Dull crimson eyes stared into the mirror of her bathroom. Her body was littered with new purple bruises as well as the old bruises that began to yellow. She trembled at how gross she felt. It hurt her, Dabi was so close, yet still so far from her reach. Disgust. She was disgusted by how she looked. Her lips had a fresh cut from here Dabi mercilessly bit while kissing her. And she felt… go down on her leg...

She breathed in sharply and rushed into her shower and began to shower scrubbing furiously between her legs to scrub off the substance til her thighs were red and raw. Her whimpers slowly grew to panicked cries. He isn't coming back… she thought helplessly He isn't coming back. How far had she gone for this man that she loved? When she grew tired of cleaning herself, she curled into a ball on the floor and let the running water run over her naked defenseless body.

I'm here for you Sparrow glared at her knees when Hawks' voice came into her thoughts. She was not about to let herself think about someone else during her vulnerable state.

I am not that pitiful she stated in her mind.

As promised, Hawks showed up to the office, "Yo…" Sparrow greeted absentmindedly. And he immediately knew that she was out of it again, not only that, her lips had a new cut and a bruise was around it. And that was only on her face, he couldn't help but be worried that there was more that she was hiding under her clothes. She tossed a bag at him, and walked towards the exit.

"What about the collar?"

"Don't need it," She stated. Does that mean she trusts me? Sparrow didn't even wait for him to start flying, she knew he would follow.

This was the first time they flew in silence, mainly because he did not know what to ask. He was the one that started the conversation first anyways. Her flying looked painful, now doubt she was trying her best to hide it. Whenever this happened, she would almost run in auto pilot like she was now, "Favorite flower?" she asked out of the blue.

"Huh?" Hawks looked over at her. And her eyes were back to normal, like a small flame on a candle.

"Favorite flower?" she asked again. The first question Hawk's had ever asked her. He never really thought about having a favorite flower, he was a man after all, men don't usually think about flowers.

"I don't really have one," she hummed in acknowledgement; however, Hawks knew that if he didn't answer then they'd go back in silence, "Well I guess if I'm going to have a favorite flower… I'd pick your favorite, forget-me-nots."

"You remembered?" Hawks smiled.

"Of course I would, I remember all your favorite things," Sparrow gaped. That was not what she expected. Yes he asked for a lot of her favorites, but he did not expect him to remember it, "I researched more about them, and I thought it had a pretty nice meaning to them," he researched what my favorite flower meant? "Remembering passed loved ones and enduring all challenges and hardships… Reminds me of you,"

"Hah?" she didn't expect that answer either she couldn't help the blush that dusted her cheeks.

"If you're going to ask for all my favorites… does that make us friends?" She scoffed. And looked away with a small pout on her lips.

"I'll consider it."

"Great!" he said with a toothy grin flying backwards to face her, "Ask away."

"Favorite color?"

"Red," Like your eyes…

"Favorite ice cream?"

"Rocky Road."

They had dropped the bags in the middle of the room as the usual routine went. Sparrow stretched her back and wings from the long flight before walking out the exit to fly back home, "Wait, Sparrow!" She stopped in her tracks and looked over to Hawks, "I know you don't like saying anything that's personal to you, but I need to ask," Please don't… "You've been showing up with bruises and it's worrying me…" the winged woman looked away and crossed her arms to hide her hands that trembled.

"It shouldn't worry you…"

"Well it is! I may have not known you for a while but I do know when someone is in danger-"

"Oh so you're going to be a hero and save me?" Hawks walked up to her and placed his hands on her shoulder.

"No, but as a friend I can help…" Sparrow slowly began to seethe and swatted his hands away.

"I do not need saving, not from you."

"Then at least talk to me… besides… I'm running out of favorites to ask," he joked cautiously. Sparrow managed to let out an empty laugh before collapsing on the grass below her. Sighing as she basked in the rays of the sun. She never really took a moment to look at the surroundings of the abandoned building. It looked like it was an old factory in the middle of a forest similar to the one back at home.

"You really aren't cut out for the villain biz."

"You aren't either," he stated sitting down next to her. For a moment they sat in silence. That was usually how it went for the both of them. Nothing but the wind blowing through the trees and the sounds of nature.

"I assume you know who's been doing this to me."

"I have an idea yeah…"

"It wasn't always like this you know. I mean- he's always been crazy… but the past couple of years have changed him for the worst. He's more revenge driven… willing to destroy everything in his path," she looked at her hands, "All that pent up rage and frustration made him into a different person. I loved him… and at one point he loved me too but-" she curled up into a ball, Hawks looked at her and saw how small she was. She was always small, but she made up for it with her spunk, and now there was none of that fire to be seen, "I made a promise to him, a long time ago that I would stay by his side… being with him is all I've ever known I-"

"You don't want to leave him alone," he continued. Not looking at her, but looking up at the sky in contemplation as well, "but what he's doing to you isn't right."

"Nothing a villain does is right in a hero's eyes."

"But you can't just let him do this to you, it's affecting your flying! What if-"

"He breaks my wings?"

"Yeah…"

"Then I no longer have wings…"

"You can't be okay with that!"

"HE IS ALL I HAVE!" They stared at each other, Sparrow began to show emotions that she'd never expressed to him before. Pain, disgust, shame, loneliness,sorrow, "He is always there… not once has he left me, and I am not going to be the person to leave. A hero like you would never understand how it feels to have no one," Hawks placed a hand on her hand that clenched the grass.

"I do actually…" shocked by the sudden gesture she pulled her hand away. Hawks wasn't offended by it. He was being patient with her, "I wasn't exactly raised in the best of places, and the commission ended up raising me, they aren't exactly the best parents. They just raised me to be the best hero they want," why am I telling her any of this?

"I-" Hawks smiled reassuring her that he was fine.

"If I'm being honest… I honestly have no ties to anyone,"

"Huh… even heroes have no one to turn to?"

"Some do some don't, I just wasn't lucky," why are you so okay with it then? "Ah. You're the first person I ever told this to," The winged woman stared at Hawks before smiling sadly.

"This conversation is too personal…" Hawks chuckled softly.

"Now you have to be my friend now," Sparrow pouted a soft pink blush dusting her cheeks.

"Alright…"