Fate's Fickle Wings

by winterziyle

It begins with a Lightbulb falling from a balcony. Fate sets in motion the beginning of a another Upheaval, that will leave their society changed again - though - whether they all come out of it alive will be entirely in the hands of those they call heroes, and whom Hawks comes to call family.

3. Chapter 3: A Weekend

Chapter Three: A Weekend

Keigo dropped down onto the now familiar balcony, tucking his wings behind him. He glanced around, frowning in annoyance. It still wasn't fixed.

"Hey, so, who do I ring about your balcony still being a death trap." He called out as he entered the seemingly empty apartment.

A voice answered from the open door of the bathroom. "My bosses said someone should be coming to fix it soon."

"How soon is soon?"

"Um, I don't know. They're never very clear on timelines unless its maintenance to do with the powerplant itself."

Keigo glanced back at the balcony. He'd never actually attempted to be a handyman, and he'd likely suck at it, so he wasn't going to even try that route. "You know, how about I just call someone."

"Any work done on the powerplant has to be cleared by the bosses."

"Ah, but this isn't maintenance on the powerplant itself, this is aesthetics."

She finally exited the bathroom. "That's a technicality."

"I like technicalities." He grinned. "It's how you break rules."

She'd done her deliciously long sliver hair up in a braid, and donned a pair of simple jeans. What amused him the most was the jacket was his, the one he'd left the night before. It seemed he wasn't getting it back.

"I figured I should do it up." She raised a hand to touch her braided hair, seeming to notice his gaze. "With the wind and everything. I didn't want it causing trouble."

"Good thinking." He set his bag down on the kitchen bench.

"Are the clothes fine?"

"You look amazing."

And she did. She was a shiny, silvery otherworldly gem, and it was a horrible shame she had to actually wear clothes.

"But…" He held up his hands. "I would say that about you not wearing anything, so, I'm a really bad judge."

She breathed in deeply, covering her face. "Oh my gosh."

"What? I figure I've got to be honest, or this will not work out."

"Gah." She slapped a hand over his mouth. "Stop. Stop talking."

"Pretty sure you want me to keep talking," he mumbled beneath her hand. "No idea what I'll do when I stop."

She grabbed his jacket, shaking him lightly. "What I mean, is, are the clothes going to be warm enough? I rarely leave…I don't have many outdoor clothes."

"Oh, I noticed."

She slapped his shoulder.

"They're fine." He unzipped the bag. "You got everything?"

"Yep." Rilo nodded. "I'm good."

Keigo heaved out the contents of the bag, muttering to himself at the tangled-up straps. He'd had to dig around in his wardrobe for the attachment, considering he hadn't really needed it for a while.

"I don't remember it being this complicated," he grumbled.

"Wow, um, Keigo, I had no idea you were into that type of kink."

He sent her a deadpanned look. "Thanks for that mental picture, babe. I really needed that right now."

"You're most welcome. I am here to torture you." She quipped. "But, ah, I'm serious, what is it?"

"It's a harness." He flicked out the straps, shrugging into them and clipping them before yanking down hard to fasten it. "Long distance flights are a bit different than short ones."

"Oh, I hadn't even thought of that."

"Most people don't, but I can assure you, my arms actually do get tired." He motioned to her and she stepped out onto the still not repaired balcony. With a gentle tug, she shut the doors.

"You locking it?" he asked.

"Why?"

Why—

Why—

Gah. This was the problem heroes faced. In a world increasingly filled with the wildest of possibilities, everything was still being built quirk-less, and the mindset was still stuck quirk-less. "Because I'm not the only person in the world with an aviation quirk, babe. Gods, please tell me you lock it at night."

"Ah, no, should I?"

"Right, we're discussing this during the flight. Does it even have a lock?"

She stared at the door. "We're up so high, I never thought it needed one."

A tiny piece of him died. This was why villains got away with things. This was why he still had a job.

He held out the harness. "Step into this."

She breathed in deeply. Grabbing one of his shoulders for support, she shrugged her way into the harness. He smirked at her blush as he tightened the straps.

"Where did this even come from?" she murmured around her embarrassment.

"Well, there used to be these things called paragliders. It was a sort of sport, way back, before quirks. It's all very interesting when you start looking back into how pre-quirk humans tried to fly." He clipped everything together, double checking the buckles. "There is this old man, who runs a place out of the city, where aviation quirk users can fly about, he helped me come up with a few concepts based around those old-world ideas. He got tired of me complaining about my arms getting tired, or how I couldn't lug around equipment."

Rilo giggled. "I can kind of imagine you whinging at another aviation quirk user."

"Birds of the feather, flock together, something like that." He backed up to the edge of the balcony. "Right, so, flight rules. You tell me if you start feeling nauseous, or faint. That'll be altitude sickness."

Rilo nodded.

"Let me know if your legs go numb, we can stop off for a quick break, lastly, if I'm coming in for a crash landing, don't, under any circumstances, put your legs down." He clapped her legs around his waist. "I'm built to take the force of a fall, you're not. You let me handle impacting the ground."

"But that won't happen, right?"

"Extremely unlikely, but it's better you know." He brushed back a loose strand of her hair as he pressed the old visor and headset over her head, before slipping on his own.

"Can you hear me?" he asked over the radio.

"Yep."

"Alright. Let's go." He let them both tip backwards off the balcony, falling for a few seconds before he picked up the air and glided. Rilo was laughing again, holding herself tight against him, but her sheer joy was evident. She really did love being free, now, he just had to make sure that freedom stuck to them both.

000

Usually, if Keigo was visiting the Heroes Public Safety Commission, he'd wing it over there at top knot speed. He'd gotten so used to the world blurring by, that the more leisurely pace that carrying a passenger over a long hall forced on him, came as a pleasant surprise.

As they left the city's boundaries and were met with the greener fields of the countryside, the air changed taste and tone, losing some of its yellow tinge. Rilo lifted her head off his chest and he smiled at her.

"You still comfortable?"

"I'm fine."

"Alright. Let me know if you need a break." He dipped lightly to one side, pushing back against the wind.

"Did you get into any trouble, having to take time off this afternoon?" She anxiously messed with her hands.

Keigo dipped again, passing through a cloudbank. They came out damp and Rilo gave a small laugh.

"Whoops, missed that one, sorry." He wiped at his visor. "And, as for your question, no, I didn't get it trouble. My sidekicks are all very good at mopping up after me. I handpicked each of them to be very independent. I like that about them. I don't have to be around twenty-four seven for my agency to run." He stretched his arms out. "Though, Bubbles was a bit perplexed that I literally asked for time off. I suppose it is a bit unusual."

"Oh, Bubbles! She was your first sidekick, wasn't she?"

"Let me guess, you read that in a trashy hero magazine." Keigo arched an eyebrow.

She looked so proud as she nodded. "She's super cute!"

"Is she? Guess I never looked at her that way…"

Rilo laughed. "Oh, no, Keigo. I think I felt her heart break from all the way up here."

"Nope." He slapped a hand over her mouth. "Blasphemy. My sidekicks are professional."

He received only giggles.

"You're lucky I'm flying," he wrapped an arm around her waist. "Otherwise, I'd show you the meaning of unprofessional."

"I'm pretty sure we're way beyond unprofessional." She kissed his chin.

"True." He smirked. "But we could go further."

"And if we weren't flying, I'd start running again."

"See, that didn't work last time." He teased. "Guess you're stuck with me."

"Oh no, so sad. Whatever will I—"

He started dropping altitude. Rilo squeaked, clutching him tightly. "Hawks!"

"What?" He twirled about, cradling her head against the drop. "Aw, where is all that sarcasm?" Keigo kissed her. He halted their downward drop with a kickback, coming to a slow glide once more. Rilo panted heavily, holding onto the straps of the harness.

"You alive?" he asked.

"How can do you even do that? I thought we'd hit the ground."

"I'm very good at flying." He winked. Gradually he let their elevation climb once more. After a while, Rilo shifted again, her brow compressing beneath her visor.

"Keigo, I forgot to bring a water bottle."

"Oh, that's not a problem." He reached up over a shoulder, fishing beneath his jacket. He felt for the small tubing tucked away against his neck and gently tugged it free, holding it out to her. "Here, sip on this. Its water."

She took the thin tube, staring at it. "Really? But…where…" she glanced around and he laughed, twitching slightly as her hand suddenly reached under his jacket, feeling around his side. Her cheeks puffed out in annoyance at finding nothing.

"Okay, where are you hiding the water?"

"It's there, really, it's just under the armour. There's about a litre in each bladder, just below my wings. So much easier than carrying around a water bottle. It was an interesting idea that Ingenium shared with me, back when I first went Pro and was looking to design my suit."

"Ingenium? He's the Turbo Hero." Rilo sipped on the water.

Keigo nodded. "He was very helpful. He likes being helpful. It's kind of his thing. A bit too cheerful for me to be overly familiar with."

She held the small tube to his mouth, and he took it, taking a drink.

"I don't like burdening those types of people with my unintentional cynicism." Keigo shrugged. "But I was grateful to have his input in the early days. Both our quirks are speed quirks, and I really needed help on my under-armour."

"Wait, you're telling me you're wearing armour?"

He wiggled his gloved hands at her. "I know, doesn't look like it does it, but I've got a whole slick armoured suit under these clothes. It'd take me…ah…about five minutes to get undressed."

"That's so romantic."

"I could make it very romantic." He grinned.

"I don't doubt you." She laughed, tucking herself back against his chest.

"Did you get much sleep last night?" he asked.

"Enough." She shrugged. "You?"

Nope. His conversation with All-Might had been a few hours', that led to a few more late-night calls to follow up from pervious calls. He didn't have to apply the side of himself that was a negotiator often. Most people saw the laid-back and somewhat cynical face he portrayed to the public, and remained wholly unaware that when he listened, he was figuring out how to use whatever was being said.

"I'd have probably slept better if I'd stay with you, now that I think about it." He chuckled. "And now that I know you don't have a lock on your door, I'm never going to sleep."

"You're paranoid."

"Yeah, I'm a pro hero. I see the worst in society. It kind of happens."

"Not everyone is out there to harm other people."

"No, but it only takes one person, and unfortunately, quirks seem to have caused a rise in dissonance. The fact that I can making a living as a Pro Hero, is scary. There is enough unrest in our society, that I have a fulltime job, as well as sidekicks to boot."

"Okay…" she raised her head off his chest. "I see where you're coming from."

"Wouldn't it be so much better if I didn't have anything to do? If heroes were obsolete?" He smiled down at her. "Wouldn't that mean we'd succeeded in making the world a happier place for everyone?"

"It's nice to dream," she whispered.

"It is." He hugged her.

They stopped off at the halfway mark for a rest. Which was about two and half hours into the flight. Considering Rilo had never flown that long, and at such high altitudes, he was reasonably impressed. Her excitement at buying a sweet roll from a small roadside vendor was adorable, and he promptly decided he'd be taking her on more trips in the future just to watch the way her face lit up in pure happiness at the outside world.

Hand in hand they wandered up a lazy path to a lookout over an ocean view.

"There aren't any people around?" Rilo looked out across the long, rocky shores.

"That's on purpose. I know this route well, so, it's easy to stop off at less populated areas. Don't really feel like getting into any of your trashy hero magazines and ruining the whole reason why we're heading where we're heading." He wrapped his arms around her from behind, cannoning them both in his wings and she snuggled up with a sigh.

"So, where is it that we're actually going?"

"That'd be U.A Academy, in Musutafu, Shizukoa."

Rilo jerked around in shock. "Keigo, that's on the other side of the country."

He brushed back her loose strands of hair. "Well, yeah, but that's the wonderful thing about wings. Distance doesn't mean as much to me as it does to everyone else. If I go at topknot speed, it's about an hour and half flight. Actually, I was on my way home from Musutafu, Shizuoka when I felt you fall from the balcony."

He leapt onto the small wall around the lookout, twirling about playfully. "The sky is beautiful." He looked down at her. "Just like you."

She glanced aside. "But…I am slowing you down…"

He swept her up, hoisting her into the air. "You're worth every minute." He captured her in a kiss, amused at their precarious balance on the small lookout wall. He was so tempted to fall off, into the sharp cliff drop.

She pulled away, her fingertips sparkling lines down his cheeks. "You try it, and I'll probably throw up my delicious sweet bun on you."

He laughed.

She slid down, reaching solid ground once more. "Okay, so, why are we going to U.A? I mean, isn't it a school—you didn't even go there?"

"Ah, your trashy hero magazine knowelage is true. I did not. However, they have spectacular medical facilities. It's a bit of requirement, considering the type of training their students undergo. However, that's not why we're going. There is just as good facilities in Fukuoka. No." He took her hands, gently rubbing them. "You and I are trying to fly under the radar of some very fierce governmental agencies, yes?"

She glanced aside. "Well, I didn't want to pry, but I kind of got that feeling from you, considering how you reacted the other night."

He kissed her forehead. "It took me a bit of thinking, but I eventually figured out that if we couldn't work within the system we're trapped in, then we'd work outside of it. U.A is wholly independent. Some heroes call it a sanctuary site."

Keigo worked on the harness, buckling the straps back together.

"Why…why would you do all this…" Rilo reached for his hands, and he halted his work, looking up at her in confusion. Her hands were trembling, and he took a sharp breath, noticing she was fogging up her visor with tears.

"Oh, babe." He cupped her cheeks and gently removed her visor, wiping aside the tears. "Shh, don't cry."

He pressed her against his shoulder.

"I don't understand…" she mumbled into his jacket. "Why would you care? You literally just met me, Hawks."

He tugged her back, forcing her to focus her gaze on his. "That's not who I am to you. I'm not Hawks."

Her lips parted, whispering. "Keigo."

He nodded. "And we didn't just meet." He gripped her hands, holding them to his lips. "My wings don't just randomly respond to things. They act with purpose and instinct, an innate reaction that cannot be quantified."

She wiped at her eyes.

He hugged her again. "I caught you, and I am not letting you go. Everything inside me is telling me to hold you."

"I know." Her arms tightened around his waist. "I feel the same."

"See." He scratched at his hair. "So please, do not feel like this is out of some weird obligation. I am doing this because…"

"Your quirk wants you to procreate."

"Wow." He pulled back slightly, arching an eyebrow at her grin. "Smooth. Does that work on all the guys."

"I donno, you're the first, did it work?"

"I'll tell you when we get to the hotel tonight."

"That totally sounds like it worked."

He laughed, squeezing her cheeks. "Don't tempt me with stopping off at a clearing. We're on a schedule."

"Okay. Challenge accepted."

"You're a horrible tease."

"You love it."

"Yes." He busied himself with cleaning her visor. "That I'll admit to." Keigo shoved the visor over her head. "Right, ah, I was halfway through flight checks…"

000

U.A was just ridiculously enormous and grand. It was privately funded, mostly through heroes who'd graduated through its illustrious program, but there were also many exclusive backers from mega industries who enjoyed splurging money.

What Keigo did know was that Principal Nezu was extremely good at getting backing. The little genius could exploit avenues that no one would even consider, and somehow, money just flowed. Under the masterful watch of Principal Nezu, U.A had flourished and truly become an independent haven.

Having delivered Rilo to Recovery Girl, Keigo had found himself unceremoniously kicked out by the tiny, but fierce doctor, due to his apparent 'anxious hovering'. Thus, he was left to roam the school grounds like a brooding cloud. At least U.A was quirk friendly. The halls and doorways were built with any number of quirk manifestations in mind, there were lifts, or stairs, or ramps, open windows and perches available for aviation quirks, and the hallways had designated zones for walking space.

This meant he could actually walk around without having to uncomfortably tuck his wings into a bent position. Talk about freedom. Why hadn't the rest of society caught onto this blessed idea. His entire life was cursed by people bumping into his wings, twisting his wings, grabbing his wings and ripping out feathers, all the while, he had to force himself not to react.

He paused by an open window, smelling the scent of cigarette smoke. "Ah. Found you."

Keigo bent over the banister, catching sight of Principal Nezu, sitting on a set of stairs leading into one of the teacher's lounges. With a quick movement, Keigo vaulted over the window ledge, and dropped down beside the small, stout animal.

"Good afternoon, Principal. Still smoking, I see."

Nezu sheepishly glanced at the cigarette it held in a delicate paw. "I can't seem to quit, no matter what I try. Terrible example to my students."

"Heh, we all have our Achilles' Heel."

Nezu chuckled. "Ah, the ancient gods, one of my favourite topics to teach. You could say, they are our predecessors."

"I'm surprised they still let you. I'm hard pressed to find anything on pre-quirk societies in public libraries these days."

"Hmp." Nezu huffed. "U.A will remain a proud, independent facility, a safe haven of thought…and…of course…for young men like yourself who need it."

Keigo eased himself down beside the principal. "I can't thank you enough for your help."

Nezu shook his head. "You are the one putting your life in danger. I am simply glad to be able to ease your burden. How is the patient?"

"Left her with Recovery Girl." Keigo tucked his knees to his chin, looking over the school grounds. "Apparently I was hovering." He tipped his head. "Thus, I got kicked out."

Nezu lit another cigarette. "I have to admit, I am curious as to what the results will conclude. The story you spun was deeply troubling, and remarkably…distasteful for one such as myself."

Keigo knotted his hands together. "Sorry to dredge up old memories."

Nezu gave a low hum. "I am more saddened that humanity hasn't changed. I had hoped…" The small genius lifted a paw to the scar across its eye. "It is too much to hope. Evil will always exit. I suppose that is why I work so hard to raise the next generation."

"I know." Keigo sighed. "It's just, society is so fragile. I don't think people realise how…easy…it would be for us to tip into absolute anarchy and fall back into another Upheaval."

"Sometimes, Hawks, it takes an upheaval to clear the plate."

Keigo thumped backwards with a groan, covering his face. "Where is the line between hero and villain, Nezu, and why do I always feel like I am tip toeing around it."

Nezu took a long inhale. "The fact that you are aware of the line, and are forced to skirt it, is the reason why you are such a good hero, Hawks." Nezu gave his knee a gentle pat.

Keigo stared at the sky. It looked so far away, that freedom the open blue horizon provided. He had to wonder if even the sky was an illusion, created to taunt him.

"I just want a world where I can be lazy. A few patrols, here and there, smile at happy folk living boring, ordinary lives." He stretched up a hand to the blue blanket of sky above him. "Is that too much to ask, Principal?"

"No, Hawks. It isn't."

000

Rilo was in another room, redressing, and for that, Keigo was grateful. It gave him the chance to have a complete and utter break down as he flipped through the medical sheets Recovery Girl had handed over. With each passing scan of his eyes, the weight in his stomach just dropped deeper, and deeper, until it felt like there was a hollow pit therein.

He slumped down on the medical bed, breathing out an unsteady breath. "Right. Okay…so…"

He looked over at Recovery Girl, sitting in her little chair. She wasn't even trying to hide how upset she was, nor sugar coat her deep frown. Despite his age often acting against him, she wasn't looking down at him, he was getting full Pro Hero treatment. He'd presented her with a patient, he'd asked for help, and she was giving her results without holding anything back.

Nezu peered over the print outs. "You are positive about these results, Recovery Girl."

"I am."

"Shite." Keigo hissed. He pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing shut his eyes. He'd known, the moment he'd seen that hideous machine, he'd known—but he'd hoped he was wrong. Why were his wings always right?

"I am so sorry, Hawks." Recovery Girl slid off her chair, approaching him and gently resting a warm hand on his jittering knee. "But, I am also incredibly grateful that fate has entwined your strings. If you hadn't caught her, and then thought to bring her here, this would all still be in the dark."

"You at least healed the damage I did." Keigo picked the sheets back up, glancing at them idly, as if a second look would change something. "So, thank you."

"Oh, you silly boy, that was barely anything. Students do worse to themselves in training." Recovery Girl scoffed. "You think too lowly of yourself."

"Just bad experiences." He cringed. "Enough to give me nightmares for a lifetime. Humans are so fragile."

Keigo dropped his head back, steadying his nerves. "So, what do you suggest then? And keep in mind, this has to be done under the nose of the Heroes Public Safety Commission."

"She is going to need weekly treatments." Recovery Girl looked to principal Nezu. "Which I am more than happy to provide. I believe, in time, I could almost entirely reverse the deterioration of her body…but that is if she stops whatever is causing the damage."

"That's the problem," Keigo murmured. "But I'll work on it."

Nezu nodded. "Do you believe you can manage a weekly visit."

"I'll make it work. I've…been working on a cover story." Keigo glanced to Recovery Girl. "How long do I have before your treatments stop working?"

Closing her eyes as she pondered, Recovery Girl tapped her cane. "Two years." She finally looked up. "I believe I can give you two years grace. If you haven't figured out how to disentangle her from whatever web she is caught up in by then, I am afraid my treatments will reach their maximin limit."

Keigo breathed in deeply. Two years to figure out how to dismantle the entire electrical grid of Japan without causing mass mayhem—or—at least—if he couldn't do that—two years to remove them both from their cages by any-means-necessary.

He forced a smile, slapping the medical bed. "Alright. Two years it is. I can work with that. Thank you, Recovery Girl. Principal Nezu."

Nezu inclined his head. "If you need anything, Hawks, do not hesitate to ask. U.A is a sanctuary."

"I appreciate it." Hawks folded up the medical files, tucking them away in his protective, sealed pockets. "I suppose, we'll be seeing you again next week then." He bowed.

"Do have a safe trip home, Hawks." Recovery Girl waved her cane. "And don't you dare overclock yourself, I don't want to see you in here either!"

"I won't, I promise." He gave a wave as he slipped out the door into the corridor beyond. Across the hall, Rilo was waiting, leaning on a banister and looking out into the school fields below. She'd loosened her hair and now it flowed like liquid silver down her shoulders. He slowly approached, hearing only the sound of his ruffling feathers and heavy, reenforced boots in the silence of the hall. She stirred from her thoughts, her electric blue eyes, like captured stars, looked up into his as he tugged her close.

"I gather it wasn't good news."

Lying came so easy to him. His handlers had raised him lie so smoothly, but it was exhausting, that constant upkeep. Taking her hands, he held them to his chest.

"Going to be real with you, it's not great, but I get the feeling you already knew, right?"

"I…"

"Rilo." He brushed aside her hair. "I promise. No matter what you say, you're not going to scare me away. I am here, in this, one hundred percent."

She ducked her head away. She looked horribly fragile, as breakable as the lightbulb he joked she was.

"I'm scared, Keigo." She whispered, hiding away against his chest. "We...we…don't have long shelf lives. We burnout at about twenty-five, so I've…I've done pretty good, getting to twenty-three and not having any major issues."

Hell. What did she mean by major issues. The medical files in his armour pocket felt like they were on fire. Didn't she realise how bad it was? That she was practically being eaten alive by that hideous powerplant? Or did her bosses always assure her she had a clean bill of health.

A shelf-life.

A fucking shelf-life.

He tightened his arms around her. Humans did not have shelf-lives, they were not inanimate objects to be used, and discarded, nor should they have been forced to abuse their quirk for the betterment of society.

"I don't want to drag you into something, only for it to end." Rilo clutched at his arms. "I don't want to hurt you."

He smiled. "Thank you, for worrying about me, but I promise, I'm going to be fine. I trust my wings. I trust that we're going to be together for a very, very long time." He rubbed at her tears. "And right now, what you need to do is focus beyond the two years. Focus on the hope over the horizon, and trust me to get us there. Can you do that, Lightbulb?"

She gave a shuddered breath. "Yeah."

"Good." He twirled their arms together. "Come on, I've got a date lined up for you."

She frowned in confusion. "I'm pretty sure you're my date."

"Wow, I suck at dates." He took her hand, heading down the corridor. "I'll really have to work on that, considering I'm competing against All-Might."

Her squeal, and the way the lights danced as she bounced, was worth the whole trip over. Making people happy was always the best part about being a hero.

00000

Izuku slumped down onto the step, wiping the strings of sweat off his temple. His damp hair clung to his face, and he slicked it all back, away from his watery eyes. He still couldn't see the ocean over the mountains of rubbish piled up across the beach, but he felt like he was beginning to make a bit of a dent. A tiny, itty bitty dent.

That little bit of a dent bubbled up the tiniest bit of hope inside him.

He could totally do this.

A water bottle was hung in his vision, and he startled at the overwhelmingly large presence from behind.

"All-Might!" Izuku jumped up, snatching the bottle in mid-air.

"Hello, young Midoriya. I see you've finished for the evening."

"Ah, ye…yes sir!" He resisted the urge to salute the mammoth statue of a man.

A hand was placed on his head, it practically enveloped him entirely. As gentle as the touch was, he knew full well the strength behind it, but it made his toes curl tight in his sneakers to feel it ruffle his hair fondly.

"Well done, my boy, well done. Now, collect your gear, and make sure you put on your jacket. The air is getting nippy, and you'll catch your death when your body cools down after a workout."

"Oh, yes, right!" Izuku sprung away. He shrugged into his All-Might jacket, which kind of still felt weird wearing it beside the man himself, but oh-well, most of his wardrobe was kinda themed that way. Whenever he brought out a new piece of merch, All-Might's laughter was somewhere between tickled-pink and a little embarrassed, but mostly, he really did just seem happy to be appreciated.

He jogged up the stairs, bouncing up to All-Might. Usually by now, he'd have shrunken down to his gaunt form, but he was still standing there, like a tower under the lamppost. He was peering up at the darkening sky, as if trying to see something in the sunset over the city.

"Um? All-Might, sir…?"

"So, Young Midoriya." All-Might looked down at him with a warm smile. "Since it is Friday, I thought you deserved a treat for all your hard work."

"Oh, gosh, sir…" Izuku shuffled uncomfortably. "You've already been doing so much; I really don't need—"

"Yo, All-Might, what the hell, old man. Why is your beach a dump?"

Izuku froze, he'd heard that voice before, on the television, on livestreams. That was the Wing Hero, Hawks, a rising star in the hero ranks. Happiness bolted through him as he spun on his heels to stare at the approaching man strolling along the esplanade. Tucked under one of his red wings was a glowing woman with silver hair that almost reached her ankles. She was shimmering, and if it wasn't for the wing that hid her away, Izuku was sure she'd have lit up the slowly darkening vicinity like a streetlamp.

Once more, a hand was settled on his head, as if to keep him from bolting forward in excitement and unleashing a tyrant of questions. Izuku looked up at All-Might, noticing the genuinely warm and happy look he wore in the presence of the younger Pro Hero's approach, despite the gab at the trash filled beach.

"The beach is a work in progress, I am having young Midoriya here clean it as part of his workout routine before he applies to U.A."

Hawks had reached them and Izuku felt the vibrant golden gaze of the young hero settle on him, studying him with a serious undertone behind the smile he wore.

"So, this is your Little Secret, or one of them at least."

Izuku flinched. Everything in him suddenly wanted to duck and hide behind All-Might. It felt so ridiculous to feel vulnerable, but Hawks sharp, calculating eyes were so intense, like the young man immediately knew everything about him.

"Hawks." All-Might's tone dropped in warning.

"Alright, alright. Sorry." Hawks' hands lifted in faux innocence. "Hey, you've shown me yours, I'll show you mine. All-Might, may I introduce my secret, future wifey, Rilo Kazutoshi."

She had buried her head in her hands. "That is not how I wanted to ever be introduced to All-Might, Hawks."

"What, I speak but truth, it's what you are."

"I'm so embarrassed."

"Hey, hey, I promised you All-Might, I got you All-Might." Hawks grinned. "See, enduring all those tests was worth it. Now you get a date with your hero crush."

Izuku hid his smile as the woman buried her head into the curve of Hawks' shoulder, muttering something and he laughed. "I promise, I won't tease. He seriously agreed to this so I could get you into that hospital."

"That's worse." And now she buried herself in one of his wings, hiding away completely.

"No, my dear, it's call bribery. He's a pro at it." All-Might chuckled. "The amount of favours and blackmail he has on everyone in every nook in all Japan is terrifying."

"I'm good at my job, what can I say." Hawks shrugged.

All-Might held out his arm to the woman and she carefully stepped out from beneath Hawks' wing. "Come on, my dear, let's take a walk and fetch us all some dinner. Young Midoriya needs his protein."

"Chicken?" Hawks asked, wings picking up in enthusiasm.

Rilo shook her head. "I cannot believe that's the thing the magazines got right about you. It's an embarrassment to all reporting."

All-Might laughed.

Hawks grinned.

"Alright." Hawks swung his arm around Izuku's shoulder. "The Little Secret and I will hang out here then. Have fun, babe. Enjoy your hero date."

Izuku found himself waving to both All-Might and the young woman. She looked so delicate, like a breakable glass doll, beside the towering Number One. The two headed off into the evening, which left him completely alone with the Wing Hero.

He froze. Oh—oh—oh gosh—oh no—

"Yo, baby bird, breathe."

"Um." Izuku squeaked. "Hi."

"Hey."

Hawks crouched down, coming level with him. Wow—photos didn't do justice to how vibrant his golden eyes really were, or how red and shimmering his wings looked under the light. He wasn't wearing his usual hero costume either, instead, he was in the most casual, boring pair of black jeans ever, and a black leather jacket with golden trim. His headset hung around his neck, ready to be donned at a moment's notice, but it was the only recognizable thing about him. Did that mean he wasn't here on official hero business?

"So, it's Izuku Midoriya, right?" Hawks' cocked his head to one side curiously.

"Oh. Um. Yes."

"I'll call you Izuku." His nose was tweaked.

"Oh. Um. Okay." Izuku blinked. That was a little informal, but, okay. Hawks didn't really seem like he cared much about formalities in social settings, if he cared about them at all.

The man leapt onto the small wall along the walkway, balancing playfully as they walked along the esplanade, the evening slowly creeping across the oceanic view.

"I um…I didn't know you had a girlfriend." Izuku commented.

"I'd be worried about my skills if you had found out about it. Don't trust things unless they come from direct sources, baby bird. Information is too easy to abuse and manipulate these days."

Hawks flipped out his mobile, flicking it back and forth. "There are quirks out there that are capable of manipulating data, or altering images, or voices…it's getting very iffy, if you catch my meaning."

Izuku nodded.

"I've got a dangerous job." Hawks' brow lifted. "A lotta folk would aim right at the things I love most, if they knew I loved anything. So, it's important for heroes to keep what they love safe. Not just from villains, but from everything else that our jobs throw at us. It is up to us to make sure our work doesn't affect them negatively."

Izuku thought about his mum. Actually, he'd been trying not to think about his mum, but, for some reason, he thought about her now.

"Not all heroes do the same type of hero work. There are those of us who work better in the shadows." Hawks slumped down on the brick ledge beneath a lamp and Izuku quickly joined him. "And then there are those, like All-Might, who shine brightly…the beacons of hope and justice. I'm gathering what's what you want to be, yeah?"

Izuku squared his shoulders. "I want to save people, with a smile."

"That's a good dream to have. You keep that dream." A finger was gently pressed into his chest. "Right here, and don't let it go."

"I won't!" Izuku assured.

"I like that enthusiasm, baby bird." Hawks' wings arched as the man stretched. "Oh, wow, I am exhausted. Which is a shame…tonight would have been fun…" He rubbed his back. "But now all I can think of is a fluffy bed and sleep."

"Did you fly here?"

"Public transport is for losers." Hawks made a peace sign.

"Is it true you can go as fast as one of those old fighter jets?"

"Ah, probably." Hawks shrugged. "Haven't actually tried to go that fast, don't see the need to push myself to endure the kickback that'd cause."

"But you can go faster than a normal plane."

"I can, I suppose." Hawks raised an eyebrow. "However, the point isn't that I can go faster than a plane, it's that I can do it over a short distance. Though the longer I must maintain that speed, the harder it is on my body. It can also depend on things like altitude, wind, or even if I have a slight cold." He pointed to a nearby lamp post. "Focus on that."

"Okay—" Izuku startled back. Hawks stood under the lamp post, waving with a smile.

Izuku glanced at the spot he'd vacated.

"Wait. How did you…"

A hand touched his shoulder, and Izuku jerked around, finding Hawks behind him.

"See." Hawks smiled. "Over shorter distances, my speed makes it look as though I move instantaneously, but I can't keep it up indefinitely. I'm absorbing the enormous amount of force it takes to both accelerate and decelerate, and it takes a toll."

"So amazing." Izuku gushed. "You're amazing!"

"All-Might said you had a thing about heroes and their quirks, apparently you're a bit of a researcher and information gatherer."

Izuku managed a small, shy shuffle. "I…I guess so."

"Hm. We might be able to put that to good use." Hawks covered a long yawn with a hand. "I need coffee." He pulled out his phone, texting something. He smiled at the beeped reply.

"Ah, she knows me well." Hawks slumped down onto the small walkway wall, rubbing wearily at his eyes, making the skin around them red.

"Can I ask what…um…what you are…um…doing here…ah…in Musutafu?" Izuku joined him.

Hawks chuckled. "Well…I needed some place discrete to get future wifey checked out. Your, hopefully, future school is rather nice about that sort of stuff. They're very good at keeping secrets since they're wholly independent from any governmental influence."

"Oh." Izuku frowned. That all sounded really complicate and way over his head. He clenched his hands in his lap. "Is…is she okay?"

"Got her fixed up, well, got the problem I caused fixed. Other issues are still pending."

Izuku's brow furrowed deeper, and suddenly, his cheeks burned red at an uncomfortable thought. "Oh. Gosh." He squeaked.

"Relax kid, it ain't what you're thinking. I am blaming the tabloids for my image."

Izuku laughed as he was suddenly grabbed and held in a stranglehold, his mop of hair tussled. He struggled to get out.

"Ah, nope, you're really going to have to do much better than that, baby bird."

"Hawks! Stop torturing the poor boy." All-Might's voice called out.

Izuku hung limply in the young man's arms, pouting as All-Might and Rilo approached them under the lamp.

"If I wanted to torture him, I'd fly him into the sky and drop him several times." Hawks grinned. "Like a mouse, cause he's so tiny, like a mouse."

All-Might chuckled.

"What are you teaching this kid? All-Might. He needs to learn basic defence skills, especially if you're aiming to get him into UA. He'll get eaten alive."

Izuku squeaked as he was released, and Hawks heaved him onto his shoulders. He was suddenly taller than All-Might. Wow. The world looked so different from up high.

All-Might shrugged. "I've never really been one for keeping up hand-to-hand combat, Hawks."

"True, you do tend to smash everything before it becomes a problem." Hawks retorted.

Izuku grinned, looking around the deserted parklands they strolled through. One of Hawks' hands gripped his leg tight, keeping him wedged on his shoulders, the other was looped around Rilo.

"Right now, I'm more focused on just getting his physical stamina up." All-Might rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Moulding the body so it will be capable of containing an immense force."

Hawks' arm tightened around Rilo. "Seems to be the flavour of the day, making bodies that can't contain power, contain that power."

Rilo gave Hawks' arm a pat. "I'll be fine. We've got two years. I'm not worried."

She was. Izuku could tell. Both she and Hawks were really, really worried, maybe not about the same thing, but they almost felt like they were on the edge of something and couldn't escape the plunge off. They needed saving.

Was All-Might going to help? Was that why they were here?

"This looks like a good spot." Rilo untangled herself from Hawks' arm.

Izuku found himself heaved off Hawks' shoulders by two feathers, like he weighed nothing. He'd never felt more like a child as he was plonked down. The feathers vanished back into the fluffy underlayers of the majestic wings and Izuku fidgeted with the tempting desire to just curl into them.

Hawks laughed. Izuku squeaked as he was smothered in a wing. "Where did you find him, All-Might, he's adorable."

"As I said on the phone, it was fate."

"That does seem to be going around lately." Hawks' comment was muffled by the plushness of the feathers that enveloped Izuku.

"It does." All-Might replied.

Izuku blinked, holding his hands up, losing them in the plush feathers that surrounded him. They were so much softer than he'd expected. Everything he'd ever read about the Wing Hero described his wings as bladed weapons.

"They're so soft. Like a pillow." Izuku poked his head out.

"Aren't they just." Rilo threw out a blanket across the lawn. "It's so hard to imagine they're capable of hurting anyone."

"Aw, you two are sweet. Thanks." Hawks released him and Izuku shivered at the sudden influx of chilled air nipping at his cheeks. The Wing Hero made a beeline for the two buckets of fried chicken that All-Might was setting down on the rug.

"Chicken, chicken, chicken."

Izuku accepted the plate that was handed to him as he eased himself down beside All-Might's mammoth bulk.

Rilo bundled herself up next to Hawks, seemingly at ease with the way his wings had to bunch up to allow him the natural position of sitting.

"Here, this will keep you awake for another hour, hopefully." Rilo passed over a large take away coffee to Hawks. "I'd actually like to get to our hotel without you falling from the sky."

Hawks kissed her cheek. "Oh, funny, funny, but yeah, that is a possibility."

Izuku stared in awe at the plate in his hands as Rilo kindly started dumping large portions of chicken onto it.

Wow.

He was having an evening picnic dinner with All-Might and Hawks.

This—

This was totally awesome.

"Hey, babe. Can you do that thing to hide us?" Hawks waved a hand.

"Oh, sure." Rilo paused from dishing out the helpings and held out her hands and Izuku watched in fascination as small little orbs of starlight flickered to life, lifting to attach to the tree branches around them like an assortment of fairy lights.

"That's amazing!" Izuku gushed. "Are you a Pro Hero too?"

She shook her head. "Gosh, no. I'm just a simple electric type quirk."

Something in the way Hawks' expression dropped momentarily made Izuku feel that wasn't at all true, and that there was nothing simple behind her quirk, not if she'd be requiring weekly trips to U.A's hospital facilities. He must not have been masking his worry very well, because All-Might pinched his cheek playfully.

"All will be well, Young Midoriya."

"Oh, yeah. Um. Thanks for the food!" He flashed a smile.

Rilo set a plate in front of Hawks. "If you're anything like Hawks, you'll just inhale it and burn it off."

"I have an engine, okay, it runs on coffee and chicken." Hawks grumbled into his coffee.

"You won't be following his example of a meal plan." All-Might chuckled.

"Gah, don't act high and mighty, you totally went through a shitty food stage when you were my age." Hawks scoffed.

All-Might shrugged. "No comment."

"So, baby birdie." Hawks shifted his attention and Izuku quickly swallowed his mouthful. He was going to presume that was now his designated nickname. "I saw your little run in with that villain two months back."

Izuku hung his head. "Everyone told me I was foolish, and shouldn't have gotten involved. That I put lives in danger." He rubbed at his teary eyes. "I should have left it to the pros…but…but I…"

All-Might's hand settled on his head. Izuku managed a weak smile at his mentor.

"But I can be a hero." Izuku nodded. "I will be."

Hawks tucked a knee under his chin. "It takes a special someone to run headlong into danger. Usually, all our senses tell us to get the hell away, and ignoring that instinct is one of the first hurdles a hero has to battle against."

"What was this?" Rilo asked.

"Hm? Oh yeah, I didn't show you." Hawks tugged out his mobile. "Here, I'll pull it up."

Izuku's eyes widened.

"Oh, no…please no." He squeaked, covering his face as Hawks held it out to his girlfriend.

Rilo's brow lifted at the news report. "Oh, goodness." She gasped. "That poor boy!"

"You mean Kacchan?" Izuku peeked out. "Yeah, it must have been awful. He was so brave. I fainted after barely a minute when the slime villain had me, but he held on for such a long time." Izuku clutched at his throat. He hadn't told All-Might about it, but he still woke up in a cold sweat at night sometimes, from nightmares about what could have happened if the hero hadn't come along that day and found him in the tunnel.

The day that had changed everything.

"There were a lot of Pro Heroes around." Hawks commented too All-Might. "I was a bit surprised at the lack of coordination."

"Mt. Lady hasn't had her debut yet." All-Might rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I believe she is still working with her team on how best to present herself. The others that were present are all better equipped to handle smaller skirmishers, or natural disasters, certainly not such a vicious villain attack."

The Number One gave a long sigh. "I wish it could have ended differently."

Izuku looked to All-Might in confusion. "Wh…what do you mean?"

All-Might set his plate down. "Such villains, young Midoriya, were truly never given a chance to be anything else. Their malevolence twists them, until they can see nothing beyond that hatred for all those around them. Yet, it does not change the fact that they are still human, still deserving of being saved."

Izuku's chest clenched. "I…I guess I never…I never thought about villains that way."

All-Might reached for a drink. "It isn't really encouraged to think in such a way, even amongst heroes."

"But many of us do." Hawks offered. "This job is full of ethical problems, and ethical problems tend to lead to sleepless nights and mental breakdowns. You have so much to look forward too!" Hawks waved a chicken wing at him.

Izuku scratched at his neck. "Do you…do you think all villains make a choice be bad?"

"That's a very difficult question to answer." Hawks sighed, dropping his head back to stare at the sky through the trees. "And it may be impossible to give you one, but I can expand on some villains I've encountered." He sipped his coffee. "Imagine being born just your average, normal kid, right?" Hawks arched an eyebrow at Izuku. "Like you."

Izuku nodded slowly.

"Then, around about age four, five, your quirk manifests, but it's a sludge quirk and you're fu—you're stuck with being made of stinky, smelly slime for the whole of your life. Wouldn't you think that's a little unfair, wouldn't you feel slighted by society turning its back on you? I mean, you've felt that already, not having a quirk, but…" Hawks raised his hands and spread them. "You can still fit through doors, and go on the subway, drive a car, you can take a piss in a public loo, take a plane without wearing quirk restraining cuffs, you can find functional clothing…people aren't going to look at you and think, 'Well, that's one ugly guy, made out of sludge.'"

Izuku looked down at his plate, swallowing his uncomfortable mouthful of food.

"Now don't get me wrong, I am, by no means justifying the actions of any villain. Just because you have a shit life doesn't mean you get to go and make other people's lives shit too." Hawks scoffed. "But, as heroes, we should take responsibility for everyone in society…and everyone…includes villains."

Now Izuku really wished he'd taken out his notebook and scrawled out notes. He was going to have to remember all of this for when he got home, and start a new notebook. Okay—yep—that's what he was going to do.

New notebook.

All-Might tugged out a small pile of clipped sheets from his coat, handing them to Hawks. "This is the timeline I worked up for Young Midoriya, we have about a year until the next application for U.A."

"Ah, okay…I see we're working around your schooling." Hawks flipped through the sheets, scanning each quickly.

Izuku groaned, rolling onto the picnic blanket. "It's so annoying."

"Heh, I never had that problem." Hawks laughed. "Wow, I had no idea school took up so much time, you're right, that is annoying. Yikes."

"You didn't go to school?" Izuku looked up.

"Ah. No." Hawks stole a piece of chicken from Rilo's plate. "Literally, no time for that."

"Remember, Young Midoriya, Hawks became a Pro at sixteen."

"Oh, yeah." Izuku frowned. "That must have been hard."

"Heh, it had its moments." Hawks smiled. "I'll burn out faster." He pointed to All-Might. "The old man there is in his forties. I doubt I'll last that long. Which is why training up kids like you is how we survive."

Izuku winced as he was clapped on the head by the planning sheets.

"Alright, All-Might, you've got a deal."

A deal? Izuku looked between All-Might and Hawks. What—what did that mean?

Hawks was here for a reason—

This wasn't just a random meeting—

Wait—

Was Hawks here because of him—

"I appreciate it, Hawks." All-Might inclined his head.

Hawks rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Well, your clout goes a long way, so, hopefully I can use it to get us…" He took Rilo's hand, squeezing it. "Closer to freedom."

"I'll aid you in any way I can. Though, I am not sure how much good I will be against the Heroes Public Safety Commission." All-Might sighed despondently. "They do seem to have us all under a noose." The Number One's large shoulders dropped low in despair.

"Just having your backing helps." Hawks murmured. "If things go south, pulling out your name as a wildcard could save our lives. I don't take that lightly."

"I…I don't understand." Izuku burst out. "All-Might, what…what's going on?"

All-Might chuckled, giving him a firm pat on the back. "Young Hawks has kindly offered to aid me in your education. If we all work together, you shall be an exemplary candidate for U.A in a year."

Izuku looked to Hawks, his cheeks burning red in embarrassment. Why—why would the young hero ever offer to help him—a quirk-less boy?

"Ah, I see you are confused." Hawks frowned at his empty coffee cup, setting it aside with a sad head tilt. "Well, it is called plausible deniability." Hawks tucked his knees together. "Basically, I'll become your visible mentor, and therefore, attention will be completely drawn away from All-Might. To the public, he won't even be in the picture. This will work to keep both you, him and your secret safe. Does that make sense?"

Izuku slowly nodded. "Yeah, I…I kind of get it…but…why? Why would you do it, why help me?"

Hawks reached for Rilo's hand. He lifted it to his lips, kissing her knuckles. "Do you know the worth of a heroes name, Izuku?"

Izuku frowned at the question.

"It's a very interesting phenomenon." Hawks arched an eyebrow. "The things you can buy with the name of a hero behind you."

All-Might's smile, usually so warm and friendly, had turned eerily dark as Hawks pulled Rilo closer. "I want to buy freedom, and my name alone just isn't enough to terrify those in power, but All-Might's name." Hawks' golden eyes glinted wildly. "I might be able to bring down a mountain with that name behind me."

Izuku stared at his half-eaten meal. This—this had all suddenly turned extremely real. He wasn't just dealing with becoming a hero, or becoming strong enough to get into U.A—they were acting like he was already something—and someone—that he didn't know he was. They were trusting him with an enormous responsibility, and he wasn't entirely sure if he deserved it.

All-Might touched his shoulder, "Midoriya, this is still your choice—"

"No. I decided a long time ago, who, and what I was going to be. I want to help people, with a smile, and if this is the path I need to take to do that. I'll take it. Head on."

"You found yourself a real firecracker, All-Might." Hawks drawled, leaning on a knee. "Guess I'm really going to have to whip him into shape."

Izuku jumped up, confusion replaced with disbelief and hope. "Wait, you…you mean it? You'd be willing to teach me how to fight."

This—

This wasn't happening—

Was it?

Hawks smiled at him. It wasn't the sort of teasing smile that he wore on film, or in photographs. It was a soft, genuine smile that reflected a sad, aching kindness behind his cloak of fatigue.

"It won't be fun, kiddo. I will not be going easy on you, but what I can teach, I can teach because you don't have a quirk, and it will help you control your body in the future. But I impress, it will not be easy. I will put you through agony."

Izuku breathed in, looking over at All-Might. "But…but I can do it."

Hawks golden eyes flickered. "Someone has to."

And they'd chosen him.

Izuku squared his shoulder. This was his chance. He was not going to let it slip away. "I accept."

"Good." Hawks clapped his hands. "You two keep doing what you're doing. I'll organise things on my end and get back to you."

"Um. So, how will you train me, if you work in Fukuoka?"

"You let me worry about that, baby bird." Hawks stood, brushing off his pants. He offered a hand to Rilo, gently lifting her as though she was the glass doll she appeared to be.

"I arranged a hotel room for you. It is under my pseudonym, so that should give you some cover." All-Might held out a hotel cardkey to Hawks. "It's a top floor room, with a balcony. You shouldn't have a problem slipping in, as I left the door unlocked. I presume I don't need to impress upon you the importance of not getting caught."

Hawks tipped his head towards Rilo. "We know, we know."

All-Might bent forward, narrowing his gaze. "One photograph, Hawks. Just one, and this mission is—"

"Thanks for worrying, Dad." Hawks snatched up the cardkey.

"That's not funny, Hawks."

"Nope, it is." Hawks swept Rilo into his arms. "Quick, babe, let's go! Before he starts lecturing us about—"

"Practice safe sex." All-Might called out to the vanishing pair.

Hawks' middle-finger was flashed back at the elder hero and Izuku stood there, utterly dumbfounded at the entire exchange.

Hawks was—

Awesome.

He felt like he was going to burst. His entire life had shifted on an axis, ever since the day he'd met All-Might. He looked up at his hero. As incredible as the whole thing felt, there was also a sense of unease surrounding it all. He knew All-Might's secret. He knew the Symbol of Peace was struggling behind his incredible smile.

All-Might breathed in deeply, his hands going to his hips as he gave a warm, endearing chuckle. "I have a feeling it will be a very interesting year."

The great hero began to collect their rubbish into a plastic bag, and roll up the blanket. Izuku quickly scrambled around to help him. As they made their way down the path through the parklands, Izuku finally mustered up his courage to speak again.

"How did Hawks know about you…and us…?"

"Hawks isn't someone you want to cross." All-Might's hand settled on his shoulder, squeezing tightly. "He's young, but his eyes are old…too old…"

"I don't understand." Izuku frowned.

"Intelligence gathering is his greatest skill set. Secrets don't exist for the Wing Hero, and if they do, fate itself has hidden them from him."

Izuku pulled a face. "That sounds so ominous, All-Might, thanks. I'm totally going to sleep super well tonight."

"Good, tomorrow you're up bright and early for a ten-kilometre run."

Izuku groaned, trailing after his hero. "I was being sarcastic!"

"I wasn't."

"All-Might! My legs already hate me!"

"I'll make you do the run now, Young Midoriya."

0000

Keigo landed on the hotel balcony, carefully slipping into the room, and letting Rilo settle her feet on the plush carpet floor. She pulled the curtains as he dumped their bag, and then, dumped himself onto the bed in an exhausted flop. He gave a long groan.

"You dying?" Rilo asked.

"Yep." He kicked off his boots and rolled into a ball on the bed. "I think it was the long flight. I haven't carried someone for so long in a while."

"I'm sorry."

"No." He waved at her. "It's not your fault, babe. I shouldn't have let myself get lazy."

"Not really a word I'd equate with you."

He laughed beneath his wing. "Funny. I wish it was. I really, really wish it was."

Slowly he uncurled, easing himself up. Rilo was pulling out toiletries from their small bag and he dragged himself off the bed to follow her to the bathroom. The hotel room was a lot more expensive than he would have bothered paying for, which might have explained why the bathroom was one in which he could easily use. Usually, they were too tight for his wingspan to even remotely fit comfortably in, but this was a nice open spaced design. He supposed there was a price put on comfort for quirks that required space upgrades and his cheap arse protested that inequality just on principle alone. Rilo glanced up at him as he tapped out his toothbrush on the sink.

"You look exhausted." She brushed his hair aside and he lent into her hand.

"Nothing a good sleep won't fix." He murmured. Heading back towards the bed, he worked on his armour, unclipping each plate and dropping them into a pile on the floor. It felt like peeling off a second skin and he could only equate the satisfaction to a kid picking off a scab. The thought always did amuse him, probably more so right now, considering how tired he was. His wings blustered the curtains as he thumped back on the bed, yanking free the final plate from across his chest.

"You weren't joking when you said it'd take you forever to undress." Rilo jibed.

He looked up. She stood in a pair of tiny red shorts and a small tank top. He decided against remarking on her deep crimson cheeks and how they even tinted her neck and collarbones pink with a flush of bright colour.

"Nah, I'm just being slow." He unbuckled his jeans. "I'm too tired to care, but in the morning, I'll gripe about not organising my equipment." He dumped his jeans, bending over to unclip his armoured leggings, wincing as they came off with a hiss. Heaving a sigh he eased onto his feet, reaching for Rilo and pulling her close. She curled up against him.

"So, probably should have stopped off in a meadow after all." He mumbled into her static hair.

She giggled. "Come on, you promised me a very long life, so, I expect to get a lot of super amazing hero sex out of that."

He laughed, pulling away and holding her at arm's length. "Okay. Wow. Pressure."

"Which is why we should just sleep." She gently shoved him towards the bed. "I don't want to be the reason you're in some tabloid with a headline about you underperforming at your job."

"You could have worded that nicer." Keigo flopped into the bed.

Rilo hesitated and he curled a finger at her. "It's fine, come on."

"I'm worried I'll hurt your wings," she whispered.

That was the cutest thing he'd ever had said to him.

"You won't." He urged. "Come on."

Slowly Rilo tucked herself up against him, her weight a comfortable pressure, her shimmering, charged skin crackling against his wing as she shuffled and moved into position. Finally, her head settled in the curve of his shoulder and she wrapped her own arm around his middle. The lights in the room dimmed down, seemingly at her command. He hadn't even been aware she'd turned them on when they'd arrived.

He closed his eyes. He didn't have to smile. "Okay," he breathed out. "This is nice."

Rilo's arm tightened around his middle. "Yeah. It is."

0000

Rilo slowly stirred awake. She'd never felt so comfortable, nor had she ever felt so relieved of pain. Whatever Recovery Girl had done, had eased some of the insistent throbbing that had endlessly plagued her. She was aware of being tucked up against a warm body, a plush, warm wing smothering her like a blanket. Keigo's tender, calloused hand was gently tracing her back, circling each of the plugs riveted into her spine. There was a faint glow emanating from the screen of his mobile phone that illumed his features in the darkness of the hotel room. She smiled. The soft glow dulled the starkness of his features, blurring the harsh lines of shadows and making the little stubble around his chin look fuzzy.

"You're addicted to that thing, you know," she whispered.

"Hm. Probably." His hand on her back drew slowly up, fingertips tracing her shoulders in a gentle motion. "I discovered an interesting thing during the night, though."

She rubbed at her eyes. "That you're actually not a hawk, but in fact…a magpie."

He cracked a grin, lowering the glow of the mobile. "Because of my attraction to shiny things? Cute, babe, cute." He pressed a kiss to her nose. "But actually…" he held out his phone. "Did you know you recharge any electronic device near, or on you?"

"Oh." Rilo stretched out a leg, trying to shuffle upright without jarring his wing. "Yeah, it's an effect of the energy field I generate. It used to be much stronger, back when I was…younger…and…" realisation dawn on her slowly. "Oh my gosh…I…I didn't…I didn't turn on my field dampener." She sucked in a sharp breath. "I could have killed you."

"I feel very, very alive—"

"What if I'd electrocuted you during the night." She brushed a hand over one of the plugs in her arm. Keigo's anxious eyes travelled over her. She breathed in deeply as his fingers traced her spine and each individual plug.

"I wish I could take it all away." He pressed their foreheads together.

"You've already done so much," she murmured. "Please, Keigo—"

She melded back into his wing as he kissed away her words. She wondered if it was just her—because she was allowed this close—close enough to feel muscles pull and shift beneath warm skin—that she could sense the thrum of an engine, approaching its maximin crux, only to never actually release the immerse force behind it. She'd felt it since he'd slammed into her the night her balcony railing broke, and she, along with her favourite tea-cup, took the plunge off the ledge.

He'd collided with her with such force she'd expected to have been broken into pieces, or at least her eardrums to have been ruptured by the enormity of his abrupt, mid-air halt. Instead, he'd seemed to absorb most of it, like a reed, bending under the wind. How much could he take, until he broke?

He rolled them over until she was perched on his chest and his fingers lazily brushed through her hair.

"Sorry, I have a thing for you saying my name." He laughed.

"Oh." Rilo poked his nose. "I'll have to use it sparingly then."

"Meany." He pouted.

She settled her head into the curve of his neck, smiling at the encased warmth his wings brought. He heaved a sigh. "I don't think I've ever felt so comfortable being stationary. It's a very…odd…feeling…how being around you…makes me slow down and I don't…feel uneasy."

"I'm glad," she whispered. "I'd at least…I'd want to be able to provide something."

He shifted beneath her, easing up.

"Rilo…about your field dampener…" He took her hand. "I was exhausted last night, and, now I'm not."

She frowned, not entirely sure what he was insinuating. "Well, we did sleep."

"Yeah, this is not that type of exhaustion." He shook his head. "There is, oh, I haven't slept…and…there is…years of abuse."

"I suppose I can understand. I feel much better after seeing Recovery Girl." Rilo smiled.

He looked relieved. "You do?"

"I do."

"Thank goodness." He kissed her knuckles, gently stroking them.

"But you're not talking about Recovery Girl, are you?" Rilo asked.

Keigo shook his head. "I didn't get any treatment. I never have."

Rilo snorted. "You're such a typical male."

"Shut up." He flicked her forehead.

"Yesterday, little Izuku likened me to the old jets' humans use to ride around in. I was rather amused, but, it did get me thinking. They ran on fuel…similar to what I presume the old energy grid did." He hesitated. The muscles around his neck bunched up as he shifted uneasily. "Not a lot of people know that my quirk draws an immense amount of energy from my body, and I struggle to replace it. I'm not a big eater, I never have been. So, I kind of just got used to running on half empty." He rubbed his shoulders. "Got used to the aches and fatigue, knowing…eventually…I'd just burn out."

Rilo reached for his hand, brushing at the scars.

"It's probably why you always look so fatigued," she murmured.

"So…" He swallowed. "You're capable of recharging more than phones then."

Rilo frowned. "I…I suppose so…to be honest, I was never really allowed to explore my quirks application beyond being a generator, and I've always been instructed to keep the dampener on when in contact with other people."

"Like a cufflink of sorts." He muttered.

She had a feeling that soon, those who held her lifetime contract, where going to regret ever coming up with the idea of living powerplants.

"I just don't understand why I didn't feel an effect from carrying you yesterday." Keigo mused.

"Oh, that's easy." Rilo rolled her eyes. "We were wearing clothes." She rubbed her bare arm on his chest and watched in amusement as his feathers and hair puffed from the charge. "You need to be physical contact for my quirk to work, you silly goose, hence the giant sockets they installed to forcefully extract it."

Keigo grimaced. His arms slowly moved away. She snatched for them, and his eyes refocused on her.

"Keigo. You're not the same thing as the powerplant, and you're certainly not some governmental overlords I've never met." His expression was somewhere between relief and pain, as if he didn't quite believe her words. "Maybe that's why…fate…tangled us up…maybe our quirks are supposed to fit together."

Had he thought she was going to hate him or something, for their quirks naturally matching?

"Keigo…"

"I just don't want to hurt you, any more than you are hurting." He took her hand.

"If I want to share my quirk with you, then that's my decision. Keigo, be the one thing in my life that I get to give freely too, please." Rilo held his hand to her cheek.

"If you'll have me." He dragged her back down into the bed, fitting her against him.

"You're not upset." He murmured against her ear. "You don't feel like I'd use you?"

"Isn't it me using you?" she asked. "You kind of acted as a personal dampening field."

He propped his head up with an arm. "Okay, yeah, you're right about our quirks fitting together. What a fascinating idea. You literally need power to be slowly siphoned away to stop your body from overclocking, and I just need more energy to run at optimal efficiency."

"Isn't that what a relationship is?" She pulled back. "You're like…supposed to share everything with a person."

"I don't know." Keigo rubbed her back. "My parents…frankly I think they hated each other."

"I didn't know mine." Rilo mused.

"Guess we're out of luck in that department then." Keigo's hands slipped beneath her shorts. He was being so very explorative with his hands, and she was in the mood to just let him roam.

Rilo smiled, stroking back his hair. "It's okay, we'll figure it out."

"Go easy on me when I fuck up, yeah?" Keigo leaned into her kiss.

"Well, just a warning, sometimes I get emotional and irrational, and might need to be told everything is fine."

He laughed. "Pretty sure I can handle it."

She squeaked and he flipped her, straddling her. His hands hooked beneath her singlet. "Can I take your shirt off?" he asked.

Rilo nodded. He moved to slip it off, only to halt at the buzzing of his mobile. Rilo bit her lips, compressing her laughter as he sat back, his wings falling limp as he dropped his head to one side.

"Seriously? Right now?" The death glare he sent the mobile should have probably combusted the device.

It buzzed again.

He groaned, folding over her in a cocoon.

Rilo giggled into his ear. "You going to get that."

"I really don't want to; cause I know it'll mean getting out of this bed."

The mobile buzzed again.

Keigo slapped the bed in frustration. "Fine. Fine." He rolled off her and snatched the mobile off the bed stand. Rilo curled up against him as he fiddled with the gadget. Beneath her, she felt his wings tense.

"What's wrong?"

"Apparently, I am needed back at the agency, pronto. Bubbles has not appreciated the fact that I've been ignoring her calls for about an hour. Guess I've never actually done that before…" He mockingly whispered; "the liberty."

Rilo dropped her head against his shoulder. "Pro hero life calls thee?"

"Yep." He kissed her neck. "Be patient, Lightbulb. I promise, I'll make it up to you."

0000

The flight back to Fukuoka had been one of the easiest flights he'd ever undertaken. He'd cut an hour off the flight-time just by the sheer feeling of having strength in limbs and muscles that had once been fatigued from years of overuse. He couldn't remember a time, not even when he'd been a child, when he'd felt so full of energy. As they rounded into the apartment blocks, and he pulled up to the still broken balcony, Keigo could not shake the unease that had settled on him.

He landed with a slight bounce on the balcony, hugging Rilo to his chest as he pushed open the alfresco doors to head back inside the apartment. She unfurled her legs, dropping down while he loosened the harness.

"Home sweet home." Rilo breathed out.

He brushed his thumb over her cheek. "I promise, I'll figure out a way to get you out of here, for good."

"Be careful Keigo." Rilo stepped out of the harness and he slung it over the coat rack on the wall. "There is an order in this world, and those who oppose it…well…"

"Get painted as villains?" He glanced back at her.

"Something like that," she murmured.

He headed back to the balcony, looking out across the city. He held out a hand, studying it. "I don't recall feeling so…energized…even as a child. It has me a bit off kilter."

Rilo held his hand. He raised it to his lips.

"It's making me wonder if folk out there live all their lives with quirks that are missing vital components to function at full capacity, and they never meet their match. As much as my parents were a sad case, their quirks produced me." Keigo leant against the alfresco door.

Rilo clasped his cheeks, squeezing his face. "Keigo, sweetie. You need to turn your brain off for just five minutes."

"It doesn't work like that." He grumbled.

"Well, as your personal refuelling station—"

"No. Rilo. Please, don't joke about it." He raised a hand, cutting her off. In the pocket of his jacket, his mobile was vibrating. Bubbles was very—very—unhappy with him, but he wasn't going to ignore whatever this situation in front of him was.

Rilo nodded slowly. "Okay. This really has made you uncomfortable." She stepped away. "My quirk, or, my situation…or both…"

"No." He wrapped her in an arm. "Don't pull away. I'm going to work this out. I'm simply paranoid. I was raised to be paranoid. I found you, and you're incredible, and then I learn you're being slowly murdered…I have stuff to process." He breathed out heavily.

"Its fine, Keigo." She hugged him. "But it will be okay."

"It will." He mumbled. "Yeah. It will. You're right. Focus beyond the two years, yeah?"

"Yep." She squeezed his face again. "Remember, you also have to stay alive too, you goose."

"Oie, I'm invincible. Especially now that I can come home to you."

Rilo snorted.

"Don't jinx it, babe."

His mobile phone buzzed. Keigo snatched for it, answering it.

"Oh, my fucking god, Bubbles. What?"

He stared at Rilo as Bubbles' answer sunk in. Slowly he folded himself around Rilo, draping his wings over them both as his head dropped against her shoulder. She huddled up against him, arms tight around his neck.

"No, no. I'll be there in five minutes." He lowered the mobile, feeling as though an enormous weight had suddenly compressed against his shoulders. His arms tightened around Rilo. Damnit, he just didn't want to go. He just wanted to stay still, in her lightning storm, and ignore everything he had to contend with outside.

"I have to go." He breathed out, pealing his wings away. "And…I…actually have no idea when I'll be back."

Rilo pressed a kiss to his lips. "I'll be waiting. Okay. I'm not going anywhere. You did promise to break me out of my scary evil tower of doom so we could have a lifetime together."

"Kids. I want kids." He added.

"Okay." She swung on the door. "If that gets you through whatever hell we're going to be facing, we'll totally have kids."

He shook his head, stepping back off the balcony. "You do recall we literally met…what…four days ago?"

Rilo stared up at him. "Then why does it feel like I've known you forever."

"I don't know, but I am so glad I caught you." He pushed away from the balcony, pausing before flying away. He held out his hand. "Can I have the feather stuck between your breasts?"

Rilo pouted. "But it's mine."

"I will give it back, I promise. I just want to get it made into a proper pendant."

She gave a dramatic sigh and stuck her hand down her shirt to pull it out. The action in of itself made him really wish he wasn't needed on the scene of a villain attack. She held it out, glaring up at him as he took it.

"You promise to give it back?"

He tickled her nose with it. "Get this balcony fixed, or so help me, I will call up someone about it myself." Keigo dropped and flew off.