Hawks POV (21 Chapters in and it's finally here!)
Damn. I knew things were going too smoothly. I had just walked out of Kimi's apartment, the harsh night air beating against my face and ruffling my feathers. My heart clenched at the thought of leaving her alone with a dangerous stranger possibly lurking outside. I know the police are around but the bitter taste of leaving her still lingered.
I spotted the police car and decided to stop and talk with them before I head home. Not using a plain car was a bit of a give away and it put me slightly on edge. If they have officers on this case they better have the best. I glanced in through the car windows the interior cast in a yellow glow from the roof light. They looked young but I'm not going to assume that makes them incompetent, I mean I'm the number three hero and barely 22.
"Hey guys, how's it going?" I smile leaning up against the drivers door. The driver looks up first in surprise and then in awe. Hell yeah. He's a fanboy, this'll be easy.
"H-Hawks! What are you doing here?!" He almost shouts stumbling over his words. As glad as I am that he'll probably tell me everything I need to know, it annoys me to think this is the guy supposed to watch over my Babybird.
"I heard a fire quirk user was causing some trouble yesterday in this area." I hint as the officer rolls down the window. He let's out a nervous sigh giving me an awkward look.
"Fire quirk is putting it lightly. The guy was practically cremated! We can't even identify him. Even his teeth were reduced to ash!" The officer exclaimed before receiving a harsh glare from his older partner.
"Pretty sure that's classified information." He hissed out before eyeing me up with with suspicion. Maybe this won't be as easy as I thought.
"Look guys, I'll level with you. The girl who lives in that apartment, the one who witnessed it all, she's my girl. I just want to make sure she's safe and if there's any way my agency can help." I felt my heart rate speed up upon saying those words. I mean, they were true to some degree, even if we aren't official, right?
I could see the officers eyeing me up, debating whether to give me more information or not. Being a hero had it's perks but I wasn't officially on this case which could complicate matters.
"Okay. But your agency needs to put in a request as soon as possible to support on this!" The more reserved of the two said in an uncertain tone.
"Of course! So tell me, are there any leads and is she safe?" I asked with unrivaled determination. I watches the officers exchange an unsettling look before the first speaks up.
"The - there have been a few incidents over the past few years that we think may be connected. Robberies, break-ins, you name it. The only thing they have in common ... they all ended in witnesses being burnt to ash."
Those final words hung in the air like smoke and I felt myself shiver. I will not let that happen to Kimi. I finally have something good in my life. Someone to care for. Someone to love. I refuse to let some piromaniac bastard take her away from me!
"I'll have a few of my side kicks drop off the paper work tomorrow morning. We'll find who did this. If you notice anything. And I mean anything. You give me a call." I say pulling out a scrap of paper from the inside of my jacket and scribbling down my personal phone number before handing it to the officer on my right.
*** Time skip ***
I found myself sitting on the roof of a bakery overlooking Kimi's apartment. The cold air hitting my breath and making it dance out from my mouth in whisps. It was around 2am and the bright city lights had died down to nothing more than a faint glow from the street lamps. I didn't think I would stay out to keep an eye on her apartment but the words of the police officer ran through my mind like poison.
Witnesses being burnt to ash.
I rubbed my hands together to try and break the chill that permeated my gloves, my eyes remaining fixed on the apartment complex and surrounding area. I had sent a few feathers down to rest amongst the tree line, my senses now covering the parameter to ensure no one came near without my knowledge.
A few months ago I would never have thought this was possible. I have been so detached for years.
I was trained to be that way. Loving makes you weak and being weak gets you killed. But regardless of everything that has happened I can't bring myself to regret meeting Kimi. She makes me happier than I ever have been. I felt drawn to her like a magnet and yet when she asked about my past I felt my heart sink.
She knows me for who I am now, not how I got here. Would she still care about me if she knew all the things I've done? Will she think I'm just another monster? I never had to talk about my past before. I never had to. It was a secret I could lock away and pretend it never happened. But I don't want to do that with Kimi. She deserves so much more than that. She deserves so much more than me, but I'm too much of a selfish bastard to walk away from her. I don't think I'll ever be able to walk away from her.
I have to tell her. I have to tell her everything and if she doesn't want to see me anymore I have to accept that. But I know that will break my heart. My father may not have taught me much, but he did tell me one thing. Hawks mate for life. And I knew from the moment I met her that Kimi was my one. I'm not going to let what we have slip away but I'm not going to lie to her either. I just hope she can accept the things I've done.
Kimi's POV
The past few days have been quiet and yet I have been more restless than ever. The phrase 'the calm before the storm' echoed in my mind like an foreboding drumbeat. Everytime I closed my eyes I saw the stranger's eyes. The eyes that looked so much like Touya's. He had crept into my dreams every night and plagued my every day with thoughts of him. I tried to focus my mind on Keigo. He was opening up to me. We planned a date for next Monday, a day we both conveniently had taken off work, and he was going to tell me more about his past. However, the familiar blue eyed stranger stood in the background of my every thought like a dark shadow.
"H-hi Kimi" I heard from behind me, breaking me out of my thoughts. I glanced at the meekly smiling figure of Tamaki Amajiki.
"Hey Tamaki how are you?" I smiled trying to shake the image of the familiar stranger from my mind.
"It - it's my birthday this weekend and I - Mirio, Nejire and I were wondering if you would like to join us at the sushi bar across from school? I understand if you don't want too, it's fine if you're busy! I-"
"I'd love too! It's you're 19th right?" I beam at him slowly starting to panic that I haven't gotten him anything yet.
"Y-eah I can ... I can text you the details later?" He smiled meekly looking down at his feet. Aww he is growing up so fast! I feel like a proud mom watching him come out of his shell.
"Sounds good Tamaki!" I smile ruffling his hair and watching him look down, a flustered blushing mess. He is going to grow into an amazing hero and under the guidance of Fatgum his confidence has already grown so much in the past year. I just hope that when Shoto reaches this stage he has a mentor like Fatgum to help and encourage him, unlike his father.
"School's going to end soon so I'll let you go and I can start planning what I'm going to get the birthday boy!" I smiled watching his eyes widen in panic.
"No! You- you really don't have to get me anything! I'm... I'm just happy that you'll be there..." he muttered looking as though he were ready to pass out. Poor kid.
"That's sweet but I'm still going to get you something so don't even try to talk me out of it! Now you should get back to Togata before he accidentally starts flashing the first years again!" I laugh remembering the first time I met the blonde ball of sunshine. Needless to say it was a memorable meeting though one that I wish consisted of him with more clothes on.
"Okay, I'll see you around Kimi!" He smiled meekly before rushing off, most likely going to find his extroverted friend.