managed to fix your arms; no permanent damage was done. Your mom was making a huge fuss when they brought you in. She demanded that you get fixed by someone with a healing quirk."

Katsuki groaned, "Of course the hag's making a scene…how embarrassing."

Hawks plopped down on the plastic chair by the bed. He eyed his young friend worriedly, "How are you feeling? Any pain? Do you need the doctor?"

Katsuki eyed the teenager, taking in his physical appearance. He looked away, "I'm fine. Arms hurt a bit but everything else, just peachy."

Hawks sighed, "Good. You scared the living bejeezus out of me! What were you thinking?! Going after a thief like that?!"

Katsuki lowered his head, his bangs covering his eyes, "…I'm sorry."

Hawks wanted to say more but he bit his lower lip to keep his mouth shut. He shouldn't have raised his voice like that but he was stressed out and worried for him. He could see the boy felt terrible already, his shoulders were trembling. The teenager waited for a few moments, counted to ten and sighed, "What's done is done. So, you hungry? I got some snacks here! I don't know what kind of food you like though. Or you wanna play some games?"

Katsuki lifted his gaze to stare at the bag in Hawks' hand. He shifted in his seat, "What do you have?"

Hawks beamed and start rummaging through the food in the bag, "I got some chips, sour candies, chocolates, buns and-"

"Thank you, Hawks," Katsuki whispered.

Hawks met his eyes and smiled, "You're welcome, Kats! Oh, just remembered! That green-haired kid asked me to call him if you woke up."

"Izuku?"

"Yeah, I think that's his name! He was so persistent and he made me promise. Hold up let me dial him up!" said Hawks as he took out his cellphone and keyed in the number he memorized, "Here."

Katsuki leaned toward the phone that Hawks held to his ear. It rang twice then someone picked up the call, "D-Deku?"

Hawks tilted his head in slight confusion. Which one is the boy's name? Izuku or Deku? Huh, maybe Deku is a nickname? But it's not a nice word… He'll have to ask Katsuki about it when he has the chance. He finished his yakitori and put the skewer stick in the plastic bag he brought with him.

" Kacchan! Oh my gosh! I was so worried about you! I thought you were going to die when I saw you like that! You scared me Kacchan! I was so worried–"

Hawks watched the boy nodded his head and gave short replies to his friend. The teenager looked at the boy carefully. He noted the crease between his brows, the bags under his eyes and the sheen of sweat covering his pale skin. The scent of caramel was growing strong. He leaned closer and took a sniff.

"Hold up, Deku. Oi, did you just… sniffed me?" asked Katsuki, aghast at the other's action.

Hawks hummed, "You smell sweet. Like candy."

A blush graced the temperamental boy's pale cheeks, "I-it's from my sweat. I uhh, I sort of sweat something that's like nitroglycerin?"

Hawks' brows rose to his hairline, "Oh, I didn't know that. Always thought it was your shampoo or perfume."

"What boy would- you're an idiot, you know?"

The teenager grinned, "Well, you never know."

Katsuki huffed and got back to his conversation with Izuku, "Yeah. Wait, slow down- would you shut up for a moment! Jeez, I told you already, I'm fine! Stop worrying about me! What about you? Did you get hurt? Really? You're not lying, right? Uh-huh. Whatever. Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow."

Hawks pulled his phone away when Katsuki gave him a sign that he was done. He opened his text app and texted Masaru to let him know that Katsuki's awake. He looked up from his phone when he heard a hiss, "You okay?"

Katsuki looked away, "Think my meds are wearing off."

"I'll call a nurse," said Hawks as he stood up to press the call button.

"Thanks."

"How bad is it?" asked the older boy with a frown.

Katsuki groaned as he leaned back against the pillow, eyes squeezing shut, "Seven out of ten? Maybe an eight?"

The door to the room opened and a nurse peeked in, "Do you need anything?"

"Yeah. Katsuki said he's feeling some pain."

The nurse walked to the bed briskly. She took the clipboard and looked at the notes, "Alright, it's almost time for your next dosage. You'll probably feel drowsy after I administer some."

Katsuki nodded his head. The nurse hurried out of the room to get what she needed to help him with the pain. Hawks hovered by the bed anxiously as he watched the boy growing pale and distressed. The nurse returned with a syringe, "Alright, this should help. It'll take a while before it kicks in."

Hawks kept his eyes on her as she injected the painkiller through Katsuki's IV. She wrote down a note on his clipboard and returned it to its place. She lingered for a bit to check on the patient and his equipment before taking her leave. Hawks sat back down onto the chair and he kept his eyes on Katsuki, "Feeling better?"

"Yeah… Did ya text my parents?" asked Katsuki, his voice heavy and tired.

"Yeah. They'll be here soon."

"Tell them to stop worrying. I'm still alive and kicking."

Hawks chuckled as he grasped the boy's hand, and squeezed lightly. Katsuki opened an eye and stared at him, "What're you doing?"

The teenager rubbed at his eyes, "You really scared me, Kats. I thought we'd lose you."

The younger boy sighed, "M'sorry for makin' ya worried."

"If I was faster…"

"S'in the past. Stop blamin' yerself," Katsuki slurred. The painkiller was making him drowsy. He bit back a yawn.

Hawks sniffed and wiped away the tears, "Go to sleep, Kats. You need to rest."

Katsuki scoffed, "You too, birdbrain. When's the last time ya see yerself in the mirror?"

Hawks forced a smile, "I still look better than you."

A small smile appeared on the boy's lips, "In yer dreams."

The teenager huffed a laugh. He watched quietly as his friend's breathing evened out. He blinked and yawned. Alight, maybe the brat's right. He folded his arms on the bed and lay his head down. Maybe he'll take a nap here. He sighed as he stared at Katsuki's calm face. His fingers brushing at the blond spikes over his face, "I'm glad you're alive."

Hawks jumped at the loud pop behind him. He spun around, eyes wide and searching for danger. But there was only Katsuki who was glaring daggers at him with a heavy frown. The boy stomped his foot, "Quit it!"

"Huh?" asked the winged teenager confused.

Katsuki gestured to him, "THIS! It's annoying! I'm not fragile, you know?"

Hawks looked at himself and realized what he's done. He had stood in front of his training partner and friend to defend him against the training drones by instinct, again . He's done this a few times since Katsuki started training. He didn't realize what he'd done until Katsuki pointed it out during their last training session. He ducked his head, "Sorry."

Katsuki sighed exasperatedly, "Look, I know you're worried but my arms are healed."

Hawks nodded mutely. Katsuki groaned and threw a question to whatever Gods are there in the sky for making him feel a smidgen of guilt over this, "Just, stop worrying. I'll stop immediately if something feels off."

"Really?"

"Trust me."

"Alright."

" Is everything alright? " asked Kitamura over the intercom.

Katsuki turned to the observation deck window, "We're okay. Start the countdown!"

" Alright. You boys get ready. "

Kitamura gave them a few moments before he pressed on the start button. The counter started beeping and then the starting buzzer rang. Both the boys dashed into the obstacle to find their targets. They're doing outdoor training today so the training bots have more advantage to hide among the greens. The agent sighed and kept his eyes on Katsuki as he leaned back against his chair. Their youngest recruit just got an okay from Recovery Girl to continue his training last week. She did warn them not to let him overwork himself as he still needed his rest. He heard the door opened and shut behind him. A coffee mug was offered to him and he muttered his thanks.

Ishikawa took the other empty chair, his eyes on his charge, "Did I miss anything?"

"You were right. Hawks got in Bakugou's way again. It's like he has the instinct to protect the boy from the bots before we even started."

The silver-haired man sighed, "That's what I'm concerned about. I'm sure Bakugou had tried to reassure him but Hawks couldn't stop himself from worrying."

Kitamura took a sip from his mug, "The higher-ups won't be happy if they catch wind of this… new habit. They've put him through strict training about managing his emotions when he was younger that I believed he's stripped off them. To be honest, I'm glad he didn't end up an emotionless robot."

Ishikawa stared at his coffee, remembering his late father sharing his displeasure of the program. He sighed quietly, "I will need to talk with him."

"Hey, maybe we can get Mishima to talk to him? Tell her to keep it off records?"

"I don't think it's wise to get her in trouble."

Kitamura grimaced, "... yeah."

There was a series of explosion and the men turned their attention to the screen showing Katsuki facing off against three training bots. The boy had a feral grin on his face, his hands sparking before he dashed at one of the bots. He made quick work with the bots, impressing both men with his skill. Kitamura smiled, "He's really something."

Ishikawa spotted Hawks approaching where Katsuki was, "That boy…"

A bot leapt out from a bush behind Katsuki and before he could blast it into smithereens, a bunch of feathers attacked the robot. Katsuki turned to see Hawks swooping for his target. Hawks' foot landed on the bot's chest and sent it crashing against a nearby tree. Hawks turned to Katsuki with wide eyes, "Kats!"

"What the fuck, Hawks?!" cried Katsuki. The teenager flinched at the loud exclamation. Katsuki moved his arms around angrily, "The hell are you doing?!"

"I uhh, I-"

"I don't need your help! I told you I'm fucking fine! Why don't you trust me?!"

"It's not that I didn't trust you!"

"Then what the fuck was THAT?!"

"I just… I just reacted without thinking."

"Stop for a moment to think!"

"WATCH OUT!"

Katsuki whirled around, hand sparking and ready to blast at whatever was behind him. A blur went passed him and headed straight toward the bot that tried to ambush him. There was a spark and then an explosion, pieces of the bot scattered everywhere. Katsuki's eyes widened, "Hawks!"

He ran toward the teenager who was getting up from where he fell. Hawks brushed himself, coughing at the smoke he had inhaled. He turned to Katsuki with wide eyes, "Are you okay?!"

Katsuki stopped running, "Am I okay? IDIOT! I told you not to worry about me!"

Hawks blinked. His eyes roamed the boy's body, looking for injuries. Katsuki walked toward him and pushed his chest none too gently, "Hey! Are you listening?!"

He frowned when the older boy didn't respond. The hell is wrong with him?! He looked at him closely and noted the blown pupils and the rapid rise and fall of his chest. He was covered in scrapes and missing some feathers on his wings, "Oi, Hawks?"

The teenager staggered toward him and shakily raised his hands to grab the younger boy's face. He sighed when he felt the warmth from his skin, "You're okay."

Katsuki frowned at his odd behaviour, "Hawks?"

"Hawks! Bakugou!" called Ishikawa as he jogged toward the boys.

Hawks blinked, "Oh, Ishikawa-san?"

"Are you boys alright?" asked the man, his brows knitting together in concern.

Katsuki rolled his eyes, "I'm fine! Can you all stop worrying about me?!"

"Bakugou, give me a moment to talk with Hawks."

Katsuki eyed Hawks curiously then nodded his head. He walked toward the building's entrance where Kitamura was waiting. He looked over his shoulder as Ishikawa led the winged teenager toward the trees to talk with him in private. Kitamura had a concerned expression on his face when he looked at the man, "What's wrong with Hawks?"

The man shrugged, "I'm not sure, kid. Let Ishikawa talk to him for a bit."

Ishikawa had to apply a bit of force on the teenager's back to get him moving. The teenager kept glancing at Katsuki as they walked. He was fidgety and his pupils were still large. Ishikawa sighed, "Look at me, Hawks."

The teenager blinked and moved his eyes so they gaze at his guardian's. He bit his bottom lips nervously, "I'm sorry! I don't know what got into me! I just-"

"Moved instinctively. I think I understand what's going on," said Ishikawa calmly.

"Y-you do?"

The man gave him a calm smile, "You're being overprotective over Bakugou."

"I… am?"

"Do you have a sudden fear that something bad would go wrong to him and you need to make sure it didn't happen? And your body just moved before you realized when you think he's in danger?"

Hawks nodded, "Yeah!"

Ishikawa patted his back lightly, "It's your protective instinct. He's your first friend, someone you really care about. And you're just being overprotective over him after what happened recently. There's nothing wrong with that, really. But you have to control your impulses. You know Bakugou doesn't like to be treated like he's fragile, he's a very proud boy."

"Yeah. He is. He's got a big head full of fluffy spikes," joked Hawks with a little smile.

Ishikawa chuckled, "Look, I'm… proud that you're willing to risk yourself to protect someone, especially a comrade, but you need to hold back a little bit. You know Bakugou can stand on his own. Try and imagine how he feels when you don't trust in him."

Hawks lowered his gaze, "He's mad. He thinks I look down on him."

Ishikawa nodded, "He doesn't like to be seen as weak. Especially by you. He already feels ashamed that you had to save him."

"But he shouldn't have to-"

The man raised a hand to quiet him, "It's something Kitamura-san and I will discuss. Now, I know you don't want him to get hurt, but you getting in the way to protect him will make things confusing and frustrating for Bakugou. So consider his feelings and put some trust in his words and abilities."

"I'll try. Say, Ichiro-san, is it normal to feel like this for someone? Is it... wrong?" said the teenager as he stared at the ground with a frown.

"Hey, like I said, there's nothing wrong about being protective over a friend. It just shows how much you care for him. However, being overprotective can be overwhelming to the other person. So, try to restrain yourself, okay?"

Hawks peeked at him through his bangs, "Guess I owe him an apology?"

"And a brief explanation."

The teenager groaned as he brushed his hair back. The two walked back to the facility's entrance where Katsuki was spotted waiting for them with his back pressed against the wall and hands in his pants pockets. He pushed away from the wall, face pinched in annoyance, "What's that about?"

Hawks eyed Ishikawa beside him and the man nodded his head. He sighed and looked at Katsuki in the eyes, "I'm sorry for being an annoying jerk."

The shorter boy eyed him seriously. Hawks fidgetted and continued, "Ishikawa-san explained that I was being overprotective over you and I have to learn to restrain myself from getting in your way. It's… kinda new to me cuz you know? You're my first friend."

Katsuki blinked at that. His eyes shifted to Ishikawa who gave a subtle nod. He cleared his throat, "Fine. I accept your apology."

Hawks looked at him hopefully, "Really?"

"Don't make me repeat myself," said Katsuki as he narrowed his eyes. He felt his heart skipped a beat when Hawks grinned widely. He crossed his arms and fought the smile trying to take over his face in his attempt to remain serious, "You owe me a sparring session for ruining today's training."

Hawks' grin didn't falter, "Okay! I mean, I've always wanted to see who's a better fighter anyway!"

Katsuki grinned, "I'll definitely beat you!"

"Ha! We'll see about that!"

"You're nothing but skin and bones!"

"Hey! I have some muscles underneath these clothes!"

Ishikawa smiled as he listened to the boys' banter. They entered the building together and headed toward the changing room. He paused when Hawks turned to him and whispered, "Thanks, Ichiro-san!"

Hawks has changed indeed, and it's a positive change. He's more alive here than he was back in Kyushu. The teenager's guardian smiled, "You're welcome, Hawks."

A/N: I'm really tired because work is super draining these days but being able to finish writing this fic does fill me with joy. I hope everyone enjoyed it! Will (slowly) work on the next chapter so do bear with the slow updates. I appreciate everyone's support, love you guys!