You sighed, neatly folding and tucking in the last piece of clothing into your overnight bags. You were just minutes away from leaving for your parents, waiting for Keigo to return from work so you could finally head out of town. If you were honest, you had secretly hoped that The Commission would deny his leave request, though it made you feel guilty to do so. It wasn't that you didn't want him to have time off; you honestly just didn't want to face your parents.
Your mom had been texting you nonstop since your phone call, asking about what things Himari wanted for Christmas and expressing excitement about meeting her. You'd left her messages unanswered, partly because you weren't sure how to explain to your parents that you didn't even have custody of Himari currently and partly because, in all honesty, you didn't even know.
It had been over eight months since you'd last even seen Himari. What did she want for Christmas? Was Kuro even going to let her celebrate, or had he ruined that for her too? You sighed sadly at the thought; it wouldn't surprise you if he had told her that Santa wasn't real. Leave it to him to ruin the magic of Christmas for a child.
The sound of the front door opening broke you from your thoughts, a smile gracing your face before you could even stop it. Keigo was home, and that thought was enough to soothe your nerves slightly. The only reason you were remotely okay with this situation was that Keigo would be by your side the entire time. You waited for a few seconds, expecting him to come into the bedroom to say hello, but he didn't. You frowned as the sound of rustling around in the living room reached your ears, causing you to furrow your brows in confusion. What the hell was he doing out there?
You zipped the duffel bag shut, slinging it over your shoulder before making your way into the living room. You paused at the sight that greeted you, your brows furrowing in curiosity as you watched Keigo shoving beautifully wrapped packages under the tree, feathers following him and adjusting little things, making sure the bows were straight until he sat back on his knees with a satisfied sigh.
"What're you doing?" You finally asked, his wings twitching in surprise as his head whipped around to look at you. He blinked at you for a second sheepishly before he stood, giving you a gentle smile and wrapping you in his arms.
"I hope it doesn't sound stupid, but I had Haruki give me a copy of Chiyo's list this year, just to see what kinda things she was into. I, uh, didn't want Himari to miss out on Christmas, just in case Kuro didn't do anything with her. I figured we could do Christmas together once she got home. The lawyer got all our paperwork, he called today and told me he's working on getting the emergency custody order that Kuro has reversed. With any luck, she'll be home on the thirtieth. We can tell her Santa got messed up and dropped everything off at Mom's just in case that fucker didn't get her anything."
"Oh Keigs," You sniffled as you gazed at everything he'd done in wonder. It was truly amazing how kind he was, always thinking of others, but as his words replayed in your mind, you suddenly sucked in a breath. Your eyes widened as you turned your head to look at him in shock. Did he just say...
"The thirtieth?" You breathed, your words just a whisper as you felt tears starting to burn your eyes. That was less than a week from now, it was so close, you were so close. He smiled, kissing your forehead, and you didn't miss the tears that watered his own eyes.
"I'm planning on clearing out the office after Christmas. I already ordered the furniture we agreed on; it should be delivered by the twenty-ninth. I figured we could put it all together that night so it's all ready for her. Merry Christmas love bird." He said softly, leaning down to plant a soft kiss against your head before taking a deep breath. "Are you ready to go? The cab is waiting, and the storm is picking up. If we're leaving, we gotta go now."
You sighed, taking one last look at the tree before nodding. He took the bag from you, slinging it over your shoulder before holding out his arm. You allowed him to lead you from the apartment, both of you shivering as you stepped outside. You could feel his wings flutter, feathers rustling as the wind whipped through them. He wasn't kidding about the storm picking up; thick, heavy snowflakes were coming down now, the wind aggressive, causing you both to dash into the cab.
Thankfully, the cab was warm, and Keigo carefully wrapped a wing around you as you leaned forward to give your parents' address to the driver. He typed it in, and then suddenly you were off. The drive itself took a while, made longer by the increasingly worsening weather outside. You could tell Keigo was still cold, despite the driver running the heat full blast, his teeth chattering slightly as he leaned against you.
Thankfully, it didn't take too much longer, your gut twisting as the driver pulled up to the curb. Your childhood home hadn't really changed in the years since you had left it, and a wave of nostalgia hit you as you gazed at the familiar surroundings. The snow-covered yard, the festive decorations adorning the front porch – it all felt like stepping back in time.
Keigo helped you out of the cab, his wings providing a protective shield against the snow. As you approached the front door, a mix of anxiety and anticipation churned in your stomach. Keigo used a wing to nudge you before refolding it, drawing your attention to him. He smiled warmly at you, "It's gonna be okay. I'll be here the whole time. Are you ready?"
You nodded, taking a deep breath as he reached forward and knocked on the door firmly. It was a lie; you doubted you'd ever be ready to face your parents, but there was no other choice now. It only took a second before the door was pulled open, the pre-lit wreath smacking against the door, and light spilling out onto the porch as your mother stood before you. She was dressed nicely, her outfit screaming opulence, and she had aged since the last time you had seen her. Her hair was starting to grey, wrinkles and lines in places they hadn't been before. It was almost weird to see.
"Well, well, well," she said, a smile gracing her face as she looked at the two of you, her eyes seemingly glued on Keigo. "Look what the cat dragged in, or should I say, Hawk dragged in."
She let out a small, grating laugh, and Keigo blinked for a second before letting out a genuine laugh. You had to stop yourself from glaring at him; there was no way he thought that was actually funny. Clenching your jaw, you managed your own dry laugh at your mother's lame joke before taking a breath.
"Very funny, Mom. It's nice to see you," you said, avoiding her gaze as you kicked at the ground.
"Yes, dear," your mother said, tearing her gaze away from Keigo to look at you before turning back to him with a large smile. "And it's so nice to meet your new boyfriend, though it really is such a shame we had to hear about it from the TV and not our own daughter."
She let out a disgusted-sounding tut before uttering a small "oh," stepping aside to allow you into the house. "So sorry! Please come in! I know birds hate the cold, so come on in, Hawks, and get warmed up."
She smiled broadly at him, and it took everything in you not to gag. You could see Keigo flexing his wings next to you, the left one stretching slightly, and you could feel the feathers brushing against your back gently, comforting you slightly as he nodded.
"That would be great, thank you. I'm sure Y/N is freezing too," he replied, nudging you forward with it, and you quickly nodded in response. You passed by your mother, kicking off the snow from your shoes in the entryway before slipping them off. Keigo was quick to follow, your mother closing the door behind you both with a small hum of confusion.
"Oh, I always thought she liked the cold," she said, tilting her head in thought before straightening herself back up. "Anyway, come on in, sit by the fire!" She ushered you both into the den, the fireplace roaring with a warm, inviting glow. You clenched your jaw as your mother brushed past you, fussing over Keigo and helping him remove his jacket, getting him seated close to the fireplace. She quickly brushed back past you to the entryway, likely to hang it up, and you let out a small tut as she ignored you. You shook your head as you removed your own jacket, your agitation rising as you folded it over your arm before settling yourself down on the sofa next to your boyfriend.
Keigo was shivering, and he shifted, his wings stretching out slightly toward the warmth of the fire, and he groaned in approval as the flames warmed his wings. You giggled watching him, already knowing if he had the chance, he would be stretched out fully in front of it, wings lazily stretched in the warmth.
"Comfy?" you asked him with a giggle as he let out a soft moan, feathers rustling. He just chuckled in response, a hand coming to rest on your thigh gently before giving it a squeeze. You took a moment to glance around the room, finding it odd how so much had changed yet it was like you'd never really left. Though you were quick to notice most of your childhood pictures had been removed from the wall, replaced with various paintings and pictures of your parents. They hadn't been kidding when they said they were done with you, and that realization sent a sudden pain through your heart.
"Sorry, the house is a total mess!" Your mother called out from the other room as she finished hanging up his jacket. "We had to let the maid go; it is just so hard to find trustworthy people these days, you know?" She asked, coming into the room and giving you a pointed glare. You sighed, meeting her gaze with a frown. Were they seriously that upset that you hadn't told them about Keigo yourself? In all honesty, why would you? It's not like you were on talking terms before you started dating.
Something tugging the jacket in your hand drew your attention, and you glanced down to see a feather tugging at the collar of it roughly. You looked at Keigo in confusion, but his eyes were trained on your mother, a smile on his face. You uncrossed your arms, allowing it to take your coat, and watched as it quickly zipped out of the room, past your mother who glanced at you sheepishly.
"Whoops, sorry Y/N," your mother said quickly as the feather returned to the room. It hovered over towards you, wrapping itself around your wrist gently and tickling your skin before reattaching itself to Keigo's wings. "Guess I forgot about your coat in the excitement."
"Sure," you said with a sigh, feeling Keigo's thumb brushing soft circles on your leg. Your mother gave you both a strained smile, an awkward silence settling over the room. It only lasted a second before your mother was moving, heading towards the door leading into the kitchen.
"You must be thirsty after your trip," she said, stopping at the small cabinet in the living room that held your father's liquor. "Can I offer you something to drink? I have some of the hard stuff too, might help warm you up quicker. Y/N's father just loves his whiskey."
"I'll take a double," you deadpan before Keigo can even respond. Your mother gives you a strained smile, the vein in her head starting to become more prominent. You were testing her patience, and that gave you an odd sense of satisfaction.
Keigo's hand squeezes your thigh before he takes a deep breath himself. "I'll take a water, just on the off chance we decide not to stay. Not really a good look for a hero to be drinking and flying."
"What?" Your mother asked, her eyes narrowing slightly as she looked at you both. "I already made up the guest room for you! Nonsense, of course, you'll stay." She turned to face you, giving you a small smile. "Your room is all made up for you too. I haven't touched it since you left, so if you need anything, it's there."
You blinked at her in confusion, trying to figure out what she was saying when it suddenly struck you. "Hawks and I will be sharing a room, but thank you," you said firmly, crossing your arms, and your mother frowned before shaking her head.
"Absolutely not," she crossed her own arms in return, her eyes narrowing at you. "You're not married; you will not be sharing a bed, not under my roof. Especially since you apparently have no idea how to use any type of contraceptives. You would think you would have learned your lesson the first time-" She paused suddenly, Keigo's grip on your leg tight as you struggled to keep your temper in check. How dare she act like she knew what happened to you, like it was you that had poked holes into the condom that night and not Kuro.
"Where is Tamari anyway?" She asked, looking around as if maybe you were hiding her somewhere. Was she seriously just now noticing that Himari wasn't with you two? What an absolute joke.
"Himari is with her father," you replied, biting your tongue as your mother frowned.
"It's his turn for Christmas," Keigo added quickly, moving his hand from your leg to your hand and squeezing tightly. You took a small breath, grateful for his quick thinking. He had just saved you from having to explain to your mother that Kuro had screwed you over, taken your daughter, and you hadn't seen her in months. You could only imagine the shitstorm that would unleash, and the last thing you wanted to hear tonight was about how you had failed as a mother, like you weren't already painfully aware of that fact.
"Oh, such a shame," your mother responded with a frown. "We actually wanted to meet her. But hopefully now that you're in the picture, Hawks, we will actually get to. You're a hero after all, and it wouldn't be very heroic if you kept a poor little girl from seeing her grandparents."
You could hear Keigo grinding his teeth, surprising you slightly. You hadn't expected him to get annoyed by your mother so quickly, though she really seemed to be in rare form tonight. You watched in interest as he took a breath before giving her that smile he used at fan events. The one that always had girls screaming and crying for him. He tilted his head slightly, blonde hair bouncing, and you almost wanted to chuckle at how fake it all seemed to you now. He was slipping into the cockiness of his hero persona, which meant that you were in for an absolute fucking treat. While Keigo might be shy and reserved, Hawks was anything but.
And dear god, were you ready for the fucking show.
"Of course not," he replied, running a hand through his hair with a sigh. "I would never want to fail as a hero, but I suppose the little girl in question would have to actually know that she has grandparents before I considered letting her meet them. I would hate to leave her with strangers; that wouldn't be very heroic at all, don't you agree?"
Your eyes snapped to your mother's face at his words, struggling to stop the smirk that threatened to emerge as you watched her swallow, her lips tightening before she nodded.
"Let me go get those drinks," she said, her voice strained, and you couldn't help but smile as she walked out of the room into the kitchen. Keigo let out a disgusted snort next to you, his eyes rolling as he leaned back into the sofa, and you squeezed his hand tightly. If this was just a preview of what the rest of the evening was going to look like, you were honestly excited for dinner.
Let the games fucking begin.