Chapter Twenty: Family

Yagi stared at the text message on his phone in growing alarm. It was some awful hour of the night, and he was just contemplating perhaps going to bed, and suddenly, the message had popped up.

He ran from his small apartments living room, knocking open the door and swiftly jogging down the stairs. Hawks did not just randomly show up anywhere. He had purpose and reason to the things he did—

Unless—

This wasn't good. Yagi clutched his mobile tighter.

Things had certainly been escalating for the young hero, the past week had shown him that. Inko was still fretting about the young couple's combined health. He'd had to insist that no, she could not fly to Fukuoka to take care of Rilo.

At least, not yet.

He hadn't filed all the correct paperwork in all the correct places, nor had he even approached Hawks to ask if he was comfortable with the entire plan. The boy was playing along with things at the moment, but that's because he was so natural at pretending to be that which he wasn't. The wonderful thing was, when they sat around the tiny table in the Midoriya apartment, sharing meals, Hawks didn't seem to be faking any of his warmth and open happiness. It was entirely possible that he was being genuine, and in that genuineness, he revealed the raw truth—he just wanted a family.

"Oh, please…" Yagi jogged towards the gardens of the apartment block. "Don't let me have been too late to have saved them."

Walking through the parkland, Yagi halted beneath the dim glow of a light, searching the trees. Despite how conspicuous his wings made him, Hawks had an incredible skill of blending into the shadows. Yagi had a feeling it was likely linked to the young man's sense quirk. Such a terrifying combination, flight, speed and sense. If everything within him wasn't urging him to pass on One For All to young Midoriya, Hawks would have been an incredible successor.

"Hawks."

The shadows around a tree trunk shifted, wings unfurled slowly and the young man emerged in a painful stagger.

"Dad."

Yagi caught him and was forced to step back at the weight, a momentary, painful reminder that he was in his gaunt form. Still, it wasn't as though he was weak. He steadied Hawks with an arm around his waist.

"It's alright, son. I've got you." Yagi glanced at the nearby park bench, gently urging him towards it. Hawks slumped down, curling into a ball.

"Has something happened?" Yagi sat down beside him, gently patting the spot between his wings in a slow, solid rhythm. That Hawks even permitted him to do so was probably the most telling gesture yet. No avian, especially not one of Hawks' calibre, would have allowed such a comforting touch to come from anyone they did not consider family.

"Hawks, you look awful."

"Sorry." Hawks rubbed at his eyes. Blood flaked off his trembling hands. "Just had a commission job. I usually…I usually don't see people afterwards, but I also…I can't go back, if I go back right now, I think I'll…I might break…I…"

Hawks tensed up. "Shite. I need to…" he searched his jacket in a sudden frantic movement, pulling out his mobile. "I need to call Rilo."

And then he just he stared at the mobile blankly.

"Hawks?" Yagi gently urged.

Hawks' wings ruffled.

"I can't."

"It's okay."

"No. She's alone, and I'm here, and I promised—"

"I will call her." Yagi urged. "Come up stairs. It's too cold out here. I have a couch, and you can crash on it."

"You got coffee?" Hawks tipped his head up. There was no clarity in his usually clear, vibrant eyes. It was a little alarming, confronting such an unfocused version of the young hero.

Yagi stood. "I have coffee."

That was like an allure, the promise of coffee.

Hawks made an attempt to stand, faltering several times before finally getting to his feet and expanding his wings. Yagi waited patiently for him to catch up. Hawks looked at the apartment block. "Which is yours?"

Yagi pointed to the furthest balcony, the only one with the light still on.

"I'll meet you there." Yagi offered. "Don't fall out of the sky, you're barely looking capable of lifting off."

Hawks shrugged. "I've been worse."

"Hm. That's not comforting, but I do understand." Yagi headed back up the stairs. By the time he reached his living room, Hawks was waiting at the balcony's sliding doors. Yagi let him in and the young man stood awkwardly in the middle of the small apartment.

Looking at him now, in better light, Yagi's heart sank even deeper.

He'd only met Madam President a few times over the years. If he was being frank, he'd never really thought much about the woman, which, looking back, had probably been her aim all along. She'd never have wanted to catch his ire.

Well, she certainly had it now.

For all his hero-career, she'd simply been the head of an organization that dealt with the frustrating fallouts between civilians and heroes, and helped with the management of licences and agencies.

Now—

Now he wished he'd looked deeper.

He wished he'd saved this boy—

Before—

Before a hideous monster, hidden behind a veil of goodwill and good-deeds, had drenched him in blood. It pained him that he hadn't been there, but he was now, and that would have to do.

"Are you hurt?" Yagi asked.

"Ah, oh—no, no—" Hawks glanced down at himself. "This is the hits blood. They never really get a chance to fight back."

He said it so nonchalantly. The hit. Who had it been this time that had caught the dissatisfaction of the Commission, enough to warrant a death sentence.

"Okay." Yagi gathered up a blanket, heading for the couch. "If you're not hurt, then you should rest."

"No, I need—"

"Hawks, we'll talk about it in the morning." Yagi threw the blanket over the couch. "I am going to insist that you lie down. You're exhausted."

Eyes narrowed at him. He didn't find it at all threatening. Indeed, it was a little endearing that the young man even thought that he was menacing.

"That won't work on me." Yagi pointed to the couch. "You're about as intimidating as a sparrow compared to the things I have confronted. So, lie down, and sleep. Now."

With all the aghast of a put-out toddler, Hawks stomped up to the couch and flung himself onto it, rolling into a ball of feathers.

"Fuck you, Dad."

Well—in all his years, he'd never thought he'd ever be so happy to hear such words.

Yagi smiled as he dimmed the lights. "I'm going to presume you meant; thank you."

A hand emerged from the ball of feathers, and a single index finger was shoved in his direction. Yagi shook his head as he slipped out into the corridor. He eased himself onto the floor, kneeling by the door. Closing his eyes he settled himself down for the long night. Sometimes being a hero simply meant sitting in the hallway, so someone knew they weren't entirely alone as they cried.

00000

Keigo slowly unfurled. He was stiff. Very stiff. Not to mention sore. His under armour dug into all the wrong places. It was rare that he slept in it, so, something must have happened to have made him collapse fully clothed.

Wait—

Wait a minute—

He shot up, coming fully awake in a burst of feathers.

"Shite."

"Good morning to you too, Hawks, though, it is more midmorning…if I'm being honest."

Keigo blinked at the sudden influx of sunlight streaming in through the balcony doors. He shaded his eyes, peering around the small, quant living room he'd collapsed in the night prior.

"Dad?"

Yagi stood in the kitchenette, working on a frying pan.

Keigo groaned, falling back onto the couch. "I hurt, everywhere."

"I sympathise, son, I really do. I would offer you a shower, but unfortunately, my bathroom is even smaller than the one in your current residence."

"Good thing you're not in your All-Might form all the time, heh." Keigo grumbled, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"It did make apartment hunting easier." Yagi held out a chop-stick, pointing to a pile of clothes on the couch. "Change out of your bloodied gear, and your armour. We'll head around to Inko's later. She said she'll wash everything for you."

Keigo winced. "She doesn't have too. Blood is very hard to—"

"Hawks, don't argue with me. If Inko says she will do something, she will do it."

He curled up in a ball again. "Fine. Whatever."

"I called Rilo."

Hawks stiffened.

"I'm not going to lie, she's not doing well—"

He made to stand. "I should go—"

"Hawks."

He froze. That tone could probably have commanded armies once. There was no refuting it. No getting around it. No snarking back at it. Hawks sighed, dragging his hands through his hair.

"She doesn't blame you, son." Yagi offered gently. "She is just frightened for you, and, naturally, she is scared of being alone. I assured her that you are fine, and that if anything unbeknownst had happened to her, you'd had probably broken the sound barrier to get to her."

Keigo chuckled. "Probably."

"So…" Yagi tapped the edge of the frying pan with a chopstick. "Rest easy for a bit before you fly back, she has not been kidnapped overnight."

Keigo rubbed at his eyes. Sure, he could rest, but that didn't change that he now had to face everything Madam President had thrown at him yesterday.

"Hawks, get up, and get changed."

Keigo heaved himself up and started unclipping his armour. He winced as the plates peeled off. A bag of wipes was thrown at him and he used the damp cloths to carefully clean around wounds he hadn't known he had received.

"Apparently you were wounded." Yagi frowned at him.

"I guess so." Keigo murmured. "I mustn't have been in a good mental state."

Yagi arched an eyebrow. "Really. Who would have ever guessed."

"Oh, shut up." Cleaning himself off, Keigo pulled on the fresh pair of pants. He stared at the long-sleeved t-shirt for a while. Actually—why were the pants fitting him.

"Dad? Why do you have clothes for me here."

"When Rilo and Inko went shopping the other weekend, they picked up a few things. Inko likes to be prepared for anything, and I do mean anything. You think Izuku's habit of over preparation is bad…oh…you have no idea." Yagi heaved a sigh of defeat.

That certainly sounded like it had a story behind it.

Keigo slipped the shirt on. It wasn't one of Jeanie's designs. It was some other avian fashion label. He was pretty sure he'd seen Canary wearing the brand—maybe—

Ah well, it wasn't too bad. It'd do for now. He thumped over to the small table and slopped himself down into a seat as Yagi placed a plate of breakfast in front of him.

"Yay…protein." Keigo grumbled.

"Eat it." Yagi clapped him over the back of the head. "Or I won't take you to that chicken place later."

He didn't feel like eating. His appetite had been shrinking again, ever since he and Rilo had limited their time spent together. Just thinking about it irritated him, and spurred him into eating. If he didn't maintain some form of strength, he'd be useless for whatever storm hit them.

"I should ring Rilo…" he whispered at the half empty plate. That was probably as good as he was going to manage for now, hopefully it earned him chicken later on.

A coffee was set down beside him and he looked up at Yagi. "You do that, I'll be back in moment."

The elder hero left through the side door, sliding it shut, leaving him alone in the living room. He sighed, pulling out his mobile. A photo of them both flashed on the screen and he smiled at it.

Okay—

He could do this.

He selected the speed dial and set the mobile down, dropping his head between his arms as it rung.

"Keigo," she answered. "Are you alright?"

That was the first thing she said. Concern. Worry. Why had he thought she'd be angry—for some reason—last night, he was so sure she'd be angry at him.

His chest tightened, hearing the breathlessness in her voice.

"Keigo?"

"Sorry. Sorry." He laughed weakly. "My heads very fuzzy."

"Are you hurt?"

"Yeah. Well. No…" he rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "It's complicated. I'll explain when I get home, it really isn't a conversation for over the phone."

"Okay."

"I'm sorry I left you alone."

"You had a commission job, Keigo. I understand."

Honestly, he couldn't tell if she was putting on a brave front, or if he was the one who was off-kilter.

It was him.

Wasn't it?

He was emotionally compromised.

Was this what Madam had always warned him about—

No—

No he would never let anything she said echo in his mind.

Never.

He'd managed out in the real world all these years so far; he was capable of proving her wrong.

"Really, Keigo. I took the painkillers, and I went to bed. All-Might called early this morning to say you were down there, and that you were okay…you are okay, right? You're not just fobbing me off. You weren't staked through the gut or something so horrible you can't fly…oh…gosh…"

Suddenly, her voice altered. He smiled. Oh—there she was—she was back. No doubt she'd just hitched herself up in that awfully uncomfortable chair of hers that she sat herself in, wires hanging from her like she was some puppet.

He rubbed at the wound on his shoulder. "I'm fine, babe."

"Hm. Well, expect to be thoroughly examined when you get back."

"Looking forward to it."

"I don't mean it that way, you goose."

He chuckled. "I'll be back late this evening; I'll even buy our favourite dinner."

"I love you, Keigo. I probably don't say it enough."

"No. You do, babe. You do. I know. I love you too. I'll see you soon."

He flipped the mobile down, heaving a sigh as he scrunched his hands through his oily hair. "Shite."

"Everything alright?" Yagi eased back down in the seat opposite him, laying out a collection of files across the table. Keigo wearily looked up, rubbing his thumbs into his eyes until he saw little dancing dots.

"Depends, I suppose. We're alive. That's good."

"Let's start there, then, shall we." Yagi smiled his all-encompassing, all assuring smile.

"I have coffee." Keigo held up the mug. "Always helps." He flicked a finger at the files and papers. "So, what's all this?"

Yagi leant forward. "Well…after you sent me on that errand to collect information on the modification the Bureau installed in Rilo…I…may have gotten a little carried away."

Keigo cocked his head. "Er. Okay. Not offence…but…this looks more than a little carried away. This looks like me after a two week stake out and no sleep."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Yagi beamed at his work, only for the grin to drop away. "I found out something, and, frankly, Hawks, there isn't any easy way to talk about it—"

Keigo held up his hands, stalling Yagi. "If this is about the whole sterilization thing, and the production line, I know."

"You know?"

"Yeah, I found yesterday. The Madam dropped it on me as payment for the job I just did…whoa…whoa…wait…you're telling you knew?" Keigo breathed in deeply. "That's what you've not been telling me."

"Oh, Hawks. I'm so sorry."

Keigo thumped his head on the table, allowing all his limbs to go limp, along with his wings. "I give up. I hand in my credentials. I will retire."

"At least there is a part of you that is still capable of joking. They haven't beaten you yet, my boy."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Keigo peered up through his fringe at the elder hero.

Yagi folded his large hands. "Honestly…I've been waiting for a good time to speak to you about it, and one simply didn't come up. It's not exactly a topic you bring up in casual conversation."

"I suppose that's true. Not exactly dinner conversation material." Keigo grumbled. "Oh, by the way, your wife has an industrial mod-hancer that is designed to kill her, but will keep her alive just long enough so she can be raped, to produce more little generators, for our oblivious society."

"I wouldn't have put it quite like that—"

"No, no, that's how I'd put it." Keigo hissed. "So, now someone has to give me a really spectacular reason why I don't just turn nuclear, hunt down whoever is in charge of the Bureau, fucking stake the arsehole and start an Upheaval."

"Because Rilo will die."

Well—

That was a reason.

"Okay. I'm listening." Keigo sat back, folding his arms.

Yagi shifted through the print outs in front of him. "It's been very difficult, finding anything out about the Bureau, so, I decide to call in a few favours."

"Favours?"

Yagi shrugged. "When you get to my age in this industry, you know a lot of people. I was appalled to discover that this hidden electrical grid has been an openly known secret amongst the upper echelons of society for a very long time."

Keigo clicked his tongue. "Why am I not surprised."

"Well, you wouldn't be." Yagi sighed despondently. "Unfortunately, I had a little more faith in our society."

"Sorry to have brought it crashing down around you."

"Nothing much surprises me these days, Hawks." Yagi rubbed the back of his neck. "I simply find myself becoming more disappointed and disillusioned as time goes on."

Kegio rubbed the rim of the coffee mug in front of him, staring down at the liquid within, murky—murky like the waters they were trying to tread through. A weighted bog that would eventually drag down every hero, drowning them in despair.

Would bright, hopeful Izuku even survive, if All-Might—their Symbol of Peace—felt disappointed and disillusioned?

Yagi leant on his folded hands. "Rilo's modification is unlike anything anyone has seen, and I have asked several modification experts for advice, even one I know from America."

Wow—

Wow—he was all in on this—

What was this odd feeling—

Was this relief—

Keigo squinted. He rubbed at his blurry, watery eyes.

"And I realise we are running out of time, Hawks, so I apologize that it has taken me so long to approach you—"

"It's okay." Keigo lifted a hand, waving quickly. "I know someone who can remove it."

"You do?" Yagi sat up.

"Wow. Our communication needs to improve considerably, Hizashi would be devastated at us," Keigo jibbed.

"Yes, he would be rather disappointed." Yagi chuckled.

Right, so, this was a moment when he had to be open, and honest, and trusting with information on people he usually never shared about. "Floral…she's…she's a woman I know. Best Jeanist and I work with her sometimes to help remove mod-hancers from kids who can't afford official procedures. She is a nervemancer."

"Well, that is rare," Yagi murmured.

Keigo winced. "She's not actually registered."

"Best Jeanist let this slide?"

"Yeah." Hawks shrugged. "You'd be surprised how helpful having people in the underground are. Especially un-registered folk, they can move around so much easier than we heroes can."

"You do realise that practically makes them—"

"Villains." Keigo quipped.

"Yes."

"There is an entire underbelly of people who are so poor they cannot afford quirk registration. I was that class, Yagi." Keigo held out his hands. "The only reason I am where I am today, is because my mother tried to go into a homeless shelter, and to do so, I had to get registered…"

"And therefore, your quirk became known to the Commission." Yagi sunk back in his chair and it creaked in protest. "That's how they found you." He grumbled, as if a great mystery he'd been trying to unravelled had suddenly been solved.

"Yep. Otherwise, I'd probably be a smartarse, streetwise little shite of a villain you'd be dealing with right now."

"Who says I'm not dealing with that." Yagi scoffed fondly.

"Haha, fuck you." Keigo kicked him under the table.

"Do you truly believe your friend, this…nervemancer…will come through and remove the mod?"

Keigo sighed. He reached behind his back, tugging gently on the chain hanging between his wings. "Floral and her husband, Bucket, are fence sitters."

Yagi frowned. "I don't understand."

"They help people who need help, but they don't discriminate in that help. If a villain seeks treatment from them, they will receive it, and equally, if a hero seeks aid, they will also receive it."

"Hm."

"I trust them, however, I know they'll be putting a lot on the line to help me. It may be the last time I see them. We heroes, we tend to attract the limelight, and the limelight is a terrible thing for those seeking to hide from the register."

"I presume nervemancer is the reason you're no longer seeing Recovery Girl."

"Yeah." Keigo glanced aside. "It's not that Recovery Girl's treatments weren't working, it's that if we continued, the mod would become more difficult to remove, and Rilo would die anyway…so…"

He dragged his hands through his hair.

"And then the president just confirms forced breeding at me like she's tossing a ball, and apparently, my training on reigning my emotions just took a holiday."

"You could walk away."

Keigo jerked his head up, glaring at Yagi. "What the fuck did you just say?"

"Alright." Yagi leant back. "Apparently you're all in."

"Of course I'm all in." He slammed his hands down as he stood, the wing link felt hot on the skin of his back. That was an illusion. It was just because it was there—on his back—and he was pissed. "Don't fucking test me. I am not in the mood."

Yagi held up his hands in a calming motion, waving him back down. "I need to be sure, Hawks. I don't want you flying away halfway through this and leaving me with a mess I won't be able to clean up."

"What…"

"Inko and I started talking."

"Well that's dangerous." Keigo sarcastically drawled. "Old people, talking."

He was given kick under the table, that despite Yagi's gangly form, had considerable more force to it than the average kick. Keigo winced. That was going to bruise for sure.

"Respect your elders, Hawks."

"Ah, I've thought about it, and I've decided, no."

Yagi sighed. "I bless you with children that will cause you considerable agony."

"Thank you." Keigo's smile was watery.

Yagi shook his head. "Hawks…I know this seems enormously overwhelming, right now, but we're going to work through it, piece by piece."

"I've tried…Dad…" Keigo shook his head. "I've tried so many different scenarios in my head, and I can't find a solution. How do I stop something that is so engrained in the very structure of our society. You can't just…turn off the electricity." He looked around the apartment. "It's everything and everywhere."

"Then, for now, forget trying to take down the Bureau, let's just remove a cog."

"But what about all the other cogs?"

"One cog at a time, Hawks."

"But I don't even know how to remove one cog." Imploringly, Keigo shifted forward. "The moment I do, it will trigger a chain reaction, and I haven't got a plan to counter that. I can't take on the Bureau, and The Madam will not back me up. When I was sixteen, I walked out of my cell and told her I was going to make it on my own."

He breathed in deeply.

"She said I'd never do it, that I was incapable of assimilating into mundane, average society, that I would always be lying, and faking who I am…forever…" he rubbed at his stinging eyes. They felt sore, his cheeks felt hot, and he felt ridiculously stupid for admitting such things to All-Might.

"So what if you are, Hawks," Yagi countered.

Keigo looked up, frowning.

Yagi gestured to the spring day outside. "So what, that, if to make it out there, beyond the walls of the Commission, you must wear a costume, and fake a smile, and lie…every hero is lying in some way or another, some more than others. You are doing nothing more than surviving, and I cannot begin to tell you how proud I am that you made it to this point."

Keigo brushed at his tears.

Why did it hurt so much—actual—physical pain—in his chest—to hear someone, no not just someone—to hear All-Might—say those words.

"What is important, is that when you are with us, you feel safe enough to relax, and I know you've been letting that happen."

"But it doesn't matter, does it." Keigo shrugged. "It doesn't help in removing a cog from a machine, in fact, it makes it worse…I am emotionally invested, and it is, frankly, shite to feel…well…"

He closed his eyes. It was there, that faint, cool touch of metal strung around his wing junctions, and dripping down his spine. Oh—Rilo—of all the things, she'd gone for wing links—

The most impossible thing to ignore.

She'd practically gifted him a near constant reminder of her existence.

Well—

She'd played him at his own game, he supposed, and that's why he loved her.

"No…" he breathed out. "It's wonderful, being a part of something so special, that I never thought someone like me would ever get to have, and I'm so scared of losing it. I'm so scared, that I actually…I can't think of anything to do." He looked straight up at Yagi. "And I've never, ever, been in a situation like this before. I've never been scared."

"I had a feeling this was the case, so, I am glad I took the initiative." Yagi stood, heading slowly towards a small bookcase.

Rilo had made an idle comment a while ago about how the man's apartment was lacking in furniture, that he didn't seem to live on much at all, but looking around—that wasn't what Keigo saw at all.

Everything was deliberate, and with purpose. The furniture demanded its space with blunt corners and proud edges. The kitchenette was alarmingly scarce for a man who lived alone, that was, until Kegio noted one of Inko's tea towels on the countertop.

Well—

At least Yagi was getting food some somewhere other than a convenience store, that was a step up from him and Rilo.

"Oh, here it is." Yagi tugged out a very old book. He made his way back to the table and eased down. It was amusing how the gaunt man moved, always seeming to take up more space than he actually did. It must have been difficult, losing the piece of himself that was All-Might.

Keigo squinted at the leather-bound book. It was ancient. Pre-quirk by all appearances.

"Ah..." He took it carefully, his wings rippling in delight at the feeling of such old leather. "Dad, this thing would be worth a small fortune on the black market."

Yagi nodded. "Yes, yes it would be."

"You don't even have it in a case, or anything…I should be wearing gloves." Keigo finished with a whisper.

Yagi snorted amusement. "You can keep it if you want. Though, you may struggle to read it. The English is very old."

Keigo scoffed. "I can read English."

Yagi shook his head, reaching out to tap the book. "This is old English."

"How old?"

"Several thousand years, at least."

"You're fucking with me."

"I am not."

"Where did you get this?" Keigo flipped through the delicate yellowed pages.

"I have collected many artifacts over the years of my travels around the world. Sometimes, when you save people, they'll gift you with the most fascinating things." Yagi clasped his hands together, smiling in fond recollection.

"What is it?" Keigo squinted at the faded, gold embossed title.

"It's called Romo and Juliet." Yagi took the book from him. "I was told that it was a stage play, once performed in an open theatre, many, many thousands of years ago."

"Explains the weird arse English."

Yagi nodded.

"The basic—and I do mean basic—premise of the story is a tale of two warring families, who bitterly hate each other. One family has a son, the other family have a daughter, and they fall madly in love." Yagi dipped his head to one side. "Alas, due to their families' indifferences, they can never be married, so…they decide to commit suicide together, and through their sacrifice the two families are united in grief."

Keigo leant away from him in disgust. "That's an awful story. Why the fuck would you tell me that story."

Yagi set the book aside. "You're not thinking straight."

"The woman I love is dying, and there is a high probably that she'll be shipped off to some farm somewhere and I literally can't do anything about it, or I risk a one way trip to Tartarus." Keigo's wings flung out in frustration. "What am I supposed to think!"

"Just…think…" Yagi pointed to a document set out on the table. Keigo frowned at it, and the single line that Yagi had highlighted.

"Oh…" Keigo breathed in. "Oh fuck. Oh…oh…you have got to be kidding me. There is no way we're pulling that off."

"We're going to pull it off." Yagi inclined his head. "I'm the right age for this to work. If we do it right, we'll make a shield even the Commission won't be able to break through."

Keigo slumped back in his chair, exhaustion setting in. "What…family?"

Yagi nodded. "Yes, you silly boy, family."

"Yagi, the point of the cover-story we had going was so that the Commission wouldn't go after All-Might and sniff around Izuku. If we did this, you'd be pointing a giant, fucking bull-eyes at yourself, Izuku and Inko."

"I am perfectly aware of that."

"Also," Keigo ruffled his feathers. "None of us are biologically related. Well, other than Inko and Izuku. All it would take is one test and-."

"Hawks, my boy, what weapon do you have that is more powerful than even your wings? A weapon you have cultivated over many years..."

Keigo blinked. "I don't understand."

"Public perception," Yagi held out a hand. "Do you think, for a moment, that a faceless government organisation like the Bureau, or even the Commission, has anything as powerful as a weaponized story?"

Keigo shook his head. "There is no way anyone is going to believe this shite."

Yagi held up the old book. "Which is why we make it a performance worthy of believing, the public believe what they see, so, we will present them with our version of reality." He smiled at Keigo.

"Oh my gosh…" Keigo clasped his cheeks. "You're serious."

"Are you in?"

"Yeah." Keigo laughed, folding back in his chair. "Yeah, hell, I'm in. Let's just hoodwink the whole of Japan into believing I married your totally-real daughter."

"Wonderful." Yagi handed over several papers. "You can start by signing these."

"Wait, I have to do paperwork for this."

"Oh, yes, lots of paperwork."

"Awww, come on…why is life full of paperwork." Keigo thumped his head on the table in defeat.

0000

Keigo halted from consuming his final mouthful of delightful, delicious chicken. He looked up, staring directly at Yagi sitting across from him in the outdoor eating area of the small takeaway. Their meal and conversation had been intermittently broken up by fans every so often asking for photographs, none noticing Yagi's presence whatsoever. Despite the interruptions, they had managed to still converse on the topic at hand.

Which brought them to now—

"You want to use the Hero Rankings announcements as our first stage?"

"Word on the grapevine is, you're hitting the top ten this year."

"Okay, there is no way you can know that ahead of time." Keigo sat back, narrowing his glare. "The Rankings aren't decided—"

Yagi smiled a deceptively knowing smile.

Keigo frowned.

Was this something he didn't know about, despite being so sure of himself?

The thought stunned him.

"This is my stage, my boy, you haven't been on this rodeo for as long as I have. Trust me, you're in the top ten. You'll be getting an invite, probably next week sometime, to the Ranking Convention. It is quite a bit of fun, I suggest we invite Izuku, and that new friend of his…as…hm…congratulations for surviving their exams."

"Bubbles is going to die." Keigo steepled his hands. "I may need a new assistant."

"It takes place the weekend before spring break." Yagi frowned, glancing up at the sky. "From your perspective, do you think Rilo will make it till then?"

Keigo reached behind his back, tugging gently on the thin chain hanging between his wings. "Hope is a curious thing," he murmured. "You can hold on for a lifetime with just a tiny thread of hope."

Yagi smiled.

Keigo looked up. "She'll make it. We promised each other a future."

"Alright then." Yagi heaved himself to his feet. "Inko and I will start our preparations."

"You going to tell Izuku about this?" Keigo dragged back the chair he sat on. "The kid has a right to know what you're doing. I mean, if he askes me, I'm not going to lie to him."

"I wouldn't expect you too." Yagi inclined his head.

"Oh, yeah, actually, I have his apprenticeship licence." Keigo brightened. "Do you want to take it now—"

"Oh no, no, you should give it too him." Yagi shook his head. "I'll head back to Inko's place and grab your armour. Izuku should be down at the beach…" he glanced at his watch. "Yes, indeed. He'll be there by now."

Keigo turned in the direction of the nearest utility pole to climb. "I'll see you down there then."

0000

"Hawks!?" Izuku dropped the large tire he'd been lugging through the sand.

Sitting on the stairs leading down to the beach the Wing Hero was stretched out, head tilted to the sun and eyes closed. There was something off about him, maybe it was the shadows under his eyes, or just that he looked so unkept when he was usually pretty picky about his appearance. A bruise was forming on the right side of his chin, as if he'd been struck by something.

That was a little alarming. It was always startling to know Hawks could get hurt. He sometimes seemed invincible.

Golden eyes opened and a softened smile greeted him. "Hey, baby birdie."

Izuku dusted sand off his pants, sitting down beside Hawks on the stairs. "What are you doing here? It's not training day."

"I was in the neighbourhood. Figured I'd drop by to say hello."

Izuku curled his toes as Hawks' ruffled his hair fondly.

"Are you alright?" Izuku asked.

"I'll be honest, Izuku. I'm not." Hawks shook his head. "I had a Commission job, and they're never good on my soul."

Izuku nodded, rubbing his hands anxiously. He was very—very aware that he was extremely privileged to even know who, and what, Hawks really was behind his mask. As terrifying as that reality was, it only strengthened Izuku's resolve.

He had to be a hero.

He had to save people—

People like Hawks.

"Is Rilo okay?"

"She'll be fine. She's a trooper." Hawks assured. "You All-Might fans have that in common."

Izuku grinned. Yeah, they did.

"On that topic, perhaps you can give me a hint. What should I pick up on the way home for her?"

"As a gift?" Izuku folded forward in deep thought. "An All-Might piece of merch. Hm, that's a rough one, I don't know what she has in her collection…oh…wait…" Izuku grabbed Hawks' arm. "It's something really cute."

"That'd be perfect then," Hawks' muttered.

Izuku dived for his bag, yanking out his mobile and flicking through dozens of images. He heard Hawks' soft laughter.

"Okay. Wow. You're a little obsessed, baby birdie."

"Everyone has something, I have All-Might merch." Izuku shrugged. "I find it really fun, hunting things down and saving up for stuff. Oh, here it is."

"A keychain?" Hawks' brow lifted.

"Yeah. See, it's so cute."

"That's cute?"

"Yes, it's cute. You have no sense of taste. Look, here is the Endeavour one." Izuku flicked to another photo.

"Oh, that's better." Hawks offered. "Much less tacky."

"All-Might's merch is not tacky, you goose." Izuku punched him in the arm.

Hawks laughed, his wings fluffing up in delight.

"Alright, alright. Where will I find these utterly useless items?"

"You should be able to find them in most convenience stores. The new line just came about the other week."

"Seriously?" Hawks pondered, rubbing at his chin. "I never even noticed keychains."

"You probably don't really look for such…as you say…useless items, and just dismiss anything you're not buying. You have very selective eyesight." Izuku tucked his mobile away.

"I do, do I?"

Izuku froze. Oh—

He'd ah—

He'd said that out loud.

"Oh, um. I don't…um…"

Hawks tapped him under the chin. "This is good. You're getting more comfortable, speaking your mind with confidence."

Izuku awkwardly shuffled his shoes in the sand. "Thanks…"

"Hawks, Young Midoriya…oh…there you are…" All-Might peered down at them from over the railing of the esplanade.

Hawks heaved himself up, taking the stairs to join the elder hero. Izuku quickly followed. All-Might handed Hawks a bag. "Your armour."

"Thanks." Hawks clipped the bag to a belt around his waist. "I have something for you, Izuku." Hawks felt around in the bag, finally pulling out an envelope. He handed it to Izuku.

"Um…" Izuku flopped the envelope about.

"Your Apprenticeship Licence."

Izuku breathed in sharply. He tore open the envelope and out slipped a slim card, attached to a slender gold chain. Oh—oh—wow—it was real—

It was a real hero's licence.

It had his name on it—

And his photo—

And—

And—

"I'm under the Hawks Agency!" He burst out.

"Well, yeah…I am Hawks." Hawks gestured to himself, puffing out his wings. "Majestic, handsome, fastest hero in Japan…something, something, trade mark, I donno."

Izuku laughed and sobbed, all at once.

Hawks crouched in front of him, smiling the genuine smile that touched the edges of his eyes.

"If you're this happy over a silly little licence, can't wait to see your reaction to the uniform and gear I'm having Jeanie make up for you."

"I…I get…I get a uniform…I get gear?" Izuku could feel his chest clenching. He didn't deserve any of this, did he?

Hawks cupped his cheeks, rubbing at his tears with rough hands.

"Yes, baby bird. I would not let my apprentice run around in just gym clothes. Looking after you also means making sure you're well equipped. Unfortunately, I didn't come prepared, so I don't have your knives to give you."

"That's okay." Izuku beamed. "This is super awesome enough."

Hawks squeezed his cheeks together. "Good. Alright. I'd best be off."

The wing hero swung himself onto the boulevard railing and dropped. Izuku ran to the edge, watching as Hawks skimmed the sand and the ocean's waves before seeming to launch high into the sky with a single powerful motion of his wings that blew back water across the beach.

"That's the coolest ever!" Izuku gushed, looking up at All-Might.

All-Might chuckled.

Izuku looked down at the licence in his hand. It felt so unreal, and real, all at the same time. He couldn't possibly be deserving of something so amazing—

No—

He had to believe that he was.

Hawks believed in him. All-Might believed in him.

So maybe—

Maybe he had to start thinking he wasn't an imposter.

"This is so exciting. This means I can finally go on patrol with Hawks." Izuku bounced on his toes.

"Indeed, it is a very exciting step forward. Did you thank Hawks." All-Might inquired.

"Oh." Izuku rubbed at his face, frowning at the thought. "No…I didn't. I…I should have."

All-Might caught him by the scruff of his hoodie before he could charge off back in the direction of the beach. "He's long gone now, Midoriya."

Izuku sighed.

All-Might ruffled his hair, calming him down with the affirming touch. "Hawks is sacrificing a lot for us both."

"I…I don't understand why."

All-Might nodded. "Hope is a powerful thing, Midoriya. It can be a weapon in the hands of the wrong person. Give someone enough hope, and they can hang themselves with it."

Izuku sucked in a sharp breath.

"It is my hope…" All-Might wandered to the boulevard railing, leaning over it to watch the ocean breaking on the shoreline. "That you and I can keep Hawks from falling into the trap laid out for him by those who own him. They have been promising him the hope of freedom, for a long time…"

All-Might glanced back down at him and Izuku swallowed.

"You and I, we shall actually give it to him," All-Might assured.

Izuku nodded.

Yes—

Finally—

He knew what he was going to do.

He was going to free the people he loved.

No matter what.

0000

Keigo held up the two little keychains, one All-Might themed and the other Endeavour, letting them dangle in front of him. He arched an eyebrow at Nina as she scanned his items, popping them into a paper bag.

"They're cute," Nina offered in way of explanation to their useless existence.

"So I have been informed." Keigo blew out a puff of air. He pocketed the keychains safely away in his utility belt. Nina handed him the paper bag and leant on the counter of the convenience store, propping up her chin on her palms.

"You like, undercover, or something?" Nina whispered. No doubt forming a mountain of ideas she could conspiratorially add to her school paper. He was convinced half of the rumours started in Fukuoka about him, began due to her and her little column of utter made-up tripe about his visits to the convenience store. It was all under anonymity, of course, old-man Lou wouldn't have let her publish anything about the convenience stores real name, or location, or any such things—even if knowledge of having a hero visit would have driven up traffic. The convenience store simply remained a little pocket in Fukuoka that he could appreciate for its simplicity and normality.

Time did not seem to affect the convenience store.

Keigo glanced down at himself. He was still wearing the clothes Yagi had provided for him. He gathered up the bag, tucking it to his chest. "No, nothing exciting and thrilling like that, Nina. Just took a visit to see my Dad."

Nina pretend to be struck by a spear. "You have a Dad?"

No—he'd spontaneously spawned into existence.

Sometimes he really wished that was the case, then he wouldn't have to annually keep track of his real father's whereabouts. Come to think of it—he wondered where the man was at the moment, and if the media storm he was about to bring down on himself would cause the old arse to emerge from some dark alley somewhere.

"Yes, Nina, I have a dad, though, I suppose technically this was my wife's father, so…this was more my father-in-law."

"Ohhhh," Nina giggled, swinging back and forth on the counter. "Did you get in trouble?"

Keigo winked as he turned to leave. "Hm. A bit."

There was a pause.

And then he heard it, the gasp and squeal. "Oh my gosh, Hawks, you've got wing links. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, my gosh. I love them so much. It's so romantic!"

And he was now vacating the area.

"Bye Nina." Keigo waved. "Remember, study hard."

He bounced and launched, taking his usual route back to the powerplant. He'd barely settled his boots on the balcony when the doors were slammed open with an alarming rattle of the glass.

He dropped the takeaway meal, catching it with a feather, as Rilo lunged into his arms.

"Okay. Okay. Wow." He thumped back against the rickety railing, trying to retain his centre of gravity with the added weight now attached to him. They both bubbled out a laugh and Keigo felt the tension of the last few days drain out of him.

He carried her through the doors, kicking them shut, not particularly caring about damaging anything anymore in the apartment.

Keigo set her down on the kitchen counter, smiling up at her. Though her glow was diminishing, the shine was still there, glinting and crackling beneath her skin as he brushed his fingers against her dulled markings.

"I'm back," he whispered. "I'm back."

Rilo smoothed her hands through his hair. "You need a shower."

"I know."

Both their gazes shifted to the bathroom.

Keigo arched an eyebrow. "Dinner now, dinner after?" he asked.

"After." Rilo grinned.

"Okie dokie." He heaved her over his shoulder, delighting in her happy squeal.

It was worth it.

It was going to be all worth it.