You clicked the bedroom door shut softly, resting your head against it with a soft sigh. Thankfully, Keigo hadn't even stirred when you'd moved him onto his own pillow, replacing your body with the pillow from your side of the bed. He had latched onto it quickly, emitting a soft cooing sound as he cuddled against it. If you hadn't been so concerned about him, you might have been tempted to take a picture.
You turned, walking quietly back into the living room where Haruki was waiting. Her hand covered her mouth, her leg bouncing anxiously as she stared off into space. Her concern over everything was obvious in her posture, and you suddenly felt bad for dragging her into it.
"I'm sorry for calling," you said softly, drawing her attention to you. "I just didn't know what else to do."
"No, this isn't your fault, and you can always call me," she said softly before throwing her head back and letting out a sigh. "Come sit and tell me everything that happened."
You sighed, sitting down on the sofa and drawing in a deep breath. You recounted everything that had happened to her, starting with him at the doorstep. She listened, nodding every so often until you finished the story with you calling her.
"Massaging his hands seemed to help," you said softly, trying to blink back your tears. "But I don't understand what happened. Did he make a mistake at the landslide, and a child died? Why was he stuttering like that? I've never heard him do that before, not that badly, at least."
Haruki nibbled her lip before taking a deep breath herself. "I'm going to tell you a few things that I'm sure would get me in trouble, but at this point, you have the right to know," she said firmly before taking a deep breath and starting her story.
"I've known Hawks since he was eighteen; I don't really know much about his life before that. He gave me a chance when I needed one the most, hiring me just six months after giving birth to Chiyo. I was desperate; we needed the money, and he didn't hesitate to hire me despite the fact I had a baby at home. He said he could just tell I was nice, that I would be a really good fit. I honestly just think he needed some kindness in his life." She smiled softly before continuing, "It was one of his first calls out; a villain had snatched a little girl. She was six, scared and screaming as he dangled her off the roof of the building."
You watched, sickness turning your gut as tears started to slip down Haruki's cheek as she looked down at her hands. "He was so fresh, so new. He never thought that the sight of him approaching would be enough for that sick motherfucker to actually drop her. He was literally seconds too late to save her. He took it hard," She sniffled, her hands clenching tightly. "He came back to the agency; everyone else had already gone for the night, and I was just about to leave myself when I saw him walking the hallways. Something was off about him, you know? He's normally so happy, but his wings were drooped, his eyes so unfocused and empty. I called out to him, and he nearly jumped out of his skin, rushing off to hide in a coat closet."
"I rushed in after him, of course," She continued, chuckling slightly. "Motherly instincts, I guess, but nothing could've prepared me for what I found. He was sobbing, clutching onto a broom handle so tightly I thought he was going to splinter the wood. I asked him what happened, and he was stuttering so badly it was a wonder I understood anything he was saying at all. I finally got him to sit, and we sat in the closet for almost two hours as I massaged his hands and held him until he finally told me about everything." She looked up at you, her eyes blazing with anger. "He's had a stutter since he was a child. The Commission literally beat him out of it-"
"What the hell do you mean they beat him out of it?" You asked angrily, and she just gave you a sad smile in return.
"Exactly what you think I mean. Every time he stuttered, he was punished. I don't have the full background on Hawks' training and time in the Commission, but he was scared for me to even know that. I can't imagine whatever else they did to him during his time there. Just like the bird traits they tried so hard to get rid of, he can't help them. It's just part of his quirk. It just really pisses me off.." she nearly spat, clenching her fists.
"He was a child himself, just eighteen when it happened, and he was given nothing to help him cope. They told him to shake it off. That shit happens, and so he put on a brave face and did as he was told. But he never forgot. He still sends that family money monthly, takes flowers to that girl's grave every year." You couldn't help it, tears slipping down your own cheeks as you tried to comprehend everything you had just learned. He had said that his training was rough, that he didn't want his kids to suffer the same fate, and now you fully understood why. He had been beaten for having a stutter, gone through significant trauma, and given nothing to assist him in dealing with it. It was enough to break your heart and boil your blood all at the same time.
"Something must've brought that memory back in the landslide, though it's not really hard to imagine. So many people and children were killed or missing. It was bound to happen." Before you could even respond, Haruki's phone started ringing. She frowned, pulling the device from her pocket before letting out a dark chuckle. "Speak of the fucking devil."
"Huh?" You asked, and she turned to show you the screen. You shook your head at her, not recognizing the name she was showing you, and she let out a small breath before pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Guess you haven't met him yet. That's Hawks' handler at the Commission. His job is to make sure that Hawks is doing his job. Keep him in line, I suppose. I'm going to put it on speaker, just stay quiet." You nodded, and she quickly answered the phone, putting it on speaker and laying it down on the coffee table between you.
"Hello, Mamoru," she said, her annoyance palpable, and you could hear the man on the other end of the phone let out a disgusted sounding tut.
"Don't take that tone with me. Where the fuck is he? I've been calling for hours and he's not fucking answering."
"His phone is dead or he lost it in the landslide. Y/N called me a little bit ago. He's at home, resting. He's exactly where he belongs right now, Mamoru," she answered, and you clenched your own jaw as he let out a dry laugh in return.
"Where he should be is in this fucking office, doing his goddamn JOB! I am so sick of him just thinking he can do whatever he wants. He never thinks about anyone but himself. He needs to do his debriefing with the President-"
"He needs," you asserted, cutting him off while Haruki drew in a sharp breath, her eyes widening as she observed you. "To be resting, God damn it. How dare you call and demand anything more from him without giving him the chance to come home and rest first? He's been out there all fucking week, wading through mud, utilizing his quirk to save people! Who do you think you are instructing him to do anything other than unwind after a job well done?" you seethed, unable to contain your frustration any longer. It was utterly absurd for them to expect him to plunge straight back into work after everything he'd been through in the last week. You had seen how bad he looked when he returned home, witnessed his distress firsthand.
A tense silence enveloped the room. Haruki's eyes remained wide, fixed on you as you glared down at her phone. "I won't let my boyfriend leave this house until he's fully recovered. The President will just have to wait, or you can discuss matters with the other heroes who were on the site. Besides, he's only hours away from finding out if he's going to be a father, unless you'd prefer I skip my testing today."
"No, absolutely not, Mrs. Hawks," he reassured, and you observed Haruki stifling her giggles, slapping a hand over her mouth. You shot her a smirk, raising your eyebrows, silently mouthing, "Mrs. Hawks?"
This only fueled Haruki's laughter, and she turned away, burying her face in one of the throw pillows to muffle her amusement. You couldn't help the smile that played on your lips, resisting the urge to giggle as you watched her. After composing yourself, you redirected your attention to the phone on the coffee table. You weren't stupid; you knew precisely how to maneuver them into reconsidering this entire situation. They had one goal in mind, and you intended to use that to your advantage completely.
"After everything he's done this past week for the Commission and Japan, he's earned some time to rest with his girlfriend, don't you think? Besides, if this month wasn't successful, you'll want him in top shape for the next attempt. It would be a real fucking shame if he wasn't in the mood to have sex because work was stressing him out, right?"
"It sure would," he ground out, his frustration evident in his tone, and you smiled, crossing your arms and settling back into the sofa.
"Well, I'm glad we seem to agree on something, Mamoru. I believe two weeks off would be good for him, don't you?" Silence suddenly filled the room, and you could hear him conversing away from the phone to someone before returning it to his face with a sigh.
"Yes, the Vice President agrees that two weeks off would be most beneficial for him. We hope he feels better, and the lab will see you in a few hours for your testing," he muttered into the phone before the line abruptly went dead. Haruki finally lost it, rolling around on the sofa, laughing until tears streamed down her face.
"Oh my god, I think I love you," she exclaimed, wiping away tears as she sat up, trying to catch her breath. "I swear, you're the best thing to ever happen to him. I've been attempting to find a way to get Mamoru to roll over like that for years. To witness that was the best thing I could have ever asked for."
"Yeah, well, they need to cut him some fucking slack. They want something from me, so I highly doubt they'll risk pissing me off right now, but seriously," you said, releasing a huff before glancing down the hallway. "What am I even supposed to say to him when he wakes up? When he finally snapped out of it in the tub, he looked absolutely mortified."
She sighed, shaking her head before offering you a weak smile. "Honestly, I don't know. He's not going to want to talk about it, I know that much. But..." She took in a deep breath, clenching her jaw. "I really don't think you should let it go. I think he needs to talk and find a way to move past it. It wasn't his fault. It was a horrible, evil, twisted person who hurt a little girl, and he was a fresh hero who couldn't have changed the outcome. He was a child who was taken away from his mother and abused for years. He really needs to find a way to heal."
"I know, but at least he's got two weeks now to just relax," you sighed before smiling, an idea suddenly coming to mind. "Hey, if Hawks had an entire day to just do whatever he wanted, what do you think he would want to do?"
She blinked at you, her brow furrowing in confusion before letting out a small "oh" and giving you a wide smile. "Ah, I like where this is going. You know what, I don't think he's ever been to an amusement park before. His wings should be back in a couple of days, but I would just tell him to leave his feathers at home. Just cover up the markings with some makeup, and since the weather is finally turning cooler now, you can stick him in a hoodie," she said, tapping her finger to her chin as she thought. "You know, I think there is actually one in his hometown. That would be perfect, and you can take him to his favorite restaurant after; he only ever gets to eat there when the Commission has him on official business. I think it's called Yoritomi. He loves their skewers."
"Do you think you could—"
"Don't even have to ask, babe," she said, grabbing her phone and starting to type. "I got you covered. What day were you thinking?"
You sighed, considering your options. The rest of the weekend was out for sure; he needed time to recover. But next weekend wouldn't be a bad choice. You already planned on calling work later to see if you could take the rest of your vacation time to enjoy the next two weeks together fully, so you would easily be available. That would give him the week to relax, focus on feeling better, and hopefully, give you two some time to talk about everything.
"Let's do it next Saturday?" you suggested, and Haruki nodded, her focus on her phone unyielding until she finally let out a satisfied sigh.
"Alright, your tickets for the amusement park are booked, and you've got reservations at the restaurant under his name. They'll make sure you're put somewhere private that way," Suddenly a small chirp echoed through the apartment, causing you both to stare at each other before letting out small giggles. "Ah, I haven't heard that in a long time. Not since he stopped sleeping at the office," she said with a chuckle, standing up and gathering her bag. "Seriously, if you need anything, don't hesitate to call me, and please, don't let him not talk about it."
"I promise," you replied, and she walked over to hug you tightly. You walked her towards the door, exchanging goodbyes before leaning against it. You weren't sure what to do now, but you knew finding someone for him to talk to professionally was on the list. You clenched your jaw as you imagined how that conversation would go, but you knew it had to happen. Hopefully, the two weeks you managed to get off for him would at least help ease the conversation.
You pushed away from the door with a sigh, tiptoeing towards the bedroom and opening the door just a crack. You were surprised to find his amber eyes blinking up at you. He shifted, pushing the pillow away from him and opened his arms wide. You didn't need a second invitation. Swiftly, you crawled into the bed, his arms closing around you and pulling you tightly against him.
"I missed you," he whispered, his voice groggy before letting out a long content sigh.
"You should be sleeping," you whispered back, and he adjusted so you were face to face, leaning in to kiss you. It was soft, warm, and over far too quickly. He pulled away before sighing.
"The pillow wasn't warm. I like you better," he complained, quickly burying his head into your neck, and you let out a small chuckle.
"I can't stay in bed with you forever; I have to go for my testing today," you whispered, but it was useless. He had already fallen back asleep, and you sighed reaching up to play with his hair.
"I missed you too."