Authors Note:
I had to remove a small section of this chapter - but it's posted up on A03, along with some art.
Chapter Eleven: Jeanie
Truthfully, Yagi rather appreciated that he'd slowed down just a little bit. He was still Number One, The Symbol of Peace, and that required maintenance. He'd never thought—not even in the darkest depths of his soul—or his loneliest nights—that he'd be exhausted with hero work.
Yet—
Here he was—
Tired of the facade he had shaped for himself.
The wound he had suffered had brought out a desperation in him he had never known before, a fear almost, that he was running out of time. It was fate that he'd run into young Midoriya before even starting as a teacher at U.A.
He was not sure what he was supposed to call Hawks.
An enigma?
The late-night phone call from Hawks had been startling. Not just because the young man had known about Midoriya, but also because he'd known of his weakened state, and he'd made educated guesses on the existence of One for All. The very notion that the young hero had the capacity to so rapidly absorb information, analyse it, assess it, and come to startlingly accurate assumptions was incredible.
He had been honest with the young man, and in return, Hawks had been honest back. There was a rawness in his voice when he spoke about the Commission. It was obvious the lad was beginning to struggle with the noose around his neck, enough that he was actively seeking outside help, as dangerous as that was. Hawks was hesitant to put others in harm's way; a true hero's nature. Yagi hadn't felt this way since he'd lost his master, and then, perhaps also his self-abandonment of NightEye. The tautness in his chest of feeling connected to someone again—it was—healing.
That late night phone call had altered everything. He'd promised himself that somehow, he would help free the young hero, even if, in the end, it was the last thing he did as the Number One.
He studied his gaunt hands. Scarred from years of hero work. In this form, he had felt vulnerable, and weakened, for so long he'd suffered under an oppressive fear that he was losing his true identity.
Until Hawks voice had spoken with such confidence over the phone, assuring him that he wasn't losing All-Might, he was gaining Yagi Toshinori, and that—in fact—it very much worked in their favour that he had two unique identities.
Yagi smiled to himself, looking towards the window of the medical ward.
For a young man who had obviously struggled to find himself after having everything stripped from him, Hawks was rather uniquely insightful.
Rilo stirred in the medical bed, slowly coming awake. Yagi breathed in deeply, drawing on the power of One for All and letting it settle over him like a cloak. Hawks was concerned about Rilo's reaction to learning about his condition, and was trying to ease her into the more complex concepts of their very vague, still forming plan. He focused his attention to the young woman left in his care.
"Keigo?" she whispered.
"No, dear." Yagi took her hand. "Just old me, I'm afraid."
Her blue lips managed a weak smile. It took at least thirty-minutes for the medication Recovery Girl pumped into her every week to wear off enough for her to start functioning again. It was like watching a flower unfurl after a cold winter snap, and ice peel away. Rilo's glow would gradually creep back through her limbs, emanating from the intricate patterns that seemed deeply engrained throughout her body.
"All-Might, you're still here." She squinted at him as she struggled upright. "I fell asleep again."
"I wouldn't have gone anywhere." He chuckled, helping her upright by bunching up the pillows. "And remember…" He clasped her hand tighter. "It's Dad."
Rilo squinted groggily. "Right. Spy stuff."
Yagi brushed at her hair. "Spy stuff."
He'd never allowed himself a family. Not after everything that had happened with his master, but watching Hawks fight desperately, just for the right to have one—well—He would do everything in his power to protect that which they were trying to build.
Spy stuff indeed.
He smiled.
000
Hawks smiled down at Izuku as the teen bundled up his workout gear into his bright yellow bag. They stood outside the gym, waiting for Yagi and Rilo to meet them. The air was nippy, a touch too cold as the threads of winter still hung on to the air. Spring was coming though; he could feel the slow change tickling the edges of his feathers. The softest hints of warmth.
"What would you think of coming up to Fukuoka for spring break?" Hawks asked. "Should have your Apprenticeship License sorted by then."
Izuku practically vibrated with excitement. "Really? Are you serious?"
"About the Apprenticeship License, or spring break?"
"Um…both…"
Hawks shrugged. "Sure."
"Yes!" Izuku bounced. "I mean, um…" he reigned in his excitement, trying to appear a little more reserved. "That would be amazing."
Hawks tussled him up in a wing playfully. Izuku laughed, trying to tackle him, which never really worked. Someday, he did expect the teen would manage to throw him, but at the moment it was more the effort that counted.
Izuku popped out from beneath the wing, heaving for air.
"Are you sure it'd be okay to visit?"
"Of course." Hawks spied All-Might and Rilo in the distance. "I'll work on organizing it. Though, be warned, Rilo and I only have a one room apartment, so you'll have to take a futon next to our bed. Can you deal with the awkwardness."
Izuku rolled his eyes. "I'm pretty sure I'll survive, big brother."
Hawks stretched his arms high. "Hm. Well, at least you'll be able to fit into the damn bathroom."
Izuku frowned.
"Ah, you'll see." Hawks waved dismissively.
Rilo and Yagi reached them.
"You ready, Young Midoriya, we'll fetch some lunch on our way to the beach." All-Might motioned with a tip of his head.
Izuku nodded. "Okay, All-Might." Izuku looked to Hawks. "Are you guys coming later?"
"Sorry, Baby Bird." Hawks ruffled Izuku's hair. "We've got to fly to Tokyo to meet Best Jeanist."
Izuku pouted.
"But we'll be back tomorrow morning, so, I expect to hear that you've done some work on the beach this afternoon, to make up for lost time." Hawks flicked Izuku's nose.
Izuku crinkled his face. "Okay." He dashed after All-Might, throwing a wave behind him.
Hawks stepped up to Rilo, wrapping his arms around her waist as they watched the two vanish through the tree line of the surrounding parklands enveloping the schoolgrounds.
000
Tsunagu wasn't amused.
"What are you wearing?"
Hawks had walked into his agency looking like he'd just finished rolling around in a mud puddle, while clothed in something akin to rags. It was worse than last seasons fashion trend to cut out deliberate holes in jeans. He would never forgive the youth of today for that atrocious crime.
Hawks looked down at himself with a mocking grin, and retorted drily. "Clothes, I presume, otherwise, we have a problem."
The woman beside his dear young friend, who—thank goodness—was actually wearing a pair of appropriate, figure-hugging jeans—giggled from beneath a soft veil that covered her features.
Hawks promptly slapped her on the backside.
Tsunagu blinked in surprise. Right—well—now he was amused. That was not something he'd ever expected Hawks to ever do. He suppressed his smirk. Well—that certainly explained all of Hawks' texts and emails. This was the Lightbulb then; Rilo, the girl who did not exist.
"Hawks, don't do that in public." The young woman huffed.
"We're not in public." Hawks countered wryly.
"Oh, okay then! Thanks for letting me know, sweetie." She slapped him back, much harder. His wings puffed.
"See, that's what it feels like, you giant goose." The woman raised her chin, smiling in victory.
"Alright, you two, do I need to show you both to the Lodge so you can work whatever this is off…" he waved at them both, "Or will you manage to keep it ravelled together until tonight?" Tsunagu arched an eyebrow at their adorable, totally obvious sly glances. It seemed the two of them were in a combined mood, which was rather hilarious to witness in person.
"He started it." Rilo huffed.
"I can finish it too." Hawks swept her up in a wing and she squealed laughter. Tsunagu wasn't sure how she achieved the action, either Hawks was being truly playful—which, if he was, it was endearingly heart warming—or she knew him well enough now to bend around his wings. She popped out behind him and bolted past Tsunagu to escape.
Hawks watched her go; his stance relaxed. "Fine, you win."
"I always win." She called back.
"Well, she's everything you described her to be." Tsunagu smiled, sweeping back his hair. "And I ask again, what are you wearing?"
Hawks held out his sweaty shirt. "My gym clothes. Was training with baby birdie this morning, then we flew over here…"
"And you couldn't take a moment to change before you walked in here and embarrassed me." Tsunagu sniffed in irritation. "Judging by your behaviour, I'm pretty sure the two of you were in a state of undress at some point on the way here."
Hawks had the audacity to grin wider. "There might have been some inflight entertainment. And sure, I would have changed, if I had clothes to change into."
The young woman laughed from somewhere ahead in his lobby. She was admiring one of his selective pieces of photography, a scene of Old Tokyo, before the first Upheaval. "You're lucky he didn't walk in here stark naked, cause that's how bad it is. He ruined his last jacket yesterday. I need more. The weather is awful, I never realised how cold it is outside the powerplant until now."
"Rilo." Hawks held out his hands in aspiration. "We talked about this. You need to stop randomly mentioning your existence as a generator in conversation. I can't craft a whole new identity for you if you expose the old one. We gotta be consistent. Consistency is how we assimilate."
She covered her face. "I'm sorry, this spy stuff is so hard."
"I know it's hard, babe. But it isn't something we can fuck around with." Hawks tapped his forehead in frustration. "We need to be seamless about it. It isn't just our lives, it's Izuku, and Inko and All-Might. You'd never recover if they got hurt because your handlers figured out our relationship."
Rilo remained staring at the large photograph print. "I hate it so much."
Hawks sighed, shaking his head.
Tsunagu moved towards her, coming to stand behind her. "Do you mean my favourite photograph, or your lack of personal freedom?"
Rilo tipped her head back. He could just see the glow of her electric blue eyes beneath the sheen of the sub-par veil she wore. "Oh no, no, the photograph is stunning. What is it?"
Tsunagu smiled. "It was once known as Shibuya Crossing. It was lost during one of the Upheavals, and the crossing that is there today is merely a copy of what once was." He tucked his arms neatly to his side. "You cannot bring back the original of something once it is lost, all else is just imitations. Rather the same way a pair of jeans never quite fits the same way twice."
Rilo gave a warm laugh, brightening considerably.
"And I must compliment you for at least visiting in something appropriate."
Rilo glanced down at herself. "Oh, thank you. Hawks likes them, cause they're tight and he has a problem with keeping his hands to himself." She playfully glared back at the young man.
Hawks held up his hands innocently as he approached. "Your complaint has been lodged, and I shall continue to ignore said complaint." He wrapped his arms around her middle, snuggling into her shoulder. "Cause it's not really a complaint, is it?"
"You're insufferable." Rilo rolled her eyes.
"Incorrigible is probably more the word you're wanting." He quipped.
"Gah." Rilo flopped back against him. "I give up."
"See, I win." Hawks twirled her about in victory.
Tsunagu headed through the lobby, smiling at the two. It was endearing to see Hawks smile, to see his wings loose and not rigid, as though waiting for an enemy at any moment. It had been difficult, watching him struggle to find himself; like matching pieces of cut off fabrics to an already torn shirt. Both he and Hizashi had stitched together—as best as they could—the ripped apart soul of a bitterly damaged young man. They couldn't save him, not in the sense of removing him from the darkness that entrapped him, but they'd kept him sane, long enough for him to build his own identity beyond that which the Commission had given him, and long enough that he'd be capable of saving himself someday.
Tsunagu glanced back at the two, still chasing each other around the lobby. Gods, they really had energy to burn. He had never heard Hawks laugh so unashamedly, and that he was doing so, in his agency, was rather endearing.
This wasn't a public place to him.
Tsunagu chuckled. Hawks had a very odd way of looking at the world, with all his little nesting spots.
He called out from the stairs. "Hawks, I have a new brand of coffee. It has not been opened—"
Hawks immediately turned, practically making an aerial movement only an aviator of his calibre could achieve. He activated fierce wing, and was up the stairs and down the hall before another word was said. Tsunagu shook his head. He offered his arm to Rilo as she went at a far more leisurely pace.
"I was saving it for one of his bad nights." Tsunagu commented. "But I get the feeling you'll be handling those more now."
"I'm sure there will be times when he still comes by." Rilo shook her head. He couldn't see her expression behind the veil, but he sensed the uneasy tenor in her tone. "I know there might be some Commission jobs he simply won't want—or can't—bring home to me. So…I'm glad he has someone else to come to."
She was perceptive enough to grasp such a terrible thing, and as awful as it was, he was glad to hear her words. She was already grasping the darkness in Hawks' world, despite being a light within it.
They found one of his young sidekicks in the lounge area, having a small mental breakdown at the sight of Hawks preparing his coffee.
Tsunagu sighed heavily as his sidekick squeaked in horror. "Sir, ah, what is he wearing?"
"Clothes, I presume, otherwise, we have a problem." Hawks jibed as he ground the coffee beans.
"Don't mind him, Nathan. He's being an arse." Tsunagu nursed his head. "Were you heading out on patrol."
"Ah, yes, I was, sir."
His young sidekick quickly turned away, seeming to suddenly notice Rilo tucked up beside him. Rilo gave a small, polite wave.
"Miss." Nathan bowed to her before quickly darting out of the lounge area. Tsunagu watched him go. Anyone would have been moving at that pace if they felt Hawks' burning gaze on them.
"Hawks, he was only being polite. I don't train riffraff."
"Explain me."
"You're an abysmal failure."
Which wasn't actually true. Hawks knew when to be respectful, and he knew when to step over the line. He knew when he felt comfortable enough to be himself, and that, Tsunagu had long ago decided, was probably his greatest achievement—untying some of the damage the Commission had done.
Hawks strained out his coffee. "My greatest achievement in life, to be your only failure." He hugged the mug to his lips, sighing with pure happiness as he sipped. His wings vibrated and Rilo giggled, touching a hand to her chest.
"Oh, sorry babe." Hawks grinned at her, his brow lifting.
Tsunagu glanced between them, brow raised in curiosity. "Wait? What's that about?"
"She has a feather stuffed in her bra." Hawks made a motion with a finger. "At this range my telepathy still picks it up."
From beneath the shirt she wore, Rilo pulled out a feather that was carefully attached to a delicate golden chain.
"Floral's work?" Tsunagu admired.
Hawks nodded.
"Well, she'd probably be the only one capable of making living jewellery." Tsunagu scratched his chin beneath his costume. "I do admire that woman's quirk."
Tsunagu eased himself down on the counter. "So, from your last missive I gathered you're needing a whole new wardrobe, as well as an upgraded heroes costume."
"Something like that." Hawks shrugged. "Might need a few extra jackets. Rilo keeps stealing them."
Rilo's hands rubbed together anxiously. Hawks glanced at her.
"I know, babe, I know. You get cold. Which is contradictory, considering your quirk." Hawks' held out his coffee to her and she took it, ducking it beneath her veil to take a quick drink.
"Just because I can generate electricity and heat doesn't mean I feel that heat." She grumbled.
"Quirks are strange that way." Tsunagu rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Glad I thought ahead and investigated heat proofing your new costume. I know you still wear your armour, but it's always good to have that extra protection."
"I'm not going to burn him alive." Rilo worried.
Tsunagu raised his brow. He brushed at his hair. "No, no, dear, but he might burn himself by forgetting he's not invincible, because he's an idiot."
"Oie." Hawks paused from drinking his coffee.
"By being around you, and with your quirks being compatible, he's building up a tolerance to the high levels of electrical currents he's absorbing. Indeed, it's possible there might not be a limit on that tolerance, considering just how much he burns just using his quirk."
"Hey, I am standing right here." Hawks interjected.
Tsunagu looked over at him. "I know. I'm being an arse because you walked into my agency looking like a cat threw you up. Now I am very glad I worked on your orders this week. I hadn't realised you were so desperate."
Tsunagu stood. He gave a motion to Rilo. "Down that hall, turn right, you'll come to my studio. You're welcome to poke around. We'll be right behind you."
From behind her veil, Rilo looked to Hawks. He nodded, holding up his mug. "It's okay. Just finishing my coffee."
Rilo bounced on her toes, happily heading down the hall and out of ear shot. Tsunagu watched Hawks sip his coffee, his eyes focused on the door Rilo had just vanished through.
"You really think I'm building up a tolerance?" he asked.
"How's your energy levels been lately?" He answered with a question of his own.
Hawks' brow furrowed. "Improved, I suppose."
"Are you sleeping any better."
Hawks sighed. "Not particularly."
"But you're improving anyway."
Hawks nodded slowly.
"Then yes, I'd say your quirk is starting to adapt to finally having enough energy for the expenditure you endure."
"But wouldn't building up a tolerance be a bad thing…" Hawks frowned.
Of course Hawks would take anything to do with quirk compatibility negatively. He needed to rearrange the way the young man was sorting out his thoughts on the subject.
"Perhaps tolerance is the wrong word, perhaps capacity is better." Tsunagu offered. "The longer you're exposed, the better your capacity to absorb and contain energy levels will be. There may even be the possibility you'd be able to have a reciprocal flow eventually."
Hawks tapped the surface of his mug with a finger. "I hadn't considered the possibility of a reciprocal flow."
Tsunagu looked at him oddly. "Really? I figured that'd have been your first conclusion, considering your hypothesis that she's in an unknown sub-category of an electrical class quirk. I don't see why the two of you wouldn't create a loop, once you remove…well…outside factors."
Hawks' expression clouded over. "Outside factors is a nice way to put it."
"It's good to see you happy, Hawks. As ill-fitting as the situation may be, I have known you long enough to know when you commit yourself to a job, you're committed. This will be a lifetime job, and one you will do well."
"Thanks, Jeanie." Hawks rubbed the rim of his mug. "I am just worried that it'll all be taken away from me. That I can never reach the future I envision."
"You will." Tsunagu assured.
Hawks placed his mug down and Tsunagu took that as the cue to leave the lounge area. Hawks followed along beside him, lost in silent contemplation.
"To help with your plans and concerns, I've been working on your two special requests, I've finished the first one," Tsunagu offered.
Hawks looked momentarily startled. Tsunagu grinned behind his costume. He did so enjoy throwing the young man off his game when he was able too. It didn't happen often, but sometimes it was nice to be a step ahead of him and his fast-paced mind.
"You're aiming to announce your relationship soon, yes?"
Hawks nodded. "Its…in the plan."
Tsunagu breathed in deeply. "You gave me one hell of a task, you know."
Hawks smiled. "You did it then?"
Tsunagu mirrored his smile. He flipped out a hand. "Please, I can spin anything into yarn. While, I'll admit, feathers aren't the first thing that comes to mind for spinning into fibres…its been done for a long time."
"Oh, it has been…"
Interesting. Finally, a subject his young friend hadn't read about. How delightfully rare.
"Yes, it has." Tsunagu laughed. "Don't ask me about Mirko's fur."
"Oh gosh." Hawks dropped his head to one side. "No, fuck, no…really?"
"You're not the first hero who has requested I spin using elements from their quirks. You were right in assuming that some of the best costumes have come out of heroes realising I can spin their hair, or fleece, or even skin into clothing."
"You have the weirdest quirk," Hawks muttered.
"Thank you." Tsunagu waggled his brow. "Now, how about you stop burning your feathers from now on and give them all to me so I can make all your outfits out of your old feathers. It's good recycling."
"I donno." Hawks shrugged. "All aviators know it's tradition to dispose of our old feathers, especially ones that are blood triggered like mine. This was just supposed to be a one off, to protect Rilo and baby birdie."
"After seeing the veil she's wearing, I can see why you're seeking something more appropriate. It is subpar." Tsunagu shook his head in dismay.
"Anything is subpar compared to what you make."
Tsunagu shoved open the doors into his studio, revealing the large, brightly lit room filled with his equipment. He had more modern spinners and looms, but he always did prefer the older versions, and he'd lost count of how many sowing machines he had. Fabric of all colours, like a blooming garden, overflowed from every container possible, and hung from racks across the ceiling. It was—to him—paradise.
"While I am honoured that you continue to use my services, you do realise that when you run out of clothing and can't get a hold of me, you can just go shopping, right?" Tsunagu flicked a hand, sending a loose pile of material away from where they were walking.
Golden eyes widened at him in mockery. "No, really? I had no fucking idea that was an option. Wow." Hawks splashed out his hands from his forehead. "Mind blown."
"You are a child."
"You're a giant walking dong. I am not going into a fucking mall."
"It's called online shopping—"
From seemingly out of nowhere, Rilo was suddenly attached to Hawks' arm. "Did someone say mall."
Hawks groaned, his wings going limp as he flopped to one side. "Oh, gods, no."
"Oh, but Hawks…please…" She hugged him closer. "We've never been to a mall together, and I love malls."
"I am not going to a mall. I can barely fit in a fucking doorway, let alone a shop. Besides, babe, we really can't do the public thing…not…yet…" He seemed to be really debating it. It was almost as if he just needed a small push in the right direction.
Tsunagu watched as she just deflated. Hawks' own shoulders seemed to sink in defeat. This wouldn't do at all. Not at all. Happiness was a newly washed pair of jeans, and these two deserved that feeling for as long as possible.
"How about I go with you both." Sometimes, a third wheel was needed.
Hawks' head snapped around.
"We couldn't take up more of your time, Jeanie."
Tsunagu shook his head. "You know as well as I do that if we don't give our sidekicks opportunities to run things, they get sloppy like loose elastic." He reached for Rilo's subpar veil, throwing it off her head with a flick of the fabric it was made off. "Besides, it'll be a good test run. I would like to see the result of my work."
She stood, blinking at the sudden reveal and he smiled at her.
"Hello." He said in greeting. "I'm Tsunagu Hakamada."
Lightbulb was an adequate descriptor he supposed. Her eyes were electric blue, and seemed to cast a halo from their inward glow. It was bright in his studio already, so none of her luminosity was truly shining through, instead, her translucent skin showed the eerie markings of her quirk, as well as the faintest touches of veins too close to the surface of her skin. He was reminded, oddly enough, not of a Lightbulb, but of ancient tales of mermaids from deep in the depths of the ocean, where no light touched—and so—they were bioluminescent.
"Ah, hi…" Her cheeks went bright red, tinting her pale skin pink all the way down beneath her—no—Hawks' shirt. She slowly sunk down, hiding herself away in one of his wings. The way she always tucked herself into them, he was beginning to understand why Hawks had made the request he'd made.
"She gets embarrassed easily. Not sure why, but the veil creates some weird social rift that lets her pretend people don't exist." Hawks lifted his wing, sighing heavily at her as she simply huddled in closer. "Weird effect, babe."
"Good clothes can do that." Tsunagu headed towards a desk, flipping away piles of loose materials and assorted boxes of rolled up fibres that needed to be loomed. He dug his way through several drawers before pulling out a box.
"Here we go." He smiled. "Your order."
He popped open the box and several red feathers spilled out. Rilo gasped, quickly snatching them all up and clasping them tightly to her chest.
"Hawks. Are these your feathers?" She jerked towards him.
Hawks nodded. "From awhile back, yeah, when you helped me in the shower."
"Oh, so that's what you were doing." Rilo murmured.
Tsunagu yanked out a sack. Dumping it on the floor. "I still have enough for Izuku's outfit."
"Usually, I burn all my old feathers." Hawks crouched beside the sack, returning the loose feathers into it. "Even these dead ones can still be activated under the right circumstances, so, most aviators are taught from a young age to dispose of their old feathers, according to whatever their family tradition is. Mine is fire."
Tsunagu decided not to comment on that one. Hawks' father had not passed on any family traditions. Hawks had absorbed as much information as he could about his own quirk type, and built his own foundation to stand on, and he'd chosen fire for one very specific reason.
Endeavour.
Rilo's hand was idly stroking his hair. Hawks was leaning into it.
Oh—no—they were cute.
What was he supposed to do with them both. They were so endearing.
"Here, Hawks." He threw a new silver suitcase at the young hero. Hawks reacted quickly, snatching it up. "It's only a prototype, but it will do for now to get you out of those awful rags."
"Sweet, new costume." Hawks bounced up. "This is always fun." He yanked off the atrocious rags, which Tsunagu immediately summoned for disposal—to never be seen again—
For some reason, Rilo looked rather pleased that the bulky track suit pants were going.
Tsunagu held out another briefcase to her. "This one is for you."
She stared at the briefcase in confusion. "What?"
"A new veil." Tsunagu popped the lid, revealing the contents within. "Made entirely from the spun feathers of an optimistic hawk."
Rilo hesitated to pick up the soft, shimmering veil.
"This is made out of your feathers?" Rilo looked over at Hawks as he shrugged into the new costume, pulling it over his skin-tight armour.
"Yep." He popped his lips.
"How?" Rilo turned to Tsunagu.
"Feathers have actually been used to create yarn for centuries." Tsunagu offered. "It's just not something people tend to think of, however, it is possible, and I am a Fibre Master, so…for me, it is rather easy."
She collected the veil up, holding it to her cheeks. "It's so soft. Just like your wings."
Hawks smiled. He fluffed out the jacket he'd slipped on and looked up at Tsunagu.
"I like the colour choice, Jeanie."
The new costume was a soft, muted earthy tone for both pants and jacket. Something that wouldn't draw attention in the sky—which was a bit laughable considering Hawks' wings were enormous targets—but it was nice to steer towards a different palette that seemed to lean into a brighter future, at least, that was the intention Tsunagu had been aiming for.
"Decided we'd move away from your rebellious phase." Tsunagu held out a hand. "And aim for something a little more sophisticated, matching the colours of both land, sky and sea."
Hawks rolled his eyes at him. "Jeanie, I just like the colour."
"You have no sense of what a good outfit does for a heroes ranking."
"No, I do, that's why I get you to worry about it all for me."
Hawks approached Rilo, holding out his hands to take up the veil she was hesitating to try on.
"You look very dashing." She whispered. "The tabloids are going to love it."
"What matters is if you like it?" He asked.
"I do." She played with the fluff around the edges of the aviator jacket.
"Okay." He looked back to Tsunagu. "It's a winner, Jeanie. Wifey approves."
"And that's truly what matters in the end." Tsunagu laughed.
"Right, so, I commissioned this for a reason." Hawks settled the veil over her head, letting it fall across her shoulders and drape around her ankles. He tugged it back as though it was a curtain, to reveal her face. "You don't exist in the outside world yet, but you want to hold hands, yeah?"
She nodded.
"We don't want to tip your handler's off either, so, while All-Might and I are working on a way to untangle you from the powerplant, this is going to help keep you incognito. There are only a few things that get through my wings, but they're not impervious." He clasped her cheeks. "So, don't purposely run at villains, okay."
She bubbled out a teary laugh. "Okay."
"I can't keep you tucked under my wings all the time." He brushed at her cheeks, rubbing away the tears. "But this way, it's kind of like you are, yeah?"
She nodded.
"And…I'm going to show you something, something very few people know, and you're only going to use it if you feel your life is in danger."
"Like the feather pendant."
"Yep."
Hawks removed a small feather, and it calcified.
Tsunagu sat back on a pile of fabrics, watching curiously. Honestly, he was interested to see if this actually worked. He had woven the delicate hat of the veil entirely out of the discarded spines of the feathers he'd used, and the result had been something spectacular in appearance. The criss-cross pattern picked up Rilo's glow beneath it, and due to the slight transparency of the spines, the red sheen was perfectly ethereal.
Working with quirks always astounded Tsunagu. It revealed new ways to bring clothing and fashion to life. It did so make him happy when a client was happy.
Rilo suddenly gasped, grabbing Hawks' wrist. "What are you doing?"
He'd just pricked his thumb, but she made it look like he'd sliced his whole arm off.
Hawks arched an eyebrow at her. "You ready?"
"Ready?"
"This is why I burn my feathers. When they're dead, they can still be blood activated if the nerves remain intact." He pressed the thumb to the top of the veil and the calcifying effect rippled through the shimmering shroud. Tsunagu stood, approaching them. He picked up a tassel. It was still loose, it still hung like a veil, but if he applied pressure, there was resistance.
"That worked much better than I expected." He looked to Hawks.
"I never doubted you for a moment." Hawks assured.
He'd doubted himself, honestly. It was one thing to weave feathers into fibres, it was another to keep the connected tissues still interlinked. He'd had to delve deep into his quirk to weave nerves, but, he did appreciate a good challenge to keep his quirk active.
"It's not too heavy now, is it?" Hawks asked Rilo.
Rilo shook her head.
Hawks relaxed. "Oh, good. That was my main concern." He stuck his thumb in his mouth, stopping the blood flow. Rilo fiddled with the hardened veil.
"Thank you, Ke…Hawks."
Tsunagu blinked.
What was that? He shook his head. Leave it. He wasn't going to unravel everything today.
Hawks was looking around for something amongst the chaos of the studio.
"What do you want Hawks?"
"Something sharp, or something blunt. I want to test it."
Tsunagu sighed. He summoned a steal rod with a loose twine, throwing it at the young man. Hawks twirled the rod about a few times before turning to Rilo.
"Do you trust me?"
Rilo covered her face. "Oh gosh. You're going to swing it at me."
"I am."
"Okay." She breathed out. "Okay." She cracked her knuckles. Facing him and glaring. "Have at it."
Tsunagu almost stopped him. Until he saw it, the enjoyment radiating from them both. They were in sync. They were having fun. There was not an ounce of fear from Rilo as Hawks swung the rod a full force. She barely flinched as it struck the veil and split in two. Tsunagu caught the piece as it flew into the air.
Hawks whooped. "It works. Look at that, it even absorbed the impact force."
Rilo bounced up to him, throwing her arms around him. He threw her high.
Tsunagu sighed, nursing his head.
Whatever was he supposed to do with two little love birds, caught in a spider's web.
0000
"Oh, the calcification has worn off," Rilo commented.
They stood, waiting in Jeanie's foyer. They'd been about to leave, when Jeanie had almost had a heart attack that a piece of his new hero costume was missing. Hawks glanced at his scarred hands. New gloves—that was a good idea. His hands were getting a bit roughened up. Not that Rilo seemed to mind, if anything, she tended to like the texture.
Hawks looked back at her. Jeanie had done an extraordinary job in crafting her what was basically the equivalent of a heroes costume for a civilian. He'd have to remember to add a bit extra to the payment, just as thanks, for such an amazing piece of work.
"It won't stay activated all the time. It's only for emergencies. Nor do I want you to go pricking your fingers to activate it."
"Only for emergencies, got it." Her arms slipped out of the holes designed for them, and she gave a thumbs up.
"I found them." Jeanie came elegantly strolling down the stairs, poised and perfect as a runway model. He held out a pair of black gloves and Hawks took them. Jeanie called the outfit a prototype, and that was laughable. Nothing Jeanie did was ever half-arsed. It was either worthy of being worn outside, or it wasn't. Jeanie wouldn't ever let him walk out the front door in something that wasn't ready for the public to behold. It was a prototype in the sense that it was the first to be worn.
"Thanks." Hawks tugged on the gloves.
"And these are for you, dear." Jeanie passed over another pair of gloves to Rilo. "Your markings are very distinct. Let's not have them seen in any photography, shall we."
"Oh…yes, of course." Rilo quickly pulled on the white silk gloves. Hawks arched an eyebrow at Jeanie.
"Thanks," he murmured. He hadn't thought of that one, but, as usual, Jeanie had covered for him.
Jeanie smiled. "Now, let's go to the mall, shall we."
Hawks groaned inwardly. He didn't see why he had to endure this, when it was obvious Jeanie had already made him an entire new wardrobe of clothes, and had shipped it all off to his agency a day ago because he was an arsehole.
Rilo grabbed his arm, pressing up against him as she bounced. She might have been covered in a veil, but that did not stop him from appreciating her habit of clinging to him.
"A Tokyo mall! Isn't this exciting!"
He breathed in deeply. He could do this. She was excited. He'd do it for her. He'd wanted to slow down and appreciate the time they had together, this was a part of that. Besides, he'd never really done anything mundane and boring like visiting a mall before. That was what normal people did, right?
He could totally do normal.
00
Okay. So, fitting into the mall wasn't so bad. He usually left patrolling such places to Bubbles, or the Twins, preferring to do the open streets himself. That's why sidekicks existed, to do the things he didn't want to do.
But this wasn't actually that bad.
Hawks stared up at the enormous glass dome that encompassed the vast shopping complex. He was very—very—very—tempted to just high-tail it off the top floor where they stood and glide through the dome. His wings twitched with irritation that he wasn't supposed to do so, but it was really just asking for an aviator like himself to circle around happily. If they didn't allow flying in public spaces, or in cities at all, then at least they could have commercialized it. There would have been dozens of young aviation quirk users he knew in Fukuoka who'd have travelled to a place like this, forked out a few bucks, just to fly around.
"Okay, but, why is there a tree?" He pointed to the tree in the middle of what he presumed was some sort of general meal area on the lowest level far below them. It was a huge tree, that loomed over almost the entire complex.
Jeanie laughed. "That is the Ancient One. A tree that has existed since before the First Upheaval. This entire structure was built around it."
"It's a tree in the middle of a giant shopping complex."
"No, it is a blessed and holy god." Jeanie shook his head.
"Ah, ah." Hawks arched an eyebrow.
"You have your beloved Fukuoka Tower, Hawks."
Hm, he supposed that was true enough. Spirits dwelt amongst the most ancient of their structures, he couldn't put it past a tree being that old either.
"How has it survived in this concreate and glass monstrosity?"
"Earth quirk users, and organic manipulators." Jeanie offered. "They're employed to look after it. There has been a bit of a resurgence in seeking to commune with nature here in Tokyo."
Hawks bent towards Rilo. "So, what do you think, love?"
From the feather tucked into her bra, he could already tell she was brimming with happiness. He might not have been able to clearly see the way her cheeks lit up and her eyes sparkled but having her behind the veil only heightened the sense aspect of his quirk and that—well—that made life interesting in an entirely different way. It was like his wings could pick up pulsing current of her quirk, heightening the core organic mechanisms that drove his quirk. Reciprocal flow, right?
"It's amazing." She gushed. "Oh, I could live here."
"Yeah, ah, no. We're not living in a mall."
"On top of a mall?"
"No."
"Next to a mall?
"No."
"You want to live on a mountain side, in the middle of nowhere, don't you?"
"Pretty much."
She giggled. "Fine, but you're flying me into a city whenever I want."
"Always, babe. I'll fly you wherever you want."
Jeanie gave a long-suffering sigh. "I feel like I am escorting teenagers."
"Oh shut up." Hawks kicked him in the shin. "You old rag."
"Did you actually just call me an old rag."
"Yes, I did."
Jeanie held out a hand and Hawks yelped as he was dragged backwards. "For that, Hawks, we're going to my favourite store, and you're going to try on the jeans."
"Rilo. Save me."
"No, I kind of want to see this." Rilo bounced along behind, the veil making her look like a glowing mushroom.
"I hate you both, and I will never forgive you."
Thankfully, he didn't have to suffer under the affliction of Jeanie's torture methods, as a group of fans accosted his friend as soon as they got near enough to his said 'favourite store.'
Thus, he and Rilo slipped rather easily into another shop, leaving poor Jeanie to deal with all the attention.
"You're so mean, leaving him all alone." Rilo fussed.
"What, no, not at all. He thrives off the attention. He's number three for a reason."
"Someday that'll be you."
Hawks laughed as they weaved through the aisles. "Your faith in me is endearing—"
"Oh! All-Might merch."
And—he lost her. He watched her vanish through several rows of clothing. It took him a moment to focus on what she'd seen, his gaze sharpening on the racks of hero merch at the other end of the shop.
"Wow…" he murmured. "Okay. So…that's what merch looks like."
He walked idly through the aisles, taking in the incredible assortment of stuff, and it was a little overwhelming. He reached for an Endeavour lunchbox, and his chest clenched tight.
Gods—he would have given anything for something like this when he'd been a boy. He hesitantly flicked his gaze around the collection of items. He'd been lucky his mother had brought him his little Endeavour toy on one of their sporadic trips to a convenient store, it had been the only kind thing she'd done, really. The price of it probably could have gone towards instant noodles that'd have lasted at least a few days.
Rilo sided up to him.
"You alright?"
"Contemplating our hedonistic society."
"Would you like to participate in this hedonistic society by purchasing the lunchbox?" she asked.
"Don't see the appeal, really." He lied.
Her hand brushed his cheek and he leant into it, closing his eyes for a moment.
"It's okay," she whispered, her head resting on his shoulder. "You're allowed to grieve for that little boy, Keigo."
"I know." He murmured.
"And he's allowed to be happy." She took the lunchbox, adding it to her pile.
"Whoa, whoa, no."
"What, the lunchbox is cute. We're getting it."
"That's not the problem. You don't have Endeavour merch in there, do you?" He peered over her shoulder at her basket.
He heard her giggle. "Don't worry. I won't wear Endeavour merch. That'd be weird."
Not any weirder than wearing All-Might merch, but it would make him more uncomfortable seeing her in anything Endeavour related. She gripped his chin, giving it a wiggle. "You're a goose."
"Oh, I know."
"Do you notice something?" She spread her hands suggestively.
"What?"
"You don't have any merch."
He rolled his eyes dramatically. They were going to start down this rabbit hole again.
"Well. No…" he flicked his gaze around the shop, narrowing his focus on something in the distance. "But there are those." He pointed.
Rilo tipped around him. "Oh my gosh, Hawks!" Her hand pressed against his chest as she leant into him. "I am not buying those, that is way too embarrassing."
"Oh, okay, I will then." He turned, throwing her a grin over his shoulder as he held out his hand. "Give me your All-Might things, come on, fork them over."
He'd admit, he was extremely frugal with his money, something Hizashi had said was most likely a result of his childhood. However, there was considerable enjoyment to be found in providing for those he cared for, to see their smiles, and sense their happiness. While the Commission had forged him into a weapon, and while they did own his life, he did value that he at least lived comfortably—and could help other's live comfortably. It wasn't much, for all the bloodshed, but it was something.
She hesitantly passed him the basket. "I…I added something for Izuku too."
"Of course you did." He tweaked her nose. He took the basket, appreciating she always did consider flight restrictions. He paused when she latched onto his jacket to halt him.
"Wait, you don't know my size," she whispered.
He glanced back at her, raising his eyebrows playfully. "Would you like me to elaborate on how just how specific my senses can get, especially when focused entirely on one single individual?"
Especially—he'd now discovered—during sex. Previously he'd only been able to guess how his sense quirk would react to finding a partner. He hadn't expected it to hone in so fiercely that the whole goddamn fucking world faded away.
"You're really doing this, aren't you?" she squeaked.
"I am, and I very much look forward to you turning into a little ball of neon embarrassment about it when you put them on."
"This is payback for making you come to the mall, isn't it?"
"Oh, yes, it is." He headed off, straight in the direction of the bright red lingerie. Flicking idly through the sizes he found the correct one, throwing it into the basket.
Teasing Rilo was arguably to much fun, especially with the feather pendant always tracking her heart rate. He paused on his way to the counter, a thought accruing to him. What would he do if she made good on her threat to track him down at the police station. He'd just provided her with a veil that'd conceal her identity. He was pretty sure the police station was within an hour's radius of the powerplant.
"Shite," he mumbled. "She'd totally do it too."
Could he get embarrassed—
Yes—
Actually, he'd been extremely embarrassed in front of Mt. Lady—but it hadn't been so much that she'd found out, it had more been that he'd made the mistake in the first place. He didn't like making silly mistakes, because it meant he was capable of making bigger ones. And then there was the amusing way that Rilo was under the hilarious impression that fucking her was somehow easy on his part. It wasn't.
Okay—no—that was wrong—
It was very easy—
But the actual act of doing half the things they wanted to do together took a considerable amount of infallibleness and brazenness on his part. This had resulted in a lot of laughter, but they were improving as they genuinely learnt to just relax no matter how something ended up. Though, he doubted Rilo would ever stop being a pink neon ball. And to be honest, he really did love that about her.
He tussled a hand through his hair, approaching the counter, throwing on his hero smile as he slapped down the basket. "Good afternoon."
"Good afternoon," came the mumbled reply.
The young woman didn't quite look up from scanning the barcodes, so he lazily leant on the counter, kicking his leg back and forth. She finally looked up from the screen as she held out the bag. It was always funny to see different reactions in different people, especially if they weren't expecting to see a hero in front of them.
"Wait…" the young woman blinked at him, startled enough that her chameleon skin blended in with the board behind her. "You're Hawks."
"Well spotted." He smiled, pressing his phone against the payment system. "I am, indeed, Hawks."
"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry!"
"Nothing to apologise for."
Her forked tongue flickered. "Ah…could I…" She was fiddling with her phone.
"It's fine." He bounced onto the counter and swung over it, landing beside her. Her smile grew wide as he took her phone, holding it out for the selfie. He flipped it back into her hands and she clutched it tightly.
"Thank you." She beamed.
"No problem." He swung back over the counter. "Congrads, you're the first person to get a photo of me in my new costume."
"Really?"
He collected his bag from her. "Yep."
"Oh, I guess that explains why I didn't recognise you." She assured herself.
"Would have thought the giant red wings were a bit of a giveaway."
She shook her head. "I see a lot of different people, that, and there was nothing on Heroes Today about you being in Tokyo."
Heroes Today—right—that was one of the hero spotting websites he worked rather hard to avoid.
"It is always fun to be a step ahead." He smiled, giving a motion to the shop. "Otherwise, this would impossible, and you and I wouldn't be able to have this lovely chat." The best way to connect to fans was always in the idle moments, the mundane pauses of life, when little nuggets of truth and lies could be shared. People felt connected and relaxed when listened too, which made them so much more willing to not mess with his privacy.
"Totally made my week." The cashier hugged her phone.
"And that makes me happy." He smiled.
He glanced around, not spotting Rilo anywhere.
"Ah fuck, where did she go." He focused on her feather. Well, at least she was still in the shop.
"Oh, you mean the lady in the veil? She's still in the merch section." The cashier pointed.
Hawks shook his head. "She's insatiable."
"I saw her duck down a moment ago." The young woman offered. "I'm going to presume the lingerie is for her."
Hawks tapped the counter, grinning. "Well, technically, yes, it is, but you could say it's actually for me. I suppose it depends on how you look at it, really."
The young woman laughed. "Does this mean you're off the market?" She made quotation marks with her long fingers.
"Afraid so." He winked. "Haven't gone public yet, so…" he waved a hand back and forth.
"Oh, right. I won't post about it online."
And there it was. He'd won this battle.
"Appreciate it." He kicked off the counter, throwing her a charming smile. "Have a good afternoon."
0000
Rilo ran her hands over the assortments of shirts. She loved it, being surrounded by the aisles of hero merch. Sure—it was ridiculous commercialism around a broken system that Keigo was ensnared in, but—she couldn't help feeling so safe when surrounded by the walls of stuff that symbolized the heroes of their society.
Their gods.
Gods of a new age.
Her chest fluttered. She raised a hand to the feather beneath her shirt.
The way Keigo had haltered in his steps at the sight of the Endeavour lunchbox had broken her heart. He could have crumbled into pieces while holding it. The fragile little boy tucked away inside just wanted a lunchbox.
She sighed. Maybe that was the problem he had with his own hero merchandise, he was reluctant to make that step, because of the deeper meaning behind it. Her gaze shifted around her once more. It wasn't just clothing, it was bags, and helmets, and skateboards, and water bottles, towels, and all sorts of knickknacks—anything that could be labelled, was labelled.
She picked at a price tag. It was all rather expensive now that she thought about it. Jeanie had taken them to a very high-end mall, in a high-end part of town. This wasn't Keigo's natural environment at all. He grabbed meals at the local corner store. He sat at bus stops with old ladies. He spent evenings hanging out at different izakayas, discussing life with salarymen. He waited patiently with sick kids, sometimes for hours, while they pieced together their broken lives. He dragged delinquents back to their homes in the late hours of the night, knowing almost all the teenage local hangouts in all Fukuoka. Most importantly, he knew almost every coffee shop owner, and employer, in all Fukuoka by name. It was an enormous amount of information, and yet somehow, he kept it all stored away, to bring back out with a bright smile when it was needed.
Hawks may have been a man of the sky, but he was a hero of the streets, of the shadowy corners and lonely dark alleys. Fukuoka was safe, because he listened.
Rilo stumbled.
"Oh gosh."
She clutched at her chest, looking down at the tiny hand that was gripping a tassel of her veil. It snuck back into the clothing rack, and she caught a soft whimper.
Slowly, she crouched and peered between the Red Riot t-shirts.
"Hey there, sweetie, are you okay?" Tucked tightly against the back wall, behind all the clothes, was a little boy, perhaps four—or five—it was hard to tell at that age. His little head of bubble gum pink hair gave a shake in a negative.
"Oh, are you lost?" Rilo pushed back the clothes, trying to get better access.
"Hey, babe, did you lose something?"
Rilo looked up at Keigo as he stood behind her, holding a shopping bag. Indicating he had paid for the salacious items, and hopefully her All-Might merch. She had no idea how he conducted himself with such ease, so effortlessly walking up to that cashier and buying a bright red pair of extremely obvious lingerie. What would the cashier have thought, or said? Did he just lull people with his natural charm, to the point that he was capable of getting away with practically anything.
"I didn't lose something, someone else did, I think." She curled a finger.
His brow lifted curiously and he crouched down to join her.
"Oh." His charming smile was immediate, as was the switch into hero mode. Actually, she was sure this was the first time she was even seeing it. She usually saw the reserve, of him flipping out of hero mode and into a far more relaxed state around her.
"Hey there, bubble-gum." He pushed the clothes even further apart and tipped his head. "Do you know who I am?"
The boy nodded. "You're Hawks, the Wing Hero."
"Okay. Good. That's good." Hawks looked relieved. "What's your name, bubble-gum?"
The boy shuffled. "Mochi Ashido."
Rilo felt herself melt. Mochi. Oh, that was so cute.
Hawks glanced around. "Alright, Mochi, what'cha doing down here, all tucked away like a sweet bun?"
"Hiding," the boy whispered.
"Really?" Hawks glanced to Rilo. He flipped a wing around them, hemming them all in. He bent in closer, playfully huddling up. "What are we all hiding from?"
"My sister." Mochi murmured, rubbing at his eyes. "She said I was annoying her and her friends, so I had to go away."
"Ah. I see. You reckon you've been hiding for a while?" Hawks asked.
"Ages and ages."
"Then I think your sister is probably very worried."
"She hates me."
"Now, now, hate is a very strong word, let's not use that type of language on family." Hawks held out his hands. "Come on, time to stop hiding. Let's go find your sister. I have a feeling she's deeply regretting her actions right about now."
Slowly Mochi climbed out from between the shirts, cuddling into Hawks' arms. Hawks stood, nursing the boy against a hip. He held out a hand to Rilo, aiding her back onto her feet.
"Who is she?" Mochi asked. "I thought she was a jellyfish."
"Jellyfish?" Hawks' brow lifted. "Oh, yeah, you know, you do kind of look like a jellyfish."
Rilo spread her veil, giving a spin. "I'll own that."
"Is she a hero too?" Mochi asked.
Hawks shook his head. "Nope. She is my wife. She's super pretty."
They weren't married, but she doubted in a world of corrupt bureaucracy, that he was going to care about papers. Papers were probably the last thing Keigo cared about. She didn't. No, he said things. He spoke things into existence, like a god in old stories.
"Its that why she's covered up?"
"What, cause she's pretty?" Hawks laughed. "Bubble-gum, all girls are pretty."
He gasped. "You can't say that in front of her. She'll get upset. My sister gets really upset at my big brother for calling her ugly."
"Then your big brother needs to learn manners." Hawks looked to Rilo. "Babe, are all girls pretty?"
"Yes, we are." Rilo assured. "Extremely pretty."
"See, she agrees. All girls are pretty."
"But why is she covered up?" The boy wrinkled his nose.
Rilo carefully folded the veil back enough to reveal her glowing face. She noticed Hawks' wing lifting slightly to shield them, probably from a camera somewhere in the shop.
"We're on a super-secret mission." She whispered conspiratorially. "No one can know who I am. Exciting, yes."
The boy's eyes widened. He looked up at Hawks with a beaming smile. "Hero stuff!"
"Hero stuff." He bounced Mochi playfully. "Come on, bubble-gum. Let's go hunt down your sister."
Hawks held out his hand and Rilo stared at it for a moment.
"Hope you're ready for this," he murmured into her ear. "Cause there will be cameras."
Right. Spy mode had to be activated. She could totally do this.
She slipped her hand into his. His grip tightened with all the affirmation she'd come to expect from his touches. He led them through the shop, heading back to the young cashier at the counter.
"Bubble-gum here has been hiding in the merch section. You wouldn't happen to remember when his sister and her friends came in, would you?" he asked the girl.
The boy tucked himself away into Hawks' shoulder.
"Oh my gosh…" the young woman breathed in sharpy. "Um, yes, of course. Ah…that was…maybe about forty minutes ago." She glanced at her phone. "I remember because I took my break."
"Okay. That helps. Thanks."
Rilo threw her a quick wave of thanks as they left the store, re-entering the larger mall. Hawks' wings stretched wider in an unconscious movement as they freed up from the confines of the tighter aisles. He glanced around briefly, his eyes sharpening as he accessed their surroundings. She heard him click his tongue in annoyance.
"Can't see her?" she asked.
"No, she's not anywhere on this level. Though, I am presuming she's got a similar quirk manifestation…" Hawks looked down at the boy. "Does your sister's quirk look like yours?"
"She's pink, like me." The boy held up his hands. "She has horns too, and she can ooze out acid from her feet and hands."
Hawks made a face. "And here I just recovered from my last acid quirk user."
"Forty minutes is a long time to not find your little brother." Rilo worried.
"Well, she's either negligent and has forgotten, or she's in a right old panic and now greatly regrets her words. These are the things that grow us." Hawks shrugged.
Jeanie was signing a few autographs when they approached him. He arched an eyebrow at them.
"Lost child?"
Hawks nodded. "Where is the security desk in this place?"
"Come along, this way." Jeanie smoothly waved, falling in line with them. He engaged the boy in conversation and Rilo watched curiously, surprised at how easily the two men kept the child at ease, and entertained. They'd both obviously done something similar before.
They came to the first set of escalators leading down to the second level. Hawks looked at the escalators with a dismissive glance.
"Which level, Jeanie?" Hawks asked.
"Bottom floor."
"Yeah, okay." Hawks released her hand. "Mochi and I are going to take the express way." Hawks headed for the top story railing.
"Hawks." Jeanie sighed.
"Not going on the escalator, Jeanie." He vaulted over the side of the glass railing without another word. Rilo glanced to Jeanie.
"Okay, what was that about?" She huffed.
"He got his wings caught in one once. It wasn't pleasant." Jeanie offered his hand to her as they stepped on the escalator, heading down. "Yes, he can detach his feathers to get himself free, but those feathers still feel pain."
Rilo nodded, staring down at the moving stairs.
"I'd have rather likened it to having a limb being crushed." Jeanie winced. "How we have come so far, and yet, there are whole subsets of quirks who find themselves completely isolated from society…like a forgotten shirt, tucked away in the back of a drawer."
Her skin crawled.
She was a subset of a particular quirk category, wasn't she—and she'd definitely been isolated from society. If Hawks had never come along—
If he'd never caught her—
She clutched at her chest—
It hurt.
It hurt so much, the thought that she might never have known Keigo, if fate had taken them both along different paths.
Jeanie's arm wrapped around her shoulder as they stepped off the last of the escalators into the bustling food court spread out amongst the magnificent roots of the Ancient One. Hawks waited for them, bouncing Mochi up and down playfully, though she could feel his attention was divided.
As if sensing Hawks' gaze, Jeanie's arm slipped off her shoulders. She caught the smallest of smirks from the pro hero beside her. Oh—he'd done it on purpose. He was purposely riling Hawks' feathers. She had to wonder if it was payback for how they'd arrived at the agency.
"Did you see the sister anywhere on your way down?" Jeanie asked.
"Surprisingly, no." Hawks frowned.
"She's forgotten about me." Mochi began to sob. "Now I'll never be able to go home, ever again."
"Now, now, bubble-gum, for all we know she could be running around this entire mall crying about losing you."
Hawks took Rilo's hand again. Now she could feel them, the eyes of hundreds of people within the food court, watching. She wouldn't have said it was malicious, but it was disconcerting to have so many observers studying her every move.
"How do you do this?" she whispered.
It was Jeanie who answered. "You do get used to it over time. It is why presentation matters for a hero."
"He does this." Hawks rolled his eyes. "Goes into these boring lectures about how the jeans make the man."
"You'll never move up the hero ranking if you don't listen to me, Hawks."
"I listen." Hawks' hand around hers tightened. "Otherwise, we wouldn't be here, would we?"
Jeanie chuckled. "True I suppose."
The security desk was at the base of the mammoth tree, seemingly integrated into the protective wall that surrounded the ancient behemoth. Jeanie waved to one of the security guards upon approach.
"Good afternoon, Riku."
"Best Jeanist!" The security guard's demeanour brightened. "Wait, is that Hawks?"
Hawks released Rilo's hand, giving a wave. "Yo."
"Didn't know you two were teaming up again." The guard leant on the desk, his long tail wagging happily.
Jeanie shook his head. "Oh, no, he's just here for a weekend getaway."
Rilo felt the man's eyes settle briefly on her. She inched closer to Hawks.
Jeanie pointed to Mochi. "We've got a code eight, level one. Do you mind if I use the intercom system."
Riku pulled out a microphone from behind the desk. "Not a problem."
Best Jeanist turned to Mochi. "What's your sisters name?"
"Mina Ashido." Mochi lifted his head off Hawks' chest.
Jeanie picked up the microphone, speaking into it. "Hello, folks, this is Best Jeanist. My deepest apologises for disturbing your Saturday afternoon, but I would be very grateful if a Mina Ashido could report to the security desk, we've located her little brother. Thank you."
Jeanie handed the microphone back to the security guard, thanking him.
"So, what do we do now?" Rilo asked.
"We wait." Hawks shrugged. "Hopefully she comes. If she doesn't, we upgrade the situation to a level two."
Oh—
Situations had levels.
She really didn't know anything about his job. Rilo sulked behind her veil.
Hawks tilted his head at her, his eyes focusing into small black dots. "Hey, what's that look for, babe?"
"How do you know I have a look?" She froze. "Can you see me behind this?"
Hawks' brow lifted. "You're a bit fuzzy, which is throwing me off, since my eyesight is impeccable, but yes, I can."
"What if others with a similar quirk can see through the veil too?"
"That's why I had Jeanie use my feathers, so only I can see through it."
"Oh." She fiddled with the veil.
Mochi lifted his head away from Hawks' jacket. "Is it soft too?" he asked.
Rilo picked up a tassel of the veil and flipped it around Mochi playfully. "Yep, very soft, just like all his feathers are puffy and cute."
"Do not call my feathers cute."
"Super cute." Rilo squished Mochi's cheeks. "Like your cheeks."
Mochi giggled. He huddled closer to Hawks, whispering something in his ear. Hawks smiled.
"Okay, I promise," he assured.
Whatever had that been about—
"Mochi!" A young girl's voice called out.
Hawks' attention shifted, as did Jeanie's. Through the food court, a blur of pink was running, dodging patrons trying to find tables and seats. She looked in a right state, her face blotchy and red, and her eyes puffy from tears. Following the girl came several of her friends, looking just as anxious.
"Well, they're obviously related." Hawks commented drily as the girl skidded up to them. Her eyes were black, which stood out starkly against her pretty pink features and bubble-gum hair.
"Oh my gosh, Mochi. We've been looking everywhere for you." She sobbed. "I thought I was going to have call Mum and Dad."
"You said you hated me, and that you wanted me to go away forever." Mochi hid himself away in Hawks' jacket.
"I didn't mean it!" Mina covered her face.
Jeanie crouched down, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Of course you didn't, we all say things in the heat of the moment that we come to deeply regret. Even us adults, and even us heroes, are known to unravel at times."
Hawks sat down on the tiled floor, as if it was the most normal thing to do. Rilo hesitated before quickly joining him. She was not about to just stand there being extremely awkward. One of his wings folded ever so gently around her and she breathed in. Despite his focus being on Mochi, he was still wholly aware she was there.
"Come on, Mochi." Hawks worked the boy's arms away from around his neck.
"No. I don't want too." Mochi clung tighter. "She'll leave me alone again."
Mina sat down. "No, no, I promise, Mochi. I promise I won't."
"But your friends—"
"They were so worried too. We've been running around everywhere, trying to find you. Mochi, it was so wrong of me to say those things. You're my precious little brother and I should protect you."
Mochi pouted. "I…I guess…I guess I was being a little annoying."
"That still doesn't mean I should have been mean." Mina held out her arms.
"I shouldn't have run away. I'm sorry." Mochi hugged her. Mina folded around him, her shoulders deflating in relief.
"I am just so glad you're safe." Mina squeezed his cheeks. "I think we all deserve some dango." She looked over at her two friends. "Agreed?"
Hawks took Rilo's hand, helping her stand. "That ended well." He breathed out.
Jeanie came to stand beside them. "I'll contact the parents tonight, make sure all the loose ends are tied up."
"Thanks, Jeanie." Hawks looked down as Mochi suddenly barrelled into his legs, hugging him tightly. "Hello, bubble-gum, what happened about going to get dango?"
Mochi looked up. "Will I ever see you again?"
Hawks slowly crouched down and Rilo breathed in deeply as the little boy huddled in closer. Hawks gently settled a hand on the boy's head. "You only ever need to look at the sky, yeah. That's where I'll be."