Hello hello, I'm back with a new fic and this is a total first for me. Got into My Hero a couple months ago, saw some really dope fanart of Fuyumi x Hawks and thought hey wait they'd actually look pretty cute together and so here I am haha. Enjoy the story.

Disclaimer: My Hero Academia doesn't belong to me.

Apricity

Chapter 1: A Friend in the Silence

Midnight. Todoroki Fuyumi was wide awake. She'd gotten ready and went to bed at past ten p.m. but she couldn't fall asleep. She was usually able to clear her mind and fall asleep whenever this time of year came around but not this time.

The eighteenth of January.

Tōya's birthday.

Grief really operated on its own timeline, some years were better than others and this year for whatever reason, thoughts about her older brother flooded her mind and made her heart feel heavy.

All sorts of intrusive thoughts plagued her mind that didn't just stop at missing Tōya: losing him so suddenly, having to step up as an older sibling and grow up way too quickly in order to take care of her brothers and not to mention fill in the missing role of their mother. All while trying desperately to hold the family together Her mind telling her if she just kept trying hard enough, then everything would work out and she could finally have the normal family life she'd been wanting all this time.

But life was never that easy.

About a decade had passed and still things weren't great. They were definitely a lot better though, their father was trying to change and the doctors had said that their mother would be able to return home soon. But it would never be the same without Tōya.

Fuyumi turned and turned on her futon but no matter what she did, sleep never came any easier so she decided to get up. Knowing it wasn't the best idea, Fuyumi bundled up and headed to the front entrance, she had to clear her head, but not before stopping in front of Tōya's altar. Hands clasped together in a silent prayer, the only daughter wished him well.

After a few more minutes with him, she stood up and left the house as quietly as possible. She never intended to go far, there was a park at the bottom of the street that the children of the neighbourhood always frequented after school. All in all it was less that a ten minute trip from her house.

The silence was comforting in a way, while everyone else slumbered deep in their dream worlds, Fuyumi sat at a bench in the park looking up at the sky. Unfortunately there wasn't much of a view, the sky was blanketed in clouds. She took in a deep breath of the crisp early morning air, her breath coming in a puff of white.

"I really wish things were a lot simpler."

"Don't we all?" a voice came from above her. "Should you really be out at this time, Todoroki-san?"

Fuyumi looked around then eventually found the source of the voice, standing on a street lamp just behind her was the number two hero Hawks.

"Hawks? What are you doing here?"

"I believe I asked you first." he came down and joined her on the bench. "Pretty sure the park will still be here when the sun rises." he joked.

She chuckled. "I've got a lot on my mind. I couldn't sleep so I decided to come out here. What about you, I'm sure even villains need sleep."

"You'd be surprised at how much actually happens between midnight and sunrise." they fell into a comfortable silence as she considered his words. He was right about that, the world of heroes and fighting villains, despite being the daughter of a pro-hero and the older sister of a hero in the making, Fuyumi didn't have much knowledge on the matter. She and Natsuo living relatively normal lives despite their family members actively working in the business, they found out information the same time the rest of the general population did.

Looking over at him Fuyumi noticed the bandages around his neck.

"The bandages around your neck, are they from the injuries from your battle in Kyushu?" she turned her body so she sat facing him.

Hawks' hand went up to his neck thoughtfully. "Yeah but it's nothing to worry about. I'm basically all healed now." he mirrored her action so they were facing each other as they talked.

"I think it's even more reason why you shouldn't be out here right now."

"Actually its all the more reason why I should be." she gave him a curious look, "Better me getting hurt than anyone else."

"And when do you rest?"

"When I can, when it's safe to."

His words hit her hard. They reminded her of her childhood and when she'd felt the same way. Her father's angry shouts, her families tears, Fuyumi took it upon herself to be their protector, and without her older brother as support she was forced to grow up painfully quickly. Helping their mother take care of a very young Shōto, comforting a crying Natuso, makng sure his ears were covered whenever their father had one of his angry fits. She only let her guard down when the house was quiet and she was alone in her room, and even then it wasn't for long because something would always follow not too long after, forcing her to be strong for everyone's sake.

She tried to stop herself from crying but it was too much. She removed her glasses as they began to fog up and wiped away her tears.

"Woah woah woah, are you okay?" he put his hands on her shoulders.

"I'm fine, I just..." she took a deep breath and tried to calm herself, she didn't want to burden him with her problems. But she could feel how concerned he was, he wanted to make sure she was okay. "I'm fine, really."

"Fuyumi..." he knew they didn't know each other well enough for him to call her by her first name but formalities be damned if he couldn't help her.

She bit her trembling lip but it was no use, without thinking she buried her face in his chest, all her feelings coming out in full force.

He put his arms around her as she cried into his chest, hoping that him being there helped her even a little.

"I'm sorry." she said in between sobs.

"You don't have to apologise." he reassured her. Whatever reasons she'd had for coming out past midnight to clear her head were weighing her down to such a degree that she couldn't hold back anymore. He was just glad he'd found her when he did so she didn't have to go through this alone.

After she'd finally let everything out and stopped crying, Fuyumi was starting to feel tired but she didn't feel like sitting up just yet. It was too comfortable in his arms, so warm.

"Feeling any better?"

"A lot, actually." she smiled before letting out a yawn.

"I'm glad." he smiled as well, "And that's your cue to head to back to bed."

"Agreed but..." she sat up at looked him in the eyes.

"But…?"

"Only if you go home and get some rest as well. Heroes are people, too, and if I have to go to bed then so do you, deal?" she stood up and stretched.

"Deal." he laughed and stood up, the two of them leaving together. Hawks was walking her back to her house.

Often times being a hero was tireless and sometimes even a thankless job. A lot of people held the sentiment of 'well you chose to become a hero, saving people is your job.' Expecting a thank you each and every time was too much, they'd say. So moments like this when people went above and beyond to show gratitude always meant a lot. And even more so when people showed concern for him so to say her genuine care for him was really appreciated was an understatement.

"About calling your by your first name earlier…"

"Oh it's fine, I was actually going to ask you to anyways. And I also wanted to thank you," she stopped and looked up at the covered sky. "Not just for now but also for helping my father during that fight. Just watching it was unbearable, I can't imagine what it must have been like actually being in the middle of it. I was going to bring it up earlier but then… you know." she suddenly felt self-conscious. What were these feelings and why were they showing up now?

"He was actually doing me a favour when I asked him to team up but it all worked out nonetheless, and if it made you feel even a little more at ease then that's even better. And about you crying earlier, you don't have to feel ad about it but, it does seem like you're carrying a lot, maybe even more than you should." and if he was being honest with himself, part of him was still sad having seen her in tears like that. He liked her smiles a lot more and hoped whatever she was going through wouldn't continue hurting her like it clearly already had.

"Maybe, but that's the way it's always been for me. Family life can be complicated."

"As someone from a complicated family myself, believe me, I get it."

They arrived at the front gate of the Todoroki house.

"Remember our deal, you have to go to sleep too okay?" she smiled that beautiful smile he loved to see and poked him in the chest.

"You have my word." he returned her smile.

"Thanks again and I'm really glad you showed up when you did, things would've gone differently if I was on my own. Hopefully," she looked away trying to hide her blushing face, "I'll see you again."

Oh he'd show up for her anytime, any place if she needed him to but he kept that to himself for now.

"Well then, guess I'll be keeping you on your toes." he said a little more flirtatiously than necessary but neither of them seemed to mind.

After saying goodnight, Fuyumi went inside and went straight to her room. She'd have no trouble falling asleep now. However before drifting off to sleep, the last thing on her mind was Hawks and that infectious smile of his. Her heart fluttered at the thought of him. She fell asleep with certainty.

Todoroki Fuyumi had a crush on Hawks.

And that's ch1 done, with more to come pretty soon. I'm almost done with ch2. If you enjoyed then please like and leave a comment if you can. Can't wait to write more this really cute ship.

Well that's it from me-

Until the next chapter:

Ketsui Tasogare :-)