Post Vitam

Chapter 108

Izuku had finished his retelling of the events the last three days had brought to Hawks when he felt himself being lifted up via some of his feathers. He soon found himself being carried and cuddled like he was a toddler. At first he wanted to protest this indignation but ended up putting his efforts into not sobbing. 

A battle he lost remarkably quickly. There was just something about being held like that which destroyed any pretense of toughness he had. The fact that it was beyond cozy and soft with Hawks wings draped over and around him did not help at all in denying he had been broken. 

As he let pent up emotions out of the cage he's kept them out a new fear popped itself into existence. What if now that Bakugo knows Izumi is all the parts of Hannah he fell in love with? Does this mean he's going to leave him for her now?

Izuku had to remind himself that just because Bakugo is Bisexual doesn't mean he's automatically going to cheat or leave him. He felt horrible for feeding into biphobia but their situation is a bit different, isn't it? 

Clearly something with their relationship needs addressing if his first thought every time someone else comes along is that Bakugo is going to abandon him. Perhaps it was just something Izuku had to work on himself though. Was it just insecurity or was it a justified fear given their shared history?

Luckily this rush of worries didn't cause too much trouble as he was already being calmed down by Hawks when they came over him. His breathing slowed as his tears did and he found himself melting into the hold. He remembered that's how he fell asleep last night too, it was easy to see how now.

Just before he could drift off to sleep yet again the door was opened and by entered a man Izuku swears he's seen before. Though it must have been in a photograph as he's quite certain he'd remember physically meeting someone who, without intending to sound rude, was held together by staples.

The man looked not much older than Hawks and half of his body appeared to be heavily burned and bruised skin held together to healthier skin by staples. Why he was shirtless though was beyond Izuku.

"Yo Kei does the kid want his eggs whole or scrambl-" he started to ask without looking up. As soon as he saw Izuku awake though he cut himself off.

 "oh he's awake. How do you eat your eggs kiddo?" he asked with a wicked smile and a wink.

Izuku looked between the man and Hawks who by the way was still holding him like a child and started to blush. "Oh god I messed up your date night didn't I? I'm so sorry. . ."

He tried to wriggle out of Hawks's hold but he wasn't having it, so Izuku just shoved his face into Hawks chest. The guy was walking over with a smirk only making Izuku want to hide more. He was RIPPED despite the condition of his skin. This told him only one thing, he likes pain and the thought alone made it feel like his blush had extended over his whole body.

Once he was next to Hawks and Izuku he put a hand on Izuku's back with a sly smirk on his face. Hawks whispered in his ear "Dabi asked you a question little feather." The enjoyment of the entire situation evident in his voice.

Izuku mumbled an answer into Hawks's chest causing them both to laugh. "We cant hear you little feather." Hawks teased and poked Izuku's side.

He lifted his head without making eye contact with Dabi. "Scrambled..."

Dabi just laughed and went to leave saying "Coming right up"

As he was leaving Izuku looked around and feeling confident he wasn't coming back he yelled after him. "Put a damn shirt on you nudist!"

Causing it to feel like he was experiencing an earthquake due to the way Hawks was laughing and shaking him as a side effect. He was finally able to break free from him though, he suppressed the urge to just go back and marched in the direction he assumed the bathroom was. Izuku wondered if he's ever come across someone with a precognition quirk as the very first room he tried was indeed a bathroom.

He washed up best he could without any toiletries of his own, luckily there was plenty from a premade case that he assumed was for guests. He left the bathroom and headed for the kitchen as he was drying his somewhat wet hair. There he found a spread of food fit for the cafeteria of a hotel. It was bountiful and it all looked amazing.

He noticed Dabi was putting together a plate still in just his shorts. Izuku tried to ignore him and took a seat at the counter letting the towel hang around his neck. Hawks came up behind him and sat down too. "Eat as much as you want, the rest is for the building and whatever is left is donated to our outreach kitchen downstairs."

Izuku had no idea why Hawks shared that information but it felt good to know he didn't need to worry about wasting food. Dabi put a plate filled with eggs, bacon and pancakes in front of him giving him a smirk as he did so. He turned around and Izuku saw his chance, he balled up his towel and threw it at his head. "I said put on a shirt you nudist!"

He laughed and just put the towel around his own neck. Hawks came to Izuku's defense. "The kid is right though Dabi, you need a shirt. We have to go see his dad and you have to go back home." The way he had said the word home put Izuku on the defense. They were clearly hiding something.

Izuku had a mouthful of food when it dawned on him. "Pplntowaugysrdatn?!" he said sending food nearly everywhere.

"Swallow then speak..." Hawks said earning a wicked grin from Dabi which in turn made him blush slightly.

Izuku swallowed his food and tried again. "Okay first you guys are disgusting. Second People don't know you're dating?"

They both shook their heads. Hawks he could understand partly as he was still somewhat under control of the Hero commission. Bunch of old farts holding onto traditions that is thousands of years old. But this Dabi guy. Why didn't he want people to know?

Dabi had seemingly spawned a shirt out of nowhere and was putting it on making Izuku feel slightly braver. "So what's your story staples, why don't you want people to know about Special Edition KFC here?"

Hawks had to pound his chest to regain his breath, Dabi however had started to howl from laughter. 

"Will all of you stop calling me KFC. It sets unrealistic body goals, I'll never be as tasty" Hearing the last bit sent Izuku into a laughing fit, he would've fallen out of his chair if his quirk didn't activate making him float.

After they all had calmed down he just gave Izuku a vague answer of "It's complicated squirt"

Izuku could see he wasn't going to get much out of them and he didn't want to pry too hard if it was actually private, so he gave up knowing it must have something to do with how he thinks Dabi is familiar to him.