Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

If there was a day Hoshi should have skipped class, today would have been it. Not that she’d ever been that irresponsible, but it was hugely tempting. She could see where the professor was driving his lecture, and she hated it already. In part because no matter her own feelings on the subject, she would be used as some sort of example. Not that she’d ever asked to be one.

“Now we come to Soulmates,” The Professor smiled. “Doubtless most of you started looking online the day they appeared on your wrist. However, in previous generations, these names were largely ignored unless they were someone in your community, based on the terms of practicality. My own grandparents are not soulmates, but they’re very happy together. This has led to a criticism and cynical view of soulmates among the older generations.”

Hoshi stared at her notes, keeping her own wrists flat against the desk. Students were calmly taking notes around her, a few more excitable freshmen showing each other their own wrists with impressive or exciting names. Her eyes strayed to her ring, trying to take her mind anywhere but here.

“Then there are other concerns. What about those with more than one name?” The students in the back perked up. “Though they’re rare, they do occur. It’s estimated to be about three to five percent of the world--Even less than those of us who have no names show on our wrists--a good twenty percent. Sometimes all the names on the arms match and sometimes they don’t. And what does that mean for the person with the extra names?” The professor pretended to glance at a list. “Miss Suzuki. What does having multiple names mean for a person?”

She hated him. Of course he saw she had two names. Of course he’d make a note to use that in class. Bastard.

“It’s a case by case basis, sir,” She answered. “As you said before, sometimes the names all match. Sometimes a person just has more than one. Sometimes one dies before they can meet and you keep the name.”

“And of the three, which do you think is the best answer? Hypothetically speaking?”

Hoshi fought to keep her face straight. “None of the above, Sir. All three have major drawbacks that differ from person to person.”

“Interesting,” He nodded thoughtfully. “Then perhaps more specifically? How did it work out for you?”
The silence was palpable. All around her, she could feel the stares of her peers. From the corners of her eyes she could see the shock, the curiosity, the disgust. She was no longer another face in the crowd, just another student. Now she was a freak.

“For me,” She forced her voice to steady as she spoke. “One died when I was young.”

“And the other?” The professor asked.

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I can’t find them.”

“Fascinating!” He declared. “Does it run in your family?”

“No.”

“And do you date even knowing the names?” He was taking notes now.

“I have,” She admitted. “But what-”

“And the stigma against dating outside your soulmate, how has that affected your dating life?”

She could feel her face reddening. “It’s…A lot of people lose their soulmates…”

“So you find solace in one another?”

Hoshi’s hands were shaking. “We….we’re just living our lives, sir. No different than anyone else.”

“Well by older generations that is completely practical,” The Professor smiled. “But opinions on soulmates in current generations are highly in favor of soulties. In fact many in this day and age see dating outside of them as a form of counter culture, and look down on those who do after the age of eighteen.”

“Well that’s all fine and well for those who can find their soulmates,” Hoshi bit out. “But some of us don’t have that. All we have are names on our wrists of people we don’t know and may never meet--”
“And what’s the plan if you get married to someone not on your wrist and then you meet your soulmate?” The professor pressed. “There are reports of people leaving their partners to be with their soulmates--some after fifteen years of marriage. Do you intend to just abandon someone for the other name on your wrist?”

“I’m sure you’re real worried about that,” Hoshi snapped as she shoved her notebook into her bag. “I’m sorry you’re worried about being happy with your wife because you don’t have her name on your wrist, but please don’t make assumptions about others!” She marched towards the door, gritting her teeth.

“Miss Suzuki if you walk out that door, I will fail you!” The professor cried. She felt the feral smile crawl over her lips as she turned to look over her shoulder. The professor’s smug smile was dwindling as she bored holes into him with her eyes.

“A zero in your ethics class is still more of a success than your marriage.” Hoshi turned and walked out the door. She could hear the whispers and surprise from the other side of the door, but she forced herself to move forward.

Well. Her college plans were taking a severe nose dive. Maybe she should drop classes and move to another university...How stupid. All because she had the bad luck of two names on her wrists, and people in power had fragile egos.

Hoshi stopped outside the school gates and pulled out her phone. Her sister had sent her a picture of the costumes for her class’s play. A small ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. She still had time before she was expected home…

“You know what?” She said to herself. “I’m going to do it!”

Hoshi hiked up her bag and started her walk. She was sure her brother would groan, but so what? She wanted a treat, and there was nothing more wonderful than a trip to the crystal store. Even as a child, Hoshi had spent countless hours molding gemstones into shape, repairing old jewelry and decorating her room to resemble a crystal palace. Mobiles of birds made of colored quartz and fluorite, constellations along the walls made from moonstones and opals, dragon bookends made of rubies and sapphires--all of them catching and reflecting light across her room.

The shopkeeper recognized her on sight and nodded to the wall of new arrivals. Hoshi went over to them eagerly, deliberating on them with care. She wanted to do vinework along her bed frame, so the moss agate, and maybe some obsidian for flowers… She picked up the various stones, feeling for cracks and imperfections within them. Most weren’t a problem for her to mold or shape, but if she found the clearly defunct ones she could usually get a discount. Today was too good of stock for that, so instead she went for the best of the bunch.

The punch to her wallet didn’t make her feel as good as she’d hoped, but at least she had a project to focus on. Life always did seem a bit better when there was something to sculpt or create. Saito would just have to put up with her obsession of decorating in gemstones and crystals. Most of it stayed in her or Karen’s room anyway.

Hoshi took a long breath, twisting the ring on her finger. She’d get through this. Somehow, someway, she would. And when she was the one at the head of a classroom, asking questions about ethics, it wouldn’t be to humiliate her students. It would be to enlighten. She forced her back straight, chin up, and started for home.

Chapter Text

“Welcome home,” Hoshi smiled lightly as her sister poked her head into the entryway. “Wow, you look pissed.”

“Long day.”

“Today was a lecture day,” Karen scowled. “It shouldn’t have been that bad.”

“We got on soulmates in ethics, and the professor saw fit to make me answer hypotheticals.”

Her sister’s bright eyes dimmed. “Ahhh…That’d do it…”

“And now I’m the assumed slut of campus,” Hoshi added dryly, tucking her feet into the house slippers.

“Do people just not know how to mind their own business?” The teen grumbled.

“No,” Hoshi stretched. “And I think the Professor had a vendetta. His wrists were writing free, but that expensive wedding ring was freshly polished.”

“Wow.” Karen snickered. “Guess he’s got little man syndrome.”

“Yeah well, he’s got the right to fail me, which he did. So I’m going to be dropping school. Which is always a great time. But never mind. How was your day?”

Karen sighed dramatically as she plodded towards the kitchen. “Not as bad as yours, but still irritating. Our class rep is near militant about getting ready for the school festival. We’ve got all our parts down, and the costumes are fantastic. But he’s still insisting we’re not ready.”

“Don’t you guys have a whole week?” The older girl asked, following her sister into the kitchen.

“We do,” The teen confirmed. “But that’s not going to stop him.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Karen shrugged. “Your day beats my week out, easy.”

“Saito’s going to be pissed.”

“Oh for sure,” Karen laughed. “Let’s hope that professor doesn’t need the police anytime soon.”

“I may pass on the name to Koji to represent his wife in any divorce proceedings.” Hoshi mused, opening the fridge to scan it’s contents. “Too cruel?”

“Nah.” Karen shook her head. “If he’s going to call you out for having two names, he can take the defeat of having his wife take all. If she leaves him. Which you wouldn’t be the cause of. Anyway, I was thinking pancakes for dinner.”

“That sounds divine.” Hoshi agreed.

“Don’t suppose you’d be willing to get some strawberries for it?”

“I can be convinced.”

“I have chocolate chips.” Karen singsonged.

“And like that, you’ve won,” Hoshi stretched. “If Saito gets in before I get back, promise you won’t tell him?”

“My lips are sealed.”

The walk to the corner store was a short one, with little foot traffic at this time of day. She almost wished there were more to distract her from the thoughts. But no. They came back, like a song stuck on repeat. The unknown of the name on her wrists. To one, she knew he was dead. To the other...he was a ghost. It was as if Keigo Takami never existed. And Touya...

That damned professor. He had just had to pull her name for the lecture. Couldn’t respect that maybe it was a sore subject? What an ass.

“Hey, Suzuki!” Annnnnnd there was her worst nightmare.

She turned to see two of her classmates coming up. Not that they’d ever spoken before this moment, but she could recognize them.

“Hello…” She offered a short bow.

“So is it true?” The first one, a short brunette with a braid asked. “You have two names?”

“Yes,” Hoshi nodded, feeling her stomach turn.

“Wow,” The other one snickered. “Bet you’re a real freak in the sheets, huh?”

“Excuse me,” She hurried off, beelining for the store. She could see what looked like a homeless man in a hoodie making a call from the payphone. As long as she made it inside...

“We’re not done talking to you!” The brunette cried, catching up. She snagged Hoshi by the wrist, shoving her sleeve up. “Let’s see who you’ve got here!”

“Get off!” Hoshi tried to pull away, only to have the other girl snag her other wrist.

“Touya-” Hoshi pulled her left arm free, turning it to shove the brunette off.

“It’s none of your business!” Hoshi snarled. She scuttled back arms up in fists, ready for another grab at her.

“Our school has a good reputation,” the taller girl sniffed. “We can’t have a lewd classmate like you.”

“This is your official warning, Suzuki. Get your slut ass out of our school. If you don’t.” The brunette’s pearl white teeth shone as she smiled. “I’ll make you regret it.”

They turned and left, laughing as they did. Hoshi sighed and pulled down her sleeves. Of course she’d have this. Some people just loved being cruel.

She went into the store, trying to ignore the pit in her stomach. Well, she’d be gone from school soon anyway. There wasn’t a point to staying around just to be harassed. So she’d go to a university a little bit further out. That would be a small obstacle to her dreams.

Hoshi snagged up a container of strawberries, inspecting them half heartedly. She was tired. And she wasn’t sure if it was the day itself or if it was all of it. She’d been trying so hard for so long, but none of it seemed to be taking her close to where she wanted to go.
She paid for the strawberries and left. She paused outside the store long enough to check and see if the students had doubled back, but the coast looked clear, aside from the man in the booth. She sighed and started the walk home. At least there would be pancakes waiting.

“Hoshi Suzuki.”

She turned, feeling a new sense of dread in her stomach. The homeless man was now leering over her, hood back to reveal thick spiky black hair. His blue eyes were practically luminescent as they peered into her face. Then the scars registered, the little blue flames flickering around them.

“You’re...that villain…” She managed. “Dabi…” His smile was bone chilling, despite the heat around them.

“Wh...What do you want?” Her hands slipped to her purse, fingers fumbling for the can of pepper spray Saito insisted she carry. If she made it out alive she’d thank him. Her hands brushed against the bag of crystals she’d bought, spilling him into her fingers. This did qualify as self defense. She absorbed them, still searching for the spray.

“I’m going to need you to come with me.” He tilted his head. “Peacefully would be best.”

“Not without explanation.” Hoshi stalled. There! Her fingers closed around the bottle, flicking off the safety.

“I need your help getting Keigo Takami’s attention.”

She could practically feel her wrist itch. Now all she needed was the opening. A clear shot, and an escape.

“We’ve never actually met.”

“That doesn't matter.” He stepped forward.

Hoshi ripped the pepper spray from her bag, index finger mashing the trigger. A wall of blue flames rose between them, hiding the villain on the other side. Well fuck.
She turned and ran for it, strawberries falling from her hands, along with her purse. Bad news--her phone was in there. Good news--she knew how to get to the police station from here. If she could just avoid the--

Blue fire erupted in front of her, blocking her way. Shit. She turned, to see Dabi sauntering up, tilting his head at her. The flames behind her were hot--too hot. And this was not looking good. She tried again with the spray, but more fire leapt between them, encircling her.

“Damn!” She hissed. The heat was starting to make the metal of her ring burn. She jerked it off, hearing it ping against the sidewalk. Her eyes darted about, looking for an exit. Instead they met those impossible eyes.

“Shhh…” A cloth settled over her nose. “Why don’t you take a nap?”

She fell forward, her mind a jumble of heat and blue as her nostrils filled with a sweet smell. Arms caught her, hosting her upwards. A grim understanding took hold in her mind as she lost consciousness: She’d lost.

Chapter Text

Hawks hated being grounded. It was like an itch he couldn’t scratch. Most of the time he didn’t have to worry about it, but on days like this, when his feathers were still growing back, it left him restless and annoyed. He’d love to go mess with Endeavor, rile him up a little just to relieve the itch a little. But Endeavor currently had his hands full. Then there was Hawks’ current keeper, Tokoyami. Though in all fairness, he was glad he’d stuck around. He was probably the only person willing to put up with him right now.

His phone buzzed, leaving him to sigh. Great. More work already. Well, he was in need of something to do.

“They really don’t leave much time to recover, do they?” Tokoyami asked, looking a bit displeased. 

“Afraid not,” Hawks chuckled. He snapped up the phone to see the video icon appear. Interesting… He tapped it.

The grinning face on the other end was enough to wipe any amusement from his face. Dabi’s scarred visage was looking all too smug.

“Hello, Hawks. Good to see you survived.”

“Dabi,” Hawks tried to force the smile back. “Right back at you, buddy,”

Tokoyami was frozen in his place across the room. Poor kid. He’d have to work on that.

“I felt bad about how things went down with your little student,” Dabi went on, taking the phone  with him into a dimly lit room. “So I got you a little present.” The camera switched. A wide eyed woman was tied to a chair, her arms chained to posts on either side, rendering her unable to move. Her mouth had been taped shut, leaving only her eyes to convey her terror. Early to mid twenties was his guess, though she could be younger. Round faces made it hard to tell age. 

“Sorry, Dabi,” Hawks tried to sound relaxed. “I’m not really into the whole kink scene.

Tokoyami had finally gotten over the shock, moving to get the tracking equipment. Hawks had to hand it to him, he was well on his way to being the top asset in Nest. Assuming he didn’t choose to branch out.

“No?” The camera moved closer, zeroing in on her right arm. “You sure about that?”

Hawks could feel his mask crumble as the name registered. Keigo Takami. Written in that impossibly black ink that was a soulmate mark. His old name.

“I thought so,” Dabi’s voice was cool and pleased. “Now, if we just pull this off…” 

Fingers reached out to pull off the tape over the woman’s lips. She took a long shaky breath, her eyes looking a bit less panicked. The pale green iris were looking past the camera, scanning her surroundings. She was thinking about escape. 

“What’s your name?” Dabi asked.

“Fuck you.” Her words were soft but biting. 

“Oh, don’t get cute,” Dabi’s fingers came into frame, a small blue flame cupped in them. “Tell him your name.”

Her eyes were now trained on the fire, her lips trembling. Hawks could feel his own pulse pick up, his few feathers now fluffing out. It was an instinct he thought he’d been well trained out of, but apparently not. 

“Come on…” Dabi growled.

Tokoyami’s dark shadow reached over to plant slip in the cord. They each gaves Hawks a thumbs up. They were tracking now. Good.

“Dabi,” Hawks tried to make his voice sound light, but he could hear the strain on it. “I know who she is.”

“Then you know what this means,” Dabi hummed. “I’ll trade you her life for someone else. Endeavor, alive, for her.”

“Don’t be stupid!” She shrieked. “I’m not worth that!”

“Don’t sell yourself short,” Dabi grunted. “You’re worth almost any price to the bird brain.”

“Don’t do-” Her words were cut off as Dabi’s hand grabbed a fistfull of her long brown hair. The blue flames licked at it hungrily.

“ Dabi !” Hawks snarled. “Hurt her and it’s off!”

The flames vanished leaving smoldering ends of hair. She was trembling, tears forming in her eyes as she stared at the floor. Dabi slapped the tape back over her mouth.

“Three days, Hawks.” Dabi dictated. “I’ll send you coordinates for the trade then. Come alone.” The video call ended.

“Did you get it?”

“No,” Tokoyami bowed his head. “I wasn’t fast enough. Forgive me.”

Hawks buried his head in his hands. Damn it. He should’ve thought of this when Dabi called him by his old name. Of course he would have found his living soulmate. Of course he’d use her. Of fucking course.

“Hawks?” Tokoyami’s voice cut through the mental loop. “What are your orders?”

He flashed his understudy a sad smile. “We’ve got three days and a whole hell of a lot of ground to cover.”

“Care to fill me in?”

“Can’t.” Hawks sighed, getting to his feet. “Most of it is classified beyond even Endeavor’s clearance.”

“Then what are we going to do?” 

Hawks reached into the closet for his coat. “We’re going to start with figuring out how he got his hands on her.”

“Who is she?” Tokoyami frowned

“Hoshi Suzuki,” He slipped on the leather jacket. “Anything beyond that is classified.”

“Understood.”

“Good,” He nodded at his protegee. “Let’s get going.”

Chapter Text

Hoshi wasn’t exactly a stranger to bad days. Almost dying at ten years old when her soulmate burned to death. The day her parents died. Still, this really was vying for a top spot of shitty days.

Dabi had smothered her nose with some sweet smelling cloth after he hung up on Hawks. She’d woken to darkness and a cold metal floor, her body tied with thick nylon cords. She’d started the process of locating minerals, only to find she wasn’t going to be that lucky. She’d tossed her ring after it had burned her, but now she was beginning to regret that decision. Moonstone wasn’t exactly knife material, but she’d take it in a pinch. 

Her stomach ached and felt queasy. Was it hunger or the side effects of whatever she’d been drugged with? Her hair still smelled of smoke and ash, and tickled the back of her neck uncomfortably. She hated it. Damn that Dabi. 

All in all. This was at least in the top five of bad days. And now she had to decide what to do with it all. She could wait. Bide her time, gather information and energy and create her own minerals to cut free at the right moment. But Dabi had given Hawks three days. And there was no telling exactly how long she’d been out. No, slow wasn’t going to cut it. For now, it was time to start work on a cutting tool. Diamond. Small, and sharp. The obsidian she’d absorbed would have been easier, but it was brittle and broke too easily. Even with her ability to mend it repeatedly, it would take more time and energy in the long run. So Diamond. 

The sound of a rusty door shrieking open caused her to start. Above her light poured in. It was hard to make anything out at first, but then the sounds of someone coming down the stairs sounded. It was loud and rhythmic. Like a warning bell. 

She heard a click and bright fluorescent lights blinded her. It took a moment to adjust to the brightness, but after several blinks the world came into focus. The room was larger than she imagined, full of shipping cargo crates. Dabi had descended and was stalking towards her. He was smiling, so that was something. Instead he held a plastic bag of  what looked like takeout.

“Chowtime.” He called. “If you’re gonna behave.”

He reached his hand out to pull the tape from her mouth. 

“Well?”

“Got any nausea meds?” She huffed. “I am not a boat person.”

His smile was sardonic. “No kidding?” He reached into the bag and produced a small box of said medication.

“Alright.” She nodded.

Dabi reached over and pulled her upright, propping her back against a shipping crate. She stared at him, waiting for him to undo her hands.

“You’re crazy if you think I’m going to untie you.” He smirked, as if he’d read her mind. “Nope. You’re gonna be fed like a toddler.”

Hoshi glowered. “Fine.”

“Impressively practical.” Dabi mused, opening the medication. “Where was this when we had our phone interview?”

“You’re using me to capture the current number one hero. You don’t think I’m going to do the math?” She snorted. “Even though he’s a garbage person, he still saves lives. That’s more important than a single civilian who can’t get her life together.”

Dabi didn’t respond, instead, taking out a bottled water and sliding a straw into it. He held it to her face, letting her take a long sip, before pressing the pills to her lips. She swallowed them with only a small sputter.

“You’re worth more than that man ever could be.” 

“Huh?” The statement was so soft it startled her.

“You’re blind to the problems in society, sure. But that’s just the way the pro heroes have stacked it. Better to see them as glamour stars and celebrities. Meanwhile they do whatever they want behind the scenes.”

Hoshi frowned. “Not to be annoyingly practical, but heroes have to eat. That’s why we pay them.”

“But are they actually worth what you pay?” Dabi pressed. “Is Endeavor’s cozy life worth the death of his son?” His eyes fell to Hoshi’s arms. “You wouldn’t be here if that man hadn’t killed Touya Todoroki.”

Hoshi could feel her face heat with anger. “You don’t know a damned thing about it.”

“I know more than you.” He was leaning in now, too close for her comfort. “I know how he burned, and he screamed as the flames consumed him. I know how the man he tried to emulate, the man he looked up to, the man he called father, called him a failure while he burned.”

“Shut up!” The tears blurred in her eyes. “You think I don’t know?! You think I didn’t feel him dying ?!” She shut her eyes tight, trying to stave off the memories. “I almost burned up from the inside that night! I have nightmares about it--about a boy's voice begging for his father to save him! You have no idea how much it still hurts! But what good is killing Endeavor!? He’s a bastard, sure, but, he’s still someone capable of saving others!”

Hands pressed against her cheeks. She opened her eyes to see Dabi’s deep blue irises staring back. His face was set in a blank mask, unreadable and frightening. Hoshi wasn’t sure if she should shut her eyes again, or lash out. Which would end that stare faster?

Then he was pressing his lips to her forehead. She went rigid. She had no plan for this. No counter. No answer. Just fear and confusion.

“You,” He whispered into her skin. “Are not to blame.”

She didn’t move. She didn’t dare. She wasn’t even sure if breathing was safe anymore. She tried to think back to her self defense, but there wasn’t anything there. 

“If you take nothing else from all of this, Hoshi Suzuki,” Dabi sat back, those eyes finding hers. “Remember you are worth more than twenty of that man.”

He turned, picking up the food. “That medication should start having an effect soon. Let’s get you fed.” he held up the noodles, a sly grin tugging at his features. 

Hoshi didn’t argue. She just let him feed her. Somewhere in her mind, she was busy trying to figure out what the hell was happening. Her mind was drawing blanks. She needed more information to make any sense of this. Or maybe there was no sense to make. The possibility of a crazed villain was there. Just...not what she was feeling with whatever was happening. That...that felt like the easy way out. 

Once she was done, Dabi put the remainder into the bag. He rose, taking the bag with him. He headed up the stairs, boots making the same steady clanging. The hatch shut, but the light stayed on at least. Hoshi let her head sag. 

“The fuck was that?” 

Chapter Text

“Hawks,” Endeavor looked pissed. “Exactly what was so damned important you had to call me on such short notice?”

“Hostage situation,” Hawks sighed. “Tokoyami already has the family rounded up for an interview.”

“Who’s the hostage?” Endeavor asked.

“Lady by the name of Hoshi Suzuki.” Hawks handed him a file folder. “Age Twenty three, student at Takahashi University, History Major. Quirk is mineralization. Basically she can create and control gemstones.”

“Do we know who has her?” The flame hero asked.

“Dabi.”

He stopped short. “What? Why is the league holding this girl hostage?”

“Not the league,” Hawks held up a finger. “Just Dabi. Pretty sure this is all him.”

“And why her?” Endeavor pressed.

“Ah...well…” Hawks glanced around. Once satisfied they were alone, he leaned in, pulling his jacket sleeve up. “I thought I’d kept a lid on her, but...Dabi found out somehow.” He watched as Endeavor read his wrist, then yanked his sleeve back down.

“I see.” Endeavor scowled. “Does she know?”

“Nope,” Hawks turned and started walking again. “I swore off my old life when I became a hero. Only to have Dabi show up and know my old name and now to have the soulmate I was never supposed to have at his mercy. Puts me in a bit of a bind here. The only people who are supposed to know my civilian name are the president commission and the people who scrubbed me from the civilian systems.”

“And what’s he asking for?”

“You.” Hawks sighed. “Alive. Could be there's some kind of vendetta. Could be no deeper than you’re number one right now. Beating you would be a hell of a feather in his cap, and a win for the villains. But it’s up for debate.”

“So you’re hoping the family might know?” He guessed.

“Bingo.” Hawks nodded. “Luckily for us her siblings noticed she was gone pretty fast and filed a report.”

“In less than twenty four hours?” Endeavor flipped through the file. “That’s impressive.”

“The second son is a police officer,” Hawks pointed out. “Saito Suzuki, age 26. The oldest one, Koji Suzuki, age 32, is a lawyer--he has a wife and two kids, and they live in the apartment next door. The youngest, Karen Suzuki is a highschool student, age 17, and the last one to see her sister.”

“Where are the parents?” 

“They died of a car crash five years ago. Nothing suspicious in any of the reports on it.”

“I see…” Endeavor nodded. 

They paused as they came up to the apartment building. Hawks sucked in a long breath.

“I’m assuming we’re keeping your ties to her underwraps?” Endeavor guessed.

“Yup. Along with who has her. Last thing I want to do is to panic them any further. Bad enough two pros are showing up to question them. Let me lead this one?”

“Very well.” Endeavor nodded. 

“Thanks, Endeavor,” Hawks sighed. He tapped at the door. Tokoyami’s dark shadow cracked it open, then opened it wide to let them in.

“Thanks,” Hawks called.

The apartment was small but comfortable for three people. With six it felt a little claustrophobic. A highschool student came over and offered them tea, which they took. Her eyes were red from crying, but a similar pale green to Hoshi’s. Her hair however was a deep velvety black, cut in a short bob. 

“Oh god…” A man in uniform rose as they joined them in the living room. His face was pale, contrasted by the same dark black hair, his in slight curls, with a dark pair of bushy eyebrows over brown eyes. He favored Hoshi more in the nose and shoulders, though Hawks doubted anyone seeing them together would miss that they were related. He was clutching his hat in his hands, staring at them, horror morphing his face. 

“Why...why are you here?” He whispered.

“Saito!” The highschool girl hissed. 

“It’s alright,” Hawks put his hands up. “I’m sure having a couple of high rank pros show up out of the blue must be alarming.”

“Have you found her?”  It was the eldest who asked, the one differed the most strongly. Unlike his more human appearing siblings, his grey skin had scales of obsidian, long talon like fingers and his eyes were a dark inhuman slate color. His expression was nearly unreadable, like stone.

“The investigation is underway,” Hawks said smoothly. “But we want to confirm some details. Miss Karen Suzuki? You were the last one to see your sister, yes?”

The highschool girl nodded. “That’s right. She came home at about four. She’d left school early.”

“Any reason for that?” Endeavor asked.

“Her Ethics professor used her for show and tell on the subject of soulmates,” Karen explained. “Hoshi has two names, so when people find out they give her a lot of crap for it.”

“Two?” Tokoyami sounded surprised.

“One’s dead.” Satio growled, his eyes shifting to Endeavor. “Touya Todoroki.”

Hawks could see Endeavor stiffen. His eyes fell to the floor.

“We can worry about that later,” The eldest pressed. 

“Right.” Karen nodded. “Anyway, Hoshi was pretty bummed because the professor failed her for talking back. So I thought pancakes were the perfect pick up. I just needed strawberries for Saito’s, and Hoshi went to get them…” Her face fell. “I asked her to get them...I should’ve gone so she could relax…”

“You did nothing wrong,” Tokoyami offered kindly. “The villain behind her disappearance is to blame, not you.”

“So it is a villain?” Saito’s glare on Endeavor intensified. “They probably took her because of her connection to you !”

“Saito!” Karen admonished.

“We’re still unclear on the motive right now,” Hawks put his hands up. “We’re going to get your sister back. That’s our job. We’re just trying to gather as much information as possible so we can do this as safely and efficiently as possible.”

“I understand,” Koji nodded. “Hoshi means a great deal to us. Our family has been close since our parents died,” He rose to his feet. “Tell us what you need from us. You have only to ask.”

“What’s she like under pressure?” Endeavor asked.

“Depends.” Koji rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Mostly she performs well. Hoshi stepped up when our parents passed to help with the house--she left school for a while to work and look after Saito and Karen while they were getting their legs back under them. She knows basic self defense--as does Karen.”

“My hope is to rise to detective,” Saito explained. “So I wanted to be sure they’d both be protected.”

“Understandable.” Endeavor nodded. “My own daughter learned several basics.”

“Her sociability has dropped,” Koji went on. “Though I don’t know if it was from the trauma or the stigma of two soulmates.”

“Stigma.” Karen declared. “You wouldn’t believe the kind of crap people say about her.”

“Anything else?” Hawks asked.

“Not that I can think of,” Koji shook his head. “But I’ll write anything that comes to mind down.”

The sister looked to Hawks, then turned, heading back to the kitchen. She had something to say then. Interesting. Alright then.

“We’ll be in touch,” Hawks declared. “In the meantime, you should all stay together and close to your phones. Tokoyami is going to be staying with you until things are resolved.”

“Thank you.” Koji bowed. “It means a great deal to us that you’re taking this seriously.”

“Of course.” Endeavor nodded back politely. 

“I’ll just put this up,” Hawks took his teacup, along with Endeavors to the Kitchen. Karen looked up from the sink, her face tense.

“Thank you for your hospitality.” Hawks offered her the empty cups. “We’ll have you sister home in no time.”

“I…” She looked uncomfortable. “I have a quirk…It lets me see the last day of an object’s history--but only if it’s a gemstone.” She held up a ring with a small white stone in it. “I found it when we went looking for Hoshi. And the man who took her…” Her eyes were wide. “He used blue fire. She called him Dabi. Pretty sure it’s the same guy who showed up at Fukuoka--the scary guy with all the burns? And...he knew her name.”

Hawks nodded. “You haven’t told your brothers?”

Karen shook her head. “Saito would’ve been pissed I did that-he’s a stickler for police protocol. And Koji’s calm now, but out of all of us, he’s the most upset. He’s been the one looking after the rest of us ever since our parents died.”

“I see…” Hawks nodded. “Was there anything else you saw?”

“He was looking for her.” Karen’s face darkened. “Said he was going to use her to get to Keigo Takami.”

“Her other soulmate.” Hawks confirmed.

“The one we can’t find anything about.” Karen frowned. “They're important, aren’t they?”

“Afraid so.” 

“What happens when you get her back?” 

Hawks debated. She was young, a bit impressionable, but clearly quick on the draw. No doubt she’d done a lot of growing up since the loss of their parents. But exactly how badly would she want to keep her family together?

“Honestly?” He admitted. “I’m not sure. It’s still up in the air. If we capture Dabi as well then it’s likely the main threat to her will be taken care of. If not...it gets trickier.”

Karen looked back at the ring thoughtfully. “Listen...If it comes down to it, all I care about is my sister being safe and happy. Saito and Koji too. Koji might be pissed about it, but we all know that’s what matters.” She handed him the ring. “That’s all I’m asking.”

Hawks took the gemstone ring and nodded solemnly. “You have my word.”

Chapter Text

Dabi came back after some time. Hoshi guessed maybe an hour, maybe two. Time was weird when there was nothing to measure it by. He brought a small assortment of books, snacks, a blanket and pillow, and a bucket with baby wipes. 

“Since I can lock the hold, I’m going to untie you for a few hours,” He explained. “Don’t try anything stupid.” 

He undid the rope, letting her stretch out her limbs. Standing was trickier than she remembered. She stumbled catching herself on a shipping crate. Yeah, she was definitely going to need to lap the hold once. At least now she had a valid excuse to do so. Except he was standing there. Like he was waiting.

“What?” She hazarded.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You’re watching.” She felt a little silly saying it out loud. It was like her niece and nephew having an argument when brushing their teeth.

“Is that a problem?” His smile was small but unnerving. Maybe it was the scars. Then again when his face was a neutral expression it didn’t give her much discomfort. Hard to say.

“Yeah.” Hoshi tapped the bucket. “Assuming this is a makeshift chamber pot.”

“Just take it behind a crate,” He shrugged. “I’m not into watching that.”

“Good to know.” She picked up the bucket and wipes and wobbled behind a crate to do her business. Humiliating as it was, at least it gave her time to think. So he was just gonna...hang around for the next few hours? It made some sense. That way she could move and do stuff without him worrying about her making an escape. So that was looking less plausible. But....

She looked at the bucket, a sense of revelation holding in her soul. She had to remind herself about the deal. Three days. Or was it two? Days until Endeavor was traded for her. If they found her first… 

Hoshi grimaced, then made a small obsidian ship, no larger than a game token. Carefully, she formed her name on the bottom, then shoved the small gem into the bucket. It was a small chance, but she was going to take it.

Then she hurried back, leaving the bucket behind. Dabi hadn’t moved, his hands stuffed in his pockets. She didn’t know what to make of him, so she just decided to go for that walk. Now he followed. Well okay Maybe she wouldn’t be able to search out those weak points so easily…

“So…” She broached the silence. “What’s up with the whole trading me to Hawks thing anyway?” 

The burned man raised an eyebrow.

“You said I was worth this trade to him.”

“Ah.” His smile was more teeth than humor. “If I tell you, your fate’s sealed. If he tells you then you’re probably safe.”

“Really?” Hoshi scowled. “We’re going with cryptic bullshit?”

“I’d tell you,” Dabi chuckled. “But you don’t have the ability to lie to Hawks. And then if his little secret was known to you, you’d be on a short list for execution.’

She stopped. “What?”

“The hero commission keeps its favorites on a tight leash,” He looked up towards the high ceiling. “Hawks is probably on the shortest of all.”

“Do...you ever talk in complete and comprehensive sentences, or do I need to learn a new language?”

His smile relaxed. “In your case, the less you know the better.”

“Does that ever actually work?”

“Not with interesting people.” He winked.

“Don’t do that.” She had to fight off a shudder.

“Oh?” Dabi tilted his head, blue eyes now fully trained on her. “Why not?”

Well fuck. Hoshi sidestepped, hoping the distance would provide her the nerve to snip back. This was just another shit person. Just another bully. Not worth more than a snarky remark. Nothing more.

“I’m not into shitty barbers.” Not her wittiest retort.

“I thought I did a good job considering the medium.” 

“Nope.” She snorted. “Worst haircut. Even my brother at five did a better job.”

“Well,” Dabi sighed dramatically, long legs catching up to her in a few steps. “We can’t all be hairdressers.”

“Clearly.” She shot him a dark look.

The smile was back, but looked more human than before. His eyes however, were trained on her. That was unsettling. 

“So are you going to ask?” His smile curved into a smirk. 

“About the whole Hero commission and Hawks and how everything fits together?” Hoshi turned her attention to walking the room. “I already did.”

“I see…” Dabi mused. “Then we could turn it into a game…”

That sounded ominous. But at this point, what did she really have to lose? Everything was already on the line. She turned back to him, meeting those impossibly blue eyes.

“What kind of game?”

Chapter Text

Hawks glared at the list. Tokoyami had combed through the Suzuki residence with Karen’s help and compiled a list of plausible questions to ask her. Just because he didn’t think all of the league was in on it, didn’t mean there wasn’t a chance. And if that was the case, Toga could easily switch places with Suzuki in the trade off. Hawks had to find a question he could ask that only Hoshi would know, and know quickly enough.

 Along with the list, were family notes of things they were trying to think up that could be noteworthy. Koji, Saito, and Bakugo had put up missing flyers in case any additional witnesses came forward--someone who saw something or if she escaped, recognized her. Midoriya and Todoroki were buried in the security footage, working with other sidekicks to isolate Hoshi’s every movement. Midoryia had lengthy notes on it, which were stacking up into a generalized pattern that any reasonable tail could follow. Unfortunately, the few times they caught sight of anyone who could be following, they turned out to be too far out of frame to identify. 

He pinched the  bridge of his nose. It was good work for twelve hours in, but not good enough. He knew he was overreacting, liable to snap at someone soon. This wasn’t the time to lose his cool. This was the time to be cool and calculated. Patient and observant. His training was for moments like this.

“Hawks,” Endeavor glanced at him. “You should sleep.”

“It’s fine,” He argued. “I’ve got a little left in me.”

“You’re both in a form of distress,” Endeavor sighed. “It’s going to drain you faster.”

“Thought you didn’t put stock into soulmates?” Hawks grumbled.

“They cause as many problems as they solve.” Endeavor shrugged. “And so much value gets placed on them that any deviation is scrutinized.”

“I get it,” Hawks waved his hand. 

“But those ties can still bind if they’re not cut properly--as you haven’t.”

“To be fair, I thought I had.” 

“Then that’s a problem for someone who studies soulties.” The flame hero grumbled. “Nevertheless, you’re going to burn yourself out if you’re not careful.”

“That your quirk talking?” Hawks joked.

“Go to sleep!” Endeavor snapped.

“Fine, fine,” Hawks pushed to his feet. “Wake me if there’s any update.”

“Understood.” Endeavor nodded. 

Hawks considered going to the Barracks to catch that sleep, but then decided against it. He headed up to the roof of the building. Looking over the city from here, it looked impossibly large. And somewhere out there was someone being held against her will because his name was on her wrist.

He ran a hand through his hair. Then, drawn by the thought, he pulled his jacket arm down. In that perfect black writing was her name, Hoshi Suzuki. The name had never felt real. It was there and it was a person’s name, but he’d always been able to think of it as just a name. Now there was meaning to it, a face to that name. Beyond that face was a life, a person with hopes, dreams, and struggles. He’d gone from knowing nothing about her to combing over her life in agonizing detail.

“Damn it.” He growled.

The door behind him clicked open. Hawks tugged his sleeve back in place, turning to see who’d joined him. Koji Suzuki held up a hand in greeting. 

“Endeavor said if you weren't in the barracks you’d probably be here.”

“Guilty,” He gave the man a grin. “What can I do for you?”

The lawyer held up a bento box with multiple tiers. “Karen may have gone overboard. You should see the cookies I left with the interns.”

“That’s nice of her.” Hawks bobbed his head. “But I don’t know if…”

“Please,” Koji gave him a tired look. “She’s a stress baker.”

“Ahhh,” Hawks chuckled. “In that case, I accept.” He reached for the bento.

There was a tug on his sleeves as Koji’s nimble fingers slid across them. The leather flopped uselessly, bearing Hawks’ wrists. Koji’s slate eyes flicked between both wrists and then up to the pro. 

“I thought so.” 

“Hey,” Hawks growled, feeling his already shortening patience growing threadbare. “Using your quirk on a pro? Guess lawyers really are cutthroat.”

Koji shrugged. “Only when it comes to certain things. My family in particular.” the pointed ends of his digits relaxed, returning to a more human shape. “If it’s any consolation, I won’t be telling anyone about it. I could be debarred for it.”

Hawks sighed. “That would be the least of your problems.”

“I can imagine.” He ran a hand through his thin hair. 

“I guess if I’m off my game enough to let it happen though,” Hawks grumbled. “Then I can’t exactly complain.” He rubbed at his eyes. “Fuck. Endeavor was right.”

“Then I hope you’ll take his advice.” Koji frowned. “My sister’s life depends on you.”

Hawks bit back a growl. Despite the trickery, he was a civilian. A civilian under duress no less. Normally Hawks wouldn’t have even batted an eye. He really was coming too close to trouble.

“I’m sorry,” Koji sat on the ground, heaving a long sigh. “I understand this probably hits you harder than it does even us.” 

“You don’t have to sugarcoat it,” Hawks offered, popping off the top of the bento. Homemade Onigiri. “I am a pro.”

“And what of it?” Koji gave him a wry smile. “You’re human too. And I’ve seen firsthand what those ties do.”

“Guess you would,” Hawks agreed, scooping up one of the rice balls. “Divorce court can be brutal.”

The lawyer shook his head. “No...When we were kids, Hoshi stumbled into my room one night--she was about nine or ten. And she could barely talk. At first I thought she was trying to annoy me, but…” His eyes fell to his hands. “When I turned on the light I could see she was in pain. I woke my parents and called the ambulance. I was at her side all through the ride to the hospital, up until the doctors had security pull me away…” He flexed his fingers, their tips sharpening to points. “Hoshi was burning from the inside--like someone had lit her on fire. But no one could figure out why. The best theory was that she’d developed a secondary quirk or mutation…” 

“Hoshi...Hoshi almost died. That fact that she didn’t was considered a miracle by the doctors.” Koji looked at Hawks, those grey eyes glistening. “We later learned that was the night Touya Todoroki died. I spoke with a professional on soulties when Hoshi came up with two names…Because the idea of another soulmate dying out there on her and taking her away was...unbearable. Do you know what the expert told me?”

“No.” Hawks shook his head.

“That the reason she made it that night was because she had a second soulmate. That whatever the strength of her ties with Todoroki, her ties with you were what kept her from following suit.” Koji smiled softly. 

“I...Never want my sister to go through those kinds of agony she did again. But...I know she’s going to be okay.” He held his hand out to Hawks, those sharp tips relaxing once again. “Because aside from being resilient, Hoshi has you. And you’ve already saved her once before.”

Hawks took Koji’s hand, giving it a firm shake. “You can count on it.” He agreed.

“I am.” Koji rose to his feet. “Now, I should let you rest. I need to get my own kids to bed. Please send me a bill for the jacket as well--the least I can do is have it replaced.”

Chapter Text

Hoshi tapped her book thoughtfully. Five questions. Any five, no holds barred, no lies, no half truths, just honest facts. But he would get five as well. There was no telling what he was going to ask her. Then again, Hohsi was pretty sure anything she did know wasn’t of any use to him. She didn’t have world altering secrets. Just personal ones--and Dabi seemed more aware of them than even her own family was. That was pretty damn terrifying, but this was her chance to get her answers. 

“Okay.” She decided. “I have mine.”

Dabi glanced up from his phone. “Let’s hear it then.”

“Why do you want Endeavor?”

He tilted his head. “You sure you want that one? Seems like a waste.”

“I’m sure.” Hoshi nodded.

“I’m going to kill him.”

Well that was annoyingly straightforward. She bit her lip to keep from wasting her questions. She’d taken her chance and it hadn’t paid off. The next four would just have to be more calculated. Dabi’s laughter cut through her thoughts. 

“Your determined look is cute.” He chuckled.

Hoshi rolled her eyes. 

“Just for that, I’ll be a bit less cryptic.” He tucked his phone into his pocket, leaning forward. “Endeavor is what I would call a false hero--the prime example of one in fact. His only interest is in being at the top, and he doesn’t particularly care who he hurts on his way there. To him, his legacy is that shiny pedestal of number one--him, and his progeny. When the first one wasn’t talented enough for his liking he went on to the next model--Shoto Todoroki. And it didn’t matter that his reckless push hurt his family--killed his first son. No, he kept going. To him it’s a competition. And when all you care about is yourself, you forget to look out for the people you're supposed to be protecting.”

“I see…” She considered that. “Well...that sates my curiosity somewhat.”

“Guess that makes it mine…” Dabi leaned back. “What do you think about me?”

Hoshi blinked. “ That’s… .your question?”

“Yup.” He grinned. “I want your thoughts on me.”

“You already know I think you’re a shit barber.”  She defaulted to sarcasm. 

“Come on Suzuki,” He called. “Tell me something good here.”

“You’re a villain.” She threw her hands up. “And I’m sure Endeavor isn’t your first try at killing someone.”

“True,” Dabi agreed. “But I mean what do you think of me as a person?”

Hoshi opened her mouth to say something sarcastic, then thought better. He’d just admitted to killing people. She wasn’t in a great position to be mouthing off. No, if she was going to survive the whole experience, she was going to need her wits, as much cooperation as possible, and all the luck and goodwill she could get.

“You...scare me.” Well. It was the truth. He didn’t seem particularly moved one way or another at that answer, so she continued. “I understand some of your thought process, and I can sympathise with that hatred of Endeavor. But I don’t understand the rest. I don’t know what to make of you, of your motives, the methods. I do know that I was taken from my home, my family, and am being held for ransom. Being held captive is terrifying. And then…” She swallowed. “You look at me. And I don’t understand what that look is.”

“So it scares you.” he guessed. 

Hoshi gripped her arms. “I don’t know you, Dabi. All I know is what you’ve done to me so far and what you’ve told me. And everything you’ve said scares me.”

“Did you remember the important one?” He rose to his feet, his elevated place on the shipping crate only adding to his already impressive height. “What I told you to remember?”

Hoshi shivered. “That....That’s what frightens me the most.”

“I see…” Dabi mused. “Well...You’re honest,” 

“Do you want me to lie?”

“No.” 

Hoshi looked up to see him hopping down from the crate. 

“Unfortunately, time’s up.” he picked up the ropes. “You can think about the other questions while I’m topside.”

She already knew running wasn’t an option. But that rope did not make her feel any safer. Dabi stood, watching her eye it.

“I don’t have all day.”

She grimaced, but forced her legs forward. She didn’t want this. But her options were limited. For now...She’d cooperate. Another step.

Dabi, despite his complaint, waited for her to get halfway to him before he started moving. Then she was back in ropes, hands bound behind her back and ankles secured. He then guided her body to the ground, laying her atop the blanket. 

“You can sleep if you want. I’ll be back to check every so often, so don’t worry.” 

“Right.” She mumbled. “No worries.”

“Trust me,” Dabi purred. “I’m not the one you should be afraid of.” 

Hoshi wondered if she should ask who she was supposed to be afraid of. But that might count in their little game. And those eyes were back on her face. 

“What?” She breathed.

“Nothing.” He snagged the waste bucket and turned for the stairs. “Think carefully on those questions.”

And then she was left alone again, his footfalls echoing against the metal. It left an eerie icy sensation up her spine. She turned inward, looking at the gems she could produce. If she could get more gemstones with her name on them out there, then the chance of someone understanding their message, or perhaps even having Karen read one in time… There had to be another way to get one out… She just needed to find it.

Chapter Text

Dabi came back a some time later, bearing another meal and water. She wasn’t sure how long it had been since she’d dozed off, and she didn’t want to risk him counting that question against her.

He untied Hoshi to feed herself this time and sat off to the side, scrolling aimlessly through his phone. She wondered if he was actually reading anything. If so it was probably the progress of information on her whereabouts. How much the heroes put out in the hopes of finding her in those three days was a mystery, but she didn’t want to think too hard on it with her captor right there. Instead she decided to go for her second question. 

“Why Hawks?” 

He smiled. “I knew you’d ask that.”

Hoshi chose not to dignify that with anything other than a slurp of her noodles. 

“His real name is Keigo Takami,” Dabi explained. “The hero commission took a special interest in him at an early age and drafted him into hero training. More like conditioning. They taught him to use his quirk, become an efficient hero, spy, and all around government dog by taking everything from him that wasn’t useful. That included him giving up that name. And in a sense, swearing off you.”

Hoshi stared at the burned man. “Bullshit.”

“Ask him yourself,” Dabi shrugged. “Just don’t expect him to be happy you know--or for him to become that legendary lover soulmates are supposed to be. No, you’re either going to die or be altered for that knowledge. Can’t have a number two hero with a weakness like a soulmate running around. He might start going soft and stop being that perfect tool the commission needs.”

“So I’m screwed.” Hoshi grumbled.

“Unfortunately.” He confirmed. “You’ll have to get real good at playing dumb--but I doubt he’ll buy it.” 

“That doesn’t make any sense,” She argued. “If I’m his greatest liability, why not just leave me to you? If killing me is the other option why bother?”

“You of all people should know how that bond affects people.” Dabi pointed out. “And even assuming you two don’t share the Todoroki bond, between his training and your feeling that near death experience, you two have shared trauma down that bond. Anything shared down it makes you just a bit more...cognizant of one another. He can’t ignore your distress.”

“Right.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m pretty sure most heroes react similarly to hostage situations.”

“Guess you’ll find out.” He shrugged. “But that makes it my turn.”

“Do your worst,” Hoshi dared, trying to keep herself confident.

“What is it you believe? About society, how it functions, where it’s broken?”

Hoshi considered that. “I mean, it is pretty flawed,” She agreed. “There’s a major separation of factions and lines of thinking when it comes to the basic order of our modern setup. The chaos of the world when quirks first started to appear is something the government is keenly aware of, and desperate to never go back to. Which, in fairness, the amount of death and lives lost over power struggles is something we should all be wary of. But the hero model that evolved out of necessity is starting to look dated. It worked well to instil order and unite people, but it doesn’t seem like a long term option. Instead a permanent solution of how to train and handle quirks should have been taken into account--not just brief counseling when the quirks first appear. Most kids are curious by nature, and as they grow older wish to express themselves--their quirks by extension see more use.”

Dabi stared at her. “You...put more thought into this than I realized.”

“I’m studying to be a history professor,” She explained. “I want to focus on the history of quirks and teach a new generation to think critically about why we have what we have, and why it’s okay to change them. Peacefully though. I don’t think killing people really solves the problem. That’s not any different than those who started using their quirks to gain power through violence.”

“Assuming the problem hasn’t already grown beyond simply educating.” He countered.

“I’m a single person, I can only do what I can do. But I’ll do it.” She sighed. “So what do I believe? I believe we need to start changing how we do things. Starting with quirk training. Teaching kids ethical use of it, but not banning it. Other countries have less restrictions on quirk usage, so it’s not as if the idea is untenable. And with that, more opportunity will arise. People can find uses for talents if they’re allowed to explore those talents.”

“I see…” Dabi nodded thoughtfully. 

“I think, above all else though,” Hoshi continued, stirring her noodles thoughtfully. “We need to understand that society is full of fallable people. We band together because it gives us strength. We cooperate because we have common goals. We work together so that everyone is able to survive, if not thrive. Those in leadership take great burdens on themselves in order to lead. It’s our job to support them--but also refute them when they make poor decisions. We’ve let ourselves become complacent with the hero society being what they are. Before All Might’s retirement it was more glitz and glamour. All Might, in his goal to be a symbol of peace, lead to a larger issue--complacency. People felt safe. Like nothing could go wrong--the pros included. And the few times it did it became more of a show than an actual crisis. Because he’d always show up--or maybe someone less popular. But nothing could ever actually go wrong.”

She looked up from her meal at the burned man. “A whole country thought they were untouchable. Because one man was strong. No one questioned what would happen when he wasn’t there anymore. No one put any thought into the future. They just assumed it would be okay. We should have been backing the work he was doing by helping those around us. We could have done so much. But we squandered it. So now...now we have problems.”

“The real issue,” Dabi argued. “Is the false heroes. The ones who abuse their power and status.”

“Yeah, fuck em!” Hoshi agreed. “Have them investigated by a third party and get severe punishment for that kind of bullshit!”

Dabi chuckled. “I prefer Stains method myself.”

“You would,” She groused, slurping another mouthful of noodles.

“But you’re cute when you get fired up.”

She choked. Noodles slid down her throat while the bowl clattered to the ground. She wheezed as her airways cleared, letting her down the sweet air again.

“You alright?” Dabi asked, sounding more amused than concerned. “Don’t go dying on me over a little compliment like that.”

“Then don’t say crap like that!” Hoshi snapped, turning her back to him.

He laughed. Bastard. He had the audacity to kidnap her, ransom her, play stupid games, and then laugh about it. How was she going to survive the remaining days with this kind of interaction?

She stopped. “Hey…”

He gave her a hum of acknowledgment.

“Why three days?” 

Dabi blinked. “Huh?”

“Why are you keeping me for three days?” She reiterated, looking over her shoulder at him. “Sure, Hawks has to get Endeavor, but that shouldn’t take very long. Twenty four hours? Maybe forty eight? But three days?”

“So?” He titled his head.

“It gives them more time to track you down. That’s more time you have to feed and make sure I’m still alive and reasonably functioning. More time something could go wrong. Why ?” She squinted at him.

“Pick a different question.”

Hoshi pivoted to face him head on. “No.”

“Suzuki.” His blue eyes sparked dangerously, even from ten feet away. “That’s a question you can’t come back from.”

“ Dabi .” She planted her hands on her hips. “That didn’t stop you last time.”

He scowled. “There’s a difference. You still have a chance with the heroes--more out of public image concerns than anything. If I answer that question, all bets are off.”

“Why?” Hoshi raised her chin defiantly.

Dabi sighed, rising to his feet. “You had your chance, Hoshi.” He cracked his neck.

She blinked. “Huh?”

Dabi hopped down and prowled toward her. “I chose three days because I was curious--no...hopeful.” His eyes held hers. “Hopeful you’d come to the same conclusion I did.”

“About heroes?” She asked, stepping back.

“Among other things,” Dabi’s long strides brought him towering over her. “And if there was a chance to bring you to my side peacefully, then it was worth risking the extra time.”

“I...don’t understand…” Hoshi shook her head. “I’m not interested in becoming a villain.”

“No?” he leaned down, his face inches from her. “But you’re in such a perilous position, Hoshi.”

“Don’t….call me that…” She forced herself to stand her ground.

His teeth flashed in a ghoulish smile. “Why not?”

“You’re not someone I want calling my name.” She shivered.

“Ah…” His smile only widened. “Maybe I’ll call you mouse…”

“You’re infuriating.” Hoshi declared, forcing herself to stand straighter. “And ridiculous. I’d have been fine if you hadn’t nabbed me to trade for Endeavor.”

“Maybe,” His smile fell. “But unlike Hawks, I don’t leave things to chance. And I wouldn’t leave my soulmate unwatched.” 

Hoshi felt her stomach turn. Her feet moved on their own, backpedaling. Her hands were shaking.

“No, I only have two,” She argued, struggling to get away from that stare. “Keigo Takami, and Touya Todoroki. Keigo is Hawks, and Touya’s dead.”

“In a sense,” Dabi agreed, matching her, step for step. “The boy who wanted to be a hero like his father did die that night. Burnt to ashes. I’m what rose from those ashes.”

“Bullshit.” Hoshi barked, stumbling back. “I felt him die!” Her hands hit cold metal. She turned to see the wall of the hull. Shit. Her head whipped back in time to find the two arms falling into place on either side of her, penning her in.

“I didn’t stay dead.” He growled.

“You…Can’t prove that.” She challenged.

“No?” Dabi leaned in. “I’m sure I can.” 

A hand shot out, pinning her left hand over her head. Hoshi struggled instinctively. Too late. His other hand had already come out of his pocket, holding a needle. She could feel her heart hammering painfully in her chest. She forced the obsidian shards out from her wrist and through his hands.

Dabi let out a hiss of surprise as she tore free from his blood soaked hand. Her legs were shaking as she darted for the stairs. She stumbled up them, bruising her shins as she fell forward. Dabi was on top of her before she could regain her footing. Hoshi felt the sting of the needle in her arm.

“Shhh….” She felt his lips press against her temples. “Just close your eyes. You’ll see soon enough.”

Her body felt heavy, her limbs weak. 

“What…” She tried to choke out the words, but her mouth wasn’t willing to form more than that single question.

“Shh….”

Despite her effort to stay conscious, Hoshi felt her eyelids droop. She sagged as Dabi hoisted her up. There was something warm and wet in her hair. She let her eyes shut, determined to open them. It lasted only a moment as she stared up at Dabi. He was cradling her, those impossibly blue eyes trained on her. The next chance she got, she was going to shove obsidian shards into them. Anything to keep him from staring at her like that. Her eyes shut again, her body no longer able to fight. Fuck that bastard.

Chapter Text

If he hadn’t known Hoshi was his soulmate before, Hawks was sure he’d have figured it out by now. He was on his third cup of coffee and still feeling agitated. Whatever distress she was feeling had only grown, and he could feel it pounding away like a hammer to his skull. 

Endeavor caught the mood. “How bad?”

“I don’t know what the hell Dabi’s doing to keep her compliant, but it can’t be drugs.” He growled into his mug. “Unless it's psychedelics.”

“That may be part of his strategy,” Endeavor ran a finger along the map spread over the desk. “If he keeps her frightened and upset it echoes and keeps you on edge and more likely to make a mistake. Considering he gave you three days, that would give him plenty of time to cause you both a lot of mental torment.”

“I wouldn’t put it past him,” Hawks agreed. “You may want to call for additional backup.”

“If we do that, we risk her safety, and a shot at capturing Dabi.”

“But we risk playing into his hand.” Hawks countered.

A knock cut off Endeavor’s argument. 

“What?!” He snapped.

Midoryia pushed the door open, holding up a file. “We’ve narrowed down the list of potential holding areas based on maps of Suzuki’s routine, Redestro and other Paranormal liberation front members assets.” He handed the file to Hawks. 

Hawks opened the file and bit back a groan. That was a long list. Clubs, restaurants, docks, warehouses, factories, abandoned buildings, theaters. He passed it over to Endeavor, fighting back his scowl. It was good work. They’d narrowed down a lot of places in a short amount of time. It just wasn’t enough.

“Midoriya?” Endeavor hissed. “Why are they highlighted?”

“When running over each place we came up with the pros and cons of each and highlighted them accordingly. Red is places that are high traffic areas with limited space to store a person--we used surveillance and floor plans to map those out.”

Hawks stared at the green haired boy with a new level of respect. Tokoyami had spoken highly of his classmates, though when pressed to name top performers, he’d named Midoryia as one of the top five, easily. Hawks was starting to see why he was held in such esteem. Analytical minds were a treasure in the hero field.

“Blue is for places with easy access to food and water.” Midoryia continued. “Though, depending on how long Dabi planned this, it’s possible he stockpiled supplies ahead of time--but they seem a good place to start.”

“Yellow?” Endeavor asked.

“Isolation,” The boy confirmed. “More based on space available, along with lower foot traffic. Green are the ones that have both Isolation and easy access to essentials.”

“Good work.” Endeavor grunted. “Find Burnin and tell her to come here.”

“Yes sir!” Midoryia was off like a shot.

“I like him.” Hawks mused.

“He’s troublesome.” Endeavor growled. “But...He’s definitely going to end up in the top ranks.”

“Oooh,” Hawks perked up. “You heaping praise on a work study who’s not Shoto?”

“I didn’t say he’d outrank Shoto.” Endeavor snapped.

“It’s just weird for you to take a liking to anyone who isn’t your son.”

“You were the one to tell me to train the next generation.” 

“Yeah,” Hawks agreed. “We were gonna need all the help we could get. Still do.”

Another knock killed the conversation. Burnin strode in, her face grim. She’d been taking a lot of Endeavor’s rounds while they worked on this, alongside Bakugo and Shoto. Clearly she was running ragged.

“I need you to organize search parties--three person teams, wired up.”

She gave a sharp nod. “We taking the kids with us?”

Endeavor seemed to mull that over briefly, before nodding. “Yes. Put them on one. We’ll have them sweep mid tier areas.” He handed her the list. “I want these places patrolled, but not checked. If Dabi’s hiding out in these areas the pressure should be enough. If you see him, do not engage, but attempt to have him tracked.”

“Got it.” She nodded. 

“Hawks and I will take the top priority spots in green. Put the kids on blue spots. Take other teams past yellow as mid tier, red is low.”

“Right!” She jogged out. “See you in 10!”

“Back to what I was saying,” Hawks continued. “Backup.”

“Hawks.” Endeavor leveled his blue eyes to the younger man. “I...have failed my family many times in my life. Of my failings, the one that haunts me the most is Touya.” 

Hawks kept his expression neutral.

“I spoke with Koji Suzuki last night. I imagine he had a similar conversation with you. And his anger with me is justified. I am the reason Touya suffered, and by extension, the reason Suzuki suffered. I cannot undo that wrong.”

“Whatever Koji’s feelings are,” Hawks offered. “I’m not blaming you.”

“I know.” Endeavor flashed him a weak smile. “Strangely you’ve supported me.”

“Eh, you know,” Hawks leaned back. “Once an Endeavor fan, always an Endeavor fan.”

“Just the same. I owe you and Suzuki more than I can repay. Which is why we will win this game Dabi’s playing. We will rescue her. And I hope from there that the two of you are able to build what I could never achieve.”

Hawks opened his mouth to argue, but no sound came out.

“All I dare ask for in return,” Endeavor continued. “Is that you try to be happy together.”

“Yeah…” Hawks nodded. He knew he ought to be jovial, play up his antics and give Endeavor a hard time for being so sentimental. He just couldn’t bring himself to do it. Instead he got to his feet, turning to keep his face from betraying him any further.

“Good.” Endeavor grunted, rising to follow. “Now. Let’s get these patrols in motion.”

Chapter Text

Sometimes Eros was faced with a concept that made him reassess his life choices in spite of himself. Not that he’d change. No, he was in far too deep for regrets now. But self reflection was inevitable. And the Hero of Love had a lot to reflect on. His career had been a bit of a joke in the hero world. Him as a support hero working mainly to handle damage caused by soulties, more often cutting people apart than helping them actually solve anything. Then the seedier lot had gotten wind of him and begun to approach him. And frankly a sociopath with money and an unhealthy fixation on their soulmate wasn’t all that different from some of the heroes Eros had worked with. Minus the money. He was just expected to help them. 

Still he’d never expected any of the League of Villains to show at his doorstep. And with their interests, they didn’t mind getting him certain items of interest. He’d almost wished he’d started this all sooner. Villains and criminals were lucrative. And even if this particular member had an incalculable body count, he came ready to pay.

Eros let out a long low whistle as Dabi placed the unconscious girl out on the table. There clearly had been a struggle based on the bandage around Dabi’s hand and the bruises along the girl’s arms and legs. But she wasn’t burnt to a crisp, so she had that going for her.

“You’re certain this is her?” Eros asked. Normally he’d have checked her wrists, but they were both wrapped in medical bandages--clearly a subtle hint. And Eros had long ago learned to take those hints to heart.

“Yes.” Dabi grunted. 

“Well then,” Eros leaned over, extending his hand. “Let’s take a look…” His crimson eyes went over the details of the link. 

Her soul was a pale green, like a mist of moss held down with a wire thin red chord. The red chord faded out of Eros’ vision. So she had another soulmate. Whoever they were, they clearly weren’t Dabi. Dabi’s soul was blue like his flames.

“I can’t find any ties between the two of you,” Eros admitted. “It happens sometimes. Some people get them cut, or sometimes the soul will cut the ties to preserve itself.”

“Such as a near death experience?” Dabi suggested.

“Likely.” Eros agreed. “If that’s the case then reattachment should be possible.”

“Do it.” Dabi grunted.

“I will warn you,” Eros cautioned. “Depending on the severity of that experience, and her own nature, she may relive some of that trauma.”

He was somewhat relieved to see the burned villain considering that. Eros wasn’t in a position to be picky with his clients from the underside of society, but he didn’t like the idea of destroying the girl on the table either. 

“You think she will?” 

Eros glanced back at the soul. “Probably.” he admitted. “This isn’t an exact science, but she appears to be a bit higher on the empathic scale than average.”

“Is there any way to lessen the side effects?”

“Likely just to stay with her until it passes.” Eros counseled. “That will strengthen your bond and cement it, allowing your proximity to become a comfort.”

Dabi nodded. “Do it then.”

Eros cracked his neck. He rarely pitied anyone their attachments. Most were lucky in that they had them--a premade person to care about their existence no matter what the rest of the world thought of them. But for her, he could feel some pity. She was bound by two souls, and Dabi wasn’t what anyone would call safe. If he felt anything for this girl it was likely limited to her usefulness to him. But that was none of Eros’ business.

He flexed his fingers over her heart, calling to the soul, coaxing it to respond. It practically clung to the thin connection of the red thread, as if it understood something awful was about to happen. But there, hidden and tangled among the connections was a single strand, no larger than a hair--singed and damaged, and held on only loosely. He ran his hands over them, receiving a spark of blue light. It ignited, dancing like a little flame across the sphere of green.

From the corner of his eye, Eros could see Dabi flinch, clearly feeling the effects. Lines of blue and green began intertwining and crisscrossing. Eros twisted them tighter, binding them closely. The girl on the table was starting to shake, whatever near death experience Dabi had mentioned hitting her anew. Tears flowed from her eyes as Eros continued to tighten and strengthen the bond. Her soul, despite itself, was almost resistant, green threads tangling into the red as the new connection took hold.

“Do you want me to cut the other tie?” Eros asked. 

“No.” Dabi grunted. “Leave it.”

He was tempted to ask, but thought better of it. Dabi had his reasons. And maybe it was the only mercy she’d get in the whole debacle. Eros instead finished the work and then sat back.

“You’re likely going to feel some side effects,” He sighed. “It varies from person to person, but usually it falls upon the territorial end, so if you start feeling overly invested, it’s just the ties.”

“Understood.” Dabi nodded, fishing into his pocket. “Your payment,” He handed him a case. “Those are concentrated doses.”

“Fancy,” Eros grinned. “Pleasure doing business with you.”

Dabi didn’t reply, instead scooping up the unconscious body. Eros watched him go, a sense of amusement filling him. Outwardly there was little to indicate any actual change. But his crimson eyes were trained. There was a touch more care then when he’d come in. His steps were more carefully measured, the girl's face carefully tucked into his chest. 

Eros smiled to himself as he inspected the vials of drugs in their case. She’d gotten the short end of the stick in soulmates, but it was her cross to bear. Dabi, in whatever twisted way, had just set himself up with a weak point. And Eros knew more than a few people who’d be interested in that.

Chapter Text

Hoshi woke up in tears. She felt like she was seventeen again, clutching her pillows and wondering what her life was supposed to look like now. There would be no more laughter with her parents. Her mother would never teach her how to make her grandmother's strawberry cake. Her father would never walk her down the aisle. He was supposed to take Saito out for his first beer once he got out of the police academy. They wouldn't get to meet Koji’s first child. Her sister--god Karen was so young…

She buried her face into the warmth of her pillow, sobbing. A gentle hand patted her head, stroking her hair. Hoshi froze. She wasn’t holding a pillow.

“It’s alright.” That wasn’t any of her siblings. “You’re safe.”

Hoshi’s stomach turned as everything came back to her. Fuck. She was on a boat somewhere, held by Dabi. Dabi who claimed to be Touya. No….Who was Touya. She didn't know how she knew it, but she did. As clearly as she knew herself, she knew it. 

She shot up, trying to scramble for anywhere that wasn’t in his arms. It was difficult in the cramped quarters around her. It was just large enough for the cot she’d been on with Dabi and a desk and chair. 

“Where are we?”

“Is that an official question?” His smile was smug. “Because it’s still my turn.”

“What did you do to me?!” She screamed, trembling. “Why…”

His smile vanished. “You asked me why three days. The answer is I wanted to connect to my soulmate, get her to my side. You didn’t believe me, so I proved it.”

Tears rolled down her face. “No...I...You…” Her whole body was shaking. “You’re Touya…”

Dabi crawled off the cot, tugging her into his arms. Hoshi wanted to resist, but she was shaking too much. Everything hurt. It felt like she was reliving the death of something important. And as much as she wanted to shove him away, she needed that touch. Someone, anyone, to hold her. She hated it. Hated herself for being so raw with this man, soulmate or not.

“I prefer Dabi,” He murmured. “But Touya’s fine for now.”

“I want to go home…” She felt pathetic saying it. She felt worse that his response was to tuck her in tighter to himself. “Please…”

“I can’t,” His voice was soft, but firm. “I warned you...But now I can’t. Giving you back so that those heroes could do to you what they did to me? Never.”

Hoshi opened her mouth to argue, but a fresh wave of agony swept over her. The fear of death, the smell of smoke clogging her lungs. Her hands gripped Dabi’s coat tightly, new tears running.

“You’re safe,” Dabi promised. “I’m not going anywhere,”

“I hate you,” She sobbed. “You bastard.”

“No you don’t,” He patted her head. “It’d be easier if you did. But you don’t.”

Hoshi buried her head into his chest. She wasn’t sure if he was right or not. But she knew she was in pain, and the only thing that felt even okay was clinging to him. She hated herself for seeking that comfort. She hated herself for not being stronger, for not flinging herself into the farthest corner of the room to escape him. Was she just broken? Defective? 

“Shhhh…” His hands ran over her back. “Whatever’s going on in that head, just forget it…”

Hoshi looked up at his face. Those indiscernible blue eyes were staring back down at her. Beautiful. Horrible. That same damn look.

“Dabi…” Her throat ached. “It’ll never work…”

His arms tightened around her, his lips pressing into her forehead. “It will. You’re mine. And from now on, you’re staying with me.”

Chapter Text

Hoshi woke to a note from Dabi and the room to herself. It was short and to the point “ Supply run. Be back soon. ” Bastard. She crumbled it up in anger. She still felt terrible. Physically it was like going through the stages of grief all over again. All she wanted to do was to cry and sleep. But she needed to stay alert. To think. This was an opportunity. Outside there was still daylight left, and moreover, she was facing the dock side. Just one outbuilding over the cityscape began. It was a long shot, but Hoshi didn’t have any other ideas.

The window was too small for her to actually fit through, but it was an opening she could work with. She summoned the diamond, sharpened it, and began the task of sawing into the window. She scored a box shape, creating a rhythm as she went to focus on. Sharpen, cut, turn, sharpen, cut, turn.

Once she was satisfied she was halfway through, Hoshi covered her fist in spinel knuckles and punched through. The glass snapped, the pieces falling out into the water below. Good. So far so good.

Next she summoned her game sized ship tokens with her name on them. These were made of sapphires. They were less likely to shatter on impact than obsidian, but not as taxing to make as diamonds. She pulled her spare hair tie from her pocket and used to make a makeshift slingshot. It wasn’t like she was going to need it for a while, thanks to Dabi. It took a few tries to get any of the tokens to go over the roofs, but she worked at it tirelessly, losing count of how many tokens she shot off after forty. If even one made it into the right hands…

Hoshi sucked in a deep breath. They’d better hurry before the burnt bastard came back. She studied the brightly colored spinel knuckles. Well rushing him would be difficult in her state, but she was running out of steam to keep planning. Whatever he’d done to tie her back to him was screwing with her big time. The sooner she was free, the sooner she could fix whatever was wrong with her. 

Vaguely she wondered if a lifetime of therapy would be enough. What a trade off. A broken woman for the number 1 hero. Pathetic. Who would make such a horrible trade? It was the moral thing to do. But was it the right thing to do?

Hoshi curled up on the cot tucking her knees up to her chest. The feelings were back. Like a tidal wave of hell, ebbing only to crash back into her with greater force. She hated it. She hated all of it. The guilt, the regret, the ache of loss. She’d worked so hard to move forward. And whatever Dabi had done to her had brought it all back, as fresh as the days after they’d died.

Hoshi gripped her knees, the tears coming back. She had to stay alive. Stay safe. Make it home again. She’d promised. She’d sworn she’d keep going. She wasn’t going back on it now. And when she got out, they’d go home. Saito would complain about the additional constellations in the ceiling, Karen would recommend flowers for the vines for the bedframe, Koji would bring his family over to celebrate her return and they’d bake up strawberry cakes. They’d plot revenge against her ethics professor together, then plan on going to Karen’s school festival. 

Hoshi breathed in. She’d felt this all before. She’d mourned the loss, and pushed past the fear and uncertainty, reaching out for the solid parts of reality. She would conquer what Dabi had done to her. She would make it out. And even if it changed her in ways she didn’t understand or couldn’t undo, she would still make it out.

“I’ll be home soon.” She promised, the hard spinel coating her knuckles. “Just wait for me.”

Chapter Text

Hawks had to stop short on the patrol. Something was deathly wrong. His feathers fluffed out, making his wings seem nearly full. 

“Hawks?” Endeavor asked.

“He’s done something,” It came out as a growl. “I don’t know what, but she’s in a lot of pain.”

“Let’s get off the street.” Endeavor grunted.

Hawks didn’t argue, following him to a side ally. Once they were out of sight, he let his fist slam into the wall. It didn’t do anything but bruise his knuckles, but it felt right. Since the option of taking to the sky right now was still risky, and even then he didn’t have a direction to go. The punch would have to do.

“He’s definitely playing with the both of you.” Endeavor decided. 

“He’s doing a hell of a job.” Hawks all but snarled. “It’s like...like having every part of yourself chained while a building is on fire ten feet in front of you.”

Endeavor grunted. “I’m sorry, Hawks.”

“We’ll have to figure this out soon.” There was a ringing on Hawk’s phone. He scowled at the number. “That’s weird…”

“What?” Endeavor asked.

Hawks put a finger up and answered. “Yo! Eros. Long time no talk.”

“Hawks!” The man on the other end sounded relieved. “Oh thank goodness! Listen, I screwed up!”

“Slow down,” Hawks urged. “Take a breath.”

“S-sorry!” Eros swallowed. “Listen. I was attacked by one of the league of villains--a guy with a bunch of scars, fire power--”

“Dabi.” Hawks confirmed, the anger too evident in his voice. “Was it at your office?”
“Nearly there.” Eros offered. “He had a hostage, so I had to walk into the clinic and turn everything off he didn’t like.”

“No footage, got it.” 

“Right. But his hostage! She was his soulmate--had me rebind her to him. Poor girl.”

Hawks could feel his stomach turn. “You’re sure?”

“Absolutely.” Eros confirmed. “She was knocked out, but her soulties don’t lie.”

“Fuck.” Hawks hissed.

“What?”

“Nothing. That’s great information, thank you.” he scribbled a note. “I’ll have one of my team come check out the crime scene and do a proper interview.”

“Thank you,” Eros breathed. “And if you find that poor girl, I can try to undo the binding.”

“Good to know.” Hawks fought to keep his hands steady. “I’ll call you later.” He hung up and tapped out the new order to one of his sidekicks before he could get any more upset.

“Hawks?” Endeavor pressed.

“That was Eros--the soulmate guy?”

“Hero of love?” Endeavor grimaced.

“That’s the one. Dabi brought Hoshi to him for some screwing around with those soul ties.” Hawks scowled. “And I don’t like the sounds of what he did to her.”

Endeavor opened his mouth to respond, but his phone went off. He scowled, but picked it up. “Shoto?”

Hawks watched as Endeavor’s expression went from irritation to triumph. “Good work! Clean them up. We don’t want Dabi finding those. From there set up a perimeter and keep an eye on the harbor. We’ll be there shortly.” He clicked off. “Looks like Suzuki managed to throw us some breadcrumbs, The locals at the wharf reported blue hailstones--little rocks in the shape of boats with her name on them.”

Hawks felt himself smile at that. “Atta girl.”

Chapter Text

Hawks could feel the unease in his bones. He and Endeavor had hurried to the wharf where the three UA Students had cleaned out the streets of the evidence and moved all but the bare essential workers from the area. Shutting all of it down was too risky, as was searching it. But based on Midoriya’s tests with pieces of Shoto’s ice and input from Bakugo, they’d narrowed down the likely trajectory and the ship. Burnin had checked the registration to find it was a shipping vessel belonging to one of Redestro’s underlings.

She was in there. Or it was a trap. Maybe both. But the itch to fly over and tear the ship apart was starting to worry him. Was that her agitation or his instincts talking? He was going to have to redouble his training once this mess was over. 

They’d set up a news van parked a few streets over, near the smaller shops. The town had been wired up fast, with eyes on the ship being the main focus. The local shops had also surrendered use of the CCTV to them, allowing them additional feeds throughout the town and wharf. Under ordinary circumstances, Hawks would’ve found it all tedious and overstepping. But it was Dabi. He’d mistakenly underestimated that man’s intelligence once, and paid for it. He wasn’t interested in making any of those now.

Then their target was spotted. Dabi. He moved nearly inconspicuously for a man nearly burnt to a crisp. The hoodie at this time of afternoon, head down, earbuds in, grocery sacks. The others were zooming in through the feed, muttering over the store logo, Bakugo listing the addresses of the three nearest.

Hawks could feel his lip curling in disgust. Dabi. Or...No. For now he’d stay Dabi. There wasn’t any sense in bringing up something that explosive based only on Eros. Despite what he’d said, something about the whole call felt wrong, even to his warped senses. He’d sent his best from Nest to interview him, and they agreed, texting back the basic facts and a single statement; “Shady AF.” For now though, he had to focus on this.

Midoriya was making the call to the stores to request the information, while Shoto and Bakugo tried to make heads or tails of the supplies inside. Sparing a sideways look at Endeavor told him he’d already made his guess, and it pissed him off too. A hint that the deal might not be on. Which only added fuel to Hawks’ growing suspicion and concerns.

They watched him head towards the ship, pausing to study the exterior. His body language shifted, his pace picking up as he boarded. Hawks scowled, scanning the screen. What had Dabi seen?

“There.” Endeavor pointed to a port window. “There’s a hole in it.” 

It was barely visible through the feed, but he was right. A neat little square cut out of the side.

“Guess that’s where she launched her breadcrumbs,” Hawks mused. “Impressive. That’s some thick glass.” 

“Is she going to be in danger for that?” Todoroki asked.

Hawks had to bite his tongue to keep his feet on the ground.

“Unlikely.” Endeavor answered. “Dabi has to keep her unharmed for the trade off.”

“He likes mind games,” Bakugo warned. His eyes narrowed, likely remembering his own time as a hostage under the league.

Hawks could feel his feathers ruffling. Bakugo was right. He’d seen that first hand, dealt with it. He was many things, but an idiot wasn’t one of them. And if Hoshi had been tethered through soulties, those mind games were going to be all the easier for Dabi to play.

“Burnin’s started the evacuation,” Endeavor grunted. “Shouldn’t take long.”

“Then what?” Todoroki tilted his head. 

Midoryia interrupted, holding up the list. “They pulled the receipt and items. Looks like he purchased a first aid kit, hair bleach, blonde hair dye, black hair dye, Womens clothing, and bandages.”

“Her hair’s already been shortened,” Hawks scowled. “Adding the dye and change of clothes...”

“He’s plann’n on keeping her.” Bakugo guessed, his trademark scowl deepening.

“But why?” Midoryia shook his head. “She’s sending out breadcrumbs, so he ought to know she’s not interested in joining him.”

“Perhaps she lied to win his trust?” Todoroki suggested. 

“Or he fully intends to use her as much as possible,” Endeavor glanced at Hawks. 

All viable. But Hawks was afraid those were wrong. If his theory was right, then it meant something far worse. Dabi wanted to keep her purely because of what she was to him. Assuming Eros was telling the truth. They’d know once they got to Hoshi. After that...Well, Hawks could figure out Eros’s angle later. Once he could get Hoshi safe and himself down from the anxious knot of fight or flight.

“Hawks?” Endeavor pressed.

“Looks like the deal’s off.” He looked to his idol. “Once the place is evacuated we can make a move. It may be better to wait Dabi out for him to make another run, but there’s a limit on how long we should wait. Give it until nightfall.”

Endeavor nodded. “You have a plan?”

“I do.” More like a dozen, depending on what they were dealing with. He flexed his wings, the feathers near itching to fly out. “But I don’t like it.”

Chapter Text

If her neck hairs hadn’t been burnt off with the rest of her hair, they’d have stood up on end. As it was, Hoshi was left with a chill down her spine as Dabi opened the door, those blue eyes pinning her with a look.

“You know you can't fit through that hole.” 

“Worth a shot.” She lied.

His eyes narrowed. “What did you do?”

“I tried to get out.” She buried her face into her knees. “But I couldn’t make it…”

“Hoshi…” Dabi growled. “As my third question; What did you do?”

She should lie. But he already knew she was lying. And she’d already hesitated long enough for him to know she was thinking over her choices. Fuck.

“I threw some stones out the window.” She admitted, feeling the tears running down her face. 

Dabi’s face turned meditative. “How far?”  New question. No truth then.

“A few bounced onto the concrete.”

“Lucky for you then.” He seemed to relax, setting the shopping bags on the desk. “We’ll work on those throwing skills when you stop trying to run off.”

“My fourth then,” She raised her head, forcing herself to find the steely parts of herself. If she pretended he was her ethics professor, then maybe she could summon the nerves she needed. “Why the fuck are you keeping me? Be honest. I’m not interested in you, we don’t agree on things, It puts you at clear odds against Hawks, and puts you at a distinct disadvantage in everything because I don’t want to go with you!”

Dabi tilted his head, blue eyes studying the ceiling. “Because I want you.”

“That doesn’t make any sense!”

“No?” Dabi chuckled, taking out several boxes. “I guess it does sound kinda bratty. Putting it into context, I’ve had an eye on you since I got the names. Obviously, they didn’t last long,” He held up his charred wrists. “But I found you and watched over time. Waited to see what kind of person you were.” His hands dipped back into the bags.

“You remind me a bit of my family--well...the good parts of my family. The doting caring sister, looking after her family after tragedy struck. That’s easy to admire. You’ve got a spine, You have an idea of what a better world would look like, and clearly you think.” He cast her a ghoulish grin. “And while I don’t have room to talk, you’re not hard on the eyes. I like you. I like what I’ve learned about you, your overall personality, and given enough time, I think you’d come to like me.”

“You can’t be serious.” Hoshi deadpanned.

“I said I wouldn’t lie.” 

“But…” She couldn’t even think of an argument. The man was mental. Koji had always told her not to argue with crazy or stupid. Time to default to that advice then.

“You don’t believe me?” He chuckled.

“Not in the slightest.”

“Guess I’ll have to prove it then.” He shrugged. “If it makes you feel any better, I like you a hell of a lot more than I like Hawks.”

“You’ll break his heart.” She shot back dryly.

Dabi laughed. “I think the feeling’s mutual.”

“The great feelings expert here.” Her eyes fell to the supplies on the desk. That was a lot of hair dye.

Dabi followed her look. “You wanna go light or dark?” He asked. 

“You’re a shit hairdresser and you want me to trust you with dyes now?” She scowled. 

“I’m a bit better at the dyes.” He ran a hand through his own hair. “Especially if you thought this was my natural color.”

The realization took Hoshi by surprise. She’d seen Touya’s picture from the obituary. He’d been a young, earnest looking boy who favored his father’s blue eyes and red hair. So much about him was different from the boy in that photo, she’d have never put them together as the same person. Related, maybe, but not more than that.

“I forgot…” She frowned.

“It’s not like you knew me back then,” He shrugged. “By the time you got my name I looked pretty close to this.” He gestured. “Maybe a few less staples.”

She was tempted to ask, but refrained. It wasn’t as if she couldn’t guess. Memories of burning up from the inside, feeling raw agony as too hot flames tried to burn her alive. If that was his experience as a child she could guess what an adult life as a villain would do.

“So light or dark?” He repeated, holding up the boxes.

“I like my hair.” She frowned.

“I do too,” Dabi sighed. “But they’re going to be looking for a brunette.”

“Who’s fault is that?” Hoshi snarked.

“Mine,” He chuckled. “And I’ll accept that. But if you don’t pick one I’ll have to go with shaved, and I’m pretty sure you’d hate that.”

She glared. “You wouldn’t.”

Dabi leaned against the wall, a dangerous smirk across his lips. He would. Even if he had to knock her out to do it, he would.

“Light.” She glared. She refused to have his hair. She refused to ever look into the mirror and see a piece of him where she should be.

“I’ll have to bleach it.” He warned, turning to open the box. “So it’ll take longer.”

“All I have is time.”

“True.” He emptied the contents and started mixing. “Just thought I’d warn you.”

The smell of ammonia tickled her nose unpleasantly, filling the small space. She wondered if Dabi could even smell it, or if he was just used to it. He had her sit in the chair while combed in the bleach. She’d tensed at the cold sensation, but as he used his fingers to work it in her scalp tingled. His hands were warm, even inside the gloves, and the way he applied the dye was almost soothing. 

Hoshi closed her eyes, letting herself relax a little. She’d stopped going to the hairdressers who shampooed and conditioned her hair in favor of letting Karen cut the dead ends off. It seemed an easy trade off for a little extra money to put towards school, but now Hoshi wondered why she ever stopped going. 

“Having fun?” Dabi teased.

“Nope.” Hoshi lied.

“You’re not a good liar.”

“Our souls are connected, what are you expecting?” She snorted.

“If there’s no point in lying, why do it?” Dabi asked, warm fingers skittering across her scalp.

She leaned her head back to stare up at him. “Why do you think?”

He grinned. “Because you don’t want to believe the truth.”

“Because as nice as this is, it’s just you bleaching my hair--which I didn’t want in the first place. It doesn’t mean much in the long run.”

“No?” He reached over to catch the ends of her hair. “If you can enjoy me just running my fingers through your hair-”

“Don’t.” Hoshi growled.

“Would it be so bad to like me?”

She glared. “Are you joking?”

“Not at all.” He finished her hair with a last rub to the back of her head. 

“Let’s see, being involved with you means I have to leave my home and siblings--who by the way are all good people and would be losing a third person from their family--also giving up my goals and dreams, living on the run with you, in constant danger from Heroes, and probably other villains and people you’ve pissed off.”

“True.” He hummed.

“What the hell would I even be doing?” Hoshi tossed her hands up. “Just what? Sitting around, waiting for you to be done murdering people or attacking UA?” Hoshi hopped up from the chair so she could watch him. 

“Only in the beginning.” Dabi pulled out the black hair dye. “And training. You have potential with your quirk.”

“Sure.” She rolled her eyes. “I’ll just start killing too.”

“If you’ve got qualms about it I’ll find something else you can do.”

“Robbing banks?” Hoshi snorted. “The hell is the point? I could make a diamond and sell it for less fuss.”

“Ah, gonna bankroll us?” Dabi grinned.

“Fat chance.”

“Well,” He shrugged. “I don’t want to jump into explaining myself too soon, but I can promise you, working with me, who has your best interests in mind, is better than working with the heroes who only look out for themselves.”

“This doesn’t feel like my best interests.” Hoshi groused.

“Trust me.” Dabi smiled, mixing up the dye. “The world as it is doesn’t see you for what you are. It sees a woman with two soulmates and thinks of you as a specimen to study. They see you as an unloyal slut. And the few people who try to date outside their soulmates see an easy one night stand.”

Hoshi could feel her throat catch. “You…”

“Oh, I know I’m not wrong.” Dabi snorted. “I told you I’ve kept an eye on you.”

“ Stalked me.” She corrected.

“Couldn’t really approach you. I’ve been a deadman for years. Not to mention I’m not exactly a looker.”

“A few burns does not an ugly person make.” Hoshis snorted. She regretted it instantly.

“ Oh ? That a fact?” The grin he gave her only made it worse. 

“Your personality needs work.” She retorted. 

“I’ll keep that in mind.” 

“Liar.”

“Guilty.” He winked. “I am unapologetically interested. But I also wasn’t keen on interfering with you until I had to. Because I assumed Hawks would leave you be. But once he killed Best Jeanist, I knew I was going to have to look into keeping you safe. Ergo, I stalked you.”

Hoshi stared at him. “Best Jeanist?”

“Yup.” Dabi sighed. “When he was infiltrating the paranormal liberation front, I asked him to prove himself, just to see how far he and the commission were willing to go. He brought me the body of Best Jeanist.”

Hoshi opened her mouth to argue, but all that came out was a strangled choke. Dabi wasn’t lying. She wished he was. And even more than that, she wished she could believe he misread something in the situation. But Dabi, from everything she could piece together about him, was smart. He had to be to survive as a villain, and as one who regularly picked fights with heroes in All Might's bracket. 

“Point is,” Dabi went on. “The plan was always to get you out of harm's way. I just wanted to go slow. But I guess if I gotta look like a creep, then that’s what I have to do. And I’ll admit I did enjoy it..”

“You really think he’ll kill me?”

Dabi’s face turned neutral. “That your fifth?”

“It’s still your turn.” Hoshi pointed out.

“Good point.” He nodded. “In that case, I’ll skip that question. Because the thought of that is about as unpleasant as Endeavor’s temper towards small children.” He tossed her the clean pair of gloves. “Do me a favor and help me with these roots in the back?”

“I...Don’t know anything about this kind of thing.” Hoshi admitted.

“S’fine. Just work some in the back and I can do the rest.” He took the chair, tossing a towel around his shoulders. 

Hoshi sighed and gloved up before taking a glob of the dark dye on her finger tips. She tried to imitate how Dabi had done her own hair at the roots, fingers massaging it in. He clearly had no reservations about the situation, leaning into her touch like a cat. She could almost picture him purring. It was an endearing thought. And that horrified her.

“Why black?” She decided to distract herself from the thoughts. “Not an official question.”

“Tried a few others,” He admitted. “Didn’t like `em.”

Hoshi paused. “I can’t really picture you with another hair color.”

“No?” She could hear the smile in his voice. “I went blue for a while. Wanted to match my flames.”

“Wow.” Hoshi shook her head. “Cannot see it. At all. Although maybe with pink…”

“I did.” He chuckled. “For about a week. Then that one Idol went Pink and I had to change it. Too many fangirls.”

Hoshi snickered. “Oh, I bet that went well.”

“Probably not going to happen again-sorry you missed it.”

“Ah, well.” Hoshi sighed dramatically. “Guess I’ll have to live knowing the great Dabi will never go pink again.”

“You’d look cute with pink.” He recommended.

“Suuuurrre.”

“I mean it. If you were interested in bright colors, I’d say that’s probably your best one. Bring out those eyes of yours.”

“Ah,” Hoshi hummed. “The real reason you went black then. Gotta have those blues pop.”

He turned in the chair, blue eyes peering up at her. “Oh? You like them?”

“For a guy who looks like a burnt chicken nugget, you’re really vain.” 

“That wasn’t a ‘no’.” He grinned. 

“I’m not finished,” Hoshi complained, taking another glob of dye.

“Suuuuuuuuuurrrrrre.” He mocked.

“Do you want me to help or not?” She held the ammonia smelling glob up threateningly.

“Okay, okay,” Dabi turned back around. 

Hoshi sighed and continued to work the dye into his roots and scalp in silence. This wasn’t at the top of her weirdest things she’d ever done in her life, but it was up there. At least now she had some idea of how to dye Karen’s hair. It had been a promise she’d made to her sister when she entered highschool. Once Karen graduated, she’d help her dye her hair. There wasn’t a particular color yet, but Hoshi suspected grey would be her choice.

Her hands slowed as she looked at her handiwork. There didn’t appear to be any areas where the dye hadn’t been worked in. Dabi sensed her stopping and leaned back, blue eyes meeting hers.

“Done?”

“Yeah.” Hoshi nodded. 

His relaxed expression shifted into something more neutral. He stood up, took the gloves from her and worked in the rest. She watched him quietly, noting how quickly and efficiently he worked. Unlike with her own hesitant movements, or his earlier slow and thorough job on her hair, he didn’t seem to be enjoying it. She wondered if that was part of having someone else do it. 

“Well let's get yours washed out.” He pulled her into the little bathroom, leaning her over the tiny sink. The rinsing took a while, but she didn’t mind too much. As much as she hated herself for enjoying it, the sensation of Dabi’s fingers carding through her hair was incredible. The therapy she was going to need when this was over…

Once she had her hair rinsed out and the towel twisted into a turban on her head, she took over to help him wash his out. It was almost comical to have the tall man bending over the little sink while she poured water over his head. So much therapy.

“Here.” Dabi took the towel from her hair. “This is faster,” He ran a hand through her hair. It was warm and pleasant, and she could feel it drying under his hands.

“Do this often?” She joked.

“Only to my own hair,” He smiled softly. “Though...when I was younger I did it for my sister.”

Hoshi blinked. “Oh.”

“You knew I had siblings.” He snorted.

“Figured it was a sore subject.”

“More complicated than sore.” Dabi sighed. “What Endeavor did to his own family...well...if the media hounds could expose his doings to the world, the public might actually riot.”

“I’m sorry.” Hoshi offered unthinkingly. 

“Sympathizing with a villain?” He teased.

“If I can’t sympathize then I stop being human.” She stared into those impossible eyes. “I have siblings. I’d do anything for them, and they for me. If our parents had hurt us...”

“I’m sorry they’re not here.” Dabi murmured. “They seemed like good people.”

“Thank you.” She whispered

He pulled his hands back, “All done.”

Hoshi glanced at her reflection. It was so strange to see herself with a shock of white hair. Like snow. It was at complete odds with her eyebrows, which she scrunched as she tilted her head.

“Weird.” she decided.

Dabi chuckled, his hands running through his own wet mop. “I like it. Gives you an ethereal snow fairy look.”

“Eh.” Hoshi shook her head. “Just weird. But better than blonde.”

“Noted.” Dabi laughed. “We can leave it at that then.”

“Might as well.” She shrugged. 

“If I didn’t have that bond fixed, I’d almost think you were alright.” Dabi turned, his smile gone. “So four from me; What are you feeling?”

Hoshi could feel the facade crumble. That wasn’t her ethics professor whom she could keep confronting, or another student, or anyone she could keep at arms length. It was Dabi. Villain, killer, hero hater, and her soulmate. And those impossible eyes were trained on her. It was like looking into pools of barely contained flames. His flames. 

“Afraid.” She answered automatically. “Tired. Sad. I’d be angry if I had the energy.”

“At least your humor’s intact.” Dabi hummed. “What would make it better?”

Hoshi stared at him openly. “Going home.”

He sighed. “Within reason, Hoshi.”

“Then all I want is sleep.” She said flatly.

“Cot’s there.” He gestured. “I can get you some food too.”

An opening? Worth testing. 

“Something other than noodles?” She hazarded.

“Aww.” He feigned a pout. “And here I thought you liked them…”

“Three meals in a row?”

“You got me there.” He held his hands up. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Hoshi gave a short nod and sat on the cot. “Okay.”

Dabi leaned over, pressing a short kiss to her forehead. “I won’t be gone long.”

He turned towards the door. Hoshi dropped her hands, letting the spinel knuckles encase them. One shot. She got this one shot. Dabi opened the door.

Hoshi flew for it, a fist up and aimed for the back of his head. Her legs were still stiff from the bruising, but they moved. Dabi was just quicker.

He whirled, catching her wrist and twisting it. Hoshi let out a cry as he again pushed her against the wall. He caught her other hand and pinned it over her head. His face was back to the unreadable villain she was terrified of. 

“Not sure if I’m impressed or disappointed.” He stated. His blue eyes flicked to the knuckles. “Both. And you definitely have potential, Hoshi.”

“Don’t call me that!” She growled.

“I’m not a fan of petnames,” He smiled wryly. “But I guess I’ll find you one.”

“You can’t keep me, Touya.” Hoshi stared into his eyes. “You have to let me go…”

Something shifted in his gaze. “It’s too late. You wanted to do things the hard way. So now we do them the hard way.”

Steam poured from his hands. Hoshi screamed as her wrists burned. Dabi pushed on her body with his own, keeping her pinned, and his fingers wrapped securely. 

“At least now Hawks can’t use these against you.”

After a moment he removed his hands. Hoshi trembled as she held her damaged and aching wrists out. She didn’t even fight back as Dabi guided her back to the cot. He took out the first aid kit and cleaned them before wrapping them in bandages.

“Ah.” He snapped his fingers. “How about gem?”

Hoshi stared at him blankly.

“No?” Dabi frowned. “I thought it was perfect. My gem. Or maybe something more specific...Emerald.” He gave her a lopsided grin. “Yeah...I think I’ll use it.”

He maneuvered her body to lay flat on her back before covering her with the blanket.

“I’ll see about getting some ice for your burns,” He offered, pressing another kiss to her forehead. “I’ll be back soon, my emerald.”

Hoshi didn’t even bother to respond. She just stared at the ceiling blankly as Dabi left, locking the door behind him. She’d failed. Again. And the fact that he hadn’t found her tokens or called her out for lying about them meant that they weren’t anywhere he’d have seen them. No one had found them. No one knew where she was or what was happening to her. Despite her best efforts she was alone. Alone with Dabi. And it didn’t look like that was about to change.

Chapter Text

“Seems like we’ve caught a break.” Todoroki called. Hawks brightened as Dabi emerged on the feed. He walked off the boat, glancing around the area. After a short scan of the wharf he walked off towards town. They followed his movements through CCTV, his face again buried in his phone, hood up. 

“We go now.” Endeavor growled.

“Right!” Midoriya agreed, tugging on his gloves.

“Finally!” Bakugo grunted, his teeth forming a feral grin.

Hawks shook his head. “I don’t like this…”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.” Endeavor insisted. “But we have a chance to extract her safely. We’re taking it.”

Hawks nodded. Endeavor was right. Getting her out now was the best case scenario. But he’d have expected Dabi to pull something by now. A trap? Possible. Still a risk they’d have to take.

“Make you have backup on standby in case things go bad.” He decided.

“Done.” Endeavor relayed his orders to his sidekicks and the five barreled out of the van.

They scrambled out towards the wharf. Hawks took point. His feathers had grown in enough to support him and one other person, though they’d be of little use in the tight ship space. Todorki was with him, his orders to focus on getting Hoshi and himself out. Hawks might have preferred Mydoria’s cheerful face as a reassurance to Hoshi, but it made sense to keep him above ground where he could move. The others backed them, waiting to see if Dabi would come back early.

Hawks flew Todoroki to the deck while the others set up. They hurried below, checking for any potential alarms or traps. Clear. It took a moment to find the right door, counting them as they passed until they found the right one. Locked. Naturally. “Losing a feather to this.” Hawks grumbled. He managed to pick it after several tense moments.

They pulled open the door to be met with a shaking woman. Her arms were bandaged and her fists were covered in a brightly colored crystal covering resembling the shape of brass knuckles. Her hair was still singed at the ends but now dyed white, her eyes red and raw. What he could see of her legs were bruised. She looked terrible, but she was standing.

“Hawks?” She blinked. “Can’t be…”

“It’s me,” He assured her. “We need to get you out.”

“How...did you even find me?” 

“Your ships sailed quite a distance.” Todoroki explained. “It gave us the information we needed to find you.”

Hoshi’s eyes were wide as she stared at him. “Who...are you?”

“Todoroki,” He offered. “We’re here to rescue you, and we should-”

She backed up, gagging. “No...”

“He’s Shoto,” Hawks pressed. “Not Touya.”

Hoshi shook her head. “Of course he’s not Touya.” She looked at Hawks. “Touya is-”

A wall of blue flame erupted down the passage, forcing the heroes into the room. Hoshi crouched, her green eyes trained on the blue flames with a fear Hawks understood all too well. It hit him as she fidgeted with the badges around her wrists. Dabi had burned her. His feathers puffed out.

Dabi turned the corner, smirking at the three of them. He put a finger over his lips, blue eyes locking on Hoshi. Hawks could feel his own pulse skyrocketing. Todoroki threw up a line of ice, forcing Dabi to scoot to one side.

“Up you go!” Hawks pulled Hoshi into his arms. “Just hold on to me, okay!” It was a terrible time to feel any kind of relief, but he did. Like cracking his neck without realizing how stiff it had gotten. His feathers relaxed some. She evidently felt something similar based on the breath she heaved. Her hands gripped his jacket, the gemstones melting into her skin. Like a cat’s claws retreating.

“Dabi circled back!” Todoroki was transmitting the information. “We’ve got Suzuki but she’s injured.”

“Just my wrists.” She offered, her voice clear and steady now. 

“We can’t reach you!” Endeavor’s snarl came over the com. “Seems He rang for backup.”

“Damn.” Hawks breathed.

“I can hold him off for a short while,” Todoroki offered. “Though I’m not sure how effective I’ll be.”

“I’ll take him,” Hawks grunted. “Get Suzuki to-” 

“Absolutely not.” Her fingers tightened. “We all go together. ” 

“Suzuki-”

“I’ve spent the last three days here, I know what I’m doing.” She snapped back. “Can you make that hole behind you big enough?”

Todoroki looked back at the porthole. “I can.”

“Do it.” She let go of Hawks, sliding out of his arms. “I’ll deal with Dabi.”

“Whoa,” Hawks caught her upper arm. “We’re here to rescue you. Not let you go back.”

She turned her pale green eyes to him, her lips a grim line. “We’ll get out. Just trust me.”

Every fiber of his being wanted to say no. Everything about this moment was the opposite of what he wanted. He was a pro hero, her soulmate, there wasn’t a single scenario anywhere he should agree to this.

“Okay.” He let go. 

Her lips quirked upwards slightly. “As soon as all of us can get out together we’ll go.” Then she was marching towards the door.

“Dabi!” She called, her voice echoing over the metal. “Fifth question!”

Chapter Text

Hoshi had almost thrown up at the sight of another Todoroki. She wasn't really sure what sort of people the other Todorokis were, but that one blue eye of his had put her back into fight or flight mode. With a dash of nausea.  She might have tossed punches or cookies if Hawks hadn’t been there--no idea which would have won out. And though Dabi had sworn she’d be in trouble for what she knew about him, the instant Hawks had her in his arms, that fear was banished to the far corners of her mind. Unlike the conflicting comfort she’d taken from Dabi, Hawks felt about as normal as she’d felt in days. There was a connection there. It was like hugging her godmother when she came back from her overseas trips every few years. Warm and strong, with the knowledge that this person was someone she could trust. Hawk’s touch gave her that sensation. And from it, she drew strength. They’d  make it home. All of them. So help her, they’d get home.

So she gave her instructions and then strutted to the door. She’d succeeded in leading help to her and now she needed to win at buying time. Dabi tended to outplay her. This play however? All her. 

“Dabi!” She yelled, taking a small amount of pride in the strength of her voice. “Fifth question!”

“That’s some timing!” Dabi retorted.

“It’s part of my charm.” Behind her Shoto Todoroki was pushing a spear of ice through the hole in the window. It broke the window and some of the metal, but didn’t create enough space to escape.

“Your question, Hoshi.” Dabi hissed.

She fought a grimace. “If they decide I’m too dangerous to live...what will you do?” She could sense the pause behind her, and shook her hand towards them to hurry. Now wasn’t the time. 

Hawks seemed on board at least and pushed him to keep going. There was another thrust of ice from another angle. Almost there. The opening would work, they just needed the ice gone. Todoroki was already melting it with a stream of fire and calling help on the other end to melt it from that side. Hawks aided on their side, using sharp feathers to cut out chunks.

“I’ll kill them.” The answer was such a low guttering growl it surprised her. “Slowly. Painfully. After I save your sorry ass. And then I'll see them burn.” Hoshi did not like the way that answer resonated. At all. He meant it. It was as solid and real as stone. And part of her found reassurance in it. She glared at her wrists, reminding herself that he wasn’t a safe man, or a stable person. Dabi was a villain. He’d chosen the road to kill and burn anything that got in the way of the future he wanted. And if she was one such obstacle she’d become ash, ties or no. She needed to remember that.

“My fifth.” He called, his footsteps sounding on the metal corridor floor. “Is there any part of you that cares about me?”

They were still working on the ice. She could feel Hawks’ eyes pinned to her back. Her brain was a wreck of knowing the right thing to say, while her stomach churned knowing the truth. She should lie. She should cut him off here. Make herself inaccessible and unwanted. But a lie to Dabi was as awful as the truth. Because he’d know if she believed her own words. And she suspected Hawks might also catch the lie if she tried. She could feel the cords around her soul tightening, tying her to reality she didn’t want any part of.

“Yes. I do.” The word twisted in her throat, causing her to choke. “I don’t want to care about you. I’m going to do whatever it takes to get these ties cut and I will make it without you. Because you are not good for me.” She had to believe that. Anything else would mean the end of everything else she cared about. 

And then the ice was cracking. Hoshi was being tugged backwards. She could see Dabi turning the corner, hands up, blue eyes burning. His eyebrows were knit together, hand out. Was it to release fire or ask her back? Hoshi didn’t know. She didn’t want to know.

 She was wrapped up in arms and being hoisted into the air. Below them Todorki had created an icebridge, allowing him to skate to the dockside quickly. At least he was on solid ground.

“I’ve got Suzuki!” Hawks called, talking into a mic she couldn’t see. “Endeavor, do you need-”

Hawks cut off as lines of orange flames criss crossed into the boat. Hoshi watched in a mixture of awe and horror as the whole thing split into pieces. Several exploded, heating the air around them rapidly and sending Hawks spinning through the air. 

For a split second Hoshi worried Dabi had been inside still--a cut up corpse. But her eyes caught sight of him further along the wharf. He spared her a final look, eyes unreadable from this distance. Then he was out of sight. Alive. 

“That man needs to learn how to cook,” Hawks complained, righting himself. “You good?”

“Not dead.” Hoshi replied, though she felt the squeak in her voice.

“Atta girl.” He flashed her a quick grin. “Anyone copy?”

He fluttered in mid air, dipping some as he listened. “Gotcha. Someone tell Tokoyami to let the family know she’s been pulled. I’m taking her to the hospital.” He turned in the air, his wings flapping furiously. They looked smaller than the ads and promotional material Hoshi remembered seeing of him. She pitied whoever had to edit those photos to add in that many feathers.

“My family okay?” She asked after a moment.

“I’ve got one of my best with them,” He reassure her. “Just hang on,” Hawks tightened his grip on her. “We’re almost home free.”

Hoshi closed her eyes. “Hawks…”

“Stay with me, Suzuki.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” Hoshi sighed. “And you owe me.”

“Huh?”

“Later. You can make this up to me later.”

“Hey!” He yelled. “Eyes open!”

She squinted up at him. 

The look of relief in his face was oddly beautiful. Less sinister than Dabi, but no less dangerous. Hoshi sighed. One headache for another. But hopefully this was more maneuverable.

He gave a low sigh of relief. “They retreated. Guess Dabi had to take the loss today.”

“Anyone hurt?” 

“Nothing more than bumps and bruises.” Hawks looked down at her. “How you feeling there?”

“I’ve had better days.” She gave a dry smile.

“You’ve got a talent for understatement.”

Hawks touched down at the hospital, not letting Hoshi out of his grip until they came with a bed. Hoshi tried to protest, but found she was ignored by the medical staff in favor of getting her inside and treated. She did get pain meds into her system, which certainly improved things. And Hawks was there. He didn’t leave. She wasn’t sure if it was endearing or threatening. Maybe both.

Either way, she was safer now. And her body was ready for the rest. Once they’d finished redressing her burns and talking with Hawks, they sent them to a room. It was much nicer than the last hospital she’d woken up to.

Hawks took a chair, his wings flaring out over the back as he hunched over. His amber eyes bored into her. She wished she had the energy to be snarky, but the medication was doing a number on her. Instead she settled for straightforward.

“I know you’re Keigo Takami.” She said flatly.

“Dabi told you?”

“Yeah.”

He nodded grimly. “Forget that name if you can. It doesn’t exist anywhere but in memories.”

“True.” Hoshi’s eyes fell to her arms. “Neither of us have the names anymore.”

“Neither of us?” She could see him tense from the corner of her eye.

Hoshi studied Hawks thoughtfully. “Yeah...Dabi is Touya...But you knew that already.”

He gave her a sad smile. “I had a suspicion.”

“Can confirm.” Hoshi groaned. “He somehow fixed whatever was messed up when he died. Almost died. On the soultie thing. It’s fucked me up kinda.”

“I know.” Hawks sighed. “I know. I’ve felt a lot of stuff happening.”

“Fukcing wild, isn’t it?” Hoshi sighed. “Think they can cut us loose from this bullshit?”

“We’ll find out.” 

“Sorry, that sounded bitchy.” She looked back towards the ceiling. “After all that, and I’m here asking you if I can get cut loose.”

“It’s fine.” 

“Liar.” She smiled sadly. 

“You’re on pain medicine.” He argued.

“It makes me slow and sleepy, not stupid.” Hoshi grumbled. “And despite the fact that for whatever reason, you didn’t look for me until now, you don’t want to cut ties.”

He shuffled. “I...I don’t really have a right to be upset about that.”

“Probably not.” Hoshi agreed. “But feelings are weird.”

“That’s… Another understatement.” He chuckled.

“Hey…Be honest with me,” She fixed him with a steady pair of eyes. “Is there a chance you’re going to have to kill me?”

It was a split second of fear, the slightest shift in his eyes. Then his face was a mask of cool neutral. Deception was a second language to him then. Hoshi could feel her hopes dip.

“No.”

“Just leave my family out of it.” She sighed, closing her eyes. Pathetic. Her only hope was for them. As if dying wasn’t going to fuck them up. Koji would blame himself. Saito would promise vengeance, only to follow her to an early grave if he pursued the matter--which he would. Karen...Karen wouldn’t stand a chance with these people. Hoshi was barely staying afloat in the chaos. What hope was there for the rest? Maybe if her godmother was there...She was crafty enough.

“I don’t know what Dabi told you,” Hawks pressed, interrupting her jumbled thoughts. “But you’re going to be fine.”

“So I get to go home and pretend none of this happened?” Hoshi cracked an eye at him. His pained expression was answer enough. “Thought not.”

“Things will probably have to change for your safety.” He admitted. “Especially knowing Dabi is your soulmate. And you’re mine too.”

“Fucking hell…”Hoshi huffed.

“I’ll do whatever I can to help,” Hawks offered his hand halfway to hers, before he caught himself. “You and your family.” She shouldn’t trust that. Her head knew it. Dabi had warned her. But there was that natural tug towards him. It was like that night in a different hospital. Being afraid for her life, burning up from inside and not knowing what was happening, but knowing her brother was there, and Koji wouldn’t let anything happen to her. Not that he could do anything for her, but his swearing up and down that she’d be okay was enough to make her believe it.

She blinked blearily at him. “Okay…I’m going to hold you to that.”

He smiled softly. “Rest up. I’m not going anywhere.”

Hoshi smiled back. “Here’s hoping I’m better company when I wake up.”

“I’m just glad you’re here to be company.”

“Charmer.” She mumbled, turning over.

“I try.”

Hoshi chuckled softly. Maybe it was a bit soon to feel safe. Maybe it was naive. But for now at least, she had a moment to breath and rest, which was all she wanted. She closed her eyes, listening to the sounds of the hospital room, the hum of the AC unit, the quiet rhythm of Hawks breathing, and the rustling of his wings. And slowly, as sleep took her, she thought about pulling her siblings into a claustrophobic group hug. That was the first thing she wanted to do when she woke up...

Chapter Text

Dabi made his way up through the dark alleyways, his hands itching to burn something. He couldn’t afford to right now, instead forcing himself to keep going. He couldn’t stay with the league right now. Toga and Compress had sent several texts over the last few days asking him to hurry up with his business, but he had put them off with noncommittal answers. Then he needed their help in the escape. It’d been a narrow one, and now his phone was pining with questions and angry warnings from Shigaraki. Shigaraki could wait.

Now he was forced to retreat for the night and regroup. Again. Damned heroes. And Keigo...He just couldn’t unwire his brain long enough to think about something other than his precious world of heroes--not even his last living soulmate. Of course Hoshi was likely to reveal the truth to him. She was too damned naive. But he’d known that going in. It had been a risk he took, and now that he’d lost, he needed a new plan.

Dabi found the apartment and slipped in through the private entrance. He had to give his contact points--she’d found a lowkey place in a neighborhood of mostly college students. They might be a little loud after drinking, but that just meant that none of them paid him any attention. He slipped inside, heaving a long sigh. The lights were on, which meant she was in. He wasn’t looking forward to hearing her lecture him about the failure.

“Welcome back,” A light airy voice called.

“Hashimoto.” Dabi grunted. 

She held up her phone. “They got Hoshi back,”

“No shit.” He growled. Typical of her to rub salt in wounds. She didn’t like fuck ups any more than he did.

“You ready to try this my way?” Hashimoto asked, her hands on her hips.

“Wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

“True…” The middle aged woman hummed. “But I hope you’re ready to play the long game.”

“Don’t have much of a choice now, do I?” He bit out.

“Not if you want to win.” She agreed, turning back to the living room. “How far did you get with her?”

“Not far enough.” He cracked his neck. “She’s still enmeshed in their way of thinking. She thinks being a teacher will let her change it from the inside.”

“It’s safer for her emotionally,” Hashimoto waved a hand. “Hawks is doing you a favor by taking her for a while. Once she knows what his side is like, she’ll be disgusted, and by then they’ll have sunk some excellent training into her. A win-win, really.”

Dabi had to fight the urge to reach out and snap her neck. She was right. It just pissed him off to hear her say it. “Do we have a plan for the siblings?” 

A slim smile wormed its way onto her lips. “Oh, I do. The youngest has the most potential for pulling free. The sisters are very close. Saito’s a lost cause, but thankfully not much of a threat. Koji could cause problems. He’s smart, but not likely to use his knowledge for anything other than maintaining the status quo, since that’s what served them best in the past.” She turned a thoughtful look to Dabi. “I’ll sort the siblings out. Just follow my lead with them.”

“Okay.” He agreed, running a hand through his hair. It didn’t feel as nice as Hoshi’s had, her fingers slow and steady. Danm. He’d been so close. She’d been right there, bantering with him about everything and nothing. She’d ran those skillful fingers through his hair and melted under his own hands.  And despite how conflicted she was, she’d cared--admitted to it out loud. And then she’d slipped out of his reach. It was a small but tantalizing taste of what life with her could be like. Bond or no bond, he liked it, craved it. 

“You’re going to have to lid your temper,” Hashimoto added, her lilac eyes twinkling in amusement. “Losing her was your own fault.”

“I know that.” He growled.

“As long as you remember that.” She turned back to her phone, tapping out a text. “I know you’ve been cut off from her for quite a while and the rush of being reconnected is a lot to take in, but if you go back for her now, she’s only going to resent you for it. Have a little patience. Let the bond do it’s work.”

“She said she was going to get it cut.” The admission was more painful than the ripped staples along his hands and chest.

“She won’t.” The reply was matter-of-fact, as Hashimoto passed him a first aid kit.

“How can you be so sure?” Dabi demanded.

“The near death trauma cauterized the bond, which is why it wasn’t more than the barest connection. Now that it’s been revitalized not even cutting it would keep it gone for long. Depending on the level of empathic abilities and nature of a person and soul, those ties can grow back--a bit like a stubborn plant. Hoshi’s are very much the stubborn sort. She’d have to cut them constantly--something that would destroy her more than just dealing with them.”

“Eros won’t give a shit.” Dabi pointed out, rummaging through the kit for fresh staples.

“Eros won’t be alive long enough to try.” Hashimoto smiled sweetly. “He’s under scrutiny. Won’t be long until the commission has him taken care of.”

He nodded his assent. “Then we wait.”

“We wait.” She agreed. 

Chapter Text

Hawks watched as her breathing evened out into soft snore that reminded him of a napping housecat. Well, she was due that kind of contented sleep. More really. But the sleep was a start.

As it was, Hawks was sitting with more of a dilemma than he cared for. The Hero Commission wasn’t going to like this. Dabi had made a fair point in worrying about Hoshi’s life. She could easily be his greatest weakness. The upside to her position was that she was also Dabi’s weakness, and Hawks suspected that reconnecting their ties was his own play at protection. Twisted as it was, and as bad of an effect as it seemed to have on her emotions, it did work in her favor. With her so heavily tied to two unusual players she was too valuable to kill. 

Hawks silently lamented the complications. Tangled up in invisible knots with a string you never tied. And he wasn’t even the worst out of the three of them. But with her confirming Dabi’s identity, that led to more problems. Too many questions. And it was his job to track down the answers.

The hospital door opened, and the Commision president stepped in. Hawks rose to attention, his training kicking into gear. Good to know that was working. The older woman gave him a nod of acknowledgement, then glanced at the bed.

It was only his training that kept his feathers pinned in place as she studied his sleeping soulmate. Cool, analytical, and calculating. The attitude he was supposed to have, if not outwardly, internally. It felt wrong to have it leveled at Hoshi in such a detached manner. That was his ties talking though.

“The Doctors said the names aren’t going to come back,” She stated. “The damage to her wrists was concentrated for that damage.”

“A psychological move,” Hawks nodded. “Dabi’s known for those.”

“He’s a threat.” The president turned to Hawks. “Consider him top priority.”

“Understood.” Hawks gave a stiff bow.

“As to Suzuki...We’re debating the wisdom of keeping her tied to you. Unfortunately our data on ties like this lead us to believe cutting them again would just be a repeat occurrence.”

“I wondered about that.” Hawks admitted. “They were cut shortly after I joined the Commission, but they’re still there.”

“Some tend to grow back like a weed.” She sighed. “Seems you had the misfortune of getting one such tie. Which means we either isolate her or let you take her.”

“Isolating her would be tricky with her family.” Hawks frowned. 

“Harder to maintain,” The president agreed. “But I felt you deserved the option.”

“I’ll see to Suzuki’s arrangements.”

“Very well. We’ll get someone to scrub the siblings minds of your previous name. I recommend not going public with her without a sound strategy.” She continued.

“I’ll be taking precautions,” Hawks reassured. “Dabi’s still out there and he may have passed her name on to the league. I’ll see to it she’s trained and licensed.”

“Good.” The president nodded her approval. “Glad to see you have things under control here. I’ll go deal with the siblings downstairs.”

Hawks gave another bow, watching his superior go. He hated everything he’d just said. Hated have to make decisions for Hoshi’s personal life, someone talking about her existence as a nuisance. The ties were as inconvenient for her as they were for him. His feathers puffed out, free to display his distaste now that his boss was gone.

“Wow.” Hoshi mumbled. “Big wing. Much Birb.”

Hawks snorted despite himself. “Really?”

“Do you puff them out for promotional adss?” Her eyes were only half open, the pain meds apparently in full swing. “Or do they draw more on in photoshop?”

He smiled, turning back to face her. “Neither. I lost quite a few a week ago. They haven’t all grown back in yet.” Another thing he owed to Dabi.

“Ah…” Hoshi croaked. “They look fluffffffffy.”

“You sound loopy.” He countered.

“Yeah…” She agreed. “It’s too strong and only takes the edge off…”

“I’ll tell them to lower the next dose.” He offered. 

“Hawks…” Hoshi blinked. “How much longer til I can get out of here? Sleeps s’nice, but I’d like to hug my family. And flip off Endeavor. And maybe your boss. She’s a real bitch to you.”

His feathers ruffled. “Ah...Hoshi…” Should he laugh? Panic? 

“Sorry,” She waved a hand lazily. “I’m sure she gets shit done. Bitches be like that.”

“You should probably wait for the meds to wear off a little.” He couldn’t fight back the smile. “And hopefully you two won’t need to interact.”

“Not while I’m on meds.” She agreed. 

“How much did you hear?” 

“Dunno…” Hoshi mumbled. “Why don’t you start at the...gining and lll sssstop you when we get there?”

He laughed, his feathers falling back into place on his back. 

“No?” She whined. “Booo. No fun…”

“You need anything?” He offered, coming over to the bed. 

“I’d kill for a cup of coffee.” She grumbled. “Or a stone...I can’t make anything like this…”

Hawks blinked. “Well I think I can meet that first request,” he fished into his pocket and pulled out her ring. “Your sister gave this to me.”

Hoshi took the metal band her face lighting up a little. “Hey! I thought I’d lost this.”

“They found it when you went missing. Thanks to that, your sister was able to read it and pass on the information.”

“I bet Saito was pisssssed. He can be a real dick about procedure.” Hoshi chuckled, her fingers moving over the stone. It melted like water beneath her touch. Hawks watched in fascination as she twisted it like a piece of clay, the light catching the patches of luster and giving off a shine. Her fingers shaped it into a leaf. She used her nails to create little indents and details. Hawks blinked, recognizing the tiny thing for what it was. A little feather.

“Here,” She passed it over to him. It was cool and solid in his hands, not at all like the easily shaped thing she’d made it seem. He had to admire her quick work, the way the light flashed off the surface.

“Impressive.” He complimented.

“Eh.” She scrunched her nose. “You should see what I can do with more material.”

“You’ll have to show me.”

“Bet.” She yawned.

Hawks couldn’t help the little smile. “Go on back to sleep. Once the doctors and staff give the clear you’ll be released.”

“Kay.” She mumbled. “And then coffee n hugs.”

“Deal.” He agreed.

Chapter Text

It took a while for Hoshi to fully wake up. Her brain was groggy and uncooperative. As the world slowly started making sense again, the understanding that she was in the hospital, far from Dabi and the danger he represented to her life filled her with relief. The other issue of Hawks was still in the air, but by the way he and his boss had talked about it, she was sure she might be able to survive. Not ideal, but the promise she’d made would stay intact. She’d see her family again. And that was a win in her book.

Hoshi pushed herself up. Hawks was still there, sleeping in the chair next to the bed. He was a mystery to her. Young in age and attitude, yet there was something that seemed incredibly old and tired about him. She’d noticed it in the way he’d spoken with his boss. It was reminiscent of Koji somehow, though she couldn’t fully place it. 

She decided to deal with that later. She’d have time enough for it. For now, she wanted to be on her feet. She slipped out of the bed and moved to the window. It was still dark outside, so likely early morning hours now. Unfortunately the cityscape was too bright to allow for any stars to twinkle into her window. She’d have to settle for the city lights. 

Hoshi searched for anything familiar to get her bearings. Instead her eyes caught the shock of white hair. A stark reminder of her time with Dabi. She ran a finger through it. Part of her hated it. Sure, it was pretty, and if someone else had suggested it she might have embraced it. But it wasn't like that. It was like he’d stolen a piece of her identity with a simple dye job. And she was inexperienced in that kind of hair care. Would she be able to get her old color back? That felt as likely as getting her old life back.

She sighed softly. That was counterproductive. Her hair was what it was. It was just hair. She shoved it away from her face, tucking it behind her ears to hide it from her view. A problem for later. Nothing more.

She turned her attention back to looking for landmarks. It took a little while, but she spotted her old work building in the distance. Her shoulders relaxed. At least now she could make heads or tails of where she was. Not perfect, but workable.

Hoshi turned back to the hospital room. Hawks was watching her quietly, causing her to start, a short squeak escaping her mouth, followed shortly by an emphatic “ Fuck !”. 

“Sorry.” He gave her a guilty smile.

“You trying to give me a heart attack?” She sucked in a deep breath.

“Well, you’re in the right place to have one,” he joked.

“No thanks.” 

Hawks yawned as he got to his feet. He stretched, his wings nearly filling the room as they expanded. Hoshi had to wonder exactly how massive they’d be with all the feathers. With them expanded out like that they looked large enough, and she could attest to their functioning.

“So how you feeling?” His question brought her out of her thoughts.

“Okay.” She glanced at her wrists. “It still hurts, but nothing like before.”

“Endeavor called in a favor from the UA staff--Recovery girl. You’ll probably feel pretty drained for a while, but it speeds up the healing process.”

Hoshi frowned. “That...was nice of him…”

Hawks caught her look. “He’s a complicated guy. Awkward as hell and fun to mess with. But he’s screwed up and recognized it. I’m hoping he’ll keep getting better.”

Hoshi sighed. “Fair...I just didn’t think I’d ever have to deal with him, honestly.”

“Yeah, well,” The number two hero smiled. “He’s a huge reason we were able to recover you.”

“Does he know?” 

“About you being Touya’s soulmate, and mine? Yeah.” Hawks’ smile faded. “About Dabi? No.”

“You going to tell him? Hoshi tipped her head to the side.

“No.” He looked out towards the quiet hospital floor. “I can’t have him compromised like that. If he knows, he’ll blame himself more than he already does. And he can’t be any kind of hero to anyone like that. And right now, we need heroes.” He turned his gaze back to her, amber eyes set hard and serious. “I’m sure it’s tempting, Suzuki, but listen when I tell you that we’re still fighting a war here in Japan. Dabi and the other league of villains aren’t the kinds to sit idly by. They want to destroy society.”

“I know.” Hoshi nodded. “I get it. I don’t like it, but I get it.”

He blinked. “That...was fast…”

“I spent three...I think it was three? I spent a lot of time with Dabi, okay?” She tossed her hands up. “I know what he thinks, and I’m sure the others have similar goals and interests. And I also saw what happened when that Nomu attacked Fukuoka. In a fair world Endeavor would have justice meted out to him in full. In the world we have, he’s an asset to society as a hero.” Hoshi glanced back towards the window. “I don’t have to like him to understand it. I just...don’t know if I want to deal with him either.”

“Would you do me the favor of meeting him at least once?”

She turned her gaze back to Hawks. “You’re not worried I’ll spill about Dabi?”

“You’re surprisingly practical.” He shrugged.

“Why the hell is that a surprise?”

“Well, beyond what a normal person would find practical,” He amended. “Most people don’t do well with the concept of injustice.”

“No kidding.”

His smile turned soft and contemplative. “I was kinda worried when I told them I’d be looking to get you licensed, but you’ve got a good temperament for it.”

Hoshi scowled at him. “Hawks, you’ve met me what? A couple of hours ago? The hell makes you think that’s a good baseline for my personality?”

“Ah,” His smile sharpened into a mischievous grin. “But I’ve been studying up on you ever since Dabi called to hold you for ransom. That’s not even counting how you managed to give us a fix on your location or held your own in the last bits of our escape--which might’ve been messier if you hadn’t been so quick.”

“That’s only because Dabi likes games.” She retorted.

“But you played well.” Hawks pointed out. “All in all, I think you could do good work as a pro.”

Hoshi shook her head. “Not that I get a choice here, but I really doubt it.”

He heaved a dramatic sigh, fishing into his coat pocket and pulling out a notebook. “According to your siblings you’re good under pressure--which I can attest to. Your grades were overall on the mid to upper side--not counting the failed ethics course.” 

“I’ll take that loss any day of the week.” She snorted.

“Fair,” He flipped the page. “You’ve got a good base understanding of your quirk, and I’d say a creative enough mind to use it effectively in a wide range of scenarios. You’ve just displayed a solid grasp of practicality, which is something rarer than any of us like to admit.” He closed the notebook. “I’d be hard pressed to find a better candidate for hero training than one Hoshi Suzuki.”

“I’m pretty sure my mental state is a mess.” Hoshi argued.

“Most pros have that at some point or another.” Hawks tucked the notebook away. “All the up and comers from UA are for sure going to have mental scars from their time with the league constantly attacking them. It’s an unfortunate side effect. You’re just ahead of the curb.”

“That’s not reassuring.” Hoshi grumbled.

“No?” He tipped his head. “You’ve lived through something most of the public couldn’t. It might leave you with weird tiks, but that’s what therapy’s for.”

“Therapy’s expensive.”

“Which is why I’m covering it.” He pointed to himself. 

Hoshi opened her mouth to argue.

“Think of it as my apology for not seeing to it you were safe when I got your name.” Hawks argued. “Not that it’s a great apology, or even thorough enough, but--”

“Okay.” She agreed. 

His shoulders relaxed. “Oh, good.”

“So what else is on the list of twists to my life?” She forced herself to ask. She didn’t want to, but she needed to know.

Hawks grimaced. “Ah...your living arrangements?”

Hoshi heaved a long and heavy sigh. Her stiff legs carried her back to the hospital bed, her hands taking the covers back with a solid tug. With a single glare in Hawks’ direction, she flopped face first into the mattress. 

Hawks laughed. “A little dramatic, but fair.”

“I want five minutes to be mad.” She grumbled.

“In that case,” Hawks called. “I’m going to go get you that cup of coffee.”

Chapter Text

Five minutes really wasn’t enough for her to get over the anger. It was enough for Hoshi to start feeling trapped. The medication had finally worn off enough for her to start producing a piece of fluorite. It was too soft to do anything other than fiddle with. Then again, any stone was better than none. She didn’t  really calm until Hawks returned. He clearly sensed her unease, eyeing her thoughtfully.

“You okay?” He asked.

“Yeah.” She nodded. “Just...feeling a little caged up here.”

He nodded, passing her a coffee cup. “We’ll get you out soon. Did you think about that favor I asked?”

“About meeting with Endeavor?” 

Another nod.

Hoshi hesitated, studying the to go cup, as if it might give her the advice she needed. She had no intention of telling him about Dabi. But she couldn’t avoid the topic of Touya altogether. She was sure that in some weird way, his interest in meeting with her was in regards to that. Why it mattered at all to him she didn’t know. All in all, she’d rather not meet with him. But she did owe him in part for her rescue. And for better or worse, he was aware of her existence. What that meant for her she didn’t know. But maybe it was best to find out.

“Alright.” She agreed. “Just...not in this…” She gestured to her hospital gown in despair. 

“Your sister brought you a change of clothes,” Hawks chuckled. “I’ll go get them.”

Hoshi surprised herself as her hand shot out to grab his coat arm. He stopped short, head tilting.

“Uh.. Sorry…” She let go, forcing it back to cradle the cup of coffee. “I...didn’t realize how much I don’t want to be alone…”

Hawks turned back, a hand patting her head. “It's okay. You’ve been through quite a bit. Weird tiks, yeah?”

She took a swig of coffee to avoid answering. It was a warm, full bodied coffee, sweetened to just enough to cut the bitter edge, with a hint of cream. Just how she liked it. She squinted up at Hawks.

“How did you get it just right?”

“Easy,” He grinned. “I too am a coffee snob.”

“You asked Koji.” She sighed.

“Karen, actually.” Hawks reached back to his wings, freeing a lengthy feather. It was about the size of a quill feather, which he held out to her. “So I have the ability to feel quite a bit with these. Vibrations, pressure, the works. I’m not going to be longer than a few minutes at best. But if something happens, just give this a squeeze or scream and I’ll be back before you can blink.”

“Okay….” She took it gingerly. “Is...that going to hurt?”

“Nah,” He grinned. Somehow, she didn’t believe him.

“Okay,” Hawks gave another soft pat to her head. “If I’m longer than two minutes I owe you another coffee.”

Hoshi gave a single nod, pushing the coffee back to her lips. She didn’t really trust herself to voice anything further. He couldn’t stay glued to her side. He’d already made a concession with the feather. That was more than enough. Her nerves would just have to get their shit together.

Hawks gave her a final smile, then headed out of the room. Her gut twisted the moment he was out of sight. She bit her lip, fighting the urge to follow, hospital gown or no. She needed to be patient. The worst was over--she was safe.

Hoshi forced herself to set the feather on the bed and focus on sipping her coffee. It was delicious, but not enough to keep her grounded. She turned to the fluorite piece and focused on creating intricate and delicate loops. She’d damn near built a hand sized piece by the time Hawks came back with a bag. He eyed the work and let out a whistle.

“You may have a better handle then I realized.” He mused passing her the bag.

“It’s just fluorite.” She shrugged. “It’s only a 4 on Moh’s scale. Try cleaving it--it cuts easy in any direction, scratches easy. It’s not good for anything more complex than art pieces.”

Hawks nodded thoughtfully. “Easier to produce then?”

“For me, yes.” She agreed, rummaging through the bag. “I never buy the stuff.”

“You buy crystals?”

“Some,” Hoshi nodded, finding a hairbrush with a scrunchie warped around the end. Bless her sister. “Depends on if it’s expensive versus hard to make. I tend to just buy Quartz because it’s cheap and that’s less work for me. Fluorite is pretty cheap too, but again, too soft. Obsidian's soft too, but if I need a lot of it I'll but it. Stuff like Diamonds are too expensive so I have to make myself.”

“Guessing that’s what you used to cut the glass.”

“Oh yeah!” She held her hand out, allowing the small piece of stone to emerge from her fingertips. “Didn’t need much, thankfully. Takes a while to make.”

“But if you had access to any diamonds...what could you do with them?” He asked, taking the little sliver, inspecting it. 

“It’s more work to shape than other stones,” She admitted, brushing her hair. “But when it’s premade it’s easier than making a new one. Even if it’s a defective or underwhelming diamond, I can refine it a little. Again, I mostly work with inexpensive gems.”

“What did you use for the knuckles?”

“Spinel.” Hoshi frowned as she tried to gather up her hair into a ponytail, only to find most of it too short. Dabi really had screwed her over in the hair department. “It’s just short of an 8, so easier than a diamond, but durable enough.”

“Interesting.” Hawks nodded thoughtfully. 

“I’m going to step in here,” She pointed to the bathroom. “Be back in a sec.”

“I’ll be here,” He reassured.

Despite the reassurance, Hoshi hurried to dress. Karen had come in clutch with the good pants, simple striped shirt, and her favorite oversized cardigan. She’d never been so happy in her life to see her own  clothes. Karen had also littered the bottom with gemstone jewelry, which left her beyond grateful. She shoved on the various quartz crystals, layering a few necklaces, and dangling earrings. The rest she absorbed. She could set them all back later, but having the material available felt good. It was almost as comforting as her cardigan.

She came back out feeling more human than she had in days. Hawks seemed to catch the uptake in her mood, his smile relaxed. 

“I half expected you to wear everything in the bag.”

“Everything important.” She held up an empty ring socket.

“You’re sneaky.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “How much can you hold in your body?”

“No more than my body weight.” She stretched. “Only reason I know that is Saito. He can turn his skin into quartz for thirty seconds. I tried to absorb him to prank Koji. Didn’t work out.”

Hawks laughed. “I’m guessing you all did quite a bit of breaking quirk laws.”

“Nothing you can prove,” Hoshi pointed out, draining the last of her coffee. “Well! Are we meeting with Number one, or do I get to go home?”

The knock on the door made Hoshi leap, head snapping. Hawks grimaced, glancing over his shoulder. The imposing form of Endeavor was waiting on the other side.

“Speak of the devil.” She breathed, putting a hand over her chest. 

“Come on in,”Hawks waved.

The man was huge, towering over them even from the distance of five feet. His flame mask melted away, revealing a stern face with the too bright turquoise eyes. Hoshi noted that, and almost laughed when she caught sight of the scar across the left side of his face. Did all the Todoroki men have scars and blue eyes? She caught herself, and instead gave an awkward wave.

“Miss Suzuki…” His voice was a deep register that she could imagine would terrify her. Or was that fear her own? She wasn’t sure. Hawks clearly caught her unease, moving casually to her side.

“Nice to meet you,” She offered. “Ah… I guess thanks are in order.” Not that she really wanted to, but politeness won over her spite.

“Not at all.” Endeavor waved a massive hand in dismissal. “At minimum I was doing my job. In truth, I owe you a great debt.”

Hoshi blinked. “I’m...not sure I follow.”

“My son, Touya, was a soulmate of yours.” He bowed his head. “My negligence in his upbringing led to his passing. Your brother informed me of what that cost you.”

“Oh…” She cast a nervous look at Hawks. He placed part of his wing across her back. The contact was like cool water over burns. She relaxed, turning her gaze back to Endeavor.

“I understand if my being here is a discomfort to you,” he continued. “And I understand any apology I were to make would be empty. You lost someone important to you. I have no way of atoning for that loss and subsequent suffering. However, you have my word I will do what I can to support you and your family.” He gave a hard bow, startling her. 

“I…” Hoshi looked to Hawks. He shrugged. He had to know how strange and surreal this was. She could still picture Dabi’s face, the lazy smile, the intense eyes, promising he’d kill Endeavor. Hoshi leaned into Hawks’ shoulder, craving the contact to steady her jumbled thoughts.

“I’m still not sure what to make of things…” She managed quietly. “Any of this. But I appreciate the nerve it had to take to come talk to me. That’s...something.”

Endeavor straightened, eyes locking with her own. The resemblance really was unnerving. 

“My offer stands.” He reassured her. “I was not the father to Touya that I should have been. But I will do what I can for you and Hawks.”

“Aww,” Hawks grinned mischievously. “Look at you, ya big softie. You really do like me.”

“Unfortunately,” The flame hero sighed. His face relaxed into a fond smile. Hoshi could almost see something admirable in it. There was a kindness--worn down and fractured. Like a shattered pearl in a trash heap. With enough care, maybe it could shine properly, the garbage cleared away. “All I wish is for the both of you to be happy.”

Hoshi had no answer for that. It was a sentiment that was sincere, from a man who seemed only interested in his ability to be number one. He was clumsy, but not at all the monster she expected. She’d always suspected she’d hate him. But she didn’t. She didn’t know if she liked him, but it wasn’t hate. The rest she could figure out later.

“I’ll take that wish,” Hoshi agreed softly. “And accept it.” 

Chapter Text

“I’m surprised,” Hawks mused as they headed to the elevator. “I really expected you to be mad.”

“Endeavor’s not mine to judge.” Hoshi shrugged. “And as long as he’s doing his job as number one then I don’t have time to worry about him.”

“Fair enough.” He agreed. “Though if you do end up working under his agency, don’t expect him to go soft on you.”

“I really don’t want to work under either of your agencies.” Hoshi frowned thoughtfully. “I’d like to take something simple. Unlike you two, I was going into education, not hero work.”

“Could do both,” Hawks offered. “Hero educators are a gem.”

“ Really ?” She glowered.

“Couldn’t resist.” He laughed. 

“In all seriousness, I know I kinda crashed in and rerouted your life, but you do get a say in it. If you want to work towards being an educator I’ll do whatever I can to help you do that. The hero licensing is so you’ll be trained for times when I’m not around.” He scratched the back of his head absently. “Not that I intend to be too far off, but arming you for self defense is the best move.”

“I get it.” Hoshi nodded, watching the floors as they descended. “Even with keeping it quiet, there’s a chance people will find out and try to use me to get to you. And it doesn’t hurt to have the knowledge to act in an emergency.”

“I wish everyone was as practical as you,” He sighed. “It’d make the job so much easier.”

“If everyone was as practical as me then the world would be in a dire position,” She retorted. 

The elevator hit the ground floor, opening out into the lobby. Hoshi could already see her family sitting together, minus her sister-in-law and the kids. That was for the best. Sunrise had only hit a few minutes ago. The lobby was almost empty otherwise, save a young bird headed man. Though the dark cloak did leave her with the impression he might be a hero. Likely the person Hawks had assured her was watching over them.

Hoshi almost ran to them, only to have Hawks catch her arm.

“Easy.” He warned. “You’re still healing.”

“I’ve kept them waiting long enough,” She argued, slipping from his hand and darting to the lobby. 

Koji caught sight of her first, jumping to his feet. His stoic face melted into a warm smile as he caught her up into a hug. The other two were quickly in on it, reaching for any part of their sister to hold.

“You scared the shit out of us!” Saito complained, though Hoshi could see how red his eyes were. 

“I almost didn’t recognize you with that hair,” Koji laughed, giving it a tousel.

“I just got it brushed out!” Hoshi whined.

“Thank god you’re alright!” Karen clung to her sister, fresh tears running down her face. “I’m so sorry!”

“For what?” Hoshi tilted her head. 

“I should’ve gone to get the Strawberries!” She sobbed. “If I’d have gone, He’d have never gotten you!”

“Oh, Karen,” Hoshi pulled her sister in tight. “Dabi would have gotten me at another point. It would have been a different day, when you weren’t expecting me back soon. It’s not your fault.”

“Then you were being followed.” Koji frowned. “He knows who Hawks is then?”
“I can’t say much about it,” Hoshi smiled sadly to her brother. “But yeah. Taking me was inevitable.” She turned to Saito. “The pepper spray would’ve been good, but he was a fire user. Otherwise that would have come in clutch.”

He nodded, wiping his own eyes. “Yeah...Good. I’ll get you another one…”

“That may not be necessary,” The cloaked hero commented thoughtfully. “Hawks mentioned you’ll be working towards a hero license. In that case you’ll be able to use your quirk more freely in emergencies.”

“Ah, Tsukuyomi.” Hawks joined the group, placing a hand on the young man’s shoulder. “You didn’t have to stay here overnight.” 

“I felt it was the right thing to do.” He replied. “Miss Suzuki,” He gave a nod to Hoshi. “I am Fumikage Tokoyami, hero name Tsukuyomi. I’m a work study under Hawks.”

“Tokoyami was the one keeping watch over your family while we tracked you down.” Hawks explained. 

“You have my thanks,” Hoshi turned and gave a formal bow. “And my apologies. I’m sure Saito was difficult.”

“Hey!”

“You did call him a kid,” Karen huffed. “Despite him being higher ranking than you.”

“He’s only got a provisional licence!” 

“It was my honor.” Tokoyami returned the bow, ignoring the bickering siblings. “You seem well.”

“About as well as I can be.” She cracked her neck. “Still a little sore, but that’s nothing that time won’t heal.”

“You should head back to UA,” Hawks suggested to his work study. “I’m sure Nezu’s going to have quite a few words for me later about how hard we ended up working you guys on this case.”

“I know I do,” Saito grunted. 

“Saito,” Hoshi shot her brother a warning look. “Drop it.”

“I’m sure we will meet again,” Tokoyami offered politely. 

“Hopefully under better circumstances,” Hoshi laughed. “Please give my regards to your teachers.”

“I’ll walk you out,” Hawks offered, “I think they’ve got some catching up to do.” 

A single red feather fluttered onto Hoshi’s shoulder as the two walked towards the door. Hoshi took it gingerly in hand, feeling a little more secure with it between her fingers.

“So,” Koji spoke first. “It’s Hawks,”

“Yeah…” Hoshi nodded.

“I don’t know if I’m impressed or annoyed,” Karen sighed. “Because on the one hand, nice .” She grinned. “But on the other hand, where the hell was he for the last few years?”

“I’m going with the second one,” Saito agreed, crossing his arms. “Like he’s a high ranked hero. You’re a prime target.”

“Long story,” Hoshi waved her hand. “And most of it is classified.”

“But you were targeted because of him.” Koji stated, his slate eyes hard and calculating.

“Yeah.” She nodded. 

“I see…” Koji closed his eyes. “Aside from hero training, what can we expect from this revelation?”

Hoshi looked down to the feather in her hands. Part of her was grateful Hawks had left to let her tell them herself. But he wasn’t really gone. Now the tricky part would be keeping her voice down. No sense in alarming him because of the fight she was about to have. She heaved a shaky breath.

“I’m moving in with him.”

Koji sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Clearly he’d already connected the dots. She’d expected that. She’d learned a great deal of her practicality from him. He’d seeth and probably find a way to let out his frustrations in a controlled and petty manner. And Koji was good at petty. Then again, he was a lawyer, so dancing around social and legal lines were more common for him.

Saito however turned red. “Like hell you are!” There it was. The obstinate, overprotective, older brother she loved and dreaded. 

“Get it!” Karen cheered, bright eyes practically sparkling. “Oh my god! And they were ROOMMATES !”

Hoshi burst into laughter. She was glad Karen still had a sense of humor. She was more grateful to have it break the tension even a little.

“No!” Saito barked. “Absolutely not! We just get you back and the winged bastard wants to move you into his place?! Where the hell was that enthusiasm when he got your name?”
“Saito.” Koji shook his head. “I understand your feelings, but we’re missing information.”

“And what could be so fucking compelling?!” He demanded. 

“League of villains?” Karen quipped.

“We’re already moving to a safe house!”

“And that should be enough protection for you guys,” Hoshi smiled sadly. “But I’m too much of a target for too many reasons. If I stay with you, we run the risk of you all being attacked. If I’m with Hawks, they can’t touch me, and finding a third hand target who have protection isn’t going to be a lucrative move.”

“Bullshit!” Saito snarled. “We’re family! We stick together! No way in hell are we losing you again!”

Hoshi winced. “You’re not losing me.” She promised. “I’m just...living somewhere else.”

“And you’ll just drop by every weekend, huh?” He argued. “We’ll be lucky to have you home for holidays!”

“Saito.” Koji’s voice was quiet, but stern. “Enough.”

The younger brother wheeled on him. “How can you be okay with this?! They’re tearing our family apart!”

“Think about your sister for a moment.” He admonished. “Hoshi’s just escaped one of Japan's most wanted criminals, and she’s still going to be a target. You think she hasn’t run through every possible angle to try and stay with us? You think she isn’t worried about our safety as much as we are hers?” He narrowed his eyes at his brother. “We all want her home, but it’s not safe for her or us. We get to stay together, but she has to make the sacrifice of living with a stranger. And instead of giving her the support she needs, you’re whining about something that’s not even your choice to make.”

Hoshi put a hand on Saito’s shoulder. “It’s not safe for me to be around you all like I am right now. I’d have to have someone strong watching my back in case Dabi tries again. And that’s an unfortunate possibility. So until I can learn to hold my own against the likes of the Pros, I need to be somewhere else. Somewhere Dabi can’t reach.”

“Why with him ?” He demanded. “There has to be somewhere else,”

Hoshi shook her head. “There’s not. And even if there were, the argument of staying with Hawks makes the most sense. The only other option would be Endeavor, and I’d much rather stay with Hawks.”

Saito’s mouth flopped open like a koi fish.

“Oh yeah,” Karen tapped her chin thoughtfully. “He did come through here, didn’t he? He’s not as bad of a guy as I’d have thought…” Hoshi had to fight to keep her face neutral. She still didn’t know what she thought of him. 

“You really did get the short end of the stick,” Koji mused, ruffling her hair again. “But as long as you’re safe...we’ll have to work with it.”

“I can still call and visit.” Hoshi offered gently. “And meeting up in the city is fine. It’s not that different from Aunt Hana. Except instead of being a nomad, I live with a birdman not too far from you all.”

“A very good looking, probably into you, birdman.” Karen winked.

“That’s just soulties.” Hoshi rolled her eyes.

“Hey, whatever it takes.”

“Karen!”

“Fine.” Saito sighed, putting his hand on her shoulder. “But...keep us in the loop.” His brown eyes met her green. She hated that defeated look. Saito’s best feature was his stubborn will to get to the bottom of problems, rarely compromising for less than absolute success. And here he was, taking a huge personal loss.

“As much as I can.” Hoshi agreed. It was the least she could do. And she didn’t care who was tied to her, she wasn’t giving up on her family.

“Including the progression of that relationship.” Karen winked. “I want details .”

“Karen,” Koji groaned. “No.”

“Karen yes !”

“Well!” “And here I thought there was an actual incident!” A woman’s voice floated over to them. Everyone turned to see a smiling middle aged woman waving at them. “Honestly Koji, a little hair dye is nothing to get upset about!”

“Aunt Hana!” Hoshi shrieked in delight, darting towards the woman. “It’s so good to see you!”

The  tall slender woman beamed, taking the younger woman in her arms. “You had us worried sick young lady,” She admonished jovially.

“I didn’t mean to,” She apologized.

“Oh I know,” Hana smiled reassuringly. “I’m just happy to see you’re safe.”

“When did you get in?” Koji asked by way of greeting.

“Just now,” She sighed, running a hand through her long purple hair. “Getting a flight from America here was a nightmare. But! I made it!”

“Just in time too,” Karen beamed. “Guess who Hoshi’s got for a soulmate?”

“Does that matter?” Hana raised her eyebrows. 

“For once,” Saito grumbled. “It does.”

“Ooh?” 

“It’s the reason I was taken,” Hoshi explained.

“Ahhh,” The woman nodded sagely. “I can see that. Well, is it a famous pop idol? A villain? A hero?”

“You make it sound...” Hoshi scowled.

“Shallow?” Hana finished. “You know my thoughts on that kind of nonsense. It’s a lot of expectations and unfulfilling bullshit.”

“But unfortunately a factor,” Koji sighed. “I’m afraid you’ve come at an awkward time.”

“Oh?” Her lavender eyes narrowed.

“We’re moving to a safehouse,” Saito explained. “And Hoshi’s moving in with her soulmate .”

“Saito…” Hoshi groaned. “Come on…”

“My goodness, I have missed a lot.” Hana laughed. “Shall we catch up over some breakfast? My treat.”

“Don’t suppose you’d let a birdbrain in on the fun?” Hawks called, walking up. His eyes met Hoshi's, his lips twisting a little. “Thought I heard a party.”

Hoshi glanced down to the feather in hand and winced. That’s right. She’d yelled, no doubt triggering his return. And maybe a little heart attack.

 “Sorry. I haven’t seen my Aunt in a few years,” She explained, scooting to his side. She slid the feather towards his back, trying not to watch as it flitted back into place on his wing. 

“Technically,” Koji smiled. “She’s our godmother. I contacted her as soon as things began.”

“And I flew in from New York,” She explained reaching a hand out. “Pleasure to meet you…Mr….”

“Hawks,” He took her hand and shook it. 

“Oh my! The number two hero in Japan?” Hana locked eyes with Hoshi. “I suppose that does make a difference. I’m the Suzuki family’s godmother, Hanako Hashimoto. Pleased to meet you.”

Chapter Text

Breakfast was an upbeat affair of pancakes and coffee. It was a bit slower and considerably more time consuming than what Hawks was used to, but surprisingly pleasant. He could tell the siblings were in need of the time to reconnect. It sent a thrill of comfort through Hoshi that was palpable. Not that her smile left much to imagination.

They’d given the edited rundown of Hoshi’s ordeal to Hanako, who took it in with a measure that Hawks found odd. It wasn’t the practical kind of acceptance that Koji and Hoshi favoured. It was almost flippant, if not for a few words of concern or frustration slipped in. Not unlike his public face at times. A false confidence almost.

“What is it you do, Miss Hashimoto?” He asked after a lull in conversation.

“Well, I was a political advisor,” She smiled. “Mostly in forgien affairs. And please, it’s just Hana. You’re heading towards family now.”

Hawks gave a short laugh. That was a subject he didn’t want to touch with a ten foot pole. And judging from the way Hoshi chose to focus on her fresh cup of coffee, she wasn't keen on it either.

“Was?” Koji raised an eyebrow. Points to the practical man catching the important details.

“I may have gotten a job offer that’s tempting enough to keep me in Japan long term.” She gave an enigmatic smile. “But I still have to get through a brief interview, so for now it’s only a maybe.”

“That’s not going to drive you crazy?” Saito asked while sipping on his black coffee. Apparently he was the mud drinker of the family. Though good mud was better than no coffee at all. “You hate staying in one place for longer than a year.”

“Times change,” Hanako sighed. “And after hearing about what happened to Hoshi, I really should stay closer to you trouble makers.” 

“Futaba will be happy to have you around,” Koji mused. “And the kids.”

“Darlings,” The godmother cooed. She glanced between Hohsi and Hawks. “When can I expect a few from the two of you?”

“Aunt Hana!” Hoshi sputtered.

“Too soon!” Saito complained, shooting Hawks a threatening look.

“That’s quite bold of you,” Hawks laughed. “The only thing that’s been decided between Hoshi and I is that we’re living together. Anything beyond that is purely up for debate.”

“Oh?” Her lavender eyes twinkled as she held his gaze. “But you’re soulmates! I’m sure my beloved Hoshi is just the epitome of irresistibility to you!”

“Aunt Hana!” Hoshi coughed. “It’s nothing like that, and you know it.”

“But does he?” Her smile turned ominous as she crossed her manicured fingers together. “You see, Hawks, I don’t put much stock into soulties as an indication of compatibility for life partners. It has some merit, but overall is a horrible system. People think soulmates mean instant happiness, and put no work into the actual relationship.” Her Lavender eyes turned icy. “And I can promise you, that’s not how it works. All a soulmate is a person who means something to you and your life, good or bad. If you want that to be something special, you have to make it work.”

“And if that’s not what Hoshi wants?” Hawks asked.

“Then you’d better fucking respect her wishes,” Hanako chirped. “Or pro hero or no, I’ll snap those pretty wings off.”

“Aunt Hana…” Hoshi groaned.

“It’s a right of passage.” Koji sighed, patting his sister’s shoulder sympathetically. “Futaba went through it too…”

“And she’s a darling!” Hanako beamed. “All in all it turned out quite well.”

“Right…” Hawks chuckled.

“Don’t take it personally,” Hanako waved her hand. “It wouldn’t matter who you were, I only accept the best for my godkids. Futaba is a wonderful woman who looks after this disaster man,” She gestured at Koji. “And they have an adorable family! Two healthy, curious kids with bright futures and loving parents. Soulties didn’t make that family. The people in the relationship did.”

“Okay, Aunt Hana,” Hoshi groaned. “We get it.”

“As long as everything is clear.” She flashed another cheery smile. 

“Crystal.” Hawks grinned. He could see Hoshi glaring at him from the corner of his eye. Worth it. 

“Then there’s no problem!” Her cell started ringing. “Ah. And there’s the call about my interview.” She excused herself to take the call.

“She’s interesting,” Hawks commented, sipping on his properly sweetened coffee.

“A bit flighty,” Koji agreed. “But she’s family.”

“How’s she related?”

“Oh she’s not,” Karen explained. “Aunt Hana was Dad’s soulmate.”

“They were close,” Koji added. “But they lead very different lives. Aunt Hana has always been adventurous and strong willed. Our father wanted a quiet life. So instead of trying to force a square peg into a round hole, they settled on a strong friendship.”

“It’s also part of the reason she doesn’t put a lot of stock in soulmates.” Saito added. “Which, I can’t say I blame her. And I’d be lying if I said she wasn’t a bit of an inspiration to us.”

Now that was interesting. Hawks glanced at Hoshi. She was studying her coffee thoughtfully. He’d ask her more about it later. 

“So is it okay with you if we take Hoshi to get her things?” Karen asked. “There’s a lot to pack.”

“A lot of rocks .” Saito grumbled into his mud water.

“ Pretty rocks,” Hoshi corrected. “If there’s space?”

“If there’s not we’ll make space.” He stretched. “But there’s probably enough room. And yeah. I have to check up on the agency, but Endeavor said he was sending his work studies to keep you guys company while you pack.”

“More students?” Saito scowled. “Shouldn’t they be in school?”
“Unusual circumstances are a good experience,” Hawks smiled. “Ah, but Hohsi--Shoto Todoroki’s probably with them.”

“It’s fine,” She waved a hand dismissively. “I think I more panicked because things were so stressful there. Though I guess I should apologize.”

“If he has any questions just send him to Endeavor,” Hawks recommended. 

“Got it.”

“Is there anything needed for the place?” Koji inquired, slate eyes turning to Hawks. “Toiletries we can pick up along the way. Anything larger we’ll need to arrange transportation.”

“There’s a guest room ready to go,” He answered the unasked question. “We may have to change the bedding to suit taste, but it’s serviceable.”

“Oooh!” Karen perked up “We should plan a shopping trip for your room!”

“Divine!” Hanako sauntered back up. “Mind if I crash it for a girls day?”

“We’ll have to see what the schedules look like,” Hoshi smiled. “But yeah...I’d like that.”

“You have my number,” Hanako smiled. “But apparently my interview is starting in an hour, so I’d better run. Call me.” She passed out a round of hugs to each of them before coming to Hawks with an open hand. “A pleasure to meet you, Hawks. Try to keep yourself out of trouble, won’t you?”

“I’ll do what I can,” He shook her hand. Her nails dug in aggressively, lavender eyes meeting his amber ones. 

“You’d better,” She sing-songed. “Or you’ll regret it.”

She let go, slapped down money for the bill, then waved before saintering out. She was like a hurricane of energy. Clearly the other siblings felt the drain, all heaving a sigh of relief.

“That could’ve gone worse,” Saito breathed.

“Much.” Koji agreed.

“Exactly how afraid of this woman should I be?” Hawks asked jokingly.

“Very.” Hoshi grimaced. “She would fight god if he crossed her.”

“And win.” Saito added.

“When I first entered middle school I played Volleyball for a while,” Karen began, stabbing a piece of pancake. “The assistant coach was a real creep. When she heard me complain about his behavior, she went looking through his records. Found out he’d been secretly hired on by a relative and he had pictures of all of the girls. They fired them so fast…”

“Or the time she straight up beat the police chief in an arm wrestling match.” Saito added with a grimace. “They still talk about her at the station.”

“Back when Futaba was pregnant, she and Aunt Hana got held up at a convenience store. She beat up the four of them and had them tied up for the local heroes when they arrived.” Hoshi laughed. “That’s why she got into the arm wrestling match in the first place. The chief said he’d let her off the hook if she could win.”

“Frankly,” Koji shook his head. “She’s terrifying.”

“I’m starting to get that…” Hawks forced a short chuckle. “Guess I’d better do a hell of a good job then.”

“For your own sake?” Koji locked eyes with Hawks. “ Do .”

Chapter Text

Hoshi wasn’t thrilled to separate from Hawks. Mentally she could tell she needed the break. Being away from him would give her valuable time to think about...well everything. On the other hand, she had that irrational fear of losing sight of him for longer than a few minutes. He must have been thinking along similar lines. Before leaving her, he’d passed her his jacket.

“According to the hospital staff, this might help with separation.” He explained. “Apparently scent can be a comfort.”

“Oh. Thanks.” She took it, feeling a little self conscious. It was still warm and did smell pleasant. A bit like coffee and something else she couldn’t place but liked. Maybe it was a soap or cologne? Unknown.

“And if you run into an emergency, my contingency’s in the pocket.” He added with a wink. “The other pocket has a key to my apartment so you can get in if you guys finish before I do.”

Hoshi reached in and felt a little feather. It did a brief dance across her palm before settling back towards the bottom. It could have been endearing. It could also be creepy. She wasn’t sure which one she felt more.

“Anyway,” He gave a final pat to her head. “You’re in good hands. All three of those work studies were there for the rescue, so they know what they’re dealing with and how to handle it until backup arrives if the worst does happen.”

That was both horrifying and reassuring. On the one hand, Hoshi did want to apologize to Todoroki. Panic aside, she imagined that had to be a difficult reaction to take. On the other hand, seeing any more Todorokis was enough to spike her blood pressure. As to the other two, who knew. She found out quickly when meeting a curly hair green boy at the apartment entrance.

“That’s Deku,” Karen informed her sister with a hushed whisper. “Isn’t he just the cutest ? He’s like a puppy dog.”

The resemblance to a happy dog wasn’t lost on her, as he beamed at them. “Ah! Miss Suzuki! We didn’t meet during the rescue, but I’m Deku.” That smile was as warm and sincere as sunshine. It was a friendlier attitude than most heroes gave off, and while he seemed relaxed, she could see a bandage on the side of his freckled face. Given what she’d seen Dabi do, she didn’t doubt any of his associates were anything less than formidable.

“Nice to meet you.” Hoshi gave a formal bow. “Thank you for the help. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to thank you until now. And I’m sorry you received that injury on my behalf”

“Oh, not at all!” He flushed. “I’m just glad you’re okay! This is my own fault! I should’ve seen the knife.”

“Geez…” Karen shook her head. “Hero work’s tough.”

“Civil service is no joke,” Saito agreed. “Heroes are our frontliners, but the combat they see these days…I wish the Hero Commission was more stringent on the types of cases they allowed work studies to take part of. You’re the finger exploding kid, right?”

“Ah,” Deku chuckled. “Yeah… I’ve improved a lot since the sports festival, but my quirk can be quite a bit to handle at times.”

Saito shook his head. “The Commission is really letting a bunch of teenagers--”

“Speaking of which!” Karen interrupted, winking at her sister knowingly. “Where are the others?”

“Kachan and Todoroki are with Mrs. Suzuki, Aki and Hichiro.” Deku explained. “We figured at least one of us ought to be out here to keep an eye out.”

“You let that maniac near the kids?!” Saito looked horrified.

“What’s wrong with Todoroki?” Hoshi frowned.

“Not him, the Bakugo kid!”

“He’s a hero workstudy,” Koji sighed. “If he can’t handle my little monsters then he has no business in hero work.”

“They seemed to be getting along just fine,” Deku laughed nervously. “Kachan can be a little rough around the edges, but he’s going to be a great hero.”

“I have no doubts.” Hoshi smiled. “I’ll get to work packing so we can get you all back to less tedious work soon.”

“Not until you say hello to the others,” Koji admonished gently. “Futaba was worried about you.”

“Right. I’ll see you all inside in a minute then.”

She popped in to see her sister-in-law trading a recipe card with a spiky haired boy in a hero suit. Bakugo then. Futaba turned and sprinted towards Hoshi, capturing her in a bone shattering hug.

“Oh Hoshi! You had us so worried!” She wailed.

There was the sound of small feet before Hoshi was ambushed by her niece and nephew. Aki scrambled up her back and held tightly while her younger brother claimed her left leg.

“I’m sorry I scared you,” Hoshi apologized, taking in their embraces. It was a lot to take in, but worth it. Futaba stepped back, hands still gripping Hoshi’s shoulders as she took her in with her searching brown eyes.

“Koji said you’re leaving?”

“Yeah.” Hoshi tried to smile. “It’s not safe for me to stay with you all--even at the new place, so…I get a soulmate for a roommate.”

“What does a high level villain even want with you?” She teared up. 

“It’s not her,” A calm voice explained. “According to my father, Hoshi has a soulmate high up in the hero ranks. Anyone like a family member or soulmate who’s easy to take and use against a top pro would be a huge advantage to a villain--any villain.”

Hoshi turned to see the youngest Todoroki coming up. She had to stop herself from laughing as his hair was littered with colorful plastic butterfly hair clips. Aki clearly had charmed the teen into letting her ‘make him pretty’. 

“That’s stupid!” Hichiro cried. “Aunt Shi’s too cool for some stupid soulmate to take her away!”

“I’ll still visit,” Hoshi smiled at him.

“Promise!?” Aki begged.

“Promise.”

“But what if he’s mean?!” Hichiro argued.

“He’s not.” Hoshi reassured, patting him on the head. 

“But you’ll come home if he is, right?!”

“If he’s mean to you, I’m going to bite him.” Aki snarled.

“Aki!” Futaba reached over to pull her daughter off. “That could be a new uncle you’re talking about.”

“I don’t care!” She yelled. “I’ll bite his face off!”

“And then I’m going to take Aunt Shi home!” Hichiro cried. “I’ll be a hero so Aunt Shi can stay with us forever!”

Hoshi could feel herself tearing up. She didn’t want to do this. She didn’t want to leave. She’d been part of their lives since they were born. And the cries of devotion broke her heart. She had to leave them. She had to protect them by being away from them. It was counterintuitive and painful. But for them, she would.

“Tell you both what,” Hoshi scooped up her nephew, forcing a bright smile on her face. “When you’re all moved into your new place and mom and dad say it’s okay, I’ll come visit. And I’ll bring him with me so you can see if he’s mean or not.”

The two kids traded looks. Hichiro was still clinging to the idea of protesting, but his sister gave a nod. She wanted to look like a grown up, Hoshi guessed.

“If he’s mean, you come home with us.” Aki reiterated.

“Deal.” Hoshi agreed. “Now. Since I can’t bring all my stone animals with me, why don’t the two of you go pick one out to take home with you? I know you’ll take good care of them.”

“Can we?!” They turned their bright eyes to their mother.

“Just one.” Futaba agreed. “And no fighting.”

They let out shouts of glee, running from the apartment to the one next door to pick out their new possession. Hoshi smiled fondly as they went, Futaba shaking her head. 

“You spoil them.”

“I think it’s an okay time to be a little indulgent,” Hoshi offered. “A lot’s going to change for them.”

“They’re good kids.” The blonde hero grunted. “You let her bite that bird bastard if she says he sucks.”

“I will,” Hoshi laughed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

“Katsuki, Bakugo.” He nodded. 

“Hoshi Suzuki.” She gave another formal bow to him and to Todoroki. “I wanted to thank you both for the help in getting home again. And for keeping my family safe.”

“It’s part of the job.” Bakugo shrugged.

“I’m glad your injuries weren’t as extensive as we feared,” Todoroki added politely.

“You and me both,” Hoshi glanced at Futaba. “Would you give us a sec?”

Her sister-in-law quirked an eyebrow at her, but nodded. “Of course. Bakugo, did you want the recipe for the stew as well?”

“Absolutely.” The blonde agreed, following her into the kitchen.

Hoshi turned back to Todoroki. “I wanted to apologize for the other day. When you and Hawks found me, I was in a bit of a state. For a moment I thought I was looking at...Well….”

“My older brother, Touya.” He guessed.

“Yes…” She lied. “I’m sorry for any trouble or discomfort I have or this whole situation may cause you.”

“You don’t need to apologize.” Todoroki dipped his head. “You’ve undoubtedly had a great number of surprises sprung on you in the past few days. If anything, I’m glad to know you.” He managed a small smile. “My brother would have been lucky to have you, miss Suzuki.”

“Thank you.” Hoshi forced herself to smile back. “I wished I had gotten to meet him.” The image of Dabi smiling as he bleached and dried her hair came to mind. A man who joked about dying his hair pink and teasing her about liking his eyes. What would he have been like before?

“I’m afraid my circumstances kept me from knowing much about Touya. But if you would like my brother and sister were both close to him. I know Fuyumi would be interested in meeting with you.”

“I don’t want to cause any problems,” Hoshi waved her hands. She was curious, but that was a dangerous prospect. Then again, her biggest weakness in dealing with Dabi was not knowing what it was he wanted. Even now, she wasn’t really sure. “Not to say I’m disinterested, but I don’t want to reopen old wounds for anyone.”

“Once you’ve gotten settled I’ll ask my father to pass on Fuyumi’s contact information.” He offered. “And if you’re interested, I know she would be.”

“Thank you.” Hoshi gave a small bow. If there was any hint of the person he used to be left, and she had to assume there was, the insight would be invaluable “I appreciate it.”

“Of course. Now I should probably go rescue Mrs. Suzuki. Bakugo may take all of her valued recipes if she’s not careful.”

Chapter Text

Packing was an interesting affair. Hoshi hadn’t done much of it in her life, up until their parents had passed. They’d moved next door to Koji to get away from the family home. It held too many painful memories for them. Being closer to their eldest brother and his family had made it easier to look out for one another. The moving part had been a blur, that even now Hoshi couldn’t really remember. She suspected none of her siblings did, though no one commented on it.

The hard part was taking down all of her stone fixtures. Deku had seemed fascinated and insistent on asking her about her abilities while she worked to take them down. She demonstrated the basics as she took down the constellations on the ceiling. She’d managed to fit the main twelve zodiac constellations along with a few other ones she liked or were used as navigational standards. It meant a lot of time standing on a ladder and bending backwards while she either absorbed or dropped a stone into a box below. Hoshi was no Michelangelo, and it wasn’t the Sistine chapel, but it was more work than she’d realized. Deku drank it all in with those wide eyes, fingers twitching like he was taking notes. 

“I see!” Deku nodded. “You could do a lot with that!”

“I do do a lot with it.” She laughed, pulling down her moonstone recreations of the Cancer constellation. 

“I meant hero wise,” He amended. “Being able to reshape stone has a lot of uses. You could create a tool for almost any job, or even used them as a shield or weaponry! And if you’re working in a mineral rich environment you could reshape terrain! And you’ve already got a great grasp on it. I mean your artistic abilities were a great clue!”

“I’m just glad some of them made it.” Hoshi sighed. “Dabi didn’t mention seeing any, so I kinda assumed they ended up shattering on something I couldn’t see.”

“No,” Deku reassured. “We gathered them all up so he wouldn’t be tipped off.”

“Makes sense.” She pried the last of the crab constellation down.

“I’m kinda surprised you didn’t think of trying to go into a hero course.” He glanced around. “You clearly like using your quirk…”

“As admirable as the work you do is, It’s not what I want for my life.” She glanced back to the boy. He was one of the UA kids, and according to Saito’s near constant gripes, one of the ones who’d endured villain attacks directly. “I...don’t know how to explain it to you without coming off as rude.”

“I don’t mind.” He smiled reassuringly. “I did grow up with Kachan.”

Bakugo. Hoshi smiled at that. “Point taken.”

She turned back to the ceiling, hands reaching up to the end of Virgo’s constellation. “I think the current system is flawed. Now, I don’t pretend to know how to fix it, but I do know problems get worse when you ignore them. All Might's retirement has led to some instability that even average civilians are feeling right now.” She dropped a piece of moonstone into a box on the floor. “Why wasn’t there a plan for that?”

“Huh?”

“Hero work is dangerous--and All Might was at the forefront at some of the most dangerous conflicts in current memory. It’s true he kept the peace better than anyone, but all you needed to do was to think about what the situation would be like without him. But it’s like no one did.”

“Oh…” He got quiet. “I mean…”

“I’m not trying to criticize you or your school, Deku,” She smiled. “I wouldn’t exactly be kicking up much of a fuss about anything if you all hadn’t been there. I’m more concerned that the hero commission isn’t…” She stopped, looking at her pocket uncomfortably. “Well, I don’t have the whole story. Maybe the contingency plan is still in the works.”

“You don’t have to worry.” Deku declared. “We’re going to put an end to the league.”

Hoshi sighed. “I was afraid you’d say something like that.” She hopped off the ladder, holding out a piece of moonstone. “You’re thinking of the current threat. And that’s fine. But I’m talking beyond even the league. You think they were the first group of villains or radicals?” She reshaped the piece slowly, her hands moulding it from a star shape into a small dog figure.

“Our history is full of people who chose to take their quirks and use them to gain power and followings. When quirks came into being, the world got violent and messy fast. We’ve had lulls of peace, but anytime something in the balance shifts, the world follows suit. Sometimes good upswings, like with All Might’s debut and hero work. Sometimes downswings, like what we’re dealing with now. The point isn’t to look only at the immediate, but the inevitable. If we don’t address or at least plan for these things, then we shouldn’t be shocked when they happen.”

Deku blinked as the newly shaped moonstone dropped into his hands. “I...see…”

“Sorry,” She offered gently. “I’m afraid my mind is not an upbeat place right now. I’m just sorta defaulting to the dissertation I was going to use for my masters.”

“Masters?”

“I wanted to be a history professor,” Hoshi smiled. “Mostly looking at Heros and quirks. But it looks like my best bet will be teaching a hero course after I get enough Hero work done.

“Ah!” Deku brightened. “No, that’s super valuable! So much information from that time was lost.”

Well that was a surprise. Hoshi hadn’t expected him to be interested. Hero history was all fun with folks until you reached a point in history they couldn’t connect with. Then it just sort of petered off into irrelevance for them. Well, more power to UA then.

“Yeah,” She agreed. “But there’s enough data to give us an idea of what can happen when we’re missing pieces of our current standing.”

“Are you still going to pursue your masters?” He asked. “I’m sure it’d be difficult alongside hero work, but it’d be invaluable if you’re looking to teach hero courses.”

“It’s still up for debate.” She looked back to the half done ceiling. “Right now, I have to make sure I can fight off trouble if it shows up again.”

“Right. But if you do finish it, I’d love to read your dissertation.”

“Weird choice,” She chuckled. “But sure.”

“It’s like you said,” Deku faced her, his green eyes serious. “We can’t change or fix what we don’t acknowledge. My dream--no, my goal--is to become the number one hero. If I’m going to become the kind of person who can save others, learning how to predict problems before they arise is something I can’t pass up.”

“If you’re serious about that then start looking at crime stats,” She suggested. “Look for what factors into crime, and see how you can alleviate that. Some of it’s inevitable, but that allows you to prepare for it.”

“Right.” He nodded.

“And…” She smiled. “If I do get to write it, I’ll gladly send you a copy.”

“Hey.” Bakugo grunted, poking his head in. “You two better not be slacking!”

“Sorry,” Hoshi ran a hand through her hair. “I’m just stretching my back for a s--”

Something cold hit her insides. Hoshi dropped to her knees, gagging against the feeling of slime sliding across her insides. Like a horrible chain reaction heat and fire kicked up in response, leaving her shaking. 

“Suzuki!” Deku was trying to snap her out. “Are you alright!?”

“Shut up ya damn Deku!” Bakugo hissed. “Hey, Suzuki. Can you hear me?”

She nodded. “A little.”

“Focus on something in the room. A sound, a feeling, a smell--anything here.” He coached.

Hoshi took in a deep breath, her fingers digging into the carpet. The smell of Hawks’ jacket was still there. Apples. It was coffee and apple blossoms she smelled. She breathed it in, separating herself from the frigid slime. It wasn’t touching her. It was someone else...Dabi? No...the heat had been him. 

“Hawks.” She mumbled.

“We’ll get him.” Bakugo grunted.

“I leave for a single interview,” her aunt’s voice sounded like distant thunder. “And it’s already come to this.”

“It’s just a panic attack.” Bakugo responded. “It sucks, but you’re gonna be okay. Just find that thing to focus on.”

Hoshi closed her eyes. She was perfectly safe. But Hawks…

She closed her eyes and tried to feel out for that sensation again. It sent a fresh shiver down her spine, but she found it. The weird slime covered area that threatened to spill back over into her. She pushed that image of warmth onto it--not the harsh fire, but like a cup of coffee. The response was palpable. The slime vanished, leaving her free to breathe again. She reached over to the inflamed area and tried to pat it out. It seemed to respond well to that, subsiding quickly, freeing her to move again.

“I think Hawks did something dumb…” she mumbled.

“How dumb?” Her aunt asked, helping her to her feet.

“I felt something happening...Something gross.” Hoshi shuddered. “Like...Like it was touching him, but I felt it…If that makes any sense?”

Her phone rang, and she jumped. Thankfully, it was a quick fish out of her pocket and to her ear. She didn’t even have to respond or guess.

“Hey,” Hawks greeted. “You okay?”

Chapter Text

Hawks hated to leave Hoshi so soon, but this couldn’t wait. And there wasn’t a better opportunity to deal with this problem then while she was busy.The sooner that was done and over with, the safer they’d all be.

Eros seemed eager to meet with him, all simpering smiles and energetic conversation. To most people he’d come off as a helpful if flustered support hero. Hawks however, had spent a long time learning to read others. The glances to the camera system, the studying of Hawks every move, the stiff way he moved, one hand in his pocket fiddling with something--keys by the sound of them. Eros was panicking.

“So you said there was an issue with my report?” Eros asked.

“Yeah, I think my sidekick got lazy,” Hawks replied, casually walking the room. It was tidy and cozy, the examination table clean--though he doubted it was ever used for more than a few people. Officially anyway. Unofficially, his contacts had been quick to pass on the information about Eros’s lesser known occupation. The leads weren’t hard to follow up, but they left a long trail of trouble hidden deep in the underbelly of society. 

“I’ll do whatever I can to help,” Eros offered, taking a seat on his rolling chair. “What can I do for you?”

“Just run me through the basics,” Hawks suggested.

“Dabi showed up a little ways from my office and ambushed me. He had an unconscious young woman with him and insisted that if I didn’t follow his instructions she’d be torched.” He grimaced. “So I let them in and did what he asked--he wanted an old soul bond revived, so I did it.”

“Did she wake up at all throughout that?”

“No,” Eros shook his head. “She was out the whole time.”

“And did you catch the name on her wrist?” Hawks asked.

“No, he had them covered with bandages. I didn’t want to give him cause to hurt either of us, so I left it.”

“A wise decision.” Hawks agreed.

“Any idea who she is?” Eros asked. “If you find her, I can attempt to undo the ties.”

“We both know that’s pointless,” Hawks stretched, letting his wings flex up. “She’s one of those people with those empathic souls--the kind that just reattaches itself.”

Eros paled. “How...How can you be sure?”

“You think you’re the only person with a soul based quirk?” He chuckled, feathers fluttering and surrounding the support hero. “Not hardly. Just the best known. They already checked. Hoshi Suzuki’s ties are firmly back in place. And you tied her so up in knots she’s going to be struggling against them for the remainder of her life,” 

“I-I didn’t have a choice!” Eros argued.

“And I’m sure the payment from Dabi wasn’t any incentive at all.” 

“The only payment I got was my life!”

“Except that’s not Dabi’s style,” Hawks pointed out. “Dabi would have torched you the minute you stopped being useful. Which tells me that you are still useful to him.”

“I....” He looked around nervously at the feathers. “Can explain…”

“I’m listening,” Hawks smiled dangerously. “ Intently .”

“I was ordered to help the league--to gain their trust. The commission has had me as an undercover. I didn’t want to, but they have us all by the balls. You know that!”

“You’d make a shit spy.” 

“We can’t all be as good as you,” Eros glowered. “Not everyone is the shining number two!”

“Obviously.”

“But I did my job!”

“All you did,” Hawks declared. “Was take some bribes and hurt a civilian. More than just that one by my information.”

“Screw you,” Eros snarled. He bit down on something in his mouth. “And screw anyone tied to you!”

Hawks shot to incapacitate. Too late. The drug had clearly taken affect, and Eros was in full swing. He reached a hand towards Hawks pulling the pulsing red light into view. Hawks stopped short, his body shaking under the pressure. He’d seen it before and seen the pretty green cord wrapped around it. He’d been younger, and the tie hadn’t been so thick or tightly wound. If he hadn’t seen it cut then, he’d have thought it had never been separate.

“Ooooohhhh-hooooo!” Eros crowed, his mouth black. “ You’re her other tie! Dabi’s precious soulmate…” He grinned. “I wonder what happens if I…” Blue flames lit up, a blue string winding its way among the green, further binding his soul.

Hawks could feel the overwhelming sense of burning alive. Smoke in his airways and fire in his lungs. It was all too familiar at this point. Vaguely he was aware of another person beating a wall. He struggled to find himself in the chaos of it all. Which one was he? Was he the man on fire? Was he the one beating the wall? Was he the one kneeling on the floor, shaking?

Then there was something warm over his soul. Like the taste of a fresh cup of coffee on a cold day. It was a warmth that spread from his mouth to the tips of his toes. It gave him something to focus on. He took a breath, then powered through. Feathers snapped down into Eros, trying to pin him without hitting the vitals. 

Eros seemed to have other ideas, trying to bat and scuttle away. His hand dipped into his coat pocket, flinging his keys and ripping a hole in fabric as he snarled obscenities. He apparently found what he was searching for, and held up a small case in triumph. Feathers shot for it, pulling it from his fingers and into Hwaks’ hand. Hawks gave a low ‘tsk.’ pocketing the little case.

“Eros...last chance. Quietly….”

Eros answered with a charge towards him, hands out, eyes wild. Hawks could feel him reaching to tug on his soul again. He let his feathers fly.

Eros’s body crashed to the floor, blood staining the floor of the once clean and sterile room. Hawks grimaced, leaning down to check for a pulse. None. Damn. He had hoped to bring Eros in quietly if possible. Though it would have placed Hoshi in a precarious position again. Still...it was sloppy.

The tooth capsule was new. He’d have to pass that on and keep an eye out for it in the future. He’d also need to figure out how bad that rebinding had been. But first…

He pulled his phone out and pulled up Hoshi’s contact. It didn’t take but two rings. Relief coursed through him.

“Hey. You okay?” He asked.

“What was that?” She shot back.

“You first.”

“I’m fine,” Her voice was a little shaky. “It startled me, but otherwise I’m okay. But you...you weren’t.”

“Ran into problems with a soul affecter quirk.” Hawks explained. “I guess Dabi wanted to have some fun screwing with me.”

“Yeah…” She didn’t buy it. He was a little pleased that she didn’t. Having someone see through the lies was refreshing. Dangerous and potentially deadly, but refreshing.

“He’s not getting up anytime soon. I just needed to know if you were okay.”

“Scared everyone in the apartment,” Hoshi sighed. “But it’s okay...Is...is this going to be everyday?”

“Not if I can help it.”

“It better fucking not be!” Bakugo in the background shouted. Hawks smiled at that. 

“Anyway,” He pushed on. “Once I finish up here, I think some RnR at the apartment is in order. Maybe some take out?”

“Sure.” Hoshi agreed. “Anywhere in particular you want me to pick up from?”

Hawks blinked. “I...was about to ask you that.”

“I’ll pick it up!” She insisted. “You just got in some kind of fight!”

“In that case....” He smiled softly. How long had it been since someone worried about something so trivial? Then again, she’d felt it, so maybe that was part of it. He didn’t know. He didn’t care. He just liked it. “Surprise me.”

“You got it. See you soon.”

“Yeah..” He hung up, studying the phone thoughtfully. That was a conversation for another time though.

Hawks leaned over Eros’s body. The tongue was still black, so likely some form of Trigger. He’d have the folks in the commission take a closer look. Meantime, he was going to hate the report. Dead bodies weren’t frowned upon, and with his being at only half his usual capacity, they’d allow for the slip up. Not that Eros would be missed. But his information could have proven valuable. So Hawks would have to make up for it by solving the problems Eros had created with only what was left around him. 

“Damn it, Eros,” Hawks growled, turning to his files. “You just had to go dirty.”

Not that he had room to talk. Here he was, hands soaked in blood again. The hero’s shining number two was just a garbage man. A vulture. But someone had to do the dirty work. And no one else was qualified. 

A horrible idea crossed his mind as he booted up the office computer. Hoshi. Hoshi with her pragmatic approach matched only by her care for her family. If the Commision President ever got wind of that...No. Absolutely not. He’d make damned sure she got what she dreamed of. A role as a professor. A place where her hands weren’t stained, and she could teach those upcoming heroes he was building a better world for. A world where people like Hoshi didn’t have to face the world with that practical nature, and heroes were bored. 

Chapter Text

Dabi slammed his fist into the drywall, a fresh wave of cold and agony washed over him. He could feel the squeezing and tightening like ice in his heart. Someone had messed with his ties again. Frantically, he looked down, but saw nothing. No outward signs anyway. His hand went to the phone. A frantic message to Hashimoto.

The reply was quick.

‘Eros.’

Dabi let out a low snarl. That bastard. Not that he’d expected much of the support hero. He was as false a hero as they came. The only reason he’d kept him around was because he was useful. If he’d decided to screw with Hoshi--

A gentle calm washed over the pain. Like a hand on his head. Pleasant and kind. He breathed. That was Hoshi. Her touch was as ingrained in his mind. She was safe, still connected. Did she know she was doing that? The comfort was intoxicating. 

His phone rang, Hashimoto’s contact on display. He answered quickly.

“The fuck was that?”

“Hawks.” She explained quietly. “Seems he got to Eros. I’m guessing Eros didn’t want to go down without a fight. You’re tied to him again.”

“We’ll just cut it.” Dabi decided. 

“We’ll settle it when I get back.” She agreed. “Gotta run.” And then she’d clicked off.

Dabi glared at the hole he’d created. It was large enough to send Toga through if he aimed carefully enough. Great. He’d have to fix that. Fucking Keigo. Fucking Eros. 

Though Hoshi reaching out was at least one plus. He’d take what he could from that outburst. For now, he had other problems to deal with.

If Hawks had tracked down Eros, there was a chance they already knew about his connections. Or, and the possibility that made his blood boil, Eros had passed on that information. While Hawks had a vested interest in keeping their shared soulmate alive and well, there were more who had a vested interest in ending either of Hoshi’s connections. Or both. Hashimoto was confident that whatever information came out now, Hoshi was safe and had a front row seat to just how fucked up hero society really was. Dabi, however, had to go over each possibility with care.

He sighed, snapping on his coat, rolling his shoulders. So much for laying low for a while. Oh well. No rest for the wicked.

Chapter Text

Hello readers! I know I've been very steady in my updates, and am hoping to continue that trend. (I'm enjoying writing this and thus far the feedback's been positive)

That said, I am in the line for one Hurricane Laura. That's going to take out our power at some point and I don't when it'll be back up. Depends on storm damage. I am safe and ready to weather it but that is going to take away from my ability to upload new chapters. (I have enough notebooks barring the actual apocalypse lol.) This means chapters won't be uploaded until power is restored, and that's an unknown and out of my hands. I'll be sure to update here again once power is back, or if something else changes. I hope to finish up one more before she hits, but just in case I don't, you're in the know. To anyone else in the storm path, hello neighbor, I hope you and yours stay safe. <

Thank you all, I hope you guys are great until we meet again.

~Coffee

Chapter Text

By the time everyone had loaded up the various boxes into the separate vehicles, Hoshi was starting to feel shaky and jumpy. She’d kept it under wraps with the constant pull of gemstones into her body. Each one weighed her down, but also left her feeling a little steadier. It hadn’t been enough to stop Dabi last time, but it had slowed him. Now she had more ammo. Her tipping point was when Saito came up in her blindspot and touched her arm.

The whole room exploded with sharpened shards of quartz slamming through the walls, the ceiling, and floor. Thankfully a Bakugo had been keeping an eye and yanked her brother out of the way of the blast. He’d snarled at the confused policeman with a venom that surprised Hoshi, but she didn’t really have the wherewithal to plead Saito’s case.

She’d had to dig out a new set of clothes from her suitcase and do a lot of clean up to get all the quartz free. Hoshi suspected that her brother wasn’t going to get any security deposit back from this.

It also resulted in another phone call from Hawks, which calmed her considerably. He’d laughed off the jacket, telling her she could add it to Koji’s tab. She ended up attaching the feather to a string around her neck, occasionally tapping it to remind herself she was okay. She was okay. A little damaged, but okay.

The other bit of damage was in how Saito looked at her. His mouth formed a hard line, brown eyes narrowing as they watched her. She couldn’t decide if it was pity or warriness. Both? Or something else?

 Aunt Hana ended up ushering him off to drive the moving van to the safe house with the other officer in charge of moving. Futaba and the kids loaded up with Hoshi’s siblings, Deku, and Todoroki. They gave polite goodbyes before heading off. Aunt Hana took off on her own, with quick goodbyes and a promise to catch up with them soon. That left Hoshi to ride with the prickly Bakugo in a car behind the smaller moving truck. They stopped to grab take out, and then headed onto the address Hawks had given.

“Hey.” Bakugo grunted after the third time Hoshi tapped at the feather. “You’re okay.”

“I know.” She mumbled. “I know I’m not on the ship anymore.”

“I meant…” He huffed. “You’re not screwed up.”

Hoshi blinked. “Huh?”

“You’re gonna feel like crap for a while.” He warned. “And weak. But you’re not. You survived.”

Hoshi frowned. “You...were the one taken by the league from the summer training camp...” She realized. How could she have been so wrapped up in herself to have forgotten his name? It felt like a lifetime ago when she was just another civilian watching the news of an attack from the safety of her couch. 

“Yeah.” His scowl relaxed into something less feral. “It’s gonna screw with your head for a while. But you’ll be okay. You made it.”

She nodded. “Right.”

“And you can tell them you hate shit like being blindsided. And if they don't listen then it’s their own damn fault for getting hit.” Come to think of it, he’d been careful to be loud around the house when moving--making his location easy to follow through the whole packing experience. He’d stomped, yelled, even let a few little explosions off from his hands to give him away as he worked, and seemed to catch the others up in loud or at least clear conversation. He was awkward about it to her face, but Deku was right. He had the makings of someone who could be an excellent hero. 

“I’ll remember that.”

He didn’t respond, but she didn’t need him to. Hawks had been right. The UA kids did have a headstart on trauma. She wasn’t sure if she was reassured by how well he was handling it, or disheartened to know that someone his age had lived through something as grueling as she had. Maybe both? 

It didn’t really seem to matter as they got out at the apartment building. Hawks was already there, chatting with the driver of the moving truck. He brightened at seeing them climb out of the car.

“Heyo!” He called cheerfully. 

Hoshi waved back, not really willing to yell across the lot. She was too damn tired for that. And not even sure she wanted to ever be comfortable calling out to him from any distance. It sounded appealing, but also felt...weird. Too much too soon.

“You okay?” Bakugo squinted at her.

“Eh,” She shrugged. “My whole life just got flipped, so still trying to get into step with it…”

“You don’t have to. Make him go at your pace.”

“Huh?” She blinked

“He’s fucked up your life. He might feel bad about it, but it’s his own fault you got screwed over so bad, so he can suck it up.” Bakugo crossed his arms.

“Uh…” She searched for a response. “It’s fine.”

“The hell it is. I’m with your niece.” He grunted. “If he gives you shit, fuck outta there. Make him pay for the protection you need. It’s his own fault for fucking it all up.”

Hoshi had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing. “I’ll...keep that in mind.”

“Make sure he knows you hate being snuck up on.” He added. 

“Right.”

“And get a therapist.”

Hoshi looked back to the blonde, the smiling winning out. “I will.”

Bakugo caught the smile and gave an irritated ‘tch’.

“Thank you.” She added. “I...haven’t had a clear head for all of that. Hearing it said back to me...helps.”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “Good.”

A flutter of wings caught Hoshi’s attention as Hawks glided over. She felt her feet change direction, the rest of her nearly following suit before she caught herself. No. She was not ready to go leaping into arms again, just because it felt good. She’d done that with Dabi, and her wrists were still itching from the healing scars.

“Hope pizza’s okay,” She offered, distracting herself. “I wasn’t sure which kind you liked though…”

“I did say to surprise me,” Hawks waved it off. “Good to see you again, Bakugo.”

The work study gave another irritated ‘tch’, glancing pointedly at Hoshi. Right. She should tell him.

“Hawks…” She gripped her wrists, trying to remind herself why she needed to say it. “I…” She pressed her hands in, trying to get the words out. The look on Saito’s face haunted her. If she confessed this...would he look at her like that?

“If it’s about the jacket, don’t worry,” He patted her head. “Though if destroying them is going to be a habit among the Suzuki clan, I’m about to be very popular with custom labels. Maybe less so with my tailor. But maybe he can hire that assistant he’s always claiming he should get.”

He was trying to cheer her up. And she wanted that comfort. But it wasn’t what she needed. The words stuck in her throat, tears tugging at her eyes. She couldn’t stand the thought of his cheerful face looking at her like...like she was broken…

“Oi.” Bakugo growled. “She’s trying to say something you bastard.”

Hoshi spared him a thankful nod. Bakugo was right. She needed to just say it.

“I...don’t like being snuck up on.” Her fingers bit angrily into the bandaged flesh. “It... sucks .” She stared flatly at the ground. God. She hated it.

“Got it.” His voice was warm. “Weird tiks.”

Hoshi tried not to cry. The simple acceptance was such a relief. Hawks must have caught that as he slowly extended a wing around her, making sure she could see it reaching out from the corner of her eye. It was soft and warm, wrapping around her shoulders like a blanket. She was nearly curled into him underneath that wing, shielding her from any onlookers as the tears started to drip down her face.

“You wanna go on up?” He offered after a few minutes. “I’m sure the moving guys are almost done--they’re pretty fast.”

“Yeah.” She croaked, wiping at her eyes.

“Okay.” He hummed, lifting his wing slowly.

Hoshi paused long enough to give a bow to Bakugo. “Thank you. I’ll follow your advice.”

He nodded solemnly. “Good. Remember, it’s his fault,” He jerked a thumb at Hawks. “So he can deal with the shitty parts.”

She managed a small smile at that before grabbing up the food and hurrying inside the building. Hawks stayed back to trade some final words with Bakugo before joining her, making his presence behind her clear by whistling a little tune.

The apartment was up at the top of the building, requiring them to take an elevator up to the top of it. Apparently Hawks had the whole of the top floor to himself, though if she had to judge, she guessed he didn’t spend much time in it. The amount of space made some sense given his wings, which spread out more as they had room. It was all in tastefully modern colors with simple but tasteful furniture and appliances. The most personal touches she could find were the coffee making supplies--which included the dual single serve and full drip duo, an espresso machine, and a pour over kettle with a dripper. So he really was a coffee snob. That wasn’t a lot to go on.

Her bedroom with it’s boxes had more expression than anything else, even with it’s simple queen bed and fully stocked bathroom. It even had the bonus of having a deep blue comforter, which was more color than most of the place.

“My own bathroom?” She tried to laugh. “That’s weird.”

“Yeah?” He raised his eyebrows.

“You clearly don’t have siblings.”

“None that I know of,” He smiled. “Is it really a novelty?”
“Not having to fight over the bath or the sink?” Hoshi snorted. “Absolutely.”

Hawks chuckled. “Well I hope you enjoy it.”.

“Hmmm.” 

They ate their pizza in relative quiet. Hoshi didn’t have the energy to ask about any of it, and Hawks didn’t seem to be inclined to break her silence. Once they’d finished, Hoshi went to start unpacking. Hawks caught her with a casual hand to her shoulder, earning him a flinch. 

“Sorry.” He grimaced. “Uh, you want to leave it for tomorrow? You have time.”

“Do I?” She blinked.

“Yeah,” He flashed her that gentle smile. “It’s going to be a bit to sort out paperwork and other crap. You’ve done a lot today.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I put you through a lot…”

“S’fine.” She shrugged.

“It’s not.” He argued. “Come take a break with me.”

Hoshi raised her eyebrows. “Do you even know how?”

“Of course!” He screwed up his face in mock offense. “I’m Hawks! The number two who’s no good at holding back! And I’m no good at holding back from a good break.”

Hoshi frowned, a new thought hitting her. She didn’t know him very well, if at all. Not much different than Dabi, save what side of the law he was on. He’d still whisked her away from her family and set her in a new place. It was different, but at the same time, it was eerily familiar.

He seemed to catch her reluctance. “But if you really want, it’s fine. Just...don’t burn yourself out, yeah?”

“Yeah…” She mumbled. “I think I’m just going to bathe and then go to bed.”

“Okay,” He nodded. “I’ll be here if you need anything.”

Hoshi waved to him before going into her bedroom. It was so empty of anything, should almost picture crates instead of the plain light grey walls. She hated it. Hated how large the damn place was, how devoid of life. One prison for another. And instead of Dabi for a jailor, she had Hawks.

She slid down against the wall, trying to calm herself. This was just fear of a new situation. She was fine. She was safe. Hawks wasn’t exactly what she wanted, but he was okay. He’d gotten her out. He’d brought her here.

Hoshi buried her face in her hands, unable to hold back. This wasn’t a home. This was a holding cell. Because she was too risky to be left to her old life. So she was stuck here. Until...How long was she expected to be here? Until she could protect herself? Until she developed feelings? How was this any different from being with Dabi? In a sense she felt the same amount of desire to be close and around either man when in distress, and the same amount of fear of that draw. She felt just as alone and isolated as she had in the boat. Except she had the phone to call someone. But who, and for what? Her family couldn’t come for her, and calling them to cry about what couldn’t be changed...No. They had enough to deal with without her baggage. And she didn’t want them to hear her like this...this broken mess. Saitos’ face flashed across her mind. She was worse than broken to him.

“I’m not broken,” She muttered, trying to convince herself. “I’m not broken.” If she said it enough, said it the right way, then maybe she could convince herself it was true.

Chapter Text

Hawks slumped onto the couch. Now came the hard part. The initial relief was over, the shock of being jerked from her old life into something new and possibly unwanted was settling in. She hid it reasonably well. Nothing he or anyone with a keen eye couldn’t see. 

Bakugo had caught on quick. He’d been his usual direct and abrasive self in telling Hawks off while Hoshi went inside. 

“She feels like shit,” He growled. “And when that idiot brother of hers set her off, she got a look at what other people see when you’ve lived through crap no one else has. I don’t know what kind of training you think putting her through is going to do, but I know what she said to Deku. She doesn’t want to be a pro. That’s not what being a hero is to her. She might have the qualities to make a good one, but without conviction, she’s going to crumble.”

“It’s a stopgap,” Hawks agreed. “Just a way to arm her.”

“And then what?” Bakugo sneered. 

“Whatever she wants,” He spread his hands. “All up to her.”

“Bullshit! She can’t even tell you she’s upset by being snuck up on without you interrupting her to make her ‘happy’. If you can’t hear her out without layering bullshit over what she’s trying to tell you, you’re just holding her hostage in a different way.”

It stung. And he hated it. Hated the fact that young as he was, Bakugo had the first hand experience to tell him that. Hated that he’d fucked up. Some hero.

“If you get it, then focus on getting her a therapist and using your ears.” Bakugo grunted.”Or I’m going to tell her niece and nephew what a piece of shit you are and let them beat your ass!”

It was a very Bakugo way of giving advice. Hawks’ would’ve been amused-- was a little bit--but it was eclipsed by the problem he was facing. He wanted to help. But he wasn’t sure what the right answer was here. Therapist aside...what else? Training aside, what else? He’d screwed up by trying to over comfort her. Even now as his feathers twitched at the vibrations of her crying, all he wanted was to make it stop. But he didn’t have a right to that. Bond or not, his only concern in comforting her would be to make himself feel better. Because he’d be the one to make her stop. And that wasn’t what she needed. She hadn’t asked for it. And really, they were just...incredibly connected strangers.

Hawks sighed, rubbing his nose. Time. For now, that was what he could offer her. Time to do whatever it was she needed. Hopefully she’d figure it out in therapy and find a way to talk to him about it. And then, he’d listen. Quietly, with no judgement.

After all, he knew what it was like to not be able to talk to the person who was supposed to help you. He knew what it was like to walk away from the known into a world so foregin it changed you. 

There was a beep on his cell.

“We need to chat. -D”

It was an effort not to get pissed. He could feel his feathers poofing up, and he let them as he tapped back a terse response.

“Where?”

“Roof”

Hawks sighed, pulling a slender feather free to fetch pen and paper. He scribbled a note to Hoshi then sent it with the feather to her door. Hopefully she’d be okay for a little bit. Just long enough for him to scare off a few ghosts.

Chapter Text

Dabi loved seeing this side of his old friend. He was used to the clever masks and easy smiles Hawks was able to pull off with no effort. But seeing him pissed off was a special treat. It only helped his mood knowing that he was the reason behind it.

“Hey, Keigo,” He greeted, tossing aside what was left of the melted security cam. “You healed up nicely.”

“Dabi.”

“Trying to see me as purely villain, huh?” He chuckled. “That’s fine. Not much you can do to me now that we’re all tied up in knots again.”

“No?” Hawks asked coldly. “I could kill you and not feel a thing.”

“Maybe,” Dabi admitted. “But Hoshi would feel it. And that’s enough reason for you to not do it. Because even if you hate me, she’s still a civilian.”

“Using a shared soulmate as a shield,” Hawks snorted. “ Real romantic. Up there with the whole kidnap and ransom part.”

“The whole being a villain thing can kind of be a problem.” He shrugged. “So I rolled with it, gambled, lost. Sort of.”

“What do you want?”

“Specifically? He cracked his neck. “Don’t suppose I could convince you to give the commission the middle finger?”

“No.”

“Right.” Dabi sighed. “Look, your life, you can pick your cages. But we’ve got a third party.”

“She’s fine.”

“Is she though?” Dabi scowled. “I know you’re smart, but the mental gymnastics it takes with the commission...Well..We were both conditioned to deal with it. And frankly, the only one who stuck it out was you. The rest of us died.”

“She’s safe with me,” Hawks repeated, tilting his head stubbornly. “It’s not ideal, but She’s strong enough to get through the hard parts. And unlike you, I didn’t burn her.”

Dabi held back the flinch, forcing himself to keep his eyes locked with Hawks. “If the names had stayed, they’d have had more reason to end her.”

“She’s a civilian.” Hawks argued.

“And they didn’t want you to have any ties to anyone, Keigo. Much less someone who’s biggest problem is that she can’t untangle herself, and has a fun little habit of transferring emotions through that tangle. Or are we going to pretend you didn’t feel her calm your ass when you went after Eros?”

Hawks glowered. 

“Oh…” Dabi smirked. “We are. Or you are. Because you know exactly how they’d take that knowledge.”

“You don’t get to lord it over me,” Hawks growled. “Again, if you’d left her out of this, she wouldn’t even be here!”

“The commission was willing to sacrifice Best Jeanist.” Dabi crossed his arms. “More than willing. They told you to do whatever it took, and you did .” His eyes narrowed. “I’m still pissed about what you did to Twice--and soulmate or not, I’m not trusting you with anyone. I got greedy hoping I could take Endeavor down and win Hoshi over at the same time.”

“Like I would let you kill your old man,” Hawks grunted. “He was a real bastard, sure, but his time as number one has changed him. He was willing to pull strings to have Suzuki’s training to happen at his agency.”

“No.” Dabi could feel his skin warm, then crackle. “Absolutely not.”

“I agree with you,” He flexed his wings. “For different reasons of course, but none of the three of us think that’s a good idea. So don’t light yourself on fire over it.”

Dabi sucked in a deep calming breath, letting that inner fire dim. He ought to be pissed that Hawks could read that so easily. Then again, they’d fought not too long ago, and been completely tangled up in those soulties again. Being cognizant of one another was par for the course.

“My point,” Hawks continued. “Is that Suzuki is safe with me. And not just me. Endeavor’s put her and her family as a personal priority for himself and his agency. As for her and the commission…” He gave a slight shrug. “I’ve laid the groundwork out for her to be able to work as a pro once she’d trained up and from there I’ll do whatever it takes to get her what she wants.”

“If the commission is smart,” Dabi commented, scratching at the tip of his nose. “Then they’ll do to her what they did to you--and while she’s a lot older than you were, Hoshi also has more weak spots. Or are you forgetting that she’s close to her family?”

“I’m aware.”

“And you of all people know how punishment works with the commission.” Dabi leveled a steely gaze at him. “And since you haven’t paid any real attention to her until now, let me tell you--she helped to raise her younger sister from middle school up until now. She took on financial burdens so her older brothers could get solid footing in their careers, and sacrificed her personal life for it. There’s not much she wouldn’t do for them. And there’s even less I won’t do to see her free of all of this.”

“Haven’t you done enough?” Hawks glared. “She’s suffered panic attacks--right now she’s in tears over all this.”

“I know.” Dabi could feel the gravel in his voice thicken uncomfortably in his throat. “I feel it.”

“Do you?” Hawks rolled his shoulders. “And did you feel how pissed off I’ve been all day?”

“Vaguely.” He frowned. “Hoshi’s the real emitter.”

“Well I’m pretty pissed.” The hero’s mouth twisted into a grim line. “And that’s because thanks to you, not only are we all tied up in a knot from hell, a lot of people know about Suzuki--a lot of villains and unsavory types who hate your guts. The kinds of guys who could pay a pretty penny to your good friend Eros, and learn just how very vulnerable you are when it comes to her.”

Dabi felt his gut twist.

“Yeah,” Hawks nodded. “You screwed all of us- -especially her over.” 

“You got names?” 

An angry red feather shot towards him with a folded up piece of paper. Dabi took it, unfolding it. The list was longer than he’d have thought possible. Then again, most made sense after a brief moment of consideration. If they didn’t hate him personally, they hated the league. Or the paranormal liberation front. Most would find him a win to take down. Only one or two were odd to him, but he’d get his chance to investigate them.

“I’ll take care of them.” 

“That’s the least you can do,” Hawks cracked his neck. “Meanwhile, leave her self defense and mental well being to someone who can actually see that she gets them.”

“This isn’t over.”

“Yes it is,” The hero’s amber eyes narrowed dangerously. “I’ve let you off with a lot, Touya . But you’ve gone beyond anything I can help or defend. So I’ll clean up your mess, and I’ll take care of her. But if you put a spark out of line, I’ll kill you myself.”

Chapter Text

“My, my,” Nero tapped the body thoughtfully. “Seems Hawks wasn’t interested in letting him live…”

“He ingested trigger,” His assistant called. “A concentrated dose in tooth pill form.”

“Guess that would get tricky quickly,” Nero agreed. “Soulquirk users...they can be so hard to combat when they don’t bother with morals.” He reached for his scalpel. “Damn shame we have to bother with them all. If everyone would quit whining about the morality of it, they might actually be useful in the field.”

“People like flashy quirks,” His assistant sighed, rolling up a metal trolley with metal bins lined neatly in rows. “UA almost exclusively tailors itself to gather those. Recently it’s been opening up a little more. They have teachers like Eraserhead pushing for better testing standards. But, overall in the rankings and in the real world, the top approved are shining beacons of public morals with marketable and flashy physical quirks. Being able to twist peoples ties is frightening.”

“Indeed.” Nero pressed the scalpel to flesh and began the work of cutting him open. “But then we don’t need rankings to keep the peace, do we? We just need stronger methods to put upstarts back in their place.”

“You think this is going to work?”

“I do.” Nero glanced up to his assistant. “Even if there’s any of his old personality left, it’s exploitable. Just be sure to have our friends in the league on standby.”

“Got it.”

“Now,” He returned his attention to the corpse. “Let’s get you back in the game, Eros.”

Chapter Text

Dabi found his contact resting alongside a cold iron fence, gripping an old All Might cup. He’d managed to scrounge up a thin sheet with multiple holes and stains that someone clearly gave up on trying to salvage. Coupled with his battered hoodie, he looked like a well to do sort of homeless person. The kind who could manage to survive nearly any apocalypse thrown at him with a shaky shrug and grumble.

“Hey.” Dabi nudged him with his boot. “Waffles.”

Waffles opened his eyes slowly, dark eyes scanning Dabi’s visible features carefully.

“Dabi…” He acknowledged. 

“Got a job for you.”

“Payment?”

“You know I’m good for it.”

Waffles made a huffing sound  “You’re good for a lot of things, Dabi, but I don’t take credit.”

“Not even if it’s business with pleasure?”

The hoodied man sniffed at him. “Be more specific.”

“Hawks found his soulmate.”

Waffles made a low rumbling noise.

“Right?” Dabi gave a sardonic smile. “Thing is, she’s mine too. And I’m not interested in letting the Commission take her and break her to their will. I need eyes on her.”

“And you want me to be those eyes.” Waffles guessed. “That’s damned bold of you. Hawks isn’t stupid.”

“No,” Dabi agreed. “But you’re smart, I have a way in for you, and you owe me. Plus you’ll still get a little extra for all the hard work.”

“You’re a fucking bastard,” Waffles snarled. 

“And she’s in a shit position.” Dabi reached into his coat pocket, fishing out a picture and written instructions. Waffles snatched them from his fingers, glaring down at the photo. 

“You fucking killed her hair.” His lip curled.

“Hey!”

“Dude, her eyebrows don’t match.” He sniffed. “And really. White ? You got an Oedipus complex?”

“Fuck off.”

“All I’m saying is, while you may be able to pull off the trashy goth burnt villain, whatever celestial angelic bullshit you were going for with her ain’t cutting it.”

“I just need eyes, not a running commentary.”

Waffles shoved the photo and note into his hoodie pocket, lip curling. “Two for the price of one. Since you like deals.”

“Just don’t fuck up.” Dabi sighed.

“Same to you.” The homeless man nodded. “You sound like you’re going to be too busy to check in if you put me on her trail.”

“Unfortunately.” 

“Do I want to know?”

“ No .”

Waffles seemed satisfied with that and pushed off the fence. “Try not to die out there.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Chapter Text

Hoshi found that as the week went on, she hated the apartment more and more by the minute. Maybe it was all the unused space, the lack of real color or the overpriced expensive everything. Even the rice cooker was nicer than the one they’d had at home. Or maybe it was waking up in the night, in tears, feeling her wrists burning to find herself in a strange bed with only boxes for company. Even the quiet bathroom felt lonely without someone to trip over. She’d stared at her lonely blue toothbrush for a minute before realizing it.

Hawks for his part seemed open to talking, when she started a conversation, but otherwise stayed mostly quiet and reserved around her. They weren’t very long or very deep. Mostly about the obvious weather outside, or what kind of food they should eat. Hawks got plenty of takeout, but also surprised her by cooking some simple meals. She hated to admit it, but they were better than hers in a lot of ways. Other than that, there wasn’t much said. She would catch his eyes as she turned around, or find them on her from the corners of her vision. When he realized she was aware of his stares, he traded that for stray feathers laying around.

 It might have been subtle to others. Except Hawks didn’t really shed. He did let his feathers free to settle around to make moving easier in the kitchen and sitting down to watch the tv, or read. But that was a deliberate action to give him more space to move without having to worry what those massive wings were doing. And as he’d said, he had been missing some, which meant they were only gaining in feathers.

She broke on the fourth day, catching another glance followed by the little feather sneaking onto the counter top. If she didn’t know any better, she’d had thought he could see through them. But no. She’d tested it with mouthing gibberish mixed in with basic words. He only caught that her lips were moving, not what the mouthing was. At least...that’s how it seemed. She was never fully sure with him.

“Hawks,” Hoshi called.

“Yeah?” He titled his head back over the couch to watch her.

“I hate it here.” And she hated herself for saying it, but she forced herself to keep going. “I’m not doing anything other than unpacking my stuff and just kind of...existing.”

“Ah…” He flashed her a soft smile. “Yeah. I’ve gotten word that there’s a really good therapist I’m hoping to get you in with. Thing is, she’s in high demand right now and can’t take on any cases until she gets a few folks back on their feet. That last fight was...rough...”

“Yeah…” She nodded. “I’ve heard a little about it.”

“Keeping it under wraps on any level was almost impossible,” He flashed a sad smile. “But at least we were able to survive it.” He looked back at his wings thoughtfully. “Anyway, I’m just waiting for her to find an open spot. Knowing who she’s looking after she probably won’t be long with getting them to other therapists qualified to keep up with them long t-” He stopped short, glancing at his phone. “Whoop. There she is. You good with this afternoon?”

It took more prep work for Hoshi to feel safe without Hawks than she’d realized. Hawks clearly thought it through, draping a jacket over her, pockets full of quatz, and passing her a little glass bottle with one of his smallest fathers. 

“So I can’t hear anything,” he explained. “But if you break the jar I can. And figure out I need to get to you.”

It didn’t stop her from wanting to run back into the lobby the moment she was alone in the room with her therapist. She could feel herself shaking, and wanting nothing more than to have someone she felt safe with back. Then again, she’d have settled for Dabi, and he wasn’t remotely safe. Maybe Hawks wasn’t either. According to Dabi he wasn’t. Maybe she’d really lost it. Well...Right place to have a mental breakdown.

“So,” Dr. Abe was an owlish looking woman, with wide round glasses over a hooked nose. She scanned Hoshi over with an appraising eye. “You’ve got a lot to unpack.”

“Uh…”

“Sorry,” She waved a hand. “Everyone does. I’m guessing you weren’t given much counciling in the past?”

“No…”

“Any reason why not?”

Hoshi shrugged. “It just...didn’t seem necessary.”

“Allow me to wholeheartedly disagree.” The woman frowned. “When it comes to dealing with major shifts in one's life, it’s not unusual for a person to find themselves thinking they ought to simply handle it. And with a proper support network of friends and family, many obstacles can be navigated. However, most of the people I work with are heroes, all of whom are trained to take on anything and everything to ensure public safety. They’re so busy being everyone else’s support they rarely have that support network they need. And your case isn’t all that different.”

“Uh…” Hoshi shuffled. “I have my family…”

“No, they have you,” She corrected, holding up a thick file. “Your godmother called it the self sacrificing type. Meaning you tend to bottle everything up for the sake of others, which is counterproductive for you long term. So we have a long way to go. And aside from the obvious trauma you’ve just suffered, I’ve got reports on your soul’s abilities.”

“Soul...abilities?” Hoshi frowned.

“Yes,” She waved a hand. “You’re higher on the empathic scale, and you have the ability to receive and emit--not uncommon on it’s own, but incredibly hard to work with for hero and non-hero couplings. Hero couples tend to treat it as a sort of additional quirk. One lovely hero couple I knew worked as a team and worked so well because they had that bond. When one was in such critical danger the other knew to act immediately. Civilians rarely need to worry about it, since that kind of life threatening distress only comes up to the other person needing to get to the hospital which is thankfully a much rarer occurrence. The imbalance pair has one almost consistently dealing with their partner in pain, which when not trained for or treated can lead to severe mental health problems. You get an added point for your third bonded, which no one will tell me anything about.”

“Complicated.” Hoshi forced a thin smile.

“Understand that I am more than bound to keep your words between us, I physically cannot divulge secrets if I view them under my quirk” She unhooked the glasses from her face. “My quirk allows me to walk you through your problems physically with you--but anything I learn from it cannot be spoken about by me. I’ve tried. Until I’ve puked up blood.”

“Jeez.” Hoshi winced. “That's... awful . What about mandatory reporting?”

“I’ve only had to do that once.” She crossed her fingers. “Thankfully my quirk and position here have afforded me an amount of respect. If I say a person is dangerous and the following measures should be taken with them, my word is trusted.”

“I see…”

“But again,” She added gently. “I’ve only had to go through that once. And from every report I have on you, I doubt I’ll have to do anything with it.”

Hoshi hesitated. “I...was told not to talk about that other tie. For my safety.”

“Then we’ll skip it for now,” She waved a hand. “Just know you’re safe to tell me anything you feel like. Or walk with me through the problem so I can’t divulge it.”

“Thank you.” Hoshi smiled softly. “I will.”

“Good. Then let’s start with the kidnapping…”

Chapter Text

Hawks sat across from the Owlish woman, feeling a bit like he had back in training. His tutors all loved to give that same sort of sternly disapproving look. As a kid it had damn near made him cry. As an adult? Well, Hoshi was in the lobby clinging to his jacket like it was the only lifeline she had. Hard to say if what he was feeling was her, or himself.

“Why do I get the feeling I’m in trouble?” He joked.

“Because you are.” Dr. Abe stated flatly. 

“Ah…” He sighed. “Go figure.”

“I can’t tell you what was discussed,” She continued, turning to her massive filing cabinet. “But I am authorized to make recommendations to help Suzuki, and she seemed perfectly alright with my passing those on to you.”

“I’m all ears, Doc.”

“Firstly,” She pushed her glasses back up, the other hand flipping through file folders. “You need to get her out of that apartment more. I’ve already recommended some activities, as well as a routine to try out. Gunhead is an excellent martial artist, he can work with her on more techniques while staying gentle. Trust me, he’s my top pick for this kind of thing. Give him a call and get her going in at least weekly. If he’s not available I have a list of others I’d trust.” She pulled out what he could only assume was the list.

Hawks nodded, taking the list. “Alright.”

“Also, for when she does need to stay in the apartment, make sure she has access to everything about the place. Give her an actual tour. And while you’re at it, order her up some more gemstones. Using her quirk as an outlet would be good for her, and make her feel more secure.” Abe paused tipping her glasses down. “If you don’t know what I’m talking about, ask her sister for pictures of her old room.”

“The art pieces.” Hawks guessed. “I knew she made them.” 

“Let her put some up in your place. Trust me. She’ll stop seeing it as a prison and more of her own personal art gallery or armory. Also make sure she knows where breakers are, the security system, how it works, where the manuals for everything are--go slow, repeat it as often as she asks, make sure she knows she can ask. Because She’s trying her hardest to keep herself from being a burden.”

Hawks straightened. “Is...is that how she sees herself?”
“Ask her.” Abe pushed her glasses back up. 

“I will.” He agreed.

“Aside from getting the home to be something less restricting to her, make sure she knows who you trust. She only had Endeavor and some UA kids. That’s not a lot of names to work with.”

“Anyone under Endeavor or my agency should treat her well,” 

“Suzuki doesn’t work on assuming she’s getting help for anything. You have to put all the cards out for her. Otherwise she’s going to assume she’s playing this game alone. And she needs to know how to work with you. Make lists, Include phone numbers, introduce her to others, get her out of the house more. If she’s scared to go alone go with her. Get her a guard dog to take with her when you’re not around, or someone willing to escort her on a bad day when you can’t. Whatever it takes to build her back up to being able to live and feel safe.”

“What…” Hawks frowned. “In your professional opinion...what should I do when she’s having nightmares?”

“What have you been doing?” 

“Nothing.” Hawks glanced away. “She doesn’t seek me out or anything, and I don’t want her to feel like I’m intruding…”

“Try checking on her next time. Make sure she knows she’s safe, but that it’s not at all strange for her to have those nightmares or to feel incredibly unsafe.”

“Right…”

“And if she seeks you out, don’t turn her away.” Abe stared hard over her glasses at him. “There isn’t a time limit with this, Hawks. She may never be who she was before the incident. This is her new normal and it’s absolutely a reality no one wants to have to live in. We’re trying to make it more bearable. The goal is that her good days will outnumber her bad. Your job is going to be to help support her as she finds her legs again, and to walk with her. It’s not all on you, hence, listing others as well, but I suggest you get her family used to this as well. At least one of them is going to need a serious readjustment to his expectations.”

“Come to think of it, Bakugo mentioned that…” Hawks frowned. “He didn’t say which one though.”

“I can’t give you more than that. Even with her agreement to share my recommendations with you...There’s a lot she isn’t up to going into with you yet. So, babysteps.”

“Of course.” Hawks nodded, rising to head back to the lobby. “Thank you.”

“Hawks…” Dr. Abe hesitated. “There is something...I don’t fully understand.”

“Hmm?” He paused.

“It’s uncommon for soul bonded not to call each other by their first names--even staunch traditionalists tend to cave to it. Something less formal than what either of you display.”

“Ah,” Hawks ran a hand through his hair. “I figured that might’ve been too much too soon. Plus my old name before becoming a hero doesn’t matter to me.” He shrugged.

“I see…” She nodded thoughtfully. “Then my other advice would be aside from ensuring she gets her footing again, is to try and bond over little things. Take her somewhere nice, or do something together. If you’re worried about people learning her identity, then ask some of the pros from recommendations for discrete places. Most know at least a dozen. Oh! Try the Iida’s--they’re very good at this sort of thing.”

“I will, thank you.” He gave a little wave, then slid out into the lobby.

Hoshi was already on her feet, her fingers fiddling with a chunk of quartz. She looked up at him, feet already taking her over to his side. She blinked, as if confused by that action, but didn’t stop until she was in arms reach.

“Heya,” He put a hand to her head. He could see the tension seep out of her shoulders as they relaxed. “You wanna grab a coffee?”

She nodded, but didn’t say anything, instead falling in step with him as they walked. She was quiet, but it was a contemplative silence, unlike the one that had been hanging over the apartment. Her mind was still working over something, chewing on thoughts he could only guess at. Well, that was fair.

The coffee shop was a favorite stop of his while on patrol. The owner had set him up a personal booth towards the back with enough space for his wings to rest comfortably but keep out of sight. They also made great coffee. The barista had a quirk that let him read a person’s tastes, allowing him to give the best recommendations. Hawks wasn’t sure if he was technically licensed to use it for work, but he wasn’t about to rat him out for it. He’d found a niche that worked to his and others' advantages. Everyone won with it. Hawks half wished his quirk was that simple, that all quirks were that simple. 

Hoshi seemed surprised and pleased with hers, her green eyes coming back into focus after a sip. Hawks made a mental note to ask about it when she went to the bathroom or something. Stocking up on coffee flavors she liked would be a step in making his place their place, right? Though thinking about it like that was still weird.

“So,” He said after a sip of his own. “I got the recommendations list. And I thought we could tackle one of those before we get back.”

She nodded, clearly steeling herself. Ease off the acceleration then. Slow. No pressure.

“Well, in part anyway,” He amended. “Dr. Abe said we should probably make sure you have enough materials to sculpt. I’d normally order whatever, but...I have no idea which shops to look into for that kind of thing.”

To his surprise, she perked up. “I do. I have a list.”

“Oh good,” He gave a relieved smile, and half meant it. He’d have figured it out easily enough, but that enthusiasm was a good sign. 

“Can...can I put them outside my room too? There’s...not much to look at.”

“Honestly if you decide you want to redecorate the whole damn place, go for it.” He chuckled. “If I’m honest, I mostly just sleep there when I’m working.”

Hoshi nodded. She’d guessed as much then. Interesting.

“Okay, but only with stuff you’re cool with,” 

“I literally don’t care.”

“That’s a problem.” Her face was somber. “You should. At least a little bit.”

He wasn’t sure how to take that. Admittedly all he wanted was his comfy bed and some small things he kept tucked in his closet. The rest were luxuries he could take or leave. And realistically his bed was something he’d gone without plenty of times. Home didn’t mean anything to him. At least, nothing like what it must mean to her.

Hoshi’s green eyes were studying him, her lips twisting thoughtfully. “I’m going to figure out your aesthetic.” She decided. “Mine’s just stones and stars, so I can probably integrate those in with yours once I figure it out.”

Hawks gave a little laugh, unsure of how to respond to that earnest response. It was cute how sincere she was, but it was more to him. It was...scary. But thrilling. 

“I’m just a boring bird brain,” He winked.

“And I’m a platypus.”

The counter won another blink. 

“You play a lot of faces,” she squinted at him. “But I don’t know which one you are yet.”

“Let me know when you figure it out.” Hawks let his smile fall. 

“So you can convince me it’s not you?” 

“So I know which one it is.”

Hoshi studied him, her face neutral. Her own mask. He’d screwed up with that. He was being selfish, reveling in her odd ability to be close to him on some level. She was still trying to get her feet back under her, and here he was saying crap like that. Stupid. Should’ve stuck to the supportive cheerful--

“Okay.” 

“Huh?”

“When I figure it out, I’ll tell you.” Her green eyes met his. 

Shit. Hawks could feel the natural pull into a smile and a joke. He let the smile slide into place, but kept the joke at bay with a sip of coffee. A concession where he could give one. Because he didn’t want to run from that. He was already going to have to work through a lot to safeguard her. He wouldn’t mind someone knowing him at least a little bit. Someone other than Dabi. 

“So…” Hoshi smiled a little over her cup. “Exactly what’s the limit on crystal shopping?”

Chapter Text

Hoshi had never understood her dreams. She knew it was her mind chewing over problems and filing away information, but she never understood how any of it translated into what she woke up from. As a child it had been dreams of crystal castles chasing after class mates, or trying to see who could get over walls and up trees, or through tight spaces the fastest. Some were less pretty, where she heard screams and yells, or caught sight of a woman in the distance who glared at her in a way she didn’t understand. 

As Hoshi got older, they mellowed out, but every now and then a strange one would crop up. Being stuck inside a burning building, or shuffling over broken glass bottles. The angry voices of men shouting incoherent words. Sometimes it was the dread of looking in the mirror. It never showed her, and she could never remember what she saw when she woke up, but it scared her. After her parents died it was car crashes, or corpses. The call of her sister asking when their parents were coming home. And as she’d learned to navigate those, she added burned corpses and falling through the sky to her list of nightmares.

Then Dabi had taken her. Some mornings she woke up groggily, thinking to herself it felt a lot like she’d been drugged again. That would jar her awake in a way even a shot of espresso couldn’t. Mostly though she dreamed of his hands clamping over her wrists, burning away all evidence of the names that had haunted her. Or his whispered reminder that Hawks was dangerous, That he’d killed a high ranking hero just to get inside information from the league. It made the morning cup of coffee difficult as he’d pass her a cup and smile sweetly at her while Dabi’s warnings ran rampant in her mind. Then there were the nightmares of Hawks’ boss discussing her. It was a haze thanks to the drugs, but she knew the tone and what her brain had stored as the gist of it all; Hoshi’s existence was an inconvenience she couldn’t solve. Yet.

The worst were the ones with both Dabi and Hawks. Sometimes fighting her, usually each other. She was sliced by razor sharp feathers, burnt by blue flames, unable to run from the fight. Her screams fell on deaf ears, leaving her to fall to one or the other. Sometimes it was Dabi. Sometimes it was Hawks. Most nights she couldn't tell. Tonight had been one of those.

Hoshi woke up in sobs, gripping the sheets and scanning the room for the nearest supply of gemstones. Another night. Another nightmare. Her new normal.

The knock at the door caused her to start, fingers brushing over the rose quartz point sitting on her nightstand. It melted under her touch, reforming into a stake, smooth and cool.

“Suzuki?” Hawks’ voice came from the other side. “You alright?”

Great. She’d finally cracked and started waking her roommate. Well done. Bad enough she had things to do tomorrow, but now she was screwing up someone else’s life even further. She heaved out a long sigh.

“Fine. Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”

There was a long pause, but she knew he was still there. Of course he was. Probably trying to sort out how long she’d been like this. Trying to decide how much was too much. She’d tell him if she knew. In her own mind this was a her thing. Her nightmares were a thing she dealt with quietly and moved on. Every once in a while Futaba had caught her up late, or Saito, but Hoshi was old enough to handle them. Or she had been…

“Can I come in?”

She nodded, running her hand over her bandaged arm idley. “Sure.”

Hawks walked in softly, but let his wings rustle some. Bless him. He really was trying. 

“That bad?”

She looked up at the question, blinking. “Huh?”

He waved a hand towards the rose quartz stake.

“Oh…” She returned it to its previous form, setting it back on the dresser. “Weird tiks.”

He nodded, shifting into a crouch at the side of the bed, amber eyes watching her face. It should unnerve her. Soulmate or not, his interest could be dangerous. Dabi’s warnings kept echoing in her skull, along with the look Hawks’ had given her in the coffee shop. 

A man with so many faces he didn’t even know which one was his. And yet, she wasn’t afraid of the masks. She knew what it was to wear them, understood how easy it was to get lost in them. She’d been a happy college student before that mask had been stolen. Now she was laid bare for him to see. Broken. Messy. And he wasn’t flinching away from it. Nor was he reveling in it like Dabi did. Dabi embraced the smashing of all of them, bearing even the ugliest truths on display. From his scars to his chosen name. How any Todorki missed the middle finger that was Dabi, Hoshi didn’t know. She’d have to figure that out later.

“I’m fucked up.” She said, testing the depths of that neutrality. 

He didn’t talk. He let his wing reach over to cradle her form. She leaned into the soft feathers, ignoring how easily they became weapons. That wasn’t so different from her own power. Beauty turned to points and sharp edges.

“I may never stop being fucked up.” She shook her head. “That’s what Dr. Abe said…I could be this sad bitch forever…” she laughed, but there wasn’t any humor in it. Like an amethyst left out in the sun, color drained.

“That’s okay.”

“You have work, you can’t babysit my ass forever.” Hoshi turned to him, staring him down. “Your boss was willing to lock me up in a cell for you. Probably still would. What’s my timeline on getting my shit together before that happens?”

Hawks didn’t move, but he looked sad somehow. No...he felt sad. Her connection colored in the missing emotion. 

“There isn’t one, Hoshi.” He put a hand to her head, as if to pat her, but the fingers rolled down, sliding through her bleached hair. His eyes didn’t leave hers. “I’m not going to let them put you in an institution.”

“Even if it’s the best option?”

“It isn’t.”

“It may be before it’s all said and done with.”

She didn’t have a chance to defend from the other wing as it curled around her, tugging her into Hawks arms. It was sudden and forceful, but it didn’t hurt. That didn’t stop her from going rigid, her fingers burying into those red feathers in panic. But once she was there, cradled against him, she could feel the torrent of emotion between them. Someone had done this to him before. Someone had walked away and told him it was the right thing to do. She was sure of it.

“I won’t give up on you,” He promised, voice low and deadly calm. “I won’t let anyone else give up on you either. Not doctors, not the commission, not your friends and family, and especially not you. You’re staying here. And we’ll unfuck things together. One at a time. Forever if we have to.”

Hoshi looked up at him. His eyes were serious and bright, searching her own face. Too much thinking. Too many questions and not enough energy to try and get all those answers. At least, not now. She nodded, relaxing into his hold. They’d keep fighting.

“Good.” He let out a low exhale.

“I really don’t...understand you.” Hoshi sighed, letting her head drop against his chest. She listened to the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed, lulling her back towards sleep. She could feel herself slipping back into dozing, vaguely aware of his voice as he transferred her back to her bed.

“You know more than most."

Chapter Text

The girl’s day was the balm Hoshi didn’t know she needed. She’d wrapped herself up tight in one of Hawks’ jackets, looking at him guiltily as she zipped it up.

“What?”

“Are you going to have enough of these? I keep using them when I have to go out…” She ran a hand along the slits made for his wings. The label inside was a designer brand for somewhere far more expensive than she’d ever shopped, but the jacket itself was a soft leather that warmed her up.

“For sure,” He gave her a gentle smile. “I’m not exactly low on funds. I’d like to get a few more that match your aesthetic a bit more.” 

“Mine’s kinda silly.” She looked away. Truth to tell, the idea of Hawks decked out in celestial patterns mimicking the night sky was a bit much. Like a joke to those who had to hold to the ground while he got to soar among those stars.

“Nah.” He called, making sure she knew he was walking over to join her. “I think it suits you.”

“Well, thank you…” She’d turned to look up into those amber eyes, finding herself just a little lost. He was enigmatic to her. Too kind, too considerate. Like she might break. But then he was too confident in her, too gregarious in his belief that she would be someone more than the broken woman who clung to his jackets to keep herself from falling to pieces. He seemed open to her, but there was a limit to it. His own personal limits, part of which even he couldn’t control. But he welcomed her to poke around them. He was odd, and not in the way she’d ever expected.

“You okay?” 

Hoshi nodded, looking back to the window. He didn’t call her out on it, but it was there. Hanging in the air between them, like a gnat either wanted to acknowledge. The lie. He didn’t call her out on them like Dabi. He let her wear them like armor. But what were those lies even protecting at this point? With Dabi it had been her sanity. A reminder that just because she felt the pull to him, didn’t mean they were a good idea. A flimsy shield against that pull. With Hawks? She wasn’t sure.

She wondered about it until Karen showed up at the building. Hoshi had put off the thought until now as they waited on the hair stylist. Now it was back like a stray animal looking for food.

“Hey?” Karen poked her shoulder gently. “You there?”

“Vaguely,” Hoshi smiled. “Sorry...Just...thinking…”

“So you’re going back to brown?” The stylist asked. “There’s a few shades that would look nice with your skin and eyes.” She held up a few samples. “This one’s nice and dark, or if you prefer it in the lighter ranges...” 

Hoshi looked at the samples. Her eyes caught on one. She didn’t know if she should laugh or cry at the pink toned brown. Karen followed her look and let out a light coo.

“I like it!”

“You...don’t think it's too much?” Hoshi murmured.

“Not at all! Your eyes would really stand out.”

“That or the auburn,” The stylist smiled. “Either one would look great.”

“Okay.” She tapped it lightly, agreeing to the strawberry color.

Hoshi let the stylist work the color in, using brushes and foil. She had to admit it at least didn’t feel like it had when Dabi had bleached her hair. She wasn’t sure if that added to the experience or detracted. She wanted to reject the idea completely, but Abe’s advice kept her from dismissing it. It was what it was. She wasn’t wrong for feeling things. 

It helped when Aunt Hana joined them, grinning broadly. “I have a surprise for you once we’re done shopping,” She winked at Hoshi.

“How worried should I be?” Hoshi joked.

“Very,” Karen laughed.

“I’ve got one for you too!” Hana beamed.

“I had to open my mouth…”

Hoshi relaxed, listening to her Aunt complain about the new office, the hours she was now forced to keep, and the office staff. Apparently they were all overworked stuff shirts with no imagination. So just office workers. Karen supplemented it with talk of shifting schools.

“Where exactly are you going?”

“Oh!” She glanced at Hoshi. “Uhmm...Endeavor actually recommended me to UA for the general studies...I was able to transfer in and the principal is actually setting up a dorm for me now… I move up there officially tomorrow.”

“You’re okay with that?” Hoshi asked gently.

“It’d be easier, I think.” Karen smiled sadly. “A lot of my classmates...Well...people can be cruel.”

“Who do I need to call?” Aunt Hana growled. “If I’d known that was why you were transferring, I’d have already stated sorting this all out.”

“Oh it’s nothing like that!” Karen insisted. “Just some dumb rumors. Someone started some rumors that my family is in the mafia.”

Hoshi winced. “Well...after that takedown Aunt Hana did…”

“Right?” Karen laughed. “I totally get why it’s a rumor, wild as it is. It just kinda sucks when your friends worry more about some dumb rumor than you. And I figure having UA on my credentials can only look good for me.”

“True,” Hana scowled. “But only if you want it.”

“Oh, I do!” Karen smiled. “I’ll get to stay on campus with all the up and comers in the hero world. It’ll be nice to see some of the hero course students again--even if it’s just around campus.”

A suspicion crept up in Hoshi’s mind. “Students like...Tokoyami?”

Karen flinched. “I-it’s not like that!”

Hoshi and Hana traded knowing looks. It was exactly like that. Hoshi had to bite back a laugh. 

“I mean, he’s two years my junior,” Karen added hurriedly. “And there’s other UA Students I’d like to meet and get to know!”

“Uh-huh…” Hana smiled. 

“Now, now,” Hoshi laughed. “Leave her be.”

“Where’s the fun in that?”

They were cut off by the return of the stylist. Hoshi had her hair rinsed and blow dried. She definitely preferred Dabi’s fingers heating her scalp as he combed out the moisture. She would add that to her list of things to talk about in therapy. Then again, part of her was glad it didn’t feel like it had with Dabi. As strangely intimate as that moment had been, at least she wasn’t reliving it now. Just aware of it. Her fingers curled around the jacket cuff.

“Here you are!” The stylist beamed. “A strawberry brunette!” 

Hoshi studied her reflection in the mirror thoughtfully. It wasn’t back to normal, but Dr. Abe had pointed out that was flawed thinking. She could decide who she wanted to be here at this moment. And touching the pink tinted hair, she decided that it was a reasonable color. A small concession to the part of her that cared for Dabi. She could care and still not be a part of that madness.

“Here,” Hana held up her phone. “Let’s show Futaba.”

Hoshi turned to the camera, letting a little smile tug at the corners of her mouth. Soft, but more genuine than she’d felt in a while. Dabi would always be a part of her, hold a piece of her. But she got to decide how much and which parts.

“It really did turn out nice.” Karen complimented. 

“Yeah,” Hoshi agreed. “It did.” 

They found more than enough school supplies to get Karen ready for UA, plus the furniture and decor to make it more like her own space. Karen had a soft spot for florals, which Hoshi was glad to see could be accommodated for. For her own room she found paint and star themed bedding and decor. By lunchtime, Hoshi was feeling a little more like herself, than she had in some time, if a bit tired.

They made their way back to their Aunt’s apartment for lunch. Hoshi was surprised at how many college students were out, but then again, that did sound like her aunt. She hated things being too quiet. The smell was a bit different from her usual spiced candles. Like smoke. Like something else she couldn’t quite place. It was both pleasant, and overwhelming. Hoshi gripped Hawks Jacket tightly.

“Hoshi?” Karen’s glance was full of concern. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Hoshi shook her head. “Sorry. My mind just wandered.”

They had a simple meal of homemade burgers. Hana regaled the girls with talk of New York. Apparently she’d become a fan of the musical theatre, describing the sweeping sets and incredible talent. Her favorite thing however, and the most fascinating to them, was the freedom of quirk usage. Hana had street magicians using their quirks to create miniature ice sculptures on the spot or charming animals to dance. Children played freely with their powers, running up the sides of buildings, holding their friends or siblings toys overhead with their minds, or the amphibious and aquatic children swimming around in the pond in central park. One boy who could float had declared himself Peter Pan before a girl who could reshape her bones twisted her hands into hook shapes, declaring herself Captain Hook. 

Then the stories were on to the confused new ambassador Hana had been working as Aide to, who couldn’t believe his eyes, much less figure out how to proceed with it. They were all in tears as their godmother described how he’d been beaned by an angry local with a singing quirk, forcing him to sing every Jpop song he knew.

And then Aunt Hana sprung her surprise.

“Since the two of you are living without regular contact with family right now, I figured I’d get you some friends to keep you company.” She handed them each a crate, beaming.

Karen found a sleepy little crow who cawed briefly at her, before going back to sleep. He had a name card, calling him Loki.

“Tokoyami has competition…” Hoshi joked.

“You are the worst.” Her sister whined.

Hoshi found a small orange tabby cat in her crate. He quickly popped out and rubbed affectionately against her. She wanted to like him, but she hated the rubbing against Hawks jacket. According to his name card he was called Waffles.

“No bird for Hoshi?” Karen asked, eyebrows raised.

“One bird brain is enough.” Hana rolled her eyes. “Besides, I got them on recommendation. If Nezu gives you any problems just send him my way. And if Hawks give you any trouble, he can kiss my ass.”

“Thank you.” Hoshi replied, stroking the cat along the underside of his jaw.

“Well hopefully you all get along.”

“I think so.” Karen chirped. “I can’t believe we finally get to have pets!”

“Yeah,” Hoshi smiled at Waffles thoughtfully. They hadn’t had a pet since Saito’s hamster died in the fourth grade. Ever since their parents were against pets, seeing how much he cried over his beloved friend. And after moving to the apartments, there were no pets allowed in the building, so any desire was a moot point. All Hoshi could do was hope that Hawks wasn’t allergic.

“Well then,” She managed, picking up the tabby. “We should probably get home, huh Waffles?” He turned dark eyes to her and let out a cheerful meow. Hoshi smiled, cradling him. Maybe her Aunt was right. Maybe this was what she needed.

Chapter Text

It took Dabi longer to track down the majority of the list than he liked. Eros had sold off Hoshi’s name to the highest bidders, gaining more than a few touch acts. Thankfully eliminating some of them lined up neatly with Shigaraki’s interests, which meant help. Toga in particular seemed ready to end some lives. Twice’s death had hit her hard. Her first real loss at the hands of heroes. Dabi had some sympathy for her. As screwed up as the league was, it was probably the only place she had where she felt accepted for what she was. He was even happy to have her along to let out those killing instincts on trouble makers. Spinner on the other hand...

“Does this have to do with that girl you were holding hostage?” The lizardman asked, pulling a knife out of their latest target’s chest. Spinner was starting to get on his nerves.

Dabi ignored him, focusing instead on the steady thrum of contentment along his bond. It was like a cat’s purr soft but consistent and pleasant. She was feeling better then. The last few days had felt like a raw haze of gross between all three of them. He wasn’t sure if it was all separate but mutual dissatisfaction, or a feedback loop passing along their knotted up ties like the world’s shittiest game of hot Potato. It was nice to feel something less grey.

“Hey!” Spinner growled. “Dabi! We risked a lot to come rescue your sorry ass! The least you can do is tell us what we risked it for! What we’re risking being caught for now!”

“Shut up.” Dabi sighed, looking over the swell of bodies. A lot of trash to burn.

“Who cares?” Toga asked, wiping her knife clean. “We get to stab people.”

“Your actions put the whole league at risk!” Spinner argued.

“I said, shut up,” Dabi launched a blast of blue fire towards the pile of bodies nearest Spinner. He scrambled out of the way well in time, but shot Dabi a hard glare. Infighting. Typical. So much for that mood boost.

“It’s fine,” Compress called, joining the others. “Shigiraki trusts Dabi. That should be enough for you, Spinner.”

Spinner looked ready to argue, but held back. He had a weird code of ethics, not entirely unlike Stains. Part of Dabi respected that. The other just wanted to watch it all burn away to see what would rise from the ashes.

The memory of him accidentally setting a bush on fire in the family garden came back to him. His mother had been the one to put it out with a surprising deftness. The ice had looked beautiful, melting in the heat, forcing the fire to feed itself water. Rei Todoroki smiled at her son gently, reassuring him it was all okay. And after a week of looking at the ashen square with guilt, She’d shown him the seeds she was planting. He’d watched a new bush grow from the ashes of his mistake, stronger and healthier than the one he’d burned. 

His pocket buzzed, snapping him out of his thoughts. Hashimoto. Great. Better to get that out of the way. The message was short, but the picture attached sent a pleasant thrill along the back of his neck. She’d dyed her hair. It was close to her old color, but softened by tones of pink. Her green eyes really did pop with that. Fuck.

Dabi forced himself to check the message. 

‘Waffles in.’

Good. Then for now at least, she had eyes and some protection to her. Whether Waffles had signed up for bodyguard duty or not, he never fully gave up the moral code he held to. If Hoshi was in danger and he was in a position to help, he would. He'd be pissy about it and demand extra payment, but he would help. That’s all Dabi needed.

Now all he had to do was worry about his next target...Nero…

Chapter Text

Hawks really hated having to report in like this. Bad enough it looked like he’d been recovering over the last week and a half. Pretending to the world that his injuries were taking a bit longer to heal. Made him seem extra lazy. It did make the effortless hero prodigy persona more reliable, but not his full reputation. The easygoing, over confident hero wasn’t likely to put anyone at ease. Not after everything that had gone down recently. But he couldn’t shake that persona yet. It was still needed for now. And if he played it right, it could evolve into something more mellow and respectable before fading out of the limelight. Just not until he had Hoshi in a better place mentally. 

Today was a test run. She was with family and going places close by to the apartment and his agency. He’d made sure the areas she was going to were well patrolled places and ensured she had his number, along with a direct line to any hero at Nest. He just needed to trust that she could do it. And that would buy them enough time with the commission president.

His boss was looking grimmer than usual. She nodded to him and ushered him into her office. The favorite ‘Wiper’ was there, nodding to Hawks. Well this could only end well.

“We’ve assessed the current situation with the Paranormal Liberation Front remnants and the league.” She said, taking a seat at her desk. “Thanks to your intel and insight we were able to head off some of the worst of them from slithering off. Unfortunately Shigiraki and the league are still at large.” 

Her grey eyes swept over him, cool as winter wind. “We’re dealing with a dire situation. If we don’t stop them we will be looking at civilian unrest.”

Hawks nodded. “Understood.”

“I understand you have circumstances,” She added. “But I have considered that. If she’s holding you back from your work, we can wipe the experience of the kidnapping.” She gestured to the wiper. “With that gone she should be more manageable, and hopefully trainable.”

The old man gave him a small smile. Hawks had never liked him. He’d learned how to lie by looking at his face as he wiped memories. Most were a kindness, but not for the sake of easing a person’s pain. It was all about keeping secrets. With a gentle smile and a promise to take away the fear.

“I appreciate the offer,” Hawks nodded. “But she’s part of my investigation. Her memories are important to my drawing Dabi out.”

The president nodded. “Very well. Then we’ll be seeing you on patrol again?”

“Of course.”

“Good.” She uncrossed her fingers. “Meanwhile, prepare Nest to take in more interns next round. We’re pushing for larger hero courses. We’ve gone from oversaturated to not enough bodies in an alarmingly short time.”

“Consider it done.”

She nodded. “Good. I look forward to a favorable report, number 2.”

Hawks bowed and headed towards the door. Now onto the other frustrating bit of business. At least Shoto Todoroki had given him an excellent lie to feed to Nest. It was his suggestion that they claim the Suzukis as extended family that the villains had tried to use. The family records of most heroes were kept under locks and keys unless specifically advertised, which Endeavor hadn’t. Still, flukes happened. And Hoshi could be that fluke. 

It worked just as well for their purpose. Hawks knew not everyone would believe it, but they didn’t need to buy it. Even if they guessed it, it was only that, a guess. And despite his misgivings about his agency at times, he could take some pride in knowing they were reasonably loyal people. 

He was greeted by the usual array of sidekicks and staff, all clearly pleased to see him. Perhaps the most was Tokoyami, who had definitely earned his reputation among Nest. Perhaps that was what Hawks was proudest of. Despite all the chaos, Tokoyami was growing into a competent hero--someone he could leave the agency to one day if things went well. Or went bad. 

“How’s miss Suzuki?” Tokoyami asked. 

“Getting there.” He offered an easy smile. “It’s going to be a long road for her, but she’s trying.”

He nodded. “I’m glad to hear it.”

“You wanna round up the troops?” Hawks sighed. “I’ve got to go over the announcement.”

“Are you certain you do not wish to merely hire a bodyguard or someone to stay with her while she’s recovering?” He suggested.

“I am,” The winged hero sighed. “But Dabi’s a tricky one. You and I have enough trouble with him and we’re not exactly civilians. The less we leave to chance the better.”

Tokoyami nodded. “I see your point. Then I’ll gather them in the conference room. Though I believe someone is waiting for you in your office.”

This smile was much easier to wear. “Oh good. Tell them the meeting’s in fifteen.” He waved and headed for his office. He passed out waves and thanks from his staff and agents as they greeted him and shouted well wishes and welcome backs. He wondered idly how Hoshi would handle it. She seemed incredibly closed off, but her sociability was something her sister seemed to think was down to her wrists. With them now scared, that was a non-issue. Would she be able to enjoy the company of others with ease now? Hard to say.

Mirko was waiting in his office, looking at the small collection of shiny awards with an amused smile. It only widened at seeing him.

“You look like crap.” She laughed.

“Not everyone is as cool as you,” Hawks chuckled. “How's the arm?”

She held up the prosthetic thoughtfully. “Taking some getting used to. But good enough to be back in action. If the commission would sign me off to get back to work.”

“How long do they want you out for?”

She rolled her red eyes. “Up to six months. Can you believe it? What the hell am I supposed to do for six months ?”

Well that was an opening if ever he heard one. “Funny you ask that,” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “How do you feel about being a bodyguard to a high risk target?”

Chapter Text

Hawks raised his eyebrows at the cat, glanced back to his phone, then nodded. “It all makes sense now.” 

Hanako had sent him a novel length text about her surprise to Hoshi along with links to articles detailing the mental health benefits of having a pet to care for. And now the ginger tabby was glaring at him, before turning and marching off to who knew where in the apartment. 

He made sure Hoshi knew he was coming, letting his feathers drift off of his wing and settle around the rooms, like tired animals seeking refuge after a long walk. One settled onto her shoulder, and she responded by giving it a little tap with her fingers.

Hawks found Hoshi in the living room, working on a map of stars made of moonstones. She apparently liked the pale color and flash for constellations. These were going into the ceiling as she was able to map out enough space for the 88 constellations. It was a bit ambitious, but the sparkle in her green eyes was enough for him to agree with an amused enthusiasm. If there was more of that spark in her, any way to draw out more of that excitement for life, He’d take it.

She smiled up at him, giving him a small wave. “Hey. Ah! Aunt Hana Hana kinda gave me a surprise…”

“The little orange guy?” He raised his eyebrows.

“Yeah,” She flashed him an apologetic smile. “If I’d known she wanted to do that, I’d have at least asked. I-if it’s a problem I can ask her to take him!”

“Nah,” He shrugged. “She’d probably come for my eyes if we did that. Besides, as long as you like him nothing wrong with that.”

He wasn’t sure where the relief came from, but he was glad to see it. She wasn’t looking to him for an excuse to get rid of the cat. So she liked him enough to keep. Then maybe the orange furball could be useful. He needed all the help he could get. 

Taking stock though, she seemed better. Her hair was back to brown, though a trendier vibrant one that contrasted her eyes. The burnt ends had been trimmed and although the salon styling was falling out, it looked much better. She looked better. Happier. Babysteps, but amazingly effective babysteps.

“How were things at the agency?”

“Not bad.” He stretched. “Nothing on fire. Though I may see about teaching Tokoyami how to run it.”

The sly grin on her face was interesting.

“What?”

“Nothing.” It was the most baldfaced lie she’d ever told him. Which was saying something. He debated the wisdom of pursuing it or letting it rest. It couldn’t be anything life threatening, at least not as far as she could discern. Still, the curiosity nagged.

“Suzuki…” Hawks called. “What are you not telling me?”

That lopsided grin only widened, her eyes resting on her map. Oh. A game then? Well, he was good at games.

Hawks huffed and muttered a complaint, silently gathering up his feathers as he walked over to the couch, pretending to reach for the remote. He watched her eyes from the corner of his own, waiting for the right moment. She surreptitiously studied him, before letting her attention fall back to the outline she had made. The perfect opening.

Hawks leaned over lazily, letting his feathers push aside her work in progress. She let out a ‘really ?’, but that smile was still there. All in good fun then. He pushed his luck a little and sprawled out, his back leaning slowly towards her. She had time to move, but to his delight, she didn’t. So she’d play along. He had a grin of his own now, and looking over his shoulder at her, he was pleased to find that she did too.

“Suuuuuzzzzzuuuuuukkkiiiiiiiiiii….” He drawled.

“Yes?” She was trying to hide that smile through feigned annoyance. Her smiling eyes gave her away. Cute.

“Tellllllll meeeee…” He whined.

“And why would I want to do that?” 

“Your choice of food tonight.” 

She tilted her head to get a better look at him. “And your promise to keep this top secret?”

He mimed zipping his mouth shut.

“Karen’s transferring to UA,” Hoshi explained. “And while she’s there for general studies, I think she’s also got a bit of crush on an upcoming hero.”

His own grin widened. “Tokoyami.”

“That’s my bet.” She chuckled. “Koji’s betting on Mydoria, Saito thinks it's an older student from the sports festival,  and Futaba’s set on Bakugo.”

“What do you win if you’re right?”

“A keychain and bragging rights.”

Hawks laughed. “Seriously?”

“It’s stupid, but it’s fun! Koji’s got one of a fruit gummy mascot, and Karen has a little seahorse. Futaba won last time on Saito’s last relationship and got a turnip keychain.”

“And you?”

“I’m off by a few months usually,” Hoshi shrugged, jarring him a little. “But I’ve got this one in the bag.”

“Okay…” Hawks shook his head, perplexed, but amused. It was one of those civilian things he didn’t understand.

“Trust me!” Hoshi grinned. “I’m going to win this time!”

He felt himself smiling back. This was good. Away from that numbness she’d been exuding, a stark contrast from who she’d been wondering if she was better off in an institution. Anything to keep her from that…

“I can ask a bird about his experiences,” He offered. “But no promises I’ll learn anything.”

“I’ll take what I can get,” She practically beamed. 

Well, he couldn’t exactly argue with that. He yawned and rolled back to his feet. A well played game. Hopefully she’d give him a few more.

“So what’s on the menu tonight?” He asked, stretching his wings.

“Could I convince you to make some of that curry again?”

“I mean, I guess… “ Hawks chuckled. “It’s not like that was part of an important pact or anything.”

Hoshi laughed. He headed off to the kitchen, leaving her in good humor. Maybe someday he’d be able to connect to this kind of domesticity without it feeling hollow. Not that she was faking it. No, Hoshi was clearly more comfortable with banter than even he’d realized. He simply didn’t know how to fully connect with it. Part of him was always analyzing it, analyzing himself for treating a commonplace interaction with such cool calculation. Someday, when society didn’t need him to be it’s number 2, he would settle into it wholeheartedly. For now he just had to live with the knowledge that he was mostly a fake. A shapeshifter from one interaction to another.

Hoshi followed him into the kitchen after a short while, offering to help him with the food prep. He agreed, directing her as they went. It was damn serene to have time to cook an actual meal. The days off had given him time enough for that, and Hoshi seemed pleased enough with what he made. She’d offered to cook the first night, but after that meal she’d not offered again. He wasn’t sure if she just preferred his cooking, or if it was something else. He’d like to believe it was that. 

Hawks caught sight of the orange tabby glaring at him. Well, some animals found him unnerving. He supposed they could smell the death on him. Good. If the cat hated him, then maybe he’d be more bonded to Hoshi. Hanako’s articles had heralded cats as being as protective as dogs towards their owners at times. If he was out of the running as a favorite owner then maybe he’d bond all the more to her. Not that a cat was his choice of protection, but some villains didn’t like hurting animals. Layers of protection. Speaking of which...

“Hey,” He spoke up as he spooned the curry onto a plate. “I forgot to mention it, but there’s someone I want you to meet.”

“Oh?” She tilted her head, gathering the silverware.

“I’ve been thinking about what Dr. Abe said about additional self defense. And her list is full of qualified people, but…” He gave a slight shrug. “I think you’d get along better with her as an instructor...and bodyguard.”

Hoshi paused. “Bodyguard?”

Shit. He should’ve broached this all sooner.

“Yeah,” He ran a hand through his hair. “She’s technically benched by the commission for a bit, but hates sitting around. And I can promise you that she’s a competent fighter. Anything you learn from her would be useful.”

Hoshi nodded, but he could see the struggle on her face. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but it wasn’t great. Crap.

“And since I don’t know when you’re going to go do things and I have to get back to work, I’d make sure you had the freedom to go whenever....”

“With a bodyguard.” 

“I should’ve asked.” He admitted.

“It’s fine.” She waved it off, taking her plate. “It makes sense.” Back to that practiced practicality. A double edged sword.

“If it doesn’t work out we can try something else,” He offered.

“Alright.” Hoshi nodded. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Her smile and tone were forced. And he hated it. But there wasn’t anything for it. Pushing her wasn’t going to solve the problem. Instead he settled for watching her head to the table with the food in hand. There was a hissing by his feet as the cat darted past to follow Hoshi.

Hawks sighed and filled his own plate. They still had a long way to go. Today had been a test run, and a taste of what could be. In that case, it was going to be a bit rocky and chaotic in places. Like relearning to fly. Well that wasn’t so terrible. Even if it was a rough start, the end result would be worth it. They’d have to learn to navigate the sky together. 

Chapter Text

Nero had theories about a lot of things. UA having a traitor among its ranks, All for One’s capture being part of his own overreaching plans, and his stout belief that someone among the commission was playing both sides. So many theories.

The theory he was entertaining now was how best to redirect Eros. Reanimating the corpse hadn’t been all that difficult. Augmenting the body to take on the improvements was more troublesome. Dr. Ujiko’s work on Nomu’s was a refined and well honed process. But Nero didn’t have the time or resources needed to make his own forays into the matter. An animated corpse with some enhancements was the best he could do. And in truth, if he played the ghoul right, it was all he would need.

He knew based on the psychological evaluation his assistant had given him, Eros had died drugged up, desperate, and resentful. Useful. He couldn’t have asked for a clearer level of rage. But now he needed to redirect it from his killer to the girl that was Dabi’s weak point. Moreover, he needed real access to her. His assistant was on the second part, but it would be some time and string pulling. Meanwhile, the first point of contention...

Nero stared at the red eyes, pondering his words carefully. 

“Tell me,” He mused, spinning his scalpel absently. “Why did you become a hero?”

The ghoul stiffened, eyes narrowing dangerously. “I honestly thought I could help. I thought I could help with ties between villains and civilians, Use those ties to rehabilitate misguided villains. Maybe even be useful in the field. Instead they relegated me to support to undo heroes and commission agents bonds.”

“You dislike that?”

Eros snarled inhumanly, the smell of pungent chemicals heaving from his heavily stitched lungs. “The only people who give a shit about those kinds of things are the obsessive ones and those who want to cut them off. I thought I had an actual gift to help soul bonded figure out how to live with one another, to connect and grow close. Instead I got the infatuated ones who wanted to bind their soulmates in invisible chains. The others wanted to be free of theirs so they could live stigma free. Too complicated, too constricting, inconvenient . Ingrates.”

Nero smiled. Well the augmentation had been at least a bit successful. The grey matter was intact and working. Now to spin it towards his own needs.

“Bonds are difficult to work with,” Nero mused. “But I can see where preconceptions could get in the way…”

“Not everyone is guaranteed a soulmate. And those who do get them take them for granted.” Eros growled. “Using them as backups or pawns, locking them up in chains of abuse for their own sake….”

“Not unlike that poor Suzuki girl…” Nero agreed.

The laughter from the ghoul sent a shiver along Nero’s spine. “The unluckiest bitch in the world. Two soulmates--both absolute psychopaths. She’d be better off dead.”

“Oh?”

“I told you Dabi paid to have her tied back to him. She’s just a mouse in a game between him and that bastard, Hawks .” Eros snarled. “Son of a bitch.” The litany of curses only amused Nero. He had what he’d wanted and then some. A game plan so delicious, he almost shuddered from the delight. Instead, he patted the ghoul on the back.

“Well, We’ll just have to take Miss Suzuki in for her own safety. Rescue her from those dreadful ties.” He suggested, trying to hide his smile. “And when that fake hero comes flying in…”

Eros’s grip bent the metal table beneath him, crimson eyes a red fire. 

“Shall we save a damsel then?”

The roar echoed through the room.

“Good.” Nero smiled.

Chapter Text

Hoshi debated the wisdom of taking the invitation to dinner. Maybe she should’ve feigned being sick. But the Todorokis had already gone to a lot of trouble to set this all up. She just needed to bite the bullet. And considering Hawks was being called on for the afternoon and evening patrols again, she really hated to just sit around the apartment with Waffles. 

So she stood at the gate, gift in hand, hoping it wouldn't be awkward. She was greeted by Todoroki, who greeted her politely and led her inside. The complex was large and sprawling, done in traditional Japanese style. She could half imagine a whole family reunion happening, with children playing in the garden, indulgent adults watching on fondly, while the busybodies darted down the halls completing various tasks over gossip and laughter. Yet it was strangely empty. As if it had been used less like a home meant to welcome in as many as it could hold, and more like a fortress. Her thoughts were interrupted by a cheery greeting.

“You must be Suzuki!” A young woman smiled, waving to her. “It’s good to meet you. I’m Fuyumi. You already know Shoto,” She gestured to her younger brother. “And Natsuo is around here somewhere…”

A young man in a college jacket rounded the corner. “I’m here.” He waved, grey eyes sweeping over Hoshi. 

“Nice to meet you,” Hoshi bowed. “And thank you for having me over.”

“Of course!” Fuyumi smiled. “I’m glad you came!” 

“Dad’s out on patrol,” Shoto explained. “He won’t be in until late.”

“I understand,” Hoshi nodded. If anything she was relieved. It was going to be awkward enough as it was. She didn’t need Endeavor there to make it any more complicated. She still wasn’t sure how she felt about him. Complicated.

Fuyumi led them into the dining room, serving up a fine traditional home cooked meal that left Hoshi wondering if her own skills had rusted since Karen took over kitchen duty. It started slow and awkward, Natsuo glancing at her scarred wrists, before looking to his brother. Perhaps he didn’t believe her. Not much she could do about that now. Fuyumi on the other hand was a veritable chatterbox. She had a pleasant aura to her, kind and gentle, and rather nurturing. 

“So what do you do for work?” She asked.

“I was a college student,” Hoshi answered. “Before that I worked as a teller.”

“Takahashi, right?” Natsuo spoke up. “You were the one who walked out of the ethics class.” His sister shot him a glare.

“Yeah,” Hoshi nodded. “That was me.”

“He got reprimanded pretty hard when they found out what he did,” Natsuo cracked a smile. “Did you really tell him his marriage was a failure?”

Hoshi grimaced. That day felt like a lifetime ago. It had only been a week or two…

“I think I said my grade in his class was better than his marriage,” She admitted sheepishly. “Not my finest moment.”

“Apparently a few other students were glad you did.” Natsuo grinned. “He’s known to go on forever about it before making them read his book about the ethical failings of soulmates.” He rolled his eyes. “Saved me from having to waste my time with it.”

“Little victories, I guess.” She shrugged.

“What were you studying?” Fuyumi asked, smoothly transitioning the conversation to safer waters.

“History. Hoping to teach it someday.”

“I knew I liked you.” Fuyumi beamed. “I teach at the elementary school.”

“Is that still something you’ll be able to do now?” Shoto asked. “I understand Mydoria thought that would be difficult for you to do until you’ve obtained your hero license.”

“The trajectory’s a bit skewed, but the hope is I’ll be able to go back to my studies after some work in the pro’s realm and then maybe work for a school with a hero course.” Hoshi shrugged. “But that’s a lot farther off than I can really say. I’m...honestly just doing good to know where the week is going right now.”

“At least you have a goal to work towards.” Fuyumi smiled. “That’s a big step in and of itself.”

“What are you studying?” Hoshi asked Nastuo. 

“Well….” The white haired boy gave a shallow chuckle. “Undecided. For now.”

“He’s too busy with his girlfriend to think about a specific course of study.” His sister teased.

“Says the spinster.” He shot back.

“Who has time for romance when I have work and brothers like you to worry about?” 

Hoshi smiled. This felt familiar. Not at all unlike home. Or her old home. The teasing, the good natured digs and family atmosphere...Shoto seemed a bit awkward around it, but He’d mentioned he didn’t know as much about his eldest brother as the others did. Maybe the gap in ages made the difference? Then again, Dabi’s words about Endeavors temper and small children left her wondering.

They ate and chatted amicably. Hoshi learned more about Natsuo’s time at college, trading stories about professors they had in common. Fuyumi regaled them with her own adventures as a teacher, and Shoto contributed some stories of his time at UA--a bit dry and meandering, but pleasant enough to listen to. According to him Karen had settled in well on campus, though the courses hadn’t really crossed paths beyond a brief welcome.

“It’s funny how we circled back to siblings.” Fuyumi smiled sadly. “Considering that’s part of the reason you’re here.”

“True.” Hoshi agreed.

“He’d have liked you,” Natsuo sighed. 

“I wish I’d gotten to know him.” She could feel her throat tighten. Who had he been before the fire?

“He was a good brother.” Fuyumi looked toward the ceiling. “We’d spend hours playing in the courtyard. And when it rained we’d sneak out into it to splash around.”

“The maid was so annoyed when we snuck back in cuz we tracked mud everywhere.” Natsuo chuckled. “Touya took all the blame for it. Mom thought it was cute.”

“Her little troublemakers.” His sister agreed. “We helped clean up of course. But Touya was always coming up with new things to try, and we’d follow right along behind him.”

“He was the only one who ever knew how to stand up to dad.” Natsuo sighed. “At least until Shoto started at UA.”

Hoshi glanced at the youngest Todoroki. He gave a slight shrug. He was younger than Karen...fifteen or sixteen. Which meant he’d been a toddler when Touya ‘died’. She wondered what Dabi thought, seeing his youngest brother in the hero world. Did he assume Shoto was like Endeavor?

“I hate to call things to an end,” Shoto spoke up. “But Hawks said you should be home by 8…”

“Yeah,” She was glad they’d worked out a curfew and a pick up. Much as she’d enjoyed the visit, she could feel her mental battery starting to run low.

“Before you go, I...put together a few photos,” Fuyumi offered. “If you’d like them.”

“I would.” Hoshi smiled. “Thank you. That’s very kind.”

“Just one moment….” Fuyumi smiled back, rising to head into the hall. 

“Fuyumi hates hearing about it,” Natsuo sighed. “But Dad’s a real bastard. He’s...trying to change. But I don’t think it's worth much of anything. Too little too late.”

“I see…” Hoshi had known that. Dabi had hinted as much. It still made her gut turn.

“That’s not something you need to worry about,” Shoto said, not unkindly. “He’s not likely to cause you any problems.”

“I’m sorry it’s all such a mess.” She offered. 

“Not your fault,” Natsuo grunted. “The old man is what he is. I think he hopes helping you out will make peace for what he did to Touya.”

She gripped the hem of her jacket. “What….what did he do?”
“He’s the reason Touya’s dead.” A flicker of hot rage ran across his face, grey eyes bright with fury. “And for that, I’ll never forgive him. No matter what games he plays by being number 1, or mentoring Shoto and his friends, or visiting Mom, or sucking up to your family. You wouldn’t have been in that kind of trouble if he wasn’t an absolute bastard.”

“Natsuo…” Shoto sighed, glaining at Hoshi. “You shouldn’t bring that up…”

“It’s alright,” 

“I know you’re a strong person Suzuki, but it’s still inconsiderate of my brother to bring it up.”

“Very.” Fuyumi agreed, returning with a photo album. “Here you are.”

Hoshi thanked her and took the album. It was a small one marked with her name at the top in neat writing. She went with Shoto out to the front, to wait on Tokoyami.

“I’m sorry you didn’t learn much.” Shoto apologized.

“Oh no,” She shook her head quickly. “That was more than I knew before. And from the way they talked, I could almost picture it.”

The teen nodded. “I’m glad then…” His eyes turned towards the street. “Does my father know?”

“Know what?”

“About Dabi.”

Hoshi could feel her heart leap into her throat. She opened her mouth to protest, play stupid, deny. 

“No. Hawks thought it would break him.” She snapped her mouth shut, horrified. 

“I can understand that.” He mused. “Hawks has a different view of my father than the rest of us as his peer.”

“How...how did you know?”

He tilted his head. “About Dabi? You said you were tied to him. But then the only name on yours and Hawks’s wrists aside from each other was Touya.”

Hoshi thought back to the ship. Stupid . She had given herself away. She’d let herself get so caught up in the emotions of the moment it cost them.

“I’m so stupid…”

“Not at all,” Shoto shook his head. “If I hadn’t been paying attention it might have slid by. I was busy working on an escape route. I simply got lucky to catch that.”

“I’m sorry…” 

“No need to apologize.” He tilted his head at her. “I assumed you were told to keep it a secret.”

Hoshi nodded. “Yeah. Didn’t work out so great…”

“I mostly wanted to confirm it for myself.” He studied the stars overhead. “He can’t use that fact to hurt me in a fight. I’m sure he did use it against you.”

She didn’t reply, instead looking to her wrists. They itched under the scrutiny of her gaze. Dabi had twisted her around their bond, but she’d twisted back. Like children playing tug of war, taking turns to jerk on the rope.

“We both did.”

“You’ll probably have to again in the future.” He frowned. “I don’t know much about my brother, but I know Dabi is dangerous.”

Hoshi turned to him. “You don’t see them as the same person?”

“I can’t.” The youngest Todoroki closed his eyes. “If I think of him as Touya then I try to excuse his actions. We both had training under our father--training that left him frequently injured. It’s easy to understand why he hates our father and Heros. But I can’t let that shared history excuse his actions. Dabi has killed countless people--criminals and heroes alike.” He opened them again, turning them to Hoshi. “He took his soulmate and tried to use her as a ransom to lure in the top two heroes. He’s a lost cause.”

“Maybe…” Hoshi looked up at the sky, catching the figure of Tokoyami coming down from his night patrol. “But that’s what he thinks of Endeavor.”

Chapter Text

Tokoyami’s arrival ended the conversation between Hoshi and Todoroki. She didn't doubt they’d talk about Dabi again. When was the only question. The three traded some niceties before Hoshi fell in step with Tokoyami headed towards home. The two of them traded polite chatter, with him passing on news from UA and his patrol, which had been a bit more eventful than usual. 

“Miss Suzuki…” Tokoyami paused. “There is something I wish to tell you. Though I am sure Hawks would worry…”

“What do you mean?”

He glanced around, his Dark Shadow checking the other direction. “We came across human remains. They were so badly burned the police fear they won’t be able to identify them.”

“Burned?” She could feel her stomach turn.

He nodded. “Flames of that heat are intense.”

“Dabi.” She guessed.

“That is what we believe.”

“Why tell me?” Hoshi scowled. “You could get in trouble for that, couldn’t you?”

Tokoyami considered that. “Possibly. But it’s something I feel someone needs to tell you. Officer Suzuki didn’t seem keen on telling you, and Hawks may be a top hero, but he isn’t always forthright. It isn’t my intent to frighten you, but if you know you’ll be able to take precautions.” He looked up at the night sky. “Bakugo may have been the one kidnapped during our Summer Training camp, but I very nearly shared the same fate.”

Her shoulders drooped. “Is there anyone in the UA hero course who hasn’t been put through the wringer?”

“No.” He shook his head. “We’ve all experienced battles and fights far beyond most people’s nightmares. But we persist on our chosen paths.”

“Why?” She gripped the album tightly. “Why is being a hero worth that much to you all? I know someone has to do it, and I even understand what the work itself can be appealing...but... why ?”

Tokoyami considered that as they walked. “If I am honest, I know for me it started as the desire to be admired rather than feared. As a child I would play with my peers, often playing heroes and villains. There were many days when I was cast to be the villain.”

“Kids are cruel.” Hoshi mused. She could remember her own schoolyard scuffles. She’d punched a girl for trying to take a necklace from her when she was eight. She’d gotten in trouble for it and had it taken from her with a promise to give it back when she apologized. She never did. Even now it was in a box she’d been given when her parents died. She hadn’t been able to open it.

“Indeed.” Tokoyami agreed. “But when I got to be a hero in those games, I found out I was very good at it. And I liked the way being that hero made me feel. Like I could take pride in it.”

“Guess you were pretty serious even then…” Hoshi chuckled.

“I suppose.” He smiled. “But my conviction has only grown. Going to UA and meeting others with greater ambition and resolve helped me find my own. I suppose working with Hawks solidified it for me.”

“How so?” She tilted her head.

“He’s only a few years ahead of us, but already a hardworking and successful Pro. He’s able to get more done by being ahead of the problems and the first to react. He uses his strengths to compensate for his weaknesses and works relentlessly.”

“True.” Hoshi sighed. “As far as being dedicated to the work, He’s definitely at the top. It’s the reason we didn’t meet until Dabi…”

“I think that was one of his few mistakes.” Tokoyami mused. “Ignoring the possibility of you being discovered and harmed...And if I may be blunt, I find it oddly out of character for him. He pretends to be laid back, but he’s quite meticulous once you get to know him.”

“Hmmm.” She thought about that. On one level, he was right. She’d seen him go into a cool and analytical front. All facts and calm cunning. But that had been a front for his boss. She doubted it was the main part of him. Maybe a piece of the puzzle that was the man she was tied to, but not the whole picture.

“I think there’s more to that.” Tokoyami continued. “Though it may be none of my business.”

“It’s fine.” She reassured. “It’s something I’ll keep in mind.”

The walk turned comfortably quiet. Hoshi was already thinking over the list of gemstones she’d need for the apartment--a place of mental comfort when her brain was too full. Her eyes strayed to the album in her hands. She ran a finger over the cover, the round face of Young Touya Todoroki looking out, face serious. She remembered the last time she’d seen Dabi, hand extended towards her. She could imagine the little boy from the album the same way, albeit a smile on his face, or a teasing scowl. Almost as easily she could imagine herself reaching out to take that hand.

Hoshi buried her nose into the collar of the jacket, trying to ignore the thought. Tokoyami caught the action. She tried to give him a reassuring smile.

“Just cold.”

He accepted the answer with a nod, though she doubted he believed her. They had bigger worries than lying about why she clung to a jacket that she’d never have chosen for herself--a paisley print in reds tonight. Bigger worries like burnt bodies. Maybe Shoto was on to something about viewing them separately. Maybe if she could separate them she’d be able to endure. A glance at the album told her that wasn’t a path she could take. Dabi was Touya, and Touya was Dabi. And she was, for better or worse, tied to him.

Chapter Text

Hoshi couldn’t decide if she was intimidated or infatuated with the number 5 hero, Mirko. She was a mass of muscle, confidence, and clearly someone who liked to scrap, both verbally and physically. Really, she couldn’t find anything to not admire in the woman on first glance. Or second. Or third. Or maybe she was just staring.

“So you’re the poor girl who ended up with this birdbrain?” She jerked a thumb at Hawks. “Condolences.”

“It’s not all bad,” Hoshi smiled. “He cooks really well.”

Mirko beamed. “Nice! Hopefully that makes up for the rest of it.”

“Geeez…” Hawks complained. “You make me sound terrible.”

“I’m just giving you a hard time,” She laughed. “Anyway, I’m Mirko. But since we’re going to be stuck together for the foreseeable future, you can call me Rumi,”

“Hoshi Suzuki,” Hoshi held her hand out to shake. “Hoshi’s fine.”

“Whelp, let’s talk schedule then,” The rabbit hero smirked. “I’m damn near bored to death since they won’t let me work so my calendar probably has more openings.”

“All I have is Therapy right now.” Hoshi admitted. “I figured I’d work it around you.”

“Well then,” She glanced at Hawks. “Mind if I steal your girl for sparring?”

“As long as she’s okay with it.” Hawks agreed, looking to Hoshi.

“Sure.”

Hoshi regretted agreeing so easily. It led to her ducking hard kicks from her bodyguard and trainer in her personal gym. She could feel bruises forming from where Rumi made contact, and getting away was impossible. Getting an upper hand was out of the question. After a few rounds of trying to escape or dodge, Rumi called them to a stop.

“Your self defense instructor was a moron.” She grunted. “They managed to teach you to block and run and that’s it. The rest is you looking for a place to use complicated and useless techniques.”

Hoshi opened her mouth to argue. “Those worked fine on drunk salarymen.” She felt stupid immediately after saying it.

“You’re not a civilian anymore,” Rumi pointed out. “You’re a high risk target looking to become a pro. And you need to be able to take down whatever villain you meet or hold your own in a bad situation.”

Hoshi nodded. “Okay….How do I do that?”

“Let’s start by teaching you how to throw a punch.”

They ran through the process, Rumi demonstrating both slowly and at a normal pace. From there Hoshi followed, mimicking her. Once Rumi was satisfied with that, she taught her the jab, several kicks. They were similar to what she’d learned in self defense, letting her pick them up quickly. What threw her for a loop was when Rumi started asking her to work her quirk in with them.

“Again, you’re not a civilian anymore. You not only get to use your quirk, you’re going to need to. So let’s see you use it.”

“I….I’ve only ever used it up close once…” Hoshi remembered the feeling of shoving shards through flesh and grimaced. The feeling of warm blood on her hands as she scrambled away from Dabi sent a shiver down her spine.

Her instructor gave her a slow nod. “Not a fan of busting faces.” She guessed.

“No.”

The rabbit hero let out a long sigh. “Listen. This last big fight left a lot of us with problems, yeah.” She held up her prosthetic arm. “All of us came out with crap. But if the commission wasn’t keeping me out of the fight, I’d be back at it. You know why?”

Hoshi shook her head.

“Because I’m just as powerful as the bastards that took my arm,” She gave a fierce smile to the younger woman. “They couldn’t stop me. The most they could do is take pieces of me. But I took names. I took out dozens of high end Nomus--real nasty pieces of work--and I helped slow down Shigraki. It wasn’t perfect, but a weaker me wouldn’t have managed that.” 

Hoshi nodded, still unsure where this was going.

“And you survived one of their nastiest customers--the guy who gives your boy the hardest time. Seriously, every time they meet, Hawks loses feathers. But you survived. You’re strong. And you’re as dangerous as Dabi.”

“Bullshit.” It was a strangled denial.

“Hey, I don’t make shit up,” Rumi insisted. “You,” She pointed at Hoshi. “Are surprisingly badass. You just don’t know it.”

“I literally wake up from nightmares every night.” She wasn’t sure why she was okay saying that embarrassing detail now. Something about how straight forward the hero was emboldened her. Like being raw was a default way to be.

“And I’d bet Dabi stays awake thinking how you got away.” Rumi countered.

Hoshi scowled. “Okay. Sure. So what if he does? How does that help me unlock this ‘inner badass ’?”

“What makes you want to fight?” 

“Honestly? Nothing. I’m fucking tired.” Hoshi let her shoulders drop. “My brain won’t shut up about being in danger unless I’m glued to the birdman, and then all it does is anaylise the fuck out of him. I wake up at night from reliving crap, and then I hope I can sleep more than four hours. I’m stressed . I’m tired . The last thing I want to do is fight.”

“Sounds like that’s the best thing to do.” She rolled her shoulders. “Maybe beating people up won’t solve those problems, but it’ll help a lot more than you think. So what pisses you off? What makes your blood boil?”

Her old Professor’s face flashed to mind. The feeling of verbally punching out at him to hit him where it hurt...maybe that’s what Rumi felt in a physical fight. 

“Assholes.” Hoshi offered.

“Good start,” The hero nodded. “But you’ve got more.”

She stared at her, shaking her head. “Uh…” She waved her hands helplessly.

“How about that family?” Rumi prompted. “Heard you’re close to them.”

Hoshi’s gut twisted. Her eyes snapped to her instructor’s, green glaring into red. The grin on her face was wide.

“There’s that badass.” She brought her hands up, eyes bright. “Now show me just how dangerous you are.”

Chapter Text

“Are you...Alright?” Tokoyami stared at Hawks' bruised face. It had taken him a while to notice, in part due to the low light of the evening patrol, and the high collar of his mentor’s jacket. The pause for drinks on the patrol route had afforded him a good look at the soft colored bruise on the lower half. He had only seen him injured the once in his fight with Dabi. 

Hawks caught his look and rubbed his jaw. “Yeah...I made the mistake of getting Mirko to train Suzuki.”

Tokoyami frowned. “That does not explain the injury.” 

“Mistake number two was trying to wake Suzuki from a nightmare. She’s a quick study, and I was too slow.” He sighed. “Really solid punch too. If she keeps it up she’ll be able to break bones.”

“With her fists?” 

“She did the spinel knuckle thing.” He sipped on his can of coffee. “That’s one advantage of her damn near constant quirk usage. She’s got a better control of it then some pros.”

“That is impressive.” Tokoyami agreed, sipping his water thoughtfully. “How long has she been training now?”

“Three weeks.” Hawks sighed. 

“I see.” 

“You have a question.” His mentor guessed.

“It is of a personal nature.” He warned.

“I don’t mind.” The hero sipped his drink. “Frankly you’re one of the few people I enjoy talking to.”

The UA student blinked. “That’s...surprising.”

“Not really.” Hawks flexed his wings. “Heroes--High ranked pros in particular--are prone to having small circles of friends--usually respected colleagues or employees. Easier to keep safe or understand. But your question.”

“Right.” Tokoyami pushed past the compliment, filing away for further reflection. “You’ve made no mention of telling Miss Suzuki about the bodies, nor has her brother, despite the both of you being assigned to work it.”

“That’s true.”

“You haven’t told her?”

“You know I haven’t.” He titled his head, gold eyes studying his patrol partner. “You want to know why.”

“Not merely that.” Tokoyami frowned. “It goes deeper. You did not seek Miss Suzuki out to begin with, nor did you set in place any failsafes to protect her from what I can gather. Everything about your behavior around her seems incredibly unlike you.”

The smile his mentor gave didn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah...I can see that…”

“If you can’t tell me,” He began. “I Understand.”

“S’fine.” Hawks waved a hand flippantly. “Truthfully...There were a lot of reasons. For one, I was planning on going into hero work from a young age. I was warned that soul ties were dangerous and that unless I was 100% certain I could ensure their safety and still do my job then getting them cut was the best option for both of us. So I did. My name’s been scrubbed out of systems no one could find me. When I got her name I looked into her.”

Tokoyami stiffened. “You...did?”

“Yeah.” The hero's shoulders slumped. “I was pretty sure she was alright without my interference. And she was. A hardworking civilian living her life with her family. My involvement would only screw up what she had.”

“But you never gave her a chance to know you...No explanation why.” 

“Sometimes life’s like that.” Hawks stared into the dark ahead. “No matter what I said to her, I’d have affected her. I’d have connected us in a way that I couldn’t undo. And that would’ve put her in harm's way. And I couldn’t 100% ensure her safety and her family’s safety on my own. So I left it, knowing she at least had family. And that’s how it was.”

“Until Dabi.”

“Until Dabi.”

“I still don’t understand why you didn’t have a backup plan.” Tokoyami pressed.

Hawks ran a hand through his hair. “That makes two of us.”

“You…don’t?”

“I’m not really doing great with this part.” Hawks gave his companion a sheepish look. “I don’t know why I feel the things I feel about her. They’re...overly complicated.”

“Isn’t that just part of the bond?”

“Not that I can tell.” He drained off the last of his can. “It’s probable that it has to do with our third, but that doesn’t fill in all the gaps.”

“Hmm.” Tokoyami considered that for a moment. “Have you asked her?”

“No.” He rose, stretching his wings. “Not really interested in making things harder for her.”

“She may be struggling with the same problem.” He suggested.

“Maybe.” Hawks gave Tokoyami a serious look. “The higher you climb in the rankings the more complicated things get. You have to work harder to make sure things seem okay to the public. And having a soulmate who was kidnapped and held ransom and is struggling from the encounter wouldn’t put the public at ease.”

“I’m afraid I do not understand.” The student admitted.

“The Commission is keeping a close eye on her. If she were to tell the media what she’s lived through, the perception of heroes would lower in a time when we need the public to trust us. And while I know Hoshi would never do that, the commission isn’t convinced. So any signs she’s not improving or doing what they expect or better and it’ll be a whole other fight.”

The teen stared at him. “You...don’t mean…”

“Mind wipes.” He tapped his head. “Those are a favorite for really troublesome problems. Or if that fails they’ll have other ideas. None of which I like or want for her.”

“Isn’t that rather extreme?”’ 

“Yeah,” He admitted. “But with Shigiraki on the loose and Dabi’s interest, they’re not taking any chances. And Neither am I.”

Tokoyami looked out over the city. “I see.”

“Sorry.” Hawks apologized. “It’s not an easy pill to swallow.” 

“No,” He looked back to his mentor. “I appreciate the honesty, and the trust.”

“You’ve more than earned it. Wish it was a little more pleasant.”

“Nevertheless,” He looked Hawks head on. “I believe you should tell her.”

“Maybe…” Hawks sucked in a long breath, his wings expanding. “When it’s safe."

Tokoyami watched him freefall into the wind. His wings snapped smoothly, pulling him up with an updraft.

“Guess it’s a good thing we told her.” Dark Shadow grunted.

“It would seem so.” Tokoyami agreed. “We have done what we can. Now let us continue our patrol.”

Chapter Text

Hoshi sipped her coffee, soaking in the warmth with gratitude. It had been a hard few weeks of therapy, training, and redoing the apartment. She’d started her work of painting the ceiling blue, painting an outline of the constellation, and then adding the moonstones. Her body was constantly sore, and her brain wasn’t far behind. So she’d taken Mirko up on her offer to drop her off somewhere safe while she did an interview, and dropped in on her Aunt.

For her part, Hana seemed pleased, if a bit tense. If Hoshi wasn’t so tired she’d have been able to pinpoint what it was. But she was exhausted, and ready to assume it was a work thing. And work things, when it came to the commission, were typically non-topics. Hawks had been relieved to not have her ask questions about it, or even divulge her own knowledge about the subject, minus her first few inquiries. She’d explained her Aunt was always working with the Commission in some capacity and that it meant asking about it was usually pointless. 

“So Why are you down?” Her aunt asked.

“I punched Hawks last night.” 

Her Aunt gave her another sweeping look. Not that it would help. She was covered in bruises from training with Mirko. Not that Hawks had ever done more than sweep her into a hug that one time. He was very careful to not sneak up on her.

“He woke me up out of a nightmare,” Hoshi clarified, sipping her coffee. “And I was still half asleep when I clocked him. But I still feel pretty shitty about it.”

“Don’t be.” Her Aunt snorted. “He can take a punch or two.”

“I don’t want to punch him.” She sighed. “I would like…I don’t know what I’d like…”

“I thought you were in therapy.” Her aunt scowled, taking a long drag from her own mug. “Has it not been helping?”

“Dr. Abe said it’s normal. They’re just there. And they may never go away.”

“Are they about the kidnapping?” 

Hoshi shook her head. “Some are, but lately…” She shook her head. “Lately I’ve had some that just don’t make any sense at all…”

“We could talk them out.” Hana suggested. “I know for fact you’re not telling anyone else.” 

“Lucky guess.” 

“Educated guess.” Her aunt corrected. “Now, spill.”

Hoshi leaned back in her seat, her eyes tracing her aunt’s blank ceiling. “I’m a kid. And I’m running after someone I know. Someone I care about, I think. We’re running through an abandoned building….And there’s a promise…” She closed her eyes, trying to recall the hazy images. “I’m not sure what I’m promising, but It's important. And then...someone pulls me away…” She opened her eyes, looking to her aunt. “I don’t know why it bothers me so much.”

“That made you punch Hawks?” Hana frowned over her coffee cup.

“No.” Hoshi grimaced. “No… That one was just weird. Some woman was telling me I would be a hero if I disappeared. Scared the crap out of me, and then when I felt someone grab me, I thought it was Dabi.”

“I see…” Her brows furrowed. “Then I suppose you’re still not ready to face him if he does come back.”

“It’s not a question of if he comes back. It’s a matter of when .” Hoshi sighed. “And no. I’m not ready. I know I’ll have to be someday...but I don’t know when…”

“Well, that’s what the birdbrain is for.” Hana smiled. “After all, its heroes like that who ignore their responsibilities who cause problems in society.”

“It’s society who thinks they can make a select group of people solve their problems that make it so untenable.” Hoshi ran a rand over her face. “The more I see Hawks at work and Mirko’s training regimen, the more convinced I am that there’s a system screwup.”

She shot her aunt an apologetic look. “I know you work for that system, but I think there’s flaws in it that are going to end with us crashing into a problem that we can’t fix.”

“A problem like Shigiraki.” She guessed.

“Among others.” Hoshi shook her head. “Whether we like it or not, he’s a product of our system. He was able to grow out of it. And while we have our hands full trying to stop him and the chaos he’s putting into the world, we need to look into ensuring there’s not another Shigiraki in the making right now.”

“I don’t disagree. But you and I both know that the government and the hero commission aren’t exactly open to the kind of change needed.” Hana sighed. “So without any teeth to make your argument bite them, there’s nothing for it. Just focus on getting well.”

Hoshi could feel her shoulders slump. Her aunt was right. She was getting fired up over something she couldn’t fix. At least not alone. Not like she was. She still had wounds to heal and scars to soften.

A knock at the door startled them both. Hoshi looked at her aunt, only to find her own furrowed brows and sharp frown mirrored on Hana’s face. Then she wasn’t expecting someone?

Hoshi watched as her Aunt answered the door. The older man on the other side seemed perfectly ordinary, if familiar. He had a face that made her think of kind and gentle animals. Sniffer dogs off duty and enjoying their handler’s affections after a long day of work. But there was something wrong there. Hoshi couldn’t put her finger on it, but she felt it in her twisting stomach. 

“Sorry to drop in unannounced, Hashimoto.” He gave a small bow. “But I was asked to drop off these files in person.” He handed her a manilla envelope.

Maybe that’s why he looked familiar. Hoshi had seen commission agents pop in and out during her growing up years. Her Aunt would stay with them briefly before getting a new assignment and taking off again. 

The man caught her stare and smiled broadly. “Ah! Miss Suzuki. Good to see you again.”

Hoshi found herself shrinking back a little. She didn’t like him. Something was wrong here. That man was wrong.

“Muto.” Hana bristled. 

“Oh relax, Hashimoto! I’m not staying.” He laughed. Hoshi didn’t get a chance to feel any relief. “But I’m sure Miss Suzuki and I will meet again in the future.” He waved to her, then headed down the stairs and back out.

“Who…” Hoshi paused, knowing she wouldn’t get an answer. That was work. Hero Commission work. And she wasn’t cleared for that kind of question.

Her aunt faced her, lavender eyes watering. She hadn’t seen her aunt shaken since her parents died. It made her already frazzled nerves light up in full panic.

“Who….” She forced the question, focusing on something she could do--anything to stave off the growing need to run from the house and find Mirko or Hawks. “Who was that man?”

Hanako gripped the manilla envelope tightly, tears rolling down her cheeks. Her lips twisted with a bitter frown. Hoshi didn’t expect an answer.

“Muto.” The answer was flat. “He’s the Hero Commission’s head Scrubber. Or Wiper. Mind cleaner. Memory eraser.”

“I’ve met him before.” The accusation fell from her lips.

“Yes.”

“He’s taken my memories before…” Hoshi’s vision blurred as she realized what she was saying.

“Yes.” Her Aunt sobbed.

Hoshi rose to her feet, shaking as she did so. She wasn’t sure where she was going, just that she needed to make her feet move. Her knuckles were encased in Spinel as she half walked, half stumbled to the kitchen sink. The crystal knuckles clinked against the stainless steel sink as Hoshi gripped it. She had just enough time to shove her hair aside before she threw up.

Chapter Text

Dabi was pissed. After a long day of wiping out some low level pieces of garbage and trying to track down the final name on the list, he’d come to crash on Hashimoto’s couch. He’d gotten maybe an hour in before she’d shaken him awakened, hauled him to his feet, and shoved him into a closet, along with his boots and jacket. He’d started to protest, but she gave him her spare phone, which was hooked up to the apartment's security system, and a pair of earphones.

“You’ll thank me later.” She promised. “So just stay in here and stay quiet!”
That was a harder job then he’d expected. To his surprise and delight, Hoshi was over. She looked worn out, but judging from the workout gear, she’d just come from the gym. Her wrists had healed, leaving lightening trails along her skin, but otherwise didn’t seem painful. Good. He’d been deliberate in what he’d wanted, and for once his flames seemed to fully comply. 

She’d followed her Aunt in, waving goodbye to her bodyguard, Mirko. Good to know. Mirko was a tough fighter, one even he was bound to struggle with. Having her train and watch Hoshi’s back was a good move. Not that he’d tell Hawks that. 

Hashimoto made them both coffee, before getting into it with Hoshi. He’d almost laughed out loud when she explained she’d punched Hawks. The nightmares however did twist his gut. She was still suffering from his many screw ups. And despite the work Hawks was putting in, it wasn’t enough. 

It was an effort to not break out of the closet and scoop her up then and there. That effort tripled when Muto showed up. The tension the wiper brought with him was palpable, even from inside the closet. 

The worst of it was hearing Hoshi realize she’d met him. She knew something was off. Her own mind was trying to remind her of where the real danger was. And that her whole being knew enough to be afraid of the seemingly harmless man...Dabi didn’t know whether to be glad or to burn everything to the ground. She was hurting from the run in, puking in the sink, and she didn’t even know what she’d lost that day. Neither did Hawks. Just him. Just Dabi, who decided to get his brain checked out once on the outside of the heroes reach. 

And what a minefield it was. Even more than the memories Muto hadn’t touched. The program both he and Hawks were in. The worst parts of it were missing. The times they overworked another member of the program. The times other kids died trying to be as proficient as the adult Pros. The worst of it...was her.

Dabi watched as Hoshi sobbed silently at the kitchen table, pausing briefly to send off a text. Hawks, most likely. No way the hero could ignore that much pain radiating in overwhelming waves of confusion and grief. And she had no idea why. No clue why her memories were taken or what they were about.

He’d almost decided to go out and scoop her up and away despite everything, despite her still fearing him. Mirko had saved him from that mistake. She came back to find her charge a sobbing mess, and her aunt shaken.

“Just a little scare from the boys at the office,” Hashimoto half-lied. “Rattled her a bit.”

“Let’s get you home then,” Mirko patted the younger woman’s shoulder. “Tell me again about that mean punch you got in on Hawks.”

Dabi watched them leave through the front door and waited. Hashimoto opened the door after a few minutes. Her own purple eyes were red and puffy with tears.

“She still remembers traces…” 

“Yeah.” Dabi nodded.

“It’s all my fault…” Hashimoto wiped at her eyes. “I should have never brought her near the program.”

“No,” Dabi agreed gently. “You shouldn’t have. But you weren’t thinking like the others...You didn’t see us as soldiers in training. You saw a bunch of kids. And you tried to work with us and the commission. That’s more than most of them.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “You learned from that mistake. Which is more than anyone else in that hellscape I’ve met.”

“She’s going to get them back…” The woman forced herself to straighten. “And likely Hawks as well. That shared connection seems to be bringing them back to the surface.”

“I’ll talk to Hawks.” Dabi sighed. “I could use his help in finding Nero anyway.”

“Still no luck?” 

“Bastard’s gone low underground--past even Shigiraki’s reach. What’s left... who knows what he’s cooking up down there.” He shook his head. “I’d deal with it myself, but I don’t have room for screw ups here. With Hoshi being so vulnerable right now and Nero’s track record...Last thing we need is him pulling a stunt.”

Hashimoto nodded. “You should rest then.”

“Sounds great.” He flopped onto the couch with a sigh. “If that bastard Muto comes back, let him in...I owe him for everything he took.”

Chapter Text

Hawks felt the panic attack during patrol. He'd grimaced at the sharp and sudden revulsion. A quick text from her told him she was fine, but there was a clinging anxiety. 

Moments like this made him glad his quirk was so complex. His training had him tapping into each and every feather, distinguishing which was which. It helped him differentiate that ever present feeling from his own. Though it didn't ease his own worries. Hoshi had been doing well for the past three weeks, aside from the nightmares. Was this progress or regression? Or just a weird tik?

So he picked up some Taiyaki on his way home. Hoshi had a sweet tooth for the fish pastries, and perhaps the comfort food would help ease her anxiety a little.

He found her mounting an array of constellations in the living room. Waffles sat nearby, intelligent eyes watching her work. The ginger cat gave a little growl in Hawks's direction, but didn't flee like he usually did. Even the cat was worried.

"Hey." Hawks called, setting the bag of treats down. "Looking good."

"Thanks." Her reply was quiet, and she didn't look at him.

"I got some Taiyaki." 

"Thanks. I'm not really hungry right now..."

Hawks looked back to the cat, who met his gaze. What help he was hoping to glean from the animal, he didn't know. And as the cat got up and padded off towards the kitchen. He found himself going at it solo. Fair. A cat really wasn't the best option for a wingman.

"Anything I can help with?" He pressed.

"No. Thanks."

"Suzuki..." He sighed. "What's going on?"

Hoshi's fingers stopped moving. Her lips were pulled tight as she stared into the moonstone she'd been working on. He could feel the waves of frustration and fear washing over him. He really was going to have to talk to someone about learning to shield himself from them when they got this intense. 

"Commission business." 

He could feel himself tense at that. 

"They spoke with you?"

She shook her head. "I really...don't want to talk about it."

Hawks flited up, rising to her level on the ladder. Her fear was more evident on her face as she looked him in the eye. Her fingers were white from how tightly she was gripping the ladder, and her body was tense.

"Hoshi...did they hurt you?"

The hesitation hurt. She looked away, eyes scanning the wall, as if it had the answer.

"I don't know." She admitted. "Not today...but..."

Hawks reached for her, slowly and with a little grunt to catch her attention. She reached back, letting him take her from the ladder. He tucked her into his arms and with a few flaps took her to the kitchen table. He left her there for a moment to grab two glasses and filled them with water.

Hoshi took hers and gave him a nod of thanks before taking a slow, shaking sip. He took a calmer sip, trying to focus on keeping his feathers from ruffling. He needed to be calm. She needed him to be calm. Waffles sat in one of the chairs, glaring at Hawks. Well at least no one in the apartment was in a good mood.

"Hawks..." Hoshi's hesitant voice brought him back. "What I say...doesn't leave here."

He had to take a hard moment to weigh that. His days as a spy had made him disregard promises with very little thought. But this wasn't a mission. This wasn't a job for the commission. This was his very scared soul mate.

"Alright." He nodded. "Unless it hurts someone, I can live with that." He hated having to bargain. But it was better than lying.

Hoshi considered his terms, then nodded. "Okay."

"Fire away."

She took in a deep breath to steady herself. Then she launched into the visit with her aunt. More alarmingly, the man who’d stopped to visit them. Hawks tensed. Despite his best efforts, his feathers puffed out, wings creeping up. 

"Did...did he do something to you?"

"Vague mentions of seeing me again." Hoshi's nose wrinkled. "But...you know what he does?"

"Yeah." 

She let out a shaky breath. "Hawks...I've met him before... And I'm sure he's taken something from me."

It was all he could do not to pull her into a tight hug and wrap her in his wings. He could feel his anger rising. The old man had been beaming at him during their last meeting--knowing who they were talking about. He'd gotten a taste of her...And he liked the way her memories tasted.

"He won't come for you." Hawks assured. "No one is going to take your memory."

Hoshi's green eyes stared at him, watering up with fresh tears. "You can't make promises like that."

He opened his mouth to argue, but stopped. There was a small glimmer of something familiar. Green eyes crying out in calm and accepting pain. Knowing that the pain was real but unavoidable. Watching him, willing him to understand that the power was out of their hands.

"Hoshi." He growled. "I'm not going to let that happen.”

“What are you going to do?” She threw her hands up. “ Fight him?”

“If it comes down to keeping you safe-”

“He works for the Hero Commission!” Her eyes took a frosty tint as she glared at him. “ Your bosses. I have lived around their secrecy and bullshit. They’ve wiped your name from my family, they enforce the law and order in relation to heroes, and if they decide you’re a liability, it’s over .”

He wanted to argue. His mouth opened to do so. But no sound came. She had every right to be afraid of them. Good sense to be afraid of them, really. But the look in her eyes, the accusation beneath her words stung. And he couldn’t even think of a proper counter. Nothing to settle that unease. He shut his mouth, looking down at the table. He hadn’t felt this powerless since…

Hawks squinted. The feeling was uncomfortably familiar. But aside from his earliest memories, it shouldn’t have been there…

“I’m sorry.” Hoshi’s apology broke his train of thought. “I’m not mad at you. I’m just...I’m scared for all of us. You. Me. My family. It’s… a lot. But it’s not your fault.”

Then why did it feel like it was? Why did he feel like he was missing something ? And how was he going to fix this?

“I can’t tell you exactly what I can do about this.” He admitted gently. “And I can’t promise you half of what I’d like to. But I will promise you this much,” Hawks took her hands in his, gripping them firmly. “I am and always will be on your side, Hoshi. No matter what happens, I’ll do what’s in my power, however big or small.”

The green eyes met his again. The ice in them had vanished, leaving them as green as spring leaves. He loved those eyes. He wanted to see them shine as brightly as the polished gems under her hand.

“That’s all I can really ask for…” She squeezed his hands.

They cuddled up on the couch for a bit to watch a movie that neither of them had much interest in. It was just an excuse to hold one another--something neither had wanted to push on the other before now. Now, it felt like the only thing to sooth the anxiety over the looming threat. 

Hoshi fell asleep there, her head against his chest. He watched her own chest rise and fall with soft snores.  It felt natural, comfortable. Familiar. It shouldn’t be. They’d never done this before. Hawks was sure of it. 

A notification caused his phone to hum softly. A text. Unknown number.

‘Roof. -D’.

Chapter Text

Dabi had been in a bad mood since Muto. Not even six hours of sleep had remedied his dark restless anger. Part of that was to Hoshi’s strong emitting of her own feelings, which colored his. The fear she was steeped in pissed him off to a level that only his father could push him to alone. And that was before Hawks came sauntering up to the roof, looking for all the world like the smug bastard they showed on the news.

“We’ve gotta stop meeting like this.” The hero greeted far more cheerfully than he had any business sounding.

“Cut the crap.” Dabi demanded, flicking a small ball of blue fire towards the last security camera. It wasn’t strictly necessary to destroy them, but it did ease his mood just a little. Inconveniencing Hawks just gave him a small sense of satisfaction. “She tell you about Muto?” 

Hawks squinted at him. “Yeah...Did she tell you?”

“Obviously not.” The burnt villain rolled his eyes. “I’m keeping tabs on her.”

The winged hero’s mask slipped off. The gold eyes glittered with an anger that was hard to miss. Good. Dabi hated being the only one enraged.

“So…” Hawks cracked his neck. “I’m assuming you have a point?”

“A few.” Dabi smiled. “For starters, you’re both going to start to remember stuff. Muto’s ability to wipe has a backdoor loophole if you know how to navigate it. Which lucky me, I do.”

“Such as?”

“That’s my secret. I don’t need you giving that to the commission.” He leveled his soulmate with a dark stare. “It wouldn’t be the first time you’ve picked them over us.”

Hawks kept his face neutral. “Fine. But why would we start remembering things?”

“Soulties are weird.” He could feel his staples pulling hard as he flashed his teeth. “You’ll get it once they start coming back.”

“It’s freaking Hoshi out.” 

“Nothing I can do about that.” Dabi shrugged carelessly. “And we have a bigger problem.”

“Like the trail of bodies?” Hawks accused.

“What bodies?” He smirked. Dabi prided himself in leaving nothing behind. Just ash. The decay that would fertilize the world.

“Would it kill you to be a little more discrete?”
“Probably.” He yawned. “Let’s see you in combat without those wings of yours. Oh. Wait.”

“Get to the point.” Hawks growled.

There it was. The ruffling of feathers and barely contained anger. A much better match to his own mood than that happy smiling bastard that had come from the condo below.

“Nero’s gone to ground.”

“Great.” Hawks groaned. “Any actual good news?”

“If you can track him, I can kill him.”

“I thought that was a given.”

Dabi smirked. “Glad you have some faith in me.”

“A little.” The hero grunted. “Just remember it was your screwup that put us here.”

“I got it.” Dabi waved his hand. “When should I expect the good news?”

“Back here, tomorrow night.” Hawks decided. “Hoshi has dinner plans with her sister in law.”

“You sure she’s up for that?” 

“If she isn’t she’ll say so.” Hawks grunted. “Just leave her to me.”

“You keep saying that.” The villain chuckled. “But we both know that Ain’t happening.” He waved off the protest forming on Hawks’ lips.

“I know, I know. My fuck up.” He slid down the fire escape, relishing the annoyed sigh of his soulmate.That was probably the best part about Hawks, Dabi decided, slipping easily to the ground. It was always fun ruffling his feathers.

Chapter Text

Saito was pissed. He hated the feeling of helplessness as he watched another charred and unidentifiable corpse being zipped up and wheeled past. He hated knowing the reason he was here was for his ‘expertise’ on the suspected culprit. The reality of looking at the sea of ash and giving halfhearted shrugs knowing it could be and likely was Dabi, was something that burned him with shame and frustration. The villain that had held his little sister hostage for three days and burned her. The one who’d broken the already fractured family.

He lit up a cigarette, watching as crime scene techs worked over the scene. He was just waiting around here until the detective came to ask him his ‘professional opinion’. Which left him time to sulk as he took in a long drag of his cigarette. 

Saito had never appreciated the kind of person his sister was before Dabi. She’d been the strength in a sea of chaos for the family. While Koji’d been in the middle of school, and he’d been at the police academy, Hoshi had put her focus on keeping the siblings afloat emotionally. True, her focus on work had helped financially, but she’d been the one to hold the family together. Her strength had let the brothers grieve and keep themselves moving forward in their careers. She’d seen to Karen’s needs and made sure they were all okay. Taking her clothes shopping. Teaching her to cook. Going over homework and friend problems. Koji had picked up that thread once his initial grief passed.  It kept them all close. The loss of their parents had bound them together tightly, but Hoshi had been the thread running through it all.

She was strong in a way Saito hadn’t fully appreciated until that day she’d come down from the hospital wing. She looked like she’d been through hell, bleached hair burned to shit, bandaged wrists, and practically clinging to Hawks.

Dabi had changed her. Saito saw her holding her soulmate’s jacket for dear life. Seen her fall apart after being startled. She’d been broken. And with that break, the whole family had unraveled. 

Karen transferred to UA. And while she might fool her other siblings, Saito wasn’t. He’d seen the books and the notes she’d been taking when she’d been at home. Karen was researching quirk theories. The lengthy and heavily debated topic of how they grew and developed and how far one could push their quirk to evolve. He wasn’t sure what she was looking for in that, but he knew her transfer had less to do with any teenage crush and more to do with her new interest. That interest hadn’t been born out of curiosity.

Hoshi herself was now with Hawks. She only occasionally put out comments in the family group chat--usually pictures of her cat, Waffles. But he’d seen pictures sent to him from his aunt and sister. She might have gotten her hair fixed and her wrists might have healed, but she was still very raw. There was a haunted look in her eyes, and a tension that never left her frame. She didn’t want to see him either. He’d offered a late night pizza and catch up for the two of them a week ago, but she’d declined. Hoshi wasn’t who she’d been before, and it killed him inside.

Even Koji, the inscrutable one of the family, had grown more distant. He’d let Hawks take over the care of their battered sister, his own work and investigations consuming him. When Saito complained about the new status of their family, Koji brushed him aside, calling him difficult. 

And maybe he was. But at least he was fighting for his siblings. However futile it was.

“Suzuki.” One of the detectives called. “You think it was Dabi?”

“Most likely.” Saito replied blandly. “It’s his MO to burn away everything. Doubt the tech’s will find anything useful in all that.” He looked back to the scorched ally. Part of him wanted to admire the sheer amount of will it took to be so ruthlessly thorough in dispatching human life. That was what made Dabi such a monster though. He had no morals. 

“Your sister was lucky.” The detective sighed. 

“Was she?” He took a final drag of his cigarette before dropping it to the pavement. 

“She’s alive.” The other man quipped, watching him stamp out the lit end. “If she can survive someone like Dabi, I think she can survive just about anything.”

Saitos stooped over and  tucked the spent butt into his jacket pocket, considering the statement. Hoshi was alive. And maybe she was hiding most of her problems behind cheerful cat pictures and the progress of her redecoration, but she was living. 

“She’s not lucky.” Saito straightened. He eyed his superior officer with a sardonic smile. “She’s just strong.”

Chapter Text

Karen stared hard into the face of Class 1A’s homeroom teacher, daring him to shoo her off. He wouldn't be the first. Vlad had threatened to report her to the principal if she didn’t stop bothering him. So she’d switched targets, hopeful to get the help she desperately needed.

“You want me to help you develop your quirk?” Eraserhead repeated her request.

“Yes!” She nodded. “Please!”

“You’re aware you’re not part of the hero course.” He pointed out.

“I am.” She squared her shoulders, holding his gaze. “But I believe I could enter it if I were to evolve my quirk.”

“Assuming you can, why would you ask me to?” He raised an eyebrow.

“It’s simple.” Karen stated, forcing herself to project confidence. That’s what Hoshi had told her to do when presenting--advice Koji had echoed. Evidence and confidence. Those were the keys to getting what you needed. 

“Society as we know it has been shaken. There aren’t enough heroes to handle the problem of Shigaraki. With All Might gone heroes have been spread thin, and after that last battle we’ve lost many good heroes.” She kept her head up, fighting the urge to fidget. “Students are going to be forced into the field more often to make up for the shortage. According to my calculations, without someone like All Might to lead the charge, it won’t be enough of a boost. Hero work has stopped being a simple job. It’s gotten gritty.”

“And you believe you can push your ability that far?” Aizawa’s tone was flat and unimpressed. Still better than Vlad’s outright dismissal. 

“Yes.” Karen pulled out the file with her research, holding it out to the teacher.

He took it, flipping through it, eyes scanning over her work. She tried not to react. Not to let her nerves win out. If he refused her, she’d take it to another teacher. And another. And another after that if needed. If she had to, she’d take it to the principal. If no one at this school would take her seriously, then she’d take it to their rival school and push there.

“What’s your plan for fighting abilities?” His question caught her off guard.

“I...I was hoping that I’d be allowed to train with the others. If not, I’ll get a self defense teacher again.” 

“Fighting villains is different from mere self defense.” He shut the file. “But your request has some logic to it.”

Karen tried not to let her hope shine through. Judging from the stern look on the Pro’s face, she wasn’t doing a good job. He sighed.

“I’ll take it up with Principal Nezu. I won’t promise you anything beyond that.”

“Thank you!” She bowed deeply.

“Don’t thank me.” His eyes narrowed. “If he agrees to it, you’re going to be put through hell.”

She straightened, her eyes again boring into his. “I know. But I also can’t watch people around me get hurt if I can do something.”

Aizawa heaved a long sigh, then ran a hand through his hair. “As long as this isn’t some long game to get revenge on Dabi.”

Karen blinked. “You...know about my sister?”

“Several of my students were involved in her rescue.” He pointed out. 

“I see.” She nodded. “You don’t have to worry about that...if Pros like Endeavor and Hawks have trouble with him, I don’t want to go near him unless I absolutely have to.”

Aizawa studied her for a long moment, then nodded. “I’ll let you know.” He turned and headed back towards the office, sighing. Karen didn’t care if he was exasperated or not. He’d taken her request seriously, and that was a first step.

She set her fingertips to the ground, listening for anything. Nothing. No noise. No flash of information. Just the softest whisper of footsteps. She retracted them, her lips set into a firm line. Slow progress. But she’d keep at it. She had to.

Her phone buzzed, a message in the family group chat. She flicked it open. Her niece and Nephew were trussed up in ‘Hero costumes’.  Aki was wearing a bright blue dress with black blanket for a cape and determined scowl. Hichiro was in a Hawks onesie with a pair of plush crimson wings hanging off the back, grinning.

Karen closed her eyes, gripping her phone tight. It didn’t matter how hard she had to work. How much she had to fight. She’d make herself a hero. She wouldn’t stand uselessly in the kitchen, making food until her fingers were raw, parsing through photographs and articles of her sister’s belongings, hoping she’d get to see her alive again. She wouldn’t let that helplessness go on. And she wouldn’t let people like the league hurt others like that. No more broken families. 

Karen marched back towards the dorm, her head held high, mind running over the possibilities. With Aizawa taking her proposal under advisement, she could focus on getting more training in. And she had someone she wanted to get some information from. 

Loki flew down, cawing noisily at her. She put her arm out, glad that she had remembered to wear the leather brace she had in place of the usual falconer’s glove. She’d convinced one of the girls from the support department to develop it for her, and had to admit, it was a handy tool. The bird landed onto the outstretched arm. His intelligent eyes gleamed with delight. 

“Well?”

“Being pursued.” The Crow mimicked the message. “Be careful for followers.”

Karen heaved a heavy sigh. “One little victory for one complication, I guess.” She passed Loki a treat, which he gobbled up greedily. 

“Well,” She mused, watching her feathered companion. “What’s the plan?”

“B!”

Karen nodded. “I was afraid of that.”

“Respond?” Loki asked.

“Yes.”

The crow straightened, eyes trained on her.

“Understood. Starting groundwork. Three days.”

Loki cawed once, then took off. Karen sighed again, watching him go. She wondered briefly if her parents were watching her--judging her. 

“You died.” She said flatly. “And I miss you. But I have to protect the family now.”

She walked back towards the dorm. It was time to work on improving and evolving her quirk.

Chapter Text

Hoshi had debated cancelling the dinner, but settled on a compromise of having Futaba over for dinner. The apartment felt safer. She wasn’t wholly convinced it was, but then again, she was in her home, minding her own business. The Commission weren’t likely to come after her over that. She hoped.

Futaba was more than amicable to the change in venue, eager to see the place. She brought over a bottle of wine with a set of three crystal glasses as a housewarming gift, which Hoshi was glad to add to their dinner. It had been a while since she’d done any major cooking, but she was glad to note she wasn’t completely rusty.

“Man,” Hawks sighed, smelling the food. “Almost makes me wish I could skip patrol and eat with you both.”

Hoshi ducked her head at the praise. “I can box some up for you if you want. I ended up making too much.” She had to fight the grimace. Her mind was still wired to cook for seven people instead of two. “Actually, there’s enough for Tokoyami too, if he’s with you tonight. And any other sidekicks.”

“I’d like that.”

Hawks cupped her cheek in one hand, smiling softly at her. She could get lost in those Citrine eyes if she weren’t careful. Warm, like sunlight on gold, but as calm as doe eyes. She leaned into that touch, her smile returning. When he did things like that...little touches and soft words...It was enough to make her forget the rest of the world for a moment. 

Waffles broke the moment with a yowl and a dart through the kitchen. Hoshi turned to scold the cat, only to have the complaint die on her lips as she met her sister-in-law’s wide smile, and raised eyebrows. She’d forgotten she was there.

“Let me just get that boxed up for you guys,” She turned back to the cabinets, hoping her face wasn’t as warm as it felt. At least, no warmer than standing by the stove would make it. 

Hawks found the chopsticks while Hoshi made up the simple bentos. Once the to-go food was done, Hawks wished them both a nice night and headed for the door. He paused briefly, planting a small kiss to her forehead.

“If you need me, my phone’s on.” He assured her. “Otherwise, you two have fun.” 

“Will do.” Hoshi had to fight her red face as she saw him off, and then locked the door behind him.

“And to think Koji and I were worried you two wouldn’t get along.” Futaba teased.

“We’re managing okay,” Hoshi answered, dodging the implications.

“The place looks like it’s coming along,” Her sister-in-law praised. “I’m surprised Hawks wasn’t a fancier upscale kind of hero.”

“Surprisingly he’s a workaholic idealist.” Hoshi chuckled. “You’d never know it looking at him.”

“Hopefully he doesn’t keep at it too hard.” Futuba sighed. “As good care as he’s taking of you, I’d like to see you both happy together.”

The younger woman’s cheeks colored. “I’m still not ready to think about anything like that.”

“Hoshi, you live with the man,” She chuckled. “No need to bashful about it.”

“We’re just not...there.”

“Shame.” Futaba sighed. “I think you both make a cute couple.”

“Maybe eventually.”

“When there’s no one watching.” Futaba teased. “Honestly, the way you look at each other is adorable.”

“We don’t…” Hoshi shook her head, trailing off helplessly. “I don’t think...He doesn’t...And I’m not...You know… ”

“Oh wow,” The older woman laughed. “You’ve got it bad!”

“You weren’t much better.” Hoshi complained. “You were so nervous when Koji brought you to family dinner, you told mom that none of us looked like her.”

“Don’t remind me!” Futaba groaned. “I thought I was going to die then and there.”

They laughed, and sat down to eat and catch up. The kids were adjusting to their new home and school, though there were some growing pains. Aki was having problems with some of the more popular girls, and was having none of their shenanigans. 

“I wish I had half her confidence,” Hoshi shook her head.

“Me too. If she dialed that bullheadedness down to half, most of her problems wouldn’t exist.” Futaba sighed. “Maybe they’ll sand down each other’s rough edges without cutting each other up too badly.”

Hoshi toasted to that. They finished the meal and cleaned up a bit before Hoshi gave her the tour. Waffles padded after them, earning some coos of admiration from Futaba, and skritches. 

“So, what’s the date for the constellations?” Futaba asked as they entered Hawks’ room to show the ceiling plans. “I know the one in your room at the old place was your birthday.”

Hoshi smiled. “Hawks won’t give me much to work with on his sense of style...but I wanted the home to feel like ours and not just mine. I was going to do his birthday, but I couldn’t figure out when it was. So I went with the day he debuted as a hero.”

“Does he know?” 

“I don’t think so.” She shook her head. “I kinda want to surprise him with it. Maybe make something special for when I complete it.”

“I’m sure He’ll love it.” Futaba smiled. “What about the--”

She was cut off by the crashing in the closet. Waffles went running out, apparently startled by whatever he’d knocked over.

“I hope he didn’t break anything.” Hoshi groaned, going to inspect it. The little metal lockbox had hit the floor hard, cracking open and spilling it’s contents across the closet floor. 

“What is all this?” Futaba asked, as they knelt to clean up the scattered things.

An Endeavor plush, a few old photographs, seaglass, shimmery keychains, Iridescent scraps of fabric, metal buttons, several red gemstones and shiny keys. Hoshi picked up the photographs. One was of Hawks and Endeavor, a printed out selfie, in which the other hero looked annoyed while his younger counterpart peace signed the camera enthusiastically. Another was of a woman with blonde hair and haunted eyes, her expression off and strangely broken. 

“Is that….” Futaba blinked. “A relative?”

Hoshi turned over the photograph, but no date or other information was written.

“Dunno.” She admitted. She was about to shove them all aside, feeling awkward going through personal things when she caught sight of a familiar face in the photograph beneath. She pulled it out, staring in bewilderment. This photo had a small lineup of eight children, ranging in ages, the oldest being no more than twelve. There was a little blonde boy with ruby wings, grinning from ear to ear and the recognizable redhead with streaks of white, already taller than the other boy. And sandwiched in between the two, linked arm in arm, was a brunette with a round face and bright green eyes. 

“Hoshi…”Futaba stared at the picture. “That’s you.”

“I don’t…” Muto’s face flashed across her mind like a crack of lightning. 

She quickly shoved the remaining photographs into the box, looking to her sister-in-law seriously.

“Futaba. I’m about to ask you something very important.” She gripped her hands, willing them not to shake, meeting the other woman’s eyes. “Do not tell anyone about this. Not even Koji.”

“Hoshi…” She started.

“Please,” Hoshi pleaded. “If at all possible, forget what you just saw. It’s not safe.”

The older woman opened her mouth to protest. Then she shut it, shaking her head. Her fingers tightened around Hoshi’s in a tight grip. 

“Just promise me you’ll be careful?” 

“I will,” Hoshi promised.

Futaba nodded. “Are...you going to tell him?”

“Only that I saw them--not you.” 

“You don’t trust him?” She looked horrified. “After everything? The rescue? Living with him?”
Hoshi grimaced, shutting her eyes. “I do trust him. It’s the people he works for I’m not so sure about.”

“Do you need to go missing?” Her sister-in-law asked, her voice calming. “Koji and I have a cash fund. It’d be enough to get you out of the country and let you start over if you’re careful.”

She opened her eyes and smiled at Futaba. Clever woman. No wonder Koji had fallen head over heels for her. 

“Thanks. But no. I’ll be alright. If I do have to do something drastic, I’ll send word to you all ahead of time.”

“Please,” Futaba pulled her into a tight hug. “If you need our help, ask us. We’ll come running.”

Hoshi hugged her back just as tightly, trying to ignore the churning in her stomach and the desire to throw up. She thought back to the man she’d been living with. The nights he came in to sit with her after nightmares, the way he’d held her last night, the way he’d looked at her before leaving for work. She realized she’d come to care about him. Or a mask he wore just for her. 

“I promise,” Hoshi lied. “We’ll be okay.”

Chapter Text

Hawks was glad he got to put off the meeting with Dabi for a bit longer, texting him a new spot. A little trade off for the annoyance that was Dabi. In the meantime, he got in a quick visit to UA to pass on the bentos to Tokoyami, and to drop in on the youngest Suzuki sibling.

He found Karen in one of the courtyards, studying over several gemstones. Fluorite palmstones, Obsidian pyramids, Selenite towers, clusters of Amethysts, and chunks of quartz. Living with Hoshi had made his understanding of shiny rocks more vast than he realized.

“Special delivery,” He grinned, holding out one of the bentos. “From the kitchen of Hoshi Suzuki.”

The student had started, but brightened once the words translated. She set her things aside and took the box and utensils with a fond smile.

“Thank you. But when did you become a food delivery service?” 

He laughed. “Killing a bit of time before a meeting. Hoshi made up a bit too much food for her and Mrs. Suzuki, so she made up some of these for me to take to Tokoyami and the guys at work. Figured you’d like some of your sister’s cooking, since I’m here.”

“More than you’ll ever know,” Karen admitted, smiling at the plain little box. “She taught me to cook, but her dishes have this sort of flavor I can’t quite figure out.”

“Everyone cooks their own way,” Hawks agreed. “It’s subtle, but almost as unique as a fingerprint.”

“You should tell her that.” The highschooler sighed. “Every year on our parent’s anniversary, she tries to recreate Mom’s strawberry cake. Every year she feels like she failed.”

“I see…” Hawks nodded. “Maybe I will tell her that…” He turned his focus to the crystals and the books on the bench. Quirk theories. And judging from the sticky tabs on the pages, Karen must have read through them already.

“What are you working on?” He gestured to them.

“Ah…” She grimaced. “It’s a side project. There’s not a better way to get extra credit at UA than to make a case study of developing quirks. Though I’m not getting far trying to make mine do anything more than it already does.”

“No?” He tilted his head. “What are you trying to make your quirk do?”

“There’s a few thoughts on what a quirk like mine could develop into.” She held up the books. “According to Horikoshi, if I work at it enough I’ll be able to extract more information from them--longer than just twenty four hours. Furuhashi would lead me to think I could use them to talk through, like a weird cellphone. And Court says it’s likely to only develop in an emergency when my stressed out body needs to survive--like a shot of Quirk adrenaline, that then just sticks around as a side effect of a near death experience, so it should evolve to save my butt from a bad situation--be it defense or offense to counter my problem. In that case, the likeliest would be for it to develop closer to what Hoshi does, since I just manipulate stuff to do with Crystals, not physically turn into one.” She set the books aside and heaved a long sigh. “I’m supposed to work on it and present my findings to Mr. Aizawa.”

Hawks considered that. “There’s another possibility. Sensing through crystals.” He picked up one of the pieces of quartz. “Try picking up information from them without touching them. See if that sparks something.”

“Huh.” Karen mused. “That’s a good idea. Thanks.”

“Sure thing.” He set it back down. “Whelp, I better get going. Don’t want to make my appointment mad by keeping them waiting.”

“Tell Hoshi thanks for the food,” Karen smiled. “And thanks for the help.”

“I will. Good luck. Eraserhead’s a hard man to impress.” Hawks waved, and took off. He hoped her quirk didn’t develop. Powerlessness was a safety net for her, keeping her far out of the Commission’s hands. And if her quirk did develop that way, he could think of a thousand ways to use it for their needs, all of which were a fast track to getting killed if she were ever caught by the likes of Shigiraki.

‘ Which is why you need to take out the league, Keigo. ’ He chastised himself. ‘ Make sure Hoshi’s safe, then get Dabi to work with you to take him out .’

That plan evaporated from his mind upon landing. Dabi had found a decrepit warehouse--an apparent staple of his. Hawks ignored his plans, and instead passed over one of the last bento boxes. 

“Hoshi made extra.”

Dabi’s lips twitched, and his eyes lit up. He opened it up eagerly. The glare he gave the winged hero was everything Hawks had hoped it would be.

“You know I hate fish.”

“I do.” He grinned. “But Hoshi doesn’t.”

“Not like she’d know if I tossed it or not.” He grumbled as he shut the box and shoved it back. “You can be a real ass when you get it in your head to be.”

“Think of it as a little repayment for my feathers.” Hawks opened his own bento and started in on the grilled fish. “Anyway, I got word from an informant of mine. Nero’s been hard underground, but he’s got a meeting setup with someone in two days, just outside the city proper. We can grab him then and put a stop to whatever he’s planning.”

“Alright,” Dabi nodded. “And if your plan goes sideways, we can default to my way.”

Hawks sighed. “If we have to. Thankfully Nero’s higher up on the wanted list, so capturing him-”

The piece of fish dropped from his chopsticks. Dabi tensed next to him, clearly feeling that same overwhelming fear and well of panic. But it was laced with something worse. Betrayal. 

“The hell did you do?” Dabi demanded.

“Nothing that I know of.” Hawks grimaced. “She was at home with her Sister-in-law.” He set the food aside, pulling his phone out. No messages yet.

“Should we go?” 

“We?” Hawks snorted. “You’d make her lose her dinner.”

“If she hasn’t lost it already.” Dabit glared pointedly at him. “Seriously, I know that feeling. You screwed this up.”

Hawks wanted to deny it. He just couldn’t. The phone didn’t ring.

“I’m going.” Dabi rose. “I don’t have to make contact to ensure she’s physically okay.”

“If it's because of me, then it’s my problem.” Hawks argued, packing up the food.

“And if she’s been scared off of heroes?” Dabi pointed out. “If the commission’s at it, I’m your best bet for her safety, and you know it.”

Hawks closed his eyes, feeling the frustration. He was right. And it’d be selfish of him to hold Hoshi where she would be hurt.

“Fine.” He growled. “But don’t come popping out until we find out what’s happened.”

“I can handle being in the background.” He grinned. “Unlike some people.”

Hawks ignored the jab and picked up the villain. “Try not to look like a wanted criminal.”

“Shoot.” Dabi snapped his fingers. “I left my Endeavor Onsie at home. Think I can borrow yours?” 

Chapter Text

Saito studied his murder board thoughtfully. He’d been tracking Dabi’s kills, along with Hawks’ movements. There was something about the hero that Saito didn’t trust. He was too smooth talking. Got along too easily with others. Charismatic and easy going. But Saito knew the man could be rattled. He was subtler than most, but the draw he felt towards Hoshi was clear enough if you paid attention. The shifting closer, the amount of times he looked her way, the feathers, the way his interest seemed to sharpen when her name was brought up.
 Still, the more worrying of the two was Dabi. But the recent deaths didn’t hold an understandable pattern to Saito. Low level criminals and drug dealers mainly. A few had openly opposed the league, but that was the extent of it. They didn’t have the power or resources needed to do anything to anyone in law enforcement, much less trained heroes or ruthlessly powerful people like the league. Most weren’t in large groups or affiliated with gangs larger than a dozen. Geographically there wasn’t much to see either. The frequented territories and murder scenes didn’t have much in common beside being good places to light up bodies.
 He sighed, running a hand through his hair. So what did they have in common? What thread made them victims to someone like Dabi?
 He was going around in circles and driving himself crazy. He’d been  going crazy for so long now. Since the night He’d come home to a worried Karen who couldn’t get Hoshi to answer her phone. Since realizing his independent sister was missing. Since being met with the man who fathered her soulmate, the number one and two heroes had come to ask about her. Rumor had it in the police circles that Endeavor was a hardass hero, and not at all a good father. The kind of man who pushed his youngest into training regimens most adults would find rigorous. What could he have done to his eldest that had him die in an accidental fire? And the man had the nerve to show up in their home.
 The insanity didn’t stop until Hoshi was safe. Except it hadn’t stopped. Suddenly no one remembered the name of the Pro Hero Hawks who now declared himself Hoshi’s only remaining soulmate. Then he’d taken their traumatized, broken sister to his home away from her family and the support she needed. Everything had fallen apart. Hoshi had been their linchpin.
 And here Saito was, trying to end the nightmare the only way he knew how. Getting to Dabi. If Dabi were caught she’d be safe again. She could come home. No more relying on the pro hero Hawks who’d ignored her when she could’ve used help. Now she’d be free to heal in peace.
 “You’re losing it, Saito.” Koji’s voice was soft, but chiding. “She’s safest with him.” Apparently it was already past the kids bedtime. Otherwise, Koji wouldn’t be here, giving him a hard time.
 Saito whirled on his brother. “Where she’s alone? We should have never let him take her, Koji. She’s by herself half the time.”
 “She has a bodyguard.” 
 “That’s not family!” Saito snarled, his fist slamming into the wall. “What happens when the bastard gets caught up in something stupid?! He’s a fucking hero! His work has him getting injured all the time! And Dabi hates him enough to hurt Hoshi! You think he’d bat an eye at killing him?!”
 Koji sighed. “Dabi’s the least of our worries. Right now, we need to lay low and not bring any attention to ourselves.”
 “Right,” The policeman sneered. “I forgot you stopped caring once big wings came into the picture. nevermind he never showed until her life affected his!”
 The older brother closed the door behind him, his voice lowering. “You want to be a detective? Then think clearly, Saito. Aunt Hana is here. In Japan. She’s stayed in this country. Why do you think that is?”
 Saito stared at his brother, looking over the inhuman obsidian scales, not following his train of thought. “Because...of Hoshi?”
 “Stop guessing and think.” His voice turned to gravel. “When was the last time Aunt Hana lived in Japan long term?”
 “That was back when we were kids I guess…” He scratched his nose. “I was what...12?”
 “Do you remember what she was working on?”
 “Some training program with the commission I think.” Saito focused on the hazy memory. “Hoshi...Hoshi wanted in on it.”
 “Correct.” Koji nodded, his dark eyes glittering in the low light.
 “You know what the program was.” Saito realized.
 “I do.” His older brother crossed his arms. “And I know the true name of the man they call Hawks.”
 He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. “How? They wiped our memories!”
 “I looked for a less reputable source of getting my memories back.” Koji’s lips twisted into a cold smile. “Aunt Hana has secrets...but I have methods of getting around her.”
 “The way you say that…” Saito shook his head. “How many times have we had our memories taken?”
 “More times than I care to count.” His brother admitted. “And more than a few fabricated when things got….Inconvenient.”
 “What do you mean?”
 “Do you know why Hoshi never wanted to become a hero? Why has she always been quick to criticize it, long before All Might's retirement?” Koji looked back at Saito’s murderboard. “It’s because the experiences of her time with that program never faded away. And while she may have been more protected than others within it, Hoshi saw things she shouldn’t have…” His eyes fell onto the print out of Dabi’s picture. It had been the one from the fight with Endeavor, broad stapled grin watching the new number one with hatred and gloating.
 “Wait, go back.” Saito insisted. “Are you saying Hoshi was part of a hero program? At 10?”
 “Right alongside other notable names you might know--One Touya Todoroki,” Saito stared at his brother, mouth falling open to protest. “And the one you would know if Muto wasn’t involved--Keigo Takami.”
 He blinked. He...did know that name. He’s seen it so often...kept an eye out for it in any reports. Grateful to never see anyone arrested who had that name, frustrated that he could never find any other mention of it. He knew his sister felt like a freak at times, was treated like one by ignorant people. But he’d never been able to find anyone by that name...How had he forgotten it?
 “It’s coming back, yeah?” Koji’s eyes met his brother’s.
 “Yeah…”
 “That’s an easy one.” His brother sighed, looking back to the board. “The rest is...layers. They did a lot of work on everyone to keep it all hushed up.”
 “Then how did you find someone to look through your memories?” Saito scowled, pressing his fingers to his temple.
 “When Hoshi almost died that time, I knew Aunt Hana was lying about something.” He shook his head. “So I looked for experts. Found one on soul ties and learned from him. Found another on memory manipulation and got my brain checked. Considering there were things to find, I left myself a note to talk to him whenever I felt a bit off on something. Usually it means old uncle Muto’s been by again.”
 “Then….” Saito looked to his brother. “Just what is going on around here?”
 “A war.” The lawyer snorted. “Heroes versus villains if you believe the news. But really it’s just two forms of power against one another. The league and whoever or whatever is in charge of it, and the Hero Commission.”
 “Okay,” Saito nodded. “I get that. But how the hell do any of us fit into that? Aside from Hawks and Aunt Hana?”
 “Simple.” Koji looked his brother in the eye. “Because Hoshi’s other soulmate is Dabi.”