My Limit
After the morning experiment, Dabi hung outside the door to take Jun to the next trial. Only, she couldn't help but notice how the whiteness in the roots of his hair the other day was gone and replaced with more depressing black. It was odd. Perhaps she was just imagining things.
She reluctantly agreed to obey each command during testing. After weeks of agonizing research, something beyond Jun's comprehension compelled her to grow the nerve to finally speak, to find out what she had been questioning since the very beginning.
"Before we keep going," her voice echoed through the lab and reached the figures talking amongst themselves behind a large glass observation window, catching their attention. "Tell me what I'm doing here. What exactly do you want with me? What have you been doing with my hands?"
One of the scientists took a step toward the glass and pushed their glasses up by the bridge of their nose. "We are experts here by request of your… let's call him employer. We are responsible for transfiguring subjects from ordinary humans to powerful creatures called Nomu. I'm sure recent news has made you aware of the effectiveness and destruction of using Nomu in combat. Now imagine if we were able to harness the power of immortality to utilize on High-End Nomu."
Jun blinked in shock; mouth cracked open slightly. "Wh-what?"
The scientist tilted his head slightly, revealing cold, apathetic eyes. "With your Quirk, Nomu will be able to mimic immortal qualities. In other words, they will be unkillable. With your power, the Raid will not end in failure."
Jun stared blankly at the glass, struggling to process what she was doing. They schemed to use her Quirk to resurrect deceased Nomu which would stop them from having to use precious resources to make more so quickly, especially with what was being planned in a few months' time, something called 'The Raid.'
Mumbling, Jun shook her head, overwrought in disbelief. "Are you… serious?"
When pressed further about exactly what was planned to happen then, they conveniently decided to no longer humor Jun. They had disclosed what her purpose was, and exactly why the League needed her to join so desperately. They answered rather unashamed, almost proud even.
Unbeknownst to any of them, a lone red feather had been wedged in the doorframe of the control room, catching the vibrations of their voices and transferred them to its holder from afar. In a darkened room, the feathered hero's head dipped low, a bitter shadow concealing his face as he bit his trembling lip at the revelation. He heard the whole thing.
The following day's experiment took place in a larger area than the usual pale experimental room – deep underground, so nothing could get in, or out. Cautiously Jun scanned over the room, taking note of its lack of windows and ceiling that must have been at least three floors high. The grey concrete patterns in the floor grossly contradicted the craggy, dungeon-like walls.
This is a new place. And so huge, too. I wonder… if today I'm gonna have to…
Bringing her palms face up, Jun stared blankly into reddened bandages like an endless void, mind racing over the mishap that happened a few days prior. A faint green struggled out of her palms, fading in and out, bathing her face in uncertainty. Suddenly, she wasn't sure if she could do this anymore.
"Now, back on schedule," she heard a familiar voice of a scientist over the intercom. "Today is an advanced study, a new stage in our research. Starting now, we will test your ability to take control over this Nomu you helped to create. Use what you have learned in prior experiments to invade its mind and obey your command. Begin."
Without any room for objections, the wall beside Jun raised up slowly, revealing the hands and feet of one of those dreaded purple beasts behind a reinforced cage. The sound of Jun's own heartbeat flooded her ears, her mind racing a thousand thoughts.
Hold on a minute. I don't think I can do this. My Quirk's been acting up. I'm not ready to try, I don't think I'll EVER be ready to try. This isn't right. This… isn't like me.
A loud thud filled the room as the wall jutted to a stop, revealing the Nomu slouching like a trapped animal.
This isn't me.
Slowly, Jun approached the cage toward the unusually calm Nomu, reaching a hand out and struggling to summon her Quirk. At the foreign glow, the Nomu's pupils shrunk to resemble pinpricks as it began thrashing about the cage, leaving sizeable dents everywhere it touched as Jun took a few frightened steps back.
What… what do I do?!
At the thought, the cage burst apart, the Nomu wasting no time in charging into the room, directly toward her.
I never wanted this.
With a quick inhale, Jun leaped out of its way and rolled into a defensive position, focusing on the seven-foot long Nomu as it skidded to a halt and peer at her.
"Nomu, stop!" Jun commanded, raising a fading green palm toward it. "Listen to me. Don't do this, I'm not your enemy!"
Taking a chance, the Nomu paused only for a moment, then aimed at her, rushing forward as she shook her hands in frustration, struggling to keep the green glow alive.
"It… it's not working…! Call off the test – NOW! I can't do this! I can't!"
The sounds of hurried scientists and panicked mumbles from the intercom was the only response.
As the Nomu closed on Jun, she dropped her hands to her sides and drew her feather dagger. The Nomu advanced closer before bringing its fist down. With a raised arm, Jun shielded herself, squeezing her eyes shut and prepared to endure the blow.
In that moment, the unmistakable sound of cutting winds met her ears as a dozen red feathers swooped in and blocked the impact, blasting the Nomu with a concentrated blow, pushing it back.
"Wh-what…?" Jun said, frozen in place, as that familiar winged hero rushed in front of her. His blade was drawn in one arm as he held it up sideways in front of his face, sharp eyes glaring at his prey as his other arm raised horizontally in front of Jun in a protective gesture.
"Hawks…?"
His focus was entirely on the creature threatening to harm her.
After Jun recovered from the surprise attack, she managed to aim her own feather knife toward the Nomu as it slouched back up, still pulsing with energy.
A low growl emanated from its throat, intensifying Hawks' protective stance. His form in front of her dissipated in a blur, appearing behind the Nomu as he slashed at its rough skin, making precise yet deep incisions before healing over in a thin line of steam.
Jun watched as Hawks darted around its flailing body, slicing at it to no avail. Her legs trembled, conflicting emotions flooding her as the Nomu snapped its hand toward Hawks again and again.
She quickly drew in breath as Hawks skidded on the ground, huffing with the effort. With one eye creased shut, sweat beaded off his brow as he formulated a plan to take the thing down on his own, until the Nomu advanced toward him at surprising speed.
N-no!
With a desperate battle cry, Jun's feet reacted quicker than her mind could, disregarding all thought and emotion as she charged toward Hawks, ripping the gauze apart and leaving a trail of tatters behind. Hawks' eyes widened as Jun intercepted the Nomu, standing between it and Hawks as she dropped her weapon and raised a palm up, displaying a fierce green.
"I. Said. STOP!"
The Nomu trembled in place at the order, its body resisting to cooperate with the demand. As it leaned on both hands, one of its arms bent as its legs did the same, reluctantly bowing to Jun as if it were fighting over control. Without a moment's hesitation, another blur appeared on the back of its neck as Hawks stood on its shoulders, sinking a precise feather into the back of its neck.
As the beast fell, it collapsed with a faint rumble. Hawks stepped off it before bending on one knee to catch his breath. The both of them slumped wordlessly, breathing heavily whilst staring uncomfortably at each other, unsure on what to think. In Hawks' mind, his world clouded, overrun at the sheer desperation in Jun's voice when rushing in to protect him.
At the memory, his sharp eyes softened, conveying his soft emotions as Jun's tense stance eased, reciprocating the once gentle bond.
And for a sweet moment, her heart fluttered with a familiar warmth.
Jun's eyes widened at the feeling before her soft expression slipped back into disgust as she headed toward the exit, attempting to leave Hawks behind.
"That teamwork," Hawks said, persuading Jun to stop. Her back faced him, caught completely off guard by him speaking to her directly for the first time in so long.
"You would've made a wonderful hero."
Pausing at the door, Jun peered in his direction one last time, lids lowered, and muttered solemnly. The pleading in her tone caught his attention, as if she desperately wanted to convince him that she knew what she was doing was wrong.
"I never wanted this."
Without another word, she was gone, shutting the door behind her.
Hawks stood there in the dread and silence for a moment. His sullen eyes lowered as he mused to himself.
Jun was getting stronger, yet more fragile.
The extra strain from that day's experiment took an extra toll on her hands, the blood seeping from them dripping a trail everywhere she went. After what felt like hours of searching for more medical supplies, Jun was moments away from admitting defeat before she passed by a pair of members. Mr. Compress and Twice greeted her happily before taking a good look at her condition. Jun did not look well. They were quick to usher her to a closed-off area in the corner of the hideout where the medical supplies were kept. Twice gathered the needed materials to clean Jun's hands as Mr. Compress sat her down and scrutinized the horrible burns, cuts, and blood on her hands and face.
If it weren't for everything she was going through, Jun would have laughed at how Twice was acting like an assistant to Mr. Compress, fetching everything he needed to patch her up. Midway through gathering supplies, she was surprised when the door creaked open, revealing Spinner as he waltzed into the room, special disinfectant spray in hand, and wordlessly passed it to Mr. Compress – all while coyly avoiding her shocked gaze at his usual and indirect kind gesture toward her before taking his leave.
As they prepared to tend to Jun's hands, she slouched over, and remained eerily quiet. A looming shadow encompassed her face as she stared blankly yet stubbornly at the ground, displaying nothing but a small frown.
"Why didn't either of you tell me what I was doing."
At that, Mr. Compress and Twice stopped in their tracks to look at Jun, caught off guard by the venom in her tone. There was a foreboding sense of tense silence as Mr. Compress shook his head while tipping his hat forward to conceal his already masked face, as if he knew what was coming.
The malevolent aura encompassing Jun's form grew darker at their lack of response, making her brows crease into a menacing grimace. "No one mentioned experimenting my Quirk on others. I thought it was just me who'd get hurt. You never said anything about getting civilians involved."
"Um…!" Twice mewled before glancing at Mr. Compress, unsure on how to respond. Both of them took one step away at her increasingly heavy and pained tone.
"You see Jun," Mr. Compress took the lead, taking a step back toward Jun to try and diffuse the clear strain building up inside of her. "Since the start, I am sure you were aware that we… had a bit of an ulterior motive. We figured it would work out better if you got used to the atmosphere before breaking the news to you."
"This whole time," she muttered, biting her lip rigidly. "I've been hurting people, only to find out the goal of all of this is to hurt MORE PEOPLE?!"
The deafening sound of glass shattering accompanied Jun's bellowing words as she shot up, arm swiping the nearby crate in pure frustration, sending several bottles and supplies to crash to the floor. The room fell silent, and all eyes were on her.
"Oh, no!" said Mr. Compress as he approached Jun, half-expecting a battle as she stood in a mindless battle stance, ready to fight in spite of her condition. "No, no, no. Please don't do that, Jun! Allow us to explain," he pleaded, offering both hands facing forward in a calming gesture.
Jun exhaled heavily as she stood, trembling slightly in anger and disbelief. Her legs and arms trembled with energy, and she could feel every vein in her neck throb from the burden.
"You see," he added. "The goal of the Meta Liberation Army is to empower the people, to reshape society and make it so anyone can have the power to choose to do anything they want."
"And you think it was a good idea to put it in my head that I was going to change the world?" she snapped, red hot anger dominating her tone. "Is this really what you think I want?!"
"Then what do you want, Jun? Look at what you've already done."
The words hung in the air, stinging loudly enough that he didn't need to hear her response to know that it was a blow.
At that, his stance lowered, shrouded in guilt. Jun could feel his expression softening in the way he spoke. "That was the first experiment, to see how quickly you would cooperate. And you did exactly as they said you would. But you did it so well, so well... that you were fooled. So very, very fooled. I'm sorry that it had come to this. I wish we could have told you about our true intentions for you sooner."
"I," Jun muttered through gritted teeth, head low. "I never gave you permission to interrogate me."
"This is not an interrogation." He sighed, bringing a hand to rest on the countertop beside him, his eyes surveying her behind his mask. "More like a confession."
The red in Jun's vision had begun to die down as her shallow breaths laxed into long puffs of air.
"This is all for a noble cause. Please understand."
Jun still didn't quite understand it, but it was enough for the tense rigidity in her shoulders to slacken, and for her to sit back down, ashamed of snapping at the only ones she could remotely consider as friends. The guilt was made worse after watching Twice peek out from behind Mr. Compress, clearly still afraid.
"R-right, I see," Jun lied. "Sorry. You don't have to stay after that, after hurting you. Feels like that's all I do anymore."
"We are delighted to," he said happily, grinning through his words behind his mask. "Now let's get you cleaned up."
As Mr. Compress and Twice sat down, cloth in hand, a buzz went off on his flip phone. "Oh, please accept my apologies, dear Jun. Duty calls. Hold still right here – I'll humbly request for someone else to take over for us."
He then bowed as Twice waved Jun goodbye as well, leaving her alone in the room with the door cracked open. The moment they stepped out, it felt as if the light and warm glow in the room left with them, leaving her in what was left in an ominous cold room and dark blue walls, the only light emanating from a lone window displaying heavy snowfall outside.
A few minutes later, the sound of steps approaching the doorway pulled Jun from her thoughts and relief rushed over her at finally getting the chance to mend her injuries. That was, until the door opened. As that shadow dissipated, their form came into view, and they took one step forward.
Jun's blood ran cold, the lighthearted glow in her soul crashing back down as the aching in her chest exploded into a suffocating weight. Standing in the doorway, Hawks stared back knowingly, unpleasantly, as if painfully disappointed. He stood motionless, stoically reciprocating her quiet demeanor. That aura – it was so familiar, yet it lacked the warmth and inspiration it once had. His expression felt cold. Unnatural.
He advanced deeper into the chamber without a word, passing her by as he removed his gloves and dabbed disinfectant into the cloth, not outwardly acknowledging her presence yet keenly aware of her silent glare from his side. The moment he turned toward Jun, she broke the confused gaze she had on him as he sat down on the cot beside her at an equal level. Slowly, his hand reached out to hers, stopping just short of it, as if silently offering Jun a way to back out. In response, her hand met his halfway, closing the small gap between them, her aching heart skipping a beat upon his hand touching hers.
Jun hissed, teeth barred at the stinging pain of the cloth as it made gentle contact, causing Hawks' stoic expression to squint for a brief moment, as if he shared the pain. He began to wipe in soft circles, patching Jun up in a tense, suffocating silence. It allowed her to get a close look at him for what seemed like the first time in so long. A slight frown accompanied his silence, his visors rested above his forehead, no longer aiding to conceal the distinct, dark lines under his eyes. They told that he was just as tired as she was. He looked so vulnerable then, yet so closely guarded.
Angry, but gentle.
Tense, but warm.
So close, yet so distant.
Despite his numb demeanor, Jun could feel the genuine, attentive care in his actions as he dabbed her face with the damp cloth and curled it around and under her jawline, wiping off the crusted blood with such care. She could've stared at him for hours, if the circumstances weren't quite so dire. It was a confusing blend of emotions teeming inside Jun as he gripped her wrist delicately, holding it steady as his other hand sheathed her hand with bandages, wordlessly wrapping with meticulous precision, sensitivity, and care.
All the while Jun shifted uncomfortably, hoping he wouldn't notice the necklace - one of his old feathers hiding under her shirt, resting against her chest.
Even after everything he'd done to her, she cherished his gift and wore it around her neck in secrecy.
After minutes of agonizing silence, he finally spoke up, his voice cutting through the thickness in the room.
"Jun."
Hearing her name coming from his lips sent a pang through Jun's heart as she remained silent, electing to look through him.
His brows creased in irritation at her unwillingness to respond, taking the liberty to talk on her behalf. "What are you doing here?"
Jun's eyes trembled shut as her head averted to the wall, unable to meet his scornful gaze. After an uncomfortable pause, she sighed, eyes opening with a particular sadness, realizing that he was more than willing to wait all night until he got an answer.
"I did it on my own. That's all you need to know," she finally replied, convinced that the only way to rid of the guilt was to humor him. "I know what I'm doing. After all, look at these guys. What smart person would seriously join them without thinking 'I'm being manipulated.' I can handle this."
After a short pause, Hawks resumed his work on Jun's hands, his perceptive eyes traveling downward, stopping himself from gripping her battered hands out of frustration. "Look at what they're doing to you. You see this, right? This will never heal if you –" he paused mid-sentence, as if being watched. The strained look on his face told of his frustration, the trembling grip on the gauze squeezing tighter.
A sudden stab of pain pierced Jun's chest, an unexplainable humiliation washing over her from being talked down to like a child. "Look who's talking," she muttered, her walls put back up. "You've been here much longer than I have. I should be asking you the same thing. What the hell are you still doing here?"
"I didn't come here for them," he whispered and tilted his head slightly toward the doorway. "I came here to make sure you stay strong. Look at me."
Jun took a good, long look at the angry, winged man sitting up before her. His golden eyes were stern yet passionate as he glared at her, deliberately tracing the scar on her hand with his finger. It reminded Jun of what she was doing there, as well as reminding her of the many cuts and scars she had collected. What she was doing to her body.
He watched Jun wince as he unknowingly passed over a freshly made burn mark on her wrist. His hardened expression melted instantly and mimicked her pained one as he glanced down and scrutinized the clear remnants of a burn mark, one that was noticeably different from the rest. The sight sparked a boiling rage in the pit of his stomach.
Hawks already knew, but he needed to inquire regardless.
Without looking up, Hawks cleared his throat and placed his finger near the tender, freshly made scab on Jun's wrist. "This doesn't look like an ordinary mark. Where'd this one come from."
There was no use playing the fool, she already knew. The knowing tone in Hawks' voice confirmed that.
"D-Dabi did it."
At that, Hawks paused, his entire form tensing up, the thumb swathing her skin ceased. He was always an expert to remain emotionless on the outside, but internally, Hawks was livid.
"You know this is fucking crazy," he finally snapped, meeting Jun's gaze with his own serious one. "I get it, coming here just to get back at me. But to use your Quirk this way? Especially when they treat you like this?! Do you even realize what the hell you're doing?"
At his sudden outburst, his feathers ruffled, unsheathing a hidden metal object within them for the slightest moment.
"Your Quirk is beautiful, Jun. It should be used for-"
"Uh, beautiful? Are you fucking kidding me?" Jun snapped back and stood up, pulling her hands away from him. "Tell that to my parents!"
"Tell that to the man you found by the beach," Hawks replied in a calm tone as he set down the rag, still sitting down. "Went to visit him the other day. He and his kids are doing well."
Jun's eyes widened at the revelation, completely extinguishing the boiling rage inside her.
He… he was able to recover from my Quirk? He's… he's okay…?
He must have read her mind, and took it upon himself to press further as he stood up in front of Jun and cupped her hand gently. "Don't think for a minute that he didn't get the full impact of your Quirk," he said, his stern tone reverting to a gentle voice. "He is first-hand proof of the good you're capable of."
The heat in the room died down with his tone. Silence then enveloped the space around them. Jun had to say something. She searched through her consciousness for the right words, only for her mind to scream at her, he was right.
Jun sat back down in defeat as he finished wrapping her hands. Her eyes squeezed shut and gritted her teeth, refusing to accept his words. She was here because of him. Hawks hurt her. He hurt her more than the League ever could. She was here to get back at him, to inflict any ounce of pain she could on him. She was even failing at that, Jun realized in disgust.
Peering up, Jun recalled the odd dark object lodged within Hawks' feathers. It was the same trinket she found on him months ago, and the thing that made him snap at her when pressed further.
Finished with his work, Hawks stood back up, his expression and intentions unreadable. Jun remained sitting, head hung low as an almost sinister shade concealed her eyes. He looked as if he were about to speak, only for Jun's voice cut through the darkness first.
"I know why you did it."
At that, Hawks blinked, his brows furrowing slightly in puzzlement.
"I was supposed to come here a long time ago, but you kept that from happening. You keep saying that I'm the reason why you're here, but don't lie to me."
"I'll ask again," she said defensively, pointing at his wings. "Why are you here. I don't believe your excuse."
Hawks glanced at where Jun was pointing at, understanding that it was no use concealing it anymore. He remained silent as deep, forlorn eyes told her – he had no choice.
He read the puzzled expression on her face before sighing. His eyes scanned over Jun's, weighing his options, before sitting back down and leaning on one side to bring his wings into view. His finger tapped at his chin deliberately, granting Jun time to get a closer look at the salient object lodged in his feathers, revealing a tiny metal tracker.
"That's what-" was all Jun could say at the revelation. To think he was being monitored, and for how long? She inwardly cringed at the notion.
The shared glance between her and Hawks told him – she knew. Deep down, she'd always known.
She knew that Hawks joined the League long before he met her. She wasn't stupid. Jun may not know Hawks as well as she thought she did, her agitated look told him, but she had seen what's in his heart. Being a hero is who he is.
With that, Jun mouthed noiselessly, Hawks reading her lips flawlessly.
'You're a double agent, looking to betray the League, aren't you?'
Hawks didn't even wince. His expression was then hidden in the same shadow encasing hers, the only visible part being the small frown on his lips. He receded deeper into himself as Jun's lips continued, an increasingly hardened expression enveloping his features.
'You keep trying to convince me that I'm not one of them, that I don't belong in the League, as if you cared about me or something,' she mouthed with disgust.
A moment of uncomfortable silence passed as a dark notion crossed her mind.
'I get it now. I finally know what it'll take for you to hate me.'
At that, Hawks fists balled into tight fists, so tight that his knuckles stretched taut from nerves. He couldn't stop himself from murmuring under trembling breath, defeat and desperation invading his tone.
"Don't do it. Please."
Disregarding his plea, Jun mouthed, 'What if I do something. What if I let your little betrayal slip to the right people. Is that what it'll take?'
Glaring up at him, the shadow shrouding Jun's face broke to reveal a spiteful glint in her eyes, stating out loud -
"Will I be a villain in your eyes?"
Hawks' eyes snapped at Jun, pinning her with a glare that could bore through a mountain. She could clearly see the pain in his eyes, the anger, the frustration. She did the one thing he, under any circumstances, could not let her get away with. She threatened his mission.
Hawks let his gaze drop to the floor, sparing Jun words in a displeased manner, "Keep those bandages on all night. Don't and you'll risk infection. Tell those braindead doctors to keep an eye on you." As he turned away and stepped through the door, his wings acted like a raised shield between their bodies as he paused one final time. He made sure she understood the implications behind his words, voicing in a chilling tone, "And if they don't, then I will."
Without another word, he was gone.
'The report is in. It appears you brought the injured woman in just in time,' the Commission President announced via code. 'To recap the report, you found a lone woman wandering the outskirts of the city coated in burn marks. The medical facility predicts a long rehabilitation process.'
Hawks noted how her cold expression contradicted her message. 'She will survive. Her recovery will be long and difficult, however.'
Hawks nodded, both relieved at the news, but also dreading what was inevitably about to come next.
'From these reports, it appears that this woman sustained irreparable burns over her body and was in an early stage of necrosis when you found her, meaning that she must have been brought back to life.'
He remained silent, his lidded eyes refusing to look away from the code.
'Hawks.'
'Yes.'
'The girl. The one responsible for this. Where is she.'
'This doesn't prove that it was her doing, you know,' Hawks' message read with a defensive tone, trying anything to stall from the inevitable. With his heart beginning to shatter again, Hawks' mind then went to the next most logical step – bargaining. 'Even if it was, I'll find her, and keep an eye on her.'
Hawks was pulled from his thoughts when another code flashed on his screen.
'I'll get to the point. Your inaction may cost this country hundreds of thousands of lives.'
Hawks' heart sank at the prophetic words. Defeated, his shoulders slumped, the dull tone of his shedding feathers growing paler from the corner he was being backed into.
'I know we have a history of disagreements, Hawks. But we must come to a consensus on this matter. We know this girl is currently being used by our greatest enemy. This is what you have been training for. She must be stopped, before they can fully utilize her.'
Hawks' blood ran cold, opting to push his boundaries with his organization. 'I already have something in the works. If what I have planned works out, then the Nomu won't even get the chance to take even a single step out of there.'
'Nomu?!'
As Hawks typed his response, his fingers slid over his mouth as if zipping his lips. 'Don't sweat it. I have it under control.'
'Hawks.' The words almost seemed to spout with authority, drawing his attention back to them. 'Blatantly ignoring orders and withholding vital information is completely unprecedented.'
As the surprised president and assistant bore into him with their eyes, Hawks ignored their look of disdain, focusing all of his attention on their next words.
'You are out of line.'
'Aw, c'mon,' he sent the message and shrugged. 'You don't need to treat me like I'm an underling in this situation. We're both higher-ups in our respected agencies. In the eyes of them, we're both on the same level here.' The message ended with Hawks passing them a sharp glare, insinuating that he was keeping an eye on them as closely as they were watching him. 'Besides, you of all people should know I wouldn't let mere sentiment trip me up. Have some faith in me, will ya?'
'Listen, if there are Nomu involved with her Quirk, we can reasonably assume a connection on what they are planning on doing with her.'
At that, Hawks' eyes widened for a fraction of a second, with a subtle shift in his brows before returning to his stoic but intense glare. Though his gravely abrasive expression told the president everything she didn't need, or want, to hear.
The president's once stern expression then lightened for the slightest moment, as if she herself was regretful of her next words. 'We can't afford to have her strengthen dozens, or even hundreds of Nomu. We will be blunt. Our heroes won't stand a chance if they were ever released. You must understand what this means.'
In the dead silence, a lone bead of sweat rolled down the assistant's cheek before she passed Hawks his worst nightmare in written form:
'This needs to end, now.'
Her unshaken, professional posture made their intentions abundantly clear. They had to present Hawks with an ultimatum – his goal to keep society safe, or what remained of his relationship with Jun.
Hawks chuckled darkly in an excruciating blend of agitation, nerves, and utter disbelief that he'd even begin to entertain something so ludicrous. But he'd always known in the back of his mind, like an imposing wedge of doubt now being levered to the open, that it would come to this.
He was once again faced with an impossible choice.
He had purged the notion aside, his affection for Jun still so strong that he had even temporarily convinced himself that it had vanished, but…
…he couldn't deny it anymore.
So, at last, and with his heart thudding, Hawks was forced to finally come to terms with it.
Hawks was deeply, irrevocably, in love with Jun.
He now understood the alluring beauty of love. He hated himself for letting it spread and take root so thoroughly. He knew better than to get too attached. And yet the thought of her being in his life, smiling back at him, was now the sun in his world. He wanted to be with Jun more than anything.
Even more than he had ever imagined.
There he was, an emotional mess, barely able to let go of Jun and her memory.
The conflicting emotions were almost too much to bear, forcing a small bout of nausea as he weighted his options. The truth was that Hawks was in deep with the Liberation Army as a spy, which he had to remain top secret information at all costs.
Ever since the day he patched Jun up, her spiteful glare and venomous words engrained into his mind, haunting him, making her intentions unmistakably clear –
'What if I let your little betrayal slip to the right people. Is that what it'll take?'
'Will I be a villain in your eyes?'
With his teeth barred, Hawks' eyes squeezed shut, the memory piercing his heart. After teaming up with her, he couldn't deny that Jun was learning to control and strengthen her Quirk, either. If she leaked to the public that he was in contact with the villains, coupled with her newfound control over Nomu, the country would be demolished, society itself irreparably collapsed.
The fact of the matter was - he would be doing the wrong thing if he didn't act soon. He couldn't afford not to.
The dilemma raged in his mind as he stared them down, only barely managing to stop his creased eyebrow from twitching, the spite and contempt was evident in his striking yet tired eyes, his hand squeezing into a tight fist within his jacket pocket.
'Hawks. In order to save everyone…'
'…you must eliminate her.'