Of all the nights it had to rain, it had to be the night I was in a panic.

I needed to find Akitsugu, but I could hardly see straight due to my emotions. I was angry; not only with Hawks, but with myself, too, for forgetting about the man who had basically raised me. Not to mention the fact that I'd blown my hideous secret to the only other person who even remotely cared.

I landed in the middle of our park; our home, and began to frantically race around in search of the scraggly old man. He wasn't on his bench, nor under cover in the slide or playground cubby. I didn't know where he could be.
"OJIISAN?! WHERE ARE YOU?!" I called out; voice cracking with worry.

Why didn't I just check on him every day like I was supposed to?! I'm pathetic!

The rain was like shards of glass cutting my skin; stinging and uncomfortable, but I couldn't have cared less. So many horrible thoughts raced around my head during the hour I spent looking for him, even though I tried to stay positive.

He'd kick my ass if he knew I was freaking out like this...

Just as I was about to launch myself back into the sky, something splatted into the side of my bare leg. I knew what it was before I even looked down. A vermilion feather.
"Fuck off, you bastard! I don't have time!" I barked; trying to shake it off, but it just kept smacking into my leg. "What do you want?!" It flew up to my face and vibrated wildly before zooming up into the sky. It circled me; as though it were trying to tell me something.

If I follow it...and he wastes my time...I'll kill him...

"Fine! Hurry the fuck up!" I hissed; taking flight and following it through the heavy downpour. I was concerned that the hero just wanted to question my quirk, and why I thought I'd be able to become a pro with something that looked so villainous. That was the last thing I needed, yet I still followed that bright fleck as it whipped through the sky. Just in case. After about fifteen gruelling minutes, we came in for a landing, and I spotted Hawks standing beside a dumpster by some tacky looking eatery.

If he says anything about food he's a dead man.

"I swear to fuck, you don't know when to give up, do you?! What do you want?! I need to find..." He approached me before I had the chance to finish my sentence, and the look on his face made my anger twist into fear. His solemn expression was made even darker by the sopping strands of ashen blond that stuck against his forehead. Once he reached me, his hand came down gently upon my shoulder. Too gently.
"(Y/N)..." There was my name again, and I already knew what this was all about.
"W..where..?" My throat was completely dried up, and his hesitation didn't help. I saw his dark eyes flicker towards the dumpster, and I was already moving; each step feeling like I was walking in concrete boots.

No...no...no...no...

Yes. There was Akitsugu; saturated and lifeless, curled up behind the large steel bin. He looked so peaceful, apart from the old, coagulated drizzle of blood that was smeared down the side of his jaw. My legs gave way, and I would have hit the ground if it hadn't been for Hawks' quick reflexes. I didn't want to keep looking, but I couldn't help it. I wanted to bury my face in the damp material of Hawks' suit and sob, but nothing would come out. All I could manage were low, rasping wheezes, and they were painful.

I'm so sorry...Ojiisan...I...I fucked up...I...I just...

I knew he had been ill. Much sicker than he would ever admit, but I never thought it would get him in the end. That man had been immortal in my eyes for so long; nothing could have prepared me for his death. I heard Hawks speaking softly behind me; something about our location and a dead body, but I couldn't hear it all. I didn't want to accept that the man who I saw as a father was gone. Just wasted away on the unforgiving streets.

I didn't know how long I spaced out, but when I finally slipped back into reality, Hawks and I were descending through the apartment skylight.
"W..what did they d..do w..with him..?" I managed to ask in a pathetic whisper; curling closer into his chest as he padded down the hallway; water soaking the floor behind us.
"I requested they take him to the crematorium...After they make sure it was from natural causes, they'll get the go ahead, then you can choose what you want to do..." He replied softly; using his soggy boot to nudge open his door. "I'll run you a bath, okay? You can use mine...it's bigger." He set me down on my feet, but I just clung to him; nose pressed to his chest.
"I...just wanna go to bed..."

...and I want to cry...

"I getchya...I'll grab you some dry clothes from your room and you can have my bed for the night. It's soft as hell and you need a good, long sleep." He petted my head before leaving the room, and I took the opportunity to strip off my drenched clothes and slipped into the one piece of clothing that brought me comfort, along with a faded pair of sweatpants. With Hawkward written across my chest in bold, I slowly crawled into the mass of pillows and blankets; bringing my knees to my chest in a seated position.

"Okay, I'll just..." Hawks trailed off as his eyes landed on my small form atop his ridiculously large bed. "Right then...My shirt it is..." He sighed; paired with a sad smile. I just watched him with pricking eyes.

Why is he being so kind..? Even after I acted like such a bitch to him...and even after he saw...

"Try and sleep, Sunshine. No training tomorrow, 'kay? I'll see you in the morning." Just as he was about to flick off the light and leave me alone, I found my voice.
"H..Hawks..." I sounded meek, but his head snapped up as though I had yelled out. "Wh..why d..didn't you k..kick me out..?" He stiffened; eyes growing almost owlish as he realised that I had begun to cry. I couldn't hold it in anymore. He walked over; taking a seat beside me. One of his wings stretched out and curved against my back, and his hand found mine, just like it had numerous times that night.
"Why the fuck would I kick you out?" He asked; concern apparent.
"B..because...I...My...qu..quirk..." I gripped one of the many blankets with a shaky hand. "...I..it's h..hideous...a..and e..evil...a..and-"
"Your quirk is beautiful. All of it." Hawks shut me up; his thumb brushing lightly over my knuckles. "Why would I kick you out over a pair of wings?"

Because...

"That's what e..everybody e..else did..." I confessed hoarsely; leaning back into the odd warmth of his feathers. There was a long silence, broken only by my weakened sobbing, until Hawks stood up; my hand still in his.
"Well, they're clueless. Not a brain between them. Tell you what...How about I stay here with you? I'll stay out of your personal space, but I don't feel right just leaving you on your own when you're so..." He struggled to find the right word, but it didn't matter. I didn't speak, but I nodded to him in response. I didn't want to be alone.

He's all I have left now...

I averted my eyes as the young hero shed his damp, crumpled suit; quickly locating another pair of sweatpants before slipping them on and crawling into the other side of the bed. Without giving him a chance to even breathe, I rolled over and buried my face just above his collar bone; his heat lulling my anguish into rest for the time being. He seemed startled at first, but he slowly eased; his arms curling aroubd me gingerly.
"You are my sunshine...my only sunshine~..." He began to sing in a soft whisper; not quite as off key as his usual screeching. "You make me happy...when skies are grey~..." His face rested against the top of my head; his warm breath warding off the sense of dread that had been trying to claw it's way into my mind.

You're all I have...

"...You'll never know, dear...~" His lips pressed a quick, almost ghostly kiss to my scalp. "...how much I love you...Please don't take my sunshine away...~"

Love...

"H..Hawks..?" I uttered out his name again; the only one I knew, and he hummed in response. "...I chose my hero name..." He shifted a little so he could look at me with tired curiosity.
"What's it gonna be?" He asked; his fingers tracing calming circles across the small of my back.

"Songbird..."

***Shitty, shorter chapter cuz meh. I'm so tired it's 1:30am send help***