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𝑳𝑰𝑻𝑻𝑳𝑬 𝑯𝑨𝑾𝑲𝑺
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You were walking downstairs and to the living room when you noticed Hawks in the kitchen. You briefly looked at the time to see that it's already three in the afternoon, but it's only three in the afternoon so you wonder why he's already making dinner.
"What are you doing?" you asked, walking up to him.
"Snacks," he answered, making the sauce for the sandwich.
"For the twins? Do you always do this?"
"Yep," Hawks said while you sat on the stool across from him. "After a long day at school studying and playing, they need to fill their little tummies with food."
You hummed, putting your elbow on the kitchen island while you popped your chin on your palm, just watching Hawks make what seemed like a very appetizing sandwich while wearing an apron.
Aimlessly, you found yourself mumbling. "Then, when you're out doing your Pro Hero duty, I need to make the twins their snacks."
Hawks stopped for a moment to look at you, only to see that you're mumbling to yourself but he can still hear what you're saying as you continue.
"Ah, I need to go over my notes for snack ideas."
When you blinked and averted your gaze up, you found Hawks staring at you with a smile on his face and you straightened up.
"What?" you asked while Hawks kept smiling as he went over to you. You turned around, your back against the edge of the kitchen island as Hawks stopped in front of you.
"Nothing," he said. "I was just thinking how lucky I am that I found you."
He put both his hands on the edge of the kitchen island, beside you, caging you in as he leaned closer and you can see the genuinity in those golden eyes of his.
"How lucky I am that you're my sons' mother. How lucky I am that you came back." Even though you still don't remember, it really matters less to Hawks now. Because what matters to him more is the fact that you're here. "How lucky I am that we're a complete family."
For a moment, you were so lost in the sincerity spiraling in those eyes of his that reminded you of the golden hour during dusk. And before you knew it, you had put your arms on his shoulders, pulling him closer.
"It seems you're one lucky man," you said before you parted your lips and sealed his lips with yours as you tilted your head to the side, feeling Hawks kiss back as you pulled him closer.
You didn't want to lean back, and neither did Hawks. But when you started feeling out of breath, you were the one who leaned back first.
"We should probably stop," you said, your face flushed from the kiss as you averted your gaze to look at the digital clock placed on the side. "The twins will be here in fifteen minutes."
"Right," Hawks said, taking a step back before he continued. "We do need more than fifteen minutes."
You put your hand on his chest, pushing him back a bit before you stepped down from the stool and started to walk around the kitchen island, Hawks following behind.
"Are you done making the snacks?"
"Almost," he answered.
"I'll give you a hand."
"I hope you can give me a different hand later tonight too." You stopped abruptly, looking back at Hawks with a sharp glare because you very well know what he's trying to say and Hawks laughed a little forcefully. "Just kidding,"
"I swear, if you say those kinds of dirty remarks when the twins are around, who knows what I might do with that." You glanced down, your words threatening and Hawks instinctively covered his crotch as he chuckled nervously.
Afterwards, you asked Hawks what help you can give him and he taught you how to make the twins' favorite sandwich with his very own version of what he calls the secret sauce so when he's not around, you can make this chicken sandwich for the twins.
You and Hawks also made extra two sandwiches so you two can eat it with the twins who arrived right on time at half past three.
"Mama, papa, we're home!" Keishi yelled from the living room, throwing his bag on the couch before it fell. While Keita made sure to put his bag on the couch carefully so it wouldn't fall before he took his brother's bag and put it beside his bag as he ran after Keishi to the kitchen.
"Papa's special chicken sandwich!" Keishi said when he saw the sandwich on the kitchen island. "Ta-chan, hurry. Papa made his special chicken sandwich!"
Keita came right after but before the twins could take their seats, you stood up.
"Come, we need to wash your hands first," you said, walking back to the living room.
Keita followed suit while Keishi looked at the appetizing sandwich before he gulped down.
"Papa, don't you dare eat first," he said, looking at Hawks who was about to take a bite. "Wait for me, Ta-chan and mama."
Hawks put the sandwich down before he nodded his head and Keishi ran off to follow you and Keita. You had taken the twins' bags and headed upstairs to their room before you went to their little bathroom and watched them as they washed their hands.
"How's school?" you asked, drying Keita's hands while Keishi finished washing his hands.
"School's fine," Keita said, though he sounded a little bit less enthusiastic before he stepped to the side so you could dry Keishi's hands.
You thought Keishi would start talking about school since he heard what you just asked, but he was unusually quiet and even after you finished drying his hands and as you three walked downstairs, neither of the twins said anything about school.
When you three got back to the kitchen, you helped the two settle on their chairs as you sat down, noticing the Hawks had made orange juice while you three were upstairs.
It was halfway through eating their snacks, aside from their usual comments about the sandwich, the twins really didn't say anything about school, so you asked again.
"So, did you two accomplish mama's hero mission?" you asked, taking a sip of the orange juice while the twins visibly stopped for a moment.
You put your glass down and looked at them. They seem to be thinking who should speak first. It was Keishi who spoke first as you looked at him.
"We...failed..." he muttered, looking down. "We couldn't make friends."
Couldn't, not didn't, you thought to yourself.
"Mama, there was this one boy," Keita started and you looked at him. "He wants to be my friend but he doesn't want to be Shi-chan's friend."
"Why is that?" you asked and Keita glanced at his twin brother who was looking at his half-eaten sandwich.
"Because..." Keita started but trailed off, looking down as well. "Because Shi-chan...doesn't look like papa."
"What?" Hawks asked, and you didn't need to look at him to know that he's trying so hard to mask the anger slowly rising from the thought of what Keita just said. "That boy said that?"
Keita nodded, still looking down. "He said Shi-chan doesn't look like papa and that no one will ever guess he's papa's kid. But Shi-chan—"
"Ta-chan," Keishi said, cutting off his twin brother as he finally lifted his head, looking at Keita. "That's enough. It's alright."
Keita slid down his chair before he started to walk off. He didn't even finish his food. You were about to stand up when Hawks held your wrist.
"I got this," he muttered, standing up as he followed Keishi upstairs while you were left there with Keita.
"What did you tell the boy who said that?" you asked and Keita looked back at you.
"I told him if he doesn't want Shi-chan to be his friend, I don't want him as a friend too."
"You did good," you said, leaning closer. "So, what's the boy's name?"
"Oh, I haven't asked," Keita answered. "I don't need to remember the names of kids like him. So I didn't bother asking."
Hearing what Keita just said, it's like he just said that the boy is far too insignificant to be remembered. Which in a way, is much like what you'll do. Now you realize why Keita takes after you.
But still, you couldn't help but wonder how Hawks will handle it, when Keishi seems like what Keita said bothered him even though he didn't really say it.
"Keishi," Hawks called, knocking on the door before he opened it and saw Keishi in front of a mirror.
"Papa, do I look like you?" he asked, which made Hawks stop for a moment before he sat down. "Ta-chan's lucky, he got your hair color and wing color. He's right, no one will guess I'm Hawks' kid."
"Keishi," Hawks called again but Keishi didn't turn around.
"I wanna dye my hair and wings," he said. "Like yours and Ta-chan's. So everyone will know I'm your kid too. I don't want this hair color and wing color, I don't like them at all. Why does my hair and wing color have to be different from Ta-chan's and yours?"
"Keishi!" Hawks said, this time his voice was considerably louder which made Keishi flinch before Hawks put his hands on his small shoulders, moving closer to his son as he kneeled down in front of him.
"Do you know who you got your hair and wing color from?"
Keishi shook his head as tears started to cloud his vision and Hawks clenched his teeth. He knew sooner or later, something like this would happen. When one of the twins inherited both Hawks' hair and wing color while the other didn't, some people might favor the twin who looks more like Hawks than the other who doesn't.
"You got them from the person I love the most in this world," Hawks said.
"The person...papa loves the most?"
"You got your hair and wing color from mama," Hawks continued. "And because she's the person papa loves the most, and you look like him, papa loves you a lot too. I love you and Keita equally."
And Hawks is glad he had this kind of talk when you're right here with them. Otherwise, he doesn't know how to explain it if he said this while you were still somewhere out there.
"You look a lot like mama," Hawks said. "So don't ever think about changing your hair and wing color. Even if the other kids don't like it, don't listen to them. They don't matter."
Keishi wiped the unshed tears before he nodded. "I'm glad mama's here!"
"So does papa,"
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