phoenix ✦ k.takami (hawks)

Fifty Six

You catch a faint wisp of white hair behind him—your mother.

What were you supposed to say?

Don't mind the fact that Keigo and both your cats were here, that was a normal dream.

Why was your father here?

You close your eyes, needing a second to process what was happening.

When you do, you feel the air rush around you, and suddenly you are cold.

A shiver crawls up your spine, and your eyes pop open again at the sensation.

You were no longer in your old apartment. Now you were somewhere dark—you couldn't see any walls around you. There was a faint light emitting from the black ichor surrounding your feet, illuminating both yourself and the other person still remaining: your dad.

"Hello (Y/N)."

Your mouth is dry. "Where am I?"

"You're with me." He replied calmly, blinking.

You look around you, squinting in order to see beyond the darkness. "Am i dead?"

He chuckles. "No. Let's call this...limbo."

You look back to him, unable to take your eyes off of the stars patterning his backside. "Why am I here?"

He ignores your question. "You look just like your mother."

You scoff, and look away.

You want to cry.

This feels unreal.

You know it is.

You haven't been able to talk to him since you were a freshman at U.A.

"She always said I looked like you." You can't fight the tears.

"She was right about that, too." He chuckled again. It's so soft that it almost sounds angelic.

There is a nagging feeling clawing at your chest. At first you don't know what it is, but it doesn't take you long to digest. It's regret; shame for what you've done. You had become a hero with the slight intention of finding his whereabouts—dead or alive, and he happened to fall right into your hands. It obviously hadn't been a coincidence, so how come all of this was happening? Why was everything that you loved once again being taken from you? Your old wounds resurfaced; losing him for the first time and then your mother, what happened to you in that alleyway. Your life after U.A., Keigo Takami, training camp, Dabi, the Nomu, Hawks, and now this?

"I'm sorry!" You blurt it out, holding your hands to clutch at your heart. It hurts so badly. "I...I'm so sorry!" One of your hands attempts to wipe the tears from your face but it's futile. "I'm sorry I couldn't save Mom!"

He hasn't looked away, watching you silently.

He doesn't say anything, he knows you're not done.

"I'm sorry I..." You hiccup, and it frustrates you. It's hard to breathe. "I didn't know that you were actually that Nomu, if I had...I—"

"(Y/N)."

You swallow. Your head hurts, but you can still focus on him.

"What happened to your mother and I is not your fault. It is the consequences of decisions we made...one we made before you were born."

A decision?

What kind of decision did they make? What kind of decision caused your mother to die by being burnt alive? You didn't know the fate your father met, but you knew what happened to his corpse. Could they have made a choice so drastic enough to sign them up for a terrible end?

To put their only child through a lifetime of hell?

"What....do you mean?"

Your father begins to walk towards you, and it only takes him a few steps to be close enough to touch you. You want to reach out and make sure he's real, that you can actually feel him. Yet, you cannot find the ability to move your limbs. Your arms remain locked at your chest, palms flat against the beating organ behind your breastbone.

"We made a choice regarding you, and we believe it was the best one to make. You have truly grown into your wings."

He was wrong. "No, I haven't. I can't do half of the things you can—"

"You put me at rest; I wasn't able to do that. If it wasn't for you, I don't think I would have truly been able to see the woman you have become." He placed a hand on your shoulder, and your body zapped to life.

The darkness around you exploded with light, particularly blue and violet—they were flames.

"Remember these things, (Y/N)."

Your hair whirled around you, and the fire swarmed closer.

"We are proud of you."

He placed his other hand on your other shoulder.

"We love you."

It feels like your lungs are on fire, every breath you take is hot and burning.

"We chose you."

The blue and violet flames that had burst into the landscape were licking at your skin. They traveled up your fathers wings and outlined him—yet he didn't burn.

For a second, he flickered into a different person.

"He loves you."

Ashy blond hair with hypnotizing, amber eyes. Your heart feels like it's on fire.

You loved him, too.

"You are a Phoenix."

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"Ugh, he didn't have any reaction to her copy. Dabi's gonna be sooooo mad." Toga whined, letting her arms fall slack at her sides after she'd melted off the skin of you.

"He saw you, and that's what matters right? NO, WE'RE FUCKED!"

"Yeah, I guess." She grabbed the clothes Twice was handing to her over his shoulder. "Why didn't he approach, though?"

He shrugged, resting his hands on his hips. "I thought it was a spot-on copy. THE WINGS WERE WRONG!"

Toga's golden-yellow eyes flicked to Twice's as she pulled up her skirt. "What do you mean?"

"Don't listen to him, the wings were perfect! THEY DIDN'T SPARKLE!"

She tilted her head after putting on her shoes. "Sparkle?"

Twice had to think, as well. What was he talking about? "THE STARS! ON HER WINGS, IDIOT! Don't call Toga an idiot, idiot!"

"No, you're right." She revealed the syringes she kept hidden in her sleeves. "I didn't get that much blood...but if it was her quirk, then there's no helping it."

"What are we gonna do about Dabi? CAN WE AVOID HIM ENTIRELY?"

The blond shrugs. "He should be happy enough with the fact that she's not roaming about anymore. Who would've thought she was going to walk right in here for us?"

"Didn't he say she was married to Hawks? AWW, I LIKE THAT GUY!"

"That's why he had us get her in the first place, silly! What do you think he's gonna do with her?"

Twice shrugs, mimicking his companions' actions from earlier. "Hostage? SHE'S GOT A PRETTY FACE—" His right hand slaps his cheek, silencing his invasive half.

"I'm sure we'll find out soon, even if Dabi doesn't like sharing his things."

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words; 1,801

pff, Hawks doesn't like sharing either, miss Toga.

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