Authors Note:

So, I've had to edit out a little bit of this chapter – but – I am cross posting to Ao3 (you'll also find some art there).

Chapter Five: Home

Keigo glanced back at the balcony doors and the alfresco windows that opened to the city view. Rilo had, once again, not bothered to close the blinds, and he had to wonder if she simply forgot the world was watching. Perhaps it was a good thing that, despite the circumstances surrounding her, she remained somewhat oblivious to it all; darkness had never infested her life, and she felt so safe behind the see-through glass panels between her and the world.

Sliding carefully out of his jacket he flung it over the couch before stretching his wings wide. He was sorely tempted just to flop onto the couch and remain there for the rest of the night. It had been a long week. Sometimes being a hero led to the most unexpected happenings. Poor Mt. Lady. He really hoped the whole situation helped her learn. He winced. He'd had some rough learning phases early on in his own training, he'd just had the safety net of learning in an environment that fostered failure. His handlers had been ruthless in perfecting him, even if it was to watch him fail time over time.

Rubbing at the ache in his neck he glanced at the light bleeding out from the bathroom entrance. Streams of hot steam lazily inked into the dimness of the living area. She'd left the door open, most likely as an invitation.

"Yeah, well, I think I'll take you up on that, babe." He halted at the entry, boxed in by his wings. Ah. Foiled by a tiny door, his arch-nemesis. Keigo propped himself up against the doorframe, folding his arms lazily. At least the view was fine.

"Hey, Lightbulb."

"My gosh, Hawks!" Rilo squeaked, jerking around in his direction. "You pervert." She clutched a towel tightly to her chest. Another one of her adorable little All-Might pieces of merch, the man really did own the merchandise market.

Keigo held up his hands innocently, "Guilty as charged. Arrest me, please."

"Out, you jackass."

"Now, technically, I'm not actually in." He pointed to the threshold between bathroom and studio, indicating his bare feet were well and truly still on the living room side. Her face pinched. The bathroom light flickered.

"How long have you been standing there…" she narrowed her eyes.

"Oh, long enough to have answered a burning question of mine." He grinned, leaning back on the doorframe. "Whether your silver mop up top would match the birds nest below, and my, oh my, do they match." He cocked his head to one side, grinning at her burning red cheeks. "It's such a pretty birds-nest, love."

"Keigo…" An electric charge flickered around her as she breathed in deeply and settled him a fierce glare. "You have ten seconds to turn your arse around before I fry you into a crispy chicken."

"So worth it." He spun on his heels to skip away. The bathroom door slammed shut behind him.

Swinging back to the couches, he grabbed his gym bag and dumped it on the bed. With a gentle clap of his hands the blinds began to close, blocking out the view of the dazzling city. The apartment seemed drab and eerie without the dancing shimmering glow. Indeed, the sinisterness of what it truly was seemed to be revealed in the closed in tightness. An industrial powerplant, built only to drain life. Rilo had dressed it up, and made it her own space, but behind the walls was a monster. Maybe that was why she kept the blinds constantly open?

Crouching at the drawers he dragged out the second gym bag he'd stuffed under it earlier in the week, sorting through the clothing. He paused, sitting back on his heels as he felt the fabric of a singlet. Its texture was different, and the smell was floral. Keigo glanced over at the bathroom door and popped his lips.

"Should probably bring my detergent around. Anyone with half a brain would realise why I smell different." He chuckled. Slipping into some trackpants Keigo clapped once more, and the blinds started their slow climb back up the windows. He stuffed the two gym bags back into their allocated spot, knowing Rilo had a thing about leaving stuff lying around. It'd probably come up eventually, at some point, when he got lazy, or simply too exhausted to care to clean up after himself but they'd figure it out. He figured it had a lot to do with their concept of personal space. His personal space consisted of his wingspan. Beyond that, everything else was just—everything else.

He didn't even technically own his own apartment, so he couldn't say he really cared about it. Rilo, though, everything around him seemed to be an extension of her. Even the neighbourhood outside that she'd designed, she took pride in.

He smiled, lifting himself over the couches with a slight updraft. "I really do need to bring Jeanie here. He'd commission her to rebuild his entire agency." Keigo headed for the kitchen. "Then they can talk weird fashion things and I'll finally be free." He headed for the kitchen, clasping the fresh singlet around his neck and waist with the velcro strips. Probably less of a singlet, more of a wrap. Shirts had been a nuisance his entire life, until he'd met Best Jeanist. In a world that was increasingly needing diverse designs and altercations for wildly different quirks, it was strange that fashion and remained so stagnated. It was another one of those subtle digs at the need for conformity bearing down from above. Quirks offered freedom, they gave everyone uniqueness.

And it was being slowly oppressed. Oh—no one was really noticing unless they looked—but it was.

Keigo opened the coffee drawer, smiling at the enormous assortment of different little pods. He crouched down, studying them. "Now…which one…"

This was a very fascinating way of making coffee, providing it in these little pods. It wasn't as relaxing and enjoyable as griding the beans himself, and going through the steps to make a strong black cup, but the variety was delightful.

He heard Rilo's laughter. "You look like a little kid getting into mischief."

"It's happiness, but in tiny little packages." He selected a pod.

"I shouldn't have showed you how to use the coffee machine."

He bounced happily on his toes. "I'm ordering one for the office."

"That's so much worse. You'll spend the agencies whole budget on little coffee pods."

He looked back at the sheer curtain hiding her from view and rolled his eyes that she was even bothering to put clothes on.

"You better get the environmentally friendly ones," she chided.

Keigo pulled out two large mugs. "So says the beautiful woman whose quirk is being abused so society can believe the government is saving the planet."

"The planet is the innocent one in this whole affair."

"Hm, I suppose that's true."

The sheer curtain dividing the apartment pulled back and Rilo stepped out, her glow casting soft aura lights into even the darkest corners of the studio. He'd very quickly come to realise that due to the constraint of being plugged into the monstrosity that was slowly killing her for exhaustingly long hours, her homeware wardrobe consisted mainly of tiny shorts and loose shirts. Things that the powerplants wires could fit around. It actually annoyed him that the Bureau of Energy and Infrastructure hadn't provided her with suitable attire. At least the Commission had never sent him out into the field unprepared.

Still—she didn't seem to really care, and covering up her quirk when it was just them in the apartment seemed like a complete waste anyway. With only the kitchen lights on, her translucent skin was like glass, showing the pictographic lines of her quirk's unusual markings, tracing down from her neck across her back, looping around her waist and zigzagging down her legs. Every so often, they'd flicker with a little pulse of energy. His fingers twitched at supressing the desire to trace the lines and feel the crackling heat tickle his wings.

"Now when did you buy that All-Might shirt." He commented. "It looks well loved."

"Ahh…it might have been a Christmas present to myself?" Rilo glanced down at the faded fabric, pulling it tight as she pouted in thought. "I had much smaller boobs, that's all I remember."

He snorted a laugh. "Yeah, I can tell." He slid a mug across the kitchen counter, offering her the coffee pot.

"It's okay, you're allowed to look."

"Oh, I'm allowed to look now. Lightbulb, clothes on, clothes off, I'm gonna think you're beautiful."

"Thank you, and no, I'm not taking the shirt off just because you're handsome."

"It was worth a try." He grinned. "I would be offended by the hilarious amount of All-Might merch you have, but you are dating me." He held out the All-Might mug in his hand.

"In secret." She waggled her eyebrows. "And you barely have any merch."

"I do so have merch." Ah, at least, he was pretty sure he did. Weird. He'd never gone looking. Was that a thing—was he supposed to look for his own merch?

She blew a rasp. "No you don't."

"Oh, so you went looking." He leant over the counter. She sucked in a breath before puffing out her cheeks.

"Okay, so fine, I did!"

"Hah!" He clapped the mug down.

"But there aren't any Hawks mugs. I wanted to find one for you. Then we could have had a his and her mug. It'd have been super cute." Rilo mumbled. "I could only find Endeavor and All-Might ones."

"Aw, babe. That's sweet." Keigo poked her nose.

Rilo shrugged. "Well, we can't exactly make this…um…thing…public. I get that. But I still thought…you know, there are ways you can feel like it's working. Like you have a home here, when you want it." She nervously glanced away.

His throat tightened. Right. Thing. It didn't really have a name yet. They were two weeks into a thing that was fast becoming a hundred percent not a thing and more of a very serious commitment.

"I'm sorry it was an awkward week."

She jerked her head back up. "Oh, no, no, that's not…I know you're going to get busy. That's not what I mean."

"I know." He scratched his chin. "I just feel like we had things we needed to talk about, and now it's all…" He held out his hands, indicating the kitchen counter between them. "We're basically living together."

Rilo glanced towards the balcony. "To fast, too soon?" she asked.

He laughed. "Ah, I wondered when you were going to throw that one back at me." Keigo sipped his coffee. "But no, that's not it." He reached over the counter, taking her hand. She smiled, and her starlit glow revealed the little dimples that weren't visible in the daytime. "I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"Can't we just have nice things?" she whispered.

Keigo sighed. "I'm to paranoid to believe life is that easy, but, I'm willing to enjoy the moment while it lasts." He smiled. "And fly through the hurricane when it comes."

"Okay." Rilo stole the coffee pot from him, filling up her All-Might mug. "You fly the hurricane, I'll hold on, and trust you won't drop me."

He reached over the counter, brushing her cheek. "Sounds good to me."

She hummed into her mug. "Hm, hazelnut, good choice."

"I noticed you leaned into the hazelnut whenever I dropped by this week."

"Gosh, you notice the weirdest things."

"Oh, you have no idea." He grinned. "Want me to expand in detail what I saw in the bathroom?'

"Want me to dump the whole coffee drawer down the bathroom sink?" She shot back.

"You dare hold this coffee drawer hostage."

"Yes. I dare."

"Villain worthy."

"I know." She wrinkled her nose. "Bask in my pure evilness."

He relaxed his shoulders. "Thanks, Rilo."

She blinked. "Eh, for what? Being evil?"

"For just letting this week be…well…what it was. I didn't expect to get that busy the moment we got back. It was…a week…and well…" he sighed, dragging a hand through his hair. "You haven't seen the worst of me yet."

Her smile was soft. "For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health…is that how it goes?"

He laughed. "Okay. Point made. I suppose I kind of did propose the other weekend."

"Then it's fine, we'll figure it all out along the way." She assured. "You should be feeling sorry for poor Mt. Lady. She had a terrible week."

Keigo scoffed.

"No. Ha, ah. Be nice, Keigo."

"Ah, no. I had to clean up the mess, and do numerous hospital and house visits, and work out all the financial costs and compensation."

Rilo poked him. "Your giant butt wasn't plastered all over the trashy hero magazines, or the nightly news! Gah. It was awful."

"She did seem rather despondent about that. Can't say I'm overly helpful when it comes to female hero problems and the media." He leant his head on the countertop. "You just have to learn how to ignore it all, but I am a bit pragmatic."

"You wouldn't appreciate it if the media found out about me, though, so, your pragmatic nature only goes so far."

"That's different." He muttered. "My private life is no one's business. Indeed, by revealing your existence, a media organization would be actively putting you in danger. I'd be beyond pissed."

"I suppose it is different." Rilo mused. "It does fascinate me, the concept of heroes desperately trying to maintain a semblance of private lives. It's like…the public almost feels entitled to know everything, and because a hero puts themselves out there, and gain fame and…fortune…they lose that valued status of privacy."

Keigo leant on his arms, smiling to himself. "It does help to keep bathroom doors closed."

He was mockingly hit, and he laughed.

"I'm kind of surprised you didn't join me…" she mumbled into her mug.

Keigo slowly lifted his head, staring at her from across the kitchen bench.

"Ah, so that was an invitation." He smiled. "Had a feeling it was."

She pouted. "You just watched."

"Babe, my wings don't fit through the door of your bathroom." He opened them just enough to make a point. The studio apartment itself was manageable due to its open space living plan, but the tiny the bathroom was basically impossible. "Though now I'm tossing up sex with you in the shower and shedding my wings." He playfully scaled his hands back and forth. "I donno, might be worth the three days it takes them to grow back."

Rilo groaned as she thumped her head against the wooden bench.

Keigo poured out another mug full of coffee, hugging it to his lips. "From how adorably embarrassed you are, next time I get a week off, I'm not telling you. Now, not even the bathroom is safe."

"You're horrible."

"You started it." He countered. "Also, try not to leave the blinds open when you walk out." He sipped the coffee.

Rilo lifted her head off the countertop, her brow furrowing. "I love the sunset, and the city view. It reminds me why I do this job."

Keigo sighed, glancing to the wide windows. Her job, right, to be a human battery. How had he—someone who'd practically been raised a child solider—never even considered that their government would use quirks in such a distasteful manner.

Reducing carbon admission his arse—this was all for the sake of money and greed.

"Are you worried someone will see us together?" She asked.

"That thought hadn't actually crossed my mind." He shifted around the counter, joining her on the other side to gaze out across the city. It was truly a beautiful view at night, like an ocean of sparkling gemstones. "I'm more concerned about other people seeing that pretty silver birds' nest of yours."

He smirked behind his mug as the dim lights in the apartment brightened just momentarily. His feathers twitched at the static charge in the air, it was delectable, and set his skin tingling.

"I didn't think of that."

"Just because you're up high, doesn't mean the world can't see you." He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Is this the lock on the balcony doors again?"

"Yep."

"Alright, alright." She huffed. "I'll try to remember."

"That's all I ask. I like the view too." He smiled. "Heights just…somehow the world is better from up high."

"It is." Rilo tucked herself up against him. "Though, I don't know if that says something about our personalities."

He snorted in amusement, pressing a kiss to her temple. "A princess trapped in her high tower, and a hawk that can reach her. We're adorable."

"I dare you to call yourself adorable in front of Mirko."

"I take up that dare." Keigo tapped his chest.

"No, you wouldn't." Rilo scoffed, stepping away. "She would box you into the ground."

"So worth it."

"Oie."

"Hey, hey, you have your hero crush. I'm allowed mine." He winked.

Rilo paused. "Okay. You know. That's fair."

Keigo laughed. "Wow. That actually worked."

"No, no. It is an honest point." She pulled on the All-Might shirt she wore. "I mean, I am wearing All-Might merch."

"I have an Endeavour set of undies."

Rilo snorted a laugh, hiding away in his arm as she struggled to breathe. "Please tell me you're wearing them."

"Guess you'll have to find out." He raised his brow.

Rilo lost it, laughter melting her into the kitchen bench. He smirked against his Endeavour mug. Gosh, her laughter was soothing. Was this what he'd been looking for? Sharing the long evenings with someone, looking out on the city lights, drinking coffee, and laughing?

He glanced down at her. "You still alive, or do I have to resuscitate you?"

"If I say I'm dead, you'll kiss me, right?"

"If I kiss you, I won't stop, and I'm enjoying my coffee."

She shoved away from the kitchen counter, heading towards the windows. "You should do a coffee sponsorship."

"Bubbles won't let me. She doesn't want it known that I'm 'addicted' to coffee." He made quotation marks with a single hand. "I keep telling her, it's not an addiction, it's a necessity." He tipped his mug to one side. "Though, somewhat less of a one since meeting you."

Rilo looked back. "You've been feeling better then, even with just a few hours."

"I have."

"That's good, right?"

"It is." He winced.

"You're still on the fence about it all."

He dragged a hand through his hair. "It's hard. I see a lot of quirk abuse in my job. So, I suppose I'm struggling to separate and compartmentalise what I've witnessed on the job and the concept that two quirks might actually be compatible on a biological level. Does that…make sense?"

She nodded.

"I'll eventually sort it out." He shrugged. "So, please don't worry about it."

She shook her head. "You like to really, really think about stuff. It's part of your charm."

"Ah, I have charm. Nice."

"Besides…you promised me forever. You do not joke, not about these sorts of things. You're capable of lying to the whole world, Keigo, but you don't have to smile with me." She turned towards the city view. "I'm fine, being the one you come home too."

He didn't smile. "Rilo."

"Um?"

"It isn't that I come home to you." He studied her silhouetted glow against the window, and he was confident they could have remained that way, silently watching the glittering skyline for hours. "You are my home."

Her eyes shimmered with tears as she faced him, her hands tucked behind her back. "Then, someday, when we're both free, we'll be able to make a nest wherever the wind takes us, right?"

Keigo nodded. "We will."

She turned back to the skyline, and the twinkling lights.

"Did you hear back from your handlers?" he asked.

Rilo breathed in deeply, shifting away from the view outside the windows. She twirled on her feet, tiptoeing back to him. "I did. They didn't protest too much about my request for the weekends off, which makes me think they're training someone up to replace me, since I'm nearing my end-of-life-cycle."

Keigo flinched at the reminder.

"That, or All-Might seriously struck the fear of the Symbol of Peace into them." Rilo mused.

"Well, that is why I had him do the negotiating with the scary, evil overlords that I barely know anything about." Keigo rubbed his neck. "He'll do most of the groundwork for me when it comes to investigating the Bureau of Energy and Infrastructure."

"So, you're using All-Might to keep your secret, and All-Might is using you to keep his secret."

"Yup, that was pretty much how our conversation went." Keigo shrugged. "Actually, he sounded really fascinated by the whole thing, and interested in taking on a more investigative role. Which, considering his condition, I can see him slipping more into that side of the hero work."

"His condition?"

Keigo arched an eyebrow at her. "No."

Rilo nodded. "Okay. I get it. Better I not know somethings, right?"

Keigo sighed. "Sorry, I shouldn't even mention stuff."

She dropped her head on his arm. "Its fine, you're relaxed. I'm happy to listen, just let me know when not to pry. I wouldn't want to get caught by a villain and be the weak link."

He frowned. "Morbid."

"Realistic." She chimed back. "Hey, you're not the only one who has to think about this whole relationship."

"No, that's fair." He rested his chin on her head. "There is a risk involved. There is always that possibility that I will not be able to protect you."

She rubbed his arm. "Isn't that why you're branching out and actually seeking help and advice from other heroes?"

He squinted down at her. "Oh no, my plans are foiled, you discovered my hidden agenda."

Rilo laughed. "When are we leaving tomorrow, by the way?"

"We'll head out before dawn." He sipped his coffee. "Arrive at U.A for your session with Recovery Girl, and then I'll torture little Izuku for two days, until we fly home early Monday morning. That's going to be our weekends from here on out." He smirked. "I'm actually really looking forward to the change of pace."

Rilo gaped at him.

"Oh my gosh, Hawks. Why are you drinking coffee! You should be sleeping." She fought for the mug in his grip.

"Sleep is for the weak." He held the mug far above her. "My coffee. Mine."

"No, you're supposed to be cutting back."

"Ah, no I'm not." He looked down at her and suddenly thumped the mug down at the sight of her small, daring smile. "Why…my Lightbulb…are you offering me something more enticing than coffee?" He backed her slowly up against the wall, arching his wings until they scraped the ceiling. Her hands came up and he twisted them above her head. Her smile was an allure, like a lantern in the night. He had to capture her lips, smothering their flame. It felt like he inhaled lightning itself. The tips of his wings burned.

He rested his head against her shoulder, panting. "Okay, okay…" Keigo dragged a hand down the wall. "If you tell me to stop, I'll stop."

"No." She whispered. Her nails pressed into his back. "No, Keigo, this…" her voice evened out. "This is what I want. I just…I don't…I don't want you to regret…meeting me. There aren't any redoes or…or…you know…"

He closed his eyes, breathing in deeply. He pressed a knee between her legs, hitching her up higher. Her fingers glossed over his cheeks, and he smiled, leaning into her soft fingers as they traced tingling charges across his skin. The nearby lights flickered and he felt his feathers ruffle from the electricity in the air.

"Lightbulb," he cupped her cheeks. "You are the one thing in my life that I choose for myself."

And a nearby light shattered. He flinched as she curled up against him. "Whoops." She squeaked. "Sorry." Her hands pressed against his chest. "I should…um…turn on the field dampener."

Keigo shook his head. "Rilo." He heaved her up. "Trust our quirks, yeah? I'll be your dampener from now on. Pretty sure that's why I caught you."

She scrunched up her face.

"Hey, you asked me if I wanted to know what it felt like to be electrocuted by a woman who could power a whole city, yeah?" he teased.

Rilo slapped his chest. "Stop being a jerk."

He laughed, swinging her in the direction of the bed. She grabbed the sheer curtains, pulling them along as they crossed the apartment.

0000

Why did alarms exist.

Just to spite him. That was all they were for. To taunt him and drag him out of sleep.

Keigo begrudgingly untangled himself from Rilo's arms, leaning over her to feel around for his discarded mobile lying somewhere on the ground, singing a happy little morning jingle at him.

He flicked the alarm off and ditched the mobile at the couch across the apartment, flopping back into the bed and tucking himself back up against Rilo's chest. Her hands lazily played through his hair.

"We have to get up," she murmured. "You only gave us an hour's grace."

He wrapped himself around her. "I know. I know."

She giggled.

"What?" He looked up, opening a single eye to view her amused smile.

"Your hair is all poofy."

Keigo snuggled into her chest and she laughed. "Stop it, you'll make your wings puff up too."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." He rolled them over, and lethargically sat back on his knees, stretching both arms and wings. Honestly, he was needing the long flight after such an irritating week being so ground-ridden. Keigo cracked his aching neck, pausing from rolling his shoulder as he spied Rilo's oddly wide eyes staring at him.

"I am I too heavy?" He asked. He was pretty sure he was taking his own weight on the bed, despite having her tucked between his legs.

She shook her head.

"Okay, what's that look for?" He arched an eyebrow. "Are you still embarrassed? Cause, correct me if I'm wrong, but I do recall doing a marid of unspeakable things to you last night that really should have cured your embarrassment."

Her colour deepened, but she managed to shake her head. "No, its…um…that's not…oh…gosh…I…literally just realised I'm the only person who has ever seen you like this and I'm kind of freaking out." Rilo whispered. "In my head, you're just Keigo…but…"

"Ah." He glanced at the poster on the wall with a wry smile. "Just accrued to you I'm also Hawks. That's funny."

Rilo covered her face, burying herself in a pillow. He slid off the bed, dragging on his discarded track pants from the night prior. Crouching down he found his gym bag and pulled it over to the bed, sorting through it until he found the small wooden box tucked away inside.

He looked back at Rilo, curled into a funny little burrito on the bed. He dragged her over, unrolling the blanket.

"Don't hide. Please." He brushed at her pink cheeks, watching as his fingers made impressions on her iridescent skin. "When I'm with you, I can be Keigo, but I'll always be Hawks. To be honest, I don't know where one begins and the other ends. I lost my identity a long time ago."

Rilo held a hand to his cheek. "I'm sorry."

"I know. It's okay." He squeezed her hand. "I'm just so glad I finally got to share the piece of myself I've kept secret, and that you…see that person in me."

Rilo's arms wrapped around him. He pressed into her shoulder. "Are you over your embarrassment about fucking Hawks now?" He teased.

"Oh my gosh." Rilo flopped back. "You are such a jackass."

He waved the wooden box in front of her. "If you're this embarrassed, I donno if I should give you this engagement gift."

He bonked her on the head with it.

"Wait? What?" Rilo rubbed her head, crinkling her nose in confusion. "Engagement gift?"

"Well?" He shrugged. "I did promise. I'd be a real jackass if I went back on that. So, let's put a name on this…thing…"

She giggled. "Poetic."

"I know. I try."

"But I didn't get you anything."

"We had great sex last night, let's do that again."

She kicked him. He caught her ankle, bonking her head again with the small box before holding it out. Rilo hesitated, her gaze shifting to him. "Keigo…"

He smiled.

Carefully she took the box, sliding it open.

"Oh, it's my feather." Rilo beamed in delight.

Technically, it was his feather, but, that was a technicality he supposed. The moment he'd flicked it at her on the beach, it had well and truly become hers. The damnable thing would probably outright refuse to return to the swarm now, just because it liked being near her. It was like being jealous of a strand of hair, caught on a cardigan, and that was just—okay—maybe it was more than a strand of hair, considering he could feel her warmth, her breath, her heartrate and know her location wherever she was, as long as she kept it on her.

She so very carefully, and gently, removed the feather free of the box. Tears caught on the edges of her chin as the golden chain dripped between her fingers. Floral had outdone herself with the design, knowing he didn't like anything overly garnish, yet still leaning into a golden sun theme. The result was something so very delicate, and perfect for a breakable lightbulb.

"Keigo, it's so beautiful." Rilo whispered. "Thank you."

He brushed at her damp cheeks. "I agree, you are."

She laughed softly. "You flirt."

"I know." He bent over, rummaging around in his gym bag again. "So, Floral—she's the jeweller—also made a matching pair of earrings for me."

"Oh, so, like, technically I have got something for you." Rilo clapped her hands. "I just didn't know I had. I am, obviously, a genius."

"You are." He flipped the small wooden box at her. She caught it and smiled, shuffling closer to him.

"Okay…" she twisted her fingers through his calloused hand. "Keigo."

He breathed out at his name.

"Keigo, thank you, for letting me see you." Rilo brushed at his hair. "I really hope that someday, the world gets to see you too, but…for now…know that I love you."

He cupped her hand against his cheek. "I know."

"Good. So, um, wow…look at this, what a coincidence." She held up the box. "I totally had these made for you."

"Oh, that's incredible, how did you know." He played along, taking the small box.

"I'm just amazing." Rilo held out her hands.

He cracked open the lid, peering inside. A small smile touched his lips. Pretty much all his jewellery was sharp and angular in lines. He'd liked the definiteness and subtle way it had indicated anarchy and rebellion to the Madam President, without actually stepping over a line. Floral had given him something entirely different, still not gaudy, but just simple, small golden disks, with the most delicately engraved, tiny sun etched into its surface.

"Nicely played Floral." He moved to swap out his earrings. Rilo took up the box, curiously peaking at the new ones.

"Oh, they are nice. Your friend is so skilled."

"She is."

"I'm going to presume most of your earrings are designed by her."

Keigo nodded. "Birthday gifts usually, from Jeanie, or Tsubame. Apparently, I'm hard to buy gifts for, something about me being a minimalist? I donno." He clipped the new ones in place and Rilo ruffled up his hair.

"Aw, now we match. We'll need a new photo."

He shook his head in amusement, reaching out to clasp the necklace around her neck. Carefully he settled a hand over the feather resting between her breasts and she looked up. Her hand joined his and she squeezed.

"Thank you."

"You're my home, Rilo. I have no idea how, or why…but…when you fell off your balcony, it's like the magnetic poles shifted, and my wings always want to turn home to you. I finally feel centred."

She breathed in deeply. "We'll be okay, right?"

He kissed her forehead. "We will."

He'd make sure of it. He heaved himself to his feet. "So, ah, just some details about the feather. It is still activated, meaning, it's still connected to the swarm." He motioned to a wing.

Rilo nodded slowly.

"Depending on my proximity to you, it'll still respond to my telepathic commands." He summoned the feather up, and it floated above her nose. "Hence why I had to get it made into a pendant."

"Ohhh…" Rilo caught it in her hands as he released it. "You were worried it'd re-join when you summoned all your feathers."

"Yep." He flicked his fingers, and she squeaked as the bed sheets wriggled and several dozen red feathers flew out from beneath the duvets, fitting back into his wings. "Always losing them in bed."

The necklace tugged gently as the feather around her neck settled.

Keigo pointed to it. "The second thing to note, is it's no longer capable of calcification, unless you manually trigger it."

Rilo frowned. "That's when you turn your wings into blades, right?"

He nodded. "Obviously, I didn't want it getting triggered if you're nearby and I activate the swarm, but I still wanted you to have a weapon. If you hold the tip of the shaft, that'll activate the calcification."

He watched as Rilo gingerly held the feather up. She flinched as it calcified, its blood red edges glinting in her glow.

"Oh, wow, okay. No longer cute and fluffy."

"Don't poke it, babe." He chided. "It's sharp."

"How do I make it go back to not being a deadly weapon?"

"Stop compressing the nerve."

"Oh, right." She laughed, releasing it, and it puffed back into shape. "You know, most people just give a ring."

"Well, we're not most people, are we." He commented over his shoulder as he headed for the kitchen, waving his hand to activate the dim lights.

"We're a lazy hero and a closeted architect?" She'd pulled on his shirt and followed him.

"Nice, I'll get Bubbles to put that one on our agencies Christmas card."

"What time is it?" she stretched, looking out at the still dark sky.

"About four in the morning." He glanced at his watch. "Time for a coffee before we head off."

"Right, because coffee is the most important meal of the day." Rilo teased.

"Well," he turned towards her. "I can do egg rolls. That's about the peak of my culinary skills."

"You do the egg rolls, and I'll make coffee." Rilo's fingers trailed up his spine.

He cocked his head at her. "Do that again and we can forget about having any time for breakfast."

Rilo bit her lip. "Duly noted, Mr. Hero." She twirled on her feet. "Coffee it is."

Keigo flicked several feathers at her and she squeaked. How she went from being a bundle of embarrassment to an absolute tease was amusing. Her confidence melted away when he pealed back the layers she hid behind.

"Make it a strong black."

"Oh, I was thinking of giving you tea."

"Poison." He deadpanned.

She laughed, standing on tiptoes to search around in the mug collection. Her laughter died away and he paused from setting out cooking equipment.

"What is it?"

She'd pulled out an Endeavour mug from the top shelf and was now staring at it blanky. "Rilo?"

"You really were wearing Endeavour underwear," she whispered, almost to herself.

Keigo sniggered. "Wow, that took ages to sink in."

She hit him.

"Oie, I'm the cook, no rough housing."

Rilo held the Endeavour mug to her forehead as the coffee pot boiled. "How…how can you look Endeavour in the eyes and have a conversation with him, when you're wearing his merch undies."

"Because it's hilarious." Keigo clicked on the stove.

"No, no, I get that part." Rilo set the mugs down. "And if I ever meet Endeavour, and you're standing next to me, I don't think I'll be able to keep a straight face."

Keigo smiled. "Mission accomplished. Endeavour needs more cheer in his life."

"Please don't tell me you go out of your way to just be a little hellion around him."

"No, not at all. I respect him greatly. Endeavour is the reason why I am who I am today." Keigo watched the heat of the induction stove burn red against the glass surface. Red, like his wings, and like the man of fire that had released him from one abusive situation, only for him to fall into the hands of something else entirely.

Rilo's hand settled on the curve of his back.

He glanced at her. "I'm okay." No doubt, his eyes said something else.

"No, you're not."

"True. I'm not." He mixed the eggs, his shoulders relaxing. "And I am so glad I don't have to be perfect around you."

She kissed his cheek. "At least I know what to gift you with."

"Oh, really?"

"More Endeavour undies." She quipped.

"Funny. Very funny." Keigo rolled eyes. "No, see, my question has always been, why…" several feathers flicked around the kitchen, opening cupboards, and sliding out plates as he idly worked the frying pan. Rilo sat on a barstool she'd dragged over, propped up beside him.

"Why?"

"Yeah, why? Why on earth would any self-respecting hero have underwear merch, well, other than Jeanie, but I won't mention what his merch is, cause that is inappropriate for breakfast conversations."

Rilo buried herself in his arm as she almost melted into laughter. He carefully teased the eggs into rolls with his chopsticks.

"And that's why it's hilarious, because I don't think Endeavour has any idea about his merch." Keigo flipped the little egg rolls onto the plates. "I'm convinced his agency runs it all, and it's so funny, when you know how the industry works."

"You have too much fun."

"I don't have enough." Keigo pointed a chopstick at her. "Press junkets would be so much more entertaining if I could say everything on my mind."

Rilo accepted a plate from him. "While I have not yet met Bubbles, I do get a sense from everything I've read about her, and all you've said about her, that'd she'd probably murder you."

"Well, it is why I hired her." Keigo shrugged. "I mean, she doesn't know that's why I hired her, but it is."

"What, to ruin your fun?"

"Pretty much."

"Poor, darling Bubbles."

"What'da mean poor Bubbles, I'm the one who suffers."