7
The passing week, Yuri found herself stuck on her couch recovering from the brutality she had faced. Hawks had continued to visit her mostly at night, but he brought her food and any "get well" gifts that the agency had put together for her. Yuri didn't understand why they were going through so much trouble. She hadn't done anything to warrant this kind of attention but her heart warmed at the lengths the winged hero was going to ensure she was okay. Perhaps, they were a motivation for her to get back so they could stop picking up her slack. They were probably so angry with her. Which is probably why she was dragging her feet walking to the agency. Hawks fluttered next to her itching with excitement. He had refused to let her walk alone on her first day back but Yuri had the sneaking suspicion he also didn't trust her to walk by herself.
"Are you ready?" Hawks asked, a lazy grin sliding across his face.
"Let's just get this over with," Yuri growled out, pushing past him and into the agency. 'Time to face the music,' Yuri dreaded.
"WELCOME BACK!" Pop! Pop! Pop! Yuri jumped back straight into Hawks' chest at the loud sound. Everyone was gathered in the small entry of the agency with a banner reading 'Welcome Back, Yuri' in crude handwriting. Yuri cocked her head to the side as she took in all of her coworkers piled practically on top of each other. Aiko, Mockingbird, and Jay were front and center holding empty confetti poppers. The small pieces of paper floating down through the air. Yuri was sure it would take her a good couple of weeks to get it out of her hair for good.
"What?" Yuri furrowed her brows at the sight.
"Welcome back, Yuri!" Aiko bounded up to her; tossing her arms around her tightly, "Stop hogging her, bossman!" Hawks chuckled behind her and she felt the heat of his chest leave as he took a step back.
"Aiko? What is all this?" Yuri asked, stepping out of the young woman's arms.
"It's a welcome back party. We wanted to surprise you when you came back," Mockingbird explained as he gave her a quick hug, "We've missed you."
"That and we don't understand how you kept up with all the paperwork," Jay interjected, giving her a hug, "The sheer amount of it is uncanny." Yuri tensed in his arms.
"I do apologize for the inconvenience that my absence may have caused all of you." Yuri bowed lowly, "I promise it won't happen again."
"Yuri! There's no need to apologize! We're just happy you're okay," Aiko said, waving her arms around, "We were so worried!"
"Sorry my wording could've been better," Jay said sheepishly, "We were amazed by how you're able to keep up with it all. You really are something else."
"I don't do that much; only reports and whatnot." Yuri blushed, "You lot are the ones out there on the streets."
"Doesn't make what you do any less important," Mockingbird piped up. Yuri hesitated. She didn't understand. Weren't these people upset with her? She had left her duties unattended and forced them to pick up her slack. A warm hand on her shoulder brought her back to reality.
"They're right," Hawks said, "You do too much for this agency for it to run smoothly without you."
"I wouldn't go that far," Yuri stammered.
"I'm the boss so my word is law!" Hawks gave her a sly smile,
"Where did you disappear to anyway?" Aiko asked.
"When we went to visit you at the hospital they said they had never heard of you!" Mockingbird interjected.
"And then Hawks said something about the Hero Commission moving you but wouldn't say anything else. He snapped at Aiko about it!" Words of agreement were murmured in the crowd.
"Yeah, where did you go?"
"Why would they take you?"
"You're no hero!" Yuri took a step back at the onslaught of questions. Her hands began to shake as her senses became inundated with voices yelling at her, crowding around her. Yuri gasped as her breathing staggered, dread clawing at her throat. What could she say? She can't answer them. Not without penalty but they all looked so angry at her.
"Alright, back to work everyone! We don't want to overwhelm her too badly. She's still recovering." Hawks wrapped a wing around her as the crowd gave a low murmur of apologies before dispersing. Aiko smirked at her, giving her a wink before walking back to her desk. Yuri buried her face in her hands as her cheeks continued to heat up.
"You live to make my life difficult," She groaned.
"You love me!" Hawks beamed at her.
"Obviously," Yuri whispered to herself as she made her way up to her desk. Hawks followed a step behind her just in case she lost her footing on the stairs. Yuri smiled to herself. He was still a mother hen when he wanted to be. Yuri stood beside her desk, her heart twisting as it had been decorated with get well balloons and even more cards.
"Aiko, Mockingbird, and Jay all got one for each day you were gone," Hawks explained, "When those three were up here helping me with paperwork, they refused to sit anywhere near your desk. Citing that it needs to be clean and ready for when you come back to work."
"I don't understand." Yuri shook her head, "This is all a little overboard for someone like me, isn't it?"
"Not at all," Hawks said, his eyes growing hard, "They care for you whether you want to acknowledge it or not." Yuri stared at him before giving a hesitant nod.
"Now be a good little secretary and help me fill these reports out," Hawks set down a huge pile of papers on her desk.
"Where the hell did all that come from!" Yuri shouted.
"I may have been piling them next to your desk," Hawks laughed, "This way you had some work when you got back."
"Du drittsekk!" Yuri growled.
"Japanese please~" Hawks sang, "I don't speak gibberish~"
"It's not gibberish, you bird brain!"
"Ahhh, I've missed you," Hawks sighed, "Now chop, chop. Wouldn't want to get too far behind would you?" Yuri ground her teeth together in frustration. She glared at him with all her might but he just laughed her off. She huffed but grabbed the first file at the top of the stack.
"You owe me so much for this," Yuri hissed.
"Whatever you say, little feather," Hawks said. A lull of silence fell over the two as they worked through the massive mountain of reports. Hawks had situated himself into one of the chairs across from her desk and Yuri had pushed her computer off to the side so they would have more room to work. Every once in a while Yuri would hand him a report that needed his signature or a work submission that needed his approval. Both were comfortable with sitting in silence to work but Yuri couldn't help but steal a glance or two at the hero across from her. She couldn't help but watch as he bit his bottom lip when reading a particularly complicated report or how his wings would ruffle every so often getting tired of being stuck in the same position for so long. Yuri ducked behind a report when he glanced up, almost catching her staring. She peaked over again only to catch his eyes as he stared at her. Yuri blushed before looking back down at the file in front of her.
They continued uninterrupted for a couple of hours, each stealing glances at each other but neither catching the other again. Mockingbird and Jay interrupted them to notify the two they were heading on patrol. Hawks made to get up but Jay stopped him saying they didn't need him out there at his time and if they did they would certainly call. Yuri needed him more at the moment. She blushed at the implications as Jay gave her a thumbs up and Mockingbird gave her a smirk. Yuri did not want to know what they were thinking.
Yuri let her head fall to her desk with a loud thunk as she filed the last stack of paperwork. What was once a mountain of files was now a handful of smaller piles organized by what they contained. Bills, patrol reports, arrest reports, Hero Commission reports, business proposals, workplace submissions, etc. The stacks had overwhelmed her desk and now covered a portion of the floor behind her chair. Hours of work finally finished and she hadn't even turned her computer on to answer any emails.
"That wasn't too bad was it?" Hawks asked. Yuri glared up at him.
"Never again!" she declared, "You will bring me the work if this ever happens again. I refuse to come back to this kind of work!"
"It won't happen again," Hawks said coldly, "Because you're not going to be left alone with them again."
"Hawks," Yuri sighed, "You and I both know I can't say no to the president nor can you for that matter."
"Then I will take responsibility for the next one," Hawks said as he stood, "Now I have a super secret meeting I need to get to so keep out of trouble." Yuri shook her head, opening her mouth to tell him off when a feather zoomed in front of her before nesting into the mass of her bun.
"I expect you to keep that on you at all times. Even when I'm with you," Hawks instructed, "No excuses!"
"Fine," Yuri relented, "Be safe okay? They're having you play with fire."
"Did you just make a pun?" Hawks gasped.
"That's not the point!" Yuri exclaimed, "Just be careful!"
"Ahh, you really do care," Hawks cooed.
"Shut up!" Yuri scolded, "It would just be hell to have to complete the paperwork should you die."
"I love you too, little feather," Hawks called out, blowing back a kiss as he flew out the open window in the ceiling. Yuri glared after him mumbling about crazy birds and their excessive need to make her life difficult.
-With Hawks-
Hawks took a deep breath as he soared high above the clouds. Nothing beats the feeling of the wind between his wings and the view of the city below him. These past few weeks were the strangest and most exhausting ones of his entire life with the situation of his secretary reaching a peak. She still wasn't telling him everything and it was frustrating being so hopeless to help her. To save her. He focused on the feather he left with her feeling the warmth of being in her hair. She was laughing if the vibrations were any consultation. Hawks smiled at the thought. Yuri's reaction to her welcome back party had been less than ideal but at least she seemed to be settling in again and everyone was leaving her situation alone for the time being.
Dabi was being a little bit more cooperative as well which was a nice bonus. Hawks huffed as he flew toward the meeting point. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to keep doing this for much longer. He didn't like to dirty his hands in such a way but if it meant saving the world he would gladly take on the responsibility.
"Took you long enough, birdbrain," A raspy voice sounded below him.
"I will have you know that I am early, you zombie!" Hawks retorted as he landed next to the villain.
"And you've been avoiding my calls and texts for the last week. Makes me think you don't really want to be a part of this," Dabi hummed.
"Of course I want to be, Dabi," Hawks rolled his eyes, "Just had some personal issues to attend to."
"Ahhh, it wouldn't happen to do with that secretary of yours would it?" Dabi mused, "Word on the street is that she disappeared for a while after that lowlife attacked her."
"Where did you hear that?" Hawks eyes hardened. He had ordered his agency to keep quiet about the event given the Commission's involvement but maybe they had a mole.
"A little snake was found wandering the streets completely in denial about losing a fight to gain the favor of her love," Dabi smirked, "Imagine my surprise when I realized it was that snake bitch we saved your secretary from. Care to explain to me why she was out and about and not in jail?"
"She's not?" Hawks breathed. His mind ran a million miles a minute trying to think of reason. He had been told she was going away for a good long while.
"You didn't know?"
"No, I was told she was in jail for the time being," Hawks ground out. Dabi stared at him.
"What is happening at that agency of yours, tweety bird?"
"The Commission is interfering in ways I never thought they would," Hawks admitted, "Although, I'm not entirely sure what that means."
"Is your perfect world becoming disillusioned?" Dabi implored, "It's about time you started seeing it for what it truly is. Filled with nothing but fakes who call themselves heroes."
"I was already disillusioned. I'm just realizing how deep it runs," Hawks replied. He honestly was starting to believe it. In the time he had spent with the villain, Hawks had yet to see a flaw in his argument. Dabi recognized that there were some heroes out there that were good but some only wanted the title and none of the responsibility and the way the fire user talked about it all was like he had personal experience. Like it wasn't just what Stain had said that was spurring him on.
"Pretty deep if what the snake user had to say," Dabi's voice interrupted his thoughts, "Said that some business woman had given her the idea about taking your secretary hostage. How killing her would win you over completely. Pretty crazy if you ask me."
"Why are you so interested in this?" Hawks cocked his head in curiosity.
"Like I said then, I can't ignore a pretty woman in trouble and you involved me. So, she has my interest," Dabi shrugged, "It led me down a rabbit hole honestly and I'm not a big fan of wild goose chases."
"A rabbit hole?" Hawks questioned. 'Why does he know more about this than me!' Hawks gritted his teeth in frustration.
"All dead ends," Dabi shoved his hands into pockets as he started to walk into the warehouse, "But that is not why I wanted to meet with you today. The boss wishes to meet the hero that is bugging us so much before he goes on his own mission."
"He wants to meet me?!" Hawks asked incredulously, "Finally!"
"Yeah, yeah," Dabi waved off, "You're not meeting him today, but soon. We need to go over a few rules before anything happens."
"More rules?" Hawks complained.
"I'm sure you know about our involvement in Deika city?" Dabi asked, "Our numbers are finally up but we are keeping the former Liberation Front at a distance. Don't try to talk about the battle with Shigaraki, or about the former leader of the League. This little ragtag group is his and his alone. Making him mad at this point would be deadly." Hawks nodded in understanding.
"Understood!"
"I don't like this, hero," Dabi turned and glared at him, "I think we are moving too fast for any sort of plan to succeed but Shigaraki's word is law, so we are dealing. I suggest you take things slower than you typically do. Would hate for you to end up like Icarus."
"Is that a threat?" Hawks narrowed his eyes.
"A warning." Dabi grinned, his staples pulling at his skin, "Something doesn't feel right about all this and I feel like your secretary might know what is going on. You should bring her around sometime. I know Toga would love to have another girl to hang out with."
"I'll think about it," Hawks said. 'Like hell,' Hawks thought, 'But he's not wrong about her knowing something.'
"I'll text you with the coordinates for the next meeting, but otherwise just be a good bird and keep your head down," Dabi waved at him as he exited the warehouse.
"Wait!" Hawks shot forward after the burned villain, "What did Yuri say to you when we saved her?"
"Say to me? She only answered me when I asked if she was okay," Dabi furrowed his brow at him.
"No, at the end she made a movement and you nodded at her with a smile on your face," Hawks clarified.
"Oh, that. You seriously don't know," Dabi gave a low chuckle, "She said thank you."
"Thank you?" he echoed, "Sounds about right." Hawks glared at the back of the villain as he disappeared from view. He didn't like Dabi's interest in his secretary. She was his! This was exhausting. Hawks puffed his feathers out as he made his way towards the clouds. He could only imagine Yuri must be feeling. He only knew a piece of what was happening and it was overwhelming, knowing it all must be something else. Dabi was right though that something felt off. The President had been on his ass about getting in touch with Shigaraki himself even though Dabi would be able to give him plenty of information being the second in command. They wanted nothing short of the leader, but the way she was constantly asking about it made suspicion cloud his judgement and now that snake woman was walking around. Hawks groaned. Yuri was never going to be able to go anywhere by herself.
"Aggghh!" Hawks roared in frustration, "This is way too complicated!" He soared higher in the night sky as his frustration continued to build. He was going to need to find that lady, Lilith? Again. A shiver rolled down his spin distracting him from his circling thoughts. Someone was stroking a feather. The feeling gradually got stronger the closer he got to the agency. Yuri must be holding it. He smiled at the thought of the stubborn woman holding his feather. It made a warm feeling seep into his chest and a lightness spread throughout his body making him soar faster and higher. He wanted to get back. Back to her.
Spending the last week with her had been eye opening. She always greeted him with a glare in her eyes but a soft smile on her lips contrasting the harsh words she would say. She worried about him. About his safety. Hawks couldn't stay away after that. Seeing her vulnerable like that was intoxicating and Hawks wanted to see it more and more. Towards the end of her recovery, she had started to leave food for him, making sure he would eat and take a shower. When was the last time he ever let himself relax so completely? Hawks shook his head. He didn't have time to relax but with her he found his defenses crumbling which went against any instincts Hawks had. Especially since he still didn't know who she was. She had an air of familiarity to her that made him relax. Like they had met before. Like they had done that before. A headache throbbed behind his eyes making him scrunch his eyes shut. He needed to stop thinking so hard about everything.
Translations Norwegian to English:
Du drittsekk- You asshole