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.

6. Ch 6: How to Teach a Baby Bird to Fly

Chapter Six: How to Teach a Baby Bird to Fly

Izuku stared up at the gates of U.A.

Imposing.

Sweat collected beneath the collar of his gym clothes. He should not have been standing here, staring up at such hallowed ground.

"Um. All-Might, sir, um…why…why are we…um…here?"

"To train, of course, my boy." All-Might, completely unphased by the hesitanc y in his voice, continued on straight through the gates. Izuku snatched up his bag, dashing after the man.

To train? But—but it was a Saturday, and this was U.A—and—and—

None of this made any sense! Though, to be fair, none of his life had made sense since meeting All-Might.

Izuku dashed after All-Might, trying hard not to spin around in circles as he took in the enormity of the school grounds that swallowed him. It was eerie, being so empty on a Saturday, though there were a few students scattered about here and there. They must have been taking extra classes. Izuku hugged close to All-Might, a sense of shame worming its way into his gut.

He did not belong.

He was an imposter.

"Young Midoriya, keep up." All-Might called out.

"Oh! Ah! Yes!" Izuku squeaked. He'd fallen behind. He'd get misplaced for sure if he lost track of All-Might. The school was huge! A sudden buzz of excitement filled him. What if he could do it—what if he could make it in here, not as an imposter, but as a real student.

His chest swelled. He caught up with All-Might, grinning up at the man who changed his life. His hair was given a fond ruffle and All-Might chuckled.

"Obviously last nights workout at the beach wasn't hard enough, you're still a ball of happiness and sunshine."

Izuku flopped his arms back. "You almost killed me!"

"Hah!" All-Might burst out in laughter. "We'll see. Perhaps Hawks will join us tomorrow night, his arms are all spindly—"

"What did you just say about my arms?" Hawks' head appeared through a door. "Did you just call them spindly, old-man? Those are fighting words."

"Good morning, Hawks." All-Might beamed.

"Just because you can Detroit Smash a whole city, doesn't mean I can't beat you in a race, you ancient piece of Silver Age—"

"Spindly arms." All-Might punched Hawks in the stomach to shove him back through the door.

Izuku winced in sympathy as Hawks held his midriff. "F-you, Dad."

"Hawks! Stop being so disrespectful to All-Might." Rilo's voice called out from across the infirmary. Izuku bounced through the beds, reaching the last one by a window where the young woman lay. "Hi Rilo!"

"Hey, sweetie." She wearily shuffled forward. Hawks eased the pillow behind her, gently helping her sit upright. Izuku watched the pair, shuffling his feet. Gosh. He really hoped he'd manage to be that gentle to someone someday.

"Sorry, Izuku." Rilo poked his nose and he startled, realising she was addressing him. "Recovery Girl's treatment is making me feel…a bit…um…unwell."

"Oh…" Izuku glanced hesitantly at the IV drip attached to her arm. "I'll bring you some of my hero magazines next time." He smiled. "That'll cheer you up, right?"

"Oh no, now I have two of you." Hawks laughed, though it wasn't full and happy, but tinted with an ache of pain. It had to be hard, seeing someone he loved hurting so much.

Izuku nodded. "Yep!"

Hawks gathered himself up. "On that note, baby birdie and I had better head out."

Izuku looked up at All-Might as he replaced Hawks in the seat by Rilo's bed. "Not to worry, I'll be right here."

"Thanks, All-Might, appreciate you keeping her company." Hawks heaved open one of the windows in the hospital wing.

"Please be careful with Young Midoriya, Hawks."

"Dad, please." Hawks mockingly lolled his head to one side. "I'm just going to drop him from the stratosphere a few times, it's not that bad."

Izuku squeaked as he was heaved up. Oh—oh no—oh—no—no—no—

Hawks was out the window, and they were in the air.

Oh—wow—

Wow—

This was incredible.

Izuku laughed, throwing out his arms. As if taking his action as an invitation, Hawks shot higher into the air and he was thrown up. For a weird moment, he felt weightless, until everything dropped and he started falling. He would have panicked, screamed even, if it weren't for the fact that Hawks was diving along beside him.

Izuku squeezed shut his eyes as the ground rapidly encroached. He barely felt the tug of being pulled into Hawks' arms and shielded against the wind once more, but everything evened out inside his head and he cracked open his watery eyes.

Hawks smiled down at him. They seemed to float, landing so effortlessly on a gravelled path. Izuku eased free of the young heroes arms.

"Okay, wow, that was amazing!" He burst out, clutching at his trembling knees.

His hair was ruffled and Izuku grinned up at Hawks. The man headed for a door in the side of the large gymnasium they'd landed beside. Izuku dashed after him.

"Right, so, Principal Nezu has been nice enough to let us use one of the school gyms. I've just got to remember not to blow out the windows." Hawks tapped a number into a keypad, and the door hissed open.

"Blow out the windows?" Izuku squeaked.

Hawks looked back at him, grinning. "Oh, we're going to have so much fun, my baby birdie."

"You do know I'm still quirk-less, right?"

"That's why we're here." Hawks strolled into the gymnasium and Izuku quickly followed, spinning around in awe as the lights flickered on at their presence. He didn't feel like he should have been inside such an incredible place. He hadn't earnt his place here—not yet—he still didn't have a quirk.

Suddenly, his forehead was flicked.

"Oie, baby bird. Focus."

"Ye…yes sir."

"Stop calling me sir. Making me sound ancient."

"Um, yes…Hawks…" That somehow still sounded wrong.

Hawks dumped the large gym bag he'd been carrying on the ground and the echoing clunk vibrated throughout the hall. Izuku fidgeted, glancing around in awe. There were enormous brick walls, and huge climbing ropes, as well as whole sections seemingly dedicated to speed quirks. What would it have been like to be here with students?

Hawks twirled around effortlessly. "Okay. So, today, we're going to try and see what fighting style will match you best, and then from that, what weapons you feel most comfortable welding."

Weapons? He was going to be using weapons? As in—real weapons?

Izuku peaked over Hawks' shoulder, watching as Hawks removed an assortment of weapons from the gym bag. Oh. They were definitely real.

"Whoa, you know how to use all these?"

"Yep."

"But what about your wings?"

"What about my wings?"

"They're what you fight with, aren't they?"

Hawks crouched back on his heels, propping his hands on his knees. "And what if I didn't have my wings. What if they got burnt, or covered in muck, or a villain ripped them off, or I donno, any number of situations could happen." Hawks flicked out a knife and Izuku stared at its glinting edge. "Learn first to fight without your quirk, baby bird. You never know when you will face a situation in which your life will depend on how you react without it."

Izuku swallowed.

"Afterall, did having a quirk help your friend with the slime villain a few months ago?" Hawks stood, throwing the knife in the air casually as he walked.

"Well. No. But Kacchan wasn't a trained hero, it's a bit unfair to judge…um…him against a villain."

"There were a lot of working heroes there that day, didn't see any of them helping much with their quirks either." Hawks countered. "Sometimes, baby bird, the best approach is to not overuse your quirk, and reserve what you have for when you really—really—need it, and figure a way out of a situation through other means."

Izuku nodded.

"Thus…" Hawks clapped him on the shoulders. "The fact that you don't have a quirk right now, actually works to our advantage. You won't be tempted to use it while we train."

"Will you use yours?"

"Of course. Villains do not fight fair. So, I won't."

Izuku flopped back, groaning. His head was clapped.

"Enough of that. We'll stretch, then we'll work on a routine for you."

"Okay." Izuku squared his shoulders. This was it. He was ready.

000

Yeah. He'd totally not been ready. Okay. Maybe mentally ready, but his body was trying hard to catch up. All-Might said he was breaking himself, again, and again, rebuilding brick by brick, until the result was a body strong enough to be given a quirk. It wasn't a process that could be rushed, and he had to trust that he could achieve the goal his mentor had presented to him. He trusted All-Might.

Izuku stared down at his shaking hands. Muscle fatigue was something he was getting familiar with, considering all the training he was putting in with All-Might. All-Might was kind of nice about it though, he knew when to push, and when to pull back.

Hawks was something else entirely.

Wow. Those gold eyes would be nightmare inducing for a villain to encounter. He could totally imagine them locking onto prey from above and then just—

Izuku flinched.

Death.

Hawks was a different kind of hero. His smile was warm, his laughter honest, but it was a cloak that he wore for the public, that much Izuku had accessed. All-Might had mocked him for having spindly arms, but that wasn't true. Hawks' quirk wasn't a strength quirk, but that didn't mean his body wasn't like titanium, or that he was had no physical strength. When he watched Hawks move, it became so obvious that he'd spent years building that strength, and it was so tightly contained, it felt like a coiled wire that just kept getting constricted. Now that he'd held one of Hawks' calcified wings and realised how heavy they were when they retained that form, he was pretty sure Hawks' was probably capable of lifting a small car.

Which then begged the question. How much could his single feathers lift when he telepathically controlled them, and did it correspond to his body's capabilities, or was it all about mental control? Wow—wow—it was so fascinating! He needed to watch more videos of Hawks fighting. Really, quirks where just so amazing, he could have spent hours just thinking about them and filing all his thoughts away in his notebooks.

"Baby bird, you still in there?" A feather tapped his head. "You look lost in the clouds. Come back down to earth, please."

"Oh, um, sorry, I was just contemplating how your muscle structure works to compensate for your wings." Izuku looked up at Hawks.

Hawks arched an eyebrow. "Your brain is adorable."

"Er. Um. Thanks?" He really wasn't used to having anyone praise him, let alone because he loved quirks so much.

Hawks chuckled. "How about I tell you something a lot of people get wrong about my quirk."

Izuku inched closer in excitement.

"My wings aren't bird wings. They're vast organs, that start here." Hawks pressed his hands to the sides of his waist and shifted them around his back. "And extend outward, which is why they can grow back, as the internal section rarely suffers damage. As for of muscles that make them work, those start in my legs, and everything overlaps from there. It's all one layered, organic engine."

"Really?"

Hawks thrust back suddenly. Izuku watched as the hero halted his momentum, not with his wings, but with his legs.

"Oh, they're like breaks." Izuku shook his head. "Of course."

Hawks clapped his hands. "There you go." Hawks walked back to him, swinging a towel around lazily. "Quirks are fascinating, yeah. They alter us on a biological level, and with each passing generation we're seeing stronger quirk combinations form, while others, unfortunately, die out, and then, just, randomly, new ones pop up again."

"I know! It's amazing." Izuku burst out, then dropped back, growing despondent. "I just wish I understood more about the how and the why. When the doctor told me I was quirk-less, I felt so hopeless."

"I imagine you did."

"So, I tried to find out everything I could about quirks, and how they emerged, to see if there was something…anything…but…I kept running into the same old story."

"About the glowing baby?" Hawks was flicking the knife idly, up and down, up and down, as if it was a really easy action.

Izuku nodded. "Spontaneously a baby started glowing, and then, quirks began appearing…or…so the legend goes."

"Yep, a legend." Hawks tilted his head to one side.

"There wasn't much more than that." Izuku pouted, picking at a nail with his teeth. A feather slapped his wrist. He flinched, halting the nervous habit. That was another difference between Hawks and All-Might. Hawks noticed weird things, and then just tapped him to correct posture, or a feather would nudge his chin if he wasn't looking up.

"Hm. Well. The theory that was told to me by Commission officials is that a global pandemic caused quirk mutations to start up, and a section of the population was immune to the effects of the virus, hence…" Hawks motioned to Izuku. "Why you exist."

"I've never heard that theory."

"Oh, nah, it's not told in history books. I don't even think the pandemic is mentioned at all, but it did considerable damage to the global population. Mind you, this was several hundred years ago, baby birdie. There has been a few Upheavals since then that have caused a loss of historical records—that—and you could say there is an active group in power that works to control the flow of information that is available to the layperson."

Izuku frowned. "That shouldn't be allowed."

"Unfortunately, my baby bird, a lot of things that shouldn't be allowed tend to happen." Hawks paused, stepping up to him to correct his form. "Okay, take it from the top, and remember, don't lock your limbs. You're not All-Might trying to smash a mountain, we want smooth and fast."

"Yes sir."

"Don't call me sir." Hawks called back. "Makes me sound like I'm from the dawn of heroes."

"So, All-Might is Dad because he's ancient?" Izuku asked.

"Nah, All-Might is Dad because it's funny. He gives this pinch-y look, like he wants to tell me off, but he can't because he's secretly happy." Hawks grinned.

"Okay." Izuku tapped his chin. "Then, going off that, you're Brother."

For the briefest moment, Hawks' wings dropped. Izuku grinned. He's succuded in throwing the wing hero off his game, if only for a moment.

Hawks' eyes suddenly sharpened, and he pointed the knife at him. "Guess who just earnt themselves a freefall drop after training."

Izuku looked up at the ceiling of the gym. It couldn't be that bad—right?

"Um. Is it too late to say sorry?"

"Yes. Now focus, baby bird, focus. I want you to get this right, at least once, today."

"I will!"

"Then from the top, please."

0000

Izuku smiled, twirling the knives Hawks had handed to him. It hadn't taken him long to pick up what Hawks called 'The Basics' and Hawks didn't seem all that surprised. Apparently, he had a natural inclination towards seeing a movement, and then applying it himself. He didn't know if that was a good thing, but Hawks made it out to be positive, so, he was going to tell himself it was. They'd spent the whole morning just covering basics. He had a feeling he'd be on basics for a few weeks—

Izuku dropped his head back. He was going to die. He wasn't even going to make it into U.A because combined, Hawks and All-Might were going to kill him before the year was out. No—

He shook his head.

Hawks had obviously gone through much more intense training then this.

And if Hawks had—

Then he could suffer a year of it, that was fine.

"So, baby bird, what do you like about the knives?" Hawks asked as he rubbed off sweat with a towel. "Is there a particular reason you're feeling more comfortable with them than the staff? You're pretty good with the staff."

Izuku dipped his head. A feather nudged his chin and he breathed in. Hawks was insistent about eye contact, no matter how embarrassed he felt. "Hm, this is going to sound weird."

"I don't care."

Yeah. Hawks really didn't care. He really liked that about Hawks. He kind of felt like he could say literally anything at all to Hawks, and the man would still look at him the same.

"Well. I like that I have to get in close when attacking with them." Izuku climbed to his feet, taking the proper stance. Hawks nodded his approval and Izuku launched forward, he dropped low, using his height against the taller hero, trying to get under his wings.

Hawks' hands came down in a swift flick, smacking him aside like he was a fly. Izuku landed—a little more gracefully than the first few times he'd been struck down. He was improving in his rolls and recoveries.

"Ow, ow, ow." Izuku clutched at is midsection, bending over in pain.

"Nice try, but you gave yourself away with the position of your knees. By crouching so low, you showed you were coming in under my wings. Next time, don't start off so low, but work your way down to that position to give yourself the thrusting momentum you're trying to achieve to drive the knives under my ribs, which I presume is what you're aiming for, right?"

"Oh, yeah, it is. I noticed the weakest point in your armour is right there."

Hawks nodded. "Good. I like that you're using observation skills." Hawks approached him, crouching down. "Killing someone with a knife is an extremely personal thing." Hawks titled his head. "That's why I'm asking about your choice."

"Oh…" Izuku glanced down at the weapons. "Is it weird that I'm choosing them?"

"In my personal opinion? No, not really. You're hyper analytical and extremely intuitive, it's possible you want to be closer to your opponent's so you can better read everything about them and make predictions. You're naturally picking up on the smallest inflections in peoples voices, muscle movements and all those subtle alterations…frankly, not having a quirk has forced you into the position where you've kind of developed everything else."

Izuku rubbed his neck awkwardly. "I just really wanted to be a hero."

"There is nothing wrong with that." Hawks shrugged. "The same thing kept me alive when I was a kid."

"What keeps you alive now?"

Hawks' brow lifted. "What an interesting question to my inflection. You're very intuitive."

"Oh…sorry…" Izuku ducked away shily. Once more, his chin was bumped up, this time by Hawks' own hand. He looked up, directly into the glinting gold eyes, and for the first time, he noticed the faintest smile lines around the edges of the young heroes' eyes. Oh—so that's how he really smiled; it was with his eyes.

"No, no, it's good." Hawks' wiggled Izuku's chin. "Just keep being you, Izuku. Don't let anyone change who you are, not even me or All-Might, yeah."

"Um. Okay…but…you are awesome."

"Well, that's nice of you to say." Hawks' hand went to his hip. "As for your question, what keeps me alive now? The hope that someday I, and all heroes, can live a very lazy life. I've got way too much paperwork." He cracked a grin.

Izuku laughed.

"Alright then, we'll focus on getting you proficient with the knives and we'll look at the staff as your backup. It's always good to know more. I'd like to teach you everything, but…" Hawks huffed. "You have school, and I have work."

"Would the staff be better?" Izuku asked.

"Not really." Hawks shook his head. "I just noticed you countered me rather well with it, again, it could be your ability to read your opponent's moves. With a staff weapon, you can kind of get away with a distance gap between you had your opponent. A knife requires you driving it into the person's body." He took his hand, tapping it against Izuku's neck.

"You've done it?"

Hawks plucked a feather. "Technically, since my feathers are basically extensions of my own body, whenever I kill with one, I feel the action, even if I'm not actually standing next to the person." Hawks pointed to Izuku's forehead. "I can drive a tiny feather straight through someone's skull from a hundred yards away, and feel it vibrate through every inch of me."

"But…isn't that what makes you recoil." Izuku asked. "That's why I feel the knives are better. If I'm the one behind the action, I think I'd control it better. I'm going to be intrusted with All-Might's quirk, I want to show him I'm not going to be stupid with it."

"Yeah…" Hawks tweaked his nose fondly. "Stupid is not how he'd describe you, baby bird."

"I don't want to disappoint him."

"I can assure you, you won't."

"I won't disappoint you?"

"It's very difficult to disappoint me, unless you're my sidekick, Bubbles. She exists for the sole purpose of ruining my fun. The other day, she gave me salad instead of chicken. I think I died."

Izuku covered his mouth, trying to contain his laughter.

"So, I snuck out…" Hawks tiptoed forward. "Brought some chicken and coffee, and perched myself on top of Fukuoka Tower just to spite her."

Izuku rolled onto the floor. Hawks thumped down beside him. "Don't ever let yourself get too serious. Things will get hard, but we'll be here to catch you."

"Who catches you?" Izuku asked.

Hawks pondered. "Well, I've never really thought about that, but I am starting to."

Izuku flinched as Hawks held out his hands, summoning his long feather blades into his grip. With an effortless roll, he was back on his feet. "Come on, one more round. This time, I won't use my wings as shields, but I'll be attacking, so, you'll need to remember your own defence."

Izuku scrambled to his feet. "Can I use anything in the gym?"

"Yep."

Awesome! He glanced around the gym, setting his gaze on the large bag of balls—

Something sharp nicked his cheek. Izuku froze, feeling blood drip down onto his white shirt.

"Um. Hawks…" he looked up at the man, who hadn't moved from where he stood in the centre of the gym. "You said you weren't using your wings."

"No, I said wasn't using my wings as shields. I am disappointed you forgot the difference." Hawks playfully pointed a blade to his head. "Remember, I can drill a feather through your brain, baby birdie."

A feather whizzed past his ear. Izuku bolted, his sneakers squeaked on the gym floor. Oh—gosh—oh gosh—nope—nope—

He dived behind several large iron crates, hearing the feather blades burrow into them like pinging rocks. He'd never get close enough by just running at Hawks. Sure, he knew the Wing Hero was just playing with him. Hawks hadn't even moved from where he stood, and that was annoying. Hawks was fighting him on the ground, the one place he knew the man hated to be.

Izuku glanced up at the ropes above him.

That was it.

If Hawks was on the ground, he'd go at him from above. Snatching for the rope, he swung up and around, landing roughly on Hawks' back. For the briefest moment, he was so sure he had him, until he was slammed into the ground, and a feather was at his throat and golden eyes peered down at him.

"Points for creativity and using the strength you're gaining from all the training at the beach, but, you're still dead."

Izuku waved his arms around. "It's not fair, you have a limitless supply of knives."

"No fight with a villain is ever fair." Hawks scoffed. "Get that thinking out of your head, right now. Also, my feathers aren't limitless. Someday, you'll figure out how to beat me. I'm sure of it."

Izuku blew a long raspberry of frustration, sitting up in a heap of sweat. "If you didn't have your feathers, what would you use instead?"

Hawks tapped a foot on the ground. "If I wasn't using my feather blades? Heh, I'd probably either switch to knives, or katanas. I prefer to be able to manoeuvre swiftly, and everything else I found cumbersome in the air. Do keep in mind though, a lot of heroes aren't like me…"

"What do you mean?"

"I was raised as an assassin. When confronting villains, I'm having to actively remember not to kill. Someone like All-Might will go into a situation with the intent to capture a villain. I never do. I always go into a situation to kill." Hawks held up two fingers. "This is the difference between All-Might and me, I'm a killer, and All-Might isn't…it is also why I am your teacher in combat."

Izuku breathed in deeply. "All-Might wants me to be able to make a finishing blow."

"He does." Hawks inclined his head. "If it wasn't for this feeling I get sometimes, that something…something is changing…I wouldn't feel comfortable with training you, but I also know the importance of being prepared, and I'd far rather you be prepared than suffer the consequences of not."

Izuku reached for his notebook, quickly scratching out the notes. Hawks bent over him curiously. "Wow, you even have a short-hand code."

"Oh, yeah, um…I didn't want anyone reading my notes."

"That's extremely impressive baby birdie."

"How did you know it was a code?"

"I have one too." Hawks shrugged. "You're using a similar, albeit simpler, index system."

"Oh, so you can read it?"

"Probably take me a few minutes, but yeah."

Izuku pouted. "Then it's not secret."

"Baby birdie, the fact that you've attempted it is what's impressive. How about tonight, I help you work out a more complex codex, yeah?"

"That'd be great!" Izuku beamed.

Hawks took up the notebook, flipping through it idly. "I see where you get your creativity from. You keep track of every hero's particular style. You could write a whole book on them."

"I like how all heroes have different approaches to situations. I think studying them is a good way to improve myself."

"Yes, this is true." Hawks handed the notebook back. "However, there will come a time when you'll have to move away from admiration into acknowledgement of yourself. I want you to be an individual, not an imitation."

He hadn't thought of it that way.

"That doesn't mean we stop admiring our heroes though." Hawks smiled. "Or stop reading those trashy hero magazines you love so much. They make good fire-starting material."

"Oie." Izuku huffed.

Hawks flapped out his hands. "They give me pyromaniac tendencies."

"Okay, fine, so who is your favourite hero?" Izuku crossed his arms in a huff.

The golden eyes flickered with mirth.

"Endeavour."

"Really?" That was—that wasn't who he'd been expecting at all. Endeavour was so hardcore. When he appeared on television, it was like an oppressive heat filled the room.

Izuku stared up at Hawks. He wasn't wearing his leather jacket today, or his black jeans, but the first time they'd met on the beach just popped into his head. Oh—actually—yeah, Endeavour was totally his favourite hero.

"Endeavour is pretty awesome." Izuku agreed.

"I know, right." Hawks grinned, crouching down again. "Did you see him take out that giant demolition guy the other day."

"Oh my gosh! Yes!" Izuku threw his arms up. "It was insane!"

"Freaking awesome." Hawks gushed. "Wish I'd been there. Literally looked like the coolest fight—"

"Oh, oh, like when Endeavour grabbed those rocks and blasted them into the air with a super charged burst and they became like meteors. Whoosh." Izuku drove a fist into the floor. "I could feel the heat through the television."

"I think my wings got singed just from watching. It was great." Hawks laughed.

Suddenly, a camera flick sounded. Hawks jerked around, his wings hardening protectively.

"Fuck, Rilo. Don't do that, babe."

"Sorry, it was too cute a moment to pass up. You two geeking out about heroes is adorable."

Izuku peered out from beneath Hawks' slowly loosening wings, spotting Rilo and All-Might, carrying baskets that most likely contained lunch.

Hawks shook his head. "Ah, no, we're geeking out about Endeavour, there is a difference."

All-Might rolled his eyes dramatically. Izuku giggled.

"Oh…" Rilo's cheeks went bright red. She covered her face, squeaking.

Hawks laughed. He lost his footing, landing on the gym floor.

"Hawks!" Rilo stomped. "Stop laughing. Hawks. It's not funny. You have ruined Endeavour for me, forever!"

Izuku grinned. Whatever it was, it was actually making Hawks really laugh, enough that he was having to rub tears from his eyes.

"No, fuck, it's hilarious."

"Hawks. Language." All-Might chided.

"Yes, Dad." Hawks dragged himself up, leaning on a knee. He swept back his hair, smiling at Izuku. "Come on, let's have lunch."

0000

It was an idyllic winter day. The air was probably just on the touch of being a bit too cool, but Hawks preferred the chill. The grass underfoot had that perfect green state, and whoever Principal Nezu had as the gardener for U.A maintained the forestry surrounding the school beautifully. With autumn, Hawks could imagine the entire area lit up in a fiery hue. He reached up, cupping the still unopened cherry blossoms. That was right—he'd wanted to go to a festival this year. He was going to have to look into that at some point if he really wanted to make it happen.

"Here you go…" All-Might held out a small box. "Rilo and I stole into the cafeteria and snuck out some lunches."

Hawks laughed as he seated himself on the small garden ledge beside the elder hero. He accepted the lunch, and the fresh bottle of water handed to him.

"Thanks." Hawks hid a yawn behind his hand. He rubbed at his eyes.

"Looks like you need the break more than Young Midoriya." All-Might chuckled.

"It'll take a bit to get used to the early morning long flights. I'll adapt."

"You sure you're not taking on too much."

Hawks shovelled rice into his mouth. He scoffed. "I am way to lazy to take on to much work."

"Hmp." All-Might shook his head. "If only that were true."

They ate in relative silence, taking in the peace. These moments were precious. The brief pauses in life, when the world just seemed to slow down—and he didn't mind being on the ground, beneath the trees, breathing cool air.

"Have you worked on the problem surrounding Young Midoriya's traineeship?"

"Hm, yep." Hawks nodded. "I had a brainwave about it. I'm thinking an Apprenticeship Licence." Hawks sipped the cool water.

All-Might's brow lifted curiously. "I haven't heard of those used since, well, since hero schools started up."

"I know." Hawks looked over the lawn to Izuku, attempting to show Rilo what he'd learnt that morning and basically butchering most of it, but it was the effort that counted. By tomorrow, his fine motor skills would have kicked in and he'd be getting the more complex moves down if he just kept attempting the actions. Hawks smiled at the simplicity of the scene he found himself in. "Most heroes don't know that Apprenticeship Licences still exist, but they do. They're a step down from the Intern Licence the kids earn through the school, and they're a nightmare to apply for—the paperwork alone is enough to turn anyone off—and you're liable for hell if your apprentice fucks up while under you."

All-Might frowned.

"But!" Hawks held up a finger. "They're extremely useful little licences, which is why the Commission hasn't gotten rid of them."

All-Might nodded. "If I remember correctly, they're still governed under the old system, yes? The pro hero takes on all responsibility for the apprentices training and behaviour, meaning the Commission doesn't have to risk their own liability."

"Yup. Very old school. Either the pro hero or the agency do need a liability fund beneath them to manage taking on actual apprentices these days. Hence why they're not given out much anymore. Pro Heroes don't really like that type of responsibility, not when the Commission is happy to take it on…and…therefore…own every hero that has a damn licence." He flung his wings back in frustration.

"Did you have an Apprenticeship Licence?"

"Hm, not quite. I held an Apprenticeship Licence until I went Pro, but it was just for show, since I am owned by the Commission. They could have given me a pro hero licence at any time, they were just…enjoying holding it over me I guess. If I fucked up under an Apprenticeship Licence, I knew I'd suffer worse consequences from my handlers for the mess. A pro hero licence gives me more freedom, and they were so loathed to give that to me." He scratched the back of his neck. "Not that it removed the leash entirely, just, gave me some slack to move around with."

Beside him All-Might sighed, his large bulk leaning forward. "Knowing what you endured growing up…I worry what we're putting Young Midoriya through."

"I know. I've thought about it too." Hawks poured the icy water over his back, feeling it seep into the aching muscles that twitched with irritation. "But to be honest, right now…" He shifted his gaze out across the city, sprawling below the school upon the hillside. "I'm more worried about the unrest that's just shimmering under the surface. I can't ignore my wings. When I do…it never goes well."

All-Might's hand shifted uneasily to his side. It couldn't have been easy on the great man, running out of time as he was. It didn't sit easy on Hawks, knowing what he knew. All-Might was supposed to be forever, the child in him still believed that—heroes were gods—he knew even he was a godlike vestige to a child that caught sight of him in the skyline. Quirks might have become the norm, but heroes were still fantastical, that had not changed, and All-Might was the Symbol of Peace. There was a power behind that name, and he was sure the weight of having it crumble away gnawed on All-Might.

"I think Izuku can handle the responsibility of an Apprenticeship Licence, and the repercussions if he screws up."

"Those repercussions being solely on your shoulders." All-Might chuckled.

Hawks shrugged. "He's a good kid. You picked well."

All-Might shook his head, leaning his bulk forward to clasp his hands together. "I don't think I picked him…I have a feeling…I was chosen for him."

Hawks looked over the lawn, watching as Izuku and Rilo took a slow walk back towards them, both seeming rather excited about whatever topic they were chatting about. "Yeah. I get that too."

"How do you intend to apply for the Apprenticeship Licence, I presume the Commission don't give them out easily these days?" All-Might asked.

Hawks dropped his head back, staring at the sky. He kicked his legs back and forth, trying not to seem disturbed by his next words. "Payment for my next Commission job." Hopefully Izuku would never learn that someone had to die for the licence.

"You can do that?" All-Might startled at that. Hawks looked up at him, surprised to see the deep, contemplative frown he wore. This was an interesting side to the Symbol of Peace, the side beyond the smile that was worn on television, the part that did not laugh at danger or fear. A man who cared deeply.

Justice.

Yeah. That was the word.

All-Might was the embodiment of justice.

"They may own me, but I do make use of their resources, while I have them." Hawks tugged out a USB stick, handing it to the larger hero. "Which is why, if you can, could you do some sleuthing on the topics I've listed down. There is something weird going on with the modification they installed in Rilo, and this whole notion that they burn out by twenty-five, but I can't put my finger on what's ticked me off about it."

All-Might pocketed the USB. "I'll see what I can dig up."

"Thanks."

"Oh, no, it'll be interesting. Bit of a change of pace." All-Might leant on his knees. "Which I suppose is what I was looking for."

Hawks ribbed him playfully. "I'll make a spy out of you yet."

All-Might gave a huff of amusement.

Izuku and Rilo had reached them and Hawks hoisted himself to his feet. "Ready for round two, baby birdie."

Izuku nodded. "Yep."

"Good. Rilo, babe, you shouldn't be in the sun, even in this weather." Hawks flicked a wing over her. "Your skin is not made for it."

"I think I need a veil…" Rilo mused.

"Oh, you're right, that'd help. I'll have to ask Jeanie about it." Hawks rubbed his chin. "He'd come up with something.

She gave a smile, hand resting against his chest. "So, I've never gone to a different shopping mall before."

"Ah, no, you haven't." He stroked back her hair from her hot cheeks, tilting her chin to press a light kiss to her lips.

"I think I'll go explore one." She beamed.

"Sounds good." He dug around in his pockets, finding the slim, silver case that held his assortment of cards. Slipping two out he passed them over. "Credit card, and hotel key."

"Hawks, I do have my own money."

"Yeah, but I actually want you to spend mine."

She dropped her head on his chest. "Okay. Thanks."

"Um. Can I look now…" Izuku's voice squeaked out. "I think All-Might left a while ago…but…I…"

They both looked down at Izuku, curled into a ball with hands over his face.

Hawks gave a laugh.

"Oh, Izuku." Rilo worried.

"He gets more embarrassed than you do. I'm working on it." Hawks stole another kiss. "Don't spend everything on my card. And remember, everything you buy, I gotta carry home with us."

Rilo smirked. "Just enough for new undies."

He flicked her nose. "Behave."

0000

Izuku pouted as his—well okay—not his knives, but they were totally his knives—were confiscated and stolen away from him, and zipped back up tightly in Hawks' bag of many things.

Hawks tweaked his nose fondly. "Look at that face. One day of training and you're already addicted."

"I just…" Izuku's shoulders deflated. "It's hard to explain."

"No, I get it." Hawks attached the bag to a harness strapped around his waist. "Your body is already starting to adapt, and that's a good sign, baby birdie. Over the coming months, you're going to hone that feeling until it's sharp…and those knives will become an extension of you."

"So, when can I have them?"

"As in, when can you legally carry them around? Ah…" Hawks' brow lifted. "Wow. What a fucking question from a fourteen-year-old. Hey, Brother, can I carry deadly weapons around with me?"

"Kacchan can make explosions." Izuku's hands went to his hips. "One kid in our class can spit liquid acid that'll burn through skin and bone. What are knives compared to some quirks out there."

"Still knives. Every quirk is registered…well…mostly every quirk…and if a non-quirk user wishes to carry arms, they also need to get permission for that act. Thus, I am going to have to work on permission for you to carry." Hawks ruffled Izuku's hair fondly. "Give me a bit of time for that one. I can't work magic overnight."

Izuku squeaked in embarrassment. "Oh! I um. I didn't mean…um…"

His chin was nudged fondly. "It's okay. You're allowed to be excited. So, get excited over all this homework!"

Hawks dumped several books on the floor in front of him. Izuku stared at them in dismay. They even had worksheets. No—no—it wasn't fair—homework—he had homework!

"I get homework!" Izuku threw out his arms at the pile in front of him.

Hawks looked at him with amusement. "Oh, yeah, you get homework, baby birdie."

"But…but I have school, and I'm also working out with All-Might as well!"

"And now you're spending the weekends getting murdered by me, as well as Tuesday evenings and Thursday evenings, pending on my work, of course." Hawks flapped a hand about casually. "And I expect you to practice and perfect what I teach throughout the week, and complete the homework I give you."

Izuku melted onto the floor. "I am so dead."

Hawks pulled a coffee-coloured knitted sweater over his head, wrapping it around his back and latching it behind his wings. Izuku mournfully slouched back as the hero plonked himself down beside him, lazily crossing his legs in a boyish fashion. Hawks was so—he was just so easy—and safe—

"Alright. Do you think it's too much?" he was asked.

Izuku shook his head, rubbing at his watery eyes.

"No. I can do it."

"I know you can, I wouldn't be asking all this of you, if I didn't think you weren't capable of taking it all on." Hawks firm and steady tone didn't waver. "But if it starts to get to much, you need to let me know. My…well…let's be nice and call them teachers…" Hawks finally faltered. "They didn't give me opportunities to rest. I learnt how to endure pain that I probably shouldn't have had to endure. I don't want you to go through that, when you don't need to."

"I can do it!" Izuku insisted.

"That's my baby birdie."

Izuku leant into the hair ruffle.

"Come on. You've got a punishment to endure, and then I also promised to help you with your coding, yeah?"

Izuku stuffed everything into his yellow backpack and jogged after the wing hero. They left the gym, heading out into the cool evening air.

It was eerie to walk through the U.A school grounds during the dusk. Everything was quiet, and the large buildings were barely lit from the inside. Only lamps cast shadows across the long paths. The air was cold. Izuku shivered beneath his damp gym clothes. A large jacket was thrown over his head and Izuku breathed in the heavy, musky scent of the hero beside him as he peered out from under the woollen interior.

"Put it on." Hawks offered.

"Thanks." Izuku shuffled off his backpack and slipped into the jacket, zipping it up to his chin. He squeaked in surprise as a visor was pressed over his head. Hawks lifted him and in several easy steps, they were suddenly in the air, leaving U.A behind. The whole city soon became a feast of dazzling rivers, interlinking in perfect lines. Izuku cast his gaze to the horizon. The sunset still tinted the sky a gentle pink, dusting a few clouds with bright orange florescent. He could imagine plunging right into the bright colours, now that he was suspended in the air.

"Twilight is the best time to fly." Hawks' voice came over the headset.

Izuku clung to his arm, but dared to lean out further as Hawks continued to climb higher into the darkening night sky. Wait—just how high were they going to go?

Izuku squinted through the visor. Ice was starting to form on the edges.

Hawks finally drifted, circling, and Izuku sucked in an unsteady breath of the freezing air.

"It's harder to breathe." He questioned.

"Not as much oxygen this high up." Hawks offered. "We could still go higher, but I don't want you blacking out. We'll keep practicing. You've done well for your first high altitude climb."

Izuku beamed at the praise.

"Okay, you ready for the drop?" Hawks looked down at him with a warm smile that showed only in his golden eyes.

Wait—

Wait—

Wait a minute.

What?

Izuku's brain froze.

Drop? As in…

Drop.

He looked down. The city was like an ocean of lights inside a black expanse, waiting to swallow him whole.

Hawks' arms moved slightly.

"Wait! Wait!" Izuku jerked around, looking up at the man and his golden eyes. "You're really going to drop me!"

"I am." Hawks held him out. "And you're really going to fall, but you have to trust me to catch you, can you do that?"

Izuku panted, clutching at Hawks' arms. "I'm scared."

"That's good." Hawks held him out. "Fear is the code we live by. I need you to embrace the fear. Remember this feeling, what it feels like to have absolutely no control of a situation, and to be afraid."

The drop was sudden. He just plummeted, like a brick. The cold air turned into a blade, ripping at his skin as he fought against it in an uncontrolled fall. He couldn't stop rolling, and the motion violently disorientated him. There was no up, no down, just spinning…

Until…

There wasn't.

His breathing began to even out. Izuku peaked open an eye. He was back in Hawks' arms and the world was just slowly gliding by. He shut his eyes quickly, not trusting the painful way his head kept twirling around.

"I…I didn't even feel…you…catch me." Izuku choked out.

"That's good." Hawks twirled in the air. "I have been a bit worried since I caught Rilo that my technique has gotten rusty."

Izuku curled up against him, fighting his tears. "That was awful. That was so, so awful!"

"I imagine so. We're going to have to work on your fall technique."

Izuku's eyes snapped open. He stared up at the man. "This is training?"

Hawks nodded. "The ability to feel confident in the air is important. If I can get you as confident in the air as you are on the ground, you'll be a force to be reckoned with."

"But…but…All-Might's quirk isn't an aviation quirk."

"That doesn't mean you won't be flying." Hawks' golden eyes glinted. "You're my little brother, after all."

Izuku's chest swelled.

000

Rilo stirred, shifting in the large hotel bed. She was sure she'd heard the balcony door clip shut, and felt the ruffle of air from Keigo's wings, but his presence hadn't quite settled in. Slowly she eased up, peering around the room. The curtains were pulled, indicating he had returned. The only light was the vague glow of the city through the curtains, her own aura glinting on the walls, and a soft warm hue emanating from the bathroom door.

Rilo shuffled out of the bedcovers. Keigo had dumped everything unceremoniously at the foot of the bed, including his armour. Which he always complained about not properly maintaining when it came the next morning, but he never actually bothered arranging it. He called it laziness, when it wasn't really, it was fatigue. There wasn't anything left, after a long day, for him to be bothered processing anything he really didn't consider that important. He compartmentalized and categorized tasks in levels of significance to his fatigue, and dismissed that which didn't need to really be done.

Stepping over the assortment of their gear, she tiptoed her way to the bathroom, and she paused at the threshold. He sat on a small stool, working shampoo through his hair. His eyes flicked in her direction.

"Rude," he threw out the comment. "Walking in on a guy in the shower. You could at least knock."

Rilo pressed her lips together. She wanted to come up with a quippy comment, but nothing was commuting, she could only feel her cheeks getting redder and the flush creeping down her neck to tint even her shoulders. Keigo cocked his head, his smile was tempered with exhaustion, but it touched the edges of his eyes.

"Keep that up, and your breasts will turn a very lovely shade too."

"Keigo!"

"Babe, either take a photo for your phones wallpaper, or get in here." He threw the shampoo bottle at her and she caught it with a squeak. "Make yourself useful. You can do my wings."

Rilo smiled at the coffee scent, the smell of home and safety.