## Preface

Drain You
Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/44744155.

Rating:
  Explicit
Archive Warning:
  Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category:
  M/M
Fandom:
  僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia (Anime & Manga)
Relationship:
  Takami Keigo | Hawks/Todoroki Enji | Endeavor
Characters:
  Takami Keigo | Hawks, Todoroki Enji | Endeavor, Mera Yokumiru, Hakamata Tsunagu | Best Jeanist, Hero Public Safety Commission President (My Hero Academia), Dabi | Todoroki Touya, Bubaigawara Jin | Twice
Additional Tags:
  Angst, Domestic Fluff, Minor Original Character(s), Accidental Baby Acquisition, Weird Biology, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Bottom Takami Keigo | Hawks, Possessive Todoroki Enji | Endeavor, Gratuitous Smut, Graphic Description, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
Language:
  English
Series:
  Part 5 of Come as You Are
Stats:
  Published: 2023-02-03 Completed: 2023-02-26 Words: 36,385 Chapters: 4/4

# Drain You

by specterpeach

Summary

> During a covert mission raiding a facility, Hawks and Endeavor discover a child made from both of their DNA. Hawks is determined to keep the child and raise him as his own, but Endeavor is reluctant. It stirs unexpected emotions and instincts, finally tossing Hawks into his first cycle in years.

> The internships happen soon after, and Hawks struggles to balance parenthood with work. Threats loom on the horizon, and eventually his worst fears are realized. Meanwhile, despite all the chaos, his affair with Endeavor continues to evolve into something more like a real relationship.

## Chapter 1

Chapter Notes

> Welcome to Part 5 of Come As You Are! ✨

> This story is complete and chapters will be posted weekly (if my schedule allows).

> CW: Hawks finally has his cycle in this, which is vaguely reminiscent of an omegaverse heat cycle. It's more of a unique biology deal with lubrication and pheromones. Mind the tags & enjoy!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Hawks was called back to the Hero Public Safety Commission Headquarters before the internships started.

He hadn’t even gotten a chance to team up with Endeavor yet, woefully flying past Musutafu back into Tokyo. At least they were now in the habit of texting and calling each other as much as their schedules allowed. It really wasn’t often enough in his opinion, but it still made him ridiculously happy having someone text him happy birthday and Happy New Year. Or even just “how are you” and “I miss you”.

He loved knowing he was on Endeavor’s mind.

The President’s urgent request to see him in person hadn’t come as a surprise. He’d been hearing rumors on the wind for weeks now that the underground was stirring, villains and vigilantes alike. All For One never stopped pulling his strings, even locked up. Hawks was sure he put several contingency plans in place for just such an occasion.

“Hawks,” said the President as he walked into her spacious office. “Thank you for coming on such short notice.”

Like he had a choice. “No problem. What’s up?”

“We have reason to believe that All For One, or rather one of his accomplices, has recently abandoned a facility somewhere in Hokkaido.” The President paused and slid a tablet across her desk. “We want you to check it out and see what’s going on, as discreetly as possible.”

“You’re worried it’s more nomu,” he said, taking the tablet and quickly scanning the report. Who had put their ass on the line for this information, he wondered. He was glad it wasn’t him, but lamented the fact they were once again tossing him right back into espionage work.

“Find it, document it, don’t engage.” The President waved him away. “Time is of the essence so don’t dawdle.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know the drill.”

She didn’t seem like she enjoyed the sass but let it slide. Mera caught him before he made it to the elevators and dragged him into his office. There was always more paperwork, even for spy stuff. After signing on the dotted lines, he was given strict instructions like he hadn’t done this kind of dirty work for them many times before.

He really did know the drill. Could probably do it in his sleep.

The next two weeks were spent freezing his nuts off wandering around small towns in Hokkaido. The leads were good and he didn’t have to search long considering he wasn’t able to fly much. His feathers were shed, wing bases hidden in a backpack, and facial markings concealed every time he went out. It was frustrating but necessary for undercover missions.

He flew at night, though, frigid wind cutting into his body as he scanned the terrain. Thank god there were so many onsens around or he might have turned into a block of ice. Finally laying his eyes on the facility and swooping in for confirmation made him giddy with relief. His phone was back at the Commission Headquarters, so he had no idea if Endeavor had tried contacting him, unable to explain where he was going or how long he’d be gone.

The silence would likely be punished, but he was honestly looking forward to that. If it was anything like the last time, he’d enjoy it immensely. Those memories kept him going as he covered the security cameras with feathers, cautiously zipped up to the building, and peeked through the high windows. There was no staff in sight, but the equipment glowed in the darkness, still operational. He knew what some of it was, not focusing too hard on the giant vats with dark forms floating in them.

Whipping out his appointed camera, he took several shots from different angles and left. The flight back to the hotel felt like it took forever, and he couldn’t feel his fingers or toes by the time he stumbled back into his room.

He was in a remote area, by a national park with an active volcano, but the resort was a five star place with private onsens. It was very on brand that All For One chose a location near a nice hotel so he could be evil in comfort. Hawks gladly charged the expenses on his corporate card.

After thawing out in the onsen he fell into a deep slumber, wrapped in blankets and happy he could finally leave. Endeavor was probably worried about him after such a long absence. His dreams were full of fire and warmth, soft touches from rough fingertips, fleeting kisses and lingering looks.

The following morning he checked out and flew back to Tokyo with a spring in his step. After turning in his camera and doing more paperwork, he went to his locker to retrieve his phone and clothes.

His phone was dead so he plugged it in and changed into his usual outfit. It was the standard return from espionage routine, and he sadly knew it all too well. After putting in his earrings, he slipped the bracelet Endeavor had gifted him back onto his wrist, covering it with his gloves. The cool metal resting against his skin was a sensation he’d missed.

He was grateful his phone had rapid charging, wandering into the lounge and getting some of the Commission’s poor excuse for coffee as he waited. The instant the device powered back on it pinged in rapid succession with notifications. Predictably, Endeavor had been contacting him the entire time, growing increasingly frustrated and worried with his lack of response. Reading through the backlog was almost painful, seeing him go through nearly all the stages of grief in a two week period.

At some point, he stopped reading and started texting.

[Hawks]: Sorry about the radio silence, I’m okay. I’ll call soon and explain

It took exactly five seconds for Endeavor to call him instead, and he smiled fondly as he answered the phone. Traffic noises filtered in while he said hello, and he figured Endeavor was probably on patrol.

“Hawks!” he shouted, then covered the speaker and yelled something else before continuing. “Where were you?! I looked everywhere! Even your agency said they hadn’t seen you!”

“I had a side job,” he said, intentionally vague since eyes and ears were everywhere in that building. “Wait a second… did you go down to Fukuoka?”

“Yes!” Endeavor let out an exasperated sigh. “I went to your agency and then the Commission. Neither of them told me anything of use.”

“Endeavor-san,” he started, touched that he cared so much. “You didn’t have to—”

“Hawks!” came an urgent voice, reverberating through the locker room, followed by frantic footsteps.

Everyone was yelling at him today. For a split second he thought he was in trouble again.

“Thank goodness you’re still here.” Mera suddenly appeared and grabbed his duffel bag, heading for the door. “Come to the President’s office, it’s urgent. Tell Endeavor we need him here too.”

“Really?” He unplugged his phone, hoping it had enough charge to at least finish the call as he chased after Mera’s retreating form. He ignored the fact they knew who he was talking to and possibly more. “Endeavor-san, they need you at the Commission Headquarters, ASAP.”

“Understood.” Endeavor started yelling something to his sidekicks. “I’ll see you soon.”

The line went dead.

Rushing into the President’s office, he noticed she looked pretty tired for a change. He caught the tail end of a conversation she was having but couldn’t parse the context. They spent the next hour going over his pictures, and the identity of All For One’s potential accomplice, a doctor named Ujiko Daruma. He was currently working at Jaku Hospital, highly regarded and even a chairman. He seemed like a harmless old man, but he was suspected to be the mastermind behind the creation of the nomus.

Well, that explained the facility. Kind of.

Endeavor burst through the door merely an hour and fifteen minutes after he had ended the call, flames curling around him as he charged towards the desk. Hawks felt the warm kindling in his chest swell at the sight of him, trying to suppress any telling reactions.

“Hawks,” he said first, looking him over before turning his gaze towards the President. “What’s the meaning of this?”

“It’s about a facility that we had Hawks locate and confirm,” said the President, sliding him a tablet. “We suspect a doctor by the name of Ujiko Daruma is to blame for the creation of the nomus. Naturally, we assumed his experiments didn’t begin or end with those creatures so we kept looking. This facility, located in Hokkaido, is thought to be one of several where he played god, so to speak.”

Flipping through the pictures on the tablet, Endeavor hummed. “What do you think he’s creating here?”

“Intel suggests it’s genetic splicing of quirks, both in host bodies and from fetuses grown in artificial wombs.”

They both snapped their heads towards the desk.

“Wait, are you saying…” He trailed off, glancing at Endeavor.

“Ujiko has attempted to create children with multiple quirks, yes,” she confirmed, expression grim. “Even though the facility seems abandoned, Ujiko may be notified that we discovered it and all the evidence will be lost.”

“Were any of the experiments successful?” asked Endeavor, setting the tablet down.

“We don’t know.” The President let out an uncommon sigh and shook her head. “I know you just got back, Hawks, but we need you and Endeavor to lead the extraction team. We can’t afford to lose this opportunity. It may be the key to figuring out All For One’s next step.”

“But he’s locked up,” argued Endeavor.

“I’m sure you’re aware that his network is still very much intact,” said the President. “We have reason to believe he’s planning something, involving Shigaraki, and we’re trying to piece it together before it goes into play.”

“When do we leave?” he asked with an easy smile. If Endeavor was coming with him it wouldn’t be so boring. Or cold, for that matter.

“Later tonight.” The President started shuffling papers on her desk, nodding at Mera. “Get some rest while you can. You’re travelling under the cover of night.”

They were told to stay nearby, then set temporarily free. Yet again they found themselves in Tokyo, teaming up under much different circumstances than they’d expected.

“Are you hungry?” asked Endeavor, pausing as they walked down the street. He had thoughtfully extinguished his flames, and many people weren’t even giving them second glances.

His stomach growled on cue and he laughed. “Starving. I know a place.”

Endeavor smirked. “Of course you do.”

They ate at one of his favorite izakayas, tucked into a dim corner and packing away food like it was their last day on Earth. He talked about his mission in hushed tones, mostly gushing about how awesome the hotel was with the private onsen. Endeavor blushed, probably remembering their scandalous onsen encounter.

“Hawks,” he said, cheeks tinted pink as he reached under the table and grasped his hand. Such a bold move in a public place. “I never told you this… but when we were at that ryokan, I had a dream.”

The morning he’d foolishly abandoned Endeavor immediately came to mind. “What was it?” he asked, stamping down the guilt.

“I usually dream about my family, without me,” he started, staring at the table and looking fairly miserable, “but that night with you, it was different.”

“Did we fuck in it?” He realized he’d said that a little too loudly, glancing around nervously. What was it about Endeavor that chased off his better sense?

Endeavor shot him an unamused glare and shook his head. “No, we were on a beach.”

“A beach?”

“Yes, a beach,” snapped Endeavor, like he was irritated at being interrupted. “It was beautiful and warm, but that’s not the part that mattered.” He paused and smiled softly. “You took my hand, called me Enji, and said…”

He trailed off, gaze distant, and Hawks leaned forward with wide eyes. “I said?” he prompted.

“You said ‘let’s go home’.”

At first it didn’t seem very significant, but as the words processed, he understood. Not only had Endeavor’s subconscious made Hawks call him his given name, distinguishing him from his hero persona, but it had also implied they had a home together.

God, he wished that were true.

“You’re not saying anything,” said Endeavor, releasing his hand.

“We had a home?” he asked, dumbly. His brain kept snapping back to that point. “Like a house we both lived in? Together?”

“Probably.” Endeavor met his eyes, then quickly looked away. “We never get any further than that, but I’ve had that same dream again. While you were gone the last two weeks, actually.”

A recurring dream of them strolling on a beach and talking about their home. How utterly sappy and romantic. He kind of felt like a pervert, only having dreams about them cuddling and fucking. But, truly, he wanted so much more than that.

“Is that… uh—” He paused, wondering how to word the chaotic thoughts swirling in his head at this revelation. His phone started ringing and he lost his train of thought, fishing it out of his pocket.

It was his agency so he had to take the call, informing them he was fine and would be gone for a while longer. They had already been informed of his absence but liked confirming with him. He was pleased to hear everything was running smoothly. When he hung up, he noticed the time.

“Hey, not to cut this short, but we don’t have much time left.” He leaned forward and whispered, “Wanna have a quickie before we leave?”

Endeavor laughed. “If memory serves me correctly, you proclaimed that you’re the undisputed champion of the satisfying quickie.”

“Master, not champion,” he said with a wink. “Go pay the tab. I’ll book a hotel room.”

“Not necessary.” Endeavor smirked at his confused look. “I own a house here. Have for a long time due to frequent business trips.”

Not unexpected, but certainly interesting. He wondered how many people were privy to that information. Endeavor paid the tab and they decided to fly to the house rather than take a cab and risk sparking rumors. It was quicker anyway.

The house was a quaint, traditional deal, fenced in with a manicured garden. The city surrounded them, but the place felt like a sanctuary as they stepped into the courtyard. They walked past barren trees on a stone path and he couldn’t suppress the shiver that ran down his spine. The flight had chilled him, and the wind chased away Endeavor’s warmth while they approached the door.

The interior was as traditional as the exterior, though the kitchen looked updated. The tour took little time, and Endeavor had him pinned to a wall in the hallway within minutes.

They didn’t bother with much foreplay, peeling off clothes and falling onto the mattress in a fevered tangle of limbs. Endeavor went right for his uropygial gland with eerie precision, massaging the area until it started oozing oil. It still felt bizarre and wasn’t a great sign, but it sure was coming in handy for their trysts. If you even call them that anymore.

What they had felt more like a relationship than an affair, though he supposed the latter was technically more accurate. He’d never been great with self control in the first place, and had only the barest hint of guilt over fucking a married man.

When Endeavor slid his thick cock inside him, everything felt right in the world. It was pathetically cliche, but it comforted him on some primal level, being filled and stretched by his favorite person. He loved giving this part of himself over, presenting himself like a present to be opened and enjoyed, desired and useful.

Loved, his mind supplied while Endeavor curled over his back, breathing heavy in his ear.

He nuzzled briefly against Hawks' neck, pulled out most of the way, then slowly sank back in with a sigh. The second and third strokes punched moans out of him, and soon Endeavor was thrusting into him with purpose. It felt so damn good, searing rod splitting him open, straining his rim, flirting with his limits.

It burned, from the stretch, from the heat, peppering his pleasure with the perfect amount of pain. He didn't hold back his voice, crying out and moaning, chanting Endeavor's name like a prayer. His cock was diamond hard and rubbing between his body and the mattress, getting the covers damp with precum.

It had barely been ten minutes and he was ready to come. He said as much, but Endeavor suddenly pulled out, his pathetic cry of protest sharp to even his own ears. The world flipped around and he found himself staring up at Endeavor's hulking mass blocking out the light.

Endeavor locked eyes with him and slowly pushed back inside, pausing when he bottomed out. He grabbed Hawks' chin and rubbed at it briefly.

"You shaved," he said, breathy and low, then leaned down and kissed him before he could respond.

He hummed into Endeavor's mouth as he started thrusting again, pace more languid since he was busy sticking his tongue down Hawks' throat. Being stuffed full of his cock and tongue, while broad hands groped at his sweat slicked skin, had him close again in mere minutes.

It hadn't even been that long since their last encounter, but it felt like an eternity. How was he going to survive their distance?

His pleasure peaked on gentle waves, cries stifled into Endeavor’s mouth until he pulled back and groaned. Warmth pulsed deep inside him, edging on too hot, and Endeavor hunched over, resting his forehead on the pillow beside him.

"Fuck," swore Endeavor, catching his breath. "Sorry, I didn't last long."

Hawks laughed, petting idly at Endeavor's back. "In case you didn't notice, I didn't either."

Endeavor hummed and kissed his way to his mouth, softening cock sliding free from his body. The gush of cum that followed made him grimace. Too bad it didn't stay inside.

"Let's shower and get some rest," suggested Endeavor, withdrawing and smoothing back his hair.

When they were clean and cuddled up on fresh linens, something occurred to Hawks.

"Why didn't you tell me about this place last time we were here in Tokyo?" Not that he minded rattling hotel walls and vaguely traumatizing fellow guests, but some privacy would've been nice.

Silence ruled the room for a few lingering minutes.

"I was on my way home," mumbled Endeavor into his wings, clearly tired. "Just spent time here with my kids… wasn't really thinking straight."

Fair enough. He squirmed a bit, settling into the bed and grateful for the heat, before nodding off. The sound of his phone ringing jarred him from his slumber, and he felt Endeavor shift against his back. He sent a couple feathers out to retrieve it, staring at it blearily as he answered.

“Head to the address in your messages ASAP,” said a man he guessed was Mera. The line abruptly went dead.

He sighed and wiggled around under Endeavor’s heavy arm until he was facing him. Endeavor still looked fast asleep, face abnormally peaceful. He smiled and kissed his beloved idol, wishing they could stay in the warm, comfortable bed longer. Maybe they could spend a day at the house after the mission was over.

“Morning,” muttered Endeavor, voice gravely from sleep. He gathered Hawks flush against his hot body, running a hand up and down his back. “S’nice to wake up like this.”

He hummed in affirmation, taking a deep breath of Endeavor’s scent and reluctantly withdrawing slightly. “We have to go.”

Maybe it was his imagination, but Endeavor looked sad for a moment. He nodded and sat up, yawning into a wide hand and leaving the bed. Hawks followed suit, and soon they were dressed and heading towards an unknown destination.

It was still dark out, frigid morning wind cutting through his clothes as they flew guided by his GPS. The building ended up being a warehouse by the sea, distant and discreet. Several armored vehicles were parked outside, including some larger trucks, no doubt for moving the equipment he’d seen. Inside was a special ops team he recognized by their outfits. He had worked with them before, though he didn’t know their official designation.

They moved deeper into the building and Hawks suddenly detected a familiar tone with his wings. Oh no… why, of all the people they could have chosen, was it him?

Endeavor stopped beside him and made a tsk noise. “Jeanist,” he practically hissed, a not so subtle sneer on his face.

Fuck.

“Good morning, Endeavor,” said Jeanist, usual serene expression intact. “Hawks,” he added with a nod. “I’m looking forward to working with you both.”

After making another displeased sound, Endeavor looked away. “Yeah, sure.”

While he was known for being surly and ill-tempered on the job, Hawks knew Endeavor was a professional that would put the job before anything else. Or at least he hoped he would. If anything, he was pretty sure Jeanist would behave himself. It really wasn’t fair to pin any aggression on him since he had no idea he was involved with Endeavor before they slept together.

Hawks still wished he could remember that drunken night of debauchery. It wasn’t often he was involved in a ménage à trois, and he was curious what it had been like. Thinking about it reminded him that Edgeshot had left sounding pretty jealous. What a mess.

There was no more time to ponder on the past as they were plunged right into the thick of a mission briefing. All standard stuff, hustle and bustle, quick and quiet, efficiency overemphasized. That was why Jeanist was there. His control over large fiber cords would help them move any bulky machinery with ease.

They couldn’t drive up to Hokkaido, so the vehicles were moved onto a large freight ship with them safely secured inside an armored one. The trip was generally uneventful and the gentle rocking of the ship coupled with Endeavor’s heat nearly lulled him to sleep as they sailed north. He did his best to ignore Endeavor’s permanent scowl, boldly glaring daggers at Jeanist most of the trip, which didn’t seem to faze him in the least. Hawks was fairly certain they would’ve argued if they were alone in the vehicle.

He startled awake as the vehicle started moving again, presumably onto land. Endeavor steadied him even though it was completely unnecessary considering his wings. Jeanist’s even stare was unnerving, though he tried ignoring that as well. The mission always came first, no matter what.

The trip out to the facility took a while longer, and the tension only seemed to grow thicker as it wore on. It was frustrating considering he could’ve flown there faster, but he was glad not to be out in the cold winter air. The instant the vehicle stopped, he ruffled his feathers, ready to rush out of the hatch once it opened.

After giving each other one last loaded glare, Endeavor and Jeanist rose and crowded against him and the operatives. The hatch hit the pavement with a loud thud and they all bustled out in order. Hawks took to the air the second he could, soaring over everyone else and forcing the service doors open with his feathers.

Everything after that was a whirlwind of action. Unlike Jeanist, he and Endeavor were there more for security purposes, so they had the opportunity to wander around and take in the facility as they checked for threats. It felt like touring a haunted house or movie set, exploring stations filled with screens and panels, lab tables littered with bizarre, scientific equipment, and then finally, giant, looming vats.

The larger forms floating in fluorescent green liquid looked grotesque, much like the nomus they’d already acquired and secreted away at Central Hospital. Well, he was sure some were sent to facilities even he had only heard the vaguest of rumors about. The Commission did have its fingers in many pots.

Moving past the supposed nomus, Hawks entered the next section of specimens. The figures floating in these smaller vats were much more disconcerting for a variety of reasons. They looked like children, ranging from small infants to older toddlers. He immediately knew they were the genetic splicing specimens the President had mentioned. Gazing past them, he saw what were likely fetuses suspended in amber tinted fluid beyond and frowned. The doctor really was playing god, trying to create kids that had two—or more—quirks from god knew who's DNA.

Running his fingers over the panel on one vat, he saw the vital readouts. They seemed alive and well, but would that last if they moved them? What was the Commission going to do with these children, he wondered. Would they keep and train them like they had with him? If they survived, he had no doubt they’d put them to good use. That probably should’ve made him feel bad, but honestly, it wasn’t a terrible life. Better than rotting away in an orphanage.

He idly took in each form, trying to guess what quirks they had, though appearances could certainly be deceiving. Most looked ambiguous, just normal children suspended serenely in time, poor creatures that had likely never even opened their eyes or took a breath of fresh air. Pity picked at the edges of his jaded heart. There was nothing he could do for them, really.

The second from last vat he passed gave him pause. Squinting through the liquid, he saw what he guessed was an infant sporting a small set of wings with sparse gold feathers. That coupled with the mop of crimson hair set his mind racing.

Was this kid made with his quirk? It was possible considering the Commission probably had his blood hidden away somewhere. Or all the times he’d bled from work related injuries. He was fast, but not always fast enough to avoid lacerations.

Curiosity got the best of him and he had to know. Looking down at the panel, he started pressing buttons, desperate for more information. With a little trial and error searching, he finally got to the section that listed the quirks, grateful for the simplicity of the device. As he’d suspected, his own quirk sat at the top, and below…

“Hawks!” came Endeavor’s shout, startling him.

He looked towards the familiar voice with wide eyes, unable to suppress his shocked expression. Endeavor immediately noticed it and rushed over to him, almost too quick to track.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” he asked, scanning Hawks’ body then glancing at the vat, before finally looking down at the screen. “Are these the genetic…”

Endeavor’s voice trailed off as he read the display and his eyes grew wide with surprise too.

“They used our quirks,” said Hawks, placing a hand on the glass and staring at the small form. “Mine and yours, to make a child… our child.”

“But—”

“Hawks, Endeavor!” called an operative. “We’re moving these sections out next. Are they all clear?”

“All clear,” he called back automatically. His stomach was full of butterflies, a strange sense of euphoria flooding his nerves. It flowed through him in a wave, coalescing low in his gut and leaving a deep yearning in its wake. “We need to save him.”

“Isn’t that what this whole operation is about?” said Endeavor, looking at him with concern.

He shook his head. “They’ll just kill or use them. If this is our child, then we should have it.”

Silence lingered between them as the sounds of heavy equipment clanged in the background. They were moving fast to almost be at this part so quickly. He didn’t have much longer to save their child from a grim fate. It went against everything he was trained for, but something deeper than all his brainwashed duty was surging inside him.

When he reached out again, Endeavor caught his arm.

“Hawks… we can’t.” He looked somewhere between reluctant and stern. “There’s no telling if this child will survive outside the vat. You could be condemning him to death before he even had a chance.”

An unexpected anger flared in his chest. “I don’t want them getting their dirty hands on him,” he snapped, yanking his arm free.

“Them?” Endeavor seemed confused for a few seconds before understanding settled in. “Hawks, this is their mission. They’re the ones that have the resources to keep him alive, if that’s even possible.”

“It’s possible! He’s alive right now! I can take him and fly him somewhere safe!”

It was irrational as hell, but at that moment, he wanted nothing more than to take that child and flee somewhere the Commission couldn’t get him. Really, it had less to do with the impending grooming, and more to do with a sudden and overwhelming paternal instinct.

“Please, don’t do this,” said Endeavor, placing a broad hand on his shoulder.

The gesture felt so out of place, so grossly casual considering the relationship they’d developed, that he swatted the hand away. “Don’t you care?” he asked, a touch too loudly. The crews were closing in on them, escalating his panic.

“I care about you,” hissed Endeavor, finally looking irritated. “That thing isn’t our child. It’s just some botched experiment conducted by a group of deplorable villains.”

He recoiled as if he’d been struck. Honestly, the words did feel like a blow to the chest, making his heart heavy with some undefinable emotion. Disappointment? It felt far worse than that. What the hell was wrong with him? Logically, he knew everything he was saying was outrageous, but he couldn’t reel in his reactions, helplessly barrelling forward.

All the years he’d devoted to his goals, his dizzying ascent into fame, seemed so shallow compared to the opportunity floating before him. Would he ever see this child again once the Commission got him? Not knowing made his skin crawl.

When he’d told Endeavor he couldn’t hold back from the things he wanted, he’d been dead serious. That compulsive tendency, combined with some irrational hormonal cocktail, drove him to lash out. He launched feathers with a bit too much force, unleashing some of the chaotic emotions swirling inside him, oddly delighted by Endeavor’s shocked face as his flames flared up while he zipped aside.

The vat cracked when two feather blades sank into the glass. He hadn’t expected it to actually work, staring at them in surprise as the cracks spread out, compromising the vat’s integrity.

“Hawks! What—”

The rest of Endeavor’s reprimand was drowned out by the sound of shattering glass when the vat finally collapsed. They both dived forward, instincts honed by years of rescue work, grasping for the child past shards and a torrential gush of fluid. Hawks was faster, of course, and felt a dizzying sense of relief when he caught the child in his arms, drenched in whatever liquid he’d been suspended in.

His body snapped backwards and it took a moment for him to realize Endeavor had yanked him away from the vat, tubes detaching as he went. The small body nestled in his protective grasp was eerily still and he looked down, shaking him gently.

“Come on,” he urged, patting the child’s back and starting to panic. “Come on…”

Endeavor plucked the child from his arms and he let out a startled gasp. Swiftly placing the small body face down over one of his gauntlets, Endeavor patted his back firmly until a quiet, shaky cry sounded over the background noise. Turning the child around, he handed him back to Hawks.

He started squirming, little limbs flailing out while Hawks fumbled him into a better hold, cradling him against his wet coat. It was nowhere near the first time he’d held a child, but it felt completely different, almost awkward. The baby made a series of small sounds, probably cold, and he looked around for something to bundle him in. Endeavor seemed to read his mind and stomped off, shouting for Jeanist.

In a delayed manner, he realized he’d just thought of the child as a baby. His baby. And really, he was, considering he had his genetic material. He was fully prepared to use that as a very valid arguing point, already cycling through potential names. Endeavor reappeared with a swath of denim, helping him swaddle the baby with an ease that was likely born of practice. He did have children of his own, while Hawks only dealt with them briefly during work.

“There,” said Endeavor, packing as much irritation as humanly possible into that single word. He adjusted the bundle in Hawks’ arms. “Happy now that you’ve gotten your way?”

He spared Endeavor an annoyed glance of his own, so fixated on the baby that he barely noticed the operatives approaching. Instinctively, he curled his wings around himself, shielding them from prying eyes. Endeavor grumbled something and tugged him stumbling out of the way, deeper into the facility. It really was useless trying to hide the baby since he started fussing, but Hawks was already feeling fiercely protective of the little guy.

“He’s probably hungry,” said Endeavor, scanning the lab with an impressive scowl. “I’ll go look around. Since they were creating children here, there’s probably supplies somewhere.”

For being so against rescuing the child, Endeavor sure was helping him out more than necessary. Maybe it was the whole dad thing, something he suddenly realized was a reality for him. A big part of him wanted to recklessly take off, leave everything behind and raise this kid as normally as he could manage. He could protect him from the dangers of the Commission and hero work. Kind of stupid considering he had little idea how to take care of a child.

Well, he didn’t think he could do a worse job than his parents, but that bar was too close to the ground to count.

The baby kept fussing while he waited, sounding increasingly agitated, and he was starting to shiver. The facility didn’t feel heated and the cold air was chilling him down to his bones. His knees were practically knocking by the time Endeavor returned, bringing his needed heat with him.

“Found this,” he declared, shoving a bottle into Hawks’ hand.

He looked down at it and blinked. “Are you sure this is safe?”

Endeavor shrugged. “Not really. It was in a freezer labeled formula, but I didn’t taste it, only heated it up.”

Without a second thought, he stuck the nipple into his mouth, sucked some liquid out, then grimaced. Yuck.

“How does it taste?” asked Endeavor with a smirk.

“Terrible,” he answered, trying to keep his shaking hand steady as he offered the bottle to the baby, trying to coax him to drink.

“Then it’s definitely formula.” Endeavor increased his heat, chasing away the chill.

The baby eventually took the bottle, opening his eyes only to slits, then closing them as he greedily sucked on the nipple. It wasn’t long before he drained the entire thing, and the heat around them was intense enough that his clothes were drying a bit.

Endeavor produced a diaper from seemingly nowhere and held it up. “You’re going to need this too, sooner than later.”

“I… have no idea how to put that on him,” he admitted, fumbling the denim swaddling open.

Heaving another sigh, Endeavor quickly secured the diaper with more practiced motions, and efficiently re-swaddled him. The baby seemed content now, face serene and cheeks tinted pink. He pulled off a damp glove with his teeth and petted his downy red hair, finally getting a whiff of that infamous new baby smell he’d heard about. He had never held an infant long enough to smell it before.

“What should we name him?” he asked, unable to tear his gaze from the baby, now fast asleep.

“Nothing, because we’re not keeping him.” Endeavor turned and started walking away, tragically taking his heat with him. “I’m going to check the perimeter again. They should be wrapping up soon, so go back to the vehicle and warm up.”

Hawks nodded, opening his mouth to inform Endeavor his feathers didn’t detect anyone around the building, but he was already gone. The mixed signals were flying free, and he realized that might just be part of Endeavor’s personality. Or process of acceptance. He felt like a kid trying to convince his parents to let him keep a stray puppy. Then again, he didn’t need Endeavor’s permission to keep the child. The Commission might prove to be an obstacle, though.

Even though his clothes were still damp, he opened the top of his coat and tucked the baby inside, closing it as much as he could. The warmer the better. Jeanist gave him a curious glance as he walked by, still shielding his body with his wings. He didn’t stop moving until he was nestled safely into a corner of the vehicle, grateful for the moderate warmth.

Sending out a group of feathers, he heard all the operatives, the large cords slithering around equipment and the groan of metal as it was moved, the pattern of Endeavor’s breathing while he flew around the building. Honestly, he was creating a giant, flaming beacon by doing that, but Hawks didn’t hear anything approaching, and his range was decent.

It seemed like a long time before they all filed back into the vehicle, but he had no way of telling. The baby kept sleeping, and that’s all he cared about. The operatives didn’t give him a second glance, but Jeanist muscled his way back onto the opposite seat as Endeavor crowded in beside him, crossing his arms. The baby made a couple noises as the vehicle started moving but he soon fell back asleep.

“What have you got there?” asked Best Jeanist, gesturing towards the child. When Hawks didn’t answer him, he glanced around, expression half obscured by his high collar. But he knew exactly what Jeanist looked like beneath, probably wearing one of his characteristic small smiles. “Don’t worry about them. You have higher rank.”

Did being the number two pro hero really give him higher rank than highly trained secret op agents? Probably not, but his extensive training at the Commission might. Jeanist wasn’t supposed to know about that, though. Suddenly, he was suspicious of how much Jeanist knew yet again.

“Something special,” was all he was willing to concede.

Jeanist seemed amused, but didn’t say anything else. The trip back felt like it took forever, and he was sure it had everything to do with being damp and excited about his new discovery. He was glad for the distraction the baby offered over Endeavor and Jeanist’s second glaring contest.

When they arrived back at the warehouse, the baby was in need of a change and squirming in his confines. Shortly after they stepped out of the vehicle, the baby started crying and Endeavor whipped out another diaper. He pulled Hawks aside to a secluded area and walked him through the steps of changing it. Thankfully, it was just soaked with pee, which Endeavor warned he could get hosed with if he wasn’t careful.

“There’s a lot to this, huh?” he asked, attempting to swaddle the baby and failing.

“You have no idea.”

He really didn’t, but he could learn. Endeavor guided him again and they returned to the group with a pacified child. An unmarked van took the top three heroes back to the Commission Headquarters, and that ride was shorter but still awkward. The baby woke at some point, but only fussed minimally.

“Probably hungry again,” muttered Endeavor, sitting with a stiff back and crossed arms. “Oi, driver! Can you make a pit stop at a pharmacy?”

They weren’t on a tight schedule anymore, so the driver agreed. Endeavor told him to stay put and climbed out of the van.

“So… you rescued the baby,” said Jeanist. “Why only this one?”

“His vat shattered,” he said, using his time-honored tradition of only offering little bits of the truth.

“How exactly did that happen?”

Hawks shrugged, gently rocking the baby as he started crying softly. The sound was cutting straight through his tired and frazzled nerves. “Faulty equipment, I guess.”

Jeanist nodded, swiping a hand idly over his hair. “Of course.”

Soon, Endeavor returned with bags full of prepared formula, diapers, wipes, and drinks. He was such a considerate sap despite his surly attitude. Very sexy dad material. Hawks still had the bottle tucked into an interior pocket, and Endeavor refilled it, warming it slightly in his palm. Offering the bottle to the baby seemed easier the second time around, though he suspected this was one of the easier tasks.

Though it was late by the time they made it back to the headquarters, the President met with them immediately for a debriefing. Her impassive stare actually faltered when she saw Hawks holding the child. He quickly explained the rescue in as little detail as possible.

“They created him using my DNA,” he said, glad the little guy was asleep again. “I saw it on the panel with my own eyes.”

“And you want to keep him,” finished the President, gaze back to unnervingly even.

He nodded. “I do. He’s technically my family if we’re going by genetics.”

“What other quirk was this child spliced with?”

Shit. He had foolishly hoped she wouldn’t ask, and he didn’t think lying was a wise decision. Jeanist leaned forward incrementally, visible eye wide with curiosity.

“Mine,” said Endeavor, voice cutting through the tense silence. “I assume they were trying to create a phoenix quirk of some sort.”

Jeanist barely concealed his surprise, but the President merely nodded.

“That could be useful,” she said, drumming her fingers on the desk. “I’ll need time to make an official decision, but for now I'll allow you to take care of him, Hawks.” She fished a card out from a drawer and held it up. Endeavor grabbed it for him since his arms were full. “Please bring him to this facility tomorrow morning and get a full checkup.”

He could hardly believe his luck, nerves instantly flooding with relief. Considering all the equipment, nomus, and specimens the Commission had to process, he doubted they’d get back to him any time soon. For now, he could keep his child safely by his side. The rest of the debriefing didn’t take long and they were dismissed.

“This goes without saying, but please don’t leave town with that child,” said the President, pointing at Hawks.

A fair concession. At least his outfit was mostly dry by the time they stepped back outside. Suddenly, he felt in over his head, standing in the cold winter night, cradling a denim swaddled baby in dirty clothes with nowhere to go. Jeanist made some customary small talk before practically evaporating with his nose buried in his phone. Hawks hoped he didn’t tell anyone since it was classified information.

“So, where are you planning to stay?” asked Endeavor after an awkward silence. He was still holding the bags of baby supplies. “I mean, where do you normally stay while in town?”

“Hotels,” he answered, overwhelmed. Where would the baby sleep in a hotel? Was it safe to let him sleep on the bed? He needed to do some research. And get some food for himself.

“Are you okay?” asked Endeavor, leaning down with a concerned look.

“Um…” Trailing off, he bounced the baby slightly. “Yeah, I’m fine. No problem. Just need to… get a lot of stuff.” He paused and nodded, scrabbling for a silver lining. “Yeah, a lot of stuff. A hotel room… food, supplies, baby clothes too…”

He narrowly avoided bursting into tears, exhausted and starving. Wind was cutting through his outfit and he realized it had been sliced open in spots by the glass shards. Was that blood?

Endeavor sighed and placed a warm hand on his back, leading him towards the curb and hailing a taxi. “Come on, your bag is at my place anyway.”

He helped Hawks into the car and gave the driver his local address. On the way, he ordered food delivery, already aware of Hawks' preferences.

They had barely made it through the front door when the baby started crying. He needed his diaper changed again, and this time it wasn’t just pee. Endeavor patiently guided him through that process as well. The kotatsu was set up and Endeavor turned it on, ordering Hawks to sit under it and warm up with the baby. He scavenged ample pillows from around the house and propped them behind him so he could lean back and rest.

It was a side of Endeavor he’d only expected in his fantasies. He would’ve never pegged him for a particularly considerate person, but he supposed any hero was a people pleaser at heart. The heat of the kotatsu felt heavenly and within minutes he was nodding off, catching the baby suddenly when he started slipping from his arms.

Oops.

As much as he desperately wanted to raise this child, at that point he’d been holding him for many continuous hours and really wanted to put him down. Endeavor mercifully appeared at his side and set some fragrant bags of food on the table top, taking the baby from his cramping arms. He gently placed the little guy on a folded blanket on top of the rug, then tucking his lower half under the futon.

“Will he be okay down there?” he asked, stomach growling from the scent of the food. His arms ached as he peeled off his coat.

“If he’s not, he’ll let us know,” said Endeavor, unloading the food onto the table and shoving Hawks’ portion towards him.

Somehow, tea was there too. Had he actually fallen asleep for a while? God, he was tired. Long operations always wrung him out, which he supposed was normal, but the Commission always took it as a sign to train him harder. Stamina and endurance were the most valuable assets, they had said so often he sometimes still heard it in his sleep.

They ate in silence, both too hungry to bother with small talk. Endeavor turned on the TV and it offered a comforting level of background noise. According to the weather report, the city might see snow soon. After freezing his ass off in Hokkaido, he wasn’t super excited about that forecast.

The baby fussed once more and Endeavor got up and fixed him another bottle.

“Do they always eat this much?” he asked, holding the bottle over the baby still tucked into the warmth of the futon. He suckled at it lazily, finally opening his eyes and gazing up at him. They looked like they were the same color as his own, but he wasn't sure in the dim room.

“In the beginning, yeah.” Endeavor watched as the baby started turning his head away from the bottle and making little noises. “You gotta burp him,” he said, picking the baby up and placing him over his shoulder. After a little patting, a soft burp sounded, and he held his hand out for the bottle. “I’ll finish feeding him. Go take a shower and get changed. Your bag should still be in the bedroom.”

He wanted to argue that Endeavor should join him, but someone had to stay and feed the ravenous beast of a child. Really, he was pretty well mannered considering everything he’d been through. Since he had already shed the bulk of his feathers to take off his coat, showering went quickly, and he did indeed have a few shallow cuts. He found a first aid box under the sink and put closure strips on the wounds.

Most of his clothes were dirty, so he only tugged on a pair of boxers, then hunted down one of Endeavor’s voluminous t-shirts, draping it back behind his winglets. He enjoyed the unique scent and how it almost reached his knees, remembering the first time he’d worn one that fateful, horny night.

Humble beginnings.

Now they had somehow acquired a child, one made from both of their genetic material. It seemed like some bizarre science fiction movie rather than reality. When he walked back into the living room, Endeavor was also tucked under the kotatsu watching a movie. Hawks doubted he needed the heat, but probably enjoyed it. The baby was wrapped in a soft looking blanket and asleep.

He got up and offered Hawks his spot. "I won't be long. Try and get some rest."

Giving him a kiss on his damp hair, Endeavor disappeared to take a shower. Hawks snuggled under the futon, laying on a couple pillows and angled slightly towards the sleeping baby. It took him little time to pass out now that he was clean, warm, and full.

When he stirred later, Endeavor was spooned around his back, breathing evenly into his ear. His body offered enough heat that the room felt warm and Hawks was almost sweating. The baby seemed like he was still sleeping, so he closed his eyes and nodded off again.

The next time he woke was to the soft sounds of fussing. Endeavor shifted against him and mumbled something unintelligible. Hawks still felt tired, but he reluctantly dragged himself away from Endeavor and checked on the baby. He was awake and squirming, eyes curiously darting around. When he noticed Hawks hovering over him, he started kicking more enthusiastically.

“Hey, there,” he said, petting his soft hair. “I’ll go fix you a bottle, hold on.”

After filling the bottle, he paused and looked around. How was he supposed to heat it up? Would the microwave be okay? He was pretty sure he’d heard somewhere that formula should be heated on a stove…

Endeavor appeared beside him and snatched the bottle from his hand. He yawned and scratched his belly while he heated the formula up, then handed it back. How useful.

“I’m gonna go get us some breakfast,” he muttered, walking away. “Plus some baby clothes.”

He wanted to protest, ask Endeavor not to leave him alone, but the baby started crying and he rushed over to find him pink cheeked and flailing. The time Endeavor was gone seemed to pass quickly while he fed, burped, and carefully bathed the little guy. He needed a name, and Hawks scrolled through a couple baby name sites on his phone when he got a free moment.

Taking care of a kid required a lot more energy than he’d anticipated.

Endeavor burst back into the house with his arms full of bags, letting a gust of cold in with him. There were pastries, drinks, and outfits for both him and the baby, including coats. The little mittens and hat were adorable, though he didn’t focus on them long, immediately stuffing his face with the first pastry his hand landed on.

“Took a little searching, but I found some baby clothes that accommodate his wings,” said Endeavor, sorting the clothes out and snapping off the tags. “I put in a grocery order for delivery too. Should be here when we get back from the doctor.”

When we get back, he’d said. Well, that answered his first question. Endeavor was apparently sticking around to help him.

“Thank you,” he mumbled around a mouthful of food. Swallowing it, he offered a smile. “I really appreciate all this, Endeavor-san. I mean, you didn’t have to get me any clothes, but one of my coats did get ruined so… thanks.”

Endeavor merely grunted in response, taking a onesie and tugging it onto the baby. It was so endearingly paternal that Hawks felt a heat spark low in his gut. Getting turned on by watching Endeavor handle the baby was unexpected but welcome.

“He still needs a name,” he said, cramming another pastry into his mouth. Too bad there wasn’t any coffee, though the bottled tea was fine.

“Hmmm.” Endeavor picked the baby up and held him in front of his face, looking at him thoughtfully. It was pretty funny how they stared at each other, Endeavor seriously and the baby passively. “How about Kyouji? With the symbols for strength and child. If he’s our child, then you know he’s going to be strong.”

Hawks almost inhaled his food. He coughed into his hand for a moment, then thumped on his chest. It was a logical enough statement, but hearing it put that way really did make it feel like he was a child he’d grown himself. At least this way he didn’t have to deal with any uncomfortable changes to his body. A nice little shortcut to the family he’d never had.

Nevermind that Endeavor was still married and already had a family.

“You okay?” asked Endeavor with the baby now nestled into the crook of a large arm. The sight of them both staring at him was amusing.

He waved a hand, coughing a bit more. “M’fine.”

“What about Kaien if you don’t like that one? Or Hikaru. Atsuo? Maybe something stronger, like Katsuya?” Endeavor hummed. “Whatever you think sounds better with your family name.”

“Mine?” he said as his heart sank a bit. He hadn’t thought that far ahead, but apparently Endeavor didn’t want his name attached to the kid. It made sense, he guessed. Still hurt. “Uh… I actually like Kaien.”

“Wait,” said Endeavor, rubbing his chin. “What is your family name? Now that I think about it, I haven’t heard any of your name at all.”

“Um…” He trailed off and started filing through excuses. “It’s… classified.”

Endeavor’s eyes widened slightly. “Really? Even to me?”

As involved as they were, he wasn’t quite ready to give up that particular piece of information yet. After all this time, he didn’t feel like Takami Keigo even existed anymore. “It’s complicated,” he said, hoping it was enough.

Staring at him for another lingering moment, Endeavor finally nodded. “Get ready and we’ll go see the doctor.”

Todoroki Kaien had a nice ring to it, he thought as he got dressed and freshened up. He knew Endeavor was reluctant about keeping the child, let alone raising him, but maybe if he gave him enough time he’d warm up to the idea. Meanwhile, he had no idea what family name they could give him.

The baby—Kaien—was all bundled up by the time he stepped back into the living room. Endeavor had done a good job guessing both of their sizes, and it made him think the man wasn’t as oblivious as he’d originally suspected. His new coat was quite nice, fur lining soft against his wing bases and skin as he zipped it shut and took Kaien from Endeavor. He looked so cute in his little coat, hat, and mittens, staring up at him with familiar amber eyes.

The trip to the facility was uneventful besides some threatening glares from Endeavor to the taxi driver since they didn’t have a car seat yet. Kaien was about four months old, by the doctor’s educated guess, and in perfect health. They caught him up on what vaccines they could and made a file for him.

He told them the name he picked and watched them write down the symbols for ocean swallow. One day, he knew his child would fly as freely as he did. The family name would be determined by the Commission, he guessed, since his was classified.

After they left, Endeavor detoured them to a store where they picked out some more essentials, including clothes, bottles, a car seat that clicked into a stroller, even toys. Yet again, he thought the entire situation was surreal, something that would only happen in the most indulgent of fantasies. But there they were, essentially playing house.

It felt nice. He hadn’t ever spared much thought to starting a family of his own. It seemed like a hassle no matter what path he took, so he let it go in favor of aggressively pursuing his goals. Getting closer to Endeavor and making a safer world. One down, one to go.

Kaien really threw a monkey wrench into those plans, but he didn’t mind. The instant he realized Kaien was their child, something unexpected had sparked deep inside him. He couldn’t have ignored it if he tried. How had his parents ever been so dismissive of him? He would do anything for the little person squirming in his arms, even if he wasn’t sure exactly why.

They returned to the house with Kaien safely secured in a new seat, greeted by a stash of groceries at the front door. They bustled around, taking bags inside, stocking the kitchen, and opening baby stuff. Kaien watched everything curiously from his car seat before starting to fuss for another feeding. Hawks cleaned a new bottle and filled it with formula, handing it to Endeavor while he prepared tea. He obediently heated it up and handed it back without a word.

It felt so charmingly domestic, he thought as he walked over to Kaien. He fed the little guy in his seat, listening to Endeavor move around the kitchen and amused at Kaien’s clumsy fumbling for the bottle as he drank. With things like this, he could pretend that they were a married couple, happily raising their first child.

A chill ran down his spine, ruffling his feathers, and he reached under the futon to turn on the kotatsu. Kaien’s little wings were so cute, covered in downy fuzz and growing pin feathers. Some of the casings had worn off, but many were still developing, just like his had at that age. Or so he’d been told. He was grateful there were enough heteromorphs around to have baby clothes with wing holes now. Maybe he would preen Kaien’s feathers later, remembering how his mother had done it for him when he was young.

Actually, preening might not work if he didn’t have enough oil. Reaching into the back of his pants, he pressed around his uropygial gland. It still felt swollen and tender, sending little shocks of pleasure through his pelvis as he expressed some oil. Of course, that was the moment Endeavor walked into the room with a tray of food and tea. He raised an eyebrow as he set everything out on the kotatsu.

“This isn’t what it looks like,” he said, pulling his hand free and displaying oil slicked fingers. “I’m, uh, checking to see if I make enough to preen Kaien’s feathers.”

“Ah,” said Endeavor, sitting down across from him. “Are you feeling okay? You look flushed.”

“Really?” He placed a hand on his forehead, like that indicated anything. “I just turned on the kotatsu. Maybe that’s it.”

Endeavor looked skeptical while he poured him some tea. “I can get you something cool to drink instead.”

“Nah, I’m good.” He started loading a plate and digging into the food. Endeavor really was a decent chef. He said as much just to watch him blush.

As he ate, Hawks did feel a little warmer than usual. A dull ache radiated from his gland into the sling of his pelvis, rousing everything in its wake, and suddenly he knew exactly what was going on. Clinging to denial, he ignored the growing discomfort, somehow hoping it was a false alarm.

By the time they finished eating, he knew for certain. His cycle was starting for the first time in years. He braced himself for the impending embarrassment, wondering if he could sequester himself in a room until it was over. Kaien started crying and he quickly realized that was impossible.

He picked the baby up and felt his wet diaper, glad for the excuse to leave the room. The house was littered with baby supplies, though they didn’t have a bed. Endeavor had claimed a futon would work perfectly fine since his children slept on them. He would set the kid up in the boy’s room later on, he’d said, complete with a little space heater to keep him warm.

It took three tries to secure the diaper correctly, and his vision started swimming as he grasped at flailing limbs, trying to put pajamas on him. A cramp stabbed through his guts and he hunched over Kaien with a groan, curling his wings around them. When something grabbed one and forced it back, he weakly resisted the pull.

“What’s wrong?” asked Endeavor, sounding slightly more worried than annoyed as he continued tugging the wing out of his way. Kaien happily kicked on the tatami, legs still free of his pajamas.

“I’m fine,” he said, finally curling his wings back and wiping the sweat from his brow. Another cramp hit him and he groaned, wrapping an arm around his abdomen. Damn, he’d forgotten how much this shit hurt.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” snapped Endeavor, sliding Kaien over and redressing him. “You look awful. Are you sick?”

“No…” More cramps speared his insides, and he was suddenly nauseated and hot. His nerves felt raw as his entire pelvis ached with a unique and distantly familiar yearning. “This is… something different.”

Endeavor picked up the baby and placed a hand on Hawks’ cheek. “What’s happening? You’re burning up.”

“It’s a cycle,” he said, already feeling his thoughts scatter under the debilitating flood of hormones. Glancing up at Endeavor’s confused face, he sighed. “I have these weird, um… horny cycles. Heteromorph stuff.”

“Is it a fertility thing?” asked Endeavor, nostrils flaring incrementally. “Like a breeding cycle or something?”

He laughed, wiping his face again. His clothes suddenly felt stifling. “I’m not actually a bird, you know.”

Endeavor rolled his eyes and stood up. “I’m going to put Kaien down for a nap. Go rest in my room and I’ll check up on you after I get some work done.”

If it weren’t for Kaien, he probably would have fled the house like it was on fire. Instead, he stripped down to his boxers and crawled into Endeavor’s bed, curling into a fetal position. The beginning of the cycle was always the worst, turning him into a delirious, aching furnace. It almost felt like something was shifting around inside him, though the doctors at the Commission claimed it was just inflammation.

The first time it had happened, he thought he was dying. It still felt like that, and if anything, they had only gotten worse over the years. He endured it, rolling around on the bed and moaning in discomfort. The shadows grew longer as he slipped in and out of consciousness, masking the room with darkness. He hoped it hid him too.

The distant sound of his phone ringing filtered into the room at some point, Endeavor’s voice at another, Kaien crying. He felt like he was on fire, crawling off the bed and stumbling towards the bathroom. If he could cool off a little, maybe he wouldn’t feel so bad. His head was spinning, knocking out his balance as he braced himself against the wall.

Just a little further to the shower.

He ducked under the cool stream of water, not even bothering to remove his boxers. Fiddling with the temperature, he got it just right and sank down onto the tile floor with a sigh. It blew away some of the cobwebs, but his head still felt like it was stuffed with cotton. He sluggishly kicked off his boxers, sick of feeling the wet fabric cling to his skin.

That was where Endeavor found him, slumped against the wall and half-asleep under the cooling water. He turned it off and crouched down, shaking his shoulder and calling his name. Hawks tried answering, but all that came out was a whine.

“That’s it,” said Endeavor, grabbing a nearby towel and wrapping it around his shoulders under his wings. “I’m taking you to the hospital.”

The meaning of the phrase barely registered, but he heard the word hospital clearly.

“No!” he protested, lashing out weakly, pushing uselessly at Endeavor’s chest. “Please, don’t…”

What a pitiful creature he was, and right where Endeavor could see every shameful secret his body possessed. He could at least tolerate that. Not so much if random hospital staff found out, though.

“Hawks,” started Endeavor, but he cut him off.

“It’s… I’m okay,” he said, well aware he didn’t look or feel that way. “It happens every time. I just… need a couple days. It’ll pass.”

He didn’t bother waiting for a response, closing his eyes and clinging to Endeavor’s shirt. Tremors shook his limbs as the fever spiked again, and he felt Endeavor’s temperature rise while he briskly dried him off. His body felt light, and he realized in a delayed manner that Endeavor was carrying him back to bed.

Soft covers, familiar breathing patterns vibrating through his feathers, a smoky scent, all filtered in on a lag. He heard Endeavor’s voice, though he had no idea what he was saying. Something vaguely threatening. Aww, he was worried. All he managed was a hum, then promptly passed out.

Chapter End Notes

> Baby acquired!! I hope you enjoyed the beginning of this little domestic journey. While writing this series over the years, I've grown quite attached to these versions of Enji and Hawks. It's been fun to skirt canon and just change things as I please.

> Thanks for reading and let me know what you think! You can find me on twitter @specterpeach 💕

## Chapter 2

Chapter Notes

> The cycle begins!! 🙌

See the end of the chapter for more notes

The muffled hum of engines and melody of birds filtered into the stale morning air. Hawks groaned, limbs heavy and sore as he shifted and looked around. For a few confusing seconds, he had no idea where he was. Endeavor’s large form slumbering beside him brought reality crashing back down around him. Well, that and the persistent aching void that used to be his groin.

Thankfully, the fever and pain had significantly subsided. That initial phase never lasted long despite feeling like it took an eternity. The next phase, however, was the part he was most worried about. He knew from experience that he had a brief window of lucidity before his brain flipped the primal horny switch, reducing him to a desperate, whiny slut.

The quiet vibrations of Kaien babbling reached his feathers past the background din of the city and Endeavor’s steady breathing. He crawled out of bed, careful not to disturb Endeavor, and put on one of his roomy t-shirts. The house was cold, but he was still feverish enough that it felt refreshing.

Trudging into the kitchen, he filled a bottle and stuck it in the bottle warmer Endeavor had thoughtfully purchased. Considering he might not be around to help out much longer, it was a kind gesture. Kind but depressing, actually. He ate a leftover pastry and drank milk from the carton before the device beeped.

Kaien was in one of the kid’s rooms, lying on the futon and kicking his legs while he cooed to himself. Such a mellow and content child. Not that he had a great frame of reference. He noticed Hawks and smiled, reaching his little hands towards him. It was a critical hit to his heart, and he swiftly scooped Kaien up with a smile of his own.

“Good morning, my little chick,” he said, delighting in the happy noise Kaien made in response. “Did you sleep well?”

A nonsensical series of noises was his answer, and he swore they almost sounded like chirps. Had he chirped as a child? Kaien started complaining once he saw the bottle, grabbing at it when Hawks offered it to him. He couldn’t hold it by himself yet, but seemed determined to keep it close as he drank. It only took him a few minutes to drain the bottle completely.

“Good job, Kaien,” he praised, placing him over his shoulder and patting his back.

“We can start feeding him blended food,” said Endeavor from behind him, startling him half to death. “Seems like he might need the extra nutrients.”

“Endeavor-san, good morning,” he said, trying to calm his racing heart.

“You seem better.” Endeavor yawned and pulled his robe closed, tying the belt.

“Uh, yeah, I’m still—”

“You’re leaking on my floor,” interrupted Endeavor, pointing at his legs.

He snapped his gaze down and saw the rivulets of clear fluid running down his thighs and onto the tatami. He had felt it trickling out, but hadn’t noticed it reach the floor. Probably should have put underwear on.

“Ah, sorry!” His face heated up, maybe from embarrassment, or maybe ramping up for the next phase. He tried to awkwardly mop it up with the oversized t-shirt, cradling Kaien with some spare feathers. “This cycle stuff… it’s weird. I, uh…”

“It’s fine.” Endeavor walked over and took the baby, kissing Hawks briefly on the lips. “Are you hungry?”

“Y-yes,” he stuttered, gazing up at Endeavor with a glazed over expression. His head was starting to feel fuzzy again, hormones seeping into his system like a slow acting venom. “I’m gonna go put on some pants.”

The trip to the bedroom felt like a journey. He stood staring at his boxers for a few minutes before he even remembered why he was there. The pants weren’t as much of an obstacle, but they weren’t his usual clothes and seemed too tight. He had them all the way on before he realized he’d never wiped the slick off his legs. Oops.

It was strange. He did usually make fluid during his cycles, but never this much. In fact, his usual amount barely sufficed as lube, but reaching back into his pants he felt not only his swollen gland but dampness between his cheeks. As long as it wasn’t blood, but really, it wasn’t normal. He braced himself for the possibility of another humiliating doctor visit if it managed to dehydrate him or something.

By the time he made it to the living room, Kaien was sitting in his car seat chewing on a teething ring and Endeavor was already hustling out dishes. He was pretty sure his eyes sparkled when Endeavor set a fresh cup of coffee down in front of him, followed by a sugary creamer. The spread was traditional, including miso soup, grilled fish, tamagoyaki, tsukemono, and rice.

Once Endeavor was seated, Hawks glanced over at Kaien and back, beaming a smile. This was the kind of thing he never had growing up. His handlers had rarely cooked, and he was left eating cafeteria food most of the time. Not that he didn’t appreciate having regular meals, they just lacked the love of home cooked ones.

Endeavor’s meals were always delicious. He eagerly ate his share, ignoring the ache in his pelvis and increasingly hazy vision. If he could just get through this then he could slink off to the bedroom.

“So, is it over?” asked Endeavor, sipping his coffee. He dipped a finger into the small puddle of pickling juice and offered it to Kaien, who sucked on the digit with a surprised look.

It was so cute and distracting, he forgot what Endeavor asked. “You’re really good with babies,” he said, instead of what he probably should have.

“I would hope so since I’ve had four.” He withdrew his hand, leaving Kaien with a contemplative expression as he processed the taste. “Don’t change the subject.”

Staring out the window, he concentrated with little success, trying to remember what Endeavor had said. Something about it being over? “Did you ask about our relationship again?”

“No!” snapped Endeavor, cheeks tinted the faintest pink. “I guess that answers my question then. You look dazed. Go back to the room and rest.”

“Okay.” He obediently rose to his feet and suddenly noticed slick had soaked through his pants into the zabuton. “Um…”

Endeavor had stood up and started clearing the table, eyes trailing from his wet crotch down to the cushion. “It’s fine. I’ll take care of it.”

How embarrassing. Was it really fine? It looked like he’d wet the damn thing. He didn’t get to dwell on it long, struggling to maintain his balance as he made his way back to the bedroom. It was a relief when he fell onto the bed, and he fought mild nausea as the room spun around him for a moment.

As dramatic as it sounded, he felt like a chasm had opened up inside him. Logically, he knew it was just the stupid hormones, but there was always something behind it, gleefully tossing it into overdrive. Trauma? Abandonment issues? He didn’t know, but he usually tried fucking his way through it one way or another. It was the only silver lining to having the cycle around Endeavor.

He must have nodded off again, because the next thing he saw was Endeavor hunched over him. The shadows had shifted, room dimmer even though it couldn’t be much later than midday. Maybe they would get that snow after all. A smoky scent invaded his senses, enticing him to seek out and taste the source.

Hawks reached out, nerves vibrating with anticipation. His hand made contact with the solid wall of muscle Endeavor called a chest, and he sighed at the heat rolling off him, ready to tear the offending fabric off. Even with the cloth barrier, the touch felt electrified, a strange buzzing sensation shooting down his arm.

“You smell different,” said Endeavor, voice low and thick with what he hoped was desire.

Without warning, he stuck a hand down Hawks’ pants and right between his ass cheeks, eliciting a gasp. The fingers swiped over his hole, and Endeavor’s eyes widened while he gently prodded the puffy rim. He wanted to tell Endeavor to shove them inside, as many as he could fit, just… fill him. Nothing came out of his mouth except a lewd moan, body betraying him for inadequate stimulation. Traitor.

“It’s so swollen,” noted Endeavor, continuing to explore. He finally slipped exactly one finger inside him, which earned a needy whine. “And wet. Does it hurt?”

He shook his head, clenching Endeavor’s shirt like a life preserver. “More,” he gasped, trying to push back against the thick finger.

That was all the encouragement Endeavor needed, and suddenly clothes were being tugged and pulled off, maybe even torn. He didn’t care. That aching chasm had turned into a yawning abyss the instant Endeavor had breached him. Desire rampaged through his veins, an endless chanted demand from a foggy mind: fill, fill, inside, inside…

He felt so tragically empty. Endeavor shushed him, sliding his stiff cock against the messy fluid between his legs. Maybe he was saying those things out loud. A pathetic sob tumbled out of his throat when he felt a familiar, broad cockhead nudge against his sensitive rim.

“Please,” he gasped, clinging, pressing, curling his wings inward and cocooning them inside a sea of red.

“Shhh,” soothed Endeavor, petting his hair and pulling him close. “I got you.”

The cock slipped inside, slow and smooth, gliding on his ample slick and prying him open, deeper and deeper. It felt so long, so thick, so perfect . The overwhelming stretch and burn faded quickly as his body blossomed like a flower, taking and taking until finally, Endeavor bottomed out on a groan.

“It went in so easy this time,” he praised, petting down Hawks’ chest with a huge, searing hand.

He practically purred under the attention, leaning into a wave of gratification sluggishly working through his limbs. His cock wasn’t even that hard yet, but it felt so damn good, already sending little bursts of pleasure shooting through his nerves.

Endeavor pulled out most of the way, ignoring whines of protest as he deliberately slid back in, eyes fixed on where his cock disappeared into Hawks’ pliant body. One hand anchored on a hip and the other still splayed on his chest, Endeavor slowly thrust two more times, then snapped.

The thrusts were hard and fast, carving into him at a brutal pace and pushing him up the mattress with each stroke. The sounds of skin slapping and slick squelching obscenely filled the room, a sweet scent spiking and mingling with smoke.

Wait… why was there smoke?

He couldn’t tell, but it was probably Endeavor losing control since he had flames licking his jawline.

“Shit,” swore Endeavor, still hammering into him. “M’close.”

Fumbling a hand between his legs, Hawks frantically jerked himself off. His dick got mostly hard and felt good, but it was his ass that started clamping down on waves of euphoria. Not that anal didn’t normally feel great, but this variety of it was spectacular. He didn’t even care what was going on with Endeavor, just tipped his head back and moaned, long and low, insides spasming around his massive cock.

He vaguely registered heat flooding him at some point while he was riding out the orgasm, but what really tipped him off that Endeavor had come was that he stopped moving. Hawks put his arms around him, pulling him down for a kiss. It was sloppy and uncoordinated, but neither of them seemed to mind. A shudder rippled through Endeavor when Hawks mouthed his way to an ear and bit the lobe.

“So good, Endeavor-san,” he mumbled, basking in post-coital bliss. “You filled me… so fast, so full… mmm.”

The sensation of the cum warming his insides triggered a mellowing wave of gratification, taking the edge off the emptiness gnawing at his loins. The cycles had never been this bad, though he didn’t know what to make of that. Endeavor shivered again, still half-hard as Hawks squeezed around him one last time, just to feel him buried in his swollen canal.

His dick hadn’t even slipped out when Kaien’s soft crying drifted down the hallway.

“Well, this brings back memories,” muttered Endeavor, finally sliding free and withdrawing. He wiped himself clean with a discarded shirt and rushed out of the room naked.

Hawks smiled and splayed a hand over his abdomen, grimacing when he felt his own cum. As usual, it was sticky and clear, webbing between his fingers as he stretched them out. He wasn’t even sure if his dick had gotten completely hard, but he thought it probably hadn’t. Whatever hormones that were running rampant through his system made that difficult, for whatever reason.

He absently wiped his hand off on the covers then pulled them over himself, drifting off to sleep, warm and content. While he knew the reprieve was temporary since the episodes happened in waves, Endeavor wasn’t gone long enough for him to even ramp back up again. He came thundering back into the room, tossed the covers back, and crowded right back against Hawks.

“I’m not done with you yet,” declared Endeavor, reaching around his wings as he pressed impossibly closer.

Oh god. The man was already half-hard and urgently groping all over his body with his meaty hands. His nerves lit up like a string of lights, gasping in a distinctly smoky scent and feeling demanding lips working down his neck, sucking, biting.

“This is the reason I brought you back here,” said Endeavor, then he growled softly. Growled! It was an unexpectedly animalistic sound. “This is what I really want,” he said, roughly grabbing Hawks’ ass in an expansive hand.

Somehow this felt more unhinged than when he’d been punished.

“Endeavor-san,” he said, gazing back over his shoulder with the most coy expression he could muster. “Are you just with me for my body?”

Like he would even give a shit if that were true. He was pretty sure he’d had at least one steamy daydream based on that exact concept.

“Maybe,” said Endeavor with a smile he thought indicated he was joking. Probably. “Such a fine piece of ass flitting around me all the time, who would blame me for wanting a taste?”

Damn, that statement shot straight between his legs, made him throb and leak. The emptiness was creeping back in, slowly prying that chasm open until he squirmed with discomfort. Endeavor didn’t even bother rolling him over one way or the other, just hiked his leg up and pushed into him from behind.

The pace was slower, even, almost languid. Endeavor took his time, fucking into him with deliberate strokes and letting his hands wander. They roamed restlessly over his arms, chest, down his legs, one time grasping a foot, he couldn’t get enough. It was similar to the reverent fucking they’d done in his penthouse, right before they’d called things off. Or rather, Endeavor called it off. Hawks had always wanted this to last as long as possible.

Endeavor’s hand eventually found his cock and he made a confused noise from what he discovered. Panic picked at the edges of his hazy mind as he slipped his hand down and gently moved Endeavor’s aside. Ah, he was still only maybe half-hard at best.

“It’s hormones,” he muttered, briskly jerking himself off. His dick didn’t feel like it was getting much harder, but he glanced down and saw it leaking a shivering string of thick, clear fluid. Giving up, he reached down past his balls to where Endeavor’s thick shaft was plunging into him. “Feels better here.”

At that, Endeavor growled again and rolled him onto his stomach. He moved with more intent, hammering into him with powerful, deep thrusts and picking up speed as he went. Faster, erratic, intense, Endeavor panted behind him, skin growing so hot it almost hurt to touch.

“Greedy… little bird,” hissed Endeavor, between grunts of effort. He leaned over and slapped his hands on Hawks’, trapping them against the mattress. “You want my cum, huh? I’ll… give it to you, fuck it deep inside—”

Endeavor’s pace stuttered, and he stilled on a long moan that vibrated down Hawks’ spine. He clenched around that iron hard cock just as searing heat flooded his guts, gasping at the burn while Endeavor thrust a couple more times.

The orgasm came on suddenly and strangely, flooding his body with euphoria before the first spasm hit. His feathers shivered under the torrent of gratification, and his hole clenched weakly around the cock still pulsing inside him. Somewhere during the next few waves, his dick finally gave some twitches of pleasure, and despite grinding against the mattress, they tapered off quickly.

Hooking an arm around his waist, Endeavor rolled them onto their sides, still buried inside him even as he softened. His heavy breathing filled Hawks’ ears, rustling his feathers while he idly memorized the rhythm. The air was dense with the scent of sweat and cum, familiar smoky undercurrent accentuating it nicely. He looked at the covers near the pillows and saw scorch marks. So that’s why he smelled smoke, but was it done earlier or just now?

They laid like that, pressed together as much as his wings would allow, Endeavor’s soft cock finally slipping free at some point. The gush of fluid that oozed out was oddly distressing, and he made a small sound of protest. Kaien started fussing again, something his feathers picked up before Endeavor noticed.

“I’ll get him,” he grumbled, sliding off the bed. “Are you hungry? I can make something light.”

“I’m fine,” he said, tugging the blanket over himself, chilled from the loss of Endeavor’s heated skin. Now that the afterglow was tapering off, he felt exhausted and slightly nauseated. Still, his system seemed satisfied enough that he’d been filled and he quickly nodded off.

The enthusiastic coupling kept the next wave at bay for longer than usual, or at least he thought it did since he woke to darkness. The days were short in winter, but he guessed hours had passed since it had been midday when he passed out. He still felt achy and sore, sliding off the bed and shuffling to the bathroom, feathers twitching as they detected Endeavor’s even voice somewhere in the house.

A mixture of fluids started running down his legs as he walked, and he didn’t have the energy to give a shit, half-heartedly wiping them off once he made it to the bathroom. His rim was still so swollen, despite having been through far worse. Just gently prodding it made him hiss in discomfort, dull ache spreading in his groin.

After relieving himself, he vainly attempted taming his wild hair and returned to the bedroom. Digging through drawers for something to wear, he found a smaller robe. It was probably Rei’s but he put it on anyway, draping it back under his wings. The fit was decent.

He knew he should be resting, vision swimming slightly as he ventured out into the house, but he was too curious. Kaien was strapped into his chair in the living room, kicking and babbling as he chewed on a toy while the TV played in the background. Detouring into the kitchen, he got a glass of water and noticed there were some covered dishes resting on the counter.

Endeavor really was a lot more considerate than he would’ve ever pegged him for.

“Hawks!” came a sudden call from nearby.

He almost inhaled his water, hacking into his hand. “We gotta stop meeting this way,” he mumbled between coughs.

“Sorry,” said Endeavor, patting his back firmly. “I just got off the phone with the Commission.”

“Shit,” he swore, thumping his chest. “Please tell me you didn’t say anything about my cycle.”

The resulting silence made his skin crawl. The Commission had always been a bit too interested in his unique biology. In fact, they had sent him to the doctors that discovered he had them in the first place. They told him they wanted to be notified whenever he had them, like it was any of their damn business.

“I… may have mentioned you weren’t feeling well,” said Endeavor, sheepishly. “They called your phone, so I had to say something.”

“You answered my phone?”

Endeavor nodded, like it was the most natural thing in the world. “I saw Mera’s name on the caller ID. We have their property right now. I didn’t want them worrying we ran off or something.”

“Property?” It took a minute for him to parse the meaning. “Did you just call Kaien property ?”

“Listen, Hawks, I know you’re attached to him, but—”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” he interrupted. “You don’t want him.”

“I never said that,” argued Endeavor.

“But you don’t,” he shot back. “You’ve been clear about that from the start. Why are you even bothering to help me at all?”

Adrenaline was the only reason he could even think straight at the moment, and he felt another gush of slick sliding down his thighs. At the very least, Kaien didn’t seem to mind them fighting, still babbling to himself.

“Because I’m a hero and that’s what we do,” said Endeavor, tone laced with irritation. “You looked so lost when we left the Commission Headquarters, and Jeanist certainly didn’t stick around long enough to lend you a hand. Should I have left you to figure it out on your own?”

Anger flared in his chest as his wings instinctively fanned out. They brushed the cabinets before he even realized what they were doing. “Maybe you should have,” he said, irrationally.

Endeavor barked out a laugh. “Right. Cause you have so much experience with kids. Who would’ve fucked you through your cycle then? Maybe Jeanist?”

“Are you still upset about that?” Endeavor’s expression predictably soured, but Hawks pressed on. “I can go through cycles alone. It sucks but I won’t die. You know what? Fuck this. If you don’t want to be part of it, I’m leaving.”

He stomped forward, intent on dramatically sweeping past Endeavor towards Kaien, but his body had other plans. Just as he approached Endeavor, he stumbled under a combination of dizziness and coltish legs. Endeavor easily caught him, holding him steady even as he tried thrashing his way free.

“Hawks, knock it off!” he yelled, wrangling him like a wild animal. It took him a couple tries to restrain his wings, but he eventually got those in his iron grip as well.

Frustrated tears welled in his eyes while he kept weakly struggling. “Let me go!” he protested but Endeavor held fast. “If you don’t care about Kaien, then let me go!” An embarrassing sob followed that phrase and he really wished he could cover his mouth.

“You’re not going anywhere like this,” said Endeavor, cautiously loosening his hold. “The Commission wants to meet with us as soon as possible. You can’t run from them.”

He most certainly could run from them, but they would eventually find him. There were times when he entertained fantasies of a normal, carefree life away from hero work and the Commission. Foolish, idle fantasies that would never become reality. Deep down he knew even his goal of creating a world where heroes had more time was foolish too. It would never happen, at least not in his lifetime, yet he felt compelled to try.

Kaien was another goal on that list now, his chance to rescue someone from the Commission’s opportunistic, all-encompassing reach and control.

“I have to do this,” he said, voice thick with tears and desperation. “If… if I don’t raise him, they will. I don’t want that for him.”

Endeavor’s arms went slack and he backed up slightly, glancing into the living room at Kaien.

The adrenaline was crashing and Hawks suddenly felt shaky and frail. “He was made from us. He deserves better, Endeavor-san.”

His statement was met with silence, though Endeavor wore a thoughtful expression. He let out an exasperated sigh and once again tried breezing past Endeavor, but only made it a couple steps before faltering. Endeavor caught his arm and steadied him like it was second nature.

“Go sit down at the kotatsu,” he said, softly. “I’ll put Kaien to bed and warm up your dinner.”

The house had grown quite cold so he didn’t argue. Endeavor helped him into the living room and he got to say goodnight to Kaien after sitting down. He offered Hawks his toy which made him cry more, happily taking it from his little hand. Despite all his verbal reluctance surrounding the child, Endeavor smiled as he watched the encounter. He unclipped Kaien and disappeared into the hallway.

While Hawks waited, he wiped his face dry and fluffed some pillows behind him. Reclining onto the fluffy pile with the warmth of the kotatsu had him immediately dozing off. The cycles were annoying, but at least he got some extra rest out of them.

He woke to Endeavor placing food on the table along with some tea. It was a simple meal of miso soup and tamago kake gohan, and he devoured it pretty quickly. Maybe he was more hungry than he realized, though he refused the offer for more. Just being near Endeavor, with his comforting smoky scent drifting over to him, was making him ache to be filled again.

“You were pretty wild earlier,” he said, instead of apologizing or addressing any of the other pressing issues.

“Was I?” asked Endeavor, sipping his tea. The weather played on the TV in the background, once again promising snow. It certainly felt cold enough for it.

“Yeah.” He fiddled with the ceramic mug. “Definitely got the possessive vibe, though you kinda implied you were only with me for my body.”

Endeavor’s eyes widened. “I did? I don’t remember saying that. Your scent, once it got into my head… things got kind of hazy.”

That was a good way to describe it, and exactly what his head was feeling like at that moment. Uselessly hazy and with a singular goal in mind. He moved out from the heat of the kotatsu and towards Endeavor. Even though they had just fought, Endeavor made no move to stop him, watching as he lifted the futon and crawled onto his lap.

“How long do these things normally last?” he asked, sliding his hands up under the robe and groping his thighs.

“Depends.” He fumbled Endeavor’s pants open, fishing his hardening cock out and stroking it. “Sometimes a couple days…” Leaning forward, he nosed at his neck, kissing up to his ear. “Sometimes longer.”

A deep hum rumbled from Endeavor’s chest as his hands slid up and grasped his ass, kneading the muscle. He moved Hawks forward over his cock and lined up with his leaking hole. It was the best kind of teamwork, slowly lowering himself onto that thick rod, feeling it stretch and burn. Nobody had ever filled him like this, so warm and deep.

When his ass reached Endeavor’s thighs, he paused and shivered, simply enjoying the sensation. It immediately dulled the yearning ache, and he sighed in relief. Pushing the robe off one shoulder, Endeavor leaned in and kissed the exposed skin, working his way up to his trapezius. He bit down gently just as he thrust up, then sucked on the tender area.

His legs felt weak, so he used his feathers, lifting up, then sinking down on Endeavor’s cock. Lips released his neck and slid with the movement, groaning against flesh. It took all of his concentration, keeping the motion fluid and smooth. Up, down, up, down, all to the tune of their combined harsh panting. He got a little harder, but still not completely.

Endeavor wrung two orgasms out of him, one seated on his lap and the next flipped over onto the floor. That time, he fucked Hawks like a man possessed, hammering into him with strong, powerful thrusts. Even though he’d just come, he brought them both to another pinnacle, maintaining intense eye contact almost the entire time.

Okay, so maybe he was still acting a little more possessive than normal. Just a little.

Sticking his nose in-between the junction of Hawks’ neck and shoulder, Endeavor breathed in and shuddered out a sigh. “You smell so damn good,” he mumbled against his skin. “Kinda sweet.”

Past partners had told him that too, but never acted quite this unhinged with him. He supposed Endeavor was a unique powerhouse, but he wanted to believe it had something to do with their compatibility.

They went to bed after that and Hawks woke at some random hour for round three. Squirming out of his hold and sneaking a hand down between Endeavor’s legs, he had him riled up from a dead sleep in minutes. He rolled Hawks onto his side and fucked him lazily from behind until he came all over the covers, muttering something about horny birds. The hot pulsing inside him soon after lulled him to sleep.

The next day was a hazy mixture of eating, napping, and sex. Endeavor graciously took care of Kaien and all the meals, attentively dropping everything for a quick fuck when Hawks came whining and clinging. He felt so desperate, emptiness spreading through his loins, clouding his mind with desire. It wasn’t like their first time together, when an aphrodisiac side effect was to blame for his excessive libido. This felt worse, out of control, annoying and embarrassing. He couldn’t even think straight long enough to preen Kaien’s feathers.

Still, Endeavor tolerated it well, not only keeping up with him but wearing him out at times. It finally started ramping down the third day, and he was relieved to feel his cognitive function slowly returning.

They showed up at the Commission Headquarters, as instructed, on the fourth day. The effects of the cycle still hadn’t worn off completely, but he didn’t want to chance waiting any longer. They probably already knew what was going on anyway. Walking through the lobby with a baby seat in hand gained them many interested stares, and he knew the only reason it wouldn’t be plastered all over social media was their strict rules and regulations.

Not that he particularly cared. As he’d thought before, a good scandal could shake things up enough that he’d have an opening right into Endeavor’s life. It was kind of depressing to think as involved as they were, he hadn’t even stepped a single toe inside the man’s family home.

The elevator seemed like it took forever getting up to the restricted floor that housed all the highest level offices, including the Presidents. He was predictably nervous, but wasn’t expecting the sight that greeted them once they got past the secretary.

To most people, the unassuming young man standing nearby probably wouldn’t have even gained a second glance. To Hawks, he was the worst person he possibly could have run into at that moment. Well, any moment, really. His blood ran cold and his feathers ruffled in distress, something Endeavor definitely noticed.

He shoved the car seat at Endeavor. “Don’t let them take Kaien, no matter what.”

“What? Why?” Endeavor seemed confused but obediently took the car seat handle. Kaien looked up at him curiously, then back down the hall at the mysterious man.

“Hawks,” called the man he knew all too well, walking towards them. He looked friendly, average, with medium length dark hair. His eyes were the only notable thing about him, a unique shade of green sitting in contrast to dark limbal rings. “Long time no see.”

“Not long enough,” he retorted before thinking better of it.

“Who are you?” demanded Endeavor, puffing his chest out a bit like he usually did when asserting dominance.

“I’m an old friend of Hawks’,” he said, stopping short of them, hand casually in a pocket. Did all the Commission’s agents have such a smug look about them? “They call me Yasu.”

“Yasu?” Endeavor glanced at Hawks with a mild frown that only deepened when he took in his state. “Are you a hero too?”

“Nah,” said Yasu, waving dismissively. “Hawks, I think you know what my presence here means.”

“Enlighten me.” Damn. His mouth was not behaving itself and this wasn’t a person he could weasel around.

“I’d rather not in front of him,” said Yasu, nodding vaguely in Endeavor’s direction. “Don’t make this more difficult than it has to be. Just come along peacefully and I won’t use it.”

God. He loathed Yasu’s quirk, something he feared more than fire. Telepaths with his abilities were rare, but of course the Commission had found one. Remembering the feeling of losing control of his body, watching helplessly as it did someone else’s bidding, made his stomach flip and skin crawl.

Yasu was a potent tool that the Commission kept under lock and key, shrouded in secrecy so nobody else could get their hands on his quirk. He was kind of surprised that All For One hadn’t discovered him at some point, though Hawks had never found any information on him either. An enigma wrapped in a mystery that they pulled out when they needed to force agents into submission.

“Let me talk to her first,” he said, trying to negotiate despite knowing it wouldn’t work.

Yasu sighed and shook his head. “Come on, stop wasting my time. Let’s get this over with.”

He took a step backwards, irrationally thinking of fleeing. As the fastest hero, he had a chance. The thought of being put back on an exam table didn’t sit right with him, and he desperately racked his brain for anything that could save him the humiliation.

“Hawks, what’s going on?” asked Endeavor, glancing between them. He wondered if he would’ve already stepped in front of him if he didn’t have Kaien to consider.

“None of your business, Number One,” said Yasu, taking another step towards him, like that was even necessary. The look in his eyes was all too familiar.

Honestly, it was Endeavor’s business too since they were intimately involved, but he wasn’t about to bring that up. All it took was a twitch of Yasu’s mouth to send him instinctively zipping backwards, wrapping his wings around himself. His own telepathic connection to his feathers shielded him from Yasu’s quirk once at a distance, maybe it would work again.

“Hawks!” boomed Endeavor, flames erupting around his face and startling Kaien into crying.

Either the distance wasn’t sufficient or Yasu had gotten stronger, because Hawks felt his ability seize him right at the base of his skull. It was difficult to describe the sensation, like a tentacle slithering around his spinal cord, spreading into his system like a poison and immobilizing him one limb at a time. He lost control of his wings last, sailing for a floor or wall, whatever stopped him first.

His feet landed on the floor a second later, and he looked down at them in shock before realizing what happened. Not under his volition, his head snapped up to look at Yasu vacantly smirking at him from down the hall. To his right, he could see Endeavor scowling at Yasu and nervously glancing back at him, posture tense.

Kaien kept crying, a shrill sound in a narrow space, and finally someone popped their head out of an office. It ended up being Mera, and he waved Endeavor over. The poor guy looked so damned conflicted as he hesitantly walked towards the door.

“Don’t worry about me, Endeavor-san,” he heard his own voice say. “I’ll be fine. See you soon, okay?”

Endeavor seemed skeptical, but disappeared into the office. Ah well, it wasn’t like they could truly resist the Commission anyway. Still sucked.

His body walked towards Yasu stiffly, and he struggled against it every step of the way.

“For fuck’s sake, Hawks,” complained Yasu inside his head as he turned around. “Resisting isn’t going to do anything but give us both a headache.”

“You better not snoop around while you’re in here,” he threatened, though he really couldn’t do much but try to shield his thoughts. A vague and probably useless effort.

Yasu looked back at him as they walked into an elevator, one tucked back in a corner that required an access card. His irises had gone a milky white, though his limbal rings remained vibrant. Creepy asshole.

“How are you their golden boy?” he asked, practically sneering at him as the elevator descended. “It can’t just be the wings. Does it have something to do with all this?” He waved a hand over his own belly, though Hawks knew he was referring to his. “Feels like shit. What the hell’s going on down there?”

He refused to answer, even if he knew Yasu could pry the information from his mind if he wanted. Luckily, it seemed like he wasn’t in the mood, since all he did was sigh and shrug.

“So annoying,” groused Yasu, crossing his arms. “Goodnight, Hawks.”

“Wait, don’t—”

Everything went abruptly dark. Another interesting and terrifying ability that Yasu had apparently mastered. Back when they were younger, he hadn’t been able to easily plunge people into an unconscious state and control their bodies. It was usually one or the other, both equally unpleasant. This way the Commission ensured he wouldn’t resist any of their invasive tests. Cowards.

He woke up on an exam table, covered with a thin blanket and shivering. The neon lights buzzed above his head, temporarily blinding him as he groaned and covered his eyes. He didn’t necessarily feel violated, but everything from his waist down was sore from his cycle so it was hard to tell. Sitting up and looking down at his arm, he saw a bandage at the bend, definitely from a blood draw.

“Here,” came Yasu’s voice, and he jolted as his folded clothes landed on his lap. “Get dressed and I’ll bring you back.”

“What did they do to me?”

Yasu rolled his eyes. “Like you don’t know. They do this to you every cycle.”

Not a couple, he thought triumphantly, before panicking that Yasu had heard that thought. His expression didn’t change, but that certainly didn’t mean he was oblivious. Hawks didn’t know how much his quirk had evolved.

“Were you here the whole time?” he pressed, pulling on his boxer briefs and pants. “Did they do anything new?”

“I don’t know,” said Yasu, watching him while he dressed. Too bad they never taught the guy social graces like they had with him. “I don’t know much about medical shit.”

“You know enough to knock people unconscious at will,” he retorted, tugging on his shirt, then sweatshirt, and finally coat.

Yasu muttered something under his breath and kicked his boots towards him. “It was the usual. Blood and oil samples, pelvic exam, and ultrasound.”

“Did they see anything different?”

“How the hell should I know?” Yasu crossed his arms and glared at him, marginally better than his persistent apathy. “I told you, I don’t know medical shit.”

“Can’t you use your mind powers to show me?” He stomped over to Yasu now that he had his boots on.

For a few seconds, it looked like Yasu was actually considering it, but he finally shook his head. “No way, I’m not getting in trouble for you, golden boy. Ask the Big Lady yourself.”

Suddenly, he remembered Kaien was upstairs with Endeavor and Mera. “Shit,” he swore, and Yasu seemed amused. “How much time passed? Take me back.”

“Yeah, yeah, come on.” Yasu walked ahead of him.

They had barely walked into the hallway when he heard another familiar voice. He stopped abruptly then followed it to an exam room. Endeavor was sitting in a chair that looked comically small under his hulking frame, and Kaien was kicking on a table as a doctor cooed down at him.

“Hawks!” said Endeavor, bolting to his feet and rushing over to him. “Are you okay? Where were you?”

“I’ll explain later,” he said, warily eyeing the doctor, even though she probably already knew about him. “Can… we take Kaien and go home?”

Something softened in Endeavor’s eyes at that question, though he didn’t know why. “Sure,” he said, turning around and picking Kaien up. He quickly redressed him before securing him in his car seat and handing him a toy.

Yasu was waiting for them and directed them both back towards the elevator and upstairs to the President. Hawks eyed his special keycard with pointed interest, though he didn’t seem to care. Once he had them on the correct floor, he walked away without another word.

“Good riddance,” mumbled Hawks, hoping he heard.

“Who is that guy?” asked Endeavor as they walked towards the President’s office.

“He’s basically an enforcer.” He paused at the door. “Not sure it’s safe to tell you who he is exactly.”

Endeavor gave him an unamused look and opened the door, waiting for him to enter first.

“You don’t look well,” said the President as soon as they were seated in front of her desk.

“Thanks, I don’t feel it either,” he shot back with a smile.

“Why didn’t you notify us of your cycle, as instructed?” she asked, hands folded neatly on a stack of papers.

“Because I was too busy having it.” She didn’t look amused either now. “I’ve told you they’re debilitating. I wasn’t kidding.”

The President stared at Endeavor, as if silently asking if this was true, and he nodded his confirmation.

“Let’s cut the small talk and get to the point,” said Hawks, too tired to bullshit. “Can I keep the kid or not?”

The President remained silent long enough that he practically squirmed in his seat. “You may,” she finally said. “On the conditions that we can monitor his progress and quirk development, and you notify us of any changes. You will be provided with a birth certificate, medical records, and adoption papers. Endeavor has requested to be left off of all documents.”

He turned a surprised face towards Endeavor. “Even the birth certificate? But you’re technically his father too.”

“Nobody fathered him,” said the President with her no-nonsense tone. “We thought it was for the best to fabricate his parents on the documents. This way, no paper trails lead back to either of you.”

“But—”

“Here’s the contract,” interrupted the President. She had that look on her face, one he knew meant she wouldn’t budge. “Please sign it, or leave the child with us. We won’t be providing you with a copy, but Mera can go over the details if you wish.”

He considered arguing more, but felt too bad. Exhaustion was settling in and he was growing shaky and weak, something the Commission would pounce on if he stayed too long. Offering his flattest expression, he stood and snatched the paperwork from her hand. After skimming it, he grabbed a pen with a feather and scribbled his signature. It had their standard jargon, the same recycled shit with the words shuffled around.

Without waiting to be dismissed, he turned and walked over to Endeavor. Picking up Kaien, he walked out of the office. Endeavor scrambled to keep up, muttering an “excuse me” to the President.

They walked through the lobby and barely anyone gave them a second glance this time. He still wasn’t quite sure what they’d done to him, but he felt terrible. He focused on keeping his balance as his vision started swimming, still upset with Endeavor. It wasn’t fair considering his situation, but he couldn’t help but feel betrayed.

“You don’t look good,” said Endeavor while he hailed a taxi.

“I know,” he all but whined, wiping the sweat from his brow. Strange since it was so cold.

“Why don’t I take Kaien?” Endeavor gently pried the car seat from his hands as a taxi rolled to a stop.

He didn’t have the energy to protest, and meekly ducked into the vehicle.

The trip back to the house blurred out as he slumped against the window and dozed off. Maybe he’d pushed himself too far too soon since this cycle had been so intense. It was new territory to him. Also, the Commission—sneaky bastards that they were—may have done something to him. But what?

He managed to take off his coat and boots, but got wobbly after that, so Endeavor helped him to the kotatsu. Settling under the futon, he laid back against the pillows and heard Endeavor turn on the heater. The world faded out, though consciousness occasionally tugged at him when he heard Kaien crying or Endeavor moving around the house.

Blinking awake some undetermined amount of time later, he looked out the window and saw delicate white flecks falling in the darkening yard. It was finally snowing. He sat up and stretched, smiling at Kaien seated nearby. His clothes were damp with sweat, though he didn’t feel overheated. He offered Kaien one of his fingers, happy when he grasped it in a strong grip and babbled.

“You’re awake,” said Endeavor, walking into the living room with a tray. It was tea and he could now smell something else wafting from the kitchen.

“I love a man who can cook,” he said, enjoying Endeavor’s blush as he set the tray down.

“So, you’re feeling better.”

It took a moment for him to even remember what had occurred earlier at the Commission Headquarters. Technically, he should still be mad at Endeavor, but he couldn’t quite muster up the emotion, not after everything he’d already done for both him and Kaien. He smiled and nodded.

Endeavor disappeared back into the kitchen, and Hawks sipped his tea while playing with Kaien. It didn’t take Endeavor long to bring out dinner. The meal was hot and savory, zosui with chicken and zenzai for dessert. Kaien fussed towards the end so Hawks fed him a few small spoonfuls of sweet liquid while Endeavor fixed a bottle.

“You’re going to give him a sweet tooth,” chided Endeavor, handing him the warmed bottle.

“I want to spoil him,” he declared, taking Kaien from his seat and cradling him while he fed him.

The more Kaien drank, the more tired he looked, warm and content. He was pretty much asleep when Endeavor offered to put him to bed, but he stubbornly refused and did it himself. It was still new to him, changing a baby and placing him on the futon. He covered Kaien and kissed him goodnight, his beautiful pink cheeked miracle.

He had barely settled back under the kotatsu when Endeavor laid another bomb on him.

“We need to talk,” he said, staring at Hawks with an expression that crawled under his skin.

“This again.” He laughed, trying to dispel the panic bubbling up. “The last time you said that, you broke up with me.”

Endeavor shook his head, reaching across the table and grabbing his hand. “Nothing like that, but I have to go back to work soon. There’s some pressing issues I need to attend to personally. I… didn’t expect this mission to take so long.”

“Oh.” It was all he managed to say, even though he’d been expecting it at some point. The disappointment was crushing.

“What did they do to you at the headquarters?” Endeavor squeezed his hand, seeking out his eyes.

“Testing,” he answered, almost mechanically. “They do it to me every cycle, though I’m not sure what they did this time since they knocked me out.”

“It was that kid, wasn’t it?” Endeavor looked slightly pissed off.

“Yeah.” He tried pulling his hand away but Endeavor tightened his grip. “He’s a telepath. A powerful one.”

“I don’t like the sound of that.”

He hummed in agreement, glancing out at the falling snow. “Not much we can do about it. When should I… uh, pack up?”

“I’ll have the supplies shipped to your penthouse,” said Endeavor. “Take the stroller, car seat, and food with you.”

“Okay.” He hastily wiped away a stray tear and sent out some feathers to pry his hand free from Endeavor’s grasp.

“You can fit some essentials in a carry-on bag, put the bottle warmer and the clothes I got you in your checked bag.” Endeavor paused. “Though I could order new supplies and have them delivered ahead of you.”

Money really did afford Endeavor many conveniences. Despite the thoughtfulness, he felt more tears welling in his eyes. Damn hormones.

Endeavor was distracted with his phone, texting or searching. “I saw a nice crib on this one site. It would look good in your guest bedroom.”

When he started crying softly into his hands, Endeavor made a surprised noise. He rushed over and gathered Hawks in his arms, petting his hair.

“I’m sorry,” said Endeavor, holding him close. He could feel the rumble of his voice in his chest, clinging to him like a needy barnacle. “I have to go back. My agency needs me and the new house, it…” He trailed off.

He shook his head, tilting it up and kissing his way towards Endeavor’s mouth. They fucked—or maybe it was closer to making love—at the kotatsu, then again in the bedroom. It chased away the lingering, dull ache in his groin, calming his frayed nerves each time he felt Endeavor’s searing release flood his insides.

The next morning all three of them had their last breakfast together before packing up. Endeavor made arrangements to have the excess supplies shipped to his penthouse, as well as some extra items to be delivered that very day. He felt weepy and exhausted but pushed past it for Kaien, who watched them both curiously with wide, amber eyes. He barely fussed, occasionally babbling for attention or a toy. Such a mild-mannered child.

“Take care, Hawks,” said Endeavor, rubbing the side of his face with a broad hand. It felt like it engulfed half of it as he placed a hand over his, smiling through the sorrow. He leaned down and kissed him one last time. “I’ll call you later, okay? And we’ll see each other after the internships.”

That felt like an eternity away, though he knew the internships were soon. He nodded, afraid of bursting into tears if he spoke. Endeavor spun the bracelet over his wrist and smiled softly.

“I’m glad you like this,” he said.

That’s right, he hadn’t taken the bracelet off once since putting it back on after the mission. He’d grown so used to it, he’d forgotten he was even wearing it, though the cycle sure was distracting. Picking the car seat and diaper bag up, Endeavor walked out the door. He rolled his suitcase behind him and followed, chest heavy with emotions he was far too tired to figure out.

The snow that had gathered on the ground had already melted, though the air was still bitterly cold. Endeavor loaded the baby, suitcase, and stroller into a taxi, leaning down to smile at him briefly before shutting the door. As it drove away, he looked back and watched Endeavor disappear in the distance.

Even if he was going in the opposite direction as Endeavor, Hawks reminded himself he was still embarking on an important journey. He was going to tackle his most difficult job yet, parenthood.

Chapter End Notes

> I hope you enjoyed the horny & more domestic feels 🙏 Please imagine Endeavor eating Hawks' ass on several occasions off-screen. Poor Hawks sure has his work cut out for him going forward.

> Thanks for reading! You can find me on twitter @specterpeach

## Chapter 3

Chapter Notes

> Drama is dawning on the horizon... 👀

See the end of the chapter for more notes

While Hawks had been under no illusions that childrearing was easy, taking care of a baby on his own, right after a cycle, was the most exhausting experience of his life.

The first day back was hectic, greeted with an impressive pile of baby supplies stacked in his personal lobby. All the accomplishment he felt after assembling the lovely walnut crib Endeavor chose evaporated the second time Kaien woke him up during the night. He almost considered moving him into his bedroom, but Kaien eventually settled in and slept through the night. Mostly.

In the morning, he noticed a baby carrier in the pile of goods, complete with tiny wing holes. After packing a diaper bag, he secured Kaien in it and flew to the agency with him nestled safely against his chest. He seemed to love the flight, kicking his legs, cooing, and flexing his small wings. Hawks still swore some of the sounds Kaien made were chirps, which made him wonder if he had done the same as a child.

The thought of actually asking his mother set his nerves on edge, so he supposed that would remain a mystery.

As he soared through the air, hoping Kaien was warm enough, he knew it was only a matter of time before the paparazzi caught up with him and started making wild speculations. While he honestly didn’t mind a little chaos, he worried that they would somehow connect Kaien to Endeavor. Despite the Commission’s precautions, all it would probably take was some persistent digging. Maybe a little threatening too. The scandal that would cause wouldn’t help Endeavor’s atonement in the least, even if he wasn’t at fault.

Sparrow, his adorable and efficient office manager, was the first to spot him. She froze in her tracks, took in the sight of him patting Kaien’s back through the harness, and promptly screamed. He wasn’t sure if it was a good or bad scream, but it startled Kaien into fussing.

It was only then that he remembered he hadn’t concocted a proper lie or cover for Kaien. A sloppy oversight from a hormone addled brain. Probably should’ve worked from home the first day. Bending the truth or omitting facts was his usual fallback, so he told them that Kaien was currently his foster child by order of the Commission. It was mostly true and everyone seemed to buy it.

The first day back to the grind was so exhausting that he fell asleep early with Kaien on the bed. Kaien mercifully slept the whole night through, and in the morning he saw that he missed Endeavor’s call. The ensuing morning hustle was so hectic, he didn’t even have time to text an apology, let alone get his favorite coffee.

Finding a suitable caregiver for Kaien took a couple days, but his sidekicks eagerly filled the role while he caught up on work. He eventually found the right person, converting one of the extra rooms at the agency into a makeshift daycare with Sparrow’s help. It was an immense relief to have that handled so he could focus on preparing for the internship.

“You sound tired,” said Endeavor over the phone.

“A little.” He offered Kaien a spoonful of questionable looking baby food, and he took the bite only to spit it out a second later. Sighing, he wiped at Kaien’s face with a burp cloth. “Do they usually play with their food more than eat it?”

Endeavor laughed and it was like a balm on his frazzled nerves. “Sometimes, yeah. Might be a little too early for solid foods if he’s not eating them. Is he sleeping through the night?”

“For the most part.” He paused, remembering the previous night when he’d woken up at some awful hour to Kaien crying for a midnight snack. “Not last night, though.”

“Try putting a little blended rice porridge in his evening bottle,” suggested Endeavor. “It’ll help him stay full longer.”

“Good to know, I’ll try it tonight.” He yawned, watching as Kaien smacked his hands on the highchair tray and smeared the food he’d spit out. They were definitely still figuring each other out.

He wanted to tell Endeavor that he wished he was there helping him raise their child, but couldn’t force it past his lips. Maybe it was lingering pride or resentment, he couldn’t tell through the fog of exhaustion. The situation was certainly complicated, but it still hurt knowing Endeavor had basically walked away from them. All the fancy cribs and baby gear in the world couldn’t replace him.

“You ready for the internship?” asked Endeavor after a brief silence.

“Oh yeah, totally.” A bit of a white lie, but whatever. The agency was at least ready for Tokoyami’s return.

“I’m taking on two this time.” Endeavor sighed. “Shouto insisted his friend tag along or he won’t show up.”

Hawks stifled a laugh into his palm. Shouto was quite assertive. “I wish you the best of luck, Endeavor-san. Um… I hate to cut this short, but I gotta get Kaien ready for bed.”

“Yes, of course.” Maybe it was his imagination, but Endeavor sounded a bit put out. “Goodnight, Hawks. I’ll check in with you soon.”

So painfully casual and detached, like it wasn’t his child too.

“Goodnight, Endeavor-san.”

The next week was nothing short of structured chaos. He was genuinely happy to see Tokoyami again, and even happier when the kid kept up with his breakneck pace. In fact, he almost outpaced Hawks a couple times, and it was a blatant reminder he hadn’t rested enough before diving back into work.

Close to the weekend, Tokoyami finally caught him holding Kaien after they wrapped up their final case. At least he didn’t scream, but he did look decently surprised.

“I apologize, Hawks-sensei,” he said, visibly flustered as he turned. He took maybe two steps before pausing and whirling back around, Dark Shadow peeking past his shoulder. “When did you have a kid?”

He smiled and waved Tokoyami into the daycare room. The caregiver had already left so they had some privacy. “Tokoyami-kun, I’d like you to meet Kaien, my foster child.”

It was starting to feel normal, calling Kaien his child. Still kind of strange, but at least routine. Kaien reached out for Tokoyami, curious and undeterred by Dark Shadow’s presence. He took the opportunity to hand Kaien over, amused by Tokoyami’s stuttering as he awkwardly shifted the infant in his arms.

“He’s cute,” said Tokoyami once he was holding Kaien more comfortably. Dark Shadow cooed at the child and he smiled back, making some soft chirp-like sounds. “You said you’re fostering him?”

“Yeah, by order of the Commission.” He didn’t like the way Tokoyami was scrutinizing Kaien, so he distracted himself with packing up the diaper bag.

“Sensei… why does he have your eyes?”

Fuck.

Part of him was proud that Tokoyami was so sharp, but a bigger part of him was panicking while he started filing through excuses. “What do you mean? My eye color is pretty common.”

Tokoyami looked unconvinced. “And these wings,” he started, delicately rolling a casing between his fingers. It crumbled, revealing a shiny golden vane. “They match your hair color.”

“Really?” He hoped his face wasn’t showing any of his rising alarm. “What a coincidence.”

“Indeed.” Tokoyami went back to studying Kaien, and Dark Shadow leaned in close and whispered something that made his eyes grow incrementally wider. “The hair…”

Oh god. “Would you look at the time,” he said, forcing a light tone and reaching for Kaien. “I really should be—”

Dark Shadow was between them so quickly he barely tracked the movement. His wings fanned out reflexively, ready to fight for his child if necessary. But that was ridiculous. He wasn’t going to fight either of them. It took some effort, but he slowly folded them back in and straightened his posture.

“Tokoyami-kun, please give me Kaien.” It came out sounding a bit more threatening than he’d intended.

“Dark Shadow, it’s okay,” came Tokoyami’s calm voice, and the specter moved aside. “Sorry about that, sensei. He thought the hair looked familiar, but he’s probably mistaken.”

Hawks accepted Kaien and focused on keeping his expression calm. His heart felt like it was hammering loud enough to hear, but he couldn’t quite suppress it at the moment. Kaien seemed completely unfazed, at least.

“The Commission thought that since he has wings too, I could help raise him properly.”

What was he doing? All of his training had warned him against sharing unnecessary details when he lied. It took a very good memory to lie well, and his brain wasn’t firing on all its cylinders lately.

“I didn’t know you had an interest in raising children,” said Tokoyami, still looking too thoughtful. “Didn’t you say something to me last time about not being interested in nurturing the next generation?”

“I also said that if you’ve got wings you should stretch them out and fly,” he countered after racking his brain for the details of that particular conversation. “Nobody else at the Commission has them.”

Tokoyami gave a noncommittal hum and moved closer, offering a finger for Kaien to grasp. “There must be something special about him for you to sacrifice so much. I’ve heard raising children is difficult.”

He had no idea. “Yeah, it’s, uh…” Tiring? Intense? Ironically in his case, interesting?

Opening his mouth to say something—possibly damning—Tokoyami suddenly let out a startled yelp and snatched his finger away.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, grabbing Tokoyami’s wrist with a couple feathers and holding it closer to his face. The digit looked red and irritated.

“Kaien burned me!” he declared, trying to tug his hand away. Dark Shadow pried it free with more ease than he’d thought possible.

“No way…” He trailed off, looking down just in time to see Kaien start crying.

The child grew hot to the touch and flickers of flames sparked at the corner of one eye. Of all the times to manifest a quirk. He started rocking Kaien and patting his rump, hoping he calmed down and reined in any further display of flames. If he grew any hotter, Hawks might not be able to hold him much longer.

“Wings… and fire,” mumbled Tokoyami, staring at him with wide eyes. “Red hair, gold eyes and wings. He’s—”

“Come on, Tokoyami-kun,” he interrupted, picking up the baby carrier and diaper bag. “Let’s get that burn looked at.”

Kaien had calmed down and cooled off, now only occasionally fussing. Being on the move always did seem to distract the little guy. Tokoyami’s finger was bandaged and he stared at them with disbelief the entire time.

“Hawks,” said Tokoyami as they stood outside at the back of his agency. He was so lost in thought, he’d forgotten to use an honorific. It felt nice, like they were friends instead of mentor and protégé. “Kaien isn’t just your foster child, is he?”

“Yes,” he answered, defensively, glancing down at Kaien now secured against his chest in the carrier. “… and no.”

Tokoyami looked confused, but he wasn’t in the mood to elaborate. “Is he your actual—”

“I gotta go.” He cut Tokoyami off and breezed past him, taking off into the sky.

He figured it out. Of course he did. Hawks was determined not to confirm or deny anything else the kid asked. He’d already said too much, but he was going to get some extra rest and prepare his cover story.

Kaien barely slept during the night, waking at random intervals and crying. More than once, there were flames sparking around his eyes. He needed to contact Endeavor about this. And the Commission, but Endeavor might have some tips on keeping his penthouse from going up in flames. At about six a.m., he finally caved and called Endeavor, desperately hoping he picked up. Kaien squirmed restlessly in the sling he had him in as he idly patted his back.

“Hawks,” said Endeavor, sounding slightly alarmed. He was usually the earlier riser on work days. “What’s up? Something wrong?”

“He’s got fire,” he started, standing up and bouncing Kaien while he trudged towards the kitchen.

“Fire?” asked Endeavor. After a brief pause, he spoke again. “Kaien manifested a fire quirk?”

“Yeah, yesterday after work. And he’s not sleeping well now.” He fumbled out a clean bottle and formula from the fridge. “It’s around his eyes, and he burned Tokoyami too. No flames that time, just heat. He’s… kinda almost too hot to hold. Will my place burn down?”

“Whoa, whoa, hold on,” said Endeavor, sounding more surprised than he had any right to be. “There’s baby clothes that can withstand fire, sheet sets too. I bought those with this in mind, so he shouldn’t scorch them. The mattress and wood might ignite, though, depending on the outburst.”

“Wonderful,” he deadpanned, sticking the bottle into the warmer. It was a routine he had down pretty well now, already getting out the pan and eggs with some feathers. The rice wasn’t ready though, since he’d forgotten to set the timer last night. In his defense, it had been a difficult night.

“The clothes help, according to Rei, but I couldn't find any with wing holes.” Another pause and shuffling. “I can have some custom made, but it’s going to take a little time…”

“Tokoyami knows,” he suddenly blurted out, snatching the bottle from the warmer when it beeped. He didn’t even bother testing it this time. The kid could make fire from his eyes, hot formula was the least of his concerns.

“Who?” Endeavor sounded confused.

“My intern!” He sighed, like Endeavor should’ve already known this information. “A kid from Shouto’s class. I thought I told you about him already, scouted from the Sports Festival. But, yeah, he knows about Kaien. Kinda.”

A longer pause. “What does he know exactly?”

“At the very least, that Kaien is actually my son.” He looked down at Kaien and watched him tenaciously suck down the formula so quickly his face was turning red. “He mentioned the red hair and then got burned so he may have put together the rest. He’s a pretty smart kid.”

“When did your intern get a chance to see Kaien?”

“I take him to work. There’s a daycare at my agency now. I told the staff he’s a foster child and they didn’t question it.” Something suddenly occurred to him and he startled, making Kaien scowl up at him. “Oh god, what if other people have figured it out but aren’t saying anything?”

Endeavor sighed this time. “Why are you even lying about it to begin with?”

“I’m not lying!” he argued, once again disrupting Kaien, who looked a lot like his other father when he glared. “I’m just… omitting details.”

“Hawks,” started Endeavor, with that authoritative tone that crept down his spine, “if the Commission didn’t explicitly tell you to hide Kaien’s presence, it’s probably safe to share his origins. Well, minus the mad doctor part.”

He shook his head, even though Endeavor couldn’t see it. “No, no, you don’t understand how they work. They don’t want anyone to know about their programs involving us. I mean, they literally raised me to keep my mouth shut about it, which is why I think they allowed me to have him. For now.”

“You think they’ll take him away at some point?”

His heart clenched at the mere notion of anyone taking his child away, holding Kaien a little tighter in the sling. By now, he was done with the bottle and gazing up at him curiously.

“I don’t know,” he admitted, turning the burner on and sending some feathers out to gather the bowl and whisk. “If they want to put him in a program like what I went through, then yes.”

There was a huff, then another pause, followed by muffled talking. “Sorry, Hawks. I have to go. The interns are already downstairs.”

“Wait!” He hated the desperation in his voice. “What should I tell Tokoyami?”

“You don’t have to tell him anything,” said Endeavor, straight to the point. “Otherwise, I’m sure you’ll figure it out. I’ll talk to you later. Hang in there.”

The line went dead and he felt frustrated tears gathering in his eyes. Lack of sleep, stress, and wonky hormones were creating an overwhelming cocktail of emotions. He cooked his breakfast—sans rice—wiping away the tears that slipped free, a couple even hitting Kaien. The rest of the morning was routine and almost slow, since he’d woken up so early. Kaien continued being generally cranky, though he didn’t cry too much.

Once he got to work, also early and thankfully before Tokoyami, he went straight to his office with Kaien. Telling the Commission Kaien had presented a fire quirk wasn’t something he could put off long. Mera answered his phone, sounding as tired as Hawks felt. He simply noted the information and said they’d call him back if anything changed, but take him to their local doctor at his next earliest convenience. The name and location popped up via text and he vaguely recognized it.

Despite trying to avoid Tokoyami, he ended up running into him before lunch even hit. It was time for them to patrol anyway, so he opened the nearest window and waved him over. He jumped out first, sailing through the crisp air, and Tokoyami soon followed. It was nice having someone to fly with for a change, and he smiled over at his intern, wondering if one day his son would fly beside him.

Past his crippling worry, that thought warmed his heart the rest of the day. Tokoyami didn’t pressure him for answers, putting work first but otherwise gazing at Hawks with his characteristic thoughtfulness. He had no doubt the kid could see straight through him, but he was far too tired to explain anything going on with Kaien.

“Parenthood is a harrowing but noble journey,” said Tokoyami, after they handed off the last criminal of the day. “If you raise that child anything like you’ve mentored me, he’s very lucky.”

The praise was so unexpected that he nearly burst into tears. He beamed a smile and hugged Tokoyami, amusing the sidekicks that tagged along. When he withdrew, Tokoyami grabbed his arm.

“I’m still curious, but… it doesn’t matter where he came from,” he said, staring intently at Hawks. “It only matters that you chose to raise him, to be there for him. I respect that decision, Hawks-sensei. You’re doing the right thing.”

He pulled Tokoyami back into another hug, taking the opportunity to collect himself. It was exactly what he needed to hear at that moment, and he appreciated his talented intern more than he could adequately express. Paparazzi be damned, he wanted to show his thanks, inviting Tokoyami and the two sidekicks that guided him out to dinner.

That evening, they all arrived at one of his favorite local restaurants. Kaien was seated comfortably in his car seat, still fussing occasionally, though his caregiver had mentioned cold teething rings helped so he was gnawing on one. Maybe the little guy was teething after all, or maybe overheating. He wouldn’t know for sure until he could get him to the doctor.

They were tucked away in the back, unassuming enough but still out in the open. Some people took notice of them, and Hawks swore they took pictures, but nobody bothered them. He put it from his mind as much as possible and enjoyed the good food and conversation. When Kaien started crying, he took him out of the seat and fed him. Once the bottle was empty, he swiped up sauce from a couple dishes and let Kaien taste them. He seemed to like them, grasping for the dishes and making his sidekick Falcon laugh while he moved them out of reach.

Kaien didn’t last much longer, devolving into consistent whining despite him bouncing the little guy on his knee. He packed up and paid the bill, leaving ahead of the others. The sidekicks promised to see Tokoyami safely back to his room. He didn’t want to fly with the car seat, so he hailed a taxi.

As they drove through the city, his phone pinged with a notification. He fished it out of his pocket, expecting it to be Endeavor or work.

The number was unknown, which was strange but not unheard of. Sometimes, people got a hold of his, forcing him to block or change it. He unlocked the phone and opened the message, greeted with a picture of himself holding Kaien at the restaurant minutes ago.

[Unknown]: This you, birdie?

His stomach dropped. Was it a determined paparazzi or villain? Both were equally possible.

[Hawks]: Who is this?

[Unknown]: It’s rude to answer a question with a question

[Hawks]: I’m not answering anything until you tell me who you are

[Unknown[: You can’t even guess? Thought you were supposed to be smart

[Hawks]: I’m not in the mood to play games

[Unknown]: Yeah I imagine you’re tired from raising that kid, the one you stole

Kaien whined a bit, distracting him from his rising panic. Who the hell was this person and how did they know about Kaien? An already complicated situation was growing out of control one text at a time.

[Unknown]: The creepy doctor wants that kid back, which is kinda funny considering he abandoned him months ago. Guess he wasn’t expecting you shits to steal all of his precious experiments

What? He stared at the phone, heart thundering in his chest, sweating under his coat despite the cold weather. Kaien noticed his state and reached for him, making that strange cooing sound, almost like a bird. Whoever this was, were they talking about the doctor, Ujiko? It was probably somebody with the League of Villains, or rather the Paranormal LIberation Front now that they’d merged with the Meta Liberation Army. Or so he’d heard on the wind.

[Hawks]: What doctor?

It was worth a shot, playing dumb and goading this person for more information.

[Unknown]: You really aren’t too smart. Wonder what Endeavor sees in you

Even though the statement could be ambiguous considering their highly televised team up, he had a sneaking suspicion this person knew about their affair. It set his already frazzled nerves even more on edge. He was so distracted he didn’t even notice the taxi had stopped at his high-rise until the driver spoke up. Apologizing, he paid him and stepped out with the car seat in hand.

He felt so exposed out in the open. Not a new feeling for a hero by far, but he wondered if this mysterious person was lurking somewhere in the shadows, ready to attack. His feathers didn’t pick up anything out of the ordinary as he rushed into the building and to his private elevator.

[Unknown]: You can ignore me all you want, but it won’t change the facts

[Hawks]: You better not lay a hand on him. He’s my child. He belongs with me.

Right after hitting send, he realized his mistake. If this person hadn’t already known that, they did now. He rubbed a hand over his face and groaned. The Commission had trained him better than this, he was just exhausted and wound up. After stepping into the penthouse, he locked the door and sent feathers into each room, searching for intruders. It was empty and he sighed in relief.

[Unknown]: Listen, I really don’t care. Just so you know, though, he always gets what he wants, one way or another

Everything felt like it was crashing down around him. He wasn’t prone to panicking, something the Commission diligently beat out of him, but this made him feel like crawling out of his skin.

[Unknown]: You should be grateful I even gave you a warning

[Hawks]: TELL ME WHO YOU ARE

[Unknown]: Calm down, you’ll find out soon enough. Goodbye, Hawks

“Fuck!” he yelled, chucking his phone at the couch. It bounced off and landed on the area rug.

Kaien startled at the exclamation and started crying. He wanted to collapse on the floor and cry with him, but took him out of the car seat instead. After a minute of gentle rocking, Kaien settled down. The sight of his tiny hand grasping his shirt made tears gather in his eyes. He didn’t want to lose his child so soon after bonding with him. Maybe Endeavor had been right to keep his distance.

He needed to contact the Commission. Naturally, that meant Kaien was difficult when he got him ready for bed. He eventually calmed down after Hawks placed a few cool packs in the crib, which seemed ridiculous, but it lowered Kaien’s temperature enough for him to fall asleep. He really was running hot lately, and he worried it might be an indication of some kind of problem.

Mera’s phone went to voicemail and he left a vague message. “They know.” The line was generally secure, but he wanted to be careful.

While he waited for the inevitable response, he called Endeavor. Checking the clock, it wasn’t too late, but later than he usually called on work nights.

“Hawks,” came Endeavor’s voice, instantly tethering him to sanity. “How’s the internship going?”

“Something happened,” he blurted out, even if it wasn’t a secure line. Did it even matter anymore since the PLF apparently knew exactly what was going on? “I… can’t talk about it over the phone, but it’s bad.”

“Is Kaien okay?”

Under different circumstances, he would’ve been happy Endeavor thought to ask, but currently his nerves all felt like live wires. “For now, yes.” Mera’s call started beeping in and he cursed softly. “I gotta go.”

“Who knows?” asked Mera, sounding predictably exhausted.

“The PLF,” he said, a touch too loudly, then winced and reminded himself to be quiet or he’d wake Kaien. “Definitely the doctor, probably All For One too. I was contacted via text by an unknown number and told they want Kaien back.”

Mera took his sweet time responding, possibly consulting someone. “Where did you hear about the PLF?”

“Why does that matter right now?” he snapped.

“I’m just following orders, Hawks.”

Right. But still, it pissed him off. “I listen to everyone, like you taught me. I know because people are talking about them. Now what am I supposed to do about this?”

Another lengthy silence passed as he paced in the living room.

“I still have to consult the President, but her assistant has recommended you stay put. Traveling could be dangerous right now until we assess the threat. Work from home tomorrow and stay vigilant. We’ll contact you soon.”

“What? That’s not a—”

The line went dead in the middle of his sentence and he fought the urge to launch his phone through a window. Staying where he was seemed like the worst option, in his opinion.

More from paranoia than anything else, he went into his room and started packing a suitcase, quietly slipping into Kaien's room as well to grab some clothes. Just in case. After making sure the diaper bag was stocked, he crumpled to the floor and sighed.

Maybe Endeavor was right not wanting to be involved with Kaien. Was all of this stress worth it, for a child that he hadn’t planned or necessarily even wanted? His head said no, but his heart felt like it was shredding apart at even the notion of losing Kaien. It was confusing and annoying in his exhausted state.

Kaien started crying and he nearly tripped rushing to the guest bedroom, terrified someone might already be there. Of course, that wasn’t the case, since he’d left feathers in there and they hadn’t detected any intrusions. Still, stealth quirks existed. Kaien was fine, just too hot and in need of a diaper change. He placed a few fresh cool packs into the crib, taking the melted ones back to the freezer.

His phone started ringing from the living room and he sent some feathers out to retrieve it, suddenly feeling fatigued as his adrenaline crashed.

“Hawks!” Endeavor’s shout thundered out of the phone. “Tell me what’s going on,” he continued less aggressively but still plenty demanding.

“I can’t,” he practically whined, trudging into the living room. Looking out at the city, a vast expanse of twinkling lights spread out around him, he wondered where his little spy was hiding.

He pulled the curtains shut and plopped down onto the couch.

“Don’t make me come down there and force it out of you,” threatened Endeavor.

“Would you?” he asked, with a little smile.

Endeavor sighed, then grumbled something he couldn’t quite make out. “If I didn’t have two interns right now, yes, I absolutely would.”

“That would be so nice.” He sighed too, stretching out on the couch. It felt amazing to finally lie down. “You could teach me a lesson… maybe let me nap.”

“The beginning is hard,” said Endeavor, and he thought maybe he’d said that before. “You’ll get used to it.”

Not “we”, but “you”. He really was doing this alone.

“Any more tips on getting a furnace child to sleep better?”

Endeavor hummed. “Keep him cool with whatever you can. His body should start regulating it better… eventually.”

He stretched and yawned, exhaustion getting the best of him. “I’m sooo damn tired. I feel like I haven’t slept a whole night through in weeks.”

“That’s probably true.”

“And this new stress isn’t helping either.” He scrubbed a hand over his face and sat up, fighting a wave of dizziness. Even he had his limits.

“Are you safe, Hawks?” Endeavor sounded genuinely concerned. “And don’t bullshit me, I can tell now.”

“I don’t know,” he answered, after a brief pause. “I trust my speed and abilities, but I’m not infallible.”

“We all have weaknesses,” said Endeavor, tone distant. “Do your best, and don’t give up. I think you can handle it.”

In the past, he would definitely have agreed, but lately he was an exhausted, distracted, hormonal mess. The time he usually spent resting after a cycle had been replaced with a crash course in parenting, one he felt like he was failing on some level.

Being a parent really was hard. He’d always figured he could do it more easily than everyone else, given his numerous helping feathers, but apparently that was baseless hubris.

“Is it normal to feel this much doubt?” He mumbled it more to himself, but got an answer.

Endeavor laughed, a low, warm sound. “Yes, that’s completely normal. Never goes away either.”

“Wonderful.” He finally stood and started walking towards his bedroom. “I’m gonna try to get some rest.”

“Good idea.” Endeavor sighed. “Goodnight, Hawks. Please keep me updated.”

“Mmhm. Night, Endeavor-san.”

Sleep did not come to him easily, waking at every little change his feathers detected. At some point, he pulled Kaien’s crib into his room, finally sleeping more soundly with him nearby. He woke Hawks up crying before his alarm went off anyway, and he went through the feeding, burping, changing routine on autopilot.

How did people do this without going crazy? He certainly had a newfound respect for all parents, except maybe his own.

After Kaien was happily babbling away on his play pad, he contacted Sparrow and informed her he was working from home. She was well used to his erratic schedule and promised they would take care of Tokoyami-kun’s lessons.

Coffee was his best friend that morning, and he drank at least a pot while plucking away at his tasks in-between caring for Kaien. Around noon, they both took a nap and he woke absolutely ravenous. Too tired to cook, he ordered food delivery and got up to fix Kaien a bottle. The dinner wasn’t much different than any other day, and he looked forward to getting the chance to feed Kaien solid food.

Well, if he got the chance. The mysterious person didn’t contact him again, but the President did.

“We have leads,” said the President, right to the point. “Return to the headquarters for an update. Bring the child and your phone.”

An expected request. “Is it safe to travel?”

“Don’t worry about that.” She paused. “We’re sending an escort. See you soon.”

An escort? He really had sunk to a new level of low, needing someone to protect him like this. It wasn’t unwelcome, though, since his fatigue would definitely stunt his reaction time and speed.

The rest of the evening he wondered who it would be, gathering his packed bags and adding to them. His instincts had been right, and he was worried the Commission would take Kaien away after all. He tossed and turned all night, waking to the sound of his doorbell ringing. It woke Kaien too, who promptly started wailing.

Bouncing Kaien on his hip, he rushed to the door, checking through the peephole into the lobby to make sure he wasn’t being ambushed. His eyes grew wide as recognition sank in.

He fumbled the door open and smiled. “Jeanist-san!”

It was a wonder he even recognized the man, bundled up as he was in winter gear. Jeanist nodded and stepped inside, closing the door behind him, and leaning down to look at Kaien.

“Hello there, little one,” he said, offering a gloved finger. Kaien grasped it and cooed at him. “Hello to you too, Hawks. Sorry I left so quickly last time. Work related emergency.”

“It’s okay, I know how that goes.” Turning, he waved a wing towards his kitchen. “Come inside. Do you want coffee or something?”

“Coffee would be lovely, thank you.” Jeanist removed his boots and coat, then followed him. He sat down at the kitchen bar and watched as Hawks placed Kaien in the highchair. “What’s his name?”

“Kaien,” he said, beginning his morning routine. With Jeanist there, Kaien was distracted enough not to fuss impatiently while he waited for his bottle.

Jeanist hummed and tugged his scarf down a bit, smiling at the child. “Don’t worry, little Kaien, we won’t let anyone bad take you.”

It was a comfort to hear that out loud, and he was glad they had taken it seriously enough to send one of the best. Something suddenly occurred to him while he handed the bottle to Jeanist.

“Don’t you have an intern too?”

Jeanist looked at the bottle with confusion until Hawks took his wrist and guided it towards Kaien’s grasping hands. “Yes, Bakugou came back,” he said, almost dropping it when Kaien eagerly tugged it to his mouth. “I sent him to Endeavor’s agency for the remaining two days. He seemed excited at the prospect of training with his friends.”

“Wow, three interns.” He deployed some feathers to gather up his supplies and make coffee.

“I have no doubt Endeavor will handle them with ease,” said Jeanist.

Kaien sucked his bottle dry in a manner of minutes, and he scooped him up to burp him over his shoulder, feathers still cooking breakfast. Of course, Kaien spit up on him when he’d forgotten the burp cloth. Ah, the joys of parenthood. He set Kaien back in his chair and fished a teething ring out of the freezer, handing it to him.

“Speaking of Endeavor,” started Jeanist, pausing briefly. “From the way he was looking at me during that mission, I take it you told him about our little fling.”

He sighed and returned to the stove. “I didn’t want to lie to him, but he figured it out himself anyway.”

“I do hope the fallout wasn’t too bad.” Jeanist accepted the cup of coffee he flew over with a couple feathers. He started delicately doctoring it up while Kaien watched.

Shaking the eggs onto a plate, he shrugged. “It wasn’t great, but he’ll get over it. Eventually.”

“So, you’re back together then?”

“Maybe.” He floated a bowl of rice towards the bar. “Not in any official sense, if you catch my drift.”

Jeanist hummed as Hawks gathered up the rest of his breakfast and joined him. He was still exhausted, last two nights of inconsistent sleep wearing on him, but the company definitely lifted his spirits. Soon, they were bundling up and leaving the penthouse. Jeanist promised to send some baby clothes from his own clothing line, personally tailored to accommodate Kaien’s wings.

The flight was uneventful, and Kaien surprisingly didn’t fuss much. Having Jeanist there was an immense relief, and Hawks took the opportunity to nap on the plane. While Jeanist wasn’t necessarily good with babies, he kept Kaien amused. No more mystery messages came through despite them leaving town.

Hawks felt like a damn yoyo, stepping foot back in Tokyo after leaving so recently. It happened when you were at the mercy of the Commission, and he probably would’ve tolerated it better if were more rested. At the moment, he was just annoyed and anxious, pushing Kaien into the headquarters with Jeanist kindly rolling his luggage beside him. Needless to say, they attracted attention.

He made a mental note to check his various social media for any news of him with the baby.

The President was not behind her desk this time, but leaning against the front of it with her arms crossed. That small change instantly deepened his worry. Her executive assistant was standing nearby, a vigilant sentinel.

“We wanted to keep this on the down-low, but it seems our hand has been forced,” she said, not even bothering to greet them. “Much like the mission, the information I’m about to share with you is highly classified.”

“Before you start, Madam President” said the assistant, stepping forward and holding out a hand towards Hawks. “Your phone, please.”

He dutifully fished his phone from his pocket and quickly deleted his conversations with Endeavor. Sad, since he liked looking back over them to cheer up. The assistant took the device and disappeared with it.

“Who is it?” he asked, plopping down onto a chair and rocking the stroller.

“The Paranormal LIberation Front, just as you suspected.” The President produced a book from seemingly nowhere. “It’s true that more people are starting to talk about them, the merging of the League of Villains and the Meta Liberation Army. This book outlines the doctrine of the MLA, and we believe it remains the core of the new organization.”

Hawks had heard about that book, but hadn’t gotten the chance to investigate it further with his blossoming relationship. He snatched it out of the President’s hand with some feathers, more out of curiosity, and she didn’t seem amused with the display.

“Guess I have some homework,” he mumbled, flipping to the index. “Do you have any idea which member contacted me?”

“We need to check your phone to be sure, but we think it was likely the one you already encountered at the High-End battle.”

Wonderful. The other fire user, which conveniently happened to be his greatest weakness. “Dabi,” he hissed, snapping the book shut.

“Where do we come into play in all this?” asked Jeanist, seated elegantly beside him.

“Well, you did take their property, something we expected them to eventually discover.” The President stared off into the distance for a brief moment, clicking her nails on the side of the desk. Her fidgeting was never a good sign. “We’ve considered giving them the child to placate them—”

“No!” The word burst out of him before he could suppress it, startling Kaien into crying. He shushed the child, rocking the stroller a little more aggressively. “You can’t.”

“We most certainly can,” said the President, raising her voice to carry over Kaien’s crying. “But we decided against it.”

She didn’t say anything further, waiting for him to calm Kaien down. He dug a teething ring out of the diaper bag and handed it to Kaien. When that didn’t work, he pulled out a bottle. Couldn’t cry if he was eating, which he did so eagerly.

The President sighed, also not a good sign. “Hawks, if we let you keep Kaien, they will take him.”

Making a distressed noise, he took Kaien out of the stroller and cradled him against his body, curling his wings around them. “I can protect him,” he insisted. “I’m the fastest hero alive, I can do it.”

“You’re also visibly exhausted and heavily in the public eye,” argued the President. “We think it would be for the best if Kaien was placed in protective custody.”

He shook his head, held Kaien a little closer while he fed him. The little guy looked up at him with big, golden eyes, grasping his hand with tiny fingers. “No…”

“I understand this is difficult—”

“You don’t understand shit!” he burst out, and Kaien jolted. “You don’t have children. You have no idea how this feels.”

The President’s steely expression softened briefly, and she glanced away. “We’re not asking, Hawks. The child will stay here and be transferred to a safe location immediately.”

Tears started gathering in his eyes and he angrily blinked them away. “Please, don’t do this.”

“Mera will see to it personally,” she said, giving him the no-nonsense stare again. “When this is all over, and it will be eventually, you can have Kaien back.”

“So, we’re not involved?” asked Jeanist.

“You are.” The President paused, recrossing her arms. “We know that the PLF is planning something. If we strike first, in strategic locations, we may be able to get ahead of them and break down the organization before the plans go into effect.”

He only half registered what she was saying, focusing on Kaien while he sucked on the bottle. This could be the last time he ever saw him, and his heart felt like it was shattering. A couple tears escaped as Kaien finished, and he placed him over his shoulder and patted his back.

“I promise we’ll take good care of him,” said the President, finally walking around and sitting behind her desk. “This is only temporary. Please stay in town until Endeavor is done with the internships. We’ll inform you of the plans when he’s free.”

Mera came into the office and waited for Hawks to say goodbye to Kaien. Yet again, he considered fleeing, but he knew he wouldn’t get far. Handing Kaien over was the right thing to do, ensuring his safety. He kissed his head and pet his red hair, unable to hold back his tears while he placed him back into the stroller and stepped away.

His chest felt so heavy yet oddly hollow as Mera shouldered the diaper bag and rolled Kaien out of the office. Jeanist materialized at his side and placed a supportive hand on his shoulder. Every cell in his body was screaming at him to follow his child, but he valiantly suppressed that instinct and stood his ground.

“You’re both dismissed,” said the President. “You can retrieve your phone on the way out, Hawks. We’ll contact you shortly.”

The instant they stepped out of the building, Hawks took off into the sky, luggage zipping behind him on some feathers. He heard Jeanist call his name, but ignored it. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks, cold wind cutting through his clothes as he tipped his sunglasses down. His body grew numb while he flew without much thought, grasping his chest. It actually physically hurt, aching as he concentrated on keeping his luggage nearby.

Endeavor’s Tokyo house came into view minutes later, and he realized he’d instinctively flown there. Picking the lock was easy enough, and he broke down sobbing in the living room when he saw a few random baby supplies littered around. His phone pinged with notifications as he miserably curled into a fetal position and cried.

He was chilled and the house was cold, so he eventually crawled over to the kotatsu and turned it on. The pillows were still there, and he gratefully laid against them after getting under the futon. Two nights worth of exhaustion finally caught up with him and he quickly passed out.

The slumber was a dreamless void, time stuttering out and snapping back in with his phone’s ringtone. It was still in his pocket, so he fumbled it out and answered without looking at the screen.

“That wasn’t very nice of you,” came a vaguely familiar voice.

He immediately perked up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “Who is this?”

“You still haven’t figured it out?” The man made a tsk sound. “Not too sharp, are you?”

Pulling the phone away from his face, he was greeted with the “Unknown” name and it suddenly clicked. “Dabi,” he sneered, packing as much disdain into his voice as possible. Why hadn’t the Commission taken more care to block his number?

Or maybe they’d left the line of communication open on purpose.

“You gave the kid away, even though I said the doctor wanted him back.” Dabi sighed. “This is going to make my job harder.”

“You’ll never find Kaien,” he shot back, feathers ruffling with anger.

“Kaien?” Dabi let out a mellow laugh. “Of course you named it. Is he a Todoroki too? That would be rich.”

“Leave me alone,” he groused, sinking back against the pillows. This asshole was good at pressing his buttons.

“Where’s the fun in that?’ Dabi hummed. “You’ve gotten yourself so involved in our business, I can’t help but poke you a little.”

“You talk too much.”

“Might be easier to get that kid back without having to go through you after all, so thanks for that, I guess.”

He gritted his teeth, reminding himself not to take the bait. “What are you guys planning?”

“Boss didn’t tell you yet?” Dabi laughed again. “You heroes will never win with those sloppy bureaucrats in charge. They got you all buzzing around in the dark.”

“Whatever.” He knew he should stay on the line as long as possible, but he was still tired. And hungry.

“So witty. Can’t even offer me a better comebac—”

Hawks ended the call mid-sentence. He half expected Dabi to call back as he scrolled through his notifications, seeing missed texts from work, Jeanist, and Endeavor. He answered work first, apologizing for its tardiness, then assured Jeanist he was okay. It wasn’t really the truth, but he didn’t want to be bothered. Last, he constructed three failed texts to Endeavor before giving up and calling him.

“Is everything okay?” asked Endeavor, immediately after picking up on the second ring. “I haven’t heard from you in over a day.”

“I’m back in Tokyo right now.” He looked outside at the darkening courtyard. “The Commission ordered me to return.”

“What? Why?” asked Endeavor, confusion evident in his tone. “Did you travel alone?”

“No, they sent an escort.” He was intentionally vague, not willing to deal with any jealousy over them sending Jeanist. “Endeavor-san… they took him.”

“Who did?” At least he sounded alarmed.

“The Commission,” he sniffled, holding back a fresh wave of tears. “They took Kaien.”

The ensuing silence made him feel worse, and frustrated tears started slipping down his cheeks again.

“Hawks,” started Endeavor, “we knew this might happen from the start. I’m sure they’ll keep him safe.”

“You don’t even care, do you?” It came out sounding much more defensive than he’d intended, voice thick with grief.

“Hawks, that’s—”

“You never wanted him to begin with,” he interrupted. “Well, I’m fucking heartbroken, and now I can’t even protect him myself. Me, his parent, his father, I can’t do anything, I…”

He covered his mouth in time to stifle a sob. This was so damned embarrassing. He never cried this easily. The situation certainly was unique and warranted it, but he still felt pathetic. He desperately wanted Endeavor to fix this somehow, or at least offer some comforting words.

Shouting sounded in the background and Endeavor swore. “I’m sorry, Hawks, I have to go. I’ll call back later, okay? Hang in there.”

Of course. Endeavor still had interns after all. He dragged himself from the warmth of the kotatsu and took a shower. It made him feel slightly better as he settled back under the futon and ordered food delivery.

While he waited, he raided the cabinets and unearthed some alcohol. It was some kind of expensive whisky that tasted like gasoline, and it warmed his blood until the food arrived. He ate and drank, still feeling tragically empty, wondering where Kaien was and if he was okay. By the time Endeavor called back, he was pretty tipsy.

“Where are you?” asked Endeavor, sounding tired. “Please, tell me you’re at a hotel and not with Jeanist.”

“I’m actually at your house,” he said, sipping the whisky and grimacing. “Drinkin’ your booze too.”

“Oh.” The word came out so flat, he thought maybe Endeavor was disappointed. “Don’t you think you should take it easy on the alcohol after…” He trailed off.

“My indiscretions?” he offered. “Don’t you trust me, Endeavor-san?”

Endeavor sighed. “Of course I do, but… you’re obviously upset.”

“I wanted to fly down and see you.” He swirled the whisky in the glass and smiled sadly. “But they told me to stay in town until the internships were done.”

“Why?” Once again Endeavor sounded confused. “Wouldn’t it make more sense for you to return to yours?”

“Yeah, you would think so.” He gazed out the window wistfully, remembering their shared time at that very table. “As usual, they have plans. I don’t know what they are yet.”

He considered telling Endeavor that Dabi had called him, but honestly didn’t have the energy to get into that conversation at the moment. The Commission should be notified too, but he could do that later. Maybe pestering them would make him feel a little better.

“I wish I could come see you,” said Endeavor, followed by shuffling sounds. “The boys have been quite a handful, but they’re doing well. Wonder why Jeanist sent me his so late in the week?”

“Who knows?” He sipped the whisky and set the glass down, ignoring the pang of guilt from withholding information. “Hey, wanna have some phone sex?”

The choking and blustering sounds that came through the phone made him chuckle.

“W-what?! Really? Over the phone? We never…” Endeavor paused and coughed. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“I’m not,” he whined, rubbing himself under the futon. Just the thought of hearing Endeavor get off had his dick stirring with interest. “Please, Endeavor-san? It would cheer me up.”

More blustering sounded, then a door closing. “Hawks… I can’t.”

“Yes, you can,” he insisted, fumbling his fly open. “Open your pants and take out your magnificent cock.”

Despite the protests, he heard fabric rustling and the faint sound of a zipper.

“Horny little bird,” said Endeavor, then sighed. “I guess I am a bit pent up…”

“Really?” Under the futon, he pulled his boxers down and freed his half-hard cock, stroking it. “You miss fucking me that much, big guy?”

A soft growl rumbled through the phone. It sent a shiver down his spine and he was delighted to hear it again. “Yes,” snapped Endeavor, irritated, though it was endearingly predictable. “That smell… how you rubbed yourself all over me like a cat in heat, begging me to fill you up.” A hum sounded. “It was hot.”

“I was so desperate. You liked seeing me like that, huh?” He started stroking himself faster, remembering the times he’d been filled right at that kotatsu.

“Mmmm.” Endeavor paused, breathing picking up to a slick, repetitive background sound. “I’m surprised you could even walk after I was done with you.”

“Better try harder next time,” he said, already feeling close. His post cycle nerves were still sensitive and ready to go.

“I will,” declared Endeavor. “I’ll fuck you so full, you won’t be able to move without leaking. I’ll… plug you up, make sure it stays inside.”

Damn. His balls tightened and he started panting more harshly into the phone. “I’m close.”

“Before I fill you,” started Endeavor, between his own panting breaths, “I’ll eat you out, taste that sweet fluid, suck your little cock until you cry—”

He fumbled his other hand under the futon just in time for the first wave of pleasure to crest, cupping a hand over the sudden stream of cum. Cradling the phone between his ear and shoulder, he moaned as he stroked himself through the orgasm, vaguely trying to catch the next few spurts sluicing into his palm.

Endeavor groaned into the phone, then cursed long and low. “Mmm, god,” he breathed, repetitive sound slowing, then stopping. “Did you come, little bird?”

He shivered through the pleasant aftershocks, lifting the futon with a couple feathers. “Mmhm. Made a mess of your rug… again.”

Endeavor chuckled lazily. “All manner of fluids are on that thing. Remind me to replace it before the kids come back.”

That should’ve been a more sobering sentiment, but it was amusing imagining the kids discovering the evidence of their affair. It kind of felt like marking their territory, and he wanted everyone to know they belonged to each other.

Well, even if they did, Endeavor would probably put his family first. And Hawks wasn’t part of his family. That thought cooled his adore pretty quickly, and he suddenly felt miserable again.

“Thanks for that, Endeavor-san,” he said, forcing a lighthearted tone. “I’m going to pass out now.”

“Me too.” Endeavor paused as he moved around, likely cleaning up. “I know I’ve been busy, but please keep me updated.”

“Sure thing.” He floated over a box of tissues and started mopping up the mess. At least most of it ended up on his hands. “Goodnight, Endeavor-san.”

“Goodnight, Hawks.”

After the call ended, he went to the bathroom and cleaned up more thoroughly. He felt loose and exhausted, trudging into the room and stripping down to his boxers. The bed was made and he crawled between the soft sheets, snuggling against the pillows and smelling Endeavor’s faint smoky scent still clinging to them.

Within minutes, he was fast asleep.

Chapter End Notes

> I could not refuse putting these guys through more angst, I apologize. 🙇 I promise the fic doesn't end on an unhappy note, though, there is more drama coming.

> Thanks for reading! I've really loved all the kind feedback so far, you guys are the best!! 😘

## Chapter 4

Chapter Notes

> Here we go, the final part of this journey!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Hawks woke feeling more rested than he had in months. It was beyond amazing to stretch out on Endeavor’s bed and slowly let consciousness sink in, instead of tripping over his own feet rushing to a crying baby. He would take any silver linings he could get if they eased the heaviness in his chest.

Since he was in the heart of the city, he bundled up and ventured out to a cafe. Tokyo really did have the best cafes, in his humble opinion. After stuffing himself with some brick French toast, he flew directly to the Commission Headquarters, ready to stir up some trouble.

“Dabi called me,” he said, tossing his phone onto Mera’s desk.

Mera stared at it vacantly before returning to his laptop. “What did he say?”

“He’s pissed that you guys have Kaien, he’s gonna get him back, etcetera.” He plopped down onto a chair. “He sure does blather a lot. Can’t you guys block his number?”

“We tried.” Mera stopped typing and looked at him. “According to our intel, they have a talented hacker on their team.”

“And you don’t have someone better?” He snorted. “Wow.”

Mera scowled at him for a few seconds before he resumed typing. “Why waste the resources if they can work around it over and over again?”

“Where’s Kaien?” It was worth asking, even if he knew they wouldn’t tell him.

“That defeats the purpose of putting him into protective custody, Hawks.” Mera glanced at him, and he swore he saw a shred of sympathy in his eyes. “He’s fine. Hopefully, the PLF won’t be able to trace where we moved him.”

“And if they do?”

“Then we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.” Mera motioned towards the door. “Take your phone to the executive assistant, please.”

He snatched up the device and hunted the assistant down, finding him sipping coffee in the lounge. The man didn’t seem surprised to see him, calmly taking the phone.

“Get a new one,” he said, already walking out of the room.

“But—”

“I’ll wipe and destroy this one when we’re done.”

Fantastic. He’d planned to ruffle their feathers but instead they were ruffling his. Without anyone to annoy and out a phone, he left the headquarters and zipped over to a store. A newer model would be nice anyway, and the sales associate set him up in record time. It seemed kind of pointless, considering it could be hacked too, but that was just how the Commission did things sometimes.

He wandered around the city a bit, taking pictures and impressed with the quality of his new camera. Even dressed casually people still noticed him, and he stopped for several selfies with his fans. Strolling by a convenience store, he came to an abrupt halt when he saw himself on the cover of a tabloid. That wasn’t much of an issue but the car seat in his hand was, along with the bold title: Hawks Spotted with a Baby!

Swearing under his breath, he immediately checked his social media. Nothing popped up initially, but a quick search of his name brought up two pictures in heavy circulation, one that looked exactly like the one Dabi had taken. Had he leaked it to the media? Had other people as well? At the very least, it seemed like the posts were all recent.

He went into the store and bought the magazine plus some alcohol and snacks. Being coherent during this mess didn’t seem appealing in the least. The clerk did a double take when he recognized him, eyes darting between the magazine and his face.

“Is it true?” he asked while bagging Hawks’ purchases. “Do you have a kid?”

Not anymore, he thought morosely. “Only time will tell,” he answered, cryptically.

The clerk gave him a confused look as he took the bags and walked out. He put his headphones on and tipped his sunglasses down, taking off into the sky. On the flight back to Endeavor’s house, he called Sparrow.

“Hawks! I’ve been trying to contact you!” she yelled through his connected headphones. “It kept going straight to voicemail.”

“Sorry about that.” He did another swooping circle around the house before descending. “Had to replace my phone, and I couldn’t get back the old number.”

She sighed. “Have you seen?”

“Yeah, just recently.” He sharpened his angle, shooting down towards the house as quickly as he could manage. Hopefully, nobody noticed him landing in the courtyard, though it was hidden with a privacy fence. “What’s the PR lady think?”

“You know how this goes.” Sparrow clicked her tongue, a vague sign of disapproval. “She wants you to make a statement.”

Of course she did. “I’d rather not right now.”

“But, Hawks, if you let this rumor go—”

“Please,” he interrupted as his chest started aching again. “Something came up and I… need some time.”

“Oh.” Thankfully, she caught the hint. “I understand. I’ll stall as long as I can. When do you think you’ll be back?”

“As soon as they let me.” He took off his boots and coat, then deposited his bags onto the kotatsu. “How’s Tokoyami-kun doing?”

“Great! He’s definitely faster than last time.” She laughed. “He’s always one step ahead of the sidekicks. You taught him well.”

The good news and praise helped lift his spirits a little as he wrapped up the call. He arranged his sake and snacks out on the kotatsu next to the magazine, hunting down a cup and the remote. Chilled from the flight, he snooped around until he found a hanten that was too large to be anyone but Endeavor’s. The extra room was perfect as he draped it under his wings, and was still able to stay warm.

Soon, he was seated comfortably under the futon, munching away at a light lunch and flipping through the magazine. The article was only half a page, loaded with speculation and the same two pictures he’d seen online. Who is this mysterious baby?, it asked. Secret love child or accident? Has Hawks found love on the sly?!

They would never believe the truth even if they knew it.

He pushed the magazine away and found a movie to watch. It was nice having some downtime, and he grew tipsy nursing cups of sake, eventually passing out. Though he had felt rested earlier, he was definitely still running on a sleep deficit.

He woke to his phone’s notification sound, pleasant chime of bells pulling him back to consciousness. It pinged enough times that he worried as he groped around on the table and rubbed his eyes. Glancing outside, he saw the courtyard was already growing dark.

There were several texts. He’d texted the new number to Endeavor and a few others, noticing they’d all responded. While he was working through them, another text came in and he couldn’t suppress the panic that flared up.

[Unknown]: Did you really think changing your number would stop me?

He sat up straighter and frowned at his phone. Annoying prick.

[Hawks]: You seem really intent on bothering me. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you liked me

[Unknown]: Lmao you wish, birdie. Just letting you know I have a lead. Want me to swing by with the brat so you can see him one last time?

His stomach dropped, fear chasing away the panic. Dabi could be lying, trying to get a rise out of him, and he didn’t want to give him any kind of advantage. Tragically, he couldn’t cobble up a witty comeback at the moment, setting the phone down as he took some deep, calming breaths.

Another text popped up and he centered himself the best he could before looking at it.

[Unknown]: See you soon, I guess

His feathers ruffled and he shot a few free, sending them to the far corners of the house. If anyone got near them, he would know. It made him feel a little better as he sent Mera screenshots of the conversation. Maybe an early warning would help keep Kaien safe, and Mera merely texted back a thumbs-up emoji.

After that, he pulled out his laptop and waded through his emails. There was always at least a dozen he could respond to at any given time. His stomach started growling after about five, so searched local restaurants instead.

He didn’t feel like facing the public yet, and placed a large delivery order at a new highly rated restaurant. It arrived in record time, and he wondered if they knew who usually occupied the house. He thought maybe he heard someone nearby as he quickly retrieved the bags from outside, but the streets were often busy in the dense metropolis.

The food was excellent and he was apparently famished, polishing off almost everything he ordered. He’d intended to use some for a snack later, and forced himself to set a bit aside. That combined with more sake had him pleasantly stuffed and buzzed while he watched a show he’d heard his sidekicks talking about.

When was the last time he’d been able to watch even one episode of something, let alone four? He could scarcely remember.

Sometime during the fifth episode, he fell asleep at the kotatsu. The warmth was so nice that he was seriously considering getting one for his penthouse. He thought maybe Edgeshot had suggested he get one back when he was helping him furnish it, but couldn’t really recall.

He startled awake when he sensed someone near his feather, the one by the front door. Straining his ears did nothing but offer him the usual din of the city, and a quick glance out the window displayed a vaguely lightened gray sky. It was too early for any kind of service, not that he was expecting that, but it wasn’t his home to begin with.

Slipping from warmth into the chilled morning air made him shiver, though the hanten helped. He plucked a primary feather from his wing and hardened it, gripping the calamus tightly. Falling back on his training, he silently crept towards the genkan, feathers on high alert.

He cracked the door open and peered around, seeing and sensing nothing, though he didn’t relax quite yet. Something was definitely off, he could feel it crawling under his skin, but damned if he could figure out what at the moment. His mind drifted back to Kaien, then Endeavor predictably as he shut the door against the cold and turned the lock.

Returning to the living room, he checked his phone and saw a text from Endeavor. It was the last day of the internships, so he would be heading to Tokyo after the work day concluded. Hawks was pretty sure the Commission hadn’t asked him to come yet, so it was suspicious, but he didn’t care. The feel of Endeavor’s arms around him might help chase away his persistent sorrow.

After a quick breakfast of leftovers, he took a shower and checked his social media again. People were still speculating about Kaien, some even making eerily accurate assumptions. Nothing was really completely accurate, though, considering Kaien’s unique origin. It was definitely a fact was stranger than fiction deal. At least nobody had made a connection with Endeavor, and he was sure that interest would die down in a couple days.

With some time to kill, he decided to visit a bookstore and see if he could find the Meta Liberation War book. Maybe if he studied it, he could gain some kind of insight into the enemy’s motives. The book ended up being easy to find, sporting its own little section. He bought two copies, just in case, tucking one into an interior coat pocket. People stared and murmured around him, but no more than usual.

On the way back, he swung by a cafe and picked up lunch and a hot coffee. It warmed his hands as he flew towards the house, yet again making a sharp descent in hopes of throwing off any determined paparazzi. The rest of the afternoon was spent catching up on emails and reading.

The Meta Liberation book was more interesting than he’d expected, offering points he didn’t even necessarily disagree with. It was definitely propaganda, parading freedom as justification for acts of terrorism, but it was engaging and persuasive. Really, it wasn’t too terribly different from the rhetoric he’d been fed by the Commission, much like the other side of the coin.

Both resorted to ruthless acts to maintain their principles. It was fitting they were now opposing each other.

The sky had just started growing dim when his feather once again detected someone by the front door. The train from Musutafu didn’t take long, and he figured it was Endeavor. Scrambling from the kotatsu, he rushed into the genkan and shoved his feet into his boots. He had one foot out the door before realizing his mistake and immediately freezing.

A tattered black jacket flowed around Dabi’s lithe form as he stood in the courtyard grinning at him. “Fancy meeting you here,” he said, blue flames flickering up his exposed arms.

“Dabi,” he hissed, readying a primary feather.

“Put that thing away, I’m not here to fight you.” Dabi’s tone was almost bored as he took a couple steps towards him. “Why exactly are you here, though? This is Endeavor’s house.”

“Like I’d tell you.”

Dabi sighed. “You really aren’t any fun. Let me guess, you’re fucking him?” He pulled out his phone and tapped on it, holding it up. “What if I took a picture and leaked it? That would stir up quite the scandal.”

He tightened his jaw and frowned more deeply. “So it was you that leaked those pictures of me with Kaien.”

“Maybe.” Dabi hummed and pressed a button, followed by a clicking sound. He seemed completely unfazed by Hawks’ defensive stance. “I found that kid, by the way. They hid him pretty well, but not good enough.”

“Liar!” He spat out the word compulsively, terrified he was hearing the truth. He reminded himself this guy wasn’t exactly trustworthy.

Dabi let out a manic laugh. “You should see your face! Sorry, it’s true. We already have him, just got him, actually. I decided to swing by, like I offered.”

“Give him back,” he growled, taking a step forward. His whole body was vibrating from a mixture of adrenaline and cold air.

“He’s not mine to give.” Dabi shrugged and stuck his phone back into a pocket, then waved his hand. “Get in here, Twice!”

The gate burst open as another infamous member of the League of Villains blundered into the courtyard. Hawks hadn’t been privy to all of the information surrounding the two merging villain groups, but he’d at least seen the League member’s files.

“Is something wrong?” Twice boomed, holding a blanket swaddled bundle.

Hawks’ vision narrowed down to the bundle, familiar tuft of fuzzy red hair peeking out as comforting as it was disturbing. Twice nearly tripped while he rushed to Dabi’s side, regaining his footing and apologizing.

Kaien was within reach, and he was suddenly filled with hope that he could get him back.

“I know that look,” said Dabi, waggling a disapproving finger at him. “Don’t try anything stupid, birdie, or I’ll burn off those annoying wings.”

He wisely kept his mouth shut, afraid any antagonizing might chase them off. Several scenarios quickly played out in his mind, but none were optimal. In fact, most ended with him severely burned or worse. He couldn’t help Kaien if he was dead.

“Why is he so quiet?” he settled for, since it was a nagging concern. Kaien had been more fussy since manifesting his fire quirk, and he didn’t imagine being carried around by a stranger would make him more complacent.

“The Doc gave us something to calm him down while we travelled.” Dabi glanced at the bundle with a lazy smile. “Can’t have the little shit crying and drawing unwanted attention.”

His breath left him in a steamy plume, and he fought the urge to rush blindly forward. “At least let me say goodbye.”

“You just did.” Dabi laid a hand on Twice’s shoulder and shoved him back behind him.

“I don’t know if that’s actually Kaien,” he argued, shuffling forward a bit. “Prove it. Let me see him.”

Dabi rolled his eyes, but turned around and took the bundle from Twice. He impatiently pulled back the blanket and bared Kaien’s peaceful, sleeping face. “Satisfied?”

His heart felt like a lead weight in his chest as he took another step forward, feather sword lowering slightly. Kaien was so close, if he just reached out, maybe tried to slice off Dabi’s arms…

Suddenly two identical Twices appeared on either side of Dabi. That’s right, he could duplicate himself. The perfect travelling companion for risky business. The three currently in the courtyard might not even be the original either. He stifled a distressed sound as one of the clones took Kaien and rebundled him while stepping back.

If they got away, there was a good chance he’d never see Kaien again.

“Why do you even care about this thing?” asked Dabi, sounding somewhere between bored and irritated. “It was grown in a test tube to be a weapon. It’s not much better than a nomu.”

“Shut up!” he burst out, surprised at the volume of his exclamation. “He’s not a damn nomu. He’s just a kid and he belongs with me.”

“By that logic, wouldn’t he also belong with Endeavor?” Dabi looked almost wistfully at the house. “He’s not here, so I guess he doesn't care. Never was good at raising kids anyway.”

What? “You don’t know that,” he said, more defensively than he intended. Dabi sure had him riled up, and he felt stupid for taking the bait, but he couldn’t help it.

After a pause, Dabi smiled. “Right.”

Without warning, Dabi lifted a hand and shot a stream of blue flames directly at him. He ducked out of the way at the last second, feeling his feathers singe while he zipped towards the Twice clone holding Kaien. If he was already getting burned, he had to at least try to get him back before they retreated.

Several more clones appeared around him, all grabbing hands and solid mass colliding with his body. He lashed out desperately, striking a couple and watching them vanish into piles of goo. More immediately took their place and started piling on top of him and his wings, weighing him down.

“I don’t want to do this, buddy!” said one Twice clone.

“You don’t want the baby hurt, do you?” asked another.

“The Doc will take good care of him, so don’t worry!” proclaimed yet another.

What a nightmare. He kept hitting them with his feathers and they kept duplicating. A white hot stream of fire sliced through a group and he felt part of his left wing burn, gritting his teeth and swatting at it through the new opening. Smoke billowed around him with the breeze and he glanced back, seeing the house was on fire.

Luckily, the only thing he really cared about saving was secured safely around his wrist. The bracelet glistened while he sliced through a couple more clones. They didn’t immediately repopulate, and he looked towards Dabi, no longer seeing the clone that was holding Kaien.

In a frenzy, he sliced down the remaining clones and rushed towards Dabi, irrationally ready to cut off his head. Dabi boldly grabbed the feather and it went up in flames, turning to ashes and leaving him with nothing but the calamus in hand. He reached for another, but faltered when Dabi suddenly seized his neck and squeezed. He struggled, instinctively grasping another primary feather and watching it dissolve into ash as he swung it.

“Stop,” said Dabi, lazy smile morphing into something more manic. “If you keep doing that, I’ll roast you like a chicken skewer.”

He wheezed as the hand tightened around his neck, clawing at it and surprised at the grip strength. It was cutting off his air, world going dim at the edges while he considered slicing off Dabi’s fingers. If the hand ignited, he would probably be dead in seconds, so he needed to act fast, but his oxygen deprived brain was struggling to come up with any good solution.

His vision continued to grow dimmer, and his limbs sluggish as his fingers twitched, instinctively reaching for another feather blade. If he passed out it would all be over, and he was glad for the pain in his wing keeping him thinly tethered to consciousness.

“We gotta go!” came Twice’s distant voice. “The fire is drawing attention!”

Dabi made a tsk noise and gave him one last lingering look before releasing his neck. Hawks collapsed to the ground, gasping and coughing, already grabbing a feather and scrambling to his feet. Stumbling forward, he tried calling out while Dabi’s figure disappeared through the gate, but his voice came out hoarse and weak.

“Wait!” he cried, barely audible against the blaze gaining momentum behind him.

He spared the burning house a glance before rushing out the gate, the distant sound of sirens adding to the cacophony. People were starting to gather around the fence and he blindly pushed past them, scanning faces and trying to detect the unique timbre of either villain’s voice.

Nothing. He took flight and flew around the immediate vicinity, still not seeing them. How had they escaped so quickly?

The house was now a blazing inferno, threatening to spread. A fire engine pulled up and firefighters started running around, trying to put it out. He kept searching, cold winter air cutting through his sweater. At some point his phone started buzzing in his pocket, and he hadn’t even realized he had it on him. He hovered mid-air, fishing it out and answering it without looking at the screen, distantly hopeful it was Dabi with a vague lead.

“Hawks!” shouted Endeavor so loudly he winced. “Are you okay?! The house is on fire!”

“I’m fine,” he said, voice strained and starting to shiver as his adrenaline crashed. “Well, I got a little burned and choked, but—”

“You got burned?!” Endeavor cursed, voice muffled as he talked to someone. “Where are you?”

“Flying nearby.” He sighed and started heading towards the house. “I’m on my way back.”

The sky had grown completely dark by the time he set foot back on solid ground, right in front of the crowd gathering around the house. Endeavor was talking to some officers, but immediately rushed over to him the second he spotted him. He took in the sight of Hawks, shivering with a burnt wing and probably bruised neck, and promptly shrugged off his coat.

“Come on,” he said, wrapping the coat over his shoulders around the wings as best he could. “Let’s get you checked up.”

He wanted to argue, but suddenly felt exhausted from the fight. It would probably take more than a couple nights of decent sleep to catch up from his deficit. The medics examined him and recommended he go to the hospital and see a recovery tech, which he declined. Due to the potentially sensitive information, he refused to give a statement, telling the officers to contact the Commission instead. They knew that drill well enough, and dismissed him.

“At least I have my boots and phone,” he said, forcing a smile as he looked up at Endeavor’s worried face. “Work laptop and clothes are gone, though… along with other stuff.”

Endeavor placed a hand on his shoulder and grabbed the handle of his rolling luggage. “Time to get you warmed up and fed, little bird.”

As the taxi drove through the city, Endeavor made a few phone calls. Hawks hadn’t caught where they were headed, simply glad for the warm interior of the car. A dirty, scratched, and haggard version of himself reflected back in the window. His clothes were in tatters too, hardly suited for going out to eat. He thought about asking the driver to stop at a store, but merely slumped against the door instead.

The taxi reached its destination a few minutes later and Endeavor helped him out of the car. He looked up at the sprawling, modestly tall building with a sign that read Otani Resort - Executive Suites. The exterior seemed modern but there was traditional landscaping around it, including what he assumed was a man-made waterfall. It fell into a little valley surrounded by a forested garden wrapped around the hotel. Not bad for being in the thick of the city.

They walked into the spacious lobby, and Endeavor asked him to wait with his luggage while he picked up the keycard. He stared into the distance vacantly, then followed Endeavor like a lighthouse in a storm as they made their way up to the room. The place was practically empty, which was good considering he didn’t want them photographed going up to a room together.

The suite was extravagant, with ceiling to floor windows, offering an amazing view of the forest and city beyond, living room, and bedroom with only one bed. One stupidly large bed that looked like it could easily fit three people. He wanted to crawl into it and never leave.

The door had barely swung shut when Endeavor stomped over and engulfed him in a bone-creaking hug.

“Hawks,” he said, withdrawing slightly and carefully running fingers over his bruised neck. “What happened?”

“They have him,” he said, voice still hoarse. A fresh wave of sorrow welled up inside him as the information finally processed. “Dabi… and Twice, they found Kaien.”

“Are they the ones that hurt you?” Endeavor framed Hawks’ face in his big hands, staring at him so intensely he looked livid. It was only from experience that he knew this was the man’s concerned expression.

“I tried to stop them,” he said, barely holding back his tears. Blinking rapidly, he felt a few escape and slip down his cheeks. “They had him, right there in the courtyard. I tried to save him, but—”

His words choked off on a sudden sob. Endeavor released his face and drew him back into his warm embrace, holding him as he cried. It felt both nice and bizarre to be comforted like that, something he’d never had before.

Great heroes don’t need to be coddled, his trainers had often said. It’s your duty to comfort the public, not the other way around.

Heroes were supposed to be the pillars holding up civilized society, but who reinforced them when villains chipped pieces away? Despite his copious amount of training, it felt like doing it himself was getting harder and harder lately.

After everything was said and done, he felt like Kaien had made him weaker. It was a terrible revelation and he wondered how Endeavor had done it four times.

“I know this is hard,” started Endeavor, petting his hair. “I… lost a child too.”

That’s right, he remembered seeing that in the news and tabloids, how Endeavor’s eldest son had died in a tragic accident. Was that why he was so reluctant to consider Kaien his son? Maybe he couldn’t stand the thought of losing yet another child, which now that he understood what that felt like, he could hardly blame him.

“I’m sorry,” he croaked, grasping the fabric of Endeavor’s shirt more tightly. “This probably isn’t a great reminder. Kaien’s not even dead, but I’ll never see him again. I—”

“Shhh,” soothed Endeavor, rubbing his back. “As long as he’s alive, there’s a chance.”

That had occurred to him, but hearing it from Endeavor really cemented it in his mind. He wasn’t even normally prone to pessimism, but exhaustion and grief were wearing down his resolve.

“Get cleaned up,” suggested Endeavor, cautiously withdrawing. “I’ll go get something for dinner.” He paused and scanned Hawks’ body. “And some clothes.”

“You don’t have to do that, I can—”

“It’s fine,” interrupted Endeavor, already walking towards the door. “I’ll be back soon, okay? If you need anything, call me.”

Before he could even utter a response, Endeavor was gone.

Hawks wandered through the bedroom and into the bathroom, stripping off his soiled and tattered clothes. A glance in the mirror displayed an array of bruises and scrapes, along with burnt feathers that he shed onto the pile of ruined clothing. He carefully cleaned himself under the gentle stream of the rainfall showerhead. Next he filled the tub and climbed in, gazing out the windows at the light speckled landscape.

The hot water seeped in and chased away the persistent chill that had settled in since his hasty flight. Without his down feather coat, he’d been exposed to the harsh elements, though that had hardly occurred to him when he took off in search of the villains. He was still baffled about how quickly they had disappeared.

He knew he should be contacting the Commission, something he should’ve done immediately after the incident, but he stayed in the tub until the water grew cool. They would make him recount what happened, and he wasn’t quite ready to do that yet.

Taking a fluffy robe from a hook on the wall, he wrapped himself up and walked over to a backlit mirror. Angry purple and blue bruises had blossomed on his neck, and he knew there were a few more on his body. Along with his burnt wing base and puffy red eyes, he looked terrible. The wing would probably regenerate quite a bit overnight, but currently it was throbbing with dull pain, especially after the shower.

He ran a hand through his damp hair and went into the bedroom, shedding the bulk of his remaining feathers onto the floor. It was fancy, all neutral earth tones accented with cream, oddly shaped, contemporary lamps, and a large TV. Tossing the decorative pillows off the bed, he found the remote and climbed in. The mattress was just the right amount of soft, together with the Egyptian cotton sheets, it cradled his body in a haven of fluff.

Choosing a random movie, he nodded off in the downy sanctuary, startling awake when he heard the door open. His hand grasped for a primary feather that wasn’t there, but he floated one over before even sitting up. The other feathers detected the familiar pattern of Endeavor’s breathing, and he slumped back against the pillows.

“Hawks,” called Endeavor, walking into the room with bags in hand. He set them on the bed. “Here’s some clothes. Food’s in the living room when you’re ready.”

When he didn’t respond, Endeavor approached and squeezed his hand still gripping the feather. He left the room without another word and Hawks eventually—and reluctantly—slinked out of the bed. There was more clothes than he’d expected, including a couple t-shirts and jeans, a sweater, winter coat, pajama pants, even boxers and socks. Every top had wing holes too and the sizing looked decent.

It was touchingly considerate, and he wondered how many times it was now that Endeavor had to get him new clothes. From their first time together, it had almost become a tradition. It certainly was one of those unexpected byproducts of hero work that he learned the hard way.

He put on the flannel pajamas pants and a t-shirt, then wandered out into the living room. The couch and chairs were contemporary pieces, sleek and almost uncomfortable looking, surrounding a low coffee table. The food containers were spread out over it, including drinks, and the TV was playing a nature show. He wasn’t hungry, but he sat down next to Endeavor and started methodically eating anyway.

The silence between them stretched on and he wouldn’t necessarily call it the comfortable kind. His chest was an odd mixture of heavy and hollow, a unique and terrible feeling. A mother puma cared for her cubs on the TV and he nearly broke down crying again, trying to stamp down the reaction as tears pricked his eyes. Endeavor must have noticed, because he rubbed his back briefly.

“How does your wing feel?” he asked, gazing at Hawks with a surprisingly soft expression.

He shrugged. “It stings a little.” It actually hurt more than that, but he barely noticed it, more concerned with the ache in his chest. Besides, it wasn’t the first time they’d been burnt.

Hesitant fingers brushed the column of his neck “What about this?”

“It’s fine.”

Endeavor sighed, like he didn’t really believe him. “I’m going to take a shower. I won’t be long.”

Forcing a smile, he nodded, then stared at the TV as Endeavor stood up and walked into the bedroom. While he had the chance, he needed to contact the Commission and tell them what happened. He waited until he heard the water running, then retrieved his phone from the nightstand.

The text he sent to Mera was simply, They have him . It took a good ten minutes for his phone to start ringing.

“Is this related to Endeavor’s local house burning down?” asked Mera, without even bothering to say hello.

He considered lying or bending the truth, things they’d taught him well, but was too frazzled to come up with anything believable. They probably knew of his involvement with Endeavor anyway.

“Yes. Dabi cornered me there with Twice. They had Kaien. I tried to stop them but was burnt and overwhelmed by clones. I pursued them, but couldn’t locate either in the immediate vicinity.”

Mera made a noncommittal noise, and he could hear typing in the background. “Understood. We’ll discuss this more tomorrow at the meeting. Please, be here at ten a.m.”

With that settled, he climbed back into bed, nestled in soft linens and fluffy pillows. He was barely clinging to consciousness when Endeavor stepped into the room wearing a robe and toweling his hair dry. Tossing the towel onto the bed, he left the room and returned with his phone.

“You awake, little bird?” he asked, setting his phone on a nightstand, then shrugging off the robe.

“I am now,” he said, realizing Endeavor was naked as he leaned over and switched off the lamps.

“The Commission wants us there tomorrow at—”

“Ten a.m.,” he finished, amused when Endeavor shot him an irritated look at being interrupted. “They told me when I contacted Mera about… what happened.”

Endeavor grumbled something indiscernible and slipped under the covers next to him. The room was dark, cast in deep shadows from the light of the city and moon coming in through the windows. He scooted closer to Endeavor, drawn to his warmth, desperate for some comfort. Endeavor pulled him close by the small of his back, and they embraced in that fluffy haven, both sighing in relief.

“Wanna fool around?” he asked, speech slurred with fatigue.

“There will be time for that later,” said Endeavor, rubbing his back. “Get some rest, Hawks.”

He hummed and nodded off almost immediately. It wasn’t a restful slumber, plagued with anxiety dreams about chasing Kaien. No matter how hard he tried, no matter what he did, he couldn’t catch him. Dabi and Twice taunted him from a distance, and Endeavor told him it was for the best that Kaien was gone. He woke with a whimper, ready to cry yet again.

Endeavor was still asleep next to him, cast in the warm hues of the morning sun. He snuggled back against him, feeling his steady heartbeat under his palm. It calmed his frayed nerves, as did the arm that curled around him, holding him close.

“Morning,” mumbled Endeavor, eyes still closed. His hand travelled down to Hawks’ ass and he squeezed one of the cheeks. “Your little cock is lively as usual.”

“Hey, it’s not little,” he argued, though, compared to Endeavor’s, anyone’s would be. It was only then he even noticed he had morning wood, insistently pressing against Endeavor through the pajama pants.

“Do we have time to take care of it?” asked Endeavor, cracking his eyes open and glancing back at the clock.

They really didn’t, not if they wanted breakfast. He shook his head and nuzzled against Endeavor’s chest.

“Not today,” he said, flexing his winglets slightly. The pain from the burn had subsided significantly, now just a dull ache. Bless their regenerative ability. His throat still felt pretty sore, though.

The morning hustle was a familiar dance to them by that point, both used to each other’s routines and idiosyncrasies. Endeavor ordered room service for breakfast and they ate while watching the morning news.

“I’m gonna take off ahead of you,” he said, gathering the extra clothes into a bag.

Endeavor caught him by the arm after he tugged on his new coat, pulling him against his hard body and leaning down. They shared a languid kiss, one that threatened to excite him despite his depression, enticing him to fuck away his sorrow.

He withdrew first, resting his head on Endeavor’s chest briefly and calming down. After a moment, he looked up at him and smiled softly.

“Thank you, Endeavor-san.” He went to step away, but Endeavor jerked him back.

“Enji,” he said, intently. “Call me Enji.”

It was too intimate. He felt a blush flooding his face and glanced away to collect himself.

“Thank you… Enji-san.” It felt strange saying his given name, but the happiness he saw in Endeavor’s eyes made it worth it.

He left the hotel alone, taking off into the air. It was bitterly cold and he missed his sunglasses and headphones while he flew to the Commission Headquarters. Jeanist was already there when he walked into the President’s office, and Endeavor showed up soon after.

“We’re planning a raid,” declared the President after thanking them for coming on such short notice. Like she cared. “A coordinated attack on locations we believe to be the PLF’s Headquarters and another of the doctor’s labs.”

“What about Kaien?” It was honestly the only thing he cared about at that moment, and he couldn’t help but feel it was the Commission’s fault that Kaien had been taken in the first place.

“Did something happen to Kaien?” asked Jeanist, alarmed.

“Dabi and Twice kidnapped him yesterday,” he said, mildly annoyed that Jeanist looked more upset about it than Endeavor ever had.

“They also murdered the foster family we placed him with, along with the guards,” added the President.

Jeanist made a small, distressed noise. “How monstrous.”

Hawks clenched his fists, stamping down the anger that surged inside him.

“We suspect that Kaien was taken to one of the two raid locations.” The President handed him a tablet. “The headquarters is in a villa at Gunga Mountain, while the lab is presumed to be under Jaku Hospital.”

Hawks unlocked the tablet and swiped through the data as Endeavor and Jeanist hovered over his shoulders. About 80 kilometers apart.

“We haven’t decided who is going where yet, but we do know that we currently lack the manpower to pull off this operation adequately.” The President folded her hands and steeled her expression. “We need you to further train the UA students.”

“You can’t be serious,” said Jeanist, reeling back as if struck. “You mean to involve children in this?”

“We mean to involve as many heroes as humanly possible,” retorted the President, glancing at her executive assistant, the ever-present sentinel. “If they’re licensed, we’re calling upon them to help.”

“But it’s too dangerous—”

“The mission will fail without them,” interrupted the President. “Unfortunately, we need them, and it’s your job to train and protect them if necessary. We’ve already contacted other hero agencies and schools with the same request, though we paraded it as an extra internship requirement.”

“We’ll do it,” said Endeavor, then glanced at both of them. “Won’t we, guys?”

Always a stickler for duty. He was too, and nodded, though Jeanist still seemed reluctant.

“This operation will take several months to coordinate. Once we have more details, we’ll call you back for another meeting. For now, it is of dire importance that you train and prepare the students.” The President nodded to her executive assistant. “Hawks, give my assistant a rundown of the incident yesterday so we can document it.”

Months. The raid was months away. Still, hope blossomed in his chest. There was a real chance he could get Kaien back, though it wasn’t exactly a plan yet. As he followed the assistant to his office, he wished there was a way to find out which place Kaien had been taken. Dabi kept saying the doctor wanted him back, so it was probably the hospital.

After telling the assistant what had happened—conveniently leaving out that he was basically squatting at Endeavor’s house—he rushed out of the office and started searching for Endeavor. He finally spotted him by the elevators talking with Jeanist, and thankfully they seemed like they were getting along okay.

“We need to be discreet with this,” said Endeavor, perking up as he noticed him approaching.

Jeanist nodded. “Agreed. I’ll travel into Musutafu on the weekends and train Bakugou when time allows. Or perhaps have him come to Tokyo for extra internship experience.”

“Best if we keep this off the books,” suggested Endeavor. “I’ll train Bakugou too. He’s one of Shouto’s friends, and we made some decent progress recently.”

“Thank you.” Jeanist pulled out his phone. “If you’ll excuse me, I have some business to attend to. Keep in touch.”

“Glad to see you two getting along,” he said while they waited for the next elevator.

Endeavor snorted. “I am capable of being professional.” He glanced down at him sideways. “Besides… I won in the end.”

His face heated up as they stepped into the elevator and descended to the lobby. He followed Endeavor out of the building, watching him fish out his phone and squint at the screen.

“Let’s get some lunch, then go back to the room so you can pick up your extra clothes.”

“I know the perfect place,” he said, already heading towards his favorite local cafe.

It was nice being in such a crowded city and out of uniform. They almost blended in, but his wings tipped enough people off that he detected them whispering around him. The rumors surrounding Kaien hadn’t quite faded from memory yet. He thought he could tolerate it, but ultimately asked if they could take their order back to the hotel and eat in peace.

Once they stepped back into the room, he sighed in relief. Anywhere he stayed with Endeavor always felt safe, like the home he’d never had. It wasn’t exactly a comforting revelation considering Endeavor already had a family home, one he’d never even been inside. Still, the fact he could make any random lodging feel like a refuge was impressive.

They ate at the table by the window, forested garden visible below. Now that the meeting was over, he knew they would soon be travelling in opposite directions again.

“How will you be training Tokoyami?” asked Endeavor, staring at him expectantly.

He blinked and stared back, drawing a blank. “I don’t know, um… maybe I can come up on some weekends too.”

“How about you stay in Musutafu for a little while?” Endeavor took a bite of his sandwich, continuing to gaze at him with that unnervingly steady and intense manner of his.

“That might draw unwanted suspicion.”

“Make something up,” said Endeavor with a shrug. “We can say it’s a special project, aimed at teaching the kids how to do proper team ups. I doubt anyone would give it much thought.”

He nodded thoughtfully, then startled. Wait. “Did you say ‘we’?”

Endeavor reached across the table and grasped his hand. “Stay with me, Hawks, at my apartment in the agency.”

Butterflies erupted in his stomach, and he felt so light he thought he’d float away. “Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously.” Endeavor squeezed his hand, eyes electric blue and packed with some emotion he couldn’t read. “Those kids need us and we need them. We can give them the future they deserve… together.”

He wished Endeavor was that passionate about saving Kaien. It was still a welcome invitation, offering to let him stay in one of the places Endeavor called home. They could possibly be living together for months if the training was thorough.

“I’d like that,” he said after a moment, finally feeling a genuine smile surface. “I’ll have to go back and make arrangements first, probably pop back in occasionally—”

“That’s fine,” said Endeavor, relaxing his shoulders and smiling back. “Whatever you need.”

They spent one more night at the fancy hotel, having leisurely sex on the giant bed. It felt nice to take their time, slowly exploring each other’s bodies rather than desperately fucking their brains out. Not that he minded quickies, but properly worshiping a body as glorious as Endeavor’s took time. Endeavor seemed to share that sentiment, calmly wringing pleasure from Hawks until he was an overstimulated mess.

He honestly couldn’t get enough of the man, wondering if his lingering hormones were to blame for his heightened libido, or if it was just because it was Endeavor.

“I miss the house,” he mumbled, snuggled up against Endeavor’s side after their latest round.

Endeavor barked out a laugh, idly rubbing his arm. “This is one of the nicest resorts the city has to offer and you miss that little old house?”

He pouted as he reached for the covers, though he was plenty warm from Endeavor’s heat. “It’s not the same. We lived together there…” With Kaien, he thought, unable to push the words past his lips.

Endeavor hummed and tugged the covers over them. “I’ll buy another one. Which would you prefer, an apartment or house?”

It was another blatant reminder of Endeavor’s vast wealth, and he looked up at him surprised.

“Maybe a penthouse?” asked Endeavor. “Let me know. I doubt the kids will care much at this point, but I’d like to have somewhere we can all stay in the city.”

Not all at the same time, of course, but it made him feel almost giddy knowing Endeavor was considering him along with his family.

“I own a house by the beach too,” muttered Endeavor, sounding tired. “And the beach.”

He rose up on an elbow. “You own a beach?! Why is this the first time I’m hearing of it?”

Endeavor snorted, wrapping an arm around him and pulling him back down. “I thought it would impress the kids. Never really had the time to visit it much, though.”

“Well, we definitely have to go then,” he declared, patting Endeavor’s chest. “Promise me you’ll take me there.”

“I promise,” said Endeavor, closing his eyes. “Now, get some rest while you can, little bird.”

In the morning, Hawks left the hotel feeling hopeful, assuring Endeavor he would contact him as soon as he had his affairs in order. Even with such a gravely important task ahead of them, he was much more excited than anything else. It felt like another important step, bringing them closer to being an actual couple and not just a fling. They could dress it up with as many valiant excuses as they wanted, but he knew it was for selfish reasons.

Soon he would move in with Todoroki Enji and get to know him better than he’d ever expected. It was a golden opportunity to entrench himself even further into Endeavor’s life. Kaien had thrown that goal off track, but he’d never forgotten. Maybe with time and the right persuasion, he could convince Endeavor to be a father to Kaien too.

For now, he would train and plan, and hopefully continue to charm and enamour the Flame Hero. It was the only way he’d get what he wanted, and he usually if not always got what he wanted.

When he stepped into Endeavor’s apartment a week later, it was directly into the man’s arms. Endeavor kissed the bracelet he’d gifted Hawks, still fastened securely around his wrist. Yes, this was definitely moving in the right direction.

Chapter End Notes

> Aaand it's done~ Thank you so much for staying with me this long! 🙇 These two idiots (affectionate) took another important step in their relationship!! Enji is still reluctant with Kaien, though, considering the kid's origin plus his own trauma. But! There's hope on the horizon!

> Thanks again for reading! 🙏 You can find me on twitter @specterpeach

## Afterword

Please drop by the Archive and comment to let the creator know if you enjoyed their work!