I'm thinking about bby Keigo, who had a habit of headbonking when excited (like a bird).
Happy to see his mama? Bonk into her leg.
Excited to eat? Bonks his head on the counter.
Naturally, his parents and the HPSC made him stop, but the urge is still there. The first time he does it in years is because of Dabi. He'd brought Hawks lunch, touched his hand, fixed an out-of-place feather- something small that meant so much to him that he couldn't help it, he dropped his head onto Dabi's shoulder forcefully, chirping a mile a minute.
It startles them both, and Hawks is about to apologize when Dabi smacks his head against Hawks', which-
First of all, made them both say "ow," but also breaks the habit of NOT doing it completely. Now, whenever Hawks is excited, affectionate, or just happy to see Dabi, he bumps his cheek or forehead against Dabi's shoulder, cheek, or forehead.
It almost replaces kisses for them; Hawks runs up to him and bonks their foreheads together, crooning in greeting when Dabi comes home.
The League have a running joke that they're going to concuss one another, but even Shigaraki admits (with immature gagging and eyerolls) that it's kind of cute when Hawks is clinging to Dabi, their foreheads pressed together and the biggest grin on his face as he chirps at him.
I look to you, with tears in my eyes, a smile on my lips, and hope in my heart. I totter towards you, bleeding from wounds that only now begin to heal, and some that stubbornly continue to bleed. Limping forth, only held up by my grip on my sword, like the cane of an elderly man.
"The one before you," I whisper, my throat raw and bloody from the sobs that clawed their way into my mouth, only to die on my tongue, "their presence has aged me years beyond my body, and burdened me, invisibly, so that my shoulders are forever hunched. My face is hidden behind a mask, a meager attempt to shield what the other had done to me."
I stagger closer, my knees weak, until I collapse atop the hill that I, myself, had placed you on. The sun is behind you, bathing you in gold, but I no longer know if the sun is rising or setting, and I look to you to tell me. You do not speak, for you never do, until there is something to be said. The gold you wash in may be but gilded, to hide the dark below... But for now, it is, and has been, the only light I have.
I grasp your hands in my own, and you press them to my face. I stare up at you, my ribs cracking with the weight of my heavy heart, my neck aching from holding my head high for so long.
"Please." I croak, my lungs overflowed with the silent screams I held in whilst in the other's presence. "Please be kind to me. Please let me rest."
And as the other had done, as all the others had done, you place your thumbs over my eyes, blinding me to whether you are healing my wounds, or carving them open wider.
I'm thinking about Touya bringing his boyfriend Keigo over for the holidays (because Keigo doesn't have anyone to celebrate with) and the Todorokis and all of their extended family take it upon themselves to lavish him with familial affection and insist he gets seconds, then thirds, of everything.
By the end of the celebration, Keigo's so full of hearty food and good booze and attention from all the Todorokis that he's dozing off on Touya's shoulder as they sit around chatting.
"Ohh, looks like someone needs nap." Touya's great aunt thrice removed chuckles as Keigo tucks his face into the crook of his boyfriend's neck and croons sleepily.
To the knowing titters and fond chuckles of his family, Touya scoops up his boyfriend and excuses them both for the evening.
"Di' ya 'hink they like me?" Keigo slurs as Touya carries him upstairs.
"Are you kidding? All six of my grandmothers were offering me their wedding rings to propose to you with. They loved you, Kei."
"Mmmmno..."
"No?" Touya chuckles as he shoulders open his door.
"'m s'posed to propose to you. Got th' ring in m' luggage... Was gonna do it t'morrow... S'prise you..."
Touya sucked in a sharp, quiet breath as he crawled into bed with him. "I'm gonna... forget you said that so you can surprise me tomorrow, okay?"
Thinking about Hawks joining a community garden post-war. He rents a plot on a whim; he's never cared for plants before, but the garden was pretty and he liked the idea of it. He did a bit of googling and research, and bought packets of seeds for "starter" plants.
The other gardeners are helpful and encouraging, letting him borrow their tools and giving him tips.
The first time his plants finally sprout, Keigo's delighted. He checks in every day, measuring their growth and watering them. Sometimes he brings a book and just sits in the garden to read.
By the end of the first month his flowers are blooming, and his various fruits and vegetables are beginning to ripen.
At his first harvest, he's brimming with pride. He collects a basket full of ruby red strawberries, crisp green beans and peas, and beautiful tulips and daisies.
The garden is his pride and joy. He loves the process of planting each season, of harvesting, of tilling the soil and picking the dirt out from under his claws.
One week, though, it rains for days on end. By the time the weather clears and Keigo can go back to the garden, all of his plants are drowned, his planter box so full of water it might as well be a swamp.
He's distraught, tears burning his eyes as he begins picking out the soggy plants and molding vegetables. He just nods miserably to the encouraging words of his other gardeners, until he hears footsteps approaching. He barely hears someone greet "the newcomer," before a shadow looms over him.
"You want some help, birdie?" A painfully familiar voice asks, making him look up.
He looked healthy; his scars were healed, his hair fluffy, his frame filled out under comfortable clothes. He looked... beautiful, haloed by the sunshine overhead.
He crouched down next to him, and Keigo couldn't help but smile. "Sure. Nice to see you, Touya."
I see your "Dabi is in a coma post war and wakes up to 100 voice messages from Hawks pouring his heart out" and raise you "Hawks goes off the grid post war instead."
No one hears from him for months, until one day a new radio station comes on the air; it's Hawks, even though he doesn't give his name. He won't say where he is, what he's been up to... He just talks. He talks about the Commission's wrongdoings, about the things he'd learned about the League members (Twice cheats at poker, Toga loves playing darts, Shigaraki is a terrible singer, and so on.)
He talks about what he had for dinner the night before. He says happy birthday to his fellow heroes and all his sidekicks when those days come by. He complains that the weather is giving him shoulder aches. Sometimes he reads excerpts from the book he's currently reading. Every now and then, he gets so absorbed in said book that he forgets he's on air, and it's just the sound of him breathing, of the background music he plays, and the turning of pages.
At the end of every broadcast, he ends it with "That's all for now, baby birds. Talk to y'all next time. ... I... I miss you."
Everyone thinks he's talking to his fans, but Touya, driving through the country side to check yet another small town for his missing bird, knows better. "I miss you, too." He tells the radio as it goes quiet with static, "I'm coming, Keigo."
"I just want to preface this with... I don't even know if you will ever hear this. I'm not sure I want you to. But if I keep these thoughts in my head anymore, they'll drive me mad. Well, madder."
[Laughter. It sounds sad.]
"I guess I'll start with... Natsuo. Hi, Natsuo, if you're hearing this. Or the weirdo who took this out of my room, if you're not. I… to be honest, I don't care how you're doing. But last time I saw you, you looked happy. Your girlfriend is hot, by the way. Solid seven, at least."
"Um. Anyway, I wanted to ask you, do you remember the night you first beat me at soccer? Our scores were five to two, and you rubbed it in my face for days. I guess I should confess that I'm the one who melted the ball after you went to bed. I think you already knew that, though."
[A short pause, and then, a sigh.]
"… I don't care how you're doing, but I love you. I watched your highschool graduation on TV. Um..."
[A throat clears, then the audio clicks off.]
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜
[Audio clicks on]
"Hey, Fuyumi. Fuyu. Yumi. Snowface. Remember when I used to call you that? Snowface. It was a stupid name. ... Although you're really pale, so I guess it fits, now. You're a teacher or something these days, right? Shoulda figured you'd get a job looking after snot-nosed brats, the way you badgered me about homework when we were kids. ... That was mean, huh. Well. I never graduated middle school, so I guess I won, in the end."
[A pause, in which shuffling could be heard.]
"I dream of you, you know, snowface. The other night I dreamed we were kids again. Remember when mom would make us bathe together, and I always hogged the toys? In my dream you buried a hatchet in my face because I snatched the rubber frog from you. Which... I guess was fair."
[A short, bitter laugh.]
"You're a good person, Yumi. I'm proud of you. And I'm sorry that I... that I turned out this way."
[Audio clicks off.]
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜
[Audio clicks on.]
[Silence follows for many, many seconds.]
[A sigh.]
"I love you, mom. I'm sorry I never apologized for the awful things I said. I'm sorry I said them."
[Another long pause.]
"I... Yeah."
[Audio clicks off.]
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜
[Audio clicks on.]
"Shoto..."
[A frustrated sigh.]
[Audio clicks off.]
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜
[Audio clicks on.]
"Hi, baby brother! Shoto! Little Shoto!"
[Laughter. It sounds strained.]
"Shoto-toto-toto. Little puppet. Protege. Replacement."
[A pause.]
"Sometimes I wish you'd just... you'd fucking realize and do all this for me."
[Audio clicks off.]
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜
[Audio clicks on.]
[Silence. It stretches for minutes, only interrupted by soft shuffles like clothing or bedding being moved. Finally, a humming begins, for several seconds, following the lyrics of a song.]
"Oh? Shit, must've thumbed it."
[Audio clicks off.]
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜
[Audio clicks on.]
[Silence. Then, a sniffle.]
"Okay, you fat fuck. I'm drunk, I'm angry, and I'm- I can't even fucking cry anymore. I might bleed out at this point if I keep at it."
[A pause.]
[Audio clicks off.]
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜
[Audio clicks on.]
"The stars are pretty tonight, mom. I think you'd like them."
[Audio clicks off.]
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜
[Audio clicks on.]
"Hello? Hello? My name is Dabi. My name is Touya. Is anyone listening? Does anyone even care? Hello?"
[Audio clicks off.]
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜
[Audio clicks on.]
"Keigo... We're fucked six ways from sunday, aren't we? But... even if we are... even if this all goes up in flames..."
[Laughter.]
"Just know I love you. Right now, at least. And if I don't, later, then just know that right now, these feelings are real. I know, because they hurt. And... if I could, I'd choose you. But I have to see this through. I'm sorry."
[Audio clicks off.]
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜
[Audio clicks on.]
"Ha... I think this is gonna be my last recording on this stupid thing. I don't even know why I've kept it this long. But... Well, if anyone out there is hearing this, if this piece of shit survives... My name was Touya. Maybe it still is. Maybe it will be again. I don't know."
[A pause.]
"I'm scared. But I've... never been more excited in my life."
Dabi looked up at his nickname and glanced over at Hawks, who was sprawled on the couch across from him. "What?"
He watched a smile crawl across Hawks' sun-kissed face. "Look at the TV for a second?" He requested.
Confused, Dabi did so. The TV was off, all he saw was his own reflection in the black screen. "Why?"
"Now look back at me." Hawks directed. Again, Dabi did, and Hawks' smile grew bigger. "Look at the bookshelf."
Sighing, Dabi turned around to look at the bookshelf. "Why? It's a stupid piece of junk."
"Aaand look back at me again." Hawks ignored his question. Annoyed now, Dabi turned back to face him. "Okay, now-"
"No, I'm not looking at any more crap until you explain." Dabi said firmly. Hawks, inexplicably, went pink in the cheeks and pursed his lips, a shy chuckle in his throat. Dabi raised an eyebrow at him, waiting.
"... Your... Your pupils get bigger every time you look at me." Hawks admitted at last.
"... Oh." Dabi blinked, suddenly self-conscious and annoyed at that uncontrollable reflex giving away his feelings. "Your pupils haven't changed." He accused.
"I haven't looked away from you." Hawks pointed out, that sly grin back on his face. He sat up, then rose to his feet and crossed to Dabi, coming to stand in front of him.
He looked up at the ceiling fan over their heads for several seconds, and Dabi just watched, waiting, until Hawks lowered his head again. The hero's pupils were pinpricks for half a second, before they blew wide, swallowing his golden irises like a solar eclipse. "Did you see it this time?" He asked softly.
Dabi swallowed the funny feeling in his chest, reaching up to grab Hawks' hips. He dutifully knelt, until he was straddling Dabi's lap. "Do it again." Dabi breathed. Hawks looked away, glancing around at the couch and the front door, before looking back at him.
Again, his pupils swelled into dark pools as his eyes searched Dabi's. He could see his reflection in them, Dabi realized, and he was almost certain his pupils were just as big. Keeping the eye contact up, his grip tightening on Hawks' hips, he kissed him, and saw his pupils swell until only the thinnest sliver of gold remained.
Because I haven't posted one in a while. Ft. my lovechild, Tenshi.
-----
Hawks has a rare day off, where he could do anything he liked, where he could relax.
Never one to sit idle, though, Hawks decides to do a Livestream Q&A for his fans in his living room. He's dressed casually, in his PJs, even, and has a mug of coffee when the steam starts.
It's slow in the beginning, and he greets the first handful as he sips his coffee, waiting for a decent crowd before explaining that he's just bored, this is basically a casual Ask Me Anything. After a pause, comments start coming in.
"What's your favorite food?" Come on, Hawksgoldenpubes3, you should know that. It's fried chicken!" He laughs.
"Is it true you have bird feet?" You know how much I wish I had bird feet? I'm- stop spamming "feet reveal," it's not happening."
"What's your favorite color?" Oh, easy. It's cyan, same as my hubby's eyes. ... Husband reveal? Yeah, okay. He'll wander out here eventually, it's not even nine though."
"Favorite hobby?" Hm... Does taking my eyas for ice cream count? We go get ice cream and go to the park at least twice a week, it's what I- eyas? Oh, that's my chick's nickname. He'll wander out here soon, too. He's like his Da, he's a late sleeper."
The questions go on and on, and Hawks just kicks back, sips his coffee, and answers them as his stream amasses thousands of viewers.
Finally, around eleven, a figure shambles into the background, and Hawks turns around.
"Hi, firefly!"
"Mngh. Hi, pigeon. You eat yet?" Touya yawns, shuffling up to the couch and slumping over the back to wrap his arms around him.
"Nope, I've got my coffee."
"Coffee is not breakfast, birdbrain. I'm making french toast."
"Okay." Hawks laughs, "Say hi to my viewers, first!"
Touya raises his head and spots the camera. "Oh- uh, hi." He stands up, embarrassed, and quickly walks into the background, towards the kitchen.
Hawks looks back at the chat and laughs. "Yup, that's husband. His name is Touya- yes I know he's pretty, that's why I married him. Well, that, and the fact that I love him. ... Yes, that's very gay. Anyway, more questions!"
"How big is his-" I'm not answering that. Big."
"What does he do?" He's a stay-at-home dad." Hawks smiles, "He does the cooking, the cleaning, he makes sure Tenshi gets to school on time- he helps me keep my life together, which is another reason I married him."
Close to eleven thirty, a much smaller figure, dressed in a penguin onesie, shuffles into the room. "I smell french toast." Tenshi exclaims.
"Da's cooking, eyas." Hawks calls, his wings flaring and flapping happily as he reaches for his kid, "Come here, come say hi to my fans." He urges.
Tenshi wanders over and looks at the chat, his eyes widening. "Hi!" He chirps, golden wings fluffing.
Hawks grins as the chat fills with "hello!"s and "Hi, Tenshi!"s and "he's so cute!!!!"s.
"You wanna answer some questions, baby bird?"
"Sure!" Tenshi beams, so Hawks pulls him into his lap and squints at the screen.
"Okay, someone asked, "what's your favorite subject in school?"" Hawks reads for him.
"I like music class!" Tenshi says proudly.
"Yeah? Why's that?" Hawks prompts.
Tenshi hesitates, before he giggles shyly and wraps his wings around himself, trying to hide. "Because that's the class I have with Kutsuki! He's my best friend." He says, tan cheeks turning pink.
Hawks chuckles and looks at the camera knowingly, before he looks at the chat again. "Let's see... "Tenshi, who's your favorite dad?"" He looks down at his son, an eyebrow raised.
"Da!" Tenshi announces without hesitation, before he reaches up and wraps his arms around Hawks' neck, "But you're my favorite papa!" He adds.
"Nice save." Hawks teases, kissing his crimson hair.
"Hey, birdies, breakfast!" Touya calls from the kitchen.
"Okay, one more question and then I'm going to pause the stream while we go eat." Hawks announces, "One last Q for Ten, lessee... "Tenshi, what do you want to be when you grow-?""
"A hero!" Tenshi yells before Hawks can finish, "I'm gonna be a hero, just like my papa, and I'm gonna be the next number one, too!" He puffs his wings and chest up, beaming.
"Number one? But I thought you wanted to be my sidekick." Hawks frowns, his wings drooping, too.
Tenshi pouts, turning to tuck his face into his papa's neck. "I'll always be your sidekick, Papa, but I'm gonna be number one, too! Then you can have more days off for us to go to the park!" He explains earnestly.
The chat is live to see Hawks' heart melt in real time, tears shimmering in his eyes for a moment as he scoops up his chick and peppers his face with kisses.
"You're! So! Freaking! Cute!" He exclaims between kisses, until Tenshi is shrieking with laughter. Hawks laughs, too, but it sounds more like a teary hiccup.
Finally, he puts Tenshi down and wipes his eyes. "Ah, okay. Go get your breakfast, eyas, I'll be right there." He says, clearing his throat.
"Okie dokie. Bye, people." Tenshi flashes the camera a peace sign and wanders off.
Hawks watches him go, before he looks at the chat. "Okay, well, I'm gonna go eat, too. Might turn this back on later, but-" He pauses as he reads some of the responses. "No, you cannot have him, that's my baby bird." He pouts, "And you can't have my husband, either!" He laughs, "Okay, bye, baby birds!"
The stream cuts out, and Keigo gets up, heading towards the kitchen to join his partner and son for breakfast.
Later, he'll forget to turn the stream back on, and take Tenshi to the park to play with Kutsuki instead. They'll get lunch, before doing some shopping and getting ice cream. Finally, they'll come home in time for Keigo to help Touya make dinner, make sure Tenshi has a bath, and then settle on the couch with Touya for one-on-one time and a movie.
He's never one to sit idle on his days off. Not when they're what he looks forward to the most.
//End. Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed, consider leaving me a tip!
