Chapter Text
Originally posted November 16th, 2023
Keigo lives in the south for a reason. Fukuoka rarely sees snow, and even then, it’s usually gone in a week at most.
So, being called in for an avalanche search and rescue? Way outside his norm.
But he’s already in Hokkaido for a hero conference, and nobody else has vibration-sensing feathers attached to their backs, so here he is: shivering his ass off as his only source of warmth spreads out in a grid across the fresh powder, sensing for movement.
Wings barren of feathers, Keigo huddles in the cold, tugging his jacket closer to his lean frame. He hadn’t bothered with winter gear since he was going to be in a hotel conference room all day.
He’s regretting that now.
“Who plucked you?” a sarcastic voice asks behind him. Keigo jumps, not having sensed the person’s approach. When he turns, though, his jaw drops.
“Dabi, what are you 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 here?!” he hisses, looking around to make sure the other heroes haven’t seen him. Dabi grins lazily.
“Saw you on the news, freezing your featherless ass off to save a bunch of snowed-in idiots. Figured I’d pop by.” He raises a hand, letting flames flicker over his fingertips. “Just tell me where to aim, birdbrain.”
It takes Keigo a full ten seconds to process that Dabi is offering to 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 doing something 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘪𝘤. When he does, his eyes narrow.
𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘺-!
“Is this because I rescheduled our meeting tonight?”
“Maybe,” Dabi says carelessly. “Time’s ticking, birdie.”
And much as Keigo hates it, Dabi’s right. In situations like this, every second matters. He doesn’t have time to sit here arguing with Dabi.
“Okay, follow me. And for fuck’s sake, don’t be seen.”
“Roger that, hero,” Dabi drawls, picking up the pace until he’s at Keigo’s side.
That’s when Keigo feels Dabi’s fingers touch his own frozen ones, and the warmth alone has him shuddering with relief.
He wants to reach out and hold Dabi’s hand more firmly. To feel that heat radiating up his arm into his shivering body.
But at that moment, one of his feathers pings, signaling movement beneath the snow. Keigo’s eyes snap in the direction of the feather, and he takes Dabi’s hand for another reason entirely.
“C’mon, Dabs - time to get to work.”
(They end up rescuing fourteen people from the snow, and mysteriously, none of them mentions the melted snow in their interviews afterward.
Even more mysteriously, Hawks accepts no rewards other than a giant carafe of hot chocolate and a night off.
No one questions him - after all, he deserves a break after a full day of heroics.
Some of them 𝘥𝘰 question the hickeys he shows up with the next day, but not to his face 🤭)