Winds of Destiny: Falling ~ {Hawks x OC}

Chapter Four: Miscommunication

Misaki held open the plate glass front door as she stepped out into the sunlit courtyard in front of the bank. It was already early November, but the crisp fall air was warmed by the sun streaming down from the clear blue sky. It wasn't often that she went out to lunch, but when she did, it was usually to the small deli just down the street and around the corner. She glanced down at the watch face on the inside of her left wrist, taking note of the time before turning to make her way down the street. She swiftly came up short at the familiar sight of the Wing Hero leaning against the wall of windows in front of the bank.

"Keigo?" She asked, her tone softly tinged with surprise.

He tossed her a sly grin and replied, "Surprise."

She couldn't help but smile back, having become used to his antics over the past month. After their rendezvous at the park, his frequent visits had become less of a burden and more of a welcomed break from the monotony of everyday bank business. He'd finally stopped pestering her about her past and she'd started letting her guard down around him a little bit with every encounter. It wasn't every day, like it had been while he'd been investigating her, but he still stopped by more than a few times a week, usually with some kind of offering of food.

"What are you doing here?" She inquired, already having a good idea, but asking anyway.

"Hungry?" He asked as he lifted his hand from his side and she finally noticed that he was holding a wrapped lunch box.

Walking over with a wry grin, she took the box from him and replied, "Thanks."

They walked over to the concrete ledge surrounding the large topiary in front of the bank and sat. Misaki began to unwrap the lunch box as she offhandedly asked, "How's work?"

"Super boring!" He exclaimed, tossing his head back on his shoulders as he leaned back to brace his hands on the back of the ledge. "I figured it was about time for your lunch break, so I thought I'd kill some time over here until the next crisis broke out."

She smiled to herself, not missing the feathers he was sending out to help people with their hands full open doors, or keep a couple of teenagers on skateboards who weren't paying attention from running into a mother and her baby in a stroller. "Even though you're still working right now."

He tossed her a sheepish sideways grin. "Caught me, huh?"

She shook her head, handing him the chicken sandwich she knew he'd packed for himself. "No, that's just who you are. You can't ignore people in need."

He took it from her, casting her a sidelong glance and asking nonchalantly, "So when are you gonna give up on this boring bank job and come work for me?"

Misaki huffed out a small laugh. It had been a while since he'd asked her that and she was a bit taken aback that the exasperation she felt at the query was more lighthearted than hostile, as it had been in the past. She supposed it was a testament to how comfortable she'd become around him.

Casting him a sidelong glance, she playfully asked, "Still hung up on that, huh?"

Hawks shrugged. "I'm the type to make long term investments that pay high dividends in return. I think you've got potential. A lot of heroes get into this business for personal reasons. Whether its money, fame, or a personal sense of justice." He glanced over at her, making a point of catching her eye before continuing, "Only a real hero would stand up to a crew of bank robbers, and use a quirk she'd painstakingly been hiding from the world, to save a coworker whose face had been melted a month before her wedding day."

Misaki held his gaze, tenderness softening her features a moment before she looked away. "Thank you for not making a big deal out of that, by the way."