UNTOUCHABLE pt 31
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Hawks x Female Reader
Summary: Y/n l/n (hero name, Echo) wants nothing to do with partners. Especially not the cocky, annoyingly charming Hawks. But when evolving combat bots begin targeting heroes, the two are pulled into a deadly investigation that traces back to the Commission’s darkest secrets. Fighting the enemy is hard enough, but fighting the tension between them might be impossible.
Word count: 1,342
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CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
༄.°
The next few days felt wrong.
Not just because of the engineer and Project Rebirth. Not even because of the growing pile of evidence sitting on Ironwood's desk.
It was Hawks. You noticed it almost immediately.
The morning briefing room buzzed with quiet conversation as Ironwood pulled up reports on the projector. Screens glowed blue against tired faces. Nobody looked particularly rested, including Hawks… especially Hawks.
You sat near the end of the conference table, flipping through notes from the engineer's testimony while Ironwood spoke.
"The Commission requested copies of everything recovered from the warehouse." That got everyone's attention.
"They requested access?" one of the analysts asked.
Ironwood's jaw tightened. "They demanded access."
The room fell quiet. You exchanged a glance with Hawks. Something about that made your stomach turn.
Ironwood continued. "I denied the request." A few people visibly relaxed. "Until we know who inside the Commission is connected to Rebirth, nothing leaves this agency."
Several heads nodded. Good. Because at this point trusting anyone outside Ironwood's people felt increasingly stupid.
The briefing shifted toward assignments, potential acility locations, follow-up interviews, evidence processing. Normal work. Until your name came up.
"I want Echo and Solace following up on—"
"No."
The room paused. You blinked. Hawks didn't even seem to realize he'd spoken aloud until everyone looked at him.
Ironwood raised an eyebrow. "No?"
Hawks leaned back in his chair. "I mean... maybe not."
"What does that mean?" you asked.
"It means maybe somebody else should handle field work for a few days."
Your eyes narrowed. "And why exactly would somebody else do my job?"
Hawks shrugged. "Because we don't know what's out there yet."
"We never know what's out there."
"Echo."
"What?"
A few people around the table suddenly became very interested in their paperwork.
Ironwood sighed. "Hawks."
"What?"
"Unless you have a specific reason why Echo can't perform her duties, we're moving on."
For a second Hawks looked like he wanted to argue. Then he stopped himself. "...Fine."
You stared at him. Something wasn't right. Normally Hawks was reckless. Annoyingly reckless. Now he sounded like he wanted to wrap you in bubble wrap and lock you in a basement.
The rest of the meeting continued but your attention stayed on him. Every time you looked up, he seemed distracted. Like he was waiting for something. It was getting old.
—
After the briefing, Ironwood caught you before you left. "Echo."
You paused. His office door was already open. You stepped inside. Ironwood shut it behind you. For a moment neither of you spoke. Then he slid a folder across his desk. Inside were several photos from the abandoned train station. Evidence catalogues. Preliminary reports. You flipped through them.
"The Commission is escalating," he said quietly.
You looked up. "I figured."
"They know we're getting close."
"Do you think they'll interfere?"
Ironwood leaned back in his chair. "I think they're already trying."
You hated how calm he sounded. Like he'd already accepted it. Your eyes dropped back to the folder. "You trust me on this case?"
The question slipped out before you could stop it. Ironwood looked surprised. Then his expression softened slightly.
"Of course I do."
You shrugged. "Just checking."
"Echo."
You looked up. His voice had changed. Not director-to-agent. Something closer. Something familiar.
"You've carried half this investigation."
Heat crept into your face immediately. "I haven't—"
"You have."
You rolled your eyes. "Ironwood—"
"You're one of the best investigators I've ever worked with."
That shut you up. Because Ironwood wasn't the type to hand out compliments. If anything, he usually forgot they existed.
"You found the auction."
You looked away.
"You found the engineer."
You shifted uncomfortably.
"You found the connection between the serial tags."
"Okay, okay."
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "You don't need me to tell you you're good at your job."
You huffed. "Then stop doing it."
His smile grew slightly. "Not a chance."
Something warm settled in your chest. Embarrassed but warm.
"Thanks," you muttered.
"You're welcome."
—
Later that afternoon you finally escaped the agency. The coffee shop near your apartment was quieter than usual. Which was exactly what you wanted. You were halfway through a latte when someone dropped into the seat across from you.
"You look terrible."
You immediately looked up. "Solace?"
She grinned. "There she is."
You hadn't seen her in weeks. Maybe longer. Which was ridiculous considering you worked in the same agency. But between the investigation and patrol schedules you'd both been living separate lives.
"You disappeared," she accused.
"You disappeared." You shot back lightly.
"I texted you."
"You sent me three memes."
"They were funny."
You sighed. "They were."
Solace looked pleased with herself. For a while conversation stayed easy. Mostly work, patrols, agency gossip. Normal things. The kind of things you hadn't talked about in ages.
Then her eyes narrowed.
Uh oh.
"What?"
She pointed directly at you. "What's going on with Hawks?"
You nearly inhaled your coffee. "What?"
"Oh my god."
"What?" You asked for what felt like the hundredth time.
"There's something."
"There isn't."
"There absolutely is."
You rubbed your temples. "Solace."
"He follows you everywhere."
"No he doesn't."
"I heard he literally carried you to a mission the other day."
"That was a mission. And he flied me.”
"He stares at you."
"He does not."
"He absolutely does."
You groaned. Solace leaned forward. "And lately he's acting weird."
You froze. Weird. Interesting choice of words. But they seemed suitable.
"You noticed?"
"Everyone noticed."
Wonderful.
"He's like—hovering." She said. You looked down into your coffee.
"Which is ironic cause he flies,” she laughed. “He keeps watching where you are."
Your stomach tightened.
"He volunteers for your assignments,” she added.
You frowned. "...Yeah."
Solace immediately pointed. "There."
"What?"
"That face."
You scowled. "What face?"
"The one that says you've noticed too."
You hated when she was right. Which was often. Far too often. You realized you missed her and were too busy and stressed to realize.
—
That evening Hawks sat alone on a rooftop. The hologram device rested in his hand. The same one he'd found in the alley.
The message played again:
“Stop digging. You are not their target. She is.”
The blue light flickered then vanished. Hawks stared out across the city. The wind tugged gently at his feathers.
For the first time in years, he genuinely didn't know what the right choice was.
Tell her? And put a target on her back she didn't know existed?
Or keep lying? Keep pretending?
Every day he waited made it worse. And he knew it.
But every time he imagined telling her—he saw her running headfirst into danger. Because that's who Echo was. And that terrified him. More than any of those machines ever had.
—
The next morning Ironwood assigned a follow-up lead. Minor and routine. A warehouse connected to one of the red-mark carriers. Nothing exciting.
You grabbed the file.
"Echo."
You looked up. Hawks stood across the room. Hands shoved in his jacket pockets. "You don't need to go."
You blinked. "What?"
"I can handle it."
You stared. Then laughed once—disbelieving. "Seriously?"
"It isn't important."
"Then why are you volunteering?"
His jaw tightened. "I just don't think—"
"There it is again."
The room seemed to go quieter. Several agents suddenly found reasons to leave. Probably smart.
"What?" Hawks asked.
"You keep doing that."
"Doing what?"
"Acting like I'm made of glass."
His expression froze. And it really surprised you that he didn’t have a joke ready. No comback or anything. Just silence.
Your frustration flared. Because now you knew something was wrong. You just didn't know what.
"You know what?" you said, grabbing the file. "Forget it."
"Echo."
You turned. "What?"
For a second it looked like he might finally say something. Something real that would explain his annoying behavior lately. But instead—
"Be careful."
The anger that flashed through you surprised even yourself. You scoffed. Then walked away.
Leaving Hawks standing in the middle of the room. Watching you go. And looking more guilty than ever.
.☘︎ ݁˖













