Author's Note
Surprise! Two updates in one day! I'm hoping to have the whole book written in the next 2 weeks so should be able to get out 2 chapters per week. Enjoy!
Lara xx
Kimi's POV
I had been recovering quickly from the surgery but even though it was relatively minor Keigo had not stopped fawning over me like a newborn. If I so much as went to get a cup of tea, his feathers would fly off in a second, making me my tea and giving me a foot rub for good measure.
"Birdy I really appreciate your concern but it doesn't even hurt anymore. You don't have to baby me so much." I sighed after he once again swooped in to put on some laundry.
"But you are my baby Babybird." He smirked wrapping his arms around my waist and encasing us both in his wide wings.
"I just want to make you happy and I don't want you over exerting yourself." He whispered, nuzzling his nose against my own.
"I know and I really appreciate it, but I'm not made of glass you know?"
"Okay, okay I'll ease up. But think of this as a trial run for the future. When we have kids I'm not having you lift a finger." He grinned wriggling his little finger for me to make a pinky promise.
"Okay deal birdbrain." I laughed intertwining our pinkie and pulling him in for a lazy hug.
"So what are the plans for today?" He asked me. I had taken some time off to recover and like the doting nurse he is Keigo also took some annual leave to look after me.
"Well it's the licensing exam today so I wanted to check in with Shoto. He hasn't replied to any of my texts yet though so he must still be there." I mused as Keigo began to rock us back and forth, his hands resting on my hips, fingers drawing small circles against the skin above my waistband.
"I'm sure he'll be fine. His dad's the number one hero now, how can he not pass."
I felt myself freeze and glare at him. He knew all about my hatred for that man and it still annoyed me that he idolised him so much but we can't always agree.
"Shoto's nothing like him though. I don't really know much about the hero licensing process but I've heard it's pretty deadly?" I questioned.
"It wasn't so bad when I took it but the world was a little different then. They'll probably shake things up with everything that happened to All Might." He said lightly, ignoring my reaction to the mention of Endeavour.
"What did they have you do?" I asked genuinely interested. We rarely spoke a out Keigo's past, given his childhood I didn't want to reopen any old wounds.
"Oh just the usual. Fight some bad guys, save some civilians. Dazzle the moderators with my unparalleled charm." He smirked, his hands moving further down to cup my butt before they reached further to lift me up by the back of my thighs.
"Oww and what charm is that?" I teased as he moved us towards the couch.
"Don't you worry Babybird, I'm more than happy to remind you with a physical demonstration." He smirked, littering my neck with kisses.
Guess I'll try calling Shoto again later.
***Timeskip***
It was just after 3PM when a knock came from our front door. We had spent the majority of the day lounging on the couch, our limbs draped across one another in a huddled mess.
"I'll get it!" Keigo smiled pecking my forehead for the millionth time that day and making his way to the door.
"Hey buddy! How're you? Come on in." Keigo greeted stepping out of the way to allow Shoto in. As his figure came into sight I could already tell something was wrong. His shoulders were hunched and his arms hung loosely at his sides though his fists were clenched uncomfortably. He had been visiting Keigo and I almost every day since his first visit and his lack of response to Keigo's cheerful greeting just confirmed my theory. The licensing exam hadn't went well.
"Hey Sho." I said with a sad smile, getting up and walking to meet him. His dual toned eyes looked up at me in a childlike manner before he encased his arms around me, his head coming to rest on my chest.
"Hey, hey it's alright." I soothed, running my fingers through his hair and intertwining the red and white locks. He would kill me for that later, he always had a thing about not liking the red and white parts of his hair mixing together since he was a kid, similar to how other toddlers didn't like their vegetables to touch on their plate.
"I failed. I couldn't ... I'm just like him aren't I?" He managed to mumble, his words somewhat muffled by my shirt.
"What are you talking about Sho? You are nothing like him. Come on let's sit down and you can tell me all about it." I said with a weak smile, ushering him to the couch whilst Keigo shot me a worried look.
"Things were going fine but then ..." he started off before stopping. He sat in the centre of the couch, Keigo sitting on his right with a reassuring hand resting on his shoulder whilst I rubbed circles on his back in an attempt to soothe the touch starved boy.
"There was this guy. He had a wind quirk but he sort of reminded me of Hawks." He muttered out, gazing down at his hands.
"Really? Was he good looking? Intelligent? Charming?" Keigo enquired cockily trying to ease the tension.
"No. He was actually sort of bald and annoying." Shoto responded with a straight face.
"B-bald? Annoying? You don't think that right baby? Right?" Keigo asked his cocky smirk vanishing in a second as he leaned over towards me.
"No Birdy you're not bald." I replied ruffing his golden locks, my gaze not leaving Shoto.
"You didn't deny the annoying part..." I heard him pout.
"He was powerful but I think it was more so that he just idolised my father. But he also hated him. He looked up to him but when he shut him down it destroyed the image he had built up of him. He - he thinks I am the same as my father and after hearing his side of things ... I can't say I blame him." Shoto concluded. His voice was low, almost inaudible but it held such strong emotion it was obvious admitting this was hard for him. In that moment he had never seemed quite as similar to Touya.
"Listen to me. You aren't there same as Endeavour, hell you aren't even the same person you were when you first joined UA. You are growing up so fast Sho and no matter what anyone says you are so much more than your father. You're a good person and one day you'll make a great hero." I finished as Shoto once again remained silent.
"Thanks Kimi but there is a gap between me and the rest of my classmates now. They all passed ... well apart from Bakugou." Shoto said slightly less awkward now.
"Really? I'm sure he took that well." I grinned causing Shoto to smile where as Hawks snorted loudly.
"You mean the angry kid with the pointy hair? Damn I suddenly pity whoever sit near him in class" Keigo chuckled whilst he pat Shoto on the back.
"Yeah he didn't take it well either. I just don't know what to do now. I want to train. I want to get better but I can't bring myself to go home..." Shoto trailed off, his voice suddenly sounding small.
"Hello? Number two hero sitting right here bud! I can train you if you think you can keep up." Keigo winked whilst Shoto looked up at him in shock.
"I swear I wasn't hinting or anything! But I would really appreciate that sir." Shoto said before bowing respectfully.
"Sir? Huh. I like the sound of that, take note cutie!" He smirked as I hit his arm lightly.
"We haven't really got a training ground but we can work out in the back yard." He grinned, clapping him on the back as they both stood up.
"I'll leave you two heroes to it then. That manga is calling my name but when you're done how about some D&D?" I asked to which Shoto tilted his head in questioning.
"I didn't know you played Dungeons and Dragons Kimi?" He asked.
"Nope kiddo. In this house D&D is Dinner and Disney. It's the ultimate date night too!" Keigo smiled as they both left me to my manga.
Hawks' POV
I have grown so used to the little Todoroki. He would come around regularly to talk to Kimi but of course, like the rest of Kimi's family I had grown accustomed to him and slowly but surely the awkward teen was opening up to me.
"So Todo let's start with some stretches and then we can get into sparing." I suggested.
I passed the exam first time, primarily because the consequences of failing would have been unthinkable. But I can't imagine being in a class full of school kids and being one of the only few that failed, especially when there are so many others who are weaker.
"Yes sir." he replied stiffly.
"I know I had a joke about the whole 'sir' thing but honestly you can just call me Keigo. You're like Kimi's family and they all call me that so you should too. Just don't pass it around okay? I've still got a reputation to uphold."
"Okay ... Keigo." He replied awkwardly.
"You mentioned that things at home are a bit awkward is it because of the big guy? You know if you want me to I'm more than happy to drop by there and ruffle a few of his feathers." I mused to which he actually laughed.
"I'd pay to see that but ... no. I don't think there's anything you could say to him that would change the way he is. But I've started seeing my mom again so it isn't all bad." He replied which surprised me a little. We had gotten more comfortable with one another but he was always so reserved it was strange to see him open up like this.
"That's great kid! Alright I think we're stretched out enough, show me what you've got!"
*** Time skip ***
By the time we had finished training I was exhausted. Shoto lay spread eagled on the concrete ground which still shone wet from his melted ice.
"You are going to be a serious hero when you graduate kid. I gotta watch my back with you!" I said still trying to gain back my breath.
"You better believe it!" He replied with a lazy smile as I helped him up.
"Come on Todo, lets see what Kimi's up to!" I smiled as we walked into the house to be greeted by the smell of chicken.
"Cold Soba and hot wings guys! And I have Frozen ready and waiting. No arguing Sho, Elsa reminds me of you so you have to enjoy it!" She grinned guiding us inside.
"Oh my God it smells amazing in here baby!" I said kissing her cheek and eyeing up the chicken as Shoto made a beeline for the cold soba.
"Thanks Kimi! Though I think you're really going with a theme here. The wings and the soba ... half hot half cold." He grinned before taking a seat in the middle of the couch.
"Yeah yeah, you should be flattered." She said poking his cheek and flopping down beside him as Peanut flew into Shoto's lap lovingly.
"Dinner and Disney with the fam. Yep this is good." I chimed as we thanked Kimi for the food, put on the movie and tucked in.