## Preface

His eyes
Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/28385832.

Rating:
  Mature
Archive Warning:
  No Archive Warnings Apply
Category:
  M/M
Fandom:
  僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Relationship:
  Dabi | Todoroki Touya/Takami Keigo | Hawks
Characters:
  Dabi (My Hero Academia), Takami Keigo | Hawks, Sako Atsuhiro | Mr. Compress
Additional Tags:
  Fluff, Birthday, Dabi is Bad at Feelings (My Hero Academia), Pigeon Verse, Feels, Soft, Banter, Fanart, Inspired by Fanart, no beta we die like men
Language:
  English
Series:
  Part 7 of Pigeon Verse
Stats:
  Published: 2020-12-28 Words: 1,892 Chapters: 1/1

# His eyes

by EloFromMars, nitrocelxius

Summary

> Dabi drops by for Hawks' birthday.

Notes

> Couldn't pass the occasion of writing something about the boys and their cat :p Plus, it gives a good excuse to collab with my goblin Nitrocelxius for our favorite bird's birthday!
> Don't forget to go and give some love to Nitro as well <3

See the end of the work for more notes

## His eyes

“Leaving again?”

Dabi slows down to look down at Compress. The magician is sitting on the steps of the massive stairs leading to the equally massive mansion sheltering the PLF’s headquarters.

“What if I do?” Dabi retorts, taking a cigarette from his crumpled pack.

With agile fingers, Compress snatches it and slips the stick between his lips. Dabi rolls his eyes, used to this trick, and takes another one. He lights his own with the tip of his finger while Compress uses one of these old-school fancy Zippos.

“You’re not even taking a bag anymore.”

Dabi frowns at that. “I don’t need a bag to go for a walk.”

Compress smiles serenely at him. “You might fool some people, my dear Dabi, but you won’t fool that old man.” He drags on his cigarette and even that simple gesture looks elegant and with too much flourish. Compress stands up and pats Dabi’s shoulder on his way back to the mansion. “Wish a happy birthday to your bird for me.”

“I don’t —”

Compress waves him without looking back and Dabi huffs. Whatever. They can believe whatever they want, it’s not Dabi’s problem. He’s just going out for a walk and if it’s becoming too late to go back to the PLF’s mansion, he’ll crash at Hawks'.

Yeah, maybe he had stayed at the hero’s place more often lately but it’s mainly to make sure that the dumb chicken is taking care of Pigeon properly. Nothing more, nothing less.

Dabi shoots a text to the Doc and demands a portal to Shinjuku. The black goo surrounds him immediately and spits him on the outskirts of Tokyo downtown, far away from where Dabi wanted to go. He’s starting to think that the vicious scientist is doing this just to annoy him. Every single fucking time, Dabi ends up miles away from his destination, no matter how many times he threatens Ujiko to turn him and his pets into overcooked yakitori.

Asshole.

Dabi lowers the hood of his oversized coat and hides the bottom half of his face behind the collar before boarding a train. It takes him another hour to get where he wanted to go. Why Shinjuku? Because he likes the crowd here. He likes the bright lights and feverish energy that animates the large streets. It’s easy to blend in here, to just watch people come and go without them giving to Dabi more than a hollow glance.

The night has fallen already but the many gigantic screens on the buildings and the aggressive lights from the many shops chase the darkness away. Dabi walks at a leisure pace, looking around him. Heroes are everywhere, promoting perfumes, cars, phone plans, and high-tech gadgets.

All smiling, all pretty, all perfect.

All so fake.

Dabi sneers at the sight of Endeavor’s face in a commercial for a luxurious car. The video switches quickly to another and Dabi pauses. Hawks’ face replaces Endeavor’s. He’s not smiling or cheering. He’s looking into the distance, his wings loaded with many jewels and golden chains. The red of his leather jacket matches his feathers. A bunch of teenage girls stop not far from Dabi and start talking with excitement, pointing at Hawks. Their high-pitched squeals grit Dabi’s ears and nerves. Hawks turns around and his golden eyes seem to lock with Dabi’s. His trademark lopsided grin stretches his lips as the name of his brand appears on the screen, announcing the release of his new collection.

There’s nothing in those eyes Dabi came up to know like the back of his hand. They’re empty, devoided of light. The smile doesn’t reach them at any moment. He just looks like a pretty doll someone dressed up. The girls squeal louder, making plans to go to the shop and spend their parents’ money on clothes they don’t need, just because it’s Fierce Wings branded. And because “ it’s Hawks, and he’s so cool and so hot and oh my god, do you think he has a girlfriend, I heard he had one. ”

Dabi stares at the gigantic face of the number 2 hero until his face fades away and is replaced by something else, tuning out the girls’ babbling.

He wanders a while longer in Shinjuku, runs into that goddamn commercial at least five more times, and every time, the hollowness of Hawks’ eyes strikes him. It stirs uncomfortably something into his chest. That’s stupid. Why does he care anyway?

It’s almost 8pm when he decides that he’s tired and wouldn’t mind a long shower in Hawks’ fancy bathroom and maybe a blowjob and a good night of sleep in a decent bed with his cat trying to smother him.

Dabi makes a quick stop at the Konbini, to buy a new pack of smokes and some treats for Pigeon. After a quick moment of hesitation, he grabs a strawberry cupcake.

There’s no light in the apartment but Dabi can hear the muffled sound of the TV on the other side of the door. He lets himself in with his own set of keys and removes his boots and heavy coat quietly, curious to see what Hawks is up to.

“Didn’t expect you today, Staples.”

Dabi chuckles. Surprising Hawks is almost impossible, not when each feather is like a motion detector. The bird is sprawled on his couch with his wings deprived of most of their vanes, all of them scattered on the ground. He’s rolled up in a plush blanket, picking chicken wings from a bucket in his lap. Pigeon is perched on the backrest, trying to get one of spicy chicken for herself but Hawks bats her paw away without looking away from his phone.

Dabi slumps next to him and snorts. “Very fancy outfit, Mister Number two. I’m sure your fans would swoon hard.”

Hawks finally looks up his phone, flicking up one of the bunny ears of his headband. His freckled cheekbones are covered with some green stuff. “I’m a fashion icon.”

The golden eyes that look at Dabi now are not hollow. Those ones shine with mischief and amusement. Dabi can’t help the half-smile that spreads on his face. “You sure are.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Was around.” He drops the small plastic container with the cupcake inside of it on Hawks’ lap. “Plus I heard it was your birthday today. Happy birthday I guess?”

Surprise fleets briefly through Hawks’ eyes. “Thanks?”

“Mmh mmh.” Dabi picks up Pigeon. “Stop ignoring your father, you ungrateful brat. The bird won’t share his chicken wings with you.”

Pigeon meows at him, disappointed but bumps her head into his chin.

“Not sure spicy is good for her anyway,” Hawks argues, shoving another wing in his mouth.

Dabi steals one for himself, worming his way under the blanket. Hawks’ cold feet bury immediately themselves under Dabi’s thighs. “You seemed to have had a productive day,” Dabi muses, heating up his right leg while watching the movie Hawks has picked.

“Absolutely not. I slept in —”

“That’s a lie,” Dabi interrupts.

“I did!”

“Until what? 7:30 am?”

“Rude.”

Dabi glances at Hawks, unimpressed, petting Pigeon with his free hand.

“Okay, 7:45,” Hawks mumbles. “But I stayed in bed until 9!”

“Because Pigeon was sleeping on you, wasn’t she?”

“Maybe.”

“Good girl,” Dabi congratulates, scratching her chin and earning satisfied purs. “Then what?”

“Did some cleaning and —”

“That’s way too productive.”

“Took a bath and spent the day on my couch!” Hawks hurries to add.

Dabi smirks. “Better. You still have a thing or two to learn in the art of doing nothing, Birdie.”

Hawks huffs and digs his toe in Dabi’s thigh. “Well, maybe you could teach me, o great master of lazying around.”

“My rates are too expensive for you, shithead.”

“Right. Two blowjobs and a good dicking?”

“Three blowjobs actually and a night with you tied up to your bed,” Dabi answers casually.

“Mmmh. I’m sure that could be arranged.”

“ You had my curiosity, now you have my interest,” the actor on the TV screen purposefully drops.

“What he said,” Dabi says, waving his chicken wing toward the TV. “But you’ll have to remove the weird goo on your face first. Ain’t fucking Shrek, thank you very much.”

Hawks burst out laughing and sits up, scooting closer to Dabi. “Awe, I’m sure it will do you some good. It’s moisturizing and stuff.”

Dabi flicks Hawks between his stupid eyebrows, strangely satisfied to see Hawks’ eyes glinting with mirth. “If you come anywhere close to me with your weird stuff, I’ll turn you into a Christmas turkey.”

Hawks’ laugh bubbles out and he slumps back against his pillows. “You’re not fun.”

“I’m very fun. I’m the life of the party,” Dabi grates. “You should know that.”

Hawks hums and they’re quiet for a while, focused on the movie, until Hawks’ phone chimes.

“If it’s work, I’m going to dump your phone in the toilets.”

“It’s not,” Hawks answers absentmindedly. He starts snickering like a hyena and it turns quickly into the most heartful laughter Dabi ever heard coming from him.

“What?”

Hawks wipes out tears from his eyes, smearing his face mask on the white sleeve of his hoodie, and hands his phone to Dabi.

Dabi replays the video, eyes widening. Deku and another student with pink skin and pink hair are sitting in front of a screen, very focused, their eyes alternating between the screen of a laptop and a mirror set on a coffee table. They have what seems to be eyeliner in their hands and a voice comes from the laptop, explaining how to draw Hawks’ marks. Giving how the contour of their eyes is already black, it’s probably not their first try.

Suddenly, there’s a commotion in the background, and the camera shifts promptly. Bakugo is yelling at another blond student, keeping him at a distance with a stool, drowning him in colorful insults as the other is trying to approach him with eyeliner in his hand.

The camera shifts once more but on the birdhead holding the camera. “They’re doing it to honor the day of your birth, Hawks. I hope you’ll enjoy that humble tribute.” Explosions echo behind them and Hawks’ intern shakes his head in defeat. Another bird head appears in the scream, with glowing golden eyes. “Happy birthday, sensei! See you soon.”

The video stops with more explosions and insults and Dabi gives the phone back to Hawks. “That was something.”

Hawks nods slowly and this time, his eyes are softer. “Yeah, it was.”

“You’re such a big softie.”

Hawks huffs. “Says the one who picked up a stray and calls her his daughter.”

“Totally unrelated.”

“Right.”

“I’m going to shower.”

“Don’t run away from the truth, Dabi. You’re just a marshmallow.”

Hawks’ smug laugh follows Dabi to the bathroom but Dabi doesn’t mind, really. That Hawks is the Hawks Dabi came to appreciate to some extent. He’s more real, more true, more reachable with his grease stains around his mouth, his weird goo on his cheeks and his stupid headband than the perfect hero smiling for the camera.

That Hawks is a real person.

It won’t make things easier for Dabi at the end of the line, but in the meantime —

Well, in the meantime, it’s more bearable than dealing with a robot who will just execute orders, whatever they are.

## Afterword

End Notes

> Elo's Twitter || Nitrocelxius' Twitter

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