Chapter 48: Summertime Fun

"Hey, Tokoyami, wait up!" Deku calls as he runs out of UA to catch up with his classmate. The heat of the summer sun, a perfect way for the beginning of summer break, marks both a relief from the challenge of the classmates' second year and a sadness at the temporary goodbyes to the students who will be going home over break.

Tokoyami turns to face Deku as he approaches.

"What are your plans for the summer?"Deku asks Tokoyami when he catches him.

"I'm helping at Hawks' agency for the summer. We're going to work on my aerial combat so I can better utilize Dark Shadow."

"You and Hawks are pretty close, huh?" Shoto asks, joining Deku and Tokoyami at the entrance of their dorm.

"I don't know if I would say close-." Tokoyami starts, then is interrupted by Dark Shadow.

"He's our Sensei!"

Shoto looks at Tokoyami, amused at the disconnect between Tokoyami's words and his sentient's feelings.

"So somewhere between'not close' and 'best friends?'" Shoto jokes as the group walks into the dorms.

"How is he, by the way? I haven't seen him much these last few weeks. It's like he was back, and suddenly he's gone again. He only is around to do his work now. Things aren't the same without him hanging around." Deku interjects.

Tokoyami looks at the ground, not wanting to acknowledge the truth behind Deku's comments.

.*.*.

Hawks' eyes are awe-filled as he follows after Kurt, Evan, and a few other recruits through the city. All around him are red, white, and blue decorations and more food than he could fathom. The sounds of kids' jovial laughter in delight of the sparklers in their hands fill the air.

"Yo, feather brain, hurry up!" Boom Boom shouts across the street as Hawks gets distracted by yet another food vendor grilling chicken.

"Cominnnng!" Hawks pays for the sandwich and swiftly makes his way over to Boom Boom and the others as he wolfs down his sandwich, cooing satisfactorily.

.*.*.*.

The water feels cool against Jean's feet as she dangles them into the water from the side of the pool. Everyone but Rogue, who is sitting next to her, Logan, who is grilling lunch, and the group out with Hawks, is roughhousing in the pool. The smell of the meat and veggies Logan is cooking wafts through the poolside.

SPLASH*

Jamie crashes into the water from Kitty's shoulders in defeat of their chicken fight with Scott and Sunspot.

"Hey, watch it." Jean half-heartily scolds when the cold water splash drenches her body.

"Sorry, Jean. Hey- since you're now acclimated to the cold water, want to join?" Jamie asks her. Another clone of his plays catch with Wolfsbane.

"Heck yeah! You're going to pay for this. Boost me up, Kitty! Let's show these guys how this is done." Jean exclaims, trying to hide how much she wishes Hawks was here.

The matchup is head-to-head, but Sunspot, getting stronger every minute, is beginning to pull team Scott ahead. Jean, knowing time was becoming critical, makes her move. *SLASH* echoes from the pool as Scott jumps out of the water, surprised. The girls cheer. "Alright!" Jean high-fives Kitty as she gets off.

"You only won because I let you." Scott counters as he shakes water from his hair.

"Admit it, ya lost, Scott." Rouge comments, her legs dangling in the water from the side of the pool.

The temporary distraction of the game of chicken flees Jean's mind almost immediately as she goes back to discretely scanning the landscape for Hawks.

"Shouldn't they be back by now? Getting firecrackers and sparklers shouldn't take this long." Jean asks Kitty as she sits back down beside Kitty.

"Maybe they got lost, or Hawks ditched-"

"We all know he won't do that." Hank points out setting the grilled food down on the bench.

"True. Come on, Jean. Tell us everything! What's it like dating a dream boat like him? I'll bet he has six pack— have you seen it? What is he like in -" Kitty and Jubilee keep pressing.

Jean's face flushes, "I-"

"Hey, here he comes!" Cannonball shouts. When Jean spots him, she darts to meet her boyfriend. As he comes closer into focus, Jean covers her mouth to hide the laughter lodged in her throat.

Head to toe, Hawks is decked out in Fourth of July paraphernalia.

A white shirt with a red collar and sleeves read "Red, White & Cool" printed on it, the O's of the word "cool" shaped into sunglasses. Hawks' smile is almost as vibrant as the fireworks surrounding the text on his shirt. He wore navy shorts and white sandals with beads in shape of the American flag. On his face, Hawks is rocking flag-themed white Polaroid sunglasses with a yellow tint and each side of his cheek had sparkly star shaped kid tattoos.

"What on earth did you do to my boyfriend?!" Jean exclaims to the group as Hawks smirks pushing the sunglasses on top of his head.

"Hey, I had to dive into this Fourth of July thing. I would be nothing if not dressed for the occasion. I think I did a great job." Hawks smirks as he and Jean head towards the pool.

"What, not jumping in the water?" Scott taunts when Jean and Hawks sit beside the pool.

"Nope, I can't swim well, Laser Eyes. You try with wings on ya back." Hawks grins, leaning back on his hands.

Jean sits next to Hawks. He blushes, scanning her from head to toe -at the sight of his girlfriend in her blue bikini. He chirps, kissing her cheek.

.*.*.*.

The monthly hero meeting with the HPSC is more tense than usual. Endeavor looks down at his notes for his future assignments and who he'll be paired with. The load is noticeably heavier this month, and, as usual, he's paired with Hawks for most of them.

Noticing the lack of snaky comments and over-confident, carefree attitudes, Endeavor scans the room for the number 2 hero, noticing now that Hawks isn't there.

Endeavor scans the sky for any outline of Hawks as the hero meeting ends. He sighs, becoming increasingly more concerned with the atypical behavior of his colleague.

"Tokoyami says he's visiting his girlfriend in the US," Shoto says, walking up behind Endeavor.

"Wait," Endeavor says as his face reddens at what his son just told him. "His girlfriend?! That's his excuse for missing the meeting?! What, does he think I'm just going to pick up for his slacking ass? What if something happens to him- something happens here? He doesn't get to choose when he can work." Endeavor picks up his phone to call the number 2. "He has explaining to do."

Hawks answers the phone from the two-person floating raft he is lying next to Jean on in the pool.

"Yo, Endeavorrrr what's up? You usually never call unless it's urgent."

Endeavor cringes, hearing the surrounding noise of people laughing in Hawks' background as an echo of water splashing follows. This kid…

"Where the hell are you? You missed our meeting. We have a shit-ton of projects we're supposed to collaborate on, and I can't even trust you to show up for a scheduled meeting."

"We're teaming up again!? Awwe sweet!" Hawks chirps excitedly.

"Hawks!"

"Calm down Endeavor, I'm looking the emails over right now as we chat. I'll be back by tomorrow."

"No you aren't, you're floating on a pool raft. I can hear it. And- wait- can you even swim?! Anyway, why didn't you at least let someone know? I was worried."

"Aw, you do care about meee. Look, man,

'I'll be back in no time. I just wanted to see my girl. Cut me some slack…"

"Hawks, we need you to have your head in the game, not in the clouds -"

"I'm a bird, Endeavor. I belong in the clouds." Hawks snarks.

"Okay, bad metaphor, but you know what I mean. Anyway, the league and many smaller crime critics are popping up, and you.."

"And you need me there to get the drop on them and busting them open? I know, man. I'm reading over these assessments now. I just need you covering my ass for a few more hours."

"You better be back by then or I'm coming there to drag your ass back. And get out of that damn pool before you drown. "

"Aw glad to know you care so much."

Endeavor sighs. How has been able to tolerate, even care, about Hawks he may never fully comprehend. Maybe it's the relationship he hoped for with Touya that Hawks fills.

.*.

*SIZZLE* *CRACKLE* *POP* *BANG* *POP* *PLOP* *SIZZLE* *CRACKLE* *POP* *BANG* *

Hawks' phone hits the water mid-call with Endeavor as the winged hero practically jumps out of his wings. With a startled screech, Hawks' wings puff and sharpen.

"Hawks?! Hawks?!" Endeavor's voice comes through the phone. "What was that?! Are you okay?! Hawks?!—"

"Keigo?" Jean's worried voice echoes around them as she grasp her boyfriend's shoulders.

"Alright! Did you see that!" Boom Boom shouts with excitement. Logan walks over snatching the third firecracker from her hand.

"Hey!" Evan whines.

"No more!" Logan snaps as Professor joins them.

"I have to agree. You could have hurt someone doing it this close." Storm gestures to the others. Jean holds Hawks' head against her as he begins to ground himself and calms down. Others doing the same as Jamie jumps into the water as he fetches Hawks' phone. All eyes gone from the wing man to the four troublemakers. Even Scott was ticked with them.

"We're sorry. We just waned to test them." Evan says.

"That's not going to get you off the hook this time. You four are under house arrest for two weeks. Logan and Storm will oversee your punishment." Professor says

"What?!" They all groan in unison as Logan cross his arms. "Starting today. Follow me, you four. I have something you guys can do."

.*.*.*.

"I am fine, you don't need to come and fetch me, Enji. Some of the teens here set off firecrackers earlier, that's all." Hawks explains, flinching as Jean gently rubs off the glitter star tattoos off his cheeks. Despite her gentle touch, hawks flinches when she accidentally brushes against the scaring below the tattoo.

"You sure? I can get on the next flight to New York-"

"-I'm fine, look I'll be leaving here at 11 PM, I'll let you know once I'm back in Japan." He chirps as Jean strokes one cheek and kisses his other.

"Other side baby." She coos. Hawks obeys, turning his head.

"Okay, but if you're not back by noon, I am sending a search party." Endeavor says. Hawks can hear the creak of Endeavor's office chair over the phone as he leans back in it.

"No worries I'll be back by then. I'm sure of it. I got to go. Sorry for the scare." Hawks hangs up the phone and hands it back to Jean.

"Thanks, chickadee."

"Of course. Sorry your phone ended up broken again. I'm just glad you're alright."

"Better off than the other four! Did you hear Logan is making them all clean the training rooms before and after training?" He chuckles, Jean smiles.

"There you go, don't want you getting your ass chewed out coming back with those on your face," she strokes his cheeks. Hawks leans into the touch and kisses her.

"I had to join in the festive fun. Go big or go home." The two of them settle down on the tree branch, interlocking fingers as they lean against each other. *Whistle* *POP* *BOOM* ring out through the air as the fireworks fill the night sky with a mirage of colors.

"Hey, lovebirds, you two coming down to join?" Hank asks them. Hawks grins at the sight of the sparklers in Hank's hand.

"In a minute." Hawks says, squeezing Jean's hand. He kisses her cheek, then jumps down with her to join the others. I guess not all fire is bad. Maybe this is why they call love a spark.