Runaway (KNY x BNHA x Reader Crossover)

21. to you who saw me

"Watch me."

Those words echoed louder than any scream. There was something wrong about the way (Y/n) had accepted Hawks back into her life, something so terribly horrible about the way she seemed so at peace yet not at the same time. She had smiled at him, sure, but in the back of his mind, it was only eerie. Scary.

Ever since the beginning of school, (Y/n) had lost her strength to care about anything besides Kibutsuji. He ruled her in a tight grasp no matter how little she acknowledged it, and a part of Hawks began to understand. Understand why (Y/n) had been so quick to forgive, so quick to move on and pretend as if nothing happened. She had begun to smile, begun to laugh.

But there was little joy filling Hawks's heart and he knew it was the same for (Y/n). It was so wrong, so out of place for someone like her who had been through hell and back. Hawks's feathers ruffled in the night, a sound that broke through the silence that made goosebumps rise on his skin.

(Y/n) was a liar, wasn't she? A big, fat, stupid liar who thought she could run away from her feelings if she pretended it was all okay. It was stupid and it was silly, but Hawks had a feeling she didn't realise it herself. Maybe later in the day tomorrow or after, it would hit her like a rush, and all those feelings she bottled up would resurface past the exhaustion. Past the anger she tried so hard to conceal.

It would be an ugly sight, one that would tear her to shreds. Then there would be nothing left of her but a shell, an empty shell colder than ice.

Hawks could only blame himself, take all the guilt and throw it to his shoulders to repent. If he had been quicker to tell the truth, quicker to explain things, then maybe, maybe (Y/n) wouldn't have become so afraid.

But Hawks, who was supposed to be the fasted, was too late.

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The breeze tickled (Y/n)'s cheeks from where she sat in the courtyard. The grass was soft, a welcome reminder that spring had finally began after a harsh, cold winter. She savoured the fresh air, filling her lungs with the scent of dirt and flowers and grass.

Then a scratchy voice broke the calm and (Y/n) cringed. She had just recovered from her last battle. The stitches in her shoulder took absolutely forever to heal, and even now, its phantom sting made the skin and muscle hurt.

"Go southwest! Southwest with Shinazugawa! A demon has been reported tormenting a town! Southwest! Southwest!"

(Y/n) stood and stretched out her stiff limbs. She followed the crow out of the Butterfly mansion, brow knit tightly together. In the dirt pathway stood a familiar white haired man. She stared blankly, watching as Shinazugawa's forever scowl grew deeper. Wait, she was supposed to be paired up with him?

"You're Rengoku's Tsuguko, why would I need you?" Shinazugawa began down the road, breaking into a jog. (Y/n) followed, doing her best to match his pace. As expected of any Hashira, he was extremely fast and nimble on his feet. "Rengoku-san isn't here."

"Yeah, I can see that, smart ass." Shinazugawa huffed. "If you're gonna get in my way, at least keep up." He quickened his pace, and all (Y/n) could do was follow. She silently thanked Akaza for his training, if not for him, she were sure she would have made herself look like a fool.

The run lasted a little under an hour without stops, and in that time frame, they must have traveled through two different districts. A raindrop fell from the sky, then another and another, until it finally turned into a downpour. The socks (Y/n) wore were water resistant, but they only lasted so long with her zori. She shook out her feet as they came to a stop, biting her tongue at the feeling of mud seeping through the seams.